A Team of Five
I'm likin all this positive feedback its encouraging. So does it seem like anything is goin too fast or too slow?
Disclaimer: I'm sure we can all agree it's obvious I don't own Naruto.
Chapter Four: Teamwork
"So all of us-"
"Yep, you should all quit"
Kakashi's words rang through the minds of all four genin stunned into silence. The last word hung on the air filling an uncomfortable silence. That is until Naruto found his voice again.
"Wh-what the hell are you talking about "quit"? that's bullshit, sure we couldn't get the bells but why should we just give up" Naruto was filled with a mixture of confusion and being plain pissed off.
"Because" for once Kakashi showed emotion to the group. His look became hard and harsh "your all a group of punk kids who think they can be shinobi"
"Sasuke-kun"
"Wha-"
"The hell?"
"Bastard. Who does he think he-"
Before Sasuke could finish his thought, let alone his attack, he found himself face down in the dirt with Kakashi sitting on his back. Kakashi had his foot pushing his head farther into the ground and was bending Sasuke's arm back painfully immobilizing the prodigy.
"I-I could just barely follow K-Kakashi-sensei's movements" Hinata thought shocked anyone could move that fast and she could tell he was capable of much more.
"He did that to Sasuke-teme so easily" Naruto was just as stunned as Hinata that to someone he saw as his rival could be beaten like that. Though he wouldn't every say that to anyone.
Now while the other two were surprised Sakura was...well.
"NO! You son of a...don't step on my Sasuke-kun" Sakura was a little upset anyone would push Sasuke into the dirt like that.
Kakashi's next words cut off whatever Sakura had left to say. The intensity that he showed as he continued to speak frightened all present into silence.
"Are you taking the life of a shinobi as a game? Huh? Why do you think you were put into teams? What do you think we are all doing here training?"
"What do you mean sensei" Sakura asked.
"To put it simply...your completely missing the meaning of the test" Kakashi replied plainly.
Naruto was just simply confused. Hinata was rather nervous about her sensei's intensity and the passion he seemed to feel about the hidden meaning of the test.
"The answer?"
"Yes. If you had figured it out passing would have been much easier"
"A-Ano sensei w-what was the answer"
"So are you gonna tell us or what" Sakura was becoming impatient.
"Geez...you guys are sad"
Naruto had had enough. "Dammit you gonna tell us or just keep us geussin"
"The key to the test...is teamwork"
This struck everyone at once as they realized why they had failed. Even Naruto now knew how he had gone wrong and felt stupid at not grasping it sooner.
"Together the four of you could have gotten the bells. Sasuke alone touched one and Naruto with a simple distraction managed to get a solid hit" Kakashi was still slightly bitter about the last part.
"Wait...two bells" it struck Sakura all at once, what had been bothering her. "Teamwork? But with only two bells half of us would fail right away. How were we supposed to work all together when your pitting us against one another from the start"
"Exactly! The whole point of the test is too make you fight each other"
"Huh" Naruto was back to being totally lost.
"The ability to put personal interest aside and work together is what is tested here. But you each went off on your own with your own goals in mind" Kakashi turned to Sakura "Instead of Naruto who was right in front of you, you concentrated on finding Sasuke" Sakura knew what her sensei said was true and it hurt.
Next Kakashi turned on Naruto "Naruto you didn't even try to regroup you simply went off on your own and when Hinata tried to help you used her as a distraction" Naruto was stung by Kakashi's comment.
"Hinata" she jumped at being addressed directly "you could have been a bigger help and done some teamwork if only you hadn't been afraid of letting your team down"
Even though this was nothing new for Hinata, being reprimanded for a lack of activity or confidence, she still looked downcast and stared down at her feet.
"Finally, Sasuke, you just went ahead and assumed you could do better alone and did everything yourself thinking the others would only get in your way" Even if Sasuke had wanted to look depressed like the others he couldn't due to Kakashi's foot firmly planted on his head.
Kakashi softened again reverting back to his calm laid-back demeanor "While, of course, individual skill is important to the ninja, duties in a squad are done as a team with cooperation and that is far more important" the jounin continued as he reached in his hip pouch "When an individual goes off alone it can hurt the team as a whole and put others in danger or killed. For instance"
Kakashi leaned down pressing the blade of a kunai to Sasuke's neck and turning to Sakura "Now Sakura kill Naruto or I kill Sasuke"
Sakura looked absolutely horror struck at the proposal, while Naruto was worried she might actually do it. Hinata looked in between terrified and ready to defend Naruto. Though this went unnoticed by everyone, especially Naruto. Thankfully for everyone involved this was simply a further demonstration of the weaknesses Kakashi pointed out earlier.
"See. In combat when hostage are taken hard decision will need to be made and people, close people, will die." Kakashi stood up from atop Sasuke as the young genin attempt to regain some dignity by dusting his face off.
Walking over to the stone Naruto had seen from the top of the tree Kakashi continued with his speech "These dozens of names carved on this memorial are all ninja recognized as the greatest heros of the village"
Naruto had perked back up on hearing this and made a decision "Hey Hey. I'm gonna get my name on that stone. Hero! That's what I'll be"
Sasuke just rolled his eyes as he walked back to sit next to Naruto tied to the stump. Sakura had a look of loathing at Naruto's outburst. Hinata too perked up on hearing the focus of her admiration speak like that and demonstrate what she liked about him most.
