AN: Meh. Don't have much to say other then the fact that I write what I feel like at this point.

Welcome to Mirror on the Wall!

This story was inspired by slythefoxx2 so if you want someone to blame, then go blame his ass. He is bad for me and vice versa. We write too much shit to begin with.

Enjoy or don't. Ya know how it goes. It is what it is.

Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V

Disclaimer : Lil Wayne ft. Bruno Mars - Mirror

C L A N G

Lilac pupils narrowed slightly as the sound of metal being struck reverberated through the large hall that housed several dozen individuals inside of it.

Naruto heard several of his comrades grimace from the sheer brutality that the Suna Kunoichi just showcased.

The young redheaded teen crossed his arms against his chest as he stared at his fellow Leaf Nin who was unconscious and laying atop the spine of the Suna Kunoichi's metal fan.

Tenten, if memory served him correctly, stood no chance against her opponent. Not only was it quite possibly the worst matchup for the weapon wielding teen but it was quite obvious that the Suna Kunoichi was not a Genin either.

She was most certainly a Chunin masquerading as a Genin for the sheer purpose of showcasing Suna's strength. While yes, Suna was certainly in contention for the weakest Major Village, it did not change the fact that the village was notorious for producing some of the most fearsome Shinobi in the Elemental Nations.

Shakuton no Pakura was the first Shinobi to come to mind followed by Akasuna no Sasori... A hero of her village and an army killer sent forth to conquer wars.

It did not surprise Naruto that Sunagakure was sending its most skilled team to Konoha to prove their worth. Kakashi had informed him that Suna's Daimyo was outsourcing missions and contracts to Konoha.

The redheaded teen shook his head at that. Why? What was the point of potentially bleeding your Hidden Village?

Pride?

The Wind Daimyo was a foolish man. Did the man not understand that he was walking a thin line? Shinobi were not individuals you wanted to cross.

Rasa was a man with very little morals as shown by his complete lack of care regarding his very own son.

Naruto's lilac colored eyes strayed towards his fellow redhead who stood at the opposite side of the massive hall.

The boy's blank gaze was fixated directly on him, as if the unstable boy somehow knew that he was thinking about him.

Sabaku no Gaara...

He was most certainly Suna's Jinchuuriki and he was incredibly dangerous. He had killed indiscriminately and none were spared during the 2nd portion of the Exam.

Naruto ignored the boy's soulless gaze before refocusing his attention back on the Suna Kunoichi. She was... hot. In his opinion, at least. Perhaps it was the wild hair style of hers or maybe even possibly the way she held herself.

Unlike so many of his fellow classmates at this age, she was a true Kunoichi who took her training serious. A bit prideful sure, but it wasn't all that bad. If you weren't proud of something that you sunk hundreds of hours into then you weren't doing it correctly.

Her four, sandy blonde pigtails bounced as she wrapped her hand around the metal spine of her fan. She proceeded to yank the weapon out of the ground, uncaring of the fact that Tenten's body was still laying atop of it.

The girl's body crashed into the ground harshly and Temari merely scoffed quietly as she walked away. She proceeded to wipe off her black Kimono with an annoyed expression before slowly glaring up into the stands. Her teal eyes centered on his purple orbs as her glare seemed to harden.

A beautiful woman with a fiery temper...

He was already falling for her.

Naruto slowly smirked at the fierce teen before winking directly at her. The girl's glare only seemed to deepen as she slowly made her way towards her team.

"Careful there, Naruto-kun." The voice of one Kakashi Hatake warned lazily. "Those Sunagakure girl's are dangerous."

Naruto glanced at his Sensei for a brief moment before shrugging his shoulders lazily while adopting an easy smile on his face.

"I like danger, Senpai."

Kakashi hummed in amusement before turning a page in his book. "Oh, I'm very much aware." He did not continue speaking and left it at that.

"You're such a pig..."

Naruto glanced to his right for a brief moment before rolling his eyes in slight annoyance. "I appreciate a woman who takes her training serious, Sakura."

The pink haired teen narrowed her eyes as she stared at her teammate. "Are you saying I don't take my training serious?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders with a small smirk. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Get mad all you want but I only speak the truth."

