AN: Sorry for the delays, glad you all continue to enjoy. My dog passed away the other day and the days leading up to it..well..just haven't felt like writing. I lost my job then essentially.I'm back.
I hope this continues to amuse you. I'm really trying to take this in a direction of the same wonder and excitement I felt from the first time I watched the Naruto series, and focus more on ninja and less on crazy world domination arcs. I try to bring in more civilian's and behind the scenes in Ghost so keeping this a very different story as much as I can! This is going to get progressively AU as the characters grow but I do not yet know what I will and will not be incorporating. I think the biggest changes are honestly going to be Team 7 itself. It's amazing what life can do with just little tweaks...and Kucho being uncute has become something of an amusement..
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"Sit. Eat. I will put up your hair." Gumoko was waiting for Kucho when she shuffled out sleepily. The light had yet to rise which was messing with her circadian rhythm. Her Kikaichu were used to awakening with the first light and buzzing around inside her chakra coils and their connections, waking her. Manually using a clock was..hard. Gumoko had anticipated this, and after having heard the talk the evening before when Team 7 had gone to training ground three, was quite impressed with her child. It wasn't easy to tell people you were manipulating them, as it seemed those outside of the Aburame clan jumped to rapid conclusions before allowing logic to be set down before them. Kucho had arrived late, taken a shower and all but collapsed in bed.
Gumoko was pleased. Kucho hadn't scented to her insects of distress so obviously her teammates were willing to forgive and perhaps even see the pheromones as the benefit many Aburame teammates came to enjoy. It was an unspoken rule to not discuss this though, Gumoko figured young Shino would take far longer to explain it to his teammates. Inuzuka's did react very heatedly to finding out their noses weren't sensitive enough to pick up on it, and by the time they could were often too used to the slightly sweet scent to understand what it was.
"Thank you, Okaa-san." Kuco said as she sat down, beginning the light meal of rice and miso with a little steamed vegetables and tofu. Very easy food to digest swiftly. Three small packages were also out, wrapped up tightly in waterproof material to protect them in case they were carried during spars. They were the Aburame standard rations, honey and fruit and grains with nuts, baked to a hard consistency and fantastic for supplying excess calories to help feed the Kikaichu. It was a better idea than the one Kochu had of preparing fruits, but as they were considered something of an Aburame specialty with the exact properties of the bars being carefully manipulated crops enhanced by a specific breed of Kikaichu that only the non shinobi Aburame were prone to carrying..permission was usually needed to share them with any non clan members.
"Mmm." Gumoko began with carefully fingering Kucho's impossible dark hair, coarser by far than her own black silken locks. While Aburame hair tended towards the bushy and wild it was more because they weren't as meticulous about maintaining it as most would be. Kucho's hair was definitely as much a product of her sire as her beautiful dark skin and required special tending. Rather than a brush she simply fingered the unruly mishmash of curls and waves with the frizzing behavior, removing knots before beginning intricately braiding it into a plait that went from one side of her head to the next. It was a tight affair, elegantly intricate and impossible to replicate on oneself. It would however prevent her long hair from being used against her. Gumoko knew of course, what was likely to happen in the test but would not give the information to her offspring. As Aburame the fact she had provided this assistance would inform Kucho that they would be fighting at some point.
It wasn't precisely the most traditional of secondary tests, but Kakashi was clearly irritated at the idea of a team and would try to eliminate them swiftly. From the interactions that Gumoko had observed it was far more likely that Team 7 would stun him. After all, they had an Aburame Queen who wanted to see the best for her soldier's, and already trusted the two boys. Which did make her curious..
"You trust loud and silent already." It was said deadpan but if one knew Aburame, they would have detected the highly amused thrumm of her kikaichu at using the words of Kucho's report the night before.
"Aa. Naruto-kun is..has always made me laugh and smile. My kikaichu dislike his chakra but.." Kucho paused, it was useless information and she swallowed a bit of tea. "Apologies, my mind is not properly awake." Kucho spoke softly, blushing vibrantly at the emotional rather than logical explanation she gave.
"Continue. I do not mind."
Kucho gave the tiniest tremor, and Gumoko smiled faintly. It was nice to see that her little Queen's instincts were latching onto her new soldier's. Such a strong bond was a good sign in a team.
