Adventure 35: Focus!

WHUMP! Minato landed once again on his back, panting, looking up at the canopy of trees. With a disgruntled groan, he rolled to his side. Sitting on a rock, by a small creek, watching him, was Alu. "You have to focus more," she called back to him, munching on a bonbon.

Minato shot her a glare. "I…I was!" he grumped.

Alu giggled. "Yeah, you totally were…"

Minato got to his feet, dusting himself off. "Alu! …why isn't my chakra doing what I want it to?!"

Alu scratched her head. "Well, perhaps that's because you're too focused…" she said brightly, taking a bite of her food.

"You just said focus more!" Minato pointed out with a huff.

"Yeah well, now I'm saying focus less," she replied airily.

"…" Minato's face was a mixture of pouting and confusion and slight annoyance.

"Minato, I'm saying focus yes, but exactly where is your focus?" Alu asked.

"…On getting chakra to my feet so I can climb a tree," Minato replied grumbling. He sat cross legged, arms crossed, and shooting Alu a perplexed frown. "…Why are you asking me the obvious?" He saw Alu shake her head.

"…Ok..time for a fun little hint," Alu hopped up. "I believe in Trial and Error but seeing as this is your 100th attempt I figured I'd save you some face and give you a hint…" Alu grinned.

"How have you been keeping track!" Minato griped, glaring at Alu feeling embarassed.

"Tally marks," Alu said with a grin, pointing to the dirt in front of her by the creek which did indeed have dirt-created tallies totalling one-hundred. Minato groaned. "Ju-just…tell me the hint," Minato sighed, feeling tired and hungry.

"Alright," Alu nodded, "The hint is… your focus needs to be not in one place but two," and Alu grinned at him. "Pretty obvious hint but whatever…it's your reward for being so entertaining…" and Alu snickered. Minato glared. He sighed again and got to his feet. Looking up at the tree that he'd hapharzardly marked –it was a different tree—he gripped his kunai, ready to give it another go.

"Alright," Minato mumbled, "Focus in two places," he wracked his brains. Alu said it was obvious but as far as Minato was concerned it seemed pretty vague. "Let's see…my feet…and…." Minato looked at himself. "Hands? No…hmmm…" Minato looked to the tree trunk. He had some slash marks and the furthest one was about three yards up the tree. The trees were tall, well over one-hundred feet. Focusing his chakra to the soles of his feet once more, Minato charged towards the tree. He felt the familiar feeling of chakra flowing through him and focused on getting to the branch –which was always his goal. He took his mind off his feet though because his mind wandered and fell back. With a yelp, he flung the kunai from his grasp as he fell back to the ground.

"Water cushion no jutsu!" Alu replied, and Minato found himself sink into a …watery bed like cushion? It didn't pop and Minato slid off it. "Well, up side…you got the kunai to a new high point," Alu snickered. Minato looked up. The Kunai was higher than before. Minato still sighed though. This was the fifteenth time that Alu had to use her water-style jutsu to cushion his fall. He'd made some progress though. Minato felt his legs give out though and he sat again.

"Damnit," Minato bit his lip. He hated feeling this powerless. Alu scratched her head.

"Look, you're making progress…come here Minato," Alu beckoned for him to come over. Minato shot her an inquistive look but got to his feet anyhow. His whole body felt tired but he knew Alu had something in mind.

"What?" he asked wearily.

"Here, I have an idea for your focus," Alu said with a grin and she pointed to the creek. The water gurgled by and Minato looked to where Alu was pointing. Past her finger were just some small fish that wriggled on by, mozying. He looked back at her.

"What's the idea? Stare at fish? " he asked.

"Nope. Catch them," Alu grinned.

"Alu," Minato growled, not sure if she was being helpful or just pranking him. Alu shook her head though.

"I'm serious Minato. Your reflexes are what you need to focus on. You are so focused on just one thing…this will help you multiply and expand your focus –even though technically I'm just asking you to focus on one point…the fish." Alu explained this to Minato and then sat cross-legged on her rock. "Go on in, take off your shoes, the water is nice and it's hot out today."

