YA! I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED REVIEWS T-T so happy…

And ya! U ppl actually listened whne I asked for longer reviews! Just u missed the part about comments, questions, and criticism lol XD but it doesn't really matter too much…well it does…but hey, that's life

Ok, now to thank ppl

Moonlightpath: ur not alone…as many neji-tenten authors know, I always review anonymous…hehe im lazy…u got banned for a list…wow…that's harsh…and I enjoyed that fic…save that fact that tenten didn't have any quotes…XD THX FOR THE LONG REVIEW! …k ill move on now….

Japponess: …they've been thought to have made out with each other by the majority of the populace of konoha…hehe…poor neji…tenten probably could care less…kaiten…uh…she'll master it soon, as she's quite experienced now…

Hyugatenten:thx and yes if neji can smile then hiashi can laugh…privately that is…actually…I'd probably say neji mastered it within fourth months…his chakra control is practically prefect so the chakra expulsion wouldn't take him as long…ph34r hitomi the avenger XD…and neji knows what would happens if anyone saw them, so lets just say he decided to take the scenic detour so they could go and…stuff…censored…jk

Kaeru Soyokaze: wow, im learning more Japanese with every review lol thx for the tip…how do u say "uncle" in Japanese?

The essence of popsicles: luv reading ur reviews, they're so detailed and to the point, and they're still long XD…hmmm…about the mary-sue…okay…I shall now give a list of Hitomi's imperfections checks list…uh…lessee…first off…she has suicidal tendencies…you learn about them soon enough…she has something like a split personality which will also find out…she's not exactly always the calm, warm, friendly girl everyone loves…does sadistic killer mean anything to you? Hehe everyone's got their little private quirks…and yes, there will be shikatema, once the plot allows her to come in…which could take a while XD…and we boys all have trouble with our hormones…such as during sleep overs…common subject: girls, girls, and uh…sex? And drugs JKJK one my closer friend is a PMSing girl and she happens to be my neighbor…and no, so you will not see tenten's bloodline for a very long while! Hehe attempts to laugh maniacally im evil

Hibiyuru: yes, like the naruto series, it starts off on the lighter side with lots of humor, and then proceeds to get darker and darker…best writer? Hehehe…T-T I wish

Senjou: nah…she's rather…er…fond of neji…ahhhh…so that's what the rain kage is called…anyone noticed I have never used mizukage yet? Oh wait a sec…isn't that hidden mist? This is hidden rain…XD…or are they both called mizukage?

Harukakanata: of course its hitomi-neji, what the hell are you thinking…oh wait…just kidding of course its tenten-neji…well…its gonna be neji-someone…hahahahahahahaha evil laugh

H!kAR: np, so how was manila? XD kissing scenes…tenten and neji willing…hnnn…I shall write an omake for this chapter about kissing then…

Asura of love: nah, hitomi wouldn't do that XD she's too nice…well, to most people heheh…u haven't guessed who Lee will end up with? Well I hope this chapie clears that issue up u prefer inoshika eh? …welll uh sry to disappoint you, but I paired him up with shikamaru…they seem to fit together better as a couple; shikamaru and ino seem to only work well as friends only, nothing more…and yes, sasuke coing back…guess who he's gonna be paired with? HITOMI!

Great Saiyaman: how was I supposed to know u were being sarcastic lol XD okies here's the next chappie

Chapter 11 Kill or Be Killed

Alone in the forest, she leaned against a tree with one hold, clutching her forehead with the other. Curses…my head hurts…

Why was I born into this family? Why couldn't I have a normal life? She suddenly lashed out and cleaved the tree in half with a one chakra-powered slash. Tears began falling slowly out of her eyes. She remembered how her family had beaten into the fact that she only lived to further the integrity of the Usagas, and would listen to her father, the head of the clan, whether she liked it or not. Why can't I control my life…it's my life…not yours, father…not yours…

She danced gracefully through the forest, in a solemn, sorrowful set of movements, whipping around her pure-white chakra whip at the trees, whispering, "I want to live a normal life…I want to start a family of my own wishes…I want to travel around the world…"

She suddenly fell to the ground, weeping. "FATE! GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK!"

Dammit dammit DAMMIT!

She knelt in front of what was left of a tree; it had been flawlessly diced into small cubes.

She stared hard at the cold, soft earth beneath her, as her tears flowed freely from her face and into the brown soil. She felt alone. She had been raised apart from the other children. While they learned together in classes, she was taught and trained by either her father, or private instructors and trainers. While other children laughed, cried, and grew together, she did so alone.

