The next few nights Naruto would be out all night training, one morning Aceso woke up to find Naruto not there again, she sighed and made her way to the kitchen and sat down at the table.

" Good morning everyone," Sakura yawned as she walked in.

" Here," Tsunami said as she put down a bowl of food.

" Oh, thank you," Sakura thanked her.

" Naruto's not here?" Tazuna asked. " Looks like he was out all night again."

" He's gone completely crazy," Sakura sighed as she rubbed her eyes. " He's out climbing trees in the dark."

" I wouldn't say crazy," Aceso disagreed after taking a sip of tea. " Determined is the preferred word, willing to train no matter the time of day."

" He could be dead by now," Sakura argued. " You know, from using up too much of his chakra."

" If anything, he's slumped against a tree sleeping," Aceso argued. " I trust Naruto won't push it too far."

" Well, I certainly hope he's okay," Tsunami hoped. " A child spending the night in the woods alone."

" There's nothing to worry about," Kakashi confirmed. " Naruto is a goofy kid, but he's also a full-fledged ninja. He can handle himself."

" Sakura's right," Sasuke disagreed with Kakashi. " Naruto's such a loser. He's probably lying out there dead somewhere."

" You underestimate him Sasuke," Aceso argued as she stood up. " I will go see if he's okay and bring first-aid if it is needed." She walked towards the door, Sasuke stood up, turned, and began to follow.

" Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

" I'm going for a walk," Sasuke informed.

" Uh, but we just started eating," Sakura argued. " Sasuke, Aceso, please come sit down."

" We'll be back," Aceso assured as they left the room.

" I already ate, you should stay," Sasuke suggested.

"No way," Aceso argued. " Besides if Naruto is hurt, I'll need to tend to him. You should stay behind."

" No way," Sasuke argued.

" Then we will both just have to look for him," Aceso stated as they made their way towards the forest.

" Well, is what you thought it would be?" Sasuke asked.

" Huh?" Aceso asked as she looked at him.

" Coming on this mission," Sasuke stated.

" Well, it's not what any of us thought," Aceso reminded him. " This was a C-class mission that turned into an A-class mission."

" What do you think?" Sasuke asked.

" If I'm going, to be honest, it's much different than the missions in the hospital," Aceso answered.

" Those aren't missions," Sasuke scoffed.

" To be saving people and healing people are missions," Aceso informed. " Delivering babies are missions, just because they aren't what you signed up for, doesn't mean it's not a mission. Though I don't know why I became a ninja, I'm terrible, I would have been fine knowing some medical Jutsu."

" You're a great ninja," Sasuke disagreed. "Your medical ninjutsu skills are amazing, you just need a bit more experience away from the village."

" Thanks, Sasuke," Aceso smiled.

" What is your goal as a ninja?" Sasuke answered.

" To be the greatest medical ninja ever, to the point people come to our village for help or I go to their village," Aceso answered. " What about you?"

" To get strong enough to get revenge on Itachi" Sasuke answered. 

Aceso looked at him.  " When that starts to happen, let me know so I can give you some medicine before you go."

" I'll keep that in mind," Sasuke nodded. They both saw a male walking toward them with a basket of herbs. Sasuke stopped walking when they passed the man and looked back.

" Whoa," they heard someone groan, they looked at Naruto sitting, looking grumpy. " I've seen a lot of weird things in my life before but this one takes the cake." Sasuke hit him on the head. " Ow! Hey, what did you do that for?"

" You twerp," Sasuke dissed.

" Cut it out!" Naruto demanded as he held his head.

" Did you just forget about breakfast?" Aceso asked.

" You're such a loser," Sasuke groaned.

" Duh?" Naruto sounded, then he smiled and chuckled. Sasuke snarled angrily. " Aceso! Before I forget, I was gathering herbs earlier and saved some for you." He pulled some out of his pocket and held it out. " Did you know they are used for treating illnesses in human wounds?"

" Yes," Aceso confirmed. " Thank you, Naruto." She grabbed them from him. " I brought some food for you." She pulled the breakfast they had been given. " Shouldn't train on an empty stomach."

" Awesome!" Naruto cheered as he snatched it. Soon he finished eating and the other two boys went back to tree climbing. Aceso participated in the training, at some point she stopped and sat on a tree, and played with the herbs.

" Naruto!" They heard Sakura call out, they looked down to see Kakashi and Sakura looking for them. " Knowing Naruto, he could be anywhere. And Sasuke hasn't come back either. I hope Aceso didn't get lost. I wonder where they are." They looked around when suddenly Naruto threw a kunai knife from the branch he laid on. It landed a couple of feet away. They looked up in surprise and Naruto was chuckling.

" Whoa, Naruto can climb that high now using his chakra," Sakura said in shock. " That's great."

" What do you think?" Naruto asked. " High enough for you guys? I mean, it's a long way down, huh?" Naruto hopped up to his feet, lost balance, and went over the edge.

" Oh, Naruto!" Sakura yelled.

" Uh-oh," Kakashi panicked.

" Aah!" Naruto yelled as Sakura screamed, he then was upside down on the tree. " Ha, ha! Just kidding. You guys really fell for it." He laughed more.

" We were worried about you, Naruto," Aceso informed.

" Why do I think this is going to end badly?" Kakashi asked. Naruto then lost control of the chakra and popped off the tree. " Ahh!"

" Aah!" Sakura exploded angrily. " Yiu just had to push it, didn't you, showoff?"

" Aah!" Naruto screamed as he went headfirst toward the ground. Sasuke popped out of nowhere, ran up the tree, jumped and grabbed Naruto by the ankle, and hung upside down.

