Hidden Ninja, Crouching Genins
Episode Four: The Dance of the Drunken Mantas
Hinata had grown up with many responsibilities that she never wanted. She had to receive a birthday present once that scarred her cousin for life and will now hold his branch house seal against her. There was that one time when Hinata had to take her younger sister to a midnight toy sale or get beaten up in front of Naruto. Iruka, her former teacher, nominated her for class representative which involved monitoring clearing chores (though it did give her more time to sit silently around Naruto). What now?"I didn't get much accomplished today," Hinata explained to Shino and Kiba.
"Unacceptable, only a pedigree bitch such as yourself would do so poorly." Shino stated calmly. Ayame, a worker of the Ramen Shop, put down a bowl for Shino at the bar. It had a straw in it, and he bent over the bowl and took some soup in from the straw. "Kiba, what is the most important thing about being a member of a team?"
"Hinata will do well; and who the hell eats ramen through a straw?" Kiba asked and threw a pack of chopsticks without looking at Shino but he missed and it hit Hinata in the eye.
"Sorry, Hinata, our fights always include you." Kiba said. "Nothing serious."
"Kiba, you meant that," Shino said. "You are definitely going too far in blaming Hinata. You're dog is lost, and Hinata has not found it. It is distressing, but it is natural to be angry at Hinata."
"I see," Hinata muttered.
"Maybe I would pour ramen over Hinata's head," Kiba said. "That will settle the argument over if I intended to hit Hinata or not."
"I disagree and suggest you amend your haphazard decision," Shino said. "It seems to be my ace to disagree with you."
"No, I wouldn't do that," Kiba said. Slowly, he took Hinata's bowl of ramen and poured the noodles and vegetables over Hinata's head. "Oh no, what wrong have I done?"
"It's just a vegetarian ramen," Shino said, "The wise Confucius said, 'it only soup on Hinata's head. Some famished people have no food on their heads.'"
"Don't say that like it was serious," Kiba yelled. But Shino held up a text messaging device.
"Yeah, but it is only a user name," Shino stated, "reply of Main House's Pedigree Bitch 'Hair colour goes good with certain time of food. Vegetarian foods work well on blue.'"
Hinata got off her chair and started off. Not so far gone, Kiba held Hinata's hand.
"Hinata, you timidity can't work in this team. We need to be informed about you or else the enemy may pick up on a weakness of that we are not aware. For example, if you were tired from an extended, you should speak up." Shino told her. "You may not be a ninja by showing your true emotions, but some chats about are mental condition can allow us to alter a plan."
"If some enemy has taken my form, and you looked at him, you would not question him no matter how strange he acted." Kiba said.
"No!" Hinata said and with her gentle fist style, she smacked both of her teammates in the head. "Neji, and Tenten!"
Indeed, Neji and Tenten were using their transformation skills to portray Hinata's teammates, Kiba and Shino. They stood up and laughed.
"When did you take Shino and Kiba's place?" Hinata said. "Why did you have to reveal yourselves?"
Just then, Ayame and the chief changed into Shino and Kiba respectively (if I could use that word). Kiba grabbed Shino by the jacket.
"You idiot," Kiba said, "you made the boobs too small."
"Nonsense," Shino said, "you go over board. Ninjas like you are the reason that every team needs at least one girl. The women have to make sure when you are doing the art of transformation of a female that you are not romanticizing it so much. But now, let's kick some ass."
Shino and Kiba hurdled over the bar counter and both of them landed a double punch on Neji and TenTen.
"Seriously TenTen, why do you drink ramen out of a straw?" Neji said.
"I don't want to get my white teeth stained," TenTen pointed out, "but we did everything that Shino and Kiba also do to Hinata."
"Incorrect," Hinata shouted, "this is very twisty for me, but I know that Shino and Kiba would never hurt me."
"That is true. TenTen and Neji have been following us since Kakashi stole Kiba's dog." Shino said. "We had to change from our normal habits so that they would pick them up if they tried to approach you under the disguise of us."
"Shut up," Neji said, "you just made that up."
"It is in our sub-plan that you would react this way," Kiba said, "right, Shino?"
"Don't be nonsensical, Kiba," Shino pointed out in his serious and slow tone, "You are being overly excited and immature."
"Enough!" Hinata said. She turned on her x-ray eyes and saw that Neji was a bug clone. Looking down at the table she saw her glass of bland tasting clear pop, she picked it up but accidentally, because of her x-ray vision, she caught the glass of beer that was before the pop. She gulped it down.
"No, she lifted my beer," Kiba said.
"What were you doing with a glass of beer?" Shino demanded.
"It was in character," Kiba answered.
"I oppose your way of the ninja." Shino said. He opened up his big overcoat, underneath was a grey vest. Inside the lining of the overcoat, there hung boards of holes and pegs. Above the one named Kiba, he removed the peg at – 15 and put it to – 16. "You are officially taken down a notch."
"What?!" Kiba yelled. Hinata had quite enough, and despite that she could not use her x-ray vision, but she had an abnormal double vision, she did decide to attack Tenten. Of course, since we have never seen even one of TenTen's attacks in the manga, I will not predict how TenTen would fight and simply say that Hinata hit her down without putting up much resistance.
But, TenTen changed once more and it was Akamaru!
