Chapter 26 parks and traning

Naruto was leading Konohamaru through to the park and they talked on the way there, he got to learn a bit more about Konohamaru on the way there. Apparently he was an only child and liked a lot of things, although the boy hadn't had ramen yet so he resolved to fix that mistake as soon as possible. Konohamaru also learned a few things like that Naruto knew his uncle Asuma well from Naruto's father and the Hatake poker games. The two were having some fun talking when they arrived at the park and Naruto started to look for Hinata.

He didn't have to look far as he saw Hinata pushing her little sister on a swing set, the usually reserved little sister was actually smiling. Hanabi usually acted much like a 'typical' Hyuga inside the compound but when Hinata got her outside to play she could just be a little kid again. He also saw that Hinata wasn't alone this time as Neji was there as well most likely as the 'body guard' for the Main House members. Although he looked impassive there with his arms crossed just watching Naruto could tell that he was enjoying the sight of his cousins playing.

"Hey Hinata-chan, Hanabi-chan, Neji!" Naruto called out to them all and they looked. Neji nodded to him, as Hanabi gave a small wave while Hinata smiled and gave a timid little wave with a blush.

They walked up and Naruto smiled at them, "Hey guys I'd like you to meet Konohamaru Sarutobi. Konohamaru this is Hinata, Hanabi and Neji Hyuga."

"Hey nice to meet you guys," Konohamaru smiled behind his scarf.

"Sarutobi," Neji said thinking about that name, "Are you related to the Hokage?"

Konohamaru stiffened a little and his shoulders dropped, he really didn't want them to know about that right off the bat now he could already seeing them being nice to him just because he was the Hokage's grandson. He hated that like how the parents of other kids made their kids try to be friends with him even if they didn't like him just because they could get close to the Sarutobi family. He found that out pretty fast and put a stop to it by usually acting like a jerk so they would leave him alone.

Although there were at least two kids that he knew at school that seemed okay but only time would tell with them.

Naruto saw the downcast look on the boy's face and had a feeling what he was feeling, "Yeah he's the grandson of the Old Man but he hates being called Honorable Grandson and all that crap."

Hinata came forward and bent down to face the boy and gave him a kind smile, the kid looked up at the girl and he had to admit she looked really friendly and kind of pretty too. "Don't w-w-worry we know what that's like g-g-growing up in the Hyuga clan, Hanabi and myself are the daughters of the l-leader of our clan so I know what that is like."

Konohamaru smiled at the girl it wasn't often that he could find someone that seemed to know what it was like. He turned to see that the girl on the swings had jumped off and was walking up to him, she looked kind of like her older sister only with longer hair. She seemed to be looking at him oddly and it was making him a little nervous until the girl looked up at Naruto with a glint of humour on her pearl like eyes.

"Are you brainwashing little kids now to be like you Naruto-niisan?" Hanabi smirked a little.

"What? Why do you say that?" Naruto demanded.

"He looks a bit like you with his scarf covering his face," she pointed out.

"Is there anything wrong with that?" Naruto said.

Hanabi looked at Konohamaru and tilted her head a bit after a moment she shook her head, "No nothing wrong with it." Konohamaru wasn't sure why but he felt his cheeks heat up a bit from the girl looking at him like that and saying it. He didn't know why but she seemed to be more confident than her older sister that was for sure.

Hinata giggled at the sight, "I-I'm remembering when N-Naruto-kun and I met."

Naruto thought about it and smiled brightly, "oh yeah that was one of the best days ever I made the first real friend that day," Naruto eyes dimmed a bit as he looked a bit sad, "You're mother was there that day I remember you hiding behind her."

Hinata had on a sad smile although it had been a few years it still hurt that her mother was no longer living and she looked to see her younger sister. She barely even got to know their mother since she had been so young most of the images she knew were from pictures that Hinata kept safe. She saw Neji look away and knew that he too felt the loss, her mother had always been kind to the branch family and to her uncle and cousin as well.

Konohamaru noticed the sudden drop in the group and he had to guess that it had something to do with their mother he didn't want to ask since it looked like a painful thing, he would save that for later instead he decided to break everyone out of this. He grabbed Hanabi's hand since she was closest and started to quickly move to a jungle gym set in a sphere.