"They are alone. I always enjoyed how Naruto-kun made me laugh, realizing he did as well as he did without the right understanding or help..I believe the boy is barely literate or if he is, certainly lacks comprehension. He has a great deal of potential. Sasuke-kun." Kucho paused, politely eating a little more before continuing. "When his hive was obliterated I gave him one of my hobby swarm's offspring..glow worms. I've continued to do so. He may not have ever held them in high regard but they kept him company. I think he enjoyed them. He never missed showing up at the entrance to his compound to receive the new ones."
Gumoko lifted a brow, glad Kucho's back was to her. It was interesting that she had never picked up on this. So while the three had no interactions that were necessarily large and obvious, nothing so clear cut as friendship there had been firm established beginnings. At least for the two boys to the tiny queen. "They will swiftly outdo you in Chakra."
"Affirmative. I plan to ask Nee-chan one and two to begin producing drones that will absorb and store chakra as well as feeding upon it. With their ample stores it will be hardly missed and ideally transferable to me through my Nee-chan's hive."
"This will take significant time away from developing your butterflies.." Gumoko prompted gently, she knew that Kucho's butterflies were her favorite new project, and had been for many years. She was used to the affection that Kucho had for her four main queen's and the curiously strong bond she had to them. Usually Kikaichu died out over hours, constantly adapting and respawning. Kucho's were different, the four queens were wound up in her chakra so tightly that they were an extension of Kucho herself now and she usually called them Nee-chan one through four. Kucho had actual names for them, but despite Gumoko being her mother, Kucho kept that information a secret. It was one of the many curiosities of her happy beetle.
"I know. However, these boys are my soldier's now. I will not falter, I will not abandon them when they are no longer pupae and ready for hives of their own. Many years from now I will still be their Queen.." Kucho spoke simply, regally decisive and Gumoko shook her head. Oh, the Hokage would be surprised. Someday. After all Kucho still had no idea about the Kyuubi. Still, if she could manage to draw off and feed /share from the chakra of the Uchiha and Uzumaki? It would be quite the feat, definitely worthy of a Queen.
Her decision to bring in the blood of the nuke-nin that had been Kucho's father always proved a better choice than she had realized with each growth her daughter showed.
"I think it is a very valuable goal but should be kept entirely secret, even from the clan."
"All of the clan?"
"All of the clan unless I specifically say otherwise, and even so I shall make any needed inquiries hidden in other dances of our Kikaichu, my little wasp. I want none to know you bite as well as sting."
"..." Kucho was verbally silent, but her body language and the scents her Kikaichu gave off betrayed how moved she was by her mothers words. Gumoko smiled and stood, patting her daughter's shoulder, bare in her sleeping shirt to leave the sleeves off.
"Go change, dark. Fitting. Movement and stealth may be most advantageous, and then depart. It is the early webs that catch the fly, dew on the strands lure in the insects drawn only to the dappling light's gleam."
"I like that one, Okaa-san." Kucho smiled at her, a beaming joyful expression as her eyes crinkled shut before she slipped off to change, leaving Gumoko to nod.
"I thought you might."
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Sasuke arrived first, looking around as soft pinks and blues began to shimmer into the sky heralding the dawn. He was a good half hour earlier than they were told to be there for a good reason. He wanted to wander, seemingly impatient. In truth he was silently and very covertly checking that none of the traps had been disturbed. It had the advantage that unless their jounin instructor had been observing them all or part of the early evening the night before, he would think the slightly obvious traps had just been set.
Content, he leaned against a tree to wait for his peculiar teammates. While originally when the announcement was made the Uchiha had been furious to be on a team that was guaranteed to hold him back; in light of all that had been learned yesterday he was reevaluating it all. Sleep had only helped with his decision. Naruto was still brash and irritating but he wasn't an Uchiha, he was an orphan much as many of the useless civilian born hopefuls and had no idea about the silent and secretive culture of shinobi life. He hadn't been raised as Sasuke had the benefit of, at least the first eight years of his life. Besides, it did seem that if Naruto really was a chakra monster that sparring with him would only improve Sasuke that much faster. Once he learned the lessons he should have already in the academy. The one benefit to that was it would be Kakashi's job to ensure that he did so, Sasuke could just goad and prod him into learning skills he needed.
