Note: Well, they're supposed to be 7 and 8 years old in this fic. I realize they may seem OOC for such a young age but, well, I'm not that experienced at writing at that age. I did try my best, however.
A seven year old Sheena Fujibayashi carefully scanned the field, trying without success to discover Kuchinawa's hiding place. She hated herself for not being as good as Kuchinawa was at being a ninja.
He won't win this time, no way!
Suddenly, she heard faint giggling come from her right. Instantly, she turned and examined a tree.
He had to be hiding behind it!
Grinning in victory, Sheena took out a special card.
I hope this works!
Controlling her mana in a special manner, she threw the card down. In a burst of smoke, she disappeared and reappeared at the tree.
Whoa, haha! It worked! I teleported! Wait, I gotta get Kuchinawa…!
With a big smile on her face, she leaped to the back of the tree.
"I GOT YOU NOW KUCHI…huh!"
There was nobody there! Just a plain patch of grass.
A loud burst of giggling erupted…above her! Sheena groaned. So he had been above her, hiding in the tree branches!
A red blur suddenly popped out of the top of the tree, spraying leaves everywhere.
Oh no, he's going for "base"! No, I'm going to lose again!
In a burst of speed, she chased after the fleeing red ninja, her light blue clothes flapping in the wind.
"Ha ha! You won't catch me Sheena, you already used that teleport card!" Kuchinawa's taunting voice rang out.
"Boys…" Sheena muttered. Then she spied a good sized stick coming up on her right.
Well, it's cheating…but oh well!
Sheena snatched up the stick as she passed it and aimed carefully…
Kuchinawa could see the boulder they had decided as "base" coming up fast.
Looking over his shoulder at Sheena, he decided to give another little taunt.
"Hee hee…Sheena, you're going to lose again…BWARGH!" A stick soared through the air and whacked his face. Tripping, he flew forward and somersaulted, landing on his back.
"Oww..." he groaned.
Sheena flipped through the air and landed on Kuchinawa's waist, straddling him.
"HA! HA HA! YOU LOST AND I WON! YEA, WHO'S THE BETTER NINJA NOW! ME! HAHHAHA!" Sheena taunted with a grin, shaking a finger in Kuchinawa's face.
"Feh!" Kuchinawa said, twisting his head to the side so he didn't have to look at her. His black hair looked sweaty, and his red body suit was dirty from his tumble.
"Heh, come on! Admit you lost!"
"WHAT WAS WITH THE STICK THROWING, HUH!"
"A ninja always has to be on his guard!"
"…" Kuchinawa couldn't think of anything to say to that. So instead, he said something else.
"…stupid girls."
"Hey, don't be mean!"
"…"
"Isn't almost time for your party? You're going to be eight years old! Come on, let's go back to your house!" Sheena got off of Kuchinawa, and offered a hand to her friend.
Kuchinawa glared at her hand for a second, then sighed and took it. Sheena helped him off the ground, and they started walking back to the village.
"I guess you had to win one time…"
"Heh."
--
Kuchinawa's older brother, Orochi, greeted them at the front door.
"Hey, you two! The party's almost started! But Sheena, you go ahead, I want to talk to Kuchinawa for a bit first…"
"I need to go home first, I have to get Kuchinawa's present ready…" Sheena gave Kuchinawa a secretive glance, and dashed away.
Kuchinawa blinked.
"She got me a present?" Usually the people of Mizuho just gave well wishes and attended the little parties they gave on birthdays. (note: totally made up by me )
Orochi sidled up behind Kuchinawa, a sly grin on his face (although it was blocked by the ninja mask of the ninja outfit he was currently wearing)
"It means she likes you, little bro…"
Kuchinawa's face turned a bright red.
"WHAT? An icky girl like her!"
"Aw…Sheena's not a bad girl. What were you two doing, anyway?"
"Playing 'base' "
"Have you held hands?"
"HUH!"
