"So tell me little one, do you have a dream?"
"A dream? I have no need for such things."
He touched her cheek gently. "Oh, You pitiful thing. Are you going to live your life like a tool? A commodity with no human value? Will you ever truly live your own life? Will you live pitifully in the hand of someone else until you die?" His beautiful eyes were both gentle and coldly distant. "You poor child. Are you cursed just as I am?" his face held genuine remorse.
It was lunchtime. Naruto looked down at his feet and nudged the swing back and forth with his toes.
That new girl was nice. They snuck out together and he gave her a grand tour of all the best ramen places in the village. But then the next day she went off with the other girls, who told Naruto to get lost.
She didn't even come to school yesterday. Or the day before.
"Huh!? Naruto's swing jolted forward. Kirika stepped up onto it, planting her feet on either side of Naruto and between the swing ropes. "Hey! It's you!"
"Yup." She smiled
"Where were you?"
Kirika's face scrunched up. "I got in trouble."
"Really? How come?"
"Stupid stuff." She had been at counselling sessions with her mother, the hokage, and the academy administrators for kicking sand in another girl's face. Those girls were strange and unsettling. They caught her off guard and a reflex of anger had broken through Kirika's carefully crafted mask. But the error had been corrected, and someone so minute would not effect her again.
"Why aren't you with the other girls?" He murmured bitterly. "Didn't your parents tell you not to talk to me?"
"I hate the other girls. They're all idiots and they got me in trouble." She huffed. "I like you better."
Naruto looked up in disbelief. "R-really?"
"Just you wait. They'll never get strong. They're all gonna turn out weak and useless." A grin spread across her face. "They're wrong about you, too."
His mouth opened. "Th-they are?" he breathed.
"I will bet you anything that you'll become the strongest ninja in this village. And they'll all just die in a ditch."
He felt his eyes starting to burn.
Kirika cocked her head. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing." Naruto rubbed his eyes. "Do you really think that?" He always bragged he would be strong once day. But to hear someone else say it for the first time felt so legitimising.
"Obviously." He was a jinchuriki. Of course he would be strong. "Close you're mouth. You'll catch flies."
He hadn't realise it fell open.
"...he even tried to ambush me this morning. I gotta tell ya, Konohamaru's okay, but he's pretty annoying."
Kirika shook her head. "I still can't believe you stole the scroll of sealing."
"I told you, I was tricked!"
"I know that. But, it still seems wrong. Was it guarded by children-?"
"What are you doing here, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked "This class isn't for dropouts, you can't be here unless you've graduated."
"Oh yeah, do you see this!? do you see this!? open your eyes Shikamaru, it's a regulation headband!" Naruto boasted "Were gonna be training together! How do you like that?"
"Humph."
"Let me put it to you this way, I look great in this head gear! It's like it was made for me, believe it!"
"Ffh, Whatever."
"I'm first!" two shrill voices exclaimed.
Naruto quickly gripped Kirika's arm. "Sakura's here!" He inhaled.
"What do want a girl like that for?" Kirika put her hand in her palm. "She's not good for much. You should be looking at the girls from clans."
Sakura smiled and turned towards Naruto.
Naruto blushed. "Hi Sakura, what's up?"
Sakura glanced at Kirika, who raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Sakura took a breath, as if determining if Kirika was a safe enough distance away. She deemed her worth the risk, a safe row behind Naruto.
"Move it!" She pushed him to the ground. "Good morning Sasuke!"
Sasuke glanced at her, then back at the front of the room.
Kirika sighed. Typical. When She entered the Konoha academy she suspected some other students might not have their priorities straight, but this... Kirika imagined she was the only girl in the class who's aspirations were not solely driven by the prospect of boys.
"So... mind if I sit next to you?" Sakura asked
"Back off forehead! I'm sitting next to Sasuke!" Ino cut in.
"I was here first." Sakura growled
"I walked into the classroom before you did, everyone saw it!"
"Dream on!"
"Actually, I got here before either of you." another girl said
"So did I! I'm sitting next to Sasuke!"
"No! I am!"
Kirika pulled Naruto into the row next to her. These girls were more liability than asset. It cracked her up; thinking of the ways they'd be thrown out onto missions without the slightest clue what to do. She put a hand on Naruto's back. "Don't worry about it..." She chuckled at the girls surrounding Sasuke. "Apparently subtlety doesn't exist in their dictionaries- eh?" Naruto was no longer next to her...
He was crouching on the desk in front of Sasuke, both boys were growling at each other.
Kirika smiled and rolled her eyes. "Naruto, get down from there."
