❈—22:: Team Training [III]

Naruto Uzumaki

"So, what's the wind jutsu you're going to teach me?" Naruto asked as he followed Kakashi's clone to a corner of the training yard. "It's something cool, right? Like the Whirlwind Jutsu. Ooh, or like the Wind Scythe Storm."

"You do know that if you try to practice either of those jutsu here, you will likely be leaving your teammate homeless, right? Not to mention dead," Kakashi said, stopping and turning to face Naruto.

Naruto looked around at the small training yard currently containing his teammates, and at the adjoining house belonging to one of said teammates.

He pouted.

He'd known the bastard was only baiting him with the promise of a jutsu.

"Well, if you're not teaching me a cool, new jutsu, then what are you teaching me?" he asked.

"Something better," Kakashi said. "Naruto, I'm going to teach you how to work with yourself."

Naruto cocked his head in confusion. "Huh?"

"What's the biggest advantage of The Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Kakashi asked him.

"I never have to study again because I can make another me to do it," Naruto replied immediately. 

Kakashi observed Naruto silently for several seconds, then he sighed.

"What? It's true," Naruto said defensively.

"Sure it is," Kakashi agreed easily. "And what would you say is the second biggest advantage shadow clones give you?"

Again, Naruto's response was immediate. "More me to beat my opponents with."

"A numbers advantage, exactly."

Kakashi pulled out a kunai from his pouch and tossed it at Naruto.

The boy caught it smoothly.

"Make two clones," the jōnin commanded.

Naruto obeyed, and with twin bursts of white smoke, two perfect copies of himself appeared.

Kakashi took several steps back.

"Attack me," he said.

Naruto only took a moment to think about it, then he charged.

Said charge was quickly abandoned, and all three Naruto yelled, jumping out of the way as Kakashi spat a fireball at them.

"Lesson number one in working with yourself," Kakashi said, "never clump together. Half the point of having the advantage in numbers is to make flanking your opponent a possibility, don't throw that away by sticking together."

"Couldn't you have told me that before you spat a fireball at me?" Naruto groused.

"Yes," Kakashi said shamelessly. "But you learn better from experiencing things first-hand. Which is why, except for when it's absolutely necessary, I'll be beating all your lessons into you."

Naruto stared at the jōnin in some horror.

"I know right? I'm a great sensei."

"You're a jerk," Naruto disagreed.

Kakashi laughed.

"Glad we understand each other," he said. "Now, lesson number two, one you already seem to have taken to heart; your greatest strength is your stamina, so when facing a superior opponent, never relent. Deny them any and all opportunity to catch their breath. Hound them."

And in complete discordance with his words, he charged Naruto.

The lesson continued for three hours after that, and by the time they were done, Naruto had learned a whole lot.

Unsurprisingly, he hurt a whole lot too.

—❈—

Sasuke Uchiha

"What did you and Sakura talk about?" Kakashi asks as we reach a far corner of the training yard, away from my teammates and their copies (original, in Sakura's case) of our sensei.

I stare at the jōnin in some surprise. I hadn't expected him to ask. Care, maybe, but not ask.

In fact…

"Weren't you watching?" I ask. The 'like you always do' doesn't need to be added.

"Maybe," Kakashi says slyly. "Maybe I just want you to talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about," I say. "She apologized. So did I."

"What did you apologize for?"

I hold back a sigh. This conversation is pointless and carrying on too long.

"For how I said the things I said," I say. "I should have worded it better." I pause. "Thank you. For your help."

It had been unexpected, and unexpectedly welcome.

"You're welcome," Kakashi says. "But let's hope it sticks; lessons often need repeating."

And that is unfortunately true.

"You know," Kakashi says after a few seconds, "you're handling your position as leader better than I thought you would. In fact, you're handling being part of a team better than I thought you would.

"What changed?" The question is asked calmly, conversationally, but its underlying weight is as evident as the sun in a cloudless sky.

Kakashi can tell that I've changed. Because I have. Fundamentally and, possibly, irrevocably, I have changed.

I stare at Kakashi for several long seconds.

For a moment, I consider telling him everything; about Caleb's memories and everything to do with it.

As quickly as the thought comes however, it passes.

Yes, Kakashi has shown himself so far to be unlike Caleb's memories expected him to be, he's responsible, and actually seems to care about his duty as our sensei. More importantly, he is undeniably very powerful. Perhaps, if I told him everything right now, he will help me, and that will turn out to be the right decision.

Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that. Ironically enough for the same reason that I consider being honest with him in the first place.

While Caleb's memories are unquestionably a treasure trove of information, it is unverified.

I can't even say with certainty who my enemies are, much less my friends, and until such a time that I can guarantee that this very powerful ninja before me can be trusted with it, I'll be keeping my secret to myself.

The silence has stretched out almost half a minute now, but finally, I speak; "Puberty," I say.

"Ah," Kakashi says, in a tone of understanding that someone who didn't know any better would think is genuine. "That's always a strange time; funny feelings, hair in strange places, and, apparently, changed attitudes."

I simply stare at him.

After a few seconds, Kakashi sighs.

"Can you just promise me that you're not planning to go Itachi on the village, or something? Because then I would have to kill you," he says, and in his tone is an exhaustion so deep it seems to come from his very soul. "I would rather not do that," he adds.

I look Kakashi right in his eye, mine no doubt burning with the rage I feel.

"Kakashi," I say slowly, "I would literally rather die, than become anything like him."

Kakashi searches my face for something.

Whatever it is, he must find it, because he says; "Good. One is enough."

I wholeheartedly agree.

"Now, what do you say we get on with training?"

This isn't over. I know it isn't. But I'll take the offered reprieve.

I nod.