His whisper lingered at her neck like a ghost, rattling her from her head to her toes.

Tenten eyed him wildly as he discreetly withdrew, retreating in a way that implied no one should know about what he'd just said.

30 seconds to live?

This was no ordinary tournament, she knew that now, and in a revelation of unblanketed truth she could see the signs. The lack of security, the "inconsistency," the vision at the cliff and the referee's need to escape the arena as soon as he'd done his job, it all made sense like a completed puzzle. Something wrong was at work in the background and she'd been too focused on the matches to piece the clues together.

It all was a trap.

The details of it Tenten knew not, but it was easy to deduce that the tournament had been a front for something greater… something bad.

Neji appeared to be nonplussed and self-assured. There was a calmness in him and a story in his eyes, and she was angry, lost, using every ounce of restraint in her reserves to not pry from him that story and demand to know why she'd been tricked. But for now, as their hands were still unbreakably attached, Tenten chose to go along with him. That resolute certainty coming off of him in waves, she could tell that he knew what do. Yes, for now, depending on him was her only option.

Because hysterically twisting her head around the room in blatant panicked search of the incoming threat would be anything but conducive to preserving her safety, the girl pretended like nothing was wrong, though with a single glance inside her head one could tell that she was most definitely pretending.

It's nerve-wracking! 12 seconds have gone by. Did he mean exactly 30 seconds, or was that just an estimate?

"... It is done."

Tenten finally broke the eye contact and he did as well. Their hands were stuck liked they'd been superglued, but that was not her main concern. When she looked at the place where the old woman once stood, no one was there.

The sky changed colors, a sunset's crepuscular oranges mired of its scintillating fire and a puddle of clouds and pallid grey-purples soaked up the remainder of its ebullience. And then a dark, dark, malevolent laughter wafted from behind them, dripping with malice. They and everyone in the arena turned their heads and saw the repugnant noise slither from the mouth of Hiashi, his face crookedly contorted in a maniacal wide grin.

"Finally… hahahhaahh… finally!"

The man—the creature held his head in his hands and trembled. He clawed and thrashed at his face until the skin scraped off, a gruesome sight that had her aching to bolt and run, the shredded flesh falling to the ground in gnarled, tarnished pieces. When he arose the crowd was introduced to the wholly new visage of a gray-skinned character, carrying an uncanny likeness to a snake.

The horror didn't end there. It proceeded to peel off the rest of what was Hiashi's "body" as if it were molting. This most nauseating of sights was the breaking point—screams and chaos boomed like bombs within the crowd and a hectic surge of the audience climbed on top of one another to get off of the stands and escape the Hyuuga Estate. Tenten combed through the train of people with her eyes in hopes of catching a glimpse of Lee or Gai-sensei, but this effort was an attempt in vain. They were nowhere to be seen, and she was stranded between a stranger and a monster.

"Wh… what the hell is he…" She breathlessly wondered aloud, a silky terror swimming up her veins, inebriating her as potently as vodka.

"He's grown more powerful than before…" Neji finally spoke, a bare whisper caught in the cacophony of discord confining them. "Get behind me. Now!"

Tenten jumped. Without asking for explanations she moved to be hidden by his back, drawing their intertwined hands to rest at their right sides. Shrieks of murder played like ceaseless background music as dusk gave birth to a crescent moon, standing tall above the bursting cataclysms within the village. No one was safe. She tore her eyes away from the creature and looked around.

Her heart stopped. There were bodies. Bodies everywhere.

The victims decorated the ground like black-petaled flowers, strewn across the grass as if they were discarded laundry. Men, women, boys and girls laid out by the hundreds. The arena had been converted to a graveyard, and the culprits were clear: snakes, large and small, brown and purple, hidden by the grass and the forgiving darkness of the sky. She could see them wriggling about and biting the limbs of whatever poor soul was to be their next target.

Panic gunned her down. Where were they? Where were they? Everyone was lifeless on the ground, but not them. It couldn't be. Not the two most relentlessly energetic people on the planet god damn it, where were they?

Lee… Gai-sensei… where are you?!

No. No, they were not gone. She knew it in her heart that they were alive and refused to consider anything less. There were innocent people in peril that she could be helping, doing anything. Tenten tugged in the direction of a girl's unmoving body. "I have to help. We have to try something. They could still b—"

"Don't bother. They are dead, all of them." There was nothing but matter-of-factness in the prince's voice, and Tenten swallowed this fact like a dry pill. She should've known.

"Already rushing off to save the day? My, my, that's awfully bold."

Tenten crunched her hands into fists. The snake monster was no longer in the place he once was, his taunting voice coming in from all directions.

"After all, I don't think you have the privilege to be worrying about other people…"

She blinked.

"When I'm right here!"

Too many things happened at once.

The second her eyelids flashed open a curling blood red tongue and a gray reptilian face bulleted at her at lightning speed, no body attached to it with every intention to end her life. And then there were sudden wisps of blurred green that struck the snake monster down so hard the marble rock of the arena shattered as the head crashed into it. Debris and dust fluttered at the feet of her savior.

"Prince Neji!" said Lee, his back to them heroically. "I have an important request to ask of you! Please, protect my precious sister and take her far away from here. I will hold off this villain to give you more time."

"Lee, stop talking nonsense! That's not a human. You don't stand a chance!"

"Even if that may be true, I cannot stand the thought of you or more people getting hurt while I do nothing!"

"But Lee—"

"Gai-sensei will be here to assist me soon," He assured her. "So please, hurry! I promise we will find you!"

Tenten couldn't quell the tsunami churning within her, malaise pushing and pulling her heart in different directions. Why did it feel like she wouldn't be seeing him again for a while?

She didn't get the chance to object any further. Neji scooped her up in his arms like a bride, deaf to her gasps and protests. Something like a nod was exchanged between the two boys before he sprinted in the opposite direction, the air in her lungs sucked away as her mouth called to scream after her brother.

Lee turned around to flash her a million dollar smile and a thumbs up, facing away from the impending snake monster's head rising above him.

"LEE!"

April 14th

Chouji waved goodbye as Tenten left the Akimichi premises, wishing her well on her travels.

He sat on the porch for a while longer until his best friend strolled by, as he always did at noon. The boy walked down the path to the clan house and seated himself next to Chouji, words not yet exchanged. They stared up at the sky, which was, unfortunately, clear as the ocean; no clouds to be seen.

"Was that the girl who's been dropping by your house a lot?" Shikamaru asked, referring to the girl he'd seen his friend waving at.

