*I do not own Naruto, but plot and all OCs are mine*

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Chapter 6: Sparring

"Just bring it on!"

I guess Iruka-sensei could see that I was serious, and I wouldn't back down, as he got into a tentative defensive stance in front of me. Since it looked like Iruka-sensei wasn't going to attack me first, I leapt at him.

Iruka's POV

As a chuunin, I thought that my taijutsu skills were enough to beat any rookie. I mean, I have never lost against any of the academy students before, and I hope to never have to go through that experience, as I would be shamed in front of all of my other students. Even though I wanted to test Hitomi's skills, I didn't really have to. I could easily see that she was way too advanced to be in the first year of the academy. Most of the other students were just working on how to punch and kick hard enough to actually hurt, but when Hitomi kicked me, I actually stumbled back a few steps and it knocked the breath out of me. Since I sure wasn't going to be publicly humiliated in front of my class, I leapt out of the fray, took a deep breath, and went back in with the intent to win.

Hitomi's POV

Finally, Iruka-sensei was taking me seriously. I could see it in his eyes. I wasn't some egotistical, bigheaded, overconfident brat, I knew couldn't beat a chuunin. I mean, I was only six years old, and I didn't have a proper teacher in Kiri. However, I did know that I was way better than all of the other kids in this class and if I wanted to improve, and be the best of the best as fast as I could, I would have to get out of this class and into somewhere that would actually challenge me. As I took a punch to the shoulder, I knew I needed to focus on the spar taking place. I couldn't afford to be clumsy if I wanted to walk away from this with some dignity intact.

Sasuke's POV

Wow, Hitomi-chan looks really scary.

That was the first thought that went through my head as I watched Hitomi-chan and Iruka-sensei sparring. They moved so fast that all I could see of them were blurs, and to be honest, I wasn't really sure who was winning. I know it should have been obvious that Iruka-sensei was winning, because he's our sensei and he's supposed to be better than us, but the way Hitomi-chan acted reminded me of Aniki, and Aniki was better than all of his teachers in the academy when he was this age too, so I wasn't too sure. However, as the spar went on, it became increasingly obvious that Hitomi-chan was getting tired. Her strikes were slower, and she seemed to be panting. Finally, Iruka-sensei ended the spar by grabbing Hitomi-chan's leg and throwing her onto the the ground.

"Serves her right, challenging the teacher when it was obvious she was going to lose." That was Yamanaka Ino already gossiping with a smirk on her face. I was close enough to hear her and Haruno Sakura's conversation, and I was planning to stop it, but it turns out someone else beat me to it.

"Don't say that, and it looked like she came really close to winning too. Hitomi-chan tried her best, and you shouldn't say bad things about her!" That was the dobe, surprisingly enough. I didn't know that Hitomi-chan knew the idiot well enough for him to defend her.

"Oh shut up Narut—"

"The dobe is right. You shouldn't talk bad about her. Also, even though she lost the spar, she obviously has more skills than you!" I just couldn't let this conversation go on, and I knew the girls wouldn't listen to Naruto. "Hitomi-chan is my friend, so don't talk about her behind her back like that."

"But Sasuke-kun—"

"Just stop it." With that, I turned away from the whining girls and walked off. I had intended to see if Hitomi-chan was alright, but it seemed like it was unnecessary as she was already walking towards me and Naruto.

Hitomi's POV

I knew I was going to lose the spar even before I started it, but I'm glad I at least went through with the spar anyways. Iruka-sensei decided that yes, I was too advanced for this level, and was going to talk to the Hokage about where to put me.

Since Sasuke and Naruto were about the only people I knew in the academy, I went over to where they were sitting and eating their bento.

"Hey Hitomi-chan!" Naruto enthusiastically waved me over to sit with them. "And just Naruto is fine."

"Same, just Sasuke will do."

"Okay." I agreed to their requests and sat down. Before any other conversation could start up, I quickly said what I needed to say. "I won't be staying in this level in the academy anymore. Iruka-sensei said I was too advanced."

"But whyyyy Hitomi-chan?" Naruto complained with tear trails already making their way down his face. "Why do you have to leave?"

"Naruto, I just told you why, I'm too advanced for this level."

"I know that Hitomi-chan, but we'll miss you, won't we teme?" Naruto sobbed into my shoulder while hugging me around the neck.

I looked at Sasuke, who just looked away with a little bit of an embarrassed blush on his face.

"I don't understand why you guys are so attached to me. I've known you guys for like two days. There is no way you should care for me this much already." Because it was crazy. People shouldn't get attached that quickly, I mean for all they know, I could be some weird girl that had infiltrated Konoha to kill everybody she could. In Kiri, it was dangerous to trust so easily.

"Hitomi-chan, we're your friends, of course we'd be attached to you." Naruto's voice was muffled, as he was still sobbing into my shoulder.

"Okay, so your my friends, but what if I never see you again? Will we—?"

"Hitomi-chan! What do you mean, you'll never see us again!"

"Naruto! It was hypothetical!" God, that boy was such an idiot.

". . . What does hypothetical mean?" Just proves my previous statement.

"You know what never mind. And if you really want to still be friends, just find me sometime, ne?"

As Sasuke and Naruto both turned to me with eager smiles on their faces, I felt the corners of my lips beginning to want to turn up. However, I quickly forced them down.

God, Konoha's already making me soft.

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