Disclaimer: Let me check my bank account...hmm...still just 15 dollars or something like that... Clearly, I do not own Naruto. And maybe it's better I don't because I am not as good of a writer as Masashi Kishimoto.
Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke were all sitting on the roof along with their sensei. Naruto and Sasuke were sitting on either side of Hinata, who was acting like a barrier between the two, so arguments didn't spontaneously break out.
"Well, why don't you guys introduce yourselves?" Kakashi suggested.
"What do you mean?" Naruto leaned in.
"You know, your likes, dislikes, dreams, and hobbies, that kind of stuff," Kakashi explained.
"Why don't you go first?" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Show us how it's done, Sensei."
Kakashi shrugged. "Let's see…My name is Kakashi Hatake." He thought for a bit. "I dislike talking about my likes, I never really thought about my dreams…and hobbies! I have lots of hobbies." He finished off with a closed-eye smile that hid beneath his mask.
The genin were dumbstruck. He only gave them his name!
"Alright," He scanned his eyes over his new students. "You, on the right, you go first." He looked straight at Naruto.
Naruto sat up. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I like ramen in a cup. I really like the ramen that Iruka-sensei got me at the Ichiraku noodle shop, but I hate the three minutes you have to wait for the water to cool down. My hobbies are eating ramen and comparing the flavors." He then stood up and corrected his headband. "My dream is to one day become hokage. Then people will stop disrespecting me and treat me like I'm somebody, somebody important!"
Hinata looked at Naruto admiringly. Oh, Naruto.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was…intrigued, to say the least. This boy certainly grew up in a…interesting way.
"Okay," He turned to Hinata. "The lady is next."
Hinata gulped from all the attention being up on her. "U-Um, my name is Hinata H-Hyuga. My favorite foods are cinnamon buns and red bean paste. My hobbies are f-flower pressing. M-My dislikes…" The inequality of the Hyuga clan, and the Caged Bird Seal. "...are rather personal, and my dream is…" Kakashi noticed that her eyes seemed to harden before she spoke. "My dream is to be a kunoichi as strong as my father and as kind as my mother."
Huh, no stutter on the last bit, Kakashi noted thoughtfully. "Alright, you." He pointed at Sasuke.
"My name is Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke sat with his chin on his hands, looking darkly into the distance. "I have many dislikes, and I don't particularly like anything. My dream is not a dream, but a goal because it will happen. I will find a certain man and kill him."
The atmosphere was chilling after he finished. Hinata looked at him warily, and Naruto hoped that said man wasn't him. Kakashi sighed. It was just as he expected.
"Okay, get a good night's sleep tonight, everybody because tomorrow we're going to do a survival exercise."
"Survival exercise?" Hinata inquired curiously.
"Yes." Kakashi's eye gleamed, and he started chuckling.
"What, what's so funny?" Naruto wanted to know.
"Well," Kakashi immediately stopped laughing, but his eye still had that evil glint. "You won't like this, but out of the 27 chosen genin, only nine of them can pass."
The three all froze, staring in disbelief. That meant that there was a 66 percent chance that they could fail.
"Come tomorrow at 5:00," Kakashi instructed. "Oh, and, don't eat breakfast unless you want to puke."
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The next morning, Hinata ate a small bowl of rice, just enough to fill her up in the morning, but not enough for her to have to regurgitate everything up. She then sleepily made her way to the training grounds in which they would have their "survival exercise". When she arrived, she saw Sasuke standing next to a tree. Naruto had yet to arrive. Sasuke gave her a nod which she returned politely. A few moments later, Naruto arrived, loud and proud.
And then they waited for Kakashi.
And waited.
Hours ticked by, and their sensei had yet to show his masked face.
Naruto groaned. He was, after all, not known for his patience.
"Our stupid sensei is taking so long!" He paced around, scuffing at the ground with his sandal. "What kind of teacher makes his students wait?" He dropped onto the ground, exasperated.
"Naruto, I'm sure he's going to come soon," Hinata consoled him gently. "He probably had s-something come up."
