Chapter #4, Part 3:

Rasha's Plan

It took thirty minutes of searching before Sokaru found the boy. Rasha was sitting cross-legged on a stump in the center of a small, unmarked clearing. He had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply. His shoulder length, wispy thing black hair swayed in the breeze as the loose sleeves of his shirt gently caressed his wiry hands resting on his knees.

Sokaru scratched his head in confusion," Meditation? This is worse than the mama's boy! At least that punk put effort into fighting!"

The old instructor shook his head as he dropped silently from a tree branch to earth," At least I can have some fun."

Sokaru craftily snuck up behind the meditating boy from behind. He was biting his tongue; thinking of the boy's expression almost drove him to chuckle. His sandals noiselessly drew closer on their own accord, his mind occupied in moral victory.

His early and inner celebrations were cut short however by a curt," Yes, sensei?"

Sokaru stopped mid-step," How did he-"

"I suppose you are wondering why I haven't bothered to make the slightest attempt to get a bell yet?" asked Rasha, his eyes still closed.

Sokaru was on his guard," It had crossed my mind."

"It is actually simple." Explained Rasha," I cannot get a bell."

The trainer cocked an eyebrow," How is that?"

Rasha breathed deeply again before continuing," I watched. Genji's forward assault failed miserably, as did Moroku's illusionist and distanced techniques. Even the combination of what I saw would be rendered useless against a jounin if attempted alone. There is a reason you guys are given dangerous missions and it has nothing to do with age."

Sokaru was impressed to say the least. This boy had either completely seen through the underlying test of teamwork, or was on the brink of it. He had been watching as his teammates failed, studying Sokaru and his victories.

The instructor wasn't sure which bothered him more; the fact that Rasha had not helped his squad when he was watching, or that he had evaded detection from the sensei.

"So," started Sokaru, trying to clear up the situation," do have a plan or not?"

Silence.

"Rasha?"

"Yes," said a voice from behind Sokaru," we do."

Sokaru whirled around to see the remainder second squad standing valiantly on different roots in the forest. Genji was hefting his broadsword in his right hand and grinning, his right cheek bleeding. Moroku was twirling a kunai in his left hand and wiping dirt from his face with is right. Both looked to be in much better shape than what Sokaru had left them in.

"I sent a shadow clone to collect them and nurse them back to health after you left." Said Rasha as he finally stood and faced the other genin," They agreed to help as long I promised to give them the bells."

"So he figured it out." Thought Sokaru.

"We intend to hold you to your word Rasha!" shouted Genji, Moroku nodding in approval.

"But you did not tell them what this test is truly about? I wonder why?"

"Of course." Said Rasha, his eyes never leaving Sokaru.

It was at this time that Sokaru felt a very strange sensation grip him. It had been years since he'd faced down a worthy opponent. His last jounin adversary had left the sensei with a few new scars to add to his growing collection. That particular individual was one of the most merciless men on earth, a born killer. Sokaru was scared for the first time in his life, five years ago.

Now here, facing down three fresh-from-the-academy genins, he felt a trickle of the old dread crawling down his back. Having already beaten two of the three was easy enough, child's play literally, but this was a new game. He was outnumbered and surrounded by children who could see past his fake, crippled demeanor. No more pulled punches would be thrown at the one-arm-man, he was sure. These kids were serious.

"Not good."

Trying to draw a rise out of the kids, Sokaru taunted," Time is running out. You've all got less than ten minutes to get a bell. Better get going, eh?"

This drew no reaction from the strangely silent genin. Distrustful eyes met his own; the children had a grudge on their shoulders.

The giant maple leafs were falling again; lazily drifting to the forest floor. They curled around the instructor as he twisted so he could eye both of the groups. The leaves twisted up and under Genji's large arms and wrapped around Moroku's kunai. His red sash danced with the breeze, playfully batting the leaves away.

Tick. Tock. Tick. To-

"Go." Whispered Rasha.

