Hey everybody! Guess who's back? That's right!
I know I told you, and even promised you, that I wouldn't go into another
writer's block.
But I guess I did. And for that, I am so terribly, terribly, TERRIBLY sorry.
I know I've said that before, but I mean it.
I hope you forgive me enough to read the chapter, I've worked my ass off
with it.
Here's the fourth chapter of "I will protect you... Always" ! Enjoy it!
As Naruto launched into a high-speed explanation of what had happened,
Tsunade checked on Tenten. She executed a diagnostic jutsu while
listening very carefully to Naruto's every word.
And as the two of them began their discussion, something happened
deep within Tenten's foggy mind.
Warm.
That was the first feeling she got.
She was somewhere warm.
Light.
That was the second feeling she got.
She was somewhere where she was floating.
Slowly, Tenten opened her eyes.
And suddenly, she wasn't floating anymore.
Huh? Where am I?
She blinked as if she had been drowsy. She shook her head to clear it
and looked around. She was standing in a glade with green lush trees
everywhere.
I'm in a...forest? What am I doing here?
Tenten turned a full 360 degrees while looking out across the forest.
Strange...for some reason I feel like I know this place...
"Rising Twin Dragons!!!"
Tenten spun around on her heel and whipped her head to the left, just as
the sound of several sharp objects digging into wood was heard.
She gaped openly at the currently airborne person above her.
It was a young girl, maybe 12 or 13 years of age, she was wearing a
pink top in chinese style, black slightly baggy pants, blue sandals, a
forehead protector, and she had her hair up in two buns.
What the hell...!?
The girl was her.
Tenten stared at her younger self as she landed on the ground.
Two unrolled scrolls landed on the ground around her. The younger
Tenten took a few seconds to regain her breath before looking around.
Her eyes went right past the present Tenten.
She-I mean, I, I mean, gahh! She can't see me... Of course she can't,
this is a dream after all.
But even though she knew that, she felt oddly awake for being in a dream.
Tenten followed her younger self's example and looked around. She saw
numerous kunai, senbon needles, scythes, knives, daggers, and shuriken
buried in various trees and every single one of the practice dolls. She smiled,
feeling some pride in being nearly flawless in her throwing skills already
at that age.
The sound of running footsteps caught Tenten's attention and pulled her
from her musings.
"Huh?"
Tenten whipped her head to her younger self. The younger woman was
looking in the direction of where the footsteps were coming from.
The present Tenten followed the younger one's example.
Out from the trees came a boy. He was running on a small path that led
it's way through the forest.
Tenten smiled fondly.
I'd recognise THAT untamed hairstyle anywhere!
"... Naruto?"
It seemed that her past self recognised him too.
Said boy halted in mid-step and turned to her. The blonde bent his
head to the side with a clueless look on his face.
Tenten smiled, she knew that look. He didn't recognise her...yet.
A small frown made way across the younger Naruto's face.
Tenten nodded. She knew that that was coming. He faintly remembered
seeing her before and was trying to place her face with a name. He always
did this whenever he was trying to remember a person he had met before.
Then it hit her.
This is my and Naruto-kun's first meeting! Well, our first time talking
to each other, anyway...
She looked back and forth between her younger self and her boyfriend-to-be.
Yeah, yeah! I remember now!
"Ten...Ten?" The past Naruto said hesitantly.
"Now this is a surprise... You remember my name. Even though we've
never really met before." The past Tenten stated.
Naruto agreed that it was strange. He looked her over once and then asked,
"What happened to you?"
Tenten just had to laugh at that comment. That was Naruto for you. Clueless at
just about everything that didn't have to do with fighting.
Her past self gestured behind her and Naruto noticed the numerous
throwing-weapons scattered across the glade.
"Wow! You did all this!? Amazing! You must've been training here
since God knows when in the morning! And damn, you've sure got a
lot of weapons! Where do you keep all of those?" Naruto exclaimed
cheerily, loudly, and with the energy of a child on sugar.
Yes... This was the place we really officially "met". Back then, I had
absolutely NO idea that he was the one that I would come to cherish
the most...
Tenten looked on as the past Naruto waved his arms around with a
bright smile.
"Wow...! Hey, hey! What kinda amazing Ninjutsu is that? How does
it work?" Naruto said excitedly.
"Why don't I show it to you?"
Back then, I was surprised when he asked me about my technique.
It was the first time anyone had shown ANY interest in it.
Well, besides Neji of course...
The past Tenten dropped down to the ground, the used scrolls landing
in two piles beside her. She panted hard and wiped the sweat off
her forehead.
"That was so cool!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he ran up to her.
"Glad you liked it." The brunette breathed before collapsing to the
ground, now thoroughly spent.
