I AM SO FREAKING SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I got a new laptop the other day, but have been a little rusty in my writing. Forgive me if there are too many mispellings or grammer errors. I also got a new job and now have to work from 6PM to 6AM. It pays well, but is very time consuming. I'll try to update more as soon as I can. Enjoy.
The subject stalked it's way through the forest, it's ears always moving to the slightest sound. Every now and then, it would pause to sniff the air for any enemies that may be lurking nearby. It knew it would only be a matter of time before his worst nightmare would send it's minions after him.
Right on cue, three figures silently landed behind the bushes only 50 yards away. On instinct, one figure leapt into the trees on the subject's right while the second figure hurried along the brush line on the subject's left. In seconds, the three ninjas had the subject surrounded in a triangle formation. Each one ready at a moment's notice to spring their trap on the subject.
The ninja in the trees tapped the mic on the collar. "This is Scorpion. I'm in position."
The second ninja behind the tree did the same. "This is Princess. I'm waiting for the signal."
The final ninja behind the brush nodded. "Miso acknowledges. Scorpion, when you're ready, engage the subject."
Scorpion tapped his microphone, signaling he understood. Watching the subject, he raised his arms and let loose his army to surround the clearing. Slowly, the army inched their way to the subject.
When Miso saw the trap set, he signaled to Princess to spring the trap. She charged the subject, which it immediately noticed. It turned to run into the safety of the trees only to be blocked by a wall of insects. It roared in frustration and turned to face its attacker head on in one final stand. It wasn't going back.
Too bad it didn't notice Miso drop from the air until it was too late. Before it could defend itself, Miso already grabbed the scruff around its neck and lifted him into the air.
"Gotcha," he declared. He smiled as the subject struggled in his grip, hoping to catch the boy with his claws.
Scorpion walked to the group with his hand on his microphone. "This is Scorpion, calling Shadow Stalker. We have the subject in custody."
There was a pause before a voice answered into their earpieces. "Can you confirm it's the one?"
Scorpion nodded. "We have a ribbon on the right ear. It's definitely our subject."
"Congratulations, Team 10. You've broken the record on the fastest capture for Tora the cat."
Naruto walked towards the Hokage tower with a smile on his face and Tora in a cat carrier. The cat was hissing spit with a vengeance at the thought of returning to it's master. Ino was grinning with satisfaction at the thought of having a quick and successful mission, along with the fact the damn cat was getting what it deserved after she got scratched in the face by the little monster a week before. Shino, stoic as ever, walked behind his teammates. While his teammates may be lax in their victory, he wasn't going to take any chances of Tora escaping. Still, he couldn't keep the slightest hint of a smirk off his face.
It has been a month since Team 10 was formed. Like any genin team, they stuck working with D-rank missions given to them by the Hokage and Iruka. The missions were, of course, simple chores for genin to gain experience at working as a team. They ranged from weeding gardens, painting fences, walking dogs, picking up litter, repairing training fields, and of course, catching Tora.
But they also had other work as well. In fact, from dawn till dusk, every free moment was used for training. Team 10 got up at six every morning for a basic workout, which included running laps around the village, pushups with weights, chin-ups, tree walking and water walking. By ten, they would request a mission and strove to complete it by lunch. Then they would work on their team exercises, taijutsu, and ninjutsu until Shikaku called it quits. They would then do another D-rank mission and be dismissed for the day.
After that, Naruto would return to work at Ichiraku's or continue training. He had almost mastered water walking and was working on using other parts of his body to stand on the water.
Ino and Shino would return to their clan's compound and would practice with their parents on their clan's techniques. But not before having a bowl with Naruto and Team 8 at Ichiraku's.
Naruto's skills have grown far more than what anyone could have participated. His body had become a rock-solid built with both strength and speed. His Ramen techniques have grown more adequate and now didn't require him to call out the Jutsu's name. His shadow clone technique had become more developed as well. Through trial and error, he had been able to combine his taijutsu and hand signs to quickly create a shadow clone in the middle of a battle to aid him in his fights.
Ino's style had grown as well. Her determination since their test became unwavering, which resulted in her trying her hardest at any test that came her way. Now eating a proper diet and pushing her hardest in training, Ino had a skill beyond anything a teacher had seen. Her body had grown from less-than-average size to one with power. Her arms and legs showed their signs of intense training along with an abdomen that made many boys and older perverts stop in their tracks. Her physique had now become one envied by many girls in the village. Several times, Naruto and Shino had to glower at many pedophiles that were throwing looks of lust at her.
Shino had grown stronger as well, but his jacket prevented him showing it off. His teammates and teacher could tell he had become stronger from their spars. His taijutsu had leapt in bounds as well, now that he focused more on hand-to hand combat instead of relying on his insects. Naruto and Ino's favorite pastime had become watching him his is 'Mantis Style' against a revolving training dummy. His moves had evolved from a quick blur to a whirlwind of arms. The dummy spun so fast one time that it actually flew off the ground in a helicopter style and landed 50 feet away.
That wasn't the only training they were going through. Shikaku wasn't kidding when he said he was training them to prepare for anything. Every once in a while, Shikaku would bring a teacher along who specialized in a certain field to come and train them.
Their first training session was tracking with Tsume Inuzuka, Kiba's mother. A member of the special ops hunter inns, she was always recommended in hunting an enemy shinobi along with her ninkin, Kuromaru. Tsume had taken them on a three day hunting trip on her special training field built especially for these purposes. She spent the trip showing them how recognize obvious signs when tracking an enemy, from footprints, disturbed grass and branches to more harder signs, like on solid rock, backtracking and water tracking.
After that, they were given sword training by a sickly man named Hayate. Nearly coughing continuously through their training, he showed them several different katas, strikes and tricks to always gain an advantage over an enemy. He then gave them wooden swords and made them spar against him. Sometimes one-on-one or all three at the same time. Each time, he defeated them easily. But everyone took the training seriously, which earned them good points in Hayate's terms.
Then, it was training at the hospital to show them how treat an injured comrade in the field and basic healing jutsus. Ino and surprisingly Shino both seamed to have a natural talent for healing. Both were giving recommendations for healing classes in their spare time.
Next was practice in Sealing techniques. The team was shown how use basic sealing uses in everything from equipment to bodies. They were given a crash course on the basic brush strokes that were used. Just like calligraphy, the smallest mistake could ruin the sealing technique. In this session, only Naruto seemed to have talent.
Things got really interesting last week, when Shikaku took them to the Interogation department.
"My, my, what do we have here?" said the woman who frankly scared all three genin. She was wearing a long, beige trench coat. Underneath it left little to the imagination with a full-body fishnet suit and a miniskirt. She also had this grin that seemed to be carved by the Shinigami himself.
The lady walked forward and pressed her face very close to Naruto's. "Fresh meat, huh? And I bet you guys are virgins at this, aren't you?"
