Anniversary: First Impressions

[endless_scrolls]

Title: First Impressions
Type: Fanfic
Fandom: Naruto
Theme: Not Like Others
Character(s): Uchiha Sasuke, Tenten, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Fugaku
Pairing(s): SasuTen chibi lovin' ^^
Warning(s): None
Disclaimer: I own nothing but these words.
Note: Written using a theme from the anniversary contest at ten_squared. I'm starting to think I should've submitted this one instead. :P

I had never seen anyone like her before. I think the same went for everyone else in the village. I could very well guess that not many in the village had ever met anyone like her family. After all, she really wasn’t your average kunoichi in training. She was unlike any other girl that I had come across in my few years of life, and she certainly didn‘t act like them. Then again, mother did mention that her family had just returned from a long journey in the Northwest. That might explain the strange clothing. In any case, I didn’t like her very much and she seemed to return the sentiments.

“Sasuke, come here and meet Tenten,” my mother called to me.

Reluctantly, I stood up from where I sat quietly by Itachi’s side and shuffled over to stand by my mother like the good boy I had been raised to be. I was cautious of them, as any child that age would be around people they were unfamiliar with. My mother had sensed this and moved to put her hands gently on my shoulders in reassurance, essentially turning me around to face the mysterious girl and her family.

She couldn’t have been any older than I was, but yet she held this serious presence that seemed beyond her years. I suppose that was what grandfather had meant when he said that some people were born with an old soul. Then again, maybe it was just a factor of her different upbringing and background. Whatever the case, she was still a foreign concept to me at that age.

She wore a strange kimono unlike any that I had ever seen, looking repulsed at having to wear it while still holding herself up in a respectable manner. Her short, dark brown hair flowed over the high collar and scrapped along her shoulders while she turned her head to stare up curiously at her mother.

“Tenten, say hello to Sasuke,” the older lady said to her.

With an almost inaudible sigh, the young girl lowered her head in defeat and turned to me. The barely visible pout and rebellious glint in her eyes went unnoticed by everyone else gathered there except for me. Having been a frequent user of those features, I saw and recognized them immediately. Keeping on with the fascade, she clasped her hands together in front of her and gave a low bow, causing her short hair to briefly cover her unique face. I remember thinking about how much I wanted to brush those strands aside so that I could see her face again, quickly pushing such thoughts away because of how strange they seemed to me.

“Hello,” she greeted meekly.

“Welcome,” I replied in the same manner, mimicking her motions.

The seemingly innocent exchange earned a chuckle from both our mothers, only resulting in me scowling at the sound, thinking that they were mocking us. But a gentle hand stroking my hair assured me that they weren’t making fun of us. Despite that, I still couldn’t help but be annoyed at their chuckles, and I could tell that this Tenten girl didn’t like it one bit either. But a slight crease in the girl’s brows was the only indication of the irritation she felt towards their laughter. Trying her best to ignore it, she briefly tugged at her garments in an irritated manner.

“Tenten’s family are old friends of mine and your father’s,” my mother explained, turning to my brother, thinking that he would understand better than me, “They just moved back here a few days ago from…where was it?”

“Well, originally we had only intended to scout out territories beyond the Earth Country in hopes of claiming the lands for the Fire Country to use as resources,” the girl’s father explained, “But we got delayed when this little one decided to show up.”

At the words “little one” the young looking man patted Tenten on the head in a loving yet demeaning way. She sent a quick and innocent glare in his direction at the name of endearment from her father before returning to her well mannered composure, fiddling with something in her hand that I hadn‘t seen earlier when we exchanged our greetings.

“Well then, let me be the first to say welcome back to Konoha,” Itachi said politely, bowing respectfully towards his elders. Then turning to Tenten he added, “I hope you’ll like it here.”

“Thank you,” she replied quietly, tearing her attention away from the object in her hand as she bowed her head to my brother out of formality.

“Have you enrolled her into the Ninja Academy yet?” my mother asked, briefly glancing at the girl as she continued to lovingly stroke my hair.

“Yes, of course,” the older lady replied cheerfully, “She wants to be a ninja just like her parents, isn‘t that right?”

“Right,” the little girl replied confidently, a genuine smile on her face for once.

A glint of metal from between her fingers caught my eye. Turning around to look at my brother, he gave a slight incline of his head, indicating that he saw it as well. Pleased to find that I wasn’t imagining things, I turned back to face Tenten’s family. She was back to fiddling with whatever was in her hand, seeming to be entranced with the mysterious object.

