Bright Eyes: The Unsung Ninja:Wrath of the Phoenix

by GeneralWildfire

Following the story of Sara Uchiha, a young kunoichi in the Hidden Leaf Village, after three years Naruto has finally returned from training. What new challenges await?

4. Part 4

DISCLAIMER: Some of the text and characters are from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, which I do not own. Only the characters & text that were not in the original manga/anime series are mine.

Recap: Team Kakashi, with its two new members, Sai & Yamato, have just suffered a devastating blow…not being able to bring Sasuke Uchiha back to the Leaf Village. Sakura and Naruto are also suffering from the betrayal of Sara, who agreed with Yamato when he insinuated that he would have to kill Sasuke. Now that Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke are gone, what's going to happen to Team Kakashi now?

Cheering Up

Naruto stared at the ground, again…I couldn't stop him…again… He closed his eyes and pressed his head against his hands which were on the ground. I am…SO WEAK… Naruto began to sob, his body shaking.

Sara, Yamato and Sai watched him in silence. Sakura refused to face him as she said, "Crying won't make Sasuke come back, Naruto." Tears were streaming down her face, "We have to be strong. You and me together."

"I'll…" Sara started to say.

Sakura cut her off angrily, "You've done plenty!" Her voice was laced with scorn and anger.

Sara stared sadly at her teammates, but no tears came. She had learned the shinobi's way far too well.

Sai glanced between the original members of Team Kakashi, before saying, "We still have half a year left." Sakura wiped her eyes while Naruto lifted his head slightly, his sobs having ceased. "F-…" Sakura's look made him change his original sentence, "Three makes for better odds than two. And I'm pretty strong, too."

Naruto wiped his eyes and said quietly, "Thanks…guys…"

"Now then…" Yamato started. "Let's head back."

As they walked Sai noticed the immediate change within the team, the dynamics have changed, he thought as he glanced back at Sara, who was trailing behind everyone. Naruto and Sakura used to follow Sara's lead without question and practically ignored the commander. Now they're completely ignoring her as if she didn't exist… This is extremely perplexing… Perhaps I should try talking to her to find out why everything has changed… He was surprised that Sara didn't glare at him as he stood waiting for her to catch up. Most perplexing indeed… Sai noted that she was staring at the ground rather than at the things around her.

"Sara…" He wanted to be sure she had noticed him.

She glanced at him, "What do you want, Sai?"

This is very confusing… "I don't understand why Naruto and Sakura are acting the way they are," he cut right to the chase. She sighed, "Yes?"

Sara laughed, "Sai, I was just sighing, not trying to…you no what? Never mind!"

"You still didn't answer my question," Sai persisted.

Sara looked at him, "It's because I said that I would help Captain Yamato to kill Sasuke if necessary."

"That…doesn't make much sense," Sai said, confused.

"I suppose it doesn't," Sara agreed. "I don't know how to make it make sense either." She looked at the ground again.

"Lady Hokage ordered you to kill Sasuke, didn't she?" Sai questioned.

Sara looked at him again; her eyes dull, "Yeah. Yeah, she did."

"So why are they mad at you if it was an order?" Sai asked. Sara didn't answer as she stared at the ground in front of her. Apparently, our conversation has ended…

Yamato glanced back at Sai and Sara. His eyes widened a bit in surprise as Sai hurried forward a bit, were the two of them talking civilly? He glanced at the Naruto and Sakura who were rigidly looking straight ahead, they're upset with Sara, but I think they're taking it a bit too personally.

Once they arrived in the village a few days later, they reported on the mission to Lady Tsunade.

"I see," Lady Tsunade said. "And…?"

"Most…" Naruto cast an angry glance at Sara, "of us are not giving up!"

Tsunade laughed slightly, "Then let me give most of you your next mission." She caught Sara's eyes and Sara nodded ever so slightly, signaling that she understood. Tsunade flipped through the pages on her desk, "This one will do." She handed the paper to Yamato. "Sara will not be going on this mission. I need to talk to her alone."

"Right," Naruto said, turning away. "Let's go!"

Sakura bowed respectfully to Tsunade, "Yes, milady."

Once they had all left, Tsunade said, "So, he's that changed, is he?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara answered. "He's not the same Sasuke that left this village. He would have killed any of us without a qualm. Even Sakura…"

Tsunade closed her eyes, "I'll still let them try to get him back…your orders, however, will change slightly…" She opened her eyes, "If you get the chance….kill him."

Sara took in deep breath before nodding, "Yes, Lady Tsunade."

"Go find Kakashi or one of your uncles," Tsunade said, dismissing her. "I'm sure one of them can cheer you up."

"Right," Sara said, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Tsuande sighed, "I hope one of them can cheer her up!"

Sara teleported to the hospital and started to walk towards the doors when she froze, her hand resting on the handle, what if Master Kakashi doesn't understand that Lady Tsunade ordered me to kill Sasuke if necessary. She closed her eyes, I don't think I can deal with anymore anger or disappointment for today… I'll see if Kai is around… She teleported to the Anbu Area.

The Anbu on guard duty turned when she took a step forward, and a familiar voice said, "Kai's not here."

"Great," Sara said, leaning against the gate. "Where'd you send him this time, Kenshin?"

"He's out on an S rank mission," Kenshin answered.

Sara asked, "I don't suppose you have any free time?"

"No," Kenshin answered. "I wish!"

"I'll be seeing you around then," Sara said, pushing away from the gate and disappearing again.

She teleported right into the middle of Yusuke's training session. Ducking under a well aimed kick, she leapt to the edge of the training area.

Yusuke was in the middle of the fray, sparring with his many students. He shouted, so he could be heard over the noise, "Pair off and spar with each other for a bit!"

He walked in her general direction and said, "All right, say something or move so I know where you're at."

"Hi, Yusuke," Sara greeted him.

Yusuke walked over to her and ruffled her hair, "You're a sound for sore ears."

"How did you know I was here?" She questioned.

Yusuke smiled, "None of my students can dodge as stealthily as you can."

"Next time I'll remember to stomp around," Sara teased.

Yusuke shoved her before asking, "What brings you here?"

"I need to talk to someone who's not going to be disappointed or angry with me," she answered.

Yusuke's eyes widened, "And you came to me first?"

"Well…third," she admitted.

"Kakashi and Kai?" He guessed.

"Yeah."

"At least I'm above Tiégra on the family chain," Yusuke said grinning. "So what do you need to talk about?"

"My last mission…" Sara answered. "Lady Tsunade ordered me to kill Sasuke if necessary and well…to put it mildly…Sakura and Naruto didn't like that much."

Yusuke said, "But you followed your orders, which is good, Lady Tsunade was at least pleased with you."

Sara was starting to have second thoughts about going to Yusuke. She was starting to feel worse, if anything, "They're my best friends though…"

"Maybe they're not if they'll let this mission come between you," he stated. His tone changed, "You need to get rid of some stress. Why don't you spar with my students?"

Sara stared at his students. All of them had a handicap of some sort, "I'm not sure that would be fair…"

"They can hold their own," Yusuke stated.

"If you're sure," Sara said, walking to the middle of the field.

Yusuke shouted, "My niece wants to spar with all of you, so show her what you've got!"

"Wait, what?" Sara shouted, whirling back around to face him.

One of his students, a girl with long, braided, black hair kicked her in the back, and said excitedly as she hit the ground, "I got her!"

"It's a substitution," a boy with orange hair pointed out.

Another girl, with long brown hair said, "There she is! Get her!"

"Oh crap!" Sara muttered, as she dodged a multitude of kicks and punches, cuffing them away since she was didn't want to hurt them.

Meanwhile, the other members of Team Kakashi had just finished their mission. Naruto said to no one in particular, "Man…it's so weird not having Bright Eyes here."

"She said that she'd kill Sasuke," Sakura reminded him.

"I know," Naruto said. "But maybe…maybe she has her own reasons. I mean…Sasuke nearly killed her when he left."

"Still," Sakura said.

Sai interjected, "Lady Tsunade ordered her to kill him if necessary."

"What?" Sakura and Naruto shouted.

Sai nodded, "She told me so on our way back from that mission."

"Seriously?" Naruto questioned. Sai nodded.

Sakura said, "Looks like we owe Sara an apology."

"Yeah and we need to have a word with Grandma Tsunade," Naruto grumbled. "Let's go find Bright Eyes! See ya, Commander!" Naruto took off running down the street.

"Excuse us please," Sakura said before she followed Naruto.

Sara sat down on the ground next to Yusuke, trying to catch her breath, "I'm…never helping you…with a training session ever again!"

"Took you by surprise, didn't they?" Yusuke said grinning.

Sara glared at him, not caring that he couldn't see it, "Yeah, you could say that…will they be shinobi?"

Yusuke shook his head, "No. This is the best Lady Hokage can do for those with disabilities that dream of being ninja…training them to fight but they're unable to do missions above a C rank."

"That's too bad…" She thought about that for a second, "Wait a minute! You could do S rank so why…"

He cut her off, "I was able to see for those missions."

"Still…" Sara grumbled.

"Don't worry about it," Yusuke said, smiling again. He turned a bit, "Sounds like someone's coming."

Sara turned and smiled as she said, "Hi, Asuma!"

Asuma scowled, "Just Asuma, huh?"

"Unless you prefer something else," Sara said mischievously.

"Asuma's fine," he said, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. "You seem kind of down."

Sara really hated his perceptiveness sometimes. She glanced at Yusuke and asked, "Do you still want me to spar with your students?"

"Get out of here," Yusuke said, shooing her away in mock anger, though he was smiling.

Asuma led the way, Sara following him. He led her to the Yakiniku Q, the BBQ House. They sat at a table with their drinks, neither of them really hungry.

He asked, "What's on your mind?"

"If the Hokage orders you to do something based on your judgment even though it would anger your friends…would you do it?" Sara asked.

Asuma stared at the ceiling for several minutes. He finally said, looking at her, "If I knew deep down that it was the right thing to do, then yeah. I'd piss off my friends. What did the Hokage order you to do?"

"Kill Sasuke," Sara answered.

Asuma didn't say anything at first, "Naruto and Sakura didn't take too well to that, huh?"

"That's putting it mildly," Sara muttered darkly.

"It'll blow over," Asuma said, relaxing against the booth. "They'll get over it."

"Do you think Master Kakashi…" She couldn't finish her question.

Asuma gazed at her steadily, "Kakashi will be more worried about you then Sasuke. Sasuke chose his path. Kakashi knows what comes with decisions like that."

"Yeah, I know," Sara said, feeling better. "Thanks, Asuma."

Asuma shrugged, "It's nothing."

Back with Naruto and Sakura, Naruto ran up to Yusuke shouting, "Hey! Bright Eyes' Uncle!" Yusuke turned, his eyes glinting with an unknown intent. "Hey! Have you seen, Bright Eyes?"

"Idiot!" Sakura shouted, punching him in the back of the head.

Yusuke forced a smile onto his face, "No, I can't say I have seen her…" He turned where he had heard Sakura's voice, "You must be Sakura."

"Yes," Sakura said, unnerved by Yusuke's blind gaze. It's like he's looking through me instead of at me!

"I'm sure she'll show up here eventually, she usually comes to talk with me after missions," Yusuke said casually. "Would you like to spar with my students? I'm not really feeling the best and…"

"Sure we'll help!" Naruto answered, enthusiastically, missing the glint in Yusuke's eyes.

One of Yusuke's students whined, "You never spar with us Yusuke-sensei!"

"Because I keep finding great young ninja who are more spry then I," Yusuke countered.

Sakura said to Naruto as they walked into the middle of the training field, "We'll have to go easy on them since they're disabled."

"I know, I know," Naruto grunted.

They were not prepared for the ferocity and skill that Yusuke's students came at them with.

Asuma and Sara were walking past Yusuke's training field, when Sara heard a loud, "OW!" come from the field. She turned to see Naruto and Sakura having problems as they sparred with Yusuke's students.

"I guess I'd better help," Sara muttered, before she teleported into the fray, grabbed Naruto and Sakura, and teleported again, this time next to Yusuke.

"Cruel…and unusual…" Naruto panted, glaring at Yusuke.

Sakura said, "You could have warned us!"

Yusuke shrugged, "It slipped my mind."

"Yusuke!" Sara said, "You didn't have to do this to them."

"I figured I could do something for you," Yusuke said, grinning.

"Wait! You said Bright Eyes hadn't been here!" Naruto accused.

"I lied," Yusuke stated simply.

Sakura ignored Yusuke and Naruto as Naruto started yelling at Yusuke. She said to Sara, "We came to apologize…we didn't realize that Lady Tsunade had ordered you to…"

"It's fine," Sara said. "So long as we're still comrades and friends."

"Of course we are!" Naruto shouted, turning away from Yusuke.

"That's good," Sara said happily.

"Come on, Bright Eyes," Naruto said grinning. "Let's go see if we have another mission!"

"Right," Sara said, smiling at Yusuke, "thanks!"

"You're welcome…you really need to come see me more often," he said silently.

"I know," Sara answered. She waved at Asuma, who waved back before she followed Naruto and Sakura.

Nicknames

The next day, Sai was sitting in the Leaf Village Library, reading a book aloud: "…In order to be more quickly understood by others one must first draw them in and warm them to you. For example, when addressing others if you persist in calling them 'mister' or 'miss' it maintains a reserved air and never allows the gap to be bridged. First, try calling people by their name, without any title or try coming up with a nickname or pet name. This will make them feel special and bring them closer to you…" He paused, "Huh…"

Sakura was also in the library, scanning the shelves for books she wanted. Her hand paused over Powerful Drugs and Their Uses, "Here it is…" She was surprised to see Sai sitting at one of the tables, Oh…? It's Sai.

She asked as she approached him, "Did you come looking for art books?"

"Sakura," Sai said, surprised.

"Never pegged you for a reader," she commented.

Sai blushed, "Occasionally."

One of the book titles caught her eye, How to Build Better Interpersonal Relationships… Sai's actually got quite a human side to him. "Oh! I almost forget!" Sai gazed at her in confusion. "Naruto, Sara, and I are going to visit Kakashi-sensei in the hospital. Wanna come with us?"

"Kakashi…sensei…" Sai murmured.

"Well," Sakura said. "You are apart of Team Kakashi now, so you ought to at least meet him."

Sai didn't answer her, now nervous at the prospect of meeting Kakashi.

Naruto sat at the steps leading to the hospital, wearing a black T-shirt and beige pants, he wasn't wearing his headband. Sara was leaning against a dog statue, her headband was also absent, and not much was different about her attire apart from her shirt, which had the Hatake clan's symbol on it. Naruto was lost in his own thoughts of his last encounter with Sasuke, Maybe Bright Eyes is right in thinking he's a lost cause… He shook his head defiantly, no. I can't think like that!

"Naruto! Sara!" Sakura called from down the street.

Naruto turned, "Huh?"

"Hey, Sakura!" Sara greeted her. "Hi, Sai."

"Hey! What's he doing here?" Naruto demanded.

Sakura answered, "I ran into him at the library."

"But I thought it was just gonna be the two of us," Naruto complained.

Sara muttered darkly, "What am I? Chopped liver?"

Naruto ignored her comment, "Y'know, like a date!"

"If I had that much free time I'd study more ninjutsu," Sakura stated.

"Study, study, study," Naruto grumbled. "Is that ALL you like to do?"

"I believe in training my brain as well as my body. You should try it sometime. Because you really need it! You fool," Sakura said.

Just like the book said, Sai thought. Sakura refers to Naruto casually.

"Sakura! Don't say that! I do study, right Bright Eyes?" Naruto was hoping Sara would help him.

