By Silver Dragonfly
Chapter 1 : growth
Kabuto watched silently as Orochimaru studied the scroll he had just turned over moments
before. He watched silently, inwardly smirking as he noted the Sage-nin's hands tensing for
a moment before the Snake's usual calm returned.
"So little Anko is making a nuisance of herself by killing all our spies… perhaps it's time I
reminded her just who her sensei is. We leave for Konoha at dusk Kabuto-kun."
Kabuto bowed, his lips twisting into a smirk for a brief second at the lowest point. Things
were progressing nicely… the others would be pleased.
********
Ligri – used for counteracting insect bites and poisons.
"Very good. What about something that will relieve pain, swelling, and keep out infection of
open wounds?" Kilin asked, continuing her drill of naturally found medical plants and herbs.
Wairie – it's also commonly mistaken as a poisonous plant, since it cannot be eaten without
proper preparation.
"Good. So you have been paying attention in your lessons with Tsunade and not daydreaming."
Of course I've been paying attention. What about Uinri roots, I know the blossoms are
poisonous, but I read something that mentioned the roots—"Eeep!"
Hinata blinked as she tried to push the red fur out of her face. "Zurui?" She asked surprised
when she finally managed to push him far enough away from her face to where she could
recognize the red-orange fox that was never far from Naruto. "What are you doing here?
Aren't you with Naruto and the others on that mission—he's BACK!"
Kilin sighed giving up the lesson as Hinata forgot all about it in her rush to get to the eastern
road leading into Konoha. In moments they had arrived, Zurui happily running at her heals.
Hinata stopped at the forest edge, frozen in place as she spotted Team Seven. Zurui ran past
her feet and gave a bark as he loped up to Naruto.
"Hey Zurui, where'd you run off to?" Naruto asked chuckling... then fell silent as his eyes found
Hinata and their eyes locked.
Sasuke smirked.
Sakura giggled.
Hinata blushed, but did not pull her gaze away from Naruto. She smiled softly. "Welcome back."
Naruto grinned.
"Hinata-chan, why don't you walk back to the village with us?" Sakura invited smiling brightly.
"Yeah! Then we can start telling you about everything!" Naruto added brightly. Sasuke shook
his head and kept walking.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Naruto no baka! You mean so you can start telling her. Getting
pounded repetitively by that pervert is not a story I care to tell."
Hinata laughed and stepped out onto the road to join the others. "So you met up with
Jiraiya-sama then?" She asked as they began to move towards the village once more.
"Yeah, though he was over a week late and then insisted on testing our progress. The testing
itself took another two weeks." Naruto complained as he fell in step with Hinata, his hands rose
to rest on the back of his head in his normal relaxed manor. "But he did teach us a few new
jutsus as well. Did the old hag teach you anything while we were gone Hinata-chan?" Naruto
then asked, easily switching the topic from himself to the young woman walking beside him.
"Hai, she's stepped up my medical-nin training again." Hinata answered her voice still soft but
free of the stutter she always used to be plagued with whenever trying to speak to Naruto. It
had taken time, but with Kilin's support and sometimes almost constant contact with Naruto, as
well as the others also who were bonded with a Guardian—over the past three years she'd
gotten over some of her shyness.
"That's great Hinata! That puts you at Jounin ability in medical skills doesn't it?" Sakura asked,
greatly impressed at the other girl's progress.
"Hai." Hinata answered smiling as they reached the East Gate.
"Well, we have to go report to Godaime-sama, later Hinata-chan!" Sakura called out as they
were admitted into the gate.
"Hinata! We should have dinner later so you can tell me more about your training!" Naruto
called back as he followed his two teammates.
"H-Hai!" Hinata answered, blushing as she waved goodbye to them.
"You're staring Hinata-chan."Kilin teased.
Hinata blushed as she quickly turned away and headed back towards the forest. I am not.
"Right—I think that's enough herbology for the day. Why don't you work on the new glaive
pattern?" The unicorn then suggested, letting the girl's interest in the blond haired Kitsune be
for the time being.
Hai! Hinata agreed eagerly, a thrill going through her at the prospect of working with the six
foot staff topped by a foot long curved blade. She'd taken up learning the elegant, but very
deadly looking staff weapon at Kilin's suggestion, agreeing that her bloodline ability and
expertise in the Gentle Fist style of taijutsu left her at a disadvantage when it came to even
moderately longer range attacks. She paused upon reaching a moderately sized training
area—this one clear of anything that would get in her way during her practice. She moved to
the center and then pulled out a thin two inch long scroll out of a pocket within her kimono,
and then triggered the Justus within with a bit of chakara. There was a poof of smoke and a
small whoosh as the seven foot long weapon appeared and fell into her waiting hand.
