Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Don't have anything witty or creative to add to this disclaimer.
Chapter 3: Only the Good Die Young
Well this was an unexpected turn of events Kakashi mused. The jônin had been watching his team from the nearby tree line, something that had become somewhat of a habit of his. Though he didn't really enjoy his new stalkerish hobby, it was necessary.
He had hoped he would be able to keep his eye under wraps, at least until they had taken their first mission out of the village. Honestly, where had the girl found a foreign Bingo Book to begin with? Sighing exasperatedly, Kakashi moved from the shadows.
It wouldn't do any good to let the boy's progress go to waste because he got angry at him. The silver haired shinobi had intended to share the story of his own genin team, or at least part of the story at some point to teach his own students a valuable lesson. He just hadn't planned on it being this soon.
But, perhaps they were finally ready to hear it. Sasuke had taken Naruto's hand.
"I think this story calls for a different location," Kakashi said, announcing his appearance to his team. Naruto and Sakura both looked as if they had just been caught red-handed. "Do keep up." He left with his usual poof. Less than a minute later his feet met the ground of the memorial stone clearing. To their credit all of his students arrived only thirty-some odd seconds behind him. Their speed was barely comparable to what it had been after they graduated, but there was still a ways to go.
"Does someone want to explain what is going on?" Naruto complained. Kakashi looked towards Sasuke, who stared right back with accusation in his dark eyes.
Sakura was the first to break the tense silence that followed Naruto's question. "The Bingo Book said that Kakashi-sensei has the sharingan in his left eye. The sharingan is the bloodline limit of the…" she trailed off with a worried glance toward Sasuke.
"…Of the Uchiha clan," Sasuke finished.
"Oh… and it being a bloodline limit means the only way he could have gotten it is…" Naruto's voice faded as he came to his own conclusion of how his teacher must have acquired the eye.
Kakashi cleared his throat, wondering how he was supposed to feel that his students believed him capable of cutting an ally's eye out and taking it. Perhaps he had been a bit too harsh in his training. He would try to use more words of encouragement in the future.
"The eye was given to me."
"No Uchiha would ever give up their eyes!" Sasuke snapped, taking a threatening step towards his teacher.
The jônin sighed, the boy wasn't going to listen to him easily. Stepping aside, so his students could see the memorial stone behind him Kakashi began his story. "I was five when I graduated from the Academy."
A choked noise of disbelief escaped his blonde student and other noises of surprise came from the peanut gallery, but Kakashi continued not believing he could start again if he stopped. "My genin team, well we weren't much of a team really. I didn't appreciate them, thought they held me back. I was only with them for a year before I made chûnin. I began to work missions outside my genin team after that, but our teacher, he made sure that I stayed in touch." Both Minato and Kushina had always looked out for Kakashi.
"What does any of this have to do with-" Sasuke was rudely interrupted by Sakura's foot smashing down on his. Glaring at her he fell silent at her fierce look.
The masked shinobi watched it all with amusement. "Anyway around the time that I turned thirteen the Third Shinobi War broke out. I was jônin by this time and I was given a mission to lead my old teammates on what was Konoha's first strategic counter measure." Kakashi paused seeing that mention of the war had peaked their interest.
"But, things went wrong. The enemy captured our team medic. My other teammate wanted to rescue her. I told him the mission came first. He… he called me a coward and said that a shinobi that abandons his teammates is worse than trash. To him, nothing came before the team. So he left and I continued on." All these years later and he still felt shame when he remembered that particular discussion.
"You just left them?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"The mission that we were on was incredibly important. If completed it would have been a huge blow to our enemies," Kakashi argued. He had wondered who out of the team would react the strongest to his choice to leave his own team behind. He had been betting on Naruto.
"So what, you left your teammates behind?! You were supposed to be their leader!" Naruto cried, the revulsion he felt at this revelation was clearly written across his face.
"Are you saying that you would have done differently?" the silver haired shinobi asked.
"Hell yes, I would have! I would never leave Sakura-chan or Sasuke behind." The look in Naruto's eyes was fierce. Sensei, you would be proud of your son, Kakashi thought. The jônin noticed the others' reactions to Naruto's proclamation. Sakura was nodding in agreement. Sasuke, though he wasn't outwardly agreeing, there was appreciation for Naruto's words on his face.
"Well then, you are a better shinobi than I was at your age." Naruto blinked up at him in confusion. "It took me maybe an hour to realize what I had done wasn't right, but what changed my mind was how my teacher would have looked at me had I returned without my teammates. So I turned around. I engaged the enemy just in time. During the fight I lost my left eye and one of my teammates, the boy who called me trash was partially crushed when one of the Iwa-nin caused a rock slide. His name was Uchiha Obito and his name is here," Kakashi finished softly, pointing to one of the many names on the memorial stone.
All of his students crowded forward to read the name he pointed to. "Before Obito died he asked Rin, our other teammate and medic to take his eye and give it to me. Obito just awakened the sharingan in that battle. He had awakened it to save Rin. He wanted to make sure it continued to protect her." The jônin watched an assortment of emotions flicker across Sasuke's face. "I come here almost every day. I have made many mistakes. I have many regrets. I wish that you learn from this one." He watched as they all ducked their heads.
Not for the first time since taking on this team did Kakashi feel wholly inadequate and unworthy. He had never been a very good teammate. He didn't see how he was supposed to teach them to be something he was not.
"I think today we will take a break. You can train together if you like." With that Kakashi walked slowly out of the clearing. He needed some time away from them as they digested his story and he recovered from telling it. Gai was back in the village. He wondered if the other man would spar with him.
Naruto watched his teacher walk away. It was an odd thing. The man almost never walked, well, he did but he always appeared and disappeared in a puff of smoke usually. Naruto was convinced that the masked nin did it because he knew it annoyed the crap out of all of them.
The situation was uncomfortable and Naruto realized that they barely knew anything about the man they called sensei. Team 7 was quiet as they contemplated what they were told.
Naruto opened his mouth to ask Sakura and Sasuke what they thought but then closed it. Kakashi's story was supposed to not only answer how he had received the sharingan, but also be a lesson to them about the importance of the team. Talking about anything other than that seemed like a violation of Kakashi's privacy.
It was a heavy thing to leave them with. Naruto looked towards the stone, remembering the days he used to come here and read the names, searching for a particular one.
The blonde repressed a shudder at the thought that any of Team 7 would end up on the stone. Not for a long time if he had anything to say about it.
They didn't have to go back to training, but Naruto didn't really want to have the rest of the day to just his thoughts. He looked towards his teammates. "Rest, of the day off. So maybe he isn't as much of a monster as we thought," the blonde mused. Sakura's pink head nodded. Sasuke scowled but his head also jerked in agreement.
"He also has quite the reputation apparently," Sakura added, holding up the Bingo Book.
"'Still want to know what he is hiding under that mask."
