Chapter 7: Understanding

Tenten opened her eyes, she panicked. She noticed that she was back in her hotel room. She didn't know how. She had no one here to protect her or save her. Or did she? Tenten shrugged and saw that all her money was sitting on the table.

Tenten remembered the fight, getting the information. Saturday, 2am. She panicked. She had to get back to Konoha! She stuffed everything in her bag, grabbing the first outfit she found and ran out of the village.

She ran at normal human pace until she figured she was as far from the village as she could be. She then went full ninja speed… like when she had to race Lee until she hit the village. She went in through Tsunade's window.

"Tenten?"

"Aimi but I must tell you lady Hokage. The shipment left 2am Sunday. I only found out Sunday night. I appologize, my target wouldn't appear." It was now Wednesday afternoon, that was not good. It had taken her so long with the long boat ride and journey.

"I understand… Aimi…?" Tenten nodded. Tsunade smiled. "Don't worry I know a team of ninjas who will be happy to rush at crazy speeds to interfere." Tenten smiled thinking about Lee and Guy. Tenten then walked out and returned to the building.

Nanami was standing outside gardening. She turned around. "How…? When…?"

Tenten bowed. "I am sorry but I'm going back to being a female ninja. It is my place."

"Why is this?"

"Doesn't matter! No rule to explain!" Tenten yelled running to her team.

Guy and Lee were there. The ANBU told them all to go to the office. "Tenten?" Tsunade asked her.

"Yes."

"You're not tired."

"I have to do this."

"Alright then. S-rank, get to the dock. Their first stop is in Wave Country." There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," It was Neji, he looked worst then Tenten.

"Hey Neji, what's up?" She asked with her usual smile on her face.

"Uhhh…"

"Pull it together, Neji. We have a mission to do." She told him.

"Your hair is down." She looked at it.

"Oh yeah it is, I was in a rush to see you guys. We have a mission an ANBU told me."

"Do we?" He asked her.

"Yes you do, Neji Hyuuga. Back from vacation, I see."

"You were on vacation?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah…" he responded, looking at her, dressed in her normal attire except her hair.

"Ahem, so it took three days to land on Wave Country, Tuesday night. I know it is Wednesday evening but…"

"They just left Wave didn't they?" Tenten asked.

"Yes, you need to intercept some scrolls and weapons. Destroy them if you have to, I'd rather keep them but…"

Everyone knew what was going on. They would head out in the path. The stuff would be carried by hand by people through fire country. Tenten thought it was stupid but they had to intercept it. "Half a day toward them and we'll run into them, so be prepared." Guy told them, figuring it out.

Tenten was about to die from exhaustion and hunger but she couldn't stop. She had already tied up her buns. "So Tenten how was your mission?" Lee asked her.

"Nothing special, a little hard but nothing too hard." She smiled at him.

"Neji missed you so much." Lee told her. She started laughing and crashed nearly into a tree branch laughing.

"That's hillarious Lee." She turned to look at Neji. "You didn't miss me did you?"

"I didn't get much training done," he answered.

"He was just inconvenienced, Lee. Totally different," she answered smiling.

"I don't know Tenten…"

"Quiet," Neji said activiating his Byakugan. Tenten knew that they weren't there, it was a cover.

"Anything Neji?" Lee asked curiously.

"No, but I think we're close."

She wasn't going to call his bluff, she knew they had quiet a while before that. She just ran, exhausted enough for one day.

A while later. "Kaiten!" Neji said protecting the group from a bunch of weapons. A bunch of men were carrying large packs. "They seem slow, and with that stuff they're weighed down."

The fight begun and while everyone was fighting Tenten made a copy to start to steal weapons and everything, she made copies of the scrolls. Her clone returned to her. "Explosion Scroll," she yelled. Everyone backed up and a set of kunai and shuriken with explosion notes went at all the stuff and destoryed it. Neji, Lee and Guy took out the last of the guys and we all returned home.

"Why did you do that Tenten? We had it under control." Lee said depressed we lost all the stuff.

"I used a clone to get the weapons out of there, and the scrolls." She told them.

She pulled out a huge scroll from her back. "It's all in here. Foolish guys should have though about just a huge summonable scroll."

"That's actually brilliant…" Neji said.

"We missed your intelligent our flower of youth." Guy said hugging her. Lee hugged her too.

Tenten laughed and hugged them too. "Awww, I missed you guys too. I was only gone a few days."

"It was like forever Tenten!" Lee cried.

"Don't be such a child Lee, it was like 2 weeks, not even."

"Three and a half to be exact," Neji said.

"You want a hug because of that Neji?" Tenten suggested. "Get him guys!" They all tried to chase down Neji. He used open fist on guy and Lee. She flew in and used her chakra defense fan and then tackled him.

"How did you?" He asked.

"I learned a trick or two while I was gone, cool huh?" she asked.

They all returned home. Tenten put her scroll on the desk. "Everything should be there."

Tsunade eyed the scroll then Tenten. "Everyone, you're gone." Tenten turned around. "Not you Tenten." Tenten looked at her.

"So what do you think?"

"It's not my thing. I was for sure the best. They told me so. I reached my goal." Tenten told them proudly.

"Well then, you wish to stay with your team?" She asked.

"Definitely,"

"Also I would be worried about Neji, he chased after random girls while you were gone?"

