Tenten let her weakened body drop to the ground as her legs buckled under her. She estimated that Neji had kept her up to about two o-clock while training. It was like this every single night.

Neji stood ten feet away from her, looking untouched. He began talk. "I actually think you may be getting weaker, Tenten.", she heard him say. That little comment dug deep into her heart, piling itself with the many hurtful words that he had told her. Afraid to let him see her cry, she tilted her head down.

Neji then left the training grounds and headed home, leaving Tenten on the ground. When she was sure he was gone, Tenten began to weep. She let the tears flow freely for a while, but then picked herself off of the ground.

She limped home, seeing how her leg was hurt. When she was half-way there. She had an idea. If everyone was going to treat her like she was weak, then she would make herself strong. Tenten limped her way to Tsunade's office.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tsunade heard a knock at her door. "Come in", she told the person outside. Her eyes widened when a bleeding and limping Tenten came in. "Tsunade-sama, I need to talk with you.", Tenten said.

"Tenten!", Tsunade shouted. She rushed to the girl's side and helped her to a chair across her desk. "What happened to you?" Tenten sat down. "It's nothing, I was just sparring with Neji.", she replied. Tsunade became angry. "At three in the morning? Tenten! What were you thinking?", she shouted. Tenten spoke. "I thought it was only two. Anyway, Neji always keeps me up sparring this late, and never mind that! I came here to ask you something!".

"Well, what is it? If you limped yourself all the way hear, then it must be important.", she stated, clearly sober. Tenten cleared her throat. Now was her chance. "I'm the weakest kuinochi in the whole ninja academy. I think it would be best for me if you sent me away to train with a better sensei."

Tsunade bowed her head down and contemplated. After thinking for a minute, she looked back up at Tenten. "Okay. But, you must return by your sixteenth birthday. I will send you to my friend, Koneko. She's a great ninja, and could possibly unlock the kekkie genkei within you."

"Thank you Tsunade!", Tenten squealed. She gave the blonde hokage a hug, but then flinched when her bleeding arm began to sting. Tsunade spoke again.

"Take this.", she said, handing her a large map. "It will lead you to Koneko's mansion. It's down in the Earth village. Go home, pack all your things, then go. Don't forget to come back on your sixteenth birthday. Tell Koneko that I sent you. Oh, and don't say goodbye to anyone."

Tenten nodded. "Yes sensei." She headed off to her home, ready to leave this place for three years. She hoped that when she came back, that everyone would forgive her.

When she got home, she immediately packed everything she needed. Not leaving a single kunai behind. Her last thing to pack stood on top of her nightstand. She walked over to it and observed the item.

It was a photo of team Gai. The photo made her giggle a little. Tenten stood smiling at the camera and blushing. Neji was beside her, using a death glare to frighten Lee. Lee was in his "good guy" pose, while staring at the fuming Neji. Gai stood behind them all. His arm was sneaking into the top of the photo, where he was holding the camera.

A tear slid down Tenten's cheek. She was going to miss these guys. She packed the photo carefully then set out to leave Konohagakure.

Tenten left her home. She stopped at the village gate, then taking out her map. She said one last goodbye to Konoha, then left on her way.

The next day...

Team Gai had all met up to practice, all but Tenten. "Where is the youthful Tenten?", asked Lee. "I don't know.", answered Gai. "She's never been this late. Let us youthfully go and search for her at her house."

The team set off to Tenten's "previous" house. When knocking on the door, they found it already open. After parading through the house and calling Tenten's name a thousand times, they gave up.

"Where could she have gone?", asked Lee. He was very confused, as was Gai. Neji also, secretly was panicking on the inside.

"Let us youthfully ask lady Tsunade.", said Gai. "Right", the team answered. Tsunade would surely know.

"Lady Tsunade!", Gai shouted as they came through the door. "Tenten's missing! We looked everywhere! She's gone! Do you know what happened to her?"

Tsunade sighed. She knew this would happen. "I must tell you. She came in my office yesterday, badly beaten. She said it was just from training." Tsunade looked at Neji with an ashamed stare. "She and I talked, and apparently she wanted to leave for a while to train alone. I let her go."

Lee and Gai both had waterfalls streaming from their eyes by now. "How long will she be gone?", asked Lee. "She will return to us on her sixteenth birthday.", Tsunade answered.

The team went on to tell their fellow ninja's. Neji felt horrible. Horrible...