It's a Matter of Perspective
By
LigerJager
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto
Chapter 2: It was Overlooked, Unwanted...
Disbelieving eyes stared at one Hatake Kakashi from all corners of the Jounin Lounge. He had literally just done something that was unheard of. He had offered up one of his students to be trained for the Chūnin Exam finals. Whether it was a ninja of Hatake's caliber or just the fact he was literally ditching his genin student's training for arguably one of the biggest steps in a young nin's career had most flabbergasted at the very notion.
Not that said idea seemed to bother the Copy-Ninja. He had his nose buried in his ever-present copy of Icha Icha Paradise and his posture was as lazy and relaxed as ever.
Still that did not spare him the scrutiny his fellow jounin and esteemed colleagues focused his way. More than a few had worked with him over the years and were very familiar with his personality quirks, which made their judgment even more weighted and pointed. He could almost literally see their minds turn his request over like some rare gem, inspecting it from every angle hunting for flaws. And when they inevitably looked back at him, he knew they found him wanting. Kakashi hid even further behind book.
Amongst the gathered elite were many names of note, not the least of which was the Elite Personal Trainer for the Sandaime's grandson. Ebisu for his part was aware he was not the only one staring that the infamous Copy-Ninja agape, however he was quite sure he was the only one of the crowd that was willing to take the man up on his offer. The rather stunned silence that enveloped the room told his as much. Unfortunately, he was not the first to speak, that honor went to one Yamashiro Aoba.
"Would you care to repeat that, Hatake?" the Crow-Master's tone indicated that he couldn't seem to wrap his head around the fact that Hatake Kakashi of all people was allowing someone access to one of his students. Jounin of his caliber simply didn't do that. Konoha Jounin, especially, were notoriously possessive of their genin. The young nin were a significant way to leave a legacy of some kind on the village and if said students were elevated to a place of honor in much the same way the Sannin were, then the jounin-sensei would also retain bragging rights. To just leave even one in the hands of another where they could be molded and shaped any which way was unthinkable.
That the Copy-Nin was apparently willing to frivolously throwaway one of his genin did not speak well for him. Nor did it bode well for his team dynamics.
Kakashi as always appeared unaffected as he reiterated his request, "One of my genin needs a trainer for the Finals."
While more of a statement, it was did not take any large amount of guesswork to come to the conclusion of which student the man was referring to and more importantly why. Everyone was begrudgingly aware of how the name Uchiha had brought in quite a few contracts. They also had an inkling of who was getting the most attention as well. However, even with that understanding, the other ninja were not going to make it easy for one of their most difficult and squirrely comrades.
"Oi, why can't you teach him?" another jounin spoke up from somewhere in the lounge. The question was the most straightforward inquiry from a class of shinobi known for being anything but. That said it also put Hatake on the spot. A test with many different connotations and unasked questions.
The cycloptic jounin seemed unbothered because he didn't miss a beat, "I have other obligations I have to see to."
The unexpected statement did not go over with the other ninja very well, at all. More than a few had experienced the neglected side favoritism from their own Jounin-Sensei and took a dim view of such practices.
Ebisu quickly glanced around. He didn't want to seem too eager, after all he had made his opinion about the Jinchūriki known over the years and none his comments were favorable in the slightest. And for him to jump in too quickly would seem rather odd…and suspicious.
It also seemed a few of the more senior Jounin were actually considering the offer. In terms of seniority, they would outrank him in the Jounin hierarchy and thus have more privilege. Almost without him knowing it, Ebisu held his breath in anticipation and waited. When a few minutes passed and nothing but low muttering happened between the jounin, and before he knew it his mouth opened before his brain could stop it.
"I will train him."
All noise stopped. Dead silence permeated the room. Had he had a weaker spine Ebisu would have shrunk in under the exacting weight of the glances sent his way, a lot of them curious and all of them judging.
Hatake Kakashi had not reacted at first and after a few moments before merely nodded his acceptance before snapping shut his little orange book. Without a word the man shunshin-ed away leaving Ebisu to scramble after him. It wasn't every day that someone, be they ninja or civilian, left him behind. The very abruptness of the exit caught him by surprise. The ninja trainer shunshin-ed rather sloppily after the Copy-Nin.
