A.N.: Thanks to everyone who followed the story so far and double thanks to everyone who bothered to review.
A.N.2: Now reposted with less grammar errors.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Do I have to spell it?
The team gathered under a tree. Tenzo eyed them curiously. His two new charges so far both were and weren't what he expected from reading their profiles. But he won't judge them until he got to know them better.
"So, ladies and gentlemen," he started, "Now that we are all here, we should begin with the introductions. I guess I should go first myself. So for those who don't know me yet, my name is Tenzo and I'm your new sensei. I specialize in ninjutsu and kenjutsu. Now you," he pointed to a slim girl in a short purple kimono. She was trying to keep a solemn demeanor, but her excitement shone through.
"I am Uzuki Hotaru," she began. "I specialize in kenjutsu as well," she pointed to the sword handle visible behind her shoulder. Her deep purple ponytail whipped around her head. "I want to someday become as good as my cousin. I wish I could be such an awesome kunoichi as her."
"Why do you want to be so awesome?" the other girl scoffed derogatorily. She was a muscular brunette clad in black shorts, red form-fitting sleeveless top and beige leather vest with fur on its hems. She also had two long red triangles running down her cheeks and was accompanied by three gray wolfish dogs. She also seemed to be spreading an aura of gloom, which her new teammates valiantly resisted.
Hotaru scowled at her. "You think you're already awesome, clan brat?"
"Enough," Tenzo cut them off before an argument could start. "You're a team now, so act like it. And for those, who don't know what it entails, that means no fighting each other. Understood?" Nobody said a word. "That's good. Now let's get back to the introductions. Why don't you go next," he pointed to the dog girl.
"My name is Inuzuka Hana. I specialize in my clan's techniques and medical jutsu. I want… I just want to be good." Tenzo wondered what it was she wanted to say originally.
"And now the last one," he pointed to his charge.
Naruto nearly jumped with excitement. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I'm good at ninjutsu and taijutsu too and I want to learn kenjutsu but I'm no good at genjutsu and I want to…"
"Slow down, Squirt," Hana interrupted. "Nobody's interested in your ramblings. Have you even started the Academy yet?"
"What?!" Naruto shouted insulted. "If we weren't banned from fighting, I'd show you just what a ninja I am!"
"Silence, the two of you," Tenzo commanded. "Hana, I know what had happened to you, but please try to be more tolerant. It may be news to you, but you aren't the only one with a bad experience. I know it's still too soon, but you'll have to deal with it, otherwise it will disrupt your progress."
Hana just scowled. Who was he to tell her that? And her new teammates, she just couldn't stand their happy carefree attitudes. They were such children, especially the short boy. It didn't help at all that he reminded her of Juubei a bit. But Juubei was dead, his life leaving him under her hands, and this brat here was very much alive, annoying her with his chipper attitude. She wanted to wring his neck.
"Now the introductions are over, we'll go on to the next order of business, and this is your team's test."
Naruto looked at him startled, Hotaru attentively, Hana just stared at the ground.
"A little more enthusiasm wouldn't hurt," he advised her. She scowled but turned to him. "As the girls present know, every new team is being given a test to see whether they are suited to be ninja or should be sent back to the Academy, in your case to the reserves. Those tests vary from sensei to sensei. I don't know what sort of tests you already passed, but here is mine. Here is a scroll. It contains the information on what you'll have to do to pass. I'm going to hide it somewhere in this training area. You may start searching for it in ten minutes exactly. And remember, from the moment the test starts, you are in hostile territory."
He melted into the nearest tree. The expressions on the girls' faces were hilarious. He didn't linger long. He had a scroll to hide. He took off, all the while wondering how his genin will do.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back with the team~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So how are we going to go about this?" Naruto asked.
"I'm not sure I want to give it a go," Hana muttered. Her teammates glared at her.
"Of course, clan princess can afford to fail," Hotaru huffed. "There's no way they wouldn't give her another team." The three dogs growled menacingly.
