AN: I'd like to say thanks to the person who reviewed saying I was likely pacing this much too quickly. I do agree with you and will try to slow it down. I mainly think I went too quickly as nothing much really happens before Wave excluding the becoming genin/bell test.
I also want to ask on any opinions on who could replace Konan in akatsuki. I'd like them to be a woman so she can take Konan's spot at Pein's second in command basically, although its not necessary. I did, momentarily consider Rin until I realised that with her alive Obito has no reason to go all Genjutsu the whole world thing.
I was also hoping to get some opinions on the Kyuubi. I personally feel the Kyuubi makes a huge impact even if he doesn't appear. It can easily shape part of a story. The things I can't decide about it: Will it be friendly? Will it have a gender, if yes which one?
Anyway, I would love to have some reviews to help me decide these things, it'd be extremely helpful.
After Kakashi finished explaining how they would need to be trained, he told them to let him rest today and start training tomorrow. The team quickly agreed but after the room Sasuke confronted Naruto and said "Teach me all jutsu you know, dobe." Naruto mentally scoffed at this. Like he would teach the Uchiha anything. He then said in a mocking manner "No way, the Sasuke Uchiha, needs help from the so called dobe?" This of course left Sasuke fuming with rage, Sakura looking murderous at the blond for insulting her crush and Naruto calmly walking away. Before he got far Sasuke charged him with a yell of "Fight me dobe!" Once he got close to Naruto, the blonde Span around grabbing Sasuke's arm while pushing lightning chakra into it. This caused Sasuke to be paralysed long enough for Naruto to walk away scowling while thinking 'This shows my elemental manipulation is crap. I can do jutsu Nd use the chakra, but it's not very strong and although it worked that doesn't make it that good.'
Later that night everyone was dinner calmly, with Kakashi reading his usual orange book, and Naruto reading yet another scroll on elemental manipulation. While this happened, Sasuke was glaring at him while thinking how the civilian council will force Naruto to teach him. Sakura, however, was having wonderful thoughts of when she and her precious Sasuke-kun would be the two most powerful shinobi and how she would put Ino and that stupid whore Konan in her place for defending Naruto-baka.
Partway through their meal, Inari, Tsunami's son, exploded in rage screaming "Why try, your just gonna die! Gato kills everyone, there's no such thing as a hero!" He then stormed off with his food to his room ignoring his mother's call. Tsunami then turned to the ninja and said "My apologies, he doesn't believe in hero's due to a incident with Gato." Kakashi nodded and said "If it's not any trouble, would you explain the story to us? So we know how to avoid the topic." Tsunami nodded and began to tell the story of Kaiza, hero of Wave.
The next day, Kakashi took his genin out towards some trees and said "Okay my cute little genin, you will be climbing these trees." This earned a scoff from Sasuke and Sakura and a look of boredom from Naruto. Sasuke said "We know to climb trees Kakashi, get on with it and teach me something useful." Kakashi mentally chuckled in preparation for their reactions while saying "Oh really Sasuke? How about with no hands?" He proceeded to walk up the tree using his chakra. Before Sasuke could complain Kakashi said "This will train your chakra control so you can use more and better jutsu. Here, use These kunai to mark progress." They all nodded and Sasuke smirked before charging at the tree thinking it would be easy. He got five steps before back flipping off proud until he heard Sakura say how easy it is. Kakashi nonchalantly said "Looks like the girl got it first." Which caused Sasuke to bristle with rage while Naruto chuckled at the top of the tree.
Upon seeing Naruto at the top, Sakura, who was at one of the lower branches glared thinking he showed her up in front of Sasuke-kun. Sasuke was seething and ran towards the tree again while Kakashi sighed and said "Let me guess, you have water walking too?" Upon receiving a nod he sighed again, thinking how he would have to teach him something else. He quickly said "Sakura, keep going up and down the tree to get your reserves higher. They're extremely small. Naruto, come with me." Naruto nodded and jumped down the tree to follow Kakashi.
Upon getting away from the other two genin Kakashi said "I don't want you to learn too many powerful jutsu early so I will training you to increase your speed an strength okay?" Receiving a nod he couldn't help but smirk, Naruto would grow stronger with this.
That evening, a exhausted Sasuke and Sakura walked in for dinner to see a seemingly struggling to use his chopsticks properly Naruto. Sasuke smirked and said "Can't use chopsticks dobe?" He was sure he'd offended the 'dobe' and was ready for a argument. What he didn't expect however was to hear chuckling. Naruto said "I can't with these seals on." Sasuke rose an eyebrow at this? Seals are stupid pointless things (in his opinion which is right since he's a Uchiha). Sakura said "Naruto-baka seals are stupid!" Nauto sighed and was hoping that this wouldn't cause another argument. He quickly said "The Yondaime used seals in his most famous jutsu." And with that, he left them alone.
The next day, training went the same as it had before. Sasuke and Sakura tree-climbing with Naruto improving his physical capibilities. He was really looking forward to his progress. While this happened Kakashi couldn't help but sigh while reading his book. The civilian council wants him to train the last Uchiha so he decided while he can he would help his sensei's son as much as he could until Sasuke finished tree-walking. When he got back he would suggest telling Naruto of his parents. That would either make Naruto or break him completely. From his determination Kakashi had no doubt it would inspire Naruto. If this worked, he could try to fulfil his duty and become a family figure to the boy. Kakashi-nii? He liked the sound of that.
