Quite a few of you actually surprised me. You all really liked my last chapter. So I guess I freaked out over nothing.
So, now it's on to the new chapter! I hope you all enjoy this!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Assassin's Creed. They are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Ubisoft respectively.
Chapter 19
Teams Form Up!
Sarutobi quietly studied the pile of folders before him, with each folder containing notes on the graduating Academy students. His eyes lingered on Naruto's folder, and he let out a sad sigh. He still felt guilty about what the boy had to go through the previous evening, but the boy had accepted the mission, both as an Assassin and as a shinobi of Konoha. He could only pray that things became easier for the boy as time went on. Mizuki had been listed as a traitor who had been eliminated, while Naruto was unofficially paid for completing a B-ranked mission.
For now though, Sarutobi had something else he needed to focus on. It was time to form the graduating genin into teams. He looked up as his secretary opened the door to his office. "The jounin you requested are here, Hokage-sama," she said.
"Ahh, please send them in," Sarutobi said. The secretary nodded and stood to one side, allowing the jounin to enter before closing the door. Surprisingly, Kakashi was on time, though he still had his face buried in his book. Next to him, Anko was rolling her eyes.
"You know, having a woman you could actually have sex with would definitely be better than just reading about it," she murmured to Kakashi, who didn't even look up from his book.
"Anko-san, are you propositioning me?" He asked, making Anko glare angrily at him. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Sarutobi spoke up.
"Enough please. Let's get down to business, shall we?" He asked. The four jounin present all stood at attention as he indicating the twelve folders in front of him. "I want each of you to tell me the genin you want for your team, and why. Afterwards, I shall judge whether the teams you've asked for are the best, or if alterations need to be made. Genma-san, you first," he said.
Genma Shiranui, a jounin with shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, and wearing his headband like a reverse bandana with the knot in the front and metal plate in the back, slowly removed the senbon he had in his mouth like a tooth pick. "I request Manabu Akamon, Fuki, and Gennai. From what I saw, their overall skills best mesh with each other, and don't really compliment any of the other genin's skills or abilities. I also feel that I can offer more to them since they are civilian born students then I can offer to any of the clan based graduates."
Sarutobi nodded quietly. "I see then," he said, writing the information down on a piece of paper, before moving on. "Asuma, which students do you think you'd like to teach?" He asked.
Asuma Sarutobi was the son of Hiruzen Sarutobi. He was a jounin of Konoha, and was once a member of the Twelve Ninja Guardians, twelve ninjas who had sworn to protect the daimyo. He now wore a sash with the kanji for fire over the pants of his standard Konoha jounin outfit. He had spiky black hair and a beard, and often was smoking a cigarette, like how his father smoked his pipe. He now pulled it out of his mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke. "I request Ino Yamanaka, Chouji Akamichi, and Shikamaru Nara. I believe I can shape them into an even better version of their fathers' team by offering to them new options and jutsu, helping them study their fathers' techniques and missions, and how to improve on what their clan's abilities and how they work together," he said.
Sarutobi just nodded, before glancing at Anko. "Anko Mitarashi, what team do you want?" He asked.
"I would like Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Mitarashi, and Ino Yamanaka," she said, causing Asuma to blink in surprise and for Sarutobi to raise an eyebrow as she continued. "Hinata and Naruto have already been training together, and their teamwork is above anyone else's. They both were among the best in the stealth and assassination portion of the exam, while Naruto was better in the taijutsu portion and Hinata in the ranged weapon portion of the exam. Adding in Ino's abilities from her clan, you have the perfect set up for a team specializing in infiltration and assassination. Ino's knowledge of flowers and plants can also easily translate to her being able to utilize poison and medicinal herbs."
"I see," Sarutobi said quietly. "And why should you be allowed to have Ino instead of Asuma-san?" He asked.
"With all due respect to Asuma-san, trying to recreate or improve upon a team that already has existed is a bad idea. Other villages will also have been studying the methods of the Ino-Shika-Cho combination, trying to find ways to defeat them. If any of them have found ways, and they've taught it to their shinobi, then Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji would find themselves at a disadvantage against enemy shinobi. Even if they learn new skills or abilities, the core of their success would be their ability to work together and use their abilities in tandem with each other. Disrupt that and the team will fall apart," she said. (1).
"You make a convincing argument, Anko-san. Asuma-san, any rebuttal?" Sarutobi asked.
Asuma just blinked, before shaking his head. "No, Hokage-sama," he said, sounding a little shaken. He hadn't given any thought to a situation like Anko had just described. He had simply assumed that if it had worked once, it would work again.
"Very well then, do either of you have an alternative choice, to replace Ino Yamanaka?" Sarutobi asked them.
"Sakura Haruno, Hokage-sama. She's a relatively clean slate, and I can train her in any number of fields," Anko said.
"Shino Aburame, Hokage-sama. His clan's abilities allow him to help disrupt and capture enemy shinobi. Those abilities will support Shikamaru and Chouji's abilities," Asuma said.
"Very good," Sarutobi said, writing the information down. "And now you, Kakashi-san," he said.
Kakashi closed his book, looking up lazily as he did so. "I request Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki for my team. I believe the three of them combined will make an excellent assault team, perhaps even becoming as skilled and dangerous as the sannin themselves one day," he said, while Anko flinched at the mention of the sannin. "Sasuke Uchiha, as the tests in the Academy showed, has a lightning affinity like myself, so I'll be able to help him learn how to utilize lightning jutsu more effectively. I can also teach him how to be a very effective and deadly shinobi without his Sharingan, which would translate to him being deadlier with it. Sakura Haruno, as Anko-san stated, is a blank slate, and can easily fill any number of support roles with proper teaching. Her chakra control especially lends to her becoming a skilled field medic or genjutsu mistress. And Naruto Uzumaki is a chakra power house. I can easily teach him any number of ninjutsu for him to simply plow through his enemies with. I also think having Naruto on the team will help inspire both Sasuke and Sakura, becoming the heart of the team, if you will."
Sarutobi nodded quietly at that. "I see. Anko-san, do you have a rebuttal?"
Anko nodded quietly. "I do Hokage-sama. What Kakashi-san fails to note is that Naruto's skills and mindset are not geared towards being an 'assault' style of shinobi. He's been training for the past several years in stealth and assassination. Putting him on a team like Kakashi mentioned will force Naruto to start over from scratch, to not only learn a whole new skill set, but also a whole new mindset of fighting. This will hinder Naruto in the long run, rather than benefit him."
