A Mother's Love

8. Survival Exercises

At the end of the semester they received their grades. And as was traditional along with the grades they received their class rankings.

"I am so proud of you Naruto-kun!" Kushina grabbed her son and began planting kisses all over his face.

"Mom stop!" Naruto tried to sound indignant but she couldn't miss that very happy smile.

"My son, top in his class I am very, very proud of you. I'll tell you what, let's celebrate! Is there anything special you'd like to celebrate your achievement?" She saw his face light up and his mouth open. "Not a katana, ask for something else."

"But why can't I have a katana?" He whined.

"Because you're not ready for one." Kushina said plainly.

"When will I be ready?"

"When I say you are."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "Stingy!"

She shook her head. "You're not getting a katana son, pick something else."

"Well can I have some of your special ramen?"

She hugged him and gave him three or four more kisses. "Now that you can have. I'll go ahead and make you all the special ramen you can eat!"

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Sasuke stood before his father as he looked at his son's academic report.

"History: second. Codes: second. Math: second. Taijutsu: second. Weapons: second. Endurance: third." Sasuke flinched at the very slight inflection his father added to that one word. "Over all standing: second." Fugaku looked down at his young son. "You disappoint me." Fugaku dropped the paper and walked away from him. Sasuke picked it up off the floor and slowly tore it up.

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Hinata stood stock still in front of her father. He was sitting behind his desk and carefully reviewing her report. Despite an overwhelming urge to press her fingers together she stood there with hands firmly to her side. Finally he looked up from the paper and at her. She prepared herself for another tongue lashing. "You were third." He said in a neutral tone.

"Yes father." She said in a small voice. She kept her face up. A Hyuga was not supposed to ever look away from the person addressing them. She waited in dread for what was coming.

"Given that you trail only an Uchiha and a Namikaze, I find your performance acceptable."

"You do?" She sounded relieved.

That immediately brought out a frown on her father's face. "Do not misunderstand me daughter." He said in a frosty tone. "You should be first in all things." He paused. "However, to trail members of the other two elite clans of this village is understandable." His eyes considered her, weighed her, and judged her. "You have improved Hinata, perhaps you will make a worthy clan head one day." The tone was no warmer but compared to what she was used to his words were welcome.

"Arigato father."

"You have been training recently with Naruto."

"Yes father."

"I wish you to spend more time training with him and following his regimen. I have spoken to Kushina-san and she welcomes your increased participation."

For the first time she could remember she wore a smile while in an audience with her father.

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The next morning Sasuke was on the asphalt outside the academy waiting patiently. He watched as Kushina and Kurenai delivered the pretender and his pet Hyuga. He snorted in contempt. He didn't need any help to get to and from the academy each day. Yet those two were always treated with kid gloves. He watched as Kushina and Kurenai departed and as the pretender and his little girlfriend started toward the academy hand in hand. He walked out to meet them coming to a stop directly in their path. Naruto and Hinata halted. Naruto looked at him with his usual air of confidence.