A/N: Few notes to you; somethings will change to canon like Narutos chakra control is worse than before and Kakashi will play smaller role than I originally planned. I apologise my slower update rate but my computer is FXXXing with me and wont let me update so I have to do things little differently which will take time. Try to bear with it.
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Chapter 6: Boy who cant smile and woman who cant stop
Six months has passed.
Narutos fifth birthday had come and gone and his training had been taken up a nudge. During these months he had opened up more and was far more relaxed than before. Anymore he wouldn't just whisper something to Hanas ear or look to the ground quietly. He was still somewhat shy. But group of people he liked had grown greatly. Itachi, Tenzo, Hakena, Tanta, Anko, Shiyaku, Danzo, Kakashi was okay and Hana. She was doubtlessly his most important person in the force, or outside for that matter.
His training in kenjutsu and ninjutsu was going well.
"Again, Naruto-kun!" Tanta ordered her newest pupil. She was most talented C type ANBU and Hana had asked her to teach Naruto art of kenjutsu. Of course she had been delighted. Now they stood at the dojo. They both were holding bokkens. Even though she wasn't sure if that was rights weapon for him, at least it helped his body to get used to fencing and helped with coordination.
Naruto panted slightly. His arms ached. Sweat was running down his face. Bruises covered his body and he had several flesh wounds. To help him with his stance, Tanta had used her own training method. Flaw in his stance would be corrected by kunai or plain hit by bokken. She justified it by saying that ninjas wouldn't play fair and openings like that would be fatal.
He took a deep breath and corrected his stance quickly. "Ha!" He charged ahead holding his sword over his head and trying simple slicing motion. Then he felt painful hit on his stomach and saw Tanta standing opposite on him. "Opening." She smirked and with one fluid move threw two kunais nicking his ears.
He jumped back holding his ears. "Ow! Hurts!"
Tanta smiled. "I guess that's enough. What you think, Hana-san?"
Red haired medic nodded approvingly. "You did great, Naruto-kun." She smiled as she walked over to him and started healing. Even with fox healing all his bruises, she felt much comfortable if she would heal him.
"Thanks." He muttered crashed on floor. He was totally exhausted. Sword, even only a wooden one was too heavy for his thin arms. All the moves he had to do drained him completely.
"Don't thank me." She corrected him. "Thank her."
Naruto turned around and bowed. "Thank you for your help." He muttered.
"It's no problem." Tanta smiled and waved the complement off. They both were dressed in traditional training robes. If Naruto had learnt something of his new teacher, she loved traditions. Not as far as Hyuugas but pretty close.
"I really appreciate this, Tanta-san." Hakena thanked her. "Naruto-kun, take training gears back to storage."
Naruto didn't answer but picked up all wooden weapons Tanta had brought with her. She had liked to change weapons to get him know difference between them.
"I always wanted a son." She had said softly as she observed his movements. "But Gods obviously thought otherwise giving me only a daughter."
"All children are blessing!" Hana scowled her friend.
"I know! But I always wanted my own son to pass on my arts. I don't think Tenten has what it takes to learn kenjutsu. So now it appears that Tenten-chan is more interested in her father than in me." She sighed. "But can I really blame her. Im an ANBU group captain and Im on duty six and half day's in a week so she must really get used to being with her father."
Tanta seemed depressed and Hana didn't know what to say. Danzo had prevented any resignation for next two years without direct request of Hokage. That prevented any possible leaks outside to minimum.
"Does it really matter?" Tanta sighed before collecting herself like good wife should. "She will roll in the academy soon so she will make many friends so she won't have time to hate me."
"Im sorry." Hana whispered.
"I don't blame you." Bun haired woman said coldly. "Neither him. And Im fended that you even consider it."
Red haired woman smiled. "So… what you think of Naruto? Have you chosen weapon for him?"
Hana closed her eyes. "Yes. Considering his short body but swift movements and almost impossible flexibility Im sure he will be perfect for it. I only need to get it today and I shall represent it to you."
"What?" Hana asked curiosly.
