Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor the X-Men. If I did, I would be rich, powerful and have millions of geeks and freaks at my every whim…wait, that would include myself…ah well, on with the show.
"English"
Chapter 10The four returned to class after the two hour lunch. The three of them had agreed with one thing. Shino was the quietest person they ever met.
Iruka was sitting in his seat when they entered, they saw they were the first students back and that their former instructor was taking a nap.
"Yo, Iruka." Naruto said waking him up.
"Huh…Oh, Naruto." Iruka said blinking. "Did…" Iruka stopped as did the Ino, Shino and Hinata and they all looked at Naruto hearing a slight beeping coming from his coat.
Naruto actually blushed and pulled out a round device with an X logo on it. He clicked it open.
"I'm kinda busy." Naruto said in english.
"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze Lebeau!" came a very angry sounding woman in english.
"Um, hello mom." Naruto said softly.
"Yah missed yer check in date." Came the woman's voice again from the communicator.
"Sorry mom." Naruto said taking several steps away from everyone and sitting near the window. "'tis been a mite busy."
"Don't give meh that excuse young man."
Iruka watched the exchange. It was a radio of some kind, nothing like they used on patrols. He watched as Naruto seemed to be flustered a bit. Iruka couldn't understand what was being said, but he understood the tone of voice. He saw Ino and the others were confused as well.
"Mom, class is about to start. I promise I'll call back later." Naruto said halting his mothers rant about his irresponsible behavior he picked up from Uncle Logan and his father about not checking in.
"Mom."
"Fine. But if you don't call back tonight, I am coming down there and dragging you back to the Institute as it seems you can't seem to remember to check in when yer supposed ta."
"Love you mom, talk to you in a couple hours." Naruto said shutting the communicator off and shoving it away to an inside pocket.
"Who was that?" Ino asked coming closer.
"My mom." Naruto said. "I was supposed to call them and let them know how I was doing, sort of forgot." He said scratching the back of his neck. Hinata sat on his other side. "What were you saying?" Ino asked.
"Oh, we were speaking in English."
"How many languages do you speak Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.
"Um, well there's Japanese my native tongue. Then there's French, English, German, Russian, um, some Latin, and well if you can understand a friend of mine, I guess Californian Street Slang." He said with a shrug. "I wanted to take Chinese and Italian, but they'll have to wait till I go back."
"Impressive." Shino said from the row right behind them. "Seven languages."
"How many do you speak Shino?" Naruto asked.
"Two. Our native tongue and a smattering of English. Three if you count the bond I have with my insects."
"Yeah, I do." Naruto said with a smirk.
"So, what did your mom want?" Ino asked. She was always curious and anything about Naruto had her radar up and running to learn everything she could about him. Hinata as well focused on the blond.
"Just scolded me for not checking in is all. I've got to caller her back later tonight. Most of the students at the Institute know Japanese, so it was helpful while I learned English and French."
"French, that's the one you speak in most."
"Oui." Naruto said with a smile.
They saw that the other teams were back and the bell sounded.
The door opened and several people came in. Naruto figured that they were the Jonin Instructors he saw Kurenai enter and smiled. His eyes stopped on the mesh wearing form of what he assumed was their other instructor.
"Is that fishnet?" he asked.
Ino stomped his foot hard.
"OW! What was that for?" he asked turning towards her.
He paused seeing the look in her eyes. "It was a simple question ma petite."
"You brats, lets go. Got blood to spill and dango to eat." Anko said as Shino and the girls were in motion. Naruto was walking when Sasuke stepped in front of him.
"Is there something you want Uchiha?" he asked.
"I will get the power you have dobe. I am the Uchiha, the council…"
"Kisses your ass, obviously. But my power is my own. Now be a good sale salope an' go bend over fer your new masters, cause they own you now Uchiha."
And with that Naruto stepped around Sasuke and joined his team out the door. Ino leaned in, "What did you call him Naruto?"
He smirked as he tilted his head so both her and Hinata could hear. "I called the Uchiha a dirty bitch."
Hinata's snort of laughter caused Kurenai and Anko to turn and Shino to raise an eyebrow. "Well, he is." Naruto said and Ino's laughter filled the hallway.
XX
The Dango Stand was their destination, Anko getting a round table near the back and placed an order for dango and sake, while Kurenai ordered tea for herself. Ino and Hinata ordered tea and Shino water. Naruto asked for a pop drink.
"Now, this is where we get to know one another." Kurenai said. "We introduce ourselves, tell us a bit about yourself, likes, dislikes, dreams and or ambitions. We'll go clockwise around the table and I'll start first." She looked at Anko. "And that mean's Anko goes last."
