Sally: You have never met anybody suffering from PTSD have you? My friends' uncle has it real bad from Vietnam. We can't even make a gunshot noise around him without him flipping out and jumping behind things for cover acting like he has a gun in his had and is in a real fight. Then we have to calm him down but until he does he thinks he's actually back in the war, it's that bad at times. So if you want to criticize me for putting something realistic in my AN at the bottom and then say I don't know what I'm talking about, I suggest you go and learn something next time first.
Dragon Man 180: It will be explained why Kabuto can casually drop Naruto's jinchuriki status towards the end of this mini arc. And yes, I said arc. The flashback will be 2 to 4 chapters long.
Leaf Ranger: I know, having Kakashi shove Naruto into this was a stupid and dick move, but he needed to try and face this. Did Kakashi know Orochimaru would show up and cause this? No, it was unexpected. But Naruto still needed to face the exams. Plus I needed him to go through them for the story to advance
timunderwood9: Hinata appeared last chapter, what are you taling about saying she didn't? I just didn't have any NaruHina interaction to go with her appearance,
This is start of my little flashback arc which will take 2 to 4 chapters. I hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 10 – Flashback: Coming Together
"Well that's enough for team training today." Kakashi told his genin as they slumped down in exhaustion. It was a little under eighteen months ago they had been placed under his command and he couldn't be happier with their progress.
Koji had advanced in his clan's jutsu style at an astonishing rate, to the point they were calling him a prodigy and apparently a few were trying to find a way to make him heir even though the clan had an heir and heiress already lined up for the position. His ninken Kairi had also grown. While the dog used to be able to fit on his head, she was now about the size of a small child. Not big enough to ride like most teenage Inuzuka do, but getting there. Kakashi expected it in a few more months actually. He had also taken up his father's prized possession; a gauntlet called the Kiba no Makai. It was made mostly for the Inuzuka taijutsu, with clawed fingers that worked in conjunction with their fast paced swipes, but it also had seals on it to incorporate fire into the attacks for a little chakra. A natural fire affinity could do amazing things with the gauntlet and Koji had inherited his fathers' nature type so he passed it on.
Sakuya had grown both in beauty and skill, growing her hair out a bit and filling out more as well. She had also honed her muscle reading skills to the point she was a natural lie detector if she could see a persons' face and could almost predict a persons' attack from watching them. It really helped her fighting style which focused on using a unique weapon she had custom made for herself, a double sided naginata she called Kagirinai Buyou. Her style focused on rapid slashes and strikes while gracefully maneuvering herself into an enemy's weak spots and blind points. With her muscle reading skills and natural flexibility, it fit her perfectly.
And Naruto had changed both the most and least depending on your perspective. On one hand, his teammates had gotten him to stop wearing so much orange. Instead of an orange and blue jumpsuit, the boy now wore an orange shirt with a dark blue windbreaker over it and dark blue pants. He also had on orange gloves that drew attention to his hands. While they got him to stop wearing so much, even they failed to break his fascination with the color. Naruto had also been taught and taken a shine to the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu that Kakashi introduced to his skills four months after taking him on as a student. The reason he had taken so long is because in addition to teaching Koji and Sakuya, all three had to work to bring Naruto out of his horrid basics and make him competent in more than just traps and head on assault, with him not really being that great at the latter in the first place. Once his basics were well and above your average graduates, Kakashi taught him the jutsu and explained all the pros and cons to it. He had quickly taken to using Kage Bunshin to study up on his basics further as well as fix the holes in his other studies that were easily apparent. While Naruto only had one combat jutsu and was still the same overactive hyper knucklehead he was when he graduated, his skills had seen a definitive improvement.
"Finally Kakashi-sensei! I thought we'd be stuck doing this stuff forever!" Naruto whined out. He also had not changed from his childish personality either. The 'stuff' Naruto felt the need to complain about was an exercise his sensei had him do; running laps on water while wearing weights. It may not be much to your average jonin or even some chunin, but to genin it was exhausting. At least in the case of Koji and Sakuya. Naruto had a biju in his gut to give him damn near unlimited energy; he was just bored and not exhausted. "So what now sensei?"
