I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

As it was the first day of a new term, most of Class 3-A's lessons were purely supplemental. It would take weeks before they transitioned into learning something new, so the day ended as it had started, with most of the students only pretending to pay attention while one of their Sensei's droned on about the greatness of Lord Hashirama, the First Hokage. With a series of synthetic chimes announcing the end of the school day, the Chunin instructor silenced the growing clamor, shouting, "Good job on your first day back at the Academy! I expect everyone to continue giving it their all for the remainder of the year! Dismissed...!" Now that they were officially free to leave, the aura of boredom that had permeated the classroom abruptly disappeared. Children that had been on the verge of passing out moments prior were now full of energy, Kaia being almost the most enthusiastic as she turned to Wu and asked, "Want to come over and play!?" Not expecting anyone to invite him over on his first day, the cogs in Wu's mind kicked into overdrive as he considered the positives and negatives of the situation. Fortunately, he didn't have respond as Kiba interjected to retort, "Are you an idiot? You have to assist Ane-san with Kotodoma's new pups. You know outsiders aren't allowed into the kennels." Deflating like a balloon, Kaia ended up drawing circles on the floor until Wu said, "It's no big deal. I might not be able to come by today, but that doesn't mean I can't visit in the future. Just be sure to ask your parents in advance. I don't want to intrude." Bouncing back to her feet, Kaia balled her tiny hands into fists, staring at Wu with stars in her eyes as she replied, "You're so smart, Aniki! If I can get Tsume-sama's and Kotodama-san's permission, we may even be able to play with her puppies together...!" Curbing some of Kaia's vigor, Kiba gave the slightly shorter girl a light knock to the head as he said, "Stop being so forceful." Then, as he also had responsibilities back at the Clan compound, he turned to Wu, adding, "Thanks for looking after Kaia today. As the future leader of the Inuzuka, I owe you one." Extending his first, Kiba waited for Wu to reciprocate the gesture before grabbing Kaia's wrist and dragging her away. The petite Inuzuka offered no resistance to Kiba's somewhat forceful actions, but she waved to Wu until they had exited the classroom. Feeling as though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders, a genuine smile graced Wu's face before promptly transitioning into his usual mask as Sakura tentatively approached him. She became noticeably tenser as the distance between them closed, but she managed an awkward smile once they were enough to converse, initiating the conversation by saying, "Sorry to bother you, Wu-kun, but I couldn't stop thinking about what you said earlier..." As he had said many things, Wu raised his brows, remarking, "Not to be rude, Sakura, but can you be a little more specific? I was pretty nervous at the time, so I can't fully recall what was said." Though her brows furrowed slightly at Wu's informal way of addressing her, Sakura managed to overcome her discomfort, explaining, "The part about you being new to the village. I can imagine Lord Hokage gave you something to prepare, but if you have any questions about the theoretical aspects of our lessons, I should be able to answer them..." Seeing Sakura avert her eyes near the end, Wu briefly narrowed his own before smiling radiantly as he replied, "Thanks, Sakura. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. In exchange, feel free to rely on me as well." Seizing the opportunity, Sakura's nervousness appeared to disappear as she gained a genuine smile and revealed, "Ino, myself, and the others all wanted to know what you were discussing with Sasuke-kun. He doesn't really talk to anyone else, so we wanted to know if there was any trick to getting him to open up." Unsurprised by the pinkette's request, the corners of Wu's smile curled upward as he replied, "It's pretty simple, really. Uchiha-san has a strong desire to grow stronger. If you or the other girls could keep up with him or had access to knowledge and skills he deemed useful, he would probably approach you on his own. The only reason he spurns you and the others is because he views you as hindrances to his growth." Taken aback by Wu's candid analysis, Sakura could only stare at him in a daze, her mouth slightly agape. It was true that Sasuke had often referred to them as 'hindrances,' but they hadn't taken his words to heart. As far as his fans were concerned, that was just how Sasuke spoke. "I...I see..." As Wu's words settled within her, Sakura lowered her head and fell silent. She had spent the past seven months saving her allowance to purchase cute outfits and some beginner beauty products, but Sasuke hadn't even batted an eye at her. Well, he did, but the only emotion visible in his gaze had been annoyance... Since Sakura was technically preventing him from leaving, Wu suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, asking, "What's wrong? Half of the reason you're at the Academy is to improve your strength enough to become a capable Kunoichi. It only took me four years to obtain this level of strength. If you apply yourself and take your training seriously, there's no reason you can't become much stronger than you are now." Raising her face, Sakura's pale green eyes glistened with hope as she inquired, "Do you think I can become strong enough to gain Sasuke's attention...?" Shrugging his shoulders, Wu asserted, "How strong a person becomes depends on their will. Talent and resources help, but even the greatest of geniuses will hit a wall if they never exert themselves. In other words, it doesn't