Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own Okami. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto, and Okami is owned by Clover Studio and Capcom.
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Naruto-Okami Crossover
Kaikinisshoku: Total Solar Eclipse
Book 1: Whirlpool Chronicles
By Cyberweasel89
Chapter 1: The Curry Test
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Naruto was not having a good day. Probably the worst day of his life. He managed to get the jump on Sasuke-teme, which was pretty cool, but then he had to go and get, er... digestive problems... when talking to Sakura. Damn spoiled milk...
Then to top it all off, he and Sasuke actually kissed! Ugh!
And then to make things worse, he didn't get to be on a team with Sakura! Well, at least he wouldn't be on a team with Sasuke. And at least Sakura and Sasuke didn't end up on the same team. But Hinata was just weird... She was really quiet, and she acted really strangely around him. He sat next to her once, and she seemed to go into shock. Freaky...
Kyan wasn't as bad as Sasuke. But Naruto never felt very strongly about him. He just struck Naruto the wrong way, for some reason... Naruto liked that the guy was about his height, and almost shorter than him by what was probably a fraction of an inch, but it always felt like he was hiding something...
Naruto made his way to Training Ground Eleven like Iruka instructed him, and found Kyan already there. After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, Hinata arrived, then a few moments later, their mysterious sensei finally made a grand entrance...
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Hinata, as opposed to Naruto, was probably having the best day of her life! It started out a bit rough. She was afraid that Naruto-kun wouldn't get to graduate when he failed the graduation exam the day before. She loved the boy who always smiled and tried his best, and it broke her heart to see him look so down. It was so rare that he showed this side of himself. And even when he was feeling so low, Hinata still couldn't work up the courage to talk to him. Not even the idea of never seeing him again gave her the courage to so much as say one word to him. And she hated herself for that fact.
She went to school with the sole idea that maybe, just maybe, Naruto-kun would come to school even though he hadn't passed. She was overjoyed to find that not only had he mysteriously passed and received his own headband, but she would be on the same team as him! The suspense was killing her when the teams were called out. But when Naruto-kun, her, and Kyan-kun were called to be on Team Nine, she nearly passed out from how much joy it brought her. She felt like she was in heaven. It was definitely the best day of her life since the days before her mother passed away.
So now she went to the designated training area, Training Ground Eleven, to wait for her sensei to come. She was the last one to arrive, she sadly noted, and she didn't have to wait long for her sensei to show up.
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Anko chuckled to herself as the three gradually showed up. She loved this training ground. It was where her old team used to meet up. The area was a clearing surrounded by trees, with the occasional rock and stump scattered here and there. There were even a few flowers, which added a little bit of beauty to the place. It brought back a lot of memories... But memories weren't what she was here for.
In the center of the large clearing was a circular spot where the grass gave way to a patch of white gravel. In the center of this gravel spot was a stump, a wooden post, and a large rock. Back in the day, when her old team would wait here for Mattai-sensei, she would lean against the wooden post, Yugao would sit on the rock, and Iruka would lay on his back on top of the stump. Team Nine seemed to be mimicking this set-up. Naruto was lounging on the stump, Kyan was leaning against the wooden post, and Hinata was sitting on top of the rock. The girl would occasionally glance at Naruto, only to blush and look down at her fidgeting hands, then repeating the process. In truth, Iruka and Naruto were somewhat similar, and Yugao was very shy in her youth. Anko was tomboyish, even as a child, so Kyan being a very feminine-looking boy made it almost work.
Luckily none of them decided to take up the second post just outside the gravel spot of the clearing. Heh heh.
"Hinata."
Hinata jumped as Kyan spoke. "Y-Yes, Kyan-kun?"
"Your Byakugan can see through objects, correct? Use it to look around the area. I sense a fourth presence here, but I cannot see him or her."
"Um... Y-yes. Okay."
Anko cursed to herself as Hinata began activating the Byakugan. Before she could activate it, the wooden post burst in a cloud of smoke. And who should jump out of that cloud of smoke but Anko.
"Surprise! Meet your new sensei, maggots!"
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Hinata had to admit, she was happy that Kyan recognized the usefulness of her Byakugan, even if her own wasn't as good as her cousin Neji's. When she was about to activate it, she looked to see if Naruto might be watching, but the nearby wooden post exploded before she could tell.
The Hyuuga heiress let out a shriek as the kunoichi burst forth from the Transformation disguise. Her Byakugan had ended up activated anyway, so she saw Naruto sit up in alarm, a startled look on his face. Kyan merely stared forward with a serious expression. "What in Kami's name are you wearing?" he asked seriously.
Their sensei smirked. "This? Heh heh! Don't worry. This isn't what I normally wear. I thought I'd dress up for this occasion. This is the traditional garb for members of the Mitarashi family when they go on high-ranked missions." the young woman declared, striking a pose for emphasis.
