Hinata woke up with a weight on her chest and someone pinching her cheeks, so she reached for the one disturbing her sleep and pinched her cheeks as well. "Ow sis, I just wanted to wake you!" Hanabi was pouting at her, but she just lifted the girl off and got up. "We have to prepare for the Academy, so get going." The younger girl nodded and went to her own bedroom. "One more day of outdated pick-up lines..." She had seriously considered graduating early to get away from the Uchiha, but then she would be separated from the two friends she managed to make besides Naruto. 'I wonder when the reply letter is going to arrive.' Kiba already knew that trying to hit on girls like a sleaze was a bad idea, courtesy of his female relatives, and Shino had already told her that she wasn't his type, she accepted it but it somehow stung her pride.
Both sisters rushed to the building, although Hanabi's run was Hinata's light jogging. "I'm going to train until I can beat you, big sis!" The eldest glanced to her companion. "I'll be waiting." With this Hinata hit her full speed, leaving Hanabi eating dust. "Hey! that's not fair!"
"You meanie!" Hanabi was mock hitting her sister, enjoying the pats on her head. "You have to train to get to my level, but I won't be idling until then." They parted ways, each one going to their classroom, one eager and the other with dread.
Hinata sighed with relief at the lack of blue and white and went straight to the back of the class, soon to be joined by the two animal-aligned boys. "Hey, saw you racing here with your baby sister." The tattooed boy draped his arm over her shoulder as the silent one merely nodded, indicating that he also saw her. "Yeah, she's in her first year." A white puppy popped out from Kiba's jacket, licking Hinata's face. "Hello, Akamaru." She scratched his ears, earning delighted whimpers. "Oh, Uchiha at ten o'clock." The 'most desired emo' entered through the door as a gaggle of fangirls tried to catch his attention, alerting the Hyūga. Hinata quickly activated one of the concealment techniques taught by her mother, turning transparent.
Kiba and Shino watched the Uchiha, waiting until it was safe for Hinata to drop her disguise. "Hn, where is your master, lapdogs?" The two seated boys held the urge to put the snob in his place. "We have no masters and we aren't lapdogs, go sit before you get bit." Shino was letting out a loud buzzing, Kiba was showing his fangs and Akamaru was growling. "Heh, soon you will be licking my feet as well because I'll take Hinata as my wife." The class got spooked by the sound of tapping on the window, caused by an unkindness, which made Sasuke relive traumatic memories, thanks to his dear older brother. Then there was rattling of glass panes, scratching on wood and loud cawing, that suddenly subsided when the broody emo fainted as the black birds all flew away.
"Dude, that was creepy." The puppy was whimpering along with his partner, shuddering at the glares given by the birds. "Thankfully their grudge was aimed solely to our classmate." Shino was making an effort to calm his host hive. "Sorry, I think that those ravens were sent by my mother." Both males stared at the female, who had dropped the technique. "She spoke of giving me a summoning contract when I graduate." They sweated, knowing of the infamous foreigner who took no crap from anyone. "I pray to never make you or Lady Hitomi angry." Akamaru barked in agreement, those talons and beaks seemed fit to shred defenseless doggies. "If we get on the same team, an avian contract will be useful for espionage missions."
Iruka entered the room with Mizuki, scanning the students to see if there was a truant. "Very well, let's start the-" There was one thing he missed, the Uchiha was somehow sitting with his most rabid fangirls, Ino and Sakura, something he never did voluntarily. 'His eyes are closed, maybe it's one of his brooding stages.' Thinking better, it wasn't his business. "I'll start the roll-call, pay attention."
It was an uneventful period, but when it was time for sparring, things went to hell in a handbasket. Today was mock team training and most students paired with friends, but Sasuke was being swarmed by the thirsty girls, the noise was ticking the scarred man off. "STOP THAT OR I'LL MAKE THE TEAMS MYSELF!" The gaggle fell into line, accepting his order. Iruka huffed while Mizuki just sniggered.
Hinata was in a team with Kiba and Shino, they were dominating the tests, mainly the tracking and recon exams. They had started to train together four years ago, right after they settled their friendship. Soon it was time for battle match-ups and they were pitted against Sasuke, Sakura and Sai, a transfer student that gave Kiba the crawlies. "Hey guys, if I lose against even one of them, I'll clean the kennels for a month!" This surprised his teammates, he hated cleaning duty with a passion.
