Summoner-nin

Part Four: The Rookie Nine

Chapter Four

"You do not want to show all of yourself," Shibi advised.

Hinata paused, a morning dove echoing in the distance. The river around her lapped quietly, onto the shore, over stones and under twigs, but the waters stood still and noiseless under and around her naked feet. By the river's bank, her senseis watched her from under a tree. Shikaku had settled along the trunk, playing with senbon in his mouth. Anko had climbed the tree and was now swinging her legs from up above. Shibi and Tsume had remained standing, Shibi a foot from the tree while Tsume was leaning against the bark. Kuromaru, on the other hand, was at the water's edge, staring at Hinata, ever alert and vigilant.

Mollified by the silence, Hinata returned to her water-walking. With her chakra, she was able to smooth the currents to create a flat surface on the river. With a slight tap of her toes, she sent water skipping across water, scattering them into tiny, miniscule droplets and letting them fall over the river's surface like rain. In a breath, Hinata churned her chakra again to displace the rain into a fine mist, and then a cloud that evaporated in the morning sun.

It was an art form she was just beginning to grasp.

Finally, Shikaku spoke. "Hinata."

She withdrew herself from the mist to regard her senseis. The wind teased the mist into her hair, fanning and cooling her cheeks. "Hai?"

"You are far above Shino and Kiba," the Nara said, his senbon bobbing up and down. "So far and above, they may even find it discouraging."

Hinata faltered, her feet sinking several centimetres into the waters before rising onto the flat surface again. She had nearly lost her concentration; she did not want to discourage her teammates. Hinata wasn't discouraging at all. Frowning, she saw that her senseis had seen her slip up, but spared her from any criticism. The issue at hand was more imperative.

"I-I see, Shikaku-sensei," Hinata sounded warily.

The senbon bobbed up and down; Shikaku's expression blank and contemplative.

"You must train them, Hinata," Tsume said, stepping forward, "just as we've trained you."

Fortunately, this time Hinata was ready for surprises and managed to avoid from slipping into the river. She did not know how to teach anyone anything, and was mildly discomfited by the endeavour.

"Just reveal yourself slowly," Shikaku consoled. "When they see you progress, they will follow as well."

Anko snorted. "Boys don't like to be trumped, Hina. They'll try to be better than you, but you make sure you're a step ahead of them, okay? Remember, girls rule and boys drool!"

Tsume gave Anko a snippy look, but held her tongue. Men did suck, and were insensitive too. She turned back to Hinata and said, "You know how I work, Hinata. Just apply it to Kiba."

Shibi nodded. "Shino as well. He has much to learn."

Hinata's looked to her feet, apprehensive. She did not know where to begin and, more importantly, she did not want to disappoint her senseis. She understood what the mother and father wanted for their sons—to be just as strong, if not stronger, than them. But Hinata saw the fallacy in their vision: Kiba and Shino were not exact copies of their separate parent. In fact, the more Hinata was around them, the more she noticed the difference between parent and child.

She squeaked when Shikaku placed a placating hand on her head. He understood too.

"Just pace yourself," the Nara repeated. "They will follow."

Hinata was wary, but nodded for her sensei's benefit.

xxx

They crouched in the ready position, knees bent, weight on their toes and torsos forward. They were each determined to outrun the others, but still wished for each others' successes. The wind teased the grasses; their hair tickling their noses and waving in their vision, but not one moved to brush their hair back. Taut, firm and strained, they each waited for their sensei to call out; the dog-nin behind them trembling from the anxious wait.

Finally, their sensei sounded the knell.

"Go!"

All three set out at once, dashing forward across the grassy plain to their allocated tree. To her right, she saw Shino's sunglasses spark in the sun. To her left, she saw Kiba's fangs gritted in purpose. She mined what Shikaku had said, and slowed her pace to match theirs. When the trees drew rapidly close, they almost simultaneously jumped and planted their feet to the trunks.

Now, the true challenge began.

For Shino, he climbed the tree slower than when he'd run across the field. For Kiba, he had to bury his claws into the tree several times to catch himself from falling. For her, she had looked at both of the boys and made wary steps up the bark. She did not want to overtake them, and she did not want to make their efforts trivial.