The "traditional garb" in question was nothing more than a pair of beige rokushaku fundoshi underwear and beige sarashi bandages wrapped around the Tokubetsu Jounin's chest, with a pair of Obi sandals and purple tabi split-toe ankle socks. Around her shins were purple ropes crisscrossing between two rings of rope, one near her knee, one near her ankle, on both legs. There was also a thigh strap lined with kunai and a pouch strapped to the other thigh filled with shuriken and other ninja tools. She wore thick, fingerless purple gloves on her hands. Around her neck was a thick purple scarf that left two thin strips of the hardened cloth trailing behind her. She wore her Konohagakure ninja headband around her forehead, and Hinata could tell with her Byakugan that the kunoichi wore an odd necklace around her neck, it was just hidden within the band of the scarf.
Hinata blushed at the revealing costume, and Naruto merely stared blankly, trying to process the situation in what was probably still an early morning haze.
"You are indecent." Kyan dully pointed out. "That garb reveals far too much skin and offers no protection. A single well-thrown kunai could cut the braided strap of your fundoshi and expose you. The scarf will also get in the way. You are aware of this, correct?"
Hinata had to silently agree with her teammate, being one of conservative dress herself. But their new sensei merely laughed wildly.
"Kid, if I weren't aware of it, I wouldn't be wearing it. Don't blame me for the outfit. This style of dress has been in my family for generations. All my ancestors wore it. It's tradition, and you can't turn your back on tradition."
A sigh from the raven-haired boy. "Just please get to the point of this mission."
"Yeah, but maybe you should change first. I think Hinata's about to blow steam out of her ears." Naruto declared simply, pointing over at the Hyuuga girl. Sure enough, the girl's face was beet red. So much of her sensei's skin was on display...
"Fine fine, I'll change. Sheesh."
The purple-haired Jounin performed a Body Flicker Jutsu and disappeared, returning ten minutes later in her usual outfit, which was only slightly better than her "traditional garb", in Hinata's opinion. Traditional ninja sandals, metal shin guards, a skin-tight fishnet body suit, a beige miniskirt, an open beige trench coat, the same necklace Hinata noticed earlier, and her headband around her forehead. Hinata also noticed that she seemed to have a stick of dango in her hand.
"Okay, you ready?" They all nodded. "Good. We'll start by introducing ourselves."
A long silence. Hinata spoke up first, to the surprise of those who knew her well, though none were present. "Um... Sensei, perhaps you should go first. Th-that way we will know how it is done." she suggested softly.
The kunoichi grinned. "Sure thing! I'm Mitarashi Anko. I was the examiner for the second phase of the Chuunin exams until about..." a pause. "Yesterday, I guess. I like dango, sweet bean soup, ramen, sake, and teasing Iruka. I dislike spicy foods and wimpy Genin who think they're ready for the Chuunin exams, but really aren't. My hobbies include drinking sake 'til I pass out and tea ceremonies. I don't really have any dreams for the future. I'm just livin' in the moment."
The three blinked and stared at their new sensei. It was Naruto who spoke up first, standing up from the stump with his hands buried in his pockets. Hinata couldn't help but admire his forwardness.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I guess I agree with Anko-sensei on one thing. I like ramen. But I hate how long it takes to make instant ramen. I guess I don't really have any hobbies. My dream is to one day be Hokage!" he shouted the last one, pumping his fist skyward.
Hinata saw her new sensei cough upon hearing Naruto's Hokage proclamation, but passed it off. The girl wondered if Anko-sensei doubted Naruto's dream... But she was jolted out of her musings when she heard her new sensei clear her throat. The kunoichi was bending downward to stare at her expectantly, making the Hyuuga heiress squirm. This squirming seemed to please the Jounin sensei, though Hinata wasn't sure why. The girl decided to say something so she wouldn't make Naruto-kun wait, but fidgeted the entire time she spoke.
"I... I am Hyuuga Hinata. I like kind, cheerful people... I dislike... I dislike people who hurt others for no reason... My hobbies are training to... to get stronger... My dream is to one day be strong enough to... to win the acknowledgement of my father and... and s-someone else."
There was a long silence before Sushiaki Kyan spoke.
"I am Sushiaki Kyan. I like having alone time. I dislike people who bother me. I don't really have any hobbies. Dreams are what you have when you are asleep. But my greatest desire is to one day join ANBU and rise to the ranks of Head ANBU."
Anko nodded thoughtfully, then clapped her hands together.
"Very good! All three of you are a bunch of little maggots with no redeeming qualities! Congrats!"
The purple-haired Jounin smirked as Hinata gazed downward sadly and Kyan gave her an intense glare. Naruto didn't even seem to hear her, gazing around intently, his attention shifting whenever his ears picked up movement. Anko cursed inwardly. How could she push the brat's buttons when he wasn't paying attention to her?
"Okay, maggots!" she announced, placing her arms upon her hips. "It's time for your test to determine if you guys are competent shinobi! You're about to embark on a quest of great importance. You must gather a set of holy artifacts and take them to a sacred location, where you must combine them into a mythical item of great power!"
