A/N - Hello everyone and welcome back to another chapter of Kitsune Sanctuary! I've been inspired to try and write faster, and I somehow managed to write my longest chapter yet. Not only that, but this is one of my favorite chapters because of one scene I wrote. I won't spoil it, but I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it. I'll continue to try and update as quickly as I can.
Please leave your feedback, positive, negative, or both! There's just something about receiving a review that makes everything worth it!
=Reviews=
Buterflypuss - Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.
Azaira - Glad you enjoyed it! I also agree with you, but they are actually strong for their age. I hope to show you that soon-ish.
Doomqwer - Glad you liked that part. I figured being given your freedom after so long would make you want to stretch your legs. I want to make this clear as well, the wave arc will be different. I don't want a canon rehash.
KakeruPB - Glad you like the outfits. Yami will be explained, so don't worry. There is an actual reason for my decision, I promise! Akane and Yami will also be explained as well! Glad you liked my Kurama scene, and I'm sorry for making Naruto suffer. I didn't want it to be a simple method since the Akatsuki seemed to struggle with the same situation. Whoever said I don't know? I'm glad I'm starting to get better, and thanks for the recommendations. Praise ramen-sama! We'll see, but don't get your hopes up!
TigrezzTail - These are all good questions that I can't answer for reasons! I'm glad you enjoyed my fight scene!
Frankieu - You're welcome! Thank you for reading it!
Theriku260 - Glad I can satisfy! I wonder as well, guess you'll just have to read and find out! That's a good idea, I might just do that! To everyone reading this, go read From Academy to ANBU! It's an entertaining story!
Kaizon-chan - I'm sorry for hurting Naruto! Forgive me Kaizon-chan! I like to believe Naruto has a very strong will that would be very difficult to break. It might help that he was passed out for most of it. Maybe. I don't mind in the slightest, I actually find it fun!
Shapeshifter340 - I have done just that!
StallionWolf - I have a feeling a lot of people do!
Guests - You'll find out soon. It'll be explained in the future. Meh.
Please enjoy the story, everyone!
I do not own Naruto!
I do own my OCs though...
Update - 8/28/2018: Shower scene mostly removed. I agreed with a reviewer that the scene was unnecessary.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Apartment Building=
Poppy golden eyes drowsily opened slowly spotting the familiar eggshell white ceiling of her apartment. Blinking a few times trying to clear the morning fog from her eyes, she eventually rubbed both tiredly with her hands. A few more blinks later, she raised her arms high into the air above her head and released a small satisfied moan as she stretched her body. Her arms fell back against the bed in contentment before slowly turning her head to the left and staring at her alarm clock. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, "…team placements are today," she whispered to herself. Her head went back to its original position, staring at the white ceiling.
An internal battle raged viciously inside her as she decided if she should just say screw it and go back to bed or get ready for the academy. To her displeasure, the sensible side of her won. Shutting her eyes, she released a regretful sigh before grabbing her heavy amethyst colored comforter and tossing it off her. She kicked both her legs off her bed and sat straight up. Her eyes stared out the window that overlooked a small part of the village which glowed in the morning rays before she glanced down at her legs tiredly. Pressing the balls of her feet against the floor, she pushed herself up being greeted with the usual creaking of the chestnut floor. Her arms slowly shot up towards the ceiling stretching her body getting an audible pop.
She gave another pleasurable moan of satisfaction from her stretching before glancing around her bedroom. Her room isn't large, but it's big enough to have a proper sized bed, a small nightstand, and a dresser. Her bedroom luckily came with a small closet which could hold a decent amount of clothes. Her apartment's walls are all the same beige color the apartment originally came with never caring enough to change them.
As if a switch flipped on inside her head, she began her daily routine. The first step is making her bed, which she did neatly making it look like she never slept in it before. Afterward, she walked over to her bedroom door and pulled it open silently. She took a step outward and glanced down the hallway.
Her apartment is relatively small but has an assortment of rooms. Her bedroom is at the far-left end of her apartment, on the opposite side of her bedroom is the bathroom. If you walk down the short hallway, you come into her small living room which also acts partially as her dining room. Connected to that room is an open kitchen. The front door leads into the living room, but on the right side is a small room that holds her washing and drying machine.
Seeing nothing unusual, she took a few steps and opened her bathroom door. She took a couple of steps inside and closed it behind her. Her bathroom is compact but holds everything she needs to clean herself. It has a cabinet with a built-in sink and a rectangular mirror resting above it. A toilet and a stand-up shower big enough to stand in comfortably. The only large difference from the rest of the apartment is the tiled floor.
She quickly undressed and turned on the shower waiting for it to heat up. It only took a few moments before the water warmed enough to get in. A few minutes later the water turned off and she stepped out feeling squeaky clean. She dried her body off with a white towel that was hanging on the wall before glancing at the foggy mirror.
Her eyes lingered for a few moments before turning away and wrapping the towel around her body. She opened the door letting out the rest of the heat into the cold hallway and walked back into her bedroom. She let the towel drop to the floor and stepped over to her dresser. Opening a drawer, she grabbed a matching pair of beige undergarments. She slid her underwear on and fastened on her sports bra.
She walked around her room gathering the rest of her outfit before putting them on. She casually walked back over to the bathroom to finish the rest of her routine. Standing in front of the mirror, she grabbed her toothbrush and quickly brushed her teeth before rinsing her mouth out with water. She then grabbed a hairbrush and began the struggle of long hair, knots. She has considered multiple times cutting her hair but loves her hair too much to go through with it. A few minutes of brushing later, she grabbed a red elastic band and tied her hair into a ponytail.
Her head tilted slightly to the right as she glanced over her complete look and nodded in satisfaction. She stood at 4'10" which is slightly above average for the twelve-year-old girl. She has beautiful ivory toned skin and a figure that's still a work in progress. However, her training has helped her tone her legs and arms. Her long auburn hair is pulled back in layers before being tied in a ponytail that curls around itself at the end. She has a slightly round face which matched her round poppy golden eyes.
She wore a sleeveless dark purple shirt that ended at her waist, black shorts that stopped in the middle of her thighs. Around both of her thighs are white athletic bandages that stop just above her kneecap. She wore long black fingerless gloves that reached just below her shoulders. Overall, her outfit gave her flexibility while staying moderately fashionable.
Her stomach rumbled lightly indicating that she is hungry. She stepped out of the bathroom and made her way down the small hallways and walked through her living room. She walked into her kitchen and started preparing breakfast. Her kitchen like the rest of her apartment is small but sustainable for a single person. The kitchen has a moderately sized dark-grey marble countertop with a built-in sink and oven. On the far end is a decent sized fridge.
She grabbed some whole wheat bread and slipped them into her toaster. While her bread is toasting, she opened her fridge and fished out the leftover smoked salmon, head of lettuce, butter, and milk. She went over to one of her cabinets and grabbed a glass cup and plate. She filled the cup halfway with cold milk and took a sip before the toaster popped. Grabbing the toast, she buttered it lightly and put a leaf of lettuce on top. Afterward, she put a thick chunk of leftover smoked salmon over that. Quickly putting away the rest of her ingredients and milk, she took her plate and glass over to her small table.
Her dining room, or what she designated as her dining space is just outside her kitchen. She has a simple wooden table with two chairs with a salt and pepper shaker on top. She sat down and took a bite of her simple, healthy breakfast savoring the flavor. It made the food even better knowing she is using leftovers. It didn't take her long to finish her meal and clean up afterward.
She glanced up at the clock hanging on her wall and realized it is time to leave or she would be late for the academy. She walked back into her bedroom to grab the rest of her equipment. Sitting on her nightstand is her dark purple kunai and shuriken pouch, and her Konoha hitai-ate. She traced her fingers over the leaf before tying it around her forehead proudly. She worked hard for this and rightfully earned it. She grabbed her pouch and tied it around her right leg.
Doing a last double check, she grabbed her keys and left towards the front door. She slid her black shinobi sandals, took a deep breath and opened the door. She walked out and shut the door behind her. A click was heard from the silent apartment signifying she locked the door.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Academy=
The young preteen arrived at Konoha's shinobi academy shortly after leaving her apartment. You started the academy at the age of eight and learned the best ways to serve Konoha and eliminate its enemies. There are some cases of kids starting as young as six, but you needed to have the higher-ups recommend it.
