Title: How to Train your Uchiha
Disclaimer: Um… I make no apologies, I stand firm and resolute! You shall not make me feel guilt or remorse for this! I am unrepentant!
And Naruto Belongs to Kishimoto.
Author's Notes: It bit, it bit hard and it wouldn't let go.
-o-o-o-
It had started off as more of a joke than anything. He'd picked up the class more on a whim than anything. Plus, spending a bit more time around one of the few people he tentatively called his friends didn't hurt.
Naruto Uzumaki was sitting as attentively as he could as he listened to the instructions the instructor, an older girl, was giving. He glanced over at where Kiba Inuzuka was sprawled out and only half paying attention to the lecture his older sister, Hana, was giving. At least until Hana had enough of his inattention and brought up a spritzer bottle and squirted it directly in his face.
"Bad Kiba!" Hana reprimanded with a loud, forceful voice.
"Gaah! Hey! Stop-!" Kiba immediately scrambled about in his seat, flailing lightly as he tried to evade the cold water being shot at his face. "I mean it!"
Hana was relentless however, as she spritzed him again and again. "I told you behave! You will pay attention!"
"Ok, ok! Just stop it already!" Kiba whined softly, half glaring back at her even as she paused and gave him a stern look.
"You had best behave. I meant it, Kiba." Turning around, she looked at the rest of the class. "What I just demonstrated was negative reinforcement. Notice how I kept my voice firm, but not angry. The water bottle helps and see how much more attentive he's being?"
As one, everyone's eyes turned away from Hana and onto Kiba, who shrank lightly under the scrutiny but kept his attention on his sister.
"Now, the thing about negative reinforcement, is that you can't only give it to them. Otherwise, they start to resent you," Hana said as she continued, gesturing towards Kiba. "Note how he's now obviously paying more attention. Normally, we'd wait a bit longer to have him prove that he's actually paying attention instead of just playing along to try and get out of more spritzing, but for the sake of the demonstration…"
She pulled out a candy and held it up, as Kiba's eyes visibly lit up before she threw it to him. "This is positive reinforcement, where you reward them for behaving. You have to make sure that they're actually doing what you want, and that your treat is something they want as well."
There was a pause as Kiba noisily devoured the candy, before she looked back over the group. "And you have to be careful about how often you reward them. If you do it too often, you run out of treats and money, and they become rather spoiled. Too little and they stop thinking they'll be rewarded."
Grinning, she glanced around the small group and reached down and scratched behind the ears of one of the three dogs at her feet. "A good idea is to start off with doing it more often, then slowly make them have to do more bit by bit. It takes time and patience."
Catching the eyes of the various students, she offered them a bright smile. "It's all about establishing Dominance. Who's the one in control, or, most basically, who's the follower and who's the Leader."
She paused at that before glancing around. "And you have to be careful, after all, if you keep forcing them down and being mean to them, they'll eventually turn around and attack you. Just like we would with a bad leader."
Then she reached down and hugged on one of the dogs. "But if you do it right, then you'll have a loyal, and obedient friend for life."
Those words immediately stuck in Naruto's mind, as he quickly, feverently began to jot down everything she'd said.
-o-o-o-
Naruto frowned lightly as he watched the rest of his classmates and pondered which one he really wanted to make his new friend. It would have to be someone almost as awesome as he was of course. Someone who keep up with him when he was doing awesome Hokage things. Someone like…
"Sasukeeee-kun!" A chorus of voices squealed out, jolting Naruto out of his thoughts as his eyes narrowed in irritation at the quiet boy's entrance.
Dammit, they were always squealing about him. Top of the class, always beating everyone at almost everything. They just kept going on and on about how awesome he was!
Naruto froze at the thought, before slowly an almost maniacal smile spread across his lips.
Now he just had to figure out what kind of treats the Uchiha liked.
-o-o-o-
Sasuke frowned as he looked up from the fresh sliced tomato he was about to eat and saw Naruto watching him. Again.
