Hello, my fellow fans. I'm glad that so many of you liked the prologue of Son of the Uchiha. It turned out much better than what I thought it was going to. I'm just sorry that I made so many spelling and grammar mistakes. You see, spelling and grammar are not my forte so I'll try to work on that. However, I have a friend who is much better at spelling and grammar than me and she said that she would be my beta reader.
Text means text
"Text" means speech
'Text' means personal thoughts
Text means flashback or a dreamlike state
(#) means a Japanese word that I will explain at the end of the chap
Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto than Sakura wouldn't have been such a weakling in part one. I do own Yoshi Haruno, Haruki and Usagi Uzumaki, Ronin Hyuuga, Taro and Konoha Nara, Aoi and Shizuku Shiami, and Azumi Nagasaki. Also any of the little fill in characters that I made up.
And because I forgot to put it in the first chap.
Summary: Yoshi Haruno is the son of Sakura Haruno. His mother was declared KIA when she was on an A-ranked mission, he was eight years old at the time. Now four years later he is twelve years old, a genin, and shunned by most people in the village except by those who were friends to his mother. While on one of their missions, Yoshi and his team are attacked by sound ninja. Having to return to return to Konoha or be killed, Yoshi is shocked at the surprise waiting for him back at the village. But what is this? Orochimaru is alive? Who is Orochimaru's new ally? And why does the color of their eyes seem so familiar to Yoshi?
Is everyone ready? Alright. Here you go: Chapter one of Son of the Uchiha:
Chapter 1
"Okaa-san? Where are you?"
Where was he? He didn't know. It looked like he was in the village, but it seemed ... different. There was no sound except for Yoshi's calls and the sound of his footsteps. There seemed to be no one else in the village.
"Okaa-san?"
He was running. He didn't know where to, but he kept running. He couldn't stop. He passed shops and houses, but he didn't see anyone else, didn't hear anyone else. Yet, he still kept running because he had to. He had to find her. His mother.
"Okaa-san? I can't find you."
He passed the village gates, the academy, his apartment. He didn't even notice the Yamanaka flower shop, the ramen stand, or the weapon store as he ran by them. Still no sign of her.
"Yoshi-kun." The call was so quiet Yoshi wasn't sure if he had really heard it.
"Yoshi-kun."
He knew he heard it now. He ran faster. His muscles screaming in protest. His breathing coming in short gasps. His legs felt like jelly. But he did not slow down. Not now. Not now when he knew she was here. When she was near by.
"Yoshi-kun."
Her call was louder now. He was close, very close. He forced himself to run even faster. He couldn't even breath now. He turned at the next corner and stopped.
There she was. She was wearing a long white flowing dress, her arms were stretching out toward him, welcoming him. The image of the village faded away only leaving darkness surrounding him, and the bright white light shining form his mother.
"Okaa-san."
He tried to run toward her, but something held him back. A hand. There was a hand holding his wrist. He didn't turn around. He wasn't able to.
"No Yoshi. You can't go with her. She's gone." Who's voice was that? It sounded like Naruto.
"Please stay with us Yoshi." That was Usagi. Another hand grabbed his other arm.
"Don't be troublesome." Taro obviously, the guy was to much like his dad. Something gripped his leg.
"You're staying here, Ketsunoana(1) ." Haruki. He was the only person stupid enough to call Yoshi that.
More hands griped him. He could hear so many voices now. Mostly the voices of people he knew, all specking at once. Making it difficult to understand them at all.
"Yoshi-kun."
His mother was calling him again. Beckoning him to come to her. The hands started pulling him backward, into the darkness.
"No! Let go!" he shouted.
He struggled as hard as he could; pushing, pulling, even biting against the hands that held him, but they remained locked around him like a tight vise. Tugging on him, pulling him back, pausing, then tugging again. Over and over, never letting up. Yoshi could feel his feet dragging across the ground. No matter how many hands he managed to shake off, still more held him.
"Don't worry Yoshi-kun." His mother, who had been so far out of reach, was suddenly standing in front of him. She cupped his face in both of her hands, her warmth felt so familiar to Yoshi. The hands tugging on him seemed to vanish into thin air.
"Okaa-san."
She hugged him, just like when she had when he was little and in need of her comfort. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Closing his eyes he inhaled her scent.
'Cherry blossoms.' She smelled like cherry blossoms. 'Just like she always did.'
"Yoshi-kun ... you know I'll never leave you. I'll always be watching over you." she whispered softly in his ear.
The solid form of his mother that he had been holding onto disappeared. Confused, he opened his eyes hoping to find his mother still him. However, instead of his mother, he was surrounded by a twister of cherry blossoms.
