Chapter 1- To Compare with
"Kiyoko! Stop!" Hiashi calls out. A girl with black and red hair, part of it covering the right side of her face, flinches. Up till now, she had been hitting a tree over and over again. She looks at Hiashi with her blank eye apologetically. "I’m..." she starts before cowering, pressing her finger together repeatedly. Hiashi looks at her sternly before continuing. "Who have you seen do that?" he asks. Kiyoko backs up a step, muttering something under her breath. Hiashi continues to glare at her. "Who?" he demands. Kiyoko looks up. "Hinata-Chan..." she replies. Hiashi nods before walking away.
As soon as he is out of sight, Kiyoko hurriedly walks away from the estate.
Upon reaching the main village, she walks over to the ramen shop. Entering, a young lady with brown hair greets her. "Hello, Kiyoko-San. Naruto Hasn't arrived yet." she says, smiling. Kiyoko smiles back. "Thank you, Ayame-san. I think I’ll wait for him here."
Right then, a boy about the same age as Kiyoko, maybe a bit older, walks in. His spiky blonde hair is held back by a blue headband with a piece of steel on it, the symbol of the Leaf village engraved. His blue eyes are unusually bright and he has 3 lines on each side of his face. After he enters, Kiyoko smiles even more, if it's possible. "Naruto-Kun!" she cries out. Naruto Grins goofily as he pats her on the back. "You ready to go, Kiyoko-San?" he asks, patting her head. Kiyoko looks up at him, her smile gone. "I’m not sure...Father caught me training this morning..." she says before Ayame puts two large bowls of Ramen on the counter in front of them. Naruto and Kiyoko look at the bowls, then at Ayame. The older girl smiles sweetly. "It’s on the house." she says before continuing to wash dishes.
Kiyoko and Naruto's eyes widen and sparkle. Simultaneously, they sit down, pick up chopsticks, separate them, and start eating. Kiyoko, however, eats very little, leaving half of the bowl full as she stops. Naruto, with noodles cascading from his mouth looks at her questioningly.
"Keroyo-ran, has long?" he asks, his mouth full. Kiyoko hold her head in her hands as she replies. "I'm a little nervous...What if i'm not good enough and your sensei refuses to tell father that I should be a ninja?" she says worriedly. Naruto Slurps down his Ramen and breaks out into a huge smile. "Don't worry! You're good enough and you will Become a ninja, Believe it!" he practically yells, pumping his fist into the air. Kiyoko smiles at him, regaining her composure. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."
Naruto nods and shoves the chopsticks back in her hands. "You need to eat! Kakashi-Sensei says that a starving Ninja is too reckless!" he chides. Kiyoko grins and wolfs down the last half of Ramen.
Finished, both of them thank Ayame and walk out towards a large field. Waiting there are two people the same age as Naruto. One of them is a girl with green eyes and pink hair, her ninja band put up in her hair like a hair band. The other is a boy with dark eyes and black spiky hair, with his headband on like Naruto's.
As Kiyoko and Naruto approach, the pink-haired girl waves. Naruto waves back enthusiastically. "Hey Sakura-Chaaaaaaaaaannnnnn!!" he yells, breaking into a run. Sakura calls out "Hurry up! Me and Sasuke have been waiting for an hour!!" she yells. The other boy, Sasuke, says nothing but glares at the newcomer.
"Hey guys, Meet Kiyoko!" Naruto says cheerfully. Sakura smiles but Sasuke humphs and looks away. Kiyoko bows. “I am pleased to meet you both. I hope we can be friends.” She says softly. Sakura starts to reply, but someone suddenly materializes in the middle of the group.
“Hello everyone. Sorry I’m late.”
The man has silver hair with his headband covering his left eye. His right eye is dark and he wears clothing of one who is a Jounin, an elite Ninja. Sakura smiles at the man. “Good morning, Kakashi-sensei.” She says. Naruto, however, growls. “You’re late again, Sensei! Why can’t you ever be on time!?” he yells. Kakashi looks at him calmly and smiles with his eyes, as his lower face is covered by a mask. “Naruto, you have yet to introduce your lovely friend.” He says. Naruto grins again. “This is Kiyoko Hyuga. She’s a friend of mine.” He practically yells. Having been squatting the entire time, Kakashi stands up and walks a bit closer to the group, looking intently at Kiyoko. “And what purpose would you have here, Miss Hyuga?” he asks in his ever-gentle voice. Kiyoko’s composure drops a little bit and starts to play with her fingers, looking very much like Hinata. “I…I have come to…to ask…to ask you if…if I can be…” she stutters. Kakashi listens patiently, Sakura has a slight vein popping out on her forehead, Sasuke is watching them all impatiently, and Naruto looks like he is about to scream.
And scream he does.
“I’ll tell him, Kiyoko-San! She wants to be trained, Kakashi-Sensei! And if you won’t help her I’ll…” he yells before Kakashi raises his hand. Naruto shuts up at once and Kakashi begins to speak.
“Naruto, I am well aware of her intentions, as is Lord Hokage. You have no need to worry, Kiyoko-san, about your Father finding out.” At this, Kiyoko brightens up, but Kakashi continues, more serious than before. “But if you’ve heard from Naruto that being a ninja is…fun…and that’s all you’ve come for, then turn around and go home.”
Kiyoko’s smile fades and she looks at the ground, tears forming in her eyes. “I…” she starts, but Kakashi begins to talk again. “Therefore, I will give you two months to try and learn as much as one of these three-“ He points to Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke “-Then I will test you to see if you are worth my time.” He says seriously. Kiyoko nods and Kakashi looks at his pupils.
“Which one of you volunteer?” he asks.
Sakura’s hand shoots up, but is then pulled down by Naruto, who then puts his hand up. As they both struggle, Kiyoko follows Kakashi’s surprised gaze.
Sasuke’s hand is raised in the air.
As Naruto and Sakura look at Sasuke, stunned, Kakashi…smiles… again. “So, Sasuke, you wish to train her?” he asks. Sasuke nods. “I’ll give it a try.” He mumbles, but Naruto bursts.
“You just want to taint her! You want to take her to Orochimaru! You’re not interested in training her!” He yells. Kiyoko blushes. “Naruto-Kun...it’s…” she starts, but Sakura shushes her as Sasuke starts to speak. “I have no intentions of letting Orochimaru know of her. I simply know I can teach her better than either of you could.” He finishes, his face and voice expressionless. Naruto seems to want to yell again, but Kakashi, thankfully, intervenes. “Naruto, Sasuke has a point. However, after I test her, we will all help train her.” Naruto opens his mouth to argue, but Kakashi stops him. “This is how it will be, and arguing will do no good.” He says with finality. Naruto glares at him, his gaze murderous.
Sakura walk up to Kakashi. “Sensei, do you plan to have her learn everything that we know?” she asks, concerned. Kakashi once again smiles. Kiyoko grins herself, thinking how odd it is that one would smile so much.
“My plan is, Sakura, to get her to catch up to all of you…” he says, but Sasuke interrupts. “You can’t possibly expect me, or either of the others, to teach her in two months what has taken us a little more than a year to learn.” He finishes. Naruto chimes in “Yeah, Kakashi-sensei! She’s not ready!” he yells. Sakura nods. “And she hasn’t even been in the academy yet.”
Kakashi stares at them. “I would have thought better of you three. You, of all ninja, should know about inner strength. Kiyoko is ready for this.” He turns to Kiyoko. “Aren’t you?” he asks.
Kiyoko nods. “I am.”
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