Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Tenten the Busybody ❯ Diving ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: TheSilverMirror 
...she found herself sinking deeper.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 09.16.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 363 | Status: Completed
...she found herself sinking deeper.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 09.16.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 363 | Status: Completed
“…There is a favor which I would like to ask of you. But considering that your relationship with Neji is not as deep as I had thought, you have every right to refuse.
If possible, I wish for you to act as a messenger between Neji and I. Tell him when you see him again, that I support his efforts and will help him out as much as I can. Because if what I suspect is true, then within a generation a change will come about within the Hyuuga clan, the likes of which has not been since quite a few hundred years.”
Immersion
At some point, the realization of the magnitude of what I was about to get myself into, began to sink like a rock sinks in water. I understood, to some degree, that if I submerged myself even further there’s a chance that I could drown. But on the other hand, what’s life without a little bit of adventure?
I would have been crazy to agree on the spot, submit myself to such danger not knowing fully what the consequences might be. I would have been crazy to refuse and pass by what might be my one and only chance at doing something important as a shinobi, even if only in the shadows. There was not thought in my mind about attempting any tricks or cleverness. Such things would be caught by any Hyuuga as quickly a frog catches a fly... and this wasn't just any Hyuuga. Thus I decided I'd answer in the only way I could.
“I’ll do whatever I can if I can. However, I’d like to talk to Neji about this first if you don’t mind. After all this really is mainly about him isn’t it?”
“Hai, this is true. Discuss this with my grandson, and don’t allow him to be too hasty in his reply. There are certain elements of this that could prove disastrous if entered with the wrong state of mind.”
I do believe I might have blinked a few times. Neji was his grandson? The confusion and question must have been obvious, for the Hyuuga elder replied without my even asking him.
“Yes, he is my grandson. You of course, would not know this. You probably did not even know of my existence before you were forced to come here. Not unfortunate… the secrecy has a purpose, as do most of the secrets we Hyuugas keep from outside of this clan. Let me inform you as such an outsider, there is more here than meets the eye.”
Well he hardly needed to say that. I had learned this particular point of knowledge long before this conversation occurred. However, hearing him say it made me feel as though what I had already concluded gradually was all the sudden highlighted with a blunt yellow highlighter at full ink… or a thousand exclamation points were added at the end of a sentence when you were only expecting one or two at most. This and what he said next…
“There are certain people in this clan you should know about. Certain things you should know about this clan if you are to involve yourself further. You must not tell what I say to you to anyone else, except perhaps Neji, but he already knows.”
There was a slight pause after this statement. As expected, he was quite reluctant to tell me too much at the time. However there was actually more to that slight pause that I was able to take notice, and it is only on hindsight that I realize there was something more there…
“Just understand that within this clan there are those with power equal or perhaps even greater than Hiashi himself. If you want to know more about this… it would be best if you ask Neji. Of course… this would be after he decides to accept this plan and go along with it.”
“Hai… Demo… Eldest-sama, you act as thou you already know he’ll accept.”
“Ah… I am but a mortal yet. I do not know what course fate will take. But if one predicts favorably of an outcome, to certain degrees it is more likely to occur. This is the principle you went by when you committed that not-so-small crime this morning was it not? And somehow for all this you still manage to keep your head. Even this old man, is somehow confounded by your luck, young kunoichi, and may it still protect you in the trials to come.”
“Hai… arigatougozaimasu. Eto… Sumimasen, ima naji desuka?”
3rd person’s POV
Before this, she hadn’t even bothered to look at her clock. She was too tense as to the outcome of the conversation to worry about that. However, as the conversation seemed to be coming to somewhat of a close. She suddenly remembered that dinner she was supposed to be attending at six o’clock on the same day. The much dreaded dinner with the Hyuugas she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to attend. Of course, it was a matter of courtesy as well. There was something she was still quite curious about what the eldest had mentioned earlier but had failed to elaborate.
“You say that there are two people with greater power than Hiashi-sama. If I am to go to dinner this evening with the clan, shouldn’t I know a bit more about who they are?”
