Author's Notes: Just to prove my drive for this fic, I make an update. Yay, this fic got readers! I was a bit hesitant about writing it, because it's AU and not a comedy, but there are some stories that won't leave you alone unless you write them (as it is with this story not leaving me alone). I'm glad this is getting an audience anyway. I've decided to release the chapters as 'episodes', instead of normal chapters that concentrate on one character and scene. You do want to see all of the main characters in every chapter, right? Right.
Plot Notes: An apology. I looked at my notes for this story and I saw that I made two mistakes. One, I set the prologue a year too late. Meaning in the prologue, Neji and Tenten should have been six, Hinata and Sasuke and Sakura should have been five, Haku and Kimimaro should have been eight. Two, I switched the locations of the Hyuuga annex compound and the Hyuuga palace compound. The palace compound should have been in Konohagakure, the annex compound should have been outside the village. I'm really sorry for my own confusion, and for confusing everyone else. I've corrected the prologue.
Disclaimer: Naruto and all those related stuff don't belong to me.
Between Light and Darkness
Chapter 1: The Divide
Sakura leaned forward slightly, peering at the stony face of the dark-haired fifteen year-old beside her. "Sasuke-kun, after training, let's not go straight back home, okay? We should go around town and have a bit of fun!" She winked. "We should eat out too, the food at home is getting a bit boring already."
"………"
She stepped closer to him, as if to make way for the other people walking on the street, although she didn't have to. Everyone else gave way to them, even without their notice, the red-and-white paper fan symbol patched on the backs of their clothing commanding such a response. "We don't even have to call it a date if you don't want to," she suggested, smiling brighter.
"………"
"It's not just because I'm getting bored at home, I really need a few things from the marketplace. Kin, just to spite me, broke the dangling strands of beads on my best hair ornaments, the chopsticks of tri-color gold and coral Uchiha heirlooms—they are repairable though," she added hastily, nervously touching her lower lip with her fingers. "They just need to be restranded."
Sasuke had flinched almost imperceptibly when his clan's property—his mother's personal possessions—was mentioned, but still ignored her.
"Don't worry about it. Kabuto-san already reprimanded her for touching them." Sakura assured. "I need them soon though. You know, Kabuto-san told us to prepare for the coming Tribal Council. I'll wear the chopsticks then. And to match them, I'm looking for a golden obi for my new red kimono. A pink obi-jime should complement the golden and red colors, so I'll get that as well!"
"………"
"We need to get you some things too, Sasuke-kun. A nice black kaku obi for your blue kimono. And ah, the servants told me that your formal black inner robe was getting dull," she blushed. "So we'll get a new black inner robe for you."
"………"
Her smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. "Come on Sasuke-kun, what do you say?"
"………"
She leaned unto him and brought her face close to his. "Sasuke-kun!—"
"Shut up!" He hissed sharply. He didn't have to shake her off, the dark scowl on his handsome face was enough to push her away a few steps. The ramen cook at Ichiraku turned and the people who walked by halted at the quiet but cutting voice.
For a moment, her feet were rooted to the concrete and her whole body shook in a silent sob. Ten years ago, such an incident would have made me cry. But that was then and this is now. She recovered quickly and hastened to catch up to Sasuke who had picked up his pace and was several paces ahead already. The people around immediately returned to what they were previously doing, forcing themselves not to stare after the pair of fifteen year-olds, at the strong shoulders of the boy, at the silky pink hair of the girl, at the fan symbols on their backs. "Sasuke-kun!" She cried. "I really want to go to the marketplace!"
"………"
She stuck out her lower lip and shouted at his back: "Sasuke-kun, if you don't take me there—"
"If I don't take you there, you can go anyway." Sasuke pivoted on his heels to face her. Their noses were two inches apart. Sakura nearly fell backwards, startled at the sudden proximity. "And I would have to follow you because I have to guard you. So, just go if you want to go."
Her lip trembled and she bit it (although it was already sore from biting) to steady it. "Yes. But I'd rather that you agree to it, I don't want to have to force you to come with me."
"It makes no difference." He pivoted again and continued walking.
She fell in step behind him. "It makes a difference…" she said softly, talking to the red-and-white paper fan symbol on his back. The same awe-inspiring symbol on her back, hidden by her long pink hair… A symbol he didn't want me to wear… "It makes a difference to me…"
"I don't care."
Sakura swallowed and dropped her gaze to the ground. The walked quietly the rest of the way, and the walk to the jounin rookie training grounds seemed to take much longer than it should have.
The jounin at gate duty looked down at them sternly. Rather, he looked down at Sakura, since Sasuke was already the same height as him. "Chuunins aren't allowed to enter the premises."
Sakura frowned at the jounin. How dare he talk to Sasuke-kun like that! He's the Uchiha survivor, everybody knows that!
"You will let me through," Sasuke declared. Before the jounin could retort, he whipped out his permit.
The jounin read the permit. "As a participant of the upcoming Jounin Selection Exams… several privileges… use of the jounin rookie training grounds... signed, Sandaime Hokage." The jounin grunted and eyed Sasuke with disdain. "It's a privilege, chuunin, don't be rude about it."