" You really are a total loser, Naruto," Sasuke insulted.

" Naah!" Naruto yelped. " Sasuke?"

" All right, Sasuke. You're the best," Sakura gushed.

" If I'm still sane by the time I finish their training, it'll be a miracle," Kakashi admitted happily. Training continued, Aceso sat on the ground mixing herbs, and making medicine, she was trying to invent something new. Where she would place chakra in it, and when it was put on a patient, the chakra would absorb into the patient. Soon it was time for dinner again, Sasuke and Naruto were both gone.

" Now they're both late," Sakura said with worry. " I wouldn't have expected that from Sasuke.' The door opened, and they looked to see Sasuke helping an exhausted Naruto into the house.

" What have you been up to?" Tazuna demanded. " You look like something the cat dragged in." Naruto looked up chuckling.

" We both made it," Naruto laughed. " We climbed all the way to the top."

" Good," Kakashi complimented. " Now we move on. Starting tomorrow, you're both bodyguards for Tazuna."

" All right!" Naruto laughed as Sasuke smiled, and they both fell over.

" Uhh, you are such a loser," Sasuke groaned. They all laughed. They helped both boys into a chair and chowed down.

" In a few more days, the bridge will be finished," Tazuna stated after they finished eating. " I have you to thank for that."

" You've all done great," Tsunami complimented as she collected plates, Aceso got up and started to help. " But you've still got to be careful."

" I've been meaning to ask you this, but I haven't had the chance until now," Tazuna admitted. " Why did you stay and protect me even after you found out I lied to bring you here?"

" Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, cowardice cannot survive," Kakashi quoted,

" Huh?" Tsunami asked as Aceso went towards the sink.

" That was a quote from the First Hokage," Kakashi recalled.

" Hmm," Inari sounded, he then looked at Naruto who was passed out at the table. Suddenly he was crying. " But why?"

" Hmm? What did you say?" Naruto asked waking up.

" Unh," Inari grunted, slamming his hands on the table and standing up. " All this stupid training is just a waste of time. Gato's got a whole army. They'll beat you down, and they'll destroy you. These cool things you all say-- they don't mean everything." Aceso turned off the sink and looked back at the table, at Inari. " No matter what you do, the strong always win, and the weak always lose."

" Just speak for yourself," Naruto argued as he looked away. : It won't be like that for me. You got that?"

" Why don't you be quiet?" Inari demanded. " Looking at you makes me sick. You don't know anything about this country. You're just butting. Always laughing and playing around. You don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt."

" Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little victim," Naruto argued without looking up.

" Uhh," Inari sounded angry.

" You can whimper all day for all I care," Naruto admitted. " You're nothing but a coward." He looked up from his arm at the little boy."

" Naruto, you went too far," Sakura scowled. He grunted angrily, stood up, and walked away. " Naruto." Inari was sobbing. After dinner everyone separated, Aceso went up to where Naruto was sleeping.

" Naruto?" Aceso asked as she knocked.

" Go away," Naruto growled. She opened the door to find him lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. He sat up sharply. " Go away Aceso."

" I just came in with some medicine," Aceso said as she put her hands up.

" I'll be fine," Naruto grunted. " I'll be better in the morning, you said sleeping helps too."

" It's something new I want to try out," Aceso stated as she walked over.

" Am I your test subject?" Naruto asked. " Why not do it on Sasuke?"

" He's already asleep," Aceso shrugged, she kneeled beside him and took out her jar. " Hold out your arm."

" I need sleep too," Naruto argued as he tried to pull away. 

" Just a minute," Aceso pleaded as she grabbed his arm, she saw the worst bruised spot. She opened her jar, swiped a little, and then spread it onto his wound. She had green chakra form on her hand, she placed it on his arm, from the inside she could see the ointment dipping into Naruto's chakra pools filling it up, on the outside she could see some of the small injuries disappearing. 

" Wow," Naruto breathed as his eyes went wide. " More?"

" That's enough for now," Aceso said as she stood up. " You were a bit rough on Inari."

" He's nothing but a baby," Naruto grunted.

" He'll be courageous one day," Aceso said. " Still got a lot of growing up to do, as I recall from stories you used to cry a lot when you were younger too."

" Shut up," Naruto growled as he looked away. 

" Don't forget how you felt, Inari might be feeling the same," Aceso said. " Have a good rest." She walked out and went to get some rest herself. The next morning Aceso was staying back as the others went to the bridge and Naruto slept.

" Ok, I leave Naruto in your hands," Kakashi said as they stood at the door. " He pushed his body to the limit, overdoing it, as usual, so he may not be able to move today at all. "

" What about you?" Tsunami asked.

" You're still recovering yourself," Aceso reminded him.

" Why? Do I look wobbly?" Kakashi asked. He looked at Tsunami. " I'll be okay, the medicine Aceso gave me has been great."

" Come on," Tazuna grunted. " Let's go." They then walked away.

" They'll be okay," Aceso assured.

" I sure hope so," Tsunami hoped. " You have amazing healing skills, you should stay in the village for a while or come back."

" I'll make a note," Aceso agreed. They went back inside, soon Naruto was waking up. Suddenly Naruto appeared as they were doing dishes.

"Where is everybody?" Naruto demanded. " Where did they all go?"

" Oh, Naruto," Tsunami breathed as they looked back. " Your sensei wanted to let you rest. You got the day off."

" I knew it!" Naruto grunted as he bolted back into the room to change. " They ditched me!" He came back into the room. " See you!" He left the house, Aceso smiled and shook her head.