Title: The Only One That Walks Beside Me
By: Zeida and Maria (Zeida)
Rating: T
Summary: Shortly after Naruto goes into the academy, he suffers from a mental breakdown, and makes a deal with Kyuubi, resulting in a completely different world, and a completely different adventure, following a very similar timeline. AU -Possible Yaoi- Kaka, Saku, Sasu, Hina and Naru-centric
Pairings: Nothing definite, but it's likely to be either SasuNaru, or NaruHina for the main. Will most likely also contain InoSaku, and ItaIru (Betcha never seen that before…) This story is not, however, based around romance, so none of these will take an overly important part, and there won't be any of it until at LEAST the Chuunin exams. No, that's just the development. We're not gonna get any real romance until after where the actual series is… and that's a while off.
Main Characters: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata, Haruno Sakura, and Hatake Kakashi
Warnings: Possible Yaoi/Shonen ai, Possible Yuri/Shoujo ai, violence, my first attempt at violence, and my first attempt at a dark-ish fic. It's personality manipulation, really… Also, I had no help from Maria on this one at all, because she doesn't like the idea, so if it's bad, I understand, and, well, I won't continue it, if people don't like it.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto, or any of the songs that I may put in the beginning of this fic. If I owned it, would this be a fan fiction? Huh? Would it?
Note: Alright! I'm back! (Sort of) Well, I've got the next chapter at any rate (And, it's more ten twice as long as the last two, so... I hope that sort of makes up for it!). Thank you, all those who have shown me support, during my problems (Which have not been solved yet, Although I did get a new computer) I appreciate it greatly, and I'm sorry this took so long, but after I started typing, I suddenly got depressed, because I was re-doing so much work. Some of you guys might be able to feel my pain.
I have, currently, this chapter typed, and the next started (would have much, but I couldn't get off my lazy ass during Christmas vacation to do anything remotely productive, beyond spending time with my mom on her Birthday.) I also have ch. 5 and 6 written, I've planned and started writing ch. 8, and, I'm starting work on a little interlude thing, that will go up sometime during the wave arc, when I get to finnishi9ng it. (Hinata fans cheer, because she's the star of this little cut-in piece.) The chapters seem to be getting longer, although I will have to wait until they're typed to be sure, but that's another thing to look forward to.
Current Pairing Status: SasuNaru: 6 votes so far, would be 7, but someone withdrew theirs… I think? NaruHina: 3 votes so far, but people have been giving some very good arguments, as to WHY it should be NaruHina, rather than SasuNaru, and I might pick something different than the poll outcome, although it's unlikely.
The Poll will be open until the Chuunin exam starts, so vote, you have a bit of time :) Or, rather, until I start WRITING the chuunin exams. (I'm planning the end of the wave arc now, people) so, hurry! Right now it's SasuNaru, but NaruHina can still catch up!
-:- -:- -:- -:-
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
- Bob Dylan, Blowin' in the Wind
-:- -:- -:- -:-
Chapter 3: The Bell test
"H-hello…" She was able to stammer, still quite in shock from the days earlier events, when she'd found out who was on her team. Like, who wouldn't be?! "What do you need, Kiba-san?"
"Oh, I just wanted to ask you about your team." Kiba answered with a feral grin that made the pink-haired Konoichi shiver.
"What, exactly, did you want to know?" Sakura asked. She was sure her voice was so high-pitched right now. It would probably hurt a deaf man's ears.
"Just… you know, stuff!" Kiba flashed her a grin, but… It seemed so fake. Kiba had always been the energetic one, the excitable, happy-go-lucky idiot. Why was he throwing her fake smiles all of a sudden? Maybe he was trying to hide his un-rivaled pity for her being on Naruto's team? Yeah, that had to be it. It must be it. Yup. That's right. Nothing else to it.
"A-alright…" She muttered shyly. She just had this bad feeling about this whole thing… it wasn't just the grin, Kiba seemed fake.
Kiba's grin widened. "Ok! So! What do you think of your team?" He asked.
Sakura frowned. She knew she would be getting this at some point, but she just wasn't sure who would be sent to find out what it was like on a team with a demon. They were probably all celebrating how they weren't put on his team…
"Well, I- I'm really happy that I'm on Sasuke-kun's team, I- I was so excited when I heard. I'm so happy," Yes, best to stick with level ground first, but now came the truly hard part… " I just- I'm just so scared as well. I couldn't even go find Sasuke-kun, like I was originally planning, because I was so scared, worried. I… I feel like I'm gonna' die…" She was starting to ramble, but she didn't care. She… She just needed to get it out of her system.
"Oh. Ok then, uh- what's so scary?" Kiba asked. Did he want to torture her, by making her say it? How evil the innocent turn out to be! She would get him back for this… somehow. Maybe a nice, big, iron hammer in the head…
"Being on a team with Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. She… didn't want to say it, but, what else was there to do? And, it was a good idea to get it all out, right?
