A/N: Muwahahaha! I couldn't resist leaving it as a slight cliffhanger there but never fear because the next part is here! Thanks for the reviews from Tatty and Dragon and texasbex1 and kurokocchi, you guys inspired me to update because i feel bad when i leave people hanging but yet it gives me evil satisfaction at the same time (Insert evil laugh here). So R&R my lovelies!


Minato opened his eyes at the first clash of metal on metal as it continued. Kasumi was on top of Kushimaru, clashing her blinding white tanto against his long sword and he was being pushed back. Her speed was what he thought could rival his own as her chakra surged through the tanto as she wielded it expertly. Eyes never falling away from anything but different parts of Kushimaru as her left hand whipped out a shuriken and she threw it at an angle away from her head where he saw wire getting caught and slam into the tree… Not even he saw this.

Unfortunately this move made her loose concentration a bit as Kushimaru took the upper hand and Kasumi gritted her teeth as she ducked down, putting both of her hands behind her on the ground as she twisted and sent Kushimaru flying from her hoarse kick and she quickly stumbled over in her run over to Minato as her tanto met with the wire holding him but it wouldn't cut. Lightning began to spark from the tanto as Kasumi got angrier and Kushimaru was getting up, not looking to impressed.

"Sh Kasumi, calm down okay. Listen to me." Minato said surprisingly calm as she looked up at him in guidance and her chakra faded from the blade. "Take one of my kunai from my pouch and use that when I say okay?" Minato said as she quickly reached round into his pouch and pulled his kunai out and turned quickly to block the long sword flying for her that Minato didn't even see but Kasumi had obviously heard.

'You're very good for your age and experience Kasumi… You're growing up into a fine Kunoichi.' Minato wondered slightly with pride but Kasumi was back fighting Kushimaru again and her inexperience showing through slightly as Kushimaru began throwing in dirty hits which broke her concentration as she was kicked away into a tree and knocked into confusion for a while.

Kushimaru drew his blade back with a yell and threw it as Minato struggled against his bonds and his team watched in horror before there was a clash of metal on metal again and Kakashi stood ready and angry as he looked up at Kushimaru after deflecting the blade. Kakashi jumped up and grabbed the hilt of the blade, standing on the tree as he pulled Kushimaru towards him. They were all busy watching Kakashi that they didn't notice Kasumi had gotten up and was running up the tree next to Kakashi.

As Kushimaru was coming closer towards Kakashi as he pulled the wire one last time, Kasumi launched from the tree and right hooked his neck with the crook of her elbow as he went slamming and skidding across the ground and Kasumi landed with Kakashi following as she ran back to Minato and held up his kunai as he nodded, chakra appearing in the blade as she brought it down on the wire and it snapped and Minato sagged forwards as Kakashi grabbed him and helped him back over to Rin.

Kasumi barely ducked in time as the blade that was holding Minato came crashing through the tree and over her head before she jumped away from the falling tree and closer to her team, standing at the ready with her family tanto in hand in case Kushimaru tried anything again.

"Don't think this is over… Not by a long shot!" Kushimaru said out in anger as the mist got thicker for a second before it completely disappeared. Kasumi sighed and relaxed which was the wrong thing to do as her vision got blurry as she felt dizzy and her body felt extremely hot, her legs felt painful and wouldn't hold her up anymore as she felt herself drop before she was caught and picked up with Kakashi looking down at her in worry.

"Thanks for helping out otouto." Kasumi grinned as Kakashi sighed and shook his head but there was relief in his eyes.

"Next time, follow orders." Kakashi sighed and Kasumi giggled as she was set down on the ground and Rin hovered over her with her medical ninjutsu.

"And? Why can't I feel my arms and legs?" Kasumi asked up at her friend who smiled slightly through her concentration.

"Your chakra pathways are overused… Just how much chakra did you put into that tanto?" Rin questioned as she massaged her muscles slightly and she got some feeling back.

"I don't know… I didn't consciously do it, it happens when I'm stressed or scared." Kasumi said as Obito and Minato pulled her arms to help her sit up and Minato was sitting across from her.

"What do you mean by 'it'?" Minato asked and Kasumi shrugged, looking at the ground.

