Disclaimer-I own nothing and I refuse to do this dramatically
Chapter 5: becoming a team
Kakashi's POV
What am I going to do with these three? I have them training all day. Normally teams would work on their teamwork in the mornings and then go on missions at night but they are nowhere near ready to be at that level. If they don't even have the most basic of teamwork down then they won't survive the simplest missions. They each had issues that caused them to fumble as teams. Hinata had no confidence, which made her a push over for Sasuke, Shikamaru was so lazy that he only stood up when it came to all or nothing issue and finally Sasuke only cared about power so he never wanted to work with either of them.
I didn't know what to do with them until they all learn to work together we couldn't go on missions. I quickly walk into the bar that had become a meeting area for jounin. The room is as rambunctious as usual and it also sure to point out the fact that each table is made of thick wood that would hopefully last when it came to ninja crashing on the tables. They never did. At the moment that I see Asuma raising his hand and waving me over to our usual table, I sit down and can't stop a sigh from escaping through my lips. I quickly wave over at the bartender; this sign means that I want my usual. "So Kakashi what has you down in the dumps?" Asuma asks this while he pulls out a cigarette while being glared at by Kurenai, who reaches over the table and smacks the cigarette out of his hand. "It is my team they can't work together no matter what I do. Every time they get close something goes wrong. Whether it's Sasuke's ego, Hinata's confidence issues or Shikamaru's laziness. They constantly have issues and won't work together." I quickly turn to glare at Kurenai with my one eye as she giggles behind her hand.
"I can't believe it! Is the great Copy Cat Nin not able to handle a bunch of genin? I would say that I am sorry but my team is surprisingly good. True Kiba and Naruto needed to quickly get checked in there over energize power but lucky enough Ino has skill when it comes to keeping the boys in check and they learned how to work in a team in a rather quick way." Kurenai says this as she stares me down and has a dark smirk to her. There are two rules when it comes to genin cells one teach them not to get over confident or they will be killed. Two, their sensei has every right to brag about them.
"I can't say much either, my team works great Choji does a good job at being the strength of the team, Sakura has the brains and Shino does a great job at making the two keep focus and is the silent support that they both need. Choji is willing to work with the others due to the fact that I swear he was bred for the inoshikacho trio and Shino seems to understand the need to work together with others, the only issue I had was when Sakura brings up Sasuke and goes into fan girl mode." Asuma then takes a drag from his cigarette that appears out of nowhere.
Why did I have to be stuck with the messed up trio out of all the teams. The other guys got the easy team. What could I do with a lazy ass, an unconfident mess, and a revenge mess? They keep proving me right the only time I was proven wrong was when Hinata attacked me out of rage. In that moment I saw potential but since then nothing. She really pulled the rug out from beneath me. My eye snaps open, that's it I know exactly what to do to make them a team. I have been taking them as they are seen on their front. Each one has a way to fix the others problems. Hinata needs emotion and reason to fight, Shikamaru needs motivation to use that brain of his, and Sasuke needs something to bind him to the team. They will be each other's bridge to each other.
I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face now that I figured out a strategy to make them a team the only thing I need is a plan to make it work. "Kakashi, are you okay? You got this look in your eye that is freaking out the chunin." Kurenai is staring at me with a bewildered expression, as she says this. My response is to chuckle and look her in the eye.
"Oh I am fine Kurenai, I was just wondering would you and Asuma's teams like to spare with mine in three weeks. I think it would be a good way to practice." I can't stop the amused tone from entering my voice. I had made a plan and I would execute it, the sparing match is just going to be for the bragging fact when it comes to my team crushing theirs.
It seems that Kurenai and Asuma both agreed for they want to brag about how their teams beat the Copy Cat Nin's team. I quickly slam back my drink while using the gen-jutsu to cover my face and stand up. "I have to go take care of something I will see you guys here next week and we can plan something." I quickly turn and walk away from the two as they look at each other bewildered. I had to find a certain snake to help me with my plan.
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The sun seems to be just above the horizon. I am walking to the meeting place for my team and I. I make it through the gate and then go to my usual place to wait. I love the cool feeling of the water as it surrounded my feet. "Hey Hinata" I crane my neck to look at Shikamaru who seems to be earlier then usual for our meetings. "S-Shikamaru why a-are you so e-early?" He seems to shrug and gets back into his favorite sleeping position. "My mother woke up early so it was either try and ignore her nagging so I can sleep or get up and come here to sleep peacefully." I nod and go back to putting my feet in the cold water.
