Despair.
By Gasha Aisu.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Tenten knew she wasn't, but she still felt it, she still felt totally alone.
She glared at the enemy ninja's, as she clenched her bloody left shoulder. Sweat was slowly running down her face, but the passion in her eyes did not waver despite her tired beaten body. She felt no fear as she looked each of her enemies in the eyes. They where five of them, surrounding her in a perfect circle. She stood on sand, dirty brown sand, drenched with blood of others and some of her own. Each of her enemies looked fierce as they smirked at her in a disturbing way. Tenten tried not to think of the things they planned doing to her. She saw the madness in their eyes. She frowned as she narrowed her own eyes slightly.
She'd be damned before she let them do anything to her.
Slowly she reached back and grabbed the handle of her sword once again. She trembled slightly, much to her annoyance, as she was once again reminded of her weakened form. Not only was she outnumbered, but she was weakened as well, and loosing blood making her weaker by the minute.
Where were Neji and Lee anyway? She felt so alone… Why weren't at least they here? Why weren't her two best friends here? Where were the rest of her team, the others, and her two team mates? Why was she so alone?
It didn't matter, she wouldn't give up. They wouldn't and neither would she. She was a Konoha ninja, a proud one, and she would not give up. Besides, if she fought hard enough, it was only death that awaited her. If she didn't, slow torture and utter humiliation awaited her.
"Come," she whispered, as a slight smile slowly fought it's way to her face.
She did not have to wait long.
.0.o.0.
"Where is she?" lee exclaimed desperate, his already big eyes widened in fear. Neji himself didn't feel as calm as he appeared to be, yet he refused to show any emotion. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and Shikamaru where silent, they didn't know the answer either.
"We had to move out, she knew that," Neji stated in monotone. Lee frowned at him, but it was Shikamaru who answered.
"That doesn't mean she has," he drawled calmly as Naruto's expression graved at hearing this. Sasuke snorted.
"Che, it was to be expected, she is weak after all,"
No one had expected Neji's reaction to be so passionate. He grabbed Sasuke by his collar, lifting it so that Sasuke was forced to grab his hand in order to breathe. Sakura called his name worriedly, but the other ninja's stood silently, to surprised to do anything.
"She's not weak Uchiha. She's my team mate, and we're going to get her. If anybody is weak, it's you for even thinking that," Neji hissed lowly, and slowly released him.
"Don't waste your time arguing, we need to move quickly," Shikamaru said calmly. They nodded, and left in perfect formation. Sakura frowned as she followed her team. She knew Tenten, and she knew the girl wouldn't have stayed behind without any reason. She bit her lip worried as the team picked up speed. Seems like the others had the same thought…
.o.0.o.
Tenten coughed out blood as she was forced back by the impact of the blow. Just barely she managed to get her legs beneath her, landing much softer, leaving a trail to where her feet stood. Quickly, she turned around on instinct perfected by years, alarmed by a slight sound of clothes in air. She was just in time, as her sword clashed with another. She glared fiercely at one of her enemies, he just smiled back and licked his lips. Disgusted, Tenten wanted nothing else then to have him as far away as possible, but he seemed to have other plans. His wicked smile grew as he pushed his body forward, invading her personal space against her will.
With a angry yell she forced her muscles to move, standing from her crouching position and pushing him away with her sword, and attacking him as he lost his balance. She felt her sword slide through soft flesh easily. She completed her swing, looking in his eyes as she did so. He staggered a few steps back, still smiling that wicked smile, as if his left hand wasn't keeping his insides in. Tenten didn't waste any more time with him, as she turned around and faced her other three enemies. The bloody corpse of the first one she defeated behind them.
Tenten gritted her teeth as she tensed slightly. She knew that she was lucky, if those idiots had worked together, she would've been done for. As it was, each fought her on their own, sometimes even hitting the other to prevent them from grabbing their "prey".
It disgusted Tenten.
Not only that, but each of their eyes had madness in them. They all seemed to think she was theirs a personal plaything to play with. They seemed to love her pain, by the looks of it, it even turned them on. Tenten shivered, although she tried not to.
