I know this chapter is shorter then the last, all I can say is that my chapters will be anywhere from 1,000 words to about maybe 3,000. I'm gonna try and make the next chapter longer, and try to weasel in Tatsu's description 'cause all you know is that he has purple hair, and wears ribbons so far.

Enjoy.


"Okay, see you tomorrow. Same time, right?" Ata questioned, staring back at the Hyuuga. It was a needless question; the team knew that they'd meet up again at 10am the next day.

Tori nodded and as if it were a sign Ataeru let out a sharp whistle. No matter how many times he heard that call it hurt Tatsu's ear, that sound was not meant for human ears. The sound had the same affect it did everyday, there was a series of barks and yaps for replies. A few moments later two wolf-like dogs came rushing into the team's training area.

The two dogs looked like opposites. One was grey with black wolf-like markings the other was pure white. Most Inuzuka's only had one canine partner but these two were from the same litter, brother and sister, and inseparable. The canines bounded over to their owners side to greet her.

"Ata, why do you keep sending them off everyday when we train? I thought you were supposed to train with them, not without" Tatsu put words to his thoughts, he had noticed that she had been doing it the past week or so.

"Because we're training you. If we all took you on at once you'd be ripped to shreds, and we require a three-man team for the Chuunin exams so that is not an option. Until you actually start improving you are only fighting Tori and me" Ataeru explained as simply as she could, sometimes she wondered if Tatsu was dropped on his head when he was younger or just didn't have the ability to piece things together.

"I don't need to be trained like some pup!" Tatsu complained as he started to head home after noticing Tori had already left. She was never one to linger.

"Well, if someone didn't need to be trained we would be Chuunin right now. Aren't you supposed to be the stealthy/speedy one? How could you let yourself get beat by that Lee girl, or whatever her name is? She's like a little rabbit… Harmless" Ataeru snapped back, following after the purple-haired teen. They lived in the same area and always headed home together.

Tatsu could feel all the shame and embarrassment build up in his face, leaving it red. He remembered it all too well. They had entered the Chuunin exams six months ago and didn't get far because of Tatsu. They passed the first test easily; Tatsu was smarter then most people thought… He just didn't like thinking too much, but he failed the team in the second exam.

They had collected their two scrolls and were heading for the rendezvous point when another of Kohona's genin teams ambushed them. Before hand they had given the Heaven and Earth scrolls to Tatsu so he would escape if they were ambushed, he was the fastest and no good with any sort of combat so it suited him well. While the Inuzuka, her canine partners and the Hyuuga fought the ambushers Tatsu fled like they had planned.

They just hadn't counted of the other team catching onto their plan and sending one of their teammates after Tatsuyoshi. Still, Tatsu could have escaped for he was the current fastest genin but the most embarrassing thing happened, and the girls never let him forget about it.

Since he was young Tatsu has loved ribbons, and he covers himself in them, something most people find ridiculous and feminine. Tatsu was always on about how great ribbons were, how useful and how they could complete any outfit. This incident toned him down a bit. Of all things to happen, a few of his ribbons got caught on a tree branch.

When the ribbons got caught Tatsu lost balance and fell from the tree, and because his ribbon was still caught he was left hanging there from the branch, defenseless. He remembered the girl who had chased after him apologizing profusely while she took his scrolls and ran off to meet up with her teammates. Something that was burned into his mind even more then that was the looks on Tori and Ataeru's faces when they found him, still hanging from the tree in shock.

"By the look on your face I can guess that you're either remembering what happened or having one of your 'fantasies'" Ataeru's voice broke through Tatsu's thought train.

"I never forgot. Actually, I still have nightmares that I'll meet you and Tori in an alley and you'll both finally murder me for it" He said rubbing the back of his neck nervously, getting his fingers tangled in his long purple hair.

Ataeru shook her head, a smirk plastered on her face. Seeing the motion in the corner of his eye Tatsu stopped and turned to look at his teammate. He had been getting one of those staring urges and had given in, as usual. What? He couldn't help himself. Even if the Inuzuka had been his first friend it wasn't like he was going to forget that she was female.

Like her personality, she had a wild look to her as most Inuzukas do. Her dark brown hair only came to her shoulders (Tatsu always wondered if her hair was longer when it was actually brushed). She bore the Inuzuka red 'fang' mark on both her cheeks and half an inch above them rested her dark demon-like eyes.

The female ninja must have had a thing for leather for she wore a black leather jacket that lacked sleeves. Under the jacket she wore a netted shirt, the sleeves that came down to her elbows. Long black pants covered her legs and most of her shoes. Tatsu knew he'd be hit if he asked the girl if she had some sort of fetish, but he couldn't help thinking she did seeing as she wore all sorts of black and leather bracelets and a collar. Most wouldn't notice the metal plate she had attached to her belt instead of wearing a forehead protector.

After taking note of what the Inuzuka wore Tatsu sensed some sort of impending doom and remembered that it was the Ataeru who he was staring at, not some other female ninja that would only shout at him. Ataeru preferred to punish anyone who looked at her, let alone look at her the way Tatsu did.

He did not dare look up at her face, he could almost feel the glare she was giving him, and chose to look down at the ground instead. He decided that he rather not get beaten after he had just been healed and turned to flee just as Ataeru began to growl, sounding much like a dog.

"I'll kill you for that, Ribbon-boy!"