Team.

"Attention students, eyes on me!" Umino Iruka clapped his hands until the full classroom quieted their chatter and turned to their sensei. "As you know, today we will be proceeding with the genin graduation exams. As you've known from previous years, you may participate or decline, the outcome does not mean anything permanent." He paused, shuffling his papers. "You will be tested on written knowledge via yesterday's exam, weapon use, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. You will be summoned one at a time in a separate room." He smiled as a few of his students began to visibly squirm and panic. "Relax, remember everything you've learned here and you'll do splendidly, I know!" He flashed a large toothy grin.

In the back row of the class sat Naru who had her head against the cool plane of the window, rolled her eyes at the class and their excitement over the exam. After taking the genin exam four times in a row since she turned 10, she knew it front and back. But Hiruzen refused to allow her graduation.

Part of her agreement with Hiruzen four years ago, Naru was reinstated to the academy with her classmates, most of whom questioned the girl in her absence, but since she had her eyes opened to the world, she couldn't accept the childish forms of her once best friends. Quickly becoming a loner, she wasn't plagued with trivial tasks of playtime, sleepovers, nail painting and the rest of the things she used to love. Her time was now taken up with studying the Uzumaki fuinjutsu styles, reading history books, practicing jutsu that she wouldn't be trying for real until she was well over 13, training with Itachi when the boy had a free moment from doing who knows what.

But the most frustrating part of her reinstatement was Hiruzen, upon his first attempt of failing her near perfect score, he explained that she would not pass until he deemed her worthy of being a genin, even with showing an advanced level of most aspects of being a genin it was still a solid 'no'.

"We'll begin in alphabetical order," Iruka announced and began down the list of the 30 students.

"So, are you looking forward to graduating?" Naru looked down to Sasuke who had turned and stared at her. She fought a sneer towards him, again it wasn't so much of hating them, but hating their innocence, they were shielded, blind to the dark world that she so unfairly been thrust into. She didn't get a full childhood, while they played, giggled and more she rotted in a dungeon for six months then had to come play nice. And even with her undying admiration to Itachi, Sasuke was a part of that innocent world and she hated him for it.

"Tsk," Naru released and closed her eyes ignoring Sasuke's muttered insult before he turned to his friends who actually shared his excitement.

Two hours ticked by as each child was called in and returned shortly after with a blue Konoha hitai-ate tied around their head, waist, arm or in Sakura's case used as a makeshift headband. Sasuke waltzed in with a smirk on his face and the plaque displayed proudly on his head, the girls squealed and jumped up and down in their seats at their crush, who quite frankly ate it up.

"Uz- er - Yamanaka Ino." Iruka called, about to summon Naru and quickly skipped over it. His chestnut eyes landed on Naru who stared out of the window.

'Thankfully Hokage-sama isn't passing her...' He thought Naru turned her sights to him seemingly at his thought and curled her lip at the chunin.

"Ready Iruka-sensei!" Ino chirped, he smiled and ushered her out, eager to be free of Naru's gaze.

"Why'd he skip you?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naru.

"Why do you talk so much?" She insulted before snatching her bag from the seat next to her and pried the window open. 'Stupid old man, I'm done playing today.'

"You can't skip, I'm supposed to walk you home." Sasuke exclaimed.

Naru turned slowly glaring at the young Uchiha before giving a mocking gasp and rolled her eyes.

"Don't care,"

"Miss Uzumaki," She paused and glanced at the other chunin Mizuki standing in the door. "Skipping is frowned on, especially on exam days. Sit down."

Naru snorted in response and sprung from the sill and disappeared, Mizuki glared at the window before stepping outside.

'Well, Itachi will be home late now.' Sasuke grumbled in his mind, anytime Naru got in trouble, or did something wrong his brother would visit her and wouldn't come home until his mother was sending him to bed. He barely had time with Itachi anymore, ever since Shisui died, his older brother just wasn't the same.

