'Hinata, please stay', Kurenai said to her when they were done with team training and missions for the day.

Kiba and Shino hesitated for a moment, sharing a concerned look with each other and looking towards Hinata before the ever logical Aburame pulled the brash one along with him.

She could tell that her genin were getting antsy, being stuck in the village. She had already told them that she would not take them on anything more challenging than a bodyguard or escort mission, given the debacle of the last one. It was a minor miracle that all of them came out of the encounter with the monster of the mist, intact.

Although, she supposed that maybe it was time for another C-rank mission. They had done enough D-ranks in the two months they'd been genin to merit a C-rank. The previous A-rank mission notwithstanding.

But first, she needed to know what to do with her shy genin. Honestly, she was the one person Kurenai was most scared for on the Wave mission, even though she had relegated Hinata to guarding Tazuna with Sakura.

Kurenai wondered how to broach the subject without making her even more intimidated of authority figures. But it needed to be done. When she was sure that both Shino and Kiba were out of earshot, she asked, 'Why didn't you tell me before requesting a tutor?'

Hinata flinched at the accusatory tone, making Kurenai grimace. She supposed it came out too strong.

The Hyuga in question winced, knowing this question had been coming. It was impossible for a Jonin as dedicated as Kurenai-sensei to not learn of it. Despite her best efforts to resist it, she wiggled her fingers together as stuttered a hasty reply, 'S-sensei…. I… didn't want…'

Kurenai's eyes widened for a second, feeling a little hurt if she was being honest. This was most certainly not like her Hinata. 'You didn't want to tell me?'

Hinata's fearfully widened eyes gazed at her sensei's accusation, cursing herself for offending her. 'N-no, sensei… I didn't want…' she stuttered trying to get her point across.

But as always Kurenai was waiting patiently for her answer, though there was something akin to a slight anger in her eyes, though it was carefully hidden. But Hinata wasn't a Hyuga for nothing.

'Well?' Kurenai prodded her genin, wanting to know her reason before she decided to inform Hinata of the solution she had come up with. Or perhaps a punishment… whichever was deserved.

'I… I didn't want you to get in trouble…. with outo-sama', Hinata murmured, her eyes still downcast, fixed on the floor.

And just like that, the anger Kurenai had in her eyes fled, replaced by a much more potent annoyance at the mention of that insufferably proud Hyuga Head.

She sighed looking at her student. It was really sweet of Hinata to do this but she couldn't have this. She needed her to realise this, 'Hinata… while I am glad you told me the truth, but you have to know that it's the job of the sensei to protect her charges. Not the other way around. Am I understood?'

Hinata nodded and winced, but still didn't take her eyes off the ground. 'Yes, sensei.' She let out a barely audible sigh of relief. Hinata really had been expecting something worse.

'Although, I have to ask, how did you find out about this?' Kurenai was curious to know. It wasn't like the Hyuga clan to even consider thinking an outsider for help. Even their tutors were clan-members. That and genin generally weren't made aware of this loophole. It undermined their Jonin-sensei's efforts and could cause a clash between training regimes. 'Did one of your clan members tell you about it?'

'N-no…' Hinata stammered, trying desperately to come up an answer that didn't throw someone she cared about under the proverbial tractor. 'I-I heard chunins talking about it…'

Kurenai hadn't expected Hinata to suddenly looked panicked, even though the girl did try to hide it commendably. But Kurenai wasn't a Genjutsu Mistress at that, for nothing. Being observant much more than the average Jonin was part of her speciality.

While what she said could very well be the reason, she doubted it. Kurenai didn't need to be told in spoken words, but Hinata's sudden lack of answers and protectiveness could only have stemmed from one source.

Uzumaki.

Somehow, for some reason, this sudden outburst of subtle rebellion against the traditions of the Hyuga, and the initiative to get a tutor, had something to do with the blonde who had the gall to wear that orange monstrosity and still call himself a shinobi. She would have to find out exactly how he was involved.

She didn't think it was so, but if the boy was encouraging Hinata to hide things from her teammates and sensei, like he clearly was doing so himself, then she would have to take action. She couldn't afford to have disunity in her unit, especially one sowed by someone else.

