AN: Welcome back! I hope you all are doing well despite the chaos going around. Here is a new chapter of Can You See Me Now for you! Please enjoy. (Author own's only the plot, no characters.)

Damn, this is serious. Shikamaru thought as he flipped through the first few pages of his packet. He knew that Ibiki treated the whole command and focused on missions much more seriously than other shinobi. He'd heard snippets of both his father, and Ino talking about what went on during missions enough to realise this. The way their jonin sensei laid it out though, was more like his talks of village security and T&I protocol than he'd expected. The Nara buckled down to commit the packet to memory.

Less than an hour later, they were starting the practice runs Ibiki had mentioned.

"You will be guarding this scroll, and fleeing through the forest. No jutsu is to be used, stealth is paramount. If I catch you, you are to destroy the scroll before I get to you." Ibiki tossed Shino the scroll, and then immediately started to throw kunai at them. The three boys had to scramble away with no chance to talk over a strategy or work out who was even going to carry the scroll. Ibiki went slow for less than a minute before he was going after them for real. The genin only lasted five minutes before Shikamaru tossed Shino-who hadn't had a chance to do anything with the scroll but hold on as tightly as he dared- a lit fire-starter seconds before Ibiki took down Naruto who was the rear guard. Shikamaru and Shino were downed seconds later. Ibiki stood over the three panting boys and nodded once.

"Acceptable. Next time, make sure whomever has it can also get rid of it." He gave them a moment to stand and brush off the leaves and twigs from their clothes and then launched into another drill. "This time, Naruto will be incapacitated. Shino and Shikamaru will be extracting him from the area. You are to retaliate only as much as necessary to escape. Go!" He barked and stood while the three boys once again scrambled to move away from him. This time, they lasted around seven minutes, and had made it two thirds of the way back to the edge of their training field. Ibiki paused to give a few sharp critiques before setting them on another scenario. This lasted for over two hours, with fifteen different set ups. By that time, all three boys, even Naruto, were drenched with sweat and covered in scratches and bruises. Then the jonin had them all sit down for a break, going over what was done well, and what they needed to change in each scenario.

The rest of the morning was spent going through similar setups with Ibiki now included. He had them cover different types of missions, such as escort- with a clone playing the part of the client, drop missions, scouting or reconnaissance missions, and more. Their sensei pushed them hard, critiquing ruthlessly. They stopped for a short lunch break, and then moved on. Ibiki layed out mid-sized packs and a large tub of supplies.

"I want you to each put together a kit." He watched them go through the gear, curious to see what they would choose.

Naruto started pulling out camping gear and sorting it while Shino went through food stuffs. Shikamaru was checking through the packs and estimating the amount of space available. Naruto had found three individual tents, four insulating heat reflective blankets, waterproof matches, compasses. He gathered them into sets of three and then kept digging. Shino hummed as he set out a bottle of soldier pills, a pack of nutrient bars and iodine tablets. He also had a selection of different types of flasks and canteens gathered. There were a few collapsible dish sets and a folding shovel in the steadily growing stack as well. Shikamaru sat in between the two of them and started vetoing various pieces.

"That one is too heavy. Let's wait on that tent. Naruto, can you find a small three-man one?" The blond dug through the tub.

"Ah… here is one that looks bigger, I'd have to set it up to tell." Shino put down his handful of dried foods.

"I'll set it up. Did you find any sleeping bags or pallets?" Naruto shrugged.

"Not yet. Here, I will see if there are any." Shikamaru had started to fill the smaller pouches up already. He was carefully weighing each item, and gauging its usefulness. Ibiki watched them work. They work together very well. No discussion of who needed to do what, no argument. That is a good sign. Cultivated with experience, that will help missions move more smoothly. He let them get the packs halfway loaded before stepping in.

"Naruto, try putting on that one." He interrupted their discussion of which tent would be better. The blond shrugged and hefted the pack up. It was heavy, but he could easily carry it. He looked questioningly at the jonin.

"Now hand it over to Shikamaru." The Nara stood up and grabbed the shoulder strap that Naruto handed him. The other boy had to readjust it twice before he got it on and buckled properly.

"See the difference?" Shino nodded with the other two.

"Shikamaru and Naruto have a different capacity. We will need to account for that when putting together packs."

