Chapter 22

Gradual Gains

Hey, guys. Sorry about not posting on Sunday. I've actually been recovering from pneumonia and had me wiped out for a while. I kinda feel like I dropped the ball with this chapter, but it didn't feel right to just re-write everything we've already seen for this content since I didn't have much to add with Arashi. I might eventually include some one shots for scenes that I started to write and then decided against. Also, from charting out the next chapters, I'm thinking chapter 23 will be the last chapter before the final rounds in the Chuunin Exam.

As instructed, Arashi returned with Naruto. She gave him a run down on who the Sannin were, that 'Pervy Sage' should not be called Pervy Sage even if it was accurate and that Naruto should show him a measure of respect since he was willing to train him. Despite her efforts, as soon as they saw Jiraiya, Naruto crowed out, "Hey, Pervy Sage!"

The kunoichi rubbed her temples but dropped it. Jiraiya proved to be a capable, although often distracted, teacher as the days passed. If anything, he seemed to enjoy the boy's determination as he struggled with his chakra control and the exercises he instructed him through. He was loud and often rude, but the boy's intentions and heart were in the right place. They argued dramatically, but it seemed to motivate Naruto more than encouragement would have. Arashi found that she enjoyed chatting with the Sannin when he was not fixated on women or his books. He was quick to pick up on her abilities as a sensor type and used her to confirm some of his suspicions concerning Naruto's challenges. He was also quick to point out her helicopter mom tendencies. More than once, he shooed her away.

Arashi often felt a kinship between herself and Naruto. They both had strong life forces and shared an affinity with air, though she doubted he knew that yet and chose to not bring it up because it would more than likely confuse him instead of being helpful (she was only now confident that he had stopped referring to Chakra as Catra). She was endeared to him at first through knowing his parents and then by his attitude in the face of adversity. As much as she tried to understand things from his point of view, there were differences between them. Arashi had few struggles in her chosen field of study. She excelled in the Academy, was quick to understand concepts, was able to pick up new jutsu, and had designed much of her own fuinjutsu. Naruto was not like her in this.

It became clearer than ever when Jiraiya chose to teach Naruto Kuchiyose no Jutsu. The Sannin had revealed that his large scroll was a contract with the toads of Mya.. and then had the Genin sign it in blood. Arashi was taken back to grasping hands and leaping into the unknown. She was glad that the boy would have guidance and a controlled environment. It was an advantage that she did not have, but it seemed to matter little. Naruto struggled. With a vehemency that was frustrating, she wanted to help Naruto understand. How hard could it be to tap into the demon's chakra when there was so much of it and it was right there? She wondered if tiptoeing around the word 'demon' was doing nothing but confusing him.

Jiraiya intervened, sternly. "Look, you're a smart girl and I can tell you're good at what you do, but you're smothering him. He's not going to learn in a way that you do. He needs to go through the thick of it and keep going through the motions until he gets it. He's not one of those talented kids."

Arashi took a deep breath. They agreed that she would continue helping, but she needed to give Naruto some space. This opened up her schedule enough that she was able to fit some other things into her day.

Kakashi had taken to training Sasuke. It was sooner than Arashi would have medically suggested, but she was ignored. Since she was still trying to stay out of sight, she had not taken any shifts at the hospital. Danzo had been undeterred and turned up at her home early one morning, showing that not only did he know her family, he knew where they lived. Appreciating his dedication and not wanting to make an enemy, she treated him as before and wished him a good day. Out of anyone she had talked to recently, he was the only one that followed her advice.

Not being able to return to work, she found herself looking for things to do. She settled on having Naomi tutor her on how to cook a more palatable breakfast and then taking it to Kakashi and Sasuke where they were training. Her mother jumped on the opportunity. Arashi had focused her time and efforts on furthering her career as a shinobi and had not shown interest in domestic activities such as becoming a decent cook. The woman grinned every morning as she guided her daughter through the process and shared tips for how to season and prepare each food item. Ookami lingered longer in the mornings, sitting in the kitchen with them while he drank either tea or coffee and read local news.

A couple weeks into this routine, the kunoichi sensed Sakura outside their home. "Huh," she pursed her lips and looked at her mother. "I think we have company outside. Is it alright if I step away?"

"Sure thing, sweety. Is it Danzo-san again?"

Ookami's signature clouded over with distress for a second before it stabilized. The kunoichi avoided looking in his direction to keep from letting him know she had noticed. He had not been around when Danzo visited and she had not thought to talk to him about the man, despite knowing that Ookami had worked for him in the past. Now she knew there was baggage.

Arashi tucked this new piece of information away and shook her head. "No, it's Sakura from Team 7."

"Ohh, one of the squads you've been studying?"