With careful movements she began what was essentially a dance pattern, her feet moving in
set patterns as her arms and hands moved with the staff and blade. Her control was precise
as she concentrated on making the weapon an extension of herself. Slowly, she picked up the
pace as the required movements became familiar and natural, the blade beginning to whir at
the speed with which it moved through the air.
With a soft whir she finished the pattern her body movements ending in a position that left her
read for the next move.
"Very good… Now what do you say to a calling?" Kilin asked, amusement in her mental voice.
**********
Tsunade watched as the three members of Team Seven made their way towards her office.
They had barely gotten through the East Gates, and they had already been stopped or delayed
by friends several times. It would be a half hour at least before they even reached the central
tower where her office was, but in the meantime she was content to watch them, and take note
once again of how much they had all grown in the three years she had known them; Grown as
shinobi, grown as teenagers, grown as partners to Guardians. Sometimes it was the physical
effects of the partnerships that surprised her the most.
Like Sakura's flame tipped hair—pink faded into red and gold tips, which often gave the illusion
that her hair was burning. Yet it was completely natural and nothing short of a detailed genjutsu
would disguise it. Several of the younger and older shinobi had tried to mimic it—with very
mixed results. The fashion had passed, and most of the village was now accustomed to her
unique hair coloring.
However, they still were adjusting to the physical markings of his partnership. The pale blue
lines that first appeared on Sasuke's skin in the pattern of scales had spread and darkened
appearing to be an intricate tattoo—a development which had surprisingly seemed to turn away
many of the girls who used to fawn over the youth. That he had become less indifferent to
female attention—Sakura's in particular—had become a bonus. Well, at least to some degree.
Naruto's physical evidence of his bond had always been present in the form of the triple whisker
like marks on each of his cheeks—but they were no longer the only ones. However, one had to
be of suitable power before they would even notice the others, and even then they may not
believe what they saw. Tsunade often found herself nearly doing a double take when she spotted
fox tails out of the corner of her eye waving behind Naruto, and even then it had taken the
appearance of the third and fourth ones before she'd believed what she had been seeing. When
questioned, Naruto told her that they were a sign of his mastery of Kyuubi's power—the more
tails, the higher his level of mastery.
From what she'd learned of the Guardians and their partners, they would eventually all bare
evidence of their mastery, but it would vary from Guardian to Guardian. Hinata's had been most
apparent in hair that would grow long faster when it was cut short, and a delicate tear drop
mark on her forehead. The mark itself had shown evidence of her growing skills as it changed
colors, the most recent change going from white to pale blue. The girl's healing abilities were
phenomenal for her age, and Tsunade had no doubt that it wouldn't be long before Hinata's
skills outdid her own.
Then of course there was Rock Lee. The boy had suffered horrendous injury during the Chuunin
exams, but then he'd met Takarai, the Gryphon Guardian. Lee's injuries, which should have
taken years to heal, took mere months; aided not only by the Guardian he was bound to, but by
Hinata as she discovered her own healing abilities. He'd taken to the partnership with the
same passion he applied to everything else. The bond had blossomed quickly, and so had the
more physical aspects. Long gone were the bowl shaped haircuts that he had been known for.
Rather his hair formed a sort of crest, much like that of a bird of prey, or the Gryphon he was
bound to. It gave the young man a more roguish and sometimes wild look. Tsunade thought it
suited him, even more so when his eyes began to turn amber.
"Oi! Baa-san—you awake?!"
"Naruto." Tsunade responded with a smirk and sighed as she turned away from the window
and her musings. Apparently the trio had made it to her office while she was busy reminiscing.
"You're late."
"Jiraiya was a week late at the rendezvous point." Sasuke answered before Naruto could go
into a long drawn out tale.
"And then decided to test our skills," Sakura added. Naruto pouted having his chance to
complain long and vocally about his thwarted perverted sensei.
Tsunade shook her head as a set of scrolls was then placed on her desk. "Well it's good to
have you back. I need to meet with you three as well as Hinata and Lee. We've received some
interesting reports in the last month—reports that I feel involve all of you."
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