Naruto: A Second Chance

Chapter VIII

First-thing the following morning, Kakashi had them train. Naruto was mildly interested, but all the while he participated and looked as if he were struggling. He made sure to at least keep up with Sasuke. Though eventually the menial task became annoying and he decided to just walk his way right up the tree. Sasuke looked enraged, and Kakashi and Sakura were not hiding their surprise; nevertheless, Naruto acted clueless and took a nap in an overhanging branch in his tree afterwards.

- - -

The training was just a way to kill time. Kakashi was going to take at least the rest of the day to recuperate from chakra depletion and he knew that his students were teeming with unused, ecstatic energy. This was their first mission outside the village so it was understandable, though Kakashi feared his Genin did not truly understand the depth of their situation. He wanted them to be as ready as they could be for Zabuza and his fake hunter nin.

Sasuke, for once, was the last one to complete the exercise and Kakashi felt that this was a good thing. The Uchiha might learn a bit of humility to quell his hubris, and it balanced the team a bit more in terms of ability. He was aware that Sakura would need a bit more incentive and honing, but that would have to come later; right now, Kakashi was worried about Naruto's reliability. The boy was able enough to stand on his own in mild situations, but as his display of falling asleep after training detailed, he was not very vigilant. He decided that he would get Sakura some real pressure and take her out to the bridge while Naruto stood sentry in the house and anticipated attacks from bandits. It was a decent plan, and Sasuke's abilities should compensate for Sakura's lack.

"Kakashi,"

The Jounin sensei sighed through his nose. He couldn't be bothered to turn his head to look at him, so he looked out of the corner of his left eye to the tree canopies his students had been in moments prior. He raised a questioning brow to Ki, though he dounted the ANBU operative needed to see it to know that he was curious.

"What is it?"

"Do you truly intend to have your students fight Momochi, Zabuza?"

"Yes."

Ki was silent for a long time after that. It was an eerie silence, though not because it was irregular; Kakashi considered himself an expert on masks, and it was clear to him that Ki's mask was not serving its purpose in that pregnant moment; there was a worry, an unguarded concern showing through, and Kakashi was suddenly very curious.

"They're Genin, but one is a driven Uchiha heir, one needs a push to come into herself, and the other is an ironically viable wildcard. I'd say a fight with Zabuza is in order."

There was a second where Ki's hair seemed to shimmer and his body seemed to shift in stature slightly. He raised his hand to his mask slowly as it happened, then dropped his hand and thought better of it. But his hair was golden now. Kakashi leaned forward from the trunk of the tree in awe.

"What are you here for, Ki?"

"I am assigned to monitor Uzumaki, Naruto."

For fear of the Nine Tails, likely.

Kakashi didn't pry anymore. He stared at Ki long and even, and then leaned against the tree with a greater sigh escaping his mouth. He tried not to think about why an ANBU operative would feel anything, let alone sympathy. All he knew was that something was wrong and that he didn't want any part of it.

"I'm going to let Naruto sleep in tomorrow. I figure that's as good a time as any to keep an eye on him. He's a good kid, but he's eclectic; I wouldn't doubt for a moment that he would take the first chance he got to run off and abandon his post. Keep'im in check for me?"