Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor am I an expert on the Naruto Universe.

AN: I am working on a personal writing project currently, so for the next few months I will not be posing. Sorry.


Chapter 11: Charges

Kurenai watched as her charges walked off in different directions, headed home to freshen up for their genin pictures. Her eyes lingered on Naruto who casually strolled down the path toward the center of the village. While the boy hadn't lied to her, that she could tell, he did leave a lot out of his story. It troubled her more than she was willing to admit that Naruto was, even now, afraid of her. He did his best to hide it, but he still tried to stay outside of what he believed to be her attack range. She allowed that he might not even be aware he was doing it.

Kurenai sighed and looked up at the clouds. She nodded to herself and performed the Body Flicker Technique. The village flashed by in a blur of colors as her chakra assisted her high-speed dash. As she came to the base of the Hokage Residence seven seconds later, Kurenai felt the world shift back into focus as she came to a stop.

"Jonin Kurenai-san," Teshima Goro greeted with a nod. The tall, lanky chunin stood door guard many days for the Hokage. She knew there would be a jonin watcher close by, just in case.

"Good afternoon, Chunin Goro-san," she greeted as a faint shimmer of movement gave away his partner's position beside a tree in the main yard. Her eyes flicked over the chunin, cataloging everything at a glance. She'd worked with Goro a few times while she was a chunin and noticed the prominent bags under his eyes. "Trying for the jonin exam?" she guessed.

"I still have a ways to go," Goro admitted with a sigh. "I still need to work on a few things," he admitted.

"You'll get it."

"I won't stop until I do. You might as well go in. The others are already upstairs, except Kakashi-sama."

"Thank you," Kurenai nodded before nodding to the slightly off-colored spot by the tree was. She fought to hide a grin when the jonin cursed under his breath at being caught. Simple observations could reveal even the most skilled shinobi.

Walking to the Hokage's Office, she debated how she wanted to ask the Hokage her questions. In the end, she hadn't wanted Naruto and didn't know why the Hokage placed him on her team. As a relatively new jonin, she couldn't understand why Hurizen would want her to work with an unstable new genin.

"Good afternoon," the Hokage greeted as she entered his office. All the other jonin were already there, waiting for her to arrive, even Kakashi.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized as she walked over to Asuma's side. He smiled at her which made her stomach do flips. She fought to hide her reaction. It really wasn't fair that his smile could do that to her.

"Quite alright," Hiruzen said with a wave of his hand. "Since we're all here. Irori-san, will you start us off?" he questioned.

"Team One... passes, barely," the jonin admitted. "It's going to take a long time to get them anywhere near chunin ready."

"That's fine," Hiruzen nodded. "Akoto-san?"

"Team Three fails," she answered without preamble. "They couldn't work together. Apparently, there was too much animosity from their time in the Academy."

"That is unfortunate," the Hokage sighed and turned to Asuma with a nod.

"Team Ten passes," he answered but didn't elaborate.

"Team Seven... passes... barely... are we sure we can't just," Kakashi started to say but was cut off.

"No... next," Hiruzen stated in a flat voice.

"Team Eight passes," Kurenai offered. "I'd like to ask a few questions after this, however," she pressed.

The Hokage looked at her before nodding. Kakashi's one-eyed stare at Hiruzen made her feel uncomfortable. She knew the silver-haired pervert wanted Naruto in his team. In fact, it was probably the only reason he took up the job as a jonin instructor. He'd hinted as much in one of his round-about conversations with Asuma.

Once the jonin all gave their reports, Hiruzen looked at each of them that passed their teams. "Teach them well, with what I have planned in mind. They are the future of the village. Any questions?" he asked. When no one spoke, the other jonin left. Asuma smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder as he followed the others out.

"Hokage-sama, why did you put Naruto-kun on my team?" she asked when it became clear Hiruzen wouldn't speak first.

The Hokage sat back in his chair and drew out his pipe. He didn't answer her as he lit the awful-smelling leaves and took a deep pull. "I felt that Naruto needs something the others can't give him," he answered as he looked up at her.

"I honestly have no idea what that could be," she admitted. "I... persuaded him into sharing his story. He wasn't happy, and left a lot of things out, but... well, he's had it worse than Anko... I think."

Hiruzen mulled over her words as he took another deep pull from his pipe. "I would agree with you," he admitted. "I have many faults, and I erred when it came to Naruto. I freely admit that. The machinations of those in the village haven't helped him either. Now that you've interacted with him, what do you think?"

Kurenai was silent for several minutes. "Naruto-kun... is driven, but by what, I can't tell. In his file, he wanted to be Hokage for a time, but that's since changed. He now wants to be a medical-nin and repeatedly uses Sannin Tsunade as a reason, however..." she trailed off with a sigh.

