Chapter Nine: First Try

Like with any genin group, it was the instructor's job to teach their team new nin-jutsu's and how to stay alive in the ninja world. For Fugaku Uchiha and Shin Haruno learning techniques was their favorite part. The only problem however was that not only had they been placed on the same team but that they were proving to be even bigger and faster learners than what their sensei had anticipated.

"Okay, today we are going to..."

"Do full contact sparing!" Shin exclaimed happily while interrupting his sensei and standing at the ready. Sighing their sensei shook his head before walking up the tree and hanging upside down. They had taken to hiding their chakra more than well and had been able to master the art of substitution to perfection.

"No, now can anyone tell me what it is I'm doing here?" he asked while looking at his team. Shin sighed and relaxed, Fugaku activated his sharingan, and the third member in their cell looked as if though he couldn't believe what it was he was seeing with his own eyes.

"You are attaching yourself to the tree using chakra." Fugaku finally answered and their sensei nodded.

"Exactly, stealth, speed, and a large knowledge of jutsu's aren't the only things a shinobi must know. A good shinobi must know the art of disguise, of how to listen and see without being heard or seen themselves." The Jounin instructor explained as he tossed each of his member a kunai.

"Wait, you don't really expect us to..." but before Shin could finish his question his instructor jumped down and nodded.

"Exactly, I want you to do what I've just done, mark you're farthest point and then attempt to surpass it." He said with a smug sort of tone of voice. Narrowing his eyes Shin looked at the tree, remembered how his sensei had just set a foot on the tree and then walked on up without so much as breath to show that it was difficult.

"Fine." He mumbled as he picked up the kunai that had been given to him and walked up to the closes tree to him. Turning to his left he found the third member of his team looking at the tree, pressing his palm against the tree trunk and testing his chakra. Then, upon turning to his right Shin watched as Fugaku took a step forward and attached himself to the tree.

"I'll be back later in the day to see how everyone is doing." The Jounin instructed said smugly as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Narrowing his eyes Shin took in a deep breath and took his first step. At first he was distracted by the small amount of chakra he could feel within the tree, he was uncertain of the effect his own chakra would have on the tree and it's life span. However once certain, and upon feeling that all would be well, Shin flexed his chakra, he used less and less until he was using as minimum amount of chakra as possible so as to walk up the tree. Smiling he walked up the tree and settled into the second highest branch.

"Oi, look at me Fugaku!" Shin exclaimed as his eyes lit with excitement and fire. He liked to show off in front of the Uchiha heir, he liked to push his buttons and test his patience.

"Hn." was the Uchiha heir's only response as he appeared on a branch across Shin and smiled in self satisfaction. The Uchiha had been in the trees for a while now, had been watching Shin as he tested his grip and altered the usage of chakra.

At first Fugaku had been certain that the Haruno heir would fall and that he'd be forced to end his own training early but then Shin had grabbed the concept of it. Fugaku had seen how he'd understood it on his first time, had thought it was impossible only to be proven wrong; and it was then that Fugaku knew that Shin was more intelligent than he led others to believe that he was.

"Whatever." Shin replied with an annoyed tone of voice before he walked back down the tree and watched as his other teammate continued to struggle.

"Use a little less chakra and make sure that you reach for it softly. Call for it suddenly and all at once and the tree's chakra is going to repel you." Shin instructed as he crossed his arms across his chest and waited for his teammate to do as he instructed.

The other boy was a civilian born, one who had passed the academy with fair grades and who felt as if though it had been a mistake to have been placed in the same team as two heirs. Granted not both of them had a kekkei genkai, but they were both from high standing family's in Konoha and individuals who deserved respect. Therefore, trusting in his teammate the boy took in a deep breath and did as he was told. First he started with one step, then another, followed by another; soon he was halfway up the tree and on Shin's right.

"Thanks." He said happily as his confidence grew and he began to walk faster. Soon the three boys were walking up and down trees, jumping from one tree branch to the next and testing their ability to travel at a faster pace without having to worry about being seen. After all this technique would prove to be useful when in the mortal world and in one of their gardens.