"Ah yes, because he's part of that little band you're a part of," Kakashi said with a hint of condescension in his voice. The jounin of Konoha and even some of the chuunin knew about the Assassins. Not the full details, but Sarutobi had told them about the group so they wouldn't be targeted by the shinobi of Konoha, unless they had done something to cause said shinobi to attack them. "Naruto may be part of your 'assassins', but his skills and potential are wasted. You don't have what it takes to bring out his true capabilities."
Anko's eyes narrowed as she got into Kakashi's face. "And what would you know of his potential?" She growled out softly. "On his sixth birthday, I was there defending him while you were nowhere to be seen. For the past seven years of his life, I've been there for him, teaching him, consoling him, helping to undo the damage this village has done to him. I know more about Naruto Uzumaki then you could possibly hope to know."
Kakashi just stared at her lazily. "Last I checked, I was the one with the experience and seniority," he said.
"And what, that automatically makes you right?" Anko snorted. "Let's not forget that you've never taught any genin students for more than a couple hours, before failing then. While I've been teaching kids for more than a few years now. Tell me, who sounds like they have better judgment?" She asked.
"Enough!" Sarutobi shouted, causing the two jounin to separate. "This is an official meeting, not a schoolyard brawl! You will both refrain from insulting each other while we're working here, is that clear!"
The two jounin quietly nodded, before sighing as he sat back in his chair. "Do either of you have back up choices to replace Naruto Uzumaki on your team, should you not get him?" He asked quietly.
Anko sighed quietly. "Shino Aburame, Hokage-sama. His skills lend himself towards supporting Hinata and Ino, if need be. And I think he'd work well with them both."
"Kiba Inuzuka. He's an excellent tracker, but also has the skills to fit in an assault role," Kakashi said, reading his book again.
Sarutobi nodded, writing the information down. "Very well then. I've heard your suggestions and arguments, but there are other things to take into account, before I make my decision. You all are dismissed. I shall inform you of my decisions Friday morning, before informing Iruka-san so he can give out the team assignments to the students."
The jounin all quickly nodded, before leaving. Sarutobi quietly studied the requested teams, wondering what he would do. At least Genma had requested genin that no one else had wanted for their teams. But Asuma, Anko, and Kakashi all had requested students the other two wanted. And there had been merits to their reasons for wanting them as well. Which left him with the problem of deciding whose arguments were the soundest.
Asuma had raised a good idea of trying to make an even better version of the Ino-Shika-Cho team, but Anko's argument had shown the greatest flaw in that idea. Anko's team request would make for a very deadly strike team, capable of striking key enemy targets and gaining valuable information. But Kakashi had raised a good point as well concerning Naruto becoming a ninjutsu powerhouse. Kakashi had raised a good point regarding his team making an excellent assault team, one that could even rival the sannin with the right training and situation. And yet Anko had raised an equally fair point regarding Naruto as well, how the boy would have to start from scratch, hindering him in the long run. And if he was honest…he wasn't that eager to remake the sannin. Orochimaru had become a monster and a traitor, pushing and breaking the boundaries of humanity in his own quest for immortality. And Tsuande Senju had become a gambling drunk, abandoning Konoha to wander the world, and to forget past pains. Jiraiya was the only one of them who was still an active shinobi of Konoha, which made Sarutobi chuckle softly at the irony. The dead last had proven more loyal and dedicated to Konoha then the clan heiress or the prodigy had.
Sarutobi slowly began going through the folders on each of these students. If he was going to make these choices, he had to ensure he made the best possible choice he could make.
Assassin Warehouse, that night
Naruto took a shaky breath, as he stood in the entrance to the Assassin's meeting hall. At his side, Tomo was quietly sitting there, his tail wagging as he looked up at Naruto. The young fox kit had matured quite a bit now, yet strangely at a slower pace than normal for a fox. Anko and Yugito had theorized that possibly the young fox had the ability to utilize chakra like the dogs of the Inuzuka clan and thus the chakra was slowing the young fox's growth rate, but so far there had been no signs or evidence to show Tomo could use chakra.
Naruto just smiled, kneeling down to pet Tomo, before standing and adjusting his new Assassin outfit. He had designed it a few months ago, and Anko, after getting his measurements, had taken it to get it made, since he had some problems with the store owners and such. Most store owners didn't deny their services to him, but they did usually give him poorer quality material since he was a civilian and not yet a shinobi. Anko however, being a shinobi, was able to get the outfit finished and from well-made material.
Naruto's outfit now consisted of a dark navy blue long sleeved shirt and matching pants, with bandages tied around his ankles, and black zori on his feet. His dual hidden blade bracers covered his forearms, complete with fingerless gloves. On his shins he had a pair of hardened leather greaves.
Over this was his Assassin robe, which was more of a coat. Naruto had decided that like his father, Minato Namikaze, he wanted a custom haori. However, unlike his father's white and red high collared haori, Naruto's haori was a dull black, almost charcoal in color, and had a peaked Assassin hood rather than a high collar. On the front, the haori had dark, dull orange stripes running down the edges from his lapels to near the bottom, where the orange border tapering towards the vertical edge of the coat. There were also two thin orange lines running from the lapels over his shoulders and down his back over his shoulder blades and further down to a split in the back of the haori, which allowed for easier movement. The two orange lines met at the top of the split, before running along the edges down to the bottom edge of the haori. The two short sleeves of the haori each had an orange cuff at the end of the sleeve as well. Over this coat around his waist, he now wore a orange sash, over which he had his supply belt with a belt buckle shaped like the Assassin emblem. He also had a second leather belt running diagonally over his right shoulder, down to his left hip, and back up again over his back. Attached to the second belt were his ninjato scabbard and the sling for the crossbow he had gotten from Ganzo, a specially designed crossbow with collapsible bow blades, making it easier to stow away and carry. Lastly, he had a hardened leather pauldron attached to the left shoulder of his haori, to protect it since his defense was weaker on that side. (2)
He slowly stood, adjusting the headband around his forehead. He had replaced the blue cloth strap with a thinner, black one to go with his outfit. Afterwards, he pulled his hood up, his face becoming shadowed as he did so. Taking a deep breath, he entered the hall, with Tomo trotting after him.
