And here's Chapter 11. Hope you enjoy it. I'm in the middle of trying to purchase a house, so updates might be sporadic from here on out, especially if I get the house and can't update that often. We'll just have to see what happens. In the meantime...Readers, Reviewers, thank you...Name of the Game by The Crystal Method.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"Hello class, my name is Yuuhi Kurenai. You may address me as Kurenai-sensei. I'll be with you at least for the remainder of the year and then I hope to apply for my jounin status. It's good to meet you all."
"Good morning Kurenai-sensei."
Kurenai scanned the room, looking at all the prospective genin. There were quite a few that stuck out, mostly the clan heirs. She smirked to herself when she saw most of the boys paying rapt attention to her. The girls seemed to be staring at her in awe. It was usually like this. She was the envy of women and the desire of men. Very few could resist her charms and yet, she was known as an ice queen. She simply didn't have time for men…not that she enjoyed women.
Iruka coughed into his hand and Kurenai smiled before stepping back beside the board. At least her fellow teacher was all business when he was in a classroom. She wouldn't have to worry about him ogling her. She did notice the Inuzuka boy drooling at her. She'd have to break him of that habit.
As Iruka droned on and on about whatever subject they were on, Kurenai let her expert analytical eyes roam the room. She saw the Aburame heir sitting quietly and that was no surprise. The Aburame were a calm group as a general rule.
A couple rows away were the Nara and Akimichi heirs, respectively sleeping and pigging out on chips. Again, no surprises. The Yamanaka heir that would round out the happy trio was sighing wistfully as she stared at the heir of the Uchiha. Kurenai frowned when she saw more than one girl doing that. That would have to go immediately.
Her eyes scanned the room once again and found three very interesting people sitting together. The heiress of the Hyuuga clan, the only current male ninja of the Inuzuka clan, and the Hokage's adopted grandson. That was a strange combo. What had her more intrigued was that the blonde wasn't even paying attention to the lesson, opting instead to read a scroll on wind jutsus.
Iruka finished his portion and handed the rest over to her. Kurenai nodded and began to tell of the role of kunoichis in Konoha's history. She explained about Tsunade and her role in the fashioning of medic nins and her own hope of becoming a well recognized practitioner of genjutsu. She frowned when Naruto still hadn't taken his nose out of the scroll and was about to say something when Iruka stopped her.
"Don't bother Kurenai-san. He's listening, he just doesn't appear to be. I guarantee he heard every word you said."
Kurenai nodded and dismissed the children for lunch, watching as they bolted from the room. She watched the ones that caught her interest leave and turned to find Iruka pulling his lunch out of a desk drawer and beckoning for her to sit.
"So how's your first day been so far?"
Kurenai sighed and unwrapped the sandwich she had made.
"We have an interesting class. There are a few in general that intrigue me."
Iruka sat his bowl down and leaned back with his arms crossed.
"Let me guess. The girls in general, the Uchiha boy, and the Hokage's grandson?"
"Yes. Those ones, in that order."
"If you want to beat some sense into the girls' heads, then by all means, be my guest. I'm not one much for the female psyche, but even I can see that most are more interested in Sasuke than learning how to be good ninjas."
"Speaking of the young Uchiha…what is his problem? I saw him glaring at Uzumaki several times during the class. Do they have a rivalry going?"
Iruka sighed and blew on his noodles, slurping them up quickly.
"It's more like an intense hatred. Sasuke hates Naruto for some reason. The boy is unapproachable as well. He won't open up to anyone. I think that he sees Naruto as a measuring stick for himself. He's always been top of the class you know. Then Naruto came along and held his own in a fight against an elite chuunin, even pulling a knife against the man and keeping him in check in a test of strength. To be honest, I don't know whether Naruto could have beaten Mizuki or not. I held Mizuki back and the ANBU stopped any further incidents. We might never know how it could have turned out."
Kurenai nodded and took another bite of her sandwich.
"What about the mental condition of the Uchiha?"