"Calm down Chibi! Me and Sakuya aren't freaking stamina freaks like you damn it!" Koji shouted from where he was slumped on the ground as he took off the weights. Sakuya merely nodded her agreement as she took of the weights herself. Naruto just chuckled and rubbed his head sheepishly.
"Sorry Koji-nii, Sakuya-chan." Naruto apologized. During the time they'd been teammates, Koji and Naruto had become close. Naruto looked up to his older teammate like one would a brother, and that notion only increased when he and Sakuya were invited to the Inuzuka compound due to Koji's father wanting to meet his son's team. The man had taken a quick liking to Naruto due to his energetic nature and cared a lot for him to the point he said he'd watch over him as if he was his own son as well, even extending the same care to Sakuya. Koji had made a joke that it made them like brothers and ever since Naruto had been calling the boy Koji-nii because of it. Koji didn't mind as he liked Naruto a lot and gave him advice on things he felt they could relate on, usually life lessons his father passed onto him that nobody could pass onto Naruto due to his orphan status. Most of the time though they just spent their free time goofing off and playing around in the park with Kairi and maybe Sakuya. Koji was glad he had a friend that could have fun outside of ninja work and Naruto was merely glad to have a friend.
"Don't worry Naruto-kun. We know you're just getting stir-crazy since we haven't had a real mission in a couple weeks." Sakuya replied. As Naruto and Koji grew close, Sakuya had come to care for both boys herself. She usually ended up playing den mother to them but didn't mind in the slightest. When Naruto had started calling her with the –chan suffix, she responded in kind with –kun. Neither really questioned why or even remembered when it started up but didn't care since they both cared a lot for each other as they both were orphans. While Naruto had the Hokage at times and Sakuya had other orphans, both just seemed to click with one another because they both knew what it was like to struggle for everything in life. Though he had yet to confess it, Naruto had actually fallen for Sakuya. Koji had figured it out from a few slipped comments when they were together and had teased him a bit for it but promised not to say anything to her. He had also admitted that had he not found out about Naruto's feelings for their female teammate, he would've eventually asked her out just to see if something more could come of it. Koji though wasn't the type to make a move on someone his friend liked though so unless Sakuya came to him first, he'd leave her for Naruto. Now he was just working on a way to get the boy to confess to his older interest. Neither were sure if Sakuya knew of Naruto's feelings or not.
"Well that's because I've been preparing you guys for a really tough mission that's coming up soon." Kakashi interjected on his students. The three looked at him hopefully for more info and he just gave an eye-smile. "Meet back here tomorrow at the usual time and I'll tell you all about it." The three switched from hopeful to mock glares as he vanished in a Shunshin.
"Tomorrow we prank sensei?" Sakuya voiced. Her question was responded to with a bark, a 'yes', and a shout of 'DAMN STRAIGHT!' so she nodded to herself and turned to her teammates. "So, how about we plan his torture over some lunch?"
"Ah, Kakashi… you're late… again." The Hokage spoke as said jonin walked into a room with many other jonin standing around waiting. Kakashi looked like he was about to defend his actions but Sarutobi wouldn't let him. "Don't bother; I think we've all had enough of your tall tales." Kakashi looked put out but took his spot in the line-up before the Hokage cleared his throat and began. "Ahem… Now that the last of our jonin sensei are here, I can announce that it is time for the Chunin Exams. As you all know we hold these exams every six months to promote peace between villages and to show off our potential strength. That said, the exams this time are being held in Iwagakure." This declaration was met with murmurs about the village that both despised them and that they hated just as much. "As we are not allies with Iwa, we can only send a few teams to their exams just as they can for our own. We also have to be on our guard at all times because they will take the slightest motivation to remove us from their village and declare war. To this end, I am only allowing three teams to be chosen to go and am not allowing any genin with less than a year of experience to enter."
"So, Kakashi, will you enter your students in these youthful exams? They have the required time Hokage-sama specified." Gai asked from his place next to Kakashi. Gai had made good on his 'promise' to Kakashi and signed up to be a sensei to the newest generation and had been placed with a team of his own just a couple weeks ago. The one-eyed man had silently prayed for an apology the moment he found out and hoped to never encounter the genin as he wasn't sure what they would try to do to him if they found out he accidentally unleashed the eccentric man on them.
