Butterflies

Beta'd by: Setokaiva

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 5 – Withdrawal, retreat...!

8-8

To live. Why does that sound like a burden? Is it not enough that I wake up every morning? I get up, do as I'm supposed to, as I'm expected to. Isn't that enough? What more could anyone ask of me? I study hard, I train hard, I fight hard. I do everything Konoha expects me to do.

So why are people suddenly expecting me to live?

Yamanaka-san started something bigger than she knows... bigger than I know. People are looking at me now, expecting things of me. Talking to me. I'm not socially anxious, thank Kami-sama, so it's not too bothersome. But... it's the little things that... that make this harder.

I wasn't supposed to do this. Make connections. It was supposed to be different, I was supposed to be different. This isn't supposed to happen. How did it happen? How...?

Spending time with I... Yamanaka-san, Nara-san... Chouji-san... what is that doing to me? Why do I wake up and think about them? This isn't supposed to happen. I can't let this happen!

It was alright when it was just Chouji-kun! It was scary, for sure! But... it was just him. He's kind enough, considerate enough to not have to worry too much. But... then In... then Yamanaka-san...

I was so careful. I was so careful... I kept away from people, I kept them away from me. I was so careful. I was polite, distant, and if anyone tried to get too close violent and rude. My defence was perfect. Perfect. No one got close to me since the day mama died. No one.

I wasn't lonely, even if I was alone all the time. I had my books. I had the heroes and heroines, their story, their adventure. I could lose myself in a world crafted by words, take those letters and let them create something within me. Even though there were troubles in those stories too, there was always a solution. There was always some way to make it work at just the right time. No problem was too big, no scheme too farfetched. Everything would work out, in the end. The hero would make sure it did.

Unlike life.

In life, in reality, nothing ever turns out the way you want it to. It turns out the way 'it was meant to', whatever that even means. I've had the psychologists try to explain what that means, but I never got an answer. I've had the holy men try to explain it through philosophy and spiritual learning, but they only ever talk in circles.

'The problem isn't the problem, it's your attitude about the problem that's the problem.' That's what I take from their wordy talks about my problems. Still, try say that five times fast, Aya. Bet you can't!

Change your perspective and the problem solves itself. Che, yeah. I tried. I still came home to an empty house. I still had to visit my parents' graves to talk to them. And the only thing that ever seems to make waking up worth it was still chocolate. In other words, nothing changed.

So how'd you do it...? Ino...

8-8

Arriving at exactly six AM. Being present where I am expected to be. It's costing me. Not just having to wake up earlier so I can go though my morning ritual, but... but... my eye twitches. I try to keep a neutral look on my face, try to keep my body language stoic-y... try to just be.

My eye twitches again. And this is without anyone saying anything to me. Uchiha-san arrives, says nothing, and sits against a tree. I don't know what he's doing, I don't care. Uzumaki-san arrives, but he's not like Uchiha-san at all. He walks up to me, happy and smiling even at this early hour. I glare at him, warning him to be on his best behaviour.

"Morning, Aya-chan." He begins, quickly strumming up a one-sided conversation. I noise grumpily. He doesn't seem to notice, or is at best not bothered by it. That boy is a complete mystery to me. I mean, he can't possibly be as stupid as they say. You don't survive on your own being that stupid; I should know. You need a system to survive an average day. And there's no one to make sure you stick to it either.

Stupid people don't survive being orphans. So, Uzumaki-san... who is hiding behind that mask of yours? Hmm?

8-8

Twitch.

...

Twitch, twitch.

...

Hatake... you're a dead man. I can't even say I'm glaring at him. Glaring is far too nice a word. Perhaps... or maybe... ... ... look, it's just worse than a glare! MUCH WORSE! He should be ash by now! Why isn't he ash!?

Four hours... fifteen minutes... twenty-two seconds... That's how late he is. Be here at six? For what? To starve?

"Something to say, Aya-chan?" He eye-smiles at me. I feel my hand itch to grab a kunai and speak in the only language I care to offer.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Uzumaki, predictably, gives Hatake piece of his mind. He goes on and on about the value of being on time, and how there's no way he could respect a jounin that couldn't 'show up on time to his own funeral'.