Naru stuffed her hands into her pockets and strolled through the main streets, her intention being the training grounds. Her sharpened eyes glancing left and right, preparing to locate any threats that could come her way. But the only thing she spotted was the hushed whispers of civilians and ninja. They cramped themselves in tight groups, hands raised to cover their not-so hushed whispers of 'that's her' 'monster' 'she destroyed' 'how could the Hokage let her roam' and much more. At first it hurt, but soon she became numb to the hurtful comments, in fact it spurred her to grow strong, stronger than any of the low class humans that in her eyes were the monsters. Not many died in that previous attack, nowhere near the amount lost on her birth night.

"Ah Naru-chan," She found Teuchi the owner of Ichiraku ramen stand, one of the few adults that did not shun her, even with her status well known. He saw her as a human being, or maybe a paycheck as when Itachi joined her they would eat quite a few bowls with extra toppings.

"Hi Teuchi."

"Why not come in for some ramen?"

"Um, not right now, it's been a disappointing day, maybe later." Naru waved and continued down the road.

Naru let out a breath as she entered the grounds snapping the gate shut tight and slipped through the surrounding woods. Naru sighed again as she slipped her shoes off and twisted her now mid-back length hair up into a bun.

Naru fished multiple kunai out of her bag, throwing them within a five foot radius. She focused as her red chakra bubbled from her spine rising and forming into narrow tendrils. 'Pick up, pick up' She ordered the chakra, letting it stretch from her spot towards the kunai. The chakra touched the kunai and began to lift the blade. She gestured her arm watching as the chakra flung the blade up in the air followed by another watching as they clashed in the air before the first hit the target on the tree. Naru smiled, reattempting the move again and again.

-o0o-

Naru winced as she sat on the ground by the creek, after getting used to the tails, she took to practicing lightning style jutsu that quickly reacted by burning her hands. A cry of a crow drew her attention to the trees and huffed. 'Never alone.'

A crunch of the grass made her twitch and focused her own chakra to read her watcher's chakra.

'Who-'

"Tell me something Naru, I'm curious." Mizuki's voice called, she furrowed her brows turning and was greeted by a dark forest. "You've had the best scores short of previous students, taken the graduating exam four times and you're still in the academy."

"What an astute observation." Naru retorted. "Leave me alone Mizuki, wherever you are." She mumbled.

"Why not take your own power and make the Hokage listen to you?"

"What are you getting at? Actually, why are you here?" She sneered.

A low whistle made her twitch and locate a glint of metal flying towards her, she sprung back watching as shuriken embedded the ground. "Is that the best you got? No wonder you're only a chunin." Naru taunted, her keen eyes looking left and right as everything went silent around her. A low hissing noise made her freeze as a familiar tingle rose along her spine. Purple smoke began to fill the area, Naru gasped as her lungs burned and her sight began to darken.

Run! She sprung back from the clearing, she gasped at the feeling of chakra racing through her before the area exploded, tearing the ground and trees, the blast throwing her back until she crashed against a tree trunk.

'I can't pinpoint his location, his chakra is not the same...' A large shuriken smashed into the tree just above her head, Naru launched up in the air, her chakra tail grabbing the weapon and flung it back where it came from.

"A little change in chakra and your skills become useless, interesting." Mizuki's voice taunted, Naru screamed angrily, she clapped her hands together and let her blue chakra explode before a blast of red chakra exploded, she collapsed to her knees huffing in exhaustion.

'No doubt that alerted the anbu..' Naru cursed.

She watched as Mizuki walked out, she twitched as she found his clear face marred with black shapes that covered his face, neck and arm. 'That's new.'

"Nice right? You're not the only one with a seal and special chakra. Although it cost more than I expected to obtain."

"What do you want?"
"Your death."

"I didn't do anything to you!"

"Incorrect, you have kept a dark shadow over the village, you cause nothing but destruction and pain. Everyone will thank me."

"Then come and try it." Naru growled pulling chakra up around her, she growled Mizuki smiled.

"Earth style: Mud River." Naru gasped as the ground under her feet shifted and turned to a river of mud throwing her off balance. "Stone sword skill." Naru struggled with the mud and found Mizuki rushing forward with a sword in his grasp.

"Seidenki Boruto No jutsu." Mizuki yelled in pain as lightning shot out breaking the earth style sword and he collapsed twitching in pain. "Shock net!" A net of lightning shot forward and slammed Mizuki to the ground.

Naru stood up and walked over to him.

