Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein. I use them for my own amusement and enjoyment without any monetary or public return.
This is a short humor fic with a NaruHina tie in it. Please enjoy a review after reading.
Note: Takes place after the initiation of the Godaime Hokage (Tsunade) and before the Sasuke retrieval mission.
"Top Secret Genin Training Exercise"
Naruto released a loud groan, "When is Kakashi-sensei going to get here?"
"You know how late he likes to be, Naruto," replied Sasuke, leaning against a tree.
"He'll probably have some lame excuse like always," said Sakura, sitting on the grass and preparing a bouquet of flowers that she prepared to give to Sasuke.
Naruto released a dissatisfied grunt and sat on the grass. Before long he noticed five other people walking towards them. He quickly recognized them as Hinata, Kiba, Chouji, Ino, and Shikamaru. He waved towards them as they approached.
"Do any of you know what's going on? Kakashi-sensei said that we were suppose to meet her for top secret training," Naruto questioned, running his eyes over the group, missing Hinata's blush as he eyed her.
"No," said Shikamaru, looking bored as usual, "Asuma-Sensei just said to meet here, but it sure is troublesome not to know what's going on." With that, he laid down on the grass and began staring at the clouds, seeming oblivious to all around him.
"So did Kurenai-sensei," Kiba said, Akamaru giving an affirmative yip from his jacket.
Naruto quickly scanned the group, "Hey, Hinata, where's Shino?"
Hinata quickly blushed as Naruto focused his attention on her, "H-He's away on a trip w-with his father, N-Naruto-kun."
What a weird girl, thought Naruto, yet cute. He smiled at her, causing her to blush even more and look down at the ground.
They all turned as three poofs of smoke revealed the three jounin instructors appeared. Naruto turned to Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, you're late!"
"Sorry, Naruto, we had to pick up the supplies for this training session," replied Kakashi, without any hint of apology in his voice. "Oi! Everyone, come here!"
All the genins approached the jounins, ready to receive their orders. "Today's training involves a very mental intensive survival-type exercise," announced Kurenai before turning to the other two jounins. "I haven't done this before so Kakashi and Asuma will explain the rules to you."
Asuma stepped up, pulling a bag out of his jacket. "Everyone reach in a pull out a slip of paper." Everyone approached and put their hands into the bag, pulling out a slip of paper and reading them. A confused look came across everyone.
"What is this?" questioned Ino, obviously ticked off at what she had drawn.
"A special survival exercise. You are to act like the animal on the paper. You're objective is to either capture a prey, or avoid a predator. You should know which one you are," stated Kakashi, a small smile spreading across his face. "We even have costumes," he said energetically, holding up eight full-body rather childish costumes of various animals including: a fox, rabbit, cat, squirrel, dog, pig, raccoon, and rat.
Everyone present gave all the jounins an agitated look. "You call this training, Kakashi-sensei!" yelled Naruto, before Kakashi punched him on the head, shutting him up.
"Yes, Naruto, this training is meant to heighten your skills of hiding and tracking, or avoiding danger and detection, whichever your role may be. By emulating animals, you are able to call upon the powers of the natural world to infiltrate enemy defenses," stated Kakashi with a most serious look on his face. He turned to the whole group, "Since this exercise is meant to promote physical prowess and agility, no ninja techniques are allowed. Just pure mental and physical skill. Now everyone get their suits!" he exclaimed, another smile spreading across his face, holding the suits up again for everyone. Asuma smiled also, drawing on his cigarette, while Kurenai had an exasperated look on her face.
Mumbling, everyone approached Kakashi and took a costume. When Kakashi noticed Naruto grab the fox costume, he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. Naruto didn't fail to notice this and cast him a dirty look, which Kakashi returned with a smile and wink. After slipping the pajama-like costumes over their clothes, Naruto looked around to see what everyone else was.
Sakura, dressed as a cat, was laughing loudly at Ino, "Well, Ino, I see that everything I've been saying these years is true." Ino just glared back angrily as she was dressed as the pig, her hated nickname from Sakura for all these years.
"Shut up, Sakura!" yelled Ino, back in retaliation. "Forehead-girl!" At these words, Sakura leapt at Ino attacking her. Shikamaru, a raccoon, and Chouji, the rat, pulled them apart before any damage could be done.
"How troublesome," sighed Shikamaru, holding onto Ino, while Chouji nodded in agreement, somehow still being able to eat potato chips while holding onto a fighting Sakura.
Sasuke, not very happy in his squirrel outfit, watched the fight with Kiba, dressed as a dog no less. Naruto sighed at the irony of Kiba, thinking it wouldn't be hard for him to get into character. He finally settled his eyes on Hinata, and then his mind went blank. She was standing looking very uncomfortable in her rabbit costume. She was blushing slightly at the situation, but looking at Naruto staring at her she quickly hid her face behind her hands, turning as red as a tomato.
