Coin Toss

by Hurricane wolf

You already might have guessed what happened and I definitely won't amuse you by telling how I realized where I ended. I probably deserved everything that was hurled onto my face. Self insert OC, possible non canon. Might come up with better summary one day. Rating may go up.

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Principles

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It felt weird following the Jonin threw the village. Even more when I didn't know what the man was up to.

That nap had done me so good, but now I was hungry and that just sucked.

"What do you say about a late lunch? My treat." The man turned his head to look at me as we continued our walk. My annoyance for the man grew exponentially, but he seemed obvious to my ire.

If I asked Tousan to kick his ass the next time they meet, would he comply?

I shook my head, shooing the ridiculous thought away. I needed to improve my first impression that I probably showed into the dirt.

"Hai." My voice was toneless, but polite. In an Uchiha-ish way. His lips quivered at my reply, but I held my glare. Two could play this game.

We stopped at a barbeque restaurant.

Lunchtime was still in full swing, but there weren't many quests inside. Along with the high booths, we had decent privacy. I wondered why did he bothered with this place and not just told me to meet him at a random training field, like normal Jonin do.

"Yare, yare, aren't you a scary one." My eye twitched. His phrase was starting to annoy really bad. "Why don't we begin from the start, hm? Grudges aren't very good for team dynamics." With that he caught my whole and undivided attention. He lazily placed a few strips of meat onto the grill. The scent of sizzling pork was so good.

"My name is Nobu Isaki. Jonin, Ninjutsu Specialist. You know what that is, so won't bother explaining." He nodded to himself when he flipped over his piece of meat and was satisfied with how grilled it was. He liked it poorly cocked, in a way the grilled flavor was still present, but the flesh pretty much still raw.

Yuck.

"I like challenges and the job I do. Dislikes... Hm, wasting time and losing." He scratched the bridge of his nose.

"Goal for the future?" His face made a funny expression.

"To win a bet against you Uchiha." He said in a deadpan. I let out a small huff, because snorting would be rude.

"Your turn, little prodigy."

The man was not what I expected him to be. He seemed to be somewhere between serious and laid back, but I wasn't planning to let myself be fooled by a Jonin. Especially not one that was part of the stupid betting pool.

"Maki Uchiha. Genin... ish." The man chuckled at this. "I like spending time learning, Konoha, my family and clan." He nodded in an approving way.

"My goal for the future... To make... my clan proud and to be at least as a good ninja as my parents are. And to serve Konoha well." The man kept nodding, but this time he raised an eyebrow.

"A Uchiha without a dislike? Impossible!" He said with amusement. I frowned.

"I dislike… hopeless people" because calling someone weak doesn't work most of the time. "…and the Guess Poll." He chuckled.

"Don't you say?" He asked rhetorically, but he still leaned closer to me. "Got any useful tips?" His eyes shone with an intensity that told me he was seriously asking me to get involved into the stupid deal. My answer was the glare. Yes, "the" glare. It told him what exactly was my thought on the topic without me needing to voice myself. His amusement was starting to…

"What do you want from me, Itaki-san?" I asked directly. I was tired from this game. If he didn't want to reinstall Team 14 or take me on as an apprentice, at least, then I was wasting my time here.

"Hm, well It seems the two us are in a pinch. I need a team and you a Sensei, Maki-chan." His playful tone changed into a serious one. Good, he was done playing around.

"Reinstall Team 14." He shook his head.

"Not possible."

"What test do I need to pass to gain your mentorship?" he chewed on his meat lazily, but purposely. "I never said I'd take you as an apprentice. Or anyone else, on that matter." What was his point.

"You said you need a Team."

"Two can hardly be called a Team. Especially one with a freshly graduated Genin." I was tempted to stand up and walk away. But what choice did I have? Prodigy or not, I will end in the Genin force at this rate. I'm too young to apply to the Uchiha Police. I narrowed my eyes, willing my annoyance to stop clouding my mind. I needed to think.

"What solution to our "pinch" do you suggest, Isaki-san?" I mimicked his stance, made my shoulders to relax and started chewing my piece of meat, albeit a bit too aggressive than he was. His lips didn't quiver in amusement this time.

"The only solution is your decision, Little Prodigy." He said cryptically. Which made no sense.

"...A third party then." It was logical I chose Ninjutsu since I not so subtly told him to take me as an apprentice, which he denied anyway, so there needed to be something else. The fact an 8-year-old was pulled through this mess was ridiculous. The academy taught students to obey rules, the whole system worked that way. No matter the rank, there was always someone above you. Even the Hokage had to obey the wishes of the Fire Daimyo.

"Ah, so she thinks." He said levelly. "That stunt of yours caught attention, surprised people, made them wonder." He sounded as if he was giving me a hint.

"I'm 8." I reminded him.

"Freshly graduated Genin, disobedience toward the non-existent Jonin-sensei- it's my favorite, so you know. No one in their right mind would punish you for that. It really would be really stupid and against its purpose. Hm, what more was there? Oh! That mission problem would make many sweat bullets." he nodded at me to continue. I stared at him.

"You planed such outcome?" I wasn't planning to give the people change bullshit. People fuck up, some get traumatized and turn insane while other deal with it the best way they can and know. The Jonin nodded.

"I hopped the brothers to protest. I would have betted an Uchiha would be taught to stick to their mindset, only joining in once seeing use of it. I never imagined an Uchiha to start mend teamwork with reason." He said thoughtful. There was no reason in pointing out he was following us. That was old news.

"Why not reveal yourself and pass the team?" I asked confused. He chuckled.

"What did I do wrong?" I pressed. That was the question of the day, wasn't it?

"Wrong?" he asked surprised. He shook his head. "You did nothing wrong." He did say it as if assuring me but…

"Obviously, I did." I raised my eyebrow. My eyes widened for a friction.

"You failed the team because of me." I whispered bewildered.

"I did plan on giving you a second chance, until you opened your mouth and took my line." He nodded. I looked incredibly at him. He was showing this in a circle.

"I played out the rules- "I started, but he cut me off, for the first time. I think.

"Oh, yes. An Uchiha played out the Shinobi rules and Konoha in favor for gaining trust of people who disliked him, into working with him."

"I'm not an Uchiha! Everyone worth his gossip skill knows this." I was beginning to lose my patience. "My birth certificate is as public as everyone else." I hissed in annoyance. It came out harsher then I intended but I didn't want to care, why it was that way. Nobu looked unsurprised at my outburst. He looked as if he expected it to happen.

"I won't accept working under you, out of pity!" I stud up, turning to leave.

"Sit down" His voice was calm, but held weight. I obeyed, looking angrily and stubbornly back at him, grinding my teeth in frustration.

I was beginning to really dislike the man. It felt as if he was toying with me, measuring and testing me at the same time. It would be so much easier if I knew what was expected from me, knowing the level of skill I needed to reach. This uncertainty was awful, not knowing if I was doing something good or wrong. I didn't like surprises.

Lost all taste for it when coming into this forsaken world.

"You are still a child, bright child, but a kid no less." He said nodding to me once I sat down.

"Nobody treats me like one. Why should you?"

"You remind me of someone I once knew." He motioned with his chopstick at me. Frowning, I stabbed a piece of meat and started chewing. I think I overcooked it a bit...

" You are over thinking stuff and underestimating yourself. Are you ashamed of being considered an Uchiha? It will stay with you as long as you are alive."

I said nothing to his comment. But the man didn't seem to be over with my evaluation.

" Like any other clan, the Uchiha will soon have expectations from you. They are already delighted to have a young prodigy in the Shinobi ranks. You understand that very well. You already feel cornered, obsessed and scared of what is expected from you, but not quite understanding what that is. So, you watch people, learn and break down the situation until you understand it. You do it frightening good for someone your age. This makes you- dangerous, a threat if you want. Especially if you end up under the wrong person. People are attracted to talents that you display like flies to rotten flesh. Many had been observing you while you were in the academy. You are not the first, or the last who was monitored like this. ANBU want you in their ranks, but while you have the skill, the insecurity you hide very well, will eventually destroy you.

You think it is out of pity? I can live with that. You want to prove to me your worth? Fine. I will not evade the subject like your father does. You need someone who you can look up for advice, who is not bound to a clan, to other beliefs or orders. You will fail if you don't. I've seen it too many times, history speaks of it in too many ways." He seemed to nod to himself, as if checking if he forgot to add something.

I was... speechless, I think. Shocked most likely. The man wasn't wrong, far from it. It felt terrifying that someone knew your biggest weakness and called it out so carelessly in the open.

What if someone heard, who else knows? What did it mean in the bigger picture?

Was this how Itachi and Shisui got set up to fail? Got bested by their own weaknesses?

But, but, I was just a kid, a freshly graduated Genin, with no even one D rank under my belt. Why the big interest, how long was I watched? I thought that I held true to my story of an average prodigy. Even Kakashi graduated normally, albeit earlier. There was no special fuss over it. Or at least it wasn't shown if there had been.

