Disclaimer: PandoraBoxx777 Does NOT in anyway own the series Naruto or any of its other name rights. Happy Reading!
Shino mentally checked over his items one by one, reassuring himself that he didn't forget anything. He found himself excited to be going somewhere new for at least a month. It would give him the opportunity to collect specimens and become stronger.
He felt his new appendages ache to be freed from under his skin. He had to stretch them at least twice a day, otherwise they would be restless. The legs didn't have a mind of their own, as he knew it was his subconscious, but to Shino, sometimes it felt like it.
He still hadn't told his parents, nor have they sensed anything new about their son. Shino briefly wondered if they would care at all if he had told them. Probably not...
He sighed as he strapped his weapon holsters onto his legs and grabbed his traveling bag. He was fine with that.
As he made his way down the stairs, he thought to have a quick breakfast and maybe grab some of the energy bars that were stored in the cabinets. Surely, the walk to the temple would be quite the distance, so it was best to be prepared in case he were to get hungry on the road, right?
He placed his bag by the front door and made his way to the kitchen, finding his mother and father inside, whispering.
They stopped as soon as Shino walked in, turning towards him in what could be considered surprise. He made no indication that he was suspicious of their whispering or that he saw the scene at all, he was just hungry and wanting to eat.
Peering inside the refrigerator, he found the leftover rice and fish from last night's dinner. That would be good enough.
There was some shifting behind him, but still, no one said anything.
"Shino," His father finally called.
The boy in question turned to face them. He could almost say they looked unsure, but he knew better; they were going to tell him something, give him another lecture before he left. A small part of him was hoping they would express their concerns for his safety, wishing him good luck and a safe journey.
"Shino," His father said, "We noticed a change in you after you became a part of a genin team. You seem lighter, more relaxed and we as your parents advise you that it not hinder your training or have you ignored all that we have taught you about emotional distractions."
Shino felt his shoulder tense and forced the legs in his back to remain still. Were they telling him that he was too carefree? Were they implying that the mutual fellowship he had with his team was a distraction?
He had never felt more happy, more… anything! He even had some semblance of care and wanting to keep Hinata and Kiba safe. After all they had done for him, Kiba taking an injury for him and Hinata aiding him in his involvement with his team, Shino was indebted to them, thankful to them. And his parents are saying that it was bad?
The young Aburame said nothing, prompting Shibi to speak more, "We believe that bonds, emotional or otherwise are a waste of time and tears. We as shinobi have many of our comrades killed in war or in missions, and it is nothing to be sad over. If we have an emotional attachment, it will hinder us and compromise the mission. We need to be strong, we need to be detached from such useless acts. Remember this."
Shino thought for a minute, mulling over the words in his head.
All his life, he was made to believe that emotion was something useless, and bonds, even more so. But after Kurenai was brought into his life, along with Hinata and Kiba, he was thinking differently.
His teacher was strict in her teachings, never easy going until after the job was done. He saw a capable kunoichi who was strong and unrelenting. But when they would go out to eat, when they would sit and have their breaks, he still saw the same woman. She was still strong and unrelenting.
Kiba was all over the place with his feelings, always speaking out and bringing attention to himself to be validated, and he was. He was never shamed for being open and honest about himself and his internal dilemmas; if anything, they were encouraged.
Kurenai would scold him for being too loud or for being too rowdy whenever he was happy or angry, but never for having felt anything in the first place.
Hinata was always emotional. At first she was always crying under the slightest duress, but with time, she got better at controlling her tears. She no longer cried when she lost a match, compromised a mission or when she was being yelled at. She became stronger, more assured in herself.
Kiba was always encouraging and comforting her, even in tears, and she would stop and continue her duty as a ninja. She too, was not admonished for her feelings, so long as she got her job done.
Why should he be rebuked, then, for having feelings? Surely not everything his father said was true. He had to have loved his mother or Shino himself… right?
"Father," He hesitated, "I understand your philosophies and I will be sure to listen and obey. But, if I may ask: do you love Mother?"
Shibi nearly reeled back at a sudden question, and looked to Sana who tilted her head in confusion at the words. He turned back to Shino who was staring back at him intently. "She is my wife," He answered, "My companion for life."
"Do you love me?"
Shibi almost sighed at the question, thinking of the correct response, "You are my offspring," He replied, "My son."
There was no emotion, no warmth behind the statement, only fact. Shino couldn't help but feel like his father was unconsciously avoiding something, but he wasn't really sure what it was.
Shino felt his stomach twist but forced himself to nod, as if satisfied with the answer. He turned back to his meal, intent on forcing some food down to ease the uneasiness.
It didn't.
Kiba rushed around his room, looking for his headband. He knew he had left it on his nightstand next to his bed, but obviously it wasn't there. He had a bad feeling Hana was to blame in all of this.
