Chương 159: Chapter 159

Naruto was so taken he nearly forgot he would, and has, put his life on the line. Even in this very moment, his future self is putting everything on the line to save the entire shinobi world and it's deeply upsetting to look at the uncertainty around the room.

'They're raising their hands!' Naruto observes as genin after genin raise their shaky palm and quit, hurting their teammates in the process. Naruto momentarily forgot his tortured heart to raise his own hand, high, before slamming it down hard on the desk, making the connected desks around him creak and crack from the force as he arrests the entire rooms attention. "Don't underestimate me! I won't run! I'll take your damn question! Even if I'm a genin forever, I'll still become Hokage!"

"I'll ask you again," Ibiki calmly yet strictly states. "This is your last chance. Your life is riding on this decision."

Thinking of Naru-nii, of Iruka-sensei, of his team, of Kurenai and Haku, of Gaara and all the other shinobi of this world, Naruto confidently asserts the single greatest fact of his entire existence, "I don't quit. Not now, not ever!" Words that echo profoundly for many in the room, but more with Ino as this wasn't the first time she's cognizant of that frame of his mind. Ino's heart pumped a little faster by his rather public conviction and she grows a little warm, tightening her crossed legs at the repeatedly verified thoughts of his virility.

Sakura can't help but smile affectionately, thinking with fondness, 'that's just like you.' If it's possible, Hinata didn't think she could admire him any more than that moment. Sitting next to him as he shouted his nindō to a seasoned Jōnin shinobi—who's daring her blond love to quit now or lose the very thing he loves forever—Naruto would not bend, nor go back on his words. 'Kami…' is all Hinata mentally gasps as her heart beats incredibly fast.

Sasuke smirks in mild amusement, thinking, 'that idiot.'

After looking around the room, a stern Ibiki calls out, "congratulations on passing…" but rather than listen any more to Ibiki's explanation, Naruto is looking around the room. He confuses the red-haired girl with glasses looking at him for Gaara again before he locks eyes with Gaara and uses hand signs to ask, 'do you want to grab lunch after this?' To which Gaara squints confused before looking away.

Naruto hears Ibiki finish with, "those who can't put their destinies on the line, who cling to the uncertain future of 'there's always next year,' and walk away from their chance… those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices don't have the right to become Chūnin!"

It's then that Anko makes her flamboyant entrance just like Naru-nii had chuckled about. Naruto's heard a little of her history as well and found it just as sad as many of the other tragic characters. Naru-nii didn't know the details around Anko's story but he did mention that she was Orochimaru's student and was marked with the same curse Sasuke gets, though Sasuke's is supposed to be much stronger.

Rather than be put off by her odd, theatrical entrance, Naruto claps in part because he's empathetic, but also because he appreciates showmanship. He calls out as he claps, "whoo! Sweet entrance! It's bad timing, but I'll definitely remember it!"

HAKU

With a basket of lunch in his grasp, Haku waits for Naruto outside of the Academy. It's slightly surprising when the long-haired brunette recognizes the buxom kunoichi lugging a large, rolled up black screen over her shoulder. Haku bows respectfully as one of his interrogators stops to greet him.

"Haku-kun," Anko hollers. "I hope you're keeping your pretty little nose clean. We may have accepted your asylum, but I'm sure I don't have to remind you what'll happen if you break any of the conditions of your probationary residence."

"You do not, and I am, Anko-san," Haku greets.

"You waiting for your blond brat to get out," Anko asks, turning to the Academy behind her.

"Yes," Haku answers sweetly. "I thought I'd bring him lunch, since he's always ready to eat," he says as he lifts the cloth wrapped bento for Anko to see.

Anko chuckles, verbally adding, "aren't you just the cutest little housewife. I doubt he'd pass the first task, but if by some miracle he does, he'll have, like, maybe an hour before the second task."

"I have faith he will," Haku informs the buxom torturer.

"The first examiner is Ibiki," Anko happily prods Haku's confidence with. "You remember him, right?"

Haku's pleasant mask doesn't break and he nods, answering, "I do. How lucky of Ibiki-san to finally have this opportunity to witness how amazing Naruto-kun is… and how wrong he was."

Anko chuckles knowingly before changing the topic and directly stating, "I could tell what team you play for, but, what I don't get is why you wanted to rile up Genma by steppin' beside Kurenai." Looking at the beautiful unflinching face smile in answer, Anko's grin widens before she shrugs, saying, "not that it matters. Truth be told, I thought it was hilarious, but she's my babe, Haku-kun, so I'll tell you this now. I don't know what you're playing at, but if she gets hurt, in any way, the kid-gloves come off and I show you what real torture is. Got me?"

"Of course, Anko-san," Haku calmly states, bending his head with respect. "I have the utmost respect for Kurenai-san. She's shown me nothing but kindness since I've come to Konoha."

Though clearly suspicious, Anko nods, stating, "yeah, she's pretty amazing… worth killing others brutally over, if you get my drift."

"Loud and clear," Haku says smiling at the clear death threat should anything happen to Kurenai.