"AKAMARU!" Kiba shouted and ran to Akamaru's side.
But, Akamaru changed, would you believe, into Naruto! He did bite Kiba's hand, just like in the preliminary tournament, but this time drew blood. A flash of light went off.
"Nice shot," Ino chuckled and backed away with her camera.
"Blood," Kiba shouted, but when he pulled his hand out, he saw he was fine.
"I guess Hinata clocked me good," Naruto said.
"No…." Hinata fainted.
"Naruto," Shino said, "you are Kiba's superior in every way. I look forward to fighting you in the tournament."
"I am going to take Neji down," Naruto said. "You believe in me!"
"Oh, Neji? I must retract my statement; I look forward to fighting Neji to avenge my teammate's lost." Shino said.
"Hey, I am fighting for Hinata's honor," Naruto said.
"Hinata will have me defeat Neji," Kiba said.
"You are not in the tournament," Shino and Naruto said together.
"Wait, I beat your teammate Kiba," Naruto said.
"That is true. But if I beat Neji, then I would have beaten the guy who defeated Hinata and defeated the man who defeated Naruto." Shino said. "Plus, he is a blood line. But, in some cases, a member of a blood line hinders himself with the idea that living up to his potential is living in the destiny of family."
---
"Hinata wake up," Shino said outside the door to her room. Kiba knocked at the door.
Hinata's eyes focused and she saw that it had just passed noon.
"We will be late for training," Kiba yelled.
"You were the one who had us falling behind schedule." Shino said. "We are going to be late anyways."
The door opened, it was Hinata as dull as ever.
"I am going to do something with my hair today," Hinata yelled and slammed the door. "Shino and Kiba's fighting is annoying."
"Is the hair and dark sunglasses a sign of your blindness?" Kiba asked.
"Would I be so brooding if I were blind and never seen you?" Shino shoot back slowly. Their attention went on Hinata as she had added a long blue hair extension.
"Cool Hinata!" Kiba said.
"Cool would get us dead," Shino unworriedly said. He started to reach for his 'Not kill or kill' list. "No," he droned, "I will express kindness this time and add another notch to by belt." Adjusting over top his coat, Shino loosened his belt and his pants fell down. "It could have been worst; my condolences for the lost of Akamaru."
"Don't try to pity me in a moment like this," Kiba yelled. He picked up a trusty urn of Neji's father and threw it against Shino's head. The contents fell out.
"Enough!" Hinata yelled and chased after the two. Shino who was ahead of Kiba lead them into the kitchen. Stepping on a wet floor, Shino slipped into the small breakfast table. He did however switch with a bug clone and jumped up onto a ceiling fan. The bug clone went on to the table and shattered into individual bugs that swarmed the table.
Kiba also had no luck avoiding the wet spot, and he also now had to avoid Shino who was falling with the broken fan.
"Fang destroyer," Kiba spun around quickly and got some traction over the water by drilling into the floor. His spin did lose control and Kiba was thrown into Hinata and they both landed on a gas stove that burnt Kiba's hand and lit Hinata's long hair on fire.
"Kiba, catch boy," Shino said.
"Don't ridicule me," Kiba said and turned away to miss the fire extinguisher that landed on top of the stove. They vacated the room and went to the outside courtyard. The explosion set the background stage for the duel between Shino and Kiba.
"If you weren't late," Shino mentioned.
"Blame is easier to give than receive," Kiba said.
"Then don't give me a standing ovation for what I am about to say," Hinata said, "I blame you two for ruining my experience. This conflict has got to end."
They did not however disengaged from the armed combat, and when around destroying the Branch House complex of the Hyuuga estate. Another predictable thing that happened was Shino's victory over Kiba at the family grave yard. That had been where Shino picked up a coffin of the most respected Hyuuga member ever and smashed it against Kiba's head.
Hinata was a bit more than pissed, which Shino saw and tried to calm her down.
"Hinata," Shino said and he opened his jacket. Hinata's board was pointed out. "Every time you have failed, I have put you down a peg. You are currently one away from officially being on my 'to kill' list. Had I penalized Kiba that one time, I would also have to take you down the final notch. Truly, it is absurd that I would have new notches in my belt to reward my accomplishments."
"At this moment," he continued, "you have the choice to forgive us or attack us with all you have. One choice will bring you death."
"Shino and Kiba, stop fighting with each other," Hinata demanded. "Shino, understand that though Kiba is quick to act, he is the last one to inflict his comrades with friendly fire. Now you must die."
"Wait," Shino was startled. "With your actions, you have shown me that you are indeed a worthy teammate and I give you the same respect as I give Kiba."
"You respect me?" Kiba asked.
"I see you as too rash in your judgment," Shino said, "You have always put the safety of Hinata above the mission. I am glad that she is still alive. Hinata, you don't have to die ever again. I suggest a group hug."
Kiba shrugged joined the hug.
"I haven't forgiven you two," Hinata sinisterly whispered. She hit her two teammates.
"I never thought so," Shino said standing a few meters away, "that is why I tricked you with the bug clone. Behind you, Neji can vouch for me."
Hinata looked back and Neji was not there.
"What happened to Neji," Hinata wondered and looked behind her, "Shino?"
From that moment on, Hinata would never stop from speaking her mind to Shino or Kiba. Kiba would never stop getting bit on the hand from Naruto.