Training begins!
Things start to get more strange inside your mind as you start to learn more and more about everyone and their lives.
What is this feeling inside of you?
A/N:
FINALLY
SOME SLOW BURN
(acting as if I'm not the one writing this mess/silly)
“So, now the training begins!”
Kakashi explains to your group about the importance of chakra and more specifically about chakra control. The first course of action for this training session will be tree climbing, however, your group will climb the tree without the use of hands.
This particular training was something you could easily do, so this would most likely consist of you helping your fellow teammates.
“What?! How?!” Sakura and the others gave him a confused look, like it was something impossible that he was asking for.
“Well. Just watch.” Kakashi then glances at you to show to everyone, you gave him a little nod.
Walking to a tree, you focused your chakra to your feet but not too much as to not break the tree and placed a foot onto the base of the tree before walking upwards as if gravity had no way to stop you. The group looked at you in awe as Kakashi continued his lesson.
“Focus the chakra on the bottoms of your feet and make them stick to the tree trunk.”
“Now wait a second here! How does doing something like that make you stronger?” Sakura looked at Kakashi with a confused expression.
“The aim of this exercise is to accumulate the required amount of chakra to the required spot. This is something even expert ninjas have difficulty with. The amount of chakra used to climb a tree is very subtle and the bottoms of the feet are the most difficult place to gather chakra. If you can master that, then in theory, you could master any kind of jutsu.” Taking out three kunais, Kakashi threw them down at the feet of your teammates to mark their progress on the tree with it and to push themselves to beat that previous mark.
Despite Naruto’s overconfidence, he had immediately fallen down on his head the moment his foot had touched the tree. Sasuke on the other hand was able to make some leeway before putting too much chakra into his foot, maintaining the chakra seems to be what he is having the most difficulties with.
Focusing the chakra on your feet once more, you used the force of the chakra to eject yourself off the tree and land next to Kakashi. Sasuke and Naruto looked at you in annoyance because of how naturally you had been able to do it.
“This is pretty easy!” You all had looked up and saw Sakura was already at the very top of the tree, sitting on the highest branch. Naruto was excited for her, praising her with a slight twitch in his eyebrow, but Sasuke on the other hand was more annoyed, causing Sakura to look a bit disappointed despite being the most successful out of the three.
After a while, everyone was looking more and more beat up than how they started. Sakura was laying on her back, out of breath while Naruto and Sasuke continued onward. The boys seemed to have the most stamina in your group. Naruto stood up and stomped his foot down as he looked at his own progress. The boy looked over at Sakura before going over to her and whispering to her, asking her for help while also trying to keep it a secret from Sasuke.
Sasuke took note of Naruto’s action before he gave you a quick glance. You tilted your head at him, only for Sasuke to quickly turn away, pretending like he didn’t look at you and continued his training.
How strange.
Kakashi only chuckled at the scene, making you look up at him.
“Boys can be… Pretty stubborn unless it aids their pride in some way. And even then, it’s no guarantee, they’ll swallow their own pride for that second.” Kakashi tilted his head, referring to Sasuke and Naruto.
“They are… Very strange. Especially that Naruto,” You replied. “He was very disappointed at the prospects of Zabuza dying by another ninja, but was ecstatic at the idea of him being possibly alive. Why is that?” Kakashi scratched his head at your questioning, trying to think of how to define a person’s pride to you.
“Like I said before, a person’s pride is a strong thing. After all the effort you all did to corner Zabuza… He must have felt like it was a waste of our time and strength to have someone else deal the final blow and so seemingly easy at that. With Zabuza being alive, he must believe that we can take our pride back in the battle.” Kakashi gave you a pat on the head… and kind of used you to stabilize his standing a bit. “A human’s pride is a strange piece of ambition unique to us, maybe you’ll understand one day.”
You watch Sasuke and Naruto continue to climb the tree and fall but get back up every time, all the while they pay attention to the other’s tree marks.
A strange piece of ambition…
Later that day, you were told by Kakashi to watch over Naruto and Sasuke as they continued their tree climbing training. To make sure Sakura was not the only one on guard duty, you had let Raksa accompany her and Tazuna.
“Ahhhhhhh! Damn it! What the hell is up with this?!” Naruto screamed out in frustration as he and Sasuke was catching their breath.
The two boys had made quite a bit of progress than how they started in the morning, getting further and further with each attempt. The two of them glared at each other before continuing their next attempt. They were interesting to watch, those two.
Interesting.
It is strange, you’ve never thought of anything like that before.
Being with this group has caused to you think many strange things as of late.
Ambitions.
Needs.
Worry.
Everything was just so foreign, you can’t seem to make heads or tails of it all.
Perhaps for now, you should check on Raksa and Sakura. Focusing the chakra in your eyes, you connect yourself with Raksa’s eyes.
It seems Sakura had just kicked a man for trying to touch her butt. It was quite a strong kick, not to mention he was then thrown out the window by Raksa afterwards.
“Man, I was surprised earlier!”
“Ugh! What’s with this town?!” Sakura huffed as the three of them headed back to the house. However, on the way, there was a homeless girl who had stopped Sakura, asking for candy.
Sakura had a look of pity before looking into her bag for some candy for the child.
The town has seen better days because of Gato taking over the place financially. Before the little girl walked away with her candy, Raksa had stopped her. The doll opened its chest a bit and took out a small doll for the little girl. It was a particularly small one you had made but still had a bit of chakra.
“Pro… Tect.” Raksa said simply in their gruff tone, surprising Sakura and Tazuna who looked like they had the same question, ‘It can speak?!’. Sakura in particular watched on with sadness in her eyes as the little girl looked so happy to have been given that gift. The little girl was practically jumping for joy as she ran off.
It was strange…
You don’t remember Raksa being able to make decisions like that without your input before.
“That was nice of you to do… Raksa?” Sakura said, unsure if she was pronouncing their name correctly before she had hesitantly brought her hand up to place on their head. Raksa moved its head forward, allowing her to pet their soft ‘fur’, making Sakura smile and gave them a proper pet before the three of them headed back.
“If we can just… Complete that bridge. This town can return to what it once was and everyone will return.” Sakura looked at Tazuna with solemn eyes, she wishes for that to happen too.
You cut your connection to Raksa at the sound of Naruto’s fall.
“Jeez! What’s wrong with you?! Don’t bother me while I’m trying to concentrate!” It seems like Sasuke called for him as he was in the middle of running. Sasuke started to fiddle anxiously a bit as he stumbled over his words, something you and Naruto never seen on the usually cool headed boy before.
“Y-you asked Sakura to give you some tips before, what did… She say to you?” Sasuke looked away shyly, his pale cheeks were dusted with pink as he still tried to act cool.
Naruto looked at him in surprise before giving a large, smirk.
“I’m not tellin’.” The blond boy said in a sing songy voice, which Sasuke looked at him in annoyance. Sasuke must have swallowed down a lot of his pride to even ask that in the first place. The black haired boy glanced back at you again as Naruto started to laugh at him, he looked back at his progress on the tree then Naruto’s progress, and then back to you.
Sasuke let out a sigh before mentally prepping himself all over again to swallow his pride, walking over to you, he finally asked you what he wanted to ask since this morning.
“Hey. Could… You give me some tips on this?” Sasuke was looking downwards and not at you, his face was a bit redder than earlier.
Hm…
Naruto had Sakura whisper to him the tips, is that something you need to do too so Naruto doesn’t hear?
You bring Sasuke closer to you, making sure your mouth was near his ear, surprising the boy.
“Chakra is spiritual energy, you need to be calm in order to use it. The key is to be relaxed in order to have a steady chakra flow.” A slight shiver went up his spine to hear your voice so close to his ear before he pushed you away a bit and covered the ear you whispered to.
“Did you need to be so close to me to tell me that?” Sasuke’s ears were redder than before, though he looked at you wearily like you had ulterior motives for doing that. You simply looked at him in confusion.
“That’s what Sakura did with Naruto, I thought I had to do the same thing.” He scrutinized your face trying to see if you were lying, but you were honest (almost to a fault…). He just sighs before straightening out a bit more but less tense than earlier.
“Next time just tell me normally,” Sasuke tells you. “But. Thanks… For the tip.” The boy finally says just as he walked away to continue his training with Naruto.
Once it was time to head back, you took out some bandages and ointment for the boys. You asked for Sasuke to bring out his arm so you can take a look at him.
“I said I’ll be fine, you don’t have to ask every tim-” Sasuke let out an injured noise as you grabbed his arm, making sure to put the ointment creams and bandages on him whether he says so or not.
“That does not sound fine.” Sasuke just scoffed at you but allowed you to continue to bandage him up, Naruto pouted as he watched you help Sasuke’s bruises.
“Can’t believe I’m in a team where both my other teammates care more about Sasuke than- OW!” Naruto muttered to himself before he yelped out in pain when you grabbed him by the face. The blond boy looked at you in surprise as you started to put the ointment and bandages on him too.
“You were further away from me, so I helped Sasuke first. If you were closer, then I would have helped you first.” You answered simply, Naruto looked less grumpy at your explanation, his eyes softening a bit. Sasuke was also a bit surprised but part of him was a bit glad he wasn’t getting special treatment like usual.
It feels like he’s actually being treated like an equal rather than being propped up for simply existing.
Arriving back at the house, Naruto and Sasuke seems to be having an eating match. You simply sat next to Sakura with a very small portion of food since you weren’t… Particularly hungry.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a meal with this many people!” Tazuna loudly laughed.
Just as the two boys asked for more food, they had thrown up from eating too much, too fast.
“Stop eating if you’re going to vomit!” Sakura scolded the boys, grossed out by their antics.
“No, I’ll eat.”
“I have to eat even if it means throwing up, I have to get as strong as possible!”
Those two boys are quite stubborn. At this point, this will be more of a vomiting match than an eating match.
You helped Tsunami with cleaning up the table (The boys were tasked with cleaning up their own vomit), everyone washed down their system with hot tea. Sakura had gotten up and looked at the framed photo on the wall nearby.
“Excuse me? Why is there a torn picture here? I was looking at this picture the whole time and it looked as if the photo was deliberately ripped.” The family had tensed up a bit at Sakura’s questioning.
“It’s my husband…” Tsunami spoke in a bitter tone.
“He’s a man that was once known as a hero of this town…” Inari quietly exited the room as Tazuna started talking about the man, which his mother followed shortly after but not before scolding her father for mentioning her husband in front of Inari.
Tazuna explains that Inari’s father was not someone who was related to him by blood, but Inari had been very attached to him ever since the man saved him from drowning. However, his grandson had changed ever since Kaiza died. Kaiza was always called a hero by the townspeople, but one night, he was used as an example by Gato to make the people of the island more passive and scared. After beating him and breaking all of the man’s bones, they then hung his body on a cross in front of the town.
In front of Inari.
And finally killed him.
You clenched your fists without realizing as you listened to the old man’s story, Kakashi took note of your reaction. You did not understand why your body felt so tense after hearing the story.
Naruto only looked more determined, even as his legs shook from the overuse of chakra.
“I’ll show him… That there’s still heroes in this world!”
What a strange boy.
After Tazuna left the room to sleep, you asked Kakashi the question that was on your mind.
“Sensei. Why was the child mad? His father died a hero, so what is wrong with that?” The others looked at you in surprise at your insensitive questioning, but Kakashi’s face was filled with patience, already knowing that you would ask something like that.
“His dad died! Of course he would be mad!” Naruto yelled at you in annoyance, his personal emotions getting the better of him.
“But. He was considered a hero, so why?” You tilted your head at him, still not quite understanding. Naruto just looked more mad at you before Kakashi placed a hand on the boy’s head to calm him down.
“Kaiza is like… Your sibling. They sacrificed themselves for the safety of others. But their absence hurt those whose lives they impacted. Especially, since Kaiza’s death was done in an unjust and cruel way.” Naruto calmed down a bit more after hearing Kakashi try to explain things to you, though, he was still a bit frustrated.
“Unjust… Sacrifice…” You repeated after him to yourself, thinking of them. The other three looked at you with suspicion and confusion. That it was so strange for you to not understand something so simple.
Something human.
Kakashi pinched your cheek, taking you out of your head.
“Well. You’ll understand one day.” You looked at Kakashi’s gentle yet bittersweet filled eye.
Will you?
The next morning, you all looked for Naruto since he hadn’t returned last night after continuing his training. After arriving at the training spot, you all saw the boy at the very top of the tree. You gave a small clap for the boy, it was quite literally, yesterday where he could barely take one step on the tree trunk before falling.
Well, it looks like he was going to fall again. That didn’t take too long.
Naruto only started to laugh as he flipped right over and looked at you all while upside down on the tree branch, Sakura only scolded him for making her worried about him.
And just like that, karma struck.
Naruto’s feet popped off the branch.
The boy had run out of chakra, but just before he could fall too far, Sasuke had jumped and caught Naruto’s foot in time. You gave Sasuke a clap like you did with Naruto earlier, both boys had been working very hard to control their chakra and be able to hang upside down from the tree branches now. Sakura squealed as she watched Sasuke, while Kakashi looked very proud of both boys.
Later that night, you, Sakura, and Kakashi were waiting at the dinner table for the two boys since they had stayed out to train a bit longer. The door slammed open revealing Naruto leaning on Sasuke, both boys were quite beat up from training. You stood up and took out the ointment and bandages for the boys once again, this time starting with Naruto first who looked quite proud of himself.
“We both climbed to the top!”
“Good. Starting tomorrow, you two will also start guarding Tazuna.” Naruto looked so excited at Kakashi’s response that when he cheered, the boy had fallen over with Sasuke, which only made the room, minus Inari, laugh.
After eating, Inari looked at the battered and bandaged Naruto and started to cry. Tears flowed and did not stop, from anger or remembering, Inari could not tell.
“Why… Why do you keep working so hard that you get hurt like that?! No matter how hard you train, there’s no way you could beat Gato and his men!” Inari slammed his small hands against the table as he yelled out in anger, his voice trembling with every syllable. “No matter what you say… Or how much of an effort you make… The weak always lose against the strong!”
“Stop it, I’m nothing like you.” Naruto buried his head in his arms, looking away from Inari.
“Shut up! Just looking at you makes me sick! Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, I’m not like you who doesn’t know the first thing about pain!” Inari’s words seemed to have struck a chord within Naruto.
“So you’re just going to cry all day like some lead in a tragedy? You’re nothing but a crybaby!”
“Naruto! You’re being too harsh!” Sakura scolded Naruto who only walked off in frustration.
Was this fight another instance of one’s pride?
Or was this an instance of a person’s pain of loss?
Summary: At the request of Naruto (more like begging and tantrum throwing actually...) You all had received your first C rank mission since becoming an official team.
However, there seems to be more than meets the eye with this simple escort and bodyguard mission.
A/N: GAWD this one was REALLY annoying to write when i had to write this section of the arc
really made me realize
"Maybe i don't like writing about fighting"
I'm more excited about the other chapters in the arc than this one buut it d be naruto so it's gunna be quite slow anyways
“What’s your distance from the target?”
“Five meters, I can go at any time!”
“Okay… Do it!”
All four of you charged towards the cat with the ribbon on its ear, blocking it from all sides. Naruto scooped up the cat, much to the animal’s dismay.
“Does it have a ribbon on its right ear? Are you sure it’s our target Tora?” As Kakashi spoke, Naruto was having a wrestling competition against the cat, trying not to let it out of his grasp, you and Sakura just watched as Naruto struggled to keep it in his hands and started to even kick the boy’s face.
“It’s the target, without a doubt.”
“Alright, the mission to capture lost pet ‘Tora’ is complete!”
Pushing the cat down, Naruto grabbed at his earpiece and yelled at the top of his lungs, Sakura and Sasuke taking their earpieces off before they could be subjected to his ear deafening scream.
“ISN’T THERE A MISSION WITH WAY MORE STAKES THAN THIS?!”
“Oh! My cute little Tora! I was worried to death!” The woman had squished the cat as she hugged it, that cat is going to shrink at that rate.