However, Kurenai didn't think confronting her on it would do any good at this point. In fact, it may even backfire with what she was attempting to do with the shy girl. And so, the raven-haired Jonin let it slide, just this once.

Seeing Hinata was beginning to retreat within herself, thinking she had angered her yet again, Kurenai began, softening her voice. 'As it happens, I think you were not entirely wrong to do so.'

'S-sensei?' came the stammering response.

Hinata's shock was clearly written on her face and Kurenai winced internally. Just another point for her tutor to work at. Hinata gave away way too much without even speaking to ever be considered a proper ninja.

Kurenai started walking towards the village proper, prompting Hinata to follow without even asking her to. 'While I would like to help you more, I can't give you individual attention and spend more time training you than Shino and Kiba. It wouldn't be fair to them. And it is clear, you think so yourself or you would have asked me for more training.'

Hinata nodded accepting her reasons. She didn't think it was wise to tell her sensei that Hinata thought they were so different in specialities that she would learn much more from someone similar. In fact, she was hoping that a branch member Hyuga saw the mission and opted to train her for some extra cash.

She then, would only have to convince them not to ask her father for permission.

'But I do want to know you how you even have the money to pay for the mission, Hinata', Kurenai finished, looking sideways to her genin, whose eyes were almost bulging out of her head.

So, she had been right. Hinata didn't have a way to pay for the mission she had filed for… yet.

'F-from my savings, sensei', Hinata managed to get out. 'I… have some money saved.'

Kurenai nodded, 'Good.'

Her worst fears weren't coming true then. Hinata wasn't borrowing money from someone else that she didn't have. She knew that some loan sharks in Konoha and Fire Country would not hesitate to advantage of the young girl and wanted to protect her inexperienced charge from doing something so stupid.

Hinata didn't to think what would happen if word got out that she was asking an outsider for help before she even managed to get a tutor. She knew her father would be mad, but when she signed the contract however, the Hyuga clan would be honour bound to oblige it.

At least, that was her thought process when she had, admittedly, quite impulsively filed the mission request. It had been two days and still nothing came, however, and the already shaky confidence in her plan was beginning to crumble.

That was until she heard her sensei say, 'I have someone who is willing to train you when I asked them to.'

Hinata whipped her head to her sensei, so fast that she thought she might get a whiplash, eyes wide and heart beating soundly, 'R-really?'

By now they were in the main town square of Konoha and were heading towards the multitude of cafes and restaurants owned by rich merchants and civilians.

'Yes', Kurenai nodded, before adding seriously. 'But I must tell you about her beforehand', motioning towards the seat the table.

Hinata immediately sat down and obeyed, giving her sensei her utmost attention, knowing this could very well change her life for the better or make it even worse. Though, she found it hard to believe that it could get any worse than it already was.

'Your tutor, if she accepts you… will be my friend who is also a Jonin.'

Hinata winced upon learning there will be another test. Her internal fears of further rejection surfacing profoundly, threatening her composure and urging her to bolt away from the table. Kurenai had no choice in training her because she had been assigned a team. That however wouldn't be the case with this new teacher.

What Kurenai-sensei said to her however, changed her expression from attentive, to surprised and then to disbelief. 'She is one of the strongest, and most dangerous kunoichi currently in service.'

Seeing that she had Hinata's undivided attention – even if it was clouded by anxiety – Kurenai continued, mentally debating how much to inform her young charge.

After all, part of her friend's description was classified information. But Hinata needed to know just who was going to be tutoring her. And that it wouldn't be free either. But she wasn't a Jonin for nothing. An ability to spin words to her advantage was basically an unofficial clause in her job description.

Hinata's belief turned into shock as she registered her sensei's words, 'Your tutor was trained by one of Konoha's best ANBU. If she accepts you, she will not go easy on you just because you are Hiashi Hyuga's daughter.'

Hinata could barely 'eep' and only managed to vigorously nod her head, already the thought of disappointing her new tutor seeming like threat upon her head.

If that tutor was as great a kunoichi like Kurenai-sensei says she is, why would she even train a weakling like her?