"Naruto! stop glaring at Sasuke!" Sakura shouted
They glared at each other harder, while the girls continued to yell at Naruto.
"You know you should really listen to your master, and she should really put you on a leash." Sasuke taunted. He had a cynical grin.
"What did you say! She's not my master! And I'm no dog!" Naruto yelled
"I really am."
"Kira! Not helping!"
"No way. One of the head members of the Hyuga clan!? Missing!?" The boy behind Naruto leaned back, knocking him, and Naruto fell forward. "Sorry! did I bump you?"
"What the..." Sakura's eyes widened "AH!"
They... Kissed? Kirika put a hand over her mouth and laughed. "Kfufufufu... Subtlety isn't in your dictionary either!"
The two separated and started gagging. Naruto jerked his head up like a frightened deer. "Huh? Bloodlust..."
"Naruto." Sakura growled, an angry horde of girls behind her. "You are so dead."
"Hey, wow, It was an accident!" he stammered.
Sakura cracked her knuckles "Your finished."
"Hold on!" Naruto said
Kirika was still laughing under her hand. A dozen snakes shot out from Kirika's sleeves; hissing and snapping. Naruto fell out of his seat. The girls shrieked and scattered. Kirika's laughter became hysterical.
"As of today you are all ninja. Together you will face difficult trials and hardships," Iruka said. "but that's nothing, what comes next will be far more difficult..."
"Sorry for laughing."
Naruto's head was on the table. Neither of them were listening to the lecture. "It's okay. Thanks for stopping the girls from beating me up."
"If it makes you feel any better, Sakura will probably die fairly quickly anyway. Girls like her aren't good for much other than cannon fodder."
Naruto stared at Kirika in a cold sweat.
"...What?"
"Quiet over there! Naruto! Kirika! Pay attention!" Iruka schouted. the class snickered and he went on with his speech. "Now you are only genin: first level ninja. All genin will be grouped into squads of three or four, each squad will be led by a jonin."
"Huh?" said Naruto, apparently the team thing struck a cord with him. "A squad?"
"Yes." said Iruka "Any more than four and a squad becomes difficult to manage. We want the squads to have a balance of strength and ability, I will now announce the squads: Squad 1..."
Kirika glanced up at the girl sitting in the corner at the back of the room. She flashed a feral smile. Hinata Hyuga averted her gaze immediately. Still smiling, Kirika tapped her fingers on her cheek and wondered if she knew.
"...Squad 7: Kirika Tachibana; Naruto Uzumaki; Sakura Haruno;"
"Yes!" Naruto yelled
Sakura put her head in her hands. "I'm doomed..."
"...And Sasuke Uchina."
"Yeah!" cheered Sakura.
"I'm doomed." moped Naruto
Kirika smiled. This was good! What she really wanted to see was Naruto unleashing the Kyuubi's power. She'd followed him dutifully for two years with no results... perhaps now that he was aware of it, and with the stimulants of combat in the real world something would happen. At the very least he might draw out a few of the Akatsuki. It wouldn't hurt to pick off a member or two. Come to think of it, she'd love to see the sharingan, too. Kirika tapped a pen against her desk thoughtfully. She wondered what Sasuke's brain looked like... And Sakura, that was unexpected. She mused how that would play out. Sakura hadn't made eye contact with her since the stunt Kirika had pulled two years ago. And Kirika still faulted Sakura for that screw-up.
"Squad eight: Hinata Hyuga; Kiba Inuzuka; and Shino Aburame. Squad ten: Ino Yamuzuka; Shikamaru Nara; and choji ackamichi."
"Iruka sensie! Why does a great ninja like me have to be in the same class as a slug like Sasuke?" Naruto asked
"Sasuke had one of the best score in the class. Naruto, you had the worst, to create a balanced team we put the best students with the worst."
"Just make sure you don't get in my way, Loser. Kirika, you really should keep him on a leash."
Kirika linked her fingers and placed her chin on top of them. "Don't be mean."
"There you go again-" yelled Naruto
"Ahem! After lunch you'll meat your jonin teachers, until then class dismissed." said Iruka
Kirika was pleased Naruto decided to run his shenanigans by himself at lunch period. It saved her the trouble of weaseling out of eating with him. Today she had other priorities. Kirika found Hinata Hyuga eating alone on the benches.
She jumped when she saw Kirika and turned her head quickly back to the lunchbox in her lap. She forced herself into an frightened stillness when Kirika loomed over her.
"Afternoon."
"O-oh...! Hi Kirika." Hinata's eyes darted around.