It takes about another 20 minutes until I sense Sasuke's presence. He goes to his tree and lean back and goes back to his silent presence. It took another two hours before I sensed it. The same feeling of I got whenever my father charged at me during spars. The same feeling I got whenever my sister practiced against me. The feeling I got whenever Neji looked at me. This was a feeling of hostility and the feeling of some one about to attack. I quickly activated my Byakugan and started to scan around that is when I found a shadowed figure standing in a tree that was getting some weapons ready to through. I then jumped up and threw ninja stars at the shadow. I quickly see Sasuke snap over to look at me and I also see Shikamaru sitting up looking at me. "There is a figure watching us and they were about to send out weapons at us." Shikamaru quickly starts to look around trying to find the figure; Sasuke pulls out some Kunai and gets ready for hand-to-hand combat.
I start to scan and look where the figure went. I can't seem to see them when I hear a high pitch hiss. Before I can move I feel a snake coil around me and start to squeeze the life out of me. "Hinata!" Shikamaru dives over to me and cuts the snake in half. I take a large breath of air and feel my lungs start to cry out in relief. Shikamaru is rubbing my back as he is scanning around the field. I then hear the first clash of metal on metal and look up to see Sasuke be thrown across the field. Sasuke flips in the air and lands on his feet. I quickly get back up and grab Shikamaru and dive back right as a fireball rains down on where we had just been.
Sasuke starts to run strait at the dark figure until Shikamaru grabs him by the back of the shirt and pulls him along with us. "Sasuke shoot fire to cover our retreat." Shikamaru says this just quite enough so that as we run only the three of us should be able to hear it. Sasuke suddenly pulls away from Shikamaru, "we don't need to retreat I can take them." He says this as he shoots at the figure with speed that I have never seen him use. He starts to get into hand-to-hand combat with the figure and he then gets thrown across the field yet again. "Damn it Sasuke." Shikamaru seems to be trying to figure out away for us to get away. I start to look at the battle the enemy is using snake style tai-jutsu and seems not really interested in the battle like they are toying with us. "Shikamaru, I have an idea." I say this and Shikamaru looks at me with a questioning look.
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I watch as my students slowly start to take on Anko. They don't seem to be doing anything I wanted. My hope was that if put in a situation where they couldn't win with out teamwork then they might be able to step up. Shikamaru and Hinata are doing quite well. The want to protect the ones they care for seems to be making Hinata more focused and Shikamaru motivated, Sasuke is the issue yet again. I need him to understand that you need teamwork. Sasuke is thrown yet again across the field; this is the fifth time that this has happened. If it were in the field Sasuke would already be dead and most likely so would Shikamaru and Hinata. Those two on the other hand were across the field and Hinata was whispering into Shikamaru's ear. I lean back and watch as he nods his head. Hinata reaches into her pouch and throws kunai at the figure as her and Shikamaru get between Anko and Sasuke. Anko easily deflected the kunai flying at her and looked at the three genin. "Sasuke, we are out matched, we have to retreat and make a plan." Shikamaru says this as he grabs Sasuke by the shoulder. Sasuke starts to shrug Shikamaru's hand of his shoulder when suddenly Hinata throws down a smoke bomb. Anko gets ready to dash into the smoke when Sasuke burst out of the smoke and throws a punch and two figures dive into the forest. Looks like Shikamaru and Hinata have fled to make a plan. Anko quickly dodges and goes to throw Sasuke again when suddenly instead of throwing another punch Sasuke thrust his hand out in a flat palm and hits Anko in the shoulder and then the back as he is thrown. Sasuke lands and there is a puff of smoke from the puff Hinata dives out into the open area. From there she surges forward into the forest where the other two blurs went.
I quickly fallow Hinata as she dives in the forest the whole time being as quiet as can be along with making sure that my chakra is masked. I wave at Anko to tell her to wait a minute so that I can see what happens next between my genin. Hinata flies through the forest and it is here that I realize just how graceful she is. She quickly moves through the forest not wasting a single ounce of energy. If she could hone that skill she would be quite the opponent but before I can truly make my students expand in their own area they have to excel as a team. Once they become a team then they can finally become them selves.
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I dash through the forest keeping my Byakugan activated to see if there is anyone around me. I make it to the area where Shikamaru and I agreed to meet. Right by the memorial stone, it was a place far enough away from the attacker but still close enough for us to make a plan. I land on the ground and I see Shikamaru sitting down and so is Sasuke. Shikamaru is relaxed though and Sasuke seems really anger. "Who do you think you are using your shadow possession to drag me out of a fight that I was going to win!" Sasuke yells this as his face distorts into a scowl.
