Chapter Two – Let's Go!
I underestimated how long it would take for Kakashi to show up. Naruto and Sasuke sat quietly, but with my history of anxiety, I began to fidget. Looking for something to do, I pulled out a med-nin book and tried not to think about what would happen later when Naruto and I would talk.
I got through a few chapters, silently cataloging the words, terms and images in my mind. In my past life I worked in a hospital as a CNA and knew more basic information on anatomy and the health issues of the world, but this was more in-depth and there was no chakra in my last world, either, so it's a learning experience.
Finally, the door opens and we all look up inquisitively. The man stares at us for a second, his eyes half-lidded and a bored look on his face. His slouch made my book hurt just looking at him. It would look like he was uncaring and lazy, but there was a glint in his eye that I could not name that worried me. "Yo. My first impression is that you guys are boring. Meet me on the roof in five."
Naruto and I briefly glanced up at each other before I pushed my book back in my pouch – thankfully the book was travel sized a rare find – and rushed out the door, Sasuke on our heels. The walk to the roof was a long one when walking, so we found ourselves pacing quickly up the steps in a rush to get to the top.
As we reached the top, Kakashi sat on the railing behind him. His arms were folded and he gazed upon us with unfeeling eyes. "Go ahead and sit. Let's introduce ourselves." As we all sat, no one spoke. "Maa, someone go first."
Speaking up quickly I said, "I am Yuno Aino. Um, my favorite color is – well, I haven't thought about it. I like to – hmm, sorry, I don't have many hobbies. Favorite food? I like a lot. My future aspirations, well, I have many." I grinned up at him, "How about you sensei?"
His face was clear deadpan as I grinned unrepentantly up at him. Naruto snorted next to me and Sasuke kept his silence. When he spoke, I could hear the regret in his voice, try as much as he tried to hide it. "My name I Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate? I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future? Never really thought about it. My hobbies? I like I a lot of hobbies."
Sasuke grunted next to me, surprised. I turned to Naruto, curious about his introduction.
He took a deep breath and spoke in an even tone. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I like training and ramen. I do not like having to wait for my ramen to cook. I dislike snakes and my dream is to make the world a better place."
I turned quickly and blurted out: "Snake-pedo?"
My teammates blanched, even Kakashi jerking back in surprise. Naruto turned to me, a quick upturn of the lips, but said nothing. He shrugged and I returned it back to him, settling the conversation for now.
Kakashi eyed us carefully, unsure about the way the conversation had turned. He gestured to Sasuke to start. "Your turn."
Sasuke, after hearing our introductions, didn't seem too interested in sharing, but answered anyway. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things. And I don't particularly like a lot of things." I kept a snort in, my lips pursing tight to keep from laughing. "What I have is a dream because I will make it a reality. I am going to restore my clan and destroy a certain someone."
The amusement died, though, at those words. I knew them from before, but it sounded so much more dark and terrible in person. I no longer fought a smile, but my lips turned down into an unhappy frown. Yeah. We gotta work on that.
"All right." Kakashi said, clapping his hands once. "Well, tomorrow we'll be doing a training exercise. You see, you haven't graduated." He paused for dramatic effect. I could tell that Naruto was as unfazed as I was and we returned Kakashi's gaze blankly. Sasuke made a surprised noise. "Only nine of the 28 graduates will be accepted as genin. The rest will be sent back to the academy. This is a test – and only 66% make it."
I nodded my head to show I understood, Naruto and Sasuke doing the same. "See you tomorrow at 0500." He left then without a trace. Sasuke stood and I knew immediately he was headed to his training grounds to train for tomorrow.
Naruto and I turned to each other and stood as one. "Where do you want to go? Somewhere we won't be heard." I added as an afterthought. "Not my house – my parents are there and, well, not the best company."
"We'll go back to my place. Follow me." He and I traveled quietly back to his apartment. After the door was shut, I felt chakra surround the apartment. "Privacy seals," He murmured at my curious glance.
"Well, I agreed I would go first. I am Yuna Aino. We spent time together before whatever this is that happened. I know more than I should, because I am not quite from here." I paused, but Naruto said nothing. "I know about the future events, about the people around me and about the future enemies and their weaknesses. I know about the war, Akatsuki and Sasuke."
"How?" He asked plainly and I took a deep breath to ready myself.
