Everyone: thank you so much for your comments! The big 100 – wow! As promised, below the list of facts I've put together. Additionally, this chapter turned out pretty long.
Someone asked for more men in Hisana's life – here yougo.
Around 11:30 o'clock Hisana makes her way back to the Academy. She's still nervous, but it's a good nervousness now – the one you get before vacation, the I'm-looking-forward-to-this kind.
Everyone meets in their regular class room, where Ito-sensei meticulously sorts them into an order Hisana can't quite decode and hands them forms to fill out.
"Name, registration number, finger prints, blood sample on the sealing matrix, please. Maki-kun, I saw that! Don't mess with the matrix!"
One after another she ushers them into the hall, where Iruka-sensei leads them wherever they need to be; none of the two appear to be part of the exam committee. Hisana only briefly catches sight of Shiki, who is the very first to be lead out of the room, and can do nothing more than wave at Shizuha, who's been positioned at the other end of the room, firmly kept in place by Ito-sensei's warning glare.
After an hour only about half of them have been called up and there are only two more people in front of her: a fidgeting Inoko, who can't seem to decide whether she's more scared of Hisana's prolonged proximity or the upcoming exam, and a red-headed boy who's been picking his nose for almost fifteen minutes now.
She hates all of them.
Whatever good mood she scrounged up that morning has evaporated. She wants to go home and sleep, she wants to eat lunch and – most novel – she wants Sasuke. While undeniably a brat, her cousin's presence usually has a calming influence on her. Up until now it was an effect she's only passively observed; this is the first time she consciously wishes he were here to calm her.
Nose-picking-boy's chair scrapes against the floor; he wipes his hands against his trousers and stomps out of the door where Iruka-sensei is already waiting. Wow; she sure hopes for both of them that he's not the deadlast of this class.
The next ten minutes are spent chewing her lip and cracking her fingers. When Iruka-sensei's face appears at the door she nearly jumps out of her skin.
There's a peculiar mix of godyesfinally and godpleasenotyet swirling in her head as she walks over to him. The door closes with a very final sounding thud.
"Don't worry," Iruka-sensei says, "It's just an exam. You've had these every year"
Which is very true and doesn't help in the least.
She's led into a room with only three tables spaced as far apart as the room will allow; there's two ninja patrolling the desks. She recognizes none of them.
Iruka-sensei leads her to the only free desk close to the window and wordlessly hands her the test. He pats her encouragingly on the shoulder.
Question 1: If a kunai travels at a velocity of 30 miles/h at an angle of exactly 90°, calculate the trajectory path x.
…
About ten minutes in, Iruka-sensei escorts a frazzled looking Inoko out of the room. She is quickly replaced by a boy in a baggy, lime green shirt.
Question 5: Name and describe the fan signals used in court and how they can be adapted to ninja code.
…
Another ten minutes and nose-picking-boy is led away sniveling; a girl in pigtails takes his place.
Question 10: Name the major royal houses of the Shinobi Nations in order of overall importance and their current head of house.
…
Extra-credit question 11: Name and describe the effects of one C-rank genjutsu, ninjutsu and taijutsu technique each.
…
When Iruka-sensei taps on her shoulder, Hisana's head is still so full of numbers and random facts that she doesn't immediately comprehend what he wants from her.
'Come' he mouths and gestures towards the door. She leaves her test for the patrolling ninja to collect and dumbly follows her sensei in a familiar post-exam haze. He leads her towards yet another room for the practical part.
"Almost done," he says before shoving her inside.
She doesn't quite know who she expected to be part of the exam committee, but it's a small mercy that Mizuki-sensei isn't. He and Iruka-sensei are probably too young, Hisana guesses. Suzume-sensei is there, as well as Funeno Daikoku-sensei and a woman she vaguely recognizes as one of the Hokage's office chuunin.
"Hisana-san," Suzume-sensei greets with a smile. "The last part of your exam. Please step forward."
