Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto… Otherwise I would have made this happen.
Leadership
Book I, Chapter III: Interlude I
Sunagakure
"Welcome back, Gaara-sama."
"Welcome back."
The red-head child answered his servants' greetings with just a polite nod of his head. Being back in his home felt strange… Especially after what had transpired a few days before. The ninjas who had accompanied him handed his luggage to the maids and then bowed. Gaara knew that they weren't bowing to him. He raised his head and his gaze met his father's one, his older brother and sister beside him.
The Kazekage dismissed the two shinobi with a gesture of his hands. They disappeared in a puff of smoke while Gaara began to walk up the stairs. "Welcome back, Gaara. Was your camp… Entertaining?"
"… Yes." Gaara replied, with a low voice… And then his inner self began to fight. Should he or shouldn't he? Kirabi had told him to say those words to his father, but… He swallowed. "Ah… Uncle Yashamaru and mom say hi."
The Kazekage's eyes widened a little, but he quickly regained his composure, while his other two children just stared at him in confusion while he walked right past them to his room. To the Kazekage those words meant something indeed. They meant that Gaara now knew… Probably everything. Yashamaru had not only failed but he couldn't even die without spilling the beans… He internally cursed. Next time he would send someone more competent.
In his room Gaara had put his teddy on his bed and then opened his window, staring at the village out of it. Those words… He didn't understand completely what they were supposed to mean, but he didn't know why, they had brought a smile to his lips. Now, he was thinking about something else. Back then… If I had had more sand with me, the others wouldn't have had to get hurt defending me… Hmmm… Maybe I should start carrying some sand with me?
He puffed his cheeks while thinking about how to carry around some sand with him… He blinked when he remembered that once he had played by making his sand form shapes and objects. Maybe he could make a container with his sand and then put more sand into them? But what kind of container? It should be something that would limit his movements much… Something that he didn't have to carry around with his hands. Maybe something like a backpack? He massaged his temples. This was going to take some time…
-Breakline-
Kumogakure
"Ahahahah! Now that's what I call training! Maybe we should implement it into the academy!"
"Please do not, brotha! It was hell on heart-a!" Kirabi had just finished narrating about the hellish morning stroll of Roshi, and the Raikage had had a very good reaction, it seemed. At his younger brother's reaction he laughed even louder, unfortunately for his house's structural integrity.
"Ehhh… Let's do this. You knock the rap down a bit and I will not do so." Kirabi crossed his arms and frowned, muttering some kind of agreement under his breath. His older brother patted his head with one of his enormous hands a couple of times. "Eheheh, good boy. Now, Yu…" He turned to the other chair in the room just to find that the girl had already disappeared. He groaned. "That girl has already gone back to her home? Does she like training so much?"
"Nah. I just think that she doesn't like social interaction, bro." The Raikage sighed. The camp didn't have any effect on that, he guessed.
"Alright, alright… Well, let's focus on important things. Your graduation. Want to know about your team-mates and jounin teacher?"
-Breakline-
"Ah!" Yugito threw yet another kick at the training dummy in the middle of the garden. That was probably the quietest place for her, apart the seclusion of her own room. That because no one but the servants of the Raikage's clan and the clan members lived there. And they were the only one who didn't look at her… Like the rest of the village did. "…"
It had been a few days since she last trained seriously, apart the training stroll in the morning… And even if she didn't show it, she had enjoyed it. Being around other people who at least tried to talk to her, taking a bath in the river, basking in the sun… But yet, she didn't even try to make some kind of permanent bond. They all were Jinchuuriki, weapons, each one from a different village… It wasn't impossible than in the future they would fight each other.
Sighing a little she sat on the steps just behind her, taking a towel from her backpack. In doing so something else came out of it and fell on the ground. A book. "… I still had this?" She crouched down and picked up the book that Amaya had given her. She had read just a few pages of it, then quickly dismissed it, since she really wasn't into reading. She opened it at the page she had stopped reading. "Maybe… Just a few pages."
-Breakline-
Kirigakure
"Mizukage-sama. We brought back…"
"Our two containers. I can see it. I'm not blind." The Mizukage said, still not turning around from his position on his chair, facing the wall instead of the people in his room. "So…" He turned his eyes towards the two young Jinchuuriki. "What have you learned?"
Yagura kept his silence, like usually. Utakata usually did the talking for both of them, in front of the leader of Kirigakure.
"The other Jinchuuriki are all going through some kind of training to further exploit their demon's power, with the exception of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. The one from Konohagakure. Uzumaki Naruto." He said.
"Hmm… And I've heard that you've gotten involved in the attempt at the Kazekage's son's life, Yagura." The small Jinchuriki nodded.
"He was roomed with him. It couldn't be helped." Utakata tried to say but he was cut off.
"I wasn't asking you. Is that the only reason why you've gotten involved in that accident?" The leader asked again, his voice a bit harsher. He had heard that everyone else had been made fall asleep to not involve them in the situation. The small boy just gave another nod. The Mizukage frowned. It was incredible how that child was unreadable even to him. "… Whatever. Get them out of my sight. Tomorrow they start training again."
The two Jinchuuriki bowed and then were excused to the door by two older ninjas. Utakata raised an eyebrow when he saw Yagura took a hold of his backpack again. He usually just let other people take care of it, because of the weight. Little did he know that inside the backpack he had a little present from one of his newest presents. A teddy bear.
-Breakline-
Iwagakure
"So? Impressions?" The Tsuchikage asked her soldiers while going through the pictures they had taken of the main subject of their 'surveillance' at the training camp.
"He seems a pretty normal child, if not for the inherent… Traits of being a Jinchuuriki. Isolation, fear, hate… The usual." Roshi said. The woman, leader of her village, nodded in acknowledgment of his words.
"So, he lives alone…" She commented absent-mindendly. She snorted. "Incredible… Being the son of his parents… But then again, his true identity has never been revealed to the public."
