That morning, Naruto awoke stiff and sore.
The day before, without any sleep, he was taken shopping, to the Dojo to test his taijutsu, where the Jonin Sensei agreed to the proposal.
Yūgao had him give her twenty clones and then took the girl out to a neighboring training area.
He didn't know what she did there, but he had memories of hours of basic forms training.
Hours.
Hours of standing and swinging first the katana, then the twin tatchi….
Those same hours as he did basic forms with Gui-Sensei and sparring with Rock Lee…
He frowned as he dressed after his shower. The mesh under armor, his heavy tracksuit pants, his kunia, his tatchi and new chest pouch rigging, his coat and the katana over the top of that.
This morning, he was to report to the Mission Room in the Tower for a team meeting.
So he exited the apartment and after attaching the strings, he bounded off into the village, to the Tower.
In the corner of the Mission Room, he squatted, and pulled on the 'Cloak'.
Three of the five Chunin in the room froze in fright.
"Where did he go?"
"He was right there." one pointed at where he was squatting.
One of the two who were not worrying sighed. "This is the one place where he does not act up. He respects the old man too much. If he is doing something like this, he is just practicing a new jutsu and needs to test it against our level of detection. He has not moved yet… but that's all I can say."
Shortly the Genin teams began to assemble. The Chunin started taking bets on who would notice and how.
Team Gui came in, and picked up the mail run to the Capital. The Jonin and his clone ignored it but as reaction specialists that was to be expected. The Konachi was all business and with the first two… someone needed to be. But the Hyūga turned to look at the corner.
Team Ten, came and drew the Tora case. The Konachi tisked in disgust, the Nara groaned in despair… and the Akimichi just snacked on his chips.
Teams one through six were completely clueless… including the Jonin, but they didn't have to deal with the Uzumaki boy.
Then Team Eight, led by Kurenai, entered.
The Aburame boy took two steps into the room and locked up.
The Inuzuki boy bounded in like the pup that rode on his head… before he stumbled to a stop and started sniffing the air. The dog on his head barked once and Growled at the corner where the brat was squatting.
The Hyūga princess was different. She just looked at the corner, blushed, and poked her fingers together.
The Jonin frowned at the reactions of her team and looked around. Seeing how the Chunin were acting she knew a prank was in progress and Chakra Flared.
Only a shimmering ripple like air over the road in the desert was visible. She frowned as she palmed a kunia.
The Chunin in charge of the Room noticed and decided to call the brat to heel. "Uzumaki. Stand Down. You have proven your point."
As the shimmering faded and the boy stood up, the Hyūga blushed deeper, and the two males relaxed.
The Jonin crossed to his side and poked his head with her finger. "You're real… that was no genjutsu. If I remember correctly, you can't do genjutsu as a rule."
"Shadow Cloak of the Noon Sun." Naruto smiled at her.
He's been there most of the morning." The Chunin approached softly. "Your team is the only one who really noticed. Team Gui's Hyūga noticed something but decided it was beneath him." Turning to the boy. "You are good, but you won't fool all sensor types the way you are right now. By the reactions of Kurenai's team, you are not masking your scent. And you are creating a negative Chakra Shadow. Not a true void, just a blank spot where a shadow should be."
"Too much Chakra is used for that Ninjutsu." Another Chunin called out. "Either your Cloak is too big, or your target is too small."
Naruto nodded and smiled genuinely… just as the rest of his Genin team arrived.
Team Eight selected their scroll, and the guys clapped Naruto on the shoulder as a way of saying good luck. Hanita stammered something while blushing. Kurenai's nod was measured but respectful.
In walked a blond Jonin. "Team Kakashi. You are with me. There was a complaint against your team. It has been decided that you will be investigated by myself and Asuma. Follow me to the training grounds and I will see what you can do and what you think you can do."
"Hai." Naruto trotted up and followed the Jonin from the room. Uchiha and Haruno looked at each other before turning to the closest Chunin. "If someone comes looking for us, we will be with Yamanaka Sensei." Sakura bowed her head and jogged out after the two blonds.
The Uchiha just grunted and followed after.
One Chunin turned to his neighbor. "Was it just me or was the demon the better ninja of that team?"
"Did you not hear? That brat was in here, alone, every day since they returned from Wave, taking the missions no one else wanted. His team was still recovering from the trip to Wave."
"What? I remember the whole team…"
"That's why Kakashi would ask for the pay in cash rather than writ." A third Chunin snorted.
"Yeah. And we are to continue the practice. We can either keep up the cover or we can call him on it. But if he is busy with his game of taking the missions… he is not plotting and playing tricks on the village at large."
Everybody in the room shivered and turned back to their work.
SCNS
When all three Genin arrived at training grounds, Yamanaka used a minor jutsu to scan their surface thoughts.