Genji leapt from his root skyward as Moroku vanished in a twirl of fabric. The young swordsman came crashing to earth, chopping downwards on Sokaru's head. The instructor dodged the blow, rolling to his right. He came to his feet, kunai drawn, just in time to deflect a stab from Moroku. A pale arm was all that was visible from with the flowing cloth, kunai held against Sokaru's.

Sokaru pushed the kunai away and stabbed into the depths of the material, hoping to strike the owner within. His vision was engulfed in a cloud of smoke as his kunai, instead of connecting with soft flesh, dug deep into a small log. Moroku and his magic scarf was nowhere to be found.

"Replacement jutsu." Noted Sokaru with interest.

He had moments to drop the log-laden kunai before ducking under a vicious sweeping slash from Genji's broadsword. Sokaru, much like before, was then left to dodge several fast and powerful attacks from the large boy's broadsword. Midway through a roll beneath a neck-cutting slice, a barrage of shuriken whizzed through the air at him from a crimson curtain to his right.

"Tick. Tock. Tick.

The instructor leapt away again.

Flicker.

It happened so fast Sokaru had not anticipated it. Out of nowhere Rasha, his slated eyes cold had miraculously appeared on the left side of the teacher. Sokaru barely had enough time to block an attempt on the bells. He deflected the snatch with his right forearm. His and Rasha's eyes locked mid-air for a fraction of a second before the boy in black vanished in a whirl of leaves.

"Where did he come from?" thought a bewildered Sokaru.

The second he landed, he was again pushed backwards by Genji's ferocious attacks, interrupted momentarily by the occasional hailstorm of shuriken and kunai attacks by Moroku. Sokaru was never still, constantly dodging and leaping to avoid the unending onslaught.

Suddenly, after leaping once again away from Genji's sweeping neck-cutter, the instructor found himself surrounded by several Moroku clones, each wielding a kunai. They all disappeared into their sash shields before leaping at him simultaneously. Sokaru had to do so creative acrobatics to evade the multiple strikes, stabbing quickly with his own kunai. With his powerful right arm he was able to wound each clone, only to find himself standing alone in clouds of smoke; the real Moroku had not been part of the assault.

"Tock. Tick. Tock.

Then, just as last time, Rasha shimmered into view to Sokaru's left out of the smoke. He once again only just managed to catch Rasha's punch aimed at his open midsection. What startled Sokaru about this attack, other than the immense speed used, was the extreme lack of force behind the punch. It was pathetic blow thrown at high velocity, a completely unexpected detail to Sokaru.

Rasha's eyes narrowed as he realized that the instructor had felt the absence of power in the attack. But nevertheless, he vanished just a quickly this time before the smoke could even clear. Sokaru had a peacefully millisecond to ponder the encounter before he noticed a giant blade cutting through the remainder of the smoke.

"Ghaaaaaaa!" came Genji's fierce battle cry within the mist.

The instructor kept up the routine for a few minutes; constantly dodging or parrying Genji's giant blade and avoiding Moroku's illusions and shuriken barrages. Momentarily, usually at the least opportune moment, Rasha would suddenly appear and make another weak attempt to wound Sokaru or snatch a bell.

"Tick. Tock. Tick.

"Shit." Thought Sokaru, the team had less than a minute and was giving it their all. He was starting to have to focus chakra to his feet in order to keep on balance with the steady attacks. Even focusing some to his eyes occasionally to watch for the extremely fast third member of second squad who made it a point to flicker in and out of view faster than what Sokaru could keep track of with his other opponents.

Tick. Tock.

He was tiring. Eight Genji's, created by Moroku, lunged at Sokaru from behind, each slashing in a different direction all together. The instructor rolled beneath multiple clones and one-handed cart wheeled to his right to evade a whizzing kunai. A he landed heavily on his right foot, his grasp on the ground with his chakra slipped momentarily from the disorientation of the trick and his weariness.

Tick.

