A.N.
This chapter has been edited as of 1/25/16.
A.N.
Sorry for the long wait… That's all I really have to say. Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Bonding
*Day 3*
Kiba groaned as his lightbulb stopped flickering. Today the Jonin-senseis decided to focus on Ninjutsu, specifically elemental Ninjutsu. Each Genin was given a chakra paper so they could determine their nature. Kiba's paper wrinkled, revealing that he had a lightning affinity. His teammates had different affinities from him. Shino had fire while Hinata possessed water. After finding out their affinities, the Jonin-senseis split them up in groups so they can train on their element.
"Why are we even doing this?" Kiba complained. "I want to learn some Raiton jutsus, not sit here and light this bulb." He yelled to Kakashi, who was in charge of the Raiton group. Kakashi was training his group by making them channel lightning chakra through lightbulbs.
"Maa Maa. Elemental training is very important to a shinobi. Mastering your element makes your jutsus stronger while also making them easier to control. Just ask Naruto here." Kakashi encouraged before he pointed to the blonde. Kiba saw that Naruto was focusing all of his attention on his own lightbulb.
"Actually why are you here Naruto?" The Inuzuka asked since he knew Naruto's affinity was wind and water. Of all the Genins, only he and Sasuke had lightning affinity.
"I'm training my lightning affinity like you and Sasuke." Naruto answered. The blonde channeled Raiton chakra making the bulb momentarily flicker to life. It only lasted for an instant as the light faded.
"You don't have a lightning affinity." Kiba reminded.
"I know but that doesn't mean I can't train it. To become a Jonin, a shinobi has to master two elements. I'm trying to become Hokage so I'm trying to master all five." Naruto explained as he looked at the Inuzuka. Kiba stared wide eyed at the blonde.
"So how long have you been doing this elemental training?" Kiba questioned.
"Since we graduated from the Academy. I'm in the process of reaching level one for all the natures. I only have fire, lightning, and earth to go." Naruto answered, much to the shock of Kiba.
"How do you already know how to train your affinity?" Sasuke asked, jumping into the conversation.
"I went to the library and learned about elemental natures. Then Hokage-Jiji told me the method of training all the elements." Naruto replied.
"Could you tell me the methods?" Sasuke asked. "I need to get stronger for my ambition."
Kiba wondered what the Uchiha meant as Naruto and Kakashi frowned. He never talked to Sasuke before because the Uchiha was always brooding. In fact, this was the most Kiba had ever heard Sasuke speak. While Kiba was thinking to himself, Naruto was telling Sasuke about the methods. "Alright less talking and more training." Kakashi ordered.
Kiba glared at the sensei who was reading an orange book. The kids quietly did as told and resumed training. By noon, Kiba had improved to where his lightbulb would flicker on for several seconds.
"How is this going to help me with the exams?" Kiba asked as he relaxed on the grass.
"Maybe you can add lightning chakra to your clan techniques." Naruto suggested.
"Can you even do that?" The Inuzuka asked skeptically.
"It's possible." Kakashi chimed in. "The Yondaime Raikage is known to having a technique where he surrounds himself with a cloak of lightning chakra. The cloak acts as a defense while also increasing the Raikage's speed. It could be possible to add lightning chakra to your clan techniques." The silver haired male elaborated. Kiba stared at the mask Jonin in disbelief.
'If I could add lightning chakra to Gatsuga then it'll be even stronger.' Kiba couldn't believe he never thought of it before. "I'm heading home, see ya later." Kiba said as he went to pick up Akamaru, who was napping in the shade. The ninken's ears picked up the sound of footsteps and looked up to see his partner.
"Let's race home buddy." Kiba said as he couldn't wait to start training. The boy took off, gaining a sizeable lead before he was halted by a crowd of people. Kiba tried to make his way through the mass of people but he was having difficulty doing so. Akamaru used his small stature to navigate through the crowd with relative ease. Akamaru barely edged Kiba going through the gates of the compound.
Akamaru howled his victory as he did laps around his master. "That was luck." The Inuzuka scoffed as he made his way inside. Kiba made himself a ham and cheese sandwich while grabbing some bacon for Akamaru. After eating, the duo headed towards the backyard where the clan training grounds was located. The yard was littered with holes that seemed to be dug by drills.
"Alright Akamaru, time to practice." Kiba said as he spread his arms apart. Mimicking the motion of a drill, Kiba rose into the air before slamming his body into the ground. As soon as he made a denture on the ground, he kicked off the ground to rise back into the air. Soon Akamaru joined into the training and the duo began making holes all over the yard. Kiba stopped momentarily to regain his breath. Gatsuga required a lot for chakra to maintain for long period. Now he had to find a way to apply lightning chakra to Gatsuga. As he was regaining his breath, his nose caught the scent of a fox and a dog at the gate.
