Bushy Brows?

Back at the training field 3, most students start to dismiss themselves. Few chatted with each other, planning to hang out or have some fun later.

Tenten approached Tsuyu asking if she would like to hang out.

"Thanks for the invitation Tenten-san, but I would like to continue my training". 

'Ah. You are really hard working. Almost like Lee! Look over there. He stays back almost every single day ya know!''.

Tanya turned her gaze to Rock Lee at the distance, hitting the dummy hard over and over again. Tanya had a solemn gaze seeing him. The strips of clothes wrapping his fist is clear evidence that his training even causes his fist to bleed.

Apart from geniuses, Tanya admires and respects hardworking people with discipline - regardless of result. 

Tanya nods, shortly commenting,

"It's admirable". She can see Lee is basically the class underachiever from the interactions and how people see him. His hard work is also a result of him wanting to prove himself. Lee even resembles Naruto; Tanya thought.

'Then see you tomorrow Tsuyu-kun!', Tenten darted away from the field.

After some time of just waiting, finally the annoying brother of his arrives. Naruto said he wanted to train after class and go to her training field. Probably he just wants a company.

"Tsu-chan!", Naruto comes running over. Kiba actually came along with Akamaru on his head as usual.

'Hm. Inuzuka, you are here'. Tanya's stern voice uttered from her lips, with a smirk looking at Kiba.

'It's not bad to train together, kinda fun I would say!', Kiba said with a lighthearted tone, a chill smile carved on his face.

"Kiba!", Naruto is panicking and quickly covers his mouth. The last time Naruto said it's anything 'fun'... he regrets it.

"Fun you say? Then, let's have even MORE fun this time, shall we Inuzuka?". Tanya suddenly had an evil smile on her face.

Kiba felt a cold run down his spine, like he had said something he shouldn't have.

'T-tsuyu, haha… what are we doing today'. Kiba feels a sense of trepidation.

"Warm up! 10 rounds around the field!". Tsuyu commanded as she led the jog.

'YES!', the two kids replied and marched along. Kiba thought everything was normal so far… that maybe Naruto is just over-reacting. Oh he's wrong alright.

Until after they finished their warm up, Tsuyu turned around to look at Kiba.

"For today. We will perform taijutsu drill. Inuzuka. Show me what you got!". Tsuyu's commanding voice made Kiba shrinked slightly.

He gulped before replying a quick yes.

Kiba squatted down, and made a hand seal. 

Beast Mimicry: All Four Technique!

Chakra is molded throughout Kiba's limbs to achieve a boost in physical strength, flexibility of joints and speed. Kiba went on all four, a standard taijutsu of the Inuzuka clan.

Tsuyu shifts her stance - a standard Empire CQC from her past life. Her body constantly swaying slightly as if ready to move at any time or dodge any attack, both her arms up as her foot moves around Kiba.

"Here I come!", Kiba uses all his four limbs to propel himself towards Tsuyu. He starts with an elbow strike directly to the chest!

Fast.

Tsuyu commented inwardly as she sidestepped, already expecting his obvious lunge. Kiba left too much opening after his strike, with no intention to guard himself after he missed. She chained a counter, grabbing onto his back before delivering a knee strike right into Kiba's stomach.

'Ah!', Kiba spat some dry saliva onto the dirt below, holding his abdomen in pain as he fell.

"Fast. But you let your guard down after your strike! They are going to screw you over for every strike you miss! Again!".

Kiba gritted his teeth as he stood.

'Yes!', Kiba went on all 4 again. His eyes carry determination.

…

"Again!".

…

"Are you a wild dog or a shinobi?! Attack with clear intention! Kill or incapacitate! Again!".

…

"Shallow! What can that hit achieve?! Give it your all Kiba! Again!".

…

"Congrats for hitting me~ … but I am still standing and you aren't! What's the point of landing a hit if it achieves nothing!? Again!"

…

'Aaah…!', Kiba is thrown over with a shoulder throw after Tsuyu grabs his wrist before he can land his claw swipe. With a thud, Kiba lay there exhausted, out of chakra, his body straining and hurt all over. 

'Errghh….', Kiba groaned in pain. He sniffed slightly, his eyes teary from tiredness and pain. 

Maa… I want to go home… Kiba whined inwardly.

Tsuyu looked down at Kiba with her arms folded behind her back. Her voice was stern but gentle in tone this time.

"From my observation, your clan technique emphasizes quick lunges, taking advantage of using all four limbs for a short burst of speed. You are supposed to do hit-and-run tactics mostly. Understand this fundamental first Inuzuka. You are wasting your advantage".

'Y-yes… Tsuyu…', Kiba said weakly… 

Tsuyu looked down at Kiba. She appreciates that he remains spirited throughout.

"But you did well, for a brat. You have good potential Kiba, worthy of your clan name. Keep up the good work", Tsuyu said encouraging words as she stretched her hand towards him with a slight smirk.

Kiba took her hand and smiled to himself, feeling a sense of satisfaction at being praised. 

