Accidents happen, and sometimes by design. Naruto was determined to become a Genin, it was just his luck that this year they were being tested in the Kawarimi instead of the Bunshin due to a single lazy Admin-chuunin. Team Gai!Naruto, Maito!Lee (adoption yay), BAMF!everyone.
000
Chapter Two
The Chuunin was crushed under the door and sent flying out of the opposite window.
The room exploded into screaming and shouts of horror, alarm, and fear with the various fresh Genin scrambling backwards in chaos. Naruto was already halfway across the room – lunging towards the green giant that just blasted the Chuunin away, he was aware of three others along side him, Neji, the nervous boy from the Ninjutsu exam with the braid, and a random boy from the row behind him – light flashed in the corner of his eye and the kunai that Tenten had been playing with whizzed past his ear.
Two, three, four, five – six kunai whipped through the air ahead of them and were brushed aside – oh this was going to hurt -
The green blur whipped around and Naruto felt his whole body bend around the blow that hammered into his stomach.
He bounced backwards, flung or kicked, or maybe punched, he couldn't tell, it was so fast – he bounced across the tables, distantly aware of more screaming, he crashed into someone, thin wiry arms around him and then they stopped.
He saw the other three boys casually bounced off the green clad giant who bellowed a laugh and... struck a pose?
He flinched as light ping'ed off obnoxiously white teeth.
"I SEE THE FIRES OF YOUTH BURN BRIGHT WITHIN THIS CLASS! TEAM THREE WITH ME!"
Naruto goggled.
Was this his Jounin sensei?
000
Naruto honestly had no idea what just happened. Some giant green man barged into their class, threw the overseeing Chuunin out a window after kicking the sliding door open, destroyed the podium, used Naruto and three of his classmates to destroy five desks, and then just stood there laughing heartily as a trio of Chuunin burst in through the now open door way and started shouting at him about disruptions, property damage, and Damnit Gai you've traumatised the Genin!
"You okay?" Tenten asked as she carefully extracted herself from under him, she had been the one to grab him in midair and join him in destroying a few tables before managing to stop them both.
He nodded, a little dazed, "Bit winded," he admitted as he rubbed his chest because holy hell, not even Mizuki hit him that hard – and he could hit way harder than Iruka-sensei, or Sakura-chan.
The two of them got to their feet, sticking close, as they watched the green giant laugh merrily at the angry Chuunin buzzing around him. He was easily a foot taller than all three of them, his body was broad and clad in tight forest green matt spandex, he wore the jounin's uniform flack jacket, and a pair of orange leg-warmers that were a bit too bulky to be just leg warmers, he probably had weapons hidden in them. Naruto would have thought his muscles would be chiselled into sharp relief given just how physically strong he was, but their sensei actually had some chub to him, hiding just how beastly that muscle was – it would be of absolutely no surprise if the man tensed and revealed an eight-pack under that spandex. The most unbelievable thing about him though...
"I think his eyebrows are bigger than my hand," Tenten quietly, unknowingly, echoed his thoughts. Naruto nodded fervently because what the hell.
Chaos reigned a little longer in the classroom, at least until the Chuunin that got kicked out of the window arrived and unceremoniously booted everyone out of his classroom with a bellow of 'You owe me a fucking drink Maito, now sod off with your brats!'. It was... an illuminating experience. Especially when their Sensei saluted with a cheery 'Yosh!', scooped all three of them up in his arms, and suddenly they were in the middle of a training ground, and getting dropped on their asses in the dirt.
Their new Sensei grunted, loudly, and stared at them while 'hmmMMMmmHmHHHmmmMMM'ing at varying volumes.
Naruto glanced at Tenten who looked over at him, she shrugged at his quizzical nod towards him, the two of them glanced to their third teammate who had the expression of someone forced to clean a puddle of vomit as he stared at their teacher with mounting scorn. He caught their notice, and sniffed once shortly, and turned a little away from them. Tenten's eyebrow shot up in disapproval, and Naruto scowled in familiar offence.
