Naruto:The Smarter Choice

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto in any way, shape, or form.

EDIT:I've decided to edit my entire story because I need to change some minor details to make everything I have I have planned fit right. Go through and see if you can find what has changed. Thanks you my readers for all of the reviews, but honestly I'm tired of people complaining about Sakura beating Naruto in a spar. Means practice, even the weak get lucky sometimes.

Ch.1 the Smarter Choice

"Where has the teamwork gone? They worked amazingly well together during the mission, why can't they be a team now?" whined our favorite Cyclops sensei. Yes, Hatake Kakashi was referring to his lovable "team" that was bickering as if they had not been through a life-threatening C-turned A-class mission right in front of him.

To the left was Konoha's Number One Knuckleheaded, Blonde-Haired Ninja in his trademark, blindingly neon orange jumpsuit, was none other than Uzumaki Naruto. He was currently trying to prove that he was better than the boy to the right at some aspect of shinobi life, (other than eating ramen of course) but Kakashi didn't bother to listen to what it was, as it didn't matter anyway.

Currently ignoring Naruto's declarations was the Uchiha Sasuke in all his arrogant glory of a blue t-shirt with big neckband that had that had the Uchiha clan's crest on the back, (a red and white fan) and white shorts. And the girl slightly behind, but between the two boys just had to be spouting off about how awesome the Last Uchiha is.

Our least favorite, pink haired fan girl, who is currently (read: always) spouting off about how great Sasuke is, is wearing her standard, if completely impractical, bright red "dress". Seriously, the cloth going down the front and back is just another handhold for an enemy shinobi to latch onto. That is Haruno Sakura and all her current uselessness.

Kakashi looked up from his favorite Icha Icha book to ponder about his team's current position. "Hm, I can probably convince them to dress more practically when we get back to Konoha. The teamwork will take a little bit more time, but hopefully they will be ready by the time for the Chunin exam. I think it can wait till we get back to Konoha." He began to softly giggle as he engrossed himself back into his book.



Several hours later…

"Alright team, it's nearing sundown so we need to set up camp. It's Naruto's turn to get dinner, Sasuke's turn to get water, and Sakura's turn to make the fire and cook." Then he noticed that only Sasuke had heard because Sakura was beating on Naruto, most likely for insulting her "precious Sasuke kun."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as he went to get the water.

"Hey, get going you two." Somehow the sudden attention broke Sakura out of her righteous fury-induced frenzy as she abruptly dropped Naruto to steam on the ground.

"Right! I'll get going now." She said sweetly as if she had not just pummeled someone into the ground. She knew what she was supposed to do because to rotation of chores was fairly simple. (And Sasuke Kun had to go through the woods to get to the stream that was supposedly nearby.)

A few seconds later Naruto pushed himself back up onto his feet with not a single bruise. "Eh heh heh heh… Sensei, what was I supposed to do again?" he asked sheepishly.

"Normally I would reprimand him for that but all those beatings could give someone a light case of amnesia. Just go get the food, Naruto."

"So what, sensei, are you just going to stand there and read your perverted book all day?" Naruto sarcastically said. Naturally Kakashi didn't bother to reply as he knew that Naruto would get his head bashed in, in 3, 2, SMASH!!

"You Baka! Don't talk to sensei like that" Sakura practically screeched. "Although he's probably right." Inner Sakura reasoned"Kakashi sensei, where do you want the campfire? She asked in her 'sweet' voice as if she had not just drove Naruto back into the ground.

"Figures that she thinks of this as just camping." He crouched down to examine Naruto. "You're the one setting the fire, not me. You should probably stop knocking Naruto unconscious so often, or he will get brain damage."

"Gomen sensei, I guess I have been a little rough on the Baka." He still deserved every last one of those punches for insulting Sasuke Kun. SHANNARO!!" With that, she finally left to go get firewood.

"And yet it doesn't even occur to her to directly apologize to Naruto." Are you alright?"



By now Naruto had managed to get himself into a seated position. "Yeah, I could've sworn that she had already left, though." Naruto weakly muttered as he stood up and started doing some stretches.

"Get going Naruto, The foods not going to catch itself."

"Right, I'll get going. " Naruto ran off towards the woods.

"Hm. Naruto didn't have a single mark on him, even after Sakura's near constant beatings. I doubt that that even the fox's chakra could heal him that well that fast without me being able to sense it. Does that mean that Naruto is more skilled than he lets on?