"What's done is done." Is the defence he offers.

Twitch.

"Anyway, you guys need to get one of these bells from me. And before noon, too. I have to give in my report after all."

Twitch. Twitch.

"Come at me with intent to kill. You won't achieve anything otherwise." Intent to kill, huh? You are literally giving me permission to kill you?

Smirk.

I grab two kunai from my pouch. One in my left hand. One in my right hand.

Smirk. Twitch, twitch.

Ignore Uzumaki-san's first attempt. Focus chakra on contact points for glasses. Ignore his getting floored and his own kunai is behind held against his own neck. Ignore that he's told something stupid. Wait for it, Aya... wait for it...

"Go." I dash straight for Hatake, Uzumaki-san to my left and keeping up just fine. It doesn't take a genius to know Uzumaki was going to attack straight away. Seeing me take the first step just egged him on to act faster. I speed up a little so I'll reach Hatake first, then I dive feet first at him. Uzumaki-san will take him head on, knowing him. That means he'll have to jump, likely forwards and towards Uzumaki-san's approach; him being a brawler-type fighter will want this.

As expected, he jumps forward and over my attack. I grab his left ankle, finding myself being tugged along – as expected. And we're flying towards Uzumaki-san. I had to ditch one of my kunai for this to work, but this way he wouldn't have seen this coming! Well... to be fair, I'm holding that kunai between my sandal and my foot, so it's pointing in the same direction as my toes.

It takes me a second to orient myself with the sudden momentum change, but I flip my legs up and towards the bells at his waist and aim to stab him in his right leg for good measure.

I hadn't planned on the substitution, though. I should have... but chocolate withdrawal and planning don't go hand in hand.

So me, the log, and Uzumaki-san take an unplanned tumble together. I end up having to toss both kunai to not stab him by accident. I can plan that much at least.

I should have thrown the kunai. Give him a new hole to... go from.

I end up on top of Uzumaki-san, so I shove the log out of the way. I get up and offer the blonde a hand up. He looks at me all teary eyed, but that's getting ignored. He grabs my hand and I pull him up enough to he can stand on his own. I nod to him.

"We almost had him there. You ready for round two?" Uzumaki-san glows... beams at me. I nod again. "Good. He's stronger and fast than us. But I think I can even the odds." He makes a funny handseal, and POOF! There are eight of him. Hmm. That's new.

"We need Uchiha-san." I remind him. He looks... depressed about that. This isn't about doubting your skills, Uzumaki-san. "The only thing better than more allies, is more allies than that." He perks up immediately.

"Good luck convincing him, though." He smirks. Hmm, good point. "How about we try without him first, and go look for him if that doesn't work?"

"Nn."

8-8

I don't know how it happened, but we got separated in that last attack. So now, I'm stuck looking for him. Technically I wouldn't mind finding Uchiha-san... technically. Convincing him to work with us will be hard. Convincing him with talking to him will be impossible.

"You weren't half bad." I turn on my heel, now facing the voice. Hatake, with his smut. Why'd he take that thing out?

"Icha Icha Paradise. At least you've upgraded." I try to take in the whole scene around us at once. Plan for a substitution, plan for a quick getaway, plan how to use-

WRRRRRRR!

SHUT IT! Plan how to use the surroundings against him. Yeah... planning isn't working. I guess I've only got one option left... Aya, it's time.

Chocolate sundae. Chocolate cake. Chocolate fudge. Chocolate brownies. Chocolate cookies. Cho...co...late...

I can almost smell it. I can almost touch it. I can... almost... taste... it...

8-8

~3rd person view~

Aya stands there, completely still. Her eyes slowly widen, as does her grin. Her eyes start reddening slightly, her pupils dilate. Kakashi notices, of course, but his reaction: flip the page. He giggles pervertedly too.

She dashes at him without warning, but he dodges. She does a roundhouse kick, he leans out of the way. She punch-punch-kicks, he lean-lean-sidesteps. She grins even wider, if that's even possible at this point. She looks like someone that should be locked in a padded room.