"Mmm." Naruto nodded his head. "Right…"
Hinata started for a moment, Naruto wasn't putting up a fight? But when she turned to look at said blond again, she found out he was…asleep.
Hinata sighed. Poor Naruto.
Another 30 minutes ticked by. Even Sasuke was getting tired. Naruto was sound asleep, and Hinata was trying very hard to stay awake.
"Hello, everybody!"
Hinata started, whipping around to face the intruder. Sasuke stood in fighting position, shuriken at the ready, and Naruto…woke up and jumped at the sight of who was standing in front of him.
"YOU'RE LATE!" He pointed accusingly at a certain silver-haired sensei.
"Sorry, guys. A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way." Naruto scoffed and turned away. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Even Hinata raised a mental eyebrow. Kakashi internally berated himself for coming up with such a stupid excuse.
"Alrighty then," He said, hastily turning the conversation away from his tardiness. "On with the training exercise." He took out two bells. "The goal is to get the bells. Whoever fails cannot eat lunch, and has to sit tied to the post watching me eat."
Oh. Hinata realized. That's why he told us not to eat breakfast.
"Also," He continued. "If you don't get a bell, you get sent back to the Academy."
Now that got everybody's attention. Naruto gritted his teeth, promising himself he would get a bell. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. His quest for revenge, for him, would not be in the dust because of a dumb bell assessment led by an even dumber sensei. Hinata worried about what her father would say if she failed…no. She would not fail.
"Weapons are allowed, including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me, then you won't get the bells." He calmly retracted the bells. "You will start when I say "go"."
Hinata's eyes widened. But what if he got hurt–?
"Hah, you think you would stand a chance against actual weapons?" Naruto snorted. "You couldn't even dodge an eraser."
"Ah, the class clowns," Kakashi provoked Naruto languidly. "Always the ones with more bark than bite. They're always the weakest out of everyone, and are…" He paused. "...losers."
Naruto froze. He lost all sense. He could only hear one word repeating in his head. Loser. Loser. Loser.
Letting out a battle cry, he charged straight towards Kakashi, kunai twirling around his finger–.
Only to be held back by one hand.
So, he really is a jonin, Sasuke analyzed carefully. Those reflexes…
Hinata was shocked by the display. That speed…
"Now, now," Kakashi chided. "Don't be in such a hurry. I didn't say "go" yet."
Naruto jumped back to his teammates, humiliated.
"Okay, now, three, two, one, go!" Kakashi commanded, and they all sprang away.
At least they know the basics of hiding. Kakashi noted. Of course, I can still sense them by their chakra, but a commendable offer. And then he realized he spoke too soon. Ah yes, the odd one out…
"Alright, let's go, you and me, fair and square!" Naruto stood there, chest thrust out.
Kakashi looked at him, bemused. This kid.
He shrugged. It was his choice.
Meanwhile, hiding in the bushes, Sasuke scoffed. What an idiot.
Naruto frowned when he realized that Kakashi wasn't going to do anything, so he decided to take matters into his own hands, and charged forward, only to come crashing to a stop when he realized Kakashi was taking something out of his kunai pouch. He waited with bated breath. Was it a powerful weapon? Maybe a smoke bomb holding toxic gasses!" Or maybe–
It was a book. A bright orange one at that, with the words "Make-out Paradise" written in big, green letters on the cover. Naruto felt his eye twitch.
"I WILL CRUSH YOU!" He charged onwards, swinging his fist, launching a punch at Kakashi.
Kakashi calmly dodged, and did so, to Naruto's frustration, with every single one of his attacks. But, Naruto had him now! He swung an uppercut into Kakashi, and–realized he punched air.
"Never let your enemy get behind you," Kakashi berated him.
Hinata's face paled. Kakashi was forming the tiger seal. That meant he was going to use a very powerful jutsu! She had to warn Naruto! She opened her mouth, ready to shout out.