Then pressed her face to Ino's. "Well, I promise I'll be as gentle as I can."
Finally, she moved to Shino. "Well, maybe some of you," she finished as she stroke a finger against Shino's cheek. Naruto and Ino noticed Shino freeze up, a move most people wouldn't have noticed.
"Anko, quit scaring them," Shikaku muttered. The woman laughed and led them down the hallway of the basement.
"You know it's fun," anwered Anko. "Breaking in newbies is more fun than watching a guy piss himself in fear from Ibiki's interrogations."
"Ibiki?" Ino tried not to whimper.
"The head of the Interrogation department," answered Shikaku.
Anko led them to a dark room that was lit by the room next to it. The light was passing through a window where Team 10 could see a large man with his haitai tied around his head. He was wearing a long, dark trench coat and had several scars similar to Shikaku's on his face. He was circling a frightened man in prisoner clothes who looked terrified out of his mind. The genin saw Ibiki mutter a few choice words and the prisoner's complexion turn completely white. He suddenly started screaming mindlessly and Ibiki left the room. He came into their room a few second later.
"It was Colonol Mustard with a rope in the parlor," said Ibiki. His voice had a tone that made the genin shiver with fear.
"Damn it! I was sure it was Professor Plum," cursed Anko. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a hundred ryo bill, which she handed to Ibiki. His gaze landed on Team 10.
"So what do we have here? New recruits?" grinned Ibiki. Ino squeaked and hid behind Naruto and Shino.
"We're just here for crash course in interrogating, Ibiki," explained Shikaku. "I want them trained in as many departments as possible."
Ibiki nodded. "Perfect. I'm tired of idiots waiting to bring prisoners here to interrogate when they have a chance at escaping during the transport."
"Which is why I brought them here," Shikaku finished.
Ibiki studied them for a moment. His calculating eyes made Naruto feel like he was being under a microscope.
"Alright, you maggots. Listen up. I'm not going to treat you guys with kid gloves. What I do is real and ugly, but it's a necessary factor for the village. We're called the interrogation department, but we also use torturing methods to get our answers from our prisoners. It may be inhumane, but necessary."
Naruto felt Ino quaking with fear behind him. He moved his hand in the slightest behind his back and lightly touched her hand. He saw Shino do the same, which Ino calmed down.
Ibiki began to untie his bandana. "Sometimes you may have use the most horrible things imaginable to get your information." He pulled his headband off and Team 10 stiffened. "I know from fact."
He had no hair on his head, making the scars only more noticeable. There were several slashes from knives, burns marks and screw points scattered over his scalp. He then took off one his gloves, which were just as bad. His left hand had to fingernails on it and the tips were wrinkled with needle points. Each finger looked like it had been broken several times. His pinky and ring finger were burned a horrible black. Finally, his palm had the character 'monster' carved into it.
Naruto felt sick, but tried not show it. This guy was obviously a pro at what he did and had his own share of being captured and tortured.
Shino was stiff, but Naruto saw a few beads of sweat roll down his brow. Ino began to hyperventilate. She knew her father worked for the same department as Ibiki, but she never thought this was what he did. Her breath quickened and her body began to shake.
Shino and Naruto noticed this. Before Naruto could do anything, Shino grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Ino then began to calm down, taking several deep breaths.
Naruto decided it was time to something brave/stupid. He turned to Ibiki. "We got the point, Scarface. Now if you don't mind, I like to get started. We're burning daylight."
Anko and Shikaku's eyes widened with surprise. The last guy Ibiki showed his scars to went into catatonic shock. Nobody, not even the bravest prisoners, talked to Ibiki like that.
Ibiki stared hard at Naruto for several moments. When he saw the boy wasn't going to back down, he began to chuckle. It then began to become a full booming laugh as he tied his bandana back onto his head.
"I like you, kid. You got a lot of guts. Not a lot of brains, but plenty of guts." He then smiled at the group. "Are you sure you want to do this? It's not pretty, but necessary."
Naruto and Shino nodded immediately. Ino did a few seconds later, still holding onto Shino's hand.
"Ok, then," said Ibiki. "We've got three prisoners here with us today. Each one has been suspected of being a traitor and working for a group outside the village. Your job is to find out who their working for. By any means necessary."
The team nodded.
Shino volunteered to go first. He walked into the room where the previous prisoner was held. He waited for his turn while Ibiki, Anko, Shikaku, Ino and Naruto waited in the other room, watching his progress.
A few seconds later, two ANBU guards brought in a man in a prisoner uniform. He was bald, overweight, and fighting his restrainers. The guards brought him to a chair bolted into the center of the room and restrained him to it. Once they were done, they immediately left.
The man spotted Shino and began to laugh. "A kid? They brought some brat to torture me?"
Shino walked to the prisoner and looked down at him. "I assure you that I'm a fully-capable torturer for the Hidden Leaf. You're in good hands."
The man scoffed. "Sure you are. Are you done playing grown-up? You're not exactly scaring me if I'm in 'good hands.'"
Shino pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Maybe. But I think I fully capable now. My teacher was really angered with me for killing the last prisoner before I could get the information I wanted." This caused the man to freeze.
"Whoa, that was good," Anko chuckled as she pressed her face to the glass. Naruto nodded in agreement. After being with Shino more, he could now tell the difference between his voice patterns, if they may sound the same to everyone else.
"Wh..What do you mean by?" asked the prisoner.
"I'm afraid I might have a little too…..eager…with my last interrogation. I wanted it to be quick and may have gotten ahead of myself. He suffocated quicker than I anticipated."
"What the hell did you do to him?"
Shino didn't answer. Instead, he raised his arms and called for his insects. The kikaichu slowly exited out of Shino's jacket and began to hover around the man's head, buzzing loudly. The prisoner began to twitch and fight his restraints.
"Don't you like my beauties? Well, they like you. Or more importantly, your blood."
"I like this kid," said Ibiki as he looked forward with hungry eyes.
"They like blood. But burrowing into the skin takes too much time, too much energy. If they get a chance, they will enter through the mouth. It is easier to burrow into your veins when they don't have to go through layers of skin and muscle."
On cue, the kikaichu began to hover closer to the man's head. He immediately shut his mouth as the insects began to land on his face.
"I'm afraid that won't work. I found out from my other interrogations that any orifice will due. Like your ears, which will lead directly into your brain." The prisoner began to thrash more wildly. "Through your eyes, which is easier than muscle." The prisoner shut his eyelids and began to breathe more heavily. "And even your nose."
"But this time I want to try something different. By entering through the head, there is always the possibility of entering your brain and accidentally causing damage. That, I'm afraid, will render you useless and a mountain of paperwork for me. So this time, I'll try lower."
The man's eyes snapped open in fear as he felt the insects begin to land on his feet and crawl up his leg inside his pants. He could feel them crawling higher each second.
"The question now is: Which orifice? Through the tube or in the back door," Shino smiled.
