Genius not Genious (for animeluver17)

[rahl]

"Oh." Neji felt some sympathy for the younger boy. After all, his situation had been rather similar, but the pain given by the curse mark was incomparable to the one of a mere spanking. Well, he didn't feel like comparing the two right now, his bottom still stung something awful.

Looking up at his cheerful sensei, he knew that he was forgiven, at least for now. It would be a different story if his uncle ever got wind of what happened.

It gave him a headache just thinking of the consequences of this. He didn't know if Lord Hiashi would be angrier at him for deserving a spanking or angrier at his sensei for administering it. It would be better if he never knew about it. He wondered if he could convince the two Jounins not to include the incident in the mission report.

"Ne...I'm just a little hungry, sensei."

~~~~~

Kakashi watched his comrades eating in silence, since he finished before all of them. The mood was a bit somber, but he was glad it was not tense, which meant that neither student wanted to take revenge for what happened.

Now they could end their mission in relative peace.

[Kerushii-danna]

"Arigato, Gai-sensei." Sasuke thanked, and sat down on a nearby log before starting to eat his meal. Good; the tension was gone. He gazed up at Kakashi, silently chewing; he knew he had forgiven him, just by the look on his face. Quietly, he went back to eating his meal, staring off into space. "...a-anou..." he started. "...Kakashi, w--Kakashi-sensei, does this mean that the mission's over now? Because technically..." he trailed off.

Gai would have to talk to Neji later, in private. But right now, he felt immense pride in his heart. Neji was such a good boy, smart, talented, well-behaved...what better could you ask for? I mean, his attitude could use a few tweeks, but otherwise...

[rahl]

"Almost, Sasuke-kun." Kakashi looked up from his book momentarily. "We still have some information to collect, but other than that we only have our report to fill and we're done."

~~~~

Neji thought that if there was time to bring up the subject, now was it.

"Gai-sensei....Kakashi-sensei...? Eto...are you going to include our punishments in the report?" He wasn't sure what they would think of his request, Gai was more likely to understand his situation, but what if they insisted his guardian knew? He had to do something about it.

[Kerushii-danna]

Sasuke also looked up as this was spoken. "...are you?" he added. He had no guardian, but he was fully aware that Kakashi could act as a parental figure. And if they were ordered to be punished again....he didn't want to find himself over his lap bawling again. He shook his head of the thought.

Gai turned to Kakashi."What you boys committed was seriously wrong; treason, actaully..."

[rahl]

"Not only that..." Kakashi began, putting his book down so they would take him seriously. "...but it's also our duty as teacher to fill out a report every time we discipline you physically.

You see, some years ago it was really common for teacher or higher-ranking shinobi to use all sorts of physical punishment on the lower ranks. From slapping to whipping, there was not a lot of control over what they could do.

So to prevent stronger ninjas from abusing their power and injuring their student, teacher have to report every time they strike a student, clearly stating the cause and the punishment."

~~~~

Neji listened with growing apprehension. So not only would his uncle know why he was punished, but the manner and probably the number of strokes as well.

He swallowed. "I know what we did was wrong...that why we got punished after all...Gai-sensei, couldn't you make an exception just this once?"

[Kerushii-danna]

"B-But, Kakashi-sensei, if you tell Hokage-sama..." Sasuke started. "We could--" he shook his head of the thought. "....would we be punished again?" he asked, hoping that the answer would be a definant no. But they had commited a serious crime! Who knows what could happen at this point. So many thoughts were trying to proces through his mind, and he felt faint. What would happen to them? Would they be punished, again? If so, how? Sasuke assumed the Hyuuga was thinking the same thing.

"...that is not my decision, boys..." Gai breathed, glancing to both with a serious expression. "Tsunade-sama decides the serious matters; all we can do is report it. It'd be against the rule not to report it, and we all could get into serious trouble. Kakashi, what do you think about the matter at hand?"

[rahl]

Kakashi regarded the nervous Genin, awaiting their fate. He was glad that they finally understood the seriousness of their position, but at the same time he was saddened by the prospect that they may be punished again.

He didn't know if it could happen, he had been working for the Third Hokage most of his life, he didn't know Tsunade all that well. Maybe she would decree to have them stripped of rank? Maybe she would order them to be punished again.

But he would protest against that if she ever did. After all, he and Gai had just given the fair punishment they deserved, no?

"I say...that we report this, and if the Hokage decides there is more to be done, then we discuss it." He looked at Gai. "After all, there's no need to worry over something that has not happened and that may not happen."

~~~~~

Neji could feel his stomach sinking. There was no way around it. Hiashi was going to read the report and then there was going to be hell.

He desperately tried to think. Maybe he could prevent the report of reaching the Hokage's hands...? No tha twould get him into much more trouble...

What he had to do was to intercept it from the Hyuuga members that worked in the Hokage Tower before they could tell anything to Hiashi.

He looked desperately at his teacher. He didn't want any more trouble, why was it so difficult to avoid?