Chap. 13: Promotions

"Shikamaru Nara. Naruto Namikaze. For your performances in the exams, as well as the attack after, and your efforts in rebuilding the village. You have been promoted to chunin. Hinami Senju. For your performance in the exams, as well as the attack after, as well as efforts in rebuilding the village. you've been promoted to Jonin." Minato said, sitting behind his desk, the four nodded seriously, thanking the man. Shikamaru wore his chunin vest over his gray shirt and brown capris pants, his black hair in a ponytail behind his head. Hinami wore an maroon-purple sleeveless cropped top zipped up to her neck with a cropped sky blue jacket overtop, wearing black shorts with a skirt stopping mid thigh. Wearing her black hair in two braids with light blue ribbons at the bases, a yellow strand going through the braid on the right side with a lilac purple strand going through the braid on the left side. Wearing her headband around her left thigh, her bangs falling over her face wearing black arm protectors on her forearms, wearing shinguards on her shins going over her black sandals, she wore the jonin flak jacket open, over her outfit. The two nodded to Minato, thankful for their promotions. Naruto wore his blue-orange ninja outfit with his chunin vest overtop wearing his shuriken holster on his right thigh with kunai pouch on his back waist, his violet eyes looking towards Minato, his blonde hair spiking around his head and over the headband around his forehead. He looped his arms around Shikamaru and Hinami's. 

"Can't believe two of the laziest in the village got promoted too." He teased and Hinami rolled her eyes looking over towards him a moment before looking toward Minato, 

"This is a huge honor, thank you, Lord Hokage." Hinami said bowing slightly in thanks, and Minato nodded his head in return, looking towards the girl 

"Guess that only leaves you Sasuke." Naruto said joking and Sasuke rolled his eyes, looking over, pointing his chopsticks towards the boy, they were at the HotPot, a resturaunt in the leaf that served… hotpot. The pot aside from the broth, had the meat, tofu, noodles, and veggies. Hinami grabbing out some tofu and noddles as Sasuke addressed Naruto.

"Just wait you idiot, I'll pass the next exams." he said in response, and Naruto shrugged looking over to the boy, 

"I suppose you could try glaring at lord hokage, maybe that would work." Hinami said before Sasuke threw something at her that hit her square in the face. The girl laughing it off, it was a napkin, so no injuries occured

"Honestly, I thought everyone who made the finals would have a sure fire 'get promoted' thing." She said as she took a bite of food. Looking over at the table

"It's very rare to get a promotion straight to jonin at your age, Hinami. You must have impressed a lot of people to receive such an honor." Kakashi pointed out, 

"I impressed people doing what? My match didn't even get to finish, and I didn't help a lot with the attack." Hinami pointed out, 

"Yeah, but from what everyone was able to see, it was pretty cool. Ya know, I didn't know you could control that much forest stuff, since you were having trouble with vines." Naruto said in return and Hinami nodded, she looked over,

"Yeah, neither did I, but I stopped worrying about losing control and just… fought and it happened. That must be the key I was missing before." Hinami said in return and Kakashi hummed, 

"Well, you're going to have more work than before, that's for sure." Kakashi said from next to Hinami. The group eating their hotpot before making their way over to the fields, talking about the future and so on. Going back and forth with the conversation. Kakashi gifting Naruto coupon to Ichiraku, not practical, but the boy did love ramen, so… It made sense. For Hinami he gifted her books on strategization and planning. 

"Congrats! Hinami! Jonin is a pretty big deal." Kiyoka said at dinner that night, celebrating Hinami's promotion, sitting across from the girl who hummed as she stirred the stir-fry with her chopsticks, 

"This means Ill be home even less. But I guess it was only a matter of time before I was promoted beyond Genin I suppose…" Hinami said, eating a bite of stir fry, looking towards Kiyoka before humming in partial surprise as the girl pointed her chopsticks towards Hinami.

"You and Shikamaru, your always asking to go home or calling things a drag. Come on, Hinami. You got promoted, thats something to be proud of. Geez." Kiyoka said, Hinami merely shrugged her shoulders in response, she didn't feel either way about the promotion.