Idly she reaches into her legpouch, tossing five kunai with explosive tags. She then dual-wields another pair, also with explosive tags attached. The first kunai flies over the scarecrow's shoulder – he didn't even have to move to dodge it, but he pays MUCH closer attention now. Crazy-looking people with sharp things and explosives will do that to you.

The one behind him explodes much closer than he anticipated – she'd shortened the fuse? He stays put though. The only trouble is, the other four go off as well. None of them are close enough to hurt him, but the combined smoke and the noise – the others will be here soon.

"Hey, Ecchi. Ever played pin the tail on the jounin?" Her voice seems to come from every direction at once. Hmm, not just throwing her voice either, this is actually being projected from every direction.

Hatake puts away his book. The first kunai flies at him from where she was standing, but he leans his head slightly and lets it fly past. No explosive tag this time. The second kunai comes from behind him. He has to step out of the way this time. The third kunai comes from his right. He steps back. Then one comes from his left. He steps forward.

Kunai after kunai keep flying at him. She shouldn't have this many kunai. Acting on a hunch, he grabs one, but he checks there's no... he blinks... why is this kunai smoking? A TRANSFORMATION!?

He tosses the transformed explosive tag up into the air – no longer sure he knows where the girl is.

BOOM!

He doesn't even see the tackle coming, flooring him. He rolls with the attack, tossing the girl away from him with the extra momentum. To think she managed to get in a hit. A solid hit. She had to go berserk for it, but he won't complain too much. She flies at him again, flailing with twin kunais – now smoking explosive tags included.

He takes out a kunai of his own, deflecting and parrying her attacks as they grow wilder and wilder. The longer this continues, the less predictable she gets – and yes, those tags are still smoking. If those are standard fuses they should explode in three... two... one...

She tosses both of them behind him at the last moment. He was still forced to do a substitution, taking her with him. He mutely grumbles about suicidal students. Before she can gain her bearings, he knocks her out with a simple jutsu, and leaves her tied to a high branch. He'll check her mental state before releasing her.

~End POV~

8-8

"SERIOUSLY! THAT. WAS. AWESOME!" U. Zu. Ma. Ki~iiiiii! Trying to sleep here! I huff. I never can get any sleep when I want... to...?

Why do I feel sunlight on my skin? I don't sleep outside. Ever.

Opening my eyes, I take in the odd scene before me. Uzumaki-san –loud and annoying– to my left. Uchiha-san over there, brooding. Both the blond and myself are tied to a log. Interestingly, Uzumaki-san and I are tied to separate logs.

And Hatake? "Ah, sleep well?" Is crouching in front of me, an inch from my face. I glare dully.

"Like a log." I drone.

"Hmm. Well you don't seem to be a homicidal maniac anymore. Think I can trust you to not slit my throat?" He must mean that as a joke – the way he says it seems to suggest that much.

"Orders are orders. You said: intent to kill." I remind him. And believe you me, I fully intended to kill him.

"Are you a threat to me or the others?" He speaks much more seriously this time. There's also very noticeable killing intent in the air now. I snort, but shake my head, no. My rope falls apart of its own accord... I think. "What the hell was that back there?"

"Plan B." I smirk. It's an almost impossible thing to achieve, but... it's what you get for the chocolate withdrawal orders. Moron.

"And what's 'Plan B' exactly?" He presses. He's still an inch from my face, by the way.

"Using the lack of chocolate in my system to induce a frenzied state of mind brought on by chemical withdrawal. I'm still sort of in control, and I've never attacked anyone I didn't already intend to attack. It just... deafens me to silly things like reasoning and caution." Yup, officially the most I've ever spoken in the last six years, seven months, two weeks and a day.

"Then care to explain why you nearly blew both of us up with that last explosion?" He doesn't sound convinced. I reach into my leg pouch and retrieve a bell.

"Your priority was keeping us alive, not defending the bells. I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid." He doesn't look comforted. I shrug. "Hey, Uzumaki-san, hold on to this. I'm going to get something to eat." I place the bell at his lips and start getting up.

"Ah ah." He pokes me just hard enough to stop me from standing up. "don't think so. The test isn't over." He claims. I snort.

