Disclaimer: I do not and probably never will own Naruto. I just own the Gushikan family.

Chapter 14~ Training

Well as always time passes, it can be slow and sweet or all at once and agonizing.

The sweetness is my brother who follows me around like a chick and laughs and plays with me and my friends but otherwise is shy towards the general population.

Agonizing is the training. Oh the training I now have to do thanks to the fact that I have turned ten.

It was in simple terms, hell. My Dad had always trained me but was lax and calm. He did try to get me to work harder with threats of running laps but that was as harsh as he went.

That was when I was nine, but now I'm mother trucking 10.

Now my Dad has decided to kick my butt with training every day until I blinked and realized that somehow I was 11 and Usa is two.

I honestly don't remember most of my year as a ten year old. It is mostly a mash of running laps around Konoha with an absurd amount of weight on, fighting one sword style with my Dad to the point I got blisters which turned into calluses all over my hands, and the most painful burst of therapy sessions.

And now here I am, currently laying on the ground on a hot summer day while Dad left to do something.

My eyes were closed as I listened to the sound of Usa toddle closer and then eventually fall onto my stomach.

"Taka-onee ouchy?"

He tapped my nose till I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Taka-oneechan is sleepy, no ouchy today."

I smiled at him and he gave me a toothy smile too as he pulled himself all the way onto me and sat on my stomach. And then frowned.

"Dat no ouchy Onee?"

He pointed to the large scar on my right hand.

It's the scar for the day he was born and Mom died. From when the kunai sliced into my hand and popped out the other side. That I had so many hours of surgery on.

I smiled at him and opened and closed my hand.

"No ouchy, it just looks bad." It was slightly redder and had more white in it than my natural skin tone.

For the majority of Usa's life he never saw it because I have started to always wear a glove over it.

Dad says I should be proud of my scars but... I don't think I can be proud of that one.

I rubbed it gently, it didn't hurt anymore and my hand works good as new but sometimes it tingles, mostly when I think back to that day and sometimes when it's gonna rain.

I pulled my glove over it so he couldn't see.

"Taka-Onee strong!" Usa said, throwing his arms in the air before coughing a little.

"That's right, I'm strong and so are you." I said grinning but pulled his face mask back over his mouth. He must have pulled it down when I wasn't looking.

He was still often sickly, he got fevers monthly and we worried about his lungs a lot so we made him wear his mask to keep the germs away on particularly coughing days.

He looked away from me and then giggled and bounced on my stomach.

"Naru-Onii!"

Naruto appeared standing over me and smiled at Usa.

"Hey guys, whatcha doing?"

"Waiting for Dad to come back from a thing." I groaned, "I really just want to get training over with today but now I probably have to wait all day probably."

Naruto just snickered at me and picked up Usa.

"You know you'd think you'd grow to love it."

I shrugged back.

"I don't hate it anymore, it got much easier after the first year, and fortunately I am leagues stronger than I was."

I sat up and patted my arms to show. I don't look nearly as strong as I am but if you've ever spared with me it is obvious I've worked hard. My arms are currently up to 850 pounds and my legs are 900 pounds. A ridiculous amount I know but that's what happens when your Dad is an Anbu member with some war trauma.

He said once I was ten that my body could handle more stain at a smaller risk to injury. So yes my taijutsu is scary on the other hand though my ninjutsu and genjutsu are pitiful.

At this time I have enough chakra to do MAYBE one large move or three small jutsu so I can't count on it at all. Not to mention the amount of times I wake up in the hospital from chakra exhaustion is so frequent I'm on a first name basis with a lot of the nursing staff and a few doctors.

It's only kinda depressing.

My own kekkei genkai has turned into something I can use.

Since it's in my genes I don't use a lot of chakra. On the other hand, part of the jutsu allows me to siphon a little chakra from my enemies while they have their nightmare, it has turned into my number one jutsu.

Well my only jutsu really.

Naruto shrugs but smiles all the same.

"Want to go to ichiraku?"

Usagi instantly grins and throws his hand up. "Ichiraku!"