"I'm proud of you." Nawaki commented looking over and Hinami nodded in thanks, her cheeks a light pink, as Kansai spoke up as well, 

"She's got a point though, you're a jonin now. You'll have to work harder than before." Kansai said and Hinami nodded, she was going to be working more with Tsunade to perfect her medical ninjutsu. She was asked by her previous sensei to complete an IQ test in which she scored 100 points higher than Shikamarus, where his IQ sat in the upper 200 range, Hinamis sat in the mid-upper 300 range. Which was also higher than Kakashi by a few points give or take. Right after celebrating with her team and family, Hinami headed out once more, heading to the graveyard to tell her previous team about the accomplished jonin status that she'd now obtained. Cleaning their gravestones and replacing the dead flowers before telling them about the promotion, placing two incense in the holders of each grave. She prayed for all three of them. 

"Hey, uncle Kansai, how come you didn't tell us about Touka." Hinami asked later on, coming up to the man who hummed as he looked over, setting his book down, before he looked forwards a moment. 

"I only learned of Touka's existence a month ago, my sister and brother in law never told me of any children when we spoke. So I was unaware of her… However, she is set to be visiting in a months time with the fourth Kazekage's children. In order to introduce her to the ancient tree, as part of our clan that was something that is usually done sooner, but in this instance, it couldn't be helped." Kansai said in return and the girl looked back towards the man, nodding slowly in agreement. 

"So what about Aunt Taia, what about her?" Hinami asked and Kansai hummed, looking towards the girl,

"My sister left the village before you were born, she married and settled in the sand village's remote village and contact with her was difficult either way, as for why I didn't mention her, I wasn't sure how to broach the subject. Especially after she passed and her branch fell from the tree." Kansai said in return, placing his hands on their heads, 

"I never intended to withhold information from you, but I suppose that's a little late. However, if there's anything you want to know, about my sister, I'll tell you. But right now, I need to review some documents." Kansai said in return, and Hinami looked over, 

"Yes sir." she said parting ways with the man, heading to her room. 

"Big brother Neji, come onnnnn, come on come on come on, if I don't tell you I might actually burst." Hinami said looking towards the boy pulling his arm, the boy raising an eyebrow, 

"Alright alright, let go of me and tell me what's got you so high-strung." Neji said in response

"Okaysoyourememberthegirlthatwasatthechuninexamsthe…" Hinami started before humming in partial surprise as Neji put his hand on her mouth, 

"Breath. I can't understand a word you're talking too fast." Neji said in response, Hinami turning a light shade of pink, 

"Okay, so, that girl from the chunin exams. The one with the blindfold? You remember her?" Hinami questioned and Neji hummed, thinking back a moment, before nodding raising an eyebrow in question,

"Touka Senju, right?" He questioned and Hinami nodded in return, looking towards the boy who hummed once more, seeming disinterested, 

"What about her?" He questioned, 

"Well, it turns out. Not only is she part of the senju clan, but apparently she's our… er… mine and Kiyoka's… cousin. Her mom was uncle Kansai's sister, Taia. Who moved to the sand village, I guess they lost contact for a while because uncle Kansai didn't even know Touka existed until just before the chunin exams and he was too busy verifying the information to tell the clan. You know, so it's kinda crazy but also kinda insane, I mean we didn't even know she existed and now, it's kinda crazy." Hinami said and Neji hummed in response, she was still speaking fast, but he could at least understand her, 

"I see…" Neji said and Hinami nodded in response, 

"It's exciting." She said in response

"Team 7, you're going to the border to deal with the bandit situation that's been reported." Minato said looking towards Sasuke and Naruto who were in his office, along with Kakashi who was standing behind the two kids, Naruto hummed a moment, looking around and noted the absence of their third teammate, and his cousin. Before he looked towards Minato in curiosity.

