Winter Flash

Battle Plan

Sasuke kneeled next to Hinata as the two waited for Chouji's signal, his onyx eyes staring at the Akimichi's back. But then, he found his eyes drifting towards the shy kunoichi. She had always been the top ranked kunoichi in taijutsu and ninjutsu who was probably the only one that could defeat him, she had bragging rights, yet she was never arrogant. She merely stayed her shy, kind self. There were times, rare moments they were, where Sasuke had agreed with the Hyuga clan leader about Hinata being weak. All the other times, he was convinced that Hiashi was as blind as a bat for he did not see the compassion and gentleness of the girl next to him as strength. Sasuke begrudgingly admitted that although Hinata wasn't fit for leadership yet, she was well on her way to becoming ready. He remembered vaguely when he was younger, Itachi had been conversing with the shy Hyuga while waiting for him to get out of class. And when Sasuke had asked Itachi why he was talking with her out of all people, the elder of the two had replied with, "Hyuga-chan may be a shy wallflower and might not be able to stand up for herself, but when she grows up she'll become a fierce shadow of the scorching leaves. She'll become what this village needs; a gentle but firm mother to us all."

"It's almost time, Sasuke-san." Hinata's soft voice disrupted his trip down memory lane.

Sasuke nodded and braced himself, his eyes focused on the bone crushing boulder that was his comrade. 'Comrade...'

"Let's go, Sasuke-san!" Sasuke dutifully followed Hinata, becoming her shadow, as he got two kunai out. He threw the kunai over Hinata and grabbed her awaiting arm. With a grunt, he threw her upwards and charged at the silver haired man in one fluid motion. Sasuke kept his gaze locked with the man's lone eye as he fought, counting down from fifteen in his head, and when he reached three he sent all of his strength into his kick that was aimed for the man's chest. He smirked when he saw the nearly invisible seal attached to the man's vest, sweat rolling down his face from all the chakra he used. "Tired already, Uchiha-chan?" The man teased. "Look again." Sasuke then allowed for his transformation to fall from his onyx eyes which revealed his incomplete Sharingan. The man's eye widened in shock, and that was when a sudden flash of indigo and white crashed into the man with the flash revealing itself to be Hinata with her Byakugan activated. Sasuke shot forwards, helping out the Hyuga as best he could. And when he saw four mosquitoes take out the bells from the man's belt, he called out to Hinata, "The blood has been removed!" Hinata nodded and the two jumped back with the four mosquitoes flying in front of them. The insects soon puffed into smoke to reveal four grinning Narutos. Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and he would have fallen if it weren't for Hinata and Naruto (well, one of the Narutos) catching him. The man sent them a proud eye-smile and said, "Congratulations! You all pass!" Sasuke blinked tiredly in confusion.

"What?" Naruto asked from beside Sasuke as the three Narutos standing in front of them dispersed, so he was the real one....

The man made the ram hand sign and in a puff of smoke, Kakashi Hatake was standing there with his eye closed happily and waving. The three were quiet and Hinata left Sasuke's side, walking towards the man. Sasuke watched with interest at what the Hyuga was going to do since she had her head bowed. And suddenly, he felt a chilling sensation go down his spine he hadn't felt in a long while as his body froze in ingrained fear he had ever since he was just a toddler. Unconsciously, he had tightened his grip on Naruto who was now practically hugging him albeit shakily. "Try to harm any of my comrades again and I'll end you myself." Hinata said in a low, haunting voice. Kakashi nervously laughed as he waved his hands out in front of him. "U-um, LUNCH TIME!" The man got out before speed walking towards the awaiting group. Hinata turned to the two boys and gave them a warm smile. "Let's go guys!" They merely nodded and watched as Hinata skipped happily towards the groups. The two rivals stood silent until Naruto broke the silence. "I-I don't know whether to laugh my ass off or piss my pants." Sasuke only gave an uneasy grunt before the two made their way towards the others. He learned three things that day:

1) Naruto wasn't all that annoying.

2) Tomatoes, cheese, rice, and beans make a great combination

3) Hinata reminded him of his late mother in a good and bad way....

SNEAK PEEK OF CHAPTER FIVE: Forging Bonds

"There is a reason why you are placed in teams. There is a reason why you are genin. You cannot fight on your own, you cannot have the power of a chunin at that age. If you cannot cooperate to work with others, what makes you think you could take on your brother on your own? If you cannot fathom a world without Sasuke, then what makes you think you can become a strong person? If you cannot listen nor think, what makes you think that you can become Hokage?"

"Kakashi-sensei i-is right. B-b-but t-that is why y-you strive t-to improve. I-if you take s-small participation i-in team activities, then y-you will be a-able to w-w-work with others. I-if you s-s-start training b-by y-yourself, then you w-w-will learn to b-become independent. If y-you s-start l-l-listening to your c-comrades and t-thinking of w-what you can d-d-do right n-now, y-you will t-truly begin y-your path t-t-to become Hokage."