So here is the chapter that might either make or break a lot of you. I know I said I wouldn't mess with canon, but I think this story is going to be very boring, if I don't change a BIT, you know? Otherwise it's every other OC story out there, no matter how un-Mary Sue Komatsu can be. But without further ado... Please read, enjoy, fave/follow and review!
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Only the stars guided Komatsu out of her bed and towards her new life. Her hood fit snugly around her forehead, although her zipper was rather fiddly, being so near her chin. Her hair was a distraction, she had been told; too bright, too much. At least with the tawny jacket covering her upper half she would be seen less. Underneath, circling her neck and tickling her upper lip was a scarf reminiscent of the soil she toiled over so often. It lay reminding her of a shinobi's greatest strength and to hide the blistering red claw marks across her collarbone. Her gloves' reach only extended to two fingers, of which were also protected by metal guards, like her wrists and lower arm, clamping the otherwise sagging sleeves tight together. Pouches dotted along her chest and her thighs packed with inked scrolls and her khaki pants were bandaged around her right leg, kunai and shuriken strapped. With the addition of her headband around her left shoulder anyone would think her a real kunoichi.
She tittered lightly to herself.
No lights were turned on, because that would mean waking up her granny. And as much as her granny may have wanted to wish her good luck, she was never in a good mood this early of a morning; their training sessions proved that. The kitchen was oddly quiet, even more so than usual. Her breakfast was pre made, like her teammates but she had time to spare. So, a small bento box topped the pile and Komatsu brought out two scrolls. It would be too risky to put too much in the one scroll considering her shaky history of success with them. Drops of ink smudged across the parchment and she held her wrist firmly. Her chakra control certainly wasn't the best in class, but when scroll after scroll was planted in front of her, Komatsu was forced to pick up sealing experience. She was still unsure as to whether listening to Kotetsu of all people was a good idea, but it couldn't hurt to bring them just in case. The day's provisions safely tucked in her front pockets and the sun already creeping towards the window, Komatsu hauled her satchel up and over her shoulders. It was time to leave.
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She was the first one there, surprisingly. It was only when she'd resigned herself to climbing trees did the others begin to approach, unbeknownst to her.
"Oi!" Naruto called out. Komatsu jolted, half way up a trunk on her hands and feet. She promptly began to fall, latching onto a branch at the last moment, dangling. "Ah! Komatsu-chan are you okay?!" He dashed forward, peering up at the straining girl. His arms stretched out, flailing in an absurd attempt to catch her if she fell.
"'M f-fine..." She mumbled, managing to sit upright. "Nice to see you all made it," she added quietly, pulling her hood back. Clad in so many layers, she wasn't surprised the trio hadn't recognised her at first.
"What was that?" Asked Sasuke, joining Naruto at the base of the trunk. "You weren't even hanging onto a branch before dead-last came along." His eyes narrowed.
"Is it a jutsu?" Sakura pressed her palm against the trunk, rubbing it experimentally.
Komatsu swung her legs, looking up and to the side. Her granny said to never share her techniques; a current ally is a future enemy is what she said to be exact. But these were her squad mates, they were the exception weren't they? "It's tree-walking," she said. "It's uh, not really a Jutsu." She stood up, shakily stepping to the trunk. "Y-You focus your chakra in your feet...and you run up the tree." When they stared up expectantly for further explanation, she shrugged sheepishly. "I-I'm, um, not very good at explaining things..."
"Clearly," sniped Sasuke, despite already lining himself up with the tree. Naruto beat him to it however, leaping towards the trunk, only to bounce right back towards the ground.
Komatsu dropped down, landing on her feet as Naruto did the same with his skull. "Y-You shouldn't be trying it right now."
Naruto went to open his mouth but Sakura hit him upside the head, making Komatsu frown. "Naruto-kun! What were you thinking? Don't waste your chakra right before our test!" She did have a point, Komatsu thought with an embarrassed blush.
"I'm sorry, I should've warned you." A trickle of blood ran from the blond's nose. Komatsu bit her lip and she tugged down her hood. "S-Sakura-san is right. Kakashi-sensei won't like us being exhausted right before our test. M-Maybe after?"
Sasuke snorted. "If we're all still here, you mean." His eyes laid themselves on Naruto's form. "But I guess if he won't teach us, you'll have to do." It was the best she was getting from Sasuke, everyone realised.
From there, the conversation began to run dry. Sakura edged herself towards Sasuke and Sasuke edged himself away; a cycle of which they knew all too well. Naruto on the other hand was now planting himself firmly in front of the forest, tongue stuck out in concentration. Perhaps the thrill of having a skill her classmates did not caused it, but Komatsu traipsed back up her tree (it was only a regular tree a moment ago, she noted) and sat under its shade. Kakashi-sensei was already half an hour late, and Sasuke said he would another half an hour.
So there was no harm in having breakfast, no?
