Please Read! ! ! - This idea is not mine, it's based on the comic《好想做女侠》 by 吞吞pluton. It's a story I really loved for a long time but it was discontinued sadly, that's why I wrote this :-DD I changed a lot of the original plot to fit the characters and story but the beginning is mostly the same.
"Waah…"
"Miss?"
"Waahh…hic"
"Miss! What's wrong?" a worried maid asked for the second time. The young lady she served had been acting very strange these past few weeks.
Tenten stared into the mirror with tearful eyes and a deep pout, still not being able to come to terms with what she saw.
The reflection staring back at her blinked a pair of perfect lashes, revealing large, almond shaped eyes.
Her dark brown hair fell down her back in healthy waves. The front locks were held up in loose twists on either side of her head. It was an elegant hairstyle, decorated with floral pins of blue and green, matching the luxurious silk skirt and robe she had on. She was beautiful. The only problem was...
This is actually not my real body.
No, the high class and graceful young lady she saw in the mirror was not actually her.
Tenten tried hard to pull herself together, noticing the maid behind her become increasingly worried, but unmistakable sadness remained etched on her face.
Crying, showing weakness- she hated these things in herself above all. However this situation was far too bizarre to not shed at least a few tears.
After all, waking up in the body of a stranger is certainly not normal.
Tenten's previous body was a disciple of the Green Dragon sect. The sect was quite humble, to say the least, only comprising of fellow student Rock Lee, Tenten herself, and their master.
The year Master died, it also happened to be the year of the martial arts meet, she recalled. Me and Lee were going there to test ourselves and we found an inn not too far away. Everything was going well until…
Tenten let out a loud groan, yanking her hair hard in frustration.
"Miss, please don't grab your hair, it's getting messy..."
It's all because of that stupid seaweed! she screamed in her mind. That night, why did I go steal food from the kitchen?! (They're poor, that's why.)
The last thing she remembered before waking up in a new body was ravenously downing a plate of seaweed she had found lying around the inn's kitchen then falling permanently unconscious not long after.
When she opened her eyes, she had become a weak noble lady who could not do anything with her hands.
She held out her new palms to inspect them once more.
Not a single callus... she marveled. So delicate…
That was not all, there also seemed to be some sort of time jump she experienced. Glancing at the calendar, it was now nearly two years in the future from when her last memories took place.
Now, I probably can't even win against this maid, Tenten huffed.
Said maid peered over at her, eyes filled with concern, before going back to repairing the girl's hairstyle.
"If you have any worries, Miss, you can tell Shizune."
No reply came from Tenten who was too busy sulking in her seat.
After a few minutes of silent combing and twisting and pinning of hair, Shizune had finished. And in good timing too because-
"Miss, the Madam has come," announced the maid.
Tenten turned to the doorway as a pair of servants led by a sophisticated looking woman made their way inside the room.
Nara Yoshino was a small but fiery woman and a commanding lady of the house. She carried herself in a way befitting a minister's wife but without the arrogance or vanity one would expect. There was an air of grace and authority that surrounded her. From the short length of silk draped across her shoulders, to the refined up-do she wore, her clothes were quite modest for someone of her standing but they complemented her well, even without accessories- save for the intricate silk fan she carried.
The woman swept an intense, unblinking gaze across the room, seemingly inspecting if everything was in order.
Once her eyes landed on her daughter, however, they immediately softened.
"Tenten, how are you feeling?" Yoshino sat down next to the girl, gently placing her hands on her daughter's face to scan it for any signs of illness or fatigue.
Tenten blinked.
"Oh… I'm feeling better now, thank you."
The woman let out a sigh of relief, bringing her daughter in close for a warm embrace.
"I'm so glad," she sighed, sliding down her hands to grasp Tenten's own smaller ones, "These past few weeks you've been looking much healthier and you've been eating well. It seems you're ready to go back to school."
Huh? Tenten paled.
Yoshino thoughtfully tapped her chin with the surface of her fan. "It's been a solid dozen days you've missed school. Have you been keeping up with the assignments from the teacher? Before I leave, remember to show your mother."
The perspiration that had been steadily building on Tenten's brow began to drip down her face.
Homework… I have homework? This kind of rich girl has other things to do than just eat, drink, and have fun?
She averted her gaze from the expectant-looking woman in front of her.
"I didn't have the time, I'm sorry."
