Chapter 13
TRIGGER WARNING. SOME VIOLENCE AHEAD.
Hinata Hyuga
Hinata had changed. For years she had thought herself hopeless, not suited to her station as the heir to a storied clan of war. She considered herself too mediocre, too complacent for life as a shinobi. She often felt envious watching other people rush forward in their life without such insecurities. But she had changed for the better.
She stood straight along with the rest of her team. They had just finished their last training session before the chunin exams next week. All three of them had just sparred against their sensei. Each of the had played their role perfectly. Months of hard work had paid off. Though it was hard fought, they had succeeded. She had succeeded in beating a jonin.
"I am extremely proud of you all," Kurenai sensei began. Her body was littered with cuts and bruises. Some of them as a result of Hinata's attacks.
"Now, you will have a week to yourself. Rest well and prepare for the chunin exams. I believe Konoha will have three newly minted chunin in its ranks by the end of the month." Sensei said with a smile. She seemed quite proud and happy with their performance.
"Thank you sensei," they chorused together.
"If you guys have anything to discuss, don't hesitate to ask. Best of luck for the exams," and with that, she vanished into a puff of smoke. Leaving behind the three of them in the training ground alone.
"So, who here' hungry, because I don't know about you guys but I am starving after that," Shinso Kun said as he turned to face both of them.
Both she and Shino Kun smiled at his antics. They had come to understand that their teammate had quite a unique pallet.
"I believe that I also need to eat after such an arduous training session," Shino Kun supplied. His tone is much lighter and mirthful.
She also smiled and nodded her head. A huge smile blossomed across, Shinso kun's face.
"Good because the Akimichi's have something special on the menu and I have been wanting to try it for quite some time. And with Shino here we can get that sweet discount." He said and all three of them left the training ground, heading towards the market area.
The training ground behind them was battered, with craters everywhere and broken trees strewn across the dilapidated land.
0000
KARIN UZUMAKI
'Fear those with hair of blood' were the words on the tongues of thousands of people less than half a century ago. According to her mother, it was this fear that had driven them to this statement. When she was little, her mother used to tell her tales of her people. Tales and legends she had heard when she had been her age. Of a clan living on a small island, filled with people of similar radiant red hair.
She had long forgotten those stories, yet the memory of her mother's eyes remained. They would be filled with hope as she would continue believing in the promise of her people. Despite the years and records of a harrowing slaughter, her mother had kept hope. Until one day it had vanished, light leaving her eyes. There would be no more stories for her, only misery. Usefulness and utility. No hope.
"What are you thinking about, you punk? Cant, you see we are already late." The boy in front said gruffly.
"You are here to help us ace these exams, so you better keep up. Otherwise, you are completely useless. And as uncle Zosui says 'There is no space for useless in Kusa'. Now, you wouldn't want to be useless, right." Her other teammate added in his sinister voice. His tone was cruel. Cruelty which made her shiver.
"Oh,-- I am sorry," She barely got out, pushing more chakra into her feet. She could see the great walls in the distance.
There was a long line of people waiting to get registered, she prayed that the wait is not too long. They got into the line, and a shinobi with a leaf headband approached them.
"Team from Kusa, you are late." His words made her shrink upon herself. Her teams scoffed at that. Before Kuro said, "Well, we had to slow our pace for the princess here? So, is there a problem?" sarcasm laced her voice.
The eyes, of the shinobi from Konoha, landed on her, lingering on her for some time before he signed their papers and handed them back to her teammate.
"No, nothing is wrong. During the course of the exams, you are to observe and follow the rules of the village." He said sternly, before finishing in a much gentler tone.
"Welcome to Konoha." And he moved on from the.
All three of them entered the gate, making their way into the biggest of the Great Five villages. She closed her eyes, her senses expanding across the village. The village was filled with thousands of people. People with complex emotions, yet before she could focus on those distant thoughts she was reminded of a problem much closer to herself.
"Ah, it seems I nicked my arm on the way." Those dreaded words came out of her teammate's mouths, filling her with trepidation. " Come here you useless brat," he was older than her. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled it towards himself.