"It only rings partially true," Hiruzen finished with a nod. "What else?"

"He is avoidant, has anti-social tendencies, even while working with his teammates, and is paranoid... I think. Sometimes, I don't even know what he's thinking during his spars. He seems to fight by a count in his head or something. If something goes against his plan or expectations, he gets... agitated. His shadow clones are another matter that is of some concern to me."

Hiruzen looked up sharply at that and asked, "what do you mean?"

"I can't put my finger on it, but sometimes they are different. He demonstrated his jutsu once, but it was enough. One clone was... almost manic in the way it smiled. I won't lie, it put my teeth on edge. Why did you put Naruto-kun with me?" she questioned again. "Hokage-sama," she added after a moment.

"Initially, I put Naruto with Kakashi. However, I consulted with someone who is an expert on understanding the mind. During a recent event, they were able to delve into Naruto's mind and answered a few questions I've had. In short, if Naruto can become a productive member of this village, and do so willingly, then you are my only chance."

Kurenai frowned and tried to process what she'd heard. "Naruto-kun... wants to leave then?" she questioned.

"Sannin Tsunade has enjoyed her self-imposed exile for some years. She is more loyal to the village than any probably realize, but to a child, it wouldn't seem that way. To a child, where the village has shunned and hated him since birth, anyone who can live freely and do as they wish would be a role model."

"Why did you allow him to graduate?"

"He truly could be an amazing shinobi, with the right guidance. Right now, he's chasing power, so that no one can tell him what to do. I must admit, I had similar aspirations as a child. My relationship with my father was something like what I and Asuma have. That doesn't mean he can't be taught to think of his friends. Which, as you might have guessed, he has few of. I only know of two people he might consider as his friend."

Kurenai shifted uncomfortably. "Why do you think I'm the one to show him that?" she questioned. This was worse than she'd thought if what the Hokage said was true. She thought she'd have problems with helping Hinata, but Naruto's problems might spell disaster for her team as a whole.

"As a chunin, you were a big sister to many. It is my belief, that you will become something like that for Naruto. You obviously want to care about the boy, or you wouldn't have tried to understand him. I, and others, believe a strong, positive influence on his life will help guide him toward a healthy path."

"Am I able to look at his complete file? Naruto-kun said the one you gave me wasn't completely correct. I believe him by the dismissive way he reviewed it."

Hiruzen sat back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. "I will need to consult someone, but you do have the right to see some things. I have... reservations about showing you his full file, compiled from someone who's watched him closely for years. This business with the shadow clones is troubling. The other reason that jutsu is forbidden is that it can fragment the psyche through their chakra. There are... other influences on Naruto that could be affecting him as well that we'll never be able to control," he revealed as he sat forward. "How are your other charges? Of all the teams I created, the Council believes yours is the most likely to fail their missions. I, on the other hand, think you have a stacked team."

Kurenai blinked as she tried to shift her thoughts. "Hinata-kun has little to no confidence in herself. I believe the Hyuga Clan has systematically destroyed any self-worth she might have possessed. That being said, she's bright, flexible, and is willing to learn. She just doesn't think she'll live up to her family's expectations. Naruto-kun has a strong influence on her. I believe she's already tried looking at medical-nin knowledge just so she could have something to talk to him about. As smart as she is, she might even be able to do something with that," she answered with a smile.

"That is good news. What of Shino-kun?"

"He is... a quiet individual. Capable, smart, and observant. Of the three, he is the most likely candidate for being the team's leader. I have a plan, if tentative, to work on his overall combat effectiveness."

"The Aburame Clan has ways to help him as well, but he'll need to show his father, and their leaders, he is mature enough and ready. That will come with time."

"Naruto-kun really does worry me, Hokage-sama," she admitted. "He could cripple the team."

"I have faith in your ability and others to help young Naruto. He is but a child, forced to grow up faster than his peers. I'm afraid it's done him serious harm, psychologically. You should know that I've sent for someone to possibly help in your efforts. You aren't alone. By this time tomorrow, I'll have what I can share of Naruto's life. I'll leave the method of delivery up to someone I trust."

"Thank you," Kurenai said with a bow.


"How are you genin?" Asuma asked as he slid into the booth opposite Kurenai. He smiled at her and placed his hand over hers.

Kurenai wanted to slap his hand away, but she didn't. His warm hand helped soothe the worry she'd felt all night. "They'll be fine," she got out with a smile.

Her not-boyfriend raised one eyebrow, knowing she wasn't telling him everything. "Okay, fine. I'm worried, but that's just because two of them are special cases," she admitted.

