A/N: Sorry for the long absence. I was busy over the course of the Holidays, and when I finally found time to write again… I was hit with a case of writer's block on Spider-Verse.
At any rate, thank you for your patience and support.
If you're interested, please check out my Pa tre on page. You might find some stuff I haven't yet posted to FF. (IMPORTANT NOTE: Current and future posts Posts on my Pa tre on page are available to the Public. Donations are appreciated if possible. If not, I understand completely.)
Special thanks to my friend, Beta reader and soundboard Midnight Lost.
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Chapter one: Pilot.
When the world was still young, the Rikudou Sennin defeated the Ten-Tailed Beast, otherwise known as the Juubi. He sealed this great beast within himself and became the first Jinchuuriki.
To ensure that the Juubi would not threaten the world again, he split it into nine pieces, the Bijuu who's tails numbered from one to nine, the latter being the strongest and most powerful.
Shortly afterwards, the Sennin bestowed the power of Chakra onto the people of the world, granting them almost supernatural abilities such as casting illusions with Genjutsu, enhanced speed and strength, and the usage of the elements such as Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and so on. This became the foundation for the Shinobi arts known as Ninjutsu.
Many Shinobi utilized hand-signs and incantations were used to give their techniques shape, form and power, which was often why they called out the names of their techniques.
Shinobi who belonged to certain clans often had special abilities that they carried in their genetic code, otherwise known as bloodlines. The Uchiha's Sharingan being an obvious example. Of course there are many bloodline abilities that grant access to using specific elements, such as Ice, Lava, and so forth.
However, there are certain types of Shinobi who can easily bend the elements as naturally as breathing without the need for a bloodline. Such individuals are known as Benders of the Elements, or simply Benders.
Of course with such power, there comes a trade-off. Benders are generally restricted to one element that they possess an affinity to and their respective sub-elements.
For example, a Bender with an affinity for Water, would be able to use the element freely and also be able to manipulate Ice, Blood, and perhaps even Steam.
A Bender with an Earth Affinity would be able to control the ground beneath their feet and manipulate the various metals and materials found within the Earth, and of course, Lava. Though in the case of Lava, there is some debate on if that sub-element also overlaps with Fire.
Imagine for a moment that a Shinobi unleashes a powerful jutsu… Only for a Bender to manipulate it and either dispel it with only a gesture, or countering and sending it directly back at the caster.
In extremely rare cases, there are Benders who are known as Avatars. Individuals who can freely manipulate all Elements without any restrictions, in short, a special Bender that possesses an affinity with all of them. This makes the Avatar one of the most powerful beings in the entire world.
Such individuals are so exceptionally rare, it is believed that only one in ten million people are born as an Avatar. Some say that perhaps the Avatars are special people that may be connected to the legendary Rikudou Sennin himself, hence their unnatural and prodigious abilities.
Naturally, when an Avatar is born into a Shinobi village, they are kept jealously under guard by their respective village, ensuring that no other nation would attempt to steal them away and gain the advantage of a potentially invincible warrior. Additionally, the Avatars are often given special treatment and are considered, in some ways, to be royalty.
"...Today, there is only one known Avatar who lives right here in the village of Konoha. Our very own Avatar Korra." Spoke the form of one Iruka Umino who was giving a history lecture as he gestured towards the form of Korra herself who was blushing a bit while scratching the back of her head, feeling a bit bashful from the attention, but still gave a friendly smile and wave as the rest of the class clapped and cheered for her, with many fan-girls and fan-boys singing her praises.
In the background, one Naruto Uzumaki could be seen with his face resting in an open palm, a small sense of jealousy filling him. It was kind of hard to not be jealous of her. She had it all.
Even by the standards of other known Avatars, she was a naturally born prodigy that displayed mastery of the elements at an exceptionally young age, with the exception of Air which she had yet to master.
Her father, despite being a Bender, was a member on the Civilian Council and was in charge of a Militia of trained Civilians to help patrol and keep the peace within the village. She also had a gorgeous girlfriend named Asami Sato who was smart and kind as she was beautiful, and also exceptionally wealthy.
Despite all of this, she was a generally likeable girl who was bold and brash, but was also compassionate and caring. She may occasionally have a bit of an ego and show off a bit, but it wasn't entirely undeserved considering her talent and potential. Regardless of her often pugnacious and headstrong attitude, she was still a good person.
While the whiskered teen didn't hold any animosity to her, that jealous part of him desired nothing more than to be liked by others, much the same way that Korra was liked by almost everyone.
For as long as he could remember, he had been looked down on and mocked, often picked on and bullied, and treated as an outcast, all because he was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.
It didn't take very much for him to figure that out, given how people treated him and the fact that he was born on October the tenth, the very night of the infamous Kyuubi attack.
Of course, Korra and Asami weren't the only big names or headliners in his class. There was Katara and her brother Sokka, to his knowledge they were part of a long line of hunters, which made great money selling furs, leathers and meats, their father worked alongside Korra's dad in the Civilian Militia. Their mother died during the Kyuubi attack, quite sadly, leaving their father to raise them alone.
