Prophecy (Naruto Neglect Fanfic)

Team 10

A/N: Short chapter. Hope you enjoy :)

The next day, Naruto was once again, training with Lee. They trained for hours while Hinata and Guy-sensei watched. Skipping, running, push ups, press ups and then skipping again. The two kept at it, though Lee realised that Naruto was better in every aspect. They both had mutual respect for each other and that helped build each other's strength. As their training finally came to a close. The two shook hands and sat down. Hinata arrived at their side and handed them both a bowl of ramen. Naruto looked confused.

"What's this?" he asked. Hinata chuckled shyly in response.

"I-it's ramen Naruto-kun," she whispered. Naruto tasted it and his face instantly filled with colour. He smiled happily at Hinata.

"Wow thanks Hinata! This is great! You're gonna make someone one heck of a wife!" Naruto grinned. Hinata's face flushed red. 'One- heck of a WIFE?' Hinata thought. Guy-sensei caught her as she fainted before turning his attention to Naruto.

"Naruto, do you really not know what ramen is?" Naruto shook his head. "Strange, I seem to recall Kushina saying that her children love ramen at Karah's birthday party."
"Maybe, Karah-nii and Naruko-nii but I've never had it!" Naruto grinned. Guy bought Naruto's explanation not giving a second thought to his lack of knowledge concerning Naruto's birthday. As Lee and Naruto ate, a silence grew. The silence was only broken when Lee put down his finished bowl and sighed blissfully.

"Ah! Thank you Naruto!" Naruto looked up.
"What for?" asked Naruto, holding back his laughter at a stray noodle on Lee's face.

"You really helped me. You showed me that it's always better to not be alone. To have a training partner. I have always pushed myself everyday to my limits, not getting sleep for days on end until I would collapse. It was horrible. You showed me the value of sleep, of rest, of having a rival. You helped me beat my greatest enemy; my mind. For that I thank you," Lee ended his speech with a playful punch to Naruto's side. Naruto couldn't contain his laughter.

"You have a noodle on your face!" he laughed and Lee flicked it off, still smiling.

"Thank you my eternal rival!" he yelled, "We are most youthful!" Naruto laughed and Guy, who had been watching from afar, smiled.

Hinata, sat alone atop the Hokage mountain. There was a small green patch above that she liked to rest at. It always helped her regain her serenity. She enjoyed breathing up here. It felt so un-claustrophobic. She smiled slightly as she overlooked the village. Suddenly, Naruto's face appeared next to hers. She didn't notice it for a second but jumped in shock as soon as she did.

"Hey Hinata!" Naruto said. 'Huh, N-naruto-kun! W-w-what are you doing here?' Hinata thought.

"I like this spot too y'know!" Naruto said loudly, still grinning. Hinata held her hands to her mouth as she realised she said her thoughts aloud. Naruto then became a little more serious.

"Hinata, I thought we got off on the wrong foot," Naruto said thinking back to his past experiences with Hinata. Hinata became red. "I know you probably hate me. Probably because I'm an annoyance, useless and a weakling but I just wanted to say that I want to be your friend!" Hinata's heart melted at Naruto's little speech. 'N-naruto-kun, you're not annoying, useless or a weakling. You're the strongest man I know!' Hinata thought. Naruto beamed.

"Really Hinata? That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me!" Hinata held her hands to her mouth yet again as she realised she voiced her thoughts again. Naruto smiled again at Hinata who wanted nothing more than to run back to her bed and hide under the covers. "You're really nice Hinata!" Naruto proclaimed, causing Hinata to blush even pinker, "Do you want to be my best friend?" Hinata's mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. "It used to be Sasuke but because he doesn't like me anymore, I think it should be you now."
"Of course!" Hinata squeaked a little too loud. Naruto grinned at her.

"Hinata! Thank you so much!" he said and hugged her. Hinata froze. 'N-naruto-kun... hugging... me,' she thought. Hinata felt her consciousness fading as she lightly fainted on the ground.

"Huh, Hinata?" Naruto looked at her and shrugged, "I guess she was really tired."

A month passed as Naruto got even closer to his team. Kakashi had left Team 10 and was back to regular duties as a jounin. So it was surprising when he was called to the Hokage's office on Team 10 issues after a month of being unconnected to them. Kakashi arrived in an unusual timely manner as he always did for his sensei.

"You wanted to talk to me, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said. Minato chuckled.

"Minato-sensei will do fine, Kakashi." Kakashi became calmer as he said that. He was so casual around Minato when he was at their residence but became nervous in the Hokage office.

"So why did you call me in Minato-sensei?" inquired Kakashi as he sat in the chair opposite the Hokage's desk.

"I finally got around to reading your report about your mission with Team 10. If I recall correctly it was meant to be a D rank mission. Of course, now it is now classified as an A rank mission due to interference from a certain assassin."

"You can thank Naruto for dealing with that problem," Kakashi laughed. Minato did not laugh in response but instead his eyes slightly hardened.

"Ah yes, Naruto. This meeting is actually concerning him."

"What? Are you considering promoting him?" Kakashi thought back to his conversation with Naruto by the lake.

"On the contrary, I have decided on demoting Naruto, taking away his genin status, effective immediately." If Kakashi had been drinking anything, he would have spat it out. Kakashi's shock seemed to go unnoticed by Minato as he continued. "Recklessness should not be rewarded. If this was a higher class assassin, Naruto would most certainly be dead and I can thank you and Might Guy that he is not."
"Y-you can also thank Naruto that me and Guy are still alive as well. He also performed the Rasengan, an A class jutsu and showed profound knowledge and skill on the field," Kakashi reasoned but was silenced by a glare.

"Yes, I took note in the fact that he used the Rasengan and will be punished accordingly. The fact of the matter is, Naruto is not the level required of genin. He lacks the correct training, self-control, and maturity. One fluke cannot be used to inflate his ego and add to his arrogance. That is final. Do you not believe in my judgement?" Kakashi tried to respond. "I suggest you leave him be, for my sake and his." Minato gestured to the door to show Kakashi that the meeting was over. Kakashi walked towards the door but stopped.

"Why did you not train Naruto, sensei?" Kakashi asked.

"I will, on his birthday," stated Minato knowing full well, he would not. Kakashi left the room and decided to give up trying to convince Minato to change his mind. 'When is Naruto's birthday?' Kakashi thought to himself as he looked back at the Hokage Tower.