"Did he? That's weird. I'm going to go talk to him about it." Tsunade smirked and pretended to work.

Tenten ran up behind Neji. "Hey Neji!" He ignored him. "Nehhhhhhh-jiiiiiiiiiiiiiii." She stretched out. He sighed and turned around. "Why are you ignoring me?"

She crossed her arms. He took on of her arms and looked her over. He activated his byakugan and she hit the top of his head. "We are not training, you can't just look at me like that. Such disrespect." She turned around and walked away.

"Tenten?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Neji?"

"Nothing," he said. She want by his side.

"If you want girl help, I can help."

"Huh?"

"Tsunade warned me to watch you chasing random girls around. Are you part of a fan club?" He glared at her. "Apparently not… so?"

"It is nothing."

"Alright then… so training same normal time… right?"

"Yes, I'd like to see your new technique."

"Sss," he looked like he was confused. She smiled proud. "I learned a lot." She winked and turned away. "Byyyyyyyyyyyye, Neeeehhhhh-jiiiii." She called.

He shook his head and thought about everything that happened. Was that girl really Tenten? Seeing her back her and her hair made it seem unreasonable. Then again, her hair without the buns, it looked like it had been scraggily cut by a kunai. She could have done it though, or happened during whatever mission she was on.

He remembered that other girl. She was right. He did not know Tenten. He didn't know her at all. He had some desire to know her though. She was unique, he didn't want only to see her for her skills. That was the kind of thing that his uncle did, he wanted more than that. He wanted to be surrounded with… friends?

Nali returned. "Hey guys…" Nanami stood at the door with a box. "I suppose I'm out?"

"I am sorry but you broke the rules."

"Did I?"

"Yes…"

"Which?" Nali asked for clarity.

"11, don't get attached to anyone."

"I am not attached. What's up? You don't even follow that rule. Admit that you're unhappy because she left. You want me gone too?" Nanami frowned. "She's a ninja again, I'm not her friend."

Nanami sighed. "You are right, you broke no rules."

"That girl, she was the best ever huh?"

"Yes." Nanami agreed.

"Told you so, pay up." Nanami gave Nali tons of money.

"How did you know?"

"That she'd return or that she'd be the best ever?"

"Both," Nanami answered.

"She's a great ninja, she thinks with a ninja's heart and brain… but she has skills that only a kunoichi could have. It's a great pair and I have a feeling that she's only going to get stronger and better."

"Want another bet?" Nali asked.

"What about?"

"That's she'll keep doing Kunoichi missions AND she will take ninja with her and ignore the rules." Nali suggested.

"I don't think she will, you've got a bet." Nali smiled. That's how she made real money. Nanami was clueless.

"It will be a while, we'll wait it out but I know she will." Nali asked.

"Whatever Nali," Nanami said.

"I will miss her. I'm sad she didn't stay. I knew she wouldn't."

"When did you know?"

"The day she walked in here," Nali told Nanami. "She had that attitude, spunky, happy and cheerful. She wouldn't make it under the rules. She would break free and she had the ninja midset."

"I thought she would learn, try our style."

"She did a mission, and then she returned."

"Do you what she told me?" Nanami asked Nali.

"I don't."

"I asked her why. She said. Doesn't matter. No rules to explain.' She was so happy, so cheerful." Nanami was very upset and sad.

"She had a great life going for her. She'd have to be an idiot to give it up. I knew she was smarter than that." Nali told her.

"We taught her all that for what?"

"She learned so much from us. She'll be a great kunoichi. She made a ton of money, more than we've ever made on an entire trip. She also went on to finish the mission as a mission. She's thorough." Nali told her.

Tenten went to the bank and put her money in there. She wouldn't need another mission for like 6 years! She would go on any mission that she and her team was asked. She could spoil herself a little that way too. She was excited. "New weapons, a nice new fan too." She told herself as she went into the store.

Tenten picked up some new kunai and shuriken and two matching fans that kunoichi used. She was allowed to test them out. As she was walking out she noticed Nali went in, probably for fans. Tenten watched through the window carefully.

"Are you watching me?" Nali asked when she came out.

"Huh? Me? No. I was just looking at the stuff. Great stuff right?"

"It is."

"I'm Tenten." She said offering her hand.

"I have to go," Nali told her. Tenten nodded, turned around and walked off. A smiled on her face. Rule 5. Absolutely no ninja friends. If it wasn't for that rule Tenten might have stayed a kunoichi.

Tenten walked home and when she walked in there was a big brown bag. Inside was all her clothes, her ID and she almost forgot. She hugged her hitai-ate. "I missed you sooo much." She giggled, she slipped into her favorite capris and shirt and relaxed on the couch. In her bag she pulled out a huge photo album.

She hated most of the rules. None more than rule 5. She was a ninja at heart. She felt it was a disgrace to not wear it although some just didn't for some reason. She had earned it, worked hard for it. She belonged to the village, she gave her heart and soul to it. She would die for it.

She would not be selfish with her life. She liked knowing her teammates were there for her. She could sleep easy because of them, not because her entire life and identity was a lie. Tenten hated lying but she could, and well. It was part of being a ninja too, it just was not a usual part. It was ocassional on missions but forgetting who you were wasn't part of a mission. Sure, you set aside emotions and focused but she was always Tenten, always!

Tenten sat down in her own bed and quickly fell asleep. Exhausted after everything that she had been doing.