Character/Pairing/Group: Tenten
Disclaimer/Notes/Whatever: A little crossover action going on. Shaman King and Naruto aren't mine, of course.

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The falling rain made a steady rhythm on the window panes, doing much to calm my frayed nerves. Lightning flashed through the darkened sky, briefly illuminating the otherwise pitch black room.

Fact 1: As a shinobi, my place in life and home would always reside in the shadows. It was where I was most comfortable.

My fingers trailed invisible lines across the black and white keys of the piano sitting before my eyes, remembering the sweet notes I used to play when I was just a child. My hand curled into a fist as I reminded myself that such days were gone.

Fact 2: The past was nothing but a memory for me. No use yearning for something that can't be found.

A soft knock on my door stole my attention away from admiring the cryptic shapes creeping along the wooden flooring. There was no wait for an invitation as the door creaked open, letting in a stream of light into the room from the hallway.

"I had hoped we would meet again under different circumstances, Tenten," she whispered, quietly closing the door behind her and engulfing us into darkness once again.

Fact 3: "So did I," was my response as she approached, my brows furrowing together in confusion as to why she was here in my room at such an odd hour of the night.

The soft and flimsy fabric of her robes trailed gently behind her like ribbons in the wind as they always did. She did well to represent the beauty and gracefulness of her sex, a prized bride for the ever dominant En Tao to hold close. I remembered how I used to admire how she would be the image of perfection. Now the mere sight of her simply disgusted me.

"Please, take out those dreaded things and let me see your beautiful eyes once more," she ordered in her maternal tone.

Fact 4: I did so obediently out of respect for my elders. The brown contacts I always wore were getting irritating anyways.

My own icy blue orbs glowed in the darkness as they watched her quietly in anticipation. It wasn't often that my Aunt Ran left the confines of my uncle's shadow to pursue her own personal matters, let alone matters of the clan. Her reasons for going through all this trouble to see a traitor like me was intriguing to say the least.

Fact 5: "What are you doing here Aunt Ran?" I asked, not caring for an answer, "I thought Uncle En gave orders that none were to see me until tomorrow."

She gave no reply, as expected. Her silent presence was a usual practice in the courtyards of the family estate. To expect anything to change during my absence was a hopeless dream on my part. Weary of her delicate demeanor, I turned my eyes to the piano once again.

Fact 6: "You used to love playing the piano, especially when Ren would accompany you on his violin," Ran said instead, indulging in her reminiscent thoughts, "Do you still play?"

"No," I replied emotionlessly, ignoring the small prickle of pain from the old memory, "I lost interest after…"

I left the sentence hanging and unfinished, trusting that she already knew the words that would complete it. Shifting my eyes away from the monochromatic scheme of the piano keys, I glanced at her to see her eyes filled with an unspoken sadness; no doubt the remnants of unshed emotions that had collected over the years during my absence.

Fact 7: After all, it had been at least ten years since I ran away from home; fled the cruelties of living a life under the rulings of the Tao dynasty.

"Save your tears for someone who can still feel sympathy for you," I spat out bitterly, "I, for one, have none after your husband tried to create an army out of mere children."

"He did what he thought was best," she stated defensively, quick to whip way the unshed tears threatening to mar her otherwise perfect face, "He is trying to restore the honor back to our family."

I scoffed at her naïve statement, appalled that she still believed in such a ridiculous notion. With a roll of my eyes, I wondered which one of us was the adult in the room: me or her.

Fact 8: "There's no honor left in the Tao clan to restore," I stated coldly over my shoulder, "It died thousands of years ago along with our trust in the world."

"You know the reasons we don't trust outsiders," was her stern retort at my blatant show of disrespect.

Fact 9: "Of course I know, I was taught nothing else," I snapped, slamming my fist into the hard wood of the piano bench, "Everyday I spent here I was reminded of how the imperial army and emperor betrayed us so many years ago."

She was a little taken aback by my outburst, unprepared for the sudden release of raw anger that had laid dormant in my psyche for so long. It was unintentional and I regretted it instantly. Aunt Ran was nothing but kind to me, despite her lack of participation when it came to dealing with her husband's methods of training.

"I'm sorry that I felt like the only way out for me was to run away," I whispered in a more calm tone, "But that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Of course it does," the Tao matriarch protested softly.

Fact 10: "Deserters are to be punished for turning their back against the clan," I reminded her, "Whether I'm forgiven or not, my fate is sealed."

"You've never believed in fate before," she stated, a little shocked to hear the words leave my lips.

