Shizune was surprised when she entered the Hokage's office to see Genma Shiranui and Raido Namiashi there as well. She bowed to the Hokage and awaited the mission details, as the summons hadn't been terribly specific. She still went home and changed into her Jounin uniform instead of the kimono she normally wears outside of missions.
"Thank you for your prompt arrival Shizune-chan. As one of the two people familiar with, as well as inoculated from the effects of the Ishvali Iris I thought it time I sent you to begin producing an immunization as well as an weaponized version. Genma and Raido will be there on a separate issue so once a sample cure and poison are created you may return, of course making sure to give Genma and Raido their shots. If you have no questions and you remember my orders you are dismissed."
The three Jounin departed and made their way to the gate. Shizune could see how tense her two temporary squadmates were and thought it best to ask, to clear up any concerns. "Genma, Raido, what's wrong?"
"A lot," said the senbon chewing Special Jounin. Realizing that answered nothing he continued after activating a sound distorting genjutsu. "Not everyone in this village is blind, Shizune. Those of us who weren't were ordered to stay away from the kid."
Shizune didn't visibly react, having suspected Jiraiya was told something similar. She just waited for them to continue speaking.
"Sandaime-sama was quite strict in his enforcement of that. We disliked it greatly, Kakashi detested it with his entire being. There were days we were concerned he was going to do something stupid and get himself killed in the process." Raido said.
"Especially when he wasn't allowed to take the gaki as an apprentice. A lot of trees had a lot of chidori shaped holes through them." Genma added.
"There wasn't a lot we could do for him, not directly but we did watch out for him. Made sure no one ever attacked him or tried to cheat him. The few times he had to go to the hospital we'd check to make sure he was being treated fairly." spoke Raido and seeing Shizune's dark look, reassured her, "They were always professional and some were even more than that."
Genma continued, "Anyway, we couldn't have him as a student, couldn't even run missions with him as Sandaime-sama wouldn't allow it. But we did keep an eye out on his mission reports. To see how he was progressing and to make sure none of the Chunin were risking his life or trying to jam him up.
When he returned from Ishval, Kakashi got to the report first and immediately went to Sandaime-sama and requested an A rank assassination mission he'd finance himself. We were proud of the gaki for making it but knew being the only one to survive would mess with him. And it did, he didn't really return to normal until he was on Kurenai's team and that took a couple of months.
Sorry, I digressed. We'd have gone with Kakashi no problem but the Sandaime refused. Said the leader of Ishval, Ichiro Kurosawa, was now indebted to Konoha. That the man had more value alive than dead."
"We don't share that opinion. Not only did he lie to get that team there, he got three ninja killed because the greedy little bastard thought he could control two Kiri Swordsmen. Before you got there he was warning us against any rash decisions and stated if anything were to happen to the bastard he'd hold us responsible." stated Raido.
"So, what is your mission?" asked Shizune frowning that the man that nearly got her surrogate brother killed. She remembered how broken Naruto looked after he was cured. Initially, only Tonton could get a positive reaction out of him but he did open up eventually. However, it was nowhere near as bubbly as he'd act now in their company. She understood why they wanted to hurt that man.
"We're to escort Ichiro back here, that's all we know." Genma said as the three reached the gate. They checked out and then took off toward Ishval at impressive speeds.
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Kakashi made his way to the manor, signature book in hand. He was not expecting the warmest greetings but even that lack of expectation didn't prepare him for what he received.
"Who are you, dickhead?"
"Mah, mah, Uzumaki-chan. That's not very nice. I am Hatake Kakashi and I'm here to see Naruto about a mission."
"Oh, well come in, he's out back talking to him." she said as she led him to the back. Kakashi had to admit that the house lacked much of what one would expect in the home of an evil scientist bent on world domination, or whatever her aims are. He really couldn't be assed to care, honestly. The large complex did seem comfortable, almost homey. It was weird. Like finding out the Kyuubi really liked the snuggle.
"Tayuya, who is this?" asked a second Uzumaki, so Karin Kakashi reasoned as she carried some medical texts, if the titles were to be believed.
"This is Dickhead, he's here for Stump."
Karin just rolled her eyes, Tayuya had to have respect beaten into her. It wasn't one of her better qualities. Karin turned toward the jounin and introduced herself and he did so in kind as the trio made it to the back to see Naruto and several clones having a furious discussion.
