Chapter 31
Review Responses
Chuck17: Yeah, I will admit the time skip between Ch.29-30 is rather abrupt, it should be easier for readers to keep track off where we are in the timeline now we've reached actual canon but I'll keep it in mind in future.
Don't worry about Kurotsuchi, she won't be gone for long, the diplomatic events between Konoha and Iwa will be fairly regular. As for why the 'talk' didn't happen there are two reasons, Firstly I didn't want it to to either get buried under or detract away from the events of the Uchiha purge. Secondly I wanted to drag the development of their relationship out a bit instead of having it all in one go.
In hindsight not adding a little section explaining this in the previous chapter is a mistake on my part, something I'll rectify whenever I remaster chapter 30. I'll add a little section in the next chapter or two clearing up why the 'talk' didn't happen as well.
Also after giving it a try, I have to agree, it is somewhat difficult to type with crossed fingers. Thank you for your feedback, you're also the 50th review so double thank you!
Lorien Legacy: Thank you friend! =D
Team 7
"Today is the day," he quietly said as he stood in front of his mirror pulling up his jacket zip, giving his outfit one last look over.
Black pants with light blood orange trim that cut off above the ankle, the rest of his exposed legs wrapped in bandages and black Sandals. A black undershirt was covered by a black and dark orange jacket, the Uzumaki swirl on the back. His Hitai-ate freshly polished the night before set on fabric of the same blood orange colour on his pants wrapped around his forehead.
His primary weapons, his two elongated chain kunai, both attached to either side of his hip. The leather straps that made up his chain anchors tightly wrapped around his wrists, bandages underneath to prevent chafing. Storage seals inked onto both upper forearms courtesy of Tri-nii-san.
"I'm ready, let's do this." Today was of course the day he would be assigned a Genin team, the first day of his Shinobi career. A hand came up and brushed lightly against the side of his face where just a few days earlier he'd sported a large, deep gash. Now, however, it was fully healed bar some slight red discolouration which gave it a sore appearance.
It had only been a week since the incident with Mizuki and he and Minusha had both spent it grounded. Given they'd stolen a highly guarded and classified scroll the punishment seemed rather light by comparison although Minusha was additionally grounded for the rest of the month. He technically was too, but he was permitted out to complete his Genin duties. It meant he'd spent the last week staring at the ceiling and not much else.
But all that spare time meant he'd had plenty opportunity to adapt to recent discoveries about himself. The normally hidden seal on his stomach that held within one of the most powerful forces in the known world. He had in that week come to terms with being the Kyūbi Jinchuriki and had resolved to rid the people of Konoha of their hate even if he didn't quite know how he was going to accomplish that.
Rezano spun on the spot and made his way downstairs, he was already running a little late so he needed to get a move on. In the Kitchen were Kushina, Minusha and Naruto. Minato had probably been gone nearly an hour by now while Tri had been gone for nearly four days, as had become normal for him, his assignments kept him absent for lengthy stints that could stretch into the weeks.
"Morning Rezano-kun," Kushina greeted as he emerged from the hallway into the Kitchen. "Morning Kaa-chan," he chirpily replied. A plate was placed in front of him at the table within moments of taking a seat. "Thanks Kaa-chan."
The food didn't last long, it never did and Rezano didn't stick around for long either. "Cya, I'm off!" he hurriedly and loudly declared much to the amusement of Naruto who'd years earlier learnt to slow down once in a while, unless it came to Ramen, in which case all bets were off. "Bye. Good luck and try to get along with your teammates," Kushina shouted after him in advisement as the front door opened. The red-haired woman slumped into the chair next to Minusha as it shut again.
"And two becomes three," she quietly said. While she was proud to see a third child of hers wearing the Konoha Hitai-ate she couldn't help but worry for her child's wellbeing, it was the way of every mother. But doubly so for those whose children become Shinobi. Rezano wasn't even a teenager yet but was now legally an adult and could soon find himself in a situation where it's kill or be killed. Under such circumstances, how could a mother not worry.
She tenderly placed an arm over his sole daughter's shoulders. Of course Minusha was next, she was already chomping at the bit to join the Academy despite still having another year to go until she was old enough to enrol. And just as all her older siblings were, she too would be well trained for her age when she finally did join.
"Don't worry so much Kaa-chan, he'll be fine," Naruto reassured her, "It'll be months before his teams even considered for a mission out of the village and he's hardly going to hurt himself doing D-Rank missions," the blonde chuckled.
"You know who's on his team, don't you?" Kushina asked, she'd overheard Naruto and Minato discussing the new batch of Genin teams a few days ago. "I know he's going to be on the same team as Itachi's Otouto but as for the third member I ain't gotta clue, Tou-san hadn't decided at the time. No idea who their sensei will be either," he replied between bites.
