Blargle. Yep I said it. Anyway here's the next installment, I'm thinking this will be roughly around 7 to 10 chapters, we shall see.
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"Stop looking at me like that."
"No," Gyro said continuing to glare, "This is your fault."
"Yeah, it is isn't it," she said with positive glee looking around at the office workers buzzing around them as they went about their business with the hokage. Looking at her sitting there he glanced at the necklace hanging around her neck.
"That's a unique necklace your wearing Anko-san," said Gyro pointing to her neck.
"Oh! Yeah old man Hokage gave it to me as a good luck gift when I became Orochimaru's apprentice," she replied with a sad little smile while holding it in her hand, "I guess it brought me luck, I got away from that bastard."
"Old man Hokage?" he said with a frown.
"Oh, I supposed you wouldn't know about our hokages, huh?" she said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
"No, I-"
"Well then, let me educate you," she said cutting him off, "Our village was founded by the first hokage, which is our current hokage's grandfather, it was founded by the two most powerful clans of the time, the Senju and the Uchiha, others came later but they were the main players. After the first left office, he appointed his brother as hokage, who in turn appointed one of his student, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was our third hokage. The fourth hokage who was a pupil of Jiraiya of the sanin, was the best ninja Konoha had ever produced, such power was with him. He died when the Kyubi no Kitsune attack us, he sacrificed his own life to kill the demon fox. So then the third resumed the post, and he was the hokage til the Sound Village attacked us. He died trying to kill Orochimaru."
"Your old teacher, who in turn has been killed by the rogue ninja Uchiha Sasuke," he said interrupting, "Who is part of the Sannin just like the current hokage, Tsunade, the Legendary Sucker."
"I thought you didn't know anything?"
"I never said that, you assumed it, ass," he dead panned.
"Whatever." she said waving him off looking back around for Iruka to come and get them.
A small pig poked it's head around the corner of the nearest desk and peered curiously at the pair sitting on a bench. Reaching a hand down to the floor Gyro tapped lightly causing the pig to look at him and inch closer to inspect this intruder. As she neared he stopped tapping and held his hand out palm up and beckoned her closer with his fingers. Stepping closer she looked up into his grinning face, gently he began to pet her, scratching her ears and cooing to her. With a hop she jumped into his lap and curled up with he stroked her back.
Smiling in satisfaction he turned to show Anko the creature he had got to come over to him but a voice carried over the crowd.
"Tonton! Where did you go? Tonton?" looking to the other end of the room he saw a woman with shoulder length black hair and a slight build looking around the desks for something.
Looking down at the pig he commented: "I suppose that would be you?" he asked as the pig smiled back at him.
"Well better return you," he said sighing and standing.
"Where are you going?" asked Anko as he stood.
"Give this back" he said lifting the pig to her face which prompted it to lick her nose.
Her eyes widening in alarm she swore as she wiped furiously at her face.
Laughing he stepped away and made a bee line for the woman.
"I believe this is what your looking for," holding out the cooing pig.
Whipping around he was met with black eyes that raked over his appearance and lingered on the cuffs around his wrists and ankles.
"Who are you?" she asked as she took the pig into her arms.
"A name for a name, I don't give mine with out receiving yours."
"Shizune, assistant to the Hokage, Who are you?"
"Nashna Gyro, ninja of none at your service." he said with a bow.
"You're the one Anko was supposed to find," looking him up and down again she blushed slightly as he smiled at her.
"Yeah, she caught me, and I decided to come visit, I would have come sooner but no one told me how many lovely kunoichi they had residing here," he said taking one of her hands and kissing it.
"Bulls shit, more like I dragged your sorry ass back." said Anko sauntering up with her hands in her pockets with Iruka trailing behind her, "Time to see the hokage."
"Oh joy, another leader of a village threatening me, my heart be still for the moment," he said with a flat expression.
Grabbing his arm, Anko led him to the big oak doors that led to Tsunade's chamber, and not waiting for Iruka to announce their presence she kicked the doors open.
"Hey Tsunade, here's the missing nin you wanted." she said loudly pushing Gyro ahead of her.
Tsunade turned to look at them from next to the window where she had been talking to the rooms other inhabitant, Kakashi.