"Hey, what're you doing? Kakashi said we shouldn't eat," Sasuke warned. "Where did you even get that from anyway?" She held up the scroll wordlessly. "You wasted sealing ink for something like this?" She shrugged timidly, scrambling away from the Uchiha's interrogation. "Tch. Whatever." A stomach growl rang out and while all eyes were on Naruto, the boy put up his hands.
"It wasn't me!"
Sasuke and Komatsu raised an eye at Sakura, who was clutching her abdomen with a heated face. "I-I didn't eat dinner either! It's my new diet..." Komatsu shook her head resolutely. Kotetsu had told her to eat, which meant Sakura should too.
"Sakura-san," she called softly, climbing down from her tree. "Wou...Would you like..?" She squirmed, staring at the ground. "Um, well, would you all like..." She held two scrolls in front of her. "Breakfast?"
Naruto, although sceptical, took one good look at his stomach and snatched the scroll on his left. "What is this meant to be?" He shook it, putting it to his ear. "How is this breakfast?" He asked incredulously.
Sasuke grumbled something about him being a 'dobe', but Komatsu interceded. "They're storage scrolls...I um, like to keep my things in there..." She held out her hand. "U-Um, I'll show you." Naruto furrowed his brow, handing it back to her. Kneeling, she rolled out the scroll and placed her hands together in a basic sign of chakra release. "Summoning, release!" Before her lay (slightly shaken) three containers of oyakodon. "They, uh, little cold..." She rubbed the back of her neck. It wasn't overtly large-she did have a budget-but with a mission before them and Kakashi's warning on the forefront of her mind, small portions seemed best.
"Uwa! This looks good Komatsu-chan!" Naruto went to grab a bowl but Sakura cleared her throat. "Er, I mean...can I please take one, Komatsu-chan 'tte bayo?" His fingers darted around the edges of the container, nose twitching. When she nodded he clasped it tightly, ripped off the lid and feasted his eyes, then tastebuds.
Sasuke was less eager, turning up his nose. "Kakashi told us not to eat. Why're you disobeying a jōnin?"
Sakura gasped. "Are you trying to sabotage us?"
Komatsu pursed her lips, cheeks paling. Naruto growled in frustration at the other two but did not stop shovelling food into his mouth. He would fight when his stomach was full and content. Sakura changed her tune as quickly as wind chimes in a summer breeze. That breeze in this case being Uchiha Sasuke.
"N-No! I-I wouldn't—I mean, um..." She grasped at the grass blades beneath her. "Hagane-san told me to..." She said softly. "He's a Chūnin...said it was an order... Kakashi-sensei never said it was an order," she trailed off, shrugging consecutively in an attempt to appease them. "I ju-just thought it'd be nice to share?" They were making her doubt her own intentions now.
"Lay off, teme. She's eating too," Naruto argued, already fuelled by the rarely consumed homemade meal. "If you're not gonna eat, then I will dattebayo!" Komatsu's words may have shifted his theory, but Naruto brought any resistance crashing down.
"Not if I eat it first, dobe." He reached towards the second oyakodon before suddenly stopping centimetres away from the lid. He glanced up at Komatsu, then the food, silently asking for consent.
Despite everything, Sasuke was raised in a respected, well mannered clan.
"It's fine," she quickly confirmed. He didn't need any further permission.
Sakura stood off to the side, rubbing her forearms. She didn't make a move towards the meal, and after a while, Komatsu sighed and gave up. Not even Sasuke could convince her now she'd made her mind up.
Maybe she could give the oyakodon to Kakashi. Although that could seem it was a bribe, and not a peace offering. Hmm...
The sun was stroking their faces, signalling it was now roughly seven o'clock. Sasuke and Naruto were strangely still sitting together, gazing into the bottom of their bowls. Sakura was the former's shadow, peering almost longingly towards the scroll which contained the now stored oyakodon. Komatsu leant with her back to a tree, eyes closed but ears very much so open. What sort of test would this be? Judging by the location, it'd probably be at least slightly combat based. She bit her lip. If it was a straight spar with one another she'd lose; Sasuke was in a league of his own in taijutsu, and Naruto had enough brute force to knock the wind out of her sails any day. Sakura was her closest match but she was also far more wits inclined than herself. Would she pass? Would they pass?
It was all enough to drive her insane.
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It had just struck five last eleven when Kakashi appeared in view, mask wrinkled ever so slightly.
"Morning everyone. Ready for your first day?"
The sun bore down heavily on three of the Genin, while the other chose to stick to the shadows behind. Sakura and Naruto waved their fists and shouted out an exclamation of "You're late!"
"Hn," remarked Sasuke in a disapproving tone. Most of their class could discern what he meant in his noncommittal grunts by now. But their sensei was a fast learner, and he chuckled quietly at all three of his students.
"Ogenki desuka?" Komatsu greeted softly from her perch in the shade, sure Kakashi heard it all the same.