'What would Naruto-kun do?' Hinata asked herself. He would never be as scared as she was now but he would be anxious. That much she had learnt about him. But he would never allow that anxiety to beat him down.

But before she could respond with anything else, someone appeared right next to her sensei, already seated, as if materialising from thin air. Hinata flinched back at the sudden appearance, not the least bit shocked that she hadn't even sensed her arrival.

Honestly, why would a weakling genin like be able to sense someone to strong. But she did recognise the woman with wide eyes as she took in the long, gorgeous purple air cascading down from the woman's head.

For how could she not. This was the same ANBU from two days ago. The same woman Naruto-kun was…. appreciating.

And for the first time when looking at someone other than Sakura-san, Hinata felt something akin to slight… jealousy.

'Hinata, meet my friend, Yugao Uzuki. Your new tutor.'

'Aacckk! Acckh!', Naruto got himself out of the hot water of the onsen.

'Dammit. Not again', he grumbled, attempting to stand up again. He had been at this for almost an hour, having come to the onsen after the water of the stream had proven unbearably cold. After all, how the hell was he supposed to do any training if he was frozen to the bone.

True, the manager had taken more than the standard fees than they usually charged, but it was still less than one D-rank. And Naruto was determined to have it down pat on this one visit. And the view wasn't that bad honestly.

Word had gotten around that he was in this one and only a couple of shinobi were present, the civilians having left as soon as he had arrived. At least now, he could train in peace.

With that, he made a ram seal and channelled chakra towards his feet once again, determined to get it done before baka-Kakashi returned from Wave. Seeing as they didn't have a civilian with them this time, it would probably only take them less than two weeks for the mission. And from previous experience of having to learn tree walking, it would probably take him a week to get it done.

But that was unacceptable. He had more shit to do and couldn't afford to spend all his time on this bloody chakra control exercise.

He could hear the three shinobi snickering behind him, making no effort to be subtle. Whether it was because it was the 'demon brat' who couldn't stand on water, Naruto neither knew nor cared. But he had heard one of their off-hand comments.

'What a dead last', one of them said, looking like an Inuzuka.

The other one added, 'Can't even do something so simple.'

The third laughed aloud before making his own contribution, 'Seriously. He can't even make a bunshin. What makes him think he can do this!'

This prompted another round of laughter from the three jerks. He would show them, Naruto thought viciously. He would show them all. Even if no one was here to teach him. Even if baka-Kakashi had taught Sasuke this and not him.

'Hey, brat! Just give up. It's clearly above you!' said the Inuzuka.

Naruto growled, 'Piss off!' glaring at the three before turning his focus back onto the water.

Should he take a break for some inspiration? Hmmm….

No, no. Not yet. If he did that, then he was liable to waste more time.

Once more he got out of the bath onto the stone side, and made a ram seal. But before he could get onto the water again, he heard the three idiots gasping. Naruto was tempted to yell at them again before he heard a different voice, this time definitely feminine. And one he instantly recognised.

'Shit!' Naruto yelped, clearly surprised how the hell she got in.

'You know… that's not how you do it', said Mei Terumi, having walked into the male side of the onsen, dressed in a tight one piece.

Spluttering and coughing, Naruto got his head out of the hot water, to see the beautiful Kiri kunoichi standing there, looking like a pervert's wet dream come true.

Naruto's eyes almost bulged out before he shook his head, her words registering to his addled brain. 'What do you mean?' he asked, narrowing his eyes at her, careful not to stare at her generous bust.

He could see that the three ninjas were making no such effort and were shamelessly staring at her. Stares which she effortlessly ignored.

What the hell was she doing in the male baths? And what did she want with him? Hadn't her student tried to kill him just yesterday.

'You know, I could help you with that', Mei said, appreciating the child's effort to not stare at her, unlike the other three perverts. Was it because of some honour or if he was scared of her, she didn't know. But he must have taken something after his sensei, other than his talent for the shinobi arts of course.

Kakashi no Sharingan was an infamous pervert, after all. Not on the level of that bastard Jiraiya but then again, that wasn't possible.

