Masquerade.
Konnichiwa Minna-san desu!
Yay! I've been so uber happy lately! I guess you can tell why right? I'VE BEEN UPDATING FREQUENTLY:D But my dad is saying I should stop writing fan fictions. Argh! Ok. Now I'm slightly pissed. But still… I have the story to do so… ONTO THE FAN FICTION:D
Disclaimer (Dang I keep forgetting to do this): I do not own Naruto, and that fact makes me sad.
Dedication: To SassySaku and Doodling Kunoichi! Thanks for everything:D
x-x-x-x-x
A nineteen year old girl stood on a branch of a tall tree that had nestled itself on the tallest hill top near the outskirts of Konohagure. Locks of her fine and silky hair fluttered in the passing breeze as she gazed at the mixture of orange, yellow and red in the sky. She gave a slight sigh and turned her gaze to the village. The streets were bustling with life and people, as civilians interacted and worked. Ninjas were entering in and out of the main gate at its borders and the after school bell at the Academy rang. 'It's been two whole years…' She thought, her emotionless and cold eyes closed. 'So why am I still thinking' She asked herself in her mind, before turning around, sensing a presence nearby. She quickly performed some seals. 'Ryu. Tori. Uma. Usagi. Tora. Nezumi.' She thought as her hands quickly moved from one seal to another. (A/n: Dragon. Bird. Horse. Hare. Tiger. Rat.) A cloud of smoke appeared for a while, but later disappeared, as her two dragons appeared behind her, one with fiery red scales and a menacing look. The other had ocean blue scales and looked rather calm and collected. The two dragons seemed to swirl around her petite body, and were each other's counterparts. They soon transformed into two long swords and in her hands, ready for her to use them in battle.
The figure came closer and attacked. The girl put on her dragons-shaped ANBU mask and attacked with her two swords in hand, wielding them like a true master would. The swords were practically twice her size and heavier as well. She slashed one near the figure's stomach, creating red chakra while at it. The other was aimed at the figure's head, an icy blue chakra line formed instead. Though the figure did managed to dodge it all. The girl stuck the two swords in the branch, making it crack, then burst up from all the massive energy given. They fell, but managed to stand on the branch below it.
"Chill!" The figure spoke, as the brunette lightened her grip on the swords, after noticing that it was her fellow ANBU squad captain she fought. "It's me!" She recognized the voice.
"Sakura…" her brown eyes had also softened its glare to a gaze. "What are you doing here? Isn't it your duty?" She asked, as the cherry blossom of Konoha took a seat.
"I'm taking a break! Want to join me, Tenten?" She asked, holding up two cups of green tea and two packets of Onigiri. "You've gotten way better at the Sakarau Eremento Ryu!" Sakura smiled as Tenten's russet brown eyes widened. (A/n: A new jutsu I made up for Tenten! It's called the Reverse Element Dragons! Since it's Fire and Ice… yeah… :D Do you like it?)
"Arigatou…" Tenten gave a slight smile and Sakura's jaw almost dropped.
'Tenten… hardly shows any emotion… let alone smile… but… Was she thinking about that jerk of an ANBU captain again?! Ooh… That pisses me off…' Sakura's inner flared up as her outer self remain clam and nibbled on her Onigiri.
"Oi." A familiar, yet somehow irritating for Tenten, voice rang. The girls turned around and were greeted by the sight of a smug looking raven-haired Uchiha.
"Oh. It's you, Sauce-ke…" Tenten stared at him with Hitachiin twins' style, bored eyes. Sasuke shot her murderous looks.
"Sasuke-kun! You're off duty too?" Sakura asked her boy friend.
"No… Tsunade wanted to see the both of you." Sasuke continued to glare at Tenten, who already finished her Onigiri and started to drink her tea.
"Oh! Alright then… we'll be there in a while… See you later, ok?" She ate the last of her Onigiri.
"Yeah… See you." He 'poof'ed away.
"Oh? You've got a date?" Tenten raised a brow as she set her cup of tea down.
"Y-Yeah…" Sakura replied, sipping on her drink.
"Well… Let's get this over and done with… So you can be on time…" Tenten stood up as Sakura followed suit.
"Hai! Let's go!" She smiled and released chakra through her feet, Tenten doing the same thing. They sped up at each step, heading towards the Hokage tower.
x-x-x-x-x
"Yay! We're finally back in Konoha, neh?" A girl with fiery red eyes and shoulder-length, chocolate brown hair cheered rather loudly.
"Shut up, Akane! You're being way too noisy!" A boy with jet black eyes yelled, covering his ears from the screaming girl beside him.