"Now, Naruto, you are next".

'Yes Tsu-chan!', Naruto is fired up as usual, despite Tsuyu's harsh method to make sure the combat is drilled into their very bones. Naruto's tenacity and endurance is his advantage.

The pain is necessary to make them remember. After all, once they graduate, it means death instead of just pain once they make a mistake. For Tsuyu they are future Konoha's combatants. And she doesn't want Naruto to die miserably out there.

Tanya understands Naruto is the kind that attacks first before he thinks; much to his personality. And the right way to teach combat for him is through being beaten up to a point that he wouldn't need to think and can rely on the combat instinct drilled to his bones. This will take experience. Words do no good for him. Only actions. 

…

"Good! Next, disarming!".

Tanya took a wooden Kunai from her small pouch on her waist, and did a completely normal lunge with it towards Naruto's chest.

Naruto managed to parry it with his arm, pushing Tanya's wrist to the right. Instantly he hooked his arm over while his other arm grabbed onto Tanya's wrist. Naruto forced the Kunai out of Tanya's hand with the force of his forearm.

Tanya followed up with her left foot - completely different than her usual use of free left arm leaving Naruto fumbling as he was kneed to the side.

"Ah!", Naruto dropped to the ground, lay beaten and battered. 

Tsuyu smirked slightly.

"Good job nii-san. You are getting the hang of it. Ha… Let's end our practice for today".

'Yes… Tsu-chan… Ouch…', Naruto whimpered a little while holding the side Tanya had just kneed.

Kiba went to Naruto's side, squating while grinning seeing his wrecked face. He felt happy seeing someone else beaten like he had. There's some sense of compadre in it.

'Oi Naruto, you good? Hahaha', Kiba snorted, while still holding onto his stomach that's hurting.

'Ugh… of course not… are you such a sadist to laugh… erghh…'.

Kiba chuckled and poke at Naruto's side where Tsuyu had hit him, making Naruto groan and try to swat him away.

Tsuyu takes a deep breath, resting herself. She noticed a long time ago someone watching from behind the tree there. But she doesn't mind. And she already remembers who it is. The features of his brows are memorable.

In the middle of his training, he noticed Tsuyu and the others training. He is curious, wanting to know how Tsuyu, the class genius on par with Neji train herself.

Tanya noticed Lee already, and their eyes met for a second. Lee seems embarrassed and comes out from behind the tree to reveal himself. Tsuyu called out to him as Lee approached.

"You are… Rock Lee if I am not mistaken?". 

'Wa! His eyebrows are so thick!', Naruto sat up, looking at the newcomer with such thick eyebrows. His honest self made a direct commentary.

Lee is taken aback, almost felt embarrassed and even slightly offended at the sudden comment on his eyebrows.

Tanya glared at his tactlessness; to comment on someone's physical features - unless it's 100% a positive thing - can be an insult if you aren't careful.

"Uzumaki. Naruto. What did I say about respect?".

Her eyes were dead cold, her arms crossed. Naruto shivers and fidgets.

'I… I just forgot okay! Sorry Bushy B- um… What's your name again?', Naruto sheepishly smiled and apologised.

"It's Rock Lee". Tanya answered for Lee.

Tanya almost heard something offensive just now, her eyes glaring sharp at Naruto. Naruto pretended he didn't almost say something worse.

'A-ah. It's fine Tsuyu-san. I just saw you three training… Sorry for sneaking around. I just want to see how you train'.

Tsuyu nods in understanding.

"No problem. We are classmates. I see you have finished your training as well". Tsuyu eyed the bandaged fists of Lee. There's some stains and hints of dried blood on them, from constantly punching the target. Admirable.

'Yes! I want to prove to everyone, I can be a great ninja. Even if I only have taijutsu', Lee seems spirited. She smiled slightly, appreciating his passion.

Lee hesitated for a moment, but seeing the three trains together, and knowing Tsuyu is a genius, he wanted to be a part of it.

'I… I want to join your training!'.

"Ho?", Tanya looks at Lee with interest.

'I want to be as strong and hopefully surpass you and Neji!'. Lee clenched his fist, his eyes filled with determination.

"Very well. From tomorrow onward, you are part of the squad. But this is not child's play". Tsuyu stood with arms folded behind her back. A light smirk on her face.

'Haha! Welcome welcome! I am Inuzuka Kiba by the way', Kiba laughed almost sadistically while rubbing his nose, imagining the future that's more 'fun'.

'Yosha! Let's train hard together Bushy Brow!', Naruto said with a sunny smile, happy that he had a new person joining to train along with him. It's like having a new friend so of course he's happy.

"It's Rock Lee…", Lee's fiery mood disappears for a second hearing Naruto's nickname for him.

Naruto felt his hair stand on his back, feeling Tsuyu's glare at him again after he called Lee Bushy Brow. He pretended to be innocent and hadn't said anything offensive, whistling as he looked around at nothing.

Kiba let out a pfftt seeing Naruto's dumb acting face.

***