She reached a hand into her coat at a teasingly slow speed, her three Genin leaning inward, their eyes fixated.
Once her hand grasped the object, the purple-haired Jounin quickly whipped out a sheet of paper, which Naruto hastily took. Hinata stood behind the blonde ninja to look at it, while Kyan didn't move.
"What the? It's in a secret code!" the blonde ninja declared.
"Um..." Hinata began, but couldn't bring herself to say it.
Kyan snatched the paper from Naruto. "Idiot. You have it upside-down."
The blonde ninja sent Kyan a glare in response, but the raven-haired boy either didn't notice or didn't care.
As he scanned it over, he seemed shocked.
"Ingredients... What is this? Seafood? Vegetables? Spices? A well-seasoned pot? This is..."
Naruto clenched his fists in excitement. "What is it? Do you know what it is?" he exclaimed.
"This is a recipe for curry." he announced flatly.
Naruto was thrown off balance from his shock. Hinata gave a tiny, nervous laugh. Anko couldn't help but grin triumphantly.
"You're gonna get us to make curry? That's our test?" the blond ninja yelled as he corrected his stance.
Anko silently cheered. She was going to enjoy playing mind games with these brats...
"You bet! But there's a catch. None of you can use any Jutsu to help make the curry. And you have to do it before sunset. And you can't leave Konoha, either. Now get to it!"
With that, Anko disappeared in a Body Flicker Jutsu, so as to not allow the Genin their rebuttals.
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At that moment, Naruto was having... Worries, which isn't something he had very often. He couldn't cook, and it's not like he could go to some market and buy something. Most stores rejected him at the front.
Hinata also seemed worried, though the blonde ninja couldn't figure out why. Didn't she live in a huge house for the Hyuuga clan? He passed by it a few times. He was normally chased off if he went close to the front gate, but he figured a place that huge would have a big kitchen, or something.
"Relax, you two."
Naruto and Hinata were jolted from their nerves upon their teammate's interjection. The boy was giving them a very small, sly smile, in a knowing sort of way. It kinda annoyed the blonde ninja...
"If we combine our abilities, we can do this. I have access to a fine kitchen and high-quality seafood. We just need vegetables and spices, which I don't have. How about you two?"
Naruto thought for a moment, and Hinata seemed to be thinking as well. Kyan stood there patiently, holding the recipe sheet and awaiting their findings.
Naruto's thoughtful frown rose into a broad smile. "Follow me." Was all he said, and rushed off out of the training ground clearing, closely followed by Kyan and Hinata.
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"N-Naruto-kun! Wh-where are you taking us?" gasped a horribly winded Hinata.
The girl was struggling to keep up with the hyperactive bundle of energy. Kyan was close behind, also seeming somewhat out of breath, though he seemed to be restraining his gasps for air.
Naruto soon led his new teammates to a house over in the residential area of Konoha. The small home lie nestled in a row of other houses, all similar in design but with notable differences between them. The blonde ninja led them through the white picket fence gate and up to the door, where he knocked.
"Hello! Kurotsuchi-sama? Are you home?" he called, further puzzling the tired Hinata.
It took several moments, but the door finally opened, revealing a small old woman only a head taller than Naruto, a shinai bamboo sword being used as a cane and her white hair in a bun. She was wearing a reddish brown kimono with turnips depicted on it.
"Naruto-san? Is that you?" she asked. A white tabby cat soon appeared by her feet, exiting the house and rubbing up against the blonde ninja's leg. The boy responded by picking the cat up and stroking its back.
"Hi there, Kurotsuchi-sama. I was wondering if my teammates and I could borrow some things from your garden."
The old woman chuckled. "Of course, Naruto-san. It's really your garden, despite what you say. Some of the vegetables are ready to be picked, actually. Would you mind?"
Naruto smiled warmly. "Not at all, Kurotsuchi-sama."
San? Sama? Not kun? Or obaa-san? Not the usual way for a young boy and an old woman to address each other, Hinata noted.
The inside of the small house was very cozy, with a beat-up old armchair forming the centerpiece of the main room of the house. A small bathroom, small bedroom, and small kitchen connected to this main room. The old woman led Naruto and his teammates to the back of the house, revealing a very large vegetable garden.
"I'll be inside making some tea for when you three are done." The old woman declared sweetly, shuffling back inside and leaving the three standing before the garden. Naruto immediately went to work pulling a line of carrots out of the ground. Kyan stared at the garden with disinterest, but made no move to help. Hinata stepped forward and pushed her fingers together nervously.
"Um... N-Naruto-kun... I-is it really a-alright to take this woman's vegetables from her garden?"
Naruto looked up from picking his fifth carrot. He stood upright and grinned.
"Actually, Hinata..." he put his hand behind his head and a blush spread across his cheeks. The Hyuuga girl had to restrain from shouting kawaii. "This is my garden."
A long pause. "Please do explain." was what Kyan said to finally break the silence.
