Tenten's diary, May 1
Two hours until I die. Simple as that. I'm gonna go out there and make a big mistake. That's even showing up. I made it through the past weeks. I even made it through last night. That's because I didn't have to make sure I had all my things. Didn't have to get dressed up.
I'm still going, though. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, I still committed myself to something. Do I let my reputation as a liar still stand, or do I go out and fix that? I've chosen the second option. Now I need to go get ready. I'll finish this entry later.
Tenten
"Are you in there?" a voice asked. My blood ran cold. It was Ino, no doubt, coming to style my hair and fix my make-up.
"Uh, yeah, but I don't think you want to see me," I replied, making it seem like I was doing everything on my own. But, as I feared, she opened the door, expecting to see me almost ready, only to find that I was still in my favorite robe and slippers.
Her jaw dropped. "The wedding's gonna be starting really soon! You should be in your dress by now!" I shot her a puppy-dog look. "Don't tell me you lost everything! Oh, Tenten, please don't!"
"I didn't...but I guess you figured it out..." Eyes wide open, she tore around the room, which was really the closet, and accidentally stumbled upon the dress. My ruined wedding dress.
The air got really thick with tension. "How did this happen?" There was no denying that her heart was cracking at my carelessness. As I opened my mouth to reply, I realized that I had no idea how I got all the cuts in it.
And then it hit me. I hadn't done anything. It was someone else. Someone who hated me, hated this whole idea. Someone like Hanabi. "It wasn't me, Ino," I stuttered, bending down to look at the once-beautiful gown. "It was the one person who won't warm up to me..."
She glared at me. Not like it was her money she spent on it, anyway, because I had given her my personal stash. Every last cent to my name was spent on this wedding, and now it was all going to be a waste. I had nothing.
"Do you have anything else you can wear?" she asked me after a few minutes of silence. I nodded and pointed at a brown and pink sundress. "It's not very fancy," she muttered, taking it off of its hanger and holding it up to my body, "but it might work."
I smiled, remembering that this was Ino Yamanaka, my maid of honor, my fashion consultant, and my best friend. If she thought it might work, she wasn't lying. Her head worked for two things; flowers and fashion.
"Now, come on! We don't have that much time to be messing around! You look like you just woke up still! You can't be late to your wedding!"
"Oh shit! It starts in a hour and a half!" I exclaimed, looking up at the clock on the wall. Ino grabbed my hand and pushed me into the vanity chair, where a total makeover was about to be started...
With twenty minutes left before my life changed forever, I was sitting in the chair, waiting for my hair to be finished. My face was absolutely gorgeous, matching the dress almost perfectly. And when done, my hair was going to match as well.
I was getting it done in pink-streaked braids. For the most important moment of my entire life. I thought it was a psychotic idea, but Ino said it would surprise everyone. Just like me not wearing a traditional gown.
"It's done!" she said, finally allowing me to stand up and look at how the whole thing flowed. But stepping on the ground made me realize one more crucial thing: I still didn't have shoes. And I was not going to go barefoot. I might look like a princess, but even proper royalty wear heels at important get-togethers.
When I pointed it out, she frowned at me. "You can walk down the aisle either without shoes or not at all! We don't have time to mess around! I still need to get ready!" With that, she started her way towards the door. I sighed and followed. Everything else I wanted was ruined, so why hadn't I realized that this would end the same?
We made it outside onto the large veranda that wrapped around the house, only to notice that it was raining buckets. Ino stepped back inside, and re-emerged with two parasol-like umbrellas. Trying to dodge the raindrops, we began the dash towards the Yamanaka Flowershop, where the flowers for the wedding were. Oh, her dress was there, too.
Fifteen minutes later, we exited the shop, and stepped back into the deluge. My vision was so bad in the storm that I was clinging to her bare arm, trying to watch my feet and keep me from slipping.
By the time we got to the Academy building, I was late and wet. My legs were mud-covered. The bottom foot of Ino's dress was soaked. But we were there, and as we walked inside, I heard a familiar voice.
"So you think you can skip out on your own wedding, don't you?" From the shadow of the wall, a man walked out. It was Lord Hiashi.
"Why would you say that?" I shouted at him. "It's all your daughter's fault! She doesn't want me here!"
He scoffed at my comeback. "Hanabi knows that you are nothing more than trash." At this, tears welled up in my eyes, and Ino ran into the women's dressing room to warn everyone of my arrival, because, truth be told, she didn't want to see me get verbally beaten.
