A Hundred Steps Ahead

Birds of the Same Feather

CHAPTER 13: Birds of the Same Feather

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The usually composed and stoic pinkette sighed dejectedly as she closed another book and placed it down the table, the soft slam audible within the empty library. Emerald eyes glared at the bold print on the cover of the book, Legacy of The Yellow Flash.

"This is going nowhere," she muttered as she sighed once more. Her head tilted back to look towards the ceiling in defeat. "Three days and zero progress." She pouted.

The pinkette scowled as she stretched her right hand out to reach her old, worn notebook filled with notes and diagrams. 'Why is perfecting the Hiraishin so hard?' She pouted once more. Honestly, the girl was so tired after spending three days cooped up in the library studying every book and scroll she could find about the Yondaime Hokage. She was dedicated to the point that she re – read all his old biographies and autobiographies for even the barest hint of perfecting the legendary technique. At this point, the pinkette could probably recite the Yondaime's life with how many books she's read.

"Zero progress in three days," she uttered again as she ran a hand through her hair, "I bet that Gaara's having the time of his life." Exhaling softly, the pinkette stood up to arrange her numerous books and scroll.

Sorely disappointed in having wasted another day, she swiftly exited the library.

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Uchiha Compound

"Asuma – san's not training his team?" Shisui cocked his to the side while keeping his eye trained on Sasuke's tired figure. "But all his members passed, why wouldn't he?" he asked the silver haired Jounin.

Beside him, Kakashi shrugged. Like Shisui, he was also focused on Sasuke who was training near the river with his brother and father. "He says that it's a free for all," he said, "That and that he couldn't pick one and neglect the other two."

Shisui chuckled, "Sounds like a petty excuse if you ask me." He moved a hand to comb through his hair, "I mean... kinda makes sense since he wouldn't want to show favoritism, but this is an exam."

"He didn't even get them tutors," Kakashi mentioned like the gossip he was.

The Uchiha scoffed in amusement. "Like you did anything to your team?" he raised a brow as a challenge.

"To be fair, Sasuke was taken off my hands far too soon and Naruto was dragged by Jiraiya – sama before I could talk to him. My third didn't even pass the preliminary."

"What a lucky bastard," Shisui chuckled. "So, why are you telling me this?" he asked. Being long term friends with the Copy ninja had its merits; knowing when he had something planned was one of them.

"A little brown bird might have mentioned that a lil' old pinkie's been cooped up in the library for the past three days now," Kakashi turned his head to directly look at Shisui, "She's still trying for Minato – sensei's Hiraishin."

"She already knows how to do the Shunshin, I'm quite impressed with the amount of dedication she has in learning the Hiraishin." The curly haired teen smiled a little. "Now, what does this have to do with me?"

"Genma and I are thinking of helping Sakura – chan out. She's going against Gaara, the Kazekage's youngest son."

Shisui winced, "I heard he was ruthless with Gai's student. He gave mini Gai a long term injury, right?"