"Resting for me is fitness training." Jenson Button

Chapter 9: Apart from training

I was walking to Sasuke-Chan's class. Mikoto-Sama, Itachi-Sama or Shisui-Nii picked us from school in my first and second year, but now that I was a third year I was expected to fetch my little cousin. Because we ended up earlier than them, I had found myself hitting the wooden poles alongside Rock Lee, a weird classmate of mine.

The bell rand and I ran to Sasuke-Chan. I didn't want to be late today, because both our Onii-San were there today. Maybe they'll agree to train us if we got convincing enough. Itachi-Sama always promised us to show us shuriken tricks but he never did. When Sasuke-Chan complained, he would just tap his forehead harshly and I would laugh at the red mark later. Itachi-Sama had done the same to me once, but Onii-San had gotten angry at us. He never complained when Sasuke-Chan and I fought and torn our clothes, ending with scratches and bite-marks, but kami prevented anyone else to touch me.

So there we were running out of class towards the compound, holding hands like we had been told to do. I didn't like doing that: it made me look younger than I was. It was a shame, really, because I really looked mature and older with my tall height. I was told I could be mistaken for a Genin in the next year if I kept growing like that. It made me happy: I'd like if I was old enough to be in a team. Shisui-Nii had graduated early, and so did Itachi-Sama because of the war. Now that we were at a time of peace, I'd need to be a real genius if I wanted to be a Genin soon enough.

I knew I was smart and hardworking, but I didn't want to be too smart or show too much. Shisui-Nii would be sad if I did so. Even though, I knew my own abilities. I learned fast, even without our Dojutsu's help, but that didn't mean I had the adequate capacities. Eventually my place was already settled: I'd get a job at the Police Station like most of our gifted members (Onii-Chan and Itachi-Sama were the only exception), then I'd marry someone from the clan.

In the meantime I could still dream of a better life where I could be free of all political schemes…

"Yanagi-Nee-Chan! Here they are!" Sasuke-Chan chirped.

"Huh?" I uttered.

I had been so lost in thoughts that I hadn't seen us joining our brother's favourite clearing. That's the moment I saw them fighting. I immediately turned my Sharingan on, not wanting to miss anything of the fight. Sasuke-Chan's hand went stiff in mine. He was still jealous I had activated my Dôjutsu so early. Sometimes I wished I hadn't, that the events that led me to gain this power never occurred.

But not today.

Today I was merely fascinated by my brother's and my cousin's agility. They didn't fight with swords very often. But I saw them dancing gracefully, and I knew each of their moves would be imprinted in the back on my mind, somewhere. The way they moved, the way they parred and evaded the blows… Everything was magnificent. I wish I could dance that way as well.

I was released from the hospital the next morning. What was the most annoying about it was the paperwork that went along with it. To the ninjas from a civilian background that could seem like nothing, but for a ninja clan, hospital stays were always a major pain in the ass. Especially when you were the only person considered as the clan referent. Indeed, with the Uchiha heir being a missing nin, it only left Sasuke-Chan and me. Given that my Genin status made me an adult for lots of official businesses, I often found myself crawling under paperwork.

For example, the were all the lands our clan still possessed inside the Village's walls. Before the Kyuubi attack, when I was a little girl so I only know from other's stories, we all lived inside the village. We had lots of nice flats like the one we currently lived in. So when lots of people became suspicious of our clan's role in that attack, the Council thought it would be better if we did the same as the Hyuuga clan: living in a compound outside the Village.

Shisui-Nii told me that there had been plans of moving in a compound before, so the structures had mostly been build. Apparently this decision had been made back when our family was a big one with Father, Mother pregnant with me, Shisui-Nii and his Nii-chan. Unfortunately, lots of things happened. It was the Third Great Ninja War at the time so the houses were built slowly. Then the brother I never knew died during the war and Mother died while giving birth to me. In the end we were only three in that big sad house filled with pipe dreams.

So when everyone lived in the compound, there had been a very lucrative idea to put the flats on use. Some were rented by the city guards who found it pretty convenient to have rooms ready for their use. There was only the need to change the beds and clean the rooms regularly, so the clan hired some civilians who finally settled inside one of the rooms with their family, renting the place for a low price. Then other civilian families moved in until Sasuke-Chan and I claimed the last available flat. Well all these rents, and housekeeping contracts were a pain to read.