"Hey," said Gyro, "how's it going Kakashi? Did you manage to get that stain out of your vest?"
"No thanks to you or Anko," he muttered back.
"Take a seat Gyro," said Tsunade pointing at a chair in front of the desk.
Silently he slid into the chair watching as Anko lounged in the chair on his right and Shizune stepped behind the desk to stand at her master's right side. In the corner Kakashi put his book away and looked on with extreme indifference.
"So What's up?" said Gyro, "Surely you didn't call me here to thank me for helping that team of yours out and embarrassing these two." gesturing at Anko and Kakashi.
"Hey!" said Anko sitting up.
Holding up a hand, Tsunade glared at Gyro.
"Insult my shinobi again and you'll find out what a punch from me feels like," she ground out, "and I requested your audience to make you an offer to-"
"Join the village? Yeah, I figured," he said looking out the window.
Walking around the desk Tsunade grabbed the front of his vest and hoisted him up to eye level.
"Who the fuck do you think you are coming in here and talking to us like this?" she hissed between her teeth, "I have half a mind to send you over to the interrogation unit."
Looking interested in her manhandling of him, he smile at her.
"If that suites you, but I'm interested in why I should stay here, what makes your offer better than Clouds or Mists? Or the Lost? They have quite the gathering going now from what I've heard. And I have more information on another group, a demon hunting group, red clouds and the like."
"What do you know about Akatsuki?" said Tsunade.
"Some, and I must admit I'm interested in joining your shinobi ranks," he said airily.
Throwing him back into his chair she towered over him, with a malicious smile of her own.
"And what pray tell would this information cost us?"
"I haven't really thought of what I want so I'm thinking this will be my fee for admission as it were."
"You should know we have an extensive and rigorous entry examination for shinobi wishing to join us," she said sitting and pulling out a sake bottle and pouring a drink for herself, "both on your physical and mental abilities."
"I imagine so," he said leaning forward, "So what do you want to know?"
"Everything, Shizune! Record the statement he gives," she barked out, "Start at the beginning."
"I'd rather not share this with them," he said swinging his head in Anko and Kakashi's direction, "Or her." Pointing to Shizune.
"What's the matter? You some sort of inbred freak?" said Anko poking him in the side with a malicious smile.
"Nothing like that, just that facets of my past aren't for general consumption."
"Well that's just to-"
"Out!"
"But Tsu-"
"OUT! The lot of you."
Glancing back as she walked out she beheld Gyro sitting stock still looking at the sake bottle on the hokage's desk.
As the doors closed, Tsunade turned her attention back to Gyro.
"Now," she said pouring another helping of sake, "Start at the beginning…"
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"Well, what now?" said Anko turning to Kakashi.
"Not much we can do, just wait and see if they need us," he said pulling out his orange book.
"Hrphm," she grunted crossing her arms and sitting on a bench.
"Don't be angry Anko-san, he has his right to privacy about his past, I know you have a similar situation," said Shizune sitting next to her with a stack of papers.
"Yeah, but I wanted to know if he has a summons, Pakkun thought he might," she said with a finger to her chin as Shizune was engrossed with her paper work.
"Wouldn't surprise me," said Kakashi, "A ninja of his skill."
"What are you talking about? He's on par with me at best," said Anko loudly.
"I'm looking underneath the underneath," he muttered.
"Why can't you just say what you mean instead of dancing around the subject?" said Anko.
"Because I'm difficult," he said with a masked smile.
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"That is my story Hokage-sama, sorry about the disrespect, but you understand now why I chose to do what I did," said Gyro.
"Yes, many things have become clear now, such as how big a threat of having you here is," she said searching her desk for another bottle of sake.
"Allow me," he said removing a scroll from his vest. With a poof three bottles appeared and he handed them across.
"Arigato," she muttered uncorking the first bottle. Sitting back she sipped the fiery liquid gazing at his profile.
"You seem calm for a man in your position," she said.
"There is no point is stressing about that which I can not change," he responded evenly.
"True, but it could take away that which you can change."
"That won't come to pass," he said leaning back in his chair, "Nothing is beyond my reach to change."
"So you say," she said leaning forward to put her elbows on the desk, "We could have that removed for you."
"I'd rather not."
"It could kill you."
"Many things could."
