Bones, Chapter Three: Teaching

Later that day, Brom sat surrounded by his new teammates at Ichiraku’s. Naruto was bragging loudly to the owner’s daughter, and Sakura was eyeing Sasuke, who was secretly lacing his tea with stiff shots of sake from a flask in his pocket. Brom himself was sipping tea, and thinking of a girl back home in Sleepy Hollow. Kakashi was off somewhere doing something. He didn’t care.1

Brom was into his third cup of tea when a voice behind him spoke. “I’m looking for a man named Crane.”2

Brom turned, and saw a sour-looking boy with pupil-less eyes glaring at him. “You have found me. Abraham Van Brunt Crane, at your service.”3

“They say that your line can be traced back to the Hyuuga.”4

“Among others. I am but a distant relation to the noble Hyuuga, a third cousin four times removed.”5

“So you know none of the Jyuuken, nor possess the Byakugan?”6

“In manner, yes and no. I do not have the White Eyes, nor pure Jyuuken. That was never truly passed on. But my ancestor left a scroll he’d created, one that I suppose was the one that got him exiled from the Hyuuga. It contained a manual for a new Taijustu style, one that combined Jyuuken with other styles, some hard, some soft. He called it Akurei Tenohira Ryu.”7

“I see. Demon Palm Style. That would be my ancestor. My name is Hyuuga Neji, of the Branch House. I was doing research in the family archives and came across a reference to the style, and the name of my ancestor, Hyuuga Sainan. I would like to see if this style is any good, and test it against the pure Jyuuken. Fight me.”8

“Why not? See if the father can still best the son. But I warn you, Hyuuga Neji, I adhere to the most basic tenet of Demon Palm.”9

“Which is?”10

“There is no such thing as a fair fight.” Brom slid into a fighting stance, and it began. The rest of Team Seven watched as the two danced about, throwing blow after blow with neither taking a hit. Things looked bad for Brom as Neji lunged in for a blow to the heart. Brom tripped over a rock and barely rolled out of the way. He came up, limping, and threw a sidekick.11

“You’re out of ran-” Neji began, but was cut off as Brom’s boot came flying through the air at him. He slipped it, and ran full into Brom’s blow. It was a flat palm to the upper left arm. Neji felt the chakra burn his arm.12

But it didn’t come without a price. Neji’s other arm came up, and Neji pumped chakra into Brom’s chest. He staggered, and Neji drew back. Brom stood, then doubled over and puked blood. He regained his stance, and said shakingly, “Good blow. But I’m not finished. On your hind legs, Hyuuga.” He lunged, using strike after strike, being blocked all the way, and finally decided to play an ace. “Hey, Neji. Do you remember what I said at the beginning of this fight?” 13

“I remember. There is no such thing as a fair fi-” At that moment Brom rushed in and closed both hands on Neji, one on either side of his face. “Akurei Tenohira Ryu: Onna-Yuwakusha no Koe no Jutsu!” The boy slid to the ground, blissfully unconscious. “The Siren’s Voice. I never told him that some of the techniques in my taijutsu style weren’t taijutsu. He’s just knocked out, but he’ll wake up feeling like he’s been through the wringer.”14

A voice rang out from down the street. “Nice one! I’ll bet he never saw it coming!” It was a blond girl, and judging by the way Sakura looked at her, Brom could tell she was a rival or an enemy.15

“Hello, Ino.” But of course, Ino ignored her. She walked up to Brom, and said, “Yamanaka Ino. Pleasure to meet you.”16

“Abraham Van Brunt Crane, at your service. My friends call me Brom.”17

“What did you do to him?” She pointed to the still-unconscious Neji, who Naruto had dragged off the road.18

“Demon Palm Style: Siren’s Voice Technique. I used a ninjutsu to knock him out.”19

“Why was stuck-up Neji fighting you anyway?”20

“He wanted to see if a style older than the hills could stand up to its bastard descendant.”21

