Chapter three: Efforts

"You better explain to me your motives, cousin." Hitomi stated, eyeing the dango stick in front of her. She sat with her legs crossed inside the Mizukage's chamber, specifically placed at the head of her bed.

"My motives?" Mei replied with a small smile.

"Spit it out," Hitomi growled as she stuffed one dango ball into her mouth.

"This will do a great deal of good for your future, Hitomi."

Deal? Future? Hitomi thought, placing the words on an imaginary board in her mind.

"You need to stop acting like it's such a disgrace to take in these children,0 Mei continued, a mouth full of food as she spoke.

Disgrace. Hitomi added the word to her mind board.

"It's only life that you must make such hard deductions."

Hitomi's eyes darkened as she arranged the four words into a sentence, her judgment clouding her thoughts.

I will make a deal in the future which will bring disgrace to my life?

"Just give it a go Hitomi." Mei finished absentmindedly, carefully placing the finished dango stick onto her plate.

"Shut up or I'll kill you." Hitomi whispered with her eyes closed as she smiled at her cousin.

Mei's eye twitched as she stared at the woman.

~~~

"Welcome!" Hitomi announced flinging the black double doors open with a crack. They bounced noisily off the wall behind as dust blew up into their faces.

They all coughed waving their hands in front of their faces. Uta gave out some sort of annoyed growl as she attempted to cover her mouth.

Today as told by their Sensei the night before, is when they move into their shared home.

The main room was fairly large, but most of all dark and cold with only a stream of light coming from one large window.

"Too dirty," Uta moaned in distaste as she flicked her finger across a dust ridden table, her mouth set into a frowning action. Raiden coughed lightly as he walked towards the large window. Thick and dusty cobwebs decorated the sill and he reached towards them in amusement.

"Don't fucking touch that." Uta growled from behind him, causing Raiden to freeze.

"I refuse to live here until it is cleansed." Uta stated narrowing her dangerous eyes to Hitomi.

"Uta,"

"I'm serious." She stated crossing her arms in front of her. Hitomi sighed lightly, already amused of this child's character before walking over to the same window Raiden was standing near.

His face was slightly terrified as Uta had now moved her gaze to him. The air around her was floating with dust specks, leaving only her darkened brow and slits for eyes dangerously looking back at him.

Hitomi chuckled bringing her thumb to her fair lips. She poked a canine lightly into her thumb to draw blood and then slapped it onto the wooden sill.

Summoning Jutsu! She thought as markings fanned out across the surfaces.

Poof!

All of the students faces squinted as smoke appeared. A figure, not very large at all came into view. It had a long, white, bushy tail and a slim body.

"Is that an oversized mouse?" Miyuki asked cheerily as she eyed the creature.

"Hana? She's my ninja summoning." Hitomi spoke as the animal stretched its back out.

"Your summoning is an over grown rodent?" Uta stated with an unamused glare.

"I am no such thing!" The animal named Hana protested stiffening her fluffy tail upwards. Her voice was somewhat soft, but almost as bored as Hitomi's own natural tone. "I am a snow fox, the best tracker of my kind." She replied, nudging at the blue fabric braces around her front legs.

Miyuki and Uta failed to come up with a reply as the animal spoke. Now that she explained herself, they could very much distinguish her small ears and sharpened claws. She was snow white and by no doubt a beautiful creature.

"Interesting," Raiden muttered quietly petting his palm across the silky fur tail. The fox closed her eyes in enjoyment as she felt the gentle touch across her back.

"Hitomi my dear, what is it you need? To punish these children? To find the richest dango store in the land of Water?" Hana asked, her eyelids half closed in a mocking manor.

"Get me some cleaning supplies...lots of them." Hitomi grumbled glaring at the snow fox.

"Bless my soul." Hana muttered a laugh before leaping through the opened window.

"Well...I think today is going quite well!" Raiden nervously laughed closing his eyes. Uta breathed heavily through her nostrils slightly irritated.

"So I guess our first mission as a team is cleaning! Oh joy!" Hitomi icily spoke with a smirk as she inspected both Miyuki and Raiden, they seemed to be having an internal battle over whether or not to ditch the next hours of torture. Uta on the other hand, though her hostile stare, seemed determined to clean this place as spotless as possible.

"Sensei?" Miyuki suddenly called out dismissing Hitomi's daydream.

"What is it Miyuki?" She asked switching her gaze to her.

"Does our team have any specific name?" Hitomi stopped for a moment, realizing that the answer was in fact no.

Is it important? Some sort of identification? Should we pose fear from our name or just have something simple and recognisable? Hitomi concluded her answer sighing slightly.

"No we don't in fact, but would you lot like to choose one?"

"Yes!" Miyuki exclaimed with her eyes slightly brighter.

"What about, Team Hitomi?" Raiden nervously spoke, attempting to add some enthusiasm to his answer.

"Pft." Uta scoffed amused by the lame response. "That's such a cliché label." She retorted smirking slightly.

"But it could fit." Miyuki smiled holding her chin. "Just think about it, everyone should already know Hitomi as a very powerful Shinobi. Therefore if you create a team, under the name of a person such as herself, we will seem even more capable and, will get some sort of recognition." She smirked deviously now facing Uta who's eye twitched at her words.