Anko quickly nods then rushes away to the adjacent building. From Haku's vantage point, he can barely see Anko rolling herself in the large black curtain, then hurling herself from one building to the Academy, smashing through the window in the process.

Wide-eyed by the woman's Naruto-ish antics, Haku is yet again marveled at the difference between his past and current life, bringing a smile to his womanly face. Though he misses Zabuza-sama terribly and thinks about him every day, Haku is immensely content by Naruto's side. Not simply because the young blond was such a positive force in this dark and bleak world, but because being here was Zabuza-sama's gift to him. 'And it's the best gift I could ever hope to receive,' Haku thinks with a content smile.

As if thinking about the amazing shinobi he's aligned his allegiance to, the blond potential Chūnin exits the building. Haku waves at Naruto, and though his smile isn't as bright as he'd like it, it's better than the tears four days ago. Fortunately for her well-being, his pink-haired teammate is dragged away by Ino-chan as Naruto rushes to him.

"Hey, Haku," Naruto greets happily, thinking how amazing it feels to have someone waiting for him after getting out of the Academy. Naruto realizes he's no longer a student, but, having always watched on from his lonely swing how many families reunite at the end of a school day always added a deeper gash to his lonely life. Though his heart is aching, Haku being here, waiting for him, refined his perspective to something a little more positive.

"How did you do," Haku confidently asks, as if there's only one clear answer.

"I totally killed it," Naruto says with a smirk before they hear behind him, "Naruto-kun was amazing."

Kabuto walks up to them as he praises, "he completely blasted away the mental challenge of the proctor's plan."

"…I don't like suck-ups," Naruto flatly states, frustrated by his inability to think of a believable way of handling the spy without exposing Naru-nii and the future. If worst comes to worst, he'll tell Ji-chan regardless of what happens, but the Narutos know any great plan only needs one thing to fall into place and get everything going.

Haku places a gentle palm on Naruto's shoulder and smiles before apologizing. "Forgive him, Kabuto-san. He- well, we're both connected by the strongest of bonds."

"I understand," Kabuto says. "I think it's wonderful you both have each other."

"May I speak with Naruto-kun alone," Haku asks, squeezing Naruto's shoulder before he could object to asking permission.

"Of course," Kabuto says before shyly asking, "do you think we can see each other again?"

Naruto hates the blush on Haku's cheek as the beautiful boy responds, "I'd like that." After Kabuto leaves, Haku quickly asks, "is there anywhere we can talk in private?"

Naruto grumbles, "there's a place on the way, since I don't have a lot of time."

INO

After dragging Sakura away from the other rookies, the kunoichi find a secluded area in the field behind their Academy, near the tree line and under the shade of a tree.

"What do you want?" Sakura finally asks before focusing on what really matters. "Did you see Naruto? I may not completely hate you for what you did to me, but I most certainly hate you for what you did to him." Sakura hadn't seen Ino since that day. Sakura had fallen asleep in Ino's embrace and hadn't woken up until the following morning, weak, tired, and dry.

"I know," Ino agrees as she takes out her lunch. "Come on. We only have an hour and I want to tell you what I never got a chance to say before." Ino begins eating her bento while she waits for her pink-haired former friend and rival.

With a huff, Sakura settles in the grass to eat her own lunch, demanding, "so?"

"Look," Ino starts. "I know it sucks he's hurting right now-"

"Because of you," Sakura exclaims.

"Because of us," Ino corrects. "Or are you telling me he wouldn't eventually be hurting when you reject him- truly reject him at some point down the line. You were going to break his heart anyway."

"I may not want to date him, but I wouldn't have hurt him like that," Sakura retorts.

"Look I don't want him to have a broken heart either," Ino states, mentally finishing, 'but I maybe, sort of want to date him and I don't want to compete with you again!' But rather than being brutally honest with Sakura, a cowardly Ino moves on. "The thing I wanted to tell you before is, I think Sasuke needs help more than a relationship, so I'm not going after him anymore." Dropping her dumpling, Sakura is clearly surprised as Ino continues, "regardless of how much more conscious you are, I don't know if you want to continue pursuing him or not, but if you do, I won't get in the way."

"You… you're giving up on Sasuke," Sakura incredulously asks.

"I wouldn't say I'm giving up on him," Ino states, thinking of the evolution of her definition of love, and all that she's learned throughout the past five months. "Sasuke's my first love, and he'll always be someone special in my heart, but, he's a person first, and his needs as a person are more important than my fantasy."

"Ino…"

Feeling a little closer to the raven-haired genjutsu mistress Ino greatly admires, she smiles and tells Sakura, "I know the type of kunoichi and woman I want to be. No matter how challenging and uncomfortable it is for anyone and everyone to accept, myself included, I don't want to run from who I am."

"…And who is that," a mildly astonished Sakura gently asks.

"I don't know yet," Ino answers with a genuine grin. "But I'm less scared of who that might be now."

They remain silent for the remainder of their lunch, both thinking about the questions and answers of who they are and who they want to be, but one also thinking about all the possibilities blond boy presents.