Frigga - Cooking skill and the ability to find and judge the quality of ingredients. Because Frigga was really damn good at anything that involved preparing food.
Ullr - Skill with the bow and the hunt. Surviving off the land had also been given, because he felt this tied well to Frigga's gift of kitchen skills.
Baldr - A gift of charisma and attractiveness. He could also try to soothe rage and calm emotions - which was something that had served Baldr well in the company of the Aesir.
Heimdallur - Increased perceptiveness and focus.
Odin - Knowledge of Runes. This was something that Naruto would have to develop and practice to truly master, but the foundation for that was all there and the Uzumaki talent for fuuinjutsu could make that blossom.
Sjofn - also known as Astrild. Her gift had been something that Naruto wasn't sure about, but he had been assured that when he was old enough and ready - it would be of great use to him.
Njordur - Luck with wealth and fishing.
Thor - Boosted physical abilities including height and strength. Flowing lightning-nature chakra to increase speed.
Hermod - a bow.
Kakashi looked down at what Naruto was doing and had a number of questions. Why did Naruto have a bow? When did he start learning to USE a bow? Was that a fuuinjutsu seal being enscribed on an arrowhead by a stylus? What was it supposed to do? Why was he still over a hand taller and more muscular than he'd been the previous morning?
Naruto got up, nocked the arrow and drew it in a smooth movement. Then the release.
The arrow burst into flame halfway to the target and bit deeply into the post. Which ignited a moment later.
Naruto was already loosing a second arrow at the same target. The flames abruptly died out as soon as that arrow hit home.
Naruto nodded at the result.
"Experimenting with fuuinjutsu?" asked Kakashi.
"Yeah," said Naruto. "I can see uses for this kinda thing."
Sakura's head whipped back and forth from the target to Naruto and back.
"Hmph," said Sasuke. Naruto was getting stronger. Good.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I can see uses for that myself, not that I don't have jutsu that can do the same thing," said Kakashi. "Taking things a bit more seriously after your first C-Rank mission?"
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, kneeling down and enscribing another series of marks on another arrowhead.
"Well, experiment more after today's mission," said Kakashi. "We need to go pick up today's D-Rank."
"Good, I need some money for equipment," said Naruto. He straightened and his clothes stretched tight.
"So I see," said Kakashi.
"Drop the henge," not-suggested Sakura.
"It's not a henge," said Sasuke, walking past her.
"Bwah?" asked Sakura. Naruto doing something stupid was normal but Sasuke said it wasn't what she thought it was?
"He's right," said Kakashi. "It's not a henge. Very curious."
"Okay, I'll take the kitchen," said Naruto.
"Eh?" asked Sakura, expecting to get those duties dropped onto her.
"Are you sure about that, Naruto?" asked Kakashi. Boy had never shown any skill in the kitchen. For that matter, Naruto mainly ate cup ramen from what he'd seen. Oh, and expired milk.
"Yeah. Been working on my diet lately. Vitamins and stuff," said Naruto.
"Hmph," said Sasuke. Really, a merchant coming back to their home after a long absence wanted to pay for a D-Rank to get everything ready for them? How was this going to get him stronger anyway?
"Well, that leaves the dusting and general cleanup for one of you, then yardwork for the other." Kakashi leaned against the wall, flipping his book open as he spoke. "Naruto, don't forget the client also has his wife and a little girl with them so make enough for three."
"Gotcha Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto's voice with an accompaniment of pots and pans being moved around. "Any special preferences or dietary considerations?"
"Ah, not that I know of," said Kakashi, raising an eyebrow. That Naruto would even know of, much less consider, such things was further confirmation that something very odd had happened at that shrine. He might have to swing by there and check a few things.
"Okay," said Naruto. "I'm gonna have to make a run to the store. The milk, eggs, and some of the veggies need to be replaced."
"Make a list and hand it off to Sakura," suggested Kakashi. "Sakura - you keep track of the costs so the client can be properly billed."
It was definitely Naruto. Kakashi was sure of that. He'd had Naruto hold up his shirt "just to check something" and he'd inspected the seal. Seal was the same as near as he could tell and he wasn't exactly a slouch at fuuinjutsu. Naruto's chakra presence hadn't changed much.
Had Naruto aged a few years in the space of an hour? It wouldn't be too unexpected with an Uzumaki in an Uzumaki Shrine for space and time to get twisted about in unnatural ways. It would also explain a LOT.
It said a lot about the occupation of ninja when time compression or time/space being twisted out of shape was something that could be seriously expected.
Whatever had happened. Naruto could cook. He'd made a "bit of lunch" for them out of the remains of what he'd prepared for the client.
"What's this called again?" asked Sasuke as he looked down at his plate.
"Smorbrod," answered Naruto. "Not sure when the client's going to be here so something that'd keep. Oh, and tea."
"Well, it can't be all that good if Naruto was fixing it," said Sakura before taking a bite. Light from above, faint breeze tousling her hair, wide-eyed poleaxed expression.
Which had been pretty much Kakashi's reaction though he'd concealed it a lot better.
Sasuke took another bite. "Huh. Better than expected."
Sakura glanced at Naruto then Sasuke, then her little plate with the open-faced sandwich on it. It was just bread and some meat and sliced vegetables with a sauce. She'd even bought the ingredients. How could it end up tasting like THIS?!
Sasuke considered it briefly. "Could use more tomato."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Naruto, apparently serious.
"Oh," said Kakashi. "That reminds me." He fished around in his pocket and drew the three Chunin Exam slips out.
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(Posted Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:00)
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