"Yeah, that's Tenten. She's from River Spirit."

"That little farmer village nearby?" Chouji nodded. "Mm. What's she doing here all the time?"

"My mom pays her to keep watch over the grounds during the day sometimes." He reached for a bag of chips on the other side of the paper window. "But it's really only 'cause she wants me to talk to more girls. She's hoping that I'll marry her."

Chouji could sense the grimace on Shikamaru's face arise, preceded by a long, tired sigh. "Sounds like a drag. My mom's always on my ass about how I gotta get my act together before I get married." He stretched and laid himself out on the porch, frowning. "Women."

"I think you are too close-minded, Shikamaru. The only girls you know are Ino and your mom."

"I could say the same to you, pal."

At the same time they turned their heads and glared at each other. This didn't last long, easy laughter quickly sprouting in the warm spring air.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Tenten's nice, though. I think you would like her if you met her. She's a year older than us."

"Nah. My hands are full with the two that I already know. One way or another, she'll just end up screaming at me." He cast a curious look at the other beside him. "Sure sounds like you like her, Chouji."

"I don't like Tenten. She's just—chomp chomp—she's just easy to talk to. You should see her fight, she's very good."

"I don't wanna get friendly with a girl who can kick my ass. 'Cause if I get her mad, she'll kick my ass."

Chouji laughed again, this time not accompanied by his friend, who rolled on his side and lazily picked his ear. Shikamaru was an unmotivated, indolent fellow who strived to elude any and all affairs he considered to be "troublesome," and, consequently, there was no shortage of things he could put into this category.

He was also a born genius, and the heir to one of the most respected clans in the Village of the Fire Rat.

Peaceful days were the kind that they enjoyed, days where the sun wasn't too hot and little was required of them and they had each other. He swung his feet back and forth at the edge of the porch, consuming his chips, clear-headed.

"Hey, Shikamaru?"

"Mm."

"Tenten's entering a martial arts tournament in Pearl Moon. I was thinking we might take a trip there and cheer her on."

Shikamaru peeped an eye open. "Too troublesome. Pearl Moon is far. I hate traveling."

Chouji frowned, instantly disheartened. "Oh, okay."

They were quiet.

"... Pearl Moon is the place with the best hot springs in the country, right?"

Chouji hummed, "You bet. I hear many people go there to relieve stress."

"..." Shikamaru juggled the prospect. "I doubt my mom would let me go. She's still pissed 'cause I skipped out on that dinner at her friend's house."

"If we ask Ino to come, she might change her mind. Your mom loves Ino."

"I knew you'd say that." Shikamaru groaned and scratched his head at the idea. "There's no point in going if Ino's coming with us. She and 'relaxation' don't exactly go together."

Chouji poked him in his side. "Come on. Ino's our friend, she'd never forgive us if we went on a trip without her." He heard him say "tch" and mutter "troublesome," another way of begrudgingly accepting his proposal.

An hour sailed by effortlessly, where they talked about a range of simple subjects such as the weather, the things that bothered them, the world and their place in it. Anything and everything they could share their thoughts on. He was the one person in the world that Chouji felt completely comfortable with, the one person his age who never judged him or told him that he needed to change, and in return Chouji would never scold him for his lackadaisical tendencies. It was very easy to be around each other.

He hoped these days would last forever.

April 30th

The five days spent traveling to Pearl Moon were undifficult and fun, though Ino complained that they were the worst possible travel partners on the face of the planet. Neither could really argue given their ubiquitous sedentary natures of constantly calling for breaks, either for food or to take a nap. The female fraction of their trio and self-delegated leader wouldn't have it, her only stop being at the hospital of a passing village to gather more medical supplies. "Just in case," she said.

Their escort had bailed last minute on account of a family emergency when they were just two miles outside of Fire Rat. He had told them to wait there while he went to go send someone else, but the replacement chaperone never came. With a swipe of the map and self-confident conviction, Ino had taken charge from there.

As a result, there were parts that weren't fun. At the "leader's" behest, he and Shikamaru hoisted triple their luggage, shouldering their own and Ino's various asinine accoutrements, who claimed that "I can't be the one doing all the work! Don't you see me reading the map?"

But their first campfire, the adventure, the freedom of exploring the open green country all on their own, that was amazing. Any kind of time spent with his friends was a guaranteed good time, even if Ino was bossy from time to time. His friends were his treasure.

On the day they arrived, all three agreed to hit the hot springs immediately, eat, then check into an inn for a long, well-deserved rest, a flawless battle plan for their little gang. At the onsen, Chouji and Shikamaru found themselves to be in the company of just three other men whom minded their own business, and Ino's only complaint touched on how rude of her bathmates it was to act as if she didn't exist.

"I said 'hello,' and she pretended that she didn't even see me! I swear, everybody here is so snotty and full of themselves."

"And you aren't?"

Chouji simply shook his head at his poor friend, who once again fell victim to Ino's infamous quadruple ear-pinch attack. Tomorrow, the first of May, would be his birthday, and still his friends could only quarrel.

May 2nd

Relationships between clans served them well at the Hyuuga Estate. All attendants to the tournament were required to give their names and village of origin. A triple-threat "Yamanaka," "Akimichi," and "Nara" of the Village of the Fire Rat combo broke the barrier that separated "commoner" from "noble." They were redirected by a handmaiden to a different set of seats beside actual members of Hyuuga Clan.

Stairs took them up the five eaves of a white pagoda in front of the arena, looming 20 feet above the stage. The view was perfect, but Chouji was disappointed that, sitting next to such important people, there was no way he could cheer for Tenten the way he wanted to. Ino, Shikamaru, and himself were representing their clans, after all, and any out-of-order behavior would do damage to their families. They and the Hyuuga were on enviable terms, a valuable ally to have, but also a dangerous enemy should the tides take turn.

The trio bowed as they introduced themselves to four Hyuugas, the immediate family of the clan head: his wife, two daughters, and nephew.

"Forgive me for my rudeness, but have we met before?" Ino asked of the eldest daughter as they sat themselves at the balcony. She appeared startled to have been spoken to and struggled to maintain eye contact.

"Ah, u—um, yes, I believe so…" Hinata said softly, twiddling her thumbs. "Nine years ago… m—maybe eight…"

Her mother chimed herself in. "It was a gathering for tea between your mother and I, Ino-san. I brought Hinata along with me and the two of you met, but you couldn't have been more than five years old. How is Sawako, by the way?"

