Chapter 8

I'm Back! I hope you weren't waiting to much for this chapter. But worry not, that the chapter arrived. Now, this is the start of a new mini arc that I created called "Preparation arc."This chapter will be shorter because is the introduction of this. Now to the stroy!

Legend:

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Jutsu Name

"Summoning/Biju Speaking"

'Summoning/Biju Thinking'

Chapter 8: The Training Plan

"I see, I see something... green!"

"A leaf"

"Yep."

Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, the eternal gate keepers, were trying to kill time. They already tried to sleep but they weren't tired, so they decided to play a game.

"My turn. I see, I see something...green."

"A leaf."

"Yeah."

"Why are we playing this again?"

"Because you want to sit your ass here all day instead of going out on a mission, and you somehow convinced me to stay here with you."

"Be a guard is a great honor!" Izumu said to his partner offended that just waved it off.

"Sure, sure. Hey look, it's Asuma's and Kakashi's team." Kotetsu said pointing to the jonins and the genins.

"Yeah and it seems that they bring someone." Izumu said looking at two figures accompanying the group.

When they had a closer look on the tall figure they froze for some seconds. Izumu opened a bingo book and looked at Z section of the book.

'Zabuza, Zabuza, here.'

He looked at the image of the bingo book and then at Zabuza. Image. Zabuza. Image. Zabuza.

"Z-Z-ZABUZA!" Izumu screamed and Kotetsu looked at Kakashi for an explanation.

Kakashi was scratching the back of his neck nervously "It's a long story actually. But we need to talk with the hokage."

"So let's us pass. Now." Zabuza growled and both guards hugged each other out of fear.

Asuma sighed "Come on guys. Let's go." Then the two teams plus Zabuza and Haku passed the gate and enter the village, leaving Izumu and Kotetsu still hugging and confused.

"What did just happen?" Izumu asked his partner without breaking the hug.

"I have no idea."

*Market District*

"You think they will be fine?" Ten-Ten asked her teammates plus Sasuke that joined them after dropping Zabuza and Haku at the Hokage tower. Kakashi and Asuma stayed there too.

Shikamaru shrugged "Probably. Asuma-Sensei and Kakashi-Sensei stayed there to back up Zabuza and Haku."

"Yeah. Besides what is the worst that could happen?" Naruto asked trying to make the situation less tense.

"Probably execution." Sasuke said and Naruto elbowed him.

"Nice way of killing the atmosphere."

"Hnn."

"Well I need to go and help dad at the shop. See ya." Ten-Ten said before leaving to her family shop.

"I should go too. I have to go back home or mom will get troublesome." Shikamaru said and left Sasuke and Naruto alone.

"Wanna spar a little bit?" Naruto asked his friend that nodded.

"Let's go."

*Hokage Tower*

"Now, why would I accept you two in my village?" Minato asked the former Nuku-Nin and his apprentice.

Kakashi raised his hand "Well, we think that they can-"

"Kakashi; I'm pretty sure they can talk by themselves." Minato cut him off and Kakashi nodded. Asuma looked at his friend as he scratched his neck. He wasn't allowed to smoke inside the building.

Zabuza cleared his throat. "Hokage-sama; Me and my apprentice Haku, would like stay in Konoha. Any position would do. Shinobi or civilian. We don't care."

Haku nodded her head and Minato nodded slowly "I know that. But you didn't answer my question. Why should I let you stay in my village?"

"We can give you info about Kiri." Haku said and Minato nodded with a serious expression.

"Is that true?" He asked towards Zabuza that nodded.

"Yeah. I was a member of the seven swordsmen. I have info on Kiri. And I doubt that they had changed their operation system." He explained and Minato nodded.

"I'll have to ask the shinobi council on this. But I think they will accept. In the meantime, you two will have to wear chakra suppressing seals. Is that fine?"

Zabuza and Haku nodded and Minato smiled. "Good. Asuma, Kakashi; You are responsible on them. Now take them downstairs to get the seals. Dismissed."

Once outside, Kakashi opened again his little orange book. "That went well."