"Hm…" Was Kakashi's response, and for once not because he was too engrossed in a little orange book but because he was actually debating whether he should send his team or not. 'One one hand; Koji, Sakuya and Naruto are all ready for chunin rank. Koji is well on his way for special jonin actually. Sakuya can both follow her orders well and make level headed leadership decisions when required in addition to her combat skills. And then Naruto, with his chakra and usage of Kage Bunshin, he can literally be a one man squad as long as you put him under a commander that will direct him to the most useful areas. Plus he really thinks outside the box when you stick him with a problem so I can see him saving his team from a few bad situations. All three are definitely chunin material. On the other hand though; Iwa. As soon as they see me, they'll likely target them in order to try and deal a blow to the famed 'Copy Ninja'. Plus I'm positive Iwa's genin will do their best to take out any Konoha ninja they can so they'll likely face more opposition than normal just off that alone. Can they stand up to all that pressure or would it be better to wait another six months?' As Kakashi deliberated most of the other senseis had declined to enter their students into the exams.
"I, Akabawa Hodo, nominate my genin; Yakushi Kabuto, Akado Yoroi, and Tsurugi Misumi, for the Chunin Exams in Iwa." A jonin with brown hair and glasses said as he stepped forward. Sarutobi nodded his acceptance of the nomination as Kakashi nodded to himself and stepped forward.
"I, Hatake Kakashi nominate my genin; Inuzuka Koji, Uzumaki Naruto, and Sakuya, for the Chunin Exams in Iwa." Sarutobi stared at him for a moment before nodding his acceptance of the other team and looked over his other jonin.
"I will allow one more team to participate. Are there any among you that wish for their team to test themselves for promotion?" Hiruzen asked as Kakashi stepped back. When nobody spoke up he sighed slightly. "Alright then, all of you are dismissed. Kakashi, Hodo; prepare your teams to leave in a week for Iwagakure. The trip should take you another week which would give you a day or two to rest and ready them for the Exams. I will send a messenger bird to the Tsuchikage so they know that Konoha shall be participating." He explained as the two sensei's grabbed the forms their students would need to compete and left with the other jonins. The aged Hokage simply pulled out his pipe and lit some tobacco in it before writing up the paperwork that would allow them to enter the enemy village peacefully.
"Say, Naruto-kun, isn't your birthday coming up again soon?" Sakuya asked as they were leaving Ichiraku's from lunch. While ramen wasn't the older genin's favorite food they quickly learned that for some reason Naruto wasn't allowed in other restaurants. He didn't know why and nobody would tell them so they simply ate at the ramen stand more or brought their own lunches. Sometimes Koji would invite them to his place for food as well so it didn't bother them.
"Yeah, in a couple weeks." Naruto responded. Naruto's tenth birthday had easily been the best in his life. His first nine were spent alone other than the Hokage stopping by to give him something and then returning to work. Plus people were usually extra vicious on that day since it was also the Kyuubi festival and they would get drunk. Since becoming a shinobi and getting his observation skills polished with Koji and Sakuya helping him, he could tell that their had to be some kind of connection between him and the festival since he was always called a demon or monster and it was always especially bad around this time of year. He still didn't know what though. When his tenth birthday swung around, he didn't bother telling his team since he figured they'd be enjoying the festival and wouldn't want to spend time with him. However he was shocked when they came by and spent the day with him instead, having been informed of his birthday by their sensei who knew it from their profiles he had been given prior to becoming their teacher. He had never been happier and was hoping that his eleventh would be just as fun.
"Oh right… you're birthday…" Koji muttered as he looked up to the sky. "Well damn, I totally forgot. I'm gonna have to get you somethin' good. Want me to bring a bottle of tou-san's sake like last year?" He asked with a grin. Besides a present and party, last year Koji had snuck a bottle of his fathers' favorite drink out of the house to Naruto's apartment with him. He argued that since they were technically adults since they were ninja, it was okay to drink. And as such he wanted to share his first drink with his teammates and a birthday party seemed like a good excuse to try it. Kakashi was there and said it was fine but they had to be responsible with it and that he wasn't going to let up on the next days' training, even if they had a hangover. Koji turned out to be a lightweight and passed out after only a couple cups while Sakuya apparently became very clingy to her 'chibi-kun' after a few and Naruto could apparently hold his liquor like a pro. Thinking back on it Naruto was pretty sure it was around that time he started adding –chan to Sakuya's name.
