Will of Fire Chapter 24, a Naruto + Glee Crossover fanfic

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Glee or any of their characters. Please forgive any spelling or grammar errors. I try to catch them all but I know I'm not always successful.

xXx-Chapter 24-xXx

Quinn brought her blade forward, focusing the strength in her arms as the other blade strikes hers, blocking it. She then in one fluid motion brings her blade behind her to block yet another strike. She then proceeds with her counter attack, using a combination of her own intuition and now familiar katas to reign down a series of blows on her opponent, finishing her assault by ducking under a counter swipe to her head, spinning around and jabbing her sword into their stomach. Quinn tries to take a steady breath but quivers as she does so. The sweat is dripping down her body while her lungs are on fire.

"Great job Rin, you're getting the hang of it." Yugao-sensei says, as the person she had just stabbed explodes in a cloud of smoke, a shadow clone of her sensei. Yugao-sensei then brings her hands up into the now familiar cross shape and another shadow clone appears. "Again."

Quinn doesn't say anything she just pushes herself to her feet and gets ready for the attack. Her days were generally split into four parts. The first quarter of her day was dedicated to physical conditioning. Flexibility, endurance, agility, precision, etc. After that they spent the rest of the morning, until lunch, working on whatever it was that she wanted to. So Quinn found herself asking to be taught different utility jutsu, she was currently working on the Hidden Mole Jutsu her first non-fire element jutsu. It was an earth release technique that basically allowed her to swim through earth. It was pretty fun too, but Quinn found that she was actually having a hard time mastering it. She was so used to the wild fire chakra that the rigidness of earth chakra was incredibly foreign to her.

Once they had lunch, Yugao-sensei would go into ANBU-prep. Teach her various things she would need to know once she was offered her spot. Quite a bit of it was protocol and things like that, as well as more intricate shinobi sign language, which she was picking up fairly quickly. But her main focus was currently anatomy, an intimate knowledge of the human body was required of all ANBU, and finally they worked a little bit on her tracking skills, specifically without the use of her gift.

Yugao-sensei told her that she was likely going to be utilized as a hunter-nin specialist, tracking down and either capturing or eliminating enemy and rogue ninja, and that if she could prove herself a superior tracker without her sensor abilities then once in the field and actively using them, there would be, theoretically, no one who could hide from her.

And Quinn had to admit that learning the intricacies of tracking down someone without the use of her abilities was pretty satisfying. They covered a few other things but for now that was what Yugao-sensei liked her to focus on. The last few hours of training were dedicated to sparring. Quinn would already be physically tired by this point and so they would get straight into it. Yugao had them go nonstop right up to the last fifteen minutes of training time where they would spend that time doing cool down stretches and Yugao would tell her what the schedule for tomorrow would likely be. One really nice thing about Yugao-sensei was that once eight o'clock hit, they were done.

"I'm working you harder than any other genin in this village is being asked to, and not only have you not complained once, but you continue to give it your all. Eight is when I said we'd be done and that's when I'll end it."

Quinn is brought out of her musings by the hilt of a blade smacking her in the face, knocking her back and to the ground, before she can think to counter however there is a blade poking into her neck but not actually piercing it.

The clone disperses.

"Ouch, that had to hurt. Come here kid." Yugao says and Quinn obediently does so. Yugao's hands glow green with medical chakra and she gently runs it overs Quinn's cheek and the throbbing in her face starts to dissipate. "There, it'll be sore for a day, but that should take care of the worst of it."

Yugao then gives her a disapproving look, "If that had been a real battle you'd be dead, what happened?"

"Sorry sensei, no excuses, I just lost focus." Quinn replies.

"Well… I guess it is getting late, why don't we call it early tonight?" Yugao offers with a smile.

"I can keep going, we still have another thirty-five minutes left." Quinn says.

"Nah, it's good to take a break now and then. Let's do some stretching and then you can get home."

"Yes sensei." Quinn answers. The two of them going into the now familiar stretches that helped to loosen all of the tightly wound up muscles of the day.

"So how are you liking the Katana? I know you thought it was a little clunky when you first started using it?"

"It's much better now, I see what you meant about the blade becoming an extension of your arm too. It feels really natural while I hold it." Yugao-sensei was currently letting her borrow one of her old blades until she could afford to go to the smith and have him forge one for her.