Later, when the Jounin instructor returned he did so to an empty field and sighed. He had anticipated this to be a challenging exercise for his team, had hoped it would show the two heirs that not everything was so easy to learn; however what he hadn't thought would happen was that he'd drive them away.

"Maybe it was too complex." He sighed as he shook his head and turned so as to search for his team.

"Maybe what was too complex?"

"And for who?" The Jounin instructor suddenly heard Shin and his teammate call out happily. Swirling around and looking up in the direction he suddenly felt their chakras and the instructor stared at them with disbelief. It was easy to believe that the two heirs would have master this technique on their first try, but the civilian as well? Was he not challenging enough as an instructor.

"Where is Fugaku?" the Jounin asked as he tried to keep the amazement and shock from showing on his face.

"Hn." suddenly came the Uchiha's response as he walked down from the peak of the tree and nodded in greeting. This was beyond belief to the Jounin instructor. Had they really mastered such a technique in one go?

"So what's next on the list sensei." Shin asked with a grin on his face as he released his hold on the tree, dropped on the ground, and gracefully landed in front of the Jounin. Meanwhile, all Fugaku did was watch as his teammate had fun at the expense of their sensei, thought about how Fugaku, despite not needing to, had assisted their teammate and wondered if he would have done so for him as well.

"Does not matter." Fugaku finally whispered as he jumped down and joined Shin at his side. It didn't matter how annoying he was or the mischief he liked to stir. It didn't even matter that Shin was from the Haruno clan. The only thing that mattered was that Shin was his teammate and he would not leave a teammate behind.

~Izakura's POV~

It had been a week since I had sensed the strange creature following me and there was still no signs of who had send it and no word as far as what had happened when Otou-san and Ka-san had come across the explosive object. They were continuing to hide it and though my training continued as if though nothing had happened, as the days passed by and I grew closer to my team members I couldn't help but to feel as if I was missing something; as if something was bound to happen.

"Are you listening Izakura?" called Shin as he finished his stretches and stood up. Sighing I turned to face him and Daiske, I looked over my teammates and wondered if it was really all right for me to continue with my training; if growing as a shinobi was worth the life of my comrades.

"Iie. I was lost in thought, what were you saying?" I responded honestly as I stood from my own position and looked at my teammates. Training with them was worth it, it was worth the risk and if anything it would drive me to fight against any and all rogue ninja that came for me so long as it meant that my teammates were alive.

"Sensei will be here in an hour, is there anything we should be focusing on during our warm-ups?" he asked. It'd become a habit for me to spy on Shisui-oji-san whenever we were on compound grounds, and I able to sneak away, that I would ask Ino-san what it was Shisui-oji had told her as far as our training was concerned.

"He'll be teaching us two new ninjutsu's today, other than that I'm not sure which or what kind." I answered honestly as I jumped into the air and landed on a tree branch. Out of my two team members I was the one who could jump the highest.

"Wonder what brought that about." Muttered Shin as he flipped off the branch he was on and landed on the one just below me. Soon after Daiske climbed up and stood above me.

Ever since that day in the clearing, since they'd seen me react to some unseen force, since they had been looked after by Hikari and Shisui-oji, they'd figured something was the matter and so had taken it upon themselves to look after me as well. Not like I needed it but it was nice to know, and feel, the warmth and care they felt towards me.

"Beats me." I responded before turning to where exactly Shisui-sensei was going to appear from. When I did so did my teammates.

"That's creepy Izakura-chan." sensei taunted the way he always did whenever I was already facing him before he was even within sensing distance let alone seeing.

"Hn."

"I see my team has gotten together, good. For today's training we'll be working with two ninjutsu's." sensei explained as he continued walking toward one of the larger trees in the clearing and leaned against it as if though he were going to take a nap.

"Finally, we were starting to get bored sensei." Daiske taunted as he jumped off the tree and expertly landed in front of his sensei. Right behind him was Shin and right behind him was me.

It wasn't as hard to focus anymore, I wasn't as distracted as I used to be as a child when there was so many chakra signatures around. Mostly it was because I was familiar with all of the one's in the village and those that constantly moved just outside of it. However what I was more aware of was all the chakra signatures that I didn't recognize, and those that I hadn't grown up with.

