Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Tenten the Busybody ❯ Enter the Gate ( Chapter 1 )

TenTen’s Pov:

The day I first decided to visit the manor, it was a sunny day in June. The day was hot, and I was a little bit sweaty, but I felt proud of my own achievement. I had managed to master an incredible move, and it was of my own creation.

Through research and practice I had somehow learned how to seal my weapons into scrolls. With just a bit of my own blood, and a quick swipe of my hand, I can send weapons hurling at an opponent with incredible speed and accuracy. With two scrolls, the number of weapons doubles, and with a bit of chakara string, I can create a trap of steel on the ground and send the already thrown weapons back into attack mode repeatedly. In this manner, creating a deadly whirlwind of steel, I felt confident that had become more than a match for any of the guys on my team. Unfortunately, on that day, both of my team mates were busy. Ever since Lee somehow managed to learn a move before any of us, even our team prodigy, Gai-sensei has been giving him special treatment. Early in the morning before I can even open my eyes, those two would be up and running. They must have traveled great distances outside of this village, because no matter how hard I tried I couldn't find them. This left me with only one other option…Hyuuga Neji.

Back then, I still didn’t know him very well. We got along ok, for the most part, but we never really interacted. I suppose he considered both of us to be weaker than him, too pathetic to bother with at all… A guy who couldn’t do ninjutsu or genjutsu, and a girl who’s only skills were to hurl metal around and create chakara strings. He must have been pretty upset when he found out who had been placed on his team. But of course, he never really showed any reaction…he hardly did back then. I remember he once told me that on the day his father died, he promised that he would never show expressions of grief again. The sad thing was, he could never find things to be happy about either…and he had always preferred to be alone. During the academy days, he threw himself into training and study. Getting stronger was his way of coping…I guess. As such, he eventually lost the ability to express happiness as well. I promised him that I would help him learn how to express these feelings. His reply was, “What’s the point. Emotions are useless to a shinobi.” I don’t know why, but that statement made me sad, and so I angrily retorted:

“Shinobi without emotions turn into nothing but heartless killers.”

“But that is what we are…we are killers. That is what we do. A person who doesn’t understand that should not become a ninja.”

His answers scared me…they made me frightened of him. So that was why I was hesitantly standing outside the doorway to the Hyuuga manor, on that sunny day. I was incredibly nervous. I had never really met a Hyuuga until that boy…I didn’t know if all his family members were going to be like that or not. And I was going to attempt to practice a move that I had just mastered against him. What sane girl wouldn’t be just a little bit frightened?

I’ve always believed in fate. Divination is my second hobby (besides practicing with weapons that is). Some people have asked me why I believe in fate…and the reason is simple. Miracles and tragedies happen everyday, things unlikely to occur still happen, because its destiny. If destiny did not exist…then why out of all the Hyuugas in the manor that day, was it Hyuuga Hinata who ran out at that exact moment looking as if her feelings were crushed by a monster. In truth, it was because of her story that I was brave enough to step inside that place. My anger got the better of me, and today I am thankful. Otherwise who knows what course history would have taken… And that destiny decided to give poor Hinata an ability that she never had before, just proves that some things in life are just meant to happen. As shy as she was back then, that she was able to pour her heart out to a complete stranger, no matter how badly she stuttered the words...I still consider a miracle.

I was standing in front of the door when it suddenly swung open. The speed of the swing, plus my own nervousness, prevented me from dodging it. As such, it hit me smack in the face…it hurt, but I was more stunned than in pain. I fell down in a heap, and I think I might have even lost consciousness for all of three seconds. But the next thing I knew was that I was lying on the ground, with an incredibly adorable girl crouched above my head, staring at me through tear-filled crystal eyes.

“Semimasen, Gomenasai…I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…I…I…I’m so sorry. Please forgive me…and please, don’t tell my father. Please, I_”

“Ai yah, kami-sama. Would you please stop staying sorry?”

The girl looked about as nervous as a small mouse. Her fingers were twitching constantly…and if I didn’t know any better I would have thought she was going to do a henge. As I got up off the floor, I dusted my self off lightly. I noticed that she was still on the ground, kowtowing as if her life depended on it. For her perhaps, it might have seemed like it did. It felt so awkward at the time. Even now, I still get a sweat-drop every time I remember this incident.

“Gomenasai…please don’t tell my otou-san. He’s already so angry at me… I think that… I think I…he might even…oh please don’t tell my father. I beg of you…”

“Hey, hey…calm down…it’s going to be alright.” I said. Bending down, I tried to help her stand up, but she wouldn’t budge.

“P-P-Promise me y-you won’t t-t-tell, my father.”

“Okay, I promise. But only if you tell me… me why you’re so scared. Why are you scared of your own father?”

For me, I had always wished I had a father. A father was not supposed to be someone you feared in such a way that you would kowtow before a complete stranger. He was someone who loved you, comforted you, and encouraged you as you grew. For me, a father was someone I had always wanted in my life. And yet for this girl, that someone was the very source of her unhappiness. I was a little curious…fustrated, and a little confused all at the same time. So I picked her up off the ground, a little bit forcibly perhaps, and dusted her off like I did myself earlier. I set her in front of me, and decided to act like a big sister.

“Now tell me. What’s the matter? Why do you seem to hate your father so much?”

At this her eyes widened, she blinked, and then loudly exclaimed. “Oh no! I d-don’t h-hate him! I couldn’t…He…He…” At this, she started to bow her head except this time with tears in her eyes.

“He t-thinks I’m w-weak. I’m t-too weak to be a-an H-Hyuuga. He d-doesn’t l-love me. He thinks I’m…useless.” At this, she tilts her head up towards me again, and looks at my face. She seems to be looking a little too hard so I started rubbing my face.

“What? Is there something on my forhead?” I touched my forehead…and it felt a little bit sticky for some reason. I took my hand away, and realized that my head was bleeding. I didn’t feel pain at all…well, much pain anyways. But of course, head wounds always bleed the most…

“Oh, and I’m c-clumsy as well. This is m-my f-fault. I’m sorry…y-you can tell my father. I-It’s y-your right…as a g-guest…I-I…I deserve to be punished.”

“Ok. Take me to him then. I’ll tell him. He won’t punish you. Why would he? It was an accident.”

“Y-Y-You…d-don’t know my f-father.”

“Geez, what a… If he thinks he’s going to touch one hair on your head, you just watch me. I’m going to tell him just how bad of a father he is to make you so afraid of him. Nobody should be punished for something that’s an accident. If he’s anything like my team mate Hyuuga Neji, then I think I can handle him. I’ve handled that guy for a whole year. Now come on_ Now what’s the matter?”

“I-I…I j-just r-remembered…f-father’s training with…c-cousin Neji today. He’s your… team mate?”

“Yeah…and I have to admit, that guy’s kind of creepy. But don’t worry. I can handle him. We’ve been team mates for a whole year now. Besides…Neji happens to be the reason I’m even here in the first place. I have to try a new move on him… Don’t be scared. If worse comes to worse, I’ll protect you. If he dares try to punish you, I won’t let your father lay a hand on your hair. Believe it.” I honestly don’t know where that expression popped out of. Maybe I remembered hearing it somewhere, or maybe I just accidentally heard one loudmouthed baka saying this before and somehow it stuck in my head. But it was strange. Right after I said those words…somehow her entire face just changed. It was like she was a completely different person.

With a determined expression, she marched to the doorway. She looked back at me, and asked, “Come.” And I followed her through.