Chapter 13:

To say things weren't tense with Team Rescue Sakura was a bit of an understatement. In fact, they were as tense as things could be. Kakashi watched the ticking time-bomb with curious eyes.

Tenten stood on the opposite side of Neji, every once in a while glaring daggers at him. He remained indifferent, and that annoyed her even more.

Kakashi took a glance backwards, to check on the other quarrelling couple. Ino stood away from Shikamaru, her face completely turned away from the lazy nin. He didn't seem to mind, as it seemed he was deep in thought. But you can never be sure with Shikamaru.

The group were currently travelling through a light forest. Not exactly dense, but not easy to walk through either. They were taking it slow for now, resting after a long day of running at breakneck pace through trees and over dirt.

Sasuke hung back close to Hinata. Naruto was walking forward in his unique confident ways, deep in conversation with Shino and Kiba. To the side of them, Kurenai was walking, her wine red eyes fixated on Kakashi. He gulped. His luck with woman hadn't been good, considering Anko almost jumped him without consent and Tsume tried to kill him. It didn't look like it would getting better anytime soon.

Gai was chatting animatedly with Lee, although the smaller Green Beast seemed as though his heart wasn't completely in it.

"We need to talk."

Kurenai's voice made him shiver slightly in fear, but the Copy Nin nodded.

"Okay everyone, hold up."

The group did so, regarding their leader with curious eyes. "We're stopping for the night here."

He gestured to a medium sized clearing, big enough to contain their tents and still have some breathing room.

"No, not here, somewhere larger."

Kakashi locked eyes with Kurenai and nodded wearily. "Okay," He called, causing Kiba and Gai to stop unpacking a tent. "We're going to walk for a bit longer. Let's go."

Eventually, after another hour of travelling, Kakashi found a spot that was akin to Kurenai's requests. It was a large clearing, the combined width of the tents would only take a quarter of land, maybe less.

While everyone began to unpack, Kurenai dragged Kakashi away.

It turned out that Gai was there too and he greeted his eternal rival with an exuberant thumbs up.

"Right, let's get down to it then. What the hell have you been teaching those kids!?"

Oh Kami, no…

"W-what do you-"

"You've taught them nothing Kakashi, nothing!"

The Copy Nin hung his head in shame, but soon raised it. "Actually, that's not true. I taught them the tree-climbing exercise and taught Sasuke the Chidori."

Kurenai's eyebrow twitched. "And what have you taught Naruto and Sakura? I spoke to Naruto a while ago and asked him what you had been teaching him. He said nothing."

"Well… things?"

Kurenai sighed deeply, before she put a hand on the copy nin's shoulder. "Listen, this mission is dangerous Kakashi. They need a bigger arsenal if they even have a hope of standing a chance."

Kakashi thought for a moment. It was true, what had he taught them? He'd been doing teamwork exercises this whole time and that was all. He hadn't taught them any Ninjutsu, nor any Genjutsu or Taijutsu. He didn't even know their Chakra Nature. With a sigh, he mumbled an agreement.

Gai scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Excuse me, my youthful rose, but what am I doing here when I could be helping put up the tents with the power of-"

"You're just as much in the wrong as Kakashi."

Gai was flabbergasted. "B-but, why?"

"You've focused almost entirely on Lee and neglected the other two in your squad, particularly Tenten. I know Asuma has been teaching Ino and Shikamaru some Jutsu, but you guys haven't. We're rectifying this today."

She reached into her pocket and pulled out four pieces of chakra paper. "Determine Sasuke, Tenten, Neji and Naruto's chakra nature and teach them something. I'll get the other's chakra nature and teach them. Okay?"

Kakashi and Gai nodded, Kurenai smiling sagely in response. "Good, now here's the plan…"

"Yosh! My most youthful Genin, come over here! We are about to begin!"

Naruto's head shot up from the peg he was hammering into the ground. What was about to begin? "Yo, Bigger Bushy Brow, what's goin' on?"

Gai flashed a smile. "Why, we're beginning the most youthful training session in the history of youth. I can promise you that you will all learn a new Jutsu!"

