Chapter 7

“Pass? You already did that yesterday. You don’t have to pass again today.” Smirked Anko at two pairs and a singular wide eye. “When I heard you planning, it was enough. Now we gotta have a serious talk about the birds and the bees, but gonna leave that for tomorrow.”

“What do you mean sensei? We already had sex ed in the academy.” Said Akari

“We also covered seduction in the kunoichi classes.” Added Yui. Her voice was calm and collected contrary to Akari’s flustered tone. The boy just smiled stuck in between the girls.

“Pfft. Not that kinda talk. Get your minds out of the gutter you horny brats. Anyway that’s for tomorrow. Right now we gonna play with chakra paper. Here.” The sensei said as she pulled three pieces of paper from the large coat pockets.

“One by one. I will guide you. Spitfire you first.”

“My name is Akari!” Snapped the diminutive girl.

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever, spitfire just pour some chakra into the paper and let’s see what we are working with here.”

With a huff, the long-haired girl concentrated on the small piece of paper in her hands. She furrowed her brows and even started to sweat before the paper turned wet in her hands. The boy watched in wonder as an impossible phenomenon just happened in front of his eyes. He even saw it better than most people ever could. The blue fire flowing inside everyone transferred to the paper through the girl’s will and made the paper wet.

“You’ve got water affinity. Next freckles, go.” Yui stepped up this time and did the same, but this time the paper crinkled in her hands. The boy once again observed with awe as he readied himself.

“You’ve got lightning. Eyepatch you are next.” The boy focused and willed the chakra within his body to move into his hands and from there it made contact with the paper. The paper split into two and turned to dust and scattered. Surprised the boy just stared so did his teammates.

“Ooh, aren’t you lucky pervy boy? Two natures are very rare.” Anko’s voice was calmer and almost sultry compared to her usually hyper tone.

“Wait Anko sensei. Given that it is more difficult to learn jutsu of the opposing nature to one’s own, doesn’t that mean I will have difficulty learning lightning and fire jutsu?” Said the boy.

“Perhaps… but that also means you will have an easier time mastering two different nature transformations compared to the more regular ninja.” Anko answered light-heartedly.

“What about Orochimaru’s chakra nature, Anko sensei?” Chimed in Yui. She had more emotion in her voice than the boy had ever heard before.

“Hmm? Curious about Oro sensei are ya? Well, he is a freak, he can do all 5 nature transformations, but I don-“ She stopped mid-sentence and put up a finger to her lips to shush the children.

“You’ve got some guts to try and sneak up to my training session, Menko.” Anko almost snarled the words out, loudly. The boy started to actively scan his surroundings to try and spot the intruder. Only to spot a man he recognised walking towards them. Anko also started walking to meet the man halfway, they stopped close enough to the kids, where their conversation could be heard.

“Ah, Anko. Why such aggression? We are old pals, I just came to check up on your new genin, see if there were some unruly one’s you don’t want.” Mockingly answered the man as if placating a child.

“No, my team is fine. Now piss off, before I fill your ass with enough poison to kill a bijuu.”

“You shouldn’t make threats you can’t keep, Anko. Anyway, I am also looking for a runaway boy about the same age as a fresh graduate with bandages over one eye.”

“That sounds a lot like someone I know.” Smirked Anko and Menko raised a brow at this. “It’s just that he ain’t a little boy more like an ancient corpse at this point.”

“Haha, so funny,” Menko responded deadpanning. “Whatever, my job is done.” He started walking away. The boy observed both parties.

“I wonder why they don’t recognise me, just because my hair is a different colour and I have a Hitai-ate instead of bandages covering my eye. Maybe they don’t expect me to be an academy graduate. It’s been three months and I thought the problem was gone, guess not. I know too little might have to do something to gather information.”

When Anko walked back to the group the boy spoke up. “That guy was trying to undermine your authority the whole time Anko-sensei. Is he… is he trying to recruit us?”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I’m glad you noticed, boy.” Said Anko with a sombre tone.

“Don’t worry sensei I wouldn’t go with him ever.” The boy shrugged. “You might have to do something for my teammates though.”

“Ohh, why would you never leave me boy? You don’t think they can teach you something more?” Asked Anko.

“Very simple really, I don’t think they can offer me a beauty of your calibre, Anko.” The boy said with a shit-eating grin. The girl’s faces behind him twisted from shame to wide-eyed shock with open mouths, at the proclamation made without hesitation.

Without any real anger, Anko responded. “Call me sensei, you little perv.” Then she karate-chopped his head. “I do enjoy the compliment though.” She started smiling and ruffling his hair. Then she handed them each a pouch of kunai.

“Don’t think you can skip training though, now follow me. I will show you one lap then you will do fifteen before going home today.” Then she started running. The lap she showed was like an improvised obstacle course a very minor one. Half would be running on flat ground and half would be in the trees, in the well-known Konoha-style tree running. There was also throwing mixed in at targets placed in the tree section of the course. The whole course took around fifteen minutes to complete.