"Hn." Sasuke sauntered inside. Sakura stared after him, at the paper fan symbol that diminished as he walked away.
The jounin turned fiercely to Sakura, almost causing her to recoil. "What about you? We don't let girlfriends fawn over their boyfriends while they train." He snorted.
She blanched at his words. She drew herself up rigidly and pushed her permit at the jounin's face, forcing him to lean back to be able to read it properly. "As a participant of the upcoming Jounin Selection Exams, Haruno Sakura…" He waved her away, grunting again. "Go."
Sakura followed Sasuke, nearly running to reach him because a certain annoying blond was making her way towards him as well. The familiar grating voice that could only belong to Yamanaka Ino pierced the air: "Sasuke-kun!"
Before Ino could latch herself unto Sasuke, Sakura pulled him beside her, clutching at his arm. Ino glared at her. "What do you think you're doing, big forehead?"
Sakura glared back. "Stop bothering Sasuke-kun, Ino-pig!"
"Get your dirty hands off him, forehead girl!" Ino screeched, making a move to claw Sakura's hands off Sasuke's arm, but Ino's teammates, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji, grabbed one of her arms each and pulled her away.
"Let go of me, you lazy ass, you fat—" Chouji's ears twitched dangerously, and Ino quickly amended, "you big-boned ass! Sasuke-kun, get them away from me!"
"Don't bug him, Ino!" Shikamaru's would-be whisper was clearly audible.
"Listen to Shikamaru, Ino-pig," Sakura sneered. "You should know better than to badger Sasuke-kun, he's a Prince of the Yamijin. Or didn't your parents ever teach you to respect your betters? And I thought the Yamanakas were a respectable family."
Ino's face burned a furious shade of magenta and she shook off her teammates. "You—you! Don't you dare insult my family, you parentless mutant-forehead freak!" She raised her arm to strike Sakura, but as she brought it down, it was blocked, slapping flat against Sasuke's arm guard. "S-Sasuke-kun!" Parts of her skin paled, making her look splotchy. She instantly withdrew her hand and managed to smile in a teasing manner. "Sasuke-kun, if you wanted to hold my hand, you could have just asked!"
Sasuke eased away from the defensive stance and shoved his hand back in his pocket. "………"
Sakura held herself in a stiffly formal manner, but her sea-green eyes were narrowed slightly. "Behave yourself, Yamanaka Ino. I might be tolerating your disrespectful attitude to some degree, but I am your Princess, and you will treat me accordingly."
Ino screeched incoherently and nearly pounced at Sakura, but her teammates restrained her. "Calm yourself, Ino!" Shikamaru reproached.
"Let-me-go!" Ino shrieked, struggling. "I said let me go!"
"Quiet!" Shikamaru tightened his grasp at her. "Damn troublesome…"
Ino shoved them both away with much effort. The two boys were about to pull her back again, but she fixed them both a livid look. They desisted. She straightened herself and looked Sakura directly in the eye. "Sakura-hime," Ino spat. "Thank your good fortune that it is somebody as respectable and well-loved as Sasuke-sama who is protecting you."
"And what do you mean by that?" Sakura demanded hotly.
"Yes, what do you mean by that?"
Five pairs of eyes widened. As one, the five teenagers all turned to the sound of the deep, icy voice. Chouji winced. Shikamaru grimaced. Ino gasped. Sakura anxiously touched a finger to her lip. Sasuke's dark eyes flashed and he glared warily.
Behind the Ino-Shika-Cho trio stood Hyuuga Neji, flanked by his cousin Hyuuga Hinata, his somewhat-friend Uzumaki Naruto and a short distance behind them was Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved eagerly at her. The loud-mouthed blond seemed oblivious to the look of admonition Neji shot him. Hinata was fiddling her fingers and peering at them from beneath her black-blue hair, pearly eyes apprehensive. Kiba had a smugly confident grin on his face, the white dog at his feet, Akamaru, uncannily having the same expression. Nobody could tell what Shino felt like because of the trademark sunglasses he wore. Neji's arms were crossed over his chest and he looked extremely composed; long sleek black hair perfectly tied in a low ponytail, his white eyes betraying no hint of emotion.
"Why don't you answer my question?" Neji was talking to Ino, but his cold white gaze was directly upon Sasuke's burning black glare.
Ino took a step back and Shikamaru side-stepped, slightly covering Ino. Both Sakura and Ino stepped closer to each other and clutched at each other's hand.
"Well?" The Hyuuga raised his eyebrow at the two girls. "It seems to be Haruno's question too. Don't keep us waiting, Yamanaka."
Sasuke stepped in front of Sakura, blocking her from Neji. "Nobody has to answer your questions, Hyuuga."
"I wasn't talking to you, Uchiha." Neji said. "I was under the impression that your underlings can talk for themselves."
"A-heheheh," Naruto laughed, a trace of uneasiness in his voice. "Neji, Sasuke—you two are always so serious!"
