Everyday is the same.

Wake up, get up.

Eat up, Brush up.

Wash up, dress up.

Day in, day out, for weeks on end. "Screw it." Sighing, I shoulder my satchel and wander off close to the edge of the village, I've got stuff to do. Important stuff.

"Ebisu-kun!" A few girls come running up to me, and I paste on my best 'piss off' look. It fits nicely over my 'I hate everything' look.

"Ebisu-kun, what're you doing today?"

"Walking home alone Ebisu-kun? You don't have to you know."

"Ebis-"

"I'm BUSY today." Turning, I stalk down an ally, I like stalking, it's kind of a tough guy walk, but what really sets the tone is your facial expression and aura. Too much of a smile, and it becomes playful. Too much of a scowl, and it becomes threatening. You have to get the right balance of murderous rage, and an expression that screams 'I'm a tortured soul! leave me alone!' and I think I pull that off nicely, since they're not calling me anymore.

Today I continue my preparation for the day I leave this village.

"There." Plunked down in a tree, I'm mostly hidden from view. If my quarry sees me, it'll just look like I'm sketching birds or something.

But I'm not. I'm spying on Maito Gai today.

The sketchbook is actually for taking down notes and copying his forms as best I can. I'm much better at art than I was where I come from, back then, I could barely do stickmen. Now, I'm making various images and notes on how Gai tones his body. I spent weeks following Iruka-sensei around doing this, working on my speed drawing.

I also picked up a lot on how to keep my body flexible, he's really very limber.

A few days of this, and then I move on to another Jounin. Maybe Hatake Kakashi. Maybe.

Drat, Gai's moving off for one of his marathon 'warm up' runs again. I guess that's it for today.

Shouldering my bag, I drop down from the tree and- "Fu-" Fall over ontop of someone. How embarrassing.

"Ow!" A girl, from the voice. "Wh-" A very red girl, all of a sudden. "Ebisu-kun."

"Hyuuga Hinata." I'm in an awkward position, straddling her lap. I somehow managed to break my fall without crushing her, but my hands are tangled in her sweatshirt's hood. "It looks like I ruined your lunch." Nice, I splattered her riceball and drink all over the grass, lucky it wasn't on her.

She just keeps getting redder. I stand up, untangling myself from her shirt, and dig in my pocket. "Here." Dropping a handful of yen into her lap, I spin around on my heel. "That should make up for my lack of co-ordination." With that, I walk off. I hope nobody saw that.

"...Sigh." Not my lucky day. Turning to my left, I shoot a mild glare. "I don't do autographs." Three of them, at least one, fairly pissed off, but who- "Ah, Gai's cell." Rock lee, Tenten, and- "Hyuuga Neji, what did I do to deserve the sparkling smile?" Oh yeah, if he wasn't out for blood before, he is now. I turn and-

Killing intent.

I try to spin back around, but something catches me in the back, sends me flying a good dozen feet, and I hit the ground hard.

"Neji, you didn't have to hit him that hard." Oh really Tenten, how hard should he have hit me then?

"Thanks for the sympathy, but..." I haul myself up onto my feet, without a groan, thank god. "That fixed the crick in my back, thanks Neji-chan." I smirk, and try to straighten up. Not working very well, the old back.

"Let me help." Someone holds out a hand to help me. Who-

"Lee-san." I gratefully take his hand and straighten up. It still hurts like hell. "Thanks, looks like Neji-chan missed the other tickle in my spine." Well Lee looks conflicted about this, so I'll step away from him, so it doesn't seem like he's siding against his team-mate. "If the demonstration of the Hyuuga clan style backrubs is over, I'm late for lunch."

I turn and walk stiffly away, my back feels like it's on fire. Looks like I'll be having lunch after a long soak. Damn, seems Gai's cell has figured out that I've been watching him.

"Ebisu-san, wait a moment."

Sighing, I turn around to see who it is this time. "What now?" It's Lee again.

"Why are you spying on master Gai?" Hmm, straight to the point, I'll be direct too then.

"So he can't say no to me." Now he looks confused. I sigh again. "I'll explain. I'm the only one without a cell, since I'm the odd man out thanks to simple numbers. Since a four man cell isn't allowed, I can't ask your master to train me."

"But if you asked, I'm sure master Gai would-"

"Ask the Hokage? It's against the rules, so it won't happen, even if he did ask. If I do it this way, he won't have to put himself out like that, and I won't be bothering him. Besides..." I flash him a grin. "I am a Ninja."

"Anyways, I hear the hot water calling me." I turn and walk away, waving over my shoulder. "Tell Neji-chan that he's on my hit list now. He'd better watch his back from now on. Ja ne." Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I head for home, and a nice hot bath.

I need it.