matter what I think. The only person who can decide your limits is you." Punctuating his statement, Wu gave Sakura's oversized forehead a gentle poke before slipping past her and swaggering away with his hands in his pockets. The person he actually wanted to speak with had slipped out of the classroom while they were chatting, so he wanted to catch up to them before they left the building. Recovering from her momentary stupor, Sakura reached up to touch her forehead before turning around to follow Wu's departure. She had never met a boy her age who acted even remotely similar to Wu, and while nothing could replace Sasuke in her heart, Sakura couldn't help noticing he was kind of cute... ... .. . "Yo, chibi, wait up...!" Though she wasn't sure the voice was calling out to her, Hinata turned around to find Wu jogging over to her. His presence made her coil back a bit, but, recalling his 'help' during lunch, Hinata forced herself to stand her ground, asking, "Is there something I can help you, Sarutobi-san...?" Ignoring the fact that Hinata was uncomfortable, Wu shamelessly invaded her personal space, nearly compelling her to back into the wall behind her as he leaned forward to ask, "What's the deal with Naruto...?" in a hushed, nearly inaudible tone. Hearing Wu's question, Hinata suppressed her growing urge to retaliate with her Clan's specialized Taijutsu, the Gentle Fist. She hated harming others, but she wasn't completely incapable of defending herself. Forcing a smile onto her face, Hinata asked, "What do you mean? Is there something wrong with Naruto-kun...?" Furrowing his brows, just a bit, Wu asserted, "You know what I'm talking about. Why are most of the civilian students in our class so hostile toward him? As far as I can tell, he's a fairly likable kid. It doesn't make sense for so many people to hate him. Is it his hair...?" Shaking her head a little too enthusiastically, Hinata managed to whip Wu in the face with one of her fringe bangs as she asserted, "There's nothing wrong with Naruto-kun's hair!" Resisting the urge to pick Hinata up by her fringe, Wu waited 'patiently' for the young heiress to calm down. When she did, her expression became gloomy and slightly resentful as she admitted, "I don't really know why so many people hate Naruto-kun. When I tried asking my father, he just told me it was a secret and that I'd learn about it once I became a Jonin..." Gaining quite a bit from Hinata's response, Wu mused, "Hoooo...so it's a secret only the most powerful and trusted within the village are allowed to know? That's interesting..." Having gotten what he came for, Wu backed away from Hinata, regaining his usual smile as he scratched the back of his head, saying, "I appreciate you answering my questions, Hinata. Also, sorry for approaching you in such a...direct manner. It just bothered me seeing so many people looking at Naruto as if he was some kind of monster." Feeling significantly less tense now that Wu had given her some space, Hinata managed a marginally sincere smile as she assured, "It's okay...I was just a little startled, that's all. I...I know you didn't mean any harm..." Nodding his head as if to affirm the statement, Wu responded, "Thanks for understanding." Then, as he had much better things to be doing, he half-turned, indicating his intention to leave as he added, "I'll be sure to let you know if I learn anything. See you tomorrow, Hinata." Without waiting for the befuddled girl's response, Wu turned around fully, quickly making his way toward the front entrance. The time he spent at the Academy hadn't been very fruitful, so he planned to run back to the manor and get in a few hours of intense training before supper. There was no way in hell he was letting a brooding brat like Sasuke catch up to him... ... .. . "So, how was your first day at school? Make any friends...?" Putting a stopper in Wu's plans, Hiruzen appeared shortly after the former arrived at the estate grounds. This left the former feeling a little annoyed, but it didn't show as he adopted a toothy grin and replied, "Of course. The first two were a boy and girl from the Inuzuka Clan. After that, I managed to exhibit my strength against two of my classmates, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. The latter stormed off after realizing the difference in our strength, but I was able to make amends with him at lunch." Though he could tell that Wu had more to say, the mention of Naruto caused Hiruzen's eyes to glisten. Once the boy reached a natural pause in his account, Hiruzen interrupted, his expression softening as he muttered, "Ah, Uzumaki Naruto...like you, I also view him as my grandson. I trust the two of you were able to get along?" Surprising Hiruzen, Wu's expression briefly became one of disbelief. He quickly fixed it, but Hiruzen had already taken an interest, asking, "What's wrong? Naruto is a good kid. If you were able to make up with the young heir of the Uchiha, you shouldn't have any trouble with Naruto." Shaking his head, Wu revealed, "It isn't that...Naruto and I actually got along really well. We even ate lunch together alongside two of our other classmates, Hyuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kaia." Even more confused, Hiruzen asked, "Then what seems to be the issue, my boy? Speak freely." "..." Though he would prefer to save his response until he had sorted out all the details in his mind, Wu took a steadying breath before staring into Hiruzen's silvery-grey eyes and recounting everything he had witnessed during his first day at the Academy. This included details about how his classmates viewed Naruto, the fact he hadn't brought a lunch, and, most damning of all, the way most of the Chunin instructors either ignored him or found the blonde-haired boy's situation amusing... ... .. .