"Hello, is there anyone here?" A voice yelled out. Kiba went to the gate with Akamaru following behind. Standing at the gate was a tall brown haired man with a dog in his arms. The dog seemed pale and looked as if it was suffering from something. "Oh can you help me?" The man asked when he saw Kiba. "This dog here seems to be in pain and I heard that there was a veterinarian here."
Kiba didn't reply as he tried to wrap around his head around why this man smelled like foxes. There was only one person he knew that smelled like foxes. Kiba watched as Akamaru went up to the man with his tail wagging. "Naruto drop the Henge." Kiba ordered as the man dropped the Henge.
"Haha you caught me. Anyway can you help me?" The blonde asked.
"Come on, I think my sister is home." Kiba ushered the blonde in. "Anyway why did you Henge into a man?" He asked. Naruto didn't immediately answer the question.
"I was training my Henge." Naruto answered after a few moments of silence.
"Why are you training Henge?" Kiba asked. "That's not going to help you in the exams."
"Sure it will. I'll be able to catch my opponents off guard." The blonde explained.
"Yeah as if that would ever work." The Inuzuka snorted. The two arrived at the vet where Hana was currently reading a magazine. "Oi sis, I got a patient for ya." Kiba yelled out. The brunette female looked up from her magazine to see Kiba and Naruto.
"What wrong?" Hana asked professionally as she examined the dog in the blonde's arm.
"I found him in an alleyway near my house. I know there's a vet here so I rushed over." Naruto explained as she took the dog. Kiba watched as his sister began using medical jutsu on the canine. Kiba would never openly admit it but he admired his sister's decision to become a veterinarian. A veterinarian was a crucial position in the clan as they were responsible for the health of the ninken.
"How is he Inuzuka-san?" Naruto wondered as he observed Hana.
"Hana is fine Naruto. I pretty much know you from Anko." Hana explained. Both boys tensed at the name. Kiba remembered the times Anko came and visit Hana. The first time he meet her, he lightly tapped her ass. She proceeded to tie him from a tree branch in the Forest of Death. He also unwittingly commented that she smelled like a snake. He would forever remember the sadistic grin Anko gave when she summoned a giant snake. Kiba dangled there for several hours, trying to avoid being swallowed by the snake before Anko eventually untied him. Ever since then, Kiba was respectful to Anko. Speaking of people that smelled like animals.
"Hey Naruto why do you smell like foxes?" Kiba asked. He didn't notice that Naruto and Hana froze when he asked the question. "Ever since I first met you, a smell of foxes was always on you." He clarified. Nobody spoke for several seconds as the male Inuzuka wondered if he asked another question that shouldn't had been asked.
"I have a pet fox at home. His fur must've been on my clothes." Naruto lied. Kiba didn't catch it as he was thinking about something else.
"I bet Akamaru could beat your stupid fox. Ain't that right boy?" Kiba boasted to which Akamaru barked. The two missed the sighs of relief from Naruto and Hana.
"This dog is suffering from a stomach ache, most likely from eating something rotten. I healed most of it so he just needs some rest." Hana said as she finished her analysis while also changing the subject.
"Thank you Hana." Naruto thanked the veterinarian.
"I should be the one thanking you Naruto. While this dog would've been fine after a couple of hours, you saved it from suffering and agony." Hana smiled.
"Alright Naruto you know the way out, I got to get back to training." Kiba said with a wave.
"Yeah, we need all the training we could get before the exams." Naruto replied. Kiba stopped mid stride as he turned around. What Kiba heard was 'you need all the training you could get'.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kiba growled. "I could beat you without breaking a sweat." He shouted. Hana face palmed at the idiocy of her brother. Naruto and Akamaru was confused with Kiba's attitude.
"Hey boy, I think Kiba needs to have his hearing checked." Naruto told the ninken, which barked his agreement. Hana laughed at the two's antics. "Anyway I need to go train also. See you guys around, Hana-san and Akamaru. If you need a sparring partner, feel free to hit me up Kiba." Naruto said as he left the compound.
"Funny friend you have there, Kiba." Hana said.
"He's not my friend. We're more like rivals than friends." Kiba denied as he stormed away. Akamaru ran after his partner.
"Rivals could also be friends." Hana shrugged as she went to check up on the dog.
*Day 4*
The patrons of Akimichi Beef were befuddled by the sight in front of them. Sitting in a booth was Akimichi Chouji and Uzumaki Naruto, two of the heaviest eaters in the village. Whenever the two were together, chefs were forced to be at the top of their games to feed their ginormous appetites. Many restaurants were forced to shut down for several days after the two Genins cleaned out their stocks. As soon as Naruto and Chouji walked into Akimichi Beef, the chefs began working at a feverish pace. Suppliers went and grabbed extra supplies from the Akimichi Compound to prepare for the upcoming feast. Only this time, Naruto and Chouji seemed to be eating like civilized people.