"You'll see."
That day Tanta walked through Konohas streets in her civilian attire smiling to others politely. She passed several shops in look for specific one. Narutos fifth birthday would come soon so this would be perfect gift. She entered small weapon shop and was greeted by happy yells.
"Mama! Mama!" Small girl dressed in trousers and china shirt rushed to her hugging her leg tightly.
"Tenten-chan. What's that you're wearing?" She asked disapprovingly. "Woman should dress like one."
"Leave her alone. She's six. Not sixteen. Like that mattered anything." Snapped irritated voice inside the shop the girl had run out from. "What brings you here? ANBU having a day off? Or finally quit it?"
"No, my dear husband." Tanta smiled. "Im here to pick a birthday present to my friends son. He will be five years soon."
"Who's?" Man walked behind the shells. Izuken Soujoro. He was five years older than Tanta (around thirties) had brown hair and dark eyes. Rough practical man. He had retired from career of shinobi after mission-gone-bad causing his leg to be permanently injured. He had returned to family business as weapon smith. One day a woman comes in smiling politely, dressed in kimono walking around the shop until saying: 'Excuse me, sir but where did you hide your weapons? These toys don't interest me.' At that moment he had fallen in love. Few years later Tanta was pregnant. Few years after that she was approved to ANBU. Few years after that she was captain and visited home less and less. And it was starting to irritate him.
"You don't know them." She answered evading the matter in always so polite manner. She walked pass the shells ignoring him and his angry glares and chattering to her daughter who answered happily.
"I can throw a kunai already! Everyone hits the target!" She stated happily.
"That's great honey." She smiled. "But more importantly, have you practiced your tea ceremonies? Kunoichi Annual Family Tea Ceremony is closing in."
"I don't want to. It's stupid." Tenten cried unhappily. "I want to learn how to throw a kunai and fight like dad and you!" She looked up to her mother. "Why can't you be more home? We miss you. I want you to train me!"
"I know you do and so do I miss you but Im ANBU captain. I don't have that much my own time." She knelt down. "Now, be a good girl and put on your kimono and practice your hand movements."
"No! I hate that dress!" Tenten exploded. "I hate tea ceremonies! I hate you!" She stormed backroom disappearing from sight.
"But Tenten-chan you don't under…stand it." Tanta took many deep breaths. "That was… unexpected."
"Not if you ask me." Izuken muttered behind her. She quickly corrected herself to polite smile. "Hard, isn't it? To act like that all the time. Act like a doll." He walked away muttering about pass and woman he once loved.
Tanta walked around the shell looking particular items. These weapons would definitely save that boys life one day. He picked up the box and walked away. "See you again, dear husband."
"Yeah. When you find that woman I fell in love with." Man said irritably. "And when enemy kunai flies towards you, you just inflict it like this." He was teaching kunai using to Tenten behind the counter.
"Bye, dear Tenten-chan." She said but received no answer. She only glared at her like her father had. Soon as she was out of the store she sighed. What was she doing wrong? Her mother had always taught her to act like a good wife and kunoichi. She smiled to her husband, visited them regularly. She made even sure that he was satisfied in any way often as possible. Just like a wife should. And she taught her daughter to act like a wife and kunoichi in turn. Just like mother should. Now she felt like she was failing as both wife and mother. She looked into her box she had picked up and prayed that Naruto-kun would at least appreciate this.
"What did she take?" Tenten asked as her mother walked away. "To this boy as a birthday present."
"Three Manriki-gusaris." Izuken answered. Chains with weights in both ends. "One size 1 (twenty five centimeters), one size 3 (sixty centimeters) and one size 6 (two hundred centimeters)."
"Who you think they were?"
"Who knows…"
Naruto had been so delighted of his first birthday inside the base. Of course he hadn't expected at all when whole 'birthday' concept was bit off. Only one he remembered had been full of frequent attacks and attempts to kill him so when he one day in august (his 'official' birthday) had entered the cafeteria and was surprised with big sing saying; 'Good birthday Naruto!' he didn't know what to do. So he cried. He had received several gifts but only ones had passed with Akahanas approval meaning no jutsus scrolls. Deadly weapons. Pets or any kind. And especially, high sugar candy. That one was understood without saying. There was this one time… which never happened!
