Chapter 3
Kaiya eyed the door stiffly, almost certain it had no lock.
Her lips tightened back and she rubbed circles above her eyebrows. How easy would it be to just...leave?
"You're quite the salesman, Naruto," she sighed, deciding then to blame the certain blond-haired guy for her gullibility.
It wasn't one specific thing he had told her about the village; it was the combination of everything he'd said. About how big it was compared to the land of waves; how beautiful the forests and mountain ranges were. There were canyons to explore and waterfalls flowing into massive lakes they weren't forced to see at all times. How there was so much food she just had to try.
A familiar gurgling noise conveniently churned in her stomach at the thought. Kaiya took that pain and used it to distract herself from the growing urge to pee. The scarred bastard didn't even offer her a bathroom break. Rude ass could have at least introduced himself as he threatened to kill her. Or given her a cookie or something.
If she thought he was bad, just how terrible must the Hokage be?
She turned to look out the window, trying to remind herself why she'd wanted to be there, again. The morning sun still hung low in the sky, slowly rising. The colors were almost too saturated here, like she'd been given new eyes. The tree's were so brilliantly green and full she'd wanted nothing more than to pinch the firm leaves and savor their life. It was no wonder the village got its name.
The buildings were painted with warm, joyful tones, none appearing chipped or faded.
The majority of civilians on their morning routes walked by in stylish clothes that put Kaiya's to shame. She gulped softly and looked down at herself, feeling a bit dull. Just a grungy shirt that hung a smidge off her shoulder and some baggy shorts. All of her old clothes were back at Zabuza's temporary property, so she borrowed the only thing from Tsunami that wasn't an uncomfortable dress. At least she still had the pair of quality sandals Haku had bought for her.
Rays of light pricked her eyes back up to see a large cloud rolling through the sun. She closed her eyes and let a deep breath out.
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xxx
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The door cracked opened and Kaiya jumped from her seat, blinking rapidly until the starbursts shrunk into lightbulbs by the exit.
Idiot! Did you fall asleep?
"Kaiya," A woman announced gently, "are you doing okay?"
An emotional weight instantly fell from Kaiya's shoulders, but she frowned with skepticism and a touch of embarrassment.
"I'm Kurenai Yuuhi," she continued with a smile, "My team and I will be taking you to a safe-house for the day."
Her stomach flipped, completely sure this was another trick. There'd been no way she could have actually passed that interview. Even if she had, Kaiya still wasn't sure if she'd wanted to stay!
"Thanks," she whispered anyway.
Jealousy and admiration warped her train of thought- it was another team, just like Naruto's! A confusing laugh started to bubble deep inside, but she'd suppressed it once she'd left the room. Two younger men stood on both sides of Kurenai and another girl hid a bit further behind the rest. They were so... cute?
Kaiya's eye twitched at the thought of being a part of a group like this. Her mind had changed again; she needed to be there. How wonderful would it be to have girl friends like Sakura? People around her own age to confide in who weren't inherently terrifying like the Mist and water-born shinobi she'd crossed. But, where would she fit in? Three genin to one jonin; that's what Sakura had told her. Naruto had seemed just as disappointed as she when Kakashi confirmed as such.
Kurenai had started speaking again, but Kaiya lost her ability to comprehend the words. She suddenly felt warmth and love buzzing throughout her whole body, not fear and intimidation. Odd; for some reason she felt that it'd have been a bad idea to look away from Kurenai's scarlet gaze.
Kaiya would've had a mind to be suspicious of that- though at this point, she couldn't go against it. She didn't have the energy to think anymore.
Like an answered prayer, the rather beautiful young woman stepped from behind Kurenai and offered Kaiya a bottle of water; she could have hugged her.
"Thanks..." her face flushed. She felt like an idiot who could only babble in one-word sentences. A headache was pounding her eyes shut, but at least she didn't have to throw up anymore, "Can we go now?"
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xxx
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This mission was not as thrilling as Kiba had expected.
His fingers were tight on the edges of his seat when Kurenai, mindlessly, slid a folder across the grainy dining-room table over to him.
His teeth were grinding but he managed to smile at her without pinching up his nose too far.
"-Thanks." He flicked open the folder and crinkled the pages in front of his face. Each passing paragraph made him more and more confused. Its like he was missing something; this was not the same person they'd just picked up from interrogation.
Kiba pushed onto the back two legs of his unstable chair and thunked his head on the wall, glancing between his teammates and a block of text. Hinata, on his left, turned a page; and Shino, on his right, could have either been sleeping or reading earnestly. Kurenai didn't even flinch. He stretched his arms up to yawn vigorously and smacked his mouth. They were ignoring him on purpose.