"Yes," the man replied. "Each of you will have different capacities for carry weight. Just because you can lift the pack does not mean you could carry it for days or weeks on a mission. Think about the long term needs of the mission. Just because you expect to only be gone for three days in no way mean that will be what happens. Also, the type of mission is important. Are you going stealth, or will it be an open mission? That changes what you can and should bring. You can't always take things that would make the trip easier, like dishes, or tents. Yes, those may not take up a huge amount of room, and yes they may make the mission easier, but there are times when lightness trumps, or when you need to play off your identities as ninja." He could see the gears turning in all three boys' heads, trying to evaluate their ideas. Ibiki sat on the other side.

"For most missions, if you have the time, it is best to pack after receiving a missions assignment. Evaluate where you are going, and the scope of the mission. Adjust your supplies accordingly. Keeping a basic pack set up for urgent missions is also necessary, but it is always better to tailor to the individual mission, especially while you are new." The boys were nodding and glancing through the collected gear. Ibiki pulled one of the packs closer and opened it. He upended it.

"For a general rule, you only need to have a few things with you for a mission to be successful. You need nutrients, so bars or pure supplement pills." He selected two bottles and one smaller package and stuck them in the pack. "You need a reflective blanket, iodine and a canteen, and a few -few extra weapons." He swept up the mentioned items and deposited them. "All the rest are optional." The pack was handed back to Shikamaru. "Try that on now." The boy stood and put in on.

"Ok, yeah. That is so much lighter." Ibiki watched him run through a short kata set.

"You just hit on the other issue with missions and supplies. If you can't run, jump and do any and every kata or jutsu with your pack on, you will likely not make it through the mission." That struck a chord with them all. Naruto started ticking off mental points on his fingers while Shino started to re-sort his pile. Shikamaru sat back down and took off the pack.

"So, sensei, when is it appropriate to take more with you? I know my parents take tents and such at times." Shino asked as he held up the tightly folded three man tent from his pack. Ibiki sat back and pulled his long coat tighter around himself.

"For most C-ranks, it is acceptable to take a small single man tent, or a larger three man one. A dish set is really not needed. Yes you can make some more substantial food if you have dishes, but plain meat, any raw plants, nuts, or berries you can forage work just as well. If you have a small amount of dried meats or fruits, that can act as a supplement for fresh, but again, not a necessity." Naruto looked up from re-packing with a question.

"What about distributing supplies between teammates? I mean, different people can carry different weights, and that way you might be able to have more stuff with you." Ibiki appreciated the question, both the thought that went into it, and the fact that the boy was asking it. Again, he found himself appreciating the progress of his students.

"That is a possibility, but it comes with risks. Ideas?" He raised one eyebrow. Shino was the first to answer.

"If you are separated, or you lose a teammate, you may lose necessary equipment, or have to attempt to distribute weight that is not easily carried. Logically, both options are likely to cause major issues."

"Exactly. Those are the main issues with that idea. Other things to consider are more complex missions. If you have a three man cell with an undercover post, the undercover member will need very different equipment than the other two. If you are running a recon-interrogation mission, there will be specific items that you need that are not on the normal list of supplies. If you are already adding to your packs, having issues with weight or access to equipment hampers your progress." There was a moment of contemplation before Shikamaru piped up.

"What if you had to share weight, like if a teammate is injured, or you have to retrieve something for the mission?"

"Those are things you take in stride. Always pack as light as you can, so that if something like that occurs, you can deal with it. If all else fails, you leave anything you have to to complete the mission and get everyone out alive." He gave the boys a hard look. "Never prioritize weapons or such over your mission, and your team." Naruto shot a look at the other two. They all had the same look of determination.

"Yes sir." The blond murmured. Like hell he would let anything happen to his best- only- friends. Ibiki held his gaze for a moment before standing up.

"Good. You have worked hard today. Finish those packs, then I have another point to discuss before we go to the Tower and pick up a mission. After that I want you to rest for the afternoon, and meet at the main gates at five tomorrow morning." The three boys, still worn out and sore, were relieved. Ibiki kept an eye on what went into the packs, but had no more comments on that front.

"What I wanted to discuss with you is a more advanced topic that I believe will apply to our team particularly. With our specialization, cultivating a persona can be very beneficial for T&I, and for reconnaissance and undercover missions."

"What do you mean by cultivating?" Naruto asked.

"Have you ever heard of the Hound?" The jonin posed the question mostly to the two clan heirs. Shino shook his head, but Shikamaru was thinking.

"I… know the Hound in an ANBU, and has a highly respected reputation." Naruto bit his lip.

