"Kurenai's Decision, Squad 8 Left Behind"
Another bright morning dawns with Naruto leaping through the trees like an idiot. He sighs, clearly bored, he just can't get into this solo training. He lies down on the grass and stares at the clouds, clearly a gimmick infringement. He sees a cloud that looks kinda like Jiraiya, where the heck is pervy sage and wasn't he supposed to help him train. He hears a noise coming from not too far off.
It's a girl painting a landscape. Naruto walks over to investigate. Wow, it's really good! Only thing is it depicts a massive storm over Konoha when there's not a cloud in the sky. As she moves her brush over to highlight a cloud real thunderclouds appear over the village. Now it matches. She draws a line straight down with her brush and Naruto is shook as a lightning bolt crashes into the Hokage's house, setting it on fire. Alarms go off and Tsunade rushes out to a waiting pool of water, ordering the ninjas to move their butts. They confirm her orders and start Water Style: Marine Battle Formation jutsu.
Damn scab firefighters. They aim properly the second time. Some ninjas are standing around watching the place burn when Kurenai the Everliving shows up. It's as she thought, her worst fears have come to pass. Artist girl has packed up her things and is walking up a path. Naruto is following her as she gets jumped by medical ninjas. Doctor Orochimaru grabs her and gives her a syringe knocking her out while the other medical ninja chides her for going out and causing trouble. Dr. Orochimaru wants her back ASAP but Naruto tells them to hold on, rushing to the rescue. Not for long though as an ANBU descends right in front of him. It's also Steve Blum in a deeper register. He says that Naruto Uzumaki must leave this area immediately. Plots within plots from the laughing man. He wants to know what they are doing with the girl but the ANBU tells him its none of his business, hit the bricks and don't tell anyone what you saw. He demands to know what they are doing but Cunningham tells him not to interfere as they vanish in a puff of smoke.
Sakura is helping out at the Hokage's office. A lot of vital paperwork has gotten wet and it'll need to be dried ASAP. Sakura volunteers to get this process started and runs into Kurenai-Sensei at the door. She asks Sakura if the Hokage is in. Sakura is about to move on when she hears the 5th speaking, so you really want to resign as leader of squad eight? Yes ma'am. Sakura is curious and leans in closer. The Hokage tells her to think carefully on this, you recommended Kiba, Shino, Hinata for the Chunin exams despite their lack of experience. Don't you care for them? It's not about that, she feels responsible for the fire. Tsunade tells her that it wasn't her fault and Sakura slinks away. Naruto is sitting under a tree thinking about this whole mess. That girl is trouble. He hears Akamaru barking and Kiba squaking and goes to investigate. Hinata tells Kiba to calm down and Naruto hops onto the fence.
It's Team Eight! Kiba asks Shino to repeat what he said. Shino does, it's pointless. Good Guy Naruto rushes over to mediate this situation, he tells them to take it easy. Kiba tells Naruto the shocking news, Mumrah-Sensei has up and abandoned them. Naruto doesn't believe it. Hinata says she called them together and told them herself and we get a mini FLASHBACK. She did seemingly resign right in front of them, though with a sun set backdrop when it's clearly still light out. Kiba and Hinata are shook. Kurenai gives them the cold shoulder, they are commander and subordinate and someone else will fill her role, it's as simple as that. No reason, she just walked away. Naruto goads them and Kiba says he's not going to take it lying down, he wants answers and is going straight to the top. Shino says once again that is pointless, she said the Hokage didn't remove her. Kiba also doesn't believe it, not for a second brother. Hinata thinks that while she wants Kurenai-Sensei to remain maybe she had a good reason for this. Kiba then accuses her of siding with Shino and she protests that she's not taken a side. Naruto, sick of bickering tells them to
hug it out shut up and stop fighting. Naruto will handle it. Kiba says he's not even part of the team and Shino asks if he has a plan. Of course he has a plan, just leave it to him!
