Summoner-nin

Part Three: Team Kage

Chapter Eight

March came in like a lamb that year, all calm and lulling with a soft breeze and a hint of a thrilling chill. It was a delightful surprise for Konoha to be greeted with such an auspicious start to spring, and even more relieving for such good weather to continue quite steadily throughout the month. There were lion days of course, of lashing winds and rains, but March had been quite accommodating so far.

January had passed quite chillingly, but the beauty of sun-snow had made up for that. February had been especially wet that year, but the monotonous grey skies and cold winds had been broken by the ever eventful St. Valentine's Day. Like every year, the last remaining Uchiha had been seen scrambling across the rooftops to avoid homemade chocolates, "homemade" chocolates, cards and unnecessary gropings. (Most of the elderly had waged a bet as too how long the Uchiha had planned to run, or how far, or how many chocolates he'd get that year… or how many groping!) Konoha always enjoyed St. Valentine's Day. (Zero had even gotten the courage to give a box of homemade chocolates to her friends… and may have – OR MAY NOT HAVE – snuck a box in one blond boy's desk during recess… NOT THAT SHE WAS ADMITING TO ANYTHING, OF COURSE.)

Standing on one of the rolling hills, Zero looked out into the green prairies of the Fire Country. The grass swayed in the breeze with a lulling sha, sha, and the sun was a warm caress threading through the greenery. From afar, dotting white along the shallow hills of grass and clover, were a great number of fluffy, fluffy white sheep.

Zero smiled under her mask and suppressed a giggle.

When Team Kage had been assigned a mission to a sheep farm, Zero hadn't known exactly what to expect. First of all, it hadn't required all of them, but rather just One and her. Secondly, she hadn't really needed to pack her weapons at all. And finally, she was told to watch the sheep.

That was all.

Just to watch the sheep.

For a day.

It wasn't hard at all. In fact, One wasn't even watching the sheep, letting her take guard duty. As much as he had said it was because she had the byakugan, Zero knew that her sensei was just lazy. (She giggled.) The day was both warm and bright, and One just couldn't help but lie back on one of the sprawling hills to watch the clouds.

It had been a long time since she had seen her sensei watching clouds.

Sighing happily, Zero strolled down the hill and joined the sheep – soft, cute and fluffy, she hadn't been able to resist hugging one when they had first arrived, much to the shepherd's amusement. The old grandfather had laughed and even encouraged her to hug another, and then another, and another. The fact that she was a child in ninja gear didn't seem like anything strange to him.

She paused briefly to run her hand over a soft pelt, and then another, looking at the sky and then briefly to her sensei on his hill. As she turned back to the sheep once more, she felt her breath catch, not for the first time, when she spotted the golden fleece of the Sheep again. When she had first spotted it, she hadn't known what to say, much to the old shepherd's amusement.

Apparently he had been an old retired ninja, and thus explaining why he hadn't been uneasy about a child-nin. He was also a Sheep summoner, and most of his retirement fund was from sheering the golden fleece of one rare Sheep summon. The mission was easy: watch the sheep for the day and the retired-ninja-turned-shepherd would offer the Sheep Summoning Scroll to them.

It was not even a C-Rank mission. It was ordinary Genin stuff – no threat, no stress, just sun and fun and soft animals! Zero had been, and still was, thrilled!

"Summoner-nin," the Golden Sheep baa-ed.

"H-Hai!" Zero responded nervously.

"My head feels itchy." The Sheep swerved her head back and forth, her ears flickering cutely in pouting agitation.

"Oh!" Zero exclaimed delightfully and quickly came to the poor Sheep's aid.

The Sheep sighed happily and smiled when Zero scratched behind her ears. It was an easy mission, and an easy summon to obtain. Sheep were naturally mellow, and the various Sheep scattered around the sheep had taken a liking to her at the very get-go. They had told her that they had liked her aura and scent.

She supposed it was because she was the Summoner-nin.

"Alright," One said, once the sun was beginning to set. "Zero, it's time to herd them back."

Fortunately the Sheep were able enough to guide and lead the sheep back into the shepherd's barns. And once the last sheep was in, One went to the shut the door-

"Ouch," One sounded lamely, drawing his hand back from the metal latch of the barn.

"O-One?" Zero was at his side at once, alarmed.