“It’s no wonder he ran away.” Sakura whispered as Naruto snorted.
“Alright, the next mission for you all… There’s a neighboring town that needs a baby sitter for the counselor’s son. There’s also a farm that needs help with their potatoes-” Naruto immediately protested when the Hokage spoke.
“NO WAY! Ab-so-lute-ly not! I dunno about these guys, but I want a wayyy more exciting mission! Would you give us somethin’ else?” Sasuke, although irritated at the sound of Naruto’s voice, gave an agreeing look. Sakura on the other hand was incredibly annoyed at the idea of having to do harder missions. Kakashi just looked exhausted, that’s the most tired look you’ve seen on the man.
“Don’t be stupid, you’re still a rookie! Everyone at the bottom of the ladder has to go through starting missions to gain experience!” Iruka argued with Naruto who only got more annoyed at the prospect of starting off small, just for Kakashi to give the small boy a hard knock on the head and apologized for the young boy’s brass attitude.
“Ughhh! You always lecture me, old man! I’m not that little kid who pulled pranks anymore, I’m a ninja now and I want a real ninja mission!” After all that, Naruto puffed his cheeks and turned away from the Hokage with a huff. Despite the blatant disrespect, you could see the old man is charmed by Naruto’s ambitious attitude.
“Alright, if you insist… I’ll have you all do a C-Rank mission. You will act as body guards.” Naruto perked up at the sound of this upcoming mission. The Hokage only chuckled as he let in the commissioner.
An old drunkard with a half empty bottle of sake in his hand.
“Whassthat? It’s just a buncha little brats!” The old man took a larg swing of his bottle before continuing. “And you expect me to believe that tiny one with the stupid look on his face is a ninja??”
Naruto laughed, not realizing the insult was directed towards him.
“Hahaha! Whose the tiny one with the dumb look on their face that he’s talkin’ about?” The three of you simply give Naruto a look before moving closer to him to reveal that he was, in fact, the tiny one the old man was referring to, in which Kakashi had to grab the boy by the collar before he started to pick a fight with a drunk old man two times his size.
The old man introduced himself as Tazuna, a veteran bridge builder, the mission is to make sure he gets to his land safely and finish his bridge. Begrudgingly, the old man lead the way to his village with Naruto in particular being quite excited.
However, not too long in the journey, you all faced your first road block.
A pair of black-clad ninjas had captured Kakashi with their sharp chain and sliced through him like he was nothing. Pieces of him were scattered on the ground. Sakura and Naruto could only watch in fear before they had disappeared and reappeared behind Naruto.
Instinctively, Sasuke had jumped up and threw his shuriken and kunai at the chain, sticking their connected chain onto the nearby tree. You joined in, running into the fray and kicking the head of one of the ninjas while Sasuke kicked the other one. The two ninja released themselves of their chains before separating, with one going to attack Naruto while the other aimed for Sakura and Tazuna.
Quickly, you braced yourself in front of Sakura to try and block their attack while Sasuke tried to protect Naruto.
However, in a blink of an eye, the two ninja were taken care of.
Kakashi had put both of the men in a headlock.
Looking over where his body would have been, in its place was only small lumber.
“Naruto, sorry I didn’t help right away. I didn’t think you would be incapable of moving,” Kakashi faced you, Sasuke, and Sakura as Naruto looked at everyone with shock. “Anyhow, let me say, good job you three.” Naruto was braced on his knee, catching Sasuke’s eye who gave him a smug smirk.
“Hey… You’re not hurt are you? Scaredy cat?”
Just before Naruto could pick a fight, Kakashi tells the boy to stand still. There was poison within the claws of these ninja, the poison would have to be removed from the opening and moving around would only make the poison circulate faster in his body. Kakashi then gives a stern look at Tazuna, certainly realizing he was no simple bridge maker after this encounter.
Tying up the ninjas, Sakura suggests heading back to the village to tend to Naruto’s hand, especially since this mission is clearly too much for genin such as yourselves. You watch Naruto get more and more frustrated before taking out a kunai and stabbing his own hand to get the poison out himself surprising everyone in the group, no need for going back now.
“I should be getting stronger… I’ll never get into another situation where I gotta be rescued again!” The boy turns to look at you all, his face clearly contorted in pain but still gives a stubborn look in his eyes. “I’ll protect you old man… with this kunai! This mission continues!” Despite the pain he is going through, he gives you all a confident smile.
It confused you why he was so desperate to keep going on with this mission after everything that’s happened, especially to the point of hurting himself.
But, now this points to a different issue, and that is him possibly bleeding to death rather than dying of poison. Which Kakashi sensei informed him of, Naruto’s cool facade immediately cracked thereafter. The young boy started to flail around has he gave Kakashi his hand to bandage as Sakura scolded him for being so impulsive. You and Sasuke only glanced at each other from the scene in front of you two, the mission will be quite long if this is the rate you all are going.
Continuing ahead, you walked at a slower speed to match Kakashi’s pace as everyone else had already gone ahead of you two and followed Tazuna. There was an overlaying question that echoed in your mind.
“Kakashi-Sensei?”
“Yeah?”
“Why did that boy do that? He could have gotten help from the hospital back in the village instead of the crude way of way he did just now.” Kakashi looked upwards as he walked, thinking about how to formulate the words in a way to make you properly understand.
“Well, you see, a person’s pride can be a strong thing, especially when placed in a position where one would feel useless. Naruto saw how everyone was able to take action in such a tight position and most likely felt like he would only be dragging everyone down. So, he’s pushing himself to do better no matter what.”
Kakashi could see the gears in your head turning as you take in the information. You watched the other three ahead of you; Sakura’s precise way of walking, Sasuke’s confidence, and Naruto’s overcompensating body language.
It was still all confusing to you…
Trying to understand a person’s nature.
Kakashi only watched as you struggled to put the pieces together.
Perhaps this group was a good influence on you after all if they’re making you contemplate so deeply like this.
Kakashi confronted Tazuna, making him tell the truth about this whole operation.
Tazuna explained that he was being targeted by a dangerous and infamous man by the name of Gato, the chief executive of the Gato company. The dangerous man is using the shipping company as a front for drug trafficking and dealings with gangs, he ruthlessly takes over nations and enterprises by exploiting areas financially. Tazuna said that the one thing Gato fears is the completion of the bridge
Tazuna withheld this information because the land of waters was poor due to Gato’s influence, even feudal lords were poor because of that man.
You all stepped off the boat, now closer to Tazuna’s home. Along the way, Naruto seemed to get more antsy, much more so when Sasuke started to match his pace. Seeing this, you prepared Raksa just in case, expanding their size to better prepare for future battle. Your action surprised Tazuna with him exclaiming ‘That thing can walk?!’ before he yelled out in surprise again when Naruto suddenly threw a kunai into the bushes, almost hitting a white rabbit.
“Naruto! Now look at what you did!”
“It’s a rabbit!” Naruto ran to the bunny and hugged it as an apology for his action. “I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry little rabbit!” While you and the others were focused on the rabbit, Kakashi and Raksa were both on edge and keeping an eye on anything nearby.
Suddenly, a large sword was thrown towards everyone, Raksa had pushed Tazuna and Sakura down as you pushed Naruto down with a hand on his head, the large sword just barely missing everyone. The sword plunged itself into the side of the tree and on the handle stood a man who wore a mask that covered half his face like Kakashi.
“Well, if it isn’t the rogue ninja of the hidden mist, Zabuza Momochi!” Kakashi blocked Naruto’s path before the boy could get himself into danger. Kakashi steadies himself, preparing show off his hidden eye.
“I assume you are Kakashi, the sharingan user…” The man faced you all. “Sorry, but, you’ll have to give up that old man.”
“Get in Manji battle formation and protect Tazuna. Don’t get involved in the fight. That’s the teamwork in this situation.” Kakashi lifted up his headband to reveal his blood red eye. A mist started to flow out, lowering the field of vision, the four of you surround Tazuna, making sure to protect him at all angles.
“Let’s end the talking here. I’ll have to defeat you first, Kakashi.” The rogue ninja had disappeared and had reappeared in the middle of the lake before disappearing once again due to his hidden mist jutsu. Kakashi watched over the lake with a serious expression you all were unused to seeing on him.
The mist surrounding everyone has only gotten thicker, and before long, you can barely see in anything front of you.
“Eight points. The larynx, the spine, the lungs, the liver, the jugular, and the subclavian veins. The kidneys and the heart.” The man’s rough voice echoed throughout the mist.
“Now then. Which vulnerable spot should I aim for?”
Sakura and Naruto felt a shiver run throughout their body, even Sasuke was so tense from the fear inside his body.
The man spoke like you all were pigs in a butcher shop.
You can hear Sasuke’s breathing start to quicken, he was going to hyperventilate from the killing intent these men exuded.
“Sasuke. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you all with my life. I will not allow my comrades to get killed.” Kakashi turned towards Sasuke, giving him a reassuring yet bittersweet smile behind his mask.
“I wonder about that,” Zabuza then appeared right in the middle of your formation. “It’s over now.” Before the rogue ninja could do anything, Kakashi charged towards Zabuza, stabbing him with the kunai, forcing you all to scatter. However, what released from the man was not blood.
It was water.
“Sensei! Behind you!”
Kakashi quickly ducked as the real Zabuza swung his large sword, missing your teacher by a hair. Using that swing, Zabuza used the momentum to kick Kakashi into the water before jumping in with him. Your team was nervous, this rogue ninja clearly had the skills to back up his confident attitude. You should not just stand here and do nothing, taking out your chakra wire, you threw them into the tree areas and created a web like structure on your left and right in case that man came back up.
Resurfacing from the water, Kakashi was then placed in a water prison the moment he had tried to escape. Soon, Zabuza had created a water clone using his free hand to deal with you all.
“You’re acting big, wearing a headband like a ninja. However, a real ninja is one who hovers between constant life and death!” The clone then teleported and swiftly kicked Naruto, making his headband fly off, your web of wires caught the boy before he could skid too far away.
“Everyone! Take Tazuna and run! You all don’t stand a chance with a guy like him!” Kakashi said that Zabuza shouldn’t be able to use his water clone if you all were far enough away.
However, to you all…
Running away was not an option.
They would not have run away, especially if it meant leaving someone important.
So, you refuse to do the same.
It seems Sasuke a similar idea as you.
The black haired boy ran towards Zabuza, throwing shurikans at the clone. In the mean time you had pulled on your strings, trying to trap the clone and prevent him from running away. However, the clone was easily able to knock off the projectiles and jump upwards and avoid your string trap and grabbed Sasuke by the neck before throwing him to the side.
Coughing, Sasuke quickly ran back to you all to get a safe distance between himself and Zabuza. Naruto slowly started to get up, overcoming his fear and charged towards the clone only to get punched back towards everyone. You realized something watching Naruto’s form skid across the ground.
“What are you thinking charging off on your own?!” Sakura scolded the boy. “Even Sasuke was no match for him! No matter how hard we try, we’re just-” She stopped herself when she noticed his hand.
In Naruto’s grip, was his headband Zabuza had been stepping on earlier.
The boy slowly stood back up, blood running down the corner of his mouth.
“Hey. The guy with no eyebrows… Record in that bingo book of yours about the guy who’s gonna be the hidden leaf village’s Hokage one day,” Naruto straightened up, putting his headband back on and cleaned the blood from his mouth.
“Leaf-style ninja… Naruto Uzumaki!”
The rogue ninja was shaking in anger at Naruto’s confidence.
“Sasuke! Lend me your ear!” Naruto gave a confidant smirk. “I have a plan!” Sasuke gave him a silent nod, already ready for whatever Naruto throws at him.
“What the hell are you all doing?! I told you to run! This fight was over the moment I got caught, your mission is not to prove how brave you are, it’s to save the bridge builder! Stay on mission!” Kakashi scolded you all, prompting your group to look back at Tazuna for his final call.
“This all started because of me, because of my desire to live… But, I won’t let that stand in your way now.” Tazuna gives you all a big smile as he looked up. “Forget about me and do what you need to do! Go ahead and fight to save your sensei!”
Zabuza only laughed at your group’s naive display of courage, telling you all that by the time he was your age that he already had blood on his hands. According to Kakashi, ten years ago, the mist village’s graduation exam had to undergo drastic reform. There was a particular boy who had slaughtered over one hundred genin with no hesitation.
Zabuza’s water clone ran towards Sasuke, kicking him to the ground hard enough to cough blood. Soon after, Naruto charged at the clone while using his shadow clone jutsu but was soon knocked off like a fly. However, that action was enough for Sasuke to move back to get some space between him and the water clone. Naruto then threw a bladed fan to Sasuke who had caught it with ease. Unfurling it, revealing it was the demon wind shuriken.
The black haired boy jumped up and threw the shuriken.
But, he was not aiming for the clone, he had aimed for the real body.
Realizing this, Zabuza had jumped upwards to dodge it, however…
Poof!
Naruto revealed himself as the ‘weapon’ and threw his kunai at Zabuza who was now forced to release Kakashi from his water prison and release his water clone in order to avoid the kunai.
In dodging the kunai, Zabuza had been cut.
Naruto had gained the full attention of the rogue ninja, but before Zabuza could throw his demon wind shurikan at Naruto, Kakashi used his hand to block it.
The two of them then separated and used a water dragon jutsu against each other. Raksa stood protectively in front of you when the water had come towards you all, making the doll take the brunt of it, though Raksa could was not big enough for 4 whole people so Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura were still hit by the gigantic wave of water. The giant wave also threw Naruto back to shore to you all before he could accidentally drown himself in between the battle of those two men.
With a particularly hard jutsu, Kakashi was able to throw Zabuza ashore and into a tree.
Before anyone could react, two long, needles had been thrown into Zabuza’s neck, causing him to collapse.
On a nearby tree, you all see a mysterious ninja with a mask.
An Anbu mask.
Kakashi jumped over to Zabuza, confirming the lack of pulse in the rogue ninja’s body, he turned to the ninja on the tree who gave Kakashi a small bow.
“I thank you. I have been waiting for the chance to kill Zabuza.” The ninja spoke with a boyish voice. Kakashi also took note of the boy’s mask, saying how they must be an anbu ninja that is part of the hidden mist village.
Despite the victory, this whole situation makes Naruto upset.
Upset that you all weren’t the ones to defeat Zabuza.
Upset that the ninja who killed him was not much older than himself.
Upset that he was just…
Pathetic in comparison.
Kakashi puts a hand on Naruto’s head. “In this world, there are kids that are younger than you. And yet, stronger than me.” Kakashi lowered his headband over his eye once again.
And as fast as the masked boy appeared, he had disappeared with Zabuza’s body, seemingly to be rid of it.
“What the hell was all of this for?! What are we anyway?!” Naruto fell to his knees, now punching the ground in frustration. Kakashi grabbed Naruto’s arm before he could throw another punch.
“These things happen as a Ninja. If you’re frustrated, apply it to the next fight!” Naruto had finally calmed down, Kakashi then turns back to you all. “Our mission is not over yet, we still need to bring Tazuna home.” Tazuna gives a big hearty laugh before apologizing and suggests he could let you all rest in his home for the time being.
Just as Kakashi takes a step forward, everything in his body stills. The pain shoots through him, making him collapse. Instinctively, you were the first person by his side, kneeling beside him and placed a hand on his chest.
He’s badly injured from the fight with that rouge ninja.
… Using that would be your main option here-
Kakashi’s hand shoots up and grips your wrist as tight as he could with the most urgency the others has seen in this usually easy going jonin teacher.
It seems he had already knew what you were attempting to do.
“NO! Don’t use it! Whatever you do, however hurt I am, you cannot use that on me!” The others were shocked at his outburst as you stared at his face, his expression was contorted in both pain and panic before rolling back and fainting.
“Wh… Kakashi-Sensei!”
“What happened?!”
“He had collapsed from the pain. Now that the adrenaline wore off, he can feel the injuries he had sustained during the battle.” You stand up, calling Raksa over to pick him up.