"Hai, hai. Genki desu." He confirmed her suspicions, replying as she padded over to the group. "I'm sorry for being late. There was a black cat in my path, so I had to take the long way around." Neither the blond nor pink haired let that slide without further verbal harassment. "Maa, maa why can't you be polite and quiet like Wallflower and Sasuke-kun?" She had a feeling he meant respectively rather than in conjunction. "Ah well, let's get started shall we?" He planted an alarm clock down onto a conveniently placed tree stump, hand ticking ominously. "There, it's set for noon."
A time limit. Everyone's shoulders seized up.
"Your assignment is very simple," he continued in the same easy going manner, holding up two silver bells. "You just need to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it." They clinked together tauntingly. "If you can't get them by noon, you'll go without lunch. You'll be tied to those posts and watch while I eat my lunch." He waited for the collective reaction from the group and his eyes widened a fraction when three pairs of shoulders sagged in relief.
Arigato, Hagane-san, Komatsu sent a thankful prayer his way.
Sakura's face fell and she clenched her fists. She cursed herself but to her credit, Komatsu noted, forced herself to look ahead resolutely. "But wait! There are four of us! Why're there only two bells?" Kakashi smiled gaily.
"Oh that's just so I'm guaranteed at least two of you will fail. Then again," he added offhandedly, "all four of you could flunk out too." They stood at attention, now on guard. "You can use any weapon, including shuriken." Komatsu's burden grew lighter. Any weapon. Any. "If you don't intend to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."
Sakura threw her arms out wide, shaking her head. "But those weapons are too dangerous, sensei!" Komatsu would have agreed, but if her granny could handle them, she was sure Kakashi could as well.
"Especially since you couldn't even dodge that eraser," Naruto laughed.
Kakashi bit back. "Class clowns are usually the weakest links. You can safely ignore them. Lowest scores, losers." Komatsu was a little taken aback at how harsh he was. "When I say start, you may begin."
That wasn't enough for Naruto obviously and he whipped out a kunai, lunging for their sensei. It was destined to miss its mark and with terrifying dexterity, Kakashi grabbed Naruto's wrists and pulled them behind his neck. The kunai, glinting with indiscriminate sharpness was pointed towards its owner's neck—an owner who was currently snarling and wriggling in Kakashi's grasp.
"Don't get carried away," Kakashi smirked. "I didn't say start yet." He let go and Naruto staggered back, hands up and ready to brawl. "But, you did come at me with the intent to kill so, hm, how do I say this?" His eye met each of their own. "I'm actually starting to like you guys."
Honestly, it made Komatsu feel anything but warm and fuzzy inside.
"Now, if no one else wants to launch a pre-emptive strike?" She supposed they were meant to laugh there. "Get ready... Begin!"
A flicker and all three were gone.
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Iruka sat down across from the Sandaime, pensive. "Hokage-sama, ohayou gozaimasu," he greeted formally, bowing his head.
"Now, Iruka-kun. I'm sure you didn't come here to merely drink tea and chat did you?" The elderly man did not smile, but his manner was not an unfriendly one.
"I wanted to know; Naruto and Komatsu, they were put onto Team Seven weren't they?" He scratched the scar on his nose. "Their instructor, just how harsh is he? I've heard rumours and I'm...worried," he admitted with a sigh.
Hiruzen did not smile, but his tone was careful as he pulled out a small, worn book from his sleeve. "Here is the list of all the squads Hatake Kakashi has ever taken on."
As Iruka opened its pages, a light-hearted chortle was heard. "I don't think you're going to like what you find, Iruka-chan."
Iruka blinked, wildly skimming through the pages, eyes widening in shock horror. Hiruzen just grunted, feeling the need to take a long breath from his pipe.
"Tadako-san."
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Komatsu pressed her stomach to the bark of the tree, pushing up her scarf and pulling down her hood. She should be camouflaged enough for the naked eye, but Kakashi was a jōnin, an elite shinobi; her chakra, no matter how small would be detected. She felt the small coils of energy flowing through her and breathed deeply. Holding that breath, she squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to muffle its presence. Their sensei didn't seem like he was a sensory type, but she could never be too careful. Slowly, but surely, she felt her flow grow quieter. It was a strange thing, she thought, to compare her chakra to noise. Whenever she tried to explain such a comparison to Iruka or her granny, they always seemed so confused.
Kakashi stood in the centre of the clearing, peering about appraisingly. Looking behind her shoulder, she saw Sasuke crouching in another tree a few metres to her left, while Sakura chose to lay flat against the shrubbery. And Naruto?
Well, Naruto was Naruto.
"Hey! Let's fight fair and square right now! One on one!" He announcedwith a hand extended in a challenging fist. It didn't seem to be the smartest move, although with his orange jumpsuit perhaps he would have been seen too easily regardless.
"You know, compared to the others you seem a bit weird." Kakashi deadpanned, unimpressed.
"Yeah, well the only thing weird here is your haircut," he snapped back. Komatsu smiled; it did stand out a bit.
