Disclaimer – Kishimoto owns Naruto and the characters therein.
This is the last of my faster-than-planned chapters. Until I finish the story, I'll be posting on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Which is still two chapters a week, so hopefully there won't be too many complaints. ;-D
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Memories Of Others
Chapter 4
Teaching Of A New Genin
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"There he is!" Hinata said and Kurenai smiled at Hinata's eagerness. "Wow, he looks better than I expected!"
Kurenai's smile widened as she took in the sight of the distant genin. He had replaced his old blue sandals with black ones to match his trousers, while dark orange wraps covered the gap between the sandals and the trousers. His haori reached almost to mid-thigh and from the way it hung, Kurenai could tell that it was armored. As he turned, a Kunai pouch was briefly visible attached to his belt while the flapping of fabric showed a line of shuriken attached to a magnetic strip just inside the Haori itself.
"Hinata-Hime! Kurenai-san!" He shouted in greeting and Hinata returned his exuberant wave with a smaller, but no less heartfelt one.
"Naruto-kun… you look great…" Hinata managed and Naruto's grin widened.
"Thanks to you, Hinata-hime." He said in reply and Hinata blushed. "Hey, Kurenai-san! What awesome stuff are you teaching today?"
"It'll be Hinata doing most of the teaching." Kurenai said with a smile. "I think her teaching you is helping her as much as it is you, albeit in different ways. I brought books for you to practice reading as well as some maths worksheets."
As she spoke, Kurenai pulled out a small scroll and unrolled it on the ground, swiping one finger across it. A cloud of chakra smoke formed and dissipated, revealing three small stacks of books.
"History, field tactics and maths." Kurenai said, indicating the piles. "Hinata'll teach you via clone, so you'll both need three clones for this."
Naruto waited for Hinata to nod in confirmation before he caught her in a hug and made the familiar hand-seal behind her back. Kurenai nodded in approval as the newly-created clones gathered up the books and then moved to different places around the field so that they didn't accidently interfere with each other.
"Today will be stretching and flexibility exercises." Kurenai said. "Naruto, if you could send a dozen clones to practice water and tree-walking, that would be good."
Kurenai waited for the newly-created clones to run off to the trees and lake before she pulled out another scroll and unsealed a trio of rolled-up mats. Passing one to each genin, she unrolled the third and shed her sandals before stepping onto it.
"You probably haven't done these exercises before, Naruto, so pay attention and try to copy Hinata and myself as best you can." She said gently. "We will start with basic stretches. Keep one leg straight, hands on your hips and bend the other leg like this…"
Naruto wobbled for a moment as he tried to follow the moves that the two females were doing so effortlessly.
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"Are you alright?" Hinata asked worriedly as Naruto lay sprawled on the grass.
"How do you do that?" Naruto groaned. "I thought I was fit…"
"There are different sorts of fitness." Kurenai said from where she was finishing rolling up the mats. "You're used to high-energy movement, running, jumping, that sort of thing. These exercises were all about flexibility, control and precision."
"I'm aching, but it's sorta in a good way." Naruto mused. "I'm not sure I can move at the moment, though."
"Hinata, You might want to lie down as well." Kurenai suggested. "It's almost time to dispel the clones."
Hinata sat down, then glanced at Naruto measuringly.
"It's okay, Hinata." Naruto groaned. "I know you don't want to get leaves in your hair, so you can borrow my Haori to use as a pillo… huh?"
Naruto lifted his head to look down at Hinata, who was resting her head on his stomach while she clasped his hand in both of hers. Kurenai looked over at them and promptly raised a hand to hide her smile.
"Kurenai-sempei?"
"Alright, first pair, dispel." Kurenai ordered and both Genin twitched slightly as the first set of memories cascaded into their minds.
"That looks very comfortable." One of the clone-Hinatas whispered to herself enviously and Kurenai fought down a sudden attack of the giggles.
"Okay, ready for the next one!" Naruto called out. "Hinata-hime?"
"I… I'm ready."
Kurenai nodded at the next pair, both of whom promptly dispelled. Even as she fought to integrate the new memories, Hinata blushed at how she and Naruto looked, but didn't move. Kurenai turned away before she could lose control over her giggles.
"Kurenai-san."
Kurenai stiffened in shock, then spun to face the new arrival, who was fortunately standing just out of view of the clones.
"We're ready for the final ones." Hinata called and Kurenai spared a moment to nod at the remaining pair of clones before turning her attention back to the man in the trees.
"Hiashi-sama." She said with a slight bow and Hiashi stepped forwards, his expression inscrutable.
"I see that my daughter is willing to aid Uzumaki and is becoming a friend to him" Hiashi said and Kurenai nodded.
"I determined that Hinata's confidence improved every time she helped Naruto to recover from what seems to have been a campaign of neglect during his days at the Academy, so the use of clones seemed to be a viable way of increasing that improvement without spending too much time that could be used in other forms of training…"
Hiashi held up a hand to halt Kurenai's explanation.
"I have no problem with Uzumaki aiding my daughter in becoming stronger." He stated. "However, my daughter will soon be assigned to a team and I would appreciate a chance to gain the measure of one who may be her team-mate. I have already spoken to the Inuzuka and the Aburame."
"Not the Uchiha?" Kurenai asked and Hiashi shook his head.
"No. My sources in the Tower tell me that he will almost certainly be on the same team as the Haruno girl with the third being either the Inuzuka or Uzumaki."
"If it's not Naruto, your daughter will be depressed." Kurenai admitted.
"What can you tell me about him?"
Kurenai glanced over to where Naruto had got to his feet and was helping Hinata up.
"What sort of information do you need?"
"A standard character report should suffice." Hiashi said with a slight smile and Kurenai nodded.
