Edit: April 10th, 2016

So this is the first of many rewrites for this story. Yeah, it's a lot longer than the original chapter, but I've added in a few more things. I'm also going to add in a bit more backstory before the main plotline, so depending on how things play out, I might add in extra chapters, or I might just make the existing chapters longer. But either way, here this is.

Hi there! My first ever fanfic! Go easy on me guys, ok? Thanks!

Disclaimer: Ja ne posjedujete naruto (Croation)


No Ordinary Girl

Chapter 1

Tenten's POV

The day is dusty and loud as feet and hooves stamp on the dry earth, and all talking eventually fades into the dull murmur of a far-off celebration. Crowded rivers of people moving about their business shove past me, all going in different directions to meet different people and do different things. An old man, deep smile-lines creasing his face, is carrying the flour for his sweet dumplings sidesteps a woman in a shabby two-piece gown selling small candies in a shallow box slung from her neck. A little girl in a bright pink shirt that's a size too big for her comes up to buy one with her mother's money, running back to her with a tiny fistful of rainbow delicacies and a happy smile. An ox-cart trundles by, piled high with fruits covered by a dusty old tarp, nearly crushing my foot at the side of the road. The driver, a middle-aged man with deep eyes, glances at me and flicks the reins to make the ox move the tiniest bit faster.

Another young woman is rushing past now, long hair streaming out behind her, tugging a scarf closer around her neck to ward of the icy wind-scythes that cut through the air. A block or two down I can barely hear the music of the performing dancers that have taken up residence in the area in front of the local baker, who doesn't mind a bit, because it means more customers will come in. A small crowd has gathered in front of the dancers, the occupants flowing, coming in to stand in the middle of the crushed group or forcing their way because they are going to be late for some date or another. Faces keep flowing past me and my little shop of rare antiques and second-rate weapons made whole again with careful restoration and long late-nigh hours.

A soldier stops by for a second, only to pick up a set of senbon. I give it to him, and turn to reach into my back pouch for his change. I hand it up to him, and my eyes barely slide to the left to glance over the man's shoulder, and -

I see him again.

I don't even realize that I'm looking for him in the throngs of people until the man thanks me and walks off with his new senbon. I barely register enough to nod and thank him, my eyes still locked on to the place where he's standing, talking to the knick-knacks vendor across the street and a block down. He looks slightly irritated today, arms tense at his sides as he speaks to the vendor, who gestures as if he's said something quite offensive. The vendor then points over to my area. He turns and searches the row of vendors on my side of the street. He nods to the vendor and stalks off – in my direction. Within mere seconds he is standing in front of me, towering over my seated form.

"I've been told that you sell weapons and antiques," is the first thing he says. I hear him only a little, because I am too busy drinking in the look of his long coffee hair and silver-pale eyes. As I regain my wits, I manage to nod at him and gesture to my spread of wares. He nods slightly at some of the weapons, humming under his breath in appreciation for the fine point I've managed to sharpen an ornate kunai to, and barely glances at the more feminine antiques that I have separated on the other side of my little hand-woven blanket.

"I have a request I would like to make of you," is the next thing he says. Again, I only nod and await his wish. He is still turning the kunai in his hand, watching the light glint off the black metal.

"I need a particular weapon fixed. Is it possible for you to do it?" he inquires, finally taking his stardust eyes off the kunai to look at me. Finally, finally, I manage to find my voice to answer him.

"Well sir, that depends on how broken your weapon is. May I see it?" I can't keep my own gaze steady on his, so I look at his traditional white-on-white outfit, only the navy-grey apron around his waist breaking the color scheme. His hand reaches into the fold of his kimono-shirt, and pulls out a short dagger with a silver-on blue sheathe. He draws the blade out of its home and the light flashes into my eye for a second. I extend my hands, and he gently drops the dagger into my open palms.

"The hilt has come lose," he explains, and I nod as I feel the metal shift and clatter in the grip. "The tip has also been bent the slightest bit, and I would like to have it back in perfect condition by the end of the month. Is it at all possible?"

I take a deep breath even as I keep turning the small blade in the palm of my hand. The edge slides across the edge of the heel of my hand, and I note the amount of force it takes to draw blood. He watches me as I hold the blade up level to my eye, facing away from the both of us, and see the flaw exactly where he has pointed it out.

