Sometimes, spite can be the greatest motivation for three individuals to work together and bring a common enemy down
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"Today we are going to play a game." Kakashi announced when he arrived three hours late.
Immediately, his three genins tensed up and looked warily at him. Good. At least they learned something from yesterday, Kakashi thought in satisfaction.
"Today, I want you to try and steal these bells from me," he said as he held up two silver bells. It tinkled merrily as it shook and swayed in the wind. "Anyone who fails to get it will be sent back to the Academy."
Immediately, Sakura's eyes narrowed as her hand shot up. When she got a nod from Kakashi, she shoots him a look full of distrust as she questioned. "There's only two bells you're holding, Kakashi-sensei. What happens to the team if only one of us didn't pass? Don't you need at least three people for a genin team?"
Well, well, someone had actually paid attention to whatever lectures the Academy had held about the structure of teams.
"I'm so glad you asked, Sakura-chan." - Sakura bristled at that, hands clenched and nose flared as she glared at him - "To the other two that passed, while they won't go back to the Academy, they still won't be able to do any C-rank and above missions and of course, they can't participate the Chuunin Exam." Kakashi explained. "Although I doubt any of you could get it by noon," he added as an afterthought.
As predicted, the three genins made a face at him and growled in challenge.
"Well, if everybody's ready, the test starts in three, two, one-"
The three of them, in a rare show of good judgement and also going against what Kakashi had predicted, immediately retreated back into the forest surrounding the training grounds, trying their best to hide themselves from him.
With nothing else to do, he looped the bells on his belt, pulled out his latest Icha Icha Paradise, flipped to the page he had marked and settled himself for a long wait.
It took a good chunk of two hours and three Icha Icha books he had carried with him before his cute little gremlins make their move.
Even if they failed to show what he wanted to see, at least he can compliment them for taking the time to prepare themselves instead of charging straight ahead. Even Naruto showed great self-restraint when the boy hadn't even appeared once into the clearing Kakashi was standing in.
Unfortunately for him and fortunately for them, Kakashi had underestimated them quite a lot.
Or more specifically, Kakashi had forgotten how petty children can be.
He's not proud to say it but somehow, some way or another, these three fresh genin that doesn't even know how to tree-walk much less water-walk had almost succeeded in defeating him.
And all it took was some wires, Naruto's pranking talent, Sakura's wild imagination, Sasuke's thirst for revenge and a whole lot of pettiness.
"Well..." Kakashi spoke as his clone cuts off the last wire around him, "That was...something alright."
His three cute gremlins merely growled at him from where they were half-buried in the ground, cuts and teared clothes were seen on them; proof to how vicious they were to force Kakashi to actually retaliate properly.
Crouching down so he would be on the same eye-level with them, Kakashi held up the bells in front of them. "None of you were able to take it. What do you have to say for yourselves before you go back to the Academy?"
"Now you know my traps are cooler and better than yours!" Naruto grinned, eying the cuts on Kakashi's cheek and mask that was caused by his successful wire trap.
"Fucking worth it," Sakura smiled viciously as she gave an appreciative look at all the tears on Kakashi's vest. She knew it was a good idea to place those wires in a certain pattern to trap her sensei.
Sasuke just smirked in satisfaction when he sees the cuts on Kakashi's sleeves. His aim is truly the best among the three of them and Sakura's idea to attach the end of the kunai with wires was brilliant.
Kakashi just smiled and tried his best to not coo at his three murderous genins. Look at how adorable they look with their satisfied grins as they look at the damage (however small it is) they caused on their sensei. It's like watching pups being satisfied at catching a weak little bunny on their first hunt.
Mind made up, Kakashi pulled the mask covering half of his face down and gave them a proud smile. "Congratulations, my little gremlins~! You are the first team to pass my special test!" he told them proudly.
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke stilled in their attempts to get out and gave their sensei a questioning look.
"What?" Naruto asked.
"Excuse me?" Sakura blinked.
"The fuck?" Sasuke breathed.
"That's right, my cute little pups! You have just won yourselves a lifetime of eternity with me!"
Three sets of eyes blinked at him before three healthy faces paled considerably.
"No! Get me out of here! I want Iruka-sensei back!" Naruto wailed as he struggled to free himself. "Iruka-sensei!" he sobbed out loudly.
"This is a nightmare. This is a nightmare. This is a nightmare." Sakura muttered to herself as she closed her eyes and tried to convince herself that everything isn't real.
Sasuke stared in horror at Kakashi before he closed his eyes and opened them up again to reveal a one-tomoe sharingan. With shaky hands, he made a hand sign and shouted "Kai!" over and over again.
Kakashi, for his part, just laughed merrily.
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Sharingan can be awakened when the user experiences extreme loss but Sasuke actually awakened it when Itachi did the Uchiha-genocide. He just forgot.
Nothing beats an ol' dose of fear and trauma to re-trigger it, right?