Great.
Sasuke 2.0
At least Tenten seemed awesome.
"Are you... alright, sensei?" the kunoichi asked carefully when he showed no intention of doing anything but growling at various volumes while peering at them and grinning. Naruto wondered if he could talk Jiji into trading this guy in, he was clearly defective.
The man bellowed with laughter, making the three jump, and struck a familiar pose. It was the same one he struck after he sent them through five tables. Naruto twitched to see its reappearance.
"HAH-HAAAAA! THE BEAUTY OF MY YOUNG KONOHA BLOSSOM IS BOTH INSIDE AND OUT!" the man roared happily, throwing both of his arms up enthusiastically. Naruto felt Tenten cringe and recoil a little bit behind him in both disgust and revulsion, and a little bit of fear because – Naruto had heard language like that before. He lived on the outskirts of the Red Lantern district after all.
Anger flashed hot and violent, "HEY! KEEP YOUR GROSS HANDS TO YOURSELF!" he snarled, bristling furiously as he shifted properly in front of his new teammate. So help him Kami, if he ended up with a perv for a teacher he was going to Hokage Jiji and making his displeasure both loud and messy.
The man struck another pose, he grinned at them as if Naruto hadn't spoken, arms folded, one hand up to his face forming a 'tick' with his thumb and index finger on his chin. His teeth pinged again. And as a group, the three of them twitched.
"I am Konoha's Beautiful Azure Beast, Maito Gai, Taijutsu Master, and Jounin Instructor to the Youthful Team Three! Your team! My interests are HEALTHY LIVING, THE FIRES OF YOUTH, AND FULL POWERED MAXIMUM EFFORT!" he roared once again, throwing both arms up, and bellowing a laugh up to the heavens. He calmed, cocking one hip and planting a hand on it before waggling an outstretched finger at them, "I do not tolerate sots, layabouts, or liars! My greatest ambition is to prove that one need only put forward their maximum determination and effort into training in order to become a splendid Shinobi! And my dream is to one day train the most Youthful Team Konoha has ever beheld!"
The three of them exchanged looks before Tenten twitched a small slightly awkward smile, "I-I'm Mitsutoshi Tenten. I live with my Grand-Uncle who runs a weapon shop. I like fortune telling, and sesame dumplings. I'm not a great fan of pickled plums, and I really hate indecisive wishy-washy people. My dream is to become an incredible kunoichi like Senju Tsunade-sama!" she declared, eyes burning with determination as she clenched her fists tightly.
"Yosh! A worthy dream!" their sensei agreed, at volume.
He then turned expectantly to Naruto.
"The name's Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo! I like ramen, pranks, Sakura-chan, an' gardening! I really hate the three minutes you gotta wait after you pour the water in, and people who glare at me for no reason. My dream is to become the next Hokage! The strongest and most awesome ever!" he vowed, straightening his hitai-ate determinedly. Their teacher's loud exclamation about his youthful determination almost drowned out the derisive scoff their third teammate huffed out under his breath. But Naruto heard it all the same and bristled angrily, hackles rising up as he gritted his teeth and glared at the Sasuke-wannabe.
"Hyuuga Neji. I prefer to spend my time meditating and training. My dislikes are my business. My ambition matters not, my fate is already decided," their dour third teammate declared coldly, arms folded and looking straight ahead, ignoring the two of them and their Sensei with a stoicism that he probably thought made him look cool. Man, Naruto wanted to mess him up.
"YOSHAAAA! Now that we're all acquainted, my most youthful Konoha Saplings, it is time for your true Genin Test to begin!" their teacher roared, just as Naruto felt his stomach drop.
"True – OI WHAT THE HELL BUSHYBROWS!" he bellowed, jumping to his feet absolutely livid. He had earned this headband! He earned it, damnit! No! No! No no no no! He earned it, dattebayo! No one could take it away from him! No!
