Thank you for the reviews! I didn't believe it would be liked that much. Well, thank you guys again. It's making me continue this story.

Stronger

by iJutsu

Chapter 2

She just smirked, giving them a look in her eyes that she hasn't used on them ever before. In her eyes shown anger, despair, yet urge for something she wants desperately. She remained where she was, looking at them. They looked back, not able to move due to the shock of suddenly seeing their friend, their teammate, their Tenten after all these years.

Like this.

A shock it was to see her in this matter. She looked different. Her hair were no longer in the buns she usually made for it was too short, she was slimmer, and scars along her arms. Also, to see her in a level for her to attack them, to attack and kill villagers for merely just getting in was unbelievable. Especially, to she how strong she has gotten. Before, she couldn't even catch up to their speed, or block their attacks. And now, being able to just block it like it was nothing, was not normal. She seemed...dangerous.

That didn't get to Lee. She was there. In the flesh before them. In the flesh before them after 4 long years. Even though shocked about how she was acting, he started walking slowly closer to her, ignoring the looks that he sensed from Neji. Still, she stood there calmly, with that small mischievous grin planted on her lips. He was getting closer, and never has Tenten flinched or backed up- almost as if she waiting for him to come. Lee's eyes were unreadable, with mixed feelings within them. Concern was on his face as well as happiness. Happy that she was finally here. That he finally saw her. Her in the flesh. Not an illusion, but her. Finally, he was in front of her, looking at her straight in the eye. Both his arms began shaking again, as they rose slowly. His eyes were shinning wet. At this point, Tenten was starting to suspect something, so she decided to move. Although, before she could move her foot backwards, Lee swiftly wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close to him.

Her eyes grew wide in shock, for that was a move she totally unexpected. Lee was shaking, as tears of relief ran down his face, hitting the dirt. Tenten was standing still, still shocked of what just happened. Her eyes remained wide as his eyes remained wet and his body shaking. He then held her a bit tighter.

"It's y-you," he stammered, choked by his own tears, "It's you...It's you...you're back...It's you...Tenten, o-our youthful teammate...!"

Her eyes snapped. Our youthful teammate? Shaking a bit herself, she growled softly and pushed him off her. Lee was pushed back, a few inches, trying to stand properly, for she almost pushed him off his feet. He looked at her in surprise, his eyes a bit red from tears, and she gave him an angry glare in return.

"Don't touch me," she stated harshly, "Don't you ever touch me."

Neji and Lee stared at her oddly. She sounded so different, so distant- so not her. Neji gave her the same glare and grunted under his breath. "It's like we don't even know her," he thought, looking over at Lee. Lee was hurt. Badly. However, it wasn't shown. He couldn't talk. His mouth was opened to speak, yet nothing but shaky breathing came out. This got to Neji. He, better yet, they, missed her dearly and did all that they could to get her back, just to get this from her. A harsh reaction? Something was wrong. Something was wrong with HER. He took action.

"What are you doing?" Neji asked as steady as he could, "We searched endlessly for you..."

"Really now?" she said, simply, with no change in her voice, "And, I may ask you this, have it ever occurred to any of you that I didn't wanted to be found?"

Neji just stared at her confusingly. Tenten chuckled, as she placed her hands on her hips and her head down as she spoke.

"And have you thought about the fact that I ran away? I RAN AWAY. Ran away on my own will, with a reason," she gave a small laugh, "You all are just making this scene as if I was captured unexpectedly or disappeared for no reason whatsoever."

Neji flared towards her. Though, he couldn't help but agree. So there was a reason why she did what she did. But what? Neji shook his head.

"Why are you attacking the people of this village? Your people?" he asked.

"Just like anyone else would, prodigy."

Neji was trying not to flinch as he saw her walking calmly closer to him. He paced himself, but stayed still for her not to expect anything. His eyes didn't escape her presence. Once about a couple of inches in front of him, she smirked.

"For power."

"This isn't like you," yelled Lee suddenly, making only Neji look at him, as Tenten's eyes remained where they were with that smirk still on her face, "You never aimed for power! Never have you fought for the sake of power!" Lee's voice begun to rise, "You wanted to be like Hokage Tsunade, you wanted peace within all ninja lands! You wanted serenity and wished power didn't take over people like it does!"