"Why don't you shut up first, Akihiro. After all. We just came back to Konoha after two whole years. Why don't you give the girl a break?!" A girl that looked like she was fifteen retorted.
"It's not our job to be relaxed and free, Kiyoko. We're on ANBU teams now. You, of all people should know that we have to be serious about our missions." A boy that looked like Akihiro, except with aqua marine eyes, said, pushing up his spectacles.
"Eh… But our mission's over!" Akane sighed.
"You're just siding with your twin, Fumio." Kiyoko snorted.
"I think you're just being sexist." Fumio answered.
"T-That's ridiculous! Captain… The boys are being idiotic." Kiyoko glared at the Daitokuji twins. "Captain?" Kiyoko repeated, staring at her spaced out ANBU team leader.
'Tenten…' He thought.
x-x-x-x-x
"Tsunade-sama?" A girl hugging a pig opened the door to the Hokage's office.
"Yes?" A woman who looked like she was in her twenties to thirties turned her chair round to see a smiling Jonin. "Tenten-san and Sakura-san are here… Shall I send them in?" Shizune asked.
"yes." Tsunade replied immediately as she swung her chair back to face to window.
"Hai. Oh! And ANBU Team 2 is back as well." Shizune informed the Godaime.
"Oh? Send them in too." Tsunade added on with a smirk, as she grabbed a bottle of sake and gulped it down.
"H-Hai…" Shizune sweat dropped and left the room.
x-x-x-x-x
"Tenten-san? Sakura-san? Tsunade-sama is ready to see you!" Shizune came running towards Tenten and Sakura, who were sitting on a bench a few feet from the office. Tonton gave a slight 'oink' in agreement to what Shizune said.
"Hai. Arigatou, Shizune-san!" They bowed and headed towards the Hokage's office, while Shizune ran in a different direction to get team 2.
x-x-x-x-x
"Tsunade-sama? You called for us?" Tenten and Sakura entered the room, as Tsunade turned to face them. She clasped her hands together as usual, and stared at the two captains.
"Hai. I need you to take on an S-rank mission a few days from now." Tsunade answered in a serious tone that she always used with her ANBU members.
"Will you give us the details please?" Tenten asked as the fifth shook her head.
"I'm waiting for a certain team to arrive." She closed her hazel brown eyes.
"Who is it?" Sakura asked this time round.
"They are here, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune's head popped in.
"Hai. Send them in. These are the people you will be working with, Sakura, Tenten." Tsunade gave a slight smirk.
Tenten and Sakura turned around at the sound of the door creaking open.
"Team 2." Tsunade answered their question.
A girl wearing a Chinese-Japanese like outfit, a Chinese dress look-a-like and a kimono ribbon round her waist, and had heavy looking weapons on her back stepped into the room.
"Konnichiwa! I'm Sakurai Akane! Weapons specialist of the team! Nice to meet you!" A bubbly girl bowed, then ran to where Tenten stood. "I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!" She cried and shook Tenten's hand vigorously.
A girl with waist-length dark purple hair walked in next, wearing a standard ANBU uniform. Though she did have more pouches than most people did.
"Honjo Kiyoko. Medic of the Team. Pleased to meet your acquaintance." She bowed right after Akane did. "AND I'M YOURS!" She hugged Sakura tightly and the two ANBU captains sweat dropped.
The twins followed in after that. Tsunade's eye twitched at the sight of them. 'Troublesome, bratty twins…' she thought.
"Daitokuji Akihiro. Jutsu specialist." He rolled his eyes and gave a snort, as Tsunade, Akane and Kiyoko glared at him.
"Daitokuji Fumio. Strategist of the team. Pleasure." He bowed and adjusted his spectacles after he got up.
Tenten's eyes widened after the last member of the team walked into the room. His long, silky black hair which was tied up in a loose ponytail at its end was too familiar. His emotionless, yet beautiful, pale-lavender eyes gave her a shock. She covered her mouth. She remembered those Hyuuga robes too clearly. That cocky aura of the person whom which, she dearly loved… that scent. She choked.
"Hyuuga Neji. Captain of Team 2." He said, eyes seemed to widen a little at the sight of the brunette.
'No…' Tenten thought. She could almost feel tears welling up at the back of her eyes. She clutched onto her head as Sakura supported her.
