Disclaimer : Naruto is not mine but Kishimoto-sensei is the artist who
does. Ranma isn't mine either, he is the property of Takahashi-sensei. As
such, I make no money out of the stories I write and claim no legual
responsibility. I cannot be sued unless I make money out of it which I
don't.
Just so you know, I'm not really into couples in Naruto but if there is one in this story it's a Naru Saku pairing. No comments or questions will make me waver from this path.
On with the story.
Haruno Sakura barely knew what 5 am was, she barely knew it existed and shuddered to think of people who got up at this time. Obviously, both Naruto and Sasuke were used to such a time since they were already fighting over the rooftops.
"Sasuke! Get ready to lose!" Naruto screamed, waking a few people.
"To you! Never!" the dark haired Uchiha replied much quieter but while he was still fighting.
Sakura looked at the battle, they were an hour early and they were already going at it using only Taijutsu and the occasional kunai. As they battled, Naruto would occasionally infuriate his opponent just to try and spite him which served him right in that Sasuke started to use his special techniques. His fire elemental attacks flew everywhere but Naruto countered in kind with a series of shields and counters just before he turned the tide in his favour.
"Katon! Houousenka no jutsu!" Naruto screamed as the ball of fire formed itself. Sakura screamed and just as the ball was about to hit Sasuke Ranma stopped the match with a cancelling technique of his own. The sensei came out of a shadow and talked to his students. Sakura decided to join them immediately and jumped to the adjacent rooftop.
"Nice battle boys. Naruto, you need to work on your chackra control, you spent too much again. You Sasuke need to work on your mental control. If the enemy makes you mad you have already lost. Now both of you give me 100 push ups counting now. Haruno-san, warm up, you are early but that's even better." Ranma instructed Sakura on her warm up exercises until he was satisfied.
"Now we're going to sprint to the Dojo over the roofs. Follow me!" Ranma made sure he was followed by his students and went at his leisurely pace which was a real torture for the trainees. Down on the street, both Kurenai and Asuma were looking at the training team 7
"You think they're trying to surpass our teams?" Kurenai asked.
"No, they already surpass us. Ranma's training them while Kakashi stays back. I think our teams need special exercises as well." Asuma told her as he finished his cigarette.
"I'm going, we have a mission affected to us at 0730 hours and we're supposed to meet at the go club. See ya!" He left her on the street and she turned her way.
Contrarily to what Asuma said, Kakashi was quite occupied with his own workload.
"Why am I stuck with this job?" He was holding a vest in his arms and a needle in his right hand. Yes, he, Sharingan Kakashi was sewing weighed vests. . . at least it would be useful to his students.
"Because I'm training them for you so you have to pay for it a little. Sewing vests isn't that big a price." Ranma said as he came in the dojo followed by Naruto, Sasuke and the very winded Sakura.
"Now it's 0600 we are starting our training, the warm up being done for all of you, we will start with walking with training vests." Sasuke and Sakura were puzzled but Naruto looked absolutely horrified at the mention of this particular training.
"We're doomed!" he exclaimed as the revelation of the exercise was made to him.
"Naruto, put on the extra weigh, the others have to put on lighter versions." Ranma told his son who seized a backpack made by his father with a load of what he called depleted uranium. The thing was heavy like hell and lead seemed lighter somehow.
"Why don't we have the same as Naruto?" Sasuke asked eager to get stronger.
"One must progress one step at a time until he is able to go up no longer. Try this one, it's one of Naruto's old vests." Ranma gave the vest to the Uchiha survivor who was quite impressed by it's weight.
"Does Naruto wear one all the time." He asked the teacher.
"Yes, it serves as training instrument as well as protective armor. If he was to remove it he would be faster and stronger by several times. You're not that far from him yourself since this is the one he wore just two weeks ago and you can lift it, you'll have to put on a training weight as well." Ranma explained. It wasn't exactly enough for Sasuke but he slipped on the vest, the bracers and the ankle weights anyway and understood the principle.
'How heavy, and Naruto runs and spars whith those on' He was astonished.
"Don't worry, in one week you won't feel it anymore." Ranma said as he took a female version of the same vest from a drawer. "Miss Haruno, I have one that'll fit you like a charm, just try to lift it."
And try she did, she also almost failed.
"Good, just the right weigh to start working up to par with those two. No additional weights for you though." He said that as she slipped it over her clothes.
"What now sensei?" She asked as she struggled to just stay up.
"You run once around the block and then you have to sprint 100 meters followed by different exercises like jump rope, push ups and jumping jacks. You then have your mission you will perform while still weighed and then your everyday life, just sit on the ground from now on or on reinforced chairs. Now go!" The ninjas snapped to attention and ran out of the dojo as fast as they could. It took the team the quarter of an hour to complete the first wave of exercises. Once they were done, Ranma looked at his heaving pupils.
"Good, now to start the real training for you boys. Sparing session while wearing the vests. No holding back on destructiveness but no leathal blows. Sakura will work with me." He stated this just as the boys let go of their added weights.
"Sensei, what are we going to do?" Sakura asked.
"Katas at slow speed to get you accustomed to your new weight. On a side note, this training will make you gain lots of weight but make no mistake, your figure won't be touched by it in the slightest way" Ranma seemed to pounder at this. "You'll have to follow a very simple diet, eat lots and lots of food other then salad!"
Sakura stared at her sensei, he was basically telling her to eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted and she would still look as svelte and beautiful as she already did.
'ALLLLRRRRRRIGHT! Training here I come!' Inner Sakura screamed while the outer one showed signs of fierce determination to go through this training heaven. . .errr hell she corrected herself.
"Assume position!" Ranma ordered and she assumed the first basic stance he was assuming himself. They then proceeded to execute every movement with absolute precision until it was 8 am.
"Matte! Good job everyone, now clear the mats and cool down. You have a mission briefing with the third Hokage at 0845 hours class dismissed." The students hurriedly did as they were told and regrouped at the entrance.
"Good morning everyone, you'll have your first mission at 0845 at the main office. Do not be late or you'll feel my wrath. Also, training resumes after the mission or at 1730 until your teacher is satisfied you're dead enough for his taste understood." Kakashi asked the student.
"Yes sir but. . . Why are your hands wounded?" Sakura asked. The Jounin developed a sweat drop at the question.
'think fast think fast thik fast' "I burned myself with the stove this morning" 'Got ya, Kakashi, master of excuses wins again!' He thought with a triumphant smile under his mask.
Later, at the missions dispatch office.
Team seven, we have a lost dog to be found in the forest near the village that belongs to the wife of a local Daimao, we have a contract for you to retrieve it. This is a class D mission and as such you have no real danger or enemy against you unless you encounter bandits. If such is the case, withdraw immediately, the head office will investigate the matter accordingly." The third handed the orders to Kakashi.
"Oi, old man! Why can't we fight the bandits?" Naruto, eager to prove himself, asked.
