Naruto: Respite

The day of his so-called 'survival exercise' Naruto woke up bright and early so he could eat and digest breakfast with time to spare. After finishing his meal he washed and dressed in his grey practice clothes, found his bokken and practised sword kata until it was half an hour before Kakashi had told them to meet. Not that he believed for a moment that the journin would be on time; the copy-nin didn't have a punctual bone in his body.

He armed up with kunai and shuriken before leaving his apartment, activating the new security seals he'd designed -which kept everyone with less than high level ANBU reserves out- and making his way to the training field, bokken tucked into his belt to continue practice in the likely event of his sensei being late.

Sakura and Sasuke were already there when he reached training ground seven; Kakashi-sensei, rather predictably, was not. Naruto moved to the centre of the clearing and went back to practising wakizashi kata with his bokken.

"What are you doing, dobe?" Sasuke asked, tone conversational and almost friendly.

"I've got a couple of scrolls on Uzumaki kenjutsu so I'm learning the kata," Naruto explained without slowing, concentrating on the sliding, circular sword moves and the swirling footwork. Uzuken, swirling blade, was a difficult if efficient style. The first tier of kata were entirely focused on defence, redirecting the enemy's blade and turning around him. Later kata would teach him the next step, striking at the vulnerable spots the style's swirling movements exposed.

"Hn." Sasuke watched for a while, ignoring Sakura's attempts at conversation until he eventually walked over to join the blond: "Spar, dobe?"

"Sure. Taijutsu and kenjutsu only? I haven't tried using this against a real opponent yet, so watch out. You did eat before coming, right?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I'm not Sakura, dobe."

"Oi! Less of the dobe, teme!"

"Hn."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Here I come!"

The spar was quick, decisive and brutal. Naruto won as soon as he got the hang of how to use the defensive moves he had been practising offensively.

"Hn."

"Don't be like that, teme. Most Taijutsu styles are at a natural disadvantage when used against kenjutsu, even when you use kunai. This," Naruto patted his bokken, "extends my reach. Counter that and you'll match me, easily. If you learn to use any kind of blade or pole arm you'll even the odds. Even a chain weapon would work. Well, that or learn a taijutsu style geared towards defeating armed opponents."

"Hn."

"There's got to be a decent weapons shop somewhere in this village; they'll have a selection to choose from and will be able to give you pointers on whichever one you pick. You may even have some weapons scrolls lying around somewhere in your clan compound. There have to have been some Uchiha who specialised in kenjutsu."

"Hn."

That dealt with, Naruto went back to katas for another hour before settling down to meditate until his sensei arrived.

"What are you doing now, Naruto?" Sakura asked a little stridently. Naruto guessed she was irritated that Sasuke had actually had a conversation with him while she had been ignored entirely.

"Meditating, Sakura-chan. I have very active chakra and meditation helps me calm it so I can use jutsu properly."

Sasuke actually looked interested. "Hn?"

"I have far too much chakra for a normal person my age, so standard academy chakra control exercises are useless to me. This helps, but doesn't solve the problem; it's a stop-gap measure rather than a control technique," Naruto explained, resting his forearms on the ground and flexing his spine backwards until his toes rested against his forehead. "Hopefully after we pass sensei's test he'll teach us some more advanced control exercises. Tons of chakra is useless when you overload every single jutsu you know."

The conversation over, Naruto concentrated on breathing slowly and evenly, spreading the calm throughout his body and into the tight, hot knot of anger in his gut which he had recently learned was actually the Kyuubi no Yoko. Meditation seemed to placate it as well, loosening the bubbling power so it flowed more smoothly and calmly. He continued to bask in self-imposed peace, soothing the bijuu locked behind the seal on his stomach until he sensed the approach of the unique chakra presence that was his sensei. How does he manage to have a second, much smaller and very different chakra signature nestled inside the main one? It's centred in his head; maybe there is something in the eyesocket behind that slanted hitai-ite...

After the test Naruto was both delighted and subdued. Delighted because, well, he'd passed; subdued because he'd well and truly lost his rag at Kakashi-sensei, which was terribly mortifying. A ninja had to be in full control of his emotions otherwise he was a liability in the field. Of course, he probably wouldn't have reacted so badly to his new sensei being a pervert if he hadn't been aware that the journin was dating and engaged to Ame-kaa -no, she's my sister not my mother- Ame-nee-san. Ame-chan was his most precious person, even more so than hokage-jiji and Iruka-sensei, and Naruto had a bad history with perverts.

