They are heading back to the village from a courier mission, travelling by the treetops, still far from any Hashirama trees, when they're attacked.
An Iwa nuke-nin.
Well, it isn't as abrupt as that. Nagi had seen him a mile away and warned Yuki-sensei of the refined chakra. High chuunin. Possibly low jonin.
You can't really tell with these things, as chakra reserves and control aren't always direct indicator of skill.
They go around. As a genin unit, they're not obligated to deal with him.
He follows them.
Yuki-sensei frown and the three exchange worried glances.
A sensor.
"Blonde hair, round eyes, flaky dark skin, and a scar on his hip." Nagi notes down his appearance, "A friend of yours sensei?"
After a moment of contemplation, he shake his head, "Unfamiliar and not one from the Bingo Book -Speaking of, when we get back, remind me to give you two each."
"Yes, Yuki-sensei."
"Yoji, tag him with a kochu and you and Itachi split from us. Nagi stay with me and watch who he's after."
They nod and proceed with the orders.
Even as the boys go further and further from them, the man still sticks to their direction.
"He's after us, sensei. And the paralysis has entered his system."
"Great."
Nagi isn't sure if that was sarcastic or not.
"I'll meet him, you stay here."
"Yes, sensei."
Nagi watch Yuki-sensei set up traps in a clearing in the distance and she examine the Iwa nin closer. No clan or family marks that she can recognise, no weird body modifications or anything of the sort, and no weird element to his chakra.
The man gets closer.
Her hand grip the tree bark.
And closer.
Knuckles turning white, her hand sinks into the tree and her breath catch in her throat.
And closer-
The fight is quick.
Nagi stares.
It wasn't really a fight, as the ninja didn't even get to meet sensei face to face, body mutilated between wires.
Nagi stares.
No!
Her throat is dry, her focus snapping up close the clean lacerations, the blood dripping on the grass, muscles and ligaments separated so neatly, bones twisted into awkward positions, eyes bulging and glazed, tongue loose, teeth stained red, she can almost hear it, drip drip drip-
Cold sweat run down the back of her neck and her clothes are too thin for this temperature.
Nagi is panicking, hyperventilating, he's Dead deaddeaddeaddead-
There's no chakra, no chakra nochakranochakra-
She can't let Yuki-sensei catch her like this.
She can't let Yoji see her like this.
She can't- she can't let anyone see her like this.
No clan child should be reacting like her. This is weird.
She is weird.
Nagi shuts down her Byakugan and it's wrong, she has to keep an eye on her team, but-but- but she can't keep looking at him empty-
When she open them again, her team are still safe, Yuki-sensei picked them up and is in the process of leading them towards her.
She goes to meet them halfway because that tree still has her hand mark.
She keeps her range close.
Nagi doesn't have to kill again but how long will that last.
XxXxXx
Evidently, she doesn't get over it easily.
Where as sparring with Hinata had simply made her tolerant before, irrational -or not so much- anger bubbles up in her as Hinata fall on her back again.
Nagi brings down her hands because they're dangerous -frustration because what are the adults thinking, clearly she is leagues ahead of Hinata and pitting the younger girl against her will not serve anything to either of them, much less push Hinata's progress.
This is the inconsideration of the main family to branch members shining through.
The Hyuuga heiress picks herself up, settles back in a stance, strikes-
Nagi throws her over her shoulder without even pretending to put effort in it.
"Ah!"
For the first time, Nagi raise her voice at Hinata.
"Don't bother throwing a hit when you've already resolved to loose!"
What she's done is beyond rude. She almost half expects Hiashi to enter the room any second and activate the seal -he's undoubtedly watching his daughter, or if not him, then Hitomi or Ko, Hinata's bodyguard.
The four year old looks at her in shock and hurt.
Nagi can't stay in the same room as her anymore.
She turns and runs, out of the dojo, the main house, the compound.
Nagi needs to hit someone who can hit back.
It's unlikely she'll be allowed back as Hinata's sparring partner and good, at least it'll be another proof of something that can change. Even just the little things, they're all testaments to the possibilities and a brighter future.
She makes a beeline to Izumi's home.
Then she stops because Izumi is good but not good enough, so she goes straight to the Aburame compound.
-I'm busy. I can't hang out right now-
"Spar with me." Her tone is almost confrontational.
Yoji studies her.
-Okay.-
-pang!
With his kochi serving as canon fodder to protect his tenketsu from being completely blocked, Yoji lasts longer against Hyuuga than a lot of other people.
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Aaaaaaaaaaaand that's the thirty eight -because I counted wrong and thought there were only thirty seven- finished chapters.
I'll get the thirty nine after a few rereading of some notes but I'll def continue this and you can give suggestions or whatever you want.
Yeah, there was a bit of a double, thanks zeronii.