Author's Note: More about Tenten and other characters (except Neji, of course). New comers will be here too. I'm getting on the rhythm now! Yeah:D

Disclaimer: Koko ni nani mo shoyuushinai. Nani mo! Hontou dayo!

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Chapter 9

Fire, Lightning, Deer, and Butterflies

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Take your time, baby, your blood needs slowing down.

Breach your soul to reach yourself before you gloom.

Reflection of fear makes shadows of nothing, shadows of nothing.

-Akeboshi: Wind-

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The silence accompanied them as they looked at the sunrise. The birds still snoozed in their nests hence no chirping was heard in this early morn. A feeling of serenity came over him, sapping into his every fiber. He had never felt this peaceful before. Maybe because this place reminded him of so many things. Or maybe…because the source of all his precious memories was right there beside him.

"I have something to tell you, Neji."

"Speak."

She didn't obey him. Her silent words said, look at me. He finally turned to look at her bright brown orbs. She gazed at him with a distant look on her face.

"Tenten?"

"It's about the Lightning Spear," she suddenly closed her eyes. "I…"

"You can't forge it?"

"No! I…" She stopped suddenly. "I… I… I don't know… Neji… I… I don't know…"

His eyes didn't waver. Never before did she look this unsure. She was always the kind of person who would bust through every obstacle with a raw spirit of determination, so unlike this girl before him.

"Why?"

She took a deep breath. She hated even imagining having to do this. She never wanted to disappoint him. Especially not on his first day back home.

"The Tenkai Spear is the ultimate weapon made by the Tenkais," she began slowly. Her brown eyes averted the Hyuuga's white orbs. "The most powerful weapon, drawn from the maker's soul. So, only one Spear can be made by one Tenkai who willingly provides his soul. Every Spear has its own attribute, according to the maker's attribute…"

"And your attribute is Lightning."

"True," she nodded. "But the problem is… Neji… The Spear… The Spear is not an ordinary weapon. You don't forge a Tenkai Spear by just using hammer and fire! A Tenkai Spear can only be forged by the maker's soul and will power! And… And… And only a number of Tenkai managed to make it before they die, my father included. If a Tenkai dies, so does his or her Spear, so there are no Tenkai Spear left to use… Demo, Neji… I… I… The forging of a Tenkai Spear…"

"Will take a while? I can wait until..."

She shook her head. Her hand slowly rose to tug his sleeve.

"Neji… There is only one chance to forge a Tenkai Spear," Her voice trembled. "Only one! If I fail, my Spirit Ore will evaporate and…"

"No spear. And it's not like you have a second soul either…"

"It's not that I have no other Soul, Neji," Tenten's pleading voice urged him to look at her. Neji finally let his orbs look upon hers… and he saw fear and regret in her eyes. "The Spirit Ore is my soul! If in case… I… I fail… then I'll die."

X

"A little more…"

Ino walked up the hill. She had sweat dripping from her neck, chin and forehead. Oh, how she hated that. Her father was behind her, walking at a slow but sure pace, and behind her father were one third of the survivors of Asura. Ino and Inoichi separated along with two other groups and scattered themselves all over The Land of Water—just as Neji had instructed them to do. He had a few friends in The Land of Water… and one of his friends was a friend of the Yamanakas. It was obvious for the Eagle Wielder to send Ino and Inoichi as his representatives.

"The trees are not helping at all," said Ino, glancing towards the happily shining sun on top of them. They were (supposed to be) in a forest, following a path towards the Nara compound. The humidity only made the high temperature even more unbearable as they trekked along. Ino blamed the rain that fell not too long ago. It was a hot day and she wished the Naras hadn't built their house by the peak of a hill like this. It was annoying, irritating, bothersome, frustrating, exasperating, irksome… and most of all, troublesome.

After a while, the tall wooden gates of the house had finally appeared. It protected the Japanese style royal house of the Naras, complete with a beautiful garden, wooden terrace, and low stone stair at the front door. The two guards who stood watch by the gate spotted the incoming group immediately.

"Hey, who are you guys?!" shouted one of them. "This place is not a resort, you know!"

"We know that, dumbass," mumbled Ino, totally irritated. Her already hot head was only getting hotter. "Sigh... I need a nice tall cold glass of orange juice."

Inoichi smiled at his daughter and then walked past her. He bowed down politely to the two guardsmen and handed them a scroll.

"It is from Hyuuga Neji," he said in a business-like manner. "I'm the head of The Yamanaka Clan by the south of The Land of Water, Yamanaka Inoichi. Nara Shikaku knows me. I'm an old acquaintance."