"Yeah."

"Well, go greet her and invite her in. I'll take care of the rest of the dishes."

"Thanks, mom."

Arashi opened the door before Sakura had a chance to knock. The girl sucked in a breath and laughed at her own surprise. "Arashi-san!"

"Hey there, Sakura-san. How's it going?"

"Good." She smiled and then jumped to what was on her mind. "I wanted to talk to you about some stuff, if that's okay?"

"Of course."

Arashi let the girl inside, led her from their small foyer and into the living room. There was a couch, two armchairs, and a coffee table positioned in front of a tv that went mostly unused. On the walls were pictures of the Ran family with a few friends interspersed through them. Included in those was the last picture Arashi and Itachi had taken together. Naomi had initially removed it from the collection, hoping to ease her daughter's pain, but the absence had been worse than its presence. The smell of breakfast still lingered in the air, drifting from the kitchen along with the sound of Naomi's humming. This was home and it echoed memories both good and bad, but altogether cherished.

The older kunoichi motioned for Sakura to take a seat on the couch and then sat across from her. As Naruto had mentioned, her hair was cut short. The boy had conveyed that it was cut for convenience's sake, but Arashi had a hunch that was not the case. "Short hair suits you."

"Oh," Her fingers teased at the ends of her hair, now near her shoulders instead of her lower back. Her signature ached. It was a sore subject. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Her suspicion confirmed, she changed the subject. "I'm sorry that you didn't quite make it to the final round." Arashi commented. "The experience should be very useful for next time."

"It was different than what I expected. More intense." She admitted.

"Well, yeah. It basically translates to each village being able to have small scale battles or competitions against each other to prove the skill of their up-and-coming shinobi. Most people who get enrolled in this are more experienced. They've been on a higher number of missions and have had more experience with combat or navigating difficult situations. Konoha really does have some impressive rookies this year, though."

She was quiet for a few moments. "Something happened to Sasuke-kun."

"I know."

"He asked me not to say anything, but," she swallowed over a lump in her throat. "Have you seen the mark?" The girl pressed. "I don't know what it is, but it was placed there by someone called Orochimaru."

Naomi stopped humming. Sakura noticed and glanced toward the kitchen. Just as Naruto was unaware of who the Sannin were, she seemed to also lack that knowledge. Arashi assumed that her civilian family had no reason to talk about the legendary three. Most households would not. Her green eyes turned back to Arashi, full of unasked questions. In addition, Arashi noted that Naruto had been aware of the mark. Aware enough to know that it was something bad that needed to be removed. She wondered if they had asked him to stay quiet about it, as well, or if he had managed to be observant on his own.

"Do you know who Orochimaru is?" Arashi asked. When Sakura shook her head no, she explained, "He is one of the Sannin, the three legendary Shinobi comprised of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. They were all on the same Genin team under Sandaime-sama. Orochimaru was caught doing terrible things and ended up defecting from the village. Tsunade is who we have to thank for our medical corps today, but she's not been in the village for a very long time. As for Jiraiya, he seems to just wander around and write smut novels."

Sakura's signature darkened with worry. "What does a Sannin want with Sasuke-kun?"

"I have no idea." Arashi sighed. "I've taken a few looks at that mark. It's some of the most nefarious fuinjutsu I've ever seen. I could try to remove it, but I'm convinced it would kill him. That means we're left with trying to suppress it. Kakashi-san was quick to act on that, but any success that we'll see falls on Sasuke. Seals tend to mirror the strength and resolve of either their hosts or the person that places them. Other factors, such as the formula and design also play a role."

The girl slumped back into the cushions as she considered what she was told. "Oh."

"There's no point in worrying about it right now, though. It won't do anything to help." Arashi tried to comfort her. "Your teammates are focusing on their upcoming matches. What would you like to focus on?"

Sakura blinked. "I don't know. Sensei is busy and I don't really know what to do with this time off."

Arashi grinned. "I have an idea. Wait here." She stood and went upstairs to her room. After a few moments of digging around, she returned to the living room with a stack of books. She placed them on the coffee table and turned her attention back to Sakura. "You've got good chakra control and you showed a lot of book smarts in the academy, right?" The Genin nodded. "Well, would you be interested in learning how to be a medical shinobi? We might not be the best in a fight, but this is an important role."

Her face lit up with surprise. "You think I could be a medic?"

"It will take a lot of work, but yeah. I think you have potential. It's takes a lot of mental and emotional strength, but it would give you a direction to take."

The girl turned her attention to the books. "What are these?"

"Medical books. You'll need to learn about anatomy and physiology, biology in general, and medical terminology to start. This will give you a better idea of what's happening and what needs to be done when we get around to you learning Shoshen no Jutsu." Arashi handed one to her. "Take a look. If it's something you have no interest in, just let me know. There's no point in pursuing something you don't think you'll like."

