A Monsoon

Chapter 2: Seventeen

She was breathing heavily as she sat doubled over, shaking her head as sweat slid from her brow, stinging her uniquely colored eyes.

" Aishina, you need to concentrate," her sensei spoke, shaking his head as he stood before her, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her.

" I am concentrating, Sensei. I can't do it," she argued, shaking her head fiercely as she straightened her body, her eyes narrowing as she met her sensei's intensive gaze.

" No, you aren't child. You rely to much on your eyes. What if you lose them during a mission. Your eyes will be useless to you than. Come here," he commanded, pulling something from his back as she moved to stand before him. He turned her by her shoulder, causing her to face away from him. Slowly he began to wrap the bandages around her eyes, securing the knot behind her head as the white cloth ended on the bridge of her nose.

" Sensei?" her voice was frightened as she spoke, chewing her bottom lip between her blunt teeth. He sensei moved around her, holding her shoulders firmly between his large hands as he spoke.

" You are to wear these bandages every day during practice until your other senses become a part of you. You rely to much on your eyes Aishina, it's time you learned to rely on your other senses as well. You want to become stronger? You want to prove to these shinobi that you have earned your place? You need to prove it to yourself first. You need to show yourself exactly what you are capable of, that your eyes are not the only reason you are a ninja," her sensei spoke, his voice firm as he took a step from her.

" To begin this exercise, you are going to dodge each of you kunai. Listen for the weapons, move as if you are the wind," he commanded, moving to stand a distance from her.

She inhaled a deep breath, brushing the stray strands from her high cheek bones. Slowly she untied the cloth from around her eyes, a smirk dancing on her lips as she appraised her skill. Each of her knives hit her given targets.

" How did you do that?" A voice startled her, causing her to glance up as she removed her throwing knives from her wooden stumps.

" Do what?" she questioned quietly, watching her friend shake his head in disbelief.

" Hit each target with a blind fold on, not even Tenten has that type of accuracy," Naruto shook his head as he shrugged away from the tree trunk he was leaning his weight against. She sheathed each knife with care as she turned to face him, shrugging her shoulders in answer.

" My Sensei thought it would be a good change, to train me to use my other senses. You never know when you might lose your sight, you can't rely on it for everything," she answered, picking her way to the tree line and grabbing her bottle of water from her pack.

" He was pretty smart for thinking like that. I wish Jiraiya or Kakashi had that mind set," Naruto commented, following her until he was leaning against the tree trunk beside hers, his thumbs hooked around the belt loops of his loose, low slung jeans.

" He was blind. He was teaching from experience," she informed him, tossing her bottle to the ground once again before she faced him.

" Why are you really here, Naruto. I know you aren't interested in my training habits," Aishina spoke, her words blunt as her features told the truth of her exhaustion.

" Granny Tsunadae wishes to speak to you. She has a mission for you, sent me to retrieve you," he answered finally, watching as her shoulders sagged.

" Alright, I'll head to the Tower than," she spoke, pulling her pack onto her shoulders before she disappeared, leaving Naruto on the training field, alone. A sigh left his lips before he vanished in a swirl of leaves, knowing he would be summoned to help on this mission, Gaara didn't trust any other ninja. With that in mind he returned to his apartment, checking over his equipment before he decided to pack.

" You summoned me, Lady Hokage?" Aishina spoke as she entered the large office, her gaze dancing from her Hokage to the Lord Kazekage standing in the center of the room.

" Yes, Aishina. You are familiar with the Lord Kazekage, Gaara no Sabaku, correct?" she nodded her head to the Hokage's question, her brows furrowing as she listened to what she needed to say.

" Gaara wishes to work a joint mission with two of my shinobi, you as the captain. The mission will be very basic, very simple. You will escort him to his village and return with a treaty he has written. Is this understood?" she nodded her head sharply, her gaze darting between the two kages before she voiced her question.

" Who will be my partner?" the question didn't surprise Tsunadae as a slight smile danced on her lips.

" Naruto. Will you retrieve him, pack lightly, this mission shouldn't take to long," Tsunadae dismissed her, watching as she disappeared.

Gaara shook his crimson head, his sea foam colored eyes glancing at his female counter part.

