Naruto was still deep amidst his thoughts, ignoring some kid who barged in after his photo with a toy shuriken, tripping over himself at the entrance and some man with glasses screaming.
The Old Man had given him words, but Naruto could not focus, the thoughts of the Nine Tails within him speaking about power.
What did he mean by that? What did he mean by tasting his power?
It wasn't a dream; Naruto wanted to guess it was; it had been an instinctual reaction from him, but now it wasn't and he was unsure of what the Fox wanted. He glanced down at his belly that held the beast.
He wasn't a fool. Naruto wasn't going to blindly rush headfirst into things without a semblance of thought on his part. He was a shinobi now, and he had recalled that all shinobi must analyze a situation or a possibility that presented itself. Naruto knew that the damned fox within him threatened him. An offer of power that he couldn't refused. Yet Naruto wanted to believe it was a trap of sorts. He recalled what Iruka had told him, the very thought of Iruka stabbed him in the heart, but then came anger.
He was glad he was dead, wasn't he? All those years and he believed Iruka wholeheartedly believed in him and cared for him, only for Iruka to reveal his true colors. He couldn't believe all those smiles, the treats at Ichiraku… they had all meant nothing, and he couldn't believe how much of a fool he had been.
A grim somber smile, one that was also filled with a hint of disgust, formed on his face. At least there was one imparting lesson that was good and came out of it. Iruka had shown him what a shinobi should be like. They were to analyze a situation when it was presented, not blindly rush in without thinking, and Naruto knew that the offer provided by the fox within him wanted something out of the situation. The only problem was what?
A glare down at his belly, but Naruto could never receive answers at what the fox was offering, as he simply returned back to slumber. He cursed. Cursing at himself, the villagers, and the fox within.
"You shouldn't curse like that, Naruto!"
Naruto's eyes flickered up and around, swiveling his head around madly. Iruka was gone, he wasn't around. Just people going about their day.
But then Naruto swore he could see an image of Iruka stomping towards him, a furious expression on the pony tailed man's face; he recognized the man's thoughts brewing with anger at his tardiness to the Academy or pertaining to other matters of his misdeeds. The man stomped and stomped towards him, and when he blinked, the man was gone. No trace of him. Nothing but the empty streets with him alone.
Naruto decided to head home very quickly, forgetting about Ichiraku. He decided he wasn't hungry anymore.
Iruka wasn't here anymore. Iruka wasn't here anymore.
After all, the dead can't haunt the living.
Sasuke exited his home, quickly saying his goodbyes to his parents before making his way down to the Academy. Though the Uchiha had passed his class, his concerns lied elsewhere beyond his own academic success.
Naruto.
When he had heard from the villagers that the blonde had not passed, Sasuke did not believe them. They had to have been speaking out their asses and in large part due to them hating him for whatever reason; Naruto had told him he had gotten used to them after all.
But as soon as he saw the blonde sitting by the swingset, his heart sank in regret and guilt, even though he was not the one responsible. Though he had given tips to the blonde on the Clone Jutsu before their graduation, as Naruto eagerly requested him and his parents for tips, it seemingly mattered none.
Sasuke wanted to say something but what? What could he say to the blonde? There was nothing, as Naruto had failed the third time. Nothing he could even say to alleviate the blonde's suffering at all, because even he knew how much the blonde wanted to pass. When he approached him, Naruto had smiled and told him that he was fine and that he should go with his family and celebrate his own graduation, but Naruto was a fool because even he couldn't hide his pain well enough from him.
Though it took some time when they had first met all those years ago when his parents requested him to invite Naruto over, the blonde had eventually wormed his way through Sasuke's heart, and Sasuke, though he would never admit it out loud, considered him his first and best friend. Sasuke showed his parents his headband on display as his father patted him on the shoulder for a job well done and his mother… hugged him, but when she asked if Naruto had passed; she must have read the look on his face and then they saw Naruto on the swing set.
Naruto had smiled once more as his mother approached him, but even perhaps Kiba could see that smile of his was forced if he was here. Naruto had insisted he was fine, even telling them to go home, but then he noticed Mizuki arriving to where they were; he could make out that Mizuki had requested to talk to Naruto about… something and his mother was hesitant to depart, though she left Naruto a hug and told him that he was welcome at their home anytime.
They had returned home, where strewn across their living room and kitchen was banners, streamers, and a cake made, it wasn't the same with Naruto. They had celebrated, but it was toned significantly down. Without Naruto, the party lost a large part of its liveliness. Naruto had been a large part of it, and without him graduating alongside him, it lost a large part of what made it expressive and lively.
Now, Sasuke made his way through the village and into the Academy, entering the classroom and taking his usual seat. He had been one of the first few to arrive early. Glancing at one corner of the room to see Shino, both greeted each other with a nod, and that was it. Kiba was focused on brushing Akamaru's fur, and Shikamaru, as typical, was sleeping, with Choji snacking on chips.
It seemed now that Naruto would be unable to even enter the Academy after failing the third time, which meant he would not be paired with Naruto even if he had been given another chance. Despite this, Sasuke knew Naruto would not want him to dwell on him. He was now a shinobi, and now it meant he would be assigned to a team along with two others.
Even then, Sasuke could not help but feel regret.
"Morning, Sasuke!"