Kirika sat next to her and crossed her legs.
"Mm..." Hinata squirmed in her seat. The last thing she wanted was to be rude, but her father told her not to associate with the Tachibana girl. And Kirika was scary...
"I've noticed you've been following me around the school for the past two weeks. Up until three days ago. Since then you've been avoiding me. Would you like to talk?"
Hinata shrunk. Kirika towered over her. She penetrated her with those frightening eyes... "Um... well.. I... uh... you... noticed?"
Kirika watched her patiently. Every so often Hinata met her face, but became frightened and turned away.
"Well... I... I was going to ask you if..." Hinata looked away with cheeks red as a beat. "If... you and Naruto are... dating."
Kirika cocked her head at that. Amusement filled her eyes. She almost laughed and had to stifle a breath.
"But then..." Hinata's eyes flickered down somberly. "I'm sure you heard the rumors... The other day a close relative of mine went missing. My whole clan is concerned because he was in the main family... it... it didn't seem right to focus on something like... that..."
Hisao Hyuuga had almost reached Konoha. His mission had been a grueling one, but as one of the heads of the clan, there were few others who could handle such delicate political affairs. War had been much easier than diplomacy, he though. He was looking forward to home. Night had fallen, but the village was within sight.
Hisao Huuga's eyes darted to the side of the road. He stopped. "You there! Come out!"
The ninja stepped out from the trees behind him. He turned to face her. His eyes widened. A girl? A child. She must have been the same age as Lady Hinata.
"Wait... you're..." His eyes widened, snakes shot towards him. He swirved to avoid them. He had no time to activate his byakugan. "Ah!" A sharp pain hit him in the shoulder blade and his arm went stiff. She was behind him. He quickly turned to push her away, but she danced out of his reach. He stumbled back, clucking his arm. "What... what did you do? You snake! I knew you were rotten!"
Her finger pressed to her lips. "Ssshhh. The forest is sleeping." She slipped the empty syringe into her pouch. "But your tired. That drug will take effect in a few moments."
The forest was spinning around Hisao. He fell to the ground. "Damn you... my clan... Lord Hiashi will... will... find you."
Kirika ckuckled.
It was all funny. Kirika thought Hinata knew something, but this girl lacked the capacity to lie under pressure. For a moment Kirika though she would have to kill Hinata. "My deepest condolences for your relative."
Hinata nodded. "Thank you..."
Kirika stood. "You must forgive my brashness. I have a very... cautious nature. Naturo and I are not dating. He's starved for attention, though. A cute, proper girl like you would do him good."
Hinata blushed, "W-what!?"
Kirika gave her a respectful nod and left.
"He's late." grumbled Naruto, he poked his head out the door and looked down the hallways. "Hmm!"
"Just relax." Kirika lounged in a seat next to the window, feet on the table. A snake was sunbathing the windowsill outside. Kirika opened the window and held out her arm, to which the snake did not hesitate to coil around. Kirika raised her arm up, just in front of her face. The snake regarded her with interest and the flick of its tongue which just grazed her nose. She wrinkled her nose and smiled. "Hi cutie."
"Naruto! Sit down!" Sakura yelled
"I don't want to! How come our teacher's the only one who's late? I'm ready to roll! Believe it! The other groups already met there teachers and took off on some adventure or something! Iruka sensei's gone too!"
"I know, okay." mumbled Sakura "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Hehe!" Naruto giggled as he wedged an eraser in the door hinge
"Naruto!" Sakura scolded
"That's what he get's for coming late! Surprise!"
"Your asking for trouble, you know you shouldn't do that." Sakura warned
"Our teacher's a jonin: an elite ninja. Think he'll fall for that?" Sasuke asked
"Naruto, Sasuke's right, there's no way he'll fall for that."
The snake hissed and rubbed the underside of it's head up to Kirika's cheek, demanding her attention, which she turned from Naruto's antics back to it. "You're so much better than humans." She whispered, stroking the base it's head with the tips of her fingers.
"Wow snakes sure like you, huh?" asked Naruto, who tried to get a closer look at it. It hissed at him.
"Careful. He's venomous."
The door opened up and a silver-haired ninja entered... And was hit in the head by the eraser. Naruto bust out laughing. "I got him! he totally fell for it! ha-ha!"
"I'm sorry sensei! I hold him not to do it! I'd never do anything like that!" Sakura apologized
Kirika stared at him, eyes wide and critical and glaring. "You're not Anko."
"No. I'm not." Kakashi picked up the eraser and looked over the lot. "Hmm... how can I put this? My first impression of this group... I hate you."
