History Fanfic / ACaseStudyInTheSturdinessOfTheRookie9

* FireForgedFriends: Team 8, in comparison to both [[TheUnfettered Team 7]] and [[TeethClenchedTeamwork Team 10]]. [[ByronicHero Sasuke]], [[ShrinkingViolet Hinata]] and [[BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru]] at first glance ''should'' come off as the most mismatched trio, but thier journey to become a real team and thier respective CharacterDevelopment while ironing thier personally kinks is by far the smoothest of the three teams, thier trust in each other utterly eclipse the other two teams and they end up with a FamilyOfChoice bond, with [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Sasuke]] even [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove outright admitting that he loves both Shikamaru and Hinata]]. Thier last scene all but states that [[RichKidTurnedSocialActivist all three are planning to to use thier influence in order to change Konoha for the better politically and socially]], a decision that its strongly implied to be born from thier experience with both Sasuke and Hinata's home life.

* FireForgedFriends: Team 8, in comparison to both [[TheUnfettered Team 7]] and [[TeethClenchedTeamwork Team 10]]. [[ByronicHero Sasuke]], [[ShrinkingViolet Hinata]] and [[BrilliantButLazy Shikamaru]] at first glance ''should'' come off as the most mismatched trio, but thier thier journey to become a real team and thier respective CharacterDevelopment while ironing thier personally kinks is by far the smoothest of the three teams, thier trust in each other utterly eclipse the other two teams and they end up with a FamilyOfChoice bond, with [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Sasuke]] even [[PlatonicDeclarationOfLove outright admitting that he loves both Shikamaru and Hinata]]. Thier last scene all but states that [[RichKidTurnedSocialActivist all three are planning to to use thier influence in order to change Konoha for the better politically and socially]], a decision that its strongly implied to be born from thier experience with both Sasuke and Hinata's home life.

These alternate compositions naturally have [[ForWantOfANail considerable impact]] on their development. At first, the story has a light-hearted tone; over time, however, the consequences of these changes become more apparent. For the genin are not the only ones thrown off by these arrangements; their ''teachers'' must adapt as well, and the methods they settle upon aren't all for the best...

* {{Doublethink}}: Team 7 justifies [[spoiler: their decision to betray Team 10 in the first round of the Chunin Exam]] by pointing out that the situation was NotAGame, and ''everyone'' should have been expecting things to go they would have in the field. They subsequently try to [[BelievingTheirOwnLies convince themselves]] that their targets were being ''overdramatic'' in [[WhatTheHellHero calling them out]], since Team 7's actions would just mean their targets would be "a bit inconvenienced." The ''alternative'' would mean considering that leaving allies in the ''[[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace Forest of Death]]'', surrounded by teams from rival villages, ''could [[NotHyperbole actually]] have gotten them killed.''

** Ino uses her clan techniques to make her teammates utterly ''terrified'' of her, but is utterly infuriated by [[spoiler:Team 7 tricking them in the Forest of Death]]. {{Justified}} in that Asuma ''encouraged'' Ino's abuse; [[spoiler:once she realizes the full scope of what she'd been doing, she's horrified at herself]].

Can be read on AO3 or on Fanfiction.net [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12857363/1/A-Case-Study-in-the-Sturdiness-of-the-Rookie-9 here]].

* LoserSonOfLoserDad: When it appears that Kakashi taught Team 7 to [[spoiler:betray their allies]], Shikamaru muses that they shouldn't have expected any different from the son of one of Hatake Sakumo, who was once regarded as one of Konoha's [[spoiler:greatest traitors]].

** {{Downplayed}} and partially {{Averted}} [[PlayedForDrama For Drama]] with Team 7. His genin continue holding him in high regard even as his many flaws and issues come to light... which becomes a serious problem during the Chuunin Exams. Even after Kakashi has his HeelRealization, Shino and Sakura continue defending his behavior and his teachings, even the lessons that caused the problems in the first place.

* DidntSeeThatComing: Orochimaru is completely caught off-guard when he discovers that [[spoiler:the Hiruzen he's taunting is actually a disguised Kurenai]]. He then gets hit by this ''again'' when [[spoiler:Tsume, Shibi and Hiashi reveal they brought backup sealed inside scrolls]].

* HourglassPlot: At first, Kakashi's {{Pride}} and reluctance to admit any fault leads him to ignore his genin team, barely paying them any mind. Following his HeelRealization, he tries to correct his mistakes, only for Shino and Sakura to ignore what he and several others are trying to tell them because they subconsciously don't want to face their own {{Fatal Flaw}}s.

* LostFoodGrievance: Kakashi proves to be ''even worse'' about this than the Akimichis, tricking his team into a fake 'C-Rank' mission aimed at humiliating Genma over how his comrade swiped his dessert.

