A/N: I'm so sorry for taking so long! My stupid computer crashed. I'm so sorry, but I'm back. I hope you enjoy this chapter. ^.^
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Naruto characters unfortunately. Only Himaku. =)
It's been four months….four months since Neji's departure. Nothing in the village has been the same in TenTen's case. Everything seemed so meaningless to her, and her self-esteem was proof of that. She's been not herself lately, so Hinata told her, but she honestly didn't care. Ever since he left she's been training like crazy, she hasn't slept in weeks, and she trains everyday nonstop. She pushes herself more than before and if she does end up injured she'll just ignore it and continue with her training. She's gone to the hospital before; she got injured so badly that she had to stay there for weeks. After a medic ninja told her she can leave the hospital she left and went back to her training.
She threw yet another shuriken at the practice dummy and missed the target AGAIN. "Ah, come on!" TenTen yelled in frustration. She's been missing that damn target a lot lately; actually she's missed every single target in the training field. TenTen huffed in frustration and exhaustion. TenTen looked at the practice dummy and closed her eyes. She opened them with a new found determination and threw the shuriken….and again she missed the target. "Damn it! Come on!" TenTen yelled yet again.
She walked away from the training dummy and looked up at the sky. It felt weird that Neji was no longer there to help her on her training. She has also been trying some new techniques, but that didn't quite work out. All of the techniques she tried to learn were from the Amma clan, her clan, and yet she couldn't even learn HALF of ONE jutsu. After months of training those techniques she decided to give up. If Neji were here she would have learned-
"No!" TenTen yelled to herself looking down at the grass. She always did that! Saying that if Neji were here she would've gotten better. TenTen looked up and focused her gaze at where Neji used to meditate. For some odd reason the tree was gone, she can tell that someone must've beaten it down. She noticed it was gone the day after she had her little argument with Neji. 'You can never beat me!' Neji said back then. When she got home that day she locked herself in her room and cried. She shook her head and looked at the sky. Who was she kidding? She dropped down on her knees, buried her face in her hands, and cried.
"I'm never going to get him back," she sobbed.
"Hm…is that so?"
TenTen wiped her tears and immediately stood up, and looked for the male voice in alert.
"Don't worry; we're from the same village." The voice said coolly.
TenTen heard a rustle of leaves behind her, so she turned around and saw Kakashi coming down from a tree.
"Tell me TenTen; why are you crying?" Kakashi asked warmly.
"I-I'm not crying." TenTen said in her defense, but nothing can really escape Kakashi's eyes. She saw that Kakashi was staring at her, as if he was trying to read her. She lowered her gaze to the ground in an attempt to hide her gaze.
Kakashi laughed lightly, and walked over to TenTen. He stopped right in front of her and looked around the training field. Everything was pretty much destroyed; there were weapons everywhere, quarters were all over the grass, and the trees were heavily damaged. Kakashi looked back down at TenTen.
"Impressive, you're quite the kunoichi TenTen. You've got great potential, yet you're telling yourself that you're weak." He said sternly.
"…" She just kept her gaze on the ground.
Kakashi put his hand on her shoulder, and looked at her in sincere sympathy. "I know how it feels to lose a dear friend TenTen.
TenTen looked up at Kakashi with tears forming in her eyes. Kakashi got his hand off her shoulder and put both his hands in his pockets.
"You know how it feels? Is that so? Okay genius; tell me what to do then. Please enlighten me with your great wisdom of sorrow and pain. I'm tired of hearing the same shit from people! 'I know what you're going through,' 'Just keep moving on,' they say. What the hell do they know? You're no different! It hurts…to know I couldn't stop him. Tell me! You say you know how it feels! Then tell me what I should do then! Tell me damn it!" TenTen yelled in furry.
She was so tired of people saying that they understand what she's going through. They're all liars! They have no idea how it feels to have lost someone so special to stupid power. In Neji's mind his father Hizashi would have wanted the main branch gone, but that's not true. Himaku brain washed Neji, and yet…..Neji preferred him over his friends.
Kakashi stared at her. TenTen slowly calmed herself down.
