A/N I've decided to just push these out or else we'll never get anywhere.



Beta'd by Bob Saget.



ooo



It was a bright day, as usual, as Team 7 performed D-ranks between training. Tetsuo was painting a fence besides Naruto and Hinata, attempting to use globs of paint held in his chakra instead of a brush. It wasn't working very well, but practice was practice. He was beginning to wonder if maybe this country didn't actually have proper seasons. If it was tilted only a small amount on its axis as it spun, it would explain the very minor level of seasonal variation that Konoha had been experiencing these past 12 years. Oh, there was the occasional rain storm or cloudy day, but things didn't seem to change much depending on what time of the year it was. The years themselves were 368 days long, so it was up in the air as to whether the planet was even earth or not. It was possible to change an orbit like that, but it would take a lot of work. The trees were mostly broadleaf evergreens, as well, though who really knew when dealing with creations of wood release? In theory it shouldn't be too hard to figure out the angle of tilt, he'd just have to trace the arcs of a spot of sun across the walls of his room on the longest and shortest day of the year.



Now that he'd noticed it, this was rather alarming to someone who used to be British. A quick poll of his chakra brain informed him that weather should be cruel and changeable, promising sun then delivering drizzle right when you bring the barbecue out. The instincts of his old mind insisted wryly that this steady warmth was unnatural, and trying to lull him into a false sense of security. His new mind considered this state of affairs to be perfectly normal, and both luxuriated in the heat. He had always loved the sun, even with the increased brightness from his new eyes he enjoyed every moment that the warm golden glow enveloped him.



Finished with his work, he stood with a stretch. The crack of his back rang out through the quiet afternoon and marked the end of the working day.



As they left the old couple who owned the house bowed and spoke their parting words. "Many thanks Hatake-san, Hyuuga-sama, Nakano-san."



Naruto's smile grew slightly wider.



Hinata's careful facade did not change, but she moved slightly closer to Naruto's position in the centre of the team. Tetsuo gave the couple a short glare before turning to head off towards mission office. It's not like blowing up at a random old couple would achieve anything useful.



ooo



Ground sky ground sky ground sky ground sky



Tetsuo spread his arms and legs wide, slowing his spin. Chakra flooded his inner ear, stabilising the fluids within. Wind whistled past him as he shot through the air across the training field. He had to time this bit just... right...



sky



ground



sky



ground



tree



whnk



His back flattened against the rough bark as the breath exploded out of him in a harsh exhale. Not as planned. As he struggled to breathe and fell to the floor, he kicked off of the tree and shot back towards the fight. Hinata was engaging the enemy with a blistering series of high speed attacks. Naruto was providing support with a barrage of dummy explosives filled with paint.



Bombs filled the space leaving an empty spot for Kakashi to dodge to... there. Tetsuo dove for the opening as Kakashi laid down a hail of blades towards Hinata, who batted them from the air. Seeing an opening, he struck-



His fist hit wood, splinters flew. Spinning away from the freshly substituted log, he zeroed in on Kakashi who... swapped with the log again. Crap. Twisting back around, he felt simultaneous hits on his spine and kidney.



"Dead." Kakashi noted absently.



Hinata rocketed towards him, almost catching up but the angle was wrong, allowing him to dart back and swiftly disable Naruto.



"Dead." He sounded bored.



Hinata held out longer, but without support there was only one way it could end.



"Dead." He tapped her neck with a kunai. Her shoulders tightened slightly. Groaning, Naruto and Tetsuo walked up for their customary lecture. They were aware intellectually that this was vital information, but that didn't make Kakashi's briefings enjoyable by any stretch of the imagination.



ooo



"Hey Saaaaasuke!" Tetsuo called out teasingly as he bounded into their customary training ground. "Shikamaaaaru!" He did not skid to a halt, his momentum abruptly halted with an application of chakra through the feet.



"Tetsuo." Sasuke acknowledged him evenly with a nod and a quick flick of the eyes as he worked through a series of blisteringly fast shuriken throws. Wait a beat, then the eyes flick over him again as if to make sure he was still there.



It was something Tetsuo had noticed since the Sharingan incident. It was subtle, but sometimes it seemed his friend was desperately trying to reassure himself that everything was fine, that Tetsuo was fine, that he wasn't bleeding out on the floor filled with metal. It seemed becoming a young boy's truest friend and then staging the most traumatic scene possible with the expectation that it would be permanently seared into his brain had left a mark. How unexpected.



Shikamaru blew out a stream of fire from his position slouched against a log before responding. "Hey." Deadpan, with a half wave. They had found a style of training that worked for him, and it involved a lot of lying very still and occasionally performing jutsu without getting up.



"I've got something to show you!" Tetsuo sing songed saucily. "Something hard, something explosive, and it fits in the palm of your hand. I'm not sure the world is ready for it but it's going to be exposed anyway and damn the consequences!"



Shikamaru quirked a single eyebrow while Sasuke started towards the target to remove his shuriken where they clustered tightly about the vital points. They had grown wise to his games.



"Sasuke, I think it will help with our goal." Tetsuo's voice was quiet. "Shikamaru, it might have tactical implications for Leaf as a whole."



Heads swivelled, eyes locked on, Shikamaru rose to his feet as Sasuke turned away from the target, shuriken now ignored. He had their full and complete attention.



"Tetsuo." Sasuke spoke with a quiet intensity. "Define 'something.'"



"Something interesting," Tetsuo completely failed to clarify. "Something I think you'll want to see. Something that I think will help with our goals." His eyes unfocused. "Yours more than mine."



"Show me."