"Do you want to die?" she asked seriously.
"You have heard an account of my life, you should know better than I."
"The remnants could cause problems in the future ending your ninja career unless we act soon."
"Hmm…" he said, "If it means the end of my career, then action will be taken. When could it be examined and removed?"
"As soon as Jiraiya returns to the village he should have time to look at it."
"Then what in the mean time? It has not slowed me any yet so shall we continue onto the tests?" he asked.
"Yes, The first will be a physical examination at the hospital, then you will be escorted to one of the training fields to assess your skills if your in fit condition," she said standing and pulling out some documentation from a file cabinet and throwing it down in front of him, and began scribbling on a piece of paper, "These will need to be completed and turned into myself or Shizune, and you will sit one more meeting between you and your peers. Give this note to the head nurse at the hospital. Any questions?"
"Where will I be taking up residence?," he said rising from his seat.
"We have taken the liberty of arranging you to stay at an apartment building, not the ritziest place, but it will do, An Anbu will escort you there after your examination. Anything else?"
"Nothing."
"Good, on the way out tell the others they can come back in. Have Iruka escort you to the Hospital, that is all. And welcome to Konoha."
With that he rose from his seat and she removed his cuffs.
"Thank you Hokage-sama."
"Serve this village and its inhabitants wells, that's all the thanks I need. Should you be accepted."
"Still, you should have this" he said pulling out the scroll he used to summon sake, "there's still a dozen bottles in here, take them."
"You'll do well here if you keep this up," she said with a grin pocketing the scroll.
"Hai. See you around."
Bowing several times he strode to the door. He pushed them open to see Anko spinning kunai on several fingers and Shizune reading through reports while Tonton rested in her lap and Kakashi reading his book.
"She says you can go back in now," he said, "And I need Iruka to bring me to the hospital for my physical."
"Hai," said Shizune, "I'll get him for you."
As she walked away he watched her go with a quizzical expression on his face.
"Its called discretion my friend, it would serve you well to abide by it," Kakshi said as he passed.
"What?"
"You checking Shizune out, eh Gyro?" said Anko nudging him in the ribs as she passed and wrapping an arm around his shoulders pulling him down to her level, "She's a good woman that one, not bad to look at either."
"Oh, you swinging both ways now?" he said.
"One woman can appreciate another's body for other reasons beyond sexual you pervert," she said putting him in a head lock and grinding a noogie into his head.
Breaking free of her grip her smiled disarmingly and held his hands out in a placating manner and backing away slowly.
"I was only joking Anko-san," he said as she looked ready to pounce.
"Torturing the new ninja Anko-san," said Iruka walking up, "It's a nice change of pace from you torturing me."
"Heeyyy 'Ruka," she purred sliding over to him but before she could reach him Gyro jumped between them.
"So, Iruka is it? How about that hospital?" he said seizing his upper arm and rushing down the hallway with a very amused Shizune watching their antics.
Sharing a look, the two women laughed and walked back into the office.
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"Well that was interesting," he said as he walked out of the hospital in a rather uncomfortable looking lope.
Looking around he could see children playing in a yard a feet blocks down, playing ninja, and people walking to and from the shopping district.
"No one to chaperone me and a free day, lets see what we find," he said walking down the street with the flow of traffic.
Falling in behind a group of chattering women he kept his eyes peeled and watched as they passed by the stores, seeing what each one had to offer.
"I hear that Lady Tsunade brought a rogue ninja into the village," said a woman loudly ahead of him to her group of friends, carrying her babe in her arms, "who knows what kind of crimes he committed in his old village, he could do the same here."
"Yeah, I heard he instigated a fight with Kakashi-sama and that snake woman a while back, and due to some under handed tricks got away but they hunted him down and retrieved something he had, stolen property probably."
Frowning he continued to listen to their chatter about how he must have been as low as dirt, and what a risk he was to the village. Having enough he tapped one of the woman on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, I'm new to this village, and I was wondering if you could-" but as he spoke a four wheeled cart started to roll down the street as a man yelled for people to clear the way as he ran after it.
"LOOK OUT!" he shouted pushing past the group and running head long at the errant cart.
