Chapter 3: Forming True Connections

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"Do you know how to talk to people?"

"What do you mean talk to people, we're talking right now!"

"I don't mean it like that, genius."

"Well then what DO you mean, Sasuke?"

"I mean talking to people that I don't know or really care about, but have to and get them to know me at least."

"Oooooohhh I see, you're asking for the future hokage, Naruto Uzumaki advice for talking to people. Well then, it's pretty simple for a guy like you."

"And that is?"

"Pretend that they're me!"

"I'm looking to make connections, not ruin them."

"Yeah, but when you talk to me, you like actually talk to me, none of that tough guy exterior you put out. But yeah, just be nice and polite, speak when you need to and most people will think you're fine."

"Thanks, I guess."

"Sooooooo your paying for ramen for tonight, right?"

Sasuke sighed.


"Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers! If you need anything jus-dofsagkhlsdafulsjkdgvnbk SASUKE?"

"Oh, hello Sakura, I didn't know you worked here."

"Sakura, is something wrong, a customer just walked i- AAAAAAHHHHHHHH SASUKE?"

"Um, would you like for me to leave?"

"WAIT, NO DON'T!" Faster than blinding speed, both Ino and Sakura rushed to cover the exit.

"What kind of flowers are you looking for? Are you buying them for a girl, are you buying them for us? Please tell me your buying them for us? Oh your so charming Sasu-"

"Actually it's for my parents." Upon hearing that, Sakura's face slumped down, expecting a similar reaction, Sakura took a look at Ino only for her face to be completely different. It wasn't disappointment on Ino's face, more like shock. Sakura was confused, was this a ninja thing?

"A dozen lilacs, half a dozen roses, and another half a dozen marigold."

"Alright, I'll go get them from the back." Sakura left the two and went to the back to get the flowers for Sasuke.

"Sasuke, are you sure you want to go see your parents? It's only been a few months."

"I know, it seems too early. But I'm tired. I'm tired of being afraid, I'm tired of being sad, I'm tired of being weak. I want to see them again to prove that I'm not weak and that I will get stronger. S-sorry about the tangent." Ino immediately proceeded to hug him.

"I-Ino?"

"OH SASUKE, YOUR SO STRONG! LET'S GET MARRIED WHEN WE GRADUATE AND I CAN HELP YOU RESTORE YOUR CLAN!"

"INO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

The two young girls began arguing. While they were though, Sasuke quietly took out his wallet and put the money onto the counter. Quietly thanking them for the flowers and kind words before leaving. Kakashi was waiting outside, half reading his book and half watching the whole thing play out.

"Is your superpower having girls fall in love with you after a single conversation?"

Sasuke simply shrugged, to be honest he never really understood the appeal to himself.


The bouquet of flowers had created the unintentional side effect of being a popular pollination spot for a lot of bugs. Sasuke didn't mind them at first, but the amount of insects that were pollinating was starting to be too much. Fortunately, a kid, Sasuke's age had managed to recall all the insects off from the flowers.

"Sorry about that, marigold gets them rather excited."

"No problem." Sasuke gave a small smile at him.

"Hmmm, Shino Aburame?"

"Yes sir."

"Hey, you're in my class right, it's nice to meet you." Sasuke put out his hand. Surprisingly enough, Shino decided to shake it with his own.

"Sasuke Uchiha right? I see that you're gonna go far as a ninja, how do I know that? You're the top of our class and yet you treat your fellow students equally without contempt. Strong, talented, and humble, a dangerous combination."

"Thank you, how about I give you the marigolds? They aren't that expensive, and the lilacs and roses are all I really need."

"Charitable too? My, my, I envy your competition, I appreciate the offer." And with that, Sasuke handed the marigolds to Shino for his bugs. Shino was about to leave until the three started hearing dog barking sounds.

"There you are Shino, have you found the source yet?"

"Actually I have Kiba, it's the marigolds that Sasuke Uchiha kindly decided to give me."

"Hey, your Kiba Inuzuka right, we're also in the class. I don't think we've met yet."

"Wait, you know who I am?"

"Of course I do, Naruto told me it would be rude to not know who my classmates are, so I decided I would make sure to remember my class's names at the very least. You guys are easy because your from ninja clans, just like me."

Kiba was honestly more shocked than Shino right now, for the longest time he had an insticitual feeling that Sasuke Uchiha was just an overconfident jerk with a large amount of fangirls and that he didn't deserve to be top of the class. Now that feeling was starting to prove him wrong.

"We should be going, I'll see you guys later."

"Take care, Sasuke."

