The walk to the training ground was slow and unhurried. Naruto scanned the familiar area with fondness as he sidestepped some academy kids playing ninja. Naruto sent a passing glance at the busy civilians running their businesses, unconcerned by the fleeting steps of shinobi sprinting on the rooftops. Again, he felt the hateful glares drilling holes at his back but he easily ignored animosity by flashing a grin at them. The disbelief in their expressions, ranging from disgust to confusion, was enough to prevent unwanted memories of a past that was long forgiven.
Tipping his head back slightly to face the cloudless sky, he realised that this calmness was one of the reasons for Konoha's near destruction during the invasion. The absence of war goaded everybody into a false sense of peace that made them soft and unsuspecting. It was no surprise that they were caught unaware by Orochimaru's sudden invasion, which resulted in a major blow to the recovering economy and population count of the village. After suffering two wars and a devastating attack from the Kyuubi, Naruto would have guessed that the village was sure that Kami would be smiling down on them to balance out the dreary lives of the current veterans of this generation.
His wistful, thought-filled saunter came to an abrupt halt as soon as he caught sight of his teammates, who were once torn apart and robbed of being a team for the majority of their careers as shinobi. Sasuke's ebony hair and blank expression brought a brief frown on Naruto's face before smoothing it out to a harmless grin. Walking over to them, he felt a faint throb in his chest; a stinging sensation brought about by a deed that this Sasuke had not done. This Sasuke did not have the unrepentant eyes of a man that was willing to lose it all. He had forgiven him, as per his unwavering faith in his brother's goodness, but even Naruto knew when enough was enough. Forgiving was one thing, forgetting was another. He would be careful this time to not make the same mistakes as he did before. He would not risk the lives of his friends to bring down the tyrant that lay dormant in Sasuke's psyche. But if he played the right cards, events would not have to come down to that.
Distinctive pink locks of long hair snapped around his female teammate as she turned angry emerald eyes at him. She nagged at him with restrained annoyance in hopes of not coming off as too loud to her crush. Naruto mentally winced at her striking voice. Everything about her was so young, so naive and gullible. He knew that she had changed after his return from his training trip with Jiraiya but now, watching as she sent discreet glances at the Uchiha who was more interested in his hands than his teammate, Naruto was reminded of just how hard she worked to get to the position she was in as Tsunade's apprentice and of her inevitable surpassing of Tsunade's medical abilities. As Naruto rubbed the back of his head and apologised sheepishly, he realised that he actually missed her implacable temper that was all but lost in the midst of her constant stream of battered patients. Despite the fact that he was the one that was usually at the receiving ends of her devastating punches, he much preferred to that than the hollow woman that finally broke at Ino's death.
In the wait that lasted for two hours for their sensei, Naruto made a silent resolve to protect his siblings this time from the fates that ultimately killed them.
Kakashi idly observed the team running laps around the training ground with his trademark abomination in hand. It was clear that Naruto's stamina was in a league of its own, a fact that was accentuated by Sasuke's growing anger and Sakura's gradually dwindling pace. Soon enough, Sasuke began to struggle to keep with his energetic teammate and he was starting to experience the same exertion as his admirer. Naruto, who was as fresh as ever, could barely contain a smug smirk every time he lapped the Uchiha, which infuriated him even further. Fifteen laps in and Sakura was the first to drop.
Kakashi sighed as he walked over to his female student and handed her a bottle of water. She was drenched in sweat and was scrambling to catch her breath. Drops of moisture were dripping down her chin, matting down her long locks of hair. Having already anticipated this, he waited for her to recover before gently placing a hair tie in her hand with a pointed look.
He briefly returned his attention to the boys, one who was on his last lap and the other stubbornly determined to finish his remaining four.
"When you're ready Sakura, I would like for you to try this exercise." he said as he walked over to a tree. He demonstrated by holding up his hands and walking vertically up the tree, much to her astonishment.
"It is an exercise for chakra control, which is something that this team needs to work on. However, I have a feeling you can benefit from this the most. This might be a bit too advanced for Naruto and Sasuke right now. " At the widening of her eyes by the compliment, Kakashi knew that he was making a difference already in her confidence, which was wholly unimportant to him until he saw what it did to her in the future.
She stood up and approached the tree with uncertainty. By the time Sasuke had completed his laps, Sakura was advancing to leaping from tree to tree to improve her time in adjusting to different inclines.
It was strange.
Naruto's stance was perfect; his elbow was in the correct place, his wrist action was flawless. But why was he missing the target so much?
As Kakashi contemplated this, he took a quick look at Sasuke's smooth katas abusing a tree stump with a flurry of rapid movement and fluent transition. There were a few kicks that were too high and the shifting of weight from one foot to the other caused a slight hitch in his balance while doing alternating jabs. He made sure to correct that by a quick instruction to his student who gave a curt nod.
