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Hinata frowned in thought as she carefully placed her ancient scrolls in her bag. She made sure over and over again that they were the beginner scrolls for her newest fighting style, but somehow always doubted it, thus prompting her to check again. What was this new form of anxiety that had caused her to place and remove her scrolls over three times?
A scuttle on the back of her neck startled her out of her thoughts and brought a smile to her face aa she finally tied her bag closed before hefting it onto her shoulder.
It had been over three weeks since her mission to the fire temple, and while everything had stayed the same, Hinata herself was different. She meditated often, training her mind and her body and spirit to connect and flow. While she focused on her training and her teachings, she began to subconsciously ignore her home life.
She would report to her father by the end of the day without fail, blocking out his words of hatred and threats, with thoughts of her friends or by focusing on the beetle as it ran around her palms. He had taken notice of her blank stare and wandering thoughts but never said anything about it, something she was grateful for.
Her ability to focus was increasing, and often, she could disregard pain and continue to fight. She practiced with her team often and slowly lost the sense of pain altogether if she focused hard enough. Shino and Kiba were at awe and would practice along with her, trying to learn how she was able to manage it. She would laugh as they flinched or hissed or even cried out comically to a cut or a punch but they were slowly adjusting.
To avoid Neji, she came up with a plan. After mapping the entirety of the household, she began to chart the different routes to take from each important room to the next. She often had to change her routine in order to maximize the success rate of escape. With each new route she took, she could see his increasing frustration and decided that she was going to have to be more careful from now on.
Hinata activated her Byakugan, seeking out Neji who was somewhat patrolling the front door. It seemed he was beginning to catch on. Hinata sighed tiredly and decided to exit through the back and out of her mother's garden, an almost forbidden place to anyone but Hinata. She made her way out with her bloodline activated and hearing sharpened. Everyone seemed to steer clear of her today, something she was thankful for.
As soon as she made it outside, she ran as fast as she could through the garden and over the wall, giggling to herself for her daring escape.
Kiba tied the last kunai pouch to his leg with a grin on his face. Akamaru was practically shaking with anticipation, ready to go outside. What was missing? A flutter of wings below his ear triggered his memory. Oh right. Kiba tied his opal around his neck, doing the same for Akamaru who barked happily.
After three weeks of being home, Kiba found a new type of routine to follow, one that he made himself. He timed his morning to when Hana got up, to when she was training, to when she got home, and finally, when she was home. He made sure to stay out of the way and kept as low a profile as he was allowed. Sometimes he would make the effort to speak with his mother, helping with dinner or grabbing her something from the store when she asked, and other times he would avoid her at all costs. That usually happened if she allowed Hana to do whatever she wanted to him.
The seal definitely was for protection, as it blocked out everyone from the outside except for Kiba. He read into it, and attempted to study and learn the fundamentals of the seal, going as far as making a copy and bringing it to Hinata, who was just as lost as he was.
Hana began to throw a fit, screaming and yelling to get into his room, which upset Tsume. Kiba decided to test his luck and asked what was so important that Hana needed to be inside all the time. Tsume looked to Hana who flushed at the sudden question. When she claimed that Kiba took her ninja weapons, he would remark that Kurenai had helped him buy his own and even proved it. When she made the excuse of him being suspicious with a locked door, he countered with her being suspicious of always trying to get inside.
Having heard enough, Tsume told Hana she would get a lock for her room as well, so that Kiba could not get into her room as a countermeasure and ended the argument abruptly. He had gotten a bit roughed up, but it was worth it since he didn't have to give up his seal, thus protecting himself, Akamaru, and his room.
He was learning new ways to exit the house as well, taking to jumping out of his window, or any for that matter. He practiced running and jumping through obstacles or climbing without the use of chakra. Hinata and Shino often begged him to slow down or to teach them how he did it. Soon, they were alongside with him, maybe not as fast, but they were catching up.
Speaking of which, he heard Hana walking down the hallway, heading for the stairs. He had taken too long to get ready that morning but he was sure to be fine. He already had breakfast and he knew that his team was going out for lunch today. He was often the one to take home the leftovers so he wouldn't always have to eat dinner with Hana or Tsume.
Kiba stretched and scooped Akamaru into his arms, sliding open the window and jumping outside. He smirked to himself as he ran out of the compound and into the streets. Free at last.
Shino had been ready for about an hour now; he wanted to get an early start on his note taking for his insect colonies and how they were progressing. So far, his research was progressing very well. He studied their eating habits, their tolerances to hot and cold, their defensive strategies, their mating rituals, and he began to socialize them with his own insects for breeding purposes. In a matter of months he will have created a beautiful and powerful hybrid to assist the village. He was very proud of himself.
He sighed as he thought back on the past few weeks of being home. His parents were watching him closely, likely waiting for him to slip so they could send him off to ROOT. He took to being more quiet, more observant around them in case he said the wrong thing. They, for whatever reason, took this as a positive trait and encouraged it, going as far as to shun him even more from conversations and interactions. Shino didn't mind, as it gave him time to do whatever he liked. He also had his team and his blanket to keep him company.