Kiba nodded in understanding. "I get it." His grin was renewed seconds later though, as he asked, "Ok, so, like, what grade did you get on the test? I did…ok."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "You got second-to last, Kiba. The only one you beat was Shikamaru, and he slept through every test! Of course he didn't do well." Kiba coughed.
"Yeah…"
Sakura sighed. "I did really well in the Genjutsu section, adequate in the Ninjutsu section, a perfect score on the written exam, and…"
"What did ya get fer the Taijutsu section?" Kiba persisted.
"I…I passed." Sakura said evasively. She really didn't want to say her actual score…
"Huh? That bad, I'm kinda surprised, you hit really hard, Sakura, I'da thought you'd be waaaaay up there, with your strength…" Sakura blushed a deep crimson and stuttered for a moment.
"W-what are you here for, answers, or the butter me up?" She asked. Her voice's pitch had gone down, since the start of the conversation, and she had just started to relax, now she was all wound up again… stupid Kiba… She ignored the part of her head that reminded her Kiba was also the one who had helped her relax.
Kiba just shrugged, and fired another question at her. "What's it like at home for ya? Got any siblings, parents?"
Sakura frowned, and didn't answer for a moment. "A mom and dad, they're nice. I also have- I mean had an older sister…" The last part of her explanation was low and she could feel a slight prickle at the corner of her eye. She…She would not cry! She had to be strong for her sister, strong for Suiren.
"What do you mean, 'had'?" Asked Kiba curiously.
"She… She died, when I was six. She was really sick, you know? She… wanted to be a ninja. But, you see, she never could, because she was always so sick…She was only 17, when it happened, they said she had some weird imbalance in her chakra system, if she ever used it, that'd be it, and, one day, she just did. I… I never really got to say goodbye. She's the one who inspired me, to, well, try. I was always so shy, and quiet, and subconscious about my forehead, she always told me to try not to hide it, then people would stop picking on me about it, I never took the advice until I met Ino though…" Sakura turned her head to see Kiba seemed to be listening intently. "I…I'm probably boring you, I'll stop." Sakura muttered.
Kiba shook his head furiously. "No, I'm fine!" He looked at her intently. "So, uh, not that quiet anymore, are ya? Half Konoha prob'ly heard you yelling at Ino earlier."
Sakura blushed again. "Sorry… I guess where Sasuke-kun's concerned, I really don't think…"
Kiba rolled his eyes, before standing up. "Why do you like him so much, anyway?"
Sakura thought. She… she had a reason. He was hot, that was true, but she wasn't as shallow as that, was she? No. He was also strong, and dedicated, and lonely. She wanted to help him. She was drawn to him, and she would, she would do whatever it took to gain Sasuke-kun's friendship, his love. "That's none of your business, Kiba."
"Ok, I'll be going now. Oh, one more thing Sakura, you don't have to answer me, just think about it, 'kay?" Kiba asked surprisingly seriously. Sakura nodded, mildly curious. "Why… do you hate Naruto? Sure, he's scary, but, you… heck, all of us, hated him even before that. So, why?"
And Sakura sat there, staring at the place Kiba had stood moments before, thinking. Why did she hate Naruto?
-:- -:- -:- -:-
"Sakura? Sakura! SAKURA!" Sakura sat bolt up-right, her head swinging back and forth in an attempt to see who had awoken her from her… brooding. "Oh, Sakura, you're awake. Now get up, or you'll be late to your first day as a ninja!" Sakura's eyes fell finally upon the culprit, a stout, thin, beautiful woman with long blonde hair, pulled back into a low braid. She had a long strip of bang covering her right eye. She… actually looked a lot like Ino, didn't she?
"Morning mom." Sakura muttered, her voice being temporarily stolen by a yawn, she stretched her arms upward. "What time is it?"
"Five thirty." She said sternly. "Aren't you supposed to be somewhere at six?" Sakura drew in a breath.
"Thank you for waking me, mom!" Sakura said gratefully, pulling herself out of bed.
She smiled and nodded before leaving the room with a cheery wave. "Have a good time, sweetie!" She called as she left.
"I will, mom!" Sakura called back, in the process of pulling on her red dress and white Capri pants. She was going to be late, if she didn't hurry! A few sweeps of the brush through her hair, and she was rushing out the door, running head-long for the bridge Kakashi-Sensei had told them to meat for their 'training exercise'.
He had been very vague about what it was going to be about, and it gave the distinct impression of TRICK about it, but she had no choice but to go, if she wanted to become a shinobi… Plus, Sasuke-kun was going, and that was reason enough, right? Right!