Hiruzen was not happy. After listening to Wu's account, the only thing keeping him from charging over to the Academy and demanding answers was the slim possibility the youth was lying to him. However, while he had noticed Wu's penchant for saying things people wanted to hear, Hiruzen didn't consider the boy dishonest. Doing his best to appear calm, belying the volcano brewing beneath the surface, Hiruzen patted Wu on the shoulder, thanking him before saying he had something to take care of. After that, he left the youth in the care of one of the servants, ordering them to prepare a hearty meal so that Wu could eat immediately following his training. With Hiruzen rushing off shortly after their discussion, Wu took a moment to consider how his words and action might affect his circumstances. He preferred to think things through well in advance, but that didn't mean he couldn't make the most of what had already transpired. While swinging one of his practice staffs, an inordinately heavy lump of metallic black wood that weighed close to 500kgs, Wu replayed the day in his mind. Contrasting what he had said to Sakura, Wu was extremely confident in his memory. He couldn't remember audio or his thoughts at every given moment, but anything he had 'seen' was hardcoded into his brain, allowing Wu to play memories back with remarkable fidelity. Viewing Naruto's situation with the newfound understanding that he was someone fairly important, at least in the heart of Hiruzen, Wu was curious to know what, exactly, made the boy special. Unfortunately, other than an inordinate amount of guts, Wu didn't see anything that made Naruto stand out any more than their other classmates. The six lines on his cheeks that resembled whiskers were a little unusual, but they were fairly innocuous compared to the fang-like markings tattoed to the cheeks of the Inuzuka and the bugs crawling around inside of Shino. With Hinata's words serving as a sort of compass, Wu concluded that the most reasonable explanation was that Naruto was the illegitimate child of someone close to Hiruzen. If he were legitimately special, there would be people looking after and guiding him. At the very least, he wouldn't be so obviously malnourished. Convinced of his hypothesis, Wu immediately began thinking of ways he could 'disprove' it. Only fools assumed themselves to be correct without verifiable proof, and Wu considered himself reasonably intelligent. He had little interest in weaklings, but if Naruto was the son of someone close to Hiruzen, there was merit to befriending him... ... .. . Though he hadn't seen Hiruzen return the previous night, the absence of particular instructors and the tense atmosphere permeating the Academy made it clear something transformative had occurred. The absence of a certain loud-mouthed trainee suggested it had something to do with what Wu had divulged to Hiruzen the previous afternoon. Feigning obliviousness, Wu's gaze never met Naruto's empty seat directly as he meandered to his own, casually greeting those he passed by name. This surprised those he had yet to speak with directly, but Wu didn't tarry long enough for them to respond as he made his way over to join Kaia and Kiba at their shared desk. Instead of greeting the duo directly, Wu inquired, "How'd it go yesterday? I trust Kotodama-san's pups are healthy?" Adopting an even broader smile than the one she had already been wearing, Kaia replied, "They're great~! It'll be a few more days until they open their eyes, but they're strong and super healthy~!" Nodding his head in approval, Wu replied, "That's good to hear." before casually extending his fist to Kiba. The latter evidently wasn't a morning person, but he still returned a smirk before extending his hand to bump Wu's fist, prompting Akamaru to bark softly... ... .. . A few minutes after Wu had taken his seat, their homeroom teacher, Daikoku-sensei, entered the room with a grim expression on his face. The atmosphere in the room became palpable, but that changed quickly when he revealed, "The Academy is currently undergoing an audit. For