There's a shuffle of papers and Daikoku-sensei motions towards a nearby chair.
"Kawarimi no Jutsu, if you please."
She can do that.
Tiger, Boar, Ox, Dog, Snake.
There's a familiar, if disquieting sensation of compression and wind as the world disappears and then reappears with a soft plop. She hasn't quite managed to make the process noiseless, but the 'plop' has gotten a lot softer since the first try. The examiners' faces are stony and unreadable.
"Bushin no Jutsu, please," Suzume-sensei says.
Ram, Snake, Tiger.
There's not actually all that much to the technique, which makes Naruto's failure with it even worse. She tries to picture herself before forcing out the right amount of chakra. There's no strange feeling attached, like with the Kawarimi no Jutsu, only the slight fatigue that comes with chakra usage. It takes more concentration then the Kawarimi for the simple reason that Hisana still has trouble picturing herself as she is sometimes. The first horrifying try had resulted in a vaguely Sarah shaped clone instead. But while Hisana panicked, Ito-sensei had only congratulated her on using Bushin and Henge at the same time. It hadn't gotten her nearly enough extra credit to make up for the small heart attack.
"Henge no Jutsu," the chuunin woman commands.
Dog, Boar, Ram.
The technique works best with a familiar form, but she's here to impress. There's an explosion of smoke and Yamanaka Inoichi stands in front of the examiners.
The office chuunin barks out a laugh.
"Ok, Uchiha-san," she says, "you're clear for this part."
As if on cue, Iruka-sensei knocks.
"Written exam: passed," he says with a small smile. "You're ok to go. Congratulations."
He hands her a small metal square; it's surprisingly light and dark blue cloth unfolds from under it. Her own Hitai-ate.
"Please don't linger on the grounds," Suzume-sensei adds. "Regulations, you understand."
That's just fine by Hisana – all she wants is to go home and catch up on sleep.
After swinging by the grocer's and buying that special, expensive matcha tea she's been eying – to celebrate – she does just that.
She tucks the forehead protector under her pillow and falls asleep. She sleeps deeply and without dreams; the only time she nearly wakes up is when a new weight settles into the bed – Sasuke. Who's probably procrastinating on his homework. It's almost six in the evening when she wakes up the next time.
"So you passed," Sasuke mumbles from next to her.
"How did you guess?"
"I saw the tea in the kitchen. Also, you didn't really think you'd fail, did you?"
Brat. No she didn't.
"What about your homework?" she asks instead.
That shuts him up. Team 7 comes over that night, including Genma, completely uninvited. They squeeze into their small living room to eat the last of Hisana's home-made potato salad and drink the raspberry lemonade Genma brought. It's loud and it's great and it does feel a little like family.
The next morning comes too soon.
She hasn't slept properly, yet again. This time the reasons were too much food and her long day-time nap, so her mood is less grumpy and more sleepily satisfied.
Silently she settles into the free seat between her friends and simply starts to doze.
Shizuha and Shiki exchange a look.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm good. I just decided I don't care what happens today."
"Again, uncharacteristically short-sighted of you," Shizuha muses. "Do you possibly not handle stress well?"
Just then the door opens and Ito-sensei strides in. Instead of the usual stack of papers, she's only carrying a small red notebook this time.
"Everyone, listen up for the last time! Congratulations to you all – you are now officially ninja of Konoha. Today you will be assigned to your genin teams, who will stay with you for the first part of your career. Please listen closely; I will call your names. Team 1: …"
It's dead silent as Ito-sensei calls out the teams, except for the initial gasps of surprise or the occasional bouts of protest that are silenced immediately.
"Team 6: Yamanaka Inomaru, Akimichi Choumei, Nara Shiki – your jounin sensei will be Inuzuka Dai."
"Oh no …," Shiki sighs and lets her head drop onto the desk with a small thud.
Her teammates don't seem any more enthused.
Inoko, who against all expectations passed, is assigned to team 8 alongside nose-picking-boy and someone Hisana vaguely recalls as being good at taijutsu. She looks even more unhappy.