"Hey Chouji why is everyone staring at us?" Naruto asked as he slowly chewed on the meat, savoring the flavor. The Akimichi boy looked up from the grill to see that his friend was right.
"I don't know." The chubby boy replied. "They're not even moving. Do you think Shika is pulling a prank on us?" Chouji asked, only to receive a deadpanned look from Naruto. "Right, that would be too much effort for him."
Shikamaru sneezed while he was playing shogi with his dad. "Someone is talking about me. It's most likely Ino or Naruto, troublesome." He commented before going back to the game.
Naruto and Chouji ignored the stares and continued to eat calmly. A waitress managed to free herself from her shock and bravely approached the duo. "Excuse me but is something wrong with the food?" She asked curiously.
"No the food is as great as usual." Chouji said, confused at her question. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes- No- I mean I don't know! Please excuse me!" The young waitress ran away from the scene.
"What was that about?" Naruto wondered.
"I don't know but let's dig in." Chouji said as the duo resumed eating. "You *munch* are right. Food tastes *munch* good no matter how fast *munch* you eat it." He said in between bites.
"I know right!?" Naruto replied exuberantly. "I couldn't believe it either when Shin and Sai told me that food tastes good even if I eat it slow. I mean you have to eat to survive so I still think it's better to eat fast."
"Especially at the dinner table." Chouji agreed. "If you blink, all the food would be gone before you know it." The Akimichi said as he reached for a piece of meat. The blonde nodded, agreeing whole heartily at the statement.
"So how has training been?" Naruto asked as he picked up a scrumptious piece of meat.
"Not bad. I've been training with dad on some clan techniques. I've got to get stronger so I can protect Shikamaru and Ino." The Akimichi said with fire in his eyes. "How about your training? I heard you were practicing Taijutsu with Ino." Chouji asked.
"Yeah I was training with her the other day. She seemed serious about getting stronger. My training has been all over the place. I'm just training with the other Genins so we could spot each other's weaknesses." Naruto spoke.
"So that means you're going to spar with me too?" Chouji wondered as he grabbed a baby carrot. As much as Chouji hated vegetables, he didn't wanted to be scolded by his mother later on. He didn't know how she always knew when he didn't eat vegetables. The boy figured it was a motherly instinct.
"Yeah but only if you're free." Naruto said as he didn't want to be forceful.
"Sure after we eat, we could head to the compound to spar." The plump boy said as he reached for the last piece of meat. His chopsticks touched the meat at the same time as Naruto's. The two stared at each other while trying to gain possession of the last piece.
"Chouji, you're such a great friend. Thanks for letting me have the last piece of meat." Naruto said as he used his strength to pull the piece to his side.
"No, you're the awesome one for being so unselfish. Thanks for letting me have it." Chouji replied as the meat inched towards his side.
"I'm the skinner one, Chouji. I need more food than you do." Naruto reasoned.
"Are you calling me FAT!?" Chouji replied angrily. Naruto instinctively raised his hands defensively to avoid angering his friend. That was the opening Chouji needed as he raised the scrumptious piece of meat to his mouth. Just before the Akimichi could place the meat into his mouth, he met resistance.
Naruto had recovered fast enough to avoid his meat from being stolen. "You almost got me there Chouji." The jinchuriki said as he used his strength to pull the meat away from the gaping mouth. Chouji leaned forward to close the distance. Naruto quickly counterattacked by throwing a baby carrot into Chouji's mouth. The bigger boy stopped momentarily to chew the vegetable and Naruto sprang into action.
The Akimichi noticed so he slammed his knee upwards on the table. The wobbling table caused Naruto to lose his balance and made him flick the meat upwards. The piece of meat went airborne and Chouji pounced. Naruto realized that his prize was going to be taken from him. Naruto launched a chopstick with a flick of his wrist as if it was a kunai. The wooden chopstick soared through the air and pierced the juicy meat to the ceiling. Naruto leapt into the air, only to be pulled down by Chouji.
"The meat is mine Naruto!" Chouji shouted with gusto. The boys separated from each other as the onlookers wondered what was going on. The two friends stared at each other with the meat airborne in the middle. Unknown to the duo, the meat was sliding off the chopsticks. As Chouji dashed forward to apprehend Naruto, the blond noticed the falling meat. Naruto slid into between Chouji's legs and caught the falling meat with his teeth.
Naruto savored the hard fought meat as the juices exploded in his mouth. Naruto was simply in heaven as victory never tasted this delicious. Meanwhile, Chouji lamented his defeat as he began sulking. "There is always next time." Naruto tried to cheer his friend up after snapping out of his bliss. Chouji didn't respond as he looked at the grill longingly. "Alright can we get more meat over here?" Naruto shouted.
