SHE comes—the spirit of the dance!
And but for those large, eloquent eyes,
Where passion speaks in every glance,
She ’d seem a wanderer from the skies.

So light that, gazing breathless there,
Lest the celestial dream should go,
You ’d think the music in the air
Waved the fair vision to and fro!

Or that the melody’s sweet flow
Within the radiant creature played,
And those soft wreathing arms of snow
And white sylph feet the music made.

Now gliding slow with dreamy grace,
Her eyes beneath their lashes lost,
Now motionless, with lifted face,
And small hands on her bosom crossed.

And now with flashing eyes she springs,—
Her whole bright figure raised in air,
As if her soul had spread its wings
And poised her one wild instant there!

She spoke not; but, so richly fraught
With language are her glance and smile,
That, when the curtain fell, I thought
She had been talking all the while

Hyuuga Hinata sat on the edge of her bed, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. Nightmares had plagued her mind that night, all of her father telling her she was a failure. Hopefully it wasn't true.

What was she saying? She knew her father hated her. Why lie to herself?

Fifteen years of living and yet she had no idea what to do with her life. She glanced outside to see a thin sheet of rain coming down, the drops splattering against her window. It was always days like this Hinata wanted to fall back asleep and forget about the troubles of life... for a few hours.
But Hiashi wouldn't let her do that, especially since she's been slacking off lately.

Footsteps were coming up the stairs and approaching her room. Probably her father coming to wake her up.
"Hinata?"
That wasn't her father's voice. It was too soft and feminine.
'Maybe Neji.' She thought, then giggled to herself.
"Yes?"
"It's Ino!"
The Hyuuga slipped off her bed (still in a nightgown) and opened the door. The blonde eyed her then made a gesture to get changed. Hinata got the hint and quickly changed into suitable clothes. Together, they slipped out into the rain.

It had gotten into a habit, just the two of them would sit together and talk about what was going on in their lives. Sometimes Sakura or Tenten would join them. Sometimes both.

Today, Sakura was out doing errands for Tsunade and Tenten was on a mission with Kiba and Naruto. Ino said she felt bad for her, both two stubborn loudmouths. The rain had stopped and vibrant sunshine took it's place.

Hinata was silent, daydreaming about the music flowing through her, allowing her feet to wander freely. Ino had noticed this and moved closer to her.
"What's wrong, Hinata?" She asked, laying an arm around the pale eyed girl's shoulder.
Normally, Hinata would've allowed her arm to stay there, but today was different.
"I... had a weird dream last night."
"About what?"
"You wouldn't want to know..."
"Hinata," Ino had put her hands on the Hyuuga's shoulders, "You ALWAYS think that! But you know what? I do want to know. I do care about you."
To Hinata, that was better than Naruto actually paying attention to her. After Ino had lost Sasuke to the Sound Village, she had become a different girl... one that chased after other girls. And Hinata was fine with that.
"I had a dream that... I was a dancer."
"A... dancer?"
"See?" She turned away, embarrassed that she even brought it up, "Even you think it's stupid..."
"N-No!" A flustered Ino waved her hands in the air, "It was just so unexpected!"
"I-I have to go, Ino..."

Hinata walked down the main street of Konoha, her head hanging. People stared at her, but she didn't care. Not at the moment she didn't. It was then she noticed the sign that caught her attention.
On it read "Dancing School" and beneath it read, "Now Accepting Applications". Many girls were standing outside, some ninjas, some not. There was a sound of clicking and Hinata pushed through the crowd.
A girl with brown hair was in the middle tapping to a beat another girl was making. Both of them were in perfect synchroniziation. Hinata's pale eyes widened as she watched on.
Too soon, both girls stopped and bowed while the crowd around them cheered. Hinata felt a longing for the beat to start up again.
"Grazie!" The brown haired girl laughed, "Mille grazie!" (Thank you, thank you very much!)
A person stepped in front of Hinata and raised their hand.
"Excuse me!"
The girl turned, "Si?" (Yes?)
"What's it like being a professional?"
Again, she laughed, "Sono non un professionale, solo Io testamento raccontare tu tutto un po', (I'm not a professional, but I will share something with you,)
Noi girare, noi saltare, noi rotazione. Noi salto e piroetta. Noi sentire dolore e paura. Noi sentire sconfitta e fallimento, ancora noi tenere andare acceso. Noi sorriso, noi practica, noi eseguire. Noi sentire felicite a gioia. Abbiamo di grazia e bellezza. Noi sentire il applauso. Noi fare nostro meglio. Ogni tanto noi essere insufficiente, solo noi fare non arrendersi. Siamo coraggioso e forte. Siamo non poich, fama e gloria, come noi sentire interno. Sono competizione, talento e determinazione. SIAMO BALLERINO." (We twirl, we leap, we spin. We jump and pirouette. We feel pain and fear. We feel defeat and failure, yet we keep going on. We smile, we practice, we perform. We feel happiness and joy. We have grace and beauty. We hear the applause. We do our best. Sometimes we fail, but we don't give up. We are brave and strong. We are not for fame and glory, but for how we feel inside. We are strife, talent and determination. WE ARE DANCERS.)
As the girl in front of Hinata moved, the Hyuuga finally got a good glimpse of the dancer. Her chocolate eyes glistened bright with excitement. The legs used to dance were at ready, the muscles tense. Hinata pushed through the crowd as it parted. Both girls were bent over, untying their shoes.
"U-um... h-hello..."
A girl with dirty blonde hair in a side ponytail raised her head. Hinata began to have second thoughts about even speaking up. Together, the group surrounded the now frightened Hyuuga.