He turned to see both Sakura and Ino entering the classroom, waving him good morning as multiple other students arrive. He nodded back, but his face paled when he heard the shrieks of other girls. Or more specifically, fangirls. The Uchiha banged his head against the surface of his desk. Great.
A giggle sounded out from his side, and Sakura sat next to him, ignoring the cries and screams. "Enjoying the attention, Sasuke?"
His eye twitched at the pink haired girl. "Shut up, Sakura." He mumbled.
Sakura smirked, looking at the group of girls that arrived, waving and screaming. "You know… I can't believe both of us used to fawn over you like that at some point… Ugh." The girl's face scrunched up then as if she bit into something sour, glancing over at her best friend.
Ino chimed in, nodding as if a wise sage. "Right. Of course I remember, Forehead. You know, Sasuke. Remember?" She dramatically flourished her arm in a grandiose gesture. The Yamanaka called her best friend the same nickname though it wasn't of hostility now, but one of companionship and a renewal of their friendship.
Sasuke's eyes twitched. "Don't-"
But the Yamanaka proceeded to ignore him, cutting off his demands for her to stop. "Oh, Sasuke! I love how you threw that shuriken! The way your arms move and your fingers… Oh, sweet heavens! Oh, and the way you just ignore and proceed to beat the ever living shit out of Kiba in another spar! Oh! Oh, come and take me, Sasuke!"
Sakura giggled at the description provided by her best friend, while Sasuke was simultaneously twitching at the Yamanaka heiress and glaring daggers at her. "I hate both of you."
Both girls who once fawned over the Uchiha now steadily built their relationship with him, realizing that the Uchiha wasn't the perfect individual they once believed; as both realized that they too had simply jumped on the bandwagon and never truly understood Sasuke as a person with his own flaws and values. After they had slowly lost their crush over him and rekindled their broken friendship over him, though it had been a rocky apology as both realized how immature they had been over the entire situation.
Sakura herself grew out of the Uchiha once she realized that she didn't truly love him that way, and it had been a childish crush of hers like many other girls. The girl didn't know who she loved, but she knew it wasn't Sasuke anymore, since he had been nothing but a crush. Sasuke was now someone she considered a friend, and though Sasuke was still somewhat an individual who kept to himself, the person she once had been and now was far different from each other. She knew that Sasuke, though reluctant to admit it, appreciated the gesture.
If she did have any romantic interests she decided that she would focus on her career as a shinobi first, prioritizing her training above all else. Her goal now was to become a powerful shinobi to simply protect whoever was her team and make her family proud.
"Ah, Sasuke! How could you?! Hate is a strong word! Imagine if all those other girls got to hear that! They'll probably be crushed and heartbroken but still hang onto you like a leech!" Sasuke shot a glare at the girls who once fawned over him, now looking to make fun of him endlessly for any number of reasons, gasping dramatically.
The levity and attention died down, and Sakura noticed something far out of place. "Sasuke, I noticed you were with Naruto when we left the Academy after the exams. Did something happen?"
Sasuke's eyes immediately flashed up to hers.
"I noticed your parents were also with him." A look of concern crossed her face. "Did something happen?"
Mizuki entering the vicinity of the swingset and the open entrance of the Academy crossed his mind. "How much did you see?"
Sakura glanced at Ino and back at him. "That was it. Just you and your parents. My dad and mom wanted us to celebrate immediately when I passed so we only saw you and Naruto before we left."
Sakura noticed that Naruto no longer reached out with a crush on her. Her own former attraction to the Uchiha gave her an insight to how other people feel and react, their thoughts and their body gestures, and she could read others easily. She had noticed Sasuke react with horror and disgust at the other girls, greeting her and Ino with a level of friendship that she was sure the Uchiha was hesitant to give; Naruto had a crush on her since they both began at the Academy long ago and she recognized soon after quite some time that Naruto stopped with his advances. She could read into how others feel. She herself found Naruto annoying with his advances; after all, her own advances at Sasuke made her feel embarrassed, but she heard what the villagers called him and didn't even believe he was a monster. Were they referring to his pranks? She brushed that thought immediately aside. Sasuke had shared his concerns of Naruto with her, and although yes, his pranks could be annoying from the villager's perspectives, it couldn't simply be because Naruto decided to muck around with them. They called him a demon, and they were certain it wasn't for pranks at all. While her perception of Naruto changed, she didn't quite consider him a friend yet. After all, that entailed actually spending time with them, and she was unable to, in large part, focus on her career as a shinobi. She felt guilty for not reaching out to him sooner.
Ino herself was curious. "That's what I'm also wondering. Sasuke, did Naruto pass? What happened last week?"
Sasuke recalled the week before, recalling both Naruto, his parents, and Mizuki, and the heartbroken look on his mother's face as her expression changed almost immediately. His father's own face dropped in spite of his indifferent gaze and attempt to remain a proud and strong individual but even he couldn't keep it out entirely.
His mother and Naruto exchanged a few words as the graduating class dispersed. All but Naruto. Mizuki had then arrived to where he was as his mother returned; the look of sorrow and sadness was prominent despite her smile.
That had been it. Mizuki had arrived and then…
He had informed this to both girls, and both looked even more concerned. Sasuke himself couldn't blame them, for he was unable to hide much of it either.
"Sasuke… I don't want to imply anything, but…"
He immediately knew and recognized what they were saying. Naruto had failed the third time, and thus, Mizuki had probably went to try and make him feel better, as he was one of the proctors of the exams and had been the substitute teacher for the class.
