AN: I'll be out of town for a bit over a week soon for a family reunion so this will be the last update for a couple weeks.

Trickshot

Chapter 5

-Anko-

Anko kicked open the door to the brats' classroom, her face split in a wide, near feral, grin "Team Seven, fall in!" she saw the three brats she had to whip into shape staring at her in shock. More importantly though, they hadn't moved to fall in.

"Oh dear." Her grin became sinister as she leaked some killing intent, observing how a chunk of the genin didn't seem affected by the miniscule amount she let out, but her own brats were trembling "It seems you three are hard of hearing. I said, Team Seven…FALL…IN!" the three hastily started scrambling to the front of the room.

"Anko, please don't traumatize the Genin." Iruka sighed, the Chuunin academy teacher looking beyond tired.

"Make me scrub." Anko grinned, her thumbs tugging at her shiny new Jonin flak jacket "I outrank you." She looked at then three terrified rookies. Two rake thin girls who had been, ugh, dieting and one Akamichi who was rather on the short side and hadn't stopped eating chips since she entered. Welp…she had work to do.

"Alright kiddos, welcome to Hell. Population? YOU. I'm going to work you three into the ground till you're ready to kick ass and take names. First test? I'm just a mud clone, the real me is waiting for you at training ground seven. How fast you three get there will let me know how intense bootcamp is. Won't that be fun!" she gave a grin as she dissolved, memories going back to the original. Across town in Training ground Seven, the real her perked up, Dango stick between her teeth as she eagerly awaited her brat's arrival.

One boring as fuck hour and a half later, the three panting brats finally arrived. "Damnit runts, what took you so long?" she scowled, "You took so long I ate all the Dango I was going to share." Choji looked ready to cry at that.

"It was…so far." Sakura panted, she and Ino having to lean on Choji for support. The boy was somewhat out of breath too but nowhere near as bad as the girls.

"And we got lost." Choji looked sheepish, even as he continued to stuff his face with chips as he talked.

"And you didn't think to ask Iruka where training ground seven was if you didn't know yourself?" Anko raised an eyebrow and could swear she heard crickets as the three blinked owlishly at her.

"Sweet Kami we have a lot of work to do." She facepalmed before standing up, "Alright kiddos, normally you'd still have to pass another test to officially become Genin, but I don't give a flying fuck about tradition so instead you get bootcamp."

"Another test?" Sakura blinked confused, "But…we passed the exam."

"You passed the basic exam to weed out those who have no current hope of being Genin." Anko shook her head, "Typically the teams are then tested by their Senseis to see if they get trained as Genin or kicked back to the Academy. But the way I see it, if you have the potential to pass the academy then anything else can be fixed with training. Plus, unlike the bastard who trained me, I don't believe in abandoning my students."

"Who was your teacher?" Choji looked confused even as he finished his current bag of chips.

"Orochimaru." Anko scowled, glad these three at least recognized the name given their expressions, "It was back before anyone knew the fucked-up shit he did. I didn't even know. But more importantly, do you three know why I was chosen to be your sensei?" they shook their heads confused, "Because I'm a tough Bitch who won't care when you cry." She grinned as they looked horrified at how she described herself.

"Choji!" she pointed at the sole boy who snapped to attention, thankfully too terrified now to resume eating, "Your file showed you have a decent grasp on your family jutsu, plus while you aren't standing out in a good way for scores you weren't failing either. You do however tend to complain about being made to stop eating to train, and rely on others to do all your thinking for you. So, first rule for these training sessions is no eating unless I give the okay. You can train your clan Jutsu with your clan so you can get the calories needed for them then. I'll be teaching you other things to make sure you're more well-rounded." The boy was crying now at being told no snack breaks.

"Sakura!" she moved onto the pinkie, "You have high academic scores and nothing else going for you."

"B-but I have really good chakra control!" Sakura protested, sticking a leaf to her arm as if that would prove it.

"Kid, your chakra control is so good because you barely have enough chakra to fill up a thimble." Anko deadpanned, "Not to mention you're as thin as a beanpole. No, you need to learn to toughen up and not expect some boy to come in and save you, so you don't have to work. First rule for you is no more dieting. I'll be giving you a list of the bare minimum of food you're supposed to eat daily and send it back home to your parents. If I find out that you aren't using it, then there will be consequences. Am I clear!"

"But…but I have to keep my figure!" Sakura wined, looking absolutely pitiful.

"The fuck you think Shinobi and Kunoichi do?!" Anko gaped at the little idiot, "Dieting is for civilians who don't have an active lifestyle. As a Kunoichi if you need to lose weight you can train to burn it off. Plus, if you want a 'seductive figure' to get a man's attention you want some fat on your chest so you aren't flat as a board." The girl looked particularly outraged at that as Anko turned to Ino.

