Frozen Heart

Haven't been online recently, but will upload 3 chapters tonight (3/3).

Naruto is slightly grey in this story and it has elements of Killer Instinct

I don't own Naruto or Killer Instinct

Enjoy

Chapter 11

"The mission was a success." Kakashi exclaimed, acting aloof with his famous book in hand. His Genin cell was standing at attention, each wearing an emotionless mask.

The Sandaime reached for his pipe, lighting it before taking a drag. He looked at Naruto and found his gaze could not penetrate the Shinobi's core thoughts. Next he looked at Sasuke, taking note of how he held himself. Finally, he looked at Sakura. The Kunoichi's mask slipping for a second, as he could see the sadness on her face.

"Thank you for your report Kakashi." The Sandaime exclaimed, looking back at Kakashi. "The three of you are to go to this address." Here the Sandaime wrote on a piece of paper. "You are to be assessed." He continued, blowing out some smoke whilst in deep thought.

"Hai Hokage-Sama." They chorused together. Kakashi breathed out in comical irritation. His team had a habit of doing this.

The Hokage smiled and handed the paper over to Sakura. She took it and read the address, passing it to Naruto. He already knew the address by heart, and passed the note to Sasuke. Sasuke read it once, before watching it go up in flames. "Dismissed." The Hokage exclaimed.

Kakashi waited for his team to leave before approaching the Hokage. "How well did they perform?" The wizened leader asked.

"Exceeding." He stated. "I was out of commission for a week, but they had already come up with roles and responsibilities for each member. I was surprised and thoroughly impressed.

"Sasuke?" The Hokage asked, wanting further information on the Genin in question.

"He is starting to gel with his team. They have been training together and have come to some sort of understanding. He still seeks revenge, but it doesn't seem to be inhibiting his progress. He is very keen on learning more." Kakashi responded, his book nowhere to be found.

"Sakura?" The Hokage asked this time.

"She is progressing well with her training. She has a knack for Genjutsu and I think her role as a backup fighter is perfect. I think she will profit from some Medical Jutsu as well." Kakashi explained, knowing that the Kunoichi could be a valuable member of the team.

"Naruto?" The Hokage asked after a few seconds of silence.

"He is still an enigma. He places some trust in his team, but I'm uncertain as to how much. He hasn't opened up as much as I thought he would." Kakashi informed, feeling slightly dejected. "He is very resourceful and his skill level is good for a Shinobi his age." Kakashi concluded, looking the Hokage in the eye. "Why was I not his sensei from the beginning of his career?" Kakashi asked, wanting an answer from the Hokage.

At the question, the Hokage put away his pipe, having finished its contents as the conversation went on. "Politics." Was his short response. Kakashi wanted to follow up with a few more questions, but decided against it. He steeled his gaze as he asked.

"Is there anything else Hokage-Sama?" To which the Hokage shook his head.


Naruto took point. He knew the address and stated as much to his teammates. He figured that this would happen, but didn't dwell on it too much. He was anxious about his apartment. He had been gone for a month, long enough time for fools to destroy his comfortable settings.

He approached a door and knocked, his teammates slightly on edge and keeping an eye out on their surroundings. This was supposed to be their home, why where they acting as if they were in enemy territory?

A tall man with flowing blonde hair answered the door.

"Yamanaka-San." Naruto stated, before giving a curt bow.

"Uzumaki." Inoichi responded, before looking at his teammates. "Uchiha, Haruno. Please come in." He continued, opening the door to allow them in.

When they entered the building, they took note of the layout of the land. They noticed that the place was set up like an office. To the right was the reception area, where a young lady was reading a book behind her desk. To the left was a small waiting lounge, similar to some hospitals. Towards the back was a door.

It was this door that Inoichi took them through. Naruto still took point, whilst Sakura had the middle position. Sasuke was at the rear, wondering just where they were going, and who this man was.

They entered the door and came out to a hallway. Three doors on either side of the corridor. Inoichi led them into the first door on the right. He was observing their movements and took note of their tense stature. He noticed that they were well managed and always on high alert.

He took a seat on a single couch and asked the three Genin to take a seat on the opposite, three-seat couch. "My name is Yamanaka Inoichi. I have been tasked with managing and assessing your psyche throughout your Shinobi career. Naruto, I already know." Inoichi exclaimed, looking intently at Sakura.

She gulped softly before speaking. "Haruno Sakura." She answered, looking down slightly, as Inoichi's intense gaze was too much for her. Naruto knew what Inoichi was doing, and he didn't like it one bit.

Next Inoichi looked at Sasuke. "Uchiha Sasuke." He drawled in a monotonic voice.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto stated, before Inoichi could even look at him.

"Now, I know the life of a Shinobi is very difficult." Inoichi stated. "That is why we are here. I will constantly monitor and assess you, both individually and as a team. This is to ensure the safety of your team, and any other teams that you work with." What Inoichi didn't mention was that he would also be determining if they were a threat to Konoha. "For our first session, we will be speaking as a team. Our next session will be individual based. Are there any questions before we start?" He asked, looking at each of the Genin.