"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, a hand moving slightly as if to touch his arm in a warning fashion.
"Naruto…" Neji's voice was low but the warning was unmistakable.
Sasuke smirked. "And I see that your underlings haven't been trained properly."
Naruto snarled. "Hey you bast—mmfff!" Shino had tapped a ninja seal over his mouth.
"Watch who you call 'underling', Uchiha." Kiba growled. Akamaru growled as well, sensing his master's anger.
Neji drew himself to his full height, which was a good three inches taller than Sasuke's, and made it a point to look down at the latter. "You will address my companions properly, Uchiha. They do not answer to you."
"I'll tell you the same thing, Hyuuga." Sasuke said deliberately, refusing to look up. He glared at Neji from beneath his dark eyebrows. "My companions don't defer to you."
"That's right!" Sakura cried. Neji's white eyes flickered towards her and Sasuke had pushed her right behind him before she could flinch.
Hinata wrung her hands. Sakura and Ino squeezed each other's hand. Kiba covered Naruto's mouth before the blond could remove the seal and pulled him back. Shikamaru nudged Ino behind him, and she complied. Chouji stepped up beside his best friend. Shino stood firmly.
Cold white eyes clashed with burning black eyes.
The oppressive silence that followed grew heavier and heavier as the two young men stared each other down.
Tenten sat up a little straighter on the reclining couch and rested her elbow on the windowsill as she looked out the open window. There was no wind, so the windows could be opened without the danger of sand getting blown into the room. She could look outside, without the dusty panes of glass dulling her view. She scanned the horizon as she stirred with her straw the tall glass of lemonade in her hand.
But it's not like there is anything to see outside. She sighed. Sand, sand and more sand. It's not that the desert isn't beautiful. There are days that the sight outside the window would make me believe that the desert is the loveliest thing I have ever seen. Magnificent sand dunes as far as the eye can see, transient sculptures carved by the wind out of a landscape of red and yellow. Ancient rocks punctuate the surface, multi-colored natural structures shaped through the years. They complement the landscape perfectly, with their warm, rich colors, not like the contrived white marble of the Yamijin palace, or the dreary gray stone of the fortress that surrounds it. In the right season, the desert crawled with lush plants and flowers, a riot of brilliant colors splashed across the terrain. And when wind stirred the desert, I would press my nose against the glass of the window to see the landscape rippling in the wind, a living sea of crimson and gold sand.
However, today is not such a day. Yesterday's winds had blown the dunes into flattish, uninteresting shapes. There was no wind today, wind that could have made the sand dance, whipping it into grand formations once more. It was not yet the season for desert flowers. The landscape was bleak, with the sun beating down upon it harshly, glaring rather than shining.
Tenten sighed again. It was on days like today… When I was younger, I would lean out of the window, only my eyes visible from the rest of my veil-covered face. I would hang a long sash of green silk from the window to serve as a marker, a signal, and wait. Wait for a prince on a white horse.
Wait for a Prince of the Hikarujin… She quickly pushed the thought away, frowning. A Prince of the Hikarujin. Why are people so worried that I would run away with a Prince of the Hikarujin? I'm not going to go with him, not if he had a hundred white horses, and a thousand desert roses and a million declarations of love. He's the enemy! She shook her head. But here I am, kept in a fortress in the desert. A caged girl. They say that it's because the Hikarujin want to kill me. And I know that it's the first reason. But also… they're keeping me here so that I won't ever make contact with the Hikarujin princes. That's it, isn't it?
She sighed again.
"Tenten-hime?"
She turned her gaze away from the window. Haku and Kimimaro had entered the sitting-room, standing side-by-side, Haku smiling, Kimimaro with a blank expression on his face. "Tenten-hime," Haku said again. "Your lemonade…"
Tenten looked down at the glass she was stirring. All the ice cubes had melted. Haku gently took the glass from her hand and set it down on the low table. Tenten rubbed her hands, disgusted by the sticky feeling the warm lemonade left on them. A folded square of white cloth was offered to her. She looked up questioningly. Kimimaro was offering her his handkerchief, his face still expressionless.
"Thank you, Kimimaro-kun." She took the handkerchief and wiped her hands.
"Are you alright, Tenten-hime?" Haku asked as he pulled one of the velvet poufs arranged around the room nearer her couch and sat on it.
"Yes, I'm alright, Haku." she answered half-heartedly. Kimimaro made as if to sit at the foot of her couch and she pulled her knees closer to herself to make room for him. He plopped down unceremoniously.
"You'll make yourself sick, looking out the window like that," Haku told her. "The sun glares off the sand, reflecting the heat. It will burn you. You should wear a veil."
She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I don't feel like looking out anymore." She leaned out the window and pulled it close. Kimimaro pulled its curtains shut. The room dimmed and it cooled almost immediately.
"Do you want anything?" Haku inquired. "Another drink, or perhaps a snack?"
"No, Haku. Thank you."
A lock of her brown hair had escaped one of the laced puffs that held her tresses up in two buns. Haku deftly tucked the lock back in place. "Do you want to go outside?"