The restaurant happily responded as they had plenty of supplies after all. Those supplies didn't last long as the two Genins briskly cleaned out the store. The two boys walked out the store with a full stomach, once again defeating the chefs.
*Day 5*
Hinata stared at the opponent in front of her. Her opponent carried an air of arrogance as if Hinata couldn't possibly defeat them. The Hyuuga heiress sprang forward and her opponent did the same. Juken strikes canceled each other as the two exchanged blows. Hinata was able to see her opponent's movements. Although the strikes were deadly, Hinata was able to skillfully get out of her opponent's range. Hinata saw a clear opening and raised her palm to deal a lethal strike. As her palm got closer, she hesitated slightly. This hesitation allowed her opponent to capitalize and land a hit on her stomach.
Hinata crouched in pain as she placed a hand over her stomach. With the Byakugan active, she was able to see a hand hovering over her neck. "Winner, Hanabi." Her father announced stoically. She could see the disappointment in his eyes as Neji came over to provide treatment. The girl wondered if she would ever be able to satisfy her father. Ever since her uncle died, her father had changed to an indifferent person. No matter what Hinata did, he would frown in disappointment.
"Hinata-sama, other than your tenketsu being sealed, you're fine." Neji informed. Hinata thanked him as she grimly stood from her crouched position. She was thankful that Neji had changed from his cold persona. She heard that Naruto had changed her cousin but she never knew what happened.
Hinata wished she was as strong as Naruto was. For some reason, he was the target of many people's hatred. She always wondered why that was since the worst thing Naruto did was pull pranks on the villagers. Hinata admired the blond greatly as he faced his obstacles without backing down. As Hinata was finishing her thoughts, Hiashi finished praising Hanabi for her efforts.
How Hinata longed for her father to praise her for her achievements. "Otou-san, I would like to excuse myself so that I may shop for groceries." Hinata bowed as she ignored the pain.
"Very well you're both dismissed." Hiashi acknowledged as he left the room. Hinata exited the room and made her way outside. Hinata always loathe the scene she saw when she exited the main house. The more populous branch family were regulated to live in the shadow of the main family. The girl wished she had the ability to change the Hyuuga's way.
"Onee-san may I join you?" Hanabi asked as she made her way towards her older sister. Hinata nodded as the two departed. The Hyuuga heiresses walked with grace as they were expected to keep appearances out in public. The two would nod at the villagers on the way to the market. Usually the branch family would take care of the grocery shopping, but Hinata preferred to do it. Not only did it take some of the burden off the branch family but it also allowed her some freedom from the clan.
Hanabi liked to join in the shopping trips as Hinata would spoil her with things such as sweets. Outside of Hinata and Neji, Hanabi never behaved as a child. She never played in the playground like Hinata did when she was small. In fact, Hanabi didn't have a single friend outside the compound. "Hanabi." Hinata called to get her younger sister's attention. "How would you like it if we stopped by the playground on the way back home?" She asked. Hanabi nodded in agreement. To the common eye, Hanabi was the exact same as before. The older sister knew better as she could see the excitement in her sister's eyes.
The two Hyuugas finished their shopping quickly so they had plenty of time to play at the playground. When they arrived at the playground, they spotted people already there. Hinata instantly recognized one as it seemed to be Naruto playing with some kids. "Naruto what are you doing here?" She asked, making her way to him.
Naruto and the kids looked to see the two Hyuuga heiresses. "Hey Hinata." The boy greeted before seeing the smaller Hyuuga. "Hello again little firecracker." He teased.
"I told you not to call me that!" Hanabi shouted as she pointed to Naruto. He replied with a chuckle. Hinata was puzzled at the scene as she didn't know that Naruto knew Hanabi.
"Ano Naruto how do you know Hanabi?" Hinata asked.
"We met once when Konohamaru accidently ran into little firecracker." He answered as Hanabi ran towards him. Naruto simply placed a hand on her head, halting her advance.
"Just wait until I get close to you." Hanabi yelled as she swung her arms widely. Hinata was amused as she had never seen her sister act like this in public.
"Boss!" A young voice shouted. Konohamaru and company ran up to Naruto. "It's you again." The young Sarutobi said in disgust as he saw Hanabi. Hanabi stopped her attacks as she glared at the boy with the scarf.
"Hmph I don't have time to waste on the likes of you." Hanabi declared as she looked away from Konohamaru. Udon and Moegi held back Konohamaru before he could attack.
"Oi stop fighting you two!" Naruto scolded. Hanabi pouted that she was getting reprimanded. The Sarutobi frowned that he was scolded as well.
"How about we all play a game?" Hinata said quickly as she tried to calm the situation.
