sixteen
Neji sighed as Naruto failed to appear yet again. He had not thought that the run-in with his team the other day would be enough to chase the other boy away entirely. Neji personally did not care about whatever Naruto had against Lee but he was annoyed that it was interfering with his training. Naruto could at least have the decency to direct his ire at the true target of his rage.
There had been no indications towards his outburst when they had first seen him outside the Mission Assignment Desk’s doors. He had been indifferent if a bit unimpressed but it had not been until Lee spoke to him that Neji had seen the anger ripple across Naruto’s features. He had not exactly done much to hide it. Neji was sure Naruto was reacting to Lee dressing like Gai-sensei but he was unsure about why that would anger the blond to such a degree. He did ask Naruto when they’d next met up for training but he had not taken it well. He had begun ranting about pale imitations and disrespect towards Gai-sensei, yelling that dressing like Gai-sensei would not let Lee become half the shinobi Gai-sensei was. Neji had not seen him this furious since that very first fight with his team.
Neji could admit that he had poked into the matter a bit soon; upon asking why that concerned Naruto, the blond had directed a venomous look his way, spitting some insult at him and vanishing from the training grounds. Neji knew Naruto’s preferred method of dealing with things was avoiding them by any means possible so he should have really expected for the blond to abandon their training. He had such a short fuse and an ability to hold such a long grudge.
Neji personally thought Naruto was handling this like a toddler who had their favourite toy taken from him. It was clear as day that he was jealous of Neji’s team; they remained with Gai-sensei while he was thrust onto a team of green genin and an unknown jounin-sensei. He could see how Naruto would think Lee was rubbing it into his face but Naruto did not know Lee. He had never made the effort; he had never made the effort to get to know any of them really. Lee was not the type of person to do that and while Neji found Lee to be insufferable at times with his naïve enthusiasm, he could see that Naruto was the one in the wrong here. It was not their fault and they did not deserve his ire.
He settled into a stance and began to run through hand seals. He would have preferred to keep learning new techniques but he could spend time improving the ones he did know. It had been very strange learning ninjutsu and it had taken some getting used to. His chakra control was excellent from his clan techniques so it was more familiarising himself with the hand seals and chakra requirements. He had not used them in front of his team yet, not quite happy with the quality of them. He had been the best in his class and the strongest of his year; even if he was learning forbidden techniques, he would learn them well. When Naruto finally realised how childish he was being, Neji would show him his mastery of the techniques. He did not need the blond. He kept the entrance to the training ground in his line of sight anyway.
Sasuke tapped his desk impatiently as Iruka-sensei shuffled the papers at his desk at the front of the room. He knew he would pass at the top of the class and he had; the dumb exam hadn’t even been a challenge. He’d had harder training sessions with Naruto. He couldn’t wait to get out of this place and actually get stuff done. If he had to spend another day with these idiots he might actually take Naruto’s advice and spar them for real.
Speaking of the blond, he’d been weird the past few days. Well, weirder than usual. He’d been pretty sure Naruto was over whining about the whole Gai situation but something had caused it to all flare up again. He hadn’t been insulting Sasuke or even responding to Sasuke’s own, just trying his damn hardest to kill him. Not that he could complain; part of the whole reason he hung out with the genin was that he wouldn’t take it easy on him. He was the only idiot his age that gave Sasuke a challenge and while the bruises from their latest spar still stung, Sasuke was satisfied with his progress. He was much faster than last year.
“Team 7 will be Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura…”
Sasuke groaned. He would never be free of her. All of his fangirls were annoying but the pink-haired girl took it to another level. The way she screeched ‘Sasuke-kun’ made him feel a bit sick. He always felt like he needed a shower after talking to them.
“…and you’ll have an already graduated genin join your team due to lack of numbers,” Iruka-sensei continued and Sasuke’s head snapped up, his heart in his throat.
“Uzumaki Naruto will be joining you and your sensei will be Hatake Kakashi.”
Naruto was going to be on his team. He was going to have one competent member! He was sure he’d heard Naruto mention the name ‘Kakashi’ before; usually to complain about him but if Naruto knew him then he couldn’t be the worst. Naruto also wouldn’t hold him back; he wouldn’t have to continue going at the snail’s pace of his now former classmates. With Naruto on his team, Sasuke could give his all and not have to worry about his team dragging him down. Yes, there was still the Sakura issue but that wasn’t just his problem now. Naruto wouldn’t tolerate a fangirl that didn’t pull her weight.
