There was a stabbing pain as the fingers slammed into his stomach.
"Good, just hold still a moment," said the old man. "That should do it."
"You're saying this will help?" asked Naruto, blinking back tears as that hurt rather severely.
"The firebird was sealed away with an eight-trigram seal, the Shiki Fuujin," explained the old man. "This four-element seal is something I came up with specifically for you as I went to research the firebird and see what I could find out."
"So, what do you know?" asked Naruto.
The old man sat back on one of the benches in the room and unscrewed his canteen, taking a drink before replying. "Are you sure you want to know?"
Naruto pointed at his belly. "If I'm the jailor, shouldn't I know what I'm jailing?"
The old man smiled at that. "Point. I'm the great Jiraiya, Toad Sage, and I know how to shake down sources. Unfortunately, there is absolutely NO information about that prisoner in any of the usual sources. No library or researcher that I've run into has ever heard of a Twelve-Tailed Phoenix."
"So you didn't hear of anything?" asked Naruto, wondering why the build-up if the answer was "I don't know."
"I finally went to a rogue-nin I've heard of," said Jiraiya. "Whose village was destroyed back in the last war. Hard to get ahold of, but an information specialist. If you can meet his price, he can find out about nearly anything."
"And?" asked Naruto.
"The Twelve-Tails is not one of the normal Tailed Beasts," said Jiraiya. "It is a fragment of an entity outside our universe entirely. I also have a name, it called 'the Phoenix Force' or simply 'Phoenix' - more information will be given me when it is available."
"The 'Phoenix'?" asked Naruto.
"A mythical bird that is born and dies and is born again in flames," said Jiraiya. "Though if you've got one in you - not quite so mythical as once thought."
Naruto frowned, he was still getting feelings off of this Jiraiya but it seemed muted somehow.
"In any case," continued Jiraiya, "I'll have to report on the success of this. How about it, can you still use fire and wind jutsu?"
"-and so I had him demonstrate the basics to me, one at a time," said Jiraiya to the Council and assembled jonin. "He has immense amounts of chakra, even without trying to draw chakra from his prisoner. He has strong affinities for fire and wind, is terrible at water and earth. You also need to watch out for his shadow clones as some of them are fire clones and explode when you disrupt them."
"Yes, Maito Gai discovered that during a training run," said Kurenai from her seat. "Not that much damage from one, but if he ever got it in his head to throw a thousand explosive clones at an obstacle."
Many winces occurred at the thought.
"Suzaku Pond?"
"Not now, Nara-kun."
"Ahem," said Jiraiya. "Look. The kid has potential. The seal will hold the vast majority of that excess power back, but he still has freaking immense chakra coils and reservoir. He's still got at least two elemental affinities and may be able to access a third. At genin? He's training with Maito Gai in taijutsu from 4am to 9am. By 10am he's recovered enough to be with Team 10 and learn basic ninjutsu."
"He starts out still tired, but by noon he's doing better," said Asuma. "I hope that seal works well, he wastes a lot of chakra just trying to do basic stuff."
"After another hour between classes, he's been visiting my group," said Kurenai. "He's really no good at genjutsu himself, but he HAS developed that dispel."
"Yes," said the Sandaime Hokage. "I'm still getting reports on that."
"How far away were the effects felt?" asked Kurenai. "Last I heard it was confined to the village."
"It was relatively minor by the time it reached the limits, but we determined that two safe areas had their Veils disrupted," said the Hokage. "So that was about three kilometers."
"It also is apparently painful to those in the immediate vicinity with an active dojutsu," commented Hiashi Hyuga drily.
"Well, it's a good thing it takes him a few moments to prepare that technique then, isn't it?" asked Kurenai. "There are higher level genjutsu that wouldn't be so easily dispelled by such a chakra wave."
"On the other hand, with those chakra reserves, if we can get him to learn enough self control - he HAS expressed some interest in learning medical jutsu," noted Asuma.
"So... recommendations?" asked the Hokage.
"I'd advise continue Naruto's training while we judge the effects of the extra seal," said Jiraiya. "Sasuke will be ready tomorrow, and the next day Sakura can join them."
"I'm not sure the other two will be up to that level of training," pointed out Kurenai.
"So give them rest breaks," said Jiraiya with a shrug. "If anyone gives them trouble for taking it easy, point out that they were just released from the hospital. Oh, and before I forget - I've already told Naruto to explain things regarding his 'prisoner' as being of a kekkei genkai from his mother's side. Something he doesn't know all the details about since he's the only one of his line still alive."
"What about Kakashi?" asked Asuma. "When is he going to be available to take his genin back? Or WILL he take them back? They didn't actually pass the test."
