8
Chapter 8: seven: table for threeSummary:
Chiyuki finally starts to go out of her comfort zone. Only time will tell how she'll adapt.
Notes:
When I was writing this chapter, I realized I haven't been as clear about Chiyuki's progress as I'd have liked to be, and I apologize for that. We're going to see just what she's capable of and what are the extents of her unusual ninjutsu as well as her other abilities, but it might seem out of nowhere and I do regret that. All I can ask of you is that you remember she's been training all this time.
I do not own Naruto.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
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Becoming a Hokage 101
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Section Three: Study until your head hurts.
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Chapter Seven
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When I was a child, my father, the deceased and honoured Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen told me something early during my journey, and it stuck with me during my entire shinobi career. I can still remember his face, clear as day, as well as the placid tone of voice he had when he said it:
"If the Hokage was simply the strongest shinobi in the village, there would be a lot more candidates, don't you think? Study, Chiyuki, and not just books – study real life politics, people, economy, clan dynamics, our history and origins, and anything else you can get your eyes on. Knowledge is much more powerful than brute strength."
I strongly suggest that you take that advice to heart, much like I did. Knowledge is never lost, and if you learn how best to use it, I can assure you will be both a respected and feared hokage. Even though the villages are severely lacking books and scrolls on their history and early days for many reasons, you will be rewarded if you go the extra mile to look for them. Often enough, the rarest books aren't in the possession of clans or kages, but with monks and inside lost, abandoned libraries.
Soak up knowledge and make sure you practice what you learn. Be aware of the fact that the majority of the elders, especially those who hold a high political position inside their village, are conservative and know very well how to hold a grudge, therefore direct messages and history facts delivered to their face often enough will get them to at least see your point. I cannot guarantee your success, however.
Keep in mind that theory is not everything nor the most important part, but it is the start of everything, so do not take any knowledge lightly. Learn about as many things as you can, and make sure to pay special attention to new publications and false scrolls. Find out how to differentiate between the original book and the false one, for untrue knowledge may as well be your downfall.
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Our clan's library probably isn't as big as the Uchihas or the Hyugas, but it is a huge one nonetheless. All of our records, scrolls and books are kept in a big old house right in the middle of the compound and all the sliding doors are usually kept open. The library has two floors, and each floor has two clan members taking care of it - it's more a 'keep everything clean and organized' job than a 'stop anyone who doesn't have access to it' because aside from clearly labeled chunin and jounin-level scrolls, anyone can read anything.
On the shelves there are hundreds of books on all sorts of chakra-related topics as well as traps, poisons, history, geography, jutsus, and even your occasional fuinjutsu scroll. A lot of the more important stuff, however, was kept in our houses - the clan head's house.
We actually don't live very far from the main gates, because our clan isn't a big one, but I wouldn't say we live on the edge either. The clan's head house is on a very nice patch of land that has a very big backyard with Hashirama trees and close to the library, so everyone can easily access it should they want to. Deep within our house there is a room where father keeps all his weapons and scrolls, and amongst them are the ones he received from the Second Hokage himself.
'Let's see… it should be around here somewhere- ah, here.'
All of us clan head's children can come and go, although father had made it clear to us that we shouldn't attempt any of the techniques or try our hands at any of the weapons without supervision. That was completely fine by me, since last time I attempted anything like that I ended up eating like a starved pig and then sleeping for three days straight.
'Notes on Wood Release.'
It's a can of worms I'm not really sure about opening, actually, but there's a pressing need to get better fast that's weighing me down every time father tells us the political scenario isn't good, and although the only matter that comes to mind is the Kannabi mission, I know better than to not listen to my guts.
The scroll, written by Senju Tobirama on his brother's chakra release, is an old but well-kept scroll that hasn't been read many times. From what little mother had told me, the Second Hokage had split his belongings amongst his students before he died, although most of it had gone to his favorite - Hiruzen.
'If there was word that something like this existed, people would be more than willing to kill for it.'
I shudder as an image flashes behind my eyelids. A pale person with dark hair appears for one millisecond and then-
Then the image is gone, and I have no idea what to do with this information.
'...alriiiight… so there's someone who looks like this that shouldn't know about the existence of this scroll. Yeah, okay. Thanks, brain.'