Many of the gifts were weapons of many kinds (which had Hanas approval) and he got at least ten shuriken and kunai sets of his own which Hana confiscated with death glares and promises that when he had approval of herself and Tanta-sans, he would be allowed to use real ones (which would take several years).
Kakashi had given him a novel written by non-other by boys godfather himself. His first book which Naruto found interesting.
Hakena gave him a permission to learn shamisen from her. Shyaku had given him shogi board saying it would be good practice. Chadao gave him another novel by another famous writer. This one was about samurai. Tenzo gave him self made bokken by his Mokuton. Anko only pouted in the corner. When people asked why, she answered; 'I intended to give to Naru-chan a pet snake as a present but someone didn't like it.' So she only glared daggers to Hana most of the party. Even Hokage paid visit giving him one of the best gifts he got that year.
"Ichirakus ramen!" Blond boy cried happily. "Thanks Oji-san!" It was amusing how much tears one boy would shred only few bowls of ramen.
Tanta gave him shortest of Manriki-gusaris she had bought.
"Remember to train it daily until its part of your hand." She said smiling happily to Narutos exited smile while he was swinging the chain around. Unfortunately saying: 'too much laughing, and you will end up weeping' wasn't just something made up to fill some space. Because when Hana told him to put it away for now, he lost his concentration and… bam! Iron ball in the end of the chain hit directly to his face.
Adults got their laughs.
Itachi gave his present away from others gazes. He lured him away to hallway and gave his present. It was a paper bag inside… "Lollipops?" Boy asked looking up. "Where did you get them?"
"From my last mission." He answered. "I didn't know it was your birthday when I bought these. I originally was intending to give them to Sasuke-kun but he said that he didn't really care for sweets so… I hope you don't mind." Uchiha prodigy handed him a bag of lollipops. "Here. I hear they taste very good."
"Very good?" Naruto asked. "Haven't you tasted them?"
"I guess Im same as my brother really. I don't either care for sweets." Suddenly Naruto handed him a red lollipop that had black dots inside. "Like your Sharingan!" He exclaimed happily. "C'mon! Take it!" He had no other chose but to take it.
So that day everyone saw Naruto eating lollipops. When they asked where he got them, he only grinned and walked away.
After party it was Hanas turn to give her present. They were on her room. He was standing next to the door and she was sitting on the bed. He could see him handling something in her hands nervously.
"I want to give you this…" She moved and handed to him a hairpin. It was sharp twenty centimeters long. Narutos mind was already thinking ways to use it as a weapon. He turned it around and saw a plate that had a symbol that resembled a maelstrom (A/N: leaf symbols spiral that is drawn twice). Whirlpools symbol. "She… we were daughters of a powerful clan. She got it from our mother who was clan head. Something happened and we both left. I won't bore you with the details but…" She took a deep breath. "Im sure she would have wanted you to have it if she were here today." (A/N: No one knows that Narutos knows of his heritance already, Danzo had given him detailed explanation one day. Including that Hana was his aunt.) Naruto watched this simple accessory confused. This was once his mothers. Woman she had never met. This simple hairpin was his only connection to his parents. To her mother at least. "You remind me of her."
And so it happened again. These confused feelings all started to surface and broke as only possible way he knew possible. Tears. He hugged Hana tightly and cried.
From then on he had two most valuable things in his life. One was that hairpin he stored in his desk and the other was bag of lollipops Itachi had given him. It became his habit to eat them.
He started his training with gusari with help of Tanta who was more than happy to help him. Naruto himself trained almost all his free time with it which started to irritate people around him. He had little control over it so it was normal to see him knocking down anything he passed. But in one month he finally started to get hang of it. His other lessons were going well as well.
Hana used much of his training to teach about human anatomy hoping Naruto to press on medical career and so staying away from most dangerous places. Of course also she kept up teaching other subjects as well.
