Chapter 2 - The Phoenix Always Rises From the Ashes
"What do we do with them?"
Tsunade looked up at the Copy Ninja as he looked out of the window of her office. She knew this was coming. She had hoped to avoid it, but something had to be done.
"I believe it's still too soon for them to be given another teammate." She told Kakashi. "I don't think they will take well to a new member, no matter who it is."
"I agree with you," Kakashi told her. "They won't accept anyone else into Team Seven right now."
"Regardless, we can't afford to have them inactive. They are too valuable. I also don't want to give up on the Uchiha boy just yet. So I have an idea that might work for a while. . ."
Hinata stood around the corner from the training grounds trying to keep out of site as she watched Naruto practice.
"Naruto-kun is pushing himself harder than I've ever seen him go before." She thought. "I hope he is alright." She twiddled her fingers absently as she watched him. Naruto wasn't wearing his usual orange jacket, only his pants and a black t-shirt. His hands and arms were wrapped in bandages almost up to his elbows. It reminded Hinata of the way Lee wrapped his arms before going into battle.
Hinata didn't like the look in Naruto's eye. He didn't look like his usual happy self. She could tell just by his aggressiveness that his spirit wasn't the same. She had watched him over the years and she knew his usual cheerful demeanor all too well. It was such an inspiration for her to see the determination in his eyes, that same determination which as helped him beat her cousin during the Chunin exams. At this moment however, the determination in his blue eyes was different. There was a fire, but instead of the usual optimistic look of hope there was an air of unfriendliness and frustration that Hinata found very unsettling. This was not the Naruto-kun she had grown to care about and admire over the years. "Please be alright Naruto-kun." She thought to herself. "I'll make sure you will be ok, no matter what."
It was then that Naruto noticed her. Hinata's eyes met his and she blushed, averting her eyes nervously before stepping out from her hiding spot. "No sense in hiding if he can see me." She thought. Naruto's expression was one of puzzlement.
"What are you doing here, Hinata?" he asked her. He did not sound upset that she was watching him, only surprised. Considering his current attitude, Hinata took it as a good sign.
"I-I was making sure you were ok." She said quickly, her voice barely above a whisper. "We we're all worried about you while you were in the hospital."
"Thanks, Hinata, but you need not worry about me." He said. "I've got to train and prepare for the when we go back after Sasuke." Hinata's white eyes narrowed and she dropped her head slightly at the mention of the Uchiha clan member. He had escaped from the team sent after him and was believed to be seeking Orochimaru, the snake Sannin who killed the Third Hokage. If Naruto and went after him again, they might have to fight him. Someone like him had untold amounts of power and who knew what he was capable of . . .
Before Hinata could finish her thought, she was startled by the sudden appearance of Naruto's sensei. Kakashi materialized out of thin air in front of them, his uncovered eye looking down at the two genin.
"Naruto, Hinata. I'm glad I found both of you," he explained. "The Hokage wants to speak with you." Both genin exchanged confused looks.
"Both of us?" Naruto finally asked.
"Yes, she wants to see both of you. In fact, she wants to see all of the rookies who participated in the Chunin exam. I would hurry up if I were you two; she doesn't like to be kept waiting."
Naruto looked around the office of the Hokage at his former classmates. The remaining all eight were there, most of them arriving before he did. "I wonder what Old Lady Tsunade is up to." He thought as he looked at everyone. Even the Jounin instructors from each team were present. Whatever it the Hokage wanted must be a pretty big deal. Tsunade looked over each and every face before taking a breath and speaking. "This is going to be different, but we have no choice."
"As you all know, some of your teams have lost members," Tsunade began. Naruto and Sakura didn't have to look up to feel every eye on them at that moment. Both of them averted the glances from their friends and former classmates as they tried to keep their attention on the Hokage. "However, it would seem troublesome to reshuffle the teams and force the new teams to get used to each other. It would also be more difficult to bring in different genin to certain groups without causing problems. Therefore, I have come up with a solution. Starting now, all of you will be one large team."
Everyone's eyes grew wide at the Hokage's announcement. "One big team?" Naruto thought as he looked at everyone. "How will that work?"
I know what you are thinking, but you will not be a team in the traditional sense. From now on, you will all train together. Your sensei's will all supervise all of you. Because Shikamaru is a Chunin, he will be in charge when your teachers are not present."
"Ah, more things for me to worry about." Shikamaru said out loud. "It's been so troublesome sense getting promoted"
"We can always change the status of your rank, Shikamaru." Tsunade gave the lazy boy a stern look which conveyed the idea that it was in his best interest to shut up. Shikamaru quickly got the message and closed his mouth to allow the Hokage to continue.
"From now on, you will be selected for missions based on your abilities. Any of you can be teamed up with anyone else from this group here. This means everyone will have to trust each other and be able to work with everyone. Being that you all came from the same class from the academy and you all have a particular history together, this should be easier for you than if it were done with other teams."