"With a reaction like that, can I really say no?" I got off the ground and the three of us had lunch.

Well we were.

"Takara."

I flinched and turned around.

"Hey Dad."

He stared at me in an unforgiving way.

"I told you when I left that you better have run 20 laps around Konoha before I came back."

In the background Naruto spat his noodle out of his mouth and went into a coughing fit while Usagi on his lap just stared curiously.

"I ran 15 but then I took a break for lunch."

Naruto sends me a shocked look.

Dad stiffens and takes the scroll he's holding and bats me over the head with it.

"Ok slacker, if you're gonna skip out on your training then you're gonna have to spar."

I roll my eyes, "Yea yea Dad sure. Should I go get Sasuke? You love it when I beat him in fights."

"No. Takara, this is the third time you've skipped finishing your training sessions. I'll spar you."

The blood drained from my face and I unconsciously gulped.

We stood in a desolate training field while Naruto stood off to the side as the referee.

I began to pull Balance out of its sheath attached to my back, "No, we'll do it bare handed."

Once again I could practically see my life flash before my eyes. Sure I could handle fighting kids my age, heck I could handle people four years older than me if I gave them a super charged punch to the face.

But... Not Dad, the second strongest man in Konoha, right behind the Hokage. Even without his sword or his chakra he can bring down men.

"I have been lax on you for years because your Mom always worried, but now Takara, get ready. I'm going to show you what will happen if you go on a battlefield without throwing your all into your training."

"Pssh, Takara!"

I look over to Naruto.

"It sounds like he is going to kill you. Also your knees are shaking."

"Not now Naruto!" I look back to Dad. "Can I take off my weights?"

He gave me a smirk. "Only if I can take off mine."

I weighed my options. "How much you have on?"

Pleasebealownumberpleasebealownumber

"2500 on each arm and leg."

Mine and Naruto's mouths dropped while Usagi just looked around uncaringly.

"I choose weights." He nodded. "Good choice."

Naruto cleared his throat awkwardly and began.

"On three. One!"

I steadied myself and bent my knees so I was low to the ground.

"Two!"

I pulled my hands up, one in a fist and one palm open.

"Three!"

I looked up and made eye contact with Dad but hesitated slightly, he was in the exact same position as me. Seems like a duh moment but it surprised me for a second.

"Go!"

Dad didn't move and let me come to him. I blasted forward and when I got close to him kicked my foot up over my head in an attempt to kick his chest.

But then he seemingly evaporated, my foot connected nothing and I tripped a little from it.

That's when his open palm flung forward and slammed me in the middle of my back and launched me to the ground.

"Your balance is atrocious."

My face reddened in anger and I put all my weight on my hands and sprang my feet at him while he was behind me.

He let them painlessly pound onto his hardened abs and grabbed my ankles and spun me around, then released me so I plowed into the dirt with my face.

"That was useless, sure it would take down a child but any adult would be able to dodge or feel no pain from it."

'Ok ok Takara! What is your Dads weakness!' I studied him for a moment. 'He is big but quick, older but experienced, ugh! What do I do?!'

A second passed but nothing happened. 'Why is he not attacking? Ooh.'

I charge at him again but when I get close I dive to the ground and then spring off it with my hands so I flip over him.

That gave me a second because he hesitated so I "kicked" out the back of his knees.

Well actually no I didn't. I tried but to no avail, and when he turned around he backhanded me and sent me flying. There goes my theory that his back is his blind spot and he actually doesn't want to hurt me.

I managed to stand back up. My Dad stood arms crossed and with his steely face gave me a glare.

"Takara Gushikan, why do you want to be a ninja?"

I was struck by the question, isn't it obvious?

"To be head of the T&I and carry on our family name!"

His gaze darkened and he body flickered next to Naruto and Usagi.

He wrapped a hand around Naruto's throat and pulled out a kunai and pressed it to Naruto's chest. Naruto froze and began to sweat.

"Dad! What the hell are you doing?!" I screamed at him and began to rush at him.

He only kicked me in the face and tightened his grip.

