Kunoichi Tales: Tenten
Authors' note: Apologies for not updating for so long! We would like to thank all those who had kindly taken the time to review :)
Chapter four
Tell me once again why I am crowding around a huge mass of people, trying to see through the numerous human heads? Oh yes, to see the genin postings. Mother had once said that having a petite frame was good for a female kunoichi since female kunoichis were usually given spying missions as well.
I trust Mother, and know that she wasn't trying to make me feel better about my small frame. Since she's a jounin and all, she has been in many S-ranked missions before she had me, and then she had to retire. Because of what Mother had said, I was rather glad that I was rather petite. Not exactly that small sized or thin that a strong breeze would push me down, but just nicely petite. What I would do now for a long body, or long legs, or both.
I couldn't see above the heads since I was erm… vertically challenged. Anyway, I was being squeezed around by the numerous people who were there, genins and their parents, crowding around the board placed outside the Academy. I wonder whose team I was posted to… I hope my teammates will be nice to me!
Now, where's Lee again? Darn, I think I lost sight of him. Another bad point of being small built.
I hope Lee-kun passes. Poor guy, he has already failed twice in a row, since he couldn't use chakra at all. He better passes this year, I spent my free afternoons watching him train on his basic taijutsu moves, that was what he called them, which I saw as just pushups, crunches, squats and stretches. I heard from him that he was going to take a taijutsu-based test instead of the normal one too. He better pass, he worked so hard these few months to take the test.
Flashback:
"Lee-kun, don't you think it's time for you to take a break?"
"No! I must complete my 200 sit ups, and run 10 rounds around the village first! Yosh!"
"Whatever you say Lee-kun, just don't faint in the middle like last time. I had a hard time explaining to your mother about your condition."
"Don't worry Tenten! I'll be fine!"
"Whatever spins your kunai, Lee,"
Seriously, there would be no justice in this world if he didn't pass. I admired him for his determination to succeed as a ninja. But, Lee seems to act weirdly lately… he says that he got a jounin to train him in taijutsu… I forgot the name. Anyway, he styled his hair into a bowl cut! A bowl cut! And those green spandex suits he wears…
"LEE! What did you do!"
"I just restyled my hair! Tenten-chan, do you like it?"
"Erm… well… I guess it looks ok…"
"Oh yes, what's with the green suit you wear now Lee?"
"Sensei says that its spandex, it's supposed to make me able to move easier! It's stretchy too!"
"… Just continue your push ups Lee,"
"Hai!"
Shame. Lee's hair was nice and wavy black; I wonder why he restyled it to that. Oh well, I couldn't comment on others' looks can I? I remember that Lee and I first became friends ever since some guy teased him about his eyebrows and the fact that he couldn't use any form of chakra, and I stood up for him. Well, it wasn't exactly his fault that his eyebrows were much thicker than anyone else's… he told me that he shaved it every night…
Damn, it was getting stuffy here. Being crowded and squeezed among the crowd was not a good thing. I had to get out of there, quick. I looked behind me, and saw that the people behind me were so clumped together like sardines, there's no way I could get out. Frustrated and feeling a huge headache pounding at my head, I shouted,
"HELLO! MAKE WAY! I NEED TO BREATHE HERE!"
Ok, so that didn't work that well. Both genins and parents all stared at me as if I had grown a second head or grew a horn. It wasn't exactly the best way, but it was the only way I could think off to get myself to the front. After all, I couldn't just release my kunais and senbons at them could I?
However, it worked, since the crowd shifted and I could squeeze my way to the board. Finally, I could see my postings. Let's see now… Tenten… Team One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine… Finally! I found my name in the list for Genin Team 9. Oh well, now to see who my teammates are…
Genin Team 9
Rock Lee
Tenten
Hurray! Lee passed! And he was on the same team as me too! I cheered mentally; at least I wouldn't have communication difficulty with Lee, since I know him already. Now where was that Lee? I need to tell him the good news! Now, as my eyes tried to focus on the thin line where our names were written on… the last member of my team is:
Hyuuga Neji
Hyuuga Neji! Isn't that the cocky, stuck up prodigy that indirectly praised me? Oh my… of all the people I could get, why him! He was definitely someone I would have communication difficulty with… actually, none at all, since he doesn't even open his mouth unless absolutely necessary…
People around me had seen my shocked expression, and I could see female classmates all glaring at me, saying that I had snatched their 'beloved' Neji from them.
"That's her, Tenten,"
"She stole my Neji-kun!"
"No, Neji-kun belongs to me!"
"No, mine!"
