Uzumaki Nari

Training Grounds

Nari was up early. She had to be if she ever intended to learn anything. The sun had yet to split the horizon announcing that night was turning into day. She had pulled her long blonde hair into a high ponytail and clipped her fringe back out of the way. She wore a red and orange styled top that had thin straps and showed off her navel. She wore the same coloured short shorts that showed off her long fair skinned legs. She wore a holster on her right leg and a pouch behind her on her right. She wore red fingerless gloves and her sandals were a dull red. Strapped to her back by a strap that went across her front were two long katanas. She had strapped two knives the size of her lower arms to her underarms.

She stretched her muscles to warm them up ready for the strenuous activity she was going to put them under. She performed a series of hand signs in slow motion as to adjust to them first of all. Smoke appeared and standing beside her was a paper white, sick looking, version of herself on the floor. Growling, she quickly undid the jutsu and tried again. After the sixth time of having the exact same results, she moved onto something else. She took turns with kicking and punching the tree to increase her strength and speed. When she was able to do a hundred of each in one with both punches and kicks, she moved onto the Substitution Jutsu. It was a simple genin trick that swapped a piece of wood for them when they're struck by the enemy.

The sun was just beginning to show itself when she turned to her flexibility. She performed back flips, front flips, flips in the air and splits in quick succession. She then decided to try again with the Clone Jutsu. This time she felt the stirring of her chakra through her body. When she finished the hand sign, she felt half of her current chakra split. When the smoke dispersed, a perfect version of herself stood there with hands on her hips and a grin on her face. Her clone stuck her thumb up at her before launching three kunai at her. Twisting out of the way, she dodged the attack, before dropping to the ground to kick her feet out from under her.

The clone dodged and back flipped away from her. Each back flip she released a series of four kunai. Evasively, Nari back flipped, cart wheeled and even moved her limbs in a dance like sequence to perfectly dodge the attacks. The clone attacked faster than she thought possible. Striking out with a fist, Nari quickly caught the fist, pushed off with her leg and struck out with a kick to the head. The clone blocked it effortlessly with the forearm. Nari gritted her teeth, turned in the air and brought down her other foot with the momentum of the turn. It knocked the clone to the ground with a crash.

Nari jumped away as soon as she was free.

Landing on her feet, Nari observed her clone lying sprawled on the ground before disappearing in smoke. Collapsing, she breathed heavily, regaining her breathing as she summarised all she learned. It seemed that her clone wasn't a normal clone. It had been a Shadow Clone and she had learned all that her clone had been doing. Reading her own attacks, the speed in which to counter, the speed in which to evade and the strength and aim of landing blows onto the enemy, all came back to her. It seemed that she had learned double of what she would have normally learned.

'So…that's how the…Shadow Clones…are different,' she panted.

'That was impressive, Uzumaki Nari,' a male voice spoke from the dark.

Startled, she jumped to her feet and spun around, facing the stranger who stood there with his hands in his pockets and a wolf by his side. The wolf was black with blue eyes and very calculative. The man himself wore a mask that resembled a wolf and he was dressed in the considered outfit required of the Konoha Anbu. She could see that his hair was as black as the wolf beside him. There was a no-nonsense about the guy. He remained relaxed but his shoulders were slightly drawn together as if tensed. He was on alert around her. So what was that saying about her or about him? That she was incredibly dangerous or that he was cautious of everyone?

'Who are you?'

'Anbu aren't supposed to inform anyone of their identity, it is the way of our title. It is why we were masks.'

'Well, it's common curtsey to state one's name, especially when you're more informative than me.'

'Hokage-sama has asked for me to keep an eye and approach you, Uzumaki Nari.'

'What for?' she said suspiciously.

He walked towards her, his wolf remaining at his side. He didn't growl, bark or even snarl. His blue eyes remained fixed on her, his eyes calculative as he took her in. She saw his nose twitch and that he backed up a little, but otherwise he was silent. The Anbu instead stood his ground as if unknowing of what the wolf knew.

'I am aware of your situation. Hokage-sama entrusts me to keeping you safe and to ensure that you don't go on a rampage that could destroy this village.'

'So, you know of Ryuna?' her hand itched to grab a kunai and lash out. But if he knew of the creature within her and not done anything, does that mean she could trust him?

For now.

Nari was grateful that Ryuna spoke up. She would have thanked her, in fact, she was sure that Ryuna felt her gratefulness, but perhaps if she did speak mentally to Ryuna, would the Anbu notice that?

She relaxed but kept herself alert. The Anbu nodded as if in approval of her actions. One hand came out of his pocket. Inwardly she flinched, but she immediately relaxed a bit when she saw that it went to stroking the wolf's head.