Anko, Yugito, Hinata, and Kiseki stood on either side of the center walkway, two to a side. Kiseki, having already become a full ranked Assassin, now wore a dark blue, short skirted Assassin robe with no sleeves that was secured in the front by several small clasps. Underneath she wore a short sleeved mesh armored shirt, with black shorts on under the skirt of her robe, and black kunoichi boots. She also had a single hidden blade bracer on her left arm with a poison blade and dart attachment, with a black sash around her waist, over which went her supply belt with an Assassin emblem belt buckle, and her twin tanto secured in the back.
Naruto slowly advanced down the aisle, as the four girls stood facing the aisle. As he passed them, they turned and faced forward as Naruto stood before Raphael, placing his left hand over his chest and bowing. "Mentor," he said.
Raphael smiled quietly. "Naruto Uzumaki, recruit of the Konoha Assassin Brotherhood. You stand before your sisters and brother, an example to them. You have completed your training and now stand ready to join the ranks of the Assassins as a full member. Do you swear to uphold the tenants and axiom of our Creed?"
Naruto took a few moments, before nodding. "I swear, Mentor," he said.
"Then please join me," he said, as Naruto stepped up next to him. Raphael turned to the brazier, spreading his hands. "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. The wisdom of our creed is revealed through these words. Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember."
"Nothing is true," intoned Anko, Yugito, Kiseki, and Hinata.
"Where other men are limited by morality or law, remember."
"Everything is permitted."
Naruto slowly held out his left hand, extending his ring finger as Raphael removed the ring tongs. Naruto winced in pain as the heated tongs clamped around his finger, burning the flesh and leaving a scar. When Raphael removed the tongs, Naruto bit his lip, looking at the scarring around his finger, silently thankful that he had convinced the Kyuubi not to heal it.
Raphael meanwhile set the tongs back into the brazier. "We work in the darkness, to serve the light," he said, turning back to the other Assassins. We are Assassins."
Raphael pointed to the ladder, and Naruto climbed up it, followed by him. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out onto the platform, looking at the hay cart below him. He took another deep breath, and spread his arms, slowly leaping off the platform. He flipped through the air, the wind rustling his air and coat as he landed in the hay cart. He slowly hopped out, looking up as Raphael smiled down at him. "Welcome to the Brotherhood, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto grinned as he entered the warehouse, only to be grabbed in a headlock by Anko who pulled his hood down and noogied him. "Finally made it gaki!" She said with a grin as he struggled in her arms.
"Nee-chan, stop it!" Naruto protested, wiggling in her grasp. And finally escaping, as Tomo barked and hopped around Anko a bit, tail wagging.
Yugito grinned softly at Naruto. "Well done brother," she said, shaking his hand once he was free of Anko's grip. Hinata grinned as she hugged Naruto in congratulations, leaving Kiseki.
Kiseki always felt a bit awkward around Naruto. Mostly due to the fact that one of her clansmen had tried to kill him, and in turn, Naruto was forced to kill the man in return. Mostly, Kiseki was worried Naruto might harbor some resentment or fear of her, due to being part of the same clan. And initially, it did seem that way, as Naruto always was a bit wary around her. But as time went by, he seemed to have calmed down about it. Now she offered him a smile and bowed her head. "Congratulations," she said.
"Thank you Kiseki-san," Naruto said with a smile back, as Raphael joined them.
"Indeed, congratulations are in order Naruto. You've achieved the rank of full Assassin. That being said, do not believe you can relax. There is still much you can learn," Raphael said. "But for now, let's celebrate."
Naruto grinned and nodded. "I understand, Mentor," he said, as Anko cheered.
"Dango time!" She shouted, rushing a table that had some snack foods and drinks on it, as everyone else just sweatdropped.
A few minutes later, as everyone was eating, Naruto grinned at Hinata. "So, any thoughts on who you think your teammates will be?" He asked.
Hinata nibbled on a cinnamon roll, before speaking. "Well…I'm not sure exactly," she said. "I think I could work really well with you, Shikamaru, Chouji, and maybe Ino and Shino," she said. "But skill wise…I guess I'd go best with you, Kiba, or Shino."
"I hope it's not Kiba. The guy's a jerk," Naruto said, feeding Tomo a small piece of meat from his plate. "For me…well obviously you, cuz we both know how the other fights so well. And I could definitely see myself working with Chouji and Shikamaru. They're cool guys. Not sure about anyone else really," he said.
Hinata glanced at Anko. "Hey Anko nee-chan, do you know who's teams we're on?" She asked.
Anko glanced up from her dango, and shook her head. "Nope. I know who we all requested, but Hokage-sama will tell us Friday morning, before you all know," she said. "And even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you cuz it should be a surprise," she said, sticking her tongue out playfully at them.
The two just sweatdropped again at that, as Anko just giggled and went back to eating her dango. "I will say this though. Hokage-sama will make the teams in a way he think will best benefit the village and each other," she said. "So if you end up with people you don't like, try not to take it too badly. Hokage-sama will have his reasons for what he does," she said.
The two of them nodded in understanding at that, as Anko grinned, turning back to Yugito. "So, things between you and Iruka going nicely?" She asked.
Yugito just smiled happily. "Oh he's amazing. He's sweet, he's funny, he's confident in his own quiet way. We have so much fun together," she said.
"Ooohh, you have fun, or you have…'fun'," Anko said with a mischievous smirk. Yugito immediately blushed heavily at the implication.
"N-No, we don't have that kind of fun," she said, blushing madly.
Anko just smiled. "Hey, just teasing," she said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I'm glad you're having a great relationship."
"W-Well what about you?" Yugito asked. "You ever going to get yourself a boyfriend?" She asked, as Anko blushed lightly.
"Aww, you know me. Like my freedom too much. Wanna play the field," Anko said. "Besides, what guy could handle this?" She asked, posing with a grin.
"I can think of one. And he's actually in the building," Kiseki said with a bit of a grin, as Anko's blush increased.
"W-What, Raphael? No, c'mon now. He's far too busy to think about stuff like that," Anko said. "Besides, who says I even like him that way, or he likes me that way?"
Yugito shrugged. "You could always ask him out. Maybe just as friends, see how it goes?" She suggested, before yawning a bit. "As for me, I think I'm going to head home. Been a long day for me," she said.
