He Said She Said
Disclaimer: Don't own, not even a little crumb. Don't care to hear about what jutsu should be what and I post once a week. Deal with it.
Chapter 11
"HA-HA-HA!"
Anko growled and was answered by a returning growl from the newest edition to her apartment.
"Brat, if that dog…"
"Relax nee-chan." Said blond grinned coming out of the shower. "Eureka-chan is just keeping you honest."
"I will not sneak around my own apartment just because your dog is a prude." Anko ranted.
"She just doesn't think you should walk around naked." Naruto said.
"IT'S MY APARTMENT!"
Naruto shrugged with the towel wrapped around her and went back to her room.
"Why didn't you use the shower in your room?" Anko called as she came out in a bathrobe which the dog didn't mind.
"I gave Eureka a bath last night, and I need to clean the drain out later before it can be used again." Naruto said coming out dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and a crop tank top.
The blond had her long hair in a topknot and was carrying her belt and holsters as well as several rolls of tape and wraps.
"So we're going to see how my chakra is and how many shadow clones I can make today, right?"
Anko nodded sipping her coffee. "After lunch Jiraiya is supposed to come by and work with you as well. Something the Hokage set up."
Naruto frowned as she wrapped her lower legs and slipped on the new combat boots.
"What's wrong?" Anko asked.
"I…I know Jiraiya is a Sannin, but…can't I work with you and Sakura-chan instead?"
Anko blinked. "Something wrong?"
"N-No…maybe." Naruto sighed wrapping her other leg. "I just…"
"We're not abandoning you Naruto." Anko said tilting the blonds face towards her with a light finger touch under the chin. "But Jiraiya is a master at seals and he taught the Fourth Hokage. You can learn a lot from him."
Naruto shrugged and sighed.
"Tell you what, pinky and I will be there as well."
Naruto nodded, then asked. "How is Sakura-chan doing?"
"Well she has such a small chakra reserve we've been working on exercises to build that up. I've also got her working out and building her stamina and strength."
Naruto nodded. "She needs it as badly as I needed control exercises before the furball bit it."
"How's your taijutsu coming?" Anko asked.
"Now that I don't have to hide its coming along better." Naruto admitted. "And with my chakra control nearly perfect now, its amazing how much chakra I don't waste anymore. I'm even able to do regular Bushin's. I can't make less than ten, but its getting better."
"So, Kurenai's been helping you a lot then?"
Naruto nodded. "She's been really patient talking about…things." Naruto's blush told the Snake mistress that Naruto was still weirded out about female things.
"Nai-chan is cool about that. I'm glad you have someone more feminine than me to talk to."
Naruto smiled to his friend and adoptive big sister. Eurekamaru padded into the kitchen and barked. Anko scowled and looked at the dog a moment before there was a knock at the door.
"If your so great, answer it." She told the dog, that gave her a flat look before heading back to Naruto's room.
"Damn dog." Anko muttered as she went to see who was at their door so early in the morning.
Opening it she saw two people she wasn't expecting.
"Hatake. Uchiha." She said flatly.
XX
Sakura yawned as she finished getting ready. Talking with Ino yesterday helped a lot. We do need to get Naruto out and about. She really needs to do more than hang out with Anko-sensei and train all the time. Sakura looked at her hair which had been styled after the butchery she'd done to it during the second exam.
Need to get to Anko-sensei's… Sakura thought seeing the time. Grabbing her weapons pouches and scroll pouch she also remembered her chakra weights and was out the door just as her mother woke for the day.
XX
"What the hell do you want?" Anko asked, blocking the opening with her body, her hand behind the door grabbing the hidden kunai.
"Now Anko, there's no reason to…" Kakashi began, but her bare footed kick to his masked face sent him flying backwards over the rail to the ground below. Her second kick had the Uchiha doing the exact same thing.
"Get the hell out of here Hatake, you and that shitstain with you aren't welcome here." Anko hissed like one of her summoned serpents.
Kakashi groaned as he sat up. "Anko, please wait. I need to ask…"
"Don't care. You dug your grave go lay in it." The special Jounin snarled as she sent a volley of kunai at the pair. Kakashi saw the danger and grabbed the stunned Sasuke and shushined them away.
They appeared across the street. "Anko, please I just need…"
"To get the fuck away from here and never bother me nor MY student again." Anko said as she flipped over the rail and landed on the ground, sending more kunai at Kakashi.
XX
Sakura rounded the corner and froze. The street looked like a war zone and she blinked at what she was seeing.
There in the middle of the street in a bathrobe was Anko and trapped in the snake hand jutsu was none other than Kakashi who had snakes wrapped around his face and smoke was clearing from obvious smoke bomb detonations. Sasuke was off to the side dazed.
