Coin Flip

Chapter 2: Heads or tail?

It was a nice day- Ok, I'm lying, it was a rainy day, heavy rain falling the whole week. I was getting fed up of it, not because of the actual rain, but because of people stating the obvious. It was a thing here apparently.

"Good morning class! Today is your last day…"

Yeah, everyone knows that drill already. Me? Just trolling around, wasting space and air.

Early childhood was boring…ish. I'm not really sure if it could be called that way, because ninja had a really funny way to raise their children. Everything was about preparing said child to be a ninja. Rubber kunai, shuriken patterns everywhere, even the nighttime stories were- horror stories actually, but they did their job to make a kid fall asleep and to slowly prepare them for the Shinobi life. Every new "story" was more gorier and bloodier. That was a given.

Maki Fuuko was my second given name.

The daughter to Fujika Fuuko and Kasuri Fuuko, both parents ninja, Jonin in rank. I don't remember much of dad, my early baby and toddler memories actually faded rather quickly, or something. I was told he was killed on a mission.

Kaa-chan remarried rather quickly. 2 Years after fathers KIA, mother changed her name into Uchiha.

Yeah, you see another pattern going on, do you?

Takeshi Uchiha was… it was hard forming an opinion of the man. The same applied to the rest of the clan... He was weird and serious and so cold that sometimes looking at him made my chest arch in silent panic. The Uchiha were a really interesting bunch.

But Takeshi looked at Kaa-chan so… it was almost unnatural seeing an Uchiha loving someone. Seriously, it was so… intense. I understood this. An Uchiha loves with everything one has. Take it away, there is just space for insanity left. Everyone knows how that looks like…

Don't take this wrong. Kaa-chan did cry because of Tou-chans death. Oh, she did, for so long, deep into the night when she thought I was asleep. She didn't smile, she didn't sing… and she stopped telling those gory stories that were so interesting. I was beginning to worry that she was going to get sick.

Than Takeshi came and oh so slowly, she started to smile again. I didn't like him, probably because my mind was stubbornly holding onto the already fading image of Tou-chan. It left me confused what to do. But instead of making a fuss, I gave them space, as much as a toddler could anyway. They allowed it, thinking it was just "Maki-chan getting used on the new male figure in the house". I filled my time with watching him, trying to figure him out. I think the Uchiha don't have muscle in their face, because they made null expressions. I didn't study human behavior in past life, but after a while, I started noticing the subtle touches, the way his eyes lost their edge, how his posture and shoulders relaxed the more he stayed at our house. He lowed Kaa-chan and she loved him. It was obvious to me, but it got weird looks in the street. They never hold hands in public, or kiss, that was a general no-no thing to do, but it was obvious they were together. People didn't get it, or at least they let prejustice guide them. I understood their point to. Kaa-chan and Takeshi were so much different it didn't have any sense for them to be together. Or married. He was an Uchiha and Kaa-chan an outsider. It didn't make any sense. Love never does, I guess…

It rained, just like today, when we moved out from our, Tou-chan's house and into Takeshi's place, in the Uchiha clan district. The sound of the lock clicking, when Kaa-chan locked the front door, sounded so final.

The wedding was a small affair, with just a few of "outsiders" attending the whole thing, along with the whole of the Uchiha clan members. Aha, the thing was a huge deal. At that time the clan was still located in the vague village center, so everyone knew and spoke about the unusual wedding.

Turned out, Takeshi was Fugaku's younger brother. Wasn't even aware the man even had a sibling... Thank you for nothing Kishimoto.

That little detail explained the out of clan dating thing. I didn't have to mention that Fugaku was even more stoic than Takeshi was. It was just awkward. Fugaku must have been awfully fond of his younger Otōto (not that he would ever admit that), for him to allow such a relationship. I wonder if me was even canon… and why no one ever heard about it.

"What do you think, Maki-chan? Like it here?" Kaa-chan asked me, when we stud before the big house for the first time. Takeshi and Fugaku had a smirking match nearby, but were within hearing distance. Mikoto was standing with "us woman" group.

I don't remember what I first thought about the place. It was a house, 4 walls and all, not that much bigger than our old one, but definitively more class looking. It didn't matter to me.

I must have frowned, because Uchiha were walking awkward facial expression with themselves being unable to produce any, so at that moment both brothers were watching me. By that time, I was done with just idly watching by. I think I was bored too, because I was so sure that I was getting the hand of the Uchiha silent tongue. I looked Takeshi square in the coal eyes.

"You hurt Kaa-chan, I hurt you."

Things became so much less awkward after that.

"… as Teams 7 to 12 are still active, next up is Team 14." Sensei's voice brought me back to the present. Mainly because there were only 3 people in the class room left.

It was funny how 13 was generally seen as an unlucky number so there was never a team baring that number, even though the unluckiest team ever had to be Team 7. Guess who were under Namikaze Minato?

My new teammates were… we didn't like each other much. I wasn't really sure why, but I guessed the reason for it was that we just didn't know each other, at all. At least they didn't know me.

"Look kid, just because you are an Uchiha doesn't mean you get to be treated special." One of my teammate said.

"Aa. This is not a game anymore… how old are you anyway?" The other said, scrunching his eyes as if it would help his guess my age.

