5 New Life - Chapter # 5

The classroom emptied out so quickly that I couldn't even remember the faces of the tutors coming to pick up the new genin team.

The wait was tiring. It forced to stretch the nerves to the limits, created around an oppressive atmosphere of silence and hostility soaring in the air. Representatives of the two strongest clans were silent, only occasionally throwing sidelong glances at each other, and those furtively. None of them wanted to start an argument or swearing out of the blue, because, regardless of the reasons, no one had the right to denigrate the honor of the clan because of their fleeting desires.

- I understand that the jonin was not chosen by chance, - a young girl with black hair indifferently decided to revive the classroom, and then sparks of mockery played in her gray eyes, - yes, Naruto… kun?

- Hmm! - the boy choked at such treatment, trying to impose on this Hinata the image of the one that had been familiar to him for many years. It didn't come out very well. Even in his worst nightmares, he couldn't imagine Huga like this!

- Kushina-san is a very famous and powerful kunoichi. Therefore, I am sure that not only the aspect that you are hinting at played here - this time, a terrible wheezing was heard from the blond, as if someone had put a knife in his throat.

- Hinata is trying to tease, Sasuke is trying to protect… - different thoughts in my head haunted, or rather, they just broke the established worldview. Never before had Uzumaki communicated so closely with these two, so he did not particularly dwell on their character and behavior patterns. And now he had at least six months to carry out missions hand in hand with them.

- Still, I'd like to hear Naruto-kun's thoughts.

Hinata got up and turned around to change the bench to the desk, where she immediately sat down. Her unbuttoned beige jacket fluttered, revealing a fishnet tank top and a dark top underneath. She smiled, and the dimple on her left cheek, so dear to Naruto, became especially clear. There was a naive-childish seriousness in the eyes, which was inherent in all representatives of the strongest clans, but behind it one could see the fervent lights of a rebel and a hooligan. Yes, Hinata Huga was that pain in the ass of her father, very often throwing out all sorts of things and bringing her relatives to white heat.

- Um, I don't know? - Uzumaki smiled wryly, unable to squeeze out a normal wide smile. After a minute of staring, he pursed his lips and scratched the back of his head, after which he turned to the window, as if hinting that they would leave him alone. - After all, I don't make those decisions.

- Well, at least we found out that you have your own opinion, - the clan princess grunted and straightened a stray strand of her long hair.

- I think we didn't quite correctly decide to start an acquaintance, - the Uchiha wanted to start, but everyone heard a restrained cough from the side of the door.

- You're right about that, Sasuke. - A red-haired woman with a Leaf protector on her head drew attention to herself. - Let's take a walk to the roof, and there we will get to know each other better.

The three genin sat at a decent distance from each other, as if not wanting to climb into someone else's comfort zone and keep someone out of their own. Each of them was now studying the shinobi in front of him, and only the blond did it for show, because he had never seen his mother in such an outfit.

- So, - the woman took the first word, since from the very beginning she realized that relations in the team would be strained, at least at first, - my name is Kushina Namikaze, jonin of Konoha. I love my village and family, I hate lies and laziness, - at that moment she threw a short, promising look at her son, - my hobby is cooking.

- A typical housewife, - Hinata whispered quietly through her teeth, which got her attention from the mentor.

- I see a volunteer, - Kushina smiled sweetly, and then her gaze turned hard. - Let's start with you.

- Hinata Huga. I love to train and get what I want, I hate it when something is forbidden to me, - the girl spoke quite loudly and measuredly, without even trying to hide her frankness, - there is no hobby ... Except to get relatives.

- Wow, Sasuke?

- Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like much, - at this moment Naruto's ear twitched from the feeling of deja vu, - but I still appreciate and respect my family and friends. I don't like it when people try to hide something from me. The dream... To surpass my brother, Itachi. In everything.

- It won't be easy, - Kushina nodded understandingly, recalling the first meeting with this little one, who in the circle of adults tried to seem like one of them, making a serious face and slowly, decisively nodding when others came to some kind of decision. He was funny and sweet, but the burden of being an older child and serving in the ANBU fixed that. The true genius of the Sharingan and his clan as a whole. - Well, now you.

The Uzumaki turned away from contemplating the clouds, returning his attention to the mortal earth. Everyone looked at him expectantly, but did not expect any loud speeches from the reserved guy.

- Naruto Namikaze. I dream of traveling, - lazily, stretched out and briefly threw the genin.

- And it's all? - Hinata flared up, puffing out her cheeks with indignation.

- You could at least try to squeeze something out of myself.

- I doubt that you are interested in my hobbies, - Naruto grinned, looking into his mother's eyes, - and you won't understand them either.

- We'll try, - Kushina frowned, not liking that answer. She used to know how flaky her boy was, but after that incident four years ago, it was as if he had been replaced. Relaxed, speaking only to the point, he did not let anyone close to him and himself kept a distance from others. In a word, a hermit.

- Maybe another time, Kushina-taichou, - the Uzumaki answered without hesitation, returning all his attention to the sky.

