Genin teams Hinata didn't remember left the classroom one at the time, but Hinata had a feeling they'd be back in the academy soon. The Hyuuga heir waited patiently, trying not to think she'd never step foot there ever again. She was sitting next to Tsubane and Shino. The three of them were silent. Since they were all introverts, that meant Hinata didn't know what to talk about or how to approach anything she did want to talk about. She didn't really know how to make the conversation without letting slip the obvious that she knew who her teammates were. Not only had she lived this moment before in what felt an eternity ago and so close at the same time, but Kurenai sensei had met with her father about a week ago. Unless her team had been changed, she knew what to expect.
This time, at least, Hiashi didn't just give Hinata to Kurenai saying to do whatever she wanted with her. She had not lost a fight against Hanabi. In fact, she didn't even have to fight Hanabi at all. Hinata still lacked a bit of confidence, but it was nowhere near her first life. She was a much better fighter this time. Took training more seriously, and wasn't scared of hurting Neji. Her cousin was still miles away ahead of her, but he helped her a lot in improving. And it was not because he was tasked to do it, but because he really loved his cousin like a sibling. And to be fair, Hinata liked Neji just as much as Hanabi.
Asuma collected his Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and then Tsubane stood up because Yamato was calling her, with Arashi and Sai. Only team 7 and 8 were remaining now, but Iruka was in front of them, they couldn't reminisce about their past life.
"Hey Hinata, how late do you think our sensei will be?" Naruto said.
Hinata blushed. Naruto, after all those years, still had the same effect on her body. She felt her legs go numb and shaking, and she was grateful she was sitting.
"I don't-don't think she'll be la-late."
Talking in front of groups, or Naruto, still made her stutter. At least, other than that, she had built enough self-confidence to get through it and act like everyone else and not a shy little child.
"We all know whose sensei will be late, though!" Kiba teased.
Hinata growled on the inside. Iruka couldn't know they were time-travelers, but now he would suspect Kiba knew who team seven's sensei was.
A woman finally entered the room, and Hinata's smile grew wide. Kurenai sensei. She immediately stood up, before sensei even had the time to tell her name, or call out her genin.
"Hinata, Kiba and Shino, follow me please."
Shino seemed to have been waiting for the official signal. Other than Hinata who knew which sensei she had gotten, everyone else didn't know if they'd have the same sensei. They had three more students than their previous life in their classroom, and it was not the same Hokage that chose the teams. What Hiruzen thought was a good idea could have been different from Minato's decisions. Especially since their attitudes are different from how they were in their previous lives, at this point in time. But it turns out either Minato had the same thought process as Hiruzen, or someone greatly influenced his choices.
Kurenai led them to a training ground close to the Inuzuka compound. Akamaru's tail moved constantly, as the puppy seemed very happy to see Kurenai. Hinata wondered if he had his previous memories. After all, when they returned back in time, he was not born yet. Was it the same Akamaru? She never had the chance to ask Kiba about it.
"Can you please tell me a bit about yourself before we start training?" Kurenai sensei said.
The woman didn't know them. It was normal she asked to talk more about themselves. She probably had only their academy files, but it didn't say much about their personalities, and what they liked or not.
"Sure! I'll go first!" Kiba immediately said, and it was exactly what Hinata and Shino had in mind. "Inuzuka Kiba. This is my puppy Akamaru, together, we make the best team! I want to be Hokage one day, so we need to get very strong together. I'd like to be the next clan head as well."
Hinata noticed Kurenai was biting her lips, one eyebrow lifted. She didn't look impressed by his dream at all. Hinata doubted Kiba would achieve it as well.
"I'm Hyuuga Hinata. I'm the next clan head. Don't tell my father and elders, but without getting into the details, I'd like to stop a rule in our clan. My goal is also becoming stronger, so father is proud of me."
Maybe she said too much, but she couldn't see Neji sacrifice himself a second time. Hopefully, they were far enough from the Hyuuga compound or one of her family members so that her dream wouldn't get to her clan's ears before she decided to take action.