Lee then scowled, "What good is going to become of this, Tenten?!" His voice then suddenly lowered before he spoke again, "This isn't like you. Isn't like you at all."

Silence again overwhelmed the ninjas. Leaves seemed to flow from the sky and through in between them, and nothing else but the sounds of that and their heartbeats filling the air. Tenten raised her head straight and turned around, to where she could face Lee. She looked over at him, but avoiding eye-contact. That sneer came across her face again.

"People change," she said simply. Too simply as if the situation was nothing.

Lee flinched. He was disappointed.

"Why change into this?" Lee stated, angrily, but trying not to hold it, "Into such a..."

"It's my own decision," she said calmly.

Lee was shaking with anger, fear and sadness in his heart. "F-four long years. To see you become this. We've searched for you, vowed to never rest until you were again here in our sight, and were feared by the thought you might have been dead. Gone forever. And when it came to this day where we f-finally see you again, you're...this."

"I never asked to be searched for."

Lee looked up at her in confusion.

"You both were too occupied with finding me, and didn't think about what the term 'run away' meant."

"We didn't want you gone!" Lee yelled, hands into fist, "We-"

"What do you plan to do with that power?" asked Neji seriously, interrupting Lee and hoping to get out a quick, straight out answer. He didn't get that. Instead, she again turned towards Neji and gave him a smile. As she did so, her hand reached towards her back, slowly removing the katana from it's case. When it was half way out, Tenten's smile grew and she gave that smile. That cheerful smile that she gave them many years ago, the smile they wanted. But it wasn't real.

"That's for me to know," she said quietly, but loud enough for Neji to hear, "And for you to find out."

Before Neji could even blink and think about what she just said, she pulled her katana fully out and striked it towards Neji's body. He gasped and jumped back, able to escape the attack just in time, seeing that she hit the ground inches before him. She looked down at it and back at Neji with a smirk. Quickly, she pulled it up again and jumped towards Neji, with the blade straight before her. Just about the same time she did so, he pulled out a kunai and a shuriken and jumped back, throwing it expeditiously at her weapon, causing it to fly out of her hands and into the air. She chuckled and, while still in air, flipped back and caught her weapon. She landed safely on the ground on her feet.

Lee, as fast as he could, ran to the side of Neji. Neji looked over at Lee and gave him nod, indicating that they should fight. Lee blinked, for that wasn't what he wanted to say to Neji. As Neji paced himself, Lee hesitated. Was he to actually hurt her? He did attack her before, but he didn't intend to hit her badly. He was soft. Tenten's arrival was still a shock to him, and to fight someone who he missed so passionately felt so wrong. Neji noticed his hesitation, but didn't say a word. If they didn't stop her now, what outcomes will come of it?

"Tenten," said Lee, "Please. Let's not do this. I don't want to fight you. We don't want to fight you!"

She was moving her katana.

"Please Tenten. I don't want to hurt you!"

Lee was practically begging and all she did was laugh.

She laughed. "Then don't. That'll make it easier for me!"

She placed her katana slowly back into the case. Lee and Neji didn't dare move. Once finished, both her hands reached into her pocket bag, shuffling slowly to find the right weapon to attack them with. Within seconds, she pulled out her hands, having five kunais in each hand that were held between her fingers. Lee got to his position along with Neji, and then removed the weights that were within his leg warmers. "Why is she suddenly fighting with us?" thought Lee furiously. But he couldn't complete that thought, for Tenten wasn't before them anymore. Even before they could have a second to think, a swift motion was heard behind them. Their eyes widened as they ran to their opposite sides, escaping the weapons that she threw.