The Uchiha glanced down back at his desk. He knew that it likely resulted in nothing. And he shouldn't be, because he had his damn pride, but he couldn't help it, as the party for his graduation did not include Naruto. It had been for both of them.
It was not as if there was a way for Naruto, a special kind of examination, for him to pass, as the standard Academy requirement had been the Clone Jutsu since its inception during the days of Tobirama. Every student had to follow the guidelines.
Yet even then, he couldn't help, even if he was finally a shinobi, but hope that Naruto had also passed. Though Sasuke would kill anyone if they ever heard it from him or admit it so.
He sighed. Nothing he could do. Nothing he could say. The Uchiha stared out the window of the Academy waiting. Sakura and Ino took their seats, and the thoughts of Naruto returned.
Naruto made his way to the Academy, shoving his hands in his pockets and thinking. He had been aware that Sasuke and his parents had told him of the Academy's graduation and team placements, or rather how it was enacted. The blonde sauntered down the village, and he noticed the scowls and looks of disgust. Hmph. Pricks. And he didn't even do anything yet.
Were they all just that pathetic?
He decided that none of them would be even worth his attention anyway. He was a shinobi now, and if they didn't like it, they could shove it up their asses.
It also meant they had to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. Naruto swore to accomplish that in all aspects. No more pranks. He was a true shinobi now, and that meant he had to take things seriously. He would be Hokage, or die trying.
Naruto entered the Academy, and took the entrance to the classroom, glancing around. Many classmates were fooling around. Kiba seemed to continue brushing Akamaru's fur. Shino was… as creepy as ever. He seriously didn't understand the guy. Shikamaru was taking a nap. Choji was stuffing his face.
Looking around further, he noticed one of the desks was occupied by one of the first few friends he had made. Sasuke sat glancing out the window, ignoring the attention of the girls surrounding him.
"Yo, Sasuke!"
"Yo, Sasuke!"
Sasuke froze at the tone of the voice, his head slowly turning. No… it couldn't be…
But there stood Naruto. With the headband proudly on display.
It didn't make sense! Sasuke could hardly believe it. How could have Naruto passed? Naruto had been sitting by himself the week before on the swing outside, with no headband in sight. How could have Naruto obtained it?
He knew that Naruto was the worst student in the practical and written portion of the Academy standard, and so he and his parents decided to pick up and improve on Naruto's faults and severe holes in his training.
For one, Naruto surprisingly had good instincts. Extremely good instincts in combat. When the blonde had put his mind to it, he even matched him at times when they were practicing Taijutsu katas. It took him a while to get subjects, as he and his parents had to teach Naruto an entirely different way instead of the standard Uchiha training their clan was subjected to. It simply did not fit Naruto, but his mother thankfully had an idea and she was patient with him and understanding.
Even the brawler style that had no form or technique that Naruto adapted, Sasuke was embarrassed to admit, worked well. Coupling the fact Naruto simply had inhuman amounts of stamina. The blonde could go on for hours and hours on end and Sasuke had noticed that his parents discussed it themselves, their eyes widening in sheer astonishment, before talking in hushed whispers to each other and giving him a break. While Sasuke still had form and more training on his side, Naruto had one major advantage that allowed him to close the gap between them: Stamina.
His sheer endless supply made him frustrating to fight against, and Sasuke had to rely on more effort in precise takedowns and pinning him. Simply beating him down was no option, and Sasuke himself was even growing slightly more exhausted at the effort Naruto had made him put.
However, he had also noticed things particular about Naruto that were quite… strange, to say the very least.
For one, the style Naruto donned was still a brawler type style but now it seemed more precise, alongside power. Naruto didn't blindly throw punches and kicks. For one, he seemed to prefer a hit and run tactic, along donning a cautious gaze, and the same joyful smile. The first time it had caught the boy off guard and even allowed the blonde to get in his own blows once he unexpectedly retracted and feinted in order to open him up. Then, after, Sasuke had to study his style and improve his own Taijutsu, now thinking back to the spar.
The blonde was no longer the worst in the Academy even by this when he had sparred with Taijutsu, but he at the very least now matched Choji with some effort, the Akimichi's style being purely focused on power. Now, Naruto was at the very least using his head and not simply rushing in, even if it was still incredibly thick headed at times.
"Naruto…? What are you doing here? The class is for students who passed."
Naruto grinned widely, jabbing a finger at the headband as he glanced over at Ino, who out of the three recovered quickly. "Yeah, don'cha see?! I have the headband, that means I passed!"
Ino traded glances with both Sasuke and Sakura, who were just as lost. Both had questions, but were forced quickly to move back to their seats as the door swung open once more, and a voice called out with a hacking cough. "Settle down!" The chatter erupted into nothing as a man entered, his hair a buzzcut with a headband around his head and a flak jacket, designating him a Chunin, their anticipation allowing them to quell themselves without even listening to the instructions.
"I am Akio Kenzo, your instructor for the time being. As I am sure, all of you are ready to be assigned to a team. You all will be assigned into a three man squad, along with a teacher, that will guide you into a shinobi of Konoha. Though you may think your headband designates you as a shinobi now, there will be challenges ahead that will be tedious as well as difficult. You are not alone, however, as your teammates will be there to assist you along with your teacher on missions and assignments. Remember: this is just the beginning. The road ahead will not be easy."