Planting himself in the middle of the carts path he braced himself for the impact. He didn't have long to wait as it hit his out stretched palms. Using the momentum and chakra he had molded, he quickly used it to reinforced his limbs. He lifted the cart up over his head and stopped its progress down the hill. Slowly he lower the cart back onto its wheels and accepted the praise of the carts owner saying it was his duty to protect the people. Turning he headed back to the group of women who were now eyeing him with greater interest than before, scanning his body in a quite provocative and obvious manner.
"As I was saying, could you point me in the direction of the ninja training fields. I don't know my way around yet."
"What are you talking about? You're a shinobi of the leaf aren't you?" said a woman eyeing him and slinking up to his side, laying an arm on his bicep and cooing slightly at the muscle she could feel.
"Yeah, but I'm the one you said was 'probably a ruffian and criminal', so I don't know my way just yet," he said with a smile as she looked taken aback, as did the rest of the group, "And I was never rogue. Didn't have a village to go rogue on."
"Ano, I'm sorry we didn't-"
"Yes you did, but it was born of ignorance, make sure to guard your tongue more carefully in future, some shinobi aren't as forgiving as I am," he said seriously, "Now where abouts are the fields?"
"Depends," said a muffled voice behind him, "Which field are you seeking?"
"Field 5, I'm supposed to be there at 4 to be evaluated for active duty, Anbu-san," he said facing the long purple haired Anbu.
"I will escort you there," she said, "If there are supplies you need then you should get them now."
"Don't suppose…"
"I could show you around, you've got an hour til you have to be there," said the woman who had stepped up to him, "I'm not on duty right now, and I know all the best shops."
"I will find you in forty minutes to lead you to field five," said the Anbu, disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
Turning back to the group of women, he smiled.
"I'm Nashna Gyro," he said holding up his hand in a wave, "Know where I can get some kunai and scrolls?"
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"So where do you plan on putting him Tsunade-sama?" said Shizune.
"No idea," she said tiredly, "not until we test him can we know where he will fit in."
"Who do you plan on testing him?" said Kakashi from the window.
"I was thinking you, Guy and Kurenai, cover all the bases," she said looking down her list of shinobi in the village.
"Tsunade, he knows some medical jutsu," said Anko, "He used it when we were fighting."
"How proficient was he with it?" said Shizune quickly, "We could use another medic nin."
"Proficient enough to heal all the damage I did to him," she said looking at Shizune, "He was a little winded by it though."
"First things first, The primary tests. Then we will go from there," she said pulling out a large scroll and began studying a complex diagram, "Be at field five at 4, test him thoroughly, push him within reason. Shizune, you will be observing his tests."
"Hai, hokage-sama," said Shizune with a smile.
"Anko, you will also be observing, let me know if he shows any significant differences from when he fought you."
"Yes Tsunade-sama."
"Gather the others proctors, Dismissed."
As the doors closed behind them she sighed heavily and looked to the pictures on the walls. Staring at the one of the third, she thought about what she had just done, allowing this shinobi into the village.
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"Are you ready to go?"
"God yes, please get me out of here," he said in a whisper to the purple haired Anbu.
"Then lets go," with that she jumped to the roof.
"Bye ladies, I'm off," he said waving, "See ya around."
With cries of surprise and waves good bye he followed the Anbu across the roof tops, as she leapt in a north west direction.
"So got any tips for me?" he asked lightly watching the area around them.
"Don't bother me," she said coldly.
"Fair enough."
Glancing back she saw he was looking around the village, watching the people in the streets scurrying about as they passed over head. From the file she had read a month ago about him he wasn't to be taken lightly as he had escaped Kakashi and Anko, but he seemed no more dangerous than an ordinary citizen the way he carried himself. What was his story? She wondered.
Jumping down at the edge of the cityscape she waited for him to land next to her and she ran to the trees leaping into the branches. He was right behind her and showed that he was adept at tree running as any native born Leaf citizen. This was strange as most countries didn't have trees like the one's in Fire Country, most had small trees, but thanks to the Shodai, the trees that grew were the biggest and stoutest around, making it easy to traverse the giant expanses of forest.
The rest of the trip went with out incident and they arrived at the field ten minutes early. Looking around Gyro approached her and bowed to her.
"Thank you for your help Anbu-san. If you should ever need help, don't be hesitant to ask it of me," he said rising from his bow.