The classroom was a cacophony of noise, the sound of several conversations taking place simultaneously mixed together to form a garbled amalgamation of incoherent words. In the midst of which were a half dozen newly graduated Genin all of whom managed to remain quiet despite the excitement in the air.
Hyūga Hinata was one of them as the timid girl was pretty much quiet by default, Rezano next to her was also silent.
The third and fourth were the Nara twins, although for differing reasons. Meshikamaru didn't often speak unless she had something to say. Her brother Shikamaru simply because he was fast asleep at his desk, his head resting on his folding arms. The fifth, Aburame Shino followed the same thinking as Meshikamaru, 'Nothing to say, then say nothing.'
The final one was Uchiha Sasuke, he'd been a silent brooding type before the purges. Afterwards it just got worse and he'd seemed to kick his brooding up a notch.. or five. He almost never spoke, even when spoken to, he scowled almost constantly and he outright refused to work with others. If he couldn't do it on his own then he wouldn't do it, in his mind it really was as simple as that.
"Alright you lot, shut your traps," came a shout from the front. Lined up in front of the assembled Genin were the sensei for this year's graduating classes. Meshikamaru elbowing her brother awake as Iruka spoke.
"First of all, congratulations on graduating to the rank of Genin. As you are already aware you are here to be sorted into your Genin squads. A squad is comprised of three Genin who are led and instructed by an experienced Jōnin. You don't get to pick your teams, they're pre-chosen for you and no. There is no possibility to change them. Understood?" he asked the room, "Good," he replied after nobody spoke out, "Then we'll begin, after you're sorted into your teams you'll wait here until your Jōnin sensei arrives."
Out of all the Academy sensei assembled Iruka went first. "Alright then, me first. First up Team 8 will be comprised of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Hyūga Hinata." Hinata was visibly deflated to have not been placed on the same team as Rezano, unknown to her the young boy felt somewhat similar. "Your Jōnin sensei will be Yūhi Kurenai."
"Next is Team 10, comprised of Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru." Ino audible groaned at being teamed with two of the laziest people in class, "Troublesome blonde," Shikamaru said under his breath, his sister snorting in amusement. "Your Jōnin sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma." Again Meshikamaru snorted although her lazy sibling didn't understand why.
"Finally from me, Team 7 will be comprised of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Namikaze Rezano and Nara Meshikamaru." Sasuke didn't make a sound, Rezano internally groaned while it was Meshikamaru's turn to whisper, "Troublesome," under her breath. Something her sibling took great delight in as he snickered away. "Your Jōnin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi," Iruka finished. Again, Meshikamaru groaned, Shikamaru's muffled laughter continuing unabated.
Meshikamaru couldn't believe her poor fortune. She was fine about working with Rezano but she did not like the idea of trying to get any semblance of teamwork out of the Uchiha and she already knew thanks to her father's position as Jōnin commander that Kakashi was even lazier than Asuma was. Something she had no doubt Shikamaru would take great delight in reminding her of on a consistent basis.
Rezano mulled over Iruka-sensei's announcement. 'Anybody but Sasuke and I'd of been happy. Seems I'm not the one who seems annoyed by that either,´ he thought. He'd noticed Meshikamaru's reaction since she was only sat a row in front of him and he highly doubted she was referring to him.
As for Kakashi as his sensei, he was conflicted. Kakashi was renowned for being one of the strongest Shinobi in the village but both his brothers had pointed out that he was incredibly lazy and was utterly shocking when it came to time-keeping. The third member of their newly founded trio just continued to stare out the window ignoring everything around him, especially Ino's futile attempts to drag a conversation out of him.
And that's how the three of them continued until the first Jōnin arrived to assume responsibility of their new teams.
"Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just remember what Nii-san taught you and you'll do great," Rezano said to Hinata in reassurance as Kurenai arrived to lead her and her new teammates away. "Thank you, Rezano-kun," she replied in her diminutive voice.
More Jōnin arrived and more Genin left and before long it was only Team 7 left in a now empty classroom.
"I knew this would happen," Rezano sighed as he put his legs up on the desk. "What do you mean?" Meshikamaru asked him as she turned to face him. "Our sensei, while a first-class Ninja is one of the laziest people I've ever known. His time-keeping is abysmal too so don't expect him here for at least another two or three hours."
Meshikamaru winced, "I'd heard he was lazy but I didn't know about the time-keeping," she replied, her voice carrying a glint of frustration. "How'd you know about him?" she asked. "Kakashi-sensei's one of my Tou-san's former Genin so I've known him most of my life, not to mention my brothers have worked with him. How about you?"
"My Tou-san's the Jōnin commander so I've overheard him talking about or to Kakashi-sensei before."
"Ah," Rezano said.
She looked around the room that was utterly empty save for the black and orange-clad Rezano and the still staring out the window misery that was Sasuke. "Now what…" she muttered more to herself than them. "Well, what are you good at?" She cocked an eyebrow in his direction, "What I mean is, what is your Shinobi skillset?" he elaborated. "Oh," she said in realisation, "I specialise in my family's Ninjutsu, and medium distance engagement whether its Ninjutsu or something else."