"Like you could take more than a sip anyways!" Naruto shot back with a grin as Koji took a swing at his head, which he ducked under. It was one of the few things Naruto had over Koji so he brought it up any time Koji mentioned the drink or the party. Sakuya merely shrugged as the drink was alright with her and she barely remembered much of what happened after they started drinking other than nearly squeezing Naruto to death before sleeping on his couch. "Besides, didn't you get enough at your party last month?" Naruto brought up, seeing as Koji's birthday had recently passed. It was a fun party at the Inuzuka compound, though only Kakashi, Sakuya and him were there and not from the clan. He also noticed a few of the older Inuzuka glaring at him throughout but they were surprisingly very few. Most of the Inuzuka were not pissed at him for some unknown reason apparently, which just made them better than before in Naruto's book.
"Hey, sake tastes good and tou-san said I could have a drink every now and then as long as I don't go overboard. That's why I save it for parties and stuff. Besides, if anything I could convince him to let me bring a bottle as 'his gift' to you if you want."
"You're just going to bring a bottle anyways Koji, why even ask?" Sakuya mocked as she lightly nudged him in the shoulder. He just grinned as Kairi barked. The three continued on, ignoring how most seemed to glare at Naruto or give him wide berth and them by association. It didn't bother them anymore that it happened, but Koji and Sakuya wanted to know why Naruto seemed so hated by everyone from civilian to shinobi. From the time they had been placed with Naruto to the current, they saw the boy as a likeable and mischievous kid mostly. Yeah he pranked people occasionally which was annoying, but it wouldn't warrant the hate they saw him treated with. And they hadn't even seen that he had been beaten a few times, even since he became a shinobi. Naruto hid that much from them and the mobs would never bother him that badly if he was with someone, which was part of the reason he did whatever he could to always be spending time with one of them or Kakashi if he was available.
"Say, you guys wanna go do somethin'?" Naruto asked. Koji shook his head.
"Can't really. Tou-san said he's got something to show me later so I gotta be home soon. Sorry chibi."
"I don't have anything special to do." Sakuya said as she gave the boy a smile. Naruto grinned at her as they walked towards the Inuzuka compound to spend some more time with Koji before he had to split. Naruto really liked his friends.
"Itching powder ballons and blunted kunai aimed at my junk… Did I really deserve the latter guys?" Kakashi asked as he gazed at the three genin who were varying between anger and apathy. As soon as he had walked onto the training grounds at his customary three hour late mark, he felt something off. It was only a quick substitution with a shadow clone that saved him from getting struck in the face with dark brown ballons filled with the white powder and a few blunted kunai. His poor clone though had let out a high pitch squeal before dispelling and made the real Kakashi shiver from the memories as he walked out a second time.
Koji shrugged in response to his question while Sakuya was glaring at him for being late again, especially after promising them some kind of important mission, and Naruto was crouched over by Kairi moping at how his best trap yet had failed to get the real Kakashi. Said dog was trying to cheer the boy up by licking his face. Kakashi waited a moment but when none of them really answered he just sighed and pulled out three sheets of paper. "Alright team, I have something you need to sign if you want to go on that important mission I mentioned." The three took the papers and looked them over to see 'Chunin Exam Entrance Forms' written at the top. "If you three want to be promoted, then this will be your most important mission yet." He told them with a smile. The three were stunned as they never expected him to offer them a chance for promotion.
"The Chunin Exams?" Sakuya wondered out loud as Naruto was confused as to what they were. And for once, he wasn't the only one.
"What are the Exams sensei?" Koji asked as he looked the paper over.
"Well the Chunin Exams are an international competition between the genin of various villages, all for the right to be promoted and show off their villages' strength. I think you three are ready for them so if you want to become chunin then sign those and come to the main gate in five days. That's the deadline. I should warn you though; you can die in these exams if you aren't careful. And this time the exams are in Iwa, and they hate us since we've beaten them in two wars straight. If you aren't bringing your best skills out then you could lose everything. The final decision is up to the three of you though, so take the rest of the week to think about it and chose if it's worth it. I'll see you three later." The man then vanished in a Shunshin, leaving the genin to look at each other wondering if they should go or not.