"I noticed it a lot during that one survival lesson with Otou-sama when one of the wolves had my neck… Lightning just kinda sparked from me but when I try to consciously use my chakra it usually comes out as a failure so I kind of just learned to rely on my instincts unlike my otouto." Kasumi explained, looking up at all of them one by one. Minato regarded her, taking in this information before he grabbed her into a hug and then everyone else as Kakashi tried to squirm away but both Kasumi and Minato held onto him as a dog pile was created on the floor and Baruko watched on with relieved amusement.

"Never, ever, ever, never do that to me again until you're all much more stronger and wiser than I am." Minato said as he held onto his students for dear life and he could feel Kasumi giggling and Rin and Obito laughing with Kakashi growling to get away.

"I'm pretty sure that's going to be impossible sensei." Kasumi laughed. Once the group hug was over, Obito carried Kasumi on his back while Rin and Kakashi watched Minato with his side as they carried on further into Wave and came to Baruko's house.

Kasumi was put into a futon to carry on sleeping since she fell asleep on the way back and Minato sat down so Rin could heal him and asses the situation properly and Kakashi and Obito just settled in, sitting down and eating some ration bars they had brought with them.

"We'll carry on with the mission tomorrow but for now we need to rest saying I'm down and what looks to be our new little power house is also down… You've got competition Kakashi." Minato said to his student who seemed to be pouting as he turned in his chair and pulled down his mask just enough to eat. Rin evilly patched Minato up and patted him as he winced and returned her 'smile' as she got up and left him to put his top back on and plan for the next day for destroying the bridge.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato's eyes shot open as he looked outside and determined the time to be three am in the morning. There was a shuffling and a slight clang as Minato got up and saw Kakashi sleeping and Obito snoring, spread out in his futon and mouth wide open and he smiled as he held a kunai in hand and walked down the corridor towards the sound when a sweet smell caught his nose and he couldn't help but smile.

"You brought blue berry pancakes along on a C-ranked mission?" Minato asked as he slipped the kunai into the waistband of his pants as he sat down at the table and watched Kasumi cooking pancakes as she looked like she had just started.

"Just the dry ingredients, Baruko-san said he didn't mind since he had all of the wet ingredients I needed plus I thought we could celebrate being on our first C-ranked mission together even if it somehow turned A, maybe S-ranked at a push." Kasumi said as she put the batter into the frying pan as it began to cook.

"Okay but why are you up so early cooking them?" Minato asked as he yawned and mused his messier than usual spiky hair.

"Kakashi normally wakes up at four-thirty, possibly five on a good day, Rin will be up at six and Obito… Well a pot of cold water will wake him up just to see his reaction." Kasumi laughed and Minato smiled sheepishly.

'Remind me to never get onto Kasumi's bad side.' Minato said to himself as a mental note. Minato watched Kasumi's back over the stove before a cup of fresh tea was set down in front of him on the table with a tired smile from Kasumi and Minato frowned.

"Are you feeling okay after yesterday Kasumi?" Minato asked with concern and Kasumi shrugged.

"I ache a little plus I'm still a little tired, I didn't sleep properly." She said, seemingly nonchalant about it.

"You said you didn't sleep properly the day before… If you're having problems with nightmares, you can talk to me, the well being of my students is important to me and this team." Minato said as he sipped his tea and Kasumi sat down next to him with some pancakes for him and herself on a plate as she picked one up and ripped it in half.

"Otou-sama put an idea in my head and it hasn't left since then… Since the whole disgrace thing he's kinda turned into a rule lunatic and it got me thinking about the one rule where it says the mission comes first…" She began, looking up at him as she bit into her pancake and Minato hummed. "I understand like now in this mission how important it is to accomplish it but then yesterday turned into one of my worst nightmares since this question was raised… Could I really leave one of my teammates behind, my friends, my otouto?" She wondered as she was focused on ripping the pancake apart.

"What you did yesterday was correct. You knew you stood no chance against Kushimaru without me and without me the mission would have failed." Minato explained and Kasumi shrugged and looked at him as she ate a piece of pancake.

"Yes but that's different, the situation required saving one of my teammates to accomplish the mission… What if I come across a mission I'll have to leave one of my teammates behind to accomplish the mission?" Kasumi pondered and Minato scowled at his plate in thought… Saving his team should be second nature but to Kasumi and Kakashi where their father was disgraced because of it…

"I see what you mean but you can't fret on it. Every situation requires something different and you have to rely on your experience and skills to make the right decision… Even if it really does mean leaving your teammate behind." Minato said seriously yet those gloomy words seemed to ease her mind slightly as she smiled at him.