Iruka-sensei read out the rest of the names but Sasuke didn’t bother listening. It wasn’t like he would have to work with any of these dead weights again. Most of them will probably kick the bucket during a mission or something. The teachers gradually started arriving and Sasuke drummed his fingers impatiently on his desk. Where were they? He wanted to get out this building and never look back. Gods, wasn’t that a thought? He would never have to attend the academy again. Soon the numbers dwindled and it was only Sasuke and Sakura left. He saw Sakura turn to him in the corner of his eye and he grit his teeth.
“Where do you think they are, Sasuke-kun?” she asked in that fake sweetly sick voice. He’d heard her real one every time she yelled at Kiba or Ino so he didn’t know why she still tried. “Are they running late?”
Sasuke rolled his eyes, vowing to stab Naruto as revenge for leaving him here alone. Where was he? Timing had never been a priority to the blond but Sasuke needed him to get here soon. Sakura looked like she was working up the courage for something Sasuke really wouldn’t want to hear. The door finally opened with a slam and Naruto poked his head in, blue eyes narrowed. He met Sasuke’s gaze and relaxed ever so slightly.
“So I’m stuck with you?” he strolled in, hands in his pockets. “Better not slow me down, Uchiha.”
“Whatever, dobe,” Sasuke replied automatically, leaning back and crossing his arms.
Naruto hadn’t changed much over the years. He was still pretty short which Sasuke made sure to point out at every given opportunity. He wore a black t-shirt, black shinobi pants with black sandals. His orange, sleeveless hoodie hung open and black, fingerless gloves had metal plating on the back of the hand. Orange-coloured tape around his right thigh secured his kunai pouch and the bottom of his trouser legs. Sasuke hadn’t quite believed it when he’d turned up with that orange tape. He couldn’t think of where on earth he’d managed to find it but it was just as likely that Naruto had coloured it himself. He’d shaved down the sides and back of his head recently, leaving it slightly longer and spiky on the top. He was still not wearing his hitai-ate but at this point Sasuke didn’t think he ever would.
“You can’t speak to Sasuke-kun that way!” Sakura yelled, pointing a finger accusingly at Naruto.
The amusement vanished from Naruto’s eyes as he looked at her.
“The fuck are you?”
Sakura gaped and Sasuke stomped on the urge to smile.
“You can’t talk to me like that!”
“That didn’t answer my question,” Naruto raised an eyebrow. “Whatever, I don’t actually care. Who’s the jounin-sensei?”
“Did they not tell you?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
“There was a scroll from the Hokage Tower but I lost it before I could read it,” Naruto shrugged and Sasuke translated that to mean Naruto had burned it the minute it arrived at his window. He was a bit more normal today so Sasuke hoped that meant the whole ‘Gai’ thing had blown over.
“Hatake Kakashi,” he offered, rolling his eyes.
Naruto blinked and Sasuke couldn’t read his expression. The blond definitely recognised the name but he couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“If he fails us, I’m burning his Icha Icha collection,” Naruto vowed darkly.
“So you do know him. What’s his deal?”
They were interrupted by Sakura once again.
“How do you know Sasuke–kun?”
She was looking between them, confused. Sasuke didn’t talk to anyone in class, actively avoided the possibility really, lest his brain dribble out of his ears from what inane childish things that were in fashion right now. None of his classmates had seen him talk to someone he actually respected.
“I didn’t drop him off the side of a building and I’ve regretted it ever since,” Naruto replied completely deadpan and Sasuke snorted. He looked away at Naruto’s knowing look. “Kakashi won’t be here for another couple of hours.”
Sasuke sighed and stood. He wasn’t going to wait around that long.
“Sasuke-kun, where are you going? You’re going to get in trouble!”
He ignored her as he walked down the aisle to Naruto. The blond tapped the metal of his headband and Sasuke roughly shoved the hand aside. He didn’t explain himself; memories of Itachi doing that very same movement flashed behind his eyes and he scowled. Naruto held up his hands in surrender, looking at Sasuke questioningly but he shook his head. Naruto immediately backed off and shoved his hands back in his pockets.