The academy is a uniquely designed building located directly at the base of the Hokage Mountain. Perhaps the idea of being taught underneath the past and current leaders of the village helped inspire loyalty and gave the students a sense of safety. The walls of the building are white with red lining and orange roofing. The color scheme of the building scream fire, which matches Konoha's will of fire.
She walked through the halls of the academy passing a few eager students talking excitedly with one another before arriving at her destination. Sliding the door open silently, she walked inside and glanced around. A few of her peers are standing around in their groups chatting while others are sitting on their lonesome waiting patiently.
Her classroom is large, easily able to fit twenty-seven students. The walls of the room are a soothing pistachio green with oaken wood beams protruding outwards giving the walls more depth. The floor is a paneled chestnut wood that went up three layers fitting three three-person desks each layer. Towards the front of the room is a large black chalkboard, a podium with a desk on top for the teacher to give his lectures. On the right wall is a line of windows letting in a comfortable amount of sunlight.
Her eyes locked onto her usual seat and sat down making herself comfortable. Resting one of her pals against her chin she let her eyes drift towards her fellow classmates. Unlike the other classes that held mostly civilian children with shinobi children sprinkled here and there, her class is filled to the brim with future clan heirs. While she may not be a clan heir, she thankfully has a shinobi parent background.
Sasuke Uchiha, one of the last living Uchiha and the last loyal Uchiha after the famed "Uchiha Massacre". The details of the event are hidden from the public, but it's well known that the previous clan heir went insane and slaughtered his entire clan. Rumors spread stating that before he left, he tortured his little brother before fleeing Konoha. Sasuke never denied nor confirmed these remarks.
The young Uchiha heir is twelve and stands at 4'9". He has cold black eyes that shine with arrogance, spiky black hair with a slight blue tint and two long bangs that go down his angular face. He wears a short-sleeved navy-blue shirt with a high collar and the Uchiha crest proudly shown on the back, white shorts with white athletic bandages tied around his right leg. He has white arm warmers with various black belts tied around arms and navy-blue sandals with athletic bandages tied around his calves. He has a black pouch tied around his right leg and a navy-blue hitai-ate around his forehead.
Hinata Hyūga, the black sheep of the Hyūga clan. It's a well-known secret that most of her clan loathes their future clan head. There are even rumors of her father abusing her physically and mentally. Their dislike most likely comes from her meek stature, irritable stuttering, and overly kind nature. People have speculated that the younger sister will take the position as clan heiress in the future.
The Hyūga heiress is twelve standing at 4'8". She has pure white eyes due to her clan's doujutsu, the Byakugan. Short dark blue hair cut in a hime style with two bangs framing her round face. She wears a cream-colored hooded jack with white fur lining the cuffs and hem and two fire symbols just below her shoulders, black pants with white athletic bandages tied around her right leg. She has short navy-blue sandals, a black pouch tied around her right leg, and wears her Konoha hitai-ate around her neck.
Kiba Inuzuka; he's not really known for much other than being brash, stubborn, and bull-headed. Some people consider him to be the clan heir but somehow forget about his older sister who holds clan heiress. It's unknown which of the siblings will be taking over the position in the future. Either way, the young Inuzuka has a bright future in tracking due to his incredible sense of smell that's still be nurtured.
The possible Inuzuka heir is twelve and stands at 4'9". He has sharp black eyes with vertical slit-like pupils, messy brown hair, pronounced canine teeth, sharpened nails, and an angular face. On each of his cheeks are red fang like marks. These features giving him a wild appearance, showing his clans bestial side. He wears a grey hooded black fur-lined coat with the hood usually placed on his head, underneath his coat is a chainmail shirt. He wears dark-green pants that stop at his ankles with navy-blue sandals, a light-grey pouch at his waist, and a blue hitai-ate tied around his forehead.
Shino Aburame, the future clan head of the Aburame clan. While not much is known about the boy, he is what most would consider the ideal shinobi. He has great control over his emotions and able to think through situations logically. His clan, however, has a stigma about them for housing a colony of insects inside of them. This has a side effect of isolating them from their peers.
The stoic Aburame heir is twelve standing at the impressive height of 5'1". He is fair-skinned with dark-brown bushy hair. He wears the same style clothing as the rest of his clan consisting of a sea-green jacket with a high, upturned collar, dark-brown pants with white athletic bandages tied around his right leg. Throughout most of his life he has worn his signature round sunglasses, so most people don't know what his eyes look like. He wears short blue sandals, a black pouch tied around his right leg, and a blue hitai-ate tied around his forehead.
Shikamaru Nara, the lazy genius, dead last of the academy, and heir to the Nara clan. At most times during the day, you can find Shikamaru sleeping during class, laying in the grassy fields watching the clouds roam past, or playing Shogi with his father. The young Nara has managed to take laziness to a new level. However, his clan has praised his genius making quite a few people curious on his IQ. If the Naras' claim it, it's hard to deny.
The lazy Nara heir is twelve years old standing at 4'9". He has narrow brown eyes that easily hint that he is bored or irritated depending on the situation. He has shoulder length black hair tied in a ponytail that resembles a pineapple. He wears a green-lined mesh armor shirt under a short-sleeved green-lined grey jacket that only covers his chest with the Nara clan symbol on the back. He wears dark-brown pants that end just below the kneecap with a thin black belt around his waist and white athletic bandages tied around his right leg. He also wears traditional silver hoop earrings, a navy-blue pouch tied around his right leg, blue sandals, and a blue hitai-ate tied around his left arm just above his elbow.
Chōji Akimichi, the kind-hearted big-boned heir to the Akimichi clan. The plump boy is a connoisseur and is constantly eating. He's best friends with Shikamaru usually following him around. His family's love for food expands throughout Konoha as they run most of the restaurants throughout it. While most people would consider their clan fat, which is a taboo word for them, they use it for their clan jutsu which burn through calories.
The hefty Akimichi heir is twelve years old standing at 4'9". He has narrow black eyes, spiky brown hair that sticks upward, and two swirl marking adorned on his cheeks. He wears a light-green short-sleeved shirt with the kanji for "food" adorned on it, overtop he has a short-sleeved green haori with a long, white scarf. He also wears black shorts that end at his knees with white athletic bandages tied around his right leg, traditional hoop earrings like his best friend, and wears a blue hitai-ate type cap that allows two tufts of hair to poke out at each side. His arms and legs are wrapped up in bandages up to his elbow and knees and wears short blue sandals.
The last clan heiress hasn't arrived yet, but the sound of stampeding animals reverberating from behind the classroom door, she guessed she would be arriving shortly. As if on cue, the classroom door slammed open gathering the attention of almost everyone in the room. Two young preteens fought to get inside the room first while butting heads. She sighed lowly, 'They give kunoichi such a bad reputation…' she thought irritably.
Ino Yamanaka, the self-proclaimed gossip queen of Konoha, and future clan head of the Yamanaka clan. Like her father, she had a bright future in Torture and Interrogation but fell into the fangirl bandwagon. She sacrificed training and started dieting to watch her figure which only helped ruin her body further. Hopefully, the heiress would get her act together after experiencing life as a shinobi.
The twig-like Yamanaka heiress is twelve standing at 4'8". She is fair-skinned with light blue eyes that sparkle with excitement, beautiful long platinum blonde hair done in a ponytail that extends to her waist with bangs framing the right side of her face. She wears a purple sleeveless high-collared blouse exposing her midriff, a matching purple apron skirt that extends to her knees, with short blue sandals. Her stomach and thighs have white athletic bandages tied around them. She wears a purple pouch tied around her right leg, traditional hoop earrings, white arm warmers, and has her hitai-ate worn as a belt.
The girl butting heads with the Yamanaka heiress is Sakura Haruno, the number one Sasuke fangirl. She comes from a civilian merchant background with no known shinobi in the family. Through circumstance, she is blessed with perfect chakra control, but only because of her pathetic reserves. Her lack of training hasn't helped her either, leaving her body the equivalent to a civilian. However, she does have a good memory, and high intelligence earning her high testing scores. Due to her book smarts, she somehow managed to snag the title of Kunoichi of the year.
