Songstress of Konoha ch2

Rin arrived back at the Academy once again. Iruka-sensei happened to be standing outside, teaching a class, He noticed her and waved. Rin walked over to her former sensei.

“Coming back here so soon, eh Rin?”

Rin shook her head. “No. Guy-sensei told my squad to meet on top of the Academy and to get up there without using the inside. I can’t figure out how to get up there.”

“Come on, Rin, I thought you could figure something like this out!”

“Not right now, sensei. Do you know the way?”

“Got some kunai?”

“Of course, sensei.” Rin pointed to the holster strapped to her leg. Alpha barked, as if to say “Let’s go already!”

“Grab two,” said Iruka, as he pulled out two of his own. “Hang on a sec.” He turned to his class. “Keep up those laps! You need more stamina!” He turned back to Rin. “I’ll show you a way.”

Rin nodded and followed him to the side of the Academy, Alpha by her side. She looked up the wall and saw nothing that would help her. “What does this have to do-” she slapped herself on the forehead. “Of course!”

Her guess was confirmed as she saw Iruka-sensei stab his kunai into the side of the building and climb. “Think you can do it?”

Rin was halfway up the side of the building with Alpha on her back before Iruka-sensei could say anything else. “Can I sensei?”

Iruka-sensei jumped down and put his kunai away. “Good luck Rin!”

Rin climbed up the rest of the way without any issues, only to find that she and Alpha were second to arrive right before Guy-sensei. Lee and Neji arrived together right after her. They were panting.

“Ahh, I see that my teammates are bursting with the power of youth!” Guy-sensei sat down.

He told Squad Thirteen to introduce themselves. He wanted them to say their names, likes, dislikes, and aspirations. It was Neji’s turn first.

He sat down, folded his arms and closed his eyes. “I’m Neji Hyuga. There is nothing at all that I actually like. I dislike plenty of things, including the main branch of my clan. There is nothing I aspire to that is worthy of being said.”

“I see. Next!” Guy-sensei pointed to Rin.

She opened her eyes. Guy-sensei couldn’t help noticing that her eyes were two different colors: bright green and bright blue. “I am Rin Inuzuka and this is my Ninja dog Alpha.” As she spoke, Guy-sensei could see the pouches that she wore on her arms, located between the elbow and wrist for quick access. “I like to keep mine and Alpha’s bodies healthy by training daily. I aspire to be the strongest kunoichi in all of Konoha, just like my idol, Lady Tsunade!”

Lee stood up right after Rin finished. “I am Rock Lee! I like to train and there is almost nothing that I don’t like. I aspire to be a splendid Ninja, even if I can’t use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu!”

“Humph.”

Lee turned to Neji. “WHAT’S SO FUNNY?”

“What? Are you stupid or something?” He opened his eyes, but kept his arms crossed. “If you can only use Taijutsu, it means you’re not a Ninja!”

Lee began to slump downwards.

“That’s not necessarily true if you have passion!” Guy-sensei exclaimed. “If you are able to compete against a true rival you can become a splendid Ninja! But it will take hard work.”

Before Neji could counter, Guy-sensei continued his speech. “Enough. I believe we all understand each other well enough. Formal training begins tomorrow.” Rin, Lee and Neji all nodded. “Our first project involves only the four of us: survival exercises.” They nodded again. “It’s an exercise where you first have to survive on your own, then together.”

“And just how is that pertinent to our functioning as a team?” Neji asked.

Guy-sensei laughed. “I feel that you should know what’s in store for you. This test has a 66% rate of failure.”

He handed them all a piece of paper. “Here is the information about your test. Memorize it. Tomorrow, we will meet at the training grounds at 6am. Don’t be late and bring all of your Ninja tools.”

* * *

Rins alarm blared loud chimes at 4am. She rose and did her morning exercises. She practiced lunges, punches and kicks. She practiced with her projectiles. She woke Alpha and practiced some minor jutsu. By the time she stopped, Rin had to be there in an hour.

She grabbed her clothes, tools and headband. She took a quick shower and dressed fast. When she strapped on her pouches full and tightly packed, Rin had forty minutes left, which she used to feed Alpha and herself a quick breakfast.

At the instant Rin swallowed the last bite, she ran out the door towards the training grounds. On the way she ran into a short blond kid with goggles who was dressed in orange. Rin apologized and continued running.