"I can't say. The boy's been to a psychiatrist before but those records are sealed, even to me. I don't know what to make of him. Personally? I think he's a ticking time bomb…and Naruto is his current target."
"And that's bad?"
"Naruto isn't the type to go easy on Sasuke just because he's the last Uchiha. If worst came to worst…he'd flat out humiliate the boy…and make it appear easy. Like I said before, I'm not truly sure who would have won in that fight. When Naruto hit the wall, he was channeling chakra to his feet, something not taught in the academy. The boy's had outside assistance since he was little."
"Private tutors?"
Iruka nodded.
"You could say that. I don't know what his true skill level is, but he's not your average academy student. The Hokage said all he truly lacks is combat experience, but he won't receive any for a few more years."
"Unless he graduates early."
"I don't think the Hokage wants him to graduate early. He wants him to interact with children his age. Part of it might have been to see if Naruto could reach Sasuke, but that seems to be beyond even him."
Kurenai nodded when a though came to her.
"What do you think of Naruto due to his 'status'?"
"I'm indifferent at the moment. I don't know him very well. I'll reserve judgment until I see what he does and what his personality is."
"I've met him before when I was handing in mission reports. I thought he was sweet. He looked pretty cute wearing the little Hokage robes and hat."
Iruka chuckled along with her at that thought. He thought the boy looked silly in the getup.
"So thoughts on the rest of the class?"
Kurenai sighed and took another bite.
"We've got our work cut out for us."
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Uchiha Sasuke had been brooding more than normal all week since the first day of school. It had been his hope to see Naruto humbled in his spar against Mizuki, but the blonde had surprised everyone by holding his own against a chuunin. He grit his teeth, grinding them. He was supposed to be the one everyone aspired to be like.
Ever since his brother had slaughtered his family, Sasuke had been alone. He wanted no one to look after him, so secretly the Hokage had had ANBU follow him during the day and watch over him at night. The boy was a risk to himself as had been ascertained by a psychiatrist. The doctor said that his mind had been damaged and that he wasn't in the right frame of mind. The boy craved revenge and had said he would do anything to get it.
And Sasuke would. He saw everyone around him as measuring sticks and stepping-stones toward his goal. He was the last Uchiha in Konoha and therefore had the task of bringing about the restoration of the once mighty clan. But his goal before that was to bring his brother's head back to Konoha on a pike.
Uzumaki bothered him. He walked into class one day and Sasuke felt threatened. He had always been the alpha male and his status was in danger of being revoked. Sasuke was revered by the villagers and pampered everywhere he went. He didn't ask for it and pretended to not care for the attention, but secretly…he loved it. As a child, his father had always showered attention upon Itachi. Sasuke had fought for a tiny bit of praise.
And now he had a whole village saying he was their hope, their dream…they praised him as the best. And he couldn't allow anyone to usurp his status.
He was the village's hopes and dreams for the revival of a near dead clan.
He was the only one who could kill Itachi and bring him to justice.
He was Uchiha Sasuke…and he would not be shown up by some demon that was below his notice.
Sasuke sent a final glare towards where the blonde sat and pushed past his fangirls to go back inside. He would redouble his training and defeat both Itachi and the demon his father had despised…when his Sharingan finally awakened they would all be sorry.
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Kurenai had requested this time to talk to the girls personally. Iruka had wanted to take the boys out of the room, but she had said no. She wanted them to hear what she had to say as well. And with any luck, it might knock some sense into some of them.
She stood before the class and put her hands on her hips.
"It has come to my attention that some of you ladies are here for the wrong reason."
All the students perked up at that and she noticed that Naruto even looked up from his scroll.
"I'm a full-fledged kunoichi. I've taken lives; I've done things I'm not proud of in the name of my village. Part of my being here is to prepare you for what's ahead."
She looked around the room to see all eyes on her.
'Hook, line, and sinker.'