"Yes. So… What now?" She sighed and put away the pictures in a folder.
"Patience, Roshi. Patience… My plan will take a few years to realize. He's still a child, after all."
-Breakline-
Takigakure
"AND THEN, AND THEN… I NOTICED HE HAD THE SAME NAME AS THE GUTSY NINJA! ISN'T THAT STRANGE? EH?"
"Yes… It is, Amaya-chan…" The 'Takikage' said, scratching the side of his head. Indeed, a name like Naruto was pretty unusual, if not unheard of, but for the girl to get so worked up over it… It was probably because she noticed just on the last day. "Ehm… Why don't you go play with Shibuki?"
"Hmmm… Alright." The girl said with a pout, understanding that her speech had bored the leader of Takigakure maybe a tad little more than usual. But she had just repeated it four times… The man sighed, slumping in his chair, while his wife put a hand on his right shoulder.
"I suppose she just was engrossed in that book all the time yet again…" The woman said.
"Yes, but… It seems that now she has something to look forward to for the next year." He said, chuckling at how his son was the next victim of the 'how a boy I know has the same name as the gutsy ninja'. "I bet that next time she will be more… 'Active'. Also, she said that she has given her spare copy to another girl. Maybe…" Unknown to them, Nii Yugito was already through a quarter of the book.
-Breakline-
Konohagakure
"Why? I want my sword!"
"Naruto, will you please shut up one moment and listen?" The Sandaime felt an headache coming his way. He massaged his temples. After Naruto had told him everything about the training camp, including how the Raikage's younger brother had gifted him with one of his swords, he had taken said weapon away. Naruto pouted and crossed his arms over his small chest, ending his rant. "Good. Now, Naruto, you must understand a couple of things. First, learning Kenjutsu is probably one of the most difficult things existent. It takes years."
"… And so?" Naruto said.
"No one starts by using a real sword. Inexperienced people just hurt themselves, sometimes irreversibly. Would you like injuring yourself to that extent?" Naruto understood that 'irreversibly' meant a lot, he guessed. So he shook his head. "Good. So, till you're of a suitable age and ability where you can use a real sword…" The Hokage snapped his fingers and his secretary came in, holding something in a scabbard. Naruto perked up when the woman handed him the object. It was a wooden sword.
"This is a so-called bokken, a training sword. It's made to represent your real sword as closely as possible, minus the weight, since you're just six years old." Naruto observed it with curiosity. Indeed, it felt as heavy as the sword Kirabi had given him. "Also, the sword was heavily damaged. It needs repairs. So, here's a deal, Naruto. I'll give your sword, fully repaired, back to you, once you learn how to use it. How does it sound?"
"Hmmm…" Naruto pouted a little, but nodded nonetheless and put the bokken back into its scabbard. "Jii-san, can anyone teach me?"
"Yes, indeed. But it will have to wait till you enter the academy. Without the basics, you can't learn anything more complex, Naruto. For now, I suggest that you focus on some basics exercises. I can show you those myself." The blonde pouted a little bit and then suddenly lightened up. He had almost forgotten about it.
"Right! The academy! When do I begin?"
-Breakline-
September, 13th
"Everyone, congratulations on entering. From this day forth, please work hard to follow the shinobi way."
Naruto was standing alone in a crowd, as incredible that could sound. An oxymoron. But there was a fundamental difference in that moment. In another situation, he would have been depressed by the fact that everyone was with one of their parents. And even if it still was like that, a little, the most pressing thing on his mind was the fact that that morning another letter from Gaara had arrived, and that he wanted to go into the classroom as soon as possible and open it.
After the speech from the Hokage had ended, Naruto had followed the teacher and his other companions into the classroom. While most of the other children started talking to each other, he immediately sat somewhere near the end of the classroom and opened the letter. They had been sending a letter a week ever since the camp ended.
Dear Naruto
Thanks for the pic of Konoha you sent me last time. It really is a nice place, with all those trees. And it was funny how the faces of your Kages were sculpted into the mountain. We just have statues. I sent you a pic of it. I'm in it along with my brother and my sister.
How are you doing with your training? Are you now able to swing around the training sword or is it still too heavy? Me, I finally found a way to carry my sand around. I've made it into a gourd that I carry on my back and that I fill with other sand. But it's so heavy… I will have to get used to it. And also, I will have to better control the sand to make a better shape. Hope to see you soon too.
Gaara
"Hmmm, the photo, the photo… Ah! Here!" Naruto searched for the envelope and found what he was looking for. It was a pic of Gaara and two other people standing in front of four big statues. Gaara was in the middle, smiling. He noticed that the 'tattoo' was now black. To his sides, but a bit far from him were a girl with long blonde hair tied in four tails and a boy with dark brown hair. He pouted for him. Even his brother and sister were afraid of him… He put picture and letter back in the envelope and placed them in his backpack, near his feet. He would write him back once he went back home.
He then began to look around. There were a few children that he had seen before. Like the chubby one who kept on eating snacks. A few seats down he could see a couple of kids talking between them. He focused and he could hear that they were talking about yet another kid. 'That's an Uchiha, right? He must be awesome…' and things like that. He looked at who they were looking at too. It was a kid with very dark hair, with something like a fan drawn on the back of his shirt, in red and white.
"Hmmm…" What's an Uchiha? Naruto thought, scratching the underside of his chin. He would have to ask Jii-san, next time he heard. Suddenly, the door opened. The teacher was coming in. Naruto swallowed. He was nervous… But it was time to pay attention. He had to get stronger, right? People became ninja in there. So he needed to be a good student so he could become a good ninja.
-Breakline-
"You've done good, children." Iruka said. Well, not really. But after all it was just the first day. Apart a few others, the majority of the students who had just finished running in the courtyard were exhausted. And even those few were breathing and sweating heavily.
