Kakashi / Naruto’s POV (Team Seven’s Training Ground - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Kakashi was admittedly new to being a sensei. Hiruzen, when he changed the academy curriculum, delayed his initial plans. Kakashi had honestly been against it. Part of the reason they made shinobi active so early on in their lives was to ensure they built up experience. He doubted that extending their education to shield them would result in an improved crop. Even on the opposite side, would they even need him if it did prove effective? Indeed, young adults like themselves would be fully prepared.

  He had been wrong, of course. To be fair, Naruto and Ino got along quite well; he even enjoyed spending time with them. Ino was rough around the edges and needed some conditioning, but her mind was sharp, with a mouth to match it. Naruto was an infinitely more loaded matter, but one he needed to tackle. Kakashi's life could best be described as a tragedy. One of the few to ever help him with such had been Minato as his sensei. With him now dead, Kakashi had always planned to fulfill his role in his stead. Naruto was brash, impulsive, and gutsier than he had any right to be. Though intense and focused when he chose to be, it was an odd mix of Kushina and Minato. But the last of them was the problem. Neji Hyuga.

  From a strictly professional perspective, Neji was an unacceptable breach of morale. While Kakashi could acknowledge his less-than-stellar home life, it was unbecoming and immature to take it out on his teammates, even further to consistently snipe at them and put them down. It struck close to home, of course. Kakashi had treated his team the same until it had fallen apart…

  That was why he decided a face-off between Naruto and Neji was necessary. Kakashi and Obito had gotten along so poorly back in his day that they often came to blows. Minato had done his best to stop such, but it merely made their eventual spars all the more brutal. Kakashi hoped to allow them a chance to work it out early on. It would establish respect between the two. It would work perfectly if Neji didn't wipe the floor with Naruto. Kakashi was cautiously optimistic. However, Naruto had been no pushover in their initial spar. This spar was not just a physical confrontation, but a test of their character and growth as shinobi.

  Maybe Kakashi was foolish, but he had assumed a date set, and it was established that they had a chance to settle it. The two would settle into a working agreement until the opportunity came. But no, the two bickered or ignored each other whenever they were near. Ino, the poor thing was stuck somewhat in the middle. So much for his plan working perfectly…

  The tense silence the group trained in now made him sure of his foolishness. They had been the same way yesterday as well. Naruto and Neji were already looking rough from the start. Now, with their dislike of each other and intention to harm each other in the air, the two were anything but friendly; even hated coworkers interacted smoothly. The palpable tension between Naruto and Neji was like a storm brewing, ready to unleash its fury. It was affecting Ino as well, who by now would've complained about them working out on the water. The water walking technique they were doing was something they had mastered. But Kakashi had always used the technique to master his control and work towards bolstering his reserves. Neji and Ino needed to work on their chakra levels, while Naruto needed better control. Doing so long-term was relatively easy; even minor exercises were simple. But they had been at it for hours, and occasionally, one would waver and fall in, climbing back to the surface easily enough. Still, the brisk water made it equally embarrassing as it was uncomfortable.

  Though through it all, the tension did not falter a smidgeon. Even Ino had given up, only occasionally complaining to or with Naruto or checking on a silent Neji. Kakashi inwardly cursed. He was determined to force the three of them on the same page. When he was younger, the war had forced even his dysfunctional team to work well together. They lacked that now… but even a common enemy would do…

  He picked up three pebbles, juggling them with one hand to adjust to their weight. He then threw them all. The rocks sped off and pelted his cute Genin each on the forehead with an alarmed cry from each. They all immediately fell in, roars sputters, and splashes filled the air. Kakashi smiled as he stood and stretched. After all, his Genin was quite temperamental. They'd likely respond immediately, a small workout to be sure. His strategic thinking was always at play, even in the midst of a seemingly casual action.

