Chapter 4
Hinata was waiting outside for Naruto to come out. She had no doubt her boyfriend would have found a way to pass that exam by now. She was tense, yes, but she had complete faith in Naruto. Everyone else was already either out on the Academy grounds with her or gone, so when she heard the door open, she knew it had to be Naruto.
Looking up, she saw the boy who was like the sun for her, who filled her days with light and made getting up every day worthwhile. Upon seeing him, however, she got a shock. His head was hanging low, his eyes seemed glued to the ground. In fact, he looked like his every hope and dream had been crushed. She ran to him.
Putting her arms around Naruto, Hinata whispered, "What happened Naruto? What's wrong?"
Naruto looked at Hinata, and the girl got a surprise. In spite of his downtrodden appearance, his eyes were full of glee. Suddenly, Hinata knew. Naruto was up to something. Naruto spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Hinata, I'm on a mission. Don't say anything or you'll blow my cover. The Hokage told me a few days ago he thinks there's a spy posing as an instructor here at the Academy, and he asked me to try to flush him out. I think I know who it is, and if I'm right, he'll be coming after me soon."
Hinata's heart was beating harder, faster from excitement. She smiled. "I'll be nearby, Naruto, and I'll help you if I can," she said.
Naruto smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Hinata," he said. "I feel a lot better knowing you have my back."
Hinata slipped away, blushing furiously from the kiss, and hid in some nearby bushes and watched Naruto silently. Naruto made a big show of sulking and being upset, especially after Hinata left. She could see his hand in his pocket, though, and figured his new headband must have been in there. Soon, as Naruto had predicted, one of the Academy instructors approached him. It was Mizuki. Hinata was surprised. Mizuki was one of the few instructors here who had actually treated her and Naruto half-way well.
Hinata was a bit too far away to hear what Mizuki was telling Naruto, but she could see he was talking. She cursed herself silently for not mastering her lip reading better.
Suddenly, Naruto whistled loudly. That was the signal. She leapt from the bush and ran at Mizuki. Naruto punched him, which confirmed what his whistle had told her. As Mizuki flew through the air, Hinata planted a Gentle Fist strike on Mizuki's neck. Mizuki fell unconscious from the pain of having his spinal cord severed. Hinata grinned.
Naruto grinned down at Mizuki. "Spy on the Academy, we'll take you out!" he said triumphantly. Then he turned to Hinata. "Thanks, Hinata. I couldn't have done it without you." That said, Naruto hugged Hinata. The girl blushed, then returned the hug with all the strength she could.
"You're sure he was the spy, Naruto?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm sure. He was trying to get me to steal the Scroll of Sealing from the Hokage's office," he said.
Hinata smiled. "I'm glad you're sure...seeing as he'll never move anything below his neck again the rest of his life."
Naruto shuddered. "Remind me to never make you mad."
Hinata giggled. "Will do." She smiled as she cuddled into Naruto's chest. Suddenly she pulled back and looked at him. "Did you actually pass then?"
Naruto pulled his hand from his pocket. As she'd figured, he had a headband in his hand. He smiled as he wrapped it around his forehead. "Yep, I passed." Hinata smiled and hugged him again. Naruto held her, each simply enjoying the proximity of the other. Naruto marveled that the touch of the gentle girl he held could do such damage as he had seen done this day.
Naruto and Hinata spent the rest of that day together, as usual. By now, the young couple knew one another better than anyone else knew either one, including Hinata's father, cousin, and sister. Hiashi, her father, believed her to be a failure, and her cousin, Neji, despised her for being in the main branch of her family, while her younger sister, Hanabi, simultaneously looked down on her as a supposed failure and feared her as the heiress. Hinata wanted nothing more than to end the division of her family, but Neji and Hanabi believed that Hinata would continue oppressing the Branch Family and would, in fact, place Hanabi into said branch. Naruto, though, knew her every hope, dream, failure, and worry.
