Chapter 6 – Learning to Walk (Up Trees)
Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me
Previously on Secret Keeper: Having accepted the mission to protect Tazuna-san, Team 7 have arrived in the village of Wave. After battling their way across the country-side, they would like nothing more than a quick (and easy) completion of the all-important bridge. Whether they get it, however, remains to be seen!
The morning dawned clear and bright, with just the slightest hint of mist rising from the surrounding waters. While the rest of the of the bridge-builder's household slept, two small shadows silently slipped off into the nearby woods.
Sasuke frowned to himself as he followed his blond teammate through the trees. He had been fairly lucky to be woken by the dobe shutting the door of their shared room, and decided to follow, hoping to find out what was going on as the blond had been acting strange ever since they'd received this mission, and Sasuke didn't like it!
It wasn't long til they arrived at a clearing, the raven making sure to stay hidden in the treeline.
After glancing round the clearing, Naruto proceeded to remove his bright-orange jacket, revealing a short-sleeved fishnet under-shirt. But that wasn't what caught the hidden genin's eye. No, it was the different-coloured designs running across his teammate's arms.
While the raven watched, Naruto took the time to check over each design, a small brush easily held between his teeth; telling the tale of hours spent doing similarly; and what looked like a child's painting set sitting beside him. Once everything was to his liking, Naruto stood up (the brush and painting set having disappeared), and formed the same unfamiliar seal with his right hand from earlier, before beginning to run through various katas.
This state of affairs continued on for about an hour, before Naruto jumped into the stream for a moment, collecting his jacket after climbing back out and re-checking the sprawling designs. Not wanting to be discovered, Sasuke wasted no time in hurrying back to the house, trying to remember where he had seen some of Naruto's designs before. By the time Naruto returned – brace of rabbits and a bunch of green's in hand – Sasuke was safely in the room with Kakashi, studying a kata scroll.
Tsunami took one look at the blond's offering, before roping him into helping with breakfast while asking about the various greens, having heard about his cooking skill from her father.
Mid-morning found Kakashi (on crutches) leading his three genin back to the same clearing Sasuke had followed the blond to earlier.
"Okay, Team, I know we haven't really spent all that much time on training together. If I'm honest, I wasn't really expecting to take on a genin team, you're the first group to actually pass the test. I also wasn't expecting a mission like this one to come up so soon. As such, I'd been focusing on building a team, which is essentially what D-ranks are for. To help a group of genin integrate in with each other and allow their sensei to observe under low stress environments, all while providing the genin with pocket money." Kakashi began to explain, causing his genin to straighten up. "However, circumstances change, often at the drop of a hat. Especially for Shinobi, which is why it's important to be prepared for most, if not all, eventualities. Noe, what I'm going to get you all started on, most genin don't even begin to think about until they've been out of the Academy for at least six months. This is not an overly high-ranked jutsu, it's actually a rather basic procedure, but when learning anything it's normally best to start at the bottom and build up. You will be learning,"
By now, all three genin were leaning forwards eagerly.
"to climb trees!" Kakashi finished with an eye-smile, causing his cute genin to collapse.
"But Sensei!" Sakura cried in horror, "we already know how to do that!"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"Without hands. You will be channeling your chakra through your feet and, initially, running up the tree. Eventually, you will be able to walk up them, but I don't think we have the time to get you all at that point currently." Kakashi deadpanned, causing the pinket to blush and nod meekly. "Right, now that that's sorted, you all know how to focus your chakra?"
Getting nods of confirmation, Kakashi continued, "Great! Everyone choose a tree. You're going to want a kunai each to keep track of progress, and a running start to build momentum. Once you get the hang of it, start decreasing your starts. Too much chakra will see you blasted off the tree, too little, and you'll simply slip off. Good luck!"
At the clear instruction, the three genin took off towards their chosen trees; Sakura choosing one at random, while the boys went for the two largest. Chuckling to himself, Kakashi pulled out his little orange book and settled down for a well deserved reading session.
By lunchtime, only Sakura had made it to the first branch – depleting her chakra in the process. So, while the boys continued working on their trees, Sakura was given a schedule to increase her chakra levels – half an hour's rest while using the leaf exercise they learned in the Academy (Kakashi double-checked she knew it), then ten times up and down the tree to the first branch. If she failed before ten, then once round the clearing's perimeter for each up-and-down she missed. Kakashi was determined to get all his genin to at least the base point!
Sakura had stared at him in initial horror, before glancing over at her teammates still going at their trees, before squaring her shoulders and beginning to collect a small pile of leaves. Kakashi eye-smiled at this, and started planning. By the time he was finished with his cute little genin, they would strike fear! But first – Chakra Control. There's no point in lighting a fire when you don't have any firewood, after all.