  Kakashi ducked a flying knee from Neji while he whistled. The Hyuga's pale eyes seemingly shone with malice. Cute, Kakashi's eyes shifted to see the Uzumaki mere feet behind the Hyuga with his flying kick. Having aimed lower once the Jounin ducked. Kakashi dropped prone to avoid this. Looking skyward, he saw Ino flying through the air above him. She smiled cruelly as she fired off a barrage of kunai. Kakashi quickly drew his own and used it to deflect any kunai that came too close. But Ino merely smiled at him, holding up a hand sign. Kakashi sighed as he prepared his body to flicker. Disappearing right when the explosives went off.

  Kakashi appeared on the other side of the training ground, continuing his whistled tune. Ino lacked the speed and power of her male teammates, even stamina; she was well behind. But he appreciated her use of explosions. Neji dashed in, having noticed him, and unleashed a flurry of palm strikes. Kakashi deflected each easily and flicked the man's face with each failed strike. Eventually, Kakashi spun around a particularly wild strike and now behind the shocked Hyuga. Kakashi borrowed a technique from Gai as he twirled through a spinning kick, sweeping out his legs and kicking him away smoothly,

  Neji was incredibly fast and skilled. Combined with the lethal Gentle Fist, he was nothing short of a closed-range menace. However, he willingly limited his approach and didn't attack in the most creative ways. He needed some inspiration and patience.

  "Naruto Hammer!" Kakashi heard, and trusting his instincts, he dived to the left. He watched as the blonde missed his human missile kick, instead landing it on Neji and hitting him in the chest. The two flew back, and the Hyuga breathlessly gasped as Naruto kicked him through a tree.

  Naruto was nearly as fast as Neji and hit a fair deal harder. Combined with his impressive use of shadow clones and odd style, he was far from the slacker his file suggested. However, the blonde needed refinement in more ways than one. Kakashi was more than happy to provide it.

  Ino, the opportunist, slashed from behind with a kunai, but Kakashi also caught this. Twisting her arm behind her back as he did. He eased a kunai towards her throat and turned them back to face the two men. Who were bickering, seemingly on the edge of a physical altercation? They both froze when they saw Ino being held hostage.

  "My my, for a second there, my cute Genin were a team. It was a heartwarming moment, ne. But it was only a moment, moments over, I suppose. I get that we're learning to get along here and that you don't even necessarily like each other. But teamwork is imperative to the shinobi world. No one is faultless, so we must surround ourselves with allies to cover our weaknesses to reach our fullest potential. Together, a team of Genin like you could take down a Jounin on your own with enough luck and teamwork. But as you are now, you're merely playing at being shinobi. Ino is the only one who is willing to try to work together. But the two of you seem to think your beef is worth your comrade's life. I assure you, from personal experience." Kakashi dropped Ino and silently approached the two. He pulled down his mask. Exposing a handsome but pained face. He lifted his headband to show a sharingan eye, contrasting to the normal one he left exposed. The three tomoe of it spun as the man silently cried. "It will haunt you when your incompetence costs you a friend." Kakashi walked back towards Ino, helping her to her feet.

  "Tomorrow, we will engage in joint team exercises. Hopefully, this helps install some camaraderie. If not, then make no mistake. Someone who can't play ball is a liability. I won't stand for it." The Jounin then body flickered away, the usual poof and smoke missing.

  X-X

  Naruto’s POV

  There was silence between the three. All of them seemed affected by Kakashi's display of emotions. Ino growled, knocking the other two out of their stupor. She rose to her feet and turned around, facing the two young men down.

  "He's right! Naruto, I get it! Neji is an ass, a giant one! He keeps picking fights with you. It's not fair, but god damn it! You keep talking about being Hokage! Well, a Hokage knows how to win over his people. You are surprisingly charismatic, so fucking win him over and be the bigger man! Neji, you have no excuse! So you're a genius and came from a rough life. I'm sorry, I'm sure it sucks, and I hope you can overcome it! Hell, we'll help you! We all wanna be shinobi. We all wanna do our damn best! SO GROW THE HELL UP ALREADY! IT SHOULDN'T BE MY PROBLEM!" She screamed as she stormed off.