"If I was trash, would I have learned how to stand my own ground? If I was trash, would I have ever made it this far? Most of all, if I was trash, would I have continued to live my life after all my mistakes?" The look in his eves showed me that I was overpowering him for the first time in my life. "I might walk in as a liar who is no more than trash, but I am going to walk out a Hyuuga!"
"Very well," he said, respect in his eyes as he looked at me. "You have proven yourself to be a fighter. I expect only the best from you." I smiled, and he walked into the main room, which was one of the classrooms that had supposedly been totally redecorated. Feeling a new sense of pride, I walked in the room where all the other women were waiting for me to arrive. After that confrontation, I was ready for anything.
So when I saw Sakura gaping at my attire, I just grinned. If she was gonna be my bridesmaid, she better understand my decision on how I rock this. Ino was looking out the little window on the door, staring at all that had gathered. I joined her, noticing the village elders the second I started looking. Then, there were the rest of the Hyuugas, then all the people I had grown up with. Well, except for those that were part of the wedding.
Music started playing. I was pushed back against the wall as Ino and Sakura slowly walked to their positions. That left me. I took a deep breath, checked to see if everyone else was where they were supposed to be, and opened the door. Flower petals were scattered everywhere as I linked arms with my sensei, as I had no father.
As we walked, he brought his mouth close to my ear. "You are a beautiful blossom of youth, and I am so proud to be here for you today. You have the talent to go far, Tenten, but don't forget that this isn't the end of your youth. This might just be the end of the beginning!" His whispers trailed off as we reached the altar. We unlinked, and I stepped up in front of the priest, who was Lady Hokage herself.
I was afraid to breath as she started speaking. Her voice made it sound like this was her professional full-time job, not something she was randomly asked to do.
"Please turn now and face eachother," she said. I did, and ended up looking at the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life. And I was getting married to him. "Now, these two have requested to do something special before I finish this ceremony. So, if you will, please sit in silence as they say some words."
Some words? I had no idea what she meant until he began to speak. "We met many years ago, and ever since that day, I wanted to be with you forever." It was hard for me to believe that this was actually Neji, the man I once had resented. "I understand that we started this as a mistake, but we're still here today, and I think if we have gotten this far, we'll be able to go wherever we're needed." I stuck my hand out, and he slid a ring on my finger.
Our priest looked at me. It was my turn to say something. But what was I supposed to say now? I lost my sheet that had my speech written on it! "When we met, I thought you weren't a very nice person. As we grew older, I started to lie to make it seem like I didn't have a problem with you. And now I don't. I changed my ways. I changed myself. That's why I'm here today. To show that I can amount to something! I may have no parents, may be rude and unsympathetic at times, may be a tomboy, but I have true feelings for you now! I don't care what anyone else says! I'm in love with you!" Grabbing my ring for him, I thought about how it was the only thing still perfect, and soon he was wearing it, just like me.
I looked out on the crowd, trying to see if they all understood. Almost all of them were crying or watching with watery eyes. I felt like I made my point, so I turned back around and waited for the priest to finish up. "There are two final things I must say before this is over. First, does anyone not want these two to get married? Speak now or forever hold your peace." I heard Hanabi start to say something, but gave up halfway through.
"Okay, then," she paused, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Another pause. "You may now kiss the bride." He grabbed me so quickly that I barely had time to react to what just happened. We broke away from one another after a few seconds, because there would be time for that later. Like, the rest of our lives.
The whole party moved into another decorated room minutes later, where the reception was going to be held. Most were standing around, talking to others about the wild ceremony, while some were marveling at either my outfit or the cake. My specially-ordered cake, with its seven huge layers.
There was a long table set out for all the important people, meaning, the six of us who stood up at the front, and little tables scattered around in front of it. While I was trying to break away from the annoying people who wanted to know why I dressed the way I did, I say down in my special chair, which gave everyone else the impression that it was speech time, so they all sat down.
A clinking was heard at the other end of the table. Sasuke was standing up, prepared to say something about the newlyweds. I didn't really care what he had to say, but I decided that being nice to him wouldn't hurt me.
"I am only up here at this table today because of two women," he started. I knew one of them was Sakura, but there was no clue to who was the second. "Over six weeks ago, before any of this was imagined, I was reunited with my ex-girlfriend, who I am now engaged to. But it was who reunited us that made me being up here possible. If it wasn't for Tenten, my sweet Sakura never would have returned to my arms."
Everyone began clapping and he sat down. Ino stood up next, pinching my arm as she did. "I never expected these two to get this far, because I knew Ten's feelings about everything, especially Neji. And look! It's the two of them we're here for. I'm so proud of them for getting to this point. It's all better from here, or so I've heard." More applause.