"Family Ninjutsu.. that's where you manipulate shadows right?"
"It is. I can control peoples movements through their shadows. Whatever physical actions I take they take too."
"So you raise an arm, they raise theirs?"
"Yep, you got it."
"That does sound pretty cool," he freely admitted, the side of a finger rubbing against his chin as he thought of the possibilities available through such a technique.
"What about you?" Meshikamaru asked in return. "I focus primarily on a medium-range Taijutsu/ Kinjutsu mix and hard-hitting Ninjutsu."
"Medium-range Taijutsu/ Kinjutsu? How? That's almost a contradiction."
To answer her question Rezano activated the chain storage seal around his right wrist, pulled some chain out and attached it to one of the modified kunai held in his other hand and threw it at the wall. He reeled it back in at the last moment to prevent it hitting the wall. "Ok, I also freely admit that's pretty cool," she said as the chain re-entered the seal bringing the kunai back to Rezano. "Not to mention unique, I've never seen anything like that."
"Yeah, I wanted something that was uniquely mine and not something my older brothers had which was pretty difficult because they're both really good at almost everything."
"You want to get out from under your families shadow?" she asked, catching his meaning. "Yes," he said nodding his head. "That's understandable, both your parents are clan heads and your brothers are considered two of the finest of their generation, that's a lot to live up to," she said in quasi-understanding. "It's a lot to be compared to as well," Rezano muttered.
All clan heirs were inevitably compared to their parents or prodigal elder siblings, it was inescapable. It was similar for her and Shikamaru, despite the inherent laziness of their father, Nara Shikaku was regarded as one of the finest minds Konoha had ever produced and had left many wondering whether his twin children would be up to the same standards.
"Well, that's killed a few minutes. What next," Rezano said mirthfully as they sought additional ways of passing the time.
Kakashi slid open the thin wooden door and poked his head through the gap, he was expecting his three new Genin to be present and they were. *Bonk* 'What the.. Is that a board eraser?' he wondered as it landed on the floor after bouncing off the top of his head. His sole visible eye narrowed as it zoned in on two amazed yet amused Genin as the cloud of chalk dust drifted through the air around his head, blending in almost perfectly with his silver/ grey hair.
Both Rezano and Meshikamaru were astonished a prank so unbelievably simple actually worked. They'd both watched as the eraser descended towards Kakashi's head fully expecting him to either catch it, dodge it, something, anything but actually get hit by it. They both unconsciously and unknowingly came to the same conclusion, 'He let that hit it. No way he didn't know it was there, right?' Regardless both couldn't help draw some amusement from it. Even Sasuke's eyesight had been drawn from the window in mild interest.
"Well," Kakashi said casually, "My first thoughts are, I'm not impressed," he coldly said. "Roof, five minutes," and he vanished. For their own reasons none of the three of them took his semi-threatening words seriously, they either knew Kakashi too well or simply didn't care.
But nonetheless five minutes later, or three hours late depending on your point of view the newly formed Team 7 were sat in a semi-circle in front of their Jōnin sensei as he leaned against a railing, little orange book in hand. "Alright then you three, let's introduce ourselves, ladies first," he said, not lifting his eyes from his page.
"Uh.. Care to elaborate sensei," she replied. "Your name, hobbies, likes, dislikes, dreams etc. Stuff like that," he explained. "Why don't you go first sensei," Rezano said. "Fine," Kakashi said with a sigh as he was forced to close his ever-present book.
"My name is Hatake Kakashi. There are many things I like and some things I hate but I don't really feel like telling you about any of them. Dreams for the future.. Eh, never given it any thought. As for hobbies, I have some."
Rezano and Meshikamaru sweatdropped, Sasuke just continued to stare off into the distance, his hands laced together in front of his face. "Your turn," Kakashi said to his sole female Genin. She gave him a brief hard stare before speaking.
"My name is Nara Meshikamaru, my likes include board games and reading, my hates are laziness..," she delivered those last four words forcefully, something that Kakashi couldn't miss. "Some of my hobbies I already mentioned but I also enjoy hunting. As for my dreams, I want the people of this village and beyond to acknowledge there is more to the Nara clan than overly-intelligent, lazy males."
"Blondie, you're next."
"My name is Uzumaki Namikaze Rezano. My likes include Ramen and the occasional prank. My dislikes, I-I guess I don't really have any. My main hobbies are training with my chain kunai and eating new flavours of Ramen. My dreams are to make everyone realise I am my own person, become a renowned Shinobi and escape the endless comparisons to my Nii-san's."
"And that just leaves you, Sasuke."
