Chapter 7
Chapter 7
The next morning, four children met up at the designated meeting spot in varying states of disarray. None more so than Akira, who glared at the others daring them to comment. Fortunately, they all either had a good self-preservation instinct or ―more likely― were too tired to bother.
Akira didn’t really mind getting up early, he didn’t! But waking up before 6 in the morning was too much. He’d had to take a coffee ―which he hated, but knew was a necessary evil― in order to be awake enough to deal with his brother.
He’d spent another ten minutes coaxing Naruto out of bed and into his clothes. Then he’d prepared a light breakfast to take with them and went back to their room only to find his brother face-up in the floor, asleep, pants on but unbuttoned and his t-shirt backwards. Sighing, he’d dangled the cup of coffee he’d brought with him in front of the blonde’s face.
The smell had brought him back to the land of the living and he’d inhaled the beverage before righting his clothing and going into the bathroom to finish getting ready.
Meanwhile, Akira dressed and checked their packs one last time, packing the box with the breakfast he had prepared. By the time they were finished, there was no time for Naruto to brush Akira’s hair, now a spiky mess on top of his head and over his baclk that resembled a wool ball a cat had been playing with.
Seeing as their sensei wasn’t there yet and after waiting for around ten minutes, Akira flopped down to the floor and brought his book out of his backpack, immersing himself in the familiar pages. He didn’t really need it, having memorised the book the very first time he read it, but the feel of the worn but well taken care of paper brought a familiar comfort.
When a few minutes later he felt a touch to his hair and looked up to find Naruto looking sheepishly at him, brush in hand, he wasn’t really all that surprised.
“Sorry I took so long getting ready.” Muttered the blonde.
“It’s alright.” Sighed Akira. “I’m not used to rising so early either.”
“I can do your hair now.” Offered the blond raising the brush in his right hand.
Akira nodded and turned around to give him easy access to his hair, returning to his book as the blond gently disentangled the mess trying to pass as his hair. They both ignored the looks their teammates were sending them at the odd ―to anyone but the twins― scene.
A short while later, Akira’s hair was once more gathered in a high ponytail and Sasuke was the only one still stubbornly standing.
“What are you reading?” asked Sakura finally giving into her curiosity.
“A story book.”
“Which one?” she huffed when he didn’t give her more than that.
Akira did look up from the book at that, studying her closely.
“It’s called ‘Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi’.”
“And what’s it about?” she asked, her nose scrunching up at the title.
“You don’t know it?” exclaimed Naruto, blinkind owlishly at her. “It’s the best book ever! The main character’s name is Naruto and he’s a shinobi who travels the world having adventures and-”
The pink-haired girl looked like she was regretting having asked as the blond launched into a detailed recounting of one of the first fights. Fortunately for her, a growling sound interrupted them. Then she blushed when she realised it had been her stomach. As if on cue, Naruto’s stomach growled too.
Looking up at the sky, he figured it was around 7 and decided they might as well eat something as they waited. He rummaged around his backpack and brought out the box with the food.
“What are you doing? Sensei said not to eat!” protested Sakura.
“He suggested it.”
“It’d serve him well if we puked all over him for not showing up on time.” Added Naruto.
“That’s gross.” Replied Sakura.
However, her attention was mostly on the food the rehead uncovered. The blonde eagerly took a piece of toast, something red covering it. Akira did the same, but instead of starting to eat, he offered it to the kunoichi.
“You didn’t bring anything with you, right? And you’ll need the energy for later.” Said the younger boy when she stared at him in confusion.
Once she took it, Akira looked up at their still stubbornly standing teammate.
“The same goes for you. There’s enough for everyone.”
“I don’t-”
The dark-haired child was cut off by his own stomach.
“It’s only breakfast, teme. You’re not selling your soul out for accepting it. I don’t know why you bother being kind to him, Akira.” Huffed Naruto.
“Shut up, dobe.” Shot back Sasuke finally sitting down next to them.
“Here.” Muttered Akira bringing the box a bit closer.
The Uchiha reached out and took a piece for himself, sniffing it before taking a small bite.
