PROLOGUE (continued) – An Idol's Warning

"You need to be careful out in the battlefield, Tenten."

Lady Tsunade's words had caused her to raise her head in genuine surprise. While she was no longer the Tenten who used to gush about how much she admired Konoha's Fifth Hokage and how much she yearned to become a strong a kunoichi as her, the 17-year old still felt immense pleasure and joy whenever she was in the Sannin's presence. Right now, the firmness in Tsunade's voice was making the teenager feel a little tensed. The initial exhilaration she had felt when Shizune sent for her to the Hokage's office was slowly dissipating, as she realised that this was not just a simple routine check for the troops were sent out to war.

As Tsunade held her gaze intently for a few more seconds, Tenten felt a lump in her throat as her she felt her pulse quicken. Had she done something wrong? Had Shikamaru given her feedback about their training session earlier in the day? The next thought actually made her give her idol a quizzical look of irritation. She was not going to be taken out of the Shinobi Alliance Troops now, was she?

Shizune watched the tension between her boss and the Chunin develop in such an abrupt manner, that she herself was caught off-guard. She had always known Tenten to be a rational, well-rounded shinobi whose love and admiration for Tsunade knew no bounds. Now, she watched in rapt fascination as Team Guy's, and most possibly all of Konoha's, weapons expert wore a look of bold defiance.

"I am not taking you out of the Alliance forces, Tenten, if that's what you're thinking about," Tsunade finally spoke but still wearing that same scowl. Shizune understood why Tsunade had to have this session with Tenten, but was not certain why she had chosen to adopt this persona, especially with someone whom she did not usually speak with on a frequent basis. Silently, as she fiddled with her fingers, she hoped that this session would not change Tenten's impression of the Hokage. The girl was now tilting her head slightly and looking at Tsunade warily, evidently still confused and probably very cautious about what was going to come up next.

Tenten was getting more and more exasperated by the way this meeting was being carried out. Feeling as if she was being interrogated for no good reason, she decided to open her mouth to ask Tsunade exactly what was going on. As she took in a quick breath, however, the blonde woman finally spoke again.

"I received a message from Io. He told me about Jidanda."

Shizune could see the brunette stiffen, as if she was going to choke on her own inhalation. She assumed a thousand thoughts to be running in her mind right now. Taking a glance at Tsunade, she saw the same stern expression, her eyes fixated on the teen, her mouth a narrow, tense slit.

"Io told me about the way you successfully activated the weapon's … abilities," she continued. "And apparently, it was not the first time that you'd actually used the weapon."

Managing a slight nod, a trickle of perspiration caressing her neck, Tenten's heart pounded as she wondered if she would be forced to surrender Jidanda, after awaiting its completion for almost two years. Mumbling an almost inaudible response for the next minute or so, she explained to the two older women present how she had had to ward off two other weapon masters who had tried to pillage Io's lab. Recounting how Naruto Neji's Kage Bushin abilities and Neji's taijutsu skills had proven futile at holding them back, Tenten claimed that at that moment, the only choice she had was to make use of the tool that the two attackers had been trying to steal and use it to her best ability. She attempted to choose her words as carefully as she could so that she would not sound too arrogant, but Shizune's words, filled with a mixture of wonder and disbelief, showed that she was utterly impressed.

"And you hadn't even practised using it at all even once? But it's a gigantic spiked ball! How do you even wield it as a weapon?"

Tsunade's slight smirk forced Tenten to hold her tongue. She was not exactly certain what the issue was here, but she felt that the result of this interrogation was not something that she was looking forward to. While she was relieved that she was still going to participate in the war, the possibility that she would be forced to return Jidanda to Io's possession was causing her heart to sink.

"Tenten," Tsunade's low voice captivated her attention all at once, but the words that followed the calling of her name made her almost reel in shock. "I want to apologise. While I can't learn the progress of every single shinobi in the village, I should have a firmer grasp of each and every one of your abilities. I believe I have … we have neglected yours."

