Although some may say it is a little soon, and some may complain about the fact that I have no test to make them genin, in a way, it is a bit foolish to expect graduates who in the academy put focused on individual skill to have perfect teamwork or to be able to see beyond what they are told to do. So, there will not be a test officially to make them genin, but they will be tested and taught in other ways. Daiki-Sensei will open up a little bit about his past with Sasuke and tell him a few personal things as well

Naruto left the Hokage tower not long after talking a little bit with the Third Hokage. He sighs, he feels a sense of gratitude for his new sensei, rather than say that he couldn't do it. He explained possible reasons that he may have for not wanting to do it that he didn't understand at the time. It is quite possible that no one really learns what the price is for being a Kage until they are one. Question is, is there some unknown price to being a ninja as well. He wonders what his sensei story is as well, he gets the feeling that the wisdom that his sensei has comes with experience, he also shows a hatred for the civilian council for reasons unknown. Of course, he doesn't like them either, mainly because they always called for his execution or banishment when he was younger.

Naruto walks into his apartment, "Hey, I am home." He calls out to no one really, knowing that no one would answer him. He knows that he has to write an apology letter for both Sakura and Sasuke. He frowns at the fact that he has to apologize to the teme of all people. It wasn't his fault, he just wanted to know how Sakura felt about him and it isn't like she would have talked to him if he had asked. Not only does he have to write the letters, but he has to read Sakura's letter to her outloud in front of her teammates and sensei as well. He wonders how to begin.

'Dear Sakura, as I write this letter, I don't know for sure what I can say, except I am sorry. Yesterday, I had henged myself as Sasuke in order to find out what your thoughts about me were, I knew that you would never speak to me. I never intended for it to go as far as it did and I never meant to come close to stealing your first kiss. I know how you feel, I know what it is like to want to be acknowledged by someone. I hope that you may be able to forgive me for using your feelings for someone against you in order to try to get closer to you. Sincerely, Naruto Uzuamki.

He reads over it and frowns, it isn't much good, there isn't much of an apologize in there, rather than a simple I am sorry and just an explanation and a plea of forgiveness. He takes a breath, and he starts on Sasuke's letter next.

'Dear Sasuke, I am sorry that I had ambushed you and used your image to try to get close to a kunoichi. It was wrong of me to use a fellow ninja like that, especially a teammate. I hope that by being willing to admit that I was wrong, by apologizing and also promising to never do so again that we can work together in order to have a successful career together as fellow Konoha Shinobi. Sincerely, Naruto.'

He frowns, both letters are essentially the same thing just with different explanations and apologizes due to how the events differ, he has to wonder if that makes the apology seems insincere because it isn't unique, but could the apology be insincere in the first place considering that he is being forced to apologize. He frowns as he doesn't like his wandering thoughts currently. He wishes to know more about Daiki-Sensei and his story as he gets the feeling that Daiki is someone who is really going to help all of them, not just him, not just Sasuke, but Hinata too. He yawns, he is eager to sleep and to face tomorrow, Daiki said that he wasn't going to make them actually do a test itself and would just let them be genin, but he doesn't truly believe that. No one ever just let someone else be something if they are typically tested for it. Besides, even if there wasn't a test, there will be some sort of lesson tomorrow.

The next morning come with Daiki arriving at the training ground at 5 am and he waits patiently as his students arrive as well and he smiles at them, "Okay, now, before we begin, I believe Naruto has something that he has to say, don't you Naruto?" He asks, prompting him to apologize.

Naruto looks at his sensei with a bit of a glare and sighs and pulls out his letter and he reads it to Sasuke and he looks at him, "It may not be worth much, but I really am sorry."

Sasuke glares at Naruto, "Apology not accepted."

Naruto jumps toward Sasuke to attack him and he is grabbed by Daiki, who fixes him with a glare, "Enough. This is not the time for you to let your stubborn pride guide your actions. You don't rush to violence when someone says something that you don't like. This is like diplomacy, not everyone is going to agree or listen or say what you want to hear. Is that what you would do as a Hokage Naruto? Attack another Kage who disagrees with you? Will you start a war so easily over your pride? Get over yourself. You made the apology even though it was hard, feel pride in that, because that is the thing that matters, not if Sasuke Uchiha accepts it or not."