Sasuke perked up at this as well, his eyes flashing with determination. Naruto's mouth curled into a smirk. He wouldn't be beaten by the Teme, not this time.

They both rose at the exact same time. Sasuke's gaze locked with Naruto, silent sparks crackling through the air. It was on. They both took off towards where Gai was standing.

When they arrived, they discovered Kakashi with Icha Icha in hand, standing next to a beaming Gai and a smiling Kurenai.

"So, uh, Kurenai-sensei, you said something about training?" Kiba inquired.

"Yes Kiba. Kakashi, hand them out."

Kakashi calmly walked over to the line of Genin and handed Naruto, Sasuke, Neji and Tenten some chakra paper. "Right," Kurenai began, "Channel chakra into the paper. The EFffect it has will determine what Chakra Nature you have. If the paper ignites and turns to ash, you have a fire affinity. If the paper crinkles, you have a lightning affinity. If the paper is sliced in half, you have a wind affinity. If the paper becomes wet and damp, then you have a Water Affinity. If the paper turns to dirt and crumble away, you have an earth affinity. If you have a particular affinity, those specific types of Elemental Ninjutsu will be easier for you to master. Give it a go."

Neji's paper was the first to react. It turned into dirt and crumbled. Kurenai smiled. "Congratulations Neji, you've got an Earth Affinity."

The Hyūga shrugged. His clan never used Ninjutsu, so why bother now? It didn't matter.

Then, a thought occurred to him. His clan didn't use Ninjutsu, at all. That, would make him unexpected and give him an edge.

Kurenai continued, "Naruto, you want to give it a try?"

Said Genin nodded vigorously, before a look of concentration crossed his features. His paper was cut straight in half. Kurenai cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "Wind? Hm, well, there are only a few people in Konoha who know Wind Jutsu…"

She trailed off, her red wine eyes locking with Kakashi's solitary eye. He nodded his affirmation. Good, he did know some. "Tenten, your turn."

The brunette Genin nodded, before channelling chakra into the paper. To her bewilderment, it crinkled.

"Lightning? Hmm, well, you can put that to good use."

Tenten smiled.

"And, finally, Sasuke."

The Uchiha only grunted. The paper quickly ignited and turned to ash in his palm.

"Right, that wraps that up. We'll split into groups. Tenten and Sasuke, Kiba and Shino, you head with Kakashi. Gai, you take Neji, Shikamaru and Naruto, and I'll take Hinata and Ino."

With that, the two groups split off from each other.

"Yosh! Welcome to the most youthful training exercises thought up by my fellow Jōnin, Kurenai!" Gai boomed.

Neji's eye twitched. "But, before we get to training, I must ask you a question…. Shikamaru!"

With his large finger pointed in the lazy nin's direction, he beamed exuberantly. Shikamaru sighed, before rubbing the back of his head. "Troublesome…. Before you ask, my chakra nature is water."

"Water! Such a fine and youthful part of nature. Very well!"

Naruto elbowed Neji in the ribs, much to the Hyūga's disgruntlement. "Do you know what he's going to be teaching us?"

Neji shook his head. Naruto grumbled something, but it was soon lost under the large amount of sound waves that belonged to Gai. "Now, we shall commence training! Neji, my most youthful student, will you step up!"

Neji did so, begrudgingly. "Now, Neji," Gai's face took a serious tone. "I do apologize for not learning your chakra nature sooner. However, we can rectify all that training now!" From his…. (Well, nobody knew where. Does spandex even have pockets?) spandex suit he pulled a scroll.

He placed it into Neji's outstretched hand, who regarded it curiously. "In this scroll is an Earth Jutsu that, while basic, will help you out in the long run."

Neji nodded and Gai gestured over towards a patch of grass. With that, the Hyūga took off. That left two.

"Alright! Shikamaru-"

He was cut off as Shikamaru raised his hand. "My dad already gave me something to learn from." To prove his point he pulled out a scroll with the Nara seal emblazoned on the front from his pocket. He looked positively distraught about actually having to do it. "Very well, you may do that."

With an annoyed sigh, Shikamaru trudged off. One left.

"Naruto! We shall work on your Taijutsu and weapons training today! Come, let us begin!"