"Wait! Don't leave me again!" he shouted in a despite attempt to convince her to stay, but the sound of his voice was drowned out by the sound of the strong wind.
The cherry blossoms moved faster as the wind picked up speed, blowing his hair in front of his eyes, obscuring his view. Into nothing but darkness.
"Okaa-san!"
Yoshi awoke gasping for breath drenched in a cold sweat.
'A dream.'
It had only been a dream. The same damn dream he had been having for the past four years. He wasn't running around the village, but rather in his room in his apartment; there wasn't any hands gripping him, it was only his bed sheet tangled around his body; and there was no lingering scent of cherry blossoms. There hadn't been for a long time.
Looking at the clock he groaned when he realized that it was 7am already. He had only gotten about four hours of sleep since he had decided to get some late night training done before he went to bed, afterwards dragging himself home at around 3am . Obviously a poorly considered decision now.
Since he had always had the problem of waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep he decided to just get out of bed and get the day over with. After all, was suppose to be an important day for a ninja. Today he was doing to graduate from the academy and become a genin, an official ninja of the village. He snorted at the idea.
To Yoshi becoming a genin wasn't very important. To him all it meant was he was only one step closer to becoming an Anbu captain. When he was little, he had wanted to be an Anbu captain because he thought it would be so cool to go on really dangerous missions and to really far away places and other cool stuff like that. However, now the only reason he wanted to become an Anbu captain was the opportunities it would present. Opportunities to get his hands on some classified past Anbu mission files. Like his mother's last mission file.
Naruto - Naruto had asked Yoshi not to call him Hokage-sama, and after his mother's death it didn't feel right to call him or anyone else his aunt of uncle - said that even though it was Yoshi's mother he wasn't allowed to tell him any information about the mission because it was an Anbu mission so it was classified and he couldn't give Yoshi access to the file.
The only thing that he had told Yoshi was that even though there was a large amount of blood found there was no body. However, in highly ranked mission like this one that involved powerful ninja like his mother, this wasn't very uncommon. Sometimes if the body of an enemy ninja was found, it would often be taken back to the village to learn the enemy village's secrets, being the reason for hunting ninja.
So if Yoshi became an Anbu captain, by doing so then he would have the needed access to his mother's mission file. If he was able to know the location of where his mother's blood was found (he had to surpass the feeling of nausea every time he though of it as his mother's blood) then hopefully he would be able to find his mother's ... body. The shudder that ran down his spine was inevitable.
Since he doubted that the Anbu ninja who had gone searching for her had really cared after they had learned it was his mother's blood. He wanted to be able to give his mother a final resting place in the village she had loved and protected since she was an academy student like himself.
Well, he wouldn't be an academy student after today anyway.
Throwing his sheet off himself he went into the bathroom and took a shower. After that he changed into a black fishnet T-shirt, a plain red hood with no sleeves, with a zipper in the front, and the Haruno symbol on the back, a gray elbow pad on his left elbow, an arm guard on his right forearm, a pair of baggy black pants with many pockets for his various weapons, and his black boots.
When he was done he left his room and went to the kitchen searching the fridge for something edible to eat on his way to the academy.
Yoshi still lived in his mother's old apartment. Naruto allowed Yoshi to live in the village almost for free since he had been such a close friend to his mother and him. Giving him enough money each week to buy food, weapons, and whatever else he may need. Of course Yoshi was going to pay him back every cent when he was able. He didn't like being in other peoples debts.
He locked up the apartment and roof hopped to the academy. Normally he would have just walked, but with the little amount of sleep he had gotten last night he didn't feel like dealing with all of the villagers stares and whispers today. He didn't think he would be able to hold himself back if someone said the wrong thing to piss him off this morning.
Even after his mother was declared KIA the villagers still hadn't let up on their insults. Most people still said she had been a traitorous tramp for sleeping with his biological father, whoever that was. However, now they were saying things like she hadn't died on a mission at all and had just ran away from the village and the hokage allowed her to because he had pitied her; or others said that she had gone on the mission, but couldn't bear the thought of coming back knowing her son was waiting for her like the little demon he was, so she committed suicide to finally escape him. There were many other obscured theories about what had really happened to his mother on her last mission, most bordering on the insane. Still the villagers loved to gossip.
"HEY, KETSUNOANA! WAIT UP FOR US!"
"Please don't say things like that Onii-san(2). It's not polite."
Looking behind him he saw Haruki and his little sister, Usagi, were roof hopping trying to catch up to him. Slowing his pace the three roof hopped together.
"Shut up, Makeinu(3). Morning, Usagi." He nodded in greeting.