Sakura's teeth gnashed together in anger before she ultimately ignored the boy's statement. She'd get no where arguing with him.

Naruto was an unknown enigma and had only recently joined Team 7. A month ago to be precise. He replaced their former teammate named 'Sai' who magically disappeared one day.

That's what Kakashi-sensei had said atleast.

Naruto was...

Well, Sakura didn't really know how to feel about him. He was kind of an asshole...

Blunt to the point of being rude.

A bit cocky, which was kind of deserved in all reality. He had thrashed Sasuke on the first day of being introduced to the team. Sasuke didn't even land a hit on the boy.

He was usually laid back and was polite most of the time. Not overtly kind or anything but tolerable.

Annoying at times but was willing to give out pointers when needed and didn't mind taking time out of his day to help with whatever she or Sasuke needed.

All in all, he was skilled and kind of annoying. Annoying in a way that only superior Shinobi like Kakashi-sensei could be.

Sakura believed wholeheartedly that he was a Jonin in disguise. For what reason? She had no idea. But that's probably why she was so intrigued with him.

He and Kakashi would always speak about things that didn't really make sense, as if they had been friends for a very long time. Which was why Sakura believed he wasn't a Genin.

What kind of Genin is buddy buddy with a Jonin of Kakashi's caliber?

The two of them would joke with one another for hours upon hours during their training time. Though to be fair, she and Sasuke had never bothered to really question the abnormal relationship that their new teammate had with their Sensei.

Sakura's attention was drawn away from her teammate as she heard the proctor begin to speak. The man heavily coughed before clearing his throat and speaking.

"Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka." The sickly Jonin then placed one of his hands into his pockets before speaking again. "If you would, come down here please so we could get this over with."

Sakura glanced at her teammate who sported an indescribable expression on his face. The boy glanced at Kakashi for a brief moment as an unspoken conversation went between them. Kakashi nudged his head forward before offering the boy his infamous eye smile.

That seemed to make the boy move as he sighed quietly before grabbing onto the railings in front of him and leaping over it. He landed without a sound and placed his left hand in his pocket before moving forward.

The redheaded teen slowly strolled to his starting position uncaring of how much time he was wasting. Upon reaching the starting position he smiled lazily at his opposition before speaking in a nonchalant tone.

"Forfeit for me, please. You don't really stand a chance and I'd rather not have to explain to Tsume-san why her son ended up in the hospital."

The feral looking teen seemed almost offended as he stared at the Uzumaki. He was silent for a few moments before shaking his head and adopting an annoyed expression.

"Who the hell are you talking to? You don't even know me!" Kiba snarled angrily as his white puppy hopped out of his jacket. The dog then proceeded to bark several times as its fur stood on end.

Naruto glanced at the puppy for a brief moment before returning his gaze to the Inuzuka. He nodded his head several times before shrugging.

"That's exactly why I told you to forfeit... But ok then." Naruto slowly raised his hand towards his Hitai-ate that hung off his neck before placing his index finger against his thumb. He slowly glanced towards the Jonin Proctor before nodding his head quietly.

Gekko Hayate stared at the redheaded Uzumaki before nodding his head and glancing towards Kiba. "Are both fighters ready?"

When both teen's nodded their head, he proceeded to raise his hand high in the air. He was motionless for several seconds before bringing his hand down and speaking.

"Begin!"

Naruto glanced at Gekko's retreating form before bringing his attention to his opponent who had leapt away. He was quiet for a scant few moments before offering Kiba his chance to forfeit once more.

"This is the last time I'm asking. Forfeit please." Naruto channeled Chakra to the tip of his index finger before staring into Kiba's eyes.

The feral Inuzuka snarled angrily before dropping to all fours. "Go to hell!"

The redheaded teen stared at the boy for a single second before shaking his head in disappointment. He proceeded to release his index finger and not a moment later did a very high pitched metallic ding resonate from his position.

The metallic ding spread throughout the entire hall as several of the older Shinobi grimaced and or covered their ears to prevent the pain from Naruto's action.