the next few days, all classes will be self-study. If one of the auditors approaches you, be sure to answer their questions openly and honestly." Though some of the more astute students were curious about the reason for the audit, most were just happy to have free time. They might be stuck in the classroom, but sitting around and chatting with friends was much more interesting than listening to their Senseis drone on about things like history. Following Daikoku's departure, everyone began breaking off into their usual cliques. Wu didn't belong to any of them just yet, so he planned to simply observe until Sakura approached, her arms filled with textbooks. Suppressing a sigh, Wu adopted a faint smile as he said, "Good morning, Sakura. That's quite the burden you're carrying..." Dropping the books onto Wu's desk, much to the chagrin of Kiba and a clearly displeased Kaia, Sakura breamed as she said, "I was up late last night thinking about what you said. To show my gratitude for your advice, want to go over the course materials with me? It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I've already studied up to the Fifth Year curriculum." After quickly considering the pros and cons, Wu's smile broadened as he answered, "Sure. This is time allotted to self-study, after all. I was hoping to be able to chat with some of our classmates, but I suppose that can wait." Hearing Wu's words, Sakura's expression went from a smile to a slightly awkward look as she began picking up her books, saying, "I wasn't trying to impose. If you want to chat with our classmates, I'll return to my seat and leave you alone." Though Kaia was clearly pleased by Sakura's words, Wu quickly took the wind out of her sails, shaking his head and saying, "It's fine. I was the one espousing the importance of applying yourself. This is a good opportunity to compare what I know against someone who has, very clearly, done her homework." Regaining her smile, Sakura was evidently prepared to begin their study session while standing in the aisle between desks, but Wu interjected to suggest, "Here, take my seat. I don't think Kiba will complain if I borrow his, so the three of us can study together." Since Kaia had stayed behind when Kiba went off to join his group, there was currently an empty place at the table. Wu could have let Sakura take Kiba's seat, but he got the impression members of the Inuzuka Clan were fairly territorial. Kiba might be annoyed with Wu borrowing his seat, but he was a lot closer to the Inuzuka duo than Sakura. Following Wu's suggestion, Sakura waited until he moved over before planting herself in his seat. She was vaguely aware of the fact it was still warm, but she did her best to ignore it as she cracked up a textbook titled The Aerodynamics of Flight, a comprehensive guide to dynamics of kunai, shuriken, and senbon in flight. Kaia's eyes immediately glazed over when she saw the various graphs and equations, but Wu was able to follow the impromptu lesson with relative ease... ... .. . Seeing Sakura happily geeking out next to Wu, the members of Ino's group, including Ino herself, weren't pleased. Sakura had conveyed Wu's advice to them, but the only person who had taken them seriously was Ino. However, as much as they made sense, Ino wasn't too enthused by the notion of training hard just for a chance to be with the boy she liked. After all, what was the purpose of beauty if you still had to work hard to get what you wanted?' As the self-proclaimed 'most beautiful girl' in the Academy, Ino's vanity was her greatest weakness. Her parents also pampered her quite a bit, so even though she knew some of her behaviors were problematic, she saw no reason to change. She was the 'princess' of the Yamanaka Clan, one of the founding clans of Konoha. People should be making concessions for her, not the other way around. Breaking Ino from her reverie, Suzume, the closest thing Ino had to a right-hand woman, asked, "What do you think, Ino-chan? Should we oust Sakura from our group...?" After a moment of confusion, Ino furrowed her brows and