"Last chance, walk away, or you won't walk again." Naru warned, Mizuki let a smirk show before his hand shot out grabbing Naru's neck, she choked and struggled against his hard grip. Naru whimpered as flashes of the past flickered as her breathing grew shallow. She swung her feet up kicking his chest making his grip falter, she wiggled free and turned to escape before a senbon pierced her arm making it go numb.

"Metamorphic rock!" Mizuki yelled, Naru screamed in pain as a large rock shot forward cutting her side, she whimpered in pain holding the wound feeling her blood seep down.

Kill him. Let me kill him. Naru let out a slow breath as red chakra covered her body before shifting into nine chakra tails. She whirled around, her canines lengthened, her whisker marks darker and thicker and both eyes now blood red.

Mizuki gulped at the anger and darkness now seeping off the child.

Naru roared and launched forward slamming into the chunin throwing him to the side and quickly chased him.

"Fugaku-sama, Naru's chakra has reacted from the training grounds." Fugaku scowled before racing forward with two lieutenants.

"Depending on what's going on, Naru mostly has been influenced by Kyuubi's chakra and is extremely dangerous and if so, only sharingan can stop her, and do not physically engage with her." Fugaku warned, both nodded and sprung from the gates into the forest.

Naru huffed for air, her hand gripping the still bleeding wound and the tingle in her arm spurred her anger, despite sensing the approach of Fugaku.

"P...please." Mizuki struggled, he was wrapped by her chakra tails, one tail wrapped around each arm and leg and another squeezed around his throat, his face bruised and swollen.

"Ya know, it wasn't so long ago that I held the woman I viewed as family just like this, and my chakra broke the areas held like toothpicks." Naru muttered. "You attempted to kill me, because you view me as a monster, but let's take in the facts, you, a grown adult approached me, a child, with the intention to kill, and I'm a monster? I think you have the roles reversed."

"Naru! Stop!" Fugaku's voice called, she sneered glaring at Mizuki.

"I should kill you, Kami I want to. But maybe you'll learn." She dropped the chunin to the ground and turned as Fugaku stopped before her. "What?"

"What happened?"

"This fool attempted to kill me," Naru shrugged.

"You need to get a bandage on that." He commented, Naru rolled her eyes already feeling the healing burn of Kyuubi's chakra.

"DIE!!!" Mizuki screamed, raising a blade towards Naru's back, her chakra shot from her back cutting in front of the chunin. Mizuki blinked slowly before he let out a breath before his head hit the ground and his body followed.

"Naru.." Fugaku blinked in shock as the girl glanced back at the slain chunin. "You know Hiru-"
"I couldn't give fuck what he thinks, actually be a good errand boy and tell him, that the next brave soul to test fate with me, will end up like him. He's a monster anyways, signing his soul for power." Naru walked forward brushing past Fugaku and headed towards her apartment.

The two guards of the Uchiha compound looked at Naru with concern as she entered the area. Of course promptly after Itachi got her from the prison, he moved her into the compound near the main home, she expected to be given an apartment on the edge of the village but instead Itachi stood in the way.

'I'm so tired...'

-o0o-

Naru yelled into the bedding and covered her head with the pillow as knocking on her front door began and persisted. "Go away!" She screamed on the mattress.

"Ya know, the polite thing to do when someone is knocking is to answer it."

"Never said I had to be polite." Naru grumbled. "And what's the point of knocking if you're gonna come in anyways?" She peeked up at Itachi. The young jounin stood by her bed with a grin on his face.

"Just to annoy you, come on, Hokage-sama wants to talk."

"I don't wanna listen." Naru grumbled snuggling into her bed, Itachi huffed before yanking the blanket from her, she whined loudly kicking her legs up and down. "Itachi!" She whined.

"Get up, get dressed, now. Next will be dumping water on you." He turned and strolled out of her room, she sneered playfully at the older Uchiha. "Saw that."

"Upon arrival at the scene, Uzumaki Naru held Mizuki by chakra. Surrounding area destroyed from obvious battle. Upon order the chunin was freed but she proceeded to cut the chunin's head off, at the move by him, killing instantly. Per her quote 'She did not give a fuck what he thinks' and 'The next brave soul to test fate with me, will end up like him.'" Hiruzen read the form before setting it down and stared at Naru who stood with her arms crossed and stared out the window. Itachi stood next to her and flexed his jaw, a part of him wishing the chunin was still alive, so he could have the pleasure of killing him.