"You are gennin and on your first mission we can't ask of you to fight bandits who could be missing nins or spies. In this case it becomes a class c or even b mission where you may get killed. Confrontation in this case must be avoided unless necessary understood Naruto?" The Hokage explained the young ninja.
"Let's go then, the faster this is over the faster we train!" Naruto exclaimed as though it was a prize to train all day. Even Sasuke almost groaned at his enthusiasm while Sakura looked absolutely horrified. In silence, they proceeded to the forest where the dog had last been seen. The mission was easy and very VERY boring to Naruto who just thought about pounding some bandits. He had screamed the dog's name and the mutt ran up to him as though it had hell on it's heels but it was only a disappointing squirrel.
It was a satisfied Ranma who welcomed the team during a training session with Moegi and Ryoma.
"Back already? You probably had one of those low class d rank mission." The look of satisfaction in his face was all Sasuke needed to know what was coming, Sakura saw the look and shuddered at the thought.
"Too easy for my taste, I needed to train for that?" Naruto asked only to receive a hit upon his skull.
"Easy missions mean easy money, also you didn't put your life in danger or any of this crap, just be thankful I'm not beating the crap out of you just out of principle!" Naruto swallowed and shook off his mild annoyance.
"Dear, it's time to eat dinner! Naruto, you should have called if you had friends over. Now I'll need to make some more food!" Hikari scolded her son.
"No need aunty, my parents will be waiting for me." Sakura bowed politely and turned to leave.
"Nonsense! You're my son's team mates and as such it'll be our pleasure to have you all over for dinner, now no arguing. I'll call your mother and arrange it with her. As for you Sasuke, I believe you're on your own so I don't need to call anyone I assume." She said.
"Hai." Sasuke stoically answered.
"Sakura-chan, how about you help me a little with the food?" Hikari asked the kunoichi.
"Hai" Sakura followed the older woman to the kitchen leaving the men to themselves
"I believe now is a good time to stop our session children." Both stopped their sparring and turned to the master. They bowed and ran to the bathtub.
"How about a soak in the furo you two, after a mission you're bound to be sweating." Ranma went under Naruto's arm and smelled only to find fresh air under there. "Something must be wrong with my nose, weren't you supposed to look for a runaway mutt this morning."
"Yeah, in a forest full of bandits we're not supposed to fight. We got there only to find the mutt running from a squirrel!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Clearly a waste of our time, it answered to it's name." Sasuke stated with his usual tone of voice.
Ranma poundered for a second and decided on his course of action.
"Alright, we're going to a little field trip in the forest this afternoon team and we're beating the crap out of as many bandits as we can!" Both Sasuke and Naruto looked at Ranma with different thoughts in their heads.
'Great! We're off to a real battle! I hope there are some strong people there!' was the thought on Naruto's mind.
'Is this some other test or another way of improving, this man may be the key to the power I seek to defeat him. Either way, it'll let me adjust to fighting with this suit on.' The calmer and calculating mind of Sasuke thought.
Naruto's grin and Sasuke's smirk told it all though.
"Leave one or two for Sakura though. She needs training far more then you two!" Ranme completed.
"Dinner ready!" Hikari called and was answered by the stampede of her family attacking dinner. The fact that there were no leftovers bemused Sakura who tried to even understand how so much food could disappear so fast. Sasuke was the first one to see how it truly worked though. Naruto and Ranma were in a war to eat whatever the other had in his plate as well as their own. Nothing was spilled since either one seriously plucked the food out of thin air. Moegi and Ryoma were also trying their hand at it but were slower then the two grown ups. He was content in observing this display until Naruto stole one of his dumplings. At this point, Sasuke joined the fray only to find out he was much slower with chopsticks then he previously thought. Even Ryoma took food from him.
"Don't worry about it Sasuke, you're just new to this. That's all." Ranma reassured the frustrated ninja. Also the first advanced Taijutsu technique you'll learn from me is a speed technique. Naruto already knows it and I'll be damned if anyone trains as hard as he does in your year, even you can't compare." The foot in mouth syndrome may have lessened somewhat over the years but sometimes there were small accidents such as that one time. Sasuke clearely frowned at the man's words. From sunrise to sundown and sometimes even later Sasuke trained all the time. He had invented ways of training while sitting in class where Naruto was sleeping. Could it be he trained in his dreams or some unrealistic infernal machine! For one to have more training then a Uchiha at any time in life was inconceivable!
"Yeah, I mean I train from 5 am to 11 pm and then some more on my free time! Pops is a demon from the seventh circle of hell! He trains from 4 am to 1 am!" Naruto stated. Sasuke's eyes bogged while Sakura looked for signs of fatigue.
"My Chackra is tightened enough to let me go without sleep for days." Ranma answered the silent question while Hikari sighed dissapointedly. "So, since I have trouble sleeping most of the time I just train."
'Even I am not that sadistic about training and if Naruto trains only three hours less then. . .' Sasuke thought.
"Don't even think about it Sasuke, all three of you specialises in a domain of Chackra, you have your special abilities, Sakura has her control and Naruto simply has endurance. That's why he can push himself that hard at his age. You must remember that every journey is slow. At your age I wasn't even half as strong as you guys are!" That was the slight phrase that Sasuke needed to hear to push him farther. If Ranma, a Shinobi considered stronger then Itachi, had been weaker then him who was he to complain. He was an avenger! A tool for justice and he just needed to be sharpened. If someone strong was to do that for him he would just be even stronger and he would then become stronger then the one to train him!
The rest of dinner was quite silent except for the sound of the battle. Those kids were rather vicious when they tried to steal deserts! The only ones left untouched were Hikari and (mysteriously) Sakura.
"Why didn't Moegi and Ryoma try to eat from my plate?" Sakura asked Naruto while the group was strolling in the forest.
"Oh, that's because you helped make dinner, as such you were considered off limits as a food provider! That and they rather like you." The second part was just above a whisper.
"What did you say?" She asked rather loudly.
"Will you two stop your lover's spat! The bandits will hear us miles away!" Sasuke growled.
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SASUKE-KUN NOW THINKS OF US AS A COUPLE! I'LL NEED TO KILL NARUTO!" Inner Sakura screamed while the other one looked at her target.
"Na.ru.to.-kun. . ." Her voice was just loud enough to be heard but the dangerous tone, so obvious to everyone, completely passed Naruto.
"What is it Saku-chan?" He had just made her a nickname, he thought it was cute but Sakura didn't. . .Ranma then saw a piece from his worst nightmares! The demon head attack AND the mallet of doom. Both were thoroughly used to beat up his adoptive son into submission, at least up until a kunai was thrown right at the head of the mallet. The four of them then stopped what they were doing and formed a defensive circle.
"How many?" Ranma asked his pupils.
"10"
"12"
"4"
The boys almost turned to Sakura who had just said four.
