I can see that of the few reviews that I've received, it seems that a couple of the vocal members seem to not like my ideas, and what I'm putting into MY story... I must say, if you don't like it, don't read it... I like constructive criticism, it helps to hammer out problems with grammar, spelling, story issues and what not... but telling me I'm an idiot for making an lame OC... I'm sorry, it's the first chapter, I haven't had a chance to even introduce the character properly yet... that being said, seeing as that said "reviewer" hasn't faved or followed myself or the story... it seems that a few of you actually do like it so far, 15 faves and 26 alerts for just the first chapter, you all make me happy!
Let's get this out of the way... again... clear's throat I do not own any of the characters in Naruto, save Darious and this plot line... everything else belongs to the man that killed 2 of my favorite characters... if I did own it... well... it probably wouldn't have had so many female fans... since Itachi would have killed Sasuke too... anyway, on with the show! Here's chapter 2!
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Chapter 2: Teams, Troubles, and Memories
Darious looked up at Hiruzen with a serious look to his face. "Sir, there's more that needs to be talked about... Master's network has picked up news that "they" have captured another biju."
Hiruzen walked over to the window and looked out over the village as the sun sank over the horizon. "Let's hope that they don't come for him before he can be trained." letting out rings of smoke as he continued to watch the sun fall, closing out yet another day.
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The next morning found 2 soundly sleeping boys falling from their beds onto one another on the floor, having been violently awakened by Hana loudly yelling for them to wake up and come down to breakfast. A few minutes passed as the boys got up, took care of their morning routines and got dressed and headed down stairs to the kitchen to find Hana still smirking as she ate her breakfast. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, they were both wearing their new jackets that Tsume had bought them for graduation. Kiba's was a gray hooded coat with black fur lining the hood and wrists. Naruto's coat was the same as Kiba's though with the colors inverted and a red Uzumaki swirl on the left shoulder. In addition to the new coat, Naruto had donned a pair of black shinobi cargo pants with the ankles taped, black shinobi sandals, and black sleeveless shirt with the same swirl on the front as his coat bore on the shoulder, and his hitai-ate on his forehead, holding back his mess of blond hair.
"If you two had been any longer, I'd have given Akamaru and the boys your food." Hana joked as said ninken all perked up from their bowls, thinking that they may just get the food anyway. This look soon died though as both boys quickly dug into their food, almost trying to put it away before it could be taken away.
Seeing this, Hana sweat dropped. "Calm down... I wasn't really... you're gonna choke if you keep at it like that!" As if on que Kiba started to cough and pound his chest a few times before going back to eating. Hana simply shook her head as she watched.
"As much as I think you boys should hurry up, I have to agree with Hana... you need to get to team assignments soon, but you can't do that if you choke." Tsume walked into the kitchen with a mug in hand.
"Hai!" both boys chorused before finishing their plates and putting them in the sink before running for the door, Kiba scooping up a still eating and surprised Akamaru before leaving the door standing wide open with a shout of "Bye Kaa-san/Tsume-kaa-chan!"
Konoha ninja academy
Kiba and Naruto ran into the room out of breath, hoping that they weren't late, only to find Iruka sitting at his desk with a puzzled look on his face as they burst through the door. The boys took a seat and started grumbling about "stupid mothers and sisters tricking them". As it turned out, Tsume and Hana had set all the clocks ahead 30 minutes and had a little fun with them. Needless to say, the boys had arrived plenty early.
As the other students... no, Ninja filtered into the room for their team assignments, Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji all sat in the back as usual, watching the other take their seats. One student was the Hyuga heiress Hinata, as she moved to her seat, she kept glancing up at the pair in the back.
"Man, I don't know HOW you do it, the one girl in the class that isn't all ga-ga over the duck-ass has the hots for you... of all people... must be cause you're blond or something." Kiba grumbled. It was as well know as Hinata's crush on Naruto, that Kiba had just as big a crush on Hinata. Naruto knew it from day one when Kiba started talking about "Hinata-chan" when they got home one day from school. Naruto had become friends with the shy girl, but had never returned her amorous actions. He wouldn't deny that she was indeed very attractive, kind, and funny when she would open up on those rare occasions.
