Lazyfox: Merry Christmas everyone! And to those who don't celebrate Christmas I wish you happy holidays and good health to you and your families
Summer, Magic, and Random: Happy Holidays everyone~
Lazyfox: Hard to believe this is the last chapter I'm going to post in 2014, but I hope everyone has had a fantastic year and we'll a greater one in 2015! I'm not going to drag out the mushy intro anymore instead I'm going to move it along. Random button please~
Random: I'm on it! *smashes the random button*
Santa Kakashi: Merry Christmas boys and girl I'm here to make wishes come true, well sadly I can't make Lazyfox's wish of owning Naruto come true because she doesn't. Naruto and the characters belong solely to Kishimoto so please support him
Lazyfox: Aww I thought my wish would come true this year T^T
Santa Kakashi: Sorry, but I do bring gifts! For Foxy we have Pokémon Omega Ruby…..
Lazyfox: Yes~ Life is sweet hehe *Plays game*
Santa Kakashi: For Random Neko Sasuke trapped in a dungeon…..
Random: MINE! *rushes off screen to find her present*
Santa Kakashi: For Magic new outfits for Chibi Obito
Magic: Yes~! I love you Santa Kakashi~ *gropes Kakashi before skipping off with the outfits and Chibi Obito*
Santa Kakashi: For Summer new dragon polish and Sasuke targets…..
Summer: Awesome! *runs off to try her presents out*
Santa Kakashi: And lastly for all the viewers a brand new Chapter! Please enjoy and have a happy and safe holiday :)
After talking with their sensei team seven split off from one another again each deciding they had to prepare for the upcoming exam in three days. Two members of the team were excited at the upcoming challenge knowing their skills will be tested and they relished in the chance at showing off. It was a shame that the last member was doubting herself and her skills as she walked home.
"Sasuke-kun and Naru-Chan are so excited about this test…what if I get in there way…I barely did anything on the wave mission and what if I'm not ready for this challenge I'll be letting them down and it'll prove Otosan and Neji Nii-san were right about me all along" Hinata thought sadly as she entered her family compound.
Hinata was making her way across the grounds to enter her room, but before she made it half way she was called out to by the man on her man.
"Hinata…meet me in the family room" Hiashi said to his daughter before she entered the compound.
Hinata gave a startled nod as she walked towards her father who was already walking away to the meeting room. As Hinata walked down the long way she paused before the meeting doorway preparing herself for the upcoming conversation she was going to have with her father. Taking a deep breath she entered the spacious room that held so many bad memories for her.
"Hinata have a seat" Hiashi ordered not taking the time to notice how unsettled his daughter was as he sipped his tea.
The young blue haired heiress walked to the table and took the seat across from her father refusing to meet his eyes as she waited for him to address her.
Hiashi set his tea down before looking up at his oldest daughter. "Hinata, I heard you're team encountered the legendary swordsman Zabuza..."
"Y...Yes sir. W...I mean Ka..Kakashi-se..Sensei f...fought Za..Zabuza-san" Hinata stuttered out.
"And you just stood there and did nothing? Allowing yourself to become fodder?" He inquired harshly.
"N..No sir. I...I was I gu...guarding Tazuna-San" Hinata stuttered out shrinking under her father's critical gaze.
"And what would've happened if you failed in protecting this Tazuna? Did you protect him or did you stand aside and allow your teammates do the work?" he questioned further with his cold demeanor.
Hinata lips trembled as she tried to speak, but she bowed her head unable to answer his harsh questions. "If...If I failed to pro...protect Tazuna-San...He have died...Naru-chan, Sa...Sasuke-kun f...fought..."
"And you did not." Hiashi sighed seeing his oldest was still not showing the confidence required and needed of a leader. "As a Hyuga you must go past your limits in order to do your job, not only representing the clan, but to protect those around you."
Hinata bit her trembling lip as she kept her head bowed to the table. "Hai. I'll d..do better n..next time." she said in a shaky voice.
Hiashi stood from the table and walked towards the exit. Pausing at the door he refused to look at his daughter as he said one last thing to her. "See to it that you do. I will not except disgrace Hinata."
With that the man left his daughter in the meeting room mulling over her jumbled thoughts not seeing the silent tears falling from her eyes.
~XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX~
Hinata was walking to her room when she heard the rhythmic slap of hands on a wooden dummy. Following the sounds Hinata discovered her sister Hanabi training in a secluded area of the Hyuga compound. She secretly stood behind a nearby tree and watched her sister repeatedly beat the wooden dummy with her gentle fist. Watching her younger sister training so hard made her feel a bit better from her encounter with her father until Hanabi slammed her gentle fist into the wooden dummy too hard splitting it making the wood shards enter her hand.
"Ouch!" Hanabi cried holding her bleeding hand.
Hinata seeing her sister in pain rushed to her side as the younger one tried to pull the shards of wood out. "Hanabi wait! Here let me take a look at that" she said softly holding her hand gently.
Hanabi was surprised to see her sister, but didn't let it show as she allowed her older sister to assist her. "Hinata Nee-sama...When did you get home?" she asked.
Hinata pulled out her first aid kit getting out the sanitary tweezers out to gently pluck the splinters out her hand. "We returned a little while ago. I just recently returned home and had a talk with O..Otosan" she said softly not wanting to get upset in front of Hanabi.
Hanabi bit her lip knowing her sister was scolded again by their father, but not wanting to upset her again she decided to change the topic. "Ummm I heard about the upcoming Chunin-Exams...I hear a lot of foreign Shinobi will be entering. It be nice to see what our enemies and allies can do right?"
"Yes. It's a nice change...in fact my sensei believes my teammates and I are ready for the challenge..." Hinata said pulling out the last splinter. "But I don't believe I'm ready..."
"How can you say that?! You're a Hyuga and you can do anything Nee-Sama! So don't give up before you even tried!" Hanabi yelled hoping to encourage her.
Hinata gave her a thankful smile as she used the healing technique Naruko had shown her. "You're right. Thank you Hanabi."
"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that..." said an eerie and dark voice.
Hinata and Hanabi went on guard with Hinata standing in front of Hanabi as a dark cloaked man wearing a Rain village headband appeared.
"The Chunin exams is not a walk in the park for little rookies to play around in! It's a cold blooded war zone that will leave you crying and begging for salvation and no one will be there to rescue you! You should just give up now before you get killed" the cloaked figure yelled.
Hinata didn't like the sounds of what was to come in the exams, but she wasn't going to be scared away, not this time! She was tired of being underestimated...it was time for her to step up and be her own person. Unknown to the trio a pair of watchful eyes was observing them.
"I...I don't know who you are, but y..you need to evacuate the premise immediately! You m...maybe allowed to wander the streets, but you most certainly are not allowed to trespass onto private grounds!" Hinata said with a small stutter.
"I not here to mess around little girl. I came for the future Hyuga clan leader! So step aside or prepare to die!" the cloaked figure tells her.
Hinata looked at Hanabi before turning back to the intruder. "I asked you to leave and I meant it. Leave now!" she ordered going into her fighting stance.
'She's become stronger...Not as timid...impressive' Iruka thought as he prepared to fight Hinata. He tossed three explosive kunai at the duo watching as Hinata pulled Hanabi out of harm's way before the kunai exploded. Once her sister was safe Hinata went on the offensive.
The older Hyuga sister activated her Byakugan as she charge at the intruder. "Jūken!" she yelled hitting him in the chest.
Iruka hissed at the pain but did a parry attack as he struck Hinata's back leg making her topple a bit to lose balance. Hinata bit her lip as she refocused her stance putting less pressure on her wounded leg so she could launch another attack.
Iruka and the watcher were surprised by Hinata actions, never expecting such resolve to come from the timid child, but here she was putting in effort to protect her sister. The sight before them showed that she was indeed making progress and it made them both proud of her.
Iruka jumped onto the Hyuga compound wall after taking two more hits of Hinata's Juken. Knowing his transformation won't stay up much longer he knew it was time to fall back.
"I can see I will not be learning the Byakugan secrets today, but be warned the troubles you will face in the Chunin exams will be far more dangerous!" he yelled one last time before disappearing.
Checking to make sure the Intruder was indeed gone Hinata deactivated her Byakugan getting a surprise hug from Hanabi.