The moment he appeared on the rooftop, Copy-Nin Hatake bounded away leaving Ebisu to chase after him. The brisk pace the other man set forced Ebisu push chakra into his legs just to keep up. It took a moment for him to realize they were headed towards the hospital that usually treated ninja. For a slight moment Ebisu was puzzled because as far as he knew Uzumaki Naruto was not seriously injured from the Exams. In fact it was said only the Uchiha was there. Then again, the Copy-Nin knew his students better than he did.
While trailing behind the more elusive ninja, Ebisu was struck with the sort of urgency of the situation. Normally when he was formally given a student to train or was approached for advice, there were at least some ideas as to what was wanted and expected. There was always some dialogue, normally. However, there wasn't anything normally about this situation. And it seemed that Hatake hadn't felt the need to enlighten him.
…or just he didn't care.
Ebisu frowned at the interjected thought. He didn't personally know the Copy-Ninja. He hadn't worked with him directly and only knew him by reputation. On paper, the man was a phenomenal ninja, but that was on paper. As the ninja trainer found out over his years of experience, paper and reality most of the time were two separate worlds.
Ebisu was beginning to wonder if the Jounin even wanted to teach his current team. If Hatake was like most high level Jounin then he would expect his genin to understand what he didn't say rather than just what he did. If that was the case then it seemed that he would also have to be alert for clues from Hatake-san. If he assumed correctly then the man be as indirect as possible, even with his ninja colleagues.
Teaching Konohamaru was definitely an enlightening experience and he somehow had the inkling that it would be invaluable to him in this situation as well. After all, Naruto-san and Konohamaru-kun were two of a kind.
The Ninja-Trainer felt the crease in his frown deepen. Well, he would just have to wait and see how the genin's team dynamics played out. Watching how Hatake-san and Naruto-san interacted would give him some idea as to what the genin was used to and how the tensai-Jounin handled his energetic student. If nothing else, it would give him a feel as to where his own standing would be when he took over.
Almost before he realized it, they had reached the hospital's doors and made their way in. With no one in particular for him to visit, Ebisu, and feeling more than slightly awkward and self-conscious, hung back in the lobby while Hatake wondered off. The slim jounin supposed he was checking up on the Uchiha. The man seemed more than preoccupied with something else.
The Jounin ninja slid back into a darkened corner and settled in comfortably. Who knew how long he would be waiting especially if it was Hatake Kakashi he was on the lookout for.
It turned out he didn't have to wait for very long. A one of a kind, completely localized weather system phenomena found only in Konoha with ear-deafening noise levels swept through the hospital lobby like a color-blind hurricane in a very familiar and distinctive eye-popping ensemble. And in true fashion, it was loud enough to wake the proverbial dead.
"Kaka-Sensei!" the orange hurricane yowled through the waiting room and down the hall shattering the fragile peace like glass.
From where he was situated, Ebisu felt irritation flash through him at the loud disturbance. After all the blond orphan had just demonstrated why he was the epitome of all that the exact opposite of what competent shinobi should be.
In a hospital no less. Was the boy lacking in common sense as well? Or was it habit?
The training jounin slid out of his corner and slowly made his way toward the frantic boy who was disturbing the serenity of the hospital. If nothing else, he would make sure the recovering patients had peace.
"Mah, Naruto be quiet." The Copy-Nin's impeccable timing, a few beats later than strictly proper, stopped the wall of noise, "You're in a hospital."
The last sentence was tacked on almost as an afterthought. Not that it deterred the genin in the slightest. The boy launched into a series of demands for training upon seeing his sensei.
Ebisu took a moment to eye his prospective student. The momentary stillness of the boy made observing him less of a chore. What he found was…underwhelming.
Hadn't Hatake trained the boy…at all?
Ebisu was snapped out of his thoughts by Naruto's exclamation to something Hatake said. The teacher wasn't quite sure but it sounded like he needed to introduce himself quickly before things escalated.
And he didn't like the way the nurses were glaring at the genin from their work station.
"-ound a much better teacher for you than me," cycloptic ninja was telling the orange clad ninja bringing Ebisu directly into the conversation with directly addressing him. The teaching Jounin wanted to simultaneously sigh, glare, and suppress his urge to violently throttle at his vague counterpart.
He hated always having to infer just about everything when perfectly normal words could be used. A ninja didn't always have to always hide behind their vagaries and trickeries. It wasn't healthy and led to certain extremes. Ebisu shot an irritated glare at the copy-nin, Exhibit A case and point.