"Naruto felt excluded from the group, but still put the safety of his team first and executed the mission," pointed out Kurenai. "Sasuke Uchiha apparently tried to accomplish the stated mission objective, and then attempted to get out of the blast radius when things went bad."
"What about Sakura Haruno?" asked Asuma.
"She had very good grades in the Academy," said Kurenai with some hesitation.
There was a brief silence while everyone waited for the jonin kunoichi to say more.
"I have an alternative idea for pinky," said Anko with a grin. "Give her to me for a month while Scarecrow heals up. I'll whip her into a PROPER kunoichi."
"Trained by you? I'd expect you to make her a very IMPROPER kunoichi," retorted Hiashi Hyuga.
"Why thanks, you actually can say something nice about someone else after all," said Anko with a nod towards the elder.
"Did Hiashi Hyuga just make a joke?!" whispered Kurenai to Asuma.
"World must be coming to an end," whispered back Asuma.
Sasuke Uchiha frowned as he got up the next morning and made his way to the training ground frequented by Team Guy.
The talk with Jiraiya, whom he now realized that despite appearances was one of the Leaf Legendary Shinobi, had borne unexpected details.
So Itachi was with a group, and that group was after people like Naruto. People who were after odd bloodlines with special abilities.
Naruto's bloodline, for whatever reason, was on the list.
Sasuke made a face. That meant that wherever Naruto went, he would go too. It wasn't like Naruto was dead last or useless anymore. He'd gotten the damn bells, put the jonin who'd told them 'to come after him with killing intent' in the hospital, and apparently impressed someone enough that they were all getting advanced training.
No not useless. He wasn't Sakura. Honestly, academic excellence and practical deadweight. Well, maybe he could have a talk with the jonin and get someone swapped out with her. Maybe they could get Ino and Sakura on the same team and they could go off and be rabid fangirls without a clue somewhere together?
Sasuke found himself smiling at the thought and quickly abolished the expression.
If the old guy was right, then Itachi being part of a group meant something else. He'd need help. His old image had been of finding his brother and getting into one-on-one combat and avenging his clan. Itachi being part of a group of S-Class Missing-Nin made things different. He'd need someone to deal with Itachi's allies while he went after Itachi himself.
Getting to the training site, he saw Naruto fighting some guy in green spandex?!
previous day:
"HALT!" Maito Gai called out, making a slashing motion. "Where did you learn taijutsu?"
"Uhm, the Academy?" said Naruto. He'd been aware of the taijutsu-master's
"Whoever taught you to fight like this should have their legs tied together and be forced to run through the Forest Of Death on their hands," decided Gai.
"I'm doing something wrong?" asked Naruto.
Maito Gai shook his head. "Your stance is all wrong. I have watched you for the past two hours and have come to a simple conclusion. We have to start over. Your jutsu are mainly wind and fire, correct?"
"Yeah," said Naruto, holding up a fist and surrounding it with flame. "My 'Burn Knuckle' jutsu seems to add a bit to punches, but I don't want to use it in sparring."
Gai nodded. "Lee? You just increased your weights recently. Do you still have the old ones?"
"Yes, sensei," said Lee, rummaging in his pack.
"Good, leave them out, then take a cool-down run around Konoha. In the meantime I am going to start Naruto on a new style of fighting," said Gai. "Naruto, you'll wear these weights around your ankles and wrists as you go about your normal activities. This will help develop your strength and stamina."
"A new taijutsu style?" asked Naruto. "What's it called?"
"Bak Mei Style Wu Shu," said Maito Gai with a grin. "Perhaps mixing a bit of Dragon Style in. We'll have to see if you're up to the training."
today:
Sasuke stared at the scene playing out.
"STOP!" yelled an older guy, striding forward and shoving Naruto's arms and legs around like he was a mannequin in a clothing store window. "Like THIS!"
Naruto held the pose briefly, obviously trying to remember it.
"Lee, offense. Naruto, defense. Begin. And STOP. Do you see the difference?"
"Oh, yeah, I guess," said Naruto.
"What's going on here?" asked Sasuke.
"Gai-sensei is helping correct my problems in taijutsu," said Naruto.
"Try again," said Gai. "Begin."
"My taijutsu doesn't need any work," said Sasuke confidently.
"Yes, I have heard the Uchiha genius is quite gifted," said Gai. "However, you can assist the other genius in practicing your taijutsu and sharpening the edge of your skill."
"Oh?" asked Sasuke.
"Yes," said Gai, making a 'follow me' gesture. "Have you heard of Neji Hyuga? He was Rookie Of The Year for the year prior to you. It is almost fate that you two should further your skills together."
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(Posted Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:16)
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