Naruto, proving his point, charged and released a war cry. Even if Kakashi didn't use more than his pinky, it would still be enough to send Naruto flying, she thought with a grimace. The silver haired man placed his hand in his pocket, seemingly grabbing for a weapon.
"Shinobi battle techniques, part one. Taijutsu, the physical component."
Naruto jumped back with a surprised yelp. That moment of hesitation allowed Kakashi ample time to pull out...
"Hey! What're you doing?!" Naruto growled, stamping his foot.
"Reading," he replied smoothly.
"Why?!" He demanded.
"Why? Because I want to know what happens." He flipped a page. "I mean, your attacks are so weak by yourself I can read or you know, whatever." If anyone could sound so polite and still be so insulting, it was Kakashi. Naruto attempted a barrage of taijutstu, but was cut off at every turn.
Komatsu knew if she wanted to move, it would have to be now while at least a fraction of his attention was divided. There wasn't much she could do from here, the foliage was too dense and she'd give away her position. But just from watching Naruto fall over and over, she also knew close quarters combat was a suicide mission. So what could she do? Crawling along the branch with her head low, she made her way to Sasuke. He was the rookie of the year, he must have some idea of what to do.
"Naruto-kun, watch out! He's going to destroy you!" Sakura's voice was a high pitched alarm and Komatsu peered out to see if what she said was really true. Kakashi crouched behind Naruto, having evaded him countless times. His hands were folded over one another, index and middle fingers pointed upwards and pressed together.
Tiger, she realised far too late.
"Konoha Secret Finger Jutsu! One Thousand Years of Death!" Instead of some sort of explosion or blood curdling scream as they expected, Naruto was simply thrown into the lake (even if it was in an especially undignified fashion).
She heard Sasuke grumble, but kept silent. She almost wanted to yell out 'harassment.'
"Now, where was I?" Kakashi hummed pleasantly, turning back to his book.
He wouldn't give up though, leaping from the lake with two shuriken. "I'm not done yet!"
Kakashi caught them between his fingers as if they were made of the paper from his book.
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"It can't be... Th-This is even worse than the rumours!" Iruka sputtered, looking to his left at Tadako and forwards to the Hokage.
"Didn't I tell you?" Tadako laid her cheek against her palm, a grin hidden by her wrinkled robes.
"I realise Kakashi's testing methods are a bit more harsh-" an equally harsh bark of laughter interrupted him.
"A bit harsh?" Iruka exclaimed, slamming down the book. "Not a single student has ever passed this test!"
"And it'll be the same this year too," Tadako added, excited by the prospect. Iruka did a double take but pressed onwards.
"This is true," Hiruzen conceded. "Not one of them could live up to Kakashi's standards, so they were-"
"-eliminated," finished Tadako. "Because that's how we deal with the weak in shinobi villages, Iruka-chan. And that boy and my granddaughter are especially weak, as much as I hate to admit it." Even with the added sniffles, her voice was light.
"I believe I was talking, Tadako-san," Hiruzen warned, palms pressed together.
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Naruto hacked up water, drenched to the bone.
"You know, you look pretty wobbly for someone who is going to be the Hokage one day." Kakashi noted.
"I've got heaps of energy left dattebayo!" He protested, leaping up. "You think you're so smart telling us to not eat?" He pointed towards the forest, luckily in the complete opposite direction of where Komatsu was sitting. "Well Komatsu-chan was smarter. She gave us breakfast so we can fight at full strength, 'tte bayo!"
His eye followed Naruto's finger, before his shoulders shook with what appeared to be laughter. "Yare, yare, who knew it would be Wallflower who broke the rules first?" It was a warning. After he was done with Naruto, she was next.
Deciding it was now or never, Komatsu slid over to Sasuke. He frowned at her, not as angry as he was annoyed. "What do you want?" He hissed, lowering his head.
"I-I n-need your help," she replied, loosening her scarf. "I-I'm long range, so, um, getting the bells will be hard...but maybe, we could, uh, help Naruto-kun out and grab them?" She wasn't sure what she was going to do once they did get the bells, but she knew she couldn't do it by herself to begin with. "I-I mean, you are the best with taijutsu." Flattery would get you everywhere, her granny once said. And an Uchiha's ego was rather respondent to stroking. "And I swear, if we get a bell, you can have it," she quickly added, holding her hands up in surrender.
"Hn," was all he said but the cogs were turning his head. "So what can you do?" He asked, the battlefield laid out in front of him. "You said you're a long range fighter, but you're terrible with shuriken and kunai."
Komatsu couldn't help but grin a little. She did love to surprise people.
Their attention was stolen by Naruto however, as he burst out of the lake again. And again. And again. "This is..." She breathed, clutching her jacket. So that's what you learnt from the scroll, Naruto-kun.