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kiba desperately clawed at the side of his skull as the ear-splitting ringing invaded his enhanced hearing. His eyes clenched tightly and he dropped to his knees while trying to block out the pain from having his ear drums assaulted.

Naruto stared at the boy before pulling his index finger back again and channeling more Chakra to his finger. He sighed quietly before flicking his headband once more.

Kiba released another cry of absolute pain as blood began to seep out from his hands that were covering his ears. He slammed his head against the hardened floor and screamed out in agony once more.

Naruto glanced towards Gekko before pulling his index finger back once more. "You might want to stop the fight Gekko-san... Who knows what could happen if I do it again."

The aforementioned Jonin Proctor began to clean his ear out with his pinky finger before grunting quietly. "I'm calling it here. It is clear that Kiba cannot fight."

The redheaded Uzumaki nodded his head in acceptance before pocketing both hands and turning on his heel. He glanced up towards the stands as his lilac pupils trailed across the remaining Shinobi.

His eyes swept through all of his potential opposition before landing on the Suna Kunoichi. Both teen's stared at one another before Naruto offered the girl another wink. He ignored her narrowed gaze as he jumped up into the stands to reunite with his team.

He never once looked back at Kiba who was being hauled out on a stretcher by several medics.

Naruto leaned on the metal railings before glancing towards Kakashi. He raised his hand before pointing at his headband. "It's a weapon too."

Kakashi smiled as he turned a page in his book. "I know. I've used one to kill someone."

Naruto tilted his head curiously with a grin. "You haven't told that story yet! I'm all ears!"

The silver haired Veteran chuckled quietly before wagging his index finger back and forth and answering simply.

"Too many ears."

Meanwhile, the rest of the Konoha Genin stared at the teen with apprehensive gazes. He had taken Kiba out with an incredibly simple but effective strategy. Attacking the boy's enhanced senses...

To have the surgical precision to do such a feat with his headband and finger alone was incredibly impressive. Not just anyone could channel Chakra to such a finite degree and do what he had done. Especially not someone who had just been added to a team not more than a month ago...

Naruto Uzumaki was... dangerous.

Break

"Alright cuties!" The scantily clad proctor from the Forest of Death spoke aloud. "Reach into this box and pick up one piece of paper! If you pick up more than one then I am legally obligated to cut off three of your fingers~!"

The woman's grin was slightly unnerving due to the fact that her eyes were wide open and she was staring at everyone as if they were prey.

Naruto smiled in amusement before walking towards Anko without a care. She was a scary woman when she wanted to be and she was definitely one of his favorite Shinobi in the village.

"Well~!" The purple haired woman started as she stared at Naruto. "What's a cutie like you doing here, hmm?" She dawned a sultry smile as the boy reached into the box while pulling out a single strip of paper.

"We've already seen each other Anko." He informed with a small smile.

The woman tilted her head for a moment before shrugging with a smile. "You know I have bad memory."

Naruto nodded his in agreeance before responding. "That you do Anko, that you do." The boy turned away from the woman as he waved over his shoulder. "I'll see at the bar later tonight." The woman did not verbally respond and only offered an unseen wink at his statement.

Naruto returned to his original position beside the Suna Kunoichi before glancing at the girl out the corner of his eye. He studied the girl's stoic face for a few moments before closing his eyes.

Several minutes passed by in relative silence with the only noise being that of Anko who would threaten each and every Genin that took a strip of paper from the box in her hands.

Temari was the last individual to receive her paper and she returned to her spot beside the red headed teen who had been subtly checking her out.

Temari might not be the most confident woman when it came to her looks but... She was kind of flattered at the boy's action.

Completely uncalled for sure, but alot of guys in Suna that were her age were intimidated by her. She was strong, bold, confident and possessed the infamous 'Resting Bitch Face.'

It usually turned guys off.

That and because she was related to the psychotic Jinchuuriki of Suna... As well as being the daughter of the Kazekage.

Men didn't really possess the... balls to even look in her direction.

Temari would take what she could get. If the Uzumaki kid thought she was hot then that was fine with her. It felt nice to have some measure of attention being cast upon her.