"…"
"Well, I'm sure your busy, so I wont keep you any longer," he said looking unnerved by her silence.
"…"
"Or not, which ever you want I guess." sitting down he pulled out the scrolls he had bought and several bottles of ink and began drawing seals along one scroll. Glancing at his work she tried to decipher what the seal was used for when he rolled up the scroll and began on the second one, but the diagrams looked different than the first, an odd wavy quality while the first had appeared more rigid. Sighing he looked up at her with a frown.
"If you have a question just ask it, no point in keeping it to yourself, you wont learn and grow that way," he said in a irritated voice.
"I am to wait with you until the proctors for your examination arrive," she said with her arms crossed, "Til then I have nothing to say to you."
"Bullshit," he deadpanned, "You keep looking at what I'm drawing."
"…"
"Your wondering how I saw your eyes behind that mask, huh?" he said turning back to his work.
"Possibly," she said quietly.
"Then ask, no evil come from a question," he said.
"Fine, how did you see?" she asked.
"I didn't, I assumed it until you confirmed it," he said rolling his second scroll.
In blank shock that he had pulled on over on her at full alert, she was grateful for the mask as it hid her gaping mouth.
"And you can close your mouth," he said standing and wiping the dirt from his pants, "My proctors are here, so you can go if you want."
Sure enough five shinobi were heading to them from across the field. She could make out the silver hair of her one time captain, the trench coat of Anko, and the cries of 'youth' and 'fires' from Guy.
"Then I leave you." she said disappearing in swirl of leaves.
Softly landing on the branch she peered out at the shinobi as her captain dropped down beside her.
"Well?" he probed.
"Can't tell yet," she whispered, "He's being difficult to read."
"Then continue to monitor from here," he said shushining away.
Bunkering down she settled her eyes on the group in the center of the field.
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Glancing around at the empty field, Anko felt exposed out in the open like this, she had never like big open spaces. Gyro had started walking towards them as soon as he spotted them, leaning back she sighed thinking about the paper work she would have to fill out for this exercise. Sliding over to Kurenai, she nudged her with her elbow, giving her a wide smile when she looked quizzically at her.
"What Anko?"
"Nothing, just felt like it," she said sticking her tongue out and putting her hands behind her head.
"There are days I wonder why we're friends," Kurenai muttered looking up at the clear blue sky as a cloud floated over head.
"You wouldn't know what you'd do with yourself with out me," Anko said with a wide grin.
When Gyro was ten feet from them Guy let out a shout, Kakashi tried to stop him but failed as Guy leapt forward and began saying how the fires of youth were with him.
"Arigato, Jonin-san," said Gyro nervously eyeing the green spandex wearing jonin, "but I don't think I have a burning sensation, the doctor said I was fine."
"NOOOO!! The Fires of Youth!! You are acting cool like Kakshi!" yelled the boisterous Guy as Kakashi chuckled at the comment.
Coming to his rescue Shizune stepped forward and began explaining the point of the test and what the rules of engagement were regarding the fighting.
"First you will be tested in Taijustsu by Guy then Ninjutsu by Kakshi and then Genjustsu by Kurenai," she said taking out a clipboard and making some checks on it, "If at any time you need to stop just alert us. Guy, you can proceed as you see fit."
As the two stepped a little way off from the group, Anko watched, wanting to see him laid out by Guy's superb taijutsu.
"I bet," she said to Kurenai leaning over and whisphering in her ear," he doesn't last a minute against Guy."
"We'll see," said Kurenai eyeing the strange ninja, "I heard he stopped a run away cart from running over a crowd earlier today."
"Huh," Anko grunted out, "No biggie. They're starting"
Turning their attention back to the two out in the field, she watched as Gyro resumed the basic taijutsu form he had when they had fought, nothing strange yet. Then Guy was on him before he could blink, hitting him in the stomach with a left jab. Doubling over, she could hear him gasping for air from here. With a peel of laughter she yelled:
"Good show there buddy, Maybe next time you could take more than one hit!"