"My mother is well! She recently opened a flower shop in Fire Rat and…"

Chouji and Shikamaru gratefully let their social butterfly friend do the talking until the matches began. Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji, none of them seemed partial to the idea of conversation, and that was perfectly fine. No one hated passive formality as much as he knew Shikamaru did, fronting as friendly with other nobles in light of the underlying tension, the risk of offending someone, treading tranquil waters with a knife at your neck—it was all very political and calculated and everyone knew it. This particular clan, it was the type that had secrets, the type that hypnotized the public eye into believing that they were beautiful, that they were gods, that they were blessed to exist within the same village. They were masters of pretending, maybe not the two girls, but the wife and prince Neji were people to be wary of.

He hadn't expected to run into such serious matters on what was meant to be a surprise visit to his friend.

Whatever delicate subject Ino and the woman were handling got swept away when rows and rows of girls lined up on the arena platform where the fights would take place. A man walked up to the center stage.

"I am Hyuuga Hiashi. I welcome you all to my estate…"

"You weren't lying, Chouji. Your friend is really good at fighting hand-to-hand!" Ino whispered in his ear behind a palm. He nodded, feeling proud that he could show off how he had such a cool older friend.

Tenten had just finished her third "fight," a forfeit on the other girl's behalf, and she would advance to the next and final round. In all honesty, he hadn't thought that Tenten would be able to defeat the people of Pearl Moon. The gentle fist style was one that even his father said he wouldn't want to scrap with, but her unorthodox and free way of moving, not following any kind of steps or instruction and simply going with the flow as nature provided, it very well proved his doubts wrong. That seemed to be the problem with these young users of the gentle fist; everyone used it, everyone expected it, and everyone understood it, but Tenten was the one ripple in the rift that these girls couldn't predict.

But I… He thought to himself, assessing his own pressing grievances. I'm really, really hungry… I hope the last match'll be over soon...

"That foreigner is skilled, Neji-niisama." Hanabi remarked with a hint of surprise. "How would you like her as your wife?"

"W—wife?" Chouji couldn't help but interject from the opposite side of the row of chairs. The four Hyuuga darted their eyes of wisteria purple at him like bullets in rapid succession to which he gulped and hung his head down. "F… forgive me for speaking out of turn, Hanabi-oujosama. But… um… so you are thinking of taking Tenten of River Spirit as your wife, Prince Neji?"

He felt the stares idle upon him for a few seconds longer, perusing him cautiously, and then steer towards the prince. His imagination teased, as Chouji was certain he could feel the prince's aura stab daggers at him for driving the attention down his path. Now they waited expectantly for his reply, silence drowning the conversation. Finally then, he responded,

"My opinion is of no consequence. I haven't a say in the matter."

Cool, composed, decorous, ushered by a slightly bitter aftertaste. The Hyuuga females exchanged concerned glances between one another.

"Well, um… what my nephew means to say is that this is no ordinary tournament. The young woman of our village are competing to wed the prince." The woman assured. "The Council of Elders was having difficulties selecting a worthy wife for him, because we only want to welcome the strongest into our family. We value power over lineage, you see. They deemed this the best way to do so while sustaining our independence."

"I don't think the council counted on someone from River Spirit getting this far, let alone finding out about our tournament." Hanabi denoted, tilting her head at the stage where Tenten and Sayomuhime stood across from one another. "Is that village not days away from us? How strange it is that she knew of this arrangement."

"That, um, th—that is a worthy notion, Hanabi. I did not know that word could spread so… um… far…"

"But if that were the case, would there not be even more foreigners competing?"

Chouji stiffened and tightly gripped the hem of his shorts as they continued to speculate. Ino and Shikamaru slowly leaned in to him, the conversation to be kept to themselves.

"Chouji," His friend uttered warningly. "You're the one that told Tenten about the tournament." Pause. "And you didn't know about the marriage half of it."

He stated it like a fact as concrete as the sky was blue. There was no arguing with a Shikamaru brand analysis.

"You idiot!" Ino scream-whispered harshly. "How could you not know that?! If she wins, her whole life could be ruined!"

A mountainous guilt dragged his entire body down like a thousand anvils crushing his ribcage. Tenten would despise marrying into the Hyuuga, a clan so stiff and proper and mysterious, her freedom shot from the sky and ambitions spiraling to the dirt below. The life of a noble was a suffocating one where public image affected everything, and surely she would be subjected to scrutiny beyond imagination, unwittingly taking an opportunity that so many girls of Pearl Moon desired. He didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, but whatever it was, she could not do it so long as she was affiliated with the Hyuuga. Chouji couldn't live with doing that to her.

"I… sorry guys…" He didn't know what to say but apologize. "Shikamaru, what can we do?"

To his dismay, the other boy shook his head, frowning. "We're not the ones you oughtta be saying sorry to. Let's just hope your friend loses this thing, or else."

The ball was in the park. Needles at his feet, Chouji watched the final match between Tenten and someone called Sayomuhime begin.

"... Tenten, of the Village of the River Spirit."

He tried to not make his lack of enthusiasm appear obvious.

Chouji snuck a look at Tenten's fiancé. Unperturbed, unimpressed, uninterested as he had been at the start. Neji stood up from his seat. He bowed and then walked to the exit stairs down the pagoda, no words to accompany him. It was likely that he was leaving in order to meet his future wife for the first time.

"Oh, Obaa-sama! Do you have any carrier pigeons available? The three of us would like to report to our parents that we'll be leaving soon." Ino chirped with alacrity, innocently posing her hands to her cheeks.

"Oh…?" The wife said, sounding confused. "I suppose so… Hinata. Would you show our guests to the export offi—"

She waved her hands dismissively and smiled, "No no no, don't trouble yourself, Hinata-san. We'll find it on our own while you watch the ceremony, hahahahaha…" An awkward cough in her fist. "Chouji, Shikamaru, come on."

The two knew Ino well; she had something up her sleeve. They nodded discreetly.

"U—um… but you cannot access our delivery room without one of us present, ah, um…"

They were already halfway down the stairs.

"What're you thinking, Ino?" He asked directly as they climbed down. She scowled.

"Duh! You're going to explain to Hiashi-sama exactly what happened and hope that you can fix this mess. I mean, seriously, the Hyuuga?" She continued, sounding irritated. "That's, like, the worst possible clan to marry into! And—"

Ino froze mid-step, suddenly stiff as a marble statue. Shikamaru and Chouji stopped as well and stared quizzically at the blonde. Her foot unnaturally hovered above the stair she was about to step on, leg outstretched, not wavering, completely immobile.

