Chap 3

Are Trees Your Friend?

Groggily the blond boy wiped his face, his eyes adjusting to the light of the room that filtered through the curtains. ‘Where am I?’ The boy’s mind wandered a bit and then he shot up, remembering what had happened. “Naruto! Don’t move around too much your…” her sentence trailed off as the blonde girl looked the boy over, not a scratch or bruise on him. “Where are we Yamanaka-san?” The girl turned her head away, a blush creeping up her cheeks, and Naruto realized that he didn’t have his shirt on. Naruto’s hand touched the red cloth on his arm and he relaxed, feeling everything in place. The boy quickly dressed himself and Ino turned back towards him.

Naruto looked around the room at the bare walls, the wood supporting the roof showing and sparse furniture decorating the place. “Where are we?” Ino, who looked a bit dejected, finally sighed. “We’re in an Inn. We had to get a room to rest you and sensei.” The boy’s eyebrow arched “Sensei?” Ino nodded. “She collapsed from exhaustion after you did and Hinata and I had to get you two here.” Naruto carefully processed the information. ‘We won’t be able to move until she’s fully recharged.’ Naruto bit his lip. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have done so little, we’re in some mess right now, but I guess it can’t be helped.’

“Yamanaka-san, do you really wish to become a ninja?” Ino was taken aback by the blunt question but she was able to stutter out a response. “Of-Of course I want to be a ninja! Why wouldn’t I want to be one?” Naruto stood up, a little wobble in his step but he steadied himself, and Ino followed him into the other room where Hinata was sitting quietly. “If you want to continue to be a ninja then follow me. It’s time that you got stronger.” Naruto walked out of the small inn and he made his way out of the small village into the thick forest surrounding it. ‘This will be beneficial to them.’ Naruto thought as he looked around at the dense trees.

Naruto turned back to the two girls, a little bit of nervousness in their eyes. “You will be doing a simple exercise where you will climb these trees.” Ino shook with fury. “Climb trees? That’s how you’ll get us stronger? Don’t make me laugh! Com’on Hinata, lets get out of here.” Ino turned to leave when Naruto spoke again. “If you do not believe me then do it Yamanaka-san.” Ino clenched her fist, feeling patronized whenever the boy called her that. The kunoichi turned around, ready to yell at him when her jaw went slack. “Wha.. wha… who…” Naruto stood perpendicular to a massive tree, standing steadily in the middle of it. “This is what tree climbing is.” Naruto stated calmly. “Controlling the chakra is a necessity in the ninja world and from what I’ve seen the academy did not show you how to do it properly.” Naruto leapt back down to the ground, getting the full attention of the two girls. “You must gather chakra to your feet and ‘stick’ yourself to the tree. The foot is the hardest place to draw your chakra so it will make for the perfect exercise.” Ino gave a nod and was about to walk up the tree when Naruto spoke again. “I suggest you go at it at a run, and another thing.” Naruto threw a kunai before them both, “Mark the position you get to and attempt to surpass it each time.”

Ino immediately picked up the knife in front of her and set off at a run, not willing to lose any more time. ‘You can climb this stupid tree Ino! Then you can show him what you’re made of!’ Ino got five steps before she came crashing back, not putting enough chakra into her feet. Hinata hesitantly picked up her knife. ‘I-I can’t. If Ino-san can’t do it then I’ll only get one step.’

Hinata glace over to her teammates and was surprised when Naruto gave her a nod to go on. A sense of reassurance washed over her and Hinata ran at the tree. Naruto hid his surprise as Hinata made it three-fourths of the way to the top before she slid down. ‘Hyuuga. Hyuuga. They’re some big clan but what were their techniques?’ Naruto just let it go, noting that it probably had to do with chakra control.

“That was pretty good for your first try Yamanaka-san, Hyuuga-san.” To Naruto’s surprise the blonde glared at him. “Call me Ino! My name is Ino!” Naruto arched an eyebrow but nodded. “If that is what you wish Ino-san.” Again Ino yelled at him. “Stop being so formal, we’re on the same team for crying out loud.” It was Ino’s turn to be surprised as she saw a smile slip onto the boy’s face. “Is that what you wish as well Hyuuga-san.”

