Holy crap, the responses I got from my last chapter blew me away. Thank you so much for all your reviews. I got more reviews from my last chapter than from all the other chapters combined.
I'll be completely honest, up until I was writing the fight scene between Shisui and Danzo/Root, I wasn't sure if Shisui was going to live or die. But while I was writing it, I had a sudden burst of inspiration and so he lived.
As usual, I own nothing but what I create and the plot.
Naruto sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He had his collection of crystals laid out on his desk in front of him and he was going through them out of boredom and curiosity. It was the weekend, so there was no school, and Shisui hadn't been released yet from the hospital and Hawk was away from the village on ANBU duties, so he didn't have anyone to train with. While he could go over to the Yamanaka's, with how much he and Ino had drifted apart since her obsession with Sasuke, he just didn't feel comfortable doing that unless he needed to.
So, there he was, sitting alone in his apartment 'recovering' from helping Shisui survive. Truthfully, he was perfectly fine, but when the Hokage tells you to take it easy and recover, you don't really argue…well, he did quite often, but this was different this time. He needed time to deal with what he did and being around other people was something he could do without.
As he idly played with the crystals, Naruto noticed that the dulled crystals, the ones that he had originally taken from the caves but had faded, were reacting to him. It wasn't very noticeable, but Naruto could feel a connection between them and him.
Something he had noticed over the last year was that while he could very strongly feel the chakra inside of him, there was another energy inside him as well, one that didn't react at all like chakra did. It was far less controllable than chakra, far less stable as well. While chakra was like a flow of water that he could direct and channel to be used, this energy was more like electricity, which wanted to be free and needed to be harnessed and controlled.
What really interested him was that when he held the crystal, that other energy seemed to stabilize inside him, and also seemed to be drawn towards the crystal in his hand. Considering all these things, Naruto decided to start calling this other energy 'psionic' energy, as it seemed a good fit as it wasn't directed by using seals or hand signs, but by using his mind and, apparently, these mysterious crystals.
Using a strip of leather, Naruto picked one of the smaller crystals that still had some energy inside it and wrapped the leather around it to make a pendant. With a slight smile, Naruto tied the newly made necklace off and slipped the cord around his neck, letting the crystal hang down just below his collarbone.
Naruto reached for another crystal to organize them again when a spark of psionic energy arced from his fingers. Naruto held up his hand in surprise and tried to replicate the feeling he'd had when the energy surged from him. He fell out of his seat in surprise when another spark of energy shot from his fingers and smacked him in the face.
Naruto looked up from his spot on the floor with a wide grin, his first true smile since the fight where he had killed for the first time. "Awesome!"
XxXxXxX
Shisui sighed as he walked through the Uchiha compound as he headed towards the Clan Leader's home to have a very important meeting with Fugaku. It had been two weeks since Danzo had betrayed the village and tried to steal Shisui's eyes. Since then, Shisui had heard from the Hokage that his cousin Itachi had come to the Hokage with the revelation that Danzo had told Itachi to prepare to eliminate his own Clan. Danzo had told Itachi that it was the will of the Hokage, but when Shisui had been attacked by him, Itachi had gone to the Hokage to see if his orders remained the same. The old Hokage hadn't been pleased to find out how far his old friend's betrayal went.
Shisui nodded to one of the Uchiha on guard duty as he entered Fugaku's home, slipping his sandals off as he did. He softly padded across the floor as he headed towards Fugaku's office where he knew the older man would be. He knocked on the door gently and waited for permission to enter.
"Come," Fugaku said firmly, his voice slightly muffled through the door.
Shisui opened the door and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him as he did. Fugaku was sitting at a low table where a tea set had been placed, sipping a cup of tea as he looked up at Shisui.
"Fugaku-sama," Shisui said respectfully as he knelt down on the other side of the table.
"Shisui, please, have some tea," Fugaku told him, only the barest hint of a smile on his face as he looked at the best ninja his clan had produced since Madara.
Shisui nodded and silently poured himself a cup of tea, taking the time to organize his thoughts. The silence between the two men stretched on for a few minutes before it was broken by Fugaku.
"How are you recovering?" Fugaku finally asked after some time.