As his father had once quoted him, the best swordsman in the world doesn't fear the second best but the worst for he is unpredictable. That suited Naruto to a T, by training with someone who had no idea what they were doing it would help Sasuke learn to handle the unpredictable. It would only help him someday handle Itachi...
Kucho was a pleasant surprise. Even if she was definitely uncute and frankly as strange as could be, even for an Aburame. At least she was honest and upfront with the two of them. Once his fury and simmering anger through the night that she'd dared to try and manipulate him had died down his rational mind had fully processed what it had only started to the evening before. There were far, far, worse things that something that made you calm down and focus. As long as it could be proven to not impeded their reaction times he would actually be willing to have her continue to do so. Perhaps it was part of why the dobe was so tolerable lately. And she'd cook for him. Without being a creepy fan girl during it.
All around, Sasuke dared to hope he had gotten a good team.
Kucho arrived shortly after, and the Uchiha tilted his head to one side. Having her hair up, rose glasses already in place, and her usual sweat shirt was interesting. He also noted that she was wearing loose but fitted dark gray slacks, boots that covered her feet rather than sandals, and her turtleneck appeared to be the same shade as her slacks. There was a kunai pouch at her hip, another on her leg, and she was carrying a rucksack of some sort.
"hn."
"Prefer to not be visible. In case." Kucho answered with a nod. Sasuke was pleased she didn't go through any of the pointless good morning drivel and nodded back at her.
"Bring something for the orange menace?"
"Food. Attire I am afraid we shall have to beat into him. Think his garment is flammable?"
Sasuke smirked. "We can find out..."
Kucho chuckled and pulled out a small package for him, handing it over. "Put that in your pocket or pouch for later. It's a ration bar with four times the daily caloric needs. Aburame use them to help fuel our Kikaichu."
Sasuke's eyebrows skyrocketed and he nodded, grateful for the offering before making it vanish. Kucho leaned against the same tree but left space between them, taking out a rice ball to bite and offering one. Sasuke took it gratefully, pleased she wasn't trying to snack on sweets. It had a faint bitterness, likely from the pickled plum, but it didn't detract from it's appeal.
Not long after a still bright orange Naruto slunk towards them with a mighty yawn. Kucho handed him a package and a few rice balls as well and the sleepy boy slumped on the ground by them after a muffled 'Thanks Kucho-chan. Lo broody."
"Hn."
They proceeded to wait.
"If our jounin-sensei makes us wait three hours again..." Sasuke trailed off, Kucho just chuckled and shrugged.
"We can nap in shifts? Practice for keeping watch. One sleeps, the other two can talk softly and keep aware..or just be here."
"I like that idea. Agree to the idea broody-teme and lemmee sleep. I didn't even have Ramen.." Naruto whined. Sasuke rolled his eyes.
"Sleep then, spare me your noise."
Naruto didn't even argue, just snuggled into his jumpsuit more and rolled onto his side out like a light with the bulb gone.
Sitting against the tree Kucho and Sasuke were content to just be in silence. Occasionally Kucho would open her hand, one of her insects flying off or coming back but the twirling patterns they would make meant nothing to the dark eyed Uchiha. Kucho would nod or frown, sometimes snort a laugh and so finally he lifted a brow, jerking his chin at the circling Kikaichu on her palm and let out a soft 'hn?'
"Insects use dance and body language to tell things. Scent as well but I'm not skilled enough yet to pick that up..it is mostly gossip or keeping tabs on those I have an interest in following."
"Like?" Sasuke sounded uninterested but the mere fact he was asking was clear enough. Kucho was delighted to talk about her insects and decided to expand on it.
"Anko-san is one of the kunoichi I admire, she's crazy but terribly strong and brilliant. Part of the Torture and Interrogations unit. I've been trying to get her to teach me a few things for over a year now. She's currently at her favorite dango shop, she's being trailed by a chunin she worked with on a mission who now thinks himself in love with her. I'm just waiting for her to spring whatever trap she's been laying the last few weeks and so I keep getting updates."
"Trap?"
