"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed [Name], realizing what she had done when Rock Lee flew back from her punch. She withdrew her fist after watching him fly a few meters back before hitting the ground. When she chose to spar with Lee, she didn't expect the ridiculous speed he harbored. The technique she so relied on slowly matched up to his speed, countering his light attacks. Her onlookers met with her at Lee who had yet to pick himself up. [Name] bent over, seeing the bruise she had set on his cheek, he twitched, but shot straight up with a grin.
He gave a thumbs-up, "Good job!"
"Uh..."
Seeing that he is okay, Sakura and Hinata beamed at her, Kiba gave a rough pat on the back while Shino nods in approval. She helps Lee up who stood proudly, his hands behind his back, a goofy smile plastered on his face. "[Name], to commemorate your fifth month of training in Konoha, it gives me pride to present you with...THIS!" he whips out the exact same copy of his jumpsuit in the same shade of green. She wondered where he even tucked it away before it's reveal.
Sakura isn't afraid to make a face, Hinata slightly looks away from disapproval, Kiba snickers while Shino is the only one patiently waiting for her answer. [Name]'s options danced in her head, well, there are only two: rejection or acceptance. Her hands shook, knowing the teases to come as she held the jumpsuit, promising nothing of wearing it. Lee, however, continued to sell the suit even if she already took it.
"Starting from today, I hope you will continue independently training!" bowed Lee. "As you well know, I am not a user of ninjutsu or genjutsu...but to pass on knowledge to someone who is already as skilled..."
"I enjoyed our time together," [Name] interrupts, Lee lifts his head affected by her smile. "Let's continue, as friends of course."
"Yes!" Lee roared, cheering for her and himself.
"It's late, let's go get dinner!" suggests Sakura, hooking herself around [Name]'s arm, "[Name]'s treat of course!"
"Well, I do have the money versus all of you..." other than training she had been fulfilling C-rank and a litter of B-rank missions, mixing herself among the people Tsunade chose for her. All becoming familiar faces that she would either gripe or laugh with, either way there was no one she particularly hated being with. She only felt uncomfortable among the serious types such as Neji, but it was only in his presence. She had yet to partner with him, yet to be assigned a A-rank mission, yet to be promoted. She grew anxious, knowing the additional outcome of her promotion. Without her notice, Tsunade has been considering it, asking for her team's analysis after a mission.
"Her genjutsu...makes me think twice about messing around with her as I did before," said Kiba. "Also, she has pretty useful techniques up her sleeve...literally."
Hinata always said good things, "She will take command if no one else proposes to, but is always open to anyone's strategies. She...always put her comrades ahead, and...I think that's a quality that shouldn't be overlooked."
"...if the enemy prepares to flee, she immediately marks with them spores that stick with them or honeysuckle. Convenient for someone with Kiba's nose or my bugs," mentions Shino.
"As someone who has always worked with flowers, her ninjutsu is enticing to me," says Ino.
"Other than her jutsu, she also has back-up in her sleeves," Sakura lists. "Paper bombs covered in powder that causes paralysis, along with exploding pellets that release aroma with the same effect. And if the situation gets worse, she'll upgrade to poison.
"She always compliments me!" chimes Chouji.
Shikamaru scratched the back of his head, "...I thought she just sold tea and flowers. Apparently, she has all sorts of tricks," he's the only one to offer a rebuttal. "But, in my opinion, once you figure it all out, she'll be easy to take down, like anyone. She just needs to keep herself at the upper hand even when things go off plan. Other than that, I wouldn't mind being teamed up with her more than once."
"She can get even the most stubborn to listen," says Tenten. "I'd hate to get on her bad side."
An extra table is set up beside Ichiraku's ramen stand. Kiba took the table in order to keep Akamaru company while [Name] and the rest hauled themselves on the stools, greeted by the usual two cooks. She sat in the middle between Sakura and Rock Lee, Shino and Sakura taking the far end of the seats. After placing their orders and proceeding into the waiting period, Sakura can't help but mention:
"...it's kind of weird, not seeing Naruto here."
Kiba followed through with the same nostalgic tone, "It always had to be ramen. I bet when he comes back he'll head straight here!"
A tiny laugh is exchanged, [Name] had eaten at Ichiraku's before, but not in a group. She falls silent, having nothing to contribute, only lending her ears for her curiosity. "...his favorite was a large miso pork ramen with an egg," said Hinata, and for once everyone heard her. Sakura gave her a questioning smile, Hinata blushed, "I-It's just that's what he always orders! I mean-uh-uhm..." she shied away, a lost cause.
"Well then, change my order to an extra large!" challenges Lee, immediately shot down by Teuchi, the owner, himself.
"Hinata..." Shino spoke up, "Didn't you order the exact same-"
"I-I just wanted to try it!" she defends, once again, Shino is cut off.
[Name] trusted Teuchi to decide for her, anticipating his choice. Her mind drifted elsewhere as always.
"Wow, this tea is delicious!" compliments Lee as she gave his team a cup each. She invited them to stay a while after training, sitting at Lee's old spot. A pillar of wood that has been beaten up over time, holding the memories and evidence of Lee's perseverance over the years.
"I can detect...cinnamon," she is proud to even grab Neji's attention.
"Cardamon cinnamon," Tenten read the label [Name] had placed on the tin jar where she stored the packets.
"Believe it or not, it's Gaara's favorite," she couldn't hold herself back from mentioning the little known fact.
"Hm...a tea drinker, it's sort of fitting," comments Lee.
