This one ties in right after the Chuunin Exams Taryn attended when she was a child. Let me know what you think :)
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Taryn played with the dagger in her hand, turning it around so it would catch the light of the campfire. She had a puzzled look on her face, trying to figure out the enigma that was Uchiha Itachi.
He was a strange one for sure.
‘What is it you want, Uchiha?’
“Nice dagger.”
Taryn looked up to find Kodan seating himself next to her. She didn’t answer him, but returned her attention to the dagger. It was custom made, probably perfectly balanced for Itachi’s fighting style. It would take some time getting used to before she would be able to use it in battle.
“It’s not one of yours,” Kodan noted. He raised and eyebrow at her.
“It was a gift,” Taryn said softly. She placed the dagger in Kodan’s outstretched hand for him to examine it more closely.
Kodan whistled. “Good craftsmanship.” He weighed it in his hand. “Who gave it to you?”
Taryn hesitated before answering, not sure if he would laugh at her or not. “Uchiha Itachi,” she muttered.
Kodan paused and stared at her. Then a slow smirk appeared around his lips.
Taryn glared at him. “It’s not like that!” she hissed, “the proctors mixed up our weapons by mistake and he said I could keep it.”
Kodan raised his hands in defense. “Alright, alright. I was just teasing you. Still, it’s a nice promotion gift. Now I have to buy you something else.”
Taryn eyed him curiously. “Why would you buy me anything?”
Kodan sighed and rolled his eyes. “It’s tradition, Taryn-chan.”
“Don’t call me that,” Taryn said for the millionth time, but the edge had gone out of it long ago.
Kodan smirked. He liked the little girl. Sometimes it was hard to remember she was half his age.
She looked at him now. “And what to you mean, ‘tradition’?”
“It’s tradition to give a teammate a present when they are promoted,” Kodan explained.
“What kind of present?” Taryn questioned.
Kodan shrugged. “It can be anything, I suppose.”
“You were really going to buy me something?”
Kodan chuckled. “I still am. I was opting for a dagger, but someone already gave you one. I’ll just have to think of something else.”
“Then I’ll have to buy you something too,” Taryn said with a thoughtful expression.
“Can’t wait,” Kodan grinned. He followed her gaze towards Inari, who sat at a distance scowling into the night. “Don’t worry,” he said, “Inari will come around. He’ll make it next time, when he stops being such a hothead.”
“He’s the only one left on the team,” Taryn said.
“That should motivate him then.”
“Will he be appointed to another team now?” Taryn wondered.
Kodan shrugged. “Not for a while. He’s not the only one that’s failed. When the next Exams come around, they’ll probably chose the Genin that are available. If he learns to control his temper, he’ll get it next time for sure. He’s got the skill.” Kodan smiled at her. “And he’s gotten a lot better since you came along.”
Taryn sighed. “He never liked me much. He only wanted to beat me in everything to prove you guys didn’t need me.”
Kodan smirked. “There’s nothing wrong with a little motivation. Besides, it’s not that he dislikes you. He was just upset you took Yori’s place on the team.”
“Hmm,” Taryn muttered. She looked at the dagger again. She wondered what Itachi was doing right now. Why had he given her that dagger?
She flicked it around in her hand. He could have won the match. Instead, he had forfeited for her to win. Except, that wasn’t how she had wanted to win. So she had forfeited too.
He would have won.
Kodan smiled at her, but she didn’t notice. He stood up and patted her shoulder while joining Inari.
‘I’ll figure you out, Uchiha,’ Taryn thought to herself.
A smile appeared on her face.