Hikari was still sleeping when Shino woke up. He was glad because he had fallen asleep cuddling with her. He looked up and his dad was smirking.
"So, I see you have no problem with sleeping in the same bed again. Did you even go through her bag?" he asked. Shino shook his head.
"She's got a lot of old pictures in there," Shibi said.
"That's invasion of privacy," Hikari mumbled. She rolled over on her back to look at him.
"Sorry, I was just curious," Shibi said.
"Then could you tell me who that guy is?" she asked, getting up and pulling the picture out of her backpack. Shibi looked at it then at her.
"I'm not supposed to say anything unless he reveals himself," he said. Shino sat up.
"There was a guy yesterday… He cut through the dark orb to get you out. He wouldn't tell us who he was," Shino told him. Shibi looked at him and blinked.
"Well… I guess I could tell you then. The man in this picture is related to you. He's your cousin from your fathers' side. If you see him again, keep this with you," he said, handing her the picture. She nodded and pulled out another one where it was Shino and her asleep on her dads' chest.
"Never really let him come over huh?" she asked, showing it to him. Shino's face went slightly pink. Hikari giggled.
"Once your father decided to let you train with Sasuke as kids; I figured I'd pull back from having Shino over. He said he wanted you with one of three boys out of the clans," Shibi said. Hikari looked at him confused.
"Three?" she asked.
"Yes. He thought it would be a great benefit if you ended up with Sasuke of Neji, or even Shino. Though, if you didn't he wouldn't have cared."
"My father sounds more like an idiot the more I learn about him," Hikari sighed with a smile.
"He was. Always competing with Gai. Having Kakashi back him up even when he was wrong… I'll never forget the time he fought with Gai and Fugaku at the same time. Said he could take them on. Regretted those words when he lost."
Hikari rolled her eyes.
"I could take on Sasuke and Lee and beat them if they didn't tag team against me," she claimed.
"That's what he didn't think about. Breakfast is ready when you are. Lee is downstairs too. Wants to make sure you're alright," Shibi told her, walking out. Hikari went through the pictures once more, finding the one of her uncle without his mask. She smiled to herself and put them in a locked drawer. Shino stood and looked over at her.
"Are you sure you'll be fine with training today?" he asked.
"Yeah, don't worry. Oh, and uh… Sorry about going off on you like that yesterday," Hikari told him. He nodded and put his glasses on before walking out and closing the door so Hikari could change. Afterward, she walked out and slid down the railing of the stairs. She landed and stepped over to Lee.
"Hey Lee, how are you today?" she asked.
"I'm great! Are you okay today? Gai and I were worried, so I came over to see if you were going to come train today!" he said. She nodded, grabbing a muffin off the table.
"I'm out Shibi! Bye Shino!" Hikari shouted as she walked out the door with Lee.
"I wish she wouldn't just up and leave like that… She'll get hurt one day," Shibi said as Shino walked down.
"She knows what she's doing. Don't worry so much about her," Shino said.
"How? If that guy has shown himself; then something may be wrong. Has she decided wether of not if she's going to leave with Jiraiya to help her control it yet?" Shibi asked. Shino froze and looked at his father, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"What?" Shino asked.
"She didn't tell you? Strange, she must've not made up her mind yet," Shibi said. Shino only nodded and left as well, walking to Kiba's.
'Maybe she told Kimi? If Kimiko doesn't know; then she must want to wait to tell us before she leaves… She wouldn't just get up and leave us all like nothing right?' Shino thought. Once he reached Kiba's, he knocked on the door. Hana answered.
"Yes? Oh, hey Shino. Kiba just got up, come on in," Hana said, moving out of the way. Shino walked in and Kimiko was laying on the couch with her puppy Reiko. Hana retreated back to her room to get ready for work. Kiba was eating at the table.
"What brings you here so early bug nerd?" Kiba asked. Shino glared at him from behind his glasses and looked back over at Kimiko.
"Did Hikari tell you anything about possibly leaving with Jiraiya to help control her abilities?" he asked. Kimiko sat up and Kiba choked on his water.
"What did you just say?" Kimiko shouted. Kiba continued to choke until Akamaru jumped onto his back to help him out.
"I guess not," Shino muttered. Kimiko stood and rushed out the door to find her closest friend. Kiba grabbed his jacket and followed, Shino soon behind him. Akamaru and Reiko were following Hikari's scent trail. Fifteen minutes later; they found her training with Lee on the lake. She was trying to help him get to the point where he could run on water without his tracks being seen. They had a long way to go… Hikari was using some water jutsus to grab his feet and drag him down and slow him.