Yugao smiles, "I'm glad, you've picked it up much quicker than I anticipated. I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you sensei." And Quinn did feel a rush of pride, Yugao had spent three weeks working with her and Quinn had been giving it everything she had, it was nice to know that she was meeting the other woman's expectations.

"You're working hard and you've advanced quite nicely… How about we take a mission tomorrow?"

"Really, you think I'm up for it?" Quinn asks. Yugao-sensei had said she wouldn't be doing any D-rank missions so that meant when she finally did go on one it would actually be a real mission. So far Ino as well as Naruto and Sakura, the two of them she had only seen once in the past three weeks and only for a few minutes, had been relegated to team training exercises and D-rank missions.

"I think I want to see just how far you've come. Instead of meeting here, meet me on the roof in front of headquarters. We'll go get our mission then."

"Yes sensei."

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

It's as Quinn is walking home for the night when she hears a pleasant and familiar voice calling out to her.

"Rin! Rin! Hey Rin! Guess what, guess what!?" Quinn stops when she both hears and senses Naruto running to catch up to her, with Sakura following behind. Both of them are super excited.

Quinn has to brace herself as Naruto flings himself into her arms for a big hug. "Rin guess what!?"

Quinn laughs before putting a thoughtful look on her face, "Hmm… let think…"

"We're-"

"Up-bup-bup-bup," Quinn interrupts him, "You have to let me guess first. That's how this works." She tells him, sending a wink to a giggling Sakura who has joined them, the look of frustration on Naruto's face was priceless.

"Awe, come on Rin, it's just an expression…" He pouts.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to play, I'm just following the rules. Now let me think… you're getting a dog right?" Quinn says with a huge grin. She had laughed herself silly when she had heard about the dog walking incident.

"No! It's-"

"Wait, a cat, you're getting a cat! That has to be it!"

Both Naruto and Sakura shudder at that, neither of them were all that fond of cats right now after a run in with the infamous Tora.

"No, no, it's-"

"You're opening your own ramen shop!" Quinn says excitedly, interrupting him once more.

"Rin!" Naruto whines.

"Alright, alright, what is it?"

"We're going on our first C-rank mission tomorrow." Naruto beams excitedly.

"You… you are, that's… it's a little early, isn't it?" Quinn asks, turning to Sakura for clarification.

Sakura shrugs but smiles, "Maybe, but Kakashi-sensei said that we're skilled enough to handle a little more responsibility early."

"I guess you are, congratulations." Quinn says softly, she was scared spit less for them, but they were both so excited that she didn't have it in her to rain on their parade, so to speak. But three weeks, was really early, Yugao-sensei said most genin spend their first few months doing team building exercises and D-rank missions.

"Thanks Rin! Kakashi-sensei already surprised us with it too, we leave first thing in the morning!"

"Oh, and where are you off to?"

"We're delivering some documents to the fire capital. Pretty simple stuff, but because we're leaving the village they have to label it a C-rank mission instead of D-rank." Sakura reassures her. Naruto was super excited and probably hadn't noticed, but Sakura had. Rin was worried about them.

"Yeah, yeah, they're secret vital documents that discuss super secrets and stuff!" Naruto says.

"Financial stubs." Sakura amends with a laugh.

"Oh come on Sakura, can't you let me have any fun, besides, what if they only look like financial stubs, the real documents could be sealed away on them or- or you know written in invisible ink."

Quinn and Sakura both giggle at that, "You are absolutely correct Naruto. It would be the perfect cover, however, depending on the documents being hidden, your mission may be B or even A ranked, you might want to take it up with the Hokage for stiffing you on the pay." Quinn teases.

Naruto laughs, and then scratches the back of his head, "Yeah, yeah, I guess it probably isn't super-secret documents, is it?"

"No, probably not, still they are official documents and… and if your sensei feels you are ready for a higher rank mission then I'm sure you are." Quinn says with a smile. Deciding to try and be happy for her friends.

"It's a good first step anyway." Sakura says, "I'll just be glad to get out of the village, and hopefully Sasuke will… calm down." Sakura finishes with a sigh.

"You mean hopefully he'll stop being an incredible ass. Not likely." Naruto scoffs.

"You guys still having problems with him?" Quinn asks.

