Juugo Uzumaki - Chapter 21

The afternoon after their run had somewhat dragged for Juugo, with the class tired and withdrawn as Iruka droned on about rice harvests.

The Land of Grass again, noted Juugo with an absent frown. It seemed rather central to a lot of Konoha's history as he watched Iruka turn suddenly, tapping with the chalk for attention.

A few heads moved, but not many as the rest snoozed in their seats.

Iruka sighed, glancing outside as the afternoon drew to a close.

"Alright class," he said, raising his voice so the sleepy heads would hear. "We'll finish early today, make sure to get proper rest tonight."

Lots of rustling, yawns too as a shy voice plucked from the front. "Sensei?" said one of the girls. "Will we be running again tomorrow?"

She looked hopeful, for a no.

…

"Yes."

A groan.

"All week actually," smiled Iruka. "Until you reach a suitable fitness level."

The girl nodded, appearing down.

"We'll have Orange Juice tomorrow too," added Iruka, chuckling as the girl beamed with her friends.

"Thanks Sense!"

He nodded, looking up to the whole class.

"Dismissed."

The chairs groaned as the students stood, heading out with tired steps. "Try not to limp," said Iruka, addressing a boy as he hobbled along. "It's better to walk normally if you can, don't limp when you don't need to."

The boy tried to adjust, walking with a wince instead.

"You too."

And him as well as Iruka did the same to a few others, all civilian as the class slowly emptied.

"Bye Sensei!"

Iruka waved reluctantly, saying goodbye to Naruto as he waved again. "Bye Juugo!"

…

"Bye Naruto."

He waved, watching Naruto smile before running out.

"Juugo," said Iruka, seeing him sitting patiently at his desk. "Stay put, I'll see if I can hurry them along."

"No worries."

Iruka chuckled, heading out with a swift step as Juugo was left alone. He closed his eyes, sitting still with his hands relaxed on the desk.

Iruka was a fast walker, as he followed him through the halls of the Academy, trying to guess his destination and who he would meet.

There were the usual tutors around, working with classes above and beyond, even Mizuki as he tended to his ever-shrinking class.

Juugo might have worried he'd be out of a job soon, but didn't as he felt Iruka exit through the guest entrance.

He waited, looking about with a frowning eye as Juugo widened his search.

Who was it. Who was to be his tutor.

Iruka did nothing else, standing for minutes as Juugo flickered between approaching people, trying to gauge if they were one.

Not him, too young. Or her, she was pregnant – her husband?

No, his chakra was all wrong.

"Where are you…" muttered Juugo, checking again at the people around, the usual finish fast approaching as he felt the other students jostling to leave.

Yet still, Iruka waited. Standing like a post for someone to arrive.

"Weird."

Juugo withdrew, giving up for now as he decided to surprise himself, standing from his desk as he stretched his arms.

"You look tired."

"AH!"

He leapt around in fright, quickly finding a woman sitting at the desk behind him.

She smirked.

"Good reflexes," she commented, giving him a curious look. "What were you doing? You were like a statue."

She could guess what he'd been doing, but wouldn't assume just yet. "Who are you?" he asked, moving out into the aisle with guarded steps, watching as he finally felt her chakra.

He frowned, beginning to understand as she moved as well, her chakra like a shadow as Juugo remained alert.

"My bad," she said, smiling across from him. "I am Fumiko, Chunin," as she indicated her vest, something Juugo had seen as he surveyed the rest of her.

Long dark hair, wrapped in a tight ponytail that flicked against her lower back. She was short too, quite so as Juugo found her dark eyes.

"Juugo," he said, bowing tightly as he felt Iruka move. "I am glad to meet you."

Fumiko watched him closely.

"What are you doing?" she asked again, tilting her head to the side. "You spaced out for a moment, starring at…" she looked glanced behind her, seeing nothing as she turned back.

Juugo regarded her strangely.

"What do you think I was doing?" he asked, feeling confused as she seemed taken aback.

She stepped forward, interest in her eyes.

"You were sensing?" she asked, making a face Juugo couldn't discern as Iruka barged through the door, opening it with a huff.