Daiki smiles, "I got a gift for you three." He goes over and a few second later, he brings out three cute baby bunnies.

Hinata squeals, "Kawaii." She goes over and takes one of the bunnies in her arms and snuggles it close to her chest.

Naruto goes and grabs the pet, looking uncertain on what he is supposed to do with it as he has never had a pet before.

Sasuke remains where he is, staring stoically at the bunny, "What is the point of all this?"

Daiki looks at them, "I am glad that someone asked what the point of all this was, that is something you will learn for yourself. These bunnies do not provide any use to this team, they are nothing but a burden, kill them."

Sasuke pulls out his kunai and stabs the bunny that was meant to be his through the eye.

Naruto looks uncertain, but he puts his bunny down and lets it go, "Run." He tells it, hoping that the bunny can understand him and frantically hops away, Sasuke moves to go after it and he intercepts Sasuke and decks him, actually knocking Sasuke on his ass.

Hinata clutches the bunny closer to her chest and actually loses her stutter, "No, I won't let you, any of you." She activates her byukugan, unzips her jacket slightly, just enough to tuck the baby bunny safely inside and reveals that she is actually slightly stacked, which to what would have been her happiness any other time, Naruto notices and even blushes at the sight of her slightly exposed breast.

Daiki speaks up, "Very good." He looks at Sasuke, "You followed orders and killed an innocent baby animal without a second thought. Completely disregarding its life, Naruto, you let your bunny go, you trust that the bunny will be able to survive on its own in the harsh world by itself, as you yourself had to do. Hinata, you sought to protect your bunny by hiding it in your jacket and preparing to fight." He then looks at Sasuke, "You do not follow orders blindly, will you kill an innocent kid if someone tells you to? Always look for an alternative solution."

Sasuke fixes him with a glare, "You said it yourself, the bunnies were nothing but a burden to the team."

Daiki shakes his head, "There is no such thing as something being nothing but a burden, there is a choice in recognizing the value of something, not letting others be what forms your opinion, but forming your own opinion. You listened and did what I said without considering the value of the bunny, without thinking about the value of taking care of another life could give you. Then again, that's not all your fault."

Hinata is glaring at Sasuke, she doesn't want to forgive him for killing the bunny, because she knows he would have killed her bunny too if he is given a chance and then she looks at their sensei, "Sensei, can I really keep my bunny?"

Daiki smiles, "Of course Hinata, the bunny can not only be good practice for taking care of another life, but also good practice for speed training since the team will at times have to chase and capture a cat named Tora. So, what will you name her?"

Hinata thinks for a second, "Himawari." She says confidently, happy with her name choice.

Sasuke looks at their sensei with a glare, "You didn't say any of that sensei. How was I supposed to think of any of that?"

Daiki looks at him, "Sasuke, I expected you to kill your bunny. This was to teach you to change your way of thinking. Naruto as well to a certain degree, that bunny of yours will never make it on its own Naruto, not everything or everyone even is like you, they can't all face the darkness, stare into the abyss and not let it consume them, you can."

Naruto looks at him, "Sensei, permission to go find my bunny."

Daiki smiles, he is learning, "Granted. Hinata, maybe you should go help him."

Hinata blushes at the thought of being alone with Naruto, the two of them bonding together over taking care of bunnies as well, "Yes sensei."

With that, the two of them run off into the woods, leaving Daiki alone with Sasuke.

Sasuke decides to ask, "Sensei, I get the feeling that you understand me somewhat, can you tell me how?"

Daiki looks at him, "I can tell you a little bit, but here is one thing you got to learn, there are two sides to every story, don't take just one part of it at face value, always consider the words of everything and the difference between what you are told and what you believe to be true, after all, ninjas deal is in deception, it is best to assume that unless you trust the person without question, that that person is either lying or hiding something from you. Anyway, I was not even from Konoha, I was a refugee, fleeing from the war, my parents were killed right in front of me by a pair of jumpy genin, Konoha genin who were fleeing a missing nin that were after them, they mistaken my parents as missing nin or enemy nin as the civilians were have supposed to have moved out of that sector already,"

Sasuke looks surprised at Daiki, "But you joined Konoha and became a Konoha ninja, why?"

