The White Flash

Hidden Cave

Now that the students of the Academy had graduated, they had three days of break for pictures and to prepare for becoming Genin. Buying kunai, shuriken, and anything else they might need. Ayumi had already bought everything she needed. She had a few hours to kill before she would be summoned for her own ninja picture. Her identification card that will be used for missions, transportation clearance, and just about everything else.

Kakashi was sent on a mission early in the morning and would be gone for the entire day. Ayumi was instructed to report to her Jounin over-seer. This time being Might Gai, her father's eternal rival. Their training ground was deeper in the woods on the opposite side of the village. Excitement bubbled in her gut, knowing the amount of trouble she was going to be able to get away with today. Gai never minded her antics, instead encouraged her 'youthfulness'.

"That's it, Lee! More!"

"Yes Gai-sensei!"

A grin found itself across her face as the path opened to a large clearing. Hay-stuffed, wooden practice dummies stood in a line off to her right, kunai lie scattered among the grass and stuck in the dummies. Two green jumpsuits took her attention, the two bowl-cut nuts upside down on their hands doing pushups. With their backs facing Ayumi neither one was aware of her arrival. Standing a fair amount of feet from them where their other two teammates. Neji Hyuga's long, black hair tied back in a loose ponytail and his featureless white eyes closed in irritation; Tenten seemed to be the only person to notice Ayumi's arrival. Her dark brown hair restrained to two buns atop her head and corresponding eyes welcoming as she quietly left her place to join Ayumi before the others could sense her.

"Yu-chan, did you graduate?" She wondered excitedly.

"I did!" Ayumi proudly pointed to the metal symbol on her neck. Tenten threw her arms around the kunoichi, the duo jumping in place.

"I knew you could do it!"

"What are you doing here?" Neji's unimpressed tone came from behind them, his arms crossed and gaze even. He was always a stick in the mud compared to the others.

"Dad is on a mission, so Gai is supposed to watch me for the day."

"Well, they don't need to know you're here," Tenten whispered holding her hand to one side of her mouth, "they're already hyped up as it is." The three turned their attention back to the student and teacher, now shifted to one handed, handstand pushups.

"One! Two! Three! That's it, Lee! Let your youthfulness shine!"

"I am Gai-sensei! I will shine brighter than everyone!"

A sudden shiver ran down Ayumi's spine as she pictured what would happen if she were announce herself. Gai and Lee both adored her. Gai thought of her as his own child while Lee constantly confessed his undying love. At a time she was as excitable as they were, even wearing a matching jumpsuit for a period of two months before Kakashi decided he couldn't take it anymore and bought her what she wore now. She turned her attention towards the others and pointed her thumb towards the woods. "Then how about we go explore?" There was bound to be something to do in the woods, someplace they could explore. Hopefully without stumbling into another secret ANBU operation.

"It'll be better than this," Neji sighed, "just watching them gives me a headache."

I pointed a lazy finger towards them, "shouldn't you let them know?"

"No need for that," Tenten whispered, her hands placing themselves on Ayumi's shoulders as she herded her into the woods. She waited until she was sure that they were out of earshot before releasing Ayumi. The three wandered a foot trail, not broken in and nearly overgrown by trees. Every path they took brought them to different dead ends, none of which led to cave or forgotten buildings. As the afternoon sun climbed overhead, Ayumi yawned finding herself growing bored of their afternoon adventure. Stepping through overgrown shrubbery, they came across a small clearing. An idea popped into Ayumi's head and she faced Neji.