"OKOKOK! I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK!
"Anko, give this kid an application," said Ibiki.
The ANBU led the hysterical prisoner out of the room. Shino came in later. The smile on his face was gone. Naruto noticed a slight shake of his shoulders and his head was bowed a little lower than normal. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder. Shino stared hard at him, before the boy nodded.
"I'll be fine," said Shino. "I'm just a little startled." Naruto patted his shoulder while Ino did the same on his arm.
Ibiki nodded, but Anko scoffed. "Wimp," she muttered.
Ino scowled at the woman. "I'm sorry not all of us are cold, sadistic monsters like you."
Anko glared at Ino, but the blonde stood her ground. They stared hard at each for several moments.
"Just for that, you can next, blondie," Anko growled.
Ino seemed to freeze for a moment, but her glare came back.
"Fine," Ino muttered. She left the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
Shino immediately turned to the window, followed by Naruto. They watched her enter the room and began to pace in front of the chair. The two genin could see her trying to hide her fear.
A few minutes later, the ANBU guards brought in the next prisoner. A thin man with scraggly, gray hair and sunken, yellow eyes. He almost looked like a zombie. Ino stood by and watched from the corner as the man was strapped into the chair. Once that was done and the guards had left, the prisoner began to take in his surroundings. He spotted Ino in the corner. Instead of disbelief like the last one, the man frowned at his interrogator.
"You? Your the one?"
Ino nodded firmly, but her eyes still wide. "Don't be so shocked. I'm here to get any information you might be carrying that may be hazardous to the Leaf village and it's people."
"But you're just a girl."
Despite her fear, Ino rolled her eyes. "Well observed. I'm a fully capable kunoichi in this department and you will tell me what I need to know."
The man's face fell and a look of anger replaced it. "I'm not talking. I'll take my secret to my grave."
Ino stepped closer to the man. "I will find out. You cannot hide any secrets from me."
A rather evil smile appeared on the man's face. "I like the see you try. I've lived long enough and would look forward to passing onto the next world. No amount of pain or fear can change that."
Likewise, a wicked smile appeared on Ino's face. One that made Naruto and Shino shiver. "Oh, I won't be using any knives, screws, or thumbtacks. In fact, you won't feel a thing."
When the man didn't answer, Ino walked to wall opposite of the chair and sat down. She then pushed her hands forward into a hand sign only Shikaku and Ibiki recognized.
"Wait a moment, that's Yamanaka's kid?" Ibiki asked.
Shikaku nodded. "Yep. And it looks like she has learned her dad's technique."
"What technique, sensei?" asked Naruto.
Before Shikaku could answer, Ino pointed her hand sign at the prisoner.
"Memory Scan Jutsu."
Ino and the prisoner both went slackened and fell unconscious. Shino and Naruto both started to leave and check to see if she was all right before Shikaku grabbed their arms.
"Don't worry, she'll be alright."
"What is she doing, sensei?" asked Naruto.
"It's one of the many techniques developed by the Yamanka clan. The Memory Scan let's the caster merge their spirit into the victim's mind and look into their memories. It's a lot less troublesome than torturing them for hours on end."
"It's also one of the reasons why Inoichi is my top interrogator," finished Ibiki.
"Hey!" Anko yelled.
"But if Ino's dad can simply look into their memories, why do you do what you do, Ibiki-san?" asked Naruto.
Ibiki grinned. "It's fun."
Naruto paled and turned back to the interrogation. He noticed that Shino's stare had never left her.
It was a few minutes later until Ino began to move. In one jerk motion, she gasped and snapped her head off her chest. At the same time, so did the prisoner. Ino breathed heavily for a few moments, a look of horror on her face. She finally regained her footing and stood up. She then marched over to the prisoner and kicked the man between his legs.
"You are a sick bastard!" she yelled. She then proceeded to kick the man again and again.
Shikaku rushed out of the room and into the other. He grabbed Ino around her waist and dragged her out.
Minutes later, Ino and Shikaku returned to the room. Shikaku looked a little sick while Ino seemed to be fighting back tears. However, when saw her teammates, the dam broke and Ino began to sob. She rushed into the closest person, which happened to be Shino. His eyebrows rising was the only indication of his surprise. But he wrapped an arm around her and held her close while she clung to his jacket. Naruto walked up and patted her on the shoulder.
"Sometimes, even I can still be shocked by the evil of men," Shikaku muttered.
"What was it, Shikaku-sensei?" asked Shino.
"Ino discovered the man was hiding the location of an underground prostitution and slave ring that borders on the outskirts of the Land of Fire. Women and children were being sold to the highest bidder. Sometimes as young as 12 years."
Ino sobbed once and Shino held her a little tighter. Naruto began to feel sick. Iruka didn't go in-depth of the horrors people had been capable of, but he did say some missions can scar ninja for life. The only way to learn these horrors was to experience them. There was no way they could be explained.
"Anko has already submitted a report to the Hokage. In a few hours, a jonin squad will be dispatched to find these locations and put an end to them," explained a somber Shikaku. He then turned to Naruto. "It's your turn now."
Naruto nodded and walked into the next room. Immediately inside, he detected the faint smell of blood and gristle staining the chair and the walls along with salty smell of tears and a faint trace of urine. It almost made him gag. The walls were painted a dark green color with a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. The window he had been previously looking through now only showed his reflection. He gave a slight nod in its direction, signaling he was ready.
At least he hoped he was.
A few seconds later, two ANBU guards pushed a struggling man through the door. This time, a bag was covering his head, hiding his features. The man fought each second he could that it took a few minutes to be restrained in the chair. Once he was, the guards pulled the bag off his head. Naruto had to stiffen a gasp.
It was Mizuki.
"Aw, crap," Naruto muttered. "This day keeps getting better and better."
Mizuki blinked several times before his focused on Naruto. Immediately he began to thrash.
"You little bastard! I'm going to kill you!"
Naruto was startled at first, but put on a brave face. He most likely knew why Mizuki was being interrogated. "You're not in a position to kill anyone, traitor. You're going to tell me why stole a forbidden scroll from the Hokage Tower. Being a chunin, you know a crime like that could result in your death."
"Shut it, demon," snapped Mizuki. "You should be the one on trial and strapped to this chair. After all, you're the one that stole it, not me."
"I was following orders from my superior, who had hostages," Naruto snapped back. He pulled a kunai from his pocket "You threatened my girlfriend! You tried to kill her and a fellow chunin!"
"I should have gutted her when I had the-AAARRGGHH."
Naruto jammed the knife into Mizuki's shoulder. He left it there a few seconds before slowly pulling it out. Mizuki started panting and thrashing.
"Next time I won't be so gentle," muttered Naruto.
Mizuki took several deep breaths and said,"You're only proving to everyone behind the glass that you really are a monster. I wonder what you're little bitch would-AAARRRGGHH!"