"Where's Hinami?" Naruto asked and Minato hummed, 

"She's got a separate mission. But she'll meet you at the border when she's done." Minato said in return. Hinamis mission involved in uprooting the dead trees from the attack on the leaf, and planting more healthy ones. Heading towards the border. With Naruto making a few complaints, being told to shut up by Sasuke a few times. Upon reaching the border, Naruto noted that they were the only ones there, 

"Not the only ones." Hinami said from behind him as she jumped from the tree, Wearing her black hair in two braids with light blue ribbons at the base, a yellow strand going through the braid on the right side with a lilac purple strand going through the braid on the left side. Wearing a maroon-purple sleeveless cropped top zipped up her neck with a cropped sky blue jacket overtop, wearing black shorts with a skirt stopping mid thigh.Wearing her headband around her left thigh, her bangs falling over her face wearing black arm protectors on her forearms, wearing shinguards on her shins going over her black sandals, looking towards the others,

"I've been here for a few minutes." She said, as the sands team showed up, Naruto throwing a small rock at Gaara with the sand activating, to catch it. 

"Good to see you again." Hinami said, Gaara leading a team of genin, who seemed to be afraid of his sand, leading them in apologizing for their tardiness. Hinami opened an eye to look at him before jumping off the branch, placing a hand on Gaara's shoulder, looking towards the boy who looked back in question

"You weren't late, we were early. That's all." she said in return, her eyes still held darkness, but they looked a bit lighter than the chunin exams, though, he suspected, it would never fully go away..

"She nearly knocked lord Gaara over with that. Who is she?" the sand genin asked talking amongst themselves, Hinami releasing Gaara, she wasn't usually one for physical contact. That was more Naruto and Sana's thing. 

"Some bandits, we've got this." Naruto said, as he hung upside down from the tree branch, and Hinami hummed, as Kakashi glanced over at her, 

"Can you see the bandits from here?" He asked and Hinami hummed activating her byakugan, looking around for a moment, zeroing in on the cabin, making eye contact with someone before a blinding light invaded her vision causing the girl to blink harshly and instinctively step back, Kakashi stopping her from stepping off the branch, grabbing her forearm.

"What'd you see." Kakashi asked

"I could for a moment, but they set off a flash grenade or something, completely blinded me, I'm not gonna be moving for a few while my sight comes back. Someone there's got a dojutsu. One of them made eye contact with me before the flash happened. I heard them talking about it… among other things, I am thoroughly washing my ears when we get back to the leaf" Hinami said rubbing her eyes, 

"Owieee my poor eyes…" Hinami continued blinking a few times, her vision restoring itself. Once her vision was completely restored, the group continued with the mission to rid the border village of the bandits that'd been causing trouble. Gaara humming looking over at the girl, as they came closer to the cabin, Gaara coming from the left with the leaf coming from the right, 

"I'll take out the ones outside." Hinami said and Kakashi nodded, the bandits outside the cabin making small protest sounds as vines grabbed them all at once wrapping around their mouth, freeing the rest to go into the cabin for the rest of the bandits. Kakashi taking out the one with the dojutsu. with 3 stragglers that were easily dealt with, by Hinami who was laying on a treebranch just outside the cabin. All of the bandits that were outside were held up by vines. 

"Alright… that wraps up this mission. Lets get back and report… Hinami, you should probably put those guys down." Kakashi commented and Hinami hummed before releasing them from the vines, all of the bandits she caught were unconscious, landing in a pile. Naruto saying something to Gaara before running to catch up with Kakashi, and Sasuke. Hinami standing upside down in front of Gaara's face a moment before she jumped down. 

"It was good to see you again." She said giving him a hug, kissing his cheek,

"Yeah… You too." he said, hugging her lightly before she released him, waving with a grin before catching up to the leaf group, Gaara waving as well. Still stunned as he waved with lightly red cheeks.

"Alright, I've done the gardening, Ive gotta go meet aunt Tsunade at the hospital. See ya, mom!" Hinami said and Hadami nodded, the girl continuing her medical training. Reviving the fish was relatively easy, But now she was memorizing every single book and scroll on medical ninjutsu and well, the task seemed impossible, so Tsunade had her working alphabetically. She was on Q, so it was working at least partially. Thats what she told herself. 'This is so tedious… but necessary' Hinami thought, reading through the book, committing the knowledge to memory. 