Knowing her, she's probably waiting for him to run downstairs in a panic, yelling that he lost his headband and would laugh at him while he tried to explain it to mom. Then she would whip it out from her pocket or something and tease him about him being a shitty ninja.
He growled angrily, feeling his hair stand on end. He didn't have time for her stupid games, he was going to be late if he didn't leave soon.
This dumb bitch was starting to get on his nerves more so than usual, because he was a ninja, because he was training and getting more confident. He knew that Hana wanted him to stay miserable and weak, but he was not going to let her have the satisfaction of seeing him angry or scared anymore.
Kiba pulled the specially made pill he got from the Hokage out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth. He had to remain calm, and part of him knew that Hana was going to be extra annoying this morning.
Akamaru barked twice from his bed, making circles. "Akamaru," Kiba grinned, picking his dog up and placing him on his head, "Of course I won't forget my best friend." He lightly scratched behind his ear, earning a few licks to the hand. "Let's go get my headband back."
Kiba made his way downstairs and into with his bag on his back, tied tightly shut and packed with his supplies. Hana was leaning over the counter, sipping a cup of coffee as she read the morning paper. She glanced at Kiba's uncovered forehead and smirked to herself, waiting for him to ask her where it was.
He walked past her and opened the fridge, looking for food. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of asking. Hana wasn't known for being patient, so all he had to do was pretend that he wasn't bothered or inconvenienced in the slightest.
Hana waited more, listening to him and Akamaru eat and drink behind her. She was starting to get annoyed that he wasn't acting like he would have before. Wasn't he going out for a big mission? He needed his headband if he was going to ever get out. She felt the weight in her pocket and huffed, just a few more minutes.
Kiba finished his drink with a satisfied sigh, licking his lips loudly and walking out of the kitchen to the living room in search of his mother. Hana glared after him as he walked past, a smile on his face. She had enough.
"Hey, Puppy," She called out.
Kiba felt his mouth twitch into a frown from the name but turned to Hana with a relaxed look, "Yes?"
Hana smirked at him. "Can't leave without your forehead protector." She lifted it in the air mockingly.
He went to grab it, sighing in irritation when she swiped it out of his reach. "Hana, come on, I need that for my mission."
She laughed in his face, "Oh, do you?" She taunted, "That's nice." She swiped it away again, laughing harder at the frown Kiba wore.
"Hana, come on, I have to leave soon to meet my team at the gates or I'm going to be late."
"That's too bad little Puppy," She sneered, "I'm too busy laughing at you. Look at you; you're a joke. Even if you were late, your team is still going to think you're a burden anyways, so why not give them another reason?"
Kiba was getting mad now, but he knew that he wouldn't "wolf-out" on her because of the pill he took.
"Can't you do anything better with your time?" He snapped, "If you're not going to give me my headband, I'll just ask Mom for a spare." Akamaru barked, backing him up.
Hana stopped laughing now, baring her teeth, "You can't do that!" She growled.
"And why not?" Kiba threw back.
"You're not allowed! You have to use your own headband, this one that I'm holding!" She threw his higher in the air for emphasis, "Mom would never lend you one anyways, she'll tell you to fuck off since you lost yours."
"I didn't lose mine, you have it."
"Who do you think she'll believe?"
It was an intense standoff between the two. Kiba wasn't getting anywhere with her at this point and so he turned around and began to walk away. "Fine," He huffed, "I'll just ask my sensei for a spare. She's bound to have plenty."
Hana rushed from behind the counter and pinned Kiba to the door, bending his arm painfully behind his back. He made no move to struggle, knowing that Akamaru would get hurt in the crosshairs, but shifted to a position where it wasn't so painful. Hana twisted harder, digging her nails into his skin, "You have a lot of nerve turning your back on me." She hissed into his ear.
"What's going on here?"
Hana was off him in a second, turning to face her mother who was frowning in disapproval. "You know the rules, Hana," She lightly scolded, "No rough housing inside."
She turned to Kiba who rubbed his shoulder and said nothing, knowing what was going to happen regardless.
"Stop pissing off your sister, Kiba," She growled, "We have more important things to do than bother with your nonsense. Hana, it's time to train."
The young woman walked away, sending Kiba one last threatening glare over her shoulder.
Akamaru whimpered, licking the tip of Kiba's ear in comfort. Kiba sighed and smiled at his companion, "Don't worry Akamaru," He whispered.
He pulled his headband from his sleeve, having nabbed it from Hana's pocket, and tied it around his head, pulling his hood up to shield his pup afterwards. "We'll be away from this bullshit for a while. Let's go meet everyone." Akamaru yipped.
He ran out as fast as he could.