When, at last, Kiba cursed and jumped down from the tree, exhausted and defeated, and Shino finally took a seat midway up his own tree, too tired to continue, Hinata carefully perched onto a branch. Hers was two lower than Shino's. She could only hope that this was what Shikaku had meant by… "pacing herself." She wondered if the boys would follow?

She peered down her tree and smiled at the lopping and excited Akamaru, spinning circles around the heavy breathing and sweating Kiba. Shino, as well, was sweating and short of breath. Hinata thought that perhaps she should be sweating too, but it was not something she was good at mimicking. Instead, she took longer breaths to simulate stress.

She wondered if this was what Shikaku had meant for her to do.

Kurenai frowned at the Inuzuka at her feet, and then raised her gaze upward at the Aburame and Hyuga. They had not progressed much in the past week. They were good at teamwork, but that did not necessarily translate into sheer power.

Tree climbing had bested Team 8.

When their sensei sighed, Team 8 understood that they had disappointed the genjutsu master. Hinata, especially, squirmed in guilt. She could climb the tree, easily. She could climb a hundred trees, easily. It was what Tsume had taught her, relentlessly and repetitively, but she did not think the boys were ready for that.

Hinata worried her lower lip when Kurenai rubbed the bridge of her nose. She knew that they were burdening her. As the youngest jonin in history to have been honoured with a genin team, Kurenai Yuhi had had many misgivings of this mission, but she was proud of having been given the chance to prove herself. She did not want to fail anyone's expectations: the Hokage's, her own, or her genins'.

Team 8 could not look at their sensei. They knew that Team 7 had successfully accomplished the tree climbing exercise from their latest mission, further chafing when the supposed C-Rank had turned into a B-Rank halfway. Even Team 10 — Choji — had excelled at the task, and were even moving onto water walking.

They have failed their sensei and all of Konoha's expectations.

Their cooperation had made them stand out, and now their lack of achievement undermined their fame.

Hinata cringed when Shino began to work his way down his tree, his legs straining at the endeavour. Shibi would have jumped and landed safely on the ground in less than a second, but his son was deliberately taking care to walk down the tree. Hinata didn't know what to think.

Below, Kiba was annoyed and mad at his lack of adeptness. He was explaining, very loudly and very rudely, to their sensei that his tree was defunct and wanted to switch his with Shino's. Tsume wouldn't have complained. The Inuzuka matriarch would have kept on climbing until her nails bled dry. The difference in characters was jarring for Hinata.

Diverting her gaze elsewhere, from the team she had perhaps disappointed, she scanned the horizon and spotted a nearing chunin. She waited until hewas closer before activating her Byakugan and calling for her sensei's attention. "K-Kurenai-sensei! S-someone's c-coming!"

She could've announced the chunin sooner, but she did not want to excel too much too fast. It would be suspicious.

Kurenai smiled up at Hinata, and Hinata eased. She was "excelling" at a pace Kurenai was expecting, and she was proud of her. Relieved, Hinata watched as the chunin arrived and engaged their sensei in conversation. Hinata could not hear the words being exchanged, but was intensely aware of Kiba trembling and Shino's unnatural stillness, even Akamaru was abnormally still. Was it bad news?

Worried, Hinata leaned forward, but then frowned when the conversation ended without preamble. She had not caught a single word… She should have used her Byakugan to read their lips, she decided, if not a little belatedly.

Kurenai hushed Kiba and placed a stalling hand over a suddenly jumpy Akamaru. Hinata was curious and a little worried by this. Once the two had settled, the genjutsu master looked up to the trees and called out, "Hinata. We have a-"

"IT'S A C-RANK!" Kiba abruptly cut in, hopping on his feet, arms flailing wildly. "WE'RE LEAVING THE VILLAGE!"

Kurenai and Shino cringed at Kiba's volume, followed by Akamaru gave a high-pitched howl to express his own excitement. Fortunately, Hinata was far enough to avoid being hit by the cacophony, but not far enough to feel and share in their enthusiasm. It had not been bad news, but very, very good news instead. She had never been so happy for her team!

"I-I'm coming!" Hinata exclaimed, scrambling down the tree as "fast" as she could "manage."

A C-rank. Their very first. Hinata felt a thrill. She had had many C-rank missions with Team Kage, but this would be the first for Team 8. She was very happy for Kiba and Shino and Akamaru, who had been waiting for the chance to prove themselves for a long time now. That did not, however, mean that it would go as they wished. Hinata faltered once she was on the ground, facing her teammate's smiling faces and bright eyes. She wondered how they would fare.

