Toltiir nodded as things developed.
Naruto was still dead last, just not as pathetic as he had been. Naruto was a bit quieter, better at traps and pranks, had a tighter taijutsu skill, was pretty good at using chain weapons and a shortsword - just not at the same time.
He still knew about the Kyubi, how to do the Shadow Clone technique, and was mostly friendly with a few scattered clans because he hadn't been quite as universally shunned.
He had trained with the sword, mainly because that gave Sakura and Hinata someone to practice with when they weren't with their families. Not the katana though - they were NOT happy with ninja using those. For the weapons he'd actually gotten fair practice with - kusarigama, spear, manriki-gusari, shortsword, and kunai. Shuriken he'd worked with but had accuracy problems at mid to long range.
"So how's Matsui? I ain't seen her in awhile," asked Naruto as the three genin waited for their sensei to show up.
"Fine," grunted Sasuke, jolted out of his brooding momentarily by the reminder of his sister.
"So, how about we introduce ourselves to start with?" asked their jonin, looking scruffy and practically radiating that he thought all this a waste of time.
Sakura didn't allow any of her irritation to show. "Is it not the proper method for the instructor and social superior to go first?"
"Yeah," seconded Naruto. "Show us how it's done!"
"Very well, my name is Kakashi Hatake. My likes are entirely too adult for you to hear at your age, my dislikes are private, and my dream for the future is pretty much my own."
"Uhm, so basically you're telling us your name and nothing else?" asked Naruto.
"Hmmm. How about that, you're right," said Kakashi as he considered that.
Normally she'd be a little more relaxed, but this was an introduction and she DID have her own duties. Best to look at reactions and see where this went.
"My name is Sakura Haruno. My parents run a bakery while maintaining the warrior traditions of our ancestors. My likes are my friends, my honor, my skills, and Sasuke-kun. My goal is to marry Sasuke, assist him in his own goals, and have the Uchiha clan with close ties to the Haruno."
"Naruto Uzumaki! I like ramen, protecting friends, and learning awesome ninja skills! My dream is to get a Summoning Contract like Hinata's dad and Sakura's mom have, become Hokage, and prove that all the people who hate me for no good reason are WRONG!"
"Sasuke Uchiha. I have no particular dream except for killing a certain someone and re-establishing my clan."
"Which fits into my own plans, naturally," stated Sakura.
Sasuke twitched. It seemed to be a well-practiced gesture.
"At your age?" asked Kakashi, apparently absorbed in reading an orange book.
"Naturally, it would have to wait until we're at least sixteen by local laws and customs - though an engagement would be possible at an earlier age," admitted Sakura. "Once accomplished, I have selected four others who might make suitable concubines for Lord Sasuke."
Sasuke twitched HARD.
The book almost slipped from Kakashi's grip. "You what?"
"Samurai," explained Naruto. "They like to come up with battle plans and strategies and stuff. I'm kinda sorta friends with Sakura and Hinata. So I kinda get exposed to that stuff."
"You mean..." Kakashi blinked and stared at Sasuke. "This sounds like Icha Icha Battle oddly enough."
"I haven't read that book," noted Sakura. "Since Sasuke is looking to replenish his clan, having several available mothers would-"
"NOT listening," said Sasuke, covering his ears.
Naruto shrugged. He really didn't understand all this but that he'd found Sakura attractive had been fairly well rebuffed by Sakura herself. As she was samurai, counting on her to change her mind was pretty much futile.
Kakashi sighed and returned his attention to his book. "Well, tomorrow at 0600 you'll need to report to Training Ground 12 for a very special test."
Returning home from the Academy, Sakura Haruno was ready to commence sword drills for an hour followed by archery and then some taijutsu and exotic weapons practice with her cousin Chie - which was pretty much her usual routine.
"Sakura?" said Chie as soon as she'd entered the clan compound. "Your father wants to see you. Usual spot."
"Ah, thanks," said Sakura, changing course.
Since they were a warrior clan in a ninja village, and that most of them had "day jobs" while maintaining their warrior skills and heritage, that meant her father was at work.
Sakura put on the hair-net, apron, and gloves before entering the bakery. If this had been something formal in front of the clan, it wouldn't have been in the bakery. Usually. It would have required her to kneel and assume seiza position before the raised platform her father would occupy.
Her father stepping away from the ovens and having two of the others of her clan present caused her to reassess again. Something formal but off the records perhaps?
"Sakura. Your team assignment was today?" asked her father.
"Yes father," indicated Sakura with a slight bow as more wasn't really appropriate in the tight confines of the bakery's work section. "I have been placed on Team 7 along with Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. There will be some sort of test tomorrow."