"Cut it, girls," Naruto snapped. "Have you already forgotten, what Tenzo-sensei said? No fighting. Besides we have the test to worry about. Knowing Tenzo, it isn't going to be easy."
"You know him?" Hotaru asked.
"Yes," Naruto confirmed.
"What can you tell us about him?" Hana seemed to have overcome her funk and went down to business.
"He's very good. I've never saw him in a real battle, but he's strong and fast and he can really use his sword. He has Water, Earth and Wood ninjutsu."
"Wood?" Hana asked surprised. "Wasn't that the Shodai's unique ability?"
"Yes," Naruto confirmed, "But it isn't so unique anymore. I can't really tell you more about this."
"Can't or won't?" Hotaru inquired.
"Shouldn't we get back to business?" Naruto avoided answering. "Tenzo will probably hide the scroll in a tree somewhere, but then it could be underground as well or…well, elsewhere."
"Thanks for the help," the Inuzuka muttered sarcastically.
"I have yet to see you offer some," Naruto retorted.
"That's true," Hotaru added. "Can your dogs sniff out the scroll?"
"Is there any doubt?" Hana took offense. "They are Inuzuka clan ninja dogs. They can smell anything from several miles away."
"That's well, then," the youngest member of the squad grinned. "We'll find the scroll in no time!"
"We, brat? I'll find it," Hana scowled. It was becoming a habit of hers.
"Calm down, both of you," Hotaru interrupted them. "We are supposed to be a team, remember?"
"Yes," Hana scoffed. "The ten minutes are almost up. So how do we start?"
"Let's just split up and divide the area to search," the purple-haired girl suggested. "That way we can search it through faster."
"I don't know," Naruto mused. "Tenzo said we're in hostile territory. We should stick together in case of an attack."
Hana stiffened. Those words brought back memories of the ambush. With them, the doubts and self-accusations returned with a vengeance. If they had just stuck together…
"Hey, Hana, what's up with you?" the boy asked. She woke up from her reverie.
"Nothing," she stated with a glare, daring him to disagree.
"Are you sure?" He did it anyway, with that disturbingly cute concerned look on that childish face of his.
"Yes. And we should get moving. The test starts just about…now." She stood up and gestured to her dogs. They obediently took the front and inhaled the air. The middle one barked. "This way," Hana commanded and took off. The team followed her.
They ran on the ground for a couple hundred steps, then they took to the treetops. Naruto was surprised that Hana's dogs jumped on the branches too.
"You taught them to climb trees?" he asked in amazement. "What next, would you teach them to meow?"
"What did you just say?" Hana barked.
"That you are retraining your dogs to become cats," the shortest genin clarified.
Hana stopped on the spot. "Never, ever insult an Inuzuka's dog," she growled.
"Okay, okay, I apologize," Naruto threw his arms up in a peace gesture. "I was just joking. I didn't mean anything bad."
"You better," the dog mistress advised him, "because it's a stupid joke and I don't appreciate such."
"Look out," Hotaru shouted. It was the only warning they had before a kunai with an already lit exploding tag landed in the middle of their group. They leapt away to avoid the blast. That had been too close for comfort.
The kimono-clad girl unsheathed her blade. Some instinct made her slash behind her. Her sword cut into a wooden figurine with a smiling face and lodged itself in its chest. She tried to pull it out, but it proved to be an impossible task. Then she had to abandon it altogether, because another wooden man came at her from behind. It was fast. She somehow avoided its first strike, but found herself in the path of another blow. She braced herself for the impact. It never came.
A blue and black blur suddenly appeared and slammed into the doll, knocking it off the branch.
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked. She nodded. "Where is Hana?"
The Inuzuka and her dogs were currently battling two figurines. They were holding their own, but they couldn't gain any advantage either.
"I'll take the one on the left and you the one on the right," Naruto decided. He didn't wait for her response and charged.
"Hothead," Hotaru muttered. Then she jumped into the fray as well.
