Arc Two: Team Work
Chapter Eight
Summary: Hitomi wasn't a people pleaser. But at the same time she wanted them to be happy. Hard thing to balance. Never bothered her though.
TamashinoSuzume- I hope they stick together too, who could possibly know for sure though?... ;)
DarkDust27- Not yet at least... #spoilalert just kidding, that would be horrible.
XionKirana- Is this soon enough?.. :)
Pictures on Wattpad com! Go check them out!
Team Choza stood, mainly confident, on the other side of the table. Hitomi glares and smirks.
Naturally, all the attention was on them. It was like dinner and a show.
"It's about time." She says, "I thought you were going to put it off even longer.. but surprise, surprise, here you are. Not even five minutes after sensei leaves.. pity."
Genma rolls his eyes, the senbon in between his teeth rolling slowly.
"I should warn you," Hitomi looks down, pushing her plate away, "I won't go easy."
"Where is your usually upbeat and youthful attitude my cherry blossom?" Gai cries, literally.
Genma nods, "He's right, you're normally always interested in spars." He grins, "what's wrong Hitomi-chan? Upset mommy didn't brush your pretty hair this morning?"
"Awe," Hitomi smiles in good nature, placing a hand over her heart. "You think I'm pretty?... you want to find out what my sensei told me to do to boys who call me pretty?"
In the corner of her vision, she saw a few flinches. Most of the shinobi knew what happened when you cross Hamatsu Sarutobi, his pranks were often vicious and more often then not scarring and embarrassing. Word on the street was he was already taking out potential suitors. This poor girl would never get married. Or have any sort of relationship for that matter. And God forbid should a mission go wrong and something... vile happens to his first and only female student.. well. That just spelled catastrophe and war.
Hitomi leaps from her seat just as Gai's foot swings towards her head, in the air Genma sends senbon flying towards her.
Crap... twisting her hips she narrowly avoids the senbon and in the same movement she pulls out her tanto and sends it flying towards Genma. With a solid 'thunk' Genma was pinned to the wall. Her black blade stuck in the shirt just above his right shoulder, effectively holding him there.
Hitomi lands on another table and has to do another flip, this time backwards, to avoid the fist sent towards her face from Ebisu. He followed and so Hitomi reaches around the back of his neck and slams his head into the table with a loud bang. Ebisu groans and falls to the floor.
Hitomi spun around to see Gai racing towards her. She pushes forward, and slides under Gai's once again extended leg. Standing, her hands grip the back of a wooden chair and she spins and slams chair into Gai's back. Sending him to his hands and knees, and the chair falls in pieces, one leg all she held in her grip now.
"Hitomi Midori!"
Hitomi grimaces before straightening and giving her brightest smile she turns to face her mother.
Aiko stares at her, her hand covering her forehead. Aiko silently groans, dragging the hand down over her eyes and hanging her head, shoulders shaking.
Hitomi frowns, "Ka-chan... are you crying... or laughing?"
Her mother shakes her head, "you're horrible for making me laugh at this," Aiko giggles, covering her face with both hands, "Shame on you for looking so innocent!"
Hitomi smiles sweetly, and whacks Gai over the back of the head with the leg of the chair. Gai passes out. "If it makes you feel better, on that last C rank, the guy didn't attack me because of how innocent I look."
Her mother rolls her eyes, "yes thank you Hitomi. That's what I need to worry about, 'does my daughter look innocent enough for this mission?' 'No, another bow will fix it." She says sarcastically.
Hitomi's grin widens.
"Get this mess cleaned up. Now." Her mother points to the scattered wood pieces and knocked out genin, "and don't do it inside again."
"Hai, ka-chan." Hitomi nods, turning to give Genma a smirk.
Genma had a hand wrapped around the hilt of her short blade, trying to set himself free. Gai was groaning on the floor. And Ebisu was standing now, gripping his head with both hands and muttering curses.
Stepping over Gai, Hitomi makes her way to the pinned Genma and yanks the blade from the wall, letting him fall the two inches to the ground.
