I'm sorry people that it took so long, but I had no inspiration because I had some problems which had to be taken care of. I'll try to update more quickly next time, but I can't make promises, I'm lazy, very lazy. Once again, I'm sorry. But do you know how much pages it takes before you get a decent chapter?
All well, I hope you enjoy the story.
Hearts in love and denial, chapter 9: First training.
By Gasha Aisu
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, boohoo.
Sakura stumbled half awake behind a yawning Hinata who was behind a cheerful Tenten. Tenten glanced back over her shoulder and grinned.
"Man, you guys aren't morning persons are you?" she asked slowing her pace so that they could catch up. Hinata yawned again.
"Actually, father always makes sure I'm up early to train" Hinata answered, "He's very…convincing. But I've never been up early after being up so late"
Sakura just mumbled a response making Tenten grin at her. Sakura had been ready to kill Tenten until she yawned and suddenly got all sleepy again. That girl sure was strange sometimes.
"Quit you're yawning, I don't think Tsunade-sama likes it very much if you keep that up in her office, we're almost there" Tenten said amused. Hinata offered a small smile and a nod, but again Sakura only grumbled. Tenten grinned deviously, and Hinata quickened her pace, knowing the other two would catch up.
Tenten winked at Hinata before whispering something into Sakura's ear.
To say they where quick to get into Tsunade's office would be an understatement, especially if you counted for the murderous glint in Sakura's eyes and Tenten's laughter. That and flying objects like kunai and tree branches.
She just loved to tease that girl.
o.o.o.
Slightly tousled and panting, the three waited in front of Tsunade's office to catch their breaths. Finally Sakura straightened and knocked.
"Come in,"
They walked in and Hinata closed the door. The three of them felt more confident then the last time they walked in as they lined up in front of Tsunade's desk. Tsunadefumbled withsome files which needed to be looked into, and then focused her attention on the three girls.
"Does anybody needs to say anything or can I start explaining?" she asked casually. Hinata glanced at Sakura who decided to voice out loud what they all where wondering.
"We've had dreams…"she started, but Tsunade raised a hand to silence her.
"That was what I was going to explain, does either of you have a question which doesn't involves training, dreams or your seals at all?" she questioned, more clearly now.
The three girls shook their heads.
"Good, take a seat, this is going to take a while," Tsunade offered, gesturing to the three chairs who had been put before her office. (they where standing behind them)
Tenten didn't let her gaze of Tsunade as she sat in the chair in front of her. Hinata sat besides her, and Sakura sat besides Hinata. Tsunade made herself comfortable before she started.
"The seals aren't just ordinary seals. Because the chakra that flows within you are from your deceased ancestors, you are connected in a way I can't explain. This dreams that you had are real," Tsunade stopped for a moment to look each one of the girls in the eye.
"My guess is that you all dreamt of a final battle?" she asked and waited for a response.
They nodded, or mumbled a response.
"I thought so," Tsunade said dryly.
"You mean," Sakura started hesitantly, "that we actually saw their final battle, the moment before their deaths?"
Tsunade nodded slightly annoyedbecause Sakura repeated what shehad just said, just to be certain,and the girls shifted uncomfortably.
"There…was a…a dragon" Tenten started but was halted by Tsunade who held up her hand.
"I was just getting there. Your three ancestors got their power from talent, hard work, and three different creatures who rested within them. It's a bloodline limit, passed down for centuries. How exactly they got on their creatures no one knows, and that is not what should be worrying you. You have to be able to use and control your own creature. There has to be a mutual understanding, respect and loyalty that I can't describe"
Hinata bit her bottom lip. "I don't think I can do that all by myself," she whispered, unsure of herself.
"That is why you three are going to be helped by the only persons who can..." Tsunade said, and paused before continuing, "Your ancestors"
Shocked silence ruled for about three seconds.
"But they're dead" stated Sakura breaking the silence. Tsunade smirked.
"Yes, well they can still communicate with you, and I believe that you will be able to see and talk to them when the time comes. I will train you now, but as soon as the time comes, I will stop training you, and you will be trained by your own…well….ghost," she explained.
They opened their mouth to question but again Tsunade made a move for them to be silent.
"That's all I can tell you right now. You will figure the rest out on your own. The only thing I want to tell you is not to be afraid. And I mean it. Don't back away from strange situations, and follow your instincts," she waited for them to nod before smiling.
"Good, now lets go tell your team mates you're not training with them," she smirked at them, "And I'll only watch from a distance. This is something you need to do on your own, alone"
The girls paled but Tsunade only laughed.
o.0.o.