"I'm telling you, if you would just act normal for once, and just talk to her instead of clamming up and fuming when we talk, she might just like you in that way instead of me." Naruto spoke from his head down position beside his fellow "sleeper" who was sitting in the same position.
A few more minutes of similar conversation passed before Iruka finally stood up and got their attention using the infamous big head jutsu, sending both Naruto and Shikamaru flipping backwards in their chairs in response. "Okay, let's get things started."
Inuzuka house
"You did well raising both of those boys to this point Tsume, I have no idea how you could handle them both." Darious sat at the kitchen table with Tsume and Hiruzen as Iruke gave his long, "proud" speech about being ninjas to the new genin.
"Indeed you have Tsume, if they were anything like my boys, you had your hands full." Hiruzen spoke up before taking a sip of his tea.
"Yeah, the pups are a hand full plus 3... I'm just lucky that I was able to... that council damn near made that impossible to do." Tsume sipped at her coffee as she remembered back to the day she was called into the council meeting.
(flash back)
Tsume arived with Kuromaru at the council room after being summoned for an "emergency" meeting called by the elders. Heading in and nodding to the few others that were there already and taking her seat with Kuromaru at her side. As the rest of the council showed up and took their seats, those not of the ninja council noticed Kuromaru sitting beside Tsume. Hiruzen finally arrived and took his seat at the head of the room.
"I'd really like to know what's so important that it called for calling this an "emergency" meeting... would someone care to explain what's going on?" The Hokage looked around at the gathered members, then back at the 3 elders. There was silence for a good 2 minutes while he patiently waited, slowly starting to leak killing intent after the first until one of the civilians spoke up.
"We've heard word that someone has taken "the boy" in and is planning to adopt him... if I remember correctly, a law, passed by majority in this very council forbade such an act." The man that spoke up was a newly appointed council member, having replaced his late father, the man went on, not knowing proper tact while around ninja clan heads. "I am told that the Inuzuka clan has been sheltering "him" for the last week and a half already!"
Hiruzen smiled internally, happy to hear that someone wanted to and actually was helping the young Naruto. He looked around as a few gasps and murmurs started to rise, a few of the less intelligent civilians started to stare and glare at Tsume as she seemed to simply sit there and take it. On the inside was a different story, she was absolutely seething, and Kuromaru could sense it and let out a low growl that got the councilor that had spoken up to start with. "Um... I hate to sound as new to this as I already seem, but why is there a dog in this meeting? I realize that the Inuzuka have a partnership, but should it actually be here?"
Hearing this, Kuromaru moved so that his head was above the table and looked right at the man before saying "You do realize that I can speak, correct?"
The counselor managed to hide his shock as he looked Kuromaru in the eyes and replied "You do realize that even though you can speak, you are not a member of this council?"
Kuromaru tilted his head to the side before saying, with what sounded like a smirk to his voice "You do realize I can easily, and happily piss on you from here?" This got a few appalled looks from the civilians, but several snickers from the ninjas, including Hiruzen and one dog masked Anbu standing in the shadows behind him. "To answer your question though, due to the nature of the partnership between us ninken with the humans of the Inuzuka pack, and I being the alpha and patriarch of the ninken in said pack, I am granted a seat on this council when it concerns matters that directly involve our clan as a whole. Now, with what you have just stated, I believe that this council meeting was called to bring up matters concerning our clan. Does that answer your questions?" The ninjas, including Shikaku this time, all seemed to smirk at the utterly dumbfounded look on the civilian side's faces.
"um... is that even right?" looking around, then to the Hokage who nodded his head. "very well then..." coughing to clear his throat "now, as I was saying at the start of the meeting, it has come to our attention that one Tsume Inuzuka has plans of adopting "the boy", as we know, that is not allowed or legal. What are we going to do about this?" Hiruzen sat there wondering how the members of the council had heard about this considering that Tsume had only just that morning come to him with the idea of adopting Naruto into her clan. He had his ideas, glancing covertly over at Danzo, fairly sure that he had not disbanded his Root organization as he had been ordered years ago.
