I just thought of "eighth grade" for Hinata. Technically it's simply the "eighth year of practicing techniques." Hinata, like most others, started at age six, so right now she's fourteen (not thirteen like our world). I want a little change is all. ;P
Review or else!! And I love Neji.
"Test Number Four...is the Test of Evasiveness!" It's Gai-sensei again. Tsunade should really hire better teachers. "We will test you in four groups - each group has two sets of partners. This test is one of utter concentration, so we will hold the tests at the same time and there will be a twenty-yard space between each of the four groups.
One partner will be dodging needles, the other will be throwing shurikens or kunais in front. You may choose who does which job!
The focus is that the partner who dodges needles may not get hit to receive a perfect score! The other partner must sacrifice all to achieve this Springtime goal!
This Test is my faaaaavorite! It shows...teamwork and compassion!"
Teamwork, yes. Compassion? It's added to simply make him sound professional...
"Group Number One:
Hinata Hyuuga, Sasuke Uchiha, Kiba Inuzuka, Sakura Haruno."
So I'm with him. At least not with Neji or...Gaara.
"Second Group:
Ino Yamanaka, Yumeki Etsuo, Gaara, Neji Hyuuga."
Good luck, Ino. You'll need it. She looks both excited and anxious.
"The Third Group is
Naruto Uzumaki, Chouji Akimichi, TenTen, and Shino Aburame."
I hope you do well, Naruto.
"And the last...but not least! - Group Four is:
Temari, Shikamaru Nara, Rock Lee, and Kankurou.
Group One stays here with me," - Rock Lee is visibly upset - , "and Kakashi, Kurenai, and Iruka will lead the other three groups to other areas of the forest."
Group by group they go, leaving behind a lonely and abandoned feeling.
"I'll dodge the needles," I say to Sasuke, who doesn't respond. "Are you...good at weapons?"
"Possibly."
So he talked, huh.
Well, it was now or never. I stand within range of Gai-sensei's aim of blunt needles, Sasuke a few feet in front of me. "We'll record how many needles hit you," says a judge with a large beard. "Your sensei will throw for three minutes."
Lovely. A time limit like a cherry tops off an ice-cream sundae.
"Ready?"
We nod, tensing.
The needles come from everywhere at one. It's suddenly a forest of blunted shards of wood that flies at impossible speeds.
Three immediately hit me - leg, arm, stomach - with little impact, but it makes Sasuke feel compelled to yell. "God, Hinata! Keep dodging!"
His mastery of the weapons is perfect while I flounder. Tens of hundreds of needles fall to the ground, lifeless. He's looking graceful and working hard while I'm forced to swerve from side to side in what has to be the stupidest test of all.
No wonder it's Gai-sensei's favorite...
There's a note of hysteria in my yell as two more needles simultaneously hit my forehead Another hits the corner of my eye - it hurts -
Byakuga - duh!
Sasuke's bloodline limit is already activiated and I do so, too.
The rest is extremely simple.
There's a large volley of needles at the end, but I duck down easily and nothing makes contact. If only I'd activated it earlier...
But it's too late; damage has been done.
"Ten," announces the judge. "Ten needles."
Kiba and Sakura step out from the trees - they weren't allowed to watch us, for the prevention of breaking our concentration.
I sit down in the grass a few yards away. To my surprise, Sasuke sits next to me and starts to talk.
"You should have used your Dojutsu before getting hit," he says in a low voice, facing me.
I stay defensive but I don't apologize. "I know."
"Well," he sorts of sighs, " Good job anyhow. You didn't do bad."
Before I can respond - no, recover - he reaches up and collects two pieces of wood from my hair. Then he falls silent again, looking away and twirling the wood between his fingers, and I'm not keen on talking, either, so we both wait in prolonged silence.
Pretty soon Sakura and Kiba emerge among a rustle of leaves. Sakura has her clothes and her hair adorned with needles - they're sticking out like a porcupine's bad hair day.
Kiba is breathing hard. There are a handful of needles in his grasp. He sits down next to me without one word, and takes off his jacket, looking cross.
Sakura sits on the other side of Sasuke, her eyes tense and deliberately not looking her partner's way.
A corner of my mouth curves upward into half a smile, but I don't know why.
Luckily it's Kurenai-san who's talking.
We're all clustered in a small spot maybe a mile out of Konoha, next to a medium-sized deep blue lake.