" You are to bothersome for your own good sometimes, Lady Hokage," Gaara commented, watching the laughter dance in the Hokage's eyes.

" Some one needs to look out for the brat, who better than my favorite ANBU captain?" was Tsunadae's defense. Gaara only shook his head, eager to return to his village.

Aishina moved silently through the quiet village, easily picking her way toward's Naruto's apartment until she landed on the balcony outside his window. She lightly tapped on the glass, waiting until her slid the window open to allow her entry. Groggily he rubbed the sleep from his eyes until his vision was cleared, taking in the sudden appearance of Aishina.

" Aishina? What are you doing here?" his mind was still idles with sleep, causing him to forget about the mission he had requested.

" We have a mission, get ready. We're leaving in an hour," she answered, her feet planted on the firm balcony as he nodded.

" Alright. Where are we meeting?" he questioned, slowly waking up.

" Western Gate," he nodded once again, watching as she vanished before he shut his window, brewing a pot of tea to wake himself.

The mission was short, only lasting a few days as Aishina and Naruto both moved efficiently through the desert, Gaara leading the way. Naruto never strayed from his side as Aishina scouted ahead of them, or lagged behind. Naruto noted how she took care, often acting as one unit herself. He shook her head as they reached the gates of Suna, amazed at the energy she still possessed.

" How do you manage to do it?" Naruto questioned as they were lead to the Hokage's mansion. She glanced at him, delicate eyebrow quirked in a silent question as she waited for him to elaborate.

" You act as if you're one unit and you still look completely energized," he explained himself, shrugging sheepishly.

A slight smile danced across her lips as she thought over her reply, knowing it would be best to explain her position.

" I was promoted to ANBU captain a month ago, Naruto. That is a title you need to earn. The fact that I'm seventeen with this title, an outsider, makes it all the sweeter. But I still need to prove myself to my superiors. I need to show the council elders that I am fit to hold this title. Sensei taught me how to reserve my Chakra. It helps when the missions are lower leveled," she answered, entering the cooler room and following the Kazekage to his office. Naruto nodded in understanding, running his large hand through his sun blessed hair.

The return to Konoha was shorter as they raced from the desert to the tree tops that bordered the land of Fire and the land of Wind. Naruto's sapphire orbs never strayed as he watched her move gracefully through the tree tops. The gates of Konoha came into view causing a loud whoop to leave Naruto's lips. Aishina glanced over her shoulder, a soft smile playing on her lips as she shook her head at her childish friend.

" I can't wait to eat at Ichiraku's," Naruto spoke to fill the silence as they landed a few yards from the Western Gate.

" Eat a bowl for me," she commented, leading the way through the gates. Before he could ask her what she meant she vanished, running towards the Hokage's Tower. Naruto only shook his head, making his way to his apartment to change before he decided to eat lunch.

Tsunadae glanced up from her stacks of paper work as a quiet knock resounded through her office. Exhaling a sigh of annoyance she granted whomever was on the other side of the door entrance.

" I apologize for disturbing you, Lady Hokage. However I thought you would wish to look over the Lord Kazekage's treaty," Aishina spoke as the heavy oak door shut behind her. Tsunadae chuckled, leaning back in her large chair.

" Thank you Aishina. I can presume the mission was a success than?" she cocked a perfectly thin eyebrow, watching as her kunoichi nodded her once, a sharp gesture.

" You would presume correctly. I actuall wished to speak to you about my own ANBU unit," Aishina spoke, her gaze downcast as she waited for her Hokage to answer.

" I'm listening," Aishina glanced up, her sterling silver gaze meeting cool amber orbs as she quickly gathered her thoughts.

" I finished my probationary trial last week. Ibiki and Anko both informed me I should thought looking into members for my unit. I chose to remain a tracker, a Hunter ninja. I would like to have Nara Shikamaru placed on my squad," I began, chewing on my bottom lip as she nodded once.

" Of course. You and Nara work extremely well together. Do you have any others in mind, or would you like for me to choose randomly?" Tsunadae questioned, watching as she shook her head.

