Ramen Doodles

By Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not and probably never will own Naruto or any other copyrighted works mentioned in this story. I am not writing this for profit.

Author's Note: When I have writer's block, I often write a lot of random snippets of ideas, omakes, and continuations of other author's ideas that kind of petered out. As I'm afflicted with a bit of writer's block regarding Key Through the Heart (again), I've decided I'm not going to leave you guys in the lurch. Therefore, enjoy some writing I've been doing over at The Fanfiction Forum.

This is another bit for the Cyborg!Tenten story. The-EroSennin and I devised a fairly basic outline for a possible way to do this fic:

Rather than Naruto, it's Sasuke who discovers what Tenten is (Post-Chuunin Exams). Number Four offers him Tenten as a personal trainer and essentially his slave in exchange for his silence about her nature, and allowing her to repair and erase Tenten's memories of her discovery. Four also adds the cherry on top-They have combat data on Itachi that Sasuke could use.

Sasuke, however, takes this the wrong way-He's seen Tenten in training. And he later sees how easily Four can bitchslap him and Tenten around his apartment. He comes to the conclusion that Konoha had these cyborgs but didn't use them to protect his clan. This anger leads him to defect to Sound... Along with Tenten, who feels she has no where else to go.

Unfortunately, this was Orochimaru's plan all along. Four is one of his agents within Konoha, who has quite easily pushed Sasuke AND Tenten into defection. Sasuke because Orochimaru wants the Sharingan, and Tenten because, thanks to the violent reaction she showed due to the reveal of her nature, she can override her programming with sheer force of will.

That means that Tenten Unit 10 has developed a true soul.

Orochimaru hopes that with this, he can figure out how to create a cyborg body that will contain both his soul, and the abilities of a number of bloodlines, including the Sharingan. Here's a snippet I wrote for the concept:

"Tell me Sasuke," Orochimaru grinned as he led the two defectors into a massive, underground chamber, "have you ever heard the Western tale of the first humans?"

"No," Sasuke stated flatly. Tenten followed silently. Orochimaru had barely acknowledged her-She didn't know if that was good or bad.

"I'll tell you," he said, before reaching back and grabbing a surprised Tenten by her shirt.

"Huh?!"

Even for her, Orochimaru moved too quickly to properly react to, and she flew into the center of the room. She landed in a crouch, just in time for the floor beneath her to explode into light. Her own world exploded with it-Only into pain.

"AAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!" She screamed, throwing her head back in agony. Sasuke instinctively moved to get her, but Orochimaru easily held him back.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He demanded. Granted, he wasn't particularly close to Tenten, but they had developed a bond of necessity-He had tried to save her memories, save who she was, because he had seen her as more than a machine. How she had assisted him getting here had strengthened the bond, just a little more.

"It's simple Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru hissed. "In the story, the greatest of all the Angels of God took the form of a serpent, in order to deceive humanity and make them fall from perfection. As punishment, God cursed the serpent to ever crawl on it's belly on the ground, in the dirt." Orochimaru's grin widened as complex sealwork came to life all over Tenten, burning away her clothing as the markings glowed bright white. He could feel the chakra release, the immense power she was drawing in.

"I intended to make the serpent an Angel once more," Orochimaru concluded. "After all... Why be a mere immortal, when I can become a god myself?"

"I don't understand, what the hell is going on?!" Sasuke roared. He could barely hear himself think over Tenten's agonized shrieks. The massive seal array underneath her full lit up, focusing the full might of it's gathered chakra right into the cyborg girl.

"Tenten was always a special girl," Orochimaru hissed. "The most empathetic, the most compassionate, the most human. Human enough now, to have a soul. A real soul. A soul that brims with power, with potential. This array I have designed, will test and see just how much potential she has."

The last of Tenten's clothing burned away, and her hair came free, waving violently in the powerful aura. Her pouches fell apart, her weapons were released from her sealed scrolls... And that metal began to fly around Tenten in a whirlwind, heedless of her cries for mercy. Lightning sparked from her back, and she bent over, face buried in her arms.

"AAAUGGGHH! AAAHHHH! GYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as from the concentrated seal arrays on Tenten's back, wings emerged. His Sharingan was spinning like crazy to take in every detail. He started when he realized that the feathers, the bones, everything in her wings was made of metal. The feathers themselves were covered in glowing seal marks, drawing in the ambient chakra to glow.

The massive seal array beneath her slowly powered down, sparks of electricity darting across the stone. The whirlwind died, Tenten's assorted weapons falling to the floor-All melted, warped and rendered useless.

The chamber was silent save for the sound of the cyborg's sobs, and the pounding of his heart in his ears.

"How incredibly literal," Orochimaru chuckled. "But no matter... KABUTO!"

In a flash, Kabuto appeared in front of Tenten. The medic pulled her head up, and slammed a seal-covered collar onto her neck. Tenten's eyes widened, and she struggled to get up, but she found her body apathetic at best to resist, and quickly began to cease to respond to her at all.

She managed to look at Sasuke desperately, tears running down her cheeks.

"SASUKE! SASUKE, PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE! Please... Don't let them..."

Her voice trailed off, and the terror and fear in her eyes vanished. Sasuke felt sick to his stomach as Tenten's expression slackened. She was completely blank, like a sad little doll.

"Ah, the control system functions. Good!" Orochimaru grinned. "Such a wonderful triumph, wouldn't you say Kabuto-kun?"

"Agreed, Orochimaru-sama," the medic smirked, adjusting his glasses.

"Tenten-kun, please get up. I have things for you to do," the Snake Sannin ordered. Slowly, the cyborg stood up, her wings folding around her like a cloak.

"Very good... Obey Kabuto-kun, won't you? Sasuke-kun... Come with me," he said. Orochimaru turned and walked off, giggling insanely under his breath. Sasuke was frozen, unable to look away from Tenten's blank eyes.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"... Right," the traitor said softly, turning away to follow his new sensei. Even when he wasn't looking, he could still see those emotionless eyes, with the tears pouring from them.

From there, you get Tenten being employed as the Angel of Death against Konoha. Who will save the day? Naruto? Sasuke? Tenten's team, the closest thing she has to a family? What? It all depends on the writer.

Also, an update on the revised Key Through the Heart: Final Mix. The outline for the first two chapters is complete, and the overall outline for the story is done. Unfortunately due to school and a strict beta reader who demands the best from me (and more), I'm delayed in writing the darn thing. Still, I have made it my mission to get the first chapter done and ready by mid-September. So, look out for it.