But… Sasuke-kun reminded her of her conversation with Kiba (Was it Kiba?) which she had been trying very hard to forget about. She… she didn't want to have to think about it… Of course, that didn't change the fact that she had fallen asleep thinking about it, which is probably what had spurred the dream she had had on. But… she didn't want to have to deal with her past… or she'd start going back to far until she got to- No! She wouldn't think about that…
Sakura shook her head furiously from side to side, her long pink hair whipping around in the wind created by a mixture of her running and her heads movements from side to side.
By the time Sakura got to the bridge (About 2.35 minutes after she got out of the house) she was completely out of breath, and whatever she may have done to her hair that morning to make it look presentable was ruined. She let out a sigh and walked up the slope of the bridge to find both her team mates already there. Sasuke-kun was sitting on the railing (more like leaning up against it) and Naruto was sitting cross-legged on the stone floor of the bridge, taking slow leisurely bites of toast.
Sakura was about to sit on the railing next to Sasuke-kun and wait for Kakashi-Sensei (flirt with Sasuke-kun) when she did a double take. Hadn't Kakashi-Sensei said… no food?
Before she could stop herself the words had already come out of her mouth. "Why do you have food? Didn't Kakashi say we couldn't eat anything this morning?" She clapped a hand over the treacherous opening, but the words were already said.
Naruto looked up at her, but said nothing, just raised an eyebrow. Now, Sakura as she had already said, would not have said that if her mouth hadn't betrayed her, but now that it had been said, she wanted an answer. The question was, was it worth her life to get that answer?
That was the question, wasn't it? What was her life worth? Not much, really? But… surly it was worth more than the answer to a simple question? She… It should have been an easy choice, but she felt… for some reason, if she asked… she might get an answer. Just maybe…
"P-please answer me?" She tried. It… couldn't seem that bad… if he didn't answer, she would give up, not pursue it further. Yes. That was good.
Naruto was still looking at her. It was a calculating look, one you might give someone if they randomly came up to you, and gave you a mysterious package out of the blue. Not quite suspicious, but defiantly oddly.
About half a minute later, he was still just sitting there staring. Sakura was just about ready to give up and go back to her original plan, when he opened his mouth. "He never said… you couldn't. He just said he recommended we didn't. I didn't take his recommendation. No one said you had to. And it felt… like a trap."
Sakura though about this. He… was right. It did seem rather unusual for a Sensei to tell their students almost nothing about the training, but then tell them that one thing… Actually, the direction he was sending them… they were likely to be tired, hungry, and unprepared by the time it was time to do the actual exercise…
Naruto seemed to catch her train of thought, (or maybe she had caught his?) because he nodded. So… that was part of the exercise! She… was supposed to figure this out, and contradict the suggestions, in order to show her full potential!
But… It was already six now! She'd… she'd be late if she left to get something to eat now! She bit her lip. She couldn't risk it… She would rather seem ignorant, then miss the test (It was a test, right?) because she had gone off to get something to eat…
She sighed, and sat down next to Sasuke-kun. She then turned to Naruto to say 'thank you' but stopped when she realized who –what- she was talking to. He wouldn't care, even if she did…
But, she wanted to thank him. Even if it was small, even if he didn't know she did it, or… didn't realize it was happening… yes, that would be for the best. But… what could someone like her do, for the most feared person in Konoha (Other than an angry Iruka)?
She sighed. She'd… think about it after the test.
-:- -:- -:- -:-
It was a bit passed ten thirty before Kakashi showed up. Naruto had sat down and gone into a mediation only a bit after she Sakura had talked to him, and although she had tried, Sakura had been completely unsuccessful in her attempt to woo Sasuke-kun.
Kakashi had jumped down out of what seemed like nothing in front of them, saying a lazy "Yo" before spouting some lame excuse as to why he was late. She had yelled at him, calling him a liar, but none of her team mates had joined in. Sasuke had given him a venomous look, but nothing more. And Naruto… he was still meditating. What was WITH him and meditating, anyway? It served no purpose! Did it?
Kakashi looked around the bridge, as if to check for any escape exits from Sakura's wrath, but did nothing as she advanced towards him. "I've been up since five thirty in the morning, and all you can say is 'Sorry, I had a CAT cross my path?!" She was nearly screeching by the end of it, and even Sasuke-kun drew back slightly. She could care less at the moment. She was out for blood.
Kakashi put his hands up in front of him protectively as he stepped back. "Now, now, Sakura… what would your parents say, if they knew you were advancing menacingly towards your Sensei on your first day under him…"
Sakura paused in her steady stalk towards her Sensei to think about that. "I think… my father would be proud, and my mother would laugh." She said finally, Kakashi looked slightly shell-shocked, although only for a moment.
"Oh… Well… What will Sasuke say, after you've killed me in cold blood right before his very eyes?" Kakashi tried yet again to calm her.
Sasuke-kun snorted. "I could care less." He muttered, but it had already calmed Sakura down by the mention of death, and she had stopped her advance.