“It’s not only that, he must have overused the Sharingan. He had it the whole battle, it must have taken a toll on him.” Sasuke explains.
“Tazuna.” You call for your client.
“Y-yes!”
“Your house is not far from where we are at now, correct?”
“Yes, you all can rest all you need at my house once we’re there.”
Raksa picks up Kakashi’s unconscious body, making sure not to hold him in a way that injured him more. You all continued your walk to Tazuna’s home. On the way, Sakura was curious about something that Kakashi said before he had fainted.
“Hey, uh. Why did… Why did Kakashi say that? What were you going to do to him?” Your teammates looked at you suspiciously due to Sakura’s questioning.
“I was going to heal him,” You answered simply, although, that seems to only make them more weary. You are being honest though, so there is nothing for you to feel guilty over or lie about. “He hates when I heal him.” The walk was devastatingly awkward, your teammates hoping you would elaborate on the why.
You never did.
“What’s that even mean?? Why would he hate you doing something like that?” Naruto asks the question the other two were thinking.
“He just does.” Your simple responses only seem to frustrate Naruto more, making him huff and puff.
“FINE, don’t tell me then!”
But, you already told him?
As you all walked, you spared a glance at Sasuke. The boy took some hard hits from that rogue ninja. Kakashi did also say to check in with your teammates when they are hurt, it helps with team bonding.
“Sasuke. Are you alright from the fight?”
“… I’m fine. I’m not that weak.” The boy didn’t look at you as he answered your question. You glanced back at Naruto, he also has some scrapes and bruises from the encounter.
“Naruto, are you alright?” The blond boy looked at you in surprise, unused to others looking out for him.
“Uh- yeah! I’m fine too! I’m strong like- no, stronger than Sasuke!” Naruto gloated, already forgotten his earlier frustrations with you.
You glanced at Sakura, she didn’t sustain any bruises like the other two but the fight did seem mentally taxing for everyone.
“Are you also okay, Sakura?”
“Oh. Uh. Yeah, I’m alright.” Her voice to you was polite and curt, not really knowing how to interact with you.
You all finally arrived to Tazuna’s home where you all were greeted by his daughter, Tsunami, who had helped you all safely place Kakashi in a futon to rest in a separate room. While your teammates waited outside and spoke with Tazuna, you decided to stay in Kakashi’s room and watch over him.
What if…
What if he stopped breathing like they did?
You laid down near him with Raksa in your arms, watching his chest rise up and down closely.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Tsunami checked on you a few times to see how you were doing, but you diligently stayed by his side until he finally opened his eye.
“Oh,” He called out your name with a raspy voice before letting out a cough. At the sound of his voice, Tsunami had come back in to check on you two.
“Are you alright, Sensei? Your student’s been at your side since you arrived, they must have been worried sick!” Kakashi’s eye widened in surprised at the news before glancing back at you, who only stared back at him with your usual stoic expression.
“Not really… It will be hard to move for about a week.” Kakashi started to get up until you place a hand on his chest, stopping him from moving further. You kind of remind him of a cat right now.
“You should listen to your student here, it would be best if you didn’t move for a bit.”
“O-okay.” Kakashi laid back down at her command and your silent one. Thinking about it, whenever he visited you, he has never gotten this injured in front of you before, so this whole thing must be new to you. At the sound of Tsunami and Kakashi’s voices, your teammates and Tazuna came back in.
“Oh, Kakashi-Sensei’s finally awake!” The crew sat by Kakashi’s other side, opposite from you.
“Your sharingan is really powerful, but if it puts this much of a strain on your body, then you shouldn’t use it!” Sakura scolded the bed ridden man who only gave a weak ‘sorry’. “Not to mention, they just watched you the whole time while you slept, you must have really worried them!” Kakashi turns to you and placed a hand on your head, patting you in an attempt of comfort.
“Were you worried?”
You didn’t respond at first, but you finally answered what was in your mind while watching over him.
“I thought you would stop breathing in the middle of sleeping. Like they did.” Everyone around you looked at you with a mixture of pity and sadness at your response. Kakashi looked downwards with a bit of guilt in his eye, understanding exactly what you mean.
Kakashi then sat up, as if realizing something and turned to Sakura.
“What did the masked kid do with Zabuza?”
“How would we know? He just took Zabuza’s body away.”
“If he needed proof that he had killed Zabuza, he could have simply taken the head. Not to mention, the weapon that tracker ninja had used…”
“A regular senbon…” Sasuke answered, already connecting the dots Kakashi was implying.
Zabuza was most likely still alive.
Tazuna, Naruto, and Sakura screamed in shock, because how could a man come back from an injury such as that?
Zabuza was probably in a near death state, being able to fake the loss of a pulse due to the senbon’s precise hits. Naruto’s expression seems to be that of excitement from the news.
That boy…
Always confused you more and more.
“Sensei, what should we do in preparation? You can’t even move right now…”
“I’ll assign you all some training.” Kakashi explains that you all are ready to get stronger, especially since you all were the ones to have saved him after all. Naruto especially has grown the past few days.
“Now it’s getting interesting!” Naruto excitedly exclaimed.
“I don’t think it’s interesting at all…” A young boy’s voice had joined in your group’s conversation, turning around, you all were faced with Tazuna’s grandson, Inari.
His mother scolded him for not properly greeting you all, to which Tazuna simply waves it off. Inari gives you all a scrutinizing glare.
“Mom, these guys will die. There’s no way they can go against Gato and win.”
“What’s that you brat?! Listen here, I’m a super hero who will become an awesome Hokage one day!” Naruto gave the boy a smile brimming with confidence. “Gato or choco, whoever they are, I’m not worried about them one bit!” Naruto’s response only seem to annoy Inari more.
“A hero, huh. That’s stupid, there’s no such thing as heroes!”
Before Naruto could pick a fight with a child half his age, Sakura held him back from doing anything stupid.
“If you don’t want to die, then hurry up and go home already.” Inari left the room and headed upstairs, Tazuna apologized for his grandson’s behavior.
Kakashi could tell you didn’t understand, but considering the air, it would be unwise to speak inform you while everything was still so tense.
You watched Naruto walk away with a huff.
You wonder…
Did they feel the same way about the concept of heroism?
(Planned romances will be very slow burned since this is a rewrite + fix-it fic)
Summary: What is a human's purpose when they are created?
Do they just know how to navigate through life as they are?
It's hard... Learning these things for the first time.
However, with some guidance, maybe even you can learn how to be...
Human.
Your teacher said that these three might just be a good influence on you.
Let's hope he's right.
A/N: This is my first time writing for Naruto and technically my first time officially getting into and participating in the fandom since i avoided it as a kid, which is funny cus i always had a bit of a crush on sasuke and suddenly the crush hit me again recently (plus other crushes) but 10x harder so now im here and made way too much lore for this 😭
just a heads up
- for the most part, a lot of the dialogue is 1 for 1 on the characters, the first couple chaps, i was kinda having a rough time trying to write till i got the swing of things later
- this is basically a fix-it rewrite so the pacing may be ass
- the reader may act a bit mary sue ish at times (because they are basically my in universe sona but written with a reader perspective 💀)
- aaaand the characters may be a pretty ooc since im not used to writing for them/i have not written in a while
“Squad 7: Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno. Sasuke Uchiha. And…” In the midst of Sakura cheering and Naruto groaning, there was a fourth name that the class did not recognize catching the group’s attention.
“Iruka-Sensei, who’s that last name you said?? I don’t think there’s anyone in class with that name.” Naruto peeped up.
“The teacher your group has been assigned to has a student of his own due to certain… personal circumstances. They are about your age. So, your group will be the exception to the rule of threes.” The crew gave each other a confused glance before Sasuke and Naruto went back to glaring at each other.
It was time for you to meet your other team members.
You had been a student already that was under Kakashi’s supervision due to certain circumstances and he had finally decided that you would be joining the group that he is tasked with this year. You held Raksa close to your chest, your plush companion.
“Today, you will be meeting with your new teammates. Make sure to get along with them,” You gave him a little nod as the two of you stop in front of a classroom, the door is slightly ajar. There seems to be a chalkboard eraser at the top of the door, Kakashi obviously seemed to notice it.
“I’ll go in first.” Just as expected, Kakashi was hit with the dusty eraser, although it only made his hair appear dustier considering it was already the same color as his hair.
A boyish, boisterous laugh came from the classroom the moment Kakashi activated the trap along side a polite, feminine voice.
“I got him, I got him, did ya see that!”
“I’m so sorry Sensei, I tried to stop him, but Naruto went off on his own…”
Once Kakashi fully entered the classroom, you peeked your head inside with Raksa. The other three had took note of you just behind Kakashi. There was a blond, short boy with spiky hair who was most likely the loud one who did the prank. There was a slightly taller girl with long pink hair who was the one who apologized. And sitting off to the side, was a quiet black hair boy in blue who only observed the scene in front of him with a scowl.
“Hm… How should I say this on my first impressions of you all?” Kakashi put a finger to his chin, making a thinking pose.
“Well, I hate you all.” The blunt way of speaking made the three of them frown.
All of you then gathered to the rooftop, you were going to stand by Kakashi’s side like you usually do but he had told you to sit with the group in front of him.
“Let’s see. First off, let me have you guys introduce yourselves,” Kakashi then spared a glance at you before continuing. “As you can see, you have a new classmate that will be meeting you for the first time alongside myself.”
“What should should we say?”
“Your likes, dislikes, future dreams. Things like that.”
“Hey! How about you tell us about you first!” The blond one says with an abrasive way of speaking.
“Me? My name is Kakashi Hakate,” He points to himself. “I don’t feel like telling you my likes and dislikes,” The pink and blond ones give him a confused look. “I’ve never really thought about my future dream. As for my hobbies… I have many that are only for adults.” The pink girl gives the others an annoyed look.
“In the end, we only know his name…”
The blond one then perks up after realizing something and looks right at you.
“Hey, hey, you’ve been his student a while. Can you tell us about Kakashi-Sensei?” You tilt your head a bit at his question.
“Like what? Sensei technically said all that wanted to.”
“But, we don’t even know anything else! He didn’t even say what kind of ‘hobbies’ that were adults only! Like, is there anything embarrassing about him you know at least?”
“Oi, you don’t need to know that-”
Your mind flashes back to just earlier today in fact, the reason why the two of you were late in the first place.
“He burnt 5 eggs just earlier today before giving up and buying a boxed lunch-” The blond one had busted out laughing, the pink one was trying her best (and failing) to hold back an impolite laugh, and the black hair one turned away but you can see the slight shake in his shoulders.
“Okay, okay, okay. Next is you guys, starting with you.” Kakashi coughed as he pointed at the blond one to introduce himself.
The blond one’s name was Naruto Uzumaki, he appears to be extremely ambitious and craves attention from others with a strong interest towards ramen.
The pink girl’s name was Sakura Haruno, she was a bit confusing to you, with her looking at the black hair one when talking about her likes, hobbies, and future dream then saying that she disliked Naruto who made a face of despair at her words.
Finally, The black haired one was Sasuke Uchiha, he said he dislikes many things while not liking anything in particular. However, there’s two things driving him. Restoring his clan and killing a specific person.
You look at Kakashi who just has a glint of dread behind his stoic face.
… Will this kind of team be sustainable?
It was your turn to introduce yourself, you start with your name then you introduce your bear companion in your arms.
“And this is Raksa. I do not have any particular likes or dislikes, and my hobbies; I create dolls,” You brought Raksa closer to your chest. “As for a future dream, I just wish to become the Ninja I was created to be.” The others look at you with a confused expression.
“Created to be?”
You just nod, confusing the crew more at your simple answer.
Kakashi lets out a small cough to grab everyone’s attention.
“Okay! Everyone is distinctive and interesting. We’ll have a mission tomorrow!”
“What kind of a mission?” Naruto peeped up excitedly, almost jumping from anticipation.
“A survival exercise.”
Kakashi-Sensei had said that this was a very important mission where of the 28 graduates, only 9 will be recognized as junior ninjas. The remaining 18 students will be sent back to the academy, the test has a failure rate of 66%. Kakashi also said to skip breakfast, or else you all would throw up during the test.
And that is how the four of you ended up waiting at five in the morning at the training grounds waiting for your Sensei.
He’s late.
Everyone at this point had decided to sit down, waiting for him. While waiting, it seems you had caught the eye of the most hyperactive one of your crew.
“Hey, so. Why’s that I’ve never seen you at the academy before? Most teams’re in threes, so it’s weird that we’re a four person team. What makes you so special that you were already his student?” Naruto seems to have said out loud what the other two were thinking.
“I’ve been under Kakashi’s care ever since my…” You correct yourself before you could say the wording Kakashi told you not to use. “My … Parent passed, Kakashi-Sensei was a particularly close friend of my… Sibling.” The words of relations are robotic and awkward under your tongue, but the others looked at you pity and a sort of personal understanding nonetheless.
“Hi everyone, good morning!”
“YOU’RE LATE!!!” Naruto and Sakura yelled simultaneously.
“Well, a black cat crossed my path, you see-” You took note of his fanny pack looking more full than how it normally is.
“Did you buy another perverse book before coming here?” Kakashi cleared his throat, unable to deny your accusation which only caused your teammates to narrow their eyes at him.
“Ahem! Well,” He doesn’t answer your question before he goes to the timer on the nearby stump to set the time, setting it for 12:00.
“Today’s assignment is to take these bells away from me by noon,” Kakashi takes out 3 bells that are tied together at the point he is holding. He then states that those who are unable to steal the bells from him in that allotted time frame will not eat lunch and be tied to a post.
That explains why he told everyone to not eat breakfast.
“Ready… Start!”
And just like that, everyone, including yourself, had gone in different locations to hide and observe Kakashi-Sensei.
…
Is what would have been said if it weren’t for Naruto standing out in the open while you all had dispersed to your hiding spots. Kakashi then says he is going to teach the first shinobi battle jutsu, taijutsu. The tall man then takes out an all too familiar book from his fanny pack.
‘Make Out Paradise’ Written on the cover.
Just as you suspected.
“They were right! You were late because you got a stupid perverted book!”
“Let’s get back to the topic at hand!” Kakashi’s eye twitched.
The two of them clashed-
…
One sidedly, clashed.
Naruto would swing, only for Kakashi to dodge with ease with just a simple side step all while reading that perverse book of his. In the end, Naruto just started beating himself up after Kakashi used a substitution jutsu to dodge Naruto’s shadow clones and finally getting stuck in a rope trap. Just as Kakashi was scolding Naruto, the tall man was then “hit” with a bunch of shurikens and kunais.
Poof!
The ‘body’ had been replaced with a large log, judging by the trajectory of the throws, Sasuke had most likely revealed where he was hiding. You heard the shuffling of the nearby trees and bushes, Sakura and Sasuke must have ran. Since Kakashi will be busy with those two, you decided to help Naruto out of his predicament. He had already gotten himself stuck in a second rope trap the moment you looked away.
Twirling a bit, you threw Raksa up into the air, activating the doll to expand and get much taller, the doll’s feet hit the ground with a firm ‘thud’. You open the zipper on their back, taking out a few smaller dolls which you throw towards Naruto’s direction. And without a verbal command, they already know what to do.
“Wh- WHAT’S WITH THESE THINGS?” Naruto flailed around a bit more as he saw the dolls crawl towards his immobilized form, trying to get away from them. He calmed down a bit once he realized that they were cutting off the rope that connected him to the tree, unceremoniously letting him fall to the ground face first with a ‘thunk’!
“You coulda been a bit more gentle abou- WOAH, WHERE’RE YOU TAKING ME!?” The dolls then picked him up, with his feet still hogtied, and scuttled towards the forest.
Meanwhile, you had heard a loud shriek that sounded like Sakura from deeper in the forest. You sent Raksa to go get her while you followed Sasuke’s direction and watch his match with Kakashi, hidden in a treetop. Watching Sasuke from afar, he seemed to show much more promise than the other two combat wise at the moment. Kakashi seems to have to use his full attention for him than he did with the others.