asked, "Why would we do that? She hasn't done anything wrong, and Sarutobi-san apologized to us yesterday at lunch. If they want to bury their noses in books, I say we let them be. It's not like their actions are harming us in any way." Though they were a little surprised by Ino's response, her five followers quickly nodded their heads in agreement. Ino was their source of brand-name clothes and hand-me-down accessories, so, even if they didn't always agree with her, they generally went with whatever she decided. Seeing her 'friends' bob their heads without even trying to make a case for Sakura's ousting, a strange feeling of discomfort welled in Ino's chest. She was well aware of the 'true nature' of people within her group, as she had once stood up against them to protect Sakura. That was an incident from their first year, and while they had all changed since then, Ino knew most of the girls in her group hated or, at the very least, envied Sakura for her glossy, sakura-colored hair. Shaking her head, Ino did her best to suppress her feeling of discomfort as she asserted, "You know, there is merit to what Wu said. I don't know about training hard to become stronger, but mastering the skills required of a Kunoichi should give us an edge over other vixens trying to approach our Sasuke-kun. We might not be able to give him the challenge he needs to grow stronger, but he'll eventually need to choose one or more wives to begin rebuilding his clan. That could totally be us." As they had all been made aware of Sasuke's 'unique' circumstances by their parents, the girls of Ino's group all had sparkling eyes. Monogamous relationships were the standard, but exceptions were made for those with rare or unique bloodlines. As far as most people were concerned, Sasuke was the last remaining member of the Uchiha Clan, holders of one of the 'Three Great Dojutsu,' the Sharingan. Konoha couldn't afford to let such a treasure disappear, so it was anticipated that Sasuke would take at least five wives to jumpstart the Uchiha's renewal... ... .. . With the day passing without incident, Wu parted ways with Kaia and Kiba with the intent of returning home. Before he could reach the school's exit, however, it was his turn to be stopped as Hinata was waiting for him with a serious and concerned expression on her face. Waiting until Wu was within whispering range, Hinata muttered, "Sarutobi-san...do you know what happened to Naruto? I wanted to ask you during class, but..." Shaking his head, Wu honestly replied, "I haven't been made aware of the specifics. It shouldn't be a bad thing, though. If I had to guess, Naruto is probably being relocated someplace safe. Once he gets settled in, he will doubtlessly return to the Academy. You have my word." Though he was usually very picky about giving his word to others, Wu was fairly certain that Hiruzen was taking action to help Naruto. He was even expecting to find the mustard-haired youth waiting for him back at the Sarutobi Estate, so he felt no qualms about making a promise with the young heiress. Feeling more at ease, Hinata exhaled a quiet sigh and muttered, "That's relieving to hear..." Then, with a faint smile on her face, she looked up at Wu and added, "Thank you, Sarutobi-san. Please let me know if you hear anything else, okay?" Nodding his head in affirmation, Wu returned a smile of his own and replied, "No problem. We're already friends, so it's normal for us to share information like this. That being said, don't hesitate to come to me if you hear any interesting rumors. I'm still settling into life within the village, so even idle gossip could prove useful." Blinking her large, pearl-like eyes, Hinata wasn't sure how to respond to Wu's words. However, as he had helped her approach Naruto and showed a 'sincere' interest in her crush's well-being, Hinata didn't think it was bad to be friends with him. Adopting a marginally more sincere smile, Hinata narrowed her eyes and replied, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind..." before following it up with a meek, 'W-Wu-kun..." ... .. .

