Thread: Naruto: Team 7 Next Generation (Graverobber and LilGunner)

There was an underlying nervousness that scratched underneath Sasuke's skin, causing him to watch the clock out of the corner of his eye, occasionally tapping the kitchen's table top in subtle impatience. Three minutes until Ryou came down the stairs, until he was ushered out the door after breakfast, his future placed in the care of a man that possibly irked Sasuke more than Naruto. The Hokage had tried to reassure him by saying Kiba came from high recommendation by Hinata, and that he wanted to pick a Jonin that would judge the kids based on their own abilities, instead of their parents'. It made sense, logically Sasuke couldn't argue, but still that annoying, uncontrollable nervousness ticked underneath his surface. He was all too aware of the damning shadow he left over the boy, the curse of his blood, and leaving his training, the start of his Shinobi career, in the hands of someone he barely knew didn't sit well with him. But he supposed that was also the point. Another glance in the direction of the clock told him it was a minute past the time he was expecting to hear Ryou start shuffling downstairs, and his earlier concerns where dismissed for but a moment in a hasty, parental, mild anger if the boy didn't have enough motivation to meet his sensei on time, Sasuke guessed he didn't have to worry about him stumbling down his own dark path anytime soon. A barely audible sigh was the only evidence of his irritation, and without another sound, he travelled upstairs to his son's room, knocked on the door, declared, You're going to be late, and was met with complete silence. No further warning was given with the furrowing of his brow, Sasuke shoved the door opened, only to find that the room was empty. The bed was disheveled, sheets tossed aside. The window was partly opened, letting rays of the morning sun glide into the room, drifting alongside a cool breeze. The air carried the sound of metal clashing against wood, the frustrated panting that reminded Sasuke of his own endless hours of training under Kakashi. A nostalgic smile tugged at the edge of his lips, barely noticeable, and looking outside, watching as his son raised a kunai to throw at a tree littered with many like it, all varying distances away from a painted target, he called, Raise your arm a bit more. Don't look away from the target. The boy--though, Sasuke supposed he wasn't a boy any longer--jerked his head back at the sound of his father's voice, starring back at him with a determined look blazing in his aqua-green eyes. In all other aspects, Ryou was the spitting image of his father at that age, perhaps with a bit longer hair, but he had inherited his fiery eyes from his mother. With a small smirk, he nodded, snapped his gaze back to the tree, and threw the kunai with precision it landed in the center of the target with a sharp thud against the bark. Sasuke's approval was only shown in the slight shine within his dark eyes. Now come eat before you're late, or your mother might level the house. There was only a slight undertone of humor in that statement. After breakfast, Sasuke watched as Ryou stepped outside, adjusting his headband around his forehead. He stopped in his tracks, throwing a glance over his shoulder at his father. Don't worry. I'm going to show the world what an Uchiha can do. That declaration held significance and weight, a coin toss between greatness and madness. Part of Sasuke couldn't help but fear it, knowing what such a desire had led him to do, along with countless others before him, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. No, it could be--it was --a new beginning. A chance to start over. To rebuild his clan without the taint of hatred. That small smile graced his lips once more. Raising his hand, he caused Ryou to pause before continuing onward, and placed two fingers gently against his son's forehead. The gesture said more than any words he could've mustered, and with a firm nod, he watched as Ryou travelled down the street. It wasn't until his son had disappeared from view that his irritation was one more displayed in the furrowing of his brow. Exhaling, he mumbled, Kiba...Really, Naruto? ------- Ryou had no doubt he'd pass the genin exam while he had little patience for study work, he spent much of his time training, working on his techniques. He wanted to learn by doing, instead of trying to divine an answer from some book. It was why he looked forward to this day the day he'd break out of the classroom, finally start his own journey, and prove himself worthy of the Uchiha name. It was also why, when he sat waiting in the same classroom he wanted so desperately to never set foot in again, irritation began to boil under his cool surface. Arms crossed, legs kicked up on a desk, he stared at the clock, watching the minutes tick past, narrowing his eyes further with each passing of the hand. At some point that irritation sparked into anger, and suddenly Ryou was on his feet, hands pushed inside his pockets. Where the hell is this guy? Years wasted in the Academy, a breath away from being able to push himself further, and the Jonin entrusted with his future couldn't even be bothered to show up on time. Just the thought of possibly getting saddled with someone who could care less about making sure he could be his best made him grit his teeth, and impatiently start pacing around the room. Occasionally he'd throw a glance at the two also left with him, his teammates, and wondered if they were just as irked as he was. Another few minutes passed by, and his pacing became more hurried, as if he were trying to burn off excess energy blazing underneath his surface. There was an incessant need building within him to do something, anything , and it became more compelling with each step he took. He came to a sudden stop when his eyes landed on an easer sitting on the edge of the teacher's desk. His annoyance lifted, leaving in its place a terrible, stupid idea. He knew this as the mischievous smirk danced upon his lips, yet he couldn't quite help himself. Picking up the easer, he began to casually whistle, dragging a chair over so he could stand and wedge the object within the door. Paying no mind to any potential disapproval, he nonchalantly found his way back to his desk, now more content to wait on their so-called sensei. ----- Excitement hummed throughout Kiba's body, reminding him of when his team first met Kurenai. There was nothing like the spirit of a genin stepping out into the world and out of shadows, of defining themselves by the sweat on their brows and the blood on their knuckles. To be part of that moment, to finally have a team of his own, especially when one of the members was his own daughter...Well, the sheer electricity sparking through him was enough to make Akamaru nervous the pup mumbled in protest, watching as his master briskly made his way down the Academy's hallway. The Hokage himself had been the one to inform Kiba it was time he got his own trio of genin, and what a bunch it was a Hyuga and and Uchiha, and of course his own pride and joy, whose abilities he already knew pretty well. He didn't miss the trust Naruto and Hinata, who was like his sister in all but blood, had in him by placing their child under his supervision, along with the offspring of Naruto's best friend, nor did the responsibility of training his own daughter escape him. But these things didn't damper his determination to the contrary, they only strengthened his resolve. His team, the new Team Seven, would be the best the Leaf Village had to offer, Kiba was going to make sure of that. He could hardly contain himself, but he had somehow managed to keep his mouth shut around Mimi. He was determined to offer her no special treatment, and if the other genin were walking into meeting their sensei blind, she would be as well. He did, however, take pleasure in making sure she made it out of the house in time, lingering behind so there wasn't a chance she'd guess he was heading to the same place as she was. Naturally, this caused him to be late, and now he was double timing it, simply because he couldn't wait. Perhaps that was why he fell for the oldest trick in the book. As soon as he slid the door opened, Akamaru on his heels, his head was assaulted by an easer after bonking him, the thing plummeted uselessly to the ground, and Kiba was left silent for a stretch of time. Noting the satisfied smirk he would have to later wipe off the face of the Uchiha kid, he finally shook his head, crossed his arms, and stated, Well that little stunt just guaranteed to make this day all that much harder for you three. I'm Kiba Inuzuka, your new sensei.