Elizabeth
The day's errands had taken Hitomi all around Noragakure, giving her a chance to see places she rarely passed by due to the frequent patrols and missions in the Frontier. After nineteen years, the village still managed to surprise her, new buildings and activities flourishing too fast for her to live them all at their fullest. There was a bitter aftertaste in that feeling, but she was aware that was the price for spending so much time protecting it. 

Despite the shock of the recent events, she had found a way to accept and handle them in her daily life, relying on Sana when it came to complaining and expressing doubts on their situation; it didn't change the fact she was now a Jonin with responsibilities far more compelling than her relationship with the Prime Director, to mention one of the several high ranking shinobi who had been living rent free in her head. 

Her last stop had been Haruka's shop: she had demonstrated skills and competence Hitomi didn't think she could find anywhere else, and her lively spirit genuinely changed her day every time she saw her. There were still several steps before she could claim the title of trusted herbalist, such as informing her of the use of the kits she commissioned. For now, she mixed the ingredients with other medical supplies to keep it secret. Her purchase was in her bag, a reminder it was time to study fuuinjutsu. Daisuke surely had a few volumes for her to read, otherwise she'd have to visit the library as well. 

With all those thoughts in mind, she kept walking at a calm pace, taking her time to breathe the serene atmosphere of the village's daily life. Her mask was at her side, and she wore a black vest she bought the week before, to convince herself she could be a little more anonymous.
Patricia
Stealth, the essential skill of a shinobi. Like a shadow, he moved through the crowd, occasionally breaking his fluid movement by knocking over a can or walking into a civilian. Initially, he'd taken the shape of a wolf. His dad had explained that the world was full of wolves, ready to pounce on the weak, but based on the horrified reactions he got, that seemed to have been an exaggeration. Instead, he'd taken the shape of an old woman, but somehow, that didn't work out either. Maybe the ability to jump 15 feet onto a rooftop was restricted to his grandma and not all grandmas. 

Moving quietly was not a problem, that much he'd nailed, but not being seen was far harder. If he couldn't figure out how to properly stay incognito in Nora, how would he possibly do a better job in the field? Suddenly, the perfect opportunity passed him by. A perfect opportunity wearing a black vest, with charcoal hair and a Frontier Patrol mask strapped to the side of her head. His dad could enter a room in complete silence and leave before being noticed by anyone. If she worked with him, she must've figured out how to do that as well. If he asked really nicely, maybe she would help?

His large, white overcoat blew behind him as he rushed over. As usual, his eyes were covered by a pair of single-lens glasses with a new, red frame and his long hair had been relegated back into a ponytail. With his voice slightly muffled by the collar reaching up to his nose, he spoke up, trying to get the Frontier Patrol shinobi's attention. 
"Hi- Yeah, I was thinking if you could help me with this thing. If you're not busy of course. My name is Aburame Hanajome, a new genin of Noragakure. Been struggling a lot with improving my stealth skills all afternoon and I know you are really good at that in the Frontier Patrol, so I was just thinking if you could possibly give me a few pointers."
Elizabeth
Hanajome's appearance did surprise Hitomi despite having noticed his signature approaching several seconds before he spoke. It had been a while since a genin asked for her assistance, maybe because she was always away or for the fact she looked every year scarier; she couldn't tell. His outfit gave out his family name before he introduced himself: an Aburame. There was one she had been assigned on a mission with as a genin. She had to search for his name in her memories, disappointed in herself for almost forgetting about him. Aburame Toro. Their ways never met again after that mission. 

Her cold, grey eyes pierced the boy, slightly irritated for not being able to see his face clearly. However, she was all but displeased by his request; at his age, she would have thought twice before asking a higher ranking shinobi to help her, but she admired the brave attitude as long as it didn't hide an arrogant nature. 

She was busy, but he couldn't know and the opportunity he offered screamed *Normality*, which she wanted with every fiber of her body. Anything, to remind herself being a Jonin wasn't changing her into someone she didn't know. A smirk crossed her face at the thought this boy randomly picked one who excelled, unless he was lying and heard about her specifically. 