“If we’re not back before Kakashi shows his face, tell him that we’ll be around,” he called back to Sakura. She had made a motion to follow them and stopped at Naruto’s words. Sakura had always been a teacher’s pet; she wouldn’t risk pissing off their new teacher by disappearing.
Sasuke walked through the door, delighted to know that would be the last time he would ever have to set foot in that classroom.
“Feels good, right?” Naruto grinned at him knowingly.
Sasuke shoved his shoulder against Naruto’s but didn’t deny it. He was going to be able to move forward and get stronger; he would kill Itachi and restore his clan. He was finally at the starting line.
Kakashi popped his head into the classroom and blinked at the sight of the single genin waiting for him. She was pretty skinny and he could smell the perfume from here. Not ideal for fieldwork and if she passed the bell test, that would be something to address. Where were the other two?
“Kakashi-sensei?” the girl asked hesitantly and Kakashi eye-smiled.
“That’s me,” he said cheerfully. “Where are the other two cute little genin?”
“This guy just turned up and kidnapped Sasuke-kun!” she cried, actual tears in her wide green eyes. “I think they know each other or something but he was really rude! He just left me here!”
She seemed genuinely upset. How nice to know that Naruto had introduced himself to his new potential teammate. He dreaded to think what he’d done to the Uchiha. He’d read the reports about Sasuke and the boy wasn’t the most sociable. He was competitive and ill-tempered which would not be the best match with Naruto. He predicted a lot of fights in this team; provided they passed, of course. Naruto had an advantage in that he knew all about Kakashi’s method of testing new genin teams but the boy wouldn’t know teamwork if it slapped him in the face.
He summoned Pakkun and the pug appeared in a puff of smoke.
“Can you find Naruto and bring him the roof?” he asked, still keeping the cheerfully tone as Sakura gaped at him. “Make sure he hasn’t maimed Sasuke.”
“He is a wild pup,” Pakkun nodded his head and ran off. Kakashi beckoned Sakura to follow him to the stairs leading to the roof.
“What did you say about them knowing each other?” he asked casually.
“They talked to each other like they did but he was so horrible to both of us! He didn’t listen to anything I said! Poor Sasuke-kun had to follow him.”
Kakashi had known the chaotic genin for a number of years now and this was the first he’d heard that the kid might know Uchiha Sasuke. If he’d managed to hide it from him and Gai, because there was no way he told Gai and Gai didn’t tell Kakashi, then he might have to re-evaluate the kid’s skills in espionage. Naruto and Sasuke were pretty well-known in the village for very different reasons and there would have at least been rumours if anyone had seen them talking.
“Did he threaten Sasuke at all?”
“He said he wanted to throw him off a building!”
That was pretty in line with Naruto’s usual antics but usually it took a few meetings for him to reach that level of insult. He was mainly grumpy and uncooperative at first meetings; how interesting. He may end up passing a team this year. They reached the roof and Kakashi gestured for Sakura to take a seat on the steps. He leaned against the railing and it didn’t take long for his summon to appear, Naruto and a very much intact Sasuke following behind.
“You’re late,” Kakashi commented and Naruto threw him a sharp grin.
“How’s it feel?” he sniped back, dumping himself on the steps. Sasuke took a graceful seat next to him.
“Well, my cute little genin!” He clapped his hands as he wiped the smirk of Naruto’s face. “Let’s introduce ourselves one at a time!”
“What are we supposed to say?” Sakura asked innocently and he didn’t miss Naruto rolling his eyes. That could be a problem. “Things you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, that kind of thing,” he shrugged.
“Why don’t you go first then?” Naruto asked.
“I’m Hatake Kakashi,” he said. “Things I like, things I hate…I don’t feel like telling you that. My dream for the future…never really thought about it. As for my hobbies…I have lots of hobbies.”
“No, you don’t.” Naruto said loudly.
“Naruto, let’s start with you.”
The genin crossed his arms but complied.
“I’m Naruto, I don’t feel like telling you my likes and dislikes. My dreams for the future are none of your business. I have no hobbies.”
Kakashi stared at him as Naruto grinned back. He knew what the kid was like after being his ninjutsu teacher for years and it appeared that gaining two new teammates wasn’t going to change the way he acted around Kakashi.
“You didn’t tell us anything!” Sakura accused.
“I just followed my teacher’s example,” Naruto drawled, not even bothering to feign innocence.
“Sakura, you next,” Kakashi warded off that argument before it could begin. The girl perked up, a blush covering her cheeks.