Watch me as I roll my eyes to the ceiling. What was the big deal with Hyuuga Neji anyway? Was it simply just because he has superb skills, a cold and cocky I'm-so-much-better-than-everyone-else attitude? Well, on second thoughts…his nice silky straight hair is indeed enviable… I wonder how he keeps it that way.
I smacked myself on my head; it was so low to be actually envious of his hair! Tenten, Tenten, Tenten, you are not that vain, not like that horrible Ayumi. Get a grip! Tsunade-sama isn't vain is she? NO! Anyway, now where was Lee? I'm going to kill him for ditching me like that! Maybe he has gone for a toilet break or something…
Squeezing out of the crowd since I had already seen my postings, I found Lee. No wonder I couldn't find him earlier, he had actually went home since he said he couldn't find me. Oh well…
"Lee-kun! We're in the same team!" I exclaimed.
"YOSH TENTEN-CHAN! WE SHALL PURSUE THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH TOGETHER!" Lee yelled as he physically pulled me out of the Academy into the village streets. I felt as if I was travelling in the air, since my feet didn't even touch the ground.
Wow, Lee's taijutsu training really worked. I never knew that he was so strong.
Springtime of youth? What in the world of kami was that supposed to mean?
"Oh yes Tenten-chan, who's our third member?" I knocked myself on the head, he didn't even bother to check the postings!
"Hyuuga Neji, the number one rookie this year," I replied. "He's such a stuck up person Lee, I wonder if he actually bothers about our existence," I shrugged, if he ignores our existence, me and Lee can train together then.
"DON'T WORRY TENTEN-CHAN, THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH SHALL MELT HIS COLD ATTITUDE!" Lee announced happily, seemingly oblivious to the number of villagers who were staring at us.
I winced at his loud volume; I could even feel my eardrums vibrating inside my ear. Villagers were all staring at me and Lee, some even cursing at Lee to shut up. "Not so loud, Lee-kun, its morning, and people are sleeping,"
"Oh,"
Lee-kun walked me to my house and with a cheery hello cum goodbye to me and my parents, he dashed off, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. I cleaned the dust that he had left behind and walked into the house.
"Well, Lee-kun sure is faster than before," Father commented, looking rather impressed by Lee-kun's speed.
"So Tenten, who are your teammates?" Mother asked. Father looked up from the newspaper and smiled at me.
"Lee-kun and Hyuuga Neji," I replied, helping myself to a piece of white bread Mother made. "This bread's yummy mom," I said, between munches.
"Ah, the Hyuuga," Father put down his newspaper and patted my head absentmindedly as he continued, "Their bloodline's impressive… did you say Neji? I heard that he is a prodigy inside his clan as well."
"He's the number one rookie this year Father," I supplied.
"Nothing less than what is expected of the son of Hyuuga Hizashi. I had the pleasure of working with him on a few missions," Mother smiled, and continued buttering the toast. "Do you want more toast Tenten?"
"Yes please," I munched on my second piece of toast. Mother smiled and handed another piece of buttered toast to me.
"Well Tenten, aren't you lucky to have Lee-kun on your team?" I nodded to Mother's question and she continued, "Remember, no matter how much you don't like Neji's attitude, never let it get into the way of your teamwork in your team."
"Hai, Mother," I nodded, showing that I understood.
"Teamwork's always the most important in missions, it's usually the decisive factors in the successfulness of a mission, be it big or small." Father continued.
"I wonder who my jounin sensei is" I muttered as I bit into my third toast.
"Honey, I thought I heard Gai tell us a few months ago that his previous genin team had already become Chuunin?" Mother asked Father.
"He did Misako, and he said that he was going to have a new batch this year. Well, Tenten, you may just get Gai as your sensei."
"Who's Gai?"
"Oh, he used to be in my team, along with your father. He'll be a good sensei Tenten, after all, he is very encouraging and caring and rather…" she trailed off.
"Enthusiastic." Father finished for her. Did I just see Father smirk? Must be the trick of the light…
"Anyway, Tenten, go take a bath and after that, you can train with me," Mother said as she stroked my hair. "You'll need all the practice for tomorrow, when you meet your team for the first time."
I nodded; I needed to practice my stealth and accuracy today. Iruka sensei told me that even though we were officially genins, if we failed the test given by our jounin sensei, we'll fail and be sent back to the Academy. No way am I going back to the Academy now, I'm going to work my way up to chuunin like Father, and try out for jounin like Mother! Or maybe even the ANBU squads.
One day, if I train hard enough, I may actually be able to be as strong as Tsunade-sama!
Authors' notes: Well, we hope that you guys reading this enjoyed this update! We hope that you would continue to support our story through your reviews:))