I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

Though there was no Naruto present, Hiruzen was once again waiting for Wu upon the latter's return. He knew the boy would have questions, and he felt obligated to thank him for bringing Naruto's circumstances to light. "Welcome back, my boy. Did you enjoy your leisure time at the Academy?" Returning a smile, Wu retorted, "Have you ever known me to laze about? I chatted with a few of my classmates during lunch, but I spent most of the day studying the third and fourth-year curriculums." Unsurprised by Wu's words, Hiruzen just exhaled a soft chuckle before adopting a marginally more serious expression and asking, "Did any of your fellow students or instructors have anything to say about Naruto's absence?" Shaking his head, Wu revealed, "Daikoku-sensei just told us the school was undergoing an audit. As for my classmates, most of them care little for Naruto. Once they learned we had been assigned self-study, most of them just split off into their usual groups to play." "Hmm...I see..." Stroking his beard, Hiruzen briefly considered how much he should reveal to Wu. If not for the boy's honesty, Naruto's situation may not have come to light for the remainder of his stay in the Academy. Shaking his head, Hiruzen reminded himself that Wu was only eight years old. More importantly, it had barely been a month since he came to reside in Konoha. While the boy possessed a certain 'wisdom,' well beyond what a child his age should possess, it was a little too soon to involve him in the village's internal affairs. It wasn't, however, too soon to begin preparing him... Having made his decision, Hirzuen's silvery-grey eyes twinkled as he met Wu's gaze and questioned, "What would you say to me hiring you another instructor? I know you probably feel stifled at the Academy, so this could be an opportunity for you to grow outside the classroom." Catching Hiruzen off guard, Wu didn't hesitate to answer, "Not right now. I have only been attending the Academy for two days, so I'd like some time to acclimate. I wouldn't mind if it were Kurenai-sensei, but I presume you had someone else in mind." Recovering by the time Wu had finished speaking, Hiruzen gave a curt nod, admitting, "I was thinking of introducing you to Nara Shikaku, the father of one of your classmates. Shikaku-san is currently the highest-ranking Jonin in the village and someone whose advice I value over most others. I believe you could learn much from him." Hearing Hiruzen's admission, Wu would be lying if he said he wasn't 'very' interested in meeting Shikaku. What he didn't want was to meet the man without any time to prepare. It was easy to imagine that Shikaku was incredibly intelligent to receive the praise of Hiruzen, so Wu needed time to establish a 'baseline' before their first encounter. Meeting Hiruzen's gaze, Wu firmly replied, "My answer remains the same. I'm still getting to know the people in my class. While I'm certain Shikaku-san could teach me many things, wasn't I brought here to adapt to living among other humans? As eager as I am to improve, focusing on too many things at once will just stress me out." Instead of forcing the matter, Hiruzen gave Wu an approving nod, saying, "There is truth to what you say." Then, with a grandfatherly smile on his face, he mused, "Very well, Wu. For now, you will concentrate on making the most of your time at the Academy. Once you are prepared, I will invite Shikaku-san over for tea and a few rounds of Shogi. He will likely want to challenge you, so be sure to acquaint yourself with the rules before then." Realizing that Hiruzen had seen through his intentions, Wu's eyes briefly widened before a wry smile developed across his face. He had never once doubted the man's intellect, but it appeared Hiruzen was slier than he anticipated. In hindsight, he should have realized that the leader of an organization that delved into subterfuge and assassination would be able to see through his facade... Amused by Wu's brief panic, Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and exhaled a hearty chuckle. Then, with a toothy grin, he mused, "You still have a ways to go if you want to pull the wool over this old man's eyes..." Returning a smile of his own, Wu did not attempt to excuse himself or his action. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and mused, "So it would seem..." in a sing-song tone. Afterward, both he and Hiruzen exhaled audibly similar chuckles... ... .. . After being absent for four days, excluding the weekend, Naruto surprised nearly everyone by showing up to class in comparably normal clothes. He still resembled a traffic cone, but there was a marked improvement in the quality and fit of his clothing. His toeless sandals, in particular, were from a famous brand that caused even Ino to do a double-take. Noticing everyone's eyes on him, Naruto couldn't keep an enormous grin from his face as he rubbed the underside of his nose and said, "Hey, guys. Long time no see." Recovering from their stupor, the children that had always looked down on Naruto adopted various expressions of displeasure. Fortunately, while they made up the majority, their opinion didn't matter. The founding clans were the ones with real power in Konoha, and, unlike the civilians, most of the heirs had never actually hated Naruto. After all, unlike the parents of the civilian children, theirs knew the truth. Unable to contain her curiosity, Ino ignored the warning look from their Sensei as she openly inquired, "Since when were you able to afford such high-quality clothing?" Though it seemed impossible, Naruto managed to smile even wider as he responded with a cheeky, "It's a secret." As no one, not even Ino, expected Naruto to respond in such a way, the entire class was left at a momentary loss for words. Some people were visibly annoyed, but they weren't given the opportunity to express it as Daikoku asserted, "That's enough chit-chat. Everyone to your seats. The bell has already rung." Though he wanted to continue being the center of attention, Naruto made his way over to his seat, located to the right of Sakura. The latter was one of the most surprised by his changes, but before Naruto could personally ask what she thought, his world abruptly came crashing down as Daikoku coldly declared, "I hope you all took advantage of last week's self-study because the first thing on today's agenda is a Quiz. Anyone who scores lower than fifty percent will need to attend remedial classes after school." Hearing their Sensei's proclamation, it wasn't just Naruto whose spirit had left their body. Kaia looked like she was experiencing an existential crisis, while Kiba just straight up groaned, "There goes my free time..." Hearing the young heir's grumble, Wu would be lying if he said he wasn't reveling in Kiba's misfortune. He knew everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses, but knowledge was something anyone could obtain. He might help the duo cheat if it benefitted him somehow, but they only had themselves to blame for their lack of preparedness. Heck, Kaia had spent the last week studying alongside him. She should have at least picked up on the basics. Interrupting Wu's reverie, Kaia uttered a faint, "Aniki..." while pressing the tips of her index fingers together. When he looked directly at her, a ruddy hue colored her cheeks as she lowered her head and softly inquired, "Do you mind if I copy your paper...?" Resisting the urge to refuse immediately, Wu eyed the uncharacteristically bashful Inuzuka for several seconds before answering, "No. I'm curious to see how well you can perform on your own." Reacting like a kicked puppy, Kaia shrank into herself and responded with a soft whimper. She had anticipated that Wu might refuse, but it still made her sad. Seeing the usually energetic girl's dispirited reaction, Wu surprised both her and Kiba by extending his hand to pat Kaia's head. Many of the hags back at Jigokudani would pat his head whenever he was feeling angry or frustrated. More importantly, Kaia was a member of the Inuzuka Clan, so Wu presumed she would react to act in a positive light. As expected, Kaia immediately perked up, doubly so when Wu added, "Don't worry. If you fail the exam, I'll attend remedial lessons alongside you. In exchange, I expect you to pay closer attention during our private study sessions. Understood?" Nodding her head enthusiastically, causing Wu to ruffle her hair even further, Kaia practically shouted, "You got it, Aniki!" in a spirited tone. This earned them a warning look from Daikoku, but, as he had been advised by the Hokage to let Wu do as he pleased, the portly Chunin quickly returned to passing out test papers... ... .. . As it took time to grade papers, it wasn't until the final period that Class 3-A received their results. Wu, Sakura, Sasuke, and a bespectacled girl named Shiho were the only ones to obtain perfect scores. Everyone else scored around 60-70%, the only exceptions being Naruto's 42%, Kiba's 48%, and Kaia's 0%. Seeing the puppy-like girl holding up a paper with intentionally incorrect answers, Wu realized he had played himself. The outcome