"Thanks." He says dryly.
Hitomi smiles even brighter, "no problem." She teases handing him his senbon. "Can't say I didn't warn you..." she adds under her breath, earning a glare.
"Can I ask why and get an actual answer or will you be difficult?" Hitomi questions, as she balls a fist against her hip.
It's Genma's turn to grimace. "Gai, Choza-sensei, and training." He says, "I'll elaborate no further."
Hitomi shakes her head, "you don't need to," she glances back at Gai who was being shaken by Ebisu, "I think I understand."
The door opens, and in walks her sensei. Minato following with a huge grin on his face.
"Told you." Minato gloats, earning an eye roll from his teammate.
"What happened Hitomi?" Hamatsu asks, eyeing the male genin warily.
"They called me pretty." Hitomi smiles her sweet smile.
Hamatsu's stare took a turn and ended up as a glare, primarily he aimed it at Genma. Probably because of the close proximity. And her sensei suddenly had a predatory smile on his face.
"Good work Hitomi-chan." He nods encouragingly, "but next time, don't go so easy."
Hitomi shrugs, "didn't want to break more than I have to."
"You were going easy?!" Ebisu hisses.
A shared amused look between sensei and student.
"No Ebisu," she says with a cute pout, with a sugary voice she adds, "I was giving it my all."
Ebisu all but growls and looks tempted to attack.
"You definitely could've done worse with less damage." Minato cuts in cheerily.
Hitomi shrugs again, "can't give up all my good moves so soon."
Hamatsu pats her on the head, nodding warmly, his golden hawk eyes still pinned on Genma. The genin's eyes widen under the scrutiny and his teammates were suddenly by his side, apparently sensing the danger. As Hamatsu sensei leans forward in a very intimidating way, the three genin shift nervously. Sweat dripping down from Genma's brow.
Her sensei whispers, "scram."
And the three were flying out the door. And sensei and student were once again exchanging amused looks.
Pregnant.
With child.
Bun in the oven.
Hitomi breathes in a very slow, calculated breath.
Her mother is pregnant.
Well, she didn't know. But it was a plausible guess. It could made sense if you thought carefully.
What doesn't make sense is why Hitomi is the one realizing it.
But the little chakra inside her mother was there. Warm, soft and bright. And it made sense now why her mother was so exhausted recently. A civilian-jounin relation... a civilian-jounin child... Hitomi sighs, watching her mother bustle around their home kitchen. The child no doubt was taking the chakra from her mother as its own chakra coils started to form. That raised the question of how far along she is.
Eyeing her mothers middle warily and stealthily, she doesn't see any hints of bloating. She is still the same thin waisted, wide hipped woman. Her mother wore a light colored strapless band over her chest, and dark thigh length shorts, giving her plenty of room to calculate and examine.
Part of Hitomi wanted to hide the information and pretend she didn't know this. But she couldn't. She didn't know what could- what would happen if her mother didn't start doing stuff early on to help her and the baby. Her mother already took chakra supplements. Hitomi had asked her to start taking them three weeks ago when she had first felt the abnormalities. Her mother had rolled her eyes at the suggestion but had started taking them anyways, just to indulge her daughter. And there had been a drastic increase since then. Her mother had thought she didn't need them anymore, but Hitomi had an inkling it was because of them her mother felt so much better, and so she encouraged her to keep taking them. And since it didn't hurt, her mother agreed. But now... now Hitomi has to figure out how to make her mother go to the doctor. She could just plain say, 'ka-chan I think you're pregnant' but that didn't seem like it would be the smartest (re: safest) option on her part.
Hitomi sighs deeply.
This conversation is going to suck.
Idiots. Hitomi seethed silently, moronic idiots.
Shisui darts forward with his blade forward, sharingan blazing.
Hitomi's fingers twitch, the pain in her small hands nearly gone at this point. The pain lost to the numbness.
