158 The Flight - 4

Three Days Later

"I can't believe that lazy-shit got promoted and we didn't!" Naruto howled, then aiming a fearsome kick for Haku's head while they were locked in a fierce spar, "You'd think the old lady, ugh, would at least recognize us for our abilities by now!"

The dark haired boy blocked successfully, putting some distance between himself and his aggravated teammate, "But it isn't simply our abilities that are taken into account, Naruto-kun! It is our proficiency with decision making and leadership that count as well."

"We have the mindsets of chunin." Gaara insisted from his spot near a target, at which he had been ruthlessly assailing with shuriken, "We are capable of the responsibility of such a rank. Naruto is right: we are being held back."

A small frown formed on Haku's face as he took in the words, understanding their frustrations. Eventually Naruto calmed down and stopped attacking Haku, noting that he had more to say on the matter.

"It's true…we are ready. But think! Aren't we most prone to provocation out of all the other genin? We overreact and sometimes deviate from the objective, to the point where it can endanger ourselves and others." Haku admitted to his friends quietly, his eyes lowered, "You two most especially! Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sensei must see this in us after all we've been through."

The blonde boy folded his arms, tilting his nose up in the air, "So we're a bit nuts, yeah! Then how come Shikamaru of all people, who nearly got his head chopped off, by the way, gets to be a chunin, huh?"

Gaara's stare met with Haku's thoughtful gaze before moving along to Naruto's fiery, defiant eyes. He felt he agreed more with Naruto and yet Haku had a point as well. No matter who was more right on the situation, it didn't very much affect his desire to gain a higher rank as a shinobi.

"Well, I suppose Shikamaru was recognized because…" Haku started chuckling, "It's simply because he uses his head and remains objective about things, even if he is a poor fighter. That's the trait of a leader. It's what they were looking for."

"That doesn't necessarily mean he deserves to be a chunin." Gaara added, his voice reaching a growl-like tone, "He, like the rest of us, still needs improvement."

"That's just it, isn't it?" Haku asked, looking up at the clouds in the sky as the Nara would have, "His talents are few, but he can analyze and use other people's abilities to his advantage and organize a strategy quickly…with us it isn't quite like that yet."

"What do you mean, Haku-kun?" Naruto was confused and squinted his eyes to emphasize his question.

The dark haired boy looked back to his friends, "We still view each other as equals. There's still too much of a balance between us. Until we can recognize a real leader among the three of us, for example, we will always be disorganized and throw off the flow that a team led by a chunin would have. Are we ready to start taking orders from each other yet?"

Gaara and Naruto remained dutifully silent and Haku sighed, "Stubbornness like this keeps us from leading each other. We depend on each other and work as a team…but we have no natural direction. Shikamaru could lead a group better than any of us."

A smirk appeared on Naruto's face, "Well hey! Then it's you then, isn't it? You came up with this whole lecture so it's all in your head! You can lead us, we trust you! Right, Gaara-kun?"

Gaara frowned, "My opinion differs…but it isn't as if I would disobey him."

Haku's eyes widened nervously, "This isn't an election, you know!" He raised his hands up in defense, "I was just explaining Shikamaru's position to you. Why me? I thought it'd be better if we just trained for another year so we could then see how our growth has affected us…"

"But you could do it; give us directions and stuff!" Naruto persisted, grinning by then, "Even if you don't have a biju like me and Gaara-kun, you have strength that comes from your head and it's valuable!"

Grudgingly, the red haired boy nodded, moving to stand by Naruto, "It could work if you keep your emotions in check…"

Haku stared at them blankly, not expecting them to so suddenly have a revelation about their team dynamic. In his own mind he was terrified. He didn't see in himself the things Naruto had been describing, and he was afraid that if he did become responsible for his team that one slip up could lead to tragedy.

Naruto then added with precise timing, "Right! So now that we've picked someone can we be chunin now?"

Gaara frowned at him, "I don't think it works that way, Naruto."

Haku shook his head in a mix of amusement and exasperation. Even if Naruto had confidence in him, he still didn't fully understand the meaning of what he had been trying to explain. He decided that it would be better to just wait and see.

'Naruto may grow out of his explosively-righteous attitude and become wiser. Gaara could possibly let go of his anger and pre-conceived notions of others and keep an open mind…' And as an afterthought, 'And maybe I can learn to be a better person in general and stop viewing life as a book. I can't just read it; I have to live it…'

All in good time, he hoped.

"Well good for Shikamaru, then…" Naruto grumbled, then looked to Gaara, "Hey, what about your brother and sister? They did pretty good! So maybe when they go home they can-"

"I don't know…maybe," Gaara answered honestly, "Tsunade-sama has ended the quarantine keeping foreign shinobi here, but they said they aren't ready to leave yet."

Haku could understand that. Now that Temari and Kankuro had been reunited with their younger brother they weren't very inclined to just up and leave him when they'd be uncertain of when they'd see him again, if ever.

"I think maybe it'd be good for you to visit Suna for a few days then," Naruto suggested quietly, , "Just to make it easier for them to say goodbye?"

Gaara folded his arms, predicting the situation, "If I did that then they'd try to convince me to stay, so I won't allow them such an opportunity. Their skins are thick enough to allow them a journey home without bursting into tears on my account."

Naruto laughed and then slapped the redhead painfully on the back, "Aw, you big softie! You don't want to go just because you'd miss us, right? Hee hee!"

Gaara's nostrils flared in annoyance, "Don't count on it."

A/N:

11th Chapter of the day.

Don't ask for more, you people.

Stockpiles are empty and now it's time for some work.

Bruh! Hope u liked it.

!!UMU!!