Yoshino raised a careful eyebrow. "Huh. Well we can only hope the teacher will forgive you since you're normally very studious." Here Tenten noticed her expression sour immensely. "Usually your older brother could have helped you but he's still out picking someone up."
"Oka-"
The woman's face contorted even further in irritation.
"I always tell him to let me know if he's going to come home late! Hasn't he learned after all these years? That boy is either lying around all day or worrying me to death! No in-between!"
Yoshino's complaints went on and on, Tenten could tell she was not the focus of her attention anymore. She let out a sigh of gratitude as the woman's voice faded into background noise.
"Miss, the carriage is waiting for you in the outer courtyard," Shizune informed. "If you continue you'll be late."
Tenten nodded and stood up, turning back to Yoshino, who was still listing complaints about her lazy son- even adding in a few about her equally lazy husband.
"I will be going now, if you excuse me, uh, Mother." The word felt foreign on her tongue.
I think that's the first time I've ever called someone that.
Yoshino considered the girl for a moment before jumping up to catch her daughter in one last embrace.
"My daughter is so cute!" she cooed, "You're always taking initiative, I just wish your brother would get off his butt and do the same..." Her words were sharp but Tenten sensed genuine motherly affection behind them. She said her goodbyes one last time before heading to the carriage with Shizune.
It's gonna be hard to keep up if conversations will always be like this, but somehow…
Tenten thought back to the warmth she felt in her chest after Yoshino's hug.
I guess it's bearable.
"Are we there?"
"Almost, almost."
"But I don't see anything?"
Tenten lifted up the carriage's stiff bamboo shades to take a peek outside before letting them fall back down.
Konoha is always busy, huh. Even though the last time I was here was technically a couple years in the past, it still looks the same. Tenten's thoughts brought her back to the night of her demise, about two years ago (though had only been a few weeks to her) in this exact city. Her face visibly darkened.
"Miss…" Shizune's voice snapped the girl out of her rumination, something she was grateful for. "There are too many people around so the road is a little clogged up."
"It's not usually this busy?"
Shizune shook her head prompting Tenten to ask why this day was so different.
"Apparently, the city's most famous painter, Lord Sai, has returned to Konoha. Everyone is waiting to see him."
Tenten perked up upon hearing that. "Shizune, don't you want to see?"
The maid stiffened. "Shizune thinks… Lord Sai isn't much to see." Her eyes darted around the carriage before landing on a small teapot. "Why don't I prepare some tea? It looks like we'll be waiting for a while."
"Hm… is that so." Tenten pondered over the maid's quick change of subject before pulling the cord to the blinds once more, eager to see the man who seemed to be the center of everyone's attention.
All the color drained from Shizune's face. "Ah, Miss-" she cried out, horrified to find the girl's body already halfway out the window. I can't let her see Lord Sai!
"Lord Sai!"
"It's Lord Sai!"
The already large crowd from earlier seemed to have multiplied tenfold as more and more people flocked to the street. Exclamations of "Kyaaa!" and "So handsome!" from passing women fueled Tenten's already building anticipation even more. She swept her head both ways, hair whipping in the wind, in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the man.
"Here, here!"
A strong breeze blew past their carriage just as another, slightly more elaborate, one pulled up next to it.
"Aaah! Lord Sai!"
"Miss, the tea," Shizune blurted out. She stuck the tray in the girl's face, desperate to divert her attention.
But Tenten's eyes were already glued to the boy in the carriage beside them.
The boy's hair, dark and long, blew in the wind like a scarf of the finest silk. He seemed to be about her age, probably a bit older, but the way he held himself was definitely more mature than anyone of their ages should be. He sat staring straight ahead with impeccable posture, not paying any mind to the unruly crowd. It was as if the streets were completely empty to him and his confidence and grace that told her he was capable of incredible strength. But that was not what had captured her attention so intensely.
His eyes… she thought. They're almost completely white. Could it be…?
She snapped her head back to Shizune, scaring the already exasperated maid half to death.
"Shizune, is he Lord Sai?"
"Huh?" The maid chose her words carefully, "No, the one by his side is. Hasn't Miss already met Lord Sai before?"
Ack! Tenten shot her a nervous smile, ignoring the sweat trickling down her back. "It's been so long, I can't remember," she replied weakly.
"Really?" Shizune prodded, unconvinced. Even though Miss used to send Lord Sai so many poems despite him never answering? Has she finally given up?