"Who is it, hmmm?!" the blond demanded. Ebisu took that as his cue and stepped forward.
"The would be me."
Ebisu could have sworn the blond flinched minutely and almost leapt a foot in the air before swinging around and yelling at him while pointing a finger in his direction. He frowned at that. When they met before, the boy wasn't nearly as jumpy though he was certainly just as unaware, which was concerning.
"Ahh! You're the closet pervert!"
"How rude." Was all Ebisu could sputter out without bopping the genin over the head for his disrespect. He pushed his glasses up on his nose in order to waylay his irritation. There would be time to correct that later when he actually had say over the punk's training.
And he definitely had a lot to say.
"How rude."
The simple words and lack of anything else threw Naruto for a loop. The Jinchūriki had expected to be physically manhandled for his blatant disrespect. It usually went that way. He would say something and someone would physically react towards him in a negative way. Recently though, it had only been his team that had raised a hand to him. Sakura was the primary offender when she thought he said or did something stupid.
The last time he'd encountered the closet pervert, the man had had the same cold eyes as everyone else. Now he was here and wanting to train him? He didn't think so.
He wanted to be taught by someone who didn't despise him. For all he knew this was revenge for the Harem no Jutsu incident. No one, besides Iruka-sensei, ever just treated him with good will and wanted nothing else.
Besides, he had to get stronger. The blond shinobi needed to beat that Neji-guy's ass for what he did to Hinata, he swore on her blood. His own cousin! And the jerk tried to kill her!
That was a no-go in Naruto's book.
Naruto would give his right arm and lifetime ramen addiction just to have family. For an orphan who literally had nothing but his name, his cobbled-together skills, and the clothes on his back, attacking one's own family was the worst offense someone could commit.
And what was this about Kakashi-sensei looking after him? He didn't need to be baby-sat, he wasn't, like, five or something! No, he was going to get training from Kakashi-sensei. Anything else was simply unacceptable.
Besides he was going to be Hokage someday. Hokage didn't get trained by some second-class, no-name shinobi. They got trained by legends. Legends! And Hatake Kakashi was a legend is what that Zabuza-guy said was true. And closet-pervert wasn't…
'Bah, maybe he was acting nice because Kakashi-sensei was there. After all no one was completely cruel where they could be caught easily.'
The thought stopped the genin as he quickly reviewed it, maybe just maybe he could piss the pervert of enough to get him mad. And then he would show his true colors! And then he would leave and Kakashi-sensei would have to give him training.
Plan cemented, Naruto rounded on his errant sensei, outrage pouring out of him in waves as his voice rose to match.
"Why him?! He's weaker than me!"
There was no way the pervert could ignore that. He was the dead last of his class and that was an insult no uptight ninja would ever let slide especially, Konohamaru's stupid teacher.
Naruto chanced a glance at the slim Jounin to see how he was doing. However aside from a slight tick in the man's eyebrow, the closet-pervert didn't move. He didn't glare. In fact, he didn't do anything.
What the heck?!
"Oh? You two know each other already?" the copy-nin's response was not what Naruto had in mind. In fact, his Jounin sensei didn't even have a look of concern in his lazy, empty eye. The indifference infuriated Naruto far more than even Sasuke-teme's worst taunt. The blond actually began to tremble with the force of his anger.
He needed the man to understand. He needed the Jounin to see just how much the other man hated him. And in his experience, embarrassment was a definite ticket to someone's temper.
"Because I beat him with my Harem no Jutsu. He flew really fa-" A large, calloused hand clamped over his mouth cutting him off mid rant.
Naruto found himself smothered in a cast-iron grip and immobilized with a headlock. The genin flailed wildly in an effort to loosen the man's suddenly superhuman grip. Part of his panicked flight response was also a very real need to get out of the pervert's hold of near panic-attack inducing proportions.
Thirteen years of near constant abuse from bullies and drunkards had given him a near phobia of non-combat touch or entrapment in any way. And here he was on the verge of losing it all because his stupid sensei was too lazy to teach him.
"Harem…Jutsu?" his sensei's bored tone registered as ludicrous in his near panicked mind and shocked him enough to freeze his attempts to get free. Naruto couldn't help but be incredulous.
That's what Kakashi-sensei was interested in?
Naruto once again felt the imprisoning grip holding him and began to get worked up again. He shot a near panicked glanced at his teacher and in that moment something broke in Naruto. Here he was being smothered to death and his sensei was just standing there doing nothing. Nothing at all.