~That night~
"Koji, I'm back." A man called as he walked into his home with a large red dog. The man literally looked like an older version of the boy only with a small scar on his right cheek. He wore a black jacket with red fur lining the hood open and a mesh armor shirt underneath. His pants were black and around his left leg was tied his Konoha headband. This was Koji's father, who was just returning from a mission that he'd been on for a week.
"Hey tou-san!" Koji called out as he came from his room to greet his father. The dog gave a slight growl so he smiled and patted it on the head. "Hi to you to Hime." He then turned his attention back to his father. "You got a minute tou-san? I kinda need some advice." He asked as the man took off his jacket. He looked down at his son for a moment before shrugging and heading to the living room.
"What'cha need sochi? And where's your mother?" He asked as he took a seat in a large chair and relaxed while Koji just grabbed a seat next to him.
"She's off spending time with friends, but she can't help me with this, being a civilian and all." His father nodded his understanding, he was one of the few Inuzuka that didn't go and find a shinobi wife but fell for a civilian woman. It was strange but not unheard of. Since Koji didn't go to her with his problem, it meant it was related to his ninja career and as such she couldn't do much but wish him luck and point him to his father.
"Well then, what seems to be yer problem Koji? You know I'll help anyway I can." Koji grinned at his dad and got one in return before going on with what he wanted to say.
"Alright, you know how good I am?" The man chuckled and nodded. "And you know how strong Sakuya and chibi are right?" The man nodded again. "Well, do you think we're ready for the next level?" The man quirked an eyebrow as Koji asked his question. "Kakashi-sensei nominated us for the Chunin Exams in Iwa and I want you to tell me if you think we're ready or not." The man's eyes widened for a moment before he closed them and leaned back into his chair in thought. Koji waited in silence as Kairi came out from his room and started a low conversation with Hime, done off in the corner with growls and yips to each other. Finally his father sighed.
"I can't really answer that Koji."
"What? But you-" Koji stopped as his father held out a hand.
"I can't answer it because it's not my choice. I know your skill and have a good idea of what your team is capable of, but that doesn't make it my decision. I suspect Kakashi gave you some paperwork and a deadline to decide?" Koji nodded his head. "Well then, he's leaving the choice to the three of you. He thinks your ready, and as your teacher he should know your skills better than anybody. And yet, he's still leaving the choice to the three of you. So you shouldn't be asking me this but rather, you should be talking to Naruto and Sakuya. Ask them, if they think you're all ready. All I can really say is good luck if you go for it, and there's always next time if you don't. I'll stand by whatever decision you make in this Koji, because I believe in you." Koji smiled at the proud grin his father was giving him. "Besides, you're and Inuzuka, it's in our nature to kick ass when the time comes. You just have to choose if that time is now." Koji chuckled but gave his father a hug as he stood.
"Thanks tou-san. I think I'll go and talk to Sakuya and chibi."
"You do that. I'm gonna wait for yer mother and then have a nice night with her." He replied with a nod and grin as Koji just shook his head and left to go see his teammates. Kairi ran and gave a quick lick to the man's face before running out after her partner while the man turned to his ninken. "You think he'll go Hime?" The dog looked in the direction the two left before nodding. "You think he'll do good?" He could just tell the dog was grinning in its own way as it nodded faster this time. "Well good. Now he just needs to get a girl and he'll be set." Hime let out a bark as he just chuckled and relaxed in his chair. It was good to be home.
"Yo chibi! You home?" Koji called out as he knocked on Naruto's door. It somewhat bothered him that his 'little brother' lived in the poor district of town and had to be in a rundown apartment but Naruto seemed fine with it so he didn't' bug him about it. He once asked his father if they could get Naruto a place on the Inuzuka compound but he replied that the clan head said no. Not because she was against Naruto, but rather because there were some other Inuzuka that would have a problem with it. So Koji kept his mouth shut and just accepted that Naruto would be living in a run-down place.
"The door's open Koji-nii!" The blonde's voice rang out so the older boy opened and walked in. As always, the walls were mostly pictures of them all spending time together, though there were a few that were of Naruto with either the ramen stand workers, his Academy sensei Iruka, or the Hokage. That was something both of his teammates were shocked about, Naruto went around calling the village leader jiji, and got away with it. Koji shook the thoughts out of his head as he entered the living room to see Naruto sitting on his couch with Sakuya lying down on his chest. He looked closer and saw she had tear tracks from her eyes, meaning she was crying before falling asleep. The blond flashed Koji a small grin before turning back to the girl on top of him.