Before Hiruzen or anyone else could answer, Jiraiya's voice filled the room, causing the heads of all there to turn to see who was speaking. "Nothing's going to be done, because she's not adopting the young man, she's simply offering him aid and shelter, which is not against the so called law that this council created just to spite that young man."
As the members of the council turned to look at Jiraya, they saw him standing there with a 23 year old Darious standing beside him, slowly looking around the room as his master spoke up. Tsume wanted to say something about Jiraiya's comment before it occurred to her, 'this is his solution to the problem, he's right, if I don't adopt the pup, then I can keep him with us, I can help him out while the rest of the village tries to hurt and hamper him... great maneuvering ya old pervert.' smirking to herself before one of the older members spoke up.
"Greetings Lord Jiraiya, and I believe this young man here is your new apprentice Darious. We are glad to see that you and he are back around, but I'm sure that you are mistaken in your statements. The councilor, one Mebuki Haruno, sat back in her chair, smirking triumphantly, or seemingly so until a book was dropped on the table in front of her, courteously of a still smirking Jiraiya.
"Would you care to check that page and read the definition of adopt please?" Jiraiya stood there in front of her, even though he knew the meaning but wanted to make a point.
"I'm sure we all know the meaning of the..." she was interrupted by Hiruzen as he gave her a stern look. "Humor us..." Mebuki started to sweat before starting to read. "Adopt: To take into one's family through legal means and raise as one's own child... but Lord Jiraiya, that is exactly what she is doing!"
Jiraiya stepped over toward the ninja council members, specifically closer to Tsume. "Ah, but it's not, has she signed any paperwork that proclaims Naruto Uzumaki as her adopted son?" not waiting for any answers. "is she in fact taking him in as part of her family? The answers to that, are no, she's taking the young boy and treating him like a low pay stable hand if you will. I have seen the pens at their compound, it may as well be called a stable with what some of your kin leave behind Kuramaru... he'll be working for room and board, and before you say a single word about that not being allowed, there is no law or rule stating that he cannot work or hold a job. Trust me I looked." Jiraiya looked around, making sure that no one would say anything against him and his plan to help his godson out since he couldn't be there long enough to take care of him.
"Seeing as there is no actual issue here to be discussed since Jiraiya cleared up any missunderstanding, I call this "emergency" meeting to an end." Danzo grit his teeth at this, knowing that his plans to offer up shelter for the boy himself and turn him into the living weapon he thought any jinchuriki should really be. Hiruzen, Tsume, Jiraiya and Darious all stayed behind after all the others left, all but Inu, who stepped out of the shadows and joined them. Inu was dressed as a normal Anbu with his gravity defying silver hair standing behind his mask.
"That was quite the save there Jiraiya, I was wondering if I'd have to do something drastic to let Tsume here keep Naruto with her, though I'm sure she would have much more wanted to bring him into her family." Tsume had a sad smile on her face as this was said.
"I'm just happy that I can help take care of my best friend's son... she would have done the same for Kiba and Hana if the roles were reversed." They all agreed, though Jiraiya felt a little guilty for not taking care of Naruto himself. "I'll be sending Darious here back alone every so often to check in on little Naruto and help teach and train him with you, and I'll come visit when I can." Hiruzen then spoke up.
"Tsume, you should probably go on home, I'm sure you've got a few eager kids to get back to with the mostly good news." Tsume smiled a genuine smile to the aged Hokade before heading out with Kuromaru on her heels to go tell Naruto that he'd be staying with them from now on.
(flash back end)
Smiling to herself at the memory of Jiraiya stepping in and saving the day, so to speak, and giving her the chance to take care of Kushina's only child, who had over time slowly become more and more like her own. "If it weren't for that brilliant old pervert, Naruto may have been living alone in a ratty little apartment that got broke into and vandalized over and over. He's actually happy on his birthday now, even though we don't participate in the festival."