Asuma nodded as he lit a cigar "Yeah. And knowing the shinobi council, the most probable is that they will be at our side."

"Then there is a chance that we can become shinobi?" Zabuza asked and Kakashi shrugged.

"Who knows? I'm not that good at politics. But I have an idea, and I might need your help, Zabuza-san."

"And what is it about?" Zabuza questioned and Kakashi closed the book as he eye-smiled at the man.

"It is a surprise. And Asuma, can you call Gai and Kurenai to meet us at the usual baar? This might interest them too."

Asuma nodded and then they escorted Zabuza and Haku to the T&I Department.

*Later That Day, Namikaze Compound*

"I'm back!" Naruto screamed as Mito ran to him to hug him.

"NARU-NII! How was your mission? Why did you take so long? Are you hurt? Hungry? Thirsty? Are you-"

"Mito, breath." Naruto told his younger sister that nodded with a smile. "And for my mission, it was fine. Hard, but fine."

"I bet that for you, everything could be hard." Menma said mockingly and Naruto gave him a teasing smile.

"Yeah, I know. Saving a country is soooooo easy for the great and powerful Menma." He teased and Menma frowned.

"What do you mean by that?" He demanded and Naruto smirked.

"My mission. It was to save the country of Wave from an evil dictator. You know, everyday stuff."

Menma frown deepened before storming out of the house as he pushed Naruto with his shoulder. Mito watched at her older brother with worry. "Are you okay?"

Naruto nodded as he watched Menma leave. "Yeah. Just thinking a lot." He said before leaving to his room.

*The Good Leaf Bar*

"My youthful rival! May I ask, why you call all of us into this meeting!?" Gai screamed to Kakashi that was still reading his book.

"Oh, Gai. You arrived." He said and Gai fell on the face first on the table.

"Damn your hip and cool actitude."

Kurenai cleared her throat "Can you please go to the point instead of making the fool?"

Kakashi nodded "Sure. We're just waiting for one more person."

"Sorry I'm late!" Kushina said in her jounin uniform as she sat next to Kurenai in the table.

"Kushina-sensei?" Kurenai asked seeing the red-head woman that was her sensei when she was a gennin.

Kushina nodded "Hm. Kakashi invited me over."

Kakashi closed his book "Now that we're all reunited, let's go to the topic. Do anyone knows what happen at the end of the month?"

Asuma took a puff from his cigar "The Chunin Exams. Right?"

Kakashi nodded "Right. So, I was thinking to write our cute little genins for them. Asuma, you saw your team on the bridge. They can handle their own. Don't you think?"

Asuma nodded with his eyes closed. "That's true. Naruto is definetly the force of the group, for not mentioning he is a jutsu specialist, thanks to Orochimaru. Shikamaru is good at thinking any strategy when the situation calls for it and his Taijutsu had improved since the first time I saw him. And Ten-Ten is a weapon specialist and she may lack the physical resistance of those two, but she can hold her own."

Kurenai hold her chin "Kiba is still to brash and arrogant, but he is good at Taijutsu and have great teamwork not only with Akamaru but with the rest of the team. Shino is good at the distance, he drains the chakra of his rival and then he attacks. Hinata is still shy and lacks confidence but when she puts her mind on something, she might be the strongest of the team. Fine, I'll write them for the exams."

Gai crossed his arms and held a serious expression "I don't know Kakashi. Don't you think it is a little bit soon?"

Kakashi nodded "Maybe. But, your team was destined to be with you, don't you think? A Hyuga prodigy. The Akimichi clan heir. And your own apprentice, all in the same team, under the best, and if I can say it, most youthful Taijutsu expert in Konoha."

Gai eyes were filled with flames "YOSH! Your words have motivated the flames of youth that are within me! My team will participate in this year Chunin Exams! And if they don't; I'll climb the Hokage Monument with my teeth in 5 minutes! And If I fail that, I will-"

"Okay we get it." Kakashi said waving his hand in front of him.

"I think that Mito and Menma will participate also. They are strong and they had only gotten stronger in this time. If someone is ready for this, is them." Kushina said with a confident smile and Kakashi clapped his hands.