Her father nodded, taking his thick gloves off and laying them to the side. "You still plan on pursuing the Uchiha boy?"
"Yes," said Sakura, putting her own feelings to the side. Duty was heavier than a mountain after all. "Is there a problem?"
"No," said her father. "With his own clan decimated, his clan and ours could merge and this would strengthen our own ties with this village. There may be a 'Plan B' for you to consider."
"Oh?" asked Sakura, relaxing a bit as apparently winning Sasuke's heart was still a viable goal.
"We thought Kushina Uzumaki died during the Kyubi attack, that she had been on a mission outside the village for several months, and that she died childless. We have recently uncovered that she was seen pregnant in the months prior."
Sakura straightened slightly. "So it IS possible? I thought that Naruto was determined to be one of those whose Uzumaki name was simply from a civilian refugee family."
"That is what we thought as well, but there is a chance that is not the case," said her father. "Your own reports have mentioned that Naruto seems to have extremely high stamina - which is one of the marks of an Uzumaki bloodline."
"That is so, he also seems to heal very quickly," admitted Sakura. "So he may indeed be an Uzumaki of the main line?"
"That is so," admitted her father. "Since you are on the same team, you can observe and assist him in small ways until we can determine if he IS of a main house Uzumaki descent."
"And if he is?" asked Sakura.
"Then we complain to the Hokage about keeping it secret from US," said her father. "Ninja and their damn secrets."
"Hear that," said one of the advisors.
"Can't do ANYTHING openly if there's a sneaky way to do it," complained the other advisor.
"After that we apologize to Naruto Uzumaki and assist him in any manner we can from that point on," said her father. "If you fail to win your suit with Sasuke Uchiha, if the possibility is not too abhorent for you - then we will consider a formal omiai between you and Naruto."
"He's a bit of an idiot and frequently annoying," admitted Sakura, bowing her head slightly. "I shall observe and determine the truth. Though honestly, if he IS a main line Uzumaki - he would deserve someone who would reserve him as her first choice. And is possibly a bit more patient than I normally am."
Her father nodded approvingly. "Go to your practice then. We shall see what develops accordingly."
Naruto could have been completely without social skills as a result of his being shunned. Since the time of the Academy that had changed a bit. For one thing, he had developed an odd friendship with the Hyuga. They'd looked coldly at him, but it had been pointed out by Hinata that they looked coldly at pretty much everyone. They didn't chase him off or look at him with hatred.
The same went to some extent with the much smaller Haruno clan. There was something going on there, particularly lately - lots of odd questions. And when he gave his usual (and mostly involuntary) "dattebayo" he got a few odd looks as if they were looking for something.
With those two openly associating with him, a third had come along - one who was apparently associating with Hinata because of the archery mastery of the Hyuga clan. Matsui Uchiha. He wouldn't describe them as being close friends, but he'd take what he could get.
"So, Kakashi Hatake," said Naruto, using a pair of chopsticks to start turning over pieces of meat and vegetables on the grill. "Anyone know anything about him?"
"No," said Matsui. "Other than you being assigned to him with my brother."
Sakura merely focussed on the meat, choosing silence to be her answer. Then reconsidered and decided on a carrot instead.
Hinata waited a few moments before answering. "Jonin. Former ANBU Captain. Also known as Sharingan Kakashi or Copycat-nin Kakashi. Kakashi the Perpetually Late. The Leaf's Scarecrow. Kakashi the Slacker. Man-Down Kakashi. Also the rival of Maito Gai. Formidable warrior though past his prime."
Nobody was particularly surprised at the idea that the Hyuga probably had a file on him.
"Said we've got a 'test' tomorrow we're guaranteed to fail," noted Naruto.
Sakura frowned as her hand darted out and her chopsticks snagged a carrot. "Late and dismisses us as failures. Such disrespect."
As Sakura chewed at the carrot slice, Matsui decided to ask. "He has a Sharingan?"
"Yes, on a mission during the last war - his team included an Obito Uchiha. Obito died but requested his remaining eye be transplanted into Kakashi who had lost one eye in a previous battle. He isn't as skilled at using it as an Uchiha would - though he's said to have mastered a thousand jutsu with it."
Metsui snorted as her chopsticks grabbed a mushroom. "VERY doubtful. At best I would expect a little over a hundred, and most of those things he wouldn't or couldn't use."
Hinata added something she'd read about. "Both other members of his team under Minato Namikaze died. Obito in a boulder trap, Rin apparently at his own hands as a result of some gambit by Kiri. Since then he's emphasized teamwork."
"So, no idea what this test is?" asked Naruto.
"No. My own team has a similar test tomorrow per our own jonin-sensei," said Hinata.
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(Posted Tue, 17 Sep 2013 01:19)
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