Just then Naruto tripped over his own two feet and plowed face first into a tree.

"Probably not."

A few days later

"All right guys, Konoha is only a couple of hours away. Let's pick up the pace." Kakashi ordered. You could practically hear inner Sakura groan as she was tired as it was.

Sasuke was still brooding over how Naruto, of all people, managed to defeat someone he could not. "Sakura told me that it was Naruto that defeated Zabuza'a lackey, but how? How could the dobe acquire such power especially without me even noticing? I must figure out how to obtain such power for myself. If only I had actually seen, I could've copied it with my Sharingan. Well, at least I'm one step closer to killing him

By the time Sasuke completed his daily dose of angst, Konoha was in sight.

"Ramen!!" Naruto bounded ahead of the group.

"YOU BAKA! We're supposed to arrive back as a team!"

"Says the girl who has not done a damned thing for this team so far." Kakashi mentally bereted.

"Hn."

As Team 7 arrived at the gates the guards greeted them and Kakashi called his team together. "All right team, we had a good mission. You all deserve some rest. You have tomorrow off. Dismissed." Kakashi then Shushined away to give the mission report.

"Sasuke kun would you like t-"



"No."

"Hey Sakura, I'll-"

"What makes you think I would want to go out with you?"

"But-"

"No!" Sakura then noticed that Sasuke was walking off and promptly went to go fawn over him.

Naruto sighed. "What does she see in him? It's not like he is ever nice to her?" His eyes widened as a very disturbing thought just wedged itself into his head. "When is Sakura ever nice to me?"

Naruto walked towards his apartment to go ponder this new train of thought, his ramen completely forgotten.

"Hatake Kakashi reporting in for C-turned-A rank mission."

The 3rd Hokage's eyes widened. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, Mission success. Nothing worse than a few scratches. Although I would like to ask about my student's seal?"He asked, referring to Naruto.

"There is nothing to worry about. The seal is designed to let Naruto channel its chakra if he needs to." The third replied having sensed the explosion of youkai with his awesome hokage senses.

"All right then. All the details are in the report." He handed the third a half inch stack of paper. Kakashi Shushined away leaving Sarutobi with the evil that is paperwork.

The next day

Kakashi was ambling around Konoha thinking about how he was going to fix the mess that was his team when he noticed that the Hokage was signaling for a Jounin's meeting. He immediately Shushined away.

When he arrived everyone was suddenly deathly quiet.

"What?"

"K-Kakashi's actually on time." Kurenai stuttered.



"DYNAMIC ENTRY!!" Gai crashed right through the door… and Kakashi, who managed to Kawarimi with Asuma with not a single scratch. It was then that Gai noticed that Kakashi was there.

"NOOOOO!! I AM LATER THAN MY HIP, COOL, RIVAL KAKASHI! MY YOUTH CAN, MUST NOT FADE! I WILL DO 1000 LAPS AROUND KONOHA TO ENSURE THIS, AND IF I CANNOT I CLIMB THE HOKAGE MONUMENT 5000 TIMES WITH- "

"Gai, you are making a disturbance." The Third interrupted.

"Urg, besides he was here on time." Groaned Asuma.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY ETERNAL RIVAL IMPOSTER!"

"Hm, you say something, Gai?" Kakashi innocently asked.

"KAKASHI, YOUR HIP COOL AND MODERN WAYS INFURIATE ME SO!"

"Er, back to the point at hand, the nomination for this years Chunin exams.

"I, MAITO GAI, NOMINATE MY YOUTHFUL TEAM OF ROCK LEE, TENTEN, AND HYUUGA NEJI FOR THIS CHUNIN EXAM OF YOUTH!"

"Dually noted."

"I Satutobi Asuma nominate Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji for the Chunin exams. "

"I Yuuhi Kurenai nominate Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino for the Chunin exams."

"I Hatake Kakashi do not nominate Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, or Uzumaki Naruto for this Chunin exam.

Authors Notes.

I am not Sakura bashing. I am just emphasizing how much of a bitch she is at this point.

Kakashi may seem a little OC for actually wanting to teach but seriously, his team only survived the battle on the bridge by a fluke. As far as I'm concerned that's a good enough excuse.

Naruto suddenly not obsessively liking Sakura was something random I decided to add to help him focus during the training that will be happening next chapter.

EDIT:I really like the way this chapter was written.