“All right, that’s one lap. If you throw exactly one kunai at each target, you can do two laps before you run out, at this point, you will take a small break to collect them and then run again.”

“Until when?” asked Akari slightly out of breath already.

“Weren’t you listening earlier, spitfire? Fifteen more. Tomorrow, meet me at my place, same time. Bye!” Anko disappeared. The three remaining teens just looked at each other bewildered until the boy spoke.

“Might as well get it done. She might be watching” Shrugging the boy started the laps and the girls followed.

Anko was headed to find her sensei, Orochimaru to ask for some assistance with tomorrow’s talk. She left a few small snake summons to watch the kids. After a long walk, she found herself in front of a door to her sensei’s house and she knocked. No sounds came from within but she knew that was always the case. A few moments later Tsunade-sama appeared behind the door.

“Ah. Greetings Tsunade-sama. I was hoping to speak with Sensei.” Said Anko, expecting not Tsunade but Orochimaru to answer the door, as she was usually busy at the hospital around this time.

“This about the kids ya got?” She asked as she opened the door wider and gestured for Anko to come in.

“Yup.” Anko responded as she walked in, arms swinging by her aside like a child’s.

It had taken the kids longer than they initially thought, to finish all the laps. They were all also dead tired and collapsed on the soft grass.

“Damn…” The boy panted. “Does anyone… actually… know our… teacher’s address?” He rasped out between breaths, hoping it was loud enough for the girls to hear, which were lying only an arms width away. There was no answer, so the boy thought to gather more energy before speaking again. Before he could though, Yui responded.

“Yeah…” Then a third voice rasped.

“I say we paint… genitals… huge ones… on her house,” Akari said.

“I would agree… but she lives next to the sannin couple… definitely… don’t want to get on… Tsunade-Sama’s bad side.” Yui paused for a breath before continuing. “I heard their kid tried pranks at some point… and got caught by her and has never ever again done anything like that ever… and the kid still cringes at the mention of pranks.”

“Naruto?... I heard he was in my sister’s class… Anyway, meet here tomorrow… so you can take us?” Asked the boy.

“Huh… yeah sure.” Yui answered. Then a few moments later, they noticed the lights were getting dimmer and they all tried to push themselves up and failed miserably.

“Maybe… a bit more.” Said Akari, her usually chirpy voice only a shallow rasp now. The other two responded with grunts of agreement.

So the kids lay there as the shadows of the nearby trees consumed the clearing, dampening the light and signalling the fall of the sun. The boy would have had trouble navigating the forest towards his home if not for his always-active Byakugan. When he reached his house, he noticed that his sister had friends over for a sleepover it seemed like.

“Urgh. I am too tired to meet a gaggle of giggly girls. Maybe I should sleep outside…That would be so rude. Urgh I should meet them.” Considered the boy. Then he opened the door and yelled.

“Sister! I am home!”

“I’ve got friends over, come meet them.” She responded, and the boy walked into the room where the kunoichi were sitting around a table filled with food.

“Hello everyone. I am Ryoshi.” He said waving a hand at them and unceremoniously taking a seat as well. The girls all nodded and introduced themselves, although it wasn’t necessary, the boy could tell who each of them was from their distinct features. Ino with the incredible blonde ponytail. Hinata with her lavender eyes. Sakura with her pink hair and red dress. He had seen them around the academy when he attended. The atmosphere turned a bit awkward as they didn’t really know each other and a boy was now intruding on their girl time. The boy picked up on this after putting some food in his mouth.

“Sorry girls. I am starving and this food is delicious. I’ll leave you alone after I steal some of this.” Smile the boy, hoping to inject some mirth into the now stilled air in the room.

“Ugh, don’t be a pig! Brother.” Said Shinry.

“Oh, you have no idea, little sister. First-day training with sensei was hell.” Responded Ryoshi with a smirk, half filled with rice. “Apologies for my manners, but I haven’t eaten anything since the morning and this food is delicious!”

“Yes, Ryoshi-san. Hinata-chan’s cooking is excellent.” Beamed Ino, while reaching for another bite.

The boy turned his gaze towards the shy girl and remembering how timid and easily flustered she was, couldn’t help tease her.

“Ahh, Hinata-chan you will make a man very happy. I am sure with skills like these you can get any man.” Smiled the boy and enjoyed the blush creeping the girl’s face.

“U-umm, t-thank you Ryoshi-san.” She said barely above a whisper. Then the dinner proceeded with Ino’s light chatter until the boy had his fill and stood up to leave.

“Thanks for the meal girls, I’ll leave you to your slumber party.” He walked towards the door. “I will be over in the next room if you need me for something, don’t be shy.” He then passed the threshold of the door and before closing it said.

“Uhh, and don’t stay up too late. Good night” A chorus of goodnights echoed behind him as he closed the door and went to lie down to sleep. It was not meant to be.