"K-Kakashi Sensai I'm sorry for- OW! Hey, what the hell?" TenTen yelled while rubbing the back of her head.
Kakashi put his hand back on his pocket and closed his eyes, "Temper, temper TenTen. You've got to control that anger of yours." Kakashi said as a matter of fact.
"Excuse me! You can't just hit me!"
"Last time I checked I was the Sensai." Kakashi said wisely.
TenTen was taken by surprise, he had a point, but he's not HER Sensai.
"You're so weird Kaka-"
"How about you don't give up. How does that sound for a plan?" Kakashi interrupted.
TenTen stared at Kakashi. Not give up? She can't even hit a stupid training dummy, and he's telling her not to give up! Not only that, but her self-esteem has been really low lately. Kakashi looked up at the sky, "Unlike me, you can actually get your friend back." Kakashi then looked back at TenTen with a smile under his mask.
TenTen looked at him for a while, and finally understood that Kakashi has had a horrible past when it came to his friends and family. She's heard of The White Fang and what happened to him, she knew that Yondaime was his Sensai once upon a time, but then he sacrificed his life for the village that horrible yet memorable night. When it came to his friends though, she didn't really know much except for what Gai Sensai has told her. Rin and Obito were their names, and she also knew that Obito gave Kakashi his Sharingan. She doesn't really know what happened to them, but she's sure that they're dead now. Poor Kakashi, he had to have everything he holed dear be taken away from him.
"Kakashi Sensai I'm so-" TenTen tried to apologize.
"Don't be. I understand your frustration in a way, but don't ever give up. You might think you haven't accomplished anything to improve your skill, but in reality you've grown stronger, and you'll see all of this improvement if you decide to give yourself another chance. You're strong TenTen; I believe that someday you'll surpass Tsunade herself. You'll bring Neji back; it's just a matter of putting the time and commitment."
TenTen was astonished. THE Kakashi Hatake was telling her she's strong, and that she'll be able to bring Neji back. She won't actually say it out loud, but she looks up to Kakashi in a way.
"You really believe I can do it Kakashi Sensai?"
"Of course you will. All you have to do is push yourself and you'll accomplish great things." Kakashi said crossing his arms across his chest. "Now listen to me carefully TenTen."
TenTen listened attentively. Kakashi was one of Konoha's elite Jounin; of course she would pay good attention to him. It's not every day that Kakashi Hatake comes up to someone and tells them they have what it takes to become legends.
"All your comrades are training their asses off, and do you know why?"
"Um….because they want to?"
"They're doing this to protect and keep that bond that connects them to Neji. Isn't obvious TenTen? They DO care!" Kakashi said. "Yet, you're here saying that you can't do it! TenTen, you're an Amma for crying out loud."
"I don't know much about my clan though."
"Enough with the excuses TenTen! Who told them not to take that friendship for granted?" Kakashi asked furiously. Visible anger and frustration seen inside his right eye.
"I did."
"That's right! They're pushing themselves so much TenTen. Believe me; I've never seen Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto so dedicated in their training before."
"…" TenTen stayed silent, because she started to feel guilty. He's right. She's such an idiot! Saying all those things to them about bringing Neji back, and here she was giving up when everyone was getting stronger, and took her word that she'll bring him back home. They're keeping their word, but not her…..What was she thinking?
Kakashi noticed her uncomfort, and put his hand on her shoulder. TenTen looked at Kakashi who had a sympathized look on his face.
"I don't want you to feel guilty TenTen. I'm just trying to let you know that they see you as their leader." Kakashi took his hand off her shoulder and reached into his pocket. Kakashi took out a photo, "Here, remember this?" Kakashi handed the photo to TenTen, which she took.
TenTen looked at it and smiled warmly. "I remember this," she said warmly.