"I'm not apologizing." Naru stated.

"Heh, well I can't say I approve of the message, regardless are you okay?" Hiruzen questioned, Naru shrugged her shoulders.
"Why am I here? If you were upset about Mizuki I'd be in prison, we both know you have no qualms about throwing children in jail." Naru jabbed, Hiruzen flinched ever so slightly.

"Naru." Itachi gently scolded, and she rolled her eyes.

"You were summoned here to discuss your future, but if you want to discuss your past, we can." Hiruzen retorted, Naru sighed and looked at him. " You're going to graduate."

"Halle-fucking-lujah!" Naru murmured.

"You will be put on a genin team-" Naru groaned loudly. "Problem?"

"It's bad enough you've kept me locked in the academy for years, now I have to participate with low-skilled genin. You know I'm nearly at chunin level."

"Yes, but the chunin exams are a team test, no team, no entry. If it's a problem I could keep you in the academy longer."

"What are you playing at?" Naru snipped. "Keeping me in prison so I couldn't leave, leaving me in the academy, now a genin team."

"Have you ever thought I'm trying to teach you something?" Naru's lip curled. "Do you want to graduate, again I can keep you in the academy, or even a civilian."

Naru shifted her weight and glanced up at Itachi who smiled and tilted his head forward. "Yes sir." She mumbled, Hiruzen smiled standing and held out a blue material hitai-ate, Naru stepped up and stared at her reflection around the Konoha symbol. 'I'm never gonna wear that thing.' She thought before grabbing the thing she despised.

"Congratulations. Report to your homeroom, you will be assigned your new team members and sensei today. I wish you the best of luck for the next part of your journey." He stood placing his hat on his head. "I have some meetings to attend."

Naru turned on her heel and walked out quickly, she jammed the hitai-ate in her pocket.

Naru slipped through the halls before the bell rang for the return of lunch, she plopped down in her usual seat and let out a huff.

"What are you doing here? This is for the graduating students, when did you take it?" She looked over to find Shikamaru standing at the desk, his hitai-ate tied around her bicep. "Iruka-sensei skipped you."

"We're not friends Nara, it's none of your damn business." She reminded him and looked away.

"Tsk! No shit Uzumaki, you don't gotta be an ass about it though, troublesome girl." He grumbled taking his own seat.

Naru rolled her eyes as Sasuke questioned her as soon as he entered the classroom, but choosing to sit next to her and of course his biggest fan, Sakura Haruno followed with a rose blush on her cheeks.

"Settle, settle, I received the team assignments from Hokage-sama," Iruka called, gaining their attention as he began to list the kids off in groups of three followed by a jounin name. "Team 7, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and U... um.. Uzumaki Naru. you'll be with Hatake Kakashi." Iruka glanced up at them, Sakura sprung from her seat with a loud cheer, Naru knocked her head against the window.

"I fucking hate you." She seethed under her breath hoping somehow the Hokage would be squirming at the amount of hatred she was sending, Sasuke shifted away from the angry girl.

-o0o-

Hiruzen suppressed a shiver as he unlocked Naru's apartment door and allowed himself, Fugaku and Kakashi into the home.

"So, Uzumaki Naru huh?" Kakashi murmured, he danced his hand along the shelves of books and scrolls. "Are you certain she'll even play along? And that's If they can pass my test."

"I'm certain they will, this team has the highest grades in the academy, but they are missing some key attributes needed, which is where you come in, Kakashi." Hiruzen answered. He paused at the photo he gave Naru of her parents, he inwardly sighed at the ripped photo, removing Minato from the memory. 'So lost...'

"What do I need to know?"

"Naru's chakra seems to react to her emotions, especially anger." Fugaku began. "A sharingan genjutsu can be the only way to subdue her in the case of a slip. And until Sasuke awakens his sharingan, you will be the only one in close enough range to stop her."

"And of the Mizuki incident?"

"It's gone, he attacked her and she used self defense, he drew first blood." Hiruzen commented. "And nothing more will be spoken of." He ordered, both jounin nodded.

