EDITED: 4/14/17- minor spelling and formatting errors

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38

"Open your textbooks to page 37. Daisuke, please read the passage."

A tall, brunette boy stood up and started to drone on about the theory behind casting illusions and how this differs from ninjutsu in terms of chakra mold and control. While her student read, Akira watched the clouds drift idly by.

She had returned from her three-day hiatus and resumed teaching basic shinobi skills. Iruka had warned her that her number of paid leaves from work are starting to fill up, and the next time she absents herself then she'll not be paid. That would mean another minus to her measly salary.

Akira sighed. She'll have to take up low-ranked missions in order to sustain her lifestyle (which isn't extravagant, by the way) and the mere thought of cleaning another person's yard made the kunoichi grimace. Not that she'll actually be assigned genin-ranked missions but after she pissed Tsunade off big time, Akira was sure that the Hokage would not think twice on punishing her with such menial jobs.

Daisuke had finished reading the assigned page and Akira temporarily left her musing to focus back on her lecture. She walked back to the board and wrote the important points of the passage.

"Right. So genjutsu is a technique that assaults your enemy's senses. As humans, we are dependent on our vision, and the loss of the sense of sight is a handicap that most people are unable to adjust to. Therefore, it is imperative that you learn how to cast illusions in order to outsmart your foe."

Akira weaved seals. She ignored the surprised gasps of the children and waited for their reactions to subside. And then...

"Huh?! What happened?"

"Why is it so dark?!"

"Sensei?"

"Relax," said Akira, approaching her students. "It's just a simple genjutsu designed to fake an illusion of darkness. At the end of the week, you should be able to master it by theory, and by next week, you should be able to perform it."

There was a collective gasp of amazement and anticipation among the children as they marveled at the simple genjutsu. After letting them get used to the sensation, Akira dispelled the jutsu.

"It's one of the basic jutsu that will save your skins when you're out on missions," Akira continued. "The theory is on page 38 to 39 of your textbooks. Read it, and afterwards we'll practice it. Raise your hand if you have questions."

The class shuffled to read about the genjutsu while Akira sat down to write some notes. After several minutes, Akira discussed the finer points of the genjutsu. She was in the middle of discussion when she felt a disturbance from Yuudai's chakra signature.

"Yuudai? What's up?"

From the deep forests of Konoha, Yuudai howled his reply. "Hime, the Hokage summons you to her office."

Unable to hide her frown, Akira asked, "Right now?"

"No Akira-hime. She told me to instruct you to drop by immediately after your class."

"Any idea on what it's about?"

"Sorry Hime, but Tsunade-sama only told me to deliver the message."

Akira smirked. "They must've ran out of messenger birds for them to approach you."

"Not really, Hime-chan. It was just coincidence that I was nearby when the Hokage was about to send a genin to you."

"Okay. Thanks, Yuudai."