Tenten shrugged.
"We can go to Sunagakure," Kimimaro said suddenly.
"Huh?" Tenten tilted her head, the runaway lock of hair falling from its bun again. Kimimaro was addressing her but he was looking vacantly into space.
"Kimimaro-kun says," Haku tucked the loose piece of hair into the bun again, "that if you want to go outside, he can take you to Sunagakure. It's just a few kilometers away."
"Hmm…" Tenten touched her hair thoughtfully, the rogue lock of hair falling down again. She twisted it around her fingers.
"Your friends in Sunagakure haven't seen you for some time," Haku said. He watched the loose lock of hair uncomfortably, looking like he wanted to fix her hair.
"But it's too hot today," she said.
"… I don't mind." Kimimaro's voice was quiet, but clear. He kept his gaze straight ahead.
"See?" Haku gave her an encouraging smile. "Kimimaro-kun doesn't mind."
"It's alright," she assured. "We can go next time." She leaned back on the couch, unto the down-filled silk cushions.
"Don't worry," Haku's fingers were working on the loose lock again. He tightened the ribbons of the puff to secure the bun. "You'll be visiting your parents next month. You'll see Konohagakure soon."
"I know." Her smile was genuine this time. My parents, I wonder how they are? To have their youngest daughter living in another country for ten years, visiting an odd number of times every year… I'm just glad that I'm not their only child. But still, it's unnatural, not to live with your parents…
"Why can't I live with family?" Tenten wondered aloud.
Haku fidgeted, ill at ease. Kimimaro, however, answered calmly, still looking straight ahead. "You know you can't live in Konohagakure. It's too dangerous for you. The Hikarujin—"
"I know, Kimimaro-kun." Tenten sighed. "But if it was so important for me to leave Konohagakure, couldn't they have gone with me?"
"Tenten-hime, you already know." Kimimaro finally turned to her, looking her straight in the eyes. "Your family's services are needed in Konohagakure by the Yamijin. Your father especially, is a top-class blacksmith."
"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Haku prodded.
Tenten hugged her knees close to her chest and dropped her chin on it. "But if it's so important for me to be attached to the present instead of the past, then shouldn't I tie myself strongly to my family, instead of being a Princess? For being a daughter of the Ryuusei (1) family is my role in this life, and being a Princess is my role in the past life…"
Haku leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. He peered worriedly into Tenten's face. Kimimaro had closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose, as if a headache was coming unto him. "I've already lost count of how many times we've had this conversation."
"Can you reply anyway?"
"You may have been reborn, but you're the Astrologer Princess. Nothing can change that." Kimimaro leaned forward, copying Haku's position. "We don't want to change that… What we want to change are the choices you might make, we want them to be wiser this time… For you to live for the present instead of the past memories, without ignoring the fact that you are a Princess to the noble people of the Yamijin, that's what we want."
"I don't remember anything from that past life," Tenten said.
"Orochimaru-sama didn't want you to remember anything," Kimimaro muttered.
"That's right," Haku asserted. "What matters is now, Tenten-hime, that you'll be a Princess of the Yamijin now." Kimimaro nodded once in agreement.
"But if I don't know what I was like back then, how do I avoid the same mistakes?" Tenten insisted. She shifted, sitting with her knees on the couch, her legs tucked at one side. "Kimimaro-kun," she leaned forward and tugged gently at one of his white plaits. "You have your memories of the past life intact. Please tell me what you know about the me back then."
"Tenten-hime, you just said that keeping the present ties are more important…" Haku's voice died, and he gazed at her, unsure.
"I've already told you everything I know," Kimimaro jerked his head slightly, pulling his plait away from Tenten's fingers. "To make sure that no one would make you remember of your past life once you were reborn, everyone's memories of you were sealed and all accounts of you destroyed. I only have the vaguest recollections—"
"Tell me then!" She chirped, yanking at his plait again.
"But I've already told you about them. Countless of times."
"Please Kimimaro-kun, tell me again."
Kimimaro grunted. Haku sighed. "I'll get some refreshments…" The dark-haired boy stood up and left the sitting room. Tenten barely nodded at him, her attention focused upon the other boy.
He pulled up the sleeve of his purple gi, which had been dangerously close to sliding off his shoulder and arm. "You were… Orochimaru-sama's sister. He had adopted you as a sister. He had many older brothers, but he had little patience with them. Orochimaru-sama was the best out of them, he quickly surpassed them in all aspects and they never came close to matching up to him. Although you weren't related by blood, you were the only sibling he considered precious."
"Your name—I don't remember your name. No one does, as I said, Orochimaru-sama made sure of removing you from memory when you betrayed the tribe. But I do remember that you were an astrologer, and a very good one… that explains your interest and talent in that art. And you looked exactly the same…" he suddenly scrutinized her face and a flush crept up her cheeks. "Yes," he looked away and stared straight ahead, lost in thought. "It's the same beautiful face."
Her flush deepened. "Ah, Kimimaro-kun, you looked exactly the same too, right?"
