Kakashi's POV (Team Seven's Training Ground - Hidden Leaf Village)
It had been a very long week. It had been foolish of Kakashi to assume that the growing rift between Neji and Naruto would mend itself in time. Ino, bless her heart, tried to play mediator, but had a temper herself. Kakashi was even more foolish to assume, even with the increased emotional intelligence of an older Genin team, that they'd naturally gel. Perhaps if the issues were surface-level, those would be easily solved. But this was clearly a case of different personality types clashing heavily. Add a healthy dose of pride from both young men and you had a volatile squad. The main problem was simple: Neji truly did not respect his teammates. Neji realized he appeared to be more skilled, and due to his pride and built up resentment lashed out at the others, perhaps thinking they'd hold him back. The Hyuga was moderately more tolerant of Ino, her status as a member of a notable clan likely being the reason. However, Neji seemed to hold nothing but a growing hatred for Naruto. Which considering what he seemed to think of the "lowly", made sense. Naruto was no member of a notable clan, not a genius, and while he was their peer, he had been ranked among the lowest. Kakashi was sure Neji considered it an insult.
While the team was mature enough to force themselves to work together, the constant strife kept overstressing the group and leading to more and more conflict. Furthermore, neither Naruto nor Neji were the calmest men, and as the days went on, both seemed determined to outdo another. Their resentment growing as their pride mixed. Both seemed to hold each perceived "victory" over one another. Like two dogs fighting to lead the pack…
Neji saw himself as the better of the team; his status as a Hyuga and strong pride over such demanded it. This mostly worked for the team's female; Ino did not see herself as his equal nor felt the need to address Neji thinking so long as it was somewhat reigned in. The two could coexist for a short burst. However, Naruto seemed to take this attitude personally and needed to prove himself. He refused to see Neji as anything more than his equal, and while he didn't seem to care if he was above Neji, he refused to put below him. Which ironically only infuriated Neji all the more.
Kakashi watched as the two men sparred. The "sparring match" had quickly become more of a live training fight. Neji weaved around a flurry of punches from Naruto, punishing him with a palm to his nose. However, Naruto ate the hit with a smile, grabbing the arm and impressively flinging Neji through the air by his arm and slamming him roughly to the ground. Naruto chuckled as he attempted to end the spar with a stiff stomp. However, Neji impressively weaved around it and kicked Naruto in the face. The Hyuga forgoing technique, he dived on top of the blonde as he stumbled back. The two began a dirty round of dogfighting as they clobbered each other with reckless abandon. Naruto even from the bottom landed the stronger blows, but Neji proved a shockingly game dirty fighter.
Kakashi and Ino sighed as he appeared between them and threw them back to separate them. "I thought I said go light during the sparring match." The Jounin complained.
He watched Naruto grit his teeth and bite back a complaint, obviously trying to avoid looking childish. However, Neji offered the blonde a smirk, which nearly renewed the brawling all over again.
Kakashi kept them at bay as an idea hit his mind. A forced heart-to-heart could serve as a solution of sorts. The man suddenly swept out both Neji and Naruto's legs as they began to march toward one another. Ino gasped, leaving her open as Kakashi tripped her next and slung her over the top of the other two. As his students struggled and cursed, Kakashi unfurled a scroll from his person, and with a burst of chakra and movement, each member of Team Seven was tied to a separate log, all three facing one another.
Usually, no simple binding like this could hold even an incompetent shinobi. But Kakashi was incredibly competent and thorough, so tight and encompassing the ropes that the students couldn't hope to do much more than twitch their fingers and toes.
"The hell?!"
"Why me?!"
"Not again!"
The three roared in sudden fury. Kakashi did his best to hold back laughter; these three were surprisingly easy to stir up. But now was not the time to get a laugh off; he needed to force some cohesion among these three. If Kakashi was truly meant to see his students off into this dangerous world, he would only do so once he was certain the team had surpassed his own old team's weakness. Their abysmal teamwork.
"It's becoming clear to me the three of you are not on the same page. And if you do remember our first day, that's something I consider a pressing issue." Kakashi explained, talking slowly as if talking to children.
"Listen," Naruto attempted to reason with a sigh. "I'm not gonna lie and pretend like we all get along. Frankly, Neji is a ginormous asshole, but we can work together. We have so far, haven't we?"
"The idiot makes a great point." Neji agreed with Naruto, causing Kakashi to roll his eyes. Fitting the two of them would unite when it was convenient. "We are not friends, nor do I suspect we'll ever be, as I try not to befriend my lessers. But we have been forced into a team, and I will not enjoy my time as a part of it. But I will serve as expected."
"What the ass said." Naruto agreed with a nod.