Hinata crossed off the final item off her checklist and sighed with a content smile. She spent all night packing and repacking; and after deciding to make a list, she felt less stressed and more prepared for the mission.
She told her father last night about the mission at dinner. If he had heard anything she said, he didn't say anything. Hanabi only looked up at her blankly, as if wondering why she was talking in the first place.
Hinata sighed again. Hanabi was the only member of the family who didn't hate her, and that wasn't because she loved her either. Hanabi didn't know Hinata at all, sometimes she even forgot her name. She viewed Hinata as weak but she didn't have the same level of hostility that everyone seemed to have. Hinata wasn't sure why, but she was thankful.
She looked at the time and figured she should grab a quick breakfast before she left.
She grabbed her traveling bag and quietly walked to the kitchen, looking at her list in an effort to look too busy for eye contact. She passed by some of the branch members who sneered and whispered insults behind her back but no one made any effort to stop her or talk.
She lowered her head further, feeling the cold pressure of everyone's all-seeing eyes on her back. She hated the feeling, the eyes staring at her, wondering when she would fail or die. She hated being looked down on and treated worse than the dirt on everyone's shoe.
All she wanted was to be accepted, loved and welcomed into the family with smiles and laughter, but she knew that was a chimerical fantasy she somehow conjured up in her spare time.
When she finally reached the kitchen, she hurriedly pulled out some eggs and set them to boil over the stove, toasting some bread in the meantime.
She peeled the shells and placed her soft boiled eggs on her toast. Her stomach growled at the sight of her food, so she wasted no time stuffing herself until she was full. She decided to pack some away, just in case.
A cold, threatening presence made itself known behind her. Hinata froze and shook, choking down tears and resuming her packing as quickly as possible. In her hurry she dropped the container she was trying to open and winced at the loud noise it made, echoing through the house.
"Can't you hold onto whatever is in your hands?" Neji snapped harshly, "I can't understand how you could fail at something so simple!" Hinata winced at his louder-than-normal volume but said nothing, once again, gathering the container into her hands and gently packing away her food.
Another, intimidating presence made itself known and Hinata nearly groaned at her bad luck.
"Hinata," Her father somewhat greeted. She simply bowed, not raising her head in favor of gazing at the clean floor. He frowned, "I see you're still going on the mission today."
"Yes father."
"It's absurd how serious you're appearing to take this, considering the fact that you've managed to fail under any other circumstances presented to you." She didn't say anything. He almost sighed, "In any matter, do your best not to bring any shame to the Hyuga name. I know that may be difficult for you, but it's something so simple one of the rocks in your little garden can accomplish it with flying colors. Try to at least make a passing effort. Remember to seal your eyes before you perish." He walked away then, leaving her alone with Neji who slid out of his seat just as Hinata began to leave.
He slammed her head into the wall, drawing a hiss of pain. He was looking for tears. He did it again and blocked a chakra point in her chest, hindering her breathing. Hinata closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over so she could go.
A harsh kick in the stomach opened her eyes and almost emptied the contents of her stomach. She turned a pale green but refused to vomit, taking as much of a breath as she could. Finally, it seemed Neji got bored and walked away.
Her eyes were bleary as she looked around, searching the kitchen for Neji or anyone else. In seeing no one, she struggled to her feet and held her stomach in an effort to stand straight before limping over to the sink.
"One more time." She whimpered, brandishing a kunai and slicing her arms in perfect lines, despite how awful she was shaking. They were immediately healed over and covered in her balm.
Somewhere in the back of her head, she knew that this wasn't going to be the last time she was going to do something like this, but it was the only thing making life here remotely bearable. She would rather suffer physical pain than focus on her inner turmoil.
It was threatening to swallow her up.
A shuffle behind her made her turn her head ever so slightly. Hanabi was standing there, staring at her. Hinata didn't have time to clean the blood from the sink, so she stared back, waiting for her to say something.
Hanabi's eyes trailed from her sister to the drops that had fallen on the floor and then back to her older sister. There was no visible change, no movement to indicate anything that was going on in her head.
Hinata was almost ashamed, but a part of her was more scared as well as relieved. If Hanabi were to tell anyone about this, she was sure they would take away her ninja status for good, but she knew she wouldn't; Hinata wasn't a priority to her.
Hinata quickly cleaned her mess and rinsed out the sink, passing Hanabi who continued to watch.
With her bag on her back and a green tinge on her pale face, Hinata turned to her sister and gave her a sad, but loving smile, "I'll see you when I get home, my dear sister." She managed to stutter out, "Train hard and do well."
If Hinata had stayed a bit longer, she would have seen the flash of warmth in Hanabi's eyes.
