Thanks to all those reviews/worshipping/admiring/correcting. I am glad that there are people who enjoyed reading as I enjoyed writing. Oh, I did respond to some reviews by sending messages…Personally, I don't like to reply to each review within a story, that's not me.

I don't own anything by the plot and the grammar mistakes.


Untitled Tale

Chapter 5: His last words


Almost midnight. Tenten stared at the old wall clock which is clicking in low hollow sound as her mind battled herself from falling asleep. Recalling that she woke up four in the morning and had passed through her day without a break, she was struggling to stand in front of Neji's door with her feet. She used to don't mind having restless nights, actually in the past she always had sleepless hours because of the need for a perfect timing while she hunts. But serving and being a maid changes everything, the only reason she was up now was to fulfill her promise to the Hyuugas and exchange brutal punishment as she was accused of "attempted-wrongdoing-to-Hyuugas". Basically I am doing this so Neji can't bust my ass.

She inhaled lightly, drawing in cold autumn air into her mind. She was still in her normal maid dress—the lacy puffy dress that made her walk strangely when she tried to travel down the hall with a slightly faster speed (or maybe because the elegant heels were eating up her energy), with several handy "tools" hidden. Within the sleeves, she got two pieces of thin sliced wood slid in; and under her dress she got several packets of explosive powders. Tenten was brilliant enough to not bring any iron-alike weapons with her, as she knew that would only add suspicious upon herself if they were found (Tenten highly doubt about that though).

The thin slices of wood could only be considered a weapon if an individual understood enough of the air content and could blend their attacks with the movement of air. This weapon could result in a powerful hit if used correctly, otherwise it would shattered into pieces within seconds. Concluded it all, these woods were to consider as useless and fragile as heck and could not possibly be remarked as a weapon by common people.

The explorations on the other hand could cause damage to targets successfully as long as one tossed the packets hard enough. Since this weapon is sensitive among touch, Tenten separated the explosive powder inside into two neutral piles by a brittle piece of tissue paper, which permit the weapon to stay harmless until the powders were mixed together when Tenten throw them.

All in all, she was more than ready for this mission of escorting, if her body wouldn't give in to sleep.

The clock rung silently, alarming the mansion that it had just passed midnight. Gai warned her that the amount of guards would usually decrease by midnight (but for tonight the number would probably react oppositely), therefore she would have to stay extremely cautious and wry after the grand bell had called.

Silent mocked the hollow hallways, as she could no longer hear anyone no more but her own breathes. This is going to be a long night.

---

Gloves, checked. Noodles in warm container, checked. Candles and matches, checked. The pale hands helped itself to the gloves as the young girl tucked herself into a dark violet cloak while her eyes watched the clock warily. It's almost time.

In front of her were rows and rows of guards—all sleeping soundlessly on the floor. She had sprayed some sleeping perfume on them, something that she brought directly from an herb store in the village… What's the girl's name that made her this potion again? Uno? Eno? Alas, something with a "no" in the end of the name. With the spray keeping the guards unconscious, she could probably stay out of this mansion until dawn.

She gave a light smile. So father thought that guards would keep her in, nah? Nobody keeps me in, especially when… Her hands hugged the container with noodles tighter as a strawberry blush spread across her small cheeks. Nothing is stopping me tonight.

Silently she sneaked out of her room and started to dash to the closest exit.

---

Nothing happened, nothing is going to happen. What the heck happened to the genius assassinator? Shouldn't he or she start to execute the attack already? Tenten stared at the blank wall in front of her dully while attempting to keep her mind from drifting to her past again. She had sat in dark for long enough.

At the first few minutes bypassed midnight, she swung her head from left to right and right to left, attempting to track down any suspicious movement if any was found. Then she figured that the assassinator attack in groups, thus she centered herself in the hall. Afterwards she thought that they might attack from the ceiling, so she positioned herself by Neji's door again.

But nothing happen thus far.

After two hours, she lost spirit to this escorting job and sat down by the door. The weapons which are hidden under her arms were itching while the quietness of the hallways was bothering her. Her mind was persuading her that nothing is probably going to happen tonight, she just got an easy way out while keeping her butt fried by the all mighty Neji.

Still, I hoped something DID happen though. There is no fun keeping the hunter waiting…Especially when she could always choose to waste this time on resting…

Heavy foot steps alerted Tenten from her daydreaming stage as she rose to her feet. Someone was sprinting toward her, somebody who seem to be light weight and slightly shorter than she is. She flashed out the wooden pieces, as her body positioned into her "standard fighting mode". Bring it on, sucker.

