I guess now I can slow down with my story from here on out. It gets interesting, you know.
The sun peeked though the crack of the open door and made its way to my left eye. I awoke, squinted, and sat up slowly. I got probably a total of two hours of sleep last night and I felt absolutely terrible. However, once I'm awake, I'm awake.
I shuffled around in my sheets for a few more minutes until I felt awake enough to get dressed and get breakfast. Eventually, I pulled myself out of the sheets and got myself ready for the day. As I headed for the door, I looked over at the calendar hanging on my wall. I had tomorrow circled and noticed that it was my first day at the Academy.
I smiled and walked around the residence to the kitchen, where Mother Mikoto was already making okayu, tamagoyaki, and miso soup. I inhaled the various smells and wished that I could eat them, but a dragon's diet consists of solely human organs, nuts, berries, and plants of different sorts. I've trained myself to not rely on humans for survival, only because "cannibalism" frowned on in the village (it makes no sense to me because I'm not a human, so how could it be considered cannibalism?).
"Good morning, Hotaru," Mother Mikoto beemed. "How did you sleep last night?"
I rubbed my eye and walked over to her to see what she made me for my strict diet. "I didn't sleep much. I was out training last night and didn't get home until early this morning."
She set her wooden spoon down noisily on the counter and turned to face me and the bags under my eyes. "Hotaru Ryuu Uchiha! What did I tell you two nights ago?" she scolded, bending down as best she could to look me in the eyes. I looked at the little bump in her tummy, wondering if she was squishing the baby while in this position.
"Hotaru, pay attention to me, not baby Itachi."
I looked back up at her and smiled. "I'm getting really strong, you know? I learned a new jutsu last night all by myself."
With this, she lightened up a bit. "You know, you may be almost fifty years old, but you still look like you're only nine-and-a-half! You need as much sleep as you can get since you're a growing little girl."
"Alright, alright!" I giggled, "I'll only train 'till ten tonight!"
"I don't think so, young lady! Your first day at the Academy is tomorrow and they're not going to let a cranky new ninja step a foot into that place!" She smiled and gave me an awkward hug that pressed me right up against baby Itachi.
"Mother Mikoto, the miso is burning."
"Ah, thank you, sweetheart!" I helped her get up as she quickly paced back over to the stove. I heard Father Fugaku's door slide shut on the other side of the residence and was NOT in the mood for letting him know how late I was out last night.
I grabbed the dried fruits and nuts off of the counter that Mother Mikoto made for me and quickly darted out of the kitchen and ran towards the gate that opened into the village. I swallowed the handful of food and began my daily rounds of the village.
The Yamanaka flower shop looked good; Ichiruku's ramen shop seemed to be doing well; the hospital didn't have much business, which was good; the Academy, however, was bustling. Everyone was preparing to welcome the newbies tomorrow. I casually sauntered over to the front door, pretending like I was welcomed there.
I listened to the many jumbled thoughts of the chunin and jonin with papers in their hands, wondering why this was so confusing. Oh? I did I forget to mention that I can hear people's thoughts? Oh, silly me. Yep, I never knew how or why I obtained this amazing and annoying "power," but it has its ups and downs.
Anyway, I darted under and around the taller people as they ignored or glared at me. None of the older people in the village liked me because they knew that I was a dragon, and on top of that, the daughter of Madara Uchiha. As I maneuvered through legs and dodged purposely made kicks to my face, I read a few names on the papers that the people were holding.
"HATAKE, KAKASHI; GUY, MIGHT; UCHIHA, OBITO..."
I gasped. Obitio was going to be in my class! He lived a few places down from me in the Uchiha sub-village and he was just the most adorable thing that I've ever set my eyes on! He was so insensitive and sweet and kind and...ah, well you get the point. I've liked him ever since he was born (creepy, I know, I'm not afraid to admit it).
A few years ago, before he was killed, Tobirama Sensei told me that I had to wait until I was a whole number (preferably ten) in human years before I could join the Academy, so I never knew what graduating class I was going to be in. Even though I'm nine-and-a-half in human years, Sarutobi Sensei told me that this was the year that he would let me join the Academy because he was impressed with how far I've come in the passed ten years.