"So they say. I'm Hozugawa Hitomi" Her rank could stay out of the conversation. She kept walking, expecting the boy to follow her. Each step was silent, as if she wans't even there. Sometimes she made sure to let others hear her, but it was becoming rare. "Do you exercise on your breathing? If you don't, trying to sneak around won't take you far."
Patricia
Hozugawa Hitomi? He'd heard the name before, somewhere. Maybe from her father or some tutor at the academy in passing, but wherever it had been, she'd been someone worth mentioning. As she walked, he paid close attention to her feet. Somehow, they didn't make a single sound, as if she weighed less than an insect. Whatever she was doing, it was working, which meant she'd be a great source of knowledge. 

Breathing? What did breathing have to do with anything? Shooting her a quizzical glance from behind his glasses, he followed along down the street, listening intently as she spoke. He tried to focus on his breathing, but what would there be to focus on? How could he improve something his body was doing automatically? Finally, after a few moments of trying to quiet his footsteps with his lungs alone, he decided to set his pride aside and ask.
"Breathing? Can I breathe quieter to make myself harder to see? Is that how you do it in the Frontier Patrol?"
Elizabeth
Moving around was already a good exercise: being aware of one's own steps, adapting them to the surrounding and softening them little by little. But it was no use if you couldn't control your body, the tension in your muscles and the fear. It was almost strange to remember it was Minori who taught her that trick, teaching her how to lower her heartbeat and hide more efficiently in the mist. To think she got that far despite feeling so clumsy and lost at first was astonishing. 

As a medic, she could delve very deep into that explanation, but she forced herself to be brief "Forget the Frontier Patrol. This is the difference between hiding like a rabbit and and doing your business unnoticed. It doesn't matter for who." The sweet flavour of roasted meet reached her in that moment, making her turn to a little stand selling skewers. She considered dumping the kid to satisfy her sudden hunger before moving on and explaining 

"It might seem imperceptible to you, but a controlled breathing can change the way you perform, whether it's standing still or fighting. Your heartbeat tends to raise when you're under physical or mental stress, to a point it can tire you out or reveal your position to the enemy. Since it's directly connected with your breathing, slowing one will automatically slow the other too. To do so, you find a rhythm, a cycle of inhaling and exhaling that stays constant. Plus, it keeps you calm. Means less sweat, firmer hands and steps, more lucid thinking. You need all those while sneaking around, and unlike other skills, it doesn't allow mistakes. Only one, and you're in the open." 

Her steps were taking them towards her neighbourhood, the one she had lived in before she moved few weeks before. Her instinct still took her there, even if it wasn't her home anymore. An idea started forming in her mind, but she wondered if the Aburame would be up the challenge.
Patricia
Moving quietly was clearly much more complicated than he'd imagined. The smell of food and voices all around him was distracting, but thankfully, his discipline training had been enough to keep his mind on track. Breathing in cycles to keep his heart-rate stable sounded strange, but if that was what set her apart from someone like him, then that was what he'd have to learn. Hanajome walked next to the Frontier Patrol shinobi, trying to keep his breathing as constant as possible. If anything it quickly calmed his nerves, helping him to shut out the world outside, but it didn't seem to make his steps much quieter. 

Finally, after crossing through a few neighborhoods, he spoke up, trying voice the concerns he'd gathered during their short, breathing-intensive walk. 
"So, it's not about making me quieter, but to help me focus and keep my body stable? Maybe that is why insects breathe with tubes in their chest. Their breathing is very stable and constant, which is maybe why they are so sneaky."

It was slowly starting to click in his head. Maybe this whole breathing thing wasn't as bad after all. If it worked for insects, it would definitely work for him too. What else could insects teach him? Maybe if he practiced hard enough, he could get lots of eyes to see everywhere at once, just like they did.
Elizabeth
She could see he wasn't quite convinced, but starting from the hardest point was the best strategy for something as tricky and hard as stealth. If he mastered that concept, everything else would sound like a joke some day. It took years for her to reach that level, and it was through endless walks and boring training that she could achieve it, only few joking sneak attacks in between to relieve the frustration. She wasn't there to sugar the pill and make the genin feel better. 