"Uh huh. Anko-san likes messing with minds. She'll make elaborate schemes and seem to botch them up or be unaware on purpose. This chunin likely doesn't realize he's been noted since he first started. So far she's gotten him to think she's susceptible to date offers if someone buys her dango or tea supplies. The truth is Anko-san is highly paranoid and only ever gets dango from one place because it is Akimichi run and only on days her trusted former teammates are there serving. One of them had to retire, lost a hand in a mission. The other days she's just picking up extras she bought in advance and are sealed in scrolls for her that only open to her chakra. She also never lets anyone else buy tea ceremony tools feeling one has to have a connection to the items and buy them for yourself, or be given them by a fellow aficionado. She isn't above testing this chunin, she's dated from the genin corps and even a few civilian's. If he can figure out her requirements she'll give him a chance. If he's not observant though and just buys dango, especially sub par dango, or any tea items without knowledge of it she'll find a way to humiliate him to no end. Either way I want to see the result, at least through my Kikaichu!" Kucho paused then and looked down shyly "Ah..sorry. Didn't mean to ramble."
"Hn." Sasuke tilted his head, amused that Kucho didn't even complain over talking so much. "Too much trouble for one date."
"Nope." Kucho shook her head, trying fervently to keep her admiration for Anko to a mellow level. "She weeds out the creepy fan boys that way."
"..." Sasuke gave her a look that set Kucho laughing. He was now interested. Maybe some techniques could be used on fan girls.
"By giving elaborate schemes?"
Kucho nodded. "Specific ones. Ones to see if they see her or just her reputation."
Sasuke paused, his mind going over what sort of tests he would set if he did the same.
"Could always tell if someone gave him sweets more n once. Broody Duck doesn't like sweets.." Naruto piped up, sitting up as he rubbed his eyes. The blonde did look better. Sasuke just blinked at him and Naruto chuckled. "Even I noticed you always binned the chocolates and stuff the girls gave you..and sneered at things like that on your birthday."
Kucho smiled then and tilted her head. "What do you like, Naruto-kun?"
Naruto smiled, shrugging. "Wanna nap either of you? I can be quiet! Promise!"
Both darker haired children shook their head and Naruto nodded, thinking.
"I like..I like being acknowledged. I was just one of too many orphans yanno?..and.." Naruto quietly spoke about toads and frogs and why he liked them, blinking seeing Kucho shiver.
"Kucho-chan?"
"th..they eat..bugs.." Kucho managed with the tiniest little whine either had ever heard out of the Aburame. It was so surprising and..
"...cute.." Naruto said with his eyes wide, even Sasuke seemed surprised as Kucho pouted at them, her blush going all the way to her ears. With her darker skin it wasn't as noticeable but it was still there as she was more toasted mochi color than pale as most Konoha natives. "Aww Kucho-chan you're scared of frogs and toads?" While he was teasing, Naruto was also very worried. He was finally getting along with someone his age and the idea she would have an aversion to his favorite creatures was not okay. Inwardly he was having a sort of mental breakdown picturing her leaving off being his teammate just because he had his frog wallet.
"I...no..I.." she visibly shivered before straightening her spine, shoulders back but it was the most obviously faked brave front either had seen on her. "Just..keep them away from me and my kikaichu? Please, Naru-kun?"
Naruto looked away to hide a laugh but nodded. It was weird seeing scary and uncute Kucho-chan actually looking like a girl! "Yeah I wouldn't let them hurt your kikaichu anyways! You're my teammate an they're part of you so they're my team too, right?"
"hn."
"...well. Curious aren't you my cute little students?" came a voice from the tree above them. The trio looked up surprised and whatever Kucho's reaction to her teammates reassurance was, vanished back into her Aburame observational silence.
However, Naruto apparently couldn't resist and leapt up screeching "You're Late!"
For some reason their sensei just laughed and then proceeded to explain the bell test. Kucho's eyes narrowed and she had a faint buzzing sound around her that caught the attention of the males there. Her mismatched eyes were visible and the Aburame looked livid.
"No."
"I don't think you understand.." Kakashi began but Kucho's hands reached out and latched on tightly to Naruto and Sasuke with a grip that startled both. It was more the slight chakra shock as she did so though than the action, and they only moved to return the hold.
Naruto's blue eyes were serious but he nodded. Kucho's words about no other precedence of a lack of three man cell's and her mother's vague implication of something else floated around his head. Plus all the talk of mental and emotional manipulation. That Kucho was so furious that she couldn't even begin to form her words as to the reasoning why in light of the sheer amount of unusual speech that had been displayed the previous day; it was understandable that she simply had zero patience left for their errant and rather complicated sensei.
