Chapter 2.
Hey thanks for the reviews people I really appreciate them, they give ya a reason to keep writing and writing gets my mind off of some of the dumber things in life so read and enjoy.
Shikamaru casually walked the market district of the village, his eyes cast toward the ground. With a cigarette gracing his mouth he thought back to the conversation he'd had with Naruto no more than an hour ago.
The four jounin sat around Naruto's table as he smoked his pipe and looked over the information Shikamaru gave him. "Impressive, you've taught these kids well Shikamaru" Hearing no response he looked up to see the concerned look on Ino's face and the inquisitive look on Neji's. Naruto sighed; at least he didn't have to explain it to Shikamaru. "Listen…what's happening to me is just a little nightmare…phobia…thingy…nothing to worry about" he flashed an eerie grin and eyed his shadow casting friend with a look emphasizing…zip it! "So you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You all came here so we can talk genin right? Well let's talk"
Realizing his cigarette was finished; he put it out and tossed it in the trash. He then looked up to see squad nine getting better acquainted; or so he hoped. He'd come to know these children very well and being the genius he was, he could tell what was going on just by looking at them. Leiko was obviously fawning over Hiroshi and bragging about how good her skills were, Hiroshi silently pleading for Raidon to beat up this girl, Raidon, arms crossed, silently laughed at his friend's predicament and Gina, sitting on the bench, was clearly more interested in her book than the shenanigans of her team. Shikamaru could only smile. That Gina; she always struggled with her grades but he could tell that she was a genius in the making. She always tried her best and never gave up and that was all she needed to do to be a genius in his book. He shut his eyes again as he thought back to his little meeting.
Ino and Neji left after learning about their teams from Shikamaru. They had planned on staying and forcing Naruto to spill his guts but unfortunately, Neji had a meeting with the Hyuuga heads and Ino had a shift to work at the hospital.
"You have to tell Sakura."
"I don't have to tell anybody, not even Hokage-sama"
"Man you're so troublesome. Ever since you quit the ANBU you've been a mix between your normal self and a formal Naruto none of us have ever seen." Shikamaru didn't necessarily dislike 'formal Naruto' but life would be boring if he acted that way. "Look, Sakura is going to be your partner, you do know that right?"
"So?"
"Kakashi isn't going to be around to suppress the Kyuubi if it gets out of control. He told me everything."
Naruto groaned something about being a traitor but Shikamaru couldn't hear everything. "Fine I'll tell her"
"Good"
"Now what can you tell me about my team?"
"Shikamaru-sensei?" Leiko waved her hand in front of his face. "Earth to sensei?" The four genin just looked at each other in confusion. They had been trying to get his attention since they'd spotted him five minutes ago, but he seemed lost in thought.
"So…" Raidon spoke up "Think he's dead?"
Leiko hit him on the head. "Of course he isn't! He wouldn't be standing if he was!" She paused for a second; then eyed him suspiciously "Are you dead sensei?" Raidon began mumbling something about Leiko and hypocrites.
Shikamaru shook his head free of his thoughts and opened his eyes only to be greeted by Leiko's own brown eyes. Unfazed by a twelve year old brat in his face, Shikamaru spoke calmly. "You need something Leiko?"
"Maybe….but first sensei, why were you daydreaming? Was it about some girl?" Her eyes fluttered as if she had some sort of romantic story playing out in her head.
"No, I was just thinking about a conversation I had with one of your new sensei's"
Her eyes lit up like fireworks. "Oooo! Tell us about him sensei! He must be a great ninja or else you wouldn't have put me with him!" She paused and slowly glared at Gina. "Unless he's…he's a failure! You wouldn't do that sensei would you? I mean just because she's in the group" she pointed at Gina "you wouldn't give us a sensei worse than you! Would you?! Would you!?" She was gripping his vest and shaking him wildly. "Why don't you answer me?!"
Shikamaru groaned. It was nine pm and he was being shaken wildly by a twelve year old genin…what's wrong with this picture?! "Leiko calm down already. You're jounin-sensei are two of my closest friends and two of Konoha's best. There are you satisfied?"
"How can you be friends with any great ninja?! You really did get us a couple of lame sensei didn't you?!" Hiroshi shook his head in shame, Raidon rolled his eyes and gave Gina a look of 'don't believe the crap coming out of her mouth'.