Because I was kind of responsible for doing all this. Being the temporary head of the Uchiha clan was such a pain! I wish I had some people to work for me, but I never took the time to look for reliable civilians for the job. I was quite sure lots of people were taking some of our money. The Uchiha clan had so many possessions in the Village, as well as in the whole land of Fire… Yet retiring from the Shinobi world to rule this world may seem tempting at times, but it was way too much work.

So I was muttering curses about the Administrative system that made me file so much stuff for my own hospital stay when someone called me on the hospital lounge.

"Hey training freak!" Tenten greeted me.

I simply groaned, going back to my feet. We walked to the nurse office while chatting.

"What are you doing today?" she asked me.

"I thought of talking a bit with Sasuke-Chan about some stuff. Maybe I'll do some jogging later if I feel up to it."

"That sounds so boring! Hey, I suppose you haven't taken a breakfast yet?"

I handed the paper to the desk woman who rapidly read my answers. My eyes wandered while she did so, pondering whether I should accept the girl's suggestion or not. I should go back home to Sasuke-Chan, but I supposed it was a good step towards independence if I let him cook his own meals from time to time. My eyes stopped on a group of nurses talking to a silver-haired man wearing a lab coat. Following my gaze, Tenten looked at the guy.

"Are you checking out the Four-Eyes over there?" she teased.

I stilled, my cheeks burning with indignation.

"I so wasn't!" I almost screeched.

Lots of gazes fell on us at that sound. I felt even redder. The nurse before us giggled lightly, but thought it was better if she hid it under a false cough. The teenager looked at me from afar, and I thought I really didn't like his eyes on me. It gave me the creeps, and suddenly I remembered what had happened in the room. I immediately tensed, ready to jump him and make him regret aggressing an Uchiha.

"Everything is in order, Uchiha-San." the nurse at the desk said. "Please step out of the line."

That was right, I was in a hospital. I made a quick gesture for Tenten to follow me outside. She trotted by my side. I was chewing on my anger. I would break that boy's neck next time he found himself on my way. Yakushi Kabuto, was it? I don't think he'd like me to remember his name.

"Are you angry? You know, Glasses-Kun was totally checking you out." Tenten snickered.

"Would you stop with that?" I sighed. "So, breakfast at your home, was it?"

"I didn't tell you where, but that was the plan."

"It's always at your home when you're suggesting."

"Not fair, we go to that nice cake shop sometimes!"

"Yes and I always end up paying for you!"

"That's not my fault if I'm always broke!"

"A word of advice: this is not the aspect of Tsunade-Sama you would want to copy!"

"Yanagi, you're so mean!"

We happily walked on the streets speaking of nothing. Eventually the conversation fell on our life back at the Academy. Apparently before the Massacre I had had lots of admirer, boys and girls, who wanted to befriend me. Of course I would accept everyone and work with lots of different people during the year, often leading the teamwork. Tenten told me I used to chat a bit with these snob girls who were so glad to criticize my height and my alga-like hair. But everything changed for me, and I suddenly was that bookish silent girl.

After a while, most of my so called friends drew back and I finally found myself practically alone. Hopefully I still had Tenten by my side, and we were like the only person who could deal with Neji-san and Lee-san at the same time. Maybe I would have realised the four of us were often together if I had allowed myself to look outside my books more often.

"Tadaima!" Tenten called as she entered.

"Excuse me from intruding." I followed.

"Okaerinasai girls!" her mother replied. "Quick, take off your shoes and dig in."

We obeyed eagerly. It had been a long time since I had a lively breakfast. Somehow it felt wrong not to share this moment with Sasuke-Chan, but Tenten was my precious friend. Maybe he'll have a precious friend later, but I doubt it. He was so afraid to connect with people.

While we were eating, I felt a heavy gaze on me. Tenten's father was eying me a lot. It felt weird. I tried to ignore it, but I felt his wife nudging him several time. Did they want something from me? I looked at the Genin next to me. She gave me an apologetic smile. She was like begging me to listen to her parents. I put my chopsticks down.

"Is it something you want from me Uriage-Ojii-San?" I asked the man.