"You will be focusing on two jutsu's today. The first is a fire style ninjutsu." Sensei said and instantly I knew that that was for the benefit of my teammates. After all sensei knew from first hand experience that I had already mastered the genin and Jounin level fire jutsus.

"The second will be a water style jutsu." he noted before slowly going through the hand signs required for the fire ninjutsu. I watched more out of respect than anything else. After all Otou-san had drilled said hand signs into me prior to my joining the academy.

"This is a fire ball jutsu. Fairly simple but when done right just as deadly as any high level jutsu." Sensei explained before turning for the small pound just to the west of us and releasing the fire ball jutsu. It was a large fire ball, beautiful and most important of all it was done perfectly. Not that an Uchiha could do anything less.

"Daiske." I called and silently he walked up toward the pound and took in a deep breath.

"Daiske, what..." but before sensei could finish Daiske swiftly went through the hand signs I'd taught him and executed a perfect fire ball jutsu. Smiling I shook my head and thought back to the day that I'd taught Daiske and Shin the jutsu.

Flashback

It was early in the morning and the older of the two Uchiha heirs was training in her own training grounds. Her mother had discovered it, had hidden it from everyone and had allowed her to train with her teammates there.

"What are you working on?" called Daiske as he and Shin appeared from their normal entrance.

"A fire style jutsu." Izakura answered honestly before smiling and facing both her teammates. Their sensei had been assigned an ANBU level mission and although Izakura could have been able to go she had been scheduled for rounds at the hospital.

"Daiske? Shin?" Izakura called as she relaxed her stance and turned to face them completely.

"I'm going to teach you guys this jutsu but you have to swear to me that you will never practice it alone." Izakura said seriously. Instantly both boys stood shocked, they stood amazed and they stood ready to learn.

"Done." And with that Izakura nodded and got to work.

End of Flashback

"Izakura?" sensei called to me, effectively snapping me out of my trance.

"Hn."

"I'd appreciate it you didn't take my job from me." He noted seriously. Sighing I nodded. He was right, he was our sensei and so it was his job to teach Daiske and Shin new jutsu's. Not me.

"Hai sensei. I won't." I promised while focusing my eyes on him. "What is the other jutsu?" I asked and instantly Daiske and Shin were at my sides.

"The next is..."

"Good afternoon Tsundae-sama." I called before sensei could finish. As soon as the words left my lips everyone tensed and turned to where it was my eyes had roamed toward.

"Still as accurate as ever I see."

"Hn."

"Shisui?"

"Hai Tsunade-sama?"

"The hokage needs you and your team out in the mortal world. There's an assignment there that needs taking care of." Tsunade-sama said. There was a tone to her tone, one that screamed hidden meanings and hidden messages.

"When do we depart?"

"This afternoon." She said while turning around and heading back toward the ANBU tower.

"Be careful Izakura and don't forget, you're acting medic." She cautioned me again before she disappeared. Her words again rang in my mind. I wasn't a child and I'd never needed anyone to remind me of the lessons I'd learned over the years of training; she knew this. However this one day she had cautioned me twice?

Mentally sighing I turned in the direction of the compound and concentrated. Within seconds I could feel the chakra signatures of everyone in and around the village. To most it would have been over whelming but to me it was natural. Focusing on the chakra signatures closes to mine I tracked them down and found exactly what I thought I would. Ka-san and otou-san were in the hokage's office.

"Get home, pack only what you need. Food can always be bought in the mortal world and make sure that your weapons are all hidden." Sensei started to give orders. The very same that were drilled into us relentlessly while at the academy.

"Izakura you'll be opening the gate this time around." Sensei called before quickly turning to face Daiske.

"Daiske you and Shin will open it on the way back. Pack just enough to get you by, I don't know how long we'll be in the mortal world." Sensei said before jumping into the tree and facing in the direction of Ino-san's home.

Ino-san was like a sister to Ka-san, a strong kunoichi, a good medic, and a women who defended me as if though she were my own mother. She was also the leader to the Yamanaka clan and the woman carrying my unborn cousin. It was for that reason that sensei, Shisui-oji-san was going to see Ino-san off.