He'd been doing that a lot lately. And rubbing his hands together between scribbling away in that notebook of his. And cackling to himself.
Even Iruka-sensei had seemed to be getting a little worried. The blond hadn't even done more than half hearted pranks for quite some time. It was starting to get almost scary.
He watched as Naruto grinned broadly then went back to scribbling away in his notebook.
He wasn't sure what the boy was up to, but he knew he'd most likely be suffering through it in some way or another.
-o-o-o-
Sasuke wasn't the easiest person for Naruto to follow. Naruto had figured out that relatively quickly. He was constantly watching the world around him, constantly trying to stay aware. Constantly paranoid in fact.
Then again, losing your entire clan in a single night was bound to have not so nice consequences.
Still, he was undeterred, and he had the time. Not to mention, Sasuke didn't really have any friends. Nor did he have any acquaintances.
He just went straight from the Academy to the training grounds near his home, then home.
Occasionally, he would even stop and pick up some food on his way back from training. It took three times before Naruto thought to actually start documenting exactly what it was Sasuke was buying. It took over a month before he finally noticed the pattern.
Tomatoes.
Everything else seemed typical food stuffs, but, Sasuke had always made sure to get extra tomatoes. Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!
It was almost disappointing. Why couldn't Sasuke like something cool like ramen. Or, why couldn't he just like something typical, like candy?
Then, he suddenly realized one, tremendously important fact.
Tomatoes, he could buy seeds for and grow himself relatively cheap.
-o-o-o-
"… What the hell are you doing here, Uzumaki?" Ino Yamanaka glared at the boy with indigo eyes from just over the counter she sat behind, the instant he walked through the door.
Naruto paused a moment then looked around, before his head hung and he frowned slightly before starting to walk right back out.
"That was very rude, Ino," Inoichi Yamanaka chided his daughter from behind the counter and gave her a look. "Apologize to him."
"But it's Naruto! He's a freak! Nobody likes him!" Ino whined softly as she looked back up at her father with wide, trembling eyes, before freezing as she saw a flash of real anger bubbling up inside of her father's gaze.
"You do not talk to people that way, Ino. Not your comrades. Apologize, now," he said with a firm voice lightly tinged with anger.
Naruto had frozen when Inoichi had told Ino to apologize. Slowly, warily, he looked back over his shoulder and blinked a bit. Ino's father was indeed staring down his daughter.
"But he's always doing stupid or creepy things!" Ino whined softly. "If he's not playing those stupid pranks, he's practically stalking Sasuke-kun in class!"
Naruto blushed brightly and glared back at Ino. "I am not stalking him!" There was a pause before he huffed lightly. "I'm researching!"
"No matter how much research you do, you'll never be as cool as Sasuke-kun!" Ino declared firmly.
"Why would I want to be like him?" Naruto stared back at Ino, frowning lightly. "He spends all his time training! He never has fun! All he does is go to school, go to the training grounds and occasionally buy some food on his way home where he stares at pictures then goes to sleep!"
"Ha! You are stalking him!" Ino crowed triumphantly.
"Ino… First off, it's called shadowing. It's an essential part of intel gathering," Inoichi corrected before he frowned at her again. "Secondly… You. Still. Haven't. Apologized!"
"But… It's Naruto!" Ino repeated as she stared incredulously at her father.
"Now," Inoichi said firmly.
"… Fine," she said before turning back towards Naruto and mumbling something under her breath as she refused to quite look at him.
"Look him in the eyes and speak up, young lady," Inoichi stated simply as he crossed his arms about his chest and looked back at her expectantly.
Shooting her father a death glare, he remained unaffected and merely arched a brow expectantly. After another moment, Ino's shoulders slumped as she visibly deflated. Turning her head, she looked at Naruto and grudgingly said, "I'm sorry."