Naruto uses a nickname to refer to Sara, Sai thought, trying to understand how such things worked.

Sara glanced at Naruto, "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Gah!" Naruto groaned.

"Naruto…Sakura…Sara," Sai said, embarrassed. "Mind if I join?" They all gazed at him, utterly perplexed.

"Oh! I mean…" he was really embarrassed now. "I read in a book how to make others feel at ease with you. It said to be casual with their names or call them by a nickname or pet name and that will breed familiarity and quickly lead to friendship."

Naruto grinned, "Sai…I didn't know you cared."

"So that's why you were at the library," Sakura commented.

"Yes," Sai nodded, smiling as well. "So…I was trying to think of nicknames or pet names for the three of you and I couldn't really think of any so I decided to just go with referring to you casually."

Sai doesn't seem capable of caring that much about us, Sakura thought, smiling.

"Don't think so hard. Just let it come naturally," Naruto said.

Sara said, "Pet names and nicknames often refer to a person's physical traits or their personality traits. Naruto calls me Bright Eyes, since he says that there's a fire burning in them."

"Well, there is!" Naruto defended himself.

Sakura said, "Or take Naruto for example. You could call him Stupid Naruto or Dimwit Naruto!"

"Sakura, you did it again," Naruto said, feeling somewhat dejected.

I see…people's traits… Sai thought, trying to think of a good nickname for Sakura.

Sakura smiled, Wow, Sai's so different from when we first met him…

"Thanks for the tip, Homely," Sai said, addressing Sakura.

"HOMELY!" Sakura shouted, shoving Naruto out of the way trying to get at Sai. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING HOMELY?"

"That was really cheap shot, Sai," Naruto managed to say.

"Huh?" Sai said, confused. "What do you mean?"

As they walked into Kakashi's hospital room he smiled as he spotted Sara, "I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me, Young One."

Sara blushed, "How could I forget, Master Kakashi? I've just been…busy."

Sai rubbed his cheek where Sakura had slugged him, even master and student are at ease with the other, using nicknames!

Kakashi glanced at Sai, "I see…so you're the new team member. Sai, is it? Nice to meet you."

"Yes, sir," Sai said.

Kakashi noticed that Naruto was also rubbing a bruised cheek. "Hey, Sakura, come here a second." Sakura walked forward, confused. "Those bruises on the boy's faces…did Sara lose her temper with them or did they get into a fight? Knowing Naruto's temper that wouldn't surprise me either…"

"O-oh no, it's nothing!" Sakura said, over enthusiastically. "We all get along just fine!"

"If you say so," he murmured as Sakura laughed nervously.

Sai watched as Kakashi went back to reading his book, so this is Kakashi Hatake, famed even among those the Foundation. I bet he's looked me up too.

Sakura glanced at Naruto and said, "Naruto…"

"Yup," Naruto nodded. "Sensei, on our last mission, we…"

"Yamato told me everything, all about Sasuke too," Kakashi said, cutting him off. He added silently to Sara, "Even about you. Tsunade filled in the blanks after that. I'm disappointed that that kept you from visiting me."

"Things were complicated at the time, all right?" Sara stated, embarrassed.

"We're running out of time," Naruto stated. "At this rate, he'll soon be…and where I'm at now, I'm not strong enough to bring Sasuke back… He's become too strong."

"Well, in that case," Kakashi said. "You just need to get stronger than that." Naruto stared at him, confused.

"As I see it, Sasuke's rate of maturation isn't ordinary," Sakura stated. "And according to Lady Tsunade, it's possible they're augmenting his training with drugs and forbidden jutsu, courtesy of Kabuto. I realize there are no books that can help us understand…" she clutched the book in her hand tighter. "…the mindset of those who perform live human experiments…"

"Which is why the only thing we can do is super accelerate our own growth," Kakashi interjected.

"But how?" Sakura asked.

"You think I've been sleeping and doing nothing this whole time?" He asked.

Sara commented, "That and reading your books and counting ceiling and floor tiles."

Kakashi gave her a stern look, silencing her, "I've been brainstorming…and that's how the idea came to me. But this method is more suited to Naruto…or rather, it will only work with Naruto." Kakashi pulled his gaze away from his book to look at Naruto, "And if it does pan out, Naruto, you may even surpass me."

The Special Squad

"Surpass YOU, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Kakashi nodded, "That's right."

Wow! Sara thought, unable to hide her shock. Sakura and Sai had similar expressions of shock.

"I'll be working with you one-on-one," Kakashi continued. Adding silently to himself, sort of… "It'll be training like you've never done before."

"Never…? How…?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi answered, "We'll create an ultimate ninjutsu, only for YOU." Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and happiness as he continued to listen to Kakashi, "This new jutsu will be even more powerful than Rasengan. But in order to attain the power that you'll need for it you'll have to train with an intensity unlike any you've known." He glanced down at his book, "It's not like some character in a novel. You can't get stronger in just a few days. And it won't be like a pre-existing jutsu, such as the Rasengan, that we can break down and work on in simpler stages."

"Massive amount of time?" Naruto snapped, "But I just told you, we're out of time! Sasuke's almost…"

Kakashi interrupted him, "That's why I figured out a way to do it in a short period."

"H-how…?" Naruto questioned, eagerly.

"Well…" Kakashi paused as his hospital room door was thrown open.

Asuma said as he walked in, "How you feeling, Kakashi?"

"MASTER ASUMA COULD YOU KNOCK FIRST?" Ino asked him angrily.

"Hiya," Choji greeted them from behind Asuma.

Shikamaru merely nodded at them, slightly embarrassed by walking in on Team Kakashi. As he followed Asuma into the room he relaxed, "Hey, if it isn't Sara, Naruto, and Sakura. You're back already…" His gaze rested on Sai, and his tone instantly changed, "You're that kid from…"

"OH!" Choji said, recognizing Sai as well. Ino was confused by her teammates' reactions, while Sara and Sakura looked at Sai and Naruto expecting some sort of explanation.

"Hi," Sai said happily, before he explained (with Naruto's assistance) why he had attacked them that first day.

"Oh, so that's what that was about," Choji said, smiling, eating his chips still while sitting a chair. Shikamaru stood next to him, watching Asuma, who was sitting on the edge of Kakashi's bed.

Sai was still smiling, "My name is Sai. And you many address me accordingly."

Ino whispered to Sakura, "Huh…he's pretty cool and cute…looks a little like Sasuke."

"Uh, maybe in looks, but inside he's quite different," Sakura whispered back. "He can't read emotions."

Shikamaru moved away from Choji and walked up to Naruto, saying in hushed tones, "Lady Tsunade told me what happened with Sasuke. Next time something comes up, I'll help too. Especially now that that bothersome Chûnin Exam is over."

"Thanks," Naruto said, smiling slightly.

Shikamaru glanced towards his teacher as Asuma said, "Why don't you all go on ahead to Yakiniku Q, the BBQ House. Team Kakashi, you're welcome to join us."

"Woohoo! Barbeque!" Choji shouted.

"Nice!" Ino said, clapping her hands together. I get to sit next to Sai!

"I'm buying," Asuma continued. "But in the meantime, Kakashi and I have some business to discuss."

"Hey, wait a sec! Kakashi-sensei, what about that training you were telling me about?" Naruto demanded.

"Right, hmmm…" Kakashi looked thoughtful, "Well! We'll get back to that later."

"WHAT?" Naruto shouted. "Aw, man! Just when I was getting all excited!"

"Well go enjoy the meal that Asuma has agreed to provide for all of you," Kakashi said, smiling, shooing them out of his room. Asuma glanced at Shikamaru and Sara, who hadn't moved, and Kakashi nodded slightly, "You two should go as well, enjoy yourselves!"

Sara moved towards the door, Shikamaru following her, "And here I thought you wanted to spend some quality time together!"

Kakashi sighed, "Not right now. Asuma obviously has something he wants to talk to me about and he doesn't want nosey youngsters listening!"

"Whatever!" Sara said, walking out the door.

Kakashi said as soon as the door closed, "I'm not sure I should have gotten them out of here…"

"What? You think they're not going to the BBQ House? What else are they going to do?" Asuma asked.

"Let's not get into that," Kakashi said.

Meanwhile, at the Yakiniku Q, Sakura asked, "Hey! Where's Shikamaru and Sara?"

"Home. He's gotta go collect medicinal antlers with his Dad, or something…"

Ino said, "Huh. But he's always celebrated mission completions with us before…how odd."

"Bright Eyes isn't usually one to turn down free food," Naruto added. "Maybe she had some errands to run for Kakashi-sensei…"

"Maybe," Sakura said, unconvinced.

The meat was almost done, so Choji said, "Well, since they're not here…I get their share!"

"Hey, Choji!" Ino snapped. "We should introduce ourselves to Sai before we start eating."

"Oh…right," Choji said, not taking his eyes off the meat.

"Thanks," Sai said. First impressions are everything, so I've got to come up with a nickname or pet name right away…

"Er…I'm Choji Akimichi, of the Akimichi clan," Choji said, drooling, ready to eat. "Nice to meet you, uh…Sai."

Sai said, "Nice to meet you to…uh…" Personality trait…trait…

Don't tell me! Sakura thought worriedly.

Naruto thought, he's going to say the forbidden word!

"Chub…" Sai started to say, but Naruto slapped a hand over his mouth.

He said angrily in hushed tones, "Hey, Sai! Don't ever say CHUBBY to CHOJI! Get it?" Sai nodded, still bewildered.

"Were you about to say something?" Choji having heard what Sai was about to say.

Sakura laughed nervously, "No, no…"

Ino was entirely oblivious to the situation that had almost occurred, "I'm Ino Yamanaka. My parents own Yamanaka Flowers. Nice to meet you!"

Sakura waited eagerly for Sai to call Ino something.

Sai smiled while he was thinking, In the case of women, if you state their personality traits too bluntly you will anger them… Which means I should say something opposite… "Nice to meet you, um… you're beautiful." Ino blushed, while Naruto shuddered.

Sakura shouted, startling the people who were walking past the BBQ House, "BEAUTIFUL! YOU CALL HER BEAUTIFUL?" Sai didn't know what hit him!

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was walking with Sara. He asked, "So is what I heard true?"

"Depends on what you've heard," Sara stated.

Shikamaru sighed, "Did you really say that you would kill Sasuke? It doesn't sound like you…never mind…yeah it does."

"Lady Tsunade ordered it," she stated.

"What?"

Sara nodded, "She ordered that if I felt there was chance of bringing Sasuke back that I should kill him if possible."

"And?" Shikamaru prompted.

She sighed, "He was willing to kill Sakura…what do you think?"

Shikamaru sighed as well, "I guess I'll be my own judge if I ever see Sasuke."

"That's all any of us can be," Sara said. "Any other reason that you wanted to walk around the village?"

Shikamaru smiled, "Yeah, I just wanted to hang out with my girlfriend." Sara blushed. "But…I did promise my dad that I'd help him collect medicinal antlers. If you want, I'll walk you back to the hospital before I go help him."

"I'd like that," she said, smiling.

As Shikamaru walked Sara back to the hospital, Kakashi asked Asuma, "So what did you want to discuss?"

"Actually…" Asuma started, but he stopped as a knock sounded from the hospital room door.

Kurenai pushed the door open and said to Asuma, "There you are."

"Oh, Kurenai," Kakashi said, surprised. "What's up?"

"I heard Asuma was here," she answered.

"I see," Kakashi said. "So, where were we, Asuma?"

Asuma stood up, "Nah, it's no rush. Next time's fine. Later."

Kakashi watched them leave, now it's really going to bother me… He turned his attention back to the door as Sara walked in. Kakashi sighed in relief.

"What?" Sara questioned as she walked over to his bed and sat on the edge.

Kakashi quickly said, "Nothing!"

"You know," Sara said, reading his mind. "Not all guys have sex on their minds."

Kakashi blushed under his mask, "I have ever right to suspect the worst."

Sara rolled her eyes, "If Shikamaru tried something like that, and don't you think I'd probably beat him to a pulp?"

Kakashi smiled, "Yes, I do believe you would." His tone became serious, "Why didn't you come to see me about Sasuke?"

"With how Naruto and Sakura reacted…I just…" She trailed off.

Kakashi supplied, "You thought I'd get angry as well."

"Part of me did," Sara answered.

"I already figured that Sasuke would be a lost cause…" Kakashi stated. "There is a part of me that wants to believe he'll come back to his senses…"

"Trust me, Master Kakashi…I know what you mean," she agreed.

A tapping sounded from the window, along with an angry tweet. Sara glanced at the window and sighed, "Now what does she want?"

Kakashi laughed, pulling her into a hug. He pulled his mask down quickly and kissed her cheek, "Go see what that slave driver wants, then meet me outside the house, all right?"

"Sure," Sara said, confused. "But aren't you going to train Naruto?"

Kakashi smiled, "I want you to help me out with that."

"I should have known," Sara said, rolling her eyes, before she teleported.

She appeared outside the Hokage's office door and knocked. "Enter," Tsunade said. Sara walked in and Tsunade smiled, "Good, I'm glad you're the first one to arrive."

"What?" Sara asked, confused.

Tsunade continued to smile, "I want to set up an experimental squad of one accomplished jônin and two Anbu Black Ops."

"Why?" Sara asked, still confused. "The squads work well when they're all jônin or all Anbu Black Ops."

Tsunade nodded, "True. But I'm a gambling woman, and I want to see if my idea will work."

"Do I get to hear your idea, or am I just a guinea pig?" Sara questioned.

Tsunade grinned, "You're a guinea pig." Sara frowned. "However, this is also for your benefit. You've already proven that you can lead a squad. You led many when you were Head Anbu. You've also proven that you can keep a secret on this last mission. I need both of those qualities now."

Sara sighed, "Kakashi needs to be kept in the dark too?"

"Yes," Tsunade answered. "However, I know you'll like the two Anbus I've picked as your teammates… You'll have to train at night, your first training session being tonight. I've asked a senior Anbu to oversee your first training session for my benefit. After that, you'll be on your own. Understood?"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade," Sara said, bowing slightly.

Tsunade nodded, "You're dismissed."

Sara nodded, before she walked out of the Hokage's office. She smiled as she spotted Kenshin, Ryo, and Kai leaning against the walls of the hallway. I'll bet all my money that Kenshin and Ryo are the two Anbu Black Ops… She teleported to meet Kakashi.

Chakra Nature

Kakashi smiled as she appeared beside him, "What did she want?"

"She just wanted to make sure that I was all right," Sara answered, making sure that she was blocking Kakashi.

He frowned, but he let the subject drop "Meet me at training field nine. I'm going to get Naruto."

"Right," Sara said, teleporting again.

Kakashi sighed, what is she hiding from me? He shook off his misgivings and teleported to the main village, hoping to find Naruto and one other person…

Ten minutes later Kakashi and Sara stood facing Naruto. Kakashi said, "All right, time to get to work." Naruto started laughing like an idiot.

"Something funny?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto grinned, "Well, you know…it's been a while since you've taught me, Kakashi-sensei… Don't know why, but I like this…"

Kakashi smiled, "Laugh while you still can, Naruto." He started to laugh evilly while Naruto gave him a worried look before glancing worriedly at Sara.

"Time's not passing any slower," Kakashi continued. "Like I told you at the hospital…the goal of this training is to create an ultimate ninjutsu that's uniquely yours. A jutsu that goes beyond the Rasengan." He glanced at Sara, "Demonstrate for me please, so he'll get the basic gist of what I'm trying to tell him." Sara nodded.

"In order to do that, you'll need to acquire two techniques," Kakashi continued, holding up two fingers. "That of change in chakra nature and change in chakra form."

