Team Yumi re-entered the Hidden Leaf Village as the sun began to set over the Hokage Monument. They had just finished a mission, and were on their way to report their success to the Hokage. Despite the time of day, various villagers were running, talking, playing, and laughing through the streets. A few ninja discussed their most recent mission, while vendors tried to sell goods to annoyed customers.

 

"Heh... I really missed being in the village!" Koukon grinned, happy to be back home.

 

"Yeah. We can finally rest." Hikari wasn't as enthusiastic as her friend, but still smiled. "I can't wait to go eat some ramen." She rubbed her stomach, having missed her favorite food.

 

"Of course, that's the first thing you think of. It's always ramen with you." Koukon teased Hikari. "I guess that going to Ichiraku wouldn't hurt, though..." He looked over at his teacher. "Yumi sensei, is it fine if we head off?"

 

"Yeah, I'll go check in with Lord Hokage. You three can go off and get something to eat." The woman smiled back at her students.

 

"Alright!" Koukon shouted, and looked over to his teammates. "Let's go, Hikari! Are you going to come with, Kiniku?" He asked his best friend, hoping that the three of them could go together.

 

"It's been a while since the three of us got to go to Ichiraku together, hasn't it?" Hikari asked. "You should come with us, Kiniku."

"You say we should rest, and you go and train anyway?" Koukon asked Kiniku, surprised that their ideas of a rest were so different. "Kinda defeats the purpose..." He sighed, and stretched.

 

"Maybe you should try to be that dedicated to your training, Koukon." Kiyoshi told her brother. "You won't get to be a hero if you don't focus."

 

"Hey, I train enough! You all just never see it when I do..." Koukon complained.

Kiniku

 

Kiniku ignored Koukon's comment and continued to do his push-ups.

 

"By the way, Kiyo, thanks for the support. You're the only one who doesn't give me a hard time for what I do, it seems," Kiniku said, still exercising.

Edited December 16, 201410 yr by Firaga Sensei

"Oh, you're welcome, Kiniku!" Kiyoshi grinned at her friend. "I don't know why they always give you such a hard time. I think Koukon could learn a few lessons from you." She said, obviously referring to training habits.

 

"I think I'm just fine the way I am already." Koukon sighed. "I think you need to stop acting like everything Kiniku does is perfect..." He muttered, becoming angered that he was always compared to Kiniku, especially by his sister.

Kiniku

 

"Hey, I ain't perfect, String Bean. Nobody is," Kiniku said, somewhat offended. "But that doesn't mean I gotta be judged for how I live my life, alright?" 

"Whatever, Kiniku..." Koukon sighed, then sat down. "I bet Sabaku can tell I'm way stronger than you, anyway. Isn't that right?" He asked, hoping to get someone on his side.

 

"Hm... I haven't seen you two battle yet. I don't think I can say for sure, but you two both seem very close!" Sabaku said, not wanting to choose a side.

 

"Well... At least she can tell I'm at least strong." Koukon said, glad he wasn't being criticized for once.

Kiniku

 

"Yeah, that's right. We are close. Why else do you think we always fight like cats and dogs?" Kiniku joked

"W-well... Uh..." Koukon tried to think up some excuse to explain why he was better, but stopped. He's right... We are almost equals. But... I still don't get why they always make fun of me like I'm still weak. He looked slightly upset.

 

"He's right, Koukon. That's why you need to keep up your training, too! You'll just fall behind if you don't do that." Kiyoshi told her brother. "I don't want to see either one of you fall behind, alright?" She told them.

 

"Uh... Right." Koukon said.

Kiniku

 

"Don't worry, Koukon, you'll get on my level someday," Kiniku said once again in a joking matter. "All you gotta do is a few hundred laps around the village, coupled with some push ups, sit ups, and the most important: drink plenty of juice. Maybe some meat on those bones of yours would help too," Kiniku said, oblivious to how ridiculous that all sounded.

"I told you guys, I'm perfectly fine. I'm more of a ninjutsu user than a taijutsu user, anyway." Koukon explained, starting to become slightly angry. "I'd rather train my mind than focus just on getting buff."

