A New Start

Chapter 2 More Than Juuken?

Disclaimer: Naruto ain't mine!

AN: Okay guys here's chapter two re-write I hope it goes over much better than my first try at this chapter. Next week I'll have chapter three up.

Sakura had gotten over the initial shock of her master telling her to train Hinata. She couldn't believe Tsunade had thought she was able to train someone in medical ninjutsu. Now she didn't know what to do. What would she do? She pondered this while she walked home.

'Sensei?' she had never thought of herself as a sensei before, but it made sense that she probably would be one someday she just hadn't thought it to be so soon.

She was determined to train Hinata in medical ninjutsu. Hinata had told her she felt useless on every mission, just as Sakura had felt before her training. Sakura's eyes burned with a flame much like Naruto and Lee's did through their determination. She stood flames in her eyes and a fist clutched in front of her.

She decided she would not let Hinata down, and this training was much more than medical ninjutsu, it was to restore Hinata's rightful place in her clan. Sakura stood her fist in the air much like Naruto with his 'believe it!' Sakura giggled at herself now she was acting just as ridiculous as the baka and Lee. She looked to her left and right quickly, and let out a sigh of relief.

'Whew..good no one saw that…' she smiled as she thought to herself.

Sakura reached her apartment and opened the door. Her eyes scanned the living room looking for Hinata, who was passed out on the couch her face still wet from tears. Sakura's eyes saddened at the sight.

'How could anyone do this to their own daughter?!' Sakura thought angrily.

She looked at Hinata asleep on the couch wrapped tightly in the blanket Sakura had given her earlier. She would let her be for the night. Hinata had been through so much today that she really needed her sleep. Hopefully she'd agree to being trained tomorrow. Sakura went to bed feeling both nervous and excited for the day to come.

Hinata awoke very early the next morning finding herself in a strange place. Hinata looked around wide eyed until she realized where she was. The fear she momentarily felt melted away.

'I'm at Sakura-san's.'

It wasn't long before she remembered everything from the previous day and felt the tears welling in her eyes.

'He's right I'm weak…and an embarrassment to my clan…'

The kunoichi sat up slowly with tears threatening to fall. She hugged the blanket to herself. Sakura had woken up a little bit before Hinata and was in the kitchen. She observed Hinata for a moment before speaking.

"Did you sleep well?" Sakura asked smiling trying to lift Hinata's spirits.

Hinata turned to see Sakura walking out from the kitchen behind her. Hinata held back her tears and forced a smile for Sakura's sake.

"Y-Yes T-thank you."

"No problem!"

Hinata nodded as she folded the blanket Sakura had placed on her and set it neatly on the couch. Sakura was already in the kitchen making breakfast. Hinata sat deep in thought. What could she do? She knew she couldn't stay here forever. But she wasn't strong enough to go back home, not physically or emotionally. If she even tried to go back she'd be given the curse seal on the spot, and that she was sure of.

Tears began to fall from her pale eyes staining her pale cheeks. Sakura had just finished making their breakfast and was coming out to get her when she noticed the kunoichi sobbing again. Sakura didn't know what she should do at that point. Should she coddle her or be tough on her? The pink haired kunoichi thought it over for a moment before making up her mind.

Sakura knew in order to help her she was going to have to use a little tough love. In order to help Hinata she had to get the kunoichi to be emotionally strong as well as physically. It wouldn't matter if she could master Tsunade and Sakura's legendary strength if she crumpled to pieces crying all the time.

"Hey, come on! Stop that. You're going to have to stop crying like that if you wish to go back home…"

"A-Ano Sakura-san I'm s-sorry."

"It's just you won't get stronger if you allow your emotions to always get the better of you."

Hinata took a deep breath and tried to stifle the tears unsuccessfully though. Sakura hugged her just this once she would coddle her. After all people can't just change overnight and it would be a long road of harsh training before Hinata could even try to go home.

"It's okay you'll just have to work on it." Sakura replied, to which Hinata looked upset. "I mean you want to prove your father wrong right?"

"Y-Yes."

"Good after breakfast I'm going to train you on Tsunade's request!" Sakura stated excitedly.

"Huh? I don't understand.."

"I'm going to teach you medical ninjutsu. I mean you have excellent chakra control it should be a breeze for you to pick up on. Then if someone on your squad gets injured you won't feel helpless or useless anymore. They'll be depending on you to heal them." Sakura finished with a smile, "And I might be able to teach you some of that monstrous strength as well."