Naruto groaned.

Kurenai smiled at the two girls standing in front of her. One, she knew very well. Her student, Hinata Hyūga, while shy and nervous, had a remarkably strong will and was a pleasure to teach. She didn't know much about the other girl, Ino, but she had heard she was quite a bossy, but a good person. Still, she was here to teach them about what she did best. Genjutsu.

"Okay girls, for now, I'm going to show you a Genjutsu."

Without waiting for a reply, Kurenai flashed a few hand seals. Almost immediately, both girls felt as though their bodies become ridged and they slowly fell to the floor with a thud. As hard as they tried, they couldn't seem to break the paralysis.

"That is a B rank Jutsu, known as the Sense's Paralysis. It tricks the senses into assuming one has no control or power over one's own body and as a result, lock's up."

She walked over and pulled a kunai from her pouch, before pressing it against each girl's neck and doing a slitting motion.

"See, it's rather effective. If, however, you can break out of it, you can do it. That's the trick with Genjutsu. If you can escape it, you can use it. Give it a try."

Hinata, unable to place her hands together for the hand sign for her Byakugan, quickly uttered a small "Release."

It didn't work, however and Hinata was stuck. Ino, however, managed to break free on her first try, before she realised Hinata. Kurenai smiled at them. "Okay girls, that's good. Ino, I want you to practice this Genjutsu on a clone of mine. Hinata, you and I will go and train up your Genjutsu breaking abilities, okay?"

Both girls nodded and went to step away, before Kurenai let out an 'ah' of thought, "Wait! I forgot I was going to teach you something else. Right, here we go."

Once again, before the girls could even react, Kurenai flew through some more hand seals. However, to both girls' pleasant surprise, nothing seemed to happen. "Attack me, but Hinata, don't use your Byakugan," She commanded.

Ino pulled a kunai from her pouch and charged forward. She sliced at Kurenai. And hit nothing. Ino then felt hands gripping her arms, pushing them forcefully, but gently, behind her back.

"Hinata, your turn."

Hinata swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw Kurenai, who a second ago was standing in front of Ino, now behind her. But, she had been ordered. And so, she charged.

With a kunai in hand, she went to slice at the feminine figure. She missed, falling flat into the dirt.

Ino and Kurenai stood behind her, a look of shock on the blonde's features.

Hinata quickly placed her hands together as she stood up, and muttered, "Release."

Kurenai smiled as Hinata turned around and let let of of Ino.

"That Genjutsu is the Flicker technique. It's a B level Genjutsu that tricks your opponent into believing that you are in one place, but instead the real you has moved behind them, ready to slit their throat."

Hinata and Ino both nodded.

Kurenai's smile widened. "Good, let's continue…."

"Alright," Kakashi drawled lazily. "Let's get started."

His rag tag group had assembled, waiting for instructions. "Okay, I'll just get the quickest one done first; Tenten."

Said girl perked up at the mention of her name. Kakashi instructed her to come over, which she did gladly. "Take out a kunai," He commanded, which she did. He grasped it in his hand and sent a small charge of lightning chakra into the blade. It crackled lightly.

"What you're going to work on, is channelling your lightning chakra into your weapons. Usually you would start with something more basic but we don't have time. Hopefully by the time we rescue Sakura, you'll be able to do this," The kunai turned a sheen of static blue and he threw it at a nearby tree. The trunk exploded, leaving a giant hole. Tenten's mouth was agape.

"Practice that. Shino, Kiba, come here."

Both boys obliged, and Kakashi eye smiled. "I have two techniques to teach the both of you. One specific for each of you. Kurenai said you had an Earth Chakra affinity that is correct?"

When they both nodded, he continued, "Right, the first is this," He made a few hand signs, turned away from the boys, before plunging his hand downwards and shouting, "Earth Style: Earth Wall Jutsu!"

A wall of earth formed from the ground. Kakashi turned to face the two Genin. "This is the technique you will both practice by yourselves. Kurenai has already gone through basic chakra nature control and I'll come and check your progress when you're done."

They both nodded before walking off to practice.

