Chapter 7 - Shocking...
"Alright! Hike up your asses and come over to the tent to receive your scroll!" said our next proctor, Anko.
"So, there's going to be a lot of carnage and bloodshed once you enter The Forest of Death. Luckily, not all of you will actually die… Hmhmhm…" said Anko as we all gather around the tent. "You will be sore, achy, hungry, and all those stupid things that kids like you complain about! So, anyone willing to quit now, I'll break your balls and make you go. Alright? Head towards your gate number, and if you forgot it—tough nuts."
"Right." I said, "Come on, let's go."
We walked around the circular gate and I wondered if Orochimaru was going to already be in there, waiting. A big sinking hole I my heart was beginning to reopen. Sasuke looked at me with concern.
But it was Naruto's question that started a firestorm.
"Hey, Sasuke. What about that man you wanted to kill… Remember? You said you wanted to kill someone the first day we were a team. Is he from your clan?"
"Naruto, that's a touchy subject…" I said.
"Makoto, it's okay. All that nonsense is behind me."
I knew it wasn't though. I just knew it.
"Naruto, if you want to know, it's actually not that I still want to kill him, it's more like there's no point. I am sort of jealous of Makoto for spending so much time with my brother, but what he said to me the night he murdered my clan was probably not true. I am stronger with my team anyway, and I don't want to ever be alone again." Sasuke looked over to me with a rare smile.
We arrived at the gate, and an intercom sounded from the top of it. "Alright, idiots, children, rejects, and some who are all three! This is you-know-who with a little tip—it's kill or be killed. No party favors for the children among you men and women! So, get your head on straight after the countdown. 3—" Honestly, I was nervous. I didn't know whether not to be, but I didn't want everyone to rely on me. So, I had to trust my team as much as they trust me—I couldn't do it alone.
"—2…" The suspense between her counting was long.
"1!" said Anko, "Get on with it and go-go-go!"
I heard a laugh on the intercom, "Ha-ha, what a way to see bloodshed, right?"
…
"Alright."
Sasuke sounded serious as we all sat on the forest floor. "We need to come up with a password, one that only we know. Makoto, turn your Sharingan on and scan the area to make sure no one's listening."
I smiled. "Right. I'm glad these eyes see through things… literally."
"Now, what's the password?" I said.
"Something like…" Sasuke whispered into our ears, one by one, "Tomatoes."
I blushed and giggled madly. "Okay, if that's are only idea, fine then."
"Right!" said Naruto. "That is kind of stupid though."
I turned my head around, still looking for possible chakra signals, and I saw a massive one not too far off.
"I think we have company."
"Who is it?" said Naruto stupidly.
"I can just see chakra, okay?" We all stood up. "He's fast!" I said, my heart was racing. "Goddamn. I've never seen speed like it before…"
Someone jumped over us down from the treetops. "So, you're the one who was watching me just a second ago…"
Orochimaru! There's no way I could forget that snake bastard. He was adorable when he was a kid and deplorable when he was an adult… all those people… disfigured, dead, or mutilated just for his own purposes. He wasn't supposed to be evil per say, but you can't tell you how evil he was to me.
My heart was wrenching inside my chest, and I didn't think this day would ever come to pass. Even though Sasuke and Naruto were by my side, we were all going to die… and I couldn't do a thing about it. Sasuke seemed to be cool and calm, but he didn't know what kind of threat this was—he still had his disguise on. Naruto seem to be a little jumpy, but only because he was ready.
Naruto was the first to jump in. His speed seemed to have increased… maybe we can do this! I should be brave… I must lead my team out of this mess that I started when I died all those years ago!
"Oh my, what a little fly…" that snake said.
When Naruto punched at Orochimaru, the snake smashed his fist much harder than I could imagine into his stomach. It couldn't be… Naruto? At that speed? He was stronger than all three of us combined… fu… oh god… goddamn.
"Naruto!" I said.
He landed on the other side of me and tumble rolled on the ground, but he quickly rolled got to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth. My eyes widened.
Naruto groaned in pain from his lower ribs, "Look here! You need to cool it, Makoto! It's just a bruise. There's nothing we can do if we're without you—instead of freaking out, just attack. I believe in you!"
But at this point was scared, and unable to do anything, I cried into my hands. I didn't want to die… I couldn't lead a horse to water… and how could I ever hope to lead us out of this confrontation—let alone out of this forest?
"Well-well, we now know the weakest of the bunch."
"I…" said.
"Makoto! Come on and fight—!"
"—I'll… I'll kill you!"
My sight was skewed for a moment, and then I felt my Sharingan kick in. I got on all fours, and start to charge.
"Hmhmhm… you've got a power within you."
I had just got with range of attacking, but instead of the intent, I was bit on the neck and I passed out from the pain of the bite. Or, at least I though.
…
"She's waking up!"
I writhed and squirmed, Naruto tried to help me out by holding me down… but he was unable to understand what happened.
"That mark…" said Naruto.
"Help me… Naruto… it hurts…" I said. I screamed at the top of my lungs and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Just sit tight…" said another voice…
His voice soothed me… then I felt someone hold my hand. I turned, withstanding the pain. "Sasuke…? Aghh… goddamnit, you look terrible… I'm so sorry."
"Just let me make one last wish." he said weakly. He coughed spurted a lot of blood, and a speck of it landed on my face.
"This is my final song. Please, kill my brother and any Uchiha that stands in your way… I'm so… sor—ack!"
But Sasuke couldn't finish.
"Sakura, they're over here!"
