Hiding in the Leaves
by aventria and iluxia.
Hiding in the Leaves in an Alternate Universe Naruto fanfic focused on Team 7, led by Orochimaru. There are many changes, with the two main ones being the Uchiha Massacre never happening and Orochimaru staying with the Hidden Leaf. The story focuses on Team 7's learning and growth over the action and intrigue of canon.
Hiding in the Leaves contains examples of:
- The Ace: Itachi, as in canon, but also Shikamaru, who, despite not having the near-bottomless reserves of chakra like Naruto or the prodigious mastery of learning jutsu like Sasuke, has pinpoint chakra control and is a genius, allowing him to perform unorthodox plans like channeling fire chakra through specific points in a jutsu in order to only burn the enemy rather than his allies.
- Animal Nemesis: Tora the cat is this to Shikamaru, who is notably more vengeful when dealing with the infamously flighty cat. When they first return it to the daimyo's wife, Shikamaru is the only one of them who doesn't pity the cat.
- Beauty, Brains, and Brawn: Team 7. Shikamaru is the Brains, having the finest chakra control and being the most tactically-minded, Sasuke is the Beauty, being similarly chased after by Ino and Sakura as in canon, and Naruto is the Brawn, having the most energy and chakra but the most difficulty with control.
- Child Prodigy: Sasuke, despite what may be presumed due to Itachi being his older brother. He masters an elemental technique not of his affinity before he even learned what his affinity is, and his instruction in the caretaking of his chakra coils allows him to use his Sharingan more effectively, already having two tomoe the day after he figures out how to activate them!
- Combination Attack: Team 7 is versed in this, due to having Shikamaru as part of the group. Naruto and Sasuke especially work, given how their elemental preferences combo (Wind strengthens Fire, Water channels Lightning), and Shikamaru uses his Earth affinity and Shadow Manipulation Jutsu to control the battlefield, such as using a partial Earth Dome Jutsu to create a cauldron around an opponent to enhance the power of Sasuke's Fireball Jutsu.
- Cultured Badass: Orochimaru, being a cultivator of tea and head of his own almost-extinct clan, is very polite and cultured, having none of the Faux Affably Evil tendencies of his canon counterpart.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: After weeks of sparring against Orochimaru, Anko, and Kabuto, Team 7 gets to be on the giving end of this during the Kohona 12 War Games, when they effortlessly take down Team Kurenai, counter all the efforts of Team Asuma, and are easily able to hold off the combination efforts of Team Guy and Tenten.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: Despite many of their training opponents being Jonin, ANBU, or even Sannin, Team 7 is capable of forcing their opponents to take them seriously and use their chakra and jutsu.
- Deadpan Snarker: Shikamaru, full stop. Most of his lines are him complaining, giving advice, or explaining different things to Sasuke and Naruto, all under a heavy layer of snark.
- Freudian Trio: Naruto is the Id, being the most free-spirited and immature, Sasuke is the Superego, having been brought up in a religious clan, and Shikamaru is the Ego, balancing the two of them to get the best result for them.
- Knight, Knave, and Squire: Team 7, with the idealistic Sasuke, the ruthless Shikamaru, and the poorly-educated Naruto, respectively.
- Self-Deprecation: As Orochimaru notes, each member of Team 7 has their own strengths and better areas, and each one is convinced that they're the weakest of the lot.
- Shock and Awe: Sasuke, having a Lightning elemental affinity. Given that the Uchiha Massacre never happened here, his parents are quite surprised at neither of their heirs having a Fire affinity (Itachi has Yin affinity).
- Silk Hiding Steel: Orochimaru. He's polite, calm, controlled, and soft-spoken, but as anyone who fights him learns, he's next in line to take on the mantle of Hokage for a very good reason.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Orochimaru gives one to Team Kurenai at their team leader's request during the Konoha 12 War Games, pinpointing how they're the weakest team of them all and that despite Kurenai's incredible skills, they haven't done anything to use that to better themselves, instead content to stick to in-fighting and refusing to work.
- Unscrupulous Hero: As Orochimaru notes, Sasuke might be a (literal) Lightning Bruiser, and Naruto is a One-Man Army, but the one that opponents should watch out for is Shikamaru, as he's the ruthless one.
- Why Didn't I Think of That?: Shikaku is kicking himself after Shikamaru shows him the new Shadow Manipulation Jutsu he designed based on the Earth Dome Jutsu, as it's useful for defense, and doubly effective in the dark, as it both costs less chakra to use, and is able to hide the people under it.