"I am a little sad that he never gets to go out and participate, the festival should be celebrating him for his sacrifice, but instead, they try to sacrifice him to alleviate their own lack of understanding." Darious spoke up as he finished off his cup of tea, waving off Tsume's offer of a refill. "I actually should head out after a bit, I need to catch up with Master soon. I'll be back in a couple months. By the way, thank you Hokage-sama for letting me meet with Naruto's jonin sensei, I'm rather pleased with your choice... I just hope he keeps what we talked about in mind when he starts, if he passes them." Standing up and bowing to his hostess and leader, Darious excused himself and headed off. "Thanks again for the tea Tsume, maybe next time I'll bring some of my own and treat you."
"I still find it hard to believe that that old pervert managed to train and bring up not just 1, but 2 very capable ninja like Minato and Darious." Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle at Tsume's comment.
"They are all 3 very much alike, each with their own personality, but all very reliable, loyal, and extremely dangerous and powerful in their own ways. I'm very proud of my student, and his." Hiruzen sipped quietly at his tea as he glanced at the small scroll left on the table for Naruto.
Konoha ninja academy
"Now for Team 7's members, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke..." Iruka was interrupted by a loud, screeching, victorious shout from said Haruno.
Iruka coughed to get her attention before she sat down, beaming at the choice, even under the murderous stares of the other fan girls. "As I was saying, Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki." This earned a loud thump and a groan. The thump was Sakura's head hitting her desk, and the groan was from Naruto, who's head was still on his arms in feigned sleep.
"Why do we need such a useless shinobi on the same team as the amazing Sasuke-kun?!" Sakura fumed as she tried scooting closer to Sasuke, who in response tried to scoot farther away. Naruto simply grumbled into his arms, just loud enough for his friends beside him to hear, about loud, annoying, pink haired fan girls and bleeding ears. These comments got the other 3 boys, and one puppy, to laugh in the back of the room.
"If you're finished back there in the peanut gallery..." Iruka stared down the boys as the quieted down, then began back with his reading. "Your jonin sensei will be Kakashi Hatake." This comment caught Naruto's attention. His eyes shot open with his head still down to hide his reaction. 'he's a legend... man I hope he teaches me some cool things like Dar-nii and that old man that stops by with him.'
"Team 8 will consist of Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga, and Kiba Inuzuka." a small yip was heard after that. "And Akamaru..." giving a small smile as he said that, then continued. "Your jonin sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi." Kiba sat with a small blush as he looked down at the slightly disappointed looking Hinata before he felt an elbow to the ribs from his surrogate brother and looked down to see him looking up at him with one eye.
"work on friendship first, maybe a little comforting support, then just be the way Hana and Tsume-kaa-chan keep trying to get you act, you'll get her." Kiba could see the small smile from the side of Naruto's face that was showing, gaining a confident smile of his own in the process.
"Team 9 is still in rotation, so Team 10 will consist of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara" "troublesome" "and Choji Akimichi" This earned another groan, this one being from the blonde in the class. "Your jonin sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi." Looking around at the class and seeing some of the new graduates moving to sit with their respective teems, Iruka continued on for a moment. "Your jonin senseis will come and gather you for your first team meeting soon. I just want to tell you all once more, just how proud I am of every single one of you, and that it has been one of my greatest honors to teach you all to this point, listen to and learn from your senseis and each other and I'm sure you will all go far and make the village as a whole proud of you all as well." After that, he bowed to them all, gathered his papers, and headed out just as a few of the senseis filed into the room and started to gather their new teams. After around 10 minutes, Kiba and Hinata were waving to Naruto as they left with their new sensei, leaving only Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke in the room alone, Sakura trying her best to woo Sasuke in the middle row by the window, and Naruto, head still down as he sat in the back of the middle of the back row.
