Sitting crossed legged at the low table Naruto's knee bounced up and down nervously. In front of him was a steaming cup of fresh green tea and a small bowl of snacks. To his left Sasuke stared at the table, looking like he'd eaten something sour. From the kitchen he could hear the sound of water running and humming. Clearing his throat he tried to give the raven haired boy a friendly smile. "So, uh… nice place you got here." He waved his hand to indicate the homey living room. Sasuke let out a small grunt in reply. 'Geez, what's his problem?'

Coming out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth, Hikari looked between them and smiled. "Thank you, Naruto. Don't mind my brother, he's just tired from earlier." Sasuke's frown deepened but he didn't deny it either. "Ah, don't sweat it." He wanted to taunt Sasuke about being weak but with Hikari standing right there it was a little hard to do. Especially since he was sitting in their house.

It had been a complete shock when Hikari invited him over out of the blue, to celebrate passing the test as a team she said. The blonde had rarely gotten the chance to hang out in other people's houses before, so it was a little nerve wracking. Especially with Sasuke sitting there like the surly bastard he was.

"Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Smiling up at her Naruto nodded. "Will do!" Turning around she went back into the kitchen, looking much happier than earlier. Sasuke watched his sister and Naruto thought he saw worry in his eyes. "Hey, uh… you doin okay?" Ugh, this was so awkward and weird.

"…fine." Was all he said. 'Yeesh. Maybe I'll go see what Hikari-chan is doing in the kitchen.' Getting up he wandered over to the kitchen and stepped inside. Like the other parts of the small house he'd seen this room was clean and well lit. The direction of the building meant that sunlight came in through the windows during the afternoon. Looking back at him Hikari blinked and frowned. "Did you need something?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Oh, uh, not really. Jus' wanted to see what you were doin." After a moment she giggled. "Is Sasuke brooding?" There was a sound of indignation from the living room and Naruto's face split into a wide grin. "Yup!"

"Oi, you." Sasuke barged into the kitchen, looking like an affronted cat. Hikari just laughed. "I'm only teasing, Suke." It was nice to see her like this. She'd looked so sad and scared earlier, even though she pretended to be okay right after. The bruise on her arm had darkened a little and it had to have hurt. But she'd insisted it was fine. "Go sit down. Dinner won't take long… hmm. You could always go outside and show Naruto the garden." Sasuke looked at him and shrugged.

"Why not… Come on, dobe."

*Hikari*

While Naruto and Sasuke walked off, arguing and calling each other names, she went back to work. Stirring the broth she ladled some onto a tasting dish and sipped it. Pulling out the miso she added another spoonful and a little bit of soy sauce. Stirring the broth she let it simmer so the flavours would mingle, set the lid back on the pot, and returned to the cutting board. Done shopping the green onions, carrots, and spinach she checked the broth and smiled to herself. Now all she had to do was finish the noodles and sear the pork.

One would think that after such a rough day Hikari would want to go lay down to rest. But she was far too jittery. Cooking, cleaning, or practicing the shamisen had a calming effect on her nerves. The mundane tasks let her mind wander so she could think about everything that happened. Today she'd felt like an absolute failure. Against their teacher she had been like a leaf in the wind. No control of her situation or environment. His accusation had felt like a punch to the gut.

Shaking her head to clear it she focused on the task at hand. Rather than dwell on the negative she decided to remember the positive. They had passed! Now they were real genin, who would be trained by a real jounin. They would get stronger together, as a team.

Pulling out the bowls she started ladling the broth into them. When each bowl was two thirds full she added the noodles, seared pork, and sliced boiled eggs to the top along with the vegetables she'd cut. Putting lids on the bowls she left them to steam a little while longer and went into the living room, it doubled as a dining room, to set the table. Once everything was ready she smiled to herself at a job well done and went to find the boys.

They weren't that hard to find.

