I am a Dancer (Naruto fanfiction)

6: Uninterpretable Findings

When I got up the following morning, I tried to recall what had happened last night. Oh, that's right. I couldn't remember the world I really am from.

Wait...I leaped out of bed and searched for the notebook. Where is it?

The book wasn't under the bed, in bed with me, or on my desk. I only found a dried out pen. I scratched my head in confusion. What's going on?

Okay, breathe, I scolded myself. I still needed to go to the Academy today, so that's what I'll do first. I'll worry about the notebook and my memories later.

I looked at the clock and estimated I still had a good hour before the Academy, so I changed my clothes and got straight down to stretching. I needed to be more flexible than Maddie.

Wait, how come I still remember Maddie? I wondered in puzzlement as I swung my right leg back and caught it with my hands over my head.

As I continued my daily stretching, my mind roamed from one thought to another. Then why can't I remember the place I'm from? Actually, I can't remember anything, except for my rival Maddie. I don't recall my parents, and I don't even know the name of the place anymore. Maybe I can ask the girls later.

An hour later, I was jogging to the Academy. Sakura and Ino came in, arguing forever, while Tenten and Hinata slipped into a bench seat with off to the side of the classroom.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Hinata asked kindly.

"I did, thanks," I said gratefully. "Um, this is weird, but do you remember my homeland name?"

Tenten frowned. "No, actually. I could have sworn I knew it, but it's kind of foggy. Why?"

"Just a little experimentation," I said vaguely, panic rising in me. I need to get to the bottom of this situation!

Class after class came and went, until the lunch bell rang. Everyone rushed out, and I joined the other four girls in my class outside again.

"Here, would you like some?" Hinata offered, giving me some pickled yellow radish. "I made it myself..."

The girls giggled as Hinata shyly fed me half her lunch, since I didn't bring mine.
"Thank you, Hinata," I said, giving her a smile.

"Eat some of mine too!" Sakura said, holding some sushi to my face. "It's alright; I packed too much."

"Why would Hirano eat your lunch when she can have mine?" Ino sneered at the pink-haired girl. Sakura growled, and the two went for another wrestling round, while I shared with the other two girls who didn't mind giving me some of their food.

"You're so bony," Ino sighed, poking my ribs. "I wish I was as slender as you."

"Yeah, how do you get so skinny?" Sakura pouted.

I grinned at her words. "I just stretch and exercise a lot. Stretching makes your muscles limber and your body flexible. Exercising helps the blood pumping and helps burn calories."

"What kind of exercising do you do?" Tenten asked eagerly.

"Running, jumping, pirouette turning, and a lot of hip-hopping," I said ticking off my fingers. "And stretching, leaping, aerial-working, and contortionist-working."

"And you do all this on a daily basis?" Ino asked, impressed.

"Yeah, I have to, or else I won't be able to beat Maddie back at home," I said. "She's my rival."

"At what?" Sakura questioned.

"Just a team thing," I said, refusing to bring up my dance background. "Although, I'm not always up to par with her."

"Can you show us?" Hinata begged. I smiled. I was born to be in the spotlight!

"Sure." I shimmed onto my front and lifted my legs back and over my head, grasping my ankles with both hands. Then I slowly raised one leg over my head, while the other leg clasped in my hands.

The girls watched me as I let go of my ankle and crossed my suspended leg cross over onto my ground-leg. After a few seconds, I returned to my sitting position.

"You're incredibly flexible," Tenten said in awe. "Let me guess: it took you hours of practice to get to that stage, right?"

"You bet," I said, nodding.

"Can you show us another one?"

I did splits, leg kicks, and leaps as part of my daily warmups. "Maddie is naturally flexible, so I have to work even harder to get to her level," I sighed. "And this isn't just a reach goal and I'm done, it's a long-term thing. I have to stretch everyday to keep up with Maddie. Miss one day of stretching, and I'll be left in the dust."

"I think you are great where you are," Ino praised. "You should have more confidence in yourself. Unlike Forehead over there, you have something strange and unique you can be proud of."

Sakura and Ino went into another insulting competition, causing me and the other two girls to sighed, shaking our heads fondly at them. "They are such good friends."

Tenten blinked, but then smiled. "Tell them that, and they'll deny it."

After the Academy hours ended, I ran all the way home, my motivation renewed like never before. As I stretched before going to bed, I kept reminding myself, that I was going to beat Maddie no matter what!