"We'll work on your apologies another time," Inoichi said simply before turning his attention to Naruto and smiling. "Now, what can we help you with today, Uzumaki-san?"
"Oh, I realized I'm in the wrong kinda place anyway," Naruto said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "I need tomato seeds, not flowers."
"Ugh, tomatoes?" Ino's nose wrinkled lightly. "Who likes those things!"
Naruto paused, staring at Ino for a moment, before suddenly bursting out into laughter.
Ino stared at Naruto for a moment, before pointing at him as she looked at her father. "See, daddy? He's weird and crazy! This is why no one wants to be friends with him!"
"… Actually I think it's a little more than that, Ino," Inoichi chided lightly before walking around the counter and squatting down in front of the practically giggling Naruto, smiling lightly. "Want to let me in on the joke?"
Pausing a moment, Naruto froze before he looked over at Ino warily before shrugging his shoulders helplessly.
"Don't worry, I can keep a secret. I promise," Inoichi said seriously, his eyes twinkling merrily.
Warily at first, Naruto leaned in and whispered into Inoichi's ear.
Inoichi paused a moment, before barking off a laugh. "Yes, you're right, that is funny."
Naruto nodded his head vigorously back, still grinning broadly.
"What's so funny?" Ino demanded as she glared at her father and Naruto.
"Sorry, that's classified," Inoichi said with a completely straight face before turning back to Naruto. "Why don't I help you get those tomato plants and you can tell me what you're planning with them."
Naruto blushed a moment, before squirming lightly. "Do I have to?"
"I think it would be a good idea," Inoichi agreed with a nod of his head. "It helps to bounce plans off of someone, especially someone more experienced."
"Oh… Ok…" There was a pause as Naruto eyed Inoichi warily. "You're not going to try and stop me like Iruka-sensei, are you?"
"As long as you're not plotting treason," Inoichi paused a moment before tilting his head to the side. "Or doing something that will cause massive property damage, mass panic, or severe unrest."
"Um…" Naruto visibly thought as he started to walk out of the shop with Inoichi. "I don't think I am…"
"Why don't you tell me and we'll figure it out?" Inoichi asked as he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and led him out of the shop. "I'll be back later, Ino, watch the shop until your mother gets back."
"But, but…!" Ino started to protest, vainly as her father walked out of the shop and the door shut behind him. "He's Naruto!"
Sometime later, Inoichi returned to the shop, a satisfied smile on his lips, and a twinkle in his eyes that spoke of assured amusement for some time to come.
-o-o-o-
"Heya, Sasuke!"
It was Naruto. Smiling, happily his eyes almost dancing, with his whole body looking like it was vibrating with excitement.
Sasuke had never felt more terrified of the blond boy in his life. Not in the soul crushing, vengeance inspiring way that man did. No, this was something different, something alien.
Something that worried him.
"What do you want, idiot?" Sasuke growled lightly, shoulders hunching, body curving forward as if to loom over the brightly smiling boy.
Splurt! Sasuke immediately recoiled as the spritz of cold water hit his face.
"Bad Sasuke!" Naruto declared in a firm, chiding voice that somehow seemed to remind him of his parents as he pointed the spritzer at him. "No insulting me!"
Sasuke froze in the process of angrily wiping the water from his face and stared incredulously back at Naruto. "… What?"
"I said, no insulting me," Naruto said as suddenly, he seemed to be the one looming over Sasuke.
However, Sasuke refused to back down that easily. "I'll call you whatever I want, idiot-!"
His hand moved, trying to block the spray of water he just knew was coming, only to flinch as Naruto had angled his arm down and the splash of water struck his face from below, straight up into his nose. Sneezing reflexively, his hand dropped, only to feel another spray hit him straight on.
"No! No insults!" Naruto insisted as he shook his head empathetically.
Growling softly, Sasuke's hands came together as he moved through the familiar signs of his grand fireball technique. As he opened his mouth to inhale, suddenly another spray of water went straight in. Immediately, his technique was completely broken as he began to choke can cough as the water went straight into his lungs.
