OTOGAKURE NINJA ACADEMY

Wheee! Another chapter!

I hate summer school. Yay weekend updates!

Just for a reminder, this is DURING the time skip.

Guest appearances today…Gaara, Kankurou, and …Akatsuki!

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Chapter Eleven

Hinata took a deep whiff of the cool autumn air. It was a crisp October morning, around six to be exact. The level of anxiety inside of her was so high, she though she might self-combust. She took a deep breath as the group assembled at the courtyard in front of the school.

She was wearing her usual training clothes, equipped with her kunai pouch and even her katana sword. Her long bluish hair blew behind her. A weak smile was received from both Anko and Sasame as she glanced at the girls next to her.

"Good luck my students, and remember be very careful" The principal Orochimaru warned in a scary tone from the entrance of the school building. The new formation of the three teams was now known as Team Thirteen, just to make things easier.

Some other shinobi were found behind the principal, trying to get a look at the departing teams. Orochimaru whispered some last request to Kimimaro before he walked towards the group. He calmly advanced the silencing group. All that could be heard was a dramatic cool breeze swirling around them. He starred at each individual member as he sighed deeply. With a final last cool calm breath he stated "Let's go"

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Without another word, all eleven shinobi took off in a blink of an eye. Tree after tree the team of ninjas jumped through the forestry path on top of the canopies. Hinata had great knowledge of navigation as to where they were going, and was given the honor of leading the way. "O-O-Oh me? I couldn't…" Hinata stuttered again nervously. "You're the only one who knows the way by experience" Karin explained and aloud her to go in front of her. Hinata shook slightly in a clumsy fashion as she advanced to the front of the group, much to the displeasure of some shinobi. Hinata sighed as she took the lead. "Looks like I'll have no choice" she muttered under her breath. "Byakugan!" she exclaimed with her white eyes bulging.

Hinata opened up her field of vision, constantly remaining alert incase of the slight risk of anything happening. Her first goal was to lead the team to Sunagakure, where she had known to be the hometown of Sabaku no Gaara, the new Kazekage. She hadn't visited the sand sibling for quite some time now, but the path leading to Sunagakure was easily remembered by her many experiences of traveling there.

Kimimaro had pushed them to the limit. It was a long travel, and there was only so far a person could go before reaching their limit, but Kimimaro insisted they kept going further. It was only when night fall hit where they finally took a rest. Deep panting was heard from the group as they stopped in a shady dark forest that was only lit by the single light of the luminous moon. Each person stayed isolated as they relaxed on different sides of the forest clearing. Most slept with whatever they could use, coats, pants and etcetera.

Hinata stayed close to her teammates when she slept. Even the green-eyed shinobi rested near her. She couldn't help taking a glance over at his direction. He had fallen asleep soon after he touched the ground. He looked so at peace when he slept, as opposed to his normal uptight attitude. 'He looks cute when he sleeps' Hinata though as she giggled slightly. At that thought, she quickly fell into a deep slumber.

Kimimaro broke his peaceful state as he woke his teammates later in the early night. What were a few hours only seemed like a couple of minutes in Hinata's mind. She groaned softly in annoyance as she rose from the cold ground. The group stretched for a short while and began to swiftly make haste to the desert village.

They made very good time, arriving to the village in a short day and half. The weather was much warmer in Sunagakure. Series of coats and other warm clothes were being stripped from the shinobi's bodies as they entered the desert. They found a large group of people waiting outside the Kazekage's office building. The guards were shocked to see the sounds ninja arrive so early and alerted the others immediately.

Hinata let out a small smiled at the first familiar face she has seen in a while. Sabaku no Gaara exited the building. His green eyes covered by the black lining gazed calmly and curiously around at the group. His blazing red hair stuck out from his white robes he was wearing. "Hello" he began slowly. "Thank you…for coming to aid us" he said in his usual quiet voice, pausing between words.

On normal occasion, Gaara didn't need any help to get it from place to place. After all, he was the most powerful ninja in the hidden village of sand. Times have changed though, and there was many criminal ninja after his great power. He and his men would need extra back up if they were ambushed by many enemy ninja. Eleven ninja would most likely be able to easily complete the mission, as long as they didn't run into any unexpected troubles.

Gaara summoned at least seven other sand ninja with him, including his brother Kankurou. The purple marked ninja smirked at the group of sound ninja, but one in particular white-eyed kunoichi caught his attention. "Hyuuga?" he simply questioned pushing away some of the other ninja in order to get a better look. Gaara followed him out of curiosity. "Hinata-San, what are you doing here?" Gaara asked quite perplexed. "It's a long story Gaara-Sama" Hinata smiled at the fact she called him Gaara-Sama, which was new to her. Gaara starred blankly and responded with a simple "Hn".

The red headed kage removed his robe, revealing his regular ninja attire, and turned to face the large group. "Shall we be going now or what?" he smirked. The ninjas all smirked slyly along with him and readied there selves in hope for some real action. "Let's go" Kimimaro announced again from the group as they headed off again.

Kimimaro signaled for Hinata to take the lead again, but didn't say much to her as she did so. He really seemed to distance himself from her ever since he received the complaints of him treated her specially. Nevertheless, Hinata lead the group to Konohagakure with the help of her Byakugan.

Hinata was so excited to reunite with her friends again, that she wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings. All was peaceful for a while, causing an eerie feeling over the group. The group was split to patrol different spots. Some went by tree, and some by foot, but everyone surrounded the escorted sand villagers. Hinata's mind was still occupied with thoughts of her friends when an unexpected visitor came in the view of Hinata's all seeing eyes.

Unfortunately for Hinata, it was almost too late by the time she realized the opposing ninja head there way. "Juugo! Behind you!" She quickly alerted the orange haired ninja. Juugo quickly turned around to find an unknown ninja attack from behind. The two clashed and Juugo quickly jumped backwards. "Looks like I wasn't too careful, yeah"

"Deidara you are too clumsy" said another figure. Hinata gasped sharply at the sight of the two. They wore a familiar black cloak with the signature red clouds on them. "The Akatsuki…" Hinata whispered fearfully. "So that is who they are?" Sakon asked rhetorically to her quietly. "Seem like creeps to me" he said. He glared at the white-eyed girl who looked worried. "Don't worry Hinata, there are two of them, and at least thirteen of us" he said reassuringly. Hinata felt a little better by his comforting statement, but shot into another state of worry as she heard another clash from behind her. 'My blind spot!'

A loud scream was heard from the red headed kunoichi. Blood dispensed out of her slashed wrists. "Tayuya!" Kidomaru screamed and ran to her aid. 'There is another one, and I failed to notice his presence'

The third member of the Akatsuki emerged with the other two. One had long blonde hair with mouths located on the palms of his hands. The other one looked scarier; he had a low to the ground hunched over body with dark skin and black hair. The last one wore a menacing look on his face, and he had long black hair with a pair of bloody red eyes.

'I knew something like this would happen, and now Tayuya is already hurt' Kimimaro thought to himself. 'But there is only three of them'

"Kidomaru! Stay with Tayuya!" Kimimaro commanded. "Things are about to get ugly"