Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden or any characters aside from my OCs.
Team Kakashi and Team Gai had returned from their emergency mission in Sunagakure. Asahina had been informed of their intended return by the Hokage herself so, with nothing else to do in her pregnant state, she had risen early to greet them at the gate. The gate guards, Kotetsu and Izumo, kept her company until the storm of dust that was Gai and his student, Lee, racing their way to the village came into view.
"Oh?" Asahina's squinted her eyes at the two figures only to find that there was a third body among the mess that was the cloud of dirt coming towards them, "Is that…?"
"Kakashi-san?" Izumo chuckled, having spotted the very same thing, "Yes it is."
"What are they doing at their age?" Kotetsu snickered, "Playing piggyback?"
"FIRST PLACE!" Gai screeched to a stop just inside the village gates, the copy ninja dangling off his back at an odd angle that just screamed for help.
"SECOND!" Lee shouted as he made a close finish, "Next time I will try harder to be first!"
"Well, Lee, I hate to break it to you but I have some bad news." Gai said dramatically, "You did not come in second! You finished in third place! I have Kakashi on my back so technically, he came in second! Kakashi, you're a lucky man."
On the sidelines, the other members of their team that had returned just behind the intense racers were grumbling about their ridiculous level of intensity.
The gate guards and Asahina simply pretended not to know the embarrassing men that just ran at a breakneck pace into the village. Her lover's hospital admission was guaranteed so instead of being caught with the embarrassing pair, Asahina made her way to the hospital ahead of them to wait.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Yui was sitting in the sparring room, one day, waiting for her turn to spar with a talented member of the Root when she was called away by a lesser member. In the center of their underground base, at the four-way crossroads of the chambers, Danzo and Sai awaited her arrival.
"Kyrie." Danzo said with an air of finality, "I am giving you a mission as well. Starting tomorrow, Sai will be out on a mission for the sake of the village. He will be joining Team Kakashi as they travel out to Tenchi Bridge to meet with a spy in Orochimaru's ranks. Their goal is to find and retrieve Uchiha Sasuke, who abandoned this village nearly three years ago. Sai's duty is to infiltrate Orochimaru's lair and assassinate Sasuke. You, Kyrie, will follow them in secret. Your mission is the protection of Uzumaki Naruto. Tsunade has given the jinchuuriki permission to go on this mission but Konoha is not in a position where we can afford to lose our only jinchuuriki. Along with the fact that the Akatsuki is hunting him, Orochimaru will pose a threat if Naruto should want to take Sasuke away from him. Should Sai fail to kill Uchiha Sasuke and Team Kakashi starts to give chase, you will bring Uzumaki Naruto back to the village at all costs."
"Yes sir." She replied.
For the first time since she had met him, Sai turned a smile onto her, "I'm counting on you, Kyrie."
From under her mask, Yui's expression hardened, "What is that?"
"Oh?" He blinked at her, his expression returning to that blank and empty one he normally wore, "That was a smile. Couldn't you tell? I read in a book that this is the way to greet people that you're working with. They'll like you more if you smile enough."
"I don't think that's the way it's done in Konoha." She responded warily, "I have never seen my teammates make such a valueless upward motion of their lips. You are simply forcing your lips upward using your facial muscles. A real smile is done with the eyes."
"Is that so?" He tested his smile, closing his eyes along the way, "Well if you can't see my eyes then I can pass."
She shrugged. She wouldn't know. Yui was never one to smile much anyways but from what she had seen during her time with Team Asahina, a real smile was done with the entire face not just with the mouth. Or perhaps the emotions were just different.
"Kyrie." Sai brought her attention back to him, "I also read that it's common for men to joke amongst themselves about the size of their penis. Is that correct?"
Thinking back, Yui could remember a few times when Kakashi or Saizo Kai had told lewd jokes for the fun of it, "I suppose."
"And I read that women like to hear a man's honest feelings. Is that true?"
"Hm. For example?"
"If I were to tell you that your mask is plain, would you like that?"
