Enjoy!

Hinata and her team had been training for what seemed like hours, yet the long-absent Hyuuga girl wasn't growing winded like they were. She was deliberately keeping pace with them, moving in the same way in the hopes of mirroring their progress, but she was left feeling unfulfilled. Her face was blushed a tad by the fact that Kiba and Shino were panting and she was not. Sweat beaded on her brow, but it was the fault of the afternoon sun, not the strenuous paces Kurenai had been putting them through. Hinata found herself in a tree, seated on a dead branch with no leaves high above the meadow that served as their training area. Kiba and Shino were in the same tree, tagging out of the race as high as they could reach after exerting so much chakra.

Kurenai clapped her hands together one time far below, the sound reaching Hinata's ears with a faintness that gave away just how high she had climbed. That was the signal to return front and center, and with a graceful tip of her thighs and hips, she slid off the tree and free-fell all the way down, landing in the grass after a second or two with a thunk that spread a few wafts of dust from her feet. Kiba and Shino came next, with Kiba in particular landing hard on his shoulder after losing balance halfway down.

"Grah!" Kiba snarled, rubbing his shoulder and squirming in place. "Damn it all!"

Kurenai puffed a sigh, folding her arms with disapproval. Shino and Hinata stepped aside, opening a clear path leading to Kiba in silence as their sensei moved to lecture him. "This is why you should be pacing yourself, Kiba—you pulled a muscle on the way up, didn't you?"

He didn't answer, but the blush and clenched jaw gave it away. Shino spoke up after that: "We aren't trying to hold you back, Kiba. That's because we know exactly what you're capable of. I think perhaps that you're overestimating your abilities, and that's why I have—"

Kiba barked a wordless interruption, and he brought himself to his feet without wobbling. Though his arm was limp after the shock of impact to his shoulder, most of his other muscles were still perfectly intact. He looked a bit pitiful being half disabled like that, but gradually his feeling returned and he flexed his fingers. He looked irritated. "Look, I don't want you guys trying to police my training pace. I've said it already that I need to work as hard as I can, or else Sasuke is just going to walk all over me. I'm going to get one good hit in...at least one. Enough to rattle his jaw, crack his teeth. To make him think seriously about me."

Hinata knew how hard that would be. She had been trying to land a good hit on Sasuke for over a month, yet she had never come any closer to rattling him than he had allowed her to. Even after all of her training with him, she knew that she wasn't a single degree closer to matching his level of strength, speed, and cunning. "We understand, Kiba." She moved over to him and laid her gentle hand on his shoulder from behind, then pressed a stern surge of chakra through the joint to relocate the bones and crack them back into proper place with solid pressure. "But we worry about you."

As his socket was forcefully realigned, Kiba's jaw clenched and his face turned a bit red, but he refused to grunt in pain; after the shock and audible crack subsided, he had regained full motion and tested it by raising his hand to give a thumbs up. "Ahem...thanks, Hinata. I was alright, though." He grinned with forced confidence, the light of day sparkling off his teeth. "You're looking really good today, by the way; you've been moving faster than us and you aren't even winded."

It was true; Hinata wasn't panting like Shino and Kiba were. The sweat was superficial, and her muscles didn't burn with fatigue like theirs. Sasuke had really been putting her through the wringer, and she had adapted so well that she never realized how much more conditioned she had become compared to before. "It's nothing, really," Hinata modestly tucked some of her hair to one side, looking toward Shino. "You two have been at it a lot longer than me, that's all."

Kiba didn't accept that answer. After catching his breath, he stood straight and brought himself into a ready position, smothering her with his eagerness. His clawed fingers were flexed and his arms were held out to both sides. "That's not it...you're different now; you feel stronger." He grinned and cocked his head, looking confident and aggressive. "I think we should spar, Hinata—let me see how much you've improved under your new teacher." He seemed jealous in more than one way—was she stronger than him, now? He figured not, but he needed to know for sure.

Kurenai's eyes narrowed in the shade. New teacher? I wonder who it could be. She folded her arms, settling against the tree and looking at both Hinata and Kiba. Predictably, the Hyuuga girl took a step back and shook her head, trying to modestly deny the proposition with classic hesitation. Kurenai thought that Kiba had a point, so she spoke for selfish reasons: "Kiba's right, Hinata. You've been missing our training sessions, so I'd like to be sure that you're progressing the way you should be. Whether you have a new teacher or not, I am still officially accountable as your sensei and team leader." she wanted to see Hinata's improvements, too—after watching her train for an afternoon, it was clear that Hinata was in far better shape than ever before, so for curiosity's sake her long-time mentor encouraged the conflict. She peered over to Shino, who was silently disgruntled. He had been interrupted earlier and was still steamy about it. "Shino, could you get Mirai and come over here? Let's give them some room to move." The hooded Aburame—who never seemed to shed his jacket, even as the days grew hotter and hotter—complied with a nod and fetched the young girl from the nearby flower patch, holding her hand to lead the wobbly steps to her mother.

