Blessed by Rain

5. Train

Hinata laid curled up in Haku's arms, a content smile on her face.

Haku was reading, and Hinata was happy to just sit there in the comfort of her friend's and listen to his heart beat.

"I'm pretty sure if I died you'd be the only one at my funeral."

Haku's chuckle rumbled against her. "Sure. What kind of flowers do you want?"

As Hinata pondered her answer, she wondered if it was possible to fall in love with someone platonically. "Irises. Doesn't matter what color."

"Of course."

"Sorry I'm super touchy." Hinata apologized, though didn't move from her spot. Haku's smile widened.

"It's okay. I like cuddling with you!"

Hinata offered him a smile of her own.

::

"Again."

Huffing, heaving, and hoping she wouldn't pass out from chakra exhaustion, a soon-to-be-nine-year-old Hinata flew through the same hand signs despite her aching hands. "Rairyuudan." She whispered.

The buzz and heat of electricity greeted her. Hinata felt her insides drain further of chakra, and she swayed on her feet.

"Hold it."

Hinata wiped the sweat off her brow and nodded determinedly. She never questioned Sasori, nor did she question why he insisted on teaching her B-Rank jutsu instead of D, then C, then eventually B as was the usual progression. No, the moment she mastered her first lightning jutsu with natural ease, he moved her on to high ranks unbefitting of her age but befitting of her skill.

Sasori stared at the lightning dragon with steel eyes. It was good. Better than good, it was extraordinary. It's golden yellow eyes sparkled as it roared and turned its head, but stayed put as Hinata made it do. She was so young, but talented and skilled. He could only hope that the Akatsuki never took ahold of her.

The yellow lightning dragon began flickering out of existence, drawing his attention to his pupil. Hinata swayed on shaky feet, and soon she was falling to the ground. Sasori shot towards her with a blank face, but as he caught her and gently placed her down, a ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

When Hinata came to, she was greeted with a bottle of water and dango, Hinata's favorite. She smiled sheepishly and consumed the food, then promptly returned to her routine of creating a lightning dragon, holding it, releasing the jutsu, and doing it again.

"You'll keep doing this until you won't even notice the chakra it saps." Sasori said lightly.

Hinata sighed but didn't say anything.

::

"Um...why are you teaching me how to use a katana?" Hinata tightened her grip on the handle and clumsily swung at the air.

Sasori rolled up the scroll he was reading. "There's a B-Rank jutsu you'll learn eventually that creates a katana made entirely out of lightning. And lightning release is easiest when channeled through a metal ninja weapon." He paused, though probably for dramatic effect. "Also, for your puppets to utilize kenjutsu, you'll have to be well-versed or at least know the basics."

Hinata frowned but didn't argue further. His reasoning was sound, but that didnt change the fact that Hinata sucked at using a sword. She was clumsy, and nearly hacked her own face off, which was enough embarrassment for a lifetime.

Kenjutsu was not her forte.

Ninjutsu was. As a clan child, although she now lacked her kekkei genkai, she was born into massive amounts of chakra naturally. Of course not as much as an Uzumaki's, but Hyuga's weren't too shabby.