Wow… I was really shocked at the good reviews. Now I'm so HAPPY! THANK YOU! I'll update as often as possible, which will (hopefully) be about every other day or so until Sept. 5th, when school starts. So until then, I'll do my best!
R&R! I love your reviews! Arigatou!
Obviously I don't own Naruto.
Chapter Two: The good, the bad, and the humiliating
10 minutes and several boxes of old clothes from Tenten's closet later, Neji and Tenny were ready to go venture in to the big, wonderful world to visit Tsunade. Or, at least Tenny was. She was feeling rather pretty in her dark blue mini-skirt, pink Chinese top and green poncho, and was fiddling with the pink ribbons in her hair.
"What's that?"
"Why do all those girls giggle and blush when you walk by?"
"Why do you have a buckle attached to your head-thingy?"
"Why did that pretty girl in the tan jacket run away from you?"
"Why does that kid with the pumpkin on his back look so angry?"
"Where are we?"
"Why are the girls with the blonde and pink hair fighting?"
"Who's 'Sasuke-darling'?"
"Why do you seem so tired?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Do you have a girlfriend? Cuz you look like a prince!"
"Are we there yet?"
It was 1 ½ miles to Hokage Tower, and before they were even halfway there, Neji was pretty sure Tenny had asked more questions than Tenten did in a week.
Finally, when Neji thought his ears would fall off, they reached Hokage tower. Neji picked Tenny up under one arm and ran up 7 flights of stairs to Tsunade's office. He knocked hurriedly on the door, and Shizune answered.
"I'm sorry but Tsunade and I are busy. Can you come back?
In… 2 days? "
"No."
"But-"
"NO"
"Well… is it an emergency?"
Neji held Tenny up by the collar and pushed her in Shizune's face. "I believe you've met Tenten?"
Shizune's face paled, but then she grinned with joy. "TSUNADE! IT'S TENTEN! TENTEN! AND SHE'S HERE" She seized Neji by the arm and dragged him into the office, where Tsunade ran foreward and began examining Tenten.
"Wow… that jutsu really does work… Too bad it isn't my birthday…" Shizune gave Tsunade a scathing look, and Neji grabbed Tenny back and set her on the floor. "Would anyone care to tell me what's going on?" Tsunade blushed and stared at the floor with great interest, and Shizune sighed. "Why don't you sit down…?"
7 minutes later
The room was silent, except for the sound of Tenny scribbling furiously on a piece of paper in the corner. Tsunade had begun staring at the ceiling, while Neji tried to figure out how she had ended up as Hokage.
"So… how do we fix it?"
Shizune opened her mouth to speak, but Tsunade beat her to it. "It only lasts 3 days and 3 nights. It'll wear off then, and the world will be back in order. Of course, you'll have to be her nanny, and make sure no one finds out so I don't lose my job." She grinned, which was a nice change of scenery compared to Neji's expression of… well, he wasn't happy, that's for sure.
"But there is good news!" Shizune yelped (fearing Neji might do something stupid and attack Tsunade). "When the sun goes down, Tenten will be herself again until morning, body and mind! And she'll probably be able to give you advice for how to deal with Tenny! No one knows you better than yourself!"
"But-" Neji was cut off by Tenny pulling on his sleeve. "Look Neinei-chan! I drew you a picture!" She handed it to Neji and the 3 ninja looked at it in silence, until Shizune began to giggle, while Tsunade burst out laughing. Neji's face was quickly turning red.
"Tenny... is this a picture of-"
"Yup! It's our wedding Neinei-chan! Just call me Tenny Hyuuga!"
Neji fell clean out of his chair, while the 2 Kunoichi shook the world with their laughter.
Tenny looked confused. "What's so funny? Mommy always said I was her princess. And Neinei's the perfect prince!"
Tsunade composed herself quickly. "Of curse, Tenny-chan. He's a real catch!" A quick glare from Neji stopped her from joking any further. She cleared her throat. "All right you 2, err, 3 I suppose. Now that that's settled you should go now. Remember, not a word about this. Try to come up with a good excuse ok? And Tenny? Let the little voice in your head know that I'm sorry." Neji sighed. "Ok Tenny, let's go back to your house, Ok?" Tenny nodded, and shoved the drawing into her pocket.
Once the door to the office shut with a SLAM, Shizune glared at Tsunade. "Why didn't you tell him? What if he doesn't and… she has no family Tsunade. Is it fair to wager her life on one boy? If he doesn't… no one will. She's got no one else! Why didn't you tell him! WHY!" Tsunade looked sadly back at Shizune. "If he feels obligated, he won't be able to understand his true feelings. But you're right. If he doesn't… she won't ever have another birthday again."
(This story is humorous, and will have romantic bits until the very romantic end, but there is a dark undertone… and no, I'm not telling what Neji has to do, or what the problem Tsunade didn't mention is. Wait and see…)
"So, what're we gunna do today Neinei-chan?"
Tenny was making that 'sweeter than sugar smile', and Neji frowned, since he didn't know what to do to amuse a 5 yr old. "I don't- wait…" He stopped, Hyuuga senses tingling. "Someone's coming… oh crap! Run!" He grabbed Tenny and dived into the nearest ally way. Tenny looked slightly scared, but mostly excited, as though the idea of being hunted amused her. "Who's coming, Neinei-chan? Enma?"
"No… something worse… something… green…"
There was a moment of silence. "I like green!" "SHHH!" Neji peered around the corner. "I think they're gone…."