Hinata was flustered by the turn of events, looking from person to person and finding little opportunity to protest. "I don't know if I should fight, though." She was practically whispering to herself. What if she got hurt? What if Sasuke came to see her, and she was busy sparring? Would he have felt betrayed if he found out that she was training with another person? Pull yourself together, she chastised her own mind with a rough shake of her head. He's not that petty. He'd probably be proud of me for training even when he's not here to guide me. She smiled to herself; she wanted to make Sasuke proud. Still, she hesitated to fight, shaking her head. "You're too strong for me, Kiba—besides, I'm not dressed for combat!" She smiled reluctantly with the hope that her reasons would be enough, but she suspected that they wouldn't be. Her bright yellow shirt was dirtied by tree bark and grass stains already—what would a few more matter?

The young Inuzuka flexed his claws, cracking the joints of his knuckles with movement alone. "Come on, stop making excuses Hinata...I've gotten bored of sparring with Shino. He's always holding something back, and I've been wanting to go all-out." Kiba had a look akin to bloodlust, but it was ultimately an insincere seriousness. He was famously blusterous, but he never meant anything by it. Not with his friends, anyhow. "So, are you going to forfeit before we've even started? I'll bet Neji'd be pretty disappointed if he saw that..." He was goading her, a tactic that never worked on the meek young girl of the past, but one that struck a volatile chord within the well-developed woman who had taken her place.

Hinata's expression turned steely, at first bothered by the invocation of her late cousin's name, but quickly replacing her offense with contemplation. Maybe Kiba was right; Neji deserved to see how strong she had become. "Fine, then. If it's what you want, then I'll fight with you." She took a stance, slowly spreading her feet out and putting her arms in a defensive hook, bent low near her stomach. "Kurenai-sensei, please signal us to begin." Her face drew into focus, her smile vanishing and her eyelids hardening into a narrowed stare.

Kurenai nodded. With Mirai secure in one arm, her other one was raised up with a flat hand extended out. She held still and created some theatrical suspense while the two fighters stood entirely motionless with anticipation. Although Hinata was initially the hesitant one, Kurenai observed with wonder that Kiba was the one who now seemed nervous.

Kiba swallowed a gulp as he anticipated the signal, taking that moment to get a good look at his opponent. That stance, he thought as new beads of perspiration began to trickle along his face and down his chin. It's not like before...she's got steadiness like I've never seen. He looked to Kurenai through the corner of his eye, waiting for the signal; Akamaru was over there, too. The hound was still tuckered out and not really invested in the spar; certaintly not going to be of any use.

Hinata's thoughts were refined, forcing her mind to release any absent-minded worries or hopes. She was focusing solely on her opponent. Her Byakugan had tightened into activation, veins gently raised along the perfect skin of her face. Her breaths were steady, her mouth closed flat like a resting coin. She could potentially see everything, but she focused her view on two spots in particular—Kurenai's tentatively hovering hand, and Kiba's quivering knees. He seemed unsure of himself, and Hinata couldn't understand why. Wasn't he the one to suggest the spar to begin with?

Kiba nearly changed his mind after seeing the woman's confidence, but before he could open his mouth to say so he heard Kurenai's hand cut through the air; a bellow of 'begin!' escaped from her lips to echo in the empty field. Kiba tensed, and within a single breath he started to burst into action—he knew it was too late for regrets now. Across the clearing, Hinata was watching, waiting—refusing to make the first move. If there was one thing Kiba knew for sure about Hinata's fighting style, it was that she was prone to hesitation. With that in mind he decided to approach quickly, hopefully catching her off guard while she remained mentally unsure about the battle.

Hinata concentrated on keeping her breaths. She saw that Kiba was coming, but he was moving rather slowly. Was he testing her, perhaps? She kept her eyes open and waited. He was getting closer; gaining speed with each step. Still, he was slow. Perhaps he was feinting, trying to set up an ambush from another angle. Her vision was spread far and wide, but she hadn't seen him create a clone. Could there have been a trap laid for her, or was Kiba really going for a straight-on assault? Hinata allowed him to reach her within the span of a few steps; she could see that his arm was pulled back, then he launched it outward to throw a simple punch toward her chin. With a deftness that far surpassed the expectations of the observers, she ducked beneath the arcing blow and caught her attacker's momentum by the wrist with a strong hand. Rising into a standing twirl she flung her weight against his chest and pulled at his arm, effortlessly hoisting him over her shoulders and—once she released his wrist—sending him flying past her position overhead. He didn't slow down, but he did lose his footing. He was upside down, thrashing through the air and howling out with surprise as he was discarded into a thick pile of bushes along the outskirts of the clearing.