The guard looked at the travelers with a suspicious look. Ino sighed and tried to fan herself with her hand. She hated it when…

"Ino?"

She quickly turned her head towards the gate. Behind the wooden thing was a black-haired man with yukata, fanning himself with a little traditional fan.

"S-Shikamaru?"

They both stopped. The guardsmen turned around quickly and bowed down so deeply that Inoichi thought their waists were made of rubber.

"Shikamaru-sama! We're sorry! We didn't know that these people were—"

"Quit your troublesome babble," Shikamaru waved his hand idly. He didn't walk towards the gate but stood at his place. For him, walking would be too troublesome. "Ino, what are you doing here?"

"We are…"

"Actually, Shikamaru-san, can I talk to your father?" Inoichi cut off the conversation. He waved the scroll in his hand. "I have something that can't be talked about lightly, especially out in the open like this. May I?"

"The old man is somewhere around the house. You can just wait for him in the living room," said Shikamaru as he walked away. "Let them in, guards."

The guardsmen opened the front gate and bowed down while blabbering words of apology. They walked into the Nara compound slowly and silently, as if afraid that they would break the tranquility of the environment around them. Unfortunately, peace had already broken down as Ino quickly ran towards Shikamaru, a grin on her face.

"Hey, lazy ass!!" she tackled him hard. Shikamaru didn't try anything to block or evade her. He just yawned. "GOSH! You're such a lazy bum that you haven't change at all! And it's been this many years!"

"And you're such a hyperactive woman that you make my head throb every time you come around," said Shikamaru idly. A vein popped on Ino's head. "Shut up, will ya?"

"YOU!!!!"

"Now, now, Ino… calm down," Inoichi said, tugging (or more like yanking) his daughter's hair. "You could never ask a Nara to be energetic, you know!"

"I can't believe that you're actually littering your daughter's mind with that kind of thought, old friend!"

A man with scars on his face stood by the house door. Inoichi quickly smiled.

"Shikaku, my friend!!" He opened his arms as if wanted to hug the man before him. "Long time no see, nee? You've not changed at all!"

"Right back at ya', brother." Shikaku and Inoichi hugged each other. When they separated, Shikaku called a servant and asked him to lead the group of Asura survivors towards the guest hall for some rest.

"Give them drinks and food. I'm sure they must be famished," he said to his servant. After the last person went away, Shikaku looked at his old friend—a smile on his face.

"So, Inoichi," he said lightly. "You said there's something important, right? Let's go inside and talk about it while having some nice cold refreshments. Right, Ino-chan?"

Ino-chan?! A vein popped out on her head once again but she just couldn't hit a man that was willing to give her some a free drink. Shikamaru yawned and was just about to make his exit when his father said, "You come too, Shikamaru. I guess this time we'll need your brain, too."

Shikamaru looked at his father. My brain?

Shikaku grinned at the look on his son's face.

"The big game will start soon. You better be prepared and hear every little detail. You don't want to miss out on this opportunity, do you?"

After a long while thinking about how hard it'd be to step inside—indeed, in requires a sizeable amount of will from his side—he finally stepped in, ready to hear the latest news from The Land of Sound… and to work his brain once again.

X

Genma sweatdropped when he looked at the amount of food in front of him. Akimichi Chouza, the head of Akimichi Clan—the ruler of the southern part of The Land of Water, Shoku City, smiled widely towards him and said, "Don't worry about the survivors!! We have enough food for everyone here!"

Somehow…I know that is true… Genma just couldn't stop the thought from popping into his sarcastic little mind. He sighed a little.

"What is it, Genma?" Chouza took a slab of fried meat out and bit into it. "There's nothing wrong with these things!"

"I know, Chouza-san," said Genma, grinning awkwardly. "It is just that… I have something to talk to you about. Neji-san gave me a scroll and ordered me to deliver it to you."

"A scroll?" Chouza raised his eyes when he looked at the thing Genma's hands. "Argh. I thought I could taste your bento(1) a little."

"Sir…"

"I know, I know," Chouza laughed. He took the scroll from Genma's hand. His eyes read Neji's neat handwriting and he suddenly sighed.

"So he's finally started," he said wearily, putting the scroll on the table. "I always knew he would make this kind of move someday. Although I must admit… it's sooner than I thought."

"Orochimaru has gone too far already," Genma said bitterly as he bit his senbon hard. "I believe Neji-san has had enough. He just can't take it anymore."

"The Daimyo of Water won't like this," Chouza exhaled audibly. "He won't like to know that we've allied with the Eagle. He won't like this… We're endangering the Land of Water as a whole now. And that too, allying with only a few people…"

"Not people," said Genma, grinning. "Beasts."

