Starting over

#8 Training

Naruto POV

We were scattered across a training field. Baki, the personal trainer of the Kazekage's kids, had deemed it necessary to evaluate my skills, while also providing the siblings with the challenge of capturing me and to allow Gaara to work with his brother and sister. My mission was to eliminate them, separately or all together didn't matter. I sat atop of an tree concealing my chakra and trying to formulate a plan. Gaara would be a challenge, Kankuro didn't seem to be as strong as his younger brother, but I couldn't let myself be deceived by his appearance. Temari on the other hand wasn't as much of mystery, I had fought her before so I knew a bit about her fighting style. The biggest problem for me wasn't their individual power, but the possibility of them teaming up and attacking me at once. I thought for awhile and then suddenly grinned. I just had an idea.

Temari POV

We were discussing how to approach Naruto, when we heard a loud explosion happening no hundred meters away from our hiding place. Gaara immediately got up and wanted to attack, being as much of a newbie as Naruto, he didn't know of any tactics but to rush head-on into the enemy. Kankuro managed to stop him and we put our heads back together discussing our strategy. We were once more interrupted by an explosion, although this one was way closer to our current position. I looked intensely into the forest around us trying to make out from where the next attack would come. Suddenly Gaara's sand came up and made a shield in front of me. I heard something hit the shield and foolishly went around it to see what had hit it. That was when the explosion-tag on the Kunai went off, sending me flying in the air. I felt arms wrapping around me and then I heard the voice of my temporary enemy. "You shouldn't have been so curious. You should have trusted Gaara to take his shield down when there was no more danger.", Naruto whispered. "And you should know that we are still technically enemies.", I reminded him, after we landed with him holding me bridal style. "Oh, I know, you were out as soon as I had my hands on you. Sleep tight.", the blonde boy said smiling. I felt a short touch on my neck and then everything went black.

Naruto POV

I laid Temari next to a tree and secured her additionally with chakra-rope which I had gotten from Baki. I jumped back into the trees and searched for the two remaining boys.

After locating them I threw another Kunai at them and as Gaara's sand blocked it, I used their limited view to sneak up on them. As Gaara was sure that the Kunai wouldn't explode and took down the sand wall I charged forward.

I caught them off guard and managed to eliminate Kankuro. Gaara looked at me angrily and I could only try to evade the sand that was coming at me. "So you managed to eliminate these two... I wonder what more you are able to do.", Gaara said grinning, while his sand constantly shot at me. I avoided another wave of sand and felt that my chakra reserves were running low.

Hey, Kurama, mind helping me out a bit?

So you decided to talk to me again, Naruto.

Yeah, sorry, I had a lot to do.

Yeah, I know. Anyway what do you want?

I wanted to borrow me some of your chakra, because I am running low.

What will Gaara and this sensei of his think when they see you using bijuu chakra?

Well, Rasa most likely told Baki about me being a Jinchuuriki and I already told Gaara when we did the sealing.

Hmm, well, let's make a deal. I will help you if you can transform this sewer into something more liveable.

That is possible.

I turned the area in my head where the overgrown fox laid into a forest with a mountain on its side, which had a big cave in which the fox now sat.

Well, this is certainly refreshing. Alright I'll help you.

Thanks, Kurama.

I grinned at Gaara as my body flared up with orange chakra swirling around it. Gaara looked at me strangely before commanding his sand to encircle me. He smiled as his sand closed around me and lifted his hand, signaling his sand to encase me. I smiled lightly, expelling a little bit of Kurama's chakra. Gaara's eyes widened as his sand dropped to the ground. I stood in the middle of the circle of sand unharmed. "You've lost, Gaara.", I said while slowly walking to him, the orange chakra still whirling around me. Gaara tried to raise a sand defense as I got near him, but his sand wouldn't obey him. He threw his hands in the air when he realized that he had nothing to defend himself with, since he had never thought about losing the ability to control is sand. "I give up!", he exclaimed and as if he had been waiting for this, Baki jumped out of the tree. "Okay, that's enough. Naruto, go and get Temari and Kankuro.", the older man ordered, while keeping a safe distance to me, since I still had my bijuu-cloak activated.

I laid Kankuro and Temari in the shade of a large tree. They were still unconscious, but I had removed their bonds. Gaara and Baki were sitting under another tree, talking and eating some snacks that Baki had brought. "So, Naruto, what was that Jutsu you used just now?", Baki asked as I sat besides Gaara. "Well, I'll answer that question if you allow me a question beforehand.", I demanded smiling, while taking one of the sandwiches that Gaara offered me. Baki only nodded while eyeing me sceptically. "How can Sunagakure, a desert village, grow such a training field, full of trees ?", I asked before taking a bite out of the sandwich. "Well you see, since we were founded by Lord Reto, we have been getting an increasing number of missions outside of the desert, so we had to give our shinobi an adequate possibility to train for such missions. That is when we found a small underground stream running underneath this training ground, which didn't feed any of our wells. Through months of rerouting the stream we managed to get it close enough to the surface that we could support trees. That is how this training field was formed.", Baki explained while Gaara and I listened intently. Temari, who had awoken by now, sat down besides me. "So, now it's your turn to explain some stuff. What was that orange chakra and how did you keep Gaara from using his sand?", Baki asked after making sure that Temari was ok.

"Well, for you first question I have befriended my Bijuu and have completely opened the seal. That is why I can draw from it's chakra, which then gives me a massive boost in strength and speed. That was the orange chakra that you have seen, there is another form of this collaboration, where the orange chakra takes on the form of the respective bijuu, but that requires a bond between the jinchuuriki and his bijuu so strong that nothing in the world could shatter it. Now, for your second question; I just expelled a bit of this bijuu chakra and thus negated the chakra from Gaara's bijuu.", I explained. Baki nodded slowly, still trying to process the extent of the information I had just given him. "Ok, let's wait for Kankuro to wake up and then we call it a day. You all did good today. Tomorrow we will work on the reasons why you have lost against Naruto.", Baki said silently, still thinking.