"Only he who fights for them every day deserves life and freedom."
Goethe.©
April 5, 1056
"Ow..." I exclaimed. What an interesting way my day started: I fell out of bed and hit my head on the nightstand. "It hurts!" I mimicked anger. If you pretend you have emotions long enough—you'll eventually believe it... probably.
After finishing my morning routine, I grabbed everything I needed: equipment, food, wakizashi—and dragged myself to the training ground. At the crack of dawn. I was sure our sensei was still snoring in bed. And our luminary hadn't risen yet. I went to bed at eight yesterday, so I'm in decent shape now. Plus, the sacred beverage of vigor (coffee) helps. It's like a super-battery for the whole day. Sigh, seems addictions carry over to the next lives too.
I spotted a small rock on the road ahead and wanted to kick it aside so it wouldn't bother people. Who put it right in the middle anyway? From the kick, it flew into the wall and shattered into a bunch of fragments, leaving a dent. That's when it hit me—I'd put on my weights out of habit. They'd only get in the way today. Spending three minutes to take them off, I decided to stuff them in my bag, but luckily realized in time it would rip to hell and back. I created a clone, handed them to it, sent it home, and continued on.
Walking without weights is bliss. I feel like I'm floating, my body light as a feather. Right now, my speed is 170 meters per second on short distances. Kakashi's must exceed sound, I'm sure.
Yeah, with proper movement technique, it's possible. Just don't reinforce your body with chakra, and at that speed, it'd hurt. Yes, in the Academy, we didn't just sit at desks. They taught us to run and jump properly (quietly) on trees too. Of course, I'd been hopping around before, nearly breaking my legs.
Arriving at the training ground, my eyes beheld my teammates, and my sensory abilities picked up not just them. In the foliage, dozens of meters away, our sensei was hiding—he apparently didn't want to come over. I was a bit surprised but decided not to show I'd noticed him.
"Hi," sitting on the grass, I pulled out three bento packs. Breakfast I'd prepared earlier for everyone.
"Hi, Ariza-chan. Sensei said not to eat," Naruto grumbled sleepily right by my ear, rubbing his eyes. He looked so disheveled, like Freddy Krueger had gotten him last night. Dark circles under his eyes, and his appearance left much to be desired. He'd gone to bed late because he was training.
How'd I figure that? He's got a bunch of bruises and scrapes on his arm. Considering his regeneration, he got them last night. By calculations, they'll be gone by noon. Wish I had that when I used to bloody my fists, tear muscles and ligaments, and break bones in training.
"He won't show up for another three hours at least. He was late yesterday," I said and opened my breakfast. "Here, take some—just don't tell," I handed them the other portions. "I got some for you too. Personally, I don't want to fight on an empty stomach. Oh, and here's a bottle of water each."
"Thanks, little sister Ariza!" Seeing the food and water, Naruto stopped listening to anyone and just ate. "This is so good, dattebayo!"
"Thanks," Sasuke thanked me and started eating. Whether sensei's here or not doesn't matter. I want to feed my childhood friends so they'll feel good. "Very tasty!"
"Sensei recommended, didn't order, so eat up!" I smiled.
Finishing the meal, without delay, I pulled out the training ground map. I rarely train here, but I know it by heart.
"Why do you need the map, Ariza-chan?!"
"Our sensei is super strong. We need a plan. I'm about to say something you might not like, but listen: we can only beat him together. Got it?"
"Fine, us... but why do we need this loser?!" Sasuke nodded at Naruto.
"What'd you say, bastard?!" Uzumaki yelled across the clearing, and I sighed loudly.
"Naruto, do you know how to use shadow clones?" I asked, and Naruto nodded.
"Nice! That'll help us. Now everyone lean in, I'll tell you the most important part," leaning closer and whispering, I continued. "The test's goal is teamwork. We just need to show we're acting together," I said quietly so Kakashi wouldn't hear.
"How do you know?"
"My sources. Naruto, listen up—Kakashi-sensei is one of the strongest shinobi in the village, an experienced jounin, former captain of an elite unit. We're no match for him," the boys' reactions to my words were varied and interesting. Sasuke frowned, while Naruto grinned, apparently thrilled we had such a cool mentor.