Sasuke closed his eyes, and I knew I received my Mangekyou. My sight increased and I had a fully mastered Sharingan now—I couldn't believe it, but I was seeing things now that were way different than they were before.
After a moment, Naruto and a familiar character walked into the structure I was in, which was a hollowed-out tree. The familiar pink-haired character, Sakura, seemed to be alone and not with a team.
"Sasuke…!" she gasped. "Makoto! How could you let him die…? Goddamn you! Damnit… this is bad. Both my teammates are dead, and now Sasuke too…?" Sakura dropped to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably.
Sitting up, lightheaded, my eyes were overcompensating for my blurry sight. I reached up to feel my pulse, and it was still racing like before… but it wasn't overcoming me. Nevertheless, how was I still alive? But I remember blacking out… didn't I? When everything cut out, I thought for sure that the final move finished me off. Somehow, my memory came back in flashes… I remembered everything, the battle, the words said, and remembered Sasuke's final words he just said in my painful ordeal. All of this was cut too short and I couldn't remember any of what just flashed before my eyes.
Something overcame me and my eyes started to well up. God… Sasuke sustained a fatal wound… there was nothing I could do. I fought an entire battle with no conscious effort.
"What was that back there, Naruto…? What happened… I got on all fours, and tried to protect you and Sasuke…" I was still in shock, and tears fell slowly down my face.
"That mark spreading across your body… look down at your neck because that's what happened."
Wait, I got the curse seal!? That can't be possible… but it must be, somehow. I believed the that now Naruto was the only one who knew of the Kyuubi.
"Naruto, come outside with me… I'm so sorry…" I said.
Looked so caring… so kindhearted.
"Alright, what's the deal? I know you're not okay… so do you remember anything?"
Naruto was so serious—he must be trying to stay strong for me.
"Yes. But it came in flashes and I couldn't control myself when we were fighting."
Naruto crossed his arms. "That's the Kyuubi for you. I've experienced the same thing once when I was 5-years-old, but don't tell anyone. That was the first time I ever killed someone. Makoto, I was told by the Hokage that our father was a hero. I know that our father is the same person you were told about because he gave you the other half of the Kyuubi and he must have said the same thing. Look at my eyes—" said Naruto, activating what looked to be a perfect Sharingan, "I was specially trained from that day when I killed a man to master my Sharingan."
"But your eyes were blue before you turned it on."
"They aren't. Our mother had blue eyes and blonde hair, but I wear colored contacts to look like I have blue eyes. The Hokage suggested you wear purple contacts so you could hide your Sharingan, and our father did the same. He was an Uchiha who split from the clan after being exiled. He's not alive today, however."
"You think that we have the same father?"
"And we have the same mother. I know this for a fact since the Hokage trusted me when I was very much older with the identity of our parents."
"So, wait… we were born as twins?" I said.
He then explained. "Hokage-sama changed your birthday to the 3rd of October rather than the 10th. It makes sense because if two Jinchuuriki had the same last name and the same birthday, that would be almost catastrophic and our identities would be revealed. Our father had many enemies. Of course, my name is Uzumaki just because it's an honorary name. Your surname is Nakamura because it was easy to remember, and it was our mother's maiden name."
"Okay, and, why haven't you yelled yet?!"
"Honestly, that was a mask of my emotions, I had to put up an act somehow."
"Well, could you be louder?!"
"No not really."
Sakura came out of the tree shelter. "Alright, well, I don't know if this helps… but I have an earth scroll."
"Sakura, you're okay, right?" said Naruto, concerned.
"A ninja must show no emotion, no matter what." said Sakura.
"Well we have a heaven scroll, so let's take off. We have to get Makoto to a doctor." he said.
"I'm fine, god…" I said.
"No, you're not, you have that ugly mark, and it might resurface."
…
"So, that's the story?"
"Yes, Iruka-sensei." said Naruto.
They stood in the large hall with the banner with a missing kanji. "I don't seem to understand—the final word that seems to be missing."
"Well, every one of my students needs to work on something. If you lack Earthly, grounded qualities, you must train your physical presence. If you lack Heavenly, unlimited qualities, you must train your mind. Makes sense doesn't it, and if you both have balance of heavenly and earthly energies, you can achieve anything." Iruka said, "Well I'm off, go ahead and meet your sensei in the grand hall. Sakura can join you guys, I will talk to the Hokage and he make her an honorary member to your team."
…
I would love to continue this chapter, but alas another message to fill up space is here.
There have been some stat changes that will be coming up, but keep in mind this is after the preliminary fights and for the Third Exam. Everything after that? Well, the story will be much like the Part 1 Canon from here forward, but things won't be happening in the same exact way.
After the month or so after they've trained hard, here's what Makoto, Naruto, and Sakura are going to be. (Yes, Sakura is now in team seven, and luckily not Sasuke-crazy)
Let's start with our beauty, Sakura-san.
Sakura: Ninjutsu 2, Taijutsu 2, Genjutsu 3, Intelligence 3.5, Speed 2, Strength 2, Stamina 1, Hand Seals 4, Total: 19.5
Let's go to Mr. Serious (that feels so awkward to say), Naruto, and see what he can do.
Naruto: Ninjutsu 2.5, Taijutsu 3, Genjutsu 1.5, Intelligence 4, Speed 3, Strength 2.5, Stamina 4, Hand Seals 1, Total: 21.5
And for the piece of pie on your plate, here is Makoto.
Makoto: Ninjutsu 3, Taijutsu 2, Genjutsu 2, Intelligence 4, Speed 3, Strength 1.5, Stamina 3, Hand Seals 2 Total: 20.5