Team 10 had been assigned a C-rank a few days previous, and had returned unharmed. Ino had been very excited to relay all that had happened to Hinata, much to a jealous Kiba standing by. Even Shino had been frowning, unseen behind his collar.

Although Team 7 had yet to complete a C-rank, their B-rank had been the envy for all of the Rookie Nine. All of Rookie Nine expect, of course, for Hinata. She had been more concerned for Naruto's wellbeing than his retelling, having noticed the shadows in his beautiful eyes and knew, instinctively, that he had been faced with death. After a week, she had yet to come forward to comfort him, too shy to know where to begin.

She could only pray that Team 8's C-rank did not turn into a B-rank.

Hinata shared a look with Shino, who was suddenly very sober. He, too, hoped that it was not a mission that would surprise, and best, them. Failing at tree walking was ego-bruising enough as it was.

"Let's go," Kurenai instructed.

They were given an hour to get their supplies ready before meeting at the village gate. For Hinata, she knew exactly what to pack and how much, being quite familiar and experienced with the process. Her only regret, as she removed herself from the Hyuga compound, was that she could not say goodbye to her sister.

With the Academy starting classes in a month's time, Hanabi had spent her every waking hour training with their father. It would be the year—her year—to begin the Academy, and the younger Hyuga did not know failure. As for Hinata, after becoming a genin, she hadn't had much time at home for her sister. All Hinata could do was kiss her sister goodbye every morning and not see her again until the evening. She almost wished that she hadn't made genin, if only to be with Hanabi a little longer…

She almost wished that Hanabi would not attend the Academy, if only so she would not feel pain.

But that was not how a Hyuga acted.

That was not how the summoner-nin acted.

"Ready?" Kurenai encouraged.

The genin of Team 8 shared a collective look, reading each other in that one second of hope and caution. Then, as one, they nodded to their sensei before they, as one, stepped through the gate and out into the world beyond.

xxx

Team 7 had escorted a bridge builder back to his country, protecting him from missing-nins and a band of ugly thugs. Team 10 had stood guard over a rice field from being burned and reaped by a rivalling village. Team 8, however, had instructions that worried Kurenai. Moreover, the mission briefing hadn't hidden anything from their team, giving precise orders of which route to take, what words to speak, how long they were to stay…

And why they were to go.

Kiba kicked a stray rock and grumbled unhappily down the path. The excitement from earlier had vanished the moment they had read the files. Even Shino was quietly mulling, in disappointment and anger. Akamaru, who was usually so pep and oblivious, was starting to stray behind them, not enjoying their morose mood or their mission. Although Kurenai was a little offended herself, Hinata was mostly sad. Just sad.

Touching her sleeve, a little confused and a little disappointed on behalf of her team, Hinata bent down to gather Akamaru into her arms. She didn't like how the puppy was trying to avoid them, and she didn't like how Kiba was not comforting him. But that was all right, she would take care of Akamaru… and the rest of the sorely rubbed boys.

She slowed a little, letting her team, including their sensei, walk in front of her. She watched their slow gait and agitated movements. They were unhappy, of course they were. The mission was like a slap in the face. It was such a blatant insult that even Hinata felt a little chafed at ojisan for giving them the C-rank, if not a little excited as well.

They were going to the Fire Temple, one of the most infamous and honourable ninja temples across the land. It would have been exciting and thrilling, and maybe even a little (and maybe even still was) dangerous, but all of the honour and shine of the Fire Temple was doused flat and dull when the mission prescribed their activities.

They were to deliver a scroll to the head monk, Chiriku, and then stay at the temple for two weeks. The reason for this was quite clear… andinsulting. They were to train with the monks because, as the Hokage wrote, "Team 8 is in need of a different environment to continue excelling." "Continue excelling" meant that they were not "excelling" at all, and the monks were to help them do so.

It hurt Kurenai the most, for she was unable to give them what (the Hokage perceived) her team needed. Hinata, who understood ojisan well, knew that he hadn't meant it as an insult, but as a way to aid them. It was an honour for anyone to be invited into the Fire Temple, to peruse their facilities and observe their training methods.

It was an honour Kiba couldn't appreciate, having ranted for half an hour straight on how unfair the Hokage was and how they could train at Konoha just fine.

