Ninja Skills

Ninja Skills

Chapter 1: Konoha's Best Kept Secret

-or-

In Which Tenten and Naruto Have Redemption Brought to Them

Summary: Tenten and Naruto get a second chance to save her friends, village, and reputations when they're sent back to the Chunin Exams.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything Naruto related, so please refrain from suing for plagiarism and let's all just enjoy our day! Also the whole 'In which…' title idea was gotten from one of my favorite books of all time Howl's Moving Castle, and I don't own that either.

DYEH: First things first: HELLO! Okay, now that my greeting is posted, I'd just like to warn you all ahead or time and write that this story skips around from genre to genre. One moment it's romantic, the next it's humorous, then it's sad, violent, dramatic, so on and so fourth. So even though this first chapter is remotely depressing, keep in mind it can't be like that for too long when someone with high self esteem is writing it. Without further ado, I present to you all Ninja Skills; 'cause ninja's have skills.

It was by far the worst day of her entire life. All the things she saw could not even be thought up the most twisted and violent of minds. She stood still on the grassy plain that had bodies left and right and everything splattered with blood and body parts and weapons. Ninja's might have to see things no one ever should, but not even a ninja should have seen this.

Tenten was a smart, beautiful, and savvy Jounin and at twenty-three years of age and she figured she had seen it all… all but this. It was just another battle with the Sound until Sasuke showed up and all the ninja were called upon to get over there and kill once and for all. Neji and Tenten, who were ready to go spar, dropped everything and raced there, both thinking it wouldn't end as badly as it had.

When they arrived everyone was already dead. It looked as if an entire village had come to try there chances and they obviously weren't lucky. Sasuke had such a devilish smile on his face that it alone was intimidating. It was like he was proud he had slaughtered all these people. When he saw Neji he cackled aloud. "Hyuuga, I've been waiting to take those renowned white eyes. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the Sharingan in one eye and the Byakugan in the other? And better yet; to have stolen it from one of the best."

Neji didn't waste time activating his bloodline and getting right into it. Tenten forgot all about Neji and his pride and she started throwing weapons at Sasuke and trying many different jutsu from a few feet away. But it was over when Sasuke started getting serious and he showed off moves Tenten couldn't even imagine. He first aimed all his attacks at her, until she hit the ground a mess and fell unconscious.

When she awoke, she didn't see Sasuke but she did see Neji. He was standing, covered with blood and his long silk hair was cut up and tangled. Tenten neglected her pain and she ran to see if her best friend was alright. She regretted doing that when she saw his left eye was gone and blood was running down his face. He didn't complain or scream in pain, he just stood there waiting for something.

Tenten put her hands over her mouth and she cried. "N-Neji-kun… I'm sorry… I'm s-s-so s-s-sorry! I sh-should've pr-pr-protected y-you…"

Neji didn't say anything but he reached forward, grabbed Tenten, and pulled her in his embrace. Tenten didn't even care that she was soaking with is blood she hugged him back and cried into his chest. He took her hair out from its buns and he started stroking it. "I regret never seeing you with your hair down as much as I would've liked."

Tenten laughed slightly and she backed up. "We need to get back to Konoha and heal you. Tsunade-sama is the best, maybe -"

"No," he interrupted. "I'm not going to make the situation better than it is. I'm going to die, Tenten, whether you take me back or not."

She didn't argue, but rather let her tears roll to the ground. Neji reached out and touched her neck, bringing his hand to her cheek, brushing her eyelid and lips. He slowly reached down and kissed her. Pulling away, he whispered. "I love you."

Tenten smiled and kissed back. A second later her dream come true ended as he fell to his side. Tenten's eyes were wide with shock. She never thought that she would see the day Hyuuga Neji would meet such a fate. He was too strong to be defeated. He was too good to go down like that. He deserved better. No, he didn't deserve it at all!

Tenten started crying hysterically. She dropped to her knees, pulled Neji up, and cradled him in her shaking arms. She wanted to give up. All those memories, all those emotions, all those feelings… she wanted to die with him. Without him, she didn't exist. She didn't belong. She didn't want to.

She wouldn't go back to Konoha that night. She wouldn't go anywhere ever again. She would never leave his side…

Never…

The sun shone brilliantly in through the hospital window onto Tenten's eyelids. Her brown eyes burst open with a notable darkness to them that wasn't there before. She remembered almost immediately what had happened and she would never disrespect Neji and forget about it or be in denial. Not even thinking, she reached for where she kept her shuriken and found she was in a hospital gown and her weapons had been taken. She sniffed back a cry and pounded her head on the pillow.