Worse, he knew he'd channelled the fox in his rage. Fortunately it hadn't been particularly angry at the time; the viscous red chakra had been positively sleepy. Thank-you Hibana-bunshin for teaching me meditation. As it was he'd nearly blown up his new sensei and tried to to carve the laid back journin into mincemeat. Kakashi-sensei been understanding however, which had been a pleasant surprise and more than he had hoped for.

Naruto bid his new team-mates goodbye after cutting Sakura loose from the stump Kakashi-sensei had left her tied to and set off to find Ame-nee. He had noticed a serious problem in his schedule he needed her help solving.

He tracked her down in the flower shop, talking to a man Naruto recognised as Yamanaka Inoichi, Morino Ibiki's former sensei and the previous head of the Torture and Interrogation department.

"Naru-kun!" Ame-nee exclaimed as soon as the blond genin let himself into the shop, her star spangled eyes twinkling happily. "Come and help me pick flowers for my new and very large garden."

Naruto walked further into the shop, eyeing Inoichi-san cautiously. He'd never actually interacted with the blond journin before, so had no idea how the man felt about his jinchuuriki status and nine-tailed tenant. The older blond seemed to find his appearance somehow unexpected. Why..? Oh, I'm not wearing orange, of course. No wonder people weren't glaring in the street; nobody recognised me.

"What have you chosen so far, Ame-nee?" Naruto asked.

"Well, I've got several little azelea bushes, some lilac, camellias, trumpet vine, lady's smock, spider lily and half a dozen different orchids. Tiger-san was kind enough to grow me lots of different ornamental tree species while he was reforesting the compound, so I only need flowers and shrubs," Ame-nee said cheerfully, right hand absently cradling her swollen belly.

"Ano, how about strawberry plants? They're kinda pretty and you can eat the fruit," Naruto suggested tentatively, eyeing his nee-san's stomach warily. Did it just move? "And yellow bedstraw. It's big and a bit untidy but it smells really nice." Naruto had recently come to the conclusion that his extra-sensitive sense of smell -and taste, touch and hearing- were bijuu-related. It explained why no-one else noticed how certain plants had a bitter undertone to their scent denoting toxicity and why he was picky about what he ate. And why no-one truly appreciates that Ichiraku ramen is the food of the gods.

"Okay, that's two more," Ame-nee said, nodding to Inoichi-san who immediately fetched seeds and strawberry cuttings, "and a nice hydrangea bush or two I think."

"What kind of hydrangea would you like, Amemai-san?" the Yamanaka asked.

"A mountain hydrangea and two other varieties please; I don't care which so long as they look different and are pretty," she said decisively, "It isn't like we are short of space." The pregnant woman paused. "I would also like some kunai grass, Inoichi-san. The name has always amused me and it is both pretty and useful.

Naruto blinked. "Kunai grass?"

Ame-nee smiled at him. "It is shaped like your throwing blades and the edges of the spikes are sharp."

"Oh." Naruto racked his brains for more pretty garden flowers that were not overly offensive to his sensitive nose. "Irises? Lillies? Kerria?" Kerria was a kind of yellow rose he'd seen -and smelt- growing amongst the ruins left in the slums from the Kyuubi attack. It was very pretty, a cheerful yellow colour.

"Yes and definitely lilies; I've always loved them despite the rather sad symbolism. Especially sukashiyuri. Lots of different lilies please Inoichi-san."

"You'll need to hire a genin team to carry all your purchases at this rate, Amemai-san," Inoichi joked, smiling at his customer.

"Naruto-kun? Do you think your clones will be able to carry my shopping for me?" Ame-nee asked playfully. Naruto lifted his chin firmly:

"Of course, nee-san! Believe it!" He paused, tapping his mouth with a finger. "Lily of the valley? It grows nicely under trees and smells gorgeous. So does honeysuckle."

"Suikazura? Why didn't I think of that?" Ame-nee exclaimed. "Yes to both; you're very good at this, Naru-kun." Naruto smiled shyly at the praise and the nickname; at least she didn't call him 'Naru-chan' like Hibana-nee used to.

"When did you meet Naruto, Amemai-san?" Inoich asked as he moved more seedlings and corms.