"It's against my policy to hit a child…and this child is a girl…must resist slapping girl child…" Shikamaru sighed in frustration "Leiko if you're not careful about shooting your mouth off, it's going to get you in trouble. Not everyone is as forgiving as I am."
"I'm only telling the truth!"
"Hmph. Well if it makes you feel any better, your main sensei failed the graduation exam three times, and he was the worst student in the academy. He was also trained by another dead-last student and that man was also a moron. You're other sensei, at times, can be very hotheaded and violent, she had good grades but didn't actually determine the outcome of a fight until she was fifteen." Shikamaru smiled evilly at her faltered expression.
5…4…3…2…1... "YOU CAN'T DO THIS SENSEI! A GREAT NINJA LIKE ME MUST ONLY LEARN FROM THE BEST!!"
Maybe it was a mistake to tell her that because she was now yelling... "Leiko stop yelling, people are staring. Besides I'm not the one who finalized the squads, your academy teachers only helped put the groups together."
"THEN WHO'S THE BASTARD WHO GAVE US OUR SENSEI!"
"That would be me"
Leiko froze like a stone statue, that voice; it couldn't be…could it? She looked up to see Shikamaru's eyes dancing wildly with amusement and slowly forced herself to turn around. First she met the eyes of Gia who was doing her best to keep from laughing. Hiroshi was smirking with satisfaction and Raidon was just rolling on the ground laughing. She then looked up to see her fear realized. "Ho-Hokage-sama"
Tsunade didn't believe it when the academy teachers told her about a student that was a cross between Naruto/Sasuke and herself. But here in front of her stood a loud mouthed, sassy, cocky genius. The girl was definitely Naruto reborn in terms of loud, obnoxious, and down right annoying. Tsunade however, could only smile at the obviously frightened girl. She must have heard of her great strength. "You must be Leiko" She stretched her hand out for a handshake. She noticed how hesitant the girl was. "It's alright dear I'm not going to rip your hand off." Leiko slowly grasped her hand and returned the shake. Tsunade's smile faltered as she saw that serious look on her strategists face. She'd seen that several times and only if something was really, really wrong. She looked back at the genin and smiled. "Why don't you all go home and get some sleep, you need your strength for tomorrow." As the students dispersed towards their homes, she motioned for Shikamaru to walk beside her as they headed towards the Hokage tower.
"What is it Shikamaru?"
The jounin decided not to meet her gaze. "It's Naruto"
Naruto had four sheets of paper spread out in front of him each with information on his genin. He had been at it since Shikamaru had left a couple hours earlier, reading and going over all the traits and history of his students was just not his thing. Sighing he took his pipe out of his mouth and looked towards the mirror near his window. The young man looking back at him looked serious, strong, and mature. He may have been in the ANBU and he may have been a great ninja but still…he couldn't help but start laughing at that picture. He looked like an old man with the pipe and someone important with all the papers in front of him. After he calmed himself down, his eyes glanced towards his team photo; man he missed the old days. Shaking his head free of thoughts he went back to review his teams' skills.
Leiko Fukushima.
Age: 12
Height: 5'2
Weight: 101 lbs
Birthday: December 8th
Gender: Female
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Dark Brown
Has shown early signs of an affinity to water, scored perfectly on all academy exams. Only daughter of Jounin Masaki Fukushima and medical ninja 1st class Shiroi Fukushima. Learns quickly, shown great potential with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Needs work with Taijutsu.
Notes: has shown poor skills in teamwork and is seemingly unable to recognize classmates' abilities.
Naruto sighed. This girl was going to be the downfall of her team. If she doesn't prove herself to him, he would have no problem sending her back to the academy. He set the sheet down and picked up another one.
Hiroshi Ibariki
Age: 12
Height: 5'3
Weight: 120 lbs
Birthday: September 19th
Gender: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Good student. Learns quickly and listens well. Excellent accuracy with Kunai. Oldest of three children. Father is former ANBU interrogator, Jiro Ibariki. Excellent Taijustu and good Ninjutsu. Couldn't perform Genjutsu worth a damn.