Somehow a simple tour of the garden had turned into an all out brawl on the grass. The two of them were glaring daggers at each other, clothes and hair mussed. Taking a deep breath she yelled at them. "Hey!" They stopped and looked at her, eyes owlish. It was almost comical. "Dinner's ready. If you guys don't stop fighting it'll get cold." Hands on her hips she gave them her best impression of an authority figure. It seemed to work. Sheepishly they picked themselves off the ground and headed inside. "And wash your hands first!" She called after them.

Sasuke grumbled at her but did as he was told. Naruto, on the other hand, looked at her with this confused sort of awe. "Well, get going." Cheeks turning slightly red he followed Sasuke to the bathroom and waited his turn to wash. Hikari couldn't help but think he looked a little lost.

Setting the covered bowls on the table she sat down and waited. The boys sat down a couple minutes later. "Itadekimasu." Taking the lid off her dish she saw Naruto's eyes widen and giggled at the unamused look her brother was giving her. "What? I wanted to try it." The ramen broth was nice and hot. The vegetables were steamed through and the slices of boiled egg looked delicious. Lifting some to her mouth she blew on it to cool it before slurping up the noodles as politely as she could. It was warm and hearty. Comforting after such a rough day.

"What do you think, Naruto? Be honest." Scratching at a cheek when he was finished slurping up some noodles he looked down at the bowl then back up at her with a grin.

*Sasuke*

Eating quietly he followed the conversation between his sister and the blond as they talked about ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques. Even with most of his focus on what he could have done better against their new sensei he couldn't help but think that something was off. Hikari had been a little strange the last few days and he didn't know why. He couldn't even blame the dobe. Naruto was annoying but pretty much harmless, though that was worrying in and of itself. He would be going on missions with the damned airhead. Meanwhile his sister was trying her best to be nice to him and it made him feel… awkward. Left out.

Sasuke knew that his sister was a very talkative and friendly person by nature. She did her best to get along with everyone and smile all the time, except Ino or some of the rude civilians. She worked harder than any of the girls in their class except for Hinata, who Sasuke didn't mind. In fact whenever Hinata was around things were pretty fun. He didn't feel like Hinata was stealing his sister's attention because she was so shy and polite, often apologizing for monopolizing his sister's time. Naruto, on the other hand, was unashamed of the things he did and the trouble he caused. No doubt he'd cause trouble and get them both into the thick of it with him.

'Things are going to be much livelier from now on…' He grimaced at the thought of the blonde being over at their house all the time, causing a mess and being rowdy. Hikari looked at him quizzically and he just shrugged, continuing to eat his ramen.

Naruto asked for seconds and Hikari left to get more. While she was out of the room Sasuke kicked his shin under the table. "Ow, what the hell?" He glared at the other boy. "Make sure you thank her." Naruto stared at him blankly and he huffed. "This is the first time she's made ramen, if you can't figure out why then you're more of an idiot than I thought." Naruto looked stunned for a moment before his cheeks flushed. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, he didn't like that far off look on the blonde's face. Before he could say anything else Hikari was back, setting another bowl in front of their team mate.

"O-oh, thanks Hikari-chan." The blonde stuttered, fidgeting a little. His sister gave him an accusing look but he just let his expression go blank. After a couple seconds she returned to her own meal and continued her conversation with Naruto.

After dinner Naruto did something that surprised him; he offered to do the dishes as thanks for the meal. Hikari tried to say it was no trouble but Naruto insisted, his blue eyes almost intense. His sister caved with a small smile and thanks.

"Why don't you go have a bath? I'll help the dobe do dishes and see him out." She thought it over for a moment, looked down at her still grimy clothes, made a face, and left to gather a towel and pajamas. Sasuke headed into the kitchen and nudged Naruto's shoulder. "What?" 'Does he always have to be so rude?' "I'll dry them and put them away. It'll be faster." Naruto shrugged and moved over to let him help. It was the first time they'd worked together without an argument or butting heads.

"…your sister is really nice." Naruto said after a couple minutes of silence. Sasuke watched him for any sign of sarcasm but the blonde just looked thoughtful. "Yeah, she is." They worked in silence and finished the dishes quickly. Naruto must have realized he was overstaying his welcome because he went to gather his things rather quickly. Sasuke stood in the hall, arms crossed and leaning against the wall. Naruto put his shoes on and looked back at him, an odd look on his face. "I, uh… guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." He nodded and Naruto left.

