Summary: AU. On the night Naruto learns he is the container for the Kyuubi, Mizuki tells him another of Konoha's secrets.

BREAK THE SKY

Chapter One: Boy with a Thousand Faces

Iruka acted out of instinct: eighteen kunai, half a second and one boy with the Scroll of the Forbidden Seals strapped across his back. Naruto flew backwards, and the seven kunai buried into Iruka's flesh with enough strength to throw him against the training field's storage shed. Nothing vital was penetrated, but Mizuki hadn't been aiming for him anyway.

As he coughed out flecks of blood, Iruka didn't feel like a ninja. He felt like a fool.

"Nice job finding the moron," Mizuki smirked.

Iruka had been played from the beginning. Of course Mizuki had come to him – the only one who had bothered to get to know Naruto. He had helped the traitor with his friendship with the jinchuuriki. He almost wanted to laugh – at himself, at the piss-poor excuse for a shinobi he had become. He had setting a bad example for his students.

"I see," Iruka finally responded, trying to stall for time. "So that's what's going on."

"Naruto, give me the scroll!" Mizuki demanded.

The grass to Iruka's left rustled. "Wha-what's going on here? Huh?"

Naruto scooted away from the two chuunin. The confusion in his eyes showed nothing but a scared, helpless, idiotic child. Like Iruka had been … like he still was in some ways, bound by fear and selfishness. As he recognized that look on Naruto's face, Iruka vowed to change. He finally understood the Hokage's words. Iruka would do the duty of a proud ninja of the Konohagakure. He would protect his home, and most of all, his precious student.

"Naruto – whatever happens … don't give him the scroll!" Iruka gritted out as he ripped a kunai from his chest. "That's a dangerous scroll that has forbidden ninjutsu written inside of it. Mizuki used you to get his hands on it!"

Naruto's rose to his feet as his eyes darted back and forth like a nervous rabbit. His thoughts were transparent to Iruka: Mizuki had been kind to him, had wanted to let him become a ninja, unlike Iruka who had failed him without a second thought. But Mizuki had tried to kill him, while Iruka had saved his life. The boy tensed, ready to flee.

"Naruto," Mizuki purred mockingly. "There's no point in you having that scroll. I'll tell you the truth."

"No! Don't!" Iruka shouted futilely. He knew Mizuki revealing the truth was much, much worse him turning traitor.

Mizuki's smile grotesquely stretched across his face. "It all goes back to twelve years ago, when the Yondaime saved Konoha from the Kyuubi no Yoko. I'm sure even you have heard of it, Naruto. On that day, a special rule was created in Konoha."

Naruto's voice was hesitant and … curious. "What rule?"

"Oh, this rule was never meant to be told to you," Mizuki breathed teasingly.

Naruto's hands balled into fists. "Not to me?! What the hell is this rule? Tell me, Mizuki-sensei!"

Mizuki just laughed. He was having almost too much teasing the stupid, demon child.

"What kind of rule?" Naruto begged Mizuki to continue.

"The rule is that nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that you, Naruto, are the Kyuubi," the silver-haired shinobi confided.

Naruto's knees gave out. "What … what do you mean?" Naruto whispered.

Iruka tore out another kunai with a gasp of pain. "Stop it!"

"It's simple, Naruto. It means that you are a demon fox … the monster kitsune that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed this village. You caused the death of the Yondaime that you admire so much when he gave up his life to seal you, and …"

"Shut up!" Iruka screamed, not just for himself and the village, but also for Naruto. Naruto didn't deserve this. He acted tough, but on the inside, he was suffering. The same suffering Iruka knew very well. Naruto just wanted someone to know he was there.

"You have been lied to by everyone. Didn't you find it strange how everyone hates you? Even Iruka is the same. He loathes you! No one will ever love you! And if they ever did, they would be killed..."

Coldness washed over Iruka, and he began to shake in something akin to panic. A terrible chakra was beginning to bubble off of Naruto's skin. This was the first time Naruto had ever manifested proof that he held a bijuu. Surely even a fool like Mizuki wouldn't –

"… Just like your mother. That's right, Naruto, even a beast like you had one, though not for very long. She tried to steal you from the village while you were still a baby. She was arrested and executed, under the orders of your beloved Hokage!"

"You're LYING!" Naruto growled as he stood up. His eyes were blood red. "The Old Man told me – he told that no one knows who my family is!"

Mizuki frowned, faint traces of fear flickering in his gaze as he pulled a fuuma shuriken free from its bindings on his back. "Die then, believing whatever you want. That scroll on your back was the last work of the Yondaime Hokage. It was written to seal you up … turning the village's immortal enemy … mortal."

Mizuki's weapon whistled as it sliced through the air. Naruto froze, unbelieving that someone was actually trying to end his life. The boy had never seen death before – never felt killing intent.

Without hesitation, Iruka's body flickered in and out of sight with a Shunshin no Jutsu and took the shuriken to his back with a grunt. The forest was silent, save for the steady drip of Iruka's blood falling onto Naruto's cheek.

Naruto's eyes were blue once again as they filled with tears. "Why?"

"He is wrong, Naruto," Iruka said, meeting Naruto's gaze head-on. "When I was growing up … no one complimented or acknowledged me either. I acted like an idiot. I just wanted whatever attention I could get since I wasn't good at anything they taught at the Academy. It was better than nothing, but it was so painful. To have no one care … to not be special to anyone."

Iruka paused as his heart wrenched with a pain worse than being stabbed, and tears openly fall from his eyes.

"Naruto … you must have also been in so much pain. I'm so sorry. If I had only done a better job, you wouldn't have to feel like this. You wouldn't have to feel like no one loved you."

Mizuki scoffed audibly.

Naruto flinched. The look in his eyes was one of distrust. The boy took off into the dark forest without looking back, the Scroll of the Forbidden Seal still strapped to his back.

"Naruto!" Iruka cried out to no avail.

Mizuki leapt off of the tree. "Fool. A demon can't have a change of heart. He's probably planning to use that scroll to get revenge on Konoha. You saw his eyes earlier … the eyes of a real demon."

Iruka removed the fuuma shuriken from his back with a sick squelching sound. "Naruto isn't like that," he panted.

"If that's what you want to believe, be my guest," Mizuki sneered, eying Iruka's injured body. "I'll finish you off you after I get that scroll."

