A/N: Just a little story I was inspired to write. Enjoy.
Chapter 1: Blasted Skirts!
"Naru?"
Tap. Tap.
"Naru?!"
Shift. Shift.
"If you come out right now, I will only reduce your allowance for this month," the voice sing-songed into the empty hallway.
Creaak.
The eyes of the maid glints evilly and she pretends to turn away. Sighing, she made clacking noises with her shoes as if she was walking away. 5, 4, 3, 2,...
A small blonde furry speeds out of the maid's closet and just as it was about to leave, the maid wrapped an iron arm around its neck, effectively immobilizing it.
"Gah! Shizune!"
"Now, now, Miss Naru, just where do you think you're going?"
"Uhhh…to the garden?" The blonde inquired while sweat-dropping.
A vein popped up on Shizune's forehead, and she was just about to strangle the little minx!
"Shizune?"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade?"
"Get Naru ready for the ball. That will be her punishment for pranking the soldiers."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade. Right away."
"Noooo! Baa-chan, you can't do this to me! I'm your only favorite granddaughter and you'd be so cruel to...oh! I don't even want to say it!"
"Truthfully, I can, mind you. And this is barely a punishment! You're just gonna get dolled up, dance, and enjoy some appetizers. What cruelty is there, I ask you? Rather, it's a blessing you have such a nice grandmother such as I, no?"
"Treacherous woman! Treacherous indeed!"
"Now, now, Naru," the young-looking grandmother took out her fan, "Hinata, Sakura, and Ino will be attending as well. They'll be accompanying you there, so you won't feel lonely."
"Baa-chan! Just going there would make me vomit! Are you trying to torture me?"
"Silence, Naru! You're going, and that's final!"
The blonde pouted, eyes brimming with tears. It was like looking at a kicked puppy.
"Now don't think I'll fall for those crocodile tears! You're going and there's no changing my decision."
"Fine! I'll go to the stupid ball!" The blonde stomped her tiny, bare-footed feet.
"Come on, Miss Naru. You're taking a shower first. We can't have you attending the ball with those leaves and twigs in your hair."
"Shizuneeeeeee!"
"Yes, Miss Naru?"
"I'm starvinggggg! Maybe...mayb-"
"No."
"What?! I didn't even finish my sentence yet!"
"We're not going back to the house to eat ramen before going to the ball."
"Why not? You'd let me starve?" The blonde gasped loudly.
"No, because I know that it may be part of your plan to delay us from going to the ball."
"How will I do that?"
"Well, considering your eating habits, I wouldn't say you should eat in that attire. Secondly, you want to eat until you're full. Are you joking? Your stomach can eat until the human race goes extinct."
"Well, psshh, you don't know that!"
"Don't I?"
"Shizune!"
"We're almost there, Miss Naru. Please, calm down."
"Calm down? Calm down?! This is me, STARVING, right here Shizune!"
"Miss Naru. If you would just calm down, I promise, that when we go back home, you can get however much ramen you want to fill your stomach. For now, if you are good, then we shall. However, if you aren't, then we shall not."
"...okay," the young girl grumbled, defeated.
"Splendid!"
"Madams? We've arrived at the Uchiha's ball."
"Ah, thank you, Monsieur Iruka! Come along, Miss Naru! We must make our way inside."
The young lady grabbed hold of the side of the carriage, lifting herself out and glaring with a small, set pout.
"Erase that frown upon your face. You shan't look at anybody like that while we're here. It is only proper that you give a smile, and curtsy gracefully."
The blonde looked ahead blankly, then turned to Shizune with a forced smile that looked somewhat like a grimace.
"The world has seen better, Miss Naru, the world has seen better. But oh, it will do for now. Come along, my dear."
Begrudgingly, Naru lifted the hem of her pale blue gown, and shuffled in after Shizune.
"Naru!"
"Oh, hey Sakura! Where's Hinata and Ino?"
"Oh, some nobody 'soldier' got infatuated with Hinata and Ino's there for support."
"Ouch. That's a mean way to describe someone else."
"Well, it's the truth, plain and simple! You got to know how to pick your man! Rich, yes, handsome, yes, high status, absolutely a must!"
"Heh heh, you sure know how to filter your men thoroughly," I said as I rubbed my combed mat of a hair.
"Well of course, if I didn't, then how would I ever fit in society!"
"Well, I think a man who chooses to respect me as a woman who is on equal terms with himself no matter his status or looks is good enough to court me," I frowned.
Smiling, Sakura gave my arm a warm squeeze, understanding where I stood. She was one of my best friends, someone who I will always cherish for sticking beside me despite our different outlooks.
"I know. And I'm sure you, of all people, will find such a person, even if it sounds near impossible."
"Thanks Sakura. And I hope for the best for you, Hinata, and Ino. You guys are all my best friends, and I wouldn't do anything to change that. For your happiness, I would gladly put my own on the line."
"Oh, Naru! You're much too kind for your own sake," she said, with near teary eyes. And I knew what teary eyes from Sakura Haruno meant. Endless tears and emotional wreck.
"Ah, d-don't you want to dance, Sakura? Look, there's a handsome lad right there whose eyes have been on you the entire night!" I fretted nervously, trying to change the topic. I knew I was only picking a guy, any, to distract her but was surprised when he did walk our way. Sakura blushed a healthy pink when the fellow came right over to where we stood.
"May I have this dance, my fair lady?" The gentleman bowed with a hand outstretched to Sakura, eyes twinkling with, might I say, adoration?