"Thanks sensei, you cleared a lot up for me and the situation yesterday helped too." Kasumi said before Kakashi walked in with a half good morning as he automatically went to the kitchen and grabbed some pancakes and tea before sitting at the table with them, eating in peace since Kasumi and Minato had seen under his mask a long time ago anyway.

Seven o'clock came by and Rin was also awake as they all snuck into the room Obito was still sleeping in while Kakashi watched by the door but Kasumi knew her brother thought this was an excellent plan at getting back at him for being late all of the time. Kasumi held a finger to her lips as she steadied the pot over Obito's head and flipped it in one quick movement so the water fell on him quickly and Kasumi jumped back. As expected by Kasumi, Obito jumped up with a kunai before he lost his footing on the wooden floors and slipped for a while as Kasumi neatly plucked the kunai from his hand and he fell back onto the soaking futon and pouted as everyone began to laugh, even Kakashi eye smiled.

"You're not going to be late today Obito now get your ass up 'cause I've made pancakes." Kasumi said with a smile as she saw Obito's face light up, completely disregarding the rude awakening as he rushed into the bathroom, nearly slipping on the way there to dry himself and soon enough he was at the table eating his pancakes.

"I wish he had an alarm clock that worked like that, maybe he wouldn't be late all of the time." Kakashi muttered as Kasumi chocked back a laugh, Rin laughed silently with a hand up to her mouth and Minato just smiled, Obito not having heard the comment, as he was too engrossed in food.

Team 7 thanked Baruko for his hospitality and to take care as they took off full speed towards the bridge. The bridge really was amazing with it having cranes along it and stations to stop at for parcels and such, it even split in two and lifted up for boats to pass under.

They got to work, setting explosive tags and small packages of dynamite along the bridge, hiding from Kiri nin now and again the closer they got to that side and they stood at the edge of the bridge as Minato set it off with a huge explosion as it creaked and broke down into the ocean.

"Mission accomplished, let's get home before the sun sets." Minato said as they high tailed it out of there back towards Konoha after the success of their first C-rank mission (even though it was more of an A-rank).

XXXXXXXXXX

Kasumi practised her water walking as Minato and Kakashi waited on the bridge for Obito who was late like usual. As long as Kasumi didn't think about her chakra consciously going into her feet she was fine, same with tree walking but she surmised she would be fine in battle because that's not what she would be worrying about when fighting for her life.

"Yes! I'm not last!" Obito shouted from the bridge and Kasumi jumped up onto the railing and splashed his face with water.

"Technically you are." Kasumi said as he wiped his face with his sleeve with a pout.

"You're late Obito." Kakashi said like every morning routine and Kasumi sighed as she sat on the railing.

"Ah sorry, I got lost on the road of life… Hey where's Rin?" Obito asked, his face sinking slightly noticing she wasn't there.

"Medical jutsu training coarse started today for genin who are interested in it. She'll be skipping out on missions a little for a while." Kasumi explained and Minato stood up straight.

"Okay guys onto the mission. Retrieve a lost cat named Tora. A brown cat with a red ribbon on its right ear for Shijimi-sama, the Daimyo's wife." Minato explained and Kakashi groaned.

"That's a demon cat, it took sensei and I the whole day to catch it once." Kakashi said as they each took a radio from Minato and fixed it on and setting them up.

"Do we have any idea where it might be at the current moment?" Kasumi asked as she fixed the earpiece into place.

"It was last seen this morning in the training grounds so it's probably still around." Minato said as he also fixed his radio.

"This'll be done in a synch, animals love me since I'm saving cats all of the time." Obito bragged as he began to walk off and the rest of the team followed.

XXXXXXXXXX

The guys all pouted as they walked behind Kasumi. She had the angry swinging cat by its scruff away from her as they walked towards the Hokage's tower. The first glimpse of the cat they got, Kakashi and Obito had begun to argue as Kasumi just seemed board for once. Obito nearly caught it once before his face got all scratched up and he let go, causing another argument between Kakashi and him while Kasumi tended to his scratches with a seemingly knowing smirk on her face.

