Chapter 9: Training the Kids
They had been traveling for a day already. At that time they hadn't encountered anything, which was good for them. While they had been learning the basics all over again, tree climbing, clone justu, walking on water, substitution justu, escape justu. Anything and she told them that once they perfected those techniques they would learn other things. They were about to start that process, and Asami sensi warned them this was also going to be a training situation. Yuri didn't mind.
What she minded was the silence. Isamu and Kenji were both quiet. The three of them were walking in front of Asami sensi. While Yuri could keep track of Isamu and Kenji a little, it was Asami sensi she was able to track the best. But she isn't sure what to say to anyone.
Finally they make it to their camp area. Yuri helps to gather water and food. It was a silent time once again. They had just finished setting up camp when Asami sensi called them all over.
"Alright. Now we are going to learn some fun things. I am going to teach you each a new justu." Asami sensi pauses.
Allowing the genin to take in the information. Yuri looks at Asami Sensi, while Yuri was excited to learn about things and new justus. This might mean they were over reviewing the basics. It would help all of them. And give Yuri something better to work with and not accidentally use the justus she has taken from other people.
"Well, the best I can." Asami Sensi holds up two scrolls. "The one person I can teach right away is Kenji. You are going to learn wind justu. I don't have Water or Earth release. I have fire release, but sadly that doesn't help us right now."
The three genin nod their heads. That would make sense. Yuri had a water release and she doesn't know anyone else who has it. Seeing as they haven't learned anything specific in the academy, it would help. Yuri wanted to learn something new.
"I am going to spend thirty minutes with you so you can learn first. Afterwards, I will move on. I will have to watch Isamu the most because this technique is going to be hard. Yuri, I'll start with you." Asami begins to walk away.
Yuri nods her head and gets up from her spot. With Isamu and Kenji following behind. Asami leads her to the water's edge. "You all know how to walk on water correct?"
The three genin nod. Not like Asami sensi trained them hard. She would force them to balance on water while she made waves. While Isamu was the best of the three, Yuri could keep her balance. Kenji was the worst about it. So it was another training possibly? Asami Sensi was always thinking of creating ways to train the genin.
"Good. Come out into the water Yuri. Kenji and Isuma balance on the water. Yuri might make some waves and that will be good practice." Asami smiles and continues to move.
The team makes their way to the water and begins walking. Because of Shikamaru, Yuri's chakra control is good. That and still water after the training Asami's sensi gave them, Yuri could walk on water. She glances back and sees Isamu and Kenji are easily standing on the water.
But she keeps up with Asami sensi. Looking back forward, Yuri follows Asami sensi. Realizing she is out of earshot of Isamu and Kenji. Yuri knows Asami Sensi wants to talk to her about something. Yuri can only guess what it is about.
Asami sensi turns towards Yuri. "I cannot do this justu since I do not have water chakra. But you are going to learn to make water clones. While not as powerful as the shadow clone, water clones can help with a fight. They hold a tenth of your chakra and should we end up in a fight? We might need them. Clones are a good way to increase our numbers."
Yuri nods her head. "So… this could be chakra depleting? Depending on the amount of clones I make?"
"Yes. We don't know how large your chakra reserve is. Kenji's is above average, Isamu is slightly below average. I have an average chakra pool. You, on the other hand, might have a pool on par with Uzamakis, Senju, and Uchiha. All of them have a lot of chakra. You could have that. But we won't know until we make it to the village." Asami pauses. "Before we begin you and I are going to talk"
"About?" Yuri asks.
She knows what it's about. About her family. And why she didn't tell them earlier. Yuri doesn't know if she has any answer for it… and it was going to be something she wasn't wanting to talk about. She guesses she needed to talk about it.
"Why didn't you tell us about your abilities? We could have figured them out and helped. At least me." Asami crosses her arms.
"I… I didn't want to cause a panic. I'm not from the leaf originally." Yuri looks down at the water and plays with it for a moment.
"I understand that Yuri. But listen to me. Trusting your team is important to squads. If we never knew it would be a greater shock. Your intentions were good, but don't hide anything from the team again. Your justus could prove to be good for us in the long run. And we are going to also focus on that. After the boys master their justus, we are going to have you copy them and see how long it takes for you to learn them." Asami kicks some water at Yuri.
Yuri presses her lips together. "What if I copy more than just the justu?"