The girl next to him laughed. "You wanted a lesson in meditation right Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Yeah, wanna to do that now since we're free the rest of the day?" Sakura nodded and turned to make her way back to the training grounds. "Man, since we are free the rest of the day, wanna get ramen for lunch?"
"We just ate and you're already thinking about food?" the pink haired girl asked incredulously.
"'Course," Naruto responded with a grin. The genin glanced back at his other teammate, "You commin' Sasuke?" The black haired boy had still been looking at the memorial stone. He looked up and with a nod followed the other two.
Naruto groaned as he flopped backwards. "You're getting closer don't give up," Sakura encouraged. Meditation was apparently a bit more difficult than it appeared.
"Sakura-chan we have been at this for hours, can't we go and get ramen now?" Naruto asked pleadingly, his bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
"Fine," Sakura conceded.
"Yes! Oi bastard we're going to go get ramen now! OW! Sakura-chan!"
"Language," the girl said without a hint of remorse.
Sasuke just rolled his eyes at his teammates' antics as he made his way over to them.
Team 7 departed the training grounds together as Naruto expounded on the brilliance of the ramen they were about to enjoy.
"Hey isn't that Chôji?" Naruto said, glancing to his left and pausing in his vocal deliberation on whether he was going to get the miso or the salt ramen first. His teammates followed his gaze. It wasn't just Chôji, but Shikamaru, Ino and what looked like their jônin sensei as well.
"They're probably headed to the mission office in the Hokage Tower," Sakura observed. Team 7 took in their old classmates and dissolved into silence for the rest of the way to the ramen stand, each thinking about different things.
"Why the hell haven't we taken a mission yet? It's been like a month since we became genin," Naruto complained, as he took a stool, Sakura and Sasuke flanking him. "Teuchi-jisan three bowls of miso to start!" Naruto called.
"Idiot, why would you want to go on a D-rank anyway? Waste of time," Saskue scoffed. Naruto rolled his eyes at the insult, used to it by now.
"We'll have to do them at some point," Sakura said, wiping her hands with a moist napkin.
"Mmm, Sasuke might have a point. I'd rather train than take a D-rank, but," Naruto paused for a moment, wondering if he should finish his sentence. "I need the pay," he admitted. Both of his teammates looked at him in surprise.
Three bowls of steaming ramen were put in front of them, interrupting what would have been an awkward silence. "Thanks Ayame-chan!" The other two mumbled their thanks at the brunette server. The three ate in silence. Naruto frowned into his bowl. His funds were running low. He had stopped receiving money from the orphan fund once he made genin. Without the monthly check he wouldn't be able to pay his rent or utilities next month.
"Don't worry Naruto, we'll talk to Kakashi-sensei about taking missions tomorrow," Sakura said as she smiled gently. Naruto gave her a small smile in return and attacked his ramen with more gusto. "Actually there was something else I wanted to talk to you guys about." Naruto and Sasuke both looked up from their bowls at her. "Well you see, I've been doing some reading…"
Naruto snorted, "When aren't you doing some reading?"
The girl rolled her eyes, but plowed on. "Genin teams aren't chosen at random." Naruto and Sasuke shared a look wondering where she was going with this statement. Sakura had a bad habit to ramble before getting to the point when she wasn't sure about something.
"Iruka told us that they were balanced by ability level," Sasuke said, recalling the lecture the day before the teams were announced.
Sakura nodded. "That was what he told us," she agreed.
"Sakura are you saying Iruka-sensei lied?" The idea didn't sit well with Naruto. Iruka-sensei was one of the few adults Naruto actually trusted.
"Think about it. Why would you place the best student and the worst student on the same team? It doesn't make sense."
Naruto frowned. That sounded like balance to him. Sasuke made a noise of comprehension. "What am I not getting here?" he asked.
"The final test is pass fail for the whole team Naruto, not just ours but every jônin's test is designed that way."
The light bulb clicked on in the blonde's head. "Ohh, why risk sending the best back to the Academy by putting the worst on the same team…Hey! I wasn't the worst!"
"On paper you were."
"Sakura-chan!"
"Facts are facts idiot."
"Bastard!"
"Enough! Are you going to let me finish?" Sakura's question quieted them. "I did some research and looked into the other teams that passed the test. First Team 10, Chôji, Shikamaru and Ino. Their team assignment was easy enough to figure out. I stayed over at Ino's a lot when we were kids. All three families are close and were over a lot and I'm pretty sure their dads were all on the same genin team. Ino's dad was training her in clan jutsu, no doubt Shikamaru and Chôji received similar training."
"If it ain't broke don't fix it," Naruto stated, rubbing his chin in thought.
"Exactly, if teamwork is a goal of a genin team they would have it without even trying given they have all known each other for so long. Plus their clan jutsu have proven to be complimentary no doubt."
Sasuke grunted his agreement at Sakura and Naruto's conclusions. "And the other team that passed?" he questioned.
"Team 8, Aburame Shino, Hyûga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba," Sakura listed. "They required a bit of research but they all come from prominent clans." Naruto frowned slightly. It was a rather disturbing trend Sakura had just passed by. He had never really thought about it. All six of the other genin came from the most well-known clans in Konoha. Sasuke was from one as well. Sakura was from a civilian family and he was an orphan. Shaking his head, Naruto focused. "I have a theory about them. Shino's clan uses bugs. They have various abilities but one that I found described in detail was the ability to follow a chakra signature."
Sakura looked at the boys to see if they were following along. They had learned about chakra signatures and could sense and track them to an extent but the skill was not an easy one to acquire. "Hinata's clan is famous for the bloodline limit called the byakugan."
"What does it do?" Naruto questioned.
"It's a dôjutsu, like the sharingan, but it has different abilities. I know it allows the user a 360 degree view of the area surrounding them," Sasuke explained. "The sharingan is superior," he added, ignoring Naruto's scoff.
"Lastly the Inuzuka clan has dog companions. They even take on some canine traits when they bond with their partner," Sakura finished.
"Ahh, I knew that one," Naruto spoke with a grin. "Kiba's got a real sensitive nose, almost too sensitive, you could say," Naruto chuckled.
Sakura shuddered at Naruto's implication, wondering what horrible smells Naruto had forced the other boy to endure. "The point is all these abilities could be very useful in one particular field."
"Tracking," Sasuke supplied, almost as soon as Sakura had finished her sentence.
"But why put those three on a team together if they're all suited for the same thing?" Naruto questioned. "That sure as hell isn't balanced."
"No, but they would potentially be a very strong tracking team," Sakura countered. "With all three of them working together they would never lose a target."
"So, if Team 8 serves a single function then perhaps Team 10 is similar," Sasuke hypothesized.
"I thought so too, but I'm not sure exactly what function that would be. I know most of the Nara clan is highly intelligent, but I don't know what their clan jutsu are based around. Akimichi is a mystery to me as well."