Doing nothing but giving him cool indifference.
That was it wasn't it. The man just didn't care. In some ways that seemed worse than just outright hatred that he was used to. Here he was being assaulted right in front of the man and he didn't care.
"Look, I'll treat you to dinner, just don't reveal that embarrassing incident." The harried urgency of the whisper in his ear caught Naruto's attention long enough for him to register what was being said and who was saying it. Something clicked in his mind and he was finally able to think a little bit.
The pervert hadn't been threatening him. He hadn't leaned forward to conceal a kunai to press threateningly to his liver. He hadn't really demanded anything of him. In fact he had pleaded with him to not speak of his fall to the Harem no Jutsu. He even threw in dinner too. And Naruto was never one to turn down free food.
"Fine." Naruto lowered his head so his forehead protector shadowed his eyes…and his hurt.
His one word reply simultaneously caused two different reactions. The Closet Pervert loosened his hold enough for Naruto to wiggle out of the uncomfortable grasp and Kakashi-sensei who was leaning forward to deliver a lecture paused. The lazy eye fixed upon him questioningly and he found in that moment he didn't really care.
"What was that?" the Jounin asked. Closet Pervert was watching him too, though he looked confused.
"I said, Ok." His voice had a dead quality to it neither of the elder nin had heard before, "I'll let him train me."
It wasn't much but it was all the acknowledgement Naruto needed to give. With those simple words, the orphan who literally just felt like his world was breaking apart decided to throw what little hope he had left into the unknown. Hopefully his luck would hold one last time. Because the young orphan wasn't sure if he could survive if his trust was betrayed again. He didn't think Iruka-sensei would be there to save him a second time. Right now though Naruto just wanted to be alone.
"Closet Pervert." He addressed Closet Pervert without looking up, "Meet me at Ichiraku's tomorrow at seven. I'm rung out right now. Fight with Kiba, ya-know?"
Before either jounin could say a word he strode out. Being there right then was too painful. But he had to keep it together, he would not give the jerks around him the satisfaction of seeing him break.
The moment his feet hit the pavement across the hospital threshold, he was gone. It was the only time Naruto could ever remember welcoming his loneliness.
Both Jounin watched as the boy literally ran out the hospital door. Ebisu was just plain confused. Kakashi on the other hand had a slight inkling of why Naruto didn't really act like the troublemaker he knew. And he felt a bit bad for being relieved to finally have the burden of teaching the knucklehead off his hands for the moment.
Ebisu was a good choice, even without Kakashi having to vet him. He taught small bratty kids for a living and therefore was more suited to correcting Naruto's deficiencies to the point Kakashi could actually teach him something. If nothing else, it was his pride as a teacher that would make sure the boy was up to par.
Anyways he was sure Ebisu was observant enough to infer what Naruto needed correcting, however he would at least put in a word or two to make sure the man understood. It wasn't like the boy was going to make Chūnin on the first try. And he would have enough time to focus on the other two once the Uchiha was ranked.
"Be sure to help him with his basics. He really needs it."
The copy-nin turned and gave a careless wave before heading back into the intensive care unit where Sasuke was currently being housed. His mind already back on the problem of protecting his genius student.
Hatake Kakashi ambled away assured that his problem student would be, at the very least, a somewhat solid genin after all of this was done. He wouldn't be a Chūnin, but the sooner Sasuke was graduated and ranked, the better. There was a very real chance the boy would leave Konoha in search of power, power that Orochimaru would gladly give…for a price. And they needed him to have more ties to the village as well as show him there is power in his birth home.
Now if only he could rid himself of this lead ball in his stomach for blowing Naruto off…
"Be sure to help him with his basics. He really needs it."
Ebisu didn't even register the lazy wave as he stared after the Jounin. He was dumbfounded and shocked beyond belief. The man couldn't be serious. That's what he was there for in the first place. He was supposed to be taking an academy fresh graduate and train them to at least low level- chūnin proficient. That's what a Jounin sensei does. Yet there he was speaking of the genin like he some unwanted tag along.
Ebisu paid the nurses at the reception desk no mind. The teacher began pacing in the hall gathering his thoughts together.
Moreover, he seriously hoped the Jounin didn't talk like that to the boy or in front of the boy. Not only was it bad teaching etiquette (and bad tact), it did nothing to correct any mistakes the student would have had.