But, just like the others, Sasuke had failed.
The boy was now entrapped in the dirt with only his head peeking out with Kakashi walking away, most likely going to check in on the other two now.
After the coast was clear, you jumped down from the treeline and headed towards the trapped Sasuke who was surprised to see you. He must have had his full focus on Kakashi and somehow didn’t notice you were nearby.
“… It’s you.” You didn’t answer him, you simply raised a hand upwards, focusing a bit of chakra into it, and stabbed downwards, reaching for his arm to pull him out of the dirt.
And just on time, the two of you could hear Naruto’s complaining and flailing along side Raksa’s steps who was now carrying a fainted Sakura.
The four of you have now all regrouped.
“Hey! What’s the big idea, anyways?! You tryin’ to pick a fight while I’m stuck like this?! Well, are ya?!”
That boy was so loud.
Loud enough for Sakura to wake up.
“What in the world happened…? Sasuke?!” The girl bolted upright, flailing out of Raksa’s grasp to cry and cling onto Sasuke who only tried to push her away from the sudden close proximity.
“Would you let go of me?! Don’t hug me!”
Seeing the three of them together, yelling and being loud like this, there was only one thing that had come out of your mouth at the sight.
“You all are quite stupid, aren’t you?”
“What was that?!” The three of them all angrily yell at your accusation. You knelt down to cut the rope tying Naruto’s ankles together, who jumped up from where he was laying.
“How dare you call Sasuke stupid!” Sakura was quick to defend Sasuke before thinking about herself.
“You think you’re so special all because you were already Kakashi’s student before us! Why don’t you tell us how to take him down then?!” You stared at Naruto’s outburst with a blank stare which only frustrated him more.
“Is that head only good for yelling?” You said, getting up to place the smaller dolls back into Raksa.
“What did you say?!”
“Why did everyone separate?” You glanced back at the angry, blond boy.
“Well, we needed to get the bells from Kakashi so that we don’t go back to the academy! It’s not like all of us can succeed anyways since there’s only 3 bells on him!”
“And when did he say that?”
“Huh?”
“When did he ever say that each person needed a singular bell to succeed?”
“Well- Uh, It was implied! Like, cause there’s 4 of us and only 3 bells!”
“But, he never explicitly said that was the case,” You stepped closer to the crew, Sasuke and Sakura had already connected the dots.
“Why would we be assigned to a team, if they were just planning on separating us on the very first mission?” Naruto’s mind looked like it was working over time trying to put the pieces of what you said together.
Before it finally…
Clicked.
“HE WAS BAITING US?” Sasuke sighed and Sakura face palmed at Naruto’s late connection, though, they certainly weren’t any better considering they also fell for the bait.
“We need to work together,”
You bring out your chakra infused wire.
“We can bring him to the forest and have him get tangled up in this. Then we can get the bells.”
Naruto and Sasuke seem weary at the idea of having to work with each other, let alone together as a group for this, their pride standing in the way of this assignment.
The four of you found Kakashi in a nearby river in the forested area, reading his book like there was nothing else to do. You signal for Naruto to go out there.
“Hey Kakashi! You’re nothin’ but an old pervert aren’t you?!” Naruto taunted to get the tall man’s attention just before using his shadow clone jutsu to surround Kakashi.
“Don’t judge an adult for their tastes!”
And just like that, Kakashi was being herded to where the trap was laid. You and Sakura created the trap together and decided on Sasuke to activate the trap due to his faster reaction time.
Sasuke was focused, waiting for the millisecond Kakashi was in the vicinity of the trap.
The moment he saw the spiked, grey hair, Sasuke threw his kunai to the trap, making the chakra wire snap itself around him, causing him to fall to the ground.
“Well, would you look at that, you’re all finally getting it,” The 4 of you stand over Kakashi, the other three reveling in their success. Naruto and Sakura were loudly cheering as Sasuke had a smug smirk to himself. But, you knew your teacher. That would be too simple for him to fall for.
“It’s really too bad that you all got it too late.” And with a puff of smoke, Kakashi was no longer in the trap with just a log in his place.
“AH!! Where’d he go?! I was so sure we’d get him!” You heard the sound of a string moving. It seemed you, Sasuke, and Sakura all got the same idea and jumped out of the way, leaving Naruto confused just before getting trapped once again but this time by the wire you all had tried to use against Kakashi.
The sound of the alarm rang throughout the area, you all had regrouped near the meeting spot, dragging a tied up Naruto along the dirt.
The 4 of you sat near the wooden poles, the other three’s stomachs were growling loudly as Kakashi stood above you four.
“Uh oh, seems like everyone’s pretty hungry now, that’s too bad.” The group glared at Kakashi’s way of speaking. “Oh by the way, about this exercise. I’ve decided, I won’t send anyone back to the academy,” Naruto and Sakura excitedly cheered before Kakashi could finish, with Naruto wiggling while tied up and Sakura jumped up and down.
“Yes, yes, all of you… Are being dropped from the program permanently.” Kakashi’s words hit them like a rock, instantly causing them to stop in their place from shock.
“What?! You can’t just kick us all out like that! What about them?! They’ve been your student for so long that you’re just failing them with us?!”
“It’s because you don’t think like ninja. You all think like little brats.” Kakashi was goading them. And it worked.
Sasuke charged at Kakashi for being called a brat, only for him to get trapped underneath the teacher with swift speed.
“You let Sasuke go! Don’t you dare step on him like he’s just some bug!” Kakashi just stared at you all with an annoyed look in his eye.
“You just all think about yourselves, you don’t know what it means to be a Ninja. It’s all just a game to you all,” The group looked at him in surprise, as if it was so shocking he was pointing out how they only saw this as a way to show off. “You had to be explicitly told by them what this exercise was supposed to be. And even then, you all had decided to join together too late. A genin should have a natural feel for teamwork, but with most of you, it didn’t even cross your mind.” Kakashi then pointed at Sakura.
“You obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, but Naruto was right in front of you and you didn’t even lift a finger to help him!” Sakura looked down in guilt at Kakashi’s criticisms of her actions.
“Naruto, you do everything on your own. Everything.” Naruto looked down in regret.
Kakashi then looked at you, a disappointed expression in his eye. “You basically gave them the answers without working together naturally, you see this exercise as more of a puzzle than actual team work. You need to remember your teammates are not pieces of a puzzle, they are their own persons.” You didn’t expect that you would get scolded as well, you just told the others what they were missing, that should have been enough anyways, right? After all, the aim of the exercise is to simply take the bells away.
“And you, Sasuke,” Kakashi stepped down on Sasuke’s head further to make a point. “Thought the others were so far beneath you just labeled them as useless! Seems there’s only one of you with a head on their shoulders, and you all dragged them down because of your own arrogance!” Sasuke only scowled up at Kakashi from his position.
“Missions are supposed to be carried out in squads. There’s no doubt that a ninja needs remarkable individual skill. But, teamwork is considered much more important. Any wrong move from an individual could mean death. For example…” Kakashi reached for a kunai in his pocket and pointed it towards the trapped boy’s neck.
“‘Sakura! Kill Naruto, or else Sasuke dies!’” Sakura and Naruto looked at the scene in shock as they tensed up.
“… Is what could happen.”
Kakashi twirled the kunai around his finger before placing it back into his pocket, getting off of Sasuke and walked towards the nearby memorial stone. There were many names of ninjas from the village that were engraved on that stone.
The ninjas who were killed in action.
The air had gotten tense.
“This is a memorial stone, the names of my friends are also engraved here,” Kakashi spared a glance at you as he said that.
“I’ll give you all one more chance. However, the next time will be much harder. Those who want to take the challenge will be able to eat lunch, but, you cannot give Naruto any.”
“WHAT?!”
“You’ve gotten yourself in that trap, so you’re going to have to face the punishment.”
“BUT, I DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING!”
“Them’s the breaks. Oh, and if anyone let’s him eat, then they will get immediately disqualified,” Sasuke glares at Kakashi as the other two looked at him in shock at his harsh tone. “I make the rules, got it?” And just like that, Kakashi walks off.
The three of you had opened your lunches and started to eat as Naruto tried to reassure himself that he would be fine not eating. That is, until a loud growl was heard from his stomach. Sasuke sighed before pushing his lunchbox towards Naruto, surprising Sakura.
As you watched Sasuke and Naruto, it clicked inside your head.
This was another test.
Maybe this time they can figure it out on their own. Shifting a bit, you also move your lunch box towards Naruto, surprising him.
“Hey, wait, you two! What if Kakashi comes?” Sakura looked around anxiously, trying to find any possible trace of the power hungry teacher.
Kakashi scolded you for simply telling them what to do before, so maybe you will let them try and figure it out on their own this time?
“It’s okay, he’s not here now. The four of us will get the bells together, properly this time.” Sakura looks down at her lunchbox before making her final decision and giving Naurto her lunch as well, the blond boy became teary eyed at Sakura’s action.
“Sakura… Thank you…”
“Don’t thank me, hurry up and eat!” Naruto shifted uncomfortably, he certainly would have eaten by now if it weren’t for the fact he is tied up at the moment. Realizing this, Sakura let out a frustrated groan and begrudgingly fed Naruto when Sasuke told her to hurry up before Kakashi comes by.
The moment the food was in Naruto’s mouth, a loud gust of air and dust had appeared revealing itself to be an incredibly mad Kakashi. All of you did your best to stand your ground from the sudden gust.
“You all defied the rules, so now you all know what’s coming…” Kakashi shifted his hands in a certain sequence, causing the clouds to darken and cry with thunder. “Do you have something to say?” Sakura covered her head in fear while Naruto’s legs were shaking.
“But… Bu- But, Sensei, you said it yourself!”
“We’re a squad, aren’t we?”
“Th-that’s right! The four of us are one!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
Everyone protectively stood up in front of Naruto, Kakashi quickly glanced at you with a knowing look before closely observing everyone’s determined faces.
“The four of you are one, eh?”
Kakashi’s stern face shifted to a smile from underneath his mask.
“You pass!” Those words surprise Naruto and Sakura while Sasuke is still tense, expecting a trick of some sort.
“We pass?? But, why?”
“Up until now, it was only dunces who meekly listen to my every word,” Kakashi straightened up. “A ninja must see through deception. In the world of the ninja, those who break rules and codes are branded as garbage… But. Those who don’t cherish their friends are worse than that.” Sakura and Naruto looked at Kakashi in awe.
“Group seven starts their mission tomorrow.” Sakura and Naruto excitedly cheered before most of you had walked away, just for Naruto to realize, he is still tied up.
The four of you had already walked away with Naruto yelling in the distance about his predicament.
“WHAT?! You’ve never had ramen before?!!?” Naruto yelled at the top of his 12 year old lungs. The boy’s eyes nearly fell out of his skull the moment you had said that, Sakura and Sasuke both seemed to be annoyed at Naruto’s loud mannerism but also intrigued by your statement.
“I’ve only ever had the food Raksa made.” You lift up Raksa to emphasize your point.
“That’s it, Kakashi-Sensei, we’re heading to Ichiraku right now and get them a large bowl, stat!”
“With whose money?”
“… Uh.” Naruto looked downwards with an expression that practically said, ‘I totally thought you were going to pay’.
“Just kidding. I suppose I can cover you all this once, it’ll be good first team bonding.” Naruto cheered as he started running towards the ramen stall before any of you guys. He certainly has energy to spare.
Arriving at the ramen stall, Naruto practically jumped onto the stool and ordered a bowl of ramen for himself and even ordered a bowl for you.
“This place has the best ramen ever! You’re gonna love it!” You sat next to Naruto’s left side while Sakura sat next to his right with Sasuke, already ordering their own bowls. The older man at the counter chuckled, familiar with Naruto’s antics.
“You finally got yourself a team, eh, Naruto?”
“Thats right! I’m one step closer to becoming the Hokage!” The older man laughs loudly at Naruto’s ambitious dreams before placing four steaming, large bowls in front of you all. You placed Raksa on the counter-top, who only hovered over your food. You glance at the other three who had already started eating their bowls. Naruto ate his food ferociously, Sakura ate her food with a sort of elegance, and Sasuke ate his food calmly.
Taking the chopsticks, you mimicked their actions, picking up some of the noodles and giving it a quick blow before eating it. Naruto watched you closely for your reaction.
“It’s warm.”
“Yeah…?” The boy waited in anticipation for your reaction, looking up at you with his large blue eyes.
Perhaps this was not a good time to tell everyone that you cannot taste food. Kakashi-Sensei has told you before that people do not like when they are told the food they like has no flavor or is made fun of.
“It is satisfactory.” Kakashi sighs at your robotic wording but Naruto is strangely satisfied with that answer and cheers.
You gave a bit of your noodles to Raksa, you obediently ate from your chopsticks, Naruto was so shocked at your companion being able to eat the food too.
The four of you eat together after this long day of getting a feel for one another.
Naruto was the loudest of all with Sakura making her own conversation as you and Sasuke ate in silence, all the while Kakashi was reading his book with you all as company.
Training begins!
Things start to get more strange inside your mind as you start to learn more and more about everyone and their lives.
What is this feeling inside of you?
A/N:
FINALLY
SOME SLOW BURN
(acting as if I'm not the one writing this mess/silly)
“So, now the training begins!”
Kakashi explains to your group about the importance of chakra and more specifically about chakra control. The first course of action for this training session will be tree climbing, however, your group will climb the tree without the use of hands.
This particular training was something you could easily do, so this would most likely consist of you helping your fellow teammates.
“What?! How?!” Sakura and the others gave him a confused look, like it was something impossible that he was asking for.
“Well. Just watch.” Kakashi then glances at you to show to everyone, you gave him a little nod.
Walking to a tree, you focused your chakra to your feet but not too much as to not break the tree and placed a foot onto the base of the tree before walking upwards as if gravity had no way to stop you. The group looked at you in awe as Kakashi continued his lesson.
“Focus the chakra on the bottoms of your feet and make them stick to the tree trunk.”
“Now wait a second here! How does doing something like that make you stronger?” Sakura looked at Kakashi with a confused expression.
“The aim of this exercise is to accumulate the required amount of chakra to the required spot. This is something even expert ninjas have difficulty with. The amount of chakra used to climb a tree is very subtle and the bottoms of the feet are the most difficult place to gather chakra. If you can master that, then in theory, you could master any kind of jutsu.” Taking out three kunais, Kakashi threw them down at the feet of your teammates to mark their progress on the tree with it and to push themselves to beat that previous mark.
Despite Naruto’s overconfidence, he had immediately fallen down on his head the moment his foot had touched the tree. Sasuke on the other hand was able to make some leeway before putting too much chakra into his foot, maintaining the chakra seems to be what he is having the most difficulties with.
Focusing the chakra on your feet once more, you used the force of the chakra to eject yourself off the tree and land next to Kakashi. Sasuke and Naruto looked at you in annoyance because of how naturally you had been able to do it.
“This is pretty easy!” You all had looked up and saw Sakura was already at the very top of the tree, sitting on the highest branch. Naruto was excited for her, praising her with a slight twitch in his eyebrow, but Sasuke on the other hand was more annoyed, causing Sakura to look a bit disappointed despite being the most successful out of the three.
After a while, everyone was looking more and more beat up than how they started. Sakura was laying on her back, out of breath while Naruto and Sasuke continued onward. The boys seemed to have the most stamina in your group. Naruto stood up and stomped his foot down as he looked at his own progress. The boy looked over at Sakura before going over to her and whispering to her, asking her for help while also trying to keep it a secret from Sasuke.
Sasuke took note of Naruto’s action before he gave you a quick glance. You tilted your head at him, only for Sasuke to quickly turn away, pretending like he didn’t look at you and continued his training.
How strange.
Kakashi only chuckled at the scene, making you look up at him.
“Boys can be… Pretty stubborn unless it aids their pride in some way. And even then, it’s no guarantee, they’ll swallow their own pride for that second.” Kakashi tilted his head, referring to Sasuke and Naruto.
