No I do not own Naruto. I would have made his first kiss be used as something other than a cheap gag.
Chapter Twenty: Ghosts of the Past, Hope for the Future
Keeping her hands steady, Hinata struggled with the green chakra covering the fish. Maintaining bursts of offensive energy during an attack was one thing, but concentrating healing chakra over a wound required much greater focus and control. Despite the difficulty, she knew that the healing palm maneuver was the basis of all medical ninjutsu and thus needed to be mastered. So for the fifth time that day she attempted to oxygenate the creature's blood while keeping its cellular structure alive. Unfortunately, for the fifth time in a row, she failed to maintain the proper balance leaving herself exhausted and the fish nearly dead.
Coming over with a slight smile on her lips, Shizune-sempai patted the girl's shoulder. "That was much better Hinata. Before, you barely kept the fish in one piece while healing it. Now, you almost successfully revived it without causing any additional damage. That is very good progress for only three days of work. As before, I must ask you to watch me complete the exercise with your Byakugan. There is no reason to waste a perfectly good fish." Disheartened, the shy Hyuga activated the technique while the elder medic revived the fish. As with all previous attempts where the creature was in one piece, Shizune had it healed within two minutes.
Looking down in shame, Hinata wondered what was wrong with her. So far, she had made great strides in mastering the medical techniques and knowledge put before her. Between studying with Naruto and lectures under Tsunade-sensei, whole books of medical knowledge were consumed within days. She was making great strides in both her offensive abilities and defensive maneuvering. Every enemy that had threatened them was taken down, with any resulting concern being settled by Naruto's kind words. Yet despite all of these gains and signs of growth, she was being trounced by a little piece of sushi! It was mortifying!
Apparently sensing her mood, Shizune released the fish before coming over to talk. Both knew that catching the next subject for training would be simply another chance for her to work on her chakra control. Maintaining a grip on living flesh without causing damage was quite difficult after all. Patting her head, Shizune smiled down at the younger apprentice. "Hinata, I'm not simply being nice. I mean it when I say you've made great progress. Why, when I first started this exercise, it took me nearly four months of constant effort. With all the extra control training that you have undertaken not only under Tsunade-sama, but your family for the Juken, you are way ahead of the curve. The only problem you are really having is maintaining the delicate balance of the energy without overloading the technique. All you need is practice, so don't worry too much, alright?" Feeling slightly mollified, Hinata returned the friendly compliments with a shy smile.
Sitting down next to the river where they had been practicing, Shizune patted the ground next to her. "Now why don't we take a small break? While you've come a long way, there is no reason to fall over from exhaustion. After resting and a quick bite, you can try to catch another specimen to practice on." Too tired to argue, Hinata collapsed on the grass. It was so nice to be outside after their virtual imprisonment in the Land of Birds; she could not help but relax.
That, of course, was when the idyllic scene was interrupted by a loud crash and explosion. Sighing, the shy Hyuga turned to her superior. "Shizune-sempai, do you have any idea how long they are going to keep this up?" Shivering slightly, Shizune's smile became somewhat forced. "Well, the last time I trained in this technique, Tsunade maintained the barrage for nearly two hours. Knowing Naruto-kun, I think we'll see them around dinner." Leaning back, Hinata prayed Naruto would be alright. Of course, after running the same course yesterday, Hinata was not that worried. Given his enthusiasm, she knew that she could plan dinner without worrying about either blonde showing up early.
-----
Cursing, Naruto jumped to the side to avoid the explosion before getting peppered by shrapnel. Baa-chan had stated that he was sufficiently recovered for more difficult training. At first, he had been thrilled that they could move on from thousands of repetitive exercises and scroll after scroll of theory. Then the Sannin had started chucking balls filled with explosive tags at him. After nearly thirty near deaths, the young blonde had sworn she was going senile. That was the point, of course that the old woman decided to up the ante. Now there were five balls in the air at any given time, interspaced with boulders.
Rearing back for another kick, his sensei was way too energetic. "Faster Naruto! You still need to avoid the impacts through instinct! Even with your healing abilities you cannot take that many direct strikes! Anticipate and feel the flow of battle!" Twitching, Naruto ducked beneath a vicious punt only to lose his footing on the rebound.
Wasting no time, Tsunade threw a fifty pound rock at his skull. "Pay attention you brat! You overdevelop you offensive strike without a defensive strategy! That sort of thinking can get you killed in the field! I did not have you playing strategy games for weeks to simply use the same old tricks! Now adapt before I end up killing you!" That was the point that the young ninja snapped.
