Amaya Uzumaki POV
After catching our breath and gathering the scattered equipment, we met up with our sensei to talk. Shikaku was waiting for us at the same spot we met early in the morning.
I was walking back with Shisui and Takafumi. The two Uchihas were arguing about some random thing, and I followed them in silence. I still have one more thing to do, I thought.
– Shisui, Takafumi-san – I called out to them.
When the two boys in front of me stopped and looked my way, I tossed each of them one of the test bells.
– Our guarantee to stay as genin! – Takafumi said excitedly.
– But if you're giving them to us... – My brother immediately started speaking, sounding worried, and I walked past them – Why are you giving them to us? If the one left without a bell has to go back to the Academy, you... – I interrupted him with a faint smile.
– For a team to work, someone would need to sacrifice their own interests – I repeated what I had told them when I explained my idea about the survival test's objective – I already planned to give them to you if we managed to get them – I confessed calmly.
– And you didn't say anything because you knew I'd be against it – Shisui commented, slightly sulky, and I agreed.
– The experience was already great for me – I admitted – Getting to fight alongside you guys was amazing. Even with you, Takafumi-san – I glanced at the Uchiha as I said that.
He crossed his arms and turned his face away. Even though he tried to hide it, I knew part of him had also enjoyed working together and passing the test, because otherwise he would have complained. I gave a soft laugh and continued on to where the sensei was.
We sat down in front of Shikaku, since our exhaustion was overwhelming. Even the Nara settled on the ground. Looks like we managed to pressure him quite a bit by catching him off guard, I thought, laughing inwardly.
– I need to congratulate you for today's achievement – Sensei began, and we looked at him – Even though I went easy, you surpassed my expectations.
– Of course, my presence alone would surpass any prior expectations – Shisui said with a certain superiority in his voice and a smug expression.
– Indeed, mainly because you always manage to be late – The older man immediately scolded him afterward, and we laughed at my brother's expression.
Shisui always knows how to lighten any mood, I thought with a faint smile. Even if his comments sometimes get him into awkward situations...
– Also, I wanted to ask about a few points from the test – Shikaku commented next – How did you reach an agreement to work together? I thought you had no sympathy for Amaya – He pointed and stared at Takafumi.
– And I don't – The Uchiha announced quickly – But we had the same objective, and with this idiot bothering me – He indicated Shisui beside him – It was kinda hard to object.
– And whose plan was it to lure me out? – The Nara continued his questions.
– Amaya's – My brother said quickly with a proud smile – Intelligence must run in the family.
– She must have gotten it from her Uzumaki ancestry then – Takafumi muttered under his breath.
Shisui threw one of the pinecones near him at the other Uchiha, who laughed at his friend's sulky expression. Shikaku put a hand over his face, letting out a heavy sigh.
– So mature of you... – The older man commented, watching the two boys slowly calm down.
– Even though I formulated part of the plan, Shisui and Takafumi-san helped me a lot too – I said, getting the attention of all three – Since I didn't know your fighting style, Shikaku-sensei, I asked them to explain it to me.
– So that's how you came up with the strategy to eliminate the light around me so I couldn't use my Shadow Manipulation – He stated, and I agreed.
– And also to create a plan that didn't rely on genjutsu and didn't put us at a disadvantage from the lack of vision caused by the mist and smoke clouds.
– That's another point I wanted to discuss with you – Shikaku said – I understand how you two could locate and attack me even within the mist and smoke clouds – He said to Shisui and Takafumi – But what about you, Amaya? – The Nara looked at me – How did you manage to get close without accidentally attacking one of your teammates?
– That was something we considered when formulating the strategy – My brother spoke before I could – The sharingan would give me and Takafumi an advantage despite the poor visibility, and even though Amaya can't use it, she has other strengths – The sensei looked back at me.
– My long-distance vision is already impaired without my glasses – I explained – So my hearing is much more developed. I followed the sound of the bells to find you, sensei.
