So sorry this was so late! My computer deleted two pages of the original document...And I literally cried. Stupid MAIKA! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT TO ME! I OWN YOU! (I am of course going at my laptop like it has an intelligent response hidden in it's circuits somewhere) ...Anyway...Here is what I have left a bit revised and left to your enjoyment.
Keys of previous chapters apply for the rest of the story."Um, I have the distinct feeling of being unwanted..." Naruto mumbled to himself as he watched Kakashi take off with Sasuke, Kurenai with Hinata and Sakura, and Shikamaru and Choji and Ino were off with the walking smoke cloud. Seriously, Asuma should get his lungs checked or somethin' in Naruto's opinion. Kiba just looked at the blond boy with a sneer.
"Hey, baka, what'cha goin' on about?"
"I just know that I'm never going to be picked for special training. Call it a hunch, but the only reason you aren't with one of the instructors today is because Kurenai wants to have girl talk with Hinata and Sakura. Since both are seriously strong to begin with," Naruto shuddered in remembered pain from spares with Hinata and solid blows from Sakura, "she is probably telling them what a woman can use against men effectively for a few training sessions before taking you on as well.
"Kakashi wants to train Sasuke due to his affiliation to the Uchiha Clan. And of course Asuma just wants the easiest group to work with 'cause he's as lazy as a Nara and Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru have already been training together since they could walk."
"What about me?" Shino really wanted to know what Naruto thought about his placement in the instructors' highly improper division of the original teams.
"Well, Kurenai is reconnaissance. You would be perfect for such detail, so duh, she's going to take you on too. I thought you were smart, Aburame-san."
He shrugged at the blond. "I just wanted to hear your conclusion to the situation. It is quite remarkable that the 'dead last' has come to the answer so quickly," he remarked almost to himself. Naruto rolled his eyes at the bug-nin.
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I'm gonna train or somethin' before my brain melts from boredom."
"You have a brain? When the hell did that happen?" Kiba taunted. When Naruto ignored him, he tackled the other boy to the ground. Akamaru barked enthusiastically from the sidelines commenting on the 'fox's' inability to keep up with his superior master. Shino just watched with amusement glinting in his hidden eyes.
"You will stop attacking me, Kiba! I want to train, not be pummeled into the damned ground! Get OFF!" Kiba flew into the air and twisted to land on his feet easily. He grinned at the "Dobe" as he panted from the adrenaline rush. Naruto flipped him off and started running from the grounds to the nearest river, Shino and Kiba eventually following in an attempt to get the hyper-active blond to spar with them.
"You know, that mutt knows what you are. Even if the Inuzuka is oblivious to the fact."
"He's right. And the Aburame and Nara will most likely find out about one if not both of us soon."
"Okay, so why are you telling me this NOW?"
"Are you that dense?"
"Apparently. Sheesh, you damned fox, stupid gaki. I can think contrary to popular belief. They will find out one way or another no matter what. The story of the fox is used to keep children from causing trouble, you bakas. What makes you think that Hyuuga Neji won't notice the odd chakra flowing off me in waves when I get pissed? And who's to say that some of the parents haven't told there precious babies what I am in some form or other? Come on, we live in a NINJA VILLAGE, people will find a way to make sure their next generation knows about me and avoid me like a plague." Naruto was ranting at his tenets, his overly-tired body feeling run down even as he tried to exude the "normal" hyperactive image. "I have no idea when they will find out—and they WILL find out—but when they do, what am I supposed to do? Dammit, what the hell is wrong with my body?!"
"You'll find out."
"Buzz off!"
o.o
"Kurenai-sensei, what about Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, and Naru-niichan? Why haven't one of the other instructors picked them?" Hinata watched with wide innocent eyes at the red-eyed woman before her. Damn, she was good at this. Kurenai felt guilty for a moment as those sad eyes that reminded her of opals and pearls pouted cutely with that lip.
"We," she pointed at the girls and then herself, "need to have a discussion that must take place soon. As women, we are able to do things men cannot and to reveal all our secrets to them is just not prudent!" There, that should ally her stress for a moment...Or not. Hinata just got teary-eyed and Kurenai felt herself melt. Sakura was standing and staring at her companion a look of complete adoration there.