"It is not impossible, although the blade also needs to be sharpened. I will need to remove the grip and re-adjust the plating underneath it so that the blade will sit comfortable in its home, and the small bend toward the tip can be fixed easily," I tell him as I draw tally marks into the dirt next to me, counting them all up in my head once all has been accounted for. This might be a very difficult task, indeed. My access to the smith's forge is mediocre at best; I would have to beg for a few extra hours every night and promise a sum of money if I wanted to have this dagger meet his standards. This will be tough. I can still feel his intense gaze on the side of my face.

"How much do I owe?" he asks as he watches me. I'm making note of the initial costs and associating it with his face and voice and body and eyes...

"Nothing, yet," I tell him. A slight frown settles on his brow, and I hurry to finish. "Once I figure out how many days I need to fix everything, I will tell you the exact amount. Until then, will you leave the dagger and its sheathe with me? I will have everything completed in two weeks' time at the absolute latest." Assuming that I am allowed to work in the forge. Worst comes to worst, I would have to break into the forge and work during the late hours of the night, when I would normally be asleep, in order to complete this project by the end of this month.

He looks at me a moment longer than is strictly necessary, but nods and hands me the sheathe and backs away from my little stall. I realize that this entire time, I haven't noticed a single thing outside the little bubble that encircled us the moment he came up to me. And as fast as he came, he was gone, giving me an "I will be back in two weeks," and disappearing into the crowd as if he never existed.

I stare into the space that he had occupied for an eternity, still holding the ornate dagger in my lap. Another shinobi comes up and buys an old locket, giving me a bit of a tip that I hurriedly slip into my pocket while I tuck the dagger into my own kimono and continue through the day, constantly aware of the weight pressed against my heart. My mind seems to have switched to autopilot, as none of my movements register as my own. I sell more trinkets and weapons, but I barely remember what it is that I've sold. My mind it too absorbed in him.

I always like to see him. For as long as I can remember, even as a small child, Hyuuga Neji has always caught my attention. With a cool demeanor that borders on arctic and the strength to back it up, he's captured my mind. He's never been truly upset by anything, executes everything in a timely and orderly fashion with no fanfare, preferring to keep to his regimen.

I see Neji every day, walking to and from the training fields with his uncle, his martial-arts master, where he learns to fight and protect. Everything, from karate to jujitsu to aikido, he learns. If I'm even the slightest bit lucky, and I can afford to miss a day of selling wares, I follow silently and watch from the background, watching Neji's progress under the tutelage of his uncle, and work to better defend myself by copying the exercises and drills I watch from the shadows.

This world is a dark place, if an orphan like me needs to spy on another in order to protect herself and what little income she makes.

It's sad, really. I'm just another face in the crowd. I don't exist. The name Tenten will never register as something worth remembering. Not until someone needs something from me. Meanwhile, Neji and Sasuke Uchiha and all the others have their own spotlights, their own places where they shine the brightest. Yet I struggle by, alone. And up until now, I've been okay with that.

But now, with that little taste of acknowledgement from Neji, I want more. I crave more.

More of him looking at me, only me, as if nothing else matters except my response to his question. More of his deliberate moves and graceful stride. More of his silk tenor, rumbling up from the depths of his being. More of his strong grip and powerfully light touch. I want more.

I need more.


A/N: Hi again. this is just the intro, ok? dont hate me. i will try to update regularly, but as ive said before, im new to fanfiction, so i might need some help making some chapters. review with any advice to help me and comment on my story so far!

Edit: April 10th, 2016

Yep, top and bottom. So general announcements, and then I will let you all go on your merry ways.

Just a reminder, I am editing these chapters, and the chapters in Seamstress to Star. I'm leaving all of the other fanfictions that I already have up and are completed. Unless you beg me to re-write a completed story, I probably will not touch it.

There is also another new story coming out, called Partners. It isn't Naruto; it's an Appleseed fanfiction. If you do not know what Appleseed is, it's almost the opposite of Naruto. Everything is futuristic, and I happen to love it. Check it out - both the actual movie and my fanfiction - and review, like, and favorite this story!

Love you all, and stay safe!