"I think he's just restless, he's not taking to the teamwork exercises like Naruto and I and he's really having a hard time with the D-rank missions. He's frustrated."

"He's a dick."

"Naruto…" Sakura scolds, although there's no real force behind it, Quinn could tell that despite her diplomacy, Sakura agreed.

"What, he is. You and I aren't any happier about those stupid things either, but at least we're getting paid and we are learning a lot from Kakashi-sensei too. I mean sure he's a pervert but-"

"Wait, what, what do you mean pervert?" Quinn asks, genuinely confused.

Naruto rolls his eyes, but it's Sakura who answers, her cheeks flushed, "He reads porn out in public. You know that Icha Icha series? He's always reading them and giggling to himself, he doesn't even try to hide it or show any shame."

"Sakura keeps trying to sneak a peek." Naruto teases with a foxy grin.

"I do not!" Sakura shouts, looking horrified back and forth between Naruto and Rin, "Sensei asked me to grab something from his pack once… and I… I may have accidentally looked at one…" Sakura's face is a bright red. And Quinn can't help but take note of how cute Sakura looks right then before viciously and ruthlessly squashing that thought.

"Right, anyway," Naruto says, "Kakashi-sensei is a perv and everything, but he's super strong and we're learning a lot. Did you know that Kakashi-sensei trained under the Fourth Hokage!? He was like the coolest Hokage ever, and Kakashi-sensei says he still has some of the Fourth's Fuinjutsu notes and that once I'm advanced enough he'll let me look at them! How awesome is that!?"

"That's really cool Naruto, so your seals are coming along nicely then?"

"He's doing great," Sakura answers, "You should see him when we aren't training or doing a mission, he's bent over these scrolls and note pads of his coming up with all these designs. You wouldn't even recognize him, he's so focused."

"Well… most of them won't work… not yet anyway…" Naruto blushes.

"Yet, being the keyword right?" Quinn asks.

"Right." Sakura agrees, while Naruto laughs, basking in the praise of two of his friends.

"Well, what about you Sakura? How's your training going?"

"I'm pretty happy with how it's going. Kakashi-sensei has copied a ton of different fighting styles from all over the world so he and I are working together and going over my strengths and weaknesses to develop my own original fighting style."

"Wow, that's awesome Sakura, you really are on your way to becoming a Taijutsu master." Quinn praises.

Sakura blushes and smiles, "Thanks, plus he's teaching me a few genjutsu as well. It's not my focus or anything but he's showing me how to implement them into my fighting strategies."

"And what about Sasuke?" Quinn asks, more out of a sense of politeness than any real interest.

Naruto rolls his eyes. "He's trying to activate his stupid bloodline, the shenanigan or something like that. He's not having much luck." Naruto snickers.

"Well, what about you Rin, what's it like being trained by Yugao Uzuki?" Sakura asks.

"Hard." Quinn laughs, "But good, we've mostly just been training, I'm actually going to be going on my first mission tomorrow as well."

"That's great Rin, do you know what it is?" Sakura asks.

"Knowing Rin, it'll probably be something awesome like protecting a princess or something like that!" Naruto laughs.

"It could be, I don't know, I won't find out till tomorrow. So I meant to ask, what are you guys doing out so late?" Quinn asks.

"This guy with humongous eyebrows asked Sakura out today. So we're meeting up with him." Naruto answers.

"Humongous eyebrows?"

"Rin, they're alive." Naruto says, "Anyway, Sakura didn't want it to be a date so she turned it into a group thing."

"It's Lee, I've told you about him. I really like him as a friend, but just as a friend, and I do enjoy spending time with him, but I don't want to give him the wrong idea, so I asked Naruto if he'd like to join us." Sakura explains.

"Have you told him how you feel?" Quinn asks.

Sakura sighs, "Yes, however… you'd have to experience Lee to really understand him. Like I said, I like him as a friend but he wants more and he's not giving up so easily."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Quinn asks, her anger spiking along with her concern for Sakura. There was no way in hell she was going to let someone continue to harass her friend, especially Sakura. If this little punk wasn't going to take no for an answer on his own she would make him.