"Yes!" thought Rasha, a coy grin of his pale face as he materialized next to the unbalanced sensei. He was going to get them; dangling out in the air just waiting to be collected. His wiry hand drew within inches of the bells. Closer, to the point of-

BRING!

Rasha's gray eyes snapped open as he froze. Moroku stood beside Genji with kunai held between each finger, waiting to throw. Both of the boys were breathing heavily, Genji especially from wielding his mammoth blade was near collapsing. His sword arm lay limp at his side. Moroku's sash no longer waved about in silent giddiness either; it appeared to have realized what had just occurred as well.

Sokaru watched, stunned, as Rasha stared at his motionless hand in shock.

"It was right there."

It was very quiet all of the sudden; the brutal battle of mere seconds ago long forgotten already with the obvious failure. They had lost.

Sokaru stood up to his full height and eyed the genin with fallen faces. Solemnly he ordered," Follow me back to clearing twelve."

The thirty minutes of walking was done in absolute silence. Genji's once boyish face was smudged with dirt and crest fallen. Moroku's shyness had returned, his hands fiddled absentmindedly with his sash. Even Rasha, the most collected of the three, was staring at his toes as he walked.

They one-armed instructor led them to the large stone sticking out of the ground at the end of the clearing. Somehow he had enough energy to leap on top of the peak where he sat down, looking down onto the team. The children sat down in the grass, Genji falling onto his back in exhaustion, soon joined by Moroku and a broken Rasha. From that vantage point they were able to get a better view of the sensei anyway.

"Well." Said Sokaru, not really knowing where to start.

"Well." Repeated Genji, his beady eyes wandering to the canopy above.

"Well nothing." Said Rasha, staring directly ahead into the mass of leaves," We failed. I failed to get a bell for you two."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, man." Compassionately said Genji, agreed with by a nod from Moroku," You came closer than either Moroku and I could have."

Rasha remained silent, brooding over his failure.

Sokaru decided that these little punks, though immature, stupid, and uncoordinated, deserved the truth if nothing else. Maybe if he got around to it, respect even.

"Guys?" said Sokaru, drawing the attention of all but Rasha," I want to tell you something."

Silence.

" Truth is, I've never taught before. This was my first day as an instructor." Continued Sokaru, getting wide eyed looks from Genji and Moroku," I also haven't been in active combat for close to five years."

"I want you boys to know something. You might have failed to get any bells, but according to my rulebook, you pass."

"What?" asked a weak Genji as Rasha shook himself from his daze in shock.

"Rasha, you knew what this test was truly about, didn't you? I don't see why you didn't bother to tell Genji or Moroku, but why don't you now." Coaxed the instructor, scratching his scarred chin.

Rasha recited blandly," There were only two bells, but we were broken into teams of three. It was redundant to split teams into three for a test made for two. I figured it out while watching Genji fight that alone none of us could match the skill of a jounin, but combined we stood a much better chance at getting the bells.

As for not telling Moroku or Genji when I revived them, there was no need to. It would have only complicated things more. It was much easier to convince them that I would give them the bells if they would draw your attention long enough for me to get close. Either way would have worked, but it was less tedious to lie."

"Sorry." Said Rasha, motioning to his teammates.

"Given a second more, I'm pretty sure you would have succeeded Rasha." Commended Sokaru, then turning to Genji and Moroku," You both deserve so credit too. Genji, your improvising skills in battle cost me all of the buttons on my vest. And Moroku was able to catch me off guard with his shadow clones and substitution jutsus."

His students looked at him with bug eyes as Sokaru took a moment to pat the rock he sat upon," So you three know what so many names are carved into this rock?"

"Nope-No-Uh, un"

"This clearing is the sight of the legendary "Battle of Bersangu". It is the place where the demon Haraka took over the honorable Bersangu's body and forced him to kill all present at the battle, spare a few stragglers. All these names are of the great shinobi who gave their life in vain to stop Bersangu from reaching their village, Mist or Shadow. For the first time since the "Separation" Mist and Shadow shinobi fought side-by-side in a desperate effort to spare more lives.