Running in a random pattern, Naruto forced himself to feel the timing of the strikes. Despite her best efforts, Baa-chan had a tempo to her attacks that he could barely make out. Timing things carefully, the young ninja leapt forward. Barely missing each projectile, Naruto prepared to strike back. He was no crazy old woman's punching bag!
Unfortunately for him, Tsunade had not been born yesterday. As soon as he committed to his attack, the tempo of the strikes changed dramatically. Unable to adapt, Naruto was left helpless as the elder ninja closed in for a finger flick to the forehead. The young Jinchuuriki had a mere moment to curse the gods before flying across the field at terminal velocity. Then there was only blessed silence.
Blinking, he scowled at the lowered sun. That was a sign he had blacked out after the hit again! So far, no matter how hard he tried, Naruto had not managed a single hit on Tsunade. Due to the specific rules of the exercise, nothing besides basic taijutsu was allowed to be used against her. So for the first time in a while, Naruto had to endure the entire attack himself without Shadow Clones to absorb any of the damage. It was surprisingly difficult to endure.
Sitting down, Baa-chan smirked while handing him a canteen. "Well, I'll give you this Naruto. You have made some very nice strides. At your rate of speed, you might be able to land a hit in a mere five years. Remember your lessons from Sagi. A fight is about strategy and adaptation, so if you keep running into battles recklessly you'll die." Naruto really wanted to fry the old bat after that kind of teasing, but he could not quite find the energy. Besides, the last time he yelled at her during official training, he had to memorize fifteen different names for the heart. It just was not worth it when she was like this.
Checking the sun, the Hokage helped him to stand. "Alright, breaks over. Get ready to bleed brat!" Gathering his strength, Naruto grinned. The work was dirty, dangerous and painful, but he would not give it up for anything. This was the sort of training that a future Hokage needed, so the next bunch of missing ninja had better watch their backs! He was only going to get stronger from here on out!
-----
Trailing after his teammate, Neji fought to maintain his calm. While he and Lee had been working together for over a year, they were not exactly social. He would trust the kid with his life, especially after their recent training, but that did not mean that the Next Youthful Beast of Konoha was easy to deal with. However, one of the things that the young genius had determined to do after leaving the Hyuga was building stronger relationships with his peers. The fact he needed a favor had nothing to do with it in the least. That was his story and he was sticking to it like glue.
"Yosh! I must say Neji that your request is very surprising. Nevertheless, I will strive to support my youthful teammate in his time of need! Of course you can stay with me until you are back on your feet my rival!" Controlling his breathing, Neji focused past the flowery speech to the root of the matter. He had a place to crash now and would not be sleeping in a tent for the next few months.
"Thank you for understanding, Lee. While Jiraiya-sama was kind enough to give me a basic mission payment for my help in countering the Caged Bird Seal, I still do not have enough to acquire an appartment. Between food, clothing, security deposits and the like, I cannot really afford to live on my own until we start taking missions again. I assure you it will be temporary, and I will move out as soon as possible." It was slightly embarrassing to ask for help in such mundane matters, but he had no choice. With his entire mission pay being deposited in the Hyuga main account, Neji did not have any savings besides Jiraiya's act of kindness. The only money he was permitted was a small supplies allowance and a minor stipend to cover the costs of food and medicine on missions. Plus, since he was a newly emancipated adult, it was not like he could take out a loan or anything.
Smiling brilliantly, Lee opened the door to his home. "Don't worry about a thing, Neji! I have plenty of room and could use the company! Feel free to stay as long as you like!" Entering the modest apartment, Neji felt his eye twitch spasmodically. Maybe there was still time to set up a tent in training ground forty four.
It was not like the apartment was bad or anything. It was smaller than he was used to, but there was plenty of room for two people. It was a little messy, but nothing that could not be explained by Lee's frequent absences for training. He even liked the selection of training equipment spread over every surface. It was a great way to stay in shape. Unfortunately, in his exuberance, Lee had also painted every wall in sight a vibrant and shocking shade of neon green. Any surface not coated in the bloody paint was covered with inspirational posters and pictures of Lee and Gai-sensei making their nice guy pose. Just being in the room felt like drinking five espressos and fourteen pixie sticks. Could the whole apartment be like this?
Unmindful of his guest's thoughts, Lee set about straightening up a bit. "Do not fear my rival! While here you are free to share my equipment and food until you're back on your feet!" Reaching into a cabinet, the youthful ninja reached for a bottle. "Would you like something to drink? I have protein shakes, prune juice and water; all useful elixirs for stoking ones energy!" While somewhat touched by the freely given help Neji felt a major migraine coming on.