Katara could best be described as being akin to a warm and nurturing big sister or mother figure to many of the other students, not surprising given that she is regarded as one of the best healers in the Academy's history since Tsunade in her days as a student.
Sokka did not possess the ability of Water bending like his sister, but he was a thinker and a problem solver, often finding solutions and workarounds that others may miss and is also known to be talented with his boomerang and has been learning Kenjutsu.
Stories go that Sokka once went through a 'sexist' phase at an earlier point in time, but was quickly set straight after being beaten up by almost every single female classmate within an inch of his life. A beating that was both as comical as it was deserved, with the boomerang user almost immediately learning his lesson.
Next up was Azula and her brother Zuko. Both of them being powerful Fire benders. The former was known to be cunning, devious, manipulative and even sadistic; the latter seemed to be more withdrawn, especially after whatever incident led to the scarring on his face.
Zuko could be short tempered, but he wasn't a bad person, more than anything, it seemed like he was trying to prove something or perhaps find some part of himself.
To Naruto's knowledge, Azula and Zuko's family had strong ties that connected directly to Konoha's Fire Daimyo, though he wasn't privy to all of the details. One time, a student asked Zuko about his scars which caused the scarred boy to give said student a look that sent the poor soul running out of the room crying for his mother.
As for Azula... people gave her a wide berth since many were afraid of her, or perhaps afraid of being the fly caught in the spider's web so to speak.
Then came Toph Bei-Fong, the only daughter of an extravagantly wealthy Noble family. Despite being born blind, Toph found a workaround by using her Earth Bending to sense the vibrations in the ground through the soles of her feet which enabled her to 'see' in a certain sense.
Her senses were so fine-tuned that she had even learned how to tell when most people were lying by detecting the changes in their heart rate, breathing and even their voices. Her parents, especially her father, were highly overprotective and essentially trapped her in a gilded cage in her own home.
It did not come as a surprise to anyone when Toph snapped and threatened to tear her family compound apart in order to attend the Academy. While some may contribute this as a tantrum, she was merely expressing her desire to be her own person and not live her life confined. After a brief period of time, her parents finally caved in and allowed her to attend the Academy.
Another person of interest was a girl called Suki, the current head of an all-female militia known as the Kyoshi warriors, so named and modeled after the late Avatar Kyoshi who assisted the Shodaime Hokage in laying the foundations of Konoha long ago. Despite not being a bender or utilizing ninjutsu, Suki was an expert martial artist with many making the mistake in underestimating her.
Next came Ty Lee, another member of a noble family and a friend of Azula's. She was bubbly, sweet, and very pretty which made her extremely popular amongst the boys in class.
She was also known to be highly agile and flexible and also utilized a special form of martial arts that allowed her to block off the Chakra points in a person's body, rendering them unable to use Chakra and even paralyze them.
There are some who have debated that this fighting style was a rip-off of the Hyuuga's famed Gentle fist, but this was discredited as such techniques existed even before the Gentle Fist was officially invented. On a side note, it is said that Ty Lee has six sisters, all of them sharing an identical appearance.
Another member of a noble family was a girl named Mai, who was also friends with both Ty Lee and Azula and seemed to be rather close to Zuko. Out of all of his classmates, Mai was perhaps the one that the Uzumaki knew the least about.
She was quiet, withdrawn, and seemed bored most of the time. On another note, her aim with projectile weaponry was almost perfect. If she joined the Anbu division as an assassin, she would most likely do exceptionally well.
The whiskered teen then glanced over at two members of Korra's clique, which consisted of the Bending Brothers, Mako and Bolin who used Fire and Earth respectively.
The elder brother, Mako, was probably one of the few people that Naruto didn't like, he wasn't sure why or if there was even any basis for his dislike of the scarf wearer... maybe because something about him screamed 'Sellout' to the whiskered blonde.
It also kind of felt like Mako was riding Korra's coattails, but that was more of the blonde's own personal opinion than an actual fact. Even so, there was something about that guy that rubbed the Jinchuuriki the wrong way.
As for Bolin, the younger brother, he was a generally nice guy, if at times, rather dense. Many have described him as 'the comedy relief' of Korra's clique, a title that he seems to take with particular pride and joy, going out of his way to crack a joke or two and try to make people laugh.
Additionally, in his spare time, he would train his and Mako's pet Fire Ferret Pabu to perform tricks. Naturally, the Fire Ferret wasn't allowed to stay with the brothers during classes.
For the sake of being thorough, he glanced over at Korra's girlfriend Asami Sato to mentally go over what he knew about her. Asami was the heiress to a massive conglomerate known as Future Industries that has been working on advanced tech, said to be potentially on par with Snow country... or so they claim at least.
Rumors go that Asami's father immigrated from the land of Iron where the Samurai dwell and brought his knowledge of their weapon smithing techniques with him which allowed him to make an enormous fortune crafting weapons for the Shinobi corps before expanding into other fields such as technology.