A rustle of leaves and snapping of branches accompanied Kiba's hard fall, and for a moment he disappeared beneath the green coverage. He panted in the dark, keeping himself hidden, though he knew that the Byakugan could see him. What the hell was that? I never even felt her touch me...it's like I was picked up by the wind. He glanced down at his wrist, and he felt a slight throb against the base of his hand. He had been grabbed there, but he hadn't even felt it, let alone seen it. Just how good has she gotten? When he looked at her through a gap in the leafy bush, his jaw fell open in paralyzed shock. Now I know why she seems so different... He looked directly at her, but rather than seeing Hinata's own poise and preparation, he saw someone else—someone sinister. There was a darkened silhouette of Sasuke Uchiha laid over her frame. Kiba saw her as a copy of the traitor; when their faces overlapped in his imagination, Kiba saw that they were identical—cold and removed, thinking about nothing other than the battle, and then planning three, four, even five steps ahead. Kiba wasn't impressed anymore—he was pissed. How dare Sasuke take Hinata and turn her into that? It was like plucking a flower and planting a crude iron imitation in its place. It was a matter of principal, then—he had to win. He had to prove that she was going down the wrong path. Plus, fighting a student of Sasuke's would be like fighting the man himself—a good rehearsal.

"Not bad," Kiba spoke from the bushes, huddling low to the ground and pretending that Hinata couldn't see him. He flexed his hands together to form a seal and then clapped them onto the ground. The sound of his chakra flow echoed in his ears and he knew that the preparations were complete. "I'll admit that you've got good reflexes, Hinata, but don't celebrate yet—I wasn't even trying."

Hinata took a break from her stern expression to smile softly. "You're testing me, isn't that right?" She was looking into the bush where he was hidden—she had seen his hands weaving seals. Perhaps it was a distraction, a ruse to make her focus on him. With that in mind, she kept her vision expanded in search of any pitfalls he might have set. She had no intentions of letting herself be taken by surprise. It was only a spar; if she were to lose, she wouldn't shed a tear. But since she was locked into the situation and was being evaluated by Kurenai, she decided to put forth a good effort. With this in mind, she invited him to try a little harder. "You don't have to hold back so much, Kiba. I want to see you at your best."

Kurenai scoffed lightly from the side. She kept her analysis to her own thoughts, not wanting to create tension. Kiba says he's holding back, but I can see the truth—he was trying to rush her down with all of his might, but he had no capacity to react to her movements. Maybe it's because he's worn out by the drills, but Hinata tossed him aside like a losing lottery ticket. The contemplative teacher looked to Shino, who seemed surprised by the outcome too. Kurenai could read him through his coverage like nobody else, though—he didn't look surprised enough. In fact, he looked like he knew something about Hinata's mysterious new teacher just like Kiba did. Kurenai felt excluded. What is it that they aren't telling me?

Kiba sprung out from within the bush with a brief rustle, landing a few paces out from the dense greenery. There was a scratch on the side of his face; not bleeding, but definitely reddened. He took a stance again, though he didn't rush in the same way as before. Like the last time, he could see that Hinata was waiting for him and would have cast him away just as easily if he tried the same tactic. When Hinata was looking at him, he felt stifled even though she was smiling—her gaze held the weight of Sasuke's. Kiba couldn't pick up Sasuke's scent anywhere nearby, and that meant that the uneasy feeling in his gut was coming from her, and her alone. He couldn't bring himself to risk attacking first only to be countered again, but he didn't want to call it a draw, either. Only one option left at that point: "Alright, Hinata...I made the first move. Now it's your turn to make the second."

Hinata narrowed her eyes. I guess it's fair to take turns. It's just a spar, after all. She knew about the trap he had set. Her Byakugan could see its components clearly, once she focused on the search. However, knowing that a trap exists is not the same thing as being able to deal with it. She took a breath and remembered Sasuke's teachings. Remove the advantage. Easier said than done, given that she was being goaded into attacking a man who had laid a rather fearsome trap. She could refuse to go next, but she felt an urge in the back of her mind that convinced her to test herself. Let him spring the trap; I can handle it. Her first step was slow and purposeful, a signal that she was accepting his challenge.

Kiba smirked as Hinata stepped out of her 'bubble' of defense. He knew that if she was on the move, she would be less able to do whatever she had done to toss him away. He knew that the Hyuuga style involved free-flowing reactions with a defensive focus lingering in one location—urging her to go on the attack was the only way to nullify that advantage. Neji may have been a marvelously capable fighter both while standing still and while moving, but Hinata was always weaker on the offensive side of things than the defensive. Perhaps it was a dirty trick to use his long-time knowledge of her fighting style to coax her into making a mistake, but it wasn't about her anymore—it was about her enigmatic master. Defeating her would be a blow to Sasuke's ego. "That's what I'm talkin' about!" he howled as his opponent took a second step. "Come on, show me something impressive!"