He should have been appreciating Kurenai-sensei for breaking her back to get this job. The effort she'd made was sweet, but Kiba would much rather be digging out shit from dog fur than babysit a civilian who just happened to know a couple bad guys. He skimmed across Naruto's name and he tore the page in half- twice. Something about the shreds drifting to the floor made him feel a bit better.
Scratching the back of his neck, he turned his head over and shrugged at Akamaru who, with valiant courage, decided to guard the bedroom door.
"I don't get it either," Akamaru barked.
Kiba growled internally, there's no way he'd be able to brag about this mission to the guys like Naruto could. Enough is enough.
He creaked the chair back down and slapped the papers still left on the table with an open palm, his other thumb pointed back at the room behind them. "There's no way that girl off'ed a bunch of gangsters." He crumpled one of the pictures and shoved it in Kurenai's face for greater effect.
Kurenai's brow arched, but her eyes stayed on her reading, "Is that so?" Kiba's fist tightened the picture into a ball.
"She's got the temperament of a koi," he grumbled with crossed arms.
Hinata hid a smirk behind her hand and Kiba's mouth twitched up. At least someone appreciated the quip.
"What else can you deduce from your brief encounter?" Kurenai challenged.
"Eh-" Kiba's brow furrowed and mind reeled. What else could he say? The whole team could probably go their separate ways for their own naps and no one would be the wiser.
"We're listening," she stacked together the papers Kiba had spread over the table, "I'm sure your thorough analysis is far superior to Kakashi's."
"Yeah, uh. I don't know about-" Kiba glanced at one of the papers she'd just removed from him, hoping to catch a thought to build from. Stupid mission. He would not be made a fool!
Shino broke the silence, "It doesn't matter what one's temperament is. Everything is capable of fight-or-flight." Yeah, duh. "We need to make sure she doesn't try either of those."
"Yes," Kurenai said, "We also need to keep her safe before the Hokage can grant her asylum."
Kiba rolled his eyes, "Well, I have a feeling this is gonna be a long day."
Eyes shut tightly, Kurenai slapped down the stack of papers on the table, "Why don't you go do some research then. I'm sure we'd do well to learn a bit more from the perspective's of your peers. Go ask team 7 some questions." She extended her arm over at the front door.
Yeah right, like he'd ever directly ask Naruto about that mission. No. Way. What could he even ask- what her favorite color was?
Something in Kiba's body language must have alerted Kurenai his thoughts; as he looked toward her a cold shiver ran through his body. Her face had turned into something…sinister.
"Fine, jeez. You're worse than my mom."
"Can I come too?" Hinata bounced up, head cocked to the side.
He didn't allow Kurenai-sensei the chance to respond. Akamaru had leapt onto Kiba's head and he ushered Hinata to the door, but before they'd left he had an idea that gave him a smug grin.
"Hey Shino," he smirked over his shoulder, "You mind checking out the library for information on Yuki clansmen? There's gotta be tons of history there." There, genius. Busywork all-around.
His teammate looked over to Kurenai. "Is that okay?"
Kurenai beamed, "Okay with me. Just be productive." Kiba sucked inward to avoid mocking her words.
Damn, he really needed to work on that. An image of his sensei's excited face crossed his mind and suddenly he felt really shitty. There was such a heartwarming happiness in her voice when explaining the scope of the mission to them. She wouldn't admit it, but Team 8's genin all knew she'd been stalking the Hokage's office, eager to jump on an opportunity like this for her team. She was a great sensei.
He ruffled Akamaru's body and the little dog bared his tiny toothy smile. She didn't deserve to be put down by some sarcastic jackass.
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xxx
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"Hinata," Kiba grunted, "You have to move forward!" She'd frozen herself behind a pole, whimpering. What the hell, she's the one who asked to be here and do this stupid thing!
"What is it with you and Naruto?" he sighed and looked toward Team 7 who'd congregated themselves outside of an old training ground. The fence, tall as a building, was padlocked and covered in overgrowth. What on earth had they been doing there?
Kiba sniffed. The kid had been too easy to find. Almost immediately when they'd left the house he knew where he was- it was like Naruto had no capability of whispering. Even before he heard him though, Kiba could smell the brat, as always. Not that he'd smelled naturally terrible; he'd just probably needed someone to teach him about laundry- he snickered to himself.
Hinata clutched tighter onto her hiding place when Naruto laughed and peaked into the fence like a weirdo.
Kiba sighed and let Hinata go. Her hands were tethered to the structure and she wouldn't be moved. Oh well, she was brave for trying.
"Yo Naruto, what're you trying to get in there?" Kiba sneered at him with his hands dug into his pockets.