"To uphold our family and to prove yourself is not a reason to be a ninja. A reason with no drive like that will get you killed. You will be powerless to your enemies and will watch them slay your comrades and then you. So Takara, why do you want to be a ninja?"

I stared him down with no answer as I pushed back the pain radiating from my nose.

I thought my reason was good enough!

I pulled Balance out of its sheath and prepared myself.

"Well right now all I want to do is use whatever skill I have to make you release Naruto. He didn't do anything and you have no right to bring him into this family squabble. So Dad let him go."

He stared back at me stoically and a startling grin split across his face. He released Naruto and stepped away from him.

"They say a person's true character is revealed when someone they care about is in danger. Well Takara, you want to protect the innocent huh?"

I furrowed my brow in anger and sheathed my katana.

"I don't know what you're talking about, you crazy old man! I would have said anything to make sure Naruto, well any of my friends, aren't hurt."

"Apparently even wield your own katana against your own father." He grumbled and glared at Naruto.

"What are you glaring at me for!? I was the victim!" Naruto yelled.

"Oh don't give me that! You broke the rules first by taking out a kunai in a bare knuckle fight!" I yelled. He just shrugged.

"Oh well, I guess I'll let you become a ninja."

I just gave him a confused look.

"But if you're really gonna do this then you're training until you pass out everyday, you made too many mistakes to count and you know. I can't lose you too."

I... I had already known that but hearing him say it out loud in public no less... He smiled one last time.

"It's interesting to know you want to fight for the innocent, you know that was your moms drive too. She wanted to protect people who had never done anything wrong. Like her parents. That's why she was in the prison, to protect the ninjas who were being charged for things they never did."

"She never really told me that's why she was in the T&I. I guess she may have implied it before..."

"She didn't want to influence your life more than she already had, she wanted you to choose your own path. Your Mom was special, she was easy to talk to, but she also had a way of finding out people's true intentions, even without that special trick you two do. She saved many people from false convictions. Even foreigners. Many people owe their lives to her..."

He broke off and stared at the sky and sighed deeply.

"Now that Ume is gone all that I can hope is that they will help you in her place if you need it. "

I looked away from him and snorted. "Meh, I'm a Gushikan, I can handle myself."

He rolled his eyes at me.

"Alright little lady," he started dully. "I want you to run until you fall asleep outside."

I look at him. "What?"

"Run until you collapse and fall asleep. When you wake up you can come home."

Evil, pure evil.

As I ran circles around Konoha I couldn't help but think about Dads accusation, that I was going to be a ninja to save the innocent.

Why did I want to be a ninja?

I guess it was because I wanted to be just like my parents. I lived in such solitude for the first six years of my life and I constantly heard Dad bad mouth Aunt Anko so I guess my only option was to worship my parents.

In my mind there never was another option. I had always been working towards being a ninja, and being someone my parents could brag about shamelessly.

But had that been the only reason?

I never put thought into it but maybe Dads right. I mean the day I met Naruto I punched a kid for being mean to him. The rest of my childhood has been a montage of that. Me rescuing Naruto from fights and then beating the shit out of kids who dare be mean to any of my friends.

Then on the other hand I have distinct memories of when I was younger and being picked on but never fought the person, I always restrained myself for my family's image. So I guess I did "defend the innocent" a little.

I am always getting mad at people for assuming things about my family too, especially since they never talked to us.

I guess Dads right, I more unconsciously had been protecting people.

It makes sense too, it's like what Mom used to tell me:

"When an innocent person is being accused of something they have this look on their face, it's hard to recreate but when you see it it's obvious what it means. When I walk through the prison and look at the accused and see someone with that face, well it would be inhuman of me not to help."

I also could see that face in people.

I woke up lying on the ground on my back.

It's such a pretty night.

I groaned as I stood up and began to shuffle home. It must be two in the morning.

I walk through the door and don't even bother going up stairs, or even walking the five feet to the couch before laying down on the cold wood floor and falling asleep.

I woke up in my bed and had a brief moment where I sat up and had a mini heart attack because I'm late for school but then realized it's Saturday.