---

Crap. Guards weren't supposed to be outside of her room! A girl dashed across the hall as her breath quickened. Okay, screw the exist that's near the kitchen, guards were probably hunting for me now.

"Check over there! Lord Hiashi would punish us personally if they found the heiress missing this early in the morning! Faster!"

She made a turn and stopped sharply as she saw mob of guards passed her without noticing her. She let out a small relief, which was quickly replaced by fright as two thin slices of wood held firmly in front of her neck.

"So, you are the fearful threaten note writer?"

---

"What do you want from Neji? Answer me and I'll see whether you are worth a game."

It was a good thing that the attacker thought the woods were knifes, the quicken of her breathe had signaled Tenten that the captured was scared.

Tenten quickly observe the girl she held as she awaited for an answer. She was indeed slightly shorter than she was, as predicted. She had a dark colored cloak all around her, keeping Tenten from seeing more of what she had, but by the way her hands were crossed, Tenten could tell that she was holding something in front of her chest, not just anything but something extremely heavy. Could that possibly be a weapon?

After another moment of silent, Tenten could no longer take the suspension. If a person takes this long to respond to her simple statement, he/she is probably planning a counter attack, which is what Tenten doesn't need now. I have to at least see her face to predict the next move she got. Silently, Tenten raised one of her leg and aimed at the knees of the unknown girl, which result in a quick collapse.

Once the girl was on the floor, Tenten picked up the chin to take a better look at her face while keeping the weapons handy. She was shocked when she realized who she was staring into.

White eyes, the same precious face that she saw this morning. Oh crap, I just messed with a Hyuuga. There is no way she is going to get out of this mess now, she was accused of writing dumb things to Neji, AND caught harassing Hyuuga whatershername. Screw this I still want to live!

Tenten released her hands from the girl, wandering whether she should apologizes for her rudeness saying that she thought she was the dumb assassinator, or runaway and have her face hidden in the forest for the rest of her life. Before words flow out of her mouth, the girl cupped her hands to Tenten's jaw, silencing the stunned maid. A mob of guards dashed by them in a hurry, some whisperings light warnings among themselves.

"The kitchen area is clear. Heiress Hinata is not there. Have you checked the library area?"

"Upper commander guard sire, the library area had cleared. The only hallways we had not checked are…"

Hinata released her hand from Tenten, as Tenten's eyes docked uncomfortably, staring and listening to the last guard who passed them. Both of them knew they were beyond screwed. Hinata knew she if she was caught, never mind meeting him, father would not let her go easily without proper "lessons". Tenten knew if anyone caught her in current position, they would all misunderstand the situation and thought she was the one who kidnapped the heiress, she might as well as suicide herself right at this spot.

The two girls thought in darkness for a few seconds. Hinata observed the surroundings, suddenly she recognized something that lighted up her hope for escaping. She quickly tapped Tenten's shoulder, causing the maid to jump a bit.

"Sorry about my rudeness the small one just thought heiress madam was the assassinator of the night…" Tenten blurted out words all in one breathe, but Hinata quickly stopped her.

"I… don't tell anyone that you saw me here tonight." Hinata said as her eyes shifted back and forth.

"What?" Tenten was a bit surprised at her point, how does she think she could get away from this? There are guards everywhere now!

"Just don't tell that I was here, please?" The white eyes were begging as the foot steps alerted her. I must get out quickly, they will know if I don't.

"Whatever you wish, ma—heiress." Tenten answered the short pleaded from the heiress, though she still questioned at her plan. Actually there is nothing she could do about this—she was the maid, she had to listen and do whatever she was told.

"Good. They are coming that way, remember to act normal!" With her last comment, Tenten felt the heiress crawled behind and started running. The yellow flames had distracted her from further investing the situation as a guard stopped in front of her.

"You! Have you seen heiress came by?"

Well he got SOME manners. "No sir, I am just guarding Neji sire as appointed."

"Oh really?" The guard gave her a doubtful look, but Tenten didn't reveal any evident of lying on her face. "Good enough. Guards, check the other halls!"

"Should we still do a safety check with master Neji's hall, commander guard?"

"That is not necessary, this hallway is a dead end. Now go!"