"And no trying to kill me either!" Naruto gave him another good spritz just to make sure as he glared back at Sasuke.
For a moment, Sasuke managed to halt his coughing long enough to look up and absolutely glare at Naruto before he resumed almost hacking up a lung.
When he finished, he paused a moment, his black eyes burning a moment before he settled for glowering at Naruto. "What the hell do you want i-... Naruto?"
For you to stop insulting me." Naruto explained patiently as he looked down at Sasuke and smirked softly.
"... This is what you've been planning? To get me to stop insulting you with... with... a water bottle!" Sasuke stared at him, mouth almost hanging in disbelief, before growling. "Yooooou...!"
Splat!
"We'll have to work on your temper too." Naruto nodded his head pleasantly and continued to grin broadly back at Sasuke.
"... What the hell is wrong with you? You think I'm just going to stop insulting you because of a stupid little spray bottle?" Sasuke stared at Naruto, his disbelief visible in his eyes, while he watched Naruto's grin only grow in size.
"Nope!" Naruto shook his head before reaching into a pouch at his side and pulling out... a cherry tomato? "I have treats too!"
There was a part of Sasuke that immediately realized there was something frustratingly familiar about this scene. Something that was practically screaming it in fact. That Naruto had gone and taken some idea or another too far.
But he couldn't quite put his finger on what.
"... You think giving me a tomato is going to make everything all right?" Sasuke just... stared at Naruto, his mouth hanging in disbelief.
"Home grown," Naruto agreed with a sage nod of his head as he lightly jingled it in front of Sasuke's eyes.
"Did your parents drop you on your head as a child or something?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask as he stared back at Naruto.
For a moment, something flashing across Naruto's eyes, as his smile cracked slightly and suddenly seemed forced and plastic. "My parents died in the Kyuubi attack."
Feeling a sudden sinking in his stomach, Sasuke couldn't quite look at Naruto before he suddenly stuck his hand out. "Just give me the damned tomato already."
"Are you going to stop insulting me?" Naruto asked warily as he held the tomato just out of reach.
Irritation flashing across his eyes, Sasuke glared back at him before giving a curt nod. "Fine. I'll stop insulting you."
And again the smile was real as Sasuke could feel the tomato dropped down into waiting hand, stem still attached. Bringing it up to his eyes, he eyed the fruit for a moment and frowned just slightly before he glanced back at the still brightly grinning Naruto. It certainly looked fine.
Refusing to look intimidated in front of Naruto, Sasuke steeled his nerves and brought the tomato up to his lips before slowly taking a bite. When the piece of tomato his his lips, his eyes immediately widened. It was incredible.
He wasn't even aware that his eyes had closed. Nor was he aware of the even broader grin that was curling over Naruto's lips. Finally, he shook his head and blinked lightly as he came back to his senses and stared at Naruto with wide disbelieving eyes.
"Where did you get this?" Sasuke half growled half begged as he stared back at Naruto.
"Grew it," Naruto said cheerfully and grinned back at Sasuke. "You like it?"
"Please tell me you have more!" Sasuke's voice was not desperate, he refused to acknowledge even the possibility of something like that. The Uchiha were never desperate.
He simply had a vested interest in finding out the answer.
"Oh, I might." Vague, slightly smug, broad grin. Crap, Naruto knew he had him.
With an audible groan, Sasuke finished off the rest of his current tomato and glared back at Naruto. "What's it going to cost me?"
When Naruto swung an arm around his shoulder, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a cold chill of dread race down his spine. "Well, let's have a talk about that, and what awesome future awaits us both."
An incredible, glacial chill that reached out and grabbed hold of him in the depths of his bones.
-o-o-o-
Naruto couldn't help but grin, broadly in fact as he returned home that night. Things had gone even better than he'd hoped! Sasuke was a prick, sure, but all those extra little hints Inoichi had given him worked out great!