But... His fault was teamwork. Was that the reason the ANBU didn't want to take him on just after he graduated? I didn't show interest in following the rules full to the letter, obviously and I was no one of important. Sure, the Uchiha clan adopted me, but I wasn't one. How do you get into the ANBU anyway? How good could an 8-year-old be to be deemed good enough for the most elite group in Konoha? I don't know... nor wanted to find out.

I mulled over Nobu's words, watched the man closely as I chewed my meal.

The man was contradicting himself, refusing to take me as a student while noting he might do it. I didn't show, or at least I hope I didn't, that anything he said about me might be true. It made me wonder just how long was I watched. Was I watched right now? I don't know, nor knew of a way to find out. I think my best guess was to try to stick close to the guy. Until I reached Chunin at least.

"How can I prove my worth to you, Nobu-san?" There was a moment of stillness where the Jonin neither blinked or moved, as if he came to a realization. He chuckled then, nodding his head in acceptance.

He urged me to finish up my meal, telling me I would need the strength for what he had on mind. He had refused to explain himself when I asked but I let it go. This was progress.

Time was going by slow, but that was fine. Cold determination showed fear aside and let logic lead my trail of thoughts. It's not as if the man would lead us into enemy territory.

Right!?

Excitement and nervousness tumbled deep in my stomach, as once again, I trotted after the man across the village once we finished up our meal. That feeling was something I never experienced before.

I always saw the Academy and studying the art of killing as Collage of my old life. But as the metal of the kunai and shuriken jiggled in my pouch and expectations weighted down on me and while past lessons flashed through my mind like a mantra, it left behind a unique feeling I never experienced before.

The feeling of anticipation of a fight.

It was empowering, making me feel as if I could do anything, take on anyone and -

"Yo Minato ̴!" Nobu called out cheerfully.

-oh, my dearest Kami, that was team 7.

Said blonde seemed to be in the middle of scowling his students, his face stern and the 3 Genin avoiding looking at his general direction. Once hearing his name being called, the man looked our way, his frown turning into a resigned sign and then into a polite smile.

It seemed someone wasn't all that happy seeing Nobu. Or at least being interrupted in team training. Whatever worked better.

"Isaki." The two Jonin seemed to be familiar and close to each other. Bleeding and fighting side by side can do that to people.

"I was wondering what were you doing, if you had a moment of your time." Nobu sounded like a kid on sugar rush, wide grin on his face, no trace of the seriousness from before, a glint in his brown eyes that promised a huge, loud mess. The man was highly amused, I realized, not really sure if that was a good thing or bad. Minato signed, as if telling the man "no" didn't meant anything. Just then, the blondes' eyes fell on me. I saw his eyes move up, noticing my headband and he smiled in a friendly way. I wondered what thought came to his mind as he saw me.

"Hello there." He said pleasantly "Is she your student, Isaki?" whatever thought crossed his mind, his face showed nothing but politeness. I glanced at Nobu, just catching him glancing at me.

"Huh? Yare, yare, the Genin has been following me the whole day. Can't get rid of the brat." He waved Minato's question off. I raised an eyebrow at what he just said. The future Yondaime didn't look convinced.

"I see…" He said, voice remaining polite. "My name is Namikaze Minato and those are my students; Kakashi, Obito and Rin." At the mention of their name, each Genin nodded in boredom, in case of Kakashi, while Obito waved his hand enthusiastically and Rin raised her hand shyly. It seemed team 7 knew who Nobu was, because Minato didn't go into introduce him. Well, I took it as my turn to introduce myself. No point in being rude.

"-aaand you won't be finding out who this little cute girl is, because there won't be any fun left, would it be?" Nobu cut me off before I could give my name, placing his big hand on top of my head. I flashed him a look of annoyance at the motion, but he didn't seem to care what I thought.

"So, Minato, how about this? I see you haven't managed to coral your team of cats" he inched his head toward the mans team.

"Hey! I can hear you y'know!" Obito yelled out, on his feet "Don't make me kick your ass this time!" he screamed out. Beside him, Kakashi shook his head. I didn't have to be a genius to figure the silver haired boy was muttering "idiot" under his mask. Rin, if I didn't know it already, the team's peace keeper, smiled softly at the loud boy.

"Isaki-san won every spar you two had, Obito. Kakashi did better than you did." She reminded softly. The Uchiha huffed, still not stepping down. "I was going easy on him, that's why. I will win this tome!" Still, his cheeks were suspiciously reddening up, with him not being able to impress his crush. On the other head, Kakashi huffed softly, turning his head away, rejecting the girls praise.

It was hard not to cheat back then. But one didn't had to try hard to figure out the team balance of Team 7. Or lack of it. They must have not been a team for very long. Or, in their case at least, that never mattered.

Until it was way too late.

Nobu chuckled at the display, moved his hand from my head and winked at me.

"Well then, how about this, Minato?" said man looked at the other Jonin. Nobu clapped his hands together. "Whoever losses pay dinner. A sparring match. One of your kids against the little kid." By the tone of Nobu's voice they done these bets before. For some reason the man's voice was heavy with amusement, dripping with it.

"Bring it on!" Obito roared enthusiastically, punching the air with his fist. "This is going to be an easy win for you Obito." Kakashi said, losing interest in the whole thing. He sure didn't make it sound as a praise. "Say that again in my face, Bakashi!" Obito threatened.

"Guys…" Minato signed at his team's antics, but surprisingly it wasn't him that said this.

"Something to say, girl?" Nobu's voice wasn't unkind, but it wasn't encouraging either. Rin fiddled under the two Jonin look. Suddenly the boys quieted down, noticing there was something going on. Well. Obito was drawing his breath, probably to argue with Nobu, while Kakashi looked at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion. I wonder if he figured Nobu out. Me? I felt like a big cheat.

"Nobu-san didn't say what the winner gets." Rin mumbled timidly. Obito frowned.

"It's obvious! A free meal." Obito voiced himself. "Right?" He asked uncertainly. Kakashi didn't say anything, but he didn't counter Obito either.

While they looked confused at each other, the Jonin seemed to stand aside and watched.

They watched me.

It was creepy and unnerving. Until now I had been left aside, watching a group exercise a routine they were obviously used to. Not knowing what to do, I had sported a blank Uchiha look, observed and waited. Minato observed my reaction with interest. Apparently, it wasn't as blank as I thought it was, or he might have realized who I was. Nobu nodded with approval at me.

"Never assume anything." Nobu chided Minato's team. He didn't shout, the tone of his voice stayed the same, but it sure felt as he was. "Always try to find all mission details. Never jump into conclusions." He said looking pointedly at Kakashi and Obito. Nobu frowned, signed then looked wickedly at Minato.

"The winning sensei gets to keep the winning Genin. Its bout time you reorganize your team Minato. Maybe get rid of the faulty Uchiha, or the Hatake. Both take too much effort to retrain. Kami knows I won't bother if you snatch my cute little student." That got everyone's attention.

"W-what!? He can't do that… right?" Obito sputtered, while Kakashi went rigid. Apparently both knew Nobu's hate of wasting time too well. Kakashi was socially awkward, while, at this time, Obito was hardly more than a klutz. Neither worth of the man's time, apparently.

Ironically, Nobu was probably the only one, beside Minato and Kushina who acknowledged Obito's potential. The praise, even lightly made and with the goal to rile everyone up, got lost in the wind. He didn't say it was impossible to retrain either of the boys, just that it would take time. Rin shifted nervously, even if the deal didn't include her, she was unwilling to have her team broken apart.

The deal hanging heavily in the air, Minato didn't do much to lift the sudden stress down. He looked at Nobu straight into the eyes, both faces suddenly serious, his blue eyes considering the others offer.

"Why are you trying to break my team apart Nobu?" he asked politely, even if his voice held a slight edge. "You had your chance to lead a team of your own." He added knowingly. He didn't look at me, so maybe he didn't mean "my" team, the one he failed a couple of hours ago. Nobu clicked his tongue, shock his head.

"My opinion stays the same. Those three together will be the death of you one day, Minato." He wasn't kidding, nor teasing, but saying it as a cold fact. Minato frowned, as if disagreeing, but he didn't voice to defend his team. His face went blank, whatever silent conversation they had just had with those subtle hand signs, got lost to us. They didn't even try to be subtle, at least Nobu didn't, waving his hands in front of him like a mute person. Kakashi and Obito's fists clenched tightly in different levels of stubbornness and determination. Whatever advantage as a kid I had, was probably gone, because the two boys looked at each other, then at me, then they looked at Rin, who held their gaze for a moment before she looked at me, something akin of an apology in her eyes as she briefly met my eyes. She broke the contact first, as she looked back at her teammates and nodded, her shoulders squaring into readiness.

It seemed as I wasn't the only one who noticed Nobu's flaw in setting the bet.

"We'll see." Minato simply said, tone level. His body seemed to relax, but I wouldn't place any bet on that. He is a Jonin, after all.

Kakashi and Obito went through a quick paper, scissor and rock game, which Kakashi won and as the boy stepped out from his team and walked toward me, he was obvious the one who'd be facing me.