Minato wanted to see how this panned out so he stood there and did nothing when he watched Kasumi seemingly interested in the scenery around her as Kakashi chased the cat for three hours straight with Obito trying to help. Minato was quite amused yet worried about Kasumi's odd behaviour, normally she'd be working with Obito and trying to help but this time she did nothing but literally smell the roses they had gone past in someone's garden.

Once Obito and Kakashi got into a fistfight and Minato separated them Kasumi finally sighed with a smirk on her face and all three of them looked at her with confusion.

"Are you three finished playing around yet so I can finally catch this stupid cat?" Kasumi had asked with annoyance as Obito and Kakashi glared at her and Kakashi sat on the ground stubbornly and crossed his arms.

"Fine, go and catch the stupid cat if you can." Kakashi had snarked back at her and Kasumi smiled as Minato nodded and Obito sat down next to Kakashi wanting to watch the show. Kasumi walked calmly off into the bushes and nearly a minute later the scared cat was seen jumping out of the bushes with Kasumi right behind it and grabbed its scruff proudly. They had walked back to Konoha quietly.

Minato didn't miss Kasumi's movements though. He had been watching her closely since their mission to the Waves. That last step she took to grab the cat almost seemed like the shunshin jutsu (body flicker) and the way she was crouched, sleek like the cat itself with her eyes set on her 'prey'… Minato shivered, he didn't want to know what happened with the survival with three wolves after her to cause her to almost become a wild animal herself, no wonder it took her less than five minutes to catch a domesticated cat.

Kasumi dropped the devil cat in its mother's arms as the team stood there with everyone in the room smirking at the two boys and looking confused at Minato and Kasumi.

"Your time Team 7?" The chunin asked and Minato smiled.

"Kakashi and Obito dropped out and Kasumi didn't even compete however…" Minato began with a smirk. "Kasumi's time was three minutes and forty-seven seconds… a new record is it not?" Minato said as everyone's jaw fell.

"That can't be real… To beat your own record by half Minato-san and she's just a genin?" Another chunin said as the results were written down with disbelief.

"What's your record sensei?" Kasumi asked with intrigue up at him.

"Seven minutes and twenty-seven seconds." Minato grinned.

"I never even knew this was a running joke about that cat, who's record is after sensei's?' Kasumi asked as the chunin looked at the list and smiled at Kakashi.

"Your brother, Kakashi of fifteen minutes and fifty-three seconds. Seems to run in the family and team. Good job today." The chunin said as Kasumi did a happy dance around her brother, rubbing it into his face that twitched with irritation as he had his arms crossed tightly.

"Well that's it for toady team. We need to meet up at the bridge tomorrow even though it's our day off, I have something to announce to all of you then maybe we can go for a team lunch afterwards." Minato smiled as Kasumi and Obito hi-fived.

"You're paying right sensei?" Kasumi asked, seemingly innocent and Minato sighed.

"I guess I could… See you tomorrow." Minato said as he left in a flash of yellow and Kasumi growled after him about his technique.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow Obito." Kasumi said as she followed her brother home.


Kakashi was smirking under his mask as he leaned back against the railing with his arms crossed. Kasumi was crouched on the railing across from him and Minato stood next to Kakashi with Rin on his other side.

"It's not so easy is it?" Kakashi snarked and Kasumi growled, focusing down at her hand, baring her clenched teeth.

"Shut up Kakashi." She ground through her teeth as she formed the hand seals of Ox, Rabbit and then Monkey as she held her right wrist and pointed a clawed hand at the ground as tiny sparks happened in her hand and Kasumi growled.

"Why don't you try creating your own technique instead of trying to steal someone else's incomplete technique?" Kakashi snarked and Kasumi relaxed her shoulders and glared at her brother with a pout before she smirked.

"Oh, you mean something like this?" Kasumi asked as her right hand formed a gun and she shot a spark of lightning from her fingertips past him as he froze. "Yeah… You try to do that." Kasumi smirked victoriously.

"Sorry I'm late, there was a girl's cat stuck up the tree and as Kasumi proved the other day… They don't like me." Obito muttered, scratches on his hand, uniform and face to prove it and so Kakashi said nothing for a change.