"Oi, Stump!" Tayuya shouted and did well to get out of the way of the kunai aimed at her head. "Overreact much, asshole?" she responded, only to get flipped off as Naruto walked over to the group.
Karin sighed, her cousins were weird. "Sorry, Hatake-san, Tayuya isn't house broken yet." Karin said, only to receive her own one finger salute.
"Hey, guys." Naruto greeted, ignoring Tayuya's continued complaints.
"Hello, Naru-chan. You free for a quick, in village C rank mission?"
"Sure, Kurenai-sensei gave us the day to train ourselves. What do you need me to do?"
"Come with me, I'll explain on the way." he said and the two departed.
"Tayuya, why are you so mean to Naruto? He's sensitive about his height."
"Because it's funny. Besides, Tsunade-sama said to gently razz him when she's not around."
"Why do you call her Tsunade-sama?" Karin asked in confusion. Tayuya is only that respectful to Orochimaru-sama.
"I-I don't want to talk about it." Tayuya said, color drained from her face.
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The two arrived to training ground three and Naruto saw the familiar smoke of a dispelled shadow clone. Why Kakashi didn't send a clone to get him, he could not imagine and apparently it was a questioned shared by his team.
"WHY DID YOU LEAVE A CLONE WITH US, SENSEI!?" Sakura shouted. Naruto didn't remember her being that loud. He wondered when it happened.
"Mah, mah, I just like him more is all. No big deal." Kakashi responded while his students and an Inuzuka puppy face faulted into the ground.
"Too honest, Sensei, much too honest." Kiba said.
"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to. Think of this as a life lesson. Now, today, Sakur, Kiba and Akamaru you'll be with me. The team was entirely too straightforward in your approach to yesterday's drill. That kind of behavior is dangerous so we'll be doing some exercises to expand your creativity in tactics."
"What about Sasuke-kun?"
"He will get some tutoring in ninjutsu from Naruto here." Sasuke looked both interested and confused.
"You're the Copy Ninja, why can't you teach me ninjutsu?"
"That's a really good question, Sasuke. See, as your Jounin Sensei, I teach you what I think you need to know to survive, not what you want to know. If you want additional lessons then we have other resources. Naruto here has paid for multiple C-rank missions to receive private lessons from one of the village's experts. Didn't much help with his raiton, though." Kakashi answered eye smiling at Naruto near the end of his statement.
"Oi, when you get some free time I want a spar. I'll show you a raiton jutsu, 'ttebayo."
"I look forward to it. Now, Kiba, Sakura with me. You two, have fun."
Naruto waited for the other members of team 7 to depart before he spoke to Sasuke. "Is there a body of water near here? We'll be focusing on katon." Sasuke nodded and started to walk in the direction of a pond.
"Why katon? My primary is raiton and word has it you can use every element."
"Word has it? Tapped into the rumor mill, Sasuke-san?"
"My kunoichi teammate is. It's ninety-nine percent annoying but this once was approaching useful. You also didn't answer my question."
"Oh, that's simple, Kakashi paid for the lesson and requested I focus on your fire jutsu. Also, given what I'll be teaching you, it works better if you have a few jutsu known already."
"Aren't you teaching me jutsu?" Sasuke asked in confusion.
"No. Well, maybe. Kakashi left that up to my discretion."
"Then what is the point of this?" Naruto could hear the annoyance in his voice and sighed a little. A solo C-rank isn't bad money but he wished Sasuke could just be a little patient.
"It's the difference between teaching you a recipe and teaching you how to cook." Sasuke didn't hide the confusion. "If I give you a recipe you know how to do that recipe. If I teach you the individual skills that go into cooking then you can do a lot more." Naruto's metaphor wasn't helping. "Ok, let's try a different track. I can draw my sword from the side or overhead from my back, perfectly. It never catches, it is always smooth. Does that make me a master swordsman?"
"No, of course not."
"Then why is it if someone can execute a single jutsu in a similar fashion repeatedly are they a master of that jutsu?"
"I never really thought about it."
