Everything was a burr, so mess up that when the fifth called Tenten into her office and gave her the news, she couldn't work up the emotions required. She couldn't feel the sadness that should have been there. She was glad that she would be leaving. Konoha was her home, a place that held her happiest times and yet she felt nothing. She couldn't even work up the emotion to feel guilty. A home is a place of comfort, a place of families and friends. Leaving was just another word for running away. Going to another place is just a way to seek isolation. She can brand it with as many reasons as she want, in the end; it's just the same. But she could no longer find comfort in Konoha. Though she was ashamed of herself, she desperately needed that hole to crawl into, that isolation that so few long for. If there were one emotion that would help lessen her guilt, she would say it was shock. Complete and utter shock. Why give her such a mission? For how long? Why her? She was to pretend she was not from Konoha? She was to work as a spy in the hidden village of Spring by lying that she was their long lost heir?
"Why me?" she finally asked.
The fifth cringe slightly at the question but didn't immediately answer. "You are the best choice we have," she finally replies. But Tenten could tell she was holding something from her.
"There are many kunoichis with the talents that would be best suited for this job," Tenten says. Her eyes searching for Tsunade's.
Sighing, the fifth turn from her. "I might as well tell you the requirements for this mission," she said as she turns to look out the window. "This mission would require you to be gone from Konoha for a long period of time. It could take weeks, months…" she stress as she turned back to look at her, her eyes boarding into Tenten's soft brown ones, "years…" The fifth walked to her chair and pull out a scroll as she scribble something on it, "For the hidden village of Spring to believe that you are indeed their lost heir, we needed someone who would not be held back by their families' ties here." The fifth dips her pen into the black ink and continue to write as she describe the mission, all the while refusing to keep eyes contact with Tenten. "Seeing that Hinata is the heir of the Hyuuga clan, she is out of the question. Ino and Sakura both have families of their own-"
"You need someone that could mysteriously disappeared without worries," she whispered.
"Yes, it's too risky with Hinata, Sakura and Ino since they all-"
"In other words, you needed a nobody that could be dispose of if problems should arise," Tenten finished for her.
The Fifth finally look up at her. She'd had not expect the child to be so direct, so precise and to the point. Those words were whispered with a deadly coldness that sent chills racing through Tsunade's blood. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean for it to sound like that. One of the other reason why I specify ask you for this mission is because the descriptions from our intelligence reports fits you best," she explain. "If you don't-"
"I'll do it."
"Tenten, do you fully understand the commitment of this mission? None of your friends are to know of this. This is not a mission that can be complete within a few weeks or months. You will be separate from everyone you know and love in order to insure their safety and the completion of this mission. This mission could take years…you may never even-"
"I will do it."
"Alright," she agreed. A part of her had wanted the girl to say no. "As you know, we are short on Jounins and Chuunins," the fifth continued. "However, we cannot afford to show disrespect by giving you so few guards. Therefore as bodyguards, I would let you chose four from any of your fellows' classmates and friends." Looking Tenten in the eyes, she asks with a heavy voice, "Do you understand the seriousness of this situation? Our peace with Spring is riding on getting you home safely."
Tenten couldn't help but smile critically at this. Tenten? The average girl no body wanted had suddenly turn into a most wanted target? How ironic. "I understand perfectly."
"Have you made your decisions or would you required tonight to think this through?"
What more is there to say? She knew that even if she spent the whole night pondering, in the end, it would still come down to a selected few. Sadly, even she noticed her lack of friends. "I have already made my choices."
"Good," the Fifth replay as she spread the scroll out onto her desk, "Just what I expected from a Konoha kunoichi." She dips her pen and prepares to write, "Tell me your choices."
"Lee, Shikamura, Nauto, and…" she trail off.
The fifth's eyebrows lift at the mention of Naruto. Of all the people she never thought Tenten would choose Naruto. Seeing the fifth's reaction, Tenten merely shrugs her shoulders, "Naruto may have a loud mouth but he's reliable when the situations calls for it."
The fifth nodded her head. True, Naruto may be a clumsy loud mouth but he's the most reliable. The fifth knew whom she would pick next. It was a given, an unmistakable choice, needless to say it would be Neji, the girl's companion, her friend and sparring partner, so it surprise her when the girl finally spoke.
"That would be all. I have no need for a fourth bodyguards."
Shocked, she couldn't help but point out, "Hyuuga Neji is not among your choices."
"Neji is…at the moment occupied with business of his own."
"But surly, he would not mind seeing his long time companion safely home."
Instead of answering her question, the girl instead says in a detached voice, "three is enough."
"Fair enough. I'll send for the three," she says as she quickly scribbles their names onto the scroll before rolling it up and stuck it back under her desk. "Have your things pack and have a good night rest. You will first depart before daybreak the day following tomorrow."
"Thank you." Tenten whispered as she turns to leave but paused when the fifth stop her.
"Tenten, we will miss you. No matter what happens. Remembered that you will always remain a kunoichi of Konoha."
Nodding her head in acknowledgement, she closed the door behind her. "Konoha kunoichi indeed," she whispered. "According to what I have been told, I'm now a Spring kunoichi." Could she take any more irony?
After Tenten left, the fifth called the three to her office. They were given the necessity details, their mission and told to pack their things and be ready to leave on time.
end of chapter. read and review!