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"Why can't I just get this one simple thing?" I muttered to myself as I flipped the page of the textbook again. Gyunyu sighed heavily with a long groan, settling beside me in the grass. His snout burrowed impatiently into my thigh. I rubbed his head soothingly, fingering the soft brown fur. "I know, I know, you want to go home. I'll get it eventually, don't worry." My arm had healed completely, although my ribs were still cracked. The village doctor said that this shouldn't affect my training, as long as I wasn't doing to much of it. The directions for a basic kunai attack lay on the pages, plain and simple. But I just couldn't get the darned thing right.

"C'mon," I sighed as I pushed myself up off the ground, to try the procedure once more before looking through that book again and again and again. Gyunyu didn't even move, just watched me with boredom. "Some encouragement you are." He rolled lazily onto his side and closed his eyes. I pulled out my kunai from the pocket at my thigh as I positioned myself about fifteen feet from the target, a tall wooden pole that stuck high out of the ground. There were many scratches from previous ninja's practices. And none of them were mine... "This one will be," I whispered determinedly. "This is the one. It's going to hit this stick if it kills me."

So I flipped the kunai to have it's back press against the skin between my thumb and finger, just like the book said. Then I placed my right foot behind my left and pulled my kunai arm back to balance my stance. Breathe in. Align kunai arm with the stupid stick. Breathe out.

Fling.

I whipped my arm forward with as much power as I could muster, throwing the kunai in the direction of the pole. For a second I couldn't see it. It's not on the pole... Where'd it go? I looked around to see it sticking out of a tree nearby. Not even close.

"Ugh!" I let myself fall back into the grass, squeezing my eyes shut. "I'm never gonna get this!"

"That one was closer." I sat up enough to turn my head around to the voice. Sasuke was leaning against a tree in the shade, his arms crossed, wearing a cool smirk. Why didn't Gyunyu warn me?? He's not very good at being my guardian... I was too tired and frustrated to even be embarrassed. You can make fun of me all you want, I thought, trying to calm myself down, but I just don't care.

"It definitely wasn't," I said, laying back down hopelessly. "All this stuff is really difficult to learn. Either that or I'm just thick as heck."

"Well I know it's not the last one." I heard his silent footsteps as he walked closer to me. "Let me help you." He reached down and gripped my wrist with one hand and my back with his other, trying to pull me up. I let my weight tug on him, all desire to finish this cursed attack completely obliterated.

"Unnnn..." I groaned, my head falling back onto the ground as he tried pulling my body up. "I think I'll just try again in the morning... I'm not getting anywhere this frustrated- AH!"

He'd slipped on my foot, and my weight he'd been pulling sent him tumbling to the ground straight on me. I looked up just in time to see his surprised face before his forehead crashed into mine with a resounding SMACK!

"OWowowowow..." I closed my eyes and lifted my hands to my forehead to press on it gently. The pain is so intense! Echoing through my skull over and over. I heard his sharp intake of breath by my jaw. I'd be breathing too if he weren't digging his knee into my stomach. "Hey, can't breathe..." He rolled off of me and I sat up, trying to rid my vision of the bright stars floating here and there. "My gosh that really hurt," I whispered, pushing myself up. I felt kind of lightheaded.

Sasuke was already up and recovered, walking to me slowly. I think there was concern on his face, but through the brightness I couldn't be sure. "Let's just do this one move and then I'll take you home," he said. Suddenly he's really close, placing his kunai in my hand and adjusting it to his. "That bump on your head doesn't look so good. But you'll get this one. Don't worry about it." I can't see much and my head is killing me. But I feel Sasuke's arms around my back, engulfing me in a half-hug. "Don't focus so much on the techniques. That can be adjusted to you, and you can figure it out later." His breath is right by my ear. Ok. Don't focus on technique. "Look at the pole. Feel the power build up as you aim to throw." I think this is the most he's said at one time. "See it. And... throw." His arm against mine whipped them forward...

And it caught on the pole.

"...I did it." It's on the pole. "...Somehow this isn't as fulfilling as I planned it to be." My brain was still throbbing. "But thanks for teaching me. I really appreciate it. I started it three days ago and should've had it down in minutes... You're a great teacher."

He turned me to face him, and his eyes glued to my forehead. "Great. We can practice more later. But right now let's get you home and look at that bruise."

He led me for a minute before I stumbled and fell. He then lifted me up into his arms, and I was really thankful he did because I was just about to fall on my face. Gyunyu's rambling gait shuffled leaves, letting me know he had followed. His arms were cold, but they hugged me close in a way that I hadn't been hugged in... ever. I could get used to being looked after.