Yuri looks up and watches Asami sensi for a moment. There is a moment of silence between the two while Asami thinks. Yuri doesn't think she can pull just one justu from someone. It might be an all or nothing deal.
Asami shrugs. "We will see if they can teach you what they know. I want to figure this out. The more you know and can take the information in, the easier battles could be. And the Chunin exams eventually."
"Right… but I can't-" Yuri begins.
"Open my sword. I know. I have a few more theories I want to test out with you. But for now? Let's focus on the water clone. And again: Never use copied justus unless all our lives are in danger. If we are against other villages, we don't need them knowing about you and your powers. At least… not yet."
Yuri nods her head and presses her lips together. She isn't sure what to say. She could be a little more open with her team. And now that they know, she could tell them a little more about what is going on. And they would be there with her when she discovered more about her family. She needed to tell them more about what was happening.
"Now, onto the learning of this justu. I only know the hand signs. It goes: Tiger. That's all. Seems simple but this is a C-Ranked justu. If we can get your water justu's up to a master level? It will be good for us. Give you cover when fighting enemies."
Yuri nods her head, and for the next 15 minutes she struggles with the water clone. Making the water move and she notices Isamu is fine, but Kenji struggles to where he even falls in the water. By the end of the 15 minutes, Yuri can't make a clone fully. Which makes her more and more frustrated.
She should be able to do this! She was able to use shadows, fireballs and the Byakugan. Why couldn't she do this?
"Good. You probably have a little too much chakra." Asami pauses. "You seem more frustrated than I have ever seen you."
With a sigh, Yuri looks at Asami. "I am. I can use Nara's abilities, make a fireball and use the Byakugan no problem. Why can I not make a water clone?"
There is a moment of silence. Yuri can't figure it out. But after a moment Asami laughs. So much that it startles Isamu and Kenji in the distance. Yuri can only stare, wondering what is so funny. A frown comes onto her face as she feels herself glaring a little more at Asami Sensi.
"I see. I guess Shikamaru, Saskue and Hinata have some control over those, correct?" Asami crosses her arms once again.
Yuri takes a moment to think about this. All of them had been training with those things since they were younger. They all know those justus by heart and practice them daily. So they know how much chakra to use.
"I would think so." Yuri looks back at Asami.
"That is why. You take a fully formed justu and just need a few tools to make it. This? You are starting from the beginning. Making it harder, and you had the basics down since you copied them as well. I suggest keeping at it while I train Kenji. And we will be in the tree line a little. Move closer but I don't want you seeing the process." Asami begins to walk.
The young girl follows the sensi to the water's edge. When Asami taps Kenji to follow her. Leaving Yuri on her own with Isamu. Isamu watches her for a moment. Neither says anything, so Yuri makes the Tiger seal and focuses for a moment. She gets a form that looks like a person, and she can feel the chakra coming from it. But she loses it at the last second.
Letting out a groan, Yuri takes a deep breath.
"You know… you could-" Isamu begins.
"No. I want to know things on my own. I want to master this on my own." Yuri lets out a sigh. "Seeing as I don't technically have any justu's of my own. I need to do this."
Seeing some wind movement in the tree line, her attention is taken over there. She waits for Isamu to speak first. Slowly her attention makes its way back to Isamu.
"I get that. Asami sensi thinks I might do well as a medical nin." Isamu rubs the back of his head.
"You have the chakra control for it. If there is one thing I know about you and Sakura is that your chakra control is no joke."
Yuri pauses and looks away from Isamu. She isn't lying there. Their chakra control is way better than anyone else she had seen. Even against Shikamaru and Hinata, who were all about Chakra control.
"Sorry about hounding you. I thought you didn't trust us."
She shakes her head. "No need to. I just have seen how secretive people are about their family secrets. I guess I was just following the flow."
Isamu nods his head. There is a small lull in the conversation. Yuri doesn't know what to say to Isamu. Everything seems to be jumbled in her mind and it bothers her. Like her not being able to get this justu down quickly like she can with everything else. But she
"You know… Asami sensi has a theory about why I am struggling with this. I have to master and I'm not absorbing one fully formed." Yuri puts her hands to her side and sighs.
Isamu looks back at her. "I can understand that. All you need is the hand signs. They did all the work. Finding the amount of chakra, how big to make it and the process."
Yuri crouches down and shakes her head.
Learning full justus is hard.