“Hn… not greater child, simply on the same level, and certain instances politically they hold much sway… you’ll know them when you see them. But it is of little importance to you at this time. What you will see, you will see when you get there.”
“And how exactly do I get there? I’m not exactly familiar with these surroundings…”
“I understand. However, I am not allowed to leave this place until I have accomplished what I had originally intended. I will point you in the general direction. But unfortunately this is all I can do.”
At this, her curiosity somewhat struck her again. But she did not pursue as she did before, because even as a busybody she knew where her limits stood. Already she was quite sure her luck was almost at its limit… and she suspected she would need all of what was left just to get to dinner, and of course survive that particular ordeal. There was quite a bit of doubt in her mind at the time, that simply with a vague direction she was going to find her way through this place... Perhaps since these were Hyuugas they sometimes take for granted that others can’t do things like see through walls. But as it were, given what he said before, she accepted that there really was no way for him to do anything more. Immediately after telling her very briefly which way she ought to go, he slipped back calmly into the meditating phase he was in before her unexpected interruption. Nervously Tenten walked out of the small room, and proceeded on.
She tried to follow directions. They were really quite simple. But the Hyuuga compound to Tenten was like a moving maze of gardens, court yards and corridors. Soon despite her best intentions not to... she got lost.
Tenten's POV
A ninja doesn't panic. She calms her mind, takes in her surroundings and acts accordingly. When in a forest there are always signs to tell you which way to go. Subtle signs like animal tracts, vegetation, wind, and the direction of the sun. The ninja academy was fairly good at teaching young shinobi the finer points of surviving when lost in the woods. However, they forgot the lesson on "How not to get lost when visiting your stoic team mate's house". Getting lost in the woods is a walk in the park compared to getting lost in the Hyuuga compound. Here, all the herbs, flowers and pretty fake mountains, were arranged according to human design. The direction of the sun was of no help either. Although it might have been... had I not been flustered into forgetting if the dinning hall were in the north, east, south or west. A ninja shouldn't be easily intimidated into forgetting important information. But it's not easy when you're being started at by several pairs of scary looking white eyes... looking at you as if you were some kind of exotic animal as you walk down the hall. I saw two women whispering to each other, before suddenly hushing up as I walked pass. They didn't meet my eyes, but rather blatantly told me with their body language that I was an outsider. Not that I expected anything less. In Konoha, the high clans were considered by many to be almost like a ninja aristocracy. Any clan with special jutsus and techniques were respected. But those with advanced bloodlines were even more so. When a certain group of people feel as though they have something the rest of society doesn't, it creates a kind of superiority complex existing within the group. It's the way things are, and it is part of human nature. When you look at it that way, the Hyuugas were just being what they are... human.
On the other hand, the fact that they were human, and tended to go by human tendencies... created a problem for me… a very annoying problem. The fact that those two women were blatently talking about me behind my back, made me not want to ask them for directions, or any of the Hyuugas for that matter. I was 13 at the time, and a teenager. Anger made me want to do irrational and silly things... like stick out my tongue or blowing a rasperrie at the next person who dared to stare at me like that again. Fortunately I wasn't that immature. I smiled and bowed politely instead. Just because they were rude, didn't mean I had to be rude back.
And thus I kept on walking... more walking... more walking still, until it was about 10 minutes past 5:30 and I still couldn't figure out where I was. Even a complete baka (of which I knew a few) would have known that being late under the circumstances could have un-foretold dangers, or maybe not un-foretold... so much as demise under the category of "Death by Hyuuga". I figured that since my luck seems to have ran out at the moment... I'd start using what a baka couldn't, my head. Knowing at least a few things about this place now, just from casual observance I realized that there were two things that could help me solve this little dilemma. First, I knew that this was the Main House section of the compound, and that this section was surrounded by a wall. If things were as they should be, this same wall should be the wall that contains the main gates that separate the Main from the Branch. Hiashi-sama had said that the dinning halls were directly in front of that gate. Remembering back to when Hinata and I went through those same gates, there were guards posted at the door. Likely there would either be guards placed at every gate entrance, or just that one. Either way following along the outer wall of the compound should eventually lead me to either some door where there were guards, or the gate that I needed to go through in order to reach the dining halls. For this reason I did something I maybe should have done long before. I jumped on top of one of the roofs and started running along it, thus giving me a clearer view of my surroundings. Some of the Hyuugas of course, stared wide-eyed, as I did something that would probably be considered odd or maybe even breaking some rule or other. So what, they were already staring, and even the Hyuugas wouldn't be crazy enough to kill someone for jumping on top of a roof... right? Unless of course it just so happened to be some sacred or forbidden building. When it comes to the Hyuugas...sometimes you're really just never too sure.