Physically shaking my head, I carefully take the scroll and head to my room. It's mid-afternoon, so Tooru is bound to get home soon. I spread my senses and there, just around the corner are Asuma and Kakashi on a silent taijutsu spar.
'Tsk. Taijutsu.'
A bitter taste fills my mouth.
'Just because your stamina sucks it doesn't mean it's not important to learn proper taijutsu, Sarutobi. Get your priorities straight.'
I silently slide open the door to my room and head straight to my desk, full of papers and scrolls neatly organized by subject. I reach down and grab a blank scroll as well as a brush before opening the Second Hokage's handwritten scroll. Skimming over it, I realize that everything is neatly written down in topics rather than a full text, and that his notes are almost like a diary where he keeps track of his brother's progress each day.
'Twentieth spring, day fifth. Brother is still unable to use anything other than Wood Release, but he has gotten better at manipulating it at an alarming rate.'
Briefly wondering if it was Hashirama's or Tobirama's twentieth spring, I continue.
'Twentieth spring, day twelfth. Crafting weapons is beyond his reach, but today he built a new house for clan member Fuyuki. Although the foundation does not seem to be the most solid one, it is a remarkable feat.'
Well, this is a bummer. The Shodaime was, apparently, good at the things I'm not, and likewise. If I have a metal object, I can easily shape it into a staff, kunai or even a katana, but making a house out of it is far from my reach - rather, it's not really my objective.
Senju Hashirama had one big advantage: there are trees everywhere. His Wood Release must have been relatively easy for him to manipulate since nature chakra is so used to it, when it's the exact opposite for my own Iron Release. If I want to manipulate it, it has to be in a direct and objective way, not to mention that creating spikes or columns of metal outside of my body would require stamina I don't currently have.
A little more than disappointed, I move on.
'Twenty-second spring, day fifteenth. Following brother's vague suggestions, I brave on my quest to manipulate water as easily as he does wood.'
I roll my eyes, realizing that the Second Hokage was a big drama queen.
'To craft a durable weapon out of one's own chakra release requires the user to condensate chakra before releasing it. After its birth, the weapon must receive a constant flow of chakra to remain stable. The amount of chakra depends, predictably, on the size of the creation.'
Light bulbs go off in my head at the same time warning bells do.
'Oooohh, the possibilities.'
There is, however, one particular light bulb that shines brighter than any other. My arm extends and swiftly grabs a scroll on my left, one that I am very familiar with. I open it and place it on top of the other ones, taking a minute to appreciate the design and the notes written in Tooru's messy handwriting.
"What're you so focused on?"
Maybe it's the crazed look in my eyes, or the aura I currently have. Either way, Asuma takes one cautious step backwards as I show him the weapon's design with a grin.
"I'm going to build my own iron club, Asuma-nii."
My brother, to his credit, doesn't even blink. Going along with the flow, he walks the three steps to my desk and peers over my shoulder at my notes, humming under his breath.
"How're you going to deal with the weight problem?"
"I'm going to make it out of my own chakra instead of asking a blacksmith to make one."
I can feel Asuma's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, but after five years of dealing with my crazy bullshit, the eight year old has learned to not question everything I do.
"I look forward to it." He says as he messes up my hair, and I suddenly feel like I can take over the world.
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A lot of changes came with the new year, but the most amusing one had definitely been the Chunin Exams.
Turns out that everytime the exams are held in Konoha, the survival part will always be held in the Forest of Death, without fail. It should make for a predictable and relatively easy exam, but Konoha shinobi know those particular training grounds are anything but - and, somehow, that knowledge doesn't give them any kind of advantage.
The one who had told me this had been Sasakibe-oji, with no small amount of amusement.
"You'd think that by now the other kages would at least have an inkling of what is to happen here. Although it is called the Forest of Death for a reason."
The first part, always some kind of intelligence test, always changes. It may be an information gathering task, or a strategy one, or maybe even one that evaluates your deduction skills. Either way, it will inevitably have some kind of psychological twist to it specifically designed to mess with the candidates' minds and cut down the weak minded ones in a single strike. Needless to say, T&I was always in charge of that part.
The third part is also the same every year; a full out brawl between the remaining genin, who are meant to dogfight their way to the top. A month is given for the candidates to plan their strategies and train against their opponent, but what will really make it or break it for you isn't if your strategy works, but if it fails.