"Come on let's go and play this is a park and parks are where you're supposed to have fun!" the boy said as Hanabi was surprised by the boy and went with him so she didn't trip or be dragged. Now that Hinata saw that she fell into giggles again smiling that was exactly like how Naruto got her to play all those years ago. She cast a look to Naruto and saw him smiling behind his mask at the scene and she guessed that he was remembering the same moment too.

Naruto broke out of his thoughts as he remembered something that he meant to ask Neji the next time he saw him, "Oh Neji can you do me a favour?"

Neji raised an eyebrow since he wasn't sure if this was the normal one of like the time a few years ago while still in the academy. He had ran into Neji and asked him to hold something for him and then ran off, it turned out to be a paint can and that was when one of the teachers caught up and as it turns out Naruto had tried to make a piece of 'art work' in the teacher's lounge. That hadn't been a good day for Neji although he did get Naruto back for that later as after yet another prank he was running by Neji so he just tripped the boy.

Naruto had been caught and glared at the Hyuga boy but later grinned at him, apparently he knew what Neji had done and why and accepted it.

Although ever since then he was wary of whenever Naruto said 'can you do me a favour' from that point on like he was at this point in time.

"Oh come on I just wanted you to ask Lee if he wants a rematch with me sometime," Naruto sighed seeing the look on the boy's face.

Neji nodded his head, "Sure he has been looking forward to it but don't you dare use that jutsu you used on him again, despite that Gai-sensei would disapprove you remember what Tenten did right?"

Naruto paled remembering the angry girl with all the really, really sharp weapons and had killer aim (literally) on his ass after that. Thankfully she wasn't angry anymore but he learned that ALL women especially Kunoichi were extremely dangerous when angry.

"Oh trust me I got a new move that will lay him out and I didn't feel right winning that way it was a cheap shot and I want to beat him fair and square," Naruto told him.

"Good although he's been training extra hard and was trying to train while blindfolded," Neji told him and seeing the expressions on both Naruto and Hinata's face he sighed. "It was Gai-sensei's idea to over come the Sexy Jutsu he figured if Lee could fight without seeing it then it wouldn't work."

Naruto thought about that and smack his head, "Oh man I never thought of that! If someone can fight without seeing it's damn useless that's pretty smart of them."

Hinata and Neji sweat dropped at that statement as they couldn't believe that he actually agreed to that.

Meanwhile Konohamaru and Hanabi were on the playground equipment as they watched the older kids. "Hey Hanabi is your sister okay? She stutters a lot and she seems to blush a lot around Naruto-niisan."

Hanabi nodded her head, "She has a huge crush on him but he doesn't know and she's too afraid to tell him."

"Oh man how long has that been going on?"

She sighed, "For years as long as I can remember now that I think about it she's always been like that around him."

"Really how long have you known Naruto I only just met him today."

Hanabi smiled as she couldn't remember a time she hadn't known him, "All my life, he and my sister have been friends since before I was born and he always comes over and is the only none Hyuga who can just come and go from out compound, he's like an older brother. A bit goofy and stuff but he's always been fun."

Konohamaru smiled at that, "That's cool...so is it because he's such good friends with your sister that he can just come and go?"

Hanabi shook her head, "Well not all of it before I was born a Cloud ninja tried to kidnap my sister and might have gotten away with it but Naruto-niisan stumbled onto it and beat the ninja."

Konohamaru looked back quickly to the three older kids looking at Naruto with new respect as he was joking around with the other two. Sure he was a genin and stuff but he didn't think he was strong enough to take on a real ninja when he was younger. 'Naruto must be really strong then...I've got to catch up then! I won't be left behind he may make it to Hokage before me but I will take over after him and I promise to not take the easy way either.'

"So are him and your sister dating?" Konohamaru asked seeing how the two were interacting.

"Well she really likes him and I know she would love to be his girlfriend but she's too shy to do anything about it and as for him well, he's totally clueless about it."

Konohamaru looked over watching the two again and he had to admit she seemed like a nice girl, "Would you want them to be together?"

Hanabi nodded at once not even needing to think about it, "Yeah and if they got married then he really would be my brother."

She blushed a bit at that she never told anyone that and it just kind of slipped out but it was true she always thought that Naruto and Hinata would be great together and having him as her brother in law would be great. He would be there all the time and she knew it would make her sister totally happy in life too.

