In case you don't know what some words mean I've put some definitions at the bottom of the page along with a little info on lotus feet, nothing too in detail or specific. If you're confused about something or just need to ask me something inbox me. i'll be more than happy to answer. Enjoy!

I do not own Naruto

Little Lóng; Chapter 1

Summer, 1844- Chongqing, China

"When do you plan to do it?" Sunlight filtered into the open room,

"As soon as I possibly can." Pearl met dark brown.

" Do you think she will want this?"

"Probably not, but it is all for a good cause." Pearl eyes turned to look out to the side yard,

"She looks so happy right now, do you not think so?" Dark brown eyes closed.

"Yes, she does." Pearls turned back to look at closed lids.

"You will always want her to be happy, correct?"

"Of course."

"Then do not do this to her."

"It is for the best."

"Crippling a young girl for the rest of her life is not 'for the best' ." Closed eyes flung open,

"You know better than to interfere with our family affairs Hizashi, silence yourself before you say something you regret."

"..." He sighed,

"I know you care deeply for Tenten, as does Neji, but... this will guarantee her a good future, and a good husband."

"...You were not always like this." A confused look.

"What do you mean?"

"You have changed.." A brief silence.

"I know not what you speak of."

"Ming Ming died a year ago Ai" Another pause,

"What is your point?"

"We all know what she had planned for Tenten, I remember that you yourself refused to have it done." Dark eyes closed again.

"I was a foolish man then, I now realize the sole importance of it."

"Ai..."

"It will be done Hizashi." He sipped his tea as resignation dripped from his voice. "It will be done..."

Hizashi's pearl eyes turned once again to the green yard, he watched as one of the maids sat with her legs underneath her in the grass. In front of her, on an embroidered quilt, were two children. A boy with milky orbs, just like his own. His dark brown hair would grow out to be long like all the other men in their family. Neji Hyuuga was his name, his only son. Playing with him was a little girl, two years younger she was. Her dark brown eyes rivaled her fathers in their intensity, she giggled and laughed with the Hyuuga boy as they played with their wooden blocks. Tenten Chu. Her infectious giggles suddenly stopped when a monarch landed on her little nose. Both of the children's eyes widened as they watched its colorful wings open and close slowly. With slow and steady movements Neji stuck out a pale finger to the winged insect, neither of the two made a noise as they watched it hop to his awaiting finger. Tenten's cheeks flushed with excitement as she cooed unintelligible words. Neji looked at her and only gave a large, quiet smile as they both admired the little creature. Hizashi's smile became sad as he turned back to look at his old friend, Ai Chu, who was also staring at the two children.

"Will you promise me something old friend?" Instead of the usual mandarin he spoke this in his native language, Japanese. Ai whipped his head to look at him, a bit caught off guard by hearing his second language.

"Of course, what is it?" Hizashi's eyes turned back to look outside,

"promise me.." He watched Neji attempting to catch the butterfly once again for Tenten. "Promise me that you will teach Tenten Japanese." Ai was taken aback by this request, never had he thought to not teach Tenten this language. "Promise me this, and I promise to teach Neji Mandarin."

"I had always planned to teach Tenten Japanese" Hizashi turned back to face him "that, my friend, has never changed." For a moment Hizashi saw the old Ai, the one he met all those years ago in the streets of Japan, the one who never took anything too seriously, the one who always knew how to play a good prank, how to tell a good joke, how to make someone smile, but then it was gone. The moment was short, but it was enough to make him smile. He looked once again to see the sun, it was at its highest point in the sky.

"It is already noon" he began to stand, Ai stood with him. "It is about time Neji and I make our leave." both of the men walked towards each other and grabbed hands while firmly gripping on to the bicep of the other "thank you for your hospitality these past few weeks Ai, we will come visit every summer solstice."

