Let's start this from the beginning
Graduation
VIII
"Sensei?"
It spoke volumes about Shino's state of mind that he didn't even bother to try and hide his surprise, and while his glasses prevented him from knowing for sure, Itachi was sure he was looking at him with wide eyes.
"I hope you don't mind me ambushing you like this, but I hoped to talk with you and thought you would prefer to do this in private rather than in front of everyone."
Although it was technically still far too early to end the day, Itachi had sent his students home after the spars had finished and all three of them but Hinata and Kiba in particular had recovered enough. They might have been fine physically, yes, but the joint session had been as emotionally straining as intended, so there was no harm in sending them home early. Especially because he had planned to talk with all three of them afterwards anyway.
Just as he was speaking with Shino right now, two of his should approach his other two students just about now as well.
"And what would this be about?"
"This might take a while," Itachi said instead of actually answering the question before pointing towards a free patch of grass to their right. "Why don't we sit down for it?"
Shino looked at him with barely hidden suspicion, probably already guessing at least parts of what he wanted to talk with him about, but there was a hint of curiosity as well which Itachi counted as a good sign.
The place he had chosen for this conversation was the Senju Park, a wooden area within Konoha that was created shortly after the end of the First Great Ninja War in honour of the exceptionally high number of Senju casualties. It was located right between the training ground their earlier session had taken place and the Aburame Compound, meaning Shino would surely walk through it during his way back home, and as the park was always peaceful due to its function as a memorial, it was exactly the kind of place a member of a clan that was as deeply connected to nature as the Aburame would find relaxing.
It was the perfect location for the kind of conversation Itachi wanted to have, really.
"Am I right to assume that you want to talk about today's joint session, Sensei?"
"That's certainly part of it, yes." He gave the boy an inviting gesture with his arm as he sat down with his knees folded beneath his body. "Why don't we start with you telling me what you think about it?"
"It was a very educational and instructive experience. Being able to observe Genin with more experience than us will be helpful in accurately judging our own growth in the future."
A very nice analysis, Itachi thought with a hint of humour. But also very nondescript and unhelpful. What Shino had said was true, yes, but Itachi was sure it didn't reflect was he truly thought. Instead, it was what he thought was the correct answer; the one he thought Itachi wanted to hear.
"That is true," he agreed easily, not letting any of his thoughts show on his face or in his voice. "And what do you think about how you three fared today?"
Shino clearly tried to keep a calm appearance, but Itachi saw the twitch of his finger and the way he kept sitting still in a too deliberate way as to be real that gave his true feelings away.
"Hinata put on an unexpectedly aggressive performance," Shino finally said after a few seconds of silence, his voice slow and pensive. "I don't think I have ever seen her move like that before. If she can replicate that attitude in the future and manages to improve upon it, she will surely be able to grow quickly in power. If it weren't for the incredible speed of her opponent, it might even have been enough to win her fight.
"Kiba made good use of his clan's technique. I'm actually impressed he took your lesson to heart, Sensei, and used his head instead of simply rushing at his opponent head-on. His strategy was sound, and I think any less experienced opponent would have had serious problems with his attacks. In fact, I'm not quite sure how Neji managed to get away from the explosions in the first place either.
"My opponent had the advantage, and while I tried to counter her, my attempts were ultimately useless. While my approach was sensible and… clever, the difference in skill was simply too big to be overcome."
That monologue actually illustrated a lot about Shino's thought process and his character in general.
When talking about his teammates, he could express his opinion in a short and concise message while still accurately depicting what had happened. He had analysed their fights and effortlessly found ways to praise them. In Kiba's case in particular, he even ignored whatever misgivings he had with the other boy to give positive feedback instead of putting his performance down like many others would have down. Considering their last argument should still be fresh in Shino's mind, that was a very admirable trait.
When he talked about himself, on the other hand, he was much less willing to see the positive aspects. He technically still kept to the facts and even offered some acknowledgement for his actions, but it was clear that he was doing this only half-heartedly and that he privately focused much more on the negative.
Furthermore, judging from how openly -at least for him- sombre Shino was at the moment, his loss seemed to affect him more than any other one during their training sessions before. Itachi could always read his mood, of course, but right now, he wouldn't be surprised if even a total stranger could be able to tell what was going on with him.
So this is was Guy was getting at, then.
Yes, Itachi might have slightly miscalculated. While he didn't think he was depressed, Shino was definitively more affected than he had expected.
"Shino," he said slowly, picking his words with great care. "Do you trust my judgment?"
