Okay, I will not lie this is not my favorite chapter. I defiantly rushed it because the chunin exams were kind of boring for Tegan, right? All she had to do was to pretend to be a ghost. so I kinda cut stuff out. so I'm sorry :( I might go back and rewrite it if I get motivated about it
But please make sure you read and review, let me know what you honestly think with this chapter :) Thanks!
I DO NOT own Naruto
Why did they let so many snot nosed genin take the exam at once? Less than half will pass. This room was so crowded Tegan felt like she was being suffocated. Pushing her hair back and gritting her teeth she looked up and around at all the people gathered in the small exam room. These genin were from all over, Cloud, Leaf, and Sound to many to keep up with. They were all muttering or whispering to each other but combined the loud buzz rang in her ears causing the anxiety of having this many people around worse.
She sighed looking back down at the table she was sitting at and at her new Stone headband. It was brand new just like all the ninja's here headbands were. Shiny because the bands hadn't seen real danger yet. So far no one has suspected a thing from her. No one has even talked to her or spared her a second glance. Even when she turned in her team's registration packet to one of the Leaf proctors running the exam did he even look up. He had just instructed her to move on.
Beside her, her two new Stone comrades were looking around pretending to know what exactly they were looking for. In the end Itachi and Kisame had sided on not picking two to put under genjutsu. It would have put too much of a strain on Itachi's eyes and he needed them for his own mission. So Leader-sama had paid a good amount to hire two genin from the Stone. They were a few years older than Tegan, they had taken the exams before and failed numerous times. But for the amount they were being paid to take them again they were happy to take them again. The two of them had no idea of what the mission was because it was Tegan's solo job to complete. To them, they think they are being paid just to be on her team.
It didn't take long for Tegan to have spotted her two targets. Gaara of the Sand entered with his older brother and sister not long after she did. It was clear to her that they were terrified of him. Gaara was harsh looking so that someone could almost see the demon inside of him. He was going to be someone she was going to have to watch closely.
Naruto Uzumaki on the other hand didn't frighten her in the least. Though he was supposed to have the Nine Tailed Beast sealed inside of him, he was a joke. His chakra level was nothing as special as he new comrades. And he didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Just a few minutes after entering the room he had already created a scene and created enemies with about everyone in the room.
His teammates also struck her attention. The short long pink haired girl meant nothing to her. But the dark haired boy that stood next to Naruto made her do a double take. There was no mistaking that this boy was Itachi's little brother, Sasuke Uchiha. He was cool calm and collected just like how Itachi was at all times. Deidara had explained everything to Tegan during one of their many times together. That Itachi had slaughtered his entire clan but couldn't bear to kill his precious little brother. Sasuke was the only surviving Uchiha left within the Hidden Leaf. He was strong. Tegan would have to watch her back when it came to him.
The scene Naruto made also made something else very clear to her. Orochimaru's followers were not very good at hiding their alternative motives. It may have been not been obvious to the genin's mind. But it was clear to her. Kabuto wasted no time befriending the silly Naruto and his team. Tegan had been informed about Kabuto as well. He was as slimy a snake as Orochimaru was. Kabuto had been serving as a spy for Sasori as well as Orochimaru's right hand man for years, according to Deidara. As she continued to watch them it also became clear that their target wasn't Naruto. It was Sasuke.
Before Tegan had any more time to analyze the situation it was too late. The exams had now begun.
"It's about time you came back with something, kid." Kisame grumbled standing up from underneath a tree and Tegan came jogging up the hill that they were camped out on. The sun was starting to set it would be dark in less than an hour which meant security within the Leaf would increase twice the amount than it does during the day.
Itachi looked up and turned his head to her.
Finally Tegan slowed her jog to a walk in front of the two men. It had been several long days and honestly she was worn out. The first couple days she had been so focused on getting her new comrades through the first two exams and making sure they didn't get killed in the Forest that she was way behind on her mission. Finally after the second exam was when she could really focus more on herself and her mission. There was nothing she could do to save them during a one on one battle so they had to fend for themselves. Even though both Stone ninja were built like mountains only one passed to the final test.
Tegan had won her battle easily against Tenten of the Leaf. The brown haired girl was defiantly skilled in weapons but she had nothing on Tegan's speed. Even as the numbers of candidates taking the chunin exams got smaller, still no one paid her any mind. It was just like the old days in the Hidden Mist. She could walk through the village like a ghost and no one would ever know. There was a week until the next test. Tegan didn't waste that time sightseeing.
"Well?" Kisame demanded. "What do you have?"
Tegan reached into her back pocket of her navy shorts and pulled out three small scrolls. She knew one of them contained the information on how to remove the seal containing the nine tails. The other two she had been instructed not to look at just to take them. It was no easy task retrieving them.
