Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I've never been a part of the storyline and, lucky for its fans, I haven't had a hand in the artwork either.
Rating: T
Author's Note: I've been working on this for a while and I think it's ready to post! Every Leaf kunoichi had some sort of turn around or epiphany so I felt compelled to write something for Tenten. Criticism and opinions are welcome! :D
Flashbacks
'Thoughts'
Thanks for reading and the almighty reviews!
~Saved~
No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. –The Buddha
Tenten's eyes shut tightly as she tried to steady her breath. 'Focus, Tenten, focus!' Lights and images flashed behind her closed lids. Gritting her teeth, Tenten shook her head. 'Get it together! You're strong enough to haul your butt over a godforsaken cliff!'
Tenten opened her eyes, squinting as if it could help her see through the fog. She scowled in annoyance; the only thing her could see was her hand. She bit her lip. 'Don't. Look. Down!'
She looked down. As fate would have it, she had an excellent view of practically nothing. Her instincts told her that there would be no lucky foothold. She tried for one anyway, and began to cautiously move her feet forward to what she expected to be the side of the cliff.
Her breath hitched and tears tickled the corners of her eyes—there was nothing but air. If she had recklessly swung her legs, she probably would have lost her grip and fell. Relief rippled through her body but was soon smothered; she still had to get herself up. She cursed her lack of chakra. 'If that ninja hadn't thrown me, this wouldn't have happened.' Her thoughts stopped for a second. 'But I guess if I was quick enough to dodge, this wouldn't be a problem…Neji and Lee are probably too tied up to help me up. I-I have to do this myself.'
Her head shot up. She thrust her other hand up and groped around for a handhold. Grasping what she assumed was a rock, she attempted to hoist herself up. She cursed as her other palm began to slowly slide off the end of the escarpment. Her body shook with panic as rubble from the cliff fell into the abyss below her. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of her face and her eyes hardened. 'C'mon.'
Her muscles tightened and she tried again. Her support hold gave out and she yelped, clawing at the cliff with every fiber of her being. Her fingers caught the edge. Her breath staggered heavily and she looked at her hands with widened eyes. Her lips trembled.
Tenten closed her eyes in a silent prayer; she was only hanging by her fingertips. The seconds felt unbearable. Her bleeding fingertips were barely acknowledged as she gasped for breath.
Time seemed to slow down as her fingers dislodged themselves from the cliff. Her mind went blank and she screamed with the breath she didn't know she had.
…
"Tenten, it's been several minutes now. If you were going to die, you would have died already. Open your eyes and help me pull you up."
It took a while for Tenten to focus. As her thoughts began to converge she took a deep breath.
The wind ripped and clawed at her clothes and skin, diving for blood. She let out a silent scream; her head tossed back, her feeble defense crumbling completely. After several seconds passed, the winds ceased, and her body fell freely.
The pain had not stopped until her back hit the rough edge of a fan. Coughing out blood, she lost consciousness.
She swallowed her saliva, trying to moisten her sore throat. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up.
Tenten threw several kunai fiercely. The ninja cried out in pain and crumpled on the ground. She grinned, but the glory was held for only but a few seconds. There was a kick to the side of her face and she skidded on the ground.
She clutched her burning cheek. 'Damn!'
Her attacker kicked her on her back and stomped on her stomach, producing an exclamation of agony from the kunoichi.
"Quiet!" he whispered harshly and put more pressure into his foot. Tenten yelped. He aimed a kicked at her face but was knocked to the side by a blur of green.
"Lee?"
The spandex-clad genin smiled at her, supplying a hand. "Are you alright Tenten-san?"
The only thing that Tenten could make out through the mist was a pale hand griping her wrist. Tenten knew who it was in less than a heartbeat.
The enemy ninja stabbed with his katana. Tenten yelped and blood rose to her mouth. Her hands jumped to the protrusion. The ninja laughed. "Stupid kunoichi." He twisted the weapon.
Tenten bit back a scream, blood pouring through her gritted teeth. She saw nothing but red. She could no longer hear the sounds of battle around her. Her thoughts were only focused on the pain from her abdomen; this was her first experience of a serious injury.
The ninja laughed louder. "You think this is bad?" His face sobered and he glared slightly. "You've never experienced real pain before in your life." A thin smile stretched across his face. "Allow me to lighten you of your novice belief."He began to slowly pull the katana towards her side.
Tenten screams blended with his laughter.
She had remembered hearing a cry of pain and her body falling backward. She had remembered someone catching her.
"It'll be alright Tenten." She recalled that warm feeling that everything was going to fine. She had liked that.
She squinted up at the figure. "N-Neji?" She remembered falling unconscious.
Her chest tightened at the memories and she bit her lip. She didn't like having that comforting feeling anymore.
Her muscles relaxed as she let out a shaky sigh. Forcing the ends of her lips upward, she gave him a grateful look. "Thanks Neji."