The civilian girl is twelve standing at 4'8". She is fair-skinned, with green eyes and strangely, long bubblegum pink hair with her bangs framing her slightly round face. She wears a short-sleeved white-lined red qipao dress with a small zipper down the front, tight dark-green shorts that go down to just above her knees with white athletic bandages tied around her right leg. She has a black pouch tied around her right leg, blue sandals, and her hitai-ate worn as a hairband.
Both girls tumbled into the room falling face first onto the wooden floor. They both quickly stood up and patted down their clothes before Sakura smirked at her rival in love. "I made it first Ino-pig!" she shouted out in victory sending her a peace sign. The lass stared at them minus a few uninterested students. This is a common occurrence amongst the class; Ino and Sakura would both fight over who made it first to sit next to their beloved "Sasuke-kun".
Ino glared at her rival and put a hand on her hip. "Yeah right, I totally made it first Forehead!" the platinum blonde preteen rebuked easily. From her point of view, her toe clearly was inside the classroom first. Sakura clearly wasn't paying enough attention to the tiny details.
The pink-haired girl stared at her rival in complete disbelief. "What!? My foot was clearly in before any part of you!" she argued while pointing down towards her food which was indeed inside the classroom. It didn't matter to her that Ino's foot was also inside the classroom, nor did it matter that they were both standing inside the classroom making it a moot point.
The purple clothed girl ignored the pointing and smirked at her rival, her light blue eyes gained a mirthful gleam. "You know, if you would have said your forehead, I might have believed you," she commented slyly. Her once friend recoiled physically as if she was struck.
Sakura was about to retort but her green eyes spotted the target of her interest sitting all alone staring out the window as usual. Her eyes sparkled with intent, but she needed to be silent like a ninja and steal the seat before her rival noticed the vacant seat as well. "Sasuke-kun!" she shouted out in glee completely ignoring her previous thought tossing Ino to the side. Running down the steps, she sat directly beside the dark-haired boy and smiled lovingly at him. "Good morning Sasuke-kun," she said seductively.
Sasuke shot the pink-haired girl a quick glance and noticed how close she is sitting and smiling weirdly at him. He shrugged his shoulder uncaringly and went back to watching the clouds float freely through the endless blue sky. He didn't even feel the need to give her the patented Uchiha grunt as for some odd reason, it made her want to try harder. He desperately hoped that one day she would take a hint and leave him alone.
Ino got up the ground and rubbed her sore bottom before gaping at Sakura who managed to swindle her rightful seat. She was about to walk over and resume her vocal battle, but sadly, their sensei walked in and motioned for everyone to sit down. She eyed her exfriend sadly before sitting down beside Shikamaru and Chōji. She didn't mind sitting beside them as they are both her childhood friends.
The poppy gold eyed girl stared at her sensei with interest. The man is bandaged as if he was recently in a battle. She has always enjoyed him, though she personally – and most of the class – believed he should work on his lectures. The man is named Iruka Umino, otherwise known as Iruka-sensei. He's a kind, fair teacher who took pride in teaching the next generation of shinobi. It was obvious to everyone how passionate he was when teaching.
Iruka Umino is twenty-two standing at 5'8". He has dark-brown eyes, black hair he keeps up in a ponytail, and a thick scar across the bridge of his nose. He wears the standard Konoha shinobi outfit consisting of a black long-sleeve shirt, a matching pair of pants, and a green flak jacket. White athletic bandages are tied around his ankles and his right leg. He has his hitai-ate tied around his head proudly, short black sandals, and a black pouch neatly secured against his right leg.
Iruka waited for everyone to take their seat sending them a friendly smile. Once everyone took their seat he said, "Good morning class," in a welcoming manner which was returned by most of the class. He walked over to his desk and ruffled through some papers before grabbing a clipboard with the names of each student. Before he could start attendance, Sakura asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Um, Iruka-sensei, what happened to you and where is Mizuki-sensei?" she asked curiously. Every student watched Iruka expectantly who just sighed tiredly. A few of the more inquisitive students figured the injured Iruka and missing Mizuki were interconnected.
Iruka sighed tiredly with sadness showing in his eyes. "Mizuki betrayed Konoha yesterday by stealing an important scroll from the Hokage's office. I managed to capture him but not without taking some injuries," he commented morosely. Even now he is still having trouble believing his childhood friend would do something so traitorous. They were lucky they managed to secure the Scroll of Seals before it got into whoever's hands Mizuki is working for. He shook his head, now was not the time to think about this. "However, we're not here to discuss that, instead we're here to put you into your designated teams," he stated making most of the class widen their eyes.
"Before I get to that, first I have to do roll call. When I call your name, say here," he said calmly before looking down at the paper. He started at the top and began making his way through the names. The poppy gold eyed girl ignored most of the names only listening for her own. "Shino Aburame?"
The bug user stared directly into the teacher's eyes, or at least Iruka felt like he did. "Here," he said in a monotone voice, his face revealing nothing.
"Chōji Akimichi?"
The plump Akimichi swallowed a mouthful of his favorite barbeque chips and raised his hand into the air, "Here!" he cried out before stuffing his mouth full of another helping of chips.
"Hinata Hyūga?"
The pale-eyed girl tapped both of her index fingers together, "H-here sensei…" she stuttered out shyly. Her head slowly but sure retreating into her hoodie.
"Kiba Inuzuka?"
The feral boy gave a toothy smile and his ninken yipped happily. "Here sensei!" he roared out excitedly followed by more happy yips from his companion.
"Arisu Miu?"
Her name finally being called she gave her teacher a friendly smile, "I'm here Iruka-sensei," she answered respectively. Iruka gave her a short nod before continuing with the list.
"Shikamaru Nara?"
The pineapple-haired boy raised his head off the desk and gave Iruka a bored gaze. "Troublesome, I'm here…" he replied in a bored tone before dropping his head on his desk. The class missed the small twitch Iruka's eye gave away as his impossibly lazy student continued his lazy streak even on the final day.
"Sasuke Uchiha?"
The Uchiha graced his teacher with an annoyed look, "Hn," he grunted signaling that he is indeed sitting in class. How could such a simple grunt convey so much? Somehow, everyone again missed the less subtle twitch of Iruka's eye.
"Ino Yamanaka?"
The platinum blond smiled cheerfully and raised a hand high into the air, "Here sensei," she chirped out happily.
Iruka nodded his head in satisfaction at everyone showing up on time. "First off, I want to say how proud I am to have helped you grow into the fine shinobi you are today. However, this was the easy part," he said seriously. "From this point onwards, you will be genin, the lowest ranking shinobi. You will face trials that will test you both physically and mentally, but I have faith that you will succeed and accomplish your dreams," he said in a proud voice making most of the students gain a small smile except for the more stoic emotionless ones.
He flipped over a sheet on his clipboard revealing team placements. "You will be put in teams of three with a jonin instructor, an elite shinobi. I expect you all to treat them with the same respect you showed me and more," he said expectantly glancing at everyone. After a few seconds, he continued, "I will now call out teams, please listen carefully," he paused again to make sure everyone is paying attention to him. Thankfully, every student is silent and attentive, even the Nara.
Arisu watched Iruka glance back down at his clipboard before he began calling out teams. "Team one, Ami Namazu…" and she easily shut it out. While she ignored the unimportant teams, she still slightly enjoyed the reactions everyone gave to their placements. Surprisingly the boys would either cheer at being put with their friend or stay silent and uncaring. The girls, however, all whined about not being on Sasuke's team. She swore she saw Sasuke relax more and more every fangirl that wasn't placed with him.
Honestly, she only cared about hearing which team she would be on and her instructor's name. She didn't really care who she got paired with as long as they took being a shinobi seriously. 'Now that I think about it, I only hope I'm not paired with any of the kunoichis…' she thought sweating slightly at the possibility.