"Are you a friend of boss?" Moegi asked. Hinata lightly chuckled at Naruto's nickname.
"Hai, my name is Hinata and over there is Hanabi." She introduced herself and her sister. Konohamaru turned to Hinata.
"Sorry but boss already has a girlfriend." Konohamaru said so Hinata wouldn't get her hopes up.
"What!?" was the simultaneous response of Naruto and Hinata. Hinata couldn't believe that Naruto had a girlfriend.
'Could it be Tenten?' She wondered if it was the weapon mistress.
"I don't have a girlfriend." Naruto denied hastily.
"But I thought Haku-neechan was your girlfriend." Udon said in disbelief. While Naruto was explaining once again that Haku wasn't his girlfriend, Hinata tried to remember who this Haku was. The name was unfamiliar to her so it must be someone new to Konoha.
"Onee-sama, are you friends with that blonde guy?" Hanabi asked.
"Yes that's Naruto-kun and he's mine and Neji-niisan's friend." Hinata replied.
"Alright let's play a game called Keep Away." Naruto said as he produced a ball. Hinata knew he was trying to change the subject. Everyone was puzzled as they never heard of the game before. "The objective of this game is to keep the ball away from the people in the middle. Hinata and I will be on the outside while you guys are in the middle." He explained.
"That's not fair. You guys are taller than us." Konohamaru complained.
"Well you guys need to work together to win then. If you win, I'll take you guys out for ice cream." Naruto said as he held out the bait. The kids instantly took it as they agreed to play. Hinata stood on one side of the playground while Naruto was on the other. The four kids lined up in the middle. "Let's begin!" Naruto shouted as he slowly arched the ball to Hinata.
The kids ran towards Hinata but accidently ran into each other. Hanabi had accidently stepped on Konohamaru's scarf, causing him to fall forwards. He fell onto Moegi, who pulled Udon down as well. Hanabi collided with the falling Udon. The ball landed softly and safely in Hinata's hands. "Watch where you're going!" Konohamaru shouted.
"It was your fault that we fell." Hanabi protested.
"You guys need to be more careful." Moegi said as she rubbed the bump on her head.
"Maybe we should-"Udon tried to talk but he was being drowned out. Hinata couldn't believe that they were arguing again.
"Kids don't you guys want to be shinobi?" Naruto said loudly to catch their attention. He was satisfied when they all turned to him. "A shinobi sometimes have to work with people they don't like. Are you going to tell the Hokage that you can't work with someone because they're annoying?" He asked as the kids shook their heads no. "Good. Now you better start working together because if you don't get this ball..." He paused for dramatic effect. "I'll be forced to…" He let it hang to scare them. Naruto smirked as he got the desired effect when the kids turned pale.
The kids began whispering amongst themselves, trying to formulate a plan. Hinata couldn't believe her eyes. Hanabi was actually talking to kids their own age. Hinata was glad Naruto chose a game where they would be forced to cooperate.
"Throw the ball with all your strength from now on." A voice said from behind her. It startled Hinata as she looked who was behind her.
"Naruto." She said in relief. "Why should I throw it that hard?" Hinata asked curiously.
"You got to be serious. After all, this game is like a battle simulation where your team has to prevent the enemy from delivering vital information to his ally. This is to help them prepare life as a shinobi." Naruto replied. Hinata couldn't believe that the game functioned that way. "You might have to do stuff that causes them pain now but it'll help them in future." Naruto replied. Those words seemed to be directed to her.
"You know about mine and Hanabi's spars." She stated.
"Neji told me about it the other day. He says that you regularly hold back against Hanabi. That's not good Hinata. The enemy isn't going to hold back. You're actually harming her as you're letting her get arrogant." The blonde explained.
"I just don't have the heart to hurt her." Hinata said softly.
"It's not my place to tell you what to do. I'm only offering advice to you as a friend." He said with a grin. "You ready yet brats?" Naruto shouted as he sprinted to his side before Hinata could speak.
"Thank you Naruto." Hinata thanked him. The kids had a calculated look on their face as they prepared for the game. Naruto nodded to Hinata. She corked her arm back and beamed the ball straight at Naruto. The kids were caught off guard by the passing missile but quickly regained their bearings. All four raced towards Naruto who just caught the ball. Konohamaru jumped at Naruto, who skillfully dodged out of the way.
"Better luck next time." Naruto shouted as he threw the ball back. The other three halted and turned about face. They ran towards Hinata but as soon as Hinata was about to catch it, they ran back towards Naruto. This confused Naruto greatly until he felt someone clamp onto his left leg. Konohamaru had attached himself onto Naruto. Hinata tried to pull her arm back but the ball was already out of her hands. Moegi latched onto Naruto's left arm while Udon grabbed the blonde's right arm.