"And we will greet you every time with open arms, are you sure you can not stay for a while longer?" Hizashi sighed,

"I wish we could, but with such a long trip back, we could easily miss my brother's birthday." They released each other and began to make their way outside,

"ah, Hiashi, how is he?"

"Good, good, he has a little girl now, same age as yours."

"Hm? What is the girl's name?"

"Hinata, Hinata Hyuuga." They were soon standing in front of the quilt, both of the children looked up to their fathers

"It is time to say goodbye to our guests my little lóng" Ai picked Tenten up as Hizashi did the same with Neji. The maid stood and quietly bowed without making eye contact with either of the men. She then quickly, yet quietly, scurried away. Both of the men quietly walked with their children to the front of the Chu home, a carriage sat ready and waiting with all their luggage already packed on. The two men said their good byes, as did the children, waving enthusiastically with large smiles on both of their faces. Hizashi handed Neji to his awaiting maid and let her enter first, as he began to enter he turned back once more to give a final smile farewell to his friend. Ai smiled back as Tenten attempted to say goodbye in mandarin, but only came out saying a bubbling mess of syllables. Both men laughed as Hizashi finally entered the carriage. Both Chu's watched as the carriage pulled away through their home doors which then closed behind it. Ai sighed as he looked at the little girl in his arms, she looked up at him and began to smile. He gave a small smile back as he turned around and entered their home.

That night, Ai Chu sat at his large wooden desk in his large study. Lanterns were lit sporadically throughout the room making it dimly lit. Two candles were set on his desk to illuminate his work place better. He looked down at the piece of thin, beige paper that was covered in his writing. His eyes landed on a certain name, Chun Bai, the matchmaker. He sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his black hair. The earlier that young girls were taken to see the matchmaker, the better of a chance they would have at a prosperous future. She would also be able to tell him when it would be time for it. Al closed his eyes as he brought his intertwined fingers up to his face, 'the sooner, the smaller.' He involuntarily shivered at the though of it. That was another reason why he needed Madame Bai, he could never do such a thing to his own daughter, he would need for either her to do it, or for her to recommend him a professional. He suddenly heard his daughter cry out, his brow furrowed, he then strained to hear the ever so soft yet heavy steps of the large footed maid. He heard her hushed whispers to ease his child's cries which were quickly becoming only whimpers. He stood soundlessly from his chair and made his way out of the study, and into the hall. He walked all the way down to the end where he made a right, and saw the made cradling his little girl back and forth. As he approached her he stared at her feet 'there is a reason why she is a maid and nothing more.' Without a single word spoken he simply stuck out his hands, immediately understanding his request, the maid quickly yet carefully set Tenten in his arms. She once again bowed, and scurried away without making any eye contact.

Al looked down at his little girl, and watched as she once again fell into a peaceful slumber. He looked at her dark brown hair that reminded him so much of her mothers. It shined off the orange glow from the lit lantern by her bedroom door. He then looked down to her little feet, her small toes twitching every now and again. Smiling, he wished to the ancestors to let his daughters feet stay this small forever, and to never let them grow. He knew, though, deep inside his very heart that it was not possible. He knew that one day he would hear her cries, and would not be able to quell them. At one point, her feet would never look the same again, and she will blame him. That one day her cries would be of pain, and that he would be the last person that she would want to be comforted by. He held his little girl closer, one day she would hate him and no longer love him or smile at him with endearment. One day, she would no longer be his little girl. These very thoughts tore away at his heart, he now wished that his little lóng had never been born. He silently, with a heavy heart, entered Tenten's room and gently layed her down in her small crib. With a thin blanket he covered her tiny form. He watched her sleep; her breaths coming out short and even, her little chest rising and falling accordingly, eyelids twitched with movement along with her small mouth as she moved in her sleep. Ai sighed as he turned around and quietly walked out of her room, closing the sliding door behind him.