That night the group was eating dinner at Tazuna's house with Sasuke having his smug 'I'm better than you and you know it' smirk on, having completed tree-climbing, Sakura swooning over Sasuke and a rather annoyed Naruto. He was upset he couldn't take his seals off yet, not that Kakashi showed him that yet so he couldn't cheat. He was looking forwards to his new speed! He was using a kind of seal Kakashi made called a "Resistance seal". It's supposed to make it like your moving through water/harder things as the seals progresses. He was, unfortunately, currently on level 2 of 10 on this seal. Naruto knew he could likely be okay using level 3 but Kakashi didn't want to risk it since doing so would temporarily damage his muscles and at this point no one knew when Zabuza and apprentice would attack.
The dinner passed by mainly without incident until near the end Inari decided to jump up and shout "Your just gonna die! No one beats Gato! There's no such things as hero's!" This made Naruto mad. Now, he probably would've yelled out about how he understood and everything but he realised, even if it was bad he made it through and Inari might need the same. Naruto quickly got up and walked over to Inari, then hugged him gently. He let go and ruffled his hair saying "I'll show you hero's are real Inari, what kind of Hokage will I be if I can't save this village? And don't worry, some people know all about your pain." With his piece said he walked out of the house fairly calm, kind of glad he didn't scream and shout.
Inside the house the people were stunned into silence. Sakura broke it first with a cry of "Naruto-baka is just trying to sound cooler than Sasuke-kun! Besides, what did he mean that people know Inari's pain? He couldn't have meant him, he's so lucky, no parents to make rules for him!" Kakashi then sighed and said "Sakura, please tell me, when you were 5 who got your food, helped you clean yourself and buy clothes?" Sakura snorted, what a easy question. "My parents of course. Why wouldn't they? That has nothing to do with this." Kakashi resisted he urge to thrust his palm into his face. THIS was the smartest kunoichi? He then said "Naruto had none of that, he had no parents or family since the day of his birth. It's not all good having no rules, he has to go home knowing there's no one there for him, knowing he has to clean his apartment and buy food. It's a sad life and that's the best parts of his." Sasuke and Sakura had to say they were stunned. If he could handle that, and the supposed worse (which Sakura doubted was true and Sasuke didn't care) then maybe he was better than they thought...
Once Naruto got to his training area he quickly starting running laps around the small field-like arena. This continued on for 2 hours until the strain on his muscles was getting too bad. Once stopping he decided that his muscles needed rest and chose to go sleep leaning on a tree.
Naruto awoke the next day to someone stepping on a branch. He quickly jumped up and groggily attempted to see who was nearby. He soon saw himself looking himself looking what appeared to be a young girl with black hair, a pale face and big brown eyes. He had to admit, the girl was cute. He then said "Who are you and what are you doing here?" The girl just looked back at him fairly impassively and said "My name is Haku, I am getting some medicinal herbs for a precious person of mine. May I ask the same to you?" Naruto just chuckled slightly. He got worked up over a casual girl. He then replied "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I was training." Haku then went on to explain what she, later revealed to be a he, believed what it meant to be strong.
Upon arrival at Tazuna's house he received a lack of reaction from Sasuke, a nod from Kakashi I greeting which he returned and a questioning glance from Sakura before she said "Where were you last night?" Naruto sighed. It should be obvious. "Training." Sakura just looked angry. "Where training Naruto-baka!" he really wanted to sigh again. Before he answered Kakashi interrupted them to say it was time for Naruto to rest while Sasuke and Sakura trained.
The next day when Naruto awoke the first thing he noticed was he was alone. He then noticed it seemed to be rather late than his usHal wake up time! They must've left him to rest. He decided to take them up on their kind offer and stayed in bed for a while until he heard shouts from downstairs. Upon arriving downstairs he saw Inari trying to defend his mother from two thugs. One appearedto be about to strike at Inari with his sword so Naruto jumped over and punched the man in the face, startling him.
Naruto quickly made a clone to tie up the man he just punched while he dealt wih the other man. He decided to try a jutsu he had been learning recently once he noticed a few pieces of paper lying around. He made a few hand signs before saying "Paper Style: Paper Shuriken!" He cursed when he saw the paper, now shuriken shaped, was burning on the edges. That was his problem. He couldn't keep his fire chakra out of his paper jutsu yet. Even so, used in short range, the shuriken made contact before burning. The man let a anguished cry when the paper cut him and slightly cut those burns at the same time. He didn't notice Naruto knocking him out to be tied up aswell.
He the turned to Inari and Tsunami, upon making sure they were okay, left them to take care of the thugs, but not before leaving a clone while he began running towards the bridge with his weights still on. He knew he could take them off now but it wasn't definitive that Zabuza was there so if he did he would face one of Kakashi's 'punishments'. He was terrified of what they would be but couldn't let his team down so hairy new vigor, sped even faster to the bridge.
AN: I hope this is okay, I decided to give Naruto that 'problem' with his paper style although I short range it would probably help since it would burn before long range, as he can't make them fire resistant yet. That is currently the only paper jutsu he knows and it is at from mastered as he needs external paper unlike Konan who's body can be used for that.
I also wanted to ask if anyone could give me any ideas of what to do with Sakura. I realised, well saw a review, informing me I'm using the "date Sasuke-kun" bit too much and wanted to change that. I don't want to make her stronger, not significantly at least, just enough to give her something else.