By Ginta and Hakakku Fangirl

Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto nor Naruto Shippuuden, which are really the same thing (one manga, two anime). I do, however, like to screw with the character's lives.

Don't forget to check out my profile for polls and links to pics!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter Fourteen: Teaching

Sai glanced over at Sakura and Kyoko; the raven-haired Kunoichi had finally managed to convince Itachi that she would be fine teaching as long as she was with someone from team Kakashi. He wasn't happy about it, but that was what Sai and Sakura were for. Curiously, Sai and Sakura had been held up on their way to the academy waiting for Kyoko at her house, as Itachi had been playing with her hair; they had both been surprised when the Uchiha had pulled Kyoko's hair up in a twist and inserted a set of three hair sticks to hold her long locks up himself.

"Before we start going over today's lesson of weapons," Sakura said, "we're going to go over the finer points of chakra. It is essential to even the most basic of Jutsu, and even to weapons, so it's best if you know everything you can about it. Also, you'll have to know and answer a lot of questions about it in order to graduate, so make sure you pay attention!
"Chakra is a natural energy found in every body," Sakura said, "but not everyone can use it, only those who have the potential to become Shinobi, with the exception of Rock Lee. Chakra is the energy present in every cell of the body, and the spiritual energy found and gained by exercise, experience, and awareness. Once these two energies are mixed, and hand seals used, this energy can be used to create Jutsu. By summoning chakra, medical Ninjutsu can be used, you can walk on water, use that chakra as a blade, all sorts of amazing things that would be impossible to do without chakra. You can even climb a tree without using your hands."

Sakura grinned at the looks on the students' faces.

"Normal chakra," she continued, "is a form of energy that is produced in almost all living things, to some extent. The chakra circulatory system, which is very similar to the cardiovascular system, is a network throughout the body with three hundred and sixty-one chakra points or tenketsu. To a Shinobi, chakra is as precious as blood. There are eight "gates" of chakra as well. The Eight Gates limit the overall flow of chakra that is within the person's body. This is because there is a limit to the body and it's functions, and chakra also has its limits. It is very difficult to open these Gates and not many can do it. It is also very dangerous.
"The first gate, the Gate of Opening, or Kaimon, is located in the brain. It releases the instinctive restraints on the body's muscle tissue. The second gate, Kyumon, also known as the Gate of Healing or even the Gate of Rest, is also located in the brain, and raises one's stamina. The Gate of Life, Seimon, is in the spinal cord. It releases the limit of the nervous system, with allows the body to react faster. A side effect of this faster information traveling throughout the body, however, is that the flesh turns red. The Shomon, the Gate of Pain increases speed and power. It is also in the spinal cord, but it can cause the muscle tissue to tear apart. The Fifth Gate, Gate of Limit or Closing is also known as Tomon. Then there is the Gate of View or Joy, Keimon, then the Gate of Wonder or Shock, also known as Kyomon." Sakura swallowed. "The last gate, Shimon, is the Gate of Death. Once this gate is reached, even the Fifth Hokage wouldn't be able to help. These gates take such a toll on the body when used that to open them has become a Kaijutsu, a Forbidden Technique. I'm am only telling you about them because it is important that you know how your chakra works.
"The only Jutsu that does not require chakra, usually, is taijutsu, or hand-to-hand combat.
"I could go on and on about chakra," Sakura said. "But you really only need to know that basics for now; you'll learn the more complicated aspects later. So let's get on to the main subject."

Sakura held up a short blade.

"The Kunai," Kyoko said to the young academy student in their second year; they were learning about weaponry for the first time.

"There are two main variations of kunai," Sakura said. "The short or sho-kunai, and the big or dai-kunai. This is a very basic tool which, in the hands of a skilled Ninja, can be used as a very multi-functional weapon."

Sai nodded, taking a sho-kunai from his pouch and handing it to Sakura so that she had one of each. He really didn't like this, teaching. The kids stared at him; it was making him…uneasy. And annoyed.

"Although we do use them as throwing knives," Sakura continued, "they were not originally intended to be used as such, and cause a lot of damage to an opponent that way. They were first intended only for stabbing, thrusting, and blocking.
"And, as it may surprise you," Sakura went on, placing the knives on the main desk in front of the room, "kunai were not originally knives at all. In fact, they were merely gardening tools." She grinned when the class stared at her. "I know, it's strange, especially when you consider how often we use them as weapons in mission. But it's true. Kunai really were originally farming tools, quite a bit like a trowel. But since kunai were able to be cheaply produced and at a very decent size, weight, and a convenient shape, they were easy to be converted into weapons, especially considering how easy they are to sharpen into a deadly tool. As a weapon, it's true that these, and almost all, kunai are much large, heavier, and harder to conceal than shuriken—but they are also much, much more practical for hand to hand combat, and cutting. Kyoko, for example, uses them to cut fuses for her bombs. Kunai are very useful," Sakura said. She grinned. "Kakashi-sensei even taught us how to use them as a type of grappling hook for climbing when we were running low on chakra, and the handles have a great grip."

