A/N: 1. Naruto series has ended and I don't own it yet…sniff
2. This chapter is not particularly spine chilling but has got some important info, filling of to-be plotholes and back story formation. Please don't skip it. I am not enjoying writing the first part either. Second part of chapter is more interesting, DATTEBAYO!
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In the next few months Konoha Ninja Academy saw another long absence and seat change. Sasuke Uchiha came to school with dazed eyes after being absent for over two weeks, and took a seat in the front row beside the window. Very few noticed that the frown never left his face and he flinched ever so slightly at every little noise. Iruka did of course, as did Naruto, and Azami who sat on the other end of the same row. She had grown pretty observant over the months. And judging Sasuke's actions, she was pretty sure he had seen death. Those black eyes of his were too dark, too strained to be natural.
The years flew by. Azami grudgingly admitted to herself that she did not have the brains to score over seventy-five percent in a written test. However hard she tried, she would always make silly mistakes, or freak out over a question and fail to complete in time. Her weapon skills were sloppy, barely average level. However, her three academy jutsu were perfected. But she knew these were the most basic of all techniques, and wouldn't help too much in a battle. So she focused on the thing she could do without much equipment and with effective results - taijutsu. Hours were spent doing exercise, throwing punches and kicks at an imaginary enemy.
Equipments were an issue. Her mother had been a housewife. The family had been supported by the money her father earned from missions, and later, her sister. She had heard that her mother had been from a rich family, but had been denied the inheritance, probably because she married a shinobi. So in a word, life wasn't easy. Her mother struggled to maintain the balance between housework and the small job she had acquired. Azami used to run odd errands here and there, but her mother insisted that she did not join any standing job. She did not want her only living family member to give up on her dreams, or be too tired to pursue them. Whenever Azami insisted on working, she would shoo her off and tell her to go and train.
Azami loved her to bits. The now twelve year old's whole world revolved around this special lady, her mother.
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It was a few days after the graduation exam that Umino Iruka met the Sandaime, with a file in hand and a lot of confusion in his mind. He bowed low and took the seat the old man offered.
"Hokage-sama, yesterday I got the file with the teams, and…um…"
"It's team seven, right?", Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled knowingly.
"Yeah", Iruka sighed."I know there was an extra student this year because Naruto passed afterwards, but team seven? It has long history, would it be fair to risk the heritage?"
"And why do you think that putting Azami in team seven is a risk?"
Iruka took a deep breath and looked at him straight in the eyes,"Hokage-sama, Naruto and Sasuke do not get along very well and everyone knows that. To put them in the same team, we need someone to bind them together. Sakura Haruno is always following Sasuke about, and as far as I know Naruto, he will eagerly follow Sakura."
The third hokage's smile widened,"So you are letting Sasuke lead?"
"Huh?"
"The way you put it, it seems the other team members are following Sasuke. What if he takes the wrong path?"
Iruka looked down, frowning. He hadn't seen the incident in this light.
"Besides", the Hokage continued." Team seven is meant for frontlines, and Azami-chan's expertise in taijutsu will support this. Sakura-chan's intelligence will find better use in our tracking team. And, I don't think, Azami-chan will follow others about, if it isn't the sensei."
Iruka nodded. The logic was irrefutable. "So," he started."Sakura-chan goes to the same team as Hinata-can, Kiba-kun and Shino-kun." The hokage smiled in agreement.
And as Iruka turned to leave, he got up and looked out of the window. Letting out a puff of smoke, he frowned slightly into the distance. There was another reason he hadn't spoken to Iruka about.
That night, Kakashi Hatake was frowning at a file. He had expected his sensei's son and Itachi's brother, but Nohara Azami? Things could get interesting. He sighed. Maybe this team would be worth it. Azami…Nohara, huh?