"Well let's help them out then," Konohamaru smiled broadly at her and she had to smile back.

After that they started to play some together as they made plans for getting Hinata and Naruto together plus Hanabi despite herself was starting to have fun, there were no other kids her own age in the main branch and the kids in the other branch stayed away from her so she didn't have any kids her own age to play with. So meeting another kid her own age that didn't seem to care about her station in life about her clan or anything. With him she was just another kid and she was growing to like this as well, she hoped to see more of Konohamaru.

-Elsewhere-

Kakashi was reading his usual book as he was currently reading vol. 2 of his beloved series, walking through the streets of the village he somehow avoided all the people, carts and anything else in his way without looking. It was an odd sight to see at times for a man with only one eye (hence no depth perception) reading and still avoid everything and anything in his path. If it wasn't for the fact he would read out quietly to himself bits and pieces people wouldn't even thing he was reading. He was just getting to a good part where the young lovers had just escaped from a band of enemies and were hiding out in a cave.

They were wet from the rain so they had to let their clothing dry, he let out a perverted giggle as he knew where this was heading but he didn't dare skip ahead it took the flavour out of things that way. He was just getting to where the girl was shyly blushing when he felt a large chakra signature overhead. He looked up and was surprised to see Jiraiya there up on a roof top.

"So back in town huh?" Kakashi said with an eye smile.

"Well I was making a report and was just about to leave," he dropped down to face the man. "So how is the boy doing?"

Kakashi was wondering how long it would take for him to get to the point but something seemed off to him, he seemed a bit more direct than usual. He decided to see where this was going and continued on as usual with the man.

"Naruto is doing great, he passed with high marks and the only one that seemed to give him a run for his money was Sasuke Uchiha the two have a type of rivalry which seems to help push the other to new levels. I'm actually surprised at how advanced the boys are."

The Toad Sannin nodded his head hearing this, "Well that's good I know that Minato would be honoured that you were teaching his boy." He noticed a bit of a pained look in Kakashi's eye but it went as quickly as it came. He wasn't sure it was the mention of Minato or a reminder that Kakashi wasn't Naruto's biological father. In any case he mentally shrugged as he thought of something.

"You know I might be back for the Chunin Exams so if the boy is getting pretty far I might teach him a few things maybe even get him to sign with the Toads."

"I was actually thinking of giving him the contract with the dogs fairly soon," Kakashi interjected.

Jiraiya frowned a bit, "I don't bad talk them they are great summons for trackers but Naruto will need something a bit more powerful to deal with things that are going to be ahead of him. When the truth gets out about his biological father was you can bet that a certain village would love to get their hands on his legacy."

"Plus there is something else someone is trying to gather the tailed beasts and the people who carry them within." He said softly to him in a dark voice.

Kakashi's eyes widened a bit then narrowed, "Who are they?"

"Still looking into it but a few years ago it looked like my old teammate Orochimaru was part of them that's how I stumbled upon the group while I was tracking him. Lost him for a bit but it seems he quit the group but I heard something disturbing about a member in their group."

"Who?" Kakashi asked keeping his voice low.

"Itachi Uchiha."

That name alone was one that was never uttered but everyone knew the name, who could forget the man that killed one of Konoha's clans even the clan that had helped forge the hidden village and only left one survivor. The fact that Itachi was involved worried Kakashi, he was good but he wasn't sure he could match up to Itachi. Even though people called Kakashi a genius, Itachi took that to whole new levels.

"I'll have to plan for that and make sure that Naruto is ready," Kakashi muttered to himself.

"Hold on don't forget his team Kakashi," Jiraiya told him quickly, "he has a team for a reason and they will most likely get caught up in this too so you have to make sure they are all ready. Maybe teach them what you can to survive."

"Like what my chidori or rasengan?" Kakashi asked him.

"Only if they can handle it but try to do things small and work from there."

Kakashi nodded to himself already making more and more plans the ground work would have to be established first but after they got the basics down they would be able to train a lot harder too. Plus there was something else that he had been preparing Naruto for but after what Jiraiya said he would have to modify things a bit. Oh well it just meant more work and although he liked to be lazy or appear that way when there was hard work to do he could do it like none other.

"Hey Kakashi!" came a somewhat angry yell and both men turned to look to see a serious looking Anko coming up to them.