Kiniku

 

"And who said it was all about being buff, String Bean? I'll have you know that the Matsuyo Clan's regiment isn't just about power. We cover speed, precision, tactic, and even that spirtual mumbo jumbo too," Kiniku said. "I may be big and strong, and I sure am," he said, chuckling and flashing a smile to the girls, "but I'm nothing without the fruits of my other training. You saw me fight Bushy Brows not too long ago; I didn't and couldn't rely on power alone. I used my speed and my mind as my tools to victory," Kiniku said, pointing at his head with his free hand.

Kiyoshi once again seemed to lose all control of her mental processes as she began to blush and stutter when Kiniku smiled at her. Sabaku remained composed, and simply giggled. Though she wasn't with the group, Hikari sighed, clearly still able to hear the argument.

 

Koukon also sighed. "Ugh, whatever. I don't need to be as physically strong as you are to be tough. I'm fine with taijutsu, and I'm even better with ninjutsu." He protested, becoming more frustrated.

Kiniku

 

"Come on," Kiniku said, stopping his exercise and sitting in a crouch so he could rest for a spell. "I can understand if you're frustrated, but you don't have to be a brat."

Edited December 17, 201410 yr by Firaga Sensei

"I'm not being a brat. I'm telling you that my strengths are different than yours." Koukon argued. I'm a ninjutsu master, and that's what matters to me."

Kiniku

 

"What's wrong with trying to be a master at everything?" Kiniku said. "The best ninja is one who's prepared for anything, you know."

"If I specialize in one area, I'll be unbeatable there. I can still keep up my taijutsu training, too." Koukon explained his own thoughts. "I can't be as good as I possibly can in one subject if I train in everything at once."

Kiniku

 

"Hmm... fair enough," Kiniku said. "Then again, that wouldn't be a problem if you just gave it your all with each area..." Kiniku mused.

"I don't need to!" Koukon shouted back. "I'm perfectly fine as a ninjutsu specialist. I don't need to be huge like you to be a good ninja."

Kiniku

 

"Oi, fine. No need to blow my ears out," Kiniku said, now deeply annoyed at his friend's whining as he picked his ear and tested to see if his hearing was still right.

 

"Here, I'll leave you alone for now. See if you can try your moves on Sabaku while I'm not around. If you mess up, it ain't my fault," Kiniku said, hopping onto his hands and shuffling through the forest. He managed to walk towards where Hikari was sitting down, remembering that she decided to be by herself.

 

"And what's eating you?" Kiniku asked her, moving off his hands and back onto his feet.

"Fine. I'd definitely rather do that than argue with someone as stubborn as you." Koukon responded, then returned to attempt to win over Sabaku.

 

 

Hikari sighed, having hoped that no one would try to bother her. "What do you think? That idiot hasn't shut up ever since we found Sabaku." She said, glaring back at Koukon, who seemed way too close to Sabaku than he should ever be.

Kiniku

 

"Oh. Right. I probably shoulda guessed," Kiniku said, sitting down next to Hikari. "Truth be told, I kinda sorta just caught on to that..." Kiniku said, scratching the back of his head in embarassment.

Hikari was silent for a moment, but eventually spoke up. "What's so special about Sabaku, anyway? Koukon just saw her, and was instantly all over her. Same with everyone else." She asked, sounding slightly angered and slightly upset.

Kiniku

 

"I don't know. I like her too, but I was just being nice. I'm not crushing on her like String Bean is, that's for sure," Kiniku said earnestly.

"That's what bothers me" Hikari said. "He gets like this over every girl we meet... And always ends up ignoring me." She muttered, then quickly realized she should have left that part out. "Not that I care about that. He can ignore me all he wants, I wouldn't mind." Her tone shifted, sounding angry, but slightly nervous.

Kiniku

 

"Ohhhh, I see what's going on..." Kiniku said, putting a hand to his chin and chuckling to himself.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Hikari stuttered. I really wish he didn't decide to come and bother me... She thought to herself, starting to get nervous.