It didn't take the group long before they started training. Kiba, Tenten, and Ino the most eager of the three to get things started.
So without much delay the group got started although they were altogether all over the place.
Kiba wanted to start up fight and only Choji was willing to the sport, and as the two went at it Hinata kept trying to grab Kiba's attention.
Once more Choji lifted Kiba up and tossed him down to the ground.
Kiba picked his face up from the dirt and groaned.
"I'd say that's Choji three you zero." Chuckled Shikamaru as he knelt down next to Kiba." You ready to take a break?" Kiba scoffed and looked up at him with a smile.
"I'm just getting warmed up." He said. Then he lifted himself up and Akamaru came to his side.
Hinata watched close by on the sidelines, all the time waiting to get her word in and try to begin her task.
"You know." Said Neji as he came up next to her." If you're waiting to pick you moment, now would be good." Hinata looked at Neji and then back at Kiba who cracked his neck ready to fight once more." Thought in my experience of knowing Kiba." Spoke up Neji drawing Hinata's attention back to him." He doesn't respond to change all that well." Hinata looked away with a nervous look on her face." Why do you want to do this so bad?"
"I-I." stammered Hinata for a moment." Kurenai sensei told me to." Neji raised his brow in confusion." Talked to me like this was a mission."
"What else did she say?" asked Neji. But then his cloak was grabbed and he jolted the other way until he came eye to eye with Tenten.
"You want to train?" she asked a strict tone in her voice." Let's train." Then she back up ready to begin a fight.
"I'd rather not hurt you." Spoke up Neji with his hand up. But Tenten would not be swayed as she felt she had been wronged by Neji's earlier actions, and hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. Neji sighed and prepared for the battle to come.
"And as for you." Said Tenten turning to Hinata ignoring Neji's comment." Go and do your thing."
Meanwhile Shikamaru and Ino watched Kiba and Choji.
"A fine spectacle." Said Ino as she moved next to him. Shikamaru looked at her and then cleared his throat as he turned back to Kiba and Choji. He remembered Neji mention before how Ino 'fancies' him.
"Yea." He replied after clearing his throat. Ino made a move to get closer to him and she brushed her hand against his, and his reply was a slight jolt up and a strange look down at her. And she looked up at him and bashed her eyelashes.
Hinata all the while still looked on at Kiba. She watched as Neji's words weighted on her mind, true if she was going to do anything now would be a good start. So she took a deep breath, built up whatever courage she could muster from deep inside her and approached.
Kiba stood with Akamaru at his side and prepared to throw himself at Choji once grew his nails and fangs and prepared for more battle, his larger friend with a kindly smile took his battle stance.
At this time Hinata choose to walked behind Kiba and standing between Shikamaru and Ino(much to Shikamaru's delight) as she tried to get his attention.
"Um Kiba." She said softly. Shikamaru looked back and forth from Kiba who took no notice of the little woman trying to get his attention.
Just then Ino put her fingers in her mouth and let out a screeching whistle that caused all around them to shutter, Kiba and Choji covered their ears and then looked over to her.
"Ahem." Said Ino pointing over to Hinata. Now everyone looked over at her.
"Um Kiba." She said softly." I-I have something I'd like to tell you." Her words fell on deaf ears as Kiba didn't understand her at first but he quickly got the idea of her message.
"This is not a good time Hinata." He said." Not a good time at all."
"Ahem." Said Choji. Kiba turned back to Choji who pointed over at Neji. If he learned that his cousin was being mistreated there'd be hell to pay.
"Okay okay." Said Kiba with a wave of his hands. Then he dusted off his cloths and straightened out his jacket and approached Hinata.
"What do you want Hinata?" he asked.
"I-I." stammered Hinata as she frantically looked around." I have some training exercises for you." She said.
"Is that so?" asked Kiba with a raised brow.
"Y-Yes." Said Hinata." If you f-follow me I'll s-show you." Then Hinata turned and walked off before she felt even more awkward and retreated into the cover of the trees.
Kiba looked at his friends who shrugged their shoulders, Kiba let out a sigh and followed after her.
In the aftermath of their leaving Shikamaru walked over to Choji and the two sat down amongst the shade of the trees, and then they both let out a sigh of relief.
"Now." Said Choji as he lay there." We relax."