The sudden turn in conversation, the abrupt switch in tone in Tsunade's voice, the buzzing that was attacking her ears and mind… it was almost all Tenten could bear. The Fifth Hokage carried on conveying her regret that because the kunoichi's abilities were not passed down from a clan and because she had been more absorbed by other members among her peers, she did not even fully understand how her unique skills worked. As the words registered in her mind, Tenten started shaking her head and could not prevent herself from blurting out a rash, yet controlled, "Stop."

The single word filled the room with silence for the next few moments. Tenten had been looking at the dusty floor as she recounted her encounter with Jidanda, and kept her head down as Tsunade tried to apologise in the very awkward manner, and to Tenten, for an absolutely unnecessary reason. She found now that her nails were biting into her palms, her fists fully clenched, and that her shoulders were rising up and down with every breath she took. Shizune tried to mediate quickly but the teenage girl raised her head suddenly, her fiery eyes blazing in undisguised anger.

"I said stop. I don't need you to pity me."

Ignoring Shizune's widening eyes and yet another vain attempt to pacify her by saying that they were not pitying her, as well as holding Tsunade's intent gaze, Tenten expressed her innermost thoughts, in a way she thought she never could, and never would.

"I know my position in Konoha… in Team Guy. I know that I may always seem to be playing a background role, and I am ok with it. I am not as fast or skilled as any Team Guy member, but I can hold my own in battle. I may not have a clan ability passed down by my ancestors and forefathers, but I work hard at experimenting with and developing my techniques. I may not be the one who takes the fight to a high-level shinobi, as I know that I'm often not skilled enough, but I support my teammates as best as I can and if there really is a need, I won't back down from facing him alone. I know my weapon techniques may never allow me to advance to the next level quickly as a shinobi… as a kunoichi… but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop working hard. So please, don't pity me. I may not be as special as a Hyuuga, Yamanaka, Akimichi… all of whom are my friends and I love them… but I'm Tenten, and that's really enough."

The single tear that trickled her cheek betrayed the emotional toil that this was taking on her, and it was evident that Shizune was almost appalled at what Tenten had said. Tsunade, however, simply stared at the teenage girl for one more moment before carrying on with her task at hand.

"Very well then, I'll just ask the questions, and you answer them in the best way you can."

A silent nod, an inaudible intake of air, and the conversation returned to normal. After taking a quick sip of tea, Tsunade reassured Tenten that she was not requesting that she return Jidanda to Io and saw no reason why it should not be wielded by someone as comfortable with it as Tenten was. She added that Io had mentioned that being able to wield an unorthodox weapon as such, with barely any prior knowledge or experience, required someone who was very advanced in her ability to deal with ninja tools.

"However, I need to caution you." This was when she raised the tone of her voice slightly, although she could see that Tenten, while attentive, was no longer fearful of this talk, nor Tsunade's authoritative tone, any longer. She felt a tinge of regret at not getting to know a capable kunoichi as Tenten better, and made a silent vow to keep better track of her younger shinobi after the war.

"During the war, you will come across many different soldiers and opponents with various unique abilities. At the same time, there might be weapons out there… perhaps lost, or abandoned in the chaos on the battlefield. There are many things that we don't understand out there, Tenten, and though what Io has shared with me makes me admire your abilities to … connect… with ninja tools in a relatively easy manner, I want you to be careful out there. Some weapons are dangerous to wield, and while I believe you are more than able to handle them, it is better to be safe rather than sorry."

Understanding the rationale for Tsunade's warning, Tenten suddenly wished that she had not made that long speech earlier, although finally getting these words off her chest was a burden lifted from her shoulders. As she listened attentively to the Hokage, a sense of pride found its way to warm her being. While she regretted adopting the earlier tone, she was also heartened that voicing out her thoughts could mean that she had really grown as an individual, and that she was just going to do her best out in the battlegrounds. This conversation, and the one earlier with her peers that had Neji stand up so heroically for her, were enough to be a parting gift for Tenten, for she expected not to see Lady Tsunade, Shizune or her friends for some time.

The conversation ended in a somewhat less intense mood, with Tenten thanking Tsunade for her effort to give her such an important forewarning. As she bowed respectfully before making to exit from the room, Tenten felt a shudder of delight when Tsunade dismissed her with, "And I've never pitied you, Tenten. Do your best, but … be careful."