Naruto was now even more suspicious and more than a little annoyed that she interrupted her training. Why would she help him?

'Why?' he asked, not wanting to be as stupid as he was the last the time, he had encountered a Kiri shinobi. 'I thought you were working for the Mizukage and I made it clear I don't like him?'

Mei sighed, stepping elegantly onto the water and standing on it as if she didn't even need to think about it. Rather like Kakashi and Zabuza when they fought on the lake.

'Yes. But right now, I'm a guest of Konoha. And we're ninja, Naruto-san', she smiled sweetly at the boy. 'We work for one client one day and against them the next day, depending on our mission.'

Naruto grumbled under his breath. Yes, he had already gotten that lesson on that stark reality of their profession. 'But why would you help me?'

The three idiots gasped and Naruto's eyes widened as the Jonin sank slowly and gradually in the water. Naruto gulped, feeling his face heat up and it certainly didn't have anything to do with the temperature of the bath.

Still smiling sweetly at him, the woman brought her hands in the ram seal, 'Kai', she said.

'Aaah!' Naruto yelped in shock, and covered his eyes with his hand, seeing the swimsuit disappear from her body. He could hear the idiots gasping in shock.

'Aww you're too sweet', Mei said, slowly walking towards the edge of the pool and sitting on the seat by the side. 'Go on, I won't stop your training', she motioned with her hand.

Naruto shook his head to get the fuzzy feeling out of it, and realised his mouth was still gaping. Hurriedly, he closed with an audible clank of teeth, making her giggle.

'O…okay', Naruto nodded, and looked anywhere but where she was sitting quite naked and relaxed as if in the privacy of her own home. Naruto knew from previous experience that if he so much as looked anywhere near her bust, he would be in a world of pain.

As such, he studiously avoided even glancing in her direction. He mentally scratched the need for inspiration. Now, he couldn't even risk it lest he be trampled by an irate Kiri Jonin. Even though she had said she was going to help, her presence there, watching him like a hawk, was more detrimental and distracting than anything else.

'How did you get in here anyway?' Naruto asked, having fallen in yet again and emerged from the water. Her absurdly long hair was flown to her sides as if separate entities. It frankly, made her look a little scary, if she wasn't naked that is, even though he couldn't see anything.

Nope. He certainly hadn't tried to look at anything. Nothing at all. And he most certainly wasn't trying to look at her from the corner of her eyes. He was just suspicious she might try something.

Mei giggled at the innocent boy's question. Poor boy really hadn't gotten anything from Kakashi no pervert. 'You have no idea, Naruto. The things men would do when they're thinking with their other head.'

Naruto was even more confused than before. As far as he knew, men only had one head. The three idiots coughed quite exaggeratedly, and one even looked a little offended.

'Now look here lady…!' the Inuzuka started and made to move forward, but immediately silenced himself upon one glare of the woman, and halted in his place, cowed like a dog.

Half an hour later, and Naruto still wasn't getting anywhere near to standing on water, let alone walking on it. And this woman here had made it look so damn easy. How the hell had she done it? Maybe… maybe he could ask her. She had offered to help, after all.

'You mentioned you could help me with this…', Naruto motioned towards the water, his pride not allowing him to say anymore. She was after all from a different village.

'I could, of course…' she nodded sagely, keeping her eyes on those startlingly blue orbs of the young boy. Even if she was a bit…. open with men, the boy was quite a little too young for her tastes. Besides, it was obvious he had no clue about women.

'What is the difference between a tree and water?' she asked him, knowing that by now the three ninjas had left, presumably to report her. Oh whatever. Its not like she had committed a crime anyway. And she wasn't even planning anything sinister… yet.

Naruto scratched his head, trying to remember what Kakashi had told them when teaching them water walking.

But before he could remember the whole lesson, she interrupted his train of thought, 'It's quite a simple answer, Naruto-kun.'

Naruto now didn't miss the added honorific and was immediately on edge. No one called him except the Hokage and sometimes Hinata. Was it just his imagination or had her eyes gleamed with… Something as she said the last part?

But she asked for a simple answer. Hmmm.

Well the obvious one was, 'One has a stationary surface and the other isn't.'

