The one skill a ninja must possess, if nothing else, is determination. When a mission gets tough a weak shinobi will get discouraged and give up, but a strong shinobi will plow ahead despite the odds.

However, school was not a mission. It was a death sentence.

"Shisui, I change my mind." I said as I stared up at the building. "I don't want to go."

He chuckled. "No take backs."

"What am I supposed to say!" I exclaimed, pulling my hair. "Hello, my name is Naoko. I am a prisoner of your village. I am your enemy. Be my friend."

"Just be yourself; they'll love you." He assured me. "If they ask where you're from, tell them this is your home now. Trust me, they won't question it."

I frowned. "I don't want to go, Shisui. Don't make me."

Shisui gripped my shoulder and stared down at me. I didn't realize until then just how much taller he was than me. "Naoko, don't worry about. The people here are very nice, contrary to your beliefs—or rather, your fears."

"I do not fear them!"

He grinned. "Great! Then go get 'em, kiddo!"

"No!" I twisted out from under his hand and threw my arms around his waist, squeezing my eyes shut. "I won't go!"

"Naoko," Shisui unwrapped my arms from around his waist and sat on his knees so we could be at eye level. "Last night you said you trusted me. Am I correct?"

"You are."

"Then go. I've already graduated, so I couldn't stay with you even if I wanted to."

"Would you if you could?" I whispered.

"For as long as you needed me," he smiled and ruffled my hair. "Now, do what I said and go get 'em!"

I smiled, wrapped my arms around his neck in a quick hug, then ran in the direction of the school. Every time my feet hit the ground, I could feel my sudden enthusiasm waning until I stopped running all together. When I turned to look at Shisui, he was gone. I bit my lip and kept walking, the piece of paper that held my room number feeling heavier with ever step that I took.

When I walked inside, there were kids everywhere. Some of them look as worried as I was, the others looked like they sincerely didn't want to be there; there were circles under their eyes and they glared daggers at the smaller children who leaped and ran about with alarming energy.

I yelped in surprise when the bell rang, and all the kids disappeared, almost instantaneously. I glanced down at my paper and sighed, looking at the stairs and then looking at the doors on the first floor. I needed to go up the stairs. As I made my way up, I took deep breaths, thinking to myself that my first day in school needed to go quickly and smoothly. I didn't want to be asked too many questions, and I didn't want to bed stared at.

When I reached the top of the stairs, my classroom was the first door to my left, and the door was still open. When I peered inside, the class seemed to be in the middle of introductions. A taller girl with pretty brown hair and sharp blue eyes smiled brilliantly and returned to her seat in the very front of the classroom. I leaned a little further in an attempt to get a larger view of the class without being seen, but stumbled into the classroom, where everyone turned their eyes on me. I was the center of attention.

"You must be the new transfer!" The teacher exclaimed, clapping her hands together beneath her chin. She hurried towards me with quick, light steps and guided me further into the classroom with a firm hand on my shoulder. "You have impeccable timing! We were just about to begin the lesson when you showed up. Why don't you be the finale of our introductions! Tell everyone your name."

Without being given the chance to scream no in reply, I was yanked and shoved into the middle of the classroom. There wasn't a place I couldn't be seen. All the eyes of the students were on me, bored and unimpressed looking as they waited for me to summon the courage to even open my mouth. I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

"I am called Naoko."

"What a marvelous name!" The teacher sighed. "Where did you come from Naoko?"

"I, um," I looked around at all of the unfamiliar and unforgiving faces of my classmates. My heart tightened painfully in my chest. "My home is here. I do not wish to speak of the past."

A girl—the same girl with the pretty brown hair and brilliant smile—snickered. She sat in the front row, her chin resting in the palm of her right hand. Her blue eyes twinkled with malice. Her left hand shot into the air.

"Yes, Tsubame?"

The girl bit back another round of laughter. "Are you an orphan?"

I frowned, uncomprehending. "I am not."

"Then what's your last name?"

I panicked. "Uchiha."

Murmurs floated around the classroom and some of the girls twisted in their seats, turning to whisper with their friends. The boys looked unimpressed for the most part, and few even went so far as to roll their eyes and shake their heads as if they didn't believe it. The girl name Tsubame made a noise in the back of her throat.

"I don't believe that," she sneered, curling her upper lip in disdain. "I bet you're lying. You don't even look like an Uchiha."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I merely shrugged and crossed my arms, making a sad attempt at trying to look unfazed. Tsubame rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat without another word. The teacher chose that moment to hush the class and ask me more questions.

"So, Naoko. Tell us somethings about yourself before we move on." She said kindly.

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "Your favorite color, your favorite food, what you like to wear, what season do you like... just some things about you."

I nodded. "Well," I hesitated, and then smiled a little bit. "I like the summer time. It's really warm."

The teacher laughed. "Don't we all!" Okay, Naoko, time to be seated. Pick any seat in the room."

Almost immediately, the class seemed to shift. Tsubame whirled in her seat and snapped her fingers in the direction of the empty seats beside her, and the two girls sitting behind her rushed to be beside her. A group of boys filled their empty seats with their belongings. The only seat that I even wanted was in the back of the room next to a dark skinned boy with bright blonde hair. Whether or not it was natural, I was unsure.

I hurried up the aisle. "May I sit here?" I asked quietly. He glanced up at me, his green eyes narrowing. He observed me for less than ten seconds, and then after a brief pause with his eyes closed, he nodded and turned back to the lesson. I sat.

Class began.

A/N: Okay guys, so I want you honest opinion. I am currently rewriting this story in third person in a different notebook, adding more detail than I could ever hope for with this FPOV version. I think it's a lot better. And I want you guys to tell me what you think I should do.

a: should I just replace these chapters with TPOV...?

or

b: should I upload the TPOV in a whole new story, titled exactly the same, with the exact same everything, except for the content...?

Tell me in a review. Give me your personal opinion on this story. I want to finish it, so bad to the point where I'm already plotting a part two, but I'm terrified this part sucks! So I want to know. Keep or replace? Your call. You are my faithful readers/reviews/followers/favoriters.