"Byakugan." Hanabi shouted as she activated her doujutsu. Naruto and Hinata then realized that their plan was to immobilize Naruto so he couldn't catch the ball. The jinchūriki tried to move but the extra weight was bogging him down. Naruto couldn't weave his body fast enough and was struck in his free leg several times. The attack crippled his movement, making him unable to catch the approaching ball.
"We got him!" Konohamaru shouted excitedly as he let go of Naruto's leg. Moegi and Udon also got off of him as they prepared to catch the ball. The ball was coming straight towards Udon so the boy raised his hands up to catch it. As the ball came closer, it vanished.
"What happened?" Udon asked confusedly. The ball had disappeared in thin air.
"So close." The kids heard. They turned to see Naruto holding the ball while standing on one leg. "Next time, make sure I can't get up. Anyway that's the end of the game." He announced as the sun was going to set soon. Groans of dismay were heard as the kids lamented their failure. "Don't worry you're still getting ice cream." He assured.
They all jumped in joy, even Hanabi. Hinata smiled as her sister was thoroughly enjoying herself. Hinata noticed that Naruto was motioning her over. "How is your leg Naruto-kun?" She asked worryingly.
"It should be okay in a few hours. Anyway can you take the kids out for some ice cream?" Naruto asked as he fished for his frog wallet. He handed over some bills to Hinata. "Sorry but I got something to do after this." He apologized.
"You're leaving again?" The kids sans Hanabi complained.
"Sorry kiddos, next time." Naruto replied as he ruffled each one of their heads. "You're welcome to come play with us next time." He said as he ruffled Hanabi's head. Hinata noticed that her sister didn't seemed displeased by the action. "Bye Hinata." He said before using Shunshin to leave the park.
"He always says that." Moegi sulked.
"He never comes eat with us." Udon added.
"Naruto-kun is busy. After all he has to train for the upcoming Exams." Hinata tried to consul the kids, although she also wondered why he didn't come along. "Alright so how about that ice cream?" Their moods immediately perked up as they raced towards the park exit.
"Onee-san do you think I can come play here sometimes?" Hanabi asked, pulling the hem of her sister's kimono. Hinata had a small grin on her face as she leaned down.
"Of course you can. It's nice to play with your friends." Hinata said as she rubbed her little sister's head.
"Friends." Hanabi muttered at the foreign word.
"Nee-chan, Hanabi-chan come on." Konohamaru called to them.
"Don't add chan." Hanabi blushed slightly before barking back as she ran ahead. Hinata grabbed her groceries, relieved that she didn't buy any food or it would had spoiled. She made her way towards the group who were patiently waiting for her.
*Day 6*
"-998, 999, 1,000." Lee grunted out as he finished his set of one handed push-ups. "Yosh I have completed my morning warm ups!" He yelled exuberantly as went into the bathroom to take a shower. In the blink of an eye, he was out and dressed in his green suit. Lee caught himself on his mirror. "Yosh, Sakura-san will fall in love with me today." He said while striking the nice guy pose. Lee exited his apartment without glancing back. The sun hadn't even risen by the time Lee left his home.
Lee lived in the lower residential area that were reserved for shinobi. He had lived in the apartment for a year now. The male no longer lived at the orphanage as he was now a shinobi. Lee was never adopted unlike the rest of his orphanage friends. Lee never knew why he wasn't adopted but he didn't pay it no mind. He was happy for his orphanage friends especially Tenten.
The day she found out that she was being adopted was one of the happiest and saddest day of his life. Although happy that Tenten had found a family, he was sad that he was losing a close friend. It worked out in the end as they were placed onto the same Genin team. Lee broke out of his thoughts as he headed towards the mission office. Lee would regularly take a mission in the morning as a way to earn money as well as a form of training.
Lee landed in front of the Hokage Tower and entered the building. "Good morning Iruka-san." Lee greeted the scarred Chunin exuberantly. The Chunin could only shake his head at the boy's enthusiasm.
"Good morning Lee, here for another mission?" Iruka asked as he stifled a yawn.
"Hai, I would like the most physically demanding one please." Lee requested. He always took the hardest D-rank mission.
"Already have it." Iruka said as he pulled out the mission. "Miyazaki-san needs boulders cleared from his acres of land. He wants to use it as farm land but the boulders are in the way. The location is northeast civilian district." He explained to Lee.
"Yosh I'll get this done in an hour. If I cannot, then I'll run back here on my hands!" Lee proclaimed as he dashed away. The dust caused Iruka to cough.
"So much energy." Iruka commented. Lee arrived in no time and immediately arrived at the client's house.
"Miyazaki-san, I'm here for your request." Lee shouted at the top of his lungs. Luckily, Miyazaki had no neighbors or they would had complained. A middle aged man opened the door and began glaring at Lee.