Their attack lacked coordination, but their superior numbers prevailed eventually. But they had to admit grudgingly that they could have done much better.
"No more goofing off," Hana decided. "We'll have to take it seriously from now on, which means no jokes, Naruto."
"You just needed cheering up," the blond replied defensively.
"Spare it for later," the kunoichi advised. "Now we have to be alert. This is what we'll do. I'll take the point with my dogs and would search for the scroll and more enemies. You two will be covering my flanks. Hotaru will be on the right and Naruto on the left. Understood?" They both confirmed. "Let's go then."
This time they were going slower. They strained all their senses to detect another ambush in time. But none happened. Suddenly Hana stopped.
"We're close," she whispered.
"Where is it?" Naruto asked.
"That way," she pointed straight ahead, "but I see a wire. There are traps."
"I expected nothing less," the short boy replied. "I wouldn't try disarming them, that usually makes them spring. Bypassing them is a better option, but there's always something hidden. This requires extreme caution."
"No kidding," Hana agreed. "His scent is all over this place. I doubt there even is a safe way in."
"Then we'll just have to make one," Naruto proposed.
"And how would you accomplish that?" Hotaru questioned.
"I'll make clones and send them in," the aspiring shinobi explained his plan. "A lot of them would be destroyed, but eventually one will get through."
"And you can make that much corporeal clones?" Hana doubted.
"Yes," the boy confirmed. "Look." He lifted his hands in a familiar seal and soon the branches around them were obscured in smoke. When it cleared, a hundred little blond ninja appeared.
"Wow," Hotaru whistled.
"Idiot," Hana chastised him. "Who told you to do it now and here? You could have sprung a trap and alerted our enemies." The youth looked ashamed. "What's done is done," the dog user continued. "We'll go with your plan, but try not to trip any traps if you can avoid it."
"Roger," Naruto said. Then he motioned for a clone to begin.
The replica slowly started forward. It made a few steps before stopping to study something on the ground. Then he jumped high. He landed in a crouch and was promptly destroyed by a rising wooden spike. Second clone followed in his footsteps and met the same end. The third tried jumping further. He fell into a pit with spikes on the bottom. Fourth clone found a log somewhere. He threw it on the place where his predecessors faced their demise. Spikes came again from the ground, but there was nobody to hit. The shadow clone ran atop the log and then jumped over the pit. He was surprised when he landed safely. Unfortunately when he made a single step, his foot was caught in a noose and he was hauled upwards. He hung there upside down for a moment before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
It took most of the clones and far more time than they had anticipated, but eventually one of the replicas got his hand on the scroll and threw it to the original before a blast note destroyed him.
"Finally," Naruto rejoiced.
"Let's open it," Hotaru demanded.
"It could be another trap," Hana pointed out.
"You're right," Naruto agreed and handed the suspicious scroll to one of his few remaining clones. It wasn't a trap and the clone opened it without any trouble.
"What does it say?" Hotaru inquired. The clone gave her the scroll before dispelling itself. She quickly read through its contents, Hana looking over her shoulder.
"That doesn't sound hard," she commented. "Just deliver it to the other side of the village."
"But we have a time limit and we're still in enemy territory," the single male of the team reminded them.
"That could be a problem," the purple-haired kunoichi agreed.
"You bet it will be," Naruto remarked. "So who should carry the scroll? Obvious choice is the strongest, but that's kinda too obvious. We could try also the fastest, but I personally think it should be the sneakiest. But Tenzo already knows that trick."
"So what do we do?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A short while later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The team exited the training grounds. They were surprised when nobody attacked them on the way out. They agreed it was probably because they had already fought it the forest once and their test proctor didn't want to be repetitive. It just meant they would have to be extra careful in the village.
They opted to walk through the busiest streets. It was slow, but they figured that they wouldn't be assaulted in a crowd of civilians. Their most pressing concern was now making it in time. Hana walked at the point looking feral and scowling. Her three canines surrounded her with their teeth bared. People were giving the group a wide berth.
