from Academy to Anbu by theriku260

chapter 16

With Naruto and Jiraiya…

"Gaki! I said make the earth a swamp, not a sand pit!" Jiraiya scolded as Naruto attempted 'Swamp of the Underworld' for the sixteenth time with minimal success.

"Gah, I can't! It's impossible when you harden the earth with your chakra while I'm softening it with mine!" Naruto accused.

"Eh, call it training for all situations. If you can learn to overpower my chakra and create the swamp the jutsu will be unstoppable." Jiraiya smirked at the blonde's scowl but had to dodge several water jutsu, including a well executed water dragon. "What the hell gaki! Are you trying to kill me?!" the sage demanded, pulling a kunai that was hidden in the dragon out of his scroll.

"Who me? I was just showing my mentor how much I've improved on my water ninjutsu" Naruto replied innocently, two scrolls that held water empty.

"Sure, gaki, sure. I think we've done enough. I think it's time for a spar for me to 'see your progress' then." He said evily. Naruto gulped in reply.

Evening…

Akira and Angel were both on Naruto's shoulders, who was wearing his chunin outfit. He sighed as Akira vibrated with excitement.

"Just…don't blow anything up or set something on fire, please?" Naruto begged while rubbing a sore shoulder from Jiraiya's toad slamming him into the ground multiple times. While Jiraiya 'taught' him that day, he had a shadow clone show the panther the art of activating explosive tags. Needless to say Akira became obsessed with the explosions and the look she got around them was creepily similar to a certain nuke-nin currently in the ANBU holding cells.

"Humph. Fine, but I get to play, right?" She asked. Naruto nodded.

"Yes, you are allowed your own hand. Here's some money- if you run out I'm not giving you any more." She took the small bag of rolled ryo and coins in her teeth and purred.

Most of the off duty ANBU and more respectable jonin were already in the poker room when the trio arrived. Dragon inclined his head and a blur of fingers sent the message.

'Rematch. I want Icha Icha. I know Jiraiya gave you a collection signed.'

'And I want Hikaru gone. He clogged the toilet. With water' Naruto signed back. Numerous ANBU sniggered as they caught the exchange.

'Winner take all. You're going down, Mouse.' Naruto found some free seats, Akira taking one to the left, opposite of the newly arrived Ibiki Morino. The man looked extremely calm even as the small panther gave a feral grin and dumped her money out, calling to exchange for chips.

'We'll see.' Dragon finished. Hikaru walked in at that moment and plopped down next to Naruto, oblivious about the exchange.

"Hey, Naruto…" Hikaru started with a chuckle. Naruto's eyes snapped to his friend.

"Yes, Hikaru? You almost never use my name."

"Heh, well you see…Isortofsetyoursparescrollsonfirewhilecookingdinner" Hikaru finished in a rush. The room went silent as the ANBU knew the consequences of messing with their youngest member's fuinjutsu supplies. A few seconds passed and Angel jumped off to go bug the reading Kakashi, who would bat her away, while she just kept returning.

"Sempai…" Naruto trailed off as the newbies Kotetsu and Izumo talked about arrived looking nervous. Suddenly a gleam in his eyes that scared Hikaru more than if Naruto just yelled appeared and Naruto gave a wicked chuckle. "I think I'm going to make a killing tonight. Hey! Come sit over here!" Naruto called to the new comers and those that were sitting across from Naruto moved, eager to see the newbies get cleaned out like they had been once. Petty revenge was good for a stressed out ninja, after all.