They were the last to fight, but some of the matches were disappointing as most civilians didn't practice teamwork in their spare time. "I'm so glad that our parents made us train together." Shibi, Tsume and Hitomi had put their children through the grinder during secret sessions, knowing what they would have to face in the future. "Indeed, this partnership shall increase our survival odds if we get in the same team. As one cannot foresee eventualities." Not to mention that the Hyūga was particularly sadistic in preparing challenges for the trio.
Iruka explained the rules for the two groups, banning injuries, lethal techniques and sharp weapons. "Ready? Go!" A smoke bomb was thrown and it engulfed the ring in moments. "I'll get the paper sheet, Hinata gets the banshee and Shino, beat the turd outta the prick!" Kiba tackled Sai, having the advantage thanks to his nose, aided by Akamaru. Hinata only had to activate her Byakugan and use an throw over the shoulder, as her opponent did the favor of standing close to the boundary. Shino merely sent his kikai to drain the 'prodigy', engaging in a fight to make Sasuke stay defensive.
Akamaru tore up the scrolls on the pale boy, already knowing his style, as Kiba beat him up, being more agile and stronger. Hinata helped both boys by throwing another smoke bomb, keeping the field advantage, and tripping up the remaining foes when the chance appeared. Shino let himself smirk at the frustration showcased by the Uchiha, taking pleasure in making him feel vulnerable.
Iruka had trouble to keep track of the match, as his only clues were the pummeling sounds until the smoke screen faded out, moments earlier he saw Sakura being thrown off the cloud, hitting a fellow student. 'They are using their natural advantages, good strategy thinking.' Then the pounding on flesh stopped. "Teacher, you may use a wind technique." Mizuki blew off the smoke, revealing a beat up Sai and a very still Sasuke. "But he is still-" Shino pushed the Uchiha with his flipped bird, making him fall back. "Is this enough?" The Chūnin almost recoiled at the dark tone of the Aburame, added to the eerie glint on his sunglasses. "Yes, you are dismissed." Wow, if they got on the same team, they could be a dual type, recon-striker.
Hiruzen was watching the female sitting in front of him, trying to find any cracks in her facade, but those pupilless eyes were unsettling, to say the least. "So, old monkey, what do you need?" She had a smirk that chilled him. "Hitomi, this meeting is long overdue. I don't know why Minato never tried to question you, but I'm not him." She crossed her legs, her posture betrayed nothing. "What would a married woman have to interest the 'great leader'?" He frowned, she sounded confident.
"You may start with your bond to the Forbidden Continent." Hitomi narrowed her eyes at that. "Then take out every ANBU here, even the ones with blank masks." Hiruzen got alarmed at the end, it meant that Danzō was spying on him! "Get the traitors!" Three men with white masks appeared with their throats cut and the last one had arms and legs lopped off. "Take that trash to Ibiki, and vacate the premises." Before the last ANBU could touch the surviving ROOT agent, he convulsed and fell limp. "Sir, he had a terminating seal on his tongue." The Hokage grimaced, this was the closest he got to getting a witness. "Then get the bodies to Inoichi, he might glean something from them."
Now that they were alone, Hitomi smirked again and snapped her fingers, making smoke appear on her hand. "I'm only going to show you one asset of mine, as I'll give it to my daughter soon. I'll reveal other details in time." A hummingbird with a blue head, white chest and green wings was skipping on her palm, having the hindquarters of a pygmy gerbil. "This buddy here is one of my summonses, he's great for recon missions." Indeed, who would suspect or pay attention to such a small animal, when most summoned creatures could grow to be larger than mountains? "But how do you get the information?" The exotic griffin went to perch on Hiruzen's pipe, beady eyes staring at the elder, almost touching his nose with the long beak. "Don't go short-selling me, chump." He almost threw the pipe away, surprised by such a gruff voice coming from a dainty creature.
"Surprised? You saw nothing, I also have battle summons." A terror bird with the rear of a tiger popped up, this time taking the white and red hat of the Hokage and ripping it to pieces. "How's that? You two can go back." The scary and the tiny avians disappeared, leaving behind a torn up hat and a cringy Hiruzen. "... I see... you can go." He felt that it was better to not antagonize the female, who knew what else she could pull next. 'She might have an army in her sleeve.' Then he thought about her alliance with two clan heads. 'Better put their children together, some patrols reported them training together.'
Birds that appeared in this chapter in order: common raven, white-necked Jacobin hummingbird, and Titanis.