"Well, you see..." Naruto seemed hesitant to carry on. "I really do have a hobby, despite what I said earlier. I, uh... I like gardening. But I, uh... I live in an apartment by myself, so I can't have my own garden. I met Kurotsuchi-sama. She wanted a garden behind her house, but couldn't handle all the work." Naruto looked slightly more serious, gazing downward. "She didn't... She didn't hate me... like the other people of the village."
Hinata had known that Naruto lived alone and that the villagers did not like him for some reason, but she never thought that the hatred got to the blond ninja. She wondered if he would be okay, but he immediately brightened and grinned.
"So me and Kurotsuchi-sama struck a deal! She let me raise a garden behind her house, and she would sell the products to the market. I got to have my own garden, and she got a garden behind her house."
"I see. This garden belongs to you, but because it is beyond this old woman's house, everyone assumes it belongs to her, and thus do not tamper with it like they would if you openly owned it. On the plus side, there is no way that the market would buy vegetables from you, so the old woman sells them for you. I assume you get a share of the profits from the sales?" Kyan asked, seeming uninterested, but there was an underlying hint of intrigue.
Hinata could have sworn she saw a hint of sadness in Naruto, but it quickly passed.
"Nah. Well, I told her I didn't want any of the money. Kurotsuchi-sama says that the vegetables I grow are of great quality, so they sell well, but she needs the money more than me. I just wanted my own garden. But she stills insists on giving me a share, and she even makes me tea when I'm out here working on a hot day."
Hinata's mind was racing. Quite a revelation for her first day with her team. She was surprised that Naruto was interested in something like gardening. She felt sad that Naruto would have to resort to this for a garden. She felt... warm? Naruto felt that the old woman who did not hate him needed the money more than him. For some reason, thinking of that made her feel warm... When she snapped out of her daze, she found Naruto already picking more vegetables, and Kyan had also joined in, albeit not picking as fast as the blonde. Hinata set to helping as well.
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By the time they finished, the morning had passed and it was already the afternoon. They had collected the necessary vegetables and spices, and sat down to a cup of tea from the old woman Naruto had befriended. They said their goodbyes and set off, Naruto carrying the vegetables in a round basket strapped to his back, and Hinata carrying the pouches of spices in her arms.
Kyan pulled out the recipe sheet. "Okay. We have the vegetables and spices. I have access to seafood and a useable kitchen. Follow me."
"Where is this kitchen and seafood, pal? And why do you have such easy access to it?"
The raven-haired boy did not answer, but instead set off at a walking pace, with Hinata and Naruto right behind him. The blonde ninja seemed annoyed that Kyan was leading them so slowly, and occasionally complained to the boy in front of him. As Hinata trailed along behind Naruto, she couldn't help her mind from wandering. Was Naruto really hated so much by the villagers that he had to pursue a hobby under the protection of an old woman? And why did the villagers hate him so much? She might have to bring it up with Kyan-kun later... The Hyuuga girl doubted the boy would be very talkative with her, but it was worth a try...
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Kyan soon led them to a district of Konoha dedicated to restaurants and entertainment.
"Why are we here, Sushiaki? It's not like some restaurant is gonna let us use their kitchen." Naruto complained.
Kyan said nothing, leading them ahead at a walking pace. Hinata could feel the killing intent radiating from the occasional passerby. And all the killing intent was directed at Naruto-kun. It made her uneasy... They shouldn't be sending such hateful glares at him... The Hyuuga heiress just couldn't fathom why the blonde ninja was so hated. Her father had seemed indifferent to the mention of Kyan-kun on her team. He seemed annoyed at the presence of Anko-sensei as the team leader. But he stood up and struggled to contain his rage when told of Naruto-kun's presence on her team. Why did all the adults seem to hate him?
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The raven-haired boy soon led his team to a restaurant. A seafood restaurant, to be exact. The building lie nestled between an outdoor cafe and a karaoke bar. The front wall of the building had wooden paneling on the lower half, and blue painted walls on the upper half. A double wooden door lie in the center of the front wall, with a wide window on either side to give a view to the booths on the other side. The blue upper half of the front wall made an arch above the door, with a black roof. A sign rested on this arch above the door that read 'Tendon'.
"Tendon?" Naruto wondered aloud.
Kyan said nothing, pushing through the door and entering the establishment. Naruto shrugged and followed, Hinata close behind.
As soon as all three were inside, they jumped at a sudden cry of "Onii-taaaan!"
Both the blonde ninja and the Hyuuga heiress were startled to see their stoic teammate get tackled to the ground by a little girl.
"Onii-tan, you're home! I heard you got gradiated from the ninja school place! How ya been?"
The stoic boy cringed as he tried to force the little girl off of him. "I am fine, Toto-chan. Please, get off. These are my new teammates."
The girl let go and gazed up at Naruto and Hinata with large, shiny eyes.
"Oooo... These are your teammates? What're their names, Onii-tan?"
The raven-haired boy sighed, lowering his head and bringing his hand up to partially hide his face from embarrassment.
"Right. Toto-chan, this is Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata. Uzumaki, Hyuuga, this is my younger sister Sushiaki Toto."