"Hinami. Your teammate gets stabbed through through the thigh, what do you do?" Tsunade said and Hinami looked over, she was slowly getting over her fear of blood, and was working on generalization of most medical procedures that could be performed on site. She was slowly, painstakingly so, catching up to Sakura as far as her medical knowledge went. She was on Z. 

"Perform a preliminary examination to see if it's safe to remove what they've been stabbed with, put pressure on the wound, if it is safe to remove (Don't do this is real life, seriously, could end up causing more damage.), do so while accounting for their blood pressure and loss, as well as their stress levels. If it keeps bleeding, a vein or artery may have been hit, in which case we'll need to place a tourniquet while I help encourage cellular regeneration to heal them." Hinami said, and Tsunade nodded, they stood inside the archives of the hospital, books in front of Hinami as she read and studied, wearing an aqua colored sleeveless top with a flower design on the left side, wearing matching shorts with stirrup black leggings underneath, a mesh skirt went around the shorts, stopping mid-thigh. Paired with matching aqua fabric going diagonally over her body with black arm warmers on her arm, her feet bare of shoes. 

"Good, you've been paying attention. What about poisons?" Tsunade asked, her blonde hair was in pigtails behind her head, wearing a green haori over a sleeveless kimono top and black pants, her sandals wrapping around her ankles. Hinami hummed a moment, looking up from her book towards her aunt, her brown eyes met Tsunade's brown briefly.

"It depends on the poison, some of them require an antidote we already have, and others require more analysis, then again. Some of them also work faster than others, so time is always of the essence when dealing with poisons. First, looking at the point of injection, listening for it in the bloodstream and chakra network." She said and Tsunade nodded, looking over at her, Sakura was scheduled to come in after her, the two girls had been trained in medical ninjutsu since they could walk, she didn't want to loose another family member. In fact, Naruto would have been training as well, but.. Well… when he tried reviving the fish after graduating the academy… his fish exploded. Three times. Returning to medical nin training months after the attack, still having small issues with blood, but she was working past it, slowly.

"Hinami! Hinami! Perfect!" Naruto said before hiding behind her from his mother, Hinami glancing behind her, noting Naruto running up towards her, the girl freezing as she took in his words, looking towards Naruto's violet eyes. The boy pale as he ran, his blonde hair spiking around his headband that sat around his headband that sat around his forehead. Wearing blue-orange ninja outfit as he dived, hiding. 

"I can't stay here, I'm supposed to meet the sand siblings at the gate. Why can't you bother Hinata or someone other than me?" Hinami said flatly, not liking where Naruto was going with his exclamation, as he stood behind her a moment before diving around the corner, hiding from his mother. Wearing her black hair in a plait braid with one lilac strand and one yellow strand intertwined with her own. wearing a Maroon purple sleeveless top with a black skirt, paired with a tan cropped jacket overtop, with the hyuga symbol on the arms, with the Senju symbol on the back in black. Wearing a shuriken holster on her right thigh with a kunai pouch on her back, wearing sleeveless black gloves on her hands with arm guards underneath her jacket. Her scar which sat on the left side of her face, just outside of her eye, going from her forehead to her chin. Her jacket's hood sat over her head, 

"I put my foot in my mouth, listen, all you gotta do is tell mom you havent seen me." Naruto said, hiding behind the wall as Kushina stormed up, her hair was around her head, oh she was pissed, what exactly had Naruto done? 

"No." Hinami said, before she noted Kushina walking up, her hair levitating around her head, wearing her white top and green dress, her sandals on her feet, Hinami couldn't help but back up under the gaze, sweat dropping off the back of her head, freezing at the sight of the woman, 

"Where is he, Hinami?" Kushina asked looking towards her niece and Hinami hummed before stepping aside, before walking over towards the gate as Naruto ran away, turning back as he did, yelling,

"Hinami! You traitor!" he yelled running down the street, Hinami shrugged before walking back up the street. Almost reaching the gate before her hand was grabbed, she knew who it was, the only reason she hadn't immediately thrown the person on the ground

"Hinami, I'm sorry, you're always so busy… but, I was wondering if you could take just a moment." Lola said, Hinami turned in question, coming face to face with Anita and Geikan's mothers. Freezing in place, The sand siblings and Shikamaru watching the interaction from a few meters away. 