"So sensei, why did you need us all to meet on our day off?" Rin asked as Kasumi jumped down and put some antiseptic cream on Obito's face again.

"The chunin exams." Minato said plainly as they all froze with mixed expressions.

"You're going to let us enter the chunin exams?" Obito asked excitedly as Kasumi sighed and stopped him from bouncing by his shoulders so she could finish applying the cream.

"I think you're all ready but…" Minato said with a frown as they all turned with concern to their sensei.

"But?" Kakashi asked impatiently.

"Only three of you can enter." Minato said.

"But why?" Obito whined and Minato ruffled his hair.

"We're a special squad of five all together but all other squads, even those in other countries are four. Since there's a war going on, each country is having their own exams and such so we need to discuss this about who is getting left behind this time so let's go and grab some lunch and discuss it over that." Minato said with slight guilt to his voice as the excited team followed after him.

Kakashi knew he was entering no matter what, he had waited an extra year to enter them because he didn't have a team and he was going to get there even if he had to do some dirty dealings in his team.

Obito was excited, he could finally prove to his clan he wasn't useless by becoming a chunin and maybe Rin would finally notice him for his strength after beating Kakashi in the rounds or saving the team with one of his cool fire jutsus.

Rin was nervous… She didn't feel ready yet she couldn't progress in her medical training without entering the exams and at least making it to the final round to continue which she really wanted to do.

Kasumi wasn't too worried. She only wanted to be a chunin so she could help out with more important missions and finally have the answer to her question about the mission and her teammates but she was in no rush, she was only eight after all.

They all sat down in a booth at the Barbeque place where Kasumi, Obito and Rin sat on one side and Minato and Kakashi sat on the other side as they ordered and it was down to business.

"I'm guessing all of you want to enter?" Minato asked straight to the point and they all nodded, some more confident than others.

"Okay then, whom do you each suggest on who should enter the exams?" Minato asked, deciding on going democratic.

"Myself, Kasumi and Rin." Kakashi stated.

"Kakashi, Obito and Kasumi." Rin said as there was an odd look from everyone.

"Myself, Rin and Kasumi." Obito stated with excitement.

"Kakashi, Rin and Obito." Kasumi stated as she got the oddest look of all as Minato processed all of this and nodded.

"Rin, Kasumi, why didn't you choose yourselves since you both said you want to enter." Minato asked.

"I think I'd just drag the team down since I haven't been training as much and focusing more on medical ninjutsu." Rin explained nervously.

"I don't have anything to prove by entering the exams yet." Kasumi answered almost harshly as she looked at each one in the eyes. "Kakashi was forced to wait a year and I know he wants to advance and has the skills to advance to chunin. Obito needs to prove to his clan his worth and becoming a chunin would change some of the Uchiha's ways of thinking about him. And Rin needs this to advance in her medical training, I can afford to hang back for now." Kasumi explained to the dead quiet table as they all stared at her.

"How did you know I need to be a chunin to advance in my medical skills?" Rin asked as they put their order onto the grill and Kasumi shrugged.

"I was passing some older genins yesterday and I heard them talking about it." Kasumi answered.

"And… The thing with my uh clan?" Obito asked timidly.

"You tend to notice when and 'where' glares are given when you have to be constantly alert just walking through the village… I'm not blind." Kasumi said, giving Obito a gentle smile though as he smiled gratefully at her.

"Well you're choices don't really give me anything to go on here…" Minato said sheepishly as he ate a piece of meat. "But I like the idea of Kakashi and Obito going… Its between you two girls." Minato said as the girls looked at each other over Obito.

"You'll be more likely to make chunin Kasumi so I want you to go, there's still a lot I can learn from my kaa-san about medical jutsu…" Rin began, her words not seeming to be very confident.

"I may have looked awesome in that C-ranked mission but I'm honestly not that good, I have speed and survival instinct and that's all. My chakra control is crap plus during the exams if something does happen, Obito and Kakashi have you to take care of their wounds right then and there… It's the same reason you began training in the first place, to heal those out on the battlefield. You WILL take the last place Rin because you're my friend and I believe you'll do well." Kasumi half ordered as Rin's eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered before she blinked the tears away with determination and she smiled, nodding.