"Good morning, Yoshi." she said smiling.
The three of them would always walk together to the academy in the morning, and sometimes in the afternoons. Usagi had been able to move up a grade in the academy into her brother's and Yoshi's grade because of her seemingly natural ability to use her Byakugan so well, and he had to give it to her, she was really talented when fighting. She had even managed to use her bloodline when she was nine years old, a year before her brother. However, even though she could give genin a run for their money, she preferred to talk things out rather than resort to violence.
"Isn't this great, Yoshi! We're finally going to graduate from that stupid academy and become real ninja No more having to show up for class, or tests, and no more lectures from pain in the ass teachers. Plus, I'm going to become hokage!" Haruki pumped his fist in the air in excitement, causing him to momentarily lose his footing on the next roof, tripping, and slamming his face into the hard concrete roof of a building.
"Onii-san! Are you alright?" Usagi leapt to her brother to make sure he was alright.
Landing beside her, Yoshi said, "Don't worry. He'll be fine. He's to hardheaded anyway."
Haruki moaned in pain when his sister touched his forehead. "Ouch. That hurt. What happened?" He stood, swaying slightly before steading himself.
"You were talking about graduating from the academy and becoming hokage before you tripped over your own two feet, and did a face plant right into the roof. By the way, you'll have to be really lucky just to graduate from the academy today, before you can ever hope to become hokage." Yoshi said, his voice fulled with arrogance.
The dizziness Haruki had felt disappeared as he shouted, "What did you just say to me?! I dare you to say it again."
Yoshi smirked. "Gladly."
The both of them tried to out-glare at each other. Usagi interjected by placing her hand in-between their faces, breaking their glares. She said, "Hey guys. We're going to be late if you don't stop fighting. Could you please do this some other time?". She pointed toward the academy building a short distance away.
Both grumbled a "Fine." under their breaths. Before heading to the academy.
The entire classroom at the academy was filled with so much noise, Yoshi, Haruki, and Usagi had been able to hear it before they even opened the door. There were paper airplanes souring and spitballs flying through the air, the other students where scattered around the room and chattered on loudly about graduating.
Pushing their way though the toward their seats they weren't surprised to see Ronin already sitting in his seat, his eyebrow twitching in anger as he tried to complete his daily pre-class meditation, without much success. What was surprising was Taro seemed to have showed up early today, since he was also sitting in his seat, head on the desk, his hands over his ears in a despite attempt to block out the thundering noise and get back to sleep. His mom must have kicked him out of bed this morning to make sure he wasn't late like he usually was.
Taking his seat Haruki asked, "Hey guys. Where's Iruka-sensei?"
Ronin hn'd in reply, giving up trying to meditate. "Who knows. But whatever he is doing had better be important. My eardrums can't take much more of this racket."
Taro rested his head on his right palm. "What are you complaining about? At least you got a good nights sleep. I only got ten hours of sleep last night. And my troublesome mother literally 'kicked' me out of the house this morning, just to make sure that I wouldn't be late. I got the footprint to prove it."
"Whatever. Yoshi, you might what to put that hood up. You-know-who has been looking for you, and she-"
"HELLO, MY DEAR YOSHI-KUN! DID YOU MISS MEEEE?!"
Yoshi tensed at the voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. 'Kami-sama, please let it be anyone else but her...'Apparently Kami-sama hadn't heard Yoshi's pled because forcing her way through the crowded classroom toward him was none other than Shizuku Shiami.
Shizuku was Aoi's little sister, who like Usagi, had moved up a grade in the academy. However, unlike Usagi who had moved up one grade because of her skill, Shizuku had no skill. She had the worst grades in the whole academy. Everyone knew that she had cheated, bribed, or even blackmailed her way into getting into Yoshi's grade. She was also the president of Yoshi's forbidden "not-so-secretive fanclub."
As if it was completely natural for her, she sat down and made herself comfortable on Yoshi's desk. Completely ignoring, or not even noticing, Yoshi's look of total disgust at her close proximity.
She smiled sweetly at him. "Yoshi-kun, when are we going to go on that date you promised me?"
With an agitated look on his face he said, "Get off my desk, Shiami." Purposely he made his voice sound like ice. Visibly seeing her flinch at the tone. Haruki laughed at the startled look on Shizuku's face.
"What is going on in here?"
Everyone in the room, except for Yoshi, Ronin and Taro (who had fallen asleep), jumped at the surprise appearance of Iruka..
"Shizuku, please return to your seat." He instructed. "The same for the rest of you. Now pay attention. When, I call you name you will walk into the classroom next door. That is where all of you will be taking your individual final exams.
