a/n: Sorry, sorry, about the long update! Ok, so I have a little adventure to tell you all! (Feel free to skip if you have no interest in my life! Haha). Ok, so I was at Six Flags, just chilling with my friends, and all of a sudden, this girl asks me for directions. I get this wierd 'deja vu' feeling, like I've definitely seen this girl before but I can't remember where, so all I can muster up is a 'Whaaat?' She repeats her question and then it hits me. Turns out, she was my best friend from preschool who I haven't seen in almost five years. My god, that made my day! :)
Anyway, that was my little 'upper' of the day.
disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
kisses,
Iris:D
The Broken Pieces: A NejiTen Fanfic
Chapter 11
"You're such a pervert," Tenten muttered as she snatched the towel out of Neji's hands and gestured for him to cover his eyes. He did so but kept his Byakugan activated, all the better to keep an eye on her with.
"I'm trying to keep my village safe," Neji corrected.
"Do I look like a threat?" Tenten snapped, waving her hands in front of her body. Sakura had brought her a change of plain, civilian clothes; to subtly humiliate her, no doubt.
"Looks are deceiving, Taiyookage-sama," Neji replied lightly.
Tenten scowled and shook her wet hair like a dog, spraying droplets of water everywhere. Neji took a step back as she abandoned that technique and just proceeded to wring her hair.
"Just leave it down," Neji ordered. "It'll dry faster," he added when Tenten raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, yes, you seem to know much about hair care, considering the length of yours," Tenten said mockingly.
He recoiled, albeit he wanted to remain near her, and glared at her. She stuck out her tongue childishly but Neji didn't find it unattractive. "You need to lighten up. Learn to take a joke."
"That could get you killed on the battleground, you know," Neji answered sternly, opening the door and herding her out of it.
"Death doesn't just occur on the battlefield," Tenten muttered as they approached the stairs.
"What's going on?" Satoru pushed past Aoi and boldly strode into the Taiyookage Office, locking eyes with his father. "What have you found out?"
The Council of Elders and a few of the esteemed ANBU captains gathered around Ryo, who set the piece of paper he previously held aside. He indicated for Satoru and Mika to take a seat. Satoru, however, defiantly crossed his arms and refused silently. Ryo sighed and glanced at Mitsuko, Teruko, and Ryuu. "Thank you, Mitsuko-chan. You may take your leave; Teruko and Ryuu, also."
Mitsuko nodded and turned to leave, her friends following her.
"Hey," Teruko whispered to Ryuu on her way out, "do you want to go to get some ramen?"
"Can't." Ryuu didn't even look at her. "I'm going back to the Hospital."
"Oh." Her face fell. "Shut up, Hana!" Teruko shot a glare at her friend, who had begun to hold in her giggle, amused at her friend's attempt at wooing.
"Bye, Mitsuko."
The door closed behind them and Aoi looked glad to see them gone.
Satoru's eyes darted back and forth, a sort of crazed sensation overtaking his feelings. "You never told me what this was about," he began, facing his father but directing the words to Aoi. "But I can guess now. That piece of paper," Satoru pointed at the scroll in his father's hands, "is Tenten-chan's ransom note, isn't it?"
Ryo nodded slowly. "We've gathered here to discuss it."
"Well then, out with it," Satoru demanded. "What does it say?"
"Peace, young one," Yoko murmured soothingly. "Being hasty never ends well."
Satoru dipped his head respectfully. "I apologize, Yoko-san. Perhaps my emotions have gotten the better of me."
"Understandable," Naomi replied, straightening her ANBU vest absentmindedly.
"Let the boy read it," Hikaru suggested to the Replacement Taiyookage.
As much as Satoru resented being called 'boy' – he was of age, for goodness sakes – he was satisfied when his father passed over the scroll. He skimmed the parchment quickly and glared over the top of the paper. "They want to exchange Tenten's life for the end of the war?" he inquired incredulously.
"It would appear so," Ryo answered calmly.
"No, absolutely not," Satoru stated at once, "Everyone knows that Tenten would give her life to ensure the victory of this war. It was her deepest wish and I won't go against it."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Mika piped up and Satoru whirled around, quite forgetting that she was there.
"We must attack Konoha and save Ten-chan," Satoru announced spectacularly.