Oh, how he loved that blanket. He had never felt anything so warm and welcoming. He found himself completely wrapped inside of it every morning and woke in much better moods than he would have before. Whenever he felt lonely or sad, he would lay on top of it for hours. He took great care of washing and cleaning it, taking caution in making sure the warm chakra wasn't disturbed in any way.
His parents avoided his room, deeming the area too personal for investigation or the slightest bit of approaching, meaning he didn't have to hide it somewhere and risk losing or ruining it. He did, however, keep it underneath his usual blanket and washed it specially while no one was around to see.
Shino looked outside and saw that it was time to go. He packed up his notes, grabbed his weapon pouches and left his room, taking care to firmly shut the door behind him. He noticed his mother in the hallway, walking towards him, and stopped. As best as he could, he wiped all the emotion from his face and forced his body to relax, feigning apathy.
His ability to school his face and control his voice was something he mastered beyond even jonin level. No one could ever really tell what he was thinking except his teammates, but even they struggled to discern his moods if he put all of his effort into it. He would attempt to teach Hinata and Kiba the skill, but Hinata would always blush and Kiba could never keep a straight face. Nevertheless, they were getting better.
Shino nodded to his mother, not trusting his voice at the moment. She didn't seem to mind, however, nodding in return as she passed by. Shino waited until she turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs before he moved to leave the house. He chanced a glance behind him, seeing no one, and sighed to himself as he walked out.
Kurenai arrived on the training grounds to find her team in an intense conversation over Hinata's scrolls. She smiled softly to herself as they bantered and talked in hushed tones.
Since they've returned to the village, she had been doing her best to earn their forgiveness and trust. She went as far as telling the Hokage that she was done with the secrets and plots. She was going to tell them what they had planned, right from the beginning; and she did. She told them everything. They were shocked to say the least, and while it didn't do much to earn their trust, they did open up slightly more.
She knew that the way into their group was to gain the trust of just one of them. Shino was closed off around her and Kiba would give her suspicious glances. Hinata seemed like the best option, but the boys were always guarding her, always talking with her, which gave her the opportunity to shy away from Kurenai whenever she attempted to make some sort of connection.
She was just going to have to keep trying it seemed.
Kurenai approached them with papers in her hands and a determined smile on her face. She was excited, to say the least, about this particular event. As she drew near, her students turned to her, becoming quiet. It would have hurt her feelings if she hadn't caught the smile on Hinata's face.
"Good morning my students," She greeted, "Today I happen to have a special announcement. I have recommended you all for the Chunin exams." She thrust the papers at her students, showing her elegant signature of recommendation on an otherwise, blank form. Even Shino looked surprised as they each took a paper and looked it over.
"Do you really think we're ready for this type of thing, Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba asked. He wasn't so sure at this point that they could do it and not get caught from using their abilities. If they were going to keep themselves a secret, they shouldn't be showing off their skills against other genin.
"Yes Kiba, I do." She replied, "You've all been working really hard with your training and have proven yourselves to move on further. Becoming a chunin is the next step in your career as shinobi, and will give you the opportunity for higher, more worthwhile missions; you'll even be able to lead your own teams, though, your missions shouldn't be terribly difficult." She looked them all over and saw them thinking.
They turned to each other then, seemingly communicating with no words. Hinata was unsure, Shino was skeptical and Kiba was excited. The puppy-dog look he was shooting his teammates seemed to be working as Hinata looked over to Shino with her big, innocent eyes. Shino sighed in a resigned manner, seemingly accepting the pleading looks being shot his way.
Kurenai smiled to herself and clasped her hands together, "Great," She said, "To begin training, we need to have Hinata focus on the fighting style gifted to her. Shino, you also need to focus on your combative training; you're beginning to lack in skill. Finally, Kiba, you need to practice your weapon handling. It may seem useless, but it's something you need to master in order to progress further."
She hesitated then, "I've made the decision to have you trained by some friends of mine, one of which you already know..." All of her students made a sour face, not entirely pleased with having to learn from Anko. "I know you're not very fond of her," Kurenai attempted to console, "But Anko is a very good ninja; she's one of the best in fact. She's not going to do anything traumatizing, just simple training."
The last sentence seemed to console them a bit, as they looked a bit more willing to go along with it, but they were still clearly not happy.
Anko looked down on each of her new, temporary students, a grin sliding easily on her face. She loved new recruits. Hinata almost hid behind her boys, who moved unconsciously to stand in front of her. They were a lot closer, that was obvious. Their bond was stronger, more solidified than before. Great. They were going to need each other for this type of training.
"Alright brats," She announced, "Since we're going to be training together for the next two weeks, I am going to make the executive decision to have us get to know each other better. Starting now, there's going to be no secrets, no lying and no unfamiliarity. We're going to get close as a team and as friends. Doesn't that sound fun?" She grinned too widely now, unsettling the genin before her.