And with that both Sasuke and Kakashi left, leaving the two academy students by themselves.

"Kiba, I believe you're wrong about something, how do I know that, you look like you're very conflicted right now."

"Yeah it's just, I was expecting to not like Sasuke Uchiha but now, I feel like the only person who I should be disliking right now is myself."

"People are not what they seem Kiba, Sasuke is very much an introvert like myself but it seems he has started to grow in socialising with other people and wishes to make as many friends as he can. I believe you had a right to think what you thought of until now but I also believe that you should change that kind of thinking now that there's evidence that it gets you the wrong ideas about certain people."

"Yeah I guess you're right, Shino."

"How do I know that…"

"I just feel bad for whoever's gonna be on your team when we reach genin." Kiba thought internally.


It was… strange, to see their graves after all this time. If Sasuke had imagined hard enough maybe he could pretend that they were still alive and maybe on a vacation somewhere where they'll come back but he knew it wasn't true. He was standing face to face with reality, his parents were dead.

"Take your time."

The realization was finally hitting him, he'll never be in his mother's embrace again, he won't be able

"I will."

Sasuke laid down his flowers in front of the gravestones. Lilacs for his mother and roses for his father. Being so stepford for so long was an accomplishment in Sasuke's view, he was able to keep his emotions hidden for this long but now he didn't need to, his parents were right there. Sasuke closed his eyes, slowly letting out tears within him and decided to open them, having activated his sharingan.

"Hey mom, hey dad. Today is the first time I'm seeing you guys after what happened."

More tears started showing, Sasuke was alone, truly alone and he was able to fully grieve over what has happened to him, the pain, the loss, the denial, and ultimately, the acceptance.

"I just wanted to say you don't have to worry about taking care of me because there's already people who have."

Sasuke thought about Danzo, the old man's call to action on that fateful day at the park. How he offered the ability for Sasuke to rise above being an Avenger, to be something even more. Yes, he'll find Itachi and yes he'll probably fight him, but the most important thing is that there is an after, Itachi isn't an end goal, he's just a temporary stop to something greater.

"I don't know if you want revenge or not, but I'll find answers, I'll get the full story one day. But most importantly, I won't be weak again, I'll take our clan back, make sure it never fades away in obscurity."

Maybe it was his chakra, maybe it was his guilt, but now more than anything else, Sasuke's sharingan burned more intensely than ever before.

"Everything, our clan, our legacy, our pride, I promise I'll take everything back."

It was with that promise, that Sasuke's sharingan fully matured. His tears slowly drying, he stands up and looks ahead with newfound determination. The eyes of the dead have started anew.


Sasuke was beginning to walk to where Kakashi was when he spotted a girl his age also standing before a grave. Curious, he went to check it out.

"Are you visiting someone?"

"O-oh I'm just seeing my m-mother-" Upon seeing who asked her, the girl nearly opened her whole mouth.

"S-Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Shoot, I forgot my eyes.." Sasuke immediately proceeded to turn off his sharingan.

"Sorry about that."

"O-oh it's no worries, i-it's just I didn't expect you to be interested in talking to me."

"Why not?"

"Y-your top of the class aren't you and a lot of girls really like you. I bet you don't pay much attention to someone like me."

"Why wouldn't I, your Hinata Hyuga right? Heir to the Hyuga clan, one of the most powerful ninja clans in Konoha at the moment."

"R-right, how'd you know?"

"Your eyes, they have the same white that all Hyuga's do."

"I guess your right, I must look really stupid right no-"

Sasuke frowned.

"Stop, please."

"S-stop what?"

"The way you talk, the self hating attitude, it doesn't make you look humble, it makes you look weak." Hinata was honestly stunned, not even someone like Naruto, who she admired, told her something this blunt yet completely true.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I should be apologising, it's just that weakness. It reminds me of myself and I don't really like myself a lot. Great now I'm doing it." Hinata actually giggled somewhat.

"It's okay Sasuke, if it makes you feel better, I don't like myself a lot either. Oh no I'm doing it again as well..."

"Hey, how about a promise? Between me and you let's stop with the self loathing between us. Noone else has to know."

"I-I would like that." After the two made their agreement, Sasuke began leaving to go meet with Kakashi as Hinata watched by.

Sasuke Uchiha, huh? Hinata was starting to see his appeal.

"Well, well, well, look who's popular."

"Shut up."


Sasuke had to admit, when he heard he'd be learning how chakra control works, he wasn't expecting to learn how to walk on trees nor was he expecting the trees trying to attack him. I guess the latter was to be expected, his trainer wasn't Kakashi but Tenzo, an Anbu Danzo trusted mainly for his unique wood release, a power that was only held by Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage.