The bets may be all fun and games, but this was a Shinobi version of a game. Kakashi and me glanced at the two Jonin. Chit-chat was apparently done and the real game was about to begin.

"Whenever you feel like it." Nobu said unceremoniously, starting the match.

We didn't shoot out at each other immediately. Kakashi didn't enter into any stance. He just stood there, neither tensed up, nor relaxed. Maybe he was being confident in his skills, maybe he was baiting me into attacking him. I didn't know much on how well Team 7 was taking Nobu's words to heart, but I assumed Kakashi had acknowledged me as a threat, since Nobu suggested me taking either boys place. That ought to make me be seen like someone strong. I didn't want that mark. Playing safe, I set into the basic Academy fighting style.

It technically was a legit fighting style and everyone in Konoha knew how to do it, but no one used it. It was seen as a sign of weakness, as it made you be seen as if there was no one there to teach you something better as the Style itself was actually useless with how unpractical it was. It made you seen weak and pathetic. I needed to convince Kakashi Nobu was bluffing, just being his gamble addict self, pitting Genin against each other for his own fun. I needed Kakashi to believe I was weak, so I shifted into a defensive stance for a good measure. I couldn't have the first move. That was deserved for those of better skill.

"Ah, no killing and usual. Start." Nobu said neutral, either not wanting to give any free information to the Genin, or just being to amused by the whole thing. I shot a quick glance at him making sure my face showed stress and uncertainty, saw his amusement and knowing smirk and I knew he meant both. I looked back at Kakashi, unsurprised to see him running toward me, as I heard him coming. He was fast, leaving me just enough time to brace for impact.

The bet was on.

I followed the Academy style to letter, testing out my opponent's strength as our match moved on. Kakashi hit hard, but if it was his best or if he too was holding back, I didn't know, but I didn't let him overpower me, yet I didn't go to turn the odds to my side. Yet.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, but didn't comment, never braking eye contact. He was waiting for me to slip if, to see if I was really using the Basic style or just baiting him. He was being cautious.

"Tch! That's the Academy style. Finish this quickly, Kakashi!" Obito cheered, frustration in his voice. There was also relief, as if he took Nobu's words to heart. I glanced toward him, frowning at the insult, but as I saw his over relieved and not at all apologetic face, I knew he bought the bait. His stance went relaxed. Rin relaxed too, but she was polite enough to look embraced at his teammates words and had the decency to look apologetic.

Something in the back of my mind rang and I turned in time to see Kakashi's fist fly toward my cheek. Knowing I could evade that, but chose not to, stung more than the actual hit. The sudden change of motion made my balance shift and as Kakashi was turning to deliver what would be a finishing move, I did a Kawarimi to get myself some distance. Bought myself some space, temporally stepped down, gave Kakashi the upper hand. As expected, Kakashi didn't give me time to recover. He easily evaded the first kunai I threw at him and went into attack. Both having the stamina for a continued Taijutsu match, that was exactly how it went for some time. I threw a kunai here and there, sometimes he answered with one of his own, but my plan was just to make him used to my Style.

"You are good, but the style you are using is worthless." The moment he opened his mouth, I knew I started to get him where I needed him.

"…." I had to actually bite my tongue to keep my remark from going out, but Kakashi was right. The moment he stepped up with his speed, I was starting to have difficulty to keep up with him. It was manageable, but got me stuck in pure defense. I didn't have much maneuverer left before my stance would get broken. Some attacks got blocked, those I couldn't, I used Kawarimi and answered with a kunai or rarely Shuriken, but I kept myself at hairs length away. Movements quickly started to repeat itself and Kakashi soon was able to predict my moves easily enough. He cut me off from throwing kunai and started pushing with his attacks, intending to finish the spar.

"You should give up because you will never win like this. Even Obito could win this." I may have been just a hair quicker then him, or he really didn't want to hurt me. Scratch that, he didn't care about that. He pushed on with his attack, but I was always a Kawarimi quicker then him. When we both started panting, I knew there was little more up he could go.

A fighting style was as strong as a person using it.

I broke my chain of repeated actions, by using substitution to get myself space needed to throw kunai and Shuriken, some tailing wire with them this time, but most free from the thinner then hair metal string. Had I used them before Kakashi might have noticed them, but now when the fight was getting to its end, he either didn't expect it, or had trouble noticing it while evading the metal projectiles. I met him halfway, shifted myself into attack and pushed him away from the trap I set. Kakashi was either waiting for me to tire myself out, or he became wary of the fact that someone used the defensive oriented Academy style in attack and shifted into defense while waiting for the opening the opening the Academy style was made to give.

We were both too smart, Kakashi to fall for the bait and attack when it was obvious and me to even try to use the set up opening as an opportunity to ambush him. I was using the substitution frequently enough for him to suspect that there was something I was hiding and when he suddenly shifted from defense to attack we both knew the other knew me adapting and evading his punch was something no average person was capable of doing. Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

It was his time to fall into an attack spree. I know he is too proud to fake using any other style beside the one his father must have taught him, so I relied heavily on being able to predict his moves before he executed them. Something that wasn't very smart to do if you didn't have the Sharingan, which I didn't and wasn't able to feel others chakra, which I couldn't. I was barely being able to use my own after I spend months on figuring it somewhat out, so start getting real.

I didn't allow Kakashi to pin me into strict defense. Best way to defend from attack was with attack. I met his punch head on, blocked his move with an appropriate counter move. This flexibility wasn't something the Academy style allowed. Kakashi's eyes went wide in surprise, maybe because he recognized the move being part of his fighting style, or maybe he was just surprised I could use a style that wasn't the one the Academy taught.

I caught him off guard, feed him false information that I used against him. It left him open to attack, vulnerable and Kakashi knew this.

But I was too slow to just do it. I saw the opening, saw what I needed to do, but didn't have that something to be able to successfully execute it. I still went toward the opening, because Kakashi was now in the dark, not knowing what will I do. Maybe it will be enough to knock him down, finish the fight.

It wasn't.

That tiny mid-step I didn't have was enough for him to get away. The opportunity I couldn't finalize flew out the window and it left Kakashi enraged as he must have realized he almost lost, or he was just surprised enough for his body to give him a boost of adrenaline. The academy style couldn't cover this, wasn't designed to handle the furry of frustrated and angry attacks, so I didn't bother to hold up the cover. But neither was I willing to give up the style I could fight best with, figuring Obito would recognize the Uchiha Strong fist Style. My little secret was safe for now, because of the jacket I accidentally wore over a standard Uchiha shirt. It was chilly when I left the compound, so I took an unmarked jacket I like to wear. Sucks to be them.

I didn't shy away from Kakashi's attacks. Even if I was turning to defense, the upper hand was finally mine, because Kakashi was in the dark of what I got, how I fought, how I countered, how my defense turned into offence. I evaded his hit with a Kawarimi. It was months since I didn't need hand signs to do it most of the times.

It was interesting how a simple, basic moves could be used as means to attack.

The Kawarimi Jutsu summoned a log from Kami-knows where, that it replaces the users body, while moving the body at the same time away from the attack. Kakashi followed easily where I would appear. The perk of sensing unmasked chakra. He half guessed, half calculated where would I appear and was halfway through his attack and unable to shift away. This time I didn't give him time to get out.

As I appeared into his attack path, his eyes fell on the tiger sign I was holding up. I snapped my chakra into movement, making the already tense energy snap into place within a moment. I used Kawarimi to appear within striking distance where I used the opening that Kakashi quickly covered with a counter attack. I countered with another substitution, but instead of a log, his eyes widened at the petite sound of a sizzling exploding note.

A split-second distraction was enough for my foot to connect with his head, sending him flying toward his teammates. The sizzling note puffed into smoke and a piece of pebble clanked on the abused ground. Doing a Kawarimi on pebbles was harder then it looked. Those logs existed for a reason.

"Henge?" Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief as he managed to land on his legs, watching me open my palm, reveling more pebbles. I replied by throwing the pebbles at him, crouching down for a jump while cocking my dominant fist in a simple punching move. I leaned forward just enough for it to look like I was going to dash toward him. The pebbles turned puffed into sizzling goodness again, making Kakashi both offended and angry, I guess.

"The same trick won't work twice!" He yelled out dashing toward me, intending to meet me halfway. I waited until he passed by the henged pebbles, flying harmlessly pass his head. Mid dash, I used Kawarimi, replaced myself with one of the fake tags, used the momentum the technique gave the user and turned my body around, so when I appeared behind him I was already speeding toward him, fist cocked to punch him. Realizing his mistake, Kakashi was already turning around, hitting the fake tag with a kunai this time, but turning his face just in the right angle to be in a straight line with my fist. He got away with substitution just as I used substitution to avoid breaking my hand on the log that speared where he once stud and to remove myself from a possible sneak attack from him.