Tenten's face scrunched together as she focused on the pale-eyed boy once more. He's not the handsome one? Then I have to see what the actual guy looks like!
She craned her neck as far right as it could go, trying with all her might to see whoever was sitting beside him.
"This guy is really blocking the view," she grumbled under her breath.
Finally, she got a good look at the other party. Partly due to her excessive stretching but mostly because her carriage had moved slightly forward.
Ah, I see.
Lord Sai was indeed handsome. Although he appeared just as young as the boy next to him, he seemed to have settled into his features well. He wore a light smile on his face as he waved at the adoring crowd. She unabashedly took in the paleness of his skin, which was as white as his companion's irises. It contrasted nicely with his dark hair and she understood why the girls in the crowd were fawning so incessantly.
Suddenly, and seemingly unprovoked, his companion shot the girl a displeased look from the corner of his white eye. This sent a shocked Tenten shrinking back into her carriage from the intensity of his glare. Did I offend him…
"...Sorry," she mumbled.
Sai seemed to have noticed the interaction as he gestured something to the boy beside him.
"It's Miss Nara," he murmured, the smile still plastered on his face.
She watched the two discuss something, though it was much too noisy to hear a word they said.
Suddenly, the long haired one inclined his head toward her, ever so slightly, and snorted, a small smirk gracing his face.
"Huh?" Tenten tilted her head quizzically. Did he just sneer at me?
Behind her, Shizune couldn't help but cover her face, already becoming red from the exchange she had witnessed. Aieee! This second-hand embarrassment is too much!
What the hell… Tenten's dazed expression shifted into one of irritation as she forcibly tugged the blinds back down. Tsk!
"...Just now, that was the Minister's daughter, Miss Nara?"
"You are correct," Sai answered.
The long haired boy shut his eyes in annoyance. "Minister Nara is a serious and respectable man. How did he bring up a daughter like that?"
His companion merely smiled. "You seem to dislike her quite a bit, Neji."
"Her behavior hinders me from performing my duties as a bodyguard."
Sai hummed. "I don't understand such fickle attraction," he agreed, still entertaining the crowd with a few waves of his hand.
"You say that but have yet to clarify things with her," the bodyguard muttered, folding his arms under his chest. "If you do not wish to say it, I will."
He watched the Nara carriage move farther and farther out of sight. "Don't worry. I won't make it too shameful for her."
Author Notes
This is a story I am writing just for fun so I really apologize for my English!
Some notes:
In Chinese, the shawl Yoshino is wearing is called 'pibo' or 'pei' and her fan is called 'tuanshan' !
For pibo, short and wide ones are for married women and long and thin ones are for unmarried women. I didn't know what to call it in English… scarf, shawl, drapes… in the end I settled for silk
Tuanshan is a fan that's round like the moon, representing a friendly and auspicious union. It's a very beautiful accessory that can be decorated with paintings, embroidery, calligraphy or poems. Maybe Yoshino's fan has a painting of deer? XDD
As for the story, it seems like there are a lot of unsolved mysteries... Why did Tenten die? How did she end up in Nara Tenten's body? What did the original Miss Nara do to become to disliked? ? ? (O.o) dundundun...
Sorry for a long note ! And thanku for making it to the end :-D
- twiice
Update! (9/3/2023)
Hi again! I am continuing this story again after over two years since its original publication ! I can't believe I have neglected this story for so long especially considering how much time I spent on it.. I'M SO SOSO SORRY (T-T) I DONT KNOW IF ANYONE EVEN REMEMBERS THIS STORY OR CARES ANYMORE BUT I REALLY REEALY APOLOGIZE ! LIKE IT WAS EATING ME UP
I have a few other chapters prewritten from two years ago but I was never able to upload them. But because they are prewritten, I will proofread and edit them to be better going forward.
As for the chapter itself, in the original chapter, Gai, Lee, and Tenten's sect didn't have a name because I couldn't come up with one but now, I decided to use the name Blue/Green Dragon Sect or 青龍派/Qīnglóng pài. I think it is a suitable name for them XDD It's also a reference to a certain wuxia author from the past ! I also did some minor changes to the overall grammar and wordings as well
I'm sorry for such a long note but thank you very much for the reviews, the fact that people even saw this story makes me excited and happy. In the two years that has passed since I first started writing this story I gained many more valuable life experiences that I hope will enrich my writings, so I hope this will be something enjoyable to read. Also I think my English has improved a lot, too :D
Thank you so much again!
- twiice