Iruka glanced down at the next team placement and began reading it off. "Team Seven, Arisu Miu," he called out instantly garnishing her attention. "Sakura Haruno," he called out the second name and immediately heard a loud bang. He took his eyes off the clipboard and looked towards Arisu who slammed her head against her desk. Sweating slightly, he read the next name, "Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura cheered loudly about how true love conquers all, but everyone was to busy focusing on Arisu who vigorously slammed her head against her desk. "You will be led by Kakashi Hatake," he finished awkwardly trying to ignore the loud head slamming.
Coughing into his hand getting everyone's attention off Arisu he continued reading team placements. "Team Eight, Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, you will be led by Kurenai Yūhi," he read off getting a small smile from Hinata, a loud happy cheer from Kiba. The only one who didn't show anything was Shino, but the class just assumed he was happy.
"Team Nine is still in circulation," he stated moving onto the next team. "Team Ten, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, you will be led by Asuma Sarutobi," he read off the final team. Ino complained about the injustice of it all, while Shikamaru just rested his head on his desk. Chōji continued to eat chips while smiling happily at Shikamaru.
Iruka smiled at each of his students. "That's all the team placements. You will be given an hour lunch, but I expect you all back here before your jonin-sensei arrive," he announced getting a larger smile from Chōji. "Does anyone have any question before I dismiss you?" he asked seriously but didn't get any indication that anyone had a question. However, just before he could dismiss the class, Arisu spoke up.
Once Arisu heard her name she immediately started paying attention. There were mostly only clan heirs left, which left her in high hopes of a good team. Whatever hope she had were crushed when she heard Sakura called out and rightfully slammed her face against the desk in disappointment. She raised her head just in time for Sasuke's name to be called out and her self-restraint vanished and pummeled the desk with her face vigorously. She didn't know who Kakashi was, but knowing her luck, he would be an awful teacher. 'Why do I feel like a filler character in a story?' she mentally cried out.
Shaking her head at the wall-breaking thought, she started thinking about her team more. In truth, the whole team puzzled her. She had done some research and discovered a long-passed tradition of the Rook of the Year, Kunoichi of the Year, and the dead last being paired together to help balance the team. The issue is that she isn't the dead last, not even close. Finally done slamming her head against the desk, she voiced her concerns. "Excuse me, Iruka-sensei?" she asked in a deceptively calm voice that betrayed her earlier actions.
"Yes, Arisu?"
"May I inquire why I've been placed on a team with those two? No disrespect toward those two, but from what I understand, shouldn't the dead last be paired with those two?" she asked curiously but everyone could just barely make out the hint of annoyance in her voice. Most of the students gave her looks of sympathy mixed in with jealousy at who she got paired with. Sympathy from being paired with Sakura, and jealousy – from the girls – from being paired with Sasuke.
Iruka closed his eyes and nodded his head expecting this question from the girl's dramatic act earlier. "You are correct," he conceded getting curious stares from some of the students who didn't know that. "However, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji have had their team planned since they started the academy. Since Shikamaru placed at the bottom, someone else needed to fill in his position. You were picked as a replacement," he answered factually while explaining the situation carefully. Seeing the auburn-haired girl nod her head in acceptance, he asked, "Any more questions?" Seeing no one else voice any more questions, he dismissed the class before leaving the room.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Hokage's Office=
Inside the Hokage's office stood a plethora of jonin spying on the future genin through the Sandaime Hokage's mystical crystal ball. Each jonin learning which students they would possibly be taking under their belt while also gauging their reactions. Most of the jonin kept a blank expression on their face while a couple showed their disappointment. Quite a few of them wanted to teach some of the clan heirs.
However, two of the three jonin who managed to snag the clan heirs wore a small smile. The two that smiled had requested the team specifically to create specialized teams and for more personal reasons. Once the elderly leader heard their reasoning, he told them he would consider it.
One of the two smiling jonin is Asuma Sarutobi, the son of Hiruzen Sarutobi. The young man is a previous member of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi which all served directly under the Daimyō. His decision to leave Konoha was greatly frowned upon by his father, but he went anyways.
The previous Guardian is twenty-seven years old standing at the impressive height of 6'2". He's an olive-skinned man with deep brown eyes, short spiky black hair, and a well-maintained beard. He wears the standard Konoha shinobi uniform consisting of a black long-sleeve shirt with two red spirals on each shoulder, matching black pants, and short black sandals. Tied around his waist is a light-grey sash with the kanji for fire embroidered on it. His ankles, right thigh, and arms are each wrapped in white athletic bandages. He has a black kunai pouch tied around his right leg, two black bangles hanging from his wrists, and his black hitai-ate proudly displayed around his forehead.
The other smiling jonin is Kurenai Yūhi, one of the upcoming jonin of the village securing the title, "Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha". She made a name for herself by specializing in one of the less used shinobi arts, genjutsu. It's the art of illusions, and no one in Konoha could claim to be better than her.
The Genjutsu Mistress is twenty-seven years old standing at the much shorter 5'5". She's a beautiful slender fair-skinned woman with silky black untamed hair reaching her lower back. Her strikingly unique rose-red eyes have an additional darker ring in them highlighted with purple eyeshadow, and small lips coated in red lipstick. She wears a red long-sleeve mesh armored blouse with only her right sleeve being visible. Overtop, she wears a unique bandaged style dress that resembled a rose thorn pattern. Her hands and thighs are wrapped in white athletic bandages leaving her fingers uncovered. She also wears short dark-blue sandals, and her black hitai-ate around her forehead slightly covered by her hair.
The last jonin who received a clan heir is Kakashi Hatake, but he did not smile. The young man is hailed as a genius prodigy who graduated at the impressive age of five years old and reaching the rank of jonin at twelve. However, once he got promoted, everything in his life began to crumble. Both of his teammates perished one after the other dragging him into depression. He joined ANBU to escape and slowly started to get his life back on track, but then his sensei died sealing the Kyūbi alongside his wife. Four years later, he lost the final thing linking to his lost family, Naruto.
Kakashi Hatake, the holder of many titles such as "Copy Ninja Kakashi", "Kakashi of the Sharingan", and "Friend-Killer Kakashi". The young man is twenty-six years old standing at the average height of 5'9". He's a fair-skinned with gravity-defying silver hair that favored his left side. His one visible dark-grey eye conveyed nothing giving him one of the greatest poker faces. Like Asuma, he wears Konoha's standard uniform consisting of a dark blue long-sleeve shirt with two red spirals on each shoulder with a green flak jacket overtop, matching dark blue pants, and short dark blue sandals. His ankles and right leg are wrapped in white athletic bandages. He also wears dark blue fingerless gloves with a metal plate on the backhand, a chain necklace underneath his uniform, a dark blue mask that covers most of his face with his dark blue hitai-ate covering his left eye.
Once the teacher dismissed the class for lunch the crystal ball turned off causing all the jonin in the room to focus on their wise leader. "Each of you has your assignments, meet with your team in an hour," he ordered calmly. "You're dismissed except for Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai," he stated to which the jonin hastily left the room. Soon only four visible people remained in the room.
The elderly Hokage reached into one of his drawers and pulled out his wooden pipe and filled it with some tobacco before placing it in his mouth. He raised his hand above the tobacco and with a quick Katon manipulation, he lit the pipe and took a deep breath. Taking the pipe out of his mouth, he released a large puff of smoke towards the four patiently waiting jonin. "I've granted each of your requests, so I expect you to perform your jobs to the best of your abilities. Are you each satisfied?" he asked putting the pipe in his mouth before leaning back in his chair.
Kurenai stepped forward first sending a grateful smile towards her superior. "Of course, Hokage-sama. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino will make a great tracking team in the future. I also hope to bring Hinata out of her shell by giving her a strong female role model," she explained honestly. It has been her goal to take Hinata under her wing since she sees her as her own daughter.
When she stepped back in place, Asuma stepped forward with a more serious expression. "I am as well. The next generation Ino–Shika–Chō formation is already bound to be legendary. I believe with my tutelage, they will be even greater than their parents," he boasted making a bold claim. The original Ino–Shika–Chō formation is legendary with stories still told of their feats passed along shinobis today. For anyone to pass them would be a grand achievement.