Chunin, as a general rule, are qualified to lead squads and go on solo missions outside of the village because they have the ability to make up strategies as they go, adapting and twisting things and taking in all of the variables. Sasakibe-oji had certainly told me enough of that, and I had the feeling that was a so not subtle hint for me to work on my strategy skills.
I also made sure to tell all of that to Tooru-nii, who was going to take the exams with his team.
"Oh? Well, I'd figured it had something to do with that, given that we have to dogfight our way to the top in a single day."
He had then smiled at me; a secret little thing that was full of love and amusement, and that's when I knew he already had figured everything out and was just amusing me.
The little shit.
My brother, however, hadn't even needed to take the exams. Why, just a month before the first part he and his team were sent out on a simple escort mission which turned out to be anything but.
"Nothing seemed out of place, y'know? The birds were chirping, the trees were rustling, the client was bitching - it sure seemed like a boring mission!"
Tooru, the goofus, looks entirely too smug in his brand new chunin vest. Kakashi and I catch each other's gaze and roll our eyes, which earns an afronted look from the eldest.
"Hey! Respect, you ungrateful cockroaches! Now, where was I? Ah, yes, the client. He's apparently a distant cousin of the daimyo's wife or whatever and wouldn't stop complaining about the road and ninjas and the food - even though he clearly was the one who hired us!"
Taking pity, Asuma and I nod, trying to look interested. Kakashi just looks ready for a nap.
"Okay, so the first couple of days were pretty chill, right? Nothing out of ordinary happened. But then!"
I can't help but smile as Tooru's eyes lighten up and he gestures wildly with his arms, as if that alone could bring us all back to that moment. In this moment more than any other he looks like a kid, and I can't help but resent the promotion.
Not that my brother doesn't deserve it - no, far from it. In the last couple of years, our eldest brother has really advanced in his training. He's especially unforgiving with kunai and has never missed a bull's eyes for the last few years, and I know he also has more than a few earth jutsu hidden under his sleeve.
It's just that-
"Right as we were setting up camp on our second night, bandits! But they weren't your ordinary bandits, no sir! There was a rogue nin in the middle of them - the leader, apparently."
-Tooru is twelve. My sweet, sweet brother is only twelve and the war is closer than ever and-
Fingers intertwine with mine. I don't need to look to know it's Asuma's, and I don't need to look into his eyes to know he shares the sentiment.
"-and then that idiot of a noble got himself kidnapped and push came to shove because then everyone got separated from each other and guess who ended up with that dumb skinny boy? Me!"
It had been a matter of storytelling and a lot of exaggeration from the client, but Tooru's performance had impressed the client so much that he demanded a field promotion for my brother. Those are rare and hard to come by, and if the daimyo says you deserve a field promotion then you're gonna get a field promotion, but-
-but-
-if I could have postponed that promotion even if just for a few months, I would've.
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And of course, 3 months within the new year, the inevitable came upon us.
"We are officially at war."
It's the first thing my father says as soon as he sits down to eat, earning four frowns and one sigh, the last one coming from my mother. He looks much more tired than I have ever seen, with deep, purple bags under his eyes from stress and lack of sleep.
"Does that mean we'll be put into teams, father?" I ask, for once in my life not hungry. It seems my family shares the sentiment, all of our food untouched. He nods, somberly.
"Unfortunately, yes. I managed to stand my ground for the younger ones, but from third year onwards you will be shuffled and put into teams." There's a deep regret and a sense of hesitation in his voice, and I can't help but shudder mentally at how brutal that meeting must have gone.
"So we'll have teammates from other classes." Kakashi comments, managing to keep a straight face despite the heavy atmosphere.
"That's correct. Your teams are already decided, based on your sensei's analysis of your abilities and performance so far."
As if we had practiced beforehand, the silver-haired boy and I glance at each other, no doubt wondering the same thing.
'Will we be put on the same team?'