That clearly caught Shino off-guard. Even his gloominess was momentarily forgotten as surprise took its place. "Of course, Sensei. You-"
"Then would you believe me if I told you that you put on a great performance today and that your skills in general are above what is expected from someone your age?"
Shino's previous mood came back in one fell swoop as his entire body visible tensed, but Itachi ignored that, choosing instead to continue speaking with a soft but insistent voice.
"For coming from a clan that as a rule tries to avoid Taijutsu, your skills in it are admirable. You were even one of the best of your class at the Academy if I remember correctly, and since you became my student, your skills have been growing by leaps and bounds. You have also repeatedly proven yourself to be exceptionally intelligent, coming up with several strategies even in the heat of battle and using your clan's techniques to their absolute maximum. And yet, despite all of that, there's one thing that's holding you back. Do you know what it is?"
Shino, clearly overwhelmed with all the unexpected praises, could only mutely shake his head.
"It's you," he said before flicking the boy's forehead, making him let out an uncharacteristic whelp. "Or, to be more precise, your mind. You're talented and driven, but for some reason, you seem intent on seeing only the bad things while ignoring all the good ones."
Most other kids his age would probably have argued that point, not wanting to admit that they made such a grave error in judgment, but Shino wasn't the kind of person to react like that. He always soaked up whatever information he could get his hands on and was by far the most attentive twelve-year-old Itachi had ever met. So, instead of simply denying his words, Shino actually pondered over them for several moments.
"Sensei, may I ask you a possibly unrelated question?"
Itachi raised an eyebrow but motioned for him to go on.
"Did you and Guy-sensei agree on today's pairings in advance?"
He didn't bother suppressing the smile that fought its way on his lips. "What makes you think that?"
"You did admit that you approached several teams but hoped that this one in particular would agree to join us today," Shino said, his furrowed in a frown. He was clearly jumping on the opportunity to solve this puzzle, possibly because it was much easier than thinking about his own shortcomings. "Thus, you had certainly the chance to agree upon specific pairings if you so desired. It also begs the question of why you wanted this team in particular. Judging from the topic of our conversation, I assume there is some kind of lesson we can learn from them, and if that's true, making sure we interact with the person that we would personally benefit the most from seems like a logical conclusion. Am I correct so far, Sensei?"
"Very much so," he agreed easily. I expected him to realise this at some point, but not quite this early.
"In that case… I always thought Hinata was held back by her hesitation. While I'm not sure what causes it, it's clear that it affects her abilities in a fight. Putting her against someone who's not only stronger, faster, and more experienced than her but also familiar with her fighting style due to being on a team with another Hyūga and instructed to push her to her limits could theoretically force her to fight with all she got without even realizing it.
"Kiba, on the other hand, has recently been rather… overconfident. Looking back at his opponent's performance, Neji could have finished the fight earlier, but he didn't and instead made it a point to overcome everything Kiba threw at him first before going for the win himself. That could also have been just a result of him being still angry with Kiba after their argument earlier, though, so I'm not entirely sure about that one."
Itachi admitted that he was genuinely impressed. While there were a few details he had missed, Shino had indeed correctly analysed the situation and put the various puzzle pieces together.
"Very well done," he praised the boy. "You just proved my point about you being highly intelligent. This trait will bring you far in your career. However, have you also realized what your opponent was meant to teach you?"
Judging from Shino's closed-off expression, the answer to that was 'no'.
"Let me give you a hint," Itachi said. "I assume Hinata already told you that, but her cousin is a prodigy. One of the greatest their clan has produced in a long time. Rock Lee, on the other hand, has been a protégé of Might Guy since before he graduated from the Academy and has a work ethic that I personally would describe as unhealthy due to how extreme it is. Tenten is different from both her teammates; she is a civilian with no shinobi background nor the advantage of getting the patronage of a Jōnin at a young age. She also isn't a prodigy either. And despite all of that, she's where she's today, keeping pace with the rest of her team." He shot the boy before him a small smile. "What do you make of that?"
Shino stayed silent for several minutes, but Itachi didn't rush him. If anything, he thought it was a good thing that he thought about it so intensely.
Finally, Shino opened his mouth. "She and I are somewhat similar," he said slowly, sounding just a tad uncertain. "Where she is the 'normal' one in her team, I'm the only one in mine who doesn't have the background of an on Taijutsu specialized clan. Moreover, she's also different from her teammates in that she adds Ninjutsu to her fighting style instead of relying on Taijutsu only similarly to how I use my clan's techniques which aren't close combat orientated."
