Chapter 9

Onwards! This chapter, then the next one, then the one after that marks the beginning of the Chuunin exams! It'll be an interesting arc for sure. For this fic, I will continue after that, possibly into shippuden. We'll see when we get there. ~ LeViAcKeRmAnN

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Tenten woke up refreshed the morning after they got back from their mission, all ready to hopefully get some time to herself to work out what the bow did, and some more about what the hair clip did.

She clipped it directly to one of her buns this time, figuring it'd be a bit more secure. One breakfast later, and she was ready for whatever the day may bring. Whether she got to use the bow or not. Either way. Although, weren't the Chuunin exams in a month and a half? Maybe she should be focusing on hiraishin and trying to perfect it, or at least get it working before then.

She knew they were close to working out how to do it individually, she just knew it. A couple more evenings and afternoons spent working on it, and they might be ready to try it! She couldn't wait. Even if she ended up in a tree twenty feet from the marker, she still teleported! Like actual teleporting! Honestly she was still ecstatic about it two weeks later, even if they hadn't managed it again yet.

Indeed, they were working separately today, with Gai traveling around and making sure they were all doing alright. So Tenten took the left side of their preferred training field, with her targets, and more importantly, a fairly large stream nearby. She'd probably use it later, because the bow came first. Weapon first, fancy hair pin later.

She pulled out the bow, drawing out an arrow she'd made herself to the specifications of the bow. She nocked it, pulled the bow back, noting the heavy draw weight, and fired at the target.

A glowing golden arrow shattered the normal arrow in her hands and flew true straight into the target.

Tenten hissed at the shards of metal and wood that had embedded itself into her hands, dropping the bow somewhat unceremoniously. Ouch that hurt. Note to self, do not use normal arrows with the bow.

"Tenten!" Gai shouted, sounding alarmed. He was over in a moment, carefully avoiding the bow and inspecting her hands in concern. "Are you alright?"

Tenten winced as he gently pulled out one of the wood slivers. "Other than the wood and metal embedded in my hands, I'm good."

"What happened?" Gai asked, eyeing the bow suspiciously.

Tenten glanced around him at the target where the golden arrow was gone, but the hole it made was still there. "I guess the bow makes its own arrows. Made of chakra naturally. It exploded the arrow I was trying to shoot and used its own arrow instead."

"I think you should go to the hospital!" Gai insisted loudly. "It will be best to ensure your flames of youth burn brightly for the remainder of the day!"

Tenten resigned herself to a hospital trip, and nodded, gingerly picking up the bow and sealing it away, trying not to make the injuries worse. She was pretty sure she succeeded at least a bit. "Alright, I'll be back when I can."

She headed for the hospital, trying to pick out what shards she could and wrapping a cloth around her hands to keep the blood dripping from the cuts from dripping all over the street.

The receptionist recognized her on sight of course, the amount of times she'd brought one or both teammates in was innumerable. And the number of times she'd had to come in herself because something blew up in her face was even bigger.

"Ah, Tenten, who this time?" The receptionist sounded more amused then she really had any right to be.

"Myself," Tenten said, narrowing her eyes at the lady. "I was trying a bow and an arrow shattered in my hands."

"How did you manage that?" Definitely too amused for this situation.

"The bow apparently produces its own chakra arrows," Tenten pouted. "I didn't know that, and now I have arrow pieces embedded in my hands. So unless you want me to drip blood all over this front area, I'd like to see a doctor."

"Right this way," the receptionist said after a moment. "Nintaimi is bored anyway."

Oh boy, Tenten knew Nintaimi all too well, given she was usually the one assigned to deal with the 'annoying stuck up Hyuuga' as she'd heard a couple other doctors call her teammate. Which, fair. It was amusing to watch Nintaimi deal with him anyway, so she didn't mind the woman.

She sat on the table, unwrapping the cloth and laying it across her lap and putting her hands on it to wait.

Nintaimi was in a moment later, wincing sympathetically at her hands. "Ouch, what'd you do?"

"Tried using a bow without knowing it produced its own chakra arrows," Tenten said, offering her hands to Nintaimi. The woman pulled up a chair and sat down, starting to carefully pick the shards out of her hands and healing the scrapes behind. "The arrow I was trying to use with it shattered in my hands."

"Oh fun," Nintaimi replied, dunking Tenten's hands in a bowl of water she'd apparently pulled out of nowhere. "A new weapon?"

"Yeah, got it on our most recent mission. It was just lying there broken in the middle of what I think used to be a bandit camp."

"Hmm, sounds like an interesting weapon."

"Yeah, I got it repaired in Iron for a good price." Tenten watched the final cut seal up under Nintaimi's hands, and gave her hands a onceover. "Thanks."

"No problem. Get that cloth washed as soon as you can or that blood is going to stain," Nintaimi advised.

"Don't I know it," Tenten sighed wryly. "I have enough experience with blood to know that, thanks."

"Of course, of course," Nintaimi replied, chuckling. "Well, you're good to go. Try and make your teammates stay out for at least two more days, hm? We have a board up for incidents from your team, and it hasn't yet reached over one day while you guys are in the village."

"Yeah, I know," Tenten huffed. "I'll do my best, but no promises."

"I'd be surprised if you could promise anything." She replied amusedly. "Have fun and don't shatter anymore arrows into your hands, hm?"

"Yeah yeah, I got it." Tenten sealed away the cloth, and stood up. "See you around."

"Indeed. Have a nice day."

"You as well."