Chapter 3: The Rumors About Us
"All gods who receive homage are cruel. All gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise, they would not be worshipped. Half gods are worshipped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood."
― Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Hinata
"Are you ready Lady Hinata? Dr. Hashijimi does have other patients she needs to attend to within the manor and then at the hospital." Natsu questions from behind the door.
It's late November now, sun lighting fiery red and honey yellow leaves in the garden, nights cold enough to burrow into the thicker quilts.
Hinata clenches up her fists before slowly unwinding them, peers at her reflection quickly wiping away tears. Dr. Hashijimi has been the Hyūga family doctor for years, a distant cousin of Father's who has taken care of previous colds, coughs, and flus both she and Hanabi have had.
And so, it makes sense she would come by today to ensure she's in perfect health to be sacrificed next month, that there is nothing out of place to report back to Lord Third and his advisors.
'Is this really happening? Can't they push this back until December at least?' She bites her lip.
Nearly every night now she tiptoes through moonlight and shadow to listen to Father's meetings with The Elders and Lord Third's board members on how this process of being sacrificed will apparently happen, things nobody is willing to tell her to expect or assume.
Soon, she will just be a memory here in the compound...
Natsu knocks again, louder than before.
"Lady Hinata, can I please let Dr. Hashijimi in?"
Hinata clears her throat. "Y-Yes, go ahead!"
Dr. Hashijimi greets her with a warm smile she shakily returns, sitting opposite of her upon her tatami mats.
"You look well Little Miss! Master Hiashi didn't tell me how tall you've gotten!" She marvels, Hinata nodding dutifully while pouring and passing her a cup of green tea.
Hashijimi accepts the cup, white eyes softening.
"Let's get some basics out of the way. Has your monthly cycle started? Any hormonal or medical issues to report?"
Her cheeks grow hot, nodding. "It started back in late spring, early summer this year. I haven't had any concerns or problems health wise."
Hashijimi nods, pulls out her stethoscope, a tongue depressor, metal prongs, a cloudy vial with a syringe, and a mix of other medical supplies she doesn't recognize from her bag that make her stomach lurch.
'Why does she need all that?' Her heartbeat thrums louder.
"Alright Lady Hinata, please lay back so I can do my full head to toe assessment. I'll need to write up a full report to both Master Hiashi and Lord Third on how you're doing."
Hinata reluctantly nods, doing as she wants unfurling out of her kimono, shutting her eyes as eyes mirroring her own scrutinize her mouth, ears, and nose. Fingers press gently against her chest down to her stomach, searching for any major cuts or bruises that will need to be healed up before she's fully presented.
"Good. Good. I see some tiny bruises, but I assume those come from your training regimen. You're at the Academy now, right? Have you started taking missions yet?" Hashijimi's voice floats from somewhere above her.
"Umm, N-No, not yet. I must take the final exams first to officially become a genin and then be assigned to a 3-man squad." Hinata stutters out.
She opens her eyes slightly to see Hashijimi's flat look, warmth gone replaced with a clinical dryness she must use for all her patients.
"I'm sure you'll do fine, the transformation jutsu is one of the basics. Knowing that information, your purity should be intact. But nonetheless, I need to check per Master Hiashi's orders."
"W-What? I haven't been-, I mean there's no reason for Father to think such a thing. C-Can't I talk to him first?" Hinata whispers in surprise.
Hashijimi nods her agreement, though doesn't move from her position. "It's already been decided even if I agree with you Little Miss. Alas, he wants to be sure there's no hiccups in the process of this sacrifice going through."
Hinata feels her blood freeze, curls backwards from her touch, manages to shove one hand away making her wince only for Hashijimi to jab into her leg with her opposite one, force her to stay in place as a stinging coldness runs into her veins. Her breath quickens, scream swallowed as Hashijimi puts a warm cloth against her mouth.
A numbness comes over her like a wave, vision blurring with dark spots.
"It's meditation hour currently Lady Hinata, surely you don't want to interrupt your Father with a yelp, right? You've already stoked the flames of his ire today by messing up your attack pattern in your sparring session earlier."
Still, Hinata squirms from her hold, knocks over utensils as her aid comes in to keep her place, tears rolling down her cheeks as she moves to assess her lower body.
Hashijimi gives her a mild comforting look, passes her a tissue she merely tears up in her hands.