Haruno: Suaske is so cool! I just need him to notice me.
Cha! It's only a matter of time!
Uchiha: I need to lose the deadweight and the baka. They are holding me back from completing my mission. I will kill Him.
Uzumaki: what is Yamanaka Sensei going to teach me/us? Gui Sensei and them are going to the Capital… Yūgao-sensei is working with Jiji-sama and Kakashi Sensei is … where?
!! Do not come closer. You have been Warned.!!
'And the abused child is the most stable of the three. Not good.' The Jonin frowned from what he saw, as it included pictures of the people that were 'spoken of' in the mind-scapes. The last was a red tinged picture of a 'Do Not Enter' sign.
He pointed at the center post halfway across the field. "That is your target. Using only your latest jutsu… strike the target. Haruno, you're first."
Sakura slowed her breathing and with a flick of her wrist… three needles slammed deep into the wide post.
Yamanaka Sensei nodded. "Uchiha."
Without even looking, Sasuke snapped his wrist and sliced the center needle in half.
Again the Jonin nodded.
Naruto mimed throwing something and a thunk was heard from the post. The air around the center post shimmered as a Kunai appeared right next to Sasuke's.
A third nod. "Okay. Next test. Team Seven report to the academy, room 23. Sit in the front row. One on the far side. One center. One nearest the door. Sit in order of arrival. Far. Center. Near." He watched the body language. Uzumaki was loose and relaxed, ready to move instantly. Uchiha was trying to look loose and relaxed but was already tensing his muscles. Haruno was … checking her hair?
"Go."
Two Genin vanished.
"One question." Naruto cocked his head. "You said Team Seven. Is this a team test or a foot race between teammates?"
"Team Test."
"Well, we're fucked." Naruto sighed. "Sasuke will only assist the team if it improves his chances for advancement. Sakura will only help Sasuke, even if it lowers her chance of winning. That's not including what they have threatened me with. Now, as you have said this is a test… not a race…" two shadow clones popped out of thin air, before appearing as Sasuke and Sakura. "Can I invite you to tea?"
'Sakura' snorted. "Stop trying to influence Sensei. We have a test to finish."
'Sasuke' just grunted.
"Okay. First, that's creepy."
"You should see it when Kakashi Sensei is with us." 'Sakura' chirped.
Yamanaka had heard about the Brat's Mission Room bouts. "And you are doing everything yourself?"
"No." Naruto smiled as he began to lead the way to the Village. "The Clones…"
'Sakura' snorted. "The Baka just crafts us and forms us. Because of his thick skull, he doesn't link the Thought of the Act to the Act. He created us to be Hanoru and Uchiha. And so we are… to a point. We are reflections of what he sees and knows about us. But if a friend I know from elsewhere were to say hi…" 'She' let it trail off.
"What about combat?"
"Again, we can only mimic. But I have unlimited Kunai and shuriken. When he has seen the real Hanoru use her senbon enough, I will be able to add them to my arsenal.
'Sasuke' grunted in agreement.
The two blondes and Bushin entered the entertainment district and Yamanaka led them to his favorite tea shop.
Yamanaka was greeted warmly as were the Bushin. But as Naruto stepped in, the Host was in his face.
"I don't serve your kind here!" The man turned to the blonde Jonin. "Remove him!"
"My kind." Naruto smiled darkly at the Host. "And which Kind is that?" The man snapped around. "Males… no, Yamanaka Sensei and Uchiha were welcomed warmly. No shop would close their doors to loyal Shinobi of the Village. Not my rank… again Uchiha and Haruno. That means that you have a reason to exclude me personally."
"I have the right to decide on who is served here. I own the Shop!" The Host drew himself up.
Naruto smiled brightly. "Congratulations Sir. I was not aware that you had bought it from Vixen Ventures recently." Yūgao has sat him down for dinner at a small place in her neighborhood. She laid out the truth for Vixen Ventures. Something his Mother had started when she was pregnant with him. After her Death, Jiji-sama had used the business to keep the Village running and now he 'owned' the company. She had included a list of businesses about the Village.
"How do you know that name?" The Host was shaking.
"I crossed paths with the CEO. He owes me a Favor."
"Of course, Uzumaki-sama." The Host bowed before leading the quartet to a private room.
"How do you know of Vixen Ventures?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked once they were alone.
"Yūgao Sensei told me that my Mother started it, but Jiji-sama has been using it to keep the village running."
"Running, she says. Gaki… you own over half the shops, either the whole store or just the building. Another third of the shops took out loans for a small percentage of the profits. The Flower Shop sold twenty percent just after Ino-Heme was born."
Naruto nodded.
"Ah Sensei. He doesn't understand the complexity of it all. You're just confusing him." 'Sakura' broke in.