Naruto chuckled lightly at Shikamaru's personal touch to this report. Taking a sip of sake, he reached for the next report.
Raidon Akita
Age: 13
Height: 5'0
Weight: 115 lbs
Birthday: September 7th
Gender: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Red
Good potential. Doesn't apply himself to schoolwork. Has shown great skill with Ninjutsu when trying. Needs work on Taijutsu and has no shot at being a Genjutsu shinobi. Son of Kagome Akita former Academy instructor. Father is Shaen Akita. ANBU captain.
Naruto had to admit that memorizing this stuff was tougher than he thought. Sure it was hardly anything to really remember, but he wasn't known for remember things the first time over. As the years progressed he learned to accept this bad habit of his. Naruto put Raidon's sheet down and picked up Gina's. This girl was of particular interest to him and unfortunately he'd wished she wasn't.
Gina Yamagata
Age: 12
Height: 5'2
Weight: 80 lbs
Birthday: November 23rd
Gender: Female
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
Struggled with the curriculum set by instructors. Often the ridicule of other students. Her Genjutsu is mediocre at best, can perform basic Ninjutsu but still needs work. Her Taijutsu is also lacking. Mother died in childbirth and father died in Sound/Sand invasion. No living relatives. Though she is currently registered at the orphanage, she hasn't reported in five years. Current residence is unknown.
His eyes faltered. This girl…why did he have this sick feeling in his stomach, a feeling he knew all too well. Why did this scenario seem familiar to him? Because this situation seemed similar to what he had lived through, or at least that's what he perceived. Did anyone care about this girl at all? No one gave a damn about himself growing up save for the Sandaime. Even he could only do so much. Naruto shook his head free of doubt; he wasn't going to jump to any conclusions without knowing the whole story. Shutting off his light, he fell backwards on the bed and put his hands behind his head. For the next two hours he just stared at the ceiling reliving his own childhood. To common observer it would look like the man was resting, but if you look closer you can see a tear slowly sliding down his face.
The fire illuminated the night brilliantly and gave off just the right amount of heat. Sakura looked up from her book to see the two genin resting peacefully within their sleeping bags. She then turned her attention to the jounin resting against the stump of a tree. Staring at her carefully Sakura determined, by her steady breathing, that she was in a deep enough sleep and carefully put her book in her bag. She then pulled out another book and started reading.
Temari felt the girl had let her guard down and opened one eye to 'investigate' the strange behavior her friend had shown every night of their journey. Every night the kunoichi had offered to take the first watch and often didn't wake Temari up until dawn. Narrowing her eye, Temari focused on the title of the book "Sealing Ninjutsu?" Now it wasn't uncommon for a shinobi to learn about sealing as it could come in handy at anytime, but Temari had seen a similar seal on a similar book before. The seal of the Kage was clearly visible on the spine of the book. Gaara had something similar on his library of books back home. The book Sakura had was no ordinary textbook. That book contained Kage-level techniques in sealing and suppression. Why was she reading such a book? In fact…"why does she need to know such high level techniques?"
The Godaime ushered Shikamaru into her office and shut the door behind them. "What's going on Shikamaru?" She sat down behind her desk and looked towards him.
He met her gaze and hesitated. He guessed she could read him like a book right now, but he wasn't exactly trying to hide anything. "Naruto…why did he quit the ANBU?"
She wasn't expecting such a question, in fact, she wasn't expecting any question. "You know I'm not supposed to release information about any of my operatives."
"Stop avoiding my question"
Tsunade smirked. "Awfully forward tonight aren't you? Very well, since I feel the information you have may clue me on his weird attitude I'll tell you. He cited mental instability."
Shikamaru furrowed his brow in frustration. "Damnit…"
"I didn't believe that brat for a second. If there's one thing he'll never suffer from, it's being mentally unstable."
Shikamaru began telling her everything he'd learned from Kakashi and his run In with Naruto. Tsunade turned her chair to face out the window and towards the Hokage faces. "So if I've analyzed everything right. He's beginning to lose control over his own mind and if not treated he'll been driven insane and once that happens." Tsunade narrowed her eyes and starting searching the confines of her mind. "The Kyuubi will be unleashed and wreak havoc throughout Konoha."