"I'm sorry," a voice from the corner of the room said. It sounded upset; as if that was the only thing they could've thought to say. "I know how you feel…"

Tenten glared at the ceiling with all her muscles tense. "Damn you. Where are my weapons?"

"I have them."

"Give them to me!" she commanded.

The figure shook their head. "I can't…"

"Tsunade-sama! Give them to me dammit!"

Tsunade emerged from the darkness of the corner and sat by Tenten's bed. "Suicide isn't the answer."

Tenten continued glaring at the walls as tears pushed passed her thick eyelashes. "Who said I'd kill myself now? I won't do that until that damn Uchiha brat dies!"

Tsuande sighed as her eyes began to water as well. It reminded her so much of her situation with Dan it was unbearable. "He's much too strong. Not even Orochimaru expected him to be stronger them himself."

"Then I'll train," she said defiantly.

"It won't be enough."

"Yes! Yes it will!" she screamed, now shaking.

The room was silent for a while. Tsunade took a deep breath. "Tenten, look at me." The girl rolled her head towards the Hokage and looked at her with dark, empty eyes. "Tenten, there's a way to make it so that none of this never happened."

Tenten shook her head. "I don't want to ever forget him…"

"I'm not saying I can erase your memories, I'm saying you canreally make it so that none of this ever happens," she elaborated.

"It sounds," Tenten began but paused. A second later she continued, "It sounds too good to be true. So many people have died these past ten years… all my friends from the Chunin Exams… all our sensei… oh god, I think Naruto and I are all that's left!"

Tenten started shaking and Tsunade pressed her hand firmly on her shoulder. "Tenten, listen to me! We're falling apart and there only seems to be one way to fix this and I need you and Naruto to do it!"

"You're lying! Stop lying to me!"

Tsunade huffed in frustration. "Tenten please!"

She stopped crying on cue, pushing Tsunade's hand off her and climbing out of the hospital bed and to the hospital door. "Let's go."

"Wait, don't you want to get changed?" Tsunade asked, pointing to her neatly folded and washed clothes. Clothes that were stitched up and brightly colored. Clothes that no longer had Neji's dark blood staining them.

How dare they.

"You know," Tenten said quietly. "It doesn't even matter. Can we just go?" Tsunade smiled and nodded, watching Tenten pick up speed on her first step. She raced past people and, surprise, more bodies. This place had become such a graveyard of familiar faces. It really was sickening.

She hated going through the streets. The once beautiful and renowned village was filthy with starving people everywhere, begging for one thing or another. Some of the citizens even got violent and what was left of the Black-Ops was sent to quiet down the riots. She hated living here, but had to stay. Her hope of the village in her memories kept her here.

Taking a final sprint, she pushed open the doors to the office and stood in front of Tsunade's desk. She thought a run would get all the thoughts out of her mind, but really it just made things worse.

"Hey Tenten!" Tenten's eyes widened and she looked up to see Naruto waving behind the Hokage's desk. How could he be so cheerful? He went through what happened to her over and over again. Not to mention that deranged childhood! Yes, he told her all about that. Naruto, Neji, and Tenten had all became close since all their friends and family members died. He'd break down sometimes and just talk about everything that'd ever happened to him that he hated, especially when Iruka died.

It was the same routine with him; he'd here the news, frown a bit, smile and try and laugh it off, and sooner or later (usually sooner) when he thinks he's not being judged or when he's all alone he sheds some light on how he really feels. If he's smiling now, that must've meant he already heard the news. And seeing how he was really happy and giddy must mean he feels just about as shitty as Tenten.

"Wow, you look like crap," he stated suddenly.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "No, Naruto, I didn't notice," she said sarcastically, not in the mood to talk it out.

"You didn't?" he asked seriously. "Well if you look that bad, I mean, don't you at least feel as bad as you look?" Age obviously doesn't come with common sense. Power and looks- usually. Common sense- nope.

Tsunade came through the doors casually, waving for Naruto and Tenten to follow. They went through many hallways before Tsuande started talking. "The first Hokage put so much into making Konoha the village he always imagined it as that he wanted to make sure that nothing happened to it long after his death. So he performed a jutsu he created while he was alive, and sealed it away inside an object."