She glanced towards the teen as she took in his form. Hair the color of blood sat atop his head, disheveled and spikey that no brush could even hope to tame. He possessed orbs the color of amethyst and on his right eye was a scar that ran from the middle of his forehead and ended at his cheek. He had most likely gotten the scar from a fight and he was lucky he hadn't lost his eye.

He wore a simple, black button up T-shirt that clung to his frame quite nicely. Upon his neck was the headband he had used to defeat his opponent and the cloth that the metal clung to was white. He wore a pair of form fitting black pants that were tucked into a pair of black boots.

On his waist was a white Kimono sash that sported several unique emblems as designs. On his left hand was a fingerless black glove and on his right wrist was a piece of cloth that sported a unique emblem on it, which was that of a swirl-like marking.

He was relatively tall, atleast compared to her. He stood several inches taller than her and he possessed an almost laid back personality. Similar to that of the Nara that had also passed to this part of the exam but it was clear that he wasn't lazy.

Which was a good thing, in her eyes. It meant he took his duties seriously but also knew when to properly relax. Temari would be a liar if she said she wasn't jealous about that. She never did get to really relax...

While she certainly didn't mind being the postergirl Kunoichi for Sunagakure, she'd also like to have the ability to be a 'normal' girl for once in her life.

That was wishful thinking though...

"Hey..."

She blinked as she heard the redheaded teen address her. She turned towards him with her ever present R.B.F. (Resting Bitch Face) and was only slightly surprised at the fact that he didn't immediately turn away.

Instead, he proceeded to offer her a crooked smile before speaking. "You're pretty cute... Thought I'd let ya know." After complimenting her, he turned back towards the Proctor and remained silent.

Temari was taken aback by his forwardness. Her eyebrows furrowed as she finally diagnosed what he had said. Her cheeks began to heat up and a slightly embarrassed expression formed on her face.

She... she had nothing to say to that. He had just called her cute. And in such a forward and bold tone, as if he was absolutely sure of it. There was no suggestive tone or anything of the like.

She was cute and that was that...

Kami, she felt like one of those schoolgirls that used to annoy her back in Suna when she was younger. Was this how those girls felt when getting complimented by a handsome guy?

She felt someone nudge her ribs and almost retaliated by swinging her fan at the person's skull. Upon realizing who was bothering her she immediately adopted an annoyed expression.

"Hey!" Kankuro whispered harshly with a hardened gaze. "Focus... We're not here for you to find yourself a little boyfriend."

Temari's eyes narrowed as her grip on her fan tightened angrily. She responded with venom as she glared into her brother's eyes. "Do you want me to bash your damn head in? Get out of my face!"

She proceeded to jab the end of her fan into her brother's gut while pushing him away. She scoffed angrily as he released a grunt of pain. "Mind your damn business, Kankuro."

Before the puppeteer could respond, another individual did so for him. An individual that caused no small amount of fear to fester in his heart.

"Leave Temari alone Kankuro... Or I'll drown you with my sand." Gaara's blank visage was directed at his older brother before shifting to his older sister. He stared into her teal orbs for a few moments before nodding quietly and staring ahead.

A small smile formed on Temari's face as she stuck her tongue out at Kankuro, mocking him.

"Do not be a child Temari." Gaara demanded without even bothering to turn in her direction. The aforementioned blonde grimaced lightly with an embarrassed expression before returning towards the Proctor who threw the box behind her.

Anko clapped her hands loudly before speaking. "Open your strips of paper. Half of you will have blank pieces with nothing written on them and the other half will have a single name on them. The name that you see scrawled on the paper is the person you will be fighting in the finals."

After the woman's statement all of the Genin proceeded to open their pieces of paper. Like she had said, half of them had a name and the other half didn't.

It was silent for a brief moment as half of the Genins analyzed their opponent. The silence was interrupted as Naruto whistled with a smile.

He turned towards Temari before offering her a wink and turning the paper towards her, revealing her name on it.

"Looks like it's me and you, beautiful." His compliment illicited a barely noticable blush and he continued speaking. "I look forward to our fight since you actually train."

A roguish smirk formed on his face as he pocketed his hands before walking away. The boy reached his Jonin Sensei and both men glanced at one another before disappearing in separate shunshins.