"Very good you are all correct, there were 10 then 12 then four opponents, the first ten were the scouts, the twelve are the scouts with two messengers and the four remaining are the strike team. They are rather well organised but lack real skills in the scouting department." The team took out their kunai while Ranma put his hands in his pockets, nothing to do yet. . .
The hiding thieves were the first to move out of hiding. Pitted against a group of relatively young ninjas they were rather overconfident but they paid the price for it. Their strategy was the right one: get the weakest and then move up from there but from their short observation of the group the weakest member had to be the blond boy. It was rather plain and simple at first but when they were about to strike with various weapons they froze in place just by seeing his smile. Naruto seized the spear his chosen opponent had tried to attack with and tossed him away with his momentum. He then moved to fight him. The others now saw the slightly bad position they were in. Thoses may very well be anbu in disguise. They did a quick prayer and went into battle. One rather short bandit wielding a pair of saïs went after Sasuke while the other one attacked Sakura with his bo staff. The last one tried desperately to beat Ranma with a pair of katanas. His failure was immediate and Ranma sat down to observe the rest of the battle.
'No need to interfere unless they get endangered.' He thought just as Naruto used his most stupid technique Ranma ever knew.
"Hengen! Harem no Jutsu!" He screamed as a multitude of clones of himself transformed into a multitude of naked females. Ranma was unaffected since his former curse had taken the dirty part of the male pshyche and beat it down into a rather small space of his mind. The enemies weren't that lucky though and almost fainted from their nosebleed.
Just in time as well since Sakura was rather hard pressed from her own efforts to lift her limbs. It gave her just enough time to build a momentum and smash her wrist band over his head causing him to faint. Sasuke simply punched him on the forehead causing the bandit to fall over while Naruto finished him off with a well placed kick in the stomach.
"Na.ru.to. . . What ever gave you the idea for such a justu? Have you ever heard of feminine modesty?" Sakura was back in her 'Bash Naruto' mode and unless it had a good explanation he wasn't going to live for long anyway.
"Modesty? Isn't that when you don't brag? I mean how should I know? I'm a male not a female!" Naruto argued thus sealing his fate. Sakura had her blunt instrument in hand and smashed Naruto over the head a dozen of times just for good mesure.
"That, he had coming at him." Sasuke remarked with a very small smile.
"You can say that again! Oh well, lets tie those three up and take them back to the village, we'll come back hunting tomorrow!" Ranma was rather hyper for someone who had just been to battle and so did Naruto. Sasuke couldn't keep the smile off his face at the moment, he was enjoying this experience and combat was the best training field he believed. Only Sakura looked bewildered even if she was smiling herself without knowing why.
Thus passed the first week of training, nothing really big as missions. Just your usual rank D crap like babysitting and pest control. The good part was that they had the missions most likely to turn towards rank C thanks to their dayly patrol in the forest. It was exactly one week later that they got their harder mission.
"Team seven, let's see, we have crops to . . ." The Hokage was about to tell the rest of the parameters when Naruto interrupted.
"When are we going to get a real mission old man? All we ever do is crap!" He screamed in indignation.
'Yeah! I'm tired of getting funky assignments!' Inner Sakura screamed while the outer glared at Naruto.
'No matter, missions are missions.' Sasuke thought with an afterthought about how Naruto was right.
"Naruto! You know very well those missions are to build the skills you'll need as chunnin and jounnin!" Iruka exclaimed from his seat besides the third Hokage who stopped him from a longer tirade.
"I believe Naruto may be right Iruka." He stated while looking over a folder.
'Finally, I was getting bored' Kakashi thought as the Hokage handed him the form for a rank C mission.
"You have to escort and protect an individual from danger as you travel to the wave country and stay until his job is done. You can come in Mr Tazuna." At these words a gruffy old man came in through the door.
"So. . .these kids will take me home? You sure about that?" He looked sceptical.
"Yes, quite, you'll leave this afternoon I presume. Don't worry, these gennin are about as good as you can get Tazuna-san." The Hokage remarked as the man sighed in relative defeat.
"We're leaving at 1300 hours, you have until then to gather some stuff necessary for travel as well as weapons and tools. We'll meet at the front gate." Kakashi proceeded to vanish to prepare himself.
"I'm going home to prepare. I bet pops will have extra training just for the trip." Naruto looked extremely overjoyed with that piece of news as he bounded next to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan. How about I escort you home?" He asked. This only earned him a slap.
"I haven't forgotten about your little stunt in the forest of death Naruto and I believe a lot of other people would like to see you as a girl. . .especially your mother." She threatened just as he blanched visibly. The last time his mother had seen this particular skill she had grounded him for a week and made his father double his training. Even Naruto had his limit and that was it.
"Mercy! Anything but that!" He pleaded to the young woman.
Sakura smiled, she rather liked it when men grovelled at her feet. Even if it was only Naruto, she considered herself quite high and mighty at that moment.
"Alright Naruto, just don't use that skill anymore. It's an insult to women all over Konohagure!" she exclaimed. Naruto was immediately grinning like a madman and up from his kneeling position.
"Thanks Sakura-chan! I swear never to use it again! It's pretty much useless anyway." He declared 'As long as I tell Konohamaru never to use it in front of people I'll survive' He thought just as he remembered the young ninja had begged him to teach him one of his ultra secret jutsus and Naruto had taught him the harmless replication technique.
"Sasuke-kun! I'll walk with you!" Sakura told in her charming voice to the other gennin.
"I don't care." Was his only reply.
"Hey! Wait for me Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed to his companions.
"What makes you think this dysfonctionnal group can get me anywhere?" Tazuna asked Iruka when the group was out of sight.
"You have all the number ones of the village youth. Sasuke is a genius and the first ninja of his year, Sakura is the smartest of her year and Naruto is. . .The most energetic ninja in the village." Iruka explained.
"Energetic? More like hyperactive if you ask me!" The man exclaimed. I suppose I can't be picky can I?" He shook his head as he left.
Naruto was back home and having a talk with his family.
"We have a rank C mission!" He exclaimed just as he took off his shoes to put on his slippers.
"Good for you son, what kind? Bandit hunting? Can I join you?" Ranma asked. The world was relatively calm and the anbu didn't need him that much. Maybe he could get a kick out of beating bandits out.
"Nah, just escorting an old guy to the wave country and protect him until his bridge is completed." He explained. Ranma frowned slightly though.
"Wave country. . . son, you better listen to me on this. Tell your team mates to use the modified weight suits I'll give you before you all leave. The place got dangerous since a fellow called Gatou took control of the incoming products. That bridge is a nuisance to him and I heard between the branches that he has some missing nin under contract." Ranma looked at his now serious son.
"Do you know how many they have?" He asked hopefull. Ranma only shook his head and motioned for Naruto to follow him to the dojo.