"What are you about to show us?" Naruto interrupted.

Tsunade smirked. "One of Konoha's best kept secrets. It's around your neck, actually," Tsunade said motioning to Naruto's necklace. "That's one of the reasons it was so important to the first Hokage as well as myself. You see, there's always something bad in history that happens due to events that could've been prevented. The First thought that if there was a large enough mistake that would destroy Konoha, it would have to be fixed. So he found a way to make it so his chakra preserve could act somewhat like a time portal. All you have to do is hold it and think back to the time you want to go. But there were a few problems with this."

"Wait!" Tenten interjected. "How could he have known how to go back through time?"

Tsunade shrugs. "Who knows? He never left any scrolls or information on it. Back to what I was saying, there were problems with the necklace. Problem one; it would disappear once out of chakra, but that problem was solved easily with the donation of each Hokage's chakra when they passed on and even a few Jounin and Black-Ops who were told of it donated. Problem two; no one knew for sure if it worked."

"Why didn't they just test it?" The young Uzumaki tried to pay attention but now seemed more fascinated in the marble floor.

"They did," Tsunade answered. "Actually, the Fourth did."

Naruto looked up with a new interest sparkling in his eyes. "Really?"

"Really. I offered it to the Fourth, who thought that he could prevent the Kyuubi from ever coming to the village. He went through attempt after attempt, and he finally realized that he had to sacrifice himself."

Naruto slouched. "It didn't sound like it worked."

Tsunade looked back. "But it did! He went to were he wanted to go in time. He just knew no one but he could save the village. Now, twenty-two years later, we need it again. This time, however, it is not Arashi who's going back, but you two."

They stopped in front of a regular door and Tsuande just slid it open and walked in. Naruto snickered and Tsuande glared through the dark room. She walked forward through the dark. "Close the door," she ordered. Tenten came in after Naruto and slammed it shut. She heard Tsunade open the lid to the

Naruto glanced at Tenten, who looked about as confused as he did.

"You two are going on what could be one of the most important missions Konoha has ever seen," she explained. "You will each hold this and think back to the start of the first Chunin Exams you ever took."

"Why would we do that?" Naruto thought aloud.

Tsunade sighed. "Because that is where Orichimaru gave Sasuke his curse! If you two can make sure that doesn't happen, we might be able to avoid what is happening right now in your very home."

Tenten shook her head. "No. This is so wrong. What if we screw up and things just get worse?"

"This wasn't supposed to happen, Tenten. Things weren't supposed to be this way. Besides; if you do mess up you can always try again. This was always here, you know."

Tenten was about to retaliate but she took a breath and just listened.

"Now, think back to the morning of that day. I trust you to do what's right. Here are some tips, though, so you're not clueless. Tip one; remember that people weren't the same. Hinata was still shy, Sasuke was going soft, Ino and Sakura were fan girls, Neji was obsessed with revenge, and so on and so fourth so try to treat them the same as you would back then. Tip two; you have all the memories when you go back, so sorry you have to live with that and try not to let it get to you."

"Good luck with that!" Naruto told Tenten, patting her back as she glowered darkly at him.

Tsunade shook here head. "Anyway, tip three; you have all your powers and abilities as well, so even though you could easily take down half the people there without so much as blinking, try not to flaunt it too much or people might get suspicious. Tip four; try to act as you would normally act. And tip five; remember why you were there and do whatever it takes so the history doesn't repeat itself. Before I go on, will you two do it?"

Naruto smiled and said softly, "Believe it."

Tenten nodded lightly, but still felt uneasy.

Tsunade beamed at them. "Great. Now, here's a scroll," she said as one poofed into her hand. She tossed it to Naruto. "Since you meet me first, give it to me when you feel right. Now, I'm going to leave. When I shut the door, you know what to do."

Tsunade went to the door and slid it open again as she was closing it, Tenten grabbed her arm with tears in her eyes. "I will see you again?"

Tsunade was shocked by her worry and she nodded. "I promise."

With that she slid it shut.

Tenten walked up and grabbed the sphere, putting it in front of Naruto. "What about you?"

He stopped mid grab. "What about me?"

"Do you promise to still be my friend when we go back? I'll need you, you know."

Naruto grinned. "Yeah. But that goes for you too," he answered. As he held the necklace with Tenten and light filled the room, she finally smiled.

DYEH: I can already tell I'm going to have to go BETA fishing….