(Hinata's Dreams of the Past)

(6 years ago, Akamizu Park)

Hinata watched as Naruto and his friend practiced their shuriken throwing on the park's target log. The hooded boy, Shino, if she had his name right, often got the better of his blond peer, but there was a steady improvement from the boy she…wished to befriend.

They laughed, and would often play here most days, where a nearby stream and woods provided ample fish and camping grounds.

Perhaps if she reached out to him, to them, they would maybe, possibly….

"Hey, Shino, I'm gonna go find some sticks to make some poles," Naruto yelled out to his friend.

"Go ahead. I'll clean up and meet you at our regular spot." Shino responded, waving him off.

She had missed it. Her chance to introduce herself, and maybe, just maybe make a new friend or two. It was par the course really. This wasn't the first time she had watched from afar, nor the first time she had chickened out. As she watched Naruto run off across a hill, she wondered if she would do better next time.

Then she saw it. Shino's waving form broke down into a cloud of small bugs that quickly dispersed.

*Kssiiink!*

Hinata froze as the familiar sound of iron cutting through air stopped mere inches from her neck.

"Who are you? Name yourself," Shino's voice said from behind her, his other hand now holding onto her shoulder.

"I-I I-I'm I."

"Tsk!" Impatience in his voice, Shino spun her around. "Oh, wait. You're that Hyuga Princess, aren't ya?"

Hinata's face began to redden.

"Why are you spying on us? You didn't fall in love with me, didja?"

Hinata's face continued to heat up. She had to explain. Nip this in the bud before a misunderstanding spiraled out of control.

"No, I-,"

"Nah, that wouldn't make sense. You couldn't have fallen in love with me unless you saw my handsome face. And I never show that…which means…,"

No…no he couldn't know. Yet her now cherry-red cheeks gave away any hopes she had of hiding her secret.

"You have a crush on fishsticks, huh?" Shino said, his voice giving away his elation. "Aw, that's a riot. Hey, how about I-OOF!"

Hinata never got to finish hearing what he might have said, since she proceeded to push the Aburame down and began to run as if her life depended on it.

This was terrible. Shino Aburame was the worst!

(Three years ago, Konoha Academy Field)

It was recess and somehow Hinata had gotten roped into a circle of other girls who had, well, decided to play a game amongst themselves.

"So, who do you like? Huh, Hinata?" Akane Tenchi asked.

"Oh, well. I…um…," Hinata hesitated to give an answer. She often avoided these games because of how mean-spirited they could be. There was only one supremely right answer in this circle; Sasuke Uchiha. If any girl said otherwise, it came as no surprise when their crush was suddenly informed, perhaps embarrassingly, to the humiliation of the girl who had thought she was entrusting her secret to close friends.

She didn't like Sasuke, not like that at least. If she confessed that it was in fact Naruto, Hinata had little doubt he would hear about it. And then what? He had already announced his love for Sakura Haruno (much to her jealousy). How crushing would it be to be rejected before she had a chance to express her feelings properly? To let Naruto know just how much she…wished to be like him.

"C'mon, you can't lie, Hinata," another girl said.

"Yeah, we all told each other, including you, who our crushes were."

"I…I-I," she began. But dare she actually voice it?

"It's me," a familiar boy's voice said from across their circle. It was Shino Aburame, who had somehow stealthily become the eleventh member of their group without notice.

"Awww, who invited him!" "Bug-brains!"

"Gross!" "Were you listening in, perv?"

"Weirdo!" "Bug-breath!"

"Ladies ladies, please," Shino said, holding his hands up. "If you wanted to confess your deep undying loves for me, all you needed to do was write me a letter and form an orderly line at my shoebox. I promi-"

"Let's get out of here girls," Akane said, her friends falling in line as they walked away from Shino, noses turned up.

"Pfft. Tough crowd."

Hinata was the last to walk away, staring quizzically at the boy who had come to her rescue…or had he?

She couldn't see his mouth, but something told her he was smiling underneath the collar of his jacket.

Hinata made her way to him and prepared herself to make a deep bow of gratitude. "Th-Thank you Shino-sa-"

"Your secret is safe with me," he replied casually, "I won't tell anyone about your feelings for," he looked both ways, "you know who."