And with that, Mizuki took to the trees.

Cursing under his breath, Iruka yanked out the remainder of the kunai from his arm and leg. Quickly, he performed three familiar seals. There was a poof of smoke, and when it settled, Uzumaki Naruto was in his place.

It didn't take long for Mizuki to find him: he'd purposely been breaking off branches and breathing heavily. Though Naruto was poor at most jutsu, the boy was fast and stealthy. Mizuki, who never bothered to watch Naruto like he had, wouldn't know of their student's skill.

Mizuki, transformed to appear as Iruka, called out to him. "Naruto! Hurry – give me the scroll! Mizuki is after you!"

Iruka used the branch he landed on to launch himself at Mizuki, burying his fist into the traitor's stomach. Mizuki was thrown heavily to the ground. "Why, Naruto?" he asked in a trembling voice, before dropping the Henge. "How did you know I wasn't Iruka?"

Iruka released his own Henge and grinned. "Because I'm Iruka."

"I see." Mizuki's lips rose into their own unbidden smile. It was almost like they were still the friends they had been for years. Iruka had always managed to surprise him. But things had changed.

"How ironic … you'd even transform into the thing that killed your parents to protect it," Mizuki chuckled as he walked towards the wounded chuunin.

"I won't let the scroll fall into your hands!" Iruka vowed.

"Fool! Naruto and I are cut from the same cloth. Using that scroll with let him unlock all the power he wants! There's no way the Kyuubi wouldn't use that scroll to its full extent."

"You're right," Iruka agreed. "The Kyuubi would destroy us all. But Naruto ... He may not be the hardest worker. He's clumsy and no one accepts him. But he knows the feeling of pain in your heart. That's something the Kyuubi could never feel. He's not the Nine-tails. He's Uzumaki Naruto!"

Mizuki's face twisted uncomfortably, as though deep down he knew that Iruka was right. Regardless, he grabbed another windmill shuriken. "Whatever. You're just like his bitch of a mother. I said I'd take care of you later, but I've changed my mind. Die like she did, Iruka!"

Iruka smiled sadly. So this was the end … to be killed by someone he'd thought of as a friend.

A blur of orange shot out of the bushes, knocking Mizuki back. The shuriken was kicked off course and embedded itself in a tree.

Naruto slammed the scroll on the ground beside him like a staff. An otherworldly snarl erupted from his throat as his pupils changed to slits. "Don't you dare touch Iruka-sensei. I'll kill you!"

"You idiot!" Iruka yelled. "Why did you come back? Run away!"

Mizuki staggered to his feet while laughing hysterically. "This is too rich! I can kill a failure like you in one move."

Naruto's narrowed as his hands formed a single seal. "Give me your best shot, you piece of shit! I'll return the pain a thousand times over!"

"Do it then, Kyuubi!" the silver-haired chuunin dared. "Kill me if you can."

"Taijuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto growled.

One thousand Naruto clones stared hatefully at Mizuki. Their eyes were red as each pulled out a kunai.

Mizuki's legs gave way. "No…" Mizuki whispered in fear. "This can't be..."

Each clone was burning crimson with chakra. Iruka shook as the evil chakra rolled through the trees. It was beyond normal killing intent – it was demonic.

Iruka began to cough as his stomach tried to force bile out through his lips. Naruto, no!, he thought desperately, too scared to form words.

"What's wrong?" mocked one of the Naruto clones.

Another took a step forward baring its sharp, white teeth. "Weren't you going to kill me in one move, Mizuki-sensei?"

"P-please don't," Mizuki started, urine staining the front of his pants.

Naruto's thousand faces grinned. "Goodbye."

Tenzou's steps didn't falter as he raced towards the demonic chakra pouring out of the west even though every cell in his body seemed to be screaming at him to run away.

His team was comprised of battle-hardened ANBU who had seen the worst sides of humanity, but he could sense their reluctance. He'd hesitated during his own first experience with a bijuu's fury. He had been a virgin to the world of S-rank missions. It had ended with his first failure since accepting his forehead protector. The memory of facing off with Iwa's Gobi no Irukauma was not a pleasant one.

"The Yondaime's seal will hold," he reassured his team, deciding it was worth it to break their regulation of silence. "We have long known that he would awaken that chakra one day. It is our duty to protect the Leaf until he can control it."

His team didn't relax, but their panic abated slightly as expected – they were Konoha's best.

It returned full-force as they arrived near the scene. Something was screaming wordlessly over and over, sounding more like a tortured animal than a human.

A brown-haired chuunin ran out of the brush towards them. His clothes were stained with blood and vomit was streaked down his front. He gripped Tenzou's vest with trembling hands. "Naruto – he –please help him! I tried – oh God! – I thought it would help!"

"What happened?" Tenzou demanded, shaking the chuunin firmly. "I can't help him if you don't explain coherently."

The chuunin's dark eyes calmed down enough to answer the ANBU captain. "Naruto … he learned the Taijuu Kage Bunshin from the Forbidden Scroll. There must have been hundreds – all of them had that chakra. He … killed Mizuki, the traitor who tricked him ... who told him about the Kyuubi … and Kushina."

One of Tenzou's team swore.

"He wouldn't stop hitting Mizuki's body. It … you can't even tell it was a human – just blood and bits of flesh and blood. I screamed at Naruto to stop it, and I know it's still him inside, because he listened. Only, when the clones dispersed, it seemed like all of the anger went into his real body ... All of the Kyuubi's chakra and fury combined – his hands were like claws, and he turned them on himself instead of attacking me – he's killing himself!"

Tenzou nodded. It made sense that the boy's body wouldn't be able to handle that chakra until he had proper training. "A medic team is on their way. It's best if you stay here until it's safe."

The chuunin nodded slowly. Tenzou signaled to his team as they made to depart – two to support him directly, the other three to circle around and trap the boy in the center. There wasn't time to form a better plan.

They passed a tree with the splattered with must have been the remains of the traitor sensei. Blood was smeared almost twenty feet high. Left near what appeared to be part of a lung was the Scroll of the Forbidden Seal. Tenzou nodded, and Koga grabbed the scroll and retreated back to the village.

The jinchuuriki froze as they approached, nostrils flaring as he smelled the air. A single tail of chakra was swaying behind him and long gashes ran down his face and arms, though they were already emitting steam as the Kyuubi's chakra healed its host. Without warning, he rushed at Towa, who'd been approaching from the North, with high Jounin-level speed.

