Chapter 2
Naruto jumped backward and threw a wooden kunai. It sailed right past the dummy's head, grazing it on the way. She growled and threw another. This one struck, and as it fell to the floor, she did a little cheer. "YES! I'm the best, ya know!"
When she went to retrieve her fallen kunai she heard footsteps and turned around, only to see her father. She grinned and pointed at the dummy. "DAD! Look, I only missed once!"
Minato chuckled and ruffled her hair, his uncovered eye shining with pride. "Yes, I did see Naruto, if you can throw this well with wooden kunai, then I think you're ready for a little present, I'll go fetch it real quick."
As he disappeared Naruto started bouncing in place. What had he gotten her?! It was probably some super cool ninja gear, just like that sealing kit her mom said she was good with.
Her father reappeared with a small scroll and handed it to her. When she imbued some chakra into it, a few kunai appeared in a puff of smoke, she stared at them, mouth open, a squeal escaping her throat. "They're blunted of course, but since you've become adept with wooden kunai, and you're starting the academy in a few weeks, I thought you would need some properly balanced stuff." Her father explained as he knelt next to her.
She quickly tackled him in a hug, grinning brightly. "Thanks, Dad! I'm gonna ace the academy with my skills, ya know!" Her father smiled and stood up, his uncovered eye shining with mirth.
"I have no doubt, Now, why don't you show me some taijutsu?" Naruto smiled and stepped back, looking at her father's face, he had his forehead protector over his left eye, which was blind from an accident he would not tell her about. She looked at his left leg, apparently, something was wrong with the chakra thingies in there.
When her father caught her staring he smirked. "Checking out my weak points eh? That's smart, keep doing that." Naruto beamed with pride and tried throwing one of her new kunai at him, but it landed by his feet. It was heavier than she thought...
Naruto quickly ran at him, feinting a right hook, before attempting a gut punch, but he caught it and flipped her over. As she landed she pumped an obscene amount of chakra into her feet, launching her upwards.
When she was mid-air she weaved the signs for a substitution and switched with the kunai that missed. Naruto placed her hands on the ground and kicked up, almost nailing her father in the chest. He looked down at her with an impressed look.
"So that's what you meant with the substitution is underused..." Naruto looked at him and grinned.
"Yeah! It's only used to escape, ya know? But it's so cool! If I use it and replace myself with someone mid-fight, then I can be prepared, and while they're surprised I can win!"
"That's pretty smart, but it wouldn't work more than once. And if you wanted to use it effectively, you would have to shorten the seals to a half ram at the bare minimum. And eventually no seals. That's going to take a while."
Naruto grinned and started jumping around excitedly. "YES! I knew my taijutsu was awesome, ya know!" She quickly ran at her father, throwing a kunai with a bit more force, he pulled out one of his three-pronged kunai and deflected hers, while he focused on that, she once again forced chakra into her feet and shot at him, missing completely and almost face planting. Naruto looked down and paled considerably, her clothes had dirt stains from the rough landing. CRAP! She hadn't worn her training clothes... Mom was going to kill her...
Before she could think much longer, Her father rushed her and threw a kick at her head, she kicked her feet out from under herself and fell, before rolling sideways when her father stepped where she would have been, she rolled backward and stood up, twigs in her long hair. Naruto ran at him again.
******
Naruto jumped back, landing on their fence and sticking, right as she was about to pump enough chakra into her legs to shatter it, she heard a shout. Naruto looked away from her father and saw her mother, hair swirling behind her. Naruto gulped, her father having the same reaction.
"Naruto... YOUR HAIR AND CLOTHES ARE COVERED IN MUD. WE HAVE DINNER WITH THE UCHIHA'S, YA KNOW!!!" Naruto slipped and fell off the fence, quickly scrambling up and staring at her mother in shock.
"WE DO!? YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME EARLIER, YA KNOW!" Her mother's only reaction was slowly turning towards Minato, her eye twitching and a sickly sweet smile on her face. "Minato... Didn't you specifically come out to tell her?" Her father flinched and quickly held out placating hands.
"K-Kushina... I just saw how good Naruto was doing, and decided to give her those new kunai, and that led to taijutsu and I guess we got a bit carried away..." Naruto zoned out when her mother replied. She should get changed, she couldn't wait to rub her new kunai in Sasuke's face.
Naruto ran inside to take a shower and get changed.
******
Naruto was walking between her parents, they were in the Uchiha compound, on their way to the head's house. The Uchiha kept sending her father appreciative glances, something about clearing up a bad rumor, she couldn't remember.