As for Naruto, no one but Hinata, Kiba, Ino, Iruka-sensei, Teuchi, and Ayame ever bothered to notice him enough to get to know him. Of those, Hinata was the first and, therefore, the one he trusted most. He was close friends with Ino and Kiba, and he looked at Ayame as almost a sister. Teuchi he saw as a pseudo-father-figure of sorts. Naruto saw Iruka as a much-respected teacher and an older brother of sorts. None of them, however, knew him anywhere near as well as Hinata. Naruto had even told Hinata he dreamed of one day being Hokage so he could protect the entire village, as the entire village was precious to him, even if some of them had caused him pain.
Naruto grinned as he remembered telling Hinata his dream and how she had just smiled and told him she'd be right there with him. She never doubted for a second he would make Hokage, and Naruto never doubted for a second that Hinata would become the leader of her clan. Each one had unwavering faith in the other, even while doubting him/herself. Thinking about this, Naruto put one arm around Hinata's shoulders and pulled her to him. Hinata leaned her head on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto's gesture was a combination of affection and protectiveness; he was fiercely protective of Hinata ever since she'd shown herself to be protective of him at the Valley of the End.
As the two made their way around the village, they heard a familiar giggle. Looking up, the two saw Ino and Kiba. Ino had her hand resting on Kiba's arm, Kiba was smiling while his other hand rested on Ino's, and even Akamaru, sitting on Kiba's head, looked happy. Naruto and Hinata, not a word spoken between them, made their way toward their friends.
"Hey, Ino, Kiba," Naruto said softly when the four friends were within earshot. Kiba and Ino turned and smiled at the other couple as they saw Hinata resting her head on Naruto's shoulder, Naruto's arm around her.
Kiba chuckled. "I've never figured how you two can walk around like that," he said, teasing them. He might make fun of them, but, really, deep down, he was jealous of them for being able to do that.
Hinata blushed a little, but smiled as she said, "If you're with someone who can read your moves the way I can read Naruto's, you can do this. Don't worry, Kiba, I'm sure Ino will figure it out eventually."
Ino flushed, worried that Kiba, whom she had come to really care for a lot, would be upset at her. "I'll do my best, Kiba, if that's what you want," she said.
Kiba looked at Ino. He saw the worry in her eyes and smiled. "It's all right, Ino," he said sincerely. "If it happens it happens, I'm not all that worried about it." Ino hugged him at this. She'd really been worried he'd be upset. The young couple shared a short, chaste kiss. Naruto and Hinata just smiled at one another, not needing to show their love at that moment.
Naruto put his hand on Kiba's shoulder. "Well, we'll see you guys tomorrow for team assignments," he said, giving a smile to his two friends. With that the young couples separated, Naruto and Hinata going off on their own, Ino and Kiba continuing to wait for their dinner.
Kiba looked at Ino. "How in the world does that happen?" he asked, gesturing at where Naruto and Hinata had left. Ino looked confused. "I mean how do the two shyest people in school end up together and make such a great couple?"
Ino smiled. "I have no idea, but obviously it happens," she said. Then she smiled. "I'd like to think we're a really great couple, too." She said the last part teasingly, and Kiba just grinned. Akamaru barked, showing his agreement of Ino's assessment. Ino put one arm around Kiba's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. Kiba grinned and put his arm around her protectively. He might not show it all the time, but Kiba was as protective of Ino as Naruto was of Hinata.
Just then, the two were served their food. They looked at one another, frustration clear on their faces. Both were hungry, but neither wanted to pull apart to eat. Eventually, due to a dearth of other options, the two separated and began eating. About halfway through their meal, Ino started giggling.
Kiba looked at his girlfriend like she'd lost her mind, which he was seriously wondering if she might have. "What's so funny?" he asked her.
Ino smiled. "I was just thinking how the only person I know who's more loyal than you is Naruto," she said. "I really did get the pick of the litter, didn't I?"
Kiba blushed at her praise. He might have taken offense to being called less loyal than someone else, but he knew Naruto would give his life for anyone in the village, so he couldn't really complain about being compared to him. He hugged Ino, who squealed in pleasure, then the two finished their meals in companionable silence.
Naruto and Hinata, meanwhile, had made their way to a small clearing in the woods not far from the village wall. This spot had become their special place over the last year or so; they always came here when they wanted to be alone or if they were going to train together. In this case, it was kind of a combination of the two.