Asami was a genius as well, who was as much a smith, inventor, and tinkerer as her dad. Some may think to call her a 'spoiled daddy's girl' or a 'rich kid' but Asami isn't the sort of person to be underestimated given that she is also a skilled martial artist and is rumored to have some experimental prototype weaponry hidden up her sleeve.
The final person of note, not counting the Shinobi Clan heirs, was a girl named Jinora, an exceptionally rare Air Bender and granddaughter of the late Avatar Aang who fought alongside the Yondaime in the previous Shinobi war despite being a staunch and vocal advocate for peace and non-violence, mostly to try and save lives rather than simply take them.
Avatar Aang even served as a close advisor to the Yondaime and an almost revered diplomat for the village. Sadly, like the Yondaime, Aang lost his life aiding the Yellow Flash in defeating the Kyuubi all those years ago.
In spite of the fact that she was a bit younger than most of the other students, Jinora was well-read and very book smart and was also a highly skilled Air Bender. Many have described her as being far more mature than most others despite her youth and often compliment her for her almost sage-like wisdom and advice.
There were even some who claimed that simply sitting next to her was enough to invoke a sense of peace and tranquility for reasons unknown.
He was broken from his long musing session as the bell rang, signaling the end of the history lecture. The students would be given a ten minute recess to stretch their legs before they were to assemble outside for today's session of class spars.
A good thing too since the whiskered teen was feeling rather stiff as he got up from his seat with many of the other students doing the same as they stretched out their limbs, the sounds of popping joints filling the air.
He cracked his neck for a brief moment and took notice of the form of a certain student approaching Korra's seat. Sasuke Uchiha, the golden boy of the Academy himself and a self-proclaimed 'Elite'.
There were persistent but unconfirmed rumors that some years back, that the Uchiha clan head Fugaku and his wife Mikoto tried to make an arranged marriage between Sasuke and Korra, but it was never finalized on account of both the fact that her parents didn't like the idea of an arranged marriage and also because the Uchiha massacre took place.
Even so, there were still some Uchiha supporters that were strongly pushing for both the Avatar and Uchiha heir to be paired together to help create the next generation of the Uchiha clan.
This wouldn't be the first time that Sasuke approached her, though in reality, it wasn't because he had any attraction to her seeing as how he never showed interest in the opposite or even the same sex, but more rather he undoubtedly viewed her and her bending abilities as potential assets to take revenge on his elder brother Itachi.
Before the Uchiha even had a chance to speak, the pony-tailed girl raised a lone finger and said in a blunt tone, "Don't bother. The answer is no. I'm not going to help you against your brother, that's your problem, not mine, and I am definitely NOT leaving my girlfriend."
Sasuke frowned and his fists tightened "Hmph. You're wasting your time with her. A woman like you should be at the side of male to bear children. You should feel honored that I am asking you to carry on the legacy of my clan and..." The Uchiha spoke only to be cut off, but it wasn't by the Avatar, her girlfriend, her clique, or even any of her admirers... but by Naruto himself.
"For the love of Kami, give it a rest Sasuke! How many times does she have to tell you no? Hell, you're asking, no, demanding in front of her girlfriend no less! Don't you have ANY shame or respect? Or is your head so far up your own ass that you don't care about the feelings of others?!" The whiskered teen stated, feeling royally pissed off by Sasuke's attitude and the fact that nobody seems willing to call him out on it.
"This has nothing to do with you, Dobe. Besides, a worthless scrub like you doesn't even have any say in Avatar or Clan business to begin with. Korra is the perfect candidate to help revive my clan, it would be in her best interests to embrace a more traditional form of relationship." Sasuke stated with a sneer, his words making a number of students gape at his words. 'Traditional relationship'? Did he seriously go there?
"Seriously?! I've heard a lot of stupid things, but this is by far the stupidest thing I've heard coming from you yet. What century are you living in? Who the hell gave you the right to talk about someone else's lifestyle and relationships?
What people do behind closed doors is entirely their business so long as they don't try and shove it down the throats of other people, and as far as I'm aware, Korra hasn't done that! So just fuck off and leave her alone!" Naruto spoke in a heated tone, feeling the blood boiling in his veins.
Out of all the people in all the village... Naruto hated Sasuke the most. Not only for his arrogance, but also his entitled attitude, and how he thinks he is somehow better than everyone else.
That he could swing his name around and expect people to bow and cater to his every whim. Perhaps what pissed off the Uzumaki the most was the fact that the self-proclaimed Elite had so many gifts and advantages, and he wasn't even grateful for any of it.
Sasuke merely smirked, an arrogant and cocky look on his face as he said "You're barking an awful lot, Dobe. I'll be sure to properly muzzle you in the upcoming spars and remind you of your place." With that said, the Uchiha turned on his heel and headed outside, no doubt already planning on beating the whiskered teen into a stain on the ground for the Dead-Last's perceived insolence.
He glared daggers at Sasuke's retreating form, deeply wishing that he could punch out the prick's pearly whites into the back of his throat. A hand gently resting on his shoulder snapped him from his thoughts and caused him to glance over to see the form of the Avatar herself who offered a kind and grateful smile.