"Almost no one does. I'm not going to just teach you a jutsu, I'm going to teach you an approach to jutsu so you get more out of them. One jutsu that can do three things is better than three jutsu that do one thing." Naruto said as the pair reached the pond. "Now, I understand you favor the [Great Fireball Jutsu], right?" Sasuke nodded so he continued, "How many people have you managed to actually hit with it?"
"Not many." Sasuke admitted, reluctantly.
"Understandable, it's powerful for a C-rank jutsu but unless the enemy is immobile it can be avoided. It's also pretty centralized. But what if it weren't?"
"What do you mean?"
"Activate your sharingan and watch." Sasuke did just that and watched as Naruto went through the familiar hand seals. Naruto inhaled deeply but when he started to exhale the shape of his mouth was different. His lips were slightly closed at the middle and the fire jutsu split, sending two medium sized fireballs, one to the left and one to the right.
"That is just one simple alteration." Naruto said, only for Sasuke to smirk in satisfaction. Naruto didn't know why but he had the urge to call the last Uchiha a bastard but just ignored it. What neither boy realized was the presence of a third party, watching the pair with the smallest of smiles hid behind his ANBU mask.
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How does one forgive themselves? Is it a feeling? A place you'll only know you've reached once you've managed it? Or is it a choice? One you make once or multiple times? Kurenai didn't know this, didn't have the clearest explanation for it so she felt like a fraud when she advised Anko to do just that, to forgive herself.
Ninja live with guilt, almost all have done something that could and potentially should feel guilty about. Many hide the guilt behind quirky behavior or patriotic zeal. Some a nindo. Others just simply numb themselves but the guilt is there, even with the skewed morals they adopt. No one process is truly superior to another and what triggers that since is as wide ranging as the personalities of the ninja in Konoha's forces.
But guilt is a singularly limiting emotion. Where other emotions can be put to good use, even anger and rage can be beneficial. Guilt is limiting. It isn't a sign you've learned a lesson, it's a process of continuing to obsess, harp on a wrong you've done. It can make you slower, depressed or sloppy. No one had to look further than Kakashi to see what guilt could do, someone that should clearly be Kage level is only really getting back to seriously training himself.
Kurenai didn't want that for Anko, for her to languish. While not always productive, her hatred for Orochimaru did push her to try to improve. This could cause her to backslide and given she may be in the frontlines in a few short months, there simply was no time for that. Hence, Anko needed to give herself permission to move on.
Kurenai was thankful her friend could acknowledge the logic of her words but it was clear this would be a struggle. No one wants to admit they are similar to the person they hate most in the world as you don't want to empathize with him. It's easier if they are simple, monstrous individuals. Complexity gets in the way and thanks to her student, she'd been getting a more and more complicated view of the once traitor and the current Hokage.
She still thought Orochimaru was a monster, but in the way humans can be. The distance between her and anyone else a matter of degrees, not type. And the Sandaime wasn't the kind, wisened leader she once thought. He was still those things but also someone that loved his own lore and the glory that came with the title; someone who could have potentially preyed upon her if circumstances had been different only to throw her away when she became inconvenient, no longer needed for his ego.
As the pictures of these people became more and more complicated, she only wished people she cared about weren't caught in the middle; Anko and Naruto most specifically but Asuma as well. He knew Orochimaru was manipulating him, she simply wagered the reveal of the affair would outweigh that concern. Now, Asuma's relationship with the Sandaime was in tatters, all the progress they made completely undone. Anko was slipping into an emotional black hole and Naruto? She didn't even know except he hated the Sandaime and respected the Sannin, relying on her to get him through the upcoming trials.
Nothing about this was right, nothing about it set well but the Genjutsu Mistress felt powerless to influence, let alone control any of it. She was out of her depths, getting stronger but not strong enough to insure Naruto could face down multiple S-rank opponents. Smart but not informed enough to navigate the plots and plans Orochimaru seemed to craft with great efficacy. But what she could do is be there.
Offer comfort to Anko. A sounding board to Asuma. And a way to keep Naruto connected to his teammates and possibly the village at large. She wouldn't let him be isolated just in case Orochimaru was manipulating him. It wasn't much but she'd make the best of it. So wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't notice Anko drift off on her shoulder as the two sat in the Special Jounin's bed, exhaustion finally taking her. Kurenai felt her resolve harden, she'd be here for those she cared about and she didn't need to be a legend to do it.