When he saw how I collapsed, he instantly asked me what was wrong.
He looked so worried...
Naruto quickly kneeled down beside her.
"Hey! Are you alright!?" Naruto asked, blue eyes filled with worry.
Tenten chuckled and rolled over onto her back.
"I'm alright. Just tired." She stated.
And when I lay there to catch my breath, he stayed with me...
I remember wondering why he did that so intensively I just HAD
to ask...
"Hey," Getting the boy's attention, she continued, "why are you
sitting here like this with me? I mean, not that I dislike you being
here or anything, but... I mean, you don't even know me."
Naruto seemed to contemplate this for a moment or two. Then he looked
away from her and towards the sky.
"I don't really know. I just, you know, didn't feel like leaving."
When Tenten raised a quizzial eyebrow, he continued. "Besides, do I really
need a reason? Can't I hang out with people simply because I want to?"
He said with a goofy laugh.
The brunette looked at the boy before her, her face displaying nothing
but surprise.
His answer left me so stumped I couldn't think of a single thing
to say. Well, I really didn't need to, since...
"Hey! I'm going to Ichiraku to eat breakfeast. Do you wanna come?"
Naruto asked.
"Eh?"
Naruto grabbed her wrist and smiled, if possible, even brighter
than before.
"Ah, come on! It'll be fun!" He exclaimed cheerily.
And before she could say a single word, Tenten was yanked onto
her feet and had to run to keep up with the blonde.
"Hey! Don't just pull on my wrist like that! You could have sprained
it or something!" Tenten shouted as she struggled to keep up.
Naruto turned to her with his everlasting smile.
"Ah, come on! Don't be such a worry-wart!" He said before turning
his head and shouting, "Now let's go! Ichiraku Ramen! Here we come!!!"
Tenten stared at him in a mix of surprise and shock for a moment
before sighing.
"And here I thought I could finally get away from crazy people! I escape
from Lee and Gai-Sensei for one day and I run straight into their pseudo
long-lost brother!" She muttered.
"Eh? Did you say something, Tenten?"
Sigh.
"Nothing, Naruto. Nothing at all."
She looked up at the sky. She knew by her experiences with Lee that
trying to refuse offers from people like him was next to impossible.
"Why me, God?" She muttered in exparation.
The present Tenten watched them run down the path. She was smiling
softly at them.
Well, I certainly got THAT question answered for me! Not that I really
believe in God or anything, but still...
Just as she thought that, the surroundings changed again.
Tenten looked around and saw that she was back where she started,
the glade in the forest. However, this time the scene playing out before
her was different.
The past Tenten was standing before the grinning blonde.
"You what?" She asked, her surprise obvious.
Naruto put his hands behind his head and grinned.
"I said, do you wanna train with me?" He repeated.
Tenten arched an eyebrow.
"Why would you ask that?" She asked.
"Well, allthough I don't really mind training by myself, spending
the whole day by beating the crap out of Shadow Replications does
get really boring after a while. Plus, I'm not really sure if it's such
a great training method..."
Tenten's face was the picture of sarcasm as she replied,
"Really?"
Naruto nodded, completely oblivious.
"Besides, you're in the same situation, right? You're training alone
day out and day in too, right?" He reasoned.
Even though beating the crap out of clones and practising your
throwing-weapon skills are two very different things, he did have
a point there.
The brunette seemed to think it over for a minute.
"Sure, why not? But, I really don't see how we can train together,
seeing as we use completely different training methods." Tenten said.
"Isn't that obvious? Your Riding Twin Dragons-whatever is
really fast and hard to dodge, right?" Naruto started.
"Rising Twin Dragons." Tenten corrected him.
"Right. Anyway, as I was saying... Your technique is really
fast, and my Shadow Replication Technique makes me hard
to hit. So? What do you think? Isn't it the greatest training method
ever!?" Naruto exclaimed.
Tenten opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself.
Once again, he had a point.
"You know, you may just be right there. My Rising Twin Dragons
IS fast, but it isn't as good as I would like it to be when facing off
against moving targets. Allright then, Naruto! You've got yourself
a deal!" Tenten said.
Naruto pumped his fist into the air.
"Allright! I'm the greatest!!!" He exclaimed.
Tenten brought out her two favourite scrolls.
"I'm interested in this training method, Naruto. You mind if I try it
out right now?" She asked.
Naruto beat a fist into his palm.
"Oh yeah! Bring it on! I was just going to ask the same thing
anyway!" He said confidently.
Tenten hesitated, she was confident in her ability to control the
technique, but it could still be really dangerous.
"You sure you're ready, Naruto? I'm going to come at you
with everything I've got!" She stated.
