*Here we go, the promised second chapter. Enjoy!*

I stumbled out of my room, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Good morning." My mom said cheerfully as she put pancakes on the table.

My eyes lit up as I slid into my seat. "Morning!" I said, digging in.

"So, you start training today?"

I nodded, hastily swallowing. "Yep! We passed the survival exercise, so Anko is gonna start having us go on missions and train!"

She giggled at my excitement. "Slow down with those pancakes or you'll choke! So, you're finally a shinobi, huh?"
I nodded my head energetically, swallowing a larger-than-normal bite of pancake. "Yea, but I still have a long ways to go if I want to make it to Jounin!"

"Well, hurry up so you can train!" She said, laughing as I bolted the rest of my food, running to the door and sliding on my sandals, running over to give her a hug before bolting out the door.

I waved to my dad as he put sweet rolls in a paper sack for some customers as I ran out the front of the shop.

"Bye, dad!"

"Stay safe!" He yelled after me.

I was laughing as I dodged people on the street, running as fast as I could towards Team 6's training ground.

I waved at Kurenai's team as I leapt over their heads,and dodging around Kakashi as he was 'lost on the road of life,' giggling as he read his Icha Icha. In no time at all, I slid into our training ground where Anko and Asuma were talking. Sepi and Ino were sparring as Shikamaru, Miko, and Choji watched while sharing a bag of chips.

I plopped next to Shikamaru, accepting the offered chips as I watched Ino and Sepi.

"What's going on?" I asked, munching on the chips.

"Whatever it is, it's a drag." Shikamaru said with a sigh.

"Asuma and Anko have a bet going," Miko supplied, "that our Ino-Shika-Koro formation is stronger than the Ino-Shika-Cho."

I winced at the name. "Please never do that again."

Shikamaru nodded in agreement.

"Besides, as it stands, right now they are." I said. "That may change in a few months, though."

Asuma and Anko walked over to where we sat, and Sepi and Ino left off their sparring to come sit with us.

"We have a bet…"

"Of course you do." I said.

"We have a bet," She said again, shooting me a glare, "that Team 6, in two weeks, will be stronger than Team 10."

"What's being bet?" Sepi asked.

"Asuma gets a pack of cigarettes and I treat us all to bbq if he wins."

Choji let out a cheer.

"If I win, however, he treats us to bbq and gets me a bottle of sake."

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh. Grownups."

"They're a drag." Shikamaru agreed.

"Oh, did I forget to mention? The winning team receives some...specialty items."

We all perked up at that. "Like?" Miko prompted.

"Choji gets three all-you-can-eat bbq tickets."

She didn't get any further because of the loud yell of happiness emanating from said person. She sighed and continued. "Ino will get a visit to the hot springs and a manicure. Shikamaru gets three days off."

Shikamaru grinned. "I like that idea."

"And if Anko's team wins," Asuma said, "I have agreed that Sepi gets a particularly rare scroll on a certain water-type jutsu."

Sepi leapt up and started doing a happy dance while Asuma ignored her and continued. "Miko gets the same thing as Shikamaru," to which Miko let out a small cheer, "and Ibukai gets a katana made from a special type of metal which conducts chakra, like my daggers."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

"So, what's the contest?" Ino asked, rolling her eyes at her sister's reaction to getting a scroll.

Anko grinned. "Can't tell you."

I groaned.

Asuma laughed at my reaction. "We'll train you the best we can, but we aren't allowed to even hint at what we're doing. All right, Team 10, follow me."

They left and Anko clapped her hands together, rubbing them vigorously. "All right! Let's get started!" She passed Miko and Sepi small bits of paper.

"Chakra paper?" Miko guessed.

"Bingo!" She said. "You all know how to use it?"
They nodded, and Miko's paper crumbled into pieces.

"Earth!" She said. "Sepi?"

"Mine's water." She said, not even bothering to use the paper. "I've tried it before. You knew that, too, which is why you grabbed that water scroll for me."

They both looked at me. I nervously scratched the back of my head. "I, uh, already did that. Mine...well…"

"Most people have two chakra natures," Anko explained for me, "but it's a toss-up if the second nature ever is strong enough to actually be able to be trained. Ibukai has an exceptionally rare combination of Fire and Lightning."

"The ones that are, they're called Kekkei Genkai, right?" Sepi asked.

Anko nodded. "Correct. However, Fire is so closely associated with lightning in terms of chakra nature that there has never, as far as my research shows, been a Kekkei Genkai from them. Those who do have both just are able to use both Lightning and Fire styles. However, your chakra is mixed, like oil and water. If it was just one chakra nature, you would have no problem using the Fireball Jutsu or using your chakra to control projectiles. However, these chakra natures have combined, and they're so closely associated with one another that it's virtually impossible to separate them. That's why the color of the lighting arc that was created when you channeled your chakra into the paper the other day was red. The lightning was literally on fire."

"But how come I can use the academy Ninjutsu and use my chakra to climb? Iruka-sensei said I have excellent chakra control."