"And Yamanaka?" Sasuke questioned.
Naruto saw hesitance flicker across Sakura's face for a second. "Their jutsu have to do with the mind."
"But that aside, they were put together for a reason and it sure as hell wasn't balance," Naruto ground out. It seemed irrefutable now. Iruka-sensei either outright lied or misled them.
The blonde saw Sakura bite her lip and look at him worriedly. "It also leaves the question of why we are on a team together. Kakashi-sensei has run us back through the basics of the Academy. Sure we are learning taijutsu more suited to us as individuals but basically we have just been perfecting and learning the real world applications of what we learned in the Academy."
"True, it doesn't seem like he is pushing us towards a certain field," Naruto agreed. Blue eyes took in the serious frown on the pink haired girl's face. "Hey it's not a huge deal. Don't get upset over it."
"But, you don't see it? Kakashi has the sharingan."
"Yeah, so what?"
"Well, I don't think we were meant to pass the team test."
Naruto spluttered and Sasuke's head whipped around to look sharply at the girl. "Why would you say something like that?" Naruto cried. Sure, Naruto had realized by now that he had basically played around in the Academy. Yes, he had been ignored by the teachers, but he hadn't tried to better himself on his own either.
Sakura sighed, "Think about it logically Naruto." The girl was purposefully ignoring Sasuke at this point. "My physical grades were terrible. I was probably third to last in the class, and sure my exam scores were high, but if you averaged the two I was a mediocre prospect at best and I would still probably be towards the lower end of that scale."
She held up her hand when Naruto was about to protest. "You were basically my opposite. Sure, you did okay at sparring because of your crazy amount of energy but your technique was horrible and all together you were the worst in our grade. The final genin exam takes physical abilities into account more than written. Even with that bonus you were still the worst because you couldn't perform the clone technique. I wasn't much better, so tell me how we make a balanced team?"
Naruto was speechless and more than a little upset by the time Sakura was finished. The team sat in silence for a few moments, their appetites gone. "But if we didn't pass then Sasuke…?" Naruto trailed off as he finally connected the dots. Kakashi was their teacher because of Sasuke. The blonde didn't like the line that particular realization led to.
"Not every year do the teams divide up equally into groups of three, the whole have to pass with your team thing isn't exactly true. From the records I read through there were times when even single genin were passed in the middle of the year. Kakashi-sensei has the sharingan and was no doubt selected for Sasuke, but that again-."
"Leaves you and me totally out of the picture," Naruto concluded. He didn't know what to feel. Did the Third really expect so little out of him that he had expected him to fail? Why had Iruka-sensei even let him pass the bogus genin exam? Confusion gave way to burning resentment within Naruto.
"So what?" Sasuke's flat voice broke through the fog of emotion in Naruto's head. "So what if you were put on this team to fail. Obviously the monster saw reason to pass us together." Naruto wanted to agree. "Yes, you both were awful, but you both excelled at things we didn't focus on in the Academy. Kakashi's test proved that." Sakura brightened from the praise. "And now, only a month out of the Academy you both have nearly mastered completely new taijutsu styles. We can all walk on water, steal something right out of someone's pocket without them noticing, follow each other through the village while remaining undetected, traps, chakra sensing, weapons, deception detection, we may complain about Kakashi but so far he has done as promised. We're all stronger, faster, smarter and more competent."
Naruto gaped at his usually stoic teammate. From the corner of his eye he could see Sakura looking similarly surprised. "What," Sasuke asked, scowling at their expressions.
The blonde's astonishment turned to mischief as he brought a hand up to his heart. "Sasuke that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me." The black haired genin huffed and rolled his eyes. He tossed money down on the counter and stood. "Wait Sasuke! Does this mean you like me?" Sakura choked on the last bit of broth in her bowl. Naruto grinned as he watched the other boy stalk off. "Looks like the bastard is really warming up to us, Sakura-chan."
His statement was met with a cuff to the back of his head. "Language."
Sasuke didn't know what to think anymore. He sidestepped a strike to his chest from Sakura and aimed a kick to her face that she avoided nimbly. The discussions from the day before were difficult to keep out of his head as he attempted to focus on training. After they had finished ramen, the three genin had returned to their training ground to work, even though they were given the day off. He and Naruto had sparred together until they were both bloody. After patching up their wounds they tried meditating with Sakura.
He didn't want to think about all Kakashi revealed. Sasuke had spent all these years believing that only himself and that man had (or really had the ability to have in his case) the sharingan, to find that not only was there someone else alive with it and his own teacher at that.
Sasuke felt slightly betrayed by the knowledge. What else was Kakashi keeping from him? The man was tight-lipped about pretty much everything. His teaching method was a primary example. Kakashi never told them the reasons behind anything they did really. It was annoying now, but it was down right frustrating in the beginning.
Sasuke ignored his protesting muscles as he bent forwards to avoid Kakashi's sandal from smashing into his face. It was the fourth day of doing nothing but conditioning exercises, taijutsu and chakra control work.
His entire being wanted to just collapse into the ground. He aimed a round house kick at Kakashi's side and bit down on his lip hard as Kakashi countered with his own kick. The genin truly thought his shin had snapped in half. Stumbling, Sasuke tried to catch his breath and nearly groaned in relief when Kakashi raised his hand signaling the end of the spar.
"Naruto, Sakura that's enough," the jônin called. "Get some water." On the other side of the training ground the other two genin made towards the shade of the trees where the packs were. Sasuke and Kakashi joined them.
"Sensei, when are we going to start using ninjutsu?" Naruto asked. It was a question that Sasuke himself had been wondering. Kakashi had yet to even mention ninjutsu or genjutsu. They hadn't used either since their exam.
"Probably not for another month," the man responded.
"A month?" Naruto exclaimed shrilly. Sasuke seconded the sentiment, but not quite at that volume. "Why not?!"
"Do you know what it takes to perform ninjutsu?" Sasuke blinked at their teacher. He knew Naruto was an idiot but he wasn't that much of an idiot…or was he?
"Of course I do," the blonde snapped back with a glare. Kakashi simply raised his sole visible eyebrow as if to say prove it. "Chakra."
"Correct, and do you know what stops a shinobi from being able to perform a ninjutsu, Sasuke?"
Rolling his eyes skyward he answered, "Not enough chakra."
"Correct , and?"
"Lack of control?" Sakura answered hesitantly.
"Correct!" Kakashi gave them both a creepy eye smile and Sasuke repressed a shiver. "Now as children," all three of them scowled at being called such, "your chakra systems are underdeveloped and you have access to only a fraction of the amount of chakra you will have when your systems finally stabilize." Naruto looked like he wanted to interrupt, but changed his mind and fell quiet. "Sakura has slightly below average reserves for a genin." The pink haired girl deflated at this. "Sasuke has larger reserves, probably slightly above average, I would say. And Naruto well, has an enormous amount of chakra, perhaps more than even I have now."
