There was a typo where I said the Chunin exams were in a month when I meant to put week... I fixed that...
I took a bit of time off but I know what is going to happen for Rai for the Chunin exam arc... it is in part of my goals to be a better writer by writing adjacent to the story not just within the main story.
"... So your going to be a medic, that sounds amazing!" Ino said as she ducked under his leg sweep, using her natural flexibility to use the motion to flip back, kicking his side with enough force to send him back. "I never thought of getting a secondary specialty."
He grunted, sending a palm she couldn't dodge to her shoulder. "Not my secondary specialty, this would be a first for me since I don't have a big clan... well I am an Uzumaki but we aren't a part of the villages clan network yet." He dodged, though barely, a punch to his sternum, but cringed at the power behind it as it shot past his ear. "I thought being a medical ninja would be a big help, we would have been so helpless if Naruto hadn't managed to heal me like he did. Or worse, if Kakashi had been hurt. No, this is the best solution. "
Silence filled the space between them as they fought for the next twenty minutes, Ino show casing that she was very, very skilled in taijutsu for her age. Not Kakashi's level or Sasuke's but still good enough to be hard for Rai to feel pressed against her. It was actually pretty impressive to go against her like he was, she had so much more experinance with her style then he had even with Naruto's memories.
Eventually they just stopped, both covered in bruises and scuff marks, laughing as they hurried over to a tree, where they plopped against it's bark, happy to be still.
"Your getting better, I remember Naruto sparring in the academy and he wasn't very good."
Shrugging, Rai let out a long sigh. "No one taught him better, and he was lazy, so it didn't mix together well."
"I guess not, but at least your improving. When do you start learning medical jutsu?"
"In an hour or so, just for my interview. After that I go twice a week, enough to hopefully get a handle on the Mystic palm jutsu in a few months, or so I hope. I want to get a few other jutsu under my belt as well as get a handle on my sensory powers."
That got the girl to sit up and look at him with a beautiful smile. " I can show you what I know. My clan is filled with sensory ninja, I am one myself. I can't show you clan stuff but regular training for it is something I am sure Daddy won't mind me showing you."
He popped up this time, a smile on his own face. "That sounds great, where do we start?"
"Meditation, boring but it's great at getting you able to open your mind up and feel the vibrations of other people's chakra. The key, afterwards, is to get used to entering the state where your sensory powers are at their peak of sensitivity."
"""
Naruto felt sweat boil off of his skin as he slashed his new sword through the air, feeling the motion ease itself into his muscles. He knew, from listening to Rai, that he learned best through action. Practice was his key to success, unlike books and reading like what worked for Rai. He needed to do and that meant that he was picking up Iado quickly, or so he hoped. The motions for a beginner like him were simple slices and slashes, pulling from the sheath however proved hard given Naruto's short arms but he was getting better at it slowly.
He hoped to have minimal issues by the end of the week... that was his goal anyway.
"You can do this, Naruto. People will see me and realize that I am great, worthy of being Hokage." He chanted to himself, even as he slowly moved through the motions of his new sword style. It was annoying to do this part, to memorize the methods and movements of the blade so he could do it eventually at far faster speeds. Still he saw the reasoning behind it and so he embraced it. "Like the Second Hokage, I will be known for my amazing sword skills... like the Second and First I will be known for my great speed... I can do this, I will do this."
Slowly, but noticeably, Naruto pick up speed, moving faster and faster until he turned and sliced through one of the targets near him. The cut was sloppy and uneven, the slash deeper in some areas and more shallow in others but the cut was there! That meant he was strong enough to use the sword at all, he just needed to work on his accuracy and speed.
He could do this!
He would do this!
No one would forget him, he wouldn't fall in the shadow of his brother!
He would be seen!
'""
"So, you are my newest recruit..." The man's eyes, cold and unyielding, burrowed into Rai's own. " Lord Hokage has faith in you, I am not so sure. I have seen what your twin is capable of, having read his file as I have the rest of your class... he was never even considered to be a possible recruit. Tell me, why should I allow you to become part of my hospital."
Rai shivered inside, before allowing only the calmest of responses. "I am not my brother, nor am I anyone you have ever seen. I am my own being, my own person. I am above average in chakra control, enjoy learning and I realize the importance of being a medical ninja. On our last mission, which went from C to A rank, I realized how useless and crippled our team would have been without a healer had our teacher been hurt. As it was, I was wounded gravely and only my brother's and My link allowed me to heal to the point of being useful.
I am under not delusions of being the next Tsunade, or becoming great. I only wish to do what all medics should. Help others, heal others and do what I can to uplift those allies and comrades around me."
There was a period of heavy silence before a genuinely warm smile crossed the face of his preceptor. " That is good, too many young medics are delusional and willing to challenge the rules and regulations set forth by Lady Tsunade. Remember these words child, for these rules are the foundation of everything you will learn from this point on. First clause "No medic ninja shall ever stop medical treatment until the lives of their party members have come to an end. Second clause "No medic ninja shall ever stand on the front lines. Third clause "No medic ninja shall ever die until they are the last of their platoon.