"Fine…" Sakura muttered. "But… If you're late again…" She left the rest to his imagination, and he seemed to take it as dangerous because he nodded.
Kakashi then turned his attention to Naruto, who was still deep in meditation, and oblivious to his surroundings. "Hmmm…" Kakashi crouched down in front of him, to pear at him up close. "Naruto? I'm here…"
Sakura peered over his shoulder. "Maybe he's sleeping?" She asked hesitantly.
"No…" Kakashi muttered. "He's curled up when he sleeps." Sakura looked at him oddly, but didn't comment on that tidbit. "He's… just concentrating a bit too much… I think I have just the thing…" Kakashi poked Naruto in the shoulder and Icy blue eyes snapped open to glare at him.
"What?" He asked with venom. Kakashi sighed.
"Oh, why do none of my students like me?" He asked in a mock-hurt voice. "I feel so… betrayed."
Naruto, who seemed to have just registered who had 'woken' him, intensified his glare. "You're late." He said sternly. It sounded… scolding, not angry. Was she the only one who was outraged by the fact that he made her wait more than four hours for him to show up?!
Kakashi let out a short laugh. "Your not the first one to tell me so, don't worry." He complained.
Sakura felt even more rage boil within her. How dare he sound annoyed! She was the only one who should be able to sound annoyed! She was the one who had to wake at an ungodly hour, (Never mind that Naruto and Sasuke had to as well) she was the one who was forced to wait in utter silence for hours on end for him to show his sorry ass! How DARE he sound annoyed that she had scolded him for being late! She let out an annoyed shriek, bringing everyones attention towards her.
"You think you have a right to complain!" She practically screeched. "Well, you don't! You want to know about MY life?! Do you? No, you don't it would be too complicated for you to understand! And, and I wouldn't tell you, even if you did, because I DON'T WANT TO BE ANY LATER THAN WE ALREADY ARE! Just… take us to where ever we're going to go, and give us the damn exercise! I can't stand around doing nothing any longer!"
Kakashi blinked. Then he blinked again, slowly, his eye curved upwards in an arc, which Sakura guessed went he was smiling. Or, at least, trying to give them the impression he was smiling, it wasn't like she could actually tell, since he seemed to always be wearing that mask over the lower half of his face. Why did he wear it, anyway? It's not like it helped hide anything… unless he was really ugly. But, that didn't seem like a good reason to go around with half your face covered, even then. Maybe he-
Sakura's inner rant came to a stop when Kakashi spoke, drawing her attention back to the world where sane people walked. Well, at least a sane as a world full of Ninjas with morals could be, not all that sane, now that she thought of it… "Alright then Sakura, lets go. Off to our training area, Training ground seven." And he walked off, fully expecting the tree Genin to follow.
-:- -:- -:- -:-
Team seven training ground was a spacious area, along with being one of the more famous training grounds in Konoha. It was complete with a lake, a forest, and an open area, for any type of terrain training, which was native to Fire country. In most ways, it was very like any other training ground in Konoha. There was an exception, though. In the heart of the training ground, there was a small area, in the flat area.
If you viewed it from the front, it was just a normal area, there were three poles, most likely for a ninja to kick, in an effort to train. The one flaw in this logic was, if it was for kicking, why was it, there was only an 18 cm(About 1 ½ feet) distance between them? It was simple. It wasn't meant to be kicked. They were, in fact, installed there, very long ago by the third Hokage himself, while still in his youth, as an aid to a training exercise he had created for his students.
But those poles weren't the detail that made this training ground so unique. No, you had to look past the three thick logs, which were stuck out of the ground at a vertical angle. You had to look at the rectangular stone beyond.
This stone, carved into a perfect rectangle, was also sticking out of the ground at a vertical angle. On the side facing the wooden poles, were names. Hundreds and hundreds of names were carved onto the stone through the ages. Some by crafters, often different ones, but most were carved sloppily into the stone by Ninja.
This stone had been created a few years after the second Hokage came to power, a monument. It was, in a way much like the large Hokage monument that looked over the village. On that monument, the likenesses of the past Hokages were depicted, so even after death, they could watch over the village they so loved.
There were a few differences however. The most important of which, was why names were etched into the stone. The Hokage monument had only one requirement. You must be one of the leaders of the village, a role model to the younger, and sometimes older ninja of Konoha, a Hokage. But, unlike the Hokage monument, you had to be dead, to have your name carved into the stone. But not every ninja who died had their names on this stone. To be on this stone, you had to have died in the protection, and service of your village. You had to have died a true ninja's death, a hero's death.
Many names had been carved elegantly or haphazardly onto this stone. All the Hokages, except the Sandaime Hokage were on it, many names had also been carved from the Kyuubi attack, 12 years before. Many more had been added, even before that, from the war with Iwa, where many Noble ninja had died, one in particular had made an impact on a certain wayward Jounin's life.
