Disclaimer: Read Chapter one, not doing this for money, all things pertaining to the Naruto universe is owned by its creator, which isn't me.
Naruto woke early the next morning, feeling nervous but confident about Kakashi-sensei's test. After leaving Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi, Naruto had returned to the Namikaze compound to continue looking over his father's notes. He was surprised to learn that Minato had been Kakashi's sensei and that the test that Minato put his team through was designed to distract and divide the team by saying that they had to get two bells from Minato.
'I wonder if Kakashi-sensei's test is the same one that Tou-san used,' Naruto thought. 'It certainly fits. And if this is the test, Dad said that the purpose of the test is to see how well the team worked together.'
Naruto left the compound just as the sun was rising over the tops of the trees surrounding the house. He was wearing the same type of clothes as yesterday, dark blue pants and sandals, with a dark green shirt over a black undershirt. He made his way through the village, placing a basic Henge on himself to hide his features, his blonde hair now a sandy brown and his ocean blue eyes darkened almost to navy. His distinctive whisker marks were covered.
Naruto had learned early on that no one would sell anything to the 'demon' child or if they did, it was at a horribly inflated price. So Naruto began using a Henge to fool the shopkeepers. On the way to the training ground, Naruto bought a couple of apples and other fruits. He knew that Kakashi had said not to eat breakfast but Naruto also knew that he wouldn't have a chance against the jonin if he were not at 100%.
"Naruto-baka, Kakashi-sensei said that we weren't supposed to eat breakfast," Sakura scolded when he arrived.
"And you believed him," Naruto said sharply. "Seriously Sakura-chan, you're a ninja, Kakashi-sensei is obviously trying to trick us into being at our worst, and besides from what I've heard, sensei has an annoying habit of showing up late."
"How would know that?" Sasuke demanded.
"I hear things around the village when I do my pranks," Naruto said evasively. Sasuke narrowed his eyes but nodded. Naruto pulled out two apples and passed them to Sakura and Sasuke. "We need to be at full strength for whatever Kakashi-sensei has planned for us."
Both Sakura and Sasuke were stunned that Naruto had given them food, let alone food that wasn't ramen.
"Of course if you two aren't hungry and don't want them, I'll take them back," Naruto said. Just then Sasuke and Sakura's stomachs growled and they shook their heads quickly. Naruto bit back a chuckle as his two teammates devoured the fruit.
"Thank you Naruto," Sakura said softly. Sasuke grunted which Naruto took as thanks as well.
"You're welcome Sakura-chan, Sasuke," he said.
There was a loud pop and a poof of smoke behind Naruto. "What's going on here?" Kakashi said sharply. "I told you that you couldn't eat breakfast."
"No sensei, you said that we shouldn't," Naruto said. "And besides, I'm sure that if the test is as hard as you say, we'll need to be at full strength."
"Well then, I guess if you three are at full strength, then I don't have to so easy," Kakashi said with a hidden smile. Sakura gulped, while Naruto and Sasuke looked excited. "All right then, you have until noon to get these two bells from me. You have to come at me with the intent to kill or you won't have a chance. And if you don't get a bell, you'll be tied up to one of those stumps and have to watch the others eat lunch."
"But sensei, there's only two bells," Sakura said. "That means one of us will get tied up."
"I suppose it does," Kakashi said nonchalantly. "So let's begin."
Sasuke and Sakura vanished into the woods. "You know that you're supposed to go and hide," Kakashi said, looking at Naruto who hadn't moved.
"Yeah well, I'm sure that you know where the others are," Naruto said. "And besides, I want to see how good you are."
"What is that dobe doing?" Sasuke snorted from his hiding spot.
"Whose a dobe?" a voice behind Sasuke whispered. Sasuke whirled around, his hand darting for a kunai. "Easy there Sasuke, it's just me."
"Naruto, what the HELL!"
Naruto smirked. "Come on Sasuke, we better find Sakura-chan. We have to work together if we want to beat Kakashi-sensei."
Sasuke snorted. "I don't need your help."
"Really Sasuke, you didn't even realize I was behind you, so how can you think that you can beat a jonin," Naruto said.
"How are you here? You were facing off against Kakashi," Sasuke snapped.
"You haven't heard of the Bunshin no Jutsu," the blonde smirked.
"You can't make clones, the ones you tried at the exam were pathetic."
"True, but the 'me' out there isn't a normal clone, it's a Shadow Clone."
"Shadow Clone!"
"Yes, now come on, we need to find Sakura-chan," Naruto said, turning away from Sasuke. The raven-haired boy scowled but followed.
'So Naruto used a Shadow Clone to delay me,' Kakashi thought as he toyed with the clone. 'The boy is cleverer than I thought and to be able to use the Shadow Clones this well and to make them so durable.'
Naruto and Sasuke burst through the woods. "There you are Sakura-chan," Naruto cried as they came upon the young girl.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura cried, rushing toward the raven-haired boy. Naruto's eyes flashed with hurt as the pink-haired girl threw her arms around Sasuke. "What are you doing here Naruto?"
"We need to work together if we want to have a chance," the blonde said. He suddenly stiffened. "Kakashi-sensei just finished toying with my Shadow Clone, and I have a feeling that he's on his way here."
"Shadow Clones, what's he talking about Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked.
"It seems that Naruto has been hiding some things from us," Sasuke said.
"We're ninja, keeping secrets and deception is in the job description," Naruto said. "Now we need to work together, we need to ambush Kakashi-sensei. I can use my clones to cause a distraction; Sasuke, you and Sakura-chan try and get the bells. I'll cover you."
Sasuke and Sakura both nodded.
"Good, now go hide and when you hear my shout, that's the signal," Naruto said crisply. The other two vanished, Naruto made a cross hand sign, and two clones appeared, another hand sign and the two clones took on the appearance of Sakura and Sasuke. "You know what to do."
"Sasuke-kun, do you really think that Naruto really can do the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu? I mean, at the graduation exam, he couldn't even make a decent clone," Sakura said.
"Yes, I seriously doubt that he can do much of anything but I'm not going back to the Academy," Sasuke growled. "And hopefully, he'll keep Kakashi unaware of us so we can get those bells."
"Right, I'm always with you Sasuke-kun," Sakura said.
"Took you long enough to beat my clone Kakashi-sensei," Naruto called out as the jonin appeared in the clearing.
"I have to say that I'm somewhat impressed that you can perform the Shadow Clone jutsu, but I'm not as weak as Mizuki," Kakashi said.
"True," Naruto conceded. "But let's see how you do against the original."
Naruto dashed forward, drawing a kunai from his holster and he threw it at Kakashi. The jonin lazily dodged it, but Naruto was upon him. The blonde threw a right cross at the silver-haired jonin, who easily blocked it. Naruto used the momentum to put spinning kick that Kakashi was able to block.
"Now Sakura-chan, Sasuke," Naruto cried. The other two genin burst out of the woods and sped toward Kakashi, coming from opposite sides. Kakashi made to break away but Naruto grabbed the jonin's arm. "Oh no you don't Kakashi-sensei."
Sasuke and Sakura dove toward the jonin. Poof. Kakashi vanished as Sasuke's fingers brushed against the bells attached to Kakashi's belt, Sasuke slammed into a tree trunk.
"Substitution," Naruto cried. Sakura and Sasuke burst into smoke, returning to Naruto.
'He Henged two clones into his teammates and used them quite effectively,' Kakashi mused. "Now where are the other two?"
"Right behind you," a smug voice said behind Kakashi. The jonin leapt away as Sasuke came barreling out of the leaves. Sasuke's flew through a series of hand signs. "Gokakyu no Jutsu!"
"No genin should be able to perform that jutsu," Kakashi said, his one visible eye widening.
A giant fireball sped toward Kakashi, who vanished just before impact.
"Where'd he go?"
"Down here," a voice said from below Sasuke. A gloved hand burst from the ground and grabbed Sasuke's leg. "Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu."
Sasuke was dragged underground until only his head was sticking out like a weed.
"Too bad Sasuke-chan," Kakashi said with an eye smile. The Uchiha heir snarled at the jonin and tried to wiggle himself free. Suddenly Sasuke's head vanished in a cloud of smoke, being replaced by a log.
"Kawarimi!" Kakashi exclaimed.
"Damn it Sasuke, where were you and Sakura-chan earlier," Naruto's voice came from the trees. "We would have had those bells if you had done your part."
"Shut it dobe, I don't need your help," Sasuke's voice followed.
"Right, just like you didn't need me to rescue you just now, would you have rather me leave you looking like a weed with a duck's butt haircut. And where's Sakura-chan, she was supposed to help you."
"I don't know. I left her in the dust a while ago," Sasuke said.
"Teme, what's the point of working together if you ditch your teammates."
"I don't need help, I'm an Uchiha, we're the best," Sasuke stated arrogantly.
"Right, and that's why it only took one person to wipe you guys out," Naruto drawled.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Sasuke roared. He was about to launch himself at Naruto when there was an explosion of smoke. When it cleared, Naruto found himself alone, and then he heard two shouts coming from the posts where the Team 7 had started. With a sigh, Naruto bounded off toward the screams.
When he came flying out of the forest, he saw a sight that nearly sent him to the ground laughing. Sasuke and Sakura were tied up to two of the stumps; Kakashi was standing nearby, his face hidden behind an orange book.
"Ah Naruto, nice of you to join us," Kakashi said without looking up.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked.
"Well, your teammates haven't truly grasped the concept of the test, hence them being tied up."