"Heh! I was BORN ready! Gimme your best shot!" Naruto challenged.
Tenten hesitated again.
"I won't pull any kunai on you!" She warned.
"Didn't you hear me?" Naruto said, his well-known self-confidence
making it's grand appearance. "I said, gimme your best shot!!!"
"If you say so..." Tenten said, still unsure.
Naruto on the other hand, was not.
"Shadow Replication Technique!!!" He shouted and 15 copies
of himself appeared.
Tenten frowned and set the scrolls on the ground. She did warn him...
"Rising Twin Dragons!!!"
Always so confident... No matter what the situation,
Naruto-kun NEVER loses his confidence or his belief
in himself.
And that fact didn't change as the rain of sharp projectiles showered
down towards him. Naruto grinned confidently and reached into
his item pouch. His clones did the same.
Even when beaten, he...
Tenten landed and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She slowly
walked towards the kneeling boy.
"Hey, you okay? I didn't hit anything vital, did I?" She asked
in concern. When she didn't get an answer from him, she said,
"You did really great with deflecting my weapons, Naruto.
Allthough, a ninja should really be able to read underneath the underneath.
Even though I admit, the strings attached to my weapons were
a bit hard to see..."
Naruto put a hand on top of his knee, his body shaking.
Tenten frowned in concern. She reached out to put a hand on
his shoulder, but-
"... Again."
"Huh?" Tenten said with a raised eyebrow.
"... Do it again... That Riding Twin Dragons-thing of yours...
Do it again...!" Naruto said and slowly stood up.
Tenten nearly face-faulted.
"Hah?"
"Do that trick of your again, Tenten...! I'll beat it this time...!"
Naruto panted, head bowed.
Before she could say a word, he raised his head. "Don't act so
worried about me, Tenten. I'm not a baby, you know. I'm allright.
So go right ahead and do your Riding Twing Dragons! I'll definitely
beat it this time!" Naruto said and beat his fist into his palm.
Tenten stared at him in disbelief.
"Naruto-"
"I don't go back on my word, 'cause that's my way of the ninja!"
Tenten looked at Naruto in wonder.
That was the first time I came face-to-face with Naruto's
extreme bullheadedness. And his way of the ninja.
The surroundings changed once again.
Tenten watched as her younger self and Naruto met and talked,
then the surroundings changed again and the two of them were training.
As time passed by, we saw each other more and more. It came to the
point where we talked to each other at least once a day.
We started to get to know each other better and better for each
passing day.
"Heey!! Tenten!!!"
"Hey Naruto! Whow, slow down! Where's the fire?"
"You'll NEVER be able to guess what I just found out this
morning at breakfeast!"
"Ichiraku has a 10 percent discount on everything."
"Ichiraku has got a 10 percent's discou- Hey! How the hell
did you know that!?"
"I'm psychic."
"Yeah, and I'm a Cup Ramen in disguise. Seriously, how did
you know that!?"
"Women's intuition."
"Tenteeeeen!!!"
"Alright, alright! It's nothing, really! I just put two and two
together, that's all! You eat breakfeast at Ichiraku's every
day, and you're obsessed with ramen. If you think that way,
two plus two definitely equals four."
"Really? Well if you know about it, then what are we waiting
for!? Let's go!"
"Eh? Hey!!! How many times do I have to tell you to
STOP PULLING on my wrist!!!!"
"Quit yer whining and step on it!"
"As long as it gets my wrist out of your grasp..."
It was strange, having just started to get to know him a few
weeks ago, I was already growing fond of him. At times, he was
just like the annoying little brother I never had...
"Rising Twin-"
"HEY! TENTEN!!!!"
"Gah!?"
Thump!
"Hey, Tenten! Guess wha- Hey, why are you on the ground?
And how come you've got that big lump on your head?"
"Come a little closer and ask again..."
"Huh? Like this?"
"Perfect."
BAM!
And sometimes, he was the best friend I could ask for...
"... You okay?"
Nod.
"... You sure?"
Nod.
"... Okay..."
"..."
"..."
"... You're not gonna tell me what happened, are you?"
Shake.
"... Okay..."
"..."
"..."
"... Here."
Blink.
"Go ahead, take it. I've got one more."
"...?"
"Yeah, I know, you don't like ramen much. But it usually
cheers me up when I'm down."
"..."
"..."
"... Thanks..."
"... Don't mention it."
The more time we spent together, the more I started to
enjoy his company.
"Oohhh maaaan...!" Tenten banged her head down on the
wood before her.
"What's the matter, Tenten?" The pink haired kunoichi
sitting next to her asked.
Tenten put her chin in her hand and sighed.
