Hello again! I hope you'll enjoy a little peek in Hiro's life just before he became part of Team Taryn. Don't forget to check out my story Clash of the Brats, which has more Taryn and her students. I wrote it with Amaterasu and it has a few of her characters in it too :) You can find it in My Works on my profile.
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“So did you pass?” Yuna Tomoda smiled at her younger brother as she plated up the dinner table.
“Of course I did!” Hiro beamed. He grinned widely and unfolded the sheet his teacher had handed him and held up hitai-ate. “See? And I’m in a team with Daro.”
“Who had that bright idea?” Yuna teased and her brother stuck out his tongue.
“Congratulations sweetheart,” his mother hugged the boy lightly and kissed his hair.
“Mom!” Hiro protested.
“Who is your other teammate?” Yuna asked curiously.
Hiro studied his sheet. “Uhm… Kuro Shiraki.”
“Shiraki?” his father lifted his head to join the conversation.
“Yeah. Do you know him, dad?”
“Hmm,” his father nodded, “the Shiraki family has served the Sunake family for generations. I think their oldest boy was in the Fourth’s personal guard. Souta Shiraki is in charge of the messenger birds.”
“Kimi was in my class,” Yuna provided, “I didn’t know she had another brother.”
“I didn’t even know he was in my class,” Hiro muttered.
“Who is your sensei, son?”
“It says here her name is Taryn.”
Yuna gasped and let a glass slip through her fingers where it shattered against the floor. “Taryn-sama Taryn?”
“Let me see that,” Hanade Tomoda took the paper from his son’s hand and studied it carefully. “I can’t believe it. It’s true. Taryn Sunake. The Fourth’s firstborn.”
“The Desertstorm?” Yuna whispered.
Hiro looked from his father to his sister confused. “Who is the Desertstorm?”
They both ignored him. “The Kazekage is very fond of his sister,” Hanade mused, “I wonder if he’s trying to do her a favor.” He looked at his son. “Have a care with her, Hiro.”
Hiro studied his father uncomfortably. “Why? What’s wrong?” He had been so excited that he was now officially a Genin and he was worried that this new sensei was going to prove a failure.
His father didn’t answer. His face held a puzzled expression and he walked out of the room.
Hiro looked at his sister for help.
Yuna bit her lip. “I don’t know her personally,” she said softly, “only be reputation.” She sat down next to her brother. “She was banished once, though I’m not sure why. It was only after the Fourth died that she was called back.”
Hiro’s eyes went wide and his throat was dry. Suddenly he wasn’t so happy anymore about his Genin rank.
***
“Are you sure?” Daro glanced at his friend nervously, “maybe you didn’t hear it right.”
“She was banished,” Hiro said, “how could I not hear that right? Even my dad was nervous at the mention of her name.”
The two boys were sitting on the steps of the pottery, discussing their new sensei.
“What’s she like, you think?” Daro whispered, “you think she has scars? You know, being a criminal and all.”
“One thing is sure,” Hiro shivered, “she’s dangerous.”
“Shh,” Daro hissed, “if my parents find out, they’ll pull me out. They’re not too happy as it is that I want to be a ninja. When they hear our new sensei is a lunatic, they’ll never let me go.”
Hiro sighed. “So what do you know about that Shiraki kid? My dad says they’re a real fancy clan. They always make it into the Kazekage’s personal guard. I hope he’s not some arrogant jerk.”
Daro frowned in thought. “Kuro Shiraki,” he said puzzled, “I’m not sure. I think he’s that quiet kid that’s always in the back of the classroom.”
Behind them, the door to the pottery opened and Daro’s mother stuck her head out. “Shouldn’t you be on your way by now to meet your new trainer?”
The boys jumped to their feet. “Gah! Thanks mom!”
Kanna shook her head at the boys’ hasty departure. “Whoever their new trainer is, I wish him or her luck.”
***
They would meet at the training ground. When they arrived, the only other person in the clearing was a raven haired boy.
“You think that’s him?” Hiro whispered.
Daro nodded solemnly. They walked up to their fellow teammate. “Hey,” Daro said.
The boy looked up and gave a nod. “Hey.”
“You’re Kuro, right? I’m Daro Kamori and this is Hiro Tomoda.”
Kuro nodded. “I know,” he said softly.
“Do you know what our sensei is like?” Hiro asked.
Kuro shook his head hesitantly.
“Ah man,” Hiro whined, “And I hoped you had some dirt. I wanna know if all the rumors are true!”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Daro said. He looked at Kuro. “You don’t say much, do you?”
The black haired boy looked down.
“Well, I’m not gonna keep standing around,” Hiro said and he slumped down on the ground, “wake me up when sensei gets here.”
Daro let himself fall next to his friend. “I wonder where she is.”
After a glance around the area, Kuro hesitantly sat down as well. He sighed and watched his fellow teammates. It was obvious that they were close friends.
A presence made him look up. A young woman had appeared on the training grounds and she was eyeing the three boys carefully.
Kuro blindly stuck out his arm to tap Daro, who was closest.
“What?” Daro asked, laughing about something Hiro had said. When Kuro didn’t respond, he followed the boy’s gaze.
Hiro too had noticed something was amiss and he fell silent at the sight of the young woman. She couldn’t have been much older than his sister Yuna. Her long dark hair fell over her shoulders and her eyes were piercing theirs.
Hiro swallowed. Something about her made him nervous.
“Morning,” the woman said coolly.
“Morning,” the boys muttered uncertain.
“So, you three are my students I presume?” She didn’t seem impressed. “My name is Taryn,” the woman continued, “Daro, Hiroshi and Kuro, right?” The boys nodded slowly. Taryn sighed. “Alright. I’ll set up some targets. Give me five minutes.” She turned her back on the boys.
“I expected someone bigger,” Hiro whispered to Daro.
“She doesn’t look dangerous,” Daro agreed.
“Yuna was just messing with my head.”
Daro chuckled. “After all that, I at least expected fangs and a war hammer.”
The boys laughed.
“You were so scared,” Daro said amused.
“No I wasn’t.”
“Were too.”
“Was not.”
“Don’t deny it!”
“I’m not!”
“So you were scared,” Daro smirked.
Hiro narrowed his eyes, but then grew a devious smirk. “And you weren’t?”
“I’m not afraid of anything.”
“No?” Hiro grinned, “then you won’t mind if I tell Casey you have a crush on her?”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Daro growled.
“I’ll go tell her right now.”
“No you won’t,” Daro poked his ribs.
“Stop that,” Hiro said poking back.
Daro poked again and a poke war broke out until someone cleared their throat.
“If you are done,” Taryn said coolly, “can we get started then?”
Both boys flinched and turned their attention to the woman. Hiro scratched his head and gave a sheepish chuckle. “Sorry sensei,” he said. Suddenly he wasn’t so sure anymore that his sister was just kidding around about this Taryn. The look she gave them now was enough to give chills. And if she really did know criminals…
Yes, perhaps it was best to be serious from now on.
At least for now…