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A NejiTen Fanfiction
By: Shikyo Yaiba
Dedicated to Bya-chan and Serenity Silence
A/N: Well, I was listening to some music when this idea suddenly came into mind. Sad, I know. I've written a sad NejiTen before, but I wrote that one a whim. This one actually has some emotion in it. I also have a really bad habit of switching up my tenses, so if you notice a mistake, don't hesitate to tell me! n.n
I know this fic will seem confusing, so if you don't get it, feel free to say that in your review. I'll explain it to you
To Bya-chan and Serenity Silence: I know it seems cheesy that I dedicated it to both of you at once, but I really couldn't decided which of you to write it for. So I went for both. Sorry. -sweatdrop- I hope you two enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. Aw.
Konohagakure – a village known for its happiness despite the hardships it constantly goes through. It is currently ruled by one of the greatest Hokage – Rokudaime Uzumaki Naruto. Under his command, the village flourished; especially the ramen industry. The entire village was out and about. Smiles were everywhere; after all, the Hokage was never a big fan of frowning. All were happy in the village hidden in the leaves – all except one.
A young female – no, a kunoichi – of twenty three years lay resting on her bed, her chest moving in a subtle, rhythmic up and down motion. A semi-thin blanket was strewn across her shoulders and concealed all but her head. She gently rolled around, left and right, before she finally allowed a crack to find its way in between her eyelids. Her brown eyes slowly roamed about, reabsorbing the familiar guise of her bedroom.
She stepped out of bed, lazily moving towards her bathroom. She brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and tied it into two identical buns. Her hair… It was what most people used to define her. A sight of her chocolate buns, and anyone would know who she was. But when her hair is deprived of their usual looks, everyone wishes to know who the "new" ninja is. It annoyed her – a lot.
Ambling downstairs, she walked to the door of her apartment. She took a moment to sit, slipping her feet into the usual shinobi sandals. Standing up again, she reached out and grasped the handle of the door. A gentle clack from the lock reached her ears. She was off. Her feet flew across the pavement along a (as her friend would have called it) predetermined route. One that, on this very day, existed for a decade.
The path was on the outskirts of Konoha. Deep within the forest laid a barren road. Plants dared not to grow upon the path that was traveled on day by day. There were footprints – her footprints – left behind in the sand-like dirt. The trail led to a high cliff. Its base was steadily being eroded away by the merciless sea that lay below.
The girl came here everyday. It was tradition – no, it was more than that. Something held so close to her heart that no words could describe it. She came to this place ever since that day. It was here where her memories of him remained. It was here where they confided in one another. It was here where they had come to understand one another. It was here where they learned to love one another.
Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, and weeks into months. Without noticing it, her addiction to their "home" had become so strong where it was near impossible for a day to pass without her presence blessing the area once. She sat, everyday, in a lotus position at the base of the cliff. 'The same way he used to sit.' she would think.
At first she could not see. But over time, her eyes developed. Or maybe it wasn't her eyes, but her mind. During the bright days of the summer, she would always see something shining out of the corner of eyes. She started to think she was losing her sanity. But she had trust in herself; after all, her peripheral vision wouldn't lie…right? And later on, she found out she was right. The constant shining she saw was from a soul. A soul who remained bound to the earth. Her eyes trailed up and down until she discovered the "head" of the soul. It was like a bright sphere that emitted light that could not be seen anywhere else. Soon she started to see more and more, until she felt herself become one with them.
And yet today was different. Gray clouds masked the usual bright, warm sun. There was no wind; there was no noise. Even the ocean was melancholy on this very day. Nature seemed to still itself. This was a moment that came only once in a lifetime. And yet she didn't notice. Everything flew right by her – or rather, she flew by everything.
A familiar brown-gray bird perched itself upon her shoulder. It (for its gender was not known) was christened Kaihaku – gray. The kunoichi made no move when she felt the recognizable talons clutching her shoulders. Today she stood at the base of the cliff, refusing to sit. Why she didn't position herself on the ground as usual was unknown even to her. Something pulled at the back of her mind, commanding her to stay where she was. And she obeyed.
Her head angled up toward the gray sky, wondering where the souls were. Were her eyes really deceiving her? No. She knew the answer to that. She knew she was in denial. But she really wanted to see them today. She really wanted to let it all out. The pain, the frustration, the sick feeling that was at the pit of her stomach – all of it. From the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She whipped her head up and stared at the sight before her. Billions of souls flew around her, even through her. She extended her arms until they were fully stretched out. A deep breath in and a deep breath out. But the hairs on the back of her neck froze as her heart skipped a beat.
She felt a rush of air – no, a warm breath – brush along the base of her neck. She shivered in response. It was him. He was here with her. And yet she couldn't bear to turn around and look. She felt his cold arms wrap themselves around her shoulders, crossing over in the process. He nuzzled his face deeper into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. She felt him mouth the words against her skin.
"Tenten…"
That was all it took for her to snap back into reality. Crying out, she attempted to twist her body around. But he countered her movement with his own. His ghostly foot jutted out and pushed against hers, and old command she knew that meant, "Don't move." So she stopped, mouthing her own words in response.
"Neji…"
His pale figure smiled grimly. And she knew what was going to happen from the mere feel of his body. His right arm released her shoulder. Instead it took refuge within her hands. Fingers entwined with desperate longing. But it would do them no good. A gentle, but forceful, wind blew by. His transparent body twisted and turned, gradually dissipating into the atmosphere. But she didn't see this. Her back was turned to him. She knew. She felt the warmth of his arms, his hand, his face, steadily fleeing from her.
No words were passed during their short encounter. But when he left, the promise she had made years ago was broken. Tears spilled from her eyes. Her arms shook violently as she finally released the tears that she had hidden for so many years. Her knees gave out and she slumped onto the ground, but not before noticing a cold jolt in her shoulder. She lifted her head up only to see Kaihaku flying away into the distance. Gripping the same shoulder with one hand, she stood up. As Kaihaku's outline vanished, she smiled his grim smile, the same one she had felt a second ago. She understood.
He was here, but he was gone.
End