Hinata sighed, holding Akamaru closer. The dog whined and brushed his cold nose to her neck, seeking comfort as much as giving. Hinata wasn't mad, but sad. She was sad that her team did not see this as an experience not many would be honoured by. She hoped their sensei would see that soon.

Shifting Akamaru to a more comfortable position in her arms, Hinata hastened her pace to match the others. For the rest of their journey, they had been silent, but they soon grew more and more animated as the Fire Temple came within sight. It was awe-inspiring, so beautiful and strong that it took their breaths away. Even Kiba was momentarily thrown out of his sulk to feel the greatness that was the building and all the dedication and passion it held within.

"T-this w-will be a good e-experience for us," Hinata pressed, hoping to dampen their unhappiness.

It worked when Kurenai sounded the gong at the entrance. A slot in the infamous, indestructible Sealed Iron Walls slid open and a pair of eyes appeared to gauge them carefully, but not unfriendly.

The monk sounded an enquiry from within, "How may we help you, travellers?"

They wore the Konoha placards, but they could have easily forged them.

Kurenai stepped forward. "The clouds blow in from the east."

Approval shined in the monk's eyes before he replaced the covering over the slot and unlocked the gates. A sense of awe and insignificance swamped Team 8 as they entered the holy temple, the statues of Tengu and Yamabushi on either side standing over them as if they were the true gods themselves, judging, observing, teaching.

Something resounded in Hinata as the air of the temple swathed her like feathered duvets. She squeezed Akamaru close as several monks stepped forward to lead them to their leader Chiriku. Through opened corridors, beautiful pagodas and riveting curved roofs—so like and unlike the austere and strict Hyuga compound—Team 8 was led to a room where a monk was silently praying to two smaller statues of the spirits.

"Chiriku," one of the escorting monks addressed the praying one. "The Konoha-nin have arrived."

"Thank you, Bansai," Chiriku responded, and returned to whispering his prayers.

The other monks bowed and left Team 8 in the room with their leader. Out of respect, Hinata lowered her head and closed her eyes, silently praying to the blessed Tengu and Yamabushi for fortune and strength. In the day they had taken to arrive, her teammates had been sad and angry. She prayed for patience for the boys, and happiness for their sensei. The boys needed it to temper their attitudes, and her sensei needed it to make her smile.

It was all she could ask for.

When she was finished with her prayer, she opened her eyes and lifted her chin, surprised to see Chiriku watching her, a glow to his eyes. He nodded to her, approving of her, and then faced their sensei. He had finished his prayer just a moment before, and was not on his feet.

"Welcome, Konoha-nin," he said. Though his words were warm, his expression remained placid. It was his training that made him hard, not his heart. "I have been informed of your arrival last week, and am happy to see that you have arrived."

"It is an honour, wise one, to be welcomed into the Fire Temple," Kurenai spoke. As one, Team 8 bowed to the head monk. "I have here a message from our Hokage. At your convenience, wise one."

"You have it, shinobi," Chiriku answered, and humbly received the Hokage's message. He broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. They watched quietly as he read the script, and then paused when he raised his eyes to look at each of them with care. His eyes lingered on Hinata, not long enough to be unnatural, but long enough for Hinata to press her index fingers together. He noted this, but said nothing. "Thank you, Yuhi-san. I will have others escort you to your rooms. Your journey has been long; it will do you well to rest for today. Tomorrow, we will begin your training."

"Thank you, wise one," Kurenai responded with courtesy.

They bowed again, and were politely extracted to their rooms. The rooms were bare, but efficient. When they were told that they'd be put on a vegan diet, as all monks kept to, Kiba had protested, only to be quieted by Kurenai's sharp look and eased by Hinata's encouraging smile. They took their meal with the rest of the monks, and felt welcomed and heartened by their good cheer and wise words. Soon, the morning dawned and the training began.

It was left unsaid, but anything and everything they would be taught in the next two weeks were never to leave the Sealed Iron Walls. In the morning, they participated in meditations and prayers. This was particularly hard on Kiba and Akamaru, but they managed not to fidget on the third day. Afterwards, they went through basic taijutsu with variations that was secret to the monk style. They were honoured to have been shared such a treasure, and it had been Shino who had to put extra effort into the exercise. He had never been the physical arm in their group, but the brain.