"I thought I remembered coming here before..." He turned to Kiba with a large grin then searched around, "Where's Kaiya? Kakashi-sensei told us your team was watching over her, right? I've gotta show her something!"
Akamaru barked once and Kiba gave a frustrated smile. He had to refrain himself from saying something inappropriate. He was on a job, after all.
"Yeah, uh, she's napping right now. So we wanted to come ask you guys some things."
"I can't wait!" Naruto spun around and looked up, "I hope she gets to join our team."
Kiba's jaw unhinged, he'd completely ignored what he'd said! What would Hinata think if he went and swiped him across the face?
"Idiot!" Sakura growled, "You already know she can't join a team of three!"
"Ahh, I know, I was just hoping maybe they'd make an exception or something," he mumbled off and sat to the ground.
Sakura spoke toward Kiba, "Thanks, by the way. We would have offered to escort her to the Hokage but Kakashi told us to take some days off." She shrugged. "Oh, well. She'll get used to you."
Kiba frowned, "Is she really that," what's a nice word for… "skittish?"
"Not really that, just a bit quiet maybe." Sakura said and Kiba glanced back at Hinata. Oh how boring.
"Yeah it took her a week to even look at me." Naruto stuck his tongue out.
"That's not true, stupid. You're not helping." Sakura chided.
Kiba pinched the bridge of his nose and Akamaru felt limp, like he'd fallen asleep. He wished he could have just gone and talked to Sasuke who wasn't too far off, in his own world. He'd probably been the least biased of the group; but Kiba couldn't be bothered anymore.
"Alright well thanks." Kiba saluted his goodbye.
"Wait…" Hinata spoke up behind him, wiping the sweat from her hands off on her shirt. There she is, Kiba smiled.
"We were told to ask you... Are you sure she's not planning something... dangerous?" Hinata spoke quickly and out of breath.
"Oh!" Sakura said, "I think you won't have to worry about that. We didn't get to see her train much, but-"
"Oh yeah! I wish I could have seen her to that ice thing!" Naruto looked up into the sky, visualizing something that Kiba tried hard to not think about, himself. Sakura yelled out more frustrations but Kiba jumped at the opportunity.
"What ice thing? Do you think she'll attack the Hokage?" Or us?
"You all need to shut up," Sasuke said. His eyes narrowed at Kiba, and Kiba returned the gesture, "It's not a big deal- the only thing she'd do is run back."
That could be fun too, Kiba's mouth twitched and he rubbed his chin- fantasizing a bit too hard at the thought of chasing someone down. Hunting people was really fun.
"She's really bent out of shape on Kage. Zabuza screwed with her head." Sasuke said.
Hn, that's interesting.
"Zabuza was trying to overthrow the Mizukage, right? Had Kaiya mentioned ideas like that?"
"No, she didn't. What I think you should do is go back and watch her closer, if you care. She'll probably run when she gets the chance." Sasuke scoffed.
"Rrgh, no she's not! She's going to find a team here to join and we can all train together." Naruto shot back.
Hinata grabbed Kiba's arm and he snapped his head toward her.
"I'm sure we won't have to worry about that," she grinned in such a genuinely sweet way amidst the arguing Kiba broke into a laugh. He looked back to the chaotic team in front of him, wondering how the hell they managed to get out of that place alive with their team work the way it was.
"Hinata what happened to your arms?!" Naruto screamed near directly into Kiba's eardrum and ran to her.
Hinata's cheeks turned pink and Naruto pulled her aside to give some terrible advice on what she should do to avoid other possible accidents. Sasuke was nowhere to be found.
"She won't run." Sakura, the only member left over, said. Kiba didn't feel like talking about it anymore. Don't ruin the fun.
"So did Naruto actually get to fight back there?" Kiba watched Naruto make some big, strange gestures. What was he talking about? Hinata had laughed and her shoulders straightened out a bit more. She was too nice to have to be dealing with that.
"It was hard to tell at first," Sakura started, "but yeah. He did."
"Really?" Kiba didn't want to believe it. The kid barely even graduated! He got to have a fight before he did, for real?
"Yeah," Sakura laughed softly. "But if you're that desperate I'm sure Kaiya would be happy to spar with you too," She smirked at him and his face paled. Damn it.
"Tch. Hinata, let's go."
"-But...Okay." Kiba didn't think he'd have to be dragging her away from Naruto the same way he needed to get her to him.
"Bye Hinata!" Naruto yelled, "And don't worry, Kiba! I'm sure you'll have as much fun in one day as we did all month!" he cackled while Kiba visualized a terribly graphic image of him with his chest ripped out.
"Why do you like that guy so much?" he sighed and Hinata's breath hitched. All she responded with was a darker blush.
AN- A little short, sorry, but a decent stopping point I hope. Thanks~