I was so excited to see that Obito was going to be in my class, that I completely neglected the rest of the village that needed checking up on and headed back to my little training area in the back of the Uchiha sub-village. I had to be at the top of my game if I wanted to try to get him to notice me tomorrow.
Hours had passed and before I knew it, it was dark out and I had spent the whole day training. I knew that Mother and Father would be upset if I didn't get back soon. I mean, I was tired as hell after two days of vigorous training so, I made my way back to my residence and tried to get the best night's sleep.
Once again, the sun shined in my eye and woke me up. However, this time I bolted up and got ready as fast as I could. When I got into the kitchen, Mother and Father were both already in there, waiting for me.
"Are you ready for your big day today, Hotaru?" Father Fugaku asked, opening his arms indicating the need for an embrace. I ran over to him and hugged him like humans normally do to show affection.
"Yes sir, I'm as ready as I'll ever be!" I grabbed the leaves and nuts on the counter that Mother Mikoto put together for me and gulped them down. I then darted out the door again, vaguely catching Mother and Father wishing me luck today. I was so excited!
I was one of the first that had arrived, naturally. I made my way into the classroom and saw five other kids already here. They all glared at me as I walked in. I listened to the thoughts in their heads:
"There's that girl that my parents told me to stay away from."
"That's the dragon girl - I hope she doesn't eat me on the first day."
"She's the one with the funny accent. Nobody likes a girl with a weird voice."
"Ewh, she's the REALLY old girl!"
I didn't expect this. I didn't think that the kids' parents would tell their kids to stay away from me or that I was a dragon that eats human hearts, or that I have an accent that is slightly different than theirs, or that I was...OLD. Gah, nobody likes me! I didn't think about that!
I ended up climbing up the stairs to the second to top row and walked to the end of the row, putting me in a corner near the window. I put my head down on the desk and heard the continuous comments and remarks about how different I am from them.
When all of the students arrived, one of the chunin came in with a clipboard and pen; he looked irritated. But who wouldn't be if they had to deal with all of these loud and obnoxious kids?
"Settle down, you guys or I won't start orientation!" he yelled over the many voices in the room.
The room began to quiet and he then began his lecture. I tuned him out for a little while and starred out the window. The harsh comments continued to jab at my emotions, but I held my head up.
My gaze broke when I heard footsteps hurriedly running down the hall. Who...Obito! Obito's not in here! And then, like I'd planned it, he came busting into the room.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Sensei! I had to help this old lady, you see, and-"
"Just take your seat, young man," the chunin growled through his teeth.
Fortunately for me, the only open seat was next to me, because who would want to sit next to an old dragon girl with a funny accent?
Obito made his way up the steps and to the seat next to me. I nonchalantly glanced over at him as aloof as a sponge.
He hung his head and tried to focus on the chunin in the front of the classroom, not even sparing a single cell of interest for me. I listened to his thoughts, but not a single one pertained to me.
Well, that put a damper on my mood. And as if I wasn't already bummed enough. I decided to tune out everyone and stare out the window again.
"...and Hotaru Ryuu Uchiha"
What? Who just...? Did someone say my name?
"Hotaru," the chunin repeated. "Did you hear me?"
"I beg your pardon, sir, but no, I did not catch that," I responded, sitting up and feeling every set of eyes on me.
"I said: TEAM 7 is going to be comprised of Kakashi Hatake, Rin Nohara, Obito Uchiha, and Hotaru Ryuu Uchiha."
I matched the faces to whom I knew those people to be...HOLY HELL, did he just say Obito Uchiha? Oh my God, what do I do...I gotta...I gotta keep calm. Keep calm, oh wow, yikes, okay.
I casually threw a glance over to Obito to make sure that he noticed me acknowledging his presence.
"Oh, okay. Thank you, sir," I responded to the chunin.
"Your captain will be Minato Namikaze. You four are the first squad in Hidden Leaf history to ever be on a squad that has five men. Good luck to you, and you may exit the room to greet your new captain."
And that was how my journey as a genin began. Team seven: Kakashi, Rin, Obito, Hotaru, Minato. Well, here we go.