But this was not the lone reason the training ground was famous. There were other reasons, such as the fact that the greatest ninjas on Konoha had been trained and tested there. The Sandaime was trained there, as did he train his first, and only team there, the legendary Senin there, and then Jiraya, later to be acknowledged as the best of them, trained his only student to date, the Yondaime hokage, who also trained his only team, a group of talented children, one of which went by the name of Hakate Kakashi. This student grew up to be known as one of the most famous ninja konoha had ever produced, as he was known world-wide, as the only nin, not a part of the Uchiha clan, who can wield the Sharingan.
This man, however, seems to have broken one of the longest lasting traditions in konoha. He had not, as of yet, picked a team to train, there for not training a team on the grounds, and stopping what seemed to be a sure-fire way to gain new and powerful ninja to konoha's forces. Most had already lost hope that Kakashi would ever pass a team, and had stopped waiting for the tradition to continue. Kakashi had been one of those people.
However, upon stopping at the center of training ground seven, by the three wooden logs standing vertically out of the ground, Kakashi gained a sense of foreboding, as if...
Something important would soon be happening. He had gained the same feeling, when looking at the three students files, two much less familiar than the last. It had, however been an odd experience to find out that he would be testing,(And possibly teaching) The number one rookie, an Uchiha no less, the smartest girl he had ever seen since Rin left, and Naruto. It was just another example of the Sandaime's sense of humor, he had decided as he looked down at the two boy's folders. They were defiantly promising, if Nothing else...
Although the girl, Sakura would need a bit f work, he felt a small flame of hope in his chest, that this team might just know what needed to be done.
Kakashi, standing in front of the three poles, turned to the three students, who all stopped abruptly, right in front of him. The ground beneath them was worn, the closer they stood to the poles, then the memorial, proof of those who trained, who worked so hard the grass was reluctant to grow where they once stood.
But, the fact that the three of them could get to him so easily, irritated him. They were children, weak, powerless, and insignificant, but they made him more uneasy then Ibiki did, when he smiled enough to show his teeth, which he only did if you were about to be taken in for privet questioning. He looked around casually, but saw no one but the three students before him. And... it seems there is no one to take it out on... Except them. Oh, he would have some fun with them...
Slowly at first, but over rather quickly, His eye curved into an arc, and he locked eyes with each student in turn. "Alright." He started, his voice carrying the monotonous, almost bored drawl that got on almost everyone's nerves. "You are all here so you can try to become Genin." Sakura had, at this gasped. Naruto and Sasuke both narrowed their eyes at him, almost identical expression on their faces. Kakashi had a strange and foreign urge to saw 'Awwww!' but refrained.
"You haven't eaten breakfast-" At this both Sakura and Sasuke glanced at Naruto. Naruto himself was smirking. "- So, you should be hungry." Naruto's smirk turned triumphant. "And, since you've been up since dawn, you'll be tired."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed further, now prctically only slits of ivory surounded by his pale features. "So, you will likely not be at full striength," He continued as if he wasn't watching each of their movments carefully. From Sasuke's previous reaction, he would lose his temper in...
Three
Two
One.
"What the hell is all this FOR?" Sasuke snarreled, completly meating kakashi's expectations. Kakashi smirked behind his mask.
"I was getting to that." Kakashi feined hurt as he pulled a timer out of his pouch pocket. It was placed carefuly on the center stump, before he rested his paml atop it. "I've set this timer to go off in an hour, at noon." He explained before pulling two identical bells out of his back pocket, dangling them in front of the three gaki, kakashi continued. "Your mission, is to secure a bell from me, before the timer rings in an hour. If you do not get a bell, you will be tied to a stump, and be forced to watchme eat their lunch in front of them." Sakura and sasuke's eyes had widened in mild horror. 'I love playing with people...' Naruto didn't seem fazed by this, however. 'I'll have to change that, now won't I?'
"But, since there are only two bells, one of you will automatically fail," Hakate Kakashi had always been known for being an observant person, he could break through almost any mask, and see right through an person. But this batch of ZGenin seemed to be particularly hard to read. Excludeing the girl, who seemed to want the world to see her every thought. Or... perhaps she did? Maybe that was her cover? But the Uchiha clan, -minus his rather loud and rash tea,m mte- had always had an uncanny ability to hide behind an almost flawless mask of clold stoicness. And Naruto- He was just a blank person. "That failed person will be shipped back to the academy to take their last year over again." But, as Kakashi had previously boasted, he was a master at reading those around him, and it didn't fail him now.
He was quite pleased with the reactions he got from that news.
Sakura's eyes filled with horror and worry as she glanced at her team mates. She was obviously worried she or her crush would fail, and seemed to hold some faint hope that Naruto would somehow fail, and leave her with Sasuke. Kakashi wasn't sure he could really blame her, Naruto did seem really scary.