"That's twice, traitor," Naruto said as he pulled the knife out of the new wound in Mizuki's other shoulder. "Next time, we'll start with your toes."
Blood pouring freely from the wound, Mizuki still glared daggers at the blonde. "You'll never get anything out of me."
"Out of you? Mmm," Naruto scratched his chin. "That's a good idea. Let's get that information out of your system." He pulled out a small piece of ramen dough from his pouch and began to roll it into a ball.
"What the hell are you doing," Mizuki asked.
Naruto didn't answer. He walked up to the prisoner and grabbed a hold of his nose. Mizuki tried to fight back, but he was gasping for air a few seconds later. Naruto shoved the dough into his mouth, careful to avoid the teeth Mizuki was now trying to use. Once the dough was in his mouth, Naruto closed it shut and punched Mizkuki in the stomach. The man choked and gasped, but swallowed it. He then began to chuckle.
"If you're trying poison me, could you have given a better last meal?"
"If you don't tell me what you know, it's going to be," said Naruto. He put his hands together in the 'ram' symbol.
Mizuki smirked as he watched the genin make a symbol while nothing happened. He decided to get comfortable and took a deep breath. But he noticed immediately his lungs wouldn't fill up. He tried again only for a hoarse whisper to escape his lips. He tried again and again, his panic beginning to rise.
Naruto released his hands and Mizuki began to breathe. "That worked better than I thought."
"What the hell did you do me?" gasped Mizuki.
"My newest creation: The Dough Balloon Jutsu," smirked Naruto. "I must admit, this one is a little unusual. It uses oxygen to swell to a larger size, in which the mass increases as well as the weight. I can make as big as I want to. Right now, the dough is still in your esophagus, which is pressing up against you lungs and sucking the air right out. So the question is how big you can swell up before you talk or pop like an over-cooked hot dog."
"You…sick…bastard," panted Mizuki. His smirk was gone. Now his eyes showed a faint fear.
"Maybe I am. But guess what, if you tell me why you stole the scroll, I'll stop," offered Naruto.
Mizuki seemed to hesitate a moment before he shook his head. "No, I'll never tell you."
"Wrong answer." Naruto formed the hand signs again and Mizuki felt the dough begin to swell up. The air was sucked out of his lungs and the dough was expanding inside him. He could feel his organs being pressed against his ribcage. After a few seconds, Naruto released the jutsu once again. Mizuki gasped for breath, a slow trickle of blood came from the corner of his mouth. He began to cough as well.
"It's most likely your organs have been damaged," said Naruto. "I don't know much about human analogy, but you most likely need a doctor right about now. Now, Mizuki-sensei, you got three choices. One, you can tell me what you know and you can get the help you need. Two, you can say nothing and slowly die of internal bleeding. Three, you can say nothing, insult me some more, and we can play 'pop goes the weasel'. Now what's it going to be?"
Mizuki coughed up more blood. He looked up at Naruto with loathing and fear. Naruto stared right back with determination, but also a slight plea in his eyes. Mizuki bowed his head in what looked like defeat and Naruto leaned forward to hear his answer. However, Mizuki snapped his head up and spat a glob of blood in Naruto's face.
Naruto wiped the blood away and glared at Mizuki. "Have it your way. I hope you find peace in the next world."
He put his hand signs together and cast the jutsu once more. Mizuki began to gasp, his chest beginning to slightly expand along with is stomach. In a few seconds, he now looked like a slight overweight man. It was soon the man's body begin to throb, threatening to burst.
Naruto closed his eyes, not prepared to witness what was about to happen. He knew the dough inside had to be the size of a child's kick ball. It was now a matter of seconds.
"O..Or…"
Naruto snapped his eyes open and cancelled the jutsu. "You said something?"
Mizuki choked, more blood pouring from his mouth. His head sat limply on his chest. "Oro…Orochi…maru."
Next was a blur. Mizuki was rushed to the hospital while Team 10 and Shikaku was immediately transported to the Hokage's office by Ibiki. The genin were confused and tried to ask Shikaku what was going on. He only told them to be silent and what for the Hokage's orders, who at the time was being briefed quietly by Ibiki. When he finished, Sarutobi's eyes were wide as he gazed at the genin.
He then ordered them that what they heard was now considered an A-rank secret and that they were not to discuss it with anyone other than those who had heard it. He then dismissed them with a full week's pay.
Naruto shook his head as he thought of that day. He didn't discuss it with Ayame or Teuchi, but they did notice him being extremely depressed for the past days. In fact, they noticed Team 10 were all depressed.
"Are you ok?" asked Ino.
"I'm fine," Naruto answered. "Just thinking about what's happened this past week."
Ino frowned. "I try not to. I'm still having nightmares."
"I as well," added Shino.
"Me, too," admitted Naruto.
A silence fell over them again. They listened to the happy conversations going around them in the markets and streets. Remembering they were once like that, completely oblivious to what happens in the shadows of the village.
"This hasn't been a good week," said Shino.
"Which day? The interrogation or what happened three days ago?"
To get their minds of their nightmares and back into training, Shikaku arranged for them to be taught by a taijutsu master for the day to see if their bodies were designed for a specific fighting style. Also, the master was bringing a his students, one of who was a weapons expert and could help them find a weapon if they wanted one.
Waiting for them on training field 5, Shikaku was giving them a final pep talk.
"When you meet Gai-sensei, don't be shocked if he's a little…eccentric," added Shikaku.
"What do you mean by…" Shino tried to say when all four of them noticed a cloud of dust heading in their direction at an insane amount of speed. It was then followed by a loud, charging yell. It was then the genin realized this bullet was a man. A man who looked it was about to charge them over when he came to a sudden stop in front of them.
"Victory! The power of youth has given me the strength to arrive first!" the man yelled. Team 10 stared in shock at the newcomer. He was dressed in green leotard with bright, orange leg warmers. He was also wearing his leaf headband around his waist and a jonin vest. His black hair was cut in a bowl style. But what seemed to be to be noticeable(shocking) was the man's teeth, which were sparkling them to blindness.
"Hello, Gai," greeted Shikaku.
"Yosh! And a good afternoon to you as well, Shikaku-san!" Gai then noticed the genin and smiled his bright smile. "And these must be the scamps I have the privilege of teaching this most youthful afternoon."
"Shikaku-sensei?" Ino whispered worriedly.
"It's ok, Ino," he whispered.
"Ah! Here comes the first of my youthful students!" yell Gai, waving behind him.
Team 10 turned to see a similar blur heading in their direction, wearing the same clothes. A few seconds later, a boy their age skidded to a halt in from of them.
"I have arrived, Gai-sensei!" yelled the boy. He was an exact duplicate of Gai, excluding the jonin jacket. He also had bigger, dark pupils and the bushiest eyebrows anyone had ever seen.