"You saw Naruto take off a few minutes ago, right Sakura?
He had just had his lunch." She said without looking at her friend.
Sakura nodded and blew a little on her noodles before
eating them.
"Yeah, so?" She asked after swallowing.
Tenten's brown eyes drifted to the pile of empty bowls.
"I don't know what he did, but somehow, I ended up paying
for him!" She said and sighed, thinking about her now
near-empty wallet.
"What? Naruto does that to you too!?"
Tenten turned her head with a raised eyebrow. Sakura had
gone for another pack of noodles, but her hand had stopped
before picking it up out of the bowl. She looked really
surprised.
"What's with the look, Sakura?" Tenten asked.
Sakura shook her head and went back to her bowl.
"Nothing, I was just surprised..." She said quietly and
blew on her noodles.
Tenten frowned in question, her curiosity rising.
"Why? Naruto does the same thing with you too, right?"
She pointed out.
Sakura nodded, stirring the contents of her bowl.
"Yeah, but that's because he likes me." She said, a frown
crossing her face.
"So? What's that got to do with this?" Tenten demanded,
her curiosity growing towards it's peak.
Sakura blew on another pack of noodles.
"Well... I've spent a whole lot of time with Naruto because
of him being in my team and everything, and there is one thing I
can say for certain about him." She said and stirred her bowl again.
"Which is?" Tenten asked, her curiosity now having reached
it's peak.
Sakura put down her chopsticks and turned to Tenten. She looked
as if she was unsure about something, and at the same time surprised.
"The fact that Naruto ONLY does this with people he really likes."
Tenten's eyes widened. Whatever answer she had been expecting,
that had not been one of them.
"I...see."
Sakura blinked. She tried to get eye-contact with her friend, but
no matter what she did, she would not look up from the empty
bowl before her. Nor would she remove her hand from her right
cheek, which felt hot for some reason.
And after that particular event at the ramen stand, I somehow
found it hard to stay mad at Naruto for extended periods of time.
Or complain too much when he dragged me to Ichiraku.
"Hey, what's wrong Tenten?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why aren't you saying anything? I mean, usually, you'd be screaming
at me at the top of your lungs to let go of your wrist!"
"Oh... Well, I just figured that it was useless to argue, that's all.
You would never let go no matter how much I complained, would you?"
"Err... Nope!"
"Thought so."
It was strange at the time but... I really started to enjoy it whenever
he grabbed my hand. And, for some reason, whenever he came by
to see me, I always felt so...happy.
I came to really like that goofy smile of his, especially when he
directed it at me. It made me feel kinda...warm, inside.
It actually came to the point when I asked myself one morning if I
was falling for him. But I just laughed the thought off and went off
to train with Neji. It had been a while, after all. And that was the
fatefull day, when Neji misread my movements and attacked...
Neji came within 5 meters from her with no sign of stopping.
Tenten closed her eyes and raised her arms to take the hit. (This is going
to hurt...!) Tenten thought. Her heart beat loudly in her ears and shut out
all the other sounds around her. She shut her eyes tight and expected to
feel pain.
But there wasn´t any.
Tenten waited one second, two, three... Then she opened her eyes slowly.
They widened at the sight before her.
Neji was standing about 2 metres from her, his palm was pressing against
orange fabric. He had a look of surprise on his face. And for a good reason.
Standing 1 metre from Tenten, was a blonde boy.
He was pressing his arm against Neji´s palm. Tenten just stared.
Her mouth fell open in surprise and shock. (N, Naruto-kun? W, where did
he come from? W, why is he here?) Tenten wondered.
Then her brain finally registered the position of the boy´s arm.
(Naruto-kun, he...he blocked Neji´s attack?) Tenten thought.
Naruto growled at Neji.
"Don´t you dare hurt her... Do you hear me? Don´t you DARE hurt her!!!" Naruto growled.
Tenten´s eyes widened. Did Naruto just defend her?
I was shell-shocked! No one had ever even attempted to block one
of Neji's strikes with their bare arms before! But that was Naruto
for you, Konoha's Number 1 most surprising ninja.
It was also the day when I realised that... The answer to the question
I asked myself the very same morning... Was yes.
It's strange, how one's opinion of someone can change in the blink
of an eye! Or...in a gesture...
Tenten looked Naruto up and down. Her cheeks heated up and her
heartbeat quickened. Then, their eyes locked. They lost all sense of
time and place as they gazed into each other´s eyes. Tenten drowned
in Naruto´s blue orbs. She couldn´t tear her eyes from his.
Then before she knew it, he had crossed the distance between them
and had her in his arms. He lowered his face and pressed his lips
against Tenten´s. Her cheeks flushed crimson and her breathing sped up.