Her father knocked when they reached the front door. After a few seconds, Itachi answered the door, slightly bowing his head.
"Welcome Lord Hokage," he looked at Naruto and her mother with a warm smile. "Welcome, Kushina, Naruto." Naruto grinned in response as Itachi led them to the table.
When they reached the dining room, she saw Sasuke and his parents, he had some scuff marks on him. She sat down next to Sasuke and greeted his parents, hers doing the same.
"Yo, Sasuke, I have something cool to show you after dinner." Naruto grinned, breaking her chopsticks and ignoring the adult's conversation.
"This better not be another prank, Naruto. You have no idea how hard it is to get rid of orange glitter." Naruto snickered and begrudgingly dug in after saying thank you for the meal.
******
Naruto walked out into the backyard with Sasuke, their parents, and Itachi still inside and talking. "Your mother's cooking is nice, but it would have been so much better if it was ramen."
Sasuke gave her an incredulous look. "How are you not dead?" Naruto scowled and turned to Sasuke.
"Well for your information, ramen is the best food in the world. Why would it kill me?" Sasuke sagged his shoulders and dropped his head.
"One day Naruto... One day I'll get through to you," Sasuke looked at her and came to a stop. "So, what did you want to show me?"
Naruto grinned and reached into the kunai pouch that was hidden underneath her skirt, pulling out some of her new kunai. Sasukes eyes widened and Naruto dangled one in front of his face. "My dad said that since the academy is starting in a few weeks, I should get used to using properly balanced stuff, even if they're blunted."
Naruto grinned when she saw Sasuke looking at his training post in destain. "Admit it Sasuke, I'm better."
She had never seen Sasuke whip his head so fast, she was afraid he had whiplash. "You want to test that idea, idiot?"
Naruto grinned and attempted to crack her knuckles, but failed. She quickly readied a stance with a blush on her face, Sasuke doing the same, minus the blush.
After a few seconds, Sasuke ran forward, Naruto following. Sasuke threw a high kick, Naruto dodged and tried to sweep his legs, but he jumped over. She threw a kunai up but it didn't reach him. When Sasuke landed, Naruto ran forward, throwing a right hook, Sasuke blocking. He retaliated with a front kick, Naruto getting nailed in the process.
Naruto grabbed his foot before he could get away and grinned, pulling him towards her and punching him in the face when he tried to regain balance. Sasuke dilleberatly fell backward forcing Naruto to let go. She jumped back when Sasuke got back on his feet, wincing slightly at the pain in her abdomen. "This is fun, dad always goes way too easy on me." Sasuke smirked and ran at her again.
Naruto grinned and met him halfway, instantly having to duck below a swing, retaliating with a jab and left hook. Sasuke shot his knee up, he would have nailed her in the chin if she hadn't dodged.
Naruto rolled backward, pulling out a kunai and throwing it hard enough to land behind Sasuke, before he could laugh at her horrible throw she did a few hand signs and replaced herself with the kunai, kicking Sasuke in the spine before he even realized what happened.
As he pulled himself off the ground, Naruto started laughing hysterically. "YES, YOU FELL FOR IT, YA KNOW!"
Sasuke growled, a heavy blush coating his cheeks, and ran forward, his fist extended. Naruto was so distracted, she only noticed when he was right in front of her. She didn't have enough time to dodge, but right as she got nailed in the nose, she threw out a punch herself, returning the favor.
Both of them fell on their ass, blood pouring out of their noses. It started as a snicker, but Naruto soon started full-out laughing, Sasuke even joined in with a reserved chuckle.
******
When Itachi, who had been watching the whole time, came up to them, he complimented Sasuke, which made him beam. He helped them up and took them inside.
When her mother saw the dried blood on her face, she instantly started fussing, Sasuke's did the same. Her father seemed a bit peeved that she was bleeding but looked proud that she had done the same to Sasuke.
After Naruto was cleaned up and reprimanded, she walked up to Sasuke and held out her hand, he looked at her for a second before lifting his own and locking fingers with her, they had made the seal of reconciliation.
"That was fun, I think we can upgrade from friends to rivals, ya know." Sasuke let slip a small smile and nodded.
"Just don't complain when you're left in the dust, loser." Naruto growled and pulled her hand away.
"Ugh, you're such a bastard! I'll show you!" Naruto turned and walked to her parents, who looked amused.
Naruto and her parents greeted the Uchiha and left.
She had a sudden impulse to start training harder and put that damn Uchiha in his place.