– Interesting... – Shikaku said with one hand under his chin – And you managed to think of all this in such a short time – He looked at us for a moment – Seems like I might start liking you guys – We gave weak laughs.
– About that, Shikaku-sensei, I have a request – Shisui said suddenly, and the Nara looked at him.
– As long as it doesn't involve another fight or training today, go ahead.
– I wanted to ask you not to remove Amaya from the team – He looked at me, as did Takafumi and Shikaku.
– Why are you making this request? – The sensei asked, his eyes still on my brother.
– Because you said if anyone was left without a bell, they'd automatically go back to the Academy – Shisui showed the bell he had – Amaya was the one who took the bells from you, but she gave them to us without a second thought. I wanted you to reconsider her situation – Shikaku seemed to think for a moment and turned to Takafumi.
– Do you agree with this?
– No – The boy answered curtly – But she was crucial for us getting these bells, so... – The Uchiha left his sentence hanging.
Even without him admitting it, we all understood his stance – a positive one – regarding me staying on the team. I looked at the Nara, who kept an impassive expression. He then brought his gaze to me and stared.
– Seems you have a talent for winning people over – He commented simply, then turned his eyes back to Shisui – It's a tempting request to accept – The jounin admitted – But I can't grant it.
– Why not? – My brother asked quickly.
– Because it seems you misunderstood what I said – We looked at him, genuinely confused – I said someone would be left without the bells, and would fail if they couldn't complete the mission, and then automatically return to the Academy.
– But that... – Shisui started to speak again but soon stopped as he, like me, understood the meaning of the sentence.
– The mission you were talking about was for us to learn to work as a team – I clarified, and Shikaku agreed.
– Missions are completed with a team. It's true that a ninja's individual talents are important, but the most important thing is teamwork – The jounin explained – Selfish actions destroy teamwork, put your comrades in danger, and they could end up dead – He looked at us more seriously – Missions are all life-risking work. If you aren't ready to entrust your life to your comrades, you are doomed to fail – The Nara looked at Takafumi for a moment, then turned his attention to all of us – That's why it's rare for a girl to last in my team – He commented and looked at me – But it seems I don't need to worry about that with you.
– Especially since Amaya is more like a boy than a girl anyway – Shisui muttered under his breath, and I glared at him – I'm kidding, I'm kidding... – He paused for a moment and then spoke even quieter – Mostly.
I punched the Uchiha in the arm, and he grumbled, making Takafumi and Shikaku laugh at my brother's reaction.
– So it's official – The Nara continued, and we turned our attention back to him – The survival test is over – He smiled – You all passed, and Amaya is officially joining the team – I gave a faint smile – Team 7 starts its missions tomorrow. We'll meet before picking up the mission, so don't be late – We nodded – You hear that, Shisui? – My brother nodded quickly.
– I doubt he'll be on time... – Takafumi commented with his arms crossed, and my brother glared at him.
– You're being way too cocky today – He said with a sly grin to his friend.
The two Uchihas started arguing childishly, and I just laughed at their bickering. A friendship like this..., I thought. It reminds me a bit of my friendship with Kakashi. I smiled faintly at the thought.
– Here – The sensei's voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to him – Now that you're officially a genin, you can wear this.
He was holding out a small engraved metal plate attached to a dark cloth headband towards me. I took it in my hands and looked at it for a moment.
The village's headband, I noted. The symbol that shows people the wearer is classified as a ninja, regardless of being a genin, chunin, or even jounin.
– Thank you – I thanked Shikaku with a faint smile.
– Wear it as you see fit, and don't forget the weight that comes with it – The Nara emphasized, and I nodded in understanding.
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We were dismissed after the talk, and Takafumi left Shisui and me to walk back alone. My brother explained that the boy was his best friend and that he already knew about our real relationship, about us being siblings and everything else involved.
I worried for a few moments about what this could cause for me within the Uchiha clan. Don't worry, Shisui insisted, he won't tell anyone about it. I trusted my brother's word, so I relaxed a bit.