Kenji slid into his clan stance, palms out stretched and looking every bit deadly, because the boy had all but mastered his clans deadly techniques.
Hitomi leaned against a light post outside of a decent size home. Inside the house there were four busy chakra signatures. One cooking, two folding laundry.
Hitomi, not fully thinking it through in the moment, flashes between the two fighting boys. Her right hand latched onto Shisui's wrist, redirecting the tip of his blade with a jerk. And her left hand wrapped around Kenji's right wrist, shoving the chakra coated hand downwards. The dangerous amount of chakra didn't find a pressure point to it but instead, it attacked the thing touching it- her hand.
A violent snap echoed through the quiet.
Hitomi wasn't aware that Kushina Uzumaki had family in Konoha. In fact she didn't even know how many Uzumaki even lived here. She had never paid attention to passing red heads but now that it came to mind she had seen plenty of red haired people in and out of Hoshi.
As Hitomi slowly detached herself from the fighting boys, she realized her wrist was on fire. She had not reinforced her arm with enough chakra to properly counter the Hyuuga.
And thus, her wrist hung limp and in pain.
The two fighting boys both stared at her, dark eyes wide and screaming apologies, white eyes held the same apologies but they were hidden under anger.
Hitomi sighs, wondering how long it would take Kushina to acknowledge her. No doubt the Uzumaki knew she was outside, it was just a matter of waiting at this point.
The Uzumaki took pity on her apparently, because not three minutes later the front door was opening and Kushina was stepping out with a wide smile. It was one of her genuinely happy ones, the one where she had no care in the world.
Hitomi smiles back, a bit dimmer than the red heads.
"Hello Hita-hime." Kushina greets, hugging her tightly, "how'd you find me?"
"You have a very... distinct chakra." Hitomi responds dryly.
Kushina's smile falls and she stares down at her for a moment, "I don't have to tell you that's a secret do I?"
Hitomi shakes her head.
"Good." Kushina's smile returns full force, "now, what's wrong with your hand?" Kushina holds out her own hand, palm up and Hitomi places her hand in the older womans.
"Broken." Hitomi shrugs, "training gone bad."
Kushina's eyes flash back to Hitomi's, and for a split second it seems like Kushina would call her bluff, but instead the woman looks away, wrapping her arm around Hitomi's shoulders and pulling her towards the house.
Kushina kept a gentle grip on Hitomi's arm as they walked across the street. Hitomi's legs turned to lead and she was shaking her head.
"No."
Kushina chuckles, pushing the girl forward anyways.
"Kushina.." Hitomi groans. The pinkette angling into the older woman's side to hide as they enter the open kitchen and living area.
"Mom, dad, this is Hitomi-chan." Kushina exclaims brightly, "She's still not good at meeting new people, so she's really shy.. ow." She chuckles as Hitomi pinches her waist.
Catching amused glances Hitomi turns bright red and bows at the waist.
"It's nice to meet you." She exclaims in one breath before hiding behind Kushina again.
"Welcome to our home Hitomi-chan, I am Momiko and this is my husband Hideaki." The older Kushina look alike smiles softly, her tone soft and warm, "are you one of Minato-kun's students?"
Hitomi shakes her head, "he does train me too, but Hamatsu Sarutobi is my sensei."
"Ah," Momiko nods, "well, either way, you are always welcome here. Feel to stop by anytime."
"Thank you." Hitomi bows again, her eyes shyly traveling up to Hideaki who was staring down at her with crossed arms and a raised brow. His blue eyes revealed nothing of his emotions or thoughts, he just stared. Hitomi's eyes widen and find the floor.
"Hideaki," Momiko scolds, slapping her husband's arm with a wash cloth.
He chuckles, deep and solid, "but she's so adorable." His tone suggested mirth but Hitomi refused to look up and check. The last time she felt like this was when she had first started getting close to Minato and Hamatsu, even with Jiraiya she could hold civil conversations- albeit, short conversations, but still.