Chouza opened his eyes. He exhaled once again.

"Inhuman strength… against inhuman cruelty," he said slowly. "There will come a time when Beasts rule this land. I really want to see that day coming."

He looked back.

"Yo, Chouji!!" shouted the man. "Bring me more food! We have a lot to do now!!"

"YES, DAD!!!"

Genma grinned. Now that his job was fulfilled, he knew he could eat to his heart's content. And the fact that the Akimichi were the best cooks didn't hurt one bit.

X

Raidou bowed down deeply in front of the smoking Sarutobi Asuma, The Village Chief of Aite City. The man laughed.

"It's nothing, Raidou. Don't be so polite towards me!" He smoked his tobacco again. "Just bring everyone in. I'll search for places in the village for them later. For a while, please feel satisfied with the warehouse."

"This is a scroll from Neji-sama," Raidou said, handing Asuma a scroll. He lowered his voice. "He's planning on an attack directed at Hane. He had hoped that you would give him a hand."

Asuma looked at Raidou for a while. He slowly opened the scroll. Neji's neat, beautiful, and formal handwriting was seen. He didn't specify the plan in detail but Neji's usual coldness and curt way signalized the intensity of this attack. Asuma peeked from the scroll to Raidou's dark eyes and grinned.

"Asura was more for him than just a place for refugees, eh?" teased the smoking man. "His anger is reflected in this letter. Typical Neji-san, eh? So him…"

"Don't be mad, Asuma-san," Raidou smiled weakly. "Neji-sama built the village with all his heart and I could understand his feelings when he saw it demolished."

"No, no! I don't mean it that way," said Asuma with a laugh. "No! I mean… I mean that… That man actually cares! Hahahahaha! Hm… I wonder if the Beasts will take part in this one. Two Beasts are already on Neji-san's side… It's getting interesting. Two Beasts have been discovered… And the wars worsened… It really is getting interesting. Dangerous, but interesting."

Raidou nodded in agreement. He knew this was more than just a war. There was something more to it, hidden deep beneath the surface. Something about the Beasts is starting to crawl to the surface—something dark, but thrilling. Something big and important… about the past, the present, and the future. Something about fate.

"They're calling." Asuma closed his eyes meditatively. "The tide is coming."

Raidou didn't say a thing. He closed his eyes.

"I guess… and all we can do is follow."

"Let's see if the eagle can fly above the tide… or if the tide will engulf him," Asuma said, his eyes shining with passion. Raidou looked at him.

"When that time comes… which side will you be on, Asuma-san?"

Asuma grinned.

"At that time… I hope to be the wind who watches it all transpire," he put out his cigarette and continued. "And until then… I will be the wind that helps the eagle fly."

After hearing that, a smile appeared on Raidou's face. The wind was surely on their side now.

X

"If it costs you your life… then you don't have to do it."

"Neji?"

He turned away; his wings suddenly sprouted from his back.

"I never liked to say things twice."

And he flew away… always leaving floating words behind.

But if… if I don't forge it… Then how are you supposed to attack Hane? Neji, I… I've disappointed you… haven't I? I disappoint you… I… I'm not ready… I'm such a coward… Neji…

She looked blankly towards the moving clouds. Blankly towards the past.

I don't know since when we get so close to each other. Was it when I found you in the rain… and we went home together? We've been living together ever since and… and I… I just don't understand why… I don't feel so lonely anymore… Your cold existence… warmed my whole life. It felt like… like there's someone that needed me… Felt like… my life…had finally found its purpose… I devoted myself to you.

The clouds moved slowly, leisurely, as if they had their own timespace…

I never want to disappoint you… I… I can't but… But what should I do? If… if Daddy were here… he'd surely teach me how to…

"Smash it hard like this!"

Clank! The sound of metal filled her ears like a song as her father taught her how to forge. He smiled at her.

"Remember, the Tenkais not only control the weather, but also the steel!" he said spiritedly. He then gently took her hands and enveloped them as she tried to grip the hammer's hilt. "Feel the steel, Hon. Feel the steel… Feel yourself when you forge it and pour it into the very core of your creation. That's how the Tenkais make their steel. That's how the Tenkais' weapons survive for all eternity."

She closed her eyes. Her grip tightened. Daddy… what should I do? I… I don't want to disappoint him…

"So… do you agree with Neji-kun's plan?"

The mumbling voice made her turn a bit. Kakashi walked towards her, the orange book open in his hands. She smiled.