"The final exam has two parts." He held up a stapled packet for everyone to see. "First, you will have to complete the written part of the exam. The written test will not be the same for everyone, some with different questions, others with the questions in a different order. In the second part, you will have to be able to do one or a few random jutsus that the instructors will ask you.
"If you pass, you will be given a ninja headband. From there, you will go to the next classroom, two doors down the hall from here. There, when everyone who passed is present, you will be assigned to your teams and met your new sensei's. However, if you fail, you will be asked to go back home. Then, next Monday, you will return here to the academy with the new students just entering the academy for the first time, and have to start all over again. Understand?"
Yoshi understood. He was confident that he was going to pass, but he was slightly worried about his friends passing. Ronin, he was almost 100 percent positive was going to pass, he was called a prodigy after all; and with her skills, Usagi was probably going to pass as well; Taro stood a change of passing if he got off his lazy ass and didn't fall asleep. Haruki was a different matter.
Looking out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Haruki was drumming his fingers against the top of his desk. He was nervous. He always drummed his fingers when he was nervous, it was just something stupid little thing he always did.
It isn't like he was the worst ninja ever, it was just sometimes it took him a little while longer to get something than it would another person. Plus Haruki, was, in a weird way (and he would almost always rather cut off his own tough with a dull kunai before he ever admitted this to anyone) his best friend. The both of them had been annoying the hell out of each other since they were born, and no matter what happened the two had always seemed to paired up together for almost everything. It would be strange if they didn't do something as simple as graduating the academy at the same time.
Iruka started reading students names from a list in his hands all going in alphabetical order by last name, starting with Kenji Aburame, then his twin Shinji. Yoshi knew he wouldn't have to wait to long before he was called. He was always the first to go in their group of friends if they went alphabetically by last name.
"Haruno, Yoshi."
Standing from his seat, he walked to the door and out into the hallway. His friends giving him quiet "Goodluck"'s as he walked by. In all honesty, he wasn't really nervous. If he didn't treat this like a big deal, then he wouldn't be nervous. Surprisingly, it worked.
In the next room there was a single table in the center of the room, against the opposite wall there was also another table. Sitting at that table was Neji and Ibiki. Ibiki had retired from being Konoha's leading interrogation officer last year, his successor being Anko. He still helped sometimes at the academy, whenever they needed some extra hands or something.
But for some reason Ibiki seemed to hate him. Apparently, people didn't need a reason to hate Yoshi. The first time he had met Ibiki was three years ago. When he had filled in for Iruka-sensei who was out sick. The whole day Ibiki had glared at him saying things so low under his breath Yoshi wasn't sure if he had been saying anything at all or if he was just hearing the wind.
When class had ended he had been on his way home when Aoi and his friends had tried to gang up on him. Aoi had started to fight him, trying to look like a big tough guy, but Yoshi was hardly even trying. With a single, chakra filled punch Yoshi had managed to knock the wind right out of Aoi, doubled over clutching his stomach. It was just plain terrible timing that at that very second Ibiki had walked by and had seen him throw the punch. Aoi and his friends scattered at the sight of the scar faced Ibiki. Yoshi, unfortunately didn't get away. Ibiki had even taken him to see the hokage for his punishment. That had been a complete waste of time. After Naruto had said he could leave, he heard Ibiki say that in a few years time Naruto was going to have to send a team of Anbu ninja after him. Naruto replying that he would never let that happen.
The sound of Neji clearing his throat pulled Yoshi from his memories as he straightened in his seat. "Yoshi Haruno, please take a seat. On the table is your written test, you will have a maximum time limit of twenty minutes to complete it. When you are done, hand it to me. Ibiki will then ask you to do any jutsu of his choosing."
He nodded, looking over the test. There was fifty questions in all. Most of the questions seemed easy enough, a few a little harder. A couple were multiple choice, some where he had to calculate something, he even had to draw a diagram for one. Mostly, the questions were about the basics that no one really seemed to think was important, but they were all to easy for him. 'I can't believe this is all you have to do to become a ninja'.
He was on the last question. "Answer the 25th clause of the ninja know-how." This was probably the most easy question on the test. He had already memorized over 100 of the ninja know-how. He wrote, "A ninja must not show any emotion in any situation. A ninja must put the mission first and must have a heart that will allow him not to cry."
Writing down his answer, he stood and handed the test to Neji, waiting for Ibiki to speak. Ibiki sat in his chair, arms crossed, eyes closed. It was a few seconds of dead silence before he spoke, his eyes still closed. "Haruno. In order to pass the graduation exam, the jutsu you will have to perform is the Bunshin no Jutsu(4) and create one copy of yourself." Opening his eyes, he glared at Yoshi.
