Chapter 13

Ariha Uchiha's POV;

I was watching Senju Kenshiro how he plucked out some weed. Our latest D-Rank mission. We have been now a team for three months. And I couldn't help myself but think that my expectations have not quite matched up with the real deal.

During the academy, he came over as the slightly arrogant clan heir. He was the best in everything we did. Tests were easy for him, he beat everyone in Taijutsu sparring and hit the bullseye in weapon throwing with ease. The same for the academy Jutsu, always perfect and quickly executed. Typical prodigy, there was nothing less expected from a clan heir such as the Senju-heir.

However, he would also not look excited when he got the highest marks, nor did he look sad when he did something wrong, as rare as that was. He never showed any emotions, period. Also not unlikely for a clan heir, that was if you were an Uchiha or Hyuuga. Definitely untypical for a Senju, it wasn't expected and seen as arrogance. Or in the case of his very large Fanclub, cool bad boy with a soft core.

For many, the later was proven when they saw him interact with his sister, Tsunade Senju. She was also very good, not as good as him, but clearly the best of us girls. Father wasn't happy that I have been behind a Senju. Always implying that I wasn't training enough or that I could have done more.

And Kenshiro would always help Tsunade Senju. He did not see her as the bratty child that clings too much to her brother. The moment he sees her his expression lightens up, his eyes show genuine interest. His voice softens and his body language is more open. Many fangirls awe at the sight, I find, it strange.

What the little Senju-hime didn't know her brother taught her until she did. They often stayed longer and he showed her something on the training's parkour. Still, the Senju siblings are genuine geniuses.

How can Father expect for me to keep up with them? I haven't even awakened my Sharingan. Another thing Father was harping over, other Uchiha children had their Sharingan awakened before they left the academy. Yada, yada, yada.

Only Kagami-Oji was believing in me. When I found out that he is my Jonin-sensei I was happy beyond anything. He wouldn't tell me that he was disappointed with my progress, he always helped me train or cheered me up when Father had shouted at me for not being the best in my class.

Knowing who else was in my Genin team was... different.

Hatake Sakumo, not the best in our class, fifth place or so. Really good with his sword and fairly good in each test, but not the best. Still, he was silent, focused and generally easy to work with.

In the time we had spent together he was always friendly if a bit silent. He was really, I mean really, really, good with his sword, fast as well. Once you get used to his silent behaviour he could be a good friend. He helped me getting faster as well.

Senju Kenshiro on the other hand. In the academy, he was always alone or with his sister, he didn't interact with others, only answering questions and then as quickly as possible. He often ignored the teacher, doing something else, but always scoring 100% in each test.

I thought he found the rest of us beneath himself. That we don't matter to him and that we weren't good enough to speak to. It was no wonder that I was less than delighted to have him in our team. Still, Kagami-Oji was my Sensei, that would be more than enough.

Introducing each other hasn't changed my opinion of him, I only learned that he seems to like to train and invent new training methods. Still, I learned more of him in that sentence than in the previous two years before. He is also a major sis-con.

I was shocked to learn that there was a second test. My chance of having Kagami-Oji as my Sensei could be taken away from me and Father would beat me black and blue if he hears that I failed.

I tried my best to get the bells before the other two and didn't notice that they have had made an alliance. Seeing the wind Jutsu racing at me was also scary, it looked strong enough to kill me. Yet, it wasn't aimed at me but Kagami-Oji.

With a shock, I realized that Kenshiro has saved me from an early disqualification. He then even proposed to work together. The Senju Kenshiro that never needed or asked for help asked me, an Uchiha, for help.

I agreed, only because I knew that I couldn't get the bells on my own.

Kenshiro's plan was quick and good. He easily included his Jutsu into mine and boosted its power. I asked Father later what Jutsu it was that Kenshiro used and learned that he put significant more Chakra into it than I did with mine to get it this strong.

With Kenshiro's help, clones and skill we managed to get the bells.

When he had both in his hands I was hoping to get one. But realistically speaking my chances were small. He was a Senju and I Uchiha, I am also a girl. Boys always thought of us as weaker or less skilled. Something I want to prove is false. We may have less Chakra, but we can control it way easier. That is if you aren't Kenshiro Senju.