"Of the twenty seven youthful students of your class, only nine have the fiery passion needed to become true Konoha Ninja! The other eighteen will be sent back to the Academy to brush up on their training. Your final Genin test has a sixty-six percent failure rating," the green beast proclaimed dramatically, striking another pose as he nodded seriously. Apparently ignorant to his three students' reactions.
"Sixty six – no way," Tenten breathed, her eyes stinging.
"I earned it, I won't let you beat me," Naruto grit out, his entire face screwed up as he ground his teeth together, trembling with pent up anger.
"I do not think it is in my Fate to fail on this day," Neji announced coldly, his pearl coloured eyes narrowing on the Jounin in front of him.
Gai grinned toothily. "Your task is to prove to me you have the Gumption, the determination, the FIRES OF YOUTH, NEEDED TO BECOME A KONOHA SHINOBI! HIT ME – THAT IS YOUR TASK! IF YOU FAIL I SEND YOU BACK TO THE ACADEMY!
"BEGIN!"
Naruto's face promptly bounced off the fist he ran into.
Neji did a weird spinny thing and tried to slap the man like he'd seen a few of the girls do when they got into cat-fights in his first year, he too got mowed to one side like someone slapping a fly out of the air.
Tenten didn't fair much better. He caught her wrists and held her out stretched like an errant puppy, casually swaying his body out of the rain of kicks she threw at him.
The following three hours and a half were just embarrassing.
Naruto laid traps, he worked in tandem with Tenten, they even dragged Neji into it all – though he was as stiff and standoffish and just plain difficult. Naruto almost wanted to hit him more than Gai-sensei. Almost. Because Uzumaki Naruto was no quitter and he wasn't about to let some shitty-ass teammate lose him the chance to graduate properly as a Shinobi! All three of them went at him at the same time, they tried multiple different tactics and methods for taking him out.
Every time his temper of the better of him and he bum-rushed the Taijutsu specialist, Naruto ended up bouncing his face off the man's clenched fist.
His eyes were so bruised and swollen he could barely make out the blur of his teacher.
And throughout it all the man heckled them gleefully, threatening to send them back to the Academy if they didn't prove themselves to him – what did he even want from them?! Fires of Youth? What the actual hell?
Tenten and Neji could barely stand, and Naruto was going to be nursing bruises for at least three days after this. But none of them were going to give up.
"Naru-to," Tenten wheezed, roughly swiping sweat from her forehead, "Throw me – at 'im. I can't – I can't run anymore. Throw me at him," she demanded hoarsely.
Naruto coughed and grinned, "You got it. We'll go again, and again, how ever many times it takes. I ain't giving up now, not ever," he growled.
"That's the – spirit," the girl panted sticking her sweaty arm out.
Naruto grabbed her wrist and forearm, and jerked her around. She staggered the first few paces, tensing her arm so he didn't end up wrenching it out of her shoulder socket, and then jumped, her body coiling into a ball as he swung her like a shot-put, and launched her at their teacher.
He saw her coming, of course he did.
And he ducked – right into Neji, headbutting the Hyuuga into the ground.
Tenten didn't even have the energy to squeal when she tumbled into the dirt, limbs sprawling as she rag-dolled across the training ground to a stop.
Naruto lunged at the giant when he turned as if to go after her.
Thus far he hadn't left the clearing, none of them had save when Naruto encouraged them to switch out and rest in the trees one at a time. It was probably the only reason they were still going.
"Pick up the pace, my youthful Saplings!" their teacher chided disappointedly, striking a pose that Naruto was rapidly beginning to hate, "Carry on like this and it will be back to the Academy with the first years!"
Oh that was too far!
"Not – on – your – life!" Neji hissed as he levered himself up from the ground.
"I'm going – to – scalp you – and – wear – that – bowl-cut – as a – fashion – accessory!" Tenten panted, her legs spasming, her knees bowing under her weight as she staggered to her feet.