"Boy do you know what time it is?" He shouted.
"It's around 6 in the morning, I believe." Lee answered politely. The man groaned.
"Fine just move the boulders near the lake over there." The man pointed to the lake. "And don't wake me up until you're done." He said before slamming the door roughly. Lee did as told and began his mission to remove the boulders. There were several boulders twice the size of Lee but Lee didn't back down from a challenge. He carried the massive rocks and set up a perimeter around the lake. He finished his mission in a little less than an hour, allowing him to walk back on his feet.
"Miyazaki-san, I'm finished." Lee shouted. The man came out and in his disbelief, Lee had indeed moved all the boulders.
"Wow thanks boy. You're pretty strong." The man complimented as he signed the mission form. Miyazaki thanked Lee before the boy ran off. The sun was beginning to rise in the sky. The male made his way back to the mission office.
"Already back Lee." Iruka commented.
"Hai, mission complete." Lee replied as he handed over the signed document. Iruka received the document and handed Lee his payment.
"Alright Lee, you're good to go." Iruka finished. Lee saluted before rushing off, causing a wind to blow the documents into the air. "I've got to tell him to stop doing that." The Chunin told himself as he took a piece of paper off his head. As Lee was hopping roof to roof, he spotted Naruto headed towards the training ground.
"Naruto-kun!" The bowl cut Genin yelled to his friend. Lee stop in front of the blonde, who didn't seem amused to see him. This was the typical reaction Lee received when he called out to someone. He wonder why he always got that reaction.
"Morning Lee. Did you have to shout?" Naruto asked as he rubbed his ears.
"Good morning to you too Naruto-kun." Lee greeted. "Would you like to race to the training ground?" Lee asked, although no one accepts his challenges other than Gai and sometimes Neji.
"Sure why not?" Naruto shrugged as he began stretching his legs. Lee was joyful as someone accepted his challenge.
"Yosh, if I lose then I'll do 1,000 pull-ups. If I can't do that, then I'll run a 100 laps around Konoha." Lee motivated himself. This generally helped him strive harder, though he didn't really need extra motivation.
"Lee how about you let me decide your punishment?" Naruto suggested. Lee didn't catch the gleam in the blonde's eye.
"What a wonderful idea Naruto-kun." Lee praised. "What shall my punishment be?"
Naruto took a thinking pose and began thinking of something he hated that Lee did. "You will not hug Gai-sensei for the entire day. If you can't do that, then you'll have to go an entire week without wearing any spandex suit." Naruto informed. Lee paled at the punishment. It would be impossible to hug Gai as it was like a daily ritual of theirs. The second punishment was even worse! Why couldn't anyone understand that the spandex was a way of life?
"I accept Naruto-kun." Lee accepted because he never backed down from a challenge.
"Alright. We start on 3." Naruto said as he lined up next to Lee.
"1" Lee said as he leaned forward.
"2" Naruto continued the count as he got ready to dash.
"3" They said simultaneously as they both took off. Both took to the roofs to avoid civilians walking in the streets. Lee has a slight lead on Naruto with one mile until the grounds. To the civilians, the two were like blurs passing by. Lee wondered how fast the blonde was. Not many people, regardless of rank, could keep up with him on just pure speed. Just as Lee jumped to the next roof, Naruto disappeared into an alleyway.
'Naruto-kun must know a shortcut to the training ground.' Lee concluded as he picked up his pace. Lee continued to run with no Naruto in sight. The goal was less than 500 feet away so Lee kicked into another gear. He wouldn't underestimate Naruto like others had. Lee knew that the whiskered boy was strong and that he was a worthy rival. Just as Lee expected, Naruto had appeared from an alleyway.
"Stop going so fast Lee." Naruto shouted with joy in voice. It seemed that he was also having fun. Naruto lined up next to Lee with 200 feet until the goal.
"I will win Naruto-kun." Lee shouted as he created some distance.
"Hey I was going to say that." Naruto replied as he caught up. Both combatants ran with gusto as the finish line was near. Lee had Naruto on his back and was preventing him from overpassing him. Suddenly Naruto sped up and began to overtake Lee, despite the fact that the spandex wearing boy was running at his highest pure speed. Lee pumped more energy into his legs and lined up next to Naruto. The goal was right in front of them and Naruto did something unexpected. The blonde jumped forward, gaining a slight edge as he passed the line. Lee passed the line a second later.
"You jumped." Lee stated while panting. He was trying to breathe in the precious oxygen.
"Yeah, I had to or I wouldn't have beat you." Naruto said as he laid on the grass. Naruto pulled out two bottles of water from a scroll and tossed one to Lee. The two boys drowned the liquid with a ferocity.
"How were you able to overtake me? It was like you gained more speed." Lee asked.
