10: THE TRAINING BEGINS

By the middle of the week we didn't have Kenshin sensei, Team Sound only got better at fighting each other. That's what I thought, due to Chijin and me going back and forth at doing one on one combat. I wasn't sure if Dana was getting what she wanted during this time off, so we just spent as much as we could with our money and stalled until our sensei came back.

I was worried about Dana. I didn't ask her all week if something had been bothering her or if she didn't feel well. I probably should have, that way I wouldn't have to have gone through all this little talking and misunderstanding.

Dana is my friend. I'm closer to her than she has ever had. I've known her all my life. It was a duty of mine to be there for her and do what she couldn't. It was time to help a good friend.

"Why don't we go get something to eat? Get out of training for a while," Dana suggested with nervous body language.

I was about to throw my kunei at a small wooden target on a tree. I lowered it and looked like I would question why she would want to go out.. Chijin had his arms crossed the whole time; he was watching me train and noticed Dana's suggestion. He seemed alright with what to do.

So we agreed and went to find someplace good to eat. There was this bar-and-grill we saw from a sign when we went into town, so we looked for it and eventually found it. It's a small place that seemed like it stood out from the other small restaurant's that were near.

I suggested we go in to check it out, and we did. We entered and the first thing we heard whilst I was smiling was some person calling the waiter for more food. It got to the point to where even Chijin took notice and got irritated as well.

"Will you step on in please? Follow me to your seat," a hostess came to us and led us to a booth to sit.

The menus seemed fancy. This place we've never been before I can for sure tell about that. Chijin and I looked at the menus, but Dana seemed bored or somewhat… unhappy. She leaned on her hand touching against her face when we were sitting.

"So I'm thinking about a salad for me… but I want something like soup too. What do you think?" I told Chijin. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled as I looked at him. That was his response. "Uh, thanks.."

(Wow. Now I'll really decide what to order. Thanks a lot Chijin…) – Samu

That was sarcastic by the way.

"Waiter! I've ordered more pork over here!" that irritating voice came again across from our table.

"Here you are sir, more enough for the three of your friends!" the happy waiter replied to him and brought a big plate of meat.

"Well alright then. Dig in you three," the adult said, smiling like he was about to get some.

"Sensei! Let me pick which ones first!" the annoying boy said again, having his chopsticks ready to pick which pork slabs that was cooked.

"Alright Choji go ahead.." the sensei smiles. The hungry boy smiled and got a lot of that pork that just got there. I couldn't believe how much food he was eating!

"Oh Choji, you sure always get a hand full. Or should I say mouthful! Ha-ha!" the sensei said smiling.

"Don't encourage him Asuma sensei. He always does this.." that boy Shikamaru we've met before was there too. Sitting with them.

"Yes, but let this time be a moment of resting. You've got work to do afterward Shikamaru," the sensei said back.

"Yeah I know. I already know that…" Shikamaru seemed really bored or something.

(He does have a point. I need to work more and train to get ready for the final rounds. After this, we got to work harder.. It'll be such a drag.) – Shikamaru

"Hey Chijin, isn't that your opponent over sitting at that other table? That team was in the Preliminaries remember?" I told him. He was sitting next to me on the same side of the booth.

"Oh yeah you're right. He sure is eating a lot." I agreed with him. "I've got to go to the bathroom, if the waiter comes, tell them I want the ribs for me?" I agreed again and he got up to go do his business.

Then it was just me and Dana sitting across from each other in the booth. She seemed like she just kept to herself but when I asked her things she always replied without looking at me.

"You feeling alright?" I asked her.

"Yeah I'm fine.."

I tilted my head when I looked at her, "Are you sure about that?"

"It's just these," she sighed, "little things that keep bothering me that's all."

"Oh yeah? What are they exactly? What's been bothering you?"

She looked at me finally. She tried to smile, "I wish I could tell you Samu. But you're a boy.."

(What does that mean? I don't get it…) – Samu

"But Dana…" before I finished my sentence I saw Chijin come back but he was next to that table across from us with that Leaf team. With that annoying boy…

"… Choji? Do you remember your opponent from the Chunin Preliminaries? Here he is! Greet him why don't you," the sensei added for them. They all looked at Chijin.

"Oh. Hey there.. Um what was your name?" the boy said with his chopsticks holding a piece of pork.

"I am Chijin Sonohoka, nice to meet you all. And good to see a worthy opponent there, Choji," Chijin said it all so nice to them. I couldn't see his face since I was sitting at the booth still and listening what they were saying.

"That's my squad back there actually," he walked to the side and pointed her palm to us, introducing us without saying our names. It happened too fast and I didn't see it coming, neither did Dana.

I gave a nervous smile and wave to them and Dana tried to smile a little. It was an awkward first impression indeed.

