"Beyond Hearts and Minds"

by XyoushaX

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do not own Potamos. I do not own any great quantity of money or property. I'm a STUDENT; that's why I'm poor, okay?

Damn, now my best friend is reading my fanfiction. I was determined to keep it secret from him. But no: he had to go all honey-mouthed and lavish praises to wrench the truth out of me. Honestly, working on these stories is one of my guilty pleasures. My other guilty pleasure is making readers wait. (I'm kidding; I'm kidding!)

Thedarkowns: yes, please eat me, if I think that's what I think it means! (Don't take it seriously. Feel free to slap me.)

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"Quotations"

'Inner Thoughts'

-Writing-

(( Flashback ))

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Chapter 8: Mixed Teams


A bored-looking jounin held out a scroll in front of him. "Welcome to the Chuunin Exams." He peered over the head of the paper with a critical eye, studying the collection of genin crammed into the classroom in front of him. He yawned before he proceeded to continue. "You are here because you were selected for the international mixed-group effort." He sneered. "In other words, you're probably leftovers."

The ninja shot glares of death at the jounin.

'Is this proctor suicidal?' Sakura knew perfectly well that the Leaf ninja was only making fun of them to start the test jitters, but such a cheap trick as calling them 'leftovers' seemed futile. All the genin in this room had supposedly been hand-selected by their respective villages — to not only take the Chuunin exams, but also to take it with strangers. Whether they were the best shinobi was yet to be proven. But they sure as hell were the scariest. No doubt, to cast a bit of fear into their foreign teammates. Hauling in their flashiest to intimidate foreigners, and allow their might to shine into other villages through words of traumatized genin: that was international diplomacy at its best.

Well, it was presumed that their personalities were good enough to promote teamwork. Otherwise, the whole idea of mixed teams would be a drain of human resources for any village sending in genin for the program. Any backstabbing until the final stages of the exam would prove disadvantageous for anybody who wished to advance.

"Listen carefully as I call out the cell numbers, and your names for each cell," the jounin instructed. "Hold up your hand when your name is called so that your teammates can find you. Team One..."

Sakura studied the array of people around her. 'I must look like a flower in the middle of a grass patch.' Her tongue carefully pushed away a drop of syrup from the sweet dango she had snacked on earlier. 'And I can't say less for my teammates.'

"...Minoru, Haruno Sakura, and Kawanami Hiromi."

Sakura jerked into the real world again. Minoru entered himself, as himself? Well, it was not his real name per se... Minoru was just his nickname; his complete magical title was too difficult to pronounce for any human, at least in this world. But that was his real nickname nonetheless! Spy or no spy.

"... Haruno-san?" The proctor raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Oh!" Sakura immediately shot her hand up. Even though she already knew Minoru and Potamos, she had to hold the act that this was her first encounter with them.

Sakura glanced at Minoru, now draped in dark-green, loose clothing. The pink-haired kunoichi gulped in nervousness as Minoru gave her a gentle smile. His blonde hair seemed to wave with light — damn, that would attract trouble when the exams actually started! The majority of the selected genin were male, and looked at least twenty years old (although they were probably younger; the pressure of battle could quickly age anybody). With their scars, and ugly glares towards the jounin instructor, the genin looked morbid and threatening.

Potamos had her feet on the desk, her purple ninja suit tight over her small frame. Now that kind of image Sakura found convincing. Potamos looked something of a kunoichi, at least in terms of dress. The black and purple in her hair was a little bizarre, but it probably helped her blend into dark places. The small girl looked absolutely unfazed at the sneers heading in her direction. She looked very cute, with her swirled hair up in two short pigtails. A pair of headphones cupped her ears; she bounced in her seat to the music. This was normal behavior for her.

Sakura sighed. Potamos, even though she picked out the right attire for the occasion, still acted childish. And Minoru kept acting the beautiful deity.

And what the hell was with the thing that Minoru picked out for Sakura? Only the previous night, he just shows up on her balcony and hands her a... a dress, which no kunoichi would wear unless for undercover purposes!

"Dismissed!"

Sakura groaned as she pulled herself up from the stiff desk. The medic-nin then heard suspicious skips behind her. She ducked.