"Son, you'll have to keep your team mates up to date in their training while you travel. No extra weights on mission, you never know when an attack will come and it would endanger them. I want you to teach them a technique though." Ranma closed his eyes as though he was considering something very important. "Naruto, my son, from this point on you are no longer a student of the Saotome Masabetsu Kakuto Ryu!" Ranma exclaimed. Naruto was about to protest but Ranma cut him to the chase. "From this point on, you are no longer a student but an assistant teacher, you shall impart your knowledge on your students as though it was me who did so, you will have a limited teaching license and teach only what you can. Your training is not over yet and you may not yet be called as sensei but you are the sempai of the class and by being so are obligated to learn with the others as you help them progress. Those are heavy responsibilities and you may judge yourself not ready for them and as such you may refuse." Ranma looked at his flabberstagged son who immediately answered him.
"I accept the responsibilities and consider them an honour bestowed upon me!" The answer was solid and Ranma nooded. He took a paper out of his pocket and presented it to Naruto along with a dan for his belt.
"You are a second dan master of anything goes now with an assistant teaching license." Ranma announced. They rose and then saluted each other before turning to the shrine of the dojo and bow once again. "Let's go celebratre!" They then proceeded back to the house.
"Hey mom! Guess what! Pops gave me a teaching license! I'm also going on a mission to the wave country!" Hikari looked sternly towards her husband at those words.
"Ranma, I thought Naruto was too young to teach yet. . ." She said.
"But you told me he was growing up so I just took your judgement to heart!" Ranma argued. When she had told him that Naruto was getting older she had meant that he was getting into his teens not that he was ready to teach.
"I didn't mean it 'that' way dear, I meant he was getting into a young man, not an adult. . ." She looked pointedly at him just as it dawned on him that he had made a slight mistake. He decided to shrug it off after a second.
"It was going to happen anyway sooner or later, Naruto is a genius of the school of anything goes after all." Ranma argued. "I'll give him the speech before he leaves dear."
Hikari looked rather satisfied with that and went to prepare a celebratory meal.
At her house, Sakura was getting a full length lecture on what to do and not to do around boys which meant don't get near either of them, if they try anything clobber them and ,most important of all, don't forget your mallet. Her mother was quite strict about that one.
"I know mom, it's not like Naruto would dare touch me while Sasuke is just not that style of man. I'm going to be alright!" she exclaimed.
"I know that dear but you're still my daughter and it's hard to see you grow up." Her mother said.
'Yeah, you're right! I'm a grown up!' Inner Sakura screamed while lifting a psychological mallet.
"You'll understand all that when you have children of your own dear but I worry all the time about you and it's quite difficult to see you get to adulthood." Her mother hugged Sakura at that moment, they were sitting on her bed and it was one of those mother daughter moments. Sakura hugged her mother back.
"Mom, you know what?" Sakura started. "I'm kind of scared, both Sasuke and even Naruto are stronger then me by several times. While I'm quite smart that alone won't save me in a dangerous situation and. . .Even as I get stronger from training they get two or three times better. What can I do?" She asked her mother while inner Sakura was weeping.
"You do with what you have dear, they have brawns and a brain between the two of them but you have one brain by yourself. Thus you may be stronger then the both of them in certain situations dear. However, all three of you put together should be invincible, that's why the three men team system exists for genin. You complement one another and, by doing so, learn from the others. It's the basis of team work. With time you'll get to their level even if you aren't as strong you will still have an above average level and will probably surpass them if you play your cards right." Her mother assured her. This was part of being a mother, her daughter now seemed more willing and determined to go out there. A sad but necessary truth.
"It's almost time to leave. I'm ready to go, tell dad I'll miss him. . . I love you mom." Sakura said as she got up, took her pack and leaved the house.
"Goodbye Sa-chan." Her mother softly said when the door closed. Using the nickname she and her husband had given to their baby girl. A single tear drop fell from her eye.
As for Sasuke. . . well there's nothing to say really except he gathered his stock and went off ot the meeting point.
At 12:45, The integrity of team 7 and Ranma was there, Kakashi was missing though.
"Alright!" Ranma called to his students. "From this point on, Naruto will be your teacher until you come back, he has the theory for your first technique and the basic training plan. It's quite light but you have to follow the instructions perfectly." Ranma announced to the other two.
"Why would I learn from Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"Because I'm a certified sensei and that if you want to continue your training when we get back you'll listen to my father." Naruto stated.
"Do we have to call you Naruto-sensei or something then?" Sakura asked with a bit of dislike. 'NEVER I'll call him Naruto-chan before I call him sensei!' Inner Sakura screamed in outrage.
"I'm still on probation as an assistant so I'm just your sempai but you still have to obey the regimen, nothing too stupid anyway." Naruto answered.
Ranma then produced two weighed vests of another design.
"These are a new model I made while you were training while I had someone to make them, they have a button on the left wrist that lets every weigh fall off. If you're in a bad spot, use it. No weigh increase, even on your own and absolutely no foolish tries to surpass yourselves." Ranma recommended especially for Sasuke who liked to add more weigh then Ranma recommended. "This life or death and not training." Ranma précised.
Five minutes before they left, Tazuna-san was there but still no sign of Kakashi.
"Oi! Where's my bodyguard, these kids make good human shields but they can't compare to an adult." Tazuna asked.
"Oi, jii-san. Kakashi sensei is good but I'm the best! I'll be the Hokage someday, My name is Saotome Naruto!" He exclaimed his usual introduction only to have Taazune laugh at him.
"Bwahahahahaha! They gave me the super clown of the village!" Naruto blurred and disappeared.
"Did he go pout somewhere?" Tazuna asked only to feel something poking his back.
"This is a wooden kunai, I could have killed you from anywhere without you noticing, I can also do this." Naruto threw the kunai at a nearby wall where it embedded itself between two bricks. "Never insult my skills old man. I train very seriously."
Naruto went back towards Sakura.
"Now where is Kakashi-sensei? He's always late when it comes to meetings like these." Naruto muttered.
Just as he said that, the afore mentioned Junin appeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Sorry I'm late. I fell asleep." He had his usual excuse and his book opened in front of him. "Well, are we all ready?" he asked only to see all of them nod. "Let's go then Tazuna-san." With that, the whole of team seven left the village of Konohagure for the Wave country.
End of chapter 3
Finaly, a new chapter done and over with! I spent the whole summer working in the woods thus making this many months late! I'm sorry I grovel before you readers.
Now someone asked me to include two things in this fic. This person shall not be mentioned here but I would like for all of you to read this notice.
First, this story will not contain Yaoi because I don't plan on doing so. I have nothing against yaoi but I won't write it unless it's obvious in the story, say what you like but I will still not do it.
Second, Ranma's curse was removed by the powers above meaning me. However you have to remember that Ranma used the broken Naaban mirror. The rest would spoil the surprise!