She pointed at Hinata, "You there," She called cheerfully, "I understand you have some scrolls. If you let me see them, I can figure out how to train you properly." Hinata hesitated but approached Anko regardless. She pulled the scrolls from her bag and handed them over, watching Anko's face light up as she read.
"Ibiki can definitely help you with this." She said, "He's a bit tough, but I'm sure he'll be alright helping you. He's got a great eye for mistakes, so he'll correct them accordingly." She eyed Hinata carefully, noting the determined look on her face.
Hinata was willing to go along with whatever crazy scheme Anko was cooking up. She wasn't going to be the dead last in her team if she could help it, and if Kurenai sensei said that she was the best, then she was willing to give the demented woman a shot. This Ibiki couldn't be worse than her father( he was sure no one could at this point); besides, she had her teammates there to help her, after all.
"Kiba, my friend Yamato is more than happy to help you with weapon handling; and Shino, you'll be training with me." Her grin turned maniacal as she stared him down, "We're going to have lots of fun training together." Shino felt his hair stand on end. This was not going to be a fun two weeks.
Kiba glanced over to his teammates when he noticed a tall man approaching. His hair was a bit messy and his eyes were large and haunting, despite the genuine smile on his face. Kiba could tell there was something dangerous about the man, but he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was.
"Hello there," He called, still walking over. He glanced over the genin before his eyes landed solely on Kiba, as if staring right into his soul. Kiba shifted uncomfortably, not used to such intensity. "My name is Yamato, and you must be Kiba. It's nice to meet you." Kiba looked at the hand offered to him and shook it, "Yeah," He muttered, "Same here."
Yamato smiled more and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Am I really that scary?" He joked. Anko snorted, "With that face? Totally."
Yamato glared at her in return before turning to Kiba, "I'm sure we'll get along just fine, won't we Kiba?" The young dog boy nodded in return, willing to go along with anything for the moment. Yamato continued, "Well then, we best be heading off. We have a lot to cover on our first day, and I don't want a single second wasted. Come along."
Kiba turned to wave his goodbye as he followed his temporary sensei to another area, almost sad to have to leave them. Akamaru didn't hold back his whimper as they walked off.
"So Kiba," Yamato started as they walked further away, "Tell me about yourself. What are your hopes and dreams? Do you have any hobbies? What are your favorite foods?"
Kiba hesitated. He would have thought Kurenai or Anko would have told his new teacher about him. At this point, he didn't exactly expect his information to be classified to these types, not if the Hokage trusted them enough to have them train him and his team.
"I want to be strong like my dad." Kiba hesitated. After an interested hum from Yamato, he continued, "I usually like training with my team and hunting with Akamaru. Beef jerky is our favorite food right now." He figured as he got more used to the taste of raw meat, he would crave it just as the monk would, if not more when he got older. It wasn't something he was necessarily looking forward to, but he didn't necessarily mind it either.
"I can see why you would need weapon training." Yamato commented, "If you're using your bear hands and claws, you wouldn't need a ninja tool to take down your enemies." He stopped suddenly, overlooking the new training ground in front of them. Multiple targets were scattered about. Some in the trees, in bushes, hidden in the grass and even hanging in the sky.
Kiba was a bit intimidated. He didn't realize that this training was going to take so long as to have to hit all of the targets. He wasn't sure how well he was going to do, since his aim was shaky at best. Yamato noticed his hesitation and smiled, "I wouldn't worry too much about these," He commented, "With enough practice, you'll be throwing as good as me some day."
Kiba smiled as best as he could and nodded, putting Akamaru on the ground and grabbing a kunai. Yamato seemed like a really nice guy to learn from.
Hinata sighed as she watched Kiba and Akamaru walk away. She was already missing them.
It would be strange to learn from a different teacher again, at least, one so unlike Kurenai or Sora. Ibiki sounded intimidating and like her father, unaccepting in failures. She would have to try her best not to disappoint him.
"Hyuga Hinata," A gruff voice called. She turned her head to see a tall man in plain grey clothes and a long black coat. He had two scars across his face and a sort of hat on his head with his headband displayed on the front; Hinata figured he had no hair underneath it. He was intimidating and rough around the edges, that was for sure, and Hinata found herself hesitant to approach him, much less accompany him in training.
A slight push from Shino brought her back to herself. She turned to him nervously, noting his encouraging nod. He gently ushered her away once more, smiling at her to hopefully calm her nerves. She smiled back and nodded, turning to walk away with a small wave.
Ibiki said nothing, curiously watching the exchange. He turned and walked away after nodding at Anko who licked her lips and winked at him playfully. God, she was immature.
Hinata tried not to let the silence overwhelm her, as it was heavy and awkward. She wondered if- "Hello," Ibiki grumbled out stiffly, "Tell me about yourself."