"Mmmm, same here," Anko said. "Hey hime! Ready to go?" Anko called out to Hinata, who looked up.
"Oh ummm…I guess so," she said, having been enjoying talking to Naruto. She turned to Naruto, before gasping. "Oh, before I go, I almost forgot," she said, pulling a small package out from one of her pockets. "I-I actually just finished this today, and…well here," she said, blushing a bit.
Naruto blinked, as he took the package and unwrapped it, his eyes widened. Inside were two folded up pieces of cloth, which as he unfolded them, revealed an orange scarf and a small mini red cape with hood, with two holes in the hood. (3)
"I-I thought you could maybe use that scarf to h-hide your face and stuff. A-and to keep warm," she said. "A-And I made the hood for Tomo. They're sort of a…c-congratulation gift, on becoming an Assassin," Hinata said, blushing.
Naruto grinned at her. "These are so cool! Where did you buy them?" He asked, looking them over.
"Oh ummm…I…I actually knitted them myself," she said, feeling shy. "My…my mom taught me how, as part of my education. So do you like them?" She asked.
"I love them!" Naruto said, hugging her, before quickly wrapping the scarf around his neck and grinning as he did so in a way that he could pull it up over his lower face. As he excitedly knelt down so Tomo could sniff the cape, he missed seeing Hinata's blush increase due to the hug. He grinned as he put the cape on Tomo, sliding his ears through the holes in the hood. The young fox blinked and let out a snuff like sneeze, waggling his head adorably, before excitedly running around in his new cape and hood.
"And he loves it too," he said, as Tomo kept running around happily, before leaping into Hinata's arms, licking her face happily. Hinata giggled, trying to hold onto him, before setting him down as he excitedly raced off again.
"I-I'm glad. I-I wasn't sure if you'd like them, and I'm glad you do," she said. "So…y-yeah…I-I guess I should get going," she said. She turned, only to blink as Naruto hugged her from behind.
"Hey Hinata? Thanks…for this…and for being my friend," he said softly but happily. Hinata just smiled, hugging his arms against her chest even as she blushed.
"You're….you're welcome," she said, before he finally let her go. She gave him another smile, before heading over to Anko, who was grinning. "J-Just shut up," the grinning, blushing ex-Hyuuga said, walking past Anko.
"What, me? Wasn't going to say a thing," she said with her wide grin, following Hinata out of the warehouse.
Naruto was blushing a bit too, as he admitted it was nice hugging Hinata. He shook his head, as he turned to pick up his plate, only to blink as Raphael moved next to him.
"Naruto…how are you doing?" He asked softly.
Naruto looked up at him, before letting out a sigh. "I'm okay. I am, really. It…it was…weird, killing Mizuki. But I…I'm okay," he said.
Raphael nodded as he patted Naruto on the shoulder. "That's good, Naruto. But if you do need to talk to someone, please come to me, Anko, Kiseki, or Yugito," he said.
"I will. Thank you Raphael," he said with a half-smile, before yawning. "I think I'll head off to my apartment as well. Feeling pretty sleepy," he said.
As Raphael nodded, Naruto gathered up Tomo, smiling at Raphael, Yugito, and Kiseki. "Good night everyone! See you tomorrow!" He said, heading off.
At his apartment, he removed Tomo's hood and got him some water before sighing as he changed into his pajamas and slipped into bed. Instead of sleeping though, he closed his eyes and concentrated. When he opened them again, he was standing in the warehouse mindscape, where he was looking up at the Kyuubi.
The fox humped as it stared down at Naruto. "So you've finally graduated from your little group," it said, shifting its paws. "I suppose some form of congratulations is in order."
"Thank you," he said, as he slowly sat down in front of the cage, though far enough away that Kyuubi couldn't get him. This had been a ritual he had been doing since Yugito had started helping him deal with a jinchuuriki. He would enter his mindscape and meet with Kyuubi, trying to talk to him, to try and form a friendship with him, or at least some form of partnership. Most nights though, he simply find himself staring at Kyuubi's cage for about twenty minutes, as the giant fox tended to just ignore him.
Tonight though would prove to be different, as the fox watched him. "I must say, your plan for assassinating that traitor was quite crafty. I almost felt a miniscule amount of respect."
Naruto blinked at that in surprise. "Oh?" He asked. "I didn't think you'd honestly care about stuff like that," he said.
"I don't, but I can feel some admiration. Barely any," the fox sneered at Naruto. "I am a giant fox. Foxes are the embodiment of cunning. Take it for what it is, ape."
The blonde Uzumaki just sighed, leaning back. "Very well then," he said, watching the fox.
The two of them stared at each other for several minutes, before Naruto spoke up. "So…question? Do you have a name, or is Kyuubi your name?" He asked.
The fox raised an eyebrow. "What do you care ape? What brought this up?" It asked.
"Well…I guess…I never asked before. And it seems rude not to know. I mean…I would hate to be called something that's just my title all the time, and no one bothering to ask if I had a real name or not. So…I'm asking," Naruto said.
Kyuubi snorted and lowered its head. "Just call me Kyuubi brat. That's good enough for now. Now leave, you're bothering me."
"Fine then…thanks for talking to me…and thanks for your compliment earlier," Naruto said, getting up. He glanced at the cage, and around the warehouse, before looking back at the cage.
The fox stared at him with one eye. "What are you still doing here brat?" It snarled out, before Naruto shrugged.
"Just…wondering about something," he said, before he closed his eyes and disappeared. The fox just hugged and closed its eyes to sleep.
Naruto opened his eyes in the real world, as his face became thoughtful. "I'll need to ask Yugito nee-chan about that tomorrow," he murmured, smiling as he saw Tomo had hopped up next to him and cuddled close. He smiled, petting the fox as he began to drift into a real sleep.
The next day, Naruto was grinning as he sat in the registration room of the Hokage Tower, finishing getting his ninja ID registered. Sarutobi was looking at the ID, nodding softly. "Everything seems to be in order," he told Naruto, tossing the ID back to Naruto, who grabbed it.
"Thank you Hokage-sama," he said, as he stowed it away. He tensed however when he saw the door to the room slide open a crack. He slowly glanced at Sarutobi, who simply nodded quietly while smoking his pipe, acting like nothing was going on.