Other boys tried to tell Tsunade the same, but that ended badly for them. Everyone who tried to speak badly of her got beaten to a pulp by Tsunade. Then later at training, they got it again quite a bit worse by Kenshiro always on 'accident'. It got him the reputation of a sis-con. But a lot of us girls would like to have someone like that as our brother. Tsunade clearly did like it and used every opportunity to tell us. Of course only when Kenshiro-kun wasn't nearby. In his presence, she is the perfect cute sister.

So yeah, I was hopeful, but fully expected of him to keep one and give the other to Sakumo. Paint me surprised when he gave both his bells away. His reason for why was risky and went against the portray I had of him. He didn't come over as someone who takes risks, he was always effective and quick during fights.

Sakumo gave his bell back, pointing out that he wouldn't have been needed. Kenshiro's clone got the bells, not him. Silently I agreed. It was Kenshiro who came up with the plan, increased the strength of my Jutsu and got the bells. He deserved to get the bells.

But there were only two who could proceed. Or where there? Kagami-Oji often spoke about the need for teamwork and that we would be stronger if we work together. The test showed that even if I think that, Kenshiro would have managed without us.

He did ask for help and wasn't arrogant about it, he even gave me a bell. And if this is really about teamwork then I have already fewer points than the others, with me attacking first before we could form a team.

I gave my bell back as well, Kenshiro had earned them the most, he can decide who will get on the team with him. Maybe he would give one to me, he has seen that I was more useful than Sakumo. I also hoped Kagami-Oji really wanted to see how well we work together and wouldn't fail me.

He surprised me and the rest of us again when he said that then no one would get on the team. Was he so sure of his words that Kagami-Oji would take all of us, even if his words were founded on a technicality?

In the end, Kenshiro was right again. Kagami-Oji wanted to test our skills and teamwork. I was happy that he would be our Sensei for real and that I passed the test. I told Father who our Sensei was, he didn't seem surprised. But he was when I told him that Kenshiro was in my team too.

The next day Kenshiro was late, and once I heard the reason I could not fault him. Father was stern, often degraded me and hit me when I did something wrong, but he was still my Father. I would be sad if he were to die. And the Senju were known for their tight family bonds. Losing his Father must have been hard for him.

I tried to give him some comfort, Mom always hugged me when I was sad. He looked as if he was hiding his sadness, a hug might help him. In the end, he stepped back, refusing my help and asking to not speak about it anymore. I was not sure if that was a good idea but complied when no one said anything.

But then I remembered that I have hardly spoken a word to him during the whole time in the academy. No wonder he does not want my help, I was almost behaving like a Fangirl.

His evaluation with Kagami-Oji showed that he was not at his best. He was slower than normal and got out of breath quicker. That lasted for a few weeks, he became better, but it was slow. He never looked like it but the death of his father must have been hard for him.

He also showed that he was really intelligent, not only in his studies. The reasons for D-Rank missions were numerous and I didn't even see one completely.

It continued like that.

He would often know things, see more than Sakumo or I did. He learned Jutsu and skills faster than both of us. In part thanks to his Kage Bunshin, they were almost as big of a cheat as the Sharingan. But deadly if the Chakra requirements are true.

Father tried to ask Lord Second to learn them and he did. However, even Father can only do ten of them before feeling the effects and Father is a Jonin. Kenshiro really must have a lot of Chakra, he could do three when he learned them and now he was often using ten to fifteen.

But Kenshiro wasn't arrogant about his obvious skill and talent. He helped me with my Chakra control, gave Sakumo tips for his Chakra capacity and even told us some of his Chakra training methods. Most of them were even helpful for Kagami-Oji. They were hard but helped enormously.

No wonder Tsunade and he were so good at controlling their Chakra. We did have to promise that we would not teach them to anyone else. Order by the Hokage even, it must be good to have a family this high. I could live with that if it means to get awesome control training. Even Father was praising me for my sudden increase in control.

Still, my family often spoke badly about the Senju, but Kenshiro wasn't bad. I might even say that he was a friend. I don't know when but I tried to add -kun to his name. He didn't call me out on it. He noticed right away and gave me a small smile before addressing me with a -chan since then.

I like to believe that I was the only one besides his sister that he was adding a -chan to the name. I certainly never heard him using it for anyone else.

I gave Sakumo the same, I don't want to look as if I love Kenshiro or anything like that.

So yes, my team was a surprise, but a good one. I heard some pretty bad things from other Genin teams and other Uchiha. We Uchiha were often mistrusted for our Sharingan or our serious attitude.

"Ariha-chan?" I blinked and looked up from my patch of weed. I haven't pulled many, too much in my own thoughts.