“They are… Very strange. Especially that Naruto,” You replied. “He was very disappointed at the prospects of Zabuza dying by another ninja, but was ecstatic at the idea of him being possibly alive. Why is that?” Kakashi scratched his head at your questioning, trying to think of how to define a person’s pride to you.
“Like I said before, a person’s pride is a strong thing. After all the effort you all did to corner Zabuza… He must have felt like it was a waste of our time and strength to have someone else deal the final blow and so seemingly easy at that. With Zabuza being alive, he must believe that we can take our pride back in the battle.” Kakashi gave you a pat on the head… and kind of used you to stabilize his standing a bit. “A human’s pride is a strange piece of ambition unique to us, maybe you’ll understand one day.”
You watch Sasuke and Naruto continue to climb the tree and fall but get back up every time, all the while they pay attention to the other’s tree marks.
A strange piece of ambition…
Later that day, you were told by Kakashi to watch over Naruto and Sasuke as they continued their tree climbing training. To make sure Sakura was not the only one on guard duty, you had let Raksa accompany her and Tazuna.
“Ahhhhhhh! Damn it! What the hell is up with this?!” Naruto screamed out in frustration as he and Sasuke was catching their breath.
The two boys had made quite a bit of progress than how they started in the morning, getting further and further with each attempt. The two of them glared at each other before continuing their next attempt. They were interesting to watch, those two.
Interesting.
It is strange, you’ve never thought of anything like that before.
Being with this group has caused to you think many strange things as of late.
Ambitions.
Needs.
Worry.
Everything was just so foreign, you can’t seem to make heads or tails of it all.
Perhaps for now, you should check on Raksa and Sakura. Focusing the chakra in your eyes, you connect yourself with Raksa’s eyes.
It seems Sakura had just kicked a man for trying to touch her butt. It was quite a strong kick, not to mention he was then thrown out the window by Raksa afterwards.
“Man, I was surprised earlier!”
“Ugh! What’s with this town?!” Sakura huffed as the three of them headed back to the house. However, on the way, there was a homeless girl who had stopped Sakura, asking for candy.
Sakura had a look of pity before looking into her bag for some candy for the child.
The town has seen better days because of Gato taking over the place financially. Before the little girl walked away with her candy, Raksa had stopped her. The doll opened its chest a bit and took out a small doll for the little girl. It was a particularly small one you had made but still had a bit of chakra.
“Pro… Tect.” Raksa said simply in their gruff tone, surprising Sakura and Tazuna who looked like they had the same question, ‘It can speak?!’. Sakura in particular watched on with sadness in her eyes as the little girl looked so happy to have been given that gift. The little girl was practically jumping for joy as she ran off.
It was strange…
You don’t remember Raksa being able to make decisions like that without your input before.
“That was nice of you to do… Raksa?” Sakura said, unsure if she was pronouncing their name correctly before she had hesitantly brought her hand up to place on their head. Raksa moved its head forward, allowing her to pet their soft ‘fur’, making Sakura smile and gave them a proper pet before the three of them headed back.
“If we can just… Complete that bridge. This town can return to what it once was and everyone will return.” Sakura looked at Tazuna with solemn eyes, she wishes for that to happen too.
You cut your connection to Raksa at the sound of Naruto’s fall.
“Jeez! What’s wrong with you?! Don’t bother me while I’m trying to concentrate!” It seems like Sasuke called for him as he was in the middle of running. Sasuke started to fiddle anxiously a bit as he stumbled over his words, something you and Naruto never seen on the usually cool headed boy before.
“Y-you asked Sakura to give you some tips before, what did… She say to you?” Sasuke looked away shyly, his pale cheeks were dusted with pink as he still tried to act cool.
Naruto looked at him in surprise before giving a large, smirk.
“I’m not tellin’.” The blond boy said in a sing songy voice, which Sasuke looked at him in annoyance. Sasuke must have swallowed down a lot of his pride to even ask that in the first place. The black haired boy glanced back at you again as Naruto started to laugh at him, he looked back at his progress on the tree then Naruto’s progress, and then back to you.
Sasuke let out a sigh before mentally prepping himself all over again to swallow his pride, walking over to you, he finally asked you what he wanted to ask since this morning.
“Hey. Could… You give me some tips on this?” Sasuke was looking downwards and not at you, his face was a bit redder than earlier.
Hm…
Naruto had Sakura whisper to him the tips, is that something you need to do too so Naruto doesn’t hear?
You bring Sasuke closer to you, making sure your mouth was near his ear, surprising the boy.
“Chakra is spiritual energy, you need to be calm in order to use it. The key is to be relaxed in order to have a steady chakra flow.” A slight shiver went up his spine to hear your voice so close to his ear before he pushed you away a bit and covered the ear you whispered to.
“Did you need to be so close to me to tell me that?” Sasuke’s ears were redder than before, though he looked at you wearily like you had ulterior motives for doing that. You simply looked at him in confusion.
“That’s what Sakura did with Naruto, I thought I had to do the same thing.” He scrutinized your face trying to see if you were lying, but you were honest (almost to a fault…). He just sighs before straightening out a bit more but less tense than earlier.
“Next time just tell me normally,” Sasuke tells you. “But. Thanks… For the tip.” The boy finally says just as he walked away to continue his training with Naruto.
Once it was time to head back, you took out some bandages and ointment for the boys. You asked for Sasuke to bring out his arm so you can take a look at him.
“I said I’ll be fine, you don’t have to ask every tim-” Sasuke let out an injured noise as you grabbed his arm, making sure to put the ointment creams and bandages on him whether he says so or not.
“That does not sound fine.” Sasuke just scoffed at you but allowed you to continue to bandage him up, Naruto pouted as he watched you help Sasuke’s bruises.
“Can’t believe I’m in a team where both my other teammates care more about Sasuke than- OW!” Naruto muttered to himself before he yelped out in pain when you grabbed him by the face. The blond boy looked at you in surprise as you started to put the ointment and bandages on him too.
“You were further away from me, so I helped Sasuke first. If you were closer, then I would have helped you first.” You answered simply, Naruto looked less grumpy at your explanation, his eyes softening a bit. Sasuke was also a bit surprised but part of him was a bit glad he wasn’t getting special treatment like usual.
It feels like he’s actually being treated like an equal rather than being propped up for simply existing.
Arriving back at the house, Naruto and Sasuke seems to be having an eating match. You simply sat next to Sakura with a very small portion of food since you weren’t… Particularly hungry.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a meal with this many people!” Tazuna loudly laughed.
Just as the two boys asked for more food, they had thrown up from eating too much, too fast.
“Stop eating if you’re going to vomit!” Sakura scolded the boys, grossed out by their antics.
“No, I’ll eat.”
“I have to eat even if it means throwing up, I have to get as strong as possible!”
Those two boys are quite stubborn. At this point, this will be more of a vomiting match than an eating match.
You helped Tsunami with cleaning up the table (The boys were tasked with cleaning up their own vomit), everyone washed down their system with hot tea. Sakura had gotten up and looked at the framed photo on the wall nearby.
“Excuse me? Why is there a torn picture here? I was looking at this picture the whole time and it looked as if the photo was deliberately ripped.” The family had tensed up a bit at Sakura’s questioning.
“It’s my husband…” Tsunami spoke in a bitter tone.
“He’s a man that was once known as a hero of this town…” Inari quietly exited the room as Tazuna started talking about the man, which his mother followed shortly after but not before scolding her father for mentioning her husband in front of Inari.
Tazuna explains that Inari’s father was not someone who was related to him by blood, but Inari had been very attached to him ever since the man saved him from drowning. However, his grandson had changed ever since Kaiza died. Kaiza was always called a hero by the townspeople, but one night, he was used as an example by Gato to make the people of the island more passive and scared. After beating him and breaking all of the man’s bones, they then hung his body on a cross in front of the town.
In front of Inari.
And finally killed him.
You clenched your fists without realizing as you listened to the old man’s story, Kakashi took note of your reaction. You did not understand why your body felt so tense after hearing the story.
Naruto only looked more determined, even as his legs shook from the overuse of chakra.
“I’ll show him… That there’s still heroes in this world!”
What a strange boy.
After Tazuna left the room to sleep, you asked Kakashi the question that was on your mind.
“Sensei. Why was the child mad? His father died a hero, so what is wrong with that?” The others looked at you in surprise at your insensitive questioning, but Kakashi’s face was filled with patience, already knowing that you would ask something like that.
“His dad died! Of course he would be mad!” Naruto yelled at you in annoyance, his personal emotions getting the better of him.
“But. He was considered a hero, so why?” You tilted your head at him, still not quite understanding. Naruto just looked more mad at you before Kakashi placed a hand on the boy’s head to calm him down.
“Kaiza is like… Your sibling. They sacrificed themselves for the safety of others. But their absence hurt those whose lives they impacted. Especially, since Kaiza’s death was done in an unjust and cruel way.” Naruto calmed down a bit more after hearing Kakashi try to explain things to you, though, he was still a bit frustrated.
“Unjust… Sacrifice…” You repeated after him to yourself, thinking of them. The other three looked at you with suspicion and confusion. That it was so strange for you to not understand something so simple.
Something human.
Kakashi pinched your cheek, taking you out of your head.
“Well. You’ll understand one day.” You looked at Kakashi’s gentle yet bittersweet filled eye.
Will you?
The next morning, you all looked for Naruto since he hadn’t returned last night after continuing his training. After arriving at the training spot, you all saw the boy at the very top of the tree. You gave a small clap for the boy, it was quite literally, yesterday where he could barely take one step on the tree trunk before falling.
Well, it looks like he was going to fall again. That didn’t take too long.
Naruto only started to laugh as he flipped right over and looked at you all while upside down on the tree branch, Sakura only scolded him for making her worried about him.
And just like that, karma struck.
Naruto’s feet popped off the branch.
The boy had run out of chakra, but just before he could fall too far, Sasuke had jumped and caught Naruto’s foot in time. You gave Sasuke a clap like you did with Naruto earlier, both boys had been working very hard to control their chakra and be able to hang upside down from the tree branches now. Sakura squealed as she watched Sasuke, while Kakashi looked very proud of both boys.
Later that night, you, Sakura, and Kakashi were waiting at the dinner table for the two boys since they had stayed out to train a bit longer. The door slammed open revealing Naruto leaning on Sasuke, both boys were quite beat up from training. You stood up and took out the ointment and bandages for the boys once again, this time starting with Naruto first who looked quite proud of himself.
“We both climbed to the top!”
“Good. Starting tomorrow, you two will also start guarding Tazuna.” Naruto looked so excited at Kakashi’s response that when he cheered, the boy had fallen over with Sasuke, which only made the room, minus Inari, laugh.
After eating, Inari looked at the battered and bandaged Naruto and started to cry. Tears flowed and did not stop, from anger or remembering, Inari could not tell.
“Why… Why do you keep working so hard that you get hurt like that?! No matter how hard you train, there’s no way you could beat Gato and his men!” Inari slammed his small hands against the table as he yelled out in anger, his voice trembling with every syllable. “No matter what you say… Or how much of an effort you make… The weak always lose against the strong!”
“Stop it, I’m nothing like you.” Naruto buried his head in his arms, looking away from Inari.
“Shut up! Just looking at you makes me sick! Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, I’m not like you who doesn’t know the first thing about pain!” Inari’s words seemed to have struck a chord within Naruto.
“So you’re just going to cry all day like some lead in a tragedy? You’re nothing but a crybaby!”
“Naruto! You’re being too harsh!” Sakura scolded Naruto who only walked off in frustration.
Was this fight another instance of one’s pride?
Or was this an instance of a person’s pain of loss?
I don't usually post anything here other than my writing, but I see fandom as a safe space. And I believe it should stay that way. Because of that, I want to be upfront about something.
If you're someone who hates fanfiction authors (or even normal writers) because of what they write to the point of harassing them in the comments, threatening them, creating or engaging with blogs that target them, doxxing them, or even making passive-aggressive posts using tags for visibility (like I’ll do it now for you to see), please block me. I don't care if you've liked my work or supported me in the past. I appreciate that support, but I can't ignore how you treat other people. Besides, what happens if one day I decide to write something simply because I want to? I'd end up in the same position.
Believing that what people write is a reflection of who they are shows a lack of critical thinking. Go touch some grass, and maybe read more books. Especially books with diverse perspectives. People write, draw, and create because that's part of being human. We're here to create, to discover, and to challenge perspectives, even if you don't personally like the result. You're not the center of the world. None of us are. Just if we are together. We're all connected.
This performative "fiction activism" is harming art and creativity itself. Go outside and fight for real causes instead of policing fiction because it reminds you of uncomfortable parts of reality. Oh, you don't? That's unfortunate, because you seemed very loud behind a keyboard. It starts to look a lot like virtue signaling.
For the record, I don't usually write or even read content that people consider "problematic" because that's simply my personal preference. But people are going to read what they want and watch what they want, no matter how much you try to censor fiction because you've found a group of people who share your spineless opinion.
If you're genuinely afraid that consuming fictional stories will "rewire" someone's brain and make them imitate what they read, then maybe spend your energy raising awareness about media literacy and the difference between fiction and reality. Maybe encourage people to consume a wider variety of stories instead of living in an echo chamber.
And if you genuinely think a writer has handled something poorly, offer respectful, constructive criticism instead of trying to destroy their confidence, diminish their talent, or pressure them into stopping. That behavior doesn't make you morally superior. It often comes across as insecurity, unresolved jealousy, and a lack of emotional maturity.
To be clear, you're fighting the wrong battles, and in the process, you're only limiting yourself. Also, you’re harming others that who did nothing to you.
Summary: At the request of Naruto (more like begging and tantrum throwing actually...) You all had received your first C rank mission since becoming an official team.
However, there seems to be more than meets the eye with this simple escort and bodyguard mission.
A/N: GAWD this one was REALLY annoying to write when i had to write this section of the arc
really made me realize
"Maybe i don't like writing about fighting"
I'm more excited about the other chapters in the arc than this one buut it d be naruto so it's gunna be quite slow anyways
“What’s your distance from the target?”
“Five meters, I can go at any time!”
“Okay… Do it!”
All four of you charged towards the cat with the ribbon on its ear, blocking it from all sides. Naruto scooped up the cat, much to the animal’s dismay.
“Does it have a ribbon on its right ear? Are you sure it’s our target Tora?” As Kakashi spoke, Naruto was having a wrestling competition against the cat, trying not to let it out of his grasp, you and Sakura just watched as Naruto struggled to keep it in his hands and started to even kick the boy’s face.
“It’s the target, without a doubt.”
“Alright, the mission to capture lost pet ‘Tora’ is complete!”
Pushing the cat down, Naruto grabbed at his earpiece and yelled at the top of his lungs, Sakura and Sasuke taking their earpieces off before they could be subjected to his ear deafening scream.
“ISN’T THERE A MISSION WITH WAY MORE STAKES THAN THIS?!”
“Oh! My cute little Tora! I was worried to death!” The woman had squished the cat as she hugged it, that cat is going to shrink at that rate.
“It’s no wonder he ran away.” Sakura whispered as Naruto snorted.
“Alright, the next mission for you all… There’s a neighboring town that needs a baby sitter for the counselor’s son. There’s also a farm that needs help with their potatoes-” Naruto immediately protested when the Hokage spoke.
“NO WAY! Ab-so-lute-ly not! I dunno about these guys, but I want a wayyy more exciting mission! Would you give us somethin’ else?” Sasuke, although irritated at the sound of Naruto’s voice, gave an agreeing look. Sakura on the other hand was incredibly annoyed at the idea of having to do harder missions. Kakashi just looked exhausted, that’s the most tired look you’ve seen on the man.
“Don’t be stupid, you’re still a rookie! Everyone at the bottom of the ladder has to go through starting missions to gain experience!” Iruka argued with Naruto who only got more annoyed at the prospect of starting off small, just for Kakashi to give the small boy a hard knock on the head and apologized for the young boy’s brass attitude.