That left him with a missed opportunity and the law of nature of appearing first. But when I appeared, he was nowhere in sight. Immediately after realizing this, I quickly glanced toward his team, which were behind me, then left, right and up. That left down, but by that time his arms already shot up, I felt them grazing my ankles. My casting of Kawarimi was faster than his execution of the earth style Jutsu. I repapered high in the air, his team in the corner of my mind, the rest of my attention on the boy I fought who had already shot himself up in the air, a frustrated and concentrated look on his tired face that I no doubt mimicked.

"Stop running away!" He cried out as he cocked his fist to punch me, but all he punched was air.

"Bunshin!" Kakashi snarled hating the younger girl for tricking him again. There were no shadows this high up and he was squirming his eyes because of the speed he was going. He was planning to catch her in a vulnerable state while she was immobilized and, hopefully, unable to switch herself with the annoying Academy grade Jutsu. He tensed for an attack while he was midair, but none came.

Still, Kakashi was quick to land and still tense, expecting her to attack.

She was nowhere in sight.

A flash of panic bubbled in his chest, but he was quick to squash it, as he checked left and right, up, down. She was nowhere in sight. He could feel his frustration bubble in his chest, but he couldn't feel her no more. She was easy to track by chakra until now, doing little to tone her signature, making her somewhat readable, but saving him more than he wished to care against those Kawarimi assaults.

"The heck did she go!?" For once Kakashi wanted to agree with the idiot Obito, as he continued to search for the girl, trying to sniff her out, while panting as he was at it. Their fight didn't last very long but it sure used all of his attention. As his head just turned away from his team and toward the spot the Jonin stud, who, he ignored, were sporting two rather amusing expressions Minato-sensei was poorly masking, Kakashi heard a soft "poof". His body jolted on its own, tensed up like a spring waiting to fire of and he went to attack the spot where he felt the almost subtle chakra release. He kicked nothing, again, but this time he expected an impact and the movement caused his to lose his balance for a moment.

"Bakashi behind you!" He saw Obito look at something behind him and his body worked on its own, grabbed a kunai from his pouch, gripped it tightly and turned to slash at the girl. The kunai that met his was real enough, but the bunshin holding it was already dissolving itself.

Almost…

Kakashi thought, seeing as the kunai was set to hit his back. Obito… warned him. Kakashi huffed, refusing to acknowledge that ridiculous thought. His focus already on his surroundings, scanning… the ground was littered with pebbles… a quick burst of his chakra flowing through the ground around himself and he was… surrounded by smoke from the dozens of bunshin and smoke bombs, tiny chakra outputs momentarily stunning his senses.

Had he just… trapped himself?

I had two choices. Spring the trap into which I lured Kakashi into, or to attack him. I expected him to be alarmed by either Obito or Rin again. The Jonin's poorly hidden amusement told me they had no intention on ratting me out. The window of opportunity was ticking out so I made up my mind.

I attached him head on, driving him both away from the trap and our viewers and continued to do so until the trap was out of reach and sight. If they didn't notice it by now, they probably wouldn't.

"A Shinobi shouldn't run and hide from a battle." His lecture on the Shinobi rules were not appreciated.

"A Shinobi should never shed tears." Was this the first time I spoke since Nobu and me entered the training field, some half hours ago? I think it was…

I blame tiredness, because Kakashi was 10, still a kid just as me, which gave us shitty stamina, or the unlikely fact that my voice startled him, but that was just an amusing thought. The spoken words were totally out of line too.

Well… almost.

I may or may not mixed a harmless pepper bomb into the henged pebbles. Just in case, the trap wasn't a thing.

Me?

Just a Kawarimi away. While Kakashi in wail tried to keep his teary eyes open, I was already onto him, knowing the pepper was harmless for me, the heavier than smoke particles already on the ground, currently harmless. Kakashi was just in front of me, inches from getting smacked into oblivion, victory that I wasn't sure if I wanted in my have but…

"Katon: Gorkakyu no jutsu!" Obito thundered out.

… I wasn't fast enough to knock Kakashi out, which would leave him unguarded from Obito's attack, too heavy for Rin to drag him to safety. Even if I decided to help, the match was still on, which left open space for everything. And there was the pepper that Obito's attack would surely be scattered into the air…

Nobu never said Kakashi's teammates couldn't join the fight so... Obito's and Rin's intervention was legit.

"I have to admit that its nice seeing Kakashi get his ass kicked by a kid. But if everyone going to totally kick his ass, it's going to be me! Uchiha Obito! Future Hokage!" I just signed to Obito's bold exclamation. I wanted to believe that they intervened because of team work, but well, I guess this counted to. I glanced at Nobu, tiredness starting to creep on me. I glanced swiftly at Minato and back at Nobu. The blonde caught the look but didn't comment. The Ninjutsu specialist chuckled, face amused as if he was watching the fight of his life.

"It's going to get very interesting." He grinned. "No way I'm planning to waste time fighting the guy" he rudely pointed his thumb at Minato, who glanced amused at the brunet.

Well with that covered…

I looked back at Obito, who unlike Kakashi, didn't used my distraction to attack me. He really should have, because I would have used a distraction like this. Behind Obito, Rin was helping Kakashi wash away the pepper from his eyes, complaining all the time at the two for interrupting his fight. I didn't have time to waste, as I needed to finish this before Kakashi was back in commission. Rin was out for a while at least, because Kakashi's grumbles seemed halfhearted and he didn't look as if he would be shooing the medic away.

I needed to finish this soon. And quick, because I don't think I will be able to keep this up for any longer.

With that in mind, I dashed toward Obito.

"Bring in on kid!" He screamed while meeting me half way. At this point I stopped pretending to be using the Academy style. Instead, I fully switched into the Uchiha fighting style.

Obito managed to block my punch, used his bigger body to push me away and went into attack.

"Your mine now!" He exclaimed, screaming his way into the attack, alerting me and giving me time to act. I used Kawarimi, appeared behind him and kicked him toward his team.

"Idiot." Kakashi grumbled as Obito face planted in front him and Rin with an audible "uff". The Uchiha jumped right up, sending a quick "Shutup" at the boy and ran straight back for more.

It was hard not to make assumptions about what I knew, but be it my tiredness or his laque of proper training, but Obito was good. He used a butchered version of the strong fist style, probably something he figured on his own by watching others from the clan. As we continued to fight, I didn't see any sign of recognition as I executed the Strong fist by the letter. He didn't recognize his own family fighting style.

How could he? An Uchiha he might be, but he was, at this point, just a headstrong and stubborn, but a orphan no less, having no one to bother teaching him stuff.

He was alone.

"Oh…." The realization came as a shock that shoved on my face and my steps faltered a bit. "You really don't know." I whispered softly, pity and understanding getting lost in the fight. Obvious and probably too focused in what he was doing, Obito just saw what he wanted and moved into attack. I knew what his move would be like and It was painfully easy to outmatch him. Twisting my body, I used the Kawarimi last time and appeared a jump high in the air, body twisting in a way that even Obito knew what I would do. His eyes widened in realization, but he was either to slow, too surprised, or just not skilled enough to move away from my foot as it connected with his head.

His goggles flew of his head, dangerously close to my trap but I looked away from looking when I was sure the trap would be fine, not wanting to give myself away. His body crashed onto the ground, but this time he didn't get up, knocked out cold. For a moment, at least. A moment long enough.

The fight was over.

I walked toward Obito in an anticlimactic way, making sure he was not faking it, and I knelled beside his head and placed a kunai over his throat in a mock way of securing my victory.

"It's useless, I won." I yawned, unsurprised that he wasn't by Rin's side anymore. Yes, I was cheating, knowing Kakashi didn't give a rat's ass for his teammates wellbeing.

"I can still fight!" I felt prickling at the back of my head, glanced behind me, seeing Kakashi sailing toward me. He was moving so slow though. The fight lost its purpose at this point. It wasn't fun anymore.

"The only reason you lost." I informed him with boredom, losing the drive to fight. I waited for the last moment to get away with a Kawarimi, appearing in a right point to hit him. I was too tired to fight anymore, while Kakashi did get a breather.

"You are too tired to fight." There was fire in his eyes. He really wanted to win this. He prepared to counter my move.

"True." When I got into position and the time was right, I switched places with a log. It couldn't get me the whole way, but I pushed chakra and sprinted the remaining way toward Rin. The medic looked startled, surprise and understanding in her eyes as she went into her own stance. Glancing behind myself, I saw Kakashi already running toward me. He was far enough for my plan to work. I used kawarimi again, this time propelling myself forward and behind Rin, catching the girl of guard and unprotected. I kicked her toward Kakashi, but the boy just sidestepped her, leaving her to fly away, right toward the trap. I threw a volley of projectiles at him, forcing him to jump backwards. It gave me a opportunity to make sure Rin doesn't really set off the trap and gets herself killed, but taking note of her momentum, I realized she would do fine. Then I set up my most serious expression. As best as an 8 year could manage anyway.

"Stop. You are within my trap." I informed Kakashi. He frowned, glanced quickly around himself and probably decided that I was bluffing.

"Stop fighting like a coward." Still he stopped, my serious expression maybe catching him off gourd.