"8. I hope we will work good with each other..." What else could I say anyway? They were almost 5 years older than me. I just moved into this class yesterday when it was decided that I would (finally!) graduate earlier…

"More than get in our way… c'mon Kazuo, let's go eat lunch before sensei picks us up." The first said in annoyance, already standing up from his seat. They looked like twins, but their behavior was always a stark opposite. The younger, Kazuo, hesitated. "Don't mind him much" he tried to smile reassuringly "Kazuki is always grumpy in the morning" he grinned, the expression coming more naturally this time as he motioned me to follow him.

"I'm Kazuo, by the way" he said easily as we stepped out into the academy grounds.

Did I already mention that it rained?

The Ninja Academy was a huge complex, a maze of building reserved for different use. Kazuo led us toward the dojo area. By the time we got there, we were mostly wet and something told me that, by the time lunch would be over, we will be soaking wet. I had been right, by the way.

"Figured you'd be here Kazuki." The older sibling grunted in disinterest, completely ignoring me. It was annoying me.

Kami, I was turning into a Sasuke…

"Did I do something to offend you?" I didn't ask anyone specific, but the older brother all but jumped to his feet, pointing his finger at me.

"That is so not fair! Your… 5 years younger than us. How did you manage to graduate so quickly!?"

It's a good question, is it? It kind of explained itself really. The curriculum was easy, if not boring to me, so the only really issue was anything chakra related, because that obviously didn't exist in my first, past life. Whatever the Academy taught us, I already got the gist of it at home. History, Math, Calligraphy, Taijutsu, Chakra. Alright, I did struggle quite a bit figuring that one out, but because everything else used so little of my time, I focused mostly on Chakra. It took me almost a year, but once that was over and done, there was no use in keeping me in the Academy, because there was nothing it could teach me anymore. Yes, I was considered a prodigy. I didn't mind it, because frankly, I cringed at the thought of acting as an idiot. It wouldn't be that simple anyway.

"I was home schooled." It seriously wasn't a lie, but neither boys seamed convinced. Sucked to be them. "But that's beyond the point." I shrugged. I really wanted to solve this issue now. The question was how to do it without making everything worse.

"We are teammates now and-"

"We are not. I'm fine with Kazuo, but you- you're just a kid!" Kazuki's frustration was as visible as mine was, but I didn't know how- kami and I thought Uchiha were difficult to deal with.

"...I doubt the teachers would let Maki graduate if they didn't think she has the skill of a Genin, Kazuki." Kazuo said as my silence stretched out.

This! I thought as I looked at the younger brother in surprise. How easy was to solve this!

"No! I've busted my ass to keep up with you, Kazuo! Than this, this brat shows up! We're gona be the worst team ever!"

Or not.

I wasn't used to deal with... kids, so after spending the rest of the lunch arguing among each other, Kazuo mostly trying to act as a mediator between Kazuki's idiocy and my... whatever. So? I gained an attitude, sue me. It's called imitation and I do live among Uchiha, so I shouldn't know about anything else. I never had to deal with… normal people. Everyone in the Uchiha knows who I am and they don't mind a little imitator. I know at least 4 people who take a damn pride for it, one of which won't admit this, even if tortured to death. Don't want to deal with stupid people, it was the reason why I refused to act like one.

The time to finally meet out sensei came too quick for me.

That thought had made me cringe, because I knew there was going to be a test to measure how well we worked with each other. Kami forbid sensei failing us because of our lack of it… the sole thought made my stomach twist painfully.

Teamwork... I was always fine with Kazuo. I had later found out that he was the male student of the year and he did seem smart enough at the time when we became a team, but Kazuki... We couldn't stand each other's presence. I guess only Naruto had that charming personality of a loveable, determinate dead last. Kazuki was just... His overall skills sucked just as his attitude and I couldn't stand it. Idiots like him ended a team dead. I don't know what his problem was… I was younger and more talented than him? Big deal, Sensei, any Chunin worth his name will wipe the floor with us at this point.

We were but a smudge on the bottom of the food chain at this point. Me included, future knowledge or not.

Nobu Itaki-sensei was an average looking Jonin. He carried an air about himself that demanded attention and his „don't waste my time" attitude made the 3 of us suck it up and deal with it. My first impression of the man was that I liked him.

Of course, there had been a test.

It made Kazuki explode.

"Before I tell you the objective this test, I will explain the rules." The man started once he managed to shut Kazuki up with a single glance.

"This is not a physical evaluation. All what is asked from you is a single answer. It can be only one word, so think hard before you make it final." That was the only rule.

"I don't like to repeat myself. So, if you make me, I will fail you three." That was just him bluffing.

"Now the question." He didn't bother to wait if we had questions.

"What does it mean to be a Shinobi?"

This story is starting to amuse me. I'm really deciding on a whim concerning the main events.

Ok, not by flipping a coin, but rather pulling out a paper which says if someone dies or not. This did cause the story going in a different way from what I originally planned, but it's still fun. I don't plan to make a slow progress of things this early in the story, so things will go fast forward for a few chapters.

Read and review.

Your thoughts always make my day more fun and it will produce chapters faster.

Most likely anyway. ;)

DarkDust27 Now I want to know who you have on your mind! It's frustrating, isn't it? :D