"Who are those people?" Kankuro questioned, he had a hood with cat ears on his head where his protector sat, wearing an entirely black outfit with the kazekage symbol on the front of the shirt, wearing wrappings on his back. He wore purple facepaint on his face.

"Anita and Geikan's mothers… I think." He said in return he wore his chunin vest over his gray shirt and brown capris pants, his black hair in a ponytail behind his head, 

"Oh… what happened to Anita and Geikan anyway? I figure Hinami may not be the person to ask." Sana said, her dark red hair sitting around her head in sideswept waves, brushing her shoulders. Wearing a white dress with halter straps, the dress reaching midthigh, wearing black shorts underneath, wearing a fishnetting offshoulder sweater overtop with black fingerless gloves on her hands. Her sand headband around her waist, wearing her gord on her back, wearing black sandals on her feet. 

"Yeah, I was curious about that too." Touka commented from the side, wearing a shortsleeve light blue top with loose sleeves with matching shorts, a tan tunic that hung down to her knees. With a wide leather beltwearing off-white colored bracelets paired with the same ankles instead of shoes. Her ash-blonde hair was in a bun behind her head, paired with a light blue headband with the sand's metal in the middle, white puffs on either side, by her ears, her bangs falling over her face, falling , and mostly obscuring them. Paired with a light blue fabric tied over her eyes. 

"Hinami's team was sent on a Brank mission where Hinami was the only one that returned. No-one from our year knows what happened, aside from Hinami. Whatever it was, Hinami doesn't talk about it." Shikamaru said looking over, his hands behind his head, 

"I see… That explains alot, actually." Temari said in response, wearing a light purple dress with off-shoulder longsleeves that reached her innerelbow, wearing fishnetting underneath, a red belt over her waist, her protector on a dark violet fabric sitting around her neck, wearing black ninja sandals on her feet. Her hair in four pigtails behind her head looking towards Shikamaru before trailing over towards where Hinami was looking towards the women. Gaara remaining quiet wearing a black shortsleeve shirt with matching pants, wearing a large gord on his back, his red hair parting over his tattoo, with a white cloth over his body diagonally, wearing his headband attached to the tan belt coming from the gord. Wearing black sandals on his feet with fishnetting underneath. Shikamaru looked over a moment,

"Miss. Lola, Miss. Maia. I…" Hinami began before the women held up two boxes, one was wrapped with green wrapping, the one given by Lola to be exact, with a maroon ribbon. The other was a lilac purple wrapping with a brown ribbon. 

"Hush. Hinami, Anita wanted to give to you for your birthday, but I think she would have loved to give it for your promotion, to jonin. That's incredible." Lola said her brown hair in a pixie cut over her head, her orange eyes looking towards Hinami, wearing a maroon halter top with black pants, wearing black zori on her feet. Offering the green wrapped gift to the girl, as tears filled her vision, nodding shakily, 

"Geikan would be so proud to see you thriving. You meant a lot to that boy. You know that. He wanted to give this to you on your birthday. So I hope you'll accept me giving it to you now." Maia said, she had her black hair in feathered waves around her head, wearing a cream colored dress with a purple apron on top. Wearing red zori on her feet. Passing forwards the lilac gift towards Hinami, the girl took it gracefully, thanking the women. Before bowing before them, her actions shocking the women and the team behind her

"Miss Lola, Miss Maia… I'm… I'm so sorry. I was the medic on team 4 and my inadequacy led to Anita and Geikan passing away. If I had trained more diligently in medical ninjutsu prior to the incident that took place, that may not have happened and as a result I feel I am just as guilty as the enemy ninja. I have avoided you both as a result of my guilt. There is no way I can ever apologize enough for my inability to save either of them, more than that, my inability to maintain communication with the two of you. I don't expect to be forgiven, but…" Hinami started before Lola placed a hand on her shoulder, as did Maia, the women asking her to lift her head, 

"Look at me, Hinami. You are not to blame for what happened to Anita and Geikan. What happened was devastating, a tragedy. But, it was not your fault." Lola said 

"Geikan would not want to see you like this, he spoke highly of you as a ninja, his friend and as a medical shinobi. I'm sure you did everything you could for them both." Maia said and Hinami looked towards them both, 

"You don't have to open those now, we already know what's inside. But if you wouldn't mind showing us later?" Lola said and Hinami nodded placing the small packages in her pockets. 