"Oh, senpai, I heard...you faced Gaara during the chuunin exams," she heard from Hinata, but her friend refused to elaborate any more.
Tenten and Neji paused as Lee brought his cup down, holding a stern face. "Yes, as his friend, you would like to know about it, wouldn't you?"
"I..." she drew back. "I'm sorry."
"No! Don't be!" Lee stood up. "Because of that day, even though I came out critically injured, it inspired me to train more than I did before! And then, in my time of need...he arrived for me, a different person than before," he remembers foolishly challenging Kimimaro, of the Sound Five. "Using his sand not only to protect himself, but me...the only thing that upsets me is...he makes a great rival. So, I'll continue training as long as he keeps on improving, and I suggest you do the same!"
"Isn't that what she's doing?" says Tenten, breaking the tense atmosphere.
"...his character is still suspicious, but to think the Kazekage is the same person as that boy back then," Neji reminisces.
"...they said I would never fight again," for once, Lee reflects a pained expression towards her. "That...frightened me, it angered me."
"I remember," as Lee wanted, Neji was watching carefully during the fight. He didn't sugarcoat the event, "You were still standing, but unconscious even after he crushed your left arm and leg."
"...Gaara did?" she can't imagine being part of the crowd and witnessing a gruesome sight, she shivered.
Lee sits back down, "Please, look at me now, how far I pushed myself to the present. I do not mean to spread anything ill of my-your-our friend, Gaara."
"No, please, I want to know this side of him too, as his friend," she forces a smile, "It seems everyone else knows more about him than me."
"Here's your order!" beams Ayame as the bowl is passed to [Name]. "Enjoy!"
"Thank you!" chimed everyone, dividing their chopsticks.
...
The sixth month rolled by, almost marking a year since she left Kusagakure. With improvement of her taijutsu, another challenge was raised, this time issued by Tsunade, the Hokage. She was not impressed with her formalities, but liked [Name], especially the tea she provided. However, she is the type to never let [Name] know as she extended her guidance from Sakura. On the first day she ordered [Name] to give up her seeds:
"Quit relying on these. Whichever terrain, you should learn how to effortlessly produce your jutsus in any environment! Brace yourself, even though I can't do it myself, I believe someone like you can master it. I heard that you can command a meadow of flowers to bloom, releasing spores that you have command of paralyzing or poisoning whoever falls victim to inhaling them."
"Yes ma'am, but I would hardly call it a meadow. Possibly just a meter at best."
Tsunade ignores the comment, "Have you ever tried...the opposite effect? Having the spores heal instead?"
"...no, ma'am."
"Then, you know your next assignment. I suggest holding back on missions. To control chakra in order to heal a comrade takes precision and the right amount to not screw up."
She watches the patch of roses bloom before her, stretching less than a meter. Her chakra already cut in half, "Healing...heal." A sweet aroma is released other than the usual bitter type. She courageously inhales it, feeling lighter, and less exhausted. She had to suffer the effects of her poison the first two weeks, luckily knowing the specific brews to counter them. She exhales holding her hand sign, "Now...to reach further." She gasps, releasing her hold, watching the red roses wither away in an instant, "Damn it...that took a lot out of me."
"Love," she read his kanji symbol aloud one day. "A red rose also symbolizes love, romance, and passion," he seemed confused by the mention of the flower, "Oh, sorry, it's just your symbol and hair color just mimics a rose perfectly."
"I see...I have yet to see one."
"I'll show you when I get the chance," she said her answer aloud, practicing the hand signals once more after waiting a good five minutes. A burst of petals, the roses have imploded somehow, she had lost the flow of chakra, watching the red petals scatter. She helplessly sighs, the petals settling on the ground, "...damn it. I'm going to tell you, just you wait."
"See? It bloomed just last night," for once [Name] had something to display to Gaara on the balcony. She passed the flower by the stem to him, he twirled it around his fingers. She took a seat, leaning against the rails, and he joined her, "What do you think?"
"It's...beautiful, but..." he picks up the hand that she used to pass the flower. "Did you get injured?" she found his observation scary at times for being so perceptive, he even noticed the tiny scars on her fingers.
"Oh, roses have thorns. I grew a few in a pot, and got too excited selecting the first one that fully bloomed," she recalls scratching herself one too many times just an hour ago.
"...thank you."
"No problem," she takes the rose from him for a second, making a comparison, "As I thought, it does suit you."
She's shocked, seeing blood dripping over her hands, motioning to her nose, beginning to feel the effects of attempting to exceed her amount of chakra.
"...in terms of looks yes, but in terms of it's meaning, I think you're a better component."
Seventh month, Konoha is greeted with a unique perfume.
"What is this...alluring smell?" pondered Tsunade as a sweet aroma drifted through her open window. "Don't tell me..."
"Lady Tsunade!" Sakura and Hinata burst into her office, "[Name]-chan has..."
"Lead me to her."
The three of them surfed through the forest that enveloped the village, having to call Kiba over to locate the direct scent. They are amazed to begin trampling roses, feeling rejuvenated as they grew closer to the source. The vines have trailed down the cliff Guy usually climbed, he stood at the bottom with Lee, entranced by the sight. They followed the group of four to the top to find the barren cliff coated with crimson roses. And there, the source laid, [Name] had drifted into sleep, safely on a patch of grass. There are no thorns on the stems, making it safe to trek forward. Tsunade smirked, being the first to turn away while the rest rush over to [Name].
"Lady Tsunade..." Sakura waited for her command.
"I have to do some paperwork, when she wakes up you can tell her about the promotion. Do whatever you like, just make sure she gets some rest first."