Naruto walks away and has no plan at all until he spots Kurenai Sensei on top of a nearby building. What is she thinking, well, he'll ask her face to face, which he does. Naruto wants her not to leave them. "You ran up here to tell me that?" Well, yeah. She doesn't know what Team Eight told him but she can no longer be their Sensei, she doesn't deserve that title anymore. She gives him a message, she's never coming back. Naruto thinks she didn't hear a word he said and is going to kick it up the foodchain to Granny Tsunade. Sakura is outside laying papers to dry on a table, the last of many such tables. Naruto comes running up with the gossip. Sakura doesn't think he'll have any luck but you can try. Naruto is going to BLACKMAIL her, he knows where she keeps the booze and will threaten to reveal that knowledge to Shizune. Sakura brings up Hinata's point that she might have a good reason for quitting. Naruto clues in and demands Sakura spill the beans on what she knows. Sakura is shook by this. She's got deceit in her eyes, she knows! She asks if he thinks she's an eavesdropper with her head against the door all day. That's exactly what you did. She claps her hand over his mouth.
The two have moved the conversation over to the the trees. Yakumo? That's the name Sakura thought she overheard in a FLASHBACK. Kurenai was the one who allowed Yakumo to become the way she is. Tsunade disagrees saying that the only reason she did so well to begin with was your positive influence and asks where the girl is now. Shizune reports that a three man squad grabbed her and is keeping watch in a mountain villa just over in Satomi hill. Tsunade believes that the situation is handled but Kurenai doesn't think it's enough, she must be held accountable. Naruto thinking about his earlier meeting puts two and two together. Thanks Sakura. You didn't hear any of this from me as he goes to investigate Yakumo's involvement with Kurenai.
Might Guy is sparring with someone. It's Rock Lee! Lee is floored after getting kicked in the face. Kurenai is watching this when she remembers a conversation she had with the third Hokage. He wants her for a mission because she is the best with Genjutsu and she looks at the picture. It's Yakumo Kurama. He wants her to take the girl under her wing. I'm sure you've heard of the Kurama clan, at one time their mastery of Genjutsu was such that they were on the level of the Uchiha clan in terms of influence. Recently they've been on the decline due to a lack of talent with no Jonin class ninja in many years. She's the only daughter of the head of the clan but she has health issues preventing her from attending the academy. She asks if he wants her to instruct her in Genjutsu but no, that's not the reason. She's already very advanced in that field and her family has placed all of their burden of success on her. He doesn't want this known outside of this room but Murakumo and Uroko her parents recently passed away. Then the FLASHBACK goes to Kurenai and her young pupil training. She's out of gas already and Kurenai tells her she doesn't need to become a ninja. Yakumo won't hear of this, she wants to become one. She heard about Rock Lee who's dream is to become a ninja without two of the three necessary skills and she wants to become the Genjutsu equivalent of Rock Lee. Kurenai looks away and says she wishes she could help but she's just not Might Guy type teacher and training her is out of the question. Lee finishes his training and leaves after a pep talk from Guy and Kurenai comes to speak with him. Lee keeps getting better and better. He asks if this gossip is true. She says it is and then says it is because her squad isn't reaching their full potential. Damn Kiba, holding them all back. Guy knows that isn't true and that even though they can't beat Team Guy their growth is still impressive. She says that's all on them, she's a shitty teacher. Guy cuts a promo on her asking for Kurenai to listen to herself, what else can any of us do for them. You commented on Lee progressing, well, that's all on him. The only thing he's done is believe in him and tell him it's possible. We believe in our students no matter what the cost. He trusts him with his life and that gives him the strength to make all the right decisions. It's a piece of cake. She quietly laughs and says that you make it all sound so simple and once again wishes she was Might Guy. As she walks away he thinks to himself that all she needs is to believe in herself.
Naruto is once again hopping through the forest this night. He wonders how the girl and Kurenai are connected. It's worth investigating as he flips and spins to the mountain villa. He sets off the bell alarm and the three from this morning note that the eastern trap has been set off. Kurenai steps out of the shadows saying their security is great and that she needs to see Yakumo. This late? Can't wait. They let her through but ANBU Orochimaru warns her not to be too long and she promises it'll only take ten minutes. She opens the door to a dark room filled with paintings. All of them are morbid. Including one of Kurenai with a sword through her chest. Yakumo calls out for help as she appears in Kurenai's eye. She's tripping balls here and screams as she jumps through the window.
Oh my piss it was Naruto! He's clutching my chest and talking about his heart. He's fine. ANBU Orochimaru caught him. Naruto asks what was going on in there but ANBU wants him to forget what he saw in there for his own good. He turns around and sees Yakumo on the balcony.
He wants to ask some questions about Kurenai-Sensei as he gets a syringe right in the neck as the episode ends!
NEXT EPISODE: "Yakumo's Sealed Ability"
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