"Why isn't the dobe tide up, he didn't get a bell either," Sasuke snarled.
"That's true but Naruto did manage to understand the purpose of the test," Kakashi said, glaring at the Uchiha heir.
"And what was the purpose of the test sensei?" Sakura asked. Naruto face palmed, how could someone so smart be so stupid.
"Care to explain Naruto?" Kakashi said.
"The purpose of the test was teamwork, like I said earlier," the blonde genin said. "I told you that none of us had a chance against Kakashi-sensei individually but if we worked together, we have had one."
"He's right. In fact Naruto, your use of the Shadow Clone jutsu was very well planned out, as well as using Henge to make them look like Sasuke and Sakura."
"Thanks sensei. That was the idea, for you too think that we were all attacking at once, while the actual Sasuke and Sakura were supposed to surprise you and be able to get the bells."
"A well thought out plan," Kakashi said. "Now since Naruto was able to understand the test and at least attempt to get you two to go along, I've decided to give you one more chance but if you fail, you are all going back to the Academy. And because Sasuke and Sakura didn't trust Naruto, they won't be able to have lunch."
Kakashi vanished without another word, leaving Naruto standing in front of the bound Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto looked around before pulling out a kunai from his holster.
"What are you doing Naruto?" Sakura asked, eyeing the kunai warily.
"What does it look like I'm doing, I'm cutting you two loose," Naruto said.
"But Kakashi-sensei said not too," Sakura said.
"No, he said you two couldn't have lunch," Naruto countered. "But that's besides the point, we all need to eat and get back out strength if we want to have a chance. With a quick flick of his wrist, the blonde cut the bonds. The ropes fell to the ground, Sasuke and Sakura stood, rubbing their arms.
"But…" Sakura began.
"Sakura-chan, I know what sensei said, but like I said, we need to be at full strength. Being a ninja means that you do what you have too to survive," Naruto said. "And besides, I can't let you two hold me back," he added with a smirk, handing the two bentos to Sasuke and Sakura.
"What about you Naruto?" Sakura asked, looking at the box in her hands. Sasuke had dove right into the bento without sparing a glance at Naruto.
"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I've still got some leftovers from breakfast, though if you wouldn't mind being separated from one of those rice balls?" Naruto asked, using the Puppy Dog Eye Jutsu. Sakura's eye twitched but she handed over the rice ball.
"Thanks Sakura-chan."
The pink-haired genin rolled her eyes before digging into her own lunch.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" boomed Kakashi as he reappeared behind the three genin, lighting and thunder flashing in the background. "I thought I told you two that you wouldn't be getting any lunch."
"You did, but I gave them mine to make sure that they were at 100%," Naruto said. "We're stronger together than we are alone."
Sasuke and Sakura looked at Naruto like he had grown a second head. 'He's taking the fall for us,' they both thought.
"You guys," Kakashi growled, "pass," he finished with an eye smile.
"What?" Sasuke and Sakura cried, as Naruto heaved a sigh of relief.
"You three are the first ones to disobey me about eating lunch, as well as impressing me," Kakashi said. "Though Pinkie here needs to decide whether or not if she wants to be a ninja."
"What! Of course, I want to be a ninja," Sakura cried.
"Yeah well you are pathetic," Kakashi said. "All you did was run after emo-boy there, you didn't attempt to help your other teammate when he asked. In fact you both abandoned your comrade," he finished sternly. Sakura had the grace to look ashamed.
"Now listen well, you three have been taught the shinobi rules at the Academy. Well those who don't follow the rules are scum…but those who abandon their comrades and friends are worse than scum."
Naruto nodded, Sakura went red again while Sasuke glared at Kakashi with an expression of 'you're calling me scum.'
"Now you have the rest of the day off, we'll meet at the bridge at 8am tomorrow morning for some morning in-depth training, then in two days we'll start missions. Bye," Kakashi said before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
Naruto fell to the ground and heaved another sigh of relief. "That went well," he said looking at his two teammates.
"Whatever dobe," Sasuke snorted. "I would have gotten a bell by myself. I didn't need your help."
"Just like you didn't need my help getting out of Kakashi-sensei's Doton jutsu," Naruto said. "Look, you are a talented ninja but a solo ninja is much weaker than a team of ninja. You want to get strong, work for it. Strength isn't something that's handed out lightly, it must be earned."
Sasuke glared at Naruto, who looked calmly back at the Uchiha heir.
"Naruto, you said that you could perform the Kage Bunshin, how is that possible, you could barely make a regular clone at the Academy," Sakura said.
"Well, it didn't help that my instructors were sabotaged me," Naruto muttered. "I can't tell you more than that I trained my ass off and finally got good enough."
"But we graduated three days ago, you couldn't have improved that much," Sasuke scoffed. "There's no way a dobe like you can perform such a high-level technique."