He nodded. "He asked me to look out for you, Orochimaru-sama I mean. That you committed an error, that was partly my fault. I should have guarded you better."
"No!" Tenten shook her head. "You told me… You remember me being really stubborn. That must have been my fault."
"Royalty anywhere is strong-minded, it's a virtue." Kimimaro said.
"I'm not going to do that, you know." Tenten played with his plait. "Betraying the Yamijin… I can't do that."
"………" Kimimaro wasn't looking at her, he touched her fingers, trying to pry them off his plait.
Tenten held fast. "How can I betray the people who protect me? And for the people who are trying to kill me? I… I can't even imagine…"
"………" He continued trying to extract his plait from her grasp.
"Kimimaro-kun, are you listening to me?"
"… Of course I'm listening, Tenten-hime." He met her gaze. Brown eyes blazed into impassive green eyes. A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. "I'm glad that's how you feel."
Tenten lied down on the couch again, her legs draped off the edge. "I honestly don't understand why you guys are so worried anyway," she grumbled. "I can't see it…" her voice trailed off into a yawn.
"Haku's taking a long time," he glanced sideways at her limp form and stood up. "Lie down properly," he indicated the space he vacated. "I'll get you a glass of water."
She nodded and lifted her legs to the couch. "Thank you."
From beneath her drooping eyelids, she watched him step out of the room. She sank lower into the cushions. She hugged one of them close to her, taking comfort in the feeling of the soft, plump pillow. "I have to make sure… whatever happens… for Kimimaro-kun… Kabuto-san… Haku…" She yawned again.
"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura's hold upon his arm tightened. In response, he pushed her even more behind him, hiding her from view completely.
"Neji-niisan…" Hinata tugged at the sleeve of her cousin's shirt. He pushed her even more behind him as well.
Sakura and Ino squeezed each other's hand tighter, almost painfully. Hinata wobbled, slouching so that not even the top of her head was visible above Neji's shoulder. Chouji gulped, his eyes fixed on Neji. Shikamaru glanced alternately between Neji, Kiba and Shino though. Kiba's hand was tightly covering Naruto's mouth, and his arms were restraining the irrepressible blond. Shino hadn't moved from his spot, or even flinched.
Cold white eyes wrestled with burning black eyes, both unblinking.
"Neji, Sasuke-kun."
Most everybody flinched at the sound but relaxed when they saw the tall, thin teenager in a green jumpsuit approaching.
"Lee-san!" Sakura breathed a sigh of relief.
"JrriCK frOOoows!" ("Thick brows!") Naruto's muffled voice came.
Both Neji and Sasuke looked sharply at Rock Lee. "The training grounds are for training, not staring contests," Lee said. "Unless of course, the two of you are testing your rivalry and having a staring contest to determine who is better! Just what were you two doing?"
"Be quiet!" Neji spat.
At the same time, Sasuke hissed: "None of your business!"
Lee crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to be intimidated. "I was just asking. If you don't want to talk about it, then please don't act so hostile. Our seniors are coming."
"Good," Neji said evenly. "Then they can send away these bothersome chuunins."
"Not before sending away your talentless chuunin minions, Hyuuga," Sasuke growled.
Kiba let go of Naruto, trying to jump at Sasuke himself. Naruto stopped him this time. "No, Kiba! Kakashi-sensei and the others might be coming!"
Neji looked from Sasuke to Lee, his low voice was heavy with hate. "It is beneath me, to be surrounded by people such as you, filthy creatures of darkness…"
Lee scowled, but controlled himself. "Neji, don't say—"
"I said quiet, Yamijin!"
"You're as hypocritical a Hikarujin as they come," Sasuke's voice was quiet too, and filled with enmity as well. "A Branch House member as dirty as a Main House member, the Hyuuga must be proud…"
Lee shook his head. "Sasuke-kun, don't talk about such things here—"
"Mind your own damned business, Rock Lee." Sasuke growled. "You may be a jounin, but I am still your leader. You answer to me."
"You had better learn to respect jounins, chuunin." The chakra veins around Neji's white eyes popped. "We're your seniors." He moved into the Juuken stance.
Sasuke's eyes became blood-red and he clutched his left wrist with his right hand. "Self-possessed newbies like you don't deserve respect, Hyuuga." Chakra started to become visible around his left hand.
Before the two could attack each other, Lee stepped between them. "Calm down, please. The senior jounins!"
The warning finally sank in. Chakra nerves relaxed, red eyes became black again, battle stance was dropped and visible chakra faded.
Just in time. "Gai-sensei!" Lee ran ecstatically towards the entrance of the training grounds, towards another jounin who could have passed as the projection of his future self. Maito Gai and Lee ran towards each other and hugged, their dialogue extremely limited. ("Lee!" "Gai-sensei!" "Lee!" "Gai-sensei!") Behind the hugging duo, a few other jounins entered the grounds.
Hatake Kakashi glanced at Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke before sitting on a bench, opening a book entitled Come Come Violence,and burying his nose in the said book.