"And what do you deduce from that?"
"… that instead of focusing mainly on improving my Taijutsu to catch up with Hinata and Kiba that way, I should put more work into other abilities which are better suited for me personally?"
"That is correct."
Shino's shoulders dropped at that, and while he caught himself quickly, Itachi naturally noticed.
"As your sensei, it is my duty to prepare you to the best of my abilities for what awaits you once you go on missions outside the village. To prepare you to survive. It's important to be proficient in all shinobi arts to some degree, but ultimately, it's advisable to specialize in something. There will always be time to expand your repertoire, but at least this early into your career, it's essential you have something you can fall back on when you're in a tight spot. For you, I think that would be mid to long range techniques."
"I see…"
It was clear that Shino didn't like that at all. Itachi wasn't entirely sure why the boy put so much weight on his Taijutsu skills, why his sense of self-worth was so tightly tied to that aspect of his abilities, but that didn't change the fact that it was clearly the case. Hearing that he should focus less on it to improve his other skills was obviously not something he wanted to hear. In all honestly, it was somewhat surprising he didn't try to argue the point.
Fortunately for him, though, Itachi wasn't finished yet.
"However," he continued, suppressing a smile at the sudden hopeful look Shino shot him. "Another of my duties as your sensei is to support you in your ambitions. If you wish to improve your Taijutsu, it's my job to help you do just that."
"Really?!" Shino exclaimed before visibly cringing back at his own excited voice.
"Really," he confirmed. "We will still put more focus on your range attacks -it's about time to teach you a few Ninjutsu, I think- and other skills, but there are ways to improve your Taijutsu more than we already did in a way that might give you an edge even against your teammates." He did not longer bother to suppress his smile at the eagerness Shino's body language radiated. "Tell me, what do you think about learning how to wield a weapon?"
Judging from how quickly he agreed, Itachi concluded he was more than excited about that idea.
Initially, Itachi had planned to put much more focus on the boy's insecurities in his own abilities and his tendency to bottle his feelings up instead of dealing with them head-on, but after listening to what Guy had told him, he decided to wait a bit longer with that.
Pushing for too much too quickly wouldn't be a good idea, after all. Taking small steps was much more prudent. He had made him aware of the former problem already, and knowing Shino, he would remember that and take it into consideration when he judged himself in the future. Combined with the additional self-confidence he would get once his weapon training showed results, Itachi had made the first big step towards improvement already.
He just needed to be patient. Results would come later.
The Hidden Villages weren't built in a day either, after all.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Itachi supposed that this was an understandable reaction to seeing one's sensei unexpectedly sitting in their living room, so he graciously didn't reproach Kiba for his language.
"Evidentially, I'm enjoying a cup of tea," he replied calmly while holding up the cup of tea in question to prove his point. "Please let your sister know that her tea tastes delicious and that I would be interested in knowing what brand it is. You missed her by mere minutes, by the way."
"Hana let you in, then?"
"I'm not in the habit of breaking into other people's houses if that's what you're asking." At least not outside of missions, that is.
Kiba stared at him as if he was insane before his look suddenly -and unexpectedly- turned suspicious of all things. "What exactly is your relationship with my sister anyway?"
That wasn't quite the kind of conversation he had come here for. "We went to the Academy together and have a common friend," he said slowly, making sure his voice sounded perfectly neutral lest the boy somehow interpreted something false into it.
"So she told me as well, but I have never seen her serve tea for any of our guests before, so-"
That's not at all the kind of conversation I came here for, he inwardly rectified his previous thought.
"Kiba," he interrupted the boy, gesturing to the seat in front of him where a second cup of tea just so happened to already be waiting. "Why don't you take a seat as well?"
"Hey, it's not as if I disapprove or anything! She definitively could do much worse. All I'm saying is-"
"Sit down, please."
Kiba fell silent and took a seat while Akamaru suddenly rushed towards Itachi and jumped onto his lap, resulting in Kiba muttering something about 'traitors' that Itachi pretended not to hear as he looked at the dog with a raised eyebrow before accepting his fate.
Determinedly ignoring the last minute of conversation, he took a moment to carefully observe his student before he somewhat surprised concluded that his good mood wasn't just an act but actually genuine.
"You seem to be in high spirits," he said, voicing his thoughts. "After your fight, I thought you would be…"
"Fuming in anger and cursing Hinata's cousin to Iwa and back?" Kiba filled in for his silence, a smug grin on his face.