Sakura accepted the book and scanned through some of the pages. "I can do this."

"Good." Arashi grinned. "I actually had a talk with Kakashi-san concerning you not that long ago. He made the suggestion that I take you under my wing to teach you a few things since you seemed to have the right aptitudes. I agreed."

The girl was quiet for a moment. "This means a lot." Her hand drifted to her hair. "I decided that I didn't want to be left behind by my teammates, anymore. I've just not been sure how to catch up to them or perform as well. They've always known what they wanted. I've never had that kind of certainty."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"Everyone got hurt trying to protect me." She shook her head, her brows furrowed. "I felt so powerless. I never want that to happen again."

Arashi snorted. Sakura gave her a critical look – bristling at the thought that perhaps the older kunoichi found her amusing. Arashi clarified, "I was the most arrogant Genin. From the time I was a little girl, I knew I was going to grow up to be a medical shinobi and I was going to help people. In my head, my life was charted out as a series of objectives: become a Genin, get promoted to Chuunin, adjust to new responsibilities, become a Jounin, marry a man that was honestly wildly out of my league, and spend the rest of my life healing the wounded and treating the sick. Years later, here I am," She pointed to herself. "An adult who is still a Chuunin, living with her parents, and single. I've spent my share of time feeling powerless, too. The good thing is that you're asking yourself these questions and trying to address it now. Starting off at the beginning with a detailed plan doesn't always mean you end up with the results you wanted, so don't feel bad that you're still trying to figure stuff out."

Sakura's signature resonated with curiosity. She wanted to ask for more details but decided against it. "Thank you, Arashi-san."

"Think nothing of it. Take those books, study a bit, and we'll go from there. It might be after this exam is completed before we can start making some real headway, but it'll give you something to do in the meantime."

"I will."

"Now, I was meaning to take some food over to Kakashi-san and Sasuke-kun really quick before checking in on how Naruto-kun's training is going. Would you like to send them some notes of encouragement?"

Sakura blinked and nodded. "Sure."

Arashi produced a pen and some paper. While the girl was writing, she went into the kitchen to collect the food. By the time she returned to the living room, Sakura was done, but she had only written a note for Sasuke. "Do me a favor and write one for Naruto-kun. Just something simple. I know he's not your crush or anything, but he's your teammate and it would mean a lot to him."

"Right." Sakura did as she was told.

"Alright, did you have anything else to talk about before I need to go?"

"Umm, I was going to see if you knew anything about Lee-san?"

Arashi thought for a moment. She had heard gossip about Lee while she was in the hospital as a patient but had not seen his case. Without documentation, seeing him in person, or hearing an official report, she was unsure of what to say. "I'm afraid I haven't gotten to work with him or look into what's going on."

"Oh." Sakura sighed.

Ookami peeked into the room, "That kid with the bowl cut? Maito Gai's student?"

The girl brightened. "Yes, do you know him?"

"I've been working with him a bit. I won't share a lot of details, but his prognosis isn't good. A crushed arm and leg can be dealt with, but he basically tore himself apart during his match against Gaara."

"So, you're also a medic?" Sakura asked.

"I sure am. My name is Ran Ookami. I'm Arashi's father." He introduced himself.

"I heard someone say that they didn't think Lee-san would be able to continue as a Shinobi. Is that true?"

The seasoned medic let out a long breath as he considered his words. "The chances are not in his favor. Judging by previous cases and the type of damage, it would be more merciful if he retired. It's tragic for someone so young, but it happens. He's looking at months of recovery and years of therapy." He shrugged. "What's worse, I find a way to fix a portion of the damage in a way that he might actually heal enough for a normal civilian life, but he manages to hovel by all of my nurses to train outside and ruins every bit of progress I made. I'm going to start kicking his crutches out from under him when I catch him trying to escape."

Sakura's mouth formed an O.

Arashi shot a warning look at her father and then smiled at the Genin. "He's just joking." She was certain he was not joking. "We like to keep things fun with some humor."

"You know, I was listening to the two of you talk. It would be nice to have a new Iryo." Ookami grinned. "Once the Exam is over and our village's guests have returned to their own lands, I would be more than glad to assist with your training."

"Thank you, Ookami-san."

"You're quite welcome. I enjoy passing skills on to willing students." He glanced at a clock and clicked his tongue. "I need to leave for a shift."

"Well," Arashi shrugged. "I guess we all need to clear out."

Arashi helped Sakura gather up the books, Ookami left for his shift, and Naomi saw them out on her way to open her salon.