"Little Miss, this will go by much more quickly if you don't panic or clench up."
"Get up." Naruto orders, jolting backwards when Hinata's fingers move forward to pierce air.
And if had been a second earlier, his face.
Hinata's breath comes in pants, looking around with a wildly dark look he's never seen upon her face.
This isn't her room in the compound.
A dream. Just another dream.
Naruto sends her a puzzled look as her shoulders sag, heat pouring into her cheeks. "Are you having nightmares again y'know?"
Hinata stiffens, knees curling to her chest forcing the memory away.
"Y-Yes, No." She murmurs.
Fear is a weakness, can be used against her whether in a fight or in inadvertently slipping out intel.
Naruto sighs, sinks into his sofa beside her.
Tentatively, he pats her hand, retracting it when she finally looks his way.
"You don't need to be so worried, at least while you're here in the apartment."
Hinata nods slowly, knows this even if her mind remains listless and unsettled.
Naruto pokes into her arm. "Is it your Old Man you're seeing in these nightmares or something? Or your asshole cousin?" It's hard to tell who she's afraid of more, the cousin who promises to kill her at some point or the Father who abandoned her out of a perceived weakness.
He's spent enough time around her now though to know that outside of her sister and old caretaker, both men occupy her thoughts quite often with memories of their cruel words.
Hinata shakes her head, not wanting to bother him with her worries, but also badly wanting to spill this upset out of her chest. "Neither this time. It... It was the Hyūga family doctor assessing me to ensure I was in a healthy condition to be the sacrifice-"
"Look, you're not just the 'sacrifice' as you keep calling yourself. You're Hinata, you just need to show yourself that first and then everyone else." Naruto cuts her off with a snort.
His expression darkens at her unsure look. "You're going to need more confidence or else you'll drag your team down. At worse, die before you truly get stronger."
'I know. I know.' Hinata purses her lips at his flat look.
Today is her first true team exercise with Kiba and Shino, Kurenai-sensei planning to test their search and rescue skills under pressure via a timed test.
She can't let either of them down, let herself down.
Naruto yawns, Hinata padding after him into the kitchen. It's early still, sun a weak sliver on the horizon amid a rise of orange and violet hues. Sleep tugs at her, though she pushes the idea away knowing what could await her again in her dreams.
"You're not eating breakfast?" Hinata questions as she gets to preparing a mix of toast, miso soup, and egg for herself.
Naruto shakes his head, leaning his head against his palm. "No, Kakashi-sensei said to hold off on breakfast."
But it's hard to ignore the way his stomach growls from the scent of spices and broth filling the air, considers what would happen if he ate a light snack...
Hinata is the better cook of them, can even turn his plain bowls of ramen into culinary dishes he's only ever seen in advertisements.
Still, would Kakashi-sensei know if he ate something? Smell it on his breath?
'It must be a thinking challenge, hunger as a way to distract and cloud the mind.'
He comes up behind Hinata eliciting a light squeak out of her, grabbing a slice of rolled egg from her plate.
What Kakashi-sensei doesn't know won't hurt him.
Hiruzen- Hokage's Office
"Are you sure about this Lord Third? It's already highly unprecedented that you're okay with him becoming a shinobi." Homura questions, rubbing his chin as dozens of scenarios come to mind.
All of them spell disaster.
Where is Danzo? Surely, he can talk some sense into his old friend and teammate if they can't.
Koharu nods her agreement. "What are you thinking Sarutobi? Without him in the village as a safeguard, there's an opportunity for all the other nations to attack us!"
Hiruzen holds up a hand before their complaints and worries can snowball into rambles. "You two have nothing to worry about; I'm aware of the risks. Would you rather I stoke the flames of Naruto's ire and jeopardize the village by forcing him to stay? One good sacrificial gift isn't enough to assume his mood will be calm for the rest of the year."
Homura goes silent, glances to Koharu who equally can't find the words to argue against him.
"Look, we've had successful harvests and mild seasons for years now give or take a few bad weeks of Naruto being in a dark spell of rage. Letting him become a shinobi will help foster his loyalty to Konoha. Plus, with Kakashi as his squad's leader, I trust he'll keep him in line should any of the Nine Tail's powers leak out."