Sasuke was harder to read, only the further narrowing of his eyes to show his reluctance to fail, and be sent back, although the quick glance at Sakura showed him Sasuke thought her the most likely to fail. She probably was.
Naruto was as blank as ever, eyes still narrowed. But, Kakashi noted with a hint of satisfaction, the blonde's eyebrow was twitching. Madly. He wasn't very interesting on his own, however, the thing that caught the Jounin's attention was the sudden presence of soft powder purple light coming from Naruto's chest. Was it- no... It couldn't be, the boy hadn't made a promise of any kind… Had he? Or, was something else effecting the thing?
Kakashi blinked, sending quick glances towards the other two. They were both too wrapped up in their own problems to realize there was something going on around them, and by the time Kakashi had glanced back, the glow was gone.
But Naruto defiantly looked annoyed as he continued.
"However, I am a Jounin, and you three are only Genin, so if you even want to graze me, you'll have to strike with the intention to kill. Got it?" Skura was giving him a worried look. Did she really think someone no- probably Naruto- would really kill him durring the test? Not likely. "When I say go, we sart, got it?" Three determined nods me his words. "Ready...Steady...GO!"
The three genin jusmped off into oposite derections, cloaking themselves in the foliage around him.
''Let the fun begin...'
-:- -:- -:- -:-
Naruto didn't stop running until he was in a small clearing relitivly far away from the area Kakashi had led them to. He had to think this out. He knew exactly what this test was about, thanks to Kakashi himself, who had told him stories on his first test, to help him sleep, but how was he to complete it? Obviously he would have to work with his team, but... how would that on it's own work out. He didn't believe either of them would be very willing to work with him, either due to fear, a smirk creapt onto his face at the thought, or just stuborn determination and ego.
The idea of having to work with someone else, especially the Freak or the Annoyance really didn't excite Naruo himself, either, but for him, there was no choice in the matter. He NEEDED to pass. His Promise keaper had taken the 'Pass-or-ZFail' as an obstical to making it to Hokage. After all, if you can't pass a Genin test, how are you going to become the leader and... Naruto griomaced at the idea, protector of the village?
So, put simply, he had to pass. Or else, the conciquences would take care of the rest. He sighed, and stuck his nose into the air, and took a long sniff. Kakashi-sensei was still in the clearing, and seemed to be in one-on-one combat with the annoyance. The Freak was in a tree at the edge of the clearing, watching the exchange. Naruto took off, towards the Black haired boy.
He would have them working with him, by force, if nesissary.
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Sasuke, after taking cover in the trees, had proceeded to watch, and get a feel for Kakashi's abilities and style. He had hidden himself, high up in a tree, to watch what Kakashi did. Which, he must admit, wasn't at all interesting, or informative. He had simply pulled a book out of his pouch, and started to read, and although the occasional giggle disturbed him, he did not see anything of any use in the Jounin's actions.
Sasuke tensed, as a Kunai flew out of a tree for the opposite side of the clearing at Kakashi-Sensei, who just walked right past it, as if it wasn't there. Another was soon flying back up at the tree, although Sasuke hadn't seen The man's hand move, and a second later Sakura was visible, jumping away from the projectile.
Three Kunai flew from each of her hands, down at Kakashi's blind spot, but Kakashi just caught four of them in his free hand, and easily dodged the two others. "Taijutsu." He stated, in a board voice that stated quite plainly that this situation was not at all interesting to him. "Physical battle, the use of weapons, and the body. Lesson 1: analysis of weaknesses." The moment Sakura had landed on another tree branch, Kakashi was behind her, easily sweeping under her feet, and knocking her to the ground. "Balance is the key to staying on a branch, if you loose your balance, you'll fall." He said, as Sakura stood and glared up at his crouched silhouette in the darkness of the tree above. Then he was gone, behind her again, and he had a Kunai to her throat. "Speed is essential in battle, if you're caught by the enemy, it's all over." Sakura gulped, and pushed away from the Kunai. Her leg moved behind her without thinking, aiming upward as fast and hard as she could. It hit it's mark, the Jounin not expecting such a low blow.
Kakashi's one visible eye widened in shock, and pain as Sakura's foot hit. He jumped back, gasping. Sakura smirked. "Awareness." She said, in an almost perfect imitation of her Sensei's voice. "If your enemy catches you off guard, anything can happen!" She rushed forward as she spoke, reaching out to grab a bell, but Kakashi moved in time.
Kakashi moved his free hand in a series of seals, looking to be no more than a blur as he spoke. "Lesson two, Genjutsu." There was still a small hint of pain lacing his words, and Sasuke decided Sakura could probably kick really hard. The branch seemed to shift slightly, but Sasuke didn't notice, still watching Kakashi's hand as he raced through seals.
