Chapter 2: Training.
Normal POV
"Alright you three." Kakashi said, the three genin looked up from the bags laying next to their bedrolls. Two days ago they reached Tazuna's house in one piece, they met his daughter who was very beautiful with long blue-black hair and gray eyes and slim figure, but you instantly could tell she was a mother by the way she lectured them. After that they met Tazuna's bratty grandson Inari, he was rude and hateful telling them to go home instead of thanking them for bringing Tazuna back.
Tsunami gave the team the spare room in their house and they all camped out in there together resting up from the fight.
"Get ready and go eat then we'll head out for training." Kakashi said.
"Yes sensei." Sakura said standing up, Kakashi walked away from the door, Sakura followed walking out, Sasuke followed but Naru stayed put, she sighed changing quickly. She took off her jacket and gray top opting for her white tank top with short mesh sleeves and she wore her orange shorts minus spandex shorts. She walked to the mirror on the wall and brushed her hair quickly and twisted it back into a braid, she looked at her hitai-ate hanging on her waist, she lifted it and sighed throwing it to the side and it landed on her bedroll, she sat on the bedroll and carefully wrapped half of her forearm to her second knuckle with a special bandage wraps, then strapped her kunai holster on her thigh and walked out with a sigh. 'Alright Naru, no more of being the screw up! No more!'
The team sat at the table eating, Naru sat to the side silently.
"Here dear." Tsunami said gesturing a plate of food.
"No thank you." Naru said. "I'm not hungry." She said.
"Oh okay, I'll save it." She smiled, Naru nodded her head.
"You need to eat." Kakashi said standing up walking over to her.
"I'm fine." She said curtly and walked out of the house snapping the door shut.
"She's being weirder than normal." Sakura said. "If that's possible." She added, Sasuke gave a 'humph' and Kakashi sighed.
Naru pulled her boots on and walked along the dock that surrounded Tazuna's house, she sat down at the end letting her feet dangle above the water, she stared at her reflection then out at the trees silently.
Almost 15 minutes later the team came out ready for training, Naru followed them into the forest just outside the house.
"Alright, I told you I would be getting you ready because this fight is far from over, we all know Zabuza is still alive." He said, Naru frowned slightly thinking about yesterday.
-Flashback
Team 7 sat at the dining room table at Tazuna's house with him and Tsunami.
"Well, at least you took down one of the assassins, so we can relax for a bit." He said.
"Who was that boy?" Sakura asked, Naru frowned.
"What boy?" Naru asked.
"He was an anbu from Kirigakure. Those masks are only worn by the most elite shinobi." Kakashi said. "They are responsible to take care of rogue ninja who defect from their villages. They're sole mission is to hunt them down and wipe them out so their village secrets stay secret." He said. "But ..."
"But what?" Tazuna asked.
"But he didn't take Zabuza out."
"WHAT!?" Sakura and Tazuna yelled in shocked.
"Sensei you checked his pulse!" Sakura protested.
"Yes, but think, what did he use to take Zabuza down?"
"Senbon." Sasuke said, Naru sighed.
"Exactly, with the proper training senbon can be used to kill or to induce paralysis, including the heart, basically putting him in a death-like state but he is still very much alive."
"So he's coming back." Sasuke said.
"Yes, he's alive but wounded so it should give us time to get everyone ready."
"How!? You're still weakened from your eye!" Sakura protested since the jounin had went down right before they reached Tazuna's house the day before.
"Sakura, I am a jounin, even if slightly impaired I can still teach you something." Kakashi said. "We'll begin tomorrow so we can rest up for a bit." He said.
Flashback-
"Alright training time begins now." Kakashi said. "First let's have a quick review of chakra. Sakura if you'd be so kind." He said, she smiled and stepped forward with a proud smile on her face.
"Chakra is the main source of a shinobi's power. This energy has two forms; physical energy which is everywhere in the body, and spiritual energy which is strengthened with training and experience." She said. "Both must be drawn out at the same time and used together in order to perform jutsu. When both of these are used at the same time along with hand signs the user can focus and unleash chakra!" She said.
"Right on all points! Iruka-sensei taught you well." Kakashi said, Sakura giggled with a blush.
"Can we move on?" Naru asked.
