The Gift of the Moon [Naruto]

The Rookie 9 and Graduation!

Yue's P.O.V:

Awkward.

That's the word I would use to describe the situation I am in. I would have never expected that accepting a dinner invitation from Inoichi-san would lead to be stared glared over the dinner table. I forgot that she is a hardcore fan of Sasuke!

Well done, I sighed to myself.

The worst part was when Ino's parents left to wash the dishes, Ino started to rant about how I did not deserve Sasuke and how she was a better option, and blah, blah, blah.

I sighed and cut her off: "Can you shut up. You sound like a derange fan or worse Haruno" I saw her cringe at my insult "Is that what you want to be? For goodness sake! You are the heiress of one of the oldest clans in Konoha. A ninja for Christ sake! Not a lovesick girl who needs a boy telling her what to do. growing her hair to please someone else, or dressing for them, do you have no pride as a woman? Do you want to be just an obsessed fan for a guy who does not even know you exist? You know why he likes me? It's because I don't want to do anything to please him, I am myself. And what I am is a strong ninja."

She gaped at me, only picked up her jaw when her parents returned with dessert. For the rest of dinner she stayed quiet but kept stealing glances from time to time. Let's just hope I got through her.

Academy life after dinner at the Yamanaka was interesting to say the least, especially since Sai joined. Thanks to Danzo's training he had no problem keeping up with the rest of the class. Unfortunately, Shin could not join his brother. While Baa-chan cured him, his illness progressed so much that he no longer could become a ninja. Lucky for him, I need someone to look after "my" parents' pharmaceutical store. It might have been an invention from Kagura but to make it reality she really did create the store and the living quarters above. So, I gave the apartment to them and left Shin in charge while I check on from time to time. Shin is pretty good at it, he is also going to the hospital to learn how to tend people from Baa-chan.

Surprisingly, the Rookie 9 got along pretty well. Kiba, Choji and I were troublemakers just like old times, but this time I made sure no one caught us. It was so much fun to prank the living daylight out of Haruno, we gave her no moment to breath. Sai and Shino were the weirdos of the class, doing their stuff and creeping people out. Sasuke and Shikamaru formed the silent comradeship of geniuses. Hina-chan and Ino were the princesses of the class, Ino having mellowed down after our talk. She even started to like Sai after he called her beautiful, some things never change.

While each one of us had our own little groups, we all got along pretty well. We even decided to go to Itachi's Hokage ascension together. The picture we must have made: almost all the heirs of every important clan in Konoha standing together to greet the next Hokage. Though Hina-chan had to take her place next to the Clan Heads and I stood next to Sasuke on the stage as Itachi got his cape and hat. I never thought I would like to see someone else's Hokage's ascension, less expect be glad of it.

All in all, I had a very good year in the Academy.

Hinata's P.O.V:

Graduation came faster than I expected. I woke up to a feast and the whole Clan congratulating me. My team had reach the top position of the class, breaking every record set by the Academy that had nothing to do with age. Yue was the rookie of the year, Sasuke was in second place and the top guy and I was in third place and the second strongest girl in the class. However, I did get the highest marks a Hyuga has ever had at the Academy. I was very happy for that. And it was all thanks to Yue's training!

But what made me the happiest about graduation day was that Haruno was not graduating with us. That pink bitch could not withstand a month in the Academy without people fawning after her. What a joke! I am sorry. I'm normally very kind, but what she said about Naruto-kun made very angry. And she acting as if she was ever important made it worse. People only were kind to her because her mom was at the council and after the Third fired her, no one had to withstand the Haruno's no longer. What a noisy and annoying family they are! Goodness! They even anger me!

But I won't have them ruining my day. Today I was being escorted, like always, to the Academy, we were getting our teams and teachers. Today is a happy day.

"Excited, Lady Hinata?" Neji-niisan asked me, as we walked towards the Academy.

I smiled at him and how far we've made it, it warmed my heart the fact that he took a day off so he could be with me for such an important day.

"Yes, I am" I answered "I know that normally one would be nervous, but I already know who will be in my team."

"Perks of having the Hokage's little brother as a best friend" Neji-niisan replied, making chuckle "Here we are" he stopped right in front of the Academy "Are you still going to the Uchiha Compound afterwards?"

"I am, the Hokage said he had something prepared for us" I told him.

"Ok" he said "Then, before I leave. Once again, congratulations on your graduation Lady Hinata you have brought honor to us all."

"Thank you" I replied, tears forming in my eyes but I made my best not to drop them. If he only knew how long I have waited to hear those words "I have to go in. See you, later" I rushed inside before he could see me crying and found my team. We all sat together "Hey"

"Happy tears?" Yue asked.

"Happy tears" I answered.

"Hn" Sasuke replied, which I knew meant 'Good' in Sasuke language.

"By the way, I've got something for you guys" Yue told us, taking out three pearl bracelets. One with red thread, one with teal thread and with with purple thread "I know I told you Hina-chan to return the bracelet when you no longer need it, which you did, but not that we will be an official team. I thought that maybe we could all have one."

"A team thing?" I asked.

"A team thing" she replied.

"Hn" 'If I have' Sasuke said.

"Good!" Yue exclaimed excitedly, giving him the red one, giving me the purple one and she kept the teal one.

"Attention class!" Iruka-sensei entered the classroom and everyone went silent "It's time to know your teams" he started. But while he was talking I could hear a few students whispering about a teacher having been caught as a spy of the deceased Orochimaru. I raised an eyebrow surprised, who would be stupid enough to stay after their master is dead? "As for team 7: Senju-Kagura Yue, Hyuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke" I cheered internally, high-fiving Yue "Your teacher will be Mitarashi Anko."

Yue froze. She then turned to Sasuke and hissed: "What is your brother thinking?! Is he trying to kill us? That crazy snake will eat us alive!"

"She can't be that bad" I tried to calm her down, as I kept on listening to the sensei give on teams.

Sai, Kiba and Shino ended up together as did Choji, Ino and Shikamaru.

"She was trained by Orochimaru!" she hissed.

"Hn" 'We need to be prepared' Sasuke warned us.

Goodness it was suppose to be a good day! I moaned internally, hitting my head with the desk.