She continued with her discussion but at the back of her mind, Akira groaned mentally. 'What have I done now?' she wondered.

~~~~~~~~

Tenten gave the wakizashi another look. "Are you sure these are not for sale?" she asked once more.

The shopkeeper smiled. "Not yet, Tenten-chan. That arrived just this morning and are still not in the inventory. We need to have them checked before selling them."

"I can check them for you!"

"Haha! Nice try, Ten-chan, but no. You'll have to wait until next month."

Tenten pouted. The blade was perfect—it was light, the handle was made of fine polished wood and the heft is balanced. It was the perfect addition to her growing collection of weapons.

She paid for her merchandise before leaving the store with a deep sigh. Today's the third day of her "vacation" and she had decided to spend it by going around town and shopping. Unlike her more feminine friends however, she shopped for necessities, not fancy clothes, and stocked her sealing scrolls with additional weaponry. Her latest mission had exhausted most of her scrolls of senbon and kunai.

As the kunoichi walked around town, she recounted her latest assignment in her head. Unlike her usual missions where she is often paired with a shinobi who specializes in close combat, the Hokage had assigned her a solo task. It was ranked B and required some risky behavior—meaning flirting with the enemy and using her feminine charms to gain a leverage—and although Tenten is not new to this sort of mission, her recent task had shaken her. In the past, she always was the back up, and even in cases when she must do the flirting herself, she always had someone to count on to rescue her if the target became too touchy or if things escalated to more than what she bargained for. Tenten felt ashamed to admit it, but she had grown accustomed to Lee kicking the door in a dynamic entry just in time before a target slips his hand under her kimono, or Neji appearing almost magically behind the enemy with a well-placed tenketsu on the spinal column. This time however, things did get a little too out of hand and she had no one to save her.

The enemy was said to have a scroll that bore intelligence about the inner dealings of the Land of Fire. The mission request did not elaborate what exactly was in the scroll and Tenten need not know. All she was required to do was to reclaim it and give it back to the Hokage. In order to do so, she has to get close to the target—a greedy man who was sexually...active. In her sleuthing, Tenten learned that the man was fond of brunettes and there even was gossip that he made them do 'things' before engaging them in coitus. Despite the fear that caused her spine to tingle, Tenten dove head on and met with the said man. Things went well before 'it' happened.

Even now that the mission is over, Tenten still felt the chill creep back in her skin.

The man led her to an underground room, and Tenten's shinobi senses began to tingle in alarm at the enclosed space. She readied the kunai disguised as a hair ornament. After enduring the man's slobby advances on her, Tenten had readied herself for the kill. Unfortunately, the man had sniffed her cover out.

She was in a precarious position. Trapped between the wall and the bearish enemy, Tenten struggled, pouring every ounce of her chakra to her arms and legs as she wrestled with the man. Unfortunately, the enemy was no wimp and even Tenten's strongest punches and kicks did not faze him. They continued to struggle against each other until the man finally had pinned Tenten on the ground, placing her in a compromised position. He then pulled her kimono apart and imprinted an insignia on her bare flesh—a burning mark of the kanji for bull—and the pain was too great as the jutsu seared her thigh. Thinking that Tenten had weakened, the man attempted to advance his sexual assault, only for the kunoichi to bring all her training on the table and win over him. After slicing his carotid and adding a few more stabs as good measure, Tenten gathered her clothes and immediately escaped—but not before facing some henchmen and killing them off. She returned to Konoha with the scroll safely tucked in her pack.

Her mission may seem trivial to other kunoichi who had done far more dangerous tasks, and it may even seem child's play to the female members of the ANBU who—as gossip said—were even forced to perform certain delicate tasks to succeed in their assignments, but Tenten felt like this was her most challenging mission yet. And no, she has no plans of performing seduction missions in the future especially if she would be deployed alone.

After the debriefing, when the psychiatrist had declared her fit to resume normal activities, and the medics had taken off the kanji and restored the skin on her thigh back to normal, Tenten finally realized the wisdom behind Neji's counsel of avoiding such missions.

"You'll regret it."

"Neji, I am no china doll! I can take care of myself!"

"It's not about you being weak or incapable," the jounin had said. "But you're just not cut out for it. The target knew the moment you entered that you're no courtesan."

"Are you saying that I'm incompetent?" Tenten crossed her arms, frowning. She usually tolerated Neji's offhand remarks about the differences in male and female ninjas, but his sexism isn't really what she needed to hear right now.