"Bloody woman," he groused, shutting it behind.

…

"Hi Iruka."

He looked, finding Fumiko as she gave him a wave. "Just thought I'd say hello, thought it'd be fun to surprise him," she said, ignoring Juugo's scowl as Iruka sighed.

"But we agreed to meet out front," he accused. "You can't just barge in here!"

This was a school, not a restaurant as he cut-off her excuse. "Anyway," he said, as he moved up the aisle. "This is Juugo, as discussed."

He indicated him, then across to Fumiko. "Juugo, this is Fumiko Hatashi. Chunin Sensor."

"Nice to meet you, Juugo."

Juugo nodded, accepting now Iruka was here.

"Nice to meet you."

…

"Well then. I'll leave you to it," said Iruka, glancing between. "Any problems, I'll be here for the next hour or so."

He walked away, missing Fumiko's wave as Juugo frowned subtly.

Was she mocking him?

"Relax," she said, seeing his look. "Iruka and I go way back. We were in the same class actually."

She smiled, thinking of the days as she waited for Juugo to speak.

Hmm.

"Let's go outside," she said suddenly, indicating the nice day through the window at the back. "We can practice in the forest by the training grounds."

"Alright," allowed Juugo, following behind as Fumiko trotted past.

The route was the same as before, familiar as Fumiko led the way. "Here," she said, holding it for him. "This one's always been heavy."

Juugo stepped through. "Thank you."

She seemed pleased, leading him again towards the loop he'd run with Naruto, before continuing on and into the forest beyond.

It was thick with trees, giving a slightly ominous feel.

Juugo remained alert, if for the fact that this forest seemed different from the others. There was much life here, brimming with it as animals circled the trees, climbing and hiding among the leaves.

Fumiko was unfazed, knowing where to go as she led him to a clearing just ahead. "This'll do," she stated, turning to a stop in the open space as trees circled around them. "Now, tell me what you were doing before."

She meant business, standing stiffly as Juugo told the truth. "I was watching Iruka," he said, finding this line of questioning redundant. "You were late."

"Not my fault," she defended, unable to help herself as Juugo shrugged. "I was held up."

She continued.

"You did so without hand signs," she posed, wanting to be sure as Juugo looked at her again, as if she were fool.

"Yes, so what?"

She smiled.

"I just wanted to be sure," she assuaged, withholding her grin. "The report said you could, given the level you scored. The 2nd Hokage could as well."

It was a fascinating subject, even more when you considered the man's other strengths.

"The 2nd Hokage?" blinked Juugo, straightening with interest. "He was a Sensor?"

She nodded, more relaxed now as she walked away towards the trees. "Yep, the very best. I could never do it, only enough to feel the 4th pulse."

Which was equivalent to a burning candle of chakra, easy to spot in their colourless world. "The hand sign helps with focus," she added, turning to him with a raised Ram.

They were a few strides apart now.

"Observe."

Her chakra revealed itself, slipping out from under the strange shadow. "What do you feel over there?" she asked, pointing off to Juugo's right with her other hand. "Describe it."

Juugo took a look, glancing in the direction as a strange rat clambered up a tree. "A tree rat," he said, not knowing the word for Konoha's native.

She laughed.

"Squirrel."

Juugo made a mental note.

"How far?"

He hummed.

"38 metres," he said, giving his best estimate. "On a low branch."

…

"Good," she offered, lowering her hand with a pondering look. "Very good. Most aren't so precise."

Nor her, actually.

"Let's try this," she continued, deciding on a different path as she weaved through hand signs.

Juugo watched, trying to remember them as he felt the chakra mould in her hands, before plunging them down.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

Poof.

"Hi Fumiko!"

…

It could talk.

"Yoyomaru!" she laughed, overjoyed at the sight of the bloated bird. "I have a task for you!"

Juugo watched the overweight bird do a jiggle, ecstatic as Fumiko scooped it up.

She whispered to it, muttering secret words as the bird's head bopped, more a twitch really.

"Okay!" it said, already flapping as Fumiko tossed it into the air.

