chap 2.1

If he didn't know how to detect it, he most likely wouldn't be alive. It was the feeling of someone wanting to hurt him. Naruto turned around just in time to see the group of men charge towards him. He did what he would normally do, he began to run. Naruto had gotten half way down the street when he realized no on as following him. He turned around to see those men on the ground unconscious and the Hyuga man, holding Hinata's hand, standing over them. It was obvious that he had knocked them unconscious.

Hinata was a little surprised that her caretaker had actually decided to help Naruto. For as long as she could remember, he did everything he could to keep her away from Naruto. Naruto approached the Hyuga with caution, not sure if this was some sort of trick. "Honestly, I don't really see why they hate you so much. You're nice to Lady Hinata, so you can't be that bad" the Huyga said. Naruto was pretty sure he had just managed to make another friend.

"Umm, thanks for the help back there…uhh" replied Naruto, not sure of the man's name.

"I'm Ko Hyuga, pleased to make your acquaintance, Naruto" said Ko. Hinata hid behind her caretaker, blushing a little. She was also wondering if this meant that Ko would actually let her talk to Naruto from now on. "I'm sorry, but it is getting late and Hinata-sama's father is expecting her home. Perhaps we will see each other some other time." Ko's last remark encouraged Hinata that perhaps he wouldn't try to force her away from Naruto.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura showed up at the training grounds the following morning at 10:30. Kakashi had told them to meet up at 9:00am, but they had already gotten into the routine that Kakashi was going to be at least two hours late. Sakura had started the day out as she normally did, trying to get Sasuke's attention and ask him out on some sort of date. After awhile, Sakura gave up for the moment, but she would be back.

Just after 11:00am, Kakashi finally showed. "You're Late!" shouted Naruto and Sakura.

"Good morning. Sorry I'm late, but there was this little old lady and…" Kakashi stopped as he saw Sakura getting angry with him. "Anyways, I'm here, so who's ready for some wonderful teambuilding exercises?"

As soon as he mentioned it, all three members of Team 7 looked at Kakashi with killing intent. They had all just about had it with these exercises, even Sakura who saw them as a way to get to Sasuke. "We don't want none of your stinkin' teambuilding exercises! We've been doing those for what feels like forever!" shouted Naruto. "I think it's about time that you finally teach us a cool ninja technique or something, right guys?" Naruto looked to Sasuke and Sakura for support and surprisingly, he got it.

"The Dobe is right, Kakashi-sensei. Those teambuilding exercises of yours aren't getting us anywhere" said Sasuke. Kakashi was feeling slightly insulted that they were attacking his teambuilding exercises. Even Sakura had to agree with Naruto, and not just because Sasuke agreed.

Kakashi sighed. He was wondering when this day would come. "Alright, I suppose we've done enough of those exercises for now" said Kakashi in defeat. "I suppose it's time we work on your guys' chakra control."

"Why do we have to do that? We spent the last four years learning how to control chakra?!" Naruto blurted out. "We get our first real training session. Now why can't you teach us a cool new jutsu or something?"

"Naruto, chakra control is very important. Without the proper control, you would never be able to master anything above a D-rank jutsu" Sakura said after smacking him upside the head.

"Sakura's right Naruto" Kakashi said. "If you hope to be able to learn a cool jutsu, you must learn how to control the flow and release of chakra. The lessons you learned in the academy are basic, but they are not enough."

"Fine. It beats catching that damned cat any ways I wonder what sort of demon that cat came from anyways" said Naruto.

Somewhere in Kumogakaru, a young woman with blonde hair felt the urge to sneeze.

As if scripted perfectly, said cat came running out of the trees with a genin team in pursuit. Unfortunately for Naruto, Tora remembered him from the last time Team 7 was assigned to capture her and proceeded to claw Naruto in the face before darting off into the woods.

"I swear that the village makes more off of that cat than all the other D and C-ranks combined" said Kakashi quietly. "Anyways, today we'll be working on the first of the regular chakra control exercises, the tree climbing exercise."

"Tree climbing?" Sakura questions while Naruto and Sasuke looked on with a bit of curiosity.

