Chapter 2
I took my ANBU mask and locked my apartment door behind me. I was to meet Sakura, Neji and Lee at the gates of Konoha for our A class mission. We were supposed to bring back Tonari Saito, a missing nin who had killed a handful of konoha ninjas and civillians.
" Ohayo Reikochan……Ohayo Shigerusan….." I greeted cheerfully to the villagers as I made my way to my destination, receiving smiles from each of them in return. That was how I seemed to be in this world. Happy. Content. Always positive. When in fact I was the complete opposite.
My life has always been an act. All 17 years of them. I used to cry a lot when I was young but I hated it. It made me seemed weak, useless and helpless. I hated it when they (caretakers of the orphanage) asked me if I was alright. It was as if I couldn't take care of myself. But that's where things stopped. They only asked me whether I was fine or not. They never made an attempt to make me feel better. That was when I realised that I was alone. Nobody was there to help me survive in this world. I had to fend for myself.
Thus, I began to smile. It was the only solution I could think of. Smiling the sign of happiness, the sign that you are fine and well. I thought that if I smiled I would forget my sadness eventually. But I was wrong, I could never erase these negative emotions. In the end, I was suffocating….suffocating in my own smile. I couldn't breathe and there was no one to help me breathe again.
Help me.
I always wanted to say that but I was afraid. Afraid that no one would care or stop to help me. Afraid to actually realize that I am truly alone.
However, I still kept smiling. My smile was like a tattoo embedded on my face. Permanent and can not be removed. Stuck there forever. I smile not for the sake of everyone else but for myself. I wanted to believe that I am truly happy and not the opposite. Maybe if I acted positive I will be happy one day. Just maybe there's hope after all.
" Ohayo Neji, Lee, Sakura," I said as I gave a wide grin to them. Neji nodded towards me in acknowledgement while Lee and Sakura gave me a smile in return.
" YOSH! TENTEN'S HERE LET'S GO!" Lee said enthusiastically. I smiled at him. Even though he's 17 but some things never changed.
" Lee! Neji hasn't given us our mission briefing yet. We don't know what to do or where to go," I stated watching him grin sheepishly.
" HURRY UP NEJI! THE SPRING TIME OF YOUTH IS NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR US!" Lee yelled to a glaring pupiless shinobi.
" Tonari Saito was last seen near the surrounding area of the Sora waterfall situated 50km from Konoha. We should stay together and not stray to far. Especially you Lee," he said emotions devoid from his voice as he continuously glared at the hyperactive ninja. " And remember to never underestimate him. According to a source, he has three other missing ninja's working with him. Always keep a look out for suspicious people."
" But, Neji. That area is so vast. It's as big as 3 konoha's put together. How on earth are we going to find him or the other 3 criminals? I think it's best that we were to split up into groups of 2. That way, we could cover up more land. What do you think, Neji?" I asked him.
" No!" Neji said curtly.
" Neji…." I started but stopped just as abruptly as I saw his expression . He had an angry gleam in his white eyes and I knew that I had to shut my mouth.
"We're wasting enough time as it is. Let's go," Neji said in monotone.
Receiving nods of agreement from Lee and Sakura, they headed out in the direction of the Sora Waterfall, knowing that it would take them at least a whole day to get there. Meanwhile, I stood there, too shocked to move, contemplating on the scene that had just taken place. Neji had never been mad at me before. He only uses that look on Lee when he annoys him and to the people he dislikes.
"He's different now," I comprehended, sadly.
Realizing that I was slowly being left behind, I took off, leaping from tree branch to tree branch until I slowly caught up with them.
Truthfully, I knew the reason of his dissaproval. He was worried about Sakura's safety. If we were broken into two teams, Neji and I would be paired together. On the other hand, Lee will be with Sakura. Individually we could fill in the others weakness. Neji couldn't bear with Sakura parting with him or going of with Lee knowing that he couldn't watch her back, that he couldn't protect her.
Neji…..
I understand…
I understand the torment of your heart when you fail to protect your loved one. On the pain and sorrow you have to endure. I almost lost you once…to Kidoumaru. The feeling of helplessness and regret filled every fibre of my being. If only I was there to save you…you wouldn't have to endure such agony. Since then, I have vowed to never let you be in such misery. Your painful past is enough. I trained harder, sheding blood, pushing pass the normal human capacity, knowing that if I slacked I would not be strong to protect you and thus lose you. That was the reason that on missions, I would instinctively stand near your blind spot, covering your weakness with my strength.
If only you knew….
If only….