"Throw the bouquet!" someone shouted. It started a whole onslaught people chanting for me to do that. And as much as I didn't want to, I stood up, grabbed the bouquet, waited a few seconds for all eligible women to get in a general area, and threw it from behind my head. All was silent, until someone let out a high-pitched squeal. It was Hinata, who was on her knees, grasping it with the ends of her fingers.
I sat back down, amazed that no one had told me I didn't belong, except for those who didn't like me. I really had come into this as nothing. But now I was really special, or at least for this one day.
"Hey, Tenten, do you want them to start playing music?" Tsunade asked me, acting like her normal self, not the priest from earlier.
"Uh, sure?" I replied, not positive on what I was supposed to say.
She laughed, making me think that I had chosen the wrong answer. "Okay, well, you have to get up and dance!" As she headed over to the little music table, which wasn't very impressive, I realized that before anyone else could dance, I had to. Which wasn't something I was looking forward to.
A soft beat filled the room. I closed my eyes to give the impression that I was asleep, but someone grabbed my hand and pulled me to the center of the floor, banging me into every chair on the way. My arm suddenly was dropped, and then a strong hand was placed on my shoulder, and another was placed on the crook of my hip. Opening my eyes slightly, I moved my hands into the same spots, making sure to mirror-image the positions on my body. With eyes finally fully open, I automatically nestled my face into his chest. I sighed contently, happily dancing with Neji, as everyone cheered and began dancing with their loved ones themselves.
The song changed, and we stopped slow dancing, because the new song was fast, and we went and sat down together, having finished our first dance as a married couple. I sighed again, totally happy with the way things were going. About a half hour later, everyone was demanding that we cut the cake. So together, we took the giant blade and pushed it down on the bottom layer of the giant masterpiece, creating a beautiful piece, put it on a plate, and took turns feeding each other. Again, everyone made it a huge moment, and soon they were all eating it.
"Man, I wish I knew what was on the top," I told Neji as we watched everyone cut off their own pieces and devour them. He thought for a second, and then lifted me up in his arms, getting me high enough to see that there were frosting flowers and our names on the final tier, which was really small compared to all the others.
He dropped me right then. I hit the floor, but, surprisingly, it wasn't hard. He had slid down once he realized that I was falling, so I landed right on top of him. He had kept me from getting hurt by sacrificing himself. After a few minutes on the ground, he sat up, making my head go right in his lap. "You're somewhat heavy. You know that?" he asked me, and I couldn't help but laughing. "And you're pretty. I've never seen you this dressed up before."
"Yeah, and I can say the same for you, too!" I flipped over and slid up, which pushed him backwards, and then as he came forwards, our lips met. We held that position for a little bit, but before we could finish, somebody, probably Ino, shouted at us.
"You two might have just gotten married, but you don't need to put on a show for us!"
Tenten's diary, still May 1
Hello again, Signel. I feel different writing in you. Maybe it's because I'm a different person now. That's right! The whole thing went off almost-flawlessly. I am now Tenten Hyuuga, the little piece of trash that could. I'd write more about the ceremony, but I can't, because this is the last page in you!
It seems fitting, though. You were my "diary of an engaged kunoichi" that took me through the past six weeks. You were my friend that knows everything. I promise I'll always remember you!
Love, Tenten
"Are you ready yet?" Neji asked me, as I closed my notebook, no, Signel, for the last time, and I nodded, showing him my already-packed suitcase. "Well, we better get going then..."
"Yeah," I said, standing up and putting Signel on a high shelf in my closet. "I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be." He looked at me with total confusion in his eyes. "I mean, let's go. I don't want to still be around whenever they get home."
A smile appeared on his face. "They didn't ruin anything today. And you didn't mess up."
"But there are pink streaks in my hair!" I whined, grabbing my bag, and following closely behind him as we walked out all the doors of the house and got into our ride, which would take us to the place we deserved to go.
Because, even ninja want to go on their well-deserved honeymoon vacation.
End Diary of an Engaged Kunoichi
A/N: I can't believe this. The best chapter of the story. The ending. And it was beauhtiful! I am so proud of myself, and all those who came with me to this point! I hope to see you all review the sequel! Just look for another Signel-chan story!
And, it'll have twists and turns, so you won't know what's gonna happen next!
I love all of you! (Don't own Naruto.) I'll bring out the sequel really soon! Here's to the happy ending of this diary and a happy beginning to Miss Independent Kunoichi!