And he'd gotten invited to Sasuke's home, and to his training sessions.
Ok, so maybe he'd gotten his ass kicked by Sasuke, but he learned a helluva lot more than he did from all those stupid academy spars. He'd even managed to make Sasuke eat dirt a bit. And he actually got to actually find out what was wrong with his throws.
Thankfully it had been without him having to ask. At the Academy, he'd always got those cold, disinterested looks from the teachers when he'd asked for help. They'd do it of course, but they made it obvious they had little interest in actually helping him.
So, he'd stopped asking.
But now, Sasuke was apparently really impatient about him doing things right. He'd had to spritz him but good to get him to say things politely. Then, when he was done, he'd given him one of his fresh grown tomatoes just to be sure.
He didn't want to rush into things too quickly. That wouldn't be good. Inoichi had told him to go slow, to ease Sasuke into his new role. So he couldn't just start having him do all kindsa fun, awesome things yet.
That would take time.
Time he had. And if it proved how awesome he was, all the better! He would show everyone he was the most awesome thing ever! He'd make them believe!
-o-o-o-
Iruka Umino frowned lightly when he saw Sasuke Uchiha walk into the room next to Naruto Uzumaki of all people. Sasuke was scowling, but making no move to make the blond boy leave him alone. Naruto, Naruto was smiling, broadly, his fingers threaded behind the back of his head and strutting almost like a peacock.
It was strange. No, scratch that, it wasn't just strange it was bizarre. It could even be called unnatural the way they sat next to each other, without so much as a word of protest from the Uchiha beyond the slightest of scowls.
It meant one of two things. Either Naruto had something on Sasuke, something big, something humiliating, something world shaking. Or…
No, they were only 10 years old. Too young to be doing anything like that. Definitely not.
Iruka shook his head and fought down a shudder.
So, that meant that Naruto was somehow blackmailing his classmate. Only, Iruka had no proof. Suspicions were well and good, but a shinobi needed proof to make an accusation like that against a native villager. Especially one like Naruto.
This would require delicate work and considerable effort. For a moment, he glanced over at Mizuki, only to note that his friend didn't seem to have even noticed the interaction between Naruto and Sasuke. Mizuki never cared to pay attention to Naruto, not when he could help it. Not surprising, but more than a little frustrating as it meant it always fell to him to keep the boy in line.
Sighing softly, he cast another look at Naruto and Sasuke, his eyes narrowing as the pair spoke up in a hushed tone, Sasuke shifting irritably as his voice came out just a bit louder, a bit harsher than Naruto's own. Loud enough for Iruka to make out some of the words.
"I don't see why you wouldn't give me more, I want it, you know I do."
Iruka blinked, then blinked again at the words, as Naruto whispered something insistently back to Sasuke, causing Sasuke to color slightly and scowl even harder.
"Of course I'm going to behave! Who the hell do you think I am?" Sasuke was visibly struggling to force the color off his cheeks. "It was just… so good, I want more!"
Iruka stared. It was only years of training that kept his jaw from hanging in shocked disbelief. And then Naruto smirked and whispered again and he desperately wished he could hear exactly what he was saying. Sasuke colored again and glared back at Naruto.
"No, I don't want to be punished again! No, I don't! I meant it! You keep that…that you-know-what away from me!"
Naruto's grin grew triumphant, as Sasuke's shoulders slumped at his next words.
"Yes… it was much better after we worked up a sweat, but that doesn't mean I don't like it without it!"
Iruka felt light headed as he reached up and rubbed his temples. He did not want to think about this. No, he didn't. He was only supposed to be having to worry about fan girls at this stage, the boys were still supposed to be ignorant of those things.
He was not supposed to be having to deal with kinky sadomasochistic relationships developing among pre-teens!
Took one last look at the pair, before shaking his head and firmly putting it out of his mind. Technically, they were both emancipated. There was nothing he could do about their relationship and no one for him to talk to about it with them both being orphans.
