AN: Updated two days ago in case you missed that chapter. Carapace is next.

()()()()()()()()

As morning slowly transitioned to near afternoon with a slow crawl of the sun over the sky it seemed to sap more energy for the waiting new team 7. Sasuke had taken to leaning on different trees, stretching his legs at times to go from one to another with an ever present scowl to discourage conversation. In light of that, perhaps even with the conversation yesterday so fresh in her mind, Sakura only spent two hours fawning over him and gushing with little squeals as fantasies played in her mind. After even that grew dull for the pinkette she started to talk with Naruto about classes. Ones that the Uchiha found himself baffled over. Why would anyone care about interest compounding? What even was that?

Naruto on the other hand, was happy to wave his hands and try to explain his awkward half reasoning to the decision to avoid the shinobi banks in the future. "At least yanno, most of my paycheck. I want some liquid and available yeah, but it is gonna just sit there and ..brood..like a broody teme.." Naruto grinned all teeth at Sakura who wasn't facing Sasuke and so felt safe hiding her awkward smile. The mental image of Sasuke sitting in a bank safe was a funny one.

"It's a good idea, Naruto." She nodded once, tapping her lips. "My parents insisted I keep mine out of the shinobi accounts too, keeping a savings and a general account both with the civilian bank. Though when I looked into it the shinobi one is much better about if you overdraw with say a weapons supplier or need to use credit to restock in another village."

"Really?" Naruto furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. "That could come in handy. I don't want to carry all my cash on me. How do they know it's you and not an imposter?"

"Ah, I don't know. I haven't gone to set one up yet. It's a good question!" Sakura could admit she was relieved to see more than just their overly loud prankster of a teammate was coming out. He was a very different creature, one that even if she didn't agree on many things -most of those surrounding a certain Uchiha- that there were far more she could. Nor did she feel so much the odd one out, but in her mind she kept thinking of Naruto as having gotten a good walloping by Ino and thus safe. If Sakura was good at anything, it was assuredly denial of inconvenient facts. Because otherwise she had to confront that she'd been being a bully to someone who probably understood her and could talk to her more than any of her other non civilian raised classmates.

"You are making your thinking face, Sa-ku-ra." Naruto teased out. Oh he still had a crush on her, he couldn't help that but Ino had taught him the joys of being friends with a girl and for now that was the goal he had. He wanted to be Sakura's friend, after that he could try and convince her he was a better choice. Actually scratch that, first he had to become her friend and get her and Ino to patch up their friendship and then convince the two girls that Sasuke was not as cool as they thought and then he could look at impressing her. He had time though, it wasn't as if he wanted to endure Ibiki giving him 'the talk' again and Ibiki had promised to do so daily if Naruto tried to date anyone before he was fifteen. Yikes. And Anrui-Nee-san had been zero help. She'd just smirked at him and said "Suffer. Suffer as I have suffered!" Then again he'd pummel anyone who tried to date Ino before she was twenty unless they treated her precisely as good as he felt they should and didn't have the first name Sasuke so he could understand where his uncles had been coming from.

"Ah I was just thinking that if I'd known you were really um, like this..you.." Sakura was not a good person, her inner was proof of that, she was selfish but she'd learned the hard way that if you weren't people bullied and walked all over you. Still, seeing she'd become that very thing was a bitter pill that had kept her up most the night. She had still screeched at Naruto a few times, and gone to hit him once today, but she was trying. "Some of the other kids from civilian families would like you. We should.."

"Hang out sometime?" Naruto prompted as he guessed where she was going. "Sounds fun. Not too often though, I have to keep in touch with my friends who didn't become ninja. I don't want them to think they lost me."

That made Sakura think of her family..and how they'd seemed sad just for a moment when she'd burst in with her headband before they helped her celebrate. "You think they..?"

Naruto huffed and nodded before speaking in a low tone so that Sasuke couldn't overhear and mock him as he'd done a few times that morning. "Don't forget the people who were there for you before you became a kunoichi, Sakura. It isn't fair to them."

Biting her lip Sakura had to agree. She'd make the effort.

