Imperfectly Perfect (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter Seventeen

Sensei's P.O.V

Kurenai, Asuma, and even Kakashi had a drink in their hands. Asuma was chain smoking, and Kakashi held up his graphic novel. Sensei sat there, slightly awkward and out of the circle. The gates had only opened three hours ago, and the sensei of the rookie twelve had gathered together to wait.

"How do you think your students will do, Nimo-sama?" Kurenai asked curiously, breaking the slightly tense silence. Kakashi and Asuma lean in, interested as well.

Sensei groaned internally. Because it would be rude to make his equals or superiors call him "Sensei", his second name was "Nimo", literally meaning "no name". Sensei had aquired many different names over the years, all for different people of different ranks and different occasions. Technically speaking, he was a higher rank then Kurenai; but he, and the Hokage, liked to keep that under wraps.

But that's not what irked him. What irritated him was the respectful "sama" she had added to the end. Sensei understood that she respected his power, respected his past and respected his strength at the age of only seventeen. But it didn't stop him from being annoyed.

At ten they label you a prodigy, Sensei thought to himself, remembering a manga he'd seen advertisements for on the streets, at fifteen they call you a genius. Once you're twenty, you're an ordinary person. I can't wait to be ordinary.

"Nimo-sama?"

Sensei snapped out of his thoughts, glancing up at the other sensei. "Sorry," he apologized, "I was lost in thought."

"It's fine," Kurenai smiled, "So what do you think?"

"Well, it's been a day. They have four more days to get out with their scrolls. I expect them to pass this test, but they'll probably take around three to five days," Sensei acknowledged. "After all, they are onlyrookies."

"Oh, so you're pretty sure they'll pass, Nimo-San?" Kakashi mused.

Sensei allowed his shoulders to relax at the less formal suffix. "Yeah," he nodded. "I have faith in my genin. I'm continually impressed with their teamwork and skill set. Those slowpokes make a magnificent team."

"There's rumor that your team is the best of the rookie twelve," Kurenai raised an eyebrow, sipping her drink.

"I don't know about that," Sensei laughed slightly, "But I do know that even if your best, that doesn't necessarily mean you end up on top, or even pass," Sensei murmured, "I would estimate that we all have a couple of days before our teams finish."

"Well, if you don't expect them to make it to the tower for a couple of days, then relax, have a drink!" Asuma welcomed.

Sensei firmly shook his head. "I don't drink," he replied.

Asuma looked surprised. "Since when?" He asked. "I know you can hold your drink, it's not a problem."

"Yeah, you're a better drinker then Kakashi!" Kurenai exclaimed, forgetting her manners, "Since when don't you drink?"

"You're making me out to be some kind of drinking fiend," Sensei replied dryly.

"And you're avoiding the question," Kakashi pointed out mildly. Sensei winced internally as Kakashi points it out.

Sensei sighed, and silence enveloped the group for a few moments. "One of my students caught me on a bad day," he replied. Everyone immediately sobered.

"The bad day?" Kakashi asked hesitantly.

Sensei closed his eyes for a brief moment, then nodded. "What was worse was that I was on a mission! I mean, of course I had precautions set up and everything, but that's no excuse. And by the time she came up to me I was halfway through a bottle."

Kurenai placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and he allowed her to keep it there for a few moments before shrugging his shoulders lightly, letting her know the moment was over. Sensei sighed harshly, running a hand over his face.

"Did you say anything?" Asuma questioned slowly. Many highly qualified jonin and most ANBU knew of Sensei's past; they had been sent on the mission to shut down the experimental regimen Sensei and his partner had been forced through.

Out of everyone here, Sensei was probably closest to Kakashi-- though he was still aloof. He had gone on a couple of missions with Kakashi before, and Kakashi knew his pain to some level.

"I unloaded my whole fucking story on her-- sorry," Sensei sends everyone an apologetic look for his language. "But she knows. A little genin!"

"Knows what?" Kurenai looked at everyone in confusion, trying to understand what was going in. All she knew was that Sensei didn't have a good past. Nothing more.

"I forgot that you were only recently made a jonin," Kakashi nodded toward Kurenai. "It's Nimo-san's story to tell."

"She can read the official summary," Sensei waved a hand as though he didn't care either way.

Kakashi made a handsign and poofed away, returning moments later with several sheets of paper. Kurenai scanned them quickly, eyes widening in horror before taking on that sickening pity as she glanced towards Sensei.

"That's horrible," She whispered softly, gazing at Sensei with newfound respect, "I'm so sorry, Nimo-sama."

Sensei waved her off, than quickly changes the subject. "So, it's been four hours, three minutes and..." He snapped his silver pocket watch open, glancing at it, "Fifty "four seconds."

The others nodded, respecting his want to change the subject. "Who do you have on your team again?" Asuma asked.

"Shun, Daisuke, and Fuzen."

"One of my students-- Sakura-- talks about Fuzen occasionally," Kakashi mentioned as the name triggered his memory.

"Yeah? What does she say?" It was Sensei's turn to lean forward in interest.

"Nothing much," Kakashi shrugs, "Just the usual stuff little girls say. She wishes they could have been on the same team, though she's gotten over that. Sometimes she worries about her."

"Worries?" Sensei asked.

"Yeah. She just mentioned that sometimes Fuzen would come over to her house. Family problems, apparently. I guess even the rich don't get out of that."

Sensei leans back into the couch, processing the new information. "Huh." Is all he said, "Well--"

He stopped suddenly, a look of surprise forming on his face. "What's wrong?" Asuma leaned forward, concern evident in his posture.

"I'm being summoned," Sensei stated calmly, hiding his surprise.

It takes a second for identical grins to form on the other sensei's faces. "Your team is finished!" Kurenai cheered.

Sensei stands. "See you slowpokes later," he said, giving a lazy two fingered salute with his index and middle finger.

And with that, smoke enveloped him and he disappeared.

_______________________

Tada! An update!

Haha I've been a little caught up with my new fanfic, The Child of God. Please go check it out, I think you'll love it!

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As you can tell, I'm going about the telling if the forest of death a little differently. Fear not, and keep reading! You will get to know what happened in there!

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