"Uzumaki Naruto, parentage unknown or classified. Orphan. Failed the Academy but was promoted to Genin after succeeding in an unplanned field mission. Very high chakra levels which make it hard for him to concentrate for long periods of time, although the chakra-control exercises have already provided a small but noticable improvement in that.
"Current ratings are taijutsu – low, ninjutsu – medium to high, shurikenjutsu – low to medium, general knowledge – poor but part of this is due to passive sabotage in the Academy and Naruto having to learn to read and write without assistance.
"Future potential is very high in all fields."
"Thanks, Kurenai-san!" Naruto chirped from behind her. "I'm gonna get as good as I can, 'cause I'm gonna become the Hokage! Believe it!"
Hiashi glanced at his daughter, who was nodding in agreement.
"And how are you intending to improve that much?" He asked.
"Simple, Hinata's helping me and she's awesome!" Naruto responded, giving Hinata a one-armed hug as she blushed. "My reading skills have shot way up since she started teaching me, soon I'll be on the same level as most of the others and it's all because of how amazing Hinata-hime is!"
"And would you say that Kurenai-san's summation of your skills was indeed a precise reflection of your current capabilities?"
Naruto stared at him blankly.
"Did Kurenai-san get the list of your skills right?" Hinata whispered into Naruto's ear and he brightened in understanding.
"Mostly, but she got the taijutsu wrong. It isn't low, I completely suck at it thanks to being taught all wrong. I'm trying to re-learn the Academy style but while it feels better, it still doesn't quite feel right. When I get a Jonin-sensei, I'm gonna have to ask for taijutsu training as the most important thing I need."
Hiashi raised a mental eyebrow at the brutal honesty in Naruto's reply, but didn't allow a hint to show on his face.
"It is rare to meet a shinobi who doesn't allow self-deception to over-rule self-knowledge." He offered.
"Well, when both teacher and sparring partner wince at how bad you are, it's kinda difficult to claim you're good." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "I've talked it over with them and it's only my stamina and high pain… pain… Hinata?"
"Threshold?"
"Thanks. High pain threshold that let me win at all." Naruto finished. "So I suck and I need to… to suck less if I have a chance at the hat. But I'll make it, believe it!"
Hiashi stared at Naruto for a long moment, then he turned to Hinata.
"Daughter, tomorrow, I will send Ko to pick you up after your training, although he may be early. Kurenai-san, you may make whatever use of him you wish if he is early."
Hinata glanced briefly at Naruto and Hiashi caught the question that she didn't dare ask. Rather than reply out loud, he inclined his head slightly to acknowledge her worry and confirm that he would deal with it.
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Hiashi looked up from the paperwork on his desk as a shadow announced a visitor outside his study. Briefly activating his Byakugan, Hiashi paused just long enough to slightly tidy his desk before speaking.
"You may enter."
The door opened and Hyuuga Ko stepped through, sliding it shut behind him. Stepping forwards, he dropped into a Seiza position, then bowed.
"You summoned me, Lord Hiashi?"
"I did." Hiashi confirmed. "As you are aware, Jonin Yuhi Kurenai has been guiding and teaching Hinata over the last few days."
Hiashi paused and Ko gave a slight nod to indicate that he was indeed aware of the events that had stopped his usual task of being Hinata's bodyguard.
"What I am about to tell you must never be repeated. Hinata has been using the Kage Bunshin to aid in her progress."
"I was unaware that she had learned that kinjutsu, Lord Hiashi. I did not think her chakra reserves were large enough for such a technique."
"She has not learned it and they are not." Hiashi stated, enjoying the look of confusion on Ko's face. "She has been training alongside Uzumaki Naruto, who has learned that technique, and they discovered that should he create a clone while Hinata is in contact with him, he clones her as well."
Ko's jaw dropped for a moment before he pulled himself back under control.
"When her clones dispel, she regains their memories." Hiashi added.
"Incredible." Ko breathed, then he frowned slightly. "But for her to be studying alongside… him…"
"And thus we reach the next secret." Hiashi stated. "I have received permission from the Hokage to tell you this. Naruto is the third who carries the Kyuubi and you once had a crush on the second, his mother."
Ko blanched. "Kushina? She is his… I thought he was simply named after her! She carried the Kyuubi too?"
"As did Senju Mito, formerly known as Uzumaki Mito and Kushina's aunt." Hiashi said in a calm voice. "Three generations of Uzumaki have held the Kyuubi and in all that time, it has only escaped once. The seal that holds it now has been described as the masterpiece of the Yondaime.
"In other words, you will from this day on respect Uzumaki. He is not the prisoner, he is the prison that holds it and to strike at him is to risk the prisoner escaping.
"Am I clear?"
Ko nodded frantically. "Hai, hiashi-dono!"
"Good. Now, about tomorrow…"
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Hinata winced as Ko used a stick to swat Naruto's leg.
"Point the foot forwards, not out!" Ko commanded. "Make a fist like this and move it like so to punch."
"I hadn't realized that Ko was such a disciplinarian." Kurenai noted. "But Naruto does seem to be improving."
"Given how bad he was to begin with, going to simple bar-room brawling would have been an improvement." Ko noted as he walked past them to where a group of Naruto's clones were going through the first kata taught at the Academy. "Smooth motions! Flow like water!"
"I think I owe your father a favor for this." Kurenai noted. "I'm not very good in taijutsu, relatively speaking. I make up for it in the other fields, but…"
Kurenai shrugged, then she returned to watching Naruto being shown how he should have been taught to fight.
"With those clones, he should be caught up in six months or so… assuming his Jonin-sensei bothers to teach him."
Hinata gave Kurenai a long look. "Is he going to be on our team?"
"I don't know." Kurenai sighed. "I used up my favor by asking for you. Naruto… I can't say."