Chapter 6- The Wonderful World of Filler: The Forest of Falling Pre-Teens!

Keiko woke up with the largest headache she had ever experienced. Shutting her eyes against the sun, she slid her pale hand across the floor. /I had the oddest dream&/ she thought.
Oh. Youre up! came a voice that sounded much more sunshine-y than Keiko thought was necessary. She blearily opened her eyes, only have them fly open as she moved away from Sakura, whose face was two inches away from her own. Are you feeling okay? Youve been out for two days. Keiko sat up, looking around the sparsely covered wooden room.
I&Im fine. She said, forcing a smile, How did you all get me here? Sakura blushed and threw a glance at Sasuke whom Keiko just noticed was standing the doorway. Oh. Thanks. He shrugged than addressed Sakura:
Naruto should be here by now. Sakura nodded.
Keiko, Kakashi-sensei wants you in the forest as soon as youve had- at that precise moment, Naruto flew into the room.
Ohmigosh, Keiko! You missed it ALL! There was this guy with a giant sword and he got Kakashi and then Sasuke and I freed him and Kakashi-sensei was SO COOL! And then this boy showed up and killed the man and left, but not really because hes ALIVE! And- Keiko reached up at Naruto and grabbed his headband, pulling him close to her face.
Keep. It. Down. She said in her most dangerous voice. Naruto gulped and stepped away. Balki chuckled and made his way to Keiko, who stroked one his ears thoughtfully.
Oh. Keiko. Youre up. Good. Lets go, kids! Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto clambered to their feet; Naruto stood by the door, waiting for Keiko. She sighed and got to her feet, but not before the old bridge builder showed up.
Now Kakashi, I dont mean to tell you how to train ninja, but the girl just woke up and she hasnt had anything to eat in days. Are you sure its good for her to be training right after something like that happened? Keiko felt a rush of gratitude towards the old man before Kakashi answered:
This man is after you and as a ninja, she needs to be able to help protect you. She can come have something eat AFTER she proves she can get a handle on this technique. Balkis left ear twitched as if swatting away a fly, but Keiko knew it meant that he was restraining himself from barking at the older Jonin. She nodded a quick thanks to Mr. Tazuna and then followed the rest of her group out the door, her stomach growling since she hadnt eaten in ages.
Thats what you get for being weak and fainting. Kakashi said, oblivious to the fact /he/ had been the cause of her fainting. Apparently the effects of the recent chakra addition hadnt worn off, since the next thing Keiko did was rush forward in front of Kakashi and throw out her arms with her teeth bared.
I am NOT weak! She shouted. But when she opened her eyes, he had already walked by. Keiko growled, got back in line, and stewed all the way to their destination.
The rag-tag group finally made it to the forest and stood in a cluster of trees not far from the edge of it. Keiko thought she already knew what sort of technique this was, and she had already mastered it. If it had been any sort of Tai-jutsu? Yes, she would have had some trouble. But Chakra control she had a handle on than any one else in her age group.
Now, Kakashi was saying, leaning heavily on crutches and waving a bandaged arm, Were going to work on something to control your chakra. /Big surprise./ Keiko thought before he continued, Were going to climb trees. Naruto looked stunned, Keiko assumed because he couldnt connect climbing trees and chakra.
Wait a minute! he said several seconds later, Whats chakra? There was a stunned silence throughout the small, tree circled clearing.
Oh my gosh Naruto! Do you know anything? You must have skipped THAT lesson, too! Sakura said, rolling her eyes towards Sasuke in an obvious attempt to share a joke. Chakra is what allows a ninja to nin-jutsu and gen-jutsu. There are pathways through out your body that you control with various hand signs. She went on for several minutes, explaining how, what, and why ninjas use it. Keiko let her mind wander, watching Balki, now back to a puppy, bounce around chasing a butterfly.
Thank you, Sakura. That was an excellent explanation. Sakura beamed. Now, we wont be doing this with our hands. You need to direct your chakra to your feet in a steady stream and climb up them using your feet only. Naruto and, Keiko was surprised to see, even Sasuke seemed confused with this, Here, use these to mark your progress. Kakashi added, throwing all four of them a kunai.
Do you think we could have a presentation before we start ourselves? Sakura asked eagerly, clearly trying to impress both the teacher and her would be lover. Kakashi nodded, made a few hand signs, and then climbed to the lowest branch on the tree.
Now you try. He said to them, everyone but Keiko in awe, You all will probably need to start it running. All four of them nodded and turned to a tree. Keiko sighed and looked up the tree. She made the same hand signs and walked slowly up the tree, watching Naruto run only a few paces up and fall, and Sasuke run quite far before he used too much chakra and fell after he made a large, foot shaped hole in the bark. Sakura, however, had run up half up the tree and now sat on a thick branch.
This is fun, isnt it Sasuke? she called. Sasuke merely looked irritated, causing Sakura in turn to look crestfallen.
Very good Sakura, you can go home. Kakashi said, eyeing Naruto and Sasuke as if they were nothing more than a vaguely interesting newspaper article.
What about me? Keiko called, now having walked up to the very top of her tree, perching precariously on the edge. Kakashi shook his head.
Sakura got here first. Besides, I need someone to stay here and watch these knuckle heads.
Actually, sensei, I wouldnt mind staying here. Sakura put in, throwing sidelong glances at Sasuke who was still racing up the tree and quickly falling back down, and Naruto who had fallen, hit his head, and was now glaring at the tree as if it was all its fault.
You both can stay, then. He said, Ill go get some lunch. Keiko, make sure those two dont kill each other. Keiko muttered vehemently under her breath as Kakashi hobbled out of the forest and toward the small port town. Sakura stared nervously up at Keiko for a minute before sitting down to watch the two boys.
******
It was late afternoon and neither had made much progress. Keiko was sweltering up in her tree, trying to resist the urge to bang her head into the tree every time Sasuke or Naruto made a blatant mistake. Around five, Kakashi showed up once more, handing a basket of sandwiches to Sakura, and eyeing the two heavily breathing genin on the ground.
Sakura placidly chewed on a sandwich as Naruto came crashing down to the ground again. Argh! He screamed in anguish, Why cant I climb this stupid tree?! Sasuke, thank goodness, was too out of breath to say anything in retort, avoiding a fight that could have interrupted the days work. Naruto suddenly whipped his head around to look at Sakura, who had been watching Keiko stare at the sandwiches with fear in her eyes. Getting heavily to his feet, he walked over to Sakura and knelt to whisper in her ear.
What? Really? Sakura asked, looking up at Naruto who nodded and whispered slightly louder than before:
Yeah, only, dont tell Sasuke Im getting help okay?
Boys. Sakura rolled her eyes again, but whispered back into his ear. Naruto grinned and ran back towards the tree and Sakura got up and stretched, then turned around to walk home. Kakashi walked outside the circle of trees as well, leaving Keiko alone with Naruto and Sasuke.
At last, bored of watching the strikes in the trees get higher and higher progressively, Keiko jumped down and snatched the basket, breaking the last, dry piece of bread in half and handing it to Balki, who sniffed at it cautiously before snatching it up and running half way across the clearing. Keiko shook her head and watched Sasuke and Naruto as the sky got darker and darker.