Asuma nodded with a slight frown on his lips. "Naruto-kun and Hinata-kun," he mused. "Did you ask my old man why he put Naruto-kun with you?"

"I asked," she answered in a hesitant voice. "Apparently, I'm the one he trusts with their progress as genin."

"Kakashi was livid."

"I can imagine."

"Do you know what you'll do?"

Kurenai took a deep breath and looked around the small restaurant. Several shinobi ate at the bar, talking in low voices. She wasn't sure if they could hear her but didn't want to talk the chance. "I'm still thinking it over," she hedged. "How are your genin?"

"Exact copies of their parents, as much as they might deny it. It gives me an advantage when dealing with them."

Kurenai smiled and took her hand back as a server arrived with their food.

After they ate in companionable silence, Asuma spoke again. "Are you interested in having our charges work together? By sparing and training together I mean," he clarified at her look.

"I wouldn't be opposed to it," Kurenai mused, thinking of Naruto. "It might help, but we'll need to hold off for a while. I need to work with my genin. I know the Hokage wants them ready for the Chunin Exams, but it'll take my team a lot of basics to get there."

"How is their teamwork?"

"At first glance, good," she admitted as she sat back against the bench. "There are other concerns, but I'll figure them out."

"You always have," Asuma smiled. Butterflies threatened to make Kurenai lose her lunch. She loved his quiet, reassuring smile.

"Out of curiosity," she said to try and clear her addled thoughts, "how physically fit is your team? Compared to your average chunin?"

Asuma pursed his lips, his eyebrows knitting together as he stared into only something he could see. "They'd need more conditioning. Ino-kun, in particular, needs a lot of work. Choji-kun is the most physically fit. Low-chunin at best. Why?" he asked as his eyes refocused.

Kurenai bit her lip, trying not to lose focus. Asuma's intelligence was one thing she absolutely adored about him. He had a powerful air of confidence that first drew her attention, but it was his intelligence that made her want to know the imposing shinobi more. "Shino-kun and Hinata-kun are on the low end of what I'd expect a chunin's physical fitness to be. I was... shocked," she admitted.

"Naruto-kun?" Asuma pressed with narrowed eyes.

"Jonin."

"You're kidding me?" the large shinobi muttered. "How?"

"I watched his warmup exercises, spars with his teammates, and his self-study session earlier today. He wasn't winded. If anything, it looked like he held back."

Asuma just stared at her. "I looked over his file after I realized my father might place him in your team. None of that is in there. That isn't something you can just suddenly do. He'd have to have been working on his conditioning for years," he stated with a frown. "Now that you remind me, I think the only thing in his file was that he trained outside of class sometimes. What happened to the chunin instructors who are supposed to keep tabs on the Academy Students?"

Kurenai wondered what she should say. Naruto's history was his own. She didn't want to lie to her definitely not-boyfriend, but at the same time, she didn't want to talk about her genin's history without his permission. "I'm supposed to get an updated report by someone who knows Naruto-kun at some point today. Hopefully, I'll have more answers then," she answered after a moment.

"That... sounds ominous," Asmua commented with a faraway look in his eyes again. Kurenai knew he was putting the pieces together in his head. "Maybe the boy should have gone with Kakashi. This reeks of my father's influence."

Kurenai blinked, not having expected that answer. "You think the Hokage, what, altered the files?" she asked. "Why would he do that?"

"If he needed to keep things secret, or not draw attention to Naruto-kun, he might have. My father isn't above using whatever tricks he can to get his way."

"I'll know at some point soon," she said to move them away from the dangerous topic. Talking ill of the Hokage with several shinobi nearby could be disastrous for Asuma, even if he was Hurizen's son.

"I forgot to tell you," the bulky shinobi mused with a glance to the bar. "A few days ago, there was a lot of commotion at the Hokage Residence. A jonin mentioned the Forbidden Scroll was stolen, the real one. Some five hours later, the scroll is back and the TI took a chunin into custody. Your blonde-haired genin's name was thrown around in hushed whispers."

Kurenai froze with her cup near her lips. Naruto's display of the Shadow Clone Technique had bothered her. Not just because of the crazy smile on one of the clone's faces, but because Naruto knew the dangerous jutsu at all. As a genin, he shouldn't have even known about it, let alone be able to use it. Earlier during training, she'd had him use his clones to spar and work with Shino and Hinata. After pressing him for his history, she hadn't wanted to question him about where he learned the technique from so soon.

"Kurenai?" Asuma asked in a low voice.

"I was just thinking," she muttered back, her mind still racing. "Do you know any specifics?"