Never before in her life had Tenten felt so alive than when Naruto
kissed her. It was like she had been dreaming up untill now.
Tenten lost her self-control and a burning passion took over.
She placed her hands on the back of Naruto´s head and kissed him back,
with passion. She ran her hands through his wild spiky hair.
Naruto soon responded and their light kissing turned more passionate.
The present Tenten watched smilingly how her younger self bonded
with the one who was to become her most loved one.
Tenten brought a hand up to her heart.
Yes... This is how I came to love Naruto-kun. Through all the
confusion and irritation, I learned one thing. You can't choose
who you are going to fall in love with. Ever. It just happens.
Tenten turned around and looked up at the sky just as the surroundings
changed and became whiter.
That's right. I love Naruto-kun. With all my heart. No matter
what happens, I will always love him. And nothing will ever
change that! Nothing!
A sudden thought then struck her.
Why am I seeing all of this? I mean, I know it's a dream and all,
but... I've never felt so awake when dreaming before... And, I've
never been able to blink in a dream, or laugh and actually feel
it in my stomach!
As she pondered this, the surroundings changed. Before she realised
it, she was back in the white area where she started.
She started floating higher and higher up towards a ceiling she
couldn't see. Her eyes widened as the light above her became
brighter and brighter and blinded her. But for some reason, she could not
look away.
"... And that's what happened, Tsunade-obaachan."
Tsunade slowly nodded as she contemplated the blushing
boy's story.
Naruto had just finished telling her in detail about what had
happened last night. Well, maybe not every detail. Naruto had
started to blush and stutter when he came to the part where him
and Tenten went into her apartment and...
Tsunade had said to him, with a completely straight face,
"Ah, you two had sex. I see now. No wonder your hair looked
more ruffled than usuall."
This had caused such blushing and stuttering from him that
would have put Hinata to shame a few years ago.
Tsunade had finished up her diagnostic technique a little while ago
and she had put Tenten on a couch a metre away from her desk.
She was lying with her back to them.
None of them noticed her arm twitch.
"I can't believe it... I'm really going to be a father! I found out about
it over an hour ago and it still hasn't sunk in yet!" Naruto wisphered
and looked down at his slightly shaking hand.
Tsunade chuckled.
"Most men doesn't really realise that their wives are pregnant before
they start showing it." She said.
Naruto perked up.
"Hey, Tsunade-obaachan! You finished the diagnosis, didn't you?
So? How-how was it? Is Tenten going to be alright!? Come on,
tell me!" He said, growing more and more nervous.
"Maybe if you shut up, I will." It was funny, how fast Naruto could
shut his mouth when he really wanted to. "Alright, Naruto. Listen.
I've run every diagnostic technique I know on Tenten and can safely
say that you are right. She is pregnant."
Naruto swallowed. Even though Kyuubi had told him, he hadn't really
believed it. Now however, with Tsunade herself sitting before him,
telling him the same thing, he believed it.
"However!" Tsunade barked, making Naruto almost jump out of
his skin. "There were also some abnormalities."
Naruto clenched the fabric of his pants. He swallowed hard.
This could not be good.
"Ab-abnormalities...?" He stuttered, eyes wide with fear.
Tsunade put her hands under her chin and narrowed her eyes.
"The speed at which the embryo is attaching itself to Tenten's
Chakra pathways is much higher than what is normal. I have seen
many pregnancies, and I've never seen one like this. Aside from
this, it is completely normal." Tsunade stated.
Naruto turned to glance at Tenten briefly before returning
to Tsunade. He was very tense.
"But it's gonna be alright, right? Tenten and the child are going
to be alright, right!? They're not going to get hurt or anything,
right!!?" Naruto nearly shouted.
He was standing up now, staring at Tsunade with a nearly frantic
look on his face. Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes.
"I don't know. It looks pretty much alright, but I need to take a look
at your seal in order to make sure that your...tenant, doesn't have
anything to do with this. We can not take any chances, Naruto."
She stated.
Naruto had his jacket off and his shirt pulled up before Tsunade
could blink.
"Then go ahead and check it already!!! Don't just sit there
and sigh! We don't have all day, you know! What if this is something
serious!?" Naruto shouted.
Tsunade frowned and shook her head.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Naruto." She said.
Naruto slammed his foot down on her desk and a strong
crack was heard.
"And why the HELL not!!?" Naruto screamed furiously.
(Why the hell can't she just check the seal already!!? Why is she just
sitting there stalling for!!? If Tenten ends up getting hurt because of her
stalling, I swear...!) Naruto thought. He was getting more and more furious
with each passing second. He was so worried about Tenten he couldn't
take it!