"Then its decided, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin will be entering the chunin exams. Congratulations!" Minato cheered as they toasted with their water or sodas and enjoyed a pleasant meal.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kasumi sat in the playground and gently swung on the swing. Minato had decided they needed to train as a team for the exams and offered to let Kasumi go with but she knew they needed to sort out dynamics among themselves with Minato as the referee.

She got up after a while and walked over to the monkey bars as she walked up the wrungs and walked upside down across the wrungs, backwards and forwards and as long as she consciously told herself to put chakra to her feet it was fine, it was when she concentrated on that chakra moving into her feet that caused the problem and she guessed it was something close to cutting off her supply she was doing, like breaking a genjutsu.

She decided to put this down to chakra control, including when they were on their mission in the Wave where she used her chakra into the tanto and when she suddenly has these bursts of speed. She needs to be able to consciously use chakra to learn more techniques, she couldn't wing things out on the battlefield and she knew after that incident that she needed more training. Her senses would only keep her alive for so long.

"Kasumi?" A voice called and Kasumi looked to see Minato entering the playground.

"Shadow clone?" Kasumi asked, still upside down in the middle of the monkey bars and Minato smiled sheepishly.

"How did you know?" Minato asked as he leaned against the frame on one side.

"My fight with that chunin in Wave, I decided I needed to pay more attention to things after that's what got me." Kasumi said as she dropped forwards to stand on the ground.

"I have to agree with you there. You're extremely alert and you're eyes are keen, you're a good survivalist but you're lacking in ninja skills but you were this year's top rookie?" Minato asked as he followed Kasumi over to the swings and he sat in the one next to hers as she swung gently.

"In my first year, otou-sama taught Kakashi and I what we needed to learn from the academy and Kakashi helped me out after that… I finally got the clone jutsu after my survival and transformation when it was at the peak of my otou-sama's disgrace to buy proper food… I learn things out of necessity." Kasumi explained and Minato scowled.

"But what about your tree climbing and water walking?" Minato asked and Kasumi laughed as her eyes played a fond memory.

"Kakashi stole something very important to me and ran away with it… We ran all over Konoha and all over any terrain, including up walls and across large lakes. As I'm sure you recall, I was a bit unsure but then I began to walk easily, Kakashi told me that morning to just do it and not really think about it too much or I would fail. He only gave my locket back that evening." Kasumi explained with a fond smile on her face as she swung a little bit harder in a steady average swing.

"How is your substitution jutsu?" Minato asked and Kasumi shrugged, flipping her hand over.

"A little off still, I don't really think about it in time and I don't have the speed to pull it off at the last second so instead of flight I go with fight."

"And your lightning affinity?" Minato asked, still listening.

"Also a fight or flight thing, I have to concentrate on something really upsetting to even get a spark going." Kasumi sighed as she swung higher now, her hair swaying with the wind.

"What about things that require hand seals, can you do them then?" Minato asked, trying to find a solution to her difficulties. Kasumi knew what her weakness was but she didn't know how to fix them and that's where Minato wanted to help.

"I've never really tried anything that requires more than one hand seal so I wouldn't know." Kasumi said, eye focused somewhere far away as she swung. "It's why I was trying Kakashi's incomplete technique."

"Shall we try a known technique with hand seals? Then from there we can work either on that or try something else, I have a few ideas." Minato said as she looked at him with hope in her eyes as she jumped off the swing at it's highest point and flipped effortlessly, landing on the monkey bars, spinning in the same movement to face him.

"If you have the time… I don't want it to pull time away from Kakashi and them training for the exams." Kasumi said with concern and Minato scoffed.

"You're just as important and a part of the team. They may be entering the exams but you need to keep up as well whether your still a genin or not, it's all technicalities." Minato said as he stood up. "So let's go and raid your house and the jutsu archives for a fairly simple lightning jutsu." Minato said as Kasumi jogged up next to him and gave him a thankful smile as they went off to start Kasumi's own training.

XXXXXXXXXX (Slight time skip)

Team 7 sat under the tree in the training grounds. It was a few days before the start of the exams and they decided to take training easy on the last few days and so once they had finished their daily missions, they would work individually for the rest of the afternoon.

"Shit!" Kasumi shouted as she landed on the ground once again and glared up at the tree, the rest of Team 7 sitting under another tree, watching the show as they ate. Kasumi walked back up the tree and on the underside of a branch yet again as she held a stupid water balloon in both hands, closing her eyes to concentrate.