Asuma looked at her, a worried frown at the corners of his mouth. "I could ask around," he answered slowly.

"No, I think I could get the real story if I tried. Just trying to get an idea of what you might know."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure you could," he laughed as his smile deepened. "All I know for sure is that my father was worried, truly worried about something. The Forbidden Scroll was stolen and returned. Na... that boy's name was mentioned in the theft, but that might have been speculation. You know how he gets blamed for a lot of things when he wasn't even around. Anyway, I'm almost positive the chunin the TI brought in was Mizuki-san. One of the Chunin Instructors at the Academy. There was some talk that there had to have been outside help to get the scroll away from the Hokage Residence, but that was pure speculation. The last bit that I do know is that the entire Anbu quarters were empty that night. Hamano-san did his rounds and watched two squads leave at the same time."

"Not much to go on," Kurenai said aloud, but her thoughts were racing. Mizuki was one of the Academy Instructors that Naruto talked about. She thought she might know more of the story than Asuma did. "Thank you for telling me."

"I meant to tell you yesterday but didn't get a chance to. Now, are you going to finish your rolls?" he asked with a smile.

"Go ahead you lout," she joked as she waved to the small plate in front of her. "You know those will go straight to your stomach."

Asuma patted his belly and just smiled at her. "You love it," he joked.

The sad part was... that she did.


"Kurenai-san," a soft voice called from the shadows two hours before dusk. Asuma had left to speak with Shikamaru and she was headed home for the day.

"Yes?" Kurenai, said as she turned toward the voice, tensed for combat. She knew how dangerous the world was and didn't want to take any chances.

"The Hokage sent me to speak with you," the feminine voice answered. A hand, covered by a black glove, appeared from the darkness. It took Kurenai a moment to realize the hand held a black folder and another moment to realize it was an Anbu who stood in the shadows, hidden by a simple genjutsu. She took the folder and waited.

"You have questions," the Anbu prompted.

"Are we save to speak here?"

"No, however, tomorrow, I'll meet you at the Hokage Monument just after dark. If you still have questions after reading his file, I'll answer what I can."

"How do you know Naruto-kun?" Kurenai asked.

"I've been a part of his protection detail for some time."

"Is he a danger to my team?"

The Anbu seemed to weigh her words before speaking. As the silence stretched on, Kurenai began to worry. "The boy is young and impressionable. I've expressed my thoughts to the Hokage already. At the back of the file, I included my personal observations, including suggestions on how I'd try to help him. I'll answer your questions tomorrow," the Anbu answered before fading away.

Kurenai knew the skilled kunoichi used a different type of genjutsu to make her escape. It made her wonder just who the Anbu was. She looked down at the heavy folder in her hand. It seemed she wouldn't be getting much sleep.

The Anbu, Code-named Dog, made no attempt to sugar-coating her report. Kurenai only got through three pages of Naruto's early life before breaking out a bottle of sake. The more she read, the more she wanted to drink and cry. It was hard to read how the village she loved hurt someone so young. A growing wave of simmering anger for the Hokage's indifference to Naruto's plight made her re-evaluate Hiruzen. When she read about Naruto's time in the Academy she had to slow down her reading. Dog-sama added a rough outline of the things Naruto learned and the systematic abuse he'd received from the instructors.

"I don't think I'm drunk enough for this," Kurenai admitted to herself as she closed the folder. She had about twelve pages left, but she felt sick to her stomach. It was hard to imagine herself in Naruto's place. If anything, his desire to leave the village was more than understandable. However, she understood why the Hokage couldn't let him leave. Naruto was a jinchuriki. Oh, the village whispered that the boy was a demon of the Fox, but seeing it written out seemed to solidify the reality of Naruto's situation.

The next morning, Kurenai hid the folder before heading out to the training grounds. Naruto was already there, stretching and working on chakra control. She could see the grass around his feet shift as he moved through a simple taijutsu kata. "Good morning," she greeted as she stepped into the clearing.

"Good morning," Naruto answered with a small bow.

Kurenai was at a loss for what to say. She knew so much about him but struggled to connect with him. As much as she wanted to, she didn't think she could mentally place herself in his position. "You're here early," she finally managed to say.

"I'm up early," Naruto answered as he went back to his kata.

"Good morning," Hinata called as she ran up the path. "Naruto-kun," she flushed with a bow.

"I told you that you didn't need to use any honorifics," Naruto harumphed as he kicked the air and centered his balance.

"Good morning, Hinata-kun," Kurenai greeted with a smile. "I see you've changed your attire."

"Naruto-k... Naruto said that the iron-mesh helped save his life. It's a good idea," Hinata flushed a deep red as she shot a furtive glance at her crush.

