I made this story back in 2007. 07-09 for a story is kind of sad.

I haven't been here for two years, so beware. The first... well, the majority of the chapters were all written back then.

Excuse the noobish use of japanese words, and other idiotic things. Trust me, I'm embarassed by this.

But I'm too lazy to go back and fix my errors. Gahh. Enjoy. Or at least try to.

A Meaning In Life

By Natsumi.

Chapter 1: Running Away

The sunset on the village of Konoha, painting the skies with colorful reds and oranged, decorated with a few clouds. The village seemed calm, yet rustling with people walking down the streets. On top of the Hokage Monuments stood a kunoichi, staring out into the sunsetting sky. Tenten was her name. She had no last name. She had no memory of her childhood, and leading to the fact that she knew nothing about her parents or clan. She didn't even know if she had family alive in this world. A kunoichi was she, teamed up with three of Konoha's best taijutsu masters. Rock Lee, Hyuuga Neji, and Maito Gai. Neji had rose to the level of jounin. Lee had recovered from most of his injuries and yet still successful in his life as a shinobi. But as for her... she felt weak. Tenten felt like she hadn't progressed at all. It seems that at every training session she had with her teammates, she often ended up losing. She never beat Hyuuga Neji, and once in a while, Lee. She was the weak link. She felt useless and alone.

It was true, she was Konoha's own Weapons Mistress... her aim 100 always. The girl with the childish hair style. The tomboy. The girl who was teamed up with the Hyuuga Prodigy and the Taijutsu Master. The girl that left the Neji fangirls running for their lives. But was that all? Staring out into the sunset, her mind had told her those very things. Was she really weak? That useless? Tears flooded her eyes that made her vision blurry, making her chocolate brown eyes glassy-like. Wiping the tears away, she stood up and brushed herself off. Turning her back to the darkening sky, she sprinted through the green forests of Konoha, those very questions rang in her mind. It made her want to cuddle up into a ball and cry. Those very questions had been haunting her for the past few days. During those days, she'd put up a fake smile and pretended nothing was wrong. But deep inside... she was hurting badly. It ached her heart... pounding againest her chest. She couldn't take it anymore. Tenten stopped her sprinted and her feet landed to the ground. Her head bowed down and feet led her to the nearest tree, pounding her fists on the battered trunk. Her tears erupted and she let them flow freely.

"Why... was I even supposed to be here in the first place?" She asked herself. "Why am I weak? Why do I have no memory? Why..." she asked herself. Closing her eyes tightly, the tears still streaming down her red cheeks. A couple minutes later of her breaking down, she collected herself together and wiped her tears away. Making to vertical base gradually, she sprinted back into the village. How long was she able to keep this act up? Someone would find out eventually...

The Next Day.

Tenten woke up to the sound of her blaring alarm clock. Beating it into a pile of rubble, she slept in for the next few minutes. Recalling the events that happened yesterday, she clung to her pillow like a scared child. She felt tears wanting to form in her eyes... but they didn't fall. She had no more tears to shed. 'I am weak...' she told herself. Clinging to her pillow, she eventually loosened her grip and collected herself together. She brushed her teeth and thought about this more. Sakura is the best medic nin here, and Tsunade's apprentice. Hinata and Ino would soon be heiresses to their clans. Temari had risen to the level of Jounin and was now her little brother's assistant as Kazekage. Sasuke was back into Konoha and had just been released from his probation and easily passed his exams, rising to the level of ANBU captain in a few days. Naruto was in the Anbu and was now taken into consideration to the the 6th Hokage. Chouji actually lost some weight. Shikamaru found the love of his life, Yamanaka Ino.

Everyone else had accomplished something. But what had she accomplished? 'I can't take this anymore... I just can't.' She said, wiping away some newly shed tears. Now, the weapons mistress officially made up her mind. She was leaving Konoha to another village. She had the need to start over. She wore on a red chinese top covered by a short black hoodie which stopped right above her stomach. Black pants stretched towards the ends of her boots. Fishnet stockings laced her arms and stopped at her fingers. Black boots which stopped at her ankles and her chocolate brown hair was in a ponytail. She took one good look in the mirror at her new self and armed herself with her precious weapons. Now for a new name... what could be her new name? It wouldn't be something that sounded close to Tenten or meant close to heaven.

... Got it. Her new name was Yumiko. Arisawa Yumiko. So how was she gonna pull this off you ask? ... She had absolutely no idea. She would just make it up along the way. Taking a deep breath, she opened her bedroom window and set out on her new journey; not leaving a note for her sudden disappearence.

Little did she know that an Uchiha was passing through... and at the corner of his dark cold eyes he saw Tenten leave. 'Isn't that the panda girl's home...? Why is she so different?' he thought. Then he saw Tenten sprint towards the forest at amazing speed that could maybe rival his own. An eyebrow slightly rose. 'Hn... might as well follow her. Better than dealing with that dobe.' With that made up in his mind, he teleported off to spy on the escaping kunoichi.

Tenten huffed deeply as she took a break in the outskirts of Konoha's large green forests. Her hand grasped on the hard bark, her head moving up and down slowly for air. 'I must be really getting weak... Gai sensei always used to make us run laps around the village for hours and I still haven't gotten used to it...' Her free hand punched the wall. creating a small crater. Her eyes wandered up and widened. At least her strength was progressing like Sakura's inhuman strength... but was that enough? She still felt weak... 'NO! I can't back out now! I could always just come back... but... either now... or never...' eyes glanced towards the path she took, the path back to her home village. Either she change her mind and go back, or become a missing nin and restart a new beginning. Most of the village kunoichi would be jealous of her, just because she was on the same team as Hyuuga Neji. They always said she was weak and useless, and it didn't hurt her too bad. But when she heard those words come out of his mouth... it was like her heart broken apart without mercy. Tears started to form at the corners of her eyes.

It was true... Tenten never really admitted to it, but deep down she had an unknown love for him. Having to realize it once he hurt he both physically and emotionally, it pained her deeply. He learned to show compassion over the years, but overall still was a jerk; minus the fate talk. 'Why am I like this...?' Those were her last thoughts as her back slumped againest the tree, falling down to her bottom and closing her eyes from exhaustion. 'Why...? Why...?' and the tears unconscious fell down her streaks freely.

Sasuke silently stopped in front of the sleeping nin, lightly removing the top of her hood to get a closer look at her resting face. Her cheeks were red and a little puffy, still stained with her recently shedded tears. 'Hn... she was crying a minute ago.' Then it all connected in his mind. His deep onyx eyes glared at her. 'New clothing... tears... pain... she's trying to run away.' Releasing a small growl, he took her in his arms bridal style and carried her back to Konoha. Halfway there he looked at her peaceful face again. 'Why would a girl like this be... Hyuuga.' Hyuuga. That was the answer. He always knew Tenten had a thing for him, but it seemed like it was too much for her... like when he and Sakura in their genin days. He still doesn't like Sakura, but it was a relief when she didn't have her fangirl obsession.

Once he reached her house he silently sat herself down on her bed. Taking one last look at her, he threw a kunai on her bedroom wall before saying, "You had better not leave and make the same mistake I did." With those words spoken, a soft breeze flew by and was gone in a second, like the disappearance of the Uchiha from her room.