She was still a woman, a young woman, and she couldn't help but we aware that those sick bastards where male. And seemingly without normal minds.
Quickly she spun round and threw a kunai through a enemies head, it was the same one she had ripped his stomach open, but at least he was harmless now. Frowning slightly she turned to her enemies, but where there once stood three, now stood two. On instinct, Tenten jumped, looking beneath her, she saw a very disappointed enemy. He had his arms stretched out to where she had stood…
Again shivering slightly, Tenten reached back and hurled her weapons at all three of them, making sure she would land safely.
She hoped the others would be back soon…
.0.o.0.
Neji was silent as he focussed all his attention to getting back, to getting back to her. Tenten, his team mate, his friend. Tenten who was there when he needed her, Tenten who trained with him, Tenten who joked with him, Tenten who supported him. Tenten who had practically made Lee her little brother, she even called him that several times. Why hadn't she called him that?
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly before he refocused. He knew the answer, although she hadn't spoken it yet, he knew she felt the same about him as he about her. It was because of that emotion that they could never see each other as family. He had to get to her, he had to get her back. For he knew….he knew…
Something was wrong.
Something was terribly wrong and waiting to blow up in his face. He knew with every fibre in his being that he got to hurry, he got to get to her fast. She needed him at her side…
With a grunt he pushed himself forward, Lee right along side of him. The others made no comment as they tried to keep up with them. Although they too trained in speed, although they to cared deeply for Tenten, none of them were as driven as he and Lee. None were as filled with desperation to get to her as they were. They had spend years together. They were a balanced team. The loneliness he felt, Tenten filled. If Lee didn't think, she did. When Lee had his doubts, she was there for him. She was always there. That's why he was as distressed as he was now. Because right now…
She wasn't.
And something had gone wrong.
.0.o.0.
Tenten's eyes widened in fear before she came to her senses and moved out of the way. Just in time as the powerful attack left a crater on where she once stood. Panting she landed at a distance, but she didn't have time to catch her breath. On instinct she moved, yet she was to late searing pain went through her. The pain was on her back, but it seemed to consume her whole being. She couldn't regain control as the pain made her dizzy and unable to think. Everything happened so fast…
She landed harshly her cheek being scraped open because of the ground as she shoved over the field. She tried to steady her breathing, as it came in short gasps, her ribs might have bruised in her fall. Quickly, cause one didn't have time in a battle field, she planted her hands besides her an pushed. She saw a flash of steel as she got away just in time. Back on her feet she stared at the muscled man, who despite his weight, managed to move fast and swiftly. She shook her head slightly as her sight wavered. She needed to know her opponents…
The three guys she had been fighting (not counting the two she had killed) where restrained in chains, she vaguely wondered what kind of village they were from, as others had come and replaced them. The two bodies of the one she had killed were ignored as five other maniacs eyed her hungrily.
They were fresh, unhurt, fast, and eager to have her.
Tenten knew she was doomed. As she stood and shakenly took two more kunai's from her pouch, since her sword lied to far away since she had been disarmed by one of her enemies, she gave up all hope.
The others wouldn't come.
And she hated herself for thinking that…
o.0.o.
Neji gasped as he tumbled down from the trees until he caught himself and managed to land on a lower branch.
"Neji!" Lee called out, surprised and even worried.
If Tenten would be among them, she would've been the one who called him…
"Neji," Sasuke stated stoically, questioning him without really doing so, as he landed besides him, Sakura soon followed him.
"Are you hurt?" Sakura asked worried, voicing the thought of each one present. Shikamaru had halted a few branched up, where they had been moving in the first place. Naruto was there also, he had stopped somewhere between Shikamaru and Lee.
Neji breathed in deeply as he closed his eyes shortly, he was sweating and it had nothing to do with exhaustion.
"No, she is," he stated monotonously as he opened his eyes and stood. Without warning, he was off again, the others following him confused. Neji frowned as he ignored his burning muscles.