Temari blinked several times before a small smirk formed on her face. For some reason... She wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face.

Perhaps it was her competitive nature or perhaps she just wanted to prove how strong she really was. She was looking forward to fighting him.

"Naruto Uzumaki, huh?" Her smirk grew as she idly swung her fan. "I'm gonna crush you..."

The Chunin Exams just got a whole lot better now.

Break

Naruto walked side by side with his Sensei in silence as both men kept to themselves. The two Shinobi lazily strolled through the village without a true destination in mind.

"So... You're gonna be training Sasuke aren't ya?" Naruto finally questioned.

Kakashi sighed quietly as he glanced towards Naruto. "Yes. Hokage's orders."

The 14 year old rolled his eyes as he spun a kunai between his fingers. "Favoritism for the Uchiha still amazes me. He's unstable and is a flight risk. What does the Old Man see in Sasuke anyway?"

The silver haired Shinobi maneuvered through the crowds of villagers as he responded quietly. "Is that jealousy I detect?" He asked in slight amusement.

Naruto scoffed in annoyance as he rolled his eyes. "My right hand has more talent than Sasuke ever will. What's the real reason, Senpai? Don't bullshit me with a vague answer either."

Kakashi was silent for a few moments before ultimately sighing and closing his book. "Because he is unstable and he is a flight risk." He answered simply.

The son of Kushina shook his head in annoyance before sighing. "He shouldn't even be a Shinobi... Itachi didn't hold back and that trauma isn't going away any time soon. No amount of 'bonds' and 'happiness' is going to change that. Why does Hokage-sama continue to try?"

The lanky Jonin placed his hands in his pockets before sighing. "Optimism, probably..."

The teen glanced at the older Shinobi before responding. "You don't even believe that."

"Of course not." Kakashi nodded his head as he agreed. "But orders are orders, Naruto."

Naruto shook his head before stopping at the popular bar that most Jonin and Chunin from Konoha frequented. He pushed the wooden doors open before holding it open for the lanky man to pass through.

As Kakashi walked passed, Naruto responded with a sigh. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm right." He proceeded to follow his Sensei as he nodded to several of the Jonin and Chunin who in turn, returned his greeting.

Kakashi reached the bar before promptly taking a seat and ordering a single drink. He pulled his book out of his flak jacket before pocketing his right hand.

"Hiruzen has his reasons, Naruto. Sometimes you just have to accept these things." He shrugged his shoulders as Naruto took the stool beside him.

Naruto tapped his finger against the wooden bar as he rested his chin on his clenched fist. "I still say we should lock the unstable bastard up and only have him procreate when he's of age."

Kakashi hummed quietly as he took a sip from his cup. "Is that your own opinion or something you learned under Danzo?"

There was a brief moment of silence before Naruto glanced at his Sensei out the corner of his eye. "It's better than the alternative." He shrugged uncaringly as he circled the rim of his cup.

Kakashi nodded his head, if only slightly before responding. "Yes... But it's highly unethical."

Naruto countered almost immediately with a raised eyebrow. "Kids fight in wars, Senpai."

Yeah... Kakashi had nothing for that one. Naruto was absolutely right about that. Debating the moral ethicality of the Elemental Nations was always a... foolish endeavor.

Ethicality in this world was so skewed that people were more worried about their possessions being stolen than a 12 year old child dying in a pool of his own blood under the pretense of keeping their home 'safe'.

It was a sad reality that they had learned to live with. It was considered the norm and it would possibly remain that way for the next several centuries.

Shinobi life was incredibly simple but incredibly complex at the same time.

The headaches of all headaches in Kakashi's humble opinion.

The two Shinobi enjoyed their brief silence before another individual joined them. Anko draped her from over Kakashi as she picked his glass up. She rubbed her generous chest against his back before downing his alcohol in one go.

"Wheeeeeeewwwwww!" She shook her head with a smile before wrapping her arms around the lanky Jonin. "Order some more rounds! I wanna get shit faced tonight." Naruto possessed an amuse smile as he gingerly sipped on his Sake.

Kakashi slowly turned a page in his book before reaching into his flak jacket and pulling out a stack of Ryo. He silently placed the money on the counter and pushed it towards the bartender before speaking.