"Uh? That's all?" Everyone but… Him. He turned around only to find out that one of the kids, the one who he had had an immediate dislike for from the first moment he had seen him for obvious reasons, wasn't even panting. He was just sweating, and not even heavily.
"Yes, that's all… Naruto. Why do you ask?" The child's name came out of his mouth with a lot of effort. Naruto just scratched the back of his head.
"Well… No, I usually do something a lot more… Sweaty." He said. Iruka crossed his arms over his chest, his face in a little frown. Naruto winched. Maybe he had told something bad? "Ah! B-But the guy who told me to do this is a sadistic old man! S-So, nevermind!"
"Well, why don't you show us, Naruto? What do you usually do?" Iruka said, a bit harsh. Naruto dropped his head. The first day and he had already made people angry?
"Well… First, I do five minutes of running like we did right now. Then… Ehm…" Naruto didn't know how to explain the next thing. "Then I keep on running for half an hour, but… I do it zig-zag between the trees."
"Zig-Zag." Iruka stated. Naruto scratched his right cheek.
"Yes… Like… Hmmm… Ah! You two, come here!" Naruto ran to the other students and suddenly dragged with him the chubby boy and the other who had fallen asleep on the ground. He then put them a few meters from each other. He then started to run from one another, circling around them with sharp turns to change directions. "Like this. Usually I did it in a forest, but… Since I can't go alone in the forest, I now do it like this."
Iruka raised an eyebrow at that. That was an exercise of the advanced type. Even if it didn't look much to an amateur, running like that put strain on your legs. It was an exercise that focus on making your legs more… Springy. "I see. That's all?"
"Ehm, no. Then…" Naruto stopped and then began to look around. He saw a big ball. One of the heavy ones. He crouched down and picked it up. "Then, I go for an hour… Holding this ball in my hands and hopping." He demonstrated, hopping with the ball in his hand forward, earning a few laughs from his peers. He blushed. Iruka's eyes widened. "Ehm… Usually, though, I carry a rock, heavier than this ball."
Iruka was shocked. An almost six years old doing that kind of exercise? It was unorthodox, but he could see what it meant. It took an enormous amount of strain and effort doing that. Hopping while holding that kind of weight in his hands… "That's enough, Naruto." Naruto dropped the ball, still blushing a little. "That's a heavy exercise, Naruto. Try not to overdo it, alright?"
"Ehm… Alright." Naruto said, noticing that the teacher wasn't really angry anymore. He looked more like… Annoyed. It was a step forward.
-Breakline-
Four Months Later
"Break time!" Naruto said, stretching. He always felt annoyed. Writing things down wasn't exactly what he liked to do best. The first days his wrists hurt after writing so much, but by now he was used to it. He guessed it was also because of the training with the sword. The Hokage had told him that real study of the Kenjutsu would begin just in his second year of the academy, since he still wasn't strong enough to swing a real sword around efficiently. So, for now, he was training his posture and how to hold and swing it correctly.
Also, the Hokage had told him that the sword that his friend had given him was particular, as in, it was bladed on both sides and lighter than the standard katana. It was probably made so that one could switch from using it with one hand to two hands and in a lot of ways. So, he trained swinging it from various angles holding it in various ways. But all in front of him, for the moment.
"Hmm… It's still snowing." Naruto said, looking outside of his window… He then checked his backpack again, to be sure that 'that thing' was still in the backpack, and for once it wasn't his bokken. It was a small package with a ribbon that he had to send that afternoon. It was a gift for Gaara's birthday, that was coming in a few days. He grinned, holding around his neck the gift that the redhead had sent him himself. A orange scarf. How he had gotten a scarf in the desert, he didn't know. "I bet he will love it."
"Ah! Leave me alone, Ami!" His ears suddenly perked and he narrowed his eyes. He had not made many friendships… Scratch that. None at all. First he was pretty eager to do it, but it seemed like exchanging letters with Gaara had supplied to all his missing affection. But even if he hadn't made many friendship, there were a few children who he disliked. One of those was a girl with purple, bluish hair.
Her name was Ami, and the most he had seen her do till now was bullying other children. The first two months she was just pretty silent and grumpy, but then she had suddenly discovered that she was pretty smarter, stronger and slightly more intimidating than most children her age. From that day on, she had taken an habit of bullying other people. Naruto didn't like that at all.
She didn't get more than one chance with him because he didn't stay in class much. When they ate, he ate away from her and the other children. When there was break time, he went to a secluded angle of the courtyard and practiced with his bokken. Not that she had much to bully him about… Well, that only chance she had almost ripped off his cheeks along with his whiskers. So, those ones, he guessed…
-Breakline-
"Damn, it's colder than usual, today." Naruto said, breathing into his hands, trying to warm them. It was late afternoon, and snow was slightly falling down. The postal office was almost closing, so he had to hurry if he wanted to send the package. It took the thing three days to arrive to the sand village, but he wanted it to arrive a bit earlier. "I just hope they aren't mean to me like the others…"
After getting to know about his 'secret', Naruto's attitude towards the majority of the village had changed slightly. Previously he just was sad and he was certain he could have started to become really angry at them, but now that he knew just why they looked at him like that… He just thought of them as stupid poop-heads. He was angry at them, but not very angry. It wasn't all their fault, after all. Gaara said so too.
"I just hope that it doesn't start snowing even heavier… Uh?" Naruto had stopped walking towards the post office, his backpack stopping his swaying because of it being strapped over just one shoulder. He had noticed something. That being someone he knew sitting alone in the middle of the playgrounds. "… What is she doing?"