Next chapter we begin the Zabusa arc of Naruto and we will see the powered up versions of Zabusa and Haku as well as one or two new associates. The madness shall now truly begin as I introduce oc so the challenge of battle remains the same. As for the results. . . you'll never know!
Just so you know, I'm not really into couples in Naruto but if there is one in this story it's a Naru Saku pairing. No comments or questions will make me waver from this path.
On with the story.
Haruno Sakura barely knew what 5 am was, she barely knew it existed and shuddered to think of people who got up at this time. Obviously, both Naruto and Sasuke were used to such a time since they were already fighting over the rooftops.
"Sasuke! Get ready to lose!" Naruto screamed, waking a few people.
"To you! Never!" the dark haired Uchiha replied much quieter but while he was still fighting.
Sakura looked at the battle, they were an hour early and they were already going at it using only Taijutsu and the occasional kunai. As they battled, Naruto would occasionally infuriate his opponent just to try and spite him which served him right in that Sasuke started to use his special techniques. His fire elemental attacks flew everywhere but Naruto countered in kind with a series of shields and counters just before he turned the tide in his favour.
"Katon! Houousenka no jutsu!" Naruto screamed as the ball of fire formed itself. Sakura screamed and just as the ball was about to hit Sasuke Ranma stopped the match with a cancelling technique of his own. The sensei came out of a shadow and talked to his students. Sakura decided to join them immediately and jumped to the adjacent rooftop.
"Nice battle boys. Naruto, you need to work on your chackra control, you spent too much again. You Sasuke need to work on your mental control. If the enemy makes you mad you have already lost. Now both of you give me 100 push ups counting now. Haruno-san, warm up, you are early but that's even better." Ranma instructed Sakura on her warm up exercises until he was satisfied.
"Now we're going to sprint to the Dojo over the roofs. Follow me!" Ranma made sure he was followed by his students and went at his leisurely pace which was a real torture for the trainees. Down on the street, both Kurenai and Asuma were looking at the training team 7
"You think they're trying to surpass our teams?" Kurenai asked.
"No, they already surpass us. Ranma's training them while Kakashi stays back. I think our teams need special exercises as well." Asuma told her as he finished his cigarette.
"I'm going, we have a mission affected to us at 0730 hours and we're supposed to meet at the go club. See ya!" He left her on the street and she turned her way.
Contrarily to what Asuma said, Kakashi was quite occupied with his own workload.
"Why am I stuck with this job?" He was holding a vest in his arms and a needle in his right hand. Yes, he, Sharingan Kakashi was sewing weighed vests. . . at least it would be useful to his students.
"Because I'm training them for you so you have to pay for it a little. Sewing vests isn't that big a price." Ranma said as he came in the dojo followed by Naruto, Sasuke and the very winded Sakura.
"Now it's 0600 we are starting our training, the warm up being done for all of you, we will start with walking with training vests." Sasuke and Sakura were puzzled but Naruto looked absolutely horrified at the mention of this particular training.
"We're doomed!" he exclaimed as the revelation of the exercise was made to him.
"Naruto, put on the extra weigh, the others have to put on lighter versions." Ranma told his son who seized a backpack made by his father with a load of what he called depleted uranium. The thing was heavy like hell and lead seemed lighter somehow.
"Why don't we have the same as Naruto?" Sasuke asked eager to get stronger.
"One must progress one step at a time until he is able to go up no longer. Try this one, it's one of Naruto's old vests." Ranma gave the vest to the Uchiha survivor who was quite impressed by it's weight.
"Does Naruto wear one all the time." He asked the teacher.
"Yes, it serves as training instrument as well as protective armor. If he was to remove it he would be faster and stronger by several times. You're not that far from him yourself since this is the one he wore just two weeks ago and you can lift it, you'll have to put on a training weight as well." Ranma explained. It wasn't exactly enough for Sasuke but he slipped on the vest, the bracers and the ankle weights anyway and understood the principle.
'How heavy, and Naruto runs and spars whith those on' He was astonished.
"Don't worry, in one week you won't feel it anymore." Ranma said as he took a female version of the same vest from a drawer. "Miss Haruno, I have one that'll fit you like a charm, just try to lift it."
And try she did, she also almost failed.
"Good, just the right weigh to start working up to par with those two. No additional weights for you though." He said that as she slipped it over her clothes.
"What now sensei?" She asked as she struggled to just stay up.
"You run once around the block and then you have to sprint 100 meters followed by different exercises like jump rope, push ups and jumping jacks. You then have your mission you will perform while still weighed and then your everyday life, just sit on the ground from now on or on reinforced chairs. Now go!" The ninjas snapped to attention and ran out of the dojo as fast as they could. It took the team the quarter of an hour to complete the first wave of exercises. Once they were done, Ranma looked at his heaving pupils.
"Good, now to start the real training for you boys. Sparing session while wearing the vests. No holding back on destructiveness but no leathal blows. Sakura will work with me." He stated this just as the boys let go of their added weights.
"Sensei, what are we going to do?" Sakura asked.
"Katas at slow speed to get you accustomed to your new weight. On a side note, this training will make you gain lots of weight but make no mistake, your figure won't be touched by it in the slightest way" Ranma seemed to pounder at this. "You'll have to follow a very simple diet, eat lots and lots of food other then salad!"
Sakura stared at her sensei, he was basically telling her to eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted and she would still look as svelte and beautiful as she already did.
'ALLLLRRRRRRIGHT! Training here I come!' Inner Sakura screamed while the outer one showed signs of fierce determination to go through this training heaven. . .errr hell she corrected herself.
"Assume position!" Ranma ordered and she assumed the first basic stance he was assuming himself. They then proceeded to execute every movement with absolute precision until it was 8 am.
"Matte! Good job everyone, now clear the mats and cool down. You have a mission briefing with the third Hokage at 0845 hours class dismissed." The students hurriedly did as they were told and regrouped at the entrance.
"Good morning everyone, you'll have your first mission at 0845 at the main office. Do not be late or you'll feel my wrath. Also, training resumes after the mission or at 1730 until your teacher is satisfied you're dead enough for his taste understood." Kakashi asked the student.
"Yes sir but. . . Why are your hands wounded?" Sakura asked. The Jounin developed a sweat drop at the question.
'think fast think fast thik fast' "I burned myself with the stove this morning" 'Got ya, Kakashi, master of excuses wins again!' He thought with a triumphant smile under his mask.
Later, at the missions dispatch office.
Team seven, we have a lost dog to be found in the forest near the village that belongs to the wife of a local Daimao, we have a contract for you to retrieve it. This is a class D mission and as such you have no real danger or enemy against you unless you encounter bandits. If such is the case, withdraw immediately, the head office will investigate the matter accordingly." The third handed the orders to Kakashi.
"Oi, old man! Why can't we fight the bandits?" Naruto, eager to prove himself, asked.
"You are gennin and on your first mission we can't ask of you to fight bandits who could be missing nins or spies. In this case it becomes a class c or even b mission where you may get killed. Confrontation in this case must be avoided unless necessary understood Naruto?" The Hokage explained the young ninja.