"You heard the lady... More drinks."

The bartender nodded his head before swiping the money up and reaching for the liquor on the shelves. Anko released a happy laugh as her hold on Kakashi tightened. She swayed side to side as her head rested on his shoulder.

"Awwww~! You're too good to me, Kaikai-kun!" The purple haired beauty placed a gentle kiss on Kakashi's cheek before squeezing lightly. "Thank you, baby!"

The masked Jonin nodded his head with a small smile before responding. "You're welcome, Anko."

Naruto idly sipped on his alcohol before placing the glass on the bar. "When are you two tying the knot?" Their eyes found his as he shrugged his shoulders. "What? It's not official if there's no ring."

Anko glanced at her boyfriend before shrugging her shoulders and grabbing one of the many shots that the bartender provided. She tilted her head back before downing the liquor.

Her body shook for a brief moment as she exhaled heavily. "Whenever he buys a damn ring! Married or not, he's still mine and I'll stab a bitch over him."

Kakashi hummed quietly as he turned a page in his book. "Now now now... No need for violence my deadly snake charmer. I doubt there are other women interested."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in disbelief before laughing loudly. "That is quite possibly the most incorrect statement I've heard in my life. Women flock to you like cats with catnip."

A kunai embedded itself deep into the wood directly in front of Naruto. His lilac pupils glanced at the weapon for a brief moment before traveling to the woman who had thrown it.

"Shut up, cutie. Don't give him ideas... He might leave me for someone better." Anko smirked as she snatched another shot before downing it.

Naruto snorted quietly before ripping the weapon out of the bar and spinning it on his index finger. "Doubtful. Senpai doesn't have it in him to leave you... That or he's scared that you'll cut his balls off while he sleeps."

The lanky man nodded his head at the second part of Naruto's statement but said nothing.

"Starting the party early, eh Anko-san?" The gruff voice of one Asuma Sarutobi rang out beside Naruto.

The redhaired teen glanced at the man before nodding his head in greeting. The bearded Jonin returned the greeting with his own nod before offering the teen a cigarette.

Naruto took the addictive stick of tobacco before lighting it with a simple application of Katon Chakra. As he was about to place it in his mouth, it was snatched away.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you aren't allowed to smoke?!"

Naruto groaned quietly as Kurenai threw the cigarette away while taking her place on Asuma's lap. She focused her glare on her boyfriend before speaking.

"And how many times do I have to tell you to stop giving him the damn things?!"

Asuma sported an apologetic expression as he raised one of his hands trying to placate his lover. "C'mon Nai-chan... He's a Shinobi. He does far more dangerous things... Smoking is the least of his worries."

The beautiful woman's glare did not lessen and Asuma only sighed quietly. He glanced towards Naruto before shrugging helplessly. "Sorry Naruto, I tried."

The aforementioned redhead just shrugged his shoulders before downing his glass of alcohol. "All good. Mom over here never lets me do anything fun."

Kurenai rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Asuma. "Yes well, if my troublemaking son listened then we wouldn't be in this situation now would we?"

Anko laughed as she held two shot glasses in her hand. She slid one of the glasses towards Naruto before tossing the other to Kurenai who scrambled to catch it.

"C'mon! No bickering you two! We're getting shit faced tonight! Wooooooo~!" Anko then proceeded to down two more shots before exhaling heavily.

Naruto and Kurenai glanced at one another before shrugging and downing the liquor. Naruto shook his head several times as the substance traveled down his throat. He rubbed his face before releasing a shaky exhale.

"It ain't that strong, cutie~!" Anko swayed on her feet before winking and downing yet another shot.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows before shaking his head. "This is like... 80 proof. The hell are you talking about Anko?!" He glanced towards Kurenai who sported a disgusted expression.

The purple haired woman waved off the question before downing two more shots and leaning on Kakashi. "You two areeee jusss... weeeeeeaaaak." Her voice tapered off into a slight slur as she swayed to and fro.

Asuma chuckled quietly as he gently stroked Kurenai's thigh. "She's already trashed." He shifted the cigarette in his mouth while blowing the smoke away from Kurenai. "Doesn't look like she's stopping anytime soon either."