'That's it? I thought this graduation exam would be a challenge.' He was almost disappointed. Completing the necessary hand signs, a second Yoshi appeared out of thin air, an exact replica of the original.
Neji smirked. "Congradulations, Yoshi. You've passed the academy graduation exam. Here." He handed Yoshi a ninja headband.
For such a small item, the headband seemed heavy as he tied it around his head. The coolness of the metal felt strange against his forehead.
He could feel the smile trying to force it's way onto his face as he left the room. Throwing a smug look at Ibiki before he closed the door behind him.
Yoshi had been waiting for everyone to finish their exams in the room next door, and he was getting agitated. He'd been stuck here for about a hour and the only one of his friends who had passed was Ronin, who was sitting beside him.
Hearing the door open, he glanced to see who had passed, a little surprised to see Azumi Nagasaki.
Azumi had entered the academy about a month ago as a transfer student from Suna. Her and her mother had moved here after her father had died on a mission, and they moved here hoping for a new start. She had long red hair that faded to black at the end that reached her waist. Her eye color was a deep, dark purple. He didn't actually know her all that well since they never had a conversation together, but she seemed nice enough. Whenever they would see each other, she would never look at him with disgust or anger, usually she would smile and wave. He could tell she had a nice personality, and she was Haruki's first crush. It was obvious to tell, the baka's face would turn bright red and he would ramble on and on about whatever thought crossed his mind at that moment whenever she was near.
He hadn't realized he'd been staring at her a moment longer than necessary until Ronin elbowed him in the side. "Why were you looking at her?" he asked.
Yoshi scowled, turning his head in the opposite direction. "I wasn't looking at her."
Taro had must have passed since he took a seat next to Ronin deciding to fall asleep. Much to Yoshi's and many other people's disappointment, both of the Shiami siblings had managed to pass. But it seems his worries of Haruki failing had been misplaced. He was sure the people in Suna could hear Haruki yell, "HELL YEAH! I PASSED! BELIEVE IT!" Usagi followed behind her brother.
When everyone who had passed was in the classroom, Iruka-sensei and seven jounin entered the room. Yoshi was able to recognize Neji and his friend Lee, Konohamaru, and Kakashi.
Organizing the papers in his hands Iruka said, "Quiet, all of you. I am going to tell you which teams you're going to be on, the teams are based on your skills, that way if you lack something one or both of your other teammates will make up for it. After I call your name, you and your teammates will leave with your sensei. Team 1 will be..." He called peoples names. Some students groaning as they found out who their teammate were, others glade who they had been assigned to. Soon there was only twelve students left.
"Team 4 will be Shizuku Shiami, Kenji and Shinji Aburame. Your sensei will be Konohamaru."
"EEK!" The sound of Shizuku's high pitched voice was enough to make a few of the students to cover their ears. "I REFUSE TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM AS THE BUG BROTHERS! THEY HAVE CREEPY CLOTHS, AND THEIR BUGS ARE ICKY AND YUCKY. I DEMAND YOU PUT ME ON THE SAME TEAM AS YOSHI-KUN. DO YOU HEAR ME? HEY?! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!? PUT ME DOWN THIS-"
Deciding he had, had enough of Shizuku's loud irritating voice, Konohamaru, picked her right up out of her seat during the middle of her stupid rumblings and carried her right out of the room, the Aburame twins following behind him.
Silently thanking Konohamaru for removing the banshee, Iruka continued, "Team 5 will be Taro Nara, Usagi Uzumaki, and Ronin Hyuuga. Your sensei will be Rock Lee."
Standing in one of his own original poses, Lee shouted, "Come, my youthful students. For I your sensei, the Green Beast of Konoha, Rock Lee, will turn you into powerful young shinobi of youth!" He smiled, his white giving off a little shine.
As Taro was about to walk past him, Haruki, whispered to him, "Watch it. That guy is creepy, and I don't trust him. The both of you had better protect my little sister. Got it?" He said in a serious tone.
Taro sighed. "Yeah. Troublesome." Then he left with the others.
When the door had closed. Iruka announced the next team. "Team 6 will be Aoi Shiami, Noboru Inuzuka, and Kari Jojuki. Your sensei will be Neji Hyuuga."
Aoi straightened up, walking right up to Neji he stood in front of him, his arms crossed in front of himself. Looking Neji in the eye he said, "Listen Hyuuga. I know that the Hyuuga clan my be one of the most powerful clans in the village, but that doesn't give you the right to boss me around whenever the mood soots you. Since you have to be my sensei, lets just get one thing straight, I'll go on missions if I have to go, but don't expect me to show up for any of that lame training with you or those so called teammates of mine. I wouldn't be caught dead with weaklings like them." The look of self-importance was clearly seen on his face.