Within a few minutes the outer walls were visible from the top of the roof. Quickly jumping off, I landed gracefully on the ground. Or rather I would have... if a little girl didn't happen to choose just that particular moment to run at a breakneck pace in front of my path.
"Kya!"
"Eee!"
Turning at the last minute before final impact, a crash was avoided. Unfortunately this caused a slightly awkward landing. I sprained my ankle.
"Itaii~~"
"Ehh, daijoubu ka?"
"Hai, hai" I tried to stand up again. Thankfully this was possible... however it hurt like hell. Walking was a slightly harder problem.
"Hey... you're not a Hyuuga!"
"Hai, that I’m not. I’m Tenten how are you?”
"What are you doing here?”
“Umm... it’s kind of a long story. Who are you?”
“You want to know my name? Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m Hanabi. Sorry but I’m in a rush. If you’re here to steal anything, just go to the Branch section, you might be surprised to know that we actually hide all our valuables there. Ja.”
“Hey wait! Wait a minute!”
“Ehh? What the heck! I told you I’m in a hurry!”
“You wouldn’t happen to be going to the dinning hall would you?”
“Oh... I misjudged you. You’re not a thief.”
“Of course I’m not a thief!” I crossed my fingers behind my back... just in case what I did this morning would be considered stealing.
“You must be a beggar.” Cue the sweat drop on my part.
“Haven’t seen too many beggars around here, but I guess there’s always a first. You can follow me... if you can catch up.”
At that, she took off. Naturally I followed, but with a slightly befuddled expression. First she took me for a thief in broad daylight... and then she mistook me for a beggar of all things! I didn’t know whether to feel insulted, or just laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it. And what was more; ironically her first conclusion wasn’t that off the mark. The cause was just, but nevertheless... Since I was in a hurry as well, the decision was made to just let her come to her own realization once we got there. Although I was almost afraid of what she would think I was next if not corrected. I most certainly was NOT a beggar.
It hurt! For a moment in my confusion, I had somehow managed to forget that my ankle was sprained, or perhaps even broken. Fortunately before this, I had learned a little bit of medical ninjutsu on my own… just enough that I could make it so that my ankle didn’t hurt anymore. I knew this was going to kill me later, but at that point I had no choice. If you think that this makes me a genius, you couldn’t be further from wrong. The only reason I never bothered to try out for becoming a medical ninja was because this one crappy jutsu took me over two years to learn… and even as such it has side effects. The pain becomes multiplied later on when the jutsu is released. It’s a good thing this jutsu just so happens to be very useful, and I’d practiced it quite a lot. The maximum amount of time I can hold it for is three hours. I just hoped the dinner wasn’t going to be too long…
My original assumption was correct. There were only guards posted at the gate between the internal sections. This was surprising to me. Why post guards here but not at the Main House entrance gate that we passed by along the way? Were the Hyuugas more afraid of their own people than the people from the outside? Why? Or perhaps those other gates had some kind of special seal on them like the forbidden library that I had gone into earlier. All these questions were almost simultaneously running through my head. At that point I decided that I would definitely try to convince Neji to go along with the Eldest’s plan. The more I observed about the Hyuugas… the more I wanted to know more. There was no way my curiosity would be satisfied by this one day. There’s always been a side of me that’s been intrigued with research… and not just of the bookworm type. I like to discover things, rediscover things. Knowledge is something you can never quite have enough of. If I couldn’t find out what this was all about, my questions would kill me like a cancer. At this point, I realized something. I was no longer afraid of submerging myself too deeply... not when the water was already above my head.