Naruto was mystified, "Change in form…and change in nature…?"

"That's right," Kakashi said. "For example, take the Chidori." Sara began to perform the Chidori. "First I change my chakra's nature so it's like an electoral current. And then I change its form so it'll discharge…and set its range of action and power level. In that regard, the Rasengan," Sara stared at Kakashi's back incredulously before she started to perform the Rasengan. "…is different from the Chidori because it only involves a change in form. The Rasengan merely requires one to compress and rotate one's chakra at high speed, so a change in nature is not necessary."

"Change in chakra nature, huh…" Naruto said, starting to understand what Kakashi was talking about.

Kakashi continued, "To achieve jutsu more powerful than the Rasengan, you'll need to be able to execute a change in chakra nature as well."

"Got it!" Naruto said triumphantly. "Change in chakra nature!"

He doesn't get it, Sara thought, feeling the drain of her chakra from doing a Rasengan and a Chidori. Master Kakashi's lucky that my stamina is better than his.

Kakashi sighed, I don't think he really understands, but since he's more of a direct learner, I guess it's all right… "However, it normally takes a massive amount of time to acquire these techniques. What I was about to explain to you earlier was a method that could shorten that time considerably."

"Okay! So what is it?" Naruto demanded.

"Hold your horses," Kakashi said, slightly annoyed. "It's multiple Shadow Clones."

"Huh?" Naruto was baffled at Kakashi's last statement.

Sara was interested now, as Kakashi continued, "Like I was saying, the trick if multiple Shadow Clones."

"The trick to what?" Naruto questioned.

Kakashi said, his patience starting to wane, "To shortening the amount of training time you'll need."

Naruto frowned, "But how will multiple Shadow Clones help?"

"I should have known you'd ask," Kakashi sighed. "All right, I'll explain, but you better pay attention."

"Yes, sir!" Naruto saluted him. "But you'd better keep it simple!"

"Fine," Kakashi said. "Sara, demonstrate again." Sara sighed in response.

"As you already know," Kakashi began to explain. "The Shadow Clone Jutsu creates an actual copy of oneself…" Sara created a Shadow Clone. "…unlike the Clone Jutsu, which just creates an illusion…" Sara also created a regular clone and purposely waved an arm through it, showing it was an illusion. "In other words, you can say that it is a clone-producing ninjutsu. I know this because I too can make Shadow Clones…" Sara transformed into Kakashi, creating an identical Shadow Clone that looked like him. "Though not quite as many as you…" Sara transformed one of her clones into Naruto and then created five Shadow Clones that looked like Naruto. "However, this jutsu also imparts a special effect to its user. As someone who uses Shadow Clones often, you may have picked up on this already."

"On what?" Naruto asked.

"When you release the jutsu and you're back to just you, whatever your clones have experienced is deposited in your memory bank."

Naruto was utterly lost. He snapped, "I told you to keep it simple!"

"Okay so you haven't noticed," Kakashi commented as Sara released jutsu, creating a mess of smoke that left her coughing.

Naruto said, "I don't even know what you're talking about!"

Kakashi sighed, "All right… How about we all make Shadow Clones?"

"What?" Sara managed to shout past her coughing. "You couldn't have told me that sooner?"

"Sorry," Kakashi said, his tone indicating that he meant it. "I know how if feels to be drained of chakra, but please, do the jutsu."

"Fine!" Sara said, silently.

In unison, all three of them shouted, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"Good," Kakashi said. "Now split up into a group of originals and a group of clones…"

The clone Kakashi said, "The clone group will go hide in those woods over there. Clone Naruto. Clone Sara. Follow me."

Once they were in the trees, Clone Kakashi said, "Now, while the originals can't see us clones here in the woods… Let's play Roshambo."

"Why?" Clone Naruto asked.

The Sara clone snapped, "Just do it!"

"Rock, paper, scissors," the clones said together. Clone Kakashi and Clone Sara had rock, while Clone Naruto had paper.

"What are our clones doing?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi smiled, "Don't worry, you'll see soon enough."

"Woohoo! I won!" Naruto's clone shouted happily.

Clone Kakashi said, "All right then. Let's release the jutsu and be done with it."

"Right," Clone Sara said, making a hand sign.

Clone Naruto said, making the same hand sign, "Yes, sir!"

All three clones disappeared.

"Well?" Kakashi prompted as Naruto got a glazed look, "Do you know what our clones just did?"

Naruto grinned, "We played, Roshambo, and I won!"

"Now do you understand?" Kakashi queried. "The clones' experiences get logged in our memory banks."

Naruto grinned, "Wow. I guess I just kinda randomly made Shadow Clones in the past, so I never noticed."

Sara muttered, "Kinda randomly doesn't begin to describe it…"

"Hey!" Naruto said, in mock anger, punching her arm lightly.

Kakashi smiled under his mask, "Originally, this jutsu was used for particularly tricky intelligence gathering, like traversing dangerous terrain or infiltrating enemy strongholds…"

"But how does all this relate to shortening my training period?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, yes, I'm still getting to that," Kakashi said, slowly losing his patience. How Lord Jiraiya ever found the patience to teach this kid the Rasengan is completely beyond me!

"Well, come on!" Naruto said eagerly. "Tell me!"

"Basically," Kakashi said. "If you and one Shadow Clone do the same exercise simultaneously, you'll pack up twice the experience."

"Yeah, okay," Naruto said, following Kakashi so far.

"In other words…if two of you train together you cut the total amount of training in half. Three of you would take only a third of the time. One thousand of you would get it done in one thousandth the time," Kakashi said.

"Wow…that's a lot," Naruto stated.

Kakashi continued, "Just imagine it…accomplishing in one day what would normally take two. Skills that would take twenty years to master could be learned in one week with one thousand clones."

"Wow! That's genius!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi grinned, but he scowled as Sara said, "Don't say that it'll go to his head."

He shot her a nasty look before he said, "This training to achieve change in chakra nature that we're about to start…it means we're going to use multiple Shadow Clones the whole time."

"Aye, sir!" Naruto said happily. "Now I know why you and Bright Eyes are so strong, Kakashi-sensei! This is how you've been training, huh?"

"No," Sara said, glancing at Kakashi. "We've never done this sort of training."

Naruto looked at Kakashi, "She's kidding, right?"

"Nope. I've never used this method before for either my training or Sara's," he stated.

"Why not?" Naruto demanded. "If you have the power to make multiple Shadow Clones…"

"I do," Kakashi said. "But I can't maintain them long enough. I simply don't have the kind of power you do."

Naruto looked at Sara, "But Bright Eyes, you do…don't you?"

"No. Only if Phoenix is helping me out, which I try to avoid if possible," Sara stated.

Kakashi added, "A jutsu that forces us to divide our chakra into equal portions isn't good for us. Especially me, not having a lot of chakra to begin with. Sara might be able to get away with training with three clones, but not ten or one hundred."

"Wait a sec," Naruto said. "I have more chakra than both of you?"

Kakashi said, "About four times more than my own."

"No way? Really?" Naruto was grinning, "So I'm like super amazing, huh?"

"If Yamato wasn't suppressing the Nine-tails chakra it would be one thousand times more," Kakashi said. Naruto was flabbergasted.

A voice behind them said, "And that's why this training technique also only works for you, Naruto."

Naruto turned around in surprise, "Captain Yamato!"

"Kakashi asked me to help out with your training," Yamato said. "Since I'm needed to control the Nine-Tails chakra."

"Thanks, sir!" Naruto said, happily.

"Patience," Kakashi said. "I must explain the change in chakra nature."

"Sure!" Naruto said happily.

"Sara," Kakashi looked at her. "You need to listen to this too."

"Right."

Kakashi said, "Fundamentally, there are only five types of chakra natures."

"Five types? That's it?" Naruto questioned.

Kakashi nodded, "Fire, wind, water, lightning, and earth. These five natures are also the origins of the five principal shinobi territories' names and the foundation for all ninjutsu.

"Wow…" I had no idea." Naruto said.

Kakashi added, "These are also the five Elementals that Granny Chiyo told us about. The Elementals are the living embodiment of these natures. Phoenix is the embodiment of fire, tiger is the embodiment of lightning, a dragon is the embodiment of water, a horse is the embodiment of wind, and a wolf is the embodiment of earth. Some people believe that the Elementals give shinobi their chakra natures."

Sara was surprised, to say the least, "Where did you learn about all of this?"

"I was doing some research while in the hospital," Kakashi said, smiling at her. "I couldn't read Make Out Paradise over and over again, it gets boring after awhile."

"All that aside," Yamato said. "Most everyone's chakra fits into one of the natures that Kakashi mentioned. For example, members of the Uchiha clan all possess a fiery nature, which is why they excel at Fire Style jutsu."

"Wind nature leads to Wind Style jutsu," Kakashi added. "And lightning nature to Lightning Style jutsu. For example, the Chidori is a type of Lightning Style jutsu."

"Which means," Naruto said, putting two and two together. "Sasuke possess more then one chakra nature."

"…And you seem to have none," Kakashi stated, as he rummaged in his pouch for something. "Not only that, we still don't even know which nature you or Sara are predisposed to."

"I'd thought that be obvious with me," Sara muttered.

Kakashi finally found what he was looking for in his pouch, "You can never be sure." He pulled several small pieces of paper out of his pouch, "So we're going to find out what chakra natures you're both predisposed to using these slips of paper." He pulled one away from the others holding it between his index finger and his middle finger

"How?" Naruto questioned. His eyes widened in surprise as the paper crinkled without Kakashi moving.

"If you have lightning nature, the paper will wrinkle," Kakashi stated. "With wind nature the paper tears. Fire nature, the paper burns. Water nature, the paper becomes wet. And earth nature, the paper crumbles." He held out the papers for Sara and Naruto to take one, "These are litmus papers that react to chakra. They're made from a unique species of tree that absorbs and grows from chakra. You can find out your true nature simply by running your chakra through the slip."

Naruto and Sara both took one of the litmus papers. While Naruto stayed close to the two senior jônin, Sara moved off a couple paces her back to them.

"All right," Naruto said as he closed his eyes and focused his chakra, turning away from the two jônin. "Hah!..Aah!" Naruto stared in surprise at the rip that had formed in his litmus paper.

Sara closed her eyes and ran her chakra through the paper. He eyes widened in shock as she gazed at her chakra nature results.

Kakashi said, "Well then, we'll get started with wind change in chakra nature training." He glanced at Sara, "What about you? What's your change in nature?"

She turned to face him, eyes wide with shock, "It's not what you think…"

Let the Training Begin!

She held up the crinkled paper for Kakashi to see and he couldn't help smiling, "It seems you have a lot more Hatake in you then anyone ever thought!"

"I know, it's pretty cool," Sara said grinning.

Yamato looked between the two, "Wait! You two are related?"

"Sort of," Kakashi said. "But I am her guardian."

Yamato's mouth fell open as he took in the pair, realizing for the first time just how similar they were.

Naruto laughed, "What's wrong, Commander? You couldn't figure out they were more than master and student?"

Yamato gave Naruto his creepy face, and Naruto became quiet pretty quickly.

Kakashi was still smiling, "I'll tell you what I want you to do, Sara, once I'm done explaining Naruto's training."

"I thought you just said that you wanted me to help out with Naruto's training," Sara grumbled.

"I did," Kakashi said. "But now that he's going to be pretty much on his own, there's no reason why I shouldn't have you train as well."

Oh goody, Sara thought. As Kakashi started to explain some things to Naruto.

She was surprised when Phoenix said, I'm surprised that your chakra nature is lightning.

You are? Sara questioned.

I may be an Elemental, but that doesn't mean I know everything, even with my vast number of years under my wing, Phoenix stated.

Do you think that may have something to do with Tiger not killing Asuma and I right along with those shinobi back in the Land of Tigers? Sara wondered.

Phoenix was quiet for several seconds, It could be. It is easier for each individual Elemental to tell if someone carries its own chakra nature rather than a different one.

So you thought I had a fire chakra nature? Sara guessed

Yes, Phoenix answered. But I think that's because our chakras are so tightly bound together. Whatever jutsu those Uchihas used to seal me within you was a powerful one.

Sara focused on the conversation Kakashi was having with Naruto as Naruto shouted happily, "I KNEW IT! I KNEW I WAS UNSTOPPABLE!" She had half a mind to sweep his legs out from under him and see how unstoppable he was then. She sighed, knowing that it wouldn't do much good though.

"Whoa, Naruto!" Kakashi said, trying to rein in Naruto's enthusiasm. "We've only just figured this out."

"Kakashi-sensei's right," Yamato agreed. "First you must be trained so you can properly use and control your nature."

"Huh?" Naruto was now utterly, and completely lost.

"What?" Kakashi, Yamato, and Sara all asked at once.

Naruto said, "Just wondering…which nature does your Wood Style jutsu fall under, Captain Yamato?"

Kakashi whispered something to Yamato, who nodded and made a hand sign, Earth Style: Rampart of Flowing Soil! A huge wall of earth rose up from the ground.

"What the-?" Sara shielded her eyes, startled by Yamato's jutsu.

Naruto also shielded his eyes, "Hey! What?"

Yamato made another hand sign, Water Style: Waterfall Basin Jutsu!

"Cool," Sara admitted, gazing at the waterfall.

Naruto agreed, "Yeah, very cool!"

Yamato leapt off of the new waterfall, "I have both Earth and Water chakra natures, Naruto."

"You have two too, Captain Yamato? Awesome!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi said, "Once you hit the jônin rank, most everyone has at least two natures. Sara and I can both use other natures other than lightning, you know."

"So…including his Wood Style…" Naruto said, thinking hard. "Captain Yamato has three?"

Kakashi sighed, "No, that's not quite it."

Yamato answered Naruto's question, "I can only use Earth and Water natures. You see, technically, there is no Wood nature."

"Then how?" Naruto asked.

"You use the two simultaneously," Kakashi stated. "If you activate Earth and Water natures together, you get a Wood nature."

Yamato nodded, "Earth with my right hand. Water with my left." He made a hand sign, and trees sprouted from the new wall of earth."

"Sweet!" Naruto said.

Yamato explained, "When one possess two chakra natures it's not that difficult to use each nature separately. But to activate both of them simultaneously…"

"This ability to activate two chakras at the same time and create an entirely new chakra nature is sometimes known as Kekkai Genkai. You know that phrase, right?"

"Yeah," Naruto said.

Sara frowned, but she kept quiet. She'd ask her question once Kakashi was done talking.

"Remember our fight with Haku? He had a Kekkai Genkai called Hyoton, or Ice Style. He was able to manipulate Wind and Water changes in chakra nature simultaneously to create ice. And he could perform such a special jutsu because he was of a Kekkai Genkai bearing clan."

"Haku, too?" Naruto said, amazed.

Kakashi nodded, "That's why I couldn't copy his jutsu with my Sharingan."

"You said sometimes know as Kekkai Genkai," Sara said. "Are there exceptions?"

"Yes and no," Kakashi answered. "Yes, in being that it would be considered a recessive Kekkai Genkai, meaning that it needs two bearers of the recessive Kekkai Genkai to be passed on, however, it would not be as easy to perform the jutsu, taking more chakra."

"Simplify that please," Naruto said, glancing at Sara.

Sara sighed, "Basically, if Haku had fought another Ice Style, but it was a recessive Kekkai Genkai, the person with the recessive Kekkai Genkai would have lost the fight against Haku, who's Kekkai Genkai was a dominant trait."

"I think I get it," Naruto said.

"Then it's time to start your training," Kakashi said.

"Wait! What about Shikamaru's Shadow Possession or Choji's Art of Expansion?"