One shook his head lazily. "Nothing. Just sliced my thumb on the lock."

Zero looked to the barn's lock and saw that it was, indeed, very sharp, and quickly dug out a bandaid from her pocket and wrapped it around her sensei's thumb before he could protest.

"There," Zero said firmly, stepping back.

Even with her mask on, they both knew that she was grinning proudly, as if she had accomplished some great feat.

One glanced at his thumb and raised a brow. He turned to her and said, "It's pink."

"Yes!" she chirped.

He looked to the bandaid again. "It has cupcakes on it."

"Yes!" she chirped again.

He decided not to pursue the matter any longer and muttered, instead, "Troublesome."

Zero grinned again, and together they returned to the shepherd's house to get a copy of the Sheep Summoning Scroll. After exchanging several heartfelt farewells and the shepherd assuring that they would be welcomed to come back, the two members of Team Zero returned to Konoha – mission accomplished.

"Hm…" One sighed as they neared their village's gates. "Zero…"

"Yes?" she responded with an extra bounce to her steps.

"My old woman wants you to visit," One said, rolling his neck languidly.

Zero understood that One's "old woman" was his wife, and she paused with a shameful bow of her head. One's wife had been asking after her for months, but unfortunately with missions, school and Hyuga duties (even as few and nonsensical as her father dared to give her), Zero had been unable to find the time to visit One's family. And she was ashamed, embarrassed by her rude behaviour and-

"Come over this Monday after school," One said, placing a hand on her head and gave her comforting squeeze, knowing that she berating herself again. She did that often. "It'll be the 27th, right?"

Zero's head snapped up, astonished. Yes. It would be the 27th.

One snorted. "Come over and bake something with her. She'll like it."

Zero blinked, and then burst into a smile. She nodded eagerly and exclaimed, "Hai, sensei!"

One didn't even scold her for calling him "sensei" out in the open. Instead, he placed his hands behind his head, stretched his back, and walked the rest of the way back to Konoha with easy, lulling stroll.

It was a beautiful day.

xxx

When the last bell rang on Monday, signalling the end of school, Hinata patiently closed her books and placed her pencils into her pencil case. A part of her felt giddy at the prospect of visiting the Nara home again, and she smiled shyly to herself as she slipped her things in her backpack. She was both excited and nervous for seeing Yoshino again… and because she would be pressed for time.

Standing with her backpack in hand, she was surprised to see Shikamaru, with his hands in his pockets, by her desk waiting for her. Apparently she wasn't the only one disoriented, because Kiba, along with Akamaru, had their heads tilted to the side in confusion, and even Shino raised a brow at the Nara's presence. Shikamaru didn't talk to the trio much, and he was hardly associated with anyone but Choji.

"What are you doing here?" Kiba blurted out, blinking owlishly.

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata gasped, appalled by his behaviour.

Kiba ducked his head sheepishly and coughed.

"What my companion meant to say," Shino cut in as intellectually as ever, "is that 'may we help you?'"

"Ah," Shikamaru affirmed, muttering a "troublesome" before facing Hinata. "Dad said you'd be visiting today?"

"H-Hai," Hinata replied nervously. She hoped Yoshino didn't think that she'd been avoiding her!

Shikamaru nodded. "I'm supposed to go with you."

Kiba raised a brow and turned to Hinata. "You okay with that?"

Hinata smiled and nodded. "Hai! Shikamaru-kun and I've known each other for a very long time."

Kiba's eyes swerved to the Nara curiously. "Huh. Didn't know that."

"Shall we leave now?" Shino suggested, glancing at the classroom clock. "We have been here for ten min-"

"Crap!" Kiba cried out; Akamaru flinching. "Ma's gonna think something's wrong!"

"You should both go!" Hinata entreated them, just as panicked. She hated to see Kiba being punished… again. "I-I still have to change my shoes!"

"Are you sure?" Kiba asked, eyes all round and wide, torn between waiting for his friend and not wanting to risk his mother's wrath.

"Hai!" Hinata assured, firm and quite convincing in volume.

"Then we will see you tomorrow morning," Shino said.

"Hai!" Hinata agreed, still very firm and sure. "Bye, Shino-kun! Kiba-kun!"