Everyone in the room could see the look that passed over Neji's face, as if he could have just said what he was thinking aloud. 'This kid is in for a real rude awakening.'
Neji smirked with an evil gleam in his eyes. He instructed his other two students to leave and head to training area number six, and that he and Aoi would be there shortly. After the other two had left, both smiling at thinking about what punishment Aoi was going to get, Neji grabbed the collar of Aoi's shirt and yanked him out of the room. A short time later you could clearly hear Aoi's yells as he was dragged to the training grounds, not doubt where he was going to get a sever thrashing.
Scratching the back of his head, with a cheeky smile plastarded on his face, Iruka stared at the three remaining students. "I guess that this means that you three - Haruki Uzumaki, Azumi Nagasaki, and Yoshi Haruno - will be Team 7. Your sensei will be Kakashi."
Haruki smiled as he jumped up, both of his fist raised in the air. "Yes! I'm on the same team as Azumi. This is so cool." A faint pinkness crossed his cheeks as he stared at the said girl only a few rows behind him.
"Isn't this great, Azumi? You and me get to be on the same team, and I'll be able to protect you and stuff. Well? Isn't this great, Azumi?"
Azumi smiled in reply. "Yes, Haruki-san, this is great, but you shouldn't forget Yoshi-san. He is on our team too."
Deciding to just ignore Haruki for the time being, Yoshi stood up and walked to the front of the room where Iruka was speaking with Kakashi.
Noticing that there was a student standing next to him, Iruka said, "I guess I'll take my leave now. See you later guys, and Kakashi, good luck, your going to need it." Smiling as he went, he walked out the door.
As the door closed softly behind Iruka, Kakashi turned to his new student. "Are you ready to go Yoshi?" Receiving a nod as an answer, Kakashi asked his remaining to students the same. Satisfied with Azumi's quiet "Hai." and Haruki's ear ringing "YOU BET!" he said, "Then all of you head up to the roof. I'll meet you there shortly." His eye crinkled slightly as he smiled underneath his mask. Performing a few hand signs he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
"What was with that? Couldn't he just have waited for us?" Haruki scratched the back of his head he walked to the door with Azumi behind him and Yoshi bring up the rear.
"I'm sure he has his reasons. He is our sensei after all." Azumi smiled brightly. Never realizing the exact opposite thoughts that Yoshi and Haruki were thinking. Having known Kakashi for almost all of their lives they both knew that the perverted old man was trying to get a few last minutes of reading his dirty little book in before he had to train them.
'Pervert.'
When the trio reached the roof, confirming Yoshi's and Haruki's thoughts, Kakashi was leaning up against the railing of the roof, his eyes glued to the orange book in his hands, a light shade of pink under his eye.
Azumi gasped at the sight of the material her sensei was reading so intently. "K-K-Kakashi-sensei?! Why are you reading that book? It's material it's...it's...distasteful."
Kakashi smiled (or at least they thought he smiled), placing his book in his back pouch he said, "Sorry about that Azumi, but what I read during my free time shouldn't affect your training so don't worry about it. Now why don't the three of you sit over there on the steeps across from me, and introduce yourselves."
"What do you mean 'introduce' ourselves, Kakashi-sensei?" Azumi asked, tucking her skirt underneath her.
Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "You know, tell me your name, interests, dislikes, goals; that sort of thing."
After they were all seated like asked, Haruki decided to go first. "My name is Haruki Uzumaki. My interests are ramen and tasting all of the different flavors of ramen. I dislikes jerks who act like they are better than everyone else." He glared at Yoshi while saying this. Earning himself a wack on the back of head by said person. "My goal is to be Hokage like my old man, and to taste every flavor of ramen in the world, and have a ramen named after me." This also earing another smack on the back of his head by Yoshi, saying he was a loser.
Kakashi nodded. 'Just like his father' "That was good Haruki. Now you go next Azumi."
She blushed as three pairs of eyes turned to look at her. "Ok. My name is Azumi Nagasaki. I'm interested in reading, writing, and drawing. I'm not fond of people with bad manners or who act rudely to others. My goal is to be a strong ninja like my father was." A brief look of sadness passed over her eyes before it vanished.
It seemed like Kakashi smiled again. "It's good to hear that Azumi. I'm sure if you train hard enough you'll even be stronger than your father." She smiled brightly at him, her blush increasing slightly from his words. "I believe that just leaves you then Yoshi."