"Test: to get a bell." I remind him. "That: a bell." I point at Uzumaki-san and the bell he's quite happily dangling about to make more noise. Moron. He's really entertained right now.

"... and I thought I hated you yesterday." And like I thought yesterday, the feeling's mutual, Ecchi-sensei. I start getting up again. "Stay here. I'll get something for you. I'm much faster. You want something with chocolate, right?" I nod.

"Fine. There's another bento there, but make sure you and Sasuke don't feed Naruto. He's the only one that didn't get a-" I point at the bell Uzumaki-san's still happily dangling about. "Just don't feed him. That's an order." And he's gone. Good, now I can actually look around! It's called a personal bubble, Ecchi...

Hmm. Not much to be said about where we are. There's trees over that way, water behind me, and springy-looking grass everywhere. Well, there's the memorial stone as well. Uchiha-san is eating from his bento, about five metres in front of me and slightly to my right. The other bento Hatake is talking about is on a stone. It even has chopsticks on top of it. I think about the order I was given. I shrug.

I take a kunai out of my pouch, slice through Uzumaki-san's rope, and return the kunai to where it belongs. "Hurry up and eat. He'll be grouchy when he gets back."

Uzumaki-san takes a second to realise what I did. "Heh heh, you bet 'ttebayo!" He gets up and rushes for the bento, happily digging in.

"You do realise you just went against orders." Uchiha-san seems amused.

"Hey, he just said not to feed me! Freeing me and letting me feed myself wasn't ever brought up!" Uzumaki points out loudly, his mouth still full of... is that chicken? I shrug. Who cares. I was promised chocolate!

8-8

"..." Ecchi-sensei looks to me, then to the ropes where Uzumaki-san should be, then to the stone where the bento is happily being emptied by the same Uzumaki-san. Ecchi-sensei sighs. This is going to be a long day for him. I guess it's a good thing he showed up four hours, fifteen minutes and twenty-two seconds late, huh? "I'd ask, but I already know the answer." He tosses a bag to me. Plain brown bag, looks about half full. Hmm...

I catch it, open it and look inside. Blueberry muffins... individually wrapped. I swear if I wasn't aching for something to eat I'd throw this back in his face. And I'm sure Uzumaki-san... no, no need to be sure. That bento's done. I huff, annoyed. Still, I take out a muffin, open the packaging, take a... bite...

"Mmmm!" I moan loudly. It's chocolate. I don't know why it looks like a vanilla and blueberry muffin, but I know chocolate when I taste it. I look down again. Still looks bl... that's a genjutsu?

I set the muffin down, make a Tiger sign, and focus to stop the chakra to my head for a second, then overflood my head with... well... 'overflood'... I let my chakra flow to my head spike. I look down again. Chocolate muffin. Yum!

I dig in with feeling this time! Both muffins are done in less than a minute – I was REALLY hungry, seeing as it's lunch time.

I carefully wipe the crumbs from my lip into my mouth, suck stray crumbs from the muffin wrappers and toss them into the paper bag. I turn to Ecchi-sensei, wondering what the plan is now. "I'm starting to wonder if you just disobey orders for the hell of it, or if there's an actual motive. Care to share?"

I think about that for a second. "No." He doesn't look impressed. He seems to have that a lot today.

"Let's try this again." He rubs the bridge of his masked nose. Masked nose... heh... that's kind of funny. Masked... This is what I get for hanging around Uzumaki-san. The fun dies the second a far more potent killing intent nearly drowns me. "Namiki Aya. What is the purpose of defying my order?"

I start sweating. "I didn't. Orders were not to feed him. You said nothing about not freeing him. I worked with what I had." He sighs, but the overwhelming sense of doom in the air doesn't go away.

"You are smart enough to know what I meant. Why did you free him?" He presses. "You could have eaten the food if you were hungry."

"Orphans don't abandon each other." I stand... stand my ground? That's how you say that, right? Whatever. Ecchi-sensei. "If we won't stick together, who will?"

"Yeah, Ecchi-sensei!" Uzumaki-san is suddenly next to me, sounding really amused. I take a step away from him though. Personal bubble, people... personal bubble. He doesn't even react to me.