"Okay, why don't you introduce yourselves, one at a time." said Kakashi. The group gathered on the roof. Kakashi stood infront of the genin seated on the steps.
"Introduce ourselves?" Sakura cocked her head. "Well, what are we suppose say?"
"Things you like. Things you hate. Dreams for the future. Hobbies. Things like that."
"Why don't you go first? Before we talk, you tell us about yourself so we can see how it's suppose to go." Naruto subjected.
"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future... never really thought about it. As for my hobbies... I have lots of hobbies."
"Well that was useless, all he told us was his name." muttered Sakura, Naruto nodded
"Okay, your turn." Kakashi said "You on the right, you first."
"Believe it! I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like instant ramen in a cup; and I really like the ramen Iruka sensei got me from the Itchiraku Noodle Shop, but I hate the three minutes you have to wait when you pour the water in the cup. My hobby is eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. And my dream is to become the greatest hokage!"
"Alright." Kakashi nodded "Next."
"Alright, I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like is...! I mean the person I like is...! uhh... my hobby is...! My dream for the future is, he-he...!"
"And...? what do you hate?" Kakashi asked
"Naruto!"
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like a many things. What I have is not a dream because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and destroy a certain someone..."
"Good. Okay, last one."
"My name is Kirika Tachibana. My hobby is justu training. I'm quite fond of snakes. My dream is to become a strong ninja and serve the Leaf."
"Okay... good. You're each unique and you have you're own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow."
"What kind of mission are we going to have?" Naruto asked
"It's a task that the five of us will do together. A survival exercise."
"Huh? survival exercise?"
"I thought we were supposed to have a real mission, not more practice." Sakura complained "We already did this stuff at the academy, that's how we got here."
"This is not like your previous training."
"So, uh, what kinda training is it then?" asked Naruto
Kakashi started laughing
"Hold on! That was a normal question, what's so funny?" asked Sakura
"Well if I tell you the answer, you won't like it. Of the twenty-eight graduates who came here, no more than ten will actual be accepted as genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back to the academy. In other words this is a make it or break it pass-fail test and the chances that you'll fail are at least sixty-six percent." He waved. "See, didn't I tell you you wouldn't like it?"
"That's crazy! we worked hard to get here, believe it! What was that graduation test even for anyway?" Naruto demanded
"Oh that. That was just to select candidates who might become ninja." Kakashi said
"What!?"
"That's how it is. I decide whether you pass or fail. Be at the designated training spot at five AM, and bring your ninja gear... That's it. You're dismissed. Oh! And tomorrow you'd better skip breakfast or you'll puke."
Kirika hummed as she strode into her lab. When Orochimaru abandoned the Leaf he left several laboratories abandoned. There were a handful that had gone undiscovered by the military police. He'd given Kirika detailed instructions of their locations and the booby traps to avoid . It had taken Kirika almost two years to restore them. Ever the restless sleeper, their restorations were the fitting, but grueling, activities of her nights. And at last, to be in a clean, functional laboratory again; to smell the chemicals and feel skin part under her scalpel gave her the sweetest satisfaction.
Hisao Hyuga raised his head when he heard the door open.
"I've been thinking about you all day. I had so suffer through my first squad meeting. I doubt Kakashi believed a word I said about myself, but appearances matter. You know how it is."
Hisao screamed through his gag.
An inquisitive eyebrow quirked. "What is it now? I know you're not feeling anything... not with Kirika moved to the side of the table he was chained to and massaged her hand through his hair. "Hush dear. I need you at your best. Haven't I told you no one will hear you?"
Hisao glared at her.
Kirika chuckled and stroked his cheek. "You're a tough one." She leaned down and whispered into his ear. "Just break for me. You're contributing to very important scientific progress. You wouldn't want me to do more than severing your spinal cord, would you?"
Hisao turned his head away as far as he could push it against the table, breathing sharply.
Kirika smiled and moved to her work station. "You know, my father told me once that there's no greater threat to genius than boredom. He was so right! And my entire time in this stupid village, I've been bored." She looked back at him. "It's odd to think, I know. And I'm such a cheerful person." She smiled and turned back to the chemicals on the bench. "When I was younger, my father guided my through experiments. We did this a lot." She filled an empty syringe with light purple fluid. She hovered over Hisao. "So this; you, myself, this lab, the sweet feeling of tissue under my scalpel, it's like remembering an old friend." She smiled. "You ought to be excited. Today I'll be dissecting those eyes, soon enough your brain. For you generous contribution to my research, you have my thanks."
Hisao screamed and flailed as the needle entered his neck.