In the photo you see the Rookie 9, Team Gai, and The Sand Siblings. This photo was taken after the Shikamaru Platoon came out from the hospital after encountering the Sound 4. In the photo you can see Naruto trying to tackle Sasuke who's just looking at the camera. Sakura's holding Naruto back from trying to beat up Sasuke, and Kiba's laughing and pointing at them. Hinata had Akamaru in her arms, and was looking at Naruto wordily, while Shino was simply looking at the camera. Lee was in his nice guy pose, and Chouji was eating his BBQ chips while staring at Ino yelling at a poor bored Shikamaru. Gaara was looking at everyone like they were crazy, Kankuro was glaring at Shino; he probably didn't get over the fact that Shino beat him. And Temari, well, she pushed TenTen into Neji, who was surprised, but caught her. Temari had an evil smirk on her face, and Neji was too focused on TenTen, who he caught in his arms. What TenTen remembers the most though was what happened afterwards; Neji wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling, and TenTen held his shoulders for support. She apologized and looked at him; their faces were just inches away from each other. For some odd reason, they couldn't take their eyes off each other, as if staring at each other was the most amazing thing in the world. To TenTen's surprise, she moved her lips closer to Neji's, but Neji then abruptly let her go and walked away.
"I'll never forget this moment." TenTen whispered to herself.
TenTen held the photo against her chest, and then she put it away in her kunai pouch.
TenTen looked up at Kakashi. "Help me train," she said.
"Hm? Me? Well, I can, but that sounded more like an order than a request." Kakashi said.
TenTen put her hand on her hips and smirked, "That's because it was Sensai."
Kakashi smiled, "Excellent! Well then, I'm at your service TenTen. I'm warning you though, when you start training with me you'll go through a world of pain."
"I was able to put up with Neji, I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." TenTen said confidently
"That's what I want to hear! There's the TenTen I remember! We start tomorrow early in the morning." Kakashi said and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"I can't wait!" TenTen yelled excitedly.
'She has the same will and strength as her mother. Heh, you should be proud of your daughter Saki.' Kakashi thought as he leapt from tree to tree.
'You just wait Neji, you're not going to know what hit you!' She thought happily. "….Wait for me buddy." TenTen smiled to herself.
"But he's just a kid!" yelled Hidan.
"Be quiet Hidan. We have to take under consideration that he's from the famous and RICH Hyuuga clan." Kakuzu said calmly.
"Kakuzu has a point, we already have a Sharingan and Rinengan user. Why not add a Byakugan user? That'll make us even more powerful." Kisame added.
"The problem is Kisame-San, that he's just a hormone crazed 15 year old teen, hm." Deidara pointed out.
'Hormone crazed? I'm not hormone crazed!' Neji thought to himself.
"Now, now sempai. You're just jealous, because the soon to be member of the Akatsuki has way more beautiful hair than you do. Jealousy is not a good thing." Tobi lectured Deidara.
"Zip it Tobi." Zetsu said.
"Well, our leader let Tobi in, didn't he? Why not let Neki in?" Itachi said.
"Yeah…hey, wait. What do you mean by 'leader let Tobi in?' Tobi asked.
"You suck." Sasori told Tobi.
"For the last time, it's Neji!" Neji yelled furiously. They always get his name wrong.
"I don't care." Itachi said plainly.
'That does it!' Neji thought. "You know what? Whatever! All of you are a bunch of freaks! I don't care if you take me in or not, I'm getting the fuck out of here!" Neji yelled. He then turned and tried to walk away, but Himaku stopped him.
"Calm down Neji, just wait and-"
"You're in." Pein interrupted.
"WHAT!" the Akatsuki yelled.
'Men can be so stupid sometimes,' Konan thought.
"B-but leader-!" Hidan tried to say.
"Silence! That's my last decision. Now, all of you shut the hell up, and Konan, take him and get him a robe." Pein ordered.
"Magic word is _?" Konan asked.
Pein sighed, "Can you PLEASE take him, and get him his Akatsuki robe?"
"That's better, and yes, yes I can."
"See! You're in!" Himaku yelled excitedly to Neji.
"Yay…" Neji said sarcastically. 'Someone save me from these freaks!' Neji thought in agony.
Well, did you guys like it? Again, I'm very sorry for the delay. Thanks for reading, and please review! :D