Sasuke rubbed at his forehead. Today had been so bizarre. Heading outside he watered the plants and went through some taijutsu forms before Hikari told him he could have the bath.

That night Hikari flopped down onto his bed and curled up with her own pillow, hugging it almost desperately. A fond smile crossed his face as he sat down on the bed. "…I didn't abandon you." She said after a long, drawn out, silence. "I know. I never doubted you for a minute." She smiled as the tension left her shoulders. He turned out the light and got into bed. They fell asleep, back to back, just like they used to do when they were kids.

*Hokage*

When Kakashi made his report on the outcome of the test Hiruzen couldn't help but to smile and laugh. Naruto was such a plucky kid he couldn't help but be amused at his antics. "Hokage-sama, I'm… a little concerned." Placing his pipe back in his mouth he nodded. "While Sasuke is quite advanced he seems to be pushing himself too hard. Naruto is just as unfocused as I imagined, and Hikari…" It was hard to describe the hesitation he felt when it came to the sole female Uchiha. She wasn't as driven as her brother, though by all accounts she'd done well in the academy. She seemed to lack any motivation besides helping Sasuke. "I'm unsure whether she is fit to be a shinobi." Hiruzen let out a sigh.

"Yamanaka Ito has been working with them for years, and I trust his judgment in this matter. Hikari-chan will find her own motivation before long." Kakashi's face was as blank as ever but he knew the young man was still unsure. 'He may be confident on missions but when it comes to teaching…' After what had happened to the Uchiha, Kakashi had lost some of his confidence. Not as a shinobi, but as a person. "I can arrange a meeting with you and Yamanaka Ito to talk about your students. I'm sure he has a lot to talk with you about." A faint eye smile met this as the man nodded. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Once Kakashi was gone he returned to his paperwork, still chuckling over the antics of the new generation.

*Hikari*

In the morning Team Seven met in the field around seven in the morning. Naruto looked as energetic as usual and her brother was fine but it was clear she was tired as she covered a yawn. "Not a morning person, are ya?" Naruto asked as he bounced up and down excitedly. "Not really. I'm more sluggish in the morning." Sasuke snorted and she elbowed him in the side. "At least I don't fall asleep at my desk and drool." Naruto must have tried to imagine this because he fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. Sasuke glared at the both of them and Hikari giggled.

Kakashi-sensei wasn't as late as he was before. It was maybe twenty minutes after seven when he finally appeared. The three of them were sitting beneath a tree and waiting for him, out of the sun. As he approached they rose to their feet. Naruto was bouncing again, Sasuke put his hands in his pockets, and she dusted herself off. Kakashi cleared his throat.

"Today we're going to start with some training, then a mission." Naruto practically vibrated next to her. "What kind of training? Are we gonna learn a cool jutsu? Will you teach me how you pulled Sasuke into the dirt?" Sasuke kicked a rock in front of him, glaring at the ground. It was still a bit of a touchy subject. Kakashi eyed them with what might have been hesitation, if she was to guess.

"What do you know about Chakra?" Naruto fidgeted, shrugging slightly. "Chakra is the combined physical and spiritual energy present in all living things." Kakashi smiled at her, at least she thought so. It was hard to tell with the mask. "Correct. For shinobi it is a very important tool. Like any tool it needs to be honed." Naruto mouthed the word 'honed' and she sighed. "It means to make something, like a skill or a weapon, sharper or stronger." The blonde nodded in understanding. "That is what we're going to start on today." Kakashi motioned to the open field and started walking. The three of them followed.