"Hey. Thanks for stepping in. It wasn't necessary, but it was appreciated. It's Naruto, right?" She asked him at the end since this was definitely the first and only time that they had ever spoken. She had heard him being called 'Dobe' and 'Dead-last' so many times that she had nearly forgotten his actual name.
"Uhh, sure, no problem." He spoke while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, not quite sure what to say. He didn't exactly do it for the sake of thanks or recognition, but it was still nice to have someone recognize him and his efforts, even if that person was the village's prodigal and beloved Avatar.
"Awww. He's shy." Asami stated in a slightly teasing tone, which made the Uzumaki blush a little bit since it was true. He didn't exactly have much in the way of experience when it came to talking to members of the opposite sex, especially not big shots like the Avatar and her girlfriend.
Being the resident pariah and social outcast, talking to them was like talking to the stars, you couldn't get too close because they're way out of your league. Honestly speaking, he felt a bit intimidated by their lofty status and their reputations, so he wasn't quite sure what to say.
"It's kind of weird, we've been in the same class for, what? Almost a year now, and I don't really know anything about you. Not to be mean, but I have heard people call you those derogatory nicknames so many times I had a hard time remembering your real name. How about I treat you to lunch or something? Call it a small thank you for being my 'knight in shining armor'." Korra offered with a friendly grin, while she didn't need a knight, it was nice having someone stick up for her, regardless if it was or wasn't needed.
Before the Uzumaki had a chance to give an answer, much less even think of an appropriate response, he felt a hand grip him by his forearm which made the Jinchuuriki jump a bit as he looked up and saw the face of Iruka looking down at him with an unreadable expression as the teacher spoke "Naruto. Recess is almost up, you had best join everyone outside near the sparring ring."
"Oh...right. Thanks Iruka-sensei. Bye." He said, a little disappointed as he reluctantly headed outside. Truthfully, a part of him really wanted to take up the Avatar's offer and get to know her and the Sato heiress since they seemed really nice. Unlike most people, they didn't look at him as if he were an outcast or an annoyance. He kind of hoped that maybe they would be friends with him since they were far more approachable than he originally believed.
Once the whiskered teen was gone, the scarred Chunin gave the couple a disapproving look, he seemed as if he wanted to say something to them but glanced around, taking note of the other students who hadn't yet left. The teacher then grimaced and turned on his heel and left to take his position at the sparring ring. His odd behavior didn't go unnoticed by the two girls as they exchanged looks with the Avatar asking "What the heck was that all about?"
The Sato heiress shrugged, having no real idea or explanation. It was still strange though, if they didn't know any better, it seemed like the teacher had it out for the Uzumaki for some reason that was currently unknown to them. They couldn't quite put a finger on why though, as far as they were aware, Naruto never did anything to the teacher or anyone else, not counting the occasional prank that the blonde was almost infamously known for.
They both shrugged, not giving it too much thought at that very moment and decided to head out and join the other students in the courtyard, the remainder of their class following close behind them as well. When they made it outside, all of the students began to assemble around the sparring ring where the two Chunin were already standing.
The two teachers seemed to be whispering and nodding to each other. The couple looked around for Naruto and found him just off to the side... with the Uzumaki seemingly shrinking a bit under the collective death glares of the Uchiha's Fan-girls for talking back to their crush... completely ignoring the fact that their crush didn't have any interest in any of them and was trying to force the Avatar into a relationship with him. Then again, Fan-girls and groupies weren't exactly known for having rational mindsets.
They decided to continue their conversation with him after school and made their way to the crowd, awaiting for the class spars to begin. Once all the students were assembled and ready, Iruka called out "The first match will be Sasuke Uchiha versus Naruto Uzumaki." At this news, a number of the students cringed slightly. The Academy's golden boy against the 'Dead-last'? Some said that wasn't even a proper match-up, stating that Naruto couldn't possibly hold a candle to the Uchiha heir.
Sasuke himself had an arrogant smirk plastered on his face, his hands in his pockets as he confidently entered the ring. The couple both saw the Uzumaki sigh deeply as they glanced at one another and reached a silent agreement, which prompted Asami to rush over to the whiskered blonde before he entered the ring and quickly whispered something in his ear, cupping her hands over her mouth to keep others from reading her lips.
As soon as she pulled away, the Uzumaki blinked owlishly at her for a moment and nodded slowly, the Sato heiress returning the nod and took her spot next to her girlfriend once more. Both of them watched intently and crossed their fingers, hoping that what they told him would work. With that out of the way, both Naruto and Sasuke squared off in the ring, the former licking his lips a little nervously while the latter seemed to have a malicious expression as he was evidently looking forward to following through on his earlier threat.
The whiskered teen took a deep breath, glancing at the forms of both Asami and Korra who gave him encouraging expressions which seemed to help instill a sense of confidence in him as he straightened his posture. Iruka cleared his throat as he raised his hand up and then quickly brought it down as he called out "Begin!"
As most students expected, the whiskered boy charged and through a fist towards the Uchiha's face who prepared to intercept it and counter. However, what most did not expect was that Naruto pulled his fist back, making everyone realize that it was a feint and quickly followed up with a swift kick aimed at the Uchiha's shin which landed hard.