didn't change, as he had always expected Kaia to fail, but her doing so intentionally was a metaphorical slap in the face. If he didn't know she was a genuine idiot, he would probably resent her. Instead, he was a little impressed...at least she knew how to get what she wanted... True to his word, Wu attended the remedial lessons alongside the bubbly Inuzuka. However, while Naruto, Kiba, and Kaia were the only ones to fail, there were actually nine people present for the remedial lessons. Wu was obviously among them, but there was also Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru. The presence of so many heirs placed a considerable amount of pressure on the instructor, so, while the lessons were supposed to be a form of punishment, they ultimately became a fairly pleasant group study session... ... .. . After remaining fairly tight-lipped for several days, Naruto eventually gave in and revealed the secret of his newfound wealth. More specifically, Wu's frequent yet careful probes had ultimately worn him down, compelling him to reveal, "Get this. It turns out my Kaa-san was a big shot who helped to defeat the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Jii-san said he can't reveal the details until I became a Chunin, but she left me an inheritance. I don't know the exact amount, but Jii-san said it's enough to support me for my entire life if I wanted to give up becoming Hokage." Raising his brows, Wu willfully swallowed the bait dangling in front of him, asking, "And what did you say in return...?" Adopting one of his characteristically toothy smiles, Naruto exclaimed, "I told him there's no way I'm giving up becoming the Hokage! In fact, now I have even more of a reason to become strong and protect the village, just like my Kaa-san...!" Unsurprised by Naruto's outburst, Wu gave a curt nod, stating, "I have no doubt you'll become an exceShinobi in the future. After all, you still owe me one for that Bento." Remembering Wu's act of kindness, Naruto was tempted to say he could repay him right then and there but stopped himself. The compassion Wu had shown that day was something he would never forget, so, instead of trying to 'weasel' his way out of the debt, Naruto adopted a toothy grin and said, "Leave it to me, Wu! Once I become Hokage, I'll purchase you an entire Bento shop! Hahahaha~!" Exhaling a soft chuckle of his own, Wu left even the ever boisterous Naruto feeling a little speechless as he mused, "I'll hold you to it~" in a sing-song tone. He had no interest in running a Bento Shop, but it was better to have and not need, than to need and not have... ... .. .

With the supplemental lessons ending after a week, those that had been forcing themselves to attend returned to their usual afterschool activities. Naruto stuck around a few days longer, largely to spend time with Sakura, but he eventually got bored and started hanging out with Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru. After Naruto left the group, Wu expected Hinata to follow suit, but she ended up sticking around. She could justify spending time with him while they were in the Academy, but if she were caught following Naruto around outside, someone from the Hyuga Clan would quickly show up to retrieve her. Instead of Hinata, the last to leave the study group was Ino. She had fun at the beginning, but spending 3-4 hours a day learning things that would be taught to her in class quickly lost its appeal. Following the departure of Ino, Wu began looking for reasons to justify his own. Unfortunately, his excuse of wanting to train just led to Kaia asking if she could come over to play. Hinata and Sakura also had good reasons for becoming more powerful, so it wasn't long before Wu found himself in the awkward position of having to explain to Hiruzen his reasons for bringing over the three girls. Though he listened attentively and nodded his head in response to Wu's well-crafted 'excuse,' Hiruzen had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he inhaled from his ornate wooden pipe. After inhaling a mixture of tobacco and a few minor narcotics, Hiruzen exhaled several rings of smoke before adopting a 'knowing' smile as he mused, "Ah, to be young..." Before Wu could ask if the old man had finally gone senile, Hiruzen stared directly at him and added, "So long as their parents permit it, you have my permission to bring them over. However, as all three are girls, you must treat them delicately and with due consideration. Boys have a much easier time building muscle than girls, so you shouldn't hold them to your standard. If