"Well, actually…" (his wife nudged him hard and he repressed a yelp) "That would be very embarrassing to ask something from that to Yanagi-chan."

Tenten cleared her throat.

"Actually Otou-san lost his job last month and we're having a hard time to live only on my Genin missions."

I made a rapid calculus in my head. If you thought of three D rank missions a weak or so for a Genin Corp member, then it was clearly not enough to make a whole family survive. They had probably saved some money beforehand, but that wouldn't be enough.

"I'm really sorry for you, sir. But I don't really understand what you want from me. Is it a clan loan? If so, you'd better ask the Akimichi clan, or maybe the Inuzuka clan. I'd say their interest rates are better than the Uchiha's. Not that I don't want to loan you money, you know…"

My voice trailed. I felt uncomfortable talking to these subjects to these peope. I had to make some adjustments given the fact we weren't gaining that much money, even though we had many possessions. I was about sure there was some stealing somewhere, but I had no idea where and how to react. All I was able to do was counting approximately our gain and losses and taking what Sasuke-Chan and I needed.

The man shook a hand before a plastered smile.

"Well, even though the offer is tempting, I'd really appreciate if you could help me find back a job. Even my wife is ready to work a bit if necessary."

"A job?"

I titled my head sideways. I looked at Tenten interrogatively. Why were they asking me? I only knew the mission systems. I had no idea how civilians handled their work, nor how they obtained one. This was a foreign system, and I'll admit I had never looked any information about that before.

"Yes, you see we don't have much connections with any of the clans in the Village. My old work was about the only thing I had. I was an accountant for a minor clan, but they decided to take someone else."

I frowned. An accountant? That would indeed be useful.

"What are your skills in accountancy? What kind of job were you working on?"

"Well I was handling the clan's profit and loss accounts. I don't expect you'd know anything about it, since you're a ninja and all, but my wife and I expected you'd have some connections…"

I turned to Tenten's mother.

"You'd want me to fond you a job as well?"

"Well, I don't think anyone would pay my husband the same wages he had had before, since he is unemployed."

I asked several details about their working conditions, the salary they expected to get. In the end I twited everything into my head. If I took that much money from the clan's money, plus the Village taxes, I'd still have plenty of money to buy weapons and such for Sasuke-Chan and me, until we were both earning regularly from our own missions. In the meantime, I could have two people managing our clan's property.

All that was left was: could I trust them? As people, as well as their skills?

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"I wouldn't have done such a think if you hadn't ben Tenten's parents. Especially when I'm seeing Megumi-Obaa-san about to kneel before me. That doesn't seem right."

The woman straightened. She had barely moved from her chair, but her embarrassed expression showed me I was right.

"I'd ask you not to reveal the contents of the documents I'll be giving you access to. I'll give you some sort of probation test, if you will. Let's say I'd really like to have some of the clan's administrative tasks out of my hands, since there's just my cousin and me left."

"Does… does that mean…?" the man stuttered.

"Until I find the employment forms, I won't be asking anything from you. But I think the two of you won't be too much to handle all this work."

"You'd really employ us! We were right to ask you Yanagi-Chan." the mother thanked me.

I offered them a crisped smile. Seeing how upset I was to have her parents and herself bowing to me in thanks, Tenten took my hand and ran outside with me. After a moment she slowed down to work. That brusque start wasn't good for my limbs. I was wheezing slightly, my old scar itching me.

"Sorry about that trap." she said. "I didn't think they were that serious about that."

"People's got to live off something."

"But seriously, you looked so cool back there, talking like a businesswoman or something."

"Really? I was just repeating some crap of a book I read. But if I looked professional, that's good. I felt like an idiot in front of your parents."

"You looked… Well I won't say good because that would imply you'd sincerely smile, and that is a thing I haven't seen for a while."

"Hey! I don't know how to smile!" I complained.

I demonstrated such. It felt a bit stiff though. Tenten emitted a sound between a giggle and a snort. I raised a brow in question.

"That may be a smile for your Uchiha folks, but I can assure you it just looks like you plastered something over your face."

"How about this one?" I asked with another try.

"Please don't do that again, it's creepy!" she protested. "Try to make a face, like when you're happy!" (I did as she suggested, but she sighed) "Don't you have anything better than a pokerface? All I've seen you do is either being angry or slightly depressed, and even those faces don't look very different from your usual one. Seriously I do hope you never get infiltration missions."