"Well enough, Fugaku-sama. The medic-nins at the hospital were able to repair my eye without too much issue, seeing as I was able to get there quickly enough," Shisui replied before taking another sip of tea.
"I see," Fugaku said with a nod. "I still have trouble believing that Shimura would sink so low as to try and steal a sharingan."
Shisui frowned as he knew his next comment would not be well received. "Fugaku-sama, I don't believe this was the first time Danzo tried to steal a sharingan, just the first time that it was found out."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed at Shisui's statement. "Explain yourself," he demanded.
Shisui sighed sadly. "When we were fighting, I trapped him in a genjutsu that I created myself and have used before. It's extremely difficult to break, even for me," he told his Clan leader softly. However, he looked at Fugaku with conviction in his eye. "When Danzo broke my genjutsu, he did so in a truly unique way…by changing the world around him."
"Izanagi!" Fugaku gasped in shock. "You cannot be serious, Shisui! Perhaps you were mistaken, or didn't see correctly…"
"My eyes were clear, Fugaku-sama," Shisui cut in with a shake of his head. "My sharingan was active and I know what I saw. Danzo used the forbidden technique to break free so that he could steal my eye. He used a sharingan to try and steal an even better one."
Fugaku took a long drink of his tea, his mind racing at this information. In order for Danzo to use Izanagi, he had to have already taken at least one sharingan beforehand, as only a mature sharingan could be used to perform that technique. It cost the eye that used it its sight, which is why the technique was forbidden.
Shisui decided to press his advantage while his Clan leader was off balance. "Fugaku-sama, I think with this new development, that the Uchiha's…plan, should be discontinued. Our true enemy was never the Hokage, or even the village as a whole. It was Danzo," he said firmly.
"What do you mean?" Fugaku asked him curiously, still trying to wrap his mind around this new information.
"Fugaku-sama, Danzo just about admitted to me that he was behind the troubles that have plagued our Clan, and since he was forced to flee the village, those that were causing issues for us, spreading rumors and casting doubts on our loyalty to the village, have also gone silent," Shisui told him seriously. "It's not a far stretch to conclude that they were doing so under Danzo's orders, trying to make us do something desperate in order to justify his actions in exterminating us! He knows that the Uchiha would never bow to him, never be under his control, so he sought to wipe us out so that he could take the source of our strength for his own."
Fugaku found himself nodding in agreement with the younger man. He had been thinking similar thoughts the last few days, and the latest information only confirmed his worst fears. They had nearly played right into Danzo's plans, so blinded by their pride, ironically enough, that they couldn't see what was truly going on. He took another long drink of his tea as he thought about what to do now.
"Perhaps, it is time for us to look past our anger and wounded pride," Fugaku said softly as he turned his head to look out his office window at the village. He could see the Hokage's tower in the distance and he realized that there was a great opportunity here if he had the courage and strength to walk a different path. He nodded to himself in thought. "As you said, Shisui, the Hokage and the village aren't our enemies. It was Danzo who proved himself to be no ally of the Uchiha, willing to destroy us in his pursuit of more power."
Shisui looked up at Fugaku hopefully. He hadn't even needed to use anything but words at this point to get Fugaku to change his mind. He wasn't looking forward to the smug look on Naruto's face when he found out that he had been right.
"Fugaku-sama?" Shisui said softly after a few minutes of silence.
"Shisui, you were also incorrect about something," Fugaku said finally as he turned to face him. "While the Uchiha as a whole would never follow Danzo…it seems that he was able to convince several of our people to leave with him when he fled the village."
Shisui frowned at that new information. It was extremely disturbing to hear that, as with even just one sharingan in his control, Danzo was dangerous. With several sets at his disposal…Shisui shuddered at the thought.
"What would you have me do, Fugaku-sama?" Shisui asked his leader.
Fugaku poured himself some fresh tea as he started to fill in Shisui on his thoughts for the future, a future that they now had thanks to the efforts of both Shisui and, unexpectedly, Uzumaki Naruto.
XxXxXxX
Hiruzen didn't look up as he heard the door to his office open and close, busy reading a proposed bill to allow more resources to be used to track and hunt down Danzo. He signed it with a heavy heart before setting it aside to look up at his visitor. After almost a month since the incident, it still wasn't easy to think about his old friend's betrayal.