Hinata looked to Ino for comfort and what she got was a thumbs up. “Y-Yes Naruto-kun.” Hinata blushed, ‘why did I call him Naruto-kun?’

“Ok. Well good job Ino and Hinata.” Naruto turned his back to them and began to walk further into the forest. “You will train until it is night, then we will head back.”

After Naruto was gone Ino pulled the young Hyuuga over to her. “Say Hinata how’d you get up so far?” Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously. “I-I looked at what N-Naruto-kun was doing and saw how he was able to disperse his chakra.” Ino looked at her bewildered. “You did? How?” Hinata pointed to her bulging eyes, a bit of sorrow arising. “I can see it with my blood line.”

Ino nodded, knowing what the Hyuuga could do. “So could you help me?” Hinata looked embarrassed but she nodded and Ino looked her in the eye. “Do you think Naruto looked cute when he smiled?” Hinata’s face drained and she looked like she was about to faint from such a thought. Ino on the other hand was rolling around laughing at such a sight and in the shadows of the canopy radiant blue eyes watched them. ‘Enjoy the laughter while you can Ino-san.’

XXXXX

Ino collapsed onto her futon with the help of a blonde boy after she had spent the entire day trying to run up that damned tree. With Hinata’s help Ino had been able to make it up three-fourths of the trunk while Hinata had been able to make it all the way up. As Ino’s eyes drifted close she felt a sense of pride wash over her, pride from accomplishing something and for her male teammate who took charge of the situation. As the girls fell asleep they had no idea what was being done to them by their male compatriot. (NO this is not N/C 17 stuff, if u want that u gotta check out my other fics)

XXXXX

Ino yawned, stretching her arms out and she was surprised to find that she was not sore. She would have thought for sure that after such a day of training that she would be sore all over and not be able to get out of bed at all but she felt nothing. Ino quickly got out of bed and saw Naruto and Hinata eating a quiet breakfast while their teacher was still silently sleeping. As though reading her mind Naruto spoke to her. “Kurenai-sensei won’t be up for another day at least, that plant must have done some number on her chakra system.”

After a quick breakfast the team walked back out to the trees. “Are we doing the tree walking thing again?” Naruto nodded and Ino whined. “Why do we have to? We already know how to do it!”

Naruto nodded his head, “Then show me.” Ino grinned, “Go for it Hinata! Run all the way up the tree!” Hinata looked at Ino surprised but Ino just gave her a smile. “You can do it.” The Hyuuga nodded, grabbing a hold of her knife as she drew chakra to her feet and ran at the tree. The girl glided easily up the trunk and was almost at the top when Naruto appeared in front of her, kicking her softly in the stomach. Hinata’s eyes widened as she began to fall and terror streaked through her.

“What! Can’t you do it! Com’on! Fight! Do it! Stick you feet to the tree!” Naruto screamed at her, showing a terrifying display of emotion. Hinata began to panic as the trunk became wider and wider, the ground coming closer and closer. Hinata tried to put her feet to the tree but it just wouldn’t stick, she just couldn’t do it! The girl was six feet from a very painful fall when something caught her, dropping carefully to the ground.

“There is a difference to learning it while you’re calm and there’s no danger and executing it while in combat situations.” Naruto said calmly, holding Hinata like someone would hold a bride. The boy looked down to his shivering teammate and a flash of emotion passed through his normally calm, eyes.

Hinata’s heart was racing and she tried to breath in order to calm it but it wasn’t working, not with those arms holding her. Hinata’s thoughts began to wonder and she snapped back to reality, remembering that Naruto was holding her. She looked at his face and she was sucked into his very being. In a look of his eye she saw his emotion, his pain and a look that said he was sorry, that he didn’t want to hurt her. She couldn’t imagine what was going on in the boy at the moment, why he had such hidden pains and it hurt her to think off what he must have gone through to have that look in his eyes. She wanted to say something, anything, to dull that worry she had seen. She wanted to say that it was alright, that she wasn’t hurt and that she knew it was an important lesson but no words came out, instead he put her down and turned to leave, only saying, “When you’ve mastered that we’ll move on.”

