Maya - a Naruto Fanfic

13. Introducing Me

"You took so long, they've already introduced yourselves." I say as haughtily as I can.

"Oh really?" Kakashi raises an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah!" Naruto yells.

"But wait - your assistant didn't introduce herself, and neither have you!" Sakura points out.

"Didn't she? Well, my... Assistant's name is Maya Sarutobi, distant relation to the Hokage. Her family comes from outside Konoha, but she's staying here for a while." Kakashi lies easily, seemingly making it up on the spot.

"If you're related to the Hokage, how come you're so stupid?" Sasuke asks.

"Smart enough to know you're not worth my time." I snap back. Naruto lets out a loud bark of laughter.

"Congratulations, you're here 2 days and you've already made an enemy." Kakashi sighs, rolling his eye.

"And an ally!" Naruto announces, throwing his arm around my shoulder with a grin. Huh? Ally? When? I blink in surprise. Sasuke snorts in what might be amusement. I scowl for a moment, before grinning and putting my own arm around Naruto's shoulders.

"Yeah." I say, directing it mostly at Sasuke. What's that saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend? I think that applies here.

"Why would you want Naruto as an ally?" Sakura asks with a pout.

"Why not?" I reply with a shrug.

"Because he's an idiot." They all say it at once, Sakura in an incredulous yell, Kakashi and Sasuke more softly.

"Hey!" Naruto shouts indignantly.

"Well then we can be idiots together." I don't take my arm from around his shoulder. I've said we're allies; I won't go back on that.

"Maya..." Naruto stares at me for a moment, before grinning again, and it's like the sun bursting through the clouds.

"Are you two finished?" Kakashi sighs, already leaving with Sasuke and Sakura.

"Hey, wait up!" Naruto calls after them, running out of the doorway. I follow more slowly, my hands linked behind my back. Why they couldn't make kimono with pockets, I have no idea. Even the trousers don't have pockets.

As we head up towards the roof, Kakashi drops back to talk to me.

"So?" He asks me.

"So what?"

"You did the introductions. What are they like?"

"Well, Naruto dreams big. He wants to be Hokage someday, probably because it's a loved and respected position. I'd say that Sakura's boy crazy, but it seems pretty exclusive to Sasuke, which tells me she has really poor taste in men. Sasuke's arrogant, and rude. He looks at people like they're below him. He's also got this plan to restore his clan and get revenge, which sounds kind of suspect to me." I tell him all this quietly, so the kids in question don't hear.

"Hm." Is all Kakashi says in response.

When we reach the roof, Kakashi moves directly towards the railing, leaning against it easily while his students sit on a step in front of him. I sit with my back against one of the pillars, watching with veiled interest from beneath my lashes.

"So, from what Maya's told me, it looks like you all have very solid ambitions. But I want to know more about who you are now. So, talk. Will start with you, Naruto." All eyes turn to the blonde.

"Uh... What do I say?"

"Have some imagination," Kakashi sighs, "start with your likes and dislikes, and go from there."

"Well, I like all kinds of ramen, especially the ramen from Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei treated me to. I don't really like the 3 minutes you have to wait for the ramen to be ready, and I really don't like Sasuke." Naruto finishes with a glare at Saskuke, who snorts.

"And why do you want to become Hokage?" Kakashi prompts him.

"Huh? Oh! So everyone in the village will start treating me like I'm somebody!" He yells. I smirk - looks like I was right on the money.

"Interesting. Sakura, your turn."

"Me? I like... Well... I like... I guess I like trying new things, and learning. I find jutsu really interesting! But I don't really like having to train so much, because it hurts, and muscles are so not attractive." It takes her a while, but she soon gets into it.

"I understand you didn't have a clear dream for the future. Can you tell me now?"

"My dream for the future? I haven't really thought about it much, beyond, well..." She glances at Sasuke and blushes brightly. Kakashi sighs.

"Well, at least that's something. How about you, Sasuke?" He turns to the last of the group. Sasuke's hands are laced in front of his face again. Why does he sit like that? It can't be that comfortable.

"None of that really matters." Sasuke mutters, and I sit upright with a scowl.

"Humour me." Kakashi insists.

"Fine. I hate lots of things, and I don't really like anything. I will get my revenge because it is what I have to do, for the honour of my clan." He says softly, and something cold settles in my stomach.

"Well, that's certainly an... Interesting introduction. Maya? Your turn."

"But I'm not a student!"

"Doesn't matter, go."

"Ugh. I'm Maya, I like good food and reading and the colour brown. I don't like stinging nettles, bananas or being cold. My dream, aside from going back home, is to become a police officer so I can protect people." I say, and lean back with my arms crossed, refusing to look them in the eye.

"Good, now that we all know each other..."

A/N: and for my next trick, I shall transform a relatively shitty, 2 dimensional character into a fully-fledged person! But seriously, Kishimoto did not develop Sakura enough before Shippuden, so I had to figure out the kind of things she'd like AND leave room for development. Damn you, Kishimoto!! Looks like I'm going to be doing this a lot, so be prepared for some premium bullshit coming your way.
Ta-ta~