"Bye, Hinata!" Kiba waved frantically as he and Shino turned at the door and disappeared from the room, much to a Nara's relief.

Shikamaru sighed. "Are they always that loud?"

Hinata giggled, walking to her rain boots placed at the side of the classroom. "Only Kiba-kun."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Of course."

Hinata gave him a smile and exchanged her indoor shoes for her boots, and grabbed her umbrella at the classroom door. It wasn't strange, she realized, to be alone with Shikamaru. It was almost comforting and familiar. She was reminded of the times when they had been younger, of the times when she had snuck out from Shikaku's study after he had fallen asleep to descend the stairs into the Nara living room. Sometimes she had run into Shikamaru lying on the couch. Sometimes he had been by the window staring at the clouds. Sometimes, like times like these, he had walked with her until the end of the street because his mother had forced him to escort her "for safety sake."

They had not been close, but they had understood that Yoshino Nara was not a woman to be disobeyed. Tsume and her probably got along just fine.

Hinata made sure that Shikamaru was under her umbrella too. Of course he was too lazy to grab one before coming to school. March 27th was a lion day.

She glanced back to see her guards at a respectful distance, not speaking, almost not breathing. They resembled, eerily, ghosts in the rain, and she quickly forced her gaze away and concentrated on the journey.

Shikamaru didn't speak, and neither did she. They didn't need to speak. They were familiar with each other's silence.

"Good luck," Shikamaru said once they were at his house.

"U-Um…" Hinata hesitated. "Are you not coming, Shikamaru-kun?"

For a second, the young Nara stared at her as if she were insane, and then remembered that she actually liked his mother, which was incredulous enough as it was. Shaking his head, he sighed and decided to get it over with. They both knew that his mother would be displeased if he didn't at least escort Hinata into the house safe and sound, not that there was any danger between the front door porch and the foyer.

"Come on," Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his temples as if eight-year-olds could get headaches. "Let's go."

Hinata smiled and restrained a giggle, knowing that it would only antagonize his headache even further, and stepped into the Nara household, leaving the Hyuga guards outside to… well, guard.

The familiar warmth of a burning stove and the scent of animal fur enveloped her at once, and she found herself relaxing at the home. She remembered being stunned when she first arrived in the Nara house. It had been so different from the strict Hyuga Compound and the fierce Uchiha walls. It was softer, warmer, calmer-

"IS THAT YOU, SHIKAMARU?" Yoshino screeched from the kitchen.

Shikamaru winced and drew in a sharp breath between his teeth. Hinata laughed faintly, hoping to dispel the awkward situation.

"Yeah!" Shikamaru answered, pressing his ears to dispel the ringing in them. "And Hinata's here too."

All at once, Yoshino was suddenly in the foyer with a bright ("chilling" in Shikamaru's mind) smile and a ladle in hand. Ever the housewife, with her apron on and hair tied back, the matriarch of the Nara Clan didn't even wait to engulf Hinata in a hug (always surprising Shikamaru when his mother never seemed to stranglethe girl like she did with him).

"Hinata!" Yoshino gushed, pressing her cheek against Hinata's. "It's been so long!"

"H-Hai!" Hinata squeaked, making Shikamaru wince again. "I-I'm sorry, Yoshino-san! I-"

"Oh, I know," Yoshino said matter-of-factly with slow understandable nods. "My lazy husband told me that you've been recovering from an injury?"

Hinata tried not to squirm under Yoshino's concerned gaze. She didn't want to lie… but she couldn't tell the truth either. "H-Hai."

"Well!" the female Nara sounded with a firm nod. "As long as you're alright, right?"

"H-Hai," Hinata answered nervously. At her peripheral vision, she could see Shikamaru raise a sceptical brow.

He knew she was lying, but he wasn't going to bother to rat her out. It would be too troublesome, and Hinata was grateful for that, at the very least.

"Come!" Yoshino said, beaming. "Shikaku says you want to bake some cupcakes?"

"Hai!" Hinata sounded eagerly.

Yoshino nodded. "Then let's get started!"

Hinata smiled.

"I'll be in my room," Shikamaru sounded lethargically, walking by the two females and up the stairs.

Yoshino huffed, and then apologized to Hinata. "I'm sorry about him, Hinata. He's too much like his father."

They all knew Shikamaru had heard her, and they all knew he was too afraid to gainsay her.