Kakashi watched inwardly surprised as both boys seemed to move closer, defensive but not to the point of viewing their female teammate as in need of their protection. Rather, he half suspected if Naruto had been in the middle or Sasuke, the bolstering would have been the same. This was entirely unexpected, but he sighed. "Now I know you three all seem to be buddy buddy but the simple fact is that you can't all pass.."
Kucho's fingers unknowingly transmitted tiny bursts of chakra to her two teammates, as if they were Aburame. She lost her self control then and when she spoke again it was harsh and cold, the Queen fuly present. " These are my teammates. This is my hive." Kucho's eyes gleamed behind her glasses as she struggled for the words over her faint buzzing of her Kikaichu.
It was surprisingly, Sasuke who spoke next. "Hn. Whomever else was tasked to replace the hyperactive menace or Kochu is likely not tolerable. Perhaps we need to look into requesting a competent sensei who can handle three students."
Naruto whipped his head to stare at his dark haired teammates and then grinned ferally as he looked forward, his own voice rough with emotion. He hadn't been stood up for like this. Ever. "You hear that, late sensei? We're a team!''
Kakashi was startled but all he did was swiftly change tactics. Sure, they were speaking of being a team but he needed to see if they had the potential to build upon or if at the first sign of conflict they would fall apart. Instead he sighed.
"Fine. If you can get both bells..you can all pass. I'll find a way to clear it.."
Kucho tilted her head "One. Together."
Sasuke smirked "Surely a jounin such as yourself can handle that?"
"Or are you a scaredy cat?" Naruto finished, cottoning on to the plan swiftly. He didn't really think this sensei of theirs could hold up against him, much less with Sasuke and Kucho on his side but if they wanted to play it safe, sure why not. At least it seemed they were only going to be up against one man rather then another entire team as they had prepared the training grounds for. The cunning fox brain of his began working furiously noting that not a single trap had been exposed they hadn't planned for.
Kakashi sighed, giving them all a dead pan look but shrugged, as if bored. "Why not. You'll all fail anyways and then I don't have to deal with such uncute students.."
"What is it with everyone calling me uncute?" Kucho huffed under her breath. Sasuke heard her though and snorted amused, Naruto giving a faint chuckle. Kakashi of course, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
"Sorry Kucho-chan but you're kinda..weird."
Kucho huffed, Kakashi staying silent to see if this was going to rip apart the solidarity so soon. Kucho however, was an Aburame and there was no such risk. "I'm still a caterpillar, remember, Naruto-kun? Just wait. I don't need to be cute, I'll be fearsome and beautiful and lethal just like my mother and elder Queen's." It was said with a slightly haughty little sniff and the budding tension in the two boys over if she'd suddenly go 'girly' and upset on them broke with faint chuckles.
"Weird." Sasuke said with an amused smirk, but then the three were focused on Kakashi again and the silver haired jounin found three pairs of confident smirks in his direction.
'What was the Hokage thinking with this group?'
()()()()()
Neither Kucho nor Sasuke held Naruto back as with very little additional ribbing, the blonde rushed their reluctant sensei. Both dark forms watched with vicious attention at the careful use of movement displayed and a single shared glance confirmed what the top two rookie's of their year saw. They were the mouse and Kakashi was a tiger batting them around for amusement. They would need every bit of prep and teamwork to pull this off.
"Naruto!" Kucho yelled as she darted off to the side, flinging several senbon accurately towards Kakashi's eyes. "To Sasuke!" Both boys approved of the lack of suffix when she had fallen into kunoichi mode. There was no time to waste with additional words. Kakashi let the three fall back, curious, he leaned his weight on his leading foot and opened his book. He'd give them a few minutes before beginning to test them. Besides, really, he wanted to finish the chapter first.
Naruto landed in a clumsy skid in the bushes besides Sasuke, Kucho there just a moment later. "So, we gonna drive him to the traps?"
"Hn. Need to keep it from being obvious though..so we need an obvious plan believable we came up with.."
Kucho ran her tongue over her teeth and nodded. "I sent my swarm out when we ran. If Naruto can create a swarm of himself I can put my tracker beetles on your clones..we get some on Kakashi, we can then at least always know where he is."