Shikamaru placed his hand tentatively on her shoulder, feeling uneasy. "... Ino…?"

"Shikamaru, what's wrong? Is she okay?"

He didn't answer. Chouji watched him walk down past Ino to get a look at her face, alarmed at the change in air.

"Wh—what the…?!"

She fell backwards. Chouji caught her from behind and supported her limp rag doll of a body, which molded to him and the stairs without a smidgen of control. Her body vibrated, trembling almost, he could feel that something was going on within her. Helplessly he looked to his more knowledgeable friend and asked again, voice weaved with concern, "Shikamaru, what's wrong with Ino? What just happened to her?"

His expression revealed horror. Now the boy was anxious, for he knew Shikamaru and he knew that he did not scare easily and he didn't play around. So what could possibly justify a pale, wide-eyed, grievously petrified look like that from the Shikamaru who had two, maybe two and a half different facial expressions in total?

"Shikamaru." He was silent. "Shikamaru!" He was frozen. "What did you see? Shikamaru!"

"Hhgh!" He made a strangled sound like he was punched in the gut and doubled over onto his hands and knees on the stairs. And then he vomited right there, in a Hyuuga pagoda, spilling his stomach before Ino's feet on the glazed wood. Chouji watched on in shocked distress, both his friends suffering from some unknown illness while he was at a loss. Gasping, gasping, choking, gasping again, Shikamaru couldn't seem to hold any air in his lungs. Still holding Ino carefully, he maneuvered around to rub the Nara's quaking back, shivering, hanging his head down.

At that moment, Ino chose to awaken. He felt her squirm in his arms until she could move on her own, using the railing as temporary support. While Shikamaru still gagged raucously she gripped her hands on Chouji's shoulders, sharpened nails stabbing his skin. Her eyes were wild.

"Chouji, listen to me. I know this sounds crazy," she was deadly serious, "but we need to get out of Pearl Moon. Right now."

They hurried down the spiral stairs unhesitatingly like a heavy pounding heartbeat. Chouji carried an unconscious Shikamaru on his back and Ino led the way over ten steps ahead. Sounds of commotion passed through the paper walls from the arena. It didn't sound good. She could only hope that they weren't too late.

"In… o…" Groaned their drifting comrade. Wrinkles showed on his scrunched up forehead, labored breath audible, shiny skin revealing sweat, and he appeared to be in pain. "Chou... Ino…"

"What's… what's wrong with him?" Chouji huffed, fatigue causing him to sweat as well from the speed at which they raced downwards. "Ino, what's going on?"

"I'll tell you later, Chouji!" A lie. "He'll be fine, just trust me!" Another lie. "Come on, bring him down! Let's go, let's go!"

As she came to the very last step, she whispered a prayer and waited for Chouji catch up. He climbed his way down with obvious reticence, panting, and laid Shikamaru on the marble floor. They both bent to his level. Ino reached into her book bag to pull out a cold, round little gemstone of cerulean-white hues and accurately centered it in her palm. She then wet her lips, closed her eyes, and blew cold air onto the perfectly smooth surface, alighting a soft white glow to surround it. No actions yet explained, she placed the object on Shikamaru's forehead and held it there with two fingers. Her other hand formed the same sign, index and pointer fingers pressed to her lips.

"Art of the Boar: Ease!"

She heard Chouji gasp as wispy purple smoke floated up from Shikamaru's head and trickled into the gemstone, watching it change to sangria red, polluted with black wine dusted purples on the bottom. The shimmer was gone, and it was now a dark, dull rock, radiating an uncomfortable warmth between their skin.

Ino quickly pocketed it before their friend began to stir. Chouji leaned him up and patted his back, and he rubbed his eyelids harshly. Her eyes softened, sighing with relief until the danger surrounding them panged in her chest once more. "Shikamaru, get up. It's an emergency." She said.

"Ino… My ears won't quit ringing..." He moaned. "Shit... I feel like shit."

"Take it easy, Shikamaru," the brunette boy offered momentarily, laying him down in his lap as he faded in and out of consciousness. He faced her head-on, a clip of fear and suspicion in his eyes. "What did you do to him? First he looked at you directly, threw up, and then he passed out! And then you—then you did that crazy thing with that stone! What's going on, Ino? What have you been hiding from us?"

The blonde felt attacked, for now it seemed that one of her best friends had turned on her. He had never seen her abilities of the Yamanaka Clan, she hadn't ever even told him or anyone about it; no one knew of the power in her hands…

This was bad. Her parents would be furious.

Tears burned like fire at the corners of her eyes. Was he implying that she was anything but a loyal friend to them? Clan relations were complex, she knew that, and the Yamanaka Clan had only fathered two generations in the Village of the Fire Rat after immigrating there, parvenues among them. It was an incomparable paucity to the long, long history of the Akimichi and Nara, whom had fostered their roots in the village for centuries. They were more trusted. They trusted each other more than Ino and her clan.

It took everything to stop her voice from breaking. "Just listen to me," She closed her eyes shut to keep from crying. "I can't tell you. But we've gotta—"

"No! No matter what, I can't just leave, Ino! Tenten's my friend and she's still in trouble!"

That's the last of our worries, you numbskull! She gritted her teeth. "You know what, Chouji? I don't care anymore! Yeah, I don't care, because I bet she'd be better off married than dead!"

.

.

.

"Ino. We trust you. Spill it already."

Shikamaru was the one who peeped up, using Chouji's shoulder to help himself stand. They lingered in place juxtaposition. The latter boy hesitated before allowing himself to nod, reaffirming that he still trusted her, too.

The girl gnawed on her dry lips. Her parents, could they forgive her if two people knew her most precious secret?

No, not yet.

"Pearl Moon is going to be invaded." Ino confessed. She refused to say how or why she knew but she just did, and they would have to accept that. The situation was too dire to waste precious seconds on revealing everything. She lowered her voice to a daunting, sonorous tone of fatal severity, deep as the dark depths of the ocean, rumbling with an avalanche's motions. Ino meant business. "People will die. We could die too if we don't get out of here. So, I'll say it one more time. We. Have. To leave. NOW."

And that was how the Ino-Shika-Cho trio wound up running faster than they ever had before, all but kicking the sliding door in their path open and racing outside—only to stop in their tracks.