Sai stood up when Sakura gestured for him. He pulled out a few more knives.

"Like I said, sho-kunai and dai-kunai are the most common knives," Sakura said. "But they are not the only two." She held up a long knife, hardly wider than two senbon. "Narrow blades. They sink easily into what they are thrown or thrust into: flesh, earth, wood." She held up another with jagged edges. "Saw-tooth types; they tend to rip apart the flesh and make very nasty wounds that easily get infected and are hard to heal. And then there are kunai with wider blades," she said as Kyoko handed her what looked to be a large arrowhead.

"Wider blades are harder to handle in battle," Kyoko said. "Personally, I prefer not to use them, though they're good to have on long missions. They can be used like a spike to hold down robe, used as a cooking utensil…the wider kunai are very multifunctional."

"Only you could make fried eggs on a kunai," Sai said; Kyoko grinned.

"Actually, Hinata taught me that one a few months ago." She and Sakura grinned at each other. "You should have seen the look on Tenten's face!"

"Moving on," Sakura said, trying to stop giggling at the memory of Tenten's offended expression, "Kunai are sometimes confused with the shikoro, which is a wide-bladed saw with a dagger-like handle. But they are not the same. Shikoro aren't the best tool to be used for a weapon, even if they do look like a saw-tooth kunai."

Sakura turned to Sai.

"Your turn."

"Nani?"

"Well, I think it's best if your tell them about the design of the kunai. You're the artist; you'll give a much better description," Sakura said matter-of-factly.

Sai stood up. He knew she was right—and that it was no good to argue, not when she was so angry with him. For what, however, he had no idea.

"A kunai…" Sai paused. "Kunai range in length from twenty to sixty centimeters long. The blades are usually made of softer metal so that they can be easily sharpened…"

"This First Hokage," Sakura said softly, "had a leaf land on his brow, and that is how he came to believe in the Will of Fire and created the Hidden Leaf Village."

"The design of the kunai," Sai said, nodding, "is that of a leaf-shaped blade. The handle has a ring at the end for attaching rope, which can be used to tie it to the body for concealing the knife, to make the kunai into a spear, or to use the blade as a type of anchor. Other things can be tied to the kunai as well: paper bombs, messages, wires." Sai glanced out the window. "It is a very useful tool."

Sakura nodded.

"It's only a coincidence that the shape of the blade is a leaf and that we are the Hidden Leaf Village," she said. "But it is quite interesting."

She glanced over at Kyoko who stood, pulling small, rounded, metal disks from her bag.

"The other most common weapon that you will need to learn how to use as Shinobi," the ANBU said, "is the shuriken. Here, Sakura-chan."

"Arigato," Sakura smiled, taking the weapons from her friend. She turned back to the students. "These," she said, passing them out to the students in the front row, "are all practice shuriken, so we'll let you hold them. Take one, pass the rest on. They are what you will be starting out with. You know what they're made of, correct?"

"Plastic?" one girl guessed.

"No, they're rubber," the boy behind her said; he had leaned over her shoulder for a closer look. "Right, sensei?" he asked, looking up as Sakura. "They're a really firm rubber the same weight as the real thing, so they'll throw the same but won't hurt us if we miss our target. Right?"

"Right." Sakura grinned. "There are special targets that you will use, which these rubber shuriken will be able to sink into. But they're not exactly the same weight as a metal shuriken; they're a little heavier, so there is a difference that you'll notice when you make the switch to the real thing."

Sai cleared his throat.

"Shuriken literally means a "sword hidden in the hand." They are traditional weapons designed specifically for concealment. They are made for throwing, but also can be used to slash at the enemy or even stab them. They are sharp, small hand-held blades that can be made from many different everyday things, such as nails, knives, needles, even coins and other flat pieces of metal."

"There are many different shapes and designs of shuriken," Sakura said. "bo-shuriken or stick shuriken, flat or hira-shuriken, and shaken or wheel shuriken, which can also be called kurumaken shuriken. We mainly use hira.
"Shuriken are not used much by ANBU," Kyoko said. "The Black Ops tend to use their katana more than any other weapon. But until you are much older, and at least a Chuunin, you will not really have much of an opportunity to learn to use any other weapon than what you will learn to use here."