"Yes, quite."
"Heh, so even you can be surprised, Sensei! Hinata and Shino won't believe it when I tell them tomorrow!" He then shot him what was probably supposed to be a conspiratorial wink. "Neither will my sister, by the way."
Commenting on the latter part of his sentence would only encourage Kiba, so he politely ignored that part while inwardly planning to make his training the next day particularly taxing.
"You're not mad that you lost, then?"
"Oh, no, I definitively am, and you can bet that I will beat his ass the next time we fight! But I guess I deserved getting my ass handed to me this time after having such a big mouth before." Impossibly, his grin then became even more self-satisfied. "That's what you wanted to teach me, isn't it? That being too confident all the time is stupid?"
Oh? "What makes you think so?"
"Well, you said it yourself, right? That you wanted us to train with this particular team, I mean. All three of them were stronger than us, so no matter who I would have fought, I would have been beaten. I might recently have been a bit… vocal about how much stronger I have become, so losing against someone my age whom I thought I could beat would be kind of a wake-up call."
Even the earlier hiccups aside, this wasn't quite how Itachi thought this conversation would go. He definitively didn't expect Kiba to come so close to realizing what had happened. Sure, he hadn't yet made the connection to how his teammate benefited from today's session as Shino had done, but just this much was already more than he thought the boy would see. While Kiba was far from stupid, he tended to not use his head, and although Itachi had been trying to knock that out of him, he hadn't thought his efforts had been this effective yet.
It was a pleasant surprise, really.
After all, as he had told his team during their first training session, knowing themselves was the first step towards understanding others. Kiba making this step now was very promising for his future.
"So, Sensei, am I right or am I right?"
"You're on the right track, yes," he confirmed with a quiet chuckle. "There are some things you have missed, but the things you have said have all been correct. You can discuss this with your teammates tomorrow to see if one of them realized something you didn't and vice versa."
Rather than being put off by having missed something, Kiba seemed to focus on the part where he could potentially explain something to his teammates they had missed, an anticipatory expression on his face.
Anyway, while this conversation so far was much more productive than he had even dared to hope, it also presented him with a problem: after his talk with Guy, he had planned to limit his conversation with the Inuzuka to today's events. With him being so unexpectedly insightful, however, there was not much to talk about left.
Under these circumstances, it should be alright to address another point as well, shouldn't it? He didn't want to ruin all the progress Kiba had made today by forcing an uncomfortable topic down his throat, though. I will only bring it up subtly and see how he reacts first, he ultimately decided. Depending on his reaction, I will decide whether to push for more or to back down.
"You know," he said, his voice deliberately casual. "I have been hesitant about taking a Genin team at first, but after training you three for a bit over a month now, I don't regret it. Watching you grow by the day is truly captivating."
Kiba seemed surprised by that apparent change of topic, but once he had absorbed his words, his eyes widened and he nervously scratched the back of his head while a small blush formed on his cheeks. "Really?" he asked, trying to his embarrassment with what Itachi supposed was meant to be an amused chuckle. "You mean it?"
"Of course. However, to be honest, I actually realized that quite a while ago already."
"Oh? When exactly?"
Itachi took a sip from his tea and made sure to look at Akamaru on his lap instead of at Kiba before he replied, well-aware that people were more likely to speak openly when they didn't feel observed. Even just this little gesture would subconsciously convey to Kiba the feeling of being in private where he could be truthful, making him more likely to actually reply to Itachi's next words. "Back when you guys first introduced yourselves and spoke of your dreams, I think."
As he had expected, it was as if a switch had been turned off; Kiba's smile froze, his body stilled, and his mood seemed to drop. Even Akamaru noticed the change in the atmosphere and let out a low whine before Itachi smoothed him with some scratches behind his ears.
He had long since known that Kiba felt some sense of inferiority towards his teammates because his dream seemed so much less than theirs. Ever since the aforementioned introduction itself, in fact. It wouldn't help to explain to the boy now that this notion was ridiculous, that what made dreams important was what they meant to the person that had them rather than how ambitious they were, but Itachi could at least help Kiba take the first step towards understanding that himself.
Judging from his reaction, however, he couldn't push this topic too far today. He needed to be careful with what he said from here on out.
"You see," he continued as if he hadn't noticed Kiba's reaction at all, adamantly keeping his eyes focused on Akamaru as he continued to scratch the dog. "I'm almost jealous of the three of you. When I introduced myself to my team back when I became a Genin myself, the dream I told them about was me becoming the best big brother I could possibly be." He chuckled. "Please don't tell Sasuke about this. He would be terribly embarrassed, I think."
