In this story I've replaced Sakura with a character of my own creation. Again, like my other stories, I tried to make as little adjustments to the main plot of Naruto so Naoko will go through a lot of the same experiences as Sakura. Like in some of my other Naruto stories I've also changed the age of their graduation. They are fourteen during this story. "Promises" will not cover Shippuden because Shippuden will be in part two titled "Patience." I'm going to try as hard as I can to keep Sasuke in character but I am changing some things because the people around you effect the way you grow, and Naoko will have a different effect than Sakura did in his life. Otherwise- please enjoy!
I DO NOT OWN NARUTO.
Translations:
Mendokusai- "troublesome" is how it's translated in the English Naruto, that phrase Shika uses a lot
Mah mah- not really translatable, just something say when things are getting tense or awkward
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!- is a bit difficult to it's often very formal reply to a greeting like "pleased to meet you" but it's also used like a "I'm in your hands." It's something you would say to new workmates or classmates or to new teammates.
Baka- "stupid"
Ono Naoko ran her fingers through her soft white hair nervously.
"You're doing that thing again." Shikamaru pointed out lazily.
Naoko flushed and angrily ruffled her hair on both sides.
"Tch. If you're going to get mad about it I won't point it out any more." He said, "mendokusai…" He muttered.
She shrunk into the seat, "shad'up…" she muttered back. "I'm just anxious."
He shrugged, "what an easy tell, an enemy shinobi could see right through that."
Naoko looked over at him with a mortified expression.
"Obvious expressions too…"
Her deep red eyes widened with fear and Shikamaru wondered if he had taken it too far.
"Mah, mah," Choji patted Naoko's shoulder with a smile. "You'll be fine Ono-chan."
Her face relaxed a bit, but Shikamaru could still feel how tense she was as Choji offered her some of his chips.
His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by an angry Naruto and some unruly girls. Naoko immediately seemed more annoyed than him though.
"Mendokusai…" he muttered, deciding to tune out the argument between Naruto and Sasuke.
Naoko had different ideas though, she stood abruptly.
"Uzimaki-kun!" her voice made the whole class go silent.
Naoko had a habit of doing that… She didn't talk much but when she did the world seemed to come to a halt around her. Shock he supposed was the cause. She was petit and hidden in short white kimono and black shorts with messy white hair that brushed her cheeks and curled around her face, shocking red eyes that looked right through you, and a normally silent nature that when broken surprised people.
"Don't pay so much attention to the Uchiha, he's spoiled enough by the girls."
Shikamaru could see Sasuke clenching his fists as Naoko spoke, and everyone else's jaw seemed to drop. Naoko was undeterred by the silence and moved around Shikamaru before descending the steps silently. She brushed past the girls and Naruto before sitting carefully next to "the Uchiha."
She glanced at Sasuke, "You sure like to start scenes don't you."
Sasuke glared at her, "tch, you're the one who's always demanding everyone's attention with that loud voice of yours."
Naruto watched this interaction as carefully as Shikamaru did, and Naoko briefly glanced at him.
"Sit." She said pointedly to Naruto before looking over her shoulder apologetically.
Choji just smiled at her apology and Shikamaru just relaxed into his seat as the other girls went into a frenzy over why Naoko got to sit by Sasuke.
"Mendokusai…" he muttered, ignoring the way Sasuke stared at Naoko.
Naoko sunk down into her seat again, now uncomfortable between an orange blob and a sulking black mass.
She glanced at both Naruto and Sasuke, only to catch Sasuke looking at her.
Naoko cringed a little in embarrassment and stuck her tongue out at him. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
Naoko sunk even further into the seats. She didn't particularly dislike Sasuke or Naruto. She just disliked thinks about them. Sasuke was far too moody and a show off. He didn't really want the attention from the girls though. He really wanted the teachers to notice, because he was hoping to graduate early like his brother. Naruto was the complete opposite. He was hyper and annoying and a show off too. Of course, he didn't have as much to show off. He was a hard worker though, which was more than she could say for the Uchiha.
She glanced at the excited blonde… and he always smiles. She thought to herself, almost smiling when she tried to imagine Sasuke smiling.
The thought made her feel a little lighter as Iruka began to call the names of her classmates.
"Team 7, Ono Naoko," her name rang through her ears and she held her breath. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzamaki Naruto."
Naoko stood on instinct. No! This is wrong! Shikamaru and Choji are supposed to be on a team with me! Her heart lurched at the idea of being with two people she didn't trust. Fear consumed her in less than a moment and she could only stand there, frozen.
Naruto spoke first. "WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, PUTTING SOMEONE AS AWESOME AS ME ON THE SAME TEAM AS HIM!"
Naoko was speechless as Sasuke retorted. "What? I'm the one who should be upset, on the same team as a loser like you, tch."
Naoko watched the interaction in shock. They were both so casual, fighting like children. It infuriated her.
