Chapter 42

"Target spotted, your distances? "

Athena sat casually on a tree branch. She had Icha Icha paradise in her hands. She was five meters away from the target. She heard her team mates respond. Sasuke had six meters. Hinata four. Naruto three. He was the closest.

"Athena"

"Six meters"

Kakashi was silent for a moment. The mission was easy. They just needed to hunt down and return a missing cat. In all honesty he found that this mission was a waste of his team's talent. They are all skilled and he's sure they can handle themselves in battle. He knew the Hokage agreed, but they were still given such a mission.

"Go"

With a blink of an eye they were no longer in their original spot. Naruto was the closest and easily captured the struggling cat. He was a feisty one and scrapped him multiple times. Naruto held the creature away from him and glared. Why so mean? He could hear Kurama curse the cat in his head. Maybe it was because of Kurama.

"Can someone take him? "Naruto held the cat out. Hinata was the one to take the animal off his hands. She was gentle with the animal, smiling as she scratched under his chin and received a purr in answer.

"Alright, Hinata holds the cat" Sasuke said, his hands in his pocket, his expression neutral. He looked to Kakashi, who raises an eyebrow. "We knew we would be getting chores for missions but this is ridiculous "

"I must agree" Athena said calmly, her eyes never leaving her book. "The old man knows this, but apparently he chose to have some fun with it"

"I know you guys are deserving of higher ranked missions, but I cannot do anything about it"

Naruto sighed. "Yeah. Let's just go see the old man"

Athena hummed as she flipped to the next page. She felt Hinata nearby and closed the book. She glanced at her and Hinata actually pouted. She was the only one in the group that never touched the book. Even Sasuke read a couple of chapters. Only because Naruto wouldn't leave him alone. Athena refused to let the girl read even one word of the book.

"May I at least read one page? "She asked.

Athena shook her head no as she placed the book securely amongst the others in her pouch.

"Your innocence must remain"

Hinata said nothing after that and only followed after the group. She was still curious about the book, but Athena was determined.

"When can I read it? "

Athena said nothing for a moment. She had an answer to that question in her head and immediately pushed it away. It made her chuckle.

"Some day"

And that day will be the day her innocence is lost. Athena wanted desperately to be the taker. She sighed and shook her head. Her father rubbed off on her a bit too much.

Some day in the distant future.

~~~~~~

Team 7 stood and watched with pity as the cat was crushed in hug from his owner. They all felt sorry for him. Even Naruto, who did not like the cat. The poor creature. No wonder he ran away. Athena only watched the scene with a blank expression. The woman was oblivious to the cat's torture. Athena sighed as Kurama's sadistic cackle rung in her head. The beast didn't like the cat.

Dog

A smirk was on her lips when that thought entered her mind. Immediately Kurama yelled at her in anger for calling him such a thing.

"A job well done team 7" Hiruzen started once the woman left. He was sorting through papers as he did. It was all a mess again. "As for your next Job, let's see" He read through the document in his hand. A babysitting job. He sighed and smoke left his lungs and mouth. He could feel Athena's eyes on him. She didn't like the fact that he smoked but she never said a thing about it. He only chuckled and looked over the team. His eyes stayed on Hinata. Specifically her lavender jacket. It had two letters on it. A and S. Were they Athena's initials? He smirked.

Interesting.

He was about to announce their new mission when Athena interrupted him.

"We wish to undertake a C rank mission" Athena said bluntly as she reopened her book and focused her eyes on it. "D rank does not test the skills you know we have. I am very aware of the fact that you are just toying with us"

"That's no way to talk to the Hokage" Iruka, who Athena only then noticed, defended. She didn't even look at him. She was more focused on her book.

"Calm down. I'm not disrespecting the old man. I have my own way of showing respect, mind you. " she glanced up for a moment. "I assure you that I know what I'm talking about. I am not one to speak unless I have something to back it up. We are team 7. The team meant to be on the front lines. Do you think the Hokage just casually created this team? "

Hiruzen chuckled as he smoked. Of course Athena had caught on to what he had done. He found them all skilled enough to be sent into battle even as genin. It also helped that he knew they would go well together.

Kakashi said nothing. He was too into the second book of the Icha Icha series. He was very thankful to Athena. Although he didn't like that she left him trapped as her pay.

"Very good Athena" the old man eventually said. He shifted papers again. "A protection mission involving a bridge builder. Mission ranked C. I'm assigning your team to it"

Iruka blinked in shock. Was the old man really sending a team of rookie genin on a C rank mission. He was dead serious. He must really believe in them.

"That's more I like it" Naruto mused happily.

"A bridge builder, huh? " Sasuke said to no one in particular. "We'll be leaving the village"

Hinata never left the village before. She didn't know what to expect out there, but she will be ready for anything. Athena is always ready so she will be as well.

"Bridge builder" The old man called just loud enough.

The doors were opened and in stepped a clearly drunk old man. Athena had her eyes in her book, not interested enough at the moment. She was however curious as to who he would insult this time around. Naruto wasn't short and dumb looking. The shortest was Hinata and if he insulted Hinata, well...

He'll need protection aright.

"A bunch of kids? "He looked to the four children. Children? They were placing his life in the hands of children? This wouldn't do. He needed stronger ninja. They couldn't handle the people that were sent to kill him. " And you.. "

Kakashi had to look up from his book when the old man motioned to Hinata, who adopted a red face and fidgeted with her fingers. Athena had immediately snapped her eyes towards him the minute he looked at the girl. He could see the look in her eyes. He sighed. If that man insulted the Hyuga, Athena would be on his ass. Kakashi put his book away. He would need to stop Athena if such a thing were to occur.

"You're so timid and don't look like you can even hold a kunai properly next to that you seem like the type to avoid any form of confrontation , are you really a ninja? That attitude doesn't seem fit-"

Before his sentence could be finished he had a cold blade pressed to his throat. He gulped. Athena stood in front of him, she didn't look happy. She was fast. He hadn't even seen her move. She looked at him with cold eyes, mouth a thin line. She was irritated but calm. For some reason that made the old man's blood run cold. Everyone was silent as the girl stared him down. They could sense the killing intent rolling off her.

"I dare you to finish that sentence " she said very calmly. "Go on, do it"

He gulped again. He could say nothing.

Naruto saw that coming the second the man looked at Hinata. Sasuke sighed. He had expected it as well. Hinata, however, hadn't. She didn't think Athena would hold the man at the end of her sword. She didn't like what the man was saying. They were the same words everyone said to her. Her attitude isn't fitting of a ninja. How many times had she heard that. How many times had people told her to change or she would not make it as a ninja? She didn't like those words.

Athena could feel the emotion those words brought up in her friend. She wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't allow anyone to utter those words to her again.

Never.

"Athena"

The girl directed her terrifyingly calm gaze to the seemingly relaxed Kakashi. He had his hands in his pocket as he looked at her.

"Put away your weapon. We are supposed to protect him, not harm him"

Athena stared at him. She looked back to the old man. She said nothing.

The sound of glass shattering was the next sound to he heard. Athena's movement was too fast and silent for them to pick up. Apparently she had sliced the blade through the bottle of sake. The old man let go of the remaining bottle in shock. He wasn't expecting that.

She let out a breath as she returned her sword to it's sheath on her back. She gripped her fist. She wanted to hit something. Her glare was still aimed at him.

Hinata knew Athena wanted to hit something. She probably would.

Athena's eyes softened the second she felt Hinata's hand in hers. Immediately the feeling in the room shifted. The strong killing intent was gone within an instant.

Athena sighed.

"Try to insult Hinata again and you'll need protection from me"

The man was frozen. He was never so afraid of a child. In all honesty he was never so afraid in his life.

"And getting protection from me is very hard" Athena added with a look. "Do you understand? "

He nodded, he couldn't gather words yet.

"Good"