Hinata blinked a couple of times before smiling up at him in relief, "As you know, I come from the Hyuga clan," She began, "I study herbs and medical jutsu. I like sweet food and hate shellfish. I want to become strong to protect my precious people." She blushed at the thought of a certain blonde. She was hoping that becoming stronger proved she was meant to be by his side. She had to be stronger.
Ibiki nodded carefully. He knew she was "broken" and "delicate" But he wasn't going to let it stop him from teaching the way of Shinobi. He could see the Will of Fire burning brightly within her and a strength behind her small hands that could be used in great ways; she just didn't know it yet. He would show her.
"Here." He stopped suddenly and turned to Hinata who nearly ran into his back. She squeaked as she stumbled away, trying to maintain some sort of grace and dignity. "Take out your scrolls for me to read and stretch as best as you can. We're going to be training hard, and I want you to be able to perfect this." He saw her shrink a bit within herself as she pulled out the scrolls and frowned.
He carefully opened the scrolls, lightly skimming over each of them as Hinata began her stretching, thinking of what to say. "Mistakes will be made," He commented casually, secretly glancing at Hinata, who paused and turned to him, "Mistakes are what help us learn. More mistakes just means more ways to improve, and that's what we'll be doing: improving." He smirked at her, it was very small and awkward and strained, but it was genuine.
Hinata resumed her stretching with a smile on her own face. She was ready.
Shino felt alone more than ever. Why did he have to be stuck with the crazy one? This woman helped fake his sensei's death, almost stuck needles into his neck, almost had his team killed, and had him fearing for his life for the first time IN his life. That wasn't just something he could forget, at least, not easily. For an Aburame, he could definitely hold a grudge.
"Hey, Shades," Anko called out, "Let's get you ready for your training! Don't let my whole crazy, psychopathic tendencies make you back out now." She was grinning at him, "Was it because I almost killed you? Look, if it makes you feel better I knew one of your teammates was going to help you, so I wasn't REALLY trying to kill you."
Gods he wished she would shut up; she talked too much.
With a resigned sigh, Shino turned to her expectantly, waiting for whatever it was that she had planned. He was surprised to see her pulling out a bento from her coat, licking her lips and sitting in the grass to eat. She looked up at his shocked face and nearly pouted, "I haven't had breakfast yet, Brat." She hissed, "Let me eat and then I'll kick your ass into gear with training, ok?" With a hesitant nod from Shino, Anko began her meal.
She looked at Shino from the corner of her eyes, watching as he took to studying a butterfly on his finger. No doubt he just randomly called it to fly to him. Aburame's loved their bugs. She wondered briefly, what he did for fun, or what he did in general besides the whole bug thing.
"Hey, Brat," She called, "What is it that you do for fun? Like do you go out to eat? Or do you study anything other than creepy crawlies?" Shino was silent, but Anko was unusually patient today. If she stared hard enough, he would answer her.
Eventually, she got her answer, "Besides procuring, studying, breeding and caring for insects, I myself like to hike." She wasn't totally expecting that. "Why?" She bluntly asked. She swallowed another mouthful and waited again. It seemed like the brat thought a lot before he spoke; or maybe he just really liked dramatic pauses, who knows? Not her.
"Being outside, away from people, closer to nature, is soothing." Shino slowly said, as if he were thinking hard about his answer, "I, too, like the exercise it provides."
Anko hummed to herself in thought and took another bite of her food, nodding sagely.
After she was finished she got up and stretched, sighing and patting her full stomach, "That hit the spot." She grinned before giving Shino her full attention, "Aright my little butterfly-" Shino glared at the nickname "-we're going to be working really hard and I'm not stopping until sunset or maybe until you die, so you better hope an aneurysm gets you soon." She got into a fighting stance and waited until Shino was in his.
What she didn't see was his smirk of anticipation. This will be interesting.
Kiba growled to himself for the twenty-third time that day. His accuracy was so bad he was surprised that he was able to even throw the knives in the right direction. He was throwing it hard enough to stick in the wood, but always in the wrong place. This was supposed to be easy, so why wasn't he getting better? Akamaru whined and pawed at his master's leg, trying to comfort him.
Yamato, having sensed Kiba's frustration, smiled at him patiently, "Don't worry about power, Kiba," He advised, "There is a balance to weapons. While power is important, don't let it take away from the accuracy. You're already using enough power, try easing up and throwing it at the center, ok?"
Kiba rolled his eyes causing Yamato to frown. "Kiba," He began, "You cannot let your emotions get the best of you. While it's ok to be frustrated, even a little angry, you cannot let them control you. If you allow your feelings to get in the way, they will keep you in a very bad place; they will keep you from moving on and succeeding." Kiba frowned in thought, nodding to himself and Yamato.
The ANBU member smiled, relieved, "Good. Now take a deep breath and try again." Kiba took a deep breath and turned to focus on the target, imagining hitting the center. 'I can do this.' And he threw.