"Kunoichi lead a dangerous life. We run the risk of being caught since we're typically viewed as weaker than our male counterparts. We have to face the reality that if we're caught, we might be tortured, raped, demeaned, and worse. We have better control as a rule than men, but smaller chakra reserves. Our lives are hard."
She looked around the room, glaring at each of the ones she had pinpointed as fangirls.
"Those of you who are here to impress a certain someone need to get out now. You'll be the first to die on your first important mission because you spent more time primping and preening than training. You won't be prepared and I refuse to be the one to blame because you left here underdeveloped. If you don't meet my requirements as kunoichi, not the academy's but mine, then you. Will. Not. Pass."
She glared around the room at all those kunoichi she had singled out and found a few with introspective looks on their faces. Those, she figured, would be the ones who would reach her standards. If her application for jounin status was given the greenlight, then she wouldn't be around to see them graduate and therefore not be able to enforce her rule. But, if she broke them of their habits now, they might turn out all right.
Turning to Iruka, she saw him nod.
"Take the rest of the day off and reflect on what I've told you. Tomorrow, we will resume your studies and I expect you all to come in with a new attitude."
She watched their faces as they left. Most of the girls looked despondent, some had a speculative look on their faces, the boys were still mesmerized by her, but one had a big beaming smile on his face. Uzumaki Naruto was happy with his choice of sensei.
He knew he had chosen correctly.
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Yamanaka Ino's thoughts were in turmoil. She had an insight now into the mind of a true kunoichi, not merely a ninja. She left toward home with a purpose to search her soul for why she was becoming a ninja…no, why she was becoming a kunoichi.
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Naruto avoided the Hokage office like the plague after school, opting instead to go to Kiba's house with his friends. Hinata had been escorted back to the Hyuuga house, much to hers and the boys' displeasure, but had promised to see them again tomorrow at school. Naruto and the rest watched her go until Kiba spoke up.
"Well, that sucks. Might as well not waste the day though…let's go see the new litter of puppies."
And with that they were off to waste an evening.
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When Naruto arrived home that evening he was greeted by all four of his senseis. This wouldn't bode well. Sarutobi waved them all into his study and bade them sit. Naruto's eyes cut back and forth from one to the other. Sarutobi coughed into his hand and lit his pipe while Asuma lit a cigarette, earning glares from both Gai and Yahiko.
"Naruto, we're here concerning your fight with Mizuki and what happened during and after."
Naruto gulped and nodded. Gai started next and he was serious, a sure sign that Naruto was either in trouble or in for hardcore training.
"Naruto-kun, facing off against your teacher was admirable since he attacked you first. Your use of Kalaripayit, from what I hear, was exemplary. You used your field knife well too. But we don't believe you are ready to take on someone like Mizuki yet. He was an elite chuunin, bordering on jounin."
Asuma nodded and cut in.
"Yeah kid, you did well with your knife. Shows you've been listening to me. But you need more experience if this indicates anything. You're going to have to become more experienced quickly. Unfortunately, none of us are willing to hurt you too badly."
"That's right son. We'll still be continuing your training in the evening, alternating days and you'll still have your duties at the tower. But you'll have another sensei, one who isn't afraid to hurt you at all. In fact, she thrives on pain."
Naruto's eyes widened in fear. He had a good guess who they were talking about.
"Look, I promise you guys can hurt me. I kill my clones all the time. See? Nothing to worry about."
Sarutobi blew out a large cloud of smoke.
"It's not the same as real physical pain Naruto. You need to learn real physical pain and what to do when you experience it. You have to learn to work through it. It's the closest thing we can come to besides sending you out on missions and you're not ready for that yet."
Naruto hung his head in his hands and asked the inevitable question.
"Who is she?"
Yahiko turned to the door and hollered.
"All right, you can come in now."
Naruto didn't dare look; he just knew he was right. Suddenly he felt pressure on his back and arms wrapped around him from behind. Naruto shuddered when he heard the silky laugh of the one woman he was genuinely afraid of.
"Mm hm hm…why hello there, if it isn't my favorite little blonde. And what's this? He's shaking from anticipation of being my new target."