All the plans and strategies she previously conjured were put on hold as Naruto summoned more and more clones. Even Sasuke seemed to have a red tinge to his cheeks. It was only when Kakashi used a Replacement Jutsu did her mind snap back into action. "Right. Pla-Plan." While the clones were fighting, she revealed a sealing scroll, larger and longer than the rest. "Ninja tool summoning," she whispered, putting her hands together.
Sasuke's jaw dropped an inch, which he quickly corrected. "You weren't kidding when you said 'long range weapons'," he mumbled, taking a breath. "I am going to be the one to get a bell in all of this?" He confirmed, eyes narrowed.
She nodded. Out of her, Naruto and Sasuke, she had the least to lose if she didn't make it genin.
"And you're sure you're a decent shot?"
She hesitated but nodded.
"Ninjutsu?" He questioned. Komatsu couldn't help but sigh a little; he had clearly not paid attention to team building exercises at the Academy. Iruka wanted them to know one another's chakra predispositions from the very beginning.
"Fūton. You're Katon, aren't you?" The adrenaline was beginning to pump through her veins, leave her worries behind. She wanted to win, but more importantly she wanted to be of help. They both jolted.
Wind and fire.
Sasuke looked to where Naruto was now hanging, having been caught in a trap. "I'll create a diversion, lead him away. Get the loser free and come find us. He can at least give cannon fodder." She wanted to ask where, but neither of them could know that ahead of time. "From there, support from above, then drop down and use whatever you have to enhance my Katon."
She bit her lip. It didn't seem detailed enough. When? Where? How? But this was an improvisation. Sasuke was after his own interests and was following his own agenda. "M-Maybe keep him in the dense forest area..?" She suggested hopefully.
"No, he'd just hide. He's too fast to try and hide from." He rejected the idea immediately, and she just nodded sombrely. "Ready?" He didn't bother waiting for an answer, and threw out dozens of shuriken lined in a neat row.
What neither had been counting on was them piercing him from head to toe. Komatsu let out a squeak and Sasuke shook her shoulder roughly, and she bit down on her lip, forcing her silence. The horror of having indirectly helped killing a man did not last long when a log plummeted to the ground in place of a body, and while Sasuke cursed and began to leap away, Komatsu sighed in relief.
"Oi, get back here!" Naruto squirmed in his bounds, struggling to reach his kunai pouch.
"Wait one moment please, Naruto-kun!" Now seeing no signs of a back tracking Kakashi, she dropped down to the ground, now fully equipped. With some awkwardly paced tree walking and a slash of a kunai, the blind ungracefully tumbled onto the dirt. "Ah, sumimasen... Bu-But, we don't have time to waste. We need to meet up with Sasuke-kun."
Naruto cocked his head, the gratitude in his pupils draining quickly. "Eh? Teme? Why?" He dusted off his pants, stretching and standing. "Uwa, Komatsu-chan! Where'd you get that?!" He pointed at her back.
"We, uh, have a plan...sorta..." It was more of a deal to help one another. It was in their best interests. "And um...that can wait." It really wasn't the priority. "I promise, by the end of this, you're going to have a bell," she said with such poise that Naruto staggered back.
"We-Well of course I am, dattebayo! And you are too, Komatsu-chan!" He begun to dash, and she followed along without mentioning Sasuke's claim to 'her' bell. "But what about Sakura-chan?" He asked as they ran, brows etched with worry. "I haven't seen her since this all started."
Komatsu felt a selfish pang of indifference. She couldn't bring herself to care what happened to the girl. Whether she passed or failed. She wanted to though, and it was enough to cause guilt to gnaw at her conscience. But Sasuke was more useful and Naruto was... Naruto was nice. If any two were to become genin, it should be them. Not herself.
"I'm not sure, Naruto-kun," she instead answered. "Bu...But!-if we run into her on the way, um, maybe she'll come with us?" She offered. "L-Lets find Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun first." The boy wasn't especially happy with the latter part of that plan but they continued on, heads bobbing every which way in anticipation.
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Sasuke was cornered. His taijutsu was formidable, but Komatsu realised she was kidding herself if she thought he could delay Kakashi any longer. Her and Naruto crouched above them and the blond was itching to start a rematch.
"Naruto-kun, what should we do?" She asked in a whisper. Naruto had a natural inflection for traps, so that should have passed onto tactics, even if he chose to ignore it the large majority of the time.
"I dunno..." He squinted, looking down. "I guess we could rig a few traps. That should help the teme out." He was still reluctant. "What if he gets a bell? What then, Komatsu-chan?" His tone was gravelly, irate, but held the undertone of fear.
"Then I'll go back to the academy." The response was natural, felt right. "Er, I mean... We'll sort something out." Less so. "N-Now, traps..." She handed him her supply shuriken. "You'll need all you can get." Because neither expected Kakashi to be caught, not really.
Kakashi was gone, leaving Sasuke vulnerable and exposed on all sides.
"G-Go, quick! Sasuke-kun and I'll try to send him your way. If tha-that doesn't work, just set it off anyway." Maybe he could be distracted, just for a second.