"Ah, right on time! Team 10, allow me to introduce my pupil. The taijutsu genius...Ro-"
"Rocky?" asked Naruto.
A faint memory of Naruto's year where he failed his first test. A genin who had no talent in Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, only rocky Taijutsu. A boy, like Naruto, who would never give up. A boy who was a great friend.
The boy, Rock Lee, turned to Naruto, his mouth gaped in surprise.
"Naruto? Can that you be you?" he asked.
Naruto jumped forward and grabbed the boy in a noogie hold. "Believe it! I can't believe you're here, you bonehead."
"Me either, you Ramen blackhole," said Lee as he reversed the hold and put Naruto in a headlock. "Why didn't you tell me you finally passed?"
"I've been busy," Naruto gagged.
The genin and the teachers watched as the two friends scuffled around. Shino and Ino were confused, Shikaku was gazing in amusement, while Gai was watching with surprise. He never seen his student this relaxed before. Usually, Lee was always a courteous man with exceptional manners. It was a shock to see him throw that out the window and behave like this.
After a few moments of horseplaying, the boys released each other. Naruto turned to his teammates. "This is Rock Lee. We were in the same class together at the academy. He's a miracle because he only passes Taijutsu, which at the time was as rocky as his name."
"Well, at least I passed," smirked Lee. He then punched a fist in the air. "The power of youth let me prevail!"
Team 10 had the same thought. It's a clone of Gai!
Gai snapped out of his stupor and slapped a hand on his student's shoulder. "Yes! Youth always wins!"
Lee turned his sensei with tears in his eyes. "Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!"
The two then embraced in a hug of emotion while a ocean-view sunset appeared behind them. How they did that, nobody know. Shikaku rolled his eyes while Team 10 stared in shock.
"Shino, I'm scared," said Ino as she grabbed his hand.
"Me, too," whispered Shino. It was the first time he had ever admitted it in his life.
It was a while before the two broke apart. The tears were gone along with the sunset to the relief of the team. Gai looked around the clearing. "And there's another team member."
Naruto turned in his direction and spotted a girl walking towards them. She was tall, slim and wearing blue, shinobi pants and pink, chinese battle-shirt. She was wearing her brown hair in two buns. Immediately, Naruto recognized another old friend.
"Gai-sensei, Lee, how many times have I told you not to leave us like that?" complained the girl.
Naruto walked forward, a grin on his face. "Long time no see, Ten."
The girl looked at Naruto and a smile blossomed on her face. "Ruto! I can't believe it!" She dashed forward and pounced on him, wrapping him in hug. "It's been a while."
Naruto hugged the girl back. Then introduced her to his friends. "This is Tenten. The weapons mistress of Konoha and former classmate."
"Nice to meet you," she said and bowed to them. "It's nice to see Naruto with teammates and our symbol around his head."
Shino and Ino bowed back. Shino believed the girl to be polite and friendly with the possibility of becoming a good friend. Ino really liked the girl. She looked strong and like a person who could give her tips on how to be a real kunoichi.
Tenten turned back to Naruto. "So how have you been. Lee and I haven't seen you in awhile and I'm sorry we haven't been by Ichiraku's."
Naruto shrugged. "It's okay. I've been so busy lately as well so I know how it is."
"How are Teuchi-san and Ayame-san?" asked Lee.
"Well, Teuchi is still well and kicking. And Ayame…well…," Naruto scratched his head. "is my girlfriend now."
Tenten squealed with delight. "I knew you two were going to get together!"
"Yosh! Your flames of youth burn bright!" said Lee.
"Tell me how it happened!" gushed Tenten
Embarrassed, Naruto was about to go into the story when a voice called behind Lee and Tenten. "Well, it's seems the failure actually passed. Someone must have screwed up the scores at the academy."
Lee and Tenten groaned and turned around. Standing behind them with a scowl on his face was a teen wearing black short, a long-sleeve white jacket and his left side limbs wrapped in bandages. His long hair was tied in a ponytail. But the most noticeable feature was his pupil-less eyes.
"Hey, isn't that…"Ino started.
"Neji Hyuuga. Last year's Rookie of the Year," finished Shino.
Naruto and Neji stared hard each other for a long moment. Each team could feel the hatred between these two that it was almost at a boiling point. Neji had the usual, stoic stare that many Hyuuga have. The look that made everybody feel like they could be seen through. Naruto was glaring daggers right back at Neji. His upper lip was twitching like he was about to snarl.
"Neji," Naruto growled.
"Naruto," Neji nodded back. "It's been a while. Fate has brought our paths to cross."
"Not long enough. I still see you haven't stopped spewing that destiny crap."
Gai and Shikaku, sensing a fight was about to erupt, stepped in between their students.
"Quit being troublesome, Naruto," said Shikaku as he led Naruto away. "Gai's here as my guest so be nice."
"I'll try sensei, but he starts something, I'm going to finish it," Naruto said.
Gai decided to test Team 10's members with a one-on-one spar. The student would attack Gai with whatever style they felt comfortable. Gai would analyze their attacks, their endurance, as well as their defense, agility and flexibility by only defending. He would then suggest a Taijutsu form that best suit their abilities.
Shino went first. His Mantis style, impressive as always, was not enough to penetrate Gai's defense. A whirlwind of fists and strikes, Shino attacked nonstop for nearly ten minutes, much to the amazement of his teammates. But soon his body began to slow and he was forced to stop.
"Most impressive, Shino-san," smiled Gai. "I see the Aburame clan's techniques are just as impressive since the last time I fought with one."
Shino bowed to Gai. "Thank you."
"You have truly shown exceptional youth and abilities. Your family's Taijutsu is the best option for you so keep fighting strong. I would also suggest trying out another form called Ju Jitsu. You're moves, while still in the style of Kung Fu, have similar traits" Gai then turned to Ino. "I believe the young lady is next."
Ino nodded and stepped forward. She started easy, using only a basic attacks against Gai. To Team 9, it looked like a playfight between a dad and his daughter. Naruto and Shino then saw her crouch down and unleashed her fury with a roar. Her form now was a fury of knees, kicks, and elbow strikes. Gai spent most of his time dodging rather than blocking due to the ferocity of her attacks. With each strike, it sounded like a wild animal was fighting.
But like Shino, her body began to tire. Soon, she was on her hands and knees, gasping for air.
"That was most exceptional, Ino-san. Most exceptional!"
Ino struggled to her feet and bowed to Gai. "Thanks."
"That was amazing!" Tenten yelled from the sidelines. Ino blushed at her comment.
"Now," started Guy. "Based on your attacks and abilities, your style is similar to one I witnessed in the Land of Water called Muy Thai. It uses the joints of the body to strike, since they are the hardest points of the skeleton frame. I believe they have a form in the scroll library. You can find its art there."
Ino bowed once more. "Thank you for your help, Gai-sensei." She then moved to the sidelines with Shino.
Gai turned to Naruto, who nodded and walked towards Gai.