Akamaru began to bark in excitement, wiggling and jumping at Kiba's feet. Kiba opened his eyes and grinned, "Look sensei!" He cheered, "I hit it! Yahoo!" Sure enough, his kunai knife was in the center of the target- at least, until it drooped and fell to the ground. Kiba, having seen, groaned to himself and lowered his head, upset once more. Akamaru barked a laugh and trotted around his feet.
Yamato smiled and rubbed Kiba's head, "That was very good Kiba," He praised, "Now we just need to find the balance that will maximise your success." His eyes were shining, "Are you ready to try again?"
Kiba looked up at his teacher before turning to the targets again. "I can do this." He said, pulling out another kunai.
Hinata fell on the floor, panting. She had already lost count to how many times she's fallen flat on her face. Whatever she was doing wasn't working. No matter how hard she was trying, she couldn't get the movements right and ended up with dirt in her eyes and grass in her mouth. She was ready to give up.
Ibiki was staring down at her, waiting for her to stand up. Hinata made effort to avoid his eyes and stared at the earth beneath her. "Why are you on the ground?" He asked suddenly. Hinata flinched, "I'm sorry," She began, "I'm really trying-"
"-I didn't ask for an apology, Hinata," He interrupted gently, "I asked why you are on the ground?" Hinata thought for a second and sighed, "Because I failed to perform the kick." She muttered. Ibiki nodded slowly and bent down to her level, "So," He lightly poked her head, almost affectionately, "Let's try again."
Hinata hesitated, "But I've failed it so many times!" She protested, "I can't do it!"
Ibiki shook his head at her, "No," He began, "You cannot when you are on the ground giving up. There will be many failures in life, Hinata; do not let one discourage you from the rest. If you are failing, then something must change-" He poked her head lightly once more, "-Here-" He poked her stomach, drawing a surprised squeak, "-Here-" He placed his hand on top of hers, guiding it to the center of her chest where she felt her beating heart, "-Or here. Mind, body and spirit. One must change to be in balance."
Hinata stared back at him, a new understanding in her eyes.
Ibiki took a step back and nodded in approval, "Once more," He commanded, "Perform the Peacock Kick."
Hinata stood to her feet and faced forward with new determination. Using the examples from the scroll, she shifted into her new fighting stance and took a few steps forward. Using her natural agility, she twisted her body, exposing her back to her imaginary opponent, but turning her head to continue to face them. Her left leg lifted itself and thrust over her shoulder, 'landing a hit' on her enemy.
In her excitement of performing the move, she lost her footing and slipped, drawing a surprised laugh from herself and a chuckle from Ibiki. "Good job," He praised, "That was nearly perfect. Let's try again." Hinata grinned and shot up from the ground.
Shino grunted in pain as his punch was parried and countered. His face was then in the ground with a hand in his hair and another holding his arms in a lock. He felt his teeth grind together as he thought back on the fight, which was so perfectly planned, it should have guaranteed a win. Why weren't his strategies working?
Anko got off and grinned to herself, standing and brushing herself off, "That makes me the winner again," She sighed, "Let's go another round; you had something going there and I don't want to interrupt it." She stretched a kink in her shoulder and waited.
When Shino made no movement to stand, she frowned and kicked him over. He glared at her from his position on the floor. Anko glared back, "Look brat," She barked, "I know I'm not all sunshine and cookies like the rest of your team, but don't let that stop you from getting a proper training session in kicking ass. So tell me what's biting yours, so we can move on to more important things."
Shino slowly sat up, turning his attention to the grass as he thought. "My strategies in defeating you have no purpose." He began, "I cannot find a way to outthink you or think my way out of a predicament that you place me in. It is frustrating."
Anko rolled her eyes good-naturedly and sat down with him, chuckling to herself as she propped her arm on her knees, "Well no shit they're not working." She snorted, "You don't know my fighting style the same way you know Kiba's or Hinata's. You can't outthink everyone in a fight because a fight is unpredictable. You can argue about using Hinata's magic eye sight, but if she's not there to tell you your future, you need to figure out what to do without her.
"Fighting is about instinct, it's about feeling. You can read your opponents, sure, but a quick reaction is more likely to save your life than you would think. Don't think-" She lightly smacked his head and grinned at him, "-Feel it. Ok?"
Shino rubbed the back of his head. Feel don't think? Absurd. Why, the mere thought of it was just…
Anko snickered at his thinking face and stood up, stretching once more. "From the top, Brat," She said, sliding into her fighting stance, "And remember, don't think too hard." Shino stood from his spot on the ground and nodded, sliding into his own fighting stance across from Anko.
She moved first, going for a body shot, Shino thought to move back, but instead, parried the attack and kicked. Anko nearly stumbled back before he threw a fist and then kicked again, almost catching her off guard. She grinned now as she saw the concentration leave his furrowed brows and his body relax with his movements.
They threw punches and kicks and even added some flips for flair until Shino tripped Anko and pinned her with a chokehold, panting heavily.