"Yield, or your teammate gets hurt." I said serious all joke gone from my voice and pulled one of the wire attached to the weapon that I threw toward the trap, making the construction move a bit. I didn't leave Kakashi away from my sight as the other girl let out a slight gasp of surprise, caught in the trap.

"K-kakashi!" I couldn't see her expression from where I stud and watched Kakashi, but the hurt in her voice made my chest constrict. It was scary seeing his uncaring expression. He never even spared her a glance, boring his eyes into mine, trying to foresee my next move. He really didn't give a fuck whenever she got injured. I narrowed my eyes. This was the reason why I originally wanted to trap Kakashi in the trap. His teammates wouldn't hesitate to yield and I wouldn't feel this bad if he was the one to get hurt.

"She shouldn't have got herself involved if she planned to get herself caught." There was no trace of care in his voice. It scared the shit out of me, but I didn't dare to show it. I wondered why the fuck did the Jonin's allow this to continue. I didn't dare to glance at them, even thought they were just shy in my peripheral. My whole body tensed up in anticipation.

"Don't you care if she gets killed? An accidental spasm of my wrist and her head flies off." I bullshit my way into something I could use. I really had no idea how the trap reacted, which part of Rin did it snatch. But I was confident in knowing there was no way the trap would get lethal. Neither did Kakashi, as he sure as hell hasn't even bother to check. The only one who was affected was Rin, as panic and fear made her pant loudly. Kakashi just didn't care.

The Jonin probably figured the trap was a blank too. The spar turned into a test someone was doomed to fail miserably.

"A Shinobi has to always complete his mission. He must never show weakness to his enemy." Of course, it was only about that to Kakashi. The rules and his father's failure. But I couldn't let anyone know I knew about Sakumo. I shouldn't know about that. Not yet at least.

"For someone who pretends to stick to the rules, you sure do well ignoring a few." I said my voice even. This got a reaction from him. He narrowed his eyes.

"You won't pull the wire. " He said darkly, but confident I his words, as if Rin's position wasn't important to him. At this point, it probably wasn't...

"A medic is always to be protected. You never bothered." I ignored his jab. There was something in his eyes, but it was quickly gone.

"Rin isn't a medic; the rule doesn't apply on her." He tried to reason, but wasn't as confident as before. Oh, I wished I knew Genjutsu…

"If you plan to ever become a useful Shinobi, start acting as one. There is no place for the weak and useless." And the moment was lost. I didn't know what to say. My mind tried to come up with a solution, but whatever I came up was no good.

The only other option was to spring the trap, if nothing else to prove him wrong, but I didn't want to lover myself to his lever and even more, I did not want Rin to get more scared then she already was...

I can disarm the trap, but I didn't have enough stamina to beat him in a spar. I would lose but I can't allow myself that. I needed the win more than he needed to prove to himself that he didn't care about his teammates.

I didn't know any Jutsu that could help Rin and at the same time guard me from Kakashi attacking me.

I felt the tug of the wire on my dominant hand, so tight it started to cut into my palm. The wire I was using was the real one. This wasn't a game. There was a real person on the other side of the of the razor-sharp string.

I could just let go...

A horrible, terrible feeling stirred deep inside me. I refuse to acknowledge it.

"How could you…" I started, eyes half lidded, getting dazed from my own thoughts and the situation we, kids were left alone. "Were I an enemy, both your teammates would be dead now. Killed right in front of you... Is a nameless mission that important to you?" I asked part curious, part not wanting to know. "This wire will cut threw whatever body part is stuck in the trap, just as easy as it cuts into palm. I actually don't know what Rin-san got caught, because I didn't dare not having you in sight." I said honestly. Kakashi had the decency to look away. Finally, something human out of him.

"I… a Shinobi- "maybe… I didn't need Genjutsu for this. I had my mind. Words hurt more than a fictional horror movie ever could.

"If becoming a Shinobi means becoming someone like you, then I will at least have the privilege to look at myself in the mirror. Can you?" Then I let go of the wire. It really started to hurt holding it.

Rin gave out a high-pitched scream as the wire started grinding on each other, strategic points started to snap and the wire trap started to close on itself until it couldn't go any further. That had to stir something in the boy, because Kakashi whirled around, eyes wide in horror.

"Rin!" I used the moment to sprint toward Kakashi, pulled out the last kunai out of my pouch and-

"Nghn, ugh…" Nearby, Obito stirred to life, woken up by a familiar scream. He sat up, looking around himself, still dazed, finding his team's training ground in utter silence. Well, almost, because it kind of looked to him as if everyone stopped breathing.

"Huh?" Obito gaped in shock, noticing his rival.

Kakashi lost.

"Whaaaat!?" he jumped on his feet. He couldn't believe he missed something like this!

There he was, his rival, stupid Bakashi, in the middle of the training field, his face frozen in a funny expression, the strange little girl, standing behind him- on a tree stump, because she was too short- and was holding a kunai under his neck. Nearby, Rin looked pale at the two, sitting on the grass on her knees looking as stunned as Kakashi was.

But that was fine, right? Because Kakashi lost!?

"Why didn't anyone woke me up!?" Obito screamed "I so wanted to see Bakashi lose!" He jogged toward the duo. It's not like the match was on anymore, right?

"We lost, huh sensei?" Obito turned to his sensei. The man looked a bit pale, a shade green, but meh- Obito couldn't tell why everyone was being so overdramatic. So what, they lost. Sure, it was a bit embarrassing, but hey- they will get stronger! He sure as hell will! "Can we go eat something now? I'm hungry." Obito frowned, then grinned widely. Free meal!

"Yield." Obito's hyper chatter surely broke the uncomfortable silence that fell over the training ground as the trap closed shut, leaving Rin unharmed, but shaken enough to fall on her knees. I couldn't see Kakashi's expression, as all I could see was silver, but his body did shock a bit, before he went completely still. I tensed up expecting something to happen, but relaxed right after, because his shoulder slumped and he let the kunai that was in his hand slip out from his fingers, hitting the ground with a hollow "thump".

I won…

I signed unhappy at the uneasy feeling the victory left in my gut. I jumped off from the log, suddenly hating being this short. I glanced at the still trembling girl, uncertain what to do. I looked at Kakashi- who looked equally frozen in place, realizing what he just did burying him into place.

Finally, I looked toward where I last saw the Jonin standing. They were still there. There was something… dark in Minato's eyes. His body tense, as if he was ready to shot out at any moment. I knew he would and I knew he could get Rin out from the trap, but Nobu's hand on the pale blonde shoulder must have prevented him from doing so. I don't know what the man did to Minato, what silent conversation they had that convinced Minato to leave his student in a literal death trap, but whatever it was, Minato trusted Nobu. I couldn't tell why.

When our eyes met, Nobu nodded at me. Not in approval, nor disapproval, just… nodded. His body neither tense, or relaxed, face unreadable. He was just, standing there, but he didn't remove his hand from the blonde yet. Why not? Minato was looking partly at me, partly at Rin. I was... relived by the disappointed he looked at me with. It showed me this world had still a sliver of humanity left.

I looked away guilty and certainly not proud at myself of the way I got to my victory.

A strained cry reached my ears, making me jump a bit. It was Rin, the stress obviously too much for her.

"Rin I…" Kakashi started, even reached out for her, but he didn't move. Something shifted in his eyes, a memory maybe, because his eyes didn't look as cold as they did before, but then, something changed, he changed and his eyes went cold, ever colder before they became gazed and blanc and he lowered his hand, turned his head away from his distressed teammate, never moving from his spot. He didn't move, didn't turn his back on her. He was uncertain maybe, confused. His belief that made him as he was conflicted with what he just went through and he didn't know what to do.

When his grey eyes turned toward me, I wanted to run away, never to be put into his skin again. I couldn't… I didn't want to be like him, never as cold as Kakashi was. I didn't pity him, because he got that enough. I wasn't angry at him, making me lover myself to his level because I understood. I knew, but I couldn't help him. But I knew, so I nodded at him, acknowledged him as faulty as he was, as he now realized he was, and accepted him as he was. Because I knew he could be better. Damaged, but better. It was, a moment between prodigies, maybe, because we weren't friends, nor comrades either. They don't draw the darkest side out of each other.

I turned away with grace, deciding I shouldn't be ashamed of what I did, nor wishing this spar ended any different as it did. I crushed the feeling of doing something wrong, because I didn't do anything wrong, Kakashi did. I stopped in front of the distressed girl, for once thanking I was this small. Rin looked up, still not quite all herself. A part of me truly expected her to flinch away when looking up from her downed position, but when I did saw her do it, it still hurt, but I didn't allow myself to show it. Rin regretted it right away, as she lowered her head in shame, but the unspeakable was already out.

She was scared of me. I am 8, while she was 10. This was wrong in so many ways and levels.

"I am truly sorry." But I really wasn't and because of that I didn't bow as I knelled in front of the older girl. I put my jacked off me. "But I do wish the spar could have ended differently." Because I would have done it again. I placed the jacked on her trembling shoulders, a sign of sympathy, at least. We were all Shinobi, after all. In the eyes of this world, we weren't kids, who by all means, should be playing in the mud. That wasn't our life anymore, for most never was. Still looking down, the girl shivered. She couldn't be cold, but she was smart enough to understand the unspoken words.