"No, you would have been thrown around like a rag doll until the attacker got bored and finally killed you." Shikamaru says this with a straight face but you could tell by his voice that he was serious. Sasuke started to puff up as if he was going to argue with Shikamaru. "Sasuke." I say his name to pulls his attention and straight away his head moves to try and stare me down. I want to turn away I want to let my eyes stray from his face but I know that if I do that he will see me as weak, if he does not already. I had to do this or he will never understand that he needs us just as much as we need him.
"Sasuke, you need to understand that we are a team and the only way for us to win is if we do it together. With out each other we are nothing." I say this and then look at the memorial stone, "that stone means two things. The first is that someone made the ultimate sacrifice for their village and the second thing is the fact that they left people behind. Teammates, family, friends, and maybe even a lover, each and every person who is on that stone understood that they don't fight to fight, they fight to protect, they understood that teamwork was the only way to truly fight. If you fight just for yourself then you are nothing more then a murder." I touch the stone and tears start to fall from my face and hit the stone. All the lives lost, how could people be so horrible.
"Hyuga you are pathetic! You cry because of people you never knew, you shouldn't be a ninja, how are you going to kill some one if you can't even control your emotions in front of a stone. As for teamwork, you two will do nothing but hold me back. Who ever told you about teamwork is just saying worthless things so that you feel better nothing more." I turn and stare at Sasuke for a few minutes.
"My mother told me what it means to be teammates." I whisper out these words. "Of course she did. Since you're the heir of your clan your mother must have been a civilian from the branch side of your family to keep the genes in the family, she would have no idea what it means to be a ninja or what it means to have a team. She must be as pathetic as you, telling her daughter lies just so that she can be comforted." Sasuke said this and stands up. Shikamaru is sitting there shocked as he stares at the tension between the two of us. Sasuke smirks and arrogantly turns his head up at me. I don't cry, I don't whimper, I don't even raise my head, which has fallen half way in the middle of his speech. What I do is blur forward. I am on top of Sasuke as my fist repeatedly smashes into his face. Gentle fist is forgotten as I remember everything he said about my mother.
"You piece of trash, how dare you say something about my mother. She was one of the most powerful ninja ever. She fought on the same team as the forth hokage. She was not even part of my clan. She was an orphan at a younger age then you. She cared for every one, she loved even her enemies, she only spoke the truth, and She did what she needed to do not what she wanted to do. She died in the most honorable way a person can by protecting some one she loved and if you ever speak of my mother again, I WILL KILL YOU." I kept repeating the process of punching him. At first he tried to get up but I quickly struck at his chakra points in the middle of his shoulders and legs so that he couldn't move. My tears start to fall from my face and onto Sasuke's. My words grew shakier each line. Around the end of my rant, Shikamaru is pulling me off of Sasuke. He seems shocked at what I just did. At that moment the masked figure bust through the trees. It seemed to look between us and then it dove at Sasuke. There was an instance as the figure dove at Sasuke that I saw something I had never seen in the Uchiha. Fear, he thought he was going to die.
That is what caused me to push the chakra to my legs and move to tackle the figure before it could attack Sasuke. I started to get into hand-to-hand combat with the masked figure. I could tell that it was a she but other then that there was no identification on the girl. She was moving faster then me, her hits were stronger but I was more flexible. She would still win this fight; the figure dove away from me at lighting speed when suddenly a shadow was right where she had been.
"Shikamaru, can you hold her off for a bit." I say this in a tone of steel my anger has made me confident, Shikamaru just nods at me and pull out two kunai. As he dives forward to engage the figure I dive backwards to where Sasuke lays. I quickly kneel next to him and strike at his blocked chakra points. "The only way we can win this battle is if we work together. Do you understand that Sasuke we have to work as a team, we have to be a family"? In that moment Sasuke's eyes seem to widen and for a solid second I see the inner turmoil that he is battling with. Finally he nods at me and gets up. I can already tell that many of the places I had hit him were going to bruise over. He would most likely have a black eye from all the hits and the busted lip wouldn't really be the best for his look. I knew for a fact that I would try to heal him after this battle so I hoped that he won't be to mad. He got up and looks to me for directions. "Fuck" I quickly spin and hold out my hand just in time to grab Shikamaru who had just been thrown across the field. "This bitch has a issue when it comes to throwing things." Shikamaru says this as rights himself.
