Chapter 10: Interlude

I feel trapped and I try to wring myself away from whatever is trying to keep me locked down. I struggle and fall only to feel cold hard tiles beneath me. I open up my eyes and look around. I'm in my apartment again. It was…

It was just a dream.

I breathe a sigh of relief from under the bed. Thank Kami for that mercy. I thought I was going to…I shudder violently in the cold morning.

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The less I think of that disturbing dream, the better. I get ready for a day of training,

I wonder what I will be learning today?

Yesterday, I learned and kept practicing the Shikaku Gotta technique until bedtime. I also learned that my clones' experiences get transferred to me as well. Surprised to hear that I was not taught this after learning the technique, Asuma-sensei said that I could use them to learn knowledge that did not require physical training as well. What an awesome training tool! With this, I will be Hokage in a year!

As I stepped out of my apartment, my thoughts lingered on what else happened during training. Asuma-sensei had acknowledged that I had the Kyuubi…but instead of shunning me, he actually said I could come to him if I needed anything. My lips opened into a big grin at the comfort of that memory. Kakashi-sensei must know too, so he must not care about the stupid fox as well!

Running to the training spot in joy, I spotted Sakura-chan and Sasuke waiting on the bridge.

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"Ohayo Sakura-Chan! Sasuke!" I waved at them both.

Surprised, Sakura waved back while Sasuke warily nodded.

"Oh, you're in a good mood, aren't you Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"Yup, yup. I've finally learned a genjutsu technique! You better watch out, teme!" I stuck my tongue out at Sasuke.

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow as he smirked that ever-frustrating superior smirk at me, "Hn. As if I have anything to worry about from you, dobe," he grunted.

Growling at him, I made to mock him with the handsigns before my hands were stopped midway. I looked up and gulped at the sight of a frowning Kakashi-sensei staring down at me.

"Maa, maa, Naruto," came the disapproving voice of sensei, "While I'm glad you learned something new, do you think the best thing to do is to use it on a teammate without warning? That's rather terrible of you," sensei's voice became more serious. "What if I used a katon jutsu on you without warning? It could also harm you. Should I use it unannounced?" Sensei's fingers tightened momentarily before letting go as he back away for me to explain myself.

"Eh, sensei…I wasn't really trying to use the genjutsu on him. I just wanted to show I knew the technique. I didn't even build up any chakra for it!" I protested. Come on, I wasn't so cowardly as to attack teme unannounced…except that one time during lunch- but that was an exception for Sakura-chan!

I guess sensei must have seen the truth because he smiled at me next, "I know, Naruto-kun. I just wanted to make sure you know this. All of you too," sensei stared at my other teammates until they responded in the affirmative, though Sasuke's response was still a grunt.

Nodding, sensei smiled, "Well then, since everyone's feeling so energetic, let's go straight to drills before we get to missions."

At seeing his suddenly mischievous smile, we all groaned. At least we were doing that as a team.

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After a hellish training session that brought us around the village, we finished missions and settled down in our training area for sparring. I am up against Sasuke now and preparing my mind to cast a genjutsu when Kakashi-sensei's voice rings out across the clearing, freezing me in my tracks.

"Oh, Naruto? No genjutsu please. This is still going to be a taijutsu-only spar."

My brain takes a bit of time to process his words before my mouth starts moving, "WHAT?" I yell out in disbelief, "Why can't I use genjutsu on him? I worked hard on it all night!"

"Well, let me ask you this. How would you feel about Sasuke letting lose a flamethrower jutsu on you? Hm? I imagine you wouldn't like it, right?" He asks while I shake my head. No, I would not like Sasuke using fire jutsu on me, but…

"So would it be fair of me to forbid ninjutsu from him and allow genjutsu from you? I'm sure Sasuke spent a lot of time on ninjutsu as well as you on genjutsu," chided sensei.

Grr, this sucks! But I can't argue with sensei on that. Plus, what would Sakura-chan use on us if we were allowed our jutsu?

Sighing, I nod my head to agree and retake my position across from Teme. Teme is smirking at me again. Teme.

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Teme, teme, teme, teme, teme, teme, TEME!

Swears rush through my head as I see Sasuke-teme overpowering me in taijutsu and handing my headband on a silver platter. It's so frustrating. If we're only allowed taijutsu, then I should really practice it more. He's using that funky taijutsu style of his too! How is that fair?

Finally, sensei ends the spar in Sasuke's favor and I make that complaint known.

"Well, while it is true that Sasuke is using his family's style, you're more than welcome to learn new styles to, Naruto-kun. In fact, I would encourage you," responds sensei. Before I can muster up a response that Sasuke could learn jutsu that doesn't turn you into cinders, he cuts me off, "Okay, let me break down the reason why I don't want anyone flinging ninjutsu and genjutsu at each other. Okay?"

Nodding my head, I wait with arms folded impatiently.

"Now, I imagine Asuma has taught you the Shikaku Gotta, right?" sensei asks me.

I nod, surprised that he would know about that.

"Don't be so surprised, it's the building block for more advanced genjutsu later on," responds sensei at what must have been an inquisitive expression before continuing, "Anyways, the reason why I don't want anyone using ninjutsu or genjutsu is because either party may get really hurt. Think about it this way, you two are flinging kunai at each other, then all of a sudden, you toss a genjutsu at Sasuke and it distorts his vision to be slightly off target; well what if he ends up launching a kunai at a vital area and actually hits you? That would be terrible. Same for what would happen if one of Sasuke's fire jutsu actually lands a hit; burns take a while to heal and are troublesome to train with."

Scowling, I try to argue back that we're not being fully able to practice, before he cuts me off again, "Eventually, this team will be ready for that level of sparring where everything is allowed, but not yet. Now, you are not yet bled gennin. You're still going through basic training to prepare you for that level; as I have so far seen, none of you are ready for that level yet," sensei pointedly looks at Sasuke, "None of you."

Well, at least he's not singling any of us out.

Sighing, I acknowledge his point and go off to the side while Sakura spars with sensei.

I hope the clones that I made at the apartment are reading well.

A/N: So there you have it folks, the conclusion to Naruto's disturbing dream. I hope I wrote the dream sequence and this chapter well. I have also edited the 8th chapter to have a description of the Shikaku Gotta and will have such a description for every new technique encountered in the story.

I know this is a short chapter, but I will be making a longer chapter later this or next week and wanted something to conclude the dream sequence before then.

Please review and tell me how I'm doing with this fic.

LordOwl