Shino talked as well, but it was nothing Hinata hadn't heard before. They knew each other so well. They even knew Kurenai, even if she had no clue. Her team would have to watch what they'd say to her. Any hints they knew her on a deeper level than what she's told them, and she'd see right through it. Kiba was the one more at risk to slip up and say something he shouldn't, because he talked all the time. Hinata surprised herself by wondering if Kurenai already felt something for Asuma. Not that she would ask!
"I'm Yuuhi Kurenai. I'll be your jonin sensei. My goal is to make you strong ninjas. Our team is a tracking team, so your clan's abilities will be of use."
She didn't mention she was a genjutsu specialist. She'd probably let the genin figure it out by themselves by trapping them into one during training at some point. Hinata knew better than that. She had trained dismissing simple genjutsu already. Who knew, maybe Kurenai would teach her some?
Kurenai instructed them to fight together against her. It was obvious the woman would go easy on them. She probably just wanted to see how they did individually in a battle, as well as together.
Kiba was the first to attack Kurenai, impatient to start. And suddenly, he couldn't move.
"Hey! Did you trap me in a genjutsu? Why can't I move?"
Kurenai looked impressed. "Woah, you picked it up quick, impressive. Now get out of it!"
Hinata activated her Byakugan and came closer to Kurenai to try to spar with her. She wanted to know how Kurenai would hold up against taijutsu now, which admittedly has been improved on greatly .
"Shino, can you help free Kiba and then help me out?"
Akamaru tried biting one of Kurenai's ankles. Kiba freed himself and joined as well, in his usual acting before thinking method. They fought for about half an hour before Kurenai stopped them. She then tasked them to find her.
"What do you mean? Kiba asked.
But Kurenai didn't answer and suddenly disappeared. There they started their tracking part of training. Hinata still had her Byakugan activated, but her sensei simply disappeared without leaving a trace.
"Shino, by any chance, do you have a bug on her? Kiba, do you smell her scent?"
"She is not anywhere close, but I think I can smell her going north," Kiba admitted.
"Indeed. One of my bugs got stuck in her dress and couldn't free itself, I guess I'll use it now. Let's follow and when we get closer, Hinata, you'll be able to tell us exactly where she is."
Hinata nodded. She followed the boys up front. When Kiba gave her the signal, she scanned the area. Kurenai was sitting in a café, something in her hand, chatting with another woman. Hinata thought she recognized her as Anko, but it could be a false memory from her past.
"The place right over there."
They entered the shop. Kurenai didn't see them, busy eating a dango, but her friend did.
"I had hoped we'd catch up longer than that, but apparently your students are good."
Kurenai turned around to Akamaru barking. Hinata could bet he meant, "Found you!"
"Oh, you found me quickly. Well, in this case, I'll treat you to some dango. Anko, sorry, we'll finish our chat later, I guess."
The other woman laughed, and then stared at them, frowning. "Hyuuga, Inuzuka and Aburame, am I right?"
Hinata nodded. Kurenai had a big smile. "Not to brag, but Lord Fourth gave me three children of clan heads for my squad. Hinata and Shino should be next in line, actually."
The Inuzuka clan didn't work exactly like the other clans that had the first born be the heir. It had something to do with challenging the clan head and winning. Kiba's mother was the current heir. But even if his clan was like the others, Kiba was the second born in his family, so Hana would have been the heir.
Hinata accepted the food Kurenai offered. The four of them chatted and Hinata felt like she was home. Just like old times, before the war happened. Before Kurenai retired because she was pregnant. Hinata hoped that in this timeline, there wouldn't be any war, that if Kurenai and Asuma were to have their child, they'd raise them together. She just needed to make sure with her team and Team 10 that their respective sensei actually started dating at some point, because even though she's trying to prevent the bad things from happening, she didn't want the good things to not happen as a result of messing with time.