Because Naruto could've easily called on the beast within him to truly desecrate the forests destroying both livestock and crops, upend Earth killing both civilian and shinobi in his way with how dismal their previous offerings have been.
Not to mention all the secrets they've continued to keep from him...
Koharu blanches, skin taking on a sheen of white.
"I don't understand where this confidence is coming from to treat him as an actual shinobi and not as the Nine Tails still just because he finally passed the graduation exams. He's Konoha's weapon first and foremost-"
"And also holds a deity that has so far, not caused any major damage to the village since being sealed in him. The yearly sacrificial gifts we've given Naruto throughout the years though not great, have clearly sufficed enough to prevent any new demonic tendencies from showing up." Hiruzen interrupts.
Koharu peers to Homura for help, but his shoulders have already sunken in defeat.
Hiruzen waves them out. "Let's not argue over this any longer. I've made my decision and have paperwork and afternoon meetings with the head of Konoha's banking and market districts in an hour."
He waits until the pair is gone before slumping in his chair, glancing to his crystal ball to see Naruto heading for the training grounds to meet his Team.
His break-in comes to mind, unbidden now that he's alone.
"Ah, what brings you here so late Hinata?" Hiruzen questions.
Hinata fidgets under his gaze, lilac eyes shifting to the ground.
Hiruzen takes in mini cuts to her arms, thin crescents of red, tears brimming in her eyes.
"I, um, well I wondered if you could appeal to my Father one last time concerning my duty as the sacrifice." She begins softly.
The words stumble out clumsily and quietly, pink splashing across her face at his chuckle, pat to her head only making her tremble.
"That is already said and done Hinata. He's signed and completed all the necessary paperwork and I won't ask him to go back on that. Is this perhaps related to how Naruto's been treating you?"
Hinata shakes her head too quickly at hearing his name, gesturing with her hands in a light tapping motion that makes his brows furrow.
'A signal?'
He turns to look over his shoulder to see a flash of blond by his bookshelf, scrolls and books strapped to his back.
Naruto.
He smiles casually, wicked grin etching up at him before nodding brightly at Hinata.
"Good thing it's an open secret that you're such a dirty old perv, can't resist trying to always be nice to girls; huh?! Great job distracting the Old Man Hinata! The tears really sold it y'know!"
And then he leaps into the dark.
Hiruzen peers back to Hinata, face now dry, stepping back avoiding his gaze.
"You helped him to steal-" Hiruzen begins but Hinata is already moving back into the night as well, murmuring a string of apologies.
"Sorry for lying, please don't let this get back to my former clan. I...I don't want Hanabi to know about this."
His grabs for his pipe, tobacco doing little to calm his nerves as a thin sheen of gray smoke begins to waft around him.
Dark eyes switch to his window, sees the duo just outside the main entrance.
Plotting.
Homura clicks his tongue as he walks down the steps, Koharu nodding her agreement at his silent questioning. It was foolish of them to go to Hiruzen first when he holds somewhat of a soft spot for their village's jinchuriki.
They need to check in with Danzo now.
Hinata
"So, what's it like being enslaved, no, I guess the better word would be beholden to the monster of Konoha?" Kiba pries.
Monster. Devil. Demon.
He's said a variety of titles in regard to Naruto besides his actual name.
"It's...okay?" Hinata murmurs, words escaping her on any other way to describe it.
Kiba snickers, leaning his head to his palm. "Oh, really? My sis said that when she was younger, the jinchuriki of our village was known for a violent temper, destroyed all these businesses and shops with the flick of a finger when they got a crappy sacrificial gift one year."
Hinata considers what she's seen of Naruto's darker moods, he probably could do the same, probably has wanted to do so, but hasn't.
He willingly trained with her after all, wants her to improve as well.
"I'm going out to the backwoods while there's still sunlight out." Naruto mentions over breakfast.
It's early January, Konoha in the midst of near daily snow flurries and ice rain. Nobody wants to venture out in this weather unless absolutely necessary for food or healthcare, missions even put on hold to wait for warmer weather shortly after the Rinne Festival ended and planned New Year festivities ramped up.
The village is layered in white, clouds a steel gray from morning to night.
But today is slightly better, overnight rain that froze the grasslands melting under thin streams of a blood orange sunrise.
A rare opportunity to head out.
Hinata straightens, relaxes her hands.