"A thousand years of death!" Kakashi's fingers shot up Naruto's posterior. Hinata sighed. Thank goodness it wasn't fatal. Actually, looking back on what Naruto's face looked like before he went flying into the river, it probably felt worse than a very powerful technique. She watched as Naruto chucked two shuriken, which ended up on Kakashi's two fingers, and then he performed the clone jutsu, something that Hinata never saw him do before.
Wait… She activated her byakugan. Those aren't just copies, they're flesh and blood!
And then, when Naruto had snuck behind Kakashi and trapped him, Hinata cheered him on silently. I should probably go help him. She realized. But he looks fine…
Well, he did, until Kakashi pulled a fast one on him, causing him to punch himself, and tricked him into being tied up.
"Don't fall for so obvious traps," Kakashi, once again, berated Naruto.
But Sasuke had plans to use this moment of vulnerability from Kakashi. Now's my chance! He thought.
Hinata watched with wide eyes, as a myriad of shuriken and kunai lodged themselves into Kakashi's body.
"Sasuke, now you've done it!" Naruto complained. "You killed him!"
Hinata shook her head. Substitution. She glanced at Naruto who was currently tied up, and after scanning the clearing with her byakugan to make sure Kakashi wasn't anywhere near, raced over to help him.
Sasuke, on the other hand, cursed after seeing Kakashi turn into a log, and raced off.
When Hinata got to Naruto, she immediately raced up the tree to cut him off.
"Naruto!" She panted, pulling out a kunai. "Are you okay?"
Naruto watched her. "Why are you helping me?"
"B-Because we need to work together," Hinata replied calmly, sawing off the rest of the rope, "We can go get Sasuke,–" She grunted a bit while lifting him up. "–and he can help us as well."
Naruto sat down on the tree. "Hmph." He turned his head up. "No way am I working with the bastard."
"Naruto, p-please?" Hinata turned towards him. "We have to! Kakashi is a jonin, we n-need all the manpower we can get!"
Naruto hesitated. In a way, Hinata did have a point. "Alright. Fine. Let's go find the bastard." He reluctantly followed Hinata. "How are you going to find him, though?"
"Like this." Hinata formed hand seals with practiced ease. "Byakugan!"
Veins around her eyes bulged out, and her usually non-existent pupils were traced. She scanned the area. "There!"
She raced over, past the bushes to see Sasuke hammered into the ground. Naruto immediately burst out laughing. Sasuke glared.
Hinata rushed over and started to get Sasuke out. "Naruto!"
Naruto controlled his laughing as well as he could, and he joined over to pull Sasuke out. Once that was done, Hinata sat them all down and explained her plan.
"Why should I work with you guys?" Sasuke was skeptical.
Hinata was getting frustrated. "B-Because our sensei is a jonin! We have no chance against him individually!"
Sasuke quietly went over her plan. "Fine. I'll work with you guys."
Hinata beamed. "I promise both of you won't r-regret it!"
And thus, the plan started.
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Kakashi was wondering where his "cute little genin", as he liked to call it, went, when an orange blur crashed straight towards him.
"It's about time," He said, and dodged the kick.
"You bet." Naruto smirked.
Kakashi frowned. There was a difference almost, Naruto seemed assured.
"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yelled, forming the ram hand seal.
"The same trick won't work twice, you know." Kakashi rolled his eyes. But wait–shadow clones weren't forming–
"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!"
A large, you guessed it, fireball banged straight at Kakashi. He barely dodged, surprised out of his wits. "Sasuke?"
"That's right." Said Uchiha crossed his arms. "Hinata, now!"
Hinata swooped right underneath an unaware Kakashi, and she grabbed the bells. She pulled away, panting. Kakashi wondered why he just didn't stop her, when he realized that both his arms were numb. She blocked my chakra points. He realized. Sneaky brat.
Hinata triumphantly held out the bells, and then realized that Naruto and Sasuke were both looking at her expectantly. Right. Who would she give the other bell to? She hesitated for a moment. And then came to a decision. Both of the boys in front of her turned shocked when she bowed and offered them each a bell.