They were no longer in Pearl Moon. Except they were, but the sight before their eyes might as well have been an entirely different world. The serenity? Gone. The beauty? Obliterated. The people?

Dead.

Monochrome mauve skies perfectly translated the message. The Village of Pearl Moon had already been invaded.

"MORNING PEACOCK!"

CRASH.

Yellow and orange exploded across the landscape, splashing the dark world in an illuminating light. Fire caught the rooftops in the residencies of the village, black on blazing red burning with a resolute need to consume and destroy.

Ino cried, "Wh—what is that?!"

A man, or some other creature, with hot red skin and a body of forest green shot into the air like a firework, radiating crimson aura which spread a killing-intent that resonated deep in their bones. From their angle, they gazed in terrified awe at his backside as his arms—fists—legs were a fusillade of explosive power, a merciless bombardment pounding whatever cursed soul suffered at the opposite end. A purely primal dragon's roar shook the atmosphere from his mouth, and an earthquake rumbled beneath their feet.

"This... is some kind of hell…" Shikamaru whispered, the flames reflecting in his black eyes.

Shrill, female screams sounded from somewhere above their heads. Everybody tensed.

"Th… the Hyuuga girls, they're still up there..." Chouji uttered.

He said it as a tentative statement. No one suggested that they rush to their rescue or leave them to die and escape. All their young, inexperienced minds were capable of was staring stupidly as the world fell apart, charred cinders flying in the air, creeping at their toes.

"NO, PLEASE, NO! MOTHER!"

Handfuls of cries thundered down from the pagoda's top balustrade, each another dagger in their hearts. The tears again started before Ino realized it. Chouji, too, made no effort to conceal his trembling shoulders.

Shikamaru, though. His emotions compelled him to do something different.

"Damn it!"

The boy swore and suddenly took off sprinting back into the building. He spared no seconds to dart the fastest she'd ever seen him go.

"Wha—Shikamaru! What are you doing?!"

He paused in his run and leaned over the railing, already halfway up the first set of stairs. "Chouji, take Ino and get out of here! I'll find you guys soon!"

Ino sputtered, "Are you insane? You'll get yourself killed! Shikamaru!" She began to chase after him inside until she felt a grip on her wrist holding her back.

"No," Chouji said, "he knows what he's doing. Come on, Ino. We've got to hurry."

Ino stared up at him, eyes misty and red. That damn Shikamaru, deciding things on his own. He was a genius, this was a fact, but how could his brain possibly do him any good right now? This was life or death!

Oh, hold on…! I still have that thing in my bag!

"Wait! Shikamaru, take this!"

The girl roughly took off her backpack to rummage around and withdraw a capsule the length of her palm. Her upper body strength was very weak, even for a female, and her blood roved in her ears with nervousness as she swung her arm around and hurled the object up at him. They heard it clatter a few steps above him.

"Thanks, Ino!" He affirmed, snatching it up on his way to the second set of stairs.

Anxiousness gurgled in her gut. She could hear his footsteps continue on, faster and faster to the next flight.

Free fingers becoming balled fists, she shouted, "DON'T YOU DARE DIE, YOU BIG DUMBASS! I'LL MURDER YOU IF YOU DO!"

No response.

He was already long out of sight.

She bit back a sob, feeling the strong squeeze of Chouji's hand in hers. Why did it feel like she wouldn't be seeing him again for a while?

Nodding to each other, the pair ran outside into the desolate streets of Pearl Moon and didn't look back.

"Take me back! Put me down!"

Tenten squirmed intransigently in the arms of the prince, kicking and flailing and thrashing relentlessly. Their hands were still glued together, and it made her position extremely uncomfortable with her arm hooking backwards around her side, palm attached to his which carried her bridal style. She slapped and clawed whatever parts of his body she could reach, but he just set forward on—down the hill that opened Pearl Moon to a field of tall white flowers. Pollen visibly floated in the air around them, white and blue and purple dust blowing about with the wind.

These are the flowers Gai-sensei told us about… Tenten remembered in the midst of her rage. Already, her rampant emotions seemed to pacify under the pollen's soothing effect. Her mind eased, her thoughts more coherent and clear.

"You could at least not carry me like this. My arm is killing me."

"I will put you down soon. Hold on for a bit longer."

"Ugh." She squirmed a bit more, aching to stretch her arm, just a little bit. "Where are you taking me?"

"A temporary shelter where the demon cannot find us."

"Can't find us…" She repeated quietly. "Why? What is it after? Why is it after me?"

The prince said nothing. He ran off the gravel path and darted into the ocean of white flowers that reached up to his hips, waning to their sides as he pushed past them while Tenten drowned at their stalks. The leaves and stems flitted her hair, her face, her nose vulnerable to the sprinkling down pollen from above. It smelled of harsh perfume at such intimate proximity and snuck past her lips and nostrils. She snorted and sputtered, grinding her tongue across her teeth in hopes of eliminating the planty, poisonous flavor that most flowers had from her offended taste buds.

Drowsiness made its way into her body. Tenten blinked rapidly, eyelids heavy and lazy. The pollen was intoxicating her like alcohol, she felt drunk and dulled in the head, growing dizzier each time she inhaled. If she lost her grip on mental equanimity any more she would surely start to hallucinate.

She shook her head around and pinched her cheek, willing her mind to hold out against the luring seduction of sleep. It wasn't fair that she could worry about something so trivial while Lee was back in the village fighting and Gai-sensei was gods-know where doing gods-know what.

"Oh."

Neji had stopped moving a while ago. He was searching for something in the ground, frowning in what she saw as frustration. Tenten grunted anxiously, and he finally lowered her down feet first to stand on her own. She stretched her arm and groaned when his hand, still stuck to hers, followed with it. Wasn't it about time he explained everything from start to finish?

"Byakugan!"

Throbbing veins popped up at the corners of his eyes and spread to the sides of his face. Tenten took in a breath, staring at him in disgust and shock. What was he?

His eyes—she didn't even want to look at them directly—scanned the field for something, and when he found whatever it was he tugged Tenten to follow him. Their silent falling footsteps left imprints in the soft dirt as they made a turn and ran further into the infinite expanse of flowers. Purple twilight gave way to a blacker sky, the tentative claws of night peeling away its lighter counterpart. Shrouded in darkness they were, feet lost in a shadow's greedy pools before they could ever meet the ground. She squinted; the few things she could see were the ghostly white contrasts of the flower bulbs and the prince's clothing. His hand was still cold, and she herself began to feel the chill of early night's shy breezes.