Hinata's face reddened as she scurried off. Even when he came to her rescue, he teased her. As she followed after her friends, she took one look back to see her savior offer her a thumbs-up.

Shino Aburame…was ok.

(Yesterday, Team Orientation-Konoha Academy)

Hinata was crushed. Felt dead inside. Broken. Naruto's first kiss was with…Sasuke. She had seen it all. Bakura, turning around and accidentally pushing Naruto, lip first, into…into…something that should have been hers. And if that wasn't enough.

"BWAHAHAHAH!" Shino laughed, with a fair few chuckles added by the rest of the Fools and other members of this year's graduates. "So, how long's this been going on, eh? Funny way of telling all the ladies here you two are spoken for."

"Shut it!" Naruto and Sasuke yelled in unison. Each boy spitting in the air as if the act could cleanse their tongues.

"Na! Ru! To!" Sakura began angrily, echoing the sentiments of her fellow Kunoichi. "You'll pay for that you…you!"

"I-It's not like that Sakura, It was an accident."

"Oi, Naruto," Shino said from his seat at the top rafters, "Is she really the one you should be apologizing to?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

No. No. No. What was Shino trying to do? He turned toward her then and gave her a fist pump in front of the ENTIRE class. Luckily, Hinata was surrounded by every other angered girl in the room, who took his gesture as a taunt toward themselves. His dark glasses masking whom his eyes were staring at…her.

Oh, Shino! Why can't you just!…..just!

(Academy - Present)

"….mmmh stop bullying me…Shino-san…," Hinata mumbled.

Kiba stopped fanning the young Hyuga princess with his notebook to give his teammate a questioning look.

"I have no idea what she's on about," Aburame said, arms raised, "probably some kinda bad dream?"

"Uh-huh."

"We were talking the entire time. You saw her just get up and start babbling to herself. Don't pin this on me?"

"Arf!"

"I don't want to hear it from you either, dog," Shino shot back.

"Well if we don't wake her up soon, we're gonna look like idiots when our Jonin instructor walks in."

"Agreed," Shino assented.

"Still. Kinda weird for her to get up and choose now of all days to lose her mind."

"Arf! Arf! Grrrrrrr!"

"You think so too, boy?"

"Taking it at face value, for her to act out like that is far outside the realm of normal," Shino began before pausing to think, "do you remember anything about what she said?"

Kiba gave it a thought. Smartest in class he may not be, but no one ever accused him of being unobservant. "A name," he finally settled on. "I think she mentioned a name. I'm not sure I picked it up though. Yuhai…I think?"

"Yuhi," Shino corrected as he furled his brows deep in thought. "It's clear Hinata here wasn't talking to herself when she fainted. Or at least didn't think she was."

"You think someone put her to sleep? Someone's trying to mess with us?"

"Arf!"

"...No…and yes," Shino replied, "I think our little Princess fainted from embarrassment rather than some kind of attack. But someone most certainly is messing with us. Unfortunately, we won't know more until Hinata wakes up."

"That could take forever!" Kiba groaned.

"No…not if true loves kiss awakens her."

"What are you on abou-,"

"Yipe!"

Shino didn't wait to explain before he swiped up Akamaru from the floor and placed Kiba's pet next to Hinata's sleeping visage.

"I doubt there's a better way to wake up than a few puppy licks to the face. Go crazy, Akamaru!"

"Tsk!" Kiba wanted to tell his friend off and get a bucket of water. But they were wasting enough time as it was. "Just do it, buddy."

With his master's permission, Akamaru began to let loose wet laps on Hinata's cheeks and chin to immediate results.

"Mmmm no…Naru-" but Hinata's mumblings were cut off by Shino's lightning-fast palm being placed over her mouth, an act which finally fully awoke the dazed kunoichi.

Hinata immediately shuffled onto her back against a desk, face beet red. "I-I H-How long was I-,"

"Chill out, Hinata," Shino tried to console, "It's only been a little over five minutes or so. You good?"

"Arf? Arf?"

"You see," Kiba added, "even Akamaru was worried."