:::::Last time:::::
A girl with dirty blonde hair in a side ponytail raised her head. Hinata began to have second thoughts about even speaking up. Together, the group surrounded the now frightened Hyuuga.
:::::Read on:::::

"A new girl, eh?" A tan girl with black hair spoke up.
"Well, let's see how she stands." Another girl with light brown hair laughed harshly.
Hinata began to cower beneath them. Light music began to fill the air. Her ears perked up as her legs began to move on their own. She leaped, spun, and serenaded through the crowd of girls as the light sound of a piano flowed through her ears. As she reached higher into the sky, another girl appeared next to her, trying to follow the rhythm. Hinata noticed it as the girl who had tapped before and smiled to herself. So this girl had confidence in her...
"Sei molto bella, amica." (You're very pretty, friend.)
Although she could not understand what the girl had said, from the smile on her face it must have been good. Hinata smiled back as the two waltzed through the crowd. Just as they stopped, a few girls snickered. The girl next to her clenched her hands.
"Che sei tu tutto ridenta a? Solo perch, lei ha mai danza prima fa' non cattivo lei Y non buona! GUARDARE SUO, TESTAMENTO TU?" (What are you all laughing at? Just because she's never danced before doesn't mean she isn't good! LOOK AT HER, WILL YOU?)
The girl with the side ponytail stepped through the crowd, calming the rough ones.
"My name is Masami. I'm on the Senior company here. The girl who is yelling, her name is Grazia. She only speaks Italian, so it might be hard to understand her."
"M-My name is Hinata..."
"Hinata, eh? EHI, GRAZIA!" (Hey, Grazia!)
Grazia turned on Masami with calm eyes and tilted her head to the side.
"Questo ragazza famoso Y Hinata. Lei augurio verso unire ci. Puoi raccontare se lei ha che loe possesso?" (This girl's name is Hinata. She wishes to join us. Can you tell if she has what it takes?)
Brown eyes stared into lavendar. They examined them, staring straight at them until Hinata began to feel comfortable.
In a soft tone she replied, "Oh si. Hinata, e? Hai che lo possesso. Il solo cosa tu fare non avere Y sicurezza in te stesso." (Oh yes. Hinata, is it? You have what it takes. The only thing you do not have is confidence in yourself.)
"She says you need only one thing: Confidence."
A timid Hinata shivered at the thought of her father saying the same thing. Would these girls reject her just because she had no confidence. Another girl stepped up, this one had bright blue eyes and blonde hair with few brown streaks.
"You can still join. You would be a great influence to our team, Hinata. By the way, my name is Rei."
Hinata smiled at the girls in front of her. They really did have faith in her.
"Se tu augurio verso unire, incontrare ci nel di addestramento da dodici in punto domani." (If you wish to join, meet us in the training grounds by twelve o'clock tomorrow.)
With that, they all disappeared. Through the smoke, pedestrains began walking. Girls were talking to each other in excited tones, each wondering if they made it. Hinata, however, knew she had already made it. That is, if she made it there in the morning. Afternoon. Whatever.
"Before I go, I better learn some Italian..."

As she walked home, she decided to stop in on Kiba, who was probably training Akamaru. Since they had all gotten older, they had grown somewhat apart, though not completely.
"Hello Kiba." Hinata greeted him, a smile on her face.
"H-Hey, Hinata. Why so happy?"
"Oh, nothing."
The Inuzuka eyed her, then went back to Akamaru. Hinata once again let her feet wander, wondering what tomorrow would bring. Kiba stared up at her.
"Seriously, Hinata, you've never been this happy before. Did Naruto finally ask you out?"
"NO!"
Kiba raised an eyebrow, "Tell me."
"I-I can't... you'll laugh... B-Besides, I have to go..."
Without anymore words, Hinata sprinted off down the walk, leaving Kiba dumbfounded.