How she had wished for a friend. But her father told her that she was not to associate herself with the "lessers" of society, and prevented her from going out of the Clan Estates.

Hitomi had dealt with her pain by trying to bury it all with relentless hours of training, working until she could no longer stand or think properly, and fall into a dreamless sleep. She kept this up everyday.

Those who new her regarded her as a girl of few words; she was always calm, never caught off guard and polite to the highest regard. She always held human life as her first priority, but never wavered in killing someone if presented with no other possibility.

After her prodigious display of skill and mental coolness in the face of danger, she was heralded as the next Kage of Rain, especially after Tsunade became the first female Hokage of Leaf.

Flashback

"Hitomi-sama, your father has given me permission, actually an order, to give you your first mission. I personally feel that you should start out with a C-rank, but your father insisted on at least a B-rank…you will be assigned to a cell of shinobi, where you will accompany them on their mission. This is a guard mission."

The administrator blinked benignly at her through his spectacles, rubbing his beard in thought. "But I want you to know, that if you feel that you are not ready for a B-ranked mission, I will assign you a C-ranked one, and sway your father…he is indeed a great leader, but he can be rather demanding sometimes…you are only a ten-year old girl. Not that I doubt your abilities, it is your mental state which is not prepared, brand-new to the experience of true combat. I understand that you practice against naked blades, but how will you fare against the unexpected…? That is my greatest concern, Hitomi-sama. It is your choice…"

He smiled at her, shuffling some papers.

Hitomi looked on emotionlessly. After quick contemplation, she answered, "Sir, I am prepared for a B-ranked mission, if my father wishes it, then his will be done. I am ready. If I am not ready now, will I ever be?"

The administrator laughed, "Answer a question with a question? Ha, your maturity and I.Q. is much more than said. Your maturity level especially. So a B-rank it is…" He pulled out the mission form and some personal information for Hitomi. But he paused as he was about to put his signature on it, the quill hovering over the paper. He looked up, into her eyes. "My dear child, are you sure? I do not want to give this to you if you choose it only due to your father's ambitions…"

"No…I do it for myself…and myself only. I must prove to my father that I can control my own life…and succeed…" She smiled politely at him. He grinned toothily at her, and immediately scribbled his signature on it. Rolling up the parchment, he handed it to her with his seal of approval.

"Hitomi-sama. Good Luck, I believe in you." He smirked, "I'll be sorely disappointed if you failed…"

Hitomi flashed him a genuine smile, before disappearing through the door. Sighing, he shook his head and went back to filing the most recent mission updates. Suddenly Hitomi appeared again at the doorway?

"Yes Hitomi-sama?"

"Raieko-san, you are many years my senior," she bowed to him, "Please, just call me Hitomi…"

He nodded, smiling in appreciation, "Very well, Hitomi…"

She nodded and quickly ran away.

Hitomi was the rear guard, following in the back of the small group, as they were afraid that the enemies would attack her first. This particular cell currently had five members, all Chuunin. Hitomi was wearing a long jet-black cloak, which covered her from head to toe. No one, not even her own teammates, had realized that she was only ten at the moment, as she had kept her hood over her face for all of the trip

Keeping her face level, her eyes flicked from object to object, observing and cross-examining everything within her sight, to make sure no one was stalking them. They were just about the target village too, as the person they were protecting pointed out. Their target was a rich merchant. He had even brought along his personal bodyguards, who happened to be samurai.

A sudden wind blew through the clearing they had been traversing at the moment, and everyone stopped. Not a good omen. Several shurikens whirled at the group from behind, but Hitomi whipped around, unsheathing her kidachi beneath her robes without making excess motions. Without blowing her cover, she smoothly and skillfully knocked all of the stars to the ground. A cry from the front of the group was heard when the lead Chuunin took a katana stab through the heart.

To his credit, the Chuunin, as his last deed, pulled out his kunai and dealt a mortal blow to his cloaked assailant, and the two crumpled lifelessly to the ground together.

Hitomi found herself barking out commands from beneath the hood. All of the Rain shinobi and the samurai formed a circle around the merchant, who's portly face was now sweating and shaking in fear.

"Okay, we need to flush them out, get them into the open…samurai, I hear you are exceptional in close combat, ja? We'll draw them out and you finish them."

The Rain nins leapt away towards the trees to lure out their enemies, and they were not disappointed, as a dozen odd shinobi emerged to combat them.