"Do we have to beat him?" Sasuke asked cautiously.
"I don't think so—it's impossible. I think we just need to take something from him."
"Take?! But what, datte..." Naruto said a bit too loudly, and Sasuke shut him up. "Mmmn... ma..."
"Quiet, idiot, he's watching us," Sasuke whispered in his ear, and the jinchuriki's eyes bulged. "Right?" he looked at me.
"Yeah, he's been watching since the start. He's waiting for something..."
"If he's stronger and more experienced, how do we beat him, dattebayo?"
"You've got a plan?" Sasuke looked at me intently with his obsidian eyes, and yesterday's moment flashed in my memory. I always loved hugs, but no partners. First time in eight years someone hugged me. I hadn't hugged anyone in so long. Part of me wants to do it again. Though that's weird. I usually don't want anything. Now I kinda do. What'll it be like when all my emotions return?
"Yeah, I'll explain now..."
I laid out my strategy, and we refined it. Mostly developed a plan to lure sensei into a trap. Being a shinobi means knowing how to deceive. If you're using something—pretend you're not; lure with gain; if you know something—pretend you don't; attack when the enemy least expects; move when they don't anticipate.
After the discussion, Naruto and I headed into the bushes. Kakashi was watching, and I couldn't show the shadow clone technique. So I made clones, henge'd them into Naruto, and sent them to find and disarm traps, plus prep the spot for the main trap to lure Kakashi.
We also planned for if he gave us a different task, like fighting each other. In short, we thought through every detail. We're not counting on actually taking it, but hoping anyway.
The worst part? I have to hold back. My taijutsu's way better than Sasuke's, speed at least chunin level, and ninjutsu probably jounin. But I can't, can't, can't show it! That's the problem.
"Good morning. Ready?" the teacher's calm voice pulled me from my thoughts. There was a hint of guilt in it. Or did I imagine?
"You're late!" our teammate yelled. I wanted to release ki (test it too), but my friends—brains and logic—talked me out of it. I sided with Naruto. If I'd pressured with energy, it might raise questions. Remember I said he'd come in three hours? He was six late. It's 11:10 now, and we've been waiting since five.
"A black cat crossed my path. Had to take a detour," Kakashi turned on his excuse machine. I wondered: to which galaxy did he detour? Save the ramen for someone else. He'd been here from the start. "Alright, let's begin. I set an alarm for noon. All you need is to take these bells from me. That's your task," setting the alarm on one of the posts and showing the bells, sensei said. "Whoever fails goes without lunch. I'll tie you to these posts and eat in front of you," our stomachs growled, and we hung our heads, but now we had motivation. We ate hours ago. Honestly, I hadn't expected him to take so long. Small portions.
"But there are only two bells!" observant Naruto protested, showing two fingers. Kakashi found it amusing.
"Right, one goes back to the Academy. But note—you all could be dropped," he started psychological pressure. But it wouldn't work; I'd already told my friends he might pit us against each other. "You can use any weapons."
"Any?" I asked, getting a nod. I'm good at kendo, but not sure it'll help.
"What if we hurt you badly?!" Naruto got nervous.
"Don't worry, Naruto. A weak link like you can't hurt me," Naruto wanted to pull a kunai and charge, but I stopped him.
"You'll have time, Naruto. Don't waste energy," he looked at me surprised, clenched his fists, and nodded. Sigh, kids always rush into the fire (figuratively), not thinking of consequences. Battle lust takes over, and the brain shuts off. Choices made in anger can't be undone.
"Begin!" In a second, we were gone from the clearing. We all left clones pretending to watch sensei, while we hid in the tree foliage.
"Guys, third strategy. We need to get him off the clearing into the forest—open terrain's his advantage," I said, and the guys nodded seriously.
"Let's show him what we're made of, dattebayo!" We smiled at that and moved to positions.