"Hitomi, you mouthed off to an S rank enemy nin." Kushina sighs in exasperation.
"She did what?" Momiko's eyes shoot wide, concern laced in as she whacked her daughter this time, "why was she even near an enemy nin? Kushina!"
Ah, that would be the famous furry of the Uzumaki. Quite scary.
Either way, it was different, the enemy she just had to distract long enough for her sensei to get there and handle. These were completely new people and she didn't know what to do with them, the goal wasn't to kill them, she had to play nice with them. Get them to like her. This is Kushina's - and soon to be Minato's- family.
"It's not my fault mom!" Kushina holds up her hands to deflect the onslaught, "I wasn't even on the mission. Hamatsu was!"
"No excuses Kushina-chan!" Momiko exclaims, waving the wooden spoon in the air.
"Would you like to stay for lunch Hitomi-chan?" Hideaki smiles, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders and reigning in the beast.
"Oh.. uh, no thank you-"
"Of course she will." Kushina nods. Hitomi glares, pinching the older woman again and earning more laughs. Kushina quickly moves away, leaving her without the protection she desires and Hitomi freezes and start to pout.
"I'll be back Hitomi-chan, I need to run to the market." She says, grabbing her small bag and walking to the door, ignoring Hitomi's eyes that screamed 'don't leave me'.
"See you in a bit."
And she was gone.
Hitomi stares at the door silently. She felt two gazes on her back but refuses to turn around. What the heck do you do in this situation?
"Hitomi-chan I've heard you're learning sealing?" Momiko calls gently from behind her.
Hitomi nods, slowly turning to see in her brief panic Momiko had moved to sit in the living room and Hideaki was in the kitchen.
She nods and Momiko waves her over. Hitomi takes a seat next to the woman on her knees at the traditional low table and sees Momiko had already opened two scrolls and was now working on a third and fourth.
Hitomi felt her interest spike as she examined the already opened scrolls.
"These..." Hitomi frowns, "theses are your clan sealing scrolls!" Her eyes widen and she looks away, "I'm sorry for looking." She says immediately.
"It's alright Hitomi-chan," Momiko chuckles, "I have them out so you can look at them."
Hitomi stares at the woman wide eyed and not understanding, causing Momiko to smile softly,
"You want to learn them right?" She asks.
Hitomi nods slowly.
"Well then, here. It is a secret though, so-"
"Then why are you sharing it with me?" Hitomi frowns.
"Hm," Momiko thinks for a moment, smoothing out the last scroll, "Kushina-chan has been telling me about you for awhile now, Minato-kun as well. I was going to send these through them to you. But, here you are." She smiles widely, "these might be my clans specialty but every now and then we like to share some with outsiders, Minato-kun has been learning quite a few the last few years as well."
Hitomi nods slowly. But still couldn't understand, clans didn't just share information -private information - with anyone... what's the catch? That she can't tell anyone? That hardly seems like a fare trade. But still.. if she was willing to share them, Hitomi couldn't help but be interested. Sealing was only a hobby to her but that didn't mean she wouldn't not use it.
When Kushina returns thirty minutes later, Momiko and Hitomi were bent over scrolls with Hideaki across from them pointing something out that they had either missed or hadn't gotten to. Hideaki quickly dismissed himself seeing his daughter and the two moved to the kitchen.
"That was quick." Kushina greets, glancing back at the young pink haired girl.
"Your mother bribed her with some seal work." Hideaki rolls his eyes, turning the heat up from the low simmer.
"Oh? What does she know?" Kushina questions with another small glance.
Hideaki shrugs, "she has a feeling about the girl, but nothing solid yet. Hence the lower level seal." He tilts his head, "but it's a good thing for now. Momiko already has a couple higher level ones picked out for next time- or perhaps later, who knows?" He shrugs a shoulder again, dicing up the vegetables.
Kushina nods, "but it is good? Nothing bad or weird?"
Hideaki snorts, "nothing bad, but something weird."
"But not bad weird right?" Kushina's frown turns to a worried look.