"KAWAII!" Sakura squealed as she threw her arms around Hinata. "We'll find out what happens to them, don't worry, Hinata-san! (1)"
Unbeknownst to them, Inner (or Black) Sakura was squealing in all her fan girlish delight at the adorable girl with pale eyes and dark skin. She was so going to make a chibi doll of her now.
Kurenai felt herself sweating with the irresistible urge to tell Hinata everything she wanted to know. She new she was going to take over Shino and Kiba within the next week or so, but the Uzumaki boy...She couldn't even remember his name being mentioned in the negotiations. She almost felt guilty...again.
Well, she had seen him fight and his moves were good and all, but still a bit sloppy. He liked using the terrain to bounce off and surprise people with unexpected attacks from all angles, not just up or down, left or right, front or back. Gai would be good for him. So would a few hours with Asuma because, even if he was a lazy and black-lunged ass, he was a smart ass. (2) Then there was a few other jounin that owed Kurenai a lot of favors even from way back in their academy days. It was time to make them pay up.
"I've got quite a few ideas about Inuzuka and Aburame on this temporary team, and Uzumaki is on a list of people I have favors with. He'll get an education that will rival the Hokage-sama's when I and my companions are through with him!" The Grin of Terror that lifted her lips made Hinata's puppy-eyes brighten with unshed (and quite fake) tears.
Choji was stuffing his face with Bar-B-Que ribs and pork chops. Ino grimaced at her friend and turned back to being bored. Shikamaru appeared to be asleep except for the placing of Shogi pieces on the board as he played Asuma who had dango hanging from his mouth on one side and a cigarette on the other.
"So, Asuma-sensei, what becomes of Naruto?"
Asuma moved a piece before answering Shikamaru. "I don't really know. Maybe Kurenai was supposed to take him on...?" he half mumbled to himself. Shikamaru nodded as if he expected that answer.
"So, while Kiba and Shino are made better reconnaissance players, Naruto is the forgotten piece on the board expected to make the win without being moved across the playing field. Makes sense with the fact that nearly everyone hates him." He moved his piece. "And Kakashi-sensei has Sasuke alone because he's supposed to be a prodigy. Well, that sucks." Asuma said nothing as he moved his piece making Shika look over the board carefully for ten seconds. "So troublesome." He picked a neglected piece and moved it forward.
"What did Naru do other than play a few harmless pranks on the village? Bothersome people..." With that final move, he won the game and Asuma pouted in his booth seat.
"Too damn smart for your own good, that's what you are." Asuma reset the pieces and they started again with him going first this time for no apparent reason.
"Yeah, why does the entire village hate Naruto, Asuma-sensei?" Ino looked at the man trying to get him into any kind of conversation to stave off the boredom. "I mean, yeah, the blond pumpkin is a pain in the ass, but that's not good enough to treat him like that. It's not fair!"
Choji shrugged. "Life's not fair, but that doesn't mean you give up. You know that."
"Yes, but this level of hostility is uncommon. Other than Hinata, he has no one outside his family. Even we, his classmates, have ignored him to great extent on the orders of our parents. They say Hinata is a fine example of a shinobi after she has been disowned by her own father. Double standards in my opinion."
Asuma sighed in defeat. "Well, I was thinking on calling in some payment..."
T-T
"Sensei, if all have been picked to my calculations, what will become of Uzumaki?"
"Kurenai has already expressed a like for her and her abilities."
"You are deliberately ignoring Uzumaki Naruto, are you not?"
Kakashi blinked at the rude stare. "Now where would you get an idea like that?"
Sasuke's eyes glared into the single dark eye and Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm sure the others two have him set up, but if it makes you feel better, I'll ask a few people who owe me something or other to help train him when he's not holed up with Asuma or Kurenai, okay? Now, can we resume our training?"
Sasuke grit his teeth but he eventually let his stance relax into an active one.
(1)- Hinata is still thought of as Sakura's better. As -san is a suffix associated with older people or important people, I thought I would make some kind of distance in association to the other shinobi and use this to show ... Well, you'll find out later.