“Ughhh! You always lecture me, old man! I’m not that little kid who pulled pranks anymore, I’m a ninja now and I want a real ninja mission!” After all that, Naruto puffed his cheeks and turned away from the Hokage with a huff. Despite the blatant disrespect, you could see the old man is charmed by Naruto’s ambitious attitude.
“Alright, if you insist… I’ll have you all do a C-Rank mission. You will act as body guards.” Naruto perked up at the sound of this upcoming mission. The Hokage only chuckled as he let in the commissioner.
An old drunkard with a half empty bottle of sake in his hand.
“Whassthat? It’s just a buncha little brats!” The old man took a larg swing of his bottle before continuing. “And you expect me to believe that tiny one with the stupid look on his face is a ninja??”
Naruto laughed, not realizing the insult was directed towards him.
“Hahaha! Whose the tiny one with the dumb look on their face that he’s talkin’ about?” The three of you simply give Naruto a look before moving closer to him to reveal that he was, in fact, the tiny one the old man was referring to, in which Kakashi had to grab the boy by the collar before he started to pick a fight with a drunk old man two times his size.
The old man introduced himself as Tazuna, a veteran bridge builder, the mission is to make sure he gets to his land safely and finish his bridge. Begrudgingly, the old man lead the way to his village with Naruto in particular being quite excited.
However, not too long in the journey, you all faced your first road block.
A pair of black-clad ninjas had captured Kakashi with their sharp chain and sliced through him like he was nothing. Pieces of him were scattered on the ground. Sakura and Naruto could only watch in fear before they had disappeared and reappeared behind Naruto.
Instinctively, Sasuke had jumped up and threw his shuriken and kunai at the chain, sticking their connected chain onto the nearby tree. You joined in, running into the fray and kicking the head of one of the ninjas while Sasuke kicked the other one. The two ninja released themselves of their chains before separating, with one going to attack Naruto while the other aimed for Sakura and Tazuna.
Quickly, you braced yourself in front of Sakura to try and block their attack while Sasuke tried to protect Naruto.
However, in a blink of an eye, the two ninja were taken care of.
Kakashi had put both of the men in a headlock.
Looking over where his body would have been, in its place was only small lumber.
“Naruto, sorry I didn’t help right away. I didn’t think you would be incapable of moving,” Kakashi faced you, Sasuke, and Sakura as Naruto looked at everyone with shock. “Anyhow, let me say, good job you three.” Naruto was braced on his knee, catching Sasuke’s eye who gave him a smug smirk.
“Hey… You’re not hurt are you? Scaredy cat?”
Just before Naruto could pick a fight, Kakashi tells the boy to stand still. There was poison within the claws of these ninja, the poison would have to be removed from the opening and moving around would only make the poison circulate faster in his body. Kakashi then gives a stern look at Tazuna, certainly realizing he was no simple bridge maker after this encounter.
Tying up the ninjas, Sakura suggests heading back to the village to tend to Naruto’s hand, especially since this mission is clearly too much for genin such as yourselves. You watch Naruto get more and more frustrated before taking out a kunai and stabbing his own hand to get the poison out himself surprising everyone in the group, no need for going back now.
“I should be getting stronger… I’ll never get into another situation where I gotta be rescued again!” The boy turns to look at you all, his face clearly contorted in pain but still gives a stubborn look in his eyes. “I’ll protect you old man… with this kunai! This mission continues!” Despite the pain he is going through, he gives you all a confident smile.
It confused you why he was so desperate to keep going on with this mission after everything that’s happened, especially to the point of hurting himself.
But, now this points to a different issue, and that is him possibly bleeding to death rather than dying of poison. Which Kakashi sensei informed him of, Naruto’s cool facade immediately cracked thereafter. The young boy started to flail around has he gave Kakashi his hand to bandage as Sakura scolded him for being so impulsive. You and Sasuke only glanced at each other from the scene in front of you two, the mission will be quite long if this is the rate you all are going.
Continuing ahead, you walked at a slower speed to match Kakashi’s pace as everyone else had already gone ahead of you two and followed Tazuna. There was an overlaying question that echoed in your mind.
“Kakashi-Sensei?”
“Yeah?”
“Why did that boy do that? He could have gotten help from the hospital back in the village instead of the crude way of way he did just now.” Kakashi looked upwards as he walked, thinking about how to formulate the words in a way to make you properly understand.
“Well, you see, a person’s pride can be a strong thing, especially when placed in a position where one would feel useless. Naruto saw how everyone was able to take action in such a tight position and most likely felt like he would only be dragging everyone down. So, he’s pushing himself to do better no matter what.”
Kakashi could see the gears in your head turning as you take in the information. You watched the other three ahead of you; Sakura’s precise way of walking, Sasuke’s confidence, and Naruto’s overcompensating body language.
It was still all confusing to you…
Trying to understand a person’s nature.
Kakashi only watched as you struggled to put the pieces together.
Perhaps this group was a good influence on you after all if they’re making you contemplate so deeply like this.
Kakashi confronted Tazuna, making him tell the truth about this whole operation.
Tazuna explained that he was being targeted by a dangerous and infamous man by the name of Gato, the chief executive of the Gato company. The dangerous man is using the shipping company as a front for drug trafficking and dealings with gangs, he ruthlessly takes over nations and enterprises by exploiting areas financially. Tazuna said that the one thing Gato fears is the completion of the bridge
Tazuna withheld this information because the land of waters was poor due to Gato’s influence, even feudal lords were poor because of that man.
You all stepped off the boat, now closer to Tazuna’s home. Along the way, Naruto seemed to get more antsy, much more so when Sasuke started to match his pace. Seeing this, you prepared Raksa just in case, expanding their size to better prepare for future battle. Your action surprised Tazuna with him exclaiming ‘That thing can walk?!’ before he yelled out in surprise again when Naruto suddenly threw a kunai into the bushes, almost hitting a white rabbit.
“Naruto! Now look at what you did!”
“It’s a rabbit!” Naruto ran to the bunny and hugged it as an apology for his action. “I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry little rabbit!” While you and the others were focused on the rabbit, Kakashi and Raksa were both on edge and keeping an eye on anything nearby.
Suddenly, a large sword was thrown towards everyone, Raksa had pushed Tazuna and Sakura down as you pushed Naruto down with a hand on his head, the large sword just barely missing everyone. The sword plunged itself into the side of the tree and on the handle stood a man who wore a mask that covered half his face like Kakashi.
“Well, if it isn’t the rogue ninja of the hidden mist, Zabuza Momochi!” Kakashi blocked Naruto’s path before the boy could get himself into danger. Kakashi steadies himself, preparing show off his hidden eye.
“I assume you are Kakashi, the sharingan user…” The man faced you all. “Sorry, but, you’ll have to give up that old man.”
“Get in Manji battle formation and protect Tazuna. Don’t get involved in the fight. That’s the teamwork in this situation.” Kakashi lifted up his headband to reveal his blood red eye. A mist started to flow out, lowering the field of vision, the four of you surround Tazuna, making sure to protect him at all angles.
“Let’s end the talking here. I’ll have to defeat you first, Kakashi.” The rogue ninja had disappeared and had reappeared in the middle of the lake before disappearing once again due to his hidden mist jutsu. Kakashi watched over the lake with a serious expression you all were unused to seeing on him.
The mist surrounding everyone has only gotten thicker, and before long, you can barely see in anything front of you.
“Eight points. The larynx, the spine, the lungs, the liver, the jugular, and the subclavian veins. The kidneys and the heart.” The man’s rough voice echoed throughout the mist.
“Now then. Which vulnerable spot should I aim for?”
Sakura and Naruto felt a shiver run throughout their body, even Sasuke was so tense from the fear inside his body.
The man spoke like you all were pigs in a butcher shop.
You can hear Sasuke’s breathing start to quicken, he was going to hyperventilate from the killing intent these men exuded.
“Sasuke. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you all with my life. I will not allow my comrades to get killed.” Kakashi turned towards Sasuke, giving him a reassuring yet bittersweet smile behind his mask.
“I wonder about that,” Zabuza then appeared right in the middle of your formation. “It’s over now.” Before the rogue ninja could do anything, Kakashi charged towards Zabuza, stabbing him with the kunai, forcing you all to scatter. However, what released from the man was not blood.
It was water.
“Sensei! Behind you!”
Kakashi quickly ducked as the real Zabuza swung his large sword, missing your teacher by a hair. Using that swing, Zabuza used the momentum to kick Kakashi into the water before jumping in with him. Your team was nervous, this rogue ninja clearly had the skills to back up his confident attitude. You should not just stand here and do nothing, taking out your chakra wire, you threw them into the tree areas and created a web like structure on your left and right in case that man came back up.
Resurfacing from the water, Kakashi was then placed in a water prison the moment he had tried to escape. Soon, Zabuza had created a water clone using his free hand to deal with you all.
“You’re acting big, wearing a headband like a ninja. However, a real ninja is one who hovers between constant life and death!” The clone then teleported and swiftly kicked Naruto, making his headband fly off, your web of wires caught the boy before he could skid too far away.
“Everyone! Take Tazuna and run! You all don’t stand a chance with a guy like him!” Kakashi said that Zabuza shouldn’t be able to use his water clone if you all were far enough away.
However, to you all…
Running away was not an option.
They would not have run away, especially if it meant leaving someone important.
So, you refuse to do the same.
It seems Sasuke a similar idea as you.
The black haired boy ran towards Zabuza, throwing shurikans at the clone. In the mean time you had pulled on your strings, trying to trap the clone and prevent him from running away. However, the clone was easily able to knock off the projectiles and jump upwards and avoid your string trap and grabbed Sasuke by the neck before throwing him to the side.
Coughing, Sasuke quickly ran back to you all to get a safe distance between himself and Zabuza. Naruto slowly started to get up, overcoming his fear and charged towards the clone only to get punched back towards everyone. You realized something watching Naruto’s form skid across the ground.
“What are you thinking charging off on your own?!” Sakura scolded the boy. “Even Sasuke was no match for him! No matter how hard we try, we’re just-” She stopped herself when she noticed his hand.
In Naruto’s grip, was his headband Zabuza had been stepping on earlier.
The boy slowly stood back up, blood running down the corner of his mouth.
“Hey. The guy with no eyebrows… Record in that bingo book of yours about the guy who’s gonna be the hidden leaf village’s Hokage one day,” Naruto straightened up, putting his headband back on and cleaned the blood from his mouth.
“Leaf-style ninja… Naruto Uzumaki!”
The rogue ninja was shaking in anger at Naruto’s confidence.
“Sasuke! Lend me your ear!” Naruto gave a confidant smirk. “I have a plan!” Sasuke gave him a silent nod, already ready for whatever Naruto throws at him.
“What the hell are you all doing?! I told you to run! This fight was over the moment I got caught, your mission is not to prove how brave you are, it’s to save the bridge builder! Stay on mission!” Kakashi scolded you all, prompting your group to look back at Tazuna for his final call.
“This all started because of me, because of my desire to live… But, I won’t let that stand in your way now.” Tazuna gives you all a big smile as he looked up. “Forget about me and do what you need to do! Go ahead and fight to save your sensei!”
Zabuza only laughed at your group’s naive display of courage, telling you all that by the time he was your age that he already had blood on his hands. According to Kakashi, ten years ago, the mist village’s graduation exam had to undergo drastic reform. There was a particular boy who had slaughtered over one hundred genin with no hesitation.
Zabuza’s water clone ran towards Sasuke, kicking him to the ground hard enough to cough blood. Soon after, Naruto charged at the clone while using his shadow clone jutsu but was soon knocked off like a fly. However, that action was enough for Sasuke to move back to get some space between him and the water clone. Naruto then threw a bladed fan to Sasuke who had caught it with ease. Unfurling it, revealing it was the demon wind shuriken.
The black haired boy jumped up and threw the shuriken.
But, he was not aiming for the clone, he had aimed for the real body.
Realizing this, Zabuza had jumped upwards to dodge it, however…
Poof!
Naruto revealed himself as the ‘weapon’ and threw his kunai at Zabuza who was now forced to release Kakashi from his water prison and release his water clone in order to avoid the kunai.
In dodging the kunai, Zabuza had been cut.
Naruto had gained the full attention of the rogue ninja, but before Zabuza could throw his demon wind shurikan at Naruto, Kakashi used his hand to block it.
The two of them then separated and used a water dragon jutsu against each other. Raksa stood protectively in front of you when the water had come towards you all, making the doll take the brunt of it, though Raksa could was not big enough for 4 whole people so Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura were still hit by the gigantic wave of water. The giant wave also threw Naruto back to shore to you all before he could accidentally drown himself in between the battle of those two men.
With a particularly hard jutsu, Kakashi was able to throw Zabuza ashore and into a tree.
Before anyone could react, two long, needles had been thrown into Zabuza’s neck, causing him to collapse.
On a nearby tree, you all see a mysterious ninja with a mask.
An Anbu mask.
Kakashi jumped over to Zabuza, confirming the lack of pulse in the rogue ninja’s body, he turned to the ninja on the tree who gave Kakashi a small bow.
“I thank you. I have been waiting for the chance to kill Zabuza.” The ninja spoke with a boyish voice. Kakashi also took note of the boy’s mask, saying how they must be an anbu ninja that is part of the hidden mist village.
Despite the victory, this whole situation makes Naruto upset.
Upset that you all weren’t the ones to defeat Zabuza.
Upset that the ninja who killed him was not much older than himself.
Upset that he was just…
Pathetic in comparison.
Kakashi puts a hand on Naruto’s head. “In this world, there are kids that are younger than you. And yet, stronger than me.” Kakashi lowered his headband over his eye once again.
And as fast as the masked boy appeared, he had disappeared with Zabuza’s body, seemingly to be rid of it.
“What the hell was all of this for?! What are we anyway?!” Naruto fell to his knees, now punching the ground in frustration. Kakashi grabbed Naruto’s arm before he could throw another punch.
“These things happen as a Ninja. If you’re frustrated, apply it to the next fight!” Naruto had finally calmed down, Kakashi then turns back to you all. “Our mission is not over yet, we still need to bring Tazuna home.” Tazuna gives a big hearty laugh before apologizing and suggests he could let you all rest in his home for the time being.
Just as Kakashi takes a step forward, everything in his body stills. The pain shoots through him, making him collapse. Instinctively, you were the first person by his side, kneeling beside him and placed a hand on his chest.
He’s badly injured from the fight with that rouge ninja.
… Using that would be your main option here-
Kakashi’s hand shoots up and grips your wrist as tight as he could with the most urgency the others has seen in this usually easy going jonin teacher.
It seems he had already knew what you were attempting to do.
“NO! Don’t use it! Whatever you do, however hurt I am, you cannot use that on me!” The others were shocked at his outburst as you stared at his face, his expression was contorted in both pain and panic before rolling back and fainting.
“Wh… Kakashi-Sensei!”
“What happened?!”
“He had collapsed from the pain. Now that the adrenaline wore off, he can feel the injuries he had sustained during the battle.” You stand up, calling Raksa over to pick him up.
“It’s not only that, he must have overused the Sharingan. He had it the whole battle, it must have taken a toll on him.” Sasuke explains.
“Tazuna.” You call for your client.
“Y-yes!”
“Your house is not far from where we are at now, correct?”
“Yes, you all can rest all you need at my house once we’re there.”
Raksa picks up Kakashi’s unconscious body, making sure not to hold him in a way that injured him more. You all continued your walk to Tazuna’s home. On the way, Sakura was curious about something that Kakashi said before he had fainted.
“Hey, uh. Why did… Why did Kakashi say that? What were you going to do to him?” Your teammates looked at you suspiciously due to Sakura’s questioning.
“I was going to heal him,” You answered simply, although, that seems to only make them more weary. You are being honest though, so there is nothing for you to feel guilty over or lie about. “He hates when I heal him.” The walk was devastatingly awkward, your teammates hoping you would elaborate on the why.
You never did.
“What’s that even mean?? Why would he hate you doing something like that?” Naruto asks the question the other two were thinking.