The area that Kakashi had chosen to train Sasuke was rocky, remote, and treacherous. It made sense: it allowed them privacy, kept them away from anyone that might get injured, and it prevented distractions while being challenging. It also served to keep them away from people who might be spies for Orochimaru. The downside was that it was harder for them to get supplies when they needed them. Seeing her opportunity to be useful, Arashi did what she could to fill that need.

At this point, she was expected at a certain time. When her feet touched the ground, Kakashi closed in to accept the care package she had put together that included food, medical supplies, and toiletries. "Thank you, Arashi-san."

"It's no problem." She grinned up at him.

Sasuke gave her a disinterested look, but she could tell her was eager to eat something that was not a bland ration or something that he had to hunt and cook. The more she was near him, the more she was able to pick up on subtle ques from his signature. It made dealing with him easier.

Kakashi handed a portion to Sasuke and then settled down in the shade with his own. The Uchiha gave them their space to talk. He hovered nearby but showed no interest in keeping their company. "How has Naruto's training been going?"

"Well," Arashi settled next to him and pursed her lips for a moment. The image of a tadpole flopping on the ground came to her mind. She brushed it off but it was replaced with a tadpole that had two legs. It had been progress, but nothing to brag about. "It's going. His chakra control is slowly getting better. We think that with some better control, he can be a powerhouse."

Kakashi hummed. She pointedly continued to stare away from him while he ate. It was companionable. "That's good."

"I'm guessing everything is still going well here?" She inquired.

"Mhmm."

When he was done eating and had thanked her again for the food, she shifted and pulled out his copy of Icha Icha. "Do you happen to have the second one with you?"

Her averted his gaze and a hint of red creeped up from under his mask. The Jounin had no problems with reading smut in public, even with everyone knowing what it was. From what she could tell, he was embarrassed to be sharing it with her. "I do."

"Would it be okay if I returned this to you and borrowed the next one?"

"Sure."

She began to hand him the book but paused with a sigh. "I have to admit, it's not pristine anymore." He raised an eyebrow. The pages were already worn before he left it for her to borrow. She was well aware of that since she used that as an indicator for which scenes he had enjoyed and re-read the most. Curiously, the graphic smut scenes were some of the least damaged. He appeared to like the plot. The kunoichi opened it to the front and pointed at a spot that now had writing.

He accepted it and peered at what she was pointing out. When he recognized Jiraiya's signature, his eye widened and he sucked in a sharp breath. "What?!"

"You're welcome." She beamed.

He shifted to a squat and stared at the book as if he had been given something invaluable. The hair on the back of her neck raised on end as his signature arced in elation. She used his distraction to get a better gauge on his chakra pool. She was unsure if it was her imagination or not, but she believed there was more than there had been before when they were in the Land of Waves.

"Oi, Kakashi, are you alright?" Sasuke asked.

"He's just fangirling." Arashi waved it off. "Also, he's your sensei. Show some respect, kid."

The Uchiha dropped the empty container next to her and walked away without a word. She considered how well she would do in a fist fight against him. Her thoughts were interrupted as Kakashi offered her the second Icha Icha novel.

Arashi tucked it away. "You know, he's mad disrespectful and I kinda hope Gaara beats him up."

"Talent has a tendency to go to one's head." He commented. "It's his cockiness that's the greatest risk for his upcoming match."

"Still mostly focusing on Chidori?"

The Jounin nodded. "It will be able to pierce Gaara's defense."

"Fair enough." She eyed the Uchiha's back. "How many times can he use it now in a day?"

"Twice. We're still working on accuracy and how quickly he can react with it."

"Fair enough." She turned her attention to Kakashi. "How many times have you been able to use it?"

"For a long time, my max has been four." He paused. "Yesterday, I was able to use it five times."

Arashi remained calm. She had not imagined her. Without him noticing, her fuinjutsu had been doing what she intended and now the results were beginning to manifest. "How fortunate."

With proof of success, she intended to incorporate it into the design of her main fuinjutsu with a few tweaks. If he noticed that her smile was wider than it normally would have been, he did not comment on it. The question that remained was: when would she reveal to the Jounin what she had done to him?

Alright, that is it for this chapter. I apologize if this felt rushed or sloppy. It's been a rough couple of weeks for me, but things are getting better. If anyone would like to share some feedback on this fanfic, the characters, or the events, please feel free to leave a review and send me a message. I love any type of feedback.

One thing I've kinda been unsure about is whether or not the interactions between Arashi and Kakashi are even enjoyable at this point. She likes him, but she doesn't worship the ground he walks on. Also, I'm finding that I enjoy exploring some more of Sakura as a character. She had a lot of potential, but she was done dirty in canon. I'd like to fix some of that.