"It's fine Rin, really." Sakura says gently. She had picked up on her friends shift in mood instantly. "Honestly, I think he asks out of habit more than any real interest these days. If you want, you could come join us though," There's a slightly hopeful tone to Sakura's voice as she offers, "Once I invited Naruto, Lee said he would invite his team as well, so I think Lee's teammate Tenten will be there at the very least, maybe even Neji."

Quinn shakes her head, feeling guilty, "No, I can't, I'm really sorry. I've got an early day tomorrow so I need to get home, but… it's really good to see you two, I've missed you both." Quinn says softly.

Naruto nods his head, "Yeah, we really miss you too, I wish we could hang out more, but we're always so busy and you're always training."

"We still get to see Ino quite a bit and she keeps us updated on you but… we miss having you there in person, when it's only the three of us it's just not the same." Sakura adds. Rin was working much different hours than they were so they never got to see her. They could usually hook up with Ino, she had a similar duty schedule to them, so they got to hang out with her throughout the week, which was nice, but Rin's schedule was so different from theirs that meeting up with her was nearly impossible. The only day she didn't have some kind of training was Saturday and even then she was usually either sleeping or too tired to go out and do anything.

"Hey, I know, let's all meet up next Saturday, we'll spend the whole day together, right. We should all be back from our missions by then, you can talk to Ino and let her know and it'll be just like old times!" Naruto suggests excitedly.

"I think I could make that work. I'll talk to Ino and let her know."

"Great, lets plan on that then. Naruto and I will take care of everything, right?" Sakura says, turning to Naruto for confirmation.

"Right, you can count on us, believe it!"

"Sounds like a plan."

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

"Hey Ino, what's up?" Quinn asks as she steps into their room. Ino's ninja equipment was currently strung about the entire room in an organized mess.

"Rin, hey, sorry about the mess. Asuma-sensei is taking us on our first C-Rank mission tomorrow so I'm getting ready. Naruto showed me these really cool storage seals so I'm just organizing everything and getting them ready."

"You too, huh…" First Naruto and Sakura, and now Ino. They were supposed to be months out from leaving the village for missions but it was barely into their third week as shinobi and already they were onto C-rank missions.

"What's wrong?" Ino asks, picking up on her sister's discomfort instantly.

"Naruto and Sakura are going on a C-Rank mission tomorrow as well."

"Really, fantastic, good for them. I know that they've really been chafing under those D-Rank missions."

"Yeah…"

"You need to learn to trust us Rin." Ino says standing up and facing her sister. "We've all trained really hard to get where we're at and we can handle this, you need to learn to trust us."

"I do trust you, but I still worry, I mean you can't tell me that this isn't all really soon."

"Sakura is really strong, and every time I see Naruto he's gotten stronger, and Sasuke may be an ass but he's pretty tough as well. It's not surprising that their sensei thinks they're ready for more." Ino says.

"And what about you, I know you can handle yourself but things can still go wrong, and what about Chouji and Shikamaru, I know you're ready but can you say the same about them?" Quinn asks, she knew this was going to happen eventually, but now that it was actually here, she was having a harder time with it than she originally thought she would.

"I've been ready for more than D-Rank missions since day one. And Chouji has worked really hard to get stronger and improve. It might be a little early, but I truly believe he can handle it if given the chance. We'll be fine if we look out for each other."

"And Shikamaru?"

"He's gotten better too… if only just a little bit." Ino says with a scowl, which considering it was Ino, was actually high praise from her as far as the topic of Shikamaru was concerned.

"I'm sorry… I just… I really wish we were together."

"I do too, but that's not possible right now and what I really need from you, more than anything, is for you to have faith in me. I need to know my sister believes in me."

"You know I do Ino."

"Do I? I know you worry about me, but sometimes it feels like you think I'm incompetent. I know you have reservations about being a ninja, but the first C-rank mission is a big deal and I'd like to think that in addition to concern you'd at least be a little proud of me."

"I am, and you're right it's just… Ino, you're my sister, my twin… it's life and death out there and if anything were to ever happen to you…"

Ino's features soften a bit, and she goes over to her sister and wraps an arm around her, the two of them taking a seat on Rin's bed. "I know. But I'll be okay and so will the others, you trained with us, you should know better than anyone else just how tough we are."