Standing up and taking several deep breaths, Hinata regained her composure. Though her cheeks remained somewhat flushed with lingering embarrassment.

"Sumimasen. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you two."

"Arf!"

"You three," she corrected.

"It's no big deal, Hinata. Rather, we're just glad you're all right. Is there anything you remembered from just before you fainted? You looked like you were talking to someone?"

"I…thought I was talking to Ms. Yuhi."

"Who's that?" Kiba asked.

"Well, I…um..I think she's our Jonin Instructor."

"But we're supposed to be meeting our Instructor today?" Kiba added. "How do you know who she is? Let alone that she's supposed to be our Jonin?"

"Well I um, met her yesterday." Hinata explained, "She visited our home yesterday to meet me, and I um…thought she probably met you two…as well."

"You remember anything?" Shino asked Kiba.

"Nah. Was out most of yesterday after we split up. If anyone came for me, no one said anything?"

"Hmm," Shino hummed aloud, deep in thought, "same goes for me. Yuhi…it sounds familiar though. I'm sure I've heard that name before. Do you know her full name, Hinata?"

"Y-Yes. I believe it was Kurenai Yuhi," she replied. "Oh, and one more thing," Hinata added before pulling out a handkerchief. "She left this with me yesterday. I meant to…return it to her."

"Well, I suppose that proves she exists. Still…I can't help feeling I've heard that name before. That said, I guess going on what we know so far, we can assume you were put under some kind of genjutsu."

Smart, Kiba thought. Leave it to bug-boy to think things through that far.

"Of course, just knowing her name and what she did to Hinata doesn't explain the why of it," Shino said after a minute of thinking, "Hinata, was there anything she said while you were under he genjutsu?"

"Oh yes. Um…she mentioned that our test had already begun and that we had until tomorrow to find her. Whether we actually become shinobi would depend on whether we find her or not…"

"Geez, you couldn't have mentioned that earlier!" Kiba chided.

"Leave off her, Kiba. She's just got back up and we needed to sort this out anyway. Besides, it's not like we've wasted much time."

"And what's this about a test, anyhow? I thought we already graduated! Now we're being sent on a goose-chase!" Kiba yelled, hackles rising.

"Calm down. What's been said has been said. The only thing left for us now is to pass this test like any other challenge that's been set before us. If my theory is right, there's a good reason they're doing this."

"A good reason? What do you mean, Shino?" Hinata asked.

"Think about it. In total there were 19 graduating teams this year, meaning at least 57 students made it to Genin. I've never heard of that many junior ninjas being active, ever. Which means that the Academy likely always cuts the dead weight loose if they don't have what it takes to make it in the Shinobi world. I'm willing to bet we aren't the only ones being tested."

"Cheh!" This is so dumb, Kiba thought. Leave it to brainiac to figure out what the grown-ups have planned.

"Do you think the others also have to find their Senseis, Shino-san?" Hinata asked.

"No reason to think they should. I can't think of any other team as specialized in tracking as we are…or should be. My guess is that every Jonin instructor is testing their Genin in their own special way. Best we don't dwell on them and focus on accomplishing our own test. After all, we're all aiming to be true Shinobi, aren't we?"

Kiba was surprised to be nodding at the same time as Hinata, a firm resolve now in her eyes.

Guess she's not just a wallflower, after all, he thought. He'd have never said it out loud but Kiba had initially somewhat begrudged being placed in the same team as the timid kunoichi. A feeling that had only strengthened when she had fainted earlier. Looking at her now, he saw a strength in her that hadn't been there before.

"Wait a minute," Kiba realized, "we don't have anything to go on. We could be outside all day trying to pick up clues to find this lady!"

"Not necessarily," Shino replied. "We know she must be prominent in genjutsu, and was good enough to target Hinata and bypass us, which means she must have been somewhere close."

"Somewhere close could mean outside, every other room on this floor, the next floor, the roof!"

"Yes," Shino conceded, "however…," he began before walking toward Hinata and taking the handkerchief she was holding, "we have a clue."