The Chibana Clan Land
The group had spent two days training and working on their justu's. Especially since Kenji was firing back on him. Isamu learned the justu quickly and was able to go underground and move. Yuri was able to make a clone… for about 5 minutes before it was lost on her. But it was better. Once they get to the ruins of her home, Yuri could absorb Isamu's chakra and see how long it took her to copy him.
They had been getting closer to the village, and Yuri could tell. The land was becoming a little less forest and some more streams were around. It felt like home once again. Which makes her really sad, she was starting to forget some things that happened here. Like playing with her cousins and spending time with her mother.
Yuri pauses outside of the village. She can only stare at the ruins for so long. The thought of being back here was overwhelming. It never was going to go away, was it?
"Are you okay Yuri?" Isamu walks up beside her and puts a hand on her shoulder.
Yuri shakes her head. "Last time I was here… I saw everyone being killed…"
All the images of her family, the strange man finding her hiding spot and seeing someone laying on the ground. Her cousins were protecting her and keeping her safe. The man with the red eyes that took her away from the village, telling her to run. All of it comes to her mind, and Yuri doesn't like it. She thought she had put it all behind her.
"Before we go in. Let's hear about it." Kenji turns to look at Yuri.
It takes Yuri a moment to process. She can only look right at Kenji. But she isn't really seeing Kenji. Only the destruction beyond him. The area that was once part of her home. The houses she would visit nearly daily, and the small wall her family had around them. Nothing was the same. Vines and trees had began growing where she remembered the homes of dear aunts and uncles. Blinking she notices Kenji's face in the distance. Reminding herself to breathe and look at Kenji, she barely remembers what they were talking about.
What were they discussing?
Right, what happened here and Yuri having to explain her family being killed right in front of her 4 years ago. How she wishes Saskue was here to keep her out of her head.
"I try not to think about it… but there were two people I saw. One with long hair and had snakes coming out of them. The other had these… eyes. So red and had some dots."
Her face blank, Yuri can't even move a muscle as she talks about the two people that came here and destroyed a life she was going to live.
Asami scoffs. "That snake. And I think I know the other. We should be careful. The snake isn't good, Yuri. Now more than ever, we can't let anyone outside of the village know about this. We don't know what is being planned, but if your clan was being used for something… we should leave here quickly."
Slowly, and almost painfully, Yuri turns to her sensi. Blinking as she tilts her head. A snake? But they only had snakes coming out of them. Why would Asami sensi call the man a snake? Did she know them? Would Asami Sensi know both of the people that had come to the place she once called home?
"But… the one with red eyes dumped me somewhere. He found me and ran with me somewhere. He was fast though."
This causes Asami sensi to freeze. A silence falls over the group as she can see Asami's mind working.
Finally Asami sensi speaks up. "You're friends with Saskues mother right?" Yuri nods. "You, me and her, along with the third, should have a conversation."
Yuri nods her head. Why would they all need to talk about something? Yuri doesn't understand. She doesn't know why this is a bigger deal than she thought. Why does she need to talk with the third as well? Does Asami sensi know the people who attacked Yuri's home? The thoughts seem to be swirling in Yuri's head as they all stand there.
"We should head in." Asami turns and goes into the village.
Yuri can only stand there and stare at the ruins of her home. All the screaming and bloodshed still fresh in her mind. All the people around ehr screaming. Even her mother telling her to go hide moments before the fighting broke out. All of it forces Yuri to remain in her spot. Unmoving but feeling everything. She feels a tug on her sleeve. She looks and sees Kenji pulling her. She gives him a sheepish smile.
"Come on. We need you." Slowly she nods to Kenji.
Yuri walks with her team. Sticking a little closer to either of the boys. She needs to focus. She is a ninja now and can't let the images of the past make her freeze. Yuri needs to keep moving and stay with her team. She knew Isamu tastes like honey, and she liked that taste. Even holding onto their clothes as they walk. Which doesn't bother Kenji as much as it bothers Isamu. She knows she shouldn't be holding onto them… but she needs to or else she will end up freezing once again.
"Yuri, do you know where the head of your clan's home was?" She looks at Asami sensi.
Slowly she nods, gulping down all the memories and moving to the center of the ruins. But that doesn't stop them from coming. She ran this way to get away from the center of the village, the area where she and her mother lived. Even her grandmother before she passed. All of the Chiefs lived in the house together to offer counsel and work towards the good of the family.