His chakra control was something he could be better at. Even after months of training he still couldn't do anything else but keep his chakra up for few moments before he lost his concentration. Hana started using two hours every day teaching him concentration by various methods. It did help to keep him calm but his control sucked much as ever.
So after six months from arriving to the base, he had general knowledge of a fourth year student (ten year old) in academy, taijutsu that of a genin, ninjutsu and genjutsu skills of… five year old boy who had never tried it before. And his kenjutsu with gusari made him skilled as high genin in hand to hand combat. His accuracy with kunai and other projectiles was seven out of ten that hit the target.
So, it was that time it was time to bring his training up another nudge.
Naruto was training with his gusari against a training dummy hitting it every time to a different spot and from different angle.
Hana had gone to a mission so he was alone at the moment, when felt chakra spike just behind him. He turned around waving his chain to it's extend hoping it would hit what ever was behind him but was totally surprised when lion with dark lines charged ahead of him. He leaped back and kicked the beast to chin and at the same moment jumped ahead swept with his gusari to lions head. Weight tangled around its neck and… it blew up. To ink?
"Good, Naruto-kun. I see that your training hasn't gone totally waist." He looked over to door where Danzo leaned to his cane with a child who was wearing an ANBU gear. He hadn't seen mask painted like that before. "Naruto-kun, I want you to meet Hyena. But you will know him as, Sai."
"Sai?" Blond boy asked confused.
"Yes." Danzo nodded. "Hyena, remove your mask."
Boy didn't even respond anyway expect removing his mask. Under it were faces without any emotion at all. His pale skin and very neutral hair cut made this even more perfect. He looked like a zombie who was dying.
"He will be your training partner from now on." Danzo answered. He looked over to Naruto who seemed confused somehow. "Is something wrong?"
"Well… hyenas are… laughing all the time, right?" Naruto asked.
Danzo sweat dropped. "It's called sarcasm."
"Sarcasm?"
Bandaged man couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure which one of the children was more emotionally traumatized. "You'll understand it someday. I'll leave you two to know each other." He nodded. "Sai, while in training with Naruto-kun you are under orders whoever is in charge. When you two are alone, you follow Naruto-kuns commands. Understand? No killing or permanent damage."
"Yes, Danzo-sama." Sai answered without any emotions.
"Good bye." He turned around. "Im expecting great things from both of you." He walked out of dojo.
"Bye." Naruto muttered eyes locked to his new 'friend'.
They stood there looking at each other.
"So… how're you doing?" Naruto asked. Sai didn't answer. He hadn't even moved from the spot he had been left. His eyes drilling into him.
"I have no injuries." He finally answered.
"Okay…"
Another long pause.
"Do you… want to spar?"
Sai didn't answer. He just drew a kunai and charged ahead.
Naruto had been caught totally of guard and didn't even remember that he had his gusari in his hands. He leaned back and tried to kick boy into his chin. But he read his moves with ease and turned around and swept his supporting leg away knocking him down. Total time was five seconds and so Naruto was lying on the ground, kunai on his throat. "You're slow." Sai said completely emotionlessly. "You're inexperienced and your moves are transparent."
Just then Naruto remembered his gusari in his hand. He tightened his fist before throwing the weight towards his hand. But again he was read and it was intercepted by a paint brush. "As I said, your moves are all transparent."
"Naruto-kun, what's going on?" Hana entered the dojo in her ANBU gear. She had just returned from mission when she was informed about Danzos decision on Narutos training partner. She had wanted to be there before they arrived so she could see to it herself but was obviously too late.
Sai stepped up placing his kunai back to pouch and stood there like waiting for further orders.
"This is Sai." Naruto muttered angrily. He had been called stupid, slow, and transparent, his tricks had been seen through so in short; he was owned. And most of all he was angry with himself for being all those things. "Codename: Hyena. Danzo brought him as a… training partner." He pulled out a red lollipop from his own pouch and started eating. To Hana it resembled somewhat man taking a cigarette.
