(A/N) Genin time.
The next years were quiet, Hinata keeping her head down while Sasuke topped the class. He quietly sat next to them at lunch, they ignored each other otherwise.
Hinata received her headband gratefully, happy to finally stop worrying about grades and how she wasn't the top of the class. It didn't look like Naruto had received one, which was unfortunate, she knew he couldn't take the test again. He was clearly devastated, but attempted to laugh it off.
"Hinata," Neji said, only slightly impatiently. She hurried to his side, noting the many cuts and scrapes on him, and the dust and grass stains on his clothing. Apparently Tenten had been using him as a moving target again.
She took pity on him and let him lead her home, freeing him to take care of his minor wounds and get clean.
She got to face her father.
"I presume you scored in the middle of your class once again?" He asked stiffly, minor displeasure clear.
Hinata nodded timidly. "Y-yes Father."
"Very well. Dismissed."
Hinata bowed low, and left quickly, not wishing to stay with her father any longer than she had to. At least she hadn't gotten another 'training session'. Perhaps it was so she wasn't too sore for her introduction to her teammates tomorrow.
The next day Naruto was in the class, which confused her. He had a headband on, so he was supposed to be here, and where was Mizuki-sensei? She didn't see him anywhere.
"Your teams are as follows," Iruka said, as an introduction.
Hinata tuned him out, already knowing what her team would be. She had educated guesses as to what the other teams would be, Naruto clearly being the dead last, Sasuke as the top, and Sakura beating out Hinata just barely as top kunoichi. She had Kiba and Shino of course, and Ino-Shika-Cho would be together once more. The trio had worked in the war, no reason it wouldn't work now.
"Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame," Iruka said, drawing her attention.
Hinata knew it.
"Team 8, you're with me," A pretty lady with dark hair and red eyes poked her head into the room.
Hinata stood up, timidly following her friends out of the room, sending a sympathetic glance to Sasuke, who already looked so done with his team.
"Alright, introduce yourselves," their teacher said, sitting down on the grass of the training field she had led them to. "I'll go first. My name is Kurenai Yuuhi, I specialize in genjutsu, and I dream of one day having a family."
Hinata decided to go next, just to get it over with. "My n-name is Hinata H-Hyuuga, I specialize, or will specialize in taijutsu, specifically my family's style. I guess I d-dream of one day having my f-father's approval. I-I suppose a family would be n-nice too."
"I am Shino Aburame. I specialize in my clan jutsu, and dream of discovering a new species of beetle."
"I'm Kiba Inuzuka! I also specialize in my clan jutsu, and hope one day to be Hokage!"
"I'll do my best to help you succeed in each of your goals," Kurenai said, smiling. "If you can pass my test. You are well aware this team is supposed to be a tracking team, are you not?"
They nodded, and Hinata noticed a small black bug making its way over to Kurenai-sensei.
"Count to ten then come find me," Kurenai said, a slight mischievous look crossing her face. "I assume you've played hide and seek before."
They nodded, and she gestured for them to turn around and start counting.
They huddled together, counting out loud to ten, then sitting down to discuss strategies.
"Somehow I doubt it's as e-easy as she said," Hinata said, frowning.
"Probably hide and go seek," Kiba agreed, wrinkling his nose up.
"So we should attempt to corner her as well as find her," Shino said, nodding. "I planted a kikachu on her, so I can track her for the time being. She is moving away from us quickly, heading I believe for the Hokage monument."
"There are a lot of hiding places there," Kiba said, containing a smirk. "And I know most of them."
"From pranking," Shino sounded rather displeased, and Hinata was quick to put a stop to the argument before it began.
"W-well it's s-serving us well now," Hinata said quickly, turning on her Byakugan. "I can't see h-her in my range."
"She's almost at the Hokage monument," Shino offered. "We'd better get a move on, why? Because she is close to being able to hide and set up traps. As well as layer herself in genjutsu."
"She probably already is," Kiba said, pouting as they started walking. "We have to go faster or we'll never catch her!"
They broke into a run, sprinting through fields and taking whatever shortcuts they could.
"Where is she?" Kiba asked, mildly frustrated. "I can't smell her anywhere!"
"I have lost contact with the bug I planted," Shino reported, looking almost distressed.
"Hinata, your turn!" Kiba said, grinning.
Hinata hesitantly turned on her Byakugan, scanning for the chakra signature that was her teacher. She located her fairly quickly. "It l-looks like s-she's inside the mountain."
"Oh, I know where she is then," Kiba said, grinning. "It's an easy hiding spot, but nearly unfindable if you don't know where it is and you aren't looking for it." He trotted over to the base, scanning the rock face. He tapped carefully on one odd looking piece of rock, and it opened into a passage way. "This is the easiest way to get to that hiding spot."
They headed in, looking around carefully.
"Can you keep your byakugan on?" Kiba asked Hinata, Akamaru woofing from his head. "I can smell her again, but I don't think we wanna accidentally walk past her cause she's got a bunch of genjutsu on."
Hinata nodded, activating her byakugan once more, searching for any genjutsu or traps. "C-careful, trip wire," she said quickly, both Kiba and Shino stopping where they were, both part way through taking a step. "S-Shino, two centimeters more and y-you can put your foot down."
Shino nodded, carefully stepping over the trip wire.
"What about me?" Kiba asked, wobbling slightly.
"You can put your f-foot down," Hinata told him, scanning for anymore dangerous things. "O-oh! S-sensei!"
"Where?" Kiba asked, turning in a full circle.
"R-right above us!" Hinata squeaked, pointing to where their sensei was currently perched on the ceiling.
Kurenai-sensei dropped the genjutsu, dropping from the ceiling. "Good job Hinata, good job to you two as well, boys. You pass."
(A/N) That was fun, was it not? I have a discord server now, the code is pnQAF39, come join me! If I'm not there to greet you, I am probably sleeping. I'll greet you when I wake up. I do require sleep after all. Also I have a poll up, so go check that out.