If possible, I wish for you to act as a messenger between Neji and I. Tell him when you see him again, that I support his efforts and will help him out as much as I can. Because if what I suspect is true, then within a generation a change will come about within the Hyuuga clan, the likes of which has not been since quite a few hundred years.”
Immersion
At some point, the realization of the magnitude of what I was about to get myself into, began to sink like a rock sinks in water. I understood, to some degree, that if I submerged myself even further there’s a chance that I could drown. But on the other hand, what’s life without a little bit of adventure?
I would have been crazy to agree on the spot, submit myself to such danger not knowing fully what the consequences might be. I would have been crazy to refuse and pass by what might be my one and only chance at doing something important as a shinobi, even if only in the shadows. There was not thought in my mind about attempting any tricks or cleverness. Such things would be caught by any Hyuuga as quickly a frog catches a fly... and this wasn't just any Hyuuga. Thus I decided I'd answer in the only way I could.
“I’ll do whatever I can if I can. However, I’d like to talk to Neji about this first if you don’t mind. After all this really is mainly about him isn’t it?”
“Hai, this is true. Discuss this with my grandson, and don’t allow him to be too hasty in his reply. There are certain elements of this that could prove disastrous if entered with the wrong state of mind.”
I do believe I might have blinked a few times. Neji was his grandson? The confusion and question must have been obvious, for the Hyuuga elder replied without my even asking him.
“Yes, he is my grandson. You of course, would not know this. You probably did not even know of my existence before you were forced to come here. Not unfortunate… the secrecy has a purpose, as do most of the secrets we Hyuugas keep from outside of this clan. Let me inform you as such an outsider, there is more here than meets the eye.”
Well he hardly needed to say that. I had learned this particular point of knowledge long before this conversation occurred. However, hearing him say it made me feel as though what I had already concluded gradually was all the sudden highlighted with a blunt yellow highlighter at full ink… or a thousand exclamation points were added at the end of a sentence when you were only expecting one or two at most. This and what he said next…
“There are certain people in this clan you should know about. Certain things you should know about this clan if you are to involve yourself further. You must not tell what I say to you to anyone else, except perhaps Neji, but he already knows.”
There was a slight pause after this statement. As expected, he was quite reluctant to tell me too much at the time. However there was actually more to that slight pause that I was able to take notice, and it is only on hindsight that I realize there was something more there…
“Just understand that within this clan there are those with power equal or perhaps even greater than Hiashi himself. If you want to know more about this… it would be best if you ask Neji. Of course… this would be after he decides to accept this plan and go along with it.”
“Hai… Demo… Eldest-sama, you act as thou you already know he’ll accept.”
“Ah… I am but a mortal yet. I do not know what course fate will take. But if one predicts favorably of an outcome, to certain degrees it is more likely to occur. This is the principle you went by when you committed that not-so-small crime this morning was it not? And somehow for all this you still manage to keep your head. Even this old man, is somehow confounded by your luck, young kunoichi, and may it still protect you in the trials to come.”
“Hai… arigatougozaimasu. Eto… Sumimasen, ima naji desuka?”
3rd person’s POV
Before this, she hadn’t even bothered to look at her clock. She was too tense as to the outcome of the conversation to worry about that. However, as the conversation seemed to be coming to somewhat of a close. She suddenly remembered that dinner she was supposed to be attending at six o’clock on the same day. The much dreaded dinner with the Hyuugas she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to attend. Of course, it was a matter of courtesy as well. There was something she was still quite curious about what the eldest had mentioned earlier but had failed to elaborate.
“You say that there are two people with greater power than Hiashi-sama. If I am to go to dinner this evening with the clan, shouldn’t I know a bit more about who they are?”
“Hn… not greater child, simply on the same level, and certain instances politically they hold much sway… you’ll know them when you see them. But it is of little importance to you at this time. What you will see, you will see when you get there.”