"Naruto-kun. That's no way to talk about others." Hana scowled at him before turning to Sai. It was obvious why Danzo picked this boy. He resembled a perfect Root. First broken down mentally and physically then built way seen most fitful. No emotions like fear, hate, compassion. Only what they needed to complete the mission. She also thanked quietly all the gods she could think of for keeping Naruto away from them. She had witnessed dispose of many failed Root member's cold corpses and their condition. She had also treated few cases when they were alive but only few times. Danzo wanted to keep his men away from others.
What she had witnessed did promise something about his skills and also a promise help to improve Naruto. Being outmaneuvered by a peer will surely start to tick him. If she wasn't wrong, it would make Naruto to work harder than before.
"Okay then. Let's see what our new boy can do." She clapped her hands. "Sai-kun attack Naruto-kun with ninjutsu." She had taken quick glance on his profile. "Use that Ink jutsu you can do. Naruto-kun, defend best you can. Go!"
And that's how those two get started.
Danzo wanted Sai to spend much time as possible with Naruto so they would became friends of sort and so getting some more leverage over him and if possible, make him join the Root. It was a slim chance and chances only got slimmer Hokage to actually allowing the transfer but there was always hope, right?
So in few months time Naruto and Sai shared very strange friendship. Naruto talking about anything and he would answer simply and shortly as possible.
But that worried Hana, Tanta, Chadao and Tenzo who watched over his ninjutsu training or chakra control what it was so far. Naruto spent so much time with Itachi and Sai who were both emotionally dead and they feared he would take example out of them.
"What can we do about it?" Chadao asked munching a pen in his mouth. He was supposed to be writing a mission report but he really didn't want to. "Kid's finally opening up and now he's dying inside. Nice."
"I really don't know." Hana shook her head. "Itachi and Sai are both much more closer to his age so it's only natural of him to be more comfortable around them."
"How anyone can be natural with Root standing next to you?" Chadao laughed. "That kid freaks me out anytime he walks by.
"Naruto really likes him." Tenzo said while scribbling his own report. "I guess there's something that connects the two."
"Like what?" Hana frowned.
Tenzo shrugged.
"So what we do with him?" Chadao asked.
Another shrug.
Meanwhile Naruto was having another spar with Sai.
Couple months had done dramatic things to his fighting style. Sai wasn't one to hold back at all. He only avoided killing blows and ones that would cut of his arm or leg off. That made sure he would get a lot experience. When Naruto got some of that to his style, he was able to fight equal grounds in taijutsu against him. When he learnt how to conceal his moves better, he started actually to win spars. When some time passed and he leant more advanced techniques with his gusari, he started owning Sai. But that was only in taijutsu. After all, Sai's specialty wasn't taijutsu.
When he had gotten too good with taijutsu spars, they had taken it up a nudge and added ninjutsu. Narutos control was still bad as always, even with help of Itachi, Hakena and Tenzo. Fox seemed to screw his control totally. He would soon be old enough to roll in academy if he would be attending to it and to a child from a ninja family and having constant training, his control was truly awful.
Spars it was, Sai who used ninjutsu by sending his ink monsters attack Naruto.
Another pair of Ink lions attacked him while he was throwing kunais at them keeping them at bay.
One of them circled around while other kept biting him everywhere.
Naruto bit his teeth and drew his gusari waving it around defensively. Lion extended its neck and bit his leg leaving itself completely open. Naruto punched it with a kunai in his other hand while turning around to face another one his gusari extended to it length. But lion ducked and crashed on his legs knocking him over and landing on the floor on his face. In no time he felt familiar pointy object on his back.
"You're slow. Transparent and an idiot." Sai said coldly. "And now you're dead."
Ink monster disappeared and he stepped back allowing Naruto to rise from the floor. Tens of cuts and bruises colored his body when Sai was totally unharmed. It really ticked him. Cause no matter how hard he tried, he seemed never to be able to harm him. Even if he would be able to actually hit him, it would only turn out to be a kawamari.