“He just does.” Your simple responses only seem to frustrate Naruto more, making him huff and puff.
“FINE, don’t tell me then!”
But, you already told him?
As you all walked, you spared a glance at Sasuke. The boy took some hard hits from that rogue ninja. Kakashi did also say to check in with your teammates when they are hurt, it helps with team bonding.
“Sasuke. Are you alright from the fight?”
“… I’m fine. I’m not that weak.” The boy didn’t look at you as he answered your question. You glanced back at Naruto, he also has some scrapes and bruises from the encounter.
“Naruto, are you alright?” The blond boy looked at you in surprise, unused to others looking out for him.
“Uh- yeah! I’m fine too! I’m strong like- no, stronger than Sasuke!” Naruto gloated, already forgotten his earlier frustrations with you.
You glanced at Sakura, she didn’t sustain any bruises like the other two but the fight did seem mentally taxing for everyone.
“Are you also okay, Sakura?”
“Oh. Uh. Yeah, I’m alright.” Her voice to you was polite and curt, not really knowing how to interact with you.
You all finally arrived to Tazuna’s home where you all were greeted by his daughter, Tsunami, who had helped you all safely place Kakashi in a futon to rest in a separate room. While your teammates waited outside and spoke with Tazuna, you decided to stay in Kakashi’s room and watch over him.
What if…
What if he stopped breathing like they did?
You laid down near him with Raksa in your arms, watching his chest rise up and down closely.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Tsunami checked on you a few times to see how you were doing, but you diligently stayed by his side until he finally opened his eye.
“Oh,” He called out your name with a raspy voice before letting out a cough. At the sound of his voice, Tsunami had come back in to check on you two.
“Are you alright, Sensei? Your student’s been at your side since you arrived, they must have been worried sick!” Kakashi’s eye widened in surprised at the news before glancing back at you, who only stared back at him with your usual stoic expression.
“Not really… It will be hard to move for about a week.” Kakashi started to get up until you place a hand on his chest, stopping him from moving further. You kind of remind him of a cat right now.
“You should listen to your student here, it would be best if you didn’t move for a bit.”
“O-okay.” Kakashi laid back down at her command and your silent one. Thinking about it, whenever he visited you, he has never gotten this injured in front of you before, so this whole thing must be new to you. At the sound of Tsunami and Kakashi’s voices, your teammates and Tazuna came back in.
“Oh, Kakashi-Sensei’s finally awake!” The crew sat by Kakashi’s other side, opposite from you.
“Your sharingan is really powerful, but if it puts this much of a strain on your body, then you shouldn’t use it!” Sakura scolded the bed ridden man who only gave a weak ‘sorry’. “Not to mention, they just watched you the whole time while you slept, you must have really worried them!” Kakashi turns to you and placed a hand on your head, patting you in an attempt of comfort.
“Were you worried?”
You didn’t respond at first, but you finally answered what was in your mind while watching over him.
“I thought you would stop breathing in the middle of sleeping. Like they did.” Everyone around you looked at you with a mixture of pity and sadness at your response. Kakashi looked downwards with a bit of guilt in his eye, understanding exactly what you mean.
Kakashi then sat up, as if realizing something and turned to Sakura.
“What did the masked kid do with Zabuza?”
“How would we know? He just took Zabuza’s body away.”
“If he needed proof that he had killed Zabuza, he could have simply taken the head. Not to mention, the weapon that tracker ninja had used…”
“A regular senbon…” Sasuke answered, already connecting the dots Kakashi was implying.
Zabuza was most likely still alive.
Tazuna, Naruto, and Sakura screamed in shock, because how could a man come back from an injury such as that?
Zabuza was probably in a near death state, being able to fake the loss of a pulse due to the senbon’s precise hits. Naruto’s expression seems to be that of excitement from the news.
That boy…
Always confused you more and more.
“Sensei, what should we do in preparation? You can’t even move right now…”
“I’ll assign you all some training.” Kakashi explains that you all are ready to get stronger, especially since you all were the ones to have saved him after all. Naruto especially has grown the past few days.
“Now it’s getting interesting!” Naruto excitedly exclaimed.
“I don’t think it’s interesting at all…” A young boy’s voice had joined in your group’s conversation, turning around, you all were faced with Tazuna’s grandson, Inari.
His mother scolded him for not properly greeting you all, to which Tazuna simply waves it off. Inari gives you all a scrutinizing glare.
“Mom, these guys will die. There’s no way they can go against Gato and win.”
“What’s that you brat?! Listen here, I’m a super hero who will become an awesome Hokage one day!” Naruto gave the boy a smile brimming with confidence. “Gato or choco, whoever they are, I’m not worried about them one bit!” Naruto’s response only seem to annoy Inari more.
“A hero, huh. That’s stupid, there’s no such thing as heroes!”
Before Naruto could pick a fight with a child half his age, Sakura held him back from doing anything stupid.
“If you don’t want to die, then hurry up and go home already.” Inari left the room and headed upstairs, Tazuna apologized for his grandson’s behavior.
Kakashi could tell you didn’t understand, but considering the air, it would be unwise to speak inform you while everything was still so tense.
You watched Naruto walk away with a huff.
You wonder…
Did they feel the same way about the concept of heroism?
(Planned romances will be very slow burned since this is a rewrite + fix-it fic)
Summary: What is a human's purpose when they are created?
Do they just know how to navigate through life as they are?
It's hard... Learning these things for the first time.
However, with some guidance, maybe even you can learn how to be...
Human.
Your teacher said that these three might just be a good influence on you.
Let's hope he's right.
A/N: This is my first time writing for Naruto and technically my first time officially getting into and participating in the fandom since i avoided it as a kid, which is funny cus i always had a bit of a crush on sasuke and suddenly the crush hit me again recently (plus other crushes) but 10x harder so now im here and made way too much lore for this 😭
just a heads up
- for the most part, a lot of the dialogue is 1 for 1 on the characters, the first couple chaps, i was kinda having a rough time trying to write till i got the swing of things later
- this is basically a fix-it rewrite so the pacing may be ass
- the reader may act a bit mary sue ish at times (because they are basically my in universe sona but written with a reader perspective 💀)
- aaaand the characters may be a pretty ooc since im not used to writing for them/i have not written in a while
“Squad 7: Naruto Uzumaki. Sakura Haruno. Sasuke Uchiha. And…” In the midst of Sakura cheering and Naruto groaning, there was a fourth name that the class did not recognize catching the group’s attention.
“Iruka-Sensei, who’s that last name you said?? I don’t think there’s anyone in class with that name.” Naruto peeped up.
“The teacher your group has been assigned to has a student of his own due to certain… personal circumstances. They are about your age. So, your group will be the exception to the rule of threes.” The crew gave each other a confused glance before Sasuke and Naruto went back to glaring at each other.
It was time for you to meet your other team members.
You had been a student already that was under Kakashi’s supervision due to certain circumstances and he had finally decided that you would be joining the group that he is tasked with this year. You held Raksa close to your chest, your plush companion.
“Today, you will be meeting with your new teammates. Make sure to get along with them,” You gave him a little nod as the two of you stop in front of a classroom, the door is slightly ajar. There seems to be a chalkboard eraser at the top of the door, Kakashi obviously seemed to notice it.
“I’ll go in first.” Just as expected, Kakashi was hit with the dusty eraser, although it only made his hair appear dustier considering it was already the same color as his hair.
A boyish, boisterous laugh came from the classroom the moment Kakashi activated the trap along side a polite, feminine voice.
“I got him, I got him, did ya see that!”
“I’m so sorry Sensei, I tried to stop him, but Naruto went off on his own…”
Once Kakashi fully entered the classroom, you peeked your head inside with Raksa. The other three had took note of you just behind Kakashi. There was a blond, short boy with spiky hair who was most likely the loud one who did the prank. There was a slightly taller girl with long pink hair who was the one who apologized. And sitting off to the side, was a quiet black hair boy in blue who only observed the scene in front of him with a scowl.
“Hm… How should I say this on my first impressions of you all?” Kakashi put a finger to his chin, making a thinking pose.
“Well, I hate you all.” The blunt way of speaking made the three of them frown.
All of you then gathered to the rooftop, you were going to stand by Kakashi’s side like you usually do but he had told you to sit with the group in front of him.
“Let’s see. First off, let me have you guys introduce yourselves,” Kakashi then spared a glance at you before continuing. “As you can see, you have a new classmate that will be meeting you for the first time alongside myself.”
“What should should we say?”
“Your likes, dislikes, future dreams. Things like that.”
“Hey! How about you tell us about you first!” The blond one says with an abrasive way of speaking.
“Me? My name is Kakashi Hakate,” He points to himself. “I don’t feel like telling you my likes and dislikes,” The pink and blond ones give him a confused look. “I’ve never really thought about my future dream. As for my hobbies… I have many that are only for adults.” The pink girl gives the others an annoyed look.
“In the end, we only know his name…”
The blond one then perks up after realizing something and looks right at you.
“Hey, hey, you’ve been his student a while. Can you tell us about Kakashi-Sensei?” You tilt your head a bit at his question.
“Like what? Sensei technically said all that wanted to.”
“But, we don’t even know anything else! He didn’t even say what kind of ‘hobbies’ that were adults only! Like, is there anything embarrassing about him you know at least?”
“Oi, you don’t need to know that-”
Your mind flashes back to just earlier today in fact, the reason why the two of you were late in the first place.
“He burnt 5 eggs just earlier today before giving up and buying a boxed lunch-” The blond one had busted out laughing, the pink one was trying her best (and failing) to hold back an impolite laugh, and the black hair one turned away but you can see the slight shake in his shoulders.
“Okay, okay, okay. Next is you guys, starting with you.” Kakashi coughed as he pointed at the blond one to introduce himself.
The blond one’s name was Naruto Uzumaki, he appears to be extremely ambitious and craves attention from others with a strong interest towards ramen.
The pink girl’s name was Sakura Haruno, she was a bit confusing to you, with her looking at the black hair one when talking about her likes, hobbies, and future dream then saying that she disliked Naruto who made a face of despair at her words.
Finally, The black haired one was Sasuke Uchiha, he said he dislikes many things while not liking anything in particular. However, there’s two things driving him. Restoring his clan and killing a specific person.
You look at Kakashi who just has a glint of dread behind his stoic face.
… Will this kind of team be sustainable?
It was your turn to introduce yourself, you start with your name then you introduce your bear companion in your arms.
“And this is Raksa. I do not have any particular likes or dislikes, and my hobbies; I create dolls,” You brought Raksa closer to your chest. “As for a future dream, I just wish to become the Ninja I was created to be.” The others look at you with a confused expression.
“Created to be?”
You just nod, confusing the crew more at your simple answer.
Kakashi lets out a small cough to grab everyone’s attention.
“Okay! Everyone is distinctive and interesting. We’ll have a mission tomorrow!”
“What kind of a mission?” Naruto peeped up excitedly, almost jumping from anticipation.
“A survival exercise.”
Kakashi-Sensei had said that this was a very important mission where of the 28 graduates, only 9 will be recognized as junior ninjas. The remaining 18 students will be sent back to the academy, the test has a failure rate of 66%. Kakashi also said to skip breakfast, or else you all would throw up during the test.
And that is how the four of you ended up waiting at five in the morning at the training grounds waiting for your Sensei.
He’s late.
Everyone at this point had decided to sit down, waiting for him. While waiting, it seems you had caught the eye of the most hyperactive one of your crew.
“Hey, so. Why’s that I’ve never seen you at the academy before? Most teams’re in threes, so it’s weird that we’re a four person team. What makes you so special that you were already his student?” Naruto seems to have said out loud what the other two were thinking.
“I’ve been under Kakashi’s care ever since my…” You correct yourself before you could say the wording Kakashi told you not to use. “My … Parent passed, Kakashi-Sensei was a particularly close friend of my… Sibling.” The words of relations are robotic and awkward under your tongue, but the others looked at you pity and a sort of personal understanding nonetheless.
“Hi everyone, good morning!”
“YOU’RE LATE!!!” Naruto and Sakura yelled simultaneously.
“Well, a black cat crossed my path, you see-” You took note of his fanny pack looking more full than how it normally is.
“Did you buy another perverse book before coming here?” Kakashi cleared his throat, unable to deny your accusation which only caused your teammates to narrow their eyes at him.
“Ahem! Well,” He doesn’t answer your question before he goes to the timer on the nearby stump to set the time, setting it for 12:00.
“Today’s assignment is to take these bells away from me by noon,” Kakashi takes out 3 bells that are tied together at the point he is holding. He then states that those who are unable to steal the bells from him in that allotted time frame will not eat lunch and be tied to a post.
That explains why he told everyone to not eat breakfast.
“Ready… Start!”
And just like that, everyone, including yourself, had gone in different locations to hide and observe Kakashi-Sensei.
…
Is what would have been said if it weren’t for Naruto standing out in the open while you all had dispersed to your hiding spots. Kakashi then says he is going to teach the first shinobi battle jutsu, taijutsu. The tall man then takes out an all too familiar book from his fanny pack.
‘Make Out Paradise’ Written on the cover.
Just as you suspected.
“They were right! You were late because you got a stupid perverted book!”
“Let’s get back to the topic at hand!” Kakashi’s eye twitched.
The two of them clashed-
…
One sidedly, clashed.
Naruto would swing, only for Kakashi to dodge with ease with just a simple side step all while reading that perverse book of his. In the end, Naruto just started beating himself up after Kakashi used a substitution jutsu to dodge Naruto’s shadow clones and finally getting stuck in a rope trap. Just as Kakashi was scolding Naruto, the tall man was then “hit” with a bunch of shurikens and kunais.
Poof!
The ‘body’ had been replaced with a large log, judging by the trajectory of the throws, Sasuke had most likely revealed where he was hiding. You heard the shuffling of the nearby trees and bushes, Sakura and Sasuke must have ran. Since Kakashi will be busy with those two, you decided to help Naruto out of his predicament. He had already gotten himself stuck in a second rope trap the moment you looked away.
Twirling a bit, you threw Raksa up into the air, activating the doll to expand and get much taller, the doll’s feet hit the ground with a firm ‘thud’. You open the zipper on their back, taking out a few smaller dolls which you throw towards Naruto’s direction. And without a verbal command, they already know what to do.
“Wh- WHAT’S WITH THESE THINGS?” Naruto flailed around a bit more as he saw the dolls crawl towards his immobilized form, trying to get away from them. He calmed down a bit once he realized that they were cutting off the rope that connected him to the tree, unceremoniously letting him fall to the ground face first with a ‘thunk’!
“You coulda been a bit more gentle abou- WOAH, WHERE’RE YOU TAKING ME!?” The dolls then picked him up, with his feet still hogtied, and scuttled towards the forest.
Meanwhile, you had heard a loud shriek that sounded like Sakura from deeper in the forest. You sent Raksa to go get her while you followed Sasuke’s direction and watch his match with Kakashi, hidden in a treetop. Watching Sasuke from afar, he seemed to show much more promise than the other two combat wise at the moment. Kakashi seems to have to use his full attention for him than he did with the others.
But, just like the others, Sasuke had failed.
The boy was now entrapped in the dirt with only his head peeking out with Kakashi walking away, most likely going to check in on the other two now.
After the coast was clear, you jumped down from the treeline and headed towards the trapped Sasuke who was surprised to see you. He must have had his full focus on Kakashi and somehow didn’t notice you were nearby.
“… It’s you.” You didn’t answer him, you simply raised a hand upwards, focusing a bit of chakra into it, and stabbed downwards, reaching for his arm to pull him out of the dirt.
And just on time, the two of you could hear Naruto’s complaining and flailing along side Raksa’s steps who was now carrying a fainted Sakura.
The four of you have now all regrouped.
“Hey! What’s the big idea, anyways?! You tryin’ to pick a fight while I’m stuck like this?! Well, are ya?!”
That boy was so loud.
Loud enough for Sakura to wake up.
