Apprentice of the trickster– Chapter seven: Misconceptions and Understatements

Summary: Kakashi gives his team the bell test, underestimating Naruto's abilities, and oblivious to the truth about Naruto's partner fox... poor Kakashi...

Author: Adameia Kirantro

Rated k+: no cussing, or innuendos or pairings, has minor violence

Disclaimer: I did not create, and do not own the characters from Naruto, They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto, and I may borrow them for your possible and hopeful enjoyment. But I DO own Sheikka, she is mine so do not steal (note: I also own any other OC's I may post, you will know them as they will all have something to do with Sheikka).
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Author's Note: sorry for the long wait for this chapter, I have been VERY busy with school, especially my art projects, if anyone has any desire check out my page on deviantart (just add a .com to that name and you'll find the site) I use the same username as I do here though here I add on a K. there it is just Adameia. If you guys like my art style and wish to see me draw one of the characters in either of my fanfics drawn in my style go ahead and ask and I will do so, I think I have enough spare time between classes to work on that. Though if you somehow also had read my warriors fanfictions the art for my two org. characters are already on deviantart. So I hope you enjoy the chap peoples! XD

Chapter Seven: Misconceptions and Understatements

The next day found me decked out in my full ninja gear, hidden and not hidden, in Training ground seven, laying on a branch in a tree, hidden from the notice of the two teammates that sat on the ground, waiting for their 'Sensei' to arrive, though they were probably also waiting for me since they didn't know of my already being there. Sheikka, in her typical silver fox form lay snoozing along my legs, yet her ears stood erect and twitched back and forth occasionally showing that she was still awake and aware of her surroundings. I shifted my shoulders to a more comfortable position against the trunk of the tree and I continued to watch my two teammates that were sitting below my position. Hinata, somehow hearing my clothes shifting, or maybe finally sensing my presence, activated her Byakugan quietly and I smirked down at her. She blushed slightly, and nodded, before turning off her bloodline limit.

It was another hour before the expected Jounin, finally arrived in his now familiar poof of smoke that was Shunshin. I snorted. My two teammates showed annoyance, as Kakashi just eye-smiled with his one eye before he started giving directions for his test. Hinata voiced a timid question about the number of bells he presented and he did his creepy smile, with the one visible eye, his right eye hidden under a tilted headband and the lower half of his face under that cloth mask of his, making the gesture take on a more creepy feel than an amused feel, "well, that is because whoever doesn't get a bell goes back to the academy for another year. So you better come at me with the intent to kill" He said in a creepily happy matter-of-fact voice. I nudged my knee up slightly to queue Sheikka that she should be on higher alert. Her head perked up and she yawned slightly before standing and stepping off of my legs, attentions now fully on the scene bellow. Then, before anymore comments could be fit in, about my supposed lack of presence or otherwise, he suddenly yelled, "START!" and the two students dashed into the foliage to hide in a flash.

I got to my feet silently. Sheikka had already disappeared into the dense forest area though I could feel that she had created a mental link so we could co-ordinate still if need be, we both knew what was really required for the test, but that doesn't mean that we weren't prepared to have fun with it…though I had guessed that she would handle explaining the plan to Hinata since she was familiar with the fact that Sheikka (now known as Shikumori (death shadow) to Hinata, and eventually to the rest of the team) actually could talk. I carefully went farther into the trees, being careful to actually hide my presence this time.

Locating Sasuke wasn't all that hard, finding a good way to approach him though was going to be tricky. I decided to go with a simple tactic, and covered his mouth in the same second I announced my presence, "Sasuke, it's me don't freak out." After a second I pulled back and released him from my temporary hold, he turned to me suspicion in every line of his body and a kunai now in his hand, I raised my hands, palms forward in a calming gesture, and said further, "calm down, I am not going to attack you, I wanted to ask you something. You can choose to ignore me or not but you have to listen to logic! Have you ever heard of a two member Genin team?" that got his attention, and I could see his tenseness leaving as he got the obvious answer, "of course not" I whispered harshly, "Kakashi is trying to trick us to working against each other, the point of being in a team is to work together, no matter the situation, that is the true way of passing! By proving we can work together!" I continued quickly in a quiet yet urgent tone, and I could see that I did manage to bypass his usual arrogant stand alone instincts this time. As I concluded that I got him to trust my judgment and motioned for him to follow, and made my way to where Sheikka and Hinata was, using our mental link to guide us.