"That's illogical," Hikaru pointed out evenly. "You're contradicting yourself. Just now, you proclaimed that you would never defy Tenten-sama's wishes but by trying to rescue her, you're going against her wish to never be saved like some helpless damsel-in-distress."
"Tenten-sama never did like being helped. She regarded herself as a very independent person," Mika added.
"Then what do we do?" Yoko echoed the Medic-Nin. "Konoha threatens to kill Tenten if we don't abide."
"Listen to yourselves," Naomi commanded. "Konoha is not a coldhearted murderer! They never kill without purpose! And even if they did have a purpose, their soft Hokage will pity Tenten-san and allow her to live as a prisoner, or even let her go!"
"Not all Konoha ninja are that merciful, though," Akira contradicted. "The birds have told me of a few shinobi who would kill if there was even a speck of provocation. That Uchiha, for example…Sasuke Uchiha…I've heard many a rumor about him. They say he trained with Orochimaru himself."
"His brother had even joined Akatsuki after slaughtering their whole clan," Satoru inserted. "And the Hyuga clan, as well…the Head even allowed his own brother to be killed in his stead…we can't trust Konoha to be merciful. We must take their threat seriously."
Mika shook her head helplessly. "But what do we do?"
Ryo glanced at the older Jousui sibling, who was deep in thought. "How about you, Aoi? You haven't said much."
"There's no need to talk when one is thinking," Aoi responded. "Also, I've always found thinking aloud to be bothersome."
"What you say will not be considered annoying," Akira told the younger shinobi. "We have always held a deep respect to those of the Jousui Clan."
It was true. The head of the Jousui clan, Suichi-sama, had worked among Tenten and the Council of Elders to build Akaruigakure and the clan even produced vital players in the war. Izumi, for one, was an obvious prodigy, able to handle tasks and missions that even a few Jounin were unable to perform. And though Aoi wasn't as noticeable as his younger sister, he had still received top marks at the Academy and his common sense and ability to assess a situation was well-appreciated by all.
"Speak your mind," Yoko prompted.
"It's already been decided that we cannot allow the war to cease simply because of a few words on paper," Aoi started thoughtfully. "What we need is a suave and diplomatic method of coming to terms with the Hokage. So, I suggest we send a delegation over to Konoha to negotiate the release of Tenten." He looked around, unsure.
"I do believe that's a fine idea," Ryo said quietly.
"I second it," Mika announced.
"You have my support," Yoko agreed.
"Then we'll need to round up a team," Satoru proposed.
Hikaru held up a hand to silence everyone. "I have a point to bring up."
Satoru fought the urge to throw up his arms in frustration. "What is it, Hikaru-san?"
"I don't think Konoha will take a delegation too kindly," Hikaru mused. "It was well-known before of the Hokage's pacifism but they seem to have crossed the line from then. An ambush, an abduction, a ransom; these are the areas in which Konoha never dared enter before. We're dealing with a different enemy now, one that has lost its reason. I have no clue what is churning through the Hokage's head at the moment, but I can be sure that it's a thousand folds different from what we're used to."
"But what other choice do we have, Hikaru?" Akira wondered.
Hikaru shook his head slowly. "I don't know. I was merely speaking what I thought."
Ryo nodded once, to let the ANBU Captain know that that was perfectly acceptable, and took a deep breath. "As we have no other face-saving alternative, I propose that we gather a team to send to Konoha as an embassy. Any nominations?"
"Mitsuko Hana," Naomi called out instantly, "is Tenten's apprentice. Not only does she deserve to go the most, she is very accomplished at Chlorokinesis, almost as good as some Kaede clan members."
"She would be the best to negotiate for Tenten's release," Aoi acquiesced. "She's level-headed most of the time and is experienced in the etiquette when conversing with shinobi of higher rank and venerability."
"That's true. Mitsuko-chan also has a quick tongue which will be useful for negotiations as well as common sense," Mika added.
"Is it really wise to send a Chuunin on a delegation mission?" Hikaru questioned. "Perhaps we need to send over a Jounin with her."
"Yuki Taro," Akira offered, "who was Mitsuko's previous mentor."
"To ensure cooperation on this mission, it would be wise to send out the original Team 5," Satoru recommended. "Yuki Taro, Mitsuko Hana, Mamoru Kaede, and Ryuu Saburo…"
"Yes, Mamoru from the Kaede clan, known for their Chlorokinesis Jutsu, and Ryuu-kun, my own apprentice," Mika advocated, "They're a good bunch, reliable and trustworthy."