The samurai, at the sight of the enemy, rushed into battle alongside the Chuunin. Asnd they did their work well, slaying several of the opposing shinobis with a few swift slashes. But then Hitomi realized, as she fended off a towering nin with her kidachi, that the samurai had just left the merchant open. She quickly knocked out the nin, as she was afraid to take human life at that time, and she charged towards the merchant, just as three enemy nins emerged from the bushes behind him.

I can't reach him in time! I'm going to have to cripple them!

"SUI NEEDLES FUSILADE!" hundreds of senbon-like water needles formed from moisture in the air, and the threw themselves at the nins, catching them from behind and felling all of them in a splash of blood. But they were alive, even though they were crippled

Right after she felled them, she heard a cry from behind, and she whirled around, to find the rest of her cell dead as another dozen or so shinobis had ambushed them.

No…I've failed to keep my team safe…but I still have to complete the mission. She wondered why the merchant was so important, as to have so many shinobi after him. She felt a spark of annoyance go off somewhere in her mind. She couldn't let herself fail, no what she had to do. She thought it over as she crouched in front of the merchant. Failure was not an option. She'd methodically kill every single opposing shinobi if she had to, no quarter given, as none would be given.

She took off her cloak. At that moment, everyone stopped in their tracks. Both the merchant and the enemy shinobis were gaping silently at this ten-year old girl, who seemed rather out of place in a field of blood like this.

Suddenly, the merchant noticed that the girl (he didn't know her age yet, but he knew she was a girl) was no longer standing in front of him. He was about to faint. The enemy nins also noticed this. They tensed, looking around

Suddenly, she was twirling like pirouette in their midst, as she appeared in a burst of smoke. Wielding her kidachi with lethal efficiency and unmatched speed, she delved into the group, immediately decapitating the three in front of her. Three spurts of blood flecked her garbs with crimson.

A nin ran at her from behind and thrusted his katana out towards her unprotected back. She turned, spun, and twisted around the blade. Whipping out a kunai, she instinctively buried it into the man's stomach as he fell past her. She looked down, and saw, in astonishment, her hands covered in red; her fingerless gloves were already soaked with blood.

Two more came at her, attacking from both sides. She parried with ease, creating looks of shock on both shinobi. She leapt up and split kicked the two away, and then she charged at another, kicking up dust behind her. She leapt high, so she would be able to launch an attack with the sun directly behind her, blinding her target.

The shinobi leapt away, but still received a slash down his arm. With his other, he hurled three shuriken at her. Suddenly, in mid-flight they split into three more miniature ones.

Hitomi flew towards the incoming blades without any sign of fear. At the last moment, she hurled herself into the air, and she twisted in the air, dodging every shuriken by moving or spinning around in mid leap (A/N crazy matrix style moves…).

Spinning forward, she spearheaded into the man who threw the stars, holding her kunais in front of her head, so that she stabbed him squarely in the chest.

Leaping away, she blocked a cut coming at her shoulders and reversed her spin, stabbing a kunai into the side of the assailant's jugular, releasing a flood of the scarlet life force.

Right as she landed, a whistling noise filled the air, and before she could react, three kunais struck her back, and she collapsed on the ground, crying out in pain.

Ungh…didn't imagine it to be so pain—

She felt herself being roughly dragged into the air, as two massive fists grasped her shirt.

"Little girl, who do you think you are? And why are you wearing the mark of Hidden Rain at so young a age?" The man glared into her eyes. For once, Hitomi was scared. She was scared that she would die, without anyone knowing. She was afraid of dying forgotten by people.

"Speak up, wench!"

Hitomi cringed as the man wrapped his burly hands around her tiny neck, choking her. Her hands, unnoticed by the man, went to her belt, grappling for something, a weapon.

"Very well, I cut you into a dozen pieces for your insolence…" He raised a lethal-looking scythe, and was about to decapitate her, when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, and looking down, saw not one, but five senbon sticking out of several keys areas over his vitals. With a look of disbelief, he slumped forwards, crushing her with his bulk.

Damn it!

As much as she tried, she couldn't wriggle out from under the man. The man's remaining comrades then moved in for the kill. She shut her eyes tightly, as she knew she was forced into her last option: using her bloodline.

ACTIVATE! USAGA BLOODLINE!

Three robed figures waited in the village square, as people milled about them doing their daily business.

"He is late…should we be worried?"

