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."

"Thanks, pals!" Kiniku said, shooting his teammates a thumbs up.

 

"Now then, where's the treasure?" Kiniku said to himself as he got closer to the downed assaliant and searched his belongings.

Hikari used her Byakugan to try to spot it. "It would help if we knew what it was..." She sighed. However, she quickly noticed what appeared to be an old scroll in a pouch on the man's leg. "In the pouch, right there." She told Kiniku.

"Ha ha, gotcha!" Kiniku grabbed the scroll out of the man's pants. "Gee, I wonder what kinda value this thing has?" He asked his teammates as he brought it towards them.

"It's probably something important to the village's history." Yumi suggested. "Anyway, let's go return it." She began to return to the shrine.

 

"Right, Yumi sensei!" Koukon followed his teacher, with Hikari close behind him.

"Okay, yeah. Let's go," Kiniku agreed, following his team back to the shrine.

Once Team Yumi returned, Yumi re-entered the shrine, carefully placing the scroll back on the small altar. "Well, that solves that. Now then... Back to our posts!" Yumi said, and left the shrine.

 

 

The next day, the team returned to the Leaf Village. Yumi told the Hokage their mission results. "Hm... Well, at least you recovered the scroll in the end. We'll inform the guard about this. Hopefully, they'll be able to keep it safe!" Naruto grinned. "You're all dismissed!"

 

"Ah... Finally, that's over with." Koukon stretched, stiff from sitting all night.

 

Hikari yawned. "I'd try to get some sleep, but..." She cut herself off, not wanting to admit she was still thinking of Koukon's stupid ghost story. "... Nevermind."

"After having to guard that dang scroll for what seems like ages, I could do any but sleep right now. I feel like going a few hundred laps around the village," Kiniku said, already stretching out his muscles for his run.

"Of course that's the first thing you think to do..." Hikari sighed, questioning how her friend could be so energetic after what had happened last night.

 

"Doesn't surprise me." Koukon laughed.

 

"Well, if he's off... Want to go to Ichiraku, Koukon?" Hikari asked.

 

"You're no better at hiding your one-track mind, either..." Koukon muttered. "Alright, fine."

"Alright, ready set GO!" Kiniku said, jumping onto his hands and shooting straight across the dirt path of the Leaf's streets.

As Kiniku took off around the village, another team of ninjas had arrived after a mission. One in particular, after turning a corner, accidentally walked straight into Kiniku. She screamed in surprise, and ended up being knocked over by the hyper boy. "Ugh..." Akarui rubbed her head.

"Whoa!" Kiniku said, toppled over on his back after accidentally colliding with Akarui. "Agh... oh-oh, shoot! Sorry about that," Kiniku said after he realized who he bumped into. He quickly got up, brushed himself off, and went over to the downed Akarui. "Need a hand?" He asked, extending a hand to his fellow ninja.

Akarui looked up, learning that it was Kiniku who had knocked her over. "... I'm fine. Thanks." She stood up on her own, and brushed herself off. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she saw Kiniku as a rival. Even though she wasn't quite as independent and rash as she was when the two were genin, she didn't want to feel as though she had lost to him. "S-so... What are you doing, anyway...?" She asked, looking slightly confused.

Kiniku

 

"Oh. me? Heh, well you know, training and whatnot. I just got back from a mission with String Bean an Hyugamaki, so I decided I'd take a few hundred laps around the village on my hands." He then noticed the two boys next to Akarui. One of them had short black hair formed into a bowl cut and spiked in the back, unnaturally bushy eyebrows, a green spandex suit, a Chunin flak jacket, white tape on his hands and wrists, and red pads on his elbows and knees. The other had long brown hair tied up into a small ponytail in the back with a single lock of hair cascaded down his forehead, a light gray gi with a white inner shirt. His left arm was also cast into a sling."Oh hi to you too, Bushy Brows and Pale Eyes. What's up?"

 

Ryuichi / Shogo

 

"Hello Kiniku. Very nice to see you. And I must say, your training methods are as splendid as always!" Bushy Brows, or more over Ryuichi, enthusiastically responded, flashing his comrade a smile and a thumbs up.

 

"Hmph," Shogo, or "Pale Eyes" responded rather coldly, rolling his eyes at Kiniku's and Ryuichi's dialouge.

Edited September 11, 201411 yr by Firaga Sensei

"Oh..." Akarui began to trail off. He acts like a few hundred laps is nothing... I really need to step it up. She was quickly interrupted by her two teammates arriving. Their sensei, Lee, also arrived shortly after Ryuichi and Shogo.