Yoshi, who had his eyes closed, opened them, straightened up from the lying position he had been resting in. "My name is Yoshi Haruno. I'm really only interested in training, besides a few other things. I dislike to many things to list. Also, my goal is to be Anbu captain."
Kakashi's heart clenched slightly. 'He's so much like his father as well.' "That was short, but satisfactory. So since we all know each other, tomorrow-"
"Hey! Hey! Kakashi-sensei, you didn't introduce yourself yet. We told you about us, now you have to tell us about you." Haruki grinned sheepishly, waiting for Kakashi's answer.
"That's true, Kakashi-sensei. Now it's your turn." Azumi agreed. Even Yoshi paused to hear what Kakashi was going to say.
Scratching the back of his head in thought, he replied, "Well you already know my name is Kakashi. I'm interested in many things. There are a few things that I don't like. Also, as for my goals that's really none of you business."
His three students all felt like falling over backwards, anime style, even Yoshi. 'Figures. I always thought that guy kept to much to himself anyways.'
Clapping his hands to get their attention Kakashi said, "Now as I was saying before I was interrupted, tomorrow I want the three of you to show up at the bridge near training area number seven at 6:00am sharp. Don't be late or you'll be sorry. Also, don't eat breakfast tomorrow morning. If you do otherwise you may just throw up." All nodded, not really taking his treat seriously.
Before Kakashi was able to disappear once again, Haruki grabbed his arm. "Hey Kakashi-sensei, why don't you come to the ramen stand. My old man promised that if me and Usagi passed the exams that he would treat us to ramen tonight for dinner. You can't turn up a occasion like this one. Uncle Neji, Aunt TenTen, Ronin, Uncle Shikamaru, Aunt Ino, Taro, Kohana, and Yoshi-ketsunoana are going to go. So that means that you have to come."
"Thank you for the invitation. I'll see if I can make time for it. After all it's only once in a blue moon that Naruto offers to pay for ramen." When he completed the hand signs he disappeared.
Turning to Azumi he said, "You can come too, if you want. It would like a new team sort of thing. I'm sure that my father wouldn't mind if you came." His eyes were shining with so much hope that it was almost impossible for Azumi to say no. Almost impossible.
Shacking her head gracefully, she replied, "I'm sorry Haruki-san, but I'm afraid that I cannot. You see I promised my mother that I would be home on time for dinner. You see she is making a special dinner for me tonight if I passed the exams. So perhaps another time."
"Aw. Well that's ok then. I'll see you later." Although his response was said as happily as he could manage it was still impossible to not hear the small tone of sadness in his voice as he waved farewell to Azumi as she walked home.
Trying to make an unnoticeable escape before he could be noticed by his best friend, Yoshi walked as quietly as he could, but it was useless when Haruki grabbed onto the back of his hood preventing him from leaving.
"And just where do you think you are going? You promised that you would come remember? It was a few days ago? You said that if I managed to pass the exam and become a genin without cheating that you would come to have ramen with us."
Yoshi tried to recall the incident that would make him say such a thing. His eyes widened slightly. 'Damn it. Now I remember.' He and Haruki had been sparring together after class, and when he was angry that Haruki had actually managed to injure him, he had made that stupid promise. Due to his anger, he didn't actually believe that Haruki would be able to accomplish passing the exam without cheating his way through. 'And I never break a promise.'
Almost grumbling, Yoshi said, "Fine."
Smiling Haruki slapped his friend on the back. "That's the spirit, Ketsunoana. Come on. We'll go over to my house now so that way we'll be all set to go when everyone is at the ramen stand." Tugging on the back of his hood, Yoshi was only able to scowl as he was dragged all the way to his friends house.
Truthfully the small get-together was actually not all that bad. The kids sat together at a few tables pushed together, while the adults all fitted around the counter. Kohana demanding that her older brother, Taro, show her his new ninja headband, who muttered that it was too troublesome and handed it to her. Ronin was trying to eat his ramen in a calm manner, but was having great difficultly due to the loud mouth ninja, Haruki, sitting next to him, who was practically shouting to high heaven about how he managed to "pass the horrible, mind-shattering, will-breaking" exam without even breaking a sweat. Usagi was having much difficultly in trying to get her brother to control his volume. Yoshi was almost able to tune out the voices of all of the talking and noodle slurping nosie around him.
Holding up his headband in the air, purposely letting the light shine off of it, Haruki exclaimed, "So when Ibiki handed me my headband, I yelled-"
"Haruki, you better not start making people go deaf. Your mother will have my head if you make it impossible for the people all the way in Suna to sleep tonight. So keep it down." Naruto, who was sitting at the counter not to far from the kids table, interrupted his son.