"These are your partners in the mission. It will commence in five days time, and your destination will be to the Land of Mist. We'll infiltrate and find out what Iwao is up to, once and for all. I will expect a report every two days, and I don't think the mission should drag on for too long. More details will be given at a later date. For now, you may go." Tsunade explained the brief details and dismissed them. They left, one after another, the two boys and girls of Team 2 discussing if they should have ramen or Dango first. (A/n: Iwao is the villain I made up in this story! I don't think I have much detail on him…)
Tenten left in a hurry, giving the excuse that she wasn't feeling well. Sakura could clearly see that. After all. She was in the same state of shock when Sasuke came back to the village unannounced. Neji tried to chase after her, but got held back and dragged to the park by Sakura instead.
x-x-x-x-x
'Why… Why did he have to come back?' Tenten screamed in her head as she ran down the bustling streets of Konohagure, past smiling civilians and ninjas. 'I tried… so hard… and finally achieved… I had to put all my emotions aside to train!' She started to cry as she ran home. 'I had to put my overwhelming feelings!' She sobbed and she barged through the doors to her house and lay motionless on her bed, grabbing a kunai with all her might, hoping that the cooling touch of metal would calm her down.
x-x-x-x-x
"Neji…" Sakura growled and glared at the Hyuuga, as they sat on a bench in the park, nearby the crystal clear pond.
"What?" He asked, looking in the direction of Tenten's house instead of at Sakura.
"Why the hell did you have to come back?" She said in a really menacing tone that had once intimidated her boyfriend. (A/n: cos Sasuke showed up really late for a date. :D )
"The mission was over." He replied bluntly. "May I see Tenten now?" He asked.
"No, you damned Hyuuga! DID YOU EVEN REALISE WHAT YOU DID TO HER AFTER YOU LEFT WITHOUT A WORD?!" The pink haired girl yelled, shocking even the Hyuuga ice cube. "SHE WAS SO SAD! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOK ON HER FACE! GAI, LEE AND THE REST HAD TRIED TO CHEER HER UP AS WELL! BUT DID IT WORK?! NO! SHE LOVED YOU, NEJI!" She added on, but later regained her calm. "Sorry…" She apologized. "It's just that she was so upset that you have left without a word… not even leaving a letter to say so… She had really loved you, Neji."
Neji remained silent, thinking of the brunette.
"She came to Tsunade-sama a few days later, requesting to be trained by her…" Sakura told him, and his pale-lavender eyes widened. "Tsunade said no though… but Tenten… she didn't give up… she sat in front of the Hokage's tower for a few days, and it was winter then… She didn't move an inch, nor go home… she refused to eat as well…"
Neji looked downwards.
"Tsunade finally agreed, and as soon as Tenten heard it, she started to train vigorously, day and night… she fainted quite a few times, but always went back to training once she awoke. Tsunade trained her in various weaponry and taijutsu skills, and thought her new Justus as well." (A/n: Tsunade can't only know medical jutsu/ skills right:D ) Sakura explained further. "Tenten rose to the ranks of an ANBU squad captain after quite a while… she hid all her emotions, including love for you, to do that, she had tortured herself…" Sakura got up and touched the water in the pond with the back of her hand. "See what you out her through?" She ended off. Sakura clearly understood Tenten's feelings as she had felt the same when Sasuke left.
"You'd better cheer her up." Sakura ended off, standing up. "Or I swear, I'll punch your daylights out." She threatened as Neji took off. "What a jerk." She sighed. "Wonder why Tenten likes him." She closed her emerald-green eyes and smiled a little.
x-x-x-x-x
Tenten lay motionless on her single sized, pink and white bed. Her chest moving slowly as her eyes were shut, and she looked so peaceful… so serene… She dreamt on…
x-x-Flash back-x-x
(Tenten's P.O.V)
Huh…? Where… am I?
I was surrounded by darkness, before I heard some sobs coming from a place not too far away. I 'walked' towards the sound.
"Please Tsunade-sama! Please! Teach me!" A voice rang as an image projected through the darkness, showing quite a few people. Sakura… Myself… Hinata… Ino… Gai… Lee.. They were all there.
That voice… That's me…? Ah… I remember that time…
"No. My answer will remain as no." Tsunade-sama replied, as I ran out of the Hokage's tower, and kneeled on the ground right in front of it.
"I won't leave! I have to get stronger! I can't lose out to him… I have to catch up…" I yelled.
I watched the image carefully, before it started to fade. Another memory of mine appeared in its place though…
"Stop, Tenten. You've been at it for 4 days without any sleep or food now! You've got to rest!" I saw my best friend shout.
"N-No… I won't… I have to complete this jutsu… to learn it…it's the…" I panted, as droplets of sweat rolled down my face.
I remember that jutsu… it was the…
"Only contact… I have left…" I muttered, before blacking out.