“And how exactly do I get there? I’m not exactly familiar with these surroundings…”
“I understand. However, I am not allowed to leave this place until I have accomplished what I had originally intended. I will point you in the general direction. But unfortunately this is all I can do.”
At this, her curiosity somewhat struck her again. But she did not pursue as she did before, because even as a busybody she knew where her limits stood. Already she was quite sure her luck was almost at its limit… and she suspected she would need all of what was left just to get to dinner, and of course survive that particular ordeal. There was quite a bit of doubt in her mind at the time, that simply with a vague direction she was going to find her way through this place... Perhaps since these were Hyuugas they sometimes take for granted that others can’t do things like see through walls. But as it were, given what he said before, she accepted that there really was no way for him to do anything more. Immediately after telling her very briefly which way she ought to go, he slipped back calmly into the meditating phase he was in before her unexpected interruption. Nervously Tenten walked out of the small room, and proceeded on.
She tried to follow directions. They were really quite simple. But the Hyuuga compound to Tenten was like a moving maze of gardens, court yards and corridors. Soon despite her best intentions not to... she got lost.
Tenten's POV
A ninja doesn't panic. She calms her mind, takes in her surroundings and acts accordingly. When in a forest there are always signs to tell you which way to go. Subtle signs like animal tracts, vegetation, wind, and the direction of the sun. The ninja academy was fairly good at teaching young shinobi the finer points of surviving when lost in the woods. However, they forgot the lesson on "How not to get lost when visiting your stoic team mate's house". Getting lost in the woods is a walk in the park compared to getting lost in the Hyuuga compound. Here, all the herbs, flowers and pretty fake mountains, were arranged according to human design. The direction of the sun was of no help either. Although it might have been... had I not been flustered into forgetting if the dinning hall were in the north, east, south or west. A ninja shouldn't be easily intimidated into forgetting important information. But it's not easy when you're being started at by several pairs of scary looking white eyes... looking at you as if you were some kind of exotic animal as you walk down the hall. I saw two women whispering to each other, before suddenly hushing up as I walked pass. They didn't meet my eyes, but rather blatantly told me with their body language that I was an outsider. Not that I expected anything less. In Konoha, the high clans were considered by many to be almost like a ninja aristocracy. Any clan with special jutsus and techniques were respected. But those with advanced bloodlines were even more so. When a certain group of people feel as though they have something the rest of society doesn't, it creates a kind of superiority complex existing within the group. It's the way things are, and it is part of human nature. When you look at it that way, the Hyuugas were just being what they are... human.
On the other hand, the fact that they were human, and tended to go by human tendencies... created a problem for me… a very annoying problem. The fact that those two women were blatently talking about me behind my back, made me not want to ask them for directions, or any of the Hyuugas for that matter. I was 13 at the time, and a teenager. Anger made me want to do irrational and silly things... like stick out my tongue or blowing a rasperrie at the next person who dared to stare at me like that again. Fortunately I wasn't that immature. I smiled and bowed politely instead. Just because they were rude, didn't mean I had to be rude back.
And thus I kept on walking... more walking... more walking still, until it was about 10 minutes past 5:30 and I still couldn't figure out where I was. Even a complete baka (of which I knew a few) would have known that being late under the circumstances could have un-foretold dangers, or maybe not un-foretold... so much as demise under the category of "Death by Hyuuga". I figured that since my luck seems to have ran out at the moment... I'd start using what a baka couldn't, my head. Knowing at least a few things about this place now, just from casual observance I realized that there were two things that could help me solve this little dilemma. First, I knew that this was the Main House section of the compound, and that this section was surrounded by a wall. If things were as they should be, this same wall should be the wall that contains the main gates that separate the Main from the Branch. Hiashi-sama had said that the dinning halls were directly in front of that gate. Remembering back to when Hinata and I went through those same gates, there were guards posted at the door. Likely there would either be guards placed at every gate entrance, or just that one. Either way following along the outer wall of the compound should eventually lead me to either some door where there were guards, or the gate that I needed to go through in order to reach the dining halls. For this reason I did something I maybe should have done long before. I jumped on top of one of the roofs and started running along it, thus giving me a clearer view of my surroundings. Some of the Hyuugas of course, stared wide-eyed, as I did something that would probably be considered odd or maybe even breaking some rule or other. So what, they were already staring, and even the Hyuugas wouldn't be crazy enough to kill someone for jumping on top of a roof... right? Unless of course it just so happened to be some sacred or forbidden building. When it comes to the Hyuugas...sometimes you're really just never too sure.