"It may seem a little excessive but it helps keep pressure on you." Tenzo wasn't wrong, Sasuke had nearly reached the top of the tree after just a few hours of training. The two were at the park, as the training grounds were closed for cleaning and renovation.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Wait, hold on, 10 minute break Tenzo, I'll be right back." Tenzo simply nodded and began reading a book about architecture. Sasuke began running to what looked like a problem.

"Troublesome" would probably be the best way to describe Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi's situation right now. Five kids, their age have surrounded them and were currently threatening the two.

"So, Shikamaru, you decided to play with fatty instead of hang out with us?"

"For the last time, I don't want to hang out with you guys and stop calling Choji fat."

"Oh would you look at that guys. I guess hanging out with us ordinary kids is too boring for you ninja elitists."

"Hey, what's your guys problem?"

"Oh look guys, it's top of the class Uchiha. Is here to protect his loyal servants?"

"They are not my servants, now back off right now."

"Oh, and what are you gonna do about it? We got you out-manned five to three and your weird ninja powers aren't gonna leave you a-"

The kid was right, their "weird ninja powers" weren't gonna leave them alone, but a punch to the face might will. But before the kid could start recovering, Sasuke was already at work, fighting his four other friends. If this was any ordinary kid, it would be a clear losing battle, even a training academy students would find it extremely difficult to take on four people of his age. But for Sasuke? Forget about it, months of training with Kakashi and spars against a pissed off Naruto relieving stress made four civilian kids trying to act tough look literally like nothing to Sasuke as he weaved through any kind of offense the kids might have at him and retaliated with quick, painful strikes.

Meanwhile, while their supposed leader was recovering from the punch Sasuke gave him. All of a sudden, his body couldn't move at all. His shadow had been possessed.

"I don't think so pal. Call off your goons and we won't make this anymore difficult."

Before he could though, all four kids were already lying on the ground in pain, having just felt the swift wrath of the Uchiha.

"You don't need to worry about them, you should be more concerned about yourself right now. Apologise to both of them right now and he'll let you go."

After a VERY sincere apology, the five kids all left Sasuke, Choji, and Shikamaru alone.

"Man ,those guys are a real pain, will people like them ever stop bothering me and Choji."

"Can't be helped, stupid people will do stupid things for attention. Fortunately, when we graduate and they don't, they'll stop being a problem." Shikamaru took interest in that claim, it seemed like it wasn't arrogance, just fact.

"Sasuke Uchiha, right, you know me and Choji Akimichi?"

"Of course I do. Shikamaru Nara, best case scenario your probably going to be my boss somewhere in ten years, even if you don't want to." Shikamaru actually laughed quite a bit that joke, smart and quick witted, Sasuke wasn't too bad.

"Hey, Sasuke. If your interested, me and Shikamaru plan to go eat at my dad's barbeque next week, your welcome to join if you want, it's the least we can do after helping us."

"Sure, that sounds nice. I gotta go now, Tenzo's probably wondering where I am right now..."

Both Choji and Shikamaru waved goodbye to Sasuke. While Tenzo, having secretly watched the whole thing, looked at awe with somewhat horror.

"Sheesh, kids these days certainly have gotten nastier."


Graduation day was usually a time for celebration for most students but for Sasuke, he was still trying to come up with ideas for how well his 3-unit cell team would work out. So far he had about 8 students that he's personally met with that he believes could work out well enough, anybody else besides those 8 were fangirls or citizens who somehow managed to make it to Genin and will most likely fail soon enough.

Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke wasn't really sure how he managed to pass the Genin exams despite failing the clone technique but somewhere deep inside, he knew he probably would. Unless Shikamaru felt especially lazy in doing the written exams though, Sasuke was mostly sure that Naruto would probably be the one he'd be partnered up with along with a third student. The reason was simple, the Academy would usually pair the top of the class with the deadlast, this was done for multiple reasons. It gives the top student the extra challenge of having to help the deadlast. If the top student fails then it simply means the crop of students that year weren't that good in general and shouldn't be ninjas. If the top student succeeds though, then that not only salvages the deadlast into at the very least a serviceable Genin, but also shows the adaptability and skill the top of the class has. As far as deadlasts go however, Sasuke could do a hell of a lot worse. Naruto was loud, dumb and crass but his stamina, speed, and toughness were surprisingly above average, plus the young ninja had grit and cleaverness, qualities that can let him go far in the shinobi world. Sasuke could tell the well of potential Naruto had as a ninja, from the sparring sessions they had to just general hanging out, Uzumaki had ninja written all over him and was honestly looking forward to working with Naruto.