"About a month after I arrived; I tracked him down, to be perfectly honest with you. He has one of the loveliest souls I have ever seen anywhere, even compared to miko and hoshi," Ame-nee said warmly, the myriad stars in her eyes glittering brilliantly. "So bright and forgiving, generosity incarnate. Being around him is a joy, he has such a comforting spiritual presence." She paused. "I would also like Black mondo grass for ground-cover in the formal garden I have planned. Some fern as well I think; little ones, dwarf if possible. And Kinugasasou; I've always found that so pretty."

"How about Fuki?" Naruto suggested. "You can even eat Fuki: I've had it on ramen."

"Sure, Naru-kun, I'll grow you some Fuki. Baby roses too please Inoichi-san, as well as rugosa roses."

"Hamanasu, Ame-san? Of course. I have plenty of that: It is very popular."

"Thank-you Inoichi-san. I'd also like broadleaf bamboo to go under my new trees and some creeping saxifrage. Such an attractive and useful plant, saxifrage."

"Goldenrod? Star jasmine? Valerian?" Naruto suggested, by now enjoying himself thoroughly. The small forest of bags spreading over the counter and across the floor that he would have to carry were well worth the increasingly dazed look on Inoichi-san's face as Ame-nee bought half the shop.

"Yes to all of those as well as Yama-budo and wisteria, Inoichi-san."

"Miyamamatatabi? Those are yummy," Naruto added hopefully. He didn't like most vegetables, but fresh fruit was really, really nice. Sweet and fresh and gentle on his stomach.

Ame-nee reached over and ruffled his hair. "Fine. I'll buy a selection of fruiting bushes and vines, please. Oh, and a couple of Ponkan trees if you have them."

Inoichi-san chuckled. "You'll have kids raiding your garden in droves, Amemai-san."

"Chishanoki is nice too, Ame-nee," Naruto said, remembering how sweet the tiny fruits were.

"I'd do better to ask Tiger-san to help me with that one, Naru-kun," Ame-nee said. "Those are proper trees and very tall. I will get Kaki if Inoichi-san has them, though."

"Ooh! Yummy!"

"Have you eaten lunch, Naru-kun?" Ame-nee teased. "You seem to be thinking with your stomach!"

"Yes I have; Kakashi-sensei gave us bentos-" Naruto blinked. He'd completely forgotten! "Nee-chan! I did it! My team passed! I'm a proper genin!"

Ame-nee's face lit up and she pulled him into a hug. "Congratulations Naruto-otouto! I'm so proud of you!"

"Arigatou, Ame nee. Hey, your tummy poked me!"

Ame-nee chuckled. "The babies are big enough to respond to outside stimuli now, Naru-kun, generally by kicking." She placed his hand over her belly to let him feel the odd bumps. "See? If you listened you could hear their heartbeats, too."

"May I?" At Ame-nee's nod Naruto gingerly pressed his ear against the fabric covering her straining stomach. "Hey, I really can hear them." His eyes widened, "That is soooo amazing! You're so cool, Ame-nee!"

His star-eyed sister-mother figure smiled at him. "It is good to see my hard work being appreciated, Naru-kun. Though you are nowhere near as entranced as Kakashi-kun; he behaves like I'm the first woman to ever attempt pregnancy."

Inoichi chuckled. "Is Hatake Kakashi a paranoid prospective father, Amemai-san? I remember how I was when my Tsuma was expecting Ino-chan. She got so cross with me."

"Not really," Ame-nee said, smiling with wicked amusement. "He feeds me when I'm hungry, makes me rest when I get tired, stands there and takes it when my emotions go wonky and I rant or cry and barely asks any questions at all. I think he's treating pregnancy like some completely off-the-wall mission he's been assigned to with me as the officer in charge. It's pleasantly refreshing, actually; my own family all acted like I was dying or some such but Kakashi-kun just lets me get on with it and gestate."

The Yamanaka laughed. "Now that does sound like Kakashi-san. I doubt he's spent any time at all around pregnant women before now."

"His faith in my competence is flattering," Ame-nee agreed, eyes twinkling cheerily, "Now how much does that come to, Inoichi-san?"

Notes

tsuma = wife, spouse

A/N: A bit of a filler chapter, but otherwise the section would have been too long for my liking. All the plants listed are native to Japan. Ponkan is a type of sweet orange.