" I have two other in mind. If you decided you wish to add more, that is your choice. I wish for Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto to be placed on my squad as well. Both just recently made ANBU, they have been requesting to be put on a Hunter's unit, I'll teach them the basics," she answered, watching as her Hokage thought her suggestion over.

" Done. They will be assigned to your unit tomorrow. I suppose that answers my other question, than," Tsunadae commented, shaking her head at the young girl standing before her.

" Maybe next year, Lady Hokage," Aishina answered, a small smile curving the corners of her lips.

" I'm holding you to it, this time Kyoko," Tsunadae informed her, dismissing her with a flick of her wrist. Aishina bowed in respected before pivoting on her heel and leaving her Hokage to the silence she welcomed.

" Next year, you will be the captain of the Hokage's personal guard. The year after that, a new Hokage shall replace me," Tsunadae spoke to the silence, a secretive smile playing on her lips as she thought her plan over before returning her attention to the papers laid in front of her.

Aishina picked her way through the village, her feet carrying her to her favored training field as her thoughts ran ahead of her. Next year she would be a member of Lady Tsunadae's guard, with or without the council's blessing she was sure. She exhaled a sigh as she slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, easily maneuvering her way around the arrogant villagers.

" Kyoko," a voice called out, causing Aishina to pause her step, turning her head to gaze over her shoulder.

" Uchiha," she greeted her childhood friend with a bored tone, continuing her walk as he fell into step beside her.

" Do you know where I can find Naruto? I already checked his apartment and Ichiraku's," Sasuke questioned, his brows knitted together as he watched her.

Aishina offered him a lazy shrug, chewing her bottom lip with her blunt teeth in thought.

" Have you checked training field seven?" she questioned, watching as he nodded his head. She exhaled a sigh, turning her head skyward.

" The Hokage monument?" another nod was her answer.

" I might know where he's at, come on," she answered, one last place coming to mind as she lead the way to her favorite training grounds. In the center of the field stood Naruto, throwing kunai at the tree stump targets. A slight smile quirking the corner of her lips.

" Yo, Naruto," Sasuke called out, catching the blonde's attention, he dropped his stance, his sapphire gaze dancing between Aishina and Sasuke.

" Hey," Naruto answered in return, spinning his kunai around his index finger as the two shinobi came closer.

" Did you hear?" Sasuke spoke once again, now standing a few feet from his best friend. Naruto shook his head in answer, curious as to what his friend could possibly know. " We've been assigned to a Hunter Squad. We meet our captain and the rest of our unit tomorrow," Sasuke answered, a smirk dancing on his lips as he watched the grin stretch Naruto's face.

" Awesome!" Naruto shouted, the excitement clear in his eyes. Aishina ran her slender fingers through her hair as she listened to their joyful chatter, shaking her head at their childlike wonderment.

" Well?" Sasuke glanced at her, watching as Naruto's eyes followed, both waiting for her to congratulate them.

" So arrogant," she mumbled under her breath, shaking her head as she pressed her tongue against her cheek, stalling for a few moments before speaking.

" This is great news. You both worked hard to become ANBU," she agreed, a sharp whistle catching her attention. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in thought as she unconsciously took a step in the direction the noise came from.

Both boys watched her curiously as she stood in front of the tree line. She felt their gazes on her back, shaking her head.

" Why don't you two head back to the village, I'm sure your friends will love to hear the good news," she called to them, forcing a smile to her lips as she waited for their acknowledgements of her idea.

" What about you?" Naruto questioned, his brow furrowed as he watched her carefully, his movements mirroring her own, something the Uchiha noticed. A slight smirk danced on his lips

" I'll treat you to dinner. I wanted to train for a little bit," she answered, her back remained facing them before both boys nodded, leaving her to herself.

" You can come out now Sensei, they're gone," she called to the dense forest, listening intently for any sounds.

" I see you still train the way I taught you," his rough voice commented, his voice sounding closer than she anticipated. She pivoted on her heel, facing her old Sensei.

" It keeps me sharp, like a blade," was her answer, as she settled in the grass of the field, catching up with her old sensei as he told her of his travels. She would treat Naruto and Sasuke to dinner in a few hours, until than she would spend her time with the man she considered a father, the man who practically raised her and showed her the path of the Shinobi.