"At least her teacher's a Yamanaka," Shiki groans. "I feel zero pity for the girl. Zero."
"Team 9," Ito-sensei calls a little louder and the students quiet down immediately. "Team 9: Aburame Shizuha, Aburame Shigeru, Inoue Jun – your jounin sensei is Matsuoka Kaede."
For a moment Hisana is confused. There's another Aburame in her year? Indeed a boy in a baggy grey hoodie and square glasses makes his way over to them. She can't recall having seen him before; she makes the strategic decision not to tell Shizuha.
A blonde boy also shuffles over. In contrast to the Aburame, who both radiate general contentment with themselves and the world, he seems horrified to be stuck with two of the freaks.
"Team 11," Sensei finally announces, "Uchiha Hisana, Eguchi Sora, Sone Mitsuharu – your jounin teacher is Hyuuga Kohaku."
Hisana's head wants to turn into several directions at once; to the room at large, to see who her new teammates are, and to Shizuha, to ask if she knew. Did she act like that because she knew it would be a Hyuuga. Curiosity wins out over anger and a vague sort of betrayal.
There are two boys stomping their way over to her. One of them is tall and weedy; he moves a little awkwardly, as if he just went through a growth spurt and doesn't quite know where his limbs end yet. He's wearing a sunshine yellow t-shirt, which she hopes he doesn't intend to keep, and a dumb grin. He kind of reminds her of Naruto a little, except taller and with darker coloring.
The other boy is of more average height. His defining characteristic is his white blonde hair that goes past his chin; there's a thin braid neatly tucked behind his ear. He's wearing battle garb already and his face is carefully blank. The only sign of nervousness is a bandage wrapped around his left arm that he constantly keeps scratching.
"I'm Sora," the Naruto-look-alike introduces himself. He gives a sloppy bow and nearly knocks his head against Shizuha's desk in the process.
"Sone Mitsuharu," says the white haired boy in an unexpectedly soft, wispy voice. "N-nice to meet you."
"Uchiha Hisana," she says and gives a sitting bow, even though the boys probably know who she is.
Sora drapes himself over a nearby chair, while Mitsuharu carefully sits down on a desk.
Hisana's head has cooled a little by now; thinking about it, it was obvious who her jounin teacher would be. The Hyuuga are the only viable choice to teach a doujutsu user after all – apart from Kakashi.
In fact, a Hyuuga might even be the lesser evil this instance. It's years too early for Kakashi yet; he's probably right in the middle of his team-failing-rampage. Yes, she should have actually expected that.
Under the table she reaches out to squeeze Shizuha's wrist. Next to her the girl breathes a shaky sigh of relief.
Despite that, as soon as Ito-sensei bids her farewell and leaves them to wait for their jounin instructors, Hisana excuses herself, grabs both other girls and drags them out of the door.
"Ok, spill. One or both of you knew about this. How?"
Shiki scratches her head.
"I just know that Shikaku-ji 'expressed some interest' in your career. We tried for a Nara jounin to get into your team, but the Hokage basically told us to mind our own business. He's kind of protective of his bunch of little orphans."
Shizuha pinches her.
"Ouch – sorry! Ok, the rest of the mighty Uchiha clan then."
Hisana personally doesn't give a crap about what everyone secretly calls their clan. Chances are it's still far kinder than it actually deserves.
"We have tried similar," Shizuha admits. "Shigeru-kun was supposed to be part of your team." She casts a sidelong glance at Shiki. "It appears our good intentions might have disturbed a hornet nest, so to speak. The Inuzuka suddenly wanted to get involved as well. Hyuuga Hiashi-sama insisted that he'd already claimed the position of your jounin instructor."
Ah. So that's why the Hyuuga weren't interested in their little power games. They'd already won the war, without ever showing up to the battles.