  The silence she had interrupted returned quickly, and the two men sat silently now on their own. Naruto glanced at the Hyuga, who sat silently nearby. Neji was glaring where Kakashi had originally been. Surprisingly, he looked as guilty as Naruto felt as the two silently sat near each other.

  Naruto felt he was in the right here. But maybe he had been rash; Neji had only spoken words; it was he who had escalated…. Everyone knows he had a temper. Guilt washed over the blonde. He may not like Neji and certainly was determined to kick his ass. But he knew full well how powerful numbers could be. If they were stuck together, why not be friends. It was half what Naruto had been looking forward to in his career.

  "Why do you hate me anyway?" The blonde asked bluntly. While Naruto had met plenty who didn't like him, Neji felt different. Every time he snarked at or insulted him, Naruto could feel a naked intensity from him. It was as if Neji had hidden personal issues with him. It pissed the blonde off to no end and made it hard to ignore the jabs.

  "It's not hate. Admittedly, your personality is grating. But to be honest, I am being unfair. You seem similar to me somehow. Your eyes hold the pain mine does. Yet you're so… defiant. It infuriates me." Neji answered simply.

  "You hate that I'm not some whiner?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow at the Hyuga. "I mean, that's how I see you. You have a tough hand in life, something I can relate to. But you just go around raging and whining about it. To me, you're infuriating…"

  "It's not whining or being a "whiner." Neji snarked with a glare. "All you do is deny reality. You're a clanless, talentless, and impulsive man. Yet you reach for greatness and so blatantly declare you'll succeed. Ignoring the fact you're unexceptional and unliked. You reach for a peak you could never reach. Truly, I pity you; it's truly unfair the life you lead. Yet you need to accept the truth. Truthfully, I intend to crush you. Not out of malice but the simple need to save you from someone else doing it. When I make you face your reality, you'll finally see everything I can." Neji said softly.

  "Well, I think the truth is you envy me for not quitting like you," Naruto countered, rising to his feet. "Maybe we are similar; the difference is, I will never quit. I will be Hokage, I will defeat you, and then I'll change your clan so no one ever gets hurt as badly as you again." The blonde then silently walked off, leaving Neji alone in the field.

  "Part of me wishes you will succeed. That part will not stop me from crushing you. Nor will it spare either of us from our cruel fate." Neji said quietly.

  Kushina’s POV (Uzumaki Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)

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  Naruto walked into their home with apparent exhaustion wafting from them. Naruto had learned of Uzumaki's powerful stamina, and being a jinchuriki only furthered that. Even so, Kushina could tell her son was honestly spent. It reminded her of Minato coming home from missions, a bittersweet memory. When the blonde went straight to the backyard to the bench spot. She knew it was more of a mental exhaustion than a physical one. He only did that when he felt particularly stressed. An energetic man like himself didn't sit still often. But nowadays, the blonde would do so whenever he felt overwhelmed. Kushina sighed for her son, worried about him.

  She opened a cabinet above the sink and grabbed a bottle of high-class rice wine. Naruto was an adult now, and it might help loosen him up after what looked to be a long day. Even when he struggled, he tended to be independent, preferring to suffer silently rather than ask for help. He had improved, but he tended to fall back on old habits when he was mainly determined.

  She slowly walked out to the backyard and approached her son. He was seemingly meditating, but his frown made it clear he had yet to achieve total concentration. Kushina sat softly next to her son and nudged him with the cup. The blonde, stubborn as ever, ignored the first three nudges before, with a growl, opening his eyes and snatching the cup from her. He drank deeply before he choked and retched.

  "It's sake, perhaps karma for acting like that towards your mother." She said with a sweet smile. "Sorry, I just wanted to help you relax. Plus, your first drink is a big deal. Admittedly, a father is supposed to do it. But I'm doing my best, ya know?"

  "I know; I'm sorry, ma. Just so damn annoyed… and confused… somehow guilty. My team has no teamwork. Worse yet, one of them has a grudge. And like the blockhead I am, I picked a fight. Even worse, I don't know if I can beat him." Naruto explained, his voice lacking its usual luster.