"Hinata…" Naruto said breathlessly, approaching her. He got within a few feet of her and stopped, simply staring. She slowly lowered her hands, turning a deeper shade of red (if possible). "Hinata…you're real pretty."
"T-Thank-you, Naruto-kun," she said shakily, staring into his blue eyes. She then looked at his costume. "You're costume is cute, too."
Naruto seemed to snap back to his senses, placing his hand behind his head, "Ha ha ha, I guess I have to use it to look good, huh?" She looked at him as if wanting to say something, but was interrupted by Asuma.
"Okay, everyone, here are the rules," yelled Asuma gathering everyone's attention. "You have till sunset. The prey will be given a head start. Your goal as prey is to avoid capture by the predators. The goal of the predators is to capture a prey and hold it till sunset. Therefore, not everyone can win."
"At the whistle," said Kakashi, "the prey will take off into the woods. After five minutes, the predators will follow. Remember to try to act like your animal would act, and no jutsus. Ready…" and he blew the whistle. Chouji, Sasuke, Ino, and Hinata ran into the woods.
"I'm going after Sasuke-kun!" yelled Sakura in a sing-song voice.
"Big surprise," sighed Shikamaru, lowering into his thinking position, "how troublesome."
Naruto sat on the ground thinking. How would a fox act? He thought for a moment before he decided to ask for help, but not from a usual source.
Kyuubi.
What, child? replied the demon in an annoyed voice, as if awaking from a sleep.
You're a fox right? Teach me how to act like one!
You dare to compare me to my lesser cousins? I am not a simple-minded beast.
I don't care. You're still a fox. Teach me.
Kyuubi chuckled at the boy's brazen speech. Very well, I will give you my fox powers.
Cool! Now, what do foxes act like?
Kyuubi sighed at the boy's ignorance. We, I mean they, are very cunning and secretive. They track by a strong sense of smell.
What kind of prey do they go after?
Small meadow animals, moles, mice, rabbits.
Rabbits…? Hinata!
I will now give you fox-like powers, namely the sense of smell and stealth. With that an orange chakra leaked into Naruto. This is my fox chakra and is very different from my demon chakra.
I thought you weren't a fox? chided Naruto with a snicker.
Quiet child! Or I will not help you.
Then Kyuubi was quiet. Naruto suddenly felt in tune with the forest around him. He hunched down on all fours and took a whiff of the air. He caught the faint scent of lilacs and orchids. Hinata. He thought, storing the scent in his mind.
"Ready, GO!" yelled Kakashi, and all the remaining genins took off into the forest, Naruto on all fours.
After everyone had gone, Asuma turned to Kurenai, "Well, ready for some fun?" he said as he and Kakashi started walking to the woods, Kakashi pulling out a copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"What kind of exercise is this?" questioned Kurenai, looking at them quizzically. "It doesn't seem very serious."
Kakashi replied, "This is for our amusement. I used it in ANBU training to teach them humility. Imagine the fun of such elite ninja running around the woods in a nimal costumes."
Asuma chuckled and Kurenai stared at the two in disbelief. She soon cracked a smile and thought about how fun it would be to watch everyone.
Naruto ran through the forest on all fours, following the scent of Hinata through the woods. He would stop occasionally and sniff the air, before finding the scent again and running in a different direction.
Quiet, child. Foxes do not sneak by crashing through the forest. We prefer to surprise the prey. He finished with a dangerous sounding growl and smile.
Naruto nodded and ducked down, lowering his speed to a brisk trot, but still moving briskly through the forest. He caught a different scent behind him. It smelled rather canine, but he ignored it, as the smell of orchids and lilac was getting stronger. He slowed down and crept through the forest. He finally stopped behind a bush, and could smell Hinata on the other side. He pushed the bush aside and was again struck speechless at the sight.
Hinata was in a clearing of the woods, crouching down. The sunlight beaming through the trees cast delicate shadows about her pale white costume, highlighting her features. She had her eyes closed and was breathing slowly, as if in concentration.
I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. He sighed, causing his body to relax, and his weight shift caused a twig beneath his foot to snap. His whole body tensed as she turned in his direction. He knew her byakugan would see him any moment.
Hinata quickly turned at the sound of a rustle. She formed a seal in her hand.
"Byakugan!" she said, activating her bloodline limit ability.
She quickly scanned the area, but only caught the chakra readings of some small woodland animals, including a large fox. She smiled thinking of Naruto and giggled, remembering his coatume and then blushed at what he had said about hers.
No, not my costume. Me, she mused to herself. She was suddenly distracted from her thoughts of Naruto by another set of thoughts. There is something weird about that fox, she thought, again looking at it. It seemed to be unmoving staring at her, and it suddenly crouched.
