[[ A/N ]] I messed up chapter six's title thing. Sigh. But it's okay now. It's like this. I had this chapter planned out, but then I realized how stupid it sounded when I wrote part of it. So I changed it to be more serious in the beginning. And gave this chapter an entirely new thing. The title doesn't really mean anything. It just means that Tenten wants Neji to yield and be more relaxed or something. Draw your own conclusions. It could have to do with this new technique...whatever! :D Just read.
[[ Disclaimer ]] I am not a man. I am not the creator of Naruto. Ahem. (Other disclaimer-type thing at bottom, but read it after you've read the chapter. It has "spoilers.")
Remember, people, 'thoughts' and "dialogue," okay? Note the difference. ]
Chapter Seven: Yield
Every fiber of her clothing had been plastered to her skin with perspiration, grabbing hold of her skin and biting her flesh.
"What the hell are you?"
Tenten felt the familiar sensation of thin needles sliding into place between her fingers. A skillful throw, and she had...completely missed. Okay, so she hadn't missed. The thing had just moved. But it made gave her the same feeling that she had gotten when she'd fought the Sand Shinobi. Absolute horror.
"What do you want of me, stupid thing?"
The blurred mass of raven and ivory fur sped toward her scrabbling at her ankles and gnawing at her legs.
"Damn you, little raccoon..."
Then came more furious swipes at her.
"I give up. I don't want to kill you..." The truth was, she couldn't catch it. And the raccoon knew it. "What is it that you're attacking me for?" There was a long and rather silly silence. "You can't talk to me anyhow; I don't know why I bother..."
"Who said that I couldn't?"
"AHHHH!!!!" Tenten fell backward unto her back, and the animal scurried over her. Her shrill screech was hastily muffled by the presence of a paw and claws over her lips. 'There's a living thing stepping on my mouth...' She slowly scraped her hair against the dust, the energy flowing smoothly out of her. Drained and exasperated, Tenten spat. It jumped from her and made a lithe landing not far from where she was lying.
"What do you want from me?"
"You want to be strong. You haven't given up yet. I can try to help you."
"And what does it do for you?"
"When one proves herself worthy, there is always a reward."
"...A reward?"
"Are you stupid, or do you just want me to go away? It is the power to summon...a certain type of animal."
"Like the Sennin?" There was a pause.
"Yes..."
"I'll do whatever it takes." She thrust herself upward with difficulty.
There was an even longer pause than before, but this time it was not tension. "If you can collect enough chakra within yourself to summon one of us, then I will help you." The raccoon's voice was soft, backed by raw power in the form of a small being.
Tenten hadn't understood a word. All she could now comprehend was the short exchange over the Sennin. 'Like the Sennin?' 'Yes...' 'I'm going to be like the Sennin...one of the legendary...I'm going to become strong...and I will not be underestimated ever again. I will be different. I won't have to need anyone to protect me on missions...I will be able to be one of the best...'
"Gather your chakra." Tenten shook her head and her fingers automatically went into the position that was for molding chakra. Her feet were firm against the ground, and everything was perfect. Except one thing. No matter how much sweat poured from her body or how much she strained, nothing came. It was almost as though she was frozen, her knees unable to buckle, and her chakra seized by the 'tick tock' of the world's watch.
"Not quite so easy, is it? When I'd covered your mouth..."
She remembered the sudden loss of power. 'That little...thing...stole my chakra...'
"Exactly..." She threw three needles at the creature. The move was unexpected, but the raccoon dodged it easily. "Not quite so easy," it repeated.
"What's your name?" she hissed.
Seeming to puff up with pride, it---he---answered, "Kuromizuzaki."
Tenten panted, her hands ready to strangle someone. Something. Anything. Then came a memory---that shadow-controlling Genin who had gone against Temari and had nearly won. He'd given up...but...he'd become a Chuunin. When she'd heard the news, it'd irked her to no end. However...perhaps there had been a reason why they'd promoted him...
"I don't seem to have enough chakra to summon any of your brethren. Too bad." She grinned and pushed her palms upward. "I suppose I won't be seeing you ever again."
Kuromizuzaki hesitated. He hadn't encountered something so strange before. She'd been so excited about the idea...and then...that was very odd. But he'd sensed her willpower long before and had been willing to teach her the summoning jutsu...
"Wait. What are you doing?"
"Going home. I'd be more content to become strong on my own. Because there are those who bait people. And you, unfortunately, fall into that category. Those who bait others aren't fit to be teachers. After all, if one is to become strong, I suppose that they'd have to accomplish that themselves. There is no way that I can use the summoning jutsu if I have no chakra. Therefore, I'd like to go home."
The raccoon scrutinized Tenten's back, watching her march away. There was uncertainty in her step, but she continued to walk as though it were of no consequence. It took dignity and the ability to stand down.
"You! Come back...I...I will to teach you..."
--- --- --- --- --- ----
Rock Lee propped up his arms with his crutches, glaring at the Shinobi with the eyes of one who seems to have seen it all. "You know, Tenten, I think you should go see what Neji is up to."