"I used you to block the wind. This allowed me to not use as much energy. I then use that leftover energy to overtake you. I didn't expect you to go even faster." Naruto explained as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. The next few minutes were spent on recovering as the boys were too tired to continue the conversation.
"Naruto-kun." Lee called to get his attention. "Gai-sensei told me that you're an orphan as well. I don't remember hearing about you in the orphanage." Lee said.
"So you're an orphan too." Naruto stated. "Well I was probably put into a different orphanage from you." Naruto concluded. Lee nodded as that was probably true. After the Kyuubi attack, lots of orphanages opened up because so many parents lost their lives in the attack.
"Gai-sensei said that you and I are alike. He said that we're both orphans and that we were both Dead Last." Lee said with a grin.
"Hey that's true. I never thought about it until now." Naruto laughed. "Now look at us now. Two Dead Lasts that are going to pass the Chunin Exams." He said with confidence.
"Of course we will!" Lee shouted in reply.
"You two have such great passions of youth!" Gai yelled as he appeared from nowhere. "Lee, Naruto-kun I'm so proud of you." Gai said with a beaming smile.
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Naruto!" The blonde butted in but the spandex duo paid it no heed.
"Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
The two inched closer for a hug when Lee remember the punishment for losing. He quickly halted just before he was smothered in his sense's embrace. Gai was confused as he felt like he was hugging air. "I'm sorry Gai-sensei but I cannot hug you for the entire day." Lee said bitterly.
"Why not Lee?" Gai-sensei asked as his pupil NEVER refused a hug.
"This is my punishment for losing a race against Naruto. If I hug you today, then I'll be forced to forgo wearing the great spandex suit for an entire week." Lee said with a shaking fist. This punishment will test his willpower. Gai was appalled. Why couldn't anyone understand the brilliance of the spandex suit? The material allowed maximum flexibility while the tightness increased aerodynamics. Gai put a hand on his pupil's shoulder, making Lee look up at him.
"I believe in you Lee. I'll also make sure not to hug you for the entire day." Gai said supporting.
"I'll make you proud Gai-sensei." Lee shouted with tears appearing. The two almost hugged in that moment but they were able to restrain themselves.
'They aren't going to last the entire day.' Naruto assumed. Just as the blonde thought, it didn't take long for the spandex duo to hug. In fact, it took twenty minutes but that was a record in itself.
Reviews:
Please read my stuff, raw666, buterflypus, Ninjafang 1331, Schnarf, l1s44p, and BartWLewis - Thanks you very much!
Apedreitor – Thanks, Ino will continue to improve and be a capable kunoichi.
emilbootanimefreak - Naruto is going to have a problem with his Taijutsu unless something happens. The make up between the two is two chapters away. I think…
Illuminated - I didn't exactly know how many reps was a good amount so I just made it up LOL.
Un-named Monarch – That's the training method. Did I not write that?
firetemplar415 - Yeah I think adding a little angst makes the story more realistic.
loganhunter2 - Naruten is going to come. I promise.
R.D.T. - Only this story will cover C rank and below. The sequel will have techniques such as the Rasengan.
Unsladdtorjun - Shoot even I forgot about those goggles! They're so darn forgettable. You have a pet leviathan!? TOO COOL!
Uber Ghidorah - ...That may or may not happen.
Alex2909 - Yeah I want to expand on the basics as they could be deadly. Tsunade and Shizune seems to be a favorite in my story. Looks like they're getting more screen time.
Waldo Santiago - I added the dream part because I think she would generally be worried about something like that. I want them to see Naruto not as beneath them but rather as equals.
Dark Black Fox - I know but finding some good aces are hard. I do have a couple though.
felixgi - I don't plan on having Jiraiya teach Naruto Taijutsu, at least not yet anyway. Iwa Nin are going to go crazy!
MetallicMilitia – Thanks, Naruto isn't going to have a new style. I think all the Konoha 12 deserves some time to improve and change.
Cerulean Knight - One word: Yes
shadespace - Summoning is C-Rank. Higher ranked jutsu are going to be in the sequel. I secretly wished Anko was going to sneak in but Samui made a comeback at the end. I still like Samui though.
DetectiveJuice - I prefer the Japanese Names because it seems more authentic.
ShadowTomes - You guys are making me feel bad for making Tenten feel bad. Gosh damn it!
pyro357 - I'll try my best.
icefox - Sorry I try my best to edit the chapters to the best of my ability but I tend to miss stuff.
ChronoMitsurugi - Thank you! I always wanted a hat tip. I don't particularly like Jiraiya either but he'll have a chance to redeem himself. After all, everyone deserves a second chance. Well, almost everyone.
Shikaku Zetsumei – I'll try to go back and correct it. I don't know if it's on purpose but you have three Naruto character names in your username. Pretty awesome!