Kurenai watched as Hinata and Naruto helped out Ino with the other girl's stances and taijutsu. Naruto hadn't been slouching. Even if his skills in taijutsu were not quite chunin level, they were quite a bit above what he'd displayed in the academy before his trip. Hinata, of course, had shown a high level of improvement.
And both had an elemental nature already. Hinata was lightning and Naruto was wind. Besides that, Naruto was capable of firing blasts of raw visible chakra already.
That was not a common ability.
And Kurenai knew they weren't showing all their cards. For example, she'd found that Naruto could create the same energy shields and barriers that Hinata did, though he seemed more primed for attacking than the Hyuga.
Of course, like they both said, the magic practically screamed "look at me", it had sensor types coming out of curiosity any time they felt like experimenting with the magic. The great glowing triangles under their feet with some of the magic was also a clear sign.
Fortunately, both Naruto and Hinata were eager to improve their traditional jutsu and learn how to be respectable ninja. And they were quite willing to help out with training Ino in her own fighting technique.
"Okay," Kurenai said, bringing an end to the sparring and fighting for the moment. "Let's get training on other things a bit."
Ino's panting and dramatic collapse told her the break was appreciated.
"Now, when you infiltrated the Hokage's office," Kurenai said, as they came together. "You had a few good ideas. The Mind Switch Jutsu, the henges, the combing the village for information. However, there were some issues, can anyone point them out."
"We didn't really know anything about the guy we were trying to get," Ino said.
"That's a big one," Kurenai said. "You were short on time, but it is essential to spend sometime observing a target before imitating them. A change in behavior or attitude can ruin an otherwise perfect disguise. We're going to focus on that element of things for now, so what I want you to do..."
"Jonin Yuhi," a voice said as a Hyuga servant appeared behind them.
She turned to look at him.
"What is it?" she asked.
"If you please, the elders of the clan wish to speak to Lady Hinata," the man said with a bow. "It is clan business."
Kurenai frowned visibly as Hinata fumbled about nervously.
"Can it wait a moment, I'm giving them instructions for the rest of the day's training," she said.
"Of course," the Hyuga said. "I am sorry to interrupt. She can come whenever she is ready, but it should be soon."
Kurenai watched the man leave and then turned back to her genin cautiously before continuing.
"I want you to study a particular individual well enough to copy their mannerisms," Kurenai said. "As to the individuals in question, let's go with the target of your misdirection: Team 7. Hinata, your assignment is Sasuke. Naruto, Sakura. Ino, Shino. And for extra credit, see if you can study Kakashi."
Naruto and Ino glanced over toward Hinata and tried to imagine her acting like Sasuke. Meanwhile, the shy girl seemed distracted until she heard that Naruto would be assigned to study Sakura who had apparently been trying...something with Naruto a few nights ago.
"Does everybody understand?" Kurenai asked.
"Yeah, we got it," Naruto said. "Watch Team 7 so we can see how they act so we can pretend to be them."
"And I have to be the bug guy?" Ino asked.
"I am ready for this assignment, sensei," Hinata added.
"All right then get to it," Kurenai said. "Hinata, you heard your family's summons. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes, I am fine," Hinata said quietly starting to walk in the direction of the Hyuga compound before pausing and looking toward Naruto. "Umm, Naruto, should we show Kurenai that telepathy spell now?"
Ino flinched.
"Uhh, sure," Naruto said.
Kurenai noted Ino's reaction and looked over toward the Yamanaka.
"Is this something you learned from Ino?" she asked.
"Ino?" Naruto said. "Nah, we taught Ino."
"Really," Kurenai said with a simple smile. "Ino, have you mentioned what your clan specializes in?"
"Actually, she hasn't," Hinata said. "I only know from the elders that the Yamanakas are capture and interrogation specialists. Though, she does know how to place her mind in someone else..."
"Ahh! You already knew telepathy?" Naruto declared catching on to what was being said. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"Ehhh?!" Ino growled. "You don't expect Hinata to go around teaching the Jyuken."