"How did she get there so fast?" whispered Lee in total confusion. Suddenly, Tenten jumped into the air, with again 5 weapons on each hand. At the same time, she threw the right hand weapons towards Neji, and the left towards Lee. It came towards them at such incredible speed, and if they weren't splendid ninjas, they wouldn't have seemed them. Lee quickly dodged it with his incredible speed, and Neji was able to catch her weapons, placing it in his hands the same way Tenten held it. Both boys ran towards her as she was again on the ground. Lee swiftly came across her, aiming a kick towards her head when once behind her. Tenten heard the motion and blocked the kick with her forearm. That didn't stop him this time. With her arm still at blocking stance, he was below her arms, aiming a kick towards her legs. She jumped high, only to get greeted by her own weapons thrown by Neji. She was nearly hit, for a small slice of her clothing was fallen onto the ground.

She was going towards the ground. That was Lee's chance.

"Dynamic entry!"

In a blink of an eye, Rock Lee jumped again and landed a kick on her head, making her spin and fall backwards. He smirked, but soon faded as he saw the figure he just kicked turned into wood.

"A substitute?!" yelled Lee angrily as he landed on the ground.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder behind him. His eyes grew wide, already knowing who it was.

"I got you," she smiled, with a kunai up to his neck, with her free hand holding down his other arm. Fear conquered his eyes but then relaxed a bit. Instantly, Lee returned the smirk that she has given him before.

"Think again," Lee grinned, as she was, without delay, hit with a kunai towards her side. Her grip around him loosened, making Lee easily escape. Neji was in a distance, holding only one weapon left, indicating that it was he who attacked her. Tenten looked at her wound and placed her hand upon it. It was inches above her waist. She then pulled her hand out. Blood.

Lee's grin began to disappear into a shocked expression of hitting his former teammate. She was hurt. She was hurt by them. The thought of attacking Tenten never came across their minds. And now here they are, fighting with her.

"Tenten," Lee started off dryly, "Are you ok-"

Tenten grinned that grin and a puff of smoke surrounded her. Lee's eyes widened as the smoke disappeared. It was another substitution! Neji grunted and looked up, seeing Tenten in the sky above him, with a scroll in her hands. Closing her eyes, she focused chakra into the scroll and sharply opened her eyes. Within seconds, many sharp thin blades aimed towards him with such speed.

"Byakugan!"

His eyes flashed and he leaped out of the way of the weapons, hearing them fall upon each other on the ground. Tenten was in mid-air, getting ready to land. Neji didn't hesitate. He swiftly made himself in front of her and flashed his byakugan as fast as he could to not make her turn again into a clone. Tenten gasped, but was too late to escape.

"Gentle fist!"

His eyes saw the chakra points within her body. Giving a smirk when he found the right one, he grabbed her arm, and tapped it. A sharp pain overwhelmed her body, causing her to grunt and try to escape his tight grip. Suddenly, he let go, almost making her fall back. He smirked. He was able to decrease her use of chakra. Tenten held onto her arm, shaking a bit and glared evilly at him. That didn't stop him. He ran towards her. She jumped again, with her arm still gripping onto the arm he touched. With her free hand, she reached for her katana and pulled it out. Tenten pointed her weapon towards Neji, seeing him still after her. She didn't understand the reason for his smirk as he came closer to her. Suddenly, she remembered...

Lee.

Not even having enough time to look at him, she felt a kick under her stomach, sending her more high than she was in the air. She winced. It was Lee. Her katana flew out of her hands, and Neji caught it. Since she was bent over, Lee sent various kicks at her stomach, just like what he has done to Gaara in the Chunin exams, and she was going higher. When he kicked her in the right angle for her body to be up straight, he growled and went down to the ground. Making sure she was still up in the air, he jumped and lifted his fist.

"Leaf thunder fist!"

In air, he spun towards her. Her eyes widened. She grabbed a smoke trap and threw it against the ground, making a huge area of smoke surround her and Lee. That didn't stop him, he was close to her enough. A puff of smoke surrounded them both and began to fade.

Lee jumped down and landed with his head down and knees bended. Before standing up straight, he looked around for Tenten as the smoke disappeared. He gasped.

She blocked his attack.

Neji looked over at her. She was still holding onto her arm that Neji effected, and was panting from trying to escape Lee's punch. He looked over to her stomach, where Lee had kicked. Her arms with closely against it. She was hurt. However, she begun to laugh dryly. Laugh that laugh she did when she removed her mask.