Returning to Naruto, he passed by some towering trees where Sakura was running up and down tree trunks, jumping from tree branch to tree branch without hesitation. It was clear to the sharingan-user that Sakura has mastered this portion of training well enough that she can advance to water-walking tomorrow.
To his surprise, he saw a kunai lodge itself dead centre on the target before the thrower promptly plucked it out and gathered the other kunai that have missed the target completely. What was interesting, was that that kunai was the only kunai that had made it to the target at all. Perhaps it was a lucky throw?
Kakashi continued to watch Naruto diligently flinging the kunai at the target with undesirable results. He opted to observe the boy's expression, expecting a frustrated sigh or even a childish outburst. It was the momentary upturning of the lips that gave him away, and the timing couldn't have been better. Kakashi finally knew what was going on.
"Naruto," he began, fixing his student with a barely benign look. "Throw the next ten kunai at the centre and I will treat you to as much ramen as you want for this evening."
The effect was instantaneous. Within five seconds, Kakashi found himself glaring at ten kunai occupying the centre of the target in a neat bunch. He took a deep breath, mumbled a hasty prayer for his wallet and turned to the impudent boy.
"Well done, Naruto, I knew you had it in you."
At Naruto's broadening grin, Kakashi playfully whacked the back of his head.
"Too bad Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme didn't want to join us, ne sensei?"
Kakashi threw Naruto a scathing one-eyed glare. "They should be ashamed of themselves, not taking advantage of their sensei's generous offer." Kakashi replied in a monotone as he watched his student inhale his first bowl in two minutes. "Just because they are not here does not mean you can let loose."
Said student languidly leaned back on his seat away from his ramen and grinned his silly grin. "I don't see why you're so bummed about this, you were the one who made the bet first!"
Kakashi turned his attention back to his own steaming bowl of ramen, broke apart his chopsticks and slurped the whole thing down while Naruto was preoccupied with his second bowl. By the time Naruto was finished his third bowl and awaiting his fourth, Kakashi already had his prized book out and silently giggling to himself.
"You know Naruto, I wouldn't need to bribe you if you had not been honest with me." he began, flipping a page as he watched Naruto sit up straighter in attention at the corner of his eye. "There was never a need to hide your skills, and don't think I don't realise that you were intentionally sabotaging my impression of you."
"Well, I had to see if you were the real deal."
"And the bell test wasn't enough proof?"
"I meant your commitment as a teacher."
Kakashi didn't reply, allowing him to finish his fourth bowl. What was that about? "I'm glad I noticed then. It means that I can take Gai's training methods and add them to your training."
"But what about the other two?"
"They didn't lie to their sensei."
Naruto grinned good-naturedly, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't ever do that, as he delayed his reply in lieu of devouring the fresh bowl of pork ramen in front of him. "I should have known you wouldn't be fooled. What kind of Hokage would I be if I can't trick my own shinobi?"
"You're not supposed to trick your shinobi." Kakashi berated, lips down-turned at the strange response. The lull in the conversation was quiet, save for Naruto's noisy inhaling of his meal. Something in the way Naruto said 'Hokage' had been off.
"Are you still serious about becoming Hokage?"
When he was finished, the boy's smile toned down to a more somber one. "Would you believe me if I said that I have absolutely no desire to be?"
Kakashi stilled, never having heard of such a thing to come out of his student's mouth. "I have my reservations but do enlighten me."
"I just don't want to anymore. Truth be told, I have a feeling that I would make a terrible Hokage."
"What changed?"
"Nothing."
"I thought it was your life's goal. People don't abandon that out of a whim."
"I'm only twelve, I'm sure that I can find an alternative." Naruto hummed, digging around for some change. "I was messing with you about paying for the meal, sensei. I have enough to pay for my own."
First Naruto was hiding his skills, then he was taking back his desire to be Hokage, and now he was paying for his ramen even though he won a bet?
"Naruto, I'm genuinely worried now."
"I guess I just grew up a little."
Does growing up mean changing personality?
"Honestly didn't think you were capable of being thoughtful. You're not exactly known for thinking things through."
"Perhaps it's about time I did."
Just as Naruto was about to stand up and leave, Kakashi paid for his own meal. "That's an oddly mature response from you. Sounds like you've been influenced. Do I sense a girl involved?"
"What? No, sensei, no!" Naruto sputtered, almost tripping over his stool.
"Really? I could have sworn that was it."
"Even if it was, it would be none of your business!"
At this moment, the owner's daughter let herself known. "Oh what's this? Naru-chan has a lady friend?"
"Not you too, Ayame-nee!"
"What's all this ruckus?"
As father and daughter gossiped and teased at Naruto's expense, the duo left the stall with Naruto reverting to his childish protests and Kakashi easily taking up the familiar role of a patronising guardian.