"I've been around on the battlefield and in the hospital before you were
even born, so I know my share of seals. But I'm no expert. And an expert is
precisely what is needed here." Tsunade stated seriously.
"Then go ahead and-"
"SHUT UP!!!!!!!!"
Naruto backed a step in sheer surprise. Tsunade slammed her hands down
on her desk and nailed him down with a glare.
"I was just going to call him here! If you hadn't been so hot-headed, he
would have already been here! So if it isn't too much to ask, be quiet and
stay still for a minute while I go and call him!!!" Tsunade roared.
Naruto was down in the chair before he knew it himself.
Tsunade sighed and walked around the desk.
"Don't worry, Naruto. What ever he says when he gets here, I will stand
behind you and Tenten all the way. So cool your head a bit and stay put."
She said softly and put her hand on his shoulder.
Naruto saw the sincerity in her eyes and relaxed. A bit.
Tsunade nodded and walked up to the door.
"I have a first-class urgent message to deliver!" She called.
The second she stopped talking, a masked man was kneeling before her.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?" The ANBU said.
Tsunade bent down and wisphered something in his ear.
The ANBU visibly flinched as she finished.
"You got all that? Good, then go!" Tsunade said and waved her arm.
The ANBU nodded and disappeared in a plume of smoke.
Tsunade returned to her desk and sat down. Naruto followed her with
his eyes all the way.
"The seal expert will be here soon." Tsunade said.
Naruto nodded and looked down.
Tsunade blinked. She had never seen him like this before.
His eyes were darting from left to right, his fingers were moving around
as if he didn't know what to do with them, his knee was moving up and
down, his toes were moving around even worse than his fingers, and he
was starting to shake ever so slightly.
(My god! He looks as though he's about to either have a nervous breakdown,
or go stark raving mad!) Tsunade thought.
"Naruto." She flinched, before she had even finished calling
his name, he was already looking at her.
Tsunade looked him over and her expression hardened. (What if his
tenant has something to do with his fidgety state?) She wondered, her
mind running over what that could mean. She did not like it.
"Have you been feeling okay recently? I mean, you haven't been
dizzy, or had sudden mood-swings, or something like that?"
Tsunade asked, her gaze hard.
Naruto was visibly confused by her question but he answered nonetheless.
"No, I've been fine. Why?" Naruto wondered.
"It was your tenant that first told you that Tenten was pregnant,
was it not?" Tsunade asked, her voice carrying a hard edge.
Naruto nodded and glanced back at Tenten. She was still
unconscious. But as he turned away from her, he failed to see the
slight movement of her mouth.
Tsunade lowered her head so that her hands covered her mouth.
"It might just be a bit of paranoia from my side but... What if it
was your tenant that made Tenten pregnant? After all, he knew
she was before you did, right?" Tsunade said.
Naruto flinched and put a hand on his stomach.
"W-what!? T-that's impossible! How can he have made Tenten
pregnant!? I mean, he's...he's...!" Naruto said and stared down
at his stomach.
"He is sealed inside of you." Naruto flinched again. "While I want
to agree with you in that it is impossible for him to do anything to
your child... I am afraid I can't. There are too many uncertain factors.
After all, no one knows exactly how your seal works anymore, Naruto.
The last two who knew are dead. That is why it is so crucial to
let this seal specialist take a look at your seal in order to confirm
that it isn't weakening or something like that." Tsunade stated
gravely.
Naruto stared wide-eyed at his stomach. His mouth was slightly
open and he was covered in a thin layer of cold-sweat.
(Kyuubi...! If you have anything to do with this, I SWEAR I will tear
you out of my stomach and then RIP you to tiny little pieces that even
YOU won't be able to regenerate from!!!) Naruto swore.
He looked up.
"If worse comes to worse, and it turns out that he did have something
to do with this... Then I don't give a SHIT if he's Kyuubi, the
strongest of the tailed demons! I'll-" Naruto raised his voice and-
"Kyuubi?"
Naruto froze. He became still as a statue.
(No... No not now! Please don't wake up now...!) He thought.
Naruto slowly turned, and his worst fears were confirmed.
Sitting up on the couch, was a very awake Tenten. The young kunoichi
looked like she had just recieved the shock of her life.
Which she had.
"Naruto-kun...you've...you've got the...the Kyuubi sealed in-inside
of you? Is that really true?" Tenten asked, her face a mix of emotions.
"Tenten... I-" Naruto tried, but he was interrupted.
"It's true."
The teenagers both turned to the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
Tsunade was looking even more serious now than before.
"It is unfortunate that you heard that part. I was hoping to spare
you from the grief of knowing." Tsunade stated.
Tenten fell back against the couch.