Meanwhile, the boys were slowly getting the hang of tree-walking (or, running for now), and progressing up their trees. During one of Sakura's breaks, Kakashi was pleased to observe her giving the boys a couple of pointers – maybe there was hope for Team 7? Partly due to Sakura's help and the boy's stubborn wills, all three genin had reached their third branch by evening.
As they headed back through the woods, the three genin happily discussing their challenge and different theories on how to improve, Kakashi hummed happily to himself, enjoying the small moment of peace.
Evening had fallen by the time they arrived back at Tazuna's house, to find Tsunami waiting at the door for them. In short order, Naruto was commandeered into the kitchen while the rest of Team 7 were directed off towards the bathroom to clean up. They didn't see their teammate again til dinner. Unlike at breakfast that morning, they were joined by Tazuna (who had left early to continue working on the bridge), and a young boy, who was introduced as Inari, Tsunami's son.
It was while Tsunami was dishing up, that Kakashi finally managed to pin down the niggling feeling that something was wrong – The Hunter Nin.
"Zabuza's not dead." Kakashi announced firmly.
"WHAT!" Sakura cried, staring at him in horror.
"It's been annoying me all day, that something was wrong. Hunter Nins are supposed to dispose of the body at the scene of the death." Kakashi explained. "Not to mention, it's really hard to kill someone with a senbon hit-point of the back of the neck, it's more of a target-disabling technique."
"You mean he's still alive?!" Sakura exclaimed in shock.
"Afraid so." Kakashi eye-smiled cheerfully. "The good news, is that we have about a week before he'll be healed enough to fight again, so we'd better make use of it!"
"If that's the good news..." the pinket trailed off with a nervous laugh.
Kakashi sighed.
"The bad news is that there's two, possibly more, and the Hunter Non is a complete unknown, there isn't any mention in the bingo book."
Naruto's eyes lost focus as he tilted his head, before nodding.
"Ne, sensei, s'far as I see it, we really only have two options. One, we wait and deal with Zabuza'n any others, or two, we go'n cut off the head of the issue."
"Oh" Kakashi raised an eyebrow (or possibly both? It's kinda hard to tell with his mask...). "And which of the two would you suggest?"
Naruto hummed, before opening his eyes and smirking.
"Well, if we wait and deal, we might have a week, it all depends on how many others there are. This would give us time to train and prepare defences, assuming all the others are Mist Nin."
Kakashi nodded.
"And the second option?"
"We go on the offensive. Find and remove the Kingpin. Without Gato, there'd be no money, so they'd either leave to find another job, or separate and become unorganised. Obviously, this option requires a LOT more work, and is potentially time-sensitive, as ideally the strike would happen before Zabuza's back in play." Naruto shrugged.
CRASH! Everything on the table jumped about an inch, causing the gathered shinobi to turn towards the source.
"Why are you all trying so hard? You're all just going to die anyway, it's impossible to win against Gato!" Inari cried, his hands firmly planted on the table.
"Oh, yeah? Says who?" Naruto retorted. "We're not just any old Shinobi, dattebayo! 'Sides, Gato's just a man, might have power, but still only human."
"You don't get it! Running around, playing heroes – when there's no such thing! You don't know anything, think you have it so great, when you know absolutely nothing of hardship and suffering!" Inari shouted as he jumped up.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
"We know nothing?" he enquired softly. "We're Shinobi. Death, hardship and suffering kinda comes with the territory, kid. You don't know us, news flash, the world isn't just one big competition of who has the biggest sob story! I'm heading out." the blond finished, glancing at Kakashi, who nodded.
Once the blond had left, Kakashi sighed, before turning to the young boy.
"The life of a Shinobi," he started heavily, "isn't easy. People die, teammates, clients, strangers, sometimes by your own hand. If you're lucky, its the opponent. Out of all of us, Sakura's probably had it the best so far, with no real losses. I fought in the last war, on the frontlines." Kakashi chuckled grimly. "My whole unit was killed due to a single mistake. Sasuke here's entire clan was killed. But Naruto's the one with the worst story. See, the Village was attacked by Kyuubi. Naruto lost everything that night. But you don't hear him complaining about it, in fact, he's the happiest person I know. I guess it's true what they say, the loneliest people are the kindest, the saddest smile the brightest, the most damaged, the wisest. And all because they do not wish to see others suffer as they do." Kakashi finished, before he nodded, and headed off upstairs, leaving the table in shocked silence.