Neji halted again. She stood by his side this time, taking a glance back at the fallen Village of Pearl Moon. Blood-curdling screams smoked like distant whispers to her now, just barely audible but nonetheless gut-wrenching. People died on this day. People would continue to die on this day. A history would have no one to carry it on to the next generation because on this day, Pearl Moon had fallen. She thought about it that way, in the most unequivocal truth she could muster.

Lee… Gai-sensei… I hope you're alright…

To her surprise, the prince as well was staring back at the village. He did not falter, nor did he cry or grin or show any sign of earnest or sinister emotion. An impassive goodbye, perhaps it was, to his home and everyone in it.

He placed his palm flat in the open air as though he were pressing it against a wall. Lines formed on his forehead, creased with concentration, and then the air around them felt static and buzzing with heat. A whirring blue energy flashed to life around his raised hand.

Tenten gasped, "Whoa."

The energy hummed as it took tangible form and coursed into its own cubic shape. The figure grew and grew, and she realized that the power wasn't becoming something on its own; it was surrounding something.

Its blue electricity—thing, she had no idea what it was—faded, and from its disappearance a small wooden structure appeared, about the size of a port-a-potty. On its door was an engraved circle with a curved line and two smaller circles within. Tenten recognized it to be the symbol of yin and yang.

"We will stay here until our hands are no longer stuck."

She pulled back as he began to walk forward.

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm going anywhere with you."

"You don't have a choice. It will not be long before the demon comes after us again."

Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of that monster again. It was clear that it had tried to kill her—but she had originally thought that it was after no one in particular, its goal to reap general havoc. Why on Earth would it be targeting her specifically? Why would it pursue her again?

"... Okay," Tenten resolved, "but I want an explanation from start to finish. You will tell me everything I need to know, and after I find my family, I'm getting out of here."

Neji shrugged noncommittally. She was about to repeat her demands to make sure he understood until opened the door to reveal a stone staircase heading down into the earth, depth concealed by looming shadows.

Am I really about to head into some underground lair with a guy that I don't even know? She hesitated, for all I know, he could be a psychopath! This could be a trap!

"H—hold on," she stopped a second time. He seemed irritated when he looked at her again. "Where are we going? How do I know you're not crazy?"

"You don't."

"Wh—yeah, I don't!"

The conversation did not extend beyond that establishment. Tenten didn't know what to say next. So they descended into the ground, hand in hand, succumbing to the darkness and mystery awaiting.

"You're not really a prince, are you?"

Echoes graced each reverberating step past the damp, slippery surface of the stairs. Slow was their pace, hypnotic, droning, down, down, down, down...

"No." He said. "No, I am not."

When he was sure his friends were gone, Shikamaru stopped running. He assessed his surroundings decisively—one light to his furthermost left, one on his opposite side below, one on the next staircase, a lantern on the first floor, and a single bulb at the very top ceiling. I gotta take out at least three for it to get dark enough.

Damning himself and his conscience for putting him in the heart of a problem, he took off the band that held his ponytail together and reached into his pocket. Three marbles and a broken chopstick. It'd have to do.

Shikamaru stretched the band with the pointer finger and thumb of his left hand and held a marble at the front's midpoint. He had his makeshift slingshot. Now to pull it back and aim...

Clink!

The sharp sound of shattering glass was music to his ears. It got significantly darker, as the ceiling bulb was the strongest source of light, but it wasn't enough to perform his technique. He added another marble and struck the next one with ungodly precision. Only one more, and he could reach the girls and do—whatever. He didn't think it through; how uncharacteristic of him. He didn't even know what kind of trouble they were in, and here he was risking his life to save them. What could he do?

"Pain in the ass," he said (possibly directed at himself), preparing to launch the last one.

"GET AWAY! MOTHER, WE HAVE TO—"

The drum-splitting screech that burst in his ears made him jump and drop the marble over the stairs. Its rapid bouncing descent down the stairs mocked him as it fell further from his reach.

"Fuck," sweat dropped from his forehead. "Fuck!"

He couldn't think straight. From those things he saw in Ino's eyes to the dead body he'd nearly stepped on outside, Shikamaru was not in quick-thinking genius mode, he was in about-to-have-a-nervous-breakdown 13 year old boy mode. He scrambled for something he could use a replacement and found nothing.

There's no way I'll get up there fast enough just by running. "I gotta do it."

Shikamaru bent on one knee—awkwardly, on a staircase—and formed the hand seals his father had taught him, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

"Art of the Deer: Shadow Control!"

The shadows of the walls drew to his body, becoming stronger and darker as they gradually coalesced into swarming black pools at his feet. His face turned red, harnessing the darkness that he could in the most strained concentration he'd ever forced upon himself. The boy never needed to work this hard just gathering the shadows because it was never this light out, the hardest part was supposed to be getting them to bend to his will. But this… it felt like swimming against a wave as it pushed him back, forcing the negative ends of a magnet to touch as they repelled each other. Shadows didn't belong where light dominated. The resist against his will proved that.

Plan B.

"Ugh!" Shikamaru released his control. Instantly, the gobs of black in his detainment bubbled and retreated to the dark corners from where they came, except for a small fraction that he kept for himself. In the shape of a needle he aimed the shadow at a light—the one to his furthermost left.

Clink!

Perfect.

Lowly in a blanket of newfound black, "I got you now."

One more time, he made the seals.

Lee ran ragged with the wind, flying on his feet for his life. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, in the shadows of his wake another crash whipped the ground, hitting the fallen people whom littered the grass in groups.

"How dare you desecrate the bodies of those you have killed?!" He shouted with passionate rage, removing a child's corpse from harm's way milliseconds before the demon lashed at it. That someone—something—anything could have so little regard for the deceased—a most sacred state that should never be violated—it made him sick with abhorrence and anger.

"Have you no respect for human life?!"

WHIP.

"Do you not care for the families you have destroyed?!"

WHIP.

"I will not forgive these crimes so easily, snake! Prepare yourself!"

WHIP.

Lee did not dodge the tendrils this time—instead, he jumped in the air and landed on top of it. The tongue of the snake recoiled, snapping back to its mouth, but just before it returned to its maw he jumped again and punched its head into the arena. Marble and stone flecks scattered in the air.

He flipped backwards onto his feet and to the ground, panting with exertion. He'd been at this back-and-forth game with the snake for over 20 minutes. It was a miniscule price to pay for the safety of his sister, he would never give up, but at this point Lee had ascertained that his efforts thus far bore no damage to his enemy. He'd punch it or kick it or slam it into the ground with all of his might and it would rise up again to resume offense. Could it be toying with him?