"Shisui-kun, thank you for coming. How are you recovering?" he asked kindly as he looked at the young man who had taken a seat on the other side of his desk.
"Well enough, Hokage-sama," Shisui replied with a slight smile. He had stopped wrapping his eye but knew that it wasn't fully healed. He wasn't sure it ever fully would be. "You sent for me, sir?"
Hiruzen chuckled and smiled at the young man. It was in large part thanks to him that Naruto had turned out so well. There was very little that he would refuse Shisui should he ask for it, though he wasn't exactly planning on letting him know that. He pulled out his pipe and lit it before taking a long pull from it. "Yes, I did. I've been thinking about young Naruto's reward for helping you in bringing Danzo's actions into the light, as well as his efforts in assisting your battle against Root, and I could use your input."
"Of course, Hokage-sama. How can I be of service?" Shisui said with a smile. He was glad that Naruto would be getting more than a pat on the head, as he had literally saved Shisui's life. If anyone deserved a reward, it was the young blonde.
"I have spent the last month looking at similar situations, and though many of them were during war times, I believe there is enough of a precedent that no one can object to my decision," Hiruzen told Shisui with a smile.
"You are the Hokage, sir. Your word is law," Shisui reminded the older man softly.
Hiruzen let out a soft laugh, smoke filling the air. "Ah, the idealism of youth. Don't ever lose that, Shisui-kun," Hiruzen told him. "Technically you are correct, of course. However, should the Council not approve of my decision, they can make things far more difficult than they should be."
"I see," Shisui said with a frown.
"But we aren't here to discuss my issues with the Council. Now, I have a request to make of you in relation to Naruto's reward," Hiruzen said as he shifted some papers around before he found what he was looking for. He slid it over to Shisui and leaned back in his seat, puffing on his pipe as he watched Shisui read.
As Shisui read, he was filled with both joy and sorrow. What the Hokage had planned for Naruto was an amazing future, but unfortunately, Shisui wouldn't be able to play the part that Sarutobi had in mind for him. When he finished, he set the paper down and looked up at Hiruzen with a frown.
"Hokage-sama, while I am extremely honored by the faith you have in me, I'm afraid that I must decline this offer," Shisui said sadly.
"I'm afraid I don't understand," Hiruzen said in confusion. The basic summery of what he had given Shisui to read was that Naruto would be given a test and should he pass, he would be officially graduated from the Academy and placed in an Apprenticeship under Shisui until such time as he proved himself able to be a chunnin.
"There are several reasons why I must decline, sir. The first is that I am too close to Naruto. He's like a brother to me, and I don't feel I could remain objective enough. I would be more than happy to continue in my current course of helping him when I can, but no more," Shisui said with a shake of his head.
"And the other reason?" Hiruzen asked curiously. He could respect Shisui's decision, though it didn't make things any easier for the old man.
"As I'm sure you know, when Danzo left, he didn't leave alone," Shisui told him seriously. When Hiruzen nodded, Shisui continued. "Several members of nearly every Clan disappeared right after Danzo fled the village. Whether they left willingly or not, they must be tracked down and brought back…especially those of the Uchiha Clan."
"I see," Hiruzen said as he looked at Shisui in thought. "You intend to track them down? By yourself?"
"No, Hokage-sama," Shisui replied with a shake of his head. "I intended to apply to join ANBU, specifically the Hunter-nin division, and assist them in recovering those taken from our village." After telling the Hokage that, Shisui took out a folded piece of paper and slid it across to the old man.
Hiruzen took the paper and opened it up to reveal a formal letter of intent to join ANBU. He sighed as he folded the paper back up and placed it to the side. "With your record and achievements, I cannot rightfully deny you this, Shisui. However, this does leave me in a difficult situation," Hiruzen said with a sigh. "There aren't many that are in a position to apprentice Naruto, and none of the others that I can think of would be able to see beyond his burden."
Shisui nodded in agreement. If there was one thing he could never fully forgive the village for, it was the treatment of Naruto. There were very few that saw beyond his status as a jinchūriki and could see Naruto for the young and gifted ninja he was shaping up to be. However, Shisui perked up when he had a thought. "Hokage-sama, what about Anko?"