And then the door slammed open, as a young boy in a yellow shirt, gray shorts, a long blue scarf, and a helmet that covered his spiky brown hair stood in the doorway. "Today's the day I beat you, oji-san!" The boy shouted, gripping a shuriken as he rushed at the Hokage. Before anyone could react though, the boy tripped on his long scarf, smacking face first into the ground.
Naruto just sweatdropped at the sight, as the boy got up to his knees and rubbed the back of his head in pain. Sarutobi just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head. The young boy looked up at Naruto, before growling. "He, you! You tripped me, didn't you?!" He shouted.
Naruto blinked at the kid. "I don't know what you're talking about kid. I was sitting here the whole time. You tripped on your own scarf," he said.
The kid snorted. "Yeah, right! Nothing can escape a master ninja like me!"
"Yeah, okay kid," Naruto said, getting up. "If that's all, Hokage-sama?" He asked.
Sarutobi nodded, and Naruto turned to leave, only to almost run into a shinobi wearing the standard jounin outfit, but with small round sunglasses and bandana style headband. The man stopped when he saw Naruto, and a glare of recognition crossed his face, while Naruto's own face hardened as he saw the glare. He knew what it was, as he had been seeing them his whole life. He just nodded curtly. "Jounin-san," he said, about to move past said jounin.
"Hey wait! You can't just trip me and expect to get away with it!" The young kid shouted, as the jounin quickly grabbed Naruto by his shoulder.
"You dared to trip the honorable grandson of Hokage-sama?!" The jounin shouted, only to be forced to let go when Naruto elbowed him in the side and quickly tripped the jounin, sending him to the floor. He looked back at the Hokage and bowed before leaving.
The jounin quickly shot up, only to be stopped by Sarutobi's voice. "Don't you think you should worry about your charge, Ebisu-san?" He asked.
The now named jounin quickly bowed to the aged Sandaime. "Of course Hokage-sama! Come Honorable Grandson, we have much to-!" Ebisu said, only to find the space where the young boy had been was vacant. "W-where is Konohamaru?!" He yelled worriedly.
Sarutobi sighed, puffing on his pipe. "He went chasing after Naruto," he said evenly, as Ebisu quickly paled and rushed after them.
Naruto smiled as he stepped out of the Hokage's Tower, and Tomo came rushing from a spot where he was hiding, his cape and hood on. He hopped up into Naruto's arms, and Naruto smiled, petting him as he walked through the streets, not caring if people glared at him. He was a shinobi now, and they couldn't do a thing to him. He did tense a bit though when he felt a presence start to follow him, so he turned down an alley, before whirling, Tomo landing gracefully at his feet and growling as Naruto's hand shot up and gripped his ninjato, ready to draw at a moment's notice.
However, he relaxed his grip when he saw that his apparent stalker was hiding behind a sheet designed to look like the wooden fence they were walking past. However, said sheet was being held the wrong way, as the lines running between boards was horizontal on the sheet instead of vertical. He sighed, relaxing his grip. "You're holding the sheet the wrong way," he said.
"Just what I'd expect from my rival!" Shouted the young boy from before, dropping the sheet. "I'm Konohamaru, grandson of the Sandaime Hokage!"
Naruto just blinked at him. "Well I'm Naruto Uzumaki. What can I do for you?" He asked in a polite tone.
Konohamaru quickly dropped to his knees. "Please please please teach me boss! Help me become an awesome and powerful shinobi like you, so I can become Hokage!" He said.
Naruto blinked again at the young boy. "Don't you have teachers?" He asked.
"Well yeah, but you kinda beat up my teacher," Konohamaru said. "And that's why I want you to teach me! Cuz you're obviously much stronger than him!"
"No actually, I'm not," Naruto said, causing Konohamaru to blink in surprise. "I'm a genin, who barely got out of the Academy. That man was a chuunin or jounin. Obviously he is much stronger than me."
"But…you still hurt him! How could you do that if he's stronger?" Konohamaru asked.
"Because strength isn't everything," Naruto told him, gesturing to a nearby bench. As the pair sat down, he continued. "You could be the strongest person in the world, and still be defeated by someone who catches you off guard, or has something you don't have. Winning isn't just about being strong. It's also about being smart, brave, fast, skilled, cunning, and luck."
"But that sounds like a lot of work! And Ebisu-sensei says he can make me strong really quickly," Konohamaru said.
Naruto shook his head. "There's no quick way to being strong kid. It takes a lot of hard work, and determination. Why do you want to be strong anyways?" He asked, as Konohamaru looked down, kicking his feet.
"Cuz…I want people to see me for me," he said quietly. Naruto raised an eyebrow, as the young boy continued. "Nobody calls me by my name. They all just call me the 'Honorable Grandson of the Sandaime Hokage'. That's why I want to be strong and beat him, so then everyone will see me, and not him."
The blonde Assassin slowly shook his head, smiling. 'Ironic, that he has so much in common with me,' he thought, before speaking. "So you want people to recognize you for yourself…you can do that without defeating your oji-san," he said, as Konohamaru looked up at him.
"How? How can I do it?" He asked eagerly. Naruto just smiled, putting a hand on his head.
"It won't be easy brat," he said. "If you want people to recognize you, then you have to work for it. You have to work hard, and never give up on your goal. If you want my advice…ask your oji-san what it takes to be like him. I'm sure he'll give you plenty of good advice. And even if no one else recognizes you for who you are, you can still recognize that you are Konohamaru Sarutobi, future shinobi of Konoha."
Konohamaru sniffled a bit, his eyes watering, before he wiped them away. "T-Thanks boss! I won't forget what you said!" He yelled with a grin, as Naruto just smiled. The moment was ruined however by Ebisu landing, glaring at Naruto.
"You! What did you do to make the Honorable Grandson cry?!" he shouted, ready to attack Naruto both to protect Konohamaru and to get revenge for earlier.
"Hey, leave him alone!" Konohamaru shouted, about to jump up, only to be stopped by Naruto gently placing a hand on his shoulder. He was looking at Ebisu, frowning as he slowly stood.
"It's okay Konohamaru," he said, slowly moving his hand off Konohamaru's shoulder. As he did though, he slipped said hand into the supply pouch on the back of his belt, as he stared at Ebisu. "First off, I didn't do anything to Konohamaru. He's perfectly fine," he said angrily. "And secondly…his name is Konohamaru Sarutobi, future Hokage of Konoha!" He shouted, before dropping the smoke bomb he had, engulfing the area in smoke.