“What do you mean?” Brom now saw that she was making eyes at him. Oh, no. He came up with a spur-of-the-moment plan. “How about I let my girlfriend explain it? Sakura dear, care to explain to Miss Ino about my fight, and other such things?” When Sakura looked at him like he was on something, he mouthed, “Play along, so she’ll leave.” A look of realization dawned on her face.22

“Of course, Bonesy, I’d be delighted. You see, Ino-pig, my Bonesy here is from out of town. But his line can be traced back all the way to Konoha. He’s a third cousin, four times removed, to the Hyuuga. One of his ancestors, an exiled Hyuuga named Sainan, created a new taijutsu style containing elements of bastardized Jyuuken, and other styles, called the Demon Palm Style. Neji is also a direct descendant of Sainan, so he wanted to test his cousin. Isn’t that right, Bonesy poo?” She draped herself languidly upon him, and they kissed.23

Ino looked like she was barely controlling the urge to either strangle Sakura, throw herself upon Brom, or possibly both. Naruto was on the verge of laughing hysterically, and Sasuke was turning red. Ino looked at them, and said, “I see.” She walked off.24

As soon as Ino was gone Naruto collapsed and began to laugh like a hyena. As soon as he regained his composure, he took one look at Sakura, and couldn’t help it. He spent nearly ten minutes laughing and repeating “Bonesy poo”, laughing until he nearly suffocated. Sasuke, who up until now had not said a word, leaned over, and whispered something in Sakura’s ear. She reacted out of instinct and Sasuke drew back with a red mark on his face where she’d slapped him.25

“What did he ask?” asked Brom.26

“He asked if during that kiss you slipped me the tongue!”27

Naruto heard this and spent another ten minutes laughing his ass off. He stopped when both his cousin and Sakura kicked him.28

“If you will all excuse me, I have some shopping to do. Farewell.” Brom walked off.29

Two hours later, in a copse of forest off of one of the training grounds, Brom arranged his things. He set his warbag down, and built a small fire of dry wood. He drew from his bag a flint knife, some herbs, and the scalps he had taken that morning. When the fire got hot, he threw in the herbs. The fire gave off sweet-scented smoke and burned brighter. “Spirits of the warriors I slew today, I ask you do not hate me for taking your lives. You were honorable fighters, and brave. You were not easily killed. I ask that you let go any anger, and pass to the next world. I hold no part of you to bind you here.” He threw the scalps on the fire. As they burned, Brom took his flint knife, and cut his palm. “No journey is without pain, so I give you my blood, and wish you farewell.” He squeezed five drops of blood into the fire, and it abruptly flared up, and took on a hellish red tint. The scalps burned away, and the fire went out. Brom watched as his hand healed. There were perks to being bound to a demon. He healed very fast. He went home, and grilled a steak, and pulled a case out of his rucksack. He removed a violin, and he sat there in a bare room, and played.30

The next day Brom showed up at the training field with Naruto, and Kakashi was already there. “Ah, Naruto, Brom. Good morning.”31

Naruto was in shock. “What did you do, Kakashi-sensei, get a map for the road of life!?!”32

“Actually, I spent the night here, devising a new training method. I’ll explain when Sakura and Sasuke get here. Ah, here they come.”33

The two strode up, and were both equally in shock to see that Kakashi wasn’t late. “So what’s this new training, Kakashi-Sensei?” asked Naruto. “Is it hard?”34

“Only if you make it hard. Here is my plan. A team that trains together works better together, so each of you is going to teach the others one thing. First up is Sasuke. What will you be teaching your teammates?”35

The Uchiha stepped forward and faced his teammates. “I suppose I’ll teach you one of my Katon Jutsus. The technique is Goukakyu no Jutsu, the Grand Fireball.” He demonstrated the hand signs in slow motion, then at full speed. “Now you do it.” Sakura’s first try lit a log in front of her on fire. Naruto tried, and barely got a spark. “No, no, Naruto, try it again. You’re not putting enough chakra into it.”36

Naruto’s next attempt blew the log into pieces.37

Brom ran his hands through the signs twice to memorize them, and then he performed the justu. Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!” He breathed smoothly, and a wave of fire rolled from his mouth and incinerated a tree ahead of him.38