It was only then that he looked up and found himself subject to Kiba's unbelieving stare. "That was your dream? 'Being the best big brother you could possibly be'? Really?"
"Funny, isn't it? And to this day, that remains my greatest wish. Not very impressive compared to what the three of you aim for, is it?"
Kiba opened his mouth, but no tone escaped.
All three of his students held him in high regards, probably even more so than he deserved, so hearing that his dream was something so painfully ordinary must come as a shock- especially considering Kiba thought of his own dream as useless.
Let him think about that for a while.
Itachi didn't dare to push the subject more than that for now. Pushing one's luck was never wise, so he would stop here. How he continued from here depended on how Kiba's behaviour changed over the next days and weeks. For now, all he would do was wait and see.
However, for some reason, he had a good feeling about this.
Hinata was more expressive than Shino while at the same time too polite to swear as Kiba had done, so her reaction to spotting him, which was to stare at him with wide eyes and open mouth, was something of a middle ground between her teammates' reactions.
It was oddly fitting as she herself was also something like the glue that held their team together. The two boys got along most of the time, regular but meaningless arguments notwithstanding, but their different personalities naturally resulted in them butting heads. It was Hinata who could step in and calm them down without incurring their displeasure. She was respected and liked by both, so they accepted her interference with little to no resistance.
It was always amusing to watch that happen, partly because neither of the boys seemed to realize how quick they were to defer to her and partly because Hinata didn't seem to realize how much influence she truly held over her teammates.
"Hinata," he greeted the startled girl. "Are you're free right now? I was hoping to talk with you about today's training."
She looked at him suspiciously before nodding. "Of course, Sensei."
Itachi couldn't fault her for her reaction. Not only was it he who had given her team the rest of the day off, so he obviously knew that she was free, but Genin as a rule didn't decline their instructors when they asked to talk to them unless they had a really good reason.
"Wonderful. Then if you would follow me, please?"
He turned around to take the lead and Hinata quickly followed to catch up before falling into step next to him. They both stayed silent as they walked towards the destination he had in mind while Hinata shot him more or less subtle glances with a thoughtful look on her face, quite clearly trying to solve some kind of mystery. That expression changed into a quizzical one once she realized that the houses around them became more and more run-down, though.
"We're here."
"That is…"
Her reaction was understandable. While he wouldn't call her spoiled, Hinata was still the heiress to the Hyūga Clan. This in front of them was undoubtedly the most unremarkable establishment she had ever set foot in.
"Well, what are you waiting for?"
With no other choice than to follow him, she quickly walked in after him. Her surprise didn't stop there, however, and in fact increased even more when she saw just how warmly the owner greeted him.
"Ah, Itachi!" the elderly woman exclaimed as she rushed forth from behind the counter, walking with the energy of a thirty-year-old as if she weren't already in her seventies. "I haven't seen you here in a while. I almost thought you had forgotten about little old me!"
"Forgive me, Akako-san. I'm afraid I have been rather busy recently."
"Oh, yes, I heard about that." She turned a critical eye towards Hinata who instinctively -and most likely unaware of it herself- adopted a polite and respectful posture her father had probably spent countless hours drilling into her. "Never would have thought to see the day you take a team of your own, you know. Akihito always said you would do great as a teacher, though, and he was always better at judging people than I am."
Itachi didn't know Tanaka-sensei had thought so. It was, well, nice to know that the man had believed in him. I should visit his grave again sometime soon, he thought.
"So," Akako continued, eyeing Hinata critically from head to foot. "That's one of yours, then?"
"She is, yes. Akako-san, this is Hinata Hyūga. Hinata, this is Akako Suzuki, the owner of this restaurant."
Hinata gave her a deep bow, and while etiquette wasn't Itachi's strongest suit considering his own clan didn't put much weight on it beyond a certain point, he recognized her form as one a person usually took with speaking to someone of a higher rank. That detail naturally went over Akako's head, but it was definitively an interesting titbit of information for him. "It's nice to meet you, Suzuki-san."
"Well, I guess she has manners at least," Akako chuckled before evidentially losing interest in her and turning back towards him. "Do you take the same as usual, then?
"I do. And make it twice, please."
Satisfied with that, Akaka hurried away, and a few minutes later, Hinata and he sat at their table with steaming drinks in front of them as they waited for their food.
"Ehm, Sensei?"