This caught Sasuke off-guard and made him cry out in pain and began hopping up and down on one leg for a moment as the blonde quickly rushed forward and shoved the raven haired boy out of the ring. The students couldn't believe their eyes. Naruto... actually beat Sasuke, the Academy's golden boy? Such a thing didn't seem possible to many of them, and yet it had actually happened.
The reactions were mixed between silent disbelief from most of the students, screams of outrage from the Uchiha Fan-girls who began to cry 'Foul' and some scattered cheers from students who were happy to see the Golden boy defeated and his unbroken winning streak finally come to an end. Nobody would admit it out loud given the large backing the Uchiha had, but there were many students who felt that Sasuke was often given special treatment and easy matches because of his status as the 'Last Loyal Uchiha'.
While both Iruka and Mizuki claimed to be impartial and refused to give preferential treatment, a large number of students firmly believed this to be a lie. However, they didn't call out the teachers on this since they were the ones that decided whether or not they earned their Shinobi headbands, not to mention there wasn't any actual physical proof of such things.
However, one could argue that this match was the ultimate proof. It was evident to all who had eyes that the two teachers were taken aback by the outcome of the match. Iruka quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat and reluctantly called out "Winner, Naruto Uzumaki!" These words earned a cheer from both Asami and Korra.
Naruto for his part couldn't help but grin from ear to ear, his cheeks almost threatening to split open. He had won, at long last, he had actually won! For so long he had been beaten down and pulverized by Sasuke. He had experienced nothing but loss after loss after loss, but this time was different. Before he had entered the ring, Asami told him that the Uchiha often forgot to watch his legs, and that his best bet was to fake him out and then kick him in his shin. This small piece of advice was just what he needed to finally earn a victory against the self-proclaimed 'Elite'.
He was so caught up in his celebration, that he failed to notice the angry glare the Uchiha sent his way. A glare which went completely unnoticed by everyone present. The self-proclaimed 'Avenger' gnashed his teeth and clenched his fists into a white knuckle grip, his fingernails digging into his hands and threatening to draw blood. He wouldn't stand for this indignity, the Dobe was supposed to be beneath him, an inferior scrub, but instead, the blonde had the gall to humiliate him in front of everyone.
The Uchiha saw red, as he mentally pictured the form of his elder brother silently mocking him with his usual stoic expression, imagining him saying something like 'If you can't beat this boy, then what hope do you have of killing me?'. His mind was swimming in rage, anger, and hatred. It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to end like this. He was supposed to be the victor, the prodigy, he was supposed to win. He refused to allow a loser like the Dead-Last to beat him.
Sasuke leapt to his feat and charged at the blonde with a cry of 'Look out!' snapping the Jinchuuriki out of his celebration and allowed him to see the oncoming Uchiha who was rearing his fist back. Time seemed to slow down for the Uzumaki as he threw his hands forward to try and shove back the 'Elite'... to his and everyone else's surprise, a powerful gust of air sent Sasuke flying away, sending him rolling across the ground.
There was a long collective and pregnant pause as everyone witnessed this turn of events. "He just... he just used Air Bending." A random student managed to squeak out in awe with many of the other students openly staring with slack-jawed expressions.
The Jinchuuriki looked down at his hands and muttered to himself "I can Air Bend?" he then began to grin from ear to ear once again as he shouted excitedly "I can freaking Air Bend!" The blonde was elated beyond belief, his heart practically soaring through the clouds.
Once more, his celebration was cut short as he noticed the Uchiha who had regained his footing and seemed to be readying himself to try and attack him again. The whiskered blonde took on a readied stance to defend himself... only for a set of massive walls of rock to appear from the earth, becoming a makeshift cage for Sasuke.
"I think that's enough of that. Match is over." Spoke the form of Toph as she stepped forward, her expression showing that she wouldn't allow further violence. While the Blind girl enjoyed a good rough and tumble match, things had gotten a little out of hand, and if the teachers weren't going to do anything about it, then she would.
The Uzumaki relaxed and gave a relieved sigh, knowing that if things had kept escalating then it would have gotten ugly. "Good boy." Toph spoke with a pleased expression and gave him an approving thumbs-up for his compliance. She didn't need her earth bending abilities to tell her that the kid was a good egg, she could tell from the way he held himself and how he stood up for Korra earlier.
From within the prison of rock, the muffled screams of outrage could be heard from the self-proclaimed Elite. While his exact words couldn't be discerned, it was easy to guess that he was likely going on a tirade about his imagined superiority and that he shouldn't have lost.
"Someone mind calling the Hokage? I think this may qualify as a 'situation'." The blind bender spoke as she used Air quotations to emphasize her point. The reason for classifying this turn of events was two-fold.
First, Naruto was revealed to be an Air Bender. Second and perhaps more importantly... the teachers had failed to perform their duties properly and keep everything under control. No doubt their lack of action would have consequences. Had Sasuke gotten the idea of using one of his Fire Jutsu, someone could have gotten hurt badly.