Kurenai wanted to sigh. "Anko swears by it, but I think she just likes showing off her body," she joked. The joke had the unintended effect of making Hinata flush even deeper red. Kurenai wondered if the girl would pass out due to a lack of oxygen.

"Good morning," Shino greeted as he walked into the clearing from the direction of the Aburame compound.

"Good morning," Naruto answered as he completed the last stance of the kata.

"Gather up," Kurenai called to her genin and stood straighter. Once her three charges stopped in front of her, she looked them over. "We'll be working on teamwork for two hours before going to the Hokage Residence. You'll complete your first D-ranked mission today. I have faith you'll be able to do it. There are some requirements, however," she said as she folded her arms beneath her chest.

"First, you may not use chakra at any point during your mission today. That includes chakra control to assist you. Everything must be completed by physical effort. Second, you may not do any task alone. There are three of you, so figure out how you'll get things done, but every action you do will have to benefit your teammates. Third, if you fail today's mission, you'll have to wait a full week before we can take another. Are there any questions?"

Naruto, Shino, and Hinata all shook their heads.

"Good, now, we'll work on teamwork exercises for a while. I want Shino-kun and Hinata-kun to work on hand-to-hand combat exercises for a while. Naruto-kun, you and I will work on Chakra Control exercises."

As Shino and Hinata went to follow her instructions, Kurenai looked Naruto over. She knew the boy struggled with the simple Clone Technique, but needed to see where he was in his self-training. It appeared that Iruka might have been the only positive influence on the boy during his time at the Academy.

"Let's start with simple exercises," she said once Naruto was ready.

It didn't take long for Kurenai to realize Dog-sama's information might be incorrect. Naruto's skill at shaping his chakra was even better than the Anbu thought. "Can you walk up a tree with just your chakra?" she asked in a low voice. Naruto just nodded. "How about walking on water?"

"I have limited success with it," Naruto admitted.

"That is still... amazing. You're much farther along than I'd imagined," Kurenai admitted. "I have some exercises that might help... solidify your skill."

Naruto looked almost eager as he answered, "I have to have a mastery over my chakra if I want to be a medical-nin."

"All too true. Have you looked in the Academy Library for techniques and ideas yet?" she questioned.

Naruto looked slightly upset as he shook his head. "I have to have a chunin or jonin's recommendation for the scrolls I want to read. Without a registered medical-nin signing off on my progress, I don't have access to any of the specialty scrolls for that field," he admitted.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do," Kurenai said with a smile. "What information were you looking for?"

"How to use the Mystical Palm Technique," he admitted.

Kurenai stared at the genin, nonplussed. "You do realize very few medical-nin can even use that technique, right?" she questioned.

"Uh... yeah," Naruto admitted as he rubbed the back of his head. "I just wanted to see how it was done."

"Let's start with something you can learn," Kurenai said, trying not to shake her head at the boy's foolishness. "The Leaf Technique is the basics of Chakra Control, but there are so many other ways to understand your chakra. As you know, it's how we shape and use our chakra that defines our control over it. You can use it around your feet now, to some degree of success. That allows you to walk up a tree or spread it out over the water so you can walk across it. Now, what else can you use your charka for?"

"My hands to help climb," Naruto answered immediately. "Also, I can latch myself to an object, using my chakra to hold my body against a flat surface."

"That is smart. Humans, in general, have difficultly remembering to look up. If you can hide above the eye line of your opponent, often times a shinobi will miss you entirely. You said you can shape your chakra around your hands. I assume that is in preparation for the Mystical Palm Technique?"

Naruto nodded but didn't speak.

"Have you tried condensing your chakra to five points on your fingertips?"

Naruto just blinked at her. "No?" he muttered before looking down at his hand. He flexed his fingers into a fist before slowly opening his hand. His frown deepened.

Kurenai watched as the genin attempted something that even a chunin might struggle with. She wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing but had a feeling if she helped him achieve something, Naruto might listen to her advice later when it mattered. For several minutes she alternated watching Shino and Hinata sparing and Naruto attempting to shape his chakra into his fingertips. It was harder than most shinobi realized.

"This is difficult," Naruto grumbled under his breath as he stared at his cupped hand.

"Try going slowly, build up the chakra," Kurenai coached. "I don't expect you'll get it quickly, but do you understand why this skill might be important?"

"For one, it will allow me to shift my chakra into a point. I could inject chakra into a target I hit... or eventually use the healing palm."

"Correct, it is also one of the main staples of the Hyuga Clan's abilities. Hinata-kun will be able to disable you if she wished to. This will help you and her train later."