As she entered her house, she noticed a familiar strand of brown hair. She smiled around the corner where she noticed Tenten talking to Hanabi.
"Tenten-chan!"
"Hinata-chan!"
Before Hinata hugged her friend, she noticed a heavy bag slung over her shoulder.
"What's that?" She asked, curious about her friend.
"My dance bag."
"Dance... bag?"
Hanabi intervened, "Tenten was just telling me about a girl named Grazia."
'Grazia... that girl again...'
Hinata merely nodded, then scooted between the two. As she was walking, she heard Tenten ask Hanabi,
"Do you know where Neji is?"
Hinata laughed to herself. There Tenten goes again, looking for Neji to spar with...

As the Hyuuga entered her room, she looked out the window to see Tenten just barely dodge a hit from Jyuuken. That girl was going to get killed one day... and it wouldn't be Neji's fault, either.
Hinata sighed and moved away from the window. Her anxiety for the following day weighed her down, almost enough so that she couldn't move. Pretty soon, Neji and Tenten would come in asking how she is and if she wanted to spar. That was a big NO.
Just as she thought about it, the two entered the room. Tenten was speaking of Suna.
"-You know she won't be back. Hey Hinata!"
"H-Hey Tenten... what were you talking about?"
"Oh, you know..." She waved her arm absentmindedly, causing Neji to blush slightly.
Hinata raised an eyebrow, "Her again?"
Her cousin glared at her and left the room. The brown haired girl sat down next to Hinata and slung a hand over her shoulder.
"So... I heard from Grazia you're trying out for the team."
Hinata shrugged, "I don't know..."
"C'mon, Hinata!" Tenten whined, "You're perfect for the team!"
"B-but... I'm t-too nervous..."
"Hey," Tenten leaned closer to Hinata, "I'll let you in on a secret."
"What?"
"Do a perfect pirouette, and you're in. Easy as that."
"Pirou-what?"
The brunette sighed and leaned back on the bed, "Pirouette? Spin? C'mon, Hinata! I'll show you!"

An alarm began ringing. Hinata's eyes slowly opened and took in the light coming from her window. Tenten had passed out on the floor and was now snoring contently. The Hyuuga giggled and stepped over to her drawer. Quietly, she slipped out shorts and a spaghetti strap top and proceeded to the shower.

As soon as Tenten heard the shower kick on, she snuck over to the door.
"Sorry, Hinata, but you're on your own for this trial of skill."

Hinata slipped out of her house, past her father and Neji's room. Cool morning air caressed her face as she sprinted down the dirt road, heading towards the training area. Pale eyes were directed toward the ground, allowing her think clearly.
'Okay... so all I have to do is execute the skills I learned from Tenten...'
In the middle of her thought, she crashed into someone. Mumbling apologies, she finally looked up... into the face of Uzumaki Naruto.
"Hey, Hinata! What're you doing out here so early?"
Heat rose into her face, "I-I-I'm g-going t-to tr-train, N-Naruto-kun...."
"Awesome! Hey, can I come with ya?"
"N-No!" A dejected look swept over Naruto's face, "I mean.... in a l-little while, okay N-Naruto-kun?"
He let out a hand to help her up and she gratefully took it.
"Ne, Hinata, why do you seem so nervous?"
"N-No reason..."
The blonde shinobi looked down at her and smiled, "Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll do well, Hinata-chan!"
And he bounded off. Hinata's face was so hot she thought it might combust any second now.
'Since when have I been Hinata-chan?'

The field where she was told to go was full of eager girls, waiting to try out. Hinata gripped the CD in her hand even tighter. So many people were here... what if she messed up? They would all laugh at her and she would be humiliated. Tenten's words from the night before began flooding into her mind.

~~
"Hinata-chan, you'll do fine."
"I d-don't th-think so..."
"Believe me, they'll pick you. They have pretty good judges this year who actually know how to dance, at least you'll be judged fairly."
"Are you one of them?"
"Nah, they know I'm your friend. It would've been like cheating. Don't worry, I believe in you."
~~

It was then she decided. A confident look on her face, she walked to the competitor's table and signed in, earning number 1084.
"Don't worry!" A blonde woman said, laughing at Hinata's surprised face, "The first two numbers are a code. The last two are your real number."
The Hyuuga laughed quietly at her error and took a seat in the field. She had a pretty long time before she had to go on. When she looked up, no other than Grazia Bellmonte was on the stage, smiling wide. Hinata leaned forward, it was time to see how good she really was.

The music began and Grazia began with a half backbend. On the second beat, she was up and walking towards the front of the stage.

I gotta give my life some sparkle and fizz,
And think a thought that isn't wrapped up in his.