In the background, one Azula had a sly grin on her face as she crossed her arms beneath her bust and chuckled a bit. Her reaction being noticed by her brother who asked "What's so amusing?"
The girl often hailed as the Fire Princess smiled even wider as she answered her sibling "Well Zu-Zu... I have a feeling that the monotony of this backwater school has finally been broken. I am strongly confident that things may start to get interesting from here on."
Later.
Naruto sat in relative silence, now finding himself in a nondescript classroom with the Sandaime having taken a seat at a teacher's desk. The aged Hokage's expression was hard and razer sharp, his fingers laced together as his eyes scanned the other occupants in the room.
Not long after Sasuke's attempted assault and Naruto accidentally showcasing his bending, the Hokage had been summoned thanks to the quick work of one Suki who sprinted all the way to the Sandaime's office in record time. She was almost unnaturally fleet footed due to her training in the Kyoshi warriors before joining the Academy.
The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was strongly certain that she might be even faster and more agile than he was, and he was capable of running circles around most Chunin after a pranking spree, but he digressed.
He glanced around, taking note of the other occupants of the classroom. Standing next to the Sandaime was his personal bodyguard and current Anbu captain, a woman with long purple hair that was codenamed 'Neko' due to her distinctive cat mask.
The others consisted of Korra, Asami, Ty Lee, Jinora, Katara, and Sokka. All of whom were brought in as witnesses to the prior events. Then there was Sasuke himself and the Chunin teachers, who were no doubt going to be grilled about their actions and inactions in the aforementioned events.
So far, the Sandaime had said nothing, he hadn't even asked any questions. He was just sitting there, staring at everyone. Most likely he wanted to make them sweat a bit before asking anything. Not that it bothered the Uzumaki himself or the other witnesses, after all, they had nothing to hide.
He then began to muse on his unexpected but not unwelcome display of Air Bending. In all his life, he had never once known, experienced, or even shown any signs of bending before today. To his knowledge, most children often displayed signs of bending pretty early on in their lives.
A child sneezing and accidentally creating a powerful blast of wind or column of fire. A kid playing around at the playground and accidentally moving the earth or creating holes in the ground. A child in the bathtub, unknowingly manipulating the water in unnatural ways or even freezing their parents in ice without meaning to. Things of that nature.
Of course the keywords here were 'Most Children'. While it was uncommon, it wasn't unheard of for children to not gain their bending until later in life. However, he didn't know of any kids that failed to display their bending until their teens like himself. He supposed that he may have been one of the less lucky ones that may have slipped through the cracks.
It was still a nice surprise though. With this gift, he could have a much needed advantage in his Shinobi career... also, he had heard stories that those who achieved full master of Air Bending could gain the ability to fly as freely as a bird. A power that would be as useful as it was thrilling.
He broke off his musing as he looked at the forms of Sasuke and the teachers. The former had his arms crossed and seemed to be brooding to himself... as per usual, though he seemed unusually calm. Possibly because, in his own mind, the King of Brood had done nothing wrong and that the Hokage would side with him.
The two Chunin however, were shivering and sweating bullets as they exchanged nervous looks. Almost as if they were trying to silently communicate to find a way to weasel their way out of their situation. Yeah, good luck with that. They weren't fooling anyone with the way they were acting.
The only sound in the room was the ticking of a nearby clock hanging on the wall, if the Uzumaki's count was right, it had been about fifteen or so minutes since everyone had gathered, and still not a word was spoken... until at last the silence was broken when Iruka blurted out "Hokage-sama, please allow me to explain. I..."
The scarred teacher was cut off when the Sandaime raised a hand, his eyes narrowing dangerously since it seemed that the Chunin had cracked. If there was one thing that the old Hokage hated, it was when people tried to give excuses, especially when those excuses turned out to be blatant lies.
While he did not always blame people for their mistakes, as he had made more than a few himself... the Sandaime did expect people to pay for said mistakes.
He cleared his throat and turned towards the Avatar, requesting that she give her account of what had transpired. The ponytailed teen cleared her throat and started off with Sasuke harassing her, which was a regular occurrence, she spoke of how Naruto came to her's and Asami's defense.
Then she summarized what happened during the match, with the raven haired woman offering Naruto some much-needed advice as a 'Thank you' for his help earlier and then ended her account with Naruto's victory, Sasuke's attempted assault, and the blonde's accidental discovery of his bending abilities.
Asami then gave her own account, almost matching Korra word for word. One by one, the other witnesses each corroborated the story, while they didn't hear the advice that Asami gave to the Jinchuuriki though they did confirm that she had said something to him just prior to the match.
The Uzumaki wondered if he was going to be questioned about what had transpired. He received his answer as the Hokage leaned back and said in an even tone "I believe I have heard enough. Sasuke? Would you care to explain why you attacked your classmate after the match had been called?"
In the background, the Uzumaki leaned forward in his seat, already taking an educated guess for how the Clan heir would respond. Normally, the whiskered teen didn't like the idea of stereotypes. He hated summarizing and lumping people together based on whatever their shared traits may be.