"With her on the team, they won't be allowed past the village gates, correct?"

"Mm, perhaps, at least not until she can prove she'll behave, I can't punish them for one incident, I want Naru's trust in me again and in the village, if the time comes we'll discuss a possible out of village mission. Just get them ready."

Kakashi bobbed his head and sighed as he looked at the clock and winced. "Guess I should head out, I'm already pretty late." He gave a two finger salute before vanishing into smoke.

"Hiruzen, you need to prepare for the release of her chakra, she dips into Kyuubi's influence a tad too much."

"Itachi has her covered, and if needed I can request a favor of an old ally."

-o0o-

"Well, I suppose you're all unique in your own way." Kakashi slightly insulted the three genin after their introductions. "Tomorrow morning, we will be having our first mission."

"What will it be?" Sakura asked.

"A survival test." Sasuke and Sakura let out a grumble.

"We had those all time in the academy, how's that a mission?" She whined.

"This one will be different in a few ways," Kakashi propped his elbow on his hand. "See, this will determine if you become genin permanently or not." Naru glared at the jounin and scratched at the pavement.

"WHAT!?!" Sakura nearly screeched, Sasuke flinched as it echoed in his ear.

"Yeah, see out of the 30 graduating students only nine will continue on and become genin, and tomorrow's test will determine this."

"So, the tests of the academy were useless." Sasuke deduced.

"No, it taught and tested you on your knowledge, I am the final say-so of your status." He stood. "Tomorrow morning you will meet me at training grounds 3I at 5AM.. Bring all your ninja gear, heh, you'll need it. Oh and one last thing, skip breakfast."

"Skip breakfast?" Sakura questioned. "Why?"

"Because you'll puke." He gave a wave to them and turned away, the three genin stood and exited the building heading home.

"Do you really believe him?" Sasuke asked jogging up to Naru.

"Dunno." She shrugged.

"Do you think we should practice?"
"Do I look like a library?" She sneered.

"You spend all your time with Itachi and us in practice," Sasuke shrugged. "Figured you'd want to now, I don't get why you've changed so much."
"Exactly, you don't get it, you'll never get it." She snipped at him. "I'm not playing your little ninja game. I'm not interested, I'm leagues ahead of you, and I've gone through more than you'll ever know and I pray you never do."

-o0o-

Naru locked her apartment door, the streets lit by the street lamps, she left the compound adjusting her weapon pouches and blade on her back and approached the training grounds finding Sakura slumped against one of the three posts, Sasuke stood against the other, both with their packs of weapons.

"Sensei said to bring our gear, that's all you brought?" Sakura questioned.

"That's all I need." Naru corrected, she glanced at Sasuke whose cheeks were covered by burn patches, clear his fireball jutsu was his main weapon he intended to use.

'Itachi said Kakashi was skilled in all ninja styles, his left covered eye being a sharingan that was gifted to him.'

The three waited and waited until the sun began to rise. "Really? Like really?! It's been six hours!!!!" Sakura snarled into the air.

Sasuke huffed loudly which was his way of agreeing with the girl without vocally agreeing with her.

"Is this man a real jounin? Who sets a time then doesn't show?!"

"That's a might hurtful there Sakura-chan." They turned and found the jounin strolling into the training grounds gate.

"You're six hours late! Why did we have to meet you when you didn't!?"

"I'm not required to answer that, but if you need an answer, I got lost on the path and had to take the long way around." Kakashi chuckled. "Alright let's begin!" He clapped his hands, shrugging his bag off and producing two bento boxes and a small alarm clock. "Your survival test is quite simple actually, this alarm is set for noon, before this sounds you must retrieve a bell from me." He paused, producing two silver bells tied with a bright red string. "You may use any jutsu, any weapon, any tactic to do so, if you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you'll never stand a chance." Sakura's breath hitched, Sasuke scowled, Naru grit her teeth. "If you don't get a bell by noon, you'll be tied to a post and watch while I eat my lunch in front of you." A subtle rumble of their stomachs almost produced a smile on the jounin. "And that person will fail automatically and be sent back to the academy."

"But there's only two."

"Exactly, one will automatically fail. It'll drive you to do better, to the best, after all you three were basically top of your class right?" Kakashi looped them to his waist and smirked.