"Come into the kitchen!" Yoshino said excitedly. "I already got the ingredients ready!"

Hinata clapped her hands enthusiastically and let the older woman drag her into the pristine Nara kitchen. No matter how much Shikaku ran with the deer, or how many muddy footprints Shikamaru would drag in, Yoshino always somehow managed to keep the house clean – like, up to medical standards clean. It always amazed Hinata how able Yoshino was.

"We'll start with the eggs first," the Nara matriarch instructed light-heartedly.

And for the next half hour, the two focused on making the cupcakes. Yoshino would hum and encourage Hinata to do so too, and the elder would complement her on how clean Hinata was keeping the counter space. And, of course, Yoshino spent much time complaining about her good-for-nothing husband and just as equally good-for-nothing son…

"And there we go," Yoshino chirped, sliding the cupcakes into the oven. "It'll only take about 20 minutes to bake."

Hinata beamed. "Thank you, Yoshino-san."

"Oh, Hinata!" Yoshino gushed. "There's no need to thank me!"

Hinata ducked her head and blushed, enjoying the warmth and attention.

"How about you take the 20 minutes to supervise Shikamaru, hm?" Yoshino suggested.

"Supervise?" Hinata enquired curiously.

"Mh-hm." Yoshino nodded, and then screamed up the stairs, "SHIKAMARU GET DOWN HERE! THE FAWNS NEED FEEDING!"

Hinata winced at the volume and was thankful that Yoshino didn't see.

Five minutes later, Shikamaru lazily came down from the stairs, looking like he had been napping, which was a normal occurrence for him.

"Wha-" He yawned. "What did you want, mom?"

Yoshino's right brow ticked, and immediately Shikamaru was wide awake and paling. She was just about to repeat (and quite loudly too) her instructions when Hinata, oh-so-innocently, reminded.

"Shikamaru-kun," she spoke softly so not to agitate Yoshino any farther. "Let's go feed the fawns."

Realization dawned on Shikamaru, and he hadn't needed to be told twice before dragging Hinata to the door. In fact, he was in such a hurry that he nearly left Hinata behind in the house for she was busy getting her boots out and unfurling her umbrella. He was so silly at times.

When she was finally beside him, umbrella preventing him from getting farther wet, she giggled at his antics.

"Sure, you laugh now," Shikamaru said emphatically, "but any second later and she would've killed us."

Her response was another giggle, this time accompanied by her making for the barn. Sighing to himself, Shikamaru followed her at a leisurely pace, their feet squelching at the softened earth and mud. The rain was beginning to let up, but both were glad when they were finally in the barn.

"You remember how to do this, right?" Shikamaru asked, mixing the milk formula for the baby fawns.

"Hai," Hinata replied quietly, carefully approaching the fawns, taking care in not scaring them.

Shikamaru smirked and handed her a bottle before grabbing one himself. Together, it didn't take them very long to feed the fawns. It was not surprising that the fawns had taken to Hinata very well, as always, and she was delighted when they started to nudge at her hand for some milk, almost pushing each other out of the way.

Soft and fragile, the baby deer with their thin legs and eager eyes pressed their noses against her and Hinata found herself scolding them, "Not so fast! Be patient and remember to share!"

Shikamaru snorted, but didn't say anything. It had been a long time since they hung out.

Finally, when they were done, Hinata unfurled the umbrella once more and waited as Shikamaru shut the barn door and locked-

"Ouch," Shikamaru said blandly, looking at his thumb.

"Shikamaru-kun!" Hinata cried out worriedly.

He raised a brow at her out-of-proportion reaction and sought to reassure her. "It's only a small cut. From the lock."

Hinata quickly dug into her pockets and drew out a bandaid. He could only blink as she pasted the adhesive over his cut with a firm and attentive nod, as if she was some sort of super heroine that had just put the latest baddie behind bars.

Shikamaru looked to his thumb and frowned. "It's pink."

"Yes!" she chirped.

He squinted at the bandaid. "It has cupcakes on it."

"Yes!" she chirped again.

He then looked her straight in the eye. "It looks like the one my dad had on from his previous mission."

Hinata stiffened, eyes growing wide. At first, she felt nothing, and then she felt panic, her heart beating at 100 km/hour and her head getting light. Time stopped, rain became suspended, and she just couldn't breathe, and perhaps she may even be choking.

