Guarding [Lee, Neji] [Sanctuary Plot]

[Tenten]

Stand In The Rain, Stand Your Ground, Stand Up When It's All Crashing Down...

~She Doesn't Know Why, But She Knows That When She's All Alone, Feels Like It's All Coming Down~
❃♈❃ тєитєи ❃♈❃
"Okay, if you insist, remember you asked for it!"

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So now the three of them had been called for a mission, was it? Well, Tenten was fine with it, because she knew for a fact that the three of them - her, Neji, and Lee - had a great amount of teamwork. Her and Neji could reach each other like a book, and Lee just seemed to click with them in battle situations. Lee was a strict close-range fighter, Tenten mostly long-range with projectiles, and Neji a more close-range with a few potent techniques. Two Chuunin and one Jounin sounded sufficent, at least for what the mission seemed to entail.

A temple in the Hi no Kuni that was of monks worshipping some goddess named Shiva was being constantly attacked and harassed by bandits, it seemed, but there seemed to also lie a much deeper reason, at least from what Tsunade suggested in the scroll she'd sent out. Something else was underlying this, something deeper, and Tsunade was going with the assumption that it was either the work of the Akatsuki, Orochimaru, or some other higher force, probably a shinobi. Chances were there was a shinobi behind all of this, and Tenten didn't doubt the Hokage's ideas, either. She was usually right when it came to those sorts of things.

Tenten walked down the burning hot streets of Konohagakure no Sato, already packed with her backpack on and her scroll strapped to the bottom. Around her waist was a holster for two smaller scrolls, and as per usual when it came to missions, Tenten lacked a weapons holster on her thigh. It was pointless to have when she had a gigantic scroll full of weapons on her back and two smaller ones around her waist. Summoning them at will with quite the amount of speed was definitely a bonus in the long run. The sun beat down on her, and the crimson red colour of her pants began to heat up a little along with her deep chocolate hair, causing her to start sweating a little. She wondered how poor Neji, with his long, lustrous ebony locks, would be faring in this weather. Even with the white outfit he wore, chances were it would still be fairly hot with such a head of hair...

But nonetheless, that wasn't her worry at the moment. Her worry was what the mission itself would entail, and what sorts of briefing they would get. She would have to remember to pay the utmost attention to every little bit of it, because all of it would be important. As she came up to the steps of the tower, she stopped, waiting for her two other teammates to arrive. They wouldn't be late, she knew, and she also knew she was probably early, too. It was always like her to be early, because she never wanted to be late.

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You Stand Through The Pain, You Won't Drown, And One Day What's Lost Can Be Found...

[Hyuuga Neji]

Neji had been training under the care of his uncle once more. He was panting and out of breath at the moment but he didn't want to give up just yet. He didn't like to be pushed to his limits at the moment specially by his uncle but there was no to let go of the attack now. He went to launch another attack with his Byakugan activated only to be stopped by a small voice coming from behind his uncle. The chakra system that he saw behind his uncle was none other than his little cousin Hanabi.

”Neji-neesan! You have something here for the Hokage!”

Despite not wanting to end the training session, he had no choice in the matter. Specially if it dealt with a mission that was going to be assigned him. He was a Jounin now, he had no choice in the mater. He lowered his Byakugan and looked to his uncle, not waiting for approval to end the spare, he walked passed him and took the scroll from his cousin. He unsealed it and read it to himself before picking up his bag that was next to a post on the deck. ”Sorry, Hiashi-san. I must end this sparing match. Thank you Hanabi.” He said thank you to her for bring the scroll to him. He picked up his bag and went home without another word.

Once he was home he packed his bag and changed from his training clothing to his regular outfit. He walked over to his mother and told her about he was leaving on a mission and he would see her when he got back. He tied his headband around his head and walked out of the door and towards the Hokage Mansion. He knew at lease Tenten would be there waiting for him, he wasn't to sure about Lee. Most likely Lee was in the middle of his own training session and would hate to break it just to look at the scroll.