"H-Here." She mumbled. "Take them." She could face her father again, she, after all, had experience with that. Naruto and Sasuke's dreams were both more important than hers, and she could always try again next year.
"Bravo, all three of you." Kakashi walked over, clapping. "You found the true meaning of this test."
"Teamwork?" Hinata guessed.
"That's right." He smiled, this time genuine. "Kudos to you, Hinata, you thought about Naruto and Sasuke before yourself. You all pass." He leaned forward, his eyes darkening for a moment. "But never forget, always cherish your teammates like they're worth more than gold because one day, if you lose them, you'll realize you have nothing left at all. People who break the rules are scum, yes, but those who abandon their teammates are worse than scum."
The three newly made genin nodded solemnly. And then they all did a mini celebration. Naruto was jumping up and down, bell clinking in his hand. Hinata was beaming so hard that she thought her face would split. Even Sasuke held a small smile. They did it. They were genin, actual ninja now.
"Hey, loser!" Sasuke called out.
"Eh?" Naruto looked over. "What?"
"Give me your bell." Sasuke impatiently held out a hand.
"Huh, why?" Naruto cuddled his bell protectively.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Calm down, loser. I'm giving them to Hinata. She deserves them."
Naruto laughed. "Well, that's fine then. Who would've known that the great Sasuke Uchiha would've swallowed his pride to say the words "she deserves them."
Sasuke took a deep breath to calm himself and turned to Naruto's way. "At least we all knew that a certain knuckleheaded ninja would actually reply to the name "loser". Twice."
Naruto realized what he had done. "Hey!"
Sasuke shrugged, and gave his and Naruto's bell to Hinata.
"Thanks, both of you."
She smiled at them and looked down at the bells. Where would she put them? At the end, she decided to weave them into her hair. There. That would stay.
"Are you guys okay with the bells being in my h-hair?" She inquired softly. "It's not l-loud, is it?"
"Nah, it's fine." Naruto waved a dismissive hand. "It sounds nice."
Sasuke "hned" in agreement. "Just take them off when we're on missions."
"Alright!" Hinata smiled. "Do you guys want to go eat together? You know, to celebrate?" She was suddenly shy again. Maybe they had other things to do…
"Sure!" Naruto slung an arm around Hinata's shoulders, and she eeped out of surprise. She was NOT this comfortable with direct contact. "Ichiraku!"
"Fine," Sasuke grudgingly agreed. "But we CANNOT have ramen everyday. I will get sick."
"Hey, don't forget me." Kakashi stepped forward and mused up Naruto's hair. "I'm your sensei after all." He looked up from his book. "And it'll be my treat."
"Now you're talking!" Naruto punched a fist into the air. "RAMEN!"
And that was when Kakashi realized that taking the bill probably wasn't the best idea.
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Well, there you have it. Second chappie. Tell me, tell me, how do you like it? I frankly thought that the bell test was going to be one of the easiest parts to write, as I had a lot of guidelines to base it off. But wouldn't it be a little boring to just have the same plot as it did in Naruto? So, I made it a little bit twisty. Not too much, of course, but it's still different. And now, I have a few things I want to ask the readers. WHAT SHIP DO YOU WANT? I can do Naruhina, Sasuhina, NaruSasuHina, SO MANY OPTIONS. Or I can keep it all platonic, which is probably what it'll look like at first. I'll, somehow, find a way to tone down Hinata's crush on Naruto, give Sakura the character development she deserves, and keep crushes as simple and short lived as possible. So, give me ideas, ya'll! Because I don't want to make the author's note longer than the actual story, I will now answer your question, Sapphire02. Iruka was angry because the class was being disruptive, and he was quite annoyed at having to keep Sakura from ending the entire fanfiction right there. I apologize if I was unclear in my writing, as I am quite a novice in this industry. And, please note, that updates will not come as frequent as this at times, I will get lazy, I will be busy, and I will keep on making excuses. Now, to end this absurdly long author's note, review everybody and see ya!