Naruto grunted something as he continued to stare at his hand.

"Kurenai-sensei," Hinata called. "Can we take a break?" she asked when the jonin looked up at her.

"Go ahead," Kurenai answered as she took a seat.

Two hours later, the group of four dashed at their best speed toward the Hokage Residence. Naruto maintained the lead, Shino to his left, and Hinata to his right as if the three of them had done it for years. Kurenai watched the social dynamic of her genin form without them realizing it. She followed along behind the three, lost in thought until they landed at the base of the tower.

"Genin for their first mission," a wiry chunin mused as he looked the group over. He flashed Kurenai a smile before handing a scroll to Shino. The boy seemed to stare at the scroll before passing it back to Kurenai.

The three genin stared at her as she uncapped the tube and slid the cloth scroll out. She read over the mission details. "Construction job near the Rose Garden District," she commented.

Naruto had a faraway look in his eyes before he looked up at her. "Over near Gako Supplies?" he asked. "I know there is a warehouse being built over there."

"240-3201," she answered with a raised eyebrow.

"That sounds about right," Naruto mused and blinked when everyone was staring at him. "What?"

"You're weird," Shino commented in a flat tone. Hinata blushed and looked away.

"Anyway, we're headed out, thanks Otani-san," Kurenai called as she led the way out of the Mission Office.

Fifteen minutes later, the group made their way across the construction site toward a stocky villager giving directions. Kurenai saw 'foreman' written on the side of his hardhat and waved the genin over. "Greetings," she said as she drew out the mission scroll.

"Here to work?" the foreman grumbled and took the cloth. He muttered something under his breath and wrote on the clipboard. "Three untried genin. Don't break anything. You'll be in charge of hauling materials," he instructed and pointed to wooden beams, cement bags, and other large construction materials under a tarp by the entrance. "Follow Hans' orders for what they need."

Kurenai passed the instructions to her genin and took a step back. She needed to see how they followed instructions and worked together without her direction. Shino listened to the leather-faced villager named Hans complain about young children working construction without saying anything. Hinata seemed to shrink in on herself before she glanced at Naruto. The blonde-haired genin just stood there, his arms crossed, as he waited for the villager to finish.

"Are you done caterwauling?" Naruto asked when Hans took a breath. "I'd like to finish the job and get paid sometime today."

That seemed to set the villager off even more. Hans screams in Naruto's face until the foreman came to find out what the problem was. When he found out the genin hadn't even been given a task yet, he yelled at Hans.

After the initial problems, everyone settled into an easy routine. Hinata tried to help Naruto with the heavy lifting but simply couldn't keep up the pace. Shino and Hinata took turns helping the seemingly inexhaustible Naruto with moving whatever Hans needed to the construction site. Kurenai stopped Naruto twice to ensure he wasn't using chakra to cheat. By the end of the third hour, all three genin were showing signs of reaching their limits.

"Take a break," Kurenai ordered as she produced lunches for her team. Naruto tore into his food like it was his last meal. Hinata watched on with a look of morbid fascination as her teammate devoured everything in his bento box. Shino ate at a steady pace.

"Sorry, a workout like that makes me hungry," Naruto apologized as he closed the lid and passed it back to Kurenai. "That was very good."

"Did you taste it?" she joked.

"Not really, it just had a lot of calories and protein, so it was good."

Kurenai just stared at the blonde-haired genin and shook her head. Hinata tried to give Naruto her food, but he refused. As everyone finished eating, Kurenai looked over her charges. "Alright, how do you think you did so far?" she questioned.

"We're ahead of where they thought we would be for the day," Shino reported.

"The foreman didn't think we'd get so much moved. We were able to work ahead of the builders," Hinata added. Naruto just nodded and looked at Kurenai as if he were waiting for something.

Trying not to smile, Kurenai decided to wait before asking the questions she wanted to. "Get some more water and give yourselves another thirty minutes to rest. After that, get back to it," she ordered. Naruto's eyebrows creased, but he shrugged and went off to do what she'd asked. She wondered if she was right.

Two hours after the team got back to work, the foreman strode over to Kurenai. "How many days is your team available?" he asked without preamble.

"We have to go through the duty roster. It might be some time before we get construction duty again."

"Is there any way I can request your team?"

"You'd have to speak with the Mission Office. I don't have a lot of experience with this," Kurenai admitted as she watched her genin work together to lift a steel beam onto the brace attached to the crane. It was gratifying to see that her team didn't have a problem working together.

"We'll wrap up today in another fifteen minutes," the foreman informed her before striding off as he scribbled something on his clipboard.