“I must say we don’t get that many kunoichis in this village,” my father commented, “It’s mostly still traditional, though I hear the Hyuuga clan is starting to train it’s women in combat as well.”

“Well, I’m sure Ten-chan here will give those white-eyed Hyuugas a run for their money,” her father responded confidently.

“Little Sasuke is excited about his first year in the Ninja Academy as well,” my mother informed them, much to my dismay.

“This is his first year?” Tenten’s mother asked curiously, “But he was only born a few months after Tenten.”

“Yes, that is true,” my mother agreed, “Unfortunately, his birthday is past the cutoff date so we had to wait a year before he could be enrolled.”

“Oh, what a shame,” her mother said in disappointment, “I was hoping Sasuke and Tenten would be in the same class.”

Said girl looked up from the object in her palms to roll her eyes at the thought of the two of us being in the same class. To say that I was angered at her blatant disrespect was an understatement, I was furious. I heard my brother snickering behind me, having obviously been witness to her actions. The adults in the room were oblivious to the girl’s silent insults towards me, though. Sighing in defeat, I turned to look at the girl again only to find that she was staring back at me.

“What?” I asked, forgetting that we were surrounded by people.

“Why do you keep staring at me?” she inquired, shocking me with the fact that she could say more than one word at a time.

“What’s that you keep looking at in your hands?” I asked, pointing to her closed hands sitting in her lap.

Rather than reply verbally to my question, she lifted the object from where it was hidden in the folds of her dress. In her hand was clasped a slightly smaller kunai knife, seemingly to be the perfect size for her underdeveloped hands. She looked at me in a bored manner as I observed the wonder before me. The only weapons I had the chance to witness in person were the ones stored in the family temple located at the back of the compound. And even then with the large array of weaponry at my disposal, I wasn’t allowed to touch them.

“Tenten, I thought I told you to keep that at home,” her mother scolded.

“But I never went anywhere without it in the last village,” she protested, obviously making a good point from the way her parents reacted.

They paused at the young girl’s comment, both parents at a lost for words. All the while the girl bowed her head shamefully, saddened that she had upset her parents by bringing the small weapon with her.

“I’m sorry,” she said meekly, the shame evident in her voice.

At seeing how hurt their daughter was, Tenten’s mother and father guiltily looked at each other for some form of support but finding none. I glanced over to my mother and father as they stood witness to this awkward moment as well. My father being a skilled and high-ranking shinobi, was first to regain her composure.

“It’s alright, a good shinobi should always be prepared after all,” my father stated, sending a reassuring smile and wink at Tenten, “That is the marking of a truly great warrior.”

At this, a small smile came to the little girl’s face, indicating that my father had accomplished his mission. Tenten’s parents also seemed relived at how quickly my father was able to lift the girl’s spirits.

“Well, I think that’s our cue to leave,” the young girl’s father said cheerfully, standing up from where he sat on the couch.

“Oh, don’t go yet,” my mother said, a hint of disappointment at their leaving.

“As much as we’d like to stay, we can‘t,” the older woman explained, “We haven’t unpacked everything yet and little Tenten needs to prepare for her first day at her new school tomorrow.”

“Well, we’re right down the street if you need anything,” my mother stated, giving the other woman a loving hug, “It’s so good to have the two of you back.”

“It’s nice to be back,” the other woman agreed. Then turning to us, she added, “It was nice meeting all of you.”

Following them to the front door, we watched as they walked down the street towards their own home. Tenten stood in between her parents, holding on to each of their hands with her own. As they were strolling away Tenten made to look back at me, strands of hair slipping from behind her ear to obscure the exotic features of her face before she looked forward again. The scene was almost picture perfect as I looked on in awe.

“Looks like little Sasuke’s found himself a girlfriend,” my brother teased, seeing the dazed expression on my face.

“She is a cute one, isn’t she?” my father agreed jokingly.

“Oh you guys, leave Sasuke alone,” my mother said in rebuke, ignoring their bouts of laughter, “Honestly, you would think the two of you were seven years old.”

Sparing a glance inside at them as they continued to laugh at my expense, I ignored their teasing and turned back to Tenten’s family disappearing into the horizon. I will admit that I was curious about this girl, her behavior and personality being so unconventional for that of Konoha. She was unique to say the least and would indubitably stand out among the other students.

“So what did you think of Tenten?” my mother asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“She’s…not like the other girls I know,” I replied, still watching the horizon where her family had disappeared.

“Something tells me you’ll be saying that a lot about her,” my mother mused aloud, chuckling at some secret joke.

It would be many years and many mistakes later before I would realize exactly what she meant.