Naruto let the words flood through him in anticipation as he absorbed the words of the man. He noticed that every other student seemed to be anticipating as well, but not one of them asked about Iruka or Mizuki. He supposed they were just as eager as he was that none of them bothered to even ask where their teacher and substitute were. The blonde steeled himself. Now that he was a shinobi, it was just another step to the long road of becoming Hokage, but no sooner than later, he felt as if he was being watched.
Glancing around he searched behind him at first, before he turned back to notice Sasuke staring at him, his brows in a questioning gaze. He immediately knew what he was asking, wanting to know the answer of his passing. Later, he mouthed. Sasuke nodded in acceptance.
"Team 7 is Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto snapped to attention at his name. "Sakura Haruno." Both Naruto and Sakura glanced at each other and nodded. "And Sasuke Uchiha. Your teacher will be Kakashi Hatake."
Naruto barely resisted the urge to come over and hug Sasuke, though he was sure he would kill him for even attempting so, but even then, Naruto was glad, for he would be paired with one of the first friends he had ever made.
The rest of the teams were assigned, and Akio stepped out, allowing most students to leave for their lunch breaks. Naruto waited until most students dispersed, then noticed Sasuke and motioned for him, and both quietly left. Sasuke gave a brief look to Sakura, who nodded.
"Sakura… How do you feel about Naruto?"
She glanced up. "Sasuke. I'm sorry. What?"
"Naruto… He feels different…"
Both now sat in their lunch break after Naruto had gone off for a moment to purchase some ramen, as he insisted on all three of them eating as a team. Yet any appetite Sasuke had was gone, recalling what Naruto had told him of how he managed to pass.
He had no doubt that Shadow Clones were impressive, and when he demonstrated it, they were impressive that even Sasuke couldn't help but feel somewhat jealous at him for being able to create multiple solid copies of himself, a literal substitution for the inability in the basic Clone Jutsu, but there was something far more to it. It was whenever he mentioned Iruka… whenever the conversation fell to him and Mizuki, of either teachers, for trying to piece together Naruto's graduation, he swore that for a moment, Naruto's eyes flashed red and he swore he saw Naruto's face twist into something unrecognizable, his tone taking on a much darker and deeper one, but when he blinked once more, Naruto was seemingly… Naruto.
But he swore he sensed and felt and saw something that was far… darker. But whatever it was, he couldn't even discern it, for Naruto remained smiling so often and chatting away.
"I mean… he seems nice." A part of Sakura felt sheepish for her prior years of her treatment of Naruto and disregarding him, but thankfully, Naruto didn't seem to hold it against her, and both quickly became friends. She swore that Naruto's eyes sparkled, though not in a crush, but more so when he insisted on being friends.
The quiet reigned on them once more, before she spoke. "Which part are you referring to when you said Naruto was… different?"
Sasuke pondered what Naruto told him. "His graduation. When… when I mentioned Mizuki or Iruka, he…" The Uchiha shook his head. "It's probably nothing and it might be nothing. But I felt as if… as if he got mad or disgusted when I mentioned them." None of it made sense. Did Mizuki specifically target Naruto? And if so, why? What if another student besides Naruto had failed? Would Mizuki change his target from him, or did he choose Naruto for some specific factor?
None of it added up and the more he questioned Naruto about it, the more Naruto seemed to sidestep and even avoid the issue. Naruto's anger at Mizuki was understandable given how he deceived him but why Iruka? There was also something Naruto wasn't telling him, something that Naruto was keeping hidden, and he didn't know why.
"It's also strange… Iruka Sensei wasn't here either. Maybe he's probably on a break right now which is why we got Akio Sensei instead…"
Neither of them got to ponder any further as Naruto returned with the ramen, and the three newly formed members of Team Seven enjoyed their meal, though both members were still confused at the details of Naruto's graduation, having more questions than answers.
Team Seven now sat in the classroom once more. It was entirely empty save for them, as all members of Team Seven now were waiting for their teacher to arrive. As time passed, all three sported a look of growing annoyance and anger on their faces in an identical expression.
Naruto himself took to reading a book, as Sakura glanced over curiously. "Hey, Naruto. What's that you're reading?"
The blonde grinned, turning the title up. It was a book titled Improving Chakra Control.
"Thought I have to improve on chakra control, you know? I heard that our teachers are always telling us how important it is, so I thought to get a book on it."
Sakura nodded, and then looked to the entrance. "You know, I wonder if he forgot about us and went home."
Sasuke snorted and Naruto snickered.
"Actually, Naruto."
"Hm? What's up?"
"Do you need help on chakra control? I can give you tips if you want."
"Really?" Naruto smiled. "Yeah! Thanks Sakura!"
Sakura nodded, then looked at Sasuke, who shrugged. "Why not? Let's pass the time if he's not going to show up any time soon."
The three teammates sat for another hour reviewing concepts and keys. Naruto got some tips and advice from Sakura on how to maintain a foundation in chakra control, and highlighted concepts for him. Naruto was glad. Though he no longer had a crush on the girl, he was perfectly content with being friends, as Sakura seemed to know a wealth of knowledge that he or even Sasuke didn't know. He decided he was definitely going to begin to practice tree climbing until he mastered it, with water walking following after. Sakura had already mastered tree climbing and water walking, demonstrated as she walked up the wall with just a single handsign and even upside down due to her refined chakra control, while Sasuke was still in the process of tree climbing.