Kurenai was waiting patiently at the gates, chatting with Anko about the mission. She was prepared for just about anything at this point, having known the real reason they were being sent away for so long.
Hiruzen had sent a letter to the temple beforehand, explaining the situation in detail, and then gave Kurenai the confirming letter she needed to enter.
Anko had asked to travel along, wanting a chance to torment her students but was harshly denied. She was needed in T&I for the upcoming weeks to investigate another mission, which she complained about for hours after the meeting.
"If you need any help, I'll come running your way, Kurenai." Anko winked, "I've been meaning to talk to you about something. The Chunin Exams are coming up faster than you think, and your pathetic brats need to seriously step up their game. Let me have them for a while, under your supervision of course, so we can train them to be some kick-ass fuckers up in this bitch!"
Kurenai found herself smiling, "Are you sure you just don't want to see them cry?" She teased, "Why would the most vicious, insane ANBU in the entire village want to help my 'pathetic brats' with their ninja skills for the Chunin Exams?"
Anko's crazed grin faltered at the question, prompting a more serious look, "Because, not only are these kids future ninjas, and from what I heard from you and the old man chatting over tea, future ANBU, but they mean a lot to you. You seem lighter, a bit more laid back and a hell of a lot happier. You stress about them every time we have drinks and they're all you talk about."
Kurenai's face was stone. She hadn't realized how much she talked about her students, or how much time, money, effort, and attention she was giving into helping them; but how could she not? They were her students. It was her job to take care of them and teach them how to defend themselves.
Maybe Anko was right about the help and training. It sure would do wonders for them, no doubt about that.
Just as she was about to reply, Kurenai turned when she felt a familiar chakra signature. "Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba called out happily, Akamaru barked just as loud as his master's yell. He faltered a bit when he saw Anko but did his best to give her a smile. It seemed that Kiba still didn't trust his teacher's best friend.
Kurenai felt herself smiling back at him, looking over his person with careful eyes. His clothes were a bit rumpled, something not uncommon with Kiba, but still worrisome. She noticed the start of a bruise on his wrist as well as his dilated pupils and connected the pieces together.
He must have had a run in with his sister this morning. He was still cheerful, however, and maintained his excited demeanor well enough.
Shino was the next to arrive, indifferent as ever but with an underlying hint of excitement. He stretched out his shoulders a bit, trying to look busy and occupied, though Kurenai sensed a familiar coldness to his gruff hello.
Hinata was the last to arrive. Kurenai was assaulted with the familiar smell of roses and ginger and nearly frowned.
Hinata attempted to walk upright with some difficulty, meaning this morning she was injured, and very recently too, by the looks of it.
The red-eyed beauty said nothing as she handed her students energy bars, making sure to give Hinata a medicated one. They hesitated at first, but after Kiba took a big bite from his and shared some with Akamaru, the other two followed suit.
"The fire temple is nearly a three day journey from here, same as the Sand Village." She announced as they chewed, "We have some ground to cover, so I suggest we keep moving until sunset, with breaks of course. We will all be taking shifts at night and during breaks. I will teach you all how to hunt and fish properly on the way. Is there anything you would like to ask before we head off?"
Shino raised his hand, "Sensei," He asked, "Should we expect any opposition on our way to the temple?" Kurenai nodded seriously, "You should always expect enemy ninja when you leave your village. Hopefully, we won't be delayed longer than necessary, but we should still take precaution, which is why we are having watch on breaks in addition to the night shifts."
Shino nodded, satisfied with the answer.
Hinata poked her fingers together nervously, "Um," She stuttered, "WIll we also be training during our travels?"
Kurenai smiled lightly, "If you would like, we can."
She turned back to Anko who gave her a wink, "I'll let you and your brats go, but think about what I said. Good luck on your mission, brats." She walked away with a wave, and a cheerful whistle on her lips.
"If there are no more questions, we had better get a move on. The monks are waiting for us."
"The first thing to know about travelling as a shinobi, is to always be aware of your surroundings."
Kurenai had set the pace to a quick, but still casual walk. Hinata was acting as the lead, Shino made up the middle, and Kurenai and Kiba/Akamaru made the rear. Regardless if the team was walking or running, the trip to the temple would take three to four days depending on their departure time, so Kurenai opted for an easy first day.
"There may be bandits and robbers on the roads or in the woods." Kurenai continued her lecture, "There may be dishonored shinobi roaming around for a kill or ransom or to even go as far as to sell other ninja on the black market.
"When alone, you must always watch yourself and your environment; it doesn't matter if you have been on solo missions for most of your ninja career or if you have confidence in your ability; you must always be cautious and, to an extent, paranoid of everything.
To be considered capable for a solo mission, you need to meet certain requirements that include pain tolerance, energy levels, exhaustion levels and your ability to think on your feet or think ahead to ensure your survival.