"Let's go then, the faster this is over the faster we train!" Naruto exclaimed as though it was a prize to train all day. Even Sasuke almost groaned at his enthusiasm while Sakura looked absolutely horrified. In silence, they proceeded to the forest where the dog had last been seen. The mission was easy and very VERY boring to Naruto who just thought about pounding some bandits. He had screamed the dog's name and the mutt ran up to him as though it had hell on it's heels but it was only a disappointing squirrel.
It was a satisfied Ranma who welcomed the team during a training session with Moegi and Ryoma.
"Back already? You probably had one of those low class d rank mission." The look of satisfaction in his face was all Sasuke needed to know what was coming, Sakura saw the look and shuddered at the thought.
"Too easy for my taste, I needed to train for that?" Naruto asked only to receive a hit upon his skull.
"Easy missions mean easy money, also you didn't put your life in danger or any of this crap, just be thankful I'm not beating the crap out of you just out of principle!" Naruto swallowed and shook off his mild annoyance.
"Dear, it's time to eat dinner! Naruto, you should have called if you had friends over. Now I'll need to make some more food!" Hikari scolded her son.
"No need aunty, my parents will be waiting for me." Sakura bowed politely and turned to leave.
"Nonsense! You're my son's team mates and as such it'll be our pleasure to have you all over for dinner, now no arguing. I'll call your mother and arrange it with her. As for you Sasuke, I believe you're on your own so I don't need to call anyone I assume." She said.
"Hai." Sasuke stoically answered.
"Sakura-chan, how about you help me a little with the food?" Hikari asked the kunoichi.
"Hai" Sakura followed the older woman to the kitchen leaving the men to themselves
"I believe now is a good time to stop our session children." Both stopped their sparring and turned to the master. They bowed and ran to the bathtub.
"How about a soak in the furo you two, after a mission you're bound to be sweating." Ranma went under Naruto's arm and smelled only to find fresh air under there. "Something must be wrong with my nose, weren't you supposed to look for a runaway mutt this morning."
"Yeah, in a forest full of bandits we're not supposed to fight. We got there only to find the mutt running from a squirrel!" Naruto exclaimed.
"Clearly a waste of our time, it answered to it's name." Sasuke stated with his usual tone of voice.
Ranma poundered for a second and decided on his course of action.
"Alright, we're going to a little field trip in the forest this afternoon team and we're beating the crap out of as many bandits as we can!" Both Sasuke and Naruto looked at Ranma with different thoughts in their heads.
'Great! We're off to a real battle! I hope there are some strong people there!' was the thought on Naruto's mind.
'Is this some other test or another way of improving, this man may be the key to the power I seek to defeat him. Either way, it'll let me adjust to fighting with this suit on.' The calmer and calculating mind of Sasuke thought.
Naruto's grin and Sasuke's smirk told it all though.
"Leave one or two for Sakura though. She needs training far more then you two!" Ranme completed.
"Dinner ready!" Hikari called and was answered by the stampede of her family attacking dinner. The fact that there were no leftovers bemused Sakura who tried to even understand how so much food could disappear so fast. Sasuke was the first one to see how it truly worked though. Naruto and Ranma were in a war to eat whatever the other had in his plate as well as their own. Nothing was spilled since either one seriously plucked the food out of thin air. Moegi and Ryoma were also trying their hand at it but were slower then the two grown ups. He was content in observing this display until Naruto stole one of his dumplings. At this point, Sasuke joined the fray only to find out he was much slower with chopsticks then he previously thought. Even Ryoma took food from him.
"Don't worry about it Sasuke, you're just new to this. That's all." Ranma reassured the frustrated ninja. Also the first advanced Taijutsu technique you'll learn from me is a speed technique. Naruto already knows it and I'll be damned if anyone trains as hard as he does in your year, even you can't compare." The foot in mouth syndrome may have lessened somewhat over the years but sometimes there were small accidents such as that one time. Sasuke clearely frowned at the man's words. From sunrise to sundown and sometimes even later Sasuke trained all the time. He had invented ways of training while sitting in class where Naruto was sleeping. Could it be he trained in his dreams or some unrealistic infernal machine! For one to have more training then a Uchiha at any time in life was inconceivable!
"Yeah, I mean I train from 5 am to 11 pm and then some more on my free time! Pops is a demon from the seventh circle of hell! He trains from 4 am to 1 am!" Naruto stated. Sasuke's eyes bogged while Sakura looked for signs of fatigue.
"My Chackra is tightened enough to let me go without sleep for days." Ranma answered the silent question while Hikari sighed dissapointedly. "So, since I have trouble sleeping most of the time I just train."
'Even I am not that sadistic about training and if Naruto trains only three hours less then. . .' Sasuke thought.
"Don't even think about it Sasuke, all three of you specialises in a domain of Chackra, you have your special abilities, Sakura has her control and Naruto simply has endurance. That's why he can push himself that hard at his age. You must remember that every journey is slow. At your age I wasn't even half as strong as you guys are!" That was the slight phrase that Sasuke needed to hear to push him farther. If Ranma, a Shinobi considered stronger then Itachi, had been weaker then him who was he to complain. He was an avenger! A tool for justice and he just needed to be sharpened. If someone strong was to do that for him he would just be even stronger and he would then become stronger then the one to train him!
The rest of dinner was quite silent except for the sound of the battle. Those kids were rather vicious when they tried to steal deserts! The only ones left untouched were Hikari and (mysteriously) Sakura.
"Why didn't Moegi and Ryoma try to eat from my plate?" Sakura asked Naruto while the group was strolling in the forest.
"Oh, that's because you helped make dinner, as such you were considered off limits as a food provider! That and they rather like you." The second part was just above a whisper.
"What did you say?" She asked rather loudly.
"Will you two stop your lover's spat! The bandits will hear us miles away!" Sasuke growled.
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SASUKE-KUN NOW THINKS OF US AS A COUPLE! I'LL NEED TO KILL NARUTO!" Inner Sakura screamed while the other one looked at her target.
"Na.ru.to.-kun. . ." Her voice was just loud enough to be heard but the dangerous tone, so obvious to everyone, completely passed Naruto.
"What is it Saku-chan?" He had just made her a nickname, he thought it was cute but Sakura didn't. . .Ranma then saw a piece from his worst nightmares! The demon head attack AND the mallet of doom. Both were thoroughly used to beat up his adoptive son into submission, at least up until a kunai was thrown right at the head of the mallet. The four of them then stopped what they were doing and formed a defensive circle.
"How many?" Ranma asked his pupils.
"10"
"12"
"4"
The boys almost turned to Sakura who had just said four.