"Are you both that stupid?" Naoko's voice was low and harsh. "Do you even understand what this means… teammates are people you lay your life on the line for, people you trust with your heart, and you're worried about who is better than who?!"
"Exactly." Iruka's voice floated through the silence created by Naoko's words. "I couldn't have said it better myself…" Iruka smiled effortlessly. "I'm glad that you're truly thinking about what being a team means and I'm relieved that you were assigned to hold this team together."
Naoko's heart sank again. She felt limp and the meaning of her words slipped through her own fingers. She had meant to say that their reasons for not wanting to be on a team were childish compared to hers. Her fear was a better reason than their competitive nature.
She dropped back into her seat as Iruka continued to call out names, aggregated at her own childish outburst. Her reasons were no different than theirs. Naruto feared being outshined by Sasuke, Sasuke feared being dragged down by them, and Naoko feared being herself around them. Their reasons were all based on fear.
Again her heart sank. No way around it, they would all have to face their fear.
Naoko stayed absolutely silent as their teacher walked into Naruto's childish trap. She tried not to be annoyed by his being late, but him walking into that trap seriously ticked her off. He could've at least tried to be a little more impressive.
He led them to a spot outside and asked them all to sit while they introduced themselves. She stood awkwardly instead, not wanting to sit between her two new teammates. She felt uneasy in the presence of three people she didn't know and clutched at the sides of her kimono style shirt.
Shikamaru's warnings about "tells" flashed through her mind and she released the cloth immediately, her cheeks turning red. She guessed that that was the reason people assumed her to be shy. She pictured Hinata's mannerisms and was embarrassed again. She wasn't shy per say, she was just uncomfortable around people. She often found them to be frustrating and rarely did she find people she felt she could trust. More often than not other people didn't like her. She was told many times that she was too brash and unladylike by her teachers and classmates. She was never one to hold back her feelings or not say what was on her mind, and she wasn't one to lightly take unreasonable behavior from others.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the teacher say his name.
"Hakate Kakashi," her eyes widened.
"Hakate?" She repeated interrupting him.
He seemed un-bothered, "yes, Hakate Kakashi."
"Mom used to talk about you and your father. She didn't find out about the manner of his death until years later, she cried. She cried about Kushina too, she was unaware that she died with the Hokage." Naoko watched his eyes widen as she spoke, and immediately regretted her words. That was why people didn't like her, she didn't need to say that much. She bowed, "Sorry…" She mumbled, secretly cursing her name sake.
Naoko, honest child.
"It's fine," his voice smiled through his mask.
She looked up at him in surprise, and he just smiled at her. She stood back up, tense and shocked before relaxing a little into her stance and shifting her he weight. She could trust him. She felt it in his smile, and in her memory of her mother.
She walk slowly between Naruto and Sasuke before sitting casually with Sasuke to her left, Naruto to her right, and Kakashi directly in front of her. If she focused on Hakate she could feel more comfortable about the other two.
"So should we call you Hakate-sensei?" She asked.
He put his hand up with an embarrassed smile, "I think Kakashi-sensei will do fine."
She accepted this and settled into her seat as Naruto introduced himself, and tried to think of her own introduction.
"I'm Ono Naoko…" she said, almost cringing at her crude choice of words. She could've been a little cuter and said something like "My name is Ono Naoko~! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" "These are weird things to talk about when introducing yourself," she said, excusing herself from much more embarrassment. "But I like food, I hate large groups of people, my hobby is cooking, and my dream…" she paused, thinking of her mother's words.
"It is said that our family has red hair and eyes because of the blood we have and will spill, however, your white hair is a sign that your generation will see peace. You are still cursed with red eyes and you will see much blood, but you will also see a peace unknown to the shinobi world. That is what I believe."
"My dream is to see peace and understand the bloodshed of the shinobi world," she said with a ring of determination in her voice and deep red eyes. Kakashi again seemed surprised. She shrunk back again, why did people always have to be so surprised when she talked?
"That's an odd dream for someone so young-"
"More odd than wanting to become the Hokage?" she interrupted him.
He smiled at her again, "no. It's odd, but it's a good dream. I believe you're next?" He said turning to Sasuke.
Naoko blushed at the smile that stretched through the mask, but turned her attention to Sasuke.
His words were so cold they burned, and she felt more anger than she could express. How could he speak so lightly of killing?
"Baka," she said quietly turning away.
She felt his dark eyes drill into her.
"Excuse me?" His voice dripped with the same hatred that pooled in his eyes.
She looked right back at him, "BA-KA." She said the word slowly, sounding out the two syllables on her tongue.
She knew who he wanted to kill; his vague explanation wasn't fooling anyone… well except Naruto maybe. She sighed at the thought of Naruto's stupidity.
She'd hardly noticed Sasuke as he stood and reached out to grab her kimino.
Naoko swatted his hand away as his fingers brushed against the white fabric. She didn't say anything, just watched him, watched the anger boil behind his eyes.
"Do you think killing him will change anything? Do you think it will bring back what you lost? Or are you really just that stupid?"