As his one handed seals stopped, the fallen leaves on the ground seemed to rush up from the air, surrounding Sakura, who backed away into the trunk of the tree Sasuke was crouched on. A scream pierced the air, as the leaves fell back to the ground, and Sakura was to be found, lying on the ground at the foot of the tree, unconscious, and Kakashi was nowhere to be found.
A soft snort reached his ears and Sasuke's head snapped to the side to see Naruto crouched down beside him, looking down at Sakura with something akin to loathing in his eyes. Sasuke, his usually stoic face was plastered with a look of pure confusion and surprise. When had Naruto gotten there? "N-Naruto?" He asked, his voice sounded odd to him.
Naruto looked lazily over at him, and raised an eye brow. "What?" He asked, settling on the tree branch. Sasuke started. "What?" He demanded, glaring at the Uchiha.
"What... Why are you here?" Sasuke asked in a strangled voice. And WHY hadn't he noticed his arrival?!
Naruto seemed to heisted for a moment. He opened his mouth but no sound came out, and the blond sighed in frustration. "I... I wanted to... ask you something..." He said awkwardly, hesitance obvious in his voice. Sasuke Nodded encouragingly. Anything that could make Naruto hesitate was something he wanted to hear. Naruto sighed again, and and ran a clawed hand trough his spiky blonde hair. Sasuke had always wondered how it defied gravity in such a way, but never asked. He didn't seem to type to style his hair, so it must be natural, right? "I... I wanted to ask, er..."
Sasuke nodded encouragingly again. "Yes?" He asked. Naruto wasn't looking at him, and a slight tint of red was present on his cheeks, but he didn't seem capable of continuing. "You wanted to ask me...?"
Naruto let out an irritated growl, and locked gazes with him. the silted, icy blue eyes made an involuntary shiver run down his spine. "I wanted to ask you, if you would help me get the bells from Kakashi." Naruto said it so quickly; Sasuke almost didn't catch what the demon was saying. But he had, and the request caught him off guard so much, he lost his balance. And fell out of the tree. And onto Sakura, who was still unconscious.
"Auurgg!"
Or not.
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Sakura was having a bed day. No- Sakura was having a bad week. Sasuke-kun had ignored her for the majority of it, then, had right-out rejected her for what seemed the millionth time. Then, of all things, she had been put of a team with her worst nightmare. Naruto of all people -was 'people' even a good word suited for him? Perhaps 'monster fit better...- had been placed on a team with herself and Sasuke-kun. A shiver of fear went down her spine at the thought.
But then! Then, it had gotten worse, her Sensei was obviously an evil person, as her humiliating defeat in her attempt to get the bell showed. After her completely up-handed her in Taijutsu, he had cast the most terrifying Genjutsu she had ever seen. Sasuke-kun had been crouching, half dead by a tree, with kunai and shuriken sticking from him at every angle. And behind him... Sakura suppressed the urge to shiver at the thought, behind him, had been Naruto, demonic and terrifying as he had been the day he told them what he was, about to slash down-!
But, by that point, she had already lost consciousness, the strain of the moment too much for her. Damn that Genjutsu... Now, she tensed as she gave a start, something large and heavy was on top of her, making her very uncomfortable. Her eyes opened instinctively, from the force, and if she had tensed before, she was now ridged.
"Auurgg!"
Above her, staling her waist, with arms on either side of her head, was Sasuke-kun, his face less then an in from her own, close enough that their breath mingled, and she felt her face go brick red. And she fainted. Damn that Genjutsu to hell...
When next she woke, the first thing she noticed was a sever lack of Sasuke-kun on top of her. Although she knew it must have been part of the Genjutsu, she... had held a small hope that possibly, just... maybe, but it was not to be. The second thing she noticed, however, was the position of the sun. She couldn't have been out too long, a half hour at most...
She gasped, realizing she had probably wasted all the time she had. fainting, and not getting bells. She sat up, and realized with a jolt, that she was not alone, turning o her right, she gasped, Naruto was sitting there, watching her. She moved away in the opposite direction, only to crash into someone else, who, with a quick, panicked look, was revealed to be Sasuke-kun. but, why were they...?
"You're awake, then? No more fainting?" Asked a deadpan voice and her attention was brought back to Naruto with another jolt, and she clutched at Sasuke-kun, who pulled away.
"Y-yeah... er-I- I mean, no! No-no more fainting..." She managed to get out, trying to stay with her true love, even as he pulled away. Naruto looked at her, but said nothing.
Sasuke-kun gave rather more violent jerk then she expected, and she found herself toppling over. "Stop clinging to e!" Sasuke-kun snarled, backing away from her further. He obviously didn't want to be here... He turned to Naruto. "Explain, I want to hear it too." He said shortly.
Naruto 'hmmmed' and looked at the two, as if calculating if it was even worth explaining, before he sighed. "I've told you before, Uchiha-san... I need your help, along with Haruno-san's..." He said. it seemed to be eating away at him, even to ask. Were they that bad in his eyes?