"Very good you are all correct, there were 10 then 12 then four opponents, the first ten were the scouts, the twelve are the scouts with two messengers and the four remaining are the strike team. They are rather well organised but lack real skills in the scouting department." The team took out their kunai while Ranma put his hands in his pockets, nothing to do yet. . .
The hiding thieves were the first to move out of hiding. Pitted against a group of relatively young ninjas they were rather overconfident but they paid the price for it. Their strategy was the right one: get the weakest and then move up from there but from their short observation of the group the weakest member had to be the blond boy. It was rather plain and simple at first but when they were about to strike with various weapons they froze in place just by seeing his smile. Naruto seized the spear his chosen opponent had tried to attack with and tossed him away with his momentum. He then moved to fight him. The others now saw the slightly bad position they were in. Thoses may very well be anbu in disguise. They did a quick prayer and went into battle. One rather short bandit wielding a pair of saïs went after Sasuke while the other one attacked Sakura with his bo staff. The last one tried desperately to beat Ranma with a pair of katanas. His failure was immediate and Ranma sat down to observe the rest of the battle.
'No need to interfere unless they get endangered.' He thought just as Naruto used his most stupid technique Ranma ever knew.
"Hengen! Harem no Jutsu!" He screamed as a multitude of clones of himself transformed into a multitude of naked females. Ranma was unaffected since his former curse had taken the dirty part of the male pshyche and beat it down into a rather small space of his mind. The enemies weren't that lucky though and almost fainted from their nosebleed.
Just in time as well since Sakura was rather hard pressed from her own efforts to lift her limbs. It gave her just enough time to build a momentum and smash her wrist band over his head causing him to faint. Sasuke simply punched him on the forehead causing the bandit to fall over while Naruto finished him off with a well placed kick in the stomach.
"Na.ru.to. . . What ever gave you the idea for such a justu? Have you ever heard of feminine modesty?" Sakura was back in her 'Bash Naruto' mode and unless it had a good explanation he wasn't going to live for long anyway.
"Modesty? Isn't that when you don't brag? I mean how should I know? I'm a male not a female!" Naruto argued thus sealing his fate. Sakura had her blunt instrument in hand and smashed Naruto over the head a dozen of times just for good mesure.
"That, he had coming at him." Sasuke remarked with a very small smile.
"You can say that again! Oh well, lets tie those three up and take them back to the village, we'll come back hunting tomorrow!" Ranma was rather hyper for someone who had just been to battle and so did Naruto. Sasuke couldn't keep the smile off his face at the moment, he was enjoying this experience and combat was the best training field he believed. Only Sakura looked bewildered even if she was smiling herself without knowing why.
Thus passed the first week of training, nothing really big as missions. Just your usual rank D crap like babysitting and pest control. The good part was that they had the missions most likely to turn towards rank C thanks to their dayly patrol in the forest. It was exactly one week later that they got their harder mission.
"Team seven, let's see, we have crops to . . ." The Hokage was about to tell the rest of the parameters when Naruto interrupted.
"When are we going to get a real mission old man? All we ever do is crap!" He screamed in indignation.
'Yeah! I'm tired of getting funky assignments!' Inner Sakura screamed while the outer glared at Naruto.
'No matter, missions are missions.' Sasuke thought with an afterthought about how Naruto was right.
"Naruto! You know very well those missions are to build the skills you'll need as chunnin and jounnin!" Iruka exclaimed from his seat besides the third Hokage who stopped him from a longer tirade.
"I believe Naruto may be right Iruka." He stated while looking over a folder.
'Finally, I was getting bored' Kakashi thought as the Hokage handed him the form for a rank C mission.
"You have to escort and protect an individual from danger as you travel to the wave country and stay until his job is done. You can come in Mr Tazuna." At these words a gruffy old man came in through the door.
"So. . .these kids will take me home? You sure about that?" He looked sceptical.
"Yes, quite, you'll leave this afternoon I presume. Don't worry, these gennin are about as good as you can get Tazuna-san." The Hokage remarked as the man sighed in relative defeat.
"We're leaving at 1300 hours, you have until then to gather some stuff necessary for travel as well as weapons and tools. We'll meet at the front gate." Kakashi proceeded to vanish to prepare himself.
"I'm going home to prepare. I bet pops will have extra training just for the trip." Naruto looked extremely overjoyed with that piece of news as he bounded next to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan. How about I escort you home?" He asked. This only earned him a slap.
"I haven't forgotten about your little stunt in the forest of death Naruto and I believe a lot of other people would like to see you as a girl. . .especially your mother." She threatened just as he blanched visibly. The last time his mother had seen this particular skill she had grounded him for a week and made his father double his training. Even Naruto had his limit and that was it.
"Mercy! Anything but that!" He pleaded to the young woman.
Sakura smiled, she rather liked it when men grovelled at her feet. Even if it was only Naruto, she considered herself quite high and mighty at that moment.
"Alright Naruto, just don't use that skill anymore. It's an insult to women all over Konohagure!" she exclaimed. Naruto was immediately grinning like a madman and up from his kneeling position.
"Thanks Sakura-chan! I swear never to use it again! It's pretty much useless anyway." He declared 'As long as I tell Konohamaru never to use it in front of people I'll survive' He thought just as he remembered the young ninja had begged him to teach him one of his ultra secret jutsus and Naruto had taught him the harmless replication technique.
"Sasuke-kun! I'll walk with you!" Sakura told in her charming voice to the other gennin.
"I don't care." Was his only reply.
"Hey! Wait for me Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed to his companions.
"What makes you think this dysfonctionnal group can get me anywhere?" Tazuna asked Iruka when the group was out of sight.
"You have all the number ones of the village youth. Sasuke is a genius and the first ninja of his year, Sakura is the smartest of her year and Naruto is. . .The most energetic ninja in the village." Iruka explained.
"Energetic? More like hyperactive if you ask me!" The man exclaimed. I suppose I can't be picky can I?" He shook his head as he left.
Naruto was back home and having a talk with his family.
"We have a rank C mission!" He exclaimed just as he took off his shoes to put on his slippers.
"Good for you son, what kind? Bandit hunting? Can I join you?" Ranma asked. The world was relatively calm and the anbu didn't need him that much. Maybe he could get a kick out of beating bandits out.
"Nah, just escorting an old guy to the wave country and protect him until his bridge is completed." He explained. Ranma frowned slightly though.
"Wave country. . . son, you better listen to me on this. Tell your team mates to use the modified weight suits I'll give you before you all leave. The place got dangerous since a fellow called Gatou took control of the incoming products. That bridge is a nuisance to him and I heard between the branches that he has some missing nin under contract." Ranma looked at his now serious son.
"Do you know how many they have?" He asked hopefull. Ranma only shook his head and motioned for Naruto to follow him to the dojo.