Naruto silently came a bit closer to the playground. It just didn't make sense to him. She was alone without her two usual friends who helped her bully other people, and at that hour. Late afternoon during winter meant complete darkness. Just the light of the playground lightened her figure. Ami was sitting alone on top of a swing. Naruto noticed that her face was sad. And she had been crying, it seemed. "They don't care…"
Naruto had always been curious about something. Mainly, just why Ami liked to bully other people that much. That day he discovered a lot about it. The more he came closer, the more evident it became a couple of bruises on her face and on her legs. Also, he saw that she had made a drawing in the snow with a stick. A birthday cake. Naruto didn't show it much, or maybe he was smart just when faced with certain things. In that case, his little mind connected all the dots perfectly, just as he was near enough for her to hear his footsteps. But he talked before she did. "They bully you too?"
"Wha…" Her head shot to the side hearing that voice and recognizing one of her classmates. She narrowed her eyes at him. "W-What are you doing here?"
"They bully you too, right? Your brothers, I think… I think I saw some older boys picking you up at school, once." He continued, not fazed by her usual angry face.
Ami just gritted her teeth and turned around, not wanting to face him.
"And… They forgot your birthday?" He said.
"No. They knew. They just didn't care. Not even mom or dad." She hiccupped, biting on her lower lips. She didn't want to cry in front of other people. Naruto pouted a little. She had hurt him a lot and she had hurt the other students too. But… He sighed. He just couldn't help it. He set his backpack on the ground and opened it. Ami suddenly turned around, hearing him rustle. He picked out of the backpack a big package enveloped in colored paper. Pink with gold stars, with a red ribbon. He handed it to her, earning a clear face of surprise from the girl.
"Happy birthday." He simply said. The girl stared at him like he had grown a second head. He just pushed the package further in her face. "Come on, I can't hold it like this all day."
"… For me?" Naruto nodded, still pouting. Now he had to go and buy another. The girl slowly picked the package from Naruto's hands… The proceeded to open it up in a hurry, sending paper flying in all directions. Under the coloured paper she found a teddy bear, still in its transparent box. She stared at the toy almost in awe. Then she lowered her head, looking at the ground. "…"
"What is it? You don't like it?" He said, suddenly concerned.
"No, it's that… My brothers break all my toys." She replied, sad. His mouth let out a 'Oh'.
"Then… Do you want me to keep it? When you want to play with it, you can come to my house. I live alone, so…" He said. Ami turned to him and thought about it… And then she nodded. She then opened the package and picked out the teddy bear. Naruto pouted even more. Now he had to buy another teddy.
"Ehm… What's your name?" Naruto almost fell to the ground. She had almost ripped his face off and she didn't remember his name? Well, he wasn't that noticeable, in class…
"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." He said, sitting on the other empty swing. Ami nodded and hugged the teddy to her chest, a small smile coming to her face.
"Thank you…" She said. Naruto just nodded… And then started asking himself why he had just given Gaara's gift to someone who had been so bad to him and other people. It didn't make sense, right?
-Breakline-
Three months later
His eyes were focused on the object that was taking shape in front of him. He had made a lot of practice with his powers. With his sand. Gaara had found out that while full shapes were basically just a matter of time, shapes that had space inside them were a bit more difficult. For example, now he was trying to make his sand take the shape of a cage with a good enough number of bars. "Hmmm…"
The amount of focus he had to put into the thing was incredible, and the time it took… But he had found out that once he formed a shape for the first time with much effort, it took him from little to no time to do it in a matter of seconds. It was just a matter of practice, it seemed. "Two… Sides…" He had managed to build two sides of the cage, complete with bars. Just two more sides and the upper part to close it. The bars were slowly creating themselves out of running sand. "One… More… Side…"
"Gaara." The redhead let out a small yelp and the cage of sand turned back to a mini-sized dune at his feet. Gaara turned around with a small frown, meeting his sister, who flinched a bit at his gaze. He realized he had been scaring her.
"Sorry, I didn't want to scare you… I just… I mean…" Gaara pouted. "I was really focused…"
"Ah… Sorry…" The little girl said, still a bit uneasy, even if Gaara had turned to sad, from slightly angry. "It's just…" She held out her right hand and arm, showing to Gaara an enveloped. The redhead got back on his feet and basically ran to Temari, grabbing the envelope in a hurry.
"A letter from Naruto!" This was one of the first tricks he had learned. He used his sand to basically get taller, putting more and more under his feet. In a flash, he got to Temari's height and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks, nee-chan!" He then ran past her and up the stairs to his room, leaving a surprised Temari behind. It was the first time that Gaara ever managed to display affection towards her without the sand interfering. He really had become better at controlling it?
-Breakline-
"Hmm…" Naruto was another child currently focusing on something. After much time, he had finally learned enough for his sword-swings to do some actual damage… Well, in theory. Since he was still training with a bokken, it wasn't like he could dent the training dummy that had been provided to him, being it made of hay and such. Immune to any bludgeoning damage. "Man, I want my sword…" Suddenly, someone knocked on his door. He got up from the floor and approached it. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Naruto." He recognized the voice and opened the door, letting the violet-haired girl inside and closing the door right behind her. He turned around to discover she was already gone, like usual. Like he had proposed, he basically kept in his house all her toys, and she would from time to time to play with them. She had already shot into his room and picked out her teddy bear, hugging it to death. "I missed you, teddy!"
"You're going to break him, if you keep on hugging him that tight every single time." She just replied by sticking out her tongue at him. He sticked his own one back.
"So, wanna play with me?" She asked, turning to him. Naruto shook his head.
"Sorry, Ami-chan. I have to finish training." The girl pouted. Naruto was fun to play with, but most of the times she came to his house he couldn't play with her because he spent most of the time making homework and then training with that wooden sword of his. Naruto noticed her look and scratched the back of his head. "Ehm… Sorry?"
"You always train, train, train, train… Do you ever play?" She said, turning her head to the side while still pouting. Naruto winced at that.
"Ehm…" He scratched the back of his head. "Now that I think about it… No."
"You're boring." Naruto blinked. He… Boring? It was the first time in all his life that someone had ever used that adjective for himself. Thinking about it, though… He guessed that he trained maybe too much. He was a kid, and kids were supposed to play, right? He was only supposed to do the academy's homework and he would be alright. He didn't need to do old man's Roshi course every morning… Or train with his bokken…
"… Sorry, Ami-chan. But I have to train because… Ehm…" Naruto pushed out his lips, trying to think how to explain his situation when he himself didn't know the specific reason for his perseverance in training. He sat down cross-legged. "I don't know… I mean, I told you about that… Training camp I went to last summer, right?"
"Yes, you did. So?" Ami replied, still not looking at him directly.
"Well… We got into some trouble. A bad guy tried to hurt us." That got Ami's attention. She turned to Naruto still hugging her teddy. Naruto scratched the back of his head. "In the end, we managed to get rid of him and got away unhurt… Mostly. But, the fact is, I was the only one who couldn't do anything to defend ourselves."
"… Really?" Ami said. Naruto nodded.
"Yes… I mean, these people I met… They're my first friends. And so… I don't want to be not as strong as they already are. I don't know why, but…" Naruto scratched further, like it could drop some more words onto his tongue. He pouted as well. "Meeeh, it's difficult… It's like, I feel I can't stay their friend if I don't get strong enough."
Ami stared at the blonde for a little while, thinking about his words… She remembered her older sister saying something similar, once. "Hmm… I think I… Kind of understand that…"
"Ah, really? Because I don't really understand it myself…" Naruto laughed right after saying those few words, while Ami thought about something… Maybe she needed to be strong too, to stay near Naruto? After all, she too couldn't do anything against some things that hurt her… Also, Naruto wanted to become strong. Maybe he liked strong people, then? Maybe he would not want to be her friend anymore if she didn't become strong too… She suddenly frowned. Would she have to ask her?
-Breakline-
"Then I'll be going, mother."
"Yes. Be well, daughter." The teenager closed the front door behind her and let out a sigh. She had hoped to find her younger sister at home. That was the only reason she even came back to that home at all. She had always felt guilty about going away and leaving her behind in that hell of a home, but… She just couldn't bear her parents and younger brothers anymore. They were just…
"Nee-chan…" She blinked. So focused she had been in thinking and walking that she hadn't noticed someone walking towards her. She raised her eyes upon hearing that familiar voice. She found her younger sister right in front of her. The usual look on her face. A bit sour, and she wasn't looking at her at all. "Good evening…"
"Ah! Ami!" The teenager approached her younger sister and kneeled down to her eye-level, putting her hands on her small shoulders. "You were out playing? I almost missed you…"
"… Ehm…" The older girl blinked, surprised. Ever since she went away from home her little sister had always showed nothing but contempt and resentment towards her. But now, she looked… Uneasy. "Nee-chan, I…"
"What is it, Ami? Something wrong? I heard you entered the academy, right? Something wrong with that?" The older woman said. Ami bit her lower lip. She really didn't want to ask a favor to her, but…
"Something like that…" Ami said. The little girl decided to just say it. "Nee-chan, you're… A strong ninja, right?"
"Uh?" That was a question that seriously surprised her. Of course she was a strong ninja. She was a chunin about to take the Anbu exam. But what was it to her? "Well, yes… Why do you ask?"
Ami swallowed. Asking her that would mean spending time with her, and she really didn't want that… But, she didn't want to take the risk of losing Naruto as a friend. She raised her head, her eyes showing determination. "Yuugao-neechan, can you help me become a strong ninja?"
"Eh?" The purple-haired teenager blinked. That was a really sudden question… But she smiled. Maybe it was just a way to spend some time with her older sister. She held back a sigh of relief. She was starting to suspect that she hated her. "Of course, Ami. I can."
-Breakline-
"Hokage-sama…"
"Iruka. What a surprise. You rarely visit me in my offices." The Sandaime said, pleasantly surprised. Indeed, Iruka never visited him when he was in his office. He preferred more informal places. Sarutobi put away the folder he was going through and welcomed the tanned man with a smile. "How goes your work at the Academy?"
"Very good, Hokage-sama." Iruka really had been enjoying himself. He had always dreamed of being a teacher, and this first year had been going incredibly good. He had had some doubts at the beginning because of a… Certain student, but… "Actually, I'm here to talk about… One of my students."
The Hokage's smile faltered a bit, but not much. Probably because Iruka didn't have the face he thought he would have. "Young Naruto, right?" Iruka nodded in reply. "How is he doing?"
"Very good. Almost perfect, I must say." Iruka continued, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "For a first year student, it's amazing. He's acing all his exams in all his subjects. In his classroom, only the Uchiha kid has the same grades. Of course, from the second year onward we will introduce chakra control exercises and that another story altogether… But he seems like a very promising student."
"I'm happy to hear that." Sarutobi said, nodding. Frankly, he believed that Naruto was eventually going to take the same road Iruka once took himself. Being the class joker to get the class' attention. But it seemed that the 'training camp' had had a good effect if he had realized he didn't need to do it. "Anything else?"
"Well… Nothing troublesome, but… There's something bugging me." Iruka said, scratching the back of his head. The Sandaime nodded to him, authorizing for him to talk. "Well, how can I say… It's about Naruto's physical activities. The exercises in P.E…."
"Hmm… Maybe they're too hard?" Iruka shook his head vehementely.
"The total opposite, Hokage-sama. They seem never enough for him." The teacher replied truthfully. "I mean… I still remember the first day of academy. All his peers were exhausted from the exercise they had just went through, while he wasn't even winded. After that, he showed me a routine he does every morning…"
Sarutobi understood where Iruka was going with his words.
"I mean, apart his absurdly enormous stamina, just who has thought him that exercise? It's absurdly heavy, and it has some good thought behind it… Is someone training Naruto?"
"Hmmm… No, not currently. No one is training Naruto outside of the academy apart himself. But…" Sarutobi took out his pipe and some tobacco out of one of his drawers, lighting it quickly with his chakra. "I bet that Naruto has mentioned something about a… Training camp, right?"