He really, honestly just did not want to think about it. It made him think about some of the comments Mizuki had dropped when he'd first started up at the Academy, and he didn't even want to think about those. Talking about how close comrades could get, the kind of intimacy that was shared, how sometimes you had to use people… Thankfully that had died down after a short bit, he really, really didn't want to think about what Mizuki was hinting at asking him.
Hopefully things with Naruto and Sasuke would be the same.
-o-o-o-
Ino gaped as she watched her Sasuke-kun, even if he didn't know it yet, sit down next to Naruto like they were friends.
"… I want it, you know I do."
Friends, really close friends, yeah, that was it, definitely. It had to be it!
"… it was so good, I want more!"
Ino's eyes were saucers as she couldn't help but gawk at the pair as the words couldn't help but leave her lips. "No way…"
"No way what, Ino?" Sakura asked as she caught sight of where Ino was staring. "You're not going to beat me to Sasuke-kun!"
"Naruto already beat us both," Ino said with a mumble as she continued to stare at the pair.
"What?" Sakura blinked at that, her eyes confused.
"Sasuke is with Naruto. Naruto of all people!" Ino whined softly as she shook her head. "I… I don't even want to think about what Naruto's doing to Sasuke-kun's poor body!"
"Sasuke and… Naruto?" Sakura paused, her eyes unfocusing as she pondered that thought. "Doing things…?"
Suddenly the image of Sasuke and Naruto were stripped down to bare, naked torsos in her mind, their bodies pressed to one another, hot, glistening. Almost glowing as they touched each other. Slowly, tenderly exploring….
"Ehehehehe…" Sakura's eyes glazed over fully as a slow trickle of blood began to slowly flow out of her nose.
"…" Ino stared at Sakura for a moment, before growling softly. "Dammit, this is all your fault, Daddy!"
-o-o-o-
Sasuke frowned slightly as he sparred against Naruto. It was better than the contact attacks on training posts, Naruto never actually held it against him when he hit him in the ring. But, Naruto refused to stay down. And he kept improving.
Quickly.
At least he had once Sasuke had finally lost his temper and yelled at him for being so damned sloppy. That had earned him spritzing. Then he'd had to explain things all over again. Politely.
It was humiliating, and at the same time, frustrating, because it was becoming less and less frequent. Mainly because it seemed to be working. He was deferring to Naruto more and more.
He was getting used to the blond boy's constant presence in his life. He was getting used to helping him improve. And what was worse, he was getting used to the insane, off the wall and impossible insights that Naruto seemed to come up with.
Now, whenever they fought, Naruto gave as good as he got. His style had evolved, from a wild, undisciplined mix of street brawling and basic academy taught taijutsu, to a tighter combination of brawling, Uchiha and academy styles that sacrificed a great deal of elegance and precision for power and unpredictability. Though, now there was a great deal more elegance and precision than Naruto had ever shown before.
He couldn't help but sigh softly as he glanced over at where Naruto was practicing with kunai and shuriken. It was incredibly frustrating watching the blond work on things. He seemed to have an instinctive grasp of the spacial information. Better than his own.
And he always seemed to know exactly where to aim that damned spray bottle to reach the maximum effect.
Plus, he had those damned, irresistible, absolutely incredible tomatoes. They were practically a spiritual experience. And Naruto was the only one who had them.
He's checked. Hell, he'd even managed to get tomatoes grown from seeds at the exact place Naruto had gotten his. They just weren't the same.
Somehow, some way, Naruto had done something to them. Sasuke had spent days trying to figure it out. Watching Naruto, studying him, following him, and he could honestly say, he probably knew more about Naruto than anyone else.
But there was nothing that explained why those tomatoes were just so much better other than where they were grown and that he was the one to grow them.