Some people may argue that stereotypes are a gross generalization and a misconception. Others may claim that it is the recognition of certain patterns.
Regardless of the case, Naruto believed that there were some people in the world that are so lacking in character and moral fiber that they can only be defined as a stereotype. If there was ever such an example... Sasuke would definitely be it.
"Hn. I was the one that was supposed to win. The Dobe cheated. I demand a rematch with him. I refuse to let this humiliation go unanswered." The Uchiha spoke as he glared daggers at the whiskered teen who could only shake his head. Yup. A stereotypical Uchiha indeed. Arrogant and entitled as they came.
"I wouldn't call using some friendly advice as 'cheating'. Also, regardless of the results, once the match is concluded, that is that. Which reminds me..." The Hokage muttered as he turned his attention to the teachers.
"Why was it that one of your own students had to intervene? Are you incapable of controlling your students or is there something else? Because if it's the latter... I'll want to hear it." Hiruzen demanded as he gave the two a piercing gaze.
He was already displeased with them when Suki came to his office and informed him of what had happened. It was their duty to maintain order and control, and they had failed in that regard.
It was why Chunin teachers worked in pairs, to help maintain order and security for the safety of the students. Mizuki and Iruka weren't perfect, they had their flaws. But he expected them to do their duty, and thus far, they have been lacking.
"We had no idea that Sasuke planned to attack Naruto once the match had ended. He just lashed out." Iruka spoke as he tried to explain things from his and his partner's perspective. While his words weren't untrue, there was a small problem there.
"Perhaps, but you couldn't react in time? Don't tell me you have both gotten soft? A pair of Chunin worth their salt should be able to handle some Academy students without any real issue." The Sandaime questioned as he drummed his fingers against the top of the desk.
"I think I have heard enough. As for the match results... they stand. Sasuke is hereby suspended from the Academy for a month for assaulting Naruto. Mizuki and Iruka? You are both suspended as well, pending a proper investigation and evaluation of your teaching abilities.
As for you Naruto, congratulations are in order. You are going to join the Benders Training Camp. I do hope you enjoy yourself." The Sandaime spoke at the end with a broad smile.
This news put a beaming grin on the Uzumaki's face and stars in his eyes. He had heard of the Benders Training Camp. It was a special area where Benders could better learn and practice their abilities outside of the Konoha Academy.
Technically speaking, Benders didn't need to attend the Academy if they did not wish to, though it was strongly encouraged for them to do so, at least from time to time, so that they may bond with and connect with their Non-Bending peers.
The camp was held in a special training ground on the other side of the Hokage Mountain in an area where they could freely practice undisturbed in an environment that the Academy itself couldn't provide. It was also headed by a number of Master Benders as well to help teach more advanced techniques as well.
There were even dormitories for the students to stay in so that they wouldn't need to walk to and from home and back to the training camp, day after short, it was practically a paradise for him. A place that he could train far away without the influence of Iruka to impede his progress.
"I strongly advise that you go home for the rest of the day and pack your things, Naruto-kun." The Sandaime suggested with a widening grin, which caused the whiskered teen to eagerly nod and rush out of the door to do as the Hokage advised.
In the background, the other Benders were chuckling a bit to themselves since it would be nice to have some fresh blood at the camp, and Naruto seemed like a good sort of person to have around. Additionally, it wasn't often that an Air Bender was found, and Jinora herself was looking forward to having another student with the same element as her to train with.
The Following Morning.
Naruto woke up in his apartment, despite only getting a scarce few hours of sleep due to his excitement, he felt refreshed and bursting with energy. He could hardly wait to begin his training in the bending arts and perhaps make some new friends. The blonde had already packed most of his clothes, undergarments, and some other personal belongings that he wished to take with him.
He put on his usual orange jumpsuit and then hefted the large backpack over his shoulders, only to then briefly wonder how he was supposed to find the training camp. He knew it was somewhere behind the Hokage Mountain, but its exact location wasn't known to him. He decided to go directly to the Sandaime and ask him for directions, or at the very least a map to help show him the way.
He opened the door and was greeted by the form of a kindly old man with a moustache, wearing the garments of a monk with a distinctive blue arrow tattooed on his head. The blonde recognized him as a member of the Air Nomads, a sect of monks that practiced their arts high up in the mountains, far away from the influence of the other Shinobi villages due to their pacifistic nature.
Though there were some who remained amongst the villages to help spread their teachings of peace, and to aid in the training of other Air Benders. "Greetings, my young friend. I am Monk Gyatso. The Hokage thought it prudent that I should come to collect you and take you to Bending camp. A request that I happily agreed to. It is not often that I get to meet a new Air Bender, much less a new student." The aged monk spoke in a cheerful tone and gave a respectful bow to the blonde.
The whiskered teen instantly recalled the name of the monk. Gyatso was the master of the late Avatar Aang, who was known for both his wisdom and kindness and was revered as one of the greatest Air Bending masters. The whiskered teen couldn't have possibly asked for a better teacher. "It's an honor to meet you Gyatso-Sensei. I am looking forward to training under you." The Uzumaki replied as he bowed low, the gesture earning a small laugh from the monk.