She could see the disgusting smile on his face. She closed her eyes as he bit into her arm. She could feel her chakra leaving her, she grunted as blood dripped down her arm. He had sprained her wrist.
She could feel her head lighten, so she pulled her arm away. The outflow of chakra stopped, yet her wrist had gotten a sprain. He looked at her. His eyes filled with an emotion she could not recognize.
"What do you think you are doing you bitch. It seems you have forgotten your uncle's lesson. Well, I could always re-educate you myself,"
He raised his hand. As many others had. Her arms went up, covering her face on reflex. Like many times before, she wished once more for someone to help her. Yet she knew no help would come for her, as none had arrived for her mother.
She waited, yet the pain never came. She opened her eyes and found another person standing in front of her stopping her teammate's hand. The person's chakra was crackling, wishing to be let out. It was as if looking into a storm, a dark and perilous storm roaring across the land. Showers and thunders danced across it.
"Well, it seems that your teammate is injured. Why don't I take her to a hospital? I believe my friend here would be quite happy to guide you toward the markets. They are quite a sight." He spoke with a smile on his lips. And for the first time, she noticed the second person beside him. It was another guy, dressed in all green spandex. His chakra felt like a gentle breeze on a cool night. A breeze that could transform into a monstrous tempest in a second.
Her other teammate got angry. He took out a kunai from his pocket and attacked the boy clad in the blue jacket. She tried to warn him, but before she could make a voice, the boy in front of her had vanished. And in a second he was behind her other teammate, forcing him into a lock with one of his hands, while the finger of his other hand aimed at his neck.
SHINSO KEN
"I could kill you right now, and I can assure you there won't be a single investigation against me since you initially attacked me first. So, why don't you take a breather in the markets and if your rage doesn't settle down, you can wait for the exams," I said in a very low tone? I could see the fury in his eyes, as he continued looking at me. "
I let him go, and he kept glaring at me. His other teammate was also getting ready to attack him, but he stopped him, before speaking once more.
"Well, we should visit those markets." He said while rubbing his hands. " I am going to enjoy seeing you in the exam," Both of them looked at each other and started walking into the village.
My gaze returned to the red-haired bespectacled girl I had just helped. She was staring at me, her eyes filled with amazement. And perhaps a glimmer of hope.
"Well, it seems we must get you to the hospital. That is a nasty bruise." My words startled her, she processed them and then looked down at her exposed arm. Arm filled with bite marks. She hurriedly covered it up, embarrassed by them.
I looked toward Lee, "You can bring me the lease for the restaurant, right?" Lee asserted. Well, he shouted and expressed his affirmative answer in some quite flourishing words. But I toned them off.
"Oh, I did not catch your name, Miss?" I asked the red-haired genin from Kusa.
She turned red, before replying in a small voice, "Karin. My name is Karin Uzumaki." She said before looking straight at me once more. "And Thank you for helping me but you did not have to do it."
I waved it off, "I wanted to. So, the hospital is just a little ahead . . ."
And both of us started walking towards the Hospital.
If her eyes had gained a glimmer of hope. It was quite easy to miss.
0000
NISA AMANEE
She was gathering the various toys spread across the playroom. Night had fallen and the children were asleep. She had been busy with the visit from Shinso Kun, he had just leased some land for opening a small restaurant.
She was quite happy that she was the person he had informed first regarding this endeavor. She had also heard some rumors about him escorting a certain foreign kunoichi to the hospital. This was the perfect material to twist his buttons. She smiled at his antics on being cornered.
Suddenly the window behind her burst open.
THUMP. She heard the sound of metal striking wood. Her heart sank. She turned back and found a kunai stuck to the table. A note is attached to it. She made her way toward it. Her steps were small and cautious. She opened the note.
The single line on it filled her with dread, yet she prayed. Prayed desperately in her heart that she had chosen right, that he could be the source of her salvation. A redemption for her.
The note burned to ash, the words on it still flashing across her mind.
You lied. You have betrayed the foundation. There will be consequences.
It seems it was time to have that dreaded conversation with Shinso, she hoped that he was ready for it.
0000
Well, the rose is finally here. Next part the exams begin in earnest. It seems that the foundation is back. The future seems bleak for our hero. Let's hope he succeeds.
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