"We'll meet at the gate in an hour." And with that sensei was gone. Sighing I shook my head. The timing was off, and the sudden rush of our mission was unusual.

"This is great! Our first mission and we're going to the mortal world." Cheered Shin as he jumped into the tree closes to him and took off at a run. His mother worked in a small food stand at the center of the market. It was a popular stand and one known for its good food.

"What's wrong?" Daiske asked as he looked at me. He was more observant and able to control his emotions better than what Shin could; at least in regards to firsts anyway.

"Nothing. I need to go pack and see my parents off. See you in an hour." And with that I teleported myself home.

I appeared in the center of my living room and found Mikoto-oba-san in the rocking chair rocking my ototou-chan to sleep. He was usually good at falling asleep himself but he looked as if though he'd been fighting to stay away so as to wait for Ka-san and Otou-san to return.

"You're back earlier than what was expected. Is everything all right?"

"Hn. I must pack for a mission." I responded before pausing and looking her in the eye. "Where is Ka-san and Otou-san? Neither one of them are supposed to be on active roster. Not until next week." As soon as I asked Mikoto-oba-san looked away from me. She looked down at my ototou-chan and smiled softly.

"They went to have lunch with Naruto-san and Sasuke." she lied. I knew she lied because she couldn't look me in the eye and she wouldn't do so until I uncovered the truth myself. Sighing I nodded and walked to my room.

"Do you need help?" she called after me but I didn't answer. How could I when I knew for a fact that my entire family, including my mother and father, were lying to me?

"Iie." was my soft reply as I went up the stairs. It didn't take long after that for me to pack my bag, to strap the remainder of my weapons, my favorite one's at least, into place and it didn't take long for me to finish setting traps in my room. It was a silent warning Ka-san and Otou-san knew to follow; one they'd learned about when I'd just started my training.

It wasn't until I had three kunai strapped to my left thigh, three poisoned tipped throwing needles in my hair, and shuriken tucked into my coat pockets that I felt I was ready to go. Before heading for the gate I stopped in by Kenji's room and looked at him asleep in his bed. Mikoto-san was sitting in a rocking chair, looking over him as if though she were born to protect him.

"Kenji." I whispered as I walked toward him. I could feel Mikoto-san's eyes on me, how curious she was and how she wanted to speak more than anything but didn't.

"I'll be gone for a while but I promise I'll be back. Who else is going to take you to the roof?" I continued to speak as softly as I could before gently placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Sakura and Itachi will be here in a minute. Can you wait for them before you..."

"Iie. I have to go. I will see you soon Oba-san." I whispered before jumping out of Kenji's window and running along the roof tops.

In truth I'd felt my parents close by, I knew that they would have found a way to speak to me before I left and so it wasn't that big of a surprise when Hikari appeared on my side at the same time my parents made themselves known; just before Hikari-san did.

"Izakura,..."

"Hn. Be careful, watch my back, don't let my guard down, and I'll keep in mind that medics should be hidden; not seen." I said before Ka-san could say it herself.

"Izakura." Otou-san called and with my name alone I knew that he and Ka-san wanted me to stop. I knew that there was something on their mind and that I wouldn't be able to leave, orders or not, until they had said whatever it was they wanted to say.

Sighing I stopped just far enough from hearing range and faced Ka-san and Otou-san. The look on both their faces was serious, one I'd seen a thousand times before and one I knew was holding back the amount of suggestions, reminders, and tips they wanted to give me.

"Hikari has offered to go as acting medic so that you can focus on your duties as a team member and nothing else." Ka-san said. The look in Otou-san's eyes said that he knew I would see the truth behind her offer but it also said that Ka-san had made up her mind and nothing would change her offer. She would not say why she wanted Hikari with me but she would offer me her assistance nonetheless.

"Iie. I will be able to manage my tasks and responsibilities." I said while turning to face our meeting area. Daiske and Shin were there; both looking and waiting for sensei and I. They were on time, that was a good sign but because sensei hadn't arrived yet I wanted to get there soon. After all I didn't want to be left with the tardy label of the group.

"Izakura you don't have to..."

