Sorry I forgot to upload it before I went to work got distracted by the new assassin's creed lol.
Yeah I'm still trudging along with this story I'm sorry but this just wasn't ready to be posted last month but it's back now and I'm happy with it...
...for now lol
Yeah I do have a habit of going back to something later and finding it really crap to be honest. But I try my hardest to get it right.
Tristan76 - =O (gapping mouth) wow. Just how did you do that it's amazing almost like you're in my head and that's a scary place to be.
TigrezzTail – hopefully this answers your question.
TAKCH1 - not sure about pairings yet will let you know if and when I decide.
Kanberry - I'm sorry about cat and Nami maybe I've been playing around with that idea still not sure yet.
Please enjoy it, lol.
Thank you for the alerts and reviews.
Naruto = flash back
'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking
"Naruto" signing/sign language
"Naruto" speaking.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.
Motives and mistakes Chapter 13
Clink clink clink echoed down the stone hallway as the bandaged man walked with the help of his cane. As he progressed further down the shadowed hallway a mask appeared in front of him, pausing in his step the bandaged man listened as the masked person whispered to him. Nodding he continued on as the mask dissolved back into the darkness. The frown on the bandaged man's face turned into a scowl. He pushed open the doors into the council chamber. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado turned as the doors were slammed open to reveal Danzo.
"We have a problem". Danzo stated.
(Line)
The Hokage sat in the little canteen area of the hokage office with Iruka who was beginning to squirm.
"There's obviously something else on your mind besides Naruto's test results, Iruka otherwise you wouldn't of invited me too lunch." The Hokage said placing his tea back down on the table.
"Actually it's about Naruto's teacher." Iruka finally stopped moving.
"Oh, I'm sure Naruto can handle that" the Hokage sat back smugly
"It's not really Naruto I'm worried about." Iruka replied honestly.
(Line)
Hikaru sat in a tree overlooking the grounds where Naruto and his team mates were taking their exam; he was trying to figure out how to let Naruto know he was there without their jonin sensei finding out. Anything subtle and the jonin would know but anything to extravagant and they all would know. He was still figuring it out when he was tapped on the shoulder. He jumped a little but breathed a sigh of relief when it was Naruto that had snuck up on him. How he did that he would never know. He looked back over the ground to see another Naruto tied to the stump.
"Did you go for the food hidden behind the posts?" Hikaru asked mischievously
"No but that's an excellent idea. I hit him straight in the jaw actually." Naruto sniggered
"He underestimated you I see." Hikaru sniggered.
"Everyone always does. You know you don't have to watch me all the time? I'm quite capable of handling myself" Naruto stated getting frustrated
"I wasn't watching you and I know you can you're just as good as any anbu, when you want to be. Besides I was trying to get your attention" he stated
"Oh so why are you trying to grab my attention Hikaru?" Naruto sheepishly replied
"There's a commotion in the Hokage's office about your school work. Asuma's there along with Ume, Riku and Kenta. They've brought it to a head and gotten pretty angry actually."
"Oh, to be honest I didn't expect that much reaction. I mean I knew something was going on with it but never knew how to go about it."
"If you thought something was going on you should have said, even your friends are saying how it was wrong." He pressed.
"But what if no one believed me?" his head dropped "besides what good would it have done me!" he snapped.
"You're a fool sometimes Naruto you know that" Hikaru hugged the boy close. "Of course we'd listen to you even if you were unsure and we would investigate it. And talking about the good it would have done you. You wouldn't be stuck with them"
"But I could of ended up on a team with a teacher who wanted nothing to do with me and would purposely fail the team because I'm on it at least this way I won't, no one in their right mind would fail an Uchiha." Naruto stated.
"You think too highly of the Uchiha" Hikaru said sceptically
"Not really but everyone else does" Naruto sighed
"I wish you had said something though I would have helped in any way I could have" Hikaru grasped Naruto's shoulders trying to enforce what he meant.
"I've got a test to finish" Naruto turned to walk back to the clearing
"Naruto" Hikaru pressed
"Do what you think is best Hikaru" Naruto threw over his shoulder.
(Line)
"Why are you so concerned about who Naruto's teacher is?" the Hokage pressed.