Orochi grabbed Kuchinawa's shoulders.
"I bet you've even kissed, haven't you!"
"Shut up!"
Orochi picked him up and started giving him a noogie.
"You little fox! I bet you've even #$&!"
"Ow…WITH A GIRL LIKE HER…ouch..stop it!"
Orochi set his brother down, a grin on his face.
"I'm just teasing you, Kuchinawa. I'm actually quite happy you're growing up. You'll be a full ninja soon enough! Then you can go on missions with me!"
"Yea! And I'm going to be a better ninja than even you and mom and dad!"
"Psh…dream on little brother. Well…it's time for the party. Sheena better hurry…"
On cue, Sheena came running up, gasping for air.
"I'm ready…let's go!"
--
Kuchinawa's father and mother greeted him at the door.
"How's my little ninja?" his mother asked, before hugging him affectionately.
"We're happy for you, son. We can't wait for you to become a full ninja…me especially." His father added, giving Kuchinawa's head a tostling.
"I'm great! I'm going to become the best ninja ever!" Kuchinawa declared. Then his parents noticed Sheena.
"Oh…Sheena! We're glad you could make it. Why don't you and Kuchinawa join his friends that have arrived in the yard?"
Kuchinawa gave a cheery smile and agreed, but Sheena looked wary.
"Come on Sheena! We can play with my friends in the yard!"
"O…ok."
Kuchinawa didn't notice his friend's hesitation and ran outside to the yard, where his friends from his ninja classes greeted him.
"Hey, Kuchinawa's here!"
A chorus of greetings rang out from his friends, who were playing tag. Using the ninja skills they learned, it was a chaotic game. But then his friends noticed Sheena.
"Hey…what's a girl doing here?" one of his friends, Itachi, exclaimed.
"She's the one who isn't from Mizuho!" another friend, Hujo, declared.
Mutterings broke out among the boys.
"We're not playing with that girl. Kuchinawa! Let's play somewhere else!"
Sheena, for her part, didn't cry. She was used to this from other boys besides Kuchinawa, and from girls too. But she was still miserable, and ran back into the house.
Kuchinawa was frozen, undecisive on what to do. His friends wanted him to play with them, but Sheena was sad. Sure, Sheena was a girl but…they'd grown up together. And he didn't care that she wasn't from Mizuho, she was almost as good as him when it came to being a ninja!
Kuchinawa made up an excuse and told his friends that he would join them later. Hurrying back in the house, he found Sheena sitting alone. It looked like the adults were talking in the next room. Not knowing what to really do, Kuchinawa sat across from Sheena.
"Hey…" Sheena said, quietly.
"Um…why are you sad? I tease you all the time…"
"I know you don't really mean it. But everyone else is so mean…"
Kuchinawa sat, fidgeting.
"Well, you'll always have me as a friend."
Sheena looked at him and smiled, small tears wetting her eyes.
Kuchinawa froze. What was he feeling? When he looked at Sheena, with that sad smile on her face and her eyes wet, he felt an unfamiliar feeling welling up.
Uncomfortable, he looked down at the floor.
"Oh. I have to give you your present, Kuchinawa! Here…"
Sheena handed him a beautiful swan pendant.
Kuchinawa was surprised. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
"My grandfather helped me make it. Do you like it?"
"S..sure! It's nice, Sheena. Thanks."
Then, to his horror, Sheena leaned across and gave him a small hug! Blushing redder than his shirt, Kuchinawa only clutched the swan pendant tightly.
"Thanks for everything, Kuchinawa. You're the only friend I've had…"
Footsteps were heard, and Orochi stepped in.
"Oh hey, Kuchin…….oh. Am I interrupting something?" Orochi said with a snicker.
Even more horrified, Kuchinawa unfroze and disengaged from Sheena. Not even glancing at his brother, he fled from the room and into the yard.
"Girls!" Kuchinawa screamed in his mind, still with a faint blush on his cheeks.