"Er- Why?" She asked before she could stop herself. She then resister the urge to clamp her hands firmly over her mouth and never speak again. Thankfully, her willpower, and fear of what her parents may do if she didn't answer them when she was at home won out, and she stayed still, as Naruto twitched, and Sasuke-kun nodded fervently.
"Yes, why ask us for help, if it's obviously hurting you so much to do so?" The raven-haired nin had sarcasm dripping from every syllable. The tone earned him a glare from Naruto.
"Because... I can't pass without you." He said flatly. Sakura stared, and she was sure behind her, Sasuke-kun was staring as well.
"But... there are only two bells, so... even if we did work together, wouldn't... wouldn't, well one of us fail?" Sakura asked, eve the voice of reason. Naruto nodded.
"But, we can't get any bell at all, if we don't... work together." Naruto pointed out.
"Why is that..?' Sasuke-kun asked from behind her. She jumped slightly at the sudden voice from behind her.
Naruto sighed, before saying "Imagine you were a ninja- no, just imagine. You're on an import retrieval mission, a scroll is being held in an enemy stronghold, and you need it back. You've been put into a team of three. But two of your teammates are captured, now, though you have two choices. Get the scroll anyway, and leave your team to whatever fate the enemy decides, and get the scroll, or save your comrades. What do you do?"
Sakura pinked, and though about it. A Shinobi was a tool, completing the mission is the top priority, no matter what. "You... you would go after the scroll." Sakura said finally, and Naruto looked at Sasuke-kun, who seemed to agree with her logic, because he nodded. Naruto seemed not to like their responses.
"No." He said bluntly. "You would go after the team." Sakura looked confused. Why would you go after the...? "On a mission, you are assigned three things. An objective, a certain number of teammates, and a leader. These teammate are not assigned for show. The village has too many requests every day to assign more people to a team then is strictly needed. If you are assigned into a group of three, you are going to need all teammates to complete your objective. If one is captured, set them free before going after the objective to ensure success.
" There is no point in trying to reach the objective on your own, getting past a heavily guarded fortress, with many powerful ninja, and obstacles, without knowing your way around, that would be like... a genin fresh from the academy a day before, trying to take on one of the most famous special jounin in Konoha, on their own," He looked at Sakura and her crush with piercing eyes. "...Right?"
Sakura thought about it. It made sense; the teams were in groups of three, why would Kakashi-Sensei say he was going to fail one of them no matter what? It didn't add up... unless... was that itself the test? Get past the idea of 'who passes and who fails', and work together as a team? What was it Konoha was famous for? Their ability to... work together in any situation, they were like a large tree, each person doing their art, and working with the pieces around them to help the whole, and make the whole stronger. It wasn't about personal gain at all...
"...It could be done." Sakura turned and incredulous look on Sasuke-kun. he had a contemplative look, but he had a defiant air about him. He didn't want to be proved wrong... Sakura felt something well up inside her. Was it.. pity? No! She did not feel pity for Sasuke-kun! That was impossible. Completely illogical. It would never happen.
Naruto raised an eyebrow to Sasuke-kun. "Really, what makes you think that?" He asked, his voice sounded irritated, but at the same time weary.
"The idea of a Genin beating a jounin." Sasuke-kun elaborated. " It's happened before..." Naruto stared.
"And you think... that you could?" He asked skeptically. "It's very unlikely, and even if it's happened in the past, it was probably a sad excuse for a jounin that was defeated..."
Sasuke-kun shrugged. "It could still happen, and if it can, then it can be repeated, and if anyone can repeat it, it will be me." Sasuke-kun stood up.
Naruto stood as well. "You can't beat him!" Naruto practically snarled at him, making Sakura flinch from the force." It is, however possible for three Genin to take on a jounin, if. They. Work. Together."
Sasuke-kun shrugged. "Well, I don't want to have to work with you, Dobe."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Why you…" He took a step forward, and Sakura suddenly relised she was in between these two angered forces. She scrambled quickly out of the way, but slipped, and found herself on the ground, facing the sky as she had been when she first awoke. Neither boy seemed to notice, they were too busy arguing. Sakura tuned them out focusing instead on a dawning fact. The sun, it was in the center of the sky, which mean it was-
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Naruto and Sasuke stopped arguing, and looked over towards the timer on the stump.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Sasuke froze, horror clwing it's way up his throat. He… He had Failed. He had failed, because he had spent the majority of his time arguing with one of his team mates who he knew was right. He had failed…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Sakura felt her heart bang in her chest. She… she had been too late, she had done it wrong, and she… she had failed to become a ninja. She had failed to fulfill her dream… She had failed her…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Naruto's eyebrow twitched, as Kakashi appeared before them…
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Zeida: Ok! I have for you a loooooong chapter! Sorry for the delay, the next one will be a while too, but I am trying!
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