"Shit!" Tenzou cursed as he slammed his hands together.

A wall of wood shot out of the ground between the jinchuuriki and Towa and curled over and around to form a dome, but the boy retreated out before it could trap him.

"Naruto," Tenzou addressed the boy calmly, hoping to encourage him to suppress the chakra on his own. His Mokuton would be effective at this level even without the aid of a kesshouseki, but the Hokage had suggested would be best if Naruto himself learned to control it. "We are not going to hurt you. You have done very well protecting the scroll and your teacher. Everything is okay now. Let us help you. Breathe deep and remember yourself."

"Where is Iruka-sensei?" the boy demanded gutturally. His teeth had lengthened, and the whisker-marks on his cheeks were jet black. "What did you do with him?"

"Iruka is hurt, Naruto. He is getting help from medics. Don't worry – he is safe. It's okay to stop channeling that chakra."

"You're lying!" Naruto raged, his tail whipping around and nearly catching Komachi. "You're going to kill Iruka for protecting me! I'll kill all of you first!"

Tenzou realized that he would have to suppress the chakra himself. Naruto was far too angry to hear reason. Undoing the damage the traitor had done today would be a long, hard road.

Wood snaked out of the ground and wrapped around Naruto's struggling body. Tenzou held out his palm. "Hokage-shiki Jijun Jutsu – Kakuan Nitten Suishu!"

Ten spiked pillars erected around the entrapped boy, as Tenzou leapt forward. He pressed his palm to the boy's chest and jumped beyond the pillars. A line of chakra formed between them, and the Kyuubi's chakra began to drain from Naruto. But something didn't feel right –

The captured jinchuuriki poofed into smoke, and the supposedly empty Mokuton dome near Towa exploded into shards of wood.

"Oh shit –" was all Towa had time to gasp before his throat was ripped out in a single swipe.

Komachi broke formation, screaming in incoherent fury. She fired off senbon with a vehemence Tenzou had never seen from her before – every throw aimed for the jinchuuriki's vitals.

They never even touched him. The Kyuubi's chakra flared and blasted the needles off-course.

Tenzou flickered to Komachi's rear and knocked her out with a chop to the neck. He set her down lightly. He sympathized, but she was a liability now.

At his command, Uzuki let a handful of kunai fly – all aimed to injure, not kill. The jinchuuriki's tail lashed out and blocked the first batch, but Tenzou had thrown a second volley made of his own chakra-resistant wood in the first's shadows. They hit their mark, and Naruto hissed in pain.

So this was the real one. Tenzou judged his reserves were sufficient for another chakra suppression, but he'd had to rely on his team to disable the boy's movement's first. It was risky, but it was their only choice.

"Naruto! My God, what have you done?"

The jinchuuriki froze as his teacher's accusation.

The chuunin from before had – stupidly – returned. Tenzou didn't know what on earth he was thinking. It was hard enough for a team of ANBU to keep the situation under some semblance of control, and to disrupt that was needlessly reckless. However, since he was already there, Tenzou could take advantage of Naruto's distraction.

"That was a shinobi of Konoha, Naruto!" Iruka cried, stepping forward towards Naruto. "He was trying to help you!"

"But sensei …" Naruto rasped, tears welling in the corners of eyes that oscillated between red and blue. "I thought they would kill you, just like …"

Iruka cringed.

"This is a very different situation, Naruto," Tenzou interjected. "Trust your sensei. We are your comrades, not enemies."

Naruto's were red as he looked at Tenzou with distrust. "How do I know this isn't a dirty trick? Everyone lies to me. And now I – that guy … I killed him."

Without warning, Iruka grabbed Naruto's wrist. The Kyuubi's chakra began to burn the chuunin's flesh, but Iruka didn't let go. "Naruto," he said comfortingly. "It's okay. It's okay."

Naruto tried to shake his arm free from his sensei's iron grip. "S-sensei! Let go, I'm hurting you!"

"It's okay," Iruka soothed with a smile. "Just let that chakra go. I'm here, I'm safe – I promise you'll be safe too. The Hokage just wants to protect you."

The fight left Naruto's eyes, and the lingering Nine-tail's chakra dispersed away with the wind. Iruka's hand, still on Naruto's wrist, was blistered with second-degree burns.

Naruto turned his head away, holding his free hand to his mouth. He dry heaved against his fingers while Iruka rubbed reassuring circles on his back.

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt weariness seep through him to the bone as prepared to face Naruto. This was not how he'd wanted Naruto to discover the truth of his prisoner, nor the tragic business with Kushina. Out of habit, he fumbled in his desk for his pipe.

The Sandaime was used to this weight. His life had been marked with mistakes and betrayal. Such was the way of the shinobi. Most recently, the Uchiha clan had been destroyed when he ran out of time and alternatives. The peace of the past six years had been bought with the blood of one of the village's strongest clans. Perhaps the cause of his greatest pain was letting his most coveted student walk away after discovering he had betrayed all of his teachings. Even his own son turning his back on him hadn't ached like that. His other students, each of them brilliant to the point of legend in their own way, strayed from their home without looking back. And then there was Minato – arguably the best shinobi to come out of the village during his long lifetime – sacrificing his life far too early. He had the perfect heart, mind and body for a Hokage. To lose him before his prime was almost too cruel.

The Hokage puffed at his pipe as he lit it, then exhaled harshly through his nose. He wondered what Minato would think, if he were alive today. Sarutobi didn't regret his choices despite how much pain they brought him. In his heart, he knew he was far too old to be wearing this hat and these robes.

There was a firm knock at the door.

"Enter," he intoned, setting his pipe down.

Tenzou and Iruka flanked Naruto on each side. The blond looked incredibly small. It was hard to believe he was already twelve. There was hardness in his gaze that Sarutobi had never before witnessed from him.

"Please, have a seat, my boy," Sarutobi said, gesturing to the chairs before him. "I imagine you're exhausted, but I'm sure you have quite a few questions – and words of angers – for me."

"So it's all true then," Naruto spat, not meeting the Hokage's eyes.

"What is all true?" the Hokage asked.

Naruto's eyes squinted in anger. "That I'm the Kyuubi … that you … had my mother killed."

"You are not the Kyuubi – merely its jailor," Sarutobi responded slowly. "The Fourth sealed it into you to save the village at the cost of his life. He wanted you to be seen as a hero."