Unlikely, but still not impossible. In canon, Kakashi's team had been a combat one, hence why they were sent in such a dangerous mission like Kannabi had been. They hadn't been, however, heavy hitters; Rin, as a medical-nin, was essential to a combat team, but heavy hitter teams were known for being literal power cells, people that ended their fights in flashy seconds. If I somehow ended up in Team Minato, we'd probably become a heavy hitter team, but I honestly don't see how that dynamic would work between Obito disliking Kakashi and Kakashi ignoring Obito with my (barely average) social skills in the middle.
Being on the same team as Kakashi would bring many advantages, no doubt, but Team Minato would be just like Team 7 and follow Murphy's Law everywhere they went, and although I want to change a few of the events during the war, being part of such a troublesome team isn't in my plans. Especially not when you consider the entire Kannabi fiasco.
Considering my own skills as a whole, I could end up in any team, probably. There weren't enough medic-nins to make up for combat teams, so that would leave heavy hitters, search and destroy, intelligence gathering, and tracking. Thinking critically, the skills that would benefit my team the most are my ninjutsu and-
And…
Oh.
Oh.
'How could you have been so stupid, Sarutobi?!'
I vaguely notice Kakashi giving me a sideways glance, but there's no way I can get out of the self-pity hole I've jumped into. Not even when I'm having such a nice pity-party in the middle of dinner.
'I had never realized how I only have my ninjutsu to fall back on - and it's not even close to reliable!'
I did hone and sharpen the Iron Release over the past years, and even though it's enough to not get me killed, I don't have a plan B in case it turns out to be useless. My taijutsu is average, if you don't count my five-year-old-body stamina. My genjutsu is also average, seeing as I never yearned to learn more than what the Academy taught. Tracking skills are nonexistent. Sensoring is average. I'm useless at fuinjutsu. Don't even get me started on medical ninjutsu.
'That's the thing, Sarutobi. Without your fancy Iron Release, you have nothing to fall back on. All your other skills are average, and that's what you are. Average.'
How am I going to survive in this war?
"Kusa finally tried to break into the Land of Fire last night. The official statement will be given tomorrow morning." Then, my father turns to the three youngest children in the room, and regards us with a quirk of his lips. "Whether you end up on the same team or not, remember to be careful and to trust your teammates. Most of all, trust your jonin sensei."
Kakashi nudges me with his foot, a light touch that should have gone unnoticed at the table. There are a million questions in his eyes, but he thankfully knows not to press in front of my family. Really, the last thing anyone needs is a breakdown right before a fucking war.
Across the table, Asuma and I exchange a worried look, but all children nod to my father nonetheless; we knew that there really wasn't a choice in this matter. Tooru-nii kinda looks like he wants to protest, but one sharp glare from mother makes his mouth snap shut.
'Oh, Tooru-nii, you worrywart. We'll be fine. Probably.'
Tooru is already a chunin, so of course I'm worried about him. I also know, however, that if things don't change too much, he'll survive and live until Konohamaru is born, at the very least. He would be expected to lead teams in this war, though, so the silly boy should really be more worried about himself than us.
Sleep comes easy that night for no one in our house.
"Are you going to move out?" I don't bother hiding the sigh in my voice, lying on my side and staring at Kakashi's unmasked face next to mine, most likely for the last time in a while. It really was a pity – just as I was starting to get used to it, we'd be apart again.
He nods before huffing and running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but I won't go far. Your aunt insisted I live on that building across the street."
I blink, surprised, and then giggle, relieved and relatively calmer now that I know he'll be two seconds away from me. "That does seem like something Aunt Hiroko would do." Kakashi snorts and we fall into a comfortable silence, until eventually he closes his eyes, chasing sleep.
For the past few months, Aunt Hiroko had been overseeing the construction of a couple of new apartment complexes across the street, no doubt thinking of the sudden homeless genin we'd have with the start of this war.
'This family, I swear...' I think, exasperated fondness preventing me from putting venom in my words. Just like her brother, Aunt Hiroko simply wants what's best for the village and its children, and although the siblings don't always succeed, I can always tell they have the purest of intentions.
For a couple of minutes, I keep on thinking fondly of my family, thankful for their presence and their morals in my life, and that's how drowsiness finds me until a terrible, nagging thought makes itself known in my mind once again.
'What am I going to do?'
The urge to slap myself is strong, but Kakashi's slumbering face prevents me from doing anything, although it doesn't really help with my increasing frustration.
'Alright. Calm down. Breathe. Think.'