"Ready?" He questioned and raised his hand looking at the three once. "Begin!" Naru slipped through the bushes. Sasuke peered through the tree branches and leaves, Sakura snuggled under a bush as Kakashi stood in his spot glancing around quickly pinpointing their locations.

Naru rolled her eyes as Sasuke shot from his spot and confronted the jounin with what he assumed was killer intent, she watched as Kakashi barely worked up a sweat blocking the young Uchiha but was mildly surprised at the strength of his fireball jutsu and the fact by sheer luck managed to flick the bell once. Naru sniggered as Kakashi buried the boy up to his neck in the ground, insulting him and leaving him to sulk.

' "The best way to fight someone who has more power than you is to isolate them, pin them in one spot to avoid escape, traps or back up. Be agile, plan ahead, and expect the unexpected." '

Naru shot forward locating an open area and started her plan only pausing as a blood curdling scream echoed which belonged to Sakura.

'Smartest in the academy my ass.'

Kakashi glanced around following the scent of Naru who had yet to approach him. "Looking for me?" He looked up and found Naru perched in the tree.

"Ready for your try?"

Naru pulled her blade out and smirked, pouring lightning chakra into the blade letting it shine. She kicked from the branch, Kakashi blocked with his own kunai staring into her mismatched eyes, she smirked dropping the chakra letting her blade fall and put pressure on his blade before reigniting the chakra watching as it snapped the metal. 'Taught by Itachi.' Kakashi kicked back which Naru followed just as quickly. Kakashi skipped back dodging the swipes of her blade, Naru smiled as she herded him back before pausing, Kakashi cocked his head before the build of chakra drew his attention, he watched red sparks of chakra rise around him.

"A barrier, interesting, quite stronger than normal genin."

"Who said I was a normal genin?" Naru walked through the barrier, red chakra bubbled around her before forming into two tails. "Don't worry, I'll take it easy on you, Inu." Kakashi twitched at his retired anbu name. "Of course, we could actually break a sweat, if you'd like to shine that 'gift'."

Kakashi glared at her taunts.

"Tell me, do taunts work with your cat missions?"

Naru sprung forward spinning and throwing a chakra tail down, Kakashi brought lightning chakra up over his hand.

"I have lightning too, kid."

Naru snarled, she kicked his chest and skidded backwards, Kakashi moved back feeling the spark of her chakra. "Wind style beats lightning style."

"Cutting Whirlwind!" Kakashi flinched as wind swirled around him pulling forward nearly making him lose his footing. "Wind Cutter!!" Kakashi flinched as she drew blood with the chakra.

"Lightning cage technique!" He barked, Naru cried out as lightning surrounded her and pricked against her skin over and over, she sprung backwards through her barrier and screamed in frustration as she tried to break the jutsu.

Kakashi flinched at the two deep cuts on his arm. "That's a first," He commented before kicking at the dirt revealing the seal on the ground. "You might need to learn to paint and place a seal on the ground. That way the enemy can't break it." Naru twitched as she worked to break the cage. "You have great talent, and perhaps eventually could stand a chance, but alone? Never." Kakashi slapped the seal on her head and disappeared.

"Bastard." Naru grumbled, wiggling around before pulling a kunai from her pouch, stabbing the blade in the ground and gripping the handle, collecting the static around her and pouring it into the blade until the lightning around her disappeared.

A loud ring echoed breaking the silence, Naru huffed stomping back to the clearing where she found Sakura tied to the post, Sasuke sitting by the other, Kakashi stood to the side, a bandage around his arm.

"I must admit you are impressive, for the most part." He began. "So I've decided I won't send you back to the academy." Sakura gasped and cheered, Sasuke smiled. "Because I'm dropping you from the program." Kakashi finished, the two stared at him in shock, Naru squinted at the jounin.

"You can't!"

"Can't I? Let's recap, Sakura you were so focused on Sasuke's location you fell for an academy level genjutsu and promptly passed out, not once putting up a fight. Sasuke, you charged ahead on your own thinking with your ego because of clan namesake, and even when you found Sakura, you left her. Naru, you have zero desire to work with your teammates. What, if anything I said sounds like an admiral genin of Konoha? Hmm?" He questioned.

