Summoner Nin

Page 30: Zero No More

"Someone has been watching you for the past three months," the Sandaime told her. "As a counter measure, you are no longer to take part in missions until further notice."

Hinata frowned, but did not protest. She had known, of course, that someone had been taking note of her. The Bats and Ravens that she had strategically placed within the village were not for nothing, and with an information network consisting of Mice and Cockroaches, there was very little Hinata did not know about her well-being. She had had found it, however, disorienting for Two to occasionally Body Flicker her across the village whenever this "someone" was watching her.

Hinata believed that she could take care of herself… but she also knew that she was nowhere near as capable as her numerous sensei. If she were to face a formidable ninja, she would not last long. It would be easy to disarm her. Cut off her chakra, or a good genjutsu, and she would not be able to save her life – literally.

"I understand, Hokage-sama," she answered softly.

Hiruzen sighed, looking longingly to the pipe he had extinguished earlier for his guest. She was no longer that five-year-old girl he had invited to tea six years ago. She was now eleven, and would be turning twelve by the end of the year. She was going into her last year at the Ninja Academy and, if she wasn't already a genin, she would be graduating as a genin in eight-months' time. He had gotten old, he knew.

"My plan is to essentially confuse the perpetrator," the Hokage explained. "Once they find that you are no longer operating within Team Kage, they will concentrate on when you do operate on the team. They will have no other strategy but to wait for you. I'm hoping that they will be so desperate that they will slip up. We will be laying a trap."

Hinata nodded, processing the plan slowly.

"For now," he encouraged with a smile, "I just want you to enjoy your last year in the Academy. I want you to gossip with your girlfriends and try on some make-up." Hinata blushed prettily at the suggestion. "I even want you to try skipping class with Tsume's boy!"

Hinata's eyes went wide and her complexion drained of colour. It was such a… wicked suggestion that she almost fainted at the thought of it.

The Hokage chuckled, readjusting the cone hat on his head. "Just think about it, okay, Hinata? I want you to relax, alright?"

The young Summoner-nin hesitated for a second before nodding warily.

She had always wanted to be "one of the boys."

xxx

She did not actually get the courage to skip class until mid-October, and it was the only time she had skipped in her life. They had been having lunch together, the whole group of boys and her, and she distinctively targeted Kiba, knowing that he was more inclined to cave to her requests, and asked – beseeched, "I-I want to sk-skip cl-class o-on O-October the 10th."

Naturally the boys went silent – dead silent, but not literally, of course. But they were unnaturally quiet as they stared at her. Even Shikamaru had been startled enough to pry his gaze from the clouds to gape at her, Choji having forgotten that he was in mid-swallow. Finally, after a long, very long, silence, it was Shino who spoke.

"I wish to skip as well. Why? October the 10th is Naruto's birthday and therefore we should celebrate it as friends," Shino purported.