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Forsaken- Hopes

She couldn't believe how off guard they were. Kagome just did not expect this. After all, who would expect their lazy sensei to even get up in order to create such an elaborated trap?

Now, they were covered, from head to toe, in this abnormal, foul-smelling, green goop. What the heck is this anyway?

A blond eyebrow twitched. Then it twitched again. Arrgggg! This is disgusting, sensei must die!! Launching himself at the laughing silver haired sensei that tricked them into this trap, the Kyuubi container screamed his war-cry.

Following their blond team mate's example, the remaining three genins repeated his actions. Forget about the cat that they were supposed to find! We must kill sensei!

Before Sasuke even reached the laughing Kakashi, Naruto's blow had sent the clone into oblivion, causing it to disappear in a wisp of smoke.

Shocked, the four genins jumped back, backs facing each other, eyes wide and darting towards the forested areas near them, searching for their elusive target.

Hinata activated her specialized eyes, "Kakashi-sensei is thirty yards away to the north of us… should we go after the cat? It's around five yards to the west…."

Sasuke looked at the pupil less girl dryly. If I didn't have a reputation to keep up, I would have rolled my eyes. I not too fond of the Hyuuga, but, she could have activated them earlier; at least then, I wouldn't be covered in this, this, this thing. What is it anyway? "You could have activated those eyes earlier."

"Sorry." The hyuuga heiress wished she did so too, her clothes were beige colored and ruined! Father is going to scold Kagome and me again…

"So… who goes after what? We still need that cat to complete the mission, I need the money!" I hope I don't have to go after the cat! I want revenge… and food!

"I'll go after the cat with Hinata and Sasuke along with you, Naruto, will go after Kakashi-sensei. When we are done with the cat, we'll join you. O.k.?"

"K." Naruto was glad. He didn't have to go after a stupid cat after all.

Sarutobi swallowed a laugh as he watched the slime covered genins give the fire lord's wife her cat back before excusing themselves. He wondered where Kakashi went, probably home to avoid the kids….

They seemed extra wrathful today.

"Was that a new genin team?" A boisterous voice questioned the third Hokage, mirth shining in her eyes. "What happened to them?"

"I'm guessing Kakashi decided to get his revenge." Really, this was amusing, but he was so tired and they decided to destroy part of the forest again to find the sensei! Destroyed parts of Konoha equal an extra mountain of paperwork…. It will be better entertainment when I retire…

"Revenge? Kakashi? What happened while I was out on the mission, third hokage?" the scantily clad female spoke inquiringly.

"Around two weeks ago, Anko, was the genin sorting test. Remember? Anyway, the council of elders hand-picked these four children to be on the Team Seven..."

"Team Seven? But… that's a round team, they are going to die! We haven't had that kind of team since the Third Great Ninja War… I thought that they were silently banned when team after team died simply because they could not master all the various skills!" The violet haired jonin looked horrified. "And to put the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan with two members of the Hyuuga clan when teamwork is a necessity… that's… like… homicide!"

"… we didn't have a choice… those four: Naruto, Kagome, Hinata, and Sasuke; they have great power and potential…" a shifted look accompanied the partial lie.

"You just mean that the elders want to get rid of them, there is a silent decreed that there should be no more round team after what happened to the last one!" The female was furious, after all, her previous sensei was on the only round team where its members were actually alive and she was convinced that was what made him deflect from the village. "Not to mention, the fourth Hokage-"

Sarutobi looked sharply at the person in front of him, his façade of power revived and his tone no longer soft, instead, it was harsh and commanding. "There is no such decreed! And you are forbidden to speaking of such matters from now on!"

"Yes Third Hokage." The brown eyed female barely manages to grit the three words out of her teeth before bowing quickly and leaving, she knew a dismissal when she heard one. This is only because the elders are power hungry, pompous, old fools who can't let go of the past!

Sarutobi close his eyes and sighed, if he was at his prime, this wouldn't have to happen… but, if he lost this position now, Naruto and Sasuke would be made into living weapons by the clan elders… or worst, they would be experimented on. I'm sorry, Minato, but… I'm getting older and weaker, and… a Hokage's power is limited if they are not strong enough to take on the entire council of elders. I'm sorry I could not fulfill your last request of this world.

"Arggggg! I can't believe we couldn't find sensei!" Almost tearing his hair out in his frustration with one hand, Naruto tried to simultaneously wipe the slime from his body with the other.

"How- How about we ge-get rid of th-the slime first?" the pale eyed girl really don't want to feel so sticky anymore.

"I agree with Hinata, how about we get revenge later and focus instead on going home and washing this off, and we meet near the fountain again two hours later and discuss our plans then?" Kagome really hated the smell that was radiating off of this olive thing.

"That is acceptable. I'll see you later." Nodding slightly in acknowledgement to his team mates, Sasuke strode away. Though he really didn't want to work as a team with those three, he had to admit; even he couldn't defeat a jonin by himself.

Should I pay a visit to the clan compound? It's nearing the anniversary of their deaths… or should I avoid that place all together. I haven't visited for almost two years already… Should I go after I take a shower at the apartment or just train?

Sasuke signed in frustration. Though his father never really cared about him, his mother did, slightly at least.

Damn it! I still need to find where the library is located. Those jutsu scrolls that I took from the main compound two years ago is already useless, the only ones left should be in the hidden library…

Damn father for not trusting him! He doesn't even know where to start looking for the library. It could be anywhere!

But… he can't even concentrate right now because of the girls staring at him. Seriously, he could see the drool from their mouths. He really hated the girls that are all after him, they know nothing about him and they are annoying.