"The art of yielding a shuriken is called Shuriken Jutsu," Sai said softly; he was still gazing out the window. "You will only be taught about hira shuriken, the flat shuriken, here in the academy, so I will not tell you about the bo-shuriken except that they are a throwing weapon that is a straight, thick spike that is usually four-sided and usually have only one end that is pointed. They are lethal and hard to handle in a small hand, and much heavier than the hira. Hira are made from thin, flat plates of metal and can look like stars. They often have a hole in the middle, convenient for aerodynamic and weighting, and for stringing them together. They can be buried in the ground for anyone not paying attention to step on and injure themselves, coated with poison and be picked up. Shuriken are a very simple but very deadly and useful weapon." Sai's eyes were focused on a single spot, though when Sakura looked out the window, she saw nothing.

"Hira shuriken are also known as Shaken, the wheel shuriken, for their shape and the way they spin when thrown," Sai went on. They are not primarily intended as a killing weapon, but rather a secondary weapon that is supportive to main weapons, but are deadly in the hands of skilled Shinobi." Sai paused and Sakura took over for him before he could speak again.

"You're primary weapons," she said, "will be your skills in Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu. Your ability to think, to react, to plan. Your ability to obey orders and to think on your own. Your ability to work as a team and as an individual, and to know the difference and when to use it." She sighed. "'Shinobi who break the rules are scum,'" she quoted. "'But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.' Do not assume that your team will be better off without you and never think that you are better than they are. You may be on different levels in your skills, but you will always be equal, as long as you work together."

Kyoko and Sai nodded.

"Unlike a throwing knife," Sakura said, "the shuriken will damage an opponent no matter where it strikes. They are easily concealed." She glanced at Kyoko. "I've seen them strapped to shoes, the legs, tied as decorations to belts, even disguised as money or jewelry.
"There are a lot of different weapons that we will later cover and you will be taught to use, such a smoke bombs, tools such as soldier and other pills, metal threads, exploding tags, and flash bombs. Weapons that we will cover but you will not be taught to use include the senbon, seal tags, katana, among other weapons. You will also learn about concealing these weapons, and—Kyoko!" Sakura said sharply.

Kyoko looked up.

"Nani?"

"Why are the hair sticks Itachi gave you really senbon?" Sakura demanded, pointing to the blue needles adorned with tiny silver disks hung from light wires.

Kyoko shrugged.

"You never know when you're going to need a weapon," she said. "Besides, weren't you the one who was mentioning all the unorthodox places a weapon could be?"

"Oh, be quiet," Sakura snapped. "And I'm guessing your bombs are in all the usual places?"

She stood as Kyoko laughed and nodded.

"Now, let's go outside," Sakura said. "We'll show you how to handle these shuriken first, rather than the kunai."

As everyone stood and followed Sakura out of the classroom, the two dark-haired Shinobi stood at the window.

"Has she spoken to you?" Kyoko asked softly, grey eyes worried.

"Iie." Sai shook his head. "Sakura still hasn't said a word to me."

"It's been a week since your mission taking those Iwa." Kyoko scowled at the mention of the Hidden Rock Shinobi who had threatened her friends, husband, and baby. "If she hasn't spoken to you yet, then maybe you should talk to her."

Sai shook his head.

"She'll just hit me again," he said, indicating the knot that Sakura had given him in Tsunade's office when they had come home from the mission. It still hadn't quite receeded, proof of just how angry Sakura had been.

"I just don't get it," Sai said. "I just wanted her to home because those Iwa nin were so determined to get her. Her price is so high, almost anyone would want to take a chance for it, even if she is the apprintece of the Fifth Hokage." He shook his head. "What would make Sakura so angry about wanting to protect her and keep the Team from losing a vital member like her?"

Kyoko paused.

"Have you considered it from Sakura-chan's point of view?" she asked finally.

"From Sakura's point of view?"

"Hai. Think of how that made Sakura-chan feel," Kyoko said.

"How am I supposed to know how Sakura felt?" Sai asked. "I'm not Sakura."

"I know you're not Sakura-chan," Kyoko said. She sighed. "Here, think of it this way," she said. "Did Shin-kun ever take over for you when you were on Root missions together? When you were about to attack a strong enemy?"

"Sometimes." Sai shrugged. "He didn't think I would be able to handle them, so he took care of it for me so I wouldn't get hurt."

"Right," Kyoko said, nodding. "Now, if your brother were still alive and he did that on a mission with you now, how would that make you feel, if you couldn't attack your opponent on your own and you knew that the others would soon hear about it?"

Sai frowned.

"Unsettled," he said finally. "Perhaps annoyed. And when the others found out I hadn't even been given a chance…Maybe a little embarrassed."

"Exactly. Now, that's just a flicker of what Sakura-chan feels," Kyoko said, "because she actually understands all of her emotions. Not to mention she's really passionate. But that's how you made her feel, when you tried to make her come home. She didn't feel protected, she felt doubted, like you didn't trust her to be able to take care of herself."

"I know that she can take care of herself," Sai protested, but Kyoko placed a hand on his arm.