She led an exhausted team back to the Hokage Residence. The genin had worked hard and without complaint, but she wasn't sure they'd fulfilled their objective. "Hinata-kun, how many workmen were on-site?" she asked as they took a shortcut through a small park.

The blue-haired genin blinked up at her, shoulders slumped. "I... think there were thirty-one," she guessed.

"Shino-kun?"

"Thirty-three if you count the foreman and the owner who stopped by," the quiet boy answered.

"Good, Naruto-kun, how many visitors did the site have?"

It took a while for Naruto to answer. "Twenty-three... I think," he responded with a frown.

"Hinata-kun?"

"I'm... not sure," she answered. "It might have been more than that."

"Shino-kun?"

"Naruto's guess is about right."

"Thirty-nine," Kurenai told them. "How many exits were there out of the construction site?"

"Eleven," Naruto answered in a firm tone. "Twelve if we went through a wall with an Exploding Tag."

Everyone looked at him. "Would you tell me how you got to such a high number?" Kurenai asked.

"The main entrance was one. Over the steel beams on the backside of the fenced-in area, is another. Through the broken boards at the back corner of the lot. There was enough room I could slip through. Over the wall in one jump, so four directions there. The best way out was on the south side, as you'd land right in an alley. If we were inside the building, the structure on the east side didn't have the wall in, so that was an exit area inside. The incomplete roof was another, just use my chakra and get out that way. Take the foreman hostage and use him as leverage to escape, and finally use my shadow clones to impersonate me as I slipped away."

Kurenai stared at her young charge. "If you will, please refrain from taking villagers hostage," she finally got out.

Naruto just shrugged and said, "the easiest way was a clone as I got inside the structure, went out the back through a window and over the fence. From there, I would be free to go in any direction assuming the enemy wasn't already ready for me there."

"What was the male to female ratio within the construction crew?" Kurenai asked after a minute of walking.

"Six females and twenty-seven males," Hinata answered.

"Where would the best place to find information be?"

"The foreman's office," Shino said at the same time Naruto said, "Hans' notebook." The two genin looked at each other.

"Explain," Kurenai prompted, trying to hide a smile.

"The foreman would have all the plans, schedules, and schematics for the building in his office."

"Hans has all that too, maybe except for the actual blueprint for the building. However, he had all the information about the crews that the foreman didn't have."

"What makes you say that?" Hinata asked.

"Whenever the construction team worked on something new, Hans looked at his notebook to see who would best fill the role. You saw him pull villagers off one task just so they could work on another on the other side of the building."

"Correct," Kurenai smiled. "Hinata-kun, what is another place you could look?"

It took a minute for her to answer. "The... owner's office that owns the construction team?" she hesitantly said.

"Good, always think outside of the box. You could gain a great deal of information from the head of any organization. It might be harder to obtain, but you're sure to get the answers you want. How would you go about infiltrating somewhere like that?" Kurenai encouraged.

"Under the cover of night, while no one was in the building," Shino answered.

"Anything else?"

"You... could impersonate one of the employees," Naruto mused but then shook his head. "That has too many risks though. It'd take too much time and effort for something to go wrong with one wrong answer."

"Any other ideas?" When the genin all shook their heads, Kurenai nodded. "Shino-kun's idea has the most merit, but there are other ways. You could pose as inspectors, but that requires preplanning. It isn't impossible, just difficult to find the right combination of circumstances to get access to what you want. Every once in a while, organizations hire cleaning specialists to ensure their workspaces are neat and tidy. Sometimes they come in alone or in small groups. It would be easy to infiltrate an organization as someone no one really pays attention to."

Kurenai continued asking questions about what the team observed. They did far better than she'd hoped. She wanted to hug all of them and tell them what a great job they'd done for their first mission but didn't want to spook Shino or Naruto.

Kurenai went home after stopping by a shop to buy two bottles of sake. With a little time before she could meet the Anbu, Dog, she sat down and tried to get through the last few pages of Naruto's report. She quickly realized Naruto focused almost exclusively on physical training and chakra control the last two years of his time in the Academy. Kurenai remembered Fumi and the strange circumstances around her disappearance. Now she knew. Dog-san described, in detail, the Torture and Investigation's inquiry into Fumi's actions and what she did to Naruto. It made her sick.

In the last five pages, the Anbu laid out what she believed about Naruto after watching him for so long. His mental health, his desires and goals, and his demons. True demons that couldn't be seen on a person's face or in their smile. Naruto was a damaged young boy, who, in the eyes of the village, was now an adult. It made Kurenai shudder. Dog-san went so far as to compare Naruto with a young Orochimaru, if left unguided. His lust for freedom, through gaining power, was reaching a dangerous level. The Anbu warned against Naruto meeting with a genin by the name of Yakushi Kabuto. In the last year, after Naruto and Kabuto became friends, the young genin's understanding of his chakra increased by leaps and bounds. Naruto was experimenting more with his chakra and doing so without care for his body or the potential destruction he could cause.