But I was too late, for you have Sakura now.
Hours passed by." We're in the Sora Waterfall territory. Keep your guards up," Neji commanded.
" Hai," Sakura, Lee and I said simultaneously.
With caution, we explored the area, going deeper and deeper, towards the waterfall. Stopping once in a while to check the surrounding area for clues of the missing nins location. No stone, leaf or branch was left unexamined. Clues were gathered slowly until we had a clear view of where they were or headed. Suddenly…
" We're being ambushed!" Neji warned to us as fifty kunais came whizzing towards him. Instinctively, Neji deflected those weapons by using his kaiten. Afterall, nothing can penetrate through his ultimate defense especially weapons. On the other hand, I threw 10 kunais with explosive tags attached to it around the surrounding area hoping that it would reveal the enemy's location. Sure enough, we could now feel their chakra as they didn't conceal it anymore due to the shock of the explosives . With this, Sakura gathered chakra into her right fist and punched the ground, making the earth crack beneath her fist towards the enemies shattering the trees in the way into splinters. Revealing the enemies positions.
" Very clever. Something that I'd expected from anbu's like you," sneered Tonari Saito, the missing nin we're after.
" Hmmm….I think I'd actually enjoy killing them," smirked the criminal standing next to Saito. He had spiky blue hair with sharp black eyes that could see through your soul.
" I want him. His weapon skills seem somewhat impressive," the criminal with a scar on his cheek said, pointing a finger at me.
" You know it's rude to point," I shot back at him, my voice muffled by my ANBU mask, hiding the status of my real gender.
" Nobody has ever talked back to me and lived before. You're going to regret saying that," he answered back with a smug look on his face.
" Now, now, Ryu-san. Don't get too excited," said the fourth missing nin, as he twirled a shuriken expertisely in his hand.
" Mirai-san, you will be if you….,"
" Come with us now and we will spare your life," Neji cut in, arms folded in front of him.
" Your first mistake is underestimating us," Saito sneered again as he lunged towards Neji, making five other bunshins appear. Neji got into his gentle fist style stance, ready to take the guy head on.
Taking this as a cue, Lee appeared in front of the blue haired criminal and kicked him in the stomach. However, the ninja merely gave him a sinister smile. I saw Lee frown slightly. Normally, Lee's opponent would be pushed back 20 feet away but this guy just stood there unharmed.
I took out a kunai and held it in front of me. Silently observing the two guys in front of me. Trying to interpret their moves. The scar-faced man leapt forward, a katana in his hand, trying to hit me with it but I managed to dodge it. The more I dodged the more aggressive his attacks were. It was getting harder and harder for me to counter attack him.
" Why hasn't the other guy, Mirai made his move yet?" I pondered. Suddenly it hit me." Oh no! It's a diversion."
I saw Mirai at the corner of my eye heading towards Sakura. Damn it….. I can't let that happen. Sakura is our medic-nin. She can't waste her chakra fighting a criminal. She's supposed to use it instead to heal our wounds later on. This is not good. Whatever, it is I had to get that katana out of that Ryu's hand. Instead of dodging his attacks, I made myself open for him to hit me. I felt pain seer all through my body as the katana pierced through my stomach. Ignoring the pain, I held the kunai tightly and sliced his throat. Immediately, he fell to the ground, lifeless. Not wasting much time, I pulled the katana out of my body and threw it to Mirai. The katana was embedded in the tree merely inches away from Mirai's head.
" Where do you think you're going?" I asked as I slowly took in ragged breathes. I was getting tired and the wound didn't help me in my already weak state at all. I need to end this quickly. I took out my scroll and bit my thumb.
" Soushouryou!" I yelled and saw hundreds of weapons head towards him. For years, I've practiced perfecting my technique with or without Neji. Mirai could have never survived that. Even Neji had trouble dodging the weapons when I used the rising twin dragons technique on him. I smirked in satisfaction . My job was done. But lo and behold, there stood Mirai unharmed with two shurikens in his hands and my weapons scattered all around him. I looked at him disbelievingly. My expression hidden beneath my mask.
That can't be. Not even one of my weapons had managed to penetrate through his defense. How did he manage to deflect all of it?
" Ryu-san was weak but I'm a much better ninja than him," he said and threw his two shurikens at me. I leapt in the air and flipped to the side, missing the attack by just mere milimeters.
" You missed," I stated, smirking slightly.
" No. I didn't,"
I heard a cry from behind me and saw that Sakura was injured. A shuriken was embedded in both of her arms.
