Perfect Angel

(Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its content)

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Chapter 3: Hopefulness

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Two days later-

Hinata's POV:

Okay, don't be nervous, Hinata! You sorted out all you had to the other day with Otou-san and Hanabi-chan! Today's the graduation test for all students. I sincerely hope I don't fail. This would have to be the single most frightening day of my life! My knees are shaking and my shoulders are trembling. I'm not excited about it, I'm anxious…about the results. But it's more than worrying about failing; Naruto took it and passed it on his third try too.

It turned out that the graduations had to be postponed until today, and Naruto was caught with the Scroll of Forbidden Jutsu. Mizuki-sensei intercepted him, but was arrested for having had a hand in the crime and Iruka-sensei took Naruto into his custody. Somehow, after that incident, Iruka-sensei decided to give him an early graduation gift, so he is now a genin. Many students heard about him and were shocked that he passed before the graduation exams started. Yay! I'm so happy for him!

"Hyuuga Hinata!" Iruka-sensei called out my name, and brought me out of my thoughts and fantasy. Oh my goodness! My heart is beating so fast now! I was certain that if the noise in the room died down a couple notches, everyone would hear it like a drum, and everyone might tease me again!

"Coming!" I replied and followed Iruka-sensei into the testing room.

The doors closed behind me and Iruka-sensei sat on the sole desk and looked at his clipboard. He was studying it carefully, and looked me over twice before going back to it.

"Hmm…your scores in the written part of the exam are near perfect," He commented, which caused me to blush slightly. I was good with exams and testing, but the physical parts are always the hardest. "but, I want to see how you fare with the jutsu part of the training. Show me the…let me think…first through fourteen elementary forms of taijutsu in order."

I did as he told me and followed through with the techniques in taijutsu. As a Hyuuga, we specialize in many taijutsu skills, and having been taught the earliest forms of Jyuuken style, I'm fairly sure my skills in normal taijutsu are near proficient. As I finished, I bowed and rest my hands and my side. He looked back to his clipboard and wrote some notes down and turned his attention back to me.

"Alright, next is the ninjutsu." He said. "Are you prepared?"

I nodded.

"Please perform…the body replacement jutsu." And I did just that and switched places with a chair from the back of the room.

"Perfect! You pass!" he exclaimed and pulled out a newly made forehead protector with the symbol of the leaf. "Ahem! It is with great pleasure that I promote you to the rank of genin! Congratulations, Hinata!"

I took the headband from his hand and wrapped it around my forehead. The cloth was way too big for my head and it got in my eyes once or twice, so I wrapped it around my neck like a neckerchief or a scarf. I don't know but that look suited me more than the headband look! I can't wait to tell father and Hanabi-chan! I exited the room and left for home since they said once we pass we can go home for the day.

When I got home, I opened the door to the kitchen to find Hanabi-chan and Otou-san at the table drinking tea. Otou-san read the newspaper while he drank tea. I guess they're just taking a break from their own training. They glanced toward me to acknowledge me, and turned back toward their tea to take another sip. They worked so mechanically that Otou-san and Hanabi both do things at the exact same time, it was scary actually.

"Uh…Father?" I started.

"What is it?" he asked, coldly.

"I…uh…I graduated. I-I'm a genin now." I said, and smiled a little before I could stop myself.

"I know." he said without turning his attention away from the newspaper.

"What?"

"I said, I know."

"…I don't understand."

"Look, the fact that you're a genin now doesn't change anything. You are still my daughter. I also know that it's a given fact that you would pass eventually." That was the closest thing to a compliment or a congratulatory remark my father could offer, but it would do. "Good job."

"T-Thank you, Father." I bowed gratefully.

"However," he continued. "Now that you are a genin, you must not bring your teammates down. In a world where you are placed on a squad of four people, three genin plus one jonin, means that you must cooperate to boost your other teammates." He lectured. "You still have much to learn before you even think of being a shinobi. The life of a shinobi is fraught with peril, you understand?" He said, and sipped his tea; head still turned away from me.

"I understand, father."

"Good. Now, come join us for tea." He said and Hanabi-chan poured me a cup of tea as I sat down next to her. I drank quietly while watching father reading his newspaper and drinking tea at the same time. Home is always quiet, but I wonder where Neji-nii-san is.

The next day-

Today we are required to attend class one last time for a final lecture on our futures. I loved listening to the adults give speech about our futures, especially Hokage-sama. His words filled me with a sense of hope that I'll be successful one day. After that, Iruka-sensei went to the front of the classroom with a clipboard on hand for the final placement for our squads.

"Okay, you guys. I'll make this quick so you can hear who you're going to spend the rest of your genin days with." He started before a few snickers escaped from some of the guys in the class. "I don't mean it that way! Anyway, here you are today. It seems that only yesterday you were all rookies in the academy starting down the road of a ninja. The day you set foot in here is where you set yourself up for life. Your parents and the ones before you knew what life was going to be like for you. I promise you the road ahead will not be easy.

"You will understand this when you are older. Things will constantly change in ways we don't want. We will be placed in situations that cause us anguish and a lot of pain. You will have to make decisions you are not proud of. We may request you one day to assassinate someone because they are a threat to the very balance of our village or any of the five great nations or we might request you to steal some important document, but bear in mind that while it is morally wrong, we all must do it for the good of the citizens and your futures. One false step you make could cause everything to come crashing down on top of you. It may sound harsh, but that's the harsh reality of it.

"Please remember what we taught you here at the academy so that you may carry on the will and the spirit of Konoha! I guarantee you will be greatly awarded and your dreams may come true if you follow the path that's right for you. Keep up with your training, like always. Be nice and be the best role models you can be to everyone around you. Remember that you are the next generation of shinobi, and will one day rule us all. You are leaders in your own right, and no one will make any judgments against you, if we have any say in it. One more thing before we all go…do your best and never give up!"

After that, a round of applause came and Iruka-sensei bowed to the class. His speech totally made sense. I knew what my life would come to be when I was thrown into the academy. I knew I would have to do things I'm never proud of, but for the sake of those I love, I will do it! Iruka-sensei is right. Oh, he's naming the teams now.

"…Team Seven consists of…Uzumaki Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba, and…" This was it! I was at the edge of my seat waiting for the last person to be called. "…Hyuuga Hinata!"

"Yay!" Naruto-kun stood and shouted. "We're a team, Hinata!" he turned a thumbs up in my direction and grinned in victory.

That movement alone made me blush and I felt that was the happiest moment of my life. I smiled blissfully and immersed myself in my own fantasies, which I'm not going to mention right now for…obvious reasons. I'm glad I'm on your team too, Naruto-kun!

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A/N: Happy Thanksgiving, guys! Think of this as a gift to you all that supported me and my stories. Sorry if they're not what you wanted to read, but it's the best I could do for now. There's only so much a high school student like me can do, you know. Anyway, please rate and review, and sorry if this chapter was a little shorter than the other ones, but I have some packing to do. I'm leaving for San Francisco to visit relatives tomorrow around 3am so I have a busy schedule. Sorry if yours is too. Sayonara! Ja ne!