"Nee-Sama you were awesome!" Hanabi said feeling old feeling of admiration for her older sister take over.
"Thank you Hanabi. I'm glad I was able to protect you, now let's go inside and get you hand bandage up" Hinata says smiling at her little sister as they walked back into the house.
~XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX~
Sasuke was deep in the forest practicing his aim with his kunai. Since he talked to Kakashi about the Chunin exam he has been training wanting to perfect his skills. As Sasuke was about to attack the wooden dummy he set up a memory assaulted his memory.
"W..why did you protect me?" Naruko voice echoed in his mind making him falter in his attack.
'Dammit Dobe...Why am I remember this now?!' Sasuke hissed inside his mind as he remembered mission on the bridge where he protected Naruko from the almost fatal attack.
"Because it shows you're still weak...You promised to protect your comrades, but they almost died and you were too weak to stop it" taunted the voice of Itachi.
Sasuke growled furiously as he did quick hand signs a released a giant fireball to attack his imaginary tormentor.
"SHUT UP!" he screamed feeling anger building up inside him as he thought of his once precious older brother and how he betrayed them all. "I will never forgive you and when I find you I will kill you..." he vowed before going back to his training.
Iruka who was hiding behind his transformation and a nearby oak tree watched Sasuke's vicious training with narrow eyes. 'He's working himself too hard? Kakashi you fool you put this ridiculous notion in there head of this cursed exam... I have to stop them from facing it" he thought determinedly.
Iruka jumped out of his hiding spot landing behind Sasuke, who had paused in his intense training.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
Iruka flinched a bit at the cold malice in the boy's voice, but shook it off. "I came to see how strong the notorious Uchiha survivor really was."
"Is that so... Get lost I'm not interested in fighting a weakling like you" Sasuke said not sparing his challenger a sideways glance.
"Hahahaha you more cocky than that Hyuga child I faced...She tried to fight me, bu..." he started to say only to dodge a well-aimed Kunai before drawing his own to block Sasuke as he charge in with a Kunai in his hand glaring at him.
"What did you do to Hinata?" he demanded coldly.
"I told you, I challenged her. I'm interested in to see what the promise children of leaf Kekkei Genkai families can do" Iruka grunted out using great force to block Sasuke's attack.
"You want to see our strength? Fine allow me to show you what you dealing with you cretin" Sasuke declared jumping away from him only to pause and perform the same seals he just did a few seconds before he appeared. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"
Iruka's eyes widen as he ducked away from the giant fireball, but as he moved out of the way Sasuke appeared above him dealing him a strong left undercut to his cheek, before kicking over the head sending him into the tree he came from.
Iruka gave a pained grunt as he slammed into the tree as Sasuke stood across from him looking as cold as when he came across him.
"You lost. Now leave this village and don't show up around my teammates again or I'll kill you" he ordered coldly making Iruka concede defeat as he disappeared.
When the cloaked ninja was gone Sasuke turned back to his practice dummies and resumed his training. "I will continue to get stronger! I will protect my comrades and I will defeat and kill Itachi!" he vowed to himself.
~XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX~
Naruko sitting on the rail of the bridge long after her team meeting. Sure she was ecstatic about qualifying for Chunin exams, but she was worried about what was wrong with her and Shikamaru.
'Was he tired of wasting his time on me? Maybe I misread the situation and over reacted? Then again why did I overreact if I trust him, I mean Haku kissed me, but only on the cheek and hand and I didn't see them kissing just that sand witch leaning into him... Ahhhhhhhh why the hell am I worrying about my relationship at a time like this?! I should be getting ready for the Chunin exams!' She thought frustrated while pulling at her pigtails hoping to clear her head of her jumbled thoughts.
Looking down at her reflection Naruko sighed seeing she had pulled her hair loose so she moved to take them down. Once she untied her last pigtail she let her golden hair fall down her back wondering what she needed to do now when her stomach made itself known.
"Haha that's right I haven't eaten yet, looks like I'm grabbing me something to eat first and then I'm off to train!" she declared standing up on ledge of the bridge, but the sudden movement caused her to lose her balance on the thin rail.
As she was about to go over an arm shoot out around her waist and pulled her to them to prevent her from taking the watery plunge.