"We're going to start with… this." Kakashi produced nine colored cloths. Three blue, three green, and three yellow. "I want the three of you to attach these to your bodies, anywhere that is visible." Taking the three green pieces of fabric she tied one around her ankle, one on her upper arm, and one on the opposite wrist. Sasuke had the three blue flags and followed suit. One went around his wrist, one around his ankle, and one at his waist, attached to his kunai pouch. Naruto looked at the yellow flags for a moment before slipping one through his headband, one around his thigh holster, and one hanging from his pocket. "S'this good enough, sensei?" Kakashi nodded at them.

"Before we go any further, some rules. One, you are not allowed to use shuriken or kunai. Two, no jutsu." Here he looked pointedly at the boys. Hikari frowned, did sensei just not believe she would break the rules? Or was there some other reason he didn't include her in his warning? "Three, you are not allowed to use grappling moves. That said, you can use any part of your body to make contact. The goal is to steal the flags from your team mates. Whoever has the most flags when the time runs out will be the winner." Setting down a clock he started to wind it. "Oh, and, you can steal back any of your flags. As long as it is on your body and visible." Hitting the button on the small clock he yelled, "go!"

It went exactly as she thought it would. Immediately Sasuke and Naruto turned on each other. For a moment she watched them, surprised, before anger settled in her gut. If they wanted to ignore her then fine. She'd use it to her advantage. Making a hand seal she noted Kakashi-sensei dropping his arms and standing a little straighter, paying her more attention than the boys. Activating the technique she quickly dashed forward and reached up to grab the flag from Naruto's pocket before ducking underneath her brother's kick and taking the the flag from her brother's waist. Jumping back she kept her eye on the brawl as she tied the two new flags around her wrist and used another genjutsu to hide them. From there she waited for another opportunity to strike.

*Kakashi*

Carefully watching his three genin he wanted to sigh when Naruto and Sasuke devolved into a brawl, ignoring other possibilities and hammering on each other. It was almost embarrassing how they lost their composure around each other. Hikari started to move and he glanced in her direction. Out of the three she was the least predictable. Watching her hands forming a hand seal he was about to reprimand her for disobeying when he realized she wasn't using a ninjutsu. 'Genjutsu?' Whatever she did it made the boys unaware of her presence as she dashed in and stole two flags before getting away from them. 'Not bad.'

Kakashi hadn't even thought of the possibility that any of them would know genjutsu. It was a subtle skill that took a high level of chakra control. 'What did they teach in the kunoichi classes?' Tying the flags to her wrist she used another genjutsu to make them harder to see and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Technically they were still visible.

As the boys split apart they seemed to notice something was missing and glared each other down, eyes searching for their lost flag. Almost as one they turned back to Hikari. She gave them a carefully unamused expression, arms crossed. Perhaps he was handling this wrong. Naruto and Sasuke were very clearly heavy hitters. Once they had some experience under their belts they would be formidable on the battlefield. But in the last few days he'd been observing them he was beginning to realize she preferred to take a support role. 'Two ninjutsu specialists and a genjutsu specialist? An Uchiha genjutsu specialist…' If he trained them right they would be a formidable team.

When the timer finally went off the winner was Sasuke. Hikari came in second while Naruto… lost by a landslide. While his creative and unpredictable attacks were clever his moves were inefficient. Hikari had good form but she tired faster than the boys. Using two genjustu, even subtle ones, must have worn her down. "Naruto, we'll be working on your taijutsu, it's sloppy. Hikari, I'll be giving you some endurance training in the future." Naruto pouted at him and Hikari nodded in understanding. "Sasuke, you did well. Your taijutsu is impeccable." The boy smirked, accepting the praise. "However, your focus needs work. You were so preoccupied with Naruto that your sister was able to steal flags from you when you weren't paying attention. We'll need to work on that." A stubborn scowl was his only response.

"Clean yourselves up and we'll head out to get your first mission." Naruto sprang into the air in excitement. "Yes!"

It was going to be a long year.

Thanks to Hikari, Sasuke is more open to interacting with others and not looking down on them as inferior to himself. While Hikari isn't openly hostile to Naruto like Sakura was in canon. Due to their willingness to actually work together as a team Kakashi is starting their training early.

This is a bit of an intermediary chapter. Since the Wave Arc will be coming pretty soon.