"Should we send Izumi-chan as well?" Yoko wondered. "Having two venerable clans is better than only one."
"I don't think so," Aoi replied. "Izumi will get carried away. She's like the ocean, calm and peaceful one minute and then violently tossing and sending salty spray up the next."
Ryo nodded once. "Then, Team 5 will be our embassy. Are we in agreement?"
Around the Office came gestures of approval and Ryo was satisfied. "Wonderful, then we'll need to call in the team to discuss the details of this mission. Send for Yuki, will you?" Ryo directed his question at Naomi, who left quickly to do what she was bidden. He watched her go and glanced at the assembly, his eyes resting on his son.
"I promise, we'll get Ten-chan back." He directed his words at Satoru.
"He's so full of himself," Tenten muttered to herself darkly. "I wish I could cut that smirk off of his arrogant face." She threw a handful of dirt at the opposite wall, frowning when it lost speed and disintegrated to the floor. "Is it too much to ask to have some privacy whilst taking a shower? Was he raised by that perverted Sannin, or something?"
She glanced up as the door unlocked and she braced herself for Neji's face, trying to swallow her anger and annoyance. He entered, carrying a bowl of watery soup and a slightly-stale hunk of bread on a rusted metal tray.
"You're not happy to see me," Neji guessed immediately. "Your facial features give it away."
Tenten huffed. "Shinobi don't lack emotion, you know."
"No," he agreed, bending down to set the tray beside her, "but we're trained to keep them under control." Neji straightened up and sighed, appearing as if he was having an internal battle with himself. "Do you really hate Konoha enough to condemn every citizen to death?"
"Not death," Tenten corrected him, "but revenge…"
Neji crossed his arms and glared down through slit eyes at the girl sitting on the dirty floor. "Why?"
Her eyes narrowed to match his. "Are you really that daft? It's the will of justice, Hyuga, and I'm simply helping it along."
"Who gave you the authority?" He leaned against the walls, feeling the grime claw at his clothes, but stood his ground, determined to show Tenten just how hardy he was.
"I did," Tenten spat out passionately. "All of me gave the authority; my soul, my brain, my heart."
"Your heart," Neji echoed, his eyes devoid. "That's a laugh."
She clenched a fist angrily, seriously considering taking on the ANBU Captain unarmed. "Why are you even here?"
"I'm your assigned jailor, in case you forgot. And I'm curious about your motives," Neji replied calmly, despite his companion's evident fury. "I'm sure I told you that before."
"Curiosity killed the cat," Tenten hissed, drawing her knees closer.
"But satisfaction brought it back to life," Neji ended.
Tenten scoffed. "I've never heard that before. Congratulations for being so clever." She couldn't keep the mocking tone out of her response.
Neji didn't credit that with an answer and instead paced around the room, keeping his pale eyes locked with Tenten's. "You could escape. I'm nowhere near the door and your pathway is clear."
He watched her eyes dart hopefully at the open cell door and back at him, taking note of his position. Neji wasn't blind to the desire that her sienna eyes, nor the tension that had gathered in her limbs. Suddenly, he panicked. Would she actually run away? Did she want to leave Konoha…and him…so badly? He then chided himself for such unprofessional thoughts but couldn't help but feel relieved as Tenten relaxed, turning away from the exit.
"I'm not a fool," Tenten proclaimed. "We're underneath ANBU Headquarters and if I carelessly dashed up those stairs, a dozen ANBU would pounce on me. So, no matter how tempting it may be, I'm not going to run away."
"Really…" Neji didn't look convinced. "If that's the case, we can continue our chat then."
"I still don't know why the hell you're so interested!" Tenten exploded angrily, leaping to her feet.
Neji arched an eyebrow delicately, keeping his face serene. In truth, he himself also had no idea why he cared but he assured himself that it was only her reasoning he was concerned with, not the Taiyookage herself. "There's no need to overreact."
Tenten shook her head quickly, much like a dog that had drenched itself in water. "I should have known that you of all shinobi would understand the least. We're too different. There's no way we can possibly get along."
It surprised him just how much that stung. "Then elaborate…"
"You're no stranger to me," Tenten began and Neji raised both of his eyebrows now. "I've heard of you; prodigy, smart, attractive, ANBU captain at sixteen, and always swarmed by beloved family, friends, and admirers. I've paid attention to your legacy, knowing I would most likely meet you one day on the battlefield if my war continued. A face-off between two important and accomplished shinobi is inevitable. But I wouldn't expect you to know what it's like to have everyone you love dead and the pain that surfaces. You're surrounded by people who care about you…unlike me."