Breathing deeply he assured Guy he was ready for another try. Resuming their original positions, he signaled his readiness and dodged to the side when Guy tried to hit him with a flying kick. Turning to face Guy again he reached into his pouch and pulled out a set of brass knuckles and slide them onto his fingers. Raising his fists he threw a few test jabs in Guy's direction, and she marveled at how much faster his punches were. With a bound he was standing toe to toe with Guy, trading blows while they appeared as nothing more than blurs. He stood there for a good five seconds before Guy knocked him away with a back hand. Rolling along the ground he spun upright rushing back trying a flying kick to Guy's solar plexus. Grabbing his foot in mid-air, Guy tried to throw him away from himself, but Gyro grabbed hold of the ground bring his other leg around in a sweeping kick that connected with his face whipping his head around. Turning back Guy laughed as Gyro righted himself with a twist and repositioned himself.
"You indeed have flames that are strong my friend!" he shouted.
"Like you wouldn't believe!"
With that Gyro thrust his fists into the ground, sending chakra through the brass knuckles, causing the ground around them to shatter. Shocked by what they were seeing Anko and the others strained to see something through the dust, until Guy came jumping backward with a bloodied lip. Wiping his lip clean he waited until the dust settled and his eyes fixed on Gyro in the center on his crater grinning. No longer laughing, Guy rushed forward with his full speed and began delivering kick and punches to Gyro. Holding his hands before him, he either absorbed the blow or deflected it, but his speed was dropping quickly as Guy's blows rained down on him. After almost a full two minutes, Gyro called out.
"I'm done!" he yelled, "Done, You win."
"Wow, that was impressive," said Kurenai, "No average ninja can stand toe to toe with Guy, I doubt even you, Kakashi, would have gone much longer at that rate."
"Probably not," said the one eyed jonin glancing out at the two.
"Yeah, he's ok," said Anko glaring at Gyro while fiddling with her ponytail, "I'd wondered how some of my hits hadn't broken his bones when we fought."
"You are an interesting opponents. Your style is one not commonly found in our area, the main thing you lack is offensive capability and endurance," said Guy shouted as they neared, beaming at him, "Maybe you could come training with my student and myself some time."
"Sure," Gyro said smiling before Kakashi could stop him.
"Excellent! Your fires will burn even brighter once you have trained with us!" he finished with several tears and a thumbs up.
"I guess, So what's next on the checklist?" he said turning to Shizune, who was writing on her clipboard. Smiling at him she flipped the page and wrote something.
"It'll be a test of Ninjutsu," she said handing him a notepad, "Write all the names of the jutsu you know and their effects, then you will demonstrate them for us."
"Ok, lets see…"
After about fifteen minutes of writing and another piece of paper later he handed her back the notepad with a long list of jutsus.
"Well," said Shizune scanning the list then handing it to Kakashi, "With this many jutsus, you'll only have to perform a couple of the advanced ones to pass. Kakashi if you would."
After looking down the list he instructed Gyro to follow him to the center of the field away from the others.
"Hey Shizune," said Anko walking over to the medic, "What all did he write down?"
"Um.." she said tapping he chin with her pen, "Some of everything, mostly water, and some earth style jutsu."
"Did he mention summoning?" she asked.
"No, it wasn't on the list," Shizune answered looking curious, "Why do you ask?"
"Pakun thought he might have a summon, cause of something he smelled while we fought," she said looking out to the field as Gyro blew a ball of fire at a training log.
"Is he sure it was a summons?" she inquired making a note.
"Fairly sure, who knows what it was, could have been anything, given our profession."
"Maybe, but I doubt it." she said looking out as Gyro created spikes from the ground.
"This guy has proficiency with every element," said Kurenai quietly, "Where did he come from? Only the sage of the six paths had that ability."
"I don't know," said Anko, "He wouldn't talk about his past when I asked."
"Well, from what Tsunade told me he can be trusted," said Shizune as the two started walking back, "But no one is infallible."
"Did you just admit your teacher, the Great Medic-nin Tsunade could be hoodwinked by him?" said Anko reeling on her with a wide grin which made the woman quite nervous.
"No, just pointing out a flaw in people as a whole," she said calmly, "Kurenai, your up next. Evaluate as you see fit."
"Good, I'll start now," she said disappearing into the ground.