"I didn't say anything like that," Neji retorted, facing her fully. "I'm saying that you're not the ideal shinobi for seduction missions. You simply don't have the aptitude for it and it took you a long time to get the needed information. By such time, he had already started making lewd advances, placing you in an uncomfortable position and consequently compromising your cover. If Lee and I were a few seconds late, things could've..." He did not finish his sentence but Tenten understood his message clearly.

She had scoffed at him then, and had avoided any conversation with him for some days. Back then it stung that Neji had thought lowly of her in that aspect. Fine, she does not possess the alluring charm of Ino, or the sweet countenance of Sakura, or even the innocent appeal of Hinata. Her mother even described her as too boyish to be a lady. But she's still a woman, a kunoichi, and above all, skilled enough to embark on missions like that. So, she ignored the Hyuuga's advice.

But now, she realized that he's right.

And during that split-second of panic, when her skin was being marred by that horrible man's fetish, she found herself praying that Neji would storm in and knock the enemy dead with a deadly Gentle Fist to the temple.

But there was no Hyuuga to come to her rescue, and it only made her feel sorry for herself.

Tenten sighed once more. Remembering the psychiatrist's advice to place herself in her "happy place", Tenten shifted her focus on the Hyuuga and her teammates instead. They were after all, the best thing that happened to her.

The kunoichi indulged herself in reminiscence. How long has it been since they had a mission together? Occasionally she crosses paths with Lee and Gai-sensei and sometimes she still trains with Neji, but those days when they are complete are becoming less now, especially because Neji and Gai-sensei are often drafted on missions.

Thinking of the Hyuuga, Tenten broke into a fond smile. Because Lee idolized Gai so much, she was often left in the company of Neji and soon enough, she had developed special feelings for him. Many times, she had thought of confessing her love to him but always, the fear of losing his friendship and his respect discouraged her. She had seen how lowly he thought of those girls who clamored for his attention, and he often remarked how foolish emotions are. He had always been a realist, and as a shinobi, there was nothing more important to him than his mission to the village and secondly, his clan. She knew she'd never stand a chance against his priorities.

But as years went by, these "special feelings" had developed into something deeper and greater than mere infatuation and admiration. With every day that passed, Neji had slowly ceased to be just a friend to Tenten.

She wanted him to acknowledge her, to love her the same way she loves him.

She had opened to Ino after the blonde had remarked how obvious her feelings for the Hyuuga were, and that time Tenten had one drink too many that she finally confessed. They were in her apartment unit after a girl's night out failed because Sakura was sent on an urgent mission with Team 7 and Hinata had prior plans with her own team. That left Ino and Tenten, and the two kunoichi had chosen to just hole up in Tenten's apartment to mull over the most random things.

Ino advised her to speak to Neji, tell him upfront of how she feels, but Tenten brushed off that idea.

"I don't want to ruin our friendship!" the brunette insisted. "You know how Neji is, he's not the hearts and roses kind of guy! And personally, I don't really want that mushy stuff."

"Love is meant to be mushy," Ino retorted. "Besides, I don't think the Hyuuga is incapable of intense emotions. On the contrary, I believe he's actually the type to be showy in private moments."

"How can you tell?"

The blonde then became a little pensive, as if she was recalling some sort of distant memory. Her usually candid face suddenly became thoughtful, and she creased her brows a little.

"I just know," Ino said vaguely.

"Don't tell me you've seen him with a girl? You know how much of an ice cube Neji is, Ino. Did you know that he once refused—rather rudely, I'd say-- a gift offered to him by his fangirl during Obon?"

"Well, he has changed."

Tenten nudged her friend. "You're hiding gossip, are you? Come on, spill!"

But instead of returning her playful tone, Ino merely looked at Tenten, her blue eyes brimming with hidden secrets. "Just tell him you love him, Tenten. Before it's too late."

Tenten had dismissed that as drunken slurs from the Yamanaka—they have been downing all sorts of sake, after all—but now, as she began to see less and less of the Hyuuga, Tenten could not help but acknowledge the wisdom behind Ino's advice, especially in the light of her recent mission. If she had died then, she never would've told Neji of her feelings for him, and aside from dying in line of her work, that was indeed a pitiful way to die.

Her thoughts were disturbed when she sensed a familiar chakra signature not far from her. She looked up and saw Neji walking towards her. Before she could stop herself, she had already waved and the shinobi acknowledged her.

"Hey Neji!" she greeted, a wide smile on her face. 'Come on Tenten you probably look idiotic!'

Neji replied with a curt nod. "Tenten."

"It's your day off too?"

"Yes."

It was then she noticed the folders in his hand. "Oh. Doing some reading?"

Neji then shifted his hold on the documents such that the labels faced away from her. "Just to the Library," he replied curtly.

Tenten scolded herself mentally. 'That's what you get for being nosy!' "Do you mind if..."

Neji regarded her for a few seconds before shaking his head, "No, I don't mind."