Dead end? Then how the hell…? Tenten turned around, but she couldn't sense anyone staying on the dark hallway, but emptiness and complete stillness. How did she get away?

---

Five in the morning. Neji's eyes opened slightly as it read the clock on the wall. He got off his king size bed, jumping into his regular training clothes. It was his daily routine, to train before the maid gets here and wake him up. He usually train around four thirty by sneaking out through his room window to the nearby forest, then sneak back in minutes before six, pretending that he was asleep all this time when his maid carelessly wake him up.

Before he rushed to his usual training, he took a peak to see how his maid was carrying out her so called "escorting" job. He remembered how months ago there was a pink hair girl who offered to do the same thing, except her plan failed when they searched through the hallway carpets and found draggers with her name engraved in them. He sighed at himself upon recalling that memory, stupid pink hair maid.

He cracked open the door and give quick observations around. Surprisingly, he found her still on her own feet, eyes swung from left to right cautiously. Although it was far, he could tell her body strength was low, and her eyes were blood shot red with huge eye bags. He frowned at the untidiness of her dress—all folded and twisted into a rag-alike, and it was interesting how her underarms seem to be tidier then the rest of her dress. He felt slight regretful for sending her up all night, but this feeling had quickly disappeared.

Hmpt, she took this upon herself. If she was smarter maybe she would have not written the note in the first place. With this in mind, he closed the door and went for his training.

---

Just thirty more minutes…then I will have to wake the bastard up…if I still have any reminding energy to do so… Tenten wouldn't dare to look into the big windows that are next to her, as she knew it would probably reflect somebody who looked like a torn table cloth. It was not her look that she minded, but the fact that her face would remind her that she stayed up all night for the benefits of some bastard who she could care less. Her limbs were numb and her vision was getting blurry from the lack of rest, it was her determination proving the Hyuugas who she is that kept her standing.

To keep herself awake for the reminding time, she started to think of ways to discard the weapons which she held through out the night. The wooden sticks were easy to handle, as she simply tossed them out of the nearby window to destroy the evident of having a pair. The explosive powder, on the other side, requires her to untie the packets and separate the powder so they would remind alienated and untouched. Since the powder was fairly limited to her supplies, she just divided the powder into two neutral parts and tied the harmless packets to her waist under her apron.

As she was tidying her dress once again before waking Neji up, she thought she saw the heiress walked by, escorted by guards around her. However when she wanted to take a closer look, they were already gone. That's probably my mind playing tricks on me again…Grr, I am too tired for anything, at least I proved to Neji that I didn't do anything foolish.

Six exact, she walked into the room, attempting to wake her master up.

Instead of seeing that Neji in his covers, she saw Neji sat up on his bed, bandaging his right forearm, which was covered with blood. Before she could listen to his endless complain about her usual lateness, Tenten's body gave up on her. Ah crap, doesn't look like I am going to make it.

She collapsed to the ground and her thoughts were shut off.

---

…up…wa…

Where the hell am I?

…up…wake…is…en…

Oh yeah, I collapsed to the floor. Tsk, Neji sire would complain on my incompletion of my duty…

wa…up…wake…up…Miss…en…

Wake up? They must be kidding me…at least I have a good excuse to lay here lifeless for several more minute.

"WAKE UP TENTEN!" A violent shook broke Tenten from her short sleep as a pair of thick eye brows frown in concern.

"…the heck?" Tenten snapped herself back to reality, as she found herself back on the same chair in the Hyuuga discussion hall. Curses, my head hurt. "Why…What is the time?"

"It's a little past seven." Gai informed her with much relief, but his relaxed emotions were soon straightened up. "So… you didn't do it? You were sent here for an emergency again."

"What emergency?" Tenten questioned. "I escorted Neji whole night, and he was harmless…"

Then she saw her trainer's face deepen as flashes of scenes before she faint came back.

Instead of seeing that Neji in his covers, she saw Neji sat up on his bed, bandaging his forearm, which was covered with blood…

"…oh, that." Tenten understood why his trainer swirled with sorrow and seriousness, he must have want to get her out of this mess. However, just because he WAS harmed, it doesn't provide enough evident of her hurting him…right?

"Do you know why his arm is…?" Gai asked in a plain voice with trace of hopefulness lingered.

"No sir. I had fainted when I walked in and saw him in such condition." Tenten responded, "…is that going to affect…?"