"Do I have to?" the fishnet Jonin asked with a mock pout.
"Well you can go first." She offered.
"No, last is good. I'll have dango by then."
Kurenai shook her head at her friends addiction.
"As I was saying. My name is Kurenai Yuhi, I was promoted to Jonin in the last six months, I specialize in Genjutsu, the art of illusion." She looked at her for students before continuing. "I like to read romance novels and discover new genjutsu's, also spending time with my friends. I hate…no, I loathe with a passion, certain orange books and perverts. My dream is uncertain at this time, but eventually I would like a family." She nodded to Shino who was on her left.
"Shino Amburame. I like discovering new bugs and try to crossbreed them with my family's bugs to increase their abilities. I like listening to soft music and watching firefly's in season. I hate pesticides, extreme cold and toads. I hope to one day perfect my family jutsu's and create new ones. My dream is to find a girl who isn't bothered by the symbiosis I share with my bugs."
Anko made a face seeing several of the bugs on the Amburame's hand before they crawled back into his jacket.
"My name is Hinata, I refuse to use the Hyuga name for they are nothing but cruel and heartless to those that don't fit their ideals. The Hokage has allowed me to sign emancipation papers in the last week." She twiddled her fingers together for a moment.
"I like flower pressing, origami, spending time with my two precious people." She looked at Ino and Naruto. "I dislike the attitudes of many of the villagers who think they know everything about people, but they know nothing and judge others wrongly. I also like water art and cinnamon buns…"
Naruto and Ino snickered at this. Both had born witness to Hinata's addiction. Sadly Inoichi Yamanaka might regain feeling in his hand in a month or two.
"My dream…" she blushed and looked at Naruto. "I would like to have a large family, warm and caring."
Kurenai smiled as she saw the looks between the three, the Hokage had talked to her about it ahead of time.
"Go whiskers." Anko said pulling Kurenai from her thoughts. Naruto sat between the girls and didn't even react to Anko's nickname.
"Name's Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze Lebeau. I am the former container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. I like my adopted family, Ino, Hinata and my precious people. I like to read, garden, play pranks, spar, and draw. I dislike bigots, perverts and idiots who can't see the difference between strong and caring. My dream…" he shrugged. "I'm sixteen, I'll figure that out when I'm older."
He nudged Ino.
"What, no family?" she snarked.
"Hm…maybe." Naruto said with a grin and shared a look with Hinata who smiled.
"Blondie." Anko said as she took her dango stick and pointed at Ino.
"Well, jailbait, my name is Ino Yamanaka." Ino said with a smirk, ignoring the growl from the dark haired Jonin.
"I like flowers, gardening, my family, Hinata and Naruto. I have a weakness for reading trashy romance novels and dancing in the rain. I want to train better to help Naruto and Hinata. I want to marry Naruto, in the past week he's shown me what a gentleman can be, and I won't accept anyone else." She smiled as the blond next to her seemed to blush and hide his face down a bit.
"I hate…Sakura and Sasuke, and the villagers who are too stupid to see the truth. I wish to become a master in my family's jutsu's and abilities." She twirled her tea in her cup. "I want to be a better person, because of Naruto and Hinata, till a week ago I was as shallow as Sakura…"
Naruto touched her arm and she smiled at him. "Then I saw Naruto and something in me changed."
Sipping her tea she looked at Anko. "Your turn jailbait."
"Stop calling me that." Anko growled putting her dango down.
"Name fits if you dress like that." Ino fired back.
"Anko, Ino enough." Kurenai said with a sigh. "Anko, your introduction please, and no theatrics this time."
Anko sulked and with a mock pout began her introduction. "Anko Mitarashi, Special Jonin, co-instructor with Nai-chan here." She said with a jerk of her head to her left. "I like blood, dango, reading trashy novels, pranks and a few other things. I hate the villagers who have preconceptions of things they know nothing about, and the council of idiots who share their opinion. I want to kill a certain man and reclaim my honor for all he did to me in the past." She sighed and looked at the kids at the table. "That man's name is Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin, my former sensei."
Kurenai put a hand on her shoulder, and Anko calmed herself, her hands unclenched.
Kurenai spoke then. "I am giving you an option, you four can take the test now or wait till tomorrow."
"Test?" Ino asked.
"Yes, you passed the academy test, but if you fail this test you all will be sent back to the academy and be forced to wait till the next graduation before you can try again."
Silence met her. "And if we pass this test Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata asked.
"Then you begin your careers as a Genin Squad and we take missions." She shared a look with Anko. "We'll let you four talk amongst yourselves to decide what you're going to do."