Perhaps… it is time that I use the technique that Gai-sensei taught me. I only grow weaker with each attack. What a most formidable opponent I face, indeed!

"First gate…" Lee hummed, concentrating on his muscles. Wind gathered at his feet. Leaves and debris swirled in a circle around his legs. He felt fire seep past a layer of tissue, searing his nerves. The outer pain was gone. As he prepared his first attack to break the dam, unleash his unbridled fury, demolish the criminal before his eyes, the words to tip the domino nearly left his lips.

"No, Lee."

The growing power fled his body. Lee turned around.

"GAI-SENSEI!"

Emotion overwhelmed him. The tears flushed out of his eyes like water rapids, pouring and pouring beyond a shred of control. Lee moved to hug his sensei, but was met with rejection.

"YOU FOOL!" Gai bellowed, whacking his pupil upside the head. "That technique is FORBIDDEN! I told you to hold off the demon until I returned, not try to kill it!"

This time, the tail lashed where they stood. Both vaulted out of the way, jumping in the opposite direction away from each other. Gai-sensei shouted from across the arena, "Find Tenten, and help any survivors you find along the way and return to our village! You absolutely cannot allow yourselves to get bitten by snakes! Do you understand?"

WHIP.

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" He saluted. "And you will be joining us soon, yes?"

"JUST GO, LEE!"

A flinch. That didn't sound like his sensei.

Shakily, the boy gave an unsure nod and darted into the streets. Worry hung over his head like a persistent rain cloud. The way Gai-sensei spoke of it, the snake monster was far stronger than he'd imagined… No, surely his sensei would overcome any obstacle put in his path. That was the power of overflowing youth!

So he ran. Houses blurred in his vision from the thunderous speed at which he moved, turning corners and corners and shouting the name of his sister.

"TENTEN! TENTEN!" He would stop in his tracks every minute and listen for a response, but none ever came, no matter how loud he yelled or how far he ran. He must have been searching through the village for over half an hour, and each time he rounded the perimeter he came up empty. Not only Tenten, but it seemed as though every Pearl Moon citizen had vanished. No survivors, no bodies, not a soul therein. Could Tenten have fled with the rest of the villagers? Did she already begin the travel back to River Spirit?

"Hold on! You will be okay, just a little farther!"

A voice! Someone is still here!

Without a second thought Lee ventured to the aid of whomever he'd heard, racing to the shadow of three persons slowly emerging from the direction of the arena.

"Do you see him anywhere?"

Sunlight preened its beaming white feathers unto the landscape, which had drastically transformed underneath the flames as midnight passed over to dawn.

"No, Ino." He said. "I think… I—I think he might be gone."

He struck up a candle. Tenten's eyes lit up, the deep brown in her eyes highlighted by the fire's gentle light swaying this way and that. It was the only thing that kept them from being engulfed by the swollen, congested, dripping throat of the blackness, the flame's essence breathing passively on the surface of the wall. From what she could tell he was leading her through a narrow hallway of rock, traveling deeper and deeper into the underground cavern. She felt that same "energy" she'd faced several times today resonate from all around her, whisper to her veins, emit a strange warmth in her stomach and in her chest that made her feel safe. And comfortable. And… loved. How was that possible?

What is this place…?

Water from the ceiling fell on her shoulder. Soon, the hallway ended and revealed an open low-lit space at its mouth, a wide, enclosed chamber with cubic paper lanterns perfectly placed along the circumference of the curving walls, emanating pale mint blue light within. A chest, a cedar table, and the papers on top of it were the only other decorations the space had to offer.

Neji blew out his candle. They entered the room, bathing in its soft illumination, and seated themselves next to each other at the table. Now was the time to debrief, to lay everything out in all its nakedness. Tenten would make sure of this.

"Why am I here?"

He responded, "This is the safest place from the demon to be. Only a Hyuuga's chakra can access it."

"Chakra"? I've heard that word before. Isn't it, like, life energy? "But... I'm not a Hyuuga."

"As of an hour ago, you are."

Tenten blinked, tilting her head in perplexity. "What are you talking about?"

"The tournament." He said. "After you had won, the elder performed the Linkage ritual for us. It is a rite that newlyweds underwent in ancient times. The intended purpose was to eternally bond two people together in a way that prevents them from being physically separated."

She recalled the old woman who had done some strange magical thing to them at the arena. So that's what that was for. "Is that why our hands are stuck together?"

"I'm not sure." He admitted, holding his chin between his pointer finger and thumb. "This should not be permanent. I suspect that our chakras are in the process of melding and require physical contact to complete the procedure."

"O… kay…" She didn't quite understand (and there was that "chakra" word again), but as long as it wasn't permanent, her concern belonged elsewhere. "How long until it's done?"

"I don't know. An hour should have been enough time, but something is holding the linkage process back."

"Well, I can't be waiting here all day." I need to find Lee. "What's keeping it from working?"

"We are strangers."

Tenten was getting tired of having her questions answered in a way that only provoked more questions. She wanted to know what had happened and then leave to search for her family. Was there no concrete answer he could give? One that wasn't totally confusing or excessively ambiguous?

She made to push her bangs out of her face in frustration, but couldn't. Their stupid hands.

"Okay." She huffed. "So tell me what needs to be done, prince. Tell me what I have to do so I can leave!"

If he took any offense at her mocking tone, he didn't show it. She hadn't seen a single change in his facial expression in the entire time she'd been with him, actually. "As I said, we are strangers. This was a ritual meant for lovers. If the connection isn't there—or rather, if the compatibility isn't there—then it might not work. I can't say what will come of this."

"Oh…" That's kind of awkward. "Is there no other way?"

"There may be two." He sounded hesitant. "But… neither are favorable."

The girl scoffed. "Favorable? I'm not exactly picky at a time like this. Tell me what they are!"

"... Very well. You may not like either of them."

Now she was slightly circumspect. He made them sound as if they were such terrible things to do...

He faced her directly, lavender eyes tinted blue in the light of the lanterns. "Give me your other hand."

She almost shivered. His tone was calm and measured, and also soothing in the way that a father speaks to his child, softly and warmly and full of care. Maybe it was the after effects of the pollen, but she felt lightheaded as she wordlessly complied, meeting her hand with his. They locked fingers and locked eyes for the second time that day, the stillness of the room becoming all too obvious.

"Say my name."