Kakashi thought, the one time I wish he wasn't so interested in the technical details…

"And how do medical ninjutsu and genjutsu work?" Naruto continued to ask.

Kakashi sighed, "It would take too long to explain and will only end up confusing you in the end."

"Why don't you leave the implicit and explicit aspects of change in chakra nature till the next time Kakashi?" Yamato suggested. "We should really start the exercise."

"Yup," Kakashi nodded in agreement. "All right! Let's begin. First we're going to practice making your chakra's change of nature stronger."

"Right! Stronger!" Naruto said enthused. He added, feeling kind of dumb, "How?"

Kakashi held a leaf in his hand, "You're going to hold a leaf between your palms and using just your chakra tear it completely in two."

"EASY!" Naruto shouted.

"As I told you earlier," Kakashi continued. "You're going to have Shadow Clones help."

Naruto nodded, "Okay…how many?"

"Well…at one leaf per clone," Kakashi pointed at the tree leaves above him. "This many."

Naruto grinned, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Each of the clones and Naruto himself grabbed a leaf from the tree and started to train.

Kakashi turned to Sara, "Now, for your training. Since we now know that your chakra nature is Lightning, I want you to come up with an original jutsu that deals with both a change in chakra form and change in chakra nature."

"Right," Sara said nodding, moving off away from the shouting clones to focus on what type of jutsu she really needed in her arsenal.

Smooth Training?

"GRRRRRR!" Was the only sound that came from the slew of Naruto's throughout the training field.

Sara sighed; she knew she needed a long range jutsu in her arsenal that would be easy to use. She was unsure of how to create a jutsu that wouldn't leave her exposed in battle.

Kakashi watched as she drew out a plan after plan in the sand, only to swipe her hand through the plan. She's really thinking hard about her jutsu. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with. He glanced at Naruto and his clones, as they stopped growling. He's already starting to get tears…this might go quickly after all.

He stood up and walked over to where Yamato was sitting in a circle of nine wooden beams with beast heads and torches blazing at the tops of their poles. A kanji was on his right palm that read "sit".

Kakashi asked, "Well? Are you able to control the Nine-Tails' chakra easily, Tenzo?"

"That's your real name?" Sara questioned as she appeared beside Kakashi.

Yamato sighed, "Look what you started, Kakashi."

"Sorry," Kakashi said. "I forgot for a moment."

"To answer your question, there are no problems so far. But please, both of you remember that I'm Yamato right now?"

"Right, right," Kakashi said. Sara nodded. He turned to her, "So…why did you come over here?"

"I thought you might like to see what I have in mind for my jutsu," Sara answered.

Kakashi smiled, "I'd rather be surprised."

"Suit yourself," Sara said, teleporting back to where she had been training.

Sara focused her chakra like she would for the Chidori, but as it gave off its static sound; she gritted her teeth as she tried to morph her chakra into the shape she wanted it to be. She stopped after trying for several minutes. I'll have to take a different approach to this then I originally thought…

She jumped, as one of the multiple Naruto's shouted, "Yes! I'm getting somewhere!"

Another Naruto complained, "Gah! I'm not getting anywhere yet!"

The first one laughed, "I'm better than you are!"

"But you're me!" the second Naruto shouted.

"Yes!" A different Naruto shouted. They all turned to look at the fiendishly grinning Naruto.

An entirely different Naruto sighed, "Gah! That one of me is pretty good." He glanced at Kakashi who was reading his book, before he walked over to him, "Hold on, Kakashi-sensei. I have a question." Kakashi glanced up at him, "Isn't there anyone else in the Leaf Village that has a Wind nature?"

"You want to ask for some tips?" Kakashi guessed.

Naruto grinned, "Can I?"

"There is one in particular," Kakashi mused. "He's probably playing Shogi right now…"

"Awesome!" Naruto said as he disappeared.

Kakashi turned his attention to Sara, Now what is she doing?

Sara tried to start her new jutsu again, using the basics of the Chidori, but not exactly. As it formed to the shape she wanted, she grinned and threw the shape in her hand, a boomerang.

Creative. A weapon formed out of chakra, His eyes widened as he watched her catch it. He couldn't help laughing.

Tenzo glanced at Kakashi, before he looked at Sara, and started laughing as well.

Sara glared at both of them, her hair frizzy and sticking up. "Yeah, yeah! Laugh it up while you can!" She turned her back on them, which only made them laugh harder since her ponytail was sticking straight out, poofed out like the rest of her hair. She blushed, okay, let's try that a little differently before I get into the hard part of this jutsu…

Meanwhile, Shikamaru said, moving his Shogi piece, "Checkmate."

"Argh! Lost again," Asuma grumbled.

Shikamaru smirked, "Looks like you're treating us to the dinner and party after our next assignment, Sensei."

"Oh, all right," Asuma sighed, knowing he couldn't win a game against Shikamaru.

"Asuma-sensei!" Naruto shouted as he came running over. "Hey!"

Asuma and Shikamaru looked at him in surprise. Shikamaru said, "Hey, Naruto…What are you doing here?"

"Actually," Naruto said. "I wanted to ask you something." He explained what he was doing to Asuma.

"Tricks for mastering Wind change in nature, eh?" Asuma murmured.

Naruto nodded, "Yeah."

"You're doing change in chakra nature drills?" Shikamaru asked, incredulous.

"Yup!" Naruto affirmed.

Shikamaru grinned, "You can't do it if you aren't sharp. Sure you're up to it?"

"That's why I came to ask Asuma-sensei for tips," Naruto explained.

Asuma said, "So you have Wind change in chakra nature, huh? Well, I'll be."

"So will you help me or not?" Naruto demanded.

Asuma looked thoughtful for a few seconds, "Okay. How's this? I'll tell you if you agree to pay for Team Asuma's next post mission BBQ dinner."

"Hey! Not cool!" Shikamaru said.

Naruto nodded, "If it means you'll help me? Deal."

"Good," Asuma said smiling. "Negotiations concluded." He rummaged in his pouch for something.

Back in the training field, Tenzo asked Kakashi, "So…how long do you think it will take Sara to create a new jutsu?"

Kakashi smiled, "With her mind, not long." He glanced her way, "She's already made quite a bit of progress, she's not shocking herself with her own chakra anymore…granted I'm not sure what else she's trying to do with the jutsu."

"I must say that I'm as baffled as you are," Tenzo agreed.

Sara threw the boomerang, making sure that her hand still had her chakra on it, almost like a mini Chidori. "Damn it!" She muttered, as the boomerang increased in size slightly, but obviously not to her liking. I still don't have it…I'm getting close though!

Naruto's eyes widened as Asuma pulled out two blades. "These are my chakra blades," Asuma explained. "They are forged from a special metal that can absorb the bearer's chakra nature. Take one." He tossed one of the blades to Naruto. "Now, try sending your chakra into the blade."

"No problem!" Naruto said. Asuma easily sent his chakra into the blade, while Naruto struggled, gritting his teeth, until he finally got his chakra into the blade.

He muttered, "My chakra looks different from Asuma-sensei's."

"In order to activate a Wind change in nature, you have to imagine splitting your chakra into two and grinding them against each other," Asuma explained. "As if you're finely sharpening the blade between the two parts."

"Sharpening the blade, huh," Naruto murmured, trying to keep up.

Asuma nodded, "That's right. Finely and sharply. That's the trick.

"Y'know," Naruto said. "I was just thinking…"

"Yes?"

"What's the point of using the Wind change in nature when we already have sharp-edged ninja tools to begin with? I mean…wouldn't it be easier and faster to just use those? Instead of running cutting chakra through cutting weapons?"

Asuma smiled, "All right. Let's you and me try throwing these chakra blades at that tree over there, okay?"

"Why?" Naruto questioned.

Asuma sighed, "Just do it. You'll see."

They both threw the chakra blades and while Naruto's got stuck in the tree, Asuma's sailed right on threw, embedding itself in a boulder.

"W-wow!" Naruto said, while Asuma merely smirked. Not only did it go through the tree, it even pierced that massive boulder behind it!

"I actually held back because it's dangerous," Asuma admitted. "But if I wanted it to, I could've made it pass completely through that rock, too."

Naruto's eyes widened in both shock, and a little bit of fear, "Seriously?"

Asuma nodded, "When two shinobi of equal abilities face each other with blades, the sharper blade decides the outcome. Wind change in nature is best suited for short and mid distance battles." He added as an afterthought, "You know, there aren't that many Wind types. Feel free to drop by anytime with questions. As long as you're willing to pay."

Naruto made a hand sign as he grinned, "Will do! Thanks!"

That was a clone? Shikamaru thought, surprised a bit.

Asuma rubbed the back of his head, "I think Naruto forgot that we have Choji on our team."

"You're cruel," Shikamaru agreed.

The clones and Naruto all got looks of understanding as the one clone's information from Asuma was passed to all of them.

"Oh! I see now!" One Naruto said.

Another added, "All right!"

Kakashi glanced up from his reading, it seems he was able to get some tips out of Asuma. And he's already making good use of the Shadow Clones special trait too. He went back to his reading without glancing over to see Sara's progress.

If he had glanced over, he would have noticed that the boomerang no longer spun around as it flew through the air, enlarging itself until it was actually flapping to propel itself forward. Only when it had reached the tip of its path would it reduce in size again, and actually spin back to Sara's hand.

I think I finally got it, Sara thought, sighing. I've managed to master it, but there's another jutsu I want to practice… She began trying to emit Chidori from her whole body like Sasuke had done. She stopped right away, damn it! Not enough chakra… She teleported to the same tree that Kakashi was leaning against.

Kakashi asked, startled, "Did you already figure out a jutsu?"

"Yep!" Sara said, grinning. "You'll have to wait until our next mission to see it though!"

Kakashi sighed, "Now I'll have to think of something else for you to do."

"Actually, Master Kakashi," Sara said. "I have something in mind that I want to practice."

He was startled, "Oh! All right."

"I'm going to try and emit Chidori from my entire body," Sara explained to him.

Kakashi sighed, "Something you'll be able to do by the end of the day, tomorrow."

"You're giving me WAY too much credit," Sara said, absentmindedly, remembering that she had to train in with two Anbu Black Ops that night.

Kakashi could sense that something was making her uneasy, so he asked, "What's on your mind?" He regretted asking as she blocked him from her mind.

"Nothing!" She answered, overly breezy.

He sighed, "If you say so." He called to Naruto, "All right, now let's log your cumulative experiences into your memory bank, release the jutsu while reflecting on the exercise."

"Yes sir!" Naruto and his clones shouted. The clones disappeared.

"Phew," Naruto and Tenzo sighed at the same time.

Naruto stared at the leaf in his hand, "I can do this. I think I'm really close." He swayed suddenly, falling forward, unconscious.

Kakashi teleported, catching him before he hit the ground, "Unfortunately, along with one's physical experiences, the mental fatigue is summed and logged as well."

Naruto slept the rest of the day, and Sara dozed on and off, trying to make up for the sleep that she'd miss that night when she went to train with her squad.

Sara sat up and glanced at Kakashi, Tenzo, and Naruto's sleeping forms. Good none of them are awake. She stood up and adjusted her blanket on her mat so that it looked like she was still sleeping, just in case one of the others woke up.

She started to walk away, so she could teleport away from the others, when she heard someone stir.

"What are you doing up?" Kakashi questioned, sounding like he was still half asleep.

"I can't sleep since I thought of something for emitting the Chidori from my whole body and I wanted to test it out," Sara lied.

She heard him readjust his position, as he murmured, "Don't practice all night. You have all day tomorrow, remember?"

"Don't worry. I won't be long," Sara said. Kakashi remained silent, so she assumed that he was asleep.

Heading into the trees, she teleported to the Anbu Black Ops own training field.

"What took you so long?" Someone yawned.

Sara grinned, "Nice to see you as well, Uncle Kai."

Kai muttered, "I'd be happier if I didn't have to be awake so late."

Another voice that she recognized as Ryo's muttered darkly, "You're not even going to be training!"

"Aren't you excited though?" Another voice that she identified as Kenshin's demanded.

Ryo answered, "No. I'd rather be asleep."

"All right," Sara said. "Let's cut the chitchat so we can all get some tonight…eventually."

"So what are we doing tonight?" Kenshin asked.

Sara grinned, "I thought that you and Ryo would attack me so I'd know what types of skills you guys have developed since we've been apart."

Kenshin and Ryo both grinned, "You asked for it!"

Kai had already leapt away from the combatants, before Sara even realized that Kenshin and Ryo were going to attack right away.

Sara teased as she dodged their attack, "I'll give you this, you've both gotten faster."

Kenshin grinned, "You haven't seen anything yet!"

Sara wasn't too sure that she liked the sound of that statement. She started to make hand signs, but Ryo was quicker, throwing one of his giant shuriken at her.

"Shit!" She dodged to the side, messing up on her hand signs. Something pinned her arms to her sides, "What the-?" Her eyes widened in surprise as Kenshin came at her. He was wearing ninja claws, but there was something surrounding the claws as well. She flinched as the claws met her right cheek, but the feel of cold metal was different…it was more like freezing metal!

Kenshin said, shocked, "I thought you would dodge it!"

"That's all right," Sara said, as Ryo unwound the wire from around her. "What was that technique you were doing?" She touched her cheek, which felt numb, and felt ice instead of flesh. "Scratch that… What did you do to my cheek?"

Kenshin said, "Don't worry, it'll thaw…eventually!"

"Great," Sara muttered. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Kenshin shrugged, "I just tried combining wind and water chakra and got that technique. I try not to use it too often, but I thought you'd be interested in seeing it."

"That'll come in handy," Sara muttered. Trying to heat up her cheek.

Kai said, "Why don't you kids call it a night?"

"We've barely started!" Sara shouted.

"Yeah, but I have enough to report back to Lady Tsunade," Kai answered.

"We'll train through the rest of the night," Sara asserted.

Ryo and Kai both sighed in defeat. As Sara, Kenshin, and a reluctant Ryo, went back to sparring.

Worry

The first rays of the sun were starting to appear above the horizon as Sara returned to the training field. Kakashi was already awake, looking worried. "Where were you?" He questioned. His eyes widened when he saw the three scratches on her cheek, "And where did you get those?"

"I went for a walk and I ran into a chain link fence, scratching my cheek," Sara lied.

Kakashi gently touched her cheek and frowned, "Your cheek is reminiscent of ice…"

"I held an ice pack to it for awhile so it wouldn't swell," she lied again, starting to feel guilty and avoiding his gaze.

Kakashi noticed that she wasn't looking at him, so he asked quietly, "Is there something I should know about?"

"No," she said right away.

He continued to frown, but just then Naruto sat up and stretched before he said enthusiastically, "I need to get back to my training!"

"So do I!" Sara said, forcing enthusiasm into her voice.

Kakashi said silently as she walked past, "We'll talk later."

"There's nothing to discuss," Sara stated silently, moving off to practice emitting Chidori from her entire body.

The day flew by in a blur for Naruto and Sara as they practiced their separate tasks, but for Kakashi, whose attention was focused on Sara for the most part, it dragged on and on.

He asked Tenzo, "Is it bad when you know that someone you care about is lying to you, yet you don't know how to approach the subject without getting into a heated argument?"

Tenzo looked thoughtful before he responded, "I should think so. But then again, with Sara's temper it might be hard NOT to get into a heated argument. Why? Is she hiding something from you?"

Kakashi nodded, "Yes, and it's bothering me. Ever since she stopped being Head of the Anbu Black Ops she's never hidden anything from me. Maybe stretched the truth a bit, or conveniently forgetting to tell me something, but she's never lied outright."

Tenzo sighed, "This is going to bother you for the rest of the day isn't it?"

"You got that right, Yamato," Kakashi muttered.

