Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story they belong to whomever created them and that is the person who created Naruto.
A girl with twin buns stood in the middle of the dojo with a sharp Katana in her hands going through the motions with the skill of someone who spent their whole life learning to wield the old fashion blade. A young girl though she is, at the age of only 16 soon to be 17. Dressed in a traditional white and red Chinese shirt and black Capri's. Her eyes were closed not needing the extra sense to distract her from practicing with her blade.
She was in her own world there was only her and her blade, nothing else. Her motions were fluid and made without hesitation. The sound of the blade slicing through the air the only song playing in her head, a calming melody to her.
"Are you serious?" a distant voice questioned.
"Yeah they announced it this morning. Its finally happening! I can't believe it I have waited for this day my whole entire life!" Another voice exclaimed louder than the one before her.
"Wait are you talking about the royal announcement they made?"
"Yup," said the one who had been ranting before.
"Oh my kami!" the newer girl squealed. The girl with the twin buns, though never faltering with her blade, flinched slightly at the ruckus.
"Ah," the same girl yet again yelled. "When do you think they will begin the search?"
"Who knows? I hope they consider all eligible girls."
"Me too. I would hate to not have at least a chance, I mean…" she faded off with a sigh as if she were about to dramatically faint. The girl practicing could feel her eyebrow start to twitch in annoyance with the girls. This was suppose to be a quiet place to practice.
"Oh I totally know what you mean. Oh. My. Kami! I can't believe this is actually happening!" the last squeal proved too much to the girl with the katana.
"Would you please stop talking. Some people are actually trying to concentrate here. Move your conversation elsewhere!" She spoke with venom and built in anger.
"Oh come on Tenten. Even you must care that they are finally going to start looking for a fiancé for Prince Neji. I mean if you don't then you must be a guy after all, just wearing girl's clothing."
"I am a girl. I just don't care that there're looking for some snobs fiancé."
"Prince Neji is not a snob! He is one of the most handsome men that has ever walked on earth! He is the definition perfection. He is -."
"He is a total ice cube that has one hell of a self love issue."
"How dare you! You don't even know him!"
"Yeah and neither do you." Tenten retorted. With that she picked up her blade again and continued her dance with it.
The sun was starting to set and the warm colors began to shine their light inside the dojo where Tenten was now practicing with twin blades. She had already finished with the nun shucks, kunai, shuriken, and the bow and arrow. As she slashed at an invisible opponent in front of her she heard footsteps behind her. Twisting around on her left foot, using her right for the momentum to spin and ducking her head to dodge the katana that was swung at her she sliced with her right arm that held one of the twin blades. The move was parried by that of her new opponent.
The other person slid their blade along hers trying to twist it out of her grip and would have succeed if she didn't have such a firm grip. Making the last decision she jumped backwards away from her opponent to give her more space and time to think.
Coming to a decision she raced forward fainted left and jumped to the right thrusting her left blade out only for it to be caught by the other's blade. Using that distraction she swung her right blade at the person who jumped backwards out of reach in the nick of time. In less then a second she flung her left sword at him and was rewarded when it caught his arm slicing the green fabric and only drawing a little bit of blood. She didn't actually want to injure him too badly after all.
He came at her again refusing to give up and she parried his attack with her remaining blade before using the same trick he had tried last time only this time his blade flung out of his grip and slid far out of his reach. She pointed her blade at his neck. She had won.
"Nice job Tenten. Though I don't suggest throwing your blade like you did even though you managed to injure me. It gives your opponent the advantage as he could have picked it up and have two swords at his disposal."
"Your right Sensei. My mistake." The man smiled down at his student and patted her head like a little child after she lowered her weapon.
"It is alright my youthful student. Your swordsmanship though is well beyond the years of any I have ever had the pleasure to meet."
"Your just saying that Gai sensei."
"No it is true most youthful flower. Isn't that right lee."
"That is absolutely correct Gai sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Sensei!"
"Okay will you two cut it out. I am tired enough as it is without your antics."
"Deepest apologies youthful flower Tenten." Lee bowed deeply.