"I'll go with you." She decides.
It's a chance to see how he hunts, trains, and fishes. All skills nobody in the Hyūga clan really taught her about on how to survive in the wilderness.
Without the protection of a guard.
Naruto looks up from his tea, eyes narrowing with a scoff. "You're just going to slow me down."
"I won't! And I really do want to improve! You've...You've never had a training partner, right? W-We could point out each other's strengths and weaknesses, so we'll be better prepared on future missions." Hinata assures him quickly, had been suspecting he could refuse her offer.
Naruto twiddles with his chopsticks, features a mix of discontent and interest.
She fidgets under the intensity of his stare, but pearl eyes don't waver this time from his cerulean, awaiting an answer.
"...Fine, however, I'm not going easy on you. That's the only way you'll get stronger y'know." Naruto decides after a moment.
Hinata happily nods, more so just eager to get away from the gray and white walls of his apartment.
Ice and snow crunch under their feet as they trek the long way towards Konoha's forests, frost dangles from the trees and autumn leaves, a white overlay to yellows, browns, and reds.
Naruto turns and loops around a few more trees before they reach open grasslands, Hinata breathing in the scent of pine and shrubs.
He gets into position a few feet away, Hinata changing her stance to one of offense.
"Shadow clone jutsu!"
Just like he said, Naruto doesn't hold back, sends her a brutish launch of kicks and punches. The first of his shadow clones comes from her left, Hinata moving and piercing straight for the chest before she can collapse.
It disappears in a puff of smoke, second Naruto approaching from behind.
"Come on Hinata, you have to be faster than that!"
Hinata twists, ducks low just as the original Naruto comes in ready from her right, throws a burst of wind that nearly topples her down to the snow and ice.
She jabs into his shoulder before she can fully fall and Naruto winces as his chakra network shuts down to his dominant side. They leap back from each other, breaths turning into pants.
Naruto pauses, rolls his neck. "Huh, guess I'm learning some stuff from you after all."
Hinata nods, steadying her breathing. "Your chakra control and taijutsu are...not very good. Though, I think your opponent would have a hard time anyways dealing with your stamina and would burn out before you or lose to your unorthodox methods of attack."
Naruto arches a brow, laughs gently. "Geez Hinata, pretty blunt of you."
She reddens instantly and his features switch to one of amusement, plopping down beside her. "No, you make some good points. I see we're both close-range fighters. You'll need to work on your speed and stamina. Beating your asshole cousin or anybody else will need to involve you using your nature affinities of fire and lightning more, abilities nobody would see coming from you. We gotta improve on our genjutsu skills as well, maybe Kurenai-sensei can give you a few tips you can pass along."
Hinata nods at his advice, Naruto's gaze turning skyward thoughtfully.
Ribbons of vermilion and gold pour over the forest slowly, ice seeming to crackle awake at the coming sunlight across the field.
"I'm gonna find a way to learn more about my clan outside of Old Man Third finding out. Probably going to need to steal another scroll or a few books from the library." He decides.
Hinata eyes him carefully, thinking of his options. "You mean the Uzumaki clan, right? We...We can get a seal of approval from our jonin instructors or Lord Third perhaps? Considering we're genin now?"
Naruto snorts and his expression becomes unreadable to her once more, gaze abruptly twisting to her as a streak of scarlet crosses through blue.
"Do you really think a silly piece of paper is going to help? No way I'll go to Old Man Third considering all his probable lies and refusals to speak about my own parents. The last time I went to the library that old hag Yumika trailed me around worried I was going to cause an earthquake just for walking inside."
His hands grip at her arm, crescents forming in her skin ensuring she keeps her gaze on him. Her whole-body thrums with pain, the knowing that by tonight, she'll be sporting bruises of varying sizes across her skin.
"You're going to get these looks now too; don't forget. The Hyūga name, even if you no longer officially have it, means little to the civilians y'know."
Hinata purses her lips, knows this in the way people have already looked at her since that fateful night.
With fear; with pity; with annoyance.
"I know Naruto that my former clan title won't change my situation and it hasn't stopped me from trying to leave your place; has it?" She launches back.
"...Only because of your duty as a sacrifice and that you have nowhere else to go." Naruto sneers.