"That I can do! Dattebayo! How many you want?"
"How many can you make, dobe?" Sasuke slipped into his old insult, there was time to worry about that later.
"Lots! Like seriously..wayyyy lots."
Sasuke grunted, making a mental note to force someone to improve the blonde's vocabulary. "Ten?"
"Easily."
"hn. Make ten, try to surround him and don't wait for each to attack. Go for legs, arms, torso, feet. Try to hold him still under the mass. Kucho your aim was good, think you can hit the bell ties?"
"Absolutely. Going to hit with your wire and fire?"
"Heh that rhymes!" Naruto piped up. despite inwardly groaning, Sasuke didn't respond to the idiocy.
"Yes. I'm going to aim right after your clones attack so you stay out of it Naruto so I don't have to avoid you. I want to keep him from going for the bells long enough for Kucho to knock one free..if you can without getting burned try to go straight for the bell. Kucho and I are going to try and draw his attention long enough to keep him away from retrieving it. If that doesn't work, or it does, we try to push him towards the traps."
"I am not the only one who wants to see us with both bells and a crispy, preferably frustrated, sensei for his assessment?"
Both boys nodded, smirking.
Revenge for hurt pride, all three could get behind this.
Kakashi had just turned a page when there were ten Naruto's coming at him, forcing him to free one hand to bat them away. "Well, lesson one..Taijutsu.." at the sight of three Naruto clones not even getting in grasping range Naruto tripled the amount, switching where he was hiding. Not that it was that helpful since he was still in 'kill me' orange. Still, it showed some sense for a genin and Kakashi noted it with his senses even as he twisted, only his lower half contained because the clones weren't grasping for the bells so he permitted it for now. The flurry of senbon aiming for his throat and eyes though did get a little eyebrow twitch from the older man. It seemed the little Aburame girl didn't believe in half measures. Each one if he had not moved or grabbed them out of the air would have pierced his eyes, his throat, and one had even been going for his heart.
"Well, at least you did come at me with intent to kill..rather then just holding on.." The faintest movement however as Kakashi dodged registered. One, just one senbon had been aiming for his waist. The bell tie. He dodged without thinking but the reason behind the clones started to make sense. "hmmm..."
"-utsu!"
It was just the tail end verbalized but Kakashi was startled yet again 'he knows that one already?' It was the wires that had apparently been fastened to the senbon, and Sasuke knowing his teammate had utilized them enough to carry his fireball that finally made Kakashi break free using a substitution jutsu. His mental evaluation of the three ticked higher. As far as he was concerned with what he had just witnessed they passed. However, Kakashi wanted to see how far they would go. Kakashi wanted to see if he had real talent here or just determination. The Uchiha he had expected, but from all the files Naruto was hopeless and no one really knew much about the Aburame.
That they had pulled that plan together as fast as they had..and pulled it off. He was fully aware any chunin would have fallen for two or so stages of it and been injured if not killed. It seemed the two brunettes could be lethal, it remained to be seen if Naruto had that capability. Like his father..shaking his head mentally away from that area Kakashi wanted to pull the three apart to test them properly on things but it seemed the three were going to stick together. Suppressing his chakra he crept forward to eavesdrop.
"Kucho?" Naruto had copied the other two and was dropping the honorific's for the time being, adrenaline rushing through him at the moment left him feeling better than he could remember.
"They are on. Two made it. Next stage?"
"Hn." Sasuke frowned but nodded before pausing. "I need to learn that shadow clone technique.."
"Old man Hokage said it takes a lot of chakra, you can get the theory way better than me prolly but Kucho did say your chakra needs to catch up to your mind.."
She had? Kakashi blinked. 'Interesting.' Even more so since Sasuke just nodded. He approved of their constantly looking around and keeping voices down.
"There are other forms of solid clones you can learn, Sasuke. I know of earth ones but not how to do so. Aburame have kikaichu clones we learn.." She paused then and whirled, flinging another senbon in Kakashi's general direction. The two boys didn't even ask they just started launching clones and fire respectively. Kakashi's response as he dodged was to fling a genjutsu at the three. While the Uchiha would eventually be immune if he gained the sharingan, he wasn't now.