"Hikari Momo Maki!" Kimiko screamed, throwing a kunai at Hikari. Hikari let herself fall under the water and appeared behind Kimiko.
"Don't use my middle name! Holy Kami, you're pissed," Hikari said when her friend looked at her. Her eyes filled with anger as she tried to jumped her friend. Hikari jumped back and guarded herself.
"What is wrong with you?" Hikari shouted.
"How can you not tell us about the possibility you might go with that pervert to learn to control yourself? When were you going to tell us? Were you even going to tell us?" Kimiko yelled. Hikari put her hands up in defence.
"I was still thinking on it Kimi. I was going to tell you guys; but I didn't know if I wanted to yet… After the scare yesterday it may be the best idea. I don't want to freak out and almost lose it again," Hikari said calmly. Kiba was holding Kimiko back; who was still furious. Kimiko took a deep breath and nodded.
"Fine. Just don't get up and leave us without a warning. How did Shino know?" she asked. Hikari was puzzled.
"How did he know? I didn't tell him- Shibi?" Hikari asked, looking at Shino; who nodded. Hikari groaned.
"He'll tell others; but won't tell me about things that involve me?" Hikari complained. Lee walked over.
"Leave us? How? What if we need you on a mission?" Lee asked.
"You'll guy will be fine, I know it; but I haven't seen Jiraiya for a while. Not since he left with Naruto on a mission. So I don't know yet," she told him. He nodded.
"Well, we're going to go train. I could blow some steam off. We'll see you later," Kimiko said, still slightly angered at Hikari. Hikari waved as they left and TenTen showed up with Neji and Gai.
"I see you two have been working hard already!" Gai shouted.
"We were working on water Gai-sensei," Hikari sighed.
"Even better! Hikari, I want you to train with Neji for today; Lee, work with TenTen."
"Wh-what?" Hikari and Neji shouted. They both hated the other.
"Oh, you'll be fine! Both of you need to get used to the fact the other is on this team for life," Gai told them. He laughed a hearty laugh and put a hand on Neji's shoulder and ruffled Hikari's hair. Both grunted in disapproval as he walked away to watch Lee and TenTen.
"Why am I stuck with you?" Hikari groaned.
"You're better off training with Lee anyways. You won't get hurt with him," Neji complained. Hikari glared.
"Wanna pass that by me again?" she asked.
"Aren't you our age? Why is Kimiko on a team with people a year and a half younger than her?" he asked.
"Don't ask me! I didn't put her on it did I?" she shouted. He glared at her.
"Don't shout at me!" he yelled.
"Maybe I wouldn't have to if you weren't such a stick in the mud!" she screamed at him, her face getting closer to his.
"Stick in the mud? I could take you on with one hand tied behind my back!" he shouted, their foreheads touching and pushing against the other. Their glares met, hers had more fire in it than his. He saw this and backed off, smirking.
"You may be our age; but you act as immature as Naruto. If you're not careful, you'll end up hurting yourself," Neji said mockingly. Hikari scoffed.
"Yeah, we'll just see about that," she muttered, collecting chakra in her hand behind her back. He activated his Byakugan to see this. She smirked and had a clone kick him from behind as she put her arm in the arm from behind her back. Soon the chakra turned into bolts of lightning. Neji stood and looked at her shocked.
"Y-You shouldn't be able to do that! How can you be a Genin and have such power?" he yelled. She smirked and closed her eyes. When she opened them her eyes had turned a bright yellow. He gasped and Gai was in front of her.
"You can't attack him like that, Neji find some way to deflect it!" Gai shouted. A bolt went to Neji as he used rotation. It bounced back and struck Hikari's hand, cutting a small sliver and drawing blood. She stopped and her eyes went back to normal as she looked on her hand.
"Ow… I wonder what your element limit is," Hikari looked up with a smile. Gai sighed and rubbed his face.
"Kakashi was right, you will be more of a handful… Neji, don't make her mad," Gai warned him. Neji just scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Now who's being immature?" Hikari asked with a smirk. He glared at her again.
'What is her deal? First she's mad, then she's smiling… What goes on in her head?' Neji thought.
"Hey, you strike with chakra in your hands right?" Hikari asked. He nodded.
"Yes, why?"
"Well, what if I used some sort of Earth mixed with Fire technique to throw at you and you bounce it off as a counter attack?" she asked him. He thought for a minute then nodded. Hikari closed her eyes and he re-activated his Byakugan. She was able to lift dirty to turn into a rock and throw it at Neji as her eyes were a deep brown when she opened them. He hit it, letting it fly toward the water and she made a fire hand sign and it turned into a ball of flames before it hit the water. Neji raised his brow and smiled a bit.