"No, because it's like you said, I'm not just a 'sacrifice', right? You could've forced me to leave weeks ago, but you haven't. You don't have to be concerned if I'll abandon you as well." Hinata mentions softly.
Lilac bores into cobalt, truth of his true worries out in the open making him stiffen for once and look away.
Neither speak further and Naruto's light growl of his stomach causes him to fully drop his hold on her.
Hinata hesitates for only a moment before gently patting his hands, pointing to batches of yarrow, parsley, and bellflower growing near the groves that the grasslands spill into.
"How about we do a bit of foraging and then start heading back? Once we're back at the apartment, I can show you how to make a soup with them."
Naruto blanches, features twisting to disgust. "If you put all those vegetables and herbs in it, I'll throw it out. I'm not going to eat it y'know."
Yes, that's not the first time he's told her that.
Because he's refused to touch any of the various green beans, herbs, and peppers that she's bought from the vendors that don't look at her with pity or outright fear knowing her ties now to their village's jinchuriki. It's considered bad luck to interact with a sacrifice once given away, fear such misery will spread to their businesses, families, or friends.
Naruto's stubbornness has been an obstacle and the little ryo from her missions are going to waste.
Still, she needs to try.
"I'm getting tired of ramen." Hinata admits softly and Naruto bristles hearing her anyways.
"Nobody's forcing you to eat it y'know!" He snaps, harsher than he intended when Hinata purses her lips.
Instead, she moves to stand, heading to collect the herbs at least to use them for medicinal purposes if not for culinary. She hides a smile hearing Naruto's footsteps patter after her in the frost a moment later to help.
"You might pick a poisonous mushroom." He grumbles at her questioning look, directing them to the east.
Back at the apartment, she delegates Naruto to cutting the parsley and morel mushrooms they collected, dropping a slab of butter onto one of his pans while the stove crackles to life.
Naruto's curious stare weighs on her back watching her, observes as she carefully sprinkles in salt and pepper before stirring in the herbs until they turn a crispy brown.
Hinata turns off the stove and turns to him, ignores the rush of her heart in her ears passing him a sauteed morel.
"Try it." She gently orders.
For a second, she assumes Naruto will roughly push it out of her hands or throw away all her efforts into the trash like he declared he would earlier. Instead, he reluctantly grabs the piece, biting off a slice.
Hinata doesn't bother hiding her giggle at the look of wonder that instantly lights up his eyes, grabbing a second and third piece.
"I didn't know vegetables could actually taste good y'know!'
Kiba snorts at her explanation. "One time doesn't count! Besides, he harmed you in the process of his anger! I wouldn't think much of it, and you shouldn't either."
"For once, Kiba has a point. Why? Because you shouldn't be focusing on your status as the sacrifice, instead work to be a better kunoichi and grow on our team." Shino adds.
It's a relief neither treat her like she's made of glass, that they overall don't care about her ties to their village's jinchuriki now.
His gaze focuses on the forest ahead, Kurenai's body appearing right out of branch and leaves.
She nods back at Shino. "I see you've been using your bugs to keep track of my scent since we came out here; good! You'll all be using your strengths whether it be marking your scent to your environment or using your vision to track an enemy." Kurenai explains while looking at Kiba and Hinata respectively.
Kurenai gestures with a head nod into the deeper parts of the woods where sunlight doesn't reach.
"Search and rescue operations can be called for a variety of reasons but are most commonly used for missing or rogue shinobi, injured personnel, and elderly/children lost. In this case scenario, you'll have exactly 2 hours to find my copy I left behind and ensure safe passage back to the entrance here.
Kiba chuckles, cracking his fists while Akamaru barks eagerly. "Hmph, Akamaru and I may not even need a full hour to finish this!"
Shino meanwhile unleashes a black river of beetles, commands them to get ready to hunt down Kurenai's scent once again from the deeper parts of the forest.
Hinata activates her byakugan, notes dark holes and foliage that's been shifted.
Kurenai smirks, snaps her fingers to regain their attention. "I wouldn't be so certain about rushing out there. Remember you're a team, and a majority of rescue operations aren't done solo!"
She raises a hand up, meets each of their eyes before giving a nod.
"And one more note of advice: Be aware of any traps, pitfalls, or genjutsu I may or may not have put about! Now...Go!"