"Wait a second...! S-so it's true then? The Kyuubi didn't die then?
Naruto-kun has got the...the Kyuubi sealed in him? Is this...is this
really true?" Tenten asked slowly, her voice containing no emotions.
Tsunade kept looking at her, but otherwise did not move.
Naruto looked to and from the two of them, his lips moving but no
sound coming over them. He looked like a lost little child.
Tenten's eyes widened.
"This has GOT to be some kind of a joke...! Na-Naruto-kun can't
have...! He-he can't be...!" She said, her voice falling into
wisphering.
Naruto stood up and took a step towards her and reached out
his hand.
"Tenten... I-"
Tenten put her hand on her stomach.
"And...and I'm pregnant...! I'm...I'm pregnant...! And...and you have...!
You are...! No... This, this just can't...!" She wisphered, her eyes
wide with shock and disbelief.
She started to shake, her eyes filled with moisture.
Naruto took another hesitant step towards her.
"Tenten... It's not what you think. I'm-"
"It's not what!? It's not true that I'm pregnant!? It's not true that you've
got the Kyuubi sealed inside of you!? It's not true that you're...!
That you're...!" Tenten stuttered, her eyes filled with a sudden fear.
Naruto flinched and took a step back, his hand and lower lip
quivered. A strong wave of fear washed over him.
"Tenten, please! It's not...! I...! Don't...! Don't look at me
like that!!!" Naruto yelled and shut his eyes tight and looked away.
"Don't...! Don't look at me like I'm some kind of... Monster...!"
His whole body was shaking now, tears spilled down his cheeks.
"Please! Please don't look at me like that...! Please...! Don't...!
Don't look at me with those, those cold eyes... Don't look at me with...
with such...such hate! I-I can't handle that! Not you...! Not you too! I can't
stand it! Not if you start hating me too!!!" Naruto said, more and more tears
escaping down his cheeks as he backed another step.
He clenched his fists and grit his teeth. Ragged breaths betrayed sobs
that held pain within them that ran deeper than the sea.
The pure pain in his voice was enough to bring Tenten slightly to her senses.
She stared at him open-mouthed, unsure of what to say.
Tenten felt completely lost. She felt like she didn't know a thing!
She felt...tricked somehow, brought behind the light. She felt as if everything
she had been told...everything she had believed during the last few years
was all...was all just a...just a...
"Naruto...! Did you...? Did you lie to me...? All these years? Did you-"
But Tenten didn't get further than that.
A sudden ear-splitting crash shocked them both half to death!
In the middle of the pieces that used to be a desk, stood the Fifth Hokage.
Tsunade's brown eyes were colder than the coldest glacier. Her face was
a mask of stone, and in it was an expression engraved, the kind that could
make your enemies shit themselves.
And while it didn't have that particular effect on Naruto and Tenten,
it did serve it's purpose by shocking the shit out of them.
In other words, giving their undivided attention to her.
"Naruto... Did NOT lie to you, Tenten. Everything he has told you has
been nothing but the truth. I can say this because I trust Naruto completely,
with my life. And if you think, even for ONE single SECOND, that Naruto
is the Kyuubi, then you're as far off from the truth as I would be if I told you
I had invited Orochimaru over for a cup of tea!"
Tsunade slowly, and not completely un-intimidatingly, made her way
over to them. Her green gamble jacket fluttered around her and her ponytails
seemed to slightly float. Naruto and Tenten swallowed.
The Chakra that was coming from her was everything BUT small!
"Listen good and listen well, Tenten...! 'Cause I am going to tell you
everything. From the day the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, up to this very day!"
Tsunade stated, there being nothing but seriousness in her voice.
"When the Kyuubi attacked on that fatefull day, we were literally powerless
to stop it. The beast shook off our attacks like they were nothing. Which I
suspect they were to the beast! The Kyuubi would have completely obliderated
Konoha, had it not been for that one man." Tsunade said and glanced up at
one of the photos hanging on the wall. "The Yondaime came and killed the
Kyuubi. Well, that's what you've been told. Isn't that right, Tenten?"
Tenten could only nod. Tsunade nodded too.
"Well you can forget about that! That's nothing more but a big fat lie!
What really happened...is this.
The Yondaime fought the Kyuubi with all his power, but even he was
unable to stop the beast. And that's saying something, seeing as the
Yondaime was probably the strongest ninja in the world at the time.
In the end, he had no choice. Yondaime sacrificed himself in order to use
an extremely powerfull forbidden technique, in order to seal the Kyuubi
away. And where do you think he chose to seal the beast?" Tsunade said,
looking at the young ninjas before her, one at a time.