These clauses are the foundation for medical ninja and are rules you should learn and live by, from this point on they are your rules, your clauses. Your very Nindo. Do you understand why we have them, why they matter?"
Rai nodded. " They make sense for one. I mean what is the point of a medic being on the front line, if we die then the strength and abilities of the entire team is jeopardized. If we stop healing them there was never a point in us starting, we would be neglecting our duties to help heal and protect those we have sworn to do so. It makes sense for these to be the foundation to build our entire way of being off of."
The man nodded, his smile deepening. "You are not aiming to be a full medic, so I will forgive if you enter the front line when forced too. That is the only flexible rule but beyond anything you should aim to never have to be on the front line. Support is what you aim for, to lift those around you nothing more. This is not a job for those who want to be seen but to lift others up. Can you endure that?"
"Yes, that is why, in large part, I wish to be here."
"Then welcome aboard... now, I have brought with me a chakra exercise for you to try." He stood from his desk and pulled out a scroll, quickly summoning a glass filled with brown liquid. "Now, do as I do. Your goal is to separate the liquid. Your speed and skill will inform me if your chakra control is enough to become a medic. As it is, we will be teaching you three chakra control exercises for you to learn as the bases for medical jutsu. This one, water walking and chakra pulses. Each one is part of the necessary skills needed to become a Medic."
Determined and a little worried, Rai stood from his seat and watched as his preceptor put his hands on either side of the glass. There was a moment of nothing but soon the water started to swirl around. Within moments of the water separated, with brown thicker liquid on the left and clear water on the right. Rai reached out, closing his eyes as Ino had taught him, feeling the chakra with his own.
'The control is so delicate and so fluttery and light... can I do something so utterly delicate?'
Opening his eyes, he saw the liquid slowly return to it's mixed state.
"I am not expecting perfect separation, I merely want to asses where you are so far and where you need to be. I have it reported that all you know is surface clinging, so we are working with a base chakra control and not much more."
Nodding, he put his own hands over the glass and pushed his chakra inwards. Immediately he felt resistance, the water pushing and pull against him ever so slightly. Pushing it on each side, he watched the water spiral... and spiral... and nothing more. Just move... "What am I doing wrong... " Biting his bottom lip, he focused on the brown liquid, the flecks of tea within the water and pulled on it as much as he could. Absently he felt his hands move in and out, pushing the water inward and pulling on the tea...
"Good job kid, that only took fifteen seconds." The preceptors warm tone broke his concentration and he turned his full focus to the water, seeing it had separated entirely. " This is the basics of venom and poison extraction. I would say you have upper mid level chakra control. Enough to start on the Mystic pam but only while doing remedial training for chakra control. We just lost a few medical ninja on a mission, so this is very, very helpful to have someone able to learn the Mystic Palm so quickly. I will be assigning you to Kabuto Yakushi to work in the Hospital while not training. Half of your day will be working as a Nurses aide, removing bedpans, cleaning patients, cleaning rooms, ambulating patients... the works. Not glamorous work but work that needs to be done. You will receive a D ranks pay and mission for every day of work. We do this to ensure that you can pay your bills while still getting in your lessons.
I want you back here at six tomorrow, your shifts will last twelve hours. Six of which will be acting as an aide. Can I trust you to do this? To not be late, to listen to your instructors and to do your best while working?"
"Yessir."
"Wonderful. Like I said you will be following Kabuto while he works at the hospital. We will provide your uniform tomorrow, you will also have nurses aide added to your file. When you rise through the ranks to become a Medic level one through five, those ranks will be added to your file and your badge so you can apply those skills both in the hospital and on missions. Any questions?"
"Only one... what is required to become a Medic Level one? Just curious... oh and how long and what does it entail?"
The preceptor nodded, looking happy. "It is a required three months of training, allowing you to use the mystic palm, a numbing jutsu, more advanced first aide and a few other things in combat and in the hospital. In the hospital you will be allowed to watch surgeries and assist in basic role for basic procedures like wrapping wounds, very minor surgeries, and so on. By Medic level Three you will be able to actually perform the surgeries. It will take at least two years to become a level Five medic. Then there are other ranks to work towards. Most stop there though as the training has focused on battle field applications allowing the wielder to be the most helpful as a Field medic. The rest of your training makes you a more valuable asset in the hospital and focuses on specialties like maternity, surgery, burns and so on."
"Ahh... well, thank you for this opportunity. I truly do appreciate it."
"I am glad you do, we do not open this path to just everyone you know. Now, if that is all, your are dismissed."
It took everything for Rai not to skip out of the building. He had finally started it, his path to be unique, remembered and entirely his own...
This is where he would shine... and nothing could stop him here.
He could do it.
He would do it!
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was so much fun!
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.