The normalcy of the city life was slowly lulling them into letting their guards down, but they resisted it with all their might. Unfortunately that wasn't very much. Therefore they missed the drunkard stumbling through the crowd until she bumped into Hotaru.
"S'ry, girl, didna mean to," the woman slurred.
"Nothing happened," the girl replied trying to pry the wino's dirty hands off her.
"Really didna mean to," the drunk repeated.
"I know, I know, lady. Now please let go off me." Hotaru was beginning to lose patience, but than the woman suddenly let go of her. "Thanks," the kunoichi muttered. The drunkard shot them one last glance and the crowd swallowed her.
Naruto noticed something in her face, something disturbingly familiar. Was it a hint of a smirk? "Anko!" he realized.
"What?" Hana didn't understand his sudden outburst.
"The scroll! Do you still have it?" he turned to Hotaru.
"Of course I… She stole it!" The purple-haired sword wielder was furious.
"She's gone now," her young teammate observed. "What do we do?"
"Sniff her out, of course," Hana proclaimed.
"That might not be that easy," Naruto pointed out.
"Never underestimate an Inuzuka's nose," Hana smirked and without further ado started tracking.
"Never underestimate Anko," the blond corrected, but his female teammates paid him no heed.
Unfortunately it turned out Naruto was right, it really wasn't so easy. The trail led right through a puddle of spilled perfume. All four Inuzukas started sneezing.
"Told you so," Naruto couldn't resist saying. Hana shot him a murderous glare.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Elsewhere~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A figure ran over the rooftops. He paused for a brief moment, scanned his surroundings, than took off again in a different direction. He was close now. His target was just a few streets over, moving through the daily traffic completely unaware of its pursuer. He sped up for a bit, then halted. There, target in sight. He crouched down to devise an attack strategy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Dango shop~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anko sat down in the comfortable chair and stretched her legs lazily. She inhaled the heavenly smell of the dumpling stick in her hand, then bit it down and savored its taste. She felt like she deserved the treat, no matter that her task had been ridiculously easy. The kiddies didn't even know what had hit them. Well, to be honest, Naruto had recognized her, but he had been too late. She had already disappeared in the crowd. Too bad that she didn't get to see their cute little faces when they found out, but nobody got all their wishes. Oh well, at least there always was her precious trusty dango to console her.
"Hey, lady," an obnoxious voice rudely brought her out of her fantasies. She turned to look at the perpetrator. It was a rather good looking man, if it wasn't for the lecherous smirk on his face. She immediately took a strong dislike towards him. "What are you doing here all alone?"
"None of your business," she hissed, clearly indicating she wasn't interested. He was either very stupid or very brave, because he didn't back off. Her guess was on the first.
"Beautiful young ladies like you shouldn't be sitting alone," the bloke stated sitting down beside her. She narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"I'm no lady and you'll be very sorry, if you don't get lost now." Most people would be running for their lives before she finished her sentence, but not this guy.
"My, my, aren't we in a sour mood tonight," the man chided. "But don't despair, I'm going to cheer you up."
She had enough. She punched the sucker. He fell to the ground clutching his wounded cheek.
Strong hand suddenly grabbed her. "Military police. You're arrested for public brawling." She froze. She hadn't even realized they were there. And Konoha's Police force generally didn't like her. She was in trouble. Then she felt a hand wandering under her coat.
"What are you…" she started when the hand suddenly withdrew. She caught a glimpse of something sailing through the air. The scroll. A hand caught it in the air. She noticed the whirl of a long brown ponytail, than the person melted into the crowd. She kicked the two policemen. They disappeared in twin puffs of smoke. Shadow clones. The man who had hit on her was gone as well. Figures.
"NO!" She shouted. She couldn't believe that she had been fooled by such a lame trick. She ran into the street and gave pursuit, but the culprits had masked their tracks well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~City park~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Did we make it?" a breathless Naruto asked. Though he could boast the greatest stamina of all the squad, he also possessed the shortest legs and had to work hard to keep up with his female companions.