"You talk big when you can use ninjutsu. If I could do that too, I would kick your ass!" Naruto stated angrily.
"Of course I have an advantage when I use ninjutsu." Sai said. "And you would last longer if you could do it."
Naruto reached for his pouch, pulled out red lollipop and removed it wrappings before starting to lick it. "Shut up." He muttered glaring at him.
"Don't be angry at him, Naruto-kun. He has a point." Itachi walked next to them. "Your control is awful."
"It's not my fault!" Naruto started yelling. "It's this stupid fox what screws up my control!" Hana had told him about his tenant soon after his birthday. She didn't know that Danzo had already cleared everything with him. He had asked Naruto not to reveal anything to others.
"I know that. But that only means you must work harder to get stronger." Uchiha prodigy said calmly. "Now, Sai, Danzo-sama has asked you." Boy nodded and walked away without even saying a word. "And Akahana-taichou has searched for you."
Naruto only nodded and walked away. "I heard about your promotion." He said quietly. "You're going to be a squad captain in third group. Everyone's talking about it."
"Thank you." Itachi smiled slightly. "It seems that Kakashi-taichou believes in me a lot."
Naruto walked away to common room searching Aunt Hana in the mean time. When he arrived, he noticed something weird was going on. Everyone around was a guy and they all were holding orange books. Even ones Naruto had never witnessed even knowing what a book was were holding them and reading eyes swinging from side to side. Even Kakashi was there which itself was a miracle. His late father's student spent much time alone and avoided everyone. Seeing him in the common room reading a book was… odd.
He moved inside unnoticed. No one cared what was happening.
"Haaah!" One of the guys started screaming and blood starting spilling from his nose. "Oh my God! This is hot!"
Naruto was confused. On the other side of the room was large picture and tall piles of these same, orange books. Blond boy looked confused at the picture. It was showing white haired man holding his chin with his hand. Man seemed somewhat familiar. He took one of the books and read it back cover. "Of course." Naruto muttered. "Jiraiya of the Sannin continues his book series after five years of silence. Road of 'Gutsy ninja' continues better than ever in IchaIcha Paradise. Our hero have to face many 'tight' situations in his 'mission'." He had liked the first book. He took this copy and walked away reading the first page. 'Chapter one: Naruto on a 'tight' mission.'
He walked to cafeteria nose in the book.
"Naruto-kun!" He glanced over his book. "What's that you're reading?"
"A book." Naruto muttered quietly and sat next to his aunt. "Itachi-kun said you searched for me."
"Well, we've been thinking…" Hana nodded to others in the table, Hakena, Tanta, Anko had few other female ANBUs who had grown close to Naruto. "And considered that you might need a hobby."
"A hobby? What you mean?" He closed the book. "What you mean?"
"You know… something that gives you joy." Tanta answered on Hanas behalf. "And helps you to relax. You don't do anything by training and more training."
"But I like training. Doesn't that count as… hobby?"
"No." Hana shook her head. "You need something other than training. Something you might like and not so useful."
"Something I like… like playing shamisen?" He asked looking to Hakena.
"Yes." Red haired woman nodded. "But you could have more hobbies. You know? Just like many of us do flower arranging and reading books."
"I read books." Naruto said showing them his new founding. "Why I need anything else?"
Hana was somewhat panicked. She didn't know how to explain without revealing too much. She just couldn't say that they worried he might turnout to lifeless zombie just like Sai.
"They make you relax more." Anko smirked dango stick in her mouth. "Our job is very stressful so we need an equal amount of stress release so we won't die inside."
Other females clapped their hands inside their minds.
"What you do you do then?" Naruto asked curiosly.
"Me? I find it relaxing when people scream in pain." She smiled gently. Others started glaring at her. Naruto didn't need something like that. "You want to try? We have few prisoners who we need to interrogate. C'mon let-" She gave her hand to Naruto.
"No." Hana stepped between them. "I was thinking something else."
Women started arguing about hobbies. From kendo to flowed arrangement and painting to book club.