"Anko? What makes you suggest her?" Hiruzen said in surprise. He hadn't even considered the former apprentice of Orochimaru.
"She and Naruto met before, just over a month ago," Shisui told his Hokage. "She was the one that he found out about his burden from, accidentally of course. He read her mind on accident when she was thinking about it."
"And you think she could remain objective and train him properly?" Hiruzen asked cautiously.
"I believe so. She didn't treat him like the others do, she treated him like she would anyone else, from what I can tell," Shisui said with a laugh as they both knew what they meant. Even Hiruzen cracked a smile as Anko's methods of toying with others was well known. "Also, I believe that she could help him develop his abilities and fighting style. She fights similar to how he's learning to fight, though she's a bit more up close than he is, that could also work well."
Hiruzen nodded in thought as he listened to Shisui. The younger man raised some very good points. However, there was the issue that Anko wasn't a full jounin, so this would need some thought. "I see. Thank you for your honesty, Shisui-kun. I greatly appreciate it."
Shisui stood and bowed to the Hokage, able to see the dismissal in his statement. "Of course, Hokage-sama. About my application?"
Hiruzen nodded and pulled his pipe from his mouth. "Report to training ground 11 in three days. You'll be tested and interviewed before a final decision is reached, but I have little doubt you will be selected for admission."
Shisui smiled and bowed again. "Thank you, Hokage-sama." With that, Shisui turned and left the office, leaving the Hokage to his thoughts.
After a few hours of thinking and doing paperwork, Hiruzen let out a sigh and called for his secretary. "Inform Mitarashi Anko that I wish to speak with her."
XxXxXxX
Naruto yawned as he walked home from the Academy, alone yet again. It had been almost three months since the incident with Danzo and while he had kept himself busy discovering new ways to use his psionic energy and abilities, he was also feeling more alone than ever. Shisui had been accepted into ANBU, something that Naruto was again sworn to secrecy about. And ANBU was being kept extremely busy trying to do damage control, so both Shisui and Hawk were never around anymore.
Naruto absently kicked a rock in his path, sending it flying down the road. He had tried to spend some time with Inoichi and his family, trying to find new control exercises as he had already mastered all the ones he had been taught, including water walking, but with how far apart he and Ino had fallen, it just felt more uncomfortable than usual being there. Especially as Ino had trouble talking about anything but Sasuke or ranting about Sakura.
So, there he was, once again alone as he headed home. He was about to reach the fork in the road that would lead him home when he heard his name being called out. He looked around and smiled when he saw the Hokage walking towards him.
"Hokage-jiji! What are you doing here?" Naruto called out as he hurried over to the old man.
"I was looking for you, actually," Hiruzen said with a kindly smile. "How about some ramen?"
Naruto perked up at the mention of ramen and nodded quickly. "Sure, come on! There's a great place not too far from here."
Hiruzen grinned at the hyperactive blonde doing a full 180 turn in attitude at the mention of ramen. He had seen the sad look on Naruto's face and was glad to see he could still be distracted. So, he followed Naruto to a small restaurant called Ramen Ichiraku, though Naruto usually just called it 'Ichiraku's'. As they sat down on a pair of stools at the ramen bar, the owner, a kindly man named Teuchi, and his daughter Ayame, came out to greet them.
"Hokage-sama! What an honor to have you here," Teuchi said with a bow before turning to look at Naruto with a smile. "And you, Naruto, where have you been? We haven't seen you in weeks!"
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he grinned at them. "Sorry Teushi-jiji, I've been really busy lately."
Ayame, a very cute girl about seventeen, who had her long brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail to keep it out of her face, smiled at Naruto and turned to the Hokage first. "What can we get for you today, Hokage-sama?"
"I'll take one miso ramen, thank you," Hiruzen said with a smile at the young girl.
"And I'll take a pork ramen!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly when Ayame turned to him.
"Of course you will," Ayame said with a laugh and winked at Naruto, causing him to flush red. She and her father got right to work on getting them their ramen, leaving the two of them to chat.
