Asuma smiled as he watched the trio of genin. Their teamwork wasn't all there, Chouji and Ino were used to Shikamaru making brilliant plans that they would then follow without hesitation and Shino was used to everyone working together equally towards a common goal but they would learn.
Shino was competent in close quarters and as a result Chouji would no longer have to worry about taking all of the damage. Shino's Kikaichu could also devour the enemy's chakra, slowing them down and allowing Ino to use her Mind-Body Switch technique.
Granted not one of them had even been able to touch Asuma but the potential was there. They would be given a pass.
...
Kakashi stood impassively as he watched his trio of genin. Gai was standing beside him, doing his best to remove the anger and self-loathing that filled his friend's heart.
Kakashi couldn't believe it, his very presence was poison to his sensei's son? All the pain and suffering he had experienced was constantly assaulting the young boy's mind whenever Kakashi was even near him. How could he protect his sensei's child now? How could he be there for him, teach him and look after him when all he did was cause the young child pain and suffering?
"Their teamwork is horrible," Kakashi muttered, "why would the Third ever think that they would make a good team?"
Gai nodded, "it is true that their flames of youth are dim but there is the potential for a great blaze within them all."
The silver haired ninja snorted softly. "Sasuke hates Hinata and thinks himself better than Kiba. Kiba thinks himself better than Sasuke and treats Hinata like a glass doll. Hinata has no confidence and can't stand up to the other two at all."
Gai didn't say anything in response.
"The Third told me that this is my last chance to train a team. If I fail them whether in this test or later down the line then I will not be allowed to teach a team ever again. I will not be allowed to pass on Sensei's lessons."
Still Gai did not say a word.
"The boy's suffer from over-confidence, that I can handle. Hinata doesn't seem to have any and I don't think I am the best person for that. Can you help her where I can't?" he asked his long time friend.
Gai stood silently in thought for a few seconds, "Young Tenten has been struggling with her Genjutsu training."
Kakashi gave a small smile, hidden under his mask, "two hours a day sound good?"
Gai gave a small nod.
...
Kurenai breathed in shakily, doing her best to ignore the pain from her broken ribs or punctured lung, she wouldn't die here. If the Hokage wanted her dead then she would be dead, this was just a lesson on his part. The knowledge didn't stop the fear that seemed to fill every bit of her body, it didn't stop the feeling, the utter certainty that she was going to die here and now.
"I'm beginning to think that I made a bad decision when I allowed you to become a jounin," the Hokage muttered almost conversationally as he threw Kurenai into the nearest wall. "I mean even a simple chunin knows how to control their temper and yet you yourself do not. It's quite pathetic really it is."
Kurenai weakly tried to pull herself to her feet, "I...I..."
"Yes," the Hokage sneered, "You. You. All you can think about is you. About how you were denied this one little thing. About how you were hurt. About how you were stuck with a team that you did not want. What about the others? Asuma had his heart set on training the next Ino-Shika-Cho trio and while he does have two of the members he wanted he does not have all of them. My own son wont speak to me outside of work for the next two weeks because of this. And Kakashi? Everyone knows of his connection to Minato, how do you think he feels not being able to train the child that Minato gave his life to seal the Kyuubi into? The last connection to Minato and Kakashi can't even train him." A foot caught Kurenai in the face, sending her head flying back into the wall right behind her, a loud ringing filled her ears.
"Then we have the children. Poor Sakura, she was given a strong beautiful Kunoichi, one she always dreamed of being like, to teach her and that Kunoichi turned out to be such a shallow, cold hearted bitch!" The Hokage's staff smashed down into her right foot, breaking several bones. "Then there is Shikamaru, a boy cursed to be compared to his father, I gave him a chance to be in a different team, taught different skills and interact with different people, now because of you he will be different from his father by having to redo a year in the Academy!"
A kunai pierced her hip, it wasn't lethal but it hurt. "Finally we have Naruto, a boy who only ever see's the hate and fear filled looks pointed at him, a boy who doesn't even recognize that people care for him, a boy who I see as my own grandchild. A boy who you just tried to put in the FUCKING HOSPITAL!"
The kunai was ripped out of her hip, blood going everywhere, this this may actually be fatal. "of course you don't care about any of this do you? You only care that you couldn't train Hinata, but who knows you may still be able to go see her at home. Well that is if she doesn't hate you for trying to kill Naruto or Hiashi doesn't ban you from seeing her for being a child abuser...Oh it appears that you have passed out. It appears that we will have to finish this talk another time. ANBU take her to a cell and make sure to clean the blood out of the carpet"
...
While the girls yelled and argued with each other Naruto made sure to direct Shikamaru towards his home. The Nara heir was surprised to find that Naruto didn't truly live in Konoha it's self but he lived on the outskirts, almost completely in the woods with no other house within a couple of miles. It was a surprisingly big house with well maintained gardens, though every single flower was bright red, like the colour of blood.
"Nice place," Shikamaru commented as he helped his new team-mate get to the door. "Bet the clouds are beautiful from here."
Naruto gave a slight shrug before taking his arm of Shikamaru's shoulder and unsteadily supported himself. "Thanks. See you later," he muttered before stumbling forward, grabbing onto the door handle for support.