"No, kiddo, not bad weird." Hideaki agrees.
This time when Kushina glances over she catches Hitomi's eye and gives a bright smile that is quickly returned.
Not a bad weird.. good sign.
Hitomi later found out Aiko was indeed pregnant, and due to give birth in fall. She's already nine weeks in.
Hitomi laughs at that as her and her mother curl up on the couch.
"Nine weeks?" Hitomi shakes her head, "shame on you ka-chan."
"Oh, yes. Shame on me for not knowing I was pregnant." Aiko rolls her eyes, "thank you daughter."
Hitomi smiles, glancing down at her mothers exposed torso. They laid on the couch in their home, Hitomi's head laying on her mothers arm and Hitomi herself laying on her side against her mothers side.
"You don't look pregnant." She pokes her mothers stomach, "do you feel pregnant?"
"Yes," Aiko exclaims in exasperation, placing he hand over Hitomi's and flattening it. "Definitely. It's exhausting... this is where you will be able to feel the baby."
Hitomi stays quiet for a moment before quietly asking, "have you told Jiraiya yet?"
"Hm, not yet." Aiko sighs, "he is still away on his mission. But I'll have to tell him when he gets back."
Hitomi nods, "did the medic ask about the father? Do you have to tell them?"
Aiko shakes her head, "I haven't and I don't have to, but I'm not sure how this works. I wasn't this tired when I was pregnant with you. So if you're right, and the chakra coils are already forming, then that probably means the baby is taking chakra from me. And maybe even those around me... but like I said, I don't know this works, with Jiraiya being so strong and my weak civilian body.." she cuts off with a sigh.
"It will be okay ka-chan." Hitomi snuggles closer.
"I know Hitomi-chan." Aiko agrees softly, "I know."
The days started to fly by, turning into weeks. And Hitomi's schedule became more and more complex. She still did numerous D ranks with her team throughout the week, though the relationships were extremely strained at this point. They still haven't recovered from the fight, they barely even talked to each other, even Hitomi who used to be good at being the peace keeper. Hitomi didn't know what to do about it. She didn't even know why they were fighting in the first place, she just knew that they were fighting, that it happened.
She also still trained with Hamatsu-sensei when he wasn't on a mission, the one on one training was kicking up drastically and it pushed Hitomi to new levels. When Minato was in the village she trained with him, mainly working on seals, but when Kakashi joined in they would cover nearly all subjects.
At least once a week Hitomi would go visit Momiko and Hideaki, they were still working on the basic Uzumaki Sealing Technique. And Hitomi was enjoying every bit of it. She had gotten to the point of comfortablity that she didn't need Kushina there every time, which also made it easier for her to go sometimes multiple times through the week. Even with all of the training and D ranks Hitomi was still able to spend time at Hoshi. Which worked nicely now with her mother being pregnant.
As it turned out Jiraiya was ecstatic to have a child. Super happy. He was giddy after being told and had swept both Aiko and Hitomi into a huge, tight hug and immediately started asking questions about when the baby was due, if they knew the sex yet, had he missed anything important, how far along she is. Aiko had looked as if she was suffering from whiplash, so Hitomi quickly asked to be put down. Once the room stopped spinning, her mother had answered all of his questions calmly before asking her own.
He had seemed genuinely confused when Hitomi and Aiko explained what had been happening to Aiko and after she explained this pregnancy compared to her other the mood mellowed out and Jiraiya had turned serious as he realized the severity of the situation, and promised to do a lot of research on everything.
But all in all, everything started to move smoothly... well not everything. Hitomi still didn't know how to fix her team problems and Hamatsu-sensei didn't seem to be helping either, if anything he's committed to letting them solve their own problems. And while that worked for Hitomi, who knew how to determine the problems and find suitable solutions, the boys didn't know how to do that. Shisui is seven and Kenji is just a normal kid.
Even so, Hitomi left the problems to be worked out by them. She couldn't always be there to save them, no matter how much she wanted to.