"But why are you putting us all together now?" Naruto blurted out.
"There is another reason for this as well. . . the reason I'm placing you together now as a unit is because you will all be asked to become specialists. This means you will have to choose to take on a specialty role and train under a willing Jounin. Once you begin your specialty training, it will be more difficult to pair all of you up with different teams. I would rather pool you together now while you are learning your specialties so you'll learn each other's strengths and weaknesses. There will be a day that I send you all out on a mission together, and I want to be sure you all will be ready to complete that mission when that time comes."
They all remained silent at this. This was usually training reserved for Chunin. Genin rarely were allowed to have apprenticeships due to the typical structure of the three-man team. Chunin on the other hand, did not have to stick with teams and were often allowed missions as individuals. They were allowed to start specialty training because they could choose their path as shinobi at that point in their careers. They all knew they were getting something few genin were allowed and each of the nine genin's eyes shone with excitement.
While they were excited about the idea of working together with their friends again, both Sakura and Naruto were thinking the same thing when Tsunade mentioned possible joint missions; Sasuke. "I want you all to take the next few days to think about what you wish to specialize in and who you wish to train you. It will be important to everyone in this room and you must be prepared to give everything you have. If you have no more questions, then you are all dismissed." The eight genin and their instructors filed out of the office silently. A few of the remaining members of the rookie nine began talking to each other once they got outside, the Hokage's office, but Hinata was busy thinking of the possibilities of her new situation.
"I'll be on a team with Naruto-kun." She thought excitedly. "We can train together and we might go on missions together." The thought of having to work closely with Naruto made Hinata's pale skin flush a deeper red than normal. She began to hum happily to herself as she thought about the possibilities. "At least now I can watch over Naruto-kun and make sure he is alright."
It was very important that she look after Naruto. He was special to her, after all and he had started to acknowledge her. She walked towards her home trying to think of the best way to help her new teammate. At last, she believed she found a way to be of the best help. Hinata decided then that she would ask the Hokage about becoming a medic-nin tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Ino was walking along with Sakura talking about the possibilities of their new situation.
"It looks like we will have to work together, Sakura-chan." The blonde girl said. "I already heard you were working under Hokage to be a medic-nin, so I guess there is no need for you to worry about choosing a specialty."
"No, I don't suppose there is." Sakura said absentmindedly.
"I don't think I could work under Lady Tsunade, I heard it is tough to be a medic-nin." Ino touched her friend on the shoulder to stop her, and Sakura looked up to see Ino smiling back at her. "Listen, I know it's hard right now for you, but remember, you have friends who will always be here for you." Sakura smiled at Ino's words. Ino may appear to be vain, but Sakura knew she had a big heart when it came to those she loved. After all, Ino had been the one to first give her confidence in herself.
"Thank you, Ino." She said as she bowed to her friend. "You've always been a good friend to me."
"It's ok, forehead girl," Ino said joked. "You sometimes forget. But that's why I'm here to remind you." The blonde girl winked at her friend. "Look, now that we don't Sasuke to worry about, we can be best friends again, right?" Sakura's smile faded quickly at the mention of Sasuke.
"Yeah, no Sasuke." She tried to laugh it off, but it was clearly forced. "Sasuke-kun, why did you have to leave? She thought. "Please come back to us. Please come back to me!"
"Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto stood behind his teacher silently, awaiting him to acknowledge his presence. Kakashi turned around and looked down from his book at he blond-haired boy.
"What is it, Naruto?"
"I want you to train me."
"I will be training you everyday, Naruto"
"No, I mean I want you to train me separately from the others."
Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow at the boy. He knew what was coming.
"You want to be my apprentice, is that it?"
"Yeah, that's right, sensei."
"And why is that? I don't have a specialty to teach you."
"But you were the last person to train Sasuke."
Kakashi looked the boy in the eyes now. He was afraid Naruto might try something like this. He didn't need him getting any ideas in his head about going after his former teammate; at least not now.
"Naruto, Sasuke is gone."
"So Hokage isn't going to send us all out after him?" Kakashi averted his eyes from the boy. The silence was all the confirmation Naruto needed.
"You're more observant than I realized." He told his student. "You've grown up quite a bit, Naruto."
"Kakashi-sensei, there is going to come a time when I have to fight him again. I have to know everything and be prepared for anything. You are the only person who can help me with that." The look in Naruto's eyes was all proof Kakashi needed to see. If he didn't teach him, he might go after his friend before he was ready, or worse, by himself. At least this way he could keep an eye on him.
"Ok, Naruto. After training tomorrow, we will go and work privately in the woods. But it will be tough. No slacking."
"Hai!" The boy gone before Kakashi could speak again. "You've got a lot of work to do, Naruto. But I think you can do it." Kakashi went back to his reading his book, while Naruto ran along the rooftops towards his next destination. The young shinobi had to talk to a few more people. . .