From there, they retired for lunch, and then in the afternoon, they were each separated for their own personal training by their own monk mentor. Kurenai's instructor was another genjutsu specialist, and Kiba and Shino each had their own chakra manipulation specialist. As for Hinata, she had Chiriku himself.

"Summoner-nin," Chiriku said by way of greeting.

Despite the fact that they were within the very inner sanctum of the temple, protected by numerous seals and elite monks (too far to hear them), Hinata still jumped. She had not known that Chiriku knew her identity, but he did not seem like it was unnatural to address her as such.

"Y-Yes?" she squeaked.

Chiriku nodded, and then gestured to the pillow situated across from his. She sat and they mediated. For three days, she did not understand the exercise. She already participated in the monks' morning mediation, but on the four day… she felt it. She felt chakra radiating from the ground beneath her and swirling in the air she breathed. She had gasped and opened her eyes.

Chiriku, wise and knowing, slowly opened his eyes to regard her. She was confused, and he consoled, "It is natural energy around you. In time, it will be a part of you as you are a part of it."

Hinata frowned. "I-It is… c-containable?"

"Only to those who work hard," Chiriku answered. "Only then can they become Sages. Do not strive to be one, summoner-nin. You should strive to balance yourself and your summons with the world around you. Then, and only then, will you be one."

She was confused, but she understood that the natural energy around her was what the monks strove for and lived in harmony with. Closing her eyes again, she meditated, but this time, she could not feel the natural energy. It required more training, she concluded, and a concentration she had yet to adopt.

While training with Chiriku did not require Hinata to think too hard, training alongside Shino and Kiba certainly did. Many times, while going through the taijutsu moves, she would pull back, or away, or down. During other routine exercises, such as breaking blocks and lifting weights, she had to pretend to be weaker, smaller, slower. Even during morning meditation, she would startle herself awake once or twice during the activity.

For Team 8, they did not find it strange.

For Chiriku, he was confused.

"Why do you hold yourself at bay, summoner-nin?" he asked her one day.

Hinata squirmed in her cross-legged position. She could not avoid his eyes, seeing as he was sitting facing her, and she would not do him discourtesy by running away. Instead, she replied with honesty, "I-I do not want to d-discourage them. I-If I'm stronger… t-they may f-feel they must g-give up…"

Chiriku frowned and Hinata wanted to disappear. He chided her, "Summoner-nin, how well you do does not reflect upon how well they do not do. Comparing each other to one another and to yourself is unwise and unnecessary. It can be detrimental and dangerous. If you are playing weak, then how will you protect your teammates? If you are playing weak, then how can they grow to be stronger when they believe themselves to be strong enough for you?

In order for a team to grow, you must all grow. If you hold back, they will also hold back."

Hinata eyes widened.

"They will grow," Chiriku spoke with surety. "But at what pace, one cannot know.

This was what Shikaku had meant. He hadn't meant for her to hold back, but to push the others subtly. Understanding this, Hinata bowed low to the head monk, grateful and relieved. "Thank you, Chiriku-sama, for your advice."

Chiriku nodded, and they returned to their meditation.

For the next two weeks, Shino grew stronger, Kiba grew wiser, and Kurenai grew happier. Shino and Kiba's chakra reserves had expanded, and Kurenai had a couple of new jutsus in her arsenal. As for Hinata, she began to understand natural energy more, began to expand upon the Hyuga Juken from the monks' training, and learned a lot about medicinal salves; the monks have taught her their concoctions after she had stumbled into them.

Finally, after two weeks, they were to leave the Fire Temple, stronger than ever. The monks had made a feast in celebration, and they retired to their rooms exhausted, but sated. On the night of their departure, Chiriku summoned Hinata to him and gave her a scroll.

She recognized it immediately.

"I-I," she stumbled, excited, happy and incredibly humbled.

Chiriku smiled, a small, miniscule one that took her breath away. He bowed to her and she clumsily returned it, blushing and awkward. He said, "It has been an honour, summoner-nin. Not many have had the opportunity to train one with your gift."

"T-Thank you," Hinata managed to choke, crying at their departure.

He touched her shoulder once, a moment of sensei and student, and then left her in the room with Tengu and Yamabushi. When the sound of his footsteps were no more, Hinata placed the scroll on the ground and gingerly unfurled it along the length of the holy sanctuary. She smiled at the script.

