IMPORTANT NOTE: If you read the first chapter before I posted this chapter, I rewrote/edited it.
Enjoy.
Both cerulean orbs flew open at the sight before me. There was no way he was actually doing what I thought he was! The way he was throwing those kunai…it was set to kill, not injure or immobilize. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was true, it was happening. Would he dodge? I didn't have time to find out. I had to stop it!
The blonde leapt in between the oncoming kunai and whipped out one of his own, three swift movements sending the opposing weapons to the ground. Minato heard a thud as Obito fell to his knees behind him, small gasps of breath escaping his lips in panic. Even a mere genin could tell how lethal that could have been.
The jounin turned, watching as Kakashi landed swiftly on the floor behind the Uchiha only to spin around to lock eyes with the blonde. A smile traced Minato's lips as both icy silver orbs flashed open with surprise.
"Well, now," The man purred. Though an artful smile was ridden on his face, both azure oculus were set on the boy with a serious, dominating air about them. "That's not a very nice way to greet your teammates, is it… Kakashi?"
The genin furthest away from him tensed, lips parting beneath an onyx mask as he clenched his teeth slightly. Minato felt a hint of pain strike him inwardly. The boy harboured so much hate, so much anger…there wasn't any room for anything else.
"Are you alright, Obito-kun?" The blonde smiled warmly as he knelt beside the petrified genin, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "And you, Rin-chan?" He continued, looking back to the girl on the floor.
"I-I'm fine." She nodded, voice tender and worried, eyes curious. Obito growled, looking to the right impotently.
"Damnit…" He hissed, fists clenching.
"Are you our sensei?" Minato heard a small voice inquire. He looked back to Kakashi, eyes masking the underlying emotion he was holding. For a moment, both orbs locked with the boys' and the two shared a second of understanding.
'So we meet again. Must be fate. But, let me warn you, you ever try something like that again and you'll be getting a punishment you could never even dream of.' The blonde seemed to say.
'Hmph,' Kakashi would respond. 'I'd like to see you try.'
A smile framed Minato's lips, lightening the mood as he helped the Uchiha to his feet. "Yes, indeed I am. And from this point on…" The man took steps towards the kunoichi of the squad, helping her to her feet as well. "We will be a team. Team seven, to be exact." That infamous fox-like grin spread the blonde's already wide smile. Kakashi twitched.
So, it wasn't exactly the meeting I had planned…We continued the day with introductions. You know, like…Hi, my name is? Yeah, that sort of thing. Just so we could know the basics of everyone. Even with the little information Kakashi gave me, I felt he had said nothing. Obito, on his right, was now clearly uncomfortable to even be in the same room as the Hatake. I was hoping that'd wear off with time.
I ended the day with a cheery goodbye and a mandatory invitation to a little "practice test" tomorrow morning at 9am sharp. Though, at first, I was thinking I'd make it an anything-goes type battle. Yet, after today's incident, I wasn't sure that was such a good idea. I didn't know if I could handle this…in fact, I knew I couldn't. This was way over my head…
After wandering aimlessly in thought for more than a few hours, I finally found myself unlocking the door to my apartment. I felt strange…like something was missing. No sooner had I thought that did the missing part of my day fall into place.
"Sooo, how'd it go, kiddo?" The blonde didn't have to turn around to know who it was. He said nothing, pausing with the key in the door. "Eh…that bad, huh?"
"Jiraiya-sensei…" The words fell out of his mouth in a depressed whisper. There was another pause.
"…Can I come in?"
Minato sighed, glancing to his right where the sannin had only appeared just moments ago. "Sure." He responded apathetically, pushing the door open and traipsing inside. Jiraiya paused, watching as his former student walked gloomily into the three-room apartment. Concern furrowed his brow upwards.
"Ne, Mina-chan…?" As he shut the door behind himself, Jiraiya looked to the other, who was bathed in the light of the setting sun through the obscurity that was a lone rectangular window. The blonde looked saddened. No, more than saddened. It was so much deeper than that. It was defeat. A defeat that purged the soul. "Minato…" The elder's voice came out sullen and soft as he walked delicately over to the other. "You can tell me, you know." He whispered, running a hand through glittering golden strands. Minato let a shudder run through him before turning and burying himself in the other's arms, sobs causing the entirety of him to tremble as he clenched his fists around the fabric that was Jiraiya's clothing. The sannin let out a breath, hugging the smaller male in a secure embrace. "It's alright, kiddo." There was nothing else he could say. He hadn't a clue what the man was crying so hysterically over.
"I-I-I…" The blonde stuttered, voice shaky and erratic. "I…I c-can't. I can't do this, damnit!" Every syllable rose in amplification till it peaked at the last word in a yell. Jiraiya put a hand on the other's head, petting him quietly.
"Can't do what? Take on this responsibility?"
Minato stiffened, sucking in a staggered breath. Silently, he nodded. Jiraiya let out a small chuckle, causing the blonde to look up, anger laced through both bloodshot eyes.
"Wh-what the hell is so funny? There's nothing humorous about this!" Minato screamed weakly.
"You know…" Jiraiya started, taking the younger male by the waist and pulling him to the bed so the two were sitting beside each other. "I said the same thing when I was told to take on you guys."
Minato blinked, making a small sound of surprise. "Huh?" Jiraiya smiled.
"Yup. Didn't think there was gonna be any way I could handle your wild little self. Didn't think I was good enough to nurture Konoha's youth. Yet…" The man paused, looking sideways at Minato. "I'd say I did pretty a good job, don't you?"
The blonde's lips parted as Jiraiya wiped a few stray tears from his face.
"You can do this, Minato. I know you can." Placing a kiss on the younger male's forehead, the sannin got to his feet. "I don't know what happened today, but I believe in you, kiddo. Don't ever give up."
I watched through a blurry haze as Jiraiya left me. Those words meant so much to me, I don't think sensei even realized it. In fact, I had debated on going back to Sarutobi-sama and asking for him to rethink this. Though, what Jiraiya had told me changed my mind.
The next day, when I awoke, determination overrode any other emotion I was harbouring at that point. I could do this; sensei had said so. I just had to keep faith…and control. Though they were advanced for their age, Kakashi especially, I knew I was still ahead of them. After I gauged their abilities today, I'd know where I stood; what I could teach them, what I could review, how to teach them to advance their style, and, most of all, instill in them the lessons of life. That was something so rarely taught to kids without experience. I wouldn't allow them to go on ignorant.
Yet, that would come in time. For now, I had to focus on one thing: getting them to think as a team.
"Alrighty," Minato beamed down on the three, all looking equally tired. "Today, we're going to be learning a lesson. Though, it's your job to figure out what the lesson is, okay? So let's all keep that in mind. For now, however, let's see what you can do, ne?" His smile dropped to a serious demeanor causing the three to perk up a bit, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Today," The blonde started once more. "We have a goal." With that, the man held out his hand, opening his palm to reveal two shiny silver bells. The three genin blinked with surprise. "Your goal is to obtain a bell by sunset."
After several quarrels and slight hints of confusion from the trio, Minato set the clock. And, with that, all three leapt off in different directions.
The "test" had begun.