Yuuhi Kurenai shot him a look of disgust. "At least pretend to care about your students." She glanced fleetingly at Sakura.
Sarutobi Asuma lit a cigarette and plunked on the bench next to Kakashi to enjoy it. Shiranui Genma came with his teammate Shizune; her gaze swept across the training grounds before the teammates got into position and had a match using only taijutsu.
Those two aren't jounin senseis, why don't they train in the senior jounin training grounds? Neji grunted and decided he didn't care. "We're training, Hinata-sama," Neji walked towards an empty spot in the training ground. She meekly followed him.
Shikamaru relaxed. "I guess we have to practice. Let's wait for Asuma over there, Ino, Chouji."
Kiba and Shino moved away without a word, heading for their sensei, Kurenai. Akamaru followed close to his master's heels. "Hey!" Naruto called after them. "Wait up!"
"Just a minute, you two," Ino said to her teammates. "Sakura…" She looked uneasily at the other girl, not quite able to meet her eye. "About earlier, before those Hikarujin… That is, I'm really—"
"I know." Sakura gave her a genuine smile. Her sea-green eyes sparkled with warmth. "Me too, Ino." She extended her hand at the other girl.
Ino clasped it tightly and shook it. "We can't do this all the time, forehead—I mean, err…" Ino laughed.
Sakura giggled. "I know, Ino-pig." She spotted Sasuke from the corner of her eye, moving towards the edge of the training grounds. "Excuse me, Ino…" She ran after Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke stopped but didn't turn around. Sakura went around so she could stand in front of him instead. "Can we train together, Sasuke-kun?"
He looked at her as if she had just said that she was a Hikarujin who was going to bind Orochimaru-sama's soul inside the God of Death's stomach. Then he just walked away without a word.
Sakura bit her lower lip. She jogged towards Ino, who was making her way to where her teammates were standing on the branch of a very huge old tree. "Ino! Ino!"
"Sakura?" Ino looked back at her.
"Er…" Sakura patted her hair awkwardly. "Let's spar for a bit."
"Well…" Ino played with her long ponytail. "I can't…" She looked at where her teammates stood on a tree branch. Their sensei, Asuma, had come over as well and jumped on the branch to join the two boys.
"Ah, okay." Sakura nodded. She looked around. Everybody else was busy training. And Kakashi-sensei is ignoring us again…
Her shoulders slumped, she walked towards the row of targets for practice throwing, pulling a few shurikens and kunais from her holster and pouch on the way. Might as well practice my targeting…
Hinata's eyes followed the pink-haired girl, aware that the normally perky kunoichi was dejected. Haruno-san looks sad…
"Hinata-sama."
"Neji-niisan!" She startled, swiftly looking at her cousin.
"Focus," Neji said, holding his stance perfectly.
"S-Sorry…" Hinata twiddled her fingers.
"Get back into position."
"Y-Yes, Neji-niisan." Hinata opened her palms and placed one low at her side, the other one held out in front. One foot was placed forward as well and her knees were bent for stability. "Ready."
"Go!" The cousins leapt towards each other. Hinata took the offensive, trying to strike at Neji, but her every blow was parried. Neji spotted her make several openings, but didn't attack until he saw a particularly weak opening. "Here!" He struck her arm with two fingers, mimicking the motion of shutting down a tenketsu.
"Ah!" Hinata cried in surprise. "Sorry, Neji-niisan…"
Neji sighed. I am trying to be patient… but I have known from the beginning that Hinata-sama could never adapt my strong defensive style.
"I'm really sorry…"
Neji opened his mouth to speak, but a yell cut him off: "You can do it Hinata! Kick that smart-ass'…uh, ass!"
Both cousins looked at Naruto who was across the training grounds, waving cheerfully. Neji couldn't help but smirk in amusement. When he looked back at Hinata, he saw that her face was set firmly in determination. "Let's try again," Neji said. They both got into positions. "Go!"
They side-stepped around the area for a few moments, observing each other. She's waiting for me to attack. He poised to strike and Hinata countered him. After a few moments of striking, countering and counter-countering, Neji tapped her shoulder smartly. A little bit better. He nodded at her. But not enough…
"Neji!" His sensei, Gai, was waving at him from another part of the training grounds. Beside Gai, Lee was kicking and punching the air. "Come here! You and Lee are sparring!"
"Tsk," Neji frowned. He turned to Hinata. "I'll be gone for two minutes, Hinata-sama. Train by yourself in the meantime."
Hinata nodded silently, still winded from their sparring. She slouched and panted, but straightened up when she heard the brassy voice yelling: "You did well, Hinata! You'll defeat him next time!"
She smiled shyly at the enthusiastic blond. Thank you, Naruto-kun…
Naruto gave Hinata a thumbs-up, then turned to Kiba and Shino who were having a match. He really wanted to join the rumble. "Let me!" He jumped in the fray, not heeding Kurenai's warnings.
"KYAAAA!"