"Don't even bother, Naruto he is to much like you. He'll never be quiet." Standing behind him was Kakashi.
Naruto grinned. "Kakashi, you showed up, and only half and hour late too. Long time no see. Take a seat, and relax. Ramen is on me tonight, so help yourself."
Plopping his body down in the seat next to the hokage, Kakashi ordered his ramen. "I know your son told me about you generous offer to pay. I could never pass up this chance to have ramen with you and not go broke."
Naruto laughed at the truth of it. "When being hokage does have its perks. I can pretty much get free ramen when ever I feel like it. It's just to bad that Hinata is trying to get me to cut down on the stuff. She says that I won't end up dying from a ninja attack, but rather a heart attack from all of the ramen that I eat." He grinned sheepishly.
Kakashi chuckled. "I'm surprised that you haven't died yet, Naruto. You think a heart attack would have done you in a long time ago with how you engorge yourself with ramen." Kakashi peered over Naruto's shoulder, and grinned. "And it looks like your son is not all that different from you."
Turning around Naruto could have almost laughed out loud at the sight of his son wolfing down as if he hadn't eaten in months. Much like how Naruto had done it when he was his sons age. "Yeah, I guess he really is a lot like me after all."
The two men stared as Haruki, now finished with his second bowl of ramen, unintentionally bumped Yoshi sitting ,next to him, almost causing Yoshi's hot, steaming ramen to pour into Yoshi's own lap. This resulting in Yoshi to insult Haruki and trying to spill Haruki's own third bowl of ramen into Haruki's own lap. Leading to a mini-wrestling match between the two while the other kids watched and took bets on who would win.
Kakashi quiet whispered, "Yoshi is a lot like his father too."
Naruto's heart clenched painfully. "Yeah."
After bidding goodbyes to everyone Yoshi left the ramen stand. The streets where dark and quiet. It seemed as if the crickets didn't even want to break the calming silence with their music. Yoshi turned off of the sidewalk, onto a small dirt path cutting its way through the small forest.
Hours ago, in the early morning after he had finished his late night training before heading home he had been here; walking down this every path like the day before that, and the day before that, and so many days before that. He had walked down this path so many times that he could walk it blindfolded.
Where he was going almost no one went. Except for a few people, only those who wished to visit a lost dear friend, companion, or mother.
After pushing his way past the last branch hanging over the path, Yoshi stepped out of the woods and began to walk up the small hill covered in tall grass. At the top was a large cherry tree overshadowing a small stone shrine, with a picture frame leaning against it. After kneeling and lighting one of the incense sticks near the shrine, he looked upon the forever smiling face in the picture frame.
"Okaa-san."
There and forever was his mother's face smiling back at him. Never going to be covered in wrinkles of old age, or her pink hair turning gray with the flow of time. Eternal.
The small shrine had been specially built by Naruto to represent as Sakura's grave. So if someone wanted to visit her they would have a special place to go. Yoshi had planted the cherry tree near the shrine when it was built, after his mother's name sake. He would always visit here every day near or after sunset, he had been coming for the past four years. Everyone who had loved Sakura knew that this was his time to visit his mother, and never interrupted him when he came to visit her.
Removing his headband he let it slip from his head as he held it in front of the picture frame, as if his mother was actually sitting there in front of him and he was showing it to her.
"See, Okaa-san?" He smiled bitterly. "I finally got my ninja headband. I'm finally a genin. Now I just have to train harder and become Anbu captain. I know it will take a while, but I promise I'll bring you back to the village so you can be buried here. Everyone managed to pass, even Haruki managed to. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if he was going to make it. Guess I should've know that the moron was way to stubborn to give up. My sensei is even Kakashi, just like who you had as your sensei when you were my age."
A cold gust of wind blew through his dark hair, he gazed up at the moon almost directly above him. He stood and after brushing the dirt from his knees he said, "I think it is about time that I head home. I have training with Kakashi early in the morning tomorrow. Aishiteru(5) Okaa-san."
Turning away Yoshi stared walking home to his apartment, not waiting for a reply.
Knowing he would never get one.
(1) Ketsunoana: Ass
(2) Onii-san: Dear older brother
(3) Makeinu: Loser
(4) Bunshin no Jutsu: Clone Technique
(5) Aishiteru: I love you
OMG! Man this chap was a real pain in the $$. It took forever to type, and now my fingers are almost numb. By the way, sorry it took so long to get this up. Work and school can be a major pain to deal with when your trying to write a story, you know? Anyway thanks to all who reviewed. I appreciate it dearly. Remember to review if you want another chapter. Bye-bye.