Minato shot her a suspicious look. "How do I know this isn't just to….humiliate me or…or get a kick out of my evident incompetence?"

"You're an overthinker and too hard on yourself, now shoo, into the water," Alu said with a wave of her hand. Minato sighed. He stood in the water feeling evidently stupid but if Alu meant what she'd said, then this supposed training excersize would help his focus.

It was three hours later, and lots of splashing and no fish catching….long story short, Minato was a bit wet and weary and grumpy. Alu giggled, though. "You did good, now come and dry off," and she tossed him a towel from her bag. Minato wiped himself dry –luckily he had worn shorts so he wasn't so wet…although he had lost his balance a few times and fell into the creek. The sun was hot though and after eating a brief lunch, Minato found his clothes mostly dry.

"Try tree climbing again," Alu said with a grin. Minato nodded.

To his surprise, his focus had improved. His energy was in fact more focused and he found himself able to sort of get half way up the tree before choosing by his own will to walk back down it. He still couldn't control it very far but it was definently progress. Minato wondered how a girl much younger than him seemed to be so…smart but then again, he knew prodigies existed. Perhaps she was one of those?

"Hey, don't over exert yourself…it's been three hours…I'd say we're good to go for now…want to go into town and find Usagi?" Alu piped up. Minato nodded.

In the town, Alu and Minato looked at a few stalls. Minato hadn't brought up any questions about his past because he felt like Alu had told him all she could and besides, Minato's mind was more focused on figuring out what the heck to do about his slow progress. He thought he would've picked up. Bounced back to however strong he was prior to the amnesia. Nope. The fox was also ignoring him. They heard laughter from a particular place and Minato entered first, and came across Usagi, sitting on a couch, laughing, his arm wrapped around the shoulders of two women, one of them was a short haired brunette in a nice red dress and the other was a dark haired woman in a black dress. They were giggling at something Usagi must've said. Minato's eyes wandered to the sake bottle that was on the table in front of them. Minato shot a look to Alu who sighed.

"Uuuusaaaaagiiiii!" Minato hadn't seen Alu get mad before. She looked downright scary. Usagi nearly fell backwards on the couch as he noticed them. "Research coming along well then?" Alu growled with a sparkly killer smile.

"I-I already did it!" Usagi yelped. The women quickly scattered as Alu shot them each a glare. Usagi's cheeks were a little pink.

Alu glared at him and Usagi held up his hands quickly, " T-Tenzaku! That's where they're going!" he quickly stuttered. "I- I caught them as they were leaving this morning…they're headed for Tenzaku!"

Minato wondered what Usagi meant. "Who's leaving for Tenzaku?" Minato asked.

"We're going to go to Tenzaku….because that's where Lady Tsunade can be found," Alu informed Minato. She continued to speak, " Lady Tsunade is a legendary Sannin as well and she's a great medical ninja…I wanted to see if I couldn't find her and so…we're looking for her," Alu grinned. Minato blinked.

"Can she help me with my amnesia?" Minato asked hopefully.

Alu shrugged. "Worth a shot," she replied. She turned away and began to walk towards the Inn. "Tell the dumb horny rabbit to stop spreading his needy pheremones and to get going. We're leaving now," and she Vsshed! Minato looked back to Usagi who looked like he'd seen death.

"….Well…" Usagi sighed.

"…I think you've had enough to drink," Minato took the sake bottle from the table and Usagi shot him a disgruntled look.

"I paidfor it, may as well finish it," and he held out his hand. "Unless of course, you want to try?"

Minato made a face. "No thanks," he politely declined. "Come on," and he tugged Usagi up by the arm. Usagi leaned on Minato and Minato realized he may have drunk more than he'd realized. Usagi sagged. Minato grunted.

"Mhm…Alu's all mad…" Usagi mumbled. Minato groaned. He didn't know how to deal with this drunk. "Eh…you smell nice…like flowers…" Usagi grinned stupidly. Minato was certain he'd punch him. He never got the chance though because suddenly Minato found Usagi separated from his side and flying into a wall. Minato fell backwards on his butt. Blinking profusely he looked at the source of the force.