*(*(*(*(
"Despite that pathetic display..I'll pass one of you." Kakashi said as he landed infront of them. Naruto started to rant about how it wasn't fair, and Kucho remained silent. The tension was obvious even as Kakashi shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. "Well, Uchiha..since we won't have a three man cell I guess I'll take you on as my apprentice.."
Sasuke blinked, startled and then caught himself. This wasn't right. 'Kai!'
He snorted as he easily stepped out of the genjustu. He'd been under far more powerful ones after all.
*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(
Kucho felt the genjutsu start to take hold but before the images and sounds could fully form the buzzing of her main queen rose to a furor in her system and slipped her back out. Kucho fought a giggle, mentally imagining her beautiful stripped queen Kikaichu Nee-chan one the same size as she was and wiggling her forelegs to clean her maw of chakra residue. 'hope you liked your meal, Nee-chan one!'
()(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!(!)
"What.." Naruto whirled, frowning. "Where'd everyone go?.." He heard a gasping sound then and ran off towards it only to see Sasuke clutching at his throat, gurgling as blood seeped beyond his fingers.
"lp..ruto..'' Sasuke wheezed as he started to collapse, leaving Naruto wide eyed as he ran to help hold the dark haired boy up.
" ! Sasuke what..what happened?"
The noises Sasuke made weren't legible, as if someone had all but severed his vocal cords. It was a miracle he was still breathing even if the gurgling wheezing couldn't be anything less than fatal. "Shit this has gone too far..where's Kucho, Sasuke? We gotta get you to the hospital! I can carry you I think but.."
"..." whatever came out of Sasuke wasn't legible as he pointed with the hand not holding his throat together, dark eyes pained and full of worry. He didn't need words to express what he wanted and Naruto nodded, pulling out his ration from Kucho and dumping the bar back in his pocket. The wrap it had been in he pressed to Sasuke's hands. "Keep pressure on that, Teme, I'll get her and we'll rush you to get fixed up. Just stay put and hang on!"
Darting off in the direction that his teammate had shown Naruto came upon an even worse sight.
Kucho wasn't..much there anymore...
"N..no..."
Sudden sharp pain made Naruto flinch and instead of staring into glassy lifeless eyes and bloodbloodsomuchblood the rose glasses were looking back at him notbrokennotshatteredintopiecesallaroundher as Kucho nodded once.
"Genjutsu, Naruto.." Kucho said, her voice soft as she lowered her hand from where she'd pinched him hard.
"K..ku..Sas.." Naruto choked out as he turned, seeing Sasuke's sneer. It was a welcome sight though after seeing him probably dying.
"We got out of it quickly, you didn't show any sign of it abating. Didn't you recognize the genjutsu, dobe?"
"No.."
Kucho inclined her head. "You didn't? Next time look for anything out of place. If your mind realizes it isn't real you should break it sooner." Logic not comfort, was the general Aburame way. In this case it worked and Naruto took another shaky breath before snarling.
"Where is the silver haired asshole? Now I realllly wanna make him eat dirt.."
"Hn." Sasuke smirked, an approving sort even as he nodded. "Still avoiding us. And just ..reading.."
"I think it is time." Kucho said, her haughty sniff forcing a chuckle to sneak out of Naruto as she gave the command, more than allowing their input. All three were in agreement however.
"All right lets.."
BRrrrrrrrING! BrrrrrIIIIING!
"damnit." Sasuke muttered as the three turned towards the posts and the suddenly looming sensei.
"Well you three failed. However, you can eat lunch..but one of you will be tied up while the other two eat what I brought. I'll let you all have another try after we eat."
Kucho crossed her arms and huffed. "I refuse your offer."
"As do I." Sasuke nodded.
"Yeah! What they said!" Naruto didn't even wait to pull out the ration Kucho had given him and began chomping down on it. "We are gonna so get you after we eat!" Naruto sprayed flecks of the bar as he said so, pointing at Kakashi furiously. "Just you wait!"
Again, Kakashi found himself surprised as the three began to eat the food they had clearly provided for themselves, not relying on him. Another mental checkmark went into place even as he leaned against a post waiting for them to finish. So far, his team was doing nothing as he had planned. They had refused his bait, they planned and worked together if sloppily. They were taking this seriously. They planned ahead and didn't trust him implicitly rather looking underneath his meanings. It was quite possible that aside from the ever lazy Nara, Kakashi had the only genin who seemed to embody what ninja were meant to be when the village was founded, rather then what they had developed into as of late. More the ideal of ninja.