The young Uchiha didn't even unclasp his hands as he raised his eyes to meet Kakashi's gaze. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I have no real likes and I hate many things. My hobbies are less hobbies and more things I must do and my dreams are not dreams but inevitabilities because I will ensure they become reality," he darkly finished. Everyone eyed him cautiously, suspiciously in Kakashi's case.
'Well, well. What an interesting trio I've got this time around.' He set his gaze on his young Kunoichi. 'The brilliance of a Nara mind without the attitude holding it back. Perhaps not the outright strongest of her class but maybe the most outright talented.' There was an old proverb in Konoha that seemed somewhat appropriate regarding his new Genin, 'Fear a motivated Nara.'
Meshikamaru was dressed in a manner befitting a Shinobi, none of that 'colourful outfits that sacrificed strength, protection and utility for appearance' rubbish that had wormed its way into the Academy in recent years.
Her green/ grey full-length pants had large pockets to the outside of either thigh and a shuriken holster strapped around her lower right leg. The belt around her waist had a large pouch behind her right hip and a smoke bomb pouch on the front left. Her dull green shirt was pretty much standard issue, plain with no identifying marker, 'Perhaps left it empty to leave room for a Chūnin jacket?' Kakashi thought. She had a second shuriken holster around her left bicep/ triceps while her entire right arm was covered in mesh, her Hitai-ate tied around the same arm.
'Rezano. Talented most certainly, but up to now has not shown the talent that set his brothers apart but Tsunade-sama deems him to have equal levels of potential and she's rarely wrong so there's more to be dragged out of him. Always seeking to have his name built upon his own achievements and not held aloft by those of his family. An otherwise fine mindset to have but one that might mean he takes unnecessary risks in an effort to justify himself and endanger both himself and his teammates.'
'And finally, the most difficult member of this team, Sasuke. Talented? Definitely but extraordinarily selfish and utterly self-centered. A loner by choice, something that isn't helped by Itachi's almost permanent absence on missions and Mikoto-sama's recent health troubles. Right now he is the antithesis of what a Konoha Shinobi should be.'
To those in the know, it was fairly obvious why two of the Genin in front of him were assigned to Kakashi, it was so that he could keep an eye on them. Sasuke was now considered a flight risk and Rezano was the Kyūbi Jinchuriki. Meshikamaru was thrown in to fill out the team but Kakashi was already beginning to wonder whether Minato had inadvertently made a brilliant decision there.
After considering how the three of them may be individually and how they may act around one another, Kakashi's mind drifted towards how they might impact him. Three hard-headed idealists. Three hard-working Genin who would commit hours a day to their training in their efforts to grow. In other words for the extremely lazy Kakashi, his worst nightmare.
"Ok then team. That's it for today. I expect you at training ground 3 tomorrow morning at dawn. Oh, and a bit of advice, don't eat anything beforehand." He was about to Shunshin away when Meshikamaru's stern voice pinned him in place. "Wait, what? Why tomorrow?" she asked accusingly, she had her suspicions.
"I wanted to let you rest before your task tomorrow," he calmly explained, his voice a little too sweet to the ear. "Oh no you don't," she shouted back. "We've done nothing today but wait around for you to show up. How could we possibly need rest? And in what way would we be better prepared by tomorrow. No we're doing this today."
Kakashi mentally groaned, he knew, he just knew this was going to become a regular occurrence. "Alright fine, " he conceded, "Three O'clock this afternoon."
"Agr.." she had been about to agree when she remembers Rezano's words from earlier.
'His time-keeping is abysmal too so don't expect him here for at least another two to three hours.'
"No, midday," she countered. Kakashi winced behind his mask, he'd been backed into a corner. "Fine," he relented, "Training Ground 3, midday." He didn't give her a chance to say another word, he was gone in a puff of smoke the instant he'd finished talking.
Rezano couldn't help the light-hearted chuckle that escaped his throat. She gave him a glare, "You put him in his place beautifully. We're going to get along just fine," he said, his words loosening the tension as she joined in laughing at their sensei's expense.
As their collective laughter died down Meshikamaru stood, "Well that's several hours for lunch since he won't be there before 3 pm, coming?"
"Sure. What about you Sasuke?" The Uchiha snorted, "Like I'd spend a second more than is necessary with you losers." They both looked at each other and started laughing once more as they walked away. "Whatever spoilsport, can't say we didn't ask."
They both arrived at Training Ground 3 at 2:50 pm. They might not have been the first there but they certainly weren't the last.
"Take it you've been here since midday?" Strangely enough Sasuke didn't answer, at least not with words because his scowl deepened. "Like I said, three hours late to pretty much everything," Rezano smirked.
Meshikamaru sat down with her back against one of the three wooden posts that were for some reason in the middle of a large grassy clearing, "So what do you think we'll be doing?"
"No idea, but it did seem a bit odd that he told us to go to a training ground."