Or in this case still had, if what he was beginning to suspect was true.
And if he was still that brat that caused so many around Konoha so many headaches then why hadn't he acted out in the same manner when Kakashi denied him his tutelage? The genin's parting actions were also inconsistent with the child who inspired Konohamaru to work hard for his dreams.
The boy hadn't acted like an irresponsible, loud brat at the end of their encounter. The boy didn't look tired. He looked more rumpled and scraped up a bit, but not tired. In fact, he looked more tense than anything else.
Ebisu glowered as he thought over the quick parting shot from Hatake and then Naruto's actions.
Something had happened. He didn't know what exactly but it had. He was not privy to the inner workings of their team and the relationships they shared, but from what he observed, they were very frail at best. Which was odd with how big a proponent Hatake was of teamwork and team synergy.
The worst ninja breakdowns were the ones who were quiet. Not the ones who burst out loud and certainly not without any emotion. And Naruto had been very, very quiet towards the end there.
Which meant…he really needed to locate the punk and quickly. He needed to find out what set him off. His instincts told him that he needed to follow the boy and he needed to follow him now. Something was not right.
He didn't like the suspicions he was getting about the boy's training. Because it was sounding like no one had done anything with the boy. Which would essentially make him nothing more than an academy graduate level genin.
What a horrifying thought.
Ebisu turned on his heel and briskly walked towards the hospital entrance. He needed to find Naruto and he needed to find him quickly. It would definitely confirm a few facts he definitely needed to know.
'Hatake-san, if you just ruined your relationship with the boy, I won't fix it.'
'Kakashi-sensei didn't care.'
The thought played repeatedly like a broken record as Naruto blurred across housetops. As soon as he cleared the overhang to the hospital entrance he leapt straight for the nearest roof and took off running. He didn't really have a destination in mind, letting his feet do the navigating for him, but he needed to be alone. He refused to show these people weakness. These very same people who laughed at his dreams and looked at him so coldly.
He never cared.
He cleared the final building and jumped for the mountainside. His turmoil became more and more turbulent with each step. Naruto vaguely felt his feet land on a rock as he started ascending a steep hill. The trees became hardier and slightly more scraggly. His vision blurred as he finally hit the familiar field above the Hokage Monument.
His mind turned over each and every interaction he had with his team. In light of this latest betrayal, he couldn't help but view every even since he'd been accepted on team 7 with a jaded light.
Even in the Wave Country it was all about Teme. He hadn't even been asked if he was alright after the fight on the bridge. Not even to offered help to mend his jumpsuit after it was twice as torn up by Haku's senbon. No. Naruto obviously doesn't need anything because he's an idiot. However Sakura somehow found time to mend Teme's clothes.
Naruto had to mend his all by himself…like he had always done. Inari got his mom to help him when he noticed Naruto fumbling with his patches.
He didn't know how to ask for help. And he wasn't used to being offered any. And when he tried, Sakura hit him for being stupid and lazy and he would then be mocked or given a sigh of long-suffering, as if he was a burden to the person teaching him.
None of them cared. They never had.
He reached the summit and ran across the clearing, leaping over clumps of grass, small rocks and logs. A small tangle of grass and weeds caught his foot and before Naruto knew it he tripped and landed face first hard. Pain erupted from his hands and knees where he came down the hardest.
The blond just couldn't bring himself to stand up again. It was like he suddenly had no energy to do anything anymore. No more willpower to live, to get up just one more time and try.
Hatake Kakashi didn't want him. He was just a burden to them. A body to fulfill a requirement for a genin team.
Because…because in the end it was all about Uchiha-Teme wasn't it? Unless he was a genius like Teme or super smart like Sakura-chan, he was never ever going to be trained wasn't he?
Naruto didn't notice the soft landing of someone coming up behind him. Nor the near silent tread in the grass that would have told him he wasn't alone anymore. Instead his mind focused on his raw emotions and thoughts. It didn't matter. He had time. He could wallow in his pain like he hadn't done since he was really little.
And all he felt was pain, pain, pain and the wild fluctuations of his emotions between anger, rage, and crippling depression. Rejection was nothing new to him, but somehow this hit home like nothing else.
And it hurt.
Without summoning up enough energy to move but needing to vent, the boy yelled for all he was worth into the grass. His hand fisted around a clump and his knuckles turned white.