Naruto gave a bark of unhappy laughter. "Am supposed to feel grateful for that? His intentions don't seem to be worth much, since everyone hates me. He ruined my life, and I wasn't even just some orphan without a future, like I'd thought. I … I had a mother, didn't I? Did I have a father too?"

The Hokage sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "The truth … can be a heavy burden. I had hoped to protect you from it until you were much older."

"It's too late for that," Naruto snapped. "I deserve to know."

"Yes, I suppose you do," the Hokage conceded grimly. He clasped his hands together and leaned onto his elbow. "Your father's records are a sealed SS-class secret. I am sorry, but I will speak no further on the matter, lest I be tempted to lie to you again. In regards to your mother … her name was Uzumaki Kushina. She hailed from Whirlpool Country, a land that was destroyed ten years before your birth. She was a lot like you – almost foolishly brave and always making mischief. She was always the loudest person in a room. Kushina didn't let you forget she was there. I, like many others, was very fond of her.

"Your mother didn't realize you had been chosen as the vessel to the Kyuubi until after it was done. No one knew of the Fourth's plans. Even I am still not sure of the reason you were selected to house the bijuu. It had never successfully been sealed before, which is a testament to both your own strength and the Yondaime's genius.

"She loved you regardless of your burden, or perhaps even more because of it. She was furious, however, with the Yondaime. Since he was already dead, she made do with scrawling graffiti all over his face in the Hokage Mountain." The Sandaime paused as a small smile rose unbidden to his face. "You were strapped to her back and giggling the entire time."

Naruto's lips were parted slightly as tears streamed down his face, but he let the Hokage continue.

"However, the village was a wreck in the aftermath of the Kyuubi's attack. Minato didn't name an heir, so I was called back into office. The other nations began to eye Konoha during its weakness. People were scared to face another war, especially one without the power of the Fourth. Foolishly and irrationally, blame fell onto you. Kushina began to nurse a deep hatred for the villager's treatment of you. Many of her friends turned their back on her because you reminded them of their loss. She lashed out, violently, to those who voiced their opinions on you. In the end, she came to this office and begged me to let you leave Konoha with her. She felt this wasn't the village she'd come to love. I couldn't disagree with her.

"Unfortunately, things weren't that simple. You know now that you're not an ordinary child. To risk you falling into enemy hands would spell certain disaster. Even apart from my priorities for the village, for your safety, I couldn't let you leave. Kushina was many things, but she wasn't all-powerful. I tried to reason with her to give the village time to mend its wounds. She seemed to agree, but the last thing she told me was that she had her own wounds to heal.

"Unbeknownst to me, she had taken matters into her own hands. Whirlpool survivors had scattered to all of the continents, and one of her childhood friends had made quite a name for herself in Kirigakure. She agreed to meet your mother at the coast and bring you under protection of the Mizukage.

"A team of ANBU had been assigned to tail you and your mother at all times. Kushina tricked them into entering your home with a Kage Bunshin asking for help … and blew it up. In the chaos, we had thought she had killed you both as well. When we realized what had happened, a retrieval team was assembled to bring both of you back alive.

"They caught up with your mother before she ever reached the coast. She was imprisoned and stood trial after being interrogated. She was judged guilty of treason and first-degree murder. Shortly thereafter, she was executed, and you became a ward of the village."

The Hokage observed Naruto. Quite understandably, he looked lost. There was a lot of information for him to absorb. The truth was always the hardest to understand. Anger was brewing underneath the shock and hurt, but Naruto tried to suppress it so he could learn more.

"What … what did she look like?" Naruto asked quietly.

The Hokage nodded, and an ANBU dropped from the ceiling and left a box on the Hokage's desk before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. The Hokage stood and brought it over to Naruto. The boy opened it. It was full of pictures.

A warmly smiling woman peered out of the photo. The Sandaime had not seen Kushina's face for many years, and was once again struck by her vitality and beauty. Her sheet of long, red hair was clipped back on one side, letting her bright eyes draw the viewer in, their blue depths seeming to sparkle with a secret laughter that the serene set to her lips masked.

"I have one more thing for you, my boy," the Hokage murmured sadly.

The Sandaime held out a Konoha hitai-ite in his wrinkled hands. "Today, you are no longer a child, but a ninja of this village. May your Will of Fire guide you."

Naruto took it.

Naruto didn't want to go back into Iruka's classroom. Everything had been so strange since he'd found out the truth. He'd barely been able to sleep – every time he closed his eyes, his mother's face stared at him, ever loving, which made it hurt even more. His shoved a hand into his pocket and clutched at the hitai-ite inside. He'd worn it when his shinobi registration picture was taken, but when he looked at his finished profile, he immediately took it off. It felt stifling against his head.

But he didn't want to disappoint Iruka either. He walked through the classroom doors.

He noticed a free row in the back. He hoped he could sit down without being bothered, but Kiba called him out immediately. He was wearing a particularly loud shade of orange, after all.

"I thought failures weren't supposed to show up today, Uzumaki," the dog boy remarked as he rubbed his nose with his thumb. "You lost?"

Naruto just shrugged dully at him and sat down. He was too tired to butt heads with the Inuzuka today.

"The hell is his problem?" Kiba muttered to Akamaru. The dog on his head just barked in shared confusion.

Naruto noticed several people were staring at him: the lazy Shikamaru, the weird Hinata and that asshole Sasuke. He wondered if they knew the truth about him. He'd heard the whispers going around the village: that he'd stolen the Forbidden Scroll … that he killed someone in the training grounds … that he'd awakened 'that' power and was tricking the Hokage. Most seemed to think he should be jailed or executed. He supposed he should be grateful that the Hokage had covered up the death of the ANBU. A lynch mob would probably show up at his apartment doorstep if that information got out to the general populace.

Naruto wasn't sure which was the worse possibility: everyone in his class hating him for being a jinchuuriki, or if they just hated him for being him.

He buried his head in his arms, tired of cold stares. He really had been an idiot, to trust in the village for so long – to accept everything that had ever been told to him at face value.