“What in the world happened…? Sasuke?!” The girl bolted upright, flailing out of Raksa’s grasp to cry and cling onto Sasuke who only tried to push her away from the sudden close proximity.
“Would you let go of me?! Don’t hug me!”
Seeing the three of them together, yelling and being loud like this, there was only one thing that had come out of your mouth at the sight.
“You all are quite stupid, aren’t you?”
“What was that?!” The three of them all angrily yell at your accusation. You knelt down to cut the rope tying Naruto’s ankles together, who jumped up from where he was laying.
“How dare you call Sasuke stupid!” Sakura was quick to defend Sasuke before thinking about herself.
“You think you’re so special all because you were already Kakashi’s student before us! Why don’t you tell us how to take him down then?!” You stared at Naruto’s outburst with a blank stare which only frustrated him more.
“Is that head only good for yelling?” You said, getting up to place the smaller dolls back into Raksa.
“What did you say?!”
“Why did everyone separate?” You glanced back at the angry, blond boy.
“Well, we needed to get the bells from Kakashi so that we don’t go back to the academy! It’s not like all of us can succeed anyways since there’s only 3 bells on him!”
“And when did he say that?”
“Huh?”
“When did he ever say that each person needed a singular bell to succeed?”
“Well- Uh, It was implied! Like, cause there’s 4 of us and only 3 bells!”
“But, he never explicitly said that was the case,” You stepped closer to the crew, Sasuke and Sakura had already connected the dots.
“Why would we be assigned to a team, if they were just planning on separating us on the very first mission?” Naruto’s mind looked like it was working over time trying to put the pieces of what you said together.
Before it finally…
Clicked.
“HE WAS BAITING US?” Sasuke sighed and Sakura face palmed at Naruto’s late connection, though, they certainly weren’t any better considering they also fell for the bait.
“We need to work together,”
You bring out your chakra infused wire.
“We can bring him to the forest and have him get tangled up in this. Then we can get the bells.”
Naruto and Sasuke seem weary at the idea of having to work with each other, let alone together as a group for this, their pride standing in the way of this assignment.
The four of you found Kakashi in a nearby river in the forested area, reading his book like there was nothing else to do. You signal for Naruto to go out there.
“Hey Kakashi! You’re nothin’ but an old pervert aren’t you?!” Naruto taunted to get the tall man’s attention just before using his shadow clone jutsu to surround Kakashi.
“Don’t judge an adult for their tastes!”
And just like that, Kakashi was being herded to where the trap was laid. You and Sakura created the trap together and decided on Sasuke to activate the trap due to his faster reaction time.
Sasuke was focused, waiting for the millisecond Kakashi was in the vicinity of the trap.
The moment he saw the spiked, grey hair, Sasuke threw his kunai to the trap, making the chakra wire snap itself around him, causing him to fall to the ground.
“Well, would you look at that, you’re all finally getting it,” The 4 of you stand over Kakashi, the other three reveling in their success. Naruto and Sakura were loudly cheering as Sasuke had a smug smirk to himself. But, you knew your teacher. That would be too simple for him to fall for.
“It’s really too bad that you all got it too late.” And with a puff of smoke, Kakashi was no longer in the trap with just a log in his place.
“AH!! Where’d he go?! I was so sure we’d get him!” You heard the sound of a string moving. It seemed you, Sasuke, and Sakura all got the same idea and jumped out of the way, leaving Naruto confused just before getting trapped once again but this time by the wire you all had tried to use against Kakashi.
The sound of the alarm rang throughout the area, you all had regrouped near the meeting spot, dragging a tied up Naruto along the dirt.
The 4 of you sat near the wooden poles, the other three’s stomachs were growling loudly as Kakashi stood above you four.
“Uh oh, seems like everyone’s pretty hungry now, that’s too bad.” The group glared at Kakashi’s way of speaking. “Oh by the way, about this exercise. I’ve decided, I won’t send anyone back to the academy,” Naruto and Sakura excitedly cheered before Kakashi could finish, with Naruto wiggling while tied up and Sakura jumped up and down.
“Yes, yes, all of you… Are being dropped from the program permanently.” Kakashi’s words hit them like a rock, instantly causing them to stop in their place from shock.
“What?! You can’t just kick us all out like that! What about them?! They’ve been your student for so long that you’re just failing them with us?!”
“It’s because you don’t think like ninja. You all think like little brats.” Kakashi was goading them. And it worked.
Sasuke charged at Kakashi for being called a brat, only for him to get trapped underneath the teacher with swift speed.
“You let Sasuke go! Don’t you dare step on him like he’s just some bug!” Kakashi just stared at you all with an annoyed look in his eye.
“You just all think about yourselves, you don’t know what it means to be a Ninja. It’s all just a game to you all,” The group looked at him in surprise, as if it was so shocking he was pointing out how they only saw this as a way to show off. “You had to be explicitly told by them what this exercise was supposed to be. And even then, you all had decided to join together too late. A genin should have a natural feel for teamwork, but with most of you, it didn’t even cross your mind.” Kakashi then pointed at Sakura.
“You obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, but Naruto was right in front of you and you didn’t even lift a finger to help him!” Sakura looked down in guilt at Kakashi’s criticisms of her actions.
“Naruto, you do everything on your own. Everything.” Naruto looked down in regret.
Kakashi then looked at you, a disappointed expression in his eye. “You basically gave them the answers without working together naturally, you see this exercise as more of a puzzle than actual team work. You need to remember your teammates are not pieces of a puzzle, they are their own persons.” You didn’t expect that you would get scolded as well, you just told the others what they were missing, that should have been enough anyways, right? After all, the aim of the exercise is to simply take the bells away.
“And you, Sasuke,” Kakashi stepped down on Sasuke’s head further to make a point. “Thought the others were so far beneath you just labeled them as useless! Seems there’s only one of you with a head on their shoulders, and you all dragged them down because of your own arrogance!” Sasuke only scowled up at Kakashi from his position.
“Missions are supposed to be carried out in squads. There’s no doubt that a ninja needs remarkable individual skill. But, teamwork is considered much more important. Any wrong move from an individual could mean death. For example…” Kakashi reached for a kunai in his pocket and pointed it towards the trapped boy’s neck.
“‘Sakura! Kill Naruto, or else Sasuke dies!’” Sakura and Naruto looked at the scene in shock as they tensed up.
“… Is what could happen.”
Kakashi twirled the kunai around his finger before placing it back into his pocket, getting off of Sasuke and walked towards the nearby memorial stone. There were many names of ninjas from the village that were engraved on that stone.
The ninjas who were killed in action.
The air had gotten tense.
“This is a memorial stone, the names of my friends are also engraved here,” Kakashi spared a glance at you as he said that.
“I’ll give you all one more chance. However, the next time will be much harder. Those who want to take the challenge will be able to eat lunch, but, you cannot give Naruto any.”
“WHAT?!”
“You’ve gotten yourself in that trap, so you’re going to have to face the punishment.”
“BUT, I DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING!”
“Them’s the breaks. Oh, and if anyone let’s him eat, then they will get immediately disqualified,” Sasuke glares at Kakashi as the other two looked at him in shock at his harsh tone. “I make the rules, got it?” And just like that, Kakashi walks off.
The three of you had opened your lunches and started to eat as Naruto tried to reassure himself that he would be fine not eating. That is, until a loud growl was heard from his stomach. Sasuke sighed before pushing his lunchbox towards Naruto, surprising Sakura.
As you watched Sasuke and Naruto, it clicked inside your head.
This was another test.
Maybe this time they can figure it out on their own. Shifting a bit, you also move your lunch box towards Naruto, surprising him.
“Hey, wait, you two! What if Kakashi comes?” Sakura looked around anxiously, trying to find any possible trace of the power hungry teacher.
Kakashi scolded you for simply telling them what to do before, so maybe you will let them try and figure it out on their own this time?
“It’s okay, he’s not here now. The four of us will get the bells together, properly this time.” Sakura looks down at her lunchbox before making her final decision and giving Naurto her lunch as well, the blond boy became teary eyed at Sakura’s action.
“Sakura… Thank you…”
“Don’t thank me, hurry up and eat!” Naruto shifted uncomfortably, he certainly would have eaten by now if it weren’t for the fact he is tied up at the moment. Realizing this, Sakura let out a frustrated groan and begrudgingly fed Naruto when Sasuke told her to hurry up before Kakashi comes by.
The moment the food was in Naruto’s mouth, a loud gust of air and dust had appeared revealing itself to be an incredibly mad Kakashi. All of you did your best to stand your ground from the sudden gust.
“You all defied the rules, so now you all know what’s coming…” Kakashi shifted his hands in a certain sequence, causing the clouds to darken and cry with thunder. “Do you have something to say?” Sakura covered her head in fear while Naruto’s legs were shaking.
“But… Bu- But, Sensei, you said it yourself!”
“We’re a squad, aren’t we?”
“Th-that’s right! The four of us are one!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!”
Everyone protectively stood up in front of Naruto, Kakashi quickly glanced at you with a knowing look before closely observing everyone’s determined faces.
“The four of you are one, eh?”
Kakashi’s stern face shifted to a smile from underneath his mask.
“You pass!” Those words surprise Naruto and Sakura while Sasuke is still tense, expecting a trick of some sort.
“We pass?? But, why?”
“Up until now, it was only dunces who meekly listen to my every word,” Kakashi straightened up. “A ninja must see through deception. In the world of the ninja, those who break rules and codes are branded as garbage… But. Those who don’t cherish their friends are worse than that.” Sakura and Naruto looked at Kakashi in awe.
“Group seven starts their mission tomorrow.” Sakura and Naruto excitedly cheered before most of you had walked away, just for Naruto to realize, he is still tied up.
The four of you had already walked away with Naruto yelling in the distance about his predicament.
“WHAT?! You’ve never had ramen before?!!?” Naruto yelled at the top of his 12 year old lungs. The boy’s eyes nearly fell out of his skull the moment you had said that, Sakura and Sasuke both seemed to be annoyed at Naruto’s loud mannerism but also intrigued by your statement.
“I’ve only ever had the food Raksa made.” You lift up Raksa to emphasize your point.
“That’s it, Kakashi-Sensei, we’re heading to Ichiraku right now and get them a large bowl, stat!”
“With whose money?”
“… Uh.” Naruto looked downwards with an expression that practically said, ‘I totally thought you were going to pay’.
“Just kidding. I suppose I can cover you all this once, it’ll be good first team bonding.” Naruto cheered as he started running towards the ramen stall before any of you guys. He certainly has energy to spare.
Arriving at the ramen stall, Naruto practically jumped onto the stool and ordered a bowl of ramen for himself and even ordered a bowl for you.
“This place has the best ramen ever! You’re gonna love it!” You sat next to Naruto’s left side while Sakura sat next to his right with Sasuke, already ordering their own bowls. The older man at the counter chuckled, familiar with Naruto’s antics.
“You finally got yourself a team, eh, Naruto?”
“Thats right! I’m one step closer to becoming the Hokage!” The older man laughs loudly at Naruto’s ambitious dreams before placing four steaming, large bowls in front of you all. You placed Raksa on the counter-top, who only hovered over your food. You glance at the other three who had already started eating their bowls. Naruto ate his food ferociously, Sakura ate her food with a sort of elegance, and Sasuke ate his food calmly.
Taking the chopsticks, you mimicked their actions, picking up some of the noodles and giving it a quick blow before eating it. Naruto watched you closely for your reaction.
“It’s warm.”
“Yeah…?” The boy waited in anticipation for your reaction, looking up at you with his large blue eyes.
Perhaps this was not a good time to tell everyone that you cannot taste food. Kakashi-Sensei has told you before that people do not like when they are told the food they like has no flavor or is made fun of.
“It is satisfactory.” Kakashi sighs at your robotic wording but Naruto is strangely satisfied with that answer and cheers.
You gave a bit of your noodles to Raksa, you obediently ate from your chopsticks, Naruto was so shocked at your companion being able to eat the food too.
The four of you eat together after this long day of getting a feel for one another.
Naruto was the loudest of all with Sakura making her own conversation as you and Sasuke ate in silence, all the while Kakashi was reading his book with you all as company.
alright!! in that case, since they are open and you don't have anything for obey me at the moment, how about yandere!lucifer (and/or belphegor if that's okay) with a gn reader who is generally short and weak? is that too specific or not specific enough? wrhhdhgng sorry if it is but uh!! hopefully it's alright! and if it isn't, i'll make a better request next time!! be well!
oh gosh, it's been two years since i've gotten this ask, I am so so so sorry, a lot of life and mental stuff got in the way (˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥)
It has been absolutely a while since I've written and done anything but I'm trying to get back in the swing of things, so this will be written in bullet pointed stuff rather than full drabbles!
❤️Lucifer❤️
☼ Lucifer would most likely be much more protective of you than ever before.
☼ Much more than a sheep, he would most likely see you as a small rabbit. Something so small and weak and needs to be cared for.
☼ As a yandere, Lucifer's control freak tendencies would more or less have you be locked up in his room. After all, as much as he cares for his brothers as well, he knows that having them look after you would be useless, just look at how everything started when you all first met.
☼ He would have you tail him where ever he could quite honestly and even have you on his lap as he worked in his office.
☼ It would be much preferable to just have him look after you himself. You could have the work from RAD be sent to you and he could even help teach you himself. That way no demons could gobble you up while you're not in his sight.
☼ Basically, with Lucifer being much more controlling and clingy as a yandere, it's goodbye to personal time.
💜 Belphegor 💜
☾ Rather than the protective nature that Lucifer has, I imagine Belphie has more of a possessive nature.
☾ He certainly can feel protective of you but in a way of seeing you as a doll. More or less replacing his pillow for you.
☾ I feel like he would always be holding onto you in someway, draped over you, holding your hand, hugging you, etc
☾ Even in school, he probably can't skip any classes nor keep you for himself during said class skipping, so he would probably annoy Lucifer into somehow having you with him in yours or his classes. That way he can hold onto you in some way while he sleeps through it.
☾ And when you're back from school, Belphie probably quickly takes you to the attic to take a nap together like usual before any of his other brothers could take you away from him.
Oh yeah heres an announcement thing i been wanting to make but i’ve been busy
I will be taking December off from writing fics and focus on my personal projects, once they are at a sizable growth, i will be sharing them here!
In the mean time, requests are closed until after December and plus i need to organize the master list
See yall after December! (I may make some little writing posts here and there, especially one that im planning cus ive been wanting to make it for a while)
Nor is his girlfriend apparently, from what we heard, since she's in the ER rn, her cancer has made it to her brain..
So I'm definitely probably going to have to stay a while to take care of my grandma and his gf... though if I'm being completely honest and realistic... it probably won't be for as long as I think
I made a new ko-fi goal for some cheap work equipment...
I need to be able to work to support my grandma... I'm already about to go get her food, she has almost nothing, and on top of that all their animals need baths and flea treatment, they've all become riddled with fleas while my dad has been in the hospital..
I won't lie this has all left me overwhelmed, but I'm doing my best to pull through... My mom and younger sibling are here to help the best they can until the 13th, but after that it'll just be me... so I need to be able to work to support them by then...
And here’s the full image version of the Step 3 promo piece for Tamarack and Qiu! It’s so pretty 🥰️
Our Life: Now & Forever is a nostalgic Visual Novel where you create your own character and grow from childhood to adulthood with your two closest neighbors. It’s currently in development by GB Patch Games.
i love it when artists put their own spin on canon appearances/aspects of character whether its making them fat or adding features like freckles, spots or scars, or if its projecting their ethnicity onto their design. i think it is so so beautiful and i love seeing fragments of peoples hearts within their favourite characters. i think people who disagree should disintergrate btw
Oh yeah heres an announcement thing i been wanting to make but i’ve been busy
I will be taking December off from writing fics and focus on my personal projects, once they are at a sizable growth, i will be sharing them here!
In the mean time, requests are closed until after December and plus i need to organize the master list
See yall after December! (I may make some little writing posts here and there, especially one that im planning cus ive been wanting to make it for a while)