Kakashi applauded. “Bravo, Brom, and Bravo to you, Sasuke. Next up is Naruto. Teach them.”39

“Okay, people, I’m going to teach you one of my super-secret jutsus, one that I developed just for myself just last night. It’s called the Kyuhyaku Kitsune no Jutsu. Nine hundred Foxes. I guess the best way to demonstrate is to use it.” He ran through the signs, and then all of a sudden Brom saw foxes of every color and size slink out of the trees, and rush him. He stood stock still, and as a fox lunged at him he hit it. It passed through his arm, but it still hurt. As Naruto lifted the genjutsu, he said, “What do you think?”40

“Interesting,” remarked Sasuke.41

It was by far the easiest thing to learn that day.42

Next came Sakura. “ I don’t know anything special, really. I just know what they taught us in the Academy.”43

“What about your medical skills?” asked Kakashi. “You have skills as a healer that rival Tsunade of the Sannin.”44

“Alright, then! I’m going to teach you how to treat a wounded man. Kakashi-sensei, will you be wounded for us?”45

“Of course, Sakura.”46

“Thank you.” She kicked his legs out from under him. “Now, let’s say that Kakashi has fallen down a hill. His leg is bent at an odd angle. What’s the first thing you do?”47

“Get him to safety!” said Naruto.48

“No, you don’t. You don’t even move him. Why?”49

“Because you don’t know if the broken leg is all he has,” said Brom.50

“Exactly. But the broken leg, you treat right away,” she said, and demonstrated how to splint the leg. She even tested them, under battlefield conditions, with each person timed to splint Kakashi’s leg while the other three heaved shuriken and fire jutsus just over their head.51

When it was done, Brom said, “I guess I’m up next. Master Kakashi, may I run to town for a moment to gather some supplies for my lesson?”52

“I have a better idea. How about we all break for lunch, and you gather your things then.” They set out for their lunch stops.53

When Team seven arrived back at the training ground, their newest member was already there. “I’m going to teach you the art of the saber. On that log are three sheathed sabers with belts. Belt them on, and come back here.” They complied. “The saber is a type of sword, with a guard that curves from the base of the blade to the end of the grip, and a curved blade. Meant to be used from horseback, it’s a one-handed weapon. Stand with at least four feet between you and the next man. Follow me. Place your right hand through the loop of cord at the end of the grip. It’s called a sword-knot, and it’ll keep the saber from being lost if you drop it in battle. Grip the grip, and place your left hand on the scabbard. Draw your sabers!” He executed the motion as if it were second nature. Each drew the saber. “Now, assume my stance. This is called the Guard stance. Before I teach you anything, you’ll have to learn the basics.” He set them about doing moulinets, figure-eight swings meant to loosen up the wrist of the swordsman. When he was satisfied with them all, he began the true instruction. He set up dummies and demonstrated the difference between tierce and quarte, cut and point, between guard and parry. Each had four target dummies, one on each side.54

“Alright, then! Guard!” They assumed the Guard stance. “Left in tierce point! Right against infantry parry and cut! Front cut! Rear cut! Right in tierce and quarte cut! Front in tierce and quarte point! For the head parry! Rear cut! About face, and Front cut! Left in tierce point! Right in quarte point! Front cut! Present saber! Sheathe saber!” They sheathed the blades. Each was sweating, and breathing heavily. “Good job. I’m proud to say that you’ve learned at least the basics of fighting with a saber. You may keep the blades. They were my spares.”55

“Hey, Brom?”56

“Yes, Naruto?”57

“What’s with that other sword you carry?” He pointed to the other sword, a sheathed, broad-bladed sword with a dragon on the butt.58

“It’s a sword my family acquired before I was born.” He walked off the field, and whistled. Daredevil strode up, and Brom mounted. He rode off as the others watched him go.59

Author’s note: Tierce and quarte are grip positions for the saber. Tierce is the position in which the edge of the blade is facing to the right, with the nails of the hand facing downward. Quarte is the position in which the edge of the blade is facing left, with the nails of the hand facing upward. I got my information from a copy of the United States Army 1864 Field Artillery Manual60