When the third step came she was instantly upon him; the gap of meters was closed with a blink and Kiba hadn't been able to shut his mouth before he felt his ankles sucked out from under him. He faced the sky as he fell downward and lost his sense of orientation. He caught her scent powerfully, and he knew that she was physically there; he wasn't being assaulted by ninjutsu, so how had she moved so fast? It really wasn't clear. He felt his back upon the air, and his hands reached down to grasp at thick grass as he fell, finding a hardness to land against. He caught himself with stiff arms and propelled himself backward to frantically grow distant from her. When his vision found Hinata's yellowed form, he saw that she had been in position to land a second strike, but she had hesitated to finish the fight. She could have throttled him hard into the dirt with her raised elbow before he caught his balance—and Kiba knew that she could have. So, why didn't she? Kiba understood, and that was his advantage. Hinata was soft and kind, plenty prone to holding back against her friends and fellow villagers. For all the strength and speed she had so miraculously attained, her weaknesses were the same as ever.

Hinata stood in plain sight with her elbow raised up. Kiba had given way to her ankle sweep as if he had been an empty paper bag. I saw the shock on his face—he had no idea what was happening to him. When she stood up, she was already prepared to drive her elbow into his chest mid-fall and pummel him into the earth, but she had stopped. She had seen him falling—she perceived the way his individual hairs flapped chaotically in the sudden shift of wind and gravity. The stillness of Kiba's descent had grabbed her, forced her to cease. Kiba escaped while she considered what had happened, and during her moment of confusion and concern her adversary raised his hands to trigger the trap she had stepped into.

"Here's a new trick!" Kiba exclaimed brashly, assuming that Hinata was too stunned by his quick retreat to give chase or respond to the coming assault. He found his confidence again: "Earth Style: Chomping Vacuum Jaws!" The ground trembled; suddenly there was an explosion of grass and mud that shot upward from four points around Hinata. The opened points didn't make a perfect square; the shape was more rectangular in nature, resembling a dog's open mouth. From within the tunneled holes, four silvery-white drills emerged like writhing tentacles. First they ascended, then they curved downward from all sides, closing in on Hinata from above while maintaining their twisting violence in every direction. She had no way of escaping; the whirling winds that passed between the pillars of alternating rotation created a suction that would prevent her from dashing through the gaps. Hinata was surrounded by four vicious tornadoes made of fangs and claws.

Kurenai and Shino were gasping on the sidelines, eyes wide. The sun was blotted out by the expansive size of the technique, and Kurenei was shielding Mirai with one arm and her own eyes with another. The rush of air was intense, thrashing the grass and tree branches all around the clearing. Neither of the spectators could see Hinata amidst the chaotic eruption and constant gyrations of the tilting spires. Kurenai once again let her thoughts run. To think that he had enough chakra left over to perform a technique of this magnitude...Kiba, perhaps I've been underestimating you after all.

Kiba seemed pleased; the technique was executed perfectly. He played its steps over again in his head: First, I hid four shadow clones underground. Once they were in position, I only had to wait for Hinata to reach me. After I got away from her, all four clones erupted at the same time, each performing the Tunneling Fang technique. She's trapped in place by the resulting winds, and the full brunt of the attack is coming from four sides at once. She hasn't mastered Neji's rotation, but even if she had...the rotational force of my attack would be too much for her to overcome. She may be able to move faster than I expected, but now she's trapped. She'll see that I'm not some pushover like Sasuke thinks I am!

Within the cacophony of the technique, Hinata felt the pressure of the air shifting left and right, up and down—she felt weight on all sides of her, as if she were being pressed upon by pure willpower. Her Byakugan was assessing the situation, and her shoulders were held steady. An attack on four sides with barriers of natural wind between each physical blockade. The four conical assaults were curving downward at a swift pace, Hinata knew...so why did they seem to be moving so slowly? She thought it must have been a trick perpetrated by Kiba, but as time stretched through her mind and she saw the gradual encroachment of the four individual clones, she remembered what Sasuke said: 'You don't realize how tremendously you've improved. Next time you spar with a friend, take it easy—you'll hit harder than you expect.' Could that have been what she was experiencing? Perhaps Kiba was moving faster than ever, but her own condition had improved threefold over him. That was when the attack finally reached her, and with a held breath she closed her eyelids to protect them from the dust and wind that was kicked up. Her vision bypassed her lids just like it bypassed everything else. With clear vision on all sides, she kicked off of one leg to find herself in the air. Without her chakra bracing her against the grass below, she felt the influence of the winds shoving against her and threatening to carry her away. The force wasn't quite enough to deter her, however; the initialization of her leap was quick and controlled.

From the outside, the view was impossible to decipher—Hinata seemed doomed. Kurenai looked to Kiba with a healthy amount of shock. The real body of the Inuzuka was standing out of harm's way, forcing his chakra to continue flowing, pumping his influence into the attack to maintain its onslaught. His teeth were grinding together and a vein in his forehead was bulging beneath the edges of his headband. Kurenai passed Mirai over to Shino, who took the child instinctively and kept her hidden behind the loose sleeves of his overcoat; the toddler didn't seem too disturbed. In fact she seemed to enjoy the spectacle.

