Ch. 2: Training Day
"You think you're better than us? Stupid little kid, you're nothing!" Taunted two older boys, slowly forming a ring around one small silver- haired child. "You're such a nothing that even your parents left you. You nothing-head freak!"
The child simply stared at the ground, eyes cold and unreadable peaking above a black half-mask that covered his face. Inside anger burned him, making his stomach knot. Don't let them know that they're getting to you, he chanted to himself, just breath. Letting his eyes droop in an imitation of sleep, the chibi-ninja looked around him languidly and let out a chuckle before whispering, "That's right. I'm nothing. But it seems to me like you're bothering with a nothing, so what does that make you?"
Puzzled by his response, the boys froze for a single moment, and that moment was all it took. The little child disappeared without a sound. . . but not before leaving behind two neatly tied and badly beaten (not to mention still confused) boys.
Landing on a particularly wide branch in one of the huge trees that surrounded Konoha village, the chibi-ninja smiled to himself, a real smile this time. At least as close to a real smile as he could wear, he couldn't help the bits of bitterness that crept in, that always seemed to creep in. Sighing, Kakashi sank down onto the branch, laying down on his back to look up at the higher branches and preparing to engage himself in a long session of brooding (his favorite pastime after sleeping and eating). He knew it wasn't what a regular six year old would be doing, but then again, he wasn't a regular six year old. He was Kakashi. THE Hatake Kakashi, the great genius ninja of Konoha. The six year old prodigy who picked-up nin- skills as easily as the average person learned to breathe. The extraordinary. . .special. . .different. . .abnormal. . .
"YO! SHORTY!!" Boomed a voice in his ear. Jiraiya managaed to grab Kakashi's ankle just as the silver-haired form toppled off the branch in surprise. Hauling Kakashi back into place, the wolf-like ninja's mouth almost split from the grin plastered on it. It wasn't every day that he got to scare the living crap out of the arrogant little brat, after all.
Seeing the grin, Kakashi fought down the urge to smack it, since he'd probably get smacked back. While, normally, that wouldn't have bothered him too much, the chibi-ninja really hadn't felt the other, and that sent chills down his spine. So he fought the urge and instead grumbled "What do you want?" as a way of greeting.
Jiraiya continued to grin for another minute or two, letting his superiority sink deeper into Kakashi (he hoped). . .Kakashi let him grin, gleefully not mentioning the large piece of green onion stuck between Jiraiya's front teeth.
"I've decided to begin a more serious program of training with you today," said Jiraiya eventually, "Stealth training, actually."
Kakashi glared at Jiraiya, stating simply, "I know stealth."
"Hmph. Shorty, listen carefully," replied Jiraiya between clenched teeth, glaring right back at his student, "there is stealth, and then there is STEALTH. Perhaps you know of the first, but if you knew of the second I would not have been able to sneak up on you today, now would I? So, today we're going to begin your training on STEALTH."
Kakashi responded with a curt nod. Secretly though, Jiraiya's words had hit home. He wanted to be able to move as the Sage did. Not that he would ever let the other ninja know, of course. Jiraiya, noting the way Kakashi's hands clenched slightly and the excited spark in the still glaring eyes, never needed to be told.
"Right, follow me then, to the training ground," said Jiraiya in a near growl, taking off for his special training ground in the ninja's ground- eating lope. There was training, thought Jiraiya as he sensed his student following him, and then there was TRAINING. In his opinion, true training benefited and motivated both student AND teacher, and this particular course plan (having been carefully designed by Jiraiya the night before) was absolutely brilliant.
Slowing considerably, Jiraiya motioned Kakashi to keep low and quiet, setting an example by dropping into a silent sort of crawl. The area they entered was woody, but also lush with bamboo and the smell of water. Hearing splashing, Kakashi wondered briefly if the crazy old man planned on making him walk among a nest of poisonous giant water snakes. He'd heard that that was a common practice in the olden days. Kakashi felt his lips rub against his mask as they unconsciously moved into a grimace. That was definitely not something he wanted to do at the moment, or ever.
