Following Naruto's fight not too long ago more then half of the class simply upped and quit saying they weren't ready for that level of violence while the remaining girls in their class had divided themselves into two separate yet equally annoying camps. While Sasuke has always had his group of faithful and over zealous fan club Naruto quickly learned just how annoying fangirls could be and felt very sympathetic for his cousin after experiencing first hand how tenacious they could be.
As the day of the Academy Graduation begins Naruto and Sasuke are once again the first two students in their classroom waiting for the others to arrive. Since, what the other students have taken to calling, Hinata's rescue things between the two have become a bit more strained due to their respective fan clubs. "Fight me," Sasuke demands unable to bare the silence between them any longer.
"Not interested," Naruto replies with a tired sigh.
"You scared," Sasuke demands even though a part of him knows that that's not the case.
"I don't understand you sometimes itoko," Naruto says as he leans back in his chair so he can put his feet up on his desk. "You claim that you don't care what our stupid fangirls think," he reminds the slightly older boy, "And yet you get so worked up whenever they start comparing us. Honestly they'd be better off training rather then arguing about which of us is better then the other," he says placing his hands behind his head. "I mean seriously if by some bizarre miracle they do manage to pass the Graduation Exam they'll just end up being Cannon Fodder their first time in the field."
Sasuke can only grunt his agreement with his cousin's assessment of their fangirls as he had often thought the same thing after seeing how the Kunoichi of their village carried themselves. Compared to them the members of their fan clubs would only end up getting themselves or their teammates killed in their first real fight. "Be that as it may," he begins since his Uchiha pride will not allow him to let the dismissal of his challenge go so easily, "I still want to fight you to settle once and for all who really deserves to be Rookie of the Year."
"Shino," Naruto replies with his amused smile hidden behind his mask.
"WHAT…." Sasuke yells unable to believe his itoko's response. "Why the hell should he be Rookie of the Year?"
"Oh…. Is that what you thought I was saying," Naruto asks as he sits up in his seat properly, "I was just greeting him since he's standing right behind you."
"Morning," the controlled monotone voice of the Aburame heir greets them from behind the now embarrassed Uchiha.
"Uh… hi Shino," Sasuke responds turning to face their quiet classmate before turning back around to glare at his chuckling itoko. "We'll finish this later," he informs the annoying blonde before moving to his chair to allow Shino to move to his own seat.
"Usual," the bug-nin inquires as he takes his seat beside the young Assassin.
"Yeah," the Meimeikira replies eyeing his cousin sadly. "I guess it was stupid to think that we might actually be able to salvage a relationship for our Kaasans' sakes but our stupid fangirls are making that nearly impossible."
"Give him time," Shino tells his friend as Hinata enters the room followed by Kiba with Akamaru in his jacket and an unusually excited Choji actually dragging a half asleep Shikamaru.
"Come on," Choji tells his yawning best friend, "You can sleep once you sit down."
"What's got him so worked up," Sasuke asks Hinata as he turns around to face her as she sits beside Naruto. "Did his dad offer to take him for all you can eat barbeque if he graduates," he asks with a slightly teasing smirk.
"Yes," Hinata answers with a shy but still amused smile.
"That'll do it," Naruto chuckles hearing the excited chanting of meat coming from his large friend followed by a half amused half tired troublesome sigh from his laziest friend. "You ready Hinata-chan," he asks the former Hyuuga Heiress.
"I…I don't know," she replies looking down at the top of her desk as if wanting to be anywhere else at the moment.
"You'll do fine Hinata-chan," Sasuke tells her as he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Compared to the other girls in the class you're the best," he tells her giving her a confident and friendly smile.
"That…that's not really…that's not really saying a lot Sasuke-kun," she giggles as a faint blush shades her cheeks a light pink. "They…they care more about…about their looks then…then about actually being Kunoichi," she says turning a bright red at her own boldness in insulting her female classmates.
"Way to go Hinata," Kiba bellows his praise accompanied by a concurring yap from his canine companion as Shino and Choji simply nod their agreement.
"See," Naruto says placing a congratulatory hand on her shoulder, "With a little more practice we'll make a confident Kunoichi out of you yet."
"Arigato Naruto-kun," she says softly as the rest of their class begins making their way into the room.
