Second Chances
By: FlameXFullmetal
Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. Seriously wish I did.
A/N: Hey there! I'm back. With any luck I got this up before the New Year which would make three updates in one year. If I didn't then I am already half way to my new goal in life. Any way thanks for the reviews and love that some of you are willing to put up with my lags in updating. I really have a lot of ideas floating in my head and sometimes it is hard to focus on just one long enough to write it down. I may have some new stories out at the very end of this year or beginning of next year depending how much of them I can get typed out first. I don't want them to wind up in update limbo. They are all Naruto stories with various pairings but somewhat similar themes. A few housekeeping things that need dealt with.
Zigmas: Sorry you don't like Yaoi. I apologize that you don't like the story's pairings. Anyway the pairings are still in development and won't be showing up for a while.
ZeroKaze: I am well aware that those two are siblings but unless someone can suggest a better pairing for them than that will be static. Besides, it wasn't unusual for siblings in the past to marry to keep the bloodline "pure". As it stands, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara are the only ones that can still pass down the magnet release by the end of the invasion. So it could happen.
"hello" people (bijuu in human form) speaking
'hello' people (bijuu in human form) thinking/coded hand signals
"HELLO" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity yelling
"hello" bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity talking
'hello' bijuu (full demon form)/summoning/deity thinking
hello jutsu
***************************Training***********************************
"Well then now that we have arrived we can begin. I saw how well you three interacted at the exams and to be honest I am going to skip the test I was going to administer because I don't think that you need it. So here is the thing. We are going to get to know each other better and then we will start training. So I am Hatake Kakashi. My likes are numerous. My dislikes are traitors and those that abandon their teammates. My hobbies, well despite being officially adults now, you are still far too young for that. As for my hopes and dreams for the future those are to see you become the best shinobi that you possibly can be." Kakashi said as soon as they arrived at training field seven. The three genin behind him were rather startled at his abruptness.
"Um well..I am Hyuga Hinata. I like flower pressing and cinnamon rolls. I dislike the division in my clan and those that look down on others for no reason. My hobbies are training and making medicinal salves and my dream for the future is to abolish the caged bird seal and help Naruto-kun achieve his dream." Hinata managed to squeak. Kakashi nodded his head and looked over at the Uchiha.
"Uchiha Sasuke. My likes are limited to training and tomatoes. My dislikes are far too numerous to count but do include a certain worthless pink haired banshee. My hobbies are training to get stronger and my dream is avenge the Uchiha clan and do everything in my power to make sure that the dobe becomes Hokage." He stated flatly. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the conviction he had hear at the end but looked onto the final genin. Naruto was staring back at him with all the confidence in the world.
"Uzumaki Naruto. I like training, playing pranks and ramen. I dislike waiting for ramen, traitors, liars and deserters. I have very few hobbies but I do like gardening, learning new things and training. My dream for the future is to become Hokage, right past wrongs and bring peace to the shinobi world. That way I can make the Shodai's dream a reality." He declared. Kakashi could honestly say that he was surprised. The differences in their personality than what had been reported were more than clinical error permitted. Hinata had been the only one that had remained the closest. Plus there was something in the way that Sasuke said that he wanted to avenge the Uchiha that made him believe that there was something that he didn't even know about the massacre that somehow Sasuke did know. Nodding he straightened and looked at the assembled genin.
"Alright then. Hinata I know that you are shy and are probably uncomfortable without it but you have to take the jacket off. The only thing that will be accomplished by wearing that from now on is causing you to overheat." He stated. Nodding in embarrassment she swiftly removed the jacket.
"Alright hold out your arms. I need to see your wrists." He commanded and the genin did as they were told. After he had finished drawing some sort of seal on them he repeated the process with their legs. A few hand seals later and the three genin were already starting to understand what exactly happened.
"You'll notice that you feel a bit different right now. That is because you are all wearing resistance seals and now face more resistance to your movements than previously. Naruto you are also wearing gravity and weight seals. Due to your condition you are able to use this training method where Hinata and Sasuke can't." Kakashi informed the genin.
"It's alright sensei. Hinata knows about the Kyuubi. You don't have to beat around the bush with us." Naruto replied. After a second he tilted his head. "Actually any reasonably intelligent person should know about Kyuubi because how do you seriously kill chakra?" He mused. Kakashi was smiling under his mask and knew then that he had made the right choice in his team.