"Now." Said Shikamaru as he put his hands behind his head." Life is good."
"It sure is." Said Ino who lay just nestled against Shikamaru. Shikamaru's first reaction was to slide away which he did. It's not that he didn't like Ino, he liked her as a friend but he wasn't comfortable with her form of contact.
So Shikamaru pushed away and knocked into Choji. However Choji began to push him back.
"What are you doing?" whispered Shikamaru.
"I'm helping you." Replied Choji who pushed him back into Ino." Just give it a chance."
Then before he knew it Shikamaru was lying next to Ino. Ino looked up and smiled at him and he gave a polite smile in return. Despite being out of his comfort zone Shikamaru let her nestle herself against him.
Kiba followed after the small frame of Hinata as she walked before him.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked as he ducked under a tree branch, Akamaru close behind him." Where are we going?"
Hinata took a deep breath having Kiba almost bump into her but then he stopped himself just in time. Then she slowly turned around and faced him.
"K-Kiba." She stammered." I-I-"
"Whatever you have to say SAY IT." Said Kiba with his hands on his hips and an annoyed tone in his voice.
Hinata jumped slightly when he said 'SAY IT' but regained herself and prepared to speak again.
"I-I." she continued." I th-think I have a good training exercise for you."
"And what's that?" asked Kiba.
"Neji taught me." Said Hinata." Breathing exercises that help one concentrate more."
"Not interested." Said Kiba as he turned to walk away.
"Oh please." Said Hinata as she reached out and grabbed his arm. Kiba flexed his body as his muscled tightened up fro he was getting annoyed with this.
So with a grim look on his face he turned around and faced her. He looked down with an angry look while she looked back at him with her wide-eyes and soft facial features.
And then Kiba's anger melted away. Normally his stare would frighten many people off say for Shikamaru, Choji, and Neji. His anger was always the side that came out and very few people ever wanted to get close to him for it. Hinata the first person besides those three to not run off, and most notably the first girl.
Just then Akamaru came up from behind Kiba and gave him a nudge. Kiba looked down at his hound who looked back at him with pleading eyes.
"Okay." Said Kiba to the dog as he petted his head. Then he looked back to Hinata." Okay." He said again this time to her." I'll listen to what you have to teach me."
"R-Really?" asked Hinata." Great!" A slight smile formed on her face and Kiba couldn't help but smile when he saw her's for it wasn't one he saw often.
Meanwhile Tenten flung herself at Neji during their sparring match.
She ran forward and swung her leg up at his face to which he ducked down and dodged. Then when he did Tenten struck out again with another kick that Neji dodged again.
Then Neji took a step back as Tenten reached into her pocket and pulled out a scroll. She flung it forward and a whole variety of weapons flew at him.
Neji took a step forward and performed his rotation, deflecting the weapons left and right. Then when he began to slow down Tenten jumped up and came down at him.
She came down swinging her fist only this time Neji caught her arm as she landed down before him.
Then as he stood there and with his usual stoic face looked down at her she swung again only to have Neji catch her hand.
"Something's troubling you." Said Neji." Tell me?"
"Now you care about being open-minded?" asked Tenten." Sparring is the only time we ever get any real contact or truthfulness from each other." Neji said nothing and continued to stare at her with his paleness eyes." It's those eyes." Continued Tenten." Those eyes and your face, their so cold and serious. I hate and love those eyes yet you can never tell me how you feel, how do I know you care."
Her words apparently had fallen on deaf ears as Neji released her and then turned away.
"Most mistake my demeanor." He said." I never thought you'd be one of them."
Three days passed by very quickly.
During that time Ino and Shikamaru ended up spending a lot more time together, and Ino nearly forgetting the reason she had entered the tournament was much happier, as was Shikamaru.
Kiba would spend most of his time with Hinata as she would teach him deep breathing exercises. And during that time she saw a change in Kiba he saw still his usual self but he had a calmer way about him and he wouldn't resort to anger right away. And he couldn't help but fell a side of himself growing on her as well. Little did the two know that one day Sakura had spotted the two off together and couldn't help but snicker at the sight.
Tenten would try to get more out of Neji but it didn't work as Neji kept his usual appearance but that was about to change very soon.