Ebisu quickly leapt back out of the smoke, glaring as his eyes wildly searched for any sign of the black clad figure. However, the smoke soon dissipated, revealing a confused but grinning Konohamaru. He just growled, angrily stomping over to Konohamaru. "Come Honorable Grandson. Let's get back to training and away from ruffians like that boy," he said.
Konohamaru just grinned and followed him as on the roof of a nearby building, Naruto crouched and grinned as he watched them go. "Good luck kid," he said, pulling up his hood and turning to leave.
Elsewhere, Anko sighed as she sat down at a table outside a café, where Raphael was waiting. "Hey, sorry I'm late. Had to file a report regarding becoming a jounin sensei," she said.
Raphael smiled at her. "That's okay. So, excited about being a sensei to three genin?" He asked.
"Definitely, especially if I get the three I want," she said, before ordering a cup tea and a plate of dango with sweet bean soup from the waitress who came over to them. "So was there something you needed to talk about?"
"Oh no, I just thought it'd be nice if we got together and hung out," Raphael said. "We've been so busy lately we haven't exactly had a time to just talk, as friends."
Anko blinked and blushed lightly. "Oh? Well okay then," she said. "So…how are things with you?"
Raphael shrugged. "Can't complain. Been pretty busy for the most part, so haven't really done anything outside of business," he said. "You?"
"About the same. Mostly been busy with getting ready to be a jounin sensei, but I also was helping Kurenai with some of Yakumo's physical training. She thinks that maybe in a year, Yakumo will be ready to take the genin equivalence course over at the Academy," she said. The genin equivalence exam was an exam given to people who wished to become genin of Konoha, but were too old to enter the Academy. Instead, they studied and trained, before taking a more intensive and in-depth version of the graduation exam the Academy had, to ensure said applicants were ready to be genin. There were also chuunin and jounin versions, usually reserved for defectors or people who were seemed far too skilled to take the genin equivalence exam.
"That's good. I'm glad you convinced Kurenai-san to keep training her," Raphael said, as their drinks and food arrived.
The pair of them talked about various subjects as they ate, until Anko finally spoke up. "So Raphael…I know it's not my place but…do you mind if I ask you about your childhood?" She asked. "I mean you know mine. Orphan, Orochimaru's apprentice, etc."
Raphael just blinked in surprise. "I guess there's no real harm in that. Well to start off, I'm a bastard," he said with a grin as Anko snorted into her cup of tea, having been taking a sip when he said that.
"E-Excuse me?!" She asked, trying to clean her face, as Raphael just chuckled.
"Sorry, couldn't help it," he said, before continuing. "My mother was a maid for a noble, who ended up having an affair with her. When she discovered she was pregnant with me, she was immediately dismissed, and was forced to live with my grand uncle and grand aunt. We had a happy life, the four of us. My uncle was teaching me to be a blacksmith, which was what he did. Then, a few months after I turned eight, a group of thugs looking for money and weapons broke into my granduncles shop. They killed everyone except for me because my mom told me to run away."
At this point, his eyes had watered slightly, as Anko gently touched his arm, a look of sympathy on her face. "Raphael…I'm so sorry," she said softly.
Raphael just gave her a tiny smile of appreciation and nodded in thanks. "Thank you. Anyways, after that I ended up on the streets of the nearby city. I spent the next four, almost five years living off of scraps and pick pocketing. Until I ran into my Mentor Ezio Auditore. Funnily enough, I tried to pick his pocket, and ended up flat on my back. But he took pity on me, and recruited me into the Assassins. And after that, most of my time was spent training," he said. "So that essentially was my childhood."
Anko nodded at that. "Well thank you for sharing," she said with a smile.
"And thank you for listening," Raphael said with a smile, as he signaled for the check. Once it was paid for, the pair started walking off.
"So how come I haven't seen you with a girl? Handsome guy like you should be attracting all kinds of women," Anko said, as Raphael blushed but grinned.
"Well thank you, but I've been busy. So sadly, I haven't had a chance to go courting," he said, as Anko raised an eyebrow.
"Courting? Awfully formal, aren't you?" She asked, Raphael smiled a bit awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes well, it comes from the way people spoke during my time," he said. "But still…I haven't had a chance to do so. Besides, I have very particular taste," he said.
Anko grinned at that. "Particular tastes huh? Let me know, and maybe I can find the girl for you," she said, lightly poking his side.
Raphael just smiled, rubbing his side. "Uh-uh-uh. My secrets. I'll take them to my grave," he said jokingly, as Anko kept pouting.
"Teeeellll mmmeee," she whined, only for Raphael to grin and shake his head, rushing off as she chased him. "I WILL GET YOUR SECRETS!" She shouted.
Raphael just laughed as she chased him, the two enjoying this moment of goofiness in their busy lives.
Friday, the Academy
Naruto and Hinata grinned at Shikamaru, Chouji, and Shino as they sat down near them. "So, today's the day," Naruto said to his friends. "We're getting our teams and sensei today."
Chouji blinked, pausing form eating his chips. "Hey Naruto, what's with the outfit change?" He asked, since Naruto was wearing his Assassin haori, though the hood was currently down.
Naruto just grinned. "Like it? It was a gift to me from my mentor, for graduating from the Academy. Except for the scarf. That was a gift from Hinata," he said, as Hinata blushed at that, but smiled.
"A-and you're very welcome, Naruto-kun," she said.
A couple seats down, Ino sighed with a small grin. "Awww, isn't that sweet? Hinata got Naruto a scarf," she said, as Sakura smiled as well.
"That is very sweet," the pinkette said. "Ohhh, do you think they're a couple maybe?"
"I don't think so. I think they're just really good friends," Ino said, watching them. "Otherwise, they might be holding hands or kissing or something."
Nearby, Sasuke just rolled his eyes a bit. What did it matter if they were a couple or not? What mattered was who he was going to be placed on a team with. Sasuke knew every student present was capable, but he truly wanted teammates who would be strong and skilled, and wouldn't hold him back. He had been waiting for this day for too long.