"Now for my pupil's friend."
Naruto bowed to Gai and prepared for his attack. Naruto leapt forward and swung his leg in an arc towards Gai's head. Gai backed away from kick, but Naruto used the momentum to front flip forward and aim a second 360 degree axe kick. Gai brought his hands up and grabbed Naruto's leg. Naruto saw Gai slightly wince to force, but intensified his grip and swung Naruto into the air.
Naruto, anticipating the move, swung his body around and formed his hands in a cross.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A clone formed beneath his feet. Naruto used the clone and jumped forward, causing the clone to pop into smoke. Naruto, flying towards is opponent, reared his arm back and punched at Gai's head. Gai, surprised by the clone, barely leaned his head back in time to avoid Naruto's surprise attack. Naruto landed on his hands and flipped forward to his feet.
Not waiting for Gai to recover, Naruto charged forward to his opponent's knees and let loose a sweeping kick. Gai leapt over the kick, but didn't notice a second Naruto leap over the one on the ground, which popped into smoke. Gai blocked the kick from the new Naruto, but flew back several meters from the force of it. However, it failed to knock him down. Once Gai stopped skidding across the dirt, he glanced up to see Naruto charging him once again. Naruto reared his right fist back. Gai braced for the attack moving his left arm up in a rising block.
Gai was able to deflect the attack, but immediately noticed Naruto's left fist hurtling straight at his chest at the same time as his right. Gai jumped back, but not before feeling Naruto's fist grazing his stomach.
Naruto used the block and left punch to spin his right arm in a backlist. Gai blocked strike with both arms. Naruto faced Gai and used his left arm to navigate under his right to deliver a palm strike. Gai raised his knee to block, catching Naruto's hand. Naruto then jerked his right arm in an arc to his side and attempted to connect a knee strike to Gai's open right side. Once again, Gai blocked.
Blow by blow, Naruto tried every trick he knew to try and gain an edge over his opponent. Whenever he thought a foot or fist would connect, Gai would be quicker and block his attack. Naruto lost all track of time. He just kept fighting, barely tiring.
It wasn't until Gai raised his hand to stop the fight did Naruto finally slow down. His chest heaved only the slightest.
Naruto noticed his team staring at him. Ino's eyes were wide and her mouth agape. Shino's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. Shikaku was smiling, but with a hint of sadness.
They weren't the only ones. Tenten kept blinking at Naruto, as if to shake any illusions from her mind. Lee smiled and gave Naruto a thumbs up sign. Neji, however, remain to same. The slightest hint of a scowl on his face.
"Well done, Naruto-san! I've never seen a genin who had just left the academy, with no family clan, show as much talent as you have!" exclaimed Gai.
"But…I just did what was natural," said Naruto. "It was more like instinct."
"Yes, but you showed attributes for many different kinds of forms," said Gai. "In fact, any form you choose will serve you well. And most importantly, you lasted over fifteen minutes in our spar. You have an extraordinary amount of stamina and abilities."
Naruto smiled, proud that another teacher was commenting him on his abilities. But on the inside, he felt his gut clench with guilt. He had a pretty good idea why he had so much stamina and energy. And it wasn't due to hard work.
Neji scoffed. "The failure doesn't know how to quit."
"What was that?" Naruto growled. He made a move towards Neji, but was grabbed by Tenten and Lee.
"Naruto, please stop," Tenten whispered.
"Don't let him damper your flames of youth, my friend," added Lee helpfully.
"Neji, I'm going to-wait, dampen my what?" asked Naruto.
Neji shook his head and turned away. "Sensei, if my presence is no longer required, I will take my leave."
Once he made it clear he was going whether Gai approved or not, Tenten and Lee let go of Naruto.
"One day, I'm going to show him you don't need to be a genius to be a great ninja," Naruto fumed.
"That's the spirit!" yelled Gai and clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "A good ninja is made by hard work and never letting his youthfulness extinguish!"
Lee became misty-eyed. "Gai-sensei!"
"Lee!" And once, a round of hugging occurred, complete with sunset.
Naruto groaned and turned to Tenten. "How do you put up with them?"
Tenten sighed. "Practice."
"Alright then!" Shikaku said suddenly. Mainly to continue with training, but also to stop the abomination behind him. "Let's continue. Miss Tenten, if you would please give us your demonstration on weapons."
Naruto smiled at the memory of his friend in her element. Tenten unrolled a long scroll on the ground. With a wave of her hand, a selection of weapons appeared on the paper. Katanas, sai, nunchakus, bo staffs, kamas, battle axes, axe knives, chains, and even war hammers. She gave a demonstration with each weapon. She gave the basic rundown of how weapons need to feel comfortable in their hands, including the talk of how the weapon needs to be more than a tool, but an extension of their bodies. Each weapon she used was expertly demonstrated.
Shino went first. He walked back and forth along the scroll, carefully observing each weapon. It was a few moments later when he bent down and picked up a kama: a short baton made of wood with a crescent blade made of steel. He tested the balance of each one and even took a few practice swings with them. Then spun them around his hand, though not as good as Tenten.
He nodded and placed them back on the scroll. A few days later, he told them he got his own pair.
Ino went next. She tried several weapons instead of one. But she mostly stuck to sword weapons since she was familiar with sword techniques thanks to Hayate's training. She went through a katana, a wakazi, and even a double-edge tai chi sword. But she frowned at each test. Each sword felt different, unbalanced.
At least until the last one she tried. It was a scimitar. Ino toke a few practice swings, even trying a kata with it. She smiled and placed the sword back onto the paper. She knew what she was going to ask her parents for her birthday coming up.
Naruto went last. He didn't bother looking for specific one. He tried every weapon on the scroll Tenten gave him. He whacked his head with the bo, almost hit himself in the crotch with the nunchaku, shaved off pieces of his hair with the swords, and even tied himself up with the chain when he tried spinning it. He grumbled to himself as he untangled the chain. He looked at Tenten and shook his head. She frowned and resealed her weapons. After a few reassurances from Team 9, they left. But the next day, Tenten and Lee were at Ichiraku's.
He was still embarrassed that he couldn't find a suitable weapon. But his friends kept trying to cheer him up.
"Our session with Squad 9 had good points as well, Naruto," said Shino. "The time we spent with them was not all awful."
"Maybe, but that bastard had to ruin it," said Naruto. He punched a fist into his other hand, causing Tora to hiss angrily. "One day, I'm going to show him the unbreakable will of a failure."
"I'm sure you will, my friend."
With that, Team 10 returned to the Hokage Tower
"Oh, my precious, little Tora! I'm so glad they found!" screamed the cat's owner as she pressed it to her chest. The cat seemed to be crying, but was also glaring daggers at Team 10. It's eyes said it wished them a horrible, slow death.
