A.N/: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, while Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling. This work was inspired by Tsume Yuki's "The biggest Toad in the Puddle".
Chapter six: Team Seven
Ai had been delayed trying to unlock her father's security measures to wake him up. And ANBU has arrived with a summouner from the Sandaime just as they were leaving for the Academy, and she had been forced to wake her Old man who had arrived home late last night. Seeing as how Naruto had been overexcited to go to the Academy for the Jounin and genin cells assignment, she had waved him on.
It had been a long week since Naruto had moved in.
She had tested out for her journey woman license, meaning the Sealing Divition was salivating to pick up her brain and lock her up, as well as being allowed to protect her creations with patents and have a steady income or make them and then sell them at the Hokage indiscretion. She had had to fill the paperwork required.
Then, both Naruto and her had been given the in-depth check ups and a detailed description of their bodies, what should they expect and in Naruto's case, sex-ed classes that were a bit more in depth considering he was entering puberty. Sure the Academy was supposed to have touched on that topic but apparently Naruto has been assigned detention during class, funny he had been the only one to have that type of detention. Also, it was the demand of the doctor for Naruto to follow a detailed diet to ensure a better density in his bones and strengthening of muscles and try to help out which malnutrition. Given the fact that he had fast metabolism his body required a lot of food to keep up with the chakra produced.
She had also asked for the syllabus of the Academy, and after a quick read had been disgusted by the standards. She had begun questioning around and felt something was off. Therefore she had started to design a better suited syllabus to teach Naruto. They had started Naruto on how to read, read to understand what he was reading not just out loud, how to research and some of introduction to chakra theory. Naruto had been surprised when they visited the library. It turns out the chunin guard and librarian had it for Naruto, and had tried to have him removed. Which had made her temper flare, after detailing what types of complaints and lawsuits could she bring out for denying a shinobi resources and endangering them they had quietly back out allowing them the use of the library without complains. Naruto had been advised to keep in his best behavior, and he had taken it to heart in order to have his questions answered. Usually she just had to direct him around where he could find his answers, and demanding he try to have more than one source to get a well rounded opinion, but that was happening less and less. He seemed to relish being able to question everything and actually have answers for once. He was a curious as a child, and he was rediscovering his thirst for knowledge. Sure, he would never be a book worm, the type that could regurgitate word by word but she didn't want that for him, so that was ok.
As for the fitness club, They had decided that Gai would wait on what type of team they were assigned before helping to built up on that and choosing a fighting style for them, though He had offered with Ten-Ten's consent for her help on their aim, reflexes and such. The girl had a fetish for any type of weapon, enough said.
She had reached the classroom to find Haruno Sakura brutally kicking and punching Naruto, who was protecting his head.
"HARUNO!" She shouted quieting her banshee's scream, before continuing trying to contain her killer intent "What the fuck do you think you are doing?" She was about to open her mouth, but Ai cut her " Did you know that after you passed the genin test last week, you are considered a Kunoichi. That means you can be tried under Shinobi Law as an adult. I see you brutalizing another Konoha shinobi outside of training sessions, I will raise a complain with the Shinobi council and demand your punishment accordingly. If that means you being dismissed from the Shinobi program altogether, so be it" she finished to a deadly silent classroom.
The girl seemed to be unable to keep her foot out of her mouth cause she whined " But he is just Naruto..."
The Yamanaka Heiress feeling the inminent death of her fellow banshee yanked her close and put her hand over her mouth; but Ai had heard her clearly Making the air turn cold.
"Keep a leash on your pet, Yamanaka. I know your family sponsored her, and out of respect for your Clan I am keeping my temper on check; but I see her raise her hand again in this manner, and I will act out of defense of my comrade. I do that, and you bury your pet. I only give one warning, better train her before she gets herself killed or worst someone else killed" She growled coldly, before walking over Naruto and helping him sit and see if he had actually been hurt. She was disgusted how none had helped him out. She knew Naruto could be a tad annoying, but outright violence and bullying was just not something she could stand for.
She was disturbed by how far her opinion of her fellow shinobi was falling. Her father had always made sure to put emphasis on how Konoha teamwork was a big deal and how the genin cells were usually where the Leaf Nin built bonds that lasted their whole life's; but seeing how none stood up and indifference for Naruto while he received that abuse spoke of habit. Fortunately, Naruto wasn't too hurt. Uzumaki were hardy like that, but a normal shinobi would have been facing a concussion at least.
" If I see you allowing that type of abuse, even if it's from your banshee extraordinaire outside of training Naruto...You'll deal with me. I don't fucking care how cute she seems, or how large is her forehead, or pink her hair...That's not excuse, and you shouldn't allow her or any other to hurt you" Ai hissed to Naruto " It's wrong on so many levels that you don't see it as abuse that it just makes me want to set people of fire after having my way with them in ways the T&I Division can just imagine. You care for your dear sempai, right" He nodded "And don't want her to be imprisioned for genocide, right?" He nodded a bit more strongly with wide eyes " Then please, take care of yourself. You are important to your dear sempai, see...what message does it send that my Kouhai is being stepped on by trash while under my care?" She patted on his head softly before smiling innocently.
It was in that moment that Iruka-sensei entered and felt the tension on the air. He was surprised at the silence, but he only asked the people still standing to sit, before giving a speech on how they were the new generation of Konoha's genin, their responsibilities, and so on, before announcing the teams.
The silence in the Hokage's office was deafening.
"Well, that girl is a firecracker" Chuckled Sarutobi Asuma taking another drag of his cigarette.