"Son, you'll have to keep your team mates up to date in their training while you travel. No extra weights on mission, you never know when an attack will come and it would endanger them. I want you to teach them a technique though." Ranma closed his eyes as though he was considering something very important. "Naruto, my son, from this point on you are no longer a student of the Saotome Masabetsu Kakuto Ryu!" Ranma exclaimed. Naruto was about to protest but Ranma cut him to the chase. "From this point on, you are no longer a student but an assistant teacher, you shall impart your knowledge on your students as though it was me who did so, you will have a limited teaching license and teach only what you can. Your training is not over yet and you may not yet be called as sensei but you are the sempai of the class and by being so are obligated to learn with the others as you help them progress. Those are heavy responsibilities and you may judge yourself not ready for them and as such you may refuse." Ranma looked at his flabberstagged son who immediately answered him.
"I accept the responsibilities and consider them an honour bestowed upon me!" The answer was solid and Ranma nooded. He took a paper out of his pocket and presented it to Naruto along with a dan for his belt.
"You are a second dan master of anything goes now with an assistant teaching license." Ranma announced. They rose and then saluted each other before turning to the shrine of the dojo and bow once again. "Let's go celebratre!" They then proceeded back to the house.
"Hey mom! Guess what! Pops gave me a teaching license! I'm also going on a mission to the wave country!" Hikari looked sternly towards her husband at those words.
"Ranma, I thought Naruto was too young to teach yet. . ." She said.
"But you told me he was growing up so I just took your judgement to heart!" Ranma argued. When she had told him that Naruto was getting older she had meant that he was getting into his teens not that he was ready to teach.
"I didn't mean it 'that' way dear, I meant he was getting into a young man, not an adult. . ." She looked pointedly at him just as it dawned on him that he had made a slight mistake. He decided to shrug it off after a second.
"It was going to happen anyway sooner or later, Naruto is a genius of the school of anything goes after all." Ranma argued. "I'll give him the speech before he leaves dear."
Hikari looked rather satisfied with that and went to prepare a celebratory meal.
At her house, Sakura was getting a full length lecture on what to do and not to do around boys which meant don't get near either of them, if they try anything clobber them and ,most important of all, don't forget your mallet. Her mother was quite strict about that one.
"I know mom, it's not like Naruto would dare touch me while Sasuke is just not that style of man. I'm going to be alright!" she exclaimed.
"I know that dear but you're still my daughter and it's hard to see you grow up." Her mother said.
'Yeah, you're right! I'm a grown up!' Inner Sakura screamed while lifting a psychological mallet.
"You'll understand all that when you have children of your own dear but I worry all the time about you and it's quite difficult to see you get to adulthood." Her mother hugged Sakura at that moment, they were sitting on her bed and it was one of those mother daughter moments. Sakura hugged her mother back.
"Mom, you know what?" Sakura started. "I'm kind of scared, both Sasuke and even Naruto are stronger then me by several times. While I'm quite smart that alone won't save me in a dangerous situation and. . .Even as I get stronger from training they get two or three times better. What can I do?" She asked her mother while inner Sakura was weeping.
"You do with what you have dear, they have brawns and a brain between the two of them but you have one brain by yourself. Thus you may be stronger then the both of them in certain situations dear. However, all three of you put together should be invincible, that's why the three men team system exists for genin. You complement one another and, by doing so, learn from the others. It's the basis of team work. With time you'll get to their level even if you aren't as strong you will still have an above average level and will probably surpass them if you play your cards right." Her mother assured her. This was part of being a mother, her daughter now seemed more willing and determined to go out there. A sad but necessary truth.
"It's almost time to leave. I'm ready to go, tell dad I'll miss him. . . I love you mom." Sakura said as she got up, took her pack and leaved the house.
"Goodbye Sa-chan." Her mother softly said when the door closed. Using the nickname she and her husband had given to their baby girl. A single tear drop fell from her eye.
As for Sasuke. . . well there's nothing to say really except he gathered his stock and went off ot the meeting point.
At 12:45, The integrity of team 7 and Ranma was there, Kakashi was missing though.
"Alright!" Ranma called to his students. "From this point on, Naruto will be your teacher until you come back, he has the theory for your first technique and the basic training plan. It's quite light but you have to follow the instructions perfectly." Ranma announced to the other two.
"Why would I learn from Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"Because I'm a certified sensei and that if you want to continue your training when we get back you'll listen to my father." Naruto stated.
"Do we have to call you Naruto-sensei or something then?" Sakura asked with a bit of dislike. 'NEVER I'll call him Naruto-chan before I call him sensei!' Inner Sakura screamed in outrage.
"I'm still on probation as an assistant so I'm just your sempai but you still have to obey the regimen, nothing too stupid anyway." Naruto answered.
Ranma then produced two weighed vests of another design.
"These are a new model I made while you were training while I had someone to make them, they have a button on the left wrist that lets every weigh fall off. If you're in a bad spot, use it. No weigh increase, even on your own and absolutely no foolish tries to surpass yourselves." Ranma recommended especially for Sasuke who liked to add more weigh then Ranma recommended. "This life or death and not training." Ranma précised.
Five minutes before they left, Tazuna-san was there but still no sign of Kakashi.
"Oi! Where's my bodyguard, these kids make good human shields but they can't compare to an adult." Tazuna asked.
"Oi, jii-san. Kakashi sensei is good but I'm the best! I'll be the Hokage someday, My name is Saotome Naruto!" He exclaimed his usual introduction only to have Taazune laugh at him.
"Bwahahahahaha! They gave me the super clown of the village!" Naruto blurred and disappeared.
"Did he go pout somewhere?" Tazuna asked only to feel something poking his back.
"This is a wooden kunai, I could have killed you from anywhere without you noticing, I can also do this." Naruto threw the kunai at a nearby wall where it embedded itself between two bricks. "Never insult my skills old man. I train very seriously."
Naruto went back towards Sakura.
"Now where is Kakashi-sensei? He's always late when it comes to meetings like these." Naruto muttered.
Just as he said that, the afore mentioned Junin appeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Sorry I'm late. I fell asleep." He had his usual excuse and his book opened in front of him. "Well, are we all ready?" he asked only to see all of them nod. "Let's go then Tazuna-san." With that, the whole of team seven left the village of Konohagure for the Wave country.
End of chapter 3
Finaly, a new chapter done and over with! I spent the whole summer working in the woods thus making this many months late! I'm sorry I grovel before you readers.
Now someone asked me to include two things in this fic. This person shall not be mentioned here but I would like for all of you to read this notice.
First, this story will not contain Yaoi because I don't plan on doing so. I have nothing against yaoi but I won't write it unless it's obvious in the story, say what you like but I will still not do it.
Second, Ranma's curse was removed by the powers above meaning me. However you have to remember that Ranma used the broken Naaban mirror. The rest would spoil the surprise!
Next chapter we begin the Zabusa arc of Naruto and we will see the powered up versions of Zabusa and Haku as well as one or two new associates. The madness shall now truly begin as I introduce oc so the challenge of battle remains the same. As for the results. . . you'll never know!