Naruto made hundreds of clones, sending them all at Kakashi-sensei. Goal: distract him. Sasuke took positions for shuriken and kunai attacks, even explosives. I hid in the foliage in various spots—as soon as sensei substitutes to leave the clearing, I'd meet him there. My goal: drive him deeper into the forest toward Sasuke.
Kakashi used Thousand Years of Pain on Naruto, sending him flying. While I quietly laughed, Sasuke started attacking with shuriken and kunai.
Alright, Ariza, stop laughing. Screw Naruto losing his virginity just now—prep for attack!
I formed a scanning seal and spotted Kakashi in the foliage—he'd already substituted. Forming shunshin seals, I appeared beside him and attacked. Drawing my tekko-kagi, I forced sensei to fight with both hands.
"Mmm... you're pretty fast," at Hatake's words, I smiled slightly and made ten more clones that attacked him, forcing him to jump to the next branch. "But it's still not enough..."
"Really?" I smirked, watching a massive fireball head for sensei. I shunshin'd to Sasuke, and we henge'd each other. Now I'm Sasuke, and Sasuke's me. Moments later, explosions rang out.
"Did that idiot actually manage to set a trap?" Sasuke grinned triumphantly, realizing Naruto had placed explosive seals right.
"Let's go," I said, and we rushed at Kakashi, who'd dodged the blast. We started our combo strikes with Sasuke, honed over years, and seconds later, Kakashi stopped, staring surprised at his bells.
"But how?!" he asked stunned, and I realized Sasuke had subtly caught him in genjutsu. Kakashi deliberately avoided my (henge'd Sasuke's) eyes but looked into Sasuke's (henge'd me). He fell into his friend's illusion, where it seemed we'd already quietly taken the bells. I made a clone starting fire technique seals. Hatake glanced for a split second—enough, before he realized the illusion, for me to shunshin to him and snatch the bells at full speed.
The clone finished seals and dispersed. Kakashi turned his stunned gaze to us. We grinned victoriously, holding the bells.
"But..." he started, forming a genjutsu release seal and looking at his belt. "How..."
"Kakashi-sensei, your mistake was underestimating snot-nosed genin," I said, clutching a bell.
If he'd fought with Sharingan, that would've been tough.
Some time later.
"Sasuke, Ariza, good job. You can eat, but don't give Naruto any," we sat on opposite sides of the post but didn't touch the bento. "You won't go back to the Academy either."
"I passed, passed, dattebayo!" Naruto started jumping for joy, kicking his legs. Sasuke was upset, though he hid it. He wanted a team just with me. Preferably without Naruto.
"Yeah, you won't be a ninja. Ne-ver," Kakashi said syllable by syllable, like passing sentence. For Naruto's dream, it was.
"Kakashi-sensei, that's not fair. Naruto helped us—we couldn't have without him. Why shouldn't he be a shinobi?" I stood and looked seriously at the mentor. "Naruto proved himself worthy, sending him to the Academy is low!"
"Ariza-chan?!" Naruto looked at me piercingly with deep blue eyes, surprised.
"Only you and Sasuke proved worthy. Naruto acted together only for his own gain," Kakashi ruled. He was still pressuring us. Not yet convinced of our teamwork.
"If that's the case, send me to the Academy!" I shoved a bell into Naruto's hands and turned to him. "You have a dream, Naruto... You have to become Hokage! Better if I'm not a ninja," I glanced at Sasuke—he looked ready to kill me and Naruto. But I signaled him to follow my lead.
Time for the pity play.
"Ariza-chan..." he started, but Uchiha cut in:
"No, better I go back to the Academy than you not be ninjas," Kakashi just kept glancing back and forth in amazement.
"Guys..." the blue-eyed one lowered his head and continued: "You tried and took them, and I... I tried... but failed."
"Naruto, Sasuke, and Ariza seem to get the test's point. You, Naruto?"
"Huh? I don't get you, sensei!" He fidgeted more, and I mentally facepalmed. How could he forget? I said at the start the main point was teamwork. Seven hours and gone?
"Naruto, the test was about teamwork," I reminded my friend, and he seemed to remember, mouth agape in surprise.