"What?!" Sakura cried, looking at Naruto open-mouthed. Sasuke cursed inwardly. He had been wondering how the idiot had been able to create so many shadow clones during the final test.
Kakashi waved a hand, "Some people are just born with a naturally large amount of chakra." The black haired boy wasn't buying it and by the flush of Naruto's cheeks the other boy knew their teacher was lying. "Now, how do we increase chakra capacity?"
"You have to increase the two types of energy chakra comes from," Sakura answered quickly.
"And those are, someone other than Sakura?"
"Physical and mental." Nartuto threw out.
"Yes and how do we increase the physical?"
"Exercise," Sasuke said, feeling a little foolish that he hadn't seen where this conversation was going.
"Exactly. I don't see the point in teaching you ninjutsu that you won't be able to use effectively, when learning and improving your taijutsu not only allows you a more efficient way to take down an enemy, but also increases your chakra capacity at the same time."
"But sensei, you just said I have more chakra than you!" Naruto complained.
"Yes, and your control is so utterly lacking that you can't even manage a simple clone," Kakashi responded smoothly.
"Which is why you have been making us do the chakra control exercises," Sakura concluded.
"Yes. Naruto isn't the only one lacking control," he said with a pointed look at Sasuke. "The fire release techniques you used before wasted a huge portion of your energy." Sasuke grimaced at the critique. "Sakura on the other hand has near perfect control naturally." Said girl managed a small smile at the praise. "It is easier to learn control while your reserves are small. That is why we have been focusing on it so heavily."
"Sensei, what are some ways we can increase the mental side of our capacity?" Sakura questioned.
"The mental is a bit more difficult actually, but it can be increased through meditation and study. You also gain it through simply living and gaining experience."
"So you're not going to teach us ninjutsu until when exactly?" Naruto asked, not looking at all happy with the situation. Sasuke had to grudgingly agree with the idiot. He had learned some of his family's fire jutsu years ago and now he was a genin and being told he couldn't handle them? The frown was now permanent on his face.
"Until I feel like it."
Kakashi ignored their groans at his answer and instructed them to get back to work after he answered Naruto's question. They had all learned that there was a method, or probably a method to the man's madness.
Sasuke's thoughts drifted to the second thread of thoughts occupying his head space. He winced briefly as Sakura's foot made solid and painful contact with the soft part of his thigh. He needed to pay more attention. It was nearly impossible though, he was already cycling through everything that was said.
He was angry at the insinuation that they were meant to fail the team test. Uchiha didn't fail. He could follow the reasoning behind Sakura's conclusion, but that didn't stop him from becoming angry about it. Some of that anger was directed at himself. Maybe even a week or two ago he would have been happy to hear it had all been a mistake, that he was indeed worth individual training. A part of him was happy even now, and he was all the more angry at feeling guilty over it.
Sasuke caught a punch from his teammate and used her momentum to flip her over, aiming to bring her down on her back, but Sakura twisted and landed on one foot. Pivoting she kicked at his knee with her other leg causing him to disengage to avoid the painful blow.
The pink haired girl dropped her fighting stance. Her light coloured brows knit together. "You're not focusing," she accused.
Sasuke was saved from answering by Kakashi arriving in the training field.
"Good morning my wonderful minions!" He got three glares in answer. "Ma, you don't seem very happy today." Naruto put down the twin practice knives he had been working with while Sasuke and Sakura approached their team leader.
When they all came together Sasuke saw Sakura share a look with Naruto. The pink haired girl nudged him softly. "Kakashi-sensei, do you think, well maybe, umm," the blonde struggled to find the words blushing softly.
Sakura sighed and cut in, "Do you think we could take a mission soon sensei?"
Kakashi blinked his one eye in surprise. "You want to take a D-rank instead of training?" Both Sakura and Naruto nodded. "Sasuke?" The black haired boy saw Naruto glance at him from the corner of his eye. Sasuke jerked his head in ascent. "Well, I suppose if that's what you all want. We needed to go to the Hokage Tower today anyway to pick up your salary for the month." The jônin turned on his heel to head back towards the village.
"Our, salary?" Naruto nearly choked on his question.
Kakashi looked over his shoulder, "Yes, come along we don't want to dawdle." The irony in that statement.
"But we haven't completed any missions!" the blonde cried in confusion. Sasuke glanced at his teammate. He knew Naruto was an orphan, but he always assumed like himself the blonde's family left money for him. It was uncomfortable to think about how wrong he he was.
"No, but you still get a base salary for this month. It's there for when you're on injury leave or can't make a living wage while doing D-ranks. Every year you are also entitled to one month's time of training leave. As your team leader, I took the liberty of signing you all up for this month."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Naruto demanded, burning a hole in the back of his sensei's head as they walked.
Kakashi's head tipped back as he looked skyward. "I guess it slipped my mind."
Sasuke snorted and bit down at the frustration he felt on his teammate's behalf. Naruto was anxious all week, but it wasn't till yesterday that the blonde told his teammates the reason behind it. Sakura was also glaring at their so-called team leader.
They traveled the rest of the time in silence. They stopped at the mission pay office on the third floor of the Hokage Tower and collected their first month of pay as genin. Money didn't matter much to Sasuke as he had more than he could need, but something in his chest tightened as he watched Naruto carefully count out the amount and do what looked like some mental math, before smiling in relief. The blonde looked up and their eyes met for a second. Naruto flushed and Sasuke quickly looked away.
"Hatake-san?" Said jônin looked up from a certain book.
"Yes?" Kakashi answered. The man asking was obviously a paper pusher despite wearing a hitai-ate.
"The Hokage would like to see you."
"Excellent! Children, shall we?"
The paper pusher frowned slightly. "Um, sir I believe the Hokage wanted to see you alone."
"Well, seeing as my students are here it would be a shame not to present them to the Hokage," the silver haired jônin argued with a smile and a head tilt. Sasuke could see the toothpick like man was severely uncomfortable with this. Glancing at his teacher, the boy wondered not for the first time if Kakashi's ridiculous behavior and odd mannerisms were a mask of their own.
"I don't think-," the man began, but the masked jônin was already walking away from him and up the stairs toward the Hokage's office and the three genin followed along after him.
Naruto was snickering into his palm and even Sakura had a mischievous smile on her face. Sasuke himself smirked.
The door guards let them pass by without fanfare but the secretary seated outside threw a nasty look at their team leader. Sasuke sent her a glare and to her credit she simply raised an eyebrow in return.
The Hokage was seated behind his desk, pipe in mouth and a pile of paperwork strewn across his desk. It had probably been a year or two since Sasuke had seen the man in person. He looked old.
"Ahh, Kakashi, and I see you brought your students," the Hokage greeted. If the man was irritated by their presence he didn't show it.
