Here is the second of the two chapters, Hope you enjoy.
Late in the afternoon on the day after the preliminary rounds Kawarama and Minato walked through the streets of the Sand village. They had been given one month to train for the final stage, which would be carried out in the style of a knockout tournament. The nine participants had been split into four brackets. Rasa and Hiashi were in the first, Kawarama and Shibi were in the second, Minato and Inoichi in the third, and the trio of Pakura, Hizumi and Shikaku were in the fourth.
"So what do you plan to do for your training?" Minato asked.
"That's for me to know and you to find out in the final match," Kawarama said with a smile.
"I look forward to it," Minato laughed. "Hiashi certainly seems to be being very secretive about his training as well. I wonder where he disappears off to all the time."
"Planning to spy on his training are we?"
"That's not what I meant. It's just that Hiashi always works himself so hard. What if he sends himself to the brink?There'd be no one around to help him and no one would know where he was," said Minato, looking concerned.
Kawarama stopped and gave his friend a long look. "Minato, we've known Hiashi for seven years. You know as well as I do just how smart and dedicated he is. Sure, he'll work himself to the bone, but he knows when he has to stop. Just trust him, ok?"
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Minato sighed.
Kawarama began walking again. "So what about you, seeing as you're so interested in everyone else's training? What kind of training do you have in mind?" he asked.
"Well, I'd I was doing some super top secret training, working on some super cool new techniques," Minato replied sheepishly. "But the truth is I'm just going to ask for some help from Jiraiya-sensei."
The conversation ended abruptly as the noise of distant explosions reached them. All around them people looked about in panic. Some began running, others seemed frozen to the spot.
"What could that be?" Kawarama asked, just managing to mask the fear in his voice.
"You don't think the village could be under attack do you?" said Minato.
"I doubt it. No-one in their right mind would attack somewhere that housed members from the five great villages."
Suddenly the buildings on either side of the street where they stood blew outwards, showering them with dust and small pieces of brickwork. The pair crouched on the ground, covering their heads. When the dust began to clear they stood and wandered over to the remains of one of the houses that now lay in ruins. Investigated the rubble they were shocked to find someone familiar lying apparently unconscious amongst the debris. He was covered in blood, his clothes torn to shreds, his white hair a matted, rust-coloured mess.
"Jiraiya-sensei!" they both shouted. He did not respond. Minato looked to Kawarama, who nodded and put his hands together in a seal. He could faintly sense Jiraiya's chakra.
"We need to get him to the hospital, now!" he said. Then they heard footsteps and saw a figure approaching them through the dust. Minato and Kawarama stood between their sensei and the individual who they assumed must have been his attacker. When the dust cleared they were surprised to find Tsunade, grating her teeth, veins pulsing on her forehead, her fists clenched. She wore nothing but a bath towel.
"Jiraiya!" she said through gritted teeth. "If you aren't dead yet you're gonna wish you were." She cracked her knuckles as she walked towards them. At once Kawarama ran up to Tsunade and attempted to hold her back.
"Tsunade, wait! Jiraiya needs to go to the hospital or he'll die!" he said. But she wasn't listening.
"In this place I thought things might be different, but even after your voyage you haven't changed a bit," Tsunade shouted at the inert Jiraiya. It took Minato and Kawarama a while to calm Tsunade down – and stop her from killing their teacher.
Jiraiya was admitted to the hospital and given emergency surgery. When the operation finished he was still unconscious and in a cast that covered his entire body, leaving only his face visible. Minato and Kawarama stood next to his bed. They frowned when they saw his face twisting into an unconscious smile. All concern for their teacher's safety had almost fully dissipated.
"I can't believe it," Minato said.
"Our sensei is a super pervert," Kawarama added. Tsunade had told them all about their teacher's...hobby. And that he was gathering 'evidence' for that hobby by peeking into the women's hot spring. His current predicament was a result of her spotting him. They both sighed simultaneously.
"Well it looks like I'm gonna have to find another way to train," said Minato. "At least you don't have to worry about that."
"The worst part is I do," Kawarama replied. "If I'm honest I was looking to get some help from Jiraiya-sensei as well." He looked to Jiraiya. "But that's no longer an option." He then turned to the door.
"Where are you off to?" Minato asked.
"Luckily I have a backup option," Kawarama replied as he left the room, the door swinging silently as Minato wondered what the hell was going to happen next.
As Kawarama walked the streets, much like he had mere hours before, he ran into Kushina, who was strolling down the road.
"Hey Kawarama, what are you up to?" she said.
"Hey Kushina. Oh, nothing really," he replied. "You wouldn't have happened to see Kawauso around anywhere would you? He kind of ran off this morning."
"I think he's with Hizumi in the southern part of the village. Probably watching her train or something like that." Kawarama frowned.
"Oh he is, is he?" he looked off in the direction where Kawauso might be. When he looked back to Kushina she had a wry smile plastered on her face.