He sat back up when Iruka-sensei came into the classroom. Iruka-sensei glanced at Naruto's bare forehead with a frown for a moment before addressing the class. "Starting today, all of you are real ninja. As genin, however, the hard journey that lies ahead has just begun. The first step is forming a three-man team, each lead by a jounin-sensei. Your sensei's instruction will mold you all into successful shinobi who can proudly complete missions for the village…"

Iruka-sensei continued expounding on the glory of serving the Hokage and Will of Fire, but Naruto was just thinking of how the speech was just a prettied-up way of calling them tools. In a ninja village, tools that didn't obey were thrown away like trash – like his mother. He squeezed hitai-ite that was still in his grip until the metal started to bend.

"… And Team 7," Iruka-sensei continued, "is Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke."

Despite himself, Naruto's eyes darted around looking for Sakura-chan's familiar pink hair. She was sitting next to Sasuke of all people, and looked like she was on cloud nine. Naruto thought that her blushing cheeks made her look very pretty.

She looked up and caught his stare. Her lips curled into a snarl as she glared at him, shaking a fist threateningly. It seemed like nothing had changed. It was comforting.

Unbidden, his lips twitched into his old grin as he scratched the back of his neck. For some reason, stretching his facial muscles like that hurt more than it ever had before.

When Iruka finished naming teams, he informed them that their jounin sensei would arrive after lunch. While most of the students broke off into little groups to eat around the grounds, Naruto remained in his seat. He wasn't hungry. Most of all, he was tired.

Iruka-sensei made his way over to the blond rested a hand on his shoulder. The hand was still bandaged from where the Kyuubi's chakra had touched him. He knew, without asking, that the burn would leave a permanent scar. "How are you doing, Naruto?"

"I'm fine," Naruto answered tonelessly, wishing it were true.

Iruka nodded, giving Naruto's shoulder a squeeze. "Well, I'm here. Not just now – I'll be here for as long as you need."

Naruto didn't say anything else. For that moment, Iruka let him pretend that everything was okay.

Sometimes, Hatake Kakashi hated the Sandaime. He wondered if it was somehow amusing to him that Kakashi be given a team that seemed more like ghosts than children. Perhaps it was punishment for failing all those other teams just in protest of being put on the roster for jounin sensei. It was well known that his 'teamwork' test was a sham. If the team thought of themselves, they were failed for lacking teamwork. If they managed to work together, Kakashi failed them for being too weak to retrieve a bell.

However, orders were clear this time. Team 7 was to pass. It was too much of a risk to Konoha to hold back the last Uchiha or the container of the Nine-tails. Frustration from either could spell disaster, and the council and Hokage felt that a Sharingan holder would have the best chance at keeping their powers in check. The civilian-born girl, he supposed, just got lucky ... or extremely unlucky, if one counted on the danger that being part of such a team guaranteed. It was rare for a ninja without a clan to graduate the academy at all, and rarer in the case of kunoichi. Despite her perfect written test scores, Haruno Sakura didn't impress him, but kunoichi rarely did.

The Uchiha greatly resembled other geniuses with grudges that Kakashi had worked with – and sometimes saw in the mirror. Still, underneath brooding eyes peering over his clasped hands, there was something about him that screamed potential. The boy was brimming with it. Despite the boy's blood, Kakashi didn't see Obito in this kid – he saw himself. It scared him.

Naruto … well, he didn't match his file at all. He'd expected a prankster brat who never shut up. The Third had warned him that the boy had visibly changed after learning of Kushina's defection, perhaps even more than the revelation that he held the Kyuubi. Kakashi had two strong impressions: that the Kyuubi's anger bubbled just below the boy's skin and that he didn't trust anyone. He looked painfully like the Yondaime.

On thing was certain to Kakashi: this was probably the most volatile team Konoha had assembled since the Sannin.

"Well," the silver-haired jounin finally said, "let's introduce ourselves. Just your name, likes, dislikes, dreams – stuff like that. Ladies first."

Sakura smiled brightly, pink tingeing her cheeks innocently. Her hands were clenched in fists she framed her face with, as though she were trying to appear coy. "Um, I'm Haruno Sakura! I l-like, well, that is…" she trailed off, looking 'covertly' at her dark-haired teammate, "… more like a person I like. My dream is …" Again, her eyes flickered to Sasuke. "I don't like Naruto!" she finished heatedly.

Naruto frowned at her proclamation and appeared to take a sudden interest in his sandals.

Kakashi was reminded, quite clearly, why he didn't like passing academy students. "That is fascinating," he deadpanned. "How about you with the dark hair?"

Sasuke was looked at Sakura with open disgust before schooling his features into a neutral glare. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I dislike most things. I don't particularly like anything. And … I can't really call it a dream … it's more of an ambition: to resurrect my clan and to kill a certain man."

It was as Kakashi suspected. He regarded the boy wearily before turning to the last member of Team 7. Naruto was staring at Sasuke with a curious expression on his face. Kakashi knew, off the record, that the jinchuuriki had killed the traitorous teacher as well as an ANBU. Like mother, like son, Kakashi supposed. He wondered what part of Sasuke's little speech resonated with him.

"The whiskered one," Kakashi prompted. "You're up."

Naruto flinched at Kakashi's little cruelty. He didn't bother to suppress a defiant stare of dislike. "Uzumaki Naruto. I like … ramen. I don't like liars. I don't have a dream right now."

Sasuke and Sakura both sat up a little in surprise. Sakura gawked in flat-out disbelief, while Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. Naruto didn't look at either of them.

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Kakashi said waving airily. "Well, I'm Hatake Kakashi, your jounin sensei. My likes and dislikes are none of your business. As for dreams for the future, who knows? I have a lot of hobbies…"

All three's faces betrayed annoyance. It was kind of cute, in a way. "Now that we've got introductions out of the way, I can start talking about your shinobi duties. First, we're going to do something special with just the four of us: survival training."

"But we've already had survival training at the academy!" Sakura protested, voicing the same confusion that showed on Sasuke and Naruto's faces.

"Oh, this isn't a normal training exercise. I'll be your opponent." Kakashi let a dark chuckle slip out.

"I don't see what's so funny," said Naruto.

"It's that – well, you guys are going be kind of upset about the truth. Out of the 27 graduates, only 9 will actually become genin. The rest will be sent back to the academy. This training is pretty tough – at least two-thirds of the class fails. Hilarious, huh? Anyway, prepare to show me your real skills on the training ground tomorrow. Bring all the shinobi tools you have, and … I'd advise skipping breakfast. You'll probably just end up throwing it up. The details are on this leaflet – make sure you're not late!" he said cheerily as he passed out papers.