Itachi reached out to take the scrolls giving her a small smile. "Well done, Tegan. How are the exams going?"
"Good..." she replied slowly." Both jinchuriki have made it to the final rounds. Including several others..."
"Like who?"
"All the Sand ninja, Neji Hyuga, Shikamaru Nara...Sasuke Uchiha..." she threw out the last name to test Itachi's reaction. She braced herself for him to react in several different ways.
Kisame raised a thin eyebrow and glanced at Itachi.
Itachi's expression did not flicker in the slightest as he examined the scrolls. "Hm," was all he finally said.
Inside Tegan didn't understand. She thought that maybe he would show some interest that his little brother had made it so far. If she had a younger sibling she thought she would care too. But maybe not. She has struggled with emotions all her life so maybe she would be just like Itachi and not care at all.
Kisame glanced over Itachi's shoulder at the scrolls. "Well, is that it? Should she continue to the next round or can we leave now?"
Itachi looked up from the scroll and examined Tegan with his dark eyes. "No..." he said slowly. "Why not use this opportunity now? You've made it so far perhaps you'll be lucky to fight one of the jinchuriki's in the final round. With one of them weakened and in the hospital it would be the perfect time for us to capture one."
Tegan's skin went cold. "I can't beat Gaara." She said nervously. "His bloodlust is overwhelming it controls him!"
In the back of her brain the images of Gaara destroying those ninja brutally in the woods haunted her. No one was a match for that sand. No one could even hope to try to fight against it.
"But you can beat Naruto, right?"
She blinked and swallowed hard. Even since the first day she saw Naruto she had seen improvements in him. But he still had no chakra control. She could fight him and if not kill him, then at least put him in the hospital for a few days. Slowly she nodded. "Yes. I can. I will."
It was dark by the time Tegan got back to her lodging within the village. She and the other two Stone ninja were staying in a small INN owned by an elderly woman on the outskirts of the village. She walked down the narrow hallway to her room in deep thought. The chances of her fighting Naruto were slim with how many candidates made it to the final round. There had to be some way to rig the draw in a few days. She didn't want to disappoint the Akatsuki by not sending Naruto to the hospital. Leader-sama has been doing so much research on the extractions of the tailed beasts from the jinchuriki's. How proud would he be if she could bring him back a jinchuriki? Maybe the rest of the Akatsuki wouldn't hate her so much? Maybe they would start respecting her more.
Tegan was so consumed with her thoughts as she walked down the hall to her room that she hadn't noticed her biggest 'teammate' Laurel step out of his room. Laurel was several years older than Tegan and was giant. He and his partner Bennett both wore matching red outfits with sleeveless tops. Laurel's arms bulged with muscles bigger than melons and his top was tight so that it showed off the blocky muscles in his abdomen. He was the only one from her 'team' to make it to the final round. Tegan considered it just good luck that he had a weak opponent. Both the Stone ninja were built like mountains but slow and had the intelligence of rocks.
"Hey," Laurel called and Tegan's head whipped up breaking out of her thoughts. "Where have you been?"
Tegan stared at the big dark haired guy funny. This was the first time he had really addressed her about anything that didn't have to do with the exams. It was weird for him to take an interest in what she was doing now. "Walking." She replied snippily.
Laurel leaned up against the wall besides his door, crossing his arms over his chest. He was looking her up and down in a strange way that made her want to punch him immediately. But the old woman who ran the INN had lectured them their first day that she forbid any violence in her INN. "Why? Because you're nervous for the final round?"
She rolled her eyes and started to walk on down the hall to her room. "Yeah, sure."
Suddenly like being hit by a boulder Tegan was thrown against the far wall, her body pinned between the wall and Laurel giant body. He quickly pinned her wrists up over her head with one giant hand and covered her mouth with the other. Panic started to take over her and she tried to arch her back to break free but Laurel was built like a bull.
"You know, you're actually not that bad looking." He chuckled quietly looking down at her squirming. "I mean your built like a thin 10 year old boy and I prefer a woman with curves but hey at least you got a cute face." With his palm still covering her mouth he used his thumb and Index finger to pinch her cheek.
The terror and panic was really starting to kick in now the longer he held her there. The physical contact was too much to handle. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her partner was the only way she could break free right now. She needed his help. Laurel stared wide eyed as her large partner started to pull itself away from her body.