"Um… do I want to know what happened?" Koji asked as he grabbed a chair and sat down while Kairi went over to Naruto for some attention. The boy pulled one hand out from under the girl and started petting the dog as he shrugged.
"I honestly don't know. Earlier she just came over crying and I let her in. We sat down and she just started crying on me but wouldn't say why." He then looked up at Koji with his eyes full of both concern and anger. "I don't know who made her cry but whoever did, I want to find them and teach them a lesson." Koji nodded but then pointed something out.
"What says it was a 'who'? Maybe it was something that made her cry." Naruto shrugged again but turned his gaze back on the sleeping girl.
"Either way I want to go beat up whatever made Sakuya-chan cry." Koji let out a chuckle.
"Worry about your girlfriend later chibi. I came over to talk to you." He said before letting out another chuckle at the small blush the came to Naruto's face when he called Sakuya his girlfriend. "And her too actually, now that I think about it. I was just gonna go find her afterwards but this makes it easier." Koji added as an afterthought. Naruto nodded and suppressed his blush before gripping Sakuya's shoulders and lightly shaking her.
"Sakuya-chan? You need to get up Sakuya-chan." The girl mumbled something under her breath but opened her eyes to see Naruto giving her a small smile and looking down on her.
"What is it Naruto-kun?"
"Koji-nii's here and needs to talk to us." Her eyes opened for a moment before she looked and saw the boy sitting in a chair grinning at her.
"Comfortable down there Sakuya?" He teased. She just blushed but then smiled before positioning herself with her head in Naruto's lap.
"Maybe it is. And Naruto-kun doesn't mind, do you?" She asked. Said boy quickly shook his head but looked away to try and hide his blush as Sakuya turned her attention back to Koji. Said boy was trying not to break out laughing at the sight. 'Oh he definitely doesn't mind Sakuya. In fact I'm pretty sure he likes it.' He thought as he let out a light chuckle before getting serious.
"Anyways, we all really need to talk." They both nodded with serious looks to show they were listening so Koji continued. "I've been thinking a lot about the Chunin Exams Kakashi-sensei nominated us for and even asked my tou-san for some advice. He said that it's our decision on whether we go or not. He said that sensei believes in us enough to nominate us for them, but still left the decision to us. It's not a matter of are we ready, but rather of do we think we're ready." He paused to let them think that over before continuing. "I wanted to ask you guys… do you think we're all ready for the Exams? Cause I'm actually not sure if we are or not. I've seen some of the chunin in the village and know we could take a few on no problem, but then there are others that could tear us apart. We've all got our skills and we're all great, but are we ready to be chunin or not?" Sakuya and Naruto could both see that Koji was really torn in his decision to go or not and looked at each other before Sakuya sat up, to Naruto's hidden dislike, and both turned to Koji.
"Well I've thought it over myself and decided that if you two want to go for then I say let's go." Sakuya started. "You're right Koji; there are some chunin out there that could take us down just as easily as we could take down others. I'm pretty sure we're going to find some of the other genin in the exams to be just like that. But you know what? It doesn't matter as long as we stick together. We've come out of a few tough spots together and gotten stronger because of them, so I know. On our own we may have trouble, but that's why we're teammates isn't it?"
"Yeah Koji-nii. You should know that better than us, after all you're the guy that told us that aren't you?" Naruto added, recalling how in their genin exam Koji was the one to pull them together to pass. Koji gave a slight grin at the memory as Naruto smiled. "I know we're ready, cause we're the best in Konoha. So I'm going, and if I have you and Sakuya-chan with me then we'll get through everything." Koji chuckled as Naruto finished his talk before looking up at the two of them.
"You two are right. Together we can do this. So let's go to Iwa, and show off our strength." The other two grinned at him as he spoke with determination. Listening from outside the door was Kakashi, who was smiling after hearing his genin's determined talks. That was why he decided to go through with signing them up. While each had a couple faults, together they covered them and brought out their best. They were chunin material, and now they'd prove it in Iwa.