Kurenai was up on her feet, leaving the shade of the tree in an attempt to reach Kiba and force him to call off the technique; she shouted his name but went unheard. She aimed to rush him and interrupt his concentration, but before she had taken the second step of her sprint, there was a sudden explosion of mist coming from the center of the clearing. White clouds puffed violently around where Hinata had formerly been swallowed up by noise and violence. With an instantaneous and conspicuous removal of sound, there was no longer an attack at all. Kiba was stunned, Kurenai was stunned, Shino was stunned...and Hinata stood at the center of the small crater left behind with a stern look of confidence. Her hair was disheveled by the wind, but there wasn't a mark upon her face or body to be spoken of. A few residual crackles of blue-white energy—lightning—arced off of Hinata's arms as she took stable breaths and stared Kiba down.

Silence continued for a moment and Kiba swallowed the lump in his throat. There's no way, he thought. My technique is supposed to be unbeatable. Then he saw the lightning and snarled, another obnoxious reminder of Sasuke Uchiha. The anger roared up in him again; it wasn't fair that she ran to Sasuke instead of coming to him. Team Eight was supposed to stay Team Eight; all the highs and lows, all the growth and progress were supposed to be shared. Yet Hinata had abandoned them, preferring a traitor (rather, a monster) to the company of her longtime friends. More and more, Kiba grew convinced that something was unnatural about Hinata's recent behavior. She was certainly being manipulated and didn't even know it. As the dust settled the first one to speak, as usual, was Kiba himself: "Lightning...is that a trick you learned from him?"

Hinata gave a slow nod. She could sense the vileness in Kiba's words; he hated Sasuke. She had hoped that it was only a misunderstanding or a bad impression, but each and every time the man came up in Kiba's thoughts, she could see the disgust like a road sign. There was killing intent. Kiba wasn't just Sasuke's rival any longer—a deeply rooted desire to end the entire Uchiha family bloodline was present. "Yes...he has taught me very well, Kiba." Her voice wasn't meek or subtle. She was tired of his hate, tired of his aggression. "I don't think we should continue." She closed her hands and frowned, exiting her combat stance and looking to Kurenai. "And...maybe I should just go."

Kiba shook his head, clenching his fist. "No, you're not going anywhere. Not if you plan on going back to him..."

Hinata furrowed her brows. "I'm sick of hearing that from everyone! How many times have you even spoken to him since he came back!? Do you understand how he feels about this village, about its people? I think you've gotten him confused with a monster from your nightmares. Pull away the shadow of fear, and look at the real thing for once. He's...different."

Kiba's bones were trembling. Hearing those words became too much to bear. "I definitely understand how he feels about us! That's exactly why I can't let this slide...he wants to destroy us all, and he's starting with you! He's even got you lying on his behalf, but the worst part of all is that you believe the lies he forces you to tell! No matter what you say, I know he's the one who's been hurting you...and I'm already sick of pretending otherwise."

"I've told you a dozen times that he's not the one to blame for what you saw..." Hinata's visage darkened; she was fed up with repeating herself. She had hoped that Kiba would be one of the first to understand, but his dislike of Sasuke seemed to override his trust in her. "Why won't you take my word for it?"

Kiba wasn't allowing himself to be convinced or coerced; Hinata could have said the same thing a thousand times and his gut would still churn in defiance because he knew the truth. "You keep choosing him over our friendship, Hinata...I keep trying to warn you that you're making a terrible mistake. How many times can I say that I don't want to lose you before it sinks in...?"

Hinata raised one protesting finger, "You won't lose me—not unless you keep acting this way. You're the only one who's calling an ultimatum. He's not forcing that choice, and neither am I...it's just you. Truthfully, you'll always be my friend, Kiba, but you have to accept that there are other people who care about me...and other people whom I care about in turn. Please stop with this petty selfishness; it's starting to wear on my patience."

"I can't tolerate it, Hinata. I can't watch him corrupt you just because you're too damn gullible to see through the deception!" Kiba was pleading yet furious. "If it means telling some harsh truths and making some stupid decisions, I'll go through with it no matter what the cost—I'm not going to let him have you."

Hinata sighed and took a step forward. It hurt her to know that Kiba no longer trusted her. In a way, she knew the risks of growing close to Sasuke, but she wasn't going to roll over and accept the backlash just because she knew it was coming. There were still flickers of electricity coursing through her, residual shivers reaching her eyes for bursts that were less than a split second long. Those jolts of energy flashed across her pale irises as she spoke. "I've always trusted you, Kiba. I've shared secrets with you even when I knew I shouldn't. You're like a brother and you've always been good to me in the past...but right now?" She fell silent for a few seconds, and nobody else dared to speak. There was a certainty in her voice, a calmness that chilled the blood. "It's hard for me to look at you. You've become ugly with hatred and jealousy."