Has he walked down the street, he ran throw what the scroll had said, he was quick to memorized it for just looking at it. He had to there was something that he was only able to look at once so he had pick up memorizing something rather fast now due to being a Jounin. It might be a simple routine mission here in the Land of Fire, but there had to be a reason why Tsunade was sending a three man team with their abilities. The growing threat of the snake dude and the Akatsuki was the main treat at the moment and if they could build a better alliance with the Sand it was for the better in Neji's eyes anyways.

He noticed Tenten standing next to the stairs has he walked up. He was wearing his white outfit and his hair like always was tied in the back and down his back at the moment. His eyes stared at her for a moment before they broke the stare and looked up to the stairs at the moment. He walked next to her his hands down besides him. He was still having a slight problem with showing emotions but his face expression was softer than before. ”That leave us waiting for Lee?”

[Tenten]

Stand In The Rain, Stand Your Ground, Stand Up When It's All Crashing Down...

~She Doesn't Know Why, But She Knows That When She's All Alone, Feels Like It's All Coming Down~
❃♈❃ тєитєи ❃♈❃
"Okay, if you insist, remember you asked for it!"

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Tenten was deep in thought about the Jounin exams that had been announced to be happening in about half a year or so, wondering how gruelling they would actually be. Neji had taken them to become a Jounin, correct? She'd remembered his fairly long absence, and she really hadn't liked it, either. It had forced her to have to train with Lee and Gai, and while that was manageable after a day or two, it became troublesome when it was a period of months. She couldn't help but admit that she'd honestly worried whether he would come back all right or not.

But nonetheless, it wasn't something to worry about, now was it? She was confident in her skills, yes, but she also knew that Neji's skills far surpassed hers to a great extent. She surpassed him in the accuracy and weapons area, but he seemed to trump her in everything else, especially because even if she used her ultimate weapons, he could defend from all of them. If they were ever in a real spar or real fight like that, she knew hands-down that he would win. His skill, cunning, and defence completely outmatched hers to a great extent.

At the sound of his cool voice in front of her, Tenten looked up, her face normal and slightly bland as usual "Yeah, I hope he isn't late... I guess we're not the only ones that're early, huh?" she stated casually as she comfortably leaned against the wall. It made her seem shorter than what she actually was, but it wasn't like she really cared. Neji wasn't that much taller than her in the first place, anyway, and he wasn't exactly one to flaunt about whatever he might have over her. He just wasn't the type to be arrogant and prideful like that, at least not in an irritating way.

She tried not to let the silence get to her, but it still did, and it brought back her thoughts on the Jounin exams. She knew there was a possibility that she could die in the exams, yes, just like the Chuunin exams had been. However, to become a Jounin was much harder, and it meant that it would be more than just a simple test of skill and wit. Now that she looked back on the Chuunin exams in her later life, she knew that they were relatively simple and easily thought-out. The Jounin exams, however, were going to be much harder.

And the question was, should she breach the subject with Neji? She assumed he would remember the exams, yes, but would they be the same as before? She was sure that their friendship was close enough that he would be willing to help her out to at least get ready for what might be thrown in her path. She would learn to do more than just throw things, that was sure; he was kind when it came down to things, and she knew he'd care about such a thing. Even in his younger years, when he'd been bitter and locked in that shell of his, he would have helped her. It was just a Neji thing to do, and it was one of the parts of his personality that Tenten truly admired. Neji could be completely void of emotion and yet still care at the same time, and with her ability to read him like an open book, it wasn't hard for her to detect.

She just hoped he wouldn't catch on to her silence...

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You Stand Through The Pain, You Won't Drown, And One Day What's Lost Can Be Found...

[lee]

Lee pulled his backpack around his back, making sure all the straps were tightly secured just incase the bag would fall off by his awesome speed. Before he walked out of his front door he was sure to look in the mirror at his majestic figure, lee loved the way the green and orange brought out his eyes, Lee made sure to give himself a cheesy wink and a thumbs up for encouragement. Gai sensai wasn't coming on the mission, but after a few days of crying and whimpering Lee had come to terms with it, anyhow he go along with his fellow conrades well.