"Kakashi is right… I'm weak…" She whispered, her shoulders shaking really bad, from self-anger, or frustration, or hurt- I couldn't tell. I couldn't imagine someone as kind as Rin to ever be angry. I looked up into the sunny skies, as if I would see a solution to this mess there. I didn't. This was too serious for us kids to deal on our own, prodigy or otherwise. So, I did the first right thing since entering the training field. I grimaced, already hatting myself for doing this.

"You see… The thing is…" I made a vague motion with my hand, cheeks red and expression sheepish. How to minimize the fact we were doing our best, at least Kakashi and me, to kill off each other, Rin being just a collateral casualty. I shook my head, closing my eyes for a moment. No overthinking.

"… your teammate is really strong…" I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly, but I did soften my voice, maybe even too much, but it did make me seen as a kid, rather than a soldier.

"and I knew I was too tired to fight him head on and I knew you'd warn him again if you'd see the trap it, so I improvised… I figured you were a medic since you helped Kakashi wash the pepper out of his eyes, so… I didn't think he'd be a jerk and use my own tactic against me so…" I looked away then, because, yes, even I could take in only so much of bullshit that was coming out from my mouth… I tried, to make her feel better. It's not my fault Kakashi was a jerk. That's a mess he will have to clean by himself.

I peeked back at the girl, seeing her look at me in surprise. Well, at least she wasn't scared off me anymore. I saw as her surprise, melted into a brief confusion, then into understanding. Yeah, it took her about 5 seconds to figure out my bullshit attempt to soften the shit I pulled on her, trapping her in a legit, potentially lethal trap.

"That's very kind of you to say." But Rin still smiled. It seemed the girl was impossible to feel anything negative. I lowered my hand into my lap, shrugging, still not meeting her eyes.

"It was unfair from Isaki-san to not even tell you my name. That was a big advantage for me." I stud up, offering Rin my hand. She took it with a grateful smile. She'd be fine. At least fine enough for until later, when her sensei can do a full damage control. I showed my hands into my pockets, a frown of displeasure marring my face.

"We should have expected it. Itaki-san does this all the time. Minato-sensei tells us it's good for our teamwork…" her voice became sad at the end.

"-san? What do you address him like that? Isn't he your sensei?" Kakashi said, walking toward us, guilt written all over him, but he came. He avoided looking at Rin, who looked just… sad. I hummed, politely ignoring the silent exchange. This was not my mess to clean.

"Who knows… He failed my team this morning." I said my voice bored. I turned toward the two Jonin that were, finally, coming our way.

"Who, who, wait!" It took Obito two steps to get to us. "Are you saying we lost against a FRESHY GRADUATED GENIN!?" Obito screeched, his voice pitched so high it made him sound like a girl. His face formed a hilarious expression too.

"It says more about you, cousin." I said amused. His eyes snapped to me. Still obvious on what happened, Obito was an ideal temporal fix, or for until Nobu and me were out of the way for Minato to do his magic. Because I didn't see team 7 not existing in the formation as it was now.

"Huh, cousin?" Obito stopped whatever retort, or probably insult he was about to say to me, a look of confusion on his face as he looked at me. Rin and Kakashi joined him, but Kakashi was doing a better job working under stress.

"You are an Uchiha." He didn't ask. I nodded looking at him. He didn't avoid looking at me.

"Uchiha Maki. Thank you for the spar." I bowed "We should probably move aside before my cousin springs the rest of the trap." I added casually, not able to hold in the amused smirk when Kakashi's and Rin's eyes went wide. Yeah, that was pretty jerkish of me. They moved in perfect sync away. it didn't get lost to anyone how Kakashi placed himself between Rin and the trap, maybe it was an unconscious movement or he was protecting her willingly, but it was there and the Jonin noticed it. My job was done.

"You!" Obito howled suddenly, sparing his teammates a weird look before turning toward Nobu. "Why didn't you tell us were going against a Uchiha!" totally missing the fact there even existed a trap or why Rin had been so distressed, Obito pointed a rude finger at Nobu. The fact made the man amused. "I would totally beat her if I knew that!" I snorted. It really wouldn't make a difference for Obito if he knew who I, apparently, was. For Kakashi and Rin? Definitely.

"What!?" Obito turned toward me, eyes lit up in a challenge that had nothing to do with today's match. I stared at him for the shortest moment, momentarily sobering up. Obito was never that popular, even among the Uchiha clan, was he? Ever an outcast, even to his own… I smirked knowingly, stretching my hand out for him in a "high five" motion.

"Others will never be able to see how awesome we Uchiha are, right Obito?" Obito looked at me, confused at what I said, but after a moment realization hit his eyes as he understood what I implied. His lips twitched, but before anything that could betray him formed, Obito grinned, closing his eyes as he did, too proud to show those betraying tears and slapped his hand on mine.

"Yeah, we are..." There was sadness in his tone, even if he wore a fat grin. But he quickly shoed his depression away, never missing the beat.

"You were really strong back there!" he seemed younger now, more like a boy then a reject everyone saw him. "The way you fought!" He made a ridiculous attempt to demonstrate what he meant when he couldn't find the words to explain. I nodded, understanding what he meant.

"The Uchiha Strong fist Style" I explained. "You're fighting style is... similar to my own." It should really be the same, but there apparently was no one to show it to Obito, to teach him the fighting style. The fact that someone like him, noticed the similarity, showed Obito's prowess. He was… just needed more time to figure things. And above everything, someone to show it to him. Whenever Obito was aware of that or not, whenever he understood no one cared to bother with him, I didn't know, but I as sure as hell won't be bringing that up.

"Your fireball Jutsu is better than mine, though." I said neutrally. Obito easily took my words as I said them, his face lighting up.

"Really!?" it was sad how desperate he was looking for acceptance from an 8-year-old, but the headband wore its own weight, I guess. "I mean, I didn't saw you use the Jutsu…" He frowned at himself, remembering he missed out a part of the fight.

"Well…" I started, inwardly wincing. What to say, what to say? I didn't even know the Jutsu… I just wanted to cheer the boy up. "I couldn't risk stating a forest fire, could I?" I said slowly, feeling better saying a neutral answer then the truth. Obito wasn't sharp enough to notice my hesitance and the others didn't know me that good anyway, beside Nobu, but the man had the decency to keep quiet. Obito's cheeks flared up.

"Oh." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He glanced around himself, as if seeing the trees for the first time. "Hehe, I am just… awesome like that." He grinned, still embarrassed, but not wanting to be caught in doing something stupid. He wanted to impress me… How cute.
Or potentially disturbing…

"I wouldn't mind another round of barbecue, but before that…" Nobu used the moment to voice himself. The expression he wore made him look like an even more kid that Obito was.

"You lost the bet, Minato." He said giddily, rubbing his hands, as if he won, well, a bet. Rin and Kakashi tensed up, both because of a different reason but with the same result. Obito looked a bit lost.

"Huh, so?" Obito asked, sounding lost. I signed.

"Itaki-san and Minato-sensei had a bet." Rin explained softly. "Maki-chan won…" she trailed off, not being able to finish up, looking away regretfully. Obito still didn't get it.

"One of you three." Nobu said with a wild look as he scanned over Team 7 "Is going to get kicked out from the team and the kid" He pointed his thumb at me "is gonna take your place and I as sure as hell won't take whoever gets kicked out. So, the looser has to quit being a ninja forever!" it was a new twist in this whole farce. This time Obito did get it and his eyes went as wide as those of rest of his team, with the difference that his mouth opened into a horrified expression, which, accompanied with those googles he in the meantime, somehow, retrieved without me noticing it, made him look ridiculously funny. But I held it inside, realizing what this whole "The looser is quitting" thing was about. I glanced at Minato, who looked suspiciously calm, but when he noticed watching me, looked in alarm, expression doing a hilarious "oh my god our cover is blown" expression. Not very subtle at all. It was fascinating nobody saw that. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, covering my smile, as I settled into a cool "I don't care" Uchiha stance, arms crossed in front of me, eyes closed, accepting the fact that I will just have to wait this out. I didn't miss how Minato looked relieved. Nobu grinned like a beast.

"So… any volunteers?" the man looked disturbingly hungry at the kids, making the 3 jump and huddle closer, even neither noticed the small movement. "Well!?" he pressed.

I… felt embraced, to say honestly. They were Genin for what 2 year? Kakashi even longer. They probably went on their first C-rank mission, been in some scary situations, maybe even made their first kill. But they were, covering like little children from a man who… didn't looked that scary at all. They know the man was prone for teasing them, pulling their noses for his own fun, yet…

"Yes?" As if hearing my thoughts, the man's expression became more serious, intimidating. Something about it caught my attention. There was something I was missing. Team 7, minus Minato, jerked, as if someone zapped them, tensed up for a fight, with Obito and Kakashi in front, while Rin slowly shifted a half step behind. This was obvious one of the team formation they must have been drilled into. The Genin hands twitched toward their pouches, who were by this point, filled with a questionable number of weapons, but that wasn't important.