"Please, please. No need to bow or be so formal. Simply 'Gyatso' shall do. Now come along. The sooner we reach our destination, the better." The monk stated as he then gestured behind him towards a large beast, a legendary Sky Bison.
The Jinchuuriki gaped in awe at the sight of the large creature. He had heard stories of the Sky Bison, the lifelong friends and favored mounts of the Air Nomads. The Bison were creatures capable of flight, able to traverse across the nations with ease due to their flying abilities. Back in the days of the Bloody Clan Wars, the poor creatures were nearly hunted to extinction, but were rescued by the Nomads.
Since then, the Air Nomads have been working hard to slowly bring the Bison out of endangerment. To be able to ride such a creature was considered an immense honor. The aged monk leapt up high in the air with the assistance of his bending, softly landing atop the Bison's head where the reins were. He then summoned a powerful gale that blew the Uzumaki off of his feet sent him flying in the air until he landed in the large saddle attached to the Bison's back, which made the blonde laugh a bit.
The monk gave a pleased smile and snapped the reins of his bison as he called out 'Yip-Yip' which prompted the flying beast to immediately take to the skies and begin to sail over the village. The Uzumaki watched in amazement as the bison lifted off of the ground and the village seemed to shrink in the distance as they soared higher and higher with their flying mount slowly floating over the mountain range.
"At full speed, we could easily reach our destination in a few minutes, but I thought it best to take things slowly. Not only to enjoy this magnificent view, but to begin your first lesson." The aged Monk spoke as he joined his new student in the saddle and sat down in a lotus position, entrusting his bison to carry them without his guidance.
The whiskered teen gave a beaming grin as he set his backpack aside and took a readied stance "Cool! So what're we learning first? How to make cyclones? To manipulate the clouds to make storms? How to blast people high into the sky?" Naruto asked in an obviously excited tone, which seemed to amuse his new mentor.
"Calm yourself, dear boy. Such lessons come later. For now, we must work on the basics, the foundation to your teachings. I shall teach you to use this and this…" Gyatso explained and then tapped a finger to the blonde's head and heart before continuing to speak "And then you shall learn to use these." The monk finished while pointing towards the Uzumaki's hands.
The Jinchuuriki tilted his head and looked rather perplexed at his sensei, asking a rather obvious question. "But Gyatso, I thought Air Bending was all about the hands? What's the deal with focusing on my head and heart?" The blonde wondered out loud, since that had always been what he had heard, that Air Bending was all about using the arms and hands, much the same as any other form of bending..
"That is but a tiny piece of it. Before you can learn the bending arts, you must understand them, and you must learn to use your mind and your heart before learning to use your fists. You cannot truly bend air, or any element without understanding what it is. That is why today's lesson is one of philosophy and reflection." Gyatso spoke in a calm tone, his voice carrying a soothing quality.
He then stroked his moustache and continued to speak in gentle lecturing tone "Fire is the element of Emotion and Power, those who possess this element are passionate and have the drive and will to achieve what they want, but their passions can run hot and become the object of their obsession. Earth is the element of Substance and the Body, like the many different kinds of materials in the earth, they are diverse and strong, persistent and enduring, but can be rigid, stubborn, and slow to change.
Air is the element of Freedom and Spirit. Air Nomads such as myself have detached ourselves from worldly concerns in the pursuit of freedom, peace, and enlightenment. Those who possess this element have an open mind and free spirit, able to see the world in ways that others can't, but they can be fickle and lack focus. Water is the element of Change and the Mind, those who possess this element are highly adaptable, and are capable of being as gentle or as ferocious as the oceans themselves."
"That sounds like stuff that an Avatar should learn." Naruto noted with a raised eyebrow since only an Avatar could learn how to harness all four of the Elements. His comment earned a slow nod from the monk.
"You are not wrong. However, an old friend of mine once stated that 'if you learn from only one source then that knowledge can become rigid and stale'. By learning aspects of different forms of bending, one can better understand them and find new inspiration to hone their skills and advance to higher, greater, and more advanced forms of bending." Gyatso explained as he smiled warmly at his young student.
The whiskered teen hummed thoughtfully, seeing a great deal of sense in his teacher's words. "I think I kind of get it. I promise you, I'll do my best to be a good student." The blonde stated and the monk smiled broadly.
"Excellent, but for now, I believe it's time for a break. We have almost arrived." The monk stated and gestured for the Jinchuuriki to come close and join him, the two sitting together in silence as they approached their destination. The Uzumaki could see an array of buildings, and a range of different biomes for benders to train in, ranging from rocky canyons, lush forests, a series of small mountains, a large lake, a snowy tundra, and even a burning hot volcanic wasteland with flowing lava.
It was a bender's paradise to learn and grow. "Welcome, young Naruto. Welcome to the Benders Training Camp. Today is the start of a brand new chapter in your life." Gyatso stated in a cheery tone, the blonde nodding eagerly as he knew that this would be a fresh and new start for him. This would mark the first day in his life where he would be able to learn and grow and get stronger, so that he may pursue his dreams.
End Chapter one.