Hinata, Sakura and Tenten stood in the bushes. Tsunade was behind them, smirking because of the hell the three where going to go through. Blankly Tenten stared at her team mates, Sakura stared with her, while Hinata tried to look anywhere but there. Finally Tenten took a deep breath and took a few steps forward. After some hesitation the others followed except for Tsunade who would true to her word only watch the show. Repeating that this was something they had to take care of themselves.
For some reason Tsunade had decided to make their teams train together, and although their sensei's had looked at her weirdly, they had no other option to comply.
Hell had broke loose.
When the three had arrived they had frozen in shock. Tenten and Sakura had blinked at Sasuke and Neji who appeared to be ready to fight. Both the boys had their eyes activated and kunai's ready, a glaring contest had begun. One bad move and they would surely start fighting. Lee was besides them, pleading Neji to leave Sasuke alone. Unfortunately, Tenten was usually the only one who could keep Neji in check, so Lee had no chance. Hinata had flushed in embarrassment as she heard Kiba preach against a very angry, but also very confused, Naruto. Shino was the only one who appeared normal, he just stood and watched.
Their sensei's stood talking at the side, apparently they had already given up trying to get some order. Either that or they're where waiting for them to arrive. One secret smile from Kurenai told them all they needed to know.
Tenten frowned as her, Sakura, and Hinata where unnoticed. Apparently the guys where to busy arguing, or glaring... Still frowning she motioned Sakura to follow her as she went to try to get through her stubborn team mates head.
Lee looked absolutely relieved when she saw them coming. Smiling brightly at Tenten who kindly smiled back before turning to Neji. Sakura also got a smile a second later.
"What's going on?" Tenten asked as she put her hands on her hip. Neji glanced at her briefly before turning back to glare at Sasuke who had sunk in battle stance.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?" Sakura asked turning to her team mate with curious eyes.
"Nothing," Sasuke replied shortly, glaring at Neji who also took his battle stance.
Both Sakura as Tenten frowned from the lack of response, although they where used to it.
"There is something going on…what, did he offend you or anything?" Tenten tried again, reminding herself to be kind.
All they got was silence.
"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, once again hoping to get a response.
"Just stay away Sakura. You don't know what this bastard will do," Sasuke finally responded ice dripping of his voice. (matter of speaking, of course) Sakura blinked innocently as Neji narrowed his eyes.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Neji replied coolly. Tenten just looked between them, frowning in confusion.
"You're not acting like yourself Neji," she spoke softly. Neji snorted.
"Neither is he," he replied simply.
Both girls glanced at each other before refocusing on their team mates.
"Ne, Sasuke" Kakashi suddenly drawled, "I think these girls have something to say"
Sasuke looked at Kakashi for a moment before slowly relaxing out of his fighting stance. Neji did the same as Lee breathed relieved. Sakura frowned as Tenten set her mouth in a grim line. They couldn't break up their team mates, but a perverted sensei could? They shared a look and sighed, hanging their head slightly. Boys…
When they looked up, everybody was ready. Somehow Hinata had broken up Kiba and Naruto, but now she was standing uncomfortably between the two who kept glaring at each other. Shino silently stood besides Kiba, but a slightly annoyed frown was present. Tsunade had emerged as well, and she was smirking knowingly at Sasuke and Neji, who glanced away at the same time. She knew what was going on, although the boys weren't ready to admit it yet. Neji and Sasuke glanced at each other before they both reached out, Neji grabbed Tenten's hand at the same time as Sasuke grabbed Sakura's. Both dragged their team mates a save distance away before letting go and standing as if nothing happened. Leaving Sakura and Tenten very confused.
"Well? What are you waiting for? We need to get going, so start explaining" Tsunade suddenly snapped impatient.
"Going?" asked Naruto, who stopped glaring at Kiba. He looked confused. Neji and Sasuke looked at their female team mates, obviously expecting an answer. Lee just looked at Gai who shrugged, pretending not to know anything. Both Shino as Kiba immediately looked at Hinata making her take a small step back. Because of that she bumped into Naruto. Getting red in the face she tried to get away by stepping forward. While Sakura slowly walked back smiling sheepishly at a frowning Sasuke.
"Ne? You're going Sakura?" asked a very confused Naruto who appeared in Sakura's vision, making her even more uncomfortable.
"Well….you see…"she started lamely, but didn't finish and didn't look like she was about to.
In the mean time, was Tenten getting more and more uncomfortable under Neji's blank gaze as she too made a move for the girls only to bump into Lee who had come to her confused.