The door clicked open and entering in was a silver haired man with a mask obscuring a large portion of his face. He wore a similar flak jacket along with a Konoha headband slanted to cover one of his eyes. His face seemed nonchalant and lazy and it served to only anger the three.
"You're late." Sakura hissed in anger, her hands twitching as she stood up. Sasuke stared daggers at the man, while Naruto smiled, though it was clear he was trying to hide his own anger at the man before them, clutching his book tightly.
The man gave a shrug, glancing over at the three. "Tough crowd. My first thoughts of you three are… interesting. Come meet me up at the rooftops." The man vanished in a swirl of leaves, the familiar use of a Body Flicker.
Sakura glanced back at her teammates as both boys stood up to follow her. "Why do I have a feeling he's going to do this often, and that this isn't just a first time thing?"
Naruto grinned, "Hey, at least he thinks we're interesting." Sasuke snorted.
The three found Kakashi waiting for them at the rooftops, reading the same small orange book clasped in his hand. As they arrived he snapped it shut. "Well, let's start with introductions. Tell me about your likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, and whatnot."
"Why don't you go first, Sensei? Show us how it's done?" You owe us for making us wait three hours. A vindictive look crossed Sakura's face.
The man shrugged, "Well, my name is Kakashi Hatake. I have a lot of things I like and dislike. And my dreams for the future… I don't feel like telling you that."
So basically, all we got to know was his name? Was the collective thoughts of the three. They traded glances and then back to him, commiserating together that this was their teacher.
"Are you really a Jonin?" An irritable Sasuke questioned. Naruto felt horribly tempted then and there to chuck his own book at their teacher's face. Sakura felt her long gone Inner self slowly return back after she long abandoned that mask, and it was all thanks to their teacher, her hands clenched into fists.
The man shrugged, ignoring Sasuke. "Well, you guys can start now. Let's see… you go first blondie." He pointed a finger at Naruto, who gleefully answered.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! My likes are the old man, ramen, training, and you guys!" He attempted to hug Sasuke, a bewildered expression on his face as he pushed Naruto away. Sakura giggled, enjoying the plight of her former crush and making no attempt to help him.
"Let go before I have to kill you!"
After the rather entertaining sight of Naruto trying to "hug" Sasuke, the blonde took a darker tone as he changed subjects. "My dislikes are… certain people."
The atmosphere suddenly turned darker at the very instance. Even if it was only for a brief moment, Kakashi himself still felt it, and so did the other two teammates. But unlike them, he was a trained shinobi, and picked up on emotions and feelings more quickly despite the mask Naruto had on.
There was just something about Naruto that Kakashi felt, that felt completely… off when he said that. But any moments of further contemplation were gone as Naruto adopted a bright and cheery persona once more.
"And I have two dreams. One, I want to make the Hokage, the old man, become proud of me. Two, I want to become Hokage myself."
"Why?" Kakashi couldn't help but focus on the vicious look that morphed Naruto's face for that moment.
A wicked grin formed on his, smirking as he glanced at both his teammates and then back to him. "So I can punish all shinobi who are more than three hours late to meetings or missions."
Both Sasuke and Sakura laughed lightly.
Kakashi already knew the secret of the Nine Tails and Naruto's heritage. The blonde had been his own teacher's son; he had been sworn to S class secrecy on both subjects after all. But it rankled him to know that most if not the entire village especially had mistreated his teacher's only son, as he was sworn by the Third to never reveal the truth until Naruto had been old enough.
"And also make the entire village respect me, I guess." He finished, shrugging eloquently.
Though Kakashi was concerned over the expression that had just marred Naruto's face for a split second when he had mentioned his dislikes of people, he found that there was nothing, at the very least, when it came to his teammates and his dream. From even the first glance when he saw them, it seemed that all three were fine with each other, or at the very least, tolerated each other. The files for him seemed to be accurate.
He decided to keep an eye on Naruto for now. If there was anything else disconcerting, then he would report it to the Hokage. "Alright. You next, pinkie."
Sakura shot a look at him before answering. "I'm Sakura Haruno. My likes are my friends, my family, Sasuke kun…" She shot a grin at Sasuke, who narrowed his gaze at her, as she drew out her words.
Kakashi noted this. From the files, it stated she had an attraction like many of the other girls to Sasuke initially, but it seemed like she changed a lot since then.
"My dislikes are tardy teachers and people who lack any sense and concept of time or time management."
Naruto howled in laughter while Sasuke smirked. Kakashi twitched. He had a feeling these brats would be the end of him, and he was going to have migraines if they end up passing.
"My dream for the future is to become a powerful shinobi, and protect my family and all those I care for."
Kakashi nodded in approval, smiling behind his mask. With Sasuke's interactions and influence in large part, it seemed that now Sakura's primary focus was her career. Speaking of which, he turned to the Uchiha. "And last but not least…"
"Sasuke Uchiha. My likes are my parents, tomatoes, training-" He was cut off as both Naruto and Sakura chimed in together.
"And us!"
"And not either of you." Both mock gasped and held their hands over their hearts at the blunt and cold tone.
Somehow, Kakashi knew both of them would be a chaotic duo.