"Yes, well I was helping them collect their training leave salary," Kakashi explained not making eye contact with their village leader. Sasuke observed this with a small amount of confusion.
"Good, good, and how has their first month been?"
"I would say they have improved. Ya know, I don't know why I haven't taken a team before. It is actually rather fun." Team 7 flinched at the way their teacher said the word fun.
"Kakashi, you failed all the other teams you were given," the older man said with a bemused smile. Sasuke's eyes widened marginally. That was an interesting tidbit of information.
Kakashi simply waved a hand and said, "Well, that wasn't my fault."
The Third sighed, "Do you think Team 7 is now ready to take on a mission? Their peers have already completed quite the number of D-ranks."
Sasuke noticed Sakura and Naruto steal a glance at each other with hope in their eyes.
"Actually I have a request."
The last Uchiha tensed slightly, trying to keep his face stoic. He could almost hear Naruto grinding his teeth in an effort to keep his mouth shut and Sakura's sharp intake of breath.
"Oh, Let's hear it."
"I heard through the grape vine that the mission outpost in the outskirts of Takikawa city is to be renovated and reopened." Team 7 looked sideways at their teacher wondering what the hell he was on about.
"You heard correctly." The older man lost a bit of his good mood and was frowning slightly around his pipe.
"I request permission for Team 7 to over see the renovations and initial start up of the outpost and take missions from there for three months."
Silence.
Sasuke looked over at Naruto who appeared to be having some sort of seizure. If Kakashi hadn't previously beat into him that talking out of turn was not acceptable the blonde would not have been able to control himself. Even Sakura looked like she wanted to speak up. Sasuke had a sneaking suspicion that she had a few choice words for the man.
"I can see that you haven't spoken to your team about this," the Third observed.
"Does their opinion matter?" The Hokage was actually frowning at this question and Sasuke was confused by Kakashi's response. That morning the man had made sure that they had consensus before agreeing to allow them to take on a D-rank mission.
"As their team leader you know very well that they must follow you, but I would like to hear their opinion on the matter, " the Hokage cast his disappointed gaze away from Kakashi and looked towards the genin.
The three looked at each other. Sakura bit her lip showing she was unsure. Sasuke guessed it was about being away from the village for so long. Naruto looked contemplative and Sasuke remembered that he had never been outside the surrounding area of the village.
The black haired genin quickly weighed everything in his mind. Both Naruto and Sakura wanted to take missions. Sasuke had to admit that there would be some benefit to that. Naruto wanted to go outside the village and Sasuke couldn't help but feel the same. He hadn't been out since… The genin also thought there were far more reasons Kakashi wanted them to take this posting than he would admit any time soon.
He jerked his head down firmly showing his support for the proposal.
Sakura's lips firmed before she too nodded. Naruto tilted his chin to Sakura, saying he thought she should be the one to speak, and Sasuke showed his agreement by looking back towards the Hokage's watching eyes.
Sakura cleared her throat, "We agree with our team leader. This would be a great opportunity for us."
"Oh, how so?"
Sakura barely paused before answering, "Though we have yet to complete a mission, we have worked hard over the last month to improve and correct any skills lacking from the Academy. Kakashi-sensei has instructed us not only in physical aspects of shinobi life, but he has also made us more aware of the goings on outside the village. This mission will put that knowledge to use and allow us to see its real world application and importance. Takikawa is a prosperous city that lies on the only land boarder between Fire and Water country. Because of its location, I would estimate that nearly half the city's shinobi contracts go to Kirigakure. An outpost would no doubt increase the contracts Konoha would receive from this area. Do to Kiri's continued unrest, now would be the best time to reopen the outpost."
Sasuke kept his face stoic, but inwardly he was impressed. He knew only the location of the city.
"Well said, but this would no doubt be a C-rank mission or possibly B-rank mission. Chûnin would normally be sent on such a mission. Why should I send a group of untried genin?"
The last Uchiha could nearly see the cogs behind Sakura's eyes running at full steam. "Sending a team of chûnin would cost more not only in mission pay but also in the money that team of chûnin would have brought in had they been doing other missions. It would only be ranked such because of the length of duration and the risk of the location," Sakura answered her voice faltering slightly. Naruto and Sasuke both shifted minutely toward her in a show of support. "If we remove both those factors it would no doubt be a D-rank. Kakashi-sensei is an S-class shinobi. His presence greatly diminishes the risk, and as for the duration, well it doesn't matter does it?"
The Third removed the pipe from his mouth as he sat back. "You have two months to get the outpost up and running. By the end of those two months I expect that the mission revenue from the area increase by at least ten percent. Once you arrive I want an estimation of the cost of renovation and an estimated completion date. When the building is finished I will send an administrative chûnin to man the mission office. You will be expected to not only take missions in the area, but support the daily business and upkeep of the outpost." The Hokage's wrinkled eyes appraised their reaction to this appointment. "As your teacher is quite experienced in the comings and goings of outpost life I expect you to perform above and beyond expectations.
Sasuke swallowed thickly, wondering exactly what they had gotten themselves into.
"You are dismissed." Sakura bowed and both Naruto and Sasuke followed her example a beat later. They headed to the door together with Kakashi taking the rear. "Kakashi," the Hokage called before the jônin had made it through the door. The three genin paused as well, looking back. "Do not think you can pull something like this again." As Kakashi turned back around to resume walking Sasuke thought he saw a flash of irritation before their sensei's face turned placid.
There was something going on that he and his teammates were not privy to, but it definitely concerned them Sasuke thought.
Sakura's mind was reeling after the meeting with the Hokage. She could barely remember what she said, but whatever it was it was fucking brilliant. She couldn't stop the self-congratulatory smile that spread like wild fire across her face. Though she was still giddy from her success, dread at what she was going to tell her parents began to poison her good mood.
Sakura was glad that she was too busy to spend much time at home. The fighting had ended and in its wake the silence was stifling. Sakura couldn't help but feel that she somehow was responsible for their fighting. Her mother was proud and encouraging at the beginning of her genin training, but now the two barely spoke. Her mother's continued silent treatment hurt Sakura deeply.
With her mother's silence, feelings of inadequacy had come to creep into the genin's mind.
The only time Chiho interacted with her daughter now, was to help her fix her hair and cluck over her appearance. The fact that her beautiful, flawless mother was hemming and hawing over her looks was greatly troubling to Sakura.
Chiho had given her daughter the pink hair she was named for. The older woman's own hair was darker in color but undeniably pink. It hadn't helped Sakura's self-esteem, when spending time at the playground as a child all the other mother's gushed over Chiho's looks, but then in the same breath would comment how much Sakura took after her father.
The first time Sakura had come home crying after being teased by other kids for her wide forehead, Chiho had wrapped her in the warmest of hugs and told her daughter that she was beautiful inside and out and smart to boot. Her mother's kind words were nowhere to be found now. Sakura would come home with bruises and hair matted with sweat and her mother would just frown and fuss.