She bit her thumb, cringing (she would never get used to it, she supposed), and signed her name at the bottom. She called whispered the words, imagining the bird to be small so not to disrupt the chakra in the temple… but nothing appeared.

Shocked, heartbroken, Hinata stood and spun around the room to look for the bird, but found nothing but an empty room. She stared up at Tengu and Yamabushi, who stared down at her, blank and all-knowing, and silent on the matter. Panicking, she feared that she had lost her ability, and feared that she may never see her friends again. She choked a sob, but then stilted when she heard the croon.

For a moment, she daren't hope, and then she ran out of the room.

There, standing in the middle of the lotus water garden, was the Crane. Tall, thin and majestic—immortal and wise—his white feathers shone like a dream in the moonlight, his beak sharp like a shuriken. He looked at her, his dark eyes penetrating and knowing, and then he flew into the sky with a beautiful cry.

He approved of her.

xxx

"So, so, so?" Ino leaned into Hinata's face, eyes wide with excitement and curiosity.

"U-Um," Hinata stumbled, unable to take all of Ino in at once.

Thankfully, Shino pulled her back by her sleeve and Kiba heroically took her place in front of the Yamanaka, to fend the shrill girl back. Finally, Hinata had the time to gather her breath and calm her frantic heart. It had startled her when Ino suddenly ran up to her and went all caps on her; it had sent the marketplace staring at them.

Behind Ino, Shikamaru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ino. Please, calm. You're scaring Hinata."

At this, Ino stepped back, throwing a glare at Shikamaru over her shoulder, and then faced Kiba. "So! How was your mission? Got to beat some bad guys? Got some good souvenirs? Or-"

"Hey, guys!" Naruto hollered from down the street.

Hinata went red and quietly shuffled behind Shino as Team 7 neared and merged with Team 10. Now they were definitely the centre of attention; several store keepers scowling at Naruto. Hinata wanted to glare—Byakugan glare, if needed—at them, but was too frazzled by Naruto's presence to concentrate. He no longer looked haunted by death, much to Hinata's relief.

"Kiba!" Naruto greeted, slapping the Inuzuka on the back. Kiba winced at the impact, but stayed his retort while Akamaru butted his head to Naruto's leg to get him away. "How was your mission?"

"I asked first!" Ino exclaimed.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and Choji nonchalantly ate his chips. But it was Sasuke who surprised the group.

The last Uchiha stepped up to the sole Hyuga in the group and stated, "You went to the Fire Temple."

A pause.

"WHAT?" Ino burst.

Shikamaru raised a brow and even Choji stopped midway from placing a chip in his mouth.

"U-Um," Hinata stuttered under all their eyes.

Shino stepped forward, effectively hiding the Hyuga behind him, and regarded the Uchiha with care. "I am curious as to where you have retrieved such information."

"Ojisan told me!" Naruto said, grinning wide and large. "The Hokage wouldn't at first, but then I used my Oiroke no Jutsu on him and—BAM!—he told me everything!"

The group went silent, save for a grinding sound. They were curious as to where it was coming from until Sakura's fist connected with Naruto's noggin and made a crevice in the ground. Her teeth continued to grind as she hissed, "Naruto. That was confidential!"

Naruto quickly sprung to his feet, awkward and sheepish. "Oh, um, Sakura—I—we—SASUKE MENTIONED IT FIRST!"

They all turned to Sasuke. Hinata was a little worried for Naruto, but he had recovered from the hit rather well. She supposed it happened often, what with Sakura being on his team. She was a little jealous of their relationship.

She turned back to Sasuke, who shrugged noncommittally. Instantly, he was forgiven by Sakura and Ino, which meant that they all had to forgive him if they wanted to avoid shrilling and shrieking. Shikamaru mumbled a "troublesome."

Sasuke faced Hinata again and she "meeped." He raised brow, not amused, but certainly more tolerant after facing Naruto every godforsaken day. "So?" he mused.

"It went well," Shino answered for her. "Why? It is an honour to be welcomed to the Fire Temple."

"You were gone for two weeks," Sasuke said, still to Hinata. "Nothing happened?"

"That's true!" Sakura chimed in, ever the supportive fangirl.

Ino leaned in eagerly, not so much to spur Sasuke on, but out of brimming curiosity. It was not lost on Team 8 that Teams 7 and 10 were all holding their breaths. Not just anyone can visit the Fire Temple and stay for two weeks.

