New Roads

By Mishi-chan

Ok, this is my first attempt at anything other than Beyblade (unless you count GOSAL, but I'm not even writing most of the FMA parts). I've been reading lately, and then it hit me. Hey, why not write a NejiTen one-shot? And thus it's begun. Maybe I'll write a Naruto fic later on, but baby steps. Baby steps. So, written out of pure chance and inspiration, my first NejiTen one-shot. Now, it's a little angsty for my usual writing, but I'm just in one of my "moods", so to speak. They pass, but for now, this is what it brings. Also, if you want to add effect to the one-shot, the songs I recommend listening to would be "Sadness and Sorrow" by Toshiro Masuda (from Naruto) or "Slipped Away" by Avril Lavigne.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way. All copyrights go to the creator, Kishimoto-sama.

It was a dark day in Konoha. Thunderclouds buried the sun from view and all was still. It was a dark day for Konoha indeed. For in the springtime of their youth, a harsh blow was dealt to the Konoha Eleven. More in particular, Team Gai. The Will of Fire no longer burned that day, for one of the most spirited Chuunin had left them. Today was the funeral of Rock Lee. Not a leaf stirred as the ninjas flooded through the streets silently, gravely, mournfully. A raindrop fell as TenTen stepped out of her apartment. She looked up at the sky with eyes of grief, as if the whether knew what was going on the hidden ninja village. Locking the door, TenTen trudged down the vacant road that led to the inner part of the village. Living on the outskirts of town had its pros and cons. Today, it gave her time to think as she walked to the funeral. Funeral. Not just any funeral; Rock Lee's funeral. They had been teammates for the past four years. Friends for life. They had gone through trials and tribulation to get where they stood today. Him, her and Hyuuga Neji.

Hyuuga Neji. The strong, unspoken leader of their team. When it came down to the end of the day, no matter how many times Neji mocked him, defeated him, humiliated him, Lee respected him. Lee saw him as someone worthy to be fought, and worthy to be beaten by. Gai-sensei was always there alongside them, eccentric in his teachings, cheering them on "in the springtime of their youth", whatever that meant. And then there was TenTen. The sole female of the team, or as Lee so kindly put it, the Blossom of Team Gai. Every time she sparred Neji during team training (which was every day for the past four years of her life), every time she lost. And every time, Lee was there to encourage her. Push her on. Remind her it wasn't about losing, it was about getting better, stronger. TenTen sighed to herself. Team Gai just wouldn't be the same. No offense to Neji, maybe some offense to Gai-sensei, but it just wasn't right. Less fuzzy eyebrows, less green spandex, less bowl haircuts. While this may be considered a plus side to the grim situation, it also meant less laughter, less fun. Less Lee.

Glancing up and out of her trance, TenTen realized she was nearing the funeral site. It was being held on the hill by the team's training ground. The spot where Lee first learned how to unlock the Eight Gates. Lee would want it like this: to be buried in the place that was his second home, where he always trained with Gai-sensei. When the young kunoichi reached the site, almost the entire village was there. Somehow, standing among, around, and even in, trees, everyone was there.

There was a gap left in the front between Gai-sensei and Neji. They were waiting for her. She walked up to them and the moment she stepped within their range, Gai-sensei had enveloped her into a fatherly hug. She then stepped back and gave him a small smile. TenTen then turned to Neji, who acknowledged her by simply nodding. Nodding back, the young kunoichi then stepped into line, the rain coming down in a cold drizzle.

Lying before the whole assembly, sat a small shrine. Ironically, it was green. Gai and the other senseis had buried his body that morning. All that was left were two pictures that sat in the small shrine (it was no bigger than a mailbox) and the burning incense that surrounded the pictures. One was Lee doing his "nice guy" pose. TenTen chuckled sorrowfully under her breath at the memory of how his teeth just seemed to "PING!" whenever he did that. You know, like one of those anime shows. Neji looked at her with a questioning gaze, his pearl eyes gazing at her contrasting chocolate orbs. The chuckle soon disappeared and was replaced by a look of anguish. Following her gaze, Neji saw her eyes rest on the second photograph in the shrine.

It was the team picture, from when they first became Genin. Gai-sensei had his thumb out in the "nice guy" pose as Lee stared at him in wonder, a twinkle in his eyes. Neji had been leaning against the wall of their meeting place, opening one eye to look at the camera. And TenTen? TenTen had been in front of all the chaos, sitting seemingly innocently in the front of the photo, though the kunai that was being spun in her hand at the time negated the cute look. Looking back at TenTen, the Byakugan user saw the tears that brimmed her russet eyes.

Just realizing herself that there were tears, she quickly blinked them away and stared onward as the Hokage, Tsunade, began to speak to the multitude, hoping that no one saw. After all, even in a moment like this, a ninja must never betray their emotions. Little did she know Neji had seen it all.

The next few moments went by despairingly as Tsunade spoke. Neji tuned her out as soon as she started. No offense meant to her, but she wasn't saying anything he didn't already know. Lee was nice. Lee was strong. Lee was! Lee is dead. And nothing could change his fate. To some, he may seem cold to the death of his comrade, but Neji didn't care. This was his way to deal with it, so let it be.