Kiba stepped nearer as well, looking like he was ready to throw another punch. Akamaru was whimpering from the sidelines, but he didn't get involved. It was a conflict between his beloved master and a cherished friend. He resigned himself to ducking his head and covering his eyes with his paws. Kiba was puffing enraged air through his nose. "What'd you say to me...?" He cracked his neck by thrashing his head to one side, taking on an arrogant posture. "You think I'd be jealous of a bastard like him!? He may have pulled the wool over the eyes of you, Naruto, and the Hokage...but he's not fooling me! Eventually he's going to slip up, and every excuse you've made for him is going to be erased by the truth! Maybe it's petty, but I swear I'm gonna say 'I told you so' as soon as it happens!"

"Why are you acting this way!? Is it because you're jealous that he's made sure that I'm stronger than you are?" There was a little bit of mockery in Hinata's words. She felt that Kiba deserved it. Also, the fact that she had so easily cast aside his powerful new technique had given her a surge of confidence. She no longer had reason to fear his temper tantrums—she realized that she could put him down, if need be.

"Stronger than me? You've got a lot of nerve after getting lucky, you—"

"Kiba, shut your mouth!" Kurenai suddenly declared hotly. She had heard enough. With an icy murmur, she looked at her notoriously-outspoken student and gave an unquestionable order: "Back away from Hinata. The fight is over." Kiba hesitated, but he eventually did as told with a grunt. He gave his teacher a defiant—but obediently quiet—glare. Kurenai ignored him and looked to Hinata. "Hinata, dear...who is 'he?' Who taught you to do these things?"

Hinata was going to answer, but Kiba blurted it out before she could. He had to ensure that the truth was spoken, one way or another. "Sasuke Uchiha—she's been training with a traitor. Maybe she's even becoming one..."

Though the previous conversation had carried numerous clues, Kurenai still couldn't disguise her disappointment after Sasuke's name was uttered. She recovered from the bad taste in her mouth quickly enough to give Kiba a belittling frown before he could say even more disparaging things. "I'm talking to Hinata, not you. Go cool off, Kiba." Despite the brown-haired man's famous temper, he knew better than to go against his teacher's wishes. He backed down physically, but not emotionally. His festering anger was palpable in the air even as he stepped away.

"I'm taking a walk..." Kiba grumpily announced before he disappeared through the bushes. Akamaru didn't follow. The big white dog knew better than to bother his master when he was experiencing one of his moods.

Kurenai frowned and returned her attention to Hinata. "Is it true what he says? You've been dealing with Sasuke Uchiha?"

Even if she had wanted to deny it, Kiba had ruined that plan. Hinata sighed and looked away, hugging one of her arms with the other. "Yes, it's true."

The confession settled in nicely. The girl didn't seem nervous or ashamed, just flustered by the circumstances. "I can understand why you'd want to keep that hidden, but if you told Kiba...why didn't you tell me, too?" Kurenai was a little bit hurt that she was kept in the dark, but she could already guess how it happened. Kiba was as pushy as could be and had probably backed her into a corner. "You should know he can't keep a secret when he's angry, regardless."

"I considered telling you, but I've been stressed and confused, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata bit her lip; it was a poor excuse but it wasn't a lie. "Things keep happening, and I've had to make a lot of decisions that might not have been the right ones..." She trailed off, uncertain of what else she should say.

"So is that why you're training under Sasuke? A spontaneous decision that got out of hand?" Kurenai seemed concerned—she was probably sharing the same reservations as Kiba. She didn't trust Sasuke at all; most of the shinobi in the world didn't.

Hinata's head shook, and she smiled kindly and sweetly. She was positively beaming, though her lips were modestly closed until she spoke. "No—well, yes. It was a spontaneous choice, but it hasn't gotten out of hand. He has...well..." She blushed and pursed her lips. She rubbed her forearm with an open hand. She felt the softness of her own skin against the relative roughness of her fingers. "He's making things easier for me."

Kurenai blushed mildly at that, spotting a particular and telling twinkle in her student's eye. "So you're saying that he's been treating you well?" Kurenai's exotic red eyes turned toward Shino, ensuring that he wasn't listening too closely to the conversation for discretion's sake.

Hinata wasn't too concerned about being heard, though she did keep her voice down. "He treats me very well. It's a little embarrassing, but...I've grown to really like spending time with him." Her voice dropped to a quietness that was low enough to hide from any nearby ears, whether Shino's or otherwise. "He's gentle and kind when things are going right."

Kurenai sensed a warning flag. "And when they aren't going right...?"

Hinata gulped, recalling the unbridled rage within Sasuke's eyes as he took vengeance upon Shell. She knew how it would sound before she said it, but she was still struggling with her honesty problem. "When things are bad, he's...fierce. Frightening. Unstoppable."

The older woman couldn't see any bruises or bumps on Hinata's face—which was especially impressive given the viciousness of Kiba's secret technique. Even without physical evidence, though, Kurenai had to ask a question for her own peace of mind: "When things are bad, does Sasuke hit you?" Kiba's accusations had caused worry.

Hinata shook her head. "When things are bad, Sasuke protects me." She held back her annoyance easily this time because Kurenai had only just learned the situation. It would have been unfair to expect a different reaction so quickly after she heard the news. Kiba didn't have that excuse, which was why Hinata had grown so impatient with him. "Like I said, he makes things easier...even just knowing he's out there helps me sleep at night."

