Disclaimer- Didn't own Naruto yesterday so I probably don't own it today either…
A little background on the story- Once upon a time in the Insula Fortuna, there lived two goddesses. One was the Goddess of Day, tempestuous and autocratic. She demanded complete loyalty and worship from her priestesses and followers. The other was the Goddess of Night, benevolent and compassionate; the goddess commanded the love and loyalty of her priestesses and followers. The priestesses of the Goddess of Day wore the mark of the sun. The priestesses of the Goddess of Night wore a crescent moon. Women chosen as priestesses often had to renounce their families and their friends, to embrace the path of their respective goddesses.
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When Tenten woke again, it was to the soft moonlight filtering through her windows. She rose and found herself in her room. Her heart clenched painfully at the thought that it wasn't going to be her room for much longer. She pushed away her sheets and rose and stilled at the sight that met her in the mirror.
She walked towards it, unwilling to believe it was her. There was a filigree that adorned her cheekbones, sweeping upwards in an ever broadening arc until it reached the forehead, it began to thin until it cupped the tip of a gold crescent moon in the middle of her forehead. The filigree stood out, dark against her sun kissed skin.
She reverently fingered the crescent moon. It pulsed softly beneath her finger. It was like a small materialization of the magick of the Goddess of Night.
Smiling softly in relief, she heedlessly ran down the stairs and into the drawing room. It seemed like half the village was gathered in her small home. As soon as they saw her, they bowed as one with the honorary greeting "Greetings, Priestess of Ayenha, We bid thee welcome."
Tenten stopped and stared, unidentifiable emotions churning through her. Unable to speak, she inclined her head.
A blur of green was all she saw before she had her ribs crushed by her Tutor, Mytou Guy, weeping rivulets into her hair. She patted his back in fond exasperation.
"It isn't as if I'm going to die or something. I'm simply going away. " she said before silently adding 'to a place whose location has never been revealed to anyone besides the Priestesses.'
It took several more minutes and a promise to write to him every single day before he relinquished his hold on her.
She whispered into his ear "What of the Trackers, Teacher Mytou?"
He replied saying they would return for her in the morning.
She had finished greeting and saying goodbye to a few of the occupants of the room before she realized Sakura was not among them. She moved away from the crowd and towards Guy who she dragged to the side and asked him about Sakura. His look turned grim as he said "It would be better if you saw her for yourself."
She smilingly sidestepped her way to the door and slipped out quietly. The deserted streets were deathly quiet on her way to Sakura's home, her footsteps echoed eerily to the music of chirping crickets. Tenten breathed a small sigh of relief as she saw the well-lit cottage that belonged to her friend.
She knocked at the door and waited with bated breath. Maybe Sakura would join her at the Temple. The door opened to the shadowed form of Naruto. Even in the dim light, he looked grim. He stepped aside with a murmured greeting. Tenten pushed past him and into the dining room. Sakura sat at the table, staring blankly at her own hands which were folded tightly on her lap.
"Sakura?" Tenten spoke tentatively; the resultant flinch was answer enough.
"You are going to the Temple of the Goddess of Day aren't you?" she stated.
Sakura turned and looked at Tenten. The filigree that decorated her face was identical to her own except for the small sakura petals woven into the slender vines of the filigree and the plum colored sun crowning it.
Tenten threw her arms around Sakura, who sat unmovingly. Sakura slumped before she hugged Tenten back ferociously. They held each other in silence, not knowing what to say, until Sakura let go of her saying "There is much to be done and not enough time to do it."
Sakura packed her things while Tenten made some calming chamomile tea. Naruto joined them and the three of them drank in silence, each contemplating their fate. For the two women, there was little need for words between them. They understood the other perfectly.
Morning found them remotely calmer. Tenten cleaned the house and Sakura made Naruto promise to look in often on her beloved home for her every so often. Teacher Guy had brought Tenten's trunk to the Haruno household, understanding her whims with an ease only long years in contact with her would give.
Tenten willed herself to not give in to the utter panic that nearly overwhelmed her feelings. She had never felt this torn in her life. She didn't want to leave Guy behind, or her home or Sakura and Naruto or any of her dear friends.
The sound of rhythmically pounding hooves drew nearer and Tenten didn't have time to react before the sleek Palomino galloped into view. The next few minutes were probably the longest and most heart-wrenching in her life till then. Tutor Guy was restraining himself to rib-crushing hugs and Sakura and Naruto stoically waved her goodbye. As she passed through the streets, a lot of people shouted their goodbyes after her.
By contrast or perhaps because of it, the next few seemed to fly by and soon, Konoha was being curtained from her view 9rather theatrical and a tad appropriate) by the forest of trees before her. Tenten braced herself by taking a few cleansing breaths and felt ready for the future which awaited her.
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Arrgh! I don't know what to say! I'm really torn up about the pairings…. I have SasuTen, SakuSasu, NejiSaku and ItaSaku and NejiTen and KibaTen on my mind… I really love them all but I really don't know what to pick! *bows head over folded hands* Please help!
As always, please feel free to tell me if my writing needs work {and help me pick pairings}
-Aurora.