“I’m Haruno Sakura! The thing…I mean the person I like…uh…is,” she stuttered, her eyes darting towards Sasuke. “My dream for the future is…”
She broke off giggling and Kakashi sighed. Girls her age were more interested in boys than shinobi training. That could be a problem with Naruto on the team. He had terrible tunnel-vision when it came to training and he didn’t understand when other people couldn’t do the same. Kakashi nodded to the Uchiha who’d spent the entire introduction with his chin propped up on his fists, elbows on his knees.
“My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don’t particularly like anything. I don’t have dreams, I have goals; I will restore my clan and destroy a certain someone.”
It was as he feared; Sasuke was gunning for Itachi. He couldn’t really blame the kid but as things stood he didn’t stand a chance. So his team this year was a fangirl, an avenger and an uncooperative little shit.
“First, we’ll do what we can do with four people,” Kakashi began his usual spiel, watching their reactions carefully while maintaining his bored façade. “A survival exercise; of the twenty-six graduates, only eight will be recognised as shinobi. The rest will have to return to the academy for another year.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Sucks to be you guys,” Naruto grinned and Sasuke punched him in the shoulder.
“Shut up, dobe.”
Huh, they did know each other.
“Okay, you’re dismissed. Meet me on training ground seven at 5am tomorrow…oh, and I recommend you skip breakfast. You’ll throw up.”
He caught Naruto shaking his head at Sasuke as he hopped off the roof, leaving his new team to talk amongst themselves. What he had learned was Naruto did know Sasuke; for how long was completely in the air. He didn’t know how Naruto managed to hide it and while he had an idea why, it was still a little disheartening. He knew he’d managed to build some trust with the kid but it evidently wasn’t enough. He wasn’t sure how it would work with him being the kid’s full-time jounin-sensei, especially knowing how attached he was to Gai. He was getting ahead of himself; they had to pass the Bell test first.
Naruto trudged through the forest, cursing whatever gods were out there. Why he had to be the one to find that stupid cat he had no idea. He had thought that the solo D-ranks would stop when he was assigned to his new team but apparently ‘he hadn’t secured the latch on her cage properly so it was still technically his mission’. He’d handed Tora in two days ago! Next time he got his hands on some glitter he was shoving it all into that paperwork chunin’s desk. It was bad enough he would be back to D-ranks with his new team.
The new team wasn’t as bad as he’d thought it would be. He knew Kakashi wouldn’t treat him unfairly but he wasn’t the most proactive teacher. Naruto knew he would have to organise most of his own training sessions if he wanted to keep training at the level he was at currently. Sasuke would join him and thank the gods he had one teammate he could tolerate. Sasuke was as obsessed with getting stronger as he was and he knew the Uchiha could handle himself. He still objected to the entire ‘team’ concept but if he was forced to be stuck with anyone, he would choose Sasuke. The problem lay with the pink-haired girl.
Sasuke had told him all about the fangirls in the class and while Naruto had listened to his complaints, he hadn’t really considered that they would get one on the team. She looked like she hadn’t met strength training in her life and the stench of her floral perfume was unpleasant. He wasn’t sure Kakashi would let that stand; his nose was way more sensitive. He didn’t have high hopes for her and there was no chance she was at the same level as Sasuke. He knew that they all technically had to pass the Bell test to be a team but part of him hoped that it could just be him and Sasuke to pass. He didn’t want to drag around a dead-weight.
He groaned as he shoved aside another bush, no sign of the brown feline. This was the worst mission. He didn’t know why the stupid woman didn’t keep better track of it. If she really cared so much for its welfare, she would actually keep an eye on it instead of sending random genin after it every week. He stopped as he saw something that definitely wasn’t Tora.
It was a Konoha chunin but Naruto didn’t recognise him. He was dressed in the standard uniform and chunin vest, with a bandana like Genma’s tied over shoulder-length white hair. He had a massive shuriken tied to his back and a large scroll under his arm. There wasn’t anything particularly suspicious but Naruto felt it in his gut; that guy was up to no good. No one trained in this area and they were pretty far from the village itself.
“Hey, have you seen a brown cat around?” he called out. “Red ribbon around its neck, pure evil in its eyes?”
The man turned to him and Naruto saw the moment he recognised him. It was always the same look of hatred in their eyes.