You have to have a large extension of knowledge in any wilderness, being the forest, the desert, the snow, or the shores. If you cannot pass these classes or tests, you are not fit for solo missions.
"Missions with a team are easier. You have multiple eyes to catch things you may have missed, and you have someone watching your back at all times. You must always have someone stand guard, and you must always have someone awake, even if it's just two of you.
If you feel like you're falling asleep or unable to perform, eat a soldier pill, or tell you teammates. There is no shame in admitting a bit of weakness once or twice if you've been doing your best, but it means you are not up to standard as you need to be, which is unacceptable if it's constant.
Your life counts on them and vise versa. If you cannot help your teammates, if you cannot protect them, and if you make no effort to improve, you need to rethink your training and your values as a shinobi of the leaf."
There was a thoughtful silence from her team as they processed her words.
"Hinata, can you find a safe area for us to have a break at?" Kurenai asked.
Kiba shook his canteen, "One near some clean water." He added.
Hinata turned in her dojutsu and looked around, spotting a running river and a small clearing with perfect cover. "There's a suitable area southeast of our location." She announced.
Kiba grinned and began to run ahead, going southwest instead, by mistake, "I'll race you there, Akamaru!" He laughed. Akamaru ran after him, barking happily.
Kurenai frowned and threw a kunai to stop him, catching his sleeve on a tree before he got any further.
Kiba yelped in surprise, turning to face Kurenai's scolding stare, "You never run off like that again, Kiba." She rebuked, "Even if we are in our territory, you could be attacked. If this was an enemy territory, there's no telling what could happen to you."
"Not only that, you're going the wrong way." Shino butted in, "You're going to get lost and killed by your own folly."
Kiba turned to glare at Shino, not happy with the word choice. "Fuck you Shino," He spat, "What do you know anyway, you creepy roach?" Shino bristled at the slander and glared back, ready to fire another insult.
Hinata readily stepped in between them, "Please," She whimpered, "Let's not fight." She looked to Kurenai helplessly, who merely watched the fight unfold. She wanted to see how Hinata would handle it.
Kiba growled some more; his medication had long worn off, "This isn't any of your business, Hinata." He spat, "Stay out of it!"
She faltered at the tone and hesitated now, looking to Shino who looked past her to Kiba. Both of them were ignoring her attempts to calm everything down and she didn't know what else to do. She felt tears welling up and her hands shake. She was useless.
Kurenai sighed boredly and stepped up to intervene, gently moving Hinata out of the way, "That's enough." She ordered. She scowled back and forth between her male students and fisted her hands on her hips, "I am sick and tired of the bickering, the arguments, the whole goddamn instability of this team. How can you expect to be ninja when you have no synchronization with your own comrades? How can you say you care about each other, when you're always fucking fighting?"
Hinata covered her mouth in shock at the curse word. Kurenai was pissed.
"You two especially, need to grow up. Shino, I didn't need your help in lecturing Kiba, so stop calling him stupid and rethink your wording so that you come off as less of a dick. And you, Kiba, need to stop having a little bitch-fit in response to everything that Shino says. It may be harder than it sounds, but I'm sure you can accomplish it with some self control."
She finally turned to the shaking female behind her, "And you, Hinata," She scolded lighter, "You need to assert some dominance as a member of this team. You need to speak up more and throw in your voice. Stop letting these two walk all over you, stop being ignored. We are female shinobi; we are not little girls, we are powerful, capable, and a hell of a lot tougher. We are kunoichi, hear us roar! Got it?"
Hinata hurriedly nodded, shaking in awe and fear of her sensei.
Everyone was nervous and quiet, now scared of what Kurenai had planned now. She sighed once more and freed Kiba from the tree. She pocketed her weapon and turned to her students again, "Follow Hinata to the clearing." She pointed in the right direction and watched as they all shuffled away.
Kurenai really was sick of the fighting going on. Though Hinata wasn't necessarily involved, she didn't do anything to really help the situation, always looking to Kurenai for help when she was dismissed too easily.
Kurenai knew that Hinata felt just as left out and underappreciated in the team as she did at home, and though no one said anything about it, the boys did treat her a little differently, as if she were fragile spun glass. They didn't look down on her but she definitely wasn't their equal; Kurenai knew that it was only because she was so… passive.
Hinata was too gentle and kind and caring and she didn't know how to break up fights between her comrades. If she was told to butt out, she did so with an apology. If she was dismissed or discredited, she put her head down and said nothing.
Kurenai knew something had to be done, and she knew just how to get things rolling.
After finally arriving, Kurenai set her pack down and ordered for them all to do the same, before taking a casually long drink of her water canteen. They waited in anticipation, looking to each other for a clue.