While he didn't expect much from his classmates, Wu would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed by their performance. Most of them used the same inefficient fighting style, but even that flew out the window after the first blow connected. Of his twenty-six classmates, the only people Wu attributed as having any value as a Shinobi were Akimichi Choji, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburama Shino. Choji was a bit lazy, but he wasn't afraid to quite literally throw around his weight, using his entire body as a weapon. Kiba's style was coarse, but he made up for it with sheer ferocity. Shino's style was passive, but his ability to remain calm and intercept strikes left his opponent feeling helpless. What disappointed Wu the most were the heirs of the Yamanaka, Hyuga, and Nara Clans. The heiress from the Yamanaka household, Ino, was the same girl that had been screaming the loudest in support of Sasuke. Her accuracy with thin wooden needles known as Senbon was commendable, but they had no stopping power. The moment her opponent was able to close the distance, she slipped away and immediately gave up, remarking about how she would have won if the Senbon were authentic and that she didn't want to dirty her new dress. Giving Wu an even worse impression than Ino, the heiress of the Hyuga Clan, one of the most powerful and prestigious Clans in Konoha, lasted a grand total of five seconds before crouching down and covering her head, tears building in the corners of her eyes. However, as pathetic as Hinata's display was, she may as well have been the Hokage compared to the heir from the Nara Clan, Shikamaru. The moment Shikamaru and his opponent formed their respective seals, the apathetic-looking Nara stepped out of the circle, eliminating himself from the spar while groaning about how troublesome it was. If he weren't doing everything he could to integrate into his position as a member of the Sarutobi Clan, Wu would have stepped forward to give the pineapple-haired brat a few smacks with his bo staff. Fortunately for Shikamaru and the rest of his classmates, Wu took his 'role' very seriously. Hiruzen wanted him to play nice with his classmates, so that was what Wu intended to do. After all, he might be eight years old, but he could easily imagine what Hiruzen was thinking when he elected to place him in a class filled with heirs and heiresses... ... .. . Following their morning sparring session, the students of Class 3-A were given an hour to socialize and eat lunch. Some went off in search of their former classmate, while others broke off into the groups they had formed over the past two years. This included Kiba, who joined a group consisting of Choji and Shikamaru, so Wu was left with Kaia. Though Kaia's performance had reduced her value in the eyes of Wu, he gladly accepted when she invited him to eat together. She might not be an heiress, but she was related to the Inuzuka Clan's matriarch through her mother. Thus, even if she couldn't fight, Wu determined that she had at least 'some' value. Unaware of Wu's thoughts, Kaia was giddier than usual as she dangled her feet beneath the picnic table they were sharing with two other 'low-value' individuals, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuga Hinata. Wu had noticed the former standing off the side, watching the other children with a listless expression on his while Hinata was staring at him at a distance with an oversized Bento Box in hand. It wasn't difficult to imagine their situation, so Wu acted as an intermediary, first inviting Naruto before extending a similar invitation to his little stalker. After the initial awkwardness of Naruto being the only one at the table without any food, Wu pulled out his plus-sized Bento and suggested, "I packed some extra food, hoping to bribe people into being my friend. If it's okay with the three of you, how about we split what we have...?" Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaia beamed and replied, "If that's what Aniki wants, I'm happy to share~!" Though he was a little taken aback by Kaia referring to him as her Aniki, Wu just nodded his head before shifting his attention to Hinata. Spotting her lifeline, Hinata's face briefly lit up before Naruto turned his attention to her, causing her to shrink into her seat and mutter, "T-That's fine with me...I...I also prepared extra..." Nodding his head a second time, Wu seized the initiative to shift one of his trays to Naruto, teasing, "Eat up. Just remember to pay me back once you become Hokage, okay?" Blinking in surprise, Naruto's brain appeared to stall for a moment before an enormous grin appeared across his face. He was originally planning to refuse the group's charity. After all, he didn't have anything to offer them in return. Wu's teasing words were the slight push he needed to overcome his embarrassment, his eyes watering slightly before he closed them and replied, "You can count on it!" loud enough to draw hate-filled glares from several other groups of children... ... .. . After parting way with the trio of outcasts midway through lunch, Wu meandered his way over to an overcrowded table occupied by seven gossiping girls. There was another table nearby, but instead of moving over to join the sole occupant, Uchiha Sasuke, the girls observed him from a distance, giggling and chattering away with star-filled eyes. Noticing Wu's approach, the girl closest to Ino gave the platinum blonde a gentle nudge with her elbow, eliciting an aggravated, "What do you want, Suzume!?" for her troubles. Before Suzume could answer, Ino spotted Wu, her previously bubbly expression morphing into a progressively pissed-off look. Waiting until Wu was close enough that she wouldn't have to shout, Ino narrowed her eyes further and asked, "What do 'you' want? After the way you treated