Naruto grinned at Hinata. "I want to show you something, Hinata," he said. Hinata looked at him curiously. Naruto made a cross with the first two fingers of each hand. "SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" he said.
Suddenly Hinata couldn't see anything because of the large amount of smoke that appeared. As it cleared, Hinata found herself surrounded on all sides by hundreds of copies of Naruto. Her first reaction was to pinch herself, thinking it was a dream. When she realized it was real, she thought it was just the clone jutsu. She touched one. It was solid. Hinata gasped. "So many Narutos, all in one place," she thought. Hinata had never been one for perverted thoughts, but this situation brought them to her mind anyway. Hinata's eyes rolled back in her head as she got a massive nosebleed and fainted.
Naruto, seeing this, panicked. "Hinata!" he yelled. He managed to catch her—one of his clones did, anyway—before she hit the ground. He laid her on the ground gently and wiped the blood from her nose. He relaxed when he realized she wasn't bleeding now. Releasing the jutsu, Naruto got a sudden headache, after which he somehow knew Hinata had fainted from shock at seeing so many of him. He slowly realized he had gotten the memories of his clones. He grinned; that would be handy.
Once Hinata came to, she found herself being carried bridal style by Naruto. She blushed, but rather than fainting again, she snuggled into his chest and sighed. Naruto smiled at her action, but he decided not to call her out on it. He just carried her home.
Arriving at the Hyuga compound, Naruto set Hinata on her feet. He smiled at her. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" he said.
Hinata blushed and nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." Naruto was about to leave, but Hinata called him back. She ran to him and hugged him again. Naruto, surprised, just hugged her back. Hinata looked up at him. "I love you, Naruto," she said, blushing deeper.
Naruto blushed as well. "I love you, too, Hinata," he answered. Hinata smiled and kissed him gently. The two separated, and Hinata went into her home. Naruto smiled and made his way home as well. Naruto took the time to make some ramen, and Hinata arrived home just in time for dinner. Though neither knew it, Naruto and Hinata ended up falling into bed and to sleep at the same time that night.
The next morning, Naruto went by the Hyuga compound to pick up Hinata. Hinata came out and found Naruto waiting for her. He looked nervous for some reason. "Something wrong, Naruto?" she asked.
Naruto smiled, but she could tell it was forced. "I just have to tell you something today, that's all," he told her. Hinata nodded. She didn't press him; he'd tell her when he was ready.
The two made their way to the Academy, arriving right on time. Once everyone was there, Iruka called the class to order. He gave them a short speech about how they were beginning their lives as ninja, but neither Naruto nor Hinata paid much attention to it. Naruto was too worried about what he was going to tell his team, whoever they turned out to be, and Hinata was too worried about Naruto.
Iruka began listing off teams and sensei. The first several passed with very little fanfare. "Team Seven," Iruka said. "Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, and Kiba Inuzuka." This announcement produced three VERY loud cheers, considering who the three were. Iruka used his Big Head Jutsu and yelled, "QUIET!" The three teammates sat down and were quiet, though now they sat together, with Ino in front of Kiba beside Shikamaru and Choji. "Team Seven," Iruka continued. "Your sensei will be Kakashi Hatake. Team Eight, Sasuke Uchiha, Shino Aburame, and Hotaru Kaneko. Your sensei will be Kurenai Yuhi. Team Nine, Sakura Haruno, Tobio Kaneko, and Sakumo Wasabi. Your sensei will be Anko Mitarashi. Team Ten, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi. Your sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi." No real fanfare accompanied these announcements, but the members of Team Ten were all smiling. Iruka grinned at his class. "I am proud of all of you. I wish you all the best as you begin your trips down the shinobi road." With that, Iruka smiled at Naruto in particular and left.
After only Team Seven was left, Naruto turned to Hinata and Kiba. "Um, guys, I have something I need to tell you." Both his friends nodded, waiting to see what it was. "I was approached by Mizuki yesterday, and he told me something about myself. I was up early this morning and asked both Iruka-sensei and the Hokage about it. They both told me it's true and explained what it means to me. You guys know the story of the Nine-Tailed Fox, right?" They nodded again. "Well, the story we've always been told isn't quite true."