"And then I'll get to pound him and teme!" With a cheerful crow, he disappeared.
This wasn't a plan, Komatsu thought despairingly. This was the remnants of a game of ninja gone wrong. Even so... She infused chakra to her heels, leaping to the centre of the tree in front. If she could keep this up, it would be a good vantage point.
"Is he behind me?!" Sasuke cursed to himself, shuffling about. He jumped at every twitter from the birds above.
"Nope," hummed a cheery drawl. "You never thought about from beneath did you?" A hand cracked the earth from under, and burst forth, grasping for Sasuke's ankle.
This was it. If Sasuke became incapacitated, they wouldn't have a chance. She pulled back, ready to strike...
...
..
.
"Now this is different." Kakashi's glove had a clear cut and a graze over the thumb. "Haven't encountered a shinobi using a bow in a long time."
Then, he was in front of her.
She launched off the tree, squirming to force her chakra stay in her feet when she landed, softening the impact. He carefully turned around to face them, hands holding the bells tauntingly. Sasuke stiffened and she gripped her bow until her knuckles were white.
"S-Sasuke-kun, p-push him to the left," she whispered, yet signed 'right' behind her back. "We... We need those bells, Kakashi-sensei." Her voice was soft, not built for trash talking. But everyone else had a go, so why not her? "So, um, p-prepare yourself!" She knelt, loading her bow and firing to his left. He dodged easily, but Sasuke took the opportunity to close in on him at his right.
She found herself scampering around them, trying to deal support where she could without injuring Sasuke himself. At one point she was forced into close quarters combat and caught in a neck hold, to Kakashi's amusement. He was less amused when she bit down on his fingers.
She didn't like being touched.
Sasuke was fierce and was managing to keep his attention. Komatsu could only help (an arrow here, missing his left knee) and continue to waste her precious arrow supply (a little lower and he would wear his headband on both eyes). She looked behind her shoulder and saw something glimmering in the grass under the sun's rays. Her eyes trailed up and sure enough, she saw a tuft of yellow poking out between the trees.
He mouthed 'ready' and Komatsu looked to Sasuke, still locked in battle. "I-I, um, o-over here!" She stood adjacent to the tripwire. "I-I want a bell as well! S-So stop and let me p-prove myself!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but withdrew to behind Kakashi where he nodded.
"Hn. Go ahead, Kakashi. She won't take long," he smirked. "I told you, I'm not like them."
Kakashi chuckled. "How nice it is to see my cute little genin getting along." Neither deigned to respond. The silver haired man stepped towards her, hands in pockets. "I guess I can go and keep to reading Icha Icha now," he yawned.
Now she knew how Naruto felt; ashamed and insecure. She remained silent, at the ready.
"Tsk, do you need a lesson in not letting your enemy get behind you, too?" Kakashi flickered, mask creased into a smile. The wire broke and Komatsu jumped to avoid the raining shuriken and kunai.
"I'll get you this time, dattebayo!" Naruto appeared from one of the shuriken, latching onto Kakashi's back. The jōnin chuckled...until more and more Naruto began appearing from them. From the trees behind, she saw the presumedly real Naruto snicker, arms folded proudly.
Sasuke's hands flew into action. Hebi, hitsugi, saru, inoshi, uma... "Katon! Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Again, his hand came to his mouth and in a large breath, fire was expelled.
Kakashi was making quick work of the clones, getting free much sooner than any of them had anticipated. He was beginning to actually try now, she realised. Gently, she directed her chakra to near her mouth, tensing in her struggle to keep its flow as razor thin as necessary. She then dropped her bow, joining Sasuke. "Ushi, inu, usagi..." She recited carefully before copying her squad mate's movements. "Fūton, Kūki-ryū." A jet of wind followed after the flame, furthering its intensity. They stepped forward, attempting to push Kakashi back.
"Good plan, but did you really think that would work twice?" They were both heaved up by the wrist and Komatsu let out a squeal, kicking both the raven haired boy and silver haired man. Sasuke glowered (more so than before) in return. "Yare, yare, you don't give up do you? I'm not letting you anywhere near my hand again though, that hurt you know." He feigned offence.
"Get your hands off my Sasuke-kun! I won't let you hurt him!" Sakura ran onto the field, hoping to do what Komatsu hadn't a clue. She threw a single kunai his way and Komatsu wondered if it was because she lied to Iruka it happened to end up aiming straight for her eye.
Kakashi took pity and he dropped Sasuke and leapt away. Sakura cried out in joy, rushing forward and throwing her arms around him. "Get off of me," he barked, pushing her away by the shoulders.
Kakashi shared a glance with Komatsu, who's face must've held sheer terror still. "Maa, maa Sakura-chan. Your teammate could've been injured you know." She did fly her a guilty look, but Komatsu continued to shudder at what could've happened if she hadn't been struggling in her sensei's grasp. "Anyway," Kakashi didn't seem to think it a huge issue, "time's almost up."