"Obviously in light of the current situation" Iruka shrugged.
"Kakashi Hatake"
"Wait what? Why would you place Naruto with him?"
"Well Naruto's been bugging me for some time now, and Kakashi's the perfect revenge really besides, he'll be good for Naruto"
"But I thought Kakashi never took a team? I've heard." Iruka ended slyly.
The third scowled slightly "you spend far too much time with Naruto" the Hokage replied.
"Not enough apparently" Iruka frowned.
Sighing the Hokage handed over a book "Here's a list of his past students" the Hokage stuffed his pipe into his mouth. 'Now he even guilt trips me like Naruto'.
(Line)
"What do you mean we should quit as ninja's! So we couldn't get the bells! But why should we quit" Sakura shouted.
"Because you are punks who don't deserve to be ninjas" Kakashi calmly replied.
Sasuke's anger spiked and he charged at the jonin who dared insult him, an Uchiha.
"Hey Sasuke-kun" Sakura stated
'Idiot' Naruto thought
In a quick movement Kakashi was sat on top of Sasuke pinning him to the floor.
"Hey don't step on Sasuke-kun" Sakura screamed out.
"What sort of ninja's are you? Why do you think you were divided into teams and doing training think about it?"
"What?" Sakura was still confused
"You do not understand the answer" Kakashi sighed
"What answer?" Sasuke muttered
"The answer that will help you to pass this test. Come on even Naruto figured it out"
"Naruto couldn't figure his way out of a paper bag" Sakura spat nastily
"Just tell us already" Sasuke snapped
"It's teamwork" Naruto stated
"Shut up Naruto!" Sakura snapped
"Exactly right Naruto. The three of you together may have gotten the bells" he let it sink in
'Wait a second' Sakura thought "what the hell do you mean by team work! There are two bells! Even if we were to work together and get the bells one of us would still fail. So with teamwork we'd just end up fighting each other!"
"The test is set up to make us fight amongst ourselves" Naruto stated
"Shut up Naruto" she snapped
"He's right. The purpose of this test is to see if you'll forget about your own interests and successfully work together under these designed circumstances. And yet you guys well... you Sakura where only interested in Sasuke. Sasuke you assumed the others would get in the way and tried to do everything yourself and Naruto I see your concerns but if you hadn't of held back you could have taken the bells although outside the timer."
-What? - Both Sakura and Sasuke shouted.
"I wonder, what would you have done if you had got the bells?" Kakashi asked
"I would have given them to my team mates, because even though I got the bells on my own the test is designed for a team using teamwork." Naruto worded carefully. Kakashi nodded
"The duties of a ninja are done as a team, and superior individual ability is important to a ninja. But even more important is teamwork. An individual's actions in a team can put their comrades in danger. And even get you killed. For example Sakura kill Naruto... or Sasuke dies.
"WHAT!" Sakura screamed
"See? If a hostage is taken then you will have to make tough choices or die. You will be risking your lives when performing these duties" he said rising up off of Sasuke "Look at this do you know what this is?" he pointed to the memorial stone.
"Yeah, it's that stupid stone that Naruto goes to all the time" Sakura crossed her arms in anger.
"The memorial stone" Naruto replied
"Wait that's where you go all the time" Sakura said beginning to feel guilty.
He nodded "my best friend's on there" he whispered solemnly.
'I wonder who that could be?' Kakashi thought. "Yes and there are numerous names carved here. These ninja are recognised as heroes of the village".
"Still a name missing though" Naruto muttered under his breath.
"B...but they're not just normal heroes. They are all heroes that died while on duty" Kakashi supplied
'Oh Naruto.' Sakura thought dismayed at her actions towards him.
"My best friend's name is also carved on here. I'll give you guys one more chance after lunch but this time it'll be tougher. Those that still wish to proceed may eat lunch. But don't give any to Naruto, I have a sneaking suspicion he ate breakfast this morning. If you do give him food you'll fail immediately. Got it?" he disappeared into smoke.
Sasuke and Sakura started eating the bento boxes, Sasuke looked at Naruto out of the corner of his eye and Sakura with noodles hanging from mouth turned to the blonde.