Quinn nods her head, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. But just remember, the way you feel right now, that's how I feel about you all the time, and so do Sakura and Naruto. They have each other, and I have back up, but you're on your own and not only that, but I know you've decided to go through with the ANBU offer so you're running headlong into the most dangerous job a ninja can have. And you're doing it alone. Out of all of us, you, more than anyone need to be careful." Rin wasn't even aware of how true this was. It was why Ino was so eager to start taking harder missions, she had to be stronger, strong enough to protect her sister.

"I'll be okay, really, you don't need to worry about me." Quinn tries to reassure her, before ducking her head and blushing. Pretty much proving Ino's point.

Ino smiles at her sister, seeing that she was finally starting to get it. "You say that, but I can remember quite clearly how you looked in that hospital bed after your fight with Mizuki. We may not be able to be there for one another physically, but we can still believe in and support one another, okay?"

Quinn gives a little laugh and nods her head, "Okay, you're right. And Ino, I really am proud of you, I know I may worry too much but please don't ever doubt how much I believe in you."

"Thanks."

"So, do you know what your mission is?" Quinn asks, trying to be more supportive in spite of her worries.

"We're escorting a merchant to the Land of Tea in the south. Nothing major."

"I don't know about that, you're protecting a merchant, that's like the classic ninja mission."

Ino laughs, "Yeah, but it's hardly going behind enemy lines. We'll be on the Imperial Highway for most of it. Pretty safe and pretty clear for most part."

"Still, pretty cool."

"Thanks Rin." Ino says, resting her head on her Rin's shoulder, appreciating her sister's effort.

xXx-Scene Break-xXx

Quinn was restless as she dreamt about her sister and her friends. A shinobi's life was in the shadows, Yugao-sensei had been right, when they decided to become ninjas they chose a life that walked the shadows. However, most genin teams spent months in team training and D-Rank missions, but only three weeks in and the people who matter most to her were already taking another step into an increasingly dangerous world.

She needed to hurry, she needed to accelerate her own training and her own progress. She couldn't save them from the shadows, but she could save them from darkness. She needed to place herself between them and the worst of what this world had to offer. They were already proving their worth to the village, and that meant they were in more danger than ever. The Third had told her that war was coming, she needed to be ready to shield them from it.

"Please, come in Rin." The Third says as she stands in the doorway to his office. Today would be the first day that Quinn would train with the Third since she had become a genin.

"Sir." Quinn says hesitantly as she enters, "Where's Yugao-sensei? I thought she was going to be joining us?"

"I asked her to meet us at the field. I wished to speak with you, and explain to you why I've done what I have. Why I approved an apprenticeship, why I want to fast track you into ANBU. I feel like I owe it to you."

"You don't owe me anything sir, you have a responsibility to this village, in comparison to that, I don't matter. I get that."

"But that is where you are wrong, because you do matter, very much so. Please, don't think for a moment that after these past few years of training with you that I haven't grown to care for you. I need to explain to you my decision for my own peace of mind, if nothing else. And in spite of what you have said, I do owe you an explanation. Will you please take a seat and hear me out?"

Quinn nods her head, and takes the seat across from him.

"For nine years now we have been at relative peace. The last war with Kumo ended in a decisive and in some ways overwhelming victory for Konoha. And since then we have essentially been the most powerful and influential of the five great villages. But times are changing, the peace is getting harder and harder to maintain. I have done my best to maintain the balance between the villages and foster peace, but jealousy, old anger, and resentment has festered against us. It is my belief that war is almost imminent, that the balance of peace is tipping and that your generation will be forced to fight in a war, not of your making but of ours, the older generation."

"Is it really that bad?" Quinn asks.

"I'm afraid it is. Encounters and skirmishes between our forces and Kumo have been steadily on the rise in the past few years, and Iwa has refused every diplomatic overture we've made since the last war and unfortunately skirmishes between our two forces are on the rise as well. And as little as we know about the situations in Kumo and Iwa, we know even less about Kiri. Our village's enemies surround us and grow more and more bold every day.

Even our relationship with Suna has begun to grow strained. Unfortunately for them, the economic growth of Konoha and the land of Fire in general after our victory over Kumo has led to an economic depression for them. Relations with Suna are still friendly, but are growing more strained as they lose customers to us. I have done my best to help and even mitigate that, but Suna is weaker now than it has ever been. There is growing resentment, and when war breaks out, I don't know that we'll be able to count on them."

