The Little Senju (Little Senju Series Book One): A Naruto Fanfiction

The Little Senju Continues the Search for Tsunade

Naruto's POV

I was at my training again just as Izumi was at hers. With a groan I tossed another deflated rubber ball to my feet. Why was this so difficult? "It has to pop!" I grabbed another from the bag beside me.

"Bind!" Izumi commanded her vines causing them to loosely wrap around the low hanging branches of the tree that sat to her left, but it seemed that she was having just about as much luck as I was, "Bind, dang it!" as though repulsed by her annoyance they untangled themselves from the tree.

We were there day after day training, but to the same result each day. Both of us were both beyond frustration as the pain lingered in my hands and Izumi's eyes. She lay panting on the ground as her Seikatsu faded away. The period of time that she could use the dojutsu was shortening each day as her exhaustion increased.

"Izumi, maybe you should take a break for the day..." I suggested feeling anxious towards the redness of the blue-haired girl's eyes, "I'll be fine by myself."

"No." she replied firmly returning to her wobbly feet, "If you're going to keep training, then I am too." the girl put her hands together and reactivated the Seikatsu her eyes taking on a familiar green hue, "I'll take a break soon, I promise." she gave me a weak smile, "I feel like I'm about to make a break through, so I'm going to push through for a little while."

"Okay..."

Izumi's POV

Dang it! I shouted in my mind as I felt the vines returning, Now I have Naruto worrying about me! Aren't I supposed to be the one worried about him?!? My focus returned as I let out a deep breath. I was about to call out for the vines to obey my command when I was interrupted by Naruto's obnoxious laughter, "You idiot!" I cried losing my previously built up concentration, "I almost had it too!!!

"How can I concentrate with that stupid perv's face popping into my head?!?" he cackled ignoring my complaints, "I've got to do it." his face turned serious, "Ow..." the blond whimpered as he tried to gather chakra, "I just need a little more time to rest... That's all..." he shook off his headband as the wind started to blow causing a barrage of leaves to fly off with it one of which landed on my teammates forehead. Naruto gasped out as he touched it as though he was reminded of something. I stood back watching whatever it was that his next move would be, "This is the same thing..." he muttered to himself as he got up, "I should've paid more attention to what Iruka Sensei was telling us... I'm so stupid!" What does Iruka have to do with our training? "Alright. Here we go, I'm doing this no matter what!" he closed his eyes as he focused on the rubber ball, "Concentrate... Concentrate... Concentrate..." he murmured before springing to action.

Without warning he pummeled at the ball's surface causing a glow to appear and in a moment he was thrown backwards by the sheer force of his own chakra, "Naruto!" I called out my eyes growing wide, "Bind!" the Seikatsu returned and I moved without thinking wrapping Naruto in my vines before he could collide with any objects, "Are you alright?!?" Upon closer inspection I noticed the burns residing on the blond's hand.

"What do you know it finally popped..." he said weakly as Pervert-Chan approached us.

"Well done." the man congratulated him, "It looks like you've finally mastered the second step... Izumi it seems that you've taken a big step forward as well."

"Well, what're you waiting for?" Naruto broke in looking like he was about to pass out, "What's the last step?"

"And what about me? Do I continue...."

"That'll have to wait for now." the sage said sternly causing both us genin to look at him curiously, "It's time for us to meet up with Tsunade!

. . .

"Okay!" our white-haired teacher announced pointing forward, "Let's go!!! Eh?"

"Let's go? Are you kidding me?" Naruto questioned without an ounce of enthusiasm, "Quit acting like stupid little kid, will ya?" Had Naruto and Jiraiya gone through some weird body swap or something?!?

"What the? Why're you in such a bad mood?"

"Well, what do you think?!?" the blond snapped regaining his usual fire, "We're still in the middle of my training. You said there were three steps to learn, right?" he held up three fingers, "Well, I've only learned two of 'em!" he was now holding up two fingers, "Now quit holding out on me!!!"

Pervert-Chan laughed as he pulled something out of his coat, "Relax, you can work on the third one while we're walking!" he blew up a regular balloon causing the blond to furrow his brows in confusion, "Here!" the white-haired man tossed it to him.

"Okay.... So what's the deal?"

Pervert-Chan explained the significance of each step Naruto had learned earning a yawn from me. Why was I listening to their conversation again? "The final step is this!" the sage held up the motionless balloon.

"What do you mean by this already?!?"

Third POV

"It simply looks like I'm holding up an ordinary balloon, doesn't it?" Jiraiya remarked smiling at his male student's response, "Hmm, let me try again over on my left this time!" Naruto stared intently, "Let's see what's really happening inside the balloon." the swirling blue energy of the jutsu appeared in the palm of his hand causing the blond to gasp, "Take a look at that! Like a small typhoon!"

"So, that's also happening in the balloon on your right?" Naruto guessed staring at the balloon.

"What do you think? Nifty, huh?" the sage smiled again before explaining the third step of the orange ninja's training. He then walked over to a nearby tree to demonstrate the difference between with and without the last phase of Naruto's training.

Naruto started to try with his own balloon leading to the balloon bursting after only a few seconds. It was then that the two noticed a small noise just behind them. What was that? With a glance over their shoulder's they saw Izumi curled up in a ball snoozing on the grass.

"Izumi!" the blond shouted awakening the girl who hardly took notice of his presence as she rubbed her eyes.

"Hmm..." she hummed letting out a yawn, "I'm up... I'm up... Good morning..." her companions gave no reply as she started walking towards them, "You guys really need to stop with the long explanations... It's no wonder I fell asleep."

"Well, Naruto you can continue our training on the road and Izumi you can take break. I'm sure your eyes could use a rest." Jiraiya turned around and took a step forward, "It's time for us to get moving!