He also stressed that he hadn't said anything about the fact I had already awakened the sharingan, even if I couldn't use it. If the Uchihas found out about that, a person with access to the doujutsu who is, technically, from outside the clan and can use it for their own benefit... I can't imagine the problems that would come for me, and even for Shisui for not reporting it.
But I didn't torment myself for too long. After all, I hadn't managed to reactivate my sharingan, so that wasn't a problem to consider at the moment.
Shisui also insisted that I keep my hair the way he had styled it earlier.
Before we went to fight the sensei, my brother decided to tie up my hair. Leaving it down could get in your way, he explained, and I argued with him a bit about hiding my dark streak.
Why should you hide it?, he asked with a serious expression. You're an Uchiha too, and more than that, you're my sister. You have no reason to hide who you are because of others.
Shisui usually knew exactly what bothered me about these things. He could read me with incredible ease, and I admired him a lot for that. I decided to give in to his request and agreed to stop hiding.
I knew it was inevitable. At some point, I would have to show who I was, and it seemed better to do it now, at a time when I had so many people supporting me: My brother, Minato, Kushina, Sakumo, Kakashi, and all my friends from the Academy...
A new phase was beginning, a period of transformation in my life. I smiled, thinking about all this. There would be no more fitting moment than this to discover myself.
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Shisui stayed at the entrance to the Uchiha clan district, and I headed home too. I need to buy my equipment now that I'm officially a genin, I thought, looking at my headband in my hands. I'll stop by home and use some of my savings to get what I need.
– I'm home – I announced as I entered and took off my shoes.
I walked down the short entrance hall and soon was in the living room. Minato and Kushina were there. The blond was sleeping with his head on the redhead's lap, and she gestured for me to be quiet.
I nodded faintly, and she got up carefully so as not to wake the blond from his nap. She left him sleeping on the sofa and signaled for us to go to my room so we could talk.
As soon as I closed the door and looked back at the redhead, she let all her worry show at once.
– How was the test? I was so worried, dattebane! – She said quickly – Minato said it was a tough test, and with that grump of a sensei it must have been even harder – The redhead looked at me – How did it go? Were you hurt? – She looked me up and down quickly – You and your clothes are so dirty, dattebane! – I gave a weak laugh at her rushed speech.
– It was complicated, but not impossible – I showed her my headband, now the symbol that I was officially a kunoichi – It'll take some time to get used to working with my team and dealing with Shikaku-sensei's slight laziness, but I'm looking forward to fighting alongside them.
Kushina laughed at my comment about the Nara and then looked at me deeply, with a smile so tender it immediately warmed me inside.
– I'm sure you'll be a spectacular kunoichi – The redhead said sincerely, and I smiled faintly – And I see you decided to show off your feminine features – She pointed to my tied-up hair.
– It was Shisui's idea – I commented, feeling myself blush slightly.
– It really suits you, Amaya – Kushina complimented, and I looked at her.
– I'm going to take a quick shower and then head to the village center to buy some equipment for missions – I told her, since it was still early afternoon.
– I'll go with you – The Uzumaki announced – You probably haven't had any female advice since you came to the village, right? – I shook my head slightly – Well, since you decided to change your hairstyle, you need to update your look too – The redhead explained, and I looked at her, not understanding.
– Is there a particular reason for that?
– You need new clothes, dattebane! – She said excitedly – With spring coming, you'll need to change your wardrobe. Plus, of course, buying clothes that fit your height better – Kushina put her hand on top of my head – And it looks like you're going to be pretty tall...
– I'm not sure I have enough money for both my equipment and clothes – I warned the Uzumaki, who smiled even more brightly.
– Don't worry about that, I'll pay for your clothes! – I tried to speak, but she continued quickly – And I won't take no for an answer, dattebane! Consider it my gift for your Academy graduation and promotion to genin – With no room for argument, I smiled faintly.
– Thank you, Kushina – The redhead smiled.