Naruto didn't mind really. He would do what Aunt Hana would ask him to do. He opened the book and continued reading. This book was a lot harder to read than the last one. And fights seemed different. And these few words kept repeating all the time.
"Aunt Hana." He muttered quietly. Woman looked at him. "What's a 'vagina'?"
Everyone's jaw dropped and Hakena who had been drinking tea spit it out. "What!?" They screamed together.
"I remember asking it someday in the pass." He said. "But you didn't answer that time, and in this books that word keeps popping up with time after time. Is it some kind of pouch? Like for a kunai?"
Anko laughed whipping his tears. "Th-that's pretty accurate."
Hana was near fainting before realizing the grab the book away. "What are you reading?"
"I went to common room just now and guys were reading that book everywhere. I thought it was strange so I decided to read it myself."
"They gave you this?" Hakena whispered disgusted.
"No. There was big pile of these and no one didn't seem to mind if I borrow one." He flinched. "Am I in trouble?"
Hana threw book in the air burning it with a fire release before it hit the ground. "T-that book was pure porn."
"What's porn?" Naruto asked.
"N-nothing you should be interest with!" Hana said with cold voice before taking a deep breath. "No. You're not in trouble." He was surprised. Her actions and emotions were clear that she was angry. "Be a good boy now and take a lollipop and wait here. Ladies," Everyone raised from their seats equally disgusted. "There's seems to some… rodents in our base. We should… clean them."
"Yay!" Anko jumped and punched in the air.
Naruto watched around to confused looks he got from Tenzo and only shrugged.
Next day Jiraiyas books were banned from ANBU base. Kakashi who had been captivated by this book serious started considering about leaving the force finally. So he finally bended to Hokages request to take a genin team (he didn't have to pass them of course) and become a regular jonin.
He made a promise to help Naruto with his training if he ever needed it before shushined away. Former lieutenant of the third group, Buki Sukisara was made captain and Itachi was made lieutenant.
And Narutos hobby problem was solved by Tanta soon after.
Naruto had walked to the roof and to Tantas garden. She was sitting on her knees on wooden patio a teapot in front of her. She was practicing tea ceremonies like a woman should. But Naruto could see she was worried under her calm face. "What's the matter?"
Bun haired brunette turned around. "Naruto-kun. What brings you here?"
"Im here to meditate." He answered looking down her pot. "What's that?"
"That's a teapot. What you mean?"
"You seem so worried. Is something in the matter?"
Tanta gulped. If there was something that most of the ANBUs hated in Naruto that was his ability to read them like books. Boy was like some living polygraph which made both Ibiki and Anko very interested in him.
"It's my daughter." She answered in defeat. Boy only meant well and wouldn't go gossiping around. And it was impossible to lie. "She and I had a talk and she… hates me."
"How so?" Naruto asked.
"Well… my daughter and my husband both think I spent too little time at home. And my daughter won't act like a girl she is. And now she has burned all her kimonos and said, she won't come with me to Kunoichi Annual Family Tea Ceremony." She seemed more depressed than ever. "I… don't know what to do. Everyone brings their daughters to this gathering and I can't be only one who doesn't."
"Is it hard?" Naruto asked.
"What?"
"Is it hard? Tea ceremony and stuff?"
"It can be somewhat difficult at first but when one starts to get hang of it, it gets easier." She answered. "What you mean?"
Naruto took of his shoes and sat down to patio. "Show me."
Tanta couldn't believe her eyes. Did he mean she taught he mean?
"Aunt Hana wants me to get a hobby, right? Does tea ceremony count?" Naruto asked smirking slightly.
"Of course." Then she started smiling. "But the gathering is less than a month away. So I must ask you, can I step up the training to perfect your skills?"
"Sure."
Tantas smile widened and pulled out her kunai pouch. Naruto gulped started having his first regrettable thoughts. She was happier than long before. Perhaps she wasn't a laughing stock of this years gathering.
Hana had been watching this exchange and smiled. "Thank you." She whispered and walked away. Naruto could spend rest of the daypracticing his new hobby.
Chapter END