you injure them, even accidentally, it could become a serious incident..." Revealing his thoughts on the matter, Wu's usual smile was nowhere to be seen as he groaned, "You could just say no...spare me the hassle..." Exhaling an amused chuckle, the twinkle in Hiruzen's eyes became more prominent as he said, "Trust me, Wu. You may not understand it right now, but there will eventually come a time when you look back on this day with fondness. You can thank me then." Finding Hiruzen's words difficult to believe, Wu shook his head in mock exasperation, muttering, "Whatever you say, old man..." He couldn't see how he could ever be 'thankful' to Hiruzen for allowing him to spend his precious training time looking after a bunch of frail and feeble girls... ... .. . Staring up at the gate bearing the Kanji for Monkey on it, Sakura couldn't help feeling nervous as she weakly inquired, "Can an ordinary civilian like me really enter the Hokage's mansion?" Stopping just over the threshold, Wu looked back to the trio of girls that had followed him home, saying, "If you want to turn around and leave, I won't stop you. Just don't complain to me if you find your strength lacking in the future..." Furrowing her brows, Sakura said, "You don't have to be rude, Wu-kun. I came all this way; I'm not turning back now." As if to prove her point, Sakura stomped toward the estate's entrance but stopped just short of the threshold. However, instead of hesitating at the last moment, she turned around to ask, "Are the two of you coming, Kaia-chan, Hinata-chan...?" "Mraow...?" Tilting her head to the side, Kaia replied, "I'm waiting for Aniki. Kaa-san said I shouldn't enter someone's home without their permission." Playing off of Kaia's words, Wu said, "Feel free to make yourselves at home. The only off-limits places are the Hokage's quarters and private library. I'll show you where they're at so you don't accidentally wander inside." Without needing to be told twice, Kaia ran across the threshold with her arms spread like the wings of an airplane. Wu didn't know what an airplane was, but it was the 'impression' he got when seeing the petite Inuzuka's antics. Following shortly after, Hinata gave a slight bow and said, "Pardon me..." before stepping across the interior. This left Sakura as the only one still 'outside,' so Wu raised his brows at her and asked, "What are you waiting for?" Furrowing her brows a second time, Sakura looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. Instead, she followed after Kaia, doing her best not to look around like an idiot as she made her way inside... ... .. . After a quick tour of the Sarutobi Estate, including his room, Wu showed the trio to the clearing where he usually conducted his training. Hiruzen had purchased him all kinds of equipment during his training with Kurenai. This included a number of straw mannequins, a massive log that had been treated with some kind of liquid to make it tougher than iron, and a dozen weighted staffs ranging from 50kgs to 600kgs. Interrupting the trio's silent gawking, Wu explained, "I've never trained another person, and Lord Hokage told me to avoid pushing you too hard. So what I'll do for now is show you how I usually train. After that, I'll have you demonstrate the training methods you've been using until now." Without waiting for the girls' response, Wu crossed his arms and grabbed the base of his t-shirt before removing it in a single smooth motion. At the exact same moment, Sakura stepped forward to punch him in the back of the head, exclaiming, "What do you think you're doing, Wu!? You can't just take off your shirt in front of a bunch of girls...!" Instead of answering Sakura's question, Wu stared at her with curiosity, asking, "Is your hand okay...?" Confused by Wu's words, Sakura looked down at her right hand to find it was already beginning to swell. Wu hadn't used his Adamantine Body, but his toughness drastically exceeded that of an average human. Seeing the pinkette begin to tear up, the words of Hiruzen appeared in Wu's mind. Thus, even though he felt like she deserved to experience a bit of pain after carelessly attacking him, he grabbed her hand and said, "Hold still..." in a firm tone. Though she was initially going to pull her hand from Wu's, Sakura stopped herself when the former's palm began emitting a pale green light. Most of the pain in her hand immediately faded, replaced by a gentle warmth that caused the tips of her fingers to tingle. Releasing the befuddled girl's hand, Wu preempted her query by holding up his own and explaining, "It's the Monkey Clan's version of the Mystical Palm. It didn't have a proper name, so I've taken to calling it the Monkey's Palm Technique. Creative, I know." Lowering his hand, Wu turned to Kaia and Hinata, asking, "Do either of you care if I remove my shirt? I tend to sweat a lot during my exercises, so I'd rather not have to wear it." Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaia raised her hands and shook her head vigorously, insisting, "No, no, no! Shirtless is good!" with a little too much excitement coloring her face. Wu might not have been a paragon in terms of physique, primarily due to his age, but he was moving in the right direction. Ignoring the red-faced Inuzuka, Wu shifted his attention to the equally crimson Hyuga, patiently awaiting her answer. She had covered her face with her hands, but the sizeable gaps between her fingers allowed her pearl-like eyes to peer through. Realizing that Wu was expecting her to say something, Hinata hesitated for a moment before muttering, "I...I think I should go home..." Instead of insisting she stay, Wu gave an understanding nod and said, "Then I guess we'll see you at school tomorrow. Take care on your way home." "..." With Wu turning away almost as soon as he was finished speaking, Hinata found herself at a loss. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, however, Kaia tugged her sleeve, asking, "Are you really leaving, Hina-chi? Didn't you want to get stronger to impress that boy...?" Blushing even fiercer than when she had been staring at Wu, Hinata averted her eyes and began nervously pressing the tips of her index fingers together. While it was true she wanted to impress Naruto, the real reason she had come to the Sarutobi Estate was because she had been invited and didn't know how to refuse. She expected her father to forbid it, but he immediately gave his permission when she told him she would be training to get stronger... Realizing that her father would likely be disappointed in her if she just turned around and left, Hinata buried her face into her hands, gradually gathering her conviction. This went on for so long that Kaia abandoned her to get a closer look at Wu's training, but she eventually mustered up enough courage to raise her face, revealing veins bulging at the corners of her eyes... Feeling a sudden sense of discomfort, Wu ceased swinging his bo staff and immediately looked toward Hinata. He immediately noticed the veins around her eyes, but while they were kind of creepy, the look on his face was one of intrigue as he asked, "Is that the active form of the Byakugan? Mind if I get a closer look...?" "Eh...?" Having just formed the courage to raise her face, Hinata was unprepared to hear Wu ask if he could stare into her eyes. She knew he was probably just curious, but the thought of him leaning toward her like the day he had cornered her in the hallway caused her brain to short-circuit. Seeing Hinata suddenly collapse, Wu clicked his tongue, surprising Kaia and Sakura as his figure seemed to blur for a moment. In the next, he was guiding Hinata to the ground, muttering something neither of them could hear. "Damn you, Hiruzen...grateful my ass...!" Resisting the urge to smack Hinata awake, Wu looked to Kaia and said, "Run inside and ask one of the servants for a cold compress and some towels. Our little princess here seems to have fainted..." Straightening her body, Kaia gave a salute and replied, "Roger that, Aniki!" before zooming back to the manor as fast as her feet could carry her. The Inuzukas were fairly famous for their speed, so even though her form was horrendous, she was suitable for fetching things. Trusting that Kaia would carry out his order, Wu picked up Hinata's almost weightless body, prompting Sakura to narrow her eyes and ask, "What are you doing?" Deadpanning in the pinkette's direction, Wu flatly retorted, "Aren't you supposed to be the smart one? If a patient faints and doesn't wake up within a few seconds, you should treat them as if they have heat stroke. What I'm doing is carrying her to the shade. Any other stupid questions?" Though she frowned deeply, Sakura didn't say anything and just watched as Wu carried Hinata to the shade. She hated being called stupid, but, at the same time, she couldn't fault Wu for being quick to act in a situation where most children wouldn't know what to do. He was only eight years old, but he always seemed to have everything under control... ... .. . (A/N: Kaia be like, "I am speed...!")

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..." ... .. .

Chapter 10: Playing Oneself