Sasuke read his with a combination of annoyance and confidence. Sakura bit her lip worriedly, but appeared determined. Naruto barely glanced over the paper before folding it up and jamming it into his pocket.

"If you have trouble reading the kanji, Naruto, I'd be happy to help you," Kakashi offered sarcastically.

Flatly, Naruto said, "No."

"Naruto, you dummy!" Sakura screeched, bonking the blond on his head. "Show our sensei some respect! Do you want him to fail you?"

"Hehe, you're right Sakura-chan," the boy said weakly, but his eyes told Kakashi he was lying for her sake. "Sorry sensei, I just have a headache right now. I can't wait until the test tomorrow – I'll be sure to kick your ass!"

Sakura seemed to be placated, and her body relaxed now that Naruto had acted like she expected. "You wish!" she taunted happily.

Kakashi's lips quirked. Maybe the Hokage had been right about putting the Haruno girl on Team 7 after all.

"Yo! Good morning, kids."

"You're LATE!" Sakura chastised Team 7's sensei with an accusing finger. It was ridiculous! The paper clearly said that the survival training began at 7 AM. That airheaded sensei was over three hours tardy.

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, looking like he didn't give a damn. The nerve of him! Were all jounin sensei this weird?

He meandered over to three stumps that were in the center of the training field. He set down a timer on the middle stump, and drew out two bells from his vest. "Alright, the alarm is set for noon. Your objective today is to take these bells from me before time's up. Those who don't have a bell by noon get tied to the stumps while I eat your lunch in front of you. As you can see by these two bells, one of you will definitely be tied to the stump. And … if you don't manage to get a bell from me, you'll fail. I'd suggest using shuriken and kunai against me. You won't stand a chance unless you come at me with the intent to kill."

Sakura gasped. "But sensei! That's dangerous! What if we accidently hurt you?"

"I'm not particularly worried that you'll hurt me, Sakura. There's a better chance that you'll hurt yourself."

Her mouth fell open, but no words of defense came to her. Her sensei was right – what could she do against a jounin? She looked down at her feet, but then felt a breeze fly past her.

Naruto, that idiot, was running towards their sensei with a kunai in his hand. Faster than Sakura's eyes could follow, the jounin phased out of sight. When he reappeared, he was behind Naruto. He'd maneuvered Naruto's own kunai to point at the back of Naruto's neck.

Sakura shivered as she realized how easy it would be for Kakashi to kill them. She was glad he was their teacher, not their enemy. Even Sasuke looked impressed with their sensei's speed.

"Take it easy, Naruto. I haven't said start yet."

Naruto scowled, but he too seemed shocked Kakashi's swiftness. "Don't talk about Sakura-chan like that!" he grumbled.

Sakura couldn't believe how dumb Naruto could be. He was going to get himself killed with his annoying crush on her. It would have been nice if Sasuke-kun had done it, though.

Kakashi looked at the orange-clad boy appraisingly. "Heh, I'm sorry for being blunt. But I'm glad one of you has prepared to come at me with killing intent. I like that in a ninja. Well, enough chitchat. Let's get started … Begin!"

Sakura quickly darted for the cover of the bushes. She noticed Naruto and Sasuke had also hidden themselves, since the clearing was empty save for Kakashi. Maybe Naruto was finally starting to learn some sense – she'd been worried he would try to fight Kakashi face-to-face.

She continued her observation of her teacher. Incredulously, she watched him pull out a copy of 'Icha Icha Paradise' and begin to read it as he stood casually in the open. She knew, through various sleepovers, that the book was porn! What kind of teacher read smut in front of their student? She felt rage build up in her … but not enough to override her fear of Kakashi's strength. It'd be best for her to wait until Sasuke-kun or Naruto made their move. Maybe Sasuke would even get a bell for her!

Kakashi snapped his book shut. Even from Sakura's vantage point, she could tell he looked angry as he took off towards the forest north of her. As stealthily as she could manage, she followed him.

She had to suppress a shout as she realized why Kakashi seemed so mad. Naruto was attacking Sasuke-kun! Granted, Naruto was losing against the Uchiha genius, but he'd given up Sasuke-kun's hiding place in the process. Of all the stupid, selfish things Naruto ever done, this was the worst!

When Kakashi let his presence be known, Sasuke-kun used the distraction to skillfully fire off a handful of shuriken at their sensei before retreating to find another hiding place. Naruto stood his ground and pulled out a kunai.

Kakashi easily dodged the shuriken. "What the hell are you playing at, Naruto? Sasuke is not your target!"

"I was hoping you'd take advantage of knowing his position and attack him. You know – getting rid of the competition."

Kakashi-sensei's one eye conveyed utter disgust for Naruto. Sakura had seen that look directed at the blond from some of the villagers and teachers before, but she hadn't expected it from Kakashi. She didn't know how Naruto could stand it – it probably was because he didn't have any parents to teach him manners, so he didn't even notice.

"Why wouldn't I just attack you?" Kakashi asked coldly. "You're by far the easier target."

Naruto grinned humorlessly. "Because I'm not even here."

Kakashi's eye widened and a shuriken flew from his hands. It sliced right through Naruto's left arm.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed hysterically.

Before Sakura's terrified eyes, Naruto poofed into smoke. It had hit Sasuke earlier, so it was a solid clone. They were never taught that type of jutsu at the academy. How the heck did someone like Naruto manage to learn that?

Kakashi clucked his tongue in disappointment from behind her. She whirled around, drawing a kunai out from her pouch. Her hand shook – the thought of trying to kill someone with the weapon in her hand was ludicrous. Somehow, it had never sunk in despite all the practice exercises. In her dreams, Sasuke always came to protect her from all enemies. She hesitated.

"You should have attacked me while I was distracted with Naruto," her teacher rebuked mildly. Pain shot through her like white fire as he buried a fist in her belly, knocking her breath from her. She had never been hit this hard in her life. Her kunai fell to the ground. "Come on Sakura, show me your taijutsu."

It was as though her body was moving without her. She saw a hand reach out desperately for a bell before Kakashi slammed his foot into her chest, knocking her against a tree.

"I'm going far too easy on you," Kakashi drawled lazily. "Is this the level of the academy's top kunoichi?"