Haruno Tatsuki also praised his daughter's brains once upon a time. Whenever he would return home he would bring a book from his travels. Sakura loved his surprises up until Ino had shown her the pretty trinkets her father would bring back from his missions. What good was a book when Ino's bejeweled hairpins won her the envy of all the girls in the schoolyard? Soon Sakura began to resent whenever one of her parents called her smart. She didn't want to be smart. She wanted to be pretty, like Ino.
Up until Kakashi's test Sakura hadn't been able to see that being smart got you anything other than a pat on the head.
Now her father didn't seem to care that his smart daughter was actually making something of herself. At first her mother's encouragement had eased the sting of Tatsuki's condemnation of her chosen career, but it didn't fully shield Sakura from the pain.
And now, now she didn't even have that from her mother to soothe her hurt.
It had been a good day. Sakura and Naruto had taken Sasuke down for the first time on a two on one spar and the three of them working together had been able to track Kakashi-sensei successfully through the forest.
Sakura was aching and bruised as usual, but flushed with pride at the day's achievements. It wasn't even 9:00 at night and she was getting home, which meant she could have a nice long bath before bed.
She silently made her way into the house seeing that the light was on in her father's study. She passed the door to the study quickly, but was called back. "Sakura." The genin bit her lip. Nothing good ever happened when her father used that tone. Sakura entered the room and saw that her mother was there too, mending some clothes.
"Yes, dad," Sakura said, coming to stand in front of her father's desk. Familiar green eyes took in her grubby appearance and the girl tried not to flinch at the scrutiny.
"This nonsense has to stop."
Sakura blinked in confusion, shooting a glance at her mother whose head remained bowed over her work. "What?" the girl asked off kilter at his proclamation.
"Tomorrow I want you to inform your jônin sensei that you quit. You will be joining me on the next buying trip. It's time you started learning the business."
Sakura gaped, open-mouthed at her father. Quit? Quit, after all she had already been through? Quit after she had only just a few days ago decided she wanted this. Quit, and leave Sasuke and Naruto behind? Her father was still talking.
"You were not meant to continue this silly dream after the Academy at all."
Silly dream. Is that what it was? Sakura knew she was the weak link in Team 7. She wasn't as skilled as Sasuke or as tenacious as Naruto. How she had ever thought differently… But to just up and quit because her father decided to finally spend some time with her? Yeah, fuck that, a strong voice in her mind declared.
"No." The confidence in her voice was strange even to her own ears.
Her father frowned. "Excuse me?"
"No," she repeated.
"Sakura this is not up for discussion your mother and I have already decided."
The sting of betrayal was sharp and swift, but now Sakura was too angry to care. "No, I am doing exactly what I want. I am a kunoichi of Konohagakure." Sakura saw her mother raise her head out of the corner of her eye.
"No, you are my twelve year old daughter." Her father's face clouded over with anger and inwardly Sakura shrank. She hated to make either of her parents upset. She hated even the idea that they were angry or disappointed in her, but she wasn't giving up her team. "You will quit tomorrow or I will meet with your teacher and do it my self. "
Tatsuki was livid at this point. Sakura supposed it was because she had never been willfully disobedient. Imagining just how that meeting would go momentarily amused her. "He will not accept that. As a genin, I am seen as an adult." It was the wrong thing to say.
The angry man came to his feet and brought his hand down against his desk with a bang. "You are my child and you will listen to me!"
"Dad, I want, no I am a kunoichi. I know you aren't happy about it but its what I am!"
"You don't even know what that word means! Do you realize that one day you will have to kill. That one day you might not," her father choked slightly, "you might not come back? And you!" The husband turned to his wife, "This whole time you have been encouraging her, our only daughter to run off and get herself killed!" His voice broke just as a wave of understanding washed over Sakura.
Logically the girl knew it was a possibility, but she had never thought how her dying might affect her parents. Her mother muffled a sob with her hand in the corner. The anger in the room cooled as quickly as it had blossomed.
Could she go back? Could she stop now, after finding her resolve?
"Why did you even let me join the Academy?"
There was a beat before Chiho answered, "You were having so many problems with other children, you would come home crying nearly everyday. Then you met Ino-chan. We thought it would be good for you, that it would build your self-confidence.
Her father rubbed his face. "It's rare that children from non-shibobi families pass the final genin test, or so I was told."
"You didn't think I would pass…" It was like Kakashi's fist caught her in the stomach.
"Sakura, I…" her mother began, but whatever she said Sakura didn't hear it. She could understand her father's fear. After all, she didn't want to die, but for him to think she couldn't pass?"
"I'm going to bathe now." She needed to get out she couldn't stay here and look at them.
Tatsuki opened up his mouth to say something, but Chiho cut in, "Ok honey, we'll talk about it more at breakfast." Sakura left without another word.
The morning after her father's proclamation Sakura got up and followed the same routine she had been following for nearly four weeks. She woke up, packed herself left over's and made fresh rice before either of her parents woke up.
She was halfway through her conditioning regime before she realized that she wasn't supposed to be at the training grounds. She stopped doing sit ups and just hung from the tree branches by her chakra infused feet.
Beside her Naruto and Sasuke both paused.
"Sakura-chan, is something wrong?" Naruto asked.
The girl looked at them both. No, she decided. Nothing was wrong. Shaking her head she mustered a smile and continued.
"Oi sensei! What's this about us leaving Konoha for three months?" The blonde looked up questioningly at his teacher.
"I will answer any questions I want to answer, but we will leave it for tomorrow. You no doubt have lots to prepare. You all have camp packs correct?" Sakura nodded. They had been required to buy a basic bedroll and traveling bag in the Academy when they learned how to set up temporary lodging. "Good, I have two tents we can use so that covers that and I will also prepare travel rations. We will be gone for quite some time but pack as light as possible. It will only take a few days to reach the city and we will resupply there."
A few days, Sakura thought dazedly. She knew that it took nearly two weeks for her father's caravan to get there from Konoha. They were going make the trip in a few days?!
"Do bring any training materials you think you will need tomorrow morning. I will have packing scrolls to seal them in. You're dismissed for the rest of the day." Kakashi tapped his chin. "I'm forgetting something… oh right. Sasuke." Said boy stiffened as he was singled out. "You can't wear your clan symbol outside the village."
Sakura and Naruto shared a look before subtly backing away from their teammate who was now leaking anger out his pores.
"I am an Uchiha, it is my right and duty to wear-"
"Yes, yes you are very proud to be Uchiha, we know," Kakashi said, waving a hand. Sakura sighed as the jônin stepped directly onto a land mine. "Before you blow a gasket think for a moment. You are one of the last people in the world who carries the blood of the sharingan. Do you know what that makes you?"
Sakura drew in a sharp breath. Sasuke, however didn't seem to understand. Sakura could tell he was still too angry to think properly.