"Right, we already know all of this, we've already master chakra." Sasuke said.
"No!" Kakashi scolded. "You have not mastered chakra, maybe you can use it but you have not mastered it. You must know how to draw out only a certain amount, how you use chakra now if you continue that in a real fight you would be out of chakra very fast." Kakashi said, Sasuke frowned.
"Okay then, how do we master it?" Sasuke asked somewhat hotly and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Heh." Kakashi smirked.
"Climb a tree."
"...WHAT!?" All three genin yelled in shock.
"That's right!" Kakashi smiled. "But there is one rule; no hands." He said.
"You must be joking." Sasuke said.
"Am I? Let's just see." He said and walked over to the nearest tree and focused before putting his foot on the tree and took a step, they gasped in shock as he walked up the tree trunk with only his feet and walked to the first branch and along that before stopping and looked down at them, they stood slack jawed. "You must collect chakra in the bottoms of your feet and use it to stick to the tree." He said. "This is one way to use chakra." Kakashi said.
"Wait a minute!" Sakura said. "This is a cute little trick and all but how is this going to help us fight Zabuza?" She protested putting her hands on her barely there hips.
"It's the only way to fight him Sakura." Kakashi said. "That's the entire goal of this training, you'll learn to draw only a certain amount of chakra into a certain point in your body. This can be difficult even to a jounin, the bottom of the feet is one of the most difficult places." He said. "This training requires a mix of physical and spiritual energy. Are you getting it down?" He asked. "If you can master this, you'll be able to master any jutsu." He said. "Well theoretically." He added. "This will teach you how to draw and maintain a certain amount of chakra." He said.
"So how do we do this?" Sasuke asked stepping forward.
Kakashi flicked open his kunai holster on his thigh and pulled out a kunai.
"Use a kunai to mark the height of the tree you get to. Each time try to pass that mark." He said. "You'll need to get a running start at the tree until you are use to this. Ready?" He asked, they nodded and pulled out their own kunai, Kakashi jumped down and backed up standing to the side. They picked a tree and focused before running to the tree, Sasuke ran up and cursed as the bark under his foot cracked harshly and he fell, he sliced the tree before he hit the ground and growled in frustration seeing he only made it up two feet. He looked and saw Naru run up the tree but cried out as she slipped and smacked her head on the ground, she groaned rubbing her head trying not to curse.
Naru POV
I frowned deeply at the stupid tree in front of me, this was much more difficult than I thought it would be. You had to get just the right amount of chakra, too much the tree breaks like teme's, too little and you fall right off, I sighed.
"This is fun!" I looked over to the tree next to Sakura's tree and up, she was over halfway up the tree sitting on a branch with her kunai jabbed in the tree. She giggled and stuck her tongue out.
"Well." Kakashi said with pride in his voice. "At least someone gets this." He said. "We've talked about people wanting to be a top ninja, seems Sakura has the best chance at that." He said making a jab to me, I frowned. "And as for the Uchiha clan maybe they're not so great." He said, Sasuke gave a small growl huff and frowned.
"Shut up sensei!" Sakura cried out with a pout.
I sighed in annoyance and stood up slowly looking at the tree before focusing and trying again. I was going to do this no matter what it took, no matter how long I would not be the screw up dead last!
Normal POV
Three hours passed since the team started their training, Sakura was almost to the top of her tree, Sasuke was at the halfway mark and Naru was at least a foot below him.
Naru panted harshly and pressed her head to the tree, sweat poured down her face, neck and back, her body shook from heat, exhaustion and pain.
'Why can't I get this!?' She thought gritting her teeth closing her eyes.
" … ru …. Naru …. Naru!" She blinked and turned to see Kakashi standing a few feet behind her, Sasuke and Sakura were walking to the house.
"What?" She asked barely controlling the quiver in her voice.
"Come on, we're having a lunch break." He said.
"Not hungry." She replied and took a couple steps back before running up the tree getting a few inches higher, she sliced the tree and flipped back down and landed in a crouch, she huffed as Kakashi still stood there.
"You need to eat." He stated.
"I'm perfectly fine." She said curtly, he gave a small huff.
"Alright, we'll be back." He said and walked away, Naru put her head back on the bark and rubbed her forehead on the rough bark and whimpered quietly.