Naruto
"Now that we've gotten to know each other some, I think it's time for your first true team exercise!" Kakashi enthuses.
His gaze lingers mostly on Naruto who refused to take part in his introductions. He knew already that Sasuke desires revenge on his older brother, that Sakura for now just wants to be with Sasuke (he'll need to work on her getting a proper goal later), and Naruto...
He remains the biggest mystery.
"Everyone here knows I'm Naruto Uzumaki. My likes? Ramen. Dislikes? Ehh, I'm not a big fan of vegetables or people looking at me with frustration for y'know, existing. Goals? Nothing any of you need to worry about!"
There are basic things he and the rest of his fellow jonin know about Naruto's case, but not even Lord Third knows what he wants to do when he's older. He's nearly certain he's already broken his first rule by eating breakfast from the bit of egg to his cheek he wiped away too late, though punishing him for that alone would instantly switch on his ire.
'I need to truly test his teamwork skills.'
Kakashi blows out a breath, of course Naruto wouldn't tell him or anyone probably what's really on his mind at the moment.
He holds up two bells to the sunlight, looks between the trio.
"Alright, this is The Bell Test. The goal is to for you to capture two of my bells before the sun is midway in the sky. Keep in mind, I only have two bells, one of you will fail and be not only without lunch, but based on how I see you perform, sent back to the Academy."
Sakura raises a hand. "Wait, how is that fair?! Isn't there a way for all of us to pass?"
Kakashi smiles. "Hmm, perhaps! Otherwise, see if you can determine who will be the one to fail!"
Verdant goes to onyx. 'I don't want to lose my chance to be on Sasuke's team when I just got it!'
She fights down a shiver as her gaze moves to Naruto. He can be a force of destruction when he wants to be, what's to stop him from taking both bells for himself?
Sasuke grits his teeth, ignores both his teammates. 'No way am I heading back to the Academy when I still need to go after Itachi.'
And with that, Kakashi gives the nod to begin.
Sasuke and Sakura instantly take to the trees, Naruto staying in his same position.
Kakashi pulls out his favorite Make Out paradise book while keeping one eye on him.
He's made no motion to attack him, is instead staring at everywhere, but him.
"Formulating a plan?" Kakashi asks, Naruto shrugging, features carefully blank.
And then he heads into the forestry as well.
'Jonin can't just fail people that easily, right? I'm missing something to this exercise. Two bells and three of us? That would mean someone would always fail and I'm pretty sure other teams have passed this test; all 3 of them. The point must not be the bells, so what then?' Naruto thinks.
He runs into Sakura first, body lying flat to the grass and Naruto sighs at her attention focused solely on Sasuke in the treetops above, unsure how to go about this.
He taps her shoulder, covers her mouth when she nearly screams.
"Don't freak out like that! Geez, you act like I stabbed you y'know." Naruto hisses.
Sakura squirms out of his hold before her expression hardens. "I can't be too sure when it comes to you. After all, didn't you harm Hinata over the winter break? You can't lie about those bruises we all saw to her arms and neck."
Naruto clicks his tongue to not snap and voice venom back at her, though the ground beneath them quakes just slightly enough for Sakura to wince and move back from him even more.
'Relax. Relax.'
He calms his breathing, frowning. " We were sparring, it's common to get injured when doing so. Now, you haven't exactly formed a plan to take on Kakashi-sensei, have you? I have an idea, but it requires all 3 of us to work."
Naruto turns his attention to Sasuke, finds a pebble near his feet and launches it at him.
Sasuke doesn't budge until the 3rd chipped stone hits his back, dark eyes twisting downward in annoyance.
"Leave me alone dead last; I don't need either of you to help me in getting a bell."
Naruto casts a sardonic grin back at him, chuckles lowly. "Fine. I guess when you lose trying to directly take on a jonin with war and far more mission experience than you, then you can come back and hear me out!"
Sasuke ignores his barb, launches himself straight for Kakashi. Sakura watches in awe as he maneuvers and twists around their sensei's body, fingers managing brush at a bell. Naruto sees from the corner of his eye the beginnings of her standing up to race in to help, holding up an arm to block her much to her upset.
Because it's quickly a losing battle, Kakashi pinning Sasuke down in ease.
"You're fast I'll give you that, but not faster than me."