“What is it exactly?” asked Sakura still eyeing hers.
“It’s toast with clotted pig blood. Really light for breakfast. Akira makes them himself!”
At the blonde’s answer, Sakura’s eyes opened wide in horror and disgust, especially as it was obvious Sasuke had finished his piece.
The Uchiha, on the other hand, was staring at Naruto as if he was an idiot. As the oblivious orange-clad shinobi reached out for another piece of toast, Akira leaned towards them and whispered:
“It’s tomato sauce, but since he won’t eat anything if he thinks it’s vegetables, I told him that when we were younger. It stuck.”
The girl looked relieved at his explanation and finally bit into her piece. She hummed in delight.
“It’s good.” She said happily.
Sasuke said nothing, but the fact that he reached out for another piece when he thought no one was looking spoke for itself.
Another three hours passed with the four of them sitting in silence before their jōnin-sensei finally deigned to show up.
“Good morning, everyone. Ready to begin?”
For a moment, there was an incredulous silence, shared by them all.
“You’re late!” shouted Naruto and Sakura at the same time.
Sasuke and Akira settled for glaring at him.
“Yeah, a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way to avoid it.”
Nobody bought the excuse, if it could even be called that. The man had made them be there at five and then went and showed up at 6 hours late!
“Well, let’s begin.” Said Kakashi, clearing his throat as if nothing was wrong and not even giving them a moment to recover from their anger before laying out the rules. “This alarm clock is programmed to go off at midday. Your task is simple.” Explained the jōnin, shaking a pair of bells in his right hand. “You only have to take these bells from me. That’s all.”
He gave them a second to process his words, the bells ringing with a clear note.
“If you don’t manage to do it before midday, you’ll go without lunch. You’ll be tied to those posts and you’ll watch as I eat in front of you.”
Akira was glad he’d decided to bring breakfast. It would hopefully allow them to go on a bit longer, now that he understood the real reason for their sensei’s suggestion of foregoing breakfast.
“Wait a moment.” Cut in Sakura. “We’re four. How come there’s only two bells?”
“That way at least two of you will end up tied to a post and, finally, disqualified for not completing the mission. They’ll go back to the Academy. I repeat, though, all four of you can fail.”
“There’s only three posts.” Pointed out Akira.
“There’s plenty of trees around, right?” answered Kakashi without missing a beat. “You can use any weapons, even shuriken. Make no mistake, if you don’t come at me with everything you’ve got you won’t get the bells.”
“But those weapons are too dangerous, sensei!” protested Sakura.”
“Especially since you couldn’t dodge that eraser.” Laughed Naruto.
“Class clowns are the weakest; you can ignore them easily. They get bad grades. They’re losers.”
Akira got a bad feeling as his brother’s smile disappeared.
“When I say ‘go’, you can begin.”
But the redhead wasn’t paying him attention anymore as he watched the blonde whip out a kunai.
“Naruto…”
With a cry, the blond launched himself at their sensei. Faster than they could see, the jōnin had pinned the twelve-year old in place, twisting his arm so the kunai was held to the back of his head. Akira took half a step towards them as Sasuke and Sakura stepped back, but a look from Kakashi stopped him.
“Don’t be so hasty. I still haven’t said ‘go’.” Said the man, his voice as pleasant as ever, before releasing the child.
Naruto stumbled forward and Akira caught him by the arm. He didn’t miss his brother’s body shaking, his eyes tight and jaw clenched.
“But you’ve copme at me with the intent to harm, so… how do I say this? I’m beginning to like you.”
Akira frowned at him before whispering to his brother.
“As soon as he gives the signal, we’re off to the forest.”
“But-”
“We need to plan Naruto; he’s a jōnin and he’s far above our level. We need to think before acting.”
“I’m not good at that.” Muttered Naruto, shoulders slumping.
“It’s fine, Naruto. You just slip off to the forest and meet up with me. Make a bunch of clones even and try to make him think you’ve stayed to fight. That’ll win us some time.”
The twins exchanged a firm look, determination shining clearly in their eyes, and they both nodded.
“Ready, set… go!”
The clearing was empty but for the jōnin.