"Yeah, that's still not acceptable," Kakashi replied with a shrug. "You all have shown occasional moments of working together and chemistry both on and off the battlefield. But you don't have true synergy; you just do your own things around each other, hoping not to get in one another's way." Kakashi pointed out.
Naruto and Neji both went to reply before Ino snapped at the two of them. "Can you two tools just shut up and realize he's right?" Ino asked dejectedly. "I'm so over this constant bickering and fighting. Yes, Neji is an arrogant asshole with a giant stick up his ass. Yes, Naruto is an impulsive, knuckleheaded blonde. But regardless of that, the three of us need to get on the same page."
"And that's why I tied you up too Ino," Kakashi replied with a snap of his fingers. "These two men aren't stupid but can be emotionally immature. Luckily, you do not seem to suffer that same problem; you'll serve as the mediator. I'm gonna set up a special training session tomorrow; while I do so, the three of you can use the time to have a heart-to-heart."
"I have no interest in these blondes prattling," Neji replied frostily.
"Well, I would develop one," Kakashi replied evenly. "I will take a while, and you will not be going anywhere until I return." His piece said Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Heading toward a specific low-key bar to ask for a favor.
X-X
Naruto's POV
There was silence between the three. All of them seemed affected by Kakashi's rare display of intense emotions. Ino growled, knocking the other two out of their stupor.
"This is embarrassing! I can't believe he thinks he can just do this to us! How can we be this bad of a team!?" Ino lamented as she slumped against her log.
Naruto didn't bother replying right away. He was struggling against the ropes that held against the log with all his might. How the hell did Kakashi even tie him up this damn thoroughly, and in a blink of an eye too!
"You should be the one lamenting." Neji spat at Ino. "I am being held back by a careless sensei and pathetic teammates. I am a prodigy of the great Hyuga Clan, ranked number two from our graduating class, and widely known as a genius. Yet here I am given an idiot and bimbo to serve as my companions for the days going forward."
That broke Naruto out of his efforts to snap his binds. Ino sighed heavily as he spat back just as venomous of a reply. "Well, for one, I would never openly brag about being number two. Makes you look desperate. Secondly, I don't care if you're the reincarnation of some sort of god; you're an ass. There is no excuse for being like that to us; we did nothing to you."
"Guys, come on now!" Ino chimed in. Naruto recognized by her tone that she was attempting to cool things down. This forced talk was to bring them closer after all. But Naruto was too focused on getting to the root of the issue. From his experience, when a guy had a bone to pick with you, it was best to get it over with.
"I will admit perhaps I've been unfair to Ino," Neji said with a shrug. "Her clan is reputable enough, and while she isn't my equal in combat, she seems component enough. But you, Naruto Uzumaki, are a bother I will not abide by. You were one of the lowest-ranked students, and you come from no clan; in fact, the reputation you do hold is more akin to a leecher than my equal. You are unskilled, brash, foolish, everything I find myself detesting. And yet I could suffer it all, but I heard a rumor, Naruto, of your dream."
"Watch it," Naruto warned the Hyuga coldly. He knew precisely what the Hyuga was referring to. They had spent years in the Academy together, from puberty to now. Even as somewhat strangers, they were somewhat aware of one another. More than enough for Naruto's loudmouth back in the day to make it clear what Neji was poking at. When Naruto was younger, he told anyone who would've listened that he'd become Hokage one day. It was a dream he still held, a goal he could achieve and be sure he had lived a life worth living. The only way he could prove to himself he was not the hated menace he was treated like.
"You dare to reach for the apex of our world. To become the Hokage, the leader of the great Hidden Leaf Village, is the ultimate goal of any shinobi. Despite being a failure and being marked as subpar, you still dare reach higher. Do you not recognize your fate?" Neji asked indignantly.
"Fate? Fate? Fate is your hang-up?!" Naruto scoffed at the Hyuga. "I don't believe in any nonsense like that. Predetermined nonsense is just an excuse people make up to give up. Nothing in life is written in stone; you can always change it."
"Fate is nothing to scoff at. This world seems chaotic and random, but only to those blind to the true order of it. This world is heartless and cold, and its events are predetermined. I was always born to be a Side House Member, Ino to be a Yamanaka, and you an outcast. Nothing we say, do, or pray for can change this." Neji explained.
"Your life can always change," Naruto replied determinedly. "Sure, certain things are unavoidable, but if we fight, and believe, and persevere, we can overcome anything."
"Idealism and effort guarantee one nothing."
"But it's always worth the effort," Naruto countered simply.
"One day, Naruto Uzumaki, you'll see the true way of the world," Neji replied coldly. "If you have experienced what I have, you'd understand how cold this world is."
"Oh, I realize it," Naruto replied with a frown. "But if I have to, I'll change the world too."
Ino seemed stunned as the two went back and forth.
"You?!" Neji laughed. "Changing the world? You can't even hope to beat me, let alone change the world."