Sasuke takes to the opposite side of the forest as soon as his hold loosens, Naruto grudgingly looking for a path to reach him outside Kakashi's view.
His eyes track to the sun's current position, they have maybe an hour or less left...
He shrouds into a thicket of moss, scarlet spilling into his eyes washing away blue. Sasuke, like Sakura, studies him warily, isn't sure if he's going to actually attack him or Kakashi-sensei.
"Are you done being stupid? Listen. We're running out of time."
Sakura crosses her arms, uncertain but not ready to head back to the Academy and have Ino or any of their classmates rub that potential scenario in her face. "Alright, Alright. Tell us what you have in mind."
Naruto forms a light gust of wind. "We can use our nature affinities y'know. It wouldn't exactly be a tactic I think he'll see coming."
Sasuke says nothing, waiting for him to explain more while Sakura rubs her chin. "I haven't learned any Earth related jutsu yet."
Naruto shrugs. "You just need to do like a chakra infused fist to the ground, I guess? Just think of when you get mad at people for calling your forehead huge and that should work y'know!"
Sakura instantly bristles, fists balling at her sides. "It's not huge!"
"Yeah, sure. Anyways, I'll come in with wind to be a distraction first, then Sakura shakes the ground below him some hopefully, and finally Sasuke comes in last with a fireball jutsu that will create a haze and grab the bells." Naruto finishes.
Sasuke runs a hand through his hair, this can't be the same Naruto who rarely showed up to class, who he saw upend a tree on the way home when an old lady shooed him from her food stand.
"Fine, let's get this over with while we have the time left." He grumbles.
Naruto strikes first with a gale palm Kakashi blows back with ease, Sakura gathering energy as Naruto gives her the signal.
"Earth Release: Fissure!"
It's nowhere near strong enough to even split the ground, crack running forward only barely the size a thin trickle.
But it's enough for Kakashi's gaze to turn briefly away from Naruto, Sasuke coming from above and left.
"Fireball jutsu!"
Kakashi launches himself back before it can strike, Naruto attempting another burst of wind from his right, neither reaching the bells before he once more is out of range.
The sun glistens on his silver hair, nods. "Well, well. Didn't expect you all to actually come up with a plan. Unfortunately, time is now up."
Sasuke turns his glare to Naruto. "Well, that was a failure. And you called me an idiot for trying to take him on solo."
Too late does he see Naruto's eyes are a bright ruby red, Sakura's ripple in the Earth threatening to split into a ravine.
"I never said it was going to be 100% certain." Naruto ventures, turning to face Sasuke as the wind turns into a sharp whistle.
Kakashi comes between them both, holds a thumb up in victory. "Hold on you two! I never said anything about failing! You 3...pass!"
Naruto's mood is still stormy despite his statement. "How?"
He waits for Sakura to come in beside them, nodding. "Teamwork. That's the Bell Test's true purpose. And to celebrate, we can start on lunch officially now as Team 7."
Kakashi puts a bento box into Naruto's hands not waiting for him to respond, tiniest spark of relief lightening his chest when Naruto breaks into a true grin. He's still as much of an enigma as ever, though he's sure at least right now his mind has moved on to more positive thoughts as he bites into his onigiri.
Naruto stares down at the meal, a collection of food he rarely gets to sample on.
But his thought is of home, the second celebration he'll perhaps have later today.
'I can tell Hinata about this when I get back!'
-x-
This might be the last update of this story for a while, unless I post first on pa-tre-on. Lol, I'm trying to not juggle too many stories at once however, since so many people have shown interest in the story, I've been writing for it more. It's been a lot of fun to write this and for the future chapters!~
In regard to the main characters, I will have Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi have slightly different goals, actions, and beliefs that tie in with their canon selves. They live in a world where Naruto himself is darker and untrusting, known for only destruction and while he'll still care about his teammates, he won't react the same to major events.
I nearly made Jiraiya be the 4th major character of this story and while he'll play a major role soon enough, Sakura is the one I felt plays a bigger overall role. I always like Sakura to have unique abilities and skills not explored in canon to hopefully make her more palatable for my readers that aren't her biggest fan lol!
As always, pa-tre-ons get early access to chapters and my other NaruHina works, NSFW content, and original works! I go by TheLovelyMidnightWriter there!
Check out my Insta by the same name for book review, my anime sketches, and travel pics!
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