The months of her mothers pregnancy started to move quickly, and when she had sat both Hitomi and Jiraiya down in the living room after her fifth month check up Jiraiya was already steeling himself on the inside for something drastically bad. He was preparing himself push aside the pain he just knew he would be deeling to comfort his lover, hopefully they would be able to get through whatever the problem was together, hopefully their child was healthy. Hitomi did the same to a lesser degree, it wouldn't be surprising that something horrendous would happen to them in this happy time in their lives, they were already dealing with other stuff, so of course fate would throw something else their way. So when her mother started to smile warm and bright, standing in front of the two nin who sat on the couch before her Hitomi received whiplash.
"Good news or bad news?" Her mother asks.
Jiraiya and Hitomi exchange a glance, then a shrug.
"Bad news," Jiraiya nods determinedly.
Her mother claps her hands together in front of her, staring Jiraiya in the eyes. "We need another baby name."
Hitomi frowns, a new name? So she found out the gender then? They had a boys name picked out already, so then Hitomi would be getting a baby sister?
"What?.." He frowns, confusion written all over his expression. Then realization dawns on his face, "so it's not a boy then?"
Her mother shakes her head, "no, there is a boy." She giggles, looking very much like she was enjoying this, just as Jiraiya's mouth fell open, Hitomi starts to grin, her mother exclaims, "but there is a girl too... twins!"
There was a silent pause, as it sank into Jiraiya's thick skull. Then Hitomi squeals as she is lifted into a group hug initiated by Jiraiya.
"Twins?!" Jiraiya booms happily, "wow! We sure know how to have babies don't Aiko?"
Her mother laughs, wiggling in Jiraiya's hold to unpin her trapped arms and wrap one around Hitomi and the other around Jiraiya's shoulders. "Yes, yes we do."
"Congratulations!" Hitomi exclaims happily, throwing her arms around them and tightening, "just so you know, Hitomi is a great girls name!"
Unfortunately all of their problems didn't get solved as quickly as Hitomi hoped, the boys couldn't seem to put aside their personal feelings, even when they go on missions. Which led to their first C rank nearly becoming a failure and almost loosing half the team.
"Alright team," Hamatsu-sensei draws the attention with a clap. "This is a C rank, we will be escorting a small group to a village near the border. All we need to do is get them there in one piece. "
Hitomi's mouth tugs down, 'all we need to do...' is a very dangerous saying. Especially considering it was not only outside of the village but near the border.
"Which border?" Hitomi's voice doesn't betray her thoughts to her teammates but her sensei understands her concern.
His voice was unreadable, "Lightning."
Hitomi bites back a grimace, nodding instead as Shisui's eyebrows furrow, picking up the tension. Kenji of course, was oblivious, he probably didn't even know there was strain between the nations.
But Hitomi heard the whispers when she snuck around the jounin and chunin stand by stations and when she walked through the Hokage tower she could hear a whisper or two of the possibility of another war.
Even in Hoshi she learned more than a few things- while her mother did encourage the use of the privacy seals, she didn't force them and sometimes after drinking to much or maybe just an over cocky nin talking about their missions where they took out some infiltraters at the border could be heard among various other things like important letters sent from kage to kage or from the border outposts.
"We will be traveling at civilian pace." Hamatsu-sensei informed much to the boys displeasure, "so we won't be back for a few weeks. Pack accordingly."
Some of it was far fetched rumors but even rumors usually held some sort base line of truth. And that worries Hitomi. She didn't preferably want her village to get caught up in a war but it was starting to seem inevitable. Which the thought in itself was terrifying. That thought had hut her a weeks ago and since then she has been throwing in numerous amounts of training. She needed work all round to get strong enough to protect her team.
Hitomi pulls in a slow breath, opening her eyes she sees that both her teammates had left, no doubt running home to pack for the extended mission they were about to partake on.
Her sensei stared down at her with guarded eyes.
"I can't tell you everything will be alright." He says slowly.