Sasuke had been pushing himself ever since his brother killed their father and other members of the clan, pushing himself to be the best. He had hoped to graduate early like his brother did, as a sign of his strength. But the new rules of the Academy prevented that from happening. So instead, Sasuke settled for learning everything, and applying himself with dedication and fervor. And it had paid off, in his eyes. Sasuke was the best in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and weaponry, with only Hinata and Naruto beating him in stealth and assassination. While it did irk him a bit not to be the best in that field, he wasn't too troubled, since he cared more about strength. Strength enough to protect his clan, to bring it up to new heights, and to one day confront his brother and bring him to justice for what he did.
That was why it was important for him to know who he was teamed up with, and who his sensei would be. To help determine how much he could learn from them, and how much they could unknowingly aide him in his goals. He masked his eagerness when the door opened and Iruka entered, though he was confused when Mizuki didn't follow. A confusion shared by the majority of the class, but not by Naruto or Hinata.
"Iruka-sensei, where's Mizuki-sensei?" Ino asked, as Iruka grimaced a bit, looking down.
"Unfortunately…Mizuki was recently discovered to be a traitor," he said, causing the class to gasp. "He was feeding information to an enemy of Konoha, and was planning to steal an important artifact to deliver to those enemies. He was captured and executed. I know this is big news," he said, stopping the class from erupting into excited gossip, "but we need to move on to more pressing matters. Today, you all will receive your team assignments. I have here the names of your teammates and your jounin sensei."
Iruka held up a list on a clipboard. "Team Five will consist of Manabu Akamon, Fuki, and Gennai, under the command of jounin Genma Shiranui." The three genin glanced at each other, and nodded to each other.
"Team Seven will consist of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka, under the command of jounin Kakashi Hatake," Iruka said. Kiba glared a bit at Sasuke, not liking being on a team with one of the two people he saw as rivals for his position as alpha. Sakura meanwhile was blushing a bit as she glanced at Sasuke, thinking maybe she could find out more about Sasuke, and see if he really was the jerk Ino thought he was, or if he maybe had a softer side.
Sasuke meanwhile just huffed a bit. He respected Kiba's strength, but he viewed the boy as a brash headed, arrogant fool. Sakura meanwhile came from no clan and had no discernible abilities beyond her intelligence. He quietly wished he had gotten stronger teammates, or at least ones he could more easily deal with. However, he had heard of Kakashi Hatake. One of the most well respected jounin of Konoha, and one of the likely candidates to replace the Sandaime Hokage and become the Godaime Hokage. It was rumored that he had learned over a thousand ninjutsu. Sasuke however, thanks to his clan, knew that one of their members, as he lay dying, gifted Kakashi with one of his Sharingan eyes, which was how the jounin learned his jutsu easily. Sasuke was eager to learn from the man, sure that this famed jounin would teach him everything he needed to accomplish his goal.
"Team Eight will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Mitarashi, and Ino Yamanaka, under the command of jounin Anko Mitarashi." Naruto and Hinata grinned, happy that not, only were they on the same team, but that Anko was their jounin. They knew she wouldn't be able to play favorites, but they did know they still had a lot they could learn from her, both as assassins and shinobi. Ino though looked a bit stunned. She had expected to be on the same team as Shikamaru ad Chouji, like their fathers had. To hear she was on a completely different team was startling. She glanced at Chouji and Shikamaru, who both looked stunned, in their own ways. Chouji was no longer eating his chips, staring at Iruka, while Shikamaru just groaned, leaning back and staring at the ceiling, muttering "troublesome" under his breath.
"Lastly, Team Ten will consist of Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akamichi, and Shino Aburame, under the command of jounin Asuma Sarutobi," Iruka finished, as the three remaining boys looked at each other. Shino just quietly nodded to Shikamaru and Chouji, as the latter nervously waved at him, while Shikamaru kept staring up at the ceiling.
Iruka smiled at them all as he set aside the clipboard. "Before I dismiss you all for lunch, I'd like to say a few words first. It has been my honor to teach and guide you all through our time together at the Academy. You all are the future of our village, and I have to say that you give me hope for the future. The road ahead of you will be difficult, but if you show the same determination and skill I saw here in the Academy, you'll all do fine. Just trust in each other, and trust in yourselves. And lastly…congratulations to all of you," he said.
The students all grinned, before Ino spoke up. "We couldn't have done it without you sensei. Thank you!" she said, as others began to do the same, clapping and thank him, as Iruka just chuckled and smiled awkwardly.
"Alright, alright, settle down now," he said. "Your sensei will arrive here soon, so sit back and get to know your teammates until they arrive. And again…good luck, to all of you," he said, before disappearing out of the room.
Naruto grinned as he turned to Hinata. "We're on the same team! And with Anko-sensei! This is so awesome," he said excitedly, as Hinata nodded happily. Ino slowly got up and moved to join them, followed by Sakura.
"You two know our sensei?" She asked, as the pair looked up at her.
"That's right. Anko-sensei was teaching me when I wasn't in the academy, and she took custody of Hinata after her asshole clan banished her," he said, as Hinata grimaced, and Ino and Sakura's eyes went wide.
"D-Don't talk like that," Ino said, not used to such coarse language. Naruto just grinned sheepishly as Hinata lightly smacked the back of his head.
"Sorry," he said. "But yeah, we know our sensei. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she arrived right about now," he said.
Just as he finished speaking, a smoke bomb went off at the front of the class, obscuring the students view of what was going on there. The students yelped in surprise, backing away from the front of the class. All except Naruto and Hinata, who rolled their eyes, expecting this.
The smoke suddenly was cleared away, as Anko stood at the front of the class in her Assassin outfit, except her hood was down. In her teeth was clenched a dango skewer, and she grinned as she looked over the students. Behind her was a banner that read "The epically awesome Anko Mitarashi has arrived!"
Anko grinned as she pulled the skewer from her teeth and flicked it into the ceiling. "Alright gaki's! I'm Anko Mitarashi, sensei of Team Eight! Where are my adorable little genin?"
Hinata and Naruto grumbled softly while grinning as they stood up, while Ino just stared. This was their sensei? She wasn't sure what to think of her as she looked her over. Sighing, she got up, smiling at Sakura. "See you later Sakura. Have fun with your team," she said.
