Chapter 3~~
(A/N: Hello my lovelies. I have returned. I decided to keep writing one day when I was home from school sick because I missed it and fan fiction and I hate when authors don't finish their stories, so this will definitely be finished. Idk how long it'll take cuz I kinda don't have internet at the moment so I'm being a hobo and posting this wherever I get wifi lol. I have been writing and I've written two chapters so I just have to get around to posting, which hopefully won't take too long. Then there's school…argh. Anywho, I'm shutting up now.)
"Alright Team, The Hokage has given us a few D-ranked missions to prepare for bigger ones and to get you guys into the swing of things."
Kiba, who was the unofficial spokesperson for Team 8, spoke up. "All right! Wait, it better not be one of those missions where we have to walk an old lady across the street."
Hinata giggled and Kurenai frowned.
"Even if it was one of those missions, you all wouldn't be allowed to go on more exciting ones until you complete all the lower ranked missions assigned to you."
"Fine." Kiba grunted.
"Now, if we're done here, the Sandaime is waiting to give us our mission."
"You want us to do WHAT?" Kiba screeched at the Third Hokage.
"Your mission, Team 8, is to babysit my grandson, Konohamaru." The old man repeated slowly.
"Hell no! We're ninja, not babysitters!" Kiba roared. Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Kiba…" Kurenai warned the boy for what felt like the 50th time.
"Um, maybe it'll be fun." Hinata spoke up optimistically.
"I suppose." Shino said. He was indifferent to everything anyway.
Kiba sighed in annoyance. "Where is the brat, anyway?""Oh, he just had to use the restroom. He'll be back any minute now." The Third Hokage said casually.
"Well, you certainly don't need me here." Kurenai said.
"Trying to get rid of us so fast, Sensei?" Kiba joked.
Just then, a kid with a green helmet and a super long scarf burst through the door.
"Grandpa, you brought me new people to play with?" Konohamaru asked gleefully.
"Oh no…" Shino muttered.
Kurenai laughed and poofed away.
"NOO SENSEI YOU CAN'T LEAVE US!" Kiba yelled at the top of his lungs.
Since her team's mission seemed pretty simple, Kurenai didn't feel the least bit guilty about leaving them. So, she went to talk to Hiashi Hyuga.
She knocked on the door of the Hyuga compound. It took a while, but an irritated Hiashi opened the door.
"Yes?"
"Hello, Mr. Hyuga. I'm Kurenai Yuhi, Hinata's sensei."
"Have you come to complain about what a failure she is? I should've warned you." Hiashi said apologetically.
"Huh? Your daughter isn't a failure. She's a very kind and sweet girl. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Hiashi was starting to get impatient once these words came out of Kurenai's mouth. "Look, I'm very busy and I can't be bothered with this nonsense. My daughter is weak and wouldn't make a suitable heir to the Hyuga clan. As the clan leader, I have to make sure our clan remains strong and she's clearly not the person that would make sure that happens. So do not come to talk to me about my daughter anymore." With that, Hiashi slammed the door.
Kurenai was stunned. How could a man talk about his own child like that? How could he have so little faith in her? It broke her heart.
"It'll be ok Hinata. You don't need him." Kurenai whispered to herself as she turned and walked away from the home.
"Oh well, I suppose I should go pick up my team now."
"It was awful Sensei! The kid put a saddle on Akamaru and tried to ride him like a horse!' Kiba exclaimed later.
Kurenai took her team out for Korean barbeque after their long and tiring mission.
"It's true but we had a lot of fun, Sensei." Hinata giggled.
Shino shrugged. "He didn't seem to like my bugs vbry much."
Kurenai laughed.
"See ya later Kurenai sensei!" Kiba called after they were done eating and going home.
Hinata lingered near Kurenai after Shino and Kiba left.
"You know, I talked to your father today." Kurenai said to her.
"Oh. You didn't have to do that Sensei." Hinata said, looking at her hands.
"I did. I hate the way he treats you. You can talk to me about anything, you know."
"Thank you." Hinata quickly bowed. "I should get going now. Thanks again for dinner."
"Anytime." Kurenai smiled, then sighed when Hinata was no longer in sight. Behind her, someone cleared their throat.
"Oh hey, Asuma. Where'd you come from?"
"I was just taking a walk to clear my head. What about you?" Asuma walked up to Kurenai and stood beside her.
"Just taking my team out for dinner after a mission. I think I'll head home now, though."
"I'll walk you home." Asuma offered.
While they walked, Kurenai told Asuma about her team's first mission babysitting Konohamaru.
"Those poor kids." Asuma laughed. "My nephew can be a handful."
"Wait, Konohamaru's your nephew?" Kurenai asked.
"Yup. The Hokage's my dad."
"Now that I think about it, you do kind of look like him." Kurenai stared at Asuma intently, seeing the resemblence.
They made it to her apartment by then.
"Thanks Asuma. I'll see you later." Kurenai turned to go into the building.
"Wait, can I ask you something?" Asuma inquired, his face becoming serious.
"Sure, what's wrong?"
"Um, never mind. Good night." Asuma lit a cigarette and went on his way.
"Hm, wonder what was up with him." Kurenai said aloud to herself as she made her way into her apartment.
Kurenai went over to her bookshelf and pulled out the picture of the woman and baby again. She studied it very closely.
"Why is this in here…" Kurenai thought to herself. It must be someone else's picture. Perhaps it was her aunts. Or maybe it was someone else's picture that had somehow gotten into her photo album. Nothing was making sense. She needed sleep.
Kurenai woke up in a dark room. She seemed to be on the floor wrapped in something. She saw a shadowy figure in the room with her, moving quickly.
Alarmed, Kurenai tried to get up , but felt that she couldn't properly control her body. She tried calling out, but only a small cry escaped from her mouth.
The figure, who appeared to be a giant person, turned and looked at her.
Why can't I move? Kurenai thought to herself.
She gasped as the person's face came into better focus. The face belonged to a young woman who had dark hair like she did. The young woman picked Kurenai up, rocking ans shushing her.
"Shh, Hana-chan. It's ok."
That was when Kurenai realized she was a baby. But why? And where the heck was she?
Kurenai tried talking again, but a small cry escaped from her mouth, once again.
The woman shushed her once more before placing her back into a blanket-filled basket and covered her with more blankets.
Kurenai cried out in surprise. It was really dark under all those blankets. As she felt the basket being carried, she realized the woman looked an awful like the woman in the photo.
The woman stopped and set the basket down.
"I love you." She whispered to Kurenai.
It was silent for a while then Kurenai heard a door opening.
Then Kurenai woke up in her own bed, panting. She stared into the darkness of her bedroom, trying to make sense of what just happened.
What was with that dream?