"Yes." Gai interrupted, this time with more sadness. He seemed to have recalled some bad memories in his mind, and the face worried Tenten. It wasn't a good sight to see a cheery trainer to be covered with pain. "In fact, this might lead to death."

Tenten's mouth opened but words were trapped in the prison. Gai continued without looking at her, "Lord Hiashi came into Neji's room to check whether he was okay or not. Although the lord of this mansion is fair in judgments and normally would not misjudge others without understanding the situation first, he was still fearful that something might happen to his step-son…"

"Neji is a step-son?" Tenten gasped with disbelief as her trainer answered her with a silent yes. This is far too much for a morning.

"…let me continue. So he went to his room just to check whether everything is fine and to see whether you were off task.

Instead of seeing what he would expected to see—maid standing with her head bowed and Neji all dressed and ready to go, he found you unconscious lying on young master's lap.

Apparently, young master Neji had caught you right on time as you collapse to the ground. He was trying to wake you up by shaking your shoulders, however, some minor explosive powder was caught and exploded right on his injured arm. This light explosion had ripped open the bandage that Neji had applied previously.

When lord Hiashi entered the room, he saw you lying there half dead on young master Neji while he was covered with blood. I was quickly sent to his room to take you out to this discussion hall."

Gai finished, now looking at Tenten, who is in a stage of shocked and stunned. So putting the powder at her waist was a fault. Now what? Tenten tried to speak but was unsure of how to form sentences. After an awkward moment of silent, Tenten's mouth slipped out words softly, "So, my punishment is…"

"They haven't determined it yet." Gai answered, swinging his sight back to the doors. "I don't know, you did promise that young master Neji would remind untouched yet he was bleeding this morning… I just hope that…

"Tie her up." Hiashi ordered as they put ropes around her, tightening every time it circled around her small waist. His student had broken a promise, and he could not do anything to help her as he saw the pink hair struggled hopelessly.

After several moments, the maid stopped resisting the guards as her hands were now stabled behind her waist with thick ropes while her leg tied up like a mummy. Hiashi with his emotionless voice rose again in the cold chamber, "Now."

Stick rose and lowered, Gai could hardly kept his vision up. He heard her called out, half pleading and cursing that she didn't do it. Hiashi ignored her words as he asked the guards to quicken the beatings. Red marks and scars were deepened on the pastel skin as her voice echoed through the halls. The pace of the rising and lowering of sticks quicken.

He couldn't do anything. He was her trainer, and he couldn't do anything. Young masterNeji was beside him, his face emotionless as well. Gai felt that his anger had spark within himself while glancing over Neji… How could he just look at this without disgust or horrified? Why isn't he saying anything or oppose? She is HIS personal maid after all.

"Everything is laid down in the beginning…Don't expect me to change the fate, Gai." Neji muffled soundlessly as he sensed Gai's glare.

Gai wanted to speak to young master Neji about this, but the young boy had turned and left the chamber without another word.

"..Gai sir?" Tenten looked at her trainer with mild curiosity. Gai usually isn't the one who pause in his speech.

"…Ah, nothing. I just hope nothing really bad is going to happen to you." He pulled a weak smile, trying to persuade Tenten there shouldn't be anything that she had to worry about, but was distracted suddenly when guards and Hiashi entered the room.

Gai and Tenten rose to give respect, but was Hiashi had stopped them with his simple of words, "Her punishment for injuring Neji and writing threaten note to the Hyuugas is confirmed.

Miss Tenten, you would be put to death."


We all knew I have to stop here. What's the fun if I don't get people complaining that I stopped at the wrong time?

My chemistry grade was screwed. I guess I would have to start planning out a more balanced life between writing this and studying. Pray that I will finish this before my head is chopped off when my parents found out that I messed up.

Neji was a gentleman for one sentence… happy? His gentleness and OOCness will not appear any sooner, so be patience, dearest readers. I finally properly introduced Hinata the first time (and her secret lover who we pretend we do not know of). I think I messed up the Hinata personality… but oh well, that's how things goes for now!

Yes, yes. Ino was the famous herb-using potion maker, if you didn't caught it during the reading. And the pink haired maid is somebody we swear we are clueless thus far, right.

Sorry about this chapter's set up, all choppy and scattered. I just want to introduce all different people's view points. Hopefully I didn't confuse anybody by doing so.

Well… chemistry here I come (dashed to study). See you all next time. Oh, and if I obviously spelled something wrong or did some laughable grammar mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me in the reviews. Thank you.