Jiraiya stopped suddenly near a particularly tall crop of bamboo, growing in a natural sort of wall. It did seem like the logical place for a tactical meeting, nice and well-covered, thought Kakashi a bit uncertainly to himself as he caught-up with Jiraiya right under the shadow of the bamboo wall. Jiraiya motioned him to come closer. Curious as to what exactly the San-nin wanted him to do, Kakashi leaned quickly in to listen.
"Okay," whispered Jiraiya, "here's your mission. Behind this wall is a natural spring known for its restorative properties. It's a particularly favorite spot for a certain well-proportioned Risa-san. . ."
Kakashi felt his head begin to hurt, he did NOT like where this was headed. "Now, she likes to hang her underwear in the third branch of the tree directly across from where we are. The road will be difficult and full of peril, but you are to go fetch them without her or the other three girls that are with her at the moment noticing. Got it, student?"
". . ." Kakashi glared death at Jiraiya, once again feeling the desire to smack him rising. "Let me get this straight. You brought me here to steal some girl's underwear, while you. . ."
"While I sit here and evaluate your performance." Replied Jiraiya, matter- of-factly, arranging himself into a more comfortable (and he hoped wise- looking) cross-legged position.
"Right, you'll be looking at MY performance," said Kakashi sarcastically, turning to leave, his voice steadily rising. "Tell Hokage-san to find me a permanent teacher soon, one that doesn't have weird perverted tendencies!"
"Weird, perverted tendencies?" said a shrill female voice behind them, followed by a series of cracks. Turning, Kakashi and Jiraiya had just enough time to see four large bamboo branches descending down on their heads.
"See, you do need more training in stealth!" Jiraiya barely managed to shout between beatings.
Stupid teacher, the little silver-haired ninja thought before everything went dark.
----------- Years Later -----------
"So what's this special training that we're doing today?" said a boy, rubbing his eyes with one hand and straightening his blue shirt with another. His dark eyes sparked a little as he glared at the tall man that appeared suddenly next to him. "More Sharingan practice for the Chuunin exam?"
"No," replied the silver-haired jounin, smiling crookedly beneath his black face-mask, "today is a special session in stealth."
"You think you're better than us? Stupid little kid, you're nothing!" Taunted two older boys, slowly forming a ring around one small silver- haired child. "You're such a nothing that even your parents left you. You nothing-head freak!"
The child simply stared at the ground, eyes cold and unreadable peaking above a black half-mask that covered his face. Inside anger burned him, making his stomach knot. Don't let them know that they're getting to you, he chanted to himself, just breath. Letting his eyes droop in an imitation of sleep, the chibi-ninja looked around him languidly and let out a chuckle before whispering, "That's right. I'm nothing. But it seems to me like you're bothering with a nothing, so what does that make you?"
Puzzled by his response, the boys froze for a single moment, and that moment was all it took. The little child disappeared without a sound. . . but not before leaving behind two neatly tied and badly beaten (not to mention still confused) boys.
Landing on a particularly wide branch in one of the huge trees that surrounded Konoha village, the chibi-ninja smiled to himself, a real smile this time. At least as close to a real smile as he could wear, he couldn't help the bits of bitterness that crept in, that always seemed to creep in. Sighing, Kakashi sank down onto the branch, laying down on his back to look up at the higher branches and preparing to engage himself in a long session of brooding (his favorite pastime after sleeping and eating). He knew it wasn't what a regular six year old would be doing, but then again, he wasn't a regular six year old. He was Kakashi. THE Hatake Kakashi, the great genius ninja of Konoha. The six year old prodigy who picked-up nin- skills as easily as the average person learned to breathe. The extraordinary. . .special. . .different. . .abnormal. . .
"YO! SHORTY!!" Boomed a voice in his ear. Jiraiya managaed to grab Kakashi's ankle just as the silver-haired form toppled off the branch in surprise. Hauling Kakashi back into place, the wolf-like ninja's mouth almost split from the grin plastered on it. It wasn't every day that he got to scare the living crap out of the arrogant little brat, after all.
Seeing the grin, Kakashi fought down the urge to smack it, since he'd probably get smacked back. While, normally, that wouldn't have bothered him too much, the chibi-ninja really hadn't felt the other, and that sent chills down his spine. So he fought the urge and instead grumbled "What do you want?" as a way of greeting.