Hiruzen grinned at Naruto when he saw him blush. "Oh dear, is there something between you and our waitress, Naruto?" he teased the young blonde.
"What? Oh, come on, Hokage-jiji…I'm way too young for her," Naruto said in denial, though he continued to blush a deep red.
"Hmm, if you say so, Naruto," Hiruzen said with a wide grin. He missed spending time with the young boy, but his role as the leader of the village kept him too busy to spend a lot of time with him. "Now, do you know why I wanted to see you, Naruto?"
"No, but that's because I promised not to read people's minds unless necessary," Naruto said with a shrug and a grin, his blush fading away.
"Good lad," Hiruzen said with a nod. He knew that when Naruto made a promise, he did his best to keep it, no matter what. "Well, do you remember what happened a few months ago?"
Naruto nodded, his enthusiasm dimming as he thought back to his first kills. Inoichi had taken some time to talk to him about what had happened, both as a friend and sort of father figure, and as his role as part of the T&I department. Naruto was privy to very sensitive information, and Inoichi had to make sure that he knew not to spread that information around.
"Yeah, I remember," Naruto said softly.
Hiruzen placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, gently letting him know that he was there for him. "Well, based on what happened, and from Shisui's report, I decided that what you did went far beyond what is expected of an Academy student, and that deserves a proper reward," Hiruzen told Naruto with a gentle smile.
They were interrupted by the arrival of their food, which Ayame placed in front of them, the girl ruffling Naruto's hair fondly as she passed him on her way back to the kitchen. Naruto gave Hiruzen an even look when he sensed the older man's amusement.
"Not a word, ok?" Naruto said as he pointed his chopsticks at the Hokage before digging into his ramen.
Hiruzen simply arched an eyebrow in amusement before picking up his own chopsticks and started on his ramen. The two of them shared a comfortable silence as they ate, each savoring the delicious flavor of their meal. Once they were finished, with Naruto taking a long moment to drain the broth from his bowl, Hiruzen placed some money down for their food before motioning for Naruto to come with him.
"Come again soon," Ayame called out to them, waving to Naruto when he turned to look at her as they left, causing the boy to blush again when he caught Hiruzen's teasing look.
Hiruzen led Naruto towards the edge of the village, heading towards training ground seven, which Naruto liked to use simply as it was close to his apartment and there were several large wooden posts in the ground that he could use for practice, along with plenty of trees if he wanted to mix things up and add more interesting challenges for his practice.
"Now, as I said before, what you did proved that you have come further than I had ever expected, showing many traits that we value in our ninja. You showed grace under pressure, the ability to make difficult choices in tough situations, and a willingness to help someone even at great risk to yourself. The fact that you did all that and didn't receive as much as a scratch amazes and impresses me. You have proven yourself to be an exceptional Konoha ninja, and as such, you have proven yourself worthy of this uncommon honor," Hiruzen said to Naruto as they walked.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Naruto said as he discreetly wiped a tear away from his eye. "I didn't do it for a reward, you know that right? I just did what needed to be done. I wasn't gonna let Shisui die just to protect my own life."
Hiruzen smiled at the young blonde and patted him on the shoulder. "I know. Which is why I wanted to reward you, with this," he said as he pulled out a storage scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Naruto.
Naruto grinned as he took the scroll and started to open it. However, the Hokage stopped him before he could unseal anything. "You can do that at home, Naruto. What is inside there are various journals, scrolls, and other information about your mother, Uzumaki Kushina," the old man said softly. He had of course gone through and made sure that nothing in there revealed any other secrets he wasn't ready for Naruto to find out about yet.
Naruto looked up at Hiruzen in shock, nearly dropping the scroll. "Really? Wait a second, you told me that you would tell me about my mother when I graduated from the Academy, and that's not for at least another year," Naruto said suspiciously.
Hiruzen simply smiled at Naruto's paranoia, as continued to walk towards the training ground. "I meant what I said then, and I am holding true to it now, Naruto. I promised to tell you about your mother when you graduated, and as of this afternoon, you are officially graduated from the Academy," he told Naruto, who had to catch up after stopping in shock.
"What? How?" Naruto almost shouted.