On cue, like a true underdog, Naruto appeared. "Sensei you messed with the wrong future Hokage!" He tackled him from behind, and Komatsu took the chance to concentrate her chakra into thin points in her now free fingers, and promptly jabbed them into Kakashi's own, nails curling around the nerve in the same way she'd so often felt her granny's. Already exposed by her bite, he flinched.
That was Komatsu's new claim to fame; making a jõnin flinch.
And that was all the time Naruto needed. Komatsu tumbled face first onto the dirt in a sprawled pile of limbs. She groaned. Another bruise for the road, she grumbled. When she peeked up from under her hood however, she scrambled onto her feet.
"That's right! The number one shinobi of Konoha wins!" Naruto held the bells in his hands, dancing in a circle in time with the alarm's incessant ringing. "That's it Sensei! I'm a ninja!" He looked down at his two bells, and then at the group.
"I see," Kakashi agreed. "Congratulations, Naruto-kun. You've grabbed both bells and now you'll most certainly pass at least. So what are you going to do now?" His eye's smile turned devilish once more.
"Uh, I, hm..." He gave Sakura a grin, but she didn't even meet his gaze, instead fussing over Sasuke's wounds. He then gazed at Komatsu, whom gazed back. "Komatsu-chan! I promised you'd get a bell!"
Sasuke's face was murderous.
"O-Oh." Was all she could sputter out as he thrust it into her hand. For a moment, warmth filled her palm. She could be someone with this—a kunoichi of Konohagakure. And maybe her granny would finally be proud.
"And I swear, if we get a bell, you can have it."
"I swear."
She sighed, shoulders slumping. "Gomenasai, Naruto-kun. I..." She didn't bother explaining how she'd signed her one chance at becoming a successful kunoichi away to the sulking, broody raven haired boy standing across from them. "Here," she threw the bell to Sasuke, who caught it deftly.
He nodded and something faintly akin to appreciation entered his eyes briefly. Sakura scrunched her hair up into clumps, shaking her head wildly. "No, no, no! Sasuke-kun, please don't move on! You don't want to be stuck with Naruto of all people do you? Just come back to the academy with me and we can try again next yea..." She trailed off, realising he'd already turned his back to her.
Naruto was equally mortified and his clenched fists shook, the tinkling of his bell heard with each tremor. "I've already been held back heaps of times, Komatsu-chan. I can do it one more time, 'tte bayo." He stuffed the bell into the folds of her scarf, and the two traded light wrist slaps, trying to shove the bell onto the other.
Komatsu didn't have a dream. Naruto did. A dream he was willing to suffer and suffer and suffer and suffer for. This was all he had. Without being a shinobi, where else would he go? Would he even still get his sponsorship allowance? The Sandaime had a soft spot for the boy she knew, but she could never be sure. She could get a job with Teuchi again, or join the genin corps. She would be mocked to begin with, but it would be better than watching Naruto being beaten down again, even if she faced Iruka's disappointed-but-trying-to-be-supportive smile.
Or maybe the thought of being alone with Sasuke on a squad made her retch.
Either one.
"This is touching and all but I believe I'm going to be sick." Kakashi plucked both bells, fastening them both to his belt. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but good job, Uzamaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto's eyes glistened, while Sasuke's only perked up ever so slightly.
"S-So, Komatsu-san and I are being sent back to the Academy..?" Sakura's voice cracked. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her hand clasped her stomach.
A horrible little voice told Komatsu she deserved it. Probably her granny.
Kakashi sighed. "I'll speak with you both privately. Boys, there's two bento lunches under the memorial stone. Dig in." They didn't need further invitation. The jōnin turned back to them once they were gone, arms folded. "One more of you is going to pass," he started, and Sakura bit back a yelp. Her posture straightened, and she gazed up at their teacher, serpentine eyes both determined and pleading. Komatsu just perused the fascinating array of pebbles at her feet. "This test was about team work," Sakura's breath caught. Komatsu moved onto the grass blades. "and only one of you displayed a hint of willingness to work with squad mates." Komatsu felt a warm hand on her head. "Despite now having to check my thumb for infection at the hospital, welcome Komatsu-chan."
A beat.
Sakura began to sniffle.
Another.
Kakashi began to explain how she still had one more chance to make it as a genin with what they were calling the 'wildcard squad.' It was a benefit of being in a four man squad, he told her. The three whom hadn't passed from the four man squads of their graduating year would be placed together and tested one more time. They wouldn't be allowed to take Chūnin exams that year or missions above a D rank for six months, but it was better than what the other fifteen candidates were getting.
Sakura still sobbed, crying out for Sasuke. Kakashi tilted his head towards the forest, motioning for Komatsu to leave.
She trotted over to her bow and gladly did so, wiping away her own tears as she did so.
She didn't disappoint them.
It would be okay.
She would finally find her.