Jiraiya continued to grin for another minute or two, letting his superiority sink deeper into Kakashi (he hoped). . .Kakashi let him grin, gleefully not mentioning the large piece of green onion stuck between Jiraiya's front teeth.
"I've decided to begin a more serious program of training with you today," said Jiraiya eventually, "Stealth training, actually."
Kakashi glared at Jiraiya, stating simply, "I know stealth."
"Hmph. Shorty, listen carefully," replied Jiraiya between clenched teeth, glaring right back at his student, "there is stealth, and then there is STEALTH. Perhaps you know of the first, but if you knew of the second I would not have been able to sneak up on you today, now would I? So, today we're going to begin your training on STEALTH."
Kakashi responded with a curt nod. Secretly though, Jiraiya's words had hit home. He wanted to be able to move as the Sage did. Not that he would ever let the other ninja know, of course. Jiraiya, noting the way Kakashi's hands clenched slightly and the excited spark in the still glaring eyes, never needed to be told.
"Right, follow me then, to the training ground," said Jiraiya in a near growl, taking off for his special training ground in the ninja's ground- eating lope. There was training, thought Jiraiya as he sensed his student following him, and then there was TRAINING. In his opinion, true training benefited and motivated both student AND teacher, and this particular course plan (having been carefully designed by Jiraiya the night before) was absolutely brilliant.
Slowing considerably, Jiraiya motioned Kakashi to keep low and quiet, setting an example by dropping into a silent sort of crawl. The area they entered was woody, but also lush with bamboo and the smell of water. Hearing splashing, Kakashi wondered briefly if the crazy old man planned on making him walk among a nest of poisonous giant water snakes. He'd heard that that was a common practice in the olden days. Kakashi felt his lips rub against his mask as they unconsciously moved into a grimace. That was definitely not something he wanted to do at the moment, or ever.
Jiraiya stopped suddenly near a particularly tall crop of bamboo, growing in a natural sort of wall. It did seem like the logical place for a tactical meeting, nice and well-covered, thought Kakashi a bit uncertainly to himself as he caught-up with Jiraiya right under the shadow of the bamboo wall. Jiraiya motioned him to come closer. Curious as to what exactly the San-nin wanted him to do, Kakashi leaned quickly in to listen.
"Okay," whispered Jiraiya, "here's your mission. Behind this wall is a natural spring known for its restorative properties. It's a particularly favorite spot for a certain well-proportioned Risa-san. . ."
Kakashi felt his head begin to hurt, he did NOT like where this was headed. "Now, she likes to hang her underwear in the third branch of the tree directly across from where we are. The road will be difficult and full of peril, but you are to go fetch them without her or the other three girls that are with her at the moment noticing. Got it, student?"
". . ." Kakashi glared death at Jiraiya, once again feeling the desire to smack him rising. "Let me get this straight. You brought me here to steal some girl's underwear, while you. . ."
"While I sit here and evaluate your performance." Replied Jiraiya, matter- of-factly, arranging himself into a more comfortable (and he hoped wise- looking) cross-legged position.
"Right, you'll be looking at MY performance," said Kakashi sarcastically, turning to leave, his voice steadily rising. "Tell Hokage-san to find me a permanent teacher soon, one that doesn't have weird perverted tendencies!"
"Weird, perverted tendencies?" said a shrill female voice behind them, followed by a series of cracks. Turning, Kakashi and Jiraiya had just enough time to see four large bamboo branches descending down on their heads.
"See, you do need more training in stealth!" Jiraiya barely managed to shout between beatings.
Stupid teacher, the little silver-haired ninja thought before everything went dark.
----------- Years Later -----------
"So what's this special training that we're doing today?" said a boy, rubbing his eyes with one hand and straightening his blue shirt with another. His dark eyes sparked a little as he glared at the tall man that appeared suddenly next to him. "More Sharingan practice for the Chuunin exam?"
"No," replied the silver-haired jounin, smiling crookedly beneath his black face-mask, "today is a special session in stealth."