"Your assistance to Shisui fulfilled the practical application of ninja skills that students are judged on during the graduation exam, and over the last couple of weeks, the 'extra credit' work that I had Iruka assign you served as the written portion of the exam. I received your final grade just before you were released for the day by Iruka," Hiruzen told the shocked boy. He reached into his other sleeve and pulled out a brand new Konoha hitai-ate, the forehead protector shining in the sunlight. He stopped and handed it to Naruto, who took in reverently. "Congratulations, Naruto. I knew you would do me proud, but I'll admit, that I never expected you to come so far so quickly."
Naruto had to fight back the tears as he looked at the forehead protector in his hands, the physical proof of his new status as an official ninja of his village. Granted there was a lot of paperwork that he knew he would have to fill out in the near future, but as of right now, he was filled with an unusual feeling: joy. He looked up at the Hokage, the tears he was fighting back filling his eyes, as he smiled at the old man.
"Thank you, so much. I promise I won't disappoint you," he said, his voice breaking slightly with emotion.
Hiruzen smiled at him and continued walking. "I know you won't. Which is why I found a slight loophole in your placement; as there are no genin teams with any openings, I have chosen to make you an apprentice to a more experienced ninja."
"Shisui?" Naruto said hopefully as he tied his hitai-ate around his forehead. The temptation to simply read Hiruzen's mind was getting harder to resist.
Hiruzen shook his head, causing Naruto to frown slightly in disappointment. "Unfortunately his responsibilities prevent him from taking you on as an apprentice. However, I believe your new teacher will be a good fit for you and you for her," he said as they reached the training ground.
Naruto looked around eagerly for his new teacher, wanting to meet the ninja that was going to help him become stronger and better, when he felt a sensation that he hadn't felt in months. He sensed a very familiar thought pattern behind him just as a kunai was pressed against his throat and he felt a pair of 'assets' pressed against his back. "Oh not this again," Naruto thought in despair.
"Oh, Hokage-sama, you brought me a new toy to play with," Anko said in delight as she felt Naruto stiffen in her grasp.
Hiruzen turned to look at where Anko had Naruto trapped in amusement, though he did his best to hide it. However, judging by the glare Naruto shot him, he didn't hide it well enough for the young psychic not to notice.
"Anko, I'd like to introduce you to your new apprentice, Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, your new Sensei, Mitarashi Anko," Hiruzen formally introduced them, while fighting back a smile. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted."
"What? Wait, don't leave me alone with her!" Naruto shouted as Hiruzen turned to leave. The Hokage simply waved to them as he walked away. Naruto glared at the Hokage's back, though there was no real heat behind it.
"Oh, Naruto, you don't want to spend time with little old me?" Anko said with a purr of amusement.
"Not alone!" Naruto snapped at her as he fought down a blush at her teasing. He struggled in her grip and eventually made his way free. Fortunately for him, Anko had put away her kunai before so he didn't cut himself.
Anko took this chance to observe her first real student. She had never been given the chance to train someone before, due primarily to the mistrust in her based on her history with Orochimaru, so she had spent most of her time training, running solo missions, and helping in the Torture and Interrogation unit. Well, when she wasn't having fun, that is.
Her first impression of him was of measured caution. He seemed to be very energetic, yet he also kept his awareness open, as shown by him sensing her come up behind him. Yet his body wasn't ready to move, if something happened right now, he'd be caught flat footed and unprepared. "He has too much confidence in his mental abilities. Overconfident idiot," she thought to herself, though she was surprised by the lack of reaction in him.
"Are you not reading my mind right now?" she asked him curiously.
Naruto shook his head in response. "Nope, Inoichi made me promise not to go around reading peoples' minds. Him and the Hokage were worried about me finding out about the Kyuubi, but it was also about protecting other people's privacy and keeping me from being overwhelmed by too much information."
Anko shook her head and pointed a finger at him. "Ok, I want you to knock that out right now," she told him. "In this world, privacy is a luxury we don't get to have. So from now on, I want you start doing your mind thing whenever you come across someone, including me. It just might save your life one day."
Naruto frowned at her instructions but nodded hesitantly. He was a real ninja now, so he had to step up and deal with things that he didn't really want to.
Anko grinned when she saw him nod. "So, how does that work, brat? Do you pick up everything? Or just some things?"
