Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Like the Clouds, Like the Wind ❯ First Impressions ( Chapter 4 )

Ch. 4 - First Impressions


"Okay, now!"

Kiba, Kurenai, and Shino all rushed out of their hiding places at Hinata, who was standing in a clearing. The girl opened her eyes, and within a few moments, all three of her attackers flew backwards, though Kurenai stayed on her feet.

Kiba grinned. "Alright, Hinata! That was nice!"

"You're getting very good at sensing our chakra, Hinata," said the young woman with a smile.

Hinata blushed red. "Th-thank you," she mumbled shyly. "Shall we t-try you, Shino-kun?"

The boy nodded simply, adjusting his sunglasses. His sensei and other team mates flew back into the trees.

Before they got a chance to rush out again, a small diversion happened by in the form of Kakashi and a strange girl.

Kurenai dropped down from the trees, brushing her dress off. "Okay, guys. You can do some individual training for right now."

After recieving three acknowledging nods, she turned to look at her fellow jounin. "What is it Kakashi?"

The copy nin reached into his vest and brought out a small scroll. "Here, this is from Hokage-sama."

Kurenai reached out curiously and took the scroll and read it. "She wants me to train Sorano Tori? Who is that?"

"That's me." The girl smiled kindly at her new sensei.

"Hello, Tori. I'm Yuuhi Kurenai, and these are my students." She guestered to the other three. "Hey guys come here for a second!"

"What is it, Kurenai-sensei?" asked Kiba, Akamaru atop his head.

"You have a temporary team mate. This is Sorano Tori." said Kurenai.

"Hi!" Tori waved at the new faces.

"Sorano Tori?" asked Shino casually. "I've never heard of the Sorano clan. What do you specialize in?"

Tori opened her mouth to answer, but Kakashi beat her to it. "Tori here is extremely skilled in unusual summoning techniques." He smiled, putting his hand on her shoulder. "She sparred and won against Uchiha Sasuke using her unique kuchiyose."

"U-Uchiha Sasuke?" stammered Hinata, her pearly white eyes wide.

"'Unique kuchiyose?'" Kiba said, frowning. "Let's see it, then."

"Kba," said his sensei warningly. "Don't just demand others to display their jutsus."

"It's okay," said Tori, eager to impress. She quickly did the needed handseals, then pressed her hands together. "Torikami kuchiyose no jutsu!"

As Kakashi predicted, thousands of paper birds appeared out of the blue and swarmed gracefully in the sky.

Hinata and Kiba gasped at the beautiful sight, Shino simply gazing up, and Kurenai smiled with interest.

"Wow, that's really something, Tori!" she said, obviously convinced. "I'll be happy to train you."

"Thank you, sensei!"

"That was so cool, Tori-chan!" gushed Kiba, and Akamaru barked in agreement. He grinned. "I'm Inuzuka Kiba."

Hinata smiled shyly. "H-Hyuuga Hinata. You're very strong, T-Tori-san."

Tori laughed. "Don't flatter me, Hinata. And who are you?" She asked Shino.

The stoic boy pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Aburame Shino."

"Shino, eh?" she smiled. "Cool."

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!!!"

The six of them covered their ears, hoping to protect their delicate hearing from Naruto's shouts.

"AHA!" He pointed a finger accusingly, panting. Behind him were Sakura, seething mad at their late sensei, and Sasuke, who seemed annoyed for no particular reason.

"Hey guys," said Kakashi, sweatdropping. "Sorry I was late, I--"

"LIAR!!" shouted Sakura. Again, everyone had to slam their palms over their ears. "YOU'VE BEEN--"

"Calm down, Sakura," said Sasuke, his hand over her mouth. He was clearly irritated with the shouting.

Sakura turned pink with Sasuke's hand over her face.

"Ne, Kakashi-sensei, why are you with Kiba and Shino and Hinata-san and... Tori-chan!!" Naruto exclaimed, just noticing her. "Where were you this morning?

"Hey Naruto!" said Tori happily. "I had to go meet my new team, so I left early. I'm training with these guys for a little while," she said, pointing at her team mates.

Sakura gave the girl a curious look. Sasuke had removed his hand from her mouth (to her dismay). She turned to Naruto. "You know her?"

"Yeah! She's bunking at my place!"

With a cheerful smile, Tori waved at the girl. "Hi! I'm Sorano Tori. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself earlier."

"Oh! I'm Haruno Sakura." Sakura decided that she liked Tori. She looks like the type who loves to shop! Maybe we can hang out later.

"Hey Sakura, is that your natural hair color?" asked Tori in amazement. She smiled at her. "Do you mind?"

Sakura shook her head. Tori raised her hand and gently ran her fingers through her pink colored locks. "Your hair is beautiful!"

"Thanks! Yours is pretty, too."

Tori grinned, spying Sasuke. "Nekochan! I didn't know you were with these two."

Sasuke scowled and crossed his arms.

"You're supposed to answer when someone's talking to you, neko." Tori said, not pleased with his silent response.

"Neko?" asked Sakura with a little envy.