For on the third day it signaled the start of the tournament. People from all around gathered to the stadium to watch the event. And the group was on their way to the stadium.
"Let's go, let's go." Said Kiba at the front of the group clapping his hands." I want to get a look at the roster."
"He's excited." Chuckled Choji.
"He's like a kid on Christmas." Added Shikamaru.
"Kiba slow down." Called Hinata." Remember the breathing he practiced." Kiba slowed down and waited for the group." Good, good." Said Hinata as she caught up to him.
"The might Kiba." Chuckled Shikamaru." Silence by Hinata." Kiba rolled his eyes over at his friend and glared but when Hinata scolded him he stopped.
Neji took note of Kiba's actions but said nothing as he walked silently next to Tenten.
The group continued on into the stadium where they were stopped by Sakura.
"Hey." She said approaching them, giving shy looks Hinata and Kiba's way.
"Sakura." Said Ino." What are you doing here?"
"I'm part of the medical team. So when you barbarians bash each other's brains out I'll be picking you up." Replied Sakura."I assume you guys will want to see the roster." Said Sakura before anyone could say anything else.
"Where?" asked Tenten.
"The competitors can go to the left, you'll find everything you need there." Said Sakura pointing to a hall down her left." All non-competitors go to my right."
Now it was time for the group to spilt up.
"Be c-careful Kiba." Said Hinata." Remembered what we practiced."
"Yea yea." He said to her with a smile before turning and leaving. At that time he noticed Shikamaru talking with Ino, then he turned over and looked at Choji and the two winked at each other.
Then the two walked up and pushed Shikamaru into Ino. Shikamaru now holding Ino in his arms looked down at her.
"Shall we?" he asked her. Ino smiled and wrapped her arm around his, then the two walked off.
"Let's go." Said Neji urging the group on. Then the fighter took off. In the aftermath of their leaving Sakura approached Hinata.
"I saw you and Kiba the other day." She told.
"Y-You what?" asked Hinata.
"I saw you meditating in the woods." Told Sakura." It looked like something out of a movie."
Meanwhile the group made their way down the hall.
The hall was lighted and as they came to the end they noticed they came to a small waiting room where a handful of other ninja waited. Some Sand and others Leaf ninja and amongst the crowd they saw some familiar faces.
Shikamaru walked on peacefully with Ino but then he was set upon. Suddenly Temari flung herself from the crowd and wrapped her arms around him. He had little time to react as he pushed Ino aside and became suffocated.
"Easy Temari." Said Kankuro as he came up behind her and pulled her off. Ino picked herself up and eyed Temari. After seeing how she flung herself at Shikamaru she recalled her reason for entering this tournament.
"Sorry about that." Said Gaara to Shikamaru. Shikamaru rubbing his neck said nothing but waved as his reply."You are Naruto Uzumaki's friends are you not?" he asked seeing Shikamaru, Kiba, Neji, and Choji.
"We are." Replied Neji.
"Where is he?" asked Gaara." Is he here with you?"
"No." replied Neji with a shake of his head." He left several years ago to train abroad with the sanin Jirayia."
"Shame." Replied Gaara." I would have liked to have had a re-match." As Gaara spoke Kankuro took note of Tenten having never seen her before he moved towards her but Neji's eyes were quickly on him.
"Hello there." Said Kankuro." I've never seen you before, surprising because you are quite beautiful. My name's Kankuro." Tenten blushed at his comment and went to shake his hand and introduce herself but then Neji stepped in front of her.
"Hey there." Said Neji." I'm Neji Hyuuga pleased to meet you." Then he took Kankuro's hand in his and gave it a firm squeeze.
Kankuro groaned slightly and pulled his hand away." Charmed really." He said as he shook his hand trying to get rid of the pain.
"Attention everyone." Called a voice getting everyone's attention. All looked over to see Shizune standing on a platform.
"Welcome to the Sand Village vs. Leaf village tournament. We're all very pleased you've decided to sign and represent your village in this competition. Without further ado here is the roster." She stepped aside and a projection came up on the wall.
In the first round was Neji vs. Kankruo.
In the third round was Kiba vs. Shikamaru.
In the fourth Ino vs. Tenten.
In the seventh Choji vs. Gaara.
And Temari got an easy pass to the semifinals.