It takes longer than I'd like for my brain to finally stop wallowing in self-pity and start working, but when it finally does, it goes overdrive.
'Alright, okay. I need a plan B, and possibly a plan C as well. Ninjutsu can't be the only thing in my sleeve.'
Possessing a skill that could work on all ranges is definitely something I'm grateful for, but it means moot if I can't last longer than five minutes in a fight. Ideally, ending things as quick as possible is what I should go for, but in case things don't go as planned…
'First thing on the list: increase stamina yesterday. Talk to Gai about it.'
I'm probably never going to be a taijutsu master like I'm sure Gai is going to be, but that's fine with me. I just need to be more proficient in it than your average ninja.
'Speed is above average. Work on speed and also efficient strikes. I need to be able to keep enemies from getting too close, and to be able to end fights quickly if it comes down to a punching match.'
I'll also never be able to punch through mountains like Tsunade, but that is also A-okay with little ole me.
'Genjutsu is out of the question. That shit has great chances of messing up with my seal and I am not going to risk that. Tracking is also a no, seeing as I don't have a sensitive nose or any kind of animal that could help me with it.'
I could try and work on my intelligence gathering skills, but that would involve a lot of theatrics and undercover missions and honestly? I would need to stay under the radar for it to be effective, and who the hell would want to have a hokage they don't even know?
'I'm not even going to try medical-ninjutsu again. My entire clan knows about that one fish I brutally killed, and Rin hasn't forgiven me for that yet.'
I don't understand a shit about fuinjutsu, which is just plain frustrating because that little true genius Kakashi had taken to it like a moth to a light.
'It's not my fault none of that mumbo jumbo makes any sense. How Kakashi can understand it is beyond me.'
That leaves sensoring.
'Huh. Wasn't there an idea about a year ago? What was it again?'
It had been about the chakra that lingers before it's absorbed by nature chakra, and if it would be possible to sense someone in that way. Father had advised against it, because it's supposed to be difficult, but.
But.
'It's all I have left. I'm going to have to work on my sensoring skills one way or another.'
Ideas start to flood my brain, being discarded almost as fast as I can form them. I can feel a headache coming.
'I don't need to be physically present to sense lingering chakra, do I?'
'Well, that's assuming the person used nin or genjutsu. If they only use taijutsu, the point is moot.'
'But there's no ninja who only uses taijutsu, except for Gai.'
'In Konoha. What if there are others in the other villages?'
'Back to the original point. I don't need to be present to sense chakra. Maybe I can do something similar to the Aburame Clan.'
'Well, obviously I can't just house an entire insect hive inside my body all of a sudden, but the idea stands.'
'Perhaps not something from inside, but outside. If I can create iron outside of my body and manipulate it, I can just as well do it on it.'
'Can I?'
"Hey."
Gradually, I focus back on reality. I'm still in my room, snuggled under my pink covers, and there's a pair of piercing dark eyes staring annoyedly at me. Kakashi manages a half-assed glare, but it's clear he's way too lazy to do even that.
"Stop thinking so loudly. Go to sleep."
I smile at the grumpy boy in front of me despite the glare being directed at me. His face, so similar to his dad's, is even starting to show the same smile lines, usually hidden by his mask. Taking advantage of the knowledge he's not going to protest, I half-crawl, half-snuggle closer to his warm body, and the genius lets me sleep fall asleep like that.
'Something tells me I can.'
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On the he next day after lunch, Asuma, Kakashi and I head to the Academy together, the numbers of the classroom we're supposed to go to memorized and different for each of us. The sight had been relieving as well as a little bit sad, but I knew that Kakashi would end up on a good team, as well as Asuma, even if they begged to differ in the beginning.
Already, he effects of the announcement are visible even in the civilian district of the village. Everywhere I look, there are vendors and shop owners donating supplies to the ninja in the Genin Corps, and all of their faces look grim, sad or a mix of both. As we move further into the shinobi district, though, the atmosphere is very different; there are many grim faces, yes, but all of them are focused on their task at hand, as if having a sense of urgency will help their nerves. Every single shinobi is busy doing something or another, and I have a strange sense of pride in realizing that even though war is never any good, we at least seem to be well prepared.