Kurenai wiped her mouth and sat on a small nearby boulder in lotus position. "Kiba, you and Shino will be fighting."
Hinata looked to her male teammates and then back to Kurenai in shock. Did she say fight? As in… fight?!
Kiba nervously smiled and rubbed the back of his head, "Sensei," He said, "Don't you mean spar?"
"No. I said fight." She sat straighter, "If you have a problem with your teammates, you have a discussion and come to a compromise that benefits all parties involved, but since you and Shino want to squabble and call each other names, you're past the option of talking. Shinobi do not yell or argue or display such levels of immaturity with each other on missions; you either talk like adults or fight it out until a solution is made.
"So now, you will fight and you will do so without your use of chakra, without your abilities or powers or whatever you have that gives you an advantage. Kiba, this is your fight alone, so Akamaru will not help you. Shino, your bugs will stay inside, is that clear?"
Both boys nodded and slid into their fighting positions.
"Fight!"
At first they hesitated, but it was Kiba who made the first attack. He threw a light punch at Shino, who blocked it with his arm.
They went at it half-heartedly for a few minutes before Kurenai threw in her words to fan the flame. "Kiba," She called, "Is that how you hit someone who is calling you stupid?" She saw a scowl flash on his face.
She turned to Shino now, "And you, Shino, are you going to allow Kiba to continuously disrespect you and your clan by calling you names? As if you were lesser than an insect?" Shino felt his fists ball up tighter and finally threw a right hook that caught Kiba in the jaw.
Kiba looked up in shock before he kicked Shino in the gut as hard as he could. He felt a lot better after that.
Shino grunted in pain but continued fighting. He was sick and tired of Kiba calling him names and degrading his clan at the same time. He wasn't a roach, damn it; not a shell and not a parasite. He wasn't going to be allowed to be called those names again and he had to make sure Kiba understood that.
He threw in another punch to Kiba's gut, successfully landing the hit, "It's not just you who can fight, Kiba." He taunted, "Maybe you should think twice before calling me a roach."
Kiba stood straighter and spit off to the side, wiping his mouth, "And maybe you should think twice before calling me stupid!"
He ran to Shino and punched him in return, continuing his assault as fast as possible, landing some hits. "I hate it when you call me names. I hate it when you think you're superior to me. You are just as young, just as weak, and just as stupid as I am. You're not better than me!" He grabbed Shino's arm and threw him into a tree.
Kurenai secretly smirked to herself; now they were getting somewhere.
"Hinata," She said, "Join them." When her student hesitated she turned and gave a glare, "Join in the fight or fail this mission."
Hinata jumped and ran over to the battle, seemingly intimidated by the ferocity of their punches.
Kiba felt a harsh jab and a kick. He turned to Hinata in shock but quickly overcame it when she went for another strike. He jumped back and dodged the hit, putting distance between him and his teammates.
Shino, too, was bewildered at the sudden aggressive behavior that Hinata displayed, but decided that she was not going to let them off easily.
Hinata looked almost mortified by her own attack. She glanced at her hand that attacked and flexed her fingers. The indigo beauty never liked to resort to violence when she was angry or upset; she would much rather push it down and swallow it all up. However, this felt good, and she couldn't help but admit that she felt better.
Kurenai could only smirk. Looks like her shy wallflower wasn't so passive after all.
All three stared each other down, defence up and anger beginning to stir between them like a drug in the air.
It was now a three-way match.
As if practiced, all three ran to each other and began to fight, kicking and punching and clawing. It felt good to finally release some of the pent up energy and scream and yell without consequences or repercussions.
Kiba's speed was still unmatched but Shino made up for it in power and Hinata in flexibility. They all dodged and weaved through a flurry of attacks and seemingly danced around each other.
"Kiba," Kurenai called once again, "You're beginning to slack off. Were they right? Are you stupid?"
Kiba roared and threw a wild punch, "NO!" He hit Hinata square in the chest and sent her flying back. A kick to Shino and he was rolling a few feet away.
Kiba felt tears in his eyes as he got more angry. "I'm not fucking stupid!" He shouted at them. Shino and Hinata were surprised as he began to cry. It wasn't tears of anger, but rather, tears of pain.
"I'm not lesser than any of you! I didn't do anything wrong! I'm not a bad person and you don't get to tell me I am! You don't get to fucking treat me like they do! YOU DON'T GET TO TREAT ME LIKE SHIT!" Without meaning to, Kiba had finally snapped.
Shino scowled and ran to throw a punch that sent the wild boy back, "Then don't be a hypocrite!" He shouted back. He felt a stinging behind his eyes, but refused to cry.
