"So…you're going to become a Taijutsu specialist?"

The sun was dipping beneath the canopy of trees that encircled the entire village, casting long shadows and giving everything a certain sort of red hue. The three teammates walked down the main street, the shortest in the middle, rubbing her left bicep. She was quite sure she'd pulled it or something, the way it ached and stung every time she moved her arm. Funny that it was her left arm…her right, which she had almost lost two days earlier, was completely fine, except for the white scar tissue that marred her skin, but that didn't really matter much.

The blonde nodded, light locks turned bright orange by the sun, face thrown into shadows as she grinned, "You bet."

"I knew it." Choni stated simply, lacing his fingers together behind his head, staring forward. Shikago glanced over the top of Mal's head to quirk a brow.

"Really now?"

"Yup. Remember the bell test? She didn't wear out the entire time. She's got tons of chakra, and she's flexible." Choni nodded along with himself, obviously pleased that he had noticed all this. Shikago didn't respond, merely raising his eyebrows and shrugging, hands resting within his pockets.

"So what made you decide?"

"Oh, well…" Mal cursed silently, sweating as she struggled to come up with a good reason. She was no good at lying! She sucked at lying! And she hadn't told them about the Kyuubi…and she couldn't! They couldn't know! Her breathing rate increased, her heart thudding brilliantly in her chest, "Umm…well…we need a…uh…close range…uh…because…."

Shikago and Choni glanced at each other over top of her head as the girl continued to babble on.

"I don't know Choni, dear friend; it sounds to me like she's lying."

Mal flushed.

"I do believe so Shikago. What would you propose we do about this?"

They exchanged looks, nods, and Shikago grabbed Mal roughly by the shoulders.

"Hey! Let go!"

"Would you rather I use the Shadow Imitation technique?" The dark haired boy answered, gripping her upper arm tightly, using the other hand to pat her on top of the head, "This is for your own good sweetie, Choni'll be careful not to permanently damage your mind. Any more than it is already that is."

She surprised him by struggling. Hard. Choni was already forming the hand-seal, watching Mal carefully, and beginning the mind transfer. Mal growled rather loudly, struggling to get away from Shikago.

"Choni! Don't!" She pleaded, sounding very close to tears, "Please!"

Too late. Choni was in her mind.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!"

She was pacing and yelling, screaming and shouting, fingers grasping at her own hair, tugging on it worriedly. This was her chance! This was the time when she would learn something special! Something that would make her unique, make her stand out!

"You need to calm down." The soothing voice came from not far off, "You're chakra is going completely mental."

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO TELL ME ABOUT MY CHAKRA KENJI!"

The Hyuuga sighed, rolling his eyes, arms folded over his chest, watching the small girl pace, muttering to herself, ripping a kunai from where it was embedded in the trunk of a nearby tree and inspecting it thoroughly, as though looking for what was wrong with it. Growling in frustration she turned to thrust the instrument in front of Kenji's face.

"Is it on there?"

"Is what on there?"

"You know damn well what!"

"That's not very polite at all Nhamo-chan." He informed her with raised brows. It amused him that this was the girl he'd been holding hands with not that long ago. She was…complex. Bipolar maybe. How she had enough energy to go from contemplative, sweet, gentle little girl to the angry, frustrated, swearing, fearsome kunoichi that now seethed before him was beyond his comprehension, "And besides, I thought you didn't need me to tell you about your chakra."

To this she muttered a string of curses as a reply, cracking her knuckles menacingly and turning her back to him, flinging the kunai with all her might at the nearest tree.

Speaking with Ten Ten-sama had been nice. When taking her there, Kenji had figure Nhamo would make a good weapons specialist, and Ten Ten had agreed. Because Nhamo was adopted, there was no way to tell what family traits she might have, and she obviously couldn't adopt the Inuzuka techniques, unless they wanted her to do it with a rabbit or something. Weapons were universal.

And so, Ten Ten had demonstrated how to attach a chakra string to a weapon. This increased your ability to control the weapon, as well as giving you the option to recall it to you. Only Nhamo was having a bit of trouble with this.

And obviously, it was frustrating her. Not that he could blame her. It must be tough, not knowing what you were good at, and being among people who seemed to be good at everything they did.

He wanted to say something, but wasn't at all sure what to say to her that wouldn't just make her angrier.

"What the hell did you do to him?"

Shikago had watched in horror as Choni had returned to his own body, pupil-less eyes opening wide with fright, his entire body shaking, teeth chattering, completely incoherent at he stared at Malvika, who glared back, jaw jut forward, daring him to say something. Choni had swallowed heavily, and turned to scamper away like a frightened rat.

"Well? He was in your fucking mind!" The Nara had spun her around to face him, his hands vice-like gripping his shoulders, shaking her roughly as she refused to meet his gaze, staring off to the side.

"I told him not to." Mal's voice was quiet, rough, and some how void of emotion. Violently she jerked herself from his grip, entire body tensed; she could feel the Kyuubi stirring within her, it was amused by all of this. It found it funny.

"It's all his fault."

As the girl turned her back and walked away, Shikago somehow got the feeling that it wasn't Choni she was talking about.

The walked side by side, each silent, contemplative. Nhamo's energy had all been depleted, she'd spent quite nearly the entire day pissed off for one reason or another, and her mind had been tossed into turmoil. She felt a mixture of anger, sadness…confusion. She didn't understand why she wasn't good at anything. Everyone had a talent, right? She wrung her hands nervously, chewing on her lip as though it were a chew toy. Maybe it was just her…maybe she could do this whole weapons thing…by the time they'd quit training for the day, she'd managed to get the chakra string under control…but her aim still left a lot to be desired.

And Kenji wasn't helping much. Not that he wasn't trying…all she'd managed to accomplish was because of him. Somehow though, just looking at him increased her confusion tenfold. It had to be because of the hand holding thing. What did that mean? She wracked her brain, but she had no knowledge about any of this.

It was times like this when a mother figure would come in handy.

"This is your house, right?"

"Huh?"

"This is your house, right?"

Nhamo blinked wide brown eyes at Kenji for a moment before glancing at what was, indeed, her home. It was an extension of the Inuzuka compound, and she could see the lights on in their dining room. She nodded, eyes stuck to the light.

"Well…" Kenji shifted uncomfortably. This was the part where he'd take her in his arms and kiss her sweetly…or something like that. That was how the stories always went, right?

Only, he didn't know how that worked. He was a twelve year old boy. He'd never kissed a girl before. The thought of it made him nervous and sweaty, his mouth dry. He could just leave her…and try again some other time right? She wouldn't know the difference. Would she? What if she could tell what he was thinking?!

Kenji forced himself to breath. Now he was just acting stupid. Besides, she was turning to walk up the pathway. It was now or never, do or die.

"Nhamo, wait!" He grasped her arm lightly, tugging her back towards him just as she turned around, a question written across her face. His heart leaped as his face rapidly approached hers; he was going to kiss her!

Except not. Because apparently, she wasn't sure what to do either.

Their foreheads and noses collided at the same time, their lips brushing just briefly before each ninja stumbled backwards, Kenji rubbing his forehead, Nhamo clutching her nose, eyes watering. Kenji blushed brilliantly, thoroughly embarrassed as he saw a trickle of blood seep through her fingers.

"I'msosorry!" He yelled, turning to run away.

Way to be brave there Kenji.

"Shit." Nhamo muttered, heart racing, thoroughly confused, dapping at her throbbing nose with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Had Kenji just tried to kiss her?