" Kuso," I muttered under my breathe. He was aiming for her all along. He knew that she was a medical ninja and needed to paralyse the usage of her hands.
" You'll pay for that," I sneered as I ran towards him, punching him in the gut with all my strength.
" You're too late," he whispered into my ear and dissappeared with a poof.
" Kuso! It was a bunshin all along." I turned around and saw the real Mirai running towards an injured Sakura with a kunai in his hand. Sakura dodged the attack and managed to hit him a few times even though she was injured. I knew that she couldn't last very long in her state. In the corner of my eye, I saw Lee still struggling to defeat his opponent. He was opening the fourth door. On the other hand, I saw Neji getting desperate. I could see it in his attacks. They were getting more aggresive and forceful. I knew that he wanted to save Sakura but couldn't as Saito prevented him to do so.
I tore my sleeve and bandaged it tightly around my stomach to prevent it from bleeding profusely.
I glanced at Neji again and saw his troubled expression. I knew that he was frantic to save her. I hated that expression on him. I remembered that promise I made to myself to never let him face any hardships again. What happened to my promise? Did I not love him? Isn't saving the one thing that brings your loved one happiness the right thing to do? Doesn't Sakura bring him happiness?
I knew what I have to do…
I have to save Sakura…
The only person that brings Neji joy…
The one person who makes him smile…
" Neji! Can we take a break now? We've been training for four hours now," I said slightly out of breathe.
"…hnn,"
" Thank you, GOD, for at least giving Neji a heart," I said tilting my head towards the sky with my arms clasped together in delight. I saw Neji smirk in the corner of my eye and I joined him under the tree. We sat next to each other in comfortable silence. I could feel my heart rate go up as his arm accidently brushed mine.
" Hey Neji……can I ask you a question?" I asked him after a few moments, staring at my shoes with sheer fascination.
"… Hn"
" Why Sakura?" In other words……why didn't you choose me? I lifted my gaze from my shoe and looked at him straight in the eye.
" She makes me smile," he answered.
" Souka…."
Only Sakura makes him smile and that's why I'm going to save her. I don't want to see Neji unhappy again.
I saw Sakura being cornered by Mirai, looking helpless, arms useless at her side. Eyes shut tight, waiting for the impact of her skin and his kunai. I saw him hold the kunai above his head and I rushed over there.
I will save the only person who makes him smile…
Even if my life depended on it…
I made some hand signs and poofed in front of Sakura. The kunai managed to scrape my arm but didn't do any other extensive damage. Mirai grabbed my hands and I struggled against his grasp. After a few moments of struggle, I managed to release his hands and kicked him in the chest.
" That's for hurting Sakura-chan!" I hissed. I took a kunai out from my pouch and stabbed him in the heart, watching him fall to the ground and his blood making a puddle on the floor with emotionless eyes.
" And that's for managing to scrape me with a kunai," I said, my voice in a whisper, too tired to talk. Instead of, looking at me with fearful eyes, he gave me a small satisfied smirk and he was no more.
" Why did he smile? Was he so glad to leave this earth?" I thought as I stared at the lifeless body in front of me.
" Tenten-chan! Are you ok?" I turned to Lee and saw his worried expression. I nodded reassuringly to him
" How's Sakura-chan?"
" She fainted. Her wounds are not that serious but it needs to be taken care of nonetheless,"
I nodded again and looked around the area. I saw four bodies on the ground. All of them were the missing nins. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and glanced at Lee's direction. I smiled reassuringly again. We won….we won. Then the sudden realisation dawned on me.
" Where's Neji?" I asked, panic filling my heart. Did he get hurt? Where is he?
" He's tending to Sakura-chan," Lee said pointing to a figure behind me. Sure enough, there he was. Neji was holding Sakura in his arms, a worried expression etched on his face. I made my way to Neji and reached out to touch Sakura's hand when Neji swatted my hand away.
" Don't touch her," he said, his voice as cold as ice. " It was because of you that she was hurt in the first place."
I stiffed at his sudden words. I was shocked at his reaction towards me.
" Let's return back to Konoha. Our job is done here. We shall let the other Anbu's retrieve their bodies," Neji ordered as his back faced towards me, carrying Sakura in his arms, bridal-style.
Neji…
Gomen…
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Ok..that's the end of chapter 2. Sorry it took so long. I had trouble with the fighting scene. It was my first time attempting to write one. Please review. I'd really appreciate it.
Anyway…I promise you guys that I won't take long to update ever again. Oh..to all of you who read and reviewed this story, I thank you very much. Till the next chapter….. waves at every random people