"I am not just another Aburame. I have hopes and dreams and feelings just like any of you. I train just as hard and I try just as much for recognition. How dare you insult me for something I can't help? I am not a 'robot' or a 'shell' or a fucking roach! I AM A HUMAN TOO!"
They began to punch and kick and roll around in the dirt, seemingly forgetting Hinata who glowered angrily. She was being left out again. They were ignoring her again. She was not going to let it happen. Not anymore.
With her hands and legs coated in chakra, she ran to her teammates and kicked as hard as she could, sending both of them skidding across the dirt and rocks. They looked up, having just remembered that she was still there.
"Don't ignore me!" She thundered, "I'm here too, and while you two go on and on about each other, you forget that I exist! You are so twisted up in each other, when I work just as hard as everyone else! I won't take it anymore! I won't allow myself to be disrespected! I'M SICK OF YOU ALL THINKING I'M WEAK!"
She released a sudden burst of chakra, much like the one Anko had done when they were taking their first test together. Her hands and eyes burned brighter than fire.
Kiba shifted instantly and Shino's legs sprouted in response. All at once they began attacking each other.
There was no intent to kill, but they were looking to hurt each other and rid themselves of this feeling. This awful feeling of hatred and depression and frustration and rage. They were tired of being pushed around and were not going to let their teammates do so, not anymore.
Hinata was just like a snake. Weaving and contorting her body in impossible ways. Her light feet and speed, matching even Kiba, allowed for her to maneuver around even the most complex jutsu that was sent her way. Her glowing eyes were looking everywhere, seeing everything so clearly for the first time. Her burning hands charred her sleeves and sent wind with every thrust of her palm. She looked like a goddess of war.
Kiba was a blur, running circles around his team. His clawed hands shred everything they came into contact with, clothes, hair, even bugs. His eyes, once brown and narrow, were bright red and large. All of his senses were heightened and had him wasted on the sudden high from it all. Hair messy, teeth sharp, claws out, and eyes intent, he was something more than just a beast. He looked like a monster from hell.
Shino made up for his lack of speed with power. He didn't kick or punch lightly in this fight, regardless of his exhaustion or bruises. He used his powerful legs to block and strike at all angles, hooks sharp and exoskeleton stronger than steel. He would lift himself and jump and shout louder than he had ever done before in his life. He had never felt so much before. He felt so alive. As he lifted into the air, arms spread and bugs summoned, he looked like a fate worse than death.
Kurenai watched in interest, never moving from her stump as her students beat the ever living shit out of each other. Of course, she would intervene when it got serious, but she didn't feel any intention to kill, only sadness and anger.
It was good for them to let everything out, even if they were getting hurt in the process; but Kurenai knew that a fight would happen eventually, so she might as well supervise and make sure no one died.
She was in awe of their raw power, their hidden potentials now showing themselves after so long. They were made to be shinobi, they were made to be killers! She had no idea, though, that this was only the beginning of something wonderful and legendary in itself.
The three genin posed and readied themselves. They were exhausted and injured, but they bravely fought through the pain. They were going to end this.
All at once they advanced and threw a hit. Kiba hit Shino, who hit Hinata who had hit Kiba just in time. All three students fell to the floor, spent of energy and anger. They all panted and huffed in pain, as they stared up at the sky, listening to the trees and the wind and each other.
Finally, Kiba sat up, groaning as Akamaru licked his face and barked excitedly. Shino was the second to sit up followed shortly by Hinata who was whimpering in pain. They looked over each other warily, waiting to see if the others would continue the fight.
When no threat was being made, they began to smile. The smiles turned into chuckles and then moved to laughter, sweet and relieved.
Shino held his fist out to Kiba, "I'm sorry." He said. Hinata turned to look at Kiba, who stared on in shock. He hadn't expected Shino to be the first to apologize.
He grinned and touched his fist to Shino's, "Yeah," He laughed, "Me too."
They turned to Hinata, who was, again, feeling left out and held their connected fists out to her, "You too, Hinata." Kiba smiled gently as her eyes lit up, "We're sorry." Shino nodded in affirmation, a gentle upward tug of his lips.
Hinata felt her eyes water and thrust her fist out to meet theirs, sobbing joyfully at this new blissful sensation in her stomach. Akamaru barked and hopped to be included, causing more laughter within the group.
Kurenai smiled in relief, having been successful once again with her team and her outlandish methods. She knew she was really pushing it with this last one. They could have ended up killing each other. She was lucky she was right in them needing just a bit of release.
Now that they had worked everything out and began to tread on a new level in their friendship, it was time to begin phase two of the plan, and that was revealing everyone's darkest secrets: their home lives.
This would be another moment in which she was going to really push the envelope, but if her team was going to be ANBU and the best one of the Nine, she needed them to know each other like the back of their hands. They needed to be on a familial level with each other, seeing as how they have none to begin with.