Sasuke continued with his introduction. "My dislikes? Let's see… lazy teachers who waste the time of their students, for one." He smirked, joining in his teammate's now mutual dislike for their teacher's tardiness. "They are a blight upon students who wish to learn and grow, having no respect for the time of their students."
Those little shits… God if those three ever found someone in their life from this world or another, grew up, married their significant other or whoever they decided for love was young and eternal and they were teenagers with growing hormones, had children and made the decision to fuck with him by naming him the godfather for their little abominations, so he would eternally be stuck babysitting with a bunch of arrogant runts and brats all thanks to those three…
Calm down, Kakashi. You're thinking too far ahead. You aren't that too old yet. Far from it. That scenario would never happen and if it did, you would rather do push ups with Guy from the crack of dawn to sun down before that scenario ever came to pass to teach and raise a bunch of brats who would rather mock you than show me the respect you very much deserve…
Maybe he did read far too much Make Out Tactics.
"My dream for the future is to kill a certain man, but not before bringing him to justice first, and understanding what he did and why, as well as bringing honor and prestige back to my clan.
Kakashi narrowed his gaze only slightly. It seemed that Sasuke still wanted revenge on Itachi, but along with putting a lot of reflection into it, gaining some insight and thought into it. He supposed that with his parents still around, the young Uchiha was far more thoughtful in his decision making. Sasuke didn't seem prone to letting it consume him entirely, and there was no issue with simply wanting to revive his clan and bring prosperity. He noticed that Sasuke's tone grew more bold towards the end, a possible indication that the boy was more interested in simply continuing the Uchiha name rather than just setting his sights on Itachi.
He was still concerned about Naruto, but it seemed Naruto was about the same as he had been, and that the incident with Mizuki's betrayal and Iruka's death that the Third told him about didn't seem to affect him that harshly on surface.
What made him far optimistic now, especially with his teacher's son and Fugaku and Mikoto's son, was that all three of them seemed to get along fine with each other. There was no amount of hostility in all three of them to each other. Sasuke was fine with two of them even as both teased him relentlessly. Though he put up a facade of anger and annoyance in regards to their teasing just moments earlier, even he could read that it wasn't true anger and hate. Sakura seemed to like Naruto, and both seemed to be fast friends. Naruto he recalled seeing Sasuke numerous times and both seemed to enjoy each other's presence as well. There was potential within the team that was already clear, but he knew that friendship did not mean much as long as they could properly work together as a team. It was time to put it to the test.
"Well, it seems like you're all interesting in your unique ways. Great. Tomorrow, report early in the morning at six AM sharp. We'll be having a test at Training Ground One."
All three pairs of eyes flickered up to him. "What test?"
Kakashi waved a hand nonchalantly. "Just some test to decide whether you pass or not and become a shinobi. A sixty six percentage rate of failure."
Three pairs of suspicious gaze honed in on him. "What? What was the purpose of the Academy graduation test then? All three of us passed from that. Weren't we already shinobi the moment we graduated?"
"Oh… that. You see, that was to weed out the hopeless and those who had no gift or talent whatsoever. Only those who were truly pathetic could ever hope to not even pass that much less the test I'm assigning you now."
Naruto suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable anger at the man, even though he knew that he had just recently met him and didn't know him. He couldn't have possibly known about his time at the Academy, right? No he couldn't. But being called a failure, even if Kakashi wasn't directing it at him, indirectly made it hurt.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "What happens if we fail?"
"Those who fail the test will be sent back to the Academy for an additional six months of remedial training."
Silence momentarily dawned on the Genin hopefuls, each taking in the ramifications of the failure.
"So you better prepare yourself for tomorrow at six in the morning ready for the test." Kakashi stood up. "Oh, and I just remembered. Don't eat breakfast, or else you'll puke. Later."
With the final words, he vanished in another swirl of leaves, leaving the three thinking of the test. All three watched with their minds brewing on what their newly anointed teacher told them, determination flashing across their faces. But Naruto sported the most determined look of the three of them; his resolve springing forth greater than the other two.
He would not fail. Not now. Not when his journey to Hokage was just beginning. He would not let it be taken away from him when he had just taken the first few steps.
Sasuke stood up. "I'm going to go home and prepare for tomorrow now. Either of you want to come? Actually…" He smiled. "Naruto, my parents haven't seen you in quite some time. They'll be thrilled you passed, so…" Sasuke still had questions regarding the entire graduation, as it seemed that there were far too many factors, and he hoped a meal would allow Naruto to celebrate his graduation that he was unable to the week before, as well as provide insight to the road of events that took place if his parents asked for details.
Sakura nodded, "I'll have to ask my parents first, but I'm sure they don't mind me coming over. I'll also bring some books over so we can test some of the things out."
Sasuke nodded in agreement. If the test was truly as Kakashi said, then they would need all the preparation they would get. He then turned to Naruto for his answer to the offer. "Naruto?"
Naruto immediately bounded up to him, ready to accept the offer. Mikoto was so nice to him, and even Fugaku seemed to favor him. "Hell yeah! Let's go! I'll get some stuff as well"
Team 7 agreed to meet at the Uchiha Compound, as both Naruto and Sakura went back to their homes to gather their supplies to stay over for the night.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Sasuke announced as he stepped into home.
MIkoto was donning an apron as usual, greeting her son with a hug. "Welcome back, Sasuke! How was your first team meeting?!"
Fugaku arrived as well, his stern disposition now a smile on his face. "Evening, my son. How was the meeting with your teacher?"