'I can do this! I have to do this!' She said in her head, she glanced towards the direction of the house and gulped, she shifted the bandages a little and pressed the point of the kunai on her skin and blood appeared and ran down, she fixed the bandage and backed up focusing and continuing her training but every time she fell she gave a small cut on her arms.
When the team came back Naru had moved up three feet, she was leaning against the tree struggling to get air in her lungs, her legs shook barely supporting her lite weight.
Kakashi cleared his throat, she looked up at him, he held a paper bag out, he walked up to her.
"Eat." He stated, she pushed the bag away and pressed her foot to the branch and began to run up the trunk, she reached for the branch, her chakra fluttered and she grunted as her foot lost it's grip, she reached for the branch but missed. She fell down the tree smacking into a branch before hitting the ground harshly. She groaned laying still shaking in pain, Kakashi sighed and crouched next to her. "Eat." He stated again, she pushed it away in frustration and sat up, he gave an annoyed sigh and set the bag down, Naru ignored it and stared up at the tree with a deep frown.
The team spent the whole day working on this exercise, Kakashi had retreated back into the house to speak with Tazuna about future plans. It was almost dusk by time Tsunami came out calling them for dinner in which Naru ignored the call and the bag of food still sat on the ground neglected.
"Naru! She said come in!" Sakura said putting her hands on her hips with a glare, Sasuke looked at Naru. She growled and ran up the tree slipping a few times but got to her branch and slumped over it panting. "Naru!" Sakura growled.
"Leave me alone!" She barked.
"Fine!" Sakura huffed and stomped away, Sasuke gave the girl one last look before walking away from her, Naru sat on the branch trying to calm her breathing down and collect more energy.
Kakashi watched Sasuke and Sakura came in looked exhausted, he sighed as they shut the door and sat at the table.
"Where's Naru?" He asked.
"She wouldn't come in." Sakura said, Kakashi shook his head.
"Will she be alright?" Tsunami asked as she put the food down.
"She's a ninja, but I'll go check on her after." Kakashi said, Inari gave a quiet scoff.
Kakashi walked out of the house quietly in the dark, he walked in the woods looking around in the dark, he heard sniffles and his highly tuned nose picked up the smell of salt water which meant tears. He found Naru's tree but she wasn't there, but there was a large hole in the tree, he touched it and could feel the chakra in it. 'She's got good chakra and power in it, just needs to learn how to control it.' He thought, he heard a small whimper and followed it.
Naru sat in front of a tree crying almost silently except for some sniffles, Kakashi stood watching for a few moments before he cleared his throat, she sniffled and wiped her face. "Naru." He said, she flinched. "It's time to come in."
"No thanks." She said.
"I wasn't asking." He said. "Now." He added sternly.
"No." She said.
"Naru-"
"I'm not going anywhere until I get this!" She snipped at him.
"You haven't eaten all day! If not for a few days! You're going to run out of chakra." He said.
"You and I both know that wont happen for a while." She said, he blinked mildly shocked at what she hinted at, she stood up and stumbled a little. "So if you don't mind go away so I can practice." She said.
"It's dangerous to-"
"I'm a ninja." She said in a mocking tone, he sighed and held his hands up and walked back to the house. Naru listened in the dark before focusing. 'Jigoku no mimi.' She thought, she listened carefully and heard the door of the house shut, she nodded and looked at the tree in front of her before sitting down and looking up at the moon shining bright in the night sky.
Morning came rather quickly, Naru had passed out from exhaustion and laid in the grass. A bird sat next to her chirping, the rising sun rays hit her making her golden hair almost lighten. A few feet from her a figure appeared and looked at her and walked up slowly.
'This one...' They thought and bent down reaching toward her neck.
Naru POV
"Hey …. hey …. wake up, it's not the best to sleep out here." A quiet voice pierced my peaceful slumber that I didn't even realize I had slipped in, my body was being shaken gently. I cracked an eye open and winced at the sunlight. I looked over at the person who had woken me up, I blinked a few times taking in their image. At first I thought it was a girl but soon I could see they were male from the lack of figure in the baggy pink kimono, the front was open every so slightly more signifying it was a males. He had long black hair that hung down and big brown almost feminine eyes and lips.