Naruto didn't say anything, just snarled in wordless determination as he staggered towards the Jounin, forcing rubbery limbs to function, bruised and overworked muscles to flex. He couldn't see but he could hear where the man was standing, make out the smears of pink and grey that were Neji and Tenten, the bigger blot of green that was just a few shades too close to mint to be natural to Konoha's trees.
He lashed out. It was pathetic. No strength, nothing, he may as well be falling with his fist outstretched.
But it landed.
Three soft 'pap'ing noises swam through his ears, not quite exactly at the same time, they staggered by less than a split second – and then their Sensei ROARED!
Naruto couldn't hear it, didn't know what was said, but the next second he was being crushed, and rained on, and that was a shoulder in his ribs that was far too bony to be their sensei's and it smelt like jasmine so it was probably Neji because Tenten smelt faintly like peony blossoms, and Gai-sensei smelt like sweat and moss. And he couldn't breathe.
Everything ached.
But foggily, through the exhausted haze that felt like wading through sticky honey, he heard:
"Congratulations Team Three! You pass!"
000
Naruto was the first to wake up.
He was laying on something soft with a thin blanket draped over him, the scent of fresh juice and something delicious tickling his nose as he slowly wrestled his eyelids open. He was lying on a spread open blanket, Tenten on his right, Neji on her other side, they were covered by a thin blanket, and in front of them he could see Gai-sensei doing squats while muttering some kind of training regime under his breath as he worked. It was kind of mesmerizing to watch the flex and shift of his thigh muscles as he worked.
It took a few seconds for what he was muttering to really penetrate his brain though.
It was a training regime for them.
Neji's flexibility was good, as was his agility, but he had the ability for pin-point accuracy that would better aid him with his Jyuuken. 'Train him to be a senbon instead of a hammer' Gai-sensei decided under his breath as he lifted one leg to cross it over his other, and continue squatting without pause or any visible sign of strain. Naruto gaped. Neji's attitude was cause for concern as well, would have to nip that resentment and fatalism in the bud before it took over and affected his drive. A fatalistic ninja was one that gave up far too easily on the field and got themselves and their teammates killed. Inferiority-superiority complex. Naruto had no idea what those words even were, but it sounded serious.
Tenten was neither as fast, or as strong as either of them, but she had a good head on her shoulders and an eye for accuracy and rhythm in combat that would see her far. Combined with her extensive knowledge of weaponry, likely gained from her Uncle and the weapon-shop she grew up in, they had the makings of a great mid-to-long range specialist within the team. She had proven herself to be adept at tactics, able to direct her teammates with minimal fuss in a combat exchange. Tentative plans to make her the team 'Control Tower' so to speak, drill her extensively in tactics and formations. Drill all of them. Neji was highly intelligent, but his attitude would be a severe problem in this field. Naruto was exceptionally cunning and off the chain with his tactics, he would be able to provide additional ideas and insights that would give Tenten new avenues of attack. Yes, yes, that would work out well. She most definitely had a quick enough mind and the confidence to follow through on her plans without the mulish hardheadedness that would prevent her from accepting advice or ideas from teammates, or refusal to discard one plan in favour of something else.
Neji groaned then, cutting their teacher off from finishing his muttering. Naruto wanted to hit him. He stopped him before he could get to the good bit – the one about him! Naruto wanted to know what Gai-sensei thought of him, where he could improve, what he should learn, what his role in the team should be!
Immediately their new teacher whirled around, beaming, but didn't bellow or roar. Instead, he crouched down beside them and reached over their heads.
"How are you two doing?" he asked in a surprisingly normal, if lowered in respect for the still sleeping kunoichi, tone as he handed them a bamboo cup filled with an orangey coloured sweet smelling juice.
"Did we pass?" Neji demanded in a croak instead of anything else.