"Did your older brothers not tell you anything?" They both missed the twitch of annoyance from Sasuke. "Tri nii-san isn't around all that much lately, too busy with missions. But I did ask Naruto nii-san what the first day was like. He was weirdly evasive and just said he didn't want to spoil the surprise."
"Huh, that does seem weird. Maybe he was told not to say anything?" Meshikamaru wondered.
The minutes passed by, the occasional line of conversation passed between two of the Genin and then Kakashi finally showed up.
"I make that dead on 3 O'clock Sensei, that's only three hours late." Rezano remarked looking at the small sports watch attached to one of his chain anchors. Kakashi gave them his trademark eye smile, "I'm sorry guys I got lost on the road of life."
"….That's it? ….That's your excuse?" Meshikamaru asked incredulously. "Yep," was his cheerful reply, his young Genin sighing in defeat.
"And now that we're all here, you're going to take your Genin test," he nonchalantly informed them. "Genin test?" Rezano asked. "That's right. Did you really think that being able to do a few E-Rank Jutsu was enough to qualify you as a Shinobi?"
"Well, now that you mention it…" Meshikamaru conceded. "Yep, this is the real test to see if you're able and ready to become Konoha Shinobi."
Kakashi held up two small bells each tied to a piece of string. "The three of you have until midnight to get these bells off of me. Any of you get one, you pass."
"But there are only two bells Sensei."
"Correct Rezano. That means at least one of you will be going back to the Academy." The three of them tensed up, Kakashi now had their full attention, Meshikamaru's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Come at me with the intent to kill. You'll never hope to get a bell otherwise. You can begin… Now." He immediately left via Shunshin.
"Urghh. Don't suppose either of you are any good at tracking are you?" she asked her two teammates. Sasuke just scoffed as he made off into the treeline, his intent to track Kakashi down on his own.
"Well I can't say I'm surprised," Rezano said as the young Uchiha vanished from sight. "He's going to get his ass kicked isn't he?"
"Probably," she deadpanned.
Two Hours Later
"Ready?" she whispered to her blonde teammate. He gave her a thumbs up. It had taken them a little time to track down Kakashi, they were somewhat annoyed to find that he was just leaning up against a tree reading his book, the two bells hung from his pouch. They had yet to spot Sasuke since he'd gone off on his own.
They'd slowly circled around him laying an array of traps. The plan was to force him into the long list of traps that would trigger one after the other with the aim of keeping him constantly reacting in the hope that one would eventually get him.
Kakashi giggled as he read a particularly raunchy passage in his book. He knew they were both there but he was interested to see what they'd come up with so he let them finish.
He heard what sounded like someone clicking their fingers. He snapped his book shut as a large white Fūma Shuriken burst from a bush heading straight for him. 'Why is it white?' he asked himself in bewilderment. It was only about three feet off the ground so he jumped over it then the second trap triggered. A flurry of a half dozen kunai shot down from a tree canopy to his right, the third trap right behind it. A pair of explosive tag clad kunai behind him.
'They're either trying to force me to move forward or left. The Fūma from the front, six kunai from the right and the two explosive tags from behind. But the kunai were delayed by a second, why?' He got his answer as a pair of flash bombs and a single smoke bomb dropped into his vision from above. "When did they get them up there?" He legitimately didn't know.
The flash bombs detonated and Kakashi was a moment too late in shutting his eye, the smoke bomb going off a couple moments later. After the flash subsided he was forced to lift up his Hitai-ate revealing the Sharingan in his left eye socket as the six kunai entered the smoke. Kakashi pulled one of his own and was able to block or deflect them all away. It meant however he barely had any time to react to the explosive tags which exploded the moment they reached the smoke.
Meshikamaru moved into position as a smouldering log was blown out of the smoke cloud. As planned Kakashi reappeared directly above her about ten feet in the air. The Jōnin quickly realised he was still in the air and falling towards the ground. Meshikamaru jumped, her hand lined up with the two bells.
He was beginning to turn in mid-air to face her but the sound of something whistling through the air made him notice Rezano's chain kunai swinging into view from either side. He knew immediately they'd forced him into a difficult choice, either block the kunai and lose the bells or defend the bells and get a pair of several inch deep cuts in him.
Unluckily for them Kakashi had a third option. "Fūton: Kamikaze," (Wind Release: Divine Wind). Kakashi released a gale of wind that blew both Meshikamaru and the two chain kunai away. The young girl hitting the ground hard. "Damn it," she said through gritted teeth as the air was knocked out of her. Kakashi landed next to her, "Not too bad," he said before he was replaced by a puff of smoke.
"Gah, so close," she complained, her hand had been within a foot of the bells.
Another hour later
"Argh! Damn it!" Rezano yelled as he was launched through a tree branch, Kakashi escaping yet another intricate trap that Meshikamaru had devised. This time the tip of one of his chain kunai was inches away from cutting one of the strings the bells were attached to. His teammate sighed as she landed next to him.
