--Info--
Title: Strangely Foreign
Author: Kia (a.k.a. RockenRollTurtle)
Time: Shippuuden
Setting: Land of Fire, Konohagakure
Point of view: First person
Story: A foreign girl had accidentally crossed into Konohagakure's borders, taken refuge and, a couple years later into the present, is being trained in the ways of the ninja. At the late age of seventeen, she is given a mentor, Might Gai, who enthusiastically accepts her into his team of Tenten, Rock Lee, and Neji Hyuuga, whom met her with varying amounts of anxiousness. Together, she and her new team will embark on a couple missions that will test their newest comrade's skill, and strive, all the while Rock Lee, in his point of view, gives commentary about his newest team mate, and lives through the story.
Prologue
A little over half a decade ago, Inuzuka Tsume stumbled upon a tiny heap of flesh within the forests surrounding Konohagakure. This heap of flesh, being in the form of a child; small and lean, caught the attention of the ninja. Investigating with her hound Kuromaru, the ninja eyed the mound, and suddenly, the body sprung to life under her gaze, and the child's eyes opened, focusing upon the creatures of who disturbed her sleep. The ninja was all if only slightly surprised; this child, marginally undernourished, dirt-rottenly clothed, filthy with grime looked to appear just another war orphan, left over from a country who's borders had been breached, and who's parents were abroad. There barely passed a single moment of contemplation before the ninja lifted the child, weighing little, swiftly into her arms. Without a word, ninja and hound turned and bounded for home, carrying their newfound companion. Into the village and up to authority they went, stopping only once they had stepped in front of their hokage. Gray with age, Sarutobi looked upon the child, a ring of sympathy and pity written in his compassionate eyes. He quickly decided that abandoning the child would be nothing less than cruel and, in a spur of impulse, took the child from the woman and sent the ninja off. Sarutobi did not have time to raise a child, but alas, such a thought of leaving it behind did not spark in his mind. Instead, the old man took the child in, fed and clothed the child, taught and molded the child, until his untimely and honorable death. The child was not left alone though, staying secluded in the hokage's mansion. Far from it, the child occupied itself by reading and writing, gaining knowledge about the strange society it was living in, so different from it's own. And it would be there that the child would stay, it's abilities, family, and past still unknown until a woman by the name of Tsunade would come into the picture, discover the child, and formulate the decision to train it for the art of the fight. To become a ninja. She saw that the child had much promise, an set to find the perfect mentor based on it's abilities.
Inside the hokage's office room, whose windows opened to let in a vast panorama of the village including the glorified Hokage's Mount, which looked over it's protected inhabitants sat Tsunade, the fifth hokage of Konoha, behind her desk, a look of deep thought upon her young features. Before her stood the child, the one of whom she had found upon entering the mansion when she had come to take on her role of leader. Of course, the child was a child no more, having grown up into a bright, mature, young woman of seventeen, strong of body and mind and spirit. Tsunade had not been pleased to find her when she first entered the mansion, but, for a reason unclear to her, the older woman hadn't brought herself up to send the girl on her way. You could say that Tsunade and the girl formed a mutual bond, neither enjoying nor hating each other's company. For the past two years or so, Tsunade had deliberated upon exactly what she should do with the girl. Sarutobi had left no advice, and she was left open-ended. It was only recently that the idea of having the girl be trained came to mind, though Tsunade herself couldn't understand why the thought had been so late in coming. But eventually, it had, and now it was time for the girl to be given a mentor. Tsunade stood from her desk, then walked around to face the girl, eyes betraying nothing.
"You've been studying our ninja etiquette books, is that right?"
The girl nods.
"And you've practiced?"
The girl nods again, a little more hesitantly. It was obvious to Tsunade from the way the girl stood stock-still that she was nervous. This did not affect the woman's judgment.
"Alright. Genjutsu first." she announces, crossing her arms.
The girl gulps subconsciously, then stands at the ready.
"The task is simple; perform a cloaking jutsu."
Apprehensive, the girl slightly nods, holds up her hands forming a sign, then pushes her energy into her hands, just like the textbooks had told her.
"Mist jutsu!"
........
Tsunade blinks slowly, her vision completely clear and absent of any fog. The girl swallows and stands stock straight again, eyes downcast. The girl had known she'd fail. No matter how hard she had practiced, she could not produce the wanted outcome. Tsunade took note of this, slightly displeased, and continues on.