"You did. Welcome to the most youthful Team Three, Neji-kun," Gai-sensei beamed as Naruto experimentally sipped the foreign drink, his eyes widening in shock before he started gulping it down as fast as possible. The Jounin chuckled, "It isn't going anywhere, Naruto-kun, and I have more. Slow yourself before you choke," he suggested, gently lowering the cup with a finger.
"It's really good, what is it?" the blond asked eagerly, it was awesome.
"You've never had mango juice?" Neji demanded sceptically.
"No, never," Naruto admitted, eagerly slurping another mouthful. "I mostly stick to water and chunky milk."
Both of them paused at that, "Chunky – " Neji echoed, face twisting in revulsion while Gai just went wide eyed.
Naruto shrugged, "They're always sold out of the smooth stuff. It isn't so bad." He hummed happily with his cup, "I mean, sure you get a sour bottle now and again, and the lumps have a gross kinda texture to them that used to make me gag a lot but – "
Gai-sensei suddenly thrust a finger into his face, "I admire your Fires of Youth, Naruto-kun, you have done well to manage yourself thus far in your life! However! My training is no joke. Without proper nutrition it runs the risk of permanently damaging your body and stunting your summer years. I will be writing up a meal plan for you, and your teammates. It will fully optimise your full powered determination and spirit in the springtime of youth!" the green clad man declared, waggling his finger and flashing the youngest of his genin another blinding smile that caused light to ping from his teeth.
It took a moment for Naruto to figure out what he actually meant. Flowery language like that automatically put his back up because it reminded him so much of the bullcrap he heard said to the girls who lived near-by, and knowing what kind of sleaze they had to deal with meant that he was predisposed to thinking the worst. It took a little effort to shift mental gears because he was ninety-nine percent sure that Gai-sensei wasn't like that.
Naruto nodded slowly, "That makes sense, but, I'm not allowed into a lot of places, dattebayo," he admitted a little sheepishly, "Too many pranks." He was banned from a lot of shops, he had honestly forgotten just how many and why, usually because he got pissed off when they said he was banned and pranked them again but – yeah. He wasn't allowed in a lot of places because his own temper got the better of him at times.
Neji scoffed and turned his head away, "Any ninja incapable of the simple infiltration of a civilian shop is fated to – "
Naruto jumped to his feet furiously, cutting him off, "YOU THINK I HAVEN'T TRIED THAT, DATTEBAYO?! DO STUFF LIKE THAT AND THEY'LL THINK YOU'RE A THIEF AND YOU END UP SLAPPED WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!" he howled furiously, kicking dirt at the older boy who shifted to protect his juice from getting contaminated.
"Again, that just means you're a failure as a ninja, and fated to a life of failure as well," the Hyuuga sneered dismissively.
Naruto pounced.
Gai caught him by the back of his neck and cheerfully hoisted him off the ground before he could land on his teammate and beat him black and blue for calling him a failure. He was going to be Hokage, damnit!
"I see your Fires of Youth burn brightly, Naruto-kun, but lashing out in anger will swiftly see them doused rather sooner than I would like," Gai-sensei warned him kindly before gently setting him on his feet. "Neji-kun, you are to be working together with Naruto-kun as a teammate. Alienating each other in this early stage will only damage your career in future."
"Yes, Sensei. If it is my fate to be dragged down by the inept, then so be it," the brunet sniffed coolly as he pointedly ignored Naruto bristling like an infuriated cat, Gai-sensei's hand firm and restraining on his bony shoulder.
Naruto ground his teeth, glaring death at his male teammate.
He took it back, this guy wasn't Sasuke 2.0, he was worse.
0000
Ahahaha, I said they wouldn't get along at first. Character development is going to take a while. And unlike canon, Naruto isn't going to be able to Therapy No Jutsu beat him into changing his ways because Neji can literally kerb stomp him rn, also, Naruto is a brat right now so wouldn't even know how to Therapy his way out of a paperbag.