A Few Screws Loose

50 Shinobi Prompt 30 — Flirt

Tenten had always known she was a few screws short when it came to understanding the opposite sex. She just didn’t realize she was the only female among the group she regularly talked to, that was absolutely clueless.

“Have you two gone on a date yet?” Sakura had teased warmly.

“Tell me everything!” Ino had demanded. “Is he a good kisser?”

“Do you like him too?” Hinata had asked shyly.

“They tell me you have a boy gunning for you heart now.” Temari had said abruptly upon arriving in Konoha.

Even the elder kunoichi said the same. “You can do better.” Anko had muttered absently. “I mean, hell, he isn’t that good looking no matter what others say.”

“Does he make you happy?” Kurenai had asked in concerned. “Because that’s really the most important thing.”

“He’s a bit of an odd choice wouldn’t you think so?” Shizune had mentioned offhand.

“Are you two dating?” Tsunade has asked an eyebrow raised.

Tenten had answered all of them the same way. “What are you talking about?”

“You two flirting.” was the unanimous response.

Tenten had stared blankly ahead, utterly confused. “I was flirting? When? Wait, he was flirting with me?”

Needless to say, by the end of the day, Tenten felt very confused. What was the whole deal with flirting? How did one even know when they were flirting? She got different answers from everyone and only ended the day feeling annoyed and bothered.

He wasn’t flirting with her right?

Maybe it’s not that she was missing a few screws when it came to the opposite sex that made her miss the ‘flirting’. Maybe it was that all the other girls she knew had a few too many screws and imagined things that weren’t there.

After all, he couldn’t really have been flirting with her.

A/N: I leave it up to you guys to imagine who it was that was flirting with Tenten. ^_^

Idol

50 Shinobi Prompt #08 — Hokage (or any of the ‘Kages)

Tenten had never really ever told anyone why she became a shinobi. She never told anyone what had motivated her. Never bothered to truly discuss it. The reason she decided to become a shinobi had always been a well harbored secret that gave her motivation.

The reason she’d wanted to become a shinobi, was because of the tales she heard surround Tsunade. One of the legendary Sannin. As a little girl, Tenten gobbled up stories of the powerful kunoichi; from her younger exploits to those in her elder age. Tenten became so fascinated by her story she would dream of meeting her. She didn’t have imaginary friends like most children her age, instead she talked to an imaginary Tsunade who taught her secret ninja moves.

That’s all it took to really get her started. Once Tenten had delved into the woman’s life, she knew she’d never be able to come out again. In essence, she’d sold her soul to the trade. Because of that, Tenten worked hard to do everything and anything she possibly could to get into a proper ninja school. She trained, she studied, she even helped out more at the orphanage in hopes that they would grant her one favor.

In time, her hard work paid off. She went to school, she trained, she studied, she became a kunoichi and joined Team Gai. Through many mishaps and tribulations, Tenten managed to sufficiently become a kunoichi she’d be proud to meet Tsunade as. Way before it was reasonable for her to do so, Tenten was a kickass kunoichi. Not just a simpering twit. Not just a little girl. But a real bona fide shionbi. She was tough, she was strong, and she never let anyone say otherwise about her.

When she heard Tsunade was to become the next Hokage, Tenten was filled with inner jubilation. She would finally meet her idol!

When she met Tsunade, Tenten did her best to hide her disappointment. Sure, the Hokage was a fantastic woman. She was powerful, strong, and a damn good shinobi. She was skilled and eloquent. Everything Tenten expected her to be.

The problem was, to Tenten, it no longer seemed enough.

She was a gambler, a bit of an idiot at times, a risk-taker, a slight drunk. In essence, Tsunade was human. She was the very definition of a powerful human. Tenten had imagined her idol as subhuman. As perfection. As excellence. As everything and anything that a human girl should aspire to be.

Tsunade was amazing.

But Tenten could be better.

“Hokage-sama.” Tenten would always greet respectfully. “You called?”

She still owed Tsunade everything. Without her, Tenten would not be a shinobi. Without her, she might have ended up as a simpering civilian with nothing more on her mind than finding a husband. Tenten had found a goal and owed it all to Tsunade. But, she owed it to her dream — she owed it to her imaginary chats with Tsunade, to aim for the sky and nothing less.

Tsunade had been her idol.

Now, Tenten’s idol, was only excellence itself.

Men and Women

Tenten really despised being looked down on because of her gender. As such, she tried hard to prove to the world and the moon she was just as good as any male.

Temari abhorred being on the receiving end of skeptical glances and doubting sneers because she had breasts instead of a dick. So she worked insanely hard to prove she was better than many males.

Tenten hated Ino and Sakura. They were poor excuses for shinobi who spent most of their time after some boy instead of tuning their skills. Even now, as better shinobi (which they only became for a boy) their p

riorities still revolved around impressing a guy they ‘loved’.

Temari didn’t hate Ino or Sakura, she just didn’t like them. They were good shinobi (now at least), but they were always off on how some man was better, and they only ever improved their skills so they wouldn’t be a burden. It was never for themselves. They weren’t trying to be great, not even good — they just wanted to be acceptable.

Tenten loved Neji and Lee like brothers. Best of all, they didn’t think of her as a girl; they saw her as a shinobi. When she had flaws they helped her fix them. When she had problems she could talk to them (granted, she was embarrassed talking to both of them, but she still could).

Kankurou and Gaara were crass and not very touchy-feely, but they always saw Temari as a person not a female. They always helped her get better, and never looked down upon her because she was of a different gender. Talking to them about personal problems was always a bit awkward, but they were always listening if she needed them.

Tenten hates that unless a woman is born with a kekkai genkai, her choosing the life of a shinobi is looked down upon in Konoha. She hates that it’s okay for a man without a bloodline limit to choose this path, but not a woman. It’s because of this social code that very few women take the shinobi life; very few women think they can.

Temari detests that in Suna female kunoichi are more of a rarity than rain. She hates that because of the standard the elders give out to the city the females are seen as unfit to take such a harsh life. She is furious that men are seen as the tougher species — the protectors, and women can not and should not fill that role.

Tenten is proud that Tsunade is the first female Hokage. She thinks the women carries and deserves the title well. She’s certainly better fit than many Kage’s other villages have had. Although Tenten is glad of this triumph, she thinks it’s not enough.

Temari is disturbed that Tsunade is the first female Kage in all the villages. She is even more disturbed that her own village will never accept a female Kazekage. She is pleased that Tsunade is breaking the mold, but thinks there’s still a loong way to go.

Tenten hates that women let others’ attidues influence their own.

Temari despises that women can be manipulated by the thoughts and words of people stuck in the past.

Tenten was a diehard feminist.

Temari was a diehard feminist.

When you see another feminist, it’s hard not to like each other (even if you were beat up by her).

Their relationship is filled with snide insults, biting retorts, nonsenseical laughter, angry rants, bittersweet confessions, and love.

Temari and Tenten are violent, confident, and feminist. But together they let the masks and defenses fall. They let the anger and tears dissolve.

Tenten hates being a woman most of the time.

Temari hates men most of the time.

But they’re okay with that: friendship makes it all better.