~~~~~~~

Team 7 stood in front of the gates to the village as they awaited their jonin. The bridge builder was as far away from Athena as possible. Athena wasn't even looking at him. She had placed herself on the branch of a tree with Hinata. She had the girl sitting next to her, enjoying the food Athena had brought her, while Athena herself continued to read her book.

Naruto sat on the sand and was reading his own book. Sasuke leaned against a tree nearby and just stared at the sky. He had talked to his brother before setting off for the gate. Itachi had congratulated him on his first C rank mission. He smiled at the memory of his brother encouraging him. His mother fussed over him and told him to be careful. She also told him to say hi to Athena and invite her over for some dango. Of course his father could care less. He didn't even look at him today.

He sighed. Why could the man not accept him? How strong does he need to be? Wasn't the fact that he was his son good enough?

He looked at the kunai he had been toying with. Itachi had given it to him. It had his clan's symbol engraved on it. Itachi had one of his own. He always thought it was cool. Itachi had promised him one when he finally got to go on his first C ranked mission.

He would cherish it.

"Athena? "

Said girl looked up from her book.

"I umm... Thank you"

"For? "

"Standing up for me, I suppose" Hinata gripped her jacket. "I wasn't expecting you t-t-to do th-that"

Athena smiled and affectionatly petted Hinata's hair.

"It's alright"

Hinata nodded. "A lot of people have said that to me" she looked to Athena, who completely forgot her book at the moment. "Are they right? Should I try to change? Or should I just give up on being a ninja? "

"No. They are not right. No you should not and must not change and no you should not give up on being a ninja"the book was put away now. Why would Hinata asked that? Anything but that. She didn't want the girl doubting herself. "You're you. Be you. Don't care about what others say. Remain as you are and become the best ninja. You'll show them and make them eat their words"

Hinata smiled slightly at Athena's words. She could tell she was a bit angry, but she knew it was not directed at her. Athena believed she could be a good ninja despite what everyone else thinks. She should believe too, shouldn't she?

"Hey"

Hands were on her cheeks. She had to meet Athena's eyes now. She was smiling as her thumb rubbed circles on her cheek.

"What's our ninja way? "She asked.

"Dont let anyone tell you what you can and cannot do. Don't be limited by their expectations. You just believe in yourself and never give up " Hinata smiled as she said the words. She would never forget them. Those are the words that changed her. They changed everything. "That is our ninja way"

Athena smiled. "Listen to the positive"

"Never the negative"

Athena nodded. "And no matter what"

"Always believe in myself"