Kakashi feeling the eyes of the Hokage and the two other jonin sighed and stepped forward. "I'm content with my team," he said shortly getting back in line before reaching into his pocket and fishing out a small orange book. Even with his face hidden behind the book, he and everyone else in the room noticed Kurenai's hand clench into a fist of pure feminine rage before calming herself.
Hiruzen took the pipe out of his mouth and breathed out another large puff of smoke. "Good, I look forward to seeing your progress," he commented with a grandfatherly smile. "You're each dismissed," he said putting the pipe back in his mouth. Asuma and Kurenai causally left the room leaving behind a silver-haired jonin whose face is still buried in his book. The elderly man sighed and removed the pipe, "Yes, Kakashi?"
The one-eyed jonin closed his book and put it back in his pocket. "He would have graduated this year, you know? I would have requested to be the jonin sensei for his team," he stated sadly, slowly regressing into his depressed state. He hoped that if his sensei's son is alive, that he is at least happy wherever he is.
The Sandaime Hokage let out a tired sigh and gave Kakashi a sad smile. "I know Kakashi, but all we can do is hope that he's safe out there and might one day return," he informed the depressed jonin. The situation had been difficult, to say the least. He sent out multiple teams that scoured every inch of Hi no Kuni but couldn't find a trace of the blond. The search continued for over a month before he had to cut his losses. Kakashi had not been happy with that bit of info.
The next problem happened after he recalled Jiraiya back to the village. As anyone could have expected, the following conversation was rather… volatile. Turns out telling the man that his godson had been beaten, kidnapped, and tossed into the woods left for dead somewhere in the country had upset him. Some villagers still had nightmares when they felt the explosion of killing intent.
*Flashback*
A thick overcast plagued Konoha only letting in the bare minimum of sunlight. The wind shot through the streets quickly kicking up dust clouds and small items not nailed down. From the weather, most guessed a terrible storm is approaching. If only they knew.
Hiruzen sat in his office behind his desk signing paperwork which seemed to multiply every time the elderly man blinked. If he didn't know any better, he would almost say the demon paper knew some sort of cloning jutsu. After finishing signing his name and stamping a paper he flexed his hand while leaning back in his chair. It wouldn't be good to cramp when he still has hundreds of papers to fill out. 'Mark my words, one day, one day I will discover your weakness…' he thought evilly, cackling madly in his head.
"Hey sensei," a friendly familiar voice called out from behind the kage. Hiruzen quickly turned his chair and spotted a tall, well-built man sitting on his window sill. "What's going on? Your message sounded urgent, so I rushed back as quickly as I could," the man asked seriously, curious about what could have happened.
The Sandaime Hokage gulped nervously; he has been dreading this scheduled conversation since the moment he recalled Jiraiya back to the village. He didn't know how the man would react to the news, but silently prayed he would be able to control himself. "There's been an incident," he stated going into Hokage mode, calming himself down.
That comment caused Jiraiya to narrow his eyes and stand up. He walked in front of the Hokage's desk making sure to give him his undivided attention. He absently noted the slight sprinkle that started to pour from the heavens.
Jiraiya, the Gallant Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku is forty-two years old towering at 6'2". He's fair-skinned with narrow black eyes that held wisdom like the Sandaime Hokage, and waist-length, spiky white hair in a ponytail with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. Underneath both of his eyes is a vertical red line that extends completely down his face. He wears a full mesh armor suit under a short green kimono shirt with a dark-grey sash tied around his waist and matching green pants only being visible at his wrists and ankles. Overtop his kimono he wears a silk red haori with two yellow circles on each side of his chest. He also wears green handguards and traditional red Japanese styled wooden sandals. On his back is a large scroll and tied around his head is a unique hitai-ate with the kanji for "oil" which showed his affiliation with the legendary toad clan.
Jiraiya's eyes stayed narrowed as he stared at his superior, his posture straightening professionally. "What incident, what happened?" he questioned seriously, curious on what could have happened. If the Hokage deemed in necessary to recall him back to the village, it most likely meant a large threat of some sort. He hoped another war didn't start without him noticing. That would be embarrassing since he's Konoha's, Spy Master.
The sound of rain hitting the window reverberated throughout the office as the two powerful shinobi stared at each other. The old man knew that there is no point in sugar coating what he has to say since Konoha's Spy Master would figure it out for himself easily enough. With a heavy sigh, "Naruto is gone," he said shortly watching his student carefully. As expected, his student's eyes widened dramatically before narrowing dangerously.
The toad sage had expected many things, but that was not one. He expected Konoha's War Hawk to be acting up again, or the civilian counsel doing something stupid. Hearing that his godson is apparently gone, did not make the list. "What do you mean gone?" he asked, his voice gaining a dangerous edge.
Hiruzen folded his hands together and leaned on his desk before sighing tiredly. He began telling his student everything that transpired. Starting with Naruto being kicked out of the orphanage which led to him living in one of Konoha's parks. Being attacked and knocked out before being dragged out Konoha against his will. To being left for dead somewhere in Hi no Kuni and his month-long search.
When he finally finished telling the sage every detail he knew about the man's missing godson, he saw Jiraiya clenching his fist hard enough to bleed. Thunder boomed in the distance, and as if a dam broke, Jiraiya released killing intent strong enough to force villagers to the ground from the pressure while witnessing their own deaths. "Jiraiya, calm down!" Hiruzen shouted trying to get his student to stop releasing his killing intent. He's positive that everyone in the village felt that.
Jiraiya sent his sensei a fierce glare, "Calm down! My godson is gods knows where probably dead or dying because of this village's incompetence, and you want me to calm down!? He shouted angrily. However, the stern look Hiruzen was sending him made him relent and reel back in his killing intent. Sadly, for the villagers, the damage had already been done. He stormed back over to the window and prepared to leap out.
Hiruzen blinked at the sudden movement, "Where are you going?" he asked curiously, praying he didn't plan on harming any of the villagers. The idea of a rampaging Jiraiya was a scary thought, and not one he was confident his shinobi could subdue.
Jiraiya turned his head slightly just as lightning lit up the sky lighting up the sage's wet face. The elderly man could see his student's eyes brimming with anger. "Going to find my godson," he said simply, leaping out of the window before the Hokage could respond.
It would be many years before Jiraiya would step foot inside Konoha. He would only send updates via toad summons while digging up any information on the missing blonde boy. After all, the Kyūbi jinchūriki couldn't simply just vanish completely. The toad sage had still yet to find any clues on the whereabouts of the missing child.
*Flashback End*
Hiruzen let his eyes wander to a random wall before glancing back at the depressed silver-haired jonin. "Do not let the past interfere with the now. What happened is not your fault and never will be. Take these three genin and nurture them; help them grow into splendid shinobi," he said in a wise voice while giving the one-eyed jonin a grandfatherly smile. His eyes gained a playful glint, "…and do try not to be too late Kakashi," he commented playfully releasing a hearty chuckle.
Kakashi sends the elderly man a silent thank you before giving him an unnatural eye-smile. "Hokage-sama, I clearly have no idea what you're talking about," his voice so innocent that even the hidden ANBU in the room almost believed him. Bowing towards the Hokage, he vanished in a swirl of leaves to visit the memorial stone.
The elderly man gained a small smile before leaning back in his chair. He placed his pipe back in mouth and took another deep breath before letting out a large puff of smoke. The room stayed in silence for a few moments before he spoke up, "So, Jiraiya, what brings you here today?" he asked out loud to seemingly no one.
Like magic, the wall Hiruzen had previously glanced at shimmered before revealing one of the legendary sannin in all his glory. The ANBU hidden in the room each cursed themselves for failing to detect him, again. Nothing had changed with the man in the last eight years other then him becoming slightly more serious. "Just bringing in some intel and checking out this year's batch of graduates," he replied in an easy-going tone. "Haven't had a class with this many clan heirs in a long time," he whistled.
Hiruzen nodded his head in agreement, equally surprised each clan head managed to have kids around the same time. He hoped that each of their sensei could get them to a high enough level to participate in the upcoming chūnin exams. "Indeed, the future of Konoha is looking bright as ever," he replied with a hint of pride. He locked eyes with his student, "However, we both know you wouldn't have come back unless whatever you have to share is important," he replied in a knowing tone getting a serious nod in return. While he knew his student would never forsake his home, he would most likely never forgive them entirely either.