"Alright I want you to do a hundred laps around the clearing and follow it up with a hundred push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges and punches and kicks. If you feel tired I want you to take a small break there is no point in hurting yourself on the first day. I will be back I need to go and retrieve something for all of your training." He informed them before using the shunshin no jutsu to leave. Nodding at each other Sasuke and Naruto sprinted from their starting point and looked back at Hinata.
"We are way ahead of you already Hinata because of how we got here. We will catch you up so that there isn't so much of a discrepancy. For now just do what you can and don't get discouraged." Sasuke called back making the kunoichi nod and start after them. She just knew that somehow she would be able to catch up to their level and that she would be able to accomplish her dream.
By the time that Kakashi arrived back at the training ground he was surprised to see Hinata, Naruto and Sasuke hanging upside down from tree branches casually throwing a water balloon back and forth.
"What are you up to?" he asked in amusement.
"Well we finished what you wanted us to do so we started working on individual skills when Hinata told us that we were wasting to much chakra in some of our techniques so she helped us with chakra control exercises and we decided that since we got the tree climbing real fast we would work on our focus." Naruto explained as he tossed the water balloon to Sasuke.
"And the balloon?"
"To help our focus and coordination. See we aren't allowed to touch the balloon for more than five seconds so we have to catch it and throw it fast while aiming and remaining attached to the tree." Sasuke informed the slightly baffled but very proud jonin. He had never seen a team bond quite like they were and they were taking the initiative to assist each other in their training. Setting down the equipment he had brought he smiled.
"I take it that the clan taught you the tree climbing?"
"Hai."
"Have you learned the water walking yet then?"
"No. father said that I didn't have the necessary level of mastery over the tree climbing and he wasn't going to teach me." Hinata whispered.
"Alright then how about you three come down and we will continue with your training?" he suggested as the three nodded and jumped down in front of him. The next two and a half hours were spent on various chakra control exercises that while they caught on to quickly, Sasuke and Naruto were in desperate need of.
"The next thing that we are going to do is find a weapon that you are comfortable using that is outside of what you already have. I know that the Hyuga clan frowns on any technique outside of the Gentle Fist but they can kiss my ass if they don't like it. I am your jonin now." Kakashi declared as the three somewhat tired genin looked up at him. Pulling out a scroll he unsealed a massive variety of weapons. Sasuke looked over at Naruto who nodded.
"Kakashi-sensei, is there any reason that Madara was the only person who ever used a gunbai and scythe?" Naruto asked.
"Hmm. I believe that it was deemed an impractical weapon and many people refuse to use it due to its connection to Madara. Why?"
"I've always wondered what it might be like to fight with one. That's why." Naruto replied. Kakashi stared at the genin for a while attempting to ascertain the reason behind the question and after a while he nodded.
"Well if you want to try and use one that is up to you but I don't think that I would be much help in learning how. You would probably want to ask around for a weapon's master." Kakashi chirped.
"Thanks sensei. Uh…what kind of weapon would go well with my kunai, shuriken, glaive and sword?" Naruto asked sheepishly. Kakashi sweat dropped at the genin. 'He knows how to use all of those already?'
"Well have you thought of using chakra knives? You seem to have a decent arsenal of mid to long range weapons but no close combat weapons." Kakashi explained. Naruto nodded in enthusiasm. He had intended on learning how to use them but he never had time.
"Kakashi-sensei to tell you the truth I am only comfortable with my sword, kunai, shuriken and a bow and arrow. Although the latter could use some work." Sasuke stated to the impressed jonin.
"That's fine. We can work on your archery skills." Kakashi replied. Time and time again they were proving to be the right team for him.
"Kakashi-sensei, I have no idea. I never even thought of using a weapon before." Hinata spoke up somewhat timidly. So far Kakashi's advice had been right on the money. After the first five laps she knew that had she been wearing her coat she would have fainted.
"Well Hinata has there been anything that has interested you before? It's all right if there isn't but it would be good to know if you had an interest before the clan stepped in."
"No." Kakashi tilted his head at the heiress and began to make a mental list.
"Tell me Hinata if you had a choice between fighting the enemy on the front lines or healing an injured comrade on the front lines which would you chose?"
"Healing."
"In that case I am going to look into getting you some Iryojutsu training and you should look into something that will improve your range. Senbon, bow and arrow and maybe a kodachi or a chakra blade." Kakashi mused. The kunoichi's eyes widened at the suggestion. Naruto and Sasuke had noted earlier that her juken was impressive but lacked the range necessary for most shinobi.