 

"It is great to see all of you shinobi engaging in youthful activities!" Lee gave the group a big thumbs-up, grinning. "It makes me proud to see you enjoy your youth!"

 

Everyone's here... This might be a chance to prove my strength... An idea formed in Akarui's mind. "Hey, Kiniku... I challenge you to a race."

Ryuichi / Shogo / Kiniku

 

"Thank you very much, Dad Sensei!" Ryuichi responded to his father, while Shogo once again just rolled his eyes.

 

"Oh hey, Bushier Brows Sensei," Kiniku said to his superior. He then heard Akarui challenge him to a race. "A race? Well sure, why not! Heh, you're probably not good at running on your hands though, so I'll go easy on you." Kiniku cockily added, cracking his neck.

Edited September 10, 201411 yr by Firaga Sensei

He's going easy on me... Does he really think that I'm that weak? Akarui didn't show it, but she was beginning to get angered by Kiniku's cockiness. "A-alright, fine..." She looked around. "Ryuichi, could you help be the referee..." She asked her teammate.

Ryuichi / Kiniku

 

"Okay, Akarui, I will." Ryuichi accepted. "I have to admit, however, that I would like to join you. But I can understand that you want to race Kiniku alone. That is okay... as long as I can race him afterwards!" Ryuichi proclaimed.

 

"Heh heh. Slow your roll, Bushy Brows. Let's save that for another day. It'd be better if we raced at one hundred percent anyway." Kiniku chuckled, getting into a starting position.

 

Ryuichi nodded. "Right. Now then..." Ryuichi raised his hand in the air. "Ready... Set... YOUTH!" Ryuichi cried, chopping the air.

 

"I guess that means GO!" Kiniku translated, already running down the village paths.

Edited September 10, 201411 yr by Firaga Sensei

Akarui fought an urge to facepalm at Ryuichi's ridiculous countdown, and quickly followed after Kiniku. She managed to catch up to him. "This isn't so bad." She smiled slightly, impressed that she'd already caught up to her rival. I think I can do this...

Edited September 11, 201411 yr by Shulk

"Is that so?" Kiniku said, grinning immensely. "Let's kick it up a notch!" Kiniku said, leaping into the air and dashing through the air and across the buildings of the village, gaining at least a yard's lead over Akarui in a manner of minutes.

Akarui's eyes widened as Kiniku suddenly picked up speed. "Wh-what...?" She was bewildered by the sudden change in action. "Oh well... I'll have to step it up, too..." She jumped along the buildings, managing to almost catch up to Kiniku. "I'm not giving up yet!" She shouted, becoming slightly more cocky.

Kiniku decided to get a little creative. He dashed through the gaps of the incoming buildings and even used a clothesline to give him an aerial boost. However, the way he did was grabbing onto the line and vaulting himself up; the line sprang forward up in the air, some clothes still attached to it, and it was headed directly under Akarui.

The further apart she got from Kiniku, the more angered Akarui became. She eventually quit focusing on what she was doing, and lost her temper. I can do that, too! Akarui attempted to use the clothesline as a spring, but tripped, falling flat on her face. "Ugh..." She quickly got back up, and attempted to chase after her rival.

Kiniku caught a glimpse of Akarui's slip up, and couldn't help but chuckle. He eventually went on his way until he reached Ryuichi and Shogo again.

 

"Looks like I win!" Kiniku cheered.

Akarui slowly trailed in, upset that she'd lost so quickly. I didn't even put up a good race... She sighed, and turned away from the others. At this rate, I'll never be at the same level as him...

Ryuichi / Kiniku

 

"Excellent showing, Kiniku!" Ryuichi congratulated his comrade.

 

"Heh. Thanks Bushy Brow!" Kiniku responded. The two shinobi then hi-fived each other. "And don't worry, I'll hold up my end of the deal; you and me are going tomorrow."

 

"Great to hear, my friend," Ryuichi said with glee. The two then noticed Akarui getting back and looking rather down.

 

"Uh-oh... looks like Red's taking it hard..." Kiniku frowned.

 

"Do not worry, Kiniku, I will talk to her. I am her teammate after all," Ryuichi said, going over to Akarui. Shogo did not even try to react to his teammates downfall, causing Kiniku to look over at him.

 

"And how are you doing?" KIniku somewhat sarcastically said. But Shogo simply frowned and looked the other way. Kiniku waved it off.

 

"Akarui, I understand that you are upset. But believe me, failure is not something you have to look down on. Failure only breeds success. That is what my father and his sensei have taught me. So cheer up! Next time, you will just have to give even more effort to win? Am I right?" Ryuichi told his teammate, putting a hand on her shoulder and at the same time, smiling to her warmly.