They worked as a team, with the team medic out of immediate danger, the fighters covering Rin's side, protecting her. Something about the whole situation made me feel as if I was unwanted, not a part of the whole situation I played a part off. It made me feel… disconnected, like I wasn't even there, watching the whole thing from the other side of a glass screen.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt them." I jumped from a sudden voice beside me. I turned my head, seeing Minato stand beside me. The regret on his face was painfully obvious, but he looked resigned at his pupils, as if he knew this needed to happen. I was… afraid to ask what that was. So, I kept my mouth shut. I shut everything off and out.

"You are a failure of team." with every word Nobu spoke, any and all will to fight left in the Genin died out. Even Obito, who I suspected would explode at any time, kept quiet, lowering his head in shame more and more, as the man kept talking. "A disgrace to Konoha!" he thundered, probing and poking then without touching them. "An insult to every fallen Shinobi that bled and died for the sake of peace. You are a dirt under anyone shoes, filth that is only in the way, never to be remembered again." I was wrong thinking the Jonin didn't looked scary. He was, just… I knew he didn't mean anything what he said. Maybe it was the reason why I didn't take his word as anything serous. He sure did look scary though.

"You have brought great shame to your sensei." This was especially reserved for Kakashi. His eyes went wide in horror and he lowered his head in shame. "The only good thing in this is that nobody got killed. Your incompetence to defeat an enemy, even when you had the advantage in number and age… you were brought down by an freshy graduated Genin, who, although skilled, is predictable enough to be taken down… even by you Obito." If he didn't get the implied meaning, he did now. Like Kakashi before, he bowed his head in shame, not even breathing, protesting out loud wasn't even an option.

"There will be consequence because of this." Nobu wasn't planning holding back anytime sooner.

"The Hokage has more important things then to deal with you, the reason why I'm bothered instead." He flickered with his nose as if he smelled something foul. The Genin eyes lowered even further. Since they knew the man enough to be aware of his hate of wasting time, the insult was even greater.

"Someone has to answer for this- who will it be, decide on your own." Rin raised her head to look at the boys in worry. This didn't affect her so much as it did Obito and Kakashi, but…

"I will…" Rin started, her voice small.

"Speak up girl!" Nobu hollered, his voice clipped. "You will what?" he demanded.

"I-i…" she stuttered, her voice breaking, but she collected herself before she could start to cry. She said in a small voice "because I got caught, I… got in the way. So… I will" her voice trembled, both Obito and Kakashi stared in horror at the medic.

"N- noo! I…" Obito stuttered.

"I don't have the whole day, boy!" Nobu's dark eyes thinned into slits. "Do not dare feed me crap about team work." He warned "Two years and you learned nothing! Why should I believe you would become a flawless team now?" he downrightly killed their will to argue. Still, the fire in Obito's eyes grew. From spite if nothing else.

"Because we are a team! All of us! Rin, Kakashi and me- and sensei too, of course!" He yelled it out proudly, as if he had just awoken his Sharingan and was proudly showing if off. Kakashi jerked in surprise, looking at the Uchiha as if he saw him for the first time. Rin just smiled softly. Obito shifted uncomfortably, noticing Kakashi looking at him weirdly.

"We might not… sometimes we argue-so what!" He spluttered, his cheeks reddening up as he caught himself. "Who the hell are you telling us what to do! You're not even our sensei and… your all weird so… Nobody's telling you what to do or not… so…" he finished with a squawk. Nobu chuckled darkly.

"I am a Jonin boy, something you will never become." He said darkly, his words having a greater impact then he could ever imagine. Obito scoffed, nerve being pushed to many times today.

"Will you bore me with you baby stories again." Obito's eyes widened as his words died in his throat as Nobu appeared behind him, a kunai under his throat. I glanced where the man still was standing. An earth clone, maybe. The other Nobu, the one not holding a kunai, smirked.

"What's the matter? Cat ate your tongue?" the other pressed the kunai harder, hard enough to draw blood. Obito stiffened, alongside with his teammates. Beside me, I felt Minato shift. I glanced at the man. I could see his lungs filling with air, preparing to speak and possibly stopping Nobu. But before that the Nobu holding the kunai disappeared in a puff of smoke. Automatically, Obito's hand went to his neck, but, when he removed it to inspect for any blood, there was nothing.

Was that… Genjutsu? I didn't have much time to mule over it, because just then Teams 7 eyes turned to their guide, their sensei. They clearly haven't been paying much attention of his whereabouts, but when the saw him standing by my side, the hurt, realization and finality killed any wish-

"Uhh, this isn't, he can't just, r-right… cousin?" Obito's voice was desperate, whenever he forgot my name because he was being himself or from stress didn't matter right now. I know I could call out Nobu's bullshit right now and then, but what good would it do? Nothing could possibly change if I did. I averted my eyes away from 3 set of hopeful eyes, my silence speaking, giving them the wrong answer, but the one they needed. The one that Team 7 needed. This wasn't about me right now.

"I will." Hearing Kakashi's voice, made me look at him in surprise. Even more as he was watching at me even as he stepped out from Team 7s circle. I held his gaze, not wanting my guilt to be shown, so I just stared blankly back. I couldn't read what was playing in his grey eyes.

"Kakashi, why!?" Obito was genuinely confused. "You are… stronger than me..." He admitted unwillingly, but the fact that he did spoke on his own. He held our gaze for a bit longer, before he looked at Nobu, his head held high, yet humiliated at the same time.

"I know." He said, voice clean of every emotion, too proud to carry himself any differently. Nobu didn't need to prompt him into explaining himself.

"I was wrong." He gritted out, clenching his first as he spoke, probably hatting himself for doing this. But he didn't stop. "The rules, my father… I thought I would- could do better, but I was wrong!" He yelled out. Frustrated. Human. Unlike the stiff soldier as he carried himself. Kakashi bowed his head, his expression showing the shame that weighted on him so much. "I don't deserve this…" he whispered, as he pulled his headband off his forehead, an expression of despair on his face as he stared at the metal in his hand. Something in his eyes seemed to die and he briefly closed his eyes, as if in mourning and he threw the headband on the dirt ground.

The ground under the headband shifted, moved and raised itself, carrying the headband with it, as it raised even higher until it brought the piece of metal within Nobu's reach. He snatched it, the metal clang dully as if even it had an opinion on this and Nobu nodded, satisfied.

"Good." He simply said, placing the forehead protector into his weapon pouch. He turned his eyes away from Kakashi, paying him no more mind, but to the rest of the team.

"I hope you learned your lesson, Team 7" he said strictly, placing his hands on his hips. Rin and Obito couldn't meet his eyes. Or didn't dared, whatever the case. Then Nobu glanced at me. Amusement flashed on his face when I calmly met his gaze. He nodded at me, but I wasn't sure what the nod really meant. Approval for seeing threw his bullshit, or something else. He then looks at Minato standing next to me and nodded wordlessly at him. Minato gave out a deep sign.

"Good." Nobu said again, started to walk toward Kakashi who just stud there, staring at the ground. "Because I won't have any more time to waste on you. Have better things to do." He grunted out seriously annoyed. "Hate you bratty monsters in the morning." He grumbled under his breath as he stopped in front of Kakashi. He knelled in front of him.

"Prove me wrong, boy. Even more important, prove yourself wrong, Kakashi." He said, gone the dangerous voice from before, replaced by his normal baritone. Kakashi slowly looked up, showing nothing at first, but seeing the Jonin smirk in front of him, his expression became confused, then his eyes went wide as his hand went up toward his forehead, where, his forehead protector rested. Nobu started to tell him something but neither of us could hear it. He had been brief, as Nobu Itaki was never a man of many words. After he finished talking, Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment. Then he opened them and even looking a bit shaken up and exhausted, Kakashi looked, well a bit stressed out, but held his head up. He didn't say anything, just nodded to the man, accepting whatever he had said to him. Nobu patted him on the shoulders and stud up. He mock bowed to Minato.

"There, all broken apart. Even you can glue your team together now, Minato." He chuckled at his own joke. "You owe me big time, thank you very much"

"YOU WANT TO TELL US YOU WERE JUST MESSING AROUND WITH US!?" Obito screeched so loud, a nearby flock of birds took flight. Nobu lazily made it look as if he was plugging off his ear with his pinky.

"So, you can still speak. How unfortunate." Obito made a threatening move, but he frowned, looking at his Sensei.

"So, we are still a team, right?" He asked with lots of angst. Nobu snorted rudely.

"Either your sensei or the Hokage themselves can disband teams. Minato would rather dye his hair hot pink and the Hokage doesn't care you are being snotty brats as long as you do your job. Whadaya think the Hokage does all day? Babysits?" 3 sets of eyes turned toward Minato for confirmation. The man blinked, then turned sheepish.