"Of course," Sakura replied gracefully, giving him her hand.
And off they sauntered, stuck in each other's arms. Now what should I do? There's so many choices. First off, eating. Second, eating. Third, staring into space in a secluded area to waste time. And again, eating…
"Naru!" I looked to find the owner of the voice and saw Ino waving me over.
"What is it?"
"It's Hinata!" She excitedly squealed. "A soldier, what was his name..? Kabob- Keba- no! It was Kiba! That's right, Sir Kiba, one of the royal soldiers, have taken an interest in Hinata! Isn't that spiffing?!"
"What's 'spiffing' is that she isn't dead yet considering that her blushing is overwhelming to her head. And how come she's with that mutt? He's acting all shy now, but just the other day..." I whispered the rest into her giddy little ear and she responded with a very horrified "No!"
I made gestures with my eyebrows very seriously and she had the audacity to snort!
"Naru, I got to be honest with you, but honey. Every man who insults RAMEN is on your bad side."
I scoffed at her, blatantly offended. "I thought you were my friend! Traitor!" I wailed and sniffed at her coldly with arms criss-crossed firmly.
She looked at me exasperated. Then, she widened her eyes in mock innocence and with a hand to her cheek and the other supporting it, she whispered "Remember that one time when-"
My eyes shot wide open and I narrowed them. "Ok, ok, shush! I get it! Apology accepted, okay?" I rambled over her little "bring up the past" thing nervously.
She gave her infamous evil laugh, the typical "Ohohoho" you usually hear in plays and such. Annoyed, I steered her to a man named Lord Neji, a supposedly rich and handsome suitor.
The magic started to work as Ino turned into a glob, drooling at the sight of Neji, and her evilness getting sucked away for maybe an hour, at best. I snuck away, eager to get away from this witch I called friend.
Behind a potted plant near a pillar, my mind started to wander, and I dozed off at the thought of what I could be doing. Alas, all that came down when something hard collided with me and I fell like a damsel in distress onto the floor, not that I am one, of course. My snacks that were laid around me scattered.
"Watch where you're going, wench," came a cold order. Then disgustedly, he made a show to eye my snacks which I so carefully chose.
As I gazed up at the rude stranger, I was taken aback by the endless black residing within his dark eyes. However, now was not a time to be struck staring dumb and stupid into such a rude person's eyes, although I must admit, they were nice to look at…
I glared at him, and he seemed slightly surprised at my anger. "Oh? I don't remember who was hitting into who, Mr. Duckbutt," I jeered at him when I walked past and shoulder-bumped him. Hard. My drink 'accidentally' poured onto the front of his pants as I sped past a few ladies and back into the light of the party.
"Hey. You. Stop right now!" At this point, I ran for my life, weaving around the crowd and looking back every once in awhile. What a pompous man. It's cute that he thinks that I would stop when it's so clear that he was trouble. I eye rolled at the thought. "Guards!" I heard distinctly as I ran up the stairs, and to the terrace.
I quickly huffed for breath, my body demanding the oxygen.
"And to whom do I owe the pleasure, Miss?" An amused voice to my right said. I whipped my head around and saw clear, red eyes. They were like precious rubies, embedded on a handsome face. His long hair was tied into a neat looking low-ponytail. I thought back to his question, and with a straight face, said, "Your murderer."
He seemed a bit shocked at my answer, and in the next moment, chuckled like it was funny. What was with this weirdo? I could be a threat. I mean, just look at me, awesomely clad in this dainty dress of mine, and then, when you least expect it, whoosh! I've just manhandled you your ass while you were too busy thinking I was but a mere flower. Clearly this guy was handsome, but equally just as weird.
Just then, the sound of boots clambering on the ground caught my attention and I muttered numerous profanity under my breath.
"Well, this is goodbye then, crazy gentleman," I gave a wide smile to the stranger, and proceeded to take off my dress. At this, he began to blush just slightly at the show of my legs. Before I could undress any further, he grabbed my wrist and murmured an agitated "What are you doing?"
I ripped my hand away from his grip and stripped off my dress. I grabbed the knife held near my inner thigh with a strap and proceeded to cut open my tight corset. I shimmied out of it and tossed it aside, not entirely naked for I had smaller and more comfortable clothes underneath: a strapless white tee and shorts. I tucked the knife back in its place and grabbed my dress.
I glanced back at the stranger and almost tripped over my own foot at his very innocent reaction. He was blushing mad into tomorrow and might I add that it could very well surpass Hinata's? But seeing as I wasn't going to stay long enough to think about that, I waved with a quick adieu and took a few steps back before jumping off the terrace just as I heard the sounds of the guards gathering up behind us.
I turned around in mid-air to look back up and saw that the red-eyed man, the dark-eyed rude stranger, and the guards were all intrigued, some surprised, and some scared because of course, a lady had just fallen off of the terrace! And probably to her death, they might add! Suddenly, an idea popped into my head, and I crazily smiled. No, it's crazy...maybe I shouldn't...what if I get into even more trouble for doing it? But I have to!
I grabbed both of my cheeks and pulled, rolled my eyes back, and stuck out my tongue to blow a loud raspberry at the dark-eyed man. He looked utterly insulted, and I could not have been more justified. Quickly, I turned back around and landed softly on the grass lawn, and sprinted off back to our carriage to await Shizune, a grin adorning my face.
A/N: My stories are always rushed and too short, but I'm still trying to improve! Sorry if this did not satisfy you.