He'd even tried growing them upside down just like Naruto did, and they never seemed any better. Though, it did keep the bugs off of them, and allow him to have more in a smaller area. That was handy for his regular tomatoes.
The Naruto ones he wasn't allowed to touch unless Naruto let him. The last time he'd tried, he'd been spritzed, and then summarily booted out of the apartment. He'd had to go the rest of the day without another one of those tomatoes.
He wasn't willing to suffer through that again willingly.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto's voice broke through his thoughts as the boy appeared in front of him.
"… Yes, Naruto?" he asked warily, resigned to the fact that whatever the blond asked, he would be agreeing to it.
"I think it's time for your first prank!"
His head hanging for a moment, Sasuke considered the words in his head, before letting out a soft sigh and nodding. "Yes, Naruto."
-o-o-o-
With a half an ear, Inoichi listened to the various gossips being whispered around him. What he heard, made him stop, pause and then finally chuckle. Apparently the sudden 'relationship' between Naruto and Sasuke was the current hot topic.
He'd almost fell over laughing at the accusation Ino had leveled at him when she'd come home from school the other day.
And then he'd heard a similar thing being muttered by one of the Academy instructors, one Iruka Umino.
It apparently spread like wildfire from there, and of course, as rumors went, mutated from there.
He almost choked on his food when he heard someone actually hit the nail completely on the head.
Still, that one had actually been laughed down, so he hadn't had to actually do anything. It wouldn't do for all his fun to be ruined just yet. Not when there was so much more entertainment waiting to be had.
-o-o-o-
Mizuki banged his head against the table as he avoided looking at The Pair. That was how he had to think of them these days. You never saw just the demon brat or just the Uchiha monster. No, it was always the two of them.
And they were always pulling something off. Today was no different. Well, it was different, in that for once the prank wasn't on himself or one of the other members of the staff.
No, this time it was snakes and toads being dropped down on every single member or former member of the Sasuke fan club. By the look of smug satisfaction on Sasuke's face, he was at least aware of the prank. By the nodding look of content satisfaction on the Uzumaki brat's face, the Uchiha was most likely completely responsible.
Naruto then slipped Sasuke a small red… cherry? Mizuki blinked in confusion as he watched the Uchiha look gleeful as he promptly popped the tomato into his mouth. Then a look of bliss crossed Sasuke's face as he happily consumed the fruit.
That was… odd.
Immediately Mizuki's mind raced through the possibilities. The sudden closeness, the inseparability. The way the Uchiha seemed to hang on whatever Naruto said. And now, Naruto was feeding him? It was so obvious…
Obviously somehow the kyuubi had exerted some kind of fiendish aura to enthrall the vulnerable Uchiha. Now, he was firmly in the demons' thrall. To the point of almost worship!
He'd have to be careful around both. The Hokage wouldn't ever move on his precious pet demon. Not to mention the fact that they would just ignore all the obvious signs.
But if he stayed here… No, he couldn't risk the possibility the Demon brat affecting him like that. He had to get away. Somewhere he wouldn't likely be exposed to the little monster.
Maybe he could look into gate guarding until he found something better?
-o-o-o-
Naruto wasn't sure how to feel, exactly as he looked over the intricate, detailed plan in front of him. On one hand, he could feel a swell of pride in his chest at the effort Sasuke was making to impress him. Not to mention the hopeful look on the Uchiha's face. On the other hand…
"This won't work."
He winced slightly at the crestfallen look on Sasuke's face, before he felt the slightest irritation when Sasuke took on a sullen glare that had been seen less and less often of late.
"And why not? It's a great plan!" Sasuke protested with a half glare. "Everything's planned out! Everything!"
"Exactly why it won't work," Naruto agreed with a nod. "No room for things to not work right."
"… That doesn't make sense," Sasuke stated with a frown as he crossed his arms about his chest.
"Well, what happens when something doesn't go right?" Naruto asked simply.
Sasuke stared back at him, a flash of irritation rolling over his eyes. "What part of everything planned out don't you get?"