"Those here aren't heros the way you might be thinking..."
"Yeah? So what kinda heros are they then. Huh?"
"Everyone named here died on duty. They gave their lives on missions for the village"
The grin on Naruto's face was slowly replaced with a look of humility and sadness. Both Hinata and Sakura looked rather saddened by this as well. Even Sasuke didn't go unfazed as he respectfully lowered his gaze.
"This is in memory of all those who fought and died serving and defending Konoha. The name of my best friend is here on this stone" Kakashi turned away from the name he had been staring at to look at his students.
"You get one more chance. But once we start again it'll be much harder to get the bells. If any of you wanna give up you can leave or stay and eat but Naruto doesn't get any. It can be your punishment for trying to eat without a bell. Anyone caught giving him food fails immediately"
The face of the solemn ninja harshened again "Here, I'm the rule. Understand" With that said he disappeared again from their sight.
Without a further word the Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata sat down and opened the lunches. Sakura and Sasuke started eating but Hinata debated with not wanting to fail but also wanting to share her food with the obviously hungry Naruto.
"Psshhh I don't need food It's no problem he won't break me" Naruto declared proudly
GRRRRRRR!
Unfortunately the resounding hungry pains coming from Naruto's stomach strongly disagreed with his statement.
Naruto just hung his head in defeat. Hinata had almost made the resolve to give her food to Naruto when, to everyone present's surprise, Sasuke handed his food to Naruto.
"Here...dobe"
"S-Sasuke-kun what the hell are you doing. You heard Kakashi-sensei your gonna be failed if..."
"Forget it I don't sense him anywhere around. Once lunch is done we can all work as a team and get the bells. But if he doesn't eat he'll only hinder us"
Without a second thought Hinata presented Naruto with her portion of lunch as well, with a smile and a touch of crimson on her face. After a moment Sakura did the same.
"Sakura-chan...Hinata..."
"Hehehe thanks guys" Naruto was actually more happy they were willing to risk failing than the fact he wasn't gonna starve.
A huge explosion of dust and leaves went off twenty feet from their feet and an angry looking Kakashi could be seen barreling down on the four.
"YOU GUYS!..." Kakashi yelled out as he ran at the genin.
Sasuke had been completely taken off guard and this frightened him. He wasn't really used to being unprepared. Naruto was even more scared as he was tied to a log and his sensei looked ready to kill them. Hinata and Sakura were blown back about a foot and Sakura was blocking her face from the dust as Hinata was left sprawled on the ground.
"Pass" he finished with a smile visible from under his mask.
Sasuke was still half way into a fighting stance and didn't quite believe what he was being told. Hinata was in a similar situation though she had gotten into her stance more out of instinct as her body moved on its own. Naruto just stood there blinking looking, as usual, like a lost sheep.
Sakura spoke up for the group "Wait...what?"
"You pass. Actually you're the first. All my other potential were just too obedient and would simply do whatever I said. Humph morons" Kakashi said offhandedly thinking back to all his previous teams.
"In the world of shinobi those who disobey the rules and don't follow orders are called trash. But ya know what anyone who would abandon their comrades and friends...are worse than trash"
"Heh he's so cool" Naruto couldn't help admiring his new instructor and team leader.
Sasuke slumped back into a sitting position smirking. Sakura was ecstatic, laughing and bouncing up and down. Hinata had a wide grin as she picked herself up and couldn't look much happier.
Kakashi flashed them all a thumbs up "Alright training over everyone passes. We're officially team 7 the five man team. Starting tomorrow we begin our duties"
"YATTA! I did it. Woot" Naruto yelled still tied to the stump.
"Alright lets go guys" Kakashi said walking off.
"Hells yes" Sakura cheered behind Sasuke and following the two away.
"H-Hey! Someone untie me. Dammit I knew this was gonna happen" Naruto yelled after the retreating forms of his new team.
Suddenly the ropes hit the ground and he realized someone had cut him loose. Looking over Naruto saw Hinata standing there still smiling. When she cut his eye she blushed a deep red and looked at the ground in front of her feet, poking her fingers together nervously.
"Thanks Hinata. I gotta learn how to do knots one day" he flashed the girl a wide smile.
GRR!
Blushing a bit himself at his stomach Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand, causing the blush on her face to grow darker he began pulling her off to his favorite lunch spot in the village.
"Common Hinata I still haven't gotten to eat yet. I wanna grab some ramen lets go"
Hinata didn't have time to protest and it's not like she wanted to in the least. One of her biggest dreams was that Naruto would want her to eat lunch at Ichiraku. To some this would seem a very small thing but to Naruto it was exciting too since he only ever really ate with Iruka-sensei.
So with the prospect of being an official ninja, having some company for lunch and an actual friend Naruto enthusiastically half ran to the small ramen stand. Hinata in tow on cloud nine at being invited to lunch again with Naruto. It was a lot of dreams coming true for the two.
Hmmm I well it's kinda short but im a lazy guy and I had to work out a bunch of things for when I turn away from the original plot. This is more or less just to get everyone's relationships and friendships where I need them. As well as working on my writing skills.
Anyway review and maybe I can get two or three chapters out before next Monday. Long ones too.