"What is it about this exercise," she said to herself in frustration. "What d-do you mean?" Rezano asked as he caught his breath. "There's something about this 'Genin test' that doesn't sit right with me and I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Huh? There are two bells so two of us pass, right?"
"That's just it, why only two bells? What was the first lesson we ever had in the Academy?" She answered for him, "It was about teamwork and how important 'the Team' is in Konoha."
Rezano couldn't fault her logic, there seemed to be a contradiction in their Genin test. "Y-you're right, something does seem off. In that case why only two bells? New Genin teams are just going to argue over who gets the bells."
Meshikamaru hit herself on the forehead with the palm of her hand, "Oh you baka Meshikamaru, that's it!"
"Huh?" he said in ignorance. "There's only two bells to make us decide what's more important, the team as a whole or ourselves."
"Even if the three of us worked together how are we supposed to get a single bell of off Kakashi-sensei?"
"I don't think we're supposed to. What I think is the bells are a distraction, I think they're supposed to make us forget about teamwork."
"So if one or two Genin got a bell but ignored their third teammate.."
"Then they'd all fail," she finished for him.
"We need to find Sasuke," Rezano said. "Agreed." They were both gone in a flash. Neither of them had noticed Kakashi hadn't gone far. He'd only moved to a tree above them.
"Well well, you figured it out. Now can you persuade Sasuke that it's true? You've gotta find where I left him first," Kakashi snickered as he leaned back against the tree, his orange book re-emerging from his pouch.
"Perhaps Tri was right about her making those watch lists."
Sometime Later
The two Genin emerged into the clearing where this 'test' had started. "There you are," Meshikamaru called out to a very irate and very gagged Sasuke. He was tied to one of the wooden posts, a rope wrapped around his arms and chest, Ninja wire around his ankles and a twisted cloth shoved in his mouth. He also sported a few scuff marks on his arms and face.
"Bloody finally," Rezano muttered. They'd just wasted nearly an hour and a half searching for their Uchiha only to find him in the most obvious of places, which of course was the last place they'd ever thought to look.
Sasuke thrashed around against his bindings as he spotted them approaching. "How long have you been stuck here?" Of course he didn't answer, he instead gave her the best menacing glare he could manage which Meshikamaru just laughed off. "Do you want me to take the gag out?"
"No, she replied after a moment's thought, "Not just yet. First, he's going to listen."
She dropped to one knee in front of him, "You want to pass this test? Don't you Sasuke." His black eyes narrowed as he slowly, very slowly nodded. "Good. Now I'm going to explain to you the purpose of this 'test'. Then I'm going to cut your binding and after that you are. Going. To be. A. Team. Player. Do you understand?" Meshikamaru's voice, normally calm and modulated had become unrelenting and incredibly serious. Again a very slow nod of the head.
"Excellent. Now do you remember the very first lesson we had at the Academy? It was about teamwork wasn't it?" A third very slow nod. "Wonderful, it's nice to see you using that brain of yours for once," she quipped. Sasuke growled so she flicked him on the forehead with her middle finger, "Shush," she chastised and he was silent again.
"Now take that very first lesson and compare it to this 'test'." Sasuke begrudgingly did so and very quickly spotted the problem, furrowing his eyebrows as he did. "You've realised it, haven't you? How this test is near enough the opposite of that lesson. Why drill into us the importance of teamwork if only to cast it aside the moment we graduate?"
'Unless they intended to test us,' Sasuke completed in his head. It annoyed him, he hated working with others, they only slowed him down. But if the Nara girl was right then he'd be sent back to the Academy if he didn't work with them. 'There are always obstacles to overcome, this is but one of them. I will work with these losers, for now. Because for now, they are of use to me.'
"Now that I've explained it all to you, I'm going to untie you and you will play along! Keep in mind I'm already stood in your shadow," she revealed. Sasuke's eyes shot downwards to the ground for a split second, long enough to see she was. 'Great.. I have to play along now.'
"You don't be a team player then I'll tie you back up again and we'll all go back to the Academy together." A fourth slow nod. Rezano flicked his wrist, one of his chain kunai cleaved through the ropes holding Sasuke to the post. He quickly pulled a kunai of his own, cut the wire around his ankles, yanked the gag out of his mouth and threw it as far as he could.
"Turn out your pockets."
"Excuse me? Sasuke challenged. "Show me what equipment you have. I need to know what I've got to work with," she elaborated. He eyed her with suspicion, working with them was one thing but sharing his equipment was a step too far. "She's really good at making plans and laying traps but she needs to know what she has to work with," Rezano explained with a sigh.
Sasuke contemplated this for a few moments before relenting. Meshikamaru was slightly surprised at how little he was carrying. A dozen kunai, three dozen shuriken were fine but only four explosive tags, two smoke bombs and no flash-bangs, but it was more than they'd had a few minutes ago. "Ok, let's move. The longer we take the harder this will get.
