Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Tenten the Busybody ❯ Birth of a Plan ( Chapter 3 )

“Neji, you did well today. The young have the duty to surpass the old. It is my wish that one day you will defeat me. Now, as for your female team mate I see that she has quite a bit of courage in her. And as she has said…she has not precisely violated the rule. I have decided that she can stay.”

 

At this, Tenten seemed to be giving a peace sign in the background.

 

“However, you and Hinata are to make sure she does not wander to places she does not belong. You are dismissed. I have a meeting with the elders I must attend.” After saying this, he left.

 

The three young ninjas stood silently in the center of the courtyard.

 

 

Tenten's POV

 

So there I was, standing in the center of the Hyuuga manor courtyard waiting for Neji to say something. I hadn't seen him in a while, and with Gai-sensei training Lee I suppose this was what he had been up to…perfecting his proficiency in the style of his own clan. I didn't have a clan, so I had no such luxury of someone to train with me. I had to practice on the trees and the animals in the forest. Some such as the rabbits provided good sources of food. Otherwise it was just pointless destruction of wild life…but of course it wasn't entirely pointless after all. I had invented a new move that I could call my own. How many ninja, even shinobi could boost of such an accomplishment? I only wished that someone would acknowledge my effort and achievement. Gai-sensei or even Lee would have been a better source of encouragement, but for some reason I came here. I guess because for me, the acknowledgment of a prodigy would have been worth more. Or maybe it was because I was too impatient to wait for the other two members of the team to come back from their daily morning ritual…but nevertheless, there I was. But I was about to be sorely disappointed.

 

“Tenten,” I waited expectantly. “I do not want to train with you today. Please…just go home.”

 

So it was all for nothing. There I was expecting some kind of congratulations. I had managed to catch someone off guard, a Hyuuga and the head of the clan at that. Even he seemed to be somewhat impressed by my effort, and yet here was Neji…as calm and callous as ever, denying me even my humble request for a spar. But I understood…after all that fight with his uncle was intense.

 

“It's cause you're tired right? It's ok. We won't train then. But I don't want to go home just yet. This place is far too interesting. What was that move your uncle did back there? It was really amazing.”

 

“Hn. I guess I should thank you. If not for your luck in catching him off guard I would never have been able to see that move up close.” At this, he paused. He had an intense look of concentration on his face…as if he was trying extra hard to remember something. After a long silent moment of this, his face turned angry.

 

“It's no use. I still can't duplicate it… Tenten, you should go home now. Have Hinata-sama to show you to the door. You shouldn't dawdle around here too much. This isn't somewhere you want to stay for long.”

 

At this point my disappointment turned to anger. How dare he ask me to leave when I just came here? Didn't he respect me at all? At least he should have asked if I wanted some tea like Hinata but he just… He was a really arrogant prick back then.

 

“Why should I leave? I just got here! Why should I leave, just because you say so?” I must have looked as angry as I felt at that moment, because Hinata who was standing besides me squeezed my arm lightly.

 

“Tenten-san. I-It's okay. P-please don't be angry with N-Neji nii-san. He's j-just, upset. I-I'll give you a t-tour…just f-follow me.”

 

“Hinata-sama. You shouldn't let her wander around. She has a tendency to get into trouble. Her nature forces her to be less careful than a shinobi should. You can see that by her actions so far.”

 

If I hadn't been mad before, that statement would have made me boil! As it was, I was beyond pissed. No longer was this just about me not getting my way, he was outright insulting me!

 

“Teme-yarou! Damn you Neji! I trained hard before this day, just so I could master this move so I could train against you. If it hadn't been for that crazy chakara spiny thing your uncle did I would have even gotten him with it…who you could barely even touch. It seems, you can't even do that attack, and you dare mock me to my face? And as if I wasn't even here!_”

 

“I… It was not meant to be an insult… However, you can take it like that if you wish. Just leave this place and don't come back. You'll be happier for it.” At this, he turned around. I was not going to take this. Even if I had to place a kunai in his back, I would be getting some respect. I wasn't going to let him just wave me away like an insignificant spec. Because of those thoughts, I re-rolled my scrolls from which my weapons had been re-sealed into earlier. I was about to do my attack again, when Neji spoke.