Naruto was feeling unknown feelings in his chest. He wanted to be near Hinata, to hear her laugh and smile for him, even her blushing. He began remembering seeing her all those times, always blushing around him.
He saw her focus shift to him again, wondering why she didn't see him and run. He crouched.
Now, strike!
At those words Naruto leapt from his hiding place tackling Hinata.
She screamed at the assault and they began rolling across the forest floor and soon down a hill. Every time Hinata saw the ground rushing up at her, an orange piece of cloth would shield her body from the ground, cushioning her body. Even in the seemingly wild attack, Naruto was able to keep track of their movements and keep her from being hurt. They rolled down the hill and into a nearby field, slowing down to a stop.
Capture! said Kyuubi in triumph, enjoying the feeling of the hunt so long missed.
Hinata's senses returned when she realized they had stopped moving. She stared at her attacker. Naruto was staring at her, not inches from her face, his arms and legs wrapped around her body in a hold.
"Gotcha," Naruto said with a triumphant grin. He noticed Hinata's face become an unhealthy shade of red and her breathing increase to a frightening pace.
Naruto-kun…holding me…this tight. Hinata's mind went into overload, as her body moved on its own, wrapping her rabbit encased arms around Naruto and nuzzling her head into his neck.
Naruto was taken aback at this sudden move of affection. It was unknown and foreign to him, yet he didn't want it to stop. He suddenly caught a whiff of that canine scent again, and looked over his shoulder, spotting Kiba coming out of the woods on all fours, a grin on his face.
"I'll take that," he said, looking at Hinata.
A fox does not give up its prey.
Naruto suddenly let go of Hinata, much to her surprise and supreme disappointment, and crouched on all fours over Hinata, hackles rising at Kiba. Hinata looked from to another.
Naruto-kun is protecting me. She thought, smiling at Naruto's protective stance over her. She noticed him give a low growl.
Kiba shot a dirty look at the two and his thoughts went back to the chunnin exam. He didn't want to relive that moment again. And Naruto was suddenly looking very dangerous as a fox, and it had nothing to do with his outfit. "Tch…fine then," and he stalked off into the woods.
Naruto, realizing his victory stood up over Hinata and offered his hand to her. Her shyness returned in full force, and her mind drifted to a moment ago when she had hugged Naruto so affectionately. She sat up, burying her face in her hands.
"What's wrong Hinata?" Naruto questioned, sitting next to her, concern deep in his voice. She sneaked a peek at him before hiding again.
"I'm s-sorry, Naruto-kun. I d-didn't mean to hug you like that," she exclaimed softly, trying to pull into her costumes hood away from the world.
This time Naruto blushed, at a lost for words, "It's okay, Hinata-chan. I enjoyed it very much." He said softly, trying to peek into her hood.
She looked out at him. Hinata-chan. He had called her by chan. And he had enjoyed the hug. She lowered her hands as a smile crept across her face and her blushed subsided to a low pink across her cheeks.
Naruto smiled, "That's better. Now I can see your pretty face. I guess I won this game, unless you want to try to run away?" he said, a mischievous grin creeping across his face.
"Oh, no, Naruto-kun..I wouldn't do that," replied Hinata in her soft voice.
"Good," he replied, settling on the grass, removing the hood from his head. "Then we can just sit here and enjoy each other's company."
"Y-yes," said Hinata, removing her hood.
"You look real cute in that outfit, Hinata," said Naruto, smiling at her.
"T-thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed deep red at the compliment, especially from him. "I'm not v-very pretty otherwise," she said dejectedly.
"Are you kidding!" exclaimed Naruto, taking her by surprise. "You're one of the prettiest, cutest, most amazing girls I know. You're also smart." He gave her a thumbs up. Hinata just stared at him. He felt the blood rushing to his face and a familiar yet foreign emotion creeping into his chest, and felt another need to hug her. " H-hinata, can I ask you a question?"
"Y-yes?"
"Why did you hug me a minute ago?" he asked, wanting to know if it was for him or if it was a fluke.
Hinata was suddenly very uncomfortable, wanting to run away. But she braced herself. She was going to confess everything to Naruto.
"N-naruto-kun…" she started, finding the words hard, "I…I lo.." she felt a falter but pushed on, "I love you, Naruto-kun!" she finished in her own loud voice. She opened her eyes to find Naruto staring at her, his face in a state of shock. She felt a sudden dread and wanted to disappear.
"Hinata…I,I.."
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Well, that's all for right now! Please review. This is my first fanfic and would like to know how well I am doing. And please inform of any mistakes or errors in my writing. Also, please tell me if my characters are OOC, I try to avoid that. If, reviews are favorable, I may consider finishing with a second chapter.
Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu.