I'm soooooo sorry for how long its taken me. I hope the quality of this chapter is an improvement to previous chapters (I tried really hard). This chap is dedicated to Dark Orb for dealing w/ my shit and the cute scene is dedicated to Zero Skye. Hope ya like!!!
"Naruto, target is 20 meters to your right." The mentioned boy moved his position until he was directly behind the four legged devil. The browns the target was wearing should have made it harder to spot, but served as a marker for Naruto. "You ready? Let's trap and grab."
"Right." The cat lifted its head and sniffed the wind. Something was wrong. Feeling a shift in the scents of the forest, and its impending doom, the animal shot off into the brush, or tried at least. It was able to take a couple of steps before it froze, unable to move. An annoyed hiss stopped dead in its throat as it felt a sharp prick on its side. With a crash, it fell to the ground unconscious.
"Dang, that is fast acting." A black haired youth commented as he walked out of the brush and over to the downed animal. With extreme care, Shikamaru pulled the small dart out of the cat's flank. He didn't want to fall to the same fate after all.
"I diluted it as much as possible," the blond owner of the dart said as he joined him in the clearing, tucking a long, thin blowpipe into his jacket. His voice was quiet and apologetic, but it annoyed Shikamaru because his teammate had nothing to be sorry for. Naruto took the dart from his open hand and placed it in an inside pocket of his long-sleeved jacket. The forest green jacket had been a gift from Asuma and while it looked somewhat like Shino's, it wasn't as large. Naruto's confidence in himself had shot up in the three weeks that they had been a team, but he was still shy and liked to cover himself up as much as possible. A couple weeks was not enough time to completely change years of survival techniques. "The sleeping honey is made for larger animals anyway."
"I didn't say it was a bad thing. Where did you get that recipe anyway? You didn't use this last time." In truth, Shikamaru hadn't thought it would work as well as it did. It was the first time they had incorporated Naruto's newest weapons into a mission. None of them had started any real training, only from family for Shino and Shikamaru, but Naruto had started training with Asuma's comrade almost the same day he was told about it. Since then, Naruto had been bringing odd and experimental chemicals to missions, sometimes he also brought a new weapon to try, like the blowpipe today.
"I'll explain at the next meeting." Team 6 held meetings every day like all teams but they shared the results of their personal training only sparingly; if you see something someone is working on everyday, it doesn't appear that they are making any progress. The next one was scheduled for that night at training ground 4. They had claimed that area as their own because it was farther away from the village and half covered with trees, perfect for two insect users and a shadow user.
Shikamaru grumbled about being left in the dark until then, and picked up the comatose animal. "This is the target. Good thing we didn't have to chase it, this way was so much easier. I'm glad we caught him before it got really dark. " It was dusk as it stood now.
Naruto laughed a little. "Would it be too troublesome?"
"Yes, far too troublesome." He sighed, but Naruto could see a small smile on his face. "Well, let's go get our mission pay." Naruto nodded and they silently left the forest and headed to the mission desk of the Hokage Tower. For the last three weeks, the team had been splitting up and completing D rank missions in pairs. Yesterday, Naruto had been paired with Asuma while they gardened, whereas Shikamaru and Shino babysat a carpenter's kids. This way, Team 6 had completed at least 30 D-rank missions.
As they walked down the main drag of Konoha, Shikamaru made an effort to glare at everyone who even frowned at his friend. When they finally walked into the mission room, they saw that Asuma was in the middle of an argument with a female jonin instructor. Ino stood behind her, glaring, while Hinata and Chogi were standing near each other, seemingly to hide from their teammate.
"D rank missions are supposed to be completed by full squads of genin to promote teamwork. What you are doing is keeping them apart." Her voice was sharp and condescending, a voice you would use to scold a child. The effect was diminished somewhat by the fact that the "child" she was scolding stood a full two feet taller than her. Asuma just stood next to Kakashi who was there to report as well. Both teams, Seven and Eight, were had their full attention focused on the argument; while Asuma and Kakashi looked bored. Shikamaru and Naruto's entrance seemed to be noticed only by their other teammate, Shino. He walked from his position behind Asuma to his teammates and stood with them.
"What's going on?" Shikamaru quietly asked him. The aggravated look on his face was an immense change from the calm façade that he normally wore.
"Kurenai-san doesn't like Asuma-sensei's way of handling his squad. She argues that our way will make us weak." His voice was calm and collected, as sharp contrast to facial emotions, but to someone who had known him for a good portion of his life, like Naruto, he sounded just as annoyed as he looked.
"Kurenai-san, with all respect due to one of your rank; mind your own business," Asuma coolly stated. He had noticed the rest of his team enter and he wanted to leave quickly. Now that they had completed almost three times the number of required "missions" they could start real training. "This is my squad, meaning they are my responsibility. If your training methods are superior to mine, then it will show in the exam in six months. Until then, keep your mouth shut." One of the biggest insults a teacher can receive is to be called incompetent. Asuma wouldn't stand for someone, especially one who had never trained a genin squad, criticizing his squad.
Kurenai turned to Kakashi, desperate for someone, anyone, to agree with her. "You hold camaraderie very high; can you understand what I'm saying?" Kakashi moved his head a little and cast his gaze on Team Six. He held it there for a minute before turning back to the fuming jonin.
"It's only been a week, but they don't look too feeble to me."
Kurenai glared hatefully at the laid-back ninja, imagining him and his little orange friend burning in the lowest depths of hell. Without thinking, she hissed out, "You only say that because you're biased towards the little brat you used to baby sit." Naruto tensed at the venom of the kunoichi's voice and wished to leave. Shino and Shikamaru, feeling their teammate's unease, moved to stand in front of him. They're movements were noticed by the incensed jonin, who turned her head slightly and glowered at them. The glare was noticed by both of the genin and completely blocked from reaching the third standing behind them.
Kakashi was the first to spot the object of her gaze and stepped to the right, blocking her view. In a dangerously low voice, the ex-ANBU captain hissed out, "Kurenai-san, what are you trying to say?" The jonin switched her glare over to Kakashi, but her eyes widened comically when Asuma came forward to stand next to him.
"I think that this farce has gone on long enough." The Third's sharp voice broke the three jonin from they're standoff. The hate that had completely filled the air before disappeared as Kurenai pushed past the two men and stormed out of the room, her team following quietly behind her.
Kakashi bowed to the Third and then turned to Asuma. "You might want to watch it. A woman scorned and all of that." Asuma nodded, but didn't say anything. He was busy trying to force his anger at his past sweetheart out of his system. Naruto was scared enough without having to fear his teacher. Asuma turned to face the Hokage fully as Kakashi led his team out of the room.
"Hokage-sama, I wish to apologize…" he stopped as his father raised his hand.
"The blame does not lie with you. Instead of apologizing, you should be getting your team out of here." The elder man nodded behind him and Asuma turned to see Naruto hunched over himself and softly mumbling incoherently. Kurenai had effected him more than Asuma had realized before. The jonin walked over to the quivering boy and laid a hand on his arm. Naruto jerked his head up and, upon seeing that he was with friends and Kurenai was gone, calmed down.
"Sorry…"
Asuma forced a smile on his face and replied, "No need to be sorry. Let's leave." Without another delay, Team 6 quickly left the building and made they're way over to their training grounds.
It took another ten minutes for Naruto to settle down enough to start training. "You all understand the basis of the ninja: chakra." At their collected nod, Asuma continued. "Though none of you waste a vast amount of chakra, none of you are using it to its full efficiency. The best way to learn anything is through experience; worst-case scenario is you are forced to learn something on the battle field. Therefore, we will be experiencing the need for chakra control without the battle field, but in high stress. Care to guess how?"
Shikamaru sighed before answering. "We'll have to learn to tree walk?"
Asuma grinned down at him. "Yes, you will be tree walking. I have jutsu I will teach you at the end of the week. For each of these, you will need the chakra control needed to get up one of these trees." He motioned around them for dramatic effect. "If you fail, you're still learning the jutsu, but it will be much harder. And I won't teach you anything else until you can complete both tasks to my standards."
Asuma walked away from the group, toward a large tree that stood on the edge of the shadowed clearing. Once he reached the root system, he kept walking and strode halfway up the trunk before coming to rest on the underside of a thick branch. "You need to relax and focus the precise amount of chakra needed to attach yourself to the trunk of the tree. If you use too much chakra, it is forced into the tree and the tree will push back; making you fall. Why is that Naruto?"
Naruto jumped, startled for a second, before answering. But because he was so far away, Asuma couldn't hear him. Asuma smirked, this would be the way he would get Naruto to speak louder.
"I can't hear your answer Naruto." The boy started to move closer to the tree but Asuma stopped him with a shake of his head. "Don't come closer, just speak louder."
Naruto took a breath and said loud enough for him to hear, "You can't force your chakra into a living creature because it will cause damage to the person's body. The Hyuuga's force their chakra into a body specifically to cause that damage while medical techniques are absorbed by the body, not forced, and used to heal."
"And in the example of the tree?" Asuma supplemented.
"The tree forces the source of the chakra away in an effort to stop the damage caused by the incoming chakra." Naruto took a deep breath and looked up at Asuma, who was smiling at him. Naruto felt happy that he had done so well and forced the slight pain in his throat away.
"Good." Asuma took the time to cut the chakra in his feet and twist around to land on his feet. "Cutting off the chakra or not having enough will, of course, make you fall. This is what we will first be working on. Start by feeling the amount of chakra needed to cling to the tree and calmly start to walk up. Many teachers would have you taking running start, but its harder this way. One last tip, even if you fail to make it up the tree after a few days, don't give up or become overly emotional. This will hamper your progress because rage burns up your chakra. You way feel a temporary boost, but your actions will become sloppy and after your rage is gone, you will feel even weaker." His students nodded to him before separating and facing their own trees.
Six days, three hours, forty-five minutes, and fifty-one seconds later, Naruto slipped out of consciousness and fell from the branch. A blur of dark green caught him and carefully landed as to not wake the bundle. Shibi Aburame landed neatly on the ground without making a noise. He motioned towards the trees and two shadows detached themselves from the collected darkness of the night. Asuma held Shino while Shikaku Nara held his own son, all three of them were asleep.
As Asuma stepped forward, Shibi moved Naruto into a secure position on his back. "I found Shino sleeping in the tree's roots." Asuma handed Shino to his father who was able to hold both of the boys easily.
"Shikamaru was asleep in the upper boughs if a tree. I wonder what got into him." The elder Nara looked at the boy who's head leaned on his comrade's shoulder and knew he was the one to change his son.
"The boys are exhausted. I'll take Naruto with me so he will not panic in the morning." Exchanging goodbyes with the other two jonin, Shibi transported himself and his load straight to the inner sanctum of the Aburame compound. Upon his arrival, another member of his clan took Naruto from his back and followed while Shibi made his way to his son's room. "They worked themselves into the ground to master tree walking," was the only explanation he would offer the other Aburame. The other member didn't comment, but held Naruto even more securely. Once they reached the door they needed, Shibi carefully opened the door and walked into his son's room. Every light was out and only muted light came in from the hallway, but Shibi had been in this room so many times that he knew where everything was.
"I will get the other bed," the other one whispered before moving across the large room and opening Shino's closet. He kept Naruto secure as he pulled the extra futon and covers out of a shelf. Setting a still comatosed Naruto in a nearby chair, he began to unroll the futon and make the bed. When he was done, he carefully removed Naruto's jacket and placed it near the head of the futon. Picking up Naruto again and slowly setting him down on the futon, the lower member made a mental note to alert the medic of the Aburame to check on the boys in the morning. The man looked across the room to see Shibi tucking Shino in and moving towards the bed. Just as quietly as they had come in, the two left to retire to their own beds.
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Naruto awoke, two hours later, in a panic. He couldn't see, he didn't know where he was, and he was trapped down by something. He would have been able to calm down if it wasn't for the fact that he was still in the throws of a nightmare. A small, pained whine escaped from his thrashing body. Suddenly, he felt weight land near him and he cried out again, fearing the worst. He was pulled into someone's chest and arms wrapped around him. Another cry clawled to escaped his lips, but soothing words and the arms rocking him pushed the sound down. Slowly, he calmed down enough and he relaxed into the embrace, wrapping his own arms around the person and burying his face into short hair that smelled of dried herbs.
"It's okay, Naruto. I swear." Naruto allowed himself to drift off to sleep, listening to the low voice whispering to him.
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Noaki Aburame, the family's sole healer, didn't knock on the heir's door but entered without a word. He knew that people tired enough to faint from exhaustion rarely woke just a few hours after falling unconscious. The sight that greeted him once he entered the room made him smile and stifle a laugh. In the center of the guest futon kept in every bedroom, Naruto Uzumaki was being held very tightly by Shino Aburame. Seeing that both were asleep, Noaki walked over to the south-facing window and closed the shutters, encasing the room in darkness. As a healer, it was his right to decide what was best for his patients and for these two, he decided that sleep was the best option for them.