"Alright blondie, same dieting rule as her. I'm honestly surprised your dad let you get away with dieting." Anko planned to have words with her coworker "As things stand you three are some of the weaker ones to pass that test, especially compared to others from prior years. But I plan to break you down again and again till you're ready to get up and be badass."

-Kiba-

"Team eight, with me!" Kiba noted Hinata perk up as a tall woman with dark hair and a dress made of…were those bandages? Shaking off his confusion, he started moving the second she said his team name, following her along with Hinata and Shino, sending a wave to his friends over his shoulder as he went.

"At least she seems less profane than the last teacher to arrive." Shino comments as the three hastily follow the woman Kiba remembered hearing was some sort of a genjutsu master.

"K-Kurenai Sensei is really very nice!" Hinata assured them, "I p-p-promise!" Kiba was positive that he saw his sensei straighten up a bit at that as they continued to walk till they got to a place marked as training ground eight.

"Alright Genin, I am Kurenai Yuhi." The woman stared them down, expression tight. Kiba recognized someone who was doing everything they could to look stern and commanding. His mom said at least half the clan went through that phase once they hit puberty.

"Will we be having a secondary test now sensei?" Kiba asked as he stood by his new teammates, silently praying he didn't do anything to look stupid in front of Hinata.

"…You know about that?" Kurenai lost her serious expression from the surprised confusion.

"Inuzaka senses." He explained, wiggling his ears and nose as he did so, "I've overheard those sent back for the special remedial classes after failing the second test every year."

"Your senses are that sharp then?" Kurenai looked pleased, "But no. I'm well aware of the kind of team I want to train and specifically requested you three for that. You're being trained to be a tracker team given your senses, Shino's bugs, and Hinata's eyes. Any other questions?"

"Are we going to be learning anything outside of basics and more tracking?" Kiba shifted, awkwardly.

"I was still making plans on that front. Why?" Kurenai narrowed her eyes as he gulped. Kiba knew he wasn't the smartest, but he wanted to impress Hinata and he figured the best way he could do that would be to become the strongest Shinobi he could. Thankfully Naruto was a mad genius and helped him brainstorm.

"I heard that you're the best at Genjutsu in the Village." Kiba looked to the side awkwardly, "And I wanted to know if you could teach me some. I know a lot of Genjutsu use other mediums so I wondered if I could use my pheromones or something to have a genjutsu space around me. Just something to give me an extra intimidation factor when I'm fighting."

"That is a most interesting idea Kiba." Shino nodded, tilting his head at Kiba "I wonder if I could have a genjutsu transferred through one of my bugs biting their target."

"…Oh, I'm gonna like training you kids." Kurenai grinned wide.

"Thanks sensei!" He grinned before his eyes widened, "Oh shit, almost forgot!" he hastily rummaged in his bag before passing the Genjutsu Jonin a bag "My dad made muffins for me and my friends to share with our teams. I saved you one." Some of the other Inuzaka guys made fun of him for doing things like that but Kiba saw his parents as he grew up. His mom picked his dad not because he was some super strong badass, but because he made her happy. Because his dad was nice and smart. Kiba wanted to be more like that so Hinata would like him the way he liked her.

-Sasuke-

"Alright, Team ten let's-…is he okay?" Asuma sensei walked into the classroom but trailed off when he noted Sai who was staring off vacantly into spaced.

"He just had a muffin." Sasuke shrugged, tossing a bag with one to the Jonin.

"…These laced with something?" the Jonin who smelt like ash smoke looked at the treat warily.

"No, but he gets this way whenever he gets anything remotely sweet. Seems to last longer whenever it's from Kiba's old man." Sasuke snorted, still baffled by that bizarre fact.

"…Oooookay then." Asuma sensei shook his head as he took a bite of the baked good, "Hmmm, tasty. Anyway, you three, follow me. I want to go over the training plan I have in mind for you lot." Sasuke nodded, giving a sharp tug to pull Sai to his feet as he followed the son of the Hokage. Time to see if the man lived up to the hype and his family name.

"To start with, all three of you have vastly different strengths, weaknesses, and skillsets." Asuma spoke up when they got to training ground ten, "So collective training will mostly be on the basics. I have enough chakra for stable clones, so we'll alternate between group training over basics and chakra control, or more specialized training for your skills. Afternoons will be spent taking missions."

"What will our specific training entail?" Sai, who'd come down from his sugar trip, asked in his usual emotionless tone.

"I'll start with yours since you asked." Asuma grinned, "To start with I've heard about your 'ink jutsu' the academy said you like using. I'll be doing what I can to add seal knowledge to your repertoire. But more than that you'll be given lessons about acting."

"…I am unsure of the point of such training." Sai frowned puzzled.