Thank god my two female team mates are not like that, even if they are Hyuuga.

"Hinata, do you think Father would be home yet?" If anyone else could have heard the young sapphire eyed girl speak, they would have been astounded by the level of disgust and hatred that spew out of the girl's mouth by that single word, 'father', when normally; it should be said with respect and love.

Kagome loathed 'Father', she hated everything he stood for: the clan, the seal, the heirs, the power, the control, everything.

Hyuuga Hiashi hated Hinata and she just because the latter was not of the Hyuuga blood and the former was not exactly his 'child'.

"Probably, he is most likely at the training dojo or in his study rooms… so he almost certainly won't see us come in." The Hyuuga heiress dropped her eyes.

Her 'father', to her, is the icon of the clan elders' wish of her and their hate. Her little sister, Hanabi, is the icon of the elders' disappointment and the representation of what she, Hanabi Hyuuga, the heiress of the clan, should be, should act like.

"Then… do you want to go out for training later." Kagome smiled sadly, recognizing the look in her adopted sister's eyes. In a way, they are both orphans, it's just that they have fake parents. They are, after all, both outcasts to the Hyuuga clan.

"Sure." Hinata gave a soft smile to her adopted sister and best friend as they entered the clan compound through the main doors.

Mother and Father's marriages were arranged even though mother already loved another. When she couldn't take it anymore, she fornicated with my real father, a branch member, and the product was me, Hinata, the weak heiress of the clan. My real father died almost right after I was born in a mission gone awry. 'Father' loved me until he realized that I wasn't his after mother died.

Naruto really isn't scared of getting hurt, that's part of the shinobi life. He really isn't scared of death, every person faces that. But, if there was a thing that he was scared to death of, it's those eyes.

Those demonically hateful eyes that most of the older generations stare at him with, those eyes that practically floods with malicious intent every time he walks near them. Those eyes that try to suffocate him with evil feelings every time they see him, he could practically taste their hatred of him.

Those eyes that are staring at him now as he runs pass them towards his apartment. What did he ever do to them?

Though he act stupid, he really wasn't, he knew about the demon inside him, he knew about the deaths that demon caused, and most of all, he knew who his father was.

Couldn't they see that the Kyuubi and I are different people?

The information that Mizuki sensei spilled to him was useless, everything he told him, he had already knew.

The only reason he acted like such an idiot these past few years was simply because he thought that if the villages saw that he was no threat, then they wouldn't hate him. Maybe he would even gain a few friends.

Apparently, that was untrue. So, it would be best to just drop the act, it's not like his personality is going to change much anyway, just, he wouldn't act like a total klutz.

Besides, if the team is going to trust each other, it's best to not hide so many different things. It is not the greatest thing to build trust upon a false foundation after all.

If they fear and hate him even more, then, it wouldn't matter. It will just be one more person in the world that hates him.

"So… what do we do?"

"I'm not sure Naruto. I would suggest setting traps in his house but… he would surely find out."

"Kagome, wha-what if we wait?"

"Wait?"

"That's not such a bad plan. Sensei will be expecting retribution so he will be extra nervous and cautious. However, if we wait a month or so, until he forget that is, our revenge will have the advantage of surprise over him." The coal eyed twelve years old was at first surprised by Hinata's 'wait' plan, but then Sasuke understood. It seems as if the rumors regarding the heiress of the Hyuuga clan being useless is false. I wonder what other rumors about my team mates would be uncovered as mere figments of their imaginations. Maybe this team will not be so weak after all.

"And sensei's nerves will be shot for days or even weeks before he forgets!" Naruto grinned. This is great!

"And along the way, all four of us use false signals to increase his vigilance and anxiety; he'll be so tired by the end of two weeks that Kakashi sensei will request us to prank him willingly." Kagome grinned happily. Turns out the techniques that I picked up and came up with in the Feudal Ages is partially coming to play now. Ha! Guess I have to thank Sesshomarualittle for granting me the position of 'Lady of the West' just for my power even though I am not his mate or a demon.

"False signals…?"

"Yes, false signals, it's something Kagome and I came up with a few years ago. There are the false ones and the real ones that we use when we don't want the others knowing what we are talking about or planning."

"I see." Sasuke was astonished. With techniques like that, the girl, Kagome, must be hiding more than she is showing, or else, she wouldn't be one of the dead last tied with Naruto. This makes him doubt if Narutoi s actually dead last or if he is just faking his position. After all, it is common knowledge that the worst students get put into the same team as the best ones, at least to him that is. Besides, he doesn't seem like an idiot everyone calls him by.

"That's going to be extremely useful when it comes to coming up with strategies to beat the enemies." Even since he was small, Naruto had never been included in anything. So, he expected his new team to leave him out of everything and include Sasuke. However, to have a team that includes him into it by not outright scoffing at his ideas or ignoring him is really unexpected. I'm so happy!

"Here, we'll use the remaining day to teach you guys what we mean. The false signals and the real ones, that way, you guys won't get mixed up!" Never before was the pupil less heiress even given the chance to teach someone something that she knew and they didn't. It was only natural for her to jump at the chance. Maybe it won't be just me and Kagome anymore. Maybe, since Naruto and Sasuke are the same as us, we'll be friends. Maybe even like family because of our friendship. She felt really hopeful about the future.

Kagome smiled dreamily at her adoptive elder sister, she had never seen Hinata interact this way with others. Maybe this team business is good for her. At first I thought that the team would completely ignore Hinata because she is so shy… but… she seems so happy.

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