Sasuke wrinkled his nose slightly. "It was fine. My team and I got Kakashi Hatake. He was late to our first meeting. He also gave us a test that determines whether or not we become shinobi."
Mikoto brought a hand up to her mouth to immediately stifle her giggles, recalling the silver haired boy that had been the constant complaints of her red headed best friend of being emotionless and a stickler for rules. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Sasuke! That man is known for his lack of time management and known for being tardy! But he is strong! Remember, you should not underestimate him based on first appearances."
Fugaku also recognized the name by the slight widening of his eyes, but before Sasuke could discern the look, it was replaced by a simple smile. "Your mother's right. Don't judge the man for what he looks like now. As for the test, I will answer that it has been a practice since the formation of the Academy, and that the failure rate is sixty six percent, but that's it."
Sasuke nodded, accepting the fact that even his mother and father informing him about the Academy and its secrets, they were withholding most of the knowledge of their teachers and the Konoha roster of Jonin, to give them a taste that not everything would be handed down to them, and to not base one's appearance solely as a medium to their strength. His classmates, even eccentric ones like Kiba, were the definition of such. They were shinobi, and they were to go off of little to even no information, as to provide such when facing an adversary on a mission. It seemed Kakashi was right about the test, and wasn't speaking simply to scare them or cow them into submission. Kakashi was also a Jonin of the highest rank, and that meant he would be skilled.
"I invited my team over! Is it alright if they stayed over for dinner? We're planning out a strategy for the test tomorrow and going over numerous things."
Mikoto's eyes widened. "Oh! Of course! Who are they? Silly me, I forgot to ask who your teammates were!"
"They're just getting their things. They'll be here soon." As Sasuke informed her, the door was knocked on a couple of times and Mikoto went to open it, just as Sasuke suddenly remembered something and called out. "Wait, mom! I forgot to mention, Naruto–"
But he didn't get to finish as then, she froze in place at the sight of a familiar blonde, donning a headband.
"Naruto?!"
"Hey, Mikoto san!" The blonde bowed as he greeted her, Sakura following along as she made her own greeting. "Good evening, MIkoto san."
Mikoto stared at the blonde in disbelief, unable to move. After a while of staring, Sakura turned to Naruto. "I think you broke Sasuke's mom." She turned disappointingly at Sasuke. "Sasuke, why didn't you tell your mom before the both of us arrived? She doesn't know how Naruto passed, right?"
Sasuke facepalmed, forgetting that crucial piece of info because he was invested in preparing for tomorrow.
Fugaku glanced at his son. "Sasuke? Care to explain?"
"I think we should discuss it over dinner first."
"I see… And that's how you passed? Shadow Clones huh?" Fugaku spoke as he took a sip of water. "Very impressive. Though you wouldn't mind showing it to me in person would you? A demonstration of sorts."
Naruto smiled, "Of course not sir!"
"Another time, Fugaku. All three of them are getting ready for the test Kakashi is giving them tomorrow!" Mikoto was still concerned about Naruto however. Mizuki was now a traitor to the village and that meant he was now a prisoner, but she herself felt largely that Naruto was hiding something, and she wasn't exactly sure why. She decided to drop it for now, as she didn't think pressing him for any more information would be beneficial, and he still seemed so happy that she didn't want to ruin the mood.
The Uchiha family, along with their son's new teammates enjoyed the dinner, though MIkoto felt guilty for being unable to cook a special meal for his graduation. Her son and her team however, reassured her that it was fine, and that she could prepare a meal for all three of them once they passed Kakashi's examination.
Naruto eagerly boasted as he adjusted his headband. "Once we pass Kakashi's test, it's just another step towards Hokage!"
MIkoto giggled, noting the determined look in his eyes. "I'm rooting for all three of you!"
"Make sure not to underestimate Kakashi, as I told Sasuke. The man looks laid back on surface, but he's a Jonin for a reason." Fugaku piped in as a reminder.
Sakura nodded, "Don't worry, sir. We won't."
Naruto continued to question Fugaku eagerly about any tips for Taijutsu, Mikoto simply chatted with Sakura about her parents. Sasuke only remained quiet for the time being, watching and enjoying the sight of his teammates and family and simply being together.
It was a good moment.
Dinner finished up as all three now took to the expansive backyard. Naruto focused chakra at the soles of his feet and readied himself, looking at the gigantic tree that stood before him, recalling the advice Sakura gave him. Then, he rushed forward.
The blonde felt his world slightly turn as he sprinted up the tree, exhilaration and adrenaline rushing through his body as Sakura's advice worked wonders and the blonde felt himself reaching higher and higher. For a moment, Naruto smirked in confidence, but his feet smashed through the hard bark, and then he was toppling off. Snatching a kunai, he quickly slashed across the bark landing hard. With a grunt, Naruto looked at how far he had been up on the tree.
Sakura whistled, "Nice job! You got as high as Sasuke during his first attempt!"
Naruto smirked at the Uchiha. "I'm catching up to you!" The Uchiha had already mastered tree walking just a couple minutes ago, and with his progress of very nearly reaching the top, he was catching up at a rapid pace.
Sasuke scoffed, though he couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Congrats. Maybe you'll prove to be finally decent at something else other than Taijutsu."
Naruto gave a mock glare at his best friend but Sakura put a halt to it. "Both of you dick measure later. You have the tools, right?"