She rubbed her cheek against his and grinned.
"Thank you so much for my new cuddly Hokage-sama. I've always wanted a foxy blonde."
Sarutobi expertly stemmed the blood threatening to escape his nose and breathed deeply. This was one of the few times he envied his grandson…just for the moment of course.
"Anko, he's all yours for two hours a day after school. Just don't kill him."
Anko clapped her hands happily like a little girl and jumped around, her breasts jiggling, the men's eyes following.
"Yay! New toy, new toy! Me and Naru-chan are gonna have a lot of fun!"
Drawing a kunai and replacing her happy face with a sadistic one she got right into the boy's face.
"Aren't we Naru-chan?"
Naruto nodded dumbly and Anko's smile came back immediately.
"Good. I'll see you tomorrow after school. I'm gonna cut you up soooo goooood!"
She left out whistling and Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.
"Jiji…you hate me don't you? Secretly, you want me to die."
"Now Naruto, you know that's not true. I'm being nice here. It was either Anko or Ibiki…and I know you know how Ibiki is like."
Naruto shuddered again and nodded.
"I guess Anko is the lesser of the two evils. I'll meet her tomorrow…um, where exactly am I meeting her tomorrow?"
"She said she'd pick you up after school."
All they heard was Naruto gurgle and pass out on the floor. Asuma nudged him with his foot and lit a new cigarrete.
"What a baby. Anko's not that bad."
Yahiko raised an eyebrow as he picked up his son and looked at his younger brother.
"I don't see you offering to spar with her every afternoon. Perhaps you'd like to take Naruto's place."
"Nah, I'm trying to get a date with that Kurenai girl. She's a lot more…sane. Besides…I think Anko likes Naruto."
Yahiko leveled his brother with a glare that could cut diamond.
"My son is ten. If she knows what's good for her, she'll stay away."
Asuma shrugged and grinned.
"He won't be ten forever. Maybe she's just staking a claim…"
Yahiko left grumbling and Asuma grinned in victory until he heard twin coughs from behind him. He turned to find Gai and his father glaring at him in disapproval.
"What?"
"That was most unyouthful Asuma-san. Naruto-kun is too young for Anko."
"I agree Asuma. That was not funny."
"But he won't be ten forever. And he could do a lot worse than Anko as far as looks go. He might even be able to tame her."
Sarutobi huffed as his son left the room and he turned to Gai.
"Did I do the right thing with Anko?"
"I do not know Hokage-sama. Anko-san is a…strange one. She'll either help the boy or kill him."
'Strange, yes. Coming from you that means a lot Gai.'
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Naruto was nervous all during school that day and Kiba and Hinata, sitting right next to him, couldn't help but notice. Even Kurenai and Iruka had seen the boy glancing nervously around the room and out the windows as if someone was after him. Considering his 'tenant' and the violent reaction he'd had since coming out fully into the public, it wasn't a surprise he was paranoid.
Kurenai had had a strange conversation with her friend Anko the night before. The woman had pounded on her door impatiently until she opened up and had leapt onto her couch, speaking in a singsong voice.
"I got a new target today!"
"Did you? How long till you destroy this one?"
"Oh this one can't be destroyed. In fact, I get to use it over and over and over and by the next day, it's ready to go again!"
Kurenai quirked her eyebrow and blinked several times. Anko was a strange one, that was to be sure.
"So…it's a target that you can repair with chakra?"
"The target contains chakra. It repairs itself."
Kurenai sighed and ran a hand through her jet-black hair.
"Anko, just tell me what it is. I'm tired. I started at the academy today you know."
The purple haired woman huffed and puffed her cheeks out, for all the world looking like a three year old.
"Fine. My new target is Uzumaki Naruto and he's a real cutey. Scared of me too."
"…one of your targets is one of my students. Who in their right mind would let you use their child for target practice?"