"Yes… He mentioned this a couple of times to one of his friends…" The class bully, Ami… Well, not so much anymore. Her bullying had toned down quite a bit ever since she befriended Naruto… Now that he thought about it, she was the only person Naruto had befriended. He didn't try to relate to his other peers at all, totally engrossed in his studying… And the letters he exchanged with someone on a weekly basis.
"Naruto learn that exercise from one of the… Caretakers of the camp. That's all. The caretaker is an experienced ninja. Is that a sufficient explanation?" Sarutobi said, puffing some smoke from his mouth right after.
"A… Training camp… But what kind of training camp? And why did he join it before even joining the academy?" Iruka asked, wanting to know the specifics. The Sandaime sighed, expecting such a question.
"I'm sorry but I can't share those details, Iruka. They're a matter of security… As much as Naruto's situation is." Iruka was surprised by that. Something that had to be kept that secret? He immediately understood that he wasn't going to get anything else out of the fire shadow. But he still couldn't help but wonder…
-Breakline-
June the 13th
"Aaaaah! Finally over!" Naruto screamed in joy as Iruka had just announced that school was over and vacation was due. Naruto extremely cherished vacations because of all the effort he put into studying. No academy meant that he had more time for himself other than the daily training he put himself through.
"Naruto!" The blonde turned around with a grin. He guessed that Ami would be even more excited than him. The girl had started some personal training too, she had told him. She had asked her sister to train her and had moved out of her home thanks to that. He had been a bit surprised because she had told him time and time again that he resented her sister. But now they seemed to be getting along day by day better with one another. They had even invited him to dinner a few times. "We have three months of vacation, now! You can say no anymore!"
"Eheheh… I guess I can't." The blonde boy said, rubbing the underside of his nose. No escape this time. "Apart from that couple of weeks, you know…"
"Ah, right, right." Ami said, nodding in acknowledgement. He had told her about the training camp and that it was always held in summer. But she wasn't that bothered. Two weeks out of three months were still great in her book.
-Breakline-
Sunagakure
"Where will the camp be held this summer, father?" Gaara asked to his father while trying on his newest clothes in front of a mirror. He had decided to drop the overgrown cloth for a black t-shirt to wear over his pants. The thing was always in the way of his gourd.
"Kumogakure has the honor of having you and the other Jinchuuriki for guests, this year." The Yondaime Kazekage replied, observing as Gaara then put on the gourd to observe how it looked with the new clothes. The man had grown more worried by the day. Now that Gaara knew about his mother… And his plans for him… Getting rid of him was an even more pressing matter. Not because of his lack of control, that seemed to have taken a turn for the better in that last year. Gaara had not incidentally hurt anyone again ever since he came back. But because of the secrets he now knew… How would he act upon them once he reached a certain age? A certain level of power?
"Ah. Then maybe we will be able to see Kirabi-san again." Gaara said, while observing his reflection in the mirror. The gourd looked okay with the new clothes, he guessed. The sash of the thing was of a dark green colour.
The Kazekage kept on observing his son. Ever since that day and the 'greetings from the grave' he had fatigued in reading the redhead. He had tried to have him assassinated once more, but it had ended in failure as well. Also there had been the big problem that Gaara had not killed him. If someone had discovered him… He had to dispose of the person and the body himself. Gaara wasn't becoming only stronger. He was becoming more cunning as well. Did he really force him to grow up ahead of time?
"Alright. When do I depart, father?" Gaara said, turning around to look at the Kazekage with an emotionless expression on his face.
"… The camp starts on the 15th of July. But to reach Kumogakure in time you will have to depart three days earlier. So, the 12th of July."
"Understood. Now please excuse me, father." Gaara bowed a little, picked up his teddy with his sand and then walked out of the room, leaving the wind shadow alone with his thoughts…
-Breakline-
Takigakure
"Lesse… Clothes, a copy of the gutsy ninja, my swimming suit…"
"Checking the backpack yet again, Amaya?" The leader of Taki asked his little protégé, who just nodded frantically at him.
"Yes! I don't want to risk to have to go back because I forgot something!" She said, checking her backpack yet again. The man rolled his eyes.
"But you do realize that there are still three weeks before the day of the departure, right?"
"Well… Better safe than sorry!" Amaya retorted, renewing her efforts at double speed, earning a booming round of laughter from the Takikage. He approached the girl and put a hand on her head. Amaya immediately settled down at that, blushing a bit. "Sorry… It's just…"
"It's just that you want to be sure to spend the most time you can with that boy, right?" Amaya just nodded shyly. "Eheheh… The first crush…"
"But it's not that! I mean, he… He's… He's the gutsy ninja!" She replied, her eyes wide. The man just smirked. "And didn't you have a crush on the gutsy ninja ever since you first read the book?" Amaya opened her mouth to retort… And then just began to smoke out of embarrassment. The man laughed some more and patted her on top of her head once more before going on his merry way, leaving behind a pretty confused Jinchuuriki.
-Breakline-
Kirigakure
"So… We're going to Kumogakure, this year. What do you think, Yagura?" Utakata said to his younger 'colleague' while he practiced blowing pink bubbles with his pipe. The small child just kept on observing a big plant that was now in front of him. The older Jinchuuriki chuckled.
"Yes, be like that. I know that you want to see Naruto and Gaara again."
"… Maybe." The child said. In the past year Yagura had started saying more and more words, even if the occasions in which he opened his mouth were still just a few.
"This time try and remember to give them our address… Even if I doubt their letters will ever get through."
"… Yes." The silver-haired child nodded, a bit sad now because of what he had been reminded of. The Mizukage allowing them to receive letters from other Jinchuuriki. Yeah right. When hell froze over.
-Breakline-
Kumogakure
She was focused on the task at hand only… And she hoped to god that this time nothing kept her from succeeding. It seemed like the gods themselves were conjuring against herself to complete that task. Well, it was also partly her fault, because of the secrecy with which she had treated the matter at hand. No one was to know of it. But it was frustrating, having so few steps missing and yet…
"Nii-sama. I've brought your breakfast." She held back a curse as she immediately put the book away under her cushion and the maid found a strange sight. An eleven years old girl doing push ups on her bed. "Ehm… As active as ever, I see."
"Y-Yes. Please leave the tray on the table." Internally she was cursing herself. Not for her carelessness but because of letting herself having been engrossed that much in such a stupid thing. A book. With a title like 'The gutsy ninja'.
-Breakline-
Iwagakure
"… Are you sure about this, Tsuchikage-sama?"
"I am." The woman said, placing the envelope in the hands of the eldest of the two Jinchuurikis currently in front of them. Roshi picked it up slowly and passed it to Jouki, who proceeded to go through its contents as well. "Thanks to last year's incident we've been able to collect a sample of the young one's blood… And now that the test have confirmed our suspicions… Well, it's time to move this forward."
Jouki stared at the content of the envelope with wide eyes. This kind of information… Were they really going to…
"But remember." The Tsuchikage said, crossing her fingers with each other in front of her covered face. "The offer has to be made on the last day of the camp. Understood? Right before he goes home."
"… Yes, Tsuchikage-sama." Roshi bowed and engraved the order in his mind. It was going to be done.
-Breakline-
July the 12th, Konohagakure
"This year, I've decided to assign the guard duty to you too. This year, differently from the last one, the camp will be held in… Foreign territory." Sarutobi said, eyeing the two Anbu standing in front of him. "I've decided to assign this mission to you two because of your particular… Abilities… Owl-san. Crow-san." The Sandaime joked with the coded names of the two. He didn't know himself why, but he found them amusing.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. We understand." The older of the two, hiding behind a owl's mask said, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The other one stayed behind. This other Anbu, hiding behind a crow mask, was positively younger. He looked to be around 12, max 13 years old. And his long raven hair went good with his codename.
"… Hokage-sama?" The young ninja said, earning a smile from the fire shadow.
"I believe you stayed behind because you wanted to ask me something, Itachi-kun?" The young one took the mention of his real name as a permission to remove his mask.
"… Why did you assign me on this mission, considering my… Situation?" Sarutobi knew it would be about that. It was incredible how this boy was so dutiful even considering his personality… And just what had been asked of him.
"Because I think you need a break from it, Itachi-kun. Being a double-agent in your own family can be pretty… Draining. And I'm not talking about free time." Sarutobi said, earning the lowering of Itachi's gaze to the floor. The strongest 13 years old in the village, but still a kid. "Also, for two other reasons. First, this mission will give you enough 'credit' to undergo the exam to become an Anbu captain. Second… Because I firmly believe that you're perfectly suited for this mission."
Itachi was unusually sharp for most kids of his age and even for most adults, but with the Sandaime there still was no chance at all for him. He couldn't get the meaning behind that last part of the speech. "What do you mean, Hokage-sama?"
"This 'training camp' and everything that will happen in it will weight heavily on the balance between the major countries. It's supposed to strengthen our bonds, but… Who knows what could happen. Last year we had someone who tried to assassinate the Kazekage's son." Sarutobi let Itachi think about his words for a few seconds before smiling at him and continuing. "So, for such a delicate mission, who is better suited but someone who loves peace and his village as much as you do, Itachi-kun?"
Itachi's eyes widened slightly at that. He then allowed himself a little smile. Sarutobi Hizuren really was kind. Maybe too kind, considering his position. He had assigned him to that mission so that he could do something important for his village without having mixed feelings like it was happening so often because of his permanent mission as a double agent in his family.
-Breakline-
July the 12th
"Alright. You sure you didn't forget anything, Naruto?"
"I checked four times! I'm ready to go, jii-san!" Naruto said, grinning. In an year, Naruto hadn't changed much. He had gained a few centimeters of height, but that was that. The most blatant change were his clothes. It seemed like a love for black had joined his love for orange, that year. His sandals and t-shirt were black. Orange were his pants and the spiral motive on the front of his shirt.
"Good, good. Now, this year, you will have to travel. The camp this year takes place in Kumogakure." Naruto blinked and rubbed his chin, squinting his eyes.
"Hmmm… Kumo… Ah! Kirabi-nii-san's home! Then…" Naruto suddenly saddened. Right, Kirabi wouldn't be at the camp anymore. Too bad.
"Well, your guards and travelling companions for this year are Owl-san and Crow-san." Naruto blinked when two armor-clad, masked figures appeared in front of him. One was much taller than the other, so much that… He could understand that the shortest one was probably the same age of Kirabi. Not that much older than him, then. But he knew something. He had seen those armored ninjas before, and they were supposed to be super-strong, super-badass ninjas. So young and he already was a super-strong, super-badass ninja? "They will protect you and accompany you. Try to get along."
"B-But…" The shock about one of his guards' age currently left space to a more childish and simple thought. "But… Are they going to travel three days in those clothes? It looks uncomfortable…"
"Indeed, but do not worry. It's just a henge." The oldest of the two replied, before releasing his transformation along with his younger counterpart. They both were wearing the same, standard attire for leaf jounins. "You can call me Yamato, Naruto. It's nice to meet you."
"… Itachi." Naruto 'ooooh'-ed in awe.
"Henge… I heard the teachers said that we would study that the next year after we learn chakra manipulation." Naruto nodded to himself, a bit proud that his memory was that good and that he had been so attentive to the point of being able to hear things that two teachers said to each other during a break.
"Yes, Naruto. Now, I think it's time. You don't want to be late, right?" Naruto shook his head.
"No, I don't, jii-san. But I'm waiting for…"
"Naruto!"