Together, the pair walked towards the Library and an awkward pause settled between them. Tenten adjusted her hold on the small bag she carried. She glanced at her companion and saw the unease in his shoulders, the tense set of his jaw and the small furrow on his brows. Instantly, she knew that there was something that's bothering the Hyuuga.

"Do you want to train later this afternoon?" she asked. She knew training often sets his mind at ease.

Neji shook his head and politely refused her offer. "I'm sorry but I have errands to do."

Tenten quelled the urge to clench her fists. This has been the nth time that he had refused training with her/the team. What is going on?

'What's wrong, Neji?'

The jounin seemed to have noticed Tenten's discomfort, and he touched her shoulder gently. "I'm sorry Tenten. Missions have been piling up lately."

Tenten looked up at him, saw his apologetic stare and forced a smile. "I—I understand." 'It's just that you're being so distant and...I just want you back."

"I think I'm free tomorrow," Neji continued to say. "We can train early morning. The usual routine."

The two shinobi locked stares for a while before the kunoichi smiled genuinely this time. "Same old training ground."

Neji mirrored her smile. "Yes."

The pair continued to walk towards the Library, and Tenten then felt that they were back in the old days, when silence never bothered them and they could just pass the time in each other's presence without the awkward pauses. It felt good.

But still, it was different. Because after the short exchange, Neji was back into his introspective self and was again distant. Tenten knew that this was just how Neji is, 'but he's only like this to others, not to me,' she thought.

'Tell me what's wrong!'

They reached the Library and Neji walked on ahead to show his identification to the personnel on guard. Tenten stayed behind.

"Umm...I forgot that, umm, I'm supposed to meet Ino somewhere," Tenten said.

Neji turned to her. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Okay."

She gave him a half-smile half-grimace before turning to leave. Meanwhile, Neji watched her a few moments before walking inside the building.

He knew he screwed up big time when it comes to Tenten. He feels like he had failed her and he couldn't help but feel guilty at the way he spoke to her a while ago.

But the last few days had not been the best. After his recent mission, the Hokage had given him time off to... recalibrate. He spent these days with Akira instead, and while he enjoyed spending time with her, it seemed that dark clouds always accompany the kunoichi one way or another.

He learned the other side of the truth behind Satsuna Inoue's death. After making sure that Akira is well and has not unleashed the Kageboshi somehow, he decided to look more closely into the happenings surrounding the old matriarch's death and how it all relates to the Kageboshi and Akira. He made several trips to the village's fire control department, the Library, Konoha General Hospital and the Archives. What he read had few correlations to Akira and Yuudai's version of the story.

Neji mulled over the details once more as he occupied one of the furthest tables, the promised training session with his teammate already buried beneath the Satsuna's story. According to what the reports say, Satsuna Inoue perished in a wild fire that started mid-morning. The fire was believed to have started 24 degrees and 10 kilometers southeast of the village's thick forestry. The total area damaged was said to have a radius of 30 kilometers, but Yuudai said that only the house and its immediate surroundings were burned. If it was indeed a wild fire, shouldn't the forests be incinerated to crisps as well? If Akira and Yuudai were telling the truth, then there was no wild fire. Satsuna Inoue was burned to crisp by a fire that started within her own house.

Which leads to the question: was her death pre-meditated? Did someone burn her, or did she burn herself?

Neji had obtained a permit from the Hokage allowing him to peruse confidential files on the medico-legal reports on Satsuna Inoue. From there he confirmed that the old woman indeed died due to a fire, but the specific details did not support the 'wild fire theory'. The reports say that Inoue died due to combustion.

There was also no investigation done on the scene of the "accident", and the old Satsuna house was described to be "burned to the ground with only several posts and beams left standing. The remaining structures provided no actionable means to pursue a detailed investigation." This meant that the house was in ashes such that the investigating team could not salvage anything that could aid in their task.

Besides, a wild fire that big should've caused enough damage to nearby wildlife. But there were no other reports on that same day that supports the occurrence of a wild fire. It bothered Neji.

What really happened that the Third Hokage felt that this needed to be covered up?

He stood up to scrounge the shelves for books about tailed beasts and jinchuriki. When they last spoke, Akira adamantly believed that she killed her grandmother, and Yuudai mentioned that she had trouble controlling her bijuu when she was young. Could Inoue's death be similar with Hideyoshi's? After all, the two deaths were closely related. Inoue died months after Akira turned seven, and Hideyoshi perished a year after.

Neji finally found a book and he settled in his seat to begin reading. Not long after, he was deep into the old world of chakra and shinobi, his mind and heart begging to understand the enigma that was Satsuna.

~~~~~~~~

Hatake Kakashi scratched the back of his head. While not one to refuse missions, he certainly has doubts on the tasks required of him, and this particular assignment is one of those doubtful missions.

He narrowed his eye(s) on the blonde village leader, ascertaining if the Hokage wasn't pulling his leg. "I must've heard you wrong, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said.

"No, you heard right," Tsunade replied. "I want to add another student to your list."

"And this kid needs to be taught teamwork?"

The Hokage shook her head. "Not just teamwork, but also a polishing of skills. I want you to make her combat-proficient." She took a file from her mountain of paper and passed it on to Kakashi. "She's Chuunin but as you can see, her missions record is not impressive. That makes her sub-par and not marketable to potential clients."

Kakashi glanced at the kunoichi's file and sighed. While training shinobi sure has its benefits, it has its fair share of disadvantages as well, and the Jounin could almost see the difficulties he'd encounter if he agreed to train this kunoichi.

Still, the Hokage is right. There is only one person in the village capable of teaching a unique case like her, and that is him, Hatake Kakashi, the only man who had copied a thousand techniques and has five chakra natures due to the Sharingan.

He sighed and bowed in obedience. "I accept the task, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade clasped her hands under her chin. "Perfect. Would you like to meet her now?"

"If she's here then—"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that. Unlike you, she's very punctual. I believe she's—great, Shizune. Let her in."

A minute later and Satsuna Akira stepped inside the office. She bowed at the Sannin. "You summoned me, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, Akira. Step closer."

As the girl approached, she gave Kakashi a respectful nod before turning her full attention at the Hokage. Tsunade crossed her arms.

"I reviewed your request, Satsuna, and I understand the circumstances behind your wishes. I also noted your current ranking and sadly, even at Chuunin level, your mission stats are below acceptable. If you wish to become Jounin, you have to improve your Chuunin mission stats first as these will have bearing in your Jounin examinations."

Akira's breath hitched a little and her eyes widened in surprise. Did she hear it right? The Hokage is allowing her to become Jounin? But...isn't the Godaime supposed to be mad at her? After all, she showed the village leader disrespect the last time they spoke.

It took several seconds before Akira could form a coherent thought. "Y-you're allowing me to become Jounin?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Not yet. I want you to polish your current skill set before you become eligible for Jounin. That is why Kakashi is here."

At this, Akira looked at the tall jounin.

"He will train you, Satsuna."

When the kunoichi merely looked at Kakashi, the jounin sighed. "The Hokage means that I will assist you to better your skills before you can participate in the Jounin exam. If after training with me you become eligible, then you can take the examination. But if you will not improve, then you will retain your Chuunin status and you will have to wait for another year before you can participate. Is that clear, Akira?"

"Yes, I understand Kakashi-san," replied Akira, nodding.

"Good," said Tsunade. "There's just one thing that I want to be clear about this, Satsuna. Since you signified your intention to climb the ranks, I assume that you know the risks associated with this act. If you become Jounin, you will be assigned high ranking missions—the types that you can't ditch or even refuse. It is a difficult life and it will scar you. I want you to keep that in mind."

At these words, the Satsuna's eyes darkened. "Am I not scarred enough?" She sighed. "Frankly, I do not really give a damn, as long as I am relieved of my position as instructor in the Academy."

Tsunade's stare hardened. "That will be a discussion for another day. For now, you will train under Hatake Kakashi. I leave the training schedules up to you, Kakashi. As for you Akira, I still expect you to perform your duties in the Academy, so don't even think of ditching just because. Understood?"

"Hai!" the two shinobi responded in unison.

"Questions? None, good. Dismissed!"

The two ninjas bowed in acknowledgement and turned to leave the office. Once the door had shut, Shizune approached the Hokage with a hefty scroll.

"Hokage-sama, the latest update from Research and Tech Development. It's about the chakra-sucking device."

Tsunade gave the closed door a glance before opening the scroll. As she perused the documents, Shizune hovered behind her.

"Hokage-sama, a question."

"Yes?"

"Are you really serious that you're allowing Akira to become Jounin?" the Head Medic's brows were furrowed with concern. "Isn't that going against the Third's counsel, that placing Satsuna in a position of power can weaken her hold over the Kageboshi? That is why you have not allowed her to teach advanced level nin, tai and genjutsu. If she succeeds in becoming Jounin, it's inevitable for her to perform high-level jutsu—"

Tsunade turned to face Shizune. "What exactly are you worried about, Shizune? Even if Satsuna does not become Jounin, her seals will continue to weaken over time." She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. "These are just stop-gap measures until we can be sure that the threat of the Kageboshi is contained."

Shizune sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry Tsunade-sama, but...just what do you expect from this arrangement?"

"Just what I said to Kakashi," Tsunade replied. "I expect Satsuna to upgrade her skills and learn teamwork."

"You really don't intend her to become Jounin, do you?"

The Hokage only gave a long sigh before returning to her tasks.

~~~~~~~~

Akira bit her thumb before weaving seals: "Kuchiyose no jutsu!"

From where she had slammed her hand, Yuudai emerged. Akira wasted no time and engulfed the wolf in a hug.

"Yuudai! Guess what!"

The gray wolf barked in confusion. "What happened, Akira-hime?"

Akira sat back on her haunches and grinned widely. "Hokage-sama had allowed me to become Jounin!"

"Really?! She did?!"

At this, the kunoichi rubbed her nape sheepishly. "It wasn't actually like that." She then launched a detailed account of what happened earlier. Yuudai mirrored her excitement.

"I'm happy for you, Hime!" Yuudai said. "Finally, a step closer to your goals! And having Hatake-san as sensei is simply amazing!"

Akira nodded. "Yeah! And he said we'll start tomorrow after class."

"Wait. If you're gonna have trainings with him, then how about Hanabi? How are you gonna train her?"

At this, Akira paused. Yuudai is right. The Hokage had said that she still has to teach in the Academy, and the only time she's free is during the afternoons, after classes. She usually trains Hanabi after class, so that would mean she'll have to terminate her training sessions with the young Hyuuga. A part of her felt a little sad, because it was truly a joy to see the girl improve. On the other hand, there's just no way she could divide herself (even with the help of kage bunshin) and simultaneously attend Kakashi and Hanabi's training sessions.

Akira sighed. "I'll talk to Hanabi when she arrives."

Yuudai growled upon realizing what Akira intends to do. "I feel a little sad."

"Well, she's still my student in the Academy, it's not like we won't see her anymore."

"No, but it's different."

Akira nodded her assent. She and Yuudai then settled under the shade of a large tree as they waited for the arrival of the young Hyuuga. While she rested, Yuudai had briefly returned to the mountain to share the news with the rest of the pack. Akira closed her eyes and used her chakra to sense Hanabi.

Soon enough, the Hyuuga girl arrived at their assigned training space. Akira stood up to meet her.

"Sensei!"

"Hey kid."

Hanabi looked up at her, eyes bright. "I know that last time you said that I should take it easy on using the Kaiten consecutively but I think I have developed a way to make it last longer. I want to try it today!"

Akira bit her lip before answering. "I don't think we'll be able to do that."

"Why? Do you have some other training regimen in mind?" Hanabi asked.

"Umm...not really. Actually, Hanabi—"

"Oh! Before I forget sensei!" Hanabi grinned widely. "Last time, Father and I sparred and, of course he beat me, but he commended my improved footwork and strategic strikes! He said he's impressed at my fast growth! Nee-chan agreed as well!"

Akira could not help but smile at the child, and she reached out a hand to scruff her head a little. "I'm glad to hear that, Hanabi. It's no surprise really, because you've been training so hard and you're doing so well both in class and in our private lessons. That is why I have to tell you this: I am terminating our private training sessions."

As expected, the girl did not understand Akira the first time. The kunoichi bent slightly to meet Hanabi's eyes.

"I have taught you all you need to know," said Akira softly. "I have nothing more to give you aside from the lessons in the Academy."