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Naruto closed his eyes, preparing to enter the clearing that he had left the girls in hours ago. He wondered if he had been too harsh, if he should just drop it all and try to start again but a terrible pain stabbed his heart when he thought that. No, he wouldn’t let anything like that happen again, he wouldn’t feel that pain ever again. The blonde calmly walked into the training area to see what he did not think believe was possible in just a few hours. Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino were fighting, not verbally but physically. Each kunoichi was leaping at the other while using the trees as a propellant, keeping their fight high up in the air.

Naruto hid his smile that would have shown his pride and he coughed to get their attention. Ino was the first to slide down the tree, using enough chakra to slow herself before she got to the bottom and Hinata was soon following. “Ya! Did you see us!” Ino threw a fist into the air only to realize that she was extremely sore.

The girl laughed it off and began to look excitedly at Naruto. “See that? We did it in a combat situation like you said. It’s really easy once you get the hang of it right Hinata-chan?” The tired looking Hyuuga blushed at the compliment and nodded. “So now that we got that what are we gonna do next?” Ino asked energetically, wanting to prove herself to be a good ninja.

“Next you’ll still be doing tree climbing.” Ino’s vein throbbed and she clenched her fist in anger. “What! More tree climbing? We already did that!” Naruto shook his head. “Never underestimate the basics Yam-Ino-san.” Naruto corrected after he saw the look Ino gave him. Naruto began to walk to the tree, his eyes closed. “You will be climbing the tree in the same way you did before but this time you must expel as much chakra from your body as you can.” A visible blue outline began to envelope the boy and the two kunoichi stared at the amount of energy being radiated. Naruto began to walk up the tree and finally reached the top, dispelling all of his chakra.

Ino crossed her arms, beginning to gather her own chakra, it seemed easy enough. The kunoichi soon began to push her chakra outward, letting it radiate harmlessly into the air, and when she took a step she knew it was dumb to not listen to Naruto when he said it was the next step. The kunoichi’s vision began to blur and a slight headache formed but she ran at the tree anyway, not even getting a step before the trunk was smashed.

Ino couldn’t handle it anymore and let her chakra go, finding her vision returned. She looked over to Naruto who was now on the ground but he said nothing except, “We’re going back soon.” It was then that Ino saw, no felt, Hinata begin to run up the tree in her own attempt and the girl was able to get a quarter of the way up before she fell back down, panting heavily. Ino smiled it was just like Hinata to know exactly what to do but not say anything; that girl really needed to speak up sometimes.

“Hinata, how’d you do that.” The girl was startled by Ino and she went into her defensive posture. “Ano… I just saw N-Naruto-k-kun do it and…” Ino walked over to her, that girl really need to get over her stammering problem. Naruto watched as the two conversed and he realized how they must have gotten the hang of tree walking so quickly. Hinata would watch and see just how much chakra was being put in while helping Ino adjust and perfect her chakra control. If Naruto had to label that quiet little girl he would have to call her observant, if not a genius.

Naruto watched as the two ran themselves up the tree until the dropped from exhaustion, which was not very long considering their chakra reserve and the training they went through during the day. Naruto picked them up and carted them back home, to Ino’s displeasure and Hinata’s embarrassment.

It was three days after Naruto had them running up the tree with their chakra at full, all the while controlling the amount on their feet, that Naruto showed up after they had exhausted their reserves. “It’s time you actually start training.” Naruto said, forming a seal in the shape of a t. “Kage Bunshin.” Three Naruto’s appeared out of the smoke and two of them leapt at the tired girls who could do nothing as Naruto began to poke and pry them.

“You must face and destroy the clone in order to return to the inn.” Ino groaned, rolling on the ground in an attempt to get up. As soon as the girls got up the clones attacked mercilessly, not giving them a chance to catch their breath. Although the clones were making no real effort to injure the girls could only defend themselves against Naruto. “Com’on Naruto!” Ino said in between blocking kicks. The clone took her moment of distraction to land a kick on the kunoichi’s midsection, sending her tumbling backwards.

Hinata wasn’t faring all too well herself, dodging this way and that with her strange blank eyes activated. With a nod from Naruto the clone swung with a hard right and Naruto hid his smile when the Hyuuga exploited the wide swing, batting it aside and hitting a spot on the arm with a small bit of chakra in her hand. Hinata collapsed immediately after she hit Naruto, falling unconscious due to exhaustion.