"Yes, you did," Tenzo answered appearing from a tree. "And with a minute to spare."
"We didn't have to go so fast," the youngest genin complained.
"Shut up," Hana suggested.
"There are you," an enraged female voice shouted.
"Calm down, Anko, they've already finished. Game's over," the Mokuton user said.
"I'll get you next time," the snake mistress promised.
"Well now everybody's here, we can evaluate your work," Tenzo announced. The three genin tensed. "We'll start at the beginning. You had full ten minutes to prepare a strategy, but you wasted it arguing instead. That's just the sort of thing that would get you killed on a real mission." The threesome looked abashed. "And then you just rushed forward without a real plan. You didn't even look out for trouble. Again, you would have been dead. This sort of recklessness can be expected, though not acceptable, from a fresh genin like Naruto, but you girls had been in the field before, you really should have known better." Now they looked downtrodden.
"Then the attack. You were arguing among yourselves instead of paying attention to your surroundings. Do I have to say what could that cost you? Though on a positive note, you showed something akin to teamwork during the battle, but it could have been already too late. Well, what do you have to say for yourselves?"
"Well do better next time," Naruto offered.
"In real life, there is no next time," Tenzo reminded him. The boy returned to studying his feet.
"Let's move forward. Disarming the traps. Naruto, you acted without the consent of your comrades. Do you think you are the team leader?"
"No," the little blond answered.
"Then you can't afford to do such a thing. It doesn't matter that it worked this time, it could land you in a world of trouble anytime. Although I suppose telling you this has little effect and you'll have to learn the hard way." The boy refrained from answering.
"Then comes the second part of the test. You finally got it to your heads that you have to move in formation, but you weren't careful enough. What does it say about your situational awareness, if you get pickpocketed so easily?" Naruto pointedly glanced at Anko. She scowled back.
"But getting the scroll back like that was ingenious. Not many people can pull one over Anko like that. May I ask how did you manage to locate her?"
"Trade secret," Naruto declared with a foxy grin. He had transformed a couple of his Shadow Clones into bugs and hid them within the scroll. When it had been stolen, one of them dispelled, letting him know where Anko had stopped.
"Did it have something to do with the clone keeping watch from the rooftops?" Tenzo guessed.
"I thought I lost that one," Anko said.
"Not really," Naruto answered.
"Then how?" Anko inquired.
"Now, now," the boy smirked. "What kind of ninja would I be if I revealed my secrets?"
"Well then, keep your secrets," the older man decided. "The last part, your action against Anko. Nice teamwork there. I guess there is yet some hope for you." The three genin looked at him in askance. "Congratulations," he smiled, "You three passed."
"Yay!" Naruto jumped in elation. Hotaru punched the air. Hana just smiled, her dogs barked and wagged their tails.
"You can take the rest of the day off, get to know each other and enjoy life while you still can," advised their sensei, "because tomorrow your training starts. Meet me at the training grounds at sunrise and don't be late." His proclamation did nothing to sour his genin's mood. Well, they'll find out what they've gotten into soon enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Konoha hospital~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hana visited her sensei. He technically wasn't her sensei anymore, but she still thought of him as such.
"I've been placed on a new team, Yagi-sensei," she announced after the formalities were out of the way.
"Well, that's good. But isn't it too soon?"
"I feel like it is," the girl admitted. "But I guess it had to happen sooner or later, so why not just deal with it sooner."
"Good approach there," her old sensei smiled approvingly. "So how are they?"
"They're not them," she answered.
"Of course not," the bedridden man agreed. "They can never be. I know that myself. But what are they like otherwise?"
"Our new sensei seems to be a no-nonsense kind of guy. He gave us a tough test, much tougher than yours, but we passed," the dog mistress told him.
"And your teammates?" Yagi wanted to know.