Tori turned back to her. "We had a small tussle yesterday," she said with a secretive smile.

"HA!" chirped the blonde, apparently finding this very funny. "Sasuke-teme got his ass handed to him!"

This earned this him a sharp rap on the head from Kakashi. "Language, Naruto," he told the boy sternly.

"Itaii..."

Kurenai decided that now was a good time to get back to training. "Kakashi-senpai, mind if I kidnap Tori for now?" She winked at him.

"Go right ahead," replied Kakashi with a chuckle. He turned back to Team 7. "Let's go guys."

"Bye Naruto, Sakura, neko!" called Tori as she retreated with her new squad.

"BYE TORI-CHAN!"

"Later Tori!"

"..."

Now's my chance! thought Hinata anxiously. "Ano... b-bye N-Naruto-kun," she said as loudly as she dared.

Naruto turned around, giving her a foxy grin. "Bye, Hinata-san!"

Tori watched as the said girl blushed. How cute, Hinata likes Naruto! She smiled and shook her head, watching as they left.

While Tori was occupied with her thoughts, Kurenai whispered something to her students. They nodded and retreated into the greenery.

Turning back to her team mates, Tori said, "So how do I start, Kuren--" She stopped, confused. No one was there. "Hinata? Shino?"

"This is your training," said Kurenai's voice from somewhere among the trees.

"What do you mean, sensei?" asked Tori, getting a bit creeped out.

"On my count, we will all attack you with everything we have."

She smirked. "Too easy."

The young woman sat perched on a branch, watching her new addition. Kurenai knew she would be a good student. "Okay... NOW!!"

**

"Itdadakimasu!" Chouji began eating all the pork on the grill with a wild look on his face.

Asuma laughed, tapping his cigarette over the side of the table. "I can't keep treating you to Korean barbeque, Chouji, You're going to make me poor!"

"You dummy," said Ino with a disapproving look. "You're not going to help your waistline by eating so much."

"Leave it, Ino," mumbled Shikamaru. "Just let him eat." The shadow user looked out the window with a bored look in his face. Mendokuse... why do I always get stuck in these troublesome places?

The four of them heard loud shouts from outside the little resteraunt.

"Who is that?" asked Asuma with interest.

Ino craned her neck to see out of the window, smushing Shikamaru into the wall. "It's that baka Naruto... and some girl."

"Some girl?" asked Chouji with his mouth full. "Who would date Naruto?"

"Go see who it is, Shika!" said Ino bossily, pushing the boy out of his chair.

"Why me?" he complained. Shikamaru saw the look on Ino's face and immediately ran out as fast as his lazy self would let him.

Ino was right: A girl was with Naruto. They were talking rather loudly or, Naruto was the one practically yelling, and the girl was replying in a normal voice. Shikamaru's genius mind had long mastered the art of reading people. When he read Tori, he saw strength, speed, and kindness, and joy. He sighed.

Meanwhile, Naruto was recapping his mission with the cat to Tori. "So then Sasuke-teme goes, 'Because, dobe, you're the only one stupid enough to--' Oi! Shikamaru!" Naruto waved when he saw Shikamaru leaning rather lazily against the outside of the food stall.

The boy yawned. "Ino threw me out here to see who this troublesome girl is." He guestered at Tori.

"Troublesome?" said the girl, scrunching up her nose. "I'm not troublesome, I'm Tori! Sorano Tori, from--"

"Sunagakure" supplied Shika.

Tori raised an eyebrow. "No... I'm from the Hidden Cloud."

"Hm. Something about you, I guess." He yawned again.

Naruto nodded, trying to look like he understood, but failing miserably.

"So who's this Ino?" Tori looked around eagerly. "Can I meet your team mates?"

"Aa. Come here," said Shika. This is more of a drag than I thought it was going to be. he thought, shaking his head. He meandered over to the window where Ino was pressing her face against, waiting for him. He pointed inside at his team mates. "That bothersome girl is Yamanaka Ino. The one with the chopsticks is Akimichi Chouji, and my sensei is Sarutobi Asuma."

Tori waved energetically to the three inside. They looked surprised at first, then waved back.

The following silence was broken by Naruto's stomach. "Tori-chaaan, I'm hungry! Let's go back and you can make me ramen!"

She laughed, letting Naruto drag her away. "Okay, I'm coming." The girl saw Shikamaru's confused face and added in a whisper, "We're not dating, I just live with him."

"Oh," Shikamaru said, getting it.

"Bye Shika!"

"See you soon Shikamaru!"

**

"So who was it, Shika?" pestered Ino as he plopped back in his seat.

Shikamaru fiddled with a pair of chopsticks, watching the clouds in the window. "She's some kunoichi from the Hidden Cloud."

"Are they dating?" asked Chouji, with yet another plate of pork in front of him.

"No."

"What's gotten into you, Shika?" asked Asuma, giving him a look.

"Nothing." Shika slumped down, putting his head in his arms. She's not that troublesome, that Tori. He smirked slightly into the table. Well, she's better than Ino, at least.



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