Sasuke cringed at the ear-splitting yell and scowled darkly. That idiot. From his spot in the training grounds, he could see Naruto crawling away from Kiba and Shino, covered both in dog bites and bug bites. Dumb ass. Kurenai started yelling at Kakashi for neglecting his unruly pupil, and Kakashi just grinned at her and held up both hands in an appeasing manner. If Kakashi would spend his time training Naruto instead of reading those dirty books and flirting with Yuuhi-san, then maybe Naruto would have turned out at least civilized. He looked down at the blond who was now rolling on the ground. But then again, probably not.
The scowl on the dark young man's face deepened when he saw Naruto get up and run towards where Sakura was practicing with kunais and shurikens. "I need medicine! Medicine!"
Naruto passed right by Hinata, who was murmuring something, holding out a small jar of medical cream at him. Sasuke saw him continuing towards Sakura, crying: "Sakura-chan, heal me!"
Sasuke snorted in a satisfied manner, watching Sakura wave her kunai at the idiot and bashing his head with a fist. Naruto sobbed over-dramatically. However, Sakura peered at the bites Naruto got. Sasuke gritted his teeth when Sakura pulled out the bottle that held her home-made wound solution and handed it to Naruto. The blond idiot cheered and started treating his wounds. Sasuke nearly stomped over to the spot. That damned idiot Hikarujin!
He stopped himself though when he caught Neji looking at Naruto. The Hyuuga was steaming, glaring at Naruto. Because Neji was distracted, Lee managed to kick him upside the head and he slammed on the ground, eating grass.Sasuke smirked.
He was about to turn back to his training when he scowled again. Naruto had returned the bottle to Sakura, but he was still hanging around her. Kakashi had approached them and the two teenagers laughed, presumably at something the jounin had said. Sasuke turned away with a huff. Training. I'm training. He grabbed the dozen kunais he'd strung through a length of wire. What kind of Princess consorts with the enemy—ouch! A kunai had slipped and cut his finger. He flung down the kunai and stuck his finger in his mouth. Dammit!
I'm not going to ask for Sakura's medicine, not with that stupid blond clinging to her. He looked around. Shikamaru's team had disappeared to the trees. Lee was still sparring with Neji. Great, just great.
He heard the rustle of movement. Hyuuga Hinata had walked to the edge of the clearing. Several paces away from him, she sat down at the base of a tree, watching and waiting for her cousin to finish his fight with Lee. She has medical cream.
Sasuke pulled out the finger from his mouth. It was still bleeding. He wiped it on his shirt. Stupid. He looked over at Hinata.
She's different from most girls. She doesn't go around bugging me. But then again, she has to be. She's the Hyuuga heir after all. He smirked. It's a fight to the death.
Hinata cautiously looked over her shoulder. So Uchiha-san was looking at me! She cringed. I should move away, Neji-niisan told me… It looks like he's wounded… The brooding teenager was looking at her. Or rather, her hands. Hinata looked down. Medical cream? So does Uchiha-san want… She shivered. Oh no, what should I do?
"Water…" Kimimaro entered the sitting-room, a tall glass of ice-cold water in his hand. He walked to the couch Tenten was lying on and looked down.
Tenten was sleeping. She lied on her side, hugging one of the pillows close to her body. Her head and arm rested on the pillow, her fingers splayed upon the smooth surface. The red, fuchsia and pink silks complemented the golden-peach of her skin. The buns that Haku had painstakingly fixed had come undone, her hair ornaments caught beneath the cushions, and her rich brown tresses sprawled around her in waves.
Kimimaro leaned down. A deep flush had settled on her cheeks. The desert heat. Sweat glistened on her brow. He held the glass in his other hand, and with his cool hand, wiped her forehead. She stirred slightly at his touch, then relaxed.
"I haven't been gone for five minutes and she falls asleep. My, my." He shook his head. He straightened up and looked down at her again.
That face… it's exactly the same. Faint images that linger in my memory, traces that the best jutsus haven't been able to erase… that face stands out. Orochimaru-sama was always one for choosing beautiful things. That face. Not the cold beauty of a perfectly sculpted marble statue, but lovely as the desert is lovely. Warm, vibrant, shimmering… ever-changing and most importantly—alive. He made a 'tsk' sound. Really now, that's going to get you in trouble, Princess.
"This is why the Hikarujin will never leave you alone, among other things," he reached down and brushed away the hair sticking to her cheeks and neck. "It's that face. Too beautiful for your own good. Orochimaru-sama chose too well."
Haku stood at the doorway quietly, a tray of snacks and drinks in his hands, watching Kimimaro observe Tenten in her sleep. He saw Kimimaro brushing Tenten's hair off her face, and stroking her cheek. The white-haired boy's voice was very low, but Haku could make out what he was saying to the sleeping Princess.
I sometimes doubt it, but I guess he cares about her in his own way as well. Haku nodded almost grudgingly. It's only natural, she was his charge in their past life as well, and he had failed that…
I didn't like him much before… he was so cold, even though Tenten-hime would try to befriend him. She even called him with a '-kun'. She had never called me 'Haku-kun', yet he was 'Kimimaro-kun'…
Haku smiled. It's okay though. I just accept that Kimimaro-kun is important to Tenten-hime in a way that I never can be. But it's true for me too, I'm important to her in a way Kimimaro-kun isn't. After all… He walked in the room. He may be the link to her past, but I am her companion in the present.