  "That does sound rough. A lot for any person to deal with. But we can solve those. You realize teamwork is a problem, so all you need to do now is lead by example. The grudge and fight, well… admittedly, I'm supposed to tell you to be a better person. And you really should, but backing down will make him not respect you even more. So try to be mature and wait for the sanctioned spar, but…" Kushina said with an evil smile. "We Uzumaki's always have been the ass-kicking type." She unsealed her katana. "I think it's time we practice your birthright. Uzumaki were some of the most skilled swordsmen. Even acknowledged by the Land of Iron Samurai. The Kenjutsu style I use is based on the Uzumaki style. But mine is personalized. I think for now it'll fill you nicely. Eventually, you'll make it your own."

  Naruto smiled happily as he drew Riptide and stood with her. Kushina matched his smile with the two preparing for a round of sparring. Naruto may be struggling, but she would guide him into the great young man he was destined to be.

  Kakashi’s POV (Team Nine’s Training Ground - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Kakashi arrived at the edge of the treeline of another team's training ground. Curious at how another team was holding up, he silently observed the group training under the strict supervision of their sensei. Currently, a chubby male was chasing after a dark-haired woman. They both marked and repped their clans proudly. The girl wore a leather jacket over a purple blouse that reached her ankles. The large man chased her but seemed unable to teach the woman. From his research, they were Choji Akamichi and Yuno Uchiha. Ten feet to the left of them was another fight. Like the other fight, the woman was dominating, though the young man fighting her, clad in a thick sweatsuit, showed an impressive level of taijutsu. The woman wore an odd red and white blouse. Shino Aburame and their sensei Kurenai Yuki. The team was undoubtedly remarkable. With a range of abilities and their patient sensei, they may be something to nudge his team in the right direction. Competition was a great motivator, and now I must persuade them.

  Kakashi made a subtle sound similar to a bird. A signal Leaf shinobi used to subtly identify themselves. Surprising a lady as deadly as Kurenai was never a good idea. She glanced up at him and nodded her head. Kakashi liked that she was very business-focused. Unfortunately, she found him incredibly annoying. The Cyclops felt this was due to her accusation that he negatively influenced her "Asuma-kun." As if.

  Kurenai ended the spar with her student and pointed him towards the other two. He ran off, momentarily stopping the two from brawling, before joining in himself. Kurenai's body flickered above on the same branch as Kakashi was perched on. She sent him a questioning stare. She always kept her cards to herself. "Something you need, Kakashi?"

  "I was wondering if you mind if our cute Genin has a joint session tomorrow. To be honest, mine are having teething issues. Seeing a team their age using teamwork may inspire them to do the same. Or at the very least embarrass them enough to make their pride do the same." The Cyclops explained.

  "Why should I agree?" Kurenai countered. "My team is doing fine, and I had no intention of cross-team sparing tomorrow."

  "I'll tell you where Asuma hides his cigarette stash—well, one of them anyway," Kakashi answered happily. A smile grew as Kurenai narrowed her eyes. He had her.

  "Fine, what did you have in mind?" Kurenai inquired.

  Shisui’s POV (Outer Forest of Uchiha District - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Two men clashed in the forest, and the serene environment was disturbed. The fast-paced and hard-hitting combat is a stark contrast. Using purely taijutsu and chakra control, they fought through the forest. Traversing the trees from all angles, all the while trading blows. They both looked very similar; black hair, blazing Sharingans, and simple dark athletic Uchiha wear made them look identical, almost like brothers. The only difference is hairstyle, age, and height. One was the heir to the Uchiha. One of the very few new age Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha, locked in combat with him, was his sensei and longtime family friend Shisui Uchiha.