"What about the Uchiha, then? Would he stand with the two of you?" Ecchi-sensei looks annoyed, but curious.

"Hnn. Normally, no..." Uchiha-san admits. "But..." He walks over to us, standing to my right. Why is he so close to me? I tug Uzumaki-san to where I'm standing, then inch over to where Uzumaki-san was standing a second ago. Much better. Stay on THAT side of the blonde, please.

Ecchi-sensei sighs. A long, drawn-out sigh that shows just how annoyed he is right now. He shakes his head. "Of all the dysfunctional teams I've tested... this one passes?" He sounds incrad... incrudu... he just can't believe it! (I know that word, darn it!)

I smirk. Uzumaki-san grins, rubbing the back of his head. I don't care what Uchiha-san does. "Meet here tomorrow at eight..." He walks off. He's so caught off guard that he doesn't even poof away. "I must be out of my mind..." I still hear him murmuring to himself.

I start walking off as well. Ino said she'd be in training ground three with her team. That's... this way, right? "Oi, Aya-chan, where you off to!?" Uzumaki-san asks.

"Ino?" I turn to him, wondering why he'd... right. He wouldn't know I've been hanging out with them. "Coming?"

"Sure, I wonder where they are, though." He runs to catch up quickly.

"Tee gee three." I shorten it. I've used up most of my words for the week!

"Training ground three?" He asks. I nod, grateful he catches on quick. "Then why are we heading this way!? It's over that way!" He points in the opposite direction I started walking in. Well, EXCUSE ME! Poor sense of direction here! I glare dully at him, motioning for him to lead the way. We walk past Uchiha-san, who's just staring at us and obviously sweating. I really don't want to know what he's thinking.

8-8

"Hey, Ino." I greet the clearly worn out blonde... crap... I just called her 'Ino' out loud, didn't I? For the second time too! It's just shorter than 'Yamanaka-san'! Yes... shorter. Purely based on laziness with words.

Still, Ino, Chouji-san and Nara-san look like they got into a fight with a wet hairdryer... and lost. Well, they're all smiling, so I guess they didn't lose the fight... but from how it looks...

"We sooooooo passed the test!" Ino happily announces. Then she looks around. "No Sasuke-kun?" I offer a dull glare. "Alright, alright, no Sasuke-kun." She soothes, but I can tell she's teasing me.

"How'd you guys do, Naruto?" Ino turns to the only person that will tell the whole story – if you keep in mind he tends to exaggerate everything. Still, she knows she won't get much out of me.

"We did awesome! Aya-chan totally did this berserker thing against Ecchi-sensei!" I grin when I hear that last part. Ino can't quite decide if she wants to ask about the berserker thing, or the nickname. Of course Uzumaki-san just keeps babbling on; either not knowing what the look she has means, or not caring. I hear a few interesting details here and there. Uchiha-san being able to use fire-release attacks. Uzumaki-san using the 'shadow clone'... haven't heard of it, but it must be a clone of some sort – maybe the name of that jutsu he used at the beginning where he makes solid clones? Meh...

"Anyway, we need to get going. We've got that thing to get to! Did you want to head home? You can always freshen up by my house?" She offers. I noise and nod, smiling a little. Then... I remember Uzumaki-san. I scrunch my face a little, flick my eyes to the other blonde and make an almost begging face at Ino. "Naruto, you wanna tag along? We're going to hang out in Shikamaru's backyard again." I beam at her, grateful she doesn't have an issue with him coming along – and that she even understood what I did means 'help' too.

"Sounds like fun! I'm in!" He jumps up excitedly. I just roll my eyes playfully at him. "Aw, come on, Aya-chan! Don't be like that! We all know hanging out with me is always a party waiting to happen!" Ino and I share a look, then we both giggle at how that's clearly exaggerated.

Ino marches the troops onward, after linking arms with me and dragging me along, of course. I shake my head. She isn't going to change anytime soon, is she...

"Don't think I didn't notice you calling me 'Ino', by the way." She's all smiles. "Just a few more doses of my irresistible charm and you'll be calling me 'Ino-chan' in no time!" I roll my eyes and shake my head, but find that I'm smiling anyway.