"If you didn't want me you should have just said so. It would have been easier." It was as if his outrage had suddenly been snuffed out like a light because he became as limp as a rag doll. "I'm used to it."
"That doesn't make it right, Naruto-san."
Ebisu was beyond glad for the privacy the Hokage Monument afforded them. For such a public place, it was startlingly deserted.
No one needed to witness this catastrophe. If Naruto's strangled yell into the grass was anything to go by, then this situation would need extra care.
Damn that Hatake.
He had to convince the boy to work with him. Otherwise the blond would end up sabotaging his own training and career. And Ebisu would not let that happen.
"Naruto-san," he crouched by the genin, just close enough to but not invading he boy's space, "ignoring you doesn't make it right."
He saw the boy's back stiffen. The teacher frowned, he had to read very carefully with this genin. It was a subtle reminder that he was no longer dealing with a bright-eyed brat but a child who had known a very hard life.
And one who'd just been rejected and then summarily abandoned by his sensei.
How was he going to get through to a boy he was barely beginning to understand? Ebisu god up from his crouch and looked around. Not far from where the genin was sprawled in the clearing was fallen long. Part of it was moss covered, but it was mostly dry. The teacher gestured towards it, ignoring the fact the boy couldn't see him with his face buried in the grass.
"May I sit?" silence met him so he took it as confirmation.
The teacher made himself comfortable in the silence. No doubt Naruto was trying to figure out why he was there and why he wasn't mocking him for showing an apparent weakness. His mind raced a mile a minute as he began thinking over scenarios and plans. They would definitely be working fast and hitting everything hard. It would have to be a combined training at the levels of ANBU and Wartime Rapid-Response. But first, to get the boy talking to him.
"Naruto-san, why don't you tell me what has you so upset?" It was a long time before the genin answered and Ebisu was beginning to wonder if he even would.
"Closet-Pervert," the voice was faint and lifeless, "why are you h-here?"
Ebisu wanted to throttle the boy for still calling him that offensive name. However now was not the time being offended. He would have to, somehow, beat that into the genin's thick skull later when the boy accepted him as tutor. Right now he had to make a connection to the child, otherwise they would never be able to train.
"You didn't act like yourself at the hospital, and I would like to know why?" he stated bluntly. The last thing he needed Naruto to do was misconstrue his motives and words.
And associate him with Hatake Kakashi.
"Why? Last time I beat you, you wanted nothing to do with me." Ebisu, upset and embarrassed over the reminder of his humiliation paused before he blurted something out. Respect and tact had just made their ways to the very top of his 'Things to Teach Naruto' list.
Ebisu was very uncomfortable with speaking on matters that were so personal. Not only because he was a man, but also due to his shinobi training. It wasn't normal for a ninja to speak of personal reasons unless they were with a very trusted crowd. Emotions and feelings could be used as a weapon. But, if what he assumed was true about the relationship between the genin and his Jounin sensei, then he would have to reach Naruto on an emotional level. Because while a great shinobi Hatake Kakashi might be, he didn't strike Ebisu as the empathic, teaching kind. Rather he was more like a cold ANBU commander and suited for it. And he would have to reach the boy through his emotions. A tall order for someone like him.
"Because, I saw something in you I've only seen in a few others." He shifted uncomfortably. He hoped Naruto would drop the subject, which he predictably didn't. However he did succeed in capturing the boy's attention. Naruto had lifted his head enough to turn it so he was looking at Konohamaru's teacher.
"W-what was that?" his voice was still raw from the scream but it was audible enough for Ebisu to pick up. However, it was his eyes that shot through the teacher like a crossbow bolt. They were void and oh, so dead.
"A Hokage."
Naruto looked at him, astonished.
The boy needed help. He needed it desperately.
And Ebisu was determined to give it to him. Because the more time he spent with the young genin, the more he was ready to commit unsanctioned homicide. The thoughts unceremoniously blared through his mind as he looked into boy's desperate eyes. It was strange but he knew he had the boy's undivided attention.
"Hokage?" something inexplicably flashed through those intense eyes, far too fast for the Jounin to read but something he filed away to examine later. Right now he at least needed to secure a meeting with Naruto.
"I will explain when we meet next time." if nothing else he hoped to pique the boy's curiosity enough to rouse him to investigate.
Ebisu refused to think on what else the boy might need because, if he wanted to waste any time more on those thoughts when he should be convincing Naruto that he needed his help, he would probably run away in fear. He chanced a look at his prospective student and the full impact of the responsibility he'd been entrusted with finally hit home.