A huge kick, practically hitting herself in the face with her knee, into a split on the ground.

The place that I consider paradise is,
Wherever He Ain't,
Wherever He Ain't!

She sat up on one knee, gave the crowd a wink, then stood up and began doing a train step.

No more to weather when he's grouchy and gruff,
No more to listen to him bellow and bluff,

She finished her train step and fell into a bent knee position. Gracefully, she raised her arm up and stood up again. Her arms were thrown into the air, then bent in front of her while she rolled her shoulders. Hinata gazed at the girl in awe - she was so confident in herself.

Too soon, the girl's try out was over. Once again, she winked, but it looked more directed at Hinata than anyone. The pale eyed girl began blushing, embarassed that such a good dancer was paying attention to a novice like her.

A few more numbers flew by, Hinata noticing Tenten trying out for the company, as well as Ino. Although she was a bit intimidated, she vowed not to back out. There was a promise she made to herself, one for her to never give up. This was when she was going to follow through on it.

"Number 1084, lyrical, try-out, ages 15-16, Somewhere, Hyuuga Hinata!"

She took a deep breath, then took her place on the stage. So many eyes stared back at her, but she willed herself to look over them and into the trees in the distance.

Soft music began playing and she stood up onto her toes, raising her arms slowly and beautifully. She leaped into the air and pirouetted, landing on both feet gracefully.

Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign,
Instead there's only silence,
Can't you hear my screams...?

Hinata continued her routine, leaping, spinning, and kicking her way into the end of the song. Her smile never faded, and for once, she felt complete happiness. A side leap into a jazz split and the music faded away. Everyone stared in awe at the pale eyed princess, the whole routine was flawless.

As she walked backstage, she was greeted by Tenten who hugged her dearly.
"You were so beautiful! I think you earned some fanboys..."
"What?"
From behind Tenten, Naruto stepped out with a huge grin on his face, "That was so pretty, Hinata-chan!"
A blush spread across her cheeks, "Th-Thank you, N-Naruto-kun!"
The trio left turned around and walked back on the stage, waiting for the results. Hinata searched around for Ino to congratulate her. What she didn't notice was the brunette standing behind her.
"Ciao, bella."
Hinata jumped and turned around, "Gr-Grazia! Ci-Ciao!"
"Hee hee..." Grazia began laughing, as well as some of the other girls behind her.
Newbie or not, she was still embarassed by the sudden outburst. Tenten stood up behind her.
"Grazia Bellmonte, what's so funny?!"
"You guys."
A stunned silence swept through most of the new girls there. Everyone thought that Grazia only spoke Italian...
"My name isn't Grazia. It's Steph, and I do speak English quite well. The whole Italian thing, it's a prank the team and I play on the newbies to try and intimidate them. Apparently, Hinata, you weren't phased. In fact, your entire dance was phenomenal. I loved it."
Just as she finished talking, the judges stood up.
"We would like to thank you all for trying out, we've seen some really good dances today. Unfortunately, only twenty one can make the team, some making even the Senior team as well. Without further ado, we would like to post the list of those who made it."
All the girls eagerly ran over to it and began reading off the names. Some left, dejected because they were rejected, but others were jumping for joy, such as Tenten.

Company members:
Steph
Meghan
Megan
Allison
Alison
Chelsea
Amanda W
Amanda C
Michele
Kristen
Laurie
Sammi
Kourtney
Jojo
Marcy
Kelly
Courtney
Yamanaka Ino
Hyuuga Hinata
Tenten
Tsuchi Kin

Sub Teams:
Novice- Tuesday at 7 PM
Yamanaka Ino
Hyuuga Hinata
Tenten
Tsuchi Kin

Junior- Monday at 7 PM
Steph
Meghan
Kourtney
Jojo
Sammi

Senior Tap- Thursday at 6 PM
Kristen
Allison
Michele
Amanda W
Marcy
Kelly
Megan
Laurie

Senior Jazz- Thursday at 7 PM
Kristen
Allison
Chelsea
Michele
Courtney
Marcy
Amanda W
Alison
Kelly
Megan
Amanda C

PLEASE ABIDE ALL CLASSES, AS IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP ON THE FIRST CLASS DATE YOU WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALSO, PLEASE BRING A PEN SINCE YOU WILL NEED TO FILL OUT PAPERWORK.

Both Kin and Ino sighed.
"Ugh, paperwork." Ino groaned.
Hinata stared between all of the girls on her team. Certainly, this would be interesting.

On the walk home, Hinata listened to her teammates begin talking about themselves. Kin was new to everyone, apparently she escaped from the Sound country and took refuge here in Konoha. This was going to be good, and already she couldn't wait until Monday rolled along.