"He may have run into the assassins sent by him…"

"He has those samurai bodyguards of his, and from what I heard, he also requested an escort from Hidden Rain…"

"But…at most they will send Chuunin…no Jounin…We should have given him another escort…"

The odd pair limped into town, receiving strange stare and queer looks from the townspeople. The merchant, whose name was Sai, was supporting what appeared to be a small, fragile looking ten-year old, who, to the horror of the bystanders, was apparently covered in blood, as was the cloak she was holding onto tightly. The girl's hair was even more unusual; its was a light shade of blue, as azure as the waters of the oceans to the south.

Before they reached the first intersection, they were suddenly confronted by three garbed individuals.

"Merchant Sai, I see you made it in one piece. Who is this child?" Hitomi looked up, one of her eyes shut to prevent blood from flowing into it. "My name is Hitomi…I am what is left of the Hidden Rain escort given to Merchant Sai."
She then slumped over, unconscious. The three men four men looked at each other.

"She looks about ten…is she serious?"

Sai nodded vigorously. "Yes, in fact she killed the most of the assassins. She was absolutely remarkable as a fighter, never knew Hidden Rain had such skilled younglings…before I realized her age I had thought she was jounin…something close to it, she has demonic speed…I couldn't follow her movements at all. But unfortunately for her, some of the enemies were able to, as it appears. Poor thing, I owe this child my life."

"Then she has made some allies…come, let us find an inn where ewe can treat her wounds."

One of the robed men gingerly scooped her tiny frame against his contrasting one and walked off towards the center of town.

Hitomi woke up with a start. She noted she couldn't see out of one eye, and that the room was dark. Gingerly, she placed a hand over her eye, and found that there was a large wad of bandages covering it. She felt around her head and found that she literally had a headband of bandages. She looked under her bed covers and saw that she was wearing little more than a T-shirt and loose shorts. And beneath them were more bandages.

She frowned thinking. Where am I?

At that moment, Raieko entered the room, flanked by an elder man she didn't know.

"Hitomi-san, my praises on your first mission completion, and deepest regrets to your late cell members. I am glad that you are safe now…" He smiled sadly at her. "So…how was it? Your first mission?"

Hitomi carefully pondered this question, sitting up. What did she think of it?

"It was…new…almost dream-like…I…didn't really believe it until after the whole scenario happened. It was the killing part…which shocked me the most."

"Yes indeed, killing another human being is often the most difficult part of a shinobi's life to accept…" his expression changed slightly as he pushed up his glasses, "But based on the mission reports…I believe you made…19 of the confirmed 24 kills…personally…" His gaze shifted again, as his look became more concerned, more fatherly.

The mention of the dead immediately caused all of her memories of what had happened rush back into her mind like a tidal wave. Instantly, she remembered beheading three men without hesitation, their blood splattering her clothes and face; when she shoved a kunai into the gut of the man, she could still feel the slick wetness of his blood seeping through her fingers. She shivered at the thought. She could hear the screams of the men had killed. She stared motionlessly at some far-off place in front of her, as a single tear trickled out of her eye, running slowly running down her cheek, as the realization hit home. She had taken life. She had killed. She was not the little ten-year old girl everyone always saw; she was already a killer, a murderer.

Soon after the first tear, many more came. And Raieko, the old administrator, and the man watched in somber silence.

"Hitomi-sama…are you alright…?"

Without turning her gaze, she opened her mouth, and replied shakily, "R-Raieko-san…I-I…k-killed them…I k-killed t-them…I killed them…l-like they weren't h-hmunas, but m-mere objects…I killed them…with my b-bare hands. I can't b-believe my self."

Raieko motioned for the man to leave. The man nodded and exited the room quickly. Sighing, Raieko turned back to Hitomi and sat down on the side of her bed.

"Hitomi…war…is a part of life. If you are not willing to kill, then you will be killed. But I agree, it is cruel, to take human life, just like that. But for each enemy you kill, you save the life of one of your comrades, as well as your people. I know it sounds harsh, but the way of the ninja is to kill, or be killed. I know how you feel. I remember the time when I first killed someone…I was stuck in a shell-shocked state for about a week. Hitomi…" he paused, thinking, "It will be hard, but to succeed as a ninja, you must learn to be able to take human life. Of course, the thing that troubles me most, is the fact that your father sent you, a little ten-year old girl, on a B-ranked mission. He should have understood that you were way too young to go through such an experience unscathed…"

She looked at him, as tears continued to flow freely from her eyes. Raieko looked at her sadly. With grandfatherly care, he hugged her close to him and said soothingly. "Don't cry now child, it's not your fault…you were doing in self-defense, as well as for the sake of other people…There's nothing to worry about."

She hugged him back tightly, sobbing into his robes.

