Me: Hey everybody first thing first I want to wish you guys a happy thanksgiving. So well Happy Thanksgiving to you all! And second of all I will like to thank RedRangerBelt for beta-ing this chapter. And without anymore comments the Story…

I do not own Naruto so please leave me alone.

Chapter 3

Akiko stared at Hinata as she let out a sigh of relief. At first she didn't know how to tell Hinata what she needed to tell her, so she was going to start with a brief history about the people to get her to understand a few things about them. When Hinata told her that she already knew the story about the animal people Akiko breathed another sigh of relief. That is, until Hinata kept questioning why she was bringing up that story. On the outside Akiko was the picture perfect of calm; she could passed for a Hyuuga if she wanted to. Yet on the inside, Akiko was crying anime tears as she ranted about her misfortune. She really didn't know what to say…she'd probably just play it by the ear…yeah that's what she'd do.

Hinata stared at the older girl in front of her. Something was wrong; that much she could tell. She didn't spend her whole life in the Hyuuga clan not to be able to pick up when somebody was putting up a mask. And Akiko was definitely putting up a mask. The little Hyuuga girl just didn't know what exactly was wrong with the older woman. Yet she was curious and even though she had heard that curiosity would kill the cat, she still wanted to know.

"Akiko-san is-is everything o-okay," Hinata ask.

"You have animal traits just like the people in the story," Akiko blurted out loudly. Hinata stared at her like the girl had another head.

'Well, curiosity does kill the cat,'Hinata thought, her mind quickly going over a conversation with her mother when she was younger.

Flash back.

"Curiosity killed the cat Hinata," her mother told her when she caught her sneaking around the compound. Hinata looked up at her mother and put the things she was looking at back in its respective spot in the library.

'But mother I just wanted to learn something that would make father look at me in a new light," the young Hyuuga said. Her mother shook her head.

"And I still say curiosity killed the cat," Hitome told her daughter. Hinata smile at her mother. She and her mother would play word games like these all the time.

"Well satisfaction brought him back," Hinata whispered as her mother brought her back to her room. Hitome shook her head.

"Nope," she said. "Satisfaction didn't bring him back," she continued. "The cat died wiser." Hitome smiled as she watched the confusion enter Hinata eyes.

"What do you mean," Hinata asked. Hitome smiled until she heard footsteps. She opened Hinata door and pushed her in.

"Figure it out yourself, Hinata," she said, closing the door. Once the door was closed, she disappeared from the spot she was standing at and went back to her room.

Flashback end

Hinata felt like she was dying inside as she heard this news.

"Wha-what", Hinata stuttered out.

'Did she just say what I think I heard her say?'the poor young Hyuuga thought. Her wide eyes focused on the girl in front of her.

Akiko had her hand over her mouth as her eyes just like Hinata was wide opened but from a different reason. She just shouted at this girl that she would have animal characteristics. Not only did she just tell the girl that her life would change in the worst way possible but she also shouted it out meaning anybody could have came by and heard it.

"Ah don't worry Akiko-chan nobody was around when you shouted the big it out," the redhead girl said once she appeared again. "Although you should really work on your explaining skills." Once that was said the girl disappeared again.

Akiko sighed and sat down.

"Okay, Hinata," Akiko said uneasily, "Sit down, because I need some time to think up what I'm going to say." Hinata did what the older girl said because she wanted to know exactly what she meant by she has animal traits. Even though it was very obvious what the older girl meant, Hinata wanted to know how. Once Hinata was seated, Akiko pinched the bridge on her nose in thought.

What exactly was she going to tell the young girl? An idea then popped into her head.

"Okay Hinata, I want you to listen to me and don't say anything until I'm done," Akiko started. Hinata nodded her head so the brown eyed woman continued. "You see, you were born with traits of a specific animal characteristic from your mother's side. She put a strong Genjutsu that only she and one or two other animals can do to change your looks so your father's clan wouldn't hurt you. Well, you see, the Genjutsu is going to wear off soon the and characteristics are going to show, meaning you need to be trained in keeping them hidden and in your skills. Any questions?" Akiko ask as she looked over at Hinata who eyes were wide and her mouth hanging opened.

"OH MY GOD SHE'S IN SHOCK," Akiko screamed and did everything to wake the girl up. Since nothing work she picked the girl up and threw her into the water. Hinata woke up from her shock and started flapping her arms around so she could stay above water. When she was able to swim to the shore she got out of the water and walked over to where Akiko was dripping water along the way. She stopped right in front of Akiko and glared at her.

"Was-was th-that even necessary", the girl stuttered out. Akiko nodded her head and turned around. When she turned back to face Hinata she had a scroll in her hand.

"Okay Hinata, I'm going to have to teach you a little something, but first," Akiko started. "We have to see what animal you are and you still have ten minutes left but as we wait I'll school you on the different animals and how you can spot an animal human."

Hinata nodded her head as Akiko started.

The next ten minutes Akiko had given Hinata a crash course on how to tell if someone had animal characteristic. She had learned how to spot a bird, a snake, a dog, and a fish. When Akiko had stopped talking a white mist had covered Hinata up hiding her from the prying eyes of people. When the mist had settled down and Hinata was able to be seen again, Akiko smiled.

"I knew it," she said.

"Knew? K-knew what?" Hinata ask. Akiko shook her head and handed her the scroll.