"Well isn't that nice. Enjoy your meal you three!" Asuma sensei said, (their sensei said).

"Thank you sir," Chijin bowed. Then a familiar face came peeking out from a window next to their booth. Across from us again… and I could see perfectly.

It was Sakura Haruno! My little crush that I've just met! I couldn't help but blush as I looked at her.

"Well if it isn't Sakura. What are you doing on out here?" Ino said to her as if she was annoyed by Sakura.

"Oh I'm just walking by over to the hospital again. Seeing if Sasuke is doing alright. And if Lee is doing fine too," she looked serious.

(SHE is going to see SASUKE? I'll beat her to it!) – Ino

"Ha! I'm going with you." Ino said out.

"What?"

"I'm sure Sasuke will for sure want to see me more than anyone else… I'm sure of it," she did a little pose and smiled with sheer confidence.

(Oh boy. Girls…) – Shikamaru

"Well if you're going, then at least say goodbye to your new friends, Ino?" Asuma sensei said to her.

"Huh? Oh yeah.." she looked at Chijin.

He just stood there and wasn't thinking.

"Oh sorry! I'm Chijin and that is my squad of Sound Genin.." he said AGAIN with a smile. All he does is embarrass us! Messed up if you ask me!

I caught Dana looking even more nervous and blushing now, from Sakura noticing her and I. then I looked at Sakura, and I shouted a loud yelp in front of everyone.

"I THINK I'LL GO TO THE RESTROOM NOW, I'LL BE BACK!" I blurted out while I walked in a fast pace away from everyone. A nervous smile to go along with it. I'm so awkward!

"Well, I'll let you all get back to your meals. Enjoy, friends," Chijin said to them and they greeted back.

He sat back down with Dana and both of them stayed quiet as they waited for their food to get there.

As I got out of the 'MENS' room I felt a little of discomfort if I went back to our table in front of our teammates and new friends. I let out a sigh as I left the room and noticed something out of the ordinary. A hallway to my left, I saw a person I thought I'd seen before. They seemed to be walking past the shop outside of us and went by pretty fast. I couldn't help but go and see who it was outside.

When I went out looking for the person, I turned to my left and saw him walking fast with hands in his pockets and looking side to side. I could tell that he didn't want to be noticed from his body language.

So I followed him. I wasn't thinking clearly and only thought about following that person instead of going back into the restaurant with my friends. So I walked in the same pace as him and followed. I just wanted to see who it was. That was all that was on my mind at the moment.

"Where is Samu? It shouldn't take him this long to get back from the restroom. Can you go get him Chijin?" Dana said with her arms crossed. She looked mad.

"Oh, Samu went out of the restaurant. He left."

"What?! Why would he leave?" Dana rose up from her seat.

"Beats me." Chijin replied.

(Oh you're going to get it Chijin… you get on my nerves!) – Dana

She sighed, "Well we'd better go get him then.. Come on," Dana and Chijin got out of their seats and stormed off out the shop.

"I wonder what the rush is.." Asuma said.

"I guess they won't eat then," Shikamaru said.

"Alright! Order for three?" the waiter came by our table and neither of us was there. Only the team across from us was there. Three of them.

A pause as the waiter held the food on a platter.

"Right here waiter!" Choji said aloud and caught his attention.

"Oh Choji… you got to stop this," Asuma blurted out.

"What a pain to go through…" Shikamaru said too.

He tried to get our food. Oh well…

The guy I was following only got faster and faster. From walking to running in minutes, I chased him for quite a while. It was like that time my brother and I went out chasing little possums before I went into the ninja academy. My parents were still there at our old home and my brother still, always beat me when it came to running. I sure do miss him…

I stopped from an intersection, people walking everywhere, and I think I had lost him from the crowds. I looked side to side to look for him, but it was no use.

Then I caught a glimpse of a balcony that wasn't so high up. Maybe if I went up there then I could catch the guy in an instant!

I jumped up and climbed from a little building and got to the balcony in no time, whilst I heard some folks get freaked out by me jumping up there and all and ignored me then.

I could feel the sun's heat staring me down, as I kept a sharp eye out for the guy. There he was! In the same direction I was chasing him from! He was on the move, so I went from rooftop to rooftop. Jumping and leaping on and off everywhere, I made sure I didn't lose my eye on that guy.

"Oh where is he?" Dana said aloud to Chijin as they got stuck in a crowd.

He shrugged at her.

"Ughh. Well I guess we have to split up. Go right and I'll go left!" she said to him.

Both of them went in other directions from the intersection I was at, and I still followed the guy running away from me. I couldn't tell if the guy even noticed me or not, that didn't matter.

Then I saw him take off his straw hat and reveal his head. His hair bouncing as he ran in the same direction.

(That's him! I know that hair anywhere..!) – Samu

I kept my distance on the rooftop and kept on him!