"Anko what's up?" Kakashi asked noticing Jiraiya leering at the special jonin and he wasn't sure how he felt about that Anko was a close friend and he was a bit bothered by that.

"Well I had an interesting experience at the hot springs today," She said placing a hand on her hip. She failed to notice that Jiraiya paled a bit and started to sweat a little trying not to be too noticed at the moment.

"You see I just off a nasty little mission so I thought that having a nice stop at the hot springs would be nice and it was, until some old pervert and two perverted kids were peeking on the women. I didn't get a good look but I heard one of the boys was wearing black and orange with a mask. And I was thinking who do I know that fits that description?"

Kakashi sighed and hung his head, "I have no idea what he was doing there Anko but I will find out and trust me the boy will be punished for it."

"Hey there go easy on the kid after all it might not have been his fault," Jiraiya spoke up.

Anko looked at the man closely taking a step forward, "wait a minute the man they described was said to have long white spiky hair too."

Jiraiya stiffened and started to look for a quick exit plan, "Hot springs? There are hot springs here when did they get put in I'm usually off for long periods of time so I guess that they could have been put in while I was away."

Anko's eyes narrowed not believing that for a second, "Unless you've been gone for over a over fifty years they have been here for a long time and everyone in the village knows about them."

"Oh...uh...yeah..." he was starting to feel a little killer intent and looked to Kakashi. "Hey don't suppose you could get your girlfriend to calm down a bit?"

"Girlfriend!?" Both of them said at that and they looked at each other for a moment.

"Anko has been a good friend for years," Kakashi said to him.

"Yeah," Anko said fighting off a blush she really didn't want to seem 'girly' in front of other male ninjas but for awhile now she had been entertaining the thought ever since she saw him without that mask she couldn't help but think about that handsome face behind the mask.

"Really I would have thought she was your type too," the old man teased the two younger ninjas. "I mean she's got a great figure right?"

Kakashi was about to say something when he realized he wasn't sure what to say, on the one hand he couldn't deny that she was definitely one of the best looking kunochi in the village and she was pretty fun to hang out with. He had gone out (when Naruto was old enough or he got a sitter) with other jonins to drink and she could hold her own. She was pretty skilled and with a bit more training she could one day make full jonin as well, he did like her hanging out and Naruto really liked her as well.

But on the other hand if he admitted that he had looked at her and her body how would she react to that?

Anko noticed his hesitation on commenting and was annoyed by that but she wasn't sure for what reason so she gripped open her coat, "What you don't think this is a hot body and you better be honest because I work hard to get looking this good."

Kakashi swore in his head this wasn't what he needed although he couldn't help to take a look, she was very trim, she had an athletic build but kept her feminine form all in all she had the perfect Kunoichi body. He was about to say something when he saw Jiraiya giggling and making notes so he turned to glare at him. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all keep it up you two," he snickered but then froze as he felt two killing intents hitting him and he slowly looked up from his note pad to see both ninja glaring at him. Kakashi cracked a knuckle while Anko took out one of her kunai. The older ninja gulped and gave a small innocent smile before bolting for the nearest gate out of the village and he soon had a couple of angry ninjas on his tail as well.

-One Week Later-

It had been a week and so far Team 7 was just finished with a couple of D Ranked missions, they were just finishing up clearing up a lawn while Kakashi was reading one of his books. It had been a fairly simple week so far, some missions with a little training to see where everyone was in their skills. So far Sasuke and Naruto were very skilled although Sakura was very smart she was more book smart and he was already trying to think of ways of improving her other skills. She wasn't so bad, at least while she had been friends with Naruto and the others she had gone over and trained with Ino at times so she had skills in fighting but so far no justus of her own at least yet.

He was also thinking of a few surprises for his students he had been thinking hard on how to teach all three and how to make this a real team. He thought back to his own days as a genin with Naruto's father teaching him with Obito and Rin. He also had been thinking about the whole thing with Anko last week as well. So far they had been pleasant together but there was something going on like something going on under it all. He sighed he hated this things were so much simpler but he couldn't think of that now at least not yet.

He looked up to see everyone finished and snapped his book shut, "Alright looks like we're all done here."

"Us? We did all the work all he did was read again," Naruto muttered to the two others who nodded slightly.