"Do I have any other choice except to agree?"

She could feel the grin behind the person's mask. Kakashi put away his book.

"You're younger than I thought you were," said the man idly. "A lot younger… and a woman at that. You must've felt quite disturbed with the fact that the Tenkai's future is on your shoulder."

She looked at him for quite a while. A smile formed on her face.

"A Tenkai is what I am," she said calmly. "I have no other choice but to accept that. If I think of it as a burden, forever it'll be… so there's no need for me to think about it that way. But though I'm a Tenkai, I'm also human… and I will live as a human."

She returned her eyes to the sky again. The sky… Tenkai… Human…

"Never use your power for malice, Tenten," Her father's eyes were full of pain and shock. Blood littered his clothes and wounds covered most of his body. "Never… Not for evil deeds… Even… Even if… Just don't ever use it again, Hon. Don't… Please don't…"

Daddy… If I use my power and fail… will I dissatisfy you just like I dissatisfied Neji? Will I let the two most precious men in my life down?

"Human…" Kakashi closed his eye. "Calling yourself that with such a firm voice. That's deep."

She glared one-eyed at him. Kakashi smiled. His smiled hadn't disappeared when she said, "Who are you?"

"Kakashi Hatake," answered Kakashi lightly. "The former general of The Land of White Fang in the east. It's Orochimaru's territory now. I'm under Neji-kun's wings, if you must know."

"I'm not questioning your loyalty to my friend, if that's what you mean," she smiled respectfully. "I trust you. I'm just surprised. How do you know everything?"

"I've been with him for quite a long time now," Kakashi glanced at the clouds. "I know… I know how all of you feel when you try your hardest to hold everything in. Painful… eh?"

She didn't answer. Her grip tightened.

"You are gifted, Hon," her father said happily. "Gifted. With power and talent."

Demo ne, Daddy… It turned into a curse now…

"A gift that's cursed… such irony," she said softly. Kakashi looked at her. "Paradoxical world… It's where we're living in now. We're blessed and cursed at the same time… The sky sure is cruel."

Yes… always… I'm always blessed by your existence… but cursed since I can't make you happy…

"But we survive." Kakashi took his book out again. "That's how life is."

She smiled a little.

"Optimism," said the weapon mistress. "Somehow, I agree."

"Believe the sky, Hun," said her father. He hugged her. "The Sky loves you by giving you such blessings."

Daddy… How can I believe in the sky… when the sky never gives me any happiness?

"And what about you, Daddy?"

"Well I…" Her Father raised an eyebrow. "Hurm… You know I love you without giving you anything, right?"

She smiled and hugged him.

"SURELY!"

She turned and walked away. Kakashi looked at her.

"Where are you going?"

She waved idly from her shoulder.

Then… let me believe in the sky for once…

"The smithy," said the brunette. "Neji certainly wants the Lightning Spear ASAP."

In fact, I… I just can't live… if I must live in your disappointment, Neji… Life… with the only person who understands me disappointed in me… is painful.

"What is a gift, Father?"

"Some kind of talent from the sky, a useful talent. A talent that can make you proud and happy and distinguish you from the others. You don't know what's a gift, Hon? You have it, but how come you don't know it?"

The forgery was pitch black. She looked at the lonely box by the corner. She knew what was hidden inside of it. The ore for the Lightning Spear.

"I just… don't understand, Daddy…" She looked at her calloused hands. "If I 'm gifted… then why am I not happy about it?"

"You just don't know it yet, Hon." He patted her head affectionately. "People tend to forget the happiness around them. They only look at sorrow and end up cursing the sky and fate. Don't you ever be like that. My Tenten knows how to appreciate everything. Someday your gifts will bear benefits for everyone around you. Use them well."

Daddy… I think I finally understand now…

"Darkness of the veil. Light of the open. Slide. Incantation."

The cover slid open… and there it was. A block of ore. A special ore infused with the Lightning element. An ore that she had created with her bare hands.

"Fire."

The forgery suddenly set ablaze. The heat was intense, and had risen with only a single word from her lips. An incantation always reflected the user's heart.

"But Daddy… how could a weapon help people?"

"Use it for protecting, Hon. Use it to save people. Forge the weapon with all your soul and hope and let it answer you… If your hope of protecting someone touches its core… I believe the weapon will answer."

Protecting someone…

Her body burned from the heat of the fire. Her brown eyes reflected the blaze and her grip on the ore grew ever longingly.

"If it is true… then answer me."