"I think… Hound might be, uh. Backing up, I had stuff show up in my apartment from time to time, and I found that it is likely the Hound who was helping me." Ibiki smirked slightly.

"So, if I told you that the Hound is in every Bingo book in every nation, and has the highest S and SS rank mission completions status of any shinobi in Konoha, how would that make you think about him?"

"That… is quite impressive. I would expect there to be a very good reason for Hound being in every Bingo book, and I would have the utmost respect for him." Shino murmured. Ibiki nodded.

"That is how most of Konoha see the Hound. We are on the same side, so the feeling of respect or admiration is most common. However, to an enemy, the Hound is a ghost, a thing to be feared. Most enemy nin will flee on sight if they encounter the Hound. Now, think of Might Guy. You have all heard his presentation on taijutsu at least once. What do you remember about him?" All three genin made a face at the thought of the loud jonin.

"He is, that is he dresses... oddly. He is obviously skilled, but he seems to be focused on… Uh." Naruto couldn't get the words out. He glanced at Shino, who obligingly took up the description.

"He is loud and draws attention wherever he goes. He is known for being obsessed with life, the 'inner' fire, and analogies of spring. He is a taijutsu specialist. He is currently a jonin sensei with a genin team." Ibiki held up a hand to stop them.

"Look at what you just said. What do you notice?" The boys thought for seconds before Naruto and Shikamaru got it.

"He is a well known jonin who has a major specialization, but what we notice is that he is goofy and loud." Naruto tapped his thigh.

"Also," Shikamaru commented. "I noted his physical appearance first, and his skillset later." Ibiki let them work it out.

"He is not incapable at all, yet, the first impression he gives people is that he is a loud, overly romantic buffoon. I intellectually know that he is a master of taijutsu, and that is in on par with jonin like you, or Anko Mitarashi, but that is not the impression he gives." The grin Ibiki gave the Nara was sharp.

"Exactly. You see what I am getting at?"

"I think so. By presenting a front, or act, you can influence how people react to you." Shino muttered.

"Naruto, you have experienced this. I want you to describe why and how you created your school persona." The blond shifted and looked away.

"Uh… what, I guess." Ibiki had expected the reluctance. "I experienced lots of negative reactions to my real behavior, things… things like being sent out from class, or being verbally attacked." The boy bit his lip and powered through the tension. "I started to act like an ignorant, loud kid after I saw another kid do something similar. I thought that if people noticed what I wanted to, and not the other things, they would leave me alone more. I downplayed my ability, and gave the impression that I didn't have manors, and didn't understand people and books sometimes. After I had the reputation for being in trouble, I could move around in places I shouldn't be without people really paying attention to what I was doing. People didn't notice that I could outrun jonin as an eight year old, they just noted that I was in trouble again." Ibiki stopped him before the boy had to try to force out more details. He was already withdrawing enough as it was.

"Thank you. That is part of what a persona does. It also allows you to catch others off guard. You protect yourself slightly with it, and it can give you advantages." The jonin paused to make sure the three boys were following him. "I bring this up because you are all going to be working out a persona to cultivate." He met each of their eyes. "You will have to think carefully about what you want your persona to do for you, and how you can use acting and presentation to accomplish that goal. A good persona will need to be something you can maintain for months on end without a break if necessary. You cannot simply choose a wild character and go with it. I'm sure Naruto can attest to it, but maintaining a facade wears on you. A good facade will not have lapses or glimpses of the real personality unless the individual intends to show it." Naruto shrugged slightly and voiced a question in an attempt at regaining his composure.

"When do you want us to use them?"

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.

"Well, I mean, is the persona something for missions, around the village, or both? I used to act that way all the time, unless I was by myself, but that was because I wanted the village to see me that way. Do we need to have an advantage against the village?" Ibiki approved quietly of the thought.

"To answer, the intention is for it to be used both in and out of the village. While it may be true that you shouldn't need to trick your fellow Konoha shinobi, the persona won't function as well if you only use it out on missions. It has to be natural and comfortable. Also, it will be ineffective if your comrades are surprised by it or can't interact normally with you on a mission. You also never let your guard down, even in the village. Threats can come from within just as easily as without." The jonin stepped away. "Take those packs and we will head to the tower and start thinking about what you might like to achieve with a persona. We will start working on them during or after our C rank." The genin loaded up the remaining supplies and shouldered their newly put together packs.