"Jealous are we?" she said. Kawarama's cheeks reddened slightly.
"Why would I be jealous of him, he's an otter. It's not like he could get that close to her."
"You think anyone's told Kawauso that?" Kawarama glared at Kushina for a moment.
"I hate you," he said, before running off leaving Kushina to try and control her laughter.
Kawarama found Kawauso and Hizumi on a raised outcrop section of the southern wall that surrounded the Sand village. There were practice dummies as well as large worn rocks scattered around the area, probably for training, he thought. Kawauso sat watching Hizumi practice her gentle fist technique, but what surprised Kawarama was her addition of kicks and leg sweeps.
"That doesn't seem like the conventional gentle fist," he said. His interruption caused Hizumi to jump. She slowly turned towards him. When she realised who it was she merely smiled.
"Oh Kawarama. Yes, I've never been too much of a fan of the traditional style. The gentle fist is currently a very well known technique, and having observed it on a number of occasions I fear that it becomes fairly predictable. I think adding the use of my legs makes it a little less so." Hizumi's pride in her discovery was clear.
"Well, I didn't mean to disturb you," said Kawarama. He looked at Kawauso. The animal was slowly creeping away, trying – and failing – to be invisible. "I was just coming to get Kawauso." Kawauso then tried to bolt off, but Kawarama managed to catch him and held him up by the scruff of his neck. "You seem to have been enjoying yourself," Kawaram said. "But now we have other business to attend to." He then began to walk off, still holding Kawauso.
"Um, Kawarama." He stopped and turned to Hizumi. "Would you perhaps like to spar for a little while. We didn't really get a chance to back during the second stage," she said. Her cheeks were slightly red. Kawarama's cheeks flushed too.
"Well, wouldn't we be revealing each other's techniques. Wouldn't it be better to wait till the third stage?"
"If it's just a casual spar I'm sure it would be fine. Please, I think it would be good practice even if we don't get serious." Kawarama took a moment before agreeing. He placed Kawauso down and firmly signalled him to stay put. Then he moved to stand opposite Hizumi. Both their faces were reddening.
'Why am I blushing?!' he thought. 'It's just a simple spar.'
The 'simple spar' lasted until the sun had fully set. Not once during the entire session did Hizumi activate her Byakugan. By the end both Hizumi and Kawarama were out of breath, but they were happy, and it showed. Kawarama looked up at the rising moon. It cast a pale glow across the village. A beautiful sight, he thought.
"I think it might be to call it a night," he said, turning to Hizumi. She nodded.
"I think you might be right." They stood a moment in silence. Kawarama was the one to break it.
"Well, I'd best be off. I still have a few things I need to do," he said.
"Of course. Good luck with your training," Hizumi replied.
"Thanks, I'll see you in a month's time." Kawarama motioned to Kawauso and began to walk off. Hizumi stood watching him go. She saw something out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look, there was nothing there. She dismissed it and began to make her way to the Sand Hotel.
In a nearby building Kushina poked her head out from behind a wooden crate. She had narrowly avoided discovery. She watched as Hizumi walked past, and further down the road Kawarama and Kawauso. She rested her chin on her hand and smiled.
Kawarama and Kawauso walked to a secluded part of the Sand village, and through the usual process, Kawauso returned to Suihimitsu Lake and reverse summoned Kawarama there.
After searching for a few minutes they discovered Usoken sitting by the lakeside. Next to him was a pot held over a small fire, and in his a hand a cup of tea. The pair went and sat on the opposite side of the fire. Without turning his head he said.
"You being here means you have passed the second stage?"
"Yeah," said Kawarama. "I was hoping I could train here for the next month." Usoken did not reply, but instead produced two cups, filling them with tea before handing them to Kawarama and Kawauso. He then sipped from his own cup.
"Very well, we..." he began to say, but was interrupted by Kawarama.
"Great! So what should we do first? Kenjutsu training? Summoning practice? Oh oh, how about we improve chakra control so I can walk on water...but I guess that wouldn't be very helpful in a desert..." He stopped talking with a jolt as Usoken hit him on the head with his walking stick.
"Patience lad. It's far too late to begin your training," said Usoken, stroking his beard. "Tomorrow you shall make use of your shadow clone jutsu and train in four areas. The first shall be Kenjutsu training with Usohime. The second shall be summoning practice with Kawauso. The third shall be jutsu training with Usoki. And the fourth, which you shall do with your original body, will be meditating in the waterfall. I shall be supervising that."
"Cool. But why do I have to meditate rather than a clone, I can create six, wouldn't I be able to do something else and let a clone handle it?" Kawarama asked.
"No. First of all, there is no other training that will be necessary. Second, the meditation will be more affective if it is your original body that undergoes the training. Now finish your tea and we shall retire for the night." And they did just that.
And there you have it the last of my double bill and the herald of my return. I hope you all enjoyed it.
Next time will be the final chapter regarding the Chunin exams. The we can start getting into the good stuff.