Naruto rubbed his neck and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "It's…complicated. When I relax, I can pick up surface thoughts, just what a person is feeling or thinking at the moment, and usually within about a hundred feet or so. If I focus, I can get better range and more information."
Anko nodded as she listened to him. She could definitely use that to her advantage. With a psychic working with her, she could complete missions that would normally be impossible to pull off. What's more, she figured that when she was trying to teach him something, she could just have him look into her mind for the instructions and better details on how to do things.
"What else can you do?" she asked him curiously. Naruto grinned at her, causing her to groan slightly.
"Uh uh, I told you how my telepathy works, so what can you do? What are you going to teach me?" Naruto asked her with a smirk. "Come on, sharing is caring, right?"
"I'm going to cut you, brat," Anko growled as she pulled out a kunai.
"Oh, come on. What's first?" Naruto asked her eagerly.
"First, I'm going to cut your right cheek, maybe turn your whiskers into a grid. Then I'll cut your left one, then I'm thinking of moving onto your hamstrings. See you try to walk home afterwards," she growled at him. However, he could feel that she wasn't completely serious, so he didn't take her threats too seriously.
"Come on, Anko-sensei, what am I going to learn?" Naruto pushed her on this.
Anko growled at how ineffective her usual threats were on the blonde ball of energy. "Damn psychic," she thought to herself. She knew that Naruto was already following her orders when he winked at her in response.
"Fine. Shisui told me you two have been working on your own taijutsu style to compliment your preference of using a bow and arrow to fight, so I'm going to help you polish that up and get you to the point where you won't kill yourself or me in a real fight," Anko told him as she spun her kunai on her finger. "After that, well, we'll see. Now, what else can you do, brat?"
Naruto grinned at his victory. "Alright, alright. As you know, I'm really good with my bow, though I've put a lot of practice into other weapons. I rarely miss what I'm aiming at with anything I use. I'm not too bad with a tanto or kunai in close," he told her with a shrug. He had been trained by Shisui after all, and his preferred weapon was a tanto. "I also recently discovered that I can do something unique and cool. There's another energy inside me that I can use, though I haven't gotten too good at it yet."
"What do you mean? What can it do?" Anko asked him curiously. When she saw him grin wickedly, she suddenly got worried. When she saw his hand point towards her, that feeling got stronger.
Naruto focused on his psionic energy and sent it towards Anko as a mild shock. A thin bolt of blue energy shot from his fingers and nearly hit her in the stomach, though she easily dodged it. A powerful feeling of dread came over Naruto when he saw her glare at him.
"What's the big idea, brat? Attacking your sensei on your first day?" Anko snapped at him. She could feel that there was only a small amount of energy in that attack, but at the same time, it wasn't chakra based either, also Naruto hadn't used any hand seals to channel the energy. So whatever it was, it wasn't a jutsu and wasn't something she was familiar with.
"Hey, you wanted to see what I could do," Naruto said in his defense, holding up his hands in surrender.
Anko narrowed her eyes at him but had to grudgingly admit she did leave herself open to that one. Plus, she remembered training with Orochimaru, and she had done far worse in her attempts to even lay a single finger on him.
"Alright, brat, I'll give you that one," she grumbled before brightening suddenly. Now it was Naruto's turn to get a bad feeling. "Well, since you are so eager to get started, no time like the present. Time to work on your conditioning!"
"What?" Naruto yelped as she grabbed him and threw him towards a tree. He barely managed to twist in the air enough to land with his feet against the tree, sticking in place with his chakra. He looked at Anko who suddenly was holding several kunai in her hands.
"Time for dodging practice!" she said gleefully before throwing the kunai at him, one after another, causing Naruto to start dodging desperately in order to not get turned into a pin cushion.
Naruto ran frantically from the clearing, with a madly cackling Anko close behind him.
And so the world turns. I'm going to nip this one in the bud and declare for all to see: NARUTO IS NOT USING SITH LIGHTNING! Ok? We good? Everyone clear on that? Great!
Now, if anyone is interested in becoming my beta, I would greatly appreciate another pair of eyes and a second opinion, as I am currently my own beta.
Please read and review!