"But she does let us know she has it. On that note," Kurenai said. "Were you using this skill in your mission?"
"Yes, we occasionally speak to each other so," Hinata said.
"I'm supposing it's easy to overhear, Ino?" Kurenai asked. "Which would explain why so many of the Yamanaka knew what was going on with your test. Is there a fix?"
"Uh...yeah," Ino said. "I'm practicing with my Dad and...yeah."
"We'll deal with that tommorrow," Kurenai said, she started to turn around to leave and paused as she considered the reasons Hinata might want to be able to teach her a telepathy jutsu. "Go ahead and show me that jutsu right now though."
Hinata nodded with relief.
Are you worried about seeing your family again? Naruto asked. I mean, your father was kind of being...annoying.
It'll be fine, Naruto-kun, Hinata said.
"Just now, Kleinhoffen," Hinata whispered. "Take standby mode."
[Fehler, mein Meister]
"They won't let you in with me looking like this," Hinata responded, eyes looking up the road. "Please, standby. Please just now."
The sword was quiet as she continued walking slowly toward where she was expected.
Hinata entered the Hyuga compound for the first time since she had returned and swallowed as the guards saw her and signaled for someone to come as her escort.
"Welcome back, Lady Hinata," one of the branch family members said as she passed them. "You've had a growth spurt recently, I see."
Hinata flushed and nodded.
"Yes," she said, bowing nervously before following her escorts deeper into the main building toward the council chambers.
She was stopped at the door to the deepest room by a pair of guards who looked over her carefully.
"Where is your sword, Lady Hinata?" the guard asked, not yet entering the byakugan.
"It is safe," Hinata said quietly. "I...did not think it would be appropriate in the council chambers."
She waited tensely for the man to decide whether or not to use his byakugan and then he nodded, waving her inside to her relief.
A number of the old men and women of the clan, a half-dozen or so, sat in the room lit by soft candles, a single chair in the middle was set out clearly for her. The oldest of the group, her grand-father, gestured towards the chair.
"Please sit, Hinata," the man said.
"Yes," she said meekly as she moved to do as asked, not speaking up.
A door creaked open and her father walked in and instantly, she felt much more nervous than before. There were no branch members in the room with them, even as guards and there were barriers raised against even the byakugan all about the edges of the walls.
Naruto-kun? Hinata asked.
Hinata-chan? Are you in trouble, you sound like you're scared, Naruto said.
I...don't know yet, Hinata said. I just wanted to see...if I could still talk to you.
Ehh, you can always talk to me, Naruto responded, making an incorrect assumption about what Hinata meant.
Thank you, Natuto-kun, the girl responded, taking a deep breath and facing her elders.
"We've been reading the report you and Uzumaki made to the Hokage," the elder said. "You made no mention that these 'Barrier Jackets' could protect against the jyuken."
"I h..had wanted to w...wait until speaking to...you," Hinata said. Do you think Ino is listening to us right now, or her family.
"It's been more than two weeks since you're...return," the elder said. "Almost a week since your demonstration made it more or less public knowledge."
Eh, I don't know, Naruto returned. Wish she'd have told us. I mean the only people we know who can intercept telepathy are the Numbers. And it's not like they're bad guys any...
Perhaps we shouldn't talk about that in case people are listening, Hinata said, trying to stay calm.
"I...I know," Hinata said aloud, holding onto her conversation with Naruto to keep from breaking down as her father stared at her. "I failed to end the fight cleanly. I...if I were more skilled...perhaps it would not have been obvious."
"You, as a genin, faced three chunin of the Hyuga Branch family," her father said coldly. "And allowed only a single jyuken strike to land, even knowing it would not harm you. How is that possible?"
Yeah, I guess, Naruto said. This is a weird training, by the way, well, I get it, but it feels weird. Though I guess all I have to do is watch Sakura.