She shrugged, "That's a fact, isn't it?"
"Ahem." Danzo cleared his throat, motioning for them to leave, "Continue your conversation elsewhere."
"Yes sir." They chorused and continued down the hall discussing the interactions of normal people.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Kai had always thought that the Chunin Exams were torture, having taken it twice before earning his promotion, but that wasn't necessarily the case when he had taken his place as a proctor of the exams. He enjoyed watching the genin groups squirm under the pressure of the tests. It was easy to see who was worthy of passing on through each stage of the exam.
When the first exam came to an end, he passed on the data and group of successful participants to Shikamaru. Freed from further duties, Kai did what he always happened to do when he had just been given free time. He snooped for information on Hyuga Kori, his jonin teammate, and happened across her protective and strict brother.
"Geh." Kai rolled his eyes the minute he spotted the Hyuga Clan's genius just outside their home, "You have the worst timing."
"Saizo." Neji's eyes narrowed on the Saizo Clan's heir, shutting the front gate, "My sister can't see you today."
"Yeah... " He snorted, sarcasm dripping, "I'd like to ask her myself, thanks."
As if on cue, the younger Hyuga rushed out of the gates with messy hair and all, "Oh. Saizo! A mission?"
Shifting a glare back and forth between the siblings, he grumbled, "No."
"Then I'll have to ask you to come back later." She smiled sheepishly, "We've got business with the Main Branch."
Kai scowled. It couldn't be helped but judging by the look on her face, she had been wishing for a mission to come her way for some reason or another. But who was he to stick his nose into her clan's business? Hunching his shoulders, he turned to make his way home with a quiet promise that he would return the next day.
Having lost his purpose for the day, he wandered aimlessly down the streets looking for something to entertain him. Entertainment was sent his way in the form of Toshizo, who called out to him as he continued his destinationless walk.
"Kai-san!" The wannabe puppet master waved his arm cheerily in greeting, "Are you busy?"
The blond groaned audibly, "Why do I get stuck with you?"
"Huh? I didn't even say anything yet." Toshizo grumbled, already used to the cold way that the jonin treated everyone other than Kori.
"But I already know what you're going to say." Kai grumbled, snagged the muscular chunin's elbow and dragged him towards the end of the village where their usual training grounds awaited them, "I'm in a bad mood so don't expect me to hold back."
He laughed at the response, "I suppose I won't improve unless you come at me with one hundred percent."
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
The Hyuga Clan is one of Konoha's Four Noble Clans. The kekkei genkai, Byakugan, passed down through the generation is their defining feature and most useful asset. The power to see deep into the inner workings of the chakra network combined with the Gentle Fist style that inflicts internal damage to the chakra pathways makes the Hyuga Clan one of the most powerful families in the Leaf Village.
The clan is split into two parts, the Main Branch, that runs the clan and protects its secrets, and the Side Branch, that serves as the protectors of the Main Branch. The members of the Side Branch are all to bear the seal that would seal away the Byakugan at death, preserving the secrets of the Hyuga Clan's kekkei genkai. The second, darker purpose of the seal is to control the members of the Side Branch due to the fact that it can be activated at the will of the members of the Main Branch.
All Side Branch Hyuga's that inherit the kekkei genkai are branded with the seal and yet, there is one special case. One member of the Hyuga Clan's lesser branch has yet to receive her seal. There were dozens of attempts at getting the seal in place but for some reason or another, it was impossible for the seal to take its place and serve its purpose. The envy of the Side Branch, Hyuga Kori, sits with her brother in the presence of the head of the Hyuga Clan for that particular reason.
Hyuga Hiashi, Kori's uncle and head of the Hyuga Clan, stared down at his brother's children with a stern expression, "Kori, it is much too dangerous to have you running about without a proper seal."
Kori kept her eyes on his feet and nodded curtly. She had heard those very words every once in a while when he felt the need to try again. It was nothing new to her. She had once hated the man for repeatedly and painfully trying to brand her with the seal but she understood that it was necessary. That didn't mean she had to like it.