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The two boys were wolfing down their lunches when Komatsu found them, Naruto torn between sombre and absolutely positively ecstatic. He shifted into the latter when Sasuke gave a surprised, "Hn."
"Komatsu-chan!? You're here?! Does that mean that you-I mean, we-?!" He tipped out his bento, and Komatsu silently mourned the loss of good food.
"I'm uh, your squad mate, I guess. Permanently." She smoothly side stepped a hug sent her way. Naruto pursed his lip in an expression that reeked of hurt. She ignored it however, and sat down on the memorial beside Sasuke. The blond followed suit, huffing before brightening once more.
"We did it! I'm a ninja! You're a ninja, but more importantly I'm going to become Hokage dattebayo! Oh, if you're here, what, what about Sakura-chan?" Naruto's face fell when he didn't receive an answer. "Oh...so, she..?"
"She's being moved to a different squad. Something better for her." Komatsu wasn't lying. "So, um, you're stuck with me instead." She tried a laugh and it ended up a coughing fit.
Sasuke looked unimpressed but knocked a steady hand onto her back until she could breathe again. "The Fūton Jutsu?" When she nodded, his judgement appeared to secede. "Hn, well don't overuse it. It's helpful." He went back to his lunch, carefully picking around the snow peas.
Naruto grumbled, his bento already empty and consumed. "Hey, do you wanna go out to Ichiraku and celebrate, Komatsu-chan?! ...and you too, teme...I guess."
"Like I'd want to eat dinner with you anyway, dobe."
"What'd you say?!" If Komatsu hadn't been in between them, she doubted Naruto would have resisted the urge to tackle him to the ground. "Hmph, whatever. You're just mad because I got the bells and you didn't."
"I-It was a team effort, Naruto-kun," she reminded him gently. "Kakashi-sensei said that was the point of this test. We have to work as a team..." The two boys raised their eyebrows at one another.
Like that was going to work anytime soon.
Kakashi appeared in a cloud of smoke, eye crinkled in a genuine smile. "Congratulations, Squad Seven." He crouched so he was eye level with them. His eye trailed up to what they were using as a seat. "Engraved on that stone are the village's greatest heroes." His eye seemed to droop.
Naruto was immediately pressing his hands against it, 'oohs' and 'ahs' coming from him every now and then. "It's decided! I'm going to get put on that stone too! Dattebayo!"
"It's not that kind of stone, loser." Sasuke hissed. "They're KIA. They're..."
"Killed-in-Action," Kakashi finished. Naruto stiffened. "This is a memorial to them. The names of my closest friends are engraved here."
No one moved until Komatsu stood up and bowed. "I'm sorry for your loss, Kakashi-sensei." Sasuke and Naruto stared incredulously, but the former moved to do the same, although without words. Naruto was still in shock, tracing the worn letters on the stone.
Kakashi's brow crinkled lightly and he shook his head. "Your concern is touching," he said at least somewhat genuinely. "But I think we should talk about something far more important." He stood up. "Why you all passed."
"I got the bells, that's why!" Naruto boasted proudly. "And teme did because Komatsu-chan gave him a bell," he added with a grumble.
"Well, that's exactly why Komatsu-chan passed." Komatsu wondered with a sinking gut if this 'chan' thing was going to catch on. "Think about it; why would I do it? Two bells, four people?"
Sasuke caught on. "Teamwork." As sour as it tasted in his mouth, it earn an approving glance from their sensei. "What matters is the mission...not us."
"Not you," Kakashi corrected. "The three of you together is what matters the most, mission objective aside."
"B-But wouldn't we be breaking the rules then? I mean, isn't the mission above the squad?" That's what the Shinobi Principles said, and the Academy taught them religiously.
He grinned. "In the shinobi world those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are, well, worse than scum."
He gave them a flourish and a thumbs up.
"This test is officially over! Squad Seven will have its first mission tomorrow! You're all dismissed." He proceeded to shushin, leaving them choking on his dust.
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Team Seven got the bells! Exciting, right? I hope I made it believable enough and not OOC on Sasuke or Naruto's part. I also really tried to keep Komatsu fairly low levelled so tell me if you think she was out of line at any point and I'll keep it in mind for next time! This chapter was going to be even longer believe it or not but I split it into separate parts. I also realise Sakura being kicked out will be an item of contention, but the four man squad element is a really cliche part of storytelling in the Naruto FanFiction community and I want to try and create something a bit more original than that. New people means things will change~ But Sakura will not be forgotten! I plan on moulding her into a badass, something Naruto itself took way too long to do.
Sorry for the obligatory outfit description too but in the end her clothing also helps explain part of her personality so~
Please, please, please review this chapter because it's a big story event, so I want to know whether my interpretation was good! But of course, fave and follow if you liked what you read. And keep reading in the future too :) Well, ja Ne everyone!
P.S. If there are any history nerds out there, judging by Komatsu's weapon, you will probably know who I named her after, hehe.