"I suppose you wish to know how I come to know this place?"
She blushed a bit at that, embarrassed with being seen through as easily as that, but nodded nonetheless. "It's just, well…"
He chuckled. "But it's not the kind place you would expect the Uchiha heir to frequent, is it?"
Another nod.
Itachi could understand why she would think like that. From what he knew, she didn't have any close friends at the Academy, meaning the people she interacted most with were her clan members. This, in turn, limited her interaction to people who saw her first and foremost as their clan's heiress on one hand and with her immediate family that certainly didn't seek out establishments such as this one on the other. From her perspective, he, who was a person of similar rank to hers, should logically be in a similar position.
It probably didn't help that the people she was the clostest with -her teammates- were were high-ranking members of their clans as well, being the heir and younger brother to the heiress respectively. Yes, the Aburame and Inuzuka were much more casual than the Hyūga and even the Uchiha, but they were still wealthy. Their families might not have a problem with visiting more regular shops, but they certainly didn't visit ones as run-down as this one either.
Also, as Itachi's own training made sure they were usually too exhausted to go out at the end of the day, he doubted that they even had the chance to take her with them to one of the more normal restaurants in the first place.
That was something he would need to change at some point, too.
"You're not wrong," he admitted. "My father would certainly chide me if he knew I was here. My mother would probably not say anything, but she'd definitively wrinkle her nose in displeasure."
"Then why-"
"However, this place has a special meaning for me. My sensei used to work here, you see."
Now that caught her attention. "Your sensei?"
"He retired after leading our team to graduation. Amusingly, one of my teammates' families actually owns a high-end restaurant and offered him a job there, but he declined in favour of working here of all places, wanting to stand on his own feet instead of depending on the goodwill of one of his students."
"But wouldn't it been better to accept that offer?"
"He would have disagreed," he replied, remembering the time he had told the man the same thing. "Sometimes, it's important to take a more difficult road instead of the easy one to learn something. To broaden your horizon. Generally, if something is too easy to gain, it might be worth it to take a moment and consider if it's really something worth striving for. Results brought through hard works tend to be much more rewarding."
Were he still only talking about Tanaka-sensei's decision to work here, this lecture would surely have been a little much. However, while he didn't address her directly, Itachi thought about Hinata as well when he said these words.
In a way, learning the Gentle Fist fighting style since her earliest childhood has been the 'easy' way. It allowed her to dominate almost all her opponents at the Academy and enabled her even now to potentially kill someone with a single touch. In theory, gaining proficiency in that style automatically resulted in one becoming an opponent to be reckoned with.
For Hinata, that wasn't quite the case. Her strength wasn't limited by her skills but by her hesitation to actually finish her opponents off. For her, the metaphorical 'difficult' way was overcoming that trait.
And once she did that, she would find that the reason because of which she hesitated in the first place no longer existed.
"Does your sensei still work here?"
"No. He unfortunately died several years ago," he said. Then, seeing her shocked expression, he quickly continued, not wanting her to get too worked up about that right now. "Anyway, that's not what I wished to talk with you about. Let's instead focus on today's training session, shall we?"
Hinata seemed almost thankful about that change of topic. "There is actually something I wanted to ask you about today as well, Sensei."
Itachi remembered the thoughtful look she had given him on their way to the restaurant. "Oh?"
"Did you ask Neji-nii in advance to provoke Kiba?"
While he didn't let it show to the outside, he was feeling rather pleased that she had realized that. "And why would I have done something like that?"
Rather than being disheartened by his lack of answer, it seemed to encourage to the point where she actually leaned forward when she continued. "Neji-nii never acts like he did today. Not in private and definitively not with strangers. If he doesn't like someone, he usually just ignores them entirely."
"So you concluded that his behaviour must have been an act?"
"Yes," she agreed immediately. "And if it had been an act, there must be a reason for it. Then there is also the fact that he seemed to be uncharacteristically antagonistic towards Kiba from the very beginning. You also mentioned that you wanted us to work with his team specifically. If you wanted to teach Kiba a lesson in humility, approaching Guy-sensei's team and Neji-nii in particular for cooperation would make sense because he's not only stronger than Kiba but also uses a fighting style well-suited to beat him without actually harming him."
Killing two birds with one stone, huh? Not only had Hinata put the hints together to correctly guess his intentions, but she also brought something up he wanted to address next himself. How fortunate for me.
She wasn't finished yet, however. "I don't think you would have organized today's session only for Kiba, though," she said with a frown. "But no matter how hard I think, I can't think of anything my and Shino's fights were supposed to teach us."