"Ano, are you related to Ino by any chance?" Sakura asked, watching a smirk appear on Inoichi's face.

"Yes, she is my daughter. I understand that you and Sasuke knew her from the Academy?" Inoichi answered then asked.

Sakura's eye's widened slightly as she recalled a memory of her and Ino speaking. Ino had told her that her father was involved in or was the head of T&I, the Torture and Interrogation division within Konoha. "Yes we were in the same class. I met her when I was seven. We were ones great friends." Sakura replied. At her words her teammates tensed very slightly.

Inoichi caught the slip of Sakura's tongue and noticed how her teammates tensed when she was talking. He stored that information for later. He knew that Sakura had met Ino when they were both 5, so he knew this was some type of test. He smiled at the thought and continued to observe Team 7.

"Yes she did mention you to me. You both fell in love with the same boy, and your friendship disintegrated from there?" Inoichi asked, watching as Sakura slightly flinched and cast her gaze towards Sasuke. Sasuke remained cool headed, even though he knew Inoichi and Sakura were referring to him.

Naruto remained quiet in his position, waiting semi-patiently for the small talk to end. He was thinking back to his brief period in the academy, trying to recall which one was Ino.

"Well on to more pressing matters." Inoichi chimed in, just as Naruto remembered the young blonde haired Kunoichi. No doubt she passed her exam with her teammates, the Nara and the Akimichi.

"How do you rate your team?" Inoichi asked, looking at each Genin. They were in thought for a second, before Sakura decided to speak.

"Well we are pretty strong. I mean, Sasuke is the Rookie of the year and Naruto has been out in the field a few years. I don't know how well I am, but I think I am progressing." She concluded. Inoichi recognised that Sakura was their appointed speaker. The reports he read of Team 7 previous suggests that she is the Team Leader when their Sensei is not around.

"So you rate yourselves highly?" He asked this time.

"Not necessarily." Naruto spoke this time, surprising both Sasuke and Sakura. "We have good chemistry, we support each other. We do what Shinobi need to do. We don't rate ourselves at all." Naruto concluded, causing a smirk to appear on Sasuke's face.

"If we had to stake a claim though." The young Uchiha picked up the conversation. "We would be one of the best Genin cells in Konoha." He concluded.

"I see. How strong are you, as a team and individually?" Inoichi asked, wanting an honest opinion from this team.

"Well I am getting the hang of Genjutsu and medical training as a support for my teammates. I'm not nearly as strong as I'd like, but that is where my teammates come in." Sakura stated, being honest and not really sugar-coating her feelings.

Sasuke picked up from there. "Offensive type of fighter. Good with hand to hand and Fire Jutsu. My eyes," here Sasuke activated his Sharingan. "can see well." He intoned, looking Inoichi directly in the eyes.

At that moment, Inoichi found himself in a Genjutsu, which he dispelled, without breaking a sweat. "Good eyes." He exclaimed as if nothing had happened.

"7, 1, 9, 1, M." Naruto exclaimed as he felt another chakra signature within the room. At his words, Team 7 got into the Manji position, each guarding the other. Sasuke's eyes looked towards the corner, where he could see the Genjutsu that the enemy Nin used.

"Calm down. They're only here for me." Inoichi stated, gaining the attention of Team 7. He stood and walked over to the ANBU operative and removed a note from him. "See all is well." He continued, paying close interest to their formation and their stance. It's as if they had been fighting in wars, to be ready for trouble of this magnitude. 'Kakashi must have trained them well… a little too well'. Inoichi thought to himself.

"I think that'll do for today. You may return to your homes and rest. I will be seeing you within the next week." Inoichi intoned, watching as the members of Team 7 relaxed slightly.

With those words, they each left. Sasuke taking point, whilst Naruto bringing up the rear.


Naruto arrived at his burnt out apartment. There had been an explosion of some type and everything was in tatters. The furniture he owned were burnt to a crisp, even the fridge was discoloured a disgusting black. One look at the room, and Naruto walked straight back out.

He made his way to the Hokage's tower, hoping to acquire some new lodgings. He walked straight past the assistant's desk and opened the door. The Hokage had his head down, reading over various documents. He looked up at the sound of the doors opening.

"I wish to acquire new lodgings Hokage-Sama." Naruto asked in a semi-polite tone. The Hokage smiled at the request and motioned for Naruto to take a seat. A chair had been placed directly in front of the Hokage's desk, as if he knew Naruto would need it to take his seat.

"I'm afraid that we don't have anything for a single Genin. We do, however, have three bedded lodgings that you could own, if you have any friends that might want to join you?" The Hokage replied thoughtfully.

Naruto was in deep thought for a minute. He just couldn't understand why there were no single roomed apartments available. Surely there had to be a lot of single people out there.

Sasuke entered the room a second later, his face bridled in rage. "Hokage." He intoned, not noticing Naruto seated in the chair.

The Hokage looked at Sasuke and nodded for him to speak. It was at this moment that Sasuke noticed Naruto, seated across from the aged shinobi.

