R & R longer note at the end

The blonde sat in the small garden at the shrine listening the calming sounds of the wind through the tree's, the smell of the grass played at her nose, her thoughts resided on the black haired girl who had left a few hours ago. Seeing her resolve up close had been something interesting to see, since Naraku and Lady Kagura had been staying with them she had never seen the green haired girl pushed so much in battle.

Her mind then turned to the first time she had arrived, Hanabi and her sisters along with Naraku had tested this girl to see if she was worthy to meet with Lady Kagura, even with the advantage she had been the one who was taken down. To this day she had cursed her own weakness to not see the attack coming, her confidence had been shaken slightly that day.

"Hanabi? Is something the matter?" the blonde turned her gaze to the black haired girl walking towards her, the girl smiled as she hopped up sitting on the bench next to her. Hanabi felt herself stiffen up a little, she couldn't remember the last time she had been alone with the girl, she had always spent time with her while Naraku and her sisters where present.

"I-it's nothing Lady Kagura" She said forcing a smile as the girl's eyes fell on her seeing through the lie as Hanabi sighed dropping her fake smile as she looked to the floor "I'm weak, it wasn't until that girl Ikaruga got here that I realised how weak I am. In the test she took me out first, it was obvious to take out the weakest member out first". Kagura turned seeing the silent tears slowly dripping onto girl's clenched fists, she had seen it before the frustration that shinobi felt seeing the talents of someone else before them.

"You're not weak" Kagura said as the girl's sobs continued "She took you out first because she analysed the threat levels of everyone, you were the biggest threat to her. How about taking a trip out? It'll be a nice change of pace". Hanabi wiped her eyes as she smiled looking to the girl sat next to her as she slowly nodded heading back into the main building.

XXX

Hanabi wondered the streets of the shopping district with a wide smile, it had been a while since she had left the shrine alone usually they sent Renka to gather any supplies they needed restocking. Today however she was here to take a break to escape her own mind, she stopped at a nearby takoyaki shop hearing her stomach begin to growl she bought herself a few packs.

Carrying the bag with her she went to a nearby park seeing it was empty she sat on the wooden bench ready to enjoy her meal, as she unwrapped the first box she looked up hearing the sounds of footsteps coming closer. She saw the form of a cute blue haired girl coming around the corner a handful of shopping bags in her hands, she wore a grey uniform with a light blue symbol visible, Hanabi continued to watch her curiosity of the girl taking over as she spotted one of the bags split spilling a selection of apples rolling across the floor.

"Oh great" the blue haired girl said agitation in her voice as she placed the remaining bags down trying to retrieve the escaped fruit, Hanabi looked down as something bumped against her foot seeing one of the girls fallen apples she placed her food down picking up the escaped item slowly making her way to the girl.

"Here" She said smiling as she held the apple out to the girl who looked up taking it with a thankful look as she placed it into one of the remaining bags.

"Thank you" she said sounding slightly out of breath, she bent down to retrieve her bags with a small stumble, Hanabi's instincts took over as she reached out helping the girl to stay upright.

"You should take a rest" Hanabi suggested as the girl slowly nodded being helped to a bench by the blonde, walking to the bench opposite her Hanabi grabbed one of her helpings of takoyaki "Here, eat something. It's fresh and I have plenty more so don't feel the need to hesitate".

"Th-thank you" she said a shade of pink beginning to form at her cheeks, she had only ever been treated this kindly by her team mates but never a stranger she looked at the blonde before her. She could feel the presence of a power from this girl similar to her own yet she seemed as harmless as a child, was this some sort of plot to get her to lower her guard or was this girl truly as caring as she came across.

"My name's Hanabi" the blonde said as she ate her own takoyaki feeling the warmth of the meal filling her body with a smile as the other girl chuckled a little being reminded of some friends from another school.

"I'm Yozakura" the blue haired girl replied as she looked at the food in front of her "Are you sure you're ok with me having this?" Hanabi looked over with a smile as she nodded taking another of her takoyaki into her mouth, Yozakura smiled as she began to eat feeling the refreshing heat course through her tired body feeling her energy return.

"Can I ask something?" Hanabi said after she swallowed her food her eyes locked on the crest emblazed on the girl's uniform "What does that symbol mean? I've never seen it before".

"You haven't?" Yozakura asked feeling confused as the girl nodded again "It's my school emblem, you know the school I attend to learn how to be a shinobi". Hanabi locked eyes with the girl in front of her, she had suspected something was different about this normal looking girl.

"That must be fun" Hanabi said keeping her smile as she resumed eating, she noticed the look in Yozakura's eyes feeling the pressure of her power beginning to show, it was obvious to her at that moment this girl had noticed just as she had.

"Which school are you from?" Yozakura asked her carefree and polite tone dissipating with every word she spoke "Which one are you? Enemy or friend?" Hanabi placed her food down as she placed a finger to her chin thinking hard about the question posed to her, she had never considered her and her sisters place in the shinobi world. Where they enemies of other shinobi? Where they friend to other shinobi? Perhaps they were just neutral, as she thought harder something began to stir as Yozakura watched on waiting for her answer, without warning fireworks began to shoot off into the air causing numerous loud bangs to echo around the area.

"Oh no, it happened again" Hanabi said jumping up as she grabbed her stuff, without thinking she grabbed Yozakura's bags and her wrist as she took off at a run. Renka swept the front steps as she looked up hearing loud bangs begin to echo looking over in the direction of the shopping district as she sighed, what was her sister up to this time?

Taking another small break from Ikaruga for a chapter or two because I wanted to give some insight into how Hanabi felt after her loss to Ikaruga and her lingering feelings of seeing the difference in their power, of course Hanabi is so carefree and could get along with anyone lets give her a new friend to hang around with...Perhaps this meeting has a bigger impact than appears on the surface but who can say for sure