Hoshigaki

The Deliberate Infection

Kurenai stood on a far walkway that overlooked the tops of the trees of the Forest of Death. Her team never had an internal dispute before, and though she knew it was normal in genin teams, it was nothing like she expected.

They were still kids who were learning about the world and who they were, and there was nothing wrong with a couple spats every now and again. But these kids united in a fight against injustice and everything the Will of Fire wasn't; scorned for the truth and fighting an uphill battle with all the odds against them. She'd never seen anyone grow as close as them in such a short time, and she'd certainly never thought she'd meet shinobi that took only a few months to learn they'd either die as one or not at all.

Both concepts were equally as troubling.

"Oh, Yuuhi-senpai! Did you see off your team for the exams?"

Her team's old school teacher (Umino Iruka, she quickly supplied) approached her with a few files tucked under his arm. He was probably on an errand of some sort, though it was a ways away from the Academy.

"Umino-san," she greeted politely. She turned back to gaze at the forest. "That was my plan, but my team did an excellent job of avoiding me. Could I have taught them too well?"

He chuckled nervously. "Er, I came across Inuzuka-san a few days ago. He seemed rather upset... He didn't even realize Akamaru wasn't with him when I found him lounging around in his old classroom."

"No?" Kurenai frowned. So maybe their fight was worse than she originally calculated. Iruka saw the look on her face and waved his hands in front of him.

"I-I'm sure they'll be fine! Do they normally get along well?"

"Well enough," she answered vaguely. Shaking her head, she diverted the conversation back to the exams. "I tried getting closer to the testing location to see if they were acting more standoffish than usual, but the seals put up were quite impressive. I didn't think the Intelligence Division specialized in such work."

Iruka rubbed the back of his head with a bashful smile. "It, uh, wasn't the intelligence division! Some of the guard platoons and I were requested to set up the seals for the perimeter," he admitted. Kurenai, pleasantly surprised, faced him fully. "It's no-nothing great! I've always had a knack for fuuinjutsu, I just don't employ it as much since it's not standard curriculum at the Academy. I do get requests from Hokage-sama sometimes, but not too often."

"Don't slight your abilities. Fuuinjutsu is an intense study, and anyone who can pick it up should be proud," she said. She noted to bring it up to Kiba after the second exam; it wouldn't be bad if he had an actual teacher and she wasn't much help in that field. She would have never guessed Umino Iruka would be at all proficient in the sealing arts, but it seemed she wasn't the only one who overlooked the career chuunin. But she quickly chided herself—as much as she disliked the Hokage, she couldn't deny his eye for talent. Being in charge of perimeter security was no small task. She'd be a fool not to jump on an opportunity that could benefit at least one of her students—after all, they were the ones who taught her not to act so much on her preconceptions.

"Yuuhi-senpai?"

She lent an ear back to Iruka.

"It's probably not my place to say, but I think your team will make it out just fine," he stated firmly. "Inuzuka-san and Sakura-san have been undeterred by anything for a long time and Aburame-san is resilient in his own right. The sun might as well rise in the west before they're beat down by anything."

Kurenai returned his sentiment with a smile, the thought of her team warming her heart. "That's true, I suppose." She glanced over the green trees. "I just hope I'm not worrying too much."