"Yes ma'am. Thank you." Hinami said in response, looking towards the two women. Before Maia laughed, placing a hand on her head, 'ow… yep that still hurts.' Hinami thought as her head followed the movement, 

"Enough with the sappy stuff, yeah? Your friends have been waiting over there the entire time so get going will you." Maia said laughing once more before shoving Hinami Hinami forwards, the girl stumbling forwards towards the group. 

"Hey… sorry I was late." Hinami said looking over towards the groups and they waved her off, having watched the entire interaction.

"Don't worry about it." Temari said in return, 

"Hey, Touka. I've been meaning to thank you for kicking Haruki's ass in the chunin exams, that was awesome." Hinami said looking over and Touka hummed in response, nodding, 

"No problem, he seemed kinda like a dick." Touka said and Hinami laughed, rubbing the back of her head, 

"That's… one way to describe him." she said in response, Shikamaru and Hinami led the siblings and cousin through the village, where they wanted to go. Overall it was a pretty simple mission, showing them some of the sights, Hinami speaking with Sana, Touka, and Temari about the sweetness of the dango compared to the sand. The boys completely lost with the conversation, none of them much for sweets. Much to the girls' disappointment. They brought the papers they'd come with from their father to Minato, afterwards they decided to hang around the leaf a bit, looking around the village and helping with some of the reconstruction happening around the village. Though, all in all, it seemed that the village was in good spirits despite what'd just happened.

"So… what's with the boxes?" Naruto asked and Hinami hummed as they sat in the common room of the Senju compound as they were hosting. Hinami looked towards the packages in her hands, clearly having an internal debate, Naruto sitting on the other side next to Gaara and Kankuro, with Hinami sitting in between Temari and Sana, looking towards the boxes in her lap. Touka sitting on the other side of Temari, looking over, 

"Anita and Geikan… were planning to give these to me for my birthday, but… their mothers thought it better to give it for my promotion instead…" Hinami said in response, 

"You gonna stare at them all day, or open em?" Naruto prodded, 

"It's not that easy you idiot. Geikan and Nita worked hard to wrap these. Opening these… it's like saying goodbye… but their murderer is still out there. I can't… But their mothers asked that I open them, they didn't say when, but… wouldn't it be rude to leave them unopened?" Hinami said, in question, 

"I think they'd want you to open them." Sana said in return and Hinami nodded, before opening the packages carefully, her hands shaking, revealing a silver locket and picture in a frame within Geikan's package. The locket holding a picture of her old team on one side, with the other being blank. Hinami taking out the letter. 

'Hinami, 

You're always complaining about being alone, or something. So here, this locket holds us and also I wasn't sure what to put in the otherside, probably me as hokage, so that's gonna have to wait a few years. Well, you could always put Gaara on the otherside. Hehe, I'm so corney… but see, I'm a great friend, much better than Aniiiii she hit me. Ow.

Geikan.' Hinami reading the letter, her face going bright red as tears streamed down her face

"Hey whats it say?" Naruto said, and Hinami hummed,

"It uh… nothing for you." She said in response, 

"Aw man… okay well, what about, Anita's?" Naruto said and Hinami hummed, the box containing a portable camera prototype, with an album 

"What?" Naruto said as the sand siblings looked over in confusion, before a bright flash invaded their eyes, Hinami laughing from the seat, taking the photo from the camera, 

"It's a camera prototype with an album. I helped her with plans for this, some of the calculations for the dimensions… " She explained, quickly putting the photo in,