Kakashi couldn't believe it, he was having to put some effort into avoiding them now. Today had been just full of little surprises. Turns out Meshikamaru and Rezano could work together superbly. Then they'd figured out the purpose of Kakashi's test, then they'd managed to persuade Sasuke to actually team up with them. And now they'd spent most of the last few hours getting closer and closer to those bells.
That last revelation proved to be one of great frustration for Kakashi, he had been about to start his favourite chapter in his book and their constant attacks meant he had to wait. 'Only five minutes left. Then I can read my book in peace,' was the one thought that dominated his mind as he ducked under another long slash of Rezano's.
He had to give credit where it was due, those chain kunai were difficult to dodge when used at full speed. Add to that having to keep an eye on his shadow and for Sasuke and Kakashi had to admit, they were a dangerous trio.
The darkness was thrown back as another spew of flame from Sasuke shot towards the Copycat Ninja. He was rather grateful for his Sharingan under these circumstances. The sun had set hours ago so every Katon Jutsu, every flash bomb cast shadows which provided Meshikamaru with an opportunity that his red eye was able to keep better track off.
"Doton: Doryūheki." A mud wall with a dog head detailing shot from the ground, the flames struck the wall and the wall held strong. He wasn't given a seconds respite as the chain kunai returned. He ducked, leaned left then rolled right. They kept coming, 'Hang on, how many are there?' There seemed to be four or five chains flying across his vision at once. 'Oh,' he realised as he saw more than one Rezano, 'Damn Shadow clones.'
Kakashi was really on the defensive now as Sasuke reappeared in the middle of the fray. Kakashi blocked a punch, twisted his arm behind his back and kicked the boy away. Sasuke recovered from his stumble and spun around to confront Kakashi again. As he spun Kakashi used Shunshin to get behind him, he lashed out, sweeping the Uchiha's legs out from under him.
As Sasuke fell it revealed a Fūma shuriken previously hidden by his body heading for Kakashi. Kakashi dodged it easily enough as it flew over Sasuke. But what Kakashi witnessed next was something he had never seen before. One of the Rezano's threw their chain kunai and managed to get it through the hole in the centre of the oversized shuriken. And with a pull changed its trajectory so it looped back towards Kakashi.
Kakashi dodged a second time, then a third and then a fourth. The damn thing kept coming back. He threw a pair of shuriken at the chain itself only for them to bounce off. "Damn," he grunted. "Not going to work sensei, chakra metal core in all the chainrings. 'Kami's sake, nothing short of a proper chakra metal blade or a supercharged explosive tag will break those chains. Neither of which I have,' he thought as he dodged once more.
"Suiton: Suijinheki." Kakashi caught them off guard as he used the defensive Suiton Jutsu in an offensive manner firing the wall of water at the Rezano constantly re-directing the shuriken. The liquid mass hit its mark launching what turned out to be the real Rezano into a tree, water flying everywhere.
The seconds ticked by as the midnight deadline drew closer. And the Genin of Team 7 drew closer and closer to the bells tied to his pouch. At one point the tips of Sasuke's fingers tantalisingly caressing the metal of a bell, mere millimetres more might have been enough to wrest it from Kakashi.
The last throw of the dice saw Rezano spew out Shadow clones that tried to dogpile Kakashi, many of them ended up dispelling as Sasuke's fireballs intended for their sensei instead struck them. Kakashi was forced to draw on more and more of his ability. Even Meshikamaru abandoned all pretence of strategy and patience and waded into the struggle attempting to use the gluttony of clones to disguise her approach.
Kakashi was now utterly surrounded. Seeing no other option his hands came together. Ox, Hare, Monkey, his left hand gripped his right wrist. The effect was immediate, the electrical energy crackling in his right hand. All the clones, including those in the air backed off immediately forming a tight circle a few feet away from Kakashi.
"That's the first mistake you've made today," Kakashi called out. He didn't give them time to figure out his meaning as he slammed his hand into the ground with a shout, "Raikiri," (Lightning Cutter). The power held in his hand discharged in an instant, the water from his earlier Jutsu serving as the perfect conductor, the bodies of his Genin stiffening as the electrical charge flowed through them, the clones all immediately going up in smoke.
As the charge faded all three of them collapsed and for a time lost consciousness.
Rezano came to, as his vision stabilised he could make out his fellow Genin either side of him and what he assumed was their sensei ahead of them. As the blur cleared he could make out a small orange blob held in a hand. 'Yep, that's Kakashi-sensei.'
"Ah, there you are Rezano," the silver-haired Jōnin chirped. "Now that you're awake we can finish up." The book once again snapped shut, 'Well at least I got to read a bit of it before they started waking up.'
"Team 7. You… pass," he said rather abruptly.
All three of them were covered in cuts and scrapes, their clothing torn and tattered and each looked utterly baffled. "What, just like that?"
