Author's Notes: This is my first Naruto fanfiction, so please be gentle ;~;
Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, Neji Hyuuga, Tenten, Gaara © Masashi Kishimoto
Kaya Hyuuga © Me
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
A young girl bounced into Konoha's hospital, bowing in apologies as soon as she reached her destination.
Her "destination" looked up and immediately sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Really, Kaya?" She asked, looking over the young girl's hair. Though short, like her own, Kaya had managed to pull most of it into a small ponytail. The remaining hair on one side had curled and the other side had bits poking out as randomly as Naruto's.
Kaya looked up sheepishly. "Um…after putting it up wet I slept on it?" She blushed, embarrassed, rubbing the back of her head.
Trying her best to hide a smile, the older woman managed to stay (mostly) professional. "Could you fix it please, so we can begin?"
Kaya immediately smiled. "Yes, Sakura-Sensei!"
Sakura did smile this time, hiding it behind her paperwork. She should have learned by now that Kaya was full of surprises. After all, she surprised everyone the day she was born – with pupils. Though she had inherited Neji's chocolate brown hair and pale eyes, it was clear that she did not carry the byakugan. Sakura had expected Neji to be disappointed, but if he was he never showed it. He loved his daughter deeply and was very proud of her.
From a young age, Kaya realized that she wasn't the same as her family. Though she would never mention it out loud, she felt she was a disappointment. She didn't carry the byakugan like her father and didn't even take interest in weapons like her mother. All she wanted to do was heal people. In addition to that, though she inherited her father's hair color, she certainly didn't get his hair type. Her hair would curl and wave and poke out in all directions, making it seemingly impossible to control. Sakura often told her she reminded her of Konoha's seventh Hokage, Naruto. However, thanks to her interest in medical ninjutsu, Kaya had developed a technique that altered hair roots. Thanks to this she could simply calm her hair, or, after she had developed the technique further, choose to give herself bouncing curls or hair as straight as her father's.
"Is this better, Sakura-Sensei?"
Sakura turned to see that Kaya had calmed her hair and now had it back in a small bun reminiscent of her mother Tenten. Well, all of her hair except… She giggled as she pointed out the small bit of hair that was still waving at the back of Kaya's neck.
"Oh!" Kaya noticed, going a bit red. She quickly pulled out a pin and set the hair into her bun. She smiled. "Now I'm ready, Sakura-Sensei" she giggled, adjusting her ninja band on her arm.
"Good, then maybe we'll actually get some work done." Sakura smiled, handing some paperwork to her student.
"Hey" came a voice at the door. Sakura face-palmed. She should have known a day without interruptions was too much to ask.
"Kakashi!" Kaya cried out, happy to see a friend as well as rival of her parents' sensei, Gai.
"Good morning, Kaya-Chan." Kakashi replied, smiling. "Could I talk to your sensei for a bit?"
"Okay!" Kaya replied, bowing respectfully before leaving the room.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"Ka-ka-shi" Sakura grumbled into her desk. "What have I told you about interrupting when I'm supposed to be teaching?"
"Sorry, Sakura, but it can't be helped." The copy-nin replied. "We have a mission."
To this, Sakura looked up in surprise. "Naruto knows not to send me out on missions. I'm head of the medical nin and have a student as well."
Kakashi suddenly took interest in something on the floor, avoiding Sakura's eyes. "It's not from Naruto, it's from the elders. And we're supposed to take Kaya as well."
"The elders?" Sakura questioned, suspicious.
"Yep" Kakashi responded with an all-too-fake smile. "They're not sure they're ready to give up on the idea of Kaya having the byakugan and they think a high-class medical-based mission to the Village Hidden in the Sand is a perfect opportunity to test her out."
"How…high class?" Sakura asked, fearing for her student.
This time Kakashi looked Sakura straight in the eyes. She noticed he wasn't wearing his mask but was instead letting her see his emotions. "B, with a possible move to A. The sand were attacked recently and Gaara has asked for help."
Sakura quickly began gathering medical supplies and various tools, avoiding looking at Kakashi anymore. "Do Neji and Tenten know?"
Kakashi sighed. "Like I said, this one's from the elders. They won't have any choice."
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Outside Sakura Haruno's office, fourteen year old Kaya Hyuuga braced herself, calming her breathing before Kakashi Hatake could come out and realize she'd been snooping. She was excited but scared. Was she really ready for this? What would she tell her parents? And most importantly, was it really possible for her to access the byakugan? She quickly blinked back tears, rubbing at her eyes. She couldn't afford to be scared. She had to give this her all, to prove herself to her sensei and her parents. No way was she backing down now…cyeh!