Several hours later, as Sara finally managed to emit Chidori from her body several times a triumphant, "YES!" rang throughout the clearing from Naruto.

"I did it!" He shouted. "I'm awesome! At this rate, I'll master that new jutsu in no time!"

Kakashi commented, pulling his attention away from Sara, "Actually, it's coming quickly because of this training method. Which, let's not forget, was my genius idea in the first place."

"Now don't go getting an inferiority complex on us, Master Kakashi," Sara said, meaning it as a joke.

Kakashi didn't take it that way, still stinging from the fact that she was deliberately hiding something from him. "I'm just stating the facts!"

Sara was startled by his reaction, but she remained quiet as Naruto released all his clones, still grinning like an idiot.

Naruto had missed Sara and Kakashi's exchange as he said, "Whatever! Can we just get to the next exer…" His eyes rolled back in his head and he pitched forward.

Kakashi teleported, catching Naruto on his back, "It's true though…" He conceded. "This technique is only possible because you're you, Naruto…" Glancing at Tenzo and Sara he said, "Might as well get comfortable. He'll be out for the rest of the day."

"In that case," Sara said. "I'm going to sleep." She pulled out her mat and blanket, before she lay on her side, her back to Kakashi and Tenzo as she gratefully fell asleep, trying to catch up on what she missed the previous night, and what she was going to miss that night.

Kakashi frowned, but he didn't say anything as he turned to read his book, while really keeping an eye on Sara.

That night, Sara dragged herself off her mat, glancing at Kakashi who was still asleep. She teleported right out of the training field to a different one where Kenshin and Ryo were waiting, unaware that Kakashi had been awake the whole time.

Kakashi sat up, pulling out his book, determined to find out what exactly Sara was hiding when she returned, no matter how long he had to wait.

Sara sighed in exasperation as she found Kenshin and Ryo asleep on their feet, "All right you two wake up! We've got some training to do."

"All right," Kenshin said, stretching.

Ryo muttered, still asleep, "The monkey's got my donut…"

Sara's patience was thin enough from having to deal with Kakashi, so she slugged Ryo to wake him up.

"What was that for?" Ryo demanded, rubbing his cheek.

Sara said, "We need to train…NOW!"

"Yes ma'am!" Kenshin and Ryo said at the same time.

Sara rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Ryo, I really think you're lazier than Shikamaru."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Ryo said, stretching a bit.

Kenshin said, moving between Ryo and Sara before she slugged him again, "What are we working on tonight, though?"

"Our teamwork," Sara answered.

"How?" They both asked.

Sara grinned, fiendishly, "We're in the training field that's known as the Forest of Death, aren't we?" Ryo moaned in response.

The next day, the sun not even trying to rise above the horizon yet, Sara teleported back to the training area where the others were pleased with the progress she, Kenshin, and Ryo had made that night. They weren't to the point of knowing exactly how the other was going to react without looking at the other, but they were close. Her good mood faded though as she watched Kakashi get up, and walk towards her.

"We need to talk," Kakashi said, once he was within a reasonable distance, and away from Tenzo and Naruto.

Sara said, avoiding his gaze, "I told you earlier, there's nothing to talk about."

"Yes there is. You're deliberately lying to me," Kakashi snapped.

She stated, "You have your secrets I have mine."

"What secrets?" Kakashi demanded. "We haven't kept any secrets from the other since…" He trailed off, his visible eye filled with pain.

Sara's tone softened, knowing what Kakashi was thinking of, "You're right. We haven't kept any MAJOR secrets from each other, but sometimes we have to. You know that."

Kakashi wasn't in an "I'll let it be" mood, "I want you to tell me what's going on that you're required to leave this training field at night."

He's treating me like a genin! Sara thought angrily, losing control of her temper, "I don't have to tell you anything!"

"I'm your guardian, I need to know these things," Kakashi snapped back, losing his own temper.

I can't believe he's playing the "I'm your guardian" card! Without any conscious thought, Sara took a swing at Kakashi.

Kakashi leapt backgrounds, not really thinking either, as he threw several shuriken at her. Sara teleported out of his sight, he leapt forward, hearing her move behind him, lifting up his headband as he did so. Both of them were in full battle mode, to ticked off at the other to realize just how dangerous their fight had become.

Naruto sat up groggily, wondering why his dream of a battle with the sounds of kunai blades striking was still sounding throughout the clearing. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he spotted Sara and Kakashi going at it. It's probably nothing…probably an early morning spar. He wiped the sleep from his eyes as Yamato asked, "Are those two sparring this early in the morning?" The sun was just peeking above the horizon.

Naruto's eyes widened as he saw small cuts on both Kakashi and Sara, "That's more than sparring, and I've seen them spar before! What are they doing?"

Yamato's eyes widened as Kakashi used a Water Style Jutsu to defend against a Sara's Fire Ball Jutsu, "I have no idea, Naruto." They both continued to watch in awe at the skill and in horror that such a close pair could be fighting with such ferocity.

Kakashi swore as his Water Style, and Sara's Fire Style hit, creating a mist that he couldn't see through. He barely managed to dodge as Sara came at him, trying to punch him with a right hook.

Grabbing her arm he spun around and threw her, but as she collided with a tree, he swore again as it was revealed to be a Shadow Clone. Something grabbed his ankle and he was yanked down towards the ground.

Sara was panting as she emerged from the ground, triumphant. Her feeling of triumph soon faded as Kakashi disappeared. "Damn, Shadow Clones," she muttered under her breath. She whipped around as Kakashi tried to punch her, he must be running low on chakra to get this close…not that I'm much better off! As he made to punch her again, she mirrored him. Kakashi caught her punch and she his, as they tried to overpower the other.

Kakashi felt his body trembling from his exertion, this isn't good, I'm at my limit… His body refused to do any more, and he started to sink forward, but he managed to change his direction so that he was falling to the side.

As Kakashi started to fall, so did Sara, how do I manage to do this to myself? She wondered, as she collapsed falling on her left side. She rolled on to her back, panting. Glancing to the side, she saw that Kakashi had done the same. She glanced at her right hand, which was touching Kakashi's left hand. When did that happen?

Yamato and Naruto both stood up when the two clashing shinobi fell, but they weren't sure if they should offer help or not.

A few minutes of silence spanned between Kakashi and Sara, before Kakashi asked, "Why were we fighting again?"

"I don't remember," Sara answered. She amended after a pause, "Now I remember; it was about me lying to you."

"That's right," Kakashi said, trying to figure out why he had been so angry with her over something so measly as that.

Sara sighed, "I don't like keeping secrets from you, but this time…I don't really have a choice."

"Just answer this," Kakashi said. "It's not something that is life threatening is it? I worry about you…"

She laughed, "No. It's not life threatening."

"Then I'll trust you," Kakashi said, grabbing her hand. He smiled when Sara gripped his hand back. "Shall we get up?"

"Yeah," Sara said. They both helped the other one to stand.

Kakashi sighed in relief as he didn't fall back over, good, I didn't overuse my Sharingan. He spotted Naruto and Tenzo looking unsure of what to do. So he decided to pretend that nothing had happened, "Naruto! Are you ready for the next exercise?"

His question achieved the desired effect, "You bet!"

Driving Force

Meanwhile, on the roof of the Hokage's Mansion, Tsunade had assembled several platoons, after receiving a disturbing report of the Fire Temple being attacked by two of the Akatsuki's members the day before. She had just finished explaining what had transpired at the Fire Temple to the separate platoons., "That's all I have to say. Any questions?" Asuma raised his hand, which surprised Shikamaru a bit, "What is it, "Asuma?"

"Chiriku, formerly of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve should have been at that temple. What happened to him?" Asuma asked.

The monk, who had been the only one to survive the attack, due to being on patrol answered, "Lord Chiriku fought against them…and died."

This surprised Asuma, Chiriku…the Consumate Shinobi? No way…

Shikamaru was a bit worried about his teacher, but he remained silent as Tsunade continued, "I want you to find them and ascertain their motives. But be warned, they're quite formidable. If you cannot detain them, slay them. DO NOT allow them to leave the Land of Fire. Now go! Dismissed!" She waved her arm and the platoons scattered.

Asuma and his squad paused on a rooftop, where he could see Kurenai in her apartment complex. He said to his squad that contained Kotetsu, Izumo, and Shikamaru, "Now then. Let's start at the Fire Temple, shall we?" He said to himself, "Someone's got to do it…" Shikamaru glanced up at him, confused, wondering what was on his teacher's mind. "Let's go," Asuma said, before he led the way out of the village.

Back at the training field, Naruto complained, "Hey! Why didn't you tell me the next exercise sooner? You could have woken me!"

"Since this training method takes so much out of you, it is better if you rest first, train later," Kakashi stated. "As for the exercise, you're going to cut that waterfall," he pointed at the one Tenzo had made two days ago.

"No way! How?" Naruto asked, surprised at his new task.

Tenzo answered, "You're going to lift your palms against the water and slam wind chakra against it to cut the flow. In order to succeed, you'll need to activate a large amount of change in chakra nature, even if just for an instant."

"If you can clear this stage," Kakashi added. "You'll at least be able to use it in actual battles." He started as he felt Sara lean against him, and he smiled under his mask. Sara's eyes were half closed, showing how exhausted she was from her nightly doings and their fight.

"So then," Naruto said, determination showing in his eyes, "I'll also have gained my first change in nature, right?"

Kakashi nodded, I never imagined how rapidly that clumsy, awkward Naruto would achieve change in chakra nature…this training method was a brilliant success.

He was surprised when Sara said silently, "You're remembering the how he used to be. Naruto's not so awkward and clumsy anymore…"

"You're right," Kakashi agreed.

Naruto said, walking towards the waterfall, "Back to training… Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto and his clones pulled off their shirts before they headed to the waterfall, where Tenzo had created a bridge with the roots of two trees.

Tenzo used the jutsu that would keep the Nine-Tails' chakra under control, sitting in the middle of the posts with the carvings of animal heads on them. While Kakashi pulled out his book and leaned against a tree to read, while Sara dozed, using his left thigh as a pillow. He absentmindedly stroked her hair while Naruto constantly shouted, "Hah!" A splashing sound followed each "hah".

After a couple hours, Naruto muttered, "Gah! This water barely budges!" He shouted, "Kakashi-sensei!" Kakashi glanced up from his reading, "Maybe I need more clones?"

Kakashi sighed, "What you need is to transform a massive amount of chakra into wind to cut the waterfall. If you make clones, each one's chakra will be that much weaker. Besides, that waterfall's only wide enough to hold about ten of you."

"Oh come on!" Naruto whined. "There's gotta be some kind special trick to this!"

Kakashi was starting to lose his patience, "You don't store the wind chakra you create inside yourself long enough. Take more time. Be more thorough."

"But if I take too long, it won't be useful on the battle field," Naruto countered.

"You're still in training," Kakashi said, having lost his patience. "Don't worry about the battlefield yet. Once you get used to it, it'll flow faster." He managed to regain his composure, "Listen, change in nature skills normally take many years to hone. Even leaf-cutting usually takes at least half a year. If you consider that you cleared that in only two days, you don't need to rush. You're advancing much faster than I expected. Even Sasuke, when I taught him the Chidori, took quite a few days to achieve lighting change in nature." He didn't mention how quickly Sara had mastered the technique.

Naruto stomped his foot angrily, "But that's the point! Sasuke's the one I've got to catch up to!"

Kakashi remained silent, thinking for a few seconds, before he reluctantly got up, disturbing Sara, who groggily looked around and queried, "Wha?"

"Go back to sleep," Kakashi said, as he made his way over to Tenzo. He squatted down next to his friend and whispered in his ear.

"Very well," Tenzo said, not looking thrilled at all. He made a hand sign and the bridge Naruto was on began to shake, before it expanded, along with the waterfall. The waterfall and bridge now spanned at least a quarter of a mile.

Naruto glanced at the waterfall's increased size in awe, while Kakashi asked Tenzo, who was on his knees, gasping for breath, "That was tough even for you, eh?"

"Oh no…not at all…" Tenzo gasped, "Please it was nothing *hack, hack*…I'm fine…*hack*."

It was tough, Kakashi thought, before he turned to Naruto and asked, "How's this?"

Naruto laughed, "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He created enough clones to span the waterfall as he continued to train.

Kakashi walked back over to the tree where Sara was still lying. As soon as he sat down she placed her head right back on his thigh and fell asleep. He smiled, as he opened his book to start reading again.

That night, Sakura stared at the picture that had been taken of Squad Seven, back in simpler times. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered how things had been. She glanced up as a shooting star shot past just outside her window.

In the training field, Naruto commented as the star shot past, "A shooting star…cool…" He glanced at Sara as she stood up and teleported; wonder what Bright Eyes is up to? Gah! I'll worry about it later… He closed his eyes and he gripped his blanket as he pictured Squad Seven back when things had been so simple and straight forward, Sasuke… His eyes snapped open and he stood up, heading towards the waterfall.

Kakashi lifted his head slightly, surprised to see Naruto up so late at night, but it didn't surprise him when Naruto shouted, "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The next day, while Sara slept next to Kakashi, after a hard night of training, her back pressed against him, Naruto was still trying to cut the waterfall. He shouted, "Come on!" And his clones worked with him shouting, "Hah!" The waterfall split cleanly throughout the whole line of clones. "Yeah!"

Sara started at the sound of the waterfall being cut and she sat up, before she smiled, "He got it!"

Tenzo's eyes were wide with amazement as he said, "This training method really is something. I can't believe how quickly Naruto's..."

"No," Kakashi said, interrupting Tenzo, as he stood up. "It's not just the training method." He stared up at Naruto, "His driving force is Sasuke!"

Sweet Talker

At the Fire Temple, Asuma and his squad stood in the remnants of the temple, coffins containing bodies spaced throughout the space.

Asuma asked, "So where is Chiriku's body?"

"Um…" The monk who had gone to the Leaf Village said, "Actually, we have not been able to locate Lord Chiriku's remains." The old man standing beside him nodded.

"Uh…Captain Asuma," Izumo said, glancing through a bingo book.

Asuma turned to him, "What is it, Izumo?"

"I hate to bring this up," Izumo said. "But…Lord Chiriku's head commands a bounty of three million dollars on the black market. Perhaps the Akatsuki…"

"Probably…" Asuma said, looking somewhere between being upset and furious.

"Collection office, huh…" Shikamaru murmured. "Which means the enemy is lugging a body around, right?"

Asuma remained silent, having regained his composure as Kotetsu asked, "Izumo…where's that collection office?"

Izumo flipped through the pages, "Which one? There are five in this vicinity alone.

Working quickly, he tied four scrolls onto the Fire Temple's messenger birds. Izumo said, as the birds flew off, "We'll take the nearest office…while the other cells check out the farther ones."

"All right, let's go then," Asuma said, starting to walk away from the Fire Temple.

The older monk said, "Please wait, Lord Asuma Sarutobi." Asuma turned around in surprise; no one had called him "Lord" in a long time. "Please allow us to pray for you…who are about to engage in battle." Asuma nodded; a small smile on his face. The Fire Temple was already on the road to recovering.

"I did it!" Naruto and his clones shouted; as they cheered about how they had cut the waterfall in two with just their chakra. "I really did it! I cut the waterfall!" He released his clones, which disappeared in puffs of smoke.

Sara was grinning right along with Naruto, "Way to go!"

"Phew!" Tenzo said, glad to get a rest in finally.

"Good job, Naruto," Kakashi said. "From here on out, we'll be inventing completely new jutsu."

Naruto went down on his knees, breathing heavily, as he started to collapse, Sara teleported from Kakashi's side. She appeared to the right of Naruto, and walked carefully towards him as he slumped to the log, hacking.

