Gone [Naruto fanfic]

#10

The next day after I finished with Kakashi-sensei, we went to Ichiraku's for lunch and discussed my training. While I ate, Kakashi tried to roughly evaluate my level as a ninja.

"You're obviously still new," Kakashi-sensei started, "But you did catch me by surprise and take the bells from me." He paused thoughtfully, "You are probably at the level of a relatively experienced Genin. And since the Chunin exams are coming up soon, you could try doing it if you work hard enough and get a bit more experience by then."

-Well at least 'relatively experienced Genin' is better than nothing.

*You still have a long way to go to catch up, wimp.

-Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious.

"When are the Chunin exams?" I asked him after slurping down the last of my ramen.

"A little less than three months from now." Kakashi-sensei answered.

Thanking Teuchi-san, we left the ramen shop, and started to walk.

-Three months. Less than three months until Naruto gets back and Gaara....

*You don't know he'll die for sure.

-Which is why I have to train hard so I can keep the Akatsuki from getting to him!

*You just started to learn, you barely know anything, and you want to take the Akatsuki on by YOURSELF AFTER YOU ALREADY GOT YOUR BUTT KICKED BY ONE?! You are an absolute lunatic that's going to get us both killed!

-But if I can work hard enough, with both Kakashi-sensei for general jutsu and Lady Tsunade for medical jutsu, I just might be able to go with them to rescue him!

*Yes wimp, they're going to trust a random girl who spouts what must be utter nonsense to them about coming from a different world and that suddenly plopped down in their village to go on a life-threatening and delicate mission that could change this whole universe as we know it. Yes, what a brilliant idea!!!

-I have to try at least!

*Good luck with that wimp. Good luck with that.

-You don't have to be such a pessimist about it.

*I am not a pessimist, I am a realist.

-Same difference.

"Lady Tsunade told me that you would also be working with her after you've gotten some more training in. You want to become a medical ninja?" Kakashi asked as we walked.

"Yes, I do actually." I replied, "I don't get particularly disturbed when it comes to the medical field, and I can usually keep a cool head when somebody gets hurt. And I also thought that it would be useful." I replied, shrugging.

As we made our way back to the training grounds, we bumped into team-Guy(minus Neji).

"Ah Kakashi! Headed for the training grounds?" Guy said with his ever-optimistic tone of voice.

Kakashi gave him an annoyed 'Are you serious?' look. But Guy didn't seem to notice.

"Hey there! Are you the new girl that just came to the village a little while ago?" Tenten peeked out from behind Guy-sensei, Lee standing close behind her.

"Yeah, I am. You must be Tenten." I said while putting my hand out. She took it, and gave it a firm shake.

"My name's Amira. I actually accidentally bumped into Neji when I first got here." I leaned in closer to her, making sure that Kakashi and Guy-sensei were too busy talking to listen, and then whispered, "And he acted super weird when he saw me! Do you know what's up with him?"

"No," Tenten whispered back, "I don't. This past week he seemed really..." She searched for the word, "Distant."

"Has he ever acted this way before?"

I didn't notice that Lee had started to listen too.

"No he has not. I do not think Neji has ever acted this way before." Lee whispered as he leaned in as well.

"I'm really worried about him." Tenten added.

"I feel like I have something to do with Neji acting weird...Where is he now?" I asked them.

"Training with his uncle." Tenten answered, "He's supposed to meet us at the training grounds later. Maybe we can figure things out then?"

"Sounds like a plan." I said, nodding.

"Then we are agreed," Lee stated, "We will confront Neji at the training grounds to find the problem. We will solve this with the power of youth!"

But Neji didn't show up.

We had been training for hours, the sun slowly going down as time passed, but he never came by.

"Well that's strange," Guy-sensei said, "Neji should have been here by now. His hot and youthful blood should have been full of the will to grow stronger!"

Tenten looked up, "Yeah, it is kind of weird."

During the time since we had arrived, and while Tenten was giving me some tips and help with my kunai, I had been thinking about Neji. I thought that he had only acted weird around me because I was new and he didn't trust me, but the rest of his team? Neji was the last person you'd think of to who would lose his cool like that.

"Well, I think that's enough for today Amira." Kakashi-sensei called to me. He had done some training with me to help me learn the techniques of the jutsus I already knew better, but half the time he was trying to get Guy-sensei off his back. So I ended up spending a lot of time with Lee and Tenten. Lee had taught me some strength and endurance exercises, while Tenten introduced me to a variety of weapons and taught me how to use them. Out of all of them, I liked the katanas the most. The handles were the perfect size, and they weren't too heavy, but also not too light that I might swing them by accident. When I told Tenten this, she said I could keep them.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Sure! It's no big deal for me, I have plenty of other weapons, and I never used them much anyway." She took out a scroll and when she opened it, two sword sheaths and a belt popped up. She handed them to me.

"Here, you'll probably need this." She said with a smile.

"Haha! Thanks so much Tenten! These are amazing!" I took the belt from her outstretched hand.

Attaching the sheaths to the belt, I slid the two swords in, and then slipped it over my head and under one arm so it lay diagonally across my torso. I tightened the belt a bit so that it would be snug and wouldn't fall off.

"What do you think?" I asked Tenten and Lee, turning to show it off.

"I think it looks great!" Tenten said.

"I agree with Tenten," Lee said enthusiastically, "It suits you very well indeed!"

I smiled, today was a good day.

============================KATANASSSS!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!

Hehe, sorry. I just really like swords for some reason...(;^^)