I could feel the calculating gaze Sasuke was constantly giving my back, letting me know that It would take time to gain his full trust, but it made sense that he would be cautious, we are ninja after all, supposed masters at the art of deception (though I don't think that is possible until you are at least a Jounin in skill level and focus in that area).

Before too long we entered a clearing a good distance from the starting point and in the middle of it stood Hinata with Sheikka curled around her shoulders. I nodded my greeting and acknowledgment, and Hinata shyly returned the gesture to both say hello and I could also tell it was a saying that Sheikka already explained it to her, so when me and Sasuke got close I started explaining our plan, I would say my plan, but I don't deserve most of the credit, not only was everything in strategy and deception taught by Sheikka… but she helped formulate it as well. I do have to admit, her sources of information gathering are definitely better than mine though I guess being able to change your appearance at will definitely helps in gathering information without suspicion.

It was nearing the end of the test when the plan was finally put into motion. And Kakashi was none the wiser, sitting there leaning against the wood post with his nose in his book like he had no care in the world, but I was too used to Sheikka's nonchalant demeanor to get fooled by his act, I could tell that he was on high alert, I guess the fact that no nervous self serving Genin had attacked him put him a little on edge, or else if he actually isn't worried about the lack of activity then he should be. At that notion I smiled, my wicked fox grin that I knew I got from Sheikka.

And then it happened, the starting cue was a glint of silver in the air above Kakashi due to Sheikka, and then it was controlled chaos.

Perspective change

I knew anyone should rightfully be worried when after a few hours I had yet to get a reaction from my Genin hopefuls, I had debated on going after one of them myself, but decided against that, then I decided to just wait here, seemingly oblivious reading a book to draw them out, tauntingly, and I am still doing just that. I hear the sound of projectiles heading at me from behind, and knew I my ploy was finally successful in drawing out the arrogant Uchiha heir. I easily dodged them and continued to read my book, though I soon had to put it away due to a surprise attack from the Hyuuga… got to try and not let her strikes hit my tenketsu.

Things seem to be going well, but... –why does it seem as if neither of them are actually going after the bells? – I thought, a little confused, but in the end didn't give it much thought, just thinking that they must be trying to use each others attacks to their advantage to try and take me down before getting the bells. There is no way that they were willingly working together. But if advantage is the reason… then, –where is Naruto? – I would have thought that he would have tried to get them while I was distracted as well, but he must have some scheme, he couldn't have gotten that good at stealth without being smart… because not many people can disappear so suddenly off my radar. –But exactly how good is he? I would definitely like to have been informed of that, but apparently he only did enough in the academy tests he took to pass them thoroughly, that private teacher must be good to get his stealth up so much if he had failed the test just last year... – I thought calculatingly when suddenly my attention was brought back by the situation turning. Hundreds of Naruto shadow clones joined Hinata in her assault, but unlike her they also added in the occasional Ninjustu instead of only fighting with Taijutsu only.

After some time, I finally dispelled all of them and then the bell rang. Their time was up. At the sound Hinata halted her assault and stood straight and stepped back a few paces. Sasuke Jumped from his place in the trees and went to stand beside her, a hint of a superior smirk on his face, a little odd. I expected Naruto to come out from some hiding place, but after a few minutes I saw his image flicker in place standing confidently on Hinata's other side, a feat that I would have to figure out how he did, his fox partner sitting on his shoulder in a pose that was just as proud as his. And that was when I saw a glint of something metal.

Perspective change

–this will be fun– I thought, already knowing just how the next events were going to unfold, I would have loved to show up the scarecrow more but deception is a key element to being a ninja, and a changeling so I just will have to wait to do that, I sat proudly on Naruto's shoulder, holding the two bells with my teeth, smirking as I saw that The Jounin finally noticed their presence. I knew Naruto got the same look when he saw Kakashi glance and realize that he didn't have them anymore, and if my mischievous foxy grin could get wider… without changeling help, it would be.