"Nice job Brat," She strained to speak. Her body disappeared in a puff of smoke. Shino was then pinned the same way he had Anko, or rather, her clone. Anko laughed to herself and let him up, "That was much better!" She yelled, "That's the kind of fire I'm looking for! At this rate, you'll be one of the best to fight, maybe even better than the Uchiha! Let's go again; I'm getting all excited now!"
Shino found himself smiling as she helped him up. Maybe he could tolerate her abrasive insanity for a little while longer.
With time, Team Eight was slowly progressing. They would arrive at the training grounds in the early mornings and lightly spar with one another for about an hour, taking time to break, meditate, rehydrate, and eat breakfast together. Their senseis would all come by to seperate them for their own private training.
Kiba was on his way to mastering any throwing weapons he could buy. Hinata could perform most of the moves without looking at the scrolls, and Shino was almost as unpredictable as Anko in a fight.
Yamato, Ibiki and Anko were all slowly falling in love with their new students (platonically of course), finding themselves asking personal questions and having long conversations about everything and nothing with them. Yamato admired Kiba's spirit. Ibiki saw great potential in Hinata and Anko couldn't be more proud of Shino.
There was so much greatness in all three of them, it seemed, and the ANBU were doing their damnedest to prove it to the world.
Meanwhile; Kurenai was watching from a distance, occasionally popping in to stay connected with her students. They were slowly beginning to trust her again, and as time was passing on, they were eager to show her what they were learning. She was so painfully pleased with the progress they were making.
Seeing Hinata and Kiba with a good male figure, as well as Shino with a crazy, but mostly good, friend figure was great for their growth and development. Hinata nearly clUng to Ibiki whenever they walked anywhere together. Kiba could not leave Yamato without asking over twenty questions as he was trying to go, and Shino would wait until the very last minute to leave Anko's side.
When they returned to Kurenai, they were worn and tired but refreshed nonetheless from their training. She took her time getting to know each of them personally, studying their interests, making their favorite foods, and even getting them gifts.
When Hinata presented her with a beautiful black opal with her beautiful shy smile, she noticed the sudden openness with Shino, the mischievous grin from Kiba, and the cold nose of attention from Akamaru. She was finally forgiven. She nearly cried then and there, choosing instead to hug her team as tightly as she could.
They were almost ready.
Hinata's eyes wandered the field slowly, looking all around her and into the forest. It was much too quiet, and much too still. Her hairs stood on end and her instincts buzzed beneath her skin, warming her body with adrenaline and anticipation. She was ready.
No one was around, but she knew the rules. No activating her bloodline; not for this fight.
A flash of metal caught her eyes and Hinata danced around the incoming kunai knife thrown her way, turning gracefully in a circle. However, that was the first of many, and so Hinata found herself twisting and turning around everything thrown. She closed her eyes, focusing on the sound more than her sight.
A sound of movement had her ducking under a kick aimed right for her head. She widened her legs and lowered herself close to the ground, but had her hands positioned behind her, as if she were a bird. This was her favorite fighting stance: The Art of Phoenix.
Eyeing her opponent, Hinata began to rise, thrusting her right palm forward and hitting their chest. As they backed up, she took two steps forward, firmly planting her feet on the ground on the second step, and thrust out her left palm, now seeking to land a solid hit just above the chakra center. If she had been using chakra, she would have had a chance to shut down the entire system.
Her hand was parried away. Hinata gasped as her arm was twisted around, and moved to avoid it having it break. She once again turned her body and kicked, forcing her opponent to jump back. Hinata grinned and laughed to herself as she playfully chased after them, "Shino!" She called, "Are you ok?"
Shino was smiling back, she could tell. "That was an amazing transition." He said, lightly touching his sternum, "If you had been serious, I wouldn't have been able to recover. What was that move called?" Hinata blushed prettily, "It's called the Phoenix Double Palm." She said.
She stepped back as a shuriken was flung her way. She turned to look at Kiba with eyes unintentionally activated. He laughed as he ran up, Akamaru at his heels. "You lose Hinata." He teased, "You're eyes are on."
He stared a little bit longer, blushing slightly as her eyes stared past him, "You know, they look so pretty when they glow like that." Hinata turned red, fidgeting awkwardly at the compliment. Shino turned his head to see them better, "They look like shining opals." He nearly whispered. Hinata was cherry red now, giggling nervously and hiding behind her hands.
Kiba grinned and nudged her playfully, "You ok there, Opal?" He asked. Hinata's head shot up at the nickname and stared into Kiba's eyes. Nicknames were a sign of endearment. Kiba giving her a nickname put them on a new level in their friendship. She found herself ginning and clasped her hands together, "I'm alright, Beastie and Wolfie." She teased right back. Akamaru yipped in response.
Kiba, having caught on, found himself grinning as well, "And let's not forget our favorite Spider." He laughed, turning to Shino who tilted his head at the nickname. Hinata and Kiba watched as he mulled it over in his own head, testing out the name carefully. A decisive nod was followed by cheers and Team Eight were another step closer together than before.