Their sensei eventually showed up and from there the morning was rapidly descending into chaos. After traumatically informing them they may not pass and had a new objective -which Naruto couldn't help but think was fishy. Very fishy. Two day old bad sushi outside the dumpster kind of fishy. Because the incompetence of some teams out there were the stuff of his uncles collective rants for years now- still they had attacked in their own ways. As Naruto was tossed aside yet again he lamented not having learned the Shadow Clone technique, why couldn't he either of read that one first or have jiji let him use the forbidden technique he had learned? It would have ended this test in a snap!

The urge tingled along his fingers but he had promised the Hokage and would not break his word. Lies smelled terribly and he would not begin to use them now. It was frustrating though because most of the skills he was so marvelous in were clearly not of any use in this clumsy brawling they were working on. If he'd thought they'd have a test like this he'd have trapped the place and brought his poisons! He was never leaving without at least four again.

Even worse, one by one they were obliterated in each of the main jutsu's. Mercilessly. Taijutsu had Sakura gasping from a single hit, whereas her male teammates lasted longer it was Sasuke in the end who did the best at first. Not a one came near to the bells, nor even landed well with how sharply they were deflected. The genjutsu had been trouble. Sakura passed out, form still trembling revealed that it had been some new horror she could not handle. Like himself no doubt she had been unable to dispel it. Naruto had imagined he left to tell his family of passing, and not a one of his family or friends could see him. He'd been forgotten. In the end the pain from screaming and hitting the ground with his fists had broken the spell, but it had kept deep scratches on his mental health that he would need to deal with later. At least he had Yamanaka's he could turn to.

If Sasuke had likewise suffered he did not know, Naruto had snapped out of it to a missing teammate and one unconscious.

For all he was furious and wished to take it out on either of the spiked haired menaces be it black or silver in hue he did not particularly care at that moment; Naruto knew his first duty was to his helpless teammate.

"Hey, Sakura? Sakura..wake up. I doubt we're safe." Naruto trailed off sensing a sudden spike in Killing Intent.

"Oh. You aren't."

()()()()()()()()()

Kakashi had to admit, the brats were..not quite as atrociously hopelessly terribly useless and pathetic as he had expected. They may have been even worse. To this point it was only that they had obeyed his instructions and had a tenacity he could almost approve of that was keeping him from just knocking them out until the bell rang. Still, he only had another ten minutes of humoring them and then he could shove them onto someone else. The Uchiha no doubt would be apprenticed to someone for a time it wasn't as if Kakashi could truly teach him much. The sharingan he had tended to do it's own thing more than be controlled but he kept that a secret, even from his Hokage.

Sakura -civilian born and raised- had a good mind for a paper pushing ninja but she was a waste to even attempt for the field. Really he was doing them a favor.

The less he could even think about the little blonde haired boy that he had looked over from a distance for years now, the better. If possible he wanted to insist that Naruto be kept only a civilian. Far from the front lines and dangers, from those who may learn of his heritage and hurt him.

Yes. Failing this team would be for the best.

The ten minutes, and equal number of pages in his book, passed easily. Since she had done the least he chose to tie up Sakura, drive home that the world of ninja out on the battlefields was not for her and perhaps in his cruelty spare another young girl a fate like Rin had. Ensuring he seemed properly terrifying he warned them all not to let Sakura eat lunch, and then hid himself away to watch. He may as well witness their failure after all. He'd done so to every team he'd refused to pass before.

()()()()()()()()

Naruto snarled and looked at the bentos before nodding. Quickly he inhaled one but didn't touch the easier to use items, he also ignored both of his teammates complaining about his awful manners as he scooped up rice and smaller items with his hands, ignoring the chopsticks. Once he'd done that to two bentos, including one that had been meant for Sakura and doing his best to ignore her screeching he finally snapped open the chopsticks, wiped his messy hand on his pants and stood, balancing the two bentos with the rolls and easily eaten items. "Eat." He said sternly, holding a bite out for the suddenly quiet Sakura.

"Dobe."

Naruto ignored Sasuke. "Eat Sakura. We get another chance after the bell or not, you're a civilian girl. Heck girls always have smaller reserves I know that much and you're not used to missing a meal I bet. You need the energy. Eat up." Naruto firmly bit the inside of his cheek to keep from blushing, it was part of why he hadn't used the chopsticks, not a chance she'd risk an 'indirect kiss' if he had when eating himself.

"N..naruto.."