"Second test. Ninjustu."
The girl blinks.
"Create a shadow clone."
And so the girl did.
A puff of white smoke appears and slowly dissipates. In it lays a heap of nothing; a hideous doll that looked nothing like its creator in any way, shape, or form.
'Does this girl not have any talent at all?' Tsunade sighs to herself. 'Not even Naruto could have failed this horribly.'
"Is that the best you can do?"
The girl cringes the slightest of amounts and, unable to bring her gaze up to meet the older woman's instead chooses to gaze at the floor, looking and feeling very much like a failure. Tsunade's patience was fading fast, and her foul temper was not doing much to better her mood. She had taken special time away from her normal duties especially just to perform this exam, and now, it seems like she was just wasting her time on this child whom an Academy student could out skill. But, alas, Tsunade couldn't bring herself to forget the girl.
'She only has one more test anyway. Might as well get on with it.'
"Alright. You have one final test."
The girl's head erects in attention.
"Taijutsu. We will have a short mock fight in which I will test your physical abilities, and nothing but Taijutsu is allowed. Clear?"
The girl nods.
"Then follow me."
Together, old woman and young adult ascend a flight of stairs that lead to the building's rooftop, neither saying a word and looking straight ahead, both wondering about what the other was thinking. A handful of white birds caw and take flight as the two women take positions about ten yards opposite each other.
"Taijutsu only." The hokage reminds her, gazing unworriedly at the girl, arms lightly folded over her chest.
As to be expected of her by now, the girl stays silent and merely nods. Unexpectedly though, her expression changes; once shy and slightly fearful to determined and calculating.
'That's more like it.' Tsunade complements to herself.
"Ready. Begin!"
Now, Tsunade had very well expected for the girl to act much like every novice would; blindly jump into battle without consideration. But to her surprise, on the mark of 'Begin!' the girl didn't even so much as flinch. Unconcerned, the hokage attempts to taunt her into action.
"What's wrong? Afraid to attack a kage?" she sneers, completely relaxed.
The girl doesn't move. In fact, she seemed to be analyzing… waiting.
'So I'm gonna have to make the first move. Fine with me.'
In no real hurry, Tsunade rushes the girl and, seeing as her opponent is a beginner, attacks with a standard straight on punch.
'Now, which way will you dodge?'
Ultimately, nowhere. Unpredictably, the girl ignores the obvious escape routes and braces herself. Instead of dodging, she catches the older woman's punch, absorbing the impact. Tsunade quickly retaliates with another punch from her other fist, aiming to score the girl's stomach. Again, she surprises her. The girl suddenly crouches, Tsunade's fist whizzing just over her head, then leaps backwards in a kind of back flip kick, twisting in mid air. Her foot catches Tsunade under the jaw and the twisting, because the girl still had hold of her wrist, forces her to twist along with her, landing the older woman on her knees. Quick as a flash, the girl attacks again. Tsunade opens her eyes, blinks, and gasps a hushed breath. The girl stood on one leg, the other half extended, in front of her, the woman's wrist still firmly in her grip and her heel resting lightly just above the end of her collar bone.
'Amazing.'
After a tense moment, the girl lets go and retreats back a few paces, a look of calculation still on her face. Tsunade had a look of calculation of her own as she slowly stood. 'So much skill, I can hardly believe it. So quick and so powerful, and the way she was standing, she could have easily broken my collar bone, dislocating my shoulder in the process.' Though the battle lasted for only a second, Tsunade had all the information she needed. All her former doubts had been erased and, in an odd way, she felt prideful.
"Congratulations. You pass." She announces with a triumphant smile as a distant bird of prey lets out a cry.
The girl's expression changes again, excited.
"And I know just the perfect mentor for you."
The girl's excitement grows.
A/N How is that for the first chapter of my first Naruto fic? Hope it's okay, I worked really hard on the first copy of this chapter, and it was GREAT! But my computer decided that it wanted to be a bitch and, right after I saved it, it disappears! Poofs! I don't know how or where the heck it went, but it said bye bye and I haven't found it yet. So now, what you just read is the second copy I had to do from memory while I was in a very pissy mood. Anywho, if you liked it or hated it or whatever, please, PLEASE review. As a writer, I THRIVE on these and, ultimately, the number of reviews I receive determines how often I update. They are the main things that motivate me to write. So, please, it only takes a moment. ;) And Lee will appear in the first chapter, so no worries there. Chao! ^^