She had been given very precise instructions that no one was to know that she was a ninja, but as she stared into his eyes, she knew that he knew that something was up! He knew that she knew that he knew that something was up! She knew that he knew that she knew that he knew that something was up! He knew that she knew that he knew that-

"Oi!" Shikaku called out from behind.

And time was back in running, rain began to fall, and Hinata took a gasp of air she had desperately needed, red in the face and eyes tearing. As one, the two children turned to see the elder Nara chewing on his customary toothpick, scratching his ear and looking at the pair with confusion.

"Did you feed-" Shikaku's eyes slid down to the pink cupcake bandaid wrapped around Shikamaru's thumb, and then he to his son's face, making eye contact. Shikamaru was equally sleepy in facial expression, but Hinata didn't need to see to know that both Naras were alert and intelligent creatures, despite their outward appearance.

A heartbeat later, and something was exchanged between father and son, something in Hinata's favour because a moment later and Shikamaru dropped his gaze and sighed.

"Troublesome," the younger Nara muttered, and then shrugged.

It was not clear as to what was going on, but he was too lazy to care. It would be too troublesome to find out and even more troublesome to deal with the consequences, so Shikamaru just shoved his hands into his pocket and made his way back to the house.

Hinata was too afraid to move, even as he walked out from under her umbrella toward the house. She didn't even move when Shikaku began to go back as well, too stunned and distraught to understand what had just happened.

Realizing that she wasn't following, Shikamaru turned back briefly and raised a brow. "Are you coming, Hinata?"

"E-Eh?" She blinked owlishly.

"The cupcakes should be done," Shikamaru explained. "Mom'll be asking for you."

"O-Oh," she stumbled, finding her legs beginning to move.

Shikamaru sighed, but didn't say anything as the three of them entered the Nara house. It was like nothing had happened, because Yoshino gave them no time to ponder on anything else but on decorating over a dozen cupcakes. In fact, Hinata was still detached from reality after Yoshino packed several cupcakes in a box for her to take and Shikamaru escorted her down the street.

"Seeya in school." Shikamaru turned back and lifted a hand as if to wave, but it took too much energy on his part to wave so he didn't.

Alone, save for her two guards, Hinata stood in the rain blinking. After a moment of listening to the rain drum against her umbrella, she began to understand that Shikamaru, whatever he may know, was not going to say anything and certainly not voice any of his theories… if he had anything.

Exhaling unsteadily, Hinata drew her raincoat close and made her way to the Hyuga Compound with her cupcakes in hand.

It was March 27th.

xxx

"You're late," Ga scolded vindictively.

Tora snapped his maw at the small Moth fluttering by the window; she only twittered in amusement at the Tiger's short temper. Hinata, on the other hand, paid them no attention as she placed the cupcakes onto her desk, still a little disoriented after that strange confrontation with Shikamaru. Sighing, she shrugged her coat off and wiped the stray drops of rain from her face.

"It's all so pretty, isn't it?" Ga sighed dreamily.

Tora rolled his eyes. He had tried to eat the Moth the first time she'd been summoned… but of course the damn Hyuga girl wouldn't let him. It was bad enough with the Mouse, but a pretentious Moth was just insulting.

"Your sister's so lucky!" Ga squeaked enviously.

Smiling, Hinata stepped away from the cupcakes and agreed. The floral arrangements, the fragile delicacies, the opening of the Hyuga vaults to lather the Hyuga walls with the most extravagant (and expensive) paintings… Hanabi was certainly "lucky" as Ga had said. Her father would never have gone to such ends for her, that was for sure.

"Hinata-sama!" Kinshou, the Mouse Queen, came crawling from under the closed door. "The maids are coming!"

Immediately Ga slipped under the bed and so did Kinshou; Tora merely laying his head on his paws and deciding on another nap. Hinata, on the other, looked to the door expectantly, and when the maids knocked, she saw them in and let herself be prepared for the celebrations.