"Do it." Sasuke agreed before redoubling the speed he was eating his own meal. With the encouragement of the second one Sakura looked back at Naruto. The blonde shifted slightly to block Sasuke's view of her, guessing anyone who could belch haiku's could eat fast but not neatly at the same time. Grinning a little to encourage her he was highly amused to see Sakura could indeed eat as quickly as he could prepare the next bite. They'd gotten halfway through a bento before that looming presence was there.

"Sasuke watch my back!" Naruto snapped out, hoping he'd do as asked and kept feeding Sakura. Sakura choked another bite down before his hand was wrenched away and the blonde was dangling from a glaring Kakashi's hand. So much for Sasuke helping out. Sheeeesh.

"I believe I told you not to feed her."

"Yeah and this is one order from a superior I'm challenging in light of her limited chakra, lack of experience with skipping meals, completely shitty preparation of what we were up to today because this was not a survival mission, sensei, and since you told us not to give her any lunch."

"Which you did." Kakashi said blandly only to be met with a fox grin that was rather frightening for the sharp blue eyes, eyes he remembered on another blonde when a plan snapped together.

"Technically, Kakashi-sensei...it's breakfast."

"Because we didn't eat breakfast." Sasuke mumbled sounding grudging in his agreement even as Sakura looked stunned.

"So? If Sakura can compete better in getting the bells then it just leaves you worse off." Kakashi countered.

"Maa maa.." Naruto didn't seem phased even with his hand still holding the chopsticks going numb as he dangled. "You shouldn't underestimate us Sensei. If not for the fact I wouldn't ever disobey jiji when I promised to be good we'd have won right off the start and I woulda kicked Sasuke out, not Sakura."

"Dobe. As if you could."

Kakashi though was curious and set Naruto down, arms crossed, and still wary of them attempting anything. "And why is that? Sasuke did perform better than either of you."

"Because this all played up to his strengths, sure." Sakura joined in with a glare, she was not amused at being tied up for this. "But it doesn't make sense. There aren't two man teams."

"There are apprentices." Sasuke sneered and Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, and that's why I'd kick you out. Plenty of people would snatch you up for the bragging rights so I don't need to worry about you. Sakura and I? We're nobodies as far as those people are concerned." Naruto crossed his own arms and frowned. "Besides you don't seem to want anything to do with us. You avoided us yesterday and you're doing so this morning proved you don't want a team."

"I don't need one."

Kakashi found himself stumped. Oh he hadn't wanted his team either, certainly not the ones he'd had but it seemed at least two members of this team could consider working together. Nor was it the two he'd expected. And as he'd already said only two would pass he couldn't outright fail them by saying it was because they didn't all work together!

It seemed he'd have to hope he could pull off what Minato had, and he grimaced at the thought.

"You are certain you and Sakura could be a team, Naruto?"

"With some work? Yeah. Sasuke could if he'd pull his head outa his.."

"We could." Sakura cut him off, not wanting to see her chance at a team vanish. Besides, Naruto was right, anyone would take Sasuke. She watched as Kakashi sighed heavily.

"Sasuke if you are not on a team you will not be apprenticed."

"What!?" It was the loudest outburst since the kiss anyone had ever heard from the startled Uchiha. Kakashi had to admit it entertained him so he felt much more even footed again.

"The only one who would qualify would be myself and clearly I'll be busy with a team. A pity, but since you don't want a team.."

The humor in his one eye wasn't visible to them as he watched Sasuke glare at the other two before he crossed his arms. "...They'll drag me behind in my progress."

"Hm. Naruto figured out we just had breakfast." Sakura pointed out, startled she was even arguing with her crush but it had felt good to have Naruto stand up for her. Like another Ino. Sasuke had cost her a friend once, she didn't want to do that again. Besides, she could convince him she was the better choice later on. Sasuke's glare was terrifying and she looked away but Kakashi sighed.

"A good point Sakura. Well...I suppose I'll have to pass you and Naruto then.."

Naruto finally felt the Inuzuka raised side of him build up as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. He'd channeled his uncles enough, time for some Anrui-nee type bluntness. "Oh just decide we can be your team for Now Sasuke so he stops trolling us. I need to pee."

"...wrong timing Naruto.." Sakura groaned.

They passed.