0o0o0o0o0
"I swear that had to be the easiest test I ever took," Naruto says while taking off his mask as he and Hinata enter his Clan's compound. "I mean sure those are all useful skills to know," he tells her referring to the three Jutsus they had to perform for their Final Exam. "But honestly how are the Bunshin no Jutsu, the Henge no Jutsu and the Kawarimi no Jutsu supposed to prepare us for the dangers of Shinobi Life?"
"I'm not sure Naruto-kun," Hinata replies as they enter the Main House, "But I'm sure they feel we're ready to be Genin otherwise they never would have allowed us to graduate."
"I suppose you're right," Naruto replies as they enter his grandfather's study to let him know they had graduated the Academy and were now officially Konoha Shinobi.
0o0o0o0o0
Two days later all fifteen newly promoted Genin sit anxiously waiting for their teacher to tell them their team assignments. As the Chunin enters the room every eye falls on him as he prepares to address his class for the last time.
"Now since teams one through three are still in rotation," the scar faced Chunin says finally giving them their team assignments after a rather long and boring congratulatory speech were most of the class did a perfect imitation of a sleeping Shikamaru. "Team Four will be…"
"Wake up Naruto-kun," Hinata whispers as she gently nudges her still sleeping friend in time for him to hear the third team being announced.
"Team Seven Lead by Jounin Instructor Kakashi Hatake will be Naruto Meimeikira, Ino Yamanaka and Kiba Inuzuka," Iruka says earning matching groans from all three members of Team Seven.
"Not only am I stuck with tall dark and psycho but the mutt and his dog as well," Ino complains to their Sensei. "Couldn't I be placed on Sasuke-kun's team instead," she asks looking at the youngest Uchiha with hearts in her eyes.
"Why do we get the president of the Uchiha fan club," Kiba asks as Akamaru whines his agreement of his master's inquiry.
"Kakashi," Naruto moans as his head connects with the top of his desk. "You just had to give us Kakashi," comes his muffled groan. "It couldn't be anyone that actually owns a watch could it?"
"Sucks to be you itoko," Sasuke smirks enjoying his cousin's misfortune. Like Naruto he has also heard about Kakashi Hatake's reputation for being up to three hours late for anything other then an important meeting or a serious mission.
"Moving along," Iruka says ignoring the complaining members of Team Seven, "Team Eight under Itachi Uchiha will be Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha." The loud thud from Sasuke's head cracking the top of his desk is partially drowned out by the excited squeal from the vice-president of his fan club. "Since Team Nine is also still in rotation Team Ten will be Shino Aburame, Hinata and Choji Akimichi," he says and is please with the lack of complaints from the three friends who simply nod their personal approvals of the selection.
"Your Jounin Senseis will be by in one hour to pick you up," Iruka informs them, "You are free until then… Once again congratulations and good luck to all of you."
Rather then going to lunch just to wait around for another two hours afterwards Naruto leaves a message on the blackboard telling his Team's Sensei where to find them before enlisting a reluctant Kiba to literally drag an unwilling Ino to his clan's training grounds.
0o0o0o0o0
"Why are we here," Ino demands as they pass through the gates much to the hidden amusement of the guards on duty. "I should be spending my precious time with my Sasuke-kun," she tells them, "Not wasting it with you to bakas."
"Let her go," Naruto says as he and Kiba both drop the still struggling girl on her bottom in front of one of his clan's training courses. "If you think my itoko would waist time with a weak and pathetic fangirl like you then you're even stupider then I thought," he tells her removing his mask so they can see his face.
"What did you say," Ino demands as she jumps to her feet and glares at him. "Say that to my face."
"You're even stupider then I thought," Naruto casually says. As she pulls back to punch him in the face a faint click stops her mid motion as her eyes widen in fear at the sudden sensation of a blade being held at her stomach. "You're weak and useless Ino," he informs her with a cold calculating tone to his voice. "The Uchihas would never allow anyone so weak to even associate with them much less join their clan," he tells her. "If you want to impress Sasuke take your training seriously and become a true Kunoichi otherwise quit now."
"You…you would…you would kill me…in cold blood," she stutters as the cold shiver of fear runs down her spine.
"You were going to attack me remember," he says as the blade retracts into his armguard. "But yes," he answers, "If it prevents your weakness from getting the rest of this team killed then yes I would kill you myself."
"That's uncalled for Naruto," Kiba says finally voicing his opinion of the conversation. "Sure she's weak but she's still our pack mate," he reminds the male blonde using terms that every Inuzuka instinctually knows.
"That's why we're here," Naruto tells them both. "We are a Team now and as a Team we need to get stronger if we're to have any hope of surviving out in the real world."