Hearing a crash, both Genin turned towards the door in surprise. Much to the young genius's chagrin, Gai-sensei was standing there in full regalia. "Neji! I have just heard about your emancipation from Jiraiya-sama! Fear not, for I will be there for you during this time of self-discovery! If I cannot make you a stronger ninja better than Hiashi I will run around Konoha five hundred times on my toes!" Blinded by the force of the youthful smile, Neji came to a simple conclusion. Having a sensei who could track you down at will, really sucked.
Moving to respond, he was cut off by an exuberant Lee. "Yosh! Never fear Gai-sensei! While Neji is staying with me, I will insure that he embraces his flames of youth! He can even start to join in our extra morning practice and participate in his own challenges! Before long, he will be stronger than all the Hyuga!" While he might find the situation somewhat annoying, Neji had to admit his teammate was rather sincere. Besides, being the strongest of the Hyuga was a rather attractive proposition.
Weeping, Gai-sensei drew his young prot g into a manly hug. "Oh Lee! You continue to make you sensei proud! Helping your youthful companion in his time of need is the sign of a true Konoha ninja! Do not fear! I will make you three the strongest ninja in the village! Soon, all will respect our grand flames of youth!" Suddenly imagining himself in green spandex running into the sunset, Neji made a decision. Attempting to bond with your teammates was all well and good, but he sure as hell did not sign up for this!
Gathering his pack, Neji sketched a quick bow to his fellow ninja. "I thank you for your generous offer to put me up, but I think that it will not be necessary. I would hate to hinder your efforts to grow stronger with such a different training ideology. I will see you at practice in the morning. Good day." Before the ferocious beasts of Konoha could even disable their sunset genjutsu, Neji was running for the hills. Reaching out to one teammate was rather problematic, so maybe he would have better luck with the other one?
-----
Stretching, Naruto unsealed his new toys. Since hitting the road, Tsunade had been working both her younger students into the ground. Among other things, both had realized that despite their major accomplishments they still had a ways to go. However, after spending so many weeks cooped up the blonde Chunin was raring to work as much as possible. After all, politics aside no one became a Hokage without being able to fight. Besides, he had promised Toki that he would work on his naginata while traveling and he always kept his promise. This was just the first lull in the action available to go about doing that.
Unfortunately, no one was around to spar with. While he could do kata till the cows came home, Naruto did not really enjoy them. In all honesty he learned more from his fights than his structured training. Doing a series of strikes did not teach you about anticipating your opponents or watching out for a variety of terrain. At least, none of the kata that he had been taught did that. However, Hinata was studying, still exhausted from her earlier training, and both Shizune-nee-chan and Tsunade-baa-chan were arguing about something. So that left him on his own as far as weapons training went. At least, it did if he stuck to the rules.
Smirking, Naruto bit his thumb. Forming the hand seals and thinking about monkeys, he called out one of his favorite ninjutsu. "Summoning Jutsu!" Looking at the elderly form of Monkey King Enma, he could not hide his grin. From Old Man Hokage's stories, Enma was a great weapon fighter! If there was anyone around who would be an awesome spar, it would be him!
Blinking, Enma narrowed his eyes at the young summoner. "What is the trouble, fox child? I see no enemy to fight or purpose for my presence. You should know that my kind are not toys to play with!" Now if this sort of dressing down had happened a couple of months ago, Naruto would have royally freaked out trying to explain himself. In the end, Enma would have beaten him up and given him a firm warning not to do it again. However, one of the things that Toki and Sagi had taught him was the necessity of dealing with major egos. Between those lessons and his natural charm, Naruto had the situation well in hand.
Smiling, Naruto scratched his head. "Well Enma-sama, it's like this. I need to get stronger and don't want to bother your family unless it's a real emergency. Regrettably, that means I need as much training as possible so no one can figure out how to beat me and hurt my precious people. While we were in Bird Country, I got some weapons training and was hoping to continue it. But, since no one else in the team really uses weapons, I was hoping that you would be willing to help me train a bit? That way, I will be strong enough not to bother you that much. Please?" The young trickster thought the teary eyes were a nice touch himself.
Blinking, Enma appeared to be somewhat mollified. "I suppose that I could show you a few things. It would make dealing with you much easier. Alright child, take a weapon and show me your stance." Grinning, Naruto picked up a naginata and posed. Toki had spent weeks beating the proper stances into his head, so this part should be a breeze! That was when the world went lopsided.
Blinking, the young blonde attempted to focus through a sudden headache. "Well, you have your basics down alright, but that is not enough to impress me. If I have to make you passable with a weapon, I am not going to hold back child. Now take your stance again and prepare yourself. This will be most painful." Turning to face the Monkey King, who was now wielding a staff, Naruto gulped. He knew this would make him stronger, but damn it would hurt!