"There is nothing I can do." Hiashi told her for the umpteenth time.
The elders of the clan stood on, some of them sneering their disdain at her when she lifted her head to return Hiashi's gaze. The heir, Hyuga Hanabi, observed the ritual from the sidelines curiously.
Kori reached back and removed her forehead protector, handing it off to her stiff and uneasy brother. Hiashi's palm came crashing down against her skin, burning pain rushing to her brain from the very instant that his hand made contact with her forehead. She had done this so many times that she already knew it was coming. No matter how many times Kori went through this, no matter how prepared she was, the pain could never be avoided.
She gritted her teeth and prayed for the seal to stay so that this would be the last time she would have to experience the fiery stabs that came knocking at her skull. Her hands flew to her forehead, clawing at the skin. She did not scream. Her jaw clenched, her fingers digging into her head, the burning pain sinking deeper and deeper into her brain, down to the very core. And then there was nothing.
She gulped in the air, her breath coming in short pants, her body shuddering. She lowered her hands slowly, shaking.
The elders that were all holding their breaths anxiously let out sighs of disappointment.
Hiashi's stern expression twisted to reveal frustration and anger.
Hanabi's jaw hung loose at the unheard of results.
Their expressions drew a shaky breath of disbelief from the Hyuga that had just suffered. She turned wide and fearful eyes onto her brother.
Neji, his lips drawn in a tight grimace, shook his head ever so slightly without a word.
Her forehead remained unmarked aside from the red scratch marks left from her fingernails as she clawed at the skin in her pain. The forehead protector was returned to her shaking hands. Another failed attempt at marking her for life, another set of painful memories, and another set of disgruntled and hateful looks from the elders of her clan.
Hiashi sighed, "Child, it's not your fault. Hanabi, listen closely. One day, when you have to perform the seal, just remember that this is not necessarily the way it goes. Kori is the only person who seems to be above the effects of our seal."
"B-But why doesn't it work?" Hanabi asked.
"If we knew, we would fix it."
"Train hard, Kori." Hiashi ordered, "And protect the Byakugan with your own hands."
Disappointed by the repeated failure, Kori simply answered the same way she always did, "Yes sir…"
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
A man knelt against the cold tiles of the floor, wide-eyed and face twisted in terror, before him was a mirror of ice. The mist was thick around his shivering torso, his eyes unfocused. A voice coaxed him quietly with promises to end his suffering if he would only spill the password that was required of him. He opened his mouth. One puff of smoke thickened the mist that shrouded the room.
"That's enough." Ibiki said gruffly, "You were close but not close enough."
The mirror cracked and fell away, the mist clearing from the room to reveal the technique's user. Aya threw her hands up and screamed, "It's not fair! I was so close! Can't you just give me a passing mark?!"
"No." Was the unforgiving reply, "If you can't keep the clones alive, I can't allow you to lay a hand on the real captives."
"It's just not fair!" And another childish tantrum began to unfold.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Toshizo was always the hardest working of the three original members of Squad Nine (Kai, Kori, Toshi) but he saw the least results. He had always blamed himself for weighing his team down but his teammates had always been understanding and encouraging. Yesterday's defeat at Kai's hands during their merciless training session showed that he had remained much more talented than Toshizo. Through their helpfulness and encouragement, he had come this far and he continued to improve. He had always felt grateful for their assistance and encouragement even during their busy jonin schedules. Today was a new day to feel grateful to his more talented teammates.
Hyuga Kori was a small girl, petite bodyline, childish features. Save for the hitai-ate across her forehead and the flak jacket protecting her torso, no one would be able to call her a stereotypical ninja. She was not built to be a ninja but looks are very often deceiving.
Toshi went at her without reservations. He aimed to maim and to potentially kill as he swung his giant sword at her. Showing off her flexible spine, she bent back and flipped out of the way of his deadly powerful attack with a very leisurely expression and fluid movement. He was not by any means a slow fighter but his speed was considered average and one with an average speed could never hope to land a blow on the agile and swift girl before him. Even Kai, who was considered to be at an above average speed, had trouble landing a blow on their female teammate.