Mei smiled, 'Good. That's right. So, what does that mean for your chakra?' She had already figured that this boy's education hadn't been the most stellar and that she would need to explain it to him in quite simpler terms than what she used with her own genin. That is if she wanted him to be able to do what she needed.

There were other alternatives, after all. But this was by far the safest. Even if it took a little longer. Not to mention, it was the more intriguing one.

'That it can't be stationary either', the boy answered, his vibrant blue orbs settled on her green ones.

She nodded again, 'Sort of, yes. Chakra is never stationary but I think what you mean to say is, that you can't channel a constant, or same amount of chakra to your feet when you're on the water. You have to regulate it, according to and depending on the movement of the surface of the water.'

Naruto nodded, 'Of course! That makes sense!'

Mei smirked and shook her head as the boy face palmed, presumably cursing himself for his stupidity. No wonder he had lost against Harui. Even if his taijutsu was as awful as Harui reported, he was definitely not chunin material, she mused. Perhaps the copy-ninja would not recommend his team considering how green they are.

But if everything went according to plan, she might even get to see another fight between Harui and Naruto.

She then explained the theory behind channelling chakra, whether inside a moving medium like liquid or air, or a stationary object such as the earth or the tree.

'You see', Mei said, knowing that she had the boy's attention, even if the poor boy was distracted by her bust. But then again, that was sort of the point of this little interaction of theirs. 'There's a theory that chakra travels –'

'As a wave but interacts like a particle. The Wave-Particle duality theory. I know', Naruto replied offhandedly as he shifted his focus back on the chakra pooling at his feet.

In his research on chakra theory, he had read over a couple of scrolls which were way beyond his understanding yet. But that was they had talked about. However, it wasn't what was written on said scrolls that was interesting. More interesting was the person who wrote them.

It was only when he didn't hear her reply that he turned to face her once again. Shock was clearly written on the woman's face and it was only then that Naruto realised the extent of his folly. Crap! He hadn't meant to say as much.

The woman's widened eyes shifted to a much more disturbing smirk.

It was Mei's turn to be truly surprised. The boy was clearly different than what he allowed others to see. She had had a suspicion before when she saw his outburst in the Hokage's office, and then his surprising initiative downstairs which Harui had also witnessed.

Clearly, there was much more to this boy than the idiot goofball others see him as. And she hadn't been a Jonin since when she was fourteen, for nothing.

It was however, shocking that his own sensei hadn't seen it. Or maybe, he had and ignored him to spur the boy on even more in his studies. Reverse psychology they called it. She could see how that would work.

But she neither had the time nor the inclination to use such a time-consuming strategy with him. Here she had a dilemma. She needed the boy somewhat strong to do what she was plotting. Yes, she needed what he had within him, but more importantly, she needed him to listen to her. On the other hand, if he got too smart and suspicious, her plan would go to shit.

But maybe… just maybe she can get him to trust her somewhat, thus eliminating the risk of the latter happening. And she only had probably a week to do it. Maybe a couple of days longer but that was it. They needed to do this fast.

She knew that Eboshi-sama would take care of things on her end, and succeed in making, if not an alliance, then at least a preliminary agreement with Konoha. When that happens, they needed to have their cards together to strike when the moment comes.

And to think, such important matters of state dependent on this innocent, clueless boy in front of her who couldn't even walk on water. The thought was troubling to say the least. But she had gathered enough information to know – and this most recent revelation just confirmed it – that he would not take well to any attempts to manipulating him without telling him some version of the truth. In fact, it may very well end up backfiring on them.

And so, with that decided, Mei glided forwards towards the boy who promptly lost concentration again upon her closeness.

'This is going to be long', she sighed dejectedly to herself.

'Exactly. It travels as a wave. Therefore, you can channel it into your feet, and then vary the wavelength and frequency of said wave', seeing his confused expression, she realised he knew fuck all about science.

'Meaning, Naruto that if you visualise your chakra as a flowing wave of a sea, you can control the direction it travels and the speed it travels at. Have you ever seen waves?' she asked, closing in on him but staying tantalisingly far enough away from touching him.