"Forgive me sir, but… I don't understand what that has to do with me?"

"While our economy and influence has grown our forces are weaker than ever. We have more shinobi in our ranks than ever but most of them are content to make chunin and leave it at that. There's no urgency, no need to progress and push themselves. Our forces are stagnating. The Sannin; Minato Namikaze,The Yellow Flash; Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang; every generation produces legends in their own right. Ninja who act as stalwarts in the face of overwhelming odds, who the village turns to in times of trouble and doubt. I believe you to be one of these legends in the making."

"Sir… I… uh… that's not me, I'm not-"

"Oh but you are. You inspire those around you, you stand firm in the face of danger, you care not for yourself or your own fate, but those dear to you. You already walk this path, like those before you, you have set yourself as a shield to those in this village, to bear the burdens of shinobi life so that others don't have to."

Quinn is silent for a moment, her face pale and her heart racing. "I don't know what it is you want from me? I'm not… I'm no legend and I'm certainly not a hero."

"I tell you this, not to scare you Rin, I tell you this because whether you knew it or not, when you decided that your sister and your friends meant more to you than anything else in this world, even your own happiness, you already took the first steps down this path. I decided to push you along because with the way the world is setting itself up, we need you sooner rather than later. You underestimate the difference that a single person can make. The Fourth Hokage for example, never thought himself a legend, but I'll tell you now, when he entered the battlefield the spirits of those who served with him soared, even in the face of overwhelming odds, his presence and the hope he gave others won us battles that shouldn't have been won. The Sannin while in their prime, even the mere mention of them was enough to give our enemies pause, and inspired hope in those around them. Before he betrayed the village, Itachi Uchiha walked the path you are now. He was just setting out on it, but even now, despite what he did, his name is spoken with reverence and regret by those he served with. I'm asking of you what no one has the right to ask, I'm asking you to fill these shoes, I am asking you to give yourself up in service to this village and its people. And I ask it not because I want to, but because no one else can do what you can. I'm asking you to take the love you have for your sister, for your friends, and extend it to all the people of this village. To act as a shield. That is why I started training you, that is why I authorized your apprenticeship, because the storm that is on the horizon is going to be worse than anything before and the people of this village are going to need people like you to look to as a source of hope, as a light in the darkness, even as that very darkness consumes you."

"Lord Hokage… I…"

This was too much. She couldn't do what he was asking, there was no way she could be what he and this village needed. She was worthless, she was barely scraping by with her sanity intact. She wasn't the hero in making, Rin Yamanaka, she was Quinn Fabray, colossal screw up. She wasn't Rin, she wasn't what this world needed, she was Quinn, she was… she was a Fabray. You're a Fabray, perfection or death, "Lord Hokage… I… I'll try not to let you down…"

The air around her shimmers as an intense heat begins to fill the room. Soon smoke and black fire begins to creep its way into her memory, consuming the dream world around her. The Hokage, his office, everything around her is consumed by the black flame and turned to ash.

Amaterasu.

Quinn awakens with a gasp, ripping her covers off of her. She was covered in sweat and her temperature was up and she felt like it was a million degrees in here. The flames of the Amaterasu barely kept at bay. She would need to meditate and center herself again soon. The black fire had never truly disappeared, but for the most part she was able to keep it suppressed. She looks over at the clock and sees that it was a quarter past one. Quinn lies back down and takes a calming breath before looking over at the sleeping form of Ino.

Her sister, her twin. Ino was taking her first steps into this dangerous world. Quinn couldn't protect her from everything but she could stand as a shield to worst of it. She could let the darkness feast on her and spare her sister the worst of it. Ino would be okay, she had to trust that, she just did, Quinn couldn't live with the alternative, "I'll try not to let you down." She whispers quietly into the night, before closing her eyes in the hopes of getting a few more hours of sleep.

xXx—xXx

Author's Note: You have no idea how hard this chapter was to write, seriously, I have four, count them, four different versions of this chapter, before I finally changed around two of them and combined them into this. There are so many things I wanted to do and set up for the future that it was incredibly hard to decide on which way to take this chapter. I actually do like how it turned out and I hope you all did too. Hopefully, now that this chapter is done writing will become easy again lol.