When they get there, she sees the home still a little intact.
While it offers her some comfort, it doesn't provide that much. Just knowing it is still standing is a surprise to her.
"We… The younger kids all hid here. It was considered impossible to find the hiding spot. But the people who attacked us found it." Holding onto Kenji a little more, Yuri shakes her head.
She needs to do this. Yuri needs to face her fears and do the mission assigned to her. If not… who else could do this mission?
With a gulp, Yuri steps up into the house. She looks around it for a moment and goes into the house. She goes to the fireplace where she hid. Placing a hand on the remains of the fireplace, Yuri can only stare for a moment. Nothing seemed like it was going to be okay.
Taking in a deep breath, Yuri counts to ten.
There is a silence as she looks around while the others let her take in all that is going on around her. The main room where her mother would talk to everyone in the family. Something that felt like she did daily, was something that did. But never the same family member. Or where she was starting to give life lessons to Yuri about their family and how they should interact with the other members of the family.
"Yuri… I know this is hard. But do you know if there is a single way to get any information?" Asami asks after a moment.
Yuri takes a moment to think. Shaking her head in the process as she tries to think of the way around things. Or to get anywhere. While everything is still a jumbled mess in her mind, Yuri has to see clearly and thin these things through. It was going to take too long for Yuri to break down and get back up. For she feared if she broke down she wouldn't stop. Yuri needs to keep her focus. She needs to keep her eyes on the mission in front of her. When she gets back to the leaf, she can melt down.
Closing her eyes, Yuri pulls her focus in. While she doesn't know much about her family… She knows something. Like from the scrolls.
The scrolls they recovered. Mentioning a library, in a place only the chief could go. She never learned what it was, seeing as it was verbally passed down from chief to chief. Yuri never became the chief so she didn't know.
Silently she goes to what was her mothers room. It was one of the only places in the whole house even Yuri wasn't allowed to be in. Her grandmother was, but she had been a chief. Yuri begins to search in the rubble. Wondering if she is correct in her thinking and it being here. It would make sense to her… right? Eventually pulling up a thing that reveals a rug.
Yuri looks at Kenji. "Can we get this area cleared?"
He nods as Asami Sensi speaks up, "Isamu and I will search a different part of the house. Keep in communication and let us know if you find something."
Yuri and Kenji nod. Isamu and Asami split off and go searching the house while Yuri and Kenji clear it. They continue to pull up rubble for a few moments in silence. Yuri begins to doubt if this was the correct room to be in… she doesn't know and if she was told… Yuri doesn't remember where it would be.
"You think it's here?" Kenji asks, breaking the silence.
Yuri pauses and looks over at Kenji.
"Should be. Some scrolls they recovered said it would be somewhere only the chief goes. Which could be anywhere in this house since no one but the chief and her family could come in. The Chief had a few rooms we weren't allowed to go to. This was one of those rooms."
Yuri and Kenji clear the area and it's an empty space. Yuri feels a pout on her lips. She was wrong. She was wrong in her pick. Which is upsetting to her. She didn't want to be wrong about where the scrolls were, yet she was.
That nightmare comes back and haunts her. She failed. Before Kenji can even say anything, Yuri hears something in the distance.
A few seconds later Isamu comes in. "There is something I think you guys should see!"
Isamu begins to run and Yuri tries to catch up to him. She didn't realize how fast Isamu is, but Kenji remains behind her. Stumbling a few times, Yuri regains her balance to try to keep up with Isamu. He slows down to a walk and lets the other two catch up to him. They make it to a section of the house that wasn't destroyed and Yuri can taste Grapefruit, but something else.
The taste bothers her a little. As it is new to her, yet it somehow isn't that new to her. It confuses the young girl so much she has to pause and take it in. She notices Asami sensi standing by a door. All three genin make it over to the door.
"It's sealed. I can't get through it and I am guessing others haven't been able to either. But we have something the others didn't. The chief's daughter." Asami Sensi puts her hand on the door and it gives her a small shock.
All eyes go to Yuri. She realizes they are looking at her for a reason. Slowly, she approaches the door. But she pauses.
"I wouldn't know how to open it though… it's sealed for a reason."
Notes: Hello! I am once again back with another chapter. I am trying to follow the path of Naruto. I do like some fillers so I will be putting them in. Please let me know what you think!