Lee looked over to the clock on the wall and his eyes widened slightly, it was still early but he liked to arrive there first, so like a lightning bolt he rushed out of his house to wards the streets of Konoha. Waving to wards all the villagers in the market and apologizing to anyone who he accidentally knocked the groceries out of their hands, usually he would stop to help them but he was too determined to reach the tower before his team mates. That would make Gai sensai happy. "I will make you proud Sensai!" Lee cried out, proud tears rising in the corner of his eyes as he raised his fist to his chest with honor.

He could now see the tower from where he stood, speeding up, to everyone else he would of seemed like an green and orange blur of pure awesomeness, with his incredible speed and determination he infact was the beast . " I am almost there, I can see the stairs!! I can see-" Lee came to an abrupt stop, skidding to wards the two familiar faces he had known for a few years now. "Tenten? Neji?" Lee's voice was full of surprise as he looked between them both. "You beat me!" he bent over in defeat his body became limp like a fish. " I must train harder!!"

Lee was proud that his conrads had finally beat him but that wouldn't stop him from feeling alittle jealous. Lee turned to Neji, his bright eyes staring deep into his, maybe Neji was now willing to train with them, maybe even join in of the races as well, because deep down Lee knew Neji always wanted to join in on his and Gai sensai's races. "Well I shall bow my head in defeat! Well done Neji, Tenten" Lee raised his hand for them to shake as he held back the tears.

[Hyuuga Neji]

Neji did notice how quite Tenten was being, he was no idiot on that matter after spending so much time with her and Lee. Over the last few years he seemed to get a better read out on her other than the simple times that she was annoyed with Lee and Gai about something, or over a girl that was being fangirlish towards the boys they say. He knew it was a dangerous subject to talk about that sort of thing with Tenten but he felt that if he didn't he wont hear the end of it from Lee once they found out what was truly bothering her, but there was no point about to end into a mission with her so tense at the moment. Weapons couldn't see and he was slightly afraid of her aim.

He cleared his throat for a moment before looking up the stairs, he knew they was early and still shocked that Lee hadn't came running in at the moment. He looked back down to her for a moment and studied her just slightly before getting up the courage to even try and state a conversation with her in the first place, usually it was her that was doing all the talking and him just answering with a few short words. ”There something bothering you Tenten....what is it?” His voice was rather low at the moment but it got the point of cross. It wasn't like he was making a speech to anyone at the moment.

He waited patiently for her answer and then heard something coming up rather fast, it wasn't that heard to pick up the sound of feet hitting the ground at a rapid pace. He knew if that sound was heading this way that it was only one person, and that person was missing out of the group at the moment. He turned slightly and out of the corner of his eye, he saw none other than a green blur come to a complete stop in front of him and Tenten.

True he was more willing to train in a sparing match with Lee and Gai, but not everything else they was into. He saw no point to how that would advance him in his own abilities. Their methods was a bit to extreme for his taste, there was no way he could do five hundred push ups or anything like that. It would make him sick, and that was even using his chakra release to help him push himself up into a push up.

He tried to smile at Lee, he did, but once Lee bowed to him and Tenten for beating him here, it twitched into a annoyance grin and his eyebrows slightly bent inwards to his nose. He looked to his hand slightly when he offered it tho, he knew he better take it before Lee had a fit about shaking a hand, but he kinda stared emotionless into Lee's dark eyes has if he was asking him if he was joking at the moment. Hesitatingly he reached out is left hand to shake. ”Lee.” That was all he said at the moment towards Lee, it was all that he felt that needed to be said.

[Tenten]

Stand In The Rain, Stand Your Ground, Stand Up When It's All Crashing Down...

~She Doesn't Know Why, But She Knows That When She's All Alone, Feels Like It's All Coming Down~
❃♈❃ тєитєи ❃♈❃
"Okay, if you insist, remember you asked for it!"

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[[lmfao. Lee should get all high and mighty and offer to carry Tenten's bags... I could see him collapsing under the weight of the scroll. XD or at least, it would be funny if he almost did... And in regards to them following her, well, it's common sense. XD]]

Busted. Tenten knew she wouldn't be able to keep something like that from going unnoticed to Neji; he simply knew her too well. Normally she was the one that did most of the talking between them, and he would throw in a few words every now and then when the time came for it. Most of his responses, however, Tenten could understand as fully-fledged stories or comments, because she knew them so very well.