Tsunade sat back and sighed in exhaustion. "There's nothing we can do but help suppress its power"
To say the least, he was angry. "What the hell do you mean 'we can't don't anything?' we have to treat him or contain him or something!"
"I know you want to help Shikamaru, but taking away his freedom of movement would be the worst we can do to him. The only one who can save Naruto now is Naruto. He has to suppress it himself. Jiraiya was the only one, other than the Yondaime, who knew the secrets of the seal used on Naruto."
"You know more than you're telling me"
Tsunade sighed. This man was too smart and stubborn to just take her explanation in stride. "Four weeks ago, before he quit the ANBU, he and Sai were sent on a reconnaissance mission to the local fishing village. Rumors were it had been attacked and destroyed by highwaymen and bandits. The report I received from Sai was suspicious at best. From a quick glance and even a somewhat detailed investigation, it seemed the rumors were true. However, upon entering one of the burned out houses, Naruto took a whiff of something and ended up collapsing. He told me it smelled like sake, Sai didn't smell a thing."
"What are you thinking?"
Tsunade turned her gaze toward him. "I don't know what to think, but ever since that incident Naruto had seemed…different."
"Different how?"
She turned back towards the monument and stared at the Yondaime. "I wish I knew."
"Leiko?" She called. "Leiko are you up?" There was still no answer from the girl's room. "Honey aren't you supposed to meet your new sensei today?" A loud crash and a scream of fear soon filled the room.
"Mom! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?! I'm gunna be late!!"
"Leiko" She called "It's nine-fifteen. You're not going to be late, now calm down and come have some breakfast."
Leiko came running out of her room and down the stairs; clearly she was excited for the day. Her headband was tied neatly around her forehead and her hair was up in a ponytail. She wore a blue tank top with her clans' symbol, the face of an owl, showing prominently on the front of the shirt. She wore a matching blue skirt, with a pair of tight black shorts underneath. On her right thigh was tied her equipment pouch and slung around her back was a quiver full of arrows and her bow.
Since before she entered the academy, she had shown her parents the ability to manipulate water into projectiles and seeing the talent the potential their daughter had, Mr. Mrs. Fukushima began training her in long distance fighting. If she could learn how to shape the water by the time she became a chuunin, she could be very decisive in battle. The years of training and practice however gave Leiko the idea that she was too talented for her classmates and became cocky and overconfident in her own abilities. She was a master archer and kunai thrower but many other things held her back, such as the whole teamwork thing.
Mrs. Fukushima could only hope the girl would learn to be humble before it got her killed and hopefully she would have a sensei that could set her daughter right. The woman looked up at the clock and relayed the time to Leiko. "It's twenty to ten dear. You should get going."
Leiko, who had calmed down no more than five minutes ago, finished her breakfast and ran out the door as though she were on fire. Mrs. Fukushima sighed. "She could have at least brought her dishes to the kitchen and closed the door." She sighed and started her own morning routine.
"Raidon shouldn't you be leaving for school? You don't want to be late"
Raidon yawned as he came down the stairs and stretched his arms. Around his head was his headband and on his left hip was his equipment pouch. He wore a simple white shirt with a short sleeved black jacket and beige shorts. "Mom can't my sensei come here and get me?"
Mrs. Akita sighed. "No Raidon it doesn't work that way and for your information you should learn to apply yourself more! Out on the battlefield laziness and carelessness get you killed!"
Raiden rolled his eyes and opened the door "Yea mom I get it, Shikamaru-sensei has preached that for the last four years, I don't want to hear it anymore" and with that he shut the door.
"How ironic your academy sensei was one of the laziest students I ever taught." She rolled her eyes and went to wake up her husband.
"Hiroshi get up"
Hiroshi groaned and looked up from his breakfast. "Dad I've been up for five minutes, so stop yelling already."
Mr. Ibariki looked up from his paper. "You weren't answering…is that what you're wearing?"
Hiroshi finished his food and stood up to leave. "Yea"
His father looked him over. His headband was tied around his left arm. He wore a white shirt with fishnet over it and a pair of black pants. "Whatever don't be late" he covered his face with the paper again and heard his son walk towards the door. The old man softened his voice. "Hiroshi" The boy looked over his shoulder. "I'm proud of you." Hiroshi smiled to himself and left.
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