櫻花

"If you want to bully someone, choose another target. Hinata-chan is the Hyuuga's prized heiress," Mizuki had said.

Kiba was never one to back down from a challenge.

櫻花

As soon as he arrived home, he saw Tsume cooking and asked,

"Mom,"

"KIIIBA!" Tsume threw a pan towards his face and he ducked, just barely. Akamaru yelped and jumped into the air, just barely dodging the flying pan underneath its feet. It landed safely back onto Kiba's head.

"Mom! You almost hit Akamaru!" He paced towards Tsume, his fists clenched to his sides. "What kinda greeting was that?!"

"Ahaha-ha, whoops," Tsume grinned ferally, "Something's up for you to be home so early. Good thing for you too, you almost missed dinner. Tell me what's up."

Hana came walking in, and the first thing she said was, "Is it a new girlfriend?"

"What?!" Kiba's face went red. "NO!"

"Adamant denial is a telltale sign—who's the unlucky girl?" his older sister teased.

"Sit down, you both!" Tsume interrupted as she slammed the dining table after she finished setting up. She sat on her wooden chair. There were 8 other chairs, 5 inhabited by dogs and 3 unoccupied ones.

Hana sat down, and Kiba made sure to put Akamaru on the seat between them as he took the other seat beside his mother.

Kiba grabbed his chopsticks and started eating his rice, while the dogs ate right off the bowls.

It was noisy and exuberant.

"So," Hana said between mouthfuls. "Who is she?"

Kiba blushed. "I don't like her."

"Eh? You do," Hana's grin turned feral.

"Sis, you've got it wrong. I don't like her," he glared at her, "Like the hating kinda way, but—"

"We don't hate," Tsume interjected.

"Bro, it's 'dislike.'" Hana corrected. "So why do you dislike her?"

Kiba wrinkled his nose. "She smells like cats."

"What?"

"Plus she's Hyuuga, so Sensei sucks up to her. What's so special about Hyuugas anyway?"

Tsume placed her elbow on her table and her cheek to her palm. "Hmm, they've been here since Konoha's founding right after the Uchiha."

Kiba groaned. "Not another history lesson!"

Hana smirked, "Oi, it's good for you."

"Urgh!"

"Alright, fine, but nothing I say here comes out of the dinner table, awright?"

"Fine!"

"The Hyuuga enslave their branch members and punish them for disobedience. That's one red flag! Us Inuzuka are one big family, a pack shared by kinship! We don't punish our dogs, and we sure as hell don't punish our family members! We encourage each otha for our good work and say 'no' to our wrongs! One day either one of you will replace me as the Matriarch, so remember this lesson well. Don't follow the Hyuuga's stinkin' example!"

Kiba's jaw dropped. "Wait, you said something about enslaving?"

Tsume smirked. "Yea, sure! They collar 'em with—"

"Collar?" Kiba stood up, "That puts a bad name to this clan!"

Hana smashed his face to his bowl. "Dumb dog, they use Cursed Seals that put the lives of their servants in their hands!"

"Oh, wait, she collared Naruto!"

Hana's eyes widened. "This Hinata you talking about?"

"Uh, yeah,"

"Don't associate with her and don't piss her off!" Hana yelled in his face.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Tsume looked up from her food and growled, "Kiba, she's set to lead the Hyuuga one day. If you want what's best for our pack, you'd better lie low."

All the dogs started yipping and reverse summoning themselves back to their hideouts.

"Ack!" Kiba waved the smoke out of his face and stood up.

"Not so fast, help clean up and wash the dishes," Tsume called out.

"Later mom! I got stuff to do," Kiba ran the hell out of there to escape his chores.

"Mom, I'll get him back," Hana growled, but Tsume placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't think you're gonna escape your housework by 'searching' for him! You'll be doin' both yours and Kiba's!"

Hana groaned.

櫻花

Once again it wasn't Naruto being bullied but...

"Knock it off!" 12-year-old Naruto burst out from behind the trees, revealing himself to the six bullies surrounding a bruised, disheveled Hinata.

"What the hell do you want?" the one in the fur-trimmed coat growled, pissed off about being disturbed. His name was Kiba. His four companions flanked him and glared hostilely, blocking his view of the freaked out girl.

"I'm here to save her!" Naruto announced with a determined grin.

"Of course you do," Kiba growled, breaking off from the group and standing face-to-face with Naruto. "She's your master."

"Huh?" Naruto was dumbfounded. He tried to peek around Kiba but he blocked his view.