It was such a flurry of activity (or as active and "flurry" as the Hyuga could get) and jittery nerves (what with Hinata always thinking of the box of cupcakes throughout the evening), that she hardly knew what to do with herself. She just let others do what they would with her, dressing her up in a kimono, guiding her into the main hall, greeting the Elders and the guests, squirming under her father's ever impeccable eyesight, hardly getting a chance to talk to her sister, nibbling carefully on food that was not food, and then retiring to her room when the clock hit 11 at night because she had school tomorrow.

But that was all well and good, because after 11 at night, Hinata was free to do what she wished! With Ga on her shoulder and Kinshou and her squad of Mice scouting the Hyuga halls, Hinata hugged the box of cupcakes close and scrambled to her sister's room. Her ninja training certainly came in handy.

Knocking quietly on Hanabi's door, Hinata waited for her sister's acknowledgment, but none came. Frowning, she looked to Kinshou, who confirmed once again that her sister was in her room. Carefully, and a little worried, Hinata slowly opened the door and-

She dodged the kunai, rolling to avoid landing on the cupcakes. Springing to her feet, Hinata was ready to flow into the Juken stance when she saw that it was Hanabi who had thrown the kunai!

"H-Hanabi-chan?" Hinata enquired, hurt that her sister would seek to harm her.

Hanabi, in her white sleeping gown, ghostly and doll-like and standing on her bed with another kunai in her hand, blinked emotionlessly. "Onee-sama." She blinked. "Forgive me. I had assumed it was an assassin."

Hinata flinched, not knowing what to say.

"I am ashamed," Hanabi said, not sounding ashamed – not sounding like anything at all. "I will do well to correct myself of further mistakes."

"Ah…" Hinata sounded nervously. "It's alright, Hanabi-chan. I-I did not give your prior warning."

Hanabi blinked, face blank and empty, but then her eyes moved to the box in Hinata's arms. "You should be in bed. You have school tomorrow."

Flustered, and not just a little bit excited, Hinata came forward with a soft smile. "I got you a gift, Hanabi-chan."

Her sister blinked and, as unfeeling as she was, she couldn't pry her eyes away from the box. "I see, one-sama."

Hinata laughed quietly and took a seat at the edge of Hanabi's bed and gestured her sister to sit down as well. Hanabi waited for a moment before settling herself, eyes never leaving the box.

"Here we go," Hinata whispered, as if they were sharing a secret… and they were because their father would certainly have a fit to see Hinata out of bed and none of his daughters asleep. "Happy birthday, Hanabi-chan."

As emotionless as Hanabi was, as empty and unfeeling as Hanabi was, even she could not stop her eyes from widening at the sight of the multi-coloured cupcakes in the box, all decorated with pastel icing and sugar rocks and edible sparkles. And they smelled wonderful, fresh and drool-worthy and beautiful and life-changing and everythingthatwasnotHyuga, and Hanabi really couldn't register all that colour all at once, or all that sweetness all at once, or all that feeling all at once, and it didn't matter if some of them were sloppy in decoration or squashed from Hinata's earlier avoidance of the kunai – it didn't matter because it was something the Hyuga could never give her.

"O-Onee-sama…" Hanabi breathed.

Monotone, but Hinata recognized something lovely in her sister's eyes as they gleamed at the sight of the cupcakes.

"Happy birthday," Hinata repeated with a delighted smile.

And as Hanabi flickered her eyes to look at her sister, she could not understand why Hinata had given her such a present, or why she was smiling like that, or why she was so happy in giving her a gift, or why she had to be so soft and warm and… weak, but reduce her to feeling even weaker in that one moment with the smell of pastries in the air and that bright shine in Hinata's eyes and when Hinata… just… touched her cheek…

Hanabi did not understand happiness when it did not involve their father complimenting her.

"Here," Hinata said, still smiling, and handed her a cupcake.

Hanabi took in gingerly and didn't quite know what to do with it.

Hinata laughed and demonstrated by taking a cupcake herself and taking a bite. Curious, and a little cautious, Hanabi did the same with hers.

Hanabi did not understand happiness when it did not involve their father complimenting her…

But she could safely say that this feeling, whatever it was, was better.

"Thank you, onee-sama," Hanabi muttered, taking another bite (this one much larger) from her cupcake.

Hinata wanted to hug her sister, especially when Hanabi got a dab of icing on her nose, but knew it was too soon. Instead, she brushed her fingers along her sister's cheek again and whispered, "You're welcome."

xxx

the point