He started to move again as the procession of people began to go up to the shrine to lay roses and last respects to Konoha's Green Beast. TenTen followed after him, looking downcast and forlorn. She stepped up to the shrine and gazed at the picture of her fallen comrade. Sorrow fell upon her features, but tears did not fall. As she bent down to drop her rose, another hand dropped a rose next to it. Not just any rose; a bright green rose. In shock of the strange, but fitting color, TenTen looked up to see Sakura smiling weakly and softly at Lee's picture. Noticing TenTen's gaze, the pink-haired medic-nin glanced at her.

" Green was always his favorite. I had Ino-pig color the rose for him," Sakura whispered. Ino worked in the village's best flower shop; surely she could color a white rose green. The girl's gaze dropped before she continued. " TenTen-chan… I'm sorry. If only I had worked harder—"

" It's alright," TenTen cut her off. " There's nothing else anyone could have done. So stop with the guilt. Lee wouldn't want you of all people to feel guilty." Sakura nodded slowly, then, giving TenTen a brief hug, the young rosette walked off. TenTen stared after her for a moment. Sakura was the love of Lee's life. He would have and did everything for her. Including bringing back the infamous Uchiha Sasuke. It was that very mission that brought them there. Unable to help last time because of his surgery, Lee was determined to help with the Uchiha's retrieval. With him working alongside Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, and Sakura as their medic, the mission was a success. But the injuries he sustained in the battle had just been too great… It was his life as a shinobi that led them here. It was the road that he wanted to take.

It had been nice to see that Sakura had come to the funeral to pay her last respects. After all, that had required her to leave the hospital when Sasuke had a chance of awakening any day now. With a small sigh, TenTen walked off to her home feeling no better than how she had come.

By later that day, the rain hadn't lessened up. In fact, it had only gotten worse. Wind had finally begun to blow haphazardly about the shinobi village. The rainfall came down in pounding roars. But none of this mattered to TenTen. No siree. It was in this weather on this fateful day that she was at the training grounds, throwing a wide array of weaponry at the hay-filled dummies. By now, TenTen's hair had fallen from her buns, now plastered to the sides of her face and down her back. She let out a cry as she angrily threw a kunai at the target on the dummy. The kunai hit the outer rim of the target and bounced off, falling to the soaked ground. Just like all her other weapons. Another cry escaped her lips.

From a place under the treetops nearby, Neji listened to her cry out again before throwing another usually deadly barrage of attacks. But once again, nothing hit. And if it did, it didn't stick. One thing was affirmed at that moment: this death hit TenTen harder than anyone could imagine. TenTen doesn't miss.

Neji had heard enough of aggravation and cries. Jumping from the limb he was on, the young Hyuuga walked over to where TenTen stood, hunched over, worn, defeated. Upon hearing his footfalls, the kunoichi had turned to look at him. She stood up straight, then looked back at the target. Picking up a few more kunai and shuriken, she began to furiously continue her attacks. Neji looked at her struggle, just looked. That alone was enough to irk TenTen today.

Neji stepped forward so he was directly behind her and put his hands on her shoulders gently. " TenTen, that's enough," he said in his soft, commanding tone. She brushed him off angrily and continued her "practice". Neji's eyes hardened, then he tried again. Saying nothing, he put his hands on her shoulders again, but this time more firmly, solidly. There was no mistake in his command now. As TenTen tried to shake him off again, Neji held firm, as she was soon flailing about.

" Leave me alone!" TenTen shouted at him. Yep, she was hurting: she never yelled at Neji. Turning in his grasp so she was facing him, the weapon's mistress then began to beat merciless against his chest with her fists. Her eyes were clenched in uncertain anger. " Leave me alone! Leave me alone, leave me alone, LEAVE ME ALONE!" She hit him as hard she could and still he didn't let go. TenTen's brunette head then fell against his chest. "… leave me alone…" she muttered.

Then it was quiet, all except the sound of the rain. Just when Neji thought it was all over, something he never expected occurred. TenTen began to cry. Cry into his chest. Her shoulders began to shake as she began to sob. The young teen had no idea what to do. He did the only thing he could do. He held her.

Wrapping his arms around her delicate torso, he held her closer to him as she sobbed. TenTen's eyes widened in her tears, her body, frozen. The weapon's mistress looked up slowly to meet the Hyuuga's pearly white orbs. He stared back at her, not coldly, not uncaringly, gently.

" It's going to be ok…" He whispered in a hushed tone, not quite sure what to say. TenTen's heart almost did a back-flip. Neji nice? Lee dead? The end of the world was indeed coming. There was nothing else to do; nothing more to say. TenTen buried her head back into his chest and he didn't pull way.

New tears brimmed her eyes." Arigatou... Neji..." TenTen whispered. Neji said nothing, just continued to hold her. Today, a journey on a road with her team ended. But maybe, a new road was just opened...

Well, that's it everybody. I know it's not much a NejiTen moment, but I just felt compelled to write this. Why? No idea. Just did. But remember this: when we are in pain, usually those with similar pain of loss are the ones who can help most. We all deal with pain in different ways. Some like Neji move on too fast. Some like TenTen hide their tears. But no matter what, there will always be someone there for you to catch you when you fall. I just wanted to add that to this little memo. Please Review and maybe you'll see more from me. BEWII!

Mishi-chan