It flapped away, quick as Juugo listened. "I want you to follow Yoyomaru," she said, giving him that serious look again. "Tell where he is and what he's doing."

Juugo nodded, knowing he could do that as the bird flittered through the trees. "He's flying through the trees," he said, assessing for more detail. "Changing altitude, up and down."

Fumiko nodded, edging for something else.

"He's-" Juugo hummed. "-it's a pattern?"

She smiled, telling him to keep watching as he saw Yoyomaru rise into the canopy. "He's climbing now. Higher," the bird wasn't slowing, quickly bursting through the leafy trees. "He's above the canopy… heading south-east."

"How can you tell?"

Juugo pointed. "The sun is over there, past the trees."

Which made the direction south-east.

"Keep going."

Juugo did, feeling the bird climb higher as it flowed with the wind. "He's still flying, following the wind. It's taking him further east."

Yoyomaru seemed a good flyer, untaxed despite his size. "Still flying," repeated Juugo, deciding to check with Fumiko. "Was there more?"

She didn't respond, her eyes watching as Juugo glanced away. "Wait," he said, seeing Yoyomaru fall. "He's falling, diving back to the forest."

The bird was rocketing, quickly approaching the trees as Juugo tensed.

"The trees are near," he said quickly, looking at Fumiko again as she continued to watch him. "He'll hit them!"

-

The bird vanished, disappearing in a poof like before just before the trees.

"Gone," he said, turning fully to Fumiko. "Is he alright?"

Fumiko nodded. "Of course," before smiling mischievously. "Not that it would matter, since Yoyomaru's so bouncy."

…

"Good," said Juugo. "Can we go now? It's cold."

The sun didn't reach here, despite the clearing as he felt cool air drift between the trees.

Fumiko shrugged, nonplussed. "Fine, I suppose it is."

She indicated they go, choosing a different route back to the Academy.

"Why are we going this way?" questioned Juugo, sensing them drift of course as Fumiko hummed.

"I want to show you something," she said, glancing his way as she moved a branch from their path. "You'll thank me later."

Juugo withheld a comment, stepping ahead as even more branches appeared. "Is it the training ground?"

She wasn't surprised. "You can feel it then."

"Yes, it's hard to miss," he said, sensing the lake just ahead. "I've not been to it yet."

Juugo had sensed it on his first day here, unable to miss the water so close to the Academy.

It was deep, clear and filled with fish.

He'd meant to visit, but hadn't with all he'd been doing.

"Amazing."

…

"Sorry?" he said, not having heard as they rustled through the branches.

He glanced at Fumiko, seeing her face. "You can feel the water," she stated disbelievingly. "I've never met anyone who could do that, not with ordinary water."

It was quite something, as if Juugo could feel the very nature itself. "Can you count the fish?" she joked, titling to him as they broke from the trees. "Just kidd-".

"Maybe-"

He hummed, causing her to blink at his far away eyes. "300? Definitely less than 400," he nodded, agreeing with that assessment as Fumiko looked at him with wide-eyes.

Juugo had certainly impressed her, a complete natural at the art as they walked across the dried earth, similar to the rest of the open grounds.

They walked for a few minutes, enjoying the sounds and smells of summer as a bench appeared ahead. "Here," she said, taking a seat by the lake as Juugo happily followed. "This is where we'll meet."

It was a good spot, quiet even with the passing students. Not many actually came here, preferring to play in the parks dotted within the village.

She glanced at him, smiling softly as the golden eyed boy stared across the lake.

It was beautiful as she looked herself, finding the way the water followed the wind soft and soothing. "You have a remarkable gift, Juugo," she said, deciding to be truthful to the boy. "So few can do what you showed me today, and even less with those fish."

She turned to him, hoping he understood as she felt him shift on the bench.

He turned to her, his expression different from what she'd expected.

"I think it might 500, actually."

…

"You sure?" she sung playfully. "Last chance, no third try."

Juugo nodded, sure as Fumiko bit her lip.

"Sorry," she grinned. "It's actually 600."

…

"Oh."