Kurenai closed the file and stared down at the cover. She wanted to break open the sake but found her desire to drink diminished. It took her five minutes to reach the Hokage Monument from her home on the other side of the village.

"I wondered if you would come," a voice called from the treeline nearest the top of the monument. Kurenai turned to see the dog-masked Anbu walk out of the trees. "You have questions. Follow," she ordered before dashing back into the darkness of the forest.

Kurenai followed the Anbu for a short distance until they reached a dense cluster of trees. Dog-san stopped and put a finger to her lips as she made her way stealthily toward a small opening in the bushes. Kurenai could hear the crash of a waterfall nearby and what sounded like a muffled battle. She was on edge and glanced at the Anbu. For her part, Dog-san shook her head and again put a finger to her lips before pointing at the small break between the foliage.

Kurenai stepped forward, wondering if this was all a trap when she saw what the commotion was all about. Naruto stood in the center of fifteen clones, bloody and coughing. He held a kunai in one hand and a three senbon in the other. The clones circled him for a few steps before the battle began again. Kurenai wanted to scream and run out to stop the madness she was seeing. No less than three kunai and five senbon hit the real Naruto from two different angles. They weren't aimed at the boy's head but the impacts were real. A strong hand on her shoulder stopped her from moving.

Kurenai watched as her genin fought with himself for over ten minutes before falling to the ground. It appeared that was the signal for the brutal sparing session to stop. She wanted to throw up when Naruto lifted his head and smiled at a clone who knelt beside him. A sick sort of pleasure welled up in her when she saw the clone try to use the Mystical Palm Technique to heal the original. She understood why he wanted to learn the jutsu so much now. The technique didn't work for the clone, so the others started to very carefully remove the kunai and bandage Naruto's wounds. Dog-san pulled a little harder on her shoulder to lead her away. In fog, Kurenai followed the Anbu deeper into the forest.

"He is driven... and quite possibly insane," Dog-san said as they landed in a clearing. She walked over to a rock and sat down atop it.

Kurenai noticed the familiar way the kunoichi sat and thought this might be a spot she came to a lot. "How long?" she found herself asking.

"That level of training? To varying degrees, since he was a very small boy."

Kurenai rocked back as if the Anbu's words had slapped her. "You're joking," she managed to get out.

"No... Naruto is... if nothing else, a brutal sort of shinobi. He would have better severed himself and the village had he become an Anbu."

"What about this level of training? Just since the mess with Mizuki-san?"

"No, this was new. I haven't seen this level of brutality against himself since he found out he was... what he is. I believe he hates himself and the Fourth. However, if you want to help him, then you need to start there. I believe he may be suicidal, in action if not thought. That," the Anbu gestured back toward the waterfall, "is not the work of a healthy mind. He was just pitting himself against an unbeatable foe. There was little structure to that... training."

"This is a lot to take in," Kurenai admitted. She still couldn't believe she'd watched that brutal... She trailed off, trying to find the words to describe what she'd witnessed. The Anbu might be right, but she might be wrong as well. Naruto smiled at his clone as if he'd gained something from his spar. She just couldn't understand what was going on in the young boy's mind.

"Recently, Naruto has taken his first real steps into the path of a shinobi. Except for him to push back some. He's going to want to see how wide his wings can go," the Anbu warned.

Kurenai nodded, thankful for something to focus on other than the image of her genin bleeding on the ground with multiple kunai and senbon sticking out of him. It was like some waking nightmare. "I did when I was a child," she admitted. "I have someone I need to talk to, someone who might be able to help."

"Anko-san," Dog-san stated with a nod. "They will fight, but it might be good for Naruto to have someone who could force him to listen. I will warn you, do not push too hard. Naruto will either snap or break. If he snaps, kill him quickly. I shudder to think what he could become," she admitted in a near whisper. "He could become the greatest shinobi since the First. Or... he could become a greater danger to the village than Orochimaru already is."

Kurenai almost hated herself for asking the thought that surfaced. "And... if he breaks?" she whispered.

"Give him to the Anbu or put the poor child down. He's had a hard enough existence. Better to be dead than become someone like Kakashi-san. The friend-killer barely functions as a shinobi, let alone a person. The war destroyed him. Naruto is in a war for himself and his identity. That kind of conflict has just as many casualties as real ones do. We have a cemetery full of shinobi who lost their inner battles too."