AN: WOOT! HALO 2!!! I just walked down to the local Toys R' Us earlier this afternoon and picked myself a copy up, and I'd be playing it RIGHT NOW but I'm grounded :/

Alas.

Ah well, On with the fic...and god willing I might get more than 1 review a chapter now --. Crow if you wanted to do me a REAL favor you'd update Second Chances and tell everyone bout my fic in the a/n's (big grin)

Usual Disclaimer.

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Tracing the Clouds

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Chapter 5: Daybreak

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A man said to the Universe: Sir, I exist!

"However," replied the Universe, "The fact has not created in me a sense of obligation."

-Stephen Crane

Naruto yawned, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he trudged half-conscious towards the place of their usual morning meeting. His ears caught the sound of running water, and the sweet smell of fresh country air woke him up a bit. But not much. He came to a stop, puzzled. The pink kunoichi who normally stood waiting to greet him these days was perched quietly on the faded red railing of the little bridge, her head twisted, tilting slightly as she gazed on something unseen off in the distance. Naruto supposed with a pang of pity that she was recalling the day Sasuke left...it had been much like this one, after all, grey skies, slight chill in the air...it was all there.

But as he approached, preparing to extend his usual loud, cheerful greeting, he caught sight of just what it was that had her so captivated. A short way away, just out of earshot, a blur of faded maroon, green, brown, and glinting steel flitted about the grassy clearing as their newest teammate sparred with a mirror image of himself. Unaware of the awestruck eyes that beheld him, Iro continued in his assault, the clone, an exact image with the exact abilities and strengths, struggled to keep up under the pressure of sheer mental and physical prowess it's keeper put forth, each blow coming closer and closer to connecting as the doppelganger just barely parried them.

Suddenly, with the speed and grace of one who has mastered his or her art, and has perfect faith in his abilities, the young recently-proclaimed Leaf ninja rebound of a parry of his katana, whirling around and, at a blinding speed, plunged his free Wakizashi deep into his clone's right side. The clone's face scrunched up, muttering something colorful before shattering, melting, and becoming a small puddle on the floor of the clearing. Panting, Iro sat back on his haunches, sliding both blades carefully, almost lovingly back into their black sheaths. Standing, he stretched, yawned, and turned abruptly to face the two dumbstruck chuunin.

"Whoa, Hello!" He started, eyebrows raised as his benign stare met theirs, Sakura's a look of astonishment, Naruto's one of severe scrutiny.

"Y-you're fast..." Sakura managed, eyes still quite wide. Naruto broke into a broad grin, raising a factual palm as he spoke. "Yeah, real fast, but your form's not perfect." Iro simply shrugged. "Probably not, but it gets the job done. Besides, being perfect isn't everything. If I was, what would there be to strive for, eh? Battle is 20 percent actual skill, and 80 percent your will to succeed." Naruto beamed. "Exactly."

Just then, with a poof a silver-haired man of medium height and build appeared in front of them, waving casually. "Hey guys." Naruto and Sakura simultaneously sucked in huge breaths. Iro looked around to see if they had spotted an incoming flood or something, but saw nothing. As he puzzled over this, he was suddenly jarred from contemplation as they both roared in unison at their instructor "KAKASHI-SENSEI YOU'RE LATE AGAIN!!"

Apparently this was a daily exercise, as the man didn't seem to flinch in the slightest. Rather, he raised his hands in defeat, his single exposed eye displaying his hopeless grin. "Okay, okay." The Jounin said, still smiling as he moved leisurely toward the three younger Leaf ninja. "I'll have you know, I'm late for a real reason today- "Yeah right." Cut in both of his aggressors, "-Since we have a new teammate, but the old Survival exercise was made up for a complete team of three, I had to revise it."

The two chuunin were suddenly alight with evil grins, and Iro had the feeling "Survival Training" was somehow going to be extremely unpleasant for him.

How right he was was going to be a very depressing fact later that day.

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A really short chap, I know, but atm I'm trying to steal Flash player from my school :P

Please read and review!