That meant in more ways than one, including something as seemingly fickle as outfits.
Graduating from the Academy in the middle of war meant less pompous ceremonies and more practical attitudes, which meant that there actually wasn't a graduation ceremony. Instead, the Academy had gifted each new genin a standard kunai pouch made of sturdy leather and stocked with the basics a ninja might need: a few kunai, a few shuriken, a tiny first aid kit and an extra space for whatever you wanted to put in there.
It became part of my arsenal, as well as the brand new Konoha headband tied around my neck and my new outfit. Being genin meant no more pink overalls, which was a shame, but mother had found a way around that.
Instead of the impractical outfit I was so used to wearing, I now sported a short-sleeved grey kimono with white stripes, made of a high-quality cotton that was durable yet soft enough to move as I wished to. Mother had found a compromise in the pale pink obi that tied the kimono in place, and since it only went to mid-thigh, my legs were covered with dark socks that also acted as compression ones. Add to that your usual black ninja sandals and the Academy-issued kunai pouch and ta-da! A seven year old girl off to war looking cute yet ready to kick ass.
Kakashi and Asuma had been both forced by my mother to change their outfits as well, much to their displeasure. However, even my silver haired friend had to see the appeal in the durable cotton his clothes were made of, dark blue in contrast to his pale skin and wild hair. My brother, ever the practical one, had stuck with a simple mesh shirt and a vest full of hidden pockets.
We reach the Academy building all too soon, and I look at my brother with one last, meaningful glance. I hold a fist up, making an effort to smile, and he raises his right fist, grinning lazily as well. Instead of bumping our fists, though, our arms intertwine briefly, and we soon let go.
"Good luck." I say, with more confidence than I feel, and he nods at me. Then, I turn to Kakashi, who had glanced to his left out of courtesy, and we both nod at each other.
"Be nice." He snorts, shoving his hands on his pockets, which makes Asuma huff out a laugh.
"Are you my mom?" Even though the words are snide, his tone isn't, and it suddenly strikes me that he's genuinely worried about my own team.
'You focus on yourself, Kakashi. Heaven knows you'll need it.'
The three of us head our separate ways, each going to a different classroom inside the school. Taking the corridor on the left, I soon reach the door number 9, and even without glancing outside I already know there is one person inside even though it's still ten minutes early.
'Of course he'd be here first.' I think fondly, a genuine smile forming on my lips out of anticipation.
I open the door swiftly and silently, sliding it closed as soon as I come in. Then, as I turn around and see someone doing push-ups in the middle of the room, I can't hold back my snort.
"Hi, Gai." The boy wipes his head to look at me so fast he might be in danger of breaking something, but I'm met with a familiar, blinding smile as he stands up.
"Youthful Chiyuki, so you are my Teammate! Yosh, let the Springtime of our Youth bloom even more beautifully now!" I smile at him, wearing his signature green jumpsuit, and can't help but feel immensely relieved that at least one of my teammates is someone I know I can trust no matter what.
Before I can answer, though, I feel a boom of chakra and smoke in the middle of the classroom, and then there is Akimichi Choza standing behind the table and laughing heartily and ohmygod-
"Hahahahaha! It's good to see my cute little genin so excited and getting along already!"
My first thought is that he's big, both in height and weight. He's definitely taller and bigger than anyone else in my family by far, and it's really intriguing to imagine how someone so big can move as gracefully and silently as a ninja has to. Just then, someone else else enters the classroom, a slightly exasperated look on his face. The bandanna on his head is something I'd recognize anywhere even if he wasn't nonchalantly munching on a senbon, but Shiranui Genma has a very distinct face even if he tries to be inconspicuous.
"Well, now we have the whole crew! Why don't we go somewhere and get to know ourselves better?"
My second thought is: Choza is a hurricane.
Naturally, we go to an Akimichi's place, and it's this really nice and cosy barbeque place with a lot of space between the tables and clearly designated entries and exits – made by shinobi, for shinobi. Choza greets the man behind the counter with the same enthusiasm he had greeted us earlier with, and I have the feeling that this man is in a constant state of contentment. We all sit in a table in the far back of the restaurant, hidden from the public eye and where we can talk without anyone overhearing us. Soon enough, we have meat and vegetables grilling in front of us, and even though I just had lunch I feel my mouth watering at the sight. Apparently, the way not only to a man's heart, but also to erase any possible awkwardness, is food.