 

“Oh…and by the way. That “spiny chakara thing” my uncle did earlier. That was a move of the Main House. Branch house members aren't allowed to be taught it. However that doesn't mean I will simply fall to your attack.”

 

Branch House…Main House? There was a difference in the attack styles? This I did not know about. I knew about the separation of the family into the two Houses…Main and Branch. However I didn't know there were any differences amongst the members besides that Branch House members were not allowed into major positions of power.

 

I asked this of Neji…and he gave an almost morbid laugh.

 

“You think that's all there is to it? I only wished such were true. I suppose I should show you something.” And at this, his hands went to his forehead protector, and he removed it. He turned around, and that was when I first saw it. A distinguishing mark in a peculiar pattern, standing out on his brow…it didn't look that ugly, but I suppose for him it was hideous.

 

“This mark is on the forehead of every Branch member in this compound. From the day we are born, our destiny is decided…and on the fourth year every child that does not belong to the Main House is branded like cattle and has to suffer tremendous pain. That is not all. With this,” and he gestured towards his forehead while looking at the timid Hyuuga girl besides me, “Even she could kill me with just a thought.”

 

At this, I looked to my right. Hinata had a pained expression on her face, and I could see that she wanted to say something, so I gave her a bit of encouragement in the form of a nudge. What was this all about?

 

“I…I…but I… Neji nii-san, I c-can't do it. Th-th-the seal…I c-can't remember it.”

 

At this, both Neji and I gave her a curious look.

 

“t-t-tousan, he t-t-t-tried, t-to, t-teach me, but. I…I c-can't remember it at all.”

 

Neji doesn't look like he believed her…but never the less I gave her the benefit of a doubt. She didn't look like she could hurt a fly, much less kill a person. She was so unlike Neji. I remembered wondering how distantly they were related. I hadn't known at the time that they were practically brother and sister.

 

At her words, Neji seemed to ponder this statement. “Nevertheless…you will learn it. It is required in order for you to become heir. And I don't resent you for this; it was decided by fate, not you.”

 

“That's right. It's not her fault. So would you quit blaming her for everything? Besides…just because you can't be taught the ability…doesn't mean that you can't learn it yourself! I'm sure there must be some way to_”

 

“What do you think I've been trying to do? Why did you think I've struggled this hard all these years in the academy? My goal...ever since that day my father died has been to learn all of the moves and abilities of the Main House. My goal…is to prove that this system is worthless! That all their efforts are for nothing… I can become more than they could ever be, despite this. And my father's death was also...” At this, he seemed to stop himself. I believe that at that point, he had spoken more than anyone had ever heard him speak before. The look upon his face was one that I cannot erase from my mind, even now after all these years. It was a look of anguish, and helplessness. I didn't know what to do. I think even Hinata was staring at him in sorrow. I can't say how she felt about all this…I am not her, and I can never be.

 

Even though I was still kind of mad at him for his behavior earlier, and I doubt he wanted me to stay after witnessing his little bout. However…I wanted more than anything to help him…to take away the pain that he seemed to be holding inside. It couldn't be healthy, bottling it all in like that. I would help him, by being exactly what he accused me of earlier…a busybody kunoichi with nothing better to do with her time and no sense of caution for any respectful ninja worth a damn. I had a plan, and I was going to carry it out, with or without his permission.

 

“Neji…I don't really know you that well. Even after the year we've spent as team mates, I still somehow feel as if we're strangers. But because we're strangers, you don't have the right to order me around. I don't care about your past…even though I think I can understand you better now. However…I will help you. Don't think that just because I'm a girl I'm useless. You were right earlier…I don't have enough caution for a ninja. That's exactly why I'm going to do what I'm about to do now, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

 

“Tenten…just what are you planning to do?”

 

At this, I grinned mischievously. “Now that, is a secret.”