As he aimed his second blow at her waist, she made her move. Kori often refrained from attacking her companions with her family's juken for multiple reasons but the main reason was to avoid doing critical damage. Toshizo knew that he would have died if she was serious when her palm slammed dead center into his chest with enough force to send him stumbling back a few feet and completely throw off his own strike.
"Oww." He mumbled, aiming another blow at her head.
She was not fooled by his heavy strike. She ducked out of the way and readied her kunai in time to catch the blow of the transformed sword. Toshizo had backed away, putting crucial distance between them to activate his puppet. The giant sword was now standing upside down having taken the shape of a humanoid weapon. The rounded hilt was the head, the length of the sword the body, and the sharp edges of the sword had split away from the body of the blade and taken on the shape of limbs (arms and legs) with pointed tips and sharp edges. Thin chakra strings connected the blade puppet to his master.
For the average Hyuga, the distance between the enemy puppeteer and Kori would have been a sore disadvantage but Kori was not your average taijutsu master. In fact, despite being a Hyuga, her taijutsu was not her selling point. No mistaking, her taijutsu was no longer as lacking as it was when she had first become a ninja but it was not conformed to her clan's basic katas.
Kori's fingers moved into a few signs, biting her thumb at the end to draw blood, and finally planting her palm full against the dirt below her, she called her companion, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Rokuro!"
In a puff of white smoke, her partner delved into the battlefield. With a mighty roar, the White Tiger, Rokuro, charged at his opponent. Toshizo pulled his puppet into the tiger's path, effectively slowing his charge but he knew he had lost when Kori came forward with his fingertips pointed, chakra blazing into the shape of a needle at the very points of her fingers.
He felt his control over his puppet diminish and disappear as the Hyuga severed the chakra lines that connected him to his weapon. He turned his body out of the way to avoid the white tiger that had pounced on him but it was for naught when Kori's leg slammed into his open backside.
"Uwaa!" He cried and he felt a form of helplessness that he often felt when sparring with his teammates just before her foot connected square with his rear end and knocked him face first into the dirt. He turned over onto his back, disappointed with another loss but he humbled himself as usual, "As expected, Kori-san. You're too much for me."
The Hyuga's eyes were not unkind after her victory. She reached out her hand and helped him up. The dark-haired male admired her sportsmanship for a moment as usual and took her hand gratefully.
She finally spoke, giving advice quietly as if she didn't deserve to give that advice, "You're certainly not slow but I think if you worked on your transitions between close combat and puppet mastery, you wouldn't leave as many openings for me to take."
He laughed sheepishly, "Honestly, I don't think it would help me against an opponent like you."
"You're suited to team fights." She murmured gently, "But I think there's a way for you to fight me one on one too."
"And what would that be?" He asked, genuinely curious that she had brought up a point that he had never thought of on his own.
"Maybe you should work on creating your own diversions." She suggested, "Kankuro uses his puppet to divert attention away from his real body. He used to have his puppet carry around his real body wrapped in bandages so maybe, you could find some way to distract your opponents from your own body so that you don't lose in a one on one fight."
He had never thought of that. He had always fought in a team so he had always been protected by his teammates while being given direct instructions to attack. He felt that his place was always to just take orders but perhaps, that wasn't the case. He felt hope swell in his chest at this new idea. Maybe he could protect himself so that his teammates wouldn't have to focus on giving him orders so much!
"You know, I never thought about that!" He admitted, "I think I'll give it a shot! Thanks!"
"Sure… No problem." She blinked after her teammate as he hurried away to practice right away. She smiled, reminding herself that he had always worked hard and he had improved steadily and surely. She knew that he would continue to do so.
I'm watching Boruto now too and I'm only a few episodes behind... But I think it's so adorable and I was motivated to write one more chapter! Again I don't think my pairings have anything over the actual cannon pairings so please no flame. LOL.