Sakura slurped the noodles "Is your best friend really on that memorial Naruto?"
"Do you remember that time when the large imposing ninja with scars covering his face came to class?" Seeing her nod he continued "well that was when my best friend died and his name is on there" he motioned to the stone with his head. "Along with my parents" he added.
"When Shikamaru had a go at us" Sasuke stated
"Oh, I'm sorry Naruto" Sakura began
"Its fine eat up and let's go" Naruto said working his way out of the ropes. 'Shikamaru had a go at them' Naruto thought 'I wonder why'
(Line)
"I knew it. They're all zeros." Iruka stated.
"Kakashi has never passed anyone. They all failed." The Hokage confirmed
"Naruto is going to hate you." Iruka muttered darkly. The Hokage's face fell.
(Line)
Once again Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura where hidden in the forest away from Kakashi's prying eye. Suddenly Naruto appeared next to Sakura covering her mouth with his hand he stifled her scream. He removed his hand when she was calm and registered that it was him. He whispered in her ear and then retreated once she nodded.
Naruto then appeared behind Sasuke, crouching down he crawled next to him.
"Do you reckon you could attack him?"
"No duh idiot"
"Fine" Naruto sighed returning back into the undergrowth.
Naruto found Kakashi hiding behind a tree on the opposite side of the clearing.
"Come out and fight me" Naruto shouted crossing his arms. He turned when he felt Kakashi appear behind him book still in front of his face. Naruto charged at him and as before Kakashi blocked it with his forearm Naruto however grabbed hold of his arm and fell on his back effectively throwing Kakashi across the clearing. As Kakashi flew through the air, shuriken and kunai burst out of the bushes coming right at him, turning to avoid the flying objects he came face to face with Sasuke, as he blocked Sasuke's attack he flipped both of them effectively away from the still flying projectiles. As he landed a second set of weapons came flying out at him from the other side of the clearing jumping up he came face to face with Naruto who had a fist aimed at his head. Kakashi grabbed Naruto's fist hoping to move him out of the way when like before Naruto turned so he was above Kakashi.
"Grand fireball jutsu!" Kakashi looked up to see Sasuke aiming a fire jutsu at them, Naruto grinned in his ear.
"I think you lost your bells Kakashi sensei" Naruto stated as Kakashi looked down to indeed see that his bells had gone.
Sakura had set the traps so that she could fire the assortment of weapons when Kakashi came into view. She set one off when Naruto threw Kakashi over his shoulder and then quickly moved across to the other side of the clearing. The second set of weapons were released just as Kakashi had pushed Sasuke away and landed. Sakura then dashed out and while Naruto and Sasuke distracted their sensei cut the bells away. She rolled away as the bells fell into her hand.
Sasuke grinned as his fireball dissipated and Kakashi stood stock still. Naruto flipped out of his grasp and walked over to Sakura who was now stood at the side. He held his hand out and she allowed the bells to fall whilst hooked over her fingers.
The bells chimed as they moved together.
"Ha we got the bells sensei" Sakura said
"Seems you did but one of you still has to fail."
"No way! If we work as a team to get the bells we all pass."
"Well then it seems you all...
...pass!"
The three smiled happily.
"You're the first to get the bells actually; all the others just did what I said. Although you didn't feed Naruto like I told you too?" "He said suspiciously
"We decided we wanted to try again without taking your shortcut" Naruto jumped in.
"Oh right. A ninja must see underneath the underneath. Those who break the rules are trash but those that don't look after comrades are lower than trash. Thus ended the lesson. Starting tomorrow team 7 will begin its duties. So let's go"
(Line)
"It would appear that the plan to stop the boy from passing has failed". Koharu said calmly
"We never needed the boy to fail in the first place what we needed was to confine his actions" Koharu stated.
"If he's now a genin we need to rethink how to confine him" Koharu stated
"The boy is a tool and as such should be used like one" Danzo snapped. "The Hatake brat is his teacher along with that Uchiha. If we order Hatake to train only the Uchiha, the boy may come running to us yet?" Danzo smirked.
(Line)
Hikaru stood leaning against the wall his arms crossed and his mask lying on the windowsill beside him, he was watching as the people in the Hokage's office argued amongst themselves.