After seeing Hinata’s effort and the fact that the clones disappeared after one hit, Ino redoubled her attempts. The blonde finally managed to graze the clone who puffed out of existence and she too collapsed. As Naruto carried them back he gauged their abilities, knowing Ino needed to work on her taijutsu to even be counted as melee combat while Hinata looked to be better in taijutsu, having a peculiar pose and strike. Naruto knew he needed to see what their fighting abilities were like when they were fresh but when tired and battered the instincts rose to the top and Naruto could tell many things.

The boy set them on their beds and let them fall to sleep, knowing that the next day would bring even more pains onto them. Naruto then went to where his sensei was “sleeping” and quickly closed the door behind him. “You don’t need to fake it anymore SENSEI.” A woman appeared from the shadows of the dark room and the genjutsu that was her body disappeared. “How long have I been out?” the woman asked. “Long enough.”

Kurenai looked at him with tight lips, it was obvious that he was still not opening up to her. “What have you been doing? Why are the girls so tired?” Naruto kept on staring at her. “Training. We’re staying another week until they’re ready.” Her eyes widened and then anger coursed through the woman, was that boy commanding her?

“Just what makes you think we’re staying?” she asked, trying to regain control of her student. “What makes you think you are qualified to be a teacher, much less a Jounin.” Naruto retorted and Kurenai could hear the spite in his voice. Qualified? She was a special Jounin and she was given command of this team and… why was she thinking about it? She was given charge and that should have been enough for the boy.

“What makes you say I’m not qualified Uzumaki? Huh? Do you believe you’re some type of god huh, just because you left the village and suddenly got stronger? Why do you question MY authority?” Kurenai would have thought that would have silenced the boy but from the looks of it her comments only spurred him on.

“If you are a Jounin then Konoha’s standard must have really fallen. You are also no teacher for not putting your students above satisfying your own thirst for battle. Had it not been for someone to act those girls would have been killed by the first attack and even when you yelled to run when you faced off with Yoko your eyes showed you desire to be saved. That is no way for a teacher to behave, especially a teacher who has yet to show her students the basics of combat and how to overcome fear.” Kurenai was left sitting on her futon, guilt and realization hitting her like a full blown jutsu. There was nothing to say to the boy because he was absolutely right. Had it not been for him she would not have realized there was another person attacking that first time, and the second ambush, well the boy had saved them from a messy encounter with those missing nins.

“I-I’m sorry.” Her words were unsteady and she felt ashamed for ever acting in such a way that would endanger her students. Kurenai let her head droop. There was no way for her to change that had happened, no way for her to make it up to the boy but she had to try and correct things. “Naruto I’m sorry I haven’t been the best of teachers. The fact of the matter is I was only recently made Jounin and…” Kurenai saw the look in his face that told her whatever excuses she had didn’t make up for the fact that she had screwed up.

“Ok… so what have you been doing these past few… how long have I been out again?” Naruto didn’t exactly glare at her but the woman could tell his eyes were searching for something within her and he seemed to find it. “You’ve been asleep for five days. I’ve had the girls put onto basic chakra training and helping them adjust to battle conditions.”

Kurenai showed her surprise to the boy who showed nothing to her. “What do you have them doing for chakra training?” With a calm voice Naruto spoke to his sensei. “They’ve been climbing trees.” A smile appeared on the woman’s face. “And how far along have they gotten?”

“Both have been able to reach the top of the tree.” Kurenai’s jaw dropped. It was unheard of for such students to progress so much as those girls were. “Anything else that you did?” Naruto turned for the door, obviously done with the conversation. “You will find out tomorrow.”

Kurenai stared, it seemed as though she did a lot of that recently, at Naruto’s vanishing back and she felt the urge to give that boy a spanking or two to put some manners into him but she didn’t. The woman lay back on her futon, her whole body aching, thinking about what the blonde had just told her and about whether she should have been made a Jounin instructor. She just couldn’t figure whether the Hokage had made the right choice in letting her take the position as instructor. The woman closed her eyes and fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring a better day.

Hopefully I’ll be able to update soon, that goes for all my fics for those of u who want to know. I wanna finish one of my firsts this summer, A Gift/A Fading Light, but there’s lots of summer HW for me and also WoW is taking a part of my soul, literally it is! Well review! I want more reviews and readers darn it! keep reading and keeping the Naruto fanfiction alive!