5 Training

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

"Gaara! what are you doing here?"

"What does it look like Kankuro? I'm here to train!"

"What!!! Don't you remember that Baki told us you're not allowed to train with us?"

Baki appeared out of nowhere.

"Lord Gaara was prohibited from training with you till today.

Due to seemingly better control over the one-tailed beast, he was allowed to train with his team."

"Are you serious? Just one week of seemingly better control is enough to negate years of killing people whenever he wanted?"

Suddenly Temari spoke "You have to forgive him. It wasn't himself but the beast sealed inside him."

This touched Gaara's heart. For the first time since he could remember, Temari showed kindness to him.

Even if it wasn't much, it was more than Gaara had received in a long time.

"It might be forgiven, but it will never be forgotten!"

"Calm down! Gaara will train with us if you like it or not. As long as he doesn't do anything stupid it will stay this way.

As for today, I decided that you three will fight."

"Are you Crazy? We have no chance against Gaara!"

"If you would let me finish Kankuro. I was about to say that it will be hand-to-hand combat. No Ninjutsu, no puppets, and no sand!"

This info relieved Kankuro and Temari. Kankuro was still worried though. The thought of engaging Gaara in combat, even if it's only Tai Jutsu spar.

He would fight Gaara anyway because his fear stood no chance against Gaara. He had never seen him practice his body or Tai Jutsu.

"If someone doesn't want to spar he can say it right now."

"I don't want to fight!"

"Why is that Temari?"

"I haven't trained Tai Jutsu since the academy. I would lose maybe even injure myself badly."

"Okay. Then you will run 5 laps around the village. Without using Chakra."

"What! Why do I have to do that? I could train to become better at Tai Jutsu. Running 5 laps around the village won't help me improve."

"It is a preparation for a real battle. If you don't want to fight, you will have to be fast enough to run away. Now go!"

Temari left grumbling.

"Now to the two of you. Take a fighting stance five meters away from each other."

After a took our stance Baki informed us about the rules.

"This is Tai Jutsu combat. You're not allowed to use Jutsu's, puppets, or sand. Weapons are allowed as long as they are not controlled. You are the winner if the other person gives up, you make the other person unable to fight or you hold a kunai to the throat of the other person.

Please note that it's my decision whether you can continue the fight or not. Try to avoid blows that would leave to certain death. In case you try to land one, I will intervene immediately and you will have to run 3 laps around the village as well.

We are not here to kill us, we are here to train. Did you understand the rules?"

Both of them nodded.

"Bow before your opponent."

Both of them bowed down and got immediately into a fighting stance after.

"Fight!"

Kankuro rushed at Gaara. It seemed like he underestimated the latter. He send a punch to Gaara's chin. Normally Gaara would be able to dodge the punch easily, but something was wrong.

Gaara felt slower than the last time he used his top speed. It felt like an invisible weight was slowing him down.

He was only able to avoid the punch by the skin of his teeth. But he couldn't dodge the next one.

Kankuro's right fist embedded itself in Gaara's stomach. Gaara bend over from the impact.

While the impact Gaara realized why he felt so slow. He wanted to punch himself. He didn't feel on the way to the training ground because he was already used to the extra weight.

He forgot to remove magnetic force from the metal in his outfit. No wonder he felt slower.

While bending over Gaara deactivated his extra weight with a half ram seal.

He immediately felt quicker than before. In a burst of speed, he created distance between himself and his opponent.

Kankuro didn't seem to realize that Gaara had gained speed. He took a kunai out of his pouch and went again for a confrontation.

Baki had a disappointed look on his face. Kankuro tested Gaara's power at their first exchange and concluded that he was stronger than him. That was the reason why he attacked Gaara head-on.

But Baki knew that Gaara didn't show his full speedat first. He guessed that Gaara let himself get hit to fool Kankuro into believing he was faster than Gaara. It was a smart strategy and it seemed like it worked.

Kankuro had reached Gaara in the meantime and attacked him with an upwards strike. Gaara easily sidestepped out of the way. It seemed like Kankuro didn't expect him to be so fast.

He lost his balance and fell to the ground. He saved himself with an elegant front flip. But the moment he landed he felt a cold blade on his neck.

Somehow Gaara managed to get behind him in such a short amount of time.

"The match is over, Gaara wins!"

"Dammit! I nearly won."

"You weren't even close to winning Kankuro. After your first exchange, you thought you were faster than Gaara. Instead of using the Tai Jutsu technique, you learned at the academy, you decided to charge at him like a moron.

You should know that the art of deception is commonly used in the world of shinobi. Many ninjas hide their real strength during a fight till they find an opening to attack.

Always be wary of your opponent no matter how weak they might seem."

"Yes sensei. Thank you for your advice. I will be more careful next time."

"Good! I expected your fight to be more consuming. Anyway, you two take a break till Temari arrives."

For the next 30 minutes, Kankuro and Gaara sat next to each other not speaking a word.

Kankuro didn't speak because he still didn't trust Gaara. Gaara on the other hand was lost in thoughts about how to improve his magnet control.

Before Gaara could come to a good conclusion Temari arrived at the training ground.

"Temari you have returned! How was your training?"

"I hate you sensei!"

Baki ignored Temari's comment and turned to the two boys.

"Get up! I will teach you an advanced form of Tai Jutsu. Your fight was miserable to watch. I as your teacher can't send you on missions knowing you are this bad at Tai Jutsu."

Baki showed them the basic stances. The Tai Jutsu he thought concentrated more on speed than power. The basic premise was to inflict as much damage as possible with fast strikes.

You would let your opponent control the fight and dodge his strikes. When you got an opening you would strike as fast as you could before dodging and waiting for your next opportunity again.

The goal was to wear your opponent down.

After three hours the training was over.

"I can see that all of you have no stamina left. For the first session, you progressed well in the style. In a few weeks, you will be able to not get completely crushed by a chunin in hand-to-hand combat.

I have to go now, bye."

With these words, Baki left the three alone on the training ground. They walked back to their home in complete silence.

Even though Kankuro and specially Temari were warming up for him they weren't comfortable enough to talk to him.

They reached their home and every one of them vanished to their room.

Meanwhile, Baki was giving his report to the Kazekage.

"Gaara's speed is around mid-to high-chunin level. Furthermore, it seems like he has a natural talent for Tai Jutsu. All three of them learn at a fast speed but if Gaara continues his level of growth, he will master the style in a few months."

"That is acceptable for now."

"What do you mean with for now?"

"The chunin exams are nearing, they will begin in two months. You know our deal with the hidden sound. We are gonna invade Konoha and get all their resources. Gaara is very important in this plan. He has to be powerful enough to make it to the third round."

"Don't worry Lord Kazekage. No Genin of any nation could wish to bypass Gaara's absolute defense. I would worry more about the hidden sound."

"You are still skeptical?"

"It makes no sense for them to invade Konoha. Most of their forces will die."

"Don't you remember what the leader of the hidden sound said? They have as desperate times as we do. Desperate times cannot always be solved smartly.

It was the council's and my decision to accept the deal so it doesn't matter how much you worry. The invasion will take place!"

"Yes, lord Kazekage."