Sasuke nodded, recalling the various shuriken and kunais, along with ninja wires. "What should we practice next? What about Jutsus?"
"Let's go over that then. You can use two Fire Ninjutsu. The Fireball and the Dragon Flame, with your clan Taijutsu."
Sasuke nodded.
"Naruto, you have Shadow Clones, right?"
"Yep. What about you Sakura?"
Sakura's face dropped immediately, and Naruto felt as if he said something wrong. He glanced at Sasuke who gave him a critical look. Confused, he looked back at the girl, who looked almost embarrassed and even ashamed.
Sasuke sighed, "Naruto. Sakura isn't from a clan like mine or learned from a scroll. She's from a civilian family, and she was the first in her family to become a ninja. Her parents are merchants. Her family doesn't have a clan to learn Jutsus from or any scroll."
Naruto's eyes widened, and it was his turn to look ashamed, opening his mouth to apologize, but Sakura waved it off. "It's fine. You just wanted to know. Besides, Kakashi's our teacher and he has to teach us something once he passes us."
Naruto snorted humorously. "Or instead read that smut of his."
"Yeah… What?!" Both Sasuke and Sakura turned red, and Naruto resisted the urge to laugh.
"That book he had… It's Make Out Tactics! It's an adult book!" Naruto chuckled at the horrified and disgusted look from both their faces.
"Great… So our teacher is lazy and he reads porn. Anything else we need to know?" Sasuke palmed his face, rubbing the bridge of his nose in agitation.
"Let's go and practice our Taijutsu next. We have some time left. Naruto, want to spar? I heard you and Sasuke sparred numerous times."
"Sure!" Naruto grinned, and both looked at Sasuke. The Uchiha nodded as he stood away from his teammates to allow them to spar, raising a hand to announce the match. Both Naruto and Sakura crouched low in a Taijutsu stance. Bringing his hand down, he proclaimed, "Begin!"
If Sasuke perfectly countered his blows, Sakura was different. Her style seemed to be built more on evasion and redirecting his energy. For what she didn't have in power she made up for it in agility and even better footwork than Sasuke. As with him, she didn't have a century old clan fighting style, and had been taught the Academy standard, but it seemed that she also had built herself largely for evasion, conserving her energies.
She fought entirely defensively, and even that surprised him because most Taijutsu had been built around offense in mind.
No sooner than later, a blow finally managed to graze Sakura's cheek, stunning her slightly, before Naruto kicked her down. He breathed heavily, sweat dripping down his form.
Sasuke, watching from the sidelines, nodded to the both of them, and Naruto helps Sakura up. She grinned as she took his hand. "Man, Sasuke was right. You're definitely strong."
"You're fast yourself." Naruto exhaled in exhaustion. He quickly deduced that Sasuke still obviously had the best Taijutsu out of the three of them.
Sasuke passed both of them a water bottle and the three sat down on the porch. "What's our plan now for Kakashi's test?" Naruto questioned as he chugged it down.
Sasuke only took a second to think, pondering their entire skillset together in order to maximize the effectiveness as a team. "Whatever it is, I have a theory about something that could help us gather information. Naruto…" The blonde glanced up.
"You use the Shadow Clones many times, right? Besides in training, do they help you finish tasks?"
"Yeah." Naruto looked back to the days prior after the week of the Mizuki incident, recalling the uses of Shadow Clones to wash dishes, take out trash, shopping, and even cleaning his room. They were a major godsend, as Naruto could effectively cut the time in any duties he had in half while he began training.
He also recalled that most of the pricks of the villagers glared at his copies simply trying to accomplish their tasks. They were still pricks, and his clones as he did took to ignoring them.
"How do you know they're done with them or that they've done them? They don't exactly come up and tell you, do they?"
Naruto shook his head, recalling the assigned chores on his checklist. "No. They usually disappear after and then somehow I know… I know." His eyes widened as Sasuke snapped his fingers together.
"The Clones transfer any memory of a task or objective they've accomplished to you, the caster and wielder. That's how you know what they did without you needing to find out yourself. They're technically you, after all."
"But what then?" Sakura questioned and both turned to her. "How can we use Naruto's clones for the test tomorrow? At Kakashi's test?"
Sasuke wrinkled his brows in concentration, trying to find a way to utilize Naruto's clones as best as possible to allow them to pass the test. But before Sasuke could discover a way, the doors slid open. "Sasuke!"
"Mom?"
"It's time for bed! You three need to get ready tomorrow!" Mikoto smiled at them. "Remember, I'm rooting for you!"
Sasuke glanced at his teammates, and all three nodded. Entering into the home, they began to prepare for the night, as Sasuke told them.
"I think I have an idea how Naruto's clones can help us… Kakashi is likely going to be late?"
Both of them snorted. "Probably." Sakura surmised.
"That gives us enough time then for what I have in mind."
Both Naruto and Sakura traded glances at the smirk on the Uchiha's face, and once they heard the plan as well, they too let a grin form on their faces.
Nothing much to say but actual Team 7 bonding.
Yes. Sakura will also start out with no Jutsus, but that is the point. She isn't from a clan or learned from a forbidden scroll.
I'm all a fan of a strong Sakura, but in this instance, I'm going to build off from what little she has learned from Sasuke in the AU to differentiate her from Canon. She already mastered tree and water walking.