"I know you do," she said. "But that's not how Sakura-chan sees it. And not many others would see it as protection if you were to try to keep them from fighting at all. They would see it as patronizing, as you looking down on them and doubting their strength and their skill. Doubting their ability to survive. And it didn't really help that you mentioned Sakura-chan being a girl; it was a little sexist."

"I didn't think it was. I was just trying to make Kyouhei react and stop using the Body Flicker Technique. It was cowardly. He wouldn't face us head on."

"And adding that Sakura-chan's hair is pink…I know it's a fact, but it doesn't have anything to do with her abilities, even if it does give her a rather sweet and innocent look," Kyoko said thoughtfully.

Sai nodded.

"I'll see if she'll go get dinner with me after the lessons are over for today," he said. "Maybe if no one from Team Kakashi is around she won't be as quick to get embarrassed and hit me."

Kyoko nodded.

"By the way," she said, "what were you looking at?"

"That," Sai said, pointing out the window towards the street; Kyoko's brow furrowed in annoyance as she saw a certain blonde and a rather pissed off brunette headed towards the academy: Ino and Kiba. Kyoko frowned before she suddenly gasped and paled.

XXX

"Alright," Sakura said, pulling out a four-point shuriken, "this is how the shuriken is to be held: Unlike a typical throwing grip, such as for knives, the index finger is to follow the outer horizontal point, like this." She held up her hand to show her the shuriken held up like a cross and nestled in the crook of her hand, one point along her pointed finger and the point beside it facing down held with her middle and ring fingers while her pinky was on the other side and her thumb held it steady.

"Your index finger," Sakura said, "is to be pointing at the target, like so." She took aim at the target in the very center of the training yard. "Your other fingers will always point downwards. However," she said, repositioning her hand, "the shuriken can also be held and thrown like a Frisbee, like this, horizontal and parallel to the ground instead of vertical and perpendicular at a ninety degree angle like I showed you with the first position. When it is held like that, you simply flick your wrist forward while straightening your arm out in a straight line, perfectly parallel to the ground.
"When holding the shuriken in the first position, with the index finger pointing at the target and the other fingers downward," Sakura said, "it can be thrown by raising the arm and letting go when the arm is brought down and the index finger is once again pointing at the target. Or, it can be thrown from a horizontal angle, like this."

Sakura crossed her right arm over her torso, turning away just a bit from the target before she brought her arm back, letting go of the small blade the second it was aimed for the target. The tiny metal disk spun, looking like a blurry coin, before sinking solidly into the wood of the target and then out the other side again and into the target behind the first.

Before the students could react, however, to something more amazing they had seen from any other sensei but Iruka, Sai's form had swept across the yard in a blur and he was at Sakura's side.

"What?" Sakura asked lightly before drawing another shuriken. "I'm going to throw this one vertically," she said to the students, but Sai grabbed her hand.

"No time," he said. "These students need to go home."

"What?" Sakura rounded on him. "Doshite? Sai, what's going on?"

"Uh…" Sai glanced at the students all staring up at him with wide eyes before decided that they didn't really need to hear; he leaned forward and whispered in Sakura's ear.

The pink-haired Kunoichi's eyes went wide.

"Okay, students, go home. Sai, get Itachi and Sensei. I'll get to the hospital and prepare a room, then call for Shishou, but if you run into Deidara or Shizune, tell them; Deidara can get a message to her faster than anyone."

"Right!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm so totally evil with this cliffee. *Sighs* I'll start on the next chapter, but I'm not promising that it will be very long. And I really could go on and on about chakra, there's so much about it!

Oh, right, that reminds me…All of the information I used for chakra and weapons is from the manga, anime, and official Naruto websites. The use and type of kunai and shuriken are from a website about many different weapons (not just projectiles and Ninja weapons) and on my own personal experience. My shuriken Jutsu really needs work…I really suck at it, I need a lot more practice. My skills with a sword, however? Wonderful. Far from perfect in my eyes, but still superb. It's when I'm working on my swordplay that I never have to worry about being a klutz for some reason. I'm just really balanced when I'm concentrating on my weapons…I also like bombs, lolz. Especially my bombs. They're useless if you want to make a big impact, but they do go off with a bang and cause lots of smoke! Perfect for a quick get away. I wonder if I could make one that was kind of like a sparkler…You know, lots of flair, distract my opponent while they try to figure out just what the hell I was thinking when I put it together (opponents being my weird friends). I like to make bangs, in case you couldn't tell…I like the noise, especially when it makes people jump…Ah, if it weren't for the idiots in my family, the Fourth of July would be great…it was great this year, until I told my dad to stop throwing firecrackers at my sister on the trampoline…he threw them at me, instead. I wouldn't have cares because I had my smoke bombs and some strobe lights and a few roman candles…but I was surrounded by a bunch of kids under four. Okay, done rambling, on to the next chapter, because I know your all anxious (and so am I)!

-Fangirl ^_|