** When Ino and Naruto try to figure out what happened to Kiba, she accidentally presses her teammate's TraumaButton and [[spoiler:spurs him to accept the Cursed Seal]].

* AdultFear:
** Sakura's parents are civilians here, and constantly worry about the dangers of shinobi life for their daughter.
** Tsume faces this when her son is [[spoiler:mentally broken down by the deadly combination of the side-effects of Ino's mind-body switching and Orochimaru's cursed seal]].
** Inoichi attempted to shield his daughter from some painful truths about their family history, only to learn that this contributed to her thoughtless misuse of their techniques, making him feel that he failed her as a father.

** Asuma advises Kurenai that Nara like intellectual challenges. As it turns out, this includes challenges like [[spoiler:navigating the legal challenges required to secure a proper family for Sasuke]].

* ToxicFriendInfluence: PlayedWith in Team 7. While Shino and Sakura's drive and {{Determination}} help push Chouji to become better focused himself, they also influence him to accept their skewed ideas about Kakashi and his teachings. This leads to Chouji suggesting that they [[spoiler:exploit his connection to Ino and betray Team 10]] -- something that Ino blames entirely on their corruptive influence.

* ToxicFriendInfluence: Chouji is used to following his friends' lead, which becomes a problem when Shino and Sakura decide that [[spoiler:the best way to get the scroll they need is to steal it from another team]]. Despite his misgivings, he suggests [[spoiler:targeting Team 10]].

* BrokenPedestal: Several of Orochimaru's old students, namely [[spoiler:Tsume and Shibi]], went through this after his true nature was revealed and his subsequent defection.

- Team 7 contains Sakura, Shino and Chouji.
- Team 8 is comprised of Hinata, Shikamaru and Sasuke.
- Team 10 holds Naruto, Kiba and Ino.

* AssholeVictim: PlayedWith; Sakura sees Ino as one, as does Shino. Ino, for her part, sees ''Sakura'' as the Asshole Victim who totally deserved [[spoiler:having her victory ripped away from her]].

* IronicEcho: One of Chouji's self-justifications as to why he and his teammates were justified in how they handled the Forest of Death is that the Chuunin Exams are NotAGame -- that rather than a mere test of their abilities, they're meant to show what they're fully capable of. Shikamaru unknowingly echoes that same sentiment while explaining why he's so [[DisappointedInYou disappointed in him]]: Team 7 showed what they were capable of, including [[spoiler:betraying their allies]].

** Chouji ''really'' regrets going along with Sakura and Shino's plan after [[spoiler:Shikamaru]] tells him that after what happened, [[spoiler:he doesn't want to be assigned any missions with him]].

* MoralMyopia: Ino uses her clan techniques to make her teammates utterly ''terrified'' of her, but is utterly infuriated by [[spoiler:Team 7 tricking them in the Forest of Death]]. {{Justified}} in that Asuma ''encouraged'' Ino's abuse; [[spoiler:once she realizes the full scope of what she'd been doing, she's horrified at herself]].

** Team 7 [[spoiler:gained a reputation as traitors for how they backstabbed Team 10 in the Forest of Death. However, this incident motivates Kakashi to change his ways, encouraging Chouji to [[GrewASpine find his footing]] and stand up to his teammates more. By the end, even the stubborn Shino is inspired by Naruto to expand his horizons and start considering others' points of view]].

* DeconstructionFic: Gradually deconstructs ''itself''; things that are initially played to humorous effect early on are revealed to have long-term consequences further down the line.

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: Team 7 falls headlong into this; [[NiceJobBreakingItHero thanks to Kakashi's teaching style]], they can't identify ''why'' so many people have a problem with their decisions during the Chuunin Exam.

* {{Foil}}: Genma treats Team 7 with more respect and care than their assigned instructor. Unlike Kakashi, he takes an interest in the trio from the moment they meet, working with them and growing closer over time.

* ToxicFriendInfluence: Chouji is used to following his friends' lead, which becomes a problem when Shino and Sakura decide that [[spoiler:the best way to get the scroll they need is to steal it from Team 10]]. Despite his misgivings, he goes along with this plan.

* ItsAllMyFault: Upon learning what his daughter has been doing, Inoichi blames himself for not teaching her better.

These alternate compositions naturally have [[ForWantOfANail considerable impact]] on their development. At first, the story has a light-hearted tone; over time, however, the consequences of these changes becomes more apparent. For the genin are not the only ones thrown off by these arrangements; their ''teachers'' must adapt as well, and the methods they settle upon aren't all for the best...

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Inoichi hits Ino with two in rapid succession: "How many times did you take control of Kiba's boy?" followed by "Do you know what happens to one's consciousness when their body is invaded?"

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint:
** Team 7 falls headlong into this; [[NiceJobBreakingItHero thanks to Kakashi's teaching style]], they can't identify ''why'' so many people have a problem with their decisions during the Chuunin Exam.