-----
It was a very bad time to be Hatake Kakashi in Konoha. After the altercation in the Hokage's office, the Silver Haired Jonin had worried about his former students constantly. Sasuke was locked in an ANBU cell for the foreseeable future. Naruto was on the road under mysterious and difficult circumstances. Meanwhile, Sakura had made a fool of herself in front of the interim Hokage. She was lucky that Jiraiya had such a soft spot for cute girls, or that could have ruined her career. The loss of his team had given Kakashi a lot of free time. Unfortunately, it appeared that he did not have anything to do with it.
He had first realized the problem when attempting to approach Kurenai. Looking at the facts available, it was clear that Sakura was Hinata's replacement on Team Eight. Therefore, the best person to talk to about her current development was younger Jonin. After all, if anyone could help the girl it was the caring Genjutsu specialist. That plan went south the second he tried it. Upon seeing him, the younger Jonin had kept her anger limited to a glare in his direction. But when Kakashi had attempted to ask about Sakura, Kurenai had exploded. Between the swearing, verbal abuse and numerous advanced illusions, it was almost like dealing with a different person. If not for his Sharingan, the Elite Jonin might be attempting to pick the Fourth's nose on the monument while naked.
Upon escaping the woman's wrath, Kakashi had decided to check in with Asuma. As Ino's Jonin Sensei, he would have the best direct line of information on the Genin's status. But after coming upon the smoking ninja's team training, he had found himself again the target of attack. Somehow, Shikamaru had gotten quick enough with his shadows to nearly snare him. Luckily, he was able to avoid capture, but the furious Choji had almost crashed into him at full speed. Without a seal-less replacement technique, he might have been a pancake. The surprising thing was how Ino, instead of attacking him or trying to catch his mind, had released a series of tripwires that released numerous traps. Avoiding any one of the Genin was simple enough, but the inborn teamwork of Team Ten was much more difficult. Then after all that Asuma had refused to speak with him, stating that he was too busy training his team. Why, he did not even offer an apology for the unprovoked assault!
Finally, frustrated by all the hostility, Kakashi decided that a challenge fight with Gai was just what the doctor ordered. While annoying, he had to admit the taijutsu specialist kept him on his toes. Perhaps a simple, predictable conflict would allow him to get his head on straight. But upon discovering Gai in the training grounds, he had been completely snubbed! Normally, he could not pass the Spandex-wearing Jonin without a challenge or boisterous greeting tearing through the air. Now, his 'eternal rival' barely acknowledged his presence! Any attempt at conversation was met with a sigh and a look. It only took ten minutes for the confused Jonin to leave.
Feeling vastly out of his element, Kakashi had decided to go to the bar. If there was ever something that would calm him down, it was a good batch of sake and his old comrades. Thusly, he decided to hit his favorite ANBU dive which never failed to have one or two friends willing to talk about the good old days. Heck, upon entering the old hang out, he had been confronted by none other than Tenzou relaxing at the bar. Coming over to join his old friend, the silver haired Jonin was stumped when the man left without a word. Sitting at the bar, Kakashi was treated to the unpleasant sensation of being a leper.
Ever since he was a child, the Copy Ninja was known as a genius and prodigy of epic potential. As such, countless ninja worked to gain his favor and attention. While he might play it off, Kakashi had a very strong group of admirers interested in being associated with him and his legend. He would not take advantage of the situation very often, but at the least it paid for the occasional bar or restaurant tab. Now, no one wanted to know his name. It slowly began to dawn on the Jonin that people had heard about his teaching style and treatment of his students, and took offense to it. Without a team, comrades or friends, Kakashi had no one to turn to or connect with. It was the most disorienting experience in his recent memory, and had lasted for weeks.
Apparently, that was when Jiraiya decided to get in on the fun. The Hokage had decreed that a number of village women would be used to rebuild the Uchiha clan; this was final and there appeared to be nothing he could do about it. However, the Toad Sage had ordered Kakashi to accompany an ANBU team to the Uchiha property. It had been decided that he would be the best person to determine if the clan had left any information on their bloodline that could be useful for the project. With his Sharingan, Kakashi would be the most likely person to locate any hidden documentation about the bloodline. So now he was forced to use his friend's gift to plunder his legacy; oh the irony.
Nodding to his escort, Kakashi entered the Uchiha district for the first time in years. For a man who lived in the past, the number of ghosts raised goose bumps over his skin. He knew that this would be painful and agonizing, but there was no choice. He was now in exile within the village, and could do nothing but comply. All he could do was hope that nothing was there to find. That would at least allow the clan to rest in peace.
