For the Sake of One
Chapter 1: Unforeseen Action
Disclaimer: If you think I own Naruto, I have a mansion in Beverly Hills I would love to sell to you.
It was a typical sunny day in Konohagakure no Sato. Well, typical for most. For the recently graduated Genin, it was Test Day. That's right. Apparently, there was a second test that none of the students were aware of. So, today, they were each at the mercy of their Jōnin sensei. Currently, one team of Genin was hiding inconspicuously amongst a cluster of trees that made up the barrier surrounding the Third Training Ground.
The first, and easily the tallest, of the three young hopefuls was a young man with a pale complexion. Not much could be seen of the young man, as he wore a pair of round, black sunglasses to cover his brown eyes and a sea-green coat with a high collar to obscure the rest of his features. Completing the youth's ensemble was a pair of brown shinobi slacks with a kunai pouch tied around his right leg, a pair of black shinobi sandals, and a hitai-ate, or forehead protector, with a blue cloth tied around his bushy brown hair. His name was Shino Aburame. He was the heir to the Aburame clan, a clan specializing in the Hiden techniques of using kikaichū, or destruction bugs.
The only other male in the group was easily recognized as an Inuzuka. He had a bushel of messy brown hair, thin eyes with vertical canine-like slits, claw-like nails, and sharp canine teeth. The red triangular tattoos resting on his cheeks were a dead giveaway of his lineage. His uniform consisted of a set of grayish-brown pants, a grey parka-style coat with black fur, and a hitai-ate with a blue cloth. His name was Kiba. Perched on top of his head was a small white dog with brown ears named Akamaru. Kiba was the son of the Inuzuka matriarch, Tsume Inuzuka, with a specialty in Collaboration Jutsu with his canine companion.
Rounding out the three Genin was a shy young girl with pale lavender eyes. Her hair was a midnight blue, with a pair of bangs framing her face. Her fair skin tone seemed to simply add to her appearance. Her uniform was a combination of a beige hoodie with the fiery symbol of the Hyūga clan on the upper right and left sleeves, a black undershirt with light chain-mail reinforcement, blue shinobi sandals, and navy blue pants. Her hitai-ate, like her comrades, was blue. However unlike the rest, she wore hers around her neck. She was Hinata Hyūga, current heiress to the Hyūga clan. Like the rest of her clansmen, she possessed the Byakugan, the dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai the clan is infamous for. With it, she not only had a near 360˚ field of vision, she can also see the chakra pathways that would be invisible to anyone else. This enhanced sight allows the members of the Hyūga clan to utilize Jūken, or the Gentle Fist, style of taijutsu. The style allows the user to hit tenketsu, or chakra points, throughout the body, and effectively prevents a person from using chakra and, in some cases, can cause organ failure and loss of mobility.
Supervising the three Genin was their Jōnin instructor, Kurenai Yūhi. Kurenai was a relatively new Jōnin, having only recently been promoted. Her uniform, unlike the vast majority of her colleagues, was made up of what appeared to be black and white strips of cloth, with wraps covering some of her body, including her arms. Kurenai wore a hitai-ate with a black cloth. Her eyes were a piercing red with a black ring around the pupil. Even her long hair, a messy black, seemed to scream for attention. Despite this, she was a calm and collective individual. Her specialty was in genjutsu.
The four-man cell was currently hiding as part of their test. As a tracking team, part of their abilities would stem from being able to gather information about a target without being spotted. Not every tracked target could simply be captured as soon as it was tracked down, after all. So, Kurenai gave Team 8 this test: Spy on a team and gather as much information about them as possible. The goal was to be able to gather the information without being caught, similar to how you would need to fallow a target without it catching on and running away. It was her team's choice to try and gather reconnaissance on the team currently occupying Training Grounds Three.
The team in question was in the middle of its own training session. The man that was obviously giving the test to the newly minted Genin team was a man with white hair that seemed to defy the known laws of gravity. It seemed that the Genin didn't recognize their teacher. But, to anyone else, they would recognize the unusual man as the Copy-Cat Nin, Kakashi Hatake.