He could still see the doubt and distrust in the blond genin even after their short interaction and mentally cursed the Copy-Nin for what felt like the hundredth time in one hour. It seemed only action was what was going to speak to the boy. Fine, he could do that.
Even if he was going to have to have a near death experience to prove to the boy that he was going to keep his word then so be it. That said, he wasn't going to go looking for trouble, and hopefully it wouldn't take that extreme of a measure to prove himself.
Privately he was glad he was being afforded this chance to help Naruto grow. And an even smaller, vindictive part of him was glad it was him and not Hatake. The man didn't deserve this chance and Ebisu simply wasn't charitable to give the other Jounin anther one.
You reap what you sow. And Hatake was definitely going to reap what he sowed after all of this was over. Both him and the two so called teammates of the Squad 7.
Ebisu stood from his log and offered the boy a hand, which to his surprise, he took. The teaching Jounin straightened his posture once they were both situated and pushed up his glasses on his nose. He was a teacher and a ninja and by Kami he was going to act like one. Starting right now.
"You and I are going to meet here at seven tomorrow." Ebisu's voice brooked no argument as he indicated the Hokage Monument meadow in which they both now stood, "Bring all of your equipment and scrolls. I need to know what you are working with."
The doubtful look cast his way prompted Ebisu to continue, "you and I can figure out the details tomorrow when you are fresh and we both have had a good night's sleep. Sound fair?" At the compliant nod Ebisu continued. He didn't want to give the boy any more time to think. Right now he needed assurance and stability…and Ebisu needed a drink.
"Now go rest up, and for Kami's sake get cleaned up! You look like you've been mauled by Uchiha-san's fangirls."
Ebisu could barely contain his relief when he saw the genin twitch and a small subdued grin briefly flash across his world weary features. That at least was genuine. He made a shooing motion with his hand and the boy needed boy further hint. The boy really did need to rest. Ebisu made a mental note to drop by Uzumaki's apartment to check up on him.
As he watched the orange clothed genin hop away, head held a bit higher and with a good deal more confidence and, dare he say it, hope Ebisu considered giving himself a mental pat on the back for a job well done.
However, he sobered at the thought of the monumental task before him. It wasn't impossible, but there was only so much he could do with the month he was allotted. He was quickly learning that he needed to keep Naruto off balanced in order to keep him from over thinking.
He didn't have the boy's trust, that much was clear. And he needed that trust to help the genin on his journey. Unfortunately said boy had also had his trust in authority badly damaged by the wanton actions of the Copy-Nin. And that took away another tool that Ebisu should have in his teaching arsenal. Again he damned the Hatake nin. In fact it made Ebisu realize something.
He needed an ally. Several, in fact, if what he promised was what he wanted to accomplish with this young ninja. And he needed one the boy still trusted implicitly which was a tall order in and of itself. He made a mental note to find out tomorrow when he met with the genin.
Oh, he had no doubt that this impromptu training would be…different…however it would also prove to be a good gauge as to whether or not he had the mettle to shape a potentially powerful ninja into something more.
This night would allow him to read up on the genin's mission history and training and come up with a basic plan on how to train him. Tomorrow would determine how he would tailor the scheduled to suit Naruto's needs.
As much of an honor as it was to have been selected as the Sandaime's grandson's personal tutor, Ebisu had come to the depressing realization that it did not advance his career one iota. He had been warned of that fact, which he ignored because it meant that he was elevated to a position in the Sandaime's favor and trust. Unfortunately, that was all that could be said for the position. Most days he felt like he was left stagnating and complacent.
Ninja were meant to be active. They were meant to be in the field working and utilizing their craft. Even the academy teachers were given occasional missions to keep them sharp and useful to the Village's shinobi arsenal.
Ebisu was not. At least not in a meaningful way.
Ebisu grimaced. Both Yoshioka and Umino-san both had warned him about taking the position. Yoshioka more so than the younger academy teacher but the same caution was given to him all the same.
A thought shot through his musing causing the Jounin to scowl. Damn it he lost the wager.
'Looks like Yoshioka-san will be getting free drinks for the next month.' After that thought passed he winced as another latched onto the tail-end of it. And its presence brought him the beginnings of a migraine and he winced harder. After all Yoshioka-san was rarely by himself.
'I really don't want to see them again.'