He didn't even have to ask what exactly it was that was bothering her in order for her to tell him, either. "Yeah... More or less just brooding about something." She was about to continue when she saw none other than a green blur making its way down the street, and she sighed in slight irritation. "I'll tell you later, okay?" That was a promise, yes. She'd tell him when they didn't have Lee jumping all over them. Lee didn't need to know that she was brooding about none other than the Jounin exams, but Neji would probably understand. He'd undergone the grueling tests, right? Perhaps he could offer her at least some insight, which would most likely calm her down to an extent.

And here life went again... so they'd beat Lee. Big deal; the two of them liked to come early, so it didn't make any difference. Anyone in their right mind could beat Lee anywhere, if they had the means, time, and place for it. It really didn't take much, but Tenten would just have to put up with Lee's sulking about being beat, like she always did. She shook his hand reluctantly, not really caring about whether she'd beat him here or not, and decided she might take charge a little.

"Well, we should go and speak to Tsunade-sama, then," she stated, and turned to walk up through the tower. She could hear their footsteps following behind her, and when they reached the office, they stood in the same line formation as always.

"Thank you all for coming," Tsunade stated, leaning forward in her chair as she always did, her elbows resting on the desk. "There have been a few attacks on a nearby temple just on the edge of the forest. They've requested help from both Sunagakure no Sato and Konohagakure no Sato. However, Suna is in a lack of available shinobi at the moment, and have been forced to send a Genin team under the tutelage of a Jounin as help. As the allies of Sunagakure, we're sending a much higher team with a good amount of teamwork." Tsunade knew she had made the right choice in choosing these three for the mission; they worked well together, and Neji's abilities hadn't been outmatched as of yet, at least from what she could tell.

"Neji, as the only Jounin we have available at the moment, you will be in charge of the team. I know the three of you work well together, and so your job will be to aid the team from Sunagakure. Sadly, we lack a medical shinobi on hand at the moment, but if you are requiring medical help, Sakura will be returning soon. I will send her if medical aid is needed." That was all the details she could give them, really.

"Please depart as soon as possible."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!"

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You Stand Through The Pain, You Won't Drown, And One Day What's Lost Can Be Found...

[lee]

Lee kept his gaze upon the floor for awhile, still bummed that he didnt get there before Neji and Tenten, Gai sensai will surely be disappointed. He felt his team mates shake in hand at that point he looked up at them both and sighed, his huge eyes stared at them both. "Wheres the enthusiasm!" Lee proclaimed punching the air while jogging on the spot, he had finished his sulk and now was ready to get on with the mission, someone needed there help and he was going to do everything possible to succeed.

"Hai!" Lee spoke while following Tenten up the stairs, while walking up the stairs he took this as an exercise, raising his knee's up higher with each step, though it was nothing compared to 500 push ups or 200 laps around a field it was still exercise and will benefit him later in life. Standing in front of Tsunade Lee was sure to halt and salute to her, she was the Hokage after all and from Lee had heard and saw she was excelled in strength which impressed Lee.

Listening quietly with a serious face he took in every detail, he wasn't going to be the one that had forgotten anything about the mission. Lee's eyes slowly moved to Neji, his bottom lip started to curl up into a pout and his forehead wronged with a frown, as much as he would have liked to be the team leader, Neji deserved it. Tsunade finished, bringing Lee's attention back to her. "Hai Tsunade-sama, we shall do are best" Lee turned on his heel and began to walk down the tower, doing the exercise on the way back down.

The journey would take awhile, and lee knew Tenten and Neji weren't the fastest ninja's and would only slow him down, so maybe if he helped carry something. Lee turned to Neji and for a moment he considered giving him a piggy back, but then he turned to Tenten seeing the huge scroll. "Tenten! A lady shouldn't be carrying such a heavy scroll for such a long journey, let me carry it for you?" lee looked up to her with big pleading eyes, he even batted his eyelashes.

[/size] [/blockquote]

[Hyuuga Neji]

When Tenten told him that she would tell him later about what was troubling her, he knew all to well why she wanted to. It wasn't that hard to pick up that she didn't want to even talk to Lee about what it was, that was for sure. He didn't even think that he had talked to the over active ninja about a problem before. There was no point in talking to Lee because the only thing that got through to him was working out until you was nearly dead and that was not for Neji. He slowly nodded his head, his lavender eyes not leaving Lee at the moment. He was kinda afraid to let Lee out of his sight at times and this was one of those times.