"He sealed him in a child that had just had it's umbilical cord cut and
was still bleeding from it! Now, we arrive at an extremely interesting
question. Who, do you think, was that child? Yes. It was none other than
Uzumaki Naruto."
Tenten gasped and her eyes widened even more than before.
Naruto opened and closed his mouth a few times before looking down
at the floor.
There. It was out in the open. His biggest secret was revealed.
Tsunade fixed her gaze on Tenten, who had fallen back into the couch.
The brunette opened and closed her mouth like a fish and made a few
stuttering noises, but no real words.
Tsunade sighed and put a hand on her hip.
"Tenten, I know it is a lot to take in at once. But, before you start doing
that, let me ask you one thing. Has Naruto ever, and I really do mean
EVER, hurt you before? Has he ever been anything but caring towards you?"
Tsunade asked.
Tenten looked up at her for a few seconds before looking down at
her hands. She bit her lip as she contemplated her question.
Memories of her and Naruto's time together, both before and after they
got together, flashed by before her eyes. With each passing memory,
Tenten grew more and more sure. Besides her growing certainty, there was
another thought gnawing at her in the back of her head. A vague memory
of something...a dream. Even though she could not recall what the dream had
been about, she was sure that it had been something really important.
After a few agonising minutes, Tenten raised her head.
Naruto stood in the same position, hands hanging by his sides and
head hung low.
"Well? Have you made up your mind?" Tsunade asked, her firm gaze
back on Tenten.
The brown haired kunoichi nodded. She stood up and made her way,
step by step, over to Naruto.
The blonde heard her and tensed up in preparation for the screaming he
knew was coming.
His eyes snapped wide open as he felt arms snake themselves around
his waist!
"Look at you, you poor idiot...! You're shaking worse than a leaf on
a tree that has been caught in a storm!" Came a soft voice by his ear.
Naruto shivered. What was she...?
"Ten...Ten? Wh-what are you doing? Aren't you...aren't you mad
at me?"
The arms tightened their grip.
"... Don't be stupid. Of course I'm mad at you!"
Naruto tensed up. (I KNEW it...!) He thought in agony.
Wind blew across his ear as a chuckle was heard.
"I'm mad at you, alright. I'm mad at you for not telling me the truth!"
Naruto turned around and raised his hands, which were shaking.
Tenten was smiling! She was actually smiling! Her brown eyes filled
with tears as she softly punched him in the chest.
"Tenten...? Why are you...? Don't you... Don't you... Don't you hate me?"
Naruto asked, his voice cracking.
Dared he hope...? Dared he believe...?
Tenten started to silently hiccup. Then she threw herself into his arms!
"How... How the hell can I hate you, Naruto-kun? Especially when you've
got that...that stupid look on your face! After... After all the time we've
spent together...! How the HELL do you expect me to hate you!?" Tenten said,
tears spilling down her cheeks.
Naruto's eyes widened, then they filled up with moisture, which promptly
escaped. He hiccuped once, then he slung his arms around Tenten and hugged
her to him with all the strength he had in him!
Tsunade watched with a content smile as the young couple broke down
and started crying.
Tenten grabbed fistfulls of Naruto's black shirt while he did the same with
her pink top. Tenten cried into Naruto's shoulder as he let his tears spill on
the top of her head.
"So... So you don't think that I'm... Just the Kyuubi reborn!? You... You're not
going to leave me...because of the Kyuubi!?" Naruto sobbed.
Tenten chuckled through her tears.
"Of course I don't think that! And of course I won't leave you! You're still...my
beloved Naruto-kun! I love you...! You big oaf! And nothing...nothing can ever
change that! Do you hear me!? Uzumaki Naruto!?" She shouted through her crying.
Naruto laughed as the tears ran down his cheeks. He hugged her to him and just
laughed. Tenten started laughing too.
(The tension is breaking... It must have been so hard for him when Tenten
almost called him Kyuubi... But luckily, the idiot has managed to find someone
who loves him unconditionally...) Tsunade thought as she watched the pair.
She smiled. (I'm so happy for you, Naruto.)
"Well! Aren't you the lovely couple! Hugging all closely and such!
I must say I'm proud of you, brat!"
Naruto turned and looked over his shoulder, as did Tenten.
There, standing in the doorway, with a wide grin on his face, was none other than-
"ERO-SENNIN!!?"
Yes! There it was! My blood, sweat, and tears! Well, from a time, anyway...
I understand if you're mad at me, believe me, I am too. It wasn't untill I recieved the last
few reviews that I FINALLY got off my lazy ass and did something!
I will now sincerely try to not leave you hanging too long this time!
And with that cleared up, please tell me what you thought of the chapter!
And no flames, thank you. If it isn't constructive criticism!
Thank you, and goodbye!