Sasuke stood as cold and indifferent as ever. Kakashi eye smiled at his student. "Ready to learn something new?"

The Uchiha merely grunted and stepped forward. "The technique I'm going to teach you was an Uchiha technique."

Sasuke immediately perked up, his eyes filled with morbid curiosity and annoyance. "Before you ask," Kakashi cut the inevitable question, "I didn't teach you it already because your chakra reserves weren't big enough. But, they are now."

Sasuke calmed down slightly, allowing Kakashi to finish.

"Okay, this technique is rather dangerous. It's an A rank technique at best. It's the Fire Style: Explosive Wave technique. The basic premise is that it releases a large dome of fire from the person, useful as a destruction tool and a defensive tool. But, it takes massive chakra doses to use. This means I can only show you once. Are you ready?"

Sasuke nodded and leapt backwards.

Kakashi quickly went through the hand signs, before shouting, "Fire Style: Explosive Wave!"

A huge dome of fire erupted from Kakashi, almost like a dome of orange light. Sasuke could feel the heat scorching him from a distance. That was a powerful technique. One he could use to defeat Itachi.

When the light faded, Kakashi was standing in a smouldering crater, Icha Icha in hand.

"Show me what you've got," He commanded, "But only do little explosions. We don't want to waste all your chakra."

Naruto's bruises had bruises had bruises. Kami, Gai hit hard. They had been training for about an hour, small explosions and lightning charges flashing around them. He was hurt. Really hurt.

Gai gave him exuberant thumbs up, his teeth flashing white. "Excellent young Naruto, are you ready for another round!?"

Naruto groaned. Lee hobbled over, regarding Gai with hopeful eyes. "Sensei, perhaps I could-"

"Lee," Gai silenced him, his usual jovialness replaced with a sense of grim stoniness. "You need to rest. Go sit back down."

Lee's condition, in fact, had improved. Well, he could now move his leg without massive flashes of pain. But he was looking paler, and he was moving slower than before. Weaker.

Lee's eyes put up a weak resistance, but sighed, his gaze turning downward, before he turned and wandered away.

Naruto watched he go, a pained look on his face. God, he hated seeing Bushy Brow like this. So… dishevelled.

"Naruto, let's get back to training." Gai's voice seemed to have gotten deeper and slightly quitter. Naruto exchanged a quiet nod with him. They slipped back into their fighting stances.

Kiba panted slightly as he slammed his palm into the ground for the thirteenth time that day. A mound of earth, about a foot higher than him, rose upwards. But it wasn't as big as Kakashi's. The dog nin cursed. He just couldn't do it.

Akamaru let out a low whine at his master's frustration. Kiba had sent him to lay down and watch a few metres away.

The wall of earth descended back into the earth.

As it did so, Kiba caught the tail end of Shino casting the very same Jutsu. However, when he slammed his hand into the floor, a wall about three feet higher came into view.

Kiba let out a growl of frustration before he recommenced training, making the same hand-signs.

Tenten bit her lip as she concentrated. Easy, easy…

She channelled a bit of chakra into her kunai and threw. She cursed as it swerved off course, a crackling sound emanating from the metal. It hit a tree, but not the right one.

Tenten just couldn't get her head around it. She could do the channelling part no problem. The real problem was the way that the lighting seemed to send the kunai off course. Tenten never missed, until now.

She hastily withdrew another kunai, channelled chakra and repeated. It veered off course and caused an explosion as it connected with a tree trunk, pieces of bark flying everywhere.

She let out a loud angry cry. Nothing was going right for her. Lee was injured, Neji was being a dick, this training wasn't working-ah!

With a loud battle cry, Tenten yanked out another kunai, channelled a large amount of chakra into the blade and threw it. However, the angle that she threw it in caused it to spin. It connected with the target. She blinked, disbelieving. The explosion was big and loud, but she had hit the target.

The kunoichi reached once again into her pouch and pulled out another kunai. She angled it so that when she threw, it would twirl in the air. She channelled a small amount of chakra into the blade, and threw. It spun in the air, far faster than the eye could track. With a crash, it hit the tree she had been aiming for.