Hitomi looks up at him and smiles, "I know."
At this Hamatsu-sensei raises a hand to ruffle pink hair.
"That doesn't mean we won't try right?"
"Of course." Sensei nods with a toothy grin.
Hitomi practically flew into Hoshi, shaking off the wetness from the sprinkle of rain outside.
"Hitomi." Her mother sighs, placing the waiting shinobi meal on the table and walking towards her.
Hitomi smiles, running forward to wrap her arms around her mothers midsection.
"Because of baka one and baka two we have a C rank." Hitomi tells her, "I won't be back for a few weeks."
"Alright Hitomi, be safe okay." Aiko bends down to kiss Hitomi's forehead, "try to bring the boys back in one piece okay?"
"I'll consider it." Hitomi giggles, pulling away, "depends on how much they annoy me on the way there."
Aiko shakes her head and pats pink hair affectionately.
"Anyways, remember everything while I'm gone! Write it down if you have to! I don't want to miss anything." Hitomi exclaims with a bright smile to which Aiko just nods to, discretely putting her hand over her stomach.
"Bye, ka-chan." Hitomi says softly, backing away.
"See you soon Hitomi-chan."
Packing for a few weeks wasn't as hard as Hitomi used to think it was. That probably had to do with the storage seals Hitomi liked to play with. She tightens her grip on the straps, staring down at the tomb stone in front of her. She had already said a quick prayer and placed new flowers. Normally she would sit and spend time telling Sakumo all the trivial things in her life and Kakashi's. She missed the easy days, where her biggest worry was avoiding Gai or Kakashi, or not getting caught after a prank with Obito. She missed his crazy way of teaching. To get her speed up he had unleashed the quickest dogs in his pack and she had to run for her life. It was the craziest thing Hitomi had ever gone through at the time, but it worked. He was the only one who could do such things and not earn her contempt, so she had vowed to stick with him. Even though his son was a pain to deal with, stuck up and arrogant, Kakashi didn't think like Hitomi. And that wasn't bad, it was annoying, but not bad. Kakashi never purposely did stupid stuff, he didn't understand people's emotions- he didn't understand emotions in the first place.
Hitomi chuckles at where her thoughts have gone, trips down memory lane were gloomy and led her to depressing thoughts. Standing and rearranging her traps once more she gives a cheery smile, vowing to return soon. And with that she was off to the gates, there was a mission that needed to get done.
"This is torture." Kenji grumbles off to the right.
"Shut up bishoujo." Shisui all but growls.
"I have to agree with the Hyuuga," Obito nods, "this is horrible."
"Would you all just shut up." Kakashi exclaims.
"Alright, guys," Rin placates, "let's not fight again."
Oh yeah, sensei forgot to mention that it was a joint mission. Team Hamatsu and team Minato and it was more than just a small group now. No, now it was a caravan. Hamatsu-sensei and Minato were at the front, with the leading wagon- Minato would've been in the back but since he was super fast it didn't matter where he was, he could move in seconds. Kakashi and Hitomi brought up the rear instead, and the other four were separated. Rin and Kenji on the left side of the caravan and the other two on the right. Rin was closer to Minato and Kenji closer to Kakashi, leaving a wide gap of at least thirty feet between each. And the same on the other side, with Obito closer to Hamatsu and Shisui closer to Hitomi.
Hitomi had to nod in approval, it was a clever formation.
Kakashi and Hitomi were the best genin, so they could be so far away from their sensei with no problem. Shisui and Kenji were next, not as good but closer than the other two, and Hitomi and Kakashi would be able to help them should anything occur. Lastly Rin and Obito... they were both weak still, Obito was stronger than Rin but Rin had the excuse of being a medical nin. And while yes, med nins do need to be able to protect themselves, the girl was still pretty young. She had to time to grow, and until then Minato would keep her safe.
"Hey," Kakashi calls, a few feet to her left, "I turned off my comm, let me know if anything important happens?"