"Why is he like this?" Inoichi asked, ' I'm asking a clone of him about him on things he doesn't understand and expecting a reasonable answer.'
"It's a result of a mixture of things. One, head trauma. Two his healing of said trauma was not properly guided. And three, no personal connection with anybody before Iruka sensei. He still takes everything in and stores it… but he doesn't have the faculties to consciously use it. Now I can, as he perceives that I would be able to know and understand anything in his skull. I probably know things that the real Sakura doesn't."
"Do you know…"
"Why everyone is afraid of him? Yes. And once he makes contact with her, he will need to take you in to get to know her. She is not affecting anything other than his Chakra Production and Healing Speed. Her Chakra also burns out most toxins he has been fed… between that and the poison and drugs that his caretakers were feeding him, he can shrug off most common poisons."
"Good to know." A crazy thought came to him. "If I asked you… the image of Hanoru, to remember and remind him to come find me so I can meet her?"
"Yes." The cherry blossom hair turned. "Oh the tea is here."
SCNS
The Kage Bushin Uchiha opened the door to the classroom, grunted a greeting to the room, and sat in the first seat.
On his heels was Kage Bushin Hanuro. She sat and tried to cuddle with the KB Uchiha.
With his hands behind his head, Uzumaki-baka entered… only to take a book to the face. The Naruto popped into a cloud of Chakra Fog.
"And that's why I was curious what the conditions of the test were." Naruto's voice drifted from the back of the classroom.
The two Genin twisted about to see…
Nothing.
Sasuke blinked twice and glared… before he grabbed the chalk eraser next to him and chucked it at the back of the room. It stopped three feet short of the back of the room.
The air shimmered as Naruto dropped the Cloak.
"Okay. Test complete." Yamanaka Inoichi walked down and sat on the desk before the rows.
Naruto joined the Bushin.
"Now I want to know why you two failed." Yamanaka picked at his fingernails. "Uchiha first."
The black haired youth blinked. "Excuse me Sensei. Did you say I failed?"
"Yes." The mindwalker frowned. "All of you failed. Uzumaki saw what I was looking for and explained why he was going to fail. He still arrived with a complete Team Seven."
The pinkette facepalmed. "Why is it always the freaking bells?"
Uchiha looked at everybody in the room before he started laughing.
SCNS.
Yamanaka Inoichi walked in to Hokage-sama's office.
"Yamanaka Kun. Please tell me that you have good news."
"I do… and I have bad news." The Jonin sighed as he sat on the couch across from the desk. "Good news is that you have three impressive ninja operatives. Bad news is that they are not a team. You have a pampered prodigy, a rabid fangirl, and a rabid Fanatic loyal to you… not the Village. He is only loyal to the village as long as you are. But if you decide to burn it all down in the middle of the night… the village will be ash by sunrise."
"Okay…"
"I am asking that you place him as a ward of the Yamanaka Clan." Inoichi smiled sadly. "He is an interesting case study in the mysteries of the mind. Was testing their team dynamic. Told the team to report to a classroom in the academy. Told them to sit in order of arrival. Uchiha and Hanuro bolted immediately. Uzumaki asked if it was a team test or just a foot race. He saw that I was looking for teamwork not individual assessment. He invited me to tea, and pulled his cloned team trick. I had a talk with the clone of Hanuro. It seams that a mix of head trauma, unguided healing and lack of attention to his schooling has resulted in a detached awareness and function of his mental faculties. His clone was able to talk to me about things that he doesn't understand. She even knew of the Byjū. Not the details but enough to tell me that as soon as he actually meets it, I need to go see it about how to handle him."
After pulling a flask from his flak jacket, and taking a pull, "When we arrived at the classroom, we entered behind the others, as he sent a trio of clones in the front door. The other two frowned as a copy of themselves entered and mimicked their actions. When The copy of Naruto entered, he was greeted by a book to the face."
"I see. Your final assessment."
"Uchiha to Team Gui in place of Tenten. She is holding her own but she is trying to be a weapon mistress and Gui only uses tonfa and nunchuck when his art calls for it. She would be happier with the Brat as he learns his blades. The girl is a great inner village ninja. Her Chakra Control is damn near perfect. I would trade her with Kiba. She needs to increase her pools but that won't happen under Kakashi as he will always be needing to rescue her. Besides… I see Genjutsu in her future."
"I am training Tenten and Naruto." Yūgao faded in beside the mindwalker. "He still needs to learn under Gui. Kakashi will need to work with Uchiha now that his eye has awoken."
"Also, it would benefit the gaki to spend time with Asuma." Inoichi sighed. "Exposure to the Nara would help him with his mind trick."
"The thickest Genin of the Village carrying copies of our greatest minds…" a voice in the rafters drifted down."
The whole room shivered.
TBC