"So, what's the plan?" asked Naruto as he arrived.
"Test is meant to be a surprise, so I have several plans readied," admitted Sakura.
"Kinda figured," admitted Naruto.
"Did you bring ration bars?" asked Sakura.
"Yeah. Just in case," said Naruto, patting a jacket pocket.
"Good," said Sakura. After whatever it was that was supposed to make them throw up was over with, they could get some energy back that way.
Sasuke walked up, deciding to ignore the two on general principles and just concentrate on stretching out.
"Kakashi Hatake is known for being late," stated Sakura. "Would this be a good time to go over battle strategies?"
"What makes you think there will be a fight?" asked Naruto.
"I thought it most likely that physical exertion or genjutsu testing would occur," said Sakura. "Unless the comment about throwing up was a deliberate misdirection."
"How would that involve genjutsu?" asked Sasuke, forgetting that he was ignoring the two for the moment.
"There's a simple genjutsu for disrupting someone's sense of balance, making them dizzy for a moment," said Sakura. "I don't recall the name offhand, but since that's a low-level genjutsu there may be a higher level one causing more serious dizziness."
"Ah," said Sasuke, thinking he'd heard the same thing mentioned in class when they'd briefly gone over genjutsu. It DID make sense that way.
"So something like that," continued Sakura. "A test to see how well we can do under real field combat conditions would make the most sense at this stage. That he didn't just come out and say so might indicate that I'm wrong though. It might be some sort of ninja misdirection."
"Like expecting ramen and getting shabu shabu?" asked Naruto from where he was putting something into some tall grass.
Sakura paused, glanced at Naruto and then made a face. "No. Naruto. Just no."
"I'm hungry, of course I'm thinking about ramen," explained Naruto.
"What are you doing?" asked Sasuke.
"It's a test, right?" asked Naruto. "Cheat sheets. Dropped a couple of Academy textbooks where I can just stroll over to take a whizz and grab answers."
"He's a jonin, he's not likely to be fooled by such tricks," said Sakura.
"But maybe he'll give extra points for clever," suggested Naruto. "Ninja test - so being sneaky should count for something."
"Perhaps," admitted Sakura.
"If it is a combat test, then those books aren't going to help," pointed out Sasuke.
"Extra pouches of kunai," said Naruto, jerking his thumb in a different direction. "Premade trap using explosive tags." Another direction was indicated. "Entrenching tool. Set of throwing knives. My spear."
"Good," said Sakura, "you were listening."
"Start," said Kakashi, having explained that two of them would have to get bells and the third would fail. That they had to come after him with intent to kill.
Things went pretty much as he would expect. Naruto dove for the side, then came up with a handful of kunai. Waiting for an opening where he could throw them. Two of the kunai had paper tags, most likely explosive tags.
Then there was Sasuke - gone into the bushes and hiding. Not well enough, but he was the only one even making the attempt at stealth or concealment.
Sakura rotated her naginata in quick blur before settling into a ready stance.
Kakashi sat down on a stump before regarding her and raising an eyebrow. "Not going to hide?"
"You're a jonin with a reputation. Nowhere I could hide you couldn't find me," said Sakura. "Besides. Samurai. My enemy is before me."
"Oh?" asked Kakashi, getting a book out and starting to read. A hand came up and blocked the blade of the naginata before it could touch him. "That's the problem with samurai. Too predictable."
"Isn't that 'Icha Icha Paradise'?" asked Sakura. "Curious choice of reading material."
"It's above your level, I admit," said Kakashi.
"Actually, I found the character of Naru somewhat annoying, and Motoko had a much more interesting backstory," said Sakura.
"Eh?" asked Kakashi. "You've read some of the series? You're considerably younger than the allowed age."
"I believe in formulating battle plans ahead of time," said Sakura. "I was hoping for ideas that I could use to further my case before Sasuke."
Kakashi noted how a bush had just shivered. "Way too early for that."
"True, but it always pays to do your research," said Sakura as she released her hold on the naginata and stepped back. She frowned slightly when the polearm was tossed casually off and then was sticking halfway through a tree. "By the way, I should mention that the ending was quite disappointing. I was rather hoping that Naru and Motoko-"
"No!" said Kakashi, looking up. "Do NOT spoil the ending. And Naruto? I know very well you're sneaking up on my backside with an explosive tag."
"Oh. So, can I get your opinion on something else then?" asked Sakura. "As you are obviously a worldly person who isn't exactly a prude if that book is any indication."
"I'm too old for you," said Kakashi. "Naruto? One step closer and I'll have to drive you into the ground like a tent peg."
"Not that," said Sakura, waving away the idea like an unpleasant odor. "I have a list of possible concubines for Lord Sasuke. Do you think I should select candidates based on financial acumen, ninja skills, support abilities, physical attractiveness, or genetic background?"
Kakashi paused before looking back up from his book. "What? You're TWELVE."
"To properly plan a battle or something like the renewal of the Uchiha clan, one must take many things into consideration," said Sakura. "I was thinking one wife and three concubines. What do you think?"
That bush DEFINITELY shivered.
Kakashi blurred, tripping Naruto and planting the genin's face into the dirt. He noted, fast as he'd been, that Sakura had reacted and drawn her sword and stepped forward in that time. As he was now several feet away - that indicated good speed but not nearly what his was.
"I think," said Kakashi. "That you may just be an interesting group after all."
There seemed to be a wind blowing all around Kakashi Hatake for a moment.
"So basically things play out much the same as they did originally, bringing things to now."
"Did something just happen?" asked Sakura.
Kakashi looked over the armored bits Sakura was wearing over leggings and tunic. Her sword, backpack with scroll pockets, and naginata close at hand. "Sakura, do you remember-"
"Remember what?" asked Sakura, clearly puzzled.
"She will when she tries. Right now, she's focussed on what's happening now. Almost like a samurai or something."
"'Almost'?" asked Sakura, frowning slightly.
"Which isn't as important as Naruto now having the Senju latent Mokuton awakened, as well as the Hyouton added, plus my confirming to her that he is in fact the son of Kushina Uzumaki and therefore the Last Uzumaki of the main line of that once-distinguished Uzushiogakure clan."
"He IS?!" asked Sakura, glancing at the cloud then at her team-mate. "Why didn't anyone see fit to mention to the Haruno clan this? Why, in fact, did they deny it?"
"First question - ninja secrets. Second question - they didn't deny it, they simply answered each question in a manner that suggested the answer was no without actually saying it was no. Except in the case of the file clerks who certainly didn't know and just reported what the file said - 'mother and father unknown'. Which wasn't completely true."
"My clan will want to have words with anyone who knew who didn't even feel we could be told such an important thing in confidence," stated Sakura.
Kakashi didn't look in her direction, as he well knew who Naruto's parents were.
"Doesn't matter," said Naruto, unexpectedly. "What difference would it have made?"
"Lots," said Sakura, settling down. She'd deal with the revelation later. A samurai planned for future battles, but when things were happening - focus on the now like the edge of the sword.
"Revenge," whispered a smirking Sasuke to himself. All the times that Naruto had just stuck out of the way - not having to deal with Sakura's attempts to suggest concubines or offer her attempts to convince him that she was his best choice as a life-partner. He thought it VERY likely that as Naruto had just been revealed as the last of HIS clan - that Naruto would now have to deal with matchmaking problems of his own.
"In any case, ninja heroes, this is all the time and interference I can spare you. You'll have to deal with events on your own."
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(Posted Tue, 28 Jan 2014 17:33)
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