"You haven't been able to sleep?" The velvety voice of Team 8's leader fell softer. "I wish you'd tell me things like this, Hinata. Is there any way I can help?"

"Everything you've said and done so far has helped, actually," Hinata answered thankfully. "I've missed you, Kurenai-sensei. And I'm sorry to have caused trouble today, it's just that Kiba has been hassling me about the time I spend with Sasuke. I've tried to reason with him, and sometimes it even seems like things are going to be okay afterward, but whenever a new day starts he's angry all over again."

"Don't worry, you're not the one who caused the trouble here; that's entirely on him. You know his temper better than most, right? Highs, lows, and nothing in between. He'll probably accept it eventually, but even if he doesn't...that's him, not you. Let him simmer in his own misery if that's what he wants." Kurenai huffed helplessly; the members of the Inuzuka Clan in general were known for their volatile mannerisms, but Kiba was exceptional even among them. She put the thought to bed and focused on something more positive. "That aside, you've really gotten fast, Hinata—all this training you've done is for the tournament, isn't it?"

A nod. "That's right. Sasuke is seeing to it that I'm as prepared as I can possibly be. I didn't really notice my improvements until today, but I think he's done a very good job so far."

It was Kurenai's turn to feel a bit jealous. "A better job than I ever did, by the looks of it. Though I think you deserve all the praise, since you're the one making it happen. No matter how good a teacher is, they can only point somebody in the right direction—it's up to the student to make the changes happen." She gave a sly smirk, closing her eyes and turning her face toward the sun. "I'm glad you're learning so much, regardless of how I feel about Sasuke on a personal level."

"Do you think I'm making a mistake, Kurenai-sensei? I mean, is it a mistake to let myself enjoy my time with Sasuke as much as I do?" Hinata didn't want to hear it from Kiba or Ko, but Kurenai's input was valued. Not only because she was a fellow woman, but because she wasn't prone to knee-jerk reactions. She considered things deeply before commenting on them.

Kurenai put a hand on Hinata's shoulder and smiled with her answer. "I can't judge your choice in men, Hinata—goodness knows that my Asuma was a handful when we were younger." She sighed pleasantly as she recalled some memories of the man, looking over to Mirai wistfully. The toddler was one of several people who carried her deceased lover's will into the future, but nothing could replace his living, breathing presence. "We don't get to choose who we love, or who falls into and out of our lives...where or when, how or why, it's not really up to us—all you can do is follow your heart. I think that's why Kiba's having such a hard time accepting your involvement with Sasuke."

Hinata peered subtly toward the direction of Kiba's departure, frowning at the corners of her mouth. "I know. His heart tells him that Sasuke is a traitor..."

The smile on Kurenai's face was playful, admiring Hinata's capacity to at least appear oblivious. "That's not all, you know. Kiba's heart keeps pushing him toward you, even though he probably knows that you don't think of him that way."

Hinata murmured as she thought sadly about what Kiba must have been going through. She hadn't honestly considered the possibility that Kiba was genuinely in love with her, but it would explain much of his behavior. She had been blaming his jealousy on a conflict of friendship, not of courtship. "If that's true, then I know how he feels. I should talk to him..."

Kurenai shook her head, grumbling slightly. "That's not a good idea right now. He's feeling pretty nasty. I'll go talk to him, to try to calm him down if nothing else. You should probably find someplace else to be in the mean time."

"I think you're right," Hinata smiled sadly. "Thank you, Kurenai-sensei. It has been good seeing you." She turned to Shino and Mirai, raising her hand and offering a wave of fingers. Shino helped Mirai return the wave, both the bug-man and the child remaining silent otherwise. While she might have liked to stick around a while longer, she knew that Kiba was going to cause trouble if he saw her again. She could always seek him out on his own another time and avoid sucking the rest of the team down into their drama. She huffed a sigh and turned to go. "I'll visit again sometime soon."

Though she smiled as she departed, Hinata was quite distressed about her argument with Kiba. She wasn't used to causing such turmoil; she preferred to be quiet and unassuming, parked on the sidelines and watching rather than participating. On one hand, she hated the fact that she angered Kiba...on the other, she felt powerful for having influenced him in such a way. Sasuke had been steering her toward being more assertive and speaking her mind more often, but was it worth doing if it alienated her friends? Were Kiba's feelings really as Kurenai suggested, and if so did he feel for her the same way she had once felt for Naruto? She debated and worried in her mind with each step she took through the forests that surrounded the village. She didn't return to the walls; not yet. She had too much to think about. She also didn't go Kiba's way—she opted to take the opposite direction, forging her own path and eventually leaping high into the trees. She didn't know where she was going or what compelled her to go there, but she loved the natural tones of the wilderness and the easy breeze that passed over her face, chest, arms, and legs. She felt like she was being affectionately embraced by the atmosphere, and her feet continued to find new branches to launch from. She climbed higher and progressed further away from the village and her team. It was an attempt to clear her head, perhaps, but it wasn't working.