Naruto shook his head before glancing towards the entrance of the bar. He spotted a few other Jonins who were slowly making their way towards their little group. He spotted Genma who was flanked by Gekko and his girlfriend, Yugao.

Naruto sighed quietly before taking one of the shots and hopping off his barstool. He downed the liquor before shaking his head and placing the glass back on the bar. He waved his hand over his shoulder before saying his goodbyes.

"I'm gonna call it an early night. Got some things to do, wish I could stay though." He ignored Anko's childish insults as she tried to get him to stay. He bid a simple goodnight to Kurenai and Asuma while patting Kakashi's shoulder and walking past Genma, Gekko, and Yugao. He greeted the three of them with a simple hello and goodbye as he left the establishment.

The moon was already resting in the sky as Naruto slowly strolled through the village without a particular destination in mind. He walked for almost 45 minutes and ended up near one of the larger lakes on the outskirts of Konoha.

His eyebrows furrowed when he noticed a person, a woman to be exact, that was standing on the docks. He spotted a familiar weapon on the woman's back and a small smirk formed on his face.

Naruto slowly strolled towards the woman's position with his hands in his pockets. His footsteps echoed out loudly as he slowly strolled up to the Suna Kunoichi.

Temari's eyes narrowed as she slowly glanced to the teen that was now standing within arms reach. The same teen that she would be fighting in the Finals.

The same teen that had called her... cute.

A dash of red formed on her face at that particular memory and she willed the blush down. Why was he here?

Spying?

"What brings you here, beautiful?" The teen glanced at her with a small smile before continuing. "Are you not returning to Suna tomorrow?"

Temari's eyes narrowed once more as she stared out into the crystal blue water of the lake. She debated truly answering the boy as it seemed he was fishing for information. Or perhaps he was genuinely curious. She didn't feel any ill intent from him so... Maybe.

"My team and I will be leaving tomorrow to return back to Suna." She decided to indulge him. If anything, it'd give her something to do other than just staring out into this lake by herself. Maybe he'd be good company.

She blinked as a particular smell invaded her nostrils. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as the particular smell of alcohol wafted off the boy. Not enough to cause her nose to curl or anything but enough to know that he had drank a glass or two.

Interesting...

He shifted on the balls of his heels before nodding his head. "I meant what I said by the way." His lilac pupils glanced over to the girl as his gaze traveled from her head to her feet.

An action that caused heat to radiate in Temari's chest. Gah! He was so bold... What kind of guy was this straight forward?!

Temari didn't know how to respond and her gaze dove towards the wooden dock beneath her. She was not used to being complimented and this was fairly new to her.

"Uhh... Err. Th-thanks." She responded lamely, inwardly cringing at how awkward that sounded. His light chuckle caused a blush to form on her face and this one did not go away.

"I'd say you're not used to being complimented, hmm?" He questioned with no small amount of amusement.

A small glare that held no heat was aimed at the teen who only laughed quietly. "S-shut up!" The girl's hands wrapped around her fan for comfort as the boy raised his hands with an easy smile.

"I'm kidding Temari. No need to bash me with it. Just curious is all." His smile did not disappear as he slowly sat down on the edge of the dock. His left leg dangled off, just barely scraping the surface of the water while his right knee was pulled against his chest. "How old are you Temari?"

The sandy blonde Kunoichi glanced down at the teen before she willed her blush away. Once she was positive it was gone, she answered quietly.

"16."

Naruto nodded his head as he rested his head against his knee. "A bit old to be a Genin, hmm? Definitely Suna's showcase team, I take it?"

Temari narrowed her eyes but did not respond to the boy's questions. Regardless if he was correct or not.

He did not seem perturbed by her reaction or lack there of. He only smiled while drumming his fingers against the wooden dock.

"Gaara is a Jinchuuriki." He stated simply.

A heavy and tense silence settled in the area as Temari stared at Naruto with no small amount of caution and suspicion.

How did he know that?

While it was common for children related to the Kage of their respective village to be chosen as a Jinchuuriki, Sunagakure had three potential children to pick from.