"Help yourselves, children! Eat, eat, it's on me today!" After Gai's brief shout ("Yosh!"), he grabs a piece of meat from the grill and contently eats it, the rest of us following shortly afterwards.
"Tell me a little bit about yourselves, your likes, dislikes, abilities, that sort of thing! Why don't you start?" He's looking at me, nestled between my two male teammates, and I put down the grilled broccoli I was about to eat. Being suddenly thrown into the spotlight like this makes me a little bit nervous, and I have to make a conscious effort to not clear my throat.
"Hello, my name is Sarutobi Chiyuki, and I'm seven years old. I like to drink tea and to spend time with my brothers and friends. I dislike unfairness and raisins. My specialty is ninjutsu." Then, I made sure to lock eyes with Choza, then both Gai and Genma before bowing my head slightly. "Let's work well together."
Choza's loud, hearty laugh booms not only a second later, and it makes me wonder if it was something I said. "There's no need to be so formal, Chiyuki! We're all teammates here!" I nod, a bit baffled, but relieved nonetheless. I hadn't really noticed until now, but I did tend to be a little bit formal with everyone I was meeting for the first time – something mother had ingrained into me quite early.
I relax further in my seat and finally eat the now cold broccoli. From my left, I can feel Genma stare holes in my head, but I ignore it in favor of listening to Gai's introduction.
"Yosh! My name is Maito Gai! I am eight years old, and my Passion is Challenging Myself Everyday so I can be Each Time One Step Closer in Becoming a Youthful Taijutsu Master! I dislike people who take advantage of the weaker ones!" Choza grins whilst he chews on his fiftieth piece of meat, and nods proudly at Gai.
"Well done, Gai. It's always refreshing to see people like you." Sitting on my right, Gai beams at him and gives him a thumbs up before he resumes eating. Then, he turns his eyes to Genma, who hasn't said a single word ever since he stepped into the classroom. The boy sighs, but complies.
"I'm Shiranui Genma, and I'm ten years old. I like pumpkin broth and I dislike spinach. My specialty are senbon." Choza then nods, thoughtfully, but still smiling. All in all, Genma is not quite the cheeky and laidback person the anime had showed, if my memory serves right, but then again, many children underwent drastic changes until they reached adulthood. I suppose that being Gai's teammate had something to do with him being less apathetic in the future.
"Very well, children! I am Akimichi Choza, and I will be your jonin-sensei! I like visiting all the food shops whenever I can, and I dislike people who waste food. My abilities will be shown later on!" Then, he laughs yet again, but it isn't annoying; it's a really deep, hearty and nice laugh, and I'm smiling before I can stop myself. It seems to be contagious.
We end up staying nearly two hours in the restaurant, eating and talking and laughing – although Gai and Choza-sensei do 90% of the talking and laughing – and it's a really nice atmosphere. Even Genma joins in with a couple of bad jokes every now and then, and I was right; Choza-sensei's laugh really is contagious.
Although I do see Genma and, on a smaller scale, Choza-sensei glance curiously at my forehead, neither of them asks anything. I've been around Gai long enough for him to know about the seal, but it wasn't exactly common knowledge that my yin yang chakra was messed up. Last night, one of my biggest concerns had been about whether I'd hide my seal or not, but by morning my decision was made.
The two black lines are part of who I am, for better or for worse, and I'm not ashamed of them, not really. What bothers me are the curious stares and the need to explain everything all over again, but I couldn't hide away that part of me forever. This morning, I grabbed the bangs that usually hide the seal and brushed them backwards, securing them at the top of my head with a pale pink hair clip, successfully showing my off my seal to the world. It's there anyway, and I gotta deal with it one way or another, so I left it at that.
At around four in the afternoon, the four of us exit the restaurant, and I take a few seconds to spread my senses further around Konoha to try and check in on my boys, and fortunately neither is out of my limited sensor range. Kakashi is, as expected, with Rin and Obito, somewhere around Training Ground 5, and Asuma has Kurenai on his team as well as someone whose chakra signature I don't recognize.
"Let's head to the closest training ground then, children!"