While Naruto recounted the beginning of his journey of growth, one particular Jounin listened on intently in the background. He had pondered what exactly what had gone on because up until that point in the Jinchūriki's career he had been lackluster and then he seemingly took off and left everyone in the dust. Something happened in that timeframe that had been a catalyst to unlocking the genin's potential. It was one of the biggest mysteries that none of the ninja who knew him had been able to solve. However, during that time and the chaotic events that had surrounded the blond from that particular point forward, Hatake Kakashi just hadn't been able to corner the last Uzumaki of Konoha and wring the tale from him.
It seemed as soon as he cut ties with the blond, albeit unintentionally, fate itself intervened to make sure that they would never be repaired. Even Jiraiya of the Sannin, whom should have been the closest to the young man by all rights and privileges, was nothing more than a famous name and temporary colleague to the Jinchūriki.
One the young man barely acknowledged at that.
Kakashi slouched in his chair. He hadn't even bothered to hide the fact that he'd been eavesdropping.
He remembered that day. While the book helped distract the others from his incredibly sharp assessing gaze, he had also remembered cringing inwardly at the sharp scrutiny his request brought and the embarrassment of actually lacking in something. Namely, not providing for those under his tutelage.
He had lost a lot of respect then too. His fellow peers while not 'geniuses' were competent Jounin. The elite and as such did not attain their ranks simply on good behavior. Each and every one of them had earned their positions. And each and every one were shrewd and discerning. They had read his motives like an open book and weren't pleased with what they found.
He looked down into his slack hands and gave his little orange habit a cursory glance. Jounin were expected to take care of their charges, after all they were assigned to them for that reason.
Back then, one of the main reasons he'd brought Naruto's training to the attention of the elite was that he simply didn't want to waste time with a student as untalented as Naruto had been. The boy's taijustu was atrocious, his attention span non-existent, and chakra control horrendous. He was loud, obnoxious, and stubborn beyond all reason.
Those were the most glaring problems in terms of the boy's situation the unfortunate Tracker-Ninja had found himself in. The Jounin had not been pleased at all at being sandwiched between several impossible tasks. The pressure from all sides and added responsibilities would have turned his hair positively white if it hadn't already been silver.
However, it was two simple facts that truly withheld Hatake Kakashi's tutelage of his most dire need student. First, Naruto also wasn't under the same time constraints as Sasuke had been. The Uchiha had taken precedence over the other two in his cell because of Orochimaru bearing down on the boy and, more importantly, contract obligations had been on the line. Hatake had been under a lot of pressure to deliver for the village's clientele.
Secondly and privately though, Kakashi had also felt that Naruto simply wasn't ready for the rank of Chūnin. It was slightly underhanded of him to undermine the boy's development and obstruct him like he had intended to do. But in his defense he had also thought he'd be able to make it up to the boy after all was said and done.
He never guessed he'd ruin the student-teacher relationship he'd held with the boy, nor did he in his wildest dreams truly see that the student he'd always wanted was the one whom he abandoned.
The Hatake gave a strained chuckle. It was a bittersweet lesson. And like every single instance when he'd lost his important people, it was always too late for him to act.
It seemed he never learned.
::Tsuzuku::
A/N: This was a big, fat pain to write.
Well then, let's get back into the swing of things, hmm? I can already tell you that this is an AU and that this will go off in a wildly different direction than I had planned previously. Maybe the Curse of the Crashing Hard Drives is good for something?
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As I said in Chapter 1 Author's Notes, this fict was inspired by Biskoff's thoughtfully written Everything Begins with Choice. If there are marked similarities in the beginning it's because Biskoff did a wonderfully delicate and insightful juxtaposition of characters while keeping them true to form. And I haven't found anything better. So be forewarned.
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Ah, Hatake Kakashi. Your bittersweet reminiscence definitely caught even me of guard.
Also one warning: There will be 3 OC's in this fict. Just three. Moreover, they won't be taking over this fict. And only one will have serious interaction with the student-teacher duo. However, the other two will have an active role in parts similar to examiner Tobitake Tonbo in the First Part Chuunin and ANBU duo that found Mitarashi Anko in the Forest of Death. That said, if there are those of you who don't like OC's you have been forewarned. If you feel like you cannot abide their existence in this fict then please be respectful of the others and leave quietly.
LJ 10/14/2013, 4/29/14, 5/4/14, 5/10/14, 5/11/14