"I'm not competent in that field as much as you are, but some animals have interesting strategies to remain silent. If that can help figure out your own, don't put it aside as mere biology." Even if it turned out only a metaphor, it would be useful. How many times she relied on mental images to understand something her mind couldn't grasp. "It does make you quieter. If you turned the corner now, I'd still hear your heartbeat and find you without even trying. Though balance is the main goal, yes. Imagine to sneak behind someone and get caught because a bush is suddenly shaking. Pretty sure this is not why they say *To tremble like a leaf.*"

"There are some... Expedients you can use while you learn perfect stability and control of your body. First, don't make useless movements: even your feet, don't use your ankles and step with your entire sole to limit noises. You'll be weird, but no one's supposed to see you anyway. Little by little, you'll let go of it, but it helps focus on other things."

She took him to a side street, leaving the more trafficked main road. The smell of meat was gone, replaced by an undefined scent that meant home: it was fresh, from the gardens right behind the corner, and humid as the stones and ground in an alleyway that rarely saw the sun. "You up for a challenge, Hanajome-san?" She was dead serious, and she didn't even try to make it sound less intimidating.
Patricia
Following along, he tried to mimic her movements, relinquishing the habit of using his ankles, while keeping his breathing stable. It was a lot of things to do at once and he could feel himself stuttering forward, trying to spread his mind thin while focusing on many things at once. At her question, he swallowed. Was he ready for a challenge? But if he wasn't, he'd never learn what the challenge was. After a few seconds of shifting about, his curiosity took the upper hand and he looked back up towards Hozugawa and nodded quickly. 

"Yes. I'm ready! Or, as ready as I'll ever be I suppose."

He held his arms out, feeling the small insects moving up through his sleeves towards his palms. Keeping them hidden for now, he looked forward, eager to recieve his new challenge where he would do his best to put his new halfbaked abilities to the test.
Elizabeth
She was a little too excited for being about to basically bully this young genin, but what was a challenge without risks? Jokes aside, she considered it an instructive way to communicate her words weren't fried air, and a little tension was all it took sometimes to figure out what had been just words up to that moment. 

She took him a little further in the alleyway, dragging him closer by placing a hand on his shoulder, only then noticing the insects's presence under his clothes. She didn't flinch, though she couldn't deny the sensation wasn't particularly pleasant, mostly for not knowing what kind they were. If only she kept in contact with Toro she wouldn't find herself clueless about this clan. 

"See that window?" Her voice was now low "It's very easy to open and gives access to a storage room. The waiting room outside shouldn't be too crowded at this hour, and there's an office on the left. I want you to infiltrate that office, reach the library and find me the volume called *Medical fuuinjutsu, a compendium. The first volume, not the second. Use the tricks I told you, and don't get caught. Think you can do it?" It sounded more like an order, and she omitted mentioning he didn't want to get caught, but Daisuke was busy somewhere in the house judging by his signature. If Hanajome was quick, he'd be too slow to catch him. As for the nurses, they were civilians and only one was a medic, but he wasn't around.
Patricia
Following her gesture, he looked up at the window. It would be easy to reach, even if he'd have to work hard to get inside. Hanajome nodded, swallowing slowly as he prepared himself for what was to come. This had been what he wanted, right? To recieve impromptu tuition from a member of the Frontier Patrol. If training like this was what made her and his father so good at stealth, then this was what he would have to do. 
"Yes, Hozugawa-sama. I'll get you your book! Maruikaichū: Acrobatics!"

The swarm of insects blew out from his sleeves, moving upward to form a small platform above him. With a quick jump against a nearby wall, he reached the swarm, which promptly sent him further into the air with a gentle gust of wind from below. It was almost completely silent and he reached the window without a hitch. From his satchel, he fished out a small kunai and used the edge to slowly pry the window open from the outside with the side of the blade to avoid leaving a mark. As he slipped inside, he drew a portion of the swarm back into his sleeves, while leaving the other half outside in case he needed to make a quick exit. 

While inside the office, he began breathing slower, trying to practice what she'd taught him while stepping over towards the office. Don't use the ankles, step with the entire sole, fast in, fast out. As he entered the office, he could hear one of the side doors open and with the grace of a scared bunny, he ducked down beneath a table. The footsteps drew closer, but passed him by as the individual moved out into the waiting room. After getting his breathing and heart back in sync, he proceeded out from beneath the table and headed over to the desk before reaching the door to the hallway. 