The further she got, the more sorrowful she felt. She didn't actually want to distance herself from the people she loved and cherished, Kiba included. Yet there was no denying the fact that she was growing into a different person, a stronger and more confident one. It wasn't exclusively Sasuke's doing, but he was the catalyst who began the transformation. With his confidence backing her, she had begun to do things that were previously unheard of—things like confronting Naruto about her feelings, or defying her father's orders. She enjoyed the rush of emotion that ran through her during those moments, and she couldn't deny that her fight with Kiba provided a few thrills as well. She felt guilty for enjoying those moments—so guilty, in fact, that her eyes began to feel tight and itchy. She could feel a pressure along the sides of her nose, and tears started to form along her lids. She felt her nose begin to run, and she sniffled once. Further and further she leaped, searching for peace amidst the trees but finding only emptiness—loneliness. So why did she continue to jump away? She couldn't answer her own question.

Kiba was furious with her; perhaps she was breaking his heart, as well. The unfortunate thing about her resulting guilt was that there was nothing that she could do about it. We don't get to choose who we love, or who falls into and out of our lives; Kurenai had told her so only a few minutes prior. Was that her inevitable fate with Kiba? Was he going to fall out of her life as a trade-off for accepting Sasuke into it? A tear fell down her face and she sniffled again, feeling her throat swell up as well. She was whimpering with regret. She wanted to return to Kiba and profusely apologize for being so blunt. Yet another decision she made in the heat of the moment without considering the longer term consequences. He usually bounced back from his rage, but did he have a limit? Was he near his breaking point? The more she thought about it, the easier it was to somberly convince herself that she was going to lose his friendship forever. Was Sasuke worth that possibility?

She continued to jump through the forest, feeling her weight rising and falling through the air. Her feet pushed against the planet's pull, and she felt miserable while she sailed. It was supposed to make her feel free, but instead she felt isolated. She took another leap from a high, thick branch, and then with a suddenness that couldn't be quantified she lost the sense of gravity that she had been tethered to. She continued to rise, carried by weightless wind until she broke into the canopy of the forest. When the upward momentum ceased and she began to fall downward again, she found herself to be supported by two strong, warm arms. She was being held like she had been held before, with an arm behind her shoulders and one beneath her knees. She trembled with sudden relief as she looked up to see him.

"Hey...are you alright?" Sasuke asked her with a concerned smile, mirroring her sorrow in his dark eyes while they looked down into her puffy red ones.

Hinata shuddered and closed her eyes, reaching up to wipe the tears from her cheeks and allowing herself to sigh with relief. "N-no, I'm not...but I'm glad you're here." Hinata tucked her head against his chest, her hands rising to clasp around his back and shoulders. She felt both of his arms against her, and she then noticed that they were both warm. With giddy enthusiasm, she pressed the weight of her back against his left arm, and she realized that he had been made whole. She didn't comment aloud, simply laying herself against his support and rubbing her muscles against his new limb. Though the arm felt a tad undersized, it was immensely strong, just like the man who had come to possess it. That was Sasuke; all of it was Sasuke. "H-how did you find me?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder toward Konoha; the village walls were somewhat distant when viewed from their treetop. Hinata had been wandering aimlessly for much longer than she had realized. When the Uchiha spoke his answer, it was with a soothing and delicate voice. "I heard you crying, Hinata..." His focus came back to her face, and he leaned down to lay a soft kiss against her forehead, whispering against the softness of her skin. "I wanted to cheer you up; to make you smile," he soothed, ensuring that she was tightly held. It was the first time he properly used his new arm, and the sensation of her warmth against the fresh nerves was unparalleled.

Hinata's eyes closed and she absolutely melted beneath Sasuke's affection. Her trembling ceased and all the sorrow bled away, replaced by comfort and rightness. She smiled, just like he wanted her to. That was where she belonged; in the arms of a 'traitor,' or a 'monster'—the arms of Sasuke Uchiha. She cared little about the labels which had been assigned to him, because the sound of his voice was more comforting than the chirping birds; the feel of his arms infinitely more reassuring than a blanket of wind. He was what she had been aimlessly searching for in her sorrow. He was the only one who could make it all go away. To a depth and degree that no other person could, Sasuke brought peace to her mind and her body.

She found a definite answer to one of her questions: Yes. No matter the cost, he's worth it.

Sorry for taking so long (unusually so!) on this one. I can't blame it on school this time, though—too many games came out that I just had to play, so for the past week or so my free time has been eaten up by Starcraft and Battlefront. That said, thanks to everybody who left reviews or added this story to follows/favorites since last chapter. I'm continually blown away by the support and interest this story gets. It makes me feel really great, so thank you all again for that. I always say that I'd write even if nobody was reading it, but knowing that you all are reading it and that you're enjoying it just makes the process a whole lot sweeter.

That's all for now. I'll see you guys next time.