As Sakura nodded, Ino joined Hinata and Naruto in front of Anko, who just grinned at them. "Alright my adorable little genin. Time for us to get to know each other better! But let's find somewhere more comfortable first. Follow me!" She said, turning and shooting out one of the classroom windows. The three genin blinked before doing the same, leaving behind the other bewildered students.
The three genin of Team Eight soon joined Anko outside a small dango stand, where she was getting a couple of skewers. "Alright," she said. "Now that I'm comfortable, we can begin," she said, sitting down on a nearby bench, while the three genin face planted.
"Is this woman really a jounin?" Ino asked, only to yelp as a curved blade was at her throat, while Anko stood nonchalantly behind her, holding one of her curved short blades in one hand as she ate one of her dango skewers held in her other hand. None of them had seen her move.
"You doubt me?" Anko said, studying her other stick of dango. When Ino shook her head, she grinned. "Good. Now back to business! I want us to introduce ourselves to each other, so we can get to know each other better as teammates. I'll start, so follow my lead. I'm Anko Mitarashi, jounin of Konoha. I like dango, and my friends Kurenai, Raphael, Yugito, Naruto, and my little imouto Hinata. My dislikes are jerks who judge and persecute people for no reason, as well as my treacherous former sensei. My hobbies include studying poisons, and something I don't want to share yet," she said with a soft blush. "Anyways, my goal is to train you three to be kickass shinobi!"
Ino blanched at Anko's swearing, while Naruto and Hinata just nodded. Anko pointed to Ino. "Why don't you go blondie?"
Ino glared a bit at her. "My name is Ino Yamanaka, not blondie," she said, as Anko just smirked. "My likes are flowers, cherry tomatoes, pudding, and shopping, as well as my friend Sakura. I dislike sashimi, that jerk Sasuke, and people who swear," she said, looking at Anko as she said this, while Anko just smirked. "My hobbies are arranging flowers, shopping, and gossiping. My goal is to become a great shinobi like both my mom and dad were and are."
Anko raised an eyebrow at that. "You like gossiping and shopping huh? Well you might need to cut back on both. Though the gossiping might help in what we'll be doing," she said. Before Ino could say anything, Anko moved on. "Your turn hime," she said to Hinata, making Hinata pout.
"My name is Hinata Mitarashi. I like cinnamon rolls, zenzai, my nee-chan Anko, and my best friend Naruto. My dislikes are shellfish and the majority of my former clan. My hobbies include flower pressing and archery. And my goal is to become a truly strong kunoichi, and prove my former clan was wrong about me," she said, smiling at the grins on Anko and Naruto's faces.
"Alright then! Last we got you whiskers," she said, as Naruto just grinned.
"You got it sensei! I'm Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, my best friend Hinata, my sensei Anko, and my friends Raphael, Yugito, and Tomo! I dislike how long it takes to heat up water for ramen, and jerks who judge people on rumors and prejudice, rather than facts. I also dislike that jerk Kiba. My hobbies include eating ramen and training. And my goal is to become a great shinobi to honor my parents, and protect my precious people," he said.
Ino blinked at that, tilting her head. "Your parents? Who were they?" She asked.
Naruto sighed softly, calming down a bit. "They were a pair of powerful shinobi. But I can't say any more than that. Not yet anyways," he said.
Ino pouted, now really wanting to know, but Anko cut her off. "Well now that we've introduced ourselves, time for bad news, sadly. You're not all actually genin quite yet."
"What do you mean Anko-sensei?" Hinata asked in surprise.
Anko just grinned. "Well the Academy Graduation Exam is really mostly just there to see if you all have what it takes to ascend to the rank of genin. To actually become genin though, you have to pass a second exam. One given to each team by their jounin sensei. Pass that and you truly are genin of Konoha."
Naruto groaned. "Awwww crap," he said quietly.
"So what's this test you have for us?" Ino asked a bit impatiently. Anko just smirked at them.
"You'll find out…tomorrow morning. Meet me outside the Academy at eight o'clock sharp. I'll give you all the details then. For now, enjoy yourselves. Team Eight, dismissed!" she shouted, dropping another smoke bomb and disappearing before the smoke cleared.
Naruto just grumbled softly, arms crossed. "That just figures. We think things are finally at an end, and they throw one more obstacle in our path."
"Well, nothing we can do about it now," Hinata said. "It might be a good idea though if we start brainstorming some ideas of what she might be planning tomorrow. Do you have the time, Ino-san?" She asked, as Ino nodded.
"I do, but I'd like to go and check on my friend Sakura. She's stuck with the jerk and that baka Kiba, so I don't think she'll have a lot of fun," she said.
"Of course Ino. We'll come with you. I'm sure she could use some real company," Naruto said with a smile.
The trio of them headed off back to the Academy, to meet with Sakura and ready themselves for tomorrow. Their future awaited, and they would meet it head on.
Well, this seems like a good place to end this chapter.
So, the teams are now formed. And no I'm not changing them, so don't ask.
I'm sorry this chapter was a bit slower in getting out. Been busy with my Christmas Gifts, New Years stuff, and helping some friends and family with personal problems.
Big thanks again to my awesome betas! Thank you Kyuubi123 and Bill Alain!
So, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and that you leave a review. Until next time then!
1. This is a thought I've had about canon team 10. While the team is very well balanced overall, the fact that it existed once already simply sends up danger flags in my mind. If any enemies were able to study the previous incarnation of this team, and learn how to disrupt it, then team 10 would be in serious trouble. That being said, again the team is still a better setup then canon teams 7 and 8.
2. So basically, think of Naruto wearing a version of his father's haori that matches the description I gave here. I tell you, it was hard trying to think of a color scheme that fit not only Naruto, but also fit being an Assassin. I toyed with going for a dark burnt orange, but it would be too attention grabbing. Thought about a brown with a dark or navy blue trim, but just didn't seem to work. So I finally settled on black and orange. I had thought about doing black and red, but that would basically be copying Shay's color from Rogue as well as the outfit colors you can get in Brotherhood, Assassin's Creed 3, and Assassin's Creed 4. So imagine Naruto's outfit is dull black, almost charcoal, with dull orange.
And yes I know black is cliché, but it's the best I could think of that I hadn't chosen for someone else. And besides it's not all black, it's black and orange. Anyways, onwards!
3. Yes, this is referencing the last Naruto movie. The scarf is at least. Haven't seen the movie yet though. Really need to catch up on the anime and movies.