Neji was silent, taking it all in.
"I'm hesitant to get close to people now," Tenten admitted sheepishly, unable to stop her ramblings. "Everyone I held near and dear to my heart had been torn away from me. My parents were slaughtered, my brother murdered, my friends stabbed before my eyes…and those that are still alive today are lucky, but their luck will run out one day. And where will that leave me?"
She laughed almost embarrassedly, running her fingers through her bangs. "I'm guessing you don't have an answer for me, Hyuga. You simply can't imagine it. You'll never know what it's like. You'll never be alone. You'll never know my pain." Tenten rose unsteadily to her feet. "You'll never," she whispered, staggering towards him, "get close to me."
Pure shock held him still but the adrenaline rushed through him, bringing him to his senses in time to block Tenten's jab. In her weakened, emotional state, Tenten could only stumble slightly, struggling to regain her footing, and mutter curses under her breath in a shaky voice.
Two strong arms snaked their way from behind her and gently guided her to her cot, laying her down tenderly. It wasn't unpleasant, having his skin touching hers so intimately and so she resisted the urge to pull away. There was an unusual fluttery feeling flowing from the bottom of her stomach, one that sent tingles up her spine and her cheeks to blush. Tenten thanked God that the lighting in the Holding Cell was dim. And she dismissed the starry-eyed feelings and replaced them with hatred.
She viciously wiped away a tear that had escaped, as if by erasing the evidence she'd erase the deed. "Shinobi shouldn't show their feelings," she muttered, staring up at the ceiling as Neji backed away. "You were right."
"And so were you," Neji answered quietly. "It's true that I've never technically been alone in my life but there were times when I felt that everyone had abandoned me."
"Abandonment and death are two completely different things," Tenten murmured, her previous outburst slowly receding.
Neji ignored her and went on. "No matter what you might think, Ten-sama, I've had friends die before in battles, in wars…in your war," he added. "I understand what it's like, and I'm sure every other shinobi does, too. My remaining comrades didn't love me as my dead ones did. They loved me and now they're gone. So despite what you believe, I'm truly alone."
Tenten took a deep shuddering breath. "Did you love them back?"
"Familial love? Yes…anything deeper? Not yet…" Neji shrugged indifferently. "Perhaps love has deserted me after all?"
"Feeling overcome by a love you abandoned only to have it come back once you finally accepted its departure…" Tenten offered. "Are you growing sentimental? There's no need to become nostalgic."
"Looking at you just makes me feel that way," Neji confessed after a pause, then cursed himself for uttering the words.
But Tenten didn't seem to quite understand. "I make you feel nostalgic?"
He recovered, relieved. "…Sure, alright…"
"Satoru?"
He looked up, startled, as Aoi walked leisurely over; he was never one to rush. Satoru waited for him to catch up and began walking keeping in pace with the Jousui sibling.
The meeting had ended with Yuki arriving with Mitsuko, Mamoru, and Ryuu entering the Taiyookage's Office for an instruction on their mission. Yuki had agreed to it rather reluctantly, putting on an air that suggested he thought an embassy mission was to his distaste.
Mamoru coughed slightly when Mitsuko had readily and eagerly agreed to the mission, promising all present that she'd bring back Akarui's Top Kunoichi. She had immediately shot a glare at Mamoru and turned away, chatting animatedly with Ryuu about the mission, ignoring Mamoru's glares that were intended to bore holes in her shoulder. The maple-leaf tattoo on his right jugular vein pulsed a dark green, not unlike the shade of his hair, which indicated that he was slightly covetous. Ryuu questioned him about it but he didn't reveal why he felt the way he did. But Ryuu already knew, even if Mitsuko was blind to it. As much as Mitsuko believed in love, she really was inexperienced with it.
Yuki had quieted them down and they listened, wilting under the stern gaze of their former mentor and present leader. All three Chuunin were aware of the grave situation and were mature enough to save their bickering for a more appropriate time; even Mamoru, who wasn't prepared to put his heart and soul into a mission that he truly believed would fail.