More like what his own father had originally inspired him to be.
Kakashi shied away again mentally from the line of thought as he watched the three eat the bars. Surely it wasn't enough food? If they were all doing that foolish dieting thing that had gotten so trendy lately he was going to hit them. Instead Kucho finished hers first, used to the tough nourishment and well aware to sip from her waterbottle every so often to help it go down faster. Sasuke and Naruto were struggling but it would digest easily and not upset their systems just sitting like a rock in their bellies the minute they resumed activity.
"All right my wannabe genin's...shall we try again?" Kakashi gave them a little smile with his eyes, but as he hadn't clearly stated 'begin' it really shouldn't have surprised him that the three attacked instantly.
Really, by now it was starting to sink in these were not your average graduates.
Again the brawler clones of Naruto's lunged for him, interspersed with fireballs and shurikens, kunai and senbon as Kakashi easily dodged. The growing intensity of their concentration faces amused him to the point he was having fun irritating them as he went back another step at a time, reading while he did so.
Until only his instincts alerted him and he had to subsitute himself rapidly as the area he had been went up in explosives. Where he had gone to wasn't any better though as he was in the trees and the newly formed -if unaware of passing- team seven stood still and smirked as they watched the display.
A silver haired jounin jumping and darting about, logs flying and smoke clouds everywhere as he tried to avoid the traps. Explosives, mud, wires, spikes, all manner of traps they had been able to think of and no few of them lethal, kept the jounin on his toes.
Another mental check went to his new student's favor as Kakashi dodged yet again and realized this was the work of hours. Many hours by three students who had no idea what he was going to make them do, and again they showed they could plan ahead. It was..it made the lethal capable shinobi inside him, the one hidden by the mannerisms he had adopted to try and interact with others, thrilled. The faint ringing sound startled him and as he dodged ...was that paint?..he turned seeing a bell fall. He didn't rush to reclaim it as there was another trap to dodge and he could see his students at the perimeter just waiting..
except suddenly a rock that had been a henged clone popped back into Naruto, and tossed it forward. There was an epic game of henged objects turning into yellow headed clones who would then suicidally fling themselves into a trap that hadn't yet gone off to distract Kakashi and keep him from going to retrieve his bell. Just as he was throwing a kunai to dispel the clone about to catch it, a large kikaichu grasped onto the trailing leather tie and flew it to drop in Sasuke's waiting hand before the beetle crawled onto Kochu's shoulder.
Three matching smirks..and in Naruto's case a giant leer, met him.
They'd actually done it.
On their own merit.
Kakashi shushined to land before them, arms crossed and chuckled openly. "The object of this whole exercise was to show me teamwork. You passed in the beginning but I wanted to see how far you three would go..I will admit to being impressed...come here team seven..I want to show you something.."
The three obediently padded off after him to the memorial stone, laughing and happy whoops of joy from Naruto making something in Kakashi ease. Naruto was spinning Kucho around and the happy girl was laughing openly, Sasuke was being pulled into a three way hug and despite his pretended irritation there was a lightness about him that spoke of how proud he was of his performance, so similar to Kakashi's own younger self.
"That was AWESOME! All the colors and the explosions and the..hey hey hey next time I pull off a huge prank you two have to help me! I wanna get the Chunin lounge next time."
"Hn. Could be a good test.." Sasuke actually agreed, and Kochu let out a light laugh.
Kakashi almost hated to bring the mood down but he needed to let them see it was serious and explained the purpose of the stone, the reasons behind it. Then he shared the lesson he had to experience loss to learn, about friendship.
It was encouraging that all three took his words to heart, even the stoic Uchiha nodded once, glancing at the other two.
"Tomorrow we shall meet for our first mission, and again..I'm very pleased with how well you did. How long were you setting up traps anyways?"
"Not telling." Kucho spoke up with a smirk, the boys looking at her curiously. "You'll just have to train us well enough to figure it out, sensei.."
"Maaa...so uncute.."
Naruto spluttered a laugh as even Sasuke snorted at Kucho's sigh.