"Hi." He smiled.
"Hi." I said and sat up slowly and sighed.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked.
"Training." I said. "You?" I asked.
"My friend is really sick and weak, this forest has plants that grow in here they are excellent for wounds and healing. I've been up collecting for a while." He chuckled.
"You want some help?" I asked, he blinked.
"Don't you have training?" He asked.
"I could use a break." I shrugged, he nodded and smiled, I got up with him and walked to the patches of herbs and crouched down next to him. "By the way I'm Naru." I said, he smiled.
"Haku." He said, I nodded and looked at the plants.
"These?" I asked pointing to some.
"Yes, Chamomile leaves." He said, I nodded and began to pick them and set them in his basket.
"So you're a ninja?" Haku asked.
"Yeah, Konoha."
"Wow, it must be tough." He said.
"It is." I sighed. "Especially when you're me." I said.
"What do you mean?" He asked, I sighed
"Well -" I stopped as my empty stomach rumbled loudly, I blushed dark red and hunched slightly, he chuckled. "Sorry." I said, he reached in his basket under the blanket of herbs and pulled out a sandwich in a bag.
"Here." He said.
"No, I can't." I said.
"It's okay." He said and dug in the basket again producing another sandwich. "I brought two." I smiled and took the offered sandwich and took a bite and sighed. I didn't realize how hungry I really was. I smiled as he ate the other sandwich.
"So, do you live here?" I asked.
"Yes. Although I am fairly new here." He said and shrugged. "It's okay, it's quiet and slightly dull, but it's home." He said, I nodded slightly.
'Must be nice...' I thought solemnly and sighed.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. I just think that would be nice."
"What do you mean? Don't you have a home?"
"I have a home but not a home home." I said.
"Oh, I'm sorry." He frowned.
"No, no it's okay." I waved it off and picked some more of the plants, he looked at me with a frown and it made me get flustered for some strange reason.
"Can I ask something?" He asked, I nodded. "Why stay in a place that doesn't make you happy?" He asked.
"I've thought that, but it would be the same, I have no one to go to, so might as well stay with a roof over my head." I shrugged.
"You have no one at all?"
"I have two friends and a teacher who is practically my brother." I shrugged. "But even then they don't know me."
"I understand." He nodded.
"Naru! Naru where are you!?" Sakura's voice sounded, I sighed.
"Sounds like you gotta get back to training." He said and stood, I frowned a little, in all true reality I didn't want to. It was nice to talk.
"I guess..." I shrugged and stood up brushing myself off. "It was nice to meet ya." I said, he smiled.
"It was, maybe we can meet again." He said, I smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that." I said. "Bye Haku."
"Bye Naru." He said and walked away with the basket, I sighed quietly and groaned as Sakura yelled my name louder. I sighed putting my mask back on my face and heading back to the team.
"Where have you been!?" Sakura snarled.
"Training." I lied, Kakashi stood behind them slightly.
"I am leaving you three here today while I take Tazuna to a meeting." Kakashi said. "Once you finish and get to the top of the trees go back to the house and wait." He said.
"Yes." Sakura said, Sasuke nodded and I gave a hum, he nodded and walked away.
I walked over to a new tree and sighed looking up it. "What are you doing dope?" Sasuke sneered.
"About to train." I said.
"You're picking a new tree."
"Yeah." I said sarcastically and sighed slowly, I frowned slightly and dropped to the ground and pulled my sandals off my feet and focused. I put my foot flat on the tree and poured chakra into my foot and stepped up and grunted wobbling slightly but walked up slowly, my stepping slid and I poured more chakra in my foot and cried out as I fell but by foot stuck, I grunted and struggled.
"Come on!" I yelped and struggled.
"You idiot." Sasuke said, I glared at him and flicked him off, he grunted and snorted.
"Naru you need to be nice to Sasuke-kun!" Sakura defended, I groaned rolling my eyes and cut my chakra off, I cried out when I fell to the ground and rasped for air.
"Dope." Sasuke said again, I sighed covering my eyes panting willing them to just disappear and leave me alone.
By time noon came around Sakura was finished and had gone to the house, Sasuke was pushing hard and had only a quarter of the way to go. Naru was taking her time trying to walk up instead of run up and was struggling.