We're coming Tenten.
He just hoped she believed so as well.
.0.o.0.
Suddenly Tenten felt newfound strength flow to her, as she planted her hands on the ground to tackle the guy who had been assaulting her. She was still tired, but even more determined to fight then before. She couldn't give up hope, the others would come. They had to. Besides, her team mates were with them, surely they at least would come?
She could feel Neji calling out to her, hurrying to her, wanting to protect her. Yes they would come, it was the matter if they would come on time or not. For time was running out, as her muscles screamed and her body trembled. Tenten dived and managed to get her trusty sword back. She raised it so it was in front of her, as she glared at her enemies. She knew she needed time. She also knew that, that time…
She needed to make that time.
Tenten braced herself, as two charged at her. These guys were smarter, faster, yet just as insane as the others had been. With a battle cry, she swung and hit, her sword burying in human flesh as her eyes raised to see the other. She yanked her sword out of the shoulder of one enemy to deflect an attack of the other, clashing with his sword as he came from the sky.
She saw it coming.
But could do nothing to prevent it.
The kunai's thrown by the four others buried themselves in her right arm, right leg, and between her ribs. She looked in the eyes of the one who's sword her own clashed with. He smiled at her, and all she could do was stare at him in shock.
.o.0.o.
"Tenten!" Neji yelled, as he fastened his pace. The others looked shock, as they too forced they're tired muscles to move faster.
"Neji, we need to slow slightly, or else we won't be able to continue from exhaustion before we even get there!" Shikamaru warned, yet Neji ignored him. Neji gritted his teeth as he pushed himself harder.
"Neji!" Sakura called out again, feeling her body almost giving in. Yes she wanted to reach Tenten and help her, but in order to do so, she needed to slow slightly.
"Then slow without me!" Neji snapped, and Lee's and Sakura's eyes widened while the others frowned. His voice had been harsh, raw and desperate, far from the usual monotone.
"Neji?" questioned Lee, having a slight idea what this was all about. Neji glanced at him, before looking back before him, his expression grim and byukagan activated.
"Yes Lee, it's like last time," Neji replied shortly, and Lee's eyes widened.
"You guys catch up later, Neji will go on, he'll manage until we reach them" Lee called back, his expression almost sad.
"Lee?" Sakura asked, as confused as the others were. Lee smiled apologetic.
"Once on a mission, Neji got separated from us. It was dark and we were unable to find him," Lee explained, as he watched Neji push himself further.
"Suddenly Tenten got a concerned look, and when I questioned her…her eyes looked pained. She said Neji was in danger and took off. I followed her, and she lead me straight to Neji. We came just in time, and managed to defeat the enemy."
He looked at the others briefly before turning back in front of him, watching Neji go.
"I don't know how it's possible…" he said, and suddenly smiled, "but if someone will be able to find and help her, it's Neji,"
Naruto looked at Lee, before grinning.
"Everything will be just fine then," Naruto exclaimed, as bright as always.
"Baka," Sasuke snapped, earning everybody's attention, "Didn't you see his expression?"
"Hai," Sakura agreed, as her expression turned dark, "Something is terribly wrong,"
.0.o.0.
Tenten cried out as she was thrown backward by a sudden attack. She hit a tree roughly and it snapped under the impact. She managed to roll aside before it collapsed on her, breathing heavily. Tenten tried to open her eyes, yet the exhaustion made it hard. She blinked slowly, trying to get the blood, sweat, and tears of pain out of her eyes. One of her four enemies, for she managed to kill one, grabbed her leg. She grunted and kicked towards it, but only earned a chuckle.
"Time to have fun, young ninja," the man told her, his voice husky. Tenten shivered and tried to get away, but he easily dragged her in the open.
.0.o.0.
You think I should continue this? I did enjoy writing this, so I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you'd be so nice to review, I'll love you forever .
Until next time, (and I'm starting with a new chapter of Hearts in love and denial, but that is going to take a while, sorry)
Gasha Aisu.