The fact he singled out Gaara instead of her and Kankuro was telling... He had already proved himself to be a dangerous individual and Temari doubted that the boy was actually a Genin. He did not possess the eyes of a Genin but one of a Jonin.

Her grip on her fan tightened immensely as she slowly inched away from the boy. Though the next statement caused her to pause in surprise.

"Relax... Wanna know a secret?" He glanced around the clearing before smiling at Temari. "I'm a Jinchuuriki as well."

Temari swallowed the saliva that built in her mouth before narrowing her eyes. "And you could be lying..."

It was a brief moment.

Just a single second.

But that one second terrified her like no other.

The hatred... The anger... The malevolence that wafted off of the teen was suffocating.

His once amethyst orbs were now the same color as his hair and seemed to glow. Those animalistic orbs settled directly on her and it felt as if he was staring into her very soul.

They were gone just as fast they had appeared.

Temari stepped away with a shaky exhale and was now aware of the fact that she had broken out into a cold sweat. Her teal orbs glanced down to her hands and noticed the shaky and weak grip she had on her fan.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare to you but you'd not believe me any other way." The boy's gaze was now focused on the lake as he drummed his fingers against the dock. "Yes, I am a Jinchuuriki. The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki to be exact. And Gaara is the Ichibi Jinchuuriki."

Temari willed herself to calm down as she stared at the Uzumaki. She was silent for several moments before narrowing her eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

Naruto pursed his lips before shrugging carelessly. "Who knows? Maybe I have an ulterior motive."He glanced at the girl before raising a curious eyebrow. "Or maybe I want you as my wife one day. I have to extend a hand of trust if I want yours."

Temari would have been a blushing mess had it not been for the overall tenseness of this entire conversation.

His wife?!

Kami! He had no tact whatsoever!

Temari shook her head to ignore these thoughts before breathing in heavily to calm down. She exhaled slowly before staring into the boy's amused eyes.

"You gain nothing from this..." She pointed out.

Naruto offered her a crooked smile as he responded. "I wouldn't say that. You confirmed Gaara's status whether you wanted to or not. But like I said, perhaps I have an ulterior motive. That motive being you as my wife." He ended the statement with a cheeky grin as Temari's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Y-you have no tact!" She yelled out in embarrassment.

Naruto offered her a laugh as he responded. "I just know what I want and you haven't really pushed me away. So who knows? Maybe you're the one." He smiled as the girl's face darkened even further.

Temari did not know what to say to these advances and only turned away in sheer embarrassment. Her hands nervously glided across her weapon as she stared out into the lake.

"I uhh... I-I... I'm gonna go!" The 16 year old Suna Kunoichi immediately dashed out of the area in a burst of speed. Naruto laughed loudly as he rested against his chest. Temari was cute.

And she'd most certainly be his.

He'd make sure of it.

Naruto was quiet for several minutes before sensing a presence beside him. He lazily glanced up at the figure who was garbed in an ANBU outfit. They possessed a rather blank mask that only had a single design which rested in the center of the mask.

It consisted of three concave lines that were organized in separate rows. Following the three concave lines were two rows of the same lines but they were cut off at the half way point.

Root.

Naruto said nothing as the Root member stared down at him. Several seconds passed by in silence before the member spoke in a blank tone.

"Danzo has requested that you deal with the Ichibi Jinchuuriki during the final exam."

Naruto raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders and returning to gaze out into the water. "I was already planning on it... But would it not be better to instead capture him and force Suna to act? Killing him seems like a waste."

The Root Shinobi was silent for several minutes before answering in that same robotic tone.

"I will pass the message along to Danzo-sama... In the meantime, you are free to continue with your pursuit of the heiress."

Naruto scoffed at the man before waving him off. "I was going to chase her whether Danzo approved or not. She's the one." His amethyst orbs seemed to almost glow after his statement. He eyed the Root Shinobi before lazily gesturing with his hand. "Run along now. Everything is going according to plan."

The unknown Root member was silent for a brief moment before bowing his head and disappearing shortly after.

Naruto continued to stare out into the lake before closing his eyes with a smile.

Temari was a beautiful woman... She'd be his.

AN: That was really fun to write :D

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