"Kid, Shinobi work is often about blending in to gather intel." Asuma explained, "Your mannerisms stick out like a sore thumb. So, I'm going to be teaching you how to better read people and also how to blend in so they don't remember you. Helps stay inconspicuous."

"I see. Understood sensei." Sai bowed before stepping back.

"Glad to hear it!" Asuma grinned, the man seemingly pretty easy going even if Sasuke was noting the various scars and other signs of a history of combat. "Shikamaru, you're next. Your intellect and strategic ability is quite impressive and something to commend. Your physical abilities on the other hand are on the lacking side. For you I plan to focus on increasing your strength, speed, stamina, and chakra reserves. Fire jutsu training is also planned so you can cast more shadows for your family style. You can learn those with your clan."

"And me?" Sasuke straightened, curious what the man would have to say.

"Your clan are known to be Jacks if not masters of all trades kid." Asuma grinned, "Your ability to copy damn near any jutsu makes versatility the name of the game where an Uchiha is concerned. That said, I'm aware your Sharingan isn't activated yet so your focus for now will primarily be the basics of the five elements and other shinobi arts. Give you a starting point to get your body used to doing them. It'll help you use and master the things you copy. There's a bit more but I'll save that for a moment." The man made a hand sign as two clones appeared, leading Shikamaru and Sai off.

"What else is there?" Sasuke demanded, surprised that the man hadn't asked about his swords.

"Well, I know your swords need your Sharingan to work." Asuma shrugged, likely noting Sasuke's expression "My old man mentioned that once. But no, the big thing I want to talk about is waking up your Sharingan. I don't know if you were old enough to be made aware of this before that night but I'm aware of how to trigger it."

Sasuke's eyes snapped open wide at that "W-what? How?!"

"I had a friend from your clan, Shisui." Asuma gave a sad grin at that, "He mentioned it once. To activate the Sharingan it involves feeling a powerful emotion in regard to someone precious to them. Shisui said most of the time it's from feelings of grief or loss. But it can be positive too like the determination to save one close to you or to be reunited with a loved one. In point of fact, I'm wondering if your Sharingan actually was activated that night but is just repressed. You were young so your chakra coils might not have been able to help support a full awakening. I have an appointment scheduled at the hospital with a trained medic nin. They're going to be doing some tests to see if that's the case and help you get it triggered fully."

"I…I could have my Sharingan." Sasuke wanted to demand that they go now. His eyes were the proof of who he was. The only thing he had that tied him to his family. It was more than just power; he needed that tether. He needed them.

"Even if I'm wrong, I'll do what I can to help you." Asuma grinned, "We know positive emotions work so maybe pride in one's friends? I know you hang out with the Inuzaka and Uzumaki boys so, if need be, I'll arrange some joint missions. Shisui was a friend of mine and one of the best Shinobi I ever met. I'm going to make you even better."

-Naruto-

"Hey squirt." Tsume grinned as she stepped into the room to collect him, the others having already left.

"Yo!" Naruto grinned, putting up the resistance bow he'd been training with in the back, "Bout time you got here."

"Best teacher so I had to arrive last, you know how it is." The woman gave a grin as she waved a hand flippantly, "Come on, walk and talk."

"So, how's this whole 'apprentice' thing gonna work?" Naruto asked as he finally left the academy for what was hopefully the last time.

"I focus on training you and we join other teams as needed for their missions given it's just us. I'll probably have you use shadow clones to blitz through a bunch of D ranks for the first couple of days. Gets them out of the way and lets us start doing the fun stuff."

"Oh, I'm so rubbing that in Kiba's face." Naruto snickered, not to mention how Sasuke would react.

"Boys." Tsume snorted, ruffling his hair as he tried, and failed, to bat her hand away "But yeah, for the most part it'll just be me helping put you through your paces. I'll save teamwork stuff till you get teammates, whenever that is."

"So that's it then?" Naruto was surprised but figured he really shouldn't be. He'd been training with the Inuzaka clan for about a year now, it really was just a continuation for him.

"Not quite." Tsume sighed as Naruto noted she seemed tense, "There's a secret you deserve to know and the Hokage is finally going to tell you. I've been pushing for it to happen earlier, but he was stubborn about it and I didn't feel like violating an S class law."

"S class?!" Naruto's eyes were bulging, "What…what sort of law is that?! What secret could I even be tied to?"

"Kid…it's about why the village treats you the way they do." Tsume knelt down and gave his shoulders a squeeze, "I know right now it sounds confusing and scary, but I promise, it won't change anything. You're still Naruto Uzumaki, same blond brat I pulled out of the forest a year ago. You're still good as family to me and the others. And we'll always be here to support you, okay?"

"O…okay." Naruto gulped, giving a nod even as his sensei and mother figure led him to the Hokage's tower. A heavy feeling of dread settled in his gut as they went. What sort of secret was he about to be told?