Love Is The Key

Chapter 1: Tenten

 I walked to the academy as i rubbed my eyes. I hadn't been sleeping well and it was showing at the academy. i was ready turn and fall asleep when i heard a very familiar voice approach behind me. Of course it was naruto, most likely running late or maybe another stupid game.

"Hey tenten!" he smiles catching up to me out of breath as if he ran the whole way. I politely smile back as he points to my eyes. "You starting to look like grandma tsunade with those bags under your eyes." I Smack him getting very upset. "Hey! she is not old and neither am i you dim wit!"

He rolls his eyes as he rubs the back of his head "Gee you don't have to freak on me" i sigh and look over at him. "Naruto i'm not up for games i haven't been getting any sleep and you're not helping by pointing that out" I sigh and continue walking to the academy when suddenly someone taps my shoulder. I turn to see who is is btu see no one. i just shrug and turn back around "Ah!" I jump as I turn to see naruto laughing and I shake my head putting my hand over my heart "You almost gave me a heart attack!" he smiles and chuckles "Sorry you're just so fun to scare" he nods at me before running off somewhere.

I smile arriving at the school. "Good morning Kakashi" he smiles and nods "Oh Tenten Guy told me to tell you that he is sick today and so your whole team needs to train in the park" -I smile nodding as i head to the park- "Neji Lee!" i smile as the two come into view. Neji smiles "So you got the message! perfect! i thought i was going to have to come drag you out of bed to get you here!" I giggle as he says that and join them. We follow Lees lead and as usual get very little down and decide to all just take the rest of the day off.

"Tenten let me walk you home" Neji calls to me as i begin to leave and i nod smiling "Thanks Neji, but i'm fine really you don't have to."

He catches up to me and walks with me anyway. i smile as we start walking towards my house. he turns to me and i look at him curious as to why he did. "Tenten, why have you been so down lately?" i look at him but look away and continue walking as if i am ignoring his question. He runs up to me and grabs my arm softly, stopping me. "Tenten i'm serious, i wanna know whats wrong, im worried about you"

I sigh as I look at him and shrug. "Look Neji, lately i just haven't been myself i just... i can't be like lady tsunade ever" I look down at the ground. He smile and looks confused " oh course you can tenen! you may not be able to perform her jutsu type but you have your own talents that are really special and that make you unique and with those you are lady tsunade to me." he smile proud and i smile hugging him tightly as i slightly blush. "Thank Neji, that means alot coming from someone like you." i let go and smile waving as he runs off to train with Lee some more. i walk back to my house and lay in my bed happily sighing.

The night drags on as i study more ninja tool sand there symbols practicing with them in my padded room when i hear a rattling outside. i grab my scrolls and cautiously walk outside. i see a shadow and around the corner as i look i nearly attack as i see another ninja dressed in all black . I move closer through the bushes as I make a sound they turn to look at me. standing still not moving muscle. I run forward to met the character face to faces i fall back from a good punch in the gut. I hear this ninja apologizing as I get up, wait apologizing? I look up to see Lee without a mask apologizing. "Oh dear tenten i did not know who you were and I am very sorry, I did not mean to hurt you" I stand rubbing my stomach as I ask him "Why are you out this late anyway Lee?" we sit on the stairs as he explains to me this extreme hide and go seek game that the boys of each team were playing and thought I was one of them. "Naruto was going to be coming out here soon and I was going to catch him." i nod and stand " well, good luck but don't forget we will have crazy training day tomorrow" his face seems to light up with excitement "Oh I can not wait than, thank you tenten, Goodnight!" I nod at him "You're crazy" I shake my head deciding to head to bed for the night.

I get up but my room is dark. I can't see a thing but my bed, I feel like screaming but I can't make a sound. I try running but I seem to be running into darkness. I look around as I run towards a small light but come to nothing. I seem to appear in a room surrounded in light when I hear his voice "Tenten help me" I look arounds but I can't see him. "Neji? Neji!, Neji where are you?" I turn seeing a shadow running as I hard as I can but not getting closer until I feel him breathing down my neck. I turn looking up at him as he stands there with that twisted smile "I'm right here Tenten, now come with me, so we can be safe forever" I hug him when I feel the kunai piercing me as I look down to see no blood but a black substance leaking to the floor as I see Neji smiling a very unnatural, twisted, and sick smile on his face as he speaks. "Tenten, now we can-"

I groan opening my eyes to the sound of my alarm trying to adjust to the harsh light as i find myself covered in sweat and afraid as i have so many times before. "The same dream again" I sigh and turn off my clock standing and getting ready before I head to the academy to meet with the others for training when I pass by naruto passed out in a tree laughing to myself when I walk to the academy feeling very lightheaded as I hold my head I look at Neji running toward me as I hear my own muffled screams when it all stops as I am swallowed by the darkness.

i wake up in a daze after feeling numb as i hear muffled voices. i see neji by me looking worried. "Tenten, can you hear me? ten ten wake up!"he seems to be speaking in a more desperate tone as i look him in the eyes as he hugs me. " What happened?" i look at him in a way which i seem to think he knows everything when he was just as confused as me, he sat me up explaining to me that i started to scream before falling and blacking out for minutes yet for me, it felt like years. He tells me to wait and that guy and lee had run to get the lady hokage right away.

Lady hokage is in the distance with the others as they start to approach "Tenten are you alright?" tsunade looks down at me worried, i nod looking up at her "Honestly i feel fine" i look up smiling to her as i speak. She looks surprised i seem completely fine and unharmed. "Are you feeling okay?" She looks at my head cautiously." i nod smiling " i might of been from low blood sugar i haven't eaten since lunch yesterday." I shrug as she gives me something to eat. I nod, "thanks" She smiled as she talks to guy telling him to lay me off for a couple days until i can regain my strength as Neji sits by me smiling and sort of blushing? "I'm really happy that you're okay" i smile and nod to him but what he doesn't know is that i'm not okay, and i'm not sure if i ever will be. It wasn't low blood sugar and it wasn't a mystery, it was the darkness hiding with in me.