I changed into fresh clothes and walked down stairs and sat in moms reading chair. Usagi is playing with one of those shape sorting boxes and seems to be easily putting the correct shapes in.

Dad walks in and hands me a plate of breakfast, oatmeal, the only thing he can cook.

"Dad, why are you a ninja?" I ask straight forward as I eat.

He sits down. "I've told you once before."

He opens the newspaper and stays silent.

Seriously... That's it, I have to actually remember? I sigh and look down at Usagi who is staring back at me.

"How old was I?" I asked looking back at Dad.

He simply turns a page. "Seven."

That was four years ago! How am I supposed to remember that?

Dad stiffens and folds the paper up and sets it on a table before puffing into smoke and disappearing.

"Where's Daddy, Onee?" Usa asked and pointed to where he had been.

"He was probably summoned by the Hokage, there might be an emergency."

He said oooooh and went back to playing.

After breakfast I began my push ups while Usa sat on my back, which was really no weight, he just likes to sit there. And then did some meditating while Usa sat in my lap and napped.

Eventually I went through the entire day's training and put Usa to bed, when Dad finally came home.

I heard the door open and I rushed down the stairs with the medkit in hand, when he suddenly disappears for longer than five hours he's usually torn up.

I found him sitting at the kitchen table with a cloth full of ice pressed against his head while half his face was drenched in blood.

I sat across from him and prepared myself for the worst.

He had a deep slice in his face from the middle of his forehead to the middle of his left ear. It cut across the middle of his eyebrow and barely missed his eye by a hair.

"Dad! What happened? You might actually need a hospital for this one!"

He grunted and shook his head. "I hate hospitals. So doc, can you stitch me back together?"

I frown as I pull out the curved needle and thread.

"Maybe, seriously what happened out there?"

He shrugged, "A missing nin sighting, it got bloodily fast."

"Any deaths." I asked quietly as I disinfected the wound.

"Aki and the missing nin."

My shoulders slump and I close my eyes for a moment. Aki was a nice guy, a little stupid compared to the rest of the Anbu and a little rash but a real good guy.

"I'm so sorry Dad."

He nodded, "Me too."

I finished his stitches and wiped away the blood when there was a knock on our door. I leave Dad and open it to reveal one of Dads subordinates.

He wasn't wearing his mask and was splattered with blood but gave me a weak smile.

"Hello Takara-san, is your father home yet?" I nodded and let him in.

Dad was standing at the kitchen door when he entered.

"Yuki, why are you here?"

The young man looked nervous and scratched his head.

"I-I just really wanted to say thank you. If you hadn't pushed me out of the way today, I'd be dead. I know as a ninja I should be prepared to lay down my life but, my wife and I just had our daughter. If I had died tonight..."

The man actually got teary eyed and blushed as he wiped his face.

"I'm really sorry you got hurt because of me but thank you for taking the hit. Because of you I get to hold my baby girl for another day."

My Dad nodded and walked up to the man and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I would do it again too. The only real tragedy here is that my mask is broken and I have to get it remade. The scar I can live with though. As someone who has been a ninja for too many years to count you have to learn that scars are something to be proud of, because when you have a scar that means you survived to fight another day."

Yuki got all teary eyed again and hugged my Dad who very stiffly patted his back.

"I'm going to go home and be with my family. Thank you Gushikan-san."

My Dad nodded as Yuki left. After he was gone I looked over to Dad and crossed my arms.

"What?" He asked as I glared.

"I understand that you want to keep everyone safe and I think that's great but please don't throw yourself in between too many fights! Think about your own kids for a moment. If you died while fighting what would we do!?"

He smiled gently and ruffled my hair. "Sorry to make you worry, Curly Top. But as a ninja it's my job to protect everyone, and save everyone if I can."

I pouted and grabbed his hand.

"Just remember Dad, Usagi and I need you too. You can save as many people as you can but in the end you need to come back home to us." I paused and stared at him before squeezing his hand so hard it popped and he flinched.