"Same to you, kitty," Ino mumbled. Naruto snickered while Shikaku slightly pushed her shoulder
Team 10 watched as the customer paid a chunin who sat a table with the Hokage and Iruka. Iruka watched the master and pet walk away with a small look of pity in his eyes. The Hokage watched with a smirk. He turned to Team 10 and gave them a smile.
"Well done you three. I'm amazed by the progress you have shown this past month. Each mission you are assigned has been completed with the highest regards of your employees and the quickest time."
The three genin and jonin bowed to their leader. "Thank you, Hokage," said Shikaku. "It's been a troublesome month, but I couldn't be any more proud of my students."
The Hokage and Iruka nodded. Iruka then picked up the clipboard from his desk. "If you want, we still have a few missions available. We have a senior who needs her groceries picked up, another garden that needs to be weeded…"
As Iruka continued on, Sarutobi watched Team 10. Shikaku was looking through a grocery list Yoshino gave him to handle earlier, not really paying attention. Naruto had his arms crossed, tapping his foot and was staring at the ceiling. Ino was tapping her foot as well while looking at her nails. Shino stood at attention, but his shoulders were slightly slouched.
"You know what, Iruka?" said the Sandaime. "I think their ready for something bigger."
Everyone in the room snapped their heads up. Iruka stared in disbelief. "Something bigger?" he asked.
"Yes," said Sarutobi. He folded his hand on the desk in front of him. "Shikaku, tell me, you think you're team is ready for a C-Rank mission?"
Before Shikaku could answer, Naruto jumped in. "You bet we are! I'm ready to test my skills!"
Ino pumped her fist. "Oh, yeah!"
Shino was a little bit more subtle but couldn't hid the slight eagerness in his voice. "Yes, I believe we are ready."
The Hokage grinned at Shikaku, who just groaned and slapped a hand over his face in annoyance.
"What a drag," he muttered. "Yes, I believe they are now suited for a higher mission. They have shown exceptional skills and are well prepared for something harder."
"Excellent," smiled the Hokage. He pulled a list with higher missions from his files and began to scroll down. He smiled when he found one. "Ah, this one will be perfect. A mission to the Hidden Village of Waterfalls."
"Waterfalls?" frowned Naruto.
"Yes, one of our smaller, allied nations. Tomorrow is the beginning of their festival celebrating the village's coronation. Their short on shinobi to help guard their borders so they have asked us to send some."
"But I thought the entrance to their village was a secret location," said Shikaku. "Why would they need help guarding their borders if their is only one entrance?"
"They had a recent outbreak of a very intense virus, leaving most of shinobi inactive. All infected people have been transported out of the village for the safety of its civilians. They have currently 12 jonin who guarding their front entrance with another 50 chunin guarding the village."
"How will our squad be enough to guard an entire village?" asked Shino.
"Naruto," said Shikaku and Sarutobi.
Naruto blinked in confusion. "Me?"
Sarutobi nodded. "Your shadow clone technique is the key to this mission. Shikaku explained to me recently of the rise in your taijutsu skills. He also told me how he has been giving you training sessions in making your clones stronger than they were when you first learned the technique." Sarutobi leaned his chin on his hands. "I'm not going to lie to you kids. This mission, even though C-rank, has the potential to be dangerous. And a lot of his going to fall onto Naruto's shoulders."
Naruto nodded, understanding the consequences. But Ino interrupted. "Why is it dangerous?"
Sarutobi sighed. "Every village has its secrets. And in the Hidden Waterfall, there is a rumor of a very powerful weapon hidden within the village."
"A weapon? What kind?" Ino asked eagerly.
"It's not a physical weapon, but more of a supplement. A chakra booster, similar to soldier pills. However, after that, it's power is unknown."
Ino sighed, as did Naruto. After the weapons session with Tenten, the two have been really interested in weaponry.
Sarutobi clapped his hands, snapping the genin out of their stupor. "So, do you want the mission. I won't hold it against you if you decline."
There was a moment of silence while each child thought about it. Naruto really wanted to test his skills in a real combat situation if it came to be, not just trying any more training situations. Ino was just the same. She had grown in exceptional leaps and was ready to show everyone her strength. Shino was eager to explore what was beyond the village walls. Living his life in his clan's compound, he wanted know what was in the unknown.
But all three agreed on one thing. This mission would definitely make them stronger. And as one, the nodded their agreement.
"Excellent. I'm sorry to say that the festival will be a week long, so you will be gone at the most two weeks. It will take you a day and a half to reach the village. Pack for that long for the trip. Lodging has been provided for you in a few of their cottages. Take any equipment you want to, but they have an excellent selection of weapons you can purchase there."
"But how will we find the village if the entrance is hidden?" asked Shino.
"There will be a contact near the village entrance that will guide you. You'll meet with him on the final leg of your journey and help you. Any other queuestions?"
Team 10 shook their heads. "Good. You will leave tomorrow morning."
"Wow, your first C-rank!" exclaimed Choji. He then dug back into ramen bowl.
It was later in the evening. Team 10 was eating with Teams 8 and 9 at Ichiraku's. Choji, Hinata, Lee and Naruto were eating; Shikamaru, Tenten, Shino and Ino were drinking tea; Teuchi and Ayame were watching the kids as Shino explained to everyone his team's mission. Teuchi was gazing at them with interest while Ayame was silent.
"This is a real breakthrough for you kids," said Teuchi as he boiled a new batch of noodles. "You're really coming along as ninjas."
"I'm surprised the Hokage assigned a mission like this," added Tenten. "Usually it will be at least two to three months before he assigns a C-Rank mission to a genin team as green as you guys."
"Do you think we have what it takes?" asked Ino.
Tenten looked at her and smiled. "Even though you guys are green, you proved to us and Gai-sensei the other day that you're well beyond capable of handling this mission."
"Yosh!" yelled Lee with his chopsticks in the air. "Team 10 has proven that their youth has no bounds!""
Shikamaru winced at Lee's loud voice. He picked his ear canal with his pinky. "Doesn't this guy have a volume control?"
"Sadly no," sighed Tenten.
"What do you think Hinata?" asked Teuchi.
"I..I th-think they're ready," smiled Hinata as she pressed her hands together. "Naruto and his friends of always shown wondrous talent."
"Thanks, Hinata," smiled Naruto. "What do you think….Ayame?"
He turned to see his girlfriend walking out of the curtain and into the streets. He leapt over the counter, much to the protest of his friends, and followed her. When Naruto was behind her, he reached for her arm. She jerked away immediately. Ayame quickened her pace, but Naruto followed right behind her.
She didn't stop until she reached the park. It was the one the two always played at as kids. Ayame walked to the nearest bench, away from the children's playground, and sat down forcefully. She raised her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. It was moments later she was crying.
Naruto kept his distance for a few minutes, but he couldn't stand to see her cry. He sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. This time she didn't pull away.
"Ayame, you knew this day was going to happen," Naruto whispered.