The girl beamed up at the two with a bright smile. She seemed to be about seven, with the same shiny black hair as her older brother, but her hair was done up in a pair of pigtails. She wore a blue kimono with goldfish depicted on it, with a pair of wooden sandals and white tabi split-toe socks on her feet. Naruto smelled the aroma of fish emanating from her, but that smell was everywhere, so he wasn't sure if it was just her.
The blonde ninja smiled and leaned down slightly to be at the girl's level.
"Toto-chan, was it? How old are you?"
The girl's bright gray eyes closed in intense thought for a few moments. She jumped and declared "Seven and a half, Naruto-tan!" The girl jumped again. "Say, if you're my Onii-tan's teammate, you're practically my uncle! I'm gonna call you Naruto-oji-tan!" the girl declared.
Before Naruto could respond, the girl scurried off, giggling to herself.
Naruto looked to Hinata to find her looking down dejectedly.
"Do not worry, Hyuuga. My younger sister takes a shine to boys, which is why she focused on Uzumaki and paid almost no attention to you." The raven-haired boy assured her in what he most likely thought was a comforting voice. But really it only sounded like he didn't care and just didn't want the Hyuuga heiress's distress to get in the way. Actually, that was probably it...
As the three walked further in, they were greeted by a teenage girl at the counter, manning the register. She waved them over, grinning broadly.
"Hey there, otouto! Who're your friends?" she asked, grinning at the Hyuuga heiress and the blonde ninja.
"Right. Onee-sama, these are my teammates. The female is Hyuuga Hinata and the male is Uzumaki Naruto. Hyuuga-san, Uzumaki-san, this is my older sister, Sakanaya."
The girl rested her elbows on the counter and gazed at the two with a grin, her chin resting on her hands. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. She had shiny black hair like her younger brother, but hers was done up in a ponytail. She had the same gray eyes as him, but hers were more energetic and full of life. She was dressed in a green kimono with marlins depicted on it, left slightly parted at the neck to reveal a small bit of the girl's cleavage. This was put on display when the teenage girl leaned forward. She seemed to do this often, though whether she was oblivious to it or teasing was up to debate.
"Hey there. Aren't you two adorable!"
She reached over the counter and pinched Naruto's cheek, surprising the blonde ninja.
Kyan cleared his throat, drawing his older sister's attention back to the matter at hand.
"Right. There must be a reason you brought your teammates here."
"Indeed. I require use of the kitchen. It is for the test given to us by our new sensei."
The teenage girl quirked an eyebrow, but immediately smiled and declared "Sure thing! Mom's out back if ya need her. She's hangin' laundry."
The raven-haired boy merely nodded, heading behind the counter and into the next room, the blonde ninja and the Hyuuga heiress close behind with the ingredients.
Kyan led them into a large kitchen with all the necessities of a restaurant. It looked quite well-kept.
"It is here that we may make the curry. We have plenty of fresh seafood at our disposal. Go grab an apron and get started."
"Hey, Sushiaki..."
"Yes, Uzumaki?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "I uh... I can't cook. At least, not anything but instant ramen."
The raven-haired boy's expression didn't change. "If you cannot make yourself useful to the mission, you may do so by helping my mother with the housework."
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Naruto went out back into the yard behind the restaurant to fine a woman hanging laundry out to dry. He hoped the hurt from Kyan's harsh instruction wasn't showing.
"Um... Hi? I'm Kyan's teammate. He sent me out to help you with the housework...?"
The woman turned around, giving Naruto a good look at her. She seemed to have aged quite well for someone of her years. She was definitely middle-aged. The lines on her warm smiling face were a testament to that. She had also put on a bit of weight in her years, though this only gave her a motherly look that gave the blond ninja a sense of longing. Unlike her daughters and son, she had chocolate brown hair that was cut short and held back on one side by a sakura blossom hairclip. But she had the same gray eyes that were full of life as her two daughters. Naruto figured that the three Sushiaki siblings received their black hair from their father, and considering how Kyan's gray eyes were so intense, he could only think that Kyan took after his father when it came to that intense gaze.
"Well, hey there, little guy." she greeted in a melodious, calming voice. "So you're from my little Kyan's team, huh? You must have a name other than 'Kyan's Teammate', right?"
Naruto swallowed hard and nodded. "Uzumaki Naruto."
"Aw, now don't be shy, little guy. You know how to fold laundry?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"No need for such formalness. I don't bite. You can call me Tsuribari."
"Yes, Tsuribari-sama."
The woman laughed and crossed her arm under her chest, bringing her other arm up to fiddle with a strand of her brown hair. "Now maybe we can work out a compromise. How about you call me Tsuribari-nee-sama, okay?"
Naruto nodded, looking down. "Yes, Tsuribari-nee-sama."
"Good. Nice to see we're on good terms. Now, you said you're here to help me with the housework, right? How come?"
"Well... our sensei gave us our first test to make curry. Kyan said we could use the kitchen here, but I don't know how to cook. So Kyan said I could head out back and help you with the chores while he and Hinata did the cooking."
"Well, that's fine with me. You sure you know how to fold laundry?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. I live alone, after all."
"Good. Then come on over here and help out." she offered, smiling in a way that made Naruto feel strangely warm...
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"Hinata, do you know how to cook?"
Hinata gave a start as her stoic teammate spoke to her. They had just entered the kitchen, bringing in the basket of vegetables and bags of spices, and Kyan holding the recipe.
"Um... Uh... Well..."
"My cooking skills are limited. If you have any skills in cooking, now would be a good time for them to manifest."
Hinata couldn't help but wonder how a boy who's family owned a restaurant had only 'limited skill in cooking'. But the Hyuuga heiress couldn't help but squirm under her teammate's intense gaze, and so answered his question rather than asking her own.
"I can cook a little bit, I... I guess..."
"Good. You can get to work preparing the stove and other ingredients, while I shall prepare the vegetables. Okay?"
"O-... Okay."
As the two set to work, Hinata couldn't help but gaze over at her teammate as he remained completely focused on the task at hand. The silence was somewhat uncomfortable... As the Hyuuga Heiress placed a large pot on the stove as directed, she felt it might be a good time to bring up Naruto.
"Um... K-Kyan-kun?" the heiress squeaked out.
"Yes? What is it, Hyuuga?" was his direct reply.
"Um... I was thinking... Have you noticed how much Naruto is hated by the people of Konoha?"
The raven-haired boy was slow to respond, seeming to give it some thought as he continued his work. Finally, he answered.
"I seem to recall a certain animosity whenever he is around or mentioned."
"R-right, so... D-do you know... why?"
"Why what?"
Hinata swallowed hard. It was difficult talking to someone like Kyan, who had such an intense gaze and serious tone. But really, wasn't Hinata bigger than him?
"Do you know why Naruto is hated by the villagers?"
The raven-haired boy abruptly halted, as if frozen in place. He set down the knife he was using, much to Hinata's relief, and turned to look at her.
"You mean... what he could have done to earn the ill favor of the citizens of Konoha?"
Hinata nodded slowly. "Yes... I was thinking it might have been because he wrote graffiti on the Hokage monumen-"
"That is not possible."
"Um..."
"I have heard his name spoken with negative connotations long before he vandalized the Hokage monument. But he has been playing pranks long before that."
Hinata began to find her voice now that the conversation was being reciprocated with some interest from the other party. And the fact that it pertained to Naruto was definitely helping the matter.
"Th-that's what I thought. I was th-thinking that Naruto couldn't be hated this much just for a few harmless pranks. It makes me wonder what he could have done."
"It may not have been something he had done."
"What do you mean?"
Kyan stepped down from the stool he was using. This helped lower the intimidation, as Kyan was no longer standing higher than her, further putting the Hyuuga heiress at ease.
"Perhaps it was something Uzumaki's parents had done."
Realization hit Hinata. "You mean..."
"Perhaps our teammate's parents had committed a disgraceful act against the village and were executed when he was but a child. The Hokage would not punish a child for the actions of his parents, but the villagers would not be so forgiving."
Hinata felt an almost overwhelming sadness wash over her. Was Naruto really hated because of something he had not done? And was Naruto even aware that it was something his parents had done? To think of all that he had been forced to go through just for that...
"Hinata!"
The Hyuuga heiress was snapped out of her thoughts by her raven-haired teammate's call.
"We should get back to work. The curry must be prepared."
"R-right."
As the two went back to work, Hinata felt like the ice had been broken, and managed to work up the courage to ask Kyan some personal questions. She knew so little about him...
"So, um... Kyan-kun. What is your family like? Have I met all of them?"
Kyan remained silent for so long that Hinata began to fear he had ignored her.
"No. My mother is out back, doing laundry. She is a stay-at-home mother who manages the family restaurant. My two sisters also help manage the restaurant. Sakanaya and Toto-chan alternate between cooking with mother and waiting tables."
"A-And what about your father?"
Hinata was surprised she had been able to pursue the topic. It seemed Naruto was a good icebreaker for talking to Kyan-kun.
"My father is a shinobi of Konohagakure. He is currently a member of ANBU."
"I-I see. A-And you're following in your father's footsteps, like father like son. Um... Wh-Why isn't your older sister a shinobi, too?"
Another long pause. "In the Sushiaki family, only men can be shinobi. It is a tradition that has been upheld for generations. My father and his fathers before him felt that women were not fit to be shinobi."
Hinata's jaw dropped. There was a hint of... underlying hatred in his words. Hinata could not read people as well as the other members of her family, but the raven-haired boy's brow shifted slightly and his voice got a little more intense, all hinting toward some hatred he was suppressing.
"And... And do you share these feelings with your father?"
Hinata wasn't sure what compelled her to say that, but before she could stop herself, she had said it.
Kyan didn't answer, merely lowering his head so his hair veiled his eyes with shadow, his fist trembling slightly from what appeared to be repressed rage. But then his hands uncurled their fingers and he looked up at Hinata with his usual serious gaze. "The curry is almost ready."
Hinata stared blankly for a moment, but then jumped to attention and grabbed a ladle to stir the curry with.
XXXXXXXXXX
"My, your little Shadow Clone Jutsu sure is handy for housework."
"It's nothing really, Tsuribari-nee-sama."
Naruto had summoned several Shadow Clones to help out. One was beating out the dust from a rug, one was tending to the flowers, and one was helping hang up the laundry with the original Naruto.
"But didn't you mention that you couldn't use Jutsu during this test?"
Naruto just smiled. "Don't worry. Our sensei only mentioned that we couldn't use Jutsu to help make the curry. I'm not using Jutsu to help make the curry. I'm using it to help you with the housework."
The woman laughed heartily. "My, what a resourceful boy. And so helpful. To think, my husband calls you a little monster."
Naruto's face fell, dropping the towel he was holding. All of the Naruto clones stopped to stare. The motherly woman had her hand to her mouth in mild surprise, but knelt down to Naruto's level.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean to bring it up like that. My husband is a shinobi, and he lost a lot of his fellow shinobi during Shiranui and Orochi's attacks. Particularly, he lost his best friend. So he blames you for that because he doesn't want to blame himself for not being able to save him." The motherly woman smiled warmly as she put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. The blond ninja didn't flinch, which surprised him. "But don't worry. I don't care if you have that demon inside you. It's not your fault that you have it, and you're actually protecting us by keeping it at bay. And I made sure not to pass on that hatred to my children."
Naruto looked up to gaze up at the motherly woman's face, feeling a deep sense of warmth in his chest... Was this what it was like? To have... to have a...
Kyan's younger sister Toto popped into the backyard, interrupting them. "Naruto-oji-tan! Onii-tan is done with the curry!" she called.
Naruto looked away from Toto and back to Kyan's mother. She merely smiled and said "You better hurry if you want to complete your sensei's test." she told him, winking.
Naruto smiled broadly. He turned around and ordered his clones to finish up with their tasks and disperse afterwards. That order complete, he ran back into the restaurant and waved goodbye to Kyan's mother. The motherly woman waved back, smiling warmly.
XXXXXXXXXX
As the group made their way back to Training Ground Eleven with the large pot of curry, they found their sensei to not be there. Hinata found Naruto to be looking about wildly, and was so focused that he gave a start when Kyan spoke.
"Hinata, look around with your Byakugan. Our sensei may be attempting to surprise us again."
Hinata nodded. "R-right." She hurriedly activated her Kekkei Genkai, peering around the area for any signs of their sensei.
"I don't see our sensei anywhere, Kyan-kun." Hinata informed him after returning her eyes to normal.
"But I smell dango."
Hinata turned to stare at Naruto, finding Kyan to be staring as well. There was an uncomfortable silence before Naruto spoke again.
"What? You guys don't smell dango?"
"No, I don't smell dango." Kyan answered with an irritated tone.
"Um... N-Naruto-kun, where do you smell dango?" Hinata asked.
"Um…" The blonde ninja raised his nose and sniffed the air. It was a few moments before he stopped. "Right above us."
"Damn. Ya got me!"
Out from the tree above them dropped their sensei, startling Hinata. "That's a good nose ya have on you, maggot." The purple-haired kunoichi concluded.
Anko raised an eyebrow as her loudest genin blushed and looked downward, rubbing the back of his head. What was up with that? All she did was compliment his sense of smell. It was like he'd never been praised before.
"Okay, so did you little maggots make the curry? It's already nearing the end of the day, so you better've."
"Yes. We made a whole pot of curry for you." Kyan replied dryly. He gave a nod to Naruto. "Uzumaki."
Naruto nodded and pulled the pot of curry off his back and set it on the ground.
"Great! Let's head on over to the gravel spot and dig in."
As the three genin were led over to the gravel spot with the stump, low boulder, and wooden post, they were surprised to find four bowls and four spoons laid out. Their sensei sat right down on the boulder, looking to her genins expectantly.
"Well, what're ya waitin' for? Pass me a bowl."
The three looked to each other and shrugged. Naruto sat the pot next to the stump, while Kyan prepared the bowls. Naruto used the ladle and poured some curry into each bowl that Kyan held, who handed them to Hinata to set out. They each had a bowl of curry now, and sat down to eat. Naruto and Kyan sat on the stump, while Anko and Hinata sat on the boulder.
Hinata couldn't help but stare as their sensei wildly dug into the bowl of curry.
"Hey, this is really good!"
"But Anko-sensei, I thought you hated spicy foods." Hinata pointed out.
"There's an exception to every rule, and curry is my exception! Yours is even better than when my team made curry for our sensei!" Anko exclaimed with a mouthful of curry.
"Wait, your team made curry for your sensei for their first test?" Naruto inquired.
Anko swallowed before speaking. "That's right. It's a tradition. My team and I made curry for our sensei, our sensei made curry for his sensei, our sensei's sensei made curry for her sensei, and so on. Gotta uphold tradition. But your curry is definitely better than the curry my team and I made! Who made it?"
Naruto spoke up. "Well, Kyan and Hinata did the cooking."
Anko noted that Hinata looked like she wanted to interject, but looked like something was holding her back. Kyan spoke up, instead.
"Actually, Uzumaki supplied the vegetables and spices, which he had grown himself. I supplied the kitchen and seafood at my family's restaurant. Hyuuga did most of the cooking, and she added several extra touches and techniques that likely helped bring out the taste."
Ah, that was it. Anko had thought Kyan's family name sounded familiar, but couldn't think of a ninja clan with that name. Turned out the Sushiaki family owned a seafood restaurant. She remembered going there once or twice.
At Kyan's statements of their participation and talents, Hinata blushed a deep shade of crimson. Naruto looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of his head.
"That's how it should be done. You have to work together as a team to pass the Curry Test. When my team and I did this, we had so many arguments that we barely got the curry done by the end of the day."
"Um... S-so what are we doing now?" Hinata asked in her usual timid manner.
"Once we finish our curry, you'll be sparring with me so I can assess your abilities."
Hinata swallowed hard. Naruto's face brightened. Kyan peacefully chewed a spoonful of curry.
XXXXXXXXXX
Anko was quite satisfied with the results of the sparring test. Kyan proved to be very adept at combat. She had trouble getting ahold of him, he kept dodging so fluidly. And he kept pulling off weak punches and kicks that, while not packing much strength, definitely proved worthy in quantity. He also kept pulling out reversals to slide around behind her. He was probably the best at basic combat out of the three, but he lacked strength, and he got tired soon afterward. Anko made a note to work on strength and stamina with him.
Hinata proved to be... okay, she guessed. Her Gentle Fist proved annoying when she began attacking her insides. It didn't hurt, far from it. Hinata was holding back immensely, and was only firing a little bit of chakra with each strike. It was only enough to make her muscles tickle a little, but it was still annoying. Hinata lacked speed and stamina, but she definitely had more physical strength than Kyan. Anko made a note to work on her speed and stamina. As well as her reserved nature. "Gentle Fist" didn't have to be literal...
Naruto proved... Well, the most surprising. He seemed very adept at using the terrain to his environment. He kept ducking into the nearby bushes. And what stamina! Iruka was right when he said that Naruto could keep an entire army fighting for days with all the stamina he has! Anko thought he'd never get tired!
But he wasted too much energy in his attacks and had very little control over them. He was only moderately fast, and moderately strong. His blows weren't accurate enough to be put to good use. But he came at her relentlessly, which definitely was taxing in a prolonged fight. But what surprised the purple-haired kunoichi were the parts of the fight where Naruto would run around on all-fours. At times, his movements resembled that of a wolf... But what really surprised Anko was when Naruto used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to create a team of six clones. Hinata gasped, and even Kyan went wide-eyed. The blonde ninja's teammates hadn't known Naruto could use the Shadow Clone Jutsu, and even though Anko had heard that Naruto could use it, it was still quite a sight to actually see a Genin pull out a Jounin-level Jutsu. Anko was actually having trouble dealing with all the Naruto clones at once, and when she finally dispersed all of them, Naruto was nowhere to be found. Then she heard a rustle in the branches above her, and moved out of the way just in time to avoid Naruto jumping down on her.
The battles done, Anko gathered them each onto the grass near the gravel spot to inform them of their progress. She found that Kyan and Hinata were still slightly out of breath, but Naruto barely looked like he had been active at all, and he had been the last one to fight! After waiting for them to cool down for a while, Anko began.
"Okay, maggots. Hinata, we need to work on your speed and stamina. Kyan, we need to work on your strength and stamina. Naruto, we need to work on your control and accuracy."
Anko waited a few moments to let that sink in. She began pacing back and forth.
"What I really wish is that I could give you guys the training you need with certain fields of ninja arts that, frankly, I'm just not specialized enough in."
Naruto raised his hand. "Yes, Naruto?"
"What is your specialty, Sensei?"
"Simple. Survival and assassinations. You send me out into the wild and I can survive for years. Send me out to kill some sorry bastard, I can get it done silently and discreetly."
She grinned as two of her Genin stared in awe. But Naruto soon spoke.
"But if you're not specialized in certain fields, why don't you get someone who is?"
"Because that's-" Anko paused... "Actually not a bad idea. Okay, maggots. You're dismissed."
As the three got up and began walking away, Anko couldn't help but noticed that a few flowers had budded from the spot where Naruto sat...
XXXXXXXXXX
Omake
"Very good! All three of you are a bunch of little maggots with no redeeming qualities! Congrats!"
Anko smirked as Hinata gazed downward sadly and Kyan gave her an intense glare. Luckily the glare missed and a boulder exploded a few yards behind the purple-haired kunoichi.