"D-damn it!" Sakura cursed. She tasted blood in her mouth. Training at the academy had never been like this. They had learned ikebana and chadou more than how to fight. She reached for another kunai and this time attached an exploding seal to it. She flung it with all her strength towards her sensei's stupid masked face.

He caught it in between his thumb and forefinger and threw it right back. It landed in between her feet as he froze her with a wave of killing intent. In that moment, Sakura felt her life flash before her eyes as despair overtook her. Surely Kakashi-sensei wasn't allowed to kill her! It was just a test! He wouldn't dare –

The exploding note detonated.

Pain a million times worse than being punched or kicked wracked through her body. Someone was screaming, high and endless. It was her voice. No one came to help.

She struggled to sit up and saw – her left leg had been blown off to the knee. This ... this couldn't be real. "KAI!" she cried, praying she was right.

The horrible pain slid away, and she began to sob in relief. She wasn't hurt at all. She was okay. There seemed to be a distant roaring in her ears, like a tidal wave was crashing over her.

"Much better," she vaguely made out Kakashi saying. The earth seemed to wobble until she fainted, welcoming the oblivion.

Kakashi crossed his arms as he surveyed the genin before him. Naruto was tied to the pole in the center while Sakura and Sasuke sat unbound on either side. The jounin's voice was light as he addressed them. "About this training… Well, there's no need for you guys to go back to the academy."

Sasuke could hear Sakura cheering. He smirked – perhaps Naruto and Sakura had done better than he thought for them to have the jounin's approval as well.

"All three of you should quit as shinobi," Kakashi finished, no longer sounding carefree.

"W-what do you mean?" Sakura asked, blinking away tears. "I mean, we didn't get the bells… but quit?"

"All of you are just brats who don't deserve to be ninja."

Fury overtook Sasuke. He was just a brat? Bullshit! He launched himself towards the one-eyed shinobi with a speed that surpassed what the chuunin instructors at the academy could manage. He would prove his worth to Kakashi. He wouldn't allow himself to be held back.

Kakashi effortlessly grabbed onto his arm, twisted, then slammed Sasuke to the ground. He sat on Sasuke's back while grinding a foot into Sasuke's head. "Like I said," the jounin continued conversationally. "A brat."

"No! Don't hurt Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shrieked.

Sasuke's embarrassment burned even stronger at the girl's words. He was too weak. He hated himself fiercely.

Kakashi pressed his foot down harder against Sasuke's skull. "You three have underestimated what a ninja is. Why do you think you were divided into teams of three in the first place?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto's question sounded angry.

Kakashi sighed. "Basically, you guys aren't understanding the answer to this test. Can any of you guess?"

"Why don't you just tell us?" Naruto said impatiently. "This guessing game is dumb, since it's pretty obvious we don't know." Sasuke privately agreed with the blond.

"You're right, this team is full of idiots," Kakashi sneered. "The answer is teamwork. The three of your working together would have a much better chance of getting the bells."

"What?" Sakura complained. "That makes no sense – there are only two bells! No matter what, someone would fail. Of course we wouldn't work together."

"Duh," Kakashi said blankly. "The purpose of the test is to set it up so you only think of yourself – to see if you can forget about your own interests and successfully work together. You, Sakura, didn't think to ask Naruto, who would have gladly given you his bell if he had one, to help you. When you regained consciousness, you only thought of Sasuke."

Sakura went white-faced with shame.

"Sasuke! Though you proved that you're worthy of the title of top rookie, you assumed the others would get in your way and tried to do everything by yourself."

Sasuke grimaced, partially because he was still being stepped on, but mostly because he knew to the core that Kakashi was wrong. Others would just slow him down and get hurt in the process. But he wasn't above playing along with his sensei's delusions if it meant passing. He would do whatever was necessary.

"And the worst was Naruto! Even if you managed to show you have a healthy appreciation for traps and underhanded fighting, you not only didn't support your team, but you attacked a teammate without being provoked. I have never seen such a cowardly tactic used in this test, which is why you are tied to the stump and will go without lunch."

Naruto had the nerve to not look sorry at all. He'd changed lately, Sasuke noticed, and he disliked this new Naruto even more than the original. "I don't see what I did wrong," Naruto retorted.

"Individual play like that puts the whole team in danger. Maybe you don't care about my life or Sasuke's right now, but what if your little plan ended with Sakura getting killed? A team needs support from all of its members to operate best. A single weak link will break a chain."

Kakashi finally got off Sasuke and walked over to a stone slab with a melancholy slump to his shoulders. Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck irritably. The jounin had humiliated him, and Sasuke wouldn't forget it.

"Do you see the names carved on this stone? They are the names of ninja recognized throughout Konoha as heroes," Kakashi said soberly. "Not just any kind of heroes though. All of them died in the line of duty. Many of my friends' names are written here, as well as both of my genin teammates."

"So what does that have to do with teamwork?" Naruto commented idly. "Why didn't teamwork save them, sensei? Did you let them die?"

The air grew thick with tension. Sasuke had no idea what Naruto was trying to do by needlessly antagonizing their sensei. Knowing Naruto, he was just being a pain in the ass because he could be. If he angered the jounin into failing them all, Sasuke would make him regret it. Naruto's actions wouldn't just hurt himself this time – he'd bring Sasuke down with him.

"I suppose you're right, Naruto," Kakashi answered slowly after swallowing several times, voice strangely even. "I don't want you three to make the same mistakes I did. I'll give you guys another chance after lunch, but it'll be much tougher to get the bells. Those who still want to be a ninja can eat lunch – but don't give any to Naruto as punishment for attacking his teammate. If anyone gives him food, they will immediately fail. Got it?"

With that, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"What the hell were you doing?" Sakura questioned Naruto in exasperation as she and Sasuke opened their bento boxes and began to eat. "You probably brought back a lot of horrible memories for Kakashi-sensei, and don't get me started on you attacking Sasuke-kun. You really are the worst, Naruto."

"Sorry, Sakura-chan," Naruto mumbled, tummy gurgling with hunger. "I guess I got a little carried away."

Sakura huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Well you should be, shouldn't he, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke ignored her in favor of pointing his chopsticks at the bound boy accusingly. "You've changed."

"Maybe you just never paid attention before," Naruto retorted as he bristled with discomfort. "You've been busy with planning to murder some guy, apparently. I guess you're in the right profession."