"Kakashi-sensei wouldn't be possible to use the Senbon to make the juken more of a ranged attack?" Naruto mused genuinely curious.
"Interesting question Naruto. I couldn't say for sure but if done properly then yes it could." He admitted. Hinata got a big smile and nodded in consent as they began to work on their various weapons.
As the door opened to the compound Hinata flinched and slowly walked into the Hyuga house. Kakashi had been brutal when they had moved to taijutsu training. He said that he knew the team had a lot of potential and that he intended to bring it all out. Pulling her shoes off she quickly headed upstairs and took a quick bath before heading back down for dinner. Like always the meals in the clan were quiet affairs with the occasional question. Though many of the times they were not directed at her. She seemed to be a fly on the wall and that was fine with her.
"Hinata. Tell me how things went today. Did they finally announce the class standings? Who is your sensei?" Hiashi queried breaking the silence. Startled at being addressed Hinata almost dropped her chopsticks.
"It went well Tou-san. The class standings were announced and I was named kunoichi of the year. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san were tied for rookie so it was given to both of them." She replied to her father. The surprise that Hiashi felt could not be hidden. Even he had expected different. Hinata always came in between fifth and third in the class never any higher.
"I see and your team?"
"I was assigned to team seven under Hatake Kakashi. My teammates are Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san. Apparently Kakashi-sensei wanted the three of us and put in a specific request." Hinata replied. Again Hiashi was surprised. He knew for a fact that team seven was historically designated as a first response team. He had been under the impression that she would wind up on a tracking team. Once again he had been taken by surprise and everything had started to change after the academy exams. Ever since Naruto had encouraged Hinata at the taijutsu tournament everything had changed in a very unpredictable way.
"You were out quite late."
"Kakashi-sensei started our training today. He didn't want to waste any time. He thinks that team seven could be the next generation of Sanin. I'm supposed to meet him every day at five in the morning for training and he said that I would be lucky to make it home before six." She whispered. Not used to having the attention on her was making her nervousness grow. She was afraid that she was going to start stuttering any second.
"I see." Was all the Hyuga patriarch said before he went back to his dinner. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. The silence was something that Hinata welcomed. Across from the table Neji found himself fuming internally. Twice now she had defied her fate. She should never have been able to pull off that win at the tournament and now despite being behind the rest of the class the last four years she had managed to be the top ranked kunoichi of her class! There had to be favoritism somewhere and he vowed to find out where.
"Ah Sasuke everything hurts!" Naruto whined as he dropped down on Sasuke's bed. He was only wearing a pair of shorts and was watching as the raven haired teen tossed his dirty clothes in the laundry.
"What did you think training with Kakashi-sensei seriously was going to do tickle?" he demanded. Naruto just stuck his tongue out and rolled onto his back.
"It did last time! I'm surprised that Kakashi-sensei didn't ask any questions or try to force us to show more than we wanted to." Naruto mused out loud.
"You're not the only one. I was surprised to. He will though. He just hasn't decided the proper time for it yet. What do you think the odds of catching Hinata up are?" he asked his friend.
"Pretty good. Once we get her chakra a little higher we can teach her the shadow clone and have her train even when she is at home. That way we can take her into the seal we designed and spend more time with her there."
"Good thinking. She seems dedicated to helping you. I just hope that she doesn't overdo it. She tends to get carried away when you are involved." Sasuke chuckled. Naruto groaned and nodded.
"And reckless to." As the two friends looked at each other they felt some of the weight coming off of their shoulders at the thought of having help.
"We need to train hard and make sure that one way or another we make the Nami mission. That way we can save and recruit Zabuza and Haku." Naruto nodded and applied a privacy seal to the room. Then he drew the forbidden scroll of sealing from his storage seal and spread it out. Both shinobi gained a look of concentration as they began to study the Kuchiyose Edo Tensei. It was going to be a long night for both of them. Up in a nearby tree Kakashi slipped from his perch cursing his inability to gather much of anything on the two. Unbeknown to the copy ninja the two shinobi weren't meditating they were reading the very scroll that the whole village was still searching for. 'I will discover what you two are hiding. Please don't make me regret my choice by doing something that will make me have to "deal" with you.' He prayed mentally.
******************************T.B.C**********************
A/N: A bit short but look another chapter! I will probably skim over their training and focus on missions from now on it is tedious writing everything in. They will wind up on the Wave mission just don't expect it to be cannon. Until then Ja!