Potamos cruised through the air above Sakura. Since the pathways in between the desks were crammed with genin, the purple-haired girl decided to skip her way to Sakura on the desks, and hug her from behind.

Sakura, of course, thought this move was a bit too suggestive of previous intimacy, and evaded the embrace. Too bad that she had failed to remember the desks in front of her.

Potamos immediately crashed into a desk, and toppled over it. A great thud sounded out.

The surrounding ninja stared at the purple-haired girl's crumpled form. That was a kunochi from the Hidden Rain? She looked no more than twelve years old, and not very wise in the ways of desk stability. She was selected to be here? It seemed like their village really was in dire straights.

Potamos rubbed her head. "Owie! Sa—"

Sakura coughed loudly, and gave a piercing look over Potamos, as if mentally telling her: 'Do NOT use the nickname you gave me.'

"...Sakura-san, that was an awesome evasion of my tackle!" Potamos exclaimed, awe shining in her brown eyes. "You're worthy of being my teammate!" Sakura grinned as she helped the purple-haired girl back up on her feet.

Minoru wiped a drop of sweat off a brow. 'That was a close shave, Devil-child.'


(("Hinata-neechan?"

Zashiki Warashi shyly fidgeted, his right foot absentmindedly scratched the left one.

"Hi, Warashi-chan," Hinata greeted. With her legs folded neatly underneath in a traditional sitting position, she turned her head to the sound of the echoing voice. "How are you?"

"Okay," Warashi answered. "Um, are you free tomorrow morning? There's something I need to show you. Can you meet me at the little shrine in the woods at seven o'clock?" ))


Hinata bit her lower lip, nervous. She had arrived at the chapel-like structure about ten minutes ago. Zashiki Warashi had asked her to meet him at the roofed, roadside Kannon statue near the training grounds. Here she was, just as he had asked. Yet there was no sign of the ghost-child.

For most people, being ten minutes late was really not that bad. It was certainly better than some people. Naruto had often complained — and still complained — about his former teacher Kakashi's sense of punctuality, which frankly was nothing at all.

But how could Warashi be late? The spirit had the ability to teleport himself over long distances. He could not be sleeping in late, for he never slept. As a ghost, he did not have much of a schedule in anything.

Hinata flicked on her Byakugan, and scanned the hundred-meter radius around her. The kunoichi decided to review some Juuken moves until Warashi actually arrived. She smoothly positioned her arms, and began to turn them around her. Quiet thrusts and jabs flew through the air.

After a while, Hinata felt a bit of lactic acid tickling her muscles. She looked at her watch, and saw that five more minutes had passed.

Only three hundred seconds of exercising, and she already felt tired? 'I need to train more for stamina...' Hinata decided to stretch a bit before resuming her exercises.

Hinata glanced around for what seemed the nth time. Where exactly was that spirit?

She groaned. 'Warashi-chan can sure test people's patience...'

Hinata looked up at the Kannon statue. The Bodhisattva of eternal mercy was ever in a peaceful state, her stone hand curling into a relaxed sort of greeting. Stories said that sweet ambrosia dripped from the goddess' fingers to the lowest depths of hell.

'Please help Warashi-chan come safely.' Hinata silently prayed, even though it seemed kind of pointless. Warashi would be okay. Ghosts did not get in trouble... did they?

After paying her respects, Hinata walked several meters away from the shrine, and resumed her exercises.

Five more minutes passed.

Hinata sagged on the ground, panting from her brisk workout. Why did she grow so tired, so quickly? Reserves of chakra tended to be highest right after a good sleep and a complete breakfast, both of which she already had taken. Hinata was regularly a morning person.

The Hyuuga quieted down her breathing. Her dark hair stuck to her forehead in sweat.

She realized that this place was not normal. Something nearby was sapping her strength.

Hinata observed the Kannon statue on the pedestal. As she contemplated it, there were shades of darkness under the deity's closed eyes. Instead of feeling warm and protected, Hinata felt scrutinized under the stone idol's gaze.

Hinata turned away in nervousness. 'It's just a statue that represents Kannon-sama! Don't let it bother you...'

Warashi was twenty-five minutes late.