Kimimaro turned sharply when he heard Haku enter. Emerald eyes darted from Haku's serenely smiling face, to the tray he was holding. "Tch," Kimimaro rolled his eyes. "Such a domestic. Are you a maid or a bodyguard?"
Haku's smile simply widened. "You say that Kimimaro-kun, but you have something for her too, don't you?"
Kimimaro looked at the glass of water he was holding. He set it down on the table and walked away, leaving the room amidst swishing of his long purple robes.
Chuckling, Haku sat on the pouf beside the couch, placing the tray upon his knees. "Tenten-hime," he nudged her gently. "You can stop pretending to be asleep now."
The girl turned an even deeper shade of red. She slowly opened her eyes and looked sheepishly at Haku, sitting up straight. "I was almost asleep… He came in, and I didn't know! Well, he was talking—I didn't know what… What should I have done?"
"Don't worry about it," Haku offered her a sweet, fruit-filled pastry. Tenten took it and bit, the dusting of powdered sugar staining her lips. He wiped the sugar off with his thumb. "At least we're sure, even though he acts cold, that Kimimaro-kun really is concerned about you."
She smiled brightly at him, and reached up to tug at one of the dark plaits that fell against his cheeks. "I know, Haku."
Hinata's hands were shaking. The Uchiha survivor's idle dark gaze was still upon the jar of medical cream in her hands. I think Uchiha-san wants the medicine… but Neji-niisan and Chichiue said…
I need something to stop the bleeding, dammit. Sasuke cradled the hand with the injured finger in his other hand. There was a rushing rustle in the grass, he looked up and saw Sakura running at him.
Sakura had a look of distress on her face. To stay in one corner with a Hyuuga… and not just any Hyuuga!… What was he thinking? "Sasuke-kun!" She yelled sharply. She shot a dirty look at the person running beside her, trying to overtake him.
Neji could feel the strange-haired Yamijin girl glaring at him, but he took no notice. "Hinata-sama!" He reached Hinata and pulled her up from the ground.
"Neji-niisan!" Her white eyes were wide.
"What were you doing?" He muttered. He pulled her by the wrist. "Train." As he led Hinata to the center of the training grounds, he could hear Sakura shouting at Sasuke, sounding almost like a nagging wife.
"What were you thinking?" Sakura screeched. Sasuke ignored her, and turned back to his training. "Sasuke-kun…" She laid a hand on his shoulder, but he jerked it away. "Sasuke-kun!"
He picked up the kunai he had been working on earlier. Sakura noticed a red stain on his pale hand. "You're wounded! You should have told me." She took his hand in her own, and he let her treat his wound. After cleansing it with the solution and wrapping it with a bit of bandage, she said: "Let's go, Sasuke-kun. Kakashi-sensei has a training exercise for us."
"I'm not training with a Hikarujin," Sasuke muttered darkly.
"Come on," Sakura pleaded. "You've been saying that for three years, Sasuke-kun. We can't talk about that when in front of the senseis. Let's go." She laced her fingers through the fingers of his uninjured hand and pulled.
"Don't drag me," he complained, but followed anyway, walking towards the blond Hikarujin and their masked sensei.
(1) Bear with me, I love this word. And I think it fits Tenten perfectly. I can't think of any other pretend family name I'd rather use for her.
Author's Notes again : Gah, the chapters are turning out longer than I expected! Well there we go, that was extremely Tenten-centric! And somewhat Sakura-centric too. Which is good, because I like the two of them!
GargoyleSama: Actually, it's even better for me if you haven't seen 'Sugo'! I have the feeling that my fellow Pinoys might even be avoiding this fic precisely because it's based on that show. (The show is not living up to its premise! Sadness.)
animEvivvErz: Oh, there'll be more alright. As you can see, so many things are rearing up everywhere!
The Gandhara: Well, you got several things right! Naruto and Shino ARE allied with the Hikarujin, therefore allied with the Hyuuga. As for bodyguards… read on! XD Well, you're not the first person who advised me to take unsigned reviews. There have been many… so I decided to go ahead. Still, all the reviews I got are signed. Odd.
saishenoyama: Yes, I'm definitely Pinoy! Thanks for reading!
Blooming Cosmo: Aww, thanks! Well, we're pretty much in the same boat, dear. :waves a Tenten fangirl flag:
mitchigirl: As you can see, it is being continued. ;)
Taiyoukai Lady: Heheheh, I hope I can keep it up too! As you can see, this chapter is even longer!
Amaterasu-chan: Yay, glad you liked it! And really, you don't have to tell me… actually the NejiHina will be more sibling-like, it can just be misconstrued as romance. I'm for NejiTen and NaruHina all the way after all! (And yes, SasuSaku and ShikaIno too!)