"The Fifth Test is of Chakra Control," she reports in a clear, rather clipped tone. "You will walk on and across Konoha Lake. It's not far. If you perform perfectly it's a ten-pointer. Mess up less than three times is a five. Otherwise, it's a zero."
No questions are asked.
"You'll all perform at the same time. It's twelve o'clock now. After this Test, we will provide lunch.
Judges will be watching in numerous places. Do not use any techniques.
Good luck."
Since there's nothing more to say, we line up on the side of the lake, Sasuke and Gaara on either side of me.
"Begin. You may take your time."
I palce a timid foot down, and promptly land in the water.
I - I'm...
Water clogs my senses - I'm forced up by two iron grips. Wet and shivering, I crawl up to land.
I'm a fool to think I could do this. Idiot. Idiot. IDIOT!
A hand sweeps back my hair. "You okay?"
"I-I'm fine."
My partner takes my clammy arm. "Come on."
"N-no."
"Hinata, try again."
"No!"
He sighs. "I'm going, okay? And you have to also. We're having lunch on the other side."
I take a look around - most Genin are already towards the middle of the lake. "See? Hurry up."
"I - I...okay." Looks like I have little choice. Again.
"I'll wait," probes Sasuke. "I'll go after you. I got your back."
I take a tentative step into the water, testing it now It holds my weight, to my utter and complete relief.
"She said to take our time, after all."
"...Okay." I walk with slow, gradual steps. In the middle of the lake the water is difficult to stand on, and I practically inch my way. One inch...two...three. I'm still nervous, still wondering, still wet...
A few more earthworm steps -
I hear a surprised yell and a splash of water behind me.
"Sasuke!!"
Kurenai immediately flies in, water making dark shapes as she plunges into the depths below.
One of the judges heartlessly calls to me, "Hinata Hyuuga, keep on going!"
I don't want to. I want to stay and help Sasuke - somehow, somehow -
To see his face and that he's okay. It's because of me that he...
But for the time being...
Deep breaths. I arrive wet and teeth-chattering to the other side where they bombard me with an avalanche of questions. "I - I don't know."
I manage to both escape the crowd and stay keen on watching the lake.
A few more silent, subdued minutes pass until a shape emerges - soaked to the bone, Kurenai carries a limp and wet-haired Sasuke to us; even after that ordeal she can run on water, though she stumbles several times.
A flash of sunlight gleams - there is a dark, distinct mark on Sasuke's neck.
After a quite and sullen lunch of rice and shrimp without Sasuke, we're sent home after working our butts off, not receiving a single "Thank you," or "Good job." Test Seven begins tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock.
Us Genin trail and pave our different lives and ways as we head towards our homes. It's started.
I can feel it. Since the day that I've entered eighth grade - the eighth year of becoming or studying ninja techniques, that is - I've bonded with others, smiled, teased, and even laughed.
The Chuunin exams, I know, will split those ways. It will carve several more paths for others to travel on...alone.
It's inevitable - already begun.
Already I've seen the powers, the unexpected fervor, when Naruto fights with Rasengan. I've seen the determination of Kiba and Akamaru.
...The cool and detached expression Sasuke always keeps - like a full-fledged ninja...
...And the cruel and unrelelenting eyes of Gaara.
After buying two small sandwiches from the streets, I start home with a heavy heart. The day's passed so fast, so rapidly - like sand slipping through my fingers.
I'm down to two hundred yen - practically nothing, really. If I decide to continue living here, I'm at a disadvantage - I should possibly apply for a job? Flower arranging doesn't sound bad...
The lights - no, no lights. It's completely dark save for the meager light of the moon that reflects off the house. The moon appears to just hang beyond the rooftop.
It's a dead house. Even as I walk up the driveway, I know there won't be anyone here.
No one to greet me...
The window's open slightly like someone's waiting by it. Shadows dance across the shutters, making intricate, depthless designs.
Death...
I force myself to stop shivering and open the door.
The lights flicker on. I haven't touched anything...
"Hinata!" cries a voice that I haven't heard in three years.
It's...but how?
So that's that!! My Chapter Fourteen. Please review! I love to meet new people whether weird, hyper, or random :D
Hinata isn't THAT OOC in this chapter I find, because she stammered a few times. Plus she's silent... HinaKiba or HinaSasu?
Lumberrrrrrry