Kiba frowned as he looked at the multiple weapons on the ground. "I thought I had already finished my weapons training." He nearly whined. Akamaru yipped, backing Kiba up. Yamato smiled down at him, "It's for you and your teammates." He explained, "We, as your teachers, felt that it would be beneficial for all of you to have a signature weapon, or at least to learn one specifically. Whichever weapon you show the most potential with, you shall carry around and train to use." He swept his arm behind him and watched as Team Eight moved to explore their options.
Shino carefully studied each weapon visually. Some looked uncomfortably heavy, while others looked too lightweight. His eyes finally landed on a pair of tekko kagi laying off to the side. He found them interesting to look at and walked over to pick them up.
They were not too light, but not heavy either. He slid one on and tested it, jabbing and swinging his arms quickly, listening to the sound of the blades cutting the air. He looked at the claws longer and noticed that they didn't retract, something he could try fixing later so as to not get in the way.
No one would ever expect him to have this up his sleeves, making for a great surprise to any opponents. These were it.
Kiba felt his lips twist into a thinking pout as he went over the knives and blades and other sharp weapons available to him. Nothing was painfully interesting, and he already had his claws, so nothing was really standing out for him to use.
Akamaru ran to a large metal covered weapon and began to chew on it, growling as he attempted to pick it up. Kiba walked over and picked up his dog, resting him on his head as he examined what Akamaru was bothering with. It was a Tetsubo.
He carefully picked it up, testing the weight in is hands. It was heavy, that was for sure, but he didn't mind. Carefully, he swung it around, familiarizing himself with the feeling. He felt powerful, swinging it around, thinking of different ways he could use something like this with his fighting.
Since Inuzuka primarily used their claws, there was no need for weapons, but with this, he was sure that it would be a delightful surprise. His fanged grin grew wide as he thought of the shocked faces on the people he would face with this in his hands. This was going to be fun.
Hinata looked down at the fans in longing, they were beautiful, yes, but she knew that they were an approved choice of weapons by her clan, and so it didn't feel right that she chose them. It was too predictable for her, to use something like these. She wanted something different, but subtle. Something beautiful, but not Hyuga approved.
Her eyes were suddenly trained on a beautiful curved, black handle. She followed it to see a gorgeous black umbrella with white dragons painted delicately on the ends. An umbrella?
She reached for it and was surprised by its weight. Why was it so heavy? She tapped the canopy and was shocked to feel metal. She opened it up and felt herself get giddy as she was covered from the sun. This was definitely something different than expected, and with the added length, she wouldn't have to fight short range all the time.
This was it. This was her weapon.
Yamato smiled at their choices, knowing that each of them were happy with the outcome. As each student approached he carefully looked over each weapon and nodded in approval, "All of these weapons are very useful to have." He said, "We can make adjustments to them to your liking and see if we can't have them fitted to your sizes. I know just the man to go to."
Doizaki Shota knew his way around machines better than anyone. He could fix a stove or restart a refrigerator and even rewire a house. He was revered as one of the greatest minds in the village, just below a Nara, but even the Nara could not read machines as he did. He had many customers around the village, some even from other countries.
But of all the people who walked into his shop, ninja were his favorite, as he liked to modify their weapons and make them more useful than the traditional build. He was always thinking and rethinking new things to create and new designs to try. They would always walk into his shop and tell him what they wanted differently and afterwards, they would be so pleased, his name was mentioned to other ninja. It was something he grew used to throughout the years, so it was no surprise when a jonin and three genin, each carrying their first weapon, walked into his shop.
He smiled warmly, ever the gentleman, and waved them further in, wiping his hands on his apron, "Welcome," He greeted, "What can I do for you today?" The jonin smiled and gestured to, what Shota could only assume, his students, "These three need fittings and custom-made weapons." Straight to the point it seemed.
Shota nodded and rubbed his hands together excitedly, "What have we got then?" He asked, "Who wants to go first?" The three students looked to each other silently, as if conversing in a silent language. Ninjas were mysterious like that, even the children.
Shino decided that he would go first, presenting his tekko kagi carefully for Shota to take, who did so eagerly. Shino looked on as the civilian mechanic carefully observed the weapon in his hands; he was curious to see what sort of contraptions the 'greatest mechanic in the village' could provide for him to use.
"I would like this to be discreet," Shino spoke, "Something that my enemies would not expect." Shota nodded almost distantly as he ran the plan in his head.
Suddenly, he looked up at Shino with a smile and walked to a workbench with papers and tools lying around haphazardly. He beckoned the young boy and began drawing, "What I can do with this," He began, "Is have the claws retract so that you're not needlessly cutting everything up. I could also, if you like, have the claws become replaceable so if one were to break, another would take its place."
He watched as Shino thought it over, knowing he would get the approval of the young boy. He was right; Shino was nodding.