Well, Shino's lesson was more subtle than the other two. He couldn't fault her for not understanding that one. Furthermore, just realizing that there were lessons to be found in her teammates' fight was already a good first step. Now, regarding her own lesson...
"You can discuss his lesson with Shino tomorrow," he told her. "For now, let's focus on your own. Do you remember what I told you after your fight?"
"That I put up a good fight?"
"Exactly. Now tell me, do you believe that too?"
Itachi had to admit that being looked at as if he was being particularly dense was somewhat granting, even more so when the person doing it was his most polite student. "I'm not happy with my loss, Sensei, but I think I did the best I could in face of the situation. Just like Shino and Kiba, I was simply over my head."
That was a very indirect way of saying that she doesn't believe him. Let's try it from a different angle, then.
"You have already noticed that I talked to your cousin in advance about behaving in a certain manner towards Kiba," he said, making Hinata blink in surprise at his supposed change of subject. "However, you apparently didn't think about the possibility of me doing the same with Lee. Now think back to your fight; what do you think could I possibly have asked him to do?"
Itachi could see the wheels start turning inside her head as she thought that over. She briefly started tapping with her finger on the table before her upbringing kicked in and she stopped it, but the way she had to visibly restrain herself would have been evident to even a non-shinobi. Then, suddenly, she swung her head upwards, an excited gleam in her eyes.
"He said something about 'not being able to take me lightly me any longer' and then suddenly got much, much faster!" she exclaimed before her face morphed into one of confusion. "But why would you-"
"I didn't tell him to hold back against you if that's what you're thinking." Better clarify that before she felt hurt, after all. "I asked something different from him."
She seemed to believe him, thankfully enough, but apparently got nowhere with his question from there. Itachi waited for a bit longer before deciding that letting her fret over this any longer when she clearly had no answer for him would upset her more than anything else and explained it to her:
"What I actually wanted him to do was to push you to the best of his -and more importantly, your- abilities."
"What?!" She clearly hadn't expected that of all things. "But why-"
"Hinata," he interrupted her gently. "You might not believe me, but you are strong. You are talented and intelligent. The only thing that's holding you back is yourself."
Her crestfallen expression reminded him once more of what Guy had told him, but Itachi was sure he was doing the right thing. That statement by itself might be harsh, yes, but he wasn't finished yet.
"However," he continued with a purposely kind voice that earned him a hopeful look from her. "I have absolute confidence that you can overcome that as well."
Itachi's understanding of her home life was admittedly… limited. He had made his background checks, of course, and there were some things he could conclude from her behaviour and otherwise innocent remarks she made from time to time, but all of that could only do too much. Digging too deep wasn't an option as that could lead to accidentally offending the Hyūga Clan, something he would like to avoid.
Nonetheless, what he found out painted a more or less clear picture:
For one thing, she had a much better relationship with her uncle and cousin than with her own father, and whenever she talked about her family, it was either about these two or her little sister.
For another, the way she reacted to praise made him think that she didn't receive much of that at home. He wouldn't go as far as to say that she was praise-starved, but the way she reminded him of young Sasuke from the last timeline made him think that the ones she did get were probably mostly empty or unsatisfying. At least when they came from her father.
Thus, the important thing to do right now was to encourage her himself. To show her that he believed in her.
"Hinata," he said emphatically. "Do you actually want to be a kunoichi?"
"Yes!" Even Itachi was caught off-guard by the intensity of her reply. Not only had she cried it out loud, but she had also jumped to her feet! She immediately sat back down when she noticed what she had done, but interestingly enough, she held his gaze even though she was clearly embarrassed by her reaction. "I-I mean, yes, I do. I really want to become a kunoichi, Sensei!"
"Even if that means you have to kill one day?"
Hinata clenched her fists on the table, but she didn't waver. "Yes, Sensei."
She really means it, he noted with satisfaction. Itachi hadn't thought she would actually say 'no', but he had needed to make absolutely sure before he proceeded.
"In that case, I have no doubt whatsoever that you will become a great kunoichi."
Judging from the naked gratitude in her eyes, she probably realized that he was entirely sincere.
"The reason I asked Lee to push you to your limits is that I believed that if pushed just hard enough, up to the point where you simply had no time to think and instead were forced to rely solely on your skills and instincts, you would be able to fight without holding back." He paused to shoot her an encouraging smile. "And you did. Once you let loose, you actually managed to push Lee back, and even Shino and Kiba noted that your abilities suddenly improved drastically. You see, what holds you back is your hesitation. Much rather, I think the reason for that is that you don't want to accidentally injure your opponents, isn't it?"