"I asked Nobu for advice. I don't know how it turned into a bet though…" then he turned serious. "I have been trying to teach you teamwork. While you did, somewhat, learn how to work together, Nobu thought you could do better. I agreed with him, but I didn't think it would go this far." Minato shot Nobu a disappointed frown, which the man gracefully ignored.

"Then… What about the girl?" I was certain now that Obito did forgot my name. I ignored him in favor of looking at Nobu, my eyebrow raised.

"Well? Any thoughts, little prodigy?" Nobu asked giddily. I scoffed. I wasn't sure whenever he was creepier while being like this of when faking to be the sensei from hell.

"You are a hopeless jerk, Itaki-san." I nodded to myself, satisfied how well-mannered it sounded. Obito choked on nothing but air, while Kakashi snorted softly. Rin went even paler and Minato chuckled under his breath. I didn't know how he did it, because, you know, that had no sense, but one had to beware vengeful blondes, I guess.

"Hopeless jerk…" Nobu raised his eyebrows "Shouldn't you be, I don't know, nicer to me, little girl?" I scoffed, really bothered to be called little, but well, technically I was small…

"You are a petty, old man, Itaki-san" we stared at each other for a few moments, neither blinking. Team 7 shifted nervously, the Genin having enough off the scary sensei, while Minato just chuckled, effectively breaking any tension. Nobu broke eye contact first by pulling his head backward, letting out a ringing laugher.

"Yare, yare, finally someone with a backbone!" He grinned pleased. "See Minato! This is a kind of a student I wanted! Yours are just too soft!" I rolled my eyes on the man's attempt to make a bet. Minato just smiled politely, commenting nothing. Curious I caught his look. There was amusement in his eyes that made my lips twitch. So, Minato noticed too, huh?

"Congratulation on getting a sensei, Maki-chan. I have a feeling Team 7 and Team 14 will work together even more than before." Minato congratulated, smiling friendly. I returned the smile, bowing to him and his team.

"Thank you for the opportunity Minato-sensei, Itaki-sensei." I send my thanks to the other Jonin too. My sensei… it would take me some time to get used to the feeling, because a sensei was so much more than a simple teacher.

"Good." Nobu clapped his hands "Let's get something to eat! Minato's treat!" Minato snorted softly, but didn't defend his wallet. Nobu grinned like a little kid, clearly enjoying his apparent won bet. Guess win, my bad.

I was just able to catch the last breath of Minato's chuckle and our amused eyes met. "Do you think we should leave him enjoy himself for a little longer, Maki-chan?" Minato-sensei whispered to me, his students watching us curious. "Let him be for a little longer, Minato-sensei. The longer he thinks he won the funnier for us, when we tell him he never won." I hid my grin discreetly, while Minato chuckled unbothered Nobu would suspect something.

"Stop trying to corrupt my student Minato." We were walking through the village by now. The group of 2 Jonin and 4 Genin oddly fitting into the busy street of Konoha. I don't know, maybe that was because the two Jonin were acting like bigger kids then we actually were, but that was fine.

"Uhh, I can't believe someone like him, managed to trick us so bad." Obito groaned, covering his face in embracement, as we watch the, obviously two old friends, goof and laugh, making us apparent kids, march in front of them.

It was something... Special, since things should have been different. It made me wonder what happened to the canon Nobu. I kept silent as everyone seemed to get themselves free from the stress. Obito recovered fully and was animatedly commenting, his shortest spar ever, Kakashi apparently couldn't stop himself from insulti- sorry teasing his teammate. Even Obito seemed to catch that little change and he took the joke in a friendlier manor.

That didn't mean Kakashi stopped criticizing Obito whenever he could, but it was only half-harthtly. This chapter wasn't finished yet it seemed. Rin seemed to have forgave Kakashi, since she seemed to be herself, but I couldn't tell because I didn't know off her very much. Obito didn't comment her being weird, so I guess that meant the girl was fine.

We ended up in a sushi restaurant... Why sushi, I have absolutely no idea, but found out I don't like to eat it.

I got to also know team 7. Or, something like that. Re-knew? Confirmed I knew? Meh… Rin loved flowers and medical Jutsu. Obito lived for his pranks and his dream to be the Hokage. Kakashi refused to be part of the conversation, but Obito informed me that he liked training and cooking. His cooking was the best food Obito ate, or so the Uchiha told me. He also informed me he was a major jerk, but no surprise there. Rin seconded Kakashi's skill in cooking and scowled Obito for being mean to Kakashi, making the boy pout.

Than Kakashi went to tell me how Obito once swallowed a cow fly when he was doing a fire Jutsu. How that happened I didn't want to know, but, you know, no comment. The topic made me hate sushi even more because flies go on crap and the raw meat was kind of smelly…. Eh, moving on.

Two hours into the dinner and I had the feeling we knew each other for our whole lives. Something about Team 7 was just easy and acceptable. I couldn't figure out what is was, what they had but Nobu didn't. Still, it was fun and I got to know something that I didn't know from before.

Turned out, Nobu was once in Minato's team, or vice versa, anyway. Once Minato's Genin team got killed, he was transferred into Nobu's team. Shortly after that, Jiraya went to do what he knew doing best. Although the Sanin did continue teaching Minato what he knew. And who else was on Nobu's team?

Kasuri Fuuko. My biological dad.

I listened curiously as Minato and Nobu spoke of their Genin and Chunin days together. Most was sad but the two cherished the good memories.

No wonder the two acted so familiar with each other and Minato tolerated Nobu's poking and prodding at his team. It had sense. Hearing their tale dampened my mood a bit, but apart from the Jonin nobody noticed it. Kakashi probably did, but he was too polite to pry. I listened to everyone's stories, answering only when I was asked something. I found it difficult to make myself part of the group.

Because fate hated me, Obito was the one who showed me into the insanity that was Team 7. Soon I found myself telling some of the less boring stories from my plain childhood and laughing alongside Obito when he talked about his stories and the stories of team 7. Time went too fast.

"What are you going to do when you get home? Train more?" Obito asked me wide eyes. I turned my eyes outside, checking the hour. My lips pulled into a nasty grin. "I'm going to receive amusement from my aunt, while she tears Isaki-sensei apart for bringing me late for dinner." Said man stilled, his cup of sake just touching his lips. He glanced out of the window, grimaced at the hour.

"You're going to take her home, Obito." He informed the other Uchiha "You live in the same clan after all." He nodded to himself, satisfied he saved himself from trouble. "Hey, as if! Cousins aunt sounds scary…" Obito's eyes widened. He couldn't seem to remember my name, but that fine. I was like that back then, couldn't remember peoples name to save my life.

"Fine… but that would make you indebted to Cousin Isaki-sensei." I smirked, having gotten an idea. Obito looked surprised at me, then grew a smirk of his own. "Heh. I told you I'd make you teach me something some day!" he laughed, pointing his finger at the man who looked as if he was in pain.

Another bet against an Uchiha lost, I guess.

"Keep dreaming kid." He huffed "Have my own student to teach. Go cry to your sensei." Nobu said smug, making Obito frown and slump in his seat. I glanced at him. Seeing his sullen mood, made me feel bad. It made me wonder... I elbowed him making him squawk. I winked at his confused expression, biting the inside of my mouth. I sniffed, blinking as tears already filled my eyes. Nobu looked incredulously at me, while Minato did his best no to laugh.

"I'll tell on you to aunt, how you made me go home, alone, in the dark." I blinked hard enough for the tears to go down my check. I sniffed, face all girly and sad. Kakashi snorted, unimpressed by my act. Nobu shared his thought to, but he wasn't confident like Kakashi was. "My student is a monster..." He grimaced, taking out his cup of sake in one go. Obito and I looked at each other, faces tight. Then we burst in laugher, not being able to hold it any more longer.

"I don't know what is scarier" Kakashi said, voice dry. "How Maki is similar to Obito, or how similar she is to Isaki-sensei." She said unsure. "I'm sure it will be fine… we'll be fine..." She finished with a grimace. Minato chuckled.

Seeing how different team 7 seemed to be from what I thought to know, in the few hours I got to know them, made me wonder what happen to cannon Nobu and my canon counterpart. What happened that killed off us both and when did it happen? And why? If we both existed… what happened in cannon that allowed team 7 to fall apart?

That was something I was never able to find out.

---

Not going to babble about how I'm late with updates…. Life sucks.
I noticed that the lines separating the text of the story and author notes got lost once I uploaded the doc onto the site... I won't be fixing those bugs unless I decide to rewrite the chapter itself... I hope the mistake wasn't to confusing...

Good news is that I have the next chapter somewhat halfway done, so I should update in a few weeks or so.

Thank you to those who read, comment, follow and favorite my stories! Let me know what you think. It's always amusing and rewarding to read the rewies.

calcu22 and ShadowFighter22 I'm glad you two like the story .

DarkDust27 I wonder which curse is stronger… The Curse of Hatred or the Curse of Team 7 or the Curse of the first C rank mission *gasp*

…..

*Sneak peek no Jutsu*
"Those who make people wake early should be thrown into a dungeon..."

He sniffed sourly.

I couldn't help but to image the Hokage being thrown into a dungeon by his employee...