Walking in front of the desk, he started to speak, "I discovered a group comprised of S-rank criminals going by the name of Akatsuki," he stated in a serious manner forcing Hiruzen to straighten up at the implications. "There endgame is unknown, but they plan on gathering all the jinchūrikis in the near future," his tone grave getting a look of understanding from the wise Sarutobi.
"You're worried about Naruto," he stated instead of questioning already knowing the answer. If this group is truly after all the jinchūrikis, then Naruto would be targeted eventually. His student would never allow that to happen.
The Gamma Sannin sent his sensei a sad smile, "I'm always worried sensei. I can't help but think to myself, what if I had just taken him with me? What if I had just simply taken the time to visit him occasionally instead of wallowing in my own depression?" he began voicing his thoughts. "Now I have no clue where he is. If he's even alive or not," he said showing his age as his past guilt slowly swallowed him whole.
"You shouldn't ask yourself what if this or that; it won't change the past. All you can do is look towards the future and use what you've learned to help better it," Hiruzen said in a soothing voice. "Konoha needed you out there to help protect us from hidden threats, you were doing your job as a Konoha shinobi," the professor stated clearly. The truth of the matter is that Jiraiya has protected Konoha with the information he gathered around the Elemental Nations.
The white-haired man looked down towards the ground, "I know sensei, I just wish it would have turned out differently," he commented sadly.
"Do you want my opinion?" Hiruzen asked causing Jiraiya to look back up and meet his eyes. Receiving a nod, he continued, "I believe the boy is alive and well. You know as well as I do, he's their kid after all," he commented cryptically bringing a smile to the toad sage's face.
A soft hearty chuckle escaped the sage's lips. "Yeah, if he's anything like his mother, he'll be far too stubborn for his own good," he said in remembrance of the red-haired beauty with a horrible stubbornness and fierce attitude. "…and with his father's intelligence, I fear what those two created," he commented thinking of the spiky blond-haired Hokage. Snapping out of his memories, he began telling the older man everything he knew about the dangerous group.
=Konohagakure no Sato: The Academy – Three Hours After Lunch=
Arisu's eye twitched in irritation. Three hours; three long annoying hours of waiting and listening to Sakura ramble. She arrived back at class at her allotted time and waited in class for her sensei like everyone else. Soon after Iruka arrived followed by a line of jonin who called out their team and left accordingly.
Soon enough, only her, Sakura, Sasuke, and Iruka remained in the classroom. Iruka waited for an hour before checking who their sensei was again and then looked at them apologetically. She narrowed her eyes at that, but before she could question him he wished them luck and left.
For the next two hours, she dealt with Sakura flirting with the dark-haired boy who only grunted occasionally. For some reason, she would ask for a date and when she didn't get an answer, she would begin flirting again. The process continued to repeat over and over. It's due to this that she found herself thinking, 'What did I do to deserve this?'
The classroom door slid open and all three genin looked over spotting a silver-haired man. "Hm, how should I say this. My first impression of you three; you're boring," he stated in a cheerful tone causing all three genin to look at him in shock. "Meet me on the roof in five minutes and don't be late," he ordered with an eye-smile before exploding into a thick cloud of smoke.
The three genin stared dumbfoundedly at the spot where their sensei once stood. Arisu blinked a few times before snapping out of her shock and jumping to her feet. She ran down the steps and out the door leaving behind her two confused teammates. The other two genin seeing their teammate fly out of the room managed to snap them out of their own shock before running out the door themselves.
Kakashi stood on the roof leaning up against the railing watching the door waiting for the genin to burst through. He looked up at the sky before he heard the door slam open and spotted Arisu come out. She glanced towards him and narrowed her golden eyes that shined with irritation. 'I wonder why she's upset with me,' he thought curiously before his two other genin ran out with a huff.
He sent them all a good-willed eye-smile that shouldn't be physically possible. "Good, you three made it on time," he commented getting a twitch from the auburn-haired girl. He waved his hand towards the steps in front of him, "Take a seat so we can begin," he ordered which the three did.
The three genin got situated on the steps with Sasuke sitting on the left side from Kakashi's perspective with Sakura sitting only a person's width from him. Arisu, on the other hand, sat a comfortable distance away from her fellow genin while staring at him. "Alright, now how about you three introduce yourselves?" he suggested in a tone that told them it wasn't a suggestion.
Sakura raised her hand getting an amused look from their sensei, "What do you mean sensei?" she asked which quickly turned the amused look to a blank one.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, "I mean your name, what you like and dislike, your hobbies and dreams for the future. That type of stuff," he replied.
"Can you give us an example sensei, so we know how to do it?" she asked kindly causing the jonin to wonder about the kunoichi of the year. Arisu on the other hand just stared at her like an idiot.
The one-eyed jonin sighed in resignation. "My name is Kakashi Hatake, I don't feel like tell you my likes or dislikes. I have many hobbies and my dreams for the future? I never really thought about it," he answered with one of his famous eye-smiles getting flabbergasted looks from this three genin. 'You still got it Kakashi, you still got it,' he thought victoriously.
'He only told us his name…' the three genin thought unknowingly together.
Deciding he has enough time relishing the faces of his genin, he started to speak again. "Now that I've introduced myself, how about you go next Pinky," he suggested causing the pink-haired girl to gain a tick mark on her unnaturally large forehead. Let it be known that Kakashi is a master of irritating people.
Sakura calming herself down from her new nickname gained a smile. "My name is Sakura Haruno, I like," she looked towards Sasuke and started giggling. "My hobbies are," she continued to look at the dark-haired boy and blushed. "My dreams for the future are," she squealed looking at Sasuke intently who decided to scoot further away from the obsessed girl.
Kakashi stared at the pink-haired girl trying to decide if she is serious or not, and after a minute of staring, he concluded that she is indeed serious. 'Fantastic, I got a fangirl of the highest caliber…' he thought tiredly before asking, "…and your dislikes?"
The pink-haired girl blinked a few times before looking away from her love interest. "Ino-pig!" she shouted out.
The silver-haired man looked over to the clearly uncomfortable looking boy, "Alright, you next Broody," he said motioning at Sasuke who gave no visible response. If anything, the boy seemed to reign himself in.
Sasuke looked down towards the ground letting his hair shadow his eyes dramatically. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like many things, and I dislike even more. My hobby is training, and my dream, no ambition is reviving my clan and to kill a certain man," he said darkly when an out of place breeze flew through the area around them.
Kakashi stared at the young avenger seriously already expecting his goals. He knew the man he wanted to kill is his older brother, Itachi Uchiha for slaughtering his entire family. The boy is a flight risk, but if he stays loyal to Konoha, they would in return help him achieve his goals. After all, reviving the founding clan would greatly boost Konoha's military power. He glanced over to the remaining genin and silently prayed for a serious kunoichi. "Your turn Brownie," he said idly while motioning towards Arisu.
Arisu straightened up and rested her hand on her palm. "My name is Arisu Miu, I like reading, training, a certain animal, and cookies. I dislike fangirls, arrogance, and tomatoes. My hobbies are gardening and cooking. My dream is to become the strongest shinobi in the world," she answered boredly ignoring the sour look both of her teammates shot her.
The reasons her two teammates shot her sours looks are vastly different. Sakura knew that Arisu disliked her because she got more attention from Sasuke. Somehow the idea that someone wasn't interested in Sasuke never crossed her mind. The dark-haired avenger found himself shocked that any person alive could dislike tomatoes. He couldn't even comprehend the idea itself, and that day, he created a third goal. He would teach her the one true way after avenging his clan.
Kakashi silently thanked Kami while humming lightly. 'Good, I've got at least one normal one out of the three!' he thought happily at receiving the rare serious kunoichi. He didn't know what he would have done if he got stuck with two fangirls. He probably would have just taken Sasuke as an apprentice and suggested they both be dropped from the program entirely.
He shook his head and clapped both his hands together gathering everyone's attention. "Alright, you three are unique and have your own goals. But, you're not genin yet," he said seriously getting two of the three possible genin to widen their eyes in alarm. He idly took note that Arisu didn't look fazed suggesting she already knew about the test.