"How I go about my training is between myself and my sensei. The hokage has not made it mandatory for me to accept your offer nor has Tsunade-sama." I stated boldly before sighing. Ka-san was hurt, I could see it given the look in her eyes but so was I. Why wouldn't I be when it was clear Ka-san and Otou-san were keeping secrets from me.

"Gomen Ka-san, but I am a kunochi and child no longer. My teammates and I will cover each others back. I will see you soon." And with that I ran. I ran as fast as I could so as to leave my wounded Ka-san and a pensive Otou-san.

When I arrived at the gates Daiske and Shin knew that there was something wrong but before they could ask I shook my head in warning before walking toward the gates. Sensei was close by and though I loved Konoha a part of me couldn't wait to go outside its gates. For so long I'd been raised within its walls, had been told that because of who I was and where it was I came from I couldn't recklessly place my life in danger; the question was, was having a normal family vacation reckless?

"If you don't get a move on we'll leave you behind sensei." I declared when I got tired of waiting and instantly not only was he at my side but Daiske and Shin were as well. It was better to force him to move than to risk he running into Ka-san and accepting Hikari's offer on my behalf.

What was it about me that made everyone feel compelled to protect me, to want to keep me in the shadows for my own good, and that drove them to live a life of secrecy when around me? Was I different from everyone somehow? If so how? What was more was that, that was no way to live; not for them and most certainly not for myself.

"Is everyone ready?" sensei called but all it took was a quick glance at all of our eyes and he knew that we were; and so without another word sensei opened the gates to Konoha and lead us out of the village and onto the trail that would lead us to the door of our destination.

All the while we walked along the trail I kept to the tree tops and hid in the shadows. I was the third of the genin cell but I was also a medic and medics (or so it had been drilled into me) always stayed to the shadows. Shin and Daiske seemed comfortable enough but sensei was on guard. In fact he even had his sharingan on; which meant that Ka-san and Otou-san had yet again stressed the importance of my safety. The question was why?

"We're close, Izakura get ready." Sensei called and with a sigh I jumped from my position in the trees and ran beside him. Within minutes we were at the gate and standing before the door.

Taking in a deep breath I summoned just the right amount of chakra and began to go through the hand seals. I didn't know where we were going, sensei would be leading the way, but I'd been taught how to unlock a door without the assistance of a fellow shinobi. Mostly because I had inherited my mothers perfect chakra control, and probably because Iruka-sensei had seen how advanced I was while at the academy.

As soon as the hand signs were completed and I'd released my chakra the doors opened and sensei, along with Daiske, Shin and myself, walked into the portal. It wasn't cold like I had expected that awkward space to be but there was something about the air; something that made it both easy and difficult to breath.

As soon as my chakra had cleared and the doors had faded we were met with the sight of a small grove. It wasn't big and it was definitely hidden behind some sort of genjutsu but as far as where we were on the mortal plane exactly was beyond me. What I did know was that the sudden overwhelming chakra signatures that there was within a 10 mile radius of us was immense; more so than anything I'd ever felt before. Sighing I tried to keep my body from tensing and leaned against the closes thing to me; which just so happened to be sensei.

"Are you all right?" sensei asked while holding me and keeping me from falling. Mentally I cursed at myself, I reprimanded myself for not having made sure that I wouldn't be able to sense so much so quickly as soon as we'd passed through the portal.

"Hn." Was all I said before I moved to the side and let sensei take over again. He started to speak while I was getting control over my natural ability.

"There's a safe house close by, we'll be moving shortly. First and foremost though make sure that your genjutsu's are in place. Enemy shinobi can be roaming around as well." He instructed while casting his own genjutsu. Nodding the boys followed soon after and within the blink of an eye they were in "normal" wear.

"Izakura." sensei called and without so much as a hand seal my jutsu was in place and I looked like any other mortal girl.

"Good. Now lets go." And with that we left. We walked in the direction of our so called hide out; all the while I focused and I made sure that there was no way I'd be caught off guard again.

A/N: Short chapter I know, hope everyone liked it though :D Updates will be brought to everyone as soon as possible, I promise I'll work harder and updating faster. :D for now just please don't forget to R&R :D