"Ok, go ahead with it," Naruto said with a shrug. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"Hmph! I'll show you!"
-o-o-o-
"Don't say it!" Sasuke growled over his shoulder as he dropped down into his seat next to Naruto, his face half stained in some kind of colored dye. "Not one word!"
"Or else?" Naruto was frowning now, his hand reaching meaningfully towards his pack.
Sasuke froze in response, before looking at Naruto and trembling just slightly. "Or else… or else…"
When he failed to come up with anything, Naruto suddenly smiled back at him and nodded, looking entirely too smug. In response, Sasuke couldn't help but do something he hadn't done since the massacre. He pouted.
Naruto looked at him for a moment, before shaking his head. "I told you so."
Sasuke only pouted more in response.
"So, what went wrong?" Naruto asked curiously as he glanced back at Sasuke, still waiting for their new teacher to come in.
"Some little brat running away from a ninja," Sasuke said reluctantly. " Tripped me up so all three of us ended up in it."
"See why I said it wouldn't work?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Just because one thing went wrong and a completely random chance…!" Sasuke started to protest.
"Look, I might need a little work on my other skills…" He glared back at the look Sasuke gave him. "But I know my pranks! The more you try to plan for, the more things can go wrong!"
"So?"
"They will go wrong! It's like someone wants out there just wants to ruin your really good pranks before you can even do them! You have to always be ready to change! Otherwise they get you!" Naruto paused, muttering under his breath. "Every time, they get you, no matter how awesome it would have been, every frigging time!"
Sasuke could only stare at Naruto as the boy continued his angry, quiet muttering.
Omake:
"Sasuke! Are the subjects prepared?" Naruto grinned maniacally as he rubbed his hands together as lightning chakra sparked from one coil over head to another.
"Yes, Master!" Sasuke agreed eagerly, nodding his head. "The coils are prepared! The infusions are ready! The arrays are all green!"
"Yesssssss!" Naruto cackled softly as he rubbed his hands together. "For too long they mocked my brilliance! For too long they have demeaned my art! But now… noooooow they shall know my brilliance!"
"Yes Master!" Sasuke nodded quickly as he gestured towards the stormy sky over head. "Whenever you're ready!"
"Good!" Naruto cackled softly as suddenly a swarm of Narutos appeared around him, each moving into different positions. "Now, begin Nature chakra infusion!"
"Roger!" The various clones agreed as they put their hands on seals surrounding a sheet covered set of tables. "Nature infusion is a go!"
"Yessss!" Naruto nodded his head quickly before turning to Sasuke. "Sasuke! Lightning chakra!"
"Yes, Master!" Sasuke made a motion towards the sky, and suddenly the crashes of lighting were streaming down, striking the coils over the table.
"More! More! My creations must have life!" There was a pause, before Naruto began to cackle madly as whatever was beneath the sheets began to immediately grow dramatically in size. "Yesssss!"
"It's working Master! We're reading chakra systems forming!" Sasuke said eagerly as he looked up from his panel and continued to call down the lightning.
"And now for the final, ultimate touch!" Naruto crowed as he was suddenly encased in a cloak of bubbling, demonic chakra. "Kyuubi chakra!"
And suddenly, the entire lab exploded, dispelling the clones and sending Sasuke and Naruto flying.
After taking a moment to center himself again, Naruto reached up and rubbed his chin. "Hrm… maybe that much Kyuubi chakra was a tad overboard."
"Master! Look!" Sasuke pointed towards where the white sheets were shifting restlessly, before falling away to reveal what was beneath.
"Success!" Naruto was on his feet, cackling madly. "And they said I was mad! Soon, soon the Land of Vegetables shall pay for their close minded foolishness! Soon, they shall fall beneath my Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!"
"Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes!" Sasuke agreed quickly, before looking at the gigantic fruit. "Can't I have just one, Master?"
"No!"