With a sigh Shikamaru grabbed Naruto, opened the door and helped the blonde walk inside, depositing him on a couch.
"I don't need your help just go," Naruto groaned.
Shikamaru ignored him and bent down in front of the blond, looking him over closely. "She only seemed to concentrate on your face, your nose appears to be broken in two different places, two black eyes though the swelling is already going down, several small lacerations but nothing that requires stitches. Hold still," the Nara ordered before, without any warning, he reached forward and straightened Naruto's nose with a loud crack. The blond didn't even appear to blink at the pain.
"Thank you," Naruto said calmly, emotionlessly. "Please close the door on your way out."
Shikamaru stared at Naruto, unblinking for a few moments, "troublesome idiotic blonds," the Nara muttered as he moved his way over to a couch and collapsed on it.
Of course it was just at this point, as Shikamaru was about to get some rest, that the door was thrown open loudly with a cry of, "My lord please let this lowly servant tend to your wounds!"
...
Miko had finally lost those two annoying pieces of filth that dared to talk about her lord as if they were his equal or in the case of the little brat, his better. No one was the better of her lord, no one!
She rushed quickly through the streets, her shopping basket in hand as she made her way to her lord's domain, the place with which he rained supreme.
How could she have let him out of her sight? Her lord was wounded and instead of looking after him like a proper servant was meant to she instead spent her time dressing down those unimportant heathens!?
"My lord please let this lowly servant tend to your wounds!" she cried as she threw open the door to the great Demon-sama's castle.
Miko couldn't help it, she gasped when she got a proper look at her lord. The dried blood on his face, the black eyes, the small cuts, the pain that was clearly present in the way he lay upon the sofa. Her lord was gravely injured.
Moving quickly Miko dropped the groceries on the floor and rushed to the kitchen, grabbing a cloth and running it under the tap to get it wet, she also grabbed a glass of water, some painkillers and made her way back to her lord's side.
"My lord who dared to do this to you?" she asked softly as she gently washed the blood off of his face. "Who dared to lay a hand upon thine divine form?"
Her lord slowly sat up, "it was an accident while training. Don't worry about it Miko," he told her softly.
Miko's breathe hitched slightly, it always warmed her heart when he showed such concern for her feelings. She wished he wouldn't lie to her though but it was not the servant's place to tell the master what to do. "Here my lord, "she said, a small shake in her voice as she held out the glass of water and pain killers, "this will help with the pain while I take care of you wounds."
"I'll be fine," he muttered waving her off.
"My lord I..." here Miko paused on one hand her lord was clearly in pain and as a dutiful servant she should help take care of him but on the other hand he did not want her help and was waving her off. What was she meant to do?
"I'll be fine," her lord repeated this time a bit of steel was hidden in his words.
"I...I...of course my lord," she muttered, turning away and pulling herself to her feet. "I shall get started on dinner right away my lord." Without another word Miko picked up the fallen groceries, the glass and everything else and made her way back to the kitchen where she finally allowed her tears to silently fall.
...
Naruto watched as Miko walked out the room, it annoyed him sometimes how she would dote on him like she did out of a desire to prove herself to the rest of Konoha. It wouldn't work anyway, no matter how much 'favour' of his she or the other worshippers gained, it would gain them nothing. One of these days they will all realise that and they would leave him alone. Until then he was stuck with them playing nice and vying for his favour.
"I need fresh air," he muttered to himself, the room was too small, too stifling and he needed out.
A yawn from Shikamaru responded to his words, "good idea, let's go cloud watching," with that the Nara rolled off of the couch, landing on all fours before pulling himself to his feet. He stood there watching Naruto with an expectant look. Why was he still here? What did he want?
Naruto stared at him for a few moments before deciding that it would just be best to ignore the Nara and hope that he would go home on his own.
He didn't.
In fact not only did Shikamaru not go home but Sakura and the pipsqueak showed up as well. Sakura berated him for not going to the hospital, the pipsqueak kept insulting him and no matter how much he tried to ignore them, tell them to go home or just get rid of them, they stayed.
...
Sakura was not sure how to react when she saw Naruto's home, it was gorgeous! How did some no name orphan afford such a place? And that crazy girl was apparently his maid or something, it was ridiculous!
Several times Sakura tried to get Naruto to talk but he refused to say anything, just stayed quiet and ignored everyone around him. If anyone else had done that to her Sakura would have snapped, punching them for being so rude but even now Naruto scared her slightly, besides he was still injured. She couldn't leave him alone either, he needed someone normal, to take care of him, be there for him. He was just assaulted by his team sensei after all.
"So Naruto...what do you do for fun?" Sakura asked quietly, hoping for a response this time.
"He enjoys being a pathetic emo of a commoner," the annoying little Hyuuga sneered.
"Why are you even here?" Sakura hissed.
The annoying girl gave a small shrug, "bored. Why are you here?"
"Because I'm his friend!"
...
...
...
So yeah sorry for not updating in AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! but I got a new job.
I'm now a casino dealer and it pays more than minimum while being full time. Oh money how I missed you.
Sorry about the ending I had no idea where to end it and it felt like it was just dragging.
Anyway I hope this was worth the wait for you guys.