-----
Shizune had been Tsunade's apprentice for quite some time. But no matter how long she worked with the older blonde, there were still times that the woman drove her up the wall. "Tsunade-sama, please be reasonable! I know that the harder it is to find us the better, but we need a base of operations! Without a stable location, we cannot even begin to cover half of what those two need to progress! Training while traveling just is not safe!" No one should be moving around while exhausting themselves after all. That made them prime targets for attack.
Shaking her head, Tsunade met Shizune's gaze calmly. "Oh you just need to relax Shizune. I admit that moving around while learning medical ninjutsu and the related techniques is a little risky. But both you and I are more than enough to insure their safety. Keep in mind that these two are now my students and as such are required to work hard. So far both have made great strides in knowledge and control, even if Naruto's is a little questionable at the moment. I don't think that the traveling his hurting their abilities at all. What we need to worry about is attacks by Akatsuki. If we had a base of operations, that would be their first target. So now is the time to remain mobile."
Biting her lip, the brunette acknowledged her mistresses point. That did not put her at ease though. "But Tsunade-sama, there are so many things that are harder to learn on the move. Neither Naruto nor Hinata has had a chance to work with real patients yet, so their medical knowledge is purely academic. The traveling time cuts down on available chances to train in their specialties. Instead of practicing one thing until they gain mastery, you keep showing different techniques and forms of training based upon their location and the available supplies! How are they going to improve without a chance to master the material?"
Rolling her eyes, Tsunade patted her head like a child. "I admit it's not an ideal training schedule, but they are doing very well so far. Don't forget that they've had months in isolation and controlled environments. Without some variety, they will have that much more trouble adapting to difficult situations. Besides, Naruto is progressing very well, and you know that Hinata would walk through fire to help him. As far as their progress, I honestly don't have anything to complain about. At their current rate of speed, I wouldn't be surprised if they gained Jonin level within the year." Blinking at the bold claim, Shizune had to agree. Those two might not be getting a lot of socialization, but no one could call them lazy. Their rate of progression was very impressive.
Sighing, the young medic decided on another track. "Alright, Tsunade-sama, I understand your reasoning. But what should we do about Konoha? While I agree that we need to keep away for a while, some information would be very helpful right about now. At the very least we need to get in touch with Jiraiya to get an update on what he is up to. Who knows what the advisors have managed to get up to in your absence?" That was her real fear of course. Getting Naruto fully recovered and at Kage level was one thing. Returning only to find themselves considered Missing Ninja was quite another.
Snorting, Tsunade pinned her apprentice with a look. "Please, Shizune you shouldn't underestimate Jiraiya like that. While he might be a bit of a flake, the pervert is a bastard to his enemies. We'll be lucky to return in time to see those old farts executions. If there is one thing he can do, it's dig up dirt and take out enemies. We'll just keep training Naruto in chakra control until he manages to have enough to summon a messenger toad. I'm sure that Gamabunta would be a bit put out to be used on such a mundane errand. Besides, since Naruto signed the Toad Contract any messenger toad could find him, so he can still contact us if there is trouble."
Rubbing her forehead in irritation, Shizune shook her head. "Even though his control is much better, I would not be surprised if his summonings are overpowered for quite some time. His chakra seems almost denser than it should be. What if there is an emergency? It was fine when we were hiding in obscurity, but now that we are exposed in the open backup could save our life! We are dealing with S-class Ninja after all." Shizune did not know if it was stubbornness, pride or fear of reinstatement keeping Tsunade from seeing the truth but she had to see reason. They needed an update from Konoha as soon as possible!
Opening her mouth to refute the statement, Tsunade was interrupted by Naruto's shout. "Summoning Jutsu!" Turning, Shizune was shocked by the sudden appearance of Enma the Monkey King. However, watching the summon knocking the boy down only to enter a ready stance really threw her. What sort of ninja had the chakra to summon a boss for a sparring session?
Turning to her gob smacked apprentice, Tsunade smirked. "Are you still worried about us being underpowered in a fight? I think that between the four of us, Naruto will be safe and sound. So let's start working on our next destination, ok?" Blinking, the brunette could not find an appropriate comeback for that.
-----
Slumping, Kakashi entered the last building of the Uchiha inner sanctum with Sharingan blazing. He had been picking apart security seals and special genjutsu for hours now, and was almost ready for another food pill. Contrary to his hopes, the clan had many secrets hidden on their grounds. Mindful of his orders, every bit of security and special documentation that had been uncovered had been gathered for review. Just from the little he had managed to examine, the picture was not pretty.