"Man that was close! You could have fallen into that fast flowing water and got carried away to the sea! Or worse you could have bumped your head on a rock and suck to the bottom and drowned!" said a dull voice that grew to excited levels when it listed off the possible disasters that could have befallen her.
"Huh?" Naruko said before looking to see who had saved her. She saw she was in the arms of a young dark-skinned boy her age if not a year or so older with short spiky white hair and dark eyes. "Ah thanks for saving me, that fall could have been nasty, but not as bad as you thought it could be."
"You don't know that. Bad things can happen in a blink of an eye that's for sure. Like today when my team and I were walking through the front gate I got hit with this balloon of water from some kids playing and I thought it was a sign of something bad was going to happen involving water. Glad I followed my instincts" the boy tells her.
"Well, I'm glad you did too. You totally saved me" Naruko said with a smile. "Oh I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Naruko Uzumaki. And you are?"
"The names Omoi. I'm a Genin from Kumogakure and I'm here with my team to take part in the Chunin exams" he tells her.
"Oh cool! My team and I are going to enter the Chunin exams too ummm not to be rude, but you set me down now" Naruko said noticing the boy was still holding her.
"Oh sorry about that! Ahhh I was holding you too long in that romantic position and now you've fallen for me! I told Karui it could happen and now it did!" Omoi yelled setting Naruko down before freaking out.
Naruko blinked up at him for a minute before busting out laughing at the ridiculous look on the boy's face. "Haha are you kidding me! Sorry dude, but you have to try harder than just saving me to make me fall for you!" she laughed holding her stomach.
Hearing that Omoi calmed down a bit whipping the actual sweat that formed on his head. "That's a relief. I was so scared you fall in love with me and when I had to leave the village to return home you become so depressed and heartbroken that you commit suicide" he said calmly making Naruko laugh harder.
"As IF!" she cried wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes as she smiled at the boy. "Come talk to me after we go on a few dates and known each for a couple of years than yea we might have a chance" she teased feeling a whole lot better since meeting this guy.
Omoi smiled at the blond haired girl happy he was able to erase the gloomy look she had on her face when he first stumble upon this bridge. Remember he was supposed to be meeting with his team now he adorned a look of terror imaging the wrath of Karui he would face.
"Ahhh I'm supposed to be meeting up with Samui and Karui right now! I'm a dead man walking that's for sure! Karui going to string me up by me toes, leave me the wood to attract wild boars and foxes!" he cried making a mad dash for it.
Naruko blinked as Omoi ran away and began laughing again. "See ya later Omoi! Hope you don't become wild boar food!" she called after him giggling to herself as she too began to leave.
As Naruko was leaving she saw her little trio of followers.
"Naru-Neesan!" Moegi cheered running to the blond giving her a hug and showing her a crown of flowers. "I made this for you!"
Naruko smiled and petted the orange haired little girl. "Thank you Moegi. So did you guys eat already?" she asked.
"Nope. We were waiting for you" Konohamaru said walking up with Udon.
"Awww aren't you guys sweet. Well, my meeting ended so let's head on back to Ichiraku's and get some good old Ramen" Naruko cheered.
"Yea!" the kids cheered.
"Gotcha brat!" a mysterious voice shouted when an unknown man snatched Moegi and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"What the hell? Oh I'm not in the mood for this!" Naruko yelled taking off after the mystery man.
The masked man in black saw the Genin chase after him. He summoned two shadow clones as they released some smoke bombs, blinding his pursuer. "Now that she's out of the way…." he said before running off with the screaming child.
"Naru-Neesan! Konohamaru!" Moegi cried thrashing in her captors clutches.
"Shut up brat!" the masked man shouted as he kept running, taking a capsule out and putting it in Moegi's mouth, that made her fall unconscious.
Naruko coughed as she got caught in the smoke bomb, but she continued on through following Moegi's cry until they suddenly stopped. Pausing on a tree branch Naruko scanned her surroundings looking for the direction he went. Noticing twigs being bent heading towards the tall oak in the forest so she took off in that direction.
As Naruko followed the bent and broken twigs she landed in a clearing where she saw the cloaked ninja holding a Kunai to Moegi throat who was tied up to a tree with two explosive tags by her head.