Hinata's eyes widened thinking of how easily it was for Sakura to crush boulders or take out enemies with her strength alone, and how many of their comrades had been healed by her. Sakura was a useful asset to Konoha, and not just for her medical ninjutsu skills but for her fighting skills and vast knowledge. She had had top grades in the ninja academy when they were kids.

'She could teach me this? She thinks I'd be great at it?!'

Hinata had never been told by anyone she was great at anything before. The fact that Sakura even thought Hinata possessed the skills necessary to execute these things was beyond comprehension. Hinata just sat there staring oddly at a confused Sakura, who after a few awkward seconds continued to talk to Hinata.

"Also learning medical ninjutsu may help you with your Juuken, though I'm not really sure…"

Hinata sat in silence taking in all that Sakura had told her.

"So…are you in?" Sakura asked hopefully.

"You really think I'm capable of mastering such complicated ninjutsu?" she asked quietly.

Sakura donned a serious look and nodded fiercely at Hinata. "Of course!" she said.

Hinata's face lit up and it was decided, she wanted to be stronger for herself, her father, her team mates, and the village.

"I'll do it."

Sakura noticed the conviction in her voice and smiled. Hinata was determined it was far past time she got stronger. Everyone else in the village was stronger than she was and it was her turn to prove herself. Sakura knew Hinata was bound to be stronger soon. Hinata's main problem was her low self-esteem and the way her father treated her.

"Good! Let's eat!"

Sakura and Hinata ate breakfast. Hinata stared at the plate happily. She was starving and breakfast was just what she needed. Hinata ate her food slowly though she really just wanted to wolf it down, but her upbringing always prohibited such behaviors. She was of the Hyuuga main branch and as such she had to behave in a certain way. She sighed thinking about her clan.

After breakfast was finished Sakura led Hinata to go train. They walked together down the streets of Konoha, casually as if it was just a nice walk, but soon a tension filled the air around them. As determined as Hinata was to regain her place as heiress, she was afraid.

"Uh…Sakura-sempai…please don't let anyone know about my training." She requested softly in a nervous manner.

It took Sakura a few seconds to respond due to being called sempai. Sakura nodded still shocked by the title. She hadn't expected to be called sempai, after all Hinata and Sakura were just about the same age so it just felt weird to be called sempai.

"You don't have to call me sempai…"

"Yes I do."

"Okay…"

Sakura felt really uncomfortable being called sempai by Hinata. It's true she'd made Ino call her that but she was trying to piss Ino off. Sakura sighed defeated. At least Hinata was going along with it, by why the secrecy about it all? Sakura shook the question from her head for the time being.

They reached the very area in the woods Sakura had found Hinata in tears and soaked through by rain. Sakura looked at Hinata's eyes and she could see the determination they held. Normally they would have trained at the hospital, but she wanted Hinata to do a little sparring especially since medic ninja needed to be able to defend themselves perfectly. If they are injured they are useless.

"First I want to see your skills in sparring."

"B-But what does that have to do with medical ninjutsu?" she asked looking shocked and wasn't sure if she could go up against Sakura and her strength.

"Your team will be depending on you to heal them, you won't be very useful if you can't defend yourself would you?" Sakura asked.

"I-I don't know."

"Come on, I need to see how well you fight. Besides it's not all medical ninjutsu; you need to improve everything to make your father happy."

"H-Hai."

Hinata took a defensive stance against Sakura though she was visibly scared and shaking.

"Hinata I won't hurt you, and if something should happen I can heal you no problem. Try to relax."

Sakura knew that if she was hit with Hinata's Juuken she'd lose the ability to mold chakra which would leave her without that monstrous strength she relied on so much. Sakura paid close attention as Hinata silently activated her byakugan. Sakura smirked. She had always wondered how she'd fair against someone with her fighting style and byakugan.

Hinata could see the chakra building in Sakura's hand while she charged at her. Hinata shook slightly but dodged the attack returning one of her own. Sakura had seen through this and used a substitution jutsu.

"Substitution…"muttered Hinata quickly darting her eyes around the wooded area for Sakura.

Hinata looked for the flow of chakra, and notice a bit too late as Sakura pounded the ground causing it break for several meters and a few trees to fall. Hinata was scared, and if she were to get hit with one of Sakura's attacks that was it for her.

Sakura was trying to force her into fighting back rather than defending the whole time just to see how well she could do on the offensive. Hinata jumped as the ground beneath her feet was turned to rubble. She landed on a tree branch with grace. Sakura noticed just how graceful Hinata could be, and her flexibility on the battlefield.