"You think she is interested on doing career on T&I?" Asked Mitarashi Anko as she observed the Hokage's Spying Mirror with the other Jounin's senseis. A couple of ANBU that had been assigned to the Mizuki case and now were on guard duty winced.
"Mah, Mah...She is sure to give her sensei more than a headache, from what a heard She raised a huge stink and threatened with a lawsuit to the chunin guard and librarian when they refused the Uzumaki brat entrance" commented another jounin. Shudders broke around the room, they may be basically mercenaries but nothing compared to a bloodthirsty lawyer with a bone to pick.
"What about her relationship with Uzumaki?" Inquired Yuhii Kurenai, the genjutsu mistress, thinking on how Hinata might react to possible competition to her crush.
None offered much, after all Ai-chan had just arrived a week ago and what little free time she had, it was spent in the library or revising with Naruto, reflected the Sandaime Hokage. Her presence had been almost Kami sent, since her arrival and her entrance in Naruto-kun's life, the child he saw as a grandson had slowly but surely been changing. Instead of just rushing into things, he actually though them first and more than once he had heard him mutter to himself 'What would Ai-chan do?'. He had also heard from Jiraiya how Naruto's health check up had gone. He usually kept an eye open for Naruto, but what he had been informed of ashamed him to say the least. Oh, Minato-kun...How much have we failed you.
On the other hand, it had not gone unnoticed to him how Ai-chan's eyes sometimes glazed in contempt towards the villagers when walking by Naruto's side. It worried him more than he was willing to admit, after Orochimaru's defection and betrayal he knew that if Ai-chan actually betrayed Konoha, Jiraiya-kun would become compromised. Sarutobi had made a lot of mistakes, but he wouldn't be able to sign Ai-chan's death sentence and look at Jiraiya afterwards. Which had made choosing the jounin senseis and teams for this graduation class all the more challenging.
"...Team seven under Hatake Kakashi with Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Team eight under Yuhii Kurenai with Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and Hinata Hyuuga. Team nine, still circulating. Team Ten under Sarutobi Asuma with Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino" called Iruka-sensei before stopping and furrowing his eyebrows before nodding to himself "Ai! Your sensei will pick you up here just wait for him, you have been apprenticed" He informed her.
"Have you been told by whom?" She asked next to Naruto, equally baffled. According to what the Sandaime had referred while Naruto helped on his free time filing, an offer to apprentice was only offered rarely. For Ai-chan to receive one, it meant the higher ups had great expectations for her. Ai-chan was cool like that, he decided.
"No, sorry" Iruka-sensei offered apologetic.
Exited chatter erupted in the classroom at that news, expeculative looks and jealousy filled glares were directed towards Ai-chan while the jounin collected them, and Naruto could feel his friend tense under the attention.
" Did you manage to wake up Ero-jij?" He asked trying to distract her, to which she turned before offering a shy smile to answer a bit more relaxed.
And so after almost three hours, when Sakura-chan had tired herself having an one-way conversation with Sasuke-teme and was making him eyes from the next desk, and even Iruka-sensei had left and only the newly named Team seven and Ai-chan were left in the classroom Naruto erupted after having gotten fed up with his rubic cube, he had managed to complete it a couple of times already.
" Where the hell is our sensei?!" He whined to Ai.
" Ne, Naruto-chan if you have time to complain, you have time to train" Ai-chan observed from the journal she was reading, before offering him a senbon for him to practice chakra control by balancing it, it was derived from the leaf chakra control exercise.
"Are you not worried about your own sensei Ai-chan?" Naruto questioned not even bothering with the senbon because he felt too upset to try chakra control exercises.
" Not really, revenge is a dish best served cold" She said fiddling with her senbon with a dangerous glint in her eyes that he had become acquainted during training with her "Why don't you try talking to your team mates?" She questioned.
"Well, I played a prank on Sasuke-teme not so long ago, he is probably still upset about it" He grimaced at the memory of that blasted kiss and tried to forget it just as fast " And Sakura-chan...she does not seem so nice anymore, you know?" He commented quietly focusing again on his rubic cube to avoid her sympathy filled eyes. Naruto knew he had a boisterous personality that demanded attention, but since meeting Ai-chan he had been questioning himself over everything he had taken for granted.
For example his goal to become Hokage, The Sandaime had explained to the best of his ability what the Hokage did in theory, but actually helping around the office as aide had opened his eyes to how things really worked.
Living and interacting on a daily base with Ai-chan and Ero-jiji, had show him a lot of how people should act...well maybe not Ero-jiji so much as Ai-chan when she insisted they dress up at random and play a different character each time, be it a noble or a country pumpkin, girls or boys it didn't matter. He had started paying more attention to how people behaved among themselves and found himself intrigued on how much body language said about oneself.
So much had happened in a week, he could barely recognize himself.
But he had fallen into the habit of playing the boisterous fool once he had entered the classroom, and it wasn't until Ai-chan voice had echoed in fury, that he had thought Why the hell am I just letting her hit me? Ai-chan barely knows me for a week and she has never hit me nor treat me this way?
He had begun to understand that it was not a healthy relationship. Him receiving whatever scraps of attention Sakura or anyone else for that matter could throw his way, even if said attention involved him being hurt. Those who care don't matter, and those that matter don't care.
Suddenly the door burst open and in walked a tall lean jounin in the standard blue uniform, mask, forehead protector tilted to the side to hide his right eye and silver hair.
" Team seven and my new ducky. My first impression of you...are boring. Meet me in the rooftop in five minutes" He stated in a bored voice.
Feel free to leave reviews and how you think Team seven's interaction should be, PM me with your ideas. So far I'll try and redeem Sakura's character but honestly I never cared much for her and can't promise anything. Thanks for reading!