Hitomi nods, ignoring the urge to scold him. Comms should never be turned off. But it was understandable. She noticed that she had unconsciously tuned the ensuing argument out. But even with Hitomi listening and both of them watching for trouble, someone could easily take her out and then Kakashi right after. It wasn't a good thing to do. In fact there was probably a rule about it. Hitomi smirks at that, she had a feeling that he wouldn't care about that one rule.
After nearly forty five minutes of arguments between Kenji, Obito and Shisui- Rin had gave up after fifteen minutes- Hitomi was feeling the beginnings of a head ache.
"Aren't Uchiha supposed to be reserved, silent and polite? Formal perhaps? And the Hyuuga for that matter?"
The fighting stopped instantly, and there was radio silence.
The peace and quiet alone was enough to make Hitomi want to moan, the ache in her head ceasing after a few quiet minutes.
The quiet also gave Hitomi a chance to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of the followers that they had gained the day before. She would be surprised if the two jounin didn't already know, so she kept her mouth shut and her senses on high alert for when they would make their move. They were on their supposedly final day of traveling, and should arrive tomorrow early or late afternoon. That was stopping just before dusk so the civilians could set up camp and rest for the evening. Hitomi bit back a sigh. They could arrive tonight if they just pushed through, then the mission could be over and the biggest thing they would have to worry about was getting their group back home in one piece. She had some small inkling that things would not go that smoothly. She didn't know if the group following them was after the caravan or her team, and she wouldn't until they made their move. If the nin were after the caravan and smart, they would wait until the squad protecting them left. But if they were after her squad and smart, they would attack now, while the nin would be distracted protecting the innocents. And if they weren't smart they would attack soon for what ever stupid reason that Hitomi couldn't fathom.
Minato's voice crackles to life over the radio, "Kakashi."
Hitomi flashes a sign to Kakashi immediately, and he flicks his comm on quickly.
"Yes?"
"We're about to stop for the night, when we do, you and Hitomi make rounds." Minato says, his voice a tad tighter than normal. That made Kakashi's neck muscles tense, and that was the only change, Hitomi noticed, and inwardly applauded his inscrutable countenance.
"Hai, sensei." Kakashi nods, looking to Hitomi from the corner of his eyes, her lips twitched up and that was all she gave.
No more conversation ensued until Hamatsu-sensei announced that it was time to settle down. With that Hitomi and Kakashi shot into the woods silently, for an eight year old and a nine year old Hitomi liked to think that they made a pretty good team. And maybe not now, but one day they could be a deadly duo. She smirks at that, earning a slight eyebrow raise from Kakashi that she just shook her head in response to.
He stared a second longer before letting it go and with standard coded signing, he asked how many there were.
She shrugs, four, maybe five.
Maybe?
Hitomi didn't know how she knew that he was asking incredulously, but she did.
Alright so there's five. She responds, wanting to roll her eyes.
Level? He signs, a dark look crossing his black gaze.
Three chunin, one jounin, the last is hiding pretty well so possibly elite jounin.
And if you didn't think there was a difference between jounin and elite jounin, you are so mistaken.
How far? Any signs of movement? He questions.
Sixteen kilometers. She responded with a small look, no movement yet, they have been holding that distance all day.
After that they set a perimeter and Kakashi summoned his pack to keep a constant guard. Young, but talented, Pakkun was the only one to stay by Kakashi's side, the rest went to patrol.
When they returned both sensei had a hard look in their eyes, meaning that they had probably been discussing options for their currently possible situation. Six genin and forty civilians, and the two jounin had to keep them all safe and breathing. Stressful indeed.
"Good work you two." Minato says after they finished filling in what they had gathered. "Eat and rest, Hamatsu and I will take full watch tonight."
Hitomi's dark eyes found molten gold, a silent 'you sure?' echoing between them.
Hamatsu smiles in response, pulling her close and ruffling her hair.
Even though the familiar gesture would usually settle Hitomi, she couldn't shake the feeling inside her gut.