I was about to complained, then the idea of team 9 in disguise to infiltrate some shady business came to my mind. No, no seriously… I felt the corner of my mouth form a little smirk.

"Imagine if we had to have fake identities! Like Lee-San disguised in anything!"

Her eyes widened suddenly and she giggled.

"No way! That would be so hilarious. He'd blow your cover with his first words!"

"Yeah, he'd be boasting about youthfulness or so, and we'd immediately be discovered. I can totally picture Neji-San face palming and me trying to keep my own cover nonetheless."

"Can you imagine Neji playing anything else than a noble or something? I swear the two of you wouldn't be able to play anything else. That is if any of you can play at all." she mocked.

Were Neji-San and I so stiff and everything? Maybe I'd better my acting skills.

We walked a bit in silence. I was vaguely aware we were going towards the onsen. Hopefully they could lend us some yukata and towels there if we paid a bit. That would be my cue. Then the girl beside tried not to laugh too hard. She just had had another silly idea. I wondered what it was. She muttered it inside my ear.

"I bet Neji-San and you could do some cross-gender and nobody could see the difference."

I grumbled slighty. I only looked flat because I bandaged my chest tight, and it wasn't my fault if I was tall with narrow hips! But she was right, if we could just put some make-up and a dress on Neji-San, the illusion would be near than perfect. We snickered together like idiotic teens.

We were near the open bath when I spotted two other girls going in the same direction. There was a rather tall blonde girl wearing a ponytail and a pink-haired girl clutching a book. At first I thought they were just discussing, but then I noticed the conversation was mostly one-sided. The blonde was vehemently telling stuff to the other girl who merely nodded. She seemed shy and spineless to me.

"Ohayo!" Tenten cheerily greeted them.

They looked at us, slightly slowing down until the four of us found ourselves side by side. I recognized the girls as Sasuke-Chan's teammates. Hadn't I invited the blonde over at the memorable birthday? Yamanaka Ino, I think that was her name. I think I recognized the other girl as well: there weren't many girls with such hair colour in the village. Plus she was reading an advanced history book as I could see. Maybe we'd seen each other sometimes at the library, but I wasn't that sure: I had a hard time remembering anything aside what I was focusing on and not becoming crazy.

I felt more aware of things with that Juuken block in my brain. Seriously even though I had like some numb spot in my head, it felt really good!

"Hah!" the blonde exclaimed pointing her finger at me. "I know who you are. You're Sasuke-Kun's cousin!"

"I am."

"I saw the way you moved during that demonstration, that was so cool! I should have expected you to be that good since you're Sasuke's family."

"How am I supposed to take this?" I asked coldly and she froze.

Tenten nudged my side.

"Oy! Stop being so threatening when someone says something that displeases you!" she whispered. "No wonder you're not able to connect with people with that attitude."

"Whatever." I huffed before handing the reconciliation seal to the blonde. "I'm Uchiha Yanagi. We've seen each other at some occasions I suppose."

She crossed her fingers with mine.

"Yamanaka Ino. I'd be glad if you could be friends."

Pinky raised her hand.

"Me too…" she said with a little voice.

"By friends you mean you genuinely suggest we form a bond, without considering pressuring me to get along with my cousin, am I right?"

Both girls went red and embarrassed. Ino-San quickly regained her composure.

"A kunoïchi must use whatever means to achieve their goals." she said with assurance.

I squinted my eyes;

"I don't like what you're implying about my cousin… Besides, I am not sure our Kekkei Genkai are very compatible. Children between our clan may never be born."

"Kami-Sama… Could you just stop being so protective of your cousin? And just stop trying to cover it with pseudo-scientific facts, okay?"

"I never do that!" I pouted.

"You do that all the time!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

I settled this conversation by a meaningful silence. The four of us walked forward. During our walk, I saw the pink haired girl discreetly glance at me. I looked back and she went all red. Seriously, that tiny bit of girl wants to become a kunoïchi? Well she seemed pretty intelligent if I assumed she understood her book in all its complexity, so maybe she'd get some job at the Cryptology bureau or something.