"... Umm…"

Say my name.

"Hyuuga… Neji…"

The first one to break eye contact was him, furrowing his brows in apparent strain. Did saying his name hurt? What exactly did the Linkage do to them?

"Again. Say it again."

She wasn't imagining the hoarseness in his voice, and perhaps there was a hint of desperation and forcefulness in there as well because he gripped her hand tighter, stronger, needier, even, lids closed shut over his eyes. Tenten gulped. Heat rose in her face before she knew it, slightly embarrassed to be seeing such a thing. She glossed her tongue over her dry lips and repeated his name once more, lower than before.

This time he hung his head low and groaned gutturally, his shoulders rising and falling to accommodate laboured breaths. "Are you okay…?" Tenten trailed off, feeling the need to withdraw. Neji promptly lifted his head, and when he finally reopened his eyes she nearly recoiled.

Skin shiny with sweat, heavy-lidded eyes, blush dusted cheeks.

"It is nothing," he said quietly, "there won't be anymore need for that."

She was totally unconvinced. "As if that were nothing. What just happened to you?"

"What happened is irrelevant. It was not enough to complete the Linkage, therefore—"

"Wait wait wait," Tenten interjected. "What happens when you say my name instead?"

He stared at her in exasperation. She could tell that he wanted to forget it ever happened.

"I will not." Neji declared, turning away from her. She frowned.

"How is that fair?" A pout formed across her face in that signature Tenten way, puffy cheeks and angry eyes. "This affects me, not just you. I wanna know how it works."

"I… can't."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't want me to."

"Fine." A pause. "Then I'll just say your name a thousand times until you say mine."

The boy threw her a hard glare. "You will not." But she had already started.

"Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji, Hyuuga Neji,"

Tenten took note of the meager little noise that came from him and snickered. How cute.

Cute? Where did that come from?

She said it again, slower. "Hyu—ga Neji."

He bit his lip, knit his eyebrows tight, and groaned again, a bit louder this time. The slight pink she'd seen before deepened to a prominent red, lips parted as he panted heavily. She didn't notice him leaning in closer to her, trembling, struggling against his nerves. "Do not—"

"Neji."

Something in him must have burst.

Tenten gasped as she felt his arm wrap around her waist and roughly pull her into his embrace. He literally clung to her back, nails digging into the fabric of her clothes, burying her in his body. His heavy breaths fell on her shoulder, on her neck, and even still he continued to push himself against her, as if he couldn't get close enough to satisfy himself. "Tenten," She inhaled sharply as her name left his mouth in a shaky, desperate breath. "Tenten, Tenten, Tenten."

Her whole body heated up, a flame ignited in her core, branching out to each of her limbs. A peculiar sensation like boiling water bubbled in her belly. Something sparked in her deliciously when he said her name that made her never want to leave his side.

I have to be near him. I have to be near him. I have to be near him.

That string of words was the only thought that existed in her head. She needed him like she needed air. Tenten hugged her arm around him so affectionately, pulling herself into the heat of his body. If they were any closer to each other, they might melt, because it felt so hot and so deeply good and so inexplicably right to be together. It wasn't natural, this harrowing need to feel him against her, to feel his chest heave against her own, to revel in the way they attracted to each other like magnets. Gods, the urge to squeeze and push and become one with each other was driving her insane, hugging couldn't possibly be enough to satisfy the yearning she felt for the boy she'd only just met.

"Neji…"

"This was a ritual meant for lovers."

"... Tenten..."

"I can't say what will come of this."

It was a mutual, unspoken agreement to not discuss the things they'd just done or felt when they came back to their senses. Mortification, shame, disbelief, these were names that they both befriended and wallowed in for a short time until it became bearable. The awkwardness did not go away, but Tenten came to let it slide when she internally accepted, "Hey, whatever crazy things I felt, you felt, too."

On the plus side, their hands had finally come undone. She did wonder what that other method he'd had in mind to separate them was, seeing as how he had said there were two… and considering how bad the first option was.

"Well," she spoke, since he didn't yet seem up to the task. "Is the Linkage thing over? Can I go look for my brother, now?"

Neji was sifting around in the chest she had noticed before, looking for who-knows-what. She guessed that he was still unable to look her in the face. What a prideful guy.

When he finally answered, he sounded like he was back to himself, lifting a worn little book out of the chest to stare at it intently. "The answer to both of those questions is no. The Linkage is permanent."

"Permanent?" She echoed incredulously, then narrowed her eyes. "How can that be? You said it kept us from being physically separated. We're not stuck together anymore."

His eyes didn't stray from the book. "That is not what I meant."

"That what did you mean?"

"I understand it better now…" The Hyuuga dubiously claimed. He put the book down and turned his eyes on her, unwavering in tone. "The Linkage ritual works by taking a portion of my chakra and transferring it into your chakra pathway system, and vice versa. My chakra has been permanently sealed within your body, and yours sealed in mine.

"Chakra is directly affected by the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual state of an individual. Though your chakra resides in me, it is still your own. Therefore, I will be partly affected by changes in your own state of mind and body. Strong sensations or strong emotions that you feel, I will feel as well, and the same applies to you."

"Uh… huh…" She nodded, still slightly confused. "So is that why…"

"Saying my name acted as a trigger to call my chakra that is inside your body back to me. My chakra is literally trapped inside you, and it wishes to return to its original host. Thus evoking…" He averted his eyes. "... the need for closeness."

"Oh." Oh. "Okay, well… what's keeping me from going outside, then?"

"Two things, the main weaknesses of the Linkage. What keeps us from being physically separated is not being stuck together. You have lost a percentage of your chakra because it has been transferred to me. From now on your body will depend on the portion of my chakra within you, and it cannot be sustained for long if I am too far away. It will dissipate, and you would not have enough chakra to keep you moving."

"And the same goes for you?"

"Yes. If we are too far apart, we will become paralyzed. This is why you should not go outside if I am not there with you… but that is not the worst of it."

Tenten allowed herself to take a deep breath and close her eyes. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed, everything was just too much to cope with, to understand, to accept. Today should have been the day she made her name known across the country. She should have won and used the money to move to the capital. She should have met her idol, the Empress Tsunade, and become a true warrior. She should have made her family proud, but right now she didn't even know if Lee or Gai-sensei were still breathing. It should have been the day that all her dreams came true, but... deep down, Tenten had a feeling that all of that was gone.

"Alright," she said with a distinct command of her own voice. "Tell me. Tell me everything."