Written in ice: prologue (rewritten)
"again." I struggled to get up, my muscles ached, I was cold and wet but I had to continue on.
I'm not a super cool and strong ninja. I barely passed the genin exams to be honest. But the pride I felt when I received my headband was immense.
"Get up." I was knocked down to the floor once again. the frustration of not being good enough almost made me want to quit. But I couldn't. I had to do this for my team. I stood up again and faced my opponent.
I grew up in Konohagakure with my family. The Mitsuhara clan originally came from Amegakure, but throughout the years they spread out. The main family however, still ruled from their safe compound in Ame. I never once visited them.
As a woman of the Mitsuhara clan it was expected of me to become a shinobi. But it was thanks to my father that I wanted to become a ninja, as a child I really looked up to him – and I still do-. While he does not possess the clan's bloodline limit he still worked his way up in the ranks.
"you are just like your father, aren't you girl?" I laid there, panting, staring up at the thick cloud cover. Setsuna was still pining me down with the heel of her foot. Why did I continue? This was going nowhere. I already knew I wasn't good. there was a reason why I had followed my father instead of stay. I was only dragging my team down.
I don't have great stamina, nor is my tai-jutsu any good. my weaponry skills are mediocre at best. Now don't get me wrong. My accuracy is fairly good but I don't exactly have the strength to put behind it. Nin- and gen-jutsu is my specialty though.
"Ice release: hidden in the snow." The voice was calm and composed, a bit airy even. I took my stance and resisted the urge to shiver. The rain that almost always fell down in Ame started to freeze and turn into snow obstructing my eyesight. I was on high alert. Left. I scrambled to block the incoming kick that would have hit me in the ribs had I not reacted. A fist almost collided with my jaw .I jumped back, creating distance. I let out a shaky breath. I can't do this.
My progress from graduation to this point has been immense. I was no longer the mousy, easily overlooked genin that desperately tried to catch up to the rest of her team. I was an unofficial jounin for Ame now.
I looked at myself in the mirror. my hair had grown well past my waist and had darkened from the lack of sun bleaching. I had grown taller and more muscular, there was still the hint of baby fat in my cheeks but I no longer looked like a kid pretending to be a ninja. I looked confident in my abilities and myself.
all these months, all this rigorous training, the pain, the humiliation and tears had been for this. I was finally returning to Konoha, I was going home. I'm coming home Naruto, Sasuke, Sensei.
A/N: I thought I should start updating the chapters before I put out any new ones. I'm still not completely happy with this one but to me it is a definite improvement. I am a uni student so please forgive me if my updating seems a bit all over the place.