The two Jonin walked to the bar leaving the four teens alone.
"Well?" Naruto asked looking at the girls first, then Shino.
"It would be ideal to remove the worry of this next test right away rather than allow worry and concerns to cloud judgment down the path." Shino said.
"I…I agree with Shino." Hinata said.
Ino nodded as well. "I hate suspense. Gives me split ends."
Naruto smirked. "That's cause you bite your hair when you're nervous." He said getting whacked on the arm for revealing that piece of information.
"What? Hinata twiddles her fingers and I scratch the back of my neck or shuffle a deck of cards." Naruto said.
Ino growled and the others smiled.
"So, we've reached an accord then." He waved for the Jonin who walked back up.
"We'll do it now." Naruto said speaking for the others who nodded their heads in agreement.
Kurenai smiled. "Good. We'll finish this up and head to Training Ground 8." Kurenai said.
The time passed quickly and they enjoyed talking.
XX
Training Ground 8
Kurenai looked at the four Genin. She knew what Naruto could do thanks to his test the previous week. She also had a clue as to what Hinata could do from her years as her chunin escort. The wild cards in this would by the Yamanaka girl and the Amburame heir.
"Okay, now that we're here, this will be your test. You need to reach me and tag me two times. I will not move from this zone." She pointed to a five foot circle.
"You all will need to get past Anko here however, and she's got no restrictions. You have three hours to accomplish this." She said and put a timer to the side and setting it.
The special Jonin smiled pulling out several kunai. "Oh, yeah. Yum, yum, yum, all this fresh young blood." She licked the blades in anticipation.
"We'll begin." Kurenai said and her hands were in motion. The four Genin scattered and Anko pouted. "Awww. None of them want to play."
Kurenai shook her head at her friend. "They are all good at hiding. I can't even sense Naruto."
Anko paused and sent out a chakra pulse. "Hm… the Yamanaka girl is the worst followed by the Amburame. The Hyuga girl…she's good, she's either learned or does it naturally shrinks her chakra…and the whisker boy…I can't even get a ping."
"Aw chere, you be lookin' fer Naru Lebeau, I be touched."
Anko spun, and managed to avoid a hail of card shaped shuriken. "Bye-bye." He said and tossed a smoke bomb vanished again.
"How the hell, I didn't sense him at all." Anko said looking around wildly.
Kurenai too was shocked. I think they'll pass with flying colors.
Fifty-five minutes later they came at the two Jonin. Shino led the way with his bugs, they tried to overwhelm Anko who used a mud clone to vanish. Kurenai set up her Genjutsu and watched as Shino froze.
Hinata leapt over him and her Juken strikes missed the reappearing Anko by inches. Kurenai remained silent as she watched.
Hinata's driving her back. They have a plan. Good. She watched as Shino came out of the Genjutsu and sent his bugs at Anko.
I really should be helping her, but I do want to see what they got planned.
"They ain't doin' to bad non?"
What? Kurenai turned to see Naruto next to her leaning against a staff.
"Don't worry sensei, I won't cheat too much. I'll help them where its needed, but if I become involved they won't learn nothing." Naruto said and Kurenai noticed the loss of the accent as he focused on the fight.
Kurenai turned and saw where Hinata was driving Anko and watched as Ino stepped from behind a tree.
"NINJA ART: MIND TRANSFER JUTSU!" Ino called out and Kurenai watched as Anko froze. Is that?
She didn't get to finish as Anko lept at her and rapped her on the head twice. "Tag sensei, your it." Anko-Ino said.
"Very good Ino-chan." Naruto said.
Anko-Ino smiled and posed. "So what do you think Naru-kun?"
"I prefer your body better Ino-chan."
"I think you best release Anko now Ino." Kurenai said.
Anko-Ino nodded. "Yeah, besides, how can she stand wearing this, its cold and drafty." She put her hands in the release seal and Anko staggered while back by the tree Ino sat up. "Oh, I hate waking up like this." She said standing up and brushing her clothes off.
"I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Anko roared and was stopped by Naruto putting his staff under her chin.
"Twas fair Anko-institueur."
Ino smiled, she like Hinata loved the accent, and while they didin't get his words sometimes, they figured them out eventually. Naruto explained that there were different dialects for French as he called it depending upon region and continent. Some words had multiple meanings and even multiple ways to say the same thing.
Kurenai cut off any further conflict speaking up. "Well, congratulations, as of right now, Genin Squad 8 under myself and Anko has passed, and tomorrow we can begin the hard work."
Anko cussed then yelled, "NO D-RANKED MISSIONS!!"
AN: And thus ends another chapter.