Sasuke slammed his bento down. "If you don't shut up things that aren't your business, I'll rip out your throat."

Infuriatingly, Naruto laughed. "Oh man, I'd love to see you try."

"We," Sakura blurted loudly, "should come up with a plan now to get those bells! We won't be able to do it without working together, right?"

Sasuke bit back his response – Sakura was right. There was no way he was going back to the academy. Itachi had graduated at the age of seven. Fighting Naruto was a waste of time. The other's skills were pitiable compared to his. "You and Naruto back me up while I attack."

"Wow, a brilliant plan from the last Uchiha – simple and stupid," Naruto commented mockingly.

Sakura elbowed him hard in the side. "Shut up, Naruto! That sounds good, Sasuke-kun!"

"How about this," Naruto suggested. "We attack him now, before he expects it."

"You seemed to have forgotten that you're all tied up, moron," Sasuke pointed out. "I'm not cutting you free."

Naruto slipped out of the ropes as though they were a baggy sweater, and flashed the two a peace sign and his trademark shit-eating grin before dispelling with a poof. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"How on earth…" Sakura wondered aloud.

Another Naruto poked his head from around the wooden pillar. "In some ways, Kakashi's right that teamwork comes in handy," the original Naruto admitted. "It's a good thing I kept this guy around just in case."

Sasuke surveyed Naruto with suspicion. "What jutsu is that? A normal Bunshin wouldn't be able to undo the rope."

"You're right." Naruto made no move to elaborate.

Sakura looked at the two of them nervously. "Come on, Naruto, we're your teammates now. You can tell us. I mean … I know you don't have a clan to teach you family techniques. Does it have to do why you graduated even though you failed the exams?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Naruto hissed at her, but at once looked ashamed at his outburst.

Sakura looked like she'd been slapped. "Jeeze! You don't have to be such a jerk. Now that I think about it, you should get back into those ropes, Naruto. Kakashi is sure to fail us if he finds out you broke the rules again."

"No." Naruto didn't meet her eyes. "I'm tried of being looked at like I'm less than shit. I want to make him feel like shit."

Sakura scoffed. "What are you talking about? Sensei hasn't done a thing to you! No one has, and yet you've been walking around with this huge complex. You're no one special, Naruto. I swear idiots like you without families think they can cause trouble whenever they want and say whatever they want. My parents would have punished me for months if I were as horrible as you. You're lucky to not have to deal with that –"

"Shut up." Sasuke was almost as surprised as Sakura that he had said it.

"W-what, Sasuke-kun?"

He glared at her in abhorrence. "Don't talk about growing up alone like you have any idea what it's like. A spoiled, useless girl like you has no right –"

Naruto moved in between Sakura and Sasuke. "Stop talking to her like that. You're the spoiled one. It's 'Sasuke-kun' this or 'Uchiha-sama' that. The village treats you like a goddamn prince, and you've done nothing to earn that acknowledgement except survive while the rest of your family died. How come you were the only one left alive, you bastard?"

Sasuke's hands itched with the desire to launch a fire jutsu at the blond, but he knew some things could hurt worse than ninjutsu, and he wanted to make Naruto break before roasting him. "Humph. I'm not a bastard since I actually had parents. You were probably just some whore's mistake, a burden on the people of Konoha to provide for."

"Take that BACK!" Naruto snarled bestially – and it scared Sasuke.

He took a step back, no matter what his head was saying. Naruto's eyes were blood red with slits for pupils – not like a Sharingan, but like an animal's … a monster's. Was it some sort of bloodline limit? Sasuke feared it was something far worse.

And then, a red chakra that even worse than his brother's had been on that night started to pour out of the other boy. The intent he could feel was past killing. Killing was human. It spoke of rending a body into unrecognizable pieces, annihilating everything in its path and leaving nothing but despair. Demonic, was the word that came to mind. Naruto took a step towards him, shattering Sasuke's frozen shock. "Sakura! Get out of here!" Sasuke warned, not managing to suppress the panic in his voice. "Find help – find Kakashi."

"I – I can't move," she stammered. "Help me, Sasuke-kun!"

"Damn it," he muttered, his hands flying through seals he'd practiced for years before bringing fingers to his lips. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

The thing wearing Naruto's body leapt out of the way of Sasuke's massive fireball with raw grace, but it cleared Sasuke's path to the pink-haired girl. He twisted around back to face his foe. It seemed the rumors that Naruto had killed Mizuki were actually true. It was ludicrous that the dead last of the academy was hiding such power … but he couldn't deny when it stood before him. Naruto's thin frame seemed to be coiled with strength, and the orange of his clothes not a joke, but a warning.

The scarlet chakra peaked in a burst of ferocity, washing over the Uchiha like boiling water. Sasuke became aware that his eyes were stinging as though they'd been pricked with tiny brands. When the throb of pain receded, he could see everything clearly – the number of steps between them, the grains of rice scattered in the dirt from the bento boxes, the tension in Naruto's hands. He watched Naruto reach into his weapon pocket and take out a kunai. The strange chakra seemed to cling to the weapon like a viscous poison.

The moment after the kunai left Naruto's hand, Sasuke dodged, letting his body take over. There was something about that chakra that told him the kunai wouldn't just cut, but ruin.

A girl's pained scream resounded from behind. Sasuke remembered, too late, that Sakura was still hiding in back of him. Ice seeped into his veins. Once again, he was too weak to protect a single thing but his own hide.

It was with detachment that Sasuke observed Kakashi flicker to Sakura's side. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion, like everything was deep under water. A gash ran under the crying girl's left eye – despite the blood flowing out of the wound, Sasuke could see that she had been cut deep enough to reach her cheekbone. Naruto's dangerous chakra lingered around the injury, corrupting the flesh it touched. He turned to look at the other boy. Naruto's mouth opened and closed like a dying fish's – all traces of the red chakra had evaporated from his body. Naruto's mask of weakness had slipped back on, but Sasuke wasn't fooled. "Oh no … I didn't mean –" Naruto stammered.

"Quiet!" Kakashi barked as he applied a bandage taken from his pack to Sakura's face. "I need to bring her to the hospital. Never have I seen such selfish, unworthy and spineless behavior. Both of you are lower than trash." Kakashi gave Sasuke and Naruto one last incensed glare. "The two of you … just leave. Team 7 fails."

All of this was seared into Sasuke's memory – every last detail.