I love this chapter, kami it sets me up so freaking well!

"Sure, I'll take her on." Hana started, making Hinata grin with shock and disbelief. Her dreams so close to the surface.

"But why me?" She asked, unable to stop herself.

Hana leaned down, warm as the summer sun. "I saw the recording of your fight with Neji, you've got skill kid. I know from Kiba how strong you are, how dependable and great. Plus, Mika is your new mentor. The kid has a scarily potent reputation, if he says you are good then you are good. That we need more medics, especially Hyuuga medics, helps. There are a lot of reasons."

Mika beamed while Hinata started to cry, so unused to any kindness. "I will be helping her a lot, but I would like her to get full vet training. Combat training is going to be huge. Medical training will only help her mind, giving her the uplift of success. The rest is to mold her skills to where they need to be. She can be as good as I am, easily."

Hana turned to him, and Hinata saw curiosity in her eyes. "You don't think girls are weaker?"

"Not in the slightest, we just live in a society that doesn't promote your strengths. They tend to force girls into brooding mother roles, that's all. I took Hinata to you because you are one of the best vets and your combat skills are high. I think you could beat me, and I rarely say that."

"You bet your ass I could." They all laughed." Hinata, I expect you to come here eight hours a day,... Mika when do you work in the hospital?"

"Monday, Wednesday, Friday From eight to four."

"Good, then Hinata will come here then. That will give me time to train her in healing and combat."

Hinata squeaked out. " Thank you."

Hana's smile softened. "You are very welcome... Mika, I need to asses her chakra control and overall powers, wanna stay for that?"

Mika nodded. "Sure, but first Neji needs to come out."

Neji, who was hiding by a tree, stepped out. " How?"

"I felt your presence when we left, it wasn't hard to figure out. Now you spy on us easier for Hiashi."

"I am here for you actually... you said I was predictable, I need to fix that." His eyes, earnest and desperate, shocked Hinata. She had never seen that look on Neji's face, not even with Her father started to train with him a few days prior.

Mika was suddenly behind Neji, startling the boy and even Hana. "I wonder what Price I could get out of this?" His tone was odd, scaring Hinata, it was warm and cold and almost a purr.

Neji went red, brighter than Naruto's clothes. "What do you want?" Her cousin almost squeaked, it made Hianta giggle despite herself.

Mika turned, on a dime, to his normal almost apathetic self. " A sparring partner. What did you think I wanted?

Neji almost collapsed. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to see if you still had the stick up your ass, besides you're pretty. It was fun."

Her cousin was even brighter now.

Hana was cackling. "I gotta say, never seen a blushing Hyuuga or anyone openly flirting with one."

Mika just winked at her. "I do what I please. Now, onto training. I am getting paid, I might as well do what I am supposed to."

;;;;

To Mika's joy, Hinata had chakra control surpassing most Medics, himself included. Surpassing even Neji's actually, the boy openly admitted that. She had a broad understanding of a variety of fields that helped her future education. Her skills in combat were in fact jonin level, as Mika had guessed. She just needed more confidence and speed and strength to fully capitalize. Her sense of strategy needed a lot of help, she was too used to the Hyuuga frontal attack, Mika vowed to work on that fast.

Overall, the girl had insane potential, and Mika would help her reach it, even if her dear daddy wasn't paying him... the money was just an added bonus. That he had Neji as a tangential ally only helped him all the more, pushing him closer to his goals.

His only worry was when that Danzo made popped up, something that haunted him with every step...

"Mika..." Hinata asked him as they walked away from the compound. "What do you get out of this? It is just money?"

Turning to her, he grabbed her hand. "I get a friend, which I have never had. I get a sparring buddy, which I really need. I get better allies in the Leaf. The money will help me establish a base of personal power, to accomplish my dreams. I always needed allies, but now it is in my path to make them and use them to create the path I desire. Simple really." He smiled at her. "I get a real friend, I do want you to be my friend. Are you willing?"

She beamed. "Please."

He grabbed Neji's hand, getting a blush once more. "Same for you, handsome."

"Will you continue to flirt?"

"Always."

The boy sighed. "Fine... I really do need to get over my predictability. You bested me easily, I cannot have that."

And like that, an odd peace settled over Mika, one he could never expect. He felt connected, more whole and a hell of a lot happier.

Smiling at Neji, Mika cackled. "If you really wanna get stronger, try evasion training. I can help with that?"

Neji actually whimpered at his tone and Mika knew he actually had friends and allies, something he never saw in his future.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a joy to write.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.