"How long has it been now?" Obito wondered out loud as all eyes were glued on Kasumi.

"Two weeks with what she's doing now, two months over all… But she's progressing from how she started." Minato said boardly.

"At least she's not falling off every time she tried to focus her chakra into the balloon anymore." Rin added and Kakashi hummed.

"And the balloon is at least bulging slightly." Minato added as they all hummed in agreement. Kasumi jumped down gracefully with a look of rage on her face as she held the balloon in one hand and it exploded as her face twitched.

"Looks like mashed potatoes for dinner again." Kakashi sighed as he put his food down, loosing his appetite. Kasumi turned back to the tree with a yell of rage as she punched it and almost half of it shattered and all three males shivered at the force as the tree began to fall over.

"And I think that medical training has made her inhumanely strong." Rin muttered. "But at least her chakra control is getting better."

"Sensei! Why did you ever create such an evil task!" Kasumi cried at him with anger as Minato laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Here, try the rubber ball." Minato said, tossing the ball at her as she caught it and again with one hand, it bulged and it exploded before Kasumi sat on the ground hard, panting but still angry.

"Yeah, I definitely say she's seriously improved, what training does she do at home?" Obito asked with curiosity.

"She practises on tou-san when it comes to medical ninjutsu as well as herself, like her knuckles right now." Kakashi pointed to see green glowing from her one hand onto her knuckles. "Then she's never walking on the floors anymore and I've never seen the house in such an all round clean before, she's even painted the whole house over one weekend, inside and out." Kakashi explained and they all shivered.

"Any idea why she's working so hard and taking on so much so quickly? I mean it's fine to be training extra hard like this but then she goes to the medic's coarse as well after training?" Obito asked and Minato hummed in agreement.

"I've even seen her shooting through the forest in the early mornings when I do my training." Minato said, looking at Kakashi but he saw something akin to regret and worry in his eyes as he watched his sister. "Her data book has even increased from the academy by request by the Hokage. Her ninjutsu is two point five, Taijutsu three, Genjutsu two point five, Intelligence three point five, Strength three, Speed is four point five, stamina four and her hand seals three point five giving her a score of twenty-six point five which is better than her previous nineteen point five." Minato said as Rin and Obito's eyes widened a little as they looked back at Kasumi who was stretching and cooling down.

"Seems like she's done for the day." Rin said as Kasumi walked over and sat down with them, looking a little cooler and calmer from her previous rage.

"Yeah, I'm done for the day, getting angry and chakra exhaustion won't help me to continue tomorrow plus I have my level one medics exam tomorrow since I've put in the required hours so far so I don't want to be tired or sore for it." Kasumi said as she stretched out a little bit.

"That's like over five hundred hours and you only started just over two months ago!" Rin said out with concern and surprise and Kasumi grinned and shrugged.

"That's why this coarse is so cool, you can do it any time day or night." Kasumi said and Rin sighed.

"Then you've learned the importance of rest then." Rin said sternly, turning medic on her and Kasumi rolled her eyes.

"I'd rather be completely exhausted and sleep a full night than not do enough and wake up every hour and lie in bed for ten minutes before I finally drift off again. I've been eating properly and training in the correct manner so don't worry too much Rin, I'm fine, I promise." Kasumi said with a smile as she side hugged her best friend and Rin hugged her back.

"Fine but at the first sign of strain I'll be onto you got it?" Rin said sternly and Kasumi laughed.

"Never doubted it for a second Doctor Nohara." Kasumi laughed and Rin scoffed.

"That's my kaa-san's name, so you're trying to tell me I'm old now huh?" Rin asked, putting her hands on her hips and poking playfully.

"No but you are the team's most experienced medic." Kasumi snipped back playfully. "Besides, you are wiser than me."

"Yeah but Obito's the oldest one among us apart from sensei." Kakashi added in and Obito looked hurt.

"Hey, it's not my fault I got stuck with kid geniuses." Obito said to his own defence as the team laughed at his gaping face before he pouted with a blush and crossed his arms.

"Okay, I think we'll call training off for today, we'll meet again tomorrow morning for our last mission before the exams and then we'll work on team dynamics since Kasumi won't be here. Dismissed Team 7." Minato laughed as they all got up and walked back to the village together.