"YOSH! THINK AGAIN! DYNAMIC ENTRY"
There was a poof of smoke, and from it emerged the 2 green beast of Konaha. "Yosh! Neji! Gai-sensei and I came to check on you and Tenten-chan, but you weren't there! We checked at Tenten-chan's house, but you weren't there! Where is the birthday girl? We brought presents!"
"Well put, Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Neinei-chan!"
Lee and Gai stopped their… whatever you call that yelling, and stared at Tenny. "Hiya! I'm Tenny! Did you say you brought me presents?" Neji bristled. Jeez, this kid never shuts up! "Lee, Gai-sensei, this is Tenny. She's… new here. She's been transferred from an orphanage in Suna… cuz ours is better! Tenten asked me to pick her up!"
Lee and Gai stared suspiciously at Tenny, who had enough sense not to argue with Neji's story. She did however, smile cutely at Lee and Gai.
Gai frowned. "Neji… If Tenten asked you to pick her up, then…"
Neji tightened. Here it comes…
"That must mean Tenten's adopting her! Ah, now Tenten will be able to share her youthful hearth with another!"
"What a kind Teammate I have, Gai-sensei! Where is she Neji?"
"Uuuummmm…"
"She's in Suna, setting up my adoption! If all goes well, she'll be back in 3 days!" Tenny grinned and tapped the side of her head to answer Neji's inquiring glance. You're a lifesaver Tenten…
"Hey, wanna see a trick?" Tenny whipped out a shuriken from her pocket, and threw it at the graffiti on the wall. It hit directly in the center of the 'o', and the 2 green beasts stared at it, and then back at the innocently smiling Tenny. "Did Tenten-chan teach you that?" "No, I learned it myself. And I'm right here! I'm Tent-" Neji quickly put his hand over her mouth to keep her from saying anything else that would be hard to undo. "Alright, we have to go now huh Tenny? Lee, Gai, I'll give the presents to Tenten if you like." They consented, and Neji led Tenny, who was silent thanks to Tenten's request, through the streets.
They were almost home, when Tenny pulled away from Neji. "Look, Neinei! What're all those people doing?" She pointed to a small crowd in front of Ichiraku's, and he glanced boredly at it. "Looks like Sasuke, Naruto and Kiba are having an eating contest. The rest of the rookie nine came to watch." I wanna see!" With her mind made up, she dashed towards the shop, with Neji chasing annoyed after her.
"GO SASUKE! IF YOU WIN YOU CAN MARRRY WHICHEVER OF US YOU THINK IS PRETTYEST!"
"Umm… Do your best Naruto-kun! You too Kiba!"
"Hurry up! Some of us are hungry!"
"Sigh… Mendokusai…"
"YAY! GO… KID WITH THE DOG! HI, PUPPY!"
The rookie nine fell silent, and the contest came to a halt as everyone stared at Tenny. "Hiya! I'm Tenny! Who're-" The words weren't even out of her mouth before Ino and Sakura began fawning over her.
"Oh my god! She's so cute! She looks just like Tenten!"
"Just look at her hair, 2 little buns with those cute little ribbons! Isn't she just precious?"
"Would you girls mind not suffocating her?"
Neji was glaring daggers at Sakura and Ino, but the power of Tenny's cuteness gave them a power up.
"What do you care?"
"I'm in charge of watching her."
Ino made a skeptical face. "Who in their sane mind would put you in charge of babysitting?"
"Tenten."
"Oh really? Tenny, do you know this boy?"
"Yup! That's Neinei-chan, my fiancée!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
The silence that this statement caused was deafening.
Sasuke, sensing an opportunity to have some fun, nudged Naruto and Kiba. "That's odd, Hyuuga. I thought you were a Grave digger, not a cradle robber. That's one pint sized suitor you got there though. Which episode of Chobits did you steal her from? " Naruto and Kiba laughed at this, and the other boys joined in, until a strange sound broke the air.
Tenny was crying.
"Stop making fun of me and Neinei-chan!"
Everyone stopped immediately. Except Sasuke and Naruto, who still found the fiancée thing hilarious. Neji was about step foreward and give them a piece of his mind, along with Sakura and Ino, but someone beat them to it.
Temari.
"Can't you blockheads see that she's crying? God, what assholes!" She proceeded to whack them repeatedly over the head with her fan, and when she was done both Shinobi had their heads submerged in their bowls. Kiba was cowering in the corner, happy to be spared.
She turned to Tenny. "Don't worry. They won't make fun of you and Neinei-chan again, OK?" Tenny sniffled and nodded. "Ok." Temari turned to Neji. "Why don't' you take her to where ever you're going now? We'll come too, right girls?" Hinata, Ino and Sakura readily agreed. "Obviously, you can't be trusted to handle this alone. So we're going to get you started off on the right foot. Right?" Neji was about to refuse, but gave in. They'll at least be of some help… "Fine. We're going to Tenten's house…" Ino broke in. "All right! Sleepover at Tenten's!" Neji jumped.
Well, this is bad.
No kidding.
Whee! That was a lot of fun to write, and I hope its fun to read. Thanx again for the reviews. You guys are so nice!
For the record, the funny bits mostly happen during the day, while the romantic bits happen at night, when Tenten gets her body back until morning. I have this whole thing basically planned, so don't worry; I know where this is going!
Next Time: The girls are trying their best to help, but things don't get any better. And when the sun sets, Neji and Tenten get some time alone.
R&R!
ARIGATOU!