Kakashi teleported closer to Naruto, and he asked at the same time as Sara, "Are you all right?" He thought, worriedly, he's overdone it…!

Sara started to laugh as Naruto muttered, "I'm starving…"

That figures! Sara thought, smiling, glad that nothing was seriously wrong with her friend.

Kakashi smiled as well, ah, Naruto… You never cease to amaze…

Standing outside the Fire Temple, Asuma said to the monks, "Thank you very much."

The old monk bowed slightly, before he said, "That waistcloth…just like Chiriku, you also are a former Guardian Shinobi Twelve, with a bounty on your head. Please be careful."

Asuma grinned, "Oh, please, don't worry about me! My head…is worth another half a million dollars more than Chiriku's. I'm not going down that easily!"

At the Ichiraku Ramen shop, Kakashi said, surprised, as he walked in, "Huh? Where's your poster girl, Ayame?"

"She decided to take a trip," Mr. Teuchi said, smiling. "These two are newbies."

"Hi, I'm Nishi!" The first one said, introducing himself. He had short, spiky hair, and wore similar clothes to Mr. Teuchi and the other newbie.

The other newbie had a buzz cut, and introduced himself, "I'm Matsu!"

Sara sighed as Naruto moaned pathetically, his chopsticks in his mouth, "Ramen…ramen ramen…c'mon c'mon c'mom…"

"Here you go!" Matsu said, placing the bowl in front of Naruto, who sprang to life, "One pork bone broth miso-flavored extra pork on top!"

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed, missing the fact that Matsu accidentally stuck the tip of his finger in the ramen. He was about to dig in, salivating everywhere, "Thank y…waah?" His happiness turned to disbelief as Mr. Teuchi whisked the bowl away from him.

Naruto had tears streaming down his face as Mr. Teuchi clomped Matsu on the head, "Fool! You stuck your finger in it!"

"Ow!" Matsu exclaimed, rubbing the top of his head.

Mr. Teuchi continued, "Don't make such foolish mistakes!"

"So sorry!" Matsu exclaimed.

Mr. Teuchi ignored him, "Nishi! Prepare a new bowl right away!"

"Yes, sir!" Nishi shouted. "Right away, sir!"

Kakashi and Sara watched Naruto to make sure that he didn't pass out from hunger on them as he moaned, "So hungry…must…hold…on…"

A few minutes later, Nishi hurried towards them, "More ramen! Coming right u-!" He slipped on the floor, throwing the bowl's contents into Matsu's face.

"Ahhh! Hot!" Matsu shouted.

Nishi exclaimed, "I slipped, Matsu! I SLIPPED!"

They both ran out to hide behind Kakashi as Mr. Teuchi shouted, waving his fist in the air, "Serves you right for not mopping the floors properly! You're both useless –useless!"

Kakashi was embarrassed as the two kitchen hands hid behind him, but he still tried to calm the ramen maker down, "Now, now, Mr. Teuchi, calm down. These things happen!" He laughed nervously, knowing that the Mr. Teuchi would probably still be angry.

"Just 'cuz they happen doesn't make it an excuse!" Mr. Teuchi practically growled.

Kakashi couldn't stop Mr. Teuchi from whacking the two newbies over the head. As their cries of pain were being shouted, Naruto whimpered, "M-my ramen…"

Several minutes later, Naruto was happily slurping up his ramen, hardly chewing before he swallowed.

Sara ate her ramen more politely, though speed was still apart of her eating style. She hadn't been aware of how famished she was until she had started eating.

Tenzo eyed the two young ninja enviously, I can't eat such heavy foods right now…

"Oh yeah!" Naruto slurped loudly. "That's the stuff! Lemme wolf this down," he slurped again. "Then it's back to training!"

"Naruto, there's something I want to explain to you first," Kakashi said, setting down his chopsticks. Tenzo and Naruto stared incredulously at him, trying to figure out how he had eaten without them noticing. "Plus, I have something very interesting to show you…"

Naruto stared at him, interested, "GOOD interesting or BAD interesting?"

"Let's just say there are some things I need to explain," Kakashi said, evasively.

Sara smiled as Naruto complained, "Oh, come on! No more lectures! Please?"

"No point in arguing, Naruto," Kakashi stated. "You and Sara both know that I can sweet-talk anyone."

A few minutes later, Kakashi held one of the hanging flaps aside as he, Sara, and Naruto started to head out, "Well, then…thanks for lunch, Yamato."

Tenzo was bewildered, "Huh? I thought the senior member usually covers a food bill!"

A glint appeared in Kakashi's eye as he said, "There's no rank distinction when it comes to mutual respect. Besides, you're probably my only junior that I acknowledge as an equal…" Sara opened her mouth to say something angrily, but Kakashi elbowed her in the stomach, causing her to double over. "…But…you're right I really ought to…"

Yamato was blushing, happy that Kakashi had acknowledged him as an equal, "No, no! I got it!"

Kakashi held up two fingers, victoriously, but not for two long as Sara got revenge for being elbowed in the stomach.

Naruto missed the low blow that was dealt to Kakashi as he snickered, He really can sweet talk anyone!

"What was that for?" Kakashi demanded silently, glaring at Sara.

"As if you don't know!" Sara snapped. " 'You're probably my only junior that I acknowledge as an equal…' Plus you elbowed me in the stomach!"

"I only said that to get Yamato to pay the bill!" Kakashi snapped back. The tone of his thoughts softened, "Besides, I do acknowledge that you're my equal…you're very close to surpassing me."

Sara blushed, while Kakashi straightened up, before he put an arm around her shoulders as he led the way back to the training field.

In the training field, Naruto and Kakashi stood facing each other, while Tenzo and Sara stood a few feet away, watching the two shinobi, "So what did you want to show me?" Naruto asked.

"Hold your horses," Kakashi said. "there's a proper order to these things. First, I want to confirm…" Naruto gazed at him quizzically. "Before we started this training regimen we talked about change in chakra nature and one other important technique, remember?"

"Do I remember?" Naruto shouted, excitedly, "You bet I do! It's…it's…um…?" He blushed when he realized that he couldn't remember.

"Let's just say you forgot, shall we?" Kakashi said, sighing. Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "The other is change in chakra form. To transform the shape of one's chakra. I used the Chidori as an example, while Sara performed the actual jutsu, remember? That jutsu requires not just Sara changing her chakra nature to lightning, but she must also change her chakra's form as well so it'll discharge and she can then set its range of action and power level."

"I also remember being pretty exhausted," Sara muttered. Kakashi shot her a dark look.

Tenzo said, ignoring Kakashi and Sara for a moment, "Listen closely. By adding a change in form on top of a change in chakra nature you can raise your attack strength exponentially. Shinobi who can perform both simultaneously are uncommon."

Must not be that uncommon, Sara thought. Especially considering that Master Kakashi, Sasuke, and I can do it.

Kakashi said to Naruto, "Our exercises just helped you master a change in your chakra nature to wind. And you already have a change in chakra form, jutsu."

Naruto opened his mouth to ask what when he remembered what Kakashi had told him on the first day of training, "The Rasengan…"

"That's right," Kakashi said.

Naruto grinned widely, "Does that mean I can do both now?"

"Well, basically…yes," Kakashi said, nodding.

"Awesome!" Naruto shouted, pumping his fist into the air. "I'll be churning out new jutsu in no time, then!" When neither Kakashi, Tenzo, nor Sara joined in his enthusiasm he added, "Seems like a piece of cake!"

Kakashi said quietly, "Heh…if that really were the case, I wouldn't have had to invent the Chidori." Naruto's grin faltered. "Now this…" Kakashi said, grabbing his right wrist in preparation to do a jutsu, "…is the interesting thing I wanted to show you… Hah!" Chakra began to swirl in his right palm, and then it condensed itself into a sphere, Rasengan!

Tenzo and Sara smiled slightly, while Naruto's mouth fell open in surprise. "Kakashi-sensei…I didn't know you could do the Rasengan?"

"How do you think I learned the final step in performing the Rasengan?" Sara asked. "The Fat Toad never showed me how to do it."

Naruto said, "But still! Kakashi-sensei…"

"This is it though," Kakashi said, before Naruto could say anything else. Naruto stared at him in surprise. "I wasn't able to combine the Rasengan's change in form with a change in chakra nature to lightning."

Sara and Naruto both looked at him in surprise. Sara thought, I don't think I could figure out how to apply a change in chakra nature to lightning…the Rasengan just isn't a jutsu that seems like it would work with a lightning change in chakra nature.

"Combining a change in nature with a change in form takes incredible skill," Kakashi continued. "Or rather, natural talent and intuition." He allowed the Rasengan to dissipate, "And I'm not the only one who failed at this. Even my teacher who invented this jutsu failed as well." Naruto and Sara both looked at him in surprise. "That's right. Even the Fourth Hokage couldn't master a super Rasengan. The Fourth Hokage honed the change in form to its highest degree. That's the Rasengan. Mastering any change in form is already an A-ranked level of difficulty. But I can still manage to copy it. The next step, however, is the problem. The Fourth Hokage had always intended to add his own change in nature to the Rasengan when he invented it."

"Wait…are you saying the Rasengan is an incomplete jutsu?" Naruto asked.

Tenzo nodded, "In a sense, yes."

"So the jutsu were aiming for," Kakashi continued. "Is an S-ranked level of difficulty…or possibly beyond. It might even be unachievable…" Naruto's eyes widened. "So there is nothing about it you can be TAUGHT from here on out, you're just going to have to discover it all yourself. Do you understand why I'm telling you all this, Naruto?" Naruto remained silent and still, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. "It's because I truly believe that you're the only shinobi that can surpass the Fourth Hokage."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock, and he glanced at Sara to see if she had taken offense. His eyes got even wider when he saw that she was smiling at him, they really believe in me?

"Well…enough talk for now," Kakashi said as he started to walk away. "Let's rest a little longer before we begin again." Tenzo followed Kakashi while Naruto and Sara stood next to each other.

"Bright Eyes…" Naruto said, trying to put his thoughts into words.

Before he could say anymore though, Sara said, "You've always wanted to be Hokage…" He glanced at her, unsure of where she was going with her words. "When you're Hokage, and known as being the strongest one out of all of them, I'll be the shinobi you can rely on to carry out missions, to look to for advice, and to be the friend that you're going to need."

Naruto's eyes were wide in amazement, "So you didn't…?"

"Take offense?" She guessed. "Why would I when he's right? I don't have the chakra resources that you do, and yes I'm skilled as a ninja, but I have no desire to be the Hokage. Being Head Anbu was enough for me…" She paused, a smile on her face as she turned to look at him, "You can count on me to support you when you're Hokage."

"Bright Eyes!" Naruto said, teary eyed, his tears threatening to spill over.

"Don't get all sappy on me!" Sara exclaimed.

Naruto wiped his eyes, "You're the best friend any ninja could ask for!"

"I forgot to mention I'll also be the one to keep you in line," Sara added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto demanded.

Sara grinned, "As if you couldn't guess!"

"Yeah, I guess I could," Naruto said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know, you've gotten pretty good at that!"

"At what?" Sara questioned.

Naruto grinned, "At making people forget that you have a soft side!"

"Oh yeah! Because I'm as huggable as a teddy bear," Sara said sarcastically.

Naruto muttered, "More like as unpredictable as grizzly bear."

"What was that?" Sara questioned, her temper flaring slightly.

"Nothing!" Naruto shouted. He smirked as he saw Sara smiling slightly, she's still the same Bright Eyes, even if her temper has gotten worse, she's more sarcastic, and she's a better shinobi. He grinned when Sara started to walk away to give him room to train. It's good to know that we still know the other like the back of our hands! He made a hand sign.

Meanwhile, Tenzo said, "Man, Kakashi. You really ARE a sweet talker."

"Nah," Kakashi said, knowing that Naruto and Sara hadn't followed them. "Just a believer."

Unkillable

Asuma, Shikamaru, Izumo, and Kotetsu were leaping through the trees on towards the collection office.

Shikamaru called out, "Hey, Master Asuma…" Asuma glanced back at him. "What kind of relationship did you have with this Chiriku person?"

"Why do you ask all of a sudden?" Asuma questioned back.

Shikamaru explained, "It's been two days since your last cigarette. When a chain smoker like you lays off, something's always up."

"Sharp eyes, Shikamaru," Asuma grinned. "If the likes of you ccan read my heart, then I must still be a rank amateur."

Shikamaru leapt over a branch, "Play enough Shogi with someone, you learn to read them like a book. Besides, I haven't seen you like this since the Third Hokage died."

Asuma was silent for a minute, while Izumo and Kotetsu waited for Asuma to say something right along with Shikamaru.

"Chiriku and I were part of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve together," Asuma finally said. "We were sort of like you and Choji."

Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock for a second, before he looked away, understanding for his master's grief showing in his eyes. He said after several seconds of silence, "For what it's worth. I don't think you'll stay smokeless too long."

"You don't think I'll stay smokeless for too long, eh?" Asuma laughed, "Perhaps that's been true in the past…" Shikamaru glanced at him. "And not that I'm not touched that you care…but I didn't quit because of Chiriku's death." Shikamaru, Kotetsu and Izumo stared at Asuma in surprise. "Besides," Asuma said, his tone serious. "The Akatsuki were strong enough o defeat Chiriku. Their abilities are formidable. You can never let your guard down around them…"

Back in the Leaf Village, Tenzo, Kakashi, and Sara were watching Naruto's progress as he tried to add Wind change in chakra nature to the Rasengan. Clones were spread around gasping for breath in various positions that showed that they were exhausted.

"As expected," Kakashi commented. "The clones tire easily.

Two clones stood up and began to perform the Rasengan, now, just add wind chakra! "Unh!" The two clones lost control and many clones near them went flying, and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto gasped for breath, no way…it can't be done… Takes so much focus just to make the stupid Rasengan to begin with…to then have to add a change in nature…! It's like trying to look to the right and left at the same time! Impossible! "No, I can do this!

Sara watched Tenzo as his eyes widened in worry, what does he sense that has him looking like that? She focused her attention back to Naruto, who was performing the Rasengan.

Focus…just like when I rub my two chakras together, Naruto though, his pupils narrowing and red chakra starting to form around him in the shape of a fox.

"Tenzo!" Kakashi shouted, worried about Naruto.

Tenzo shouted back, "I know!" He slammed his palm against the ground as the fourth tail started to emerge, and the wooden poles around Tenzo came to life, and raced towards Naruto, clamping down on the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra.

Tenzo said, "I don't know how much shifting Naruto can bear, much less how often I can suppress him…"

"But this is the only way," Kakashi stated. "Whether Naruto achieves his jutsu or not depends on you, my friend."

The poles moved away from Naruto, who lay unconscious in the middle of the field. Tenzo sighed, "Yes sir."

Sitting outside the collection office, an Akatsuki member with slicked back gray hair sniffed his cloak, "Uch! Nasty! Just five minutes in that cesspool and the stench seeps into my clothes!" A crunch behind him made him turn slightly, "Took you long enough, Kakuzu!" His eyes widened when he spotted Asuma instead of his partner.

Asuma threw several shuriken at the Akatsuki member, and was surprised at the agility with which the Akatsuki member drew his weapon to block Asuma's shuriken.

Dodging to the side, Asuma managed to get out of range of the Akatsuki's weapon, and Kotetsu and Izumo rushed with large kunai knives. As the Akatsuki member tried to move, Shikamaru said from above, scolding Izumo and Kotetsu, as he trapped the Akatsuki member with his Shadow Possession Jutsu, "Slow pokes." Izumo and Kotetsu both stabbed the Akatsuki member.