"Hokage-sama already had someone in mind, he said. But the Hyuuga clan is very influential and they did have a point; the Sharingan is a variant of the Byakugan. A Hyuuga will be able to help you develop it. I am unsure who Hokage-sama wanted to suggest, but Hyuuga-sama forced his hand. In turn he insisted your teammates would be from minor clans, because he would not assist them in using you to 'stick it to each other'."
Hisana is pretty sure a bullet engraved 'Kakashi' just very closely shaved by her ear.
"Basically," Shiki concludes, "we're all assholes and we're sorry."
Hisana sighs. Assholes with good intentions.
"Forget it," she says. "Just … it's fine. It could be worse. It's not like it changed anything; Hyuuga-sama was going to get his way, one way or another."
When she opens the classroom door there is a resounding thunk and a yelp. Sora is rubbing his forehead and grinning sheepishly at them.
"Politics," he says, "Awesome! I didn't think I'd ever get to see them."
"That's because you're not supposed to," Hisana snaps, "they're ninja politics. Don't eavesdrop on my private conversations, you idiot."
Shiki snickers.
"Looks like team 11 is already establishing a pecking order – and Sone-san is obviously the whipping boy."
"Please don't fight," Mitsuharu begs, "It hasn't even been ten minutes yet."
The slight stutter has vanished, but his voice has slowed considerably. It sounds as if he's pronouncing every word with the utmost care.
"Fine," she agrees, "but only because I want this team to work out. My business stays my business until I say otherwise."
Sora raises his hands in defeat.
"Can't blame me for trying; we got the Uchiha, of course I'm nosey."
Great. She's 'the Uchiha' now.
Not long after the first jounins start to drop in; on the very front of the line: Hyuuga Kohaku.
As the name 'Kohaku' is unisex, Hisana had been wondering whether their instructor was going to be a man or a woman; she keeps wondering for almost an hour into meeting Hyuuga Kohaku.
No words are exchanged, only a vague gesture meant to make them follow. Hisana only has time to throw a good-bye over her shoulder before following her team out of the room. They walk in utter silence for a while.
Even after two years of living in Konoha, Hisana is aware that she doesn't know all the small streets and shops populating it. Despite being a 'village', Konoha is far too big to know entirely by heart. So she's not surprised to lose her orientation after two left turns off the main road that she's never bothered to explore. Mitsuharu turns back to her, eyes wide in an unvoiced question: 'Where are we going?' She can only shrug in response.
Before the boy can think to jostle Sora's shoulder to ask him, their Sensei ducks into an inconspicuous shop. It's a teashop.
One far fancier than she's ever seen. It's quiet, except for the sound of a shamisen coming from somewhere. The patrons are mostly nicely dressed, older adults who only speak in hushed voices. Their Sensei ushers them to a table not far from the door, where they sink onto the zabuton cushions.
The boys wince and awkwardly arrange themselves into something socially acceptable. Especially Sora seems to have problems controlling his gangly legs. Hisana herself, admittedly a little smug, sits down in a perfect seiza.
Kunoichi class might have been a little ridiculous at points, but Suzume-sensei insisted they at least mastered the art of holding the seiza for two consecutive hours.
Everyone's legs nearly fell off, but right now every minute was worth it; if only because she is the only one not getting dismayed looks.
Their sensei waits until everyone is properly seated before raising his hand just the slightest bit. A nearby, traditionally dressed serving girl bows and leaves for the kitchen.
They sit in silence.
And they wait.
After fifteen minutes Sora starts twitching. It's not exactly a surprise but still unwelcome. Their sensei is watching them all like a hawk, impassive but vigilant, and she wants nothing more than suddenly develop telekinetic powers and freeze her teammate in place.
After another fifteen, Mitsuharu is starting to look a little pale. Hisana's feet start to feel a little numb.
Fifteen more and she has to pinch Sora when he opens his mouth to probably blurt out something that would get them all into trouble. The boy chokes and shuts up.
After nearly an hour of motionless, wordless sitting the serving girl arrives. There is, to Hisana's astonishment and relief, no tea ceremony. Instead they are merely served a cup of deep green, fragrant tea each and then left alone.