'Impressive.'

Hinata watched as Sakura charged the tree causing it fall. Hinata jumped down to keep from falling or worse being crushed. She tried to move in for an attack but Sakura crumpled the ground beneath her feet and flung some kunai in Hinata's direction in which she just barely dodged.

'My Juuken is no good if I can't get close to her.' Hinata thought frantically.

Hinata stayed on guard. She knew getting close to Sakura was far too risky but Juuken was the only fighting style she knew. She had only close range attacks no long range in her arsenal of tricks. Sakura was waiting for her to realize she would need to learn more jutsu outside of her Juuken to become a better ninja. Sakura saw the wheels turning in Hinata's head and knew it was almost time to call the fight done.

'I need more than Juuken….'Hinata realized.

Sakura stopped the fight upon seeing the look in Hinata's eyes. It was obvious Hinata had gotten everything she needed out of this lesson. Sakura smiled proudly at her 'student'.

"So I see you understand now."

Hinata nodded.

"Juuken alone will not make me a strong kunoichi, I need long range attacks as well."

"Good."

Sakura noted that Hinata looked weak from training already and attributed most to being stressed, but she would definitely need to do more physical training and work on her stamina.

"Let's get some lunch, my treat."

"T-Thank you sempai."

Sakura smiled and they headed to a barbeque restaurant that Chouji, Ino, and Shikamaru always ate at. They were always saying their sensei treated them there and the food was great so Sakura decided to take Hinata there. On the walk Hinata's face seemed saddened.

"Hey! Don't look so down! I didn't even get one blow in on you."

"Yea but I couldn't get close enough to attack you."

"It's okay! I'm gonna teach you! And there's nothing wrong with Juuken, but you just need to find another fighting style to compliment it is all."

Hinata smiled and Sakura was happy to see it. It was a long path ahead of them both, but Sakura wasn't going to give up until Hinata was at the head of her clan, if after all this that was what Hinata still wanted. Sakura inwardly hoped Hinata wouldn't go back to a family that treated her so poorly, but she knew that was Hinata's decision to make.

"After lunch I'll start training you on medical ninjutsu."

"Hai!"

Hinata's confidence was raised by the fact she knew it was all about chakra control which she was most likely better at than her sempai.

Sakura was anxious to see how well Hinata would do as a medic ninja. She knew Hinata's precision with her chakra was immense and her control of it was unheard of due to her training with Juuken. Sakura fought back a bit of jealousy as she realized Hinata could surpass her as medic. It was quite possible she'd pass Tsunade in terms of precision. Sakura shook the thought from her head knowing it was to help Hinata, and indirectly Konoha.

They soon reached the restaurant and were seated to eat. They ordered their food and talked about the basics of medical ninjutsu. Hinata listened intently. She showed Hinata the hand signs as they were waiting for their food. Hinata practiced the hand signs hoping her chakra would turn green for healing. Her training however was interrupted by the sound of a screech and a child wailing loudly.

"Come on!" Sakura exclaimed to Hinata.

Sakura drug Hinata to the table where the screams had been issued. A small boy sat sobbing with his hand burnt from touching the grill. His mother stood by him with some ice trying to numb it while scolding him for not listening to her warnings.

"Excuse me miss, I can heal his hand." Sakura said kindly.

Sakura didn't wait for an answer and lightly grabbed the sobbing boy's hand. He winced at first afraid she would touch it and make it hurt worse. The mother looked on defensively wondering if she could be trusted. Sakura smiled to the boy's mother to ease her thoughts, and formed the hand signs.

"Hinata watch closely."

"Hai." Hinata replied activating her byakugan for better understanding of the healing process.

Sakura made the hand signs and her chakra turned green. Sakura smiled as the burn faded and then disappeared all together. Hinata watched this in amazement. In just a few seconds Sakura had been able to completely heal the boy's burn.

'Wow…will I really be able to do that?'

"You be careful now!" Sakura told the boy patting him on his head with a smile.

The mother thanked Sakura. They went back to their table and saw the food. They were delighted.

"Sakura- sempai that was amazing!" Hinata stated still a bit excited from the whole thing.

"I guess you could see it from the inside then?" Sakura said quietly.

"Hai."

"You'll probably turn out to be a better medic than me with your byakugan."

Hinata blushed at the compliment.

"Y-You think so?"

"Yes." Sakura replied with a smile.

AN: Next chapter in a week. : ) It's a new chapter too.