After a while I had enough of this silence and all her glances so I asked her what she wanted. She kind of buried her head inside her book at that. Her friend Ino explained she was a very shy person. I wondered how she could have attained that class at the Academy.

"Well I don't know how it happened but she kind of befriend a friend of mine." Ino-San said. "So he asked me if I could spend some girl moments with her, and voilà!"

"You don't really sound ecstatic." I noted.

"Hey are you really discussing that in front of her? That's so impolite." Tenten scolded.

"I don't mind." the girl's said while reading.

"Well she's impolite enough to read instead of being with us." Ino-san remarked.

"Doesn't bother me." I replied.

"You'd have done the same with a book!" Tenten complained.

"So what?" I asked back. "So you're befriending her because a friend of yours asked you to?"

"Yes, I did."

"I think it's a good thing." Tenten said. "She doesn't seem very sociable to me. Sometimes you need a friend to hang out and do stuff."

"Hey, stop criticizing me. I go out every single day, so shush!" I groused.

"You go out to train, you never do anything else."

"We're kunoïchi. What else do you expect me to do?" I asked.

"Doing girl stuff?" Ino suggested.

"That's boring." Tenten and I said at the same time.

"Sempai you're no fun." Ino complained.

We finally arrived at the bath. The changing rooms were mostly empty. One or two other woman had come before us. I gave money to the desk lady and she gave towels to Tenten and I. Ino-San had more than enough soap and shampoo for the four of us.

"So er… What's your name again?" Tenten asked the girl as we were taking our clothes off.

"I'm Sakura, Haruno Sakura." she said, closing her book and putting it down.

"I'm Tenten. Are you reading all the time?"

"Whenever I can. But Shikamaru-Kun takes me to watch clouds, or to discuss books. Lately he taught me how to play shogi. Sometimes I play Ninja with him, Ino-Chan and Choji-kun."

"That only happened twice, you know." Ino said.

"Playing ninja?" I asked. "What's that?"

The two kohai looked at me with wide eyes. Sakura-San had really pretty green eyes. I understood why her parents gave her such an obvious name. She really looked like a springtime cherry blossom.

"Yanagi-Sempai, you never have fun, do you?" Ino-san asked.

"That's Yanagi-San for you." Tenten said.

"I mean, it looked cool for Sasuke-Kun, but that makes you boring." she commented.

"Hey, training is fun, okay! And so is reading!" I complained.

Sakura-San nodded at my last sentence. I think I might like that girl. I'd rather like if she was bolder or something, but she looked fine. Tenten and I were both in our underwear. It seemed to embarrass Sakura-San greatly, because she hid herself at the other side of the room. She should get used to that. We'd be naked and scrubbing our bodies with the same soap later.

"I swear Sempai is almost as social as Sakura-Chan." Ino complained.

"She used to be better before…" Tenten said, sending a meaningful glance.

"Oh, I see." Ino-San said.

I unclasped my chest binder. That delicious sensation of freedom! It felt so good! Tenten and Ino-San had the same envious look. Sakura-San was simply red.

"You know sometimes I hate you." Tenten said.

"I'd give you these anytime." I replied. "I'm glad I can press them enough so they don't hinder me when I fight."

"Damn Sempai, what are you eating to have these? I think Hinata-Chan from our class is bigger, though."

"Stop dieting, eat proper food and train more." I replied.

"Training is your answer for everything!" Tenten sighed.

"What if it is?" I replied.

We moved to the bath. The steam welcomed us in its warm arms. Sakura-San was still hiding under her towel. Tenten and I didn't care, and I swear Ino-San was carrying an entire bucket of beauty products. I guessed where all her allowance and training time went.

"Damn, your scar is pretty showing." Tenten muttered, and her fingers grazed the mark on my back.

"Yuck! That's so ugly!" Ino-San commented.

"How did it happened?" Sakura-San dared asking.

I stroked the twin mark that was disgracefully decorating my left breast.

"That's another story for another time, girls." I muttered.

I sat on one of the stools and turned the shower on. The thunder-like noise filled my ears and I let myself relax under the hot water. Sakura-San sat on one side and Tenten on the other. They mimicked my gesture. The soap passed trough everyone hand and so did the shampoo.

"You hair have grown." Tenten rearked. "I couldn't see with all the curls but it really did."