Another two minutes pass without anyone moving. Hisana herself isn't sure what exactly they are waiting for, so she doesn't think to stop Mitsuharu as he carefully reaches for his cup. A second before he makes contact, their sensei's hand shoots out to slap him sharply on the wrist.
"Manners," Kohaku-sensei chides in a deep, definitely male voice. They return to waiting.
The serving girl arrives with a small china bowl of pastel colored candy that she puts right in the middle of the table.
This time nobody makes a move, until their sensei himself reaches for his tea. A relieved sigh wrangles its way out of Hisana's throat without permission. The tea is mild and tastes like spring.
One sip, two sips.
"You pass," Kohaku-sensei allows. "Just so."
Twenty random facts:
1. Sarah's best friend Evelyn was a sports swimmer; that's why she got overconfident and thought she could go out and swim in the dark.
2. Sarah's father gifted her with the un-named goldfish, because she was allergic to cats and dogs. Initially Marie had suggested a tortoise.
3. Even though it's been two years since the Uchiha Massacre, Hisana and Sasuke are still sharing a bed; partly because they don't have enough space for two beds, partly because she has the suspicion that Sasuke isn't quite ready yet and she doesn't want to make him say it.
4. In truth, she still isn't ready either.
5. Hisana is a far bigger deal to the Aburame than she suspects; the last time a non-clan member set foot into the compound of their own free will was before the war.
6. The reason Hisana was talked into dinner with the Ino-Shika-Cho clans was not actually to get to know Ino, with Shiki's family being the support, but to meet Shiki's family, all others being the metaphorical beard.
7. Ito Oosen-sensei used to lead a squad specialized in infiltration and sabotage; this is how she knows Genma.
8. Also part of that squad was Suzume-sensei. They had a falling out after a mission went wrong; they've been avoiding each other since.
9. Shiki and Shikamaru are actually closer related through their mothers, who are twins, than their fathers, who are distant cousins.
10. Michiko and Sachiko, the 'Nara wifes' initially dated each other's husbands. They switched after the first two dates, decided they liked it better and just didn't tell anyone. The whole thing came out after Sachiko took pity on Shikarou who kept calling her by the wrong name in front of her father and didn't understand why the man hated him so.
11. Shikano is not actually the result of an affair – his maternal grandmother is blonde and blue eyed. Still, nobody quite knows where he got the gossiping from.
12. The reason students call all teachers by their last name in Ito-sensei's presence is because she's a stickler for propriety and has been known to deal out detentions by the dozen.
13. Shizuha loves cute things and is not afraid to say so; she's genuinely confused why anybody would find that funny.
14. There's a small one-sided rivalry going on between Shiki and Shizuha about who can claim best-friend rights to Hisana; right now Shizuha is the only one engaging in it – Shiki has realized that her most ardent contester is actually Sasuke.
15. Kiba did have a little-boy crush on Hisana; the first one to figure this out is – shockingly – Naruto.
16. This crush dies a miserable death during the tournament, when Hisana fails to check up on him after the match against team 7. He's currently pouting.
17. The promotion Genma is angling for is the one he already has in canon: tokubetsu jounin. So yes, he's probably getting it.
18. The reason Haruno Sayuri seems so hard-headed and without sympathy is because she had to marry her husband at a very young age; in turn her family has always been overly indulgent with her, to make up for it.
19. The Harunos have a paper making business. Most of the fancy scroll paper Hisana and Sasuke saw when getting their school supply was actually Haruno-made.
20. Naruto's proficiency in the Uchiha clan style has more to do with how badly he wanted to impress his then only friend and less with inherent affinity. He simply had more motivation to work hard and a different emotion attached to it as opposed to the Burning Leaf Style that he only associated with failure.
There's probably going to be more at a later point, but I only wanted to mention things that already happened and won't be discussed further, so I don't accidently spoiler my own story:D