"Yes, it's the first exercise in chakra control. The idea is to hold a constant chakra at the bottom of your feet and use it to stick to a surface, in particular the side of a tree, while you walk up it" Kakashi explained. He further instructed the genin in that exercise and they each proceeded to a tree. Naruto and Sasuke took a few steps up the tree before falling to the ground. Sakura had managed to climb the entire tree with little effort. Kakashi noted that her control was the best of the group. They were instructed to work on that exercise for the remainder of the day until they could climb the entire tree. After that, they were to exhaust their chakra as they continued to refine the technique.

Out of the three rookie instructors, Kurenai had begun teaching her students much earlier than either Kakashi or Asuma. It was already clear to her that her team had no pressing issues with one another, except for Hinata wishing that Naruto was on her team, and they didn't require much effort getting the three of them to work together. As such, Kurenai had begun actual training with them only a week or two out of the academy. Asuma followed, but it took a bit longer to get the boys and Ino to work with one another as Ino would constantly belittle them, saying stuff regarding Sasuke doing much better than they would ever do.

For Naruto and Sasuke, it was getting late. Sakura had already called it a night as she didn't have anywhere near the chakra reserved that Sasuke, let alone Naruto, had. However, she had accomplished the training after about two hours. Naruto and Sasuke were locked in a competition as to who would reach the top first. After the day ended, they were each about two-thirds up the tree.

The following day was a mission day for them filled with more exciting D-ranks. It was obvious that Naruto and Sasuke were getting irritated at having to do those. By the second day of their training, the two boys of Team 7 had managed to make it up to the top of the tree. Sasuke had been the first to reach the top, although he noted that Naruto was not far behind, making it to the top the next attempt. The three of them were instructed to refine the exercise for the remainder of the training days that week, until they had it down perfectly. They even used their free day to dedicate to the training.

"Alright, Team 7. For your next mission, you can either babysit an elder's grandson, shop in the neighboring village, or…" the Hokage was cut off by someone entering the room and whispering something in the Hokage's ear. "Well, it appears Tora has escaped again."

Team 7 shuttered at the thought of having to catch that cat again. "No!" Naruto shouted out. "I don't want another stinking D-rank. I want a real mission!" Surprisingly, Sakura and Sasuke both found themselves agreeing.

"I thought it was about time for this" Kakashi thought to himself.

"Idiot, you're just a rookie!" Iruka shouted, his head growing to 5 times its original size as he used his Big Head no Jutsu. "Everyone starts off at the bottom and works their way up!"

"But we keep getting the crappiest duties!" Naruto responded. The Hokage sighed. "We've been doing menial tasks for the past two months. It's about time we got something more fitting for a ninja!"

"Naruto, it seems I have to explain to you what these duties are about" the Third said. "Every day, the village receives requests, from babysitting to assassinations. Each request is written down and given a rank of D, C, B, or A. These missions are handed out to ninja based on their experience. If the duty is completed, the village receives payment from the client. You just recently became genins, so D-ranks are perfect for you." Obviously, Naruto was distracted, discussing his favorite ramen. It was then that the Hokage flipped out, and Kakashi knew he was going to get it later.

"But, if you must" the Hokage said. Team 7 diverted their attention to the old Hokage. "I'll give you a C-rank mission." Naruto was ecstatic, Sasuke and Sakura were pleasantly surprised, and Kakashi was in disbelief. "You will be acting as bodyguards for a certain individual as they travel to the Land of Waves."

"Who is it?! A Feudal Lord? A princess?" Naruto shouted out.

The door opened, and in walked a slightly drunken looking man. "Eh? You're giving me these brats? Hey you, short one with the stupid looking face, are you really a ninja?" thethe man asked.

"Haha, who's the short one with the stupid looking face?" Naruto asked, soon realizing it was him as he was the shortest. Naruto tried to charge the man, only to be held back by Kakashi.

"I am the super expert bridge builder Tazuna. I expect protection until I get back to my country and complete my bridge" the old man said. With that, the team departed the village a few hours later.