"Or I won't ever forgive you!" I yelled and turned on a dime stomping upstairs before turning around and shouting still in my angry voice.

"I love you Dad, good night!"

Dad was right, his cut did turn into a scar, but it looks really cool so I guess it's fine.

My final year at the academy rolled around and so did my twelfth birthday and Usagi's third. As the year continued I stayed at the top of the class in taijutsu and was fairly decent in genjutsu but I was at the very bottom of ninjutsu.

Actually my score was so nonexistent at one point my Dad was called in to talk about remedial classes or taking an extra year before graduating.

That was one of the very very rare times I actually saw my Dad yell at someone.

He actually told the teacher that he would bet money that I could bench more than their "pansy ass ever could". I think he might be exaggerating a little but it was still amazing at the time.

The teacher named Mizuki has not stopped glaring at me since, not that I care. I've always hated him, something about him rubs me the wrong way. Whenever I look at him my conscience goes into overdrive telling me to never trust him and to stay away from him.

Also to keep Naruto away from him oddly enough, but I've learned to trust the little voice in my head and usually do as it advises. After all, it is what led me to Naruto.

Speaking of ninjutsu, I haven't really improved. I'm still stuck at the option of one big jutsu or three tiny ones. But whatever, I'll survive.

"Taka-oneechan?"

I looked down at Usa who was clinging to my leg.

"Why do I hafta go to preschool? You don't go to preschool."

I smiled at him as we stood in front of his new school/daycare alone. Dad got called away to a mission that will be a week long or so.

"Well, I do go to school, just not this one, but you're right I never went to preschool."

"Why?"

I smiled in a reminiscent way.

"Because our mommy taught me, and I had a nanny of sorts occasionally."

"Why mommy no teach me?"

I tensed and bent down to his height.

"Because a long while ago mommy.." I paused. This is not the first time he's asked about Mom but it's getting harder and harder to jump around the fact she was murdered.

"Mommy did so many good things and was so amazing she turned into a star! That way she can always watch you!"

He blinked at me in an unconvincing manner. Well this was a new one. We usually said she left but now he's getting smarter and can talk more.

He was staring at me so hard I think he can tell I'm lying but he sighs.

"Ok Oneechan, mama is a star."

Why do I feel like he's telling me that for my sake? He grabbed my hand and pointed at the building.

"School now?"

I nodded and we walked in. I signed a bunch of stuff and gave a scroll from my father explaining everything and gave his teacher a bottle of his pills for him to take at lunch.

"Ok Usa-chan, today you're going in there to learn and make friends!" I said excitedly.

"Ok Oneechan." He looked nervous.

I rubbed a hand through his hair and kissed his forehead.

"I'll pick you up after I finish school!"

Then I left.

When I came to pick him up he was waiting for me by the door.

"Taka-Oneechan!"

He wrapped himself around my leg until I picked him up.

"Did you have a good day Usa?"

He immediately looked away from me and didn't answer. I frowned, Usa tells me everything... What happened?!

"Excuse me, Ruu-sensei?"

The kindly older woman turned to me.

"Yes Gushikan-san?"

"Did anything happen today? With Usagi I mean."

Her brow furrowed as she remembered.

"Well he did get into an argument with another boy. No one was violent though."

I gave a fake smile. "Oh of course! Boys will be boys!"

I will kill this child for being mean to my precious little brother!

"So who was it?"

I will destroy

"No Oneechan."

I stopped my evil thoughts and looked down at my brother. He was giving me a stern look, I guess he can see right through me.

"Ya, ya ok."

So we went home after I didn't attack any three year olds.

Wow never thought I'd think that.

The year began to end and it was getting close to exam time.

I sat at the back of class as I stared out the window with only one thing on my mind.

I can see Naruto defacing the Hokages' faces in the mountain right now...

Authors Note:

Wow it's almost that time. Next chapter starts following the anime/manga!

Oh boy I can feel the excitement!

I just want to say thanks for sticking with this so far, I'm sure this is what you all have been waiting for so I'll give it my all!

Thank you and have a nice day!

~ToL