(Roughly an hour later - Present)

Kurenai Yuhi, Kurenai Yuhi, the name was so very familiar to Shino's ears, yet he couldn't place a face to it. Had he heard it in passing? He felt he should know it, and yet…nothing.

It was bad luck that Hinata had washed the cloth, but there was enough of a lingering scent remaining that Akamaru and Kiba hadn't had too much trouble finding additional clues, and there were more clues.

This woman was good. They had initially followed her scent only to have it lead to the roof of high rise building across from the academy, where they had found kunai with more of her scent, a peculiar perfume.

Following that trail had led them to a cafe, where, according to the owner, a woman matching Kurenai's description (corroborated by Hinata) had just been dining. Except, that hadn't been the case, because according to one of the waitresses, the owner had been serving an empty seat the entire time. Genjutsu.

So, reevaluating their steps, they realized the kunai had likely been a false trail, and thus they retraced their steps…TO THE RESTAURANT ACROSS THE STREET! She had been watching them the entire time.

This…bitch! Shino scolded himself. She's good. She's got experience dealing with Kikaichu and throwing off scents.

Another four hours and a dozen false leads later and the sunlight was beginning to wane, but they were getting close. Shino could feel it.

They were now standing in the attic of the Konoha Village Library, staring at a note that had been written by their wayward Jonin instructor, and placed on a dusty desk.

If you've made it this far, congratulations. Go no further and rest. Tomorrow your true test begins. Hidden in this room you will find all that you need to know, that is, if you have the eyes to see. Sometimes the greatest challenge that will face you is the knowledge that you'll be expected to sacrifice for the betterment of those around you. Sometimes, that choice comes more quickly than we expect. Find what must be found. Then make your decision amongst yourselves. I refuse to make the choice for you.

This too, is the way of Shinobi.

"What the hell is she on about?" Kiba said having finished reading the note.

"I-It doesn't sound good. It sounds like she expects us to make some sort of choice."

"Yeah," Shino concurred, "and not an easy one." He had a bad feeling about this.

"What did she mean by finding all we'd need to know here?" Kiba asked.

"...eyes to see,"

"Oh! I know!" Hinata said excitedly activating her Byakugan.

Smart, Shino thought. He had suspected the note had hinted at much the same thing. "See anything?"

"Um, actually, yes." She said, "There's a folder taped underneath the table."

She's not exactly going through a lot of trouble to hide things anymore. Should I take that as a sign?

Shino reached down to untape the manila folder Hinata had found. It was etched with the symbol of Konoha, the kind which was used for official documents at the Academy and Hokage's office. Shino had a bad feeling.

Opening the folder, he took out the document as both his teammates stood at his side and began to read.

Be advised that it is the opinion of the Village council as well as the Third Hokage; Sarutobi Hiruzen, that due to a continued lack in the quality of previous years' graduates, effective measures to counteract this degradation in the quality of our country's Shinobi is to be enacted effective immediately.

These countermeasures are as follows:

All three-man teams consisting of three Genin and one Jonin instructor are to be reduced to two-man teams consisting of two Genin and one Jonin instructor.

All excess Genin are to immediately be sent back to Konoha Academy to be reevaluated on whether they have the skills or will be able to achieve skills in accordance with new Shinobi standards.

We understand that this new change in policy has come abruptly, but it is the opinion of the Hokage and his advisors that Jonin in charge of these more compact squads will better be able to give these youth the attention they deserve and forge them into Ninja truly capable of highlighting the strength and prestige of not only our village but the Land of Fire itself.

Kurenai Yuhi. You are to evaluate this year's graduates from the three students assigned to you, and by the appropriate means you choose, send one back for reevaluation effective…

Shino didn't bother reading the rest of the document, ignoring his teammates' devastated faces.

Holy shit, he thought. I might actually be able to quit!

Author's Notes:

Detective work was kind of rushed here, but thats because I realized I could probably write, like, two more chapters on just the crew looking for clues. Like Zoinks guys, thats not what you all wanna read, is it?

Also, someone on FF said Shino reminded them of Ichigo Kurosaki. Not sure where they're getting it, but it made me happy. That is all.

Please read, review, and leave a like. Or whatever. It's all angsty wordsauce anyways.