Asuma said, "One down."

The entire squad's eyes widened as the Akatsuki member exclaimed, "Yeesh, oww! Who are you people anyway?"

Shikamaru's Analysis

Kotetsu was shocked, "What the? We both hit vital spots!"

"Quit driving the points in will you? It hurts!" The Akatsuki member complained.

"What is this guy?" Izumo murmured, "Immortal?"

The Akatsuki member muttered, "Isn't it obvious? Now, Again… Who are you people?" None of the Leaf shinobi answered him, but the Akatsuki's eyes rested on the sash on Asuma's waist. "Oh. Terrific…looks like I'm going back to that stinky collection office."

Asuma glared, Chiriku! "We are shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village. Our orders are to capture or kill you Akatsuki. We already know you usually operate in pairs. I was planning to take down one of you first, then capture the other…but I guess that's going to have to change…"

So this is one of the Akatsuki, huh…what mind blowing abilities! My Shadow Stitching is not going to be enough… Shikamaru thought worriedly.

"You chose the wrong one to start with," the Akatsuki member stated.

Asuma questioned, "So where's your partner?"

Shikamaru tensed as he heard the cracking of knuckles behind him, and the sound of a swishing cloak.

Asuma glanced up in bewilderment at where Shikamaru had been sitting as it appeared to explode.

Shikamaru appeared in the dust, the other Akatsuki member right on his trail.

I'm free! The first Akatsuki member thought triumphantly.

The other Akatsuki member came to a halt, as Asuma blocked him from going anywhere near Shikamaru, who was on the ground, lowering his left arm as he realized that Asuma was in front of him.

Asuma shouted, "Kotetsu! Izumo! Retreat!"

The two shinobi immediately leapt away from the first Akatsuki member, to stand near Asuma and Shikamaru.

The second Akatsuki member said, "The fellow in front…for once you've struck gold, Hidan."

The first Akatsuki member, Hidan snapped, "Kakuzu, stay out of this. I want them for my ritual. You can have the money afterward."

"Fine," Kakuzu said. "Just be careful, or you'll die."

"I keep tellin' ya…will you quit it already? I WISH someone would kill me already!" He moved and made a circle with a triangle at its center, with his own blood. "But it's not possible, eh?"

"I'm going in," Asuma said in low tones. "Find a way to trap Mr. Immortal with your shadow stitching, Shikamaru…if even for an instant. That's all the time I'll need to slice his head off."

"The risk is too high. It's not like you," Shikamaru stated.

Kotetsu said, "He's right. I should go with you…"

Asuma was wild-eyed, "Don't you understand? This is the best plan we've got right now! They're far stronger than even me..! Izumo, Kotetsu, you two assist Shikamaru against the other one!"

I've never seen Asuma like this… Shikamaru thought worriedly.

"Since we have an idea of our enemy's strength," Izumo murmured. "We ought to retreat and formulate…"

Asuma cut him off, "You think they're going to let us just walk away?" He closed his eyes, "If we don't stand and fight now, we'll be slaughtered, they already came close to slaughtering a squadron of Anbus couple years ago, if these are the same two that killed Enaki."

What? Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock, as he looked between Asuma and the two Akatsuki. These two killed Sara's uncle and nearly took out her entire squadron?

"Plus, if we die, the Leaf Village will be at an even greater risk," Asuma continued. "We're the 'vanguard penetrating the enemy camp'. Once in a while, you have to be able to make such a move…"

Shikamaru got over his shock, as he took in what Asuma had said.

While Asuma was talking, Hidan began to remove the large kunai knives, "Yeesh, it hurts! Jabbing me here and there, such pests you are…! The gods shall punish those who don't understand the pain of others."

"The role of climbing silver doesn't suit you, Asuma," Shikamaru stated, watching Hidan.

Asuma chuckled, "I won't be a simple sacrificial piece. Since I've got you."

Shikamaru nodded unable to argue with Asuma any further, so he made the necessary hand sign for his Shadow Stitching Jutsu.

Asuma and Hidan stood studying each other for a few seconds, before they lunged at each other, Asuma's chakra blades and Hidan's strange scythe like weapon with a clang. Hidan flipped in the air, throwing a kunai knife at Asuma, as Shikamaru used his Shadow Stitching to try and ensnare the Akatsuki member.

Asuma sliced through the kunai blade with his chakra blades, but Hidan wasn't done yet.

"Captain Asuma!" Izumo shouted in warning, as the Akatsuki member threw his strange, scythe-like weapon, clinging to the rope end of it. Asuma kept the scythe from cutting him too deeply, but it still cut his right cheek.

Shikamaru grunted in effort as he continued to try and ensnare Hidan.

Hidan retracted the top part of his scythe back to the pole it was attached to.

Asuma threw off his chakra blades, if targeted attacks are ineffective… He started to perform hand signs.

Hidan stuck out his tongue, as he brought the blades of the scythe closer to his mouth.

Catching his chakra blades, as he finished his hand signs, Fire Style: Burning Ash! Hot ash shot from his mouth and engulfed Hidan, but not before he had licked Asuma's blood off the scythe and stepped into the strange circle with a snort. Asuma cut off his jutsu, clenching his teeth as pain shot up his right arm.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Hidan demanded, his skin now black as the night sky with white marks identifying where his bones were. "It hurts!" Asuma stared at his right hand and arm, which was covered in burns. "Judgment has been passed."

"What's going on?" Izumo asked in horror, voicing his own fears along with Kotetsu and Shikamaru's.

"Now do you finally understand the other person's pain?" Hidan demanded of Asuma. "I have already cursed you…and the ritual shall now begin… Well then! Let's experience the ultimate pain together, shall we!"

Asuma's right side shook a bit from pain, as he gripped his right arm. "Why is Captain Asuma burned?" Izumo demanded of Hidan.

"Don't tell me," Shikamaru murmured.

Hidan pulled out a strange blade, as he laughed insanely, "All the preparations are done! Now we shall share in the ultimate pain!"

Asuma sent a ton of wind chakra into the chakra blade on his left hand, creating a blade of wind chakra, and he lunged at Hidan.

Hidan's eyes widened, as Asuma got closer, but he swung his strange-spire-like blade, and plunged the blade into his left thigh, the blade passing clean through his thigh.

Asuma was surprised at Hidan's move, but his surprise turned to excruciating pain as he grabbed his left thigh, his chakra flow disrupted by the shock from the pain in his thigh.

Hidan laughed insanely once again, "Hurts, eh? And I didn't even hit a vital spot! But THAT pain is the best….when the other person's pain at the moment of death seeps into my own body! It transcends pain, transforming into ecstasy!"

Shikamaru watched as blood seeped from Asuma's left thigh, onto the ground.

Izumo was shocked, "Captain Asuma's holding on to his left leg…something weird's happening…"

"It's the same leg that guy stabbed himself through," Kotetsu added.

Izumo ran through what had happened, from Asuma being burned to what had happened just now with his leg. "That's it…" He gasped.

Asuma propped himself up, I see…somehow he's linked his body to mine… So that I suffer any injury that he does… Except that he's immortal…

Hidan was still laughing insanely, "Where do you want to feel pain next? Hmm?" He leveled the spire-like blade's point with his chest, "Or would you just like to end it already? Eh?"

Izumo shouted, "Shikamaru! Don't use physical attacks like the Shadow Stitching! Just stop his movements with Suffocating Darkness! Hurry!"

"I'm already on it!" Shikamaru shouted back, his shadow racing across the ground, trying to beat Hidan's blade.

As his shadow entered the circle, Hidan's blade point broke through the skin on his chest, "DIE!" Hidan shouted, his eyes wild.

"NOOO!" Shikamaru shouted desperately, praying his jutsu would stop Hidan in time. Izumo, Kotetsu, and Kakuzu watched with baited breath.

Izumo and Kotetsu were the ones to sigh in relief. "Good job, Shikamaru," Izumo said.

Hidan snorted, "You think you can stop me?" He tried to move his arm.

"Gah!" Shikamaru grunted, fighting to keep Hidan from moving.

"Izumo," Kotetsu said. "How long has it been since we called for backup?"

Izumo answered, "Only about ten minutes. It's going to take at least another twenty for reinforcements to arrive."

"Gah!" Kotetsu shouted in disgust. "What should we do? To nullify a jutsu with continuous effect, you have to kill the caster…"

"But we can't kill in this case if we kill that Akatsuki…Captain Asuma will die too," Izumo stated.

Shikamaru stated, "There are always limitations and loopholes in every jutsu…" We just have to calm down and analyze him…

Shikamaru saved me… Now I've got to think up a way to break this jutsu… Asuma thought, getting to his knees. He watched as a shadow hand started to creep up towards Hidan's shoulder. Suffocating Darkness doesn't last too long…only have a little while to think…

"If this is going to drag on," Kakuzu ssaid. "I can help…can't let a cash cow get away."

"I told you to stay out of it, didn't I? I'm fine by myself," Hidan snapped.

His words….his personality…his speech patterns… Shikamaru thought. His clothes…his weapons….the significance of his behavior….the meaning behind all of his actions….and how every move he makes relates to the next. From it all can be gleaned insight…a hypothetical frame work of the jutsu, it's probability and selection… He closed his eyes. Gods…punish…cursed…ritual… He thought, going through Hidan's actions. Preparations… All Hidan had done until this point flew through his mind, and his eyes snapped open.

Asuma smiled slightly, Trust Shikamaru to have analyzed him already…

"You come up with something, Shikamaru?" Izumo asked.

Shikamaru nodded, "Yeah…"

"I can't believe he was able to do it, all while casting a jutsu too!" Shikamaru said in disbelief.

Asuma watched Shikamaru, Shikamaru has brilliant, swift analytical prowess that lets him foresee up to two hundred possibilities of the next ten moves in Shogi and the instinct to pick the most advantageous one.

"All right, Captain Asuma," Shikamaru shouted. "Here it goes…"

Meanwhile, back in the Leaf Village, Sara kept glancing from Kakashi to Naruto as flashes of panic, horror, and battle-calm crept seeped into her mind every now and then. She glanced at a, still unconscious Naruto, and than at a calm Kakashi who was chatting with Tenzo. Those are the two I'm closest to in the Hidden Leaf Village, and the only two that I've ever felt anything of their emotions before… She closed her eyes to think, I should go through the list of people I know anyway, to see if I've forgotten someone… Tiégra, Kai, and Yusuke I'm close to, but not that close…Sakura and Sai are just my teammates, we're not any closer than that… Her eyes snapped open as the one person, who rarely had any of the feelings that she kept getting flashes of came to her mind, and he was the only one who she could possibly be sensing, Shikamaru!

Amidst Despair

Kakashi glanced at Sara as he felt bewilderment come from her, he said to Tenzo, "I'll be back in a minute, I need to talk with Sara about something…"

Tenzo was baffled, that was a random change in subject...!

"Are you all right?" Kakashi asked, setting his hand on Sara's right shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sara said, nodding. "Just a bit tired, I think I'll go rest for a bit."

Kakashi didn't question her as she went to lie down under a tree, whatever was bothering her, she didn't want him to know about it just yet. He walked back over to Tenzo, his gaze still on Sara.

As Sara started to close her eyes, her pupils narrowed like that of a cat's, she started to relax and clear her mind so she could sleep, I've never intentionally left my Devil's Eyes up before sleeping, but something is wrong wherever Shikamaru is at…

Hidan gave a frustrated growl as Shikamaru slowly forced him out of the circle.

"What are you doing?" Izumo asked.

Shikamaru said, as he gritted his teeth, "I'm trying to force him outside that weird diagram he drew on the ground! That will undo his jutsu…and the curse."

"What do you mean?" Izumo questioned.

"That giant scythe of his," Shikamaru started to explain. "…It's got three blades. From the shape of it, it's purpose isn't to cast a mortal blow, but to extend the range of its wielder's attack allowing him to cause both small and great external injuries by hitting his opponent with it." Izumo stared at Shikamaru in shock. "In short..if he can inflict even a single shallow abrasion his jutsu will then cause his opponent's certain death."

"That's his curse?" Izumo demanded. "But what's the link between the initial wound and curse?"

"Blood…" Shikamaru said; sweat now pouring off of him as he continued to force Hidan out of the circle. "In order to link himself to his intended victim he has to take his opponent's blood into his own body."

Izumo recalled how Hidan had licked Asuma's blood off one of the scythe's blades, "I saw him lick the captain's blood too… So he wounds his opponent and if even the slightest drop of blood lands on his scythe he can then curse them."

I see… Asuma thought, as he knelt on the ground, waiting for Shikamaru to get Hidan out of the circle.

"After he licked the blood," Shikamaru stated. "His body changed colors, so that was easy to deduce…but that's not all there's one more important step to activate the curse…"

"One more…?" Kotetsu muttered in disbelief.

"Earlier, he ignored Asuma's Fire Style Jutsu…didn't even bother to avoid it…but rushes straight to that diagram he had drawn… Then, once inside it he said 'The ritual shall now begin'. And also barked, 'All the preparations are done'…so my guess is that the curse jutsu can only be completed while he's inside that diagram," Shikamaru explained.

"You…brat…" Hidan snapped, as he neared the edge of his circle.

Shikamaru shouted, "Not my fault you talk too much."

Asuma, Izumo, and Kotetsu watched as Shikamaru forced Hidan out of the diagram by the last few inches. Kotetsu thought, he's brilliant…

"Enough talk then!" Hidan shouted. "I'm gonna tear you apart now and kill you later!"

Shikamaru stated, "There won't be a later!" Hidan had finally been forced out of the circle, "He's out!"

"All right!" Asuma said, pulling out two shuriken, "Now let's see if the jutsu is undone or not!" He threw the shuriken as Hidan's eyes widened in panic. The shuriken ripped across Hidan's ear and shoulder, and Asuma wasn't harmed.

Yes! Shikamaru thought triumphantly as he shifted his jutsu. His shadow leapt off the ground in thick, threadlike shadows, piercing Hidan's flesh in various spots to hold him in place.

"How dare you…" Hidan spat, worry showing in his gaze.

Shikamaru gasped, "This is it, my limit. Can't hold him much longer."

"That's fine. Good work, Shikamaru," Asuma said from where he now stood in front of Hidan. He pulled out one of his chakra blades, and sent enough chakra through it to create a blade of chakra. Asuma staggered forward, the wound on his thigh paining him.

"Kakuzu!" Hidan shouted, seriously worried now. "Don't just stand there! Help me! Quick!"

As Asuma struck, Kakuzu said, "I told you to be careful…!" Hidan's head went flying as Asuma beheaded him, the head bouncing away.

Panting, Shikamaru released his jutsu with a sigh.

"We did it!" Izumo said triumphantly.

Asuma also sighed in relief as Hidan's body fell to the ground, "One down. One to go…"

"If you wanted my help, Hidan," Kakuzu said. "You should have asked earlier."

Hidan's head snapped, "You're the slow one, Kakuzu! It was on purpose, wasn't it?"

Asuma's team all stared in horror at the shouting head.

"You're the one who told me to stay out of it at the start," Kakuzu stated. "Besides…I don't think you're in any position to complain right now."

Hidan's head laughed, "All right, so I did tell you not to butt in…but not out of disrespect… Kakuzu…could you bring my body over here for me…?" Kakuzu grabbed Hidan's head. "Hey! My body, Kakuzu! I asked you to bring my body to my head!"

"It's lighter this way," Kakuzu stated.

"Ow, oww… Hey! Kakuzu! Quit pulling my hair, would you?"

Kakuzu tried to distract Hidan, "Your neck wound should hurt more."

He's still alive, Asuma thought.