He slowly and silently walked down the screened, dim-lit halls. Finally arriving to his bedroom, he slid the door open and then closed it behind him. He walked over to his futon and lifted the sheet laying himself down and getting comfortable. He turned on his side facing the window of his room where the silver moon shone down on him, he shivered as it reminded him of a certain person, Hizashi. His words from that afternoon had stuck with, and were replaying in his mind over and over 'crippling a young girl for the rest of her life is not 'for the best.' Ai tightly closed his eyes, and attempted to close his mind, but to no avail. The words continued to ring and haunt him. He knew at this very moment, that it, would never, stop.

'crippling a young girl for the rest of her life is not 'for the best.'

Fall, 1845- Chongqing, China

A two-year old Tenten walked through the streets with one of her fathers maids. They stopped at a fruit stand, she watched the people pass by them, all minding their own business, all running their own errands. A woman suddenly caught her eye. Her dark brown eyes watched the beautiful woman sway pass them in small dainty steps, her curious eyes took notice of the way people stared at this woman with awe. Her clothes were beautiful and obviously of the finest silk. Shiny ornaments dangled and sparkled, contrasting greatly from her ebony dark hair. At this moment, Tenten began to notice that many women were actually like her, dressed in fine garments and jewelery, and swaying as they walked with great elegance and daintiness. Her small hand reached for her maids pant leg, grabbing firmly, and then pulling a few good times.

"What is it little one?" Without looking up she asked,

"why do those women walk like that, băomŭ?" The maid looked up with her basket of fruit in hand, and immediately knew of which women she spoke of. A small smile came to her lips as she grabbed her little hand and began to walk back to the Chu home.

"Look at their feet little one" Tenten did as she was told and looked at them, her large eyes became bigger as she stared at them. Their size was incredibly small, they were about the size of hers, or maybe even a tad smaller. She looked back at her băomŭ's feet as they continued to walk, and was confused to see her feet much larger.

"What happened to your feet?" the maid smiled and gave a small laugh as they reached the Chu home and entered.

" You see my little one" she sat them on the steps, " those women, have lotus feet." Tenten gave her a look of extreme confusion, she laughed again. "They had their feet binded tightly so they could be smaller, small feet are considered very beautiful. They guarantee you a good husband, and good future." Realization came to the young girls small face before she asked another question, once again looking at her maids feet.

"Were your feet not binded băomŭ?" She looked down as a sad smile came to her lips,

"no, they were not, as you can tell, I was not able to have beautiful feet." She turned to look at the young girl "but you will have that chance" Tenten's eyes grew as she stared at the older woman, "really?" "Yes, soon your feet will be binded, and one day they will be beautiful lotuses." Her large eyes sparkled with hope and excitement, one day she would be able to look just as beautiful as those women that she saw on the street today, one day she would be admired and awed at by others. She giggled giddily as a large smile came to her lips,

"I am so excited băomŭ!" She didn't even notice the maid give her a sad smile, partly of envy, but mostly of sadness. She knew the harsh reality of Lotus feet and foot binding. It was all a fools lie to a painful and terrible practice, yet at the same time... she starred longingly and with hate at her feet 'if my feet weren't so hideous I would have a husband, and would not be a sorry maid.' She looked back up as the little girl excused herself with a still large smile on her face, and ran inside. She sighed sadly 'oh Tenten, forgive me for misleading you.'

So what'd you guys think? review please!

Sidenote: little lóng (the nickname Tenten's father gives her) means little dragon in Chinese.

băomŭ (what Tenten calls the maid) means nanny or caretaker in Chinese.

Ai (Tenten's fathers first name) means love/affection or friendly in Chinese.

Chu (Tenten's families last name) means scarlet-red, many Chinese kings actually had this surnames.

Chun (the matchmakers first name) means spring in Chinese.

Bai (the matchmakers last name) means white in chinese

Back in China during the time of binding feet, small feet were for attractive, wealthy women. If they were not small (where the average binded foot was about 4 to 3 inches) then you were considered large footed. That's why Tenten's father labels her as the "large footed maid"