"You're going too Tenten?" Lee asked innocently. Tenten ducked around him as she went to stand back to back with Sakura facing her team mates. (Hinata's back was also between the two, making them stand in a circle facing their team mates)
"We kinda…" Tenten tried to continue Sakura's explanation but broke off because everybody looked at her.
"Not training today" Hinata finished, and blushed as everyone looked at her again.
"Yeah…" Sakura grinned sheepishly before sticking out her tongue a little.
"At least not with you guys," informed Tenten as her pride kicked in. Ptsch, as if she would miss a day training.
"So we kinda….gotta get going" Sakura finished, and with that the three quickly got away leaving frowning or confused team mates. All three relieved that the situation hadn't sunk in. They realised that they didn't give enough explanation, but as long as that meant avoiding questions, all was fine.
Tsunade sighed before looking at the rookies.
"Meaning, they will not train with you for a while now," Tsunade turned to look Neji in the eye, "neither with the sensei's nor you alone. (she addressed the group again) They will not be present in any of your training activities, and the chances are high that they won't be with you on missions either, is that clear?" They nodded confused and Tsunade went after the three girls, now officially her students for some time.
"Something's up" Lee suddenly stated, breaking the short silence that came after the leaving of the girls.
"Don't worry about it Lee," Gai tried to insure. But it was to late, all except Naruto had a feeling something fishy was up, no this wasn't going to pass unnoticed.
"Sakura still hasn't told what happened in the meeting" Naruto suddenly stated.
Yes, what happened in the meeting anyway? All but the sensei's wondered.
0.o.0.
"Well, that was smooth" Tenten said sarcastically, on a safe distance away. Hinata nodded but Sakura scowled.
"Well it's hard to explain when everybody's looking at you, and if someone (a scowl was send in Tsunade's direction) hadn't left us to deal with it, it wouldn't have been this hard"
Tsunade only rolled her eyes.
"You have to deal with thing yourself, you can't expect me to come negotiate with an enemy every time you need me, you have to take care of yourself, all of you do" Tsunade shot back, proving her point and silencing the girls. Especially now…
Finally Tsunade stopped and turned to wait for the girls to catch up. She stood in a middle of a clearing, the trees made sure you where secluded from sight, training dummies where set up, and somehow the girls knew the clearing was secured with traps and jutsu's. They where safe to focus on their training, and their training alone. Tsunade picked a staff made of wood from the side of a tree.
"Listen up, we've been joking around but now it's time for some serious business. I told you that I would train you three until your ready to train with your ancestor. My training isn't easy, if you thought your sensei's where rough, you where wrong. Every time we step into this clearing you do exactly what I say, when I say it and how I say it. Jokes will not be tolerated, nor laziness. If you three want to keep alive, you better start training seriously and hard," Tsunade said seriously.
The three girls nodded, as they too took on serious expression, unintentionally, they where lined up before Tsunade and in they're 'ninja mode'. Tsunade knew the girls didn't know how serious the situation was, but at least it was for the best. The girls still had long ways to go before they where ready for the tournament..
"I will tap my staff on the ground in a pattern that you will follow, not matter how tired you are, no matter how much your muscles ache. I demand discipline and a sense of duty. You will not fail me. No matter what exercise, this seems vague to you now, but you'll understand when we're training. Any questions?" Tsunade continued. The shake of their head told her no, so Tsunade pointed to tree logs, earlier unnoticed by the girls. The three logs, well more like trees without branches or leaves, stood lined up, with distance between them big enough for one person to move freely.
"You three all have fighting styles of your own. But you need to be able to function in a team. If I'm correct, that will come to you naturally in time. The seals are connected to each other as you families where, so you don't have to worry about that as yet. Now go and stand there," Tsunade told them simply and waited for them to pick a log and stand besides is before she continued, "When I say punch, you keep punching every time my stick reaches the ground, so that you all hit at the same time. I want this punch to be powerful, so do not bother to restrain yourself. When I say 'kick' you switch to doing the some only kicking. I will keep giving command you will follow. It's not hard" Tsunade explained.
"What's the use of this exercise?" Tenten wondered, her eyes questioning Tsunade. Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she stepped up to the brunette.
"Are you questioning my training?" Tsunade hissed at her, making Tenten gulp and shake her head.
It was then that the girls realised that Tsunade meant business. One thing was for sure, Tsunade was a completely different person the minute they stepped into the clearing.
Tsunade smirked at the three as they gulped in response.
This was going to be hell...
o.0.o.
"Kick!" Tsunade's voice ordered followed by a tap of her staff.
"Ha!" came the response of three voices.