"Interesting," he said. Hikari nodded and looked at him.
"You're eyes change color according to which element you're about to use… Is there some way you can change that?" he asked.
"Yeah; but we'll worry about that later. Are you going to be able to read which element it is with your Byakugan?" she asked him.
"Each element takes a different amount of chakra to use; I learn those through your moves, I should be able to learn which one is which," he told her. She nodded.
"I can use my Suishougan to see where you're at and where the enemy would be at; but I'd have to cover my eyes anyways, or I'd go blind."
"The Kakke Gen Kai of the Maki family… I have heard much about that, I just didn't know you were a user of it. I apologize," Neji said. Hikari just waved it off and laughed.
"It's fine! Really, let's just work on this okay?" she asked. He nodded. As they worked on it, Kiba was explaining some of his jutsus to Kimiko. The two had been getting close lately, even sharing the same bed as Shino and Hikari did at times; but they weren't afraid to admit it. It was no doubt that the two were going to eventually end up with each other soon.
"No, no, no… That's not it, this is it!" Kiba told Kimiko, getting in his man beast position. Kimiko nodded and copied him. Akamaru barked and Reiko barked back. Kiba laughed and fell over. Kimiko stood and looked at him confused.
"Maybe you should explain to me how to understand what they're saying," she told him, towering over him.
"Wow, Akamaru you're right…" Kiba muttered.
"Right about what?" she asked. He smirked and shook his head.
"Oh nothing," he said. Reiko barked and whined and Kimiko nodded.
"Those stupid perverted boys. Kimi, do you see what they're doing? They're always staring at us like weirdoes," Reiko barked into Kimiko's ear. Kimiko blinked and looked on her shoulder at her pup. Akamaru barked in defence and Kiba kept laughing harder.
"D-Did I just understand you?" Kimiko asked. Reiko barked with a nod.
"See? Before you know it, you'll be just like us!" Kiba shouted. Shino over heard the conversation a bit and tried to keep back a small smile. He realized Hinata walked up with a smile on her face.
"It looks like Kiba has found someone he really likes huh?" she asked. Shino nodded, watching the two fight with their weapons as the two pups just rolled around. Hinata sat on the log next to him.
"Do you think those two w-will end up to-together?" she asked.
"I wouldn't doubt it," he answered quietly. Hinata made a noise, mentioning that she wanted to say something; but stopped. Shino looked at her curiously.
"Uh, I… I was thinking… D-Do you think that you… Maybe, um… Might end up with Hikari?" she asked. Shino was a little taken back by her questions.
"Why?" he asked.
"W-Well, you know… Y-You are kind of p-protective of her like Kiba is to Kimiko."
Shino wasn't sure how to respond. He knew he had feelings for her; but so did Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Sasuke. How could he compare up to Sasuke? Even Lee was stronger than he was, and he was on the same team as her. Shino stayed silent.
"Sh-Shino?" Hinata asked. He shrugged.
"It's hard to say when there are others who like her," he said quietly. Hinata nodded.
"B-But if you don't tell her, s-someone else m-might," she told him.
'How come she can tell me this; but not take her own advice with her feelings toward Naruto? Poor girl… Though, she's right… If I don't someone else might come a long,' Shino thought. Shino wasn't paying attention and Kimiko threw Kiba his way, knocking the bug boy off the log as the dog boy toppled on top of him sideways.
"Oof! Thanks for breaking my fall Shino!" Kiba said with a laugh. Shino grunted and pushed Kiba off of him. Kiba sat up with a wide smile as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" Kiba asked, looking at Shino and Hinata.
"I-I was talking to him a-about Hikari," Hinata answered. Kimiko jogged over and leaned down.
"What about Hikari?" she asked.
"Nothing," Shino said quickly.
"Well, what a quick response. I've never heard you speak so fast before like that. Something going on in your head?" Kiba asked.
"No. Mind your own business," Shino snapped.
"Someone's a little emotional today," Kiba scoffed. Kimiko giggled and helped Shino up.
"Come with me, if it's about Hikari your best bet is to talk to me about it," she said. He nodded, following her away from the training grounds and out of ear shot from the other two. She sat on a bench and he sat next to her at arm's length. Kimiko looked at him with a slight smile on her face.
"What's on your mind bugs?" she asked.
"Don't call me that," he told her.
"Fine, fine. What's going on? Even I can tell you're a little off your game. Is it about what we talked to Hikari about earlier?"
"Not only that… Hinata and I and most the rest of the village can see that you and Kiba have something. It's obvious really," Shino told her. Kimiko's face turned a light pink and she nodded.