"Someone." Naruto rolled his eyes and turned around with a grin to see a running Ami approach him from afar. When she stopped right in front of him she was a panting mess, using her own legs as support, her hands on her knees. "Nee, Ami-chan. Woke up late?"
"Your… Fault… W-Who wakes at five of clock?" Everyone who wasn't seven or almost seven years old rolled their eyes. Yes, even Itachi. If only they did know. Naruto just shrugged.
"Don't ask me." He kept his grin on his face while Ami seemed to regain enough breath to stand on her own. "So… I'll see you in a couple of weeks."
"Yes… Have fun and… Bring me something?" Naruto chuckled and nodded, even if he really didn't know what he could find to bring her if it was anything like the camp in Konoha. Ami was shifting her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, looking in doubt about something.
"Hmmm…" She bit her lower lip and blushed a little. "Aaaah…" She slowly leaned forward and opened her arms, slowly enveloping Naruto in a hug. The blonde blinked. It was the first time Ami displayed her affection to him in such a physical way. He then smiled and hugged her back. "If you tell anyone, I'll kill you."
"I bet that if it wasn't so early in the morning you would have never done it." Ami blushed a little at that. Somehow, she doubted that. She felt this strong urge of hugging him after thinking that it would be the first time since she knew him that they would be away from each other for such a long period of time. She broke the embrace and nodded, though.
"Well, alright! See ya, Ami-chan!" Naruto turned around and began to walk towards the front gate, followed suit by Yamato and Itachi. Strangely, Itachi's backpack was the only one that didn't bounce even slightly on his back, the Hokage noticed. He sighed. Uchiha indeed.
-Breakline-
July the 13th
"So… Itachi… You're one of those armor-wearing ninjas too, right?" Naruto had been trying to initiate some kind of conversation with Itachi he didn't know how many times on that day and a half of travel, but the boy had always replied with monosyllabic words or few ones and often dismissed it with 'I need to watch the road' or something like that. Not literally, that was just Naruto's childish mind translating.
After lunch on the second day, though, they had stopped. They had been sitting in the middle of a clearing for half an hour already. The Uchiha couldn't use that excuse anymore. "Yes. I'm a member of Anbu."
"Ahhh, that's what they're called…" They didn't teach about supposedly secret teams of special shinobi operatives during the first year of Academy, after all. "Then, you're a super-strong, super-badass ninja, right?"
"… Yes. I'm strong." Itachi simply replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. But he allowed a smile to grace his lips. The kid was as annoying as his younger brother, it seemed. Even if their similarities stopped there… Then, he remembered that his younger brother had told him that there was just one kid who had his same grades in the academy, and that had blonde hair. He connected the dots quickly.
"But… You're not that much older than me, right? You're… 12, right?" Itachi smiled and nodded. He had asked such a question… How come you're that strong? He often asked himself that as well.
"Well, yes. That's because I always trained very hard… But, I guess I have to admit that I was lucky to be born with a… Set of skills and natural affinities that eased my growth in power." Naruto blinked at that. He didn't have that much of a vocabulary yet. Itachi noticed this and sighed. He had almost forgot that he wasn't talking to Sasuke.
"I didn't get it…" The blonde replied truthfully.
"Well… To become a powerful ninja, you have to train hard. That's a given. Follow me so far?" Naruto nodded. Itachi mimicked the gesture. "Good. Now, you must understand that each person is born with a certain set of… Abilities that make some things easier for them, and some things more difficult as well. I was lucky enough to be born so that a lot of things come easy to me."
"Ahh… Like, you were born strong?" Itachi shook his head.
"No. We can say I was born to be strong." The Uchiha put emphasis on the 'to be' words, while putting his hand into his belt pouch. "As I said, to become strong you have to train hard. If you have abilities but you don't learn to use them, they are useless." Naruto nodded in understanding. His mind translated as: no matter if you know how to do something or you can do it something better, if you don't actually do it better. "Pocky?"
Naruto stared at the two sticks covered in chocolate that had been offered to him. He grinned and whispered 'Thanks' before taking one. The two munched in relative silence for a few minutes before something else occurred to Naruto. They weren't travelling anymore. "Hey, Itachi! Why did we stop here, by the way?"
"We have an appointment. We arranged so that we would meet with the delegation from Suna and continue travelling together." Naruto was confused for just a second. It seemed that when it came to his friends Naruto break the fourth wall and added new words to his mind to comprehend people's speeches.
"Suna? You mean…"
"Naruto!" The blonde turned around and cerulean meet teal. His mouth opened and his eyes widened in surprise, then there was just place for a huge grin. He ran towards his target who was mimicking his actions, and they hugged each other maybe a bit too harshly, but they didn't mind. After all that's understandable, when you see your best friend again after almost an year of not seeing each other. "Naruto!"
"Gaara! You're here!" Naruto actually felt some moisture gathering in the corner of his eyes while the two Suna shinobi acknowledged the Konoha's ones with a nod. The two Jinchuuriki hugged each other fiercely for what seemed like an eternity before Naruto broke it. "Wow! Look at you! You've gotten taller!"
"You too! Ah, look!" Gaara turned around and showed Naruto his gourd. The blonde 'wow'-ed in admiration. It had another shape, compared to the photo the redhead had sent him. It was more… Round. Like two balls one on top of the other. "See? I changed the shape! Now I can carry much more sand!"
"Yeah! It looks cool! And you even put stickers on it!"
"But it's so heavy… Ouchie." Naruto just laughed while Gaara rubbed his sore shoulders and the two exchanged those kind of antics for a good thirty minutes before the group of two Jinchuuriki and four shinobi resumed their travelling. Next stop: Kumogakure.
Continues…
In the next chapter…
Jinchuuriki training camp: second edition. Naruto reunites with the other Jinchuuriki, including Kirabi who makes a surprise visit. The blonde has to deal with a couple of strange behaviors from two of his companions. The two girls, to be precise. But not everything is fun and games, sadly. Stay tuned!