Sakura may be experienced with poisons, and she can heal herself, but Tenten was better at dealing with weapons, and had Explosive Style. Neither really wanted to mentally hurt the other because they were still 'friends,' but if they did it by accident, they didn't mind. At this point, both seemed quite equal, but Tenten was having a slightly better time.

Sakura, though, didn't even have her Hundred Healings on yet, and was definitely planning her next move. Tenten was getting a bit cocky, and definitely resembling Deidara. 

Once again, she grabbed in her bag, this time planting the scythe in the ground so that she could grab handfuls of clay, and produced a hundred tiny clay ants. The ants burrowed into the ground, and no one except Tenten knew where they where. 

But everyone knew that it was dangerous to step on the ground now. Tenten knew where the mines where, Sakura didn't, so Tenten could avoid them and still attack effectively, whereas Sakura would either have to rely on luck or somehow flying in the air. It seemed pretty impossible.  

In the background, Deidara was impressed, and wanted to use this trick Tenten had invented, so he payed close attention. 

Back to the battle. Sakura was panicked. She couldn't move, for fear and for life. She needed to either stay in the air or in the same spot. It was a terrifying and bad position for her. But...

"It's ready." She grinned, a real smile. Not a grim one, but a happy one, as though she were about to win. "Hundred Healings!"

Black lines crisscrossed her face and body, and she fearlessly stepped forward. Whatever mines where under her, weren't powerful enough to kill her now, especially since they were tiny little ants. They exploded, sure, inflicted damage, yeah, but she simply healed and went back to stalking forwards. 

"Tenten-chan," Sakura said. "Did you really believe ants would kill me? Ants?! Because you're wrong. Ants wouldn't hurt me. But, ants would hurt... you."

Tenten's eyes widened cinematically. She'll force me onto one of my own ants. Then Tenten thought a second longer, reached in her nearly depleted bag of clay and made a bird. She hopped onto it, and flew up to the edge of the barrier where Sakura couldn't come. 

Deidara took notes on this, too. 

Sakura stared up at the sky. There wasn't much she could do, Tenten's clay bird was far higher than Sakura could jump, even with chakra. Plus, healing all the explosive wounds had definitely at least taken its toll on her, in spite of her Hundred Healings.

Sasori just stared. Well. Hopefully Hidan doesn't rip my head off for this, that'd be annoying. It's not my fault Sakura's a weak person. Hopefully she'll grow stronger someday, but for now it's definitely Tenten's win. The fight will drag on, but Tenten will win, the gap is too big. Tenten definitely has the upper hand, literally. She's well away from Tenten, and with her hand-to-hand way of fighting, she won't be able to do much. Poison, too, can only do something if it meets the victim. Maybe she could use a gas poison - but Tenten's bird's wings would force it back onto Sakura. While Sakura might have the advantage if the cieling is low, and in smaller spaces, Tenten definitely has the advantage here in this dome.

Sasori's prediction came true, and Tenten won, but it was a close one. Tenten was happy; Sakura, not so much. Her own brain came back to haunt her, calling her weak, useless, alone, stupid. 

Tenten, however, smiled at Sakura, and held her hand out to help Sakura get up. Both had grievous wounds, but showing signs of weakness in front of the Akatsuki wasn't an option. Gratefully, Sakura took Tenten's hand to get up, but stop and recoiled. The same tongues that Deidara had were also on Tenten's hands. Tenten noticed Sakura recoiling in disgust and fear, but grinned again, slightly wilder and crazier. 

"What, Sakura-chan? Freaked out by my power up? I thought you wanted to become stronger, didn't you?" She said to Sakura, who merely sat in the dirt as Tenten leaned over to Sakura. Alienation does affect people, especially from close friends. Tenten felt uncontrollable anger flare up in her. What was this? Did Sakura seriously come all the way here for nothing? Didn't she want to be stronger, just like Tenten herself? Why was she questioning a little power up like this? Inside, Tenten was ready to burst with anger, but on the outside it was frighteningly still. A crack of craziness showed itself in her smile, otherwise, nothing. 

"Well, Sakura-chan? Why are you being so pitiful here on the ground?" Tenten leered. The Akatsuki members, who'd begun to walk away since the fight was over, turned back in interest. Deidara was especially interested. 

Sakura couldn't even look up at Tenten's eyes, just staring down at the ground.

"What? Look me in the face, loser. At least have the courage for that." Tenten smirked as Sakura didn't look up, only a flinch up to Tenten's face and then her head was bowed lower in defeat than before. 

Again, the anger flared up in Tenten, and she burst. She kicked her opponent, who had already been down in defeat. Kneeing her in the head, kicking her to the ground, forcing her to gag and choke on her own blood. This continued for another minute. The Akatsuki members stood there in silence, as Tenten grabbed Sakura's pink, pink hair in one hand and raised Sakura's head to her face. Still, Sakura's eyes looked down at the ground, even as her face was turned upwards to Tenten. What little self-control Tenten had had left vanished.

"Fucking look at me, bitch! Just fucking look me in the eyes, piece of shit! Don't you understand? I won! Me! You lost, bitch! Got it?! GOT IT?!" She shrieked, hysterical. "LISTEN TO ME! I WON! NOW FUCKING LOOK ME IN THE EYES!"

Sakura kept her eyes glued to the ground. Shouting insults and threats, Tenten kneed Sakura in the stomach. Finally, finally, Sakura dragged her eyes up to meet with Tenten's. 

"I won. I won, I won, I won." Tenten said while staring into Sakura's eyes. Then she brang her fist back, punched Sakura, and walked to the infirmary. The Akatsuki stared after her, looking from her psycho, grinning, winning face to Sakura, lying practically dead on the dirt. More than just defeated; utterly tossed out of the window like a pathetic, dependent leaf.

***

Sorry for the wait on this chapter.