"You're saying you don't know?" Kiba growled. "Let me spell it out for you. Hinata's clan enslaves its branch members. In my clan, everyone's family! Who's in the right now?"

Naruto was stupefied. He didn't know about clan stuff. But he did know Iruka-sensei and Hinata-chan! They were family to him and one bossing the other around is not good. "Um that's not good, but why are you beating up Hina-chan for? It's not her fault!"

Kiba snorted. "She's one of the bosses."

"Eh?! Hina-chan's not bossing her family around! Right, Hina-chan?"

"I—I—" her voice was muffled, and Naruto saw her getting beat up.

"Let me past!"

Kiba blocked his path. "Hah, you don't know anything! You don't have a family."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Then he stormed over to Kiba and grabbed his collar, "Take that back!"

Two boys stopped their physical assault on Hinata and targeted Naruto.

Two more surrounded him on both sides.

Hinata leaned against the brick wall as she fell onto her butt, bleeding from her lip and worse for wear,

But her eyes were sharp.

She watched Naruto make a hand seal and shout, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Six clones formed and fought six boys.

Naruto's taijutsu skills weren't up-to-par, but he was rapidly improving. She hid a smile. He really did learn best in-action.

She leaned her head against the hard brick, watching the fight no more than 4 feet in front of her. Assessing mistakes to correct him later about.

And it gave her a feeling of euphoria to be rescued by Naruto-kun. The concern he displayed towards her was therapeutic.

Maybe she should get bullied more.

It wasn't hard. Just push a few wrong buttons. Anger a few senseless students.

At the very least, that would lessen their assaults on the weaker students.

櫻花

At the courtyard….

Hinata was getting bullied.

Naruto saw her and jumped between her attackers.

Hinata smiled slightly.

4 days later

Hinata was getting bullied again.

Naruto found out and saved her.

They went to Ichiraku ramen later…

3 days later

Hinata was getting bullied.

She checked the time. Naruto should be arriving soon, around that corner.

Sasuke showed up.

Hinata eep'd, and fought back, knocking them out before running for it.

She did not need Sasuke "rescuing" her.

Sasuke stared at them in astonishment.

Naruto showed up, and saw the usual bullies lying beaten on the floor, and Sasuke standing over them. He pointed at Sasuke, "Oi, thanks for looking out for Hinata-chan!"

"What?" Sasuke glared.

"But you're still a teme! We're rivals now!"

"Tch. All the more reason you'll keep losing to me, Dead Last," he turned to leave. "By the way, it wasn't me who defeated these losers." He cocked his head slightly behind him with his eye, watching Naruto. "It was Hinata."

"…Eh?!"

櫻花

"Hmm…" Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard. "The kids are graduating this year."

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane sat side by side on the couch. Danzo Shimura was standing to their side.

Koharu spoke first, "We need to keep an eye on the Kyuubi. What's more, we need to place the Uchiha with the Kyuubi, to keep him under control for the future."

Homura nodded. "Do you really trust Kakashi to handle both the Uchiha and Kyuubi?"

Danzo cleared his throat, and finally spoke, "Saru, my offer still stands. I am most suited to be their sensei."

"That is out of the question, Danzo," Hiruzen rebutted. He wasn't going to chastise them for calling Naruto 'Kyuubi,' they already knew he was Minato's son, and right now, they were having an informal conference. "I agree that the Sharingan can keep the Kyuubi under control," Hiruzen spoke as though they were tools. "They will be placed on the same team, under Kakashi Hatake. You know my reasons for doing this, I do not have to say them aloud, or it may turn out bad for you," he was looking right at Danzo.

Danzo forced himself not to swallow. He knows about ROOT and now he's using his silence as a bargaining chip. Danzo frowned. "All three of us are against your foolish decision."

"You're outvoted, Hiruzen," Homura said.

"Nonsense!" Hiruzen slammed his desk and burst out an intense wave of killing intent.

Homura and Koharu remained composed. Danzo simply reacted with an equal amount of killing intent.

Their auras clashed in rivalry, before Hiruzen spoke, "As the Hokage, I have full authority over all decisions. You are merely my advisors, and friends." He stressed the last part, as if that were the reason they had so much authority.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke will be put on Team 7 under Hatake Kakashi," he looked each one in the eye to drill in his command.

Danzo closed his eyes. "Very well, stubborn monkey."

Hiruzen's eyes softened from hearing that old nickname.