"Y—you mean...you won't train me anymore?"

Something in the girl's tone made Akira's heart clench. She heaved a deep breath. "Yes, Hanabi. Your lessons end today."

The young girl obviously deflated from her jovial mood, her pearlescent eyes losing the excitement it held earlier. Akira felt a mixture of guilt and sadness because she truly enjoyed teaching the kid, and her improvements had extended not only in her skill as a future shinobi but even in her overall personality. Hanabi had lost that shy, insecure demeanor and had become more confident and assertive even. She no longer stutters and has gained friends too.

"But why?" Hanabi asked. "Am I...Am I not good or—"

"No, no," Akira immediately corrected the girl. "It's not because you're not a good student, on the contrary, you're very smart and quick to catch on. It's just...I'd be occupied with a lot of tasks soon. I won't be able to supervise your training as closely as before. More importantly, I believe I've taught you all I can at your level." She smiled at an attempt to joke. "Anything more and I'll have to kill you for stealing my trade secrets."

Hanabi smiled softly but there was still trepidation in her eyes. "But I still wanna know how to use katana like you."

"If you truly have the aptitude for it, you will in due time. But for now, I strongly suggest that you focus on your strengths, which is the maximized use of your clan techniques. And with that, I can't help you."

There was a short pause as Hanabi sighed once more. Akira continued to reassure the girl by giving her a pat on the shoulder. "Hanabi, you're still my student in the Academy. It's not like I'm going away."

Hanabi looked up at Akira. "You promise, Sensei?"

The question put Akira off guard. "What?"

"You promise you're not going away?"

"W-why do you ask that?"

"I dunno. I always get the feeling that...you don't like it here." Hanabi looked away from her. "I...I always hear some grownups say that...you're different... but I don't care!" She reached out to grab the sleeve of Akira's haori. "I think you're cool and strong and I wanna be like you someday! So you gotta promise that you're not really going away and you'll continue to be our Sensei!"

Akira knew it was wrong to encourage the girl's attachment to her but as of now, that seems to be the best course of action. She knew that in time, Hanabi will outgrow her idol-worship of her.

"I'm still gonna be your sensei in the classroom, Hanabi," she said reassuringly. "And you'll still see me around."

"...Really?"

Akira smiled. "Really. So, how about a dango?"

Hanabi grinned in return. "As long as you'll pay, sensei."

Akira smirked. "Hn. Freeloader."

The girl giggled and Akira whistled for her wolves. The Ookami were in complete attendance. Yuudai must've already told them the news, for Sachiko sidled up to Hanabi and reassured the Hyuuga girl with her fond barks. Hanabi smiled and rubbed the wolf's soft fur. Sachiko even offered her back and Akira lifted Hanabi to ride the white wolf. The rest of the pack watched in approval.

After treating Hanabi to some sweets, Akira had left her near the Hyuuga compound and bid goodbye. The girl gave the kunoichi and Sachiko a hasty hug before running towards the massive estate. When she had sensed activity, Akira and her wolves dashed and were soon out of sight.

Unknown to them, someone has been watching.

~~~~~~~~~~

Coded Message from Agent Suzume to Head Namekuji:
Red box not secure. Additional precautions are advised.
Requesting for permission to suspend Phase 2. Reason: Agent is burned.

Coded Message from Head Namekuji to Agent Suzume:
Recommendations noted. Request denied. Rendezvous 1900H.

~~~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

As always, thank you very much for your support! I appreciate all the reviews as well as the favorites and follows on this simple story. I wouldn't have the courage to continue writing if it wasn't for all of you. To be honest, there were a lot of times where I felt like I wanted to stop writing because I felt like I'm not good enough, but every time I read your feedback, I get motivated again. So, thank you so much for your kind words!

With that said, I want to ask how you find Tsunade in this story. Personally, I find her quite difficult to write. I know that I've always portrayed her as a stern person and I feel like I may have turned her into an antagonist in the story. What do you think? And if you have suggestions, feel free to drop me a line or so, I always look forward to reading your feedback.

Anyway, that's all for now. Cheers!

~Akira