"The Hokage. He says the boy needs to toughen up and get a little combat experience. Gai isn't afraid to punch him, but he won't pull a knife on the boy. His father Yahiko, just can't bring himself to harm his son and his uncle Asuma is way too lazy. The Hokage doesn't have the time, so…here I am!"
"They're insane, you'll end up killing him before the week's over."
"Nah, he'll live. The kid's pretty tough from what I hear. Gai's training sessions are brutal and he survived those. My job is to make sure that he learns how to dodge and counter in a real fight. The Hokage also requested I teach him some of my more…subtle skills."
Kurenai's eyes bugged out at the lunacy of all this.
"Teaching an academy student assassination skills? What the hell is that man thinking? The boy can't be older than eleven."
"He's ten and I started much younger. Kure-chan…the boy has to learn that his life isn't going to be easy. It's going to be one fight after another whether he likes it or not. If he's any good, I might see if they'll let me take him on as an apprentice after his school career is over, but the Hokage told me he wants the boy on a team. That's why I swung by to see you. I want to know how he is."
"What do you mean?"
"I want to know how he acts in class. I'm taking a vested interest in him and I want to know if he'll be worth my time."
"He's…quiet really. Always has his nose stuck in a book, but he's paying attention at the same time. He and the Uchiha boy don't get along very well."
Anko snorted and leaned back further into her seat, her arms behind her head.
"Nobody gets along with that kid. I've had to babysit him a few times and observed him. Frankly, the kid is probably more mental than I am."
"You're crazy by choice Anko. There's a difference."
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, long story short, is the Uzumaki boy going to be worth my time in your opinion?"
Kurenai thought for a little bit before looking back up to her friend.
"I think he'll be more than worth your time. He has a lot of people interested in him."
Anko grinned fiercely and nodded.
"I'm gonna have soooo much fun."
Kurenai couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor boy. Working in the Hokage's office all those years, he couldn't help but know how Anko acted. And it was obvious he knew who was coming to get him after school from the way he was acting. She glanced at the clock. Nearly time to go. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a black ball hurtling toward the window and braced for impact.
The black ball hit the window at full speed and exploded outwards, kunai going to four corners of the classroom. A woman emerged from out of the black banner that was spread and stood with her hands on her hips, grinning like a maniac, dressed only in a tiny miniskirt, fishnet, and a tan trenchcoat. When Naruto saw what was on the banner, he tried his best to shrink into his desk. If only his grandfather would allow him to use his kekkei genkai in public…
The Ever Sexy and Single, Mitarashi Anko! Looking for my new toy, Uzumaki Naruto!
Hinata and Kiba swung their eyes to Naruto, Hinata in concern of what the crazy lady wanted, Kiba with a sour look on his face.
"I hate you, you know that?"
Naruto gave him a glare and tried to remain inconspicuous, a hard feat since he had neon yellow hair.
"Then you go with her and be her freaking kunai target. That's what she wants me for!"
He felt a familiar pressure on his back and shuddered as those silky arms wound their way around his neck. The entire class watched wide-eyed, Uchiha Sasuke included.
"Awww, you weren't hiding from me, were you Naru-chan? Because if you were hiding, that's points against you already."
"I wasn't hiding, I was…looking for my things."
Anko pushed a kunai against his cheek and tapped it lightly to his hearbeat.
"You're a horrible liar under pressure, another thing we're going to have to work on. Now come on, let's go. I've got two hours to turn you into a pincushion before I hand you over to Yahiko, and I don't want to waste a second."
Without any further ado, the two vanished with a shunshin, leaving a sighing Kurenai and a bewildered Iruka and class. Hinata turned to Kiba with a worried look.
"Do you think he'll be alright?"
"Who cares if he's alright, did you see her boobs? They were hanging out of her trenchcoat! She's not wearing anything! I'm gonna kill him."
Hinata tuned her doggy friend out and gathered her things before rushing off to home.
'She better not do anything inappropriate with Naruto-kun."
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Sasuke ground his teeth when he saw Naruto disappear with the insane woman. He could only assume that she was training the boy. Well, perhaps it was time for him to get in on some of that training...he'd just have to use the Uchiha charm...
