"So, so, what are we doing?" Naruto asked when Kurenai had gotten her daughters settled and sent one of Naruto's clones to inform Team Eight to meet them at the main gate. "I mean, yeah, security, but what movie and where and what threats and-"
Sakura hit him across the back of the head, and he reached up around the hilt of the sword he'd taken to carrying on his back to rub at the spot and give her an injured look.
Kurenai smiled to herself. Really, these three were rather charming, and the Jinchuuriki was almost normal beside the expected bloodthirst and borderline insanity.
"Idiot," said the Uchiha, in a tone that would have hidden his amusement and fondness from anyone but a Jounin. "She'll brief us some time after we link up with Anko-sensei's team."
"Like now," a fifth voice inserted as the remaining three Genin assigned to this mission fell into step.
"Like now," she agreed, with an acknowledging nod to the tall, solemn boy who had spoken. A bloodline heavy team, from the briefing materials that had been provided on them, with an Inuzuka and Hyuuga on top of the Aburame scion who seemed to be their leader.
Laying out the basics of what would be expected of them and the most likely complications didn't take any thought to speak of, and she used the opportunity to evaluate her subordinates while their minds were occupied with something else.
Both of the teams were welded into cohesive wholes in ways that she'd never seen displayed by rookies before. Usually it took several years for even the most compatible trio to shake down this thoroughly, to become this comfortable with each other. But the way Hinata and Kiba were so secure in their confidence in the insectoid outriders Shino was using to scout the party's path, without being simply unaware of his measures - the way the three members of Team Seven covered each others' blind spots and always seemed to be watching different thirds of the forest around them, without even needing to pay attention to it...
She had been skeptical about the idea of using Special Jounin to instruct Genin cells, and, in fact, still was, but the fundamental precept behind the scheme seemed to be proving out. The more social, less field-oriented aspects of a Special's missions had evidently allowed them the experience to more effectively pass on their expertise. Kurenai, personally, didn't think that the loss of early field experience and the occaisional holes that would result from the sensei's weaker fields were neccessarily going to be worth it in the long run, but if a better instructional framework could be worked up based on the experience - as she'd heard rumors of being done - and passed on to the full Jounin-sensei, rather than having them make things up as they went along, then the best of both approaches might be combined.
All that was for another day, though. For now, her task was to evaluate and make use of the material she had been handed.
It wasn't likely to be a chore. Probably the weakest in the group was Kiba, and he was a fairly standard Inuzuka - not a clan known for inability in combat. A rather agressive fellow left to his own devices, if she read him right, but Inuzuka responded extremely well to properly established authority and that, at least, would be no problem.
The behavior of the Aburame bug colonies when exposed to high emotions in their hosts meant that Shino's tight self-control was hardly a surprise, but that didn't mean it wasn't a good omen. His questions about her briefing suggested a first-rate tactical mind, also, which might make him a good deputy for her off-shifts. Likewise, the practiced ability in his movements and handling of the outrider bugs would indicate a more than adequate degree of martial skill. She'd have to remember to put some money on his name in the pool for the next Chuunin exam.
No, the surprise in Team Eight was the Hyuuga. There had been no small number of rumors about the difficulties Konoha's leading clan had been having with their heir, decrying weak chakra, cowardly personality, and various other flaws. She was noticably shy, true, but her chakra was actually quite impressive, though erratic, and her few, quiet words managed to both stabalize her teammates and slip her own opinions in through the cracks of the discussion without ever calling attetion to their speaker. The obvious crush on the Jinchuuriki boy was just icing on the cake, since no coward would have had the nerve to even approach him.
That boy... Naruto. For his part, he seemed like a far more complicated matter to deal with than she had expected.
This isn't done, but there's a storm going, and I don't want to lose this.
Ja, -n
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"Puripuri puripuri... Bang!"