Apparently the Uchiha had enjoyed their power a little more than their responsibilities. There were numerous documents hidden within the clan housing covering secret treaties with other clan heads, specialized smuggling routes and harboring missing ninja to name a few. Each document appeared to cover either individual Uchiha officers to look the other way or special clan decrees to enforce their position. When taken together, there was enough evidence to darken the Uchiha name for generations. If it was not for his ANBU escort, Kakashi was tempted to destroy this further desecration of Obito's legacy.
That was another problem he could not quite figure out how to deal with. Every time he turned a corner or entered a house, the Uchiha fan symbol brought images of his deceased comrade. Scenes of fighting with the boy who became a friend, training together under Minato-sensei and dealing with Rin's feelings never seemed to leave his troubled mind. This was only emphasized by the discovery of the Uchiha clan registry where Obito's name had been erased. Thanks to his final gift, the friendly Uchiha was cast off from his ancestors' memory. That only made his guilt feel twenty times worst.
Finding the official orders for the Uchiha genjutsu seals for Naruto was the lowest point of the day. Apparently the Uchiha elders had clamored for greater control over the Kyuubi, and the seal was simply one step towards that. In fact, according to the records Naruto had been sealed only once officially when he was five. The second sealing was an unofficial order made by Fugaku when Sasuke entered the Academy. The clan head had decided that no chances could be taken in regards to his son's safety and had decided to hedge his bets. In the end, it turned out to be a total waste of effort.
Sighing, he headed towards the last major location left in the compound. The Uchiha family shrine was near the center of the compound and a symbol of their family. Established during the years of Konoha's founding, the shrine became the focus of the reestablished Uchiha compound under the Nidaime. According to tradition, no one without an active Sharingan could even approach the stairs to the building without dire consequences. Noting the security seals and traps across the entrance, not all of those rumors appeared to be superstition.
Going up by himself, Kakashi entered the shrine slowly and carefully. The traps appeared to be deactivated, but better safe than sorry after all. Upon entering, he found himself underwhelmed. The furnishings were simple and the tatami mats worn, showing that Sasuke had not been taking proper care of the place. Narrowing his eyes, the Copy Ninja frowned at the floor. There appeared to be a single mat slightly out of alignment. Checking it, he was surprised to discover a hidden entrance. Suddenly, the Uchiha shrine had become much more interesting.
Heading down the secret ladder, Kakashi was surprised by the decor. The room was huge, large enough to seat nearly a hundred people comfortably. On a raised dais a series of scrolls were displayed for easy access. Lighting the room were several torches imbued with a powerful fire technique. Judging from the chakra he was seeing, each would probably burn for years without replacement. Clearly, this was a room sacred to the flame of the Uchiha.
Moving over to the dais, Kakashi began to read the scrolls. Most of them appeared to be history records for the clan and its beginnings. Some of the more recent documents dealt with the founding of Konoha and Uchiha Madara. But when he started to read about Madara's power, the Jonin froze. Judging from the lack of dust, this particular scroll had been read fairly recently, which could only mean one thing. "Oh Sasuke, how could you do something so foolish?" Silent, the hidden Uchiha meeting hall declined to answer.
-----
Tenten was known as the toughest Genin kunoichi in Konoha. While her performance in the Chunin exam left something to be desired, her abilities were still far beyond what other girls of the younger generation were capable of. The budding weapons mistress had developed a reputation of focus, strength and clear headedness that few could claim. Of course, after the fan girl fiasco of the Uchiha's graduating class the standards had fallen a bit. Still, after training with Gai-sensei for over a year, there were few things that could really fluster her. Neji with a duffle bag over his shoulder was apparently on the list.
"So wait, you want to live with me? Like, in the same apartment?" She might be clearheaded, but Tenten was still a girl. Like many of her class, she had originally developed a slight crush on the strongest Genin. That Genin just happened to be her teammate and the only reason that she had not made a move on the guy was the fear of hurting the team dynamic by his rejection. Such a sudden proposition brought back all those suppressed feelings in an instant.
Apparently unaware of her embarrassment, Neji nodded. "I apologize for the suddenness of the request, but I find myself in need of a place to stay. Without the resources of the Hyuga clan, I cannot afford an apartment or supplies. I already attempted to stay with Lee, but found the situation to be rather unstable." Slumping, Tenten sighed. Of course it was not some romantic dream come true. This was a classic Neji attitude; find the easiest solution to the problem and implement it.
Opening the door, she led him into the apartment. For a Genin, it was a pretty nice set up and could easily accommodate the two of them. Being an orphan, Tenten did not believe in elaborate furnishings or wasteful status symbols. Thus, the furniture, carpeting and paintjob were rather plain. After all, the dozens of weapon racks made up for that quite nicely.
"You can stay in the guest room for the moment, although there's not much in there. Kitchen is to the right and bathroom is to the left. Trash day alternates between Tuesday and Thursday every week, with combustibles kept separate. Any questions?" Noting the former Hyuga's inattention, Tenten felt miffed. First he uses her as a backup, and now she was just background noise? That just would not do!
Idly picking up a sword and stone, she began to sharpen the blade. Noting his twitch, the young kunoichi smirked. This was the perfect time to lay down a few ground rules. "Now, since I know that you are trying to find your own place, I won't ask for help on the rent. But remember this Neji; you are responsible for your own food and upkeep. While you are living under my roof, you are not going to be some simple freeloader. As of right now, we are roommates. So I expect you to do your fair share of the cleaning, cooking, and shopping while here. Otherwise, I might need a new practice dummy."
Returning the stone, she gave the blade a few experimental swings to test the sharpness. "Do we have an understanding?" It might not be the best manners, but she was no man's servant. Neji had been raised in nobility, and she would be happy to educate him on the realities of the commoner. Oh she was thrilled he was free of that stupid seal, but the boy needed a dose of reality. Despite what he might protest, Neji no longer had the Hyuga name to hide behind and had to realize that as soon as possible. Some indirect revenge for his attitude was just a nice bonus.
Tracking the blade, Neji nodded. "Very well, Tenten. I will strive not to be a burden on your household. Just instruct me on my responsibilities so that we can both retire." Blushing slightly at the implied imagery, Tenten started dividing up the chores. This had the potential to be a lot of fun, if she was careful.
-----
Stifling a yawn, Hinata focused on packing up her supplies. They had been using the same clearing for their training for nearly six days, and Tsunade-sensei was antsy to get back on the road. After all, there was not much point in remaining mobile for obscurity if you stayed put for too long. Right now, the group was preparing to go south, where a number of smaller countries competed for territory and prestige from the larger elemental powers. Hopefully, the missing ninja would stay away this time.
Despite a mild case of exhaustion, the shy Hyuga was in fairly good spirits. After days of effort and several exploding fish, she had managed to heal nearly eighty percent of the damage. Now that she could heal cells without destabilizing the organ structure, Shizune was sure the young medic would be succeed within the month. Judging from her response to the feat, that was some sort of record. Hinata would have to remember the tweaks her training required for her own students some day if they ended up that effective.
Speaking of the senior medic, Shizune chose that moment to approach. "If you're all set to go Hinata-chan, we have a new exercise to try out. Tsunade-sama thinks that it could help with your detail control, and wants to try it while traveling." Blinking, Hinata cocked her head in confusion. What the heck did a couple of balls have to do with chakra control?
Noting her confusion, Shizune smiled. "Now this is just an experiment, but Tsunade has decided to modify some of the Rasengan training as a control exercise. I don't know all the details of the technique of course, but the principle is quite interesting. What you are going to do is attach each ball to your arms. The goal of the technique is to keep the ball stable in the center of your palm while moving." Frowning, Hinata did as she was told. Honestly, this just seemed to be another version of the tree climbing exercise for goodness sakes!
However, upon moving Hinata realized just how hard this was. While keeping the ball was not to difficult while standing still, once you began to move both friction and inertia would begin to work against you. You could start to compensate, but the minimal mass of the sphere would cause you to overcompensate slightly, launching it into the air. She had to keep this silly ball in one place while tree jumping? This was nuts! If not for the safety string, she would probably blow through a dozen of the bloody things before mastering the training.
Sighing, Hinata secured her pack for travel. She wondered if Tsunade-sensei was impressed with her progress or annoyed by it. Every time that she made progress, it simply seemed to be an excuse for the woman to make things so much harder. If she did not have Naruto to work for, the shy Hyuga was fairly sure she would have thrown in the towel long ago. But there was no help for it now, and she would see this through the end.
Gathering at the edge of the clearing, the Chunin checked the clearing for traces or stray debris that could be traced to them. Smiling she nodded to her sensei. At least that was one thing taken care of. Returning her nod, Tsunade turned to the rest of the group. "We'll be heading down towards the plains of the old Neck Country. There are some small isolated valleys near the border that will make for a nice training ground, so we should be able to work there for a while. Questions anyone?"
Nodding, Naruto held up his hand. "Yeah Baa-chan, when are we going near a city again? I've promised Hinata-chan a date and I always keep my word!" Blushing at his boldness and shining smile, Hinata barely acknowledged the Hokage's snippy reply. What was she worried about again? She had a date with Naruto-kun to look forward to! Absently setting up her training aides, the young Hyuga rushed into the trees with a spring in her step.
-----
Smiling, Jiraiya glanced over the young Inuzuka. Hana was one grade A babe, but it really was time to get her out of the village again. The arguments with Tsume were beginning to degenerate into public brawls, and the village really did not have the resources to keep up the repair missions. "Alright, Hana-chan I've got a good one for you. Some travelers have been going missing around the borders of the old Neck Country. Apparently, there has been a small bandit presence down there for a while but no one wanted to pay for a mission." News that meant he had to go over the information network of the village with a fine tooth comb if such data was being misplaced.
Blinking, Hana eyed him warily. "What has changed Jiraiya-sama? Your average civilian doesn't go from ignoring a problem for years to springing for a ninja. That sort of thing is usually more trouble than it's worth." Smirking, Jiraiya shook his head. For a ninja veterinarian, Hana-chan sure was perceptive.
"That's a very good deduction, Hana-chan. It appears that a small group of nobles got lost near the danger zone a few days ago. The local lord is not exactly made of money, so he sent his own men in to search first. None of the soldiers were lost, but the missing people weren t found either. This is just the sort of thing that your nose would be perfect for. Of course, there is one other reason you might be interested in the mission." Ah, the look of annoyed anticipation! That was just the sort of thing that made his day!
Leaning forward, the Toad Sage lowered his voice a bit. "While I'm stuck here, I can't get in touch with my normal sources on a regular basis. But I've recently heard that my old teammate had to leave her most recent hidey hole. If I know Tsunade, she will be relocating as quickly as possible to insure the stability of her cover. Funny thing is, Neck Country just happens to be one of the possible routes she could take. So this could be an ideal opportunity to track her down after completing your mission, don't you think?" The ferocious grin was all the answer he needed.
Leaning back, he cleared his throat. "Now Hana-chan, if you do happen to run into the group, remember that scroll I gave you. With that sort of identification, Tsunade will at least give you the time of day. Of course, I expect you to complete you mission first, but once she opens the document's seal, I will know that you've made contact. I just hope you know what you're getting into here. Tsunade can be a tough cookie to crack."
Straightening her back, Hana pinned him with a look. "I don't have any issue with her mission or the distance. As long as it keeps me away from the Uchiha's swimmers, I'd be willing to marry her little brat of an apprentice. That is, if I didn't know Hinata would kill me for it. By your leave, Jiraiya-sama." Watching the shapely backside walk out the door, Jiraiya let out a sigh. Letting THAT get out of Konoha was a true crime against the gods!
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Author's Notes
Well, that was fun :)
For those of you who are curious, yes I'm trying out National Novel Writing Month. It's slow going though, and I don't like my chances at the moment. So I decided to release another chapter of this to clear my mind a bit. Hopefully, after the reaction to the last chapter, this will make some people happy :)
Now to do my favorite part of the Author's Notes: Answering your questions and comments! I try to respond to all of the reviews that I can, but here's a more general overview of some of my favorite concerns.
Firstly, I'm afraid that many people will be unhappy but there is no easy way to say this. No, I have no plans to have every village attack the group at the same time! Each confrontation will be mostly isolated, although there will be some overlay, but I assure you that things will be kept interesting. Although, if given enough incentive, I might be willing to write an out-take concerning such a situation. -_-;;;
Secondly, about that kiss with Toki. Hinata was still a little stunned by the quality of her gift, and was still having issues with the idea that she had some right to claim Naruto as her own. When Toki responded in that context, the shock kept her from attacking the Princess. Of course, it was a close thing there for a second.
Thirdly, umm yes actually. Naruto will be getting a weapon that you will recognize. But that is going to take a bit. He's busy enough with Enma at the moment.
Fourthly, yes I will tell him his heritage. No that won't be for a while. Patience, I beg of you!
Now, at the risk of sounding a little self-absorbed, I am thrilled with the huge number of people who have read and reviewed this story. As you might have noticed, we passed one thousand reviews, and it brings a tear to my eye. So, if anyone has any time to spare, I was wondering if you might be interested in fan-art? I don't know if I've reached that level of respectability yet, but if someone PM's me a link to Artwork inspired by this story, I will be happy to post it on my main information page. (As long as it is appropriate please -_-;;;)
Now, before I return to the trenches, I will leave you with a small preview of the next chapter!
A surprise meeting, and of course the answer too many people's question, "Whatever happened to Ino-chan?" Stay tuned! :)