"Fine." Uta gave in crossing her arms with a small pout. She's not dumb for sure. She thought eyeing Miyuki's beaming face.

"Great!" Miyuki answered claps if her palms together.

"Well then, welcome Team Hitomi to you're new home, and new life." Hitomi said proudly at the students who were in front of her each holding their own individual expressions.

"To you Uta, the slightly grumpy yet amusing Yuki. Raiden, you innocent but surprising Hozuki. And Miyuki, the friendly but intimidating Hoshigaki. As of now, we are a team and will protect each other with our lives." Hitomi's voice was even, she was trying to suppress the smile that kept threatening to creep onto her face.

Cousin, this is in no way a disgrace...I think I'm going to be fine with this new life.

Miyuki giggled as a lone tear slid down her face.

"Thank to so much Sensei." She sniffed still holding a massive grin as she hastily smothered her cheek with a palm. Hitomi merely smiled faintly at the trio and nodded.

Is this what I'll be living for now? Uta thought frowning slightly.

"Dear, I've brought your supplies." A voice stated from the window. Hitomi shifted her gaze to Hana who sat perched with cleaning supplies piled all around her.

How did she? Raiden thought to himself in disbelief.

"I'll take this." Uta suddenly said pushing past Raiden and picking up a bucket by the handle. "This place will be spotless!" Uta demanded, well more like stated as she proudly stood with a broom flipped over her shoulder.

"I'll dust."

"I'll wipe."

I'll, goodbye."

"Sensei!" Raiden and Miyuki yelled in shock as nothing but smoke covered their Hitomi's previous spot.

"Get back h the Hitomi!"  Uta yelled grinding her jaw.

"She left us," Miyuki whispered in disbelief.

Squirt!

"Gah!" Both Raiden and Miyuki spat squinting their eyes as something splashed in their faces. Raiden wiped the excess liquid with his sleeve whilst Miyuki continued to make squeaking noises trying to fan with her palm the substance on her face.

He peered open his eyes and froze when Uta's face was merely centimeters from his own. He gulped as her glare was intense, but he saw the amusement flickering in them.

"Next time I'll fill the bottle with bleach." She threatened with a small smirk. Raiden opened his mouth slightly to say something, but immediately shut it biting his lip subconsciously.

Uta's gaze faltered when her eyes suddenly inspected his face. Raiden forced himself not to blush or do anything stupid as the girl quickly returned to her usual hostile manor and moved away.

Unknowing to the others she felt flustered and embarrassed by her surprising behaviour. What do I have? A tooth fetish or something? She scoffed in her mind, wanting to bang her head against the solid beam around the door frame.

Besides the current scene that had played out, Miyuki forced a cloth into her mouth as she harshly shook from containing her giggles.

"Can we please just hurry up and clean," Uta sighed pinching the bridge of her nose as she walked towards the hallway. Almost silent grumbles were heard from the other teammates as they began their work.

Uta decided to investigate the rest of the house before she started. A scowl was present the entire trip.

So freaking dark.

A straight hallway, one door on the left, two on the right and one at either end. Surprisingly all the furniture in the four bedrooms were covered by dusty white sheets. This caused Uta to raise an eyebrow with the weirdness of this home.

Do I really want to create bonds with these people? She frowned as she turned to investigate the other end of the hallway. And of course there was only one bathroom, located in front of her. It needed a good bleach treatment, and her eyes lit up when she discovered the large spa bath. She mentally fist pumped in victory.

She needed more help, so she sighed before bringing her palms together.

"Clone Jutsu!" She mumbled and moments later identical copies stood scowling next to her.

"We clean this shit up?" The one on the left asked tiredly.

"We clean this shit up." The original Uta and other clone confirmed together before attacking separate zones.

I wonder what type of missions we will be sent on, Uta thought as she began her chore. She wanted to be able to show her skills, to test them against others. To feel the thrill of releasing ones jutsu onto a target, to show the world her rare Kekkei Genkai, to be respected.

That's what she wants.

~~~

"What was that Hitomi?" The Mizukage amusingly asked as she smiled weakly at the woman. Hitomi crossed her arms with a flustered expression as she stood in the Mizukage's office.

"I said you made the right choice. Thank you." She almost growled.

"The Mizukage always makes wise decisions, it's in her nature." The ever shy Choujorou spoke praising his leader.

"Thank you, Choujurou." The Mizukage answered politely as she intertwined her fingers in front of her face.

Choujurou blushed lightly as he looked away from the woman's face in embarrassment. "Bring them here when you seem necessary. I have a mission your team can accomplish."

"Yes, cousin."

***

Just a quick note!

If anyone was confused about Hitomi's actions in her mind, it's seems she has also that problem where the Mizukage creates little scenarios in her mind from words in her conversations (hers are about marriage though) and then she whispers 'shut up or I'll kill you' into someone's ear (￣▽￣) It always makes me laugh so much.

Do you guys and girls remember Choujurou? If that's not the right spelling then don't worry XD

Don't forget to comment! It really motivates me.