'This is Fang,' the Anbu introduced. 'He's my partner and has been bonded to me since we were both born. He'll also provide some assistance in keeping Ryuna in check.'

She noticed that he had refused to call her a demon.

'And you?' she asked, hoping that he would eventually bring out his identity.

'I'm from the Inuzuka Clan. Since I was supposed to approach you and from here on keep a close watch on you, I'm sure that my name would be safe with you.' He bent to her level and placed a finger to her forehead. It was all the contact she needed as his name leapt to her mind. 'I'm entrusting it to you.'

She nodded. 'You can count on me to keeping it safe.' She looked to Fang. 'I look forward to working with the both of you.'

'Here's what we're going to do…'

Somewhere in Konoha

Nari had finished training with Kakashi and Sasuke. Naruto and Sakura were somewhere else apparently. Since Sakura wasn't in the final rounds she was doing nothing as she waited to watch them. Naruto was busy training with some guy named Jiraiya since Kakashi had announced that he was going to be training Sasuke personally. But because she had yet to become a genin, she had to train with Sasuke and Kakashi. Kakashi saw and approved of both her Clone and Shadow Clone jutsus as Sasuke trained to learn Chidori. After that, Kakashi decided to teach her Chidori to see if she had any talent for the lightning styled jutsus.

She managed to learn how to perform the jutsu. Of course what she now has to learn was her limit. How many Chidori can she do a day? Three or four like Sasuke? Or perhaps as many as Kakashi? She wasn't sure but she was only glad that she learned a new technique. Another day, she decided, another day to find out her limit.

Fang walked by her side. He was over half her size. He was a proud member of the Konoha shinobi and was therefore claimed by Konoha as the Konoha headband hung around his neck. It was what was agreed earlier on today. Fang was to remain by her side the whole time until he and the Anbu were needed for something else. The Anbu would keep his distance and watch her and keep alert for any danger that may be heading towards her. The Anbu was for the distant watch, Fang was for the close one. It was easier that way so both angles were covered at all times.

'Hey, aren't you that brat's sister? You know the one that was in a coma for seven years?'

Nari turned towards the voice. He wore a black one piece and purple face paint marked his face in lines. Nari immediately decided that he was not only a clown, but he was also creepy looking. His headband protector showed a completely different village symbol. She didn't know which one it was, so she decided that she'd ask Kakashi at another time. She frowned at him and went to move around him. He grabbed her arm, stopping her.

Fang growled warningly.

'Looks like you've got yourself a little pet,' he mocked.

That was when Nari suddenly remembered why she was getting that familiar feeling, and how he knew that she was in a seven year coma. He was from that gathering where she first went with Naruto. It was also the same gathering where she hit that pink haired kunoichi Sakura.

'Release me,' she demanded.

'I don't think so.'

Starting to become pissed, electricity started gathering in her right hand. 'I said, release me.'

'Look, just tell the truth and tell us what hole you crawled out of.' He leaned right in her face. 'And don't go telling us that crap about you being in a seven year coma, it's not going to wash with me.'

Kill him!

It was a command she was willing to obey. Chidori appeared in her hand, the noise chirping like thousands of birds, just like the name entailed. She struck at him, using it as a punch. She heard the grating sound before the attack happened. She saw sand immediately going to enclose around her when someone grabbed her around the waist and jumped away, with her in their clutches. Landing on a roof, Nari was released. She titled her head back to see the Anbu. Fang was already at her side, his teeth showing and he was snarling angrily.

The Anbu stood up. 'I'd advise you Suna shinobi right here and now. Uzumaki Nari is under strict protection. Should you raise a hand against her, then I have the authority to detain you and question you of your motives. But I'm going to give you a warning, your first and last. Now you best answer. What were you going to do to Uzumaki Nari?'

'Us?' the boy that had grabbed Nari spat. 'She's the one that did that jutsu and went to hit me with it. It's her you should be questioning.'

A red head walked up and stood at the boy's side. His arms were crossed over his chest. His eyes didn't look very happy, but that feeling around him didn't sit well with Nari either. Ryuna had warned her about him before in the Hokage office. So he was the one to have struck out at her with that sand?

It's an unusual jutsu.

'She would not have reacted had you not grabbed her first. I'm sure she had asked you to let her go.'

'Yeah but…' the boy grew silent.

'Since you won't answer the question, I'm taking you to Hokage-sama to sort this out.' He looked down at Nari. 'You too, Nari-san, I'm sure he'd like to hear your side of the story.'