Chapter Twenty

"No… no… no… yes! Here we are, the perfect blend of style and usefulness, and it'll set off your eyes perfectly!"

Moegi accepted the top and darted into the changing room. A moment later, she emerged and gave a twirl.

"Are you corrupting my student, Ino-san?" a familiar voice asked and Ino spun round with a wide smile.

"Haku-san! Are you here for a makeover? Would you like to go masculine or feminine this time?"

Haku smiled as he fended off the over-excited fashion queen.

"I came to pick up my new formal robes for the wedding." He said and Ino's eyes brightened.

"Oh Kami! Please, you have to show me what they look like! You know I'm the fashion and style goddess of Konoha. Moegi, try using this belt, with these storage pouches. As a med-nin student, you can never have too many pouches, even with that bandolier of yours."

Haku smiled as his student vanished into one of the changing cubicles and Ino turned to face him.

"Ummm, she isn't meant to be doing a D-rank or be at the hospital, is she?"

"No, this is her free time, and she seems to be enjoying herself very much." Haku said with a soft smile. "What you said about pouches is quite correct, there are many situations where you don't have the time to unseal anything."

"And times when seals are your best friend." Ino responded, stroking the bracer that she wore on her left arm. Haku's eyes settled on it and he raised his brow.

"That isn't the one you used before… and your bandolier..?"

"After the preliminaries, I turned my bandolier into my new belt." Ino said, stroking it with a grin. "Storage seals at the front and sides, pouches at the back. And Naru was willing to make me a new shadow-bracer with the hiraishin tag built into it. Defence and reinforcement all in one."

Haku nodded. "I see. Functional and decorative.

Ino nodded. "Yep. The Shadow-bracer saved my life during the exams."

Moegi emerged from the changing room, a curious expression on her face.

"Ino-san, what do you mean?"

"I admit to curiosity as well." Haku said.

"It was in the scariest place in Konoha…" Ino started.