"It makes you a target for those who wish to remove the power of the sharingan from Konoha. Or worse you are a commodity worth capturing alive."
"How could alive be worse?" Naruto asked.
"You are supposed to be the imaginative one," Kakashi accused, looking slightly disappointed. "Sasuke is twelve, more than old enough, I would think and if not it would be a short wait."
Sakura flushed at the implication. "Sasuke wouldn't-," she began.
"I don't think Sasuke would have much of a choice in the matter."
"What are you talking about?" Naruto huffed, irritated that he wasn't following the conversation. Sakura was beet red at this point and Sasuke looked to be turning a bit green.
"Why harvesting Sasuke's sperm of course," Kakashi said as if pointing out the sky was blue.
"What!" Naruto squawked looking equal parts disturbed and outraged.
"So, as I said lose the clan symbol unless you want to end up dead or forced into fathering an army of little Sasukes." Sakura didn't dare look at Sasuke as Kakashi turned to leave. "Be at the training ground by six tomorrow morning ready to leave." The man poofed away leaving behind three scarred genin.
"Dude…" Naruto started, "I think I am gonna have to agree with Kakashi-sensei on this one."
Sasuke's mouth worked but little sound came out.
"Sasuke… are you alright?" Sakura asked. It was a stupid question. Sakura wasn't alright and that conversation hadn't even been about her.
Sasuke closed his eyes, jaw twitching. "If I can't wear my clan symbol the idiot can't wear that stupid orange jumpsuit."
"Oi! Why are we making this about me? I'm not the one with the damn super sperm!"
"Naruto don't say that word," Sakura hissed. The girl shuddered and tried to focus on thoughts that didn't revolve around Sasuke's…stuff. "Why don't we all get some new clothes?" She needed to anyway. The dress she wore, though pretty was not made of the sturdiest fabric. Sakura wasn't sure how many more times her mother could mend it.
"But…" Naruto's protest was soft and he shifted uncomfortably.
"I can loan you the money," Sasuke said. Sakura bit her lip. She hadn't thought about the money.
"I'm not some charity case," Naruto snapped hotly.
"That's why I said loan dumbass. Try and keep up," Sasuke sneered.
"Bastard!" Naruto roared grabbing the front of his teammates shirt.
Well that escalated quickly, Sakura thought. Raising both arms she smacked them round their heads so their foreheads crashed together. "Enough! Naruto, neither Sasuke nor myself will think any less of you if you borrow some money. We know you will pay it back. Sasuke you could use a lesson in diplomacy. Now lets get to it. We still have a lot to do before tomorrow."
Sakura strode purposefully towards the shopping district, not looking back to see if they followed her. The girl calculated what she needed in her head as she walked, ignoring the continued tension between her teammates. Boys.
She stopped outside of Sato's Shinobi Wears. Her father did business at this shop and she knew there was a good chance the owner would give her a discount. The boys came to stand beside her and she told them as much.
"Let's just get this over with," Naruto said through clenched teeth. The blonde went ahead first. Sakura gave Sasuke a look. Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow in return as if to say it wasn't his fault. Sighing Sakura entered the shop.
"…I won't sell to ya! Get out of my- Sakura-chan!" Sato-san himself was behind the counter. Pity, the pink haired girl had been hoping his wife would be minding the shop today. Sakura took in the scene before her quickly. Naruto looked like he was ready to explode and the shop owner looked nearly ready to come around the counter.
"Sato-san," Sakura managed a sweet smile, "my teammates and I need new attire for an upcoming mission."
"Teammates?" the shopkeeper repeated.
"Yes, teammates," Sakura said again, indicating both Naruto and Sasuke who had come up beside her.
"But," Sato spluttered for a moment, "Your father mentioned you were going to work for him the last time we spoke."
Both her teammates stiffened and Sakura's smile fell. "Plans change. Is there a problem? We can always go to Miyako's?" Catching on to her plan Sasuke made to leave flashing the Uchiha symbol on his back as he did so.
Sharp green eyes took in the portly man's change in face when he saw the symbol.
"No! No problem at all! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!" The pink haired genin couldn't help but feel slightly slimy as she smiled again. Sakura began to grab an assortment of articles from the racks as she quickly made her way to the back of the store.
"Sakura-chan…" Naruto whispered.
"Wait," was all she said in return.
Once they had reached the back of the shop, she hastily pulled the curtain to the small dressing area open, nearly tearing it and shoved both boys in ignoring Naruto's protests. She violently closed the curtain as she too entered.
"What's this about you going to work for your dad?" Naruto asked and Sakura tried not to feel hurt over the accusation in his voice.
The girl sighed. "My father isn't happy that I am kunoichi. He, he didn't think I would actually become a genin after I graduated the Academy." Looking up at the boys she saw there were both confused.
"He thought you would just quit after you got through the boring bullshit of the Academy and finally got to the good part?" Her loud teammate was surprisingly quiet in his incredulity.
Sakura paused before she admitted that her father hadn't believed she would pass the final test.
They had already covered this in the earlier discussion at the ramen shop. Sakura didn't want to reveal that the root of her issues was her own father's lack of confidence in her abilities. "It's not important. I don't plan on quitting." Sakura's eyes lingered on Naruto for a moment, wondering if she should ask about the scene she and Sasuke walked into, but decided it would be better left alone for now. "Lets just get this over with."
Shopping didn't take as long as they all had expected it would. After training for a month they had a better idea of what they each wanted from their clothing. Sasuke put his foot down when it came to loud colours, so all their clothing was either neutral or black. Sakura helped the boys choose the fabric most suited to their needs. They were out of the store within two hours.
Sakura haggled with Sato to get the price of their clothes lowered. When the time came to pay she was a little concerned about Naruto becoming upset again, but the boy allowed Sasuke to pay for some of his things without much fuss.
Sakura didn't fail to notice the shop owner glare daggers at her teammate. Sakura couldn't help but feel her temper rise.
Perhaps she could slip into her father's office tonight and find something she could use against the man in the future. Sato's was more expensive than his competitors, but the craftsmanship of the pieces was higher quality. She and her teammates would no doubt be back in the future.
Sakura arrived home to an empty house and quickly began to pack up her travel bag. She was in the middle of getting her toiletries into travel-sized bottles when she felt her mother enter the house. Finishing what she was doing Sakura took a breath. Might as well get it over with.
Chiho must have come back from the market as the kitchen was littered with food goods, when Sakura entered the kitchen.
"Mom," Sakura said in greeting.
Her mother who had been bent over with her head in the fridge jumped with a squeak and whirled around. "Sakura!," the older woman gasped pressing her palm against her chest. "You scared me," she admonished. "Is something the matter? Why are you home so early?"
Sakura bit her lip before throwing caution to the wind. "I am leaving on a mission tomorrow."