Those that died, regardless of village, had their names carved into this rock and given a hero's funeral. They died fighting their ablsolute best; "with their boots on" as the saying goes. You three gave it your best today and nearly succeeded. You are as worthy as these shinobi of long ago. You did your best, and that is what matters today. I am proud to be your jounin instructor."

Second squad looked back and forth between eachother, stunned. It was Genji that broke the silence with a loud," Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Moroku smiled bashfully and fiddled with his sash. Rasha on the other hand flopped back down on the cool grass grinning," So, what now?"

Sokaru paused. He hadn't thought past this test.

"Uh, what would you guys have me do?" he asked, scratching his head.

The team looked back and forth amongst themselves before Rasha asked," You saying you will train us however we want?"

"More or less." Grumbled Sokaru.

Rasha looked at the astonished faces of his teammates before he requested," Five minutes?"

"Take your time." Said Sokaru, hopping down from the uncomfortable monument to lie in the now unoccupied, soft grass.

Second squad huddled together fifteen feet away discussing the terms of their training in whispers.

"This is cool. We'll get to relax twice as much as other teams." Whispered Genji, his big grin cocked from ear to ear.

Rasha turned to Moroku," What do you think?"

Staring at the ground Moroku mumbled something about "not caring" and it being "their decision". At this Genji turned to Rasha and asked," What is your idea?"

Rasha scratched his chin thinking to himself for a minute before responding," I think we should make the best of this opportunity. By having a jounin willing to teach us want we want, we could use the circumstances to play the situation in our favor. By that I mean we could use the opportunity to better ourselves immensely."

"How?" quietly asked Moroku.

"By doing twice the work; three to four D rank missions a day if we can get them." Said Rasha confidently.

"Whoa! How up a second-" started Genji, seeing the conversation take a U-turn.

But Rasha was on a role," We could have him do regular training exercises with us to work on teamwork and different situations we might face in the real world! Also, when we are at home and in the morning before exercise he could give us training workouts to play against our weakness. By stressing in areas we lack, our effectiveness as a team and our odds of getting better missions increases dramatically!"

Moroku was nodding in agreement, but Genji had a look of horrification on his big mug," But that will be hard!"

"The right thing to do is never easy." Wisely said Rasha, " Don't you want to get stronger?"

That did it for Genji. Being stronger was right up his alley, even if it meant getting up early for training," Fine."

Sokaru was bordering on the edge of unconsciousness when they returned; the sensei had really worn himself down during the test and was resting peacefully in the grass. But a deep green eye cracked open as the old man squinted at the trio," And the final verdict is?"

"We do three to four D rank missions a day, if possible." Started Genji, knowing he would regret this.

"While you put us through different training exercises it help build our teamwork skills," added Moroku, a hint of assurance in his voice.

"On top of that you specifically train us to overcome our major weakness. Working exclusively on bettering what skills we have in our own time while pounding out the kinks in our faults with you." Finished Rasha, his arms crossed.

"As I expected. They couldn't make this easy." Thought Sokaru.

"Alright," he said, standing up and facing his squad," your training begins two days from now. I need time to plan workout regimens for each of you, let alone book enough D rank missions."

"Dismissed!" saluted Sokaru to his grinning team," Your done for today team two!"

Moroku had already vanished, darting into the treetops as Genji turned and looked over his shoulder before leaping away," Oh, and its team Shadow-Wing! Right, Rasha?"

Rasha grinned as the big genin disappeared from sight.

"Rasha?" asked Sokaru.

Rasha turned around to listen.

"I noticed that your punches-"

"Lack a little force, right?" interrupted Rasha, embarrassed.

Sokaru scratched his head," Well, yeah. Why is that?"

"I have always thrown "powder puffs" admitted Rasha," Unless I put my whole weight into a blow it has no power behind it. I guess it is my curse for being so fast; a trade of power for speed."