"I said this was ridiculous. Naruto's a freaking genius there was no way he failed." Asuma stated crossing his arms angrily.
"Which nobody ever thought to look into" Hikaru stated. Everyone in the room stopped at this comment. "You know he still doesn't think that highly of himself, enough that he thought something was wrong and didn't know how to go about it." Hikaru added angrily.
The Hokage sat at his desk thinking over everything that had happened relating to Naruto. He knew something was up with Naruto but he didn't think it was this bad. He glanced at the still assembled people in his office before turning back to his thoughts.
How could he have let this happen, how could he have missed that Naruto's school work didn't add up to how Naruto really was.
Had he really been that neglectful that this had gone unnoticed for so long. Konohamaru was more interested in trying to take his title while Naruto he didn't know what Naruto wanted anymore perhaps he was too neglectful of both his grandchildren. He would fix that.
The occupants of the room looked up when the piano keys started to hum out turning all at once they looked at the piano to find both Naruto and Konohamaru sat there. Konohamaru was playing and Naruto was instructing him.
"I'm sorry I haven't spent much time with you lately Ko but I'm a genin now so I'll have very little time now."
"Naruto we need to discuss your schoolwork" The Hokage stated
"did you know that the only teacher that was fair to me was Iruka sensei that's why I like him so much because he gave me a chance even if he is a little nosey" Naruto continued to talk to Konohamaru as he practiced on the piano.
"You should have passed when you were seven not throw the tests." Asuma accused.
"I never threw the tests I passed everything you ever put in front of me." Naruto stated defensively turning in anger. "How do you think you original class passed? They copied my written paper" addressing the rest of his sentence at Iruka.
"That's why they kicked up so badly wasn't it. Cause they knew that." Iruka pushed
"That and we've been with Naruto long enough to know that he's a perfect shot there's no way he would have missed." Ume stated.
"Yes indeed. Well then Turtle, what do you think should be done?" the Hokage asked annoyed.
Hikaru placed his mask back on "On the matter of the academy we need to find out who caused this and to make sure that this never happens again. Perhaps Iruka will consider taking on more responsibilities as he is quite capable of the job. It's still a crime to tamper with important documents I believe. And the matter of Naruto I think that Naruto's record should be changed so that it takes into account this incident, meaning that Naruto passed when he was 7 not 10, you won't be able to change his team though but he will need to take more missions which I'm sure Ume and company will be sure to include him on."
"Of course we will you can count on seeing us and the rest of the class soon Lord Hokage" Ume smiled sweetly as she and the two boys began to leave the room.
"Wait Naruto's 10?" Kenta asked as he turned in the door way.
"Yup he's birthday is a while away" Konohamaru stated finishing his practice on the piano.
"Everyone goes on about my age. Hinata's 10 too you know." Naruto stated gruffly.
"you know for a genius you sure are an idiot." Konohamaru said whilst shaking his head. "Why wouldn't you want to get out of the academy as soon as you could?"
"well to be honest I always assumed that the old man would what me to be around people my own age and that I should be able to make friends and have a normal childhood. Besides when people know you're a genius you get treated differently, I don't want to become arrogant with a stick up my butt because of it. Also with siblings you will always have to try and do better than your older sibling so if I graduated at seven it's unfair to you. That's a lot of pressure little brother and another shadow you have to get out from underneath."
"I can handle it because I'm your brother and people shouldn't expect me to be just like you, they should allow for me to be my own person and spread my wings."
"You sound just like Naruto" Riku said.
"Defiantly brothers" Ume agreed.
"So can we have Naruto for missions now" Kenta asked.
This is really difficult for me to write actually I'm trying to keep it different yet near the manga if that makes sense then there's Sasuke he's annoyingly difficult to get into the character I've devised. I'm sorry if this has disappointed some of you but I am trying.
To be honest I'm not sure about these few chapters now but I do owe you this chapter and hopefully it will conclude the previous chapter.
I would still like for you to pick out your favourite parts if you wouldn't mind. It's quite interesting reading how many of you have the same parts or if it's the same as mine.
Please review and let me know what you think.
Thank you very much