Within a few minutes the outer walls were visible from the top of the roof. Quickly jumping off, I landed gracefully on the ground. Or rather I would have... if a little girl didn't happen to choose just that particular moment to run at a breakneck pace in front of my path.
"Kya!"
"Eee!"
Turning at the last minute before final impact, a crash was avoided. Unfortunately this caused a slightly awkward landing. I sprained my ankle.
"Itaii~~"
"Ehh, daijoubu ka?"
"Hai, hai" I tried to stand up again. Thankfully this was possible... however it hurt like hell. Walking was a slightly harder problem.
"Hey... you're not a Hyuuga!"
"Hai, that I’m not. I’m Tenten how are you?”
"What are you doing here?”
“Umm... it’s kind of a long story. Who are you?”
“You want to know my name? Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m Hanabi. Sorry but I’m in a rush. If you’re here to steal anything, just go to the Branch section, you might be surprised to know that we actually hide all our valuables there. Ja.”
“Hey wait! Wait a minute!”
“Ehh? What the heck! I told you I’m in a hurry!”
“You wouldn’t happen to be going to the dinning hall would you?”
“Oh... I misjudged you. You’re not a thief.”
“Of course I’m not a thief!” I crossed my fingers behind my back... just in case what I did this morning would be considered stealing.
“You must be a beggar.” Cue the sweat drop on my part.
“Haven’t seen too many beggars around here, but I guess there’s always a first. You can follow me... if you can catch up.”
At that, she took off. Naturally I followed, but with a slightly befuddled expression. First she took me for a thief in broad daylight... and then she mistook me for a beggar of all things! I didn’t know whether to feel insulted, or just laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it. And what was more; ironically her first conclusion wasn’t that off the mark. The cause was just, but nevertheless... Since I was in a hurry as well, the decision was made to just let her come to her own realization once we got there. Although I was almost afraid of what she would think I was next if not corrected. I most certainly was NOT a beggar.
It hurt! For a moment in my confusion, I had somehow managed to forget that my ankle was sprained, or perhaps even broken. Fortunately before this, I had learned a little bit of medical ninjutsu on my own… just enough that I could make it so that my ankle didn’t hurt anymore. I knew this was going to kill me later, but at that point I had no choice. If you think that this makes me a genius, you couldn’t be further from wrong. The only reason I never bothered to try out for becoming a medical ninja was because this one crappy jutsu took me over two years to learn… and even as such it has side effects. The pain becomes multiplied later on when the jutsu is released. It’s a good thing this jutsu just so happens to be very useful, and I’d practiced it quite a lot. The maximum amount of time I can hold it for is three hours. I just hoped the dinner wasn’t going to be too long…
My original assumption was correct. There were only guards posted at the gate between the internal sections. This was surprising to me. Why post guards here but not at the Main House entrance gate that we passed by along the way? Were the Hyuugas more afraid of their own people than the people from the outside? Why? Or perhaps those other gates had some kind of special seal on them like the forbidden library that I had gone into earlier. All these questions were almost simultaneously running through my head. At that point I decided that I would definitely try to convince Neji to go along with the Eldest’s plan. The more I observed about the Hyuugas… the more I wanted to know more. There was no way my curiosity would be satisfied by this one day. There’s always been a side of me that’s been intrigued with research… and not just of the bookworm type. I like to discover things, rediscover things. Knowledge is something you can never quite have enough of. If I couldn’t find out what this was all about, my questions would kill me like a cancer. At this point, I realized something. I was no longer afraid of submerging myself too deeply... not when the water was already above my head.