She took a deep breath and got up to heal all of them. This had better work.
Overall, the rest of the trip wasn't as bad as Kurenai thought it was going to be, although there were moments of dysfunction within their team.
Kiba and Akamaru would either be running too fast or getting too loud in which Shino would scold them and they would have an argument, which Hinata always diffused.
Hinata fit into her role of peacekeeping nicely, using her natural sweetness to have them feel guilty for upsetting her. Kurenai also learned that sweet Hinata had a motherly-like side, as she watched her gently, but firmly scold her teammates. It was cute.
Shino was trying hard not to be a total asshole, but would often catch himself before the insult was said. He had previously thought he was being honest, when in reality, he really was being, as Kurenai said, a dick. He struggled to apologize each time, but was slowly getting the hang of it.
Kiba did his best to take the criticism with dignity. He still felt the anger simmer under his skin, but took a deep breath and calmly explained why Shino's words upset him, even going as far as to offer suggestions of tone and word choice.
After a day of constantly suggesting better wording, he began to shrug it off, eventually giving up and even firing back his own choice of words. His sensei was proud that he was building a thicker skin.
Regardless of the fight or any petty arguments, they would still forgive each other and would go back to focusing on the mission along with their training.
After the big fight, Kurenai healed them and decided it would be a good time to learn the basics of survival in the forests of Konoha. She began with fishing.
Shino was ,surprisingly, the best. Kurenai thought that he would be the worst, considering his bugs, but he had a strange and knowing ability to catch them much easier than his comrades.
He smiled to himself when Hinata or Kiba fell in the water wrestling their catches and even laughed when one nearly smacked Kurenai in the face when she was distracted.
Kiba was, of course, better at hunting. Kurenai often let him hunt to shake off some of the building aggression and tension he was feeling from having to run at a "slow" pace or remain at the campsite on night watch, and Akamaru always found the sweetest berries to eat, smelling them for poison.
She was proud of Kiba downing his first deer by hand. While his teammates were pale and even a little tense, Kiba just grinned innocently without noticing, too caught up with the idea of eating as much as he wanted tonight. Akamaru was just as happy as he shook off the blood from his coat.
Hinata was a master at direction and reading the stars or the environment. Even with her Byakugan off, she would find water sources the quickest using the foliage or point in very specific directions using math or angles of the sun and stars. Kurenai often found her staring up at the night sky, eyes watching and reading and sometimes pointing out a constellation to either of the boys, who were equally confused by astronomy.
She was glad that everything was going so smoothly, but maybe it was a little too smooth.
They hadn't had anyone disturb them. No enemies had made to approach them and they hadn't seen anyone else on the road. Kurenai wondered briefly if that was good or bad, seeing as how they wouldn't get the chance to fight a new enemy or learn to… take lives...
The last skill was important. A ninja was no ninja until they took a life, otherwise, they were allowing more evil to take root and allowing for another innocent life to end. Kurenai considered it to be a sort of initiation or right-of-way into the world of shinobi.
She had taken her first life at the age of eleven when she was on a mission to escort a traveller to his village on the border of Wind and Leaf. A group of robbers stopped her team and in order to keep her client safe, she thrust her kunai into the heart of the leader.
She was upset and saddened by the outcome, being the only genin of her team to kill someone, but after a talk with her leader and a profound thank you from the traveler, she felt less horrible and more proud that she had done a service.
After that, she became less afraid and more aware. She saw the world so much differently and had less of a problem taking a life if it meant the safety of her team or her own life. She would be damned if she allowed any of her precious people a chance at harm. If your mission called for taking a life, you had better take it with your own two hands or die in their place.
She hoped her team was ready for that kind of life, but if not, then surely she could help prepare them.
The trees of the thinning forest drew long shadows under the evening sun. It had been three days and they were bordering on day four now. The light chatter behind Kurenai spoke volumes. They were finally getting comfortable on their own, asking questions, telling stories and even having friendly debates over complex or silly things. Though they still had a long way to go in order to completely trust each other.
She knew they felt lighter, not having to worry about their life in the village or what would happen when they came back. They were living in the present, and presently, they were content.
Kurenai spotted an old man sitting at the base of a tree, meditating. She approached and kneeled before him, "Good evening sir," She greeted respectfully, "I believe there's a storm coming from the north."
The old man slowly peeled his eyes open and smiled, "Might you give this old man some shelter?" Kurenai pulled the red scroll from her pack and handed it over.
The old man slowly looked it over, nodding slowly until he found the seal he was looking for. He stood, using a thick wooden staff to aid him, and turned around, performing a hand sign to dispel the masterfully made illusion that hid the monks' beautiful temple.
Team Eight watched in wonder and gaped at the beauty all around them.