"Very good child. For you to follow me so well shows you have skill. Now I have a job for you. Bring me the First Hokage's sacred scroll of sealing! If you don't this girl dies."
"Man I don't know where you think you are what you're looking at, but there isn't anyone here but me, you and that dummy!" Naruko yelled.
"What are you going on about?! Go get me that scroll or the girl dies" He yelled turning to Moegi to see there was a straw dummy in her place. "Where she GO?!"
"Up here you big dummy!" Moegi yelled sticking her tongue out at him as she hugged a clone of Naruko.
"Ah a Kage bashin! When you do that?!" The cloaked man yelled.
"Next time learn who you're dealing with before you mess with my friends creep!" Naruko yelled punching him in the face before three other clones jumped on him with an iron net tying him up.
"Boss! Moegi!" Konohamaru yelled as he ran into the clearing with Udon.
"Konohamaru! I was so scared" Moegi cried running to the scarf boy and crying in his arms.
"Hey it's okay. Boss saved you so you're okay" Konohamaru said petting her hair.
Naruko looked at the kids and when she turned back to the cloaked ninja to see he was gone. "That creeps gone!" she yelled.
'You've gotten so strong...I'm proud of you Naruko' Iruka thought smiling at her as he left.
"Okay guys now that the creep is taken care of lets head to Ichiraku's for something to eat!" Naruko cheered getting cheers from them as they headed to ramen shop.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Kakashi sat alone on the roof of his house as he stared at the stars when Iruka showed up on the roof behind him. "I'm guessing everything went well?"
"You were right Kakashi...They've improved so much..." Iruka said softly.
"See, you worry about nothing. They don't seem like it sometimes, but they are a good team" Kakashi tells the younger Chunin.
"You're right. I was wrong to question your judgment and their strengths, but..."
"But the Chunin exams can break almost anyone...I know I'm putting them in a tough spot, but I truly believe in them" the silver haired Jounin said.
"Well, there's choice but to believe in them. Though I don't think we have to worry about them they'll going to do their best" Iruka said sitting next to the other Jounin.
"You hear that Kurnai, Asuma and Gai entered their teams too?" Kakashi asked.
"Yes I heard. Didn't like it, but I learned to accept it. I'm not their teacher anymore and I have to accept that. Just promise you'll be there to take care of them even when they think they don't need it?" He asked.
"Of course I will" Kakashi promised.
"Good. Now you're stash or collection as you like to call it is on your doorstep" Iruka said moving to stand up with Kakashi catching his hand.
"Thanks for caring about your students the way you do, but I promise I won't ever put them into a situation they can't handle" Kakashi tells him seriously making a blush show on Iruka's face.
"I'll make sure you keep that vow of yours...Goodnight Kakashi-sensei" the scared Chunin said before leaving.
"Good night Iruka-sensei" Kakashi said staring back up at the moon.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
After eating dinner with the kids Naruko took them all home wishing them all a goodnight before she went on her way. Thinking about heading home, but didn't feel it so she decided to head to the tree her and Shikamaru hang out at. Though it was there tree she felt weird going there, consider she was still upset with him. The tree was her place of solace that allowed her to think quietly so she considered the fact he was already home, so she saw no reason to fear going there tonight.
Naruko sighed. "Man I feel like a coward...Why do I fear seeing Shika when we should talk to each other, but I really don't want to talk to him" she sighed aloud walking up the hill.
"Well, that's too bad to hear, but I think we need to talk...Blue-eyes" Shikamaru said leaning against the trunk of their tree.
Naruko saw him and let out a loud and heavy sigh. "TODAY IS NOT MY DAY!"
Lazyfox: And done! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that you all liked the last chapter of 2014!
Magic: HAHAH I'm MORE YEAR CLOSER TO GETTING THE F*CK OUT OF THIS HELLHOLE! (Shooting at a picture of his high school)
Summer and Random: o_O Ahhh take cover! (Takes shelter behind a wall)
Lazyfox: Can't blame him for that... I flip the high school off every time I see it... Anyway I hope you're Holidays are awesome and that I get to see you all in the next year! So until next time...
Everyone: JAA-NEE!