'Unn hmm', Naruto nodded dumbly, wondering just what the fuck was going on. His brain was going in overdrive and he could hardly think. Never had a girl, or a woman, and a beautiful woman, looked like that at him.

Now he knew he wasn't the most attractive person in Konoha. In fact, many of the girls had gone outright to tell him that to his face. That alone raised suspicions in his head. He had no idea how to deal with whatever the hell she was doing.

Naruto found he couldn't look away from those captivating green eyes the woman was looking at him with or her smiling smirk. He had no idea it was possible to smile and smirk at the same time but apparently it was. And she made it look so easy.

Was it a genjutsu, he wondered, with his heart beating rapidly? Why the hell would she put him under one? Might as well try breaking it. He had always sucked with genjutsu theory. And so, without a moment's more thought, he bit down hard on his lips, drawing a sharp sting of pain and trickle of blood.

Mei giggled seeing his reactions. Yes, she was right. The boy knew nothing about guiles of women. The moment one nears him, he thinks it's a genjutsu. It was just too cute. She burst out laughing.

Naruto blinked stupidly, but he was shaken out of whatever it was she had done to him. And now she was laughing at him.

'I was only having some fun, Naruto-kun', Mei said, backing up slightly. 'But enough distractions. Time to get back to training, no?'

Naruto glowered at the insufferable woman and resisted the urge to tell her that it was her who was distracting him. 'Yes, let me get back to my training, please.'

She only giggled more, 'Please, continue. It's fascinating trying to watch you figure out a seemingly complex problem.'

Naruto closed his eyes, his hands in the ram seal and visualised his chakra. In his 'mind's eye' as he had begun calling it, he could sense the flux in his chakra pathway. 'Oi fox. We had a deal!'

A deep, disturbing rumbling sound echoed in his mindscape which he immediately pegged as the bastard fox chuckling. But after a while, his chakra did stabilise. He would have to find a more permanent way of keeping his chakra in sync and preventing the fox from disrupting it any time it damn well pleased.

Otherwise, his chakra control would always remain shit. But now was not the time to wonder about such things, even if he wasn't in the midst of battle. The Ram seal, as Naruto had found from his experiments offered the greatest control of chakra, although snake and tiger weren't far off.

But it was harder to get it to that point with the Ram seal. At least for him. Unbeknownst to him, with his subtle change inside him, he had made Mei Terumi even more interested in figuring out the boy in front of her.

With that control, he then focused on the detecting the shifting waves of the water, and trying to get the chakra pooling at his feet to sync in with it. It took a few more tries certainly, and a few more times of getting out, spluttering and heaving like someone with bronchitis.

Naruto grinned, and for the first time in what felt like ages, he laughed out loud, 'Yatta!'

'I'm doing it! I'm standing on the water!' Naruto laughed and yelled, jumped and turned back and forth. He probably looked like an idiot, but he didn't care at moment. For he had just gotten his chakra to be in sync with the water and was now standing on top of it. Finally!

'Uh oh', Naruto's pleased grin turned to shock as he felt his one-foot slip.

'Ah shit!', soon he was tumbling down into the deep end of the bath yet again. But this time, when he resurfaced, his smile was back on his face, ready to train until he mastered the technique. Now that he understood what it felt it and knew how much chakra to use.

Mei had a pleased smile on her face as she nodded in acquiescence of his feat. It had only taken two hours since she had shown up here and in those two, hours the boy worked nonstop and tirelessly trying to control that massive amount of chakra he has.

Yes, her words had helped but ultimately, he had done it himself. In that moment, she realised she was proud of him. Proud of him for having done it without the aid of his sensei. Without anyone's aid, really. Proud of him for having figured it out himself.

'He would go far in this world', she told herself mentally, comparing him to a similar young boy she once knew, before he turned out to be crazy. That much was as clear to her as the fact that the Mizukage was insane. Another part of her whispered, 'He's going to be a threat!'

But for once, she opted to silence that paranoid part of her, the part that was instilled in every good shinobi worth their salt. For now, she was content to watch the training of this charming young boy, who for all his posturing and brooding, found joy in the simplest of things.