Kakashi almost always wore his uniform, which was the standard issue of most Jōnin in the village, as well as metal-plated gloves and a mask that covers his face from the eye-level down. His black hitai-ate covered his left eye, sometimes earning him the nickname of "Cyclops." Right now, he was in the middle of yet another test to Genin hopefuls. The three in front of him, however, were not living up to the expectations that he hoped for in the beginning.
First was the "last" of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke was somewhat dressed like a ninja, with black sandals, a blue shirt with a high collar and the Uchiha fan on the back, a blue hitai-ate and tan shorts. In a way, Sasuke was becoming a greater disappointment than what most of the village would have thought. Granted, he showed a wide display of advanced tactics and an impressive display of jutsu. He even managed to get closer to actually getting a bell than his teammates, the key word being "he." Not once did Sasuke ever ask for his teammate's help. Kakashi had at least hoped that the "rookie of the year" would have the brains to figure out the point of the test. Apparently, his overinflated ego was getting the better of him. In a way, Sasuke reminded Kakashi of him when Kakashi was his age. Hopefully, Kakashi could work that out of Sasuke. That is, if he managed to actually pass the test.
Then there was the "dead last," Naruto Uzumaki. In almost every sense of the word, Naruto was the antithesis of being a ninja. His choice of shinobi apparel, which consisted of an orange jumpsuit with a white collar and blue patches on his shoulders, a pair of orange pants, blue sandals, and a blue hitai-ate, was screaming for attention. He was loud, obnoxious, and charged straight into situations without much thought, if any at all. Not to mention, most of his drive seemed to be centered either on becoming Hokage, getting attention, or trying to win the affections of his pink-haired crush. However, Kakashi knew, at least in part, why Naruto acted the way he did. Being the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox meant that Naruto wasn't treated as fairly as many members of the village. He was shunned by the community, probably was devoid of most of an education in the beginning, and probably had to be the way he was just so that he didn't fall into the depression that almost complete social isolation could bring. Kakashi actually had high hopes for training Naruto, if his vastly large reserves and near unlimited Shadow Clone army were anything to go by. The kid was practically a blank slate. His skills were mediocre, and his form atrocious, but with any luck, Kakashi could very easily make Naruto into whatever he wanted. It didn't hurt that Naruto looked strikingly similar to his former sensei, the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Then there was the pink-haired girl of the team, Sakura Haruno. She was an enigma to Kakashi. On the one hand, she seemed to be the typical fan girl, a woman who would do anything for her "love," Sasuke Uchiha. She wasn't terribly strong, her chakra reserves were pitiful, and she wore attire, which consisted of a red dress, skin-tight green shorts, and a blue hitai-ate, that was not as functional as he would have hoped. She just seemed to be showing a demonstration of what she learned at the academy, instead of trying to improve upon it. On the other hand, she had a spark in her eye that unsettled Kakashi slightly. She seemed hardened on the task at hand part of the time, almost like a woman on a mission. He couldn't fathom what was going on. How could she have the mindset of a seasoned veteran one moment, and be a giddy fan girl who feints at the sight of her crush's head the next?
Luckily, Kakashi didn't have to wait long for answers. The timer signaling the end of the test sounded, signifying that no one had passed since the bells were still attached to his waist. After recalling his team, he tied Naruto to one of the training posts and decided to put Sasuke in a choke-hold.
'What a disappointment. The last of the Uchiha trying to do everything by himself, a Hokage wannabe running around like a chicken with his head cut off, and a fan girl that seems to be suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder that will only do what is best for the Uchiha. Well, I suppose it's time to see if I can salvage this team,' Thought Kakashi.
"All three of you disappoint me greatly. Not only did none of you pass the test, you didn't even attempt to get the real meaning of the test."
"What! What are you talking about, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto yelled from his place on the stump.
"SHUT UP, YOU BAKA!" screeched Sakura as she slammed her fist into the side of his head. "YEAH, YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT ANY EASIER TO LISTEN TO KAKASHI-SENSEI!" her inner voice known as Inner Sakura seemed to agree.
From his position, all Sasuke could manage was "hm."
Kakashi sighed. "Simple. This wasn't about getting the bells. This was supposed to be about teamwork. Each of you was supposed to help the other get a bell, not run off to try and win things on your own."
"I get it...I think. So, we were supposed to work together to get a bell, even if it meant giving up your chance at passing, right?" Naruto asked.