"Here I want you to do at least two of these things on this list and seek me out when you're done with the results," Akiko said and got ready to leave. "I don't think you're one of those people but I'll tell you anyway. Don't try to lie about your results because even if I'm not there I might still know." She then walked over to Hinata.

"But before I go," Akiko said and went through a set of hand seals "Appearance changing Jutsu", she shouted as she slammed her hand down on Hinata forehead.

A brown fog covered Hinata this time and when it disappeared Hinata looked like she did when she first entered the forest.

"Shouldn't-shouldn't I g-get a chance t-t-to see what I looked like?" Hinata asked. Akiko made a humming sound like she was thinking about it.

"Nope," she answers while popping the 'P'. "When you complete the tasks I gave you then we'll start on your real training then and only then will I let you see what you look like", Akiko said.

Hinata looked at the scroll she was given and read a few choices, a bush appearing on her face and growing brighter with every choice she read. The choices she was given was impossible to do. And when she does get caught…Hinata shuddered at the thought of what her father would do to her if she gets caught.

"Akiko", she said as she looked up only to see the older girl was gone. Hinata sighed and looked back at the scroll.

Okay to test your skills in stealth here are a few tests you can take. Remember these tests are on stealth so you can't get caught while doing them or you failed. Now the ones on the top are the easiest to do. Now choose one:

Sneak out of your house at night

Enter the opposite sex's bathroom and write all over the wall

Put graffiti on someone's house

Steal from a food stand

Those are the easiest ones unless you're sure you can do the harder ones I suggest you stop reading now.

Hinata did as the scroll had said and stopped reading. She wasn't even sure she could do the first thing on the list and it's supposed to be the easiest one of them all. She sighed and with the scroll in her hands left the forest part.

Akiko

Akiko stood at the tallest of the branch in a tree closest to the young Hyuuga girl. She saw as the Hyuuga girl left the forest with her head down. Sighing Akiko jumped from the branch all the way to the Hokage tower. She was late for her meeting.

"Hey old man," she shouted once she reached his office and entered. Sarutobi looked up from his paper work and stared at the girl.

"You were suppose to be here twenty minutes ago," he deadpanned. Akiko chuckled and scratch her cheek nervously.

"Oh well you see I actually have a reason why I'm late this time," she said. Sarutobi raised a brow, but other than that, his face betrayed no emotion.

"Oh and what's the reason?" he asked

"I found someone to train," she said as her voice did a one eighty and turned serious.

"I see and who is it?" he ask. His eyes lit up like a little kid eating candy.

"Hinata Hyuuga," the girl said with a smile. Sarutobi's eye widened before frowning.

"A Hyuuga," he said out loud. "It would be hard to get Hiashi to agree." Akiko smiled.

"Ah, that's why he won't find out," she said and disappeared. Sarutobi sighed and shook his head as smoke came out of his pipe. There was a knock at his door. He told him to come in and in walked a woman with long black hair and wide red eye. Sarutobi took the pipe out of his mouth as his expression turned serious.

"Kurenai what happened why are you back here so quick", he ask his voice serious as he took in her state. She had blood all over her and he could tell that most of it wasn't hers. Her clothes were ripe in some places and she was shaking. She looked like she was about to faint from chakra usage.

The red eyed woman didn't say anything but walked up to him and handed him a piece of paper. He took it then called on one of the ANBU he had hidden in his room.

"I want you to take her to the hospital and get her treated immediately", he said. The ANBU nodded its head, grabbed the girl, and Shunshined to the hospital. Sarutobi sighed as he read over the letter. With widen eye he pushed the button to call the secretary.

"I want you to get me cat, dog, horse, and bunny", he said into the thing. He didn't wait for the secretary to say anything back for he was rereading the letter again and again. There was a knock on his door and everyone he asks for was there.

"Sarutobi-sama why have you called for us", the ANBU with the bunny mask ask.

"I have just gotten disturbing news from a Chunnin that was sent on a mission a week ago", he said, "It seems that the jewel that they were meant to protect was the real jewel and will cost a fortune to whoever sells it. As it seems someone was trying to steal it not that long ago in order to do just that." Sarutobi stopped to let out a sigh, "Well the team of Chunnin and one Jounin that was sent to protect it until it reached its destination was attack and I want you guys to go and take care of the attacker and if possible get the stolen jewel back", he told them in a grave voice.

The ANBUs nodded their heads.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful Hokage-sama but wouldn't a job like this be okay for a group of Jounin?" as the ANBU with a dog mask. The Hokage nodded his head.

"Your right a group of Jounin would be able to take care of a mission like this if it weren't for the people they were facing." Sarutobi said.

"And just who are we facing?" Asked the cat ANBU.

"Turn to the fifth to last page of your missing-nin book and read the three people on that page," he said.

The ANBU did what he said and gasped.

"These are S-classed missing-nins," they said.

The Hokage nodded his head.

"Now you see why I called you four," he said, "They were attack in the forest somewhere by the Tea village. You are to start this mission as quickly as you can. You are dismissed," he said.

The four ANBU nodded their heads and all of them Shunshined from his office.

He sighed and shook his head. He put the pipe back into his mouth and got back to work as he prayed that everyone on the mission was okay. It was a futile pray and he knew it. Only one person came back meaning either they were all dead, in the process of dying, or being held prisoner.

This wasn't sitting well for the old man.

Me: What do ya'll think? Review please!