"Idiot!" Hidan's head snapped. "The neck pain is incredible of course, this is no ordinary injury… IT REALLY, REALLY HURTS! OWWW! YOU FOOLS HAVE NO IDEA HOW PAINFUL IT IS HAVING YOUR HEAD SLICED OFF!"

"What the…" Kotetsu muttered.

Izumo said in disbelief, "I don't know how to even begin to explain this one…"

Shikamaru said, "Yeah, but even if he's alive so long as he's not attached to his body, he can't perform any jutsu. He might be immortal, but he's completely useless."

"For sure," Izumo agreed.

Kotetsu mused, "So one left to go, huh?"

Shikamaru slumped forward with a groan, "Shikamaru…!" Izumo said, worried.

Shikamaru's at his limit, Kotetsu thought, as he glanced back at the young shinobi. And Captain Asuma's wounded… While we may have given ourselves the upper hand by disabling one of the Akatsuki…it also means we've created a chance for us to escape…

Asuma was standing near Hidan's body, making sure Kakuzu couldn't get near it. He was taken off guard when Kakuzu appeared in front of him and said, "Not so fast…" He knocked Asuma out of the way.

"Captain Asuma!" Izumo shouted.

"Now that you've asked for my help," Kakuzu said, as he lifted Hidan's body up and placed Hidan's head on his neck. "I'm giving it whether you want it or not." A thick thread appeared from within Kakuzu's sleeve and started to sew Hidan's head to his neck.

"Oww…" Hidan grunted. "Meh…all right…"

"His head!" Izumo gasped as they watched Kakuzu reattach it.

"Finally," Hidan said, once his head was attached again.

Kakuzu warned him, "Don't move it too much yet or it'll come right off." Hidan laughed triumphantly.

"It's reattached…" Kotetsu gasped.

Izumo asked, "What in the world are we up against?"

Gah…one after another, Shikamaru thought. They're both so skilled…

Asuma started to rise from his position on the ground, as Kakuzu said, "your battle repartee is as over-long as your ritual. You stick with the cash cow. I'll deal with the rest."

"Izumo!" Kotetsu shouted, pilling out a scroll.

Izumo made a hand sign, "I know!" A large weapon appeared in Kotetsu's hand. It resembled a spiky seashell in shape that had a handle and chain attacked to it. They charged towards Kakuzu.

"All right…" Kakuzu said, watching their every move.

Kotetsu made a hand sign as Izumo finished his hand signs, Water Style: Syrup Trap! Kakuzu ran right into the jutsu and found that he was unable to move.

"Gotcha!" Kotetsu shouted, swinging his weapon. Kakuzu moved both arms in front of him, but his arms sprang forward, the same black threads that had sown up Hidan's neck, now pushing them forward. Kakuzu now had a strangle-hold on Kotetsu and Izumo.

As Hidan came near him, Asuma threw his chakra blade at him, Hidan dodging to the side and throwing his scythe.

"Asuma! Behind you!" Shikamaru shouted, as the scythe headed towards Asuma's exposed back.

Asuma ducked, and Hidan took the full hit of his own scythe, the three blades sticking out of his back. Asuma said, "How many times you think I'm gonna fall for…" He stopped in horror as pain went through him, and Hidan started to laugh insanely. Hidan had made it back into the diagram.

"Same trap, fool!" Hidan shouted.

Shikamaru staggered onto his feet, and started running towards Asuma, not caring that Kakuzu was in between him and his mentor, as Asuma coughed up blood.

"Now I can finally savor it…the pain caused by your death!" Hidan shouted.

"NO!" Shikamaru shouted.

Kakuzu said, "The end."

Hidan plunged his spire like sword into his chest, and Asuma coughed up more blood before slumping forward onto the ground. Izumo and Kotetsu stared in shock at their dead captain, while Shikamaru stared in horror, tears in his eyes.

Hidan raised his eyes towards the sky, "Oh, yes…that's it…that's the stuff…"

"ASUMA!" Shikamaru shouted, tripping over a crack in the ground. He grunted in pain as he started to get up again.

"I'm done over here, Kakuzu," Hidan said, his skin back to its original color.

Kakuzu said, "Just give me a minute." He tightened his grip on Izumo and Kotetsu's necks.

Shikamaru stood up, "You… YOU!" He rushed forward.

Kakuzu saw him coming, so he threw Izumo into him, knocking Shikamaru backwards.

Without any warning, crows were swarming over the area, limiting visibility. "What the?" Hidan shouted.

"A pitiful attempt at obfuscation," Kakuzu stated. A sword tip glinted among the black feathers, and Kakuzu had just enough time to move his head a bit, so he wouldn't get hit. He released his hold on Izumo and Kotetsu.

Choji had appeared next to Shikamaru, and helped him get out of area. Shikamaru started as he felt a hand on his back, "Shikamaru, we're here to help."

"Ino…" Shikamaru said in surprise.

Choji had gone back to get Asuma, and he knelt next to his teacher. Shikamaru shouted, "Asuma!" He rushed over to his teacher's side and lowered his head near his chest, listening for a heartbeat, it's faint, but his heart's still beating! "Choji! Rush Master Asuma to the Leaf Village Hospital! Go with them Ino! Use your medical ninjutsu to buy as much time as you can! Hurry!"

"Got it!" Ino and Choji said in unison.

They all turned as Kakuzu landed several feet from them, "You can't have the cash cow."

"Gah…" Shikamaru grunted.

A different shinobi, with sunglasses appeared in front of Shikamaru and the others, "Take Asuma and run, Shikamaru! We'll keep these two busy!"

Hidan appeared next to Kakuzu, and the Leaf shinobi were surprised when the pair left after a few, brief words between the two.

Izumo stared after them in confusion, They're retreating…temporarily? What kind of strategy is that?

A cough from Asuma, had Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji focusing on their mentor again, worry showing in their eyes.

"Choji! Ino! Hurry up!" Shikamaru shouted.

Ino nodded, "I'll star medical ninjutsu!"

"Got it!" Choji said.

"No…" Asuma rasped. His squad gazed at him in confusion. "…I…I wouldn't make it anyway…I can feel it…" He laughed half-heartedly. "I bet you know it too…."

"Shut up!" Shikamaru said, in denial. "You keep quiet!"

Ino started her medical ninjutsu. Four vital spots…

"Ino…" Choji could see the despair in her eyes.

Kotetsu and another shinobi with scars across the right half of his face landed near the others, and stood silently around Asuma and his squad.

It's too late… Ino thought, closing her eyes as tears started to spill over. Shikamaru stared at Ino in surprise, before he closed his own eyes, fighting against the sadness that was starting to come forward.

"I think I finally…" Asuma continued. "…understand…what the Third Hokage menat…" He smiled slightly, "I'm…always too slow at figuring things out…I've got…" A cough interrupted him, as more blood came up, "…something I want to tell you three…Ino…Choji…Shikamaru…"

"Sensei! Stop talking!" Choji begged.

"CHOJI!" Shikamaru shouted to get his friend's attention. He looked at Ino who was still performing her medical ninjutsu, "Ino, you too… Listen closely to Master Asuma's last words."

"Ino…" Asuma said.

"Yes?" Ino asked.

Asuma turned to look at her, "you may be head strong but you're also a considerate caretaker…Choji and Shikamaru…they're awkward and clumsy…you watch over them…"

"Yes, sir," Ino said, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Asuma added, "And…don't you ever lose…to Sakura…either in ninjutsu or in love…."

"No, sir!" Ino sobbed, unable to control her grief.

"Choji," Asuma continued, turning to look at Choji. "You're…a thoughtful, loyal friend…and a kind soul…in time, you'll become a stronger shinobi…than everyone else…so be more confident in yourself…"

Choji also lost control on his emotions, tears flowing down his cheeks, "Got it…"

Asuma joked, "Also…you might want to drop a few pounds…"

Choji missed the smile on his mentor's face as he wiped his eyes, "It might not be possible, but I'll sure try…"

Asuma laughed before looking at Shikamaru, "And finally…Shikamaru… you're razor-sharp…with the instincts of a great shinobi…truly worthy of becoming Hokage…though you'd probably try to avoid it…" Another cough racked his body, "…since you hate being bothered like that…all those Shogi games…and not once could I beat you… Which reminds me…remember our conversation about the kind…?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise as he recalled Asuma's words, "Then…do you know who the king is?" Asuma said that referring to someone in the Leaf Village…

"Let me tell you…who it is…give me your ear…" Asuma said. Shikamaru bent down and listened.

His eyes widened in surprise when Asuma told him, "Asuma…you…that's why…" Shikamaru couldn't form a sentence.

"I'm counting on you…Shikamaru…" Asuma whispered, half-closing his eyes. A slight smile came over his features, "And you best…treasure what you…have with…Sara…" Shikamaru nodded. "That reminds me…I want you to tell…her something as well…" Shikamaru bent closer to Asuma again and listened.

"I'll tell her that," Shikamaru said, with a slight smile.

Asuma's eyes were still half-closed as he mused, "I guess I don't have to hold off smoking anymore… Could you get me….one last cigarette…from my pouch…?"

Shikamaru obliged, and lit the cigarette for Asuma, and the time that they first met came flooding at him:

Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji coughed as smoke filled the room that they were in with their new teacher.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Asuma said, not sounding the least bit sorry. "I'm Asuma Sarutobi, and I'll be leading you three, Cell Number Ten. I'm strict, so you better be prepared." Their eyes were filled with tears from the smoke. "Aww, come on, don't start crying already! I've only made the threat so far."

Shikamaru lost his patience, "The smoke's stinging our eyes!"

Choji was openly sobbing now, as he remembered one of his best, first memories with Asuma:

Choji was inhaling the BBQ pork in front of him, Asuma asked, "Choji, haven't you ever heard of holding back or modesty…?"

"We've passed the four hundred dollar mark," Shikamaru added.

Asuma said, "You keep this up and you're gonna get fa…mmph!" Shikamaru had covered Asuma's mouth.

Later, Choji commented, "That was yummy!" While Asuma was begging the restaurant owner for forgiveness in not having enough to pay for their meal…

Ino had stopped sobbing as she remembered a more recent time with Asuma:

Asuma lay down a bouquet of flowers on the counter at Ino's family's flower shop. Ino asked, winking, "Who's it for?"

Asuma rubbed the back of his neck, "Er, no one in particular…"

"Give my regards to Lady Kurenai!" Ino said as Asuma made his way towards the door.

"Wah!" Asuma had whipped around in disbelief, "How'd you know?"

Grief was truly threatening to overwhelm Shikamaru as he continued to remember his teacher:

"All of the rules are explained in here," Asuma said, setting a Shogi rule book in front of Shikamaru. "The rest you can pick up through playing."

"What a bother," Shikamaru grumbled. "All right, give me ten minutes." He picked up the rule book.

Ten minutes later, Asuma said, in disbelief, "I-I lost…"

"You don't have to go easy on me, Master," Shikamaru muttered.

After Shikamaru had become a chûnin, Asuma praised him, "You and Sara were the only two promoted to chûnin after this year's Chûnin Exams. As your leader I'm am especially proud of you." He addressed the others then, "Ino and Choji…it'll be your turns next."

Once Ino and Choji had acquired the rank of chûnin, Asuma presented them all with a box that contained three pairs of earrings. "Good job, Choji, Ino. Now all three of you are chûnin," Asuma said. "And as such…I am no longer your leader. From here on out, each of you shall become captains of your very own, new teams. These earrings are my presents to you for achieving chûnin rank." He smiled, "Don't you ever forget that we were once Cell Number Ten!"

The cigarette fell from Asuma's lips, his eyes three-quarters of the way closed. "MASTER!" The three young ninja shouted, devastated. Choji and Ino openly sobbed as rain began to fall from the sky. Izumo had closed his eyes, trying to ignore the grief of the young ninja in front of him. Kotetsu stood next to him, watching the three young ninja, forcing himself not to look away from them or their master. The two other shinobi that had helped them escape Hidan and Kakuzu stood watching them all silently.

After several minutes of the rain pelting them, the one with the scars on his face stepped forward and knelt near the dead master and his grieving students, "It was a shinobi-worthy end."

Shikamaru stepped away from his teammates and his dead master, stood on the edge of the rooftop they were on. He took in a shuddering breath, and a sob escaped him. Not wanting to appear weak he lit one of Asuma's cigarettes. He started to cough, though it was easy to distinguish between his sobs and his coughs, "I still…hate cigarettes. The smoke's stinging my eyes…"

Meanwhile, back in the Leaf Village, Kakashi stared up at the sky as rain fell and walked over to the tree to wake Sara. He barely touched her shoulder when she sat bolt upright, eyes wide, her pupils narrowed to slits.

"Are you all right?" Kakashi asked, warily. I've never seen her wake up with her Devil's Eyes up…

"No," Sara said, gazing at him, her eyes filled with grief. "Nothing's right, but it's not for me to say what's happened." She stood up and walked into the trees away from him, leaving Kakashi very confused.

Kakashi walked back to where Tenzo was and watched as Naruto, who had regained consciousness only a few minutes ago, train. All of the clones were trying their hardest to add a change in nature to the Rasengan, but they were distracted as one of the clones took on the Nine-Tails' chakra

"Hey! Careful guys! Here's another one turning Nine-Tails!" One of the clones shouted.

Another shouted, "Captain Yamato! Help!"

Three tails had emerged on the one clone, and it gave out a roar.

Kakashi shouted, worried as he entered the circle, "Tenzo, here it comes again!"

"Gah!" Tenzo slammed his hand against the ground and the poles came alive and gripped the clone in its jaws, draining away the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Naruto released all his clones, and sighed in relief. He looked up as Kakashi landed in front of him, "Are you all right?" Naruto sulked. "It's been one whole day since we started trying to add a wind change in chakra nature to the Rasengan…using about two-hundred Shadow Clones… In terms of solo training time, that's roughly forty eight hundred hours…but it's still not enough, huh?"

"Considering I'm unconscious most of that time, no!" Naruto snapped. Kakashi allowed him to sulk for several minutes. Naruto said, "This drill…the chakra control is so difficult…I can't manage more than two hundred clones. I feel like…all the time in the world isn't going to be enough. It takes so much focus just to make the Rasengan…to then add on a change in nature…it's too much."

"Since when do you whine about ninjutsu?" Kakashi demanded. "It's not like you," his tone took on a teasing note. "Are you really Naruto Uzamaki?"

"But…I think this one time, it really is impossible," Naruto muttered.

Kakashi said, "Doesn't matter. You must keep at it."

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto snapped, losing his patience. "What if someone asked you to look right and left at the same time?" Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise.

For sure, that is impossible, Tenzo thought.

"I see," Kakashi finally said. "So that's what this is about… This is certainly a difficult task, however…" He made a hand sign, and created a Shadow Clone. "Here's how you can look to the right…"

His clone finished, "And left at the same time."

Kakashi allowed his clone to disappear, "Still think it's impossible?"

Naruto slowly started to grin, "That's it!" He shouted triumphantly.

What did he figure out? Kakashi wondered. He glanced towards the trees where he could just make out Sara's shape, what did she mean when she said that it wasn't her right to say what's happened?

Sara stood amongst the trees, blocking Kakashi so he wouldn't sense her grief. Between the grief that she could sense from Shikamaru, and her own grief over Asuma's death, tears flowed silently down her cheeks. She clenched her fists suddenly and vowed silently, I'll get my revenge on those two…Enaki and Asuma will not have died in vain! Her anger flowed out of her, revenge won't bring them back though… She closed her eyes, trying not to picture how her uncle had looked and how Asuma had looked once they had lost their lives.

Did you like this part? I sure hope so! Now the wait for Part 5 begins!