She gritted her teeth. Forging the Lightning Spear was different from forging an ordinary weapon. The hammer is completely discarded and the only things she had to use were the ore, the fire, and her heart…

"This is the ultimate weapon of the Tenkai," her father said as he held glowing weapon in his hands. "And you can only make it once in your entire lifetime, Hon. Only once."

"Why is that, Father?"

"Because… you give your heart to it," Her father patted her head again. "And once you give your soul… you can never have it back."

"The protector of the ground! The watcher of the truth! Burn this heart of Lightning! Shape the spirit within! Forge! Tenkai!"

The fire enveloped her. The incantation singed her every core. The pain was intense but she held the ore tightly. Her soul…

Her breath was unsteady. She was utterly weary. The extraction of her Spirit Ore went on well… but it consumed all of her remaining power. Her father looked at her with a concerned but proud look. The look of a father proud of how much his daughter had grown.

"The Spear will reflect the maker's soul. Whether it's strong or not, it depends on the maker. The type also depends on you… and this one… is yours, Hon."

"Mine, Daddy?"

"Yes." The ore was shone brightly. "Your lightning that you created just a moment ago."

"When can I make the Spear, Daddy?"

He smiled at the panting girl.

"When you are strong enough to endure."

Daddy… am I strong enough now?

The burning was beyond normal temperatures now, draining her life out simultaneously. It hurts… The pain was unbearable…

He fell silent after he told her how to make the Lightning Spear. The risk… and everything…

"Tenten."

She looked at him, questioningly. He didn't look at her and his eyes didn't show any emotion. But as always, she understood.

"Whatever you do, don't die."

"ANSWER ME!"

She couldn't feel her arms anymore. In fact, she couldn't feel anything except the pain.

"ANSWER MEEE!!!!"

"When do I know it's complete?"

"It will answer your wish."

"ANSWER ME!!!!!!!!"

"Daddy… It's beautiful."

"It's your soul, Honey. A reflection of your soul."

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!!!"

Blood dripped from the corner of her lips. Her heart pounded as if it was beating for the last time. It was going to fail. She knew it. Her power wasn't enough…

When she found him, she actually used her power to locate him. When she found him, she actually dragged a Beast into her house. When she found him, she actually broke the promise that she made to her father…

He never realized it, did he? He never realized it… When she rejected him, he didn't know the pain reflected in his orbs… His greatest disappointment was seen by her… and… and did he know that it was her that was injured the most? That time, she chose her father over him. She chose to stay for her father's memory…

Hear me, please… Answer my wish…

I wish… I'm not going to disappoint him anymore…I just wish… Don't let me see the pain in his eyes anymore…

I wish… I'm not going to disappoint Daddy either… I wish now…That I don't need to let any of them down…

Because… both of them… are the two persons that I've loved the most in my life.

"ANSWER ME!!!" The smell of burning flesh filled the air. The Ore started to evaporate into the air and the fire hissed in her ears. No… she won't fail… She can't fail… "…NOW!"

Mistress…

BOOOMMM!

X

Neji suddenly turned around. He didn't like this feeling…

Tenten…

And when that name came into his mind, he just didn't have any thing more to think about except her.

X

"TENTEN!"

Smack! The door fell to the floor. Smoke filled the entire room but the forgery was out. Something was definitely wrong.

"TENTEN!"

Neji hurried in, fear creeping into his heart when he didn't feel her chakra.

"Byakugan!"

With the white eyes, he finally saw her… lying down on the floor, motionless.

"Tenten!" He ran towards her and gently lifted her to his arms. "Tenten! I've told you not to do it if you can't! Tenten! Tenten!! Answer me! Ten…"

"Neji…"

Her voice sent a warm feeling to his heart. She… She is alive… and that fact was the most important thing for him at the moment.

"Neji, I…" A signature wild grin on her came to her weary face. "I made it… The Lightning Spear…"

A symbol was carved on her palm amongst the heavily burned skin. A symbol of the sky. The Byakugan widened slightly.

"Tenten, you…"

"Heh… I told you years ago…" She grinned, closing her eyes to his tenderness when he held her close. "I… won't disappoint you… ever…"

And she fell into the darkness. A warm darkness contained in his arms.

X


(1) Packed lunch


Author's Note: I'm not supposed to make this fic into a NejiTen! REALLY! What's happening with this fanfic?!?!??!?!?!?!?! But well… I like it. XD. LOL. R&R? o!

Thanks again to Shiranui the Brave for the proof read! Demo… I'm so sorry, Hon… I forgot some details and add it in the last minutes. It's not your fault, hontou ni! Soo… if there's any grammatical error, don't blame him! Blame me, everyone! Ja neeeeee….