"I should cut them soon." I said.

"Long hair is beautiful, Sempai. I heard Sasuke-kun likes long-haired girl?"

"Does he? I'd have no idea. We don't discuss that?"

Did Sasuke-Chan emitted such a preference before? I looked through my memories. From what I knew, I thought I heard Shisui-Nii teasing Itachi-Sama about his likeness of long-haired girls. Anyway, when Sasuke-Chan will tell me why he liked that or that girl, the world might come to an end.

We were still chatting, enjoying the heat of the pool when a spirited girl opened the door.

"Hello! I've come to join you girls!" said the unknown teenager.

She was blonde with a sun kissed skin. She had curves like any man could dream of. Tall, blonde with blue eyes, she was like a dream come true. While my comrades didn't know how to react at the girl's entry, I remarked the whiskers on her cheeks. Don't tell me this was…

The girl spotted us at the same time I stood up.

"Heh! Sakura-Chan and Teme's Nee-Chan? What ar…"

Blood dripped from his nose even before I started to move. The next fraction of second my leg connected with his abdomen and he was thrown outside the tiled room, flew through the dressing room and fell outside the bath. His Henge dropped in the meantime. I had been so right. I grabbed a towel as the girls were asking me what was going through my head.

I wrapped the towel around my frame and it drank some of the water around my naked body. Water was falling from my hair as I walked to the moaning form of Uzumaki Naruto.

"What did you think you were doing, idiotic kid!" I growled. "Peeping in the woman's bath."

As I approached, he sensed he shouldn't stay there in case I would hit him again. Wobbly, painfully, he went away from his landing spot. I stepped outside to watch him leave. That is when I heard the distinguishable click of a camera. Gritting my teeth, I twirled around to face the other pervert. He had the time to take other pictures of me.

"Who do you think you are?" I yelled.

"Yanagi!" Tenten exclaimed as she went outside as well.

"Great, great! Two wet and young beauties by the end of the Summer!" the man crooned.

He was big and white haired, wearing a red vest above a green kimono and pants. Other parts of his body were covered by a mesh shirt, and so were his legs. He was crouching on his gettas, flashing his camera at us. Without thinking I went to a fast Jutsu and turned my Sharingan on. That offender was a Shinobi: I had no doubt he wasn't. My hands formed the tiger seal and a few others.

"Katon, Hosenka no Jutsu!" I shouted.

Several balls of fire erupted from my mouth. I hadn't had the time to use shuriken and wires to direct the flower-like shapes, but my aim was good enough to make the man draw back. He took some other pictures. Behind me Tenten had gone inside again to fetch her projectiles. I looked at the flames. I used to make a hotter fire than that. My chakra control had really gone bad these days. Well it was still better than the red fire Sasuke-Chan produced, but I used to make pure and blue flames.

"Impressive, beautiful girl! This will really help me from my res…"

Ino-san and Sakura-san had put a yukata on and they were throwing wooden buckets at him. There were lots of noise. People were coming to our side. The old shinobi took his camera down. His face had two long red lines coming from corner of his eyes. It wasn't a familiar clan marking. His brown eyes looked and me and he winked before disappearing. Immediately after I threw myself inside the dressing room and dressed as well.

"The hell was this guy?" I raged. "Damn, two perverts a day, and people expect me to do something apart from training."

"Two perverts?" Ino-san asked. "You mean the girl from before…"

"That was Uzumaki Naruto in some sort of sophisticated Henge. No luck for him, I'm really good at detecting illusions." I explained.

"The man outside looked like Jiraya-Sama." Tenten said.

"Like in one of the Sannin?" Sakura-san asked. "But I thought they were like respectable ninja that had thought during the war…"

"You'd know that through your idolization of Tsunade-Sama, right?" I asked the girl. "But if you're right, I might find stuff at the library about this guy."

"Can I come along?" Sakura-San asked.

I shrugged. Why not?

"Seriously? A weird old man takes embarrassing pictures of you and you go to the library?" Ino-San explained. "Something's not right with you Sempai."

"Let's go, Sakura-San." I offered. "Right after we put on our clothes."

"Hey, are you ditching me?" Tenten complained.

Wait for me, perverted Sannin. I'd make you regret this!


Happy New Year Everyone!

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