- Well, let's consider that we met, - Namikaze sighed heavily. - Tomorrow at seven in the morning, be at the second training ground. I advise you to carefully prepare for the test if you do not want to trample on the name of your clan and please back to the Academy.

The rain beat only the melody known to him on the roof, making it impossible to close his eyes. Naruto lay on his side and looked at the water stains on the glass, thinking about the possible prospects for his future. Two carriers of dojutsu, the wife of the Hokage and, in fact, his son. It was not a team, but a tidbit for other villages, even if officially all hidden villages adhered to the path of peace. But the blond knew firsthand how easily a fire could start from a single spark.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and then they entered. Kushina was not surprised that the child did not react in any way to the guest in her room.

- Naruto, - she began softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and running her fingernail lightly over her bare leg, - let's talk.

- I wonder what happened to you, after so many years, decided to come here for such a purpose, - the blond replied, not paying attention to his mother. - Where were you when I needed these conversations?

- We were always there, - Kushina said quietly, her heart clenched at such indifferently spoken words.

- No, mom, you are like an object in front of your very nose, but to which your hands cannot reach, - squinting at the face of the surprised woman, Naruto did not hide how she was confused and bit her lip in impotence. - So what did you want to talk about?

- We have never asked you about your preferences and desires, forcibly pushing you on the path we have chosen. We thought that over time you would understand and make the right decision, - after a long few minutes, Namikaze spoke, touching the boy's skin with her hand and immediately pulling it away. The chakra in Uzumaki's body became active and did not want to come into contact with other objects, leaving through tenketsu out.

- Just terrifying control at such a young age. - She felt everything stop and go back to normal, but the message was clear: No body contact. - Really, how much we don't know about you, Naruto?

- And I understood and accepted it, - blue eyes met with emerald ones, - mother. So what do you want?

- Forgive me, - the woman turned away to hide the tears in her eyes. - Son, I love you and wish you the very best. Even if it seems to you that I am forcing and pushing in the right direction.

Kushina flinched as arms wrapped around her neck and a small body pressed against her back. As if not wanting to say anything for reconciliation, the boy simply tried to convey all his feelings through this gesture, and she answered. She squeezed her son's cold palms with her fingers, unable to keep her tears in herself anymore.

- I... we live under the same roof, we share food, but we share so little of our joys and secrets with each other... we are so far apart, mom, that I... - Kushina felt how noisily Naruto inhaled the smell of her hair, and after a couple of hot drops fell on my shoulder - that I just forgot the meaning of the word "family". Like i never knew what it was. AND… - He tightened his grip on her fingers and clenched his teeth, trying to get those few words out of him that he had never said to anyone. - …AND i learned to live with it.

- We'll catch up, - the woman assured him, wiping excess moisture from her face with the back of her hand. - i Promise you!

- I hope so - the Uzumaki smiled affectionately, releasing his mother and letting her rise. She kissed him on the forehead and left the room, leaving the guy alone. - I hope that never happens, Kushina. After all, your boy is already dead.

Tears continued to fall from his chin onto the covers and Naruto couldn't figure out why this pain in his chest wouldn't go away.

The sun had not yet fully appeared in the sky, so the air was rather cold after the night's rain. Wrapped tightly in their jackets, the three genin waited for their mentor, who had already been fifteen minutes late, to appear.

Uzumaki suspected that this was due to a long conversation between Kushina and Minato the day before.

- You live together, but for some reason you are here, but she is not, - Hinata chattered her teeth, feeling chills all over her body. At first, she was a little afraid, but after she came to the conclusion that it was better to let this test begin quickly. Then we could warm up a bit.

- Maybe something happened? Sasuke asked the blond, who stood aside and looked somewhere into the forest. – Naruto?

- I do not know. Mom is usually quite punctual, - the Uzumaki muttered after a few seconds, looking around at his comrades. He did not understand why, knowing about the bad weather, the two decided to dress in their usual light clothes. The guy himself was in a warm raincoat.

- I see her, - Hinata announced to everyone, veins around her eyes swollen. Three hundred meters at seven o'clock.

- Your house is on the other side, - the Uchiha grunted, glancing at the blond. - Then what was she doing there?

- Sorry I'm late, - Kushina greeted the genin cheerfully, waving her hand. - We needed to prepare a little.

- Prepare for what? - Sasuke asked carefully, narrowing his eyes. Hinata supported his nods.

- To your test, - the woman smiled. - After all, only I now make a decision: to teach you or send you back to cram theory.

- The point? - Naruto asked without thinking. Bells were not visible, so there will be something new. Although, no one said that history would repeat itself and the tests for all jonins are the same. In a past life, he somehow was not interested in friends, what they faced.

- In this forest, I hid three items that I will guard. Your goal: Find their location and get them by any means, - the smile disappeared from her lips. - you can use whatever you have.

The woman glanced at her wristwatch, which was pointing at seven-twenty.

- And it has to be done , - Kushina thought for a moment, - until two o'clock in the afternoon. Ready?

She received three confident nods in response.

- Then we started!