The taste of humble
Chapter 2: The taste of humble.
If there anything Naruto learn from his first mission away from the village is that…damn, they make a mighty good team. Under the guidance of Kakashi, Sakura, Satsuki and him is a great team. Probably the best if anyone dare to ask Naruto. Cocky little brat.
Especially with Satsuki, and the battle against Zabuza and Haku has proven this. A few other things did happened but details are not important here. What is important is that Sasuke is fine…and Naruto vowed to never let such thing happened to her again. Believe it.
It’s only the beginning of the Chunin Exam and Satsuki already gather herself quite the fan club…unintentionally.
But, to be fair, Naruto wasn’t too surprise. Satsuki’s whole mysterious, brooding, tragically beautiful demeanor is basically what sells her entire brand. Face card and lack of friendliness, which made all the other Genin either terrified or obsessed.
They would still have to get in line thou…
“You want to fight? Here? Now?” Satsuki said in her usual unimpressed tone.
A solid nod came from bushy eyebrows, “Yes.” He said boldly with a burning fire in his eyes that Naruto has never seen before.
“Who are you supposed to be?” Naruto asks, trying to size up his competition.
“My name is Rock Lee!” He said eagerly. “I’m supposed to give my own name first, right? Satsuki Uchiha.” Lee didn’t even let her said her own name.
“And I wish to test my skill against an Uchiha!” Once again, that fire shown up in his eyes.
Satsuki, unimpressed, barely glance at him a second time, “No.”
“Please allow me to prove myself!” His smile did not waver.
…which somehow lead to Satsuki now fighting him.
Naruto is not entirely sure what happened but one second she was rolling those dreamy dark eyes at him, the next, she was getting her ass handed to her.
It was humbling.
Naruro and Sakura stood frozen as Satsuki went flying across the hallway, barely landing on her feet before he was on top of her again, faster than arrow.
First, this weird bowl cut dude, with the thickest eyebrows they has ever seen declared his undying love to Sakura, then in the same breath, challenge Satsuki to a fight, and now she is lying on the ground, visibly shaken, completely humiliated.
Lee (probably) would have finish it right there but then a giant turtle appear out of nowhere – just because- and stopped the fight. Luckily for Satsuki, no one was really around to see it beside Naruto and Sakura.
“You are strong, an impeccable fighter, but you rely too much on your Sharingan. I will be looking forward to see you improve Satsuki.” Rock Lee stood over her, looking vaguely apologetic, offering her a hand.
Satsuki slapped his hand away and forced herself back onto to her feet, “I don’t need your pity.” She snapped.
Lee blinked, “It’s not pity but respect!” And just like that, he disappeared.
Satsuki clenched her fists in frustration, she was supposed to be superior, the Sharingan, the pure talent that came from the bloodline, she should have won! Her aura is now nothing but a blind anger and…pure disappointment in herself.
Naruto, however, was already insanely proud of her, not cause she lost, but she held her ground and didn’t lash out…as much as other times.
“Satsuki! Are you ok? Man, that was brutal but you know what? It built character!” Naruto said with a beaming smile. Throwing his arm over the girl’s shoulders, ,he can obviously notice the bruises forming on her thighs, the faint tremble in her stance.
Sakura however, could not say the same, “Shut up you moron.” She said through her teeth, not daring to further more upset the Uchiha heiress.
Satsuki coldly shrugged him off, “Shut up. I’m fine.”
Naruto’s whole body language shifted into a concern mode hearing the slight shaking in her voice, “Satsuki…talk to me…”
“Drop it. Dobe.” She snapped harsher.
As Naruto watches her, his guts twisting. She is angry, fuming, but not at him or Lee…at herself instead.
And Naruto hates that.
Sakura sighed as she whispered, “She is mad.”
“Obviously…but worry not. We must trust the process.”
“What process?’ Sakura blinked.
“The fixing process!” The ‘I can fix her’ agenda goes on.
“Still? Really?” Sakura sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
Naruto grinned like a mad man, “Yes! She has not tried to kill me today so I must have done something right!”
Sakura stared at him in disbelief, “You need help.” She said, full of worry.
But Naruto shrugged it off, already jogging behind Satsuki like a puppy, determined as ever.
He can fix her.