"What for? I talked to him yesterday."
"But that's not enough for someone that you...face it, you know you want to. You're bored speaking to me. You've been here for half an hour already. I see you twitching. Go."
"But---"
"Go!!" With that, he propelled the girl out of the room with his mobile arm.
"...Thank you, Lee."
--- ---- ---- --- --- ----
As was usual, Neji was training in the secluded area that he knew best; behind the succession of puzzling pathways, across from the mounds of splintered logs, the result of Lee's successful Lotus attempts, which had grown into mossy benches. There were several depressions in the ground where his techniques had burrowed into the hard dirt.
Her arms swinging back and forth, Tenten swaggered to the training spot, feeling rather confident. Hey, she deserved it. She had arranged meetings with Kuromizuzaki, spent time practicing until the new moves that she'd created were second nature, and the weather was perfect. One day. That's all that she was asking for. One day to feel like she did. One day.
"Neji!"
"...What are you doing here, Tenten?"
All bluster had been brushed off with the coming breeze. Damn it. His voice had crushed every ounce of self-worth that she'd had moments prior.
"...I just wanted to know if...you were going to take a break any time soon." Damn! She sounded so desperate. Tenten grieved the loss of her pride. "If you're on a roll, then, continue." 'Kuromizuzaki approached YOU, not Neji,' she scolded herself inwardly. 'You're going to be powerful...more powerful than before...'
"What if I was going to take a break?"
"Then..." She mentally grimaced and conjured images of her raccoon-sensei. 'I'm good enough.' "...Then I'd ask if you would like to go on a walk." 'No! No!! I already know he has no interest in me...he'll simply think...damn it, just remember you are good enough!'
The ivory pools of the other closed, considering. "Then I'd accept your offer."
"...Are you going to go on a break?"
"Yes."
They trailed through the park, no words exchanged, basking in each other's company. Although she couldn't tell whether he was humoring her for what had happened before, or if he truly had wanted to go with her, she relished the minutes they were spending.
Soon, they encountered a playground where three children were frolicking. Or, actually, two, a little girl and a small boy, were throwing sand at each other, and the third, a young boy, was sitting nearby, arms crossed, glaring at his two companions with something rather like a mixture of annoyance and envy.
Neither Neji nor Tenten made a move to maneuver around them, and so they watched.
"Hey, want to play?" The little girl clutched the lone boy's wrist and proceeded to drag him into the sand fight, which eventually was abandoned due to a woman coming forth and shoving all three towards their homes.
The slide shone, the wind pushing the swings. Tenten blinked and stepped into the large sandbox, making her way to the swing set. Turning around, she held out her hand.
Neji eyed her hand warily, as though he expected it her to do something. There was a long pause, and she was about to withdraw her hand in embarrassment when he placed two fingertips on her palm.
That was enough of an answer.
They sat on the swings, almost like children. Almost.
Because most children do not disregard the fact that they are supposed to be swinging and touch hands.
--- --- --- ----- ----- ----
Sorry this took so long, but I was rewriting and rewriting this chapter, and I had other things on my mind. I need to get this fic finished so I can start another one that's been tugging at me. I promised myself that I wouldn't get side-tracked from this fic by writing any others at the same time; I've got to do something. Well, I hadn't planned this fic to be too long anyhow. Okay. Please review. I could not survive without any reviews. ;D
[[ Second Disclaimer ]] I got the idea of the Summoning-Thing from when I was reading a fic, and it mentioned Sakura getting close to Tsunade. Tsunade would probably pass on the Summoning Scroll the Sakura, just like Jiraya did for Naruto, right? Then Tenten should have a summoning technique too! xD It's pretty obscure for a disclaim, but just in case you were curious. If you weren't...um...too bad.
(Coming soon) Chapter 8: Abode of Misery
[[ Review Answers ]]
Calophi: Whee. Thank you so much!! Your reviews always make me feel so nice, because you're a dedicated reviewer. Neji does seem nicer in the manga, doesn't he?
Mango13: That was a pretty long (or very spaced out) review! Yay! And thank you. Like I've said before, I do try. Also, you are correct in your thinking that Neji would never say that he loved anyone. He won't say it in this fic, anyways. But he'll lapse every once in a while and do something OOC, like he did here. Kinda.
Mechalich: I'm deprived of any ideas for the next, next chapter, so I might just skip through a lot of time and pretend it's already time for the unhappiness of more recent chapters. As usual, thank you so much! :D
Dark Nemesis 7: He isn't THAT evil...I think. xD Thank you SO much for your support.
ani05tersrVIP: Your reviews really, really, really make me feel really, really, really good!!! Thanks so much!!
phattygirllove: Whoo. New reviewer. Much thanks.
TenTen Hyuga: I'll look into your suggestion, but I don't know about Tenten's parents...that might be a little hard.
Daniel of Lorien: ;D That's good. The email stuff was screwed up recently, so I was having problems too. Glad you were still interested.