Sasuke moved toward Hinata, but was cut off when Kiba, once again, stepped in front of her and took her place. "It was good," Kiba answered, blunt and glaring rudely at the Uchiha. "You would've liked it."

The Uchiha wasn't satisfied, and Hinata knew that he was going to start something. For a moment, she was glad that her boys were protecting her… but then she got a little miffed that her boys were protecting her. She could admit that she was timid, shy and a little "weak," but she could answer for herself, thank you very much. How could she protect her boys if she couldn't even face up to Sasuke?

With determination, she stepped around Kiba and stared Sasuke straight in the eye.

The whole group was shocked.

"T-The m-mission is confidential," Hinata said. "W-We're n-not at liberty to s-say."

With that, she fell to a dead faint.

But frankly, Shino and Kiba couldn't have been more proud of her.

xxx

They crouched in the ready position, knees bent, weight on their toes and torsos forward. They were each determined to finally triumph and excel at this feat, and hoped madly that their teammates could too. The wind teased the grasses; their hair tickling their noses and waving in their vision, but not one moved to brush their hair back. Taut, firm and strained, they each waited for their sensei to call out; the dog-nin behind them trembling from the anxious wait.

Finally, their sensei sounded the knell.

"Go!"

They set out at once, dashing forward across the grassy plain to their allocated tree. To her right, she saw Shino's sunglasses spark in the sun. To her left, she saw Kiba's fangs gritted in purpose. She mined what Chiriku had said, and made sure she was a step ahead of Shino and a step behind Kiba. When the trees drew rapidly close, they simultaneously jumped and planted their feet to the trunks.

Kiba stubbornly raced up his tree, not looking down as he drew his claws several times to avoid from slipping. Shino was faster, and more graceful, as he sprinted the climb with his coat fluttering behind him. They were both sweating as they laboured, but it was an easier go than before. Finally, after fifteen minutes—including the mad run across the field—the two boys of Team 8 made to the very top of their trees.

They shared a grin, even though Shino's was masked behind the collar of his coat, and then they frowned. Where was Hinata?

They looked to the tree between them, and did not find her there. They looked down, and were confused as to why she was at the very bottom. She had glued her feet to the trunk, but had yet to move beyond a few paces. They were worried that she was either sick, or did not have the strength to endure this exercise…

The boys were really quiet, unsure of what to say. Finally, just when Akamaru was going to whine and Kiba was going to shout encouragements, she began to move. She did not go fast. Indeed, she was not even running or jogging—she was walking. Flabbergasted, Kiba was a little frustrated that the girl wouldn't try harder. He was about to voice his concerns when a kikaichu touched the corner of his mouth, a sign for quiet.

He looked to Shino, who was watching Hinata with concentration, when Kiba turned back to the girl, he noticed something… different about her. Hinata was not frowning at the effort or sad that the boys had beaten her. In fact, her facial expression was blank as she continued to stroll up her tree in a leisurely manner.

They watched, confounded, as she set a pace that was almost pleasurable and nonchalant. It wasn't until she walked past Kiba, walked past Shino, did the Kiba realize that Hinata was not sweating at all. She was not breathing hard, or strained, or anything. She was completely, naturally relaxed and almost happy about the exercise.

Finally, she topped a branch higher and thinner than the boys. Her lighter weight allowed for it, and then she turned around, placed her fists to her waist and looked down at her teammates. Cocking her head to one side, Hinata smiled and declared, quite determined and proud, "I win!"

The boys were floored.

Akamaru barked, laughing at the boys' defeat.

Although they'd climbed faster than her, she beat them with her stamina and grace. Hell, if they were in a battle, she'd probably be the only with enough energy left to hold their position; Kiba and Shino would have been too exhausted to fight.

"Kiba," Shino said decidedly.

The Inuzuka turned his incredulous stare to the Aburame.

"I believe that we are in need of more training. Why? Because we cannot allow Hinata to beat us."

The words "and not be able to defend our team" went unsaid, but Kiba got it. Two weeks at the Fire Temple had done them good, but there still some of that training that they'd have to refine.

Kiba grinned, his fangs glittering in the sun. "Damn straight! Let's try this again."

And then Team 8 jumped off their trees and landed in front of their smiling sensei.

The road to ninja was a long, but worthwhile, journey.

xxx

the point

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