"What do you mean, Naruto? Why would they lie to us?" Kiba asked.
"Because telling the truth is a capital offense and carries the death penalty," Naruto answered. "The truth is, the Fourth Hokage couldn't actually kill the fox. He could just seal it." He lifted his shirt and concentrated his chakra. His seal appeared for his teammates to see. "He sealed it into me."
Hinata and Kiba both gasped. That explained a lot about Naruto to both of them. Hinata now understood why she had always seen two chakras in Naruto and why he had always been ignored. Kiba now realized there was a reason why Naruto's chakra had always smelled so strong. Both of Naruto's friends ran to him and hugged him. No words were needed; their acceptance was all Naruto needed.
Three hours later the members of Team Seven were still waiting for their sensei, not that they minded; they were enjoying one another's company. Finally, the door opened and a man with gravity-defying silver hair, a mask over half his face, and his Leaf headband covering his left eye entered.
"Hi," he said blithely. Naruto and Hinata looked at him like he was insane, and Kiba just sweat-dropped. "My first impression of this group...you're going to fail." Kiba growled at that. "Meet me on the roof." With that, the man disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Two minutes later, Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, and the man, who they assumed was their new sensei, Kakashi, were on the roof of the Academy. "All right," Kakashi said. "Let's all introduce ourselves first."
Kiba snorted. "How about you introduce yourself first, sensei, so we see how it's done."
"Me? All right. I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate...I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future...never really thought about it. As for my hobbies...I have lots of hobbies," he said, apparently seeing nothing whatsoever wrong with that.
Kiba snorted. "All we found out was his name," he said. He turned to their sensei. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka. I like my dog, Akamaru, and my family and friends. I dislike food that isn't chewy. My hobbies are training and taking walks with Akamaru. My dream is to have a fair fight with a strong opponent to test my strength."
Naruto spoke up next. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I l-like my friends and ramen. I d-dislike those who judge o-others w-without g-getting t-to know them. My hobbies are t-training and h-hanging out w-with friends. My d-dream is to be the g-greatest H-Hokage the Hidden Leaf Village h-has ever seen."
Hinata blushed as the other three turned to her. "I'm H-Hinata Hyuga. I like my friends; my f-favorite f-food is c-cinnamon rolls. I d-dislike those w-who r-reject people w-without g-giving them a chance. My h-hobby is f-flower pressing. My d-dream is to f-fight my c-cousin Neji and my father and to gain their respect and b-be worthy of m-my position as h-heiress."
Kakashi sighed. "A shy heiress, a rowdy Inuzuka, and Naruto, the shiest Jinchuriki ever. They'll never pass," he thought to himself. "All right," he said aloud. "You're all unique and have your own way of thinking. Now, meet me tomorrow morning at 5:00 sharp at Training Ground Seven, and bring your ninja gear. Oh, and don't eat breakfast." The three Genin-hopefuls looked at him, confused. "If you do, you'll just puke." With that, the Jonin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Kiba grinned at his teammates. "I'll bring breakfast with me in case Kakashi doesn't show up. See you guys at five in the morning I guess. I'm gonna get home and get to sleep."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm going to get a good sleep myself. See you in the morning."
Hinata nodded as well, and the three separated. Each one got home early, ate a good dinner, and went to bed early so they could get plenty of rest. The next morning, they all arrived at the training ground at 4:45. Since, to no one's surprise, Kakashi wasn't there, they ate the breakfast Kiba had brought. Kakashi arrived at 9:00 to find them all asleep.
"Well, I guess I was a little late, but come on guys, did you have to sleep?" he asked. Naruto, Hinata, and Kiba looked at him like he had totally lost his marbles. He pulled out two bells. "All right, the alarm over there is set for noon. You have until then to get these bells from me. Come at me with the intent to kill, or you won't get them. Ready?" The three Genin-hopefuls nodded. "Begin!" Saying this, Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
The bell test had begun.