Sasuke, you're lucky we don't beat you up and bury you up to your neck in the flower room." Before answering Ino's question, Wu both stunned and confused the girls by 'sitting' down on empty air. One of the 'weaknesses' of the Adamantine Body Technique was that the user was unable to move the limb they were using it on. Thus, by adhering the soles of his feet to the ground, adopting a seated posture, and then 'freezing' his lower body in place, Wu was able to create the illusion he was sitting on an invisible surface. Taking advantage of the girls' stupor, Wu adopted the expression he used to get the most prominent reaction from Kurenai, narrowing his eyes like a predator and adopting a faint smile as he 'purred,' "First of all, I wanted to apologize. I wasn't attempting to offend you, but that doesn't change the fact you were offended by my actions. For that, I apologize." Without rising from his seated position, Wu closed his eyes and lowered his head ever so slightly, patiently awaiting the girls' response. Taken aback by Wu's words and actions, not even Ino knew what to say. She might be a spoiled 'princess,' but she was still just an eight-year-old girl. In the face of 'genuine' sincerity, her usual haughtiness was quickly supplanted by awkwardness and then embarrassment. Acting as the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, the pink-haired girl, Haruno Sakura, meekly whispered, "D-Don't you think we should forgive him, Ino-chan...?" She was located at the far end of the table, barely able to avoid slipping off, but her diligent nature compelled her to speak out. Hearing Sakura's appeal, Ino exhaled an overly-dramatic sigh before staring at Wu with furrowed brows, her tone sharp as she begrudgingly responded, "Fine. I'll forgive you, just this once. Howev-" Before Ino could finish, Wu raised his head to reveal a relieved smile as he replied, "Thank goodness. It's my goal to try and befriend everyone in our class. I'm not sure what I would have done if you all started hating me over a simple misunderstanding." Prolonging Ino's silence, the person closest to Wu, a girl with raven-black hair, slit-like eyes, and a bob-cut reminiscent of Hinata's, asked, "What do you mean, misunderstanding?" Without missing a beat, Wu asked, "What else could it be? If you'll recall what our Sensei said, barely a month has passed since I came to reside in Konoha. I harbor no anger or resentment toward anyone and just want to be the best 'me' I can be. While it is true that I referred to the Uchiha heir as 'duck butt,' I intended it as more of a playful barb than anything. It was never my intention to upset him, much less any of you." Left at a loss for words, each of the seven girls just stared at Wu as if he was speaking a foreign language. Looking at things from his perspective, it was easy to deduce they were the ones at fault. However, as children weren't exactly known for accepting responsibility for their actions, none of them knew how to respond. Having fulfilled his objective, Wu gave a curt nod before rising to his feet and adding, "I'm going to go and apologize to Uchiha-san now. I doubt he will accept it, so please don't hold it against me if he starts viewing me as a rival or something similar. In exchange, I'll do my best not to antagonize him too much during our spars. Deal?" Since they still didn't know what to say, each of the girls exchanged looks with one another before directing their collective gazes to Ino. She was the leader of their little group, so if anyone was going to say something, they concluded it should be her. Feeling pressured by the gazes of her friends/followers, a tiny bead of sweat formed on Ino's brow as she forced a cramped smile and said, "I&mdash;I mean 'we' understand. Just...just try not to bully Sasuke-kun, okay? He's been through a lot..." With his expression visibly softening, Wu lowered his head and softly replied, "I understand..." before rising to his full height and adopting a radiant smile as he 'admitted,' "Conversing with a bunch of cute girls is surprisingly terrifying. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest..." Placing his hand over his heart for emphasis, Wu pretended to exhale a relieved sigh before regaining his smile and saying, "See you around." in a chipper tone. Then, without waiting for the group to respond, he made his way past them, willfully ignoring the 'threatening' look directed at him by the lonesome Uchiha. Since there were more than enough seats at Sasuke's table, Wu sat across from him, his expression mimicking the Uchiha's severity as he softly asserted, "We need to talk..." Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke replied, "I have nothing to say. You should just go back to those losers and make yourself comfortable. It's only a matter of time before I discover the weakness of that technique. You're just another stepping stone on my path to becoming strong..." Disregarding most of what Sasuke had said, Wu's expression livened as he perked up and asked, "Oh? And what are you doing to grow stronger? If we compare notes, you might be able to crack my technique quicker. How about it...?" Though he was initially planning to dismiss the annoyingly social idiot, Wu's performance during their spar was still fresh in Sasuke's mind. The brown-haired buffoon had some fairly useful techniques in his employ, so there was at least a little merit in trading notes. Linking his fingers in front of his mouth, Sasuke slouched forward slightly to state, "I won't teach you anything, but I'll answer your questions if you first answer mine..." As only weaklings and cowards feared having their techniques stolen and used against them, Wu grinned in response to Sasuke's ultimatum before leaning forward, imitating the moody Uchiha's posture as he mused, "Ask away..." ... .. .

Chapter 8: No Loose Ends