"Its fine Lee. Jeez stand up."
"Yes Tenten!" she rolled her eyes. 'Same old Lee.' She looked upon the boy before her, almost the exact replica of her sensei from the bowl like hair cut, bushy eyebrows, green spandex, orange leg warmers, and belt around his waist. His eyes were the only real difference in which they were oddly circular and he is, of coarse, shorter in height though they were almost the same height by now, Lee being 17.
"Okay well I have to start going home now. Bye Sensei, bye Lee."
"Bye Youthful Tenten!" Cried her teacher.
"See you tomorrow Tenten!" Yelled Lee. Tenten smiled at the two and waved before putting on her shoes and exiting the dojo. The sun was nearly set and it would start to get dark very soon. Taking out her favorite Kunai she began twisting it aimlessly in her hand not even really paying attention to it, allowing her hand to just go through with the familiar motion. Silently she made her way back to her house on the other side of town.
The streets began to darken and visibility decreased, but that didn't matter to her. She had walked these streets many times before and knew every single crater and crevice inside and out. If she wanted she could probably walk these streets with her eyes closed and still make it home without bumping into anything.
Soon she started to enter the more slum like part of town. Garbage cans were laid about some overturned with garbage spilling out. A few stray cats were searching through them looking for their next meal. A stray dog sniffing at another overturned trash can looked at her as she passed though decided to ignore her. She hated watching all of these animals like they were, scavenging for food like this. But she could do nothing. Her house didn't have much food in it either.
Another ten minutes later and she came upon an old apartment building. Traveling down the small alley way between the apartment building and the one next-door she came across an old wooden door with the number 59 on it, the 5 swaying precariously and the 9 dropped long ago though had left a pale mark in it's place. There was no need for a key as she just twisted the rusty knob and walked right into the small apartment. The place wasn't that dirty, it just wasn't really clean either. A few empty beer cans were strewn throughout the living room and kitchen. A few unwashed dishes sat in the sink. One or two other plates left on top the old and chipping yellow counter. Two of the cabinet doors were off at least one of their hinges and were only being hung up by one or two screws, the old brown wood showing on the inside of those cabinets were slightly warped.
Tenten walked over to the counter towards the bread box that sat in the corner and opened the old box before untwisting the tie, opening the bag, and taking out a single piece of bread. After closing it back up she walked over to the fridge and looked for something to make a sandwich out of. In the end she found two slices of bologna and after smelling them she came to the decision that the meat was still good and plopped them onto the bread and after folding it in half ate her dinner.
When her sandwich was gone she washed the dishes and picked up the beer cans putting them into the recycling bin before drinking a glass of water and heading to her room. The door shut easily with only a few squeaks here and there. As she walked to her bed the floor boards creaked with her weight until she made it to her bad and plopped down not even bothering to change into a pair of pajamas.
Putting her hands behind her head she stared up at the old ceiling and listened to the sounds around her. Snoring from her Father's bedroom, a couple shouting at each other just above her room the occasional showering of dust from the old ceiling due to the fight going on just above. A normal night.
Tenten then finally blocked all of that out and thought about her day in the dojo, about the girls talking about the prince. In truth she felt kind of bad for the dude being drooled over by a bunch of girls and having to find his fiancé at such an early age. He had just turned 17 in January and it was only the beginning of the summer.
She had heard the news as well as the other girls, though she had to hear it through the gossip of the town. People were saying that he was going to inherit the title because his cousin was going to be married off to some other future head of some well developed family. Girls had no place in taking the title of head they had said. Neji being the closest male had therefore taken the responsibility of the ancient, well developed family.
She had never actually seen the boy, just heard that he was extremely handsome. Therefore she had came to the conclusion of the whole self loving thing that she had said to the girls back in the dojo. She actually had no idea if that were true or not. However she had heard that he was very cold, rarely spoke without good reason and was very stubborn. That he was cold hearted and cared for none after his father was brutally killed because the assassins had believed that he was the head.
'I wonder if they will ever be able to find him a wife to put up with him and learn to love him,' Tenten thought before drifting off into sleep.