"I w...was tr..trained as a knight of the Ancient Belkan system by Lieutenant Signum of the Wolkenritter," Hinata said, voice betraying a slight twinge of annoyance. "A..and some training by Enforcer Fate Testarossa of the Mid-Childa system, b..both of whom would be consider to have S-class power here. I...am the equivalent of a chunin in the Ancient Belkan system."
She took a deep breath and continued.
"The Ancient Belkan system as a pure melee art is...superior to our jutsu in the traditional form," she looked down toward the ground before glancing up.
"And how would you describe the results were you forced to fight those of us in this room?" the Elder asked.
What do you think...of Sakura, Naruto-kun? Hinata asked.
"Be as succinct as possible," Hiashi instructed.
Ehh, shouldn't you rather ask about...uh...never mind, Naruto said. Sakura is Sakura, she's nice and cute, but it's weird, she looks like a little kid now. And why did she get all upset when I wouldn't let her have your chair
"Pyrrhic," Hinata told her family. Should I ask about Sasuke?
For the training right? Right? Naruto responded quickly.
Yes, just for the training, Hinata assured him, feeling uplifted suddenly for some reason she couldn't identify.
Oh don't listen to this idiot about Sasuke, Ino's voice said. As long as you're not after my Sasuke, I can tell you everything there is to know about him.
Hinata walked out of the compound holding herself tightly and listening to Ino and Naruto give her descriptions of Sasuke. Naruto, for all that he seemed still reluctant to talk, sounded the most accurate of the two, but Hinata wasn't about to say that. The conversation was comforting, more so than the fact that she was leaving the compound and getting out of her father's field of vision.
"Lady Hinata," her cousin's voice said after some minutes away from her family home.
"Neji-ni-san," she addressed him, turning around. "Is there something wrong?"
"You are aware that they will be deciding who to make the heir to the head family," Neji noted. "You or Hanabi. Your father seems...upset by the way you embarrassed him and the clan. But you have proven strong...perhaps stronger than your sister."
She flinched as he said it.
"Be warned," he said. "Whatever happened to you in the supposed hour you were gone has them concerned."
"Thank you, Neji," Hinata said.
"You should have stayed over there," he finished before turning away from her, an angry expression on his face.
Ino, Kurenai-sensei, Naruto-kun? she sent as she headed for her inn. How are you?
Huh? We've been talking all this time, the boy responded.
Are you even listening, Hinata? This was your question. How can you not listen to stuff about Sasuke? Ino demanded.
Are you really okay? the Uzumaki boy asked. I mean, you sound okay...but...
Hinata, since you're asking, can you come by my place and help me with something? Kurenai's voice responded casually.
On my way, Kurenai-sensei, Hinata said quickly.
Kurenai was not surprised to find Naruto outside her house before Hinata arrived. He seemed to have very good emotional instincts even if he wasn't good at expressing his insights sometimes.
"Hey, Kurenai-sensei," he said. "Is Hinata here yet?"
"Not yet," Kurenai said. "If you could go somewhere and wait for thirty minutes to an hour or so, and then come back?"
"Why would I do that?" Naruto asked. "If Hinata is in trouble, I want to help her."
"It might be something she's embarrassed to say," Kurenai noted. "So let me see if I can talk to her first, all right?"
Naruto frowned at that but crossed his arms finally with a grimace.
"All right," he said. "I'll be back in thirty minutes!"
Kurenai watched him go off then and then turned to look as Hinata quietly came out of the shadows. She smiled and waved the girl over.
"Kurenai-sensei," Hinata whispered to the woman that had been helping her for the three years in the academy she'd had before she'd gone to Mid-Childa. "You didn't really have anything you needed, did you?"
"Come on in, Hinata," Kurenai said. "I'll find us something to do until Naruto comes back. If you want to talk about anything this time..."
Kurenai left the offer hanging as usual, hoping that Hinata would take the invitation this time.
"Well, let's go look at my garden," Kurenai said after some seconds of silence.
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(Posted Mon, 23 May 2011 10:59)
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