It seems as if he still thinks he has the upper hand in the situation by the way he now is addressing it, trying to make it seem as if his fake rules at the start could actually apply. I felt Naruto complete the plan, this part was one of his ideas. He gave Kakashi a knowing smirk and I followed my cue to toss Sasuke and Hinata a bell each. And then the bells got shifted around as Sasuke and Hinata followed their scripted lines and then when they were done Naruto Pulled out a third bell from a pocket, surprising Kakashi, and tossed it over to Hinata, saying the last line that I knew would let Kakashi know that we knew of the ploy, "we ALL work well together, that is why we are a team right?" and the other two nodded, not bothering to comment.

Kakashi acknowledged that he knew that Naruto must have been the mastermind (he doesn't know that I was as well) and asked a question that Naruto cleverly avoided. Though when asked how he figured it out he merely said, 'was no such thing as a two man team' and shrugged, then asked, "who wants to go out to eat and celebrate our team becoming officially a team?" after getting a reluctant nod from the Uchiha and a shy one from Hinata he turned to me and asked, "care to come along Hatake-san?" making it clear that he won't be calling him sensei straight off the bat. I laughed as Kakashi complied with the request, not knowing just what trap he was falling into, he should know to never completely trust a fox unless you know their nature…

After Naruto deviously fooled Kakashi into paying for their meal at Ichiraku's, we left for home, I just yawned and laid myself across his shoulders, content to play silent lookout to make sure that no one followed us, and to make sure that I had dinner sorted out, I was expecting to have an extra seat filled by Iruka tonight, he would most likely stop by to see how the test went.

Just as I predicted, when I finished setting the table for three there was a familiar knock on the door. I went and opened it to see Iruka, there panting slightly so I motioned him inside. "Just in time, I expect you to join us for dinner? I just set the table. Go ahead and help yourself to some water from the fridge while I go…. Poke Naruto." I sent him away with my instructions then headed down the hall and up the stairs before poking my head into Naruto's room.

He was asleep. Like I had thought he would be. I grinned, and snuck into the room, leaned down close to his ear and whispered something softly inside before using my neat trick to teleport away a split second later as he literally jumped out of bed in a rush, or tried to before*ka-thump* –not even all the way awake and ended up in a tangled heap of blankets right next to it instead of on his feet like he must have intended. I sniggered. Iruka could probably have heard the noise he made from the kitchen.

Hearing my mirth at his expense Naruto Groggily glared up at my slightly shaking form in irritation. I sighed amusedly, and said, "if your not up and in your seat at the table in one minute then you aren't going to eat dinner… or get ramen for a month." I said with a pointed look before stepping back into the shadows and turning, knowing I shadow jumped to the hall downstairs and headed into the dinning room to find Iruka sitting in his usual seat at the table. He looked up as I entered and I smiled with a hint of my previous mirth and said, "He'll be down in a minute." And he just shook his head at my obvious hint of antics. "So, you have been busy lately… what with?" I asked, trying to get him talking. He took the hint and started talking about his work with the young Ninja-hopefuls and in a minute flat from when I talked to him Naruto appeared in his seat, in a proper manner, exactly as I have taught him and looking at me in his own way of asking if I could start the event that was dinner. I smiled along with Iruka at his attempt at pleading; the first time Iruka came here he learned just how much control I have over the youngster.

As soon as Dinner was well under way, Iruka finally asked the question I knew that he would ask, "So, how did the test with Kakashi go?" since Naruto had his mouth busy with food, I answered for him.

"He passed." I simply stated and smirked a little. Iruka raised an eyebrow and I took upon the task of explaining the event to him, resulting in much laughter from Iruka who said he would have liked to have seen Kakashi's reaction to the stealth skills Naruto had shown.

"And he probably didn't see half of the sills he has…" Iruka stated off handedly, "What? Don't look at me like that I have seen this kid around the village a lot, I know he couldn't pull off half of the pranks he did with only the stealth shown in class, I always knew that was going to be a specialty for him, I only wished that I could give him some proper tests to see just how good he is…" Iruka trailed off after a bit, looking wistful. I patted his shoulder.

"Maybe sometime I could let you do that, but enough of that lets get back to dinner." And so the eating of food continued and the chatter bounced around to many topics before the night was over, all told, the day was quite satisfying.