"Well, if none of us got a bell there's still a chance! One more try and ..." Sakura died off as Sasuke raced forward to the jounin who rolled his eye and flipped the boy around pinning him to the ground by his foot and his hands pinned behind his back, Sasuke grit his teeth.

"You want another chance? Maybe, Sasuke and Naru, you two can eat, Sakura does not, I'll give you 20 minutes, if either of you feed her, you'll fail." Kakashi flickered away leaving the genin there. Sakura whined as her stomach let out a growl. 'I skipped dinner too!' She thought.

Naru took a bite of the food and chewed slowly, eyeing the two. 'It'd be easier to move forward if they survive, Kakashi isn't far, so if we feed her and get caught- oh!'

Naru stood drawing their attention as she untied the ropes freeing Sakura. "What are you doing?" Sakura questioned.

"Eat the food." Naru nodded towards the bento.

"I can't!"

"Kakashi said-"
"Kakashi said, if we feed her, he didn't say a damn thing about you feeding yourself, so eat the damn food before he comes back."

Sasuke sighed holding the box to Sakura who blushed and smiled taking the box and took a few bites and sighed at the food.

"How'd you know?" Sasuke asked.

"Kakashi thinks he's intimidating but he's really not." Naru grumbled.

An explosion of smoke made them jump and nearly scream, Naru's red chakra shot out protecting her, she shook before retracting the chakra finding Kakashi standing there.

"You disobeyed me!" He barked.

"No we didn't." Sasuke interrupted. "You said if we feed Sakura, nothing about her feeding herself."

"Yeah! We can't take everything you say at your word, you're testing us." Sakura protested.

"Oh really? How did you figure that?"
"Naru helped us." Sakura smiled. "She gave the food first." Kakashi looked over the three and hummed quietly.

"We're a team, so we're stuck together even if you drop us." Sasuke commented, Kakashi smirked.

"Then I guess you got this lesson huh?"
"Lesson?"
"An important lesson I learned at your age, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum." Kakashi smirked, twirling the silver bells and sighed. "You have a lot to learn, but I guess I can teach you, you three pass!" He gave them a thumbs up and nodded. Sakura cheered, jumping up and down, Sasuke smirked, gently punched Naru's shoulder, she glared at him and nodded her head.

"We'll meet tomorrow morning at the Hokage tower for your first official mission. Dismissed!"

Naru took in a deep breath as she stood at Naka falls, she peered down the deep ravine, the waterfall deafening her, she flexed her hands over and over stepping to the edge until her toes weren't touching ground. She closed her eyes shifting closer, her heart hammered rapidly in her chest, sweat slid down her temple and neck. She gave a smile before tipping forward tumbling down the ravine. She spread her arms out feeling the air slamming into her, throwing her hair back and her clothes, the wind rushed past as she relaxed for the first time in a while.

A loud caw of a crow pierced her ears, she snapped her eyes open seeing the crow twirling down, she focused, the red chakra shot from her back smashing into the rock wall slowing her decent, she hit the wall hanging a few feet from the bottom, she dropped the rest and sighed brushing her hair from her face and scooped some water up splashing it on her face.

"You just won't let me have any time to myself will you?" She questioned wiping her mouth.

"No, obviously no! I can't if this is what you want to do with it!" Itachi scolded standing behind her.

"I was in control you worrywort!" Naru insulted putting her hand on her hip, Itachi glared at her. "You worry far too much Itachi."

"Naru!" He barked, she flinched before crossing her arms over her chest, a pout pushing up as Itachi held his ground. "Naru, this was... what would have happened if you couldn't have pulled up chakra?"

"Dunno, maybe the same thing someone did." She gestured to the two drag marks deeply embedded to the wall, Itachi gulped remembering the exact stunt he pulled years ago, a tremor escaped, Naru opened her mouth then paused. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I'll go home Itachi, dispel the clone and go back to doing....whatever you're doing." She waved her hand and jumped over the river and up the trail. Itachi watched as she left before his legs gave out, he collapsed to his knees and let out a shaky breath.

'Dammit!' He looked up at the wall touching his cheek before flickering from his spot and back to his place by Hiruzen, keeping the incident quiet.