Daiki smiles, "I didn't blame the genin for what happened, I blamed the war that Iwa started. I joined Konoha to specifically fight Iwa, it wasn't really about vengeance, or justice. It was something that was missing within me. Revenge is like a poison Sasuke, it is a double edge sword that cuts both ways, as you watch your enemy go down, you are being poisoned yourself. When you meet Itachi, and you are strong enough, unleash his anger on him, then capture him and let Konoha deliver justice by having Itachi stand trial, they may even allow you to execute him if you show proper restraint. Justice, not Vengeance will give you peace and allow your parents to rest in peace."

Sasuke takes a breath and decides to ask, "Who were the genin who killed your parents by accident?"

Daiki smiles, "Why two of my best friends Kurenai and Anko."

Sasuke lets out a gasp and then looks down, if his sensei can forgive and even come to befriend his parent's killer, can he do the same? No, they killed out of reflex during a war when fear was guiding their actions, Itachi killed during peace time and knew exactly who he was killing. There was no mistake on Itachi's part, "I can't do it, I can't forgive him sensei."

Daiki shakes his head, "I am not asking you to, what I am asking you to do, is attend therapy with Inochi, two times a week after your initial training is over. I will be bluntly honest, right now, out of everyone on this team, you shouldn't even be a ninja, not until you deal with your trauma and inner turmoil. You need to also learn to let go of your shame if you want your anger to truly go away."

Sasuke frowns, "But I don't feel any shame sensei, I am proud of who I am and what I am."

Daiki looks at him, "And what is it that you are Sasuke?"

Sasuke looks up at him, he tries to say what he means, "The last loyal Uchiha of Konoha."

Daiki shakes his head, "So, that is it? That is your greatest accomplishment, the fact that your last name is what it is and that your brother choose to leave you alive. That is not something to be proud of and deep inside you know that. Pride is not the opposite of shame Sasuke, it is the very same thing, in fact, it is where shame comes from. If you wish to truly no longer feel shame, then true humility is the antidote you need. Me, this team, you, all of it is a second chance for you Sasuke. You can learn a lot, from Naruto, from Hinata, from me, and even from yourself, things that never crossed your mind, things you never realized about yourself, that is hidden deep inside. There is more than your clan within you, more than hatred, I think deep down in your heart, you know what that is."

Sasuke shakes his head, "Sensei, what happens next?"

Daiki smiles, "Well, once Naruto finds his bunny and he goes and apologize to Sakura in front of her team and sensei, then you, Naruto, and Hinata will be put into the forest of death as a survival exercise for two weeks. You will have to learn to work together in there and trust one another and you will have to do it quickly, or you can choose to go your own way and get eaten by the animals in the forest, it's your decision."

Sasuke turns pale, "Eaten? Forest of death? Are you crazy sensei!?"

Daiki looks at him and grins, "All ninja to a certain degree are crazy Sasuke."

Sasuke shakes his head and sighs lightly, "So you told me to consider more than what appears to be true, Itachi told me that he killed the clan to test his power?"

Daiki looks at him, "You won't believe this, but I've gone toe to toe with Itachi and managed to fight him to a draw before he brought out his Mangekyō Sharingan. Not even Itachi Uchiha could have enhalated the entire Uchiha Clan by himself, no, he either had someone help him or someone was forcing him to do it in the first place. I had been pretty good friends with Itachi, all he talked about was his little brother. He loved his clan sure, he loved his village more than his clan, but he loved his little brother more than the village. If you really want to kno w the truth, why don't you ask him once you are strong enough to actually fight him. There are a handful of ninjas that I admire, Itachi being among them."

Sasuke speaks up, "But sensei, Itachi was ANBU at 13 and a genius as a Sharingan User and became Chunin when he was 9. How were you strong enough to take Itachi on?"

Daiki smiles, "Simple, I apply the science of the ninja arts and combat. When the time comes, you will learn a bit about that, and perhaps you will learn more than that. Your brother was one of the greatest ninja that I've ever known, second only to the 4th Hokage. It's why I am also more than happy to remain unknown at large and considered just to be an average jounin to the ninja world. With the right knowledge however, you can take an opponent's strength and make it their weakness, use your enemies own moves to your advantage."