"It doesn't make me feel any better," she sobbed back. "I thought I could handle the thought of you doing your duty, but its so hard."
"I know, Ayame," said Naruto and held her tighter. Ayame let go of her knees and wrapped her arms around Naruto.
"I just don't know what I would do if I lost you," sobbed Ayame.
"I am not leaving you," Naruto said firmly. He tilted Ayame's chin up and looked into her eyes. "Don't listen to any crap about how inexperienced genins are killed in the field of battle. I will come back. There isn't a force in this land that will keep from coming back to you."
He saw a small ray of hope in her eyes. "You mean it?"
Naruto smiled. "It's the promise of a lifetime. And I never go back on my word."
Ayame returned his smile. When he made a promise like that, she knew he would keep it.
Sarutobi watched the couple through his viewing orb. His heart tugged at the pain the two were feeling, but he couldn't help but feel a little hope at Naruto's promise. If anyone could keep his word, no matter what the cost, it would be Naruto.
Ever since he was a baby, Sarutobi knew Naruto was special. Not because he was born from the powerful combination of the Uzumaki and Namikazee clans. Nor was it the Kyubi was sealed into his navel by the power of both his parents.
He felt it because his beloved Biwako told him. His beloved wife was never wrong
Sarutobi sighed and pulled a pendant he kept with him since he first knew he was in love with Biwako nearly forty years ago. The two had met when her family moved to the Hidden Leaf after her father died. She had come in hopes of becoming a doctor. His sensei, the Second Hokage, actually encouraged him to show her around the village. Within the the first hour, he knew he was in love.
The pendant was his gift to her. She had acted like Ayame is now, all worried and scared. He gave her the pendant as a promise that he would return and as a sign he was still alive no matter what part of the nation he was in. She kept it with her every second of their lives. During their marriage, his inauguration as Hokage, and his retirement.
But then, his beloved died. One of the first victims of the Kyubi attack. He found her body amidst the rubble near the spot the Kyubi was first spotted.
When he found Naruto, he swore he would try his hardest to see that the boy had a normal life. But no matter what he did, no matter what laws he placed, the villagers could not erase what they had seen or forget the ones they had lost. Every time Naruto was looked at, the villagers would only see the shadow of the Kyubi.
Sarutobi looked at the pendant one more time. Then he pulled out another one from inside his robes. There was one more thing he could do to make Naruto's life easier.
The sun was barely up the next day as Naruto made his way to the village gate. He covered a yawn and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. But despite his drowsiness, his body was tingly with anticipation of his mission. His pack was on around his shoulders. It was filled with his tent, medical supplies, rations, water, scrolls, ninja wire, spare kunai and shuriken, ramen dough, and his sleeping bag. His shuriken and kunai holder was strapped to his thigh while two ramen pouches were belted to his waist.
Once he arrived at the gate, he immediately saw Shino and Ino waiting for him. Shino had his hands in his pocket and was staring beyond the gate, into the forest. Ino was leaning against the wall and studying a rolled out scroll.
"Whatcha got there, Ino?" asked Naruto.
"It's a map of the Elemental Nations," said Ino, showing Naruto. "I wanted to know how far the Hidden Waterfall was."
"Ok, that's a good point. But what's that?" Naruto pointed to the strap covering Ino's front.
"Oh." Ino reached behind her back and pulled it back. It was ninjato, one usually carried by ANBU. "This was my father's. He used when he served in the Black Ops."
"That was nice of him," said Shino.
"Yeah, but I was hoping to get a scimitar," said Ino as she sheathed her sword. "My parents said my birthday would be a good time for me to mature enough to handle one."
"What about you, Shino? Did you bring your kamas?" asked Naruto.
Shino patted his sleeves. "I have them here. This way, I'll always be ready."
Naruto nodded. But then he noticed something peculiar. "What a minute. Where are you packs?"
Shino and Ino each pulled a small scroll from their weapons pouch. "In here," they both said.
Naruto slapped a hand over his face, cursing his stupidity. He pulled off his pack, reached inside and pulled out a scroll and brush. He then inked the brush and began to furiously scribble on the unfurled scroll. Finally, he focused his chakra into ink while placing his pack in the middle of the kanji. A moment later and a puff of smoke, his pack was now sealed into the scroll.
Shino and Ino watched with fascination at his work. Naruto did his sealing in one move while the two went through at least two other scrolls with incorrect markings. It was like a work of art.
"Impressive," said a voice behind Naruto. He turned to see Shikaku with a grin on his face. "You've taken to sealing like it was second nature."
Naruto grinned and scratched his hair in embarrassment. "I only wish I knew why. Although, I shouldn't complain."
Shikaku chuckled. "Are you guys ready to go?"
Ino nodded and pumped her fist into the air. "Let's do it!"
"Ready to go, Shikaku-sensei," stated Shino.
"Believe it!" Naruto yelled.
The team walked out of village walls and leapt into the trees.
Ayame stirred from her sleep as the sun's rays poked through her window. She groaned and shook her hair from her eyes as she sat up. Her shoulders popped when she stretched her arms to the ceiling.
The sounds of Teuchi downstairs let her know he was beginning to cook breakfast. She sighed and brushed her hair from her eyes. She paused when she felt something hard against her forehead. When she pulled back, she found a pendant wrapped her fingers. She unwrapped and brought it in the sunlight.
It was a pure, white pendant shaped like a small flame. There were several black outlines that made it look like it was billowing in the wind. In the center of it was a small emerald. The pendant was hooked together with a silver chain.
She was wondering how this came to her when she spotted a note beside her bed table. She recognized Naruto's scribble
Ayame, I found this on my doorstep last night. The sender was anonymous, but a friend. The note with it said it should belong to two people who love each other with all their hearts. All you need to do is put it on and say the one you love. The jewel in the middle will light and be connected to my life force. If anything should happen to me, the jewel will fade.
But I will not let that happen. Let the jewel let you know that I will return.
With all my love,
Naruto.
Ayame had a single tear drop from her eye as she finished. She then put the chain over head. Grasping the pendant in her hands, she whispered into the metal.
"Naruto."
The pendant immediately felt warm and the emerald glowed in her hands. It felt Naruto's heartbeat was right there with her.
Ayame smiled and kissed the pendant.
Kilometers away, Team 10 was now walking to help conserve their chakra after leaping the entire morning. Even with the progress they were making, it wouldn't be until noon tomorrow before they reach their destination.
Naruto felt his chest get warm. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the second pendant that came with the first. Unlike Ayame's, it was black with white outlines, but had the same emerald in the center. He had already said Ayame's name earlier and was glowing. The pendant warming just now signaled that Ayame found her pendant and Naruto's life force was now in Ayame's pendant.
Naruto smiled and put the pendant back into his shirt.
Sorry if the pendant thing is a little too cheesy. I just thought it was a nice touch. Hope everyone enjoyed the new chapter.