"Ariza's right. With two bells—one had to sacrifice. Put the team's goals above your own," he raised a finger, emphasizing. Wonder if he gives this speech to every team?
"Sacrifice yourself if needed..." I quietly repeated, looking straight at sensei. Heavy silence hung as we pondered. In my head spun a question without answer: "Am I ready to sacrifice myself to save this world?"
"A shinobi's life is hard, always on the line," he reached into his pouch and continued: "They might take you hostage, torture you, force a hard choice under threat of death."
"What kind?" Uchiha asked unwisely. Moments later, he was pinned on his back with a kunai to his throat.
"Ariza, kill Naruto, or I kill Sasuke! If you don't, I'll kill both! Choose," Kakashi said harshly, and I froze, unable to move. No acting—this time I felt real fear and despair deep down. This choice... too heavy. I wasn't ready. No one is.
Naruto panicked, head whipping around like he was about to be slaughtered.
"Kakashi-sensei..." I said, head slightly lowered. "Impossible choice. Either way, I'd choose myself. Hell, we'd all die—even if one survived."
Kakashi sighed heavily, removed the kunai from Sasuke's skin, and walked to the memorial stone.
"Look at the stone. Names of hero-ninjas," Sasuke and I went quiet, Naruto yelled:
"I want my name there too! I wanna be a hero!"
"Shut up, Naruto, you don't know what you're saying!" The words burst from me. I won't let him end up there. Never.
"Not ordinary heroes, Naruto. All KIA," sensei stared at the stone, and the jinchuriki seemed clueless.
"Sounds cool!"
"Killed In Action," I whispered. He heard, and his smile vanished as fast as it came.
"My best friend's name is here," We stayed silent, lost in thoughts. So either Obito became fake-Madara or really died... "Anyway, eat. After lunch, second chance to act together and pass as a trio. But no feeding Naruto. Whoever tries—out. Clear?" He vanished in smoke, leaving us.
For a second, I wondered: Naruto acted with us all along—why prove teamwork again? Sigh... whatever.
"No biggie! I'm not hungry!" Naruto yelled, pulling me from thoughts, but his stomach growled loudly, contradicting. Sasuke and I exchanged looks, stood, and offered him food on sticks.
"Eat, Naruto. We help each other."
"Kakashi's not here, and hungry you'll drag the team down," the brunet said, glancing sideways at me. He wants explanations. Knows I don't do things for nothing.
"Guys... thanks!" He teared up and ate like it'd be taken away.
"You-ou-out... broke the rule!" Wind tripled, Naruto screamed, Hatake appeared. "Punishment!" He started seals, I shielded Naruto, Sasuke shielded me. Suddenly wind turned cold. Black thunderclouds on sky. Special effects? Nah... illusion. "Anything to say?!" He held the rat seal.
"We're a team!" Naruto justified from behind.
"We stand for each other," I said nothing, just silently nodded to the young Uchiha genius's words.
"Team? Your excuse?" He approached, leaned in. His face softened, and he said what we'd waited for: "You... passed."
"What?" we said almost together.
"First team to pass. Others blindly followed orders, didn't think," He straightened, clouds dispersed, sun broke through. "A ninja anticipates. 'Those who break rules are scum, but those who abandon friends are worse than scum!'" He quoted my favorite anime line. So past is canon here. Need to pinpoint divergence. World like pendulum seeks original state—canon. But forced or free oscillation? Amplitude unknown. Can't compare—if once off-script, it diverges more. Sadly, no true answer. Humans can't grasp the system.
"Yay, I'm a ninja! Ninja!" the teary genin's cry pulled me back. He glowed with happiness. Sasuke and I just smiled faintly.
"First mission tomorrow. Head home," Sasuke and Hatake left. I released Naruto and ran after.
"Will we take a photo?" I asked what'd bugged me.
"Yeah, yeah, cool! Let's photo, dattebayo!" grinning jinchuriki supported, black-eyes just snorted. What's wrong with it?
"Yes, tomorrow morning," Hatake gave meeting spot, we parted.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan