A DIFFERENT KIND OF SUMMONS
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or earn any profit by this.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Librastar for beta reading this. Also, thanks to all the fanfic authors who provided inspiration for aspects of this story.
CH.21
"Rasengan!" Naruto drove the swirling ball of blue chakra into the training post and watched the wood shatter into tiny splinters. "Yeah! I got it!"
It had taken him three weeks to get the jutsu to work for him, and he had had to use a clone for the last week. Finally, on the day before the finals, he managed to create a Rasengan with one hand.
"Took me a lot longer," the summons assisting that day confided in Jiraiya. "For the longest time I just couldn't get it so I kept using clones and let that be a kind of crutch. One day… it just clicked. Not something pervy-sage would have thought of telling me, either. It was an odd thought I had while stirring my ramen at Ichiraku's."
Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Looks like you all have at least one thing in common." The summons shrugged while Naruto formed another Rasengan and dismissed it before quickly forming a third. This one had told them how he had been raised away from the village after being chased out before graduating the academy. Jiraiya had taken him in and trained him, pawning him off on other caretakers and instructors when he needed to go somewhere he couldn't take the boy. He had a wide variety of skills, but thanks to Jiraiya's on-again-off-again training, he still had a long way to go before he was a master of anything. Like Naruto, he had come across the summoning scroll by accident and used it to take charge of his own training.
"Yeah! I really got it," Naruto called. "I think I'll celebrate with a few bowls at Ichiraku's." He looked up as his summons snickered about something and dropped his head in his hands. "What?"
"Nothing," the summons assured him with a smile. "Good work. That'll come in real handy at the finals."
OOOOOOOOOO
The Chidori cleaved cleanly through the boulder. Sasuke stood staring at it, breathing hard.
"That was your third today, and you're barely winded. I'm impressed." Kakahi put up his little orange book. "You've come a long way in just a month, Sasuke. Not only have you learned my signature technique, but you've nearly doubled your speed. Your reaction time has increased as well. I think you'll have no problem winning your matches."
"It'll do for now," the last Uchiha allowed.
"Finals are tomorrow, and you're depleted. I suggest resting tonight, and meeting me here tomorrow for a strategy session. You don't want to be suffering chakra depletion before your match."
Sasuke merely nodded and headed off. He didn't head for home, though. He took a roundabout way to another training ground, making sure no one was following or observing him. It was irritating, but he knew there were people keeping tabs on him and precautions had to be taken. At one point when he knew he was out of sight, he summoned an identical version of himself, one he'd made arrangements with for just such occasions. Twice in the past month, he'd been summoned to help his counterpart slip away. It was an equitable and very convenient arrangement, as it took much less chakra than the Shadow Clone jutsu.
Once he reached his chosen training field, he summoned the first version of himself that he'd encountered. The older version of himself appeared in a puff of smoke. "How did training with Kakashi-sensei go?"
"It was an adequate workout. I don't believe he suspects I'm holding back. The chakra control exercises and the new jutsu have made his training fairly simple to keep up with. I may not have mastered the jutsu you taught me, but I can make use of the basic forms."
"That will be enough against Dosu and a few of the others, but do not get careless. Remember to watch every match and learn what you can from them. Many will display new techniques for you to copy."
"I won't waste the opportunity," Sasuke assured him. "When the invasion starts, I'll be ready. Will you?"
"Of course. Summon me at the proper time. I look forward to seeing Orochimaru again. I will deal with him. Then, together, we will use the techniques I've taught you to 'thank' the Hokage for all he has done for you." He offered a slight smile. "Are you ready for another training session?"
Sasuke nodded.
"Tsukuyomi." His counterpart had learned from past mistakes and trial and error that the genjutsu didn't have to be used for torture. The time-dilation aspect of it had other uses. With it, he had been able to give Sasuke almost a year's worth of training in the month that had passed. It was chakra intensive and draining for both of them, but it had the desired result.
In just under 30 seconds, before the drain became critical for him, the summons helped his younger self master the full body Chidori and the two variations he'd been working on. Ending the illusion, the summons nodded. "Well done. Get a good night's sleep and summon me at the appointed hour." He vanished in a puff of smoke.
Sasuke headed for home. The invasion would begin tomorrow, and he would be ready. He no longer cared what happened to the village that had so thoroughly betrayed his clan. Konoha could burn for all he cared, but the architect of his suffering, Sarutobi Hiruzen, would die by his hands.