"Oh, no you don't!" Someone laughed from behind the Stone Ninja and like an elastic band Tegan's partner snapped back into her body. No matter how hard she tried to bring him out he wouldn't budge. Peeking over Laurel's shoulder Tegan couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Kabuto stood in the doorway of the Stone ninja's room with Laurel's partner, Bennet behind him. He must have cast some jutsu on her that prevented her from using her partner. Kabuto's glasses gleamed and he smirked. "Look down. Those chakra stings are specially made. They absorb any chakra you exert so the harder you struggle the faster you will wear out." Tegan looked down and her heart sank. The thin clear strings were wrapped all around her body. Even without Laurel pinning her she still wouldn't be able to move with these strings.
Laurel removed his hand and instantly Tegan spat in his face. The Stone ninja's face grew red and he lifted a hand to knock her over the head but Kabuto stopped him. Kabuto moved forward and grabbed Laurel's arm. "Now, now, we can't have you harming the merchandise. If you do that then Lord Orochimaru won't double your pay."
"What do you want with me, huh?" Tegan growled attempting to kick her legs though the hardly moved. "Do you want me to quit the exams and leave the village? I'll do it!"
Kabuto chuckled and pulled his deck of cards out from his pocket and held them in front of Tegan's face. "You intrigued me pretty early on, Tegan. I have seen these two baboons take the exams several times and fail the first exam. But suddenly you come along and they passed. Then in the Forest of Death, you single handedly obtained the scrolls your team needed. So I wanted to look you up and when I did..." he held up an empty card. "Your card showed nothing. So I did some more research."
Bennett brought forward an open bingo book with her picture inside. Tegan went pale. Kabuto stepped closer and ripped Tegan's sleeve with a medical scalpel. He smiled when he saw the tattoo.
"Ahhh…" a voice almost purred in satisfaction from the shadows of the INN room. Tegan craned her neck to see a tall man with long silky black hair walking toward them. His face was hard and his eyes were a menacing green and narrow like snakes. He was older and he looked ill. The closer he got to them Laurel let Tegan go, letting her fall down the wall to the floor on her tailbone with a hard thud. She didn't have time to feel relief for being released. She stared up at the man walking closer to her. He smirked at her. "I thought I recognized her jutsu in the exams. You are that beautiful little ballerina in the ANBU of the Hidden mist. No wonder why the Akatsuki has taken you in as a new pet."
Kabuto blinked surprised and Tegan held her breath to keep from showing off any emotion to confirm or deny this. This man gave her the creeps. Madara sent tremors of excitement and pleasure through her spine when they spoke to her. This man made her feel dirty and wrong. Slowly circles examining her with his snake like eyes. A gasp escaped her lips when his smile widened and a long tongue with a slit down the middle like a snakes came out to lick his lips like she was something delicious to eat. "Her powers are extraordinary. No wonder they took her in…Surely your Leader knew better than to make you pretend you are from the Stone when it is quiet obvious you are from the Mist…"
"So now what, Lord Orochimaru?" Laurel demanded finally tired of listening to Orochimaru carry on. "When do we get paid? If you're not going to pay us, we will just turn her into the highest bidder!"
Kabuto glared at the two Stone ninja but Orochimaru's snakelike eyes never left Tegan's emotionless face. She glared up at him. Her heart was racing that she thought for sure it would pump straight out of her chest. Tegan stared into those snakelike eyes unable to look away. The feeling of hopelessness grew with each second that passed. She could hear Kabuto move in the hall, then she could hear the sound of Laurel's and Bennet's dense bodies hitting the ground but she didn't watch it happen.
Once it was over Orochimaru smiled at the girl, his tongue licking his lips again. "I think she could be a perfect addition to my collection, hm, Kabuto?"
"If you think so, my Lord," he smiled, his round glasses flashing again.
"Leader-sama will come for me!" The phrase was supposed to sound threatening but it came out as a pitiful squeak. She could only hope Leader-sama would come for her. If these two succeed in taking her then he wouldn't come. Her mission would be a failure. He would let her die in the hands of Orochimaru.
"Leader-sama? Which one do you call that, hm? Pain or Madara?" the tall man said with a sly smile.
Tegan's jaw dropped in shock slightly. No one was supposed to know about Madara. She knew that Orochimaru used to be in the Akatsuki but Madara had told her he never knew his true identity. Only certain members knew his true identity.
"That's what I thought. Though you follow Pain's orders you are most loyal to Madara. Aren't you, little one? The Akatsuki knows I like to do my research." He chucked softly and then turned. "Come, Kabuto."
With an evil smile Kabuto stepped forward towards the girl on the floor. Her mask was breaking as her emotions took over. Tears were threatening the rims of her eyes. She opened her mouth to scream for help but Kabuto quickly stuffed a cloth deeply into her mouth and hauled her up over his shoulder following his master into the shadows.
I DO NOT own Naruto!
thanks for reading guys! Let me know whatcha honestly think :) constructive criticism :) thank you!
next chapter soon!