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Naruto stood stockstill in the middle of a clearing. He didn't know when she might try to do something, so the best thing to do was wait. As soon as they'd arrived Anko had bounded off to God knows where and he hadn't seen her in several minutes. He'd talked enough about battle with his father to know what she was doing though.
She was driving up his tension, trying to make him worry and falter. This was a battle tactic that was easy and effective. Keep the enemy guessing where you're at and don't stop moving. She could be anywhere. Suddenly, he felt hands grasp his feet and he was pulled underground. Anko emerged soon after and tapped a kunai, point forward, to his forehead.
"You're dead. You need to be more aware."
Naruto nodded and looked up at her, trying to avoid the fact that she was wearing purple undies.
"Anko-sensei, has Jiji told you everything about me?"
Anko nodded and knelt down, inadvertently (or maybe on purpose, you never know with Anko) giving him another eye full. Naruto struggled to keep eye contact but it was hard. Anko analyzed that in her mind.
'Struggling not to be perverted but still maintaining a healthy need to look. Good, good. He might be interesting after all.'
"Your grandfather told me all about you. Said if I wanted to train you to the fullest then I'd need to know everything…especially about your kekkei genkai."
Naruto grinned and Anko was immediately wary. Her eyes widened slightly as the boy began to seemingly melt into the ground. Once he was gone fully, a disembodied voice echoed through the air.
"If you know of my kekkei genkai, then you should know that what you just did is useless against me. I don't get detained. I don't get restrained. I just…disappear."
Anko began to breathe a little heavily, excited at the possibilities that such a technique could offer. She grinned as she licked down the length of her kunai.
"You're an assassin's wet dream kiddo. I'm definitely going to fight to make you my apprentice."
"Become your apprentice? Not a chance lady."
Her grin became more malicious when she felt him come up behind her, his chakra signature fully hidden until he emerged.
"Who said you had a choice? Found you."
Naruto grit his teeth as she held the kunai under his throat. He didn't like being in this position.
"This isn't what we're here for. We're here to teach you how to fight."
Naruto frowned as he stood up.
"But Gai-sensei and Asuma-sensei already taught me how to fight."
"WRONG! They taught you how to use your fists and your knife. They didn't teach you anything about attacking or defending against an attacker. They didn't teach you to be ruthless."
"Then what was all that training for?"
"I'm going to teach you how to be merciless to your enemies, how to defend yourself by showing no mercy. But before I teach you to attack, I'm going to show you why you shouldn't fear an attack."
"How?"
She grinned and launched herself at him, stabbing left and right with a kunai.
"By showing you what pain is and teaching you not to fear it! If you get stabbed enough, you'll lose your fear of being stabbed and will be able to attack with abandon! NOW HOLD STILL!"
...I like this woman...
Naruto grunted when a quick jab sliced across his arm. This wouldn't bode well.
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An hour and a half later found a topless Naruto pinned to the ground by four snakes, one on each limb, his shirt and fishnet long gone, as Anko made incisions and cuts along his torso and arms, transfixed by his healing ability. Every time she made a shallow cut it would hiss and then just…seal up, mending the flesh.
"This is so cool. I could do this for hours."
Naruto winced as she cut deep again and hissed.
"I really wish you wouldn't. I'm starting to get light headed from blood loss."
"Ah you'll be fine you big baby. I'll take you home now since you're going to cry."
"I'm not crying, you psycho! You've done nothing but cut me up for two hours! I have a right to be upset!"
Anko whacked him upside the head and dispelled her snakes.
"Stop it. You're not allowed to cry like a child. That's what this training is for. By the time I'm through with you, you'll forget what pain is…or just not care anymore. I forget which."
Naruto groaned as she picked him up and slung him onto her back. Anko grinned and made the seal for shunshin. She wasn't far behind the Sarutobi estates. Just a few quick teleports away.