(Oh… where the heck is he? Why would he run off like this? He knew we were going to get back to training again…) – Dana

(He couldn't have gone far…) – Chijin

(I've got to keep my eye on this guy!) – Samu

As I leaped once more from a rooftop, I landed on foot on another roof, but my other foot didn't make the same speed and didn't land. Then I staggered and was panicking as I tried to keep my balance, I noticed an alleyway down if I fell backward and didn't want to break anything if I fell!

(Oh no, no, no, no!) – Samu

Then I crouched myself and kept my balance. I breathed a lot and almost fell. Then I remembered I got to get back to following that guy!

"Oh no!" I shouted and kept running to the guy.

Then he went into the woods which made me follow him even more.

So into the woods I went. "Where is he? Why is he doing this?"

Dana and Chijin met up again, the spot where I went into the forest, and didn't even notice me.

I crept behind a couple of bushes while the shades of trees covered me. I saw the person standing, doing hand signs and seemed to be concentrating hard on it. What was this person doing?

"Transformation!" I heard his voice say, his eyes opened wide and confirmed his jutsu.

He then started talking to himself, but I don't know why… like he was saying it to another person, but nobody was there. I could remember the last time I heard about transformation jutsu's, they were almost forbidden in the land of Fire.

Something about waiting, and patience was a virtue. The man said more about… an invasion? Why? What is going on?

Then he said something about… killing others. But waiting is important for some reason. Why? I had so many questions that I wanted to know. I remember again earlier that day that something strange would happen. I had a feeling it would happen.

Then I coughed aloud and it hurt my stomach but… it revealed my position!

The man quickly turned around and looked directly into my eyes! I panicked and started to flinch and run backwards in fear. All I could see was the hood over his head and hair covering part of his face. Something in those eyes…

Whatever I saw back there, it was true fear to me. I immediately panicked like a coward and tried to find a way out of the forest. Running and not looking back was my only option in my thoughts at that moment. Then, just like that, I witnessed a glimpse of fear.

…

"What the heck are you saying? What did you see?" Dana asked as we were in our spot from our training grounds.

"I told you, it was something really scary! I just ran when the guy looked at me!" I replied back to her and I flinched when I thought of it.

"That is too weird to say Samu. You chased that guy because you thought It was somebody right?" she crossed her arms.

"Yeah that's why I left the restaurant. I just thought…"

"You should at least let your best friends know first!" when she said that to me, I felt a little better. She considered them as my best friends.

"She's right." Chijin said out. I smiled at him, but it faded away when I thought of that guy again…

"Listen. When you came back to us you were scared so much that I had to slap you out of it, remember?" she said.

"I don't remember the slap… SO THAT'S WHY MY FACE HURTS!" I barely realized.

"Whatever you saw, it's not going to help us train for these stupid exams." She blurted. Something had to have been bothering her for a while. I wanted to know but I couldn't speak..

"After all, something is sure to come up and break what we know in love. Do you understand?" Chijin said aloud to us.

We looked at him.

"I don't get it…" both Dana and I didn't know what he meant. Chijin laid out a frown and seemed annoyed. He's always misunderstood.

"I just want you to try to ignore what you saw back there… so we could train Samu," Dana said to me.

I picked my head up, "But I'm just worried!"

"I'm worried too. I'm worried Kenshin won't come back.." she said and looked down.

That made me think a little: what if he doesn't come back at all? He's been really sketchy lately and hasn't really made contact with out training with us at all… it got me upset at that moment. I clenched my fist and thought about it.

What if she was right? What if he really doesn't come back? We don't have a sensei right now. Will that hurt us when we take the final exam? Speaking of this exam, it's just part of a stupid tournament, not more than to become Chunin. If only I had thought about that back then. Maybe I would have changed some things in my life later, but nevertheless, I couldn't do anything about it anyway.

I looked up at her and said, "We'll just have to go on about on our own from here on then.." I said that to them with a serious tone.

They looked at me as I said again, "We can't rely on him anymore. This is our time…"

I noticed Chijin shut his eyes and had his arms crossed the whole time, that way I knew he agreed with me.

Dana agreed too. After my little saying I had no choice but to count on myself and my two teammates without our sensei. I thought I had trusted him enough…

(I don't know anymore. If he does come back, I'll be glad to show him how I've improved on my own. How we've improved on our own.

I know I can do this on my own. I've been on enough missions and done as much as I could to fight on my own. Believe in me sensei… believe in me.

Believe in me Sakura! I know I can win this Chunin Exam!) – Samu

Then after our peppy talking and motivating each other, we ran to the training ground to train each other. We just did what we did. It felt nice, because I had confidence.

Then lurking in the shadows of the forest, there he was. The hooded cloak covering his identity.

(Patience is a virtue of course…) - ?