The third party was a lot more difficult to figure out, Sasuke figured it be a girl, no real guesses why it just felt likely, an unspoken rule is that Ninja's eat up love triangles like their nothing, but really it could be anyone, so he went through the 7 other possible candidates, all of which he had gotten to know cordially. Shikamaru, Kiba, Ino, Hinata, Shino, Choji, and Sakura. Man thinking about this was giving Sasuke a near headache.

"Team 7, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha…"

Well, here it goes.

"and…"


"I'd best start reading now, Naruto. He's not gonna be arriving here anytime soon."

"Yeah, I know, I know, it's just how the hell are you this chronically late and still have a job as a Jonin?"

"When your as unfairly skilled and talented as Kakashi, you can omit A LOT of dumb quirks he has."

"I guess, so Sasuke, what's he like? Is he gonna try to kill us on our first day or have us paint fences?"

"You've seen him in my place, haven't you?"

"Yeah… but he doesn't talk to me, not like the other villagers who just don't like me, it's like, he's really sad whenever he sees me, like I remind him of someone y'know?"

"Maybe he knew your parents probably, who knows?" Neither knew just how right on the ball Sasuke was until much, much later.

Sasuke had handed Naruto one of his shinobi books to read, Naruto was never really the book reading type but after a few pages he made an exception to Sasuke's amusement. After a few hours had passed, Kakashi finally decided to show up and instructed the academy graduates to the rooftop.

"Alright then, name, likes, dislikes, dreams and or goals."

"Me first, me first! My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, and sparring with that son of a bitch Sasuke. I dislike the three minutes it takes to cook ramen and I guess people that complain how crappy their lives are but don't do anything about, that's counterproductive y'know? As for goals, hmmm, I've always dreamed about being Hokage and I still do, to have everyone in the village acknowledge and respect me, that's my real dream, but Sasuke says I can do all of that by just getting stronger y'know? So let's just sayyyyyy, undecided for now!"

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I don't like a lot of things, but the things that I do like I cherish greatly. I dislike a lot of things, but especially needlessly cruel people. As for dreams, it's less of a dream but more of an ambition, either be the first Uchiha Hokage or at least ensure this idiot doesn't get himself killed on his way to being Hokage, whatever comes first."

Kakashi internally smiled to himself, it seems Danzo was right after all. Having Naruto and Sasuke befriend each other early into their lives have only benefited the other. For Naruto, Sasuke's cynical attitude, well, as cynical as you can get for a preteen, gave the young Jinchuriki some depth and maturity early on, it seems like Minato's kid was gonna be just alright. As for Sasuke, it seems not even he could be unswayed by Naruto's charisma and extrovertedness. From the looks of it, this might actually be the first team that passes the bell test. Now all was left was for the third student to introduce themselves.

"I'm Sakura Haruno, what I like is... well...the one I like is…eeehhmm should I say my dream too...?"

Oh dear… this one might need actual help.


A/N: Hey everyone, so this is my first Author's Notes for this story and so far I'm enjoying all of your feedback from it. Knowing that there are people who care about your story is the best feeling in the world and I appreciate any reasonable feedback given to me.

Daastan Go:

Thank you for the review and I appreciate your feedback. Regarding the statement that Itachi is better, that was mostly ignorance coming from Danzo who had no idea who Sasuke even was nor what his potential was. My plan for everyone really is to buff everyone in the series, that includes Sasuke and even Naruto. I see way too many fics that nerf the main characters so that we get stuck with Part 1 powers forever and I think that's boring as shit in my opinion. Yes, Naruto and Sasuke will eventually be the most powerful characters in the series, but they won't have such a massive gap compared to literally everyone else on the planet and I want everyone to be badass's. As for Sasuke's attitude, yeah that's mainly from Danzo trying to set him straight immediately, he still grieves and still suffers from his guilt but he's learned to not let it get in his way, usually. If you think Sasuke won't be dealing with any inner conflict at all in this story though, trust me, there'll be plenty of new issues Sasuke will have to work with in this fic both in and external.

So why Sakura? Well it's kinda simple, she's like half finished if I'm being honest. With great respect to Kishimoto but man, for a main character, Sakura doesn't feel bad, she just feels straight up unfinished. I intend to change that, this isn't gonna be one of those Godlike!Sakura stories, she will struggle, she'll have issues, but she actually will have them and be forced to face them, unlike in the manga where her main struggle is Sasuke's feelings for her.