"Well, first there's Hotaru. She seemed like an airhead at first, but she turned out to be actually somewhat competent. Then there's the little kid, Naruto. He looks barely old enough to start the Academy, but he knows his business. I feared he would be one of the snotty prodigy types, but he behaves like a hyper idiot. He reminds me of Juubei a bit."
"But he's not," the man stated.
"Exactly."
"I know how hard it is for you, but you can't get stuck in the past," he advised not for the first time. "Your new team sounds actually quite likable. Learn to appreciate them for who they are instead of comparing them with the dead."
"I know, sensei, and I'm trying," she sighed. "Honestly. But it's not as easy as it sounds."
"Isn't that the truth," he said sagely. "I've been in the same spot before. I pulled trough, but I've seen many who didn't. And believe me, you don't want to end up like them." A faraway look entered his eyes. "You really don't want to end up like them."
"I don't," she confirmed. "I'll try comparing the squirt with my little brother instead. Thinking of it, they are somewhat alike."
"Now that's the spirit," her sensei smiled. "And now, don't waste any more of your time on an old geezer like me. Go and catch up with your new teammates and family."
"Thank you. I think I'll do just that." She left the hospital room with a lighter heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The tree hideout~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naruto was for once just lounging around, appreciating the quiet of the sunny afternoon. He made genin, he had a team, everything was perfect in the world. It took him a while to realize he wasn't alone.
"Tenzo," he greeted the newcomer. "Or should I call you sensei now?"
"Just when we're in public," his guardian answered. "So, how do you like your new team?"
"Hana's too gloomy," the foxy boy said, "but Hotaru's fine."
"Don't be harsh to her," the older man defended her. "She had something bad happen to her recently. She isn't over it yet."
"What happened to her?" Naruto was curious.
"It's not my place to tell. You should be worrying about team's training instead."
"What's to worry about? I've trained with you for years." Tenzo just smiled enigmatically. Naruto started to worry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hotaru's home~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She wasn't too surprised when she found her cousin waiting for her.
"So how was your new team's first meeting?" the older kunoichi asked.
"About as good as expected," the younger girl replied. "We passed the test, by the way."
"Congratulations, then," the woman smiled. "Your new sensei isn't wasting any time. Who is it, anyway?"
"Some guy named Tenzo."
"Tenzo," Yuugao wondered. "I'm surprised they gave him a team."
"Why?" Hotaru demanded. "Is there something wrong with him?"
"No," the older girl shook her head, "you're in good hands, but he already had an apprentice. A young boy."
"That sounds like one of my new teammates."
"So how do you like them?" Yuugao wanted to know. "Are they stuffed-up pricks like your old team?"
"I don't think so," she answered. "At least Naruto isn't. I'm not so sure about Hana."
"Well I don't really know her, but she didn't strike me as the type," Yuugao said. "She is probably just depressed now."
"What about?" the younger girl wanted to know.
"Not my place to tell, but it's a sound reason to be depressed. Now we should go celebrate your success, because if Tenzo haven't suddenly gone soft, you won't feel like celebrating for a long time to come."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hokage's office~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sarutobi was reading the report his analysts have provided with a frown. It stated that one of the slain ninja had been from Iwa, the other from Kiri. So far what can be expected from a bunch of nukenin. But the part about their equipment was worrisome. Their weapons have been crafted in the same workshop and it wasn't one Konoha's experts recognized.
It might mean nothing. Somebody might have just opened a new store and served all clientele. But it could also be more sinister. There might even be a new village being founded and they had already proven hostile towards Konoha. And this had to happen at the same time some disturbing info came about the Uchiha clan. He didn't want to believe they were really disloyal, but then they have always been power hungry and arrogant to boot.
For a countless time he wished there were someone younger worrying about this instead of him. But it wasn't to be. His successor got himself killed and his three students turned out useless in their own unique ways. In his worse moments he even considered just giving the hat to Danzo, but it never lasted long.
He sighed and started writing a message. He'll send Jiraiya to investigate. He just prayed it won't turn out to be too much trouble for his old bones to handle.
That's it for now. Next time: Missions!