"The Uchiha compound has been closed for development. I want to know who approved this. Anything pertaining to the Uchiha compound must include an Uchiha in the negotiations. As I was away on a mission, and had received no summons, then there were no negotiations that took place." Sasuke exclaimed, face turning red from his outburst.

"I'm afraid that it is out of my hands. The Uchiha compound was bought out, there is a trust set up for you in the Konoha bank. You can access said trust anytime you want. But at the end of the day, you are homeless, just like Naruto here." The Hokage drawled out, placating the rising anger on the young Uchiha's face.

"Who has that authority?" Sasuke asked, calming slightly as he realised he was speaking to the Sandaime Hokage.

"The Konoha Council I believe." The Hokage exclaimed, raising his hands as if to say it wasn't me. "However Sasuke," the Hokage continued. "They do not reverse decision's that they make lightly and there is always a reason for their decision." He concluded.

Sasuke was about to turn and leave before the Hokage addressed him once more. "Naruto is in the same position as you, but the only places available are three bedroom apartments. You need a third person if you don't want to live on the streets." The Hokage stated. Sasuke looked back over his shoulders at the Hokage. He noticed Naruto's hands behind the chair, holding up seven fingers. With that in mind Sasuke left through the door. Naruto followed suit a second later. 'I wonder if this is the right decision?' The Hokage thought to himself.


Sasuke waited for Naruto at the front of the Hokage tower. They both walked, side by side, in silence.

"Something is not right." Sasuke stated through gritted teeth. "The Uchiha are one of Konoha's founding Clans, why must our compound be destroyed while one of us is still here." He continued ranting. He looked at Naruto for a second, before falling into a brooding silence.

Naruto and Sasuke arrived at Sakura's place and softly knocked on the door. Sakura opened a second later, bags in hand, an angry look on her face. At seeing her teammates, she cracked slightly, as relief filled her face. "Hold these." She stated to Naruto and Sasuke.

She went back in her house and grabbed three more bags before moving out of the house, and slamming the door on her way out. "Where to?" She asked, looking between Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke shrugged, before an ANBU member appeared in front of them. She handed them a note and disappeared just as quickly as she came, surprising the trio of Genin, because they had not felt her presence at all.

Naruto opened the note, which had an address on it, stating that it was their new home. He gave it to Sasuke, who read it before burning the note.

Sasuke took the lead this time, knowing where their new apartment lay. Him and Naruto were carrying three bags apiece, whilst Sakura carried one.

They arrived at their new apartment, which was in one of the shinobi districts. Naruto was relieved as it looked better than his old apartment. Sasuke was still irritated as he didn't want to leave his family estate. Sakura was worried. She had never lived apart, except for on missions, from her parents before.

The apartment came with a furnished dining area, a few couches in the lounge, a furnished kitchen area with a large fridge. There was one bathroom and one toilet, and the three bedrooms had mattresses in them. They each picked a room and decided to mark it up.

Sakura had the first room, the one closest to the door, on the left. Naruto had the room next to hers whilst Sasuke had the room opposite Naruto's. The Bathroom and toilets were out the back, along with a door that lead to a small balcony, a clothes line hanging from its top.

Sasuke still had to get the rest of his belongings from the Uchiha compound and was on the verge of doing so. Naruto grabbed a few of his scrolls and unleashed the contents inside of them. Sakura had everything she needed, and her room was done up the best.

The members of Team 7 were all settled when a knock at the door surprised them slightly.

Sakura opened the door, whilst Naruto and Sasuke remained in the background, hand on weapons.

"Yo." Kakashi eye-smiled and waved, causing the team to release a breath they didn't know they were holding.

They invited him in and he took a seat on the sofa. The team copied his movements and found their own place to plant themselves.

"This living arrangement suits you." He stated, much to the irritation of his team. They knew that he was involved in this somehow, yet they didn't know why. "You will be living here together until after you are a Chunin, maybe even a Jounin." Kakashi continued.

"This is a long-term mission, so no complaints. Sasuke, the Uchiha compound is going to be refurbished. It will house you and three of your wives." Here Sasuke looked slightly shocked. "Most of it will be turned into more apartments, but there is a large area that is directly for your use only." Kakashi concluded, looking Sasuke in the eye.

"Sakura, your parents did not kick you out, your father is a Shinobi, he has a mission, the same as you. You will not live with them at a later date." Kakashi informed, taking note of the guilt that she had on her face. "You can still associate with your parents, but you will live entirely separate lives." Kakashi concluded, before turning towards the third member of Team 7.

"Naruto." Here Kakashi looked him directly in the eyes. "You have been bombarded with attacks on your property, and furthermore, on your being since you were young. The Hokage had hoped that this would stop once you reached Genin level, however, it is still the same. You are living with your teammates for further protection. It is also easier for me to get in contact with you all if you are in the same location." Kakashi droned on. Sasuke was slightly surprised with what Kakashi had revealed about Naruto. Sakura took a few quick glances in the direction of the white/bluenette.

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi continued. "This is an S-rank long-term mission. You are not to speak of this to anyone." He concluded before standing. He looked at the three of his teammates. "A last message from the Hokage. War is on the horizon. We don't know when, but it is better to be prepared." He stated before making his way towards the door.