"Yeah… I don't doubt it," she said with a small giggle.
"Hinata asked me the same about her."
"And you're worried she might not?"
"Slightly. There is still Kankuro, Lee, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Sasuke."
"Not Chouji; he enjoys her company and that she can eat as much as he can and still not gain weight, but he doesn't like her more than a friend because he likes Ino and Shikamaru likes Hikari. He told her that; but they agreed it wouldn't work cause she thinks he's too lazy to keep up with her and he think she's to troublesome too get involved with like that."
Shino nodded, "Lee is on her team, and how do I compare to Sasuke?"
"She actually can't stand him right now. She's his friend and all; but she'd never, I mean never, end up with him. She'd kill him before that happens. Lee likes her yeah; but even he realizes how she feels toward someone else. He wouldn't try to get in between something like that. As for Kankuro, forget about him. She wants to kill him too," Kimiko told him. Shino felt a bit better, even though he felt strange about what the whole situation had involved with. He nodded and she smiled.
"Though Hinata is right. You need to tell her before someone else comes along. I know Hikari, and she won't wait forever," Kimiko told him. He nodded.
"Well, we should get back to the other two right?" Kimiko asked.
"Yeah… I'll talk to her later," he said. Kimiko smiled.
"Good!" Kimiko got up and skipped back to Kiba and Hinata, Shino walking behind her. Neither of them realized the same masked man from yesterday had been listening to them from the tree above them.
'Though, he tells her too soon; she'll leave him no doubt to go with Jiraiya to think about it,' he thought before finding his way to watch her train with Neji. They had gotten better at the technique they started with and she was covering her eyes so she could use her Suishougan. Neji had gotten to the point he could tell what element she was going to use next. Both were getting exhausted. Once more smack from Neji on a large rock, that didn't change as it landed in the water. Hikari waited a second before she blew the rock up, causing water to shoot in the air and fall down like rain. Both ninja collapsed on the ground, staring up at the sky as the water hit their faces. Hikari put her headband back on her forehead and took a deep breath.
"You two certainly wore yourselves out! Great teamwork guys!" Gai shouted, giving them both a smile and thumbs up. Both were too exhausted to say or do anything back.
"Well, you guys have to rest of the day off. It's about five, and we have a mission tomorrow that Lee won't be participating in since the doctors says he still needs to rest before he goes back," Gai said.
"Kay, thanks," Hikari huffed. She sat up and looked over at Neji. He sat up too, still breathing heavily. Every muscle in Hikari's body hurt at the moment and she was too tired to stand. Neji stood up slowly and walked over to Hikari.
"You're tougher than I thought. I was close to passing out ten minutes ago," he said, offering her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up. Her legs were shaky and she laughed.
"Any longer and I wouldn't be able to move. Don't push yourself like that though. We should get home and rest," she told him. He nodded.
"Do you need any help?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Nah, I'm all good. You go on, Shino and the others are headed this way," she said, pointing at team eight who was walking over. He nodded and left her standing there. Kimiko ran up to her and caught her before she fell.
"You over did it didn't you?" she asked. Hikari laughed and nodded.
"Just a bit. Though, I have a mission tomorrow and Lee won't be going; so I guess it's a good thing I trained with Neji today," Hikari told her. Kimiko sighed and shook her head, dropping her friend. Hikari sat up and rubbed her head.
"Hey! That hurt!" she shouted.
"That's for earlier! Now get up, you should go home and rest. I'm going with Hinata and Kiba to help out at the school. Shino will take you home."
"Alright," Hikari grunted as she struggled to get up. Shino helped her as the others started to walk toward the academy.
"See you guys later!" Hikari called after them. They all waved and she slowly started to walk home, leaning on Shino for support.
"You really over did it didn't you?" he asked when they got home and he set her on the couch. She groaned as she laid on her side. He sighed.
"My whole body aches… I kind of just want to lay on the floor and spread out," Hikari complained. Shino chuckled lightly as he walked to the kitchen to get her some water. Hikari rolled off the couch and hit the wooden floor with a thud. Shino sighed.
"You're just going to make it worse," he called from the kitchen.
"I don't care, it's cold on the floor and it feels nice. I don't wanna go tomorrow… I think I'll just sleep right here," Hikari said, finishing her sentence with a yawn as she curled into a ball before falling asleep. Shino walked out and put the glass on the table. He leaned down and picked her up. She grabbed onto his jacket subconsciously as she muttered something in her sleep. They had only been there for nearly eight months already, and yet he had a certain affect on him. He put her in her bed and closed the door when he left. He was wondering how and when he'd tell her.