He followed the two carefully up to Tsunade's office, he came up Neji to Tenten, he would have stood in the middle but at the moment he didn't feel like it at the moment. He just got done training with his uncle so he was not in the best of moods at the moment and most times Lee just did things that he didn't agree with. He looked to Tsunade when she started to talk about the mission. Of course he knew that he was going to be the leader, he was the Jounin between the three of them and and it was usually the one that held the highest rank that was in charge of the mission.

When Tsunade said that they was going to be a back up team for a team of Genin from the Sand, his eye slightly twitched, but those that didn't know him best wouldn't catch it. He knew at lease Tenten would and not Lee. ”I am assuming then that Sunagakure has asked for our help in this matter instead of the other way around, since we are the back up in our own land.” None of them was trained in the art of healing so he could understand her wanting to seen Sakura to them if they needed to. ”I will send word, if we need Haruno Sakura at any point.”

His attention turned to Lee has he shouted that they would do their best and started towards the door. Sometimes he wondered what was going through that head of his. But then again he thought about the times Lee pushed him into weird training and that thought quickly faded. He turned his attention back to Tsunde. ”We are ready to depart now Hokage-sama.” He turned and followed Lee out of the building only to be meet with his dark eyes once more. He bite the inside of his lip knowing that might came next but with Lee's attention went to Tenten he kinda gave a sigh of relief. Then Lee beg to carry her scroll. It made him want to laugh but he held in it in. ”Let him Tenten.” He would teach Lee something right?

[Tenten]

Stand In The Rain, Stand Your Ground, Stand Up When It's All Crashing Down...

~She Doesn't Know Why, But She Knows That When She's All Alone, Feels Like It's All Coming Down~
❃♈❃ тєитєи ❃♈❃
"Okay, if you insist, remember you asked for it!"

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Tenten was rather surprised when Lee offered to carry her scroll... Because she was just fine with the scroll. To her, it wasn't heavy, but to someone else, well, it could surely be a load. She'd trained her body to carry the heavy object and to even move skillfully with it, meaning she was a lot stronger than she might have looked. Lean muscle, that was what she had. She was built with strength, not muscle mass, much like any other shinobi would be.

A single brown eyebrow arched at Lee as he batted her eyelashes at her... But, at Neji's request - she could hear the laughter behind his voice, just slightly - she looked at the Hyuuga, flashed him a smirk, and shrugged. "All right, fine, Lee... But you're carrying it all the way." She could be a bit mean when she wanted to, now couldn't she? Glancing sideways at Neji, she unhooked one end of the strap that went underneath her clothing, slid it out from over her shoulder and out the other open side of her kapris, and handed it to Lee.

"If you take this, you are not to complain at all about how heavy it is. And you have to carry it the whole way." Well... It would mean a lighter load for her, and she knew for sure that Lee would be ready to take on such a challenge no problem. She wondered if he would be too distracted to pay any attention to either her or Neji... At least that way, she could voice her brooding thoughts as the Hyuuga had requested.

There were two things, really, that had been eating at her; one was the fact of the upcoming festival, of which she was being forced to attend, and had nobody to accompany her... She thought she might as well ask Neji, as he was good-natured enough, for one, and for two... She wasn't too keen on dancing with people she didn't know. Even if it were to be a little strange for either of them, it would be better than dancing with someone she didn't know. That was one thing she'd ask, as a friend. And then, of course, the exams, but that was even further away.

Shrugging, Tenten dropped the scroll into Lee's outstretched hands and crossed her arms, beckoning to Neji. "Come on, we should probably get going a-s-a-p." She wasn't really ready to wait for Lee... She knew he'd catch up eventually. He was tough like that, but watching him carry her large, heavy scroll ought to be an interesting sight to see.

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You Stand Through The Pain, You Won't Drown, And One Day What's Lost Can Be Found...