Hinata's shoulders sacked. "Yes," she said, her eyes cast down. "It's just… it's so easy to accidentally kill someone! If I miss my target by just a mere millimetre, I would-"
Itachi raised his hand to stop her. "You're not wrong. However, would you please hear me out before you continue?" He waited until she nodded her consent before he continued. "The Gentle Fist is indeed a dangerous fighting style that requires absolute mastery over one's body to use. It's also true that one small mistake might lead to your opponent's death. That being said, what I observed from you so far and in particular during your fight today is that you have this mastery. The moment you lose the ability to worry about what-ifs, you move with as much grace and skill as any Hyūga I ever worked with, and you were even able to briefly push an opponent back that had every advantage over you. The dangers you mentioned exist, yes, but you clearly have the skill to circumvent them with ease."
"But I still lost against Lee…"
"You did," he agreed with a smile that was probably a bit too self-satisfied judging from the look she gave him. "Only after you pushed him to the point where he briefly forgot who he was fighting against and mistaking you for your cousin, though."
That actually made her chin drop, and for once, and no words left her mouth as she stared at him in disbelief. Seeing that, Itachi continued instead of waiting for her to reply.
"Think back to the end of your fight. Even though he had already told you he won't go lightly on you any longer, his speed suddenly improved exponentially, didn't it? That was because he subconsciously recognized you as a threat, as someone he must fight with all he has, and his body reacted instinctively on that awareness."
"Lee did…?"
"Hinata, overcoming the doubts inside your head isn't easy. I understand that. This is the difficult way I mentioned earlier, and no one other than you can do that, but it's just that aspect that will make the result all the more rewarding in the end.
"The next time you hesitate, please remember your own words; you said that your cousin was the best choice against Kiba because he uses 'a fighting style well-suited to beat him without actually harming him'. As you said, the Gentle Fist can completely incapacitate someone without actually hurting them, and you too use it. You won't be able to avoid killing enemies forever, but you are also in the unique position of having the capabilities to control precisely whether you actually want to or not without meaningfully hindering yourself. So, the next time you fight someone, please try to think about the possibilities your style offers you instead of its potential dangers."
It was a lot to take in, and Itachi intended to leave it at that. He had already told her a lot of things, and Hinata would surely spend a lot of time thinking about it over the next few days and weeks. Maybe even months. After all, such a change couldn't be rushed if one wanted to do it right.
If there was one thing he knew, however, it was that she could do it. Her conviction not only when he asked her if she truly wanted to become a kunoichi but also when she spoke about her dream was unwavering. Itachi didn't doubt for one moment that she would achieve both these goals or die trying- though he would naturally do his best to avoid the latter. That was his responsibility as her sensei. He was there to support her, and that was exactly what he would do.
Thinking about that, maybe there was actually one more thing he had to say to her.
"You won't have to take that final step right now, or even tomorrow or the day after that, but eventually, you will. Just remember that I will be with you all the way till the end, and I'm sure so will be your teammates. You're not alone in this."
"Thank you, Sensei."
He politely pretended not to notice the shaking in her voice.
How things would progress from here, he didn't know. Predicting the near future was impossible, even with his special kind of knowledge in that regard. At least when it concerned this point. However, what he felt was that at the end of the road, there waited success.
Anyway, Hinata would probably be quite embarrassed when she realised how emotional she had become in front of him, so after a minute or so of silence, Itachi decided to broach a more light-hearted subject.
"Well, I initially planned not to tell the three of you in advance, but I think I can make an exception for you."
Hinata looked up at him, confusion evident on her face. "Sensei?"
"Starting tomorrow, we will begin a new chapter in your training. We have focused on strategy, polishing your basic skills up to standard, improving your situational awareness, and teamwork, but I think you're ready for more. It's time we add some more advanced techniques to your repertoire, and for that, we need this."
And with that, he reached into his pouch and pulled out a single piece of paper.
Or, more specifically, he pulled out a piece of Chakra Induction Paper.
I feel like interesting times are ahead of us all.
And with this, the "Graduation"-Arc is finally over! Took me long enough lmao
Question time:
1) What kind of weapon do you think Shino will train with?
2) What kind of chakra affinities do you think Shino, Kiba, and Hinata will have respectively?
Please review and tell me what you think! :)