I do not own Naruto

Chapter 8

Three Visitors

Akima sat in Ichirakas restaurant picking at her noodles. She was feeling homesick for Suna. Things had not gone the way she had thought. Her team mates had not become her friends like she had envisioned. Koho was nice enough, her Sensei was good and she was learning, but the camaraderie wasn't there. That's because of Itachi, he has blown everything.

Her deep thoughts were interrupted by a loud, boisterous, cheerful voice. She jerked her head up, there was none other than Uzimaki, Naruto, the Hokage. He was so unlike her own Kazekage, Gaara of the desert. Gaara Sama was quiet, solemn, and very rarely smiled. On the other hand, the Leaf Hokage was almost always loud, sometime almost too loud. He usually had a big grin on his face, like you would expect to see on the face of a small boy who had just pulled a prank. She knew Gaara Sama was a very good kage, and from what she had heard and seen thus far, so was Hokage Naruto. They were just so different.

She looked at her half filled bowl and tried to keep the homesick tears from sliding down. Suddenly Akima was aware of someone standing at her side. She looked up right into the large blue eyes – of the Hokage himself.

"Akima" smiled the voice. "Would you like some company?" He didn't wait to be invited, he just sat right beside her!

"Hokage Sama." Her throat went dry.

"So how is Suna's exchange student doing?" He put both hands behind his head and relaxed in his seat.

"I am a. . . doing fine, really." she felt suddenly shy.

Naruto turned to the waitress. "Some ramen with pork for me and bring Akima more."

She stared at him in surprise. She was having a hard time eating what she already had.

His eyes sparkled with laughter. "I understand you had an interesting training session the other day, hee hee, with Kakashi sensei and Sakura."

Akima smiled, "Lady Sakura is one amazing Shinobi."

"Ya, you can say that again." He grinned at her. "Sakura, Sasuke, and I were the famous Team 7. We made a great team. I understand you guys passed Kakashi Sensei's bell test also."

Akima smiled at the Hokage, "Yes, we did."

"You have done well Akima. I'm sure Gaara, I mean the Kazekage, is proud of you."

Her face reddened as she thought of her mishap with Itachi. Naruto did not notice. He continued.

"Gaara is a very good friend of mine and a great Kazekage. I consider him my brother.

Akima nodded. She had heard the legendary story of how Naruto had helped Lady Chio save her Kazekage. She nodded. Then Naruto got very serious. "You know, Akima, if you ever need anything, you come and see me." Then he got a mischievous grin on his face, "You going to eat the rest of that?" She shook her head to the negative. He reached out and took her bowl and with a quick slurp he finished it off. He got up and started to leave, then turned back to her. "I mean it. If you need anything, you come see me." He got to the door and called as he went out, "Oh, by the way, put it on the Kazekage's tab."

. . .

Itachi lay on the grass of the training field. He had just finished his training session with his team. Everyone had gone home, but him. He sat up when he heard footsteps. 'She' was coming. He watched the thin red haired lady as she approached the field. He had seen her a few times when she had been at the house talking with his mother. She seemed to know a lot about his Father, and that was the purpose of their meeting.

She was a very strange lady. He had noticed some sort of bite marks on her arm which was usually covered, but once her sleeve had pulled up, he couldn't help but stare at the marks. He got up and walked over to her and nodded then pointed to a bench. "Karin san, thanks for coming."

Karin gave a curt nod, sensing his chakra . It was strong for one so young and just a bit dark, but not as dark as another she had felt. "So you want to talk to me, about your Father I presume."

Itachi nodded. "Ya, Did you know him well?"

She gave a curious grin. "Well, yes, I would say quite well. He saved my life in the Forest of Death during the chunin exams. I was attacked by a bear." He nodded.

Karin got a far away look in her eyes. Yes, the chakra is similar, very similar. "Later we were on a team. There were four of us, me, your father and two others." She didn't want to dwell on the other two.

Karin spent time yammering about this and that and getting distracted. Then she looked at Itachi, "You look a lot like him.:

Itachi nodded his head. "Ya, so I'm told."

"And you act just like him too," she said curtly.

"What's that suppose to mean? He growled."

"Yes, you do have his attitude." she gave a weird smile. "Anyway, no matter. You probably don't have near the power he did. Just because you have the sharingan doesn't mean you can use it well. And the chidori, well that's a whole nother story.

Itachi's head snapped up, "the chidori". "Tell me about the chidori" He didn't know much about it other than the name.

Karin frowned a bit. "Well, it is very powerful for one thing" she hesitated" This technique actually channels lots of lightning chakra to the hand. There is so much chakara that it becomes visable. The person charges forward actually pushing the chirori into the target. There is so much damage done that it is almost always fatal. It is sort of an assassins technique. It takes great speed. . Kakashi prefected this."

"Kakashi Sensei?" Itach exclaimed.

"Ya, one and the same, who did ya think I meant when I said Kakashi." Maybe not as smart as his father though. Karin frowned.

"So have you used this chidori?" he quizzed her.

Karin laughed, "Oh no, only Sasuke and Kakashi. She got a far away looke in her eyes. "Only Kakashi now."

Crap, he would never teach me that. Itachi got an angry look on his face. What good is this woman to me. None

"OK let me get this straight, all you do is gather a large amount on chakara in your hand and thats it?" Itachi stared at her.

"Ya, pretty much. I suppose that the fact that you have the sharingn to help with the delivery.

"The sharingan?" he questioned.

"The chidori is delivered with such speed that it takes the sharingan to know your oponents movements. Well, I have to go now Itachi. Goodby." Karin turned and left leaving Itachi by himself.

...

Itachi looked at the palm of his hand, Concentrate, concentrate, can't be much harder than gathering it to the feet to run up a tree. Just more chakra. Itachi spent several hours trying to gather the chakara in his hand. It was late, he had gathered the chakra in his hand, not large amounts but some. With practice, he would be unstoppable, like his father.

...

Naruto looked across the stack of papers at the shinobi sitting in the window sill. He was returning the glare he was receiving. The shinobi slowly rose to his feet and circled around the hokagie's desk. His shock of white hair moved with each shake of his head.

"What!" Naruto's voice rose. "You disagree with me?"

Kakashi head changed from shaking to nodding. He folded his arms across his chest. "I really don't mean to be disrespectful, but..."

"But what" Naruto said in a low voice.

Kakashi placed both hands, palms down, on the desk. "Naruto," his voice was serious. "Itachi isn't ready, he is too immature. I don't think he can handle it."

Naruto put his hands behind his head and leaned his chair back. "Well, I think you're wrong. In fact I bet you all the raman I can eat the he is ready."

This made the shinobi laugh. "Naruto, I know you are concerned that the chidori will become a lost art, but I am not ready to check out just yet."

"Well," the hokage paused, "I think the discipline involved would be good for him." he set his chair legs on the floor and stood up. "Besides it will keep him busy and out of trouble."

Kakashi frowned, "He may just decide to kill you with it you know?"

Naruto waved his hand in a dismissal fashion at him. "You worry too much, hee hee, that's why your hair is white hee hee," then he grew serious. "At least you will be able to keep an eye on him Kakashi. I really worry about that boy. He needs guidance and I promised Sasuke I'd watch over him," Naruto lowered his head, "But I haven't done a very good job then have I?" Kakashi said nothing.

"Perhaps if he can learn the chidori he will feel more a part of his Sasuke. I really feel that you may be able to reach Itachi this way." his voice trailed off. Kakashi slowly nodded, "I hope your right," and left the office with a 'poof'