  Shisui snakes a kick into Sasuke's ribs, sending him sliding back with a curse. The young men used the opportunity to fire off kunai at a ludicrous speed. But Shisui's body flickered around them with ease. He had seen Itachi use that trick too many times to be caught by a slower version. Jabbing at Sasuke's jaw in the next instant. The younger man caught the blow and attempted to sweep Shisui's legs. But the older man simply hopped over the blow and landed an elbow on Sasuke's shoulder as he landed. Sasuke dropped to his knees but rose with a kunai thrust, forcing Shisui back. As Shisui flew back. Sasuke flew through hand signs and said, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A boulder-sized fireball flew towards the man, seemingly helpless in the air.

  But the man merely used his namesake technique to dodge this. Appearing behind Sasuke with a kunai. "Good strategy, but keep your opponent's arsenal in mind," Shisui said teasingly. Sasuke merely hummed at this. Stomping away, seemingly displeased with his performance. "What's wrong?"

  "I need to be stronger—much stronger—to clear my family's name," Sasuke replied simply.

  "Oh, and how will you do that?" Shisui asked, his tone light and airy.

  "I will rise through the ranks, making a reputation as I do. I think either Hokage or Anbu Captain should allow me the influence needed to investigate that coup." Sasuke elaborated. His stance spoke of someone relaxed. But his tone held the sincerity of the words. Shisui hated that it set him on edge, but this was territory even his family ought to not dare tread…

  "That's quite the goal. And I'm going to guess you don't want to hear this. But as someone involved, I can tell you without a doubt our clan did plan a coup", Shisui said. "I don't intend to dissuade you; I merely warn you."

  "Hmm, I can appreciate that, I suppose." Sasuke offered. "But I know my father wouldn't have done what he did for a meager reason. I intend to find out what that reason was. How did the Leaf find out and determine who was guilty? The established story is a mystery. No details are being released even after all these years. Even more confusing is how they took down the amount of Uchiha they did without any significant resistance. We were the strongest clan in the village; we would've been quite the threat. But somehow, they snuffed them out with ease. It's all suspicious, eerily so. So, make no mistake, I am close to you and my mother. But if I find out you two are part of some greater conspiracy, I will hold you accountable."

  "Well, it seems that was a threat. Gotta admit that stings coming from my student. Be wary, though," Shisui said, his sharing becoming odd. It almost looked like shurikens in his eyes. "Don't become traitorous yourself. Just like you, I may love you. But I will stand firm on my own beliefs." The tense atmosphere dissipated a bit. The two walked back to the other teammates. Friends and allies for now. But both were painfully prepared for that to change. Shisui just prayed that he wouldn't force his hands… Itachi would never forgive him if it did.

  Shikamaru / Sai’s POV (Nara Head Residence - Hidden Leaf Village)

  Shikamaru didn't consider himself a religious man. But there might be some kind of god; only a god would make life so needlessly cruel. He had intended to go home after another day of Asuma's brutal "training." Maybe he hassled his father into a couple rounds of Shogi after the nap. But as he had drawn close to home, he noticed Sai had followed him and seemingly dragged Tenten with him. His strange teammate had spoken of some asinine social book Tenten had bought him and how friends needed to spend time together to grow closer.

  Shikamaru had attempted to blow them off, but Sai seemed determined, and repelling them would be too hard. Tenten had given an apologetic look but not a guilty one. Recognizing the finality of his situation, Shikamaru invited them in and quickly roped them both into Shogi. They were in the room he and his father often used. A sizable ornate set rests in the middle, with four pads surrounding it. He figured doing something he loved would make the visit less painful. Wildly, if he just smashed through them. His idea had worked to some degree. The Shogi matches did make the visit easier. In fact, he enjoyed their company for what felt like the first time. However, Shikamaru felt that maybe it was because they were both shockingly talented at the game. Neither had managed to beat him, of course. But they played well. Sai's flaw was that he seemed to only know textbook moves; he lacked creativity. An odd hole for an artist to have, but who was Shikamaru to judge? Tenten was slightly better off but tended to play aggressively and loosely. Leaving various holes for a pro like him. Yet the two's style would change, adapt, even flip as they rematched him. Seemingly learning with each match. Shikamaru supposed he shouldn't be shocked that the two were intelligent. But matching a genius like him was no small feat.