I find myself hoping that she won't change. Not sure what to think about that...

8-8

"Hey, mom! You remember Aya-chan, right?" The tall, stuffy-looking brunette wearing what looks like a dress, just not one I've seen anywhere, eyes me. She looks very... posh? But she has a very kind smile, and she simply loves doting on Ino and Yamanaka-sama.

"But of course I do. Hello, Aya-chan. It's a pleasure to see you again." She bows slightly to me, a warm smile never leaving her eyes. "I assume you're both here to freshen up before going to the Nara's?"

"It's alright, isn't it?" Ino seems almost nervous about that.

"Why, of course it is! Come now, hurry up or we'll be late!" She shoos us up the stairs. I don't fight the smile plastered on my face. Ino motions for me to follow her, smiling a bit herself. We go up the stairs and to the right, second... no third door on the left. Once inside, she asks me to close the door behind me.

It takes us just over a half hour... considering Ino decided to try on my jacket while I was washing my face... wanted to do my makeup (I usually only wear lip balm) and decided to give me a crash course on all things girly... She also insisted on making me try on a few things in her closet. I fought it... until she mentioned that Chouji-san might like the new look more; I've been blushing ever since.

"All right, let me look at you." Yamanaka-sama demands kindly. "Yes, yes this will do just fine. Just make sure to go easy on her makeup next time, sweetie. Her darker hair needs bright colours to counter it, this is true, but that doesn't mean she needs to look like she's wearing makeup. Subtlety is the key. And way too much blush..."

I blush even deeper. "She doesn't need blush, mom. That's all her." Yeah. Blushing even more now!

"I take it you bribed her with something regarding Chouji-kun, then." She sounds amused. What is this? 'Make Aya blush' day!? I huff, folding my arms in front of me. "Now, now. We'll have none of that, young lady. It isn't proper to pout. And I see nothing wrong with you liking Chouji-kun. He's a true gentleman at heart. Truly a fine young man."

I'm tempted to rub my forehead, but I'll just mess up the foundation Ino decided I needed to wear. Is it a good thing that we're more or less the same tint of pale, or a bad thing? Tint of pale... why does that sound so wrong? But it's true! We're the same shade of... paleness!

Whatever. Aya. Stop trying to figure out things you're clueless about. You'll jus...t... I can't eat properly with lipstick on, can I... There's no way I'm going to sit idly by and watch everyone eat while I'm stuck being prim and proper!

I huff, glaring dully at Ino. "Would you relax? I'm bringing the same shade of pink you're wearing. So you can reapply after we eat." I smile brightly, perking up quite a bit... 'Perking up'? That sounds way too 'proper' for me...

Still, whatever! I'm just glad Ino understands... how does Ino even know that's... Aya. Stop. Just stop. If we hurry a bit we can get there and I can start munching on all the yummies Akimichi-sama cooked up with her two best friends – I've only been hearing, tasting and smelling all week how good a combination it is to have all three mothers in the kitchen at the same time!

I turn to Ino, begging with my eyes. "Alright, alright! We're going already!" She rolls her eyes, acting annoyed. I glow just a little brighter. Food, here we come!

8-8

End Chapter 5

8-8

A/N: Fear not! This is actually after finishing 'that other chapter' I've only been griping about for like three chapters. Yes, Aya seems to draw me in; she's fun to write!

Next up is kind of an interlude to show why Kakashi is so different for this exam. Yes... there's a reason for it... and I'm quite amused with it myself ^_^ Honestly, nothing happens without a reason. Sometimes it's a subconscious one, but this one I REALLY like ^_^

For those who are worried that I'm overpowering Aya. Don't. You've pretty much seen the extent of her skills. And she's going to be REALLY annoyed when she has a chance to reboot and realise she just spent so much money because of trying to blow up a certain loveable pervert ;-)

And, just because I'm an out and proud nerd, it really is possible to have withdrawal symptoms for abstaining from chocolate if you eat it regularly. Just google 'effects of chocolate on the brain' and you'll see just how much chocolate can affect you if the dosage is large enough. Aya just happens to tap into this and combine it with a sort of self-hypnosis.