Tenten felt like screaming. Why didn't she think of it sooner!? She had been trying to copy Kakashi perfectly, but it obviously took practice to throw it without spinning. So, it was also a form of chakra control as well as practicing with weapons.

With her brown eyes filled with determination, Tenten began her training once more, reinvigorated.

Sasuke could feel the sweat pouring off of him. Literally pouring. It was like a waterfall. But, it was needed.

The charred black crater reminded him of his hair. He wouldn't be beaten.

Kakashi watched him from afar, his gaze not giving anything away.

Sasuke could smell the burning ash that surrounded him, the way it filled his lungs. The way it burned. The way the smoke stung his eyes. But it didn't matter. He would find him and kill him.

He did the hand signs that he copied from Kakashi, "Fire Style: Explosive Wave!"

A small dome of pure magma erupted from the boy. It stayed there for a few seconds, devouring everything and anything near it. And then, it subsided. It left those onyx eyes. The eyes of an avenger.

Neji was a prodigy. Everybody knew that. He was good with Hyūga techniques and yet was a branch member. He had the Byakugan, a bloodline, a very useful one at that. He had nothing to fear. Naruto had shown him he was free from restrictions, and he could show that he could become a strong capable warrior without relying on fate, or anything. Then what was the feeling curling in his gut like a snake?

No, he knew what it was. Guilt.

Neji hated the feeling. But, it was well deserved.

He thought back to that match against the blonde boy. His words, they showed him the path. The path to be free of his cage. Then why did he feel like he was slowly falling back into it? And, why did it feel as though it was getting tighter?

He turned his gaze slightly to the side, his eyes glancing and scanning over Lee. He leant against the bark of a tree, pale as snow, his eyes usually full of life dim.

Neji's face contorted ever so slightly. He turned back to the earth scroll he was studying.

Neji Hyūga was a prodigy. The ice that had held his cold demeanour for so long, was melting.

Ino was finished with her Genjutsu. She had done it to the best of her abilities and as hard as she tried, she couldn't perfect it any more. At least today anyway. That didn't mean she had run out of chakra, oh no, but it meant that she was bored. Bored enough, in fact, that she wanted to try some of the Yamanaka techniques her father had been teaching her.

She quickly told Kurenai-sensei and Hinata that she was going to train by herself and dashed off into the woods.

She found, not too far in, a small clearing between the trees. It would do.

Ino took the scroll out of her pocket, unwrapped it and quickly glanced through it. Yeah, she knew the theory. Now, to continue the practice.

She placed the scroll back into her pocket, before her eyes scanned the area. She let out a contented hum as she found her target. A small rock.

Putting her hands into the position of the Yamanaka technique, she closed her eyes. After no more than a few seconds, she opened them.

Around the small rock, a small coat of blue chakra, smoky and watery at the same time, appeared. With an intense look of concentration, the rock slowly lifted upwards. She beamed at it, happy at her success. The rock had never gone that high before and it was still climbing. This could be-

The rock lost its coat of chakra at hit the ground with a thud.

She stared at it for a moment before her mouth set into a grim line. She then picked up the rock and threw it as far as she could, listening to the sounds of it bouncing off the trees and growing quieter and quieter, until the sound completely vanished.

She smiled. Good, that rock was following the rules. Hopefully, the other one would.

Hinata had noticed him before Naruto had. Well, at least she thought she had. Naruto may have spotted him, and perhaps just ignored him. It didn't look like that though. But, he could tell he was busy sparing with Gai-sensei. So perhaps that was why he didn't notice.

Of course, it was most probably just her Byakugan and not herself. She couldn't really do anything by herself, or so she thought anyway.

But, he was watching from the cover of the trees.

Hinata continued going through her Jyuuken techniques. After Ino had left, she had asked Kurenai to continue training the motions that her father had wanted to teach her, but couldn't because of the mission. Because the Genjutsu, while she could perform and now debunk it, just wasn't good enough. She just wasn't good enough.

She didn't dare sigh, or make a sound. Her father, if he taught her anything about how she was to be a typical Hyūga, was not to show emotions in one regard. She never sighed, nor never said no. That was what she was. That was what he had tried to craft her into. A perfect Hyūga heir. Even then, she wasn't even a normal Hyūga.