A scruffy genin, with a white dog resting on his head, was next, holding his tetsubo tightly, as if unwilling to part with it so soon. Shota carefully took it and studied it as Kiba licked his lips nervously, "I want it to be easy to hide, too. If we can make it look more badass, that would be great; maybe we could add some spikes or something?"
Shota nodded to himself more that anything, mumbling under his breath as he turned the tetsubo over, "I know what I can do with this." He muttered, "Maybe compact it and have it extend? Yes, that'll work." He smiled at Kiba, "I won't let you down." He declared.
Satisfied, Kiba turned to Hinata who handed her umbrella over, bowing low as she presented it.
Shota smiled at the cute girl and took it, marveling it's design and weight. He noticed the metal canopy and felt his grin spread widely across his face. There was a lot he could do with something like this.
"I'm sure you want this to be subtle, yet obvious?" He asked, "A Hyuga lady is deadly, but must retain her regal stature, right?" Hinata blushed and nodded, grabbing Kiba's sleeve for support. "I can do a lot with this," He continued, "I'll have all of them done by next week. They'll be my top priority; you have my word!"
Yamato grinned, "Thank you very much," He said, "We'll be back in one week's time. Come along, students. Anko wanted to take you shopping as well."
"I understand you're only genin," Anko rambled as she walked along the streets with Kurenai to her right and Team Eight behind her, "But I have so much confidence in you to pass, that I wanted to celebrate a little early. Of course, we have to maintain our dark clothing, because we're ninja; we're not supposed to be seen. However, that doesn't mean we cant look like total badasses."
She stopped at a large store with no name, only mannequins of shinobi wear, "This is it" She announced, "Let's go inside and see what they have today!"
There were more mannequins and even more clothes on racks. Some were assembled into different outfits, while others were hung by themselves. There were dressing rooms in the back and large mirrors to see yourself all around.
Team Eight looked around curiously, sticking together. Kurenai gently grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her along, "Let's go find something to try on, Hinata." She guided the poor girl to the female section, asking questions about size and color.
Anko grabbed Shino and Kiba, "You brats come with me," She chuckled, "I'll show you how a real shinobi should dress." Kiba and Shino glances at each other warily as Anko dragged them along into a maze of racks and clothes.
Hinata looked at herself in the mirror, unable to tear her eyes away. She didn't think the outfit would work so well or look so good, though she felt that it was a bit too much for someone as shy as her. She didn't have the confidence to wear it comfortably.
"Hinata?" Kurenai called from behind the door, "Are you alright? Do you need help?"
Hinata became mortified at the thought of Kurenai coming in to "help" and quickly responded, "No, sensei! I'm fine!"
"Well, come out! I'm dying to see how it looks!"
Hinata hesitated but exited the safety of the changing room, avoiding Kurenai's eyes as she stepped out. She looked up when she heard the gasp and saw the look of awe and adoration Kurenai was giving her, "Hinata," She grinned, "You look wonderful! I'm so glad everything fit perfectly, it's like it was made for you!" Hinata shyly smiled and looked at herself in the mirror again.
She wore a dark navy bodysuit with a white turtleneck collar and long sleeves. Her white shorts stopped mid thigh and her black stockings were worn underneath. She put on white shin guards that covered up to her knee and black shinobi sandals and special, thin fingerless gloves to handle her umbrella without hindering her gentle fist. A long, dark navy kimono top with white trimming completed the outfit.
Her hair was growing longer (Kurenai and Anko convinced her to grow it long), and so she had her bangs grow over her eyes and pinned to the sides, still covering most of her forehead and face. The two long strands on the side continued to grow and rested past her collarbone. The rest of her hair was pulled into a braided bun on the base of her neck. She hadn't ever felt so confident until she saw Kurenai's proud smile behind her in the mirror.
"Wow Hinata, you look great!"
Hinata turned to face Kiba's voice behind her and blushed lightly as she eyed his new clothes.
Kiba ditched his hood, showing off wild hair that was pushed to the right, standing up on its own. He bought a bigger, better looking black jacket, which he left open to show off his black mesh shirt with a loose-fitting, maroon tank top. He had on black pants tucked into his shinobi sandals and maroon, gauntlets on his hands, no doubt so he could safely wield his tetsubo.
Akamaru remained on his head, wearing a maroon dog-vest proudly.
Shino walked from behind him, hands in his pockets. He switched his high-collar jacket for a black, trench coat that stopped at his knees, like Hinata's kimono; his olive green shirt could be seen peeking underneath. His black shinobi pants were tucked into his shoes and wrapped with bandages at the ankles. He chose an olive green bandana with a black skull mouth as a design to cover his face, and black hand guards to use his tekko kagi without injuring himself. His signature glasses remained.
"All of you look great!" Kurenai complimented, "You truly look like shinobi now."
"And kickass ones at that!" Anko cut in, "Once we get your weapons from the shop, we'll be able to train and get you all ready to kill it in the exams!"