"That's because you do. The academy Ninjutsu doesn't require much chakra, and your chakra control makes them flawless. You aren't focusing on a single type of chakra when channeling it, so it doesn't make a difference. However, your chakra being channeled into an elemental jutsu will fail. With your Fireball Jutsu, you're trying to use only your fire nature, but you're pulling both of them, causing it to fizzle out. The more chakra you use, the more it fights itself, and the less effective it is."

"So...now what?" I asked.

"You have two options." She said, holding up a finger. "First, you can try to separate the chakra natures. If you succeed, and it's a big if, you'll lose your unique chakra, at least until you can learn to combine them again. You'll have a much easier time using fire- and lightning-type ninjutsu, though. Or," she held up a second finger, "you could not separate them. This is definitely the harder route. You'll have to practice with your chakra constantly until you're able to change its nature and form."

"And that means…?"
WHACK!

Sepi sucker-punched the back of my head. "You idiot! Ugh. If you take that route, you're going to need to create an entirely new jutsu!"

"Possibly." Anko said. "Sepi, Miko, spar. You're allowed to use Taijutsu and your clan's abilities only. I'm gonna set Ibukai up with an exercise that will help him out, then I'll be back."

She took me a little ways away and placed a stack of paper on the ground, putting a rock on top of them to make sure the wind didn't blow them away.

"What I want you to do is try to picture your chakra as two pools." She said. "One being fire, one being lightning. Try to channel one into a paper in your left hand, the other into a paper in your right. Run through the stack of paper and then come talk to me."

"What if I can't do it?" I asked.

I got a shrug in response. "It doesn't really matter. This is to determine if you can actually separate your chakra. If you can't do that, we'll concentrate on finding jutsu you can use. It will be up to you if you want to create a new jutsu, though."

She left and I sat down, took a deep breath, and started…

... ... ...

...and two hours later, I was out of paper, had slight burns on each hand, and had made absolutely no progress.

I watched Sepi and Miko sparring from a distance, taking a breather before going and talking to Anko, who appeared to be...napping?

I sighed. How was I supposed to use chakra when I couldn't even separate the two natures? Creating an entirely new jutsu would take wayyyy too long.

"That will not succeed."

I leapt up and barely repressed a scream, choosing instead to glare hotly at the familiar ANBU.

"Really?!"

"Yes." He said, like nothing had happened. "Your chakra nature is entirely unique. It will resist trying to be separated. Finding jutsu that will work for you will be more effective and less time-consuming in the long run."

"You know about my chakra?"

"Of course."

"Did everybody know except me?! Who the hell are you, anyways?!" I snapped.

I could hear the smile in his voice. "Not everyone, and I am someone who is interested in your survival. Now, practice."

I glared at him again before turning around, forming the Fireball Jutsu. "If this goes south, it's all your fault."

Gather chakra, combine chakra, and…

I exhaled, blowing my chakra out between my fingers. My eyes narrowed as I saw the small stream of fire fizzle out.

"Fire jutsu will not work for you, then. At least, not now. Try lightning jutsu instead."

I smirked. "I know just who to see about that."

... ... ...

"Sensei."

Anko opened an eye to see Ibukai standing over her. "Eh? What is it, kid?"

"I need to speak to Kakashi."

She opened both eyes and narrowed them as she looked at her student. "What do you mean?"

"I ran out of paper, and it didn't work. Fire jutsu doesn't work for me, either, but lightning might."

Her eyes narrowed. "Very well. I'll get a message to him."

She stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes. "Alright, team, meet at the Hokage's tower first thing in the morning for our first mission." With that, she disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

... ... ...

"Interesting." The Hokage bit on the end of his unlit pipe.

"I believe I felt another...unfamiliar chakra in the area just before this happened."

"Another chakra?"

Anko nodded.

The Hokage chewed the pipe thoughtfully before turning to the ANBU in the room. "And when you faced him...did it surface?"

The ANBU nodded. "For a brief moment. If I hadn't been looking for it, there is a strong likelihood I wouldn't have seen it at all."

He nodded. "That is all."

The Hyuuga replaced his mask before teleporting away as the Hokage stood up and walked to the window, watching the sun set. He stood there for several minutes before turning to Anko. "He has decided to attempt lightning chakra?"

"He did."

The Hokage nodded. "I see. Keep watch for that strange chakra again. If someone is interfering with the boy, we need to know who. However, I will speak to Kakashi about teaching the boy about change in chakra nature and form. Dismissed."

After a few minutes, he sighed.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

The ANBU slipped in through the open window before kneeling in front of the Hokage. "It was."

"You have a clone watching over the boy?"

"Both of them."

He sighed. "Why? Why him? I can understand the first, but why add to your burden?"

"I promised his mother I would watch over him."

Hiruzen sighed. Suddenly he felt very, very old. "And does the boy know who you are?"

"He does not."

"See that you keep it that way."