He had shared his belief subtly but Satoru understood the implication and forced himself not to pounce on the Chuunin, reminding himself that this group of shinobi would bring Tenten back if all went well. And so the meeting finally ended, and Satoru had rushed out right away, desperate to get as far away as he could from the Kaede prodigy to avoid his emotions to get the better of him.
But as he darted out the door most unsophisticatedly, he couldn't help thinking that that Kaede Chuunin was getting a little too big for his britches. No one dared criticize the Taiyookage's capabilities. Yet members of the Kaede Clan were entitled to their own opinion since they were revered greatly. And that's why Satoru was so desperate to retreat.
"Yes, Aoi?" Satoru initiated.
"I want your opinion," Aoi began, flashing his silver eyes at the older ANBU member.
"About what?" pressed Satoru after Aoi paused for a considerable amount of time.
Aoi sighed. "Perhaps Hikaru was right. I've been going over all the facts in my head and they just don't add up to what I once thought they did. Konoha has changed considerably and now I won't be surprised if they don't take the delegation well. And yet, if we don't do anything, they may kill Ten-sama. Do you think my proposal will actually condemn her even more?"
"Konoha…may have altered their ways significantly but we know they aren't murderers. They fight with reason and only kill when completely necessary. Their courses of action may have changed but their hearts haven't," Satoru ended confidently.
"Are you positive?" Aoi didn't look convinced.
"Yes…" Satoru thought of Neji, who could have easily killed the Akarui shinobi but didn't, expressing his mercy and sucking Satoru into a most unpleasant feeling of debt. But his life had been spared, proving to be a prime example of Konoha's clemency, present in even the ANBU Captains.
Aoi raised an eyebrow at Satoru's involuntary fist-clenching, glancing at the ANBU member's hand. "Are you alright?" When Satoru glanced up, confused, Aoi nodded meaningfully at his fingers.
Satoru shook his head, trying to clear his mind, and pushed his silver hair out of his face. "I'm fine."
"It's alright to feel emotion when those close to you have been stolen away," Aoi pointed out. "I understand that it's hard to let go of Tenten."
His eyes narrowed, Satoru glared at the younger ninja. "I'm not 'letting go' of Tenten. She's not gone. She's coming back. Don't you dare say she's not."
Dutifully, Aoi nodded once more but Satoru continued speaking, cutting him off.
"I won't let her go without a fight," Satoru went on passionately. "And you, as a witness, will be present as I make a promise. I will bring Tenten back and not a Kage, beast, or shinobi can stop me. I will succeed, even if I die trying."
a/n: Oh, Neji, smooth move there. Almost let the cat out of the bag. And the extra little snippit about 'satisfaction bringing the curiosity-killed cat back to life'? Don't know what possessed the author to do so. XD And I feel bad for Teruko, what with her onesided crush. That kind of love is the worst. Not that I would know. Haha
So, I'm unhappy with the lack of NejiTen moments, because we all know how giddy I get over them. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter's installment of their interactions. But we all know there's more to come in the next chapters. I was skimming through my outline and cutting off wherever I thought a new chapter would start/end and this story is going to be anywhere from thirty-five to forty chapters. Could be more or less depending how much detail I'll go into or if I add or take away a few snippits. :)
Alright, so I want to make it clear that Jousui and Kaede are the two most prominent clans in Akarui, much like Hyuga and Uchiha of Konoha. I'm not clear which clan correlates to which counterpart but I think it could really be either way. Jousui and Izumi and Aoi are to Uchiha and Sasuke and Itachi, I guess. Clan, younger sibling, older sibling. It's just that Izumi doesnt kill her entire clan or join the Akatsuki. Thank God. And if I had to choose a favorite original character, it would be a tie between Satoru and Izumi.
Ok, so name-meanings:
~Yuki Taro: Snowy, Great son (o.O)
~Haru Shinji: True light of second son/sun (Ah, homophones. They make name-meanings all the more meaningful.)
~Hikaru Takayuki: Radiant Height
~Naomi Kin: Beauty of Gold
I really like all of them ^^ except for Yuki's name. It doesn't really flow. But if you have an opinion on names, drop me a review and make my day, just like my adventure in the beginning authir's note did! :)
Oh and I'll be leaving for China on Friday (Yup, I'm Chinese) but I'll get a lot of writing done on the thirteen hour plane ride! *whoopee* And my dad's letting me bring my laptop so updates will be attempted to be posted every week or so. Haha :)
kisses,
Iris:D