"Pitiful," she whispered, walking slowly towards them as she slowly began removing her second katana. She was finally close enough to be in front of both of them, who were standing side by side, "I'll kill you both!" she suddenly yelled as she raised her katana above her head to attack.

All of a sudden, she couldn't strike down. Somebody's hand was above her own, gripping onto the handle that prevented her from attacking. It was Neji, for Lee was before her. Using his strong hands, he pulled the katana out of her hands and held onto it, along with her other katana that he earlier caught. Tenten speedily turned around, seeing both her katanas in the hands of the Hyuuga. She gave a short chuckled sigh as her eyes flashed. She, in motion that even Lee couldn't see, kicked at Neji's hand that gripped onto her weapon, making one katana escape from his hands and back into her own. She stood in battle stance with a smirk planted on her face as she looked upon Neji. She was asking for battle.

And a battle was something he couldn't refuse.

Tenten attacked first. She striked forward, but not having any kunais with him, he used her katana to block her move. He was fighting with her weapon. She tried to hit him many times, with the blade moving so fast it was invisible as she hit. Neji, being as skilled as he is, he was able to block the attacks as fast as she could hit. It was his turn. He swiftly began to strike her with the katana, although, he wasn't as skilled as she was with that certain weapon, for she was either blocking his attacks with her body or the katana. He then thought of something. Instead of aiming at her, he aimed towards her weapon. As hard as he could with the katana, he hit the blade of her katana, sending it out of her grip and into the sky and onto the floor with a soft clack. She was empty handed.

"Damn you," she muttered.

Suddenly, Neji moved behind her speedily. Before Tenten could turn to attack him, his arms wrapped around her body, with her back touching his chest. Her eyes grew wide and she stopped struggling to get out. Neji snarled, and held her tight enough to not let her arms move. Her body was cold and soft, arms so delicate yet rough due to the scars running down from various areas. She was strangely cold. He shivered then grunted.

"Stop with this, Tenten!" Neji demanded. Curiosity filled his mind and didn't let it stop him, "Why are you doing this? You plan to demolish us all, and have the power for WHAT? You and I both know you're not the one to have the desire of this!"

That got to her. She growled and spreaded her arms as fast and hard as she could, making him release his grip. Lee expected her to attack, but she didn't. Instead she stood in between them, looking at the ground shaking. After a second, she raised up her head and her eyes were red with anger.

"You know nothing about me!" she yelled towards Neji, "You'll never know anything about me! My desires are my desires and neither of you will never understand it!"

She was in rage. In rage due to a simple sentence. She then gripped onto her hair as she shook. "You guys will never take part."

Her grip on her hair loosened. She let her arm fall calmly to the side, as the other wrapped around her stomach for it was in pain from the kicks she encountered earlier.

"I-I take that back," she muttered, with a shaky grin on her lips, "You guys are taking part. I may want power, and honestly, I don't need to attack anyone else. I don't even have to touch anyone here, so don't worry. I won't hurt them."

She paused.

"However, it is you two..."

She paused again for a minute before looking at both of them angrily with a grin.

"Who I have to kill."

Lee and Neji's eyes grew wide. Lee was the most shocked.

"K-kill us?" he said, not with fear but with disbelief, "Wh-what do you..."

Tenten didn't repeat herself. Instead, she slowly turned around towards the gate. Taking a breather, she began walking, walking away from them once again. They stood still, watching her. Tenten noticed their stares and without turning her entire body, she turned her head sideways to eye them. Her eyes were in a glare, with fury in her eyes.

"I despise you both."

With that, she turned her head back forward and walked out of the Leaf village, leaving both boys dumbfounded as they watched her figure get smaller and smaller. Lee was breathing shakily, as he knees happened to give up on him, for he fell to his knees and his hands were on clutching onto the dirt below them. Harsh tears traveled down his face slowly. Neji frowned.

It was like losing her all over again.

TBC

It was a short chapter, I know. It'll get better, I assure you. Nejiten is not bound to appear until much later. But I love how you guys enjoy reading it regardless. R&R!