"I consent," Koharu said reluctantly after seeing Danzo give in.

"It's not like we have a choice," Homura chipped in.

Inflated by his fellow councillor's support and the remorse in Hiruzen's eyes, Danzo started speaking, "If Kakashi is as watchful a hawk as you say," Danzo stated bitterly, "I recommend the third member of Team 7 to be Hyuuga Hinata."

"What?!" Koharu blurted out, and Homura examined Danzo through his glasses.

Hiruzen sighed, "I should have known I had this coming from you."

Danzo walked towards Hiruzen and placed his hands on his desk. "That girl is suspicious, very suspicious. She was betrothed to Uchiha Itachi, and she's branded the Kyuubi." His eyes narrowed. "What I am about to say will break the formalities between Hokage and Advisor. We are speaking as friends."

Hiruzen nodded, listening.

"I suspect Hinata has control over Naruto. Hinata is still in contact with Itachi. Should Sasuke be harmed…on Itachi's orders, Hinata will unleash Naruto's Kyuubi."

Hiruzen's jaw dropped.

Homura cleared his throat, "I concur with Danzo. That seems to be the message the Hyuuga girl is sending us. She flaunts her control over Naruto."

Koharu shook her head, "What good will putting her on Kakashi's squad do?"

Danzo looked at her. "Can't you see, Ko-ha-ru? If Kakashi is as exceptional a shinobi Hiruzen apparently believes, what's one more for him to keep watch over?"

"Oh. They are easiest to moderate when in bulk," Koharu looked at Hiruzen. "In that case, I concur with Danzo."

Hiruzen's fists curled. "Kakashi has more than enough on his plate."

Danzo smirked. "In other words, Kakashi-kun can't handle the extra weight of an additional notable student. Then," Danzo tilted his chin up, "how can you expect him to handle the boy when he starts harnessing the Kyuubi's chakra, or the Uchiha when he starts hunting his older brother?"

Hiruzen was speechless.

"That's right, Saru. I, however, can handle all three." I am the better choice.

No, you're not. "I am putting Hyuuga Hinata on Team 7."

"No—What are you thinking, Saru?!" Koharu yelled. "Don't make decisions like that on impulse."

Homura pushed his glasses. "We know you and Danzo have a rivalry," he ignored Koharu's stare of disbelief about him admitting such a thing, "but don't let it cloud your judgment."

Danzo nodded, "The Kyuubi boy and the Uchiha boy are important tools of Konoha. We cannot sabotage them." I am most fit for this duty, can't you see that, senile old Monkey?

Hiruzen felt stressed. "Then, I'll give them a normal teammate," he flipped through his large stacks of files. "Yes, Hinata is a bad influence on Naruto. She completely dominates him."

"Find someone weak," Koharu chimed in. "A civilian strategist. Preferably female."

"Someone with low taijutsu and ninjutsu scores will do, but high intelligItence to keep the roughed up team in place," Homura pushed his glasses up.

"Someone easy to control," Danzo sneered. "Submissive and easy to read. Kakashi will need someone like that, lest he gets a mental breakdown, being that weak a sensei."

"I will find someone normal," Hiruzen agreed bitterly. Naruto needs his individuality back. It was his core strength from being raised all alone. I trust in Kakashi to cure Naruto from Hinata's influence.

Hiruzen pulled out a file. Pink. Feminine. High scores. And not shady at all.

Hiruzen smiled to his councilors.

"Sakura Haruno."

櫻花

It was time to graduate. Naruto proceeded to the testing room.

"Alright Naruto," Iruka smiled. "Do the Clone jutsu."

"Uhhh okay!" Naruto made a cross hand seal and Iruka's eyes widened. Don't tell me...

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Ninety clones filled the classroom, overcrowding Iruka and Mizuki.

"YOU PASS YOU PASS!" Iruka gasped out, "dispel them!

Naruto did.

Mizuki coughed angrily from the smoke, before looking to his superior. "Iruka, are you sure Naruto is ready?"

He smirked, tossing Naruto a brand new headband. "'Course he is, he exceeded my expectations. Shadow Clones can make the same diversions clones make, and much more. Naruto has the chakra," Iruka said knowingly.

"Chakra?" Naruto looked confused. I thought it was Catra.

"On second thought, maybe you shouldn't have passed-"

"OH I KNOW WHAT CHAKRA IS! Thanks Sensei I'm out!" Naruto was gone in a yellow flash.

Iruka and Mizuki sighed simultaneously.

櫻花