Naruto's eyes narrowed, and stood up. He made a cross hand sign in front of his chest and cried, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Ten separate Narutos appeared, surrounding the stunned Sasuke and Sakura.
"This proof enough for you," the Narutos said in tandem. The other two-genin fell to their butts as the clones dispelled. "Now do you believe me?" Naruto asked sarcastically. "Look I'm going to get something to eat before heading home, would you two like to come along?"
Sasuke huffed and turned away.
"Sakura-chan, this isn't a date," Naruto said. "I'm asking my teammate if she'd like to get some food and get to know each other better we'll be working together."
Sakura bit her lip. She didn't know whether to accept or not. Ever since she had started the Academy, Naruto had been asking her out almost daily, but she had always shot him down.
'Sasuke-kun is the only one I love,' she thought. 'This could be just another stunt.'
'Maybe but Naruto's changed since the exam and he's pretty cute without the orange,' Inner Sakura chided.
'WHAT!' Sakura cried. 'Since when do I think Naruto is cute?'
'Well since now,' Inner Sakura chided.
"Sakura-chan, are you all right?" Naruto's voice cut through Sakura's musing. "You kind of spaced out there."
"Stop that Naruto," Sakura snapped, grabbing Naruto's hand, which had been waving in front of her face.
"Sorry Sakura-chan, so do you want to get something to eat?"
"I guess…but this isn't a date and you have to answer some of my questions. Oh and don't tell me its ramen."
Naruto's face fell. "Well, where would you like to go?" he asked, trying to cover up his feeling of dread.
Sakura blinked, this wasn't the overly confident and brash Naruto that she knew from the Academy or this new, calm, collected Naruto that she had met today. There was something in Naruto's eyes that she had never seen before: fear.
"Naruto, are you all right?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Naruto said, with a broad smile. But Sakura noticed that the smile was forced, it didn't light up his eyes. 'His bright blue eyes,' she thought.
"There's a new place that just opened up, we could go there," Sakura said, ignoring her inner comment about Naruto's eyes.
"Ok," Naruto said brightly. "Lead the way."
Sakura watched Naruto as they made their way to the restaurant, barely listening to Naruto ramble on about something. As they walked down the street, she noticed that most of the people they passed either avoided them or shot Naruto hate-filled glares. There were whispers of 'demon', 'devil-child' and 'murderer.' Sakura was sure that Naruto heard these as well but he just ignored it, though she noticed Naruto's eyes seemed to tighten.
"Here we are Naruto," Sakura said as they reached the restaurant. It was a small teashop. "Come on," she told Naruto.
Naruto followed Sakura into the shop, with a healthy bit of trepidation. Sakura found a couple of seats, while Naruto slinked in behind her and sat down, keeping his head down.
"What's wrong Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing Sakura-chan, just feel a bit out of my element," Naruto said.
"What do you mean?"
"I usually don't go to this type of store," Naruto said.
"Why not?"
Naruto took a deep breath before saying, "Sakura-chan, I'm sure you noticed the looks that I was getting from the villagers while we walked over here." She nodded. "Well, let's just say I only eat ramen because that's all I can get."
"What do you mean?"
"Hi there, what can I get for…you today?" a waitress asked, though she trailed off when she spotted Naruto, who looked down.
"Can I get some green tea and pocky?" Sakura asked.
"Of course," the waitress said. She turned to leave.
"Wait, you didn't get Naruto's order," Sakura said. Naruto grimaced.
"It's ok Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly.
"We don't serve 'him' here," the waitress snarled.
Sakura was taken aback. "What do you mean? Naruto is a ninja of the village, why won't you serve him?"
"Sakura-chan, its ok," Naruto whispered. "I'm not really hungry, it's fine. I'll just go and I'll see you tomorrow."
Naruto rose from the table, pulled out his wallet, which was a green frog, placed a couple of ryo on the table and walked out.
Sakura watched her blonde haired teammate walk out of the shop, before turning back to the waitress, who had a smug smile on her face.
"What was that about?" she cried. "Why wouldn't you serve him? Sure Naruto is annoying, and a bit of an idiot but that's no reason to treat him like that."
"You don't know what you're talking about," the waitress sneered. "That boy is a demon, he is the bane of the village and should have been killed when he was born. We will never serve his kind her, now either sit down and shut up, or get out."
Sakura glared at the waitress, stood up, grabbed the money that Naruto had left and stormed off.
"Yeah, go run after him, you demon whore," someone yelled after her. Sakura froze in the doorway and looked over her shoulder. The shop went silent, as the room was flooded with Sakura's killing intent. Most of the people in the shop were civilians, so there were quite a few shivers and people falling to their knees. Sakura spun off and vanished, looking in vain for her blonde-haired teammate. Naruto had vanished.