Sakura in complete shock decided to speak up. "What do you mean Kakashi-sensei? We passed the genin exams!" she bellowed out. She dreaded the idea of possibly being separated from her true love.
The one-eyed jonin nodded his head in agreement. "While it's true you passed the graduation exam, that test is only to weed out the weak. My test will determine if you have what it truly takes to be a Konoha shinobi," he said with a tone of foreboding. 'However, I'm starting to think the graduation test may have been too easy…' he absently thought staring at the fangirl.
"What test sensei?" Sakura asked worriedly.
Normally the man would have dragged this part out to add to the suspense but decided against it. "A survival test," he answered simply.
Sakura tilted her head in confusion, "A survival test? We did plenty of those in the academy…" she stated out loud. She never liked doing those always preferring written tests.
Kakashi nodded his head once more. "Correct, however, my test will be nothing like the academy. You see, this test has a sixty-six percent failure rate. If you fail, you'll be sent back to the academy to repeat to year," he replied, this time managing to shock all three genin at the low pass rates.
"You three will meet me at training ground seven at dawn and I suggest not eating breakfast or you'll puke," he ordered standing up straight. He gave them all a two-finger salute and chirped, "Ja ne!" before vanishing in a swirl of leaves leaving behind three shocked genin again. What they didn't know is he stayed near them concealing his presence to spy on them.
Sasuke abruptly stood up and glared at his two teammates. "Make sure to stay out of my way," he demanded before walking away. Sakura looked at him in shock before jumping to her feet and following him like a lost puppy. Arisu ignored him completely lost in her own thoughts.
Both genin vanished leaving behind the auburn-haired preteen and the hidden jonin. 'I knew there was another test given by our sensei, but to have such a high failure rate…' she thought worriedly. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked around not seeing her teammates anywhere. Her poppy golden eyes locked onto where her sensei stood and thought about his introduction. 'Time for me to do some research on this test and our mysterious sensei,' she mused turning around and casually leaving the academy roof.
When the three genin were out of sight, Kakashi reappeared in his original spot. 'Sasuke won't work with either of them. Sakura will most likely only listen to Sasuke and ignore Arisu, and Arisu… I'm not entirely sure with her yet,' he mused looking up at the endless blue sky. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his orange book and started reading giving out a perverted giggle. He would worry about that tomorrow.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Hokage's Office – The Next Day=
Like yesterday, all the jonin assigned a genin team met up in the Hokage's office. After passing or failing their team, they needed to report their results. This also gave them an opportunity to suggest if they are dropped completely or be placed in the reserves. Some people just aren't meant to become shinobi.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and looked at each jonin. "We'll start with Team One and make our way to the last," he ordered getting nods from each jonin. He didn't expect many teams to pass, but there's always a chance.
A brown-haired jonin stepped forward first. "Team One failed miserably. They were given a simple task and ended up turning on each other. I recommend having them dropped from the program for their own and other's safety," he commented not even trying to mask his anger towards his team.
"Noted."
A dirty-blonde-haired jonin stepped forward next. "Team Two failed. Not only did they complain through their entire test, one of them had the gal to leave during it," he said, and the others heard the disappointment in his voice. Though most were shocked that a genin left during the test.
A black-haired jonin stepped forward. "Team Three failed. They do not meet the requirements to be a shinobi yet. Another year in the academy will do them some good," she commented simply. Her team just didn't have the skill level to be competent genin.
"Team Four passed," a grey-haired jonin said stepping forward. "They understand the values of teamwork and have a good foundation to work off of," the elderly man stated getting a nod from the Hokage. It helped that his team are all children of shinobi instead of merchants and civilians.
A dark-brown-haired jonin stepped forward next. "Team Five failed. However, I recommend putting Inari in the reserves. He attempted to work with his teammates and have a good understanding of being a shinobi," she suggested receiving a nod from the elderly leader. She watched him write the boy's name down on a piece of paper and put it to the side.
"Team Six failed completely," a green-eyed jonin voiced out. "I'll be honest with you Hokage-sama, I've never seen such terrible excuses for shinobi in all of my career. It's as if they never trained outside the mandatory. I recommend removing them from the program completely," he said honestly.
"Noted," Hiruzen stated and waited for the next person to step forward. A light bulb went off in his head and he looked around for the silver-haired jonin and didn't spot him anywhere. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, he should have expected this. "Since Kakashi isn't here yet, we'll move on," the elderly Hokage stated motioning towards Kurenai.
Kurenai stepped forward garnishing the attention of each jonin. Each of them excited to hear about the clan heirs. "Team Eight passed," she said happily with a small smile. That didn't shock anyone as they expected each of the teams stacked with clan heirs to pass. "There test was to locate me using their tracking skills. It took them thirty-three minutes to find my location and see through my genjutsu," she said proudly before stepping back in line.
Asuma stepped forward next getting all eyes on him like Kurenai. "Team Ten passed," he stated simply scratching his chin. "I ran them through some simple and complex drills and situations. They worked together almost flawlessly, but I'll have my hands full with Ino Yamanaka," he said tiredly remembering the girl's constant complaining. He would have to talk to her father about her attitude.
Just as he finished speaking, Kakashi appeared in a swirl of leaves in front of everyone with his face glued inside a small orange book. The few kunoichi present in the room leaked killing intent at the sight of the book, but the silver-haired man just shrugged it off. He lowered the book and gave everyone an eye-smile.
"Sorry, I'm late. You see, I was walking over here and somehow found myself near Kumo. I realized that I wasn't anywhere near Konoha, so I quickly turned away only to be confronted by a giant talking turtle who challenged me to a game of riddles. After solving the legendary riddle, he granted me passage here," he said cheerfully causing everyone in the room to fall face first onto the ground at the ridiculous excuse.
The Sandaime Hokage recovered quickly and chuckled lightly at the terrible excuse. "Sounds like quite the experience Kakashi, I'm glad you made it back safely," he humored the jonin who gave him an eye-smile in return. "Now if you could give us your report," he told the silver-haired jonin.
"Of course, Team Seven…" he drawled out making everyone lean in at the suspense, "Passed." He finished shocking everyone in the room since they expected the team to fail. Never has Kakashi passed a team. "I gave them the bell test, and they managed to figure it out," he said simply not going into detail. He covered his face with his book again and started giggling softly.
Hiruzen sighed at the jonin's antics, "Thank you, everyone, for giving me your report. Your suggestions have been noted. Everyone is dismissed except for Asuma, Jin, Kakashi, and Kurenai," he ordered, and his shinobi quickly complied. A few moments later and the room only held the jonin who passed a team.
The four jonin stood in a semi-circle in front of the Hokage's desk. The elderly kage leaned his elbows on his desk and folded his hands together looking at this shinobi. "Give me a report on your genin's skill level, and how they performed," he said in an authoritative voice. Three of these four teams are almost filled with clan heirs; it demanded attention.
Jin nodded his head and spoke up, "Takara is low-genin, possibly mid-genin. She's relatively polite and has a good head on her shoulders. Juro is low-genin and slightly bull-headed but works well with others. Isao is a solid mid-genin, and is slightly arrogant," he responded coolly, proud of the team he received.
The Hokage met Jin's olive green eyes, "Do you believe your team will be prepared for the upcoming chūnin exams?" he asked curiously. The more teams Konoha could fill, the greater the odds of them making it to the finals to help showcase Konoha's strength. It's the reason he needed the clan heirs to participate.
Jin ran his hand through his short grey-hair and closed his eyes while humming softly. "Possibly, but I will most likely have them work a full year or two for experience before recommending them for the exams," he stated thoughtfully. This is his first time being a jonin sensei, and he would rather have them over prepared then send them in underprepared.
The Hokage nodded his head in acceptance and motioned for someone else to continue. The Genjutsu Mistress spoke up next, "Hinata is mid-genin but is to shy for actual combat now. With time, I hope to break her out of her shell. Kiba is mid-genin and is brash but has a firm understanding of his clan's specialty and has their pack mentality. Shino is mid-genin as well but is so silent it comes off borderline rude. However, he can think clearly and rationally and work with others," she answered honestly.