Choza-sensei earns himself three confused stares with that sentence, but he merely chuckles and starts to lead the way.
"Are we going to have our Youthful Test, sensei?" Gai asks the question on everyone's mind while we start walking, Genma on my left while Gai walks over to sensei's right side.
"No, Gai, unfortunately not. I would love to test your teamwork," and here he gives us a wink, "but I know the three of you are more than capable of becoming genin despite the less than desirable conditions."
Well, that was one way of putting it. It made sense, since in theory everyone that graduated from the Academy was combat-ready, but why did Minato insist on applying the bell test?
'Tradition, maybe.'
"What I'm going to do is to check your abilities up close. A team that works well together is a team that knows each other's strengths and weaknesses, mhmm? We'll have time to deal with teamwork later."
Choza-sensei said it with the same bright grin he'd been sporting during the day, but there was just something about the way he phrased it that sent warning chills down my spine.
'You're being paranoid. Calm down.'
I take a deep breath as we finally arrived at the closest training ground, numbered 15. It was one of the most plain and simple ones out there, with leveled earth and an open field. Perhaps it's because he knows things might get a little wild, but it's clear that our sensei wants us to go all out.
'That's okay. We prefer all out. We want to go all out and finish it all in minutes.'
I remember Aunt Hiroko, with her kind smile and stance tips, and breathing becomes just a tad easier.
'You've got this. Chill. You've got this. It's only the first time ever you're going to show your freaking Iron Release to anyone who's not in your immediate circle, but that's alright.'
Choza-sensei claps his big hands once, stopping right in the middle of the training ground and gesturing for us to form a loose circle around him.
"Alright, children! Here's how it goes: an all out spar and every person by themselves. Ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu are all allowed, as well as weapons and summoning scrolls, if you have them. We're not too close to anything, so don't worry about being a little wild!"
All three of us children comically sweatdrop at the hearty laugh he gives at the end of his instructions, and although I am a nerve wreck, I'm also anxious to finally show the world who I really am, what I can really do. It's not much, no - far from that, but it's something, and it's a glorious step out of my parents' shadow.
'Watch me make you proud, Tooru-nii, Asuma-nii.'
Choza-sensei, in a display of grace I can't help but be jealous of, jumps swiftly backwards and lands on the edge of the training ground, clearly showing us he'll do nothing but observe. From his spot, he bellows:
"Last one standing wins!"
I glance at Gai, who's looking at me with determination and excitement. It makes me grin back at him, again grateful for having a familiar face with me. My eyes then sweep over Genma, who's a little older than us and, right now, a big question mark. He's looking at us with a calculating gaze that does seem rather cold, but then again, I can imagine the resentment he's feeling.
"Anytime, kids!"
As if it was a signal we'd discussed previously, the three of us jump away from each other, each falling into a battle stance.
I close my eyes. Breathe in. Shift my focus inwards.
'Legs spread out. Right foot forward. Knees slightly bent. Arms loose.'
I breathe out. Open my eyes.
Everything seems clearer, somehow. Gai's chakra signature is difficult to pinpoint because of his low supply, but easily recognizable. Genma's is sharper, stronger, and better developed. Both boys are tense, muscles nearly spasming with the nervous energy.
I breathe in.
I don't shift my stance, clearly and swiftly cataloguing everything around me. The boys, our sensei, the wind, humidity, weather, heat, length and width of the field, number of trees, plants and small animals nearby. Every sensory input is separated into a chart and put in a column. Each variable ranks from from 1 to 5 in its usefulness, predictability, and malleability. Strategies are made based on high-ranked variables and discarded based on my chakra reserves as well as my energy stock.
I breathe out.
Finally, I'm ready.
'Let's start and finish this as quickly as possible.'
In the same moment, the three of us burst forward.
.
.
Constructive criticism is more than welcome, but if you're gonna be an asshole about it, then just don't bother.
Question: Which animal would you like to have as a summon and why?
Notes:
(I vowed to myself I wouldn't be the kind of person who spends pages upon pages describing a character's appearance BUT Chiyuki will only change her outfit only a handful of times. Also, I spent a lot of time on pinterest looking for outfit ideas and am pretty satisfied with how her design turned out to be.)
Please sit tight and fasten your seatbelts, dear readers. You're in for a long ride.