*Two scouts, out the door. Report any signs of life.*

Two of his round insects crawled out from his sleeves before heading beneath the door and out into the hallway. A few seconds later, they returned to report their findings. The coast was clear for now. Hanajome opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, in the distance, he could hear the sound of footsteps, but they seemed to be heading in the opposite direction, maybe back into the office. He took this opportunity to head as far away from the footsteps as possible, down the hallway before looking into the rooms on both sides. One contained lots of marked boxes, while the other housed a small desk facing a large window. The room's walls was lined with bookshelves, but there was only one issue. Sitting by the desk was a woman, currently searching through a pile of stacked books. There was no way he could enter while she was there, which meant he would have to make her leave. 

Now, what would make a nurse leave her post? An emergency. But he couldn't hurt anyone or set fire to anything. That meant it had to be a harmless emergency. Maybe a sanitary emergency. Vermin like rats would be very bad for the hospital's image, but he didn't have any unsanitary animals on hand. However, he had another thing that would definitely work just as well. From his pouch, he fished out a small bag of firecrackers. After hesitating for a moment, he threw them down the hall, before ducking into the room opposite the library. As the firecrackers smattered into the ground, he could hear the door next to him flying open as the nurse ran down.

"What was that? That sounded chemical. Doctor Hozugawa is going to be pissed. Someone help me figure this out so we can clean it up."

As one of the other side doors opened up, he took the opportunity to sneak into the library before beginning to search through the shelves. A few moments later, he reached the volumes on Medical Fuuinjutsu, picking the first one as he opened the window. Instead of dropping down, he sent his insects forward to create a second platform, before using it to throw himself onto the roof. Then, it was only a matter of calling back the insects and moving back to the other side. As he dropped down next to Hozugawa, he held out the tome, wearing a triumphant smile. 
"It worked! It really worked! A really close call, but nobody saw me. I'm sure."
Elizabeth
The Jonin observed the younger shinobi sneak inside, stretching her senses to cover the area and follow him as he moved from one room to another in search of the book she asked him to steal. She was surprised at how the genin didn't question such demands, when as far as he knew, he was breaking the law. Maybe he trusted his superiors blindly, or he had little care of the rules when they blocked his way; she didn't know him well enough to tell, though he didn't seem like a careless one. 

Yumiko wasn't supposed to be in the office. Daisuke could be maniacal when it came to the clinic and the bureaucratic work, and she wasn't one allowed to look into his documents. Natsu was the only one. She was skilled, competent, and never messed up once, which made her a great nurse despite it getting to her head quite often in her boss' absence. Her presence could make it easy for Hanajome to search the room and make the guilt fall on her, or so she hoped. 

"Spoke too early." She muttered when she heard the firecracker followed by her signature moving out of the office, others gathering in that same direction. It wasn't a bad plan, but she would have been a little more discreet. Any noise was from her perspective a bad choice, it was stronger than her. As expected, Daisuke didn't miss it and immediately headed for the clinic. He'd know, she was sure of it.

However, she didn't say anything when Hanajome joined her again, taking the tome from his hands without checking. She knew it was the right one. They walked back to the main street in silence before she pushed him to the side, a voice calling out a moment later. "Hitomi!" A thin but energetic man in his sixties wearing a white coat walked out the clinic towards the girl, looking quite pissed. They were as tall, his green eyes colder than ever as he spoke

"Again? The next genin I catch in my clinic will not walk out with their own legs. I'm not joking." There clearly was a pattern in that scene, as if it happened at least twice before. "Barricade the place if you want. I'll still get them inside and sneak under your nose." A flash in his eyes, a mix of affection and challenge as he replied "You wouldn't mind running some errands for me, do you. You seem to have a lot of time." He handed a sheet folded in four, giving his daughter another glare before walking back inside. He was enjoying it.

"Don't mind my father, he'll have my head before he hurts a genin." She said, walking back to Hanajome. "There's a lot of work to do, but I liked the strategy." It was the closest he'd get to a compliment. "My advice is: if you need to make noise, make it look believable. The nurses reacted as you wished, but Hozugawa-sensei was far quicker than I anticipated. How did it feel applying what we said? Did it make it easier?" The question wasn't as obvious as it seemed: sometimes, a method could take longer to show its benefits, and other times one could not feel it at all and require a different one. That was her way, it didn't have to fit the young Aburame as well.