Kioku ito no jutsu… The one I made about 20 days after Neji's departure…(A/n: Memory Thread no Jutsu :D Sounds a little weird but yeah… )
x-x-End Flash back and dream-x-x
I woke up in my bed, sweat on my forehead and droplets of tears rolling down my cheeks. I got out and wiped them off my forehead. I sat on my couch and sighed, still holding onto my kunai. The soothing touch of metal… didn't seem to cheer me up this time round. Dragging my feet, I walked towards Team Gai's previous training grounds. Everything was still intact and like it was before. Tears had leaked out of my eyes before I knew it.
The scent was still there… all our practice equipment… the holes in the ground when the Kaiten was executed… the kunais and darts still stuck in the bulls-eyes… The broken branches when Lee and Gai did the Konoha whirlwind… I giggled, yet the tears still continued to flow. The times… the breaks… funny moments… and the non-stop shouting of 'youth'… I missed Team Gai…
"Youthfully nostalgic… isn't it?" I heard familiar voices come from behind me. I spun around to see the two previous members of Team Gai, in green spandex, nonetheless.
"Gai-sensei… Lee…" My eyes widened at the sight of two look-a-likes giving their good guy poses. I smiled. "Good to see you again… How have you been?" I asked, walking towards them. (A/n: The team broke up after Lee and Gai became Jonins in the same section, and Tenten left to become and ANBU.)
"We're in our springtime of youth!" Lee answered, grinning widely, showing his pearl white teeth.
"T-That's good…" I stuttered, sweat dropping.
"I heard you've become an ANBU captain, Tenten!" Gai mentioned.
"Hai…" I nodded as they smiled.
"HOW YOUTHFULLY EXCITING!" They exclaimed, and gave me thumbs up. I laughed.
"The both of you are still the same huh?" I clutched onto my stomach.
Lee smiled. "You haven't changed much either, Tenten." He told me. I was honestly surprised at that.
"I… I guess." I grinned like my old, Chunnin self or Genin self would. I missed them… (A/n: She 'threw' away her old self after she became and ANBU captain, but apparently, after Neji returned, they came back.) 'How long… was I going to keep this masquerade up…?' I asked my self in my mind, before I heard Gai-sensei speak.
"Somebody else is here too, Tenten." Gai added on.
My smile had immediately dropped as I spotted my first… and one and only love… I turned away, more like walking away. I didn't want to see him… If he didn't… why should I…?
"Tenten." I heard Neji call my name.
I remained silent, hoping that the spandex duo would say something to back me up. I turned around, only to notice they were gone. Yup They haven't changed much at all…
"Listen." Neji continued as I looked away from him, hoping our eyes would never meet. "I didn't choose to go on that mission… it was an order." He told me, but I still looked away. "It was a last minute mission as well, and an immediate one." He continued as I clenched my fists. "I wish I didn't have to go…"
"Then why didn't you Neji?!" Those words burst out of my mouth. "You could have requested to stay! You could have requested that somebody else take up the job!" I yelled. "It wasn't fair! I had loved you so much Neji!" I hit his chest with my fists. "Why?!" I cried, as he grabbed my wrists and pulled me towards him. Our lips met in an instant, and time seemed to pause at that moment. It felt like it lasted forever. Without even knowing it, I had already started to kiss him back. I was the first to break away from it, breathing deeply, trying to catch my breath.
"I love you Tenten. I never did want to leave your side." He said, as I looked into those pale-lavender eyes of his…
"N-Neji…" I gave a sigh. "I… I'm sorry…" I apologized. "I doubted you and…" He cut me off with his warm lips again, but it had lasted for a few mere seconds. I stood there again, shocked as he smiled.
"Let's get some lunch… We've got loads to catch up on… and besides… We're leaving Konoha in a few days time… We should spend as much time here as possible." He held his hand out, as I grabbed hold of it and smiled.
"Yeah…" I grinned. "And by the way… You've changed a hell lot… haven't you?" I asked.
"Hn." Was his reply, but I saw him smirk.
"That's the Neji I know!" I laughed, as my 'inner', threw off a mask. 'The Masquerade is over!' My inner shouted. I was back to who I was, with the Man I love.
x-x-x-x-x
Konnichiwa Minna-san desu:D
It's been nice writing 'Masquerade', neh! XD I think you all will have noticed the two 'Masquerade' I put in, so I won't talk about that… But what did you think of my story?
I especially loved the Sakarau Eremento Ryu:D I really thought hard on that one:D
So anyway. Since Merissa is asleep… I have the whole after word section to myself! Ahahahahaha! Meh. I'll go write 121 days now!
Ja ne, Minna-san desu!
-Kunoichi Hyuuga Tenten