"Well come on before I report in for the team I think it's time for you all to learn a new ninja skill," Kakashi said as he led them into their training area. When they got there he could see Naruto excited as usually although he would have to disappoint him this time.

"Alright while I'm reporting in I also have some things to look into, Naruto I want you to teach them the tree walking exercise while I'm gone." Kakashi said.

Naruto groaned, "Oh come on Pops I already know this! I mean sure I don't think they know but I learned this while in the academy why can't you teach me something while they're learning this?"

"Naruto you are in a team and as such this is a team exercise as well as training," Kakashi then eye smiled, "Besides they could use your help with this advanced chakra control exercise too and if you really want try to do it on water once they got the hang of it."

"Wait you can do it on water too?" Naruto said excited. Kakashi nodded although what he forgot to tell him was that you had to use your chakra differently oh well not trying to get wet was a nice way to motivate him to learn faster.

"Alright you can count on me!" Naruto said happily.

Meanwhile the other two were wondering just what was going on, Sakura was eager to learn something new while Sasuke was a little irritated that Naruto seemed to know something that he didn't and that meant that he would have to train even harder to surpass him in whatever it was that they were going to see. As soon as Kakashi left Naruto led them over to a few trees.

"Okay so what's so special that you of all people are supposed to teach us?" Sasuke asked with his arms crossed over his chest.

Naruto smiled under his mask it felt so good that he was going to show up Sasuke the guy always seem to know everything in school and it was great to show him something for a change. "Basically we're going to climb the threes but using only our feet."

"What, you can't do that can you?" Sakura asked him wide eyed although Sasuke gave a small grunt that he wasn't sure he believed it either.

"Sure you can Sakura-chan all you got to do is use chakra in your feet to stick on it like this," Naruto make a hand seal and concentrated. His control was still not that great but it was miles ahead where it originally had been thanks to his dad making him do this exercise among others all the time. He concentrated and started to walk up the tree he went all the way up to a very high branch and then jumped onto it.

"See nothing to it!" He shouted out to them.

Sasuke grunted and made the same seal and went to do the exact same thing only he only made it up one step before falling onto his back and he looked up annoyed at a laughing Naruto.

"I guess I forgot to mention that you need a set amount too much and you won't stick and too much and you can launch yourself right off the tree," Naruto laughed.

"And I bet you know that first hand too!" Sasuke shouted up at him as Naruto stopped laughing and sweat dropped scratching the back of his head.

"It was only a few times..." he muttered to himself although in truth it had been a lot of times before he got the hang of it. "So how are you doing Sakura-chan, huh where did she go?"

Naruto looked at the bottom but he didn't see her anywhere.

"Right here Naruto," Sakura's voice said next to him making the boy jump and nearly fall off the branch. He caught himself and saw Sakura there sitting on the branch giggling at how he looked clinging to the trunk of the tree.

"How...how did you get up here?" He asked shocked that she was up here.

"I did what you did it's not very hard," she told him.

"B-but it took me days to do this and you do it in one turn!? I can't believe you're so good at this your chakra control had got to be amazing," he said to her.

Sakura blushed at his compliment she knew that the boys were better in a lot of things so finally finding something that she surpassed them both in felt really good to her. Already her inner self was already doing cheers in her favour as well. Sasuke meanwhile was a little angry although he wasn't sure if it was against himself or not. He only picked himself up and decided to train even harder, there was no way he would be left behind he had a long way to go to reach his goal of avenging his family and clan and he would be the best there was in order to face him.

The three trained a lot that day, Naruto had Sakura run up and down the tree saying it was a good way to gain more chakra in your system and if Sasuke asked her for any advice as he was still trying. Although Naruto had to admit the other boy was doing better than he had when he started this. He went to a small pond in the area and tried water walking and ended up getting entirely wet for the entire time and only got to the point where he was standing on the water but his feet would keep sinking up to his ankles and any movement caused him to lose focus and fall in again.

By the end of the day Sasuke had got halfway up the tree, Sakura was dead tired and could barely move and Naruto looked like he spent the day in a rain storm. It was a very amusing sight when Kakashi returned at the end of the day to tell them training was over for the day but so far he could already see some improvements in his young team and he could wait until tomorrow when they started with weights on for their physical training.

Next up chapter 27: First C class mission