"Kick!" Tsunade ordered again.
"Ha!" Came once again the response. Although their voices where strong, some hint of exhaustion was heard.
"Come on! You're ninja's myninja's, Konoha ninja's! Show me what you're worth. Kick!" Tsunade barked, followed by the sound of another thump as her staff met the ground again.
"Ha!" the girls responded, panting slightly. They had been at it for half a hour already, but to the girls it seemed like a life time. Sweat was visible in tiny drops on their forehead.
"Kick!" One again Tsunade.
"Ha!" the same response.
Sakura saw her pink hair fly in front of her vision every time she leaned on her left leg in order to kick with her right one. Her left leg was burning because of her constant weight on it, while the shin of her other leg was already showing signs of bruises. It had become numb a little while ago. Sakura's bright green eyes where narrowed in concentration as she focussed everything on her training. It didn't matter that it hurt, she was not going to be weak anymore.
"Kick!" Tsunade's voice drifted to her again.
And Sakura responded immediately, hitting the wood the minute the staff reached the ground. As Tsunade had promised, it hadn't taken long to get used to it, and she could hear the heavy breathing of Hinata and Tenten behind her. Sakura found herself in a trance like state, as only the breathing of Tenten and Hinata and Tsunade's orders mattered.
"Ha!" she said with more force, determined to give all she had into her training. Forget beauty, to hell with Sasuke, getting stronger was what mattered. Making the village proud, her ancestor being worthy of that power she knew she possessed through hard work.
"Kick!" Tsunade ordered.
"Ha!" came the response of the three girls, now almost at the same time.
"Other leg. Kick!" Tsunade ordered.
They shifted, and the minute the staff his the ground, so did their left leg hit the wood.
"Kick!" the same order, only now with the other leg.
"Ha!" the same answer, the same determination.
Hinata was glad for her short hair which allowed a slight breeze cool her neck. Her slightly longer hair which framed her face danced before her vision but didn't bother her. She kind of liked to see her purple, bluish hair coming and go in a standard pattern. Tsunade kept going at the same speed, making it easier for Hinata to loose herself in her training. The burning in her muscles, the pain, only reminded her that she deserved it, that she deserved it for being so weak.
"Kick" Tsunade demanded.
"Ha!" it came out more desperate then before, but Hinata didn't notice.
The breathing, of Sakura before her and Tenten behind her, calmed her, and reminded her that she could change that, that she could be strong. Like Naruto-kun, no stronger then Naruto, or anyone in the village. She would make her friends, her family proud. And even more importantly:
She would make herself feel proud of herself.
"Kick!" Tsunade ordered.
"Ha!" she complied.
All the hard work that was waiting for her, and the pain she was feeling now was worth it. She would work hard, she would not let Tenten and Sakura down, this time, she would really be strong. She wasn't alone anymore.
"Kick!" Drifted Tsunade's order to her ears.
"Ha!" she complied, fuelled with new hope and energy.
"Kick!"
"Ha!" came the answer, this time at the same time. It was working…
"Kick!"
"Ha!"
"Kick!"
"Ha!"
The world didn't exist anymore for Tenten. The only thing that she knew was that she had to keep on going. She had to listen to Tsunade. She had to get stronger.
"Kick!"
"Ha!"
No more Neji who easily beat her in afternoon sparring. No more Lee trying to cheer her up, claiming that she wasn't as bad as she thought she was.
"Kick!"
She did, Tsunade was her idol and her hokage, she trusted her.
"Ha!" they all answered.
It was then that Tenten realised that she wasn't alone in the clearing with Tsunade's voice commanding her to train. She wasn't alone baring the pain the training gave her. She wasn't alone becoming stronger. Before her she could hear Hinata and even Sakura pant, and she heard that whenever they gave their strength, they yelled along with her. For the first time, Tenten felt as if she had a family. She wasn't alone, and neither where they.
"Kick!"
"Ha!"
The girls radiated peace despite the harsh training. And Tsunade knew that they would be fine. The determination that shone in their eyes, they lust for power although controlled, and the bond between them which was slowly developing was clear to her. Tsunade smiled slightly. That wasn't all what she saw.
She saw their ancestors blood flowing in them as well.
To be continued…
Sooo….did you miss me? I know I know, it's been a long time and a relatively short chapter, but hey, you got a one shot didn't you? (I'm talking about hwy in case your wondering) I'll try to update more quicker next time, but I kinda need to get good grades so that I won't be stuck in the same grade next year. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. (Not original I know, but I mean it!)
Until next time,
Gasha Aisu