She saw the man shift, but didn't react, instead her mouth popping open into an 'o' shape. She knew who it was. She didn't notice it was him, because it had been so long since she had seen him, and he was pushed firmly into the back of his thoughts, but, it was-

There was a loud puff of smoke, and something leapt out of the trees, causing Naruto to yell and jump backwards, landing on his behind.

Standing right before the blonde Jinchūriki was…. A toad? Or, to be more specific, a giant red toad.

"Pervy Sage!"

The man stood atop the toad regarded Naruto with a cold stare. "I told you not to call me that, brat!" The man with flowing white hair yelled.

"Jiraiya of the Sannin! It is good to see you!" Gai exclaimed loudly.

Jiraiya absentmindedly waved to Gai, before his attention was once again on Naruto. "So, how you been kid?"

Naruto scowled. "How have I been!? Where the hell did you run off to!?"

Jiraiya let out a small chuckle, and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I was doing, well, research-"

Naruto leapt at him. "You bastard, you were doing research! I need training!"

Jiraiya simply stepped to the side, and laughed as Naruto sailed over the toad and into the foliage.

"Well, I'm here now!"

At this point, Naruto's head snapped up. "You're here to train me!?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Yes, I am in fact. But, I must speak with Kakashi."

As if on cue, Kakashi with his signature book obscuring his face, walked over towards the group. "Yo. You wanted to see me?"

The Toad Sage nodded, leaping down from his toad as it disappeared in a puff of smoke. He gestured away from the group.

"Hey, where are you going? You said you were going to train me!"

"Go talk with your girlfriend, brat." He gestured to Hinata.

Her face turned a deep crimson and she looked faint. Jiraiya chuckled.

When they got to an acceptable distance away, Jiraiya's face turned from jovial to serious. "I know about your mission."

Kakashi's eye crinkled. He wasn't going to bother asking how. He was a Sannin, after all. Jiraiya continued without pause, "While I think it was a stupid idea bringing along the Uchiha, I think it is a good plan."

"How do you know? About Itachi, I mean?"

"I was sent a letter by Sarutobi, telling me to help you in any way I can. I don't have much to offer, so I'll make this meeting brief. I'm searching for my teammate, Tsunade. I haven't been able to locate her anywhere. But, that's not the main reason why I'm here. There have been reports of a terrorist group known as the Akatsuki."

Kakashi nodded. He had heard about them.

"They're trying to round up all the Tailed Beasts according to a source. So, a target of theirs might be-"

"Naruto," Kakashi cut in, "So that's why-"

"Yes, that might be why they kidnapped your student. But, I do have some mission information for you. Apparently, my sources tell me that Itachi Uchiha was once a former member of the group but quit. Meaning he could have valuable information about them. This makes your mission that much more important."

Jiraiya's eyes turned downcast. "I can't help much I'm afraid. I need to look for Tsunade. She's….. Well, I can't tell you right now, but I need to find her, for the good of the village."

He turned his eyes upwards and smirked. "But, I can teach the brat some useful things while I'm here, if only for a little while."

Kakashi nodded. "Okay then. I'll keep an eye out for Tsunade, and if I see her I'll send you a message."

With a nod of thanks, Jiraiya turned around and walked forward, before calling out loudly, "Hey, Naruto, ready to learn something!?"

The blonde turned, his eyes filled with excitement. "Yeah!" He sprang up from his seated position under a tree, and ran forward.

He reached the Sannin quickly, a bright smile adorning his face, Jiraiya gestured into the forest. "Let's find a private clearing. I'll teach you something amazing!"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically and went to sprint, but was stopped by Jiraiya's hand. "Wait a minute brat," He said, "I need to do something quickly."

With that, he let go of Naruto's wrist and looked for a certain Hyūga. "Hey, uh…. Hinata! Yeah, that's it. Come on, we're training!"

Hinata blinked owlishly, before nodding sheepishly. And so, with a small smile, he waited for Hinata to catch up before turning around and walking in the woods with the two Genin in tow.

It certainly was going to be fun.