"Exactly, Naruto." Kakashi answered.
"Wait, how did YOU figure that out, Naruto-no-baka?" Sakura asked, doubt practically dripping off of her words.
"Hey, just because I don't get stuff sometimes Sakura-chan, doesn't mean I am as dumb as Kiba or something…"
In Team 8's hiding place, Shino was trying his best to keep Kiba restrained.
"Let me at him! Let me at him!" Kiba roared.
"Kiba-san, we cannot give away our position. Why, do you ask? Because we will fail if we do."
"K-kiba-kun, p-please stay qu-qu-quiet." Hinata managed to stutter.
"Alright, but if that dumb-ass says one more thing about how dumb I am, test or not, I'm kicking his ass!"
Back with Team 7, Kakashi went into a further explanation of the Bell Test. "The point of the exercise was to see if you would be willing to work together in order to achieve a goal and to see if you would place the needs of your comrades over your own interests." Kakashi then pulled out a kunai and tossed it to Sakura while he pulled another kunai out and held it at Sasuke's neck. "For instance, Sakura, kill Naruto or Sasuke dies…"
Now, if circumstances were different, Sakura would have questioned Kakashi's orders. Killing a comrade was considered to be a capital offense in Konoha, and Kakashi was telling her to commit a capital offense. However, she had a mission to accomplish. Naruto was a threat that needed to be eliminated, and the reward for doing this was too great to pass up. So, with a speed no one was expecting, Sakura took the kunai, and stabbed Naruto…straight through the neck.
The world seemed to freeze and the sounds of the outside world seemed to mute themselves. All eyes were on Sakura and what she just did, with the only exception being Naruto, who seemed to be losing focus of the outside world. Before losing consciousness, only one thought ran through his mind. 'Why, Sakura-chan, why?'
Kakashi was stunned stupid. He had failed many teams before, but this was the first time anyone actually took his order seriously. Most would have been too flabbergasted to even consider it an option, and yet Sakura had done so without batting an eyelash, like it was normal to be asked to kill a former classmate. He couldn't have even predicted that Sakura would have gone through something like that. True, he saw that she didn't like him, but to kill him? He didn't know quite what to think.
Sasuke was astounded. If the situation didn't seem so messed up, he might have just fallen in love with the pink-haired kunoichi-in-training. He had to admit, seeing her simply follow through with orders like that was rather appealing. That being said, he wasn't sure even he would have killed a fellow comrade simply because he was ordered to. He may not have liked the dobe, but even Sasuke didn't think he deserved that. 'Man, dobe, did you pick the wrong girl to have a crush on…'
Kiba was at a loss. He may have acted like a jerk most of the time, but he was friends with Naruto. He remembered some of the pranks he pulled with Naruto, along with Shikamaru Nara and Chōji Akimichi, on their former sensei, Iruka Umino. Kiba was also aware of Naruto's crush on Sakura. So, for him to see his friend's crush attack, the irony was just a little too much. He couldn't even come up with a wise-crack to say.
Shino seemed unperturbed, but the raising of his eyebrows in surprise spoke volumes. He was never that close to the blond, mainly because his insects seemed to have a tension around whenever Naruto was in close quarters. He didn't know why, but something about him didn't agree with his insects. That being said, he could not find the logic in what Sakura just did. She was not crazed, as least as far as he could tell, and Sakura was only truly violent if Naruto did something to Sasuke. But, that was usually followed up by a loud rant by the pinkette. For her to simply attack Naruto without any remorse defied logic.
Kurenai didn't know quite what to think. She had never seen a student so unconcerned about the safety of her teammate. She had read some of the profiles of the students beforehand, so she had an idea of what the graduating class looked like. But, she didn't hear anything about a ruthless killer in the class. She may not have been an elite ninja for very long, but even she thought it was strange that Sakura did this. She turned to see how her other student, whom she thought of as a younger sister, was handling things.