From that on, she spent as much time as possible with Raieko-san, looking up to him like as if he was her grandfather. He, never having had any children, took care of her and acted as her guardian and mentor.

End Flashback

Hitomi stared at the ground, watching her tears soak into the damp earth. She felt so alone. She wished that Raieko-san was here. She could really use his advice right now.
Lee was taking a nice stroll through the forests of Fire Country when he heard a twig snap. He whipped around, and immediately a grin flashed across his face. It was his squirrel-friend, Teddy-chan, who was the squirrel he had rescued from the explosive tag during the Chuunin Exam, and led him to Sakura's team.

The little critter chattered happily, his mouth stuffed with acorns. Squeaking merrily, it crawled up Lee's pant legs and vest and proceeded to rest on his shoulder.

"Heya little fellah, haven't seen you in a while! So what's up?"

The squirrel chattered something in Lee's ear (A/N …yes Lee does talk with animals on a regular basis…coughkibacough).

"There's someone else here? Some strange girl who is crying?"

The squirrel nodded eagerly, as he swallowed one of the half a dozen acorns stuffed in his bulging cheeks.

"LEAD THE WAY!" he did his super-guy pose right there, as the squirrel leapt away in another direction. Grinning madly, Lee chased after it.

After a couple minutes of running, he and the Teddy-chan came across a slight clearing, which apparently had been made by what appeared to be a heard of ranging elephants. Then Lee the little wood blocks littering the area. No, elephants can't possibly have done this…

Then he heard a small sobbing sound, and following it, he came across none other than Hitomi-chan, who was kneeling on the ground, her purple tresses flowing down around her face. Tears dripped nonstop from her eyes.

She looks so sad…she needs a hug! (A/N this why everyone thinks Lee is "adorably innocent")

What did Lee do next? He snuck up silently behind her, knelt down on the ground beside her trembling frame, and slung a supporting arm across her shoulders and hugged her close to him.

Hitomi's eyes widened in shock, as she felt someone grab her and draw her close. She turned her head to the side, and saw through her bangs a smiling Lee. She stared unbelievingly for a second at him, and abruptly hugged him around the waist, sobbing into his vest.
Lee looked on in surprise, as Hitomi-chan returned the hug forcibly, wrapping her slender arms around his waist, and buried her face into his chest. He then smiled warmly patted her back reassuringly, whispering calming words into her ear.

"Don't worry, Hitomi-chan, I'll always be there for you! I'll protect you with my life!" The squirrel danced happily around the two, jumping around, and then falling over due to the extra weight of all the acorns.

Hitomi's sobbing gradually slowed, and her ragged breathing began to become more fluid. Lee began dozing off slightly, listening to the slight sound of her breathing.

"Lee-san?"

"Yes Hitomi-chan?" he looked down attentively at her.

"Thank you…for this…"

"It was no problem Hitomi-chan! I already swore to be there when you needed me, so here I am!" He grinned. Her face still buried in his vest, she smiled nodded faintly.

A moment later, Lee noticed that she appeared to have stopped moving.

"Hitomi-chan…?" he frowned when she didn't answer. He gently touched the side of her pale face. She was sound asleep. Wow…she's so cute when she sleeps…it makes me happy to see her happy!

(A/N who else has a bigger heart than Lee, eh?)

Smiling happily, he held her tighter and rested his chin over her head protectively. Sleep well…I, Rock Lee, will watch over you…

End chapter 11

Hitomi: (sniffs) Lee-san…that was so sweet of you…

Lee: anything for you Hitomi-chan… (blinding teeth go PING)

Tenten: (blinks dizzily) ow Lee watch where you're aiming those things…argh my eyes…

Neji: BL…I thought I heard you mention you were pairing sasuke with Hitomi?

BL: er, about that…

Lee: (glares at BL) what was that?

BL: er nothing…hehe…pls dont hurt me….

Lee: LOTUS!

(censored for violence)

Neji: Lee…that enough…he already said he would pair you up with Hitomi…of course…that was before you snapped his spinal cord…

Tenten: T-T Neji I'm scared…I don't wanna die! (hides behind Neji, looking fearfully at the bloody lee)

Neji: …XD

Yeah ok thx for reading! Now review…it'll help me recover faster from the injuries sustained from lee…remember…longer reviews…comments, questions, and constructive criticism…pls...srt tenten and neji didnt really show up in this chappie

Oh yeah…and to asura of love and anyone else who thought I was serious when I said I was pairing sasuke with hitomi…uh…I was jking…just hoping you got the fact I was being sarcastic XD