Sokaru looked at the boy with a mixture of admiration and pity. He was brave to admit such a flaw in his technique.

"Hold the phone." Thought Sokaru, his memory kicking in.

"Rasha," he asked urgently," how would you like to gain the power you want and be even faster?"

Rasha's jaw slacked," Faster?"

"Faster."

"And more powerful?"

"That too." Confirmed Sokaru, a sly grin snaking its way up his face.

"How?" whispered a bewildered Rasha.

"Follow me." Ordered Sokaru before darting off into the forest.

Rasha had to shake himself out of his daze in order to move. He quickly caught up to the jounin, rebounding from root to root. To celebrate he even latched onto a vine to swing like a character he'd read about in comic books for w few seconds before back flipping twice and continuing his pursuit.

The instructor led Rasha to an apartment terrace in the middle of Yorizaru. Sokaru left Rasha outside under a orange overhead light while he went inside," I'll be right back."

Rasha passed the few minutes watching the large moths of the village flutter by on the breeze and enjoy the third story view. He could even see his apartment from here, far spec of light in the distance. Building rose out of the shadow like dark, mammoth gravestones, separated by miniscule dots of orange at their bases. People sometimes could be seen passing under a streetlight on their way home from a hard day's work; moving entirely in shadow for the majority of the journey as accustomed.

"Found them. And I thought that these were a waste of money!" Said Sokaru, returned from his absence," These should do the trick."

He held out some equipment to Rasha, all black," These are weights. You put the ten pound ones on your ankles and the five pounds on your wrists. The twenty-pound belt isn't really necessary, but in order for you to work better with your team you will need to slow up. This should give Genji and Moroku a chance to keep up with you."

Rasha looked down at the mass of equipment in his arms, overwhelmed with gratitude, before looking back at Sokaru to ask," When I get used to these, I take them off?"

"Nope." Grinned Sokaru," You wanted to do things the hard way, remember? When you get used to that pair, I have six more sets that get severely heavier as you go. I doubt you'll ever get to the seventh level; it jumps to two hundred pounds for each weight; belt, wrist and ankles!"

"Whoa." Murmured Rasha, hefting the weights in his hands with mental comparison.

"Also, the only time you are allowed to take these off are in times of great distress or bathing." Said Sokaru," Or both."

"A joke?" thought Sokaru, surprised with himself," And even when in life-threatening situations, if I am present, you must ask for permission to remove them. Understood?"

"Yes, sensei." Said Rasha, still overcome with appreciation," Thank you!"

As the genin turned to leave, Sokaru briefly recalled his last name and had a flashback to reading a paper a few years back," Rasha?"

The boy turned around, only his sharp gray eyes visible from the darkness," Yes, sensei?"

"Care to tell me if you're the son of one Yoshin Yeroku?" asked the sensei cautiously.

A visible coldness took over the eyes of Rasha, his pupils contracting in rage. The voice that came from the shadows was icy and bitter," Care to tell me how you lost that arm?"

Now it was Sokaru's turn to get cold. But the genin bounded off into the night-day without a backwards glance. The sensei was left alone and hurt, thinking to himself," So he lives alone. I knew he reminded me of someone."

"I would be ashamed and touchy too," thought Sokaru as he slid open his patio door to go inside for a good nights sleep," I would be too if my father was a Hidden Mist Assassin."

Ask and you shall receive! Well, most of the time. I could make this a Naruto-Hinata fanfiction…………………………………or not.

But seriously, this is the longest chapter yet. If you like how I did it, don't hesitate to speak up. But if you want to complain, do that too!

I hope you guys like the plot twists I'm putting in here. If you follow it, if I ever get there, you will think of it being rather witty I play the plot off.

(This goes out to the new fans, four more than I expected! This is for you Stiches-OFire, IREVUNAO, AnimeCrusader, and Stiches! Lots of love guys. You are people are what keep me writing!)

Thanks for playing along, Rasha

PS: My hands hurt and I hope you're happy. Hahaha.