  But something about the two still threw him off. As they played, Sai levied various questions about the Nara. Ranging from a preference for food, hobbies, ambitions, and so on. Now, he worded them oddly and was noncommittal about getting answers. Even more interesting, Tenten seemed to object whenever Sai's questioning got too intense. He assumed a simple mother hen personality type, but something about the two's behavior threw the Nara off. They seemed almost professional. Shikamaru now had no doubt. His team was a damn drag. Were they subtly interrogating him? Why?

  Shikamaru sighed heavily as he moved a piece, subtly releasing stress and cutting off Sai's flank attempt. The Nara was problematic to his goals. He was sharp, socially aware, and had what Sai had heard was called a "poker face." Now Sai knew he had some wiggle room. Teammates were supposed to learn about each other, after all. But he must move carefully lest his intentions be discovered by the Nara. This would surely lead to Sai's death. And while the young Root operative wasn't afraid of death. He knew Root losing an operative in his position would devastate the Leaf. Danzo was the only man fit to lead it. He was simply the logical choice. For he knew how to make the Leaf strong. Sai knew many would disapprove of their methods. Sai had remembered for a time resenting the training he had been subjected to. But such feelings had long since abandoned him. He could even remember being terrified of losing them. But Danzo, ever the genius he was, had cured him. He was now a perfect weapon. His life was simple, rise, serve, die. He knew others had much more, but he didn't care. After all, Danzo killed him long ago. So, who cares what happened to him now. Sai was merely a tool at the end of the day. One that just so happened to be a human as well.

  Despite the simplicity of her mission on paper, Tenten found herself grappling with a complex web of loyalties and responsibilities. She was tasked with feigning loyalty to Danzo in Sai's presence, while also maintaining her allegiance to the Leaf around Shikamaru. Her ultimate goal was to guide Sai away from Root, a task that proved more challenging than she had anticipated.

  But Tenten would never betray Hiruzen. He had saved her mind from the hell Danzo had inflicted. Just like Sai, she was so close to being broken. She had been crying in her empty home as the Hokage had arrived. He offered her a job and his protection. It gave her a way to save herself and those who suffered the same fate. She had readily accepted it. She never regretted the decision but must admit she felt drained these days...

  "Tenten." Shikamaru called.

  "Yes?" Tenten asked, her attention sharpening back on the young man. She saw him gulp subtly and realized her stare may be intimidating.

  "If you're tired, go to sleep. That mat should be plenty comfy, and Sai and I are locked in for a bit." The Nara drawled as he studied the board. He hated to admit it, but Tenten could sometimes be oddly cute.

  "Correction, I believe I'm quite close to victory," Sai inserted. Shikamaru merely scoffed and took his turn. Sai looked at Shikamaru stone-faced for a while. "I stand corrected." He shifted his stance and expression, conveying humor, but it lacked in tone.

  Tenten chuckled at this. She wanted to decline the request, but she was damn tired. As important as her job was, the break would be nice. Besides, this indeed was a sign her team was slowly coming along, wasn't it?

  "You sure Shikamaru?" She confirmed.

  "Ya, ya, you troublesome woman. Get some rest already." Shikamaru said with a small teasing smile.

  Tenten laid back, the first honest smile of the day gracing her face. She listened to Shikamaru giving various tips to Sai as they played their round. Nara's patience seemed to snap at times, leading to snide remarks, but Sai, unable to catch the meaning, would ask him to explain ignorantly. Based on Shikamaru's stutters, he would feel guilty about his temper. How cute of the Nara; he was a secret softy. Actual mother hen type.

  AN

  Remastered: Okay this chapter wasn’t so bad either. Seems like around this time I was slowly getting on track but hadn’t quite mastered pacing. Think I improved it a fair bit as well as added some more content to really fulfill the chapter here. Pleasantly surprised. Hope you enjoyed it~!