"Okay pineapple head what is our plan?" this question comes from Sasuke as grabs out two kunai to get ready to fight. "Finally came around duck butt, well while you were getting thrown around like a ragdoll and then used as a punching bag by Hinata, I thought of a wonderful plan but first we need to get distance." Sasuke nods as he starts to make hand signs and then shoots out fire at the enemy. She quickly starts to dive away, and at the last moment Sasuke throws explosion kunai into the fire, which causes a big explosion, and with that the three of us dive for cover once again.
We all quickly regroup far enough from the figure in black but at the same time she is still in my vision. "Okay, Pineapple what is the plan" Sasuke says this as he is glancing around trying to find the figure, who has suddenly disappeared from my vision. "Shikamaru, do this quickly because the figure just disappeared from my vision." "Fuck, okay here is the plan you two."
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I still can't believe it, the sweet and quiet Hinata snapping and attacking Sasuke. It seems her mother is a taboo topic for her, but that anger caused her to show how skilled she really is. After all when I did the gen-jutsu on her with Naruto she showed that she could actually get a hit on me. Out all of my genin team, she is the most surprising. Then again it fits, Sasuke is the strength, Shikamaru is the brains, and Hinata is the heart. Now if I could only get them to work together we have taken the first step thanks to that beating. I look back to Anko who is waiting in the middle of the field; she seems to be rather interested in the fact that Hinata got a hit on her. I could see that Anko was thinking of something and I couldn't help but be worried for my students. At that moment a barrage of fire balls fly from the sky at Anko, she quickly dives around the field dodging them as if it was nothing and her response was to throw a kunai at one of the trees. It blew up in the tree and from that spot out dove Shikamaru who threw several kunai at Anko. Her response was to catch each one of them and then throw them back.
They clash and land in the ground right next to Anko. She lifts up her hand and snakes shoot out of her hand and fly at Shikamaru. The snakes are burnt to a crisp as one of Sasuke's fireballs flies in between the two. I suddenly see Anko straighten up as she dives away from the middle of field and a second later Hinata slams her palm into the ground where she was standing. A cloud of dust rises it is about two seconds before Hinata flies from the dust and charges at Anko right before she throws a palm she does hand signs and suddenly her shadow extends and tries to entrap Anko. Who dives away from the shadow but suddenly a fireball blast behind Anko not hitting her but the light from the fire makes her shadow connect to Hinata's shadow. The dust finally disappears and Hinata is still standing in the middle of the dust pile. There are two poofs as the other Hinata turns into Shikamaru and the other Shikamaru disappears. Sasuke jumps out of the forest and lands next to Hinata, they both start to head to Shikamaru. I guess I should intervene before Sasuke demands that they try to torture.
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We did, I quickly walk over to Shikamaru with Sasuke as we stand in front of the mysterious person. "I say we figure out exactly who she is, and make her talk." Sasuke fallows this by pounding his fist into his hand. "Sure, sounds like a great idea let me get my torture 101 book from my ninja pouch. Troublesome none of us know how to torture and as it is we should get her to the hokage before I run out of chakra." Shikamaru says this as he starts to head for the hokage tower. Sasuke quickly sprints after him. I start to fallow and right as we are about to get through the forest, Kakashi jumps down from the trees and lands in front of us.
"Good job working together." He says this and throws up a flash bomb as it flies above our heads it causes Shikamaru to loose his shadow and just like that the mysterious ninja is free. She quickly moves over to Kakashi and takes of her mask. "Okay, listen up you maggots I am not going to repeat this but we never speak of this moment again. If you do I will break into your house while you sleep and slit your throats ear from ear. Do you understand?" She doesn't even get a response before she dives into the forest to disappear.
"Don't worry about her, she just doesn't want anyone to hear that a couple of genin took her down. As for you three I was impressed with what I saw when you work together you can do just about anything." Kakashi says this, as the joy in his eye seems to glow. For the first time I actually felt like we were a team. "Though there were some mess ups like Shikamaru could have done more, Sasuke could have been more involved in the hand-to-hand combat, and Hinata." He stops as his eyes zero in on me and I can't keep his stare. I quickly turn my face away and start to collapse in on my self. "Other then beating Sasuke to the ground you did quite well."
"I have some plans to make you guys a even better team but starting tomorrow we go on our first mission." All three of our heads snap up to look at Kakashi his only response is to smile. "Finally" "troublesome" Sasuke and Shikamaru both mutter these words under their breath and all I can do is smile.
Author note
I am so sorry for the delay in this I swear that I am still doing this story and I am working on the next chapter as I write this I have just been very busy and I will update as soon as possible