An hour passed as they sat there, still waiting, then another, then as the third hour was about to tick around, the door slid open to reveal a tall man with one eye covered by his hitai-ate, the bottom of his face covered up to his nose with a cloth mask, and wearing a standard jonin uniform and gravity defying silver hair stepped in and looked around. "Team 7?" getting nods, even from the head down Naruto "my first impression of you all... I'm not impressed... meet me on the roof in 10 minutes." He then vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving the trio to get up and start heading to the roof. Once they reached the roof, they saw Kakashi sitting on a bench waiting for them to get there while reading a little orange book, one that Naruto recognized as one that Tsume had banned from the house. Without looking up from his book, he motioned to the benches in front of him for them to take a seat on.
"Okay, since we're going to be a team, we may as well go ahead and introduce ourselves to each other, you likes, dislikes, dreams or goals." finally putting away his book and looking at them all and waited for them to start out. Sakura spoke up after a moment.
"Um... Sensei, why don't you start out for us?" Kakashi gave an eye smile before nodding and speaking again. "Okay, my name is Kakashi Hatake, I am your jonin sensei, I like a lot of things, don't have many dislikes, and my dreams... I don't really want to share those. Now, you're up Pinkie." pointing to Sakura. All 3 genin sweat dropped, even Sasuke as they all 3 thought the exact same thing 'all we learned was his name and rank...' Sakura gave in and started out.
"My name is Sakura Haruto, I like Sasuke-kun, my family, and studying, I dislike perverts and Naruto" sending a glare that somehow had killing intent laced into it. "my dream is to one day..." she looked over at Sasuke and squealed while pulling her hands up to her face. Kakashi got a sweat drop at that description, then turned to Sasuke and spoke. "Okay, now, Mr. Dark-and-moody, you're up." This earned him a glare from Sakura for the name.
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, remember it! I don't like much, I hate a lot, and my dreams, no, my aspiration is to kill a certain man, and to rebuild my clan once I have killed that man." Kakashi let out a low sigh at what he had heard from Sasuke, a bit disappointed with his response. He then looked over to Naruto and once again spoke.
"Okay Blondie, you're up." Naruto decided to stand as he spoke. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, I like training, my friends, my family..." This part caught Kakashi by surprise until he heard the next words. "and their ninken. I dislike people that pass judgment without knowing the whole truth or the matter, and arrogant pricks that think the world owes them everything without earning even a scrap of what they already have." giving a bit of a glance over at Sasuke. "My goals are to become the best shinobi I can for this village, to make my family proud, and to become Hokage one day." Kakashi gave an eye smiled at this and nodded.
"Okay, now, I want you all to meet me at training field 7 tomorrow morning at 6am for your test." Before he could say anything more, Sakura spoke up in a shrill pitch. "Test?! We already passed the test, what test are you talking about?!" Sasuke actually nodded his head to this, rather upset that he'd have to take another pointless, in his opinion at least, test when he's already passed the first one with flying colors. Kakashi took this moment to explain.
"That test was to see if you had the skills needed to be considered by a jonin for a team, this test is the real graduation test, the one to find out if you have what it takes to make the cut as a real genin of Konoha, to join the ranks and defend out village as a skilled and reliable shinobi or kunoichi. Now, with that said, you'd better not have breakfast tomorrow morning, you're going to end up loosing it if you do, and I'd rather not have to avoid it while administering your test... now, see you all tomorrow morning at 6am." Giving a small wave and eye smile before vanishing once again in a swirl of leaves, leaving his possibly students sitting there before Naruto and Sasuke both got up and headed to the stair well access door before Sakura came too and hurried to follow them.
Once they got to the ground floor and left the academy gate, Naruto went off on his own way, heading home, sure that he heard Sakura trying to invite Sasuke out to eat since they were a team now. As he walked, he thought to himself 'now I get to let loose and stop hiding what Dar-nii and Tsume-kaa-chan have taught me.' A small smirk growing on his face as he started to jog the rest of the way home, anxious for tomorrow to come.
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There it is, Chapter 2. I hope you all liked it, read, review, no flames, if you don't like it and have nothing constructive to say, don't say anything.
Also want to thank MercenaryGrax, Dragon and Sword Master, Oni Spiritus, and MrApathy for "cheering me on" as it were.