Hinata was shocked, abhorred, and terrified. All she could see was the weapon going into the neck of the one person that inspired her the most. She was even starting to develop a crush on the young blond. His will to never give up, his smile, the way he would stick up for the underdog and boast about becoming Hokage, everything about him inspired the blue-haired girl. Now, he was being stabbed by not only his own teammate, but by his crush. Hinata never was really close to any of the young women her age, primarily because of her own insecurities about her skills and looks, but she never was fond of Sakura. She was the only person who had what Hinata wanted. Hinata didn't know what Naruto saw in Sakura, but whatever it was, she wanted it, if for no other reason than to simply be able to walk at Naruto's side. Now, she may not be able to do that at all. As time seemed to speed back up, she noticed that Sakura had pulled the kunai out of Naurto and was making for another strike…
"NARUTO-KUN!"
That one scream seemed to snap the rest of Team 8 out of its stupefied state and into action. Throwing away all inclinations to remain hidden, they snapped into action, rushing across the field to try and help their comrade. Kiba and Kurenai rushed towards Sasuke and Kakashi, who seemed too stunned to do anything about what was going on, and restrained them. Shino and Hinata made a race to Sakura, who before being incapacitated by Shino delivered three more wounds to Naruto: one to the right side of his chest, one to the gut, and one to the left kidney. Hinata quickly went to untie Naruto and try to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, her knowledge of first aid was limited, and she lacked the expertise to treat all of the wounds.
"K-Kurenai-sensei! He's still b-b-bleeding! We n-n-need to get him to a ho-hospital!" Hinata managed to stutter out in her panicked state.
"Kiba, knock out Sasuke and carry him. Shino, you grab Sakura. I'll grab Naruto. We need to get him medical attention immediately! Kakashi, you better go and get the Hokage. He will need to know what is going on!" Kakashi was gone in a poof of smoke, his only thoughts being that he hoped his blond student would live to see another day.
As the group ran towards the hospital, those that were still conscious all prayed to whatever god was watching over them that Naruto would live to see another day.
Note: As you may now realize, the last chapter was just an opening. I still plan on using some plot elements of thymistical's "Betrayal," for about another chapter or two, then I will be going off on my own. Hopefully, I can add some things people won't see coming.
For those who are worried, I am not bashing on Sakura. This is an AU fic and things will be explained in time. Trust me, they won't stay mysterious forever. As for Sasuke, I have yet to decide if I will make him evil or not. Perhaps this incident could change him down the right path, or he could still be driven to Orochimaru. I have yet to decide. As for Kakashi, he is a nice guy in this fic, but things won't work out for him for a while.
As you can see, there are already some key differences between my story and thymisticals. First off, I didn't make Kakashi to be an ass. Second, I gave a reason for Team 8 to be there other than to see why so many people fail Kakashi's test. Finally, as you may have guessed, I gave Sakura a little more "motivation" to do what she did.
If you have ideas on how I can improve this, feel free to send me a message. I can't say I will update this daily, but I will write what I can and update when I feel inspired. Until next time, See Ya!
Definitions:
Shinobi: Synonym for ninja
Kunoichi: Female Ninja
Hitai-ate: Forehead Protector
Baka: Idiot, fool, stupid, ect.
Dobe: Dead Last or Idiot
Konohagakure no Sato: Village Hidden in the Leaves
Sensei: Teacher
-San: Used as an everyday honorific for someone on the same level as you. Similar to the English "Mr." or "Miss."
-Chan: A term of endearment with overtones of excess cuteness, most frequently used for (and between) girls, but also applicable to pets, small boys and lovers.
-Kun: Used with boys' names to denote familiarity or endearment; also used between peers by men, or when addressing someone younger or of a lower social standing.
Genin: Junior Ninja
Jōnin: Elite Ninja
Kunai: Throwing Knife
Sebon (from last chapter): Throwing Needle
Hiden: Techniques that are not considered bloodlines, but stay within a clan. People who use these techniques must already have a genetic predisposition to the techniques. The Nara clan's Shadow techniques and the Aburame's destruction bugs are considered Hiden techniques.
Kekkei Genkai: Bloodline Limits; traits passed on through blood, like the Sharingan and Byakugan.
Dōjutsu: Techniques of the eyes, like the Byakugan.
Genjutsu: Illusion techniques
Hokage: Leader of the Hidden Leaf Village
Jinchūriki: Human Sacrifice, used to contain something. Naruto, for instance is the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi no Yōko, or the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Yondaime: Fourth
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