Too Close for Comfort

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Chapter Cover: Ren, Anadoru and Sanjuichi are tied together by their hands on a toy train track - and Tobasu is in the background, replete with a wispy mustache has a controller, running the model train at them.

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Shichigatsu was afraid he'd have to get used to this.

Anadoru stuck close to Ren should things get out of hand.

"About time someone wanted fight," Ren raised her fists, looking at her opponent. The girl opposite her smiled back, raising her arms out wide, holdng two kunai.

"Before we fight, I must say, you have chosen a nice color scheme. Black and gray," she said. "Oh, and when people ask who defeated you, just say Tachimachi. They'll know the rest."

"When I beat you, you won't be able to say anything. But you know me already," Ren said.

With that, Tachimachi blinked, throwing a kunai. Ren wasn't phased, and sidestepped it, going straight at - where did Tachimachi go? The kunai didn't hit the ground either. Ren felt the tip of the kunai in her back. Shichigatsu gulped a bit. Tachimachi appeared in the same place as the kunai she'd thrown.

"Your move," Tachimachi smiled. Ren cursed herself, and Anadoru hardly got a thought processed before she realzied what had transpired. Ren wasn't used to someone with such a skill.

"Looks like two of our genin were a little eager to show off their skills a little early?" a syrupy voice seemed to almost sing. Ren and Anadoru felt a sudden chill in the air, and Tachimachi walked past Ren to her sensei, Achisuto, who had an amused look on his face.

Ren stood in place, knowing who else had come. Tobasu, without saying a word, walked in front of her, then looked into her eyes.

"She got real lucky," Ren said. "And why are you still here? Aren't you supposed to be on your mission?"

"First of all, my mission is done, "Tobasu said. "And second, I heard about what you do when you get a little bored."

"Hey Tobasu!" Shichigatsu said, happy that Ren had been knocked down a few notches. "Did you s-"

He stopped when he realized just how close he was to Ren.

"See what?" Tobasu mocked. "I'm sure that Ren and Anadoru would love to hear what you saw."

Their sensei did his best to keep from laughing before he delivered his point.

"I think some things go without saying, but should you feel the urge to just fight someone from now on, be prepared." he said. "Oh, and never, ever under any circumstances, show your best move unless you have no other choice."

He watched Achisuto and his genin as they made their way out of Konoha.

Possibly training today, Tobasu thought. Not surprising...

"Tomorrow, you will meet me on the outskirts of Konoha. We will begin the training that will prepare you for the exam."

"Any hints on what will happen tomorrow?" asked Sanjuichi.

"Let's just say that it will be up close and personal," he smiled.

- - -

Ren certainly hadn't expected this. Neither did Anadoru. And certainly not Shichigatsu.

All three were face to face to face with their hands behind their backs to ensure no foul play ensued. Tobasu began to write something down as the three genin looked at each other. Ren's nose involuntarily twitched as she glared at Sanjuichi.

"What are you lookin' at?" she asked.

"You must mean what can't I look at? If I don't look at you, I look at Anadoru. If not her, then you. It's really not that hard to comprehend," he countered. Ren huffed, then double-taked at Anadoru, who was blushing a bit.

"Ana ... is that ... eye shadow?" she asked. Sanjuichi looked to his other side and noticed her eyes looked a lot darker than before.

"Uh-huh. my parents wanted me to wear this during training. They didn't say why," she said, looking down. Sanjuichi laughed a bit before Ren hit his shoulder with hers.

"What's so funny?" she asked, glaring at him.

"Nothing," he said. "It's just that she looks sort of like a bee..."

Ren's glare passed from Sanjuichi and she inspected Anadoru's features. Yellow hair, thin lips, and now deep black eyes that overshadowed her true eye color. She snickered, and Anadoru began to laugh too.

Seems like they're talking now. Tobasu thought. He walked over to the three, but didn't tell them to be at ease, keeping them at their present positions.

"So, what do you think the purpose of this training is?" he asked. Ren looked away, trying to think. Sanjuichi sniffled a bit, and Anadoru was the only one who looked up.

"So we could get used to being around each other?" she answered in her tiny voice. Tobasu nodded. Anadoru, although quiet, did seem to open up in close circles.

"Exactly," Tobasu explained. "The closer you get, the more comfortable you'll be around each other. Plus, did any of you notice anything else?"

"Ren smells like ginger, and Anadoru smells like sweets," Sanjuichi chimed in.

"And Sanjuichi is pretty perceptive," Ren joined in. "He noticed how Ana looked like a bee."

"Very nice. It looks like so far, you are beginning to understand a little of what it takes to be a good team," Tobasu said. "Before I let you go for today, we're gonna have some fun."

"Are we gonna hurt each other?" Ren cracked her knuckles excitedly. Sanjuichi cringed.

"No, but we are going to play a game of tag, "Tobasu looked at Sanjuichi out of the corner of his eye. The lone male genin showed approval by pumping his fist.