As soon as they touched down in the familiar backyard of the Sarutobi estate, Naruto leapt off her shoulders and dashed across the ground. Anko's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and she sneered at the blonde.
"So…you lied to me. You said you didn't have any energy left. Hm Hm Hm…tomorrow, I'm going to make damn sure you won't be able to move."
Naruto thrust his finger accusingly at the purple haired woman.
"You are insane lady! First, you stab me while keeping me on the run and tell me not to fight back, then you hold me down and stab me just because you think my wounds healing was 'cool'. Crazy bitch!"
"Watch your language young man!"
Naruto cringed and turned around to find the unhappy face of his mother. When she saw all the holes in his clothing her eyebrows flew to her hairline and she rushed to his side.
"What happened to you? You look like you ran through a sawmill."
The blonde cut his eyes to his newest sensei and Eri's eyes followed. Anko waved merrily from the side with a huge grin on her face.
"My new sensei has been assigned to…toughen me up. Her methods are unorthodox and painful…and she's scary."
Anko pushed the boy aside and bowed before Eri.
"Eri-san, it's good to see you again. Your son is a bit of a brat…and a fibber as well. He told me he was tired after our training session."
Eri sighed and crossed her arms.
"Anko-san, you really need to act more your age. Seriously, cutting up small children for fun? You should be ashamed."
Naruto swung his head back and forth between the two, trying to figure out a connection.
"Do you two know each other?"
Eri smiled down at her son.
"No, not at all. Your grandfather thought it would be a good idea for me to meet her though beforehand and explain her method of training so I wouldn't try to kill her when she brought you home. Your grandfather tries to think of everything in advance."
"Yes, he does. Now come inside and we'll begin your studies for the evening."
The blonde sighed and slowly made his way inside to begin his evening lessons.
"Bye Naru-chan! I'll pick you up tomorrow!"
She giggled when she saw the boy flinch and continue his trek inside. Her life just got a whole lot better.
"Anko-san, try not to kill my son."
"Aw, Yahiko-san, you take all the fun out of my job…"
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Naruto's friends watched as he flinched at every little noise during lunch. Every time a leaf rustled or a blade of grass was bent, his head whipped to find the source of the noise. Hinata touched his arm and he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Naruto-kun, are you alright? You're acting strange."
"It's my new sensei. I keep expecting her to pop up any second and resume her torture."
Shino leaned up from his seat and looked in Naruto's direction.
"You do not approve of your new sensei? I believe Kiba summed it up when he said she was 'hot'."
"Yeah Naruto. She's really cool. How could you not like her?"
The blonde cut his eyes around to the sound of footsteps, completely ignoring his friends and growled when he saw Sasuke approaching, fangirls in tow.
"Go away Uchiha, I don't have the time or the patience to deal with you today."
Sasuke smirked and put his hands in his pockets.
"I want to speak with you…alone."
"I don't want to speak with you."
The smirk left Sasuke's face and he stared hard at the blonde.
"Just hear me out. Come with me. All I ask is five minutes of your time."
Naruto growled and stood. He wasn't in the mood for any games.
"I thought your father told you not to associate with 'demons'. Are you going against a dead man's wishes?"
Sasuke let out a slow breath and grit his teeth, his hands twitching.
"Sometimes…sometimes you have to make a deal with devils to avenge angels. All I want to do is talk to you in private. You can grant me that at least."
Naruto frowned, but nodded and followed Sasuke over to another spot. He heard the sound of footsteps and bared his teeth while growling at the people following them. It was an intimidating sight.
"He said alone. Are you people deaf?"
Without another word he walked beside Sasuke to a quiet corner of the schoolyard.
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Anko had taken it upon herself to follow her new charge to find out what his life was all about and the more she spied on him, the more intrigued she became. This was certainly a new development.
'It seems my life won't be boring for quite a while. I'll talk with Kure-chan after this.'
She bounded silently after the two, intent on hearing what had to be said.
Ooooo...character depth, development, and Anko, Oh My! Let me know what you think...