"S-Sensei?" Sakura said approaching slowly.
"Go to the apartment and wait there for me Sakura." Anko said in a very cold voice that made Sakura recall her during the start of the second exam, as she never once took her eyes off the trapped Jounin. "Tell Naruto to stay inside as well. I'll be up once that idiot Anbu gets back with reinforcements."
Sakura paused and Anko sensed it. "MOVE!" the snake mistress barked and Sakura made an "EEP" sound and rushed up the stairs to the waiting door way and entered and closed it behind her.
She looked and saw Naruto standing by the curtained window, peeking out near the edge.
"Morning Sakura." The blond greeted. Sakura was about to greet the whisker marked blond when a low deep growl had her turn to see a dog barring its fangs. The gold fur around the neck was on end and the collar had the leaf symbol.
"Eurekamaru, behave." Naruto said not looking away from the window. "Sakura-chan is my friend and teammate."
The dog made a huffing sound then stepped forward. Sakura's eyes widened. "Let her sniff you and get your scent Sakura. Eureka's a good girl, she's just looking out for me." Naruto said and Sakura waited as the dog sniffed her hands and legs.
After what seemed like an eternity, the golden furred dog backed away and hopped on the couch, only to hear "Off the couch Eureka-chan. You can lay on my bed only. Anko-nee-chan's rules." Naruto said again without looking.
Sakura watched the dog enter Naruto's room before moving herself. "Sensei says to stay in here until she comes back."
Naruto nodded, but didn't say anything. Sakura felt nervous with the silence so spoke. "So, Kakashi-sen…er, Kakashi and Sasuke-kun showed up, what did they want?"
Naruto shrugged. "Anko-neechan didn't give Kakashi a chance to speak." The blond said softly, her blue eyes dulled. "Bastard can't just leave it alone. I finally have someone teaching me something and he brings the Uchiha to get the attention again."
Sakura felt for her friend. Over the week she had really thought about the dynamics of Team 7 and without Sasuke around she'd really thought about her ninja career as Anko drilled her into the ground with training to get her up to par.
"Sensei is dealing with it. Now come over to the couch and tell me about the dog and how your day off went." Sakura said and Naruto finally turned from the window.
"And what's with the topknot?" Sakura asked.
"Eh?" Naruto looked perplexed and Sakura gestured to the top of her head. "Oh. We'll it keeps it out of the way. Anko-neechan and Kurenai-sensei said I can't cut it to what I had when…when…"
When you were a boy. Sakura thought and patted her friends hand. "You have to admit, that style wouldn't fit you now." Sakura said.
Naruto nodded. "Tsume…Kiba's mom who I knew for several years before the academy came and offered me a companion, she figured with the fox gone…" Naruto paused. "I was given a mark by an Inuzuka long ago, it means I'm pack friend in the simplest form…" Naruto sighed and looked up when Eurekamaru put her head in her lap. Naruto smiled as her fingers stroked the dog's fur.
Sakura knew there was more than that, but could tell that it hurt Naruto to remember past events.
Its like he…(damn it) she doesn't have happy memories, or if she does they are connected to painful ones. The pink haired girl looked at the blond.
Changing the subject, Sakura asked "So, your training, how is that going?"
Naruto smiled. "Getting used to my real style now that I'm not hiding and I don't have to worry about the fox. Anko-nee-chan wants to see my chakra control and how many kage bunshins I can…"
They were interrupted by an explosion from the street. Both teens and dog rushed out the door to see Sasuke standing over Anko with a feral grin, her back smoking from the obvious katon attack.
Kakashi was sitting up shaking the cobwebs from his head.
"BASTARDS!" Naruto yelled as he leapt from the balcony and shouted. "MASS SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
Kakashi winced as it rained over a thousand Naruto's upon him and Sasuke who was blasted by Naruto with an spinning back kick and sent flying through a vendor cart and into a stand which collapsed atop of him. A melon splitting open upon his head.
Kakashi himself was buried and pummeled, even fighting back, he was overwhelmed by sheer numbers.
"Hey baka-ex-sensei, here's a farewell present." Naruto's voice said and Kakashi wondered what it was when he heard. "KONOHA SECRET TECHNIQUE ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!"
Kakashi's eye widened one second before he was launched into the air where he was nabbed in an Anbu capture net.
Naruto turned to see an Anbu grabbing Sasuke, while a medic nin was tending to Anko.
Sakura looked on from the door of Anko's apartment with Eurekamaru. Naruto looked up, and Sakura shook her head.
"I think you have no trouble making shadow clones." Sakura said and the blonds around the street grinned at her and Sakura felt it was endearing.
AN: Next time, Episode 12 "Kakashi BAKA!"
Sorry for the delay, you get two this week because my provider went out.