"Then it is decided. Tomorrow morning, we will start their training for the exams. And I'll bring a friend to help us on that."

*Training Ground 24, 6:00 AM*

"Hey Sakura-san, Ino-san." Ten-Ten greeted the two girls that where leaning against a tree about to fall sleep.

"Hey Ten-Ten. How are you doing?" Ino asked the brown-haired girl that smiled.

"Tired. Mind if I seat here?" She asked as she pointed to the tree they were leaning against. They nodded and Ten-Ten slumped against the wood.

"Why do we need to be here so early?" Sakura complained and Ten-Ten shook her head.

"I don't know. And knowing my team, kami knows when they will arrive."

"Come on Shika. I'm not in mood for your bullshit right now."

"My bullshit? You were the one that came into my house and drag me here."

"Chouji is the one carrying you. I'm not in mood and neither is Sasuke."

Naruto's and Shikamaru's voice were heard as Naruto and Sasuke walked next to each other and behind them, Chouji was carrying Shikamaru over his shoulder.

Naruto spotted the girls and smirked. "Hey Shika, Ten-Ten is watching."

At that moment, Shikamaru regained all the energy and jumped from Chouji and stood up hands in his pockets like always. With a slight blush on his face.

"Hey." He simply said and his friends chuckled.

"Cool as they come." Sasuke said to Chouji and Naruto with a smirk making his friends nod.

"C'mon, Hinata-chan! We're going to be late!"

"B-B-B-But they a-a-a-are already here..."

"Hinata-sama, we need to show respect to our classmates."

Now it was the turn of Neji, Hinata and Mito to arrive. Hinata spotting Naruto blushed.

"H-H-H-H-Hello N-N-N-Naruto-kun..." She said and Naruto grinned at her and waved her hand.

"Hey Hinata. So, you went to pick her up, Mito?"

Mito nodded with a smile "Hm. Otherwise, she might not show up."

"YOSH! Hello friends! How are you on this beautiful morning!?" Lee asked appearing at full speed.

"How can you have so much energy in the morning?" Shikamaru asked and Chouji looked at him.

"You have no idea."

"Eh? We are the last ones?" Menma asked as he arrived with Kiba to the training field.

Neji shook his head "No. Shino-san still doesn't arrive."

"I am here." Shino said from behind the tree the girls were leaning on making them jump.

"Since when?" Naruto asked the Aburame that pushed his glasses back.

"Before Yamananka-san and Haruno-san arrived. You didn't notice me because I kept silence."

Naruto nodded as he noticed that they were all there "So, any clue why all of the senseis call this meeting?"

"And so early?" Shikamaru asked and most shook his head.

"It is because we have a surprise for you." Kakashi said shunshin into the scene with Kurenai, Asuma, Gai and Kushina.

Kiba grinned and Akamaru barked "Really!? What is it!?"

"We decided to offer you a spot on this year chunin exams." Kurenai said and Mito looked confused.

"What are those?"

Naruto grinned. "Orochimaru-sensei told me about those. It is like a promotion trial. It is divided in three parts. The ones that impress the kage of their village the most, will get ascended into chunin." He explained and Asuma nodded.

"Pretty much. We think that you guys are ready to take them. So, we will train you on your weakness to prepare you for the exams. Is that okay?"

"Yes!" The genins scream save for one that had a thinking face.

Gai grinned "YOSH! We just need to wait for Kakashi's friend so we can start!"

"That would be me." A rough voice said and they turned to see Zabuza walking towards them.

"Zabuza!?" Kurenai asked out load and Asuma chuckled.

"I should have guessed." He said taking a drag of his cigar.

Kushina glared at Kakashi. "You need better friends."

Kakashi chuckled "so, should we start?"

"And done! Sorry for taking so much time writing this. The thing is that I had a major author block for this story. I even thought of dropping it. But that isn't like me! No sir! So, expect to see this story more often. This arc is a short one, I think two chapters top. And that's all! Review the story that it is important to me. PM me for any doubts or suggestions. Follow and Favorite the story and me.

Till Next Time.

Roy D. Harper.

Next Chapter: Some Weeks of Hell