“What are you doing here?” the man hissed.
“I literally just said,” Naruto glared back. “What are you doing out here?”
“None of your fucking business, Kyūbi brat,” the last words were spat with a venom Naruto hadn’t heard in a while.
They were interrupted by the sound of distant sirens. That was the fugitive alarm; it went off when there was a security breach. Naruto looked at chunin in front of him and the way he tensed at the sound.
“Don’t suppose you know what that’s about?” Naruto asked casually but he subtly opened his kunai pouch as he did.
“Should be for you, demon,” the man hissed, looking increasingly tense as the alarm continued in the background. “It is a betrayal that you’re allowed to live. You should have been executed the moment you were born!”
Naruto rolled his eyes. How original.
“Guess that answers that.”
Before he had a chance to grab a kunai, the chunin grabbed the massive shuriken on his back, flinging it at Naruto. He barely ducked in time, rolling to the side and ignored the metal sinking deep into the tree behind him. He activated his bloodline limit, the world almost seeming to slow down around him. He watched as the man dropped the scroll behind him, flipping through hand seals. Naruto could see the jutsu coming through the hand seals of his own and prepared his in return.
“Doton: Dangan no Jutsu!”
“Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!”
The streams of water from his hands collided with the approaching rocks, dragging them out of the air. He didn’t stop as he continued with his next jutsu.
“Fūton: Fūjin no Jutsu!”
A massive cloud of dust left Naruto’s mouth and soon the whole area was obscured. So maybe Kakashi had had a point about learning ninjutsu; maybe it was good to have a long-range option that wasn’t his kunai or shuriken. Still, as he launched himself towards the enemy, there was nothing better than feeling their nose cave in underneath your fist.
The chunin was forced to take a step back, holding his bleeding face in one hand as he threw kunai with the other. Naruto dodged them easily, Emperor’s Eye showing every twitch of the chunin’s muscles, every bead of sweat. Every move the man made was telegraphed to Naruto as plain as day and he grinned viciously as he engaged the man in taijutsu. He hadn’t been able to use his bloodline limit in a proper fight in forever and he laughed as he swept the man’s incoming punch to the side, landing a foot deep in his gut in retaliation. The dust was starting to clear up and Naruto could see the man’s seething face more clearly.
“Die, demon brat!” he screeched, missing another blow as Naruto stepped beneath it.
He was finally able to keep up with his bloodline limit. Three years of training was finally paying off! All those games of jan-ken-po…it helped that this guy was so slow. Gai-sensei was way faster and hit way harder.
He watched for the man’s centre of gravity and as it switched very briefly to one leg, he took his shot. He kicked the man’s shin, feeling the bone give way beneath his sandal. He went down like a sack of bricks and Naruto kicked him in the face. He stopped moving and Naruto remained still, watching for any twitches of movement. Nothing. He was still breathing but it sounded wet, a sort of gargling in his throat. Probably not a good sign but he didn’t look like he was getting back up any time soon.
He brushed the dust off his hoodie as he walked over the massive scroll, opening it curiously. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu? That was the clone technique Kakashi taught him not long ago. Hadn’t he said it was forbidden or something? Why did this guy have it?
“Stop right there!”
Naruto looked over as another chunin ran up to them. He did recognise this one; he was an academy teacher. Iruka…something.? He was pretty sure he was Sasuke’s teacher.
“Put the scroll down and your hands in the air!”
Naruto blinked.
“What?”
“You are being charged with stealing the Forbidden Scroll!” Iruka continued and everything finally clicked.
“I didn’t steal fuck all,” he called back. “That was this guy.”
Iruka’s eyes widened as he took in the state of the crumpled chunin.
“Mizuki wouldn’t do something like that!” he ran over to check his pulse. “What did you do?”
“He tried to kill me first,” he shrugged, propping the Forbidden Scroll against his leg. “I was just looking for the stupid cat and found him in the forest with this scroll.”
Iruka didn’t look like he believed a word he said and Naruto sighed. Maybe he should have let the guy go and betray the village; would serve them right. If the guy had just said he was working towards Konoha’s downfall, he might have not bothered fighting him.
“We can go to interrogation and they can prove it,” he said, hefting the scroll onto his right shoulder. “You carry him.”
He didn’t bother waiting as he walked in the direction of the village. No good deed went unpunished.
He still had to find that damned cat.