Looking out to the field the three watched as Gyro stiffened and Kakashi smiled, uncovered his Sharingan eye and kept walking. Once he was clear he recovered his eye and stood next to Shizune as she handed him the clip board and he filled out his section.
"Anything note worthy happen Kakashi?" asked Guy softly.
"Not that I saw."
"Seems strange that five high level jonin would be called upon to assess a single applicant for admission," said Guy, "Seems like a waste."
"Yeah, something is off here," said Shizune, "There must be some sort of extenuating circumstance with this guy."
"Hmm, we'll have to see if he can beat this challenge," said Anko as she watched Gyro break free from the lesser genjutsu only to become more ensnared in the larger one, "He's about done anyway, he's almost out of chakra, any more and we'll have to carry him back."
"He's not doing to bad, of the eight tier genjutsu she's put around him he's broken through four of them and has the fifth one ready to break. No small feat."
"Who is this guy?" asked Guy.
"Beaten for now," Anko said as he collapsed in the field.
"I guess that concludes his tests for now," said Shizune writing something out on the clipboard.
"I can fill my portion out now," said Kurenai as she rose out of the ground.
After handing her the clipboard Shizune started to the crumpled figure in the field, Anko hot on her heels. As they approached the mass it rolled over and he let out a choking breath and gagged as he tried to breath. Kneeling next to him, Shizune began examining him to make sure he was unharmed, finding no wounds she tilted his head until he was looking at her.
"Are you okay?" she said in a loud level voice.
"Never have been, why should I be now?" he said sitting up and closing his eyes still breathing heavy.
"We might have pushed this little posy too far Shizune," said Anko looking down at him, "he's gasping like a fish out of water."
Rising to his feet Gyro kept his gaze anywhere but at the people watching him. Regaining his composure he began a walk towards the others. Closing in behind him, Shizune and Anko watched as he fought off the apparent bought of fatigue he was experiencing.
"You should go home after this and rest up, then come see Tsunade in the morning," said Shizune striding forward so she was level with Gyro and handing him a slip of paper, "We'll be expecting you at ten tomorrow."
"I'll be there," he said looking wearily up at her.
"If you are finished Shizune-sama," said the purple haired Anbu, "I was instructed to escort him to his residence."
"No, we're done here, your all dismissed," she said waving a hand smiling.
"Then lets go," said the Anbu turning and leaping into the trees.
With a tired wave, Gyro leapt after her and disappeared from their view.
"So anyone else notice he was faking it?" said Anko as they began walking back to town.
"Yeah, which leads to the question of why he felt the need to fake exhaustion," said Kurenai looking contemplative.
"I suggest we just keep an eye on him for now," said Shizune, "We don't really have enough information to go on yet."
"The wait and see approach," said Guy, "Perhaps when he comes train with me, he will let something slip." he said with a dazzling grin.
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"This is your residence for now," said the Anbu as they reached the top of the stairs and she handed him a key ring.
"Thanks. There any furniture in there?" he asked.
"There is a bed and dresser, and the usual amenities, and your things have been put in your bedroom. Do you require any more assisstance."
"No, I'll be fine," he said with a small smile, "Have a good nite."
"That is not for me to decide." she said as she disappeared.
Putting the key in the lock he attempted to turn it but the know just wouldn't give. Struggling for a minute he grunted as he tried to force it.
"You need some help there?" said a bright voice from behind him. Turning he spied a flash of yellow blonde hair and bright blue eyes as he looked at the teenager before him.
"Uh, yeah, I can't seem to open my door," he said lamely.
"Well, these door have a tendency to jam, just pull it and twist the key and it should work," the teen said giving him a wide smile, which pronounced the whisker marks on his face. Heading his instructions, he found the door swung open quite easily.
"Thanks… I didn't get your name, I'm Nashna Gyro" he said extending his hand.
"I'm Uzimaki Naruto," he said gripping his hand, "I live next door if you need anything."
"Thanks, goodnight to you then," he said stepping in and closing his door as Naruto walked to his door.
"So that's him," he whispered into the shadows of the hall entry.
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That's it for this chapter. Sorry it took so long. I really don't have an excuse, I just didn't really have the drive to write, and I was being lazy. I apologize for that. I'll see about writing the next part soon.
Also, I delivered close to 7000 words this time, granted it doesn't make up for the delay but it might help.