[lee]

Lee looked to wards both Neji and Tenten, his arms wee still out almost in a pleading way as he awaited for her scroll, it didn't look too heavy but any weight would be good enough to carry, it was his ways of training. Completely oblivious to the laughter in Neji's tone, Lee looked back to Tenten, his eyes grew alittle wider and his lower lip started to curl under. Thats it Lee, use you're utter cuteness to win her over. He fluttered his eyelashes one last time before she finally agreed.

"Thank you Tenten, you wont regret this! I would gladly carry this up to the top of mountains and not complain! All to give your back a rest!" Lee brought his hands to his chest while tears started to form in the corner of eyes, he spoke like he had just received an award for greatness. Once again he held out his hands to receive his reward but once the scroll caught contact with his arm, he suddenly felt the true weight of it.

Like a anchor, Lee dropped to the ground, his arms stuck beneath the extremely heavy stationary. "Uhh Guys!?" Lee called out once he noticed them begin to walk away. There just enthusiastic about the mission! Thats all, c'mon you promised Tenten you wouldn't complain. Lee began to struggle beneath the weight, his arms were starting to turn blue from the loss of circulation. Lee tried everything to roll it off his arms, he even decided to use his teeth to try and move it.

"I am Coming!!! Lee shouted, he didn't want his teammates to worry about where he was. Finally Lee positions himself so that he could place his feet on the side of the scroll and hopefully push it off him. After awhile the scroll managed to slowly roll off from his arms, crushing a few fingers on the way.

Shaking his numb arms, he tried blowing on them to see if he could attempt to get the feeling back. "I shall never underestimate Tenten's strength ever again." Solemnly vowed before looking down to the ten ton scroll. "You will not beat me!!" Lee screamed pointing down to wards it before hunching over to pick it up. Lee wrapped his arms around the two ends and with all his strength and determination, he managed to hurl it to his bag and strap it securely.

With a huge proud smile, Lee managed to catch up with lee and Tenten, though his postures was hunched so far forward that he could only look at them upside down. His face was bright red and a big vein protruded from from his forehead. "On with the mission!!"

[/size][/blockquote]

[Hyuuga Neji]

Neji watched Tenten hand over the scroll to Lee after his comment. He himself had never decided to even try and pick up the scroll from her, it was not in his nature to help Tenten like that with caring her stuff. She carried it for a reason that he didn't understand but knew better than to ask to hold it. Beside from the look of it the stupid giant thing look heavy and that was something he didn't see why Tenten carried it. She was the only girl that he knew that carried something like that all the time. He watched Tenten walk ahead of him and make a point to spell out asap carefully.

He nodded his head slightly, and he couldn't help himself but to take another look behind him and see how Lee was doing with the scroll. The way Lee was behaving at the moment meant that he had not expected the scroll to be that heavy. It served him right in the long run thinking about trying to carry everything. What really made him tell Tenten to allow him to carry it was the way Lee looked at him at first, it was rather embarrassing to be carried piggy back style through the village when you was no way hurt in the long run. He shock his head slightly at the Chuunin in the green outfit, and turned his attention back to Tenten.

He walked up behind her, his hands dangling at his side and his finger tips barely seen pass the sleeve of his kimono like shirt. They was far enough away to take without Lee catching up to them for a brief moment and over hearing them talk. "Now Tenten, why did you look so worried before?" She usually talked his ear off and because she had told him that they would talk about it now was not really an issue at the moment. He rather them talk now before meeting up with this Sand team that was freshly out of the academy. In a long run he saw this has a massive headache, back-up for a handful of Genin and their sensei. It annoyed him if anything they should be back-up for them they had more experience.

He looked back to Lee when he seemed like he had caught up to them. It still seemed like Lee was having trouble with carrying the scroll, a fact that still made him want to laugh, but he kept his face straight and kept it deep within his stomach. There was no point in laughing at the matter and getting Lee determined to do something stupid at the time. The less hassle he got for Lee would be a good day indeed. He looked over to Tenten has they came up to the exit of the village. He readjusted the bag on his shoulder. He didn't feel the need to ask Lee how it he was holding up, feeling that it would only make him want to carry more for them. 'We don't need Lee to exhausted from carrying the scroll if we do end up in a fight. Just hope he really up to carrying the scroll."