Rin arrived at the training grounds about twenty minutes early, just as Lee arrived. Neji and Guy-sensei weren’t there, so Rin and Lee decided to get to know one another a little better.

“So why can’t you use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu?” Rin asked.

“It was a birth defect,” said Lee, short and to the point. “But it is my dream to be a splendid Ninja! I will never give up!” His eyes gleamed with an intensity that Rin would’ve never though possible. After a minute, it passed. “So what kind of jutsu do you use?”

Alpha growled, just as she was about to answer Lee. “Haha, I guess Alpha says for me not to tell you! But you’ll see.” Rin gathered Alpha into her lap. “I did teach my little brother some moves, though.”

All of a sudden, Lee brought his closed fist to his fiery eyes. He turned sharply and tried to hit something behind him. His target nimbly dodged his attack.

“Poor Lee. Tsk tsk. Always missing the target.” Neji emerged from the shadows. “It’s kind of hard to believe that you actually gradu-”

He stopped in mid sentence as he saw a kunai pressed against his neck. To his surprise, it wasn’t Lee that wielded the kunai, but Rin! “Never insult a teammate, Neji.”

The kunai felt cold against his skin. “And why shouldn’t I?”

She pressed it tighter. “It only hurts us as a group. If you insult Lee, it hurts his self esteem, making him less sure of himself. I think it’s hard to see why you graduated from the Academy if you don’t even know this basic lesson.” She put the kunai away. “Learn some respect, Hyuga,” she finished, putting as much contempt into her voice as possible, her hair flying all over the place.

The breeze wasn’t natural. It was too strong and it radiated power. Rin, Lee and Neji all looked to the spot where it seemed to be coming from and there stood Guy-sensei on top of a Ninja turtle. “Geez, you guys are the embodiment of adolescence! Anyway, it’s time for us to begin our exam!”

When the dust settled, Rin, Lee and Neji could see Guy-sensei standing there. “The first part of the exam allows me to assess your abilities separately. Rin, you will go first. Come up here.”

Rin and Alpha walked up to Guy-sensei. “What exactly are we supposed to do?”

Guy cleared his throat. “What I need from you is to test your abilities.”

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

“Why, you need to fight me!”

Rin sighed. “All right then, Guy-sensei.” Rin took her ready position and Alpha assumed her position by Rin’s side.

Guy-sensei turned around and laughed.

Rin stood straight up and prepared her throat for her singing jutsu, while Guy-sensei stood there and laughed more. She let loose an unearthly note. Guy’s arms and legs were pinned to his sides and his mouth clamped shut.

Neji and Lee gaped at her skill.

“How is that possible?” Neji gasped.

She released the flow of chakra to her throat and Guy-sensei flopped in the ground. He stood up slowly and turned around. “So that’s how you want to play it? Then so be it!”

Rin made a few hand signs. “Beast mimicry!” Alpha disappeared in a puff of smoke. When it cleared, there were two Rins. At once, they charged at Guy-sensei. As they ran, they pulled out a kunai and held it in their hands in a stabbing position.

“AHH!”

As they reached Guy-sensei, they made to stab their kunai down, but he disappeared.

“Behind you!” screamed Lee.

They turned around, but it was too late. Guy-sensei punched one of them right in the face. The one that got punched was Alpha and as her limp form flew backwards, Guy-sensei tried to hit the other Rin. Just in time, she used a substitution jutsu on a rock right behind Guy-sensei. The momentum in Guy-sensei’s arm was too great to stop the punch. His hand slammed hard into the rock and Rin grabbed Guy-sensei in a chock hold with a kunai pressed against his neck.

“Amazing! Simply amazing!” Lee exclaimed.

Even Neji looked impressed.

“Never underestimate the power of a Kunoichi, Guy-sensei,” she said, releasing the Jonin.

“Incredible.” Guy-sensei stood up and raised his hand to catch something.

“This should heal your injuries, Guy-sensei.” Rin had thrown the pill then walked over to Alpha. From the pouch on her right arm, took out some pills to heal Alpha. In no time at all, Alpha was revived and ready to fight again.

After Neji and Lee’s fight with Guy, it was decided that they would all meet back there the next morning. “We all need time to rest. Meet back here at 6am and bring all of your tools again.”

* * *