Asuma spoke up next, "Shikamaru is low-genin with ANBU level intelligence. He's lazy, probably lazier than his father, but he'll be greater than him. Chōji is mid-genin with a basic grasp of his clans' style and has a kind heart. If I can get him to focus on other things besides food, he'll become powerful. Ino is low-genin, she's loud, bossy, and a mild fangirl. It'll take time, but I'll break her out of it and hopefully get them working together," he said with a little disappointment. This generations Ino-Shika-Chō formation is going to take a lot of work, but he has hope that they will be as legendary as their parents.
Kakashi closed his book audibly and slid it into his pocket. "Sasuke is high-genin with high reserves for his age; it's understandable how he earned Rooke of the Year. However, he's got a strong superiority and inferiority complex," he stated getting nods of understanding from everyone in the room who already knew about the Uchiha.
He sighed tiredly thinking of his next student. "Sakura is low-genin and probably the worst fangirl I've ever seen. How she snagged Kunoichi of the Year astounds me. Her reserves are pitiful, and she fainted after putting her in one of my weakest genjutsu," he commented in complete disappointment getting looks of pity from his peers.
His demeanor changed when he thought of his last student, the one he has the highest hopes for. "Arisu is high-genin on par with Sasuke. She has good reserves for her age, and a good head on her shoulders. She'll move up the ranks quickly," he informed the group getting looks of jealousy for receiving a gem. He then chuckled, "You know, in a way I have the traditional team. Sasuke as Rookie of the Year, Arisu as Kunoichi of the Year, and Sakura as the dead last," he mused out loud getting a few chuckles in return.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile on his face. There are a few snags in the teams, but with proper guidance, they could grow quickly. "I want you four to train them to the best of your abilities. Most of you will have a lot of pressure put on your shoulders due to your student's status," he warned the jonin who gave him a serious nod in return. "Good, you're each dismissed," he said waving them away.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Team Seven – Six Months Later=
Arisu moved quickly through the trees to get into position. Her team's current target was last spotted moving throughout the eastern section of Konoha in the forested area. They've been hunting the target for just over an hour and finally located her.
Arisu's radio buzzed in her ear and Sakura's voice came through. "Pinky in position," she whispered out using her codename. Arisu jumped through another tree and got into position. Before she could radio in, "Broody in position," Sasuke grumbled. Raising her hand to her ear, she pressed the talk button, "Brownie in position," she stated eyeing her target.
Kakashi's voice buzzed in next, "Silver in position, is the target in sight?" he commented treating this mission as seriously as possible. This is truly one of the more difficult and time-consuming missions. To Konoha, it became an achievement to capture the target as quickly as possible. His team when he was a genin still held the fastest time.
The auburn-haired girl watched the target roll over on her stomach while bathing in the sun. "Target in sight, permission to engage?" she asked seriously watching for any sudden movement that the target knew they were there or not. A large part of her believed that target knew exactly where they were.
A few moments of silence, then, "Move in carefully and subdue the target," Kakashi ordered. Hearing the okay, Team Seven converged on the target quickly, but carefully. Luckily, the cat never suspected a thing.
=Konohagakure no Sato: Hokage's Office=
Team Seven looked on in hidden amusement as the demon cat struggled against its fleshy chains. The daimyō's wife hugged the hissing cat lovingly and turned around walking out of the office. 'Serves it right,' Sakura thought darkly, her face covered in multiple tiny red scratch marks. If she ever found that cat again, it might find itself shaved down.
The Hokage looked over the three genin who enjoyed the cat's suffering. It reminded him of a different time when he was teaching three genin himself. He remembered his genin smiling darkly as the cat suffered in the hands of the daimyō's wife. However, to this day, he didn't understand how the cat managed to live this long. 'Maybe that cat is immortal?' he wondered idly.
He snapped his head out of his memories. "Congratulations Team Seven on another successful D-rank," he said gathering the attention of the three genin, and the jonin whose face is in a book he wished he could be reading. "Now, we've got painting fences, babysitting, or," he paused when he heard something break then a shout of Tora, "Capturing Tora again," he chuckled in amusement at the horrified expression on the genin's faces.
Arisu not willing to take the chance on another Tora mission decided to speak up. "Excuse me Hokage-sama, would it be okay if we received a C-rank?" she asked respectively, but to the well-trained ears of the shinobi, they clearly heard the pleading of her voice. Every shinobi understood the pain of doing D-ranks, but it taught teamwork and gave experience.
Hiruzen hummed thoughtfully and glanced at the silver-haired jonin who continued to giggle perversely. "Kakashi, do you believe your team is ready for a C-rank?" he asked curiously. They had already completed the mandatory amount of D-rank missions, they just needed the jonin's approval.
Kakashi lowered his book showing his visible eye registering the question. He glanced down at his hopeful, pleading genin and decided if he wanted to torture or reward his genin. He weighed the cons and pros of both before deciding. "I believe they are ready Hokage-sama," he answered honestly deciding to reward his genin for their work. He closed his book and slipped it into his pocket.
"I see," Hiruzen replied before digging out a scroll from under the mountain of paperwork on his desk. He found the scroll and unrolled it reading over the request before sealing it back up. "You three will be escorting a bridge builder back to Nami no Kuni," he commented tossing the scroll over to Kakashi. He looked over to Iruka who is helping him with his paperwork, "Iruka, could you call in Tazuna?" he asked politely.
Iruka looked up from his paperwork, "Right away," he complied getting up and leaving the room. A minute later he came back in with an older gentleman who smelled of booze. He's a darker-skinned man standing around 5'8". He has short grey hair and a large beard connected to his mustache. He wears a black sleeveless shirt with a dark-grey obi tied around his waist, matching black pants, and grey sandals. He also wears glasses and a white towel around his neck.
"This is the team I paid for? They don't look like much, especially the short one," he rudely commented before taking a swig of his sake. Perhaps it wasn't the smartest idea to insult the people meant to protect you, but a drunk man never claimed to be the smartest.
Sakura raised an eyebrow at the rude drunk before looking over at Sasuke then Arisu who were each staring at her. The gears in her head clicked and she realized that she is the short one. Her temper rose and eye twitched violently as she clenched her hand tightly into a fist ready to brawl. Thankfully, her sensei held her back from attacking their contractor. "I assure you, my team is more than qualified to deal with some lowly bandits. If that doesn't satisfy you, then I'm sure I'll be able to protect you," he said with an eye smile.
Tazuna looked over the man for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. "Whatever, I'm Tazuna the master bridge builder. I expect you to protect me with your life," he stated blandly before taking another large swig of alcohol. He quickly turned around and walked out of the room leaving behind his escort.
Kakashi looked down at his three genin who looked slightly miffed at their complete dismissal. "Pack for a two-week mission and meet at the east gate in an hour," he ordered. His team quickly nodded their head and left the room. He turned towards the Hokage and gave him a short bow before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.
A/N - My plan actually changed drastically this chapter. I originally planned to introduce Danzo and Sai, but after thinking it over, went against it. I feel my OC will be more entertaining, and I really don't want to write in Danzo yet. In any case, I hope I managed to satisfy you all with this Konoha exclusive chapter.
What do you all think of Arisu Miu?
Did you all enjoy the team placement part?
What are your thoughts on Kakashi?
What did you all think of Jiraiya's actions?! I really, really liked what I did with it! It felt so dramatic with the storm!
Konoha now knows about the Akatsuki's existence!
Kakashi is a troll, and I love it!
I passed an extra team and one other student! Why? Because I find it strange that only three teams would pass. Sure they are filled to the brim with clan heirs, but there has to be some decent shinobi sprinkled in there. That's my only reasoning behind it!
The legendary Tora mission!
Now we know who's going on the wave mission, interesting...
Thank you for reading chapter seven of "Kitsune Sanctuary"! I do hope you enjoyed it and decide to come back for chapter eight! With Team Seven and our group of kitsunes heading towards Nami, what will happen? Will they meet up? What happened to Akitsu? What will Kakashi be like if he sees Naruto?!
If you have any questions, please type them in the reviews and if I feel like answering them I will. Can't give spoilers, but I can hint at things if I decide to!