"What's the point of this?" Ren asked. Tobasu took three rings off his left hand, and handed one to each of his genin.

"I want you to experience the game of tag with a twist. Put the rings on first," Tobasu said.

As the three genin placed the rings on their fingers, they instantly were taken back - something strange was happening.

Anadoru placed her hands in front of her face, realizing that her eyes must not have been working properly. Ren placed hers on, and immediatly, everything went quiet. Dead silent to her ears. She played with it, taking it off and on, hearing, then going inaudible again. Sanjuichi's nose was stopped up. He tried to sniff around, but he couldn't.

Tobasu began to speak, but realzied that one of them wouldn't hear him. Instead, he walked to the genin individually, telling them the rules. He finally found that Ren was the deaf one. He mouthed out the words "you're it" to her, then announced it to the other two genin.

The game was on. Tobasu leapt into a tree, watcing the action from above - and was quite amused. Ren immidiatly lunged at Anadoru, who felt Ren coming for her, but wasn't sure what direction to turn. Sanjuichi could see Ren, backing away. Anadoru darted to the left, running where she hoped the way was clear. Sanjuichi watched the scene unfold - then saw Ren look at him.

"Time to go," he told himself, and ran away, hoping to find a grove of trees so he could force Ren to waste her time navigating her way around them. He immdiately found a route that was best suitable and began to dart and weave among the trees - and was immediatly snatched up by a waiting vine trap. He hung by his ankle, hearing the laughter of Ren. Anadoru could hear Ren, who must have ran after Sanjuichi.

Sanjuichi couldn't smell the vines, which actually have a distinct aroma to them. Tobasu concluded. Suddenly the laughter stopped, and Anadoru could hear the footsteps getting closer.

"Ren smells like ... ginger," Anadoru told herself.

"Anadoru, you're next!" she heard her friend's familair voice - and the footsteps getting louder. She began to run - right into someone.

"Told ya I'd get ya," her friend's voice said, taking the ring from her. Anadoru's sight returned, and she saw Ren holding two rings.

"B-but how?" Anadoru said, then began to smell the air around her. She didn't smell like ginger at all...

It was then that Tobasu appeared, placing the ring on his finger.

"Don't worry, the game is over," he said. "It would've kept going, but Sanjuichi - who is 'it', is sort of hung up at the moment."

Ren took her ring off too, and was thankful for the sounds that flooded back into her head. Even if it was Tobasu speaking. Tobasu threw a kunai, cutting the vine - and Sanjuichi loose. He managed to land on his knee, placing his right hand down in time to brace himself. He walked back over, handing the ring back to his sensei.

"What was the point of this exercise?" he asked. Tobasu adjusted his glasses, straightening his rings out on his hand.

"Well, it was to see how you reacted when in a disadventageous position and the enemy is after you," he exaplined. "It would've made more sense if the blind were to chase, but I thought it'd be more fun if someone who couldn't hear were to be the aggressor."

"It was a little scary," Anadoru said.

"At first, I thought it was lame,"Ren said, almost interupting her friend. "But ... it was okay, I guess."

"So, Tobasu-sensei, those rings are your weapons?" Sanjuichi asked.

"Hmm, you could say that," he replied. "So, for right now, yes."

"Well, I don't want to overdo anything. If we start out this way, we can really understand some concepts of teamwork. Oh - before we go, I should tell you to be prepared tomorrow. We have a mission." Tobasu said.

The three genin exchanged excited looks, especially Ren.

"What is it? Tell us!" she jumped up and down.

"Come on," Tobasu said, crossing his arms. "Where would be the fun in knowing everything?"

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Shinobi Profile Saki Ren and Piri Anadoru

Name: Saki Ren

Saki- future

Ren- romantic love ren'ai

Hobbies: Fighting, making ginger ale

Best Friend: Piri Anadoru

So, what about her?

Ren is one of the first characters I thought of, and a name I got on alist of random japanese names. As soon as I sawher I knew I had to make her a bad girl, and when I found out what her name was afterwards, it made the character easier to write. Her purple hair is her real hair color distinguishing her from her brothers who will show up later in this volume, as well as her yellow eyes. In some ways she is somewhat like Naruto, but she doesn't have a Bijuu. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have just as much pride or heart as the kyuubi container.

Name: Piri Anadoru

Piri- to sting

Anadoru- to make light of

Hobbies: Making sweets, eating sweets

Best Friend: Saki Ren

And she's here because...

Well, opposites attract. I'm not sure in my process of making genin where she fell in, but I made her after seeing the word Anadoru, and decided she'd be interesting. Piri came a little later, and it was done: a sort of polar opposite of Ren, and someone who would be easy to write around Ren as well. She's quiet, but is sort of the conscience for her rougher counterpart. She's also one of the few people Ren will actually listen to as well. And I guess you could sayPiri is the sort of Hinata of the group.