"Leaving? As in leaving the village?" Chiho asked softly. Sakura nodded. Chiho sat at the table and gestured for Sakura to do the same. "For how long?"
Sakura ducked her head. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to ask why her mother cared suddenly cared. Her mom had spoken barely a word to her in five days. But she couldn't be angry when she saw the grief in the older woman's blue eyes. "Two months."
Her mother's sharp intake of breath made Sakura bite her lip again. "I see." Sakura stood. The message had been delivered there was nothing else to say. "Sakura." The girl froze and looked up at her mother's smiling face. "I'm so proud of you."
Sakura breathed trying to suppress the tears that were quickly coming to the surface. "Why?" was all she managed to choke out. All the hurt and anguish she felt over the last week rose to the surface.
"Oh my baby." Chiho stood and encircled Sakura in a hug. "The last thing I want is for you to get hurt but you have been so happy since you joined the team. I knew I could never take that away from you."
"But dad said," Sakura refuted shaking her head against her mother's shoulder.
"Your father is worried for your safety and doesn't know how better to deal with it."
Pulling back slightly to look at her mom Sakura wiped at her face. "But why all the terrible words against shinobi? I know a lot of them are true in a certain light, but we live in a shinobi village."
Sakura saw her mother's face freeze at her question. "That has nothing to do with you, put it out of your mind."
The young girl nodded and tried not to think about how her mother pressed her lips together, a habit she did when she was hiding something. "Did you really think I wouldn't pass?" Sakura whispered.
"Oh Sakura," Chiho said as she pulled her daughter in for another tight hug. "I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. You are so much smarter and stronger than I was at your age."
Sakura breathed in her mother's scent and stopped thinking about anything other than how good it felt to be hugged.
Naruto was surprised by a knock on his door that night and even more surprised to open the door to see his one eyed teacher with a cardboard box in his hands. Kakashi wasn't one to make house calls.
"Uhh sensei?" Naruto greeted dumbly.
"Good evening my favorite blonde student!" his teacher greeted in return.
"Would you like to come in?" Naruto asked throwing a questioning glance at his apartment that was in no shape to receive guests.
"No no no, I am sure you are busy preparing for tomorrow, I just wanted to come by and give you these." The jônin lifted the box he was carrying and Naruto held out his arms to receive it.
"What are these exactly?"
"Well, I haven't looked in here for a while but these were some scrolls my sensei gave me when I started out learning fûinjutsu. There might be some ninjutsu mixed in there too, but I thought with your interest in sealing you might want to have them. Take a look through them tonight and see if you wanted to bring any of it along," Kakashi explained as he handed the box off to Naruto.
The genin took the box, not knowing what to say as his throat tightened, making it difficult to swallow. In his entire life he could count on one hand the amount of times he had been given anything. "Thank you Kakashi-sensei," he said finally, not looking up at the man.
"No problem. I best get going still haven't started packing myself. This elderly gentlemen needed help fixing his radio." With that the silver haired shinobi left and Naruto slowly closed the door to his apartment.
Setting the box on the table he excitedly cut through the tape holding it closed. There were indeed scrolls inside and Naruto quickly began sorting through them. There were fûinjutsu scrolls, ninjutsu scrolls, some blank scrolls and then at the bottom of the box a small book.
Thinking that his sensei had probably thrown the book in at some point and forgotten it, Naruto flipped it open and was surprised to see it wasn't a book but a photo album. The first picture he happened to flip to was one of a much younger Kakashi and what looked like his genin team.
Naruto stared at the young faces. Kakashi looked serious and stoic and notably didn't cover his left eye. The black haired genin in the picture was sticking out his tongue and flashing the peace sign with one of his hands. The boy realized it must be Uchiha Obito, the boy who taught Kakashi what it was to be a team. The female teammate was pretty. Naruto wondered where she was now.
Naruto hesitated before he flipped to the next page. Kakashi had probably given this to him by mistake. It would be an invasion of privacy if he continued looking through it. But, what if there was a picture of Kakashi without his mask? Curiosity won.
Flipping the pages he got a shock when he recognized another team picture with a very famous shinobi in it. The Fourth Hokage's face smiled up at him surrounded by Kakashi's team. Naruto blinked in shock. Kakashi's sensei had been the Fourth Hokage!
There were some other faces that appeared, a woman with long red hair, a man in a green jumpsuit, a man with long white hair and a very buxom blonde woman.
Hurridly, Naruto began to flip the pages quicker, but stopped when he realized that Uchiha Obito no longer made an appearance and Kakashi's hitai-ate was slanted. Obito must have died, Naruto thought. His teacher looked older, and the third teammate's face always had a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Naruto thought for a moment that he should stop looking through it as he doubted there were any pictures of a maskless Kakashi, when he came across the Fourth and the red haired woman holding hands. He had not known that the Fourth had been married. Perhaps they hadn't been, but he could see the two cared deeply for each other.
He flipped to the next page and saw that the next few were of just the Fourth and the woman, and a few more flips the woman was revealed to be pregnant by the bulge of her stomach and the Fourth kneeling in front of it.
He had definitely never heard of the Fourth having a child. Reaching the end of the book he came to the last picture. It was the woman, who was large and round holding Kakashi's hand to her stomach with a large grin on her face despite the reluctant look on Kakashi's.
What had happened to the child, Naruto wondered. How could the child of the most celebrated Hokage in history not be known through out Konoha?
The corner of the picture was bent out of shape. Naruto tried to bend it back into the slit where it was supposed to be held, but only managed to pull the other corners out of their slots. Sighing he picked the picture up to straighten it out properly.
Markings on the back of the picture caught his attention. He turned it over and his heart nearly stopped as he read the words written on the back.
Kushina, Kakashi and baby Naruto
A/N: First let me say thank you to everyone who left a comment and another thank you to those of you that have commented more than once. It always makes me ridiculously happy to read them.
Kleio96: I was like how did you know where I was going when I read your comment. I did end up giving the memorial speech kind of. I hope it didn't disappoint. Also another point on Kakashi's character which I hope came across in this chapter but maybe not is that Kakashi isn't comfortable with opening up to his team quite yet. He understands the necessity of the kids learning from his experiences but he still can't connect emotionally with his team.
The Hate Child: I have to agree with your point about Naruto. The truth is Naruto is the most tiring for me to write which I didn't really expect. I really thought that would go to Sasuke because I hate canon Sasuke with a passion. But no Naruto is the most difficult. I think it's because Naruto is furthest away from my own personality. I already had a majority of this chapter written when I read your comment but I will try my best in the future to make Naruto more, well Naruto
I know this chapter was light on Kakashi. Next time I promise.
I won't have the next update quite so fast I am sorry to say but under two weeks I promise.
I also did the very standard new clothes schtick. I think it is honestly necessary. The idiocy of having someone with a rare bloodline limit wear a shirt that proclaims it is just too much.
My apologies for grammar mistakes or typos.