"Yep. This test, commonly called the bell test is carried out for a specific purpose, a purpose that you Meshikamaru deciphered. While it is a proper test of whether you meet the standards expected of a Konoha Genin. It is first and foremost a true test to see if you are willing to work together, to disregard the fact that there are three of you and only two bells. You did work together so you pass."
"How many teams fail this test?" Meshikamaru asked. "Well I've been doing this for like four years… five years.. I forget. But you three are the first team I've passed. Now before you all go home I have a question or two."
"Meshikamaru, earlier your Fūma shuriken was white, why?"
"A distraction."
"Even if it only lasted for a fraction of a second?"
"Yes."
"Ok. How did you get those flash bombs and smoke bombs above me?"
"While you were busy watching the Fūma Shuriken." Kakashi couldn't help it, he chuckled. "How did I end up directly above you in mid-air?"
"I found your Kawarimi log. You'd be surprised how conspicuous it in in a forest considering it's a pre-chopped log. I threw it above me when you were shrouded in the smoke. I guaranteed you'd use Kawarimi through the two Explosive tags."
Now Kakashi was something he wasn't often, impressed. She had in the space of a few seconds almost cornered him. She'd drawn his attention and through it drawn him yet deeper into her trap, even using his means of escape against him. Now he was in no doubt, Tri definitely wasn't exaggerating about her.
"Okay, we're done here today. Since it's so late we'll do our first mission tomorrow afternoon. So I'll see you all outside the mission centre at 1."
"10 am!" Meshikamaru hurriedly shouted.
End Chapter
Omake Entry three:
Class Contributions: Part 1 – Tri
Three months after the Uchiha Purge
"Ok Class, does anyone have a final question for Tri-san before the end of the lesson?" Iruka asked his students. A few hands went up but Iruka chose one who hadn't yet asked, "Meshikamaru-san, go ahead."
"Thank you sensei." She replied as she stood and stared down the recently promoted Jōnin. "My question requires some explanation so bear with me." She took a breath and began.
"Back during your fight with Jiraiya-sama you released something I'd never felt before. Since then I've researched into exactly what that horrible feeling was and have since discovered it is called killing intent. I've read several scrolls and books on it and every single one had a different interpretation of what exactly killing intent is. So my question is this; What is killing intent?"
Tri couldn't help the smallest of grins that curved his lips upwards. Until now the questions had been rather mundane and what you would expect from Academy students but this was something else.
"Ah, killing intent. A strange yet deceptively useful ability if you can figure out how to use it, which tends to be the difficult part for most. There are two elements to using killing intent, the first is exuding your chakra like this."
Tri pulled on his chakra, circulating it around his body then letting it flow out of his Tenketsu points, it quickly flooded the classroom, his black and red hair dancing slightly as if a breeze passed through the room. Iruka and the students could feel it around them as if the air was suddenly much heavier than before."
"But of course this is lacking the actual 'killing intent', after all I'm only letting my chakra leave my body. To get that is more difficult because it requires you to have a proper understanding of both death and fear. You in a sense allow your negative emotions, your anger, animosity to imbue your chakra before it leaves your body, like so."
Tri drew on some of his memories, allowing the anger and frustration they brought him to mix with his chakra. He toned it down enormously but it was still enough to make some of the students shuffle uncomfortably in their seats.
"As you can feel, the emotion is carried along with it. And when there is enough of it you can begin drawing out the emotions of others in response. Those with really strong Killing intent can make others see visions of their own death as if it were a Genjutsu, although I have never tried it I believe mine to be strong enough to do this. There are even stories of killing intent so strong that people commit suicide out of pure fear."
"But this all doesn't answer your question. I've described what Killing Intent is in a practical sense whereas you were asking in a philosophical sense which is where opinions greatly differ as you've discovered through your reading. But my answer would be that Killing Intent is an incredibly potent physical manifestation of raw emotion."
"Thank you, Tri-san," Meshikamaru said with a slight bow as she retook her seat.
"Ok then class that will be all for today, see you tomorrow," Iruka called out to them. The room emptied in short order soon leaving only Tri and Iruka. "You have an interesting class Iruka-san, some very bright minds," Tri commented as the scarred Chūnin wiped the blackboard down. "Yes, there are some great talents in there."
"I would hope so, half of them are clan heirs or from prominent clans," he chuckled, "But you have one in particular."
"Nara Meshikamaru?"
"You have noticed it too then. I will admit Iruka-san, I came here to today not just to answer your classes questions but to get a measure of her. I can see now why she is on every division watch list going. Cipher, Torture and Intelligence, Logistics, hell even every sub-division of ANBU are keeping an eye on her. Watching the scramble to secure her services after her promotion to Chūnin is going to be highly amusing."
Iruka was slightly confused by one portion of his comment. "How would you know she's on the ANBU watch lists?" Tri didn't answer, only grinned. "That would be telling Iruka-san," he said as he jumped out the window.