"Hm," I scoffed, smiling at the sarcastic irony, "Blame it on someone I knew who was consumed with his."

She was confused by the statement of course, oblivious to all those I had left behind in Konoha when I was taken back to this dungeon that was home to so many bitter members of the clan. But rather than dwelling on the thought longer than necessary, she brushed it aside as she always did.

"Punishment does not always include death," she said in an obvious but futile attempt to calm my nerves.

Fact 11: "This is a family of Shamans, Aunt Ran," was my somber response, "Death is the least of my concerns."

With frayed nerves, I turned away from the ebony and ivory keys in exchange for the blue tinted sky on the other side of the window glass, streaked with rivulets of water from the continual rain. Masked in the shadows of the storm, I let out a calming breath as I blinked away the tears trapped on the edge of my lashes. Smooth and slender fingers found there way to the bands in my hair, quickly unbinding my dark tresses from their ribbon-laced prisons.

Fact 12: "What sort of world are we living in when death is no longer feared?" the life-sized China doll asked rhetorically, her porcelain digits grazing soothingly against my scalp as she brushed the long curtain of my hair.

"Why would it matter to you?" I questioned softly in retort, "You don't live in it."

"Such hatred you harbor towards me," was Ran's reaction, a hint of scorn in the tone of her voice.

Without thinking, I reached back and grabbed a hold of the willowy curve of her wrists, startling her from her thoughtful daze. Glancing over the curve of my shoulder to face her, my brows furrowed with contained fury.

"Can you blame me?" I inquired evenly, stilling her movements with the intensity of my unnaturally icy blue eyes.

Fact 13: "No," she replied, her gaze dropping at the sheer truth, "I can't."

A spark of regret bloomed within me as I looked upon her, such a small and fragile looking creature compared to the confident kunoichis I was used to back in Konoha. With all my efforts to forget the past, I had neglected to realize the tragedy that was her story. And then it dawned on me, I could have easily been condemned to such a fate as hers and she knew it.

Fact 14: Could that be the reason she never stepped in to stop him? I pondered curiously, Did she show no compassion because she knew how awful the alternative choice was?

Slowly and without consciousness I released my hold on her, allowing the quiet matriarch to continue with the task of brushing the smooth strands of my hair. And that was how we remained all night, long after the storm had passed until the first light of dawn broke over the horizon.

Fact 15: "Another sleepless night in the Tao mansion," I stated breathlessly to no one in particular, "Won't be having any more of that, will we?"

"Nothing will happen to you," the clan matriarch reasoned, more for her benefit than mine, "En would never hurt his family."

"Have already forgotten what he's done to his own son; your son?" I spat out, my hands curling up into fists at the memory, "He doesn't care who you are as long as he maintains his power over the family."

Fact 16: "En Tao prides himself in making examples of those who dare to defy him," I continued on, my voice remaining steady and even, "Are you hidden that far behind your mask that you can't see that?"

Ran made to speak out in protest to her defense when she was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door. It slowly creaked open to reveal the golden eyes of my dear cousin Ren, his empty gaze resting upon me like lead anvils.

"It's time," were his only words, "Father wishes to see you."

"Is that all you have to say to me after all this time?" I inquired curiously.

"What's the point of words?" he asked impassively, the way his father had taught him to function, "Nothing I say will change what will happen."

Fact 17: "Even a dying man wishes for a last breath of comfort, Ren," was my cryptic response.

A flash of emotions streaked through his yellow orbs before quickly returning to the dark void they were accustomed to as I walked pass. Our footsteps echoed ominously against the marbled flooring as we made our way down the long corridor towards Uncle En's studies, Aunt Ran and cousin Ren forever by my side. I ignored the growing anxiety in my chest but could not stop the slight hesitation when I found myself standing in front of the doors of my doom.

Fact 18: "You're scared," Ran whispered in shock, her eyes widening in realization.

"Of course I'm scared," I admitted, "But I'll be damned if I let him see that."

"In all my years, I would have never guess you would turn out so much like…like…" she struggled to say.

Fact 19: "Like a Tao?" I finished for her, "Well I have; there are just some things you can't escape from, no matter how much you run from it."

She watched in silence as I step forward towards my destiny. The double doors leading into my uncle's den were as huge and imposing as I remembered them to be, perhaps even more so now because of what awaited me on the other side. But despite my fears and hesitation, I lifted my chin up and held my head high as I entered into the dark cavern beyond.

Fact 20: I was a Tao after all, and our family pride was the most treasured aspect of our character.

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Huh, never wrote one of these with dialogue before. What do you think?