"I'm not from here."
"And where are you from?"
"Somewhere where this world doesn't exist; somewhere that this was just a book series…"
He frowned at me, obviously not believing me, but unsure about how else I know about the war, Akatsuki and Sasuke. "What do you know?"
"I know about the Chunin exams, Gaara, the training trip, the Akatsuki extracting Shukaku, Asuma's death, Pein's attack, the Kage Summit, the War and what happens afterwards. I also know the strengths and weaknesses of many of our enemies, like many of the Akatsuki members."
"What happened after the war?" He didn't appear to be as unsure of me, but more confused.
"Well, it won't happen that way now, Naruto-kun. This is a different universe from even that story." I said hesitantly.
"How is it different? I see no difference aside from you." His face was hard, and I knew this conversation was not going very well. "You took the place of Sakura."
"Did you not have soul marks in your universe?" His face twisted, showing me that he did not understand. I grabbed onto my wrist where the soul mark was. "This universe has soul mates and soul marks. It's weird and different, and I have my concerns about it, too, but our first words to our soul mates are marked on our bodies. I don't know where yours is, but mine is on my wrist. I have not met my soul mate, and I'm not sure I want to. The words aren't exactly flattering or welcoming."
He looked down at his wrists, then pulled off his jacket, looking for a mark. Searching, he saw it down on his chest. "Oh." He said simply, if a bit worriedly.
"I don't think you met yours." I said, not looking at his, knowing it can be a sore subject like mine was. "After you meet your soul mate, you kind of, have a hard time staying away from each other. Especially after you touch one another. After that, you need to be near each other otherwise your health kind of deteriorates. I haven't noticed you around others, and you haven't mentioned meeting yours, which I think you would have if you had."
"No," he responded a little quietly. "I don't think I have in this timeline." He zipped his jacket back up. "You didn't look?" He asked, sounding concerned.
"No, they're considered private. Plus, I've seen enough people balk at mine and I know that some soul marks are just not usual or good signs for the future. I keep mine covered because of that."
He hmm'd as he thought. "How much do you know about me? My friends and the Akatsuki?"
"There are no secrets with you guys. I know your guys' history, likes, dislikes, hopes and worries. I know about your kekkei genkai, the tailed beasts, and who does what as they get older. I know the Akatsuki's weaknesses and how they died. I know who the masked man is and I know about tsuki no me." I paused, wondering if I was overstepping, but decided on pushing forth anyway. "Can I know about you?"
He eyed me for a second before sighing, nodding slightly. "I tried to travel back from the future. I apparently made a mistake with my fuuinjustu array and sent myself both backward and sideways. The future I come from, we couldn't defeat Madara – and I mean Madara, not Obito."
"I thought the war only lasted a few days two weeks at most?" I pondered, quietly mumbling to myself.
"Well, it didn't where I came from. I learned enough fuuinjustu and I found an old scroll that had an array on it that said time travel. I thought that I just added how far back, but I guess I added something I shouldn't have or made a mistake and jumped to the side as well."
We sat in silence for a few minutes, both thinking deeply. "We need to work together." I told him firmly. "I've been making plans since I was reincarnated, but with you here, it messes them up a bit. But we can work on that – together. Teammates and all that. Not to mention our knowledge combined of the future. While it will be different with the soul mates, I think we can still work through this."
"I agree." He said louder than he had spoken previously. "We need to get to know each other better, but that will come with time. We have time. We can start talking after our D-ranks. Meet back here and talk."
"Sure." I quirked a snarky side smile. "I've probably got to go. My parents aren't great and unfortunately, I'm living with them. They'll probably hound me about my teammates and pester me all night. Depending on how much we make with D-ranks, I'm hoping I can move out. Especially when we start C-ranks."
"You should be able to." He said. "Even with D-ranks. They're busy work, but they may pay enough for a cheap apartment like mine."
"I'll think about it; thanks." I smiled genuinely this time and stood. I felt the chakra around the apartment drop and I turned to him. See you tomorrow at 0500?"
He snorted, shaking his head. "You know he won't show up on time."
"I know." I replied, still smiling. "But imagine if he showed up and we weren't there." I shrugged. "No way am I going to let Kakashi-sensei beat me by punctuality."
I left then, heading home. I knew what awaited me there, but I couldn't stop myself from grinning in excitement.