"I couldn't agree more itoko," a voice says from behind the three new Genin. As they turn around they see both Team Eight and Team Ten standing there with their Jounin Senseis.
"Itachi it's good to see you again," Naruto smiles at the Uchiha Heir. "So we're all using the Tradition I see," he says earning confused looks from the other Genin including Sasuke. "The Meimeikira have a tradition," he says elaborating for them, "That the Teammates of a Meimeikira are permitted to use the Clan's Training Grounds so long as they are escorted by their Meimeikira Teammate."
"And since Sasuke and I are both related to the Main Family of the Clan we are considered Meimeikira," Itachi informs them.
"I…I have been adopt…adopted by Naruto's Kaasan so I too am Meimeikira," Hinata adds getting congratulations from the other Genin.
"So it seems that all three Rookie Teams are allowed to train here huh," comes the lazy reply from behind them. Turning around once again Team Seven finally meets their one-eyed masked Jounin Sensei.
"Late as usual Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto says addressing his Team's Jounin Instructor. "And what is the rule about reading that book while inside the confines of my Clan's land?"
"Oops," comes the lazy reply as Kakashi puts his orange book away. "So seeing as we're apparently forgoing the survival exercise," he says earning nods from his fellow Jounin, "How about each Team takes a different course and we can alternate each day."
"Sounds fair," Itachi answers before leading his Team off towards another training course while Hinata guides her Team to a different course then the others are using.
"So what's the schedule," Naruto asks once the others have left.
"We will train in the morning and then do at least one maybe two Missions in the afternoon," Kakashi informs them. "Depending on how well you all do in our training will determine the rest of our time together."
"So no bell test," Naruto asks with a knowing smirk.
"Wouldn't do any good seeing as how I know you've read your father's journals," Kakashi replies with an eye smile.
"What are you two talking about," Ino demands.
"Kakashi-Sensei was a Genin under my father," Naruto answers revealing part of his relationship to the former ANBU Black Op. "After my father passed away he and his former Teammate Rin kind of took it upon themselves to keep an eye on me and my mother."
"Sorry I didn't know," Ino says looking down at the ground.
"Don't be," Naruto tells her, "He died before I was even born so I never got to meet him. I only know him through the stories that Kaasan and the others tell me and the journals he left behind."
"I think we can continue this another time," Kakashi interrupts them before the conversation becomes to uncomfortable for both him and Naruto. "Let's get to training shall we," he adds getting his Genin back on course, so to speak. "Naruto you're up first."
"Hai," the young Assassin replies as he opens the door and enters the course they're using. The course itself is a thirty foot long tube about ten foot wide and ten foot tall completely encased in clear one inch thick Plexiglas so that those waiting their turn can see what's going on inside. At one end of the tube is a door and at the other end is a wall with several squares and a red button in the center of the wall.
"The objective of this course is simple," Kakashi tells his remaining Genin as Naruto watches them waiting for the signal to begin. "You just have to reach the end of the tunnel and push the red button," he says giving Naruto a nod to begin.
Naruto takes a deep breath before rushing across the paneled floor towards the other end of the tunnel. As his foot makes contact with the first panel the squares on the wall at the other end of the tube open up and numerous kunais and shurikens begin firing at him forcing him to duck dodge and weave through them to avoid getting hit.
"This course is ideal for training not only your speed and reflexes but also your intuitive reaction," Kakashi says as both Ino and Kiba's jaws drop seeing their Teammate jumps over one wave of projectiles only to land and roll to the side to avoid another wave before jumping to his feet and swiveling to the right to dodge yet a third wave.
"That's…that's not humanly possible," Ino says in wide-eyed amazement at their Teammate's athleticism, agility and graceful movements.
"Actually it's quite possible with the proper training," Kakashi tells the both of them as Naruto hit's the button turning the course off. "So who's next," he asks with an eye smile.
0o0o0o0o0
A/N: And cut…… Sorry about the short chapter but given recent developments in my personal life this is all I could come up with at this time that wasn't useless crap.
One thing I think I need to tell you about the course before anyone thinks it's a bit too extreme and that is that the weapons used are made of wood and are blunted. While they won't kill you they still hurt like hell if you get hit.
That's about it for now… more training courses as well as the Teams' Missions and interaction will of course come later as the story progresses. Questions, comments, suggestions and reviews are as always welcome. Until next time…
Later,
Raven