Hinata looked back into the face of the Bodhisattva. That was strange: the slight dark circles under Kannon's eyes had not been there before. Hinata had seen this statue hundreds of times throughout her life. This was not the same stone piece.

Hinata's eyes turned a bright white. 'Byakugan; second stage!'

Her vision plunged into a system of spiritual energy. As Hinata looked around her, she noticed a pungent odor. A strange aura was surrounding the Kannon statue.

Hinata's white eyes looked more closely at it — and saw into it.

Vertigo hit her mind. Her eyes began to sting with all the chakra she was using. The kunoichi held her balance as her vision probed into the statue. A dark blue tunnel seemed to warp and waver within the folds of stone.

"Hinata-neechan!"

Within the dark recesses of nowhere, Warashi kicked and screamed for the priestess. Something akin to a fluid and slick gas embraced over the little boy, tying him up. The already-thin image of the ghost-child seemed to flick on and off from the dark-blue mass.

Hinata, trying not to panic, focused on what was trapping Warashi. And where exactly was that place? It seemed to be inside the statue — but it was impossible in terms of the normal three dimensions. "Warashi-chan!" Hinata called out. She was seriously frightened and worried. What kind of thing could actually grab a hold of a ghost?

Maybe the image of the trapped Warashi she saw was only a mirage. Perhaps an evil spirit was attempting to trick her.

But the boy looked real. It was exact same spiritual energy as Hinata had seen before in him. If there was one thing one could not fake, it was personality. That was definitely Zashiki Warashi.

Hinata carefully adjusted her eyes to partially come back in the real world — at least, where her body was. Her physical body was right in front of the statue, she reminded herself.

The priestess still needed to adjust to the Sight. This was just a repeat of her childhood, back to the point in time when her normal Byakugan had first awakened. The little Hinata had been so dazzled and confused by the unusual 360-degree vision that she had immediately fainted on the spot (in front of practically all her relatives, she might add).

Right. Those things strapped within the sandals were her feet. These things were called hands.

Hinata carefully willed herself to climb up, close to the statue, trying to keep her attention on Warashi while still controlling her own biology in the real world. Her hands numbly trailed them over the stone, trying to find some sort of physical opening.

"Don't come in, Hinata-neechan; it's a trap!" Warashi screamed to Hinata.

Through the wraithlike tunnel, Hinata saw a tidal wave of dark-blue ki rush towards her. For a brief second, she saw the mass of energy form into something animalistic. Hard eyes, and what seemed like a beak, formed through the lines of overlapping fog.

The terrible screech of a hawk shot through her senses.

Hinata gave out a terrified squeak as she pushed away a wave of dark-blue aura with her glowing hand. She quickly pushed herself off the statue, and jumped away before the wave completely enveloped her.

The Hyuuga girl's eyes swirled white. She was exhausted. She had not realized, until now, exactly how much control was required for this Sight. She looked up at the Kannon statue: a powerful aura of a midnight blue oozed from every inch of its surface.

"What are you doing with Warashi-chan?" Hinata shouted out. A tremor of fear went down her spine as she saw how much actual chakra radiated from the stone medium.

"Leave this ghost to me," a voice from the idol spoke. The lips were not moving, but the eyes glowed eerily. "Step down, Priestess, and let me handle this child."

"What are you doing?" Hinata asked, this time more demanding. She was surprised at her boldness in speaking up to a goddess. Or at least, what seemed like one. "...I... As the Priestess of Souls, I... I demand an explanation!" she burst out.

The aura from the statue slightly calmed down. "This ghost has committed many sins," it said gravely. "It was only sooner or later when he would be caught. Withdraw, or you shall die."

Hinata quivered. Her head lowered. "I see."

"Good child," the voice said gently. Soon, the blue aura was reduced to nothing more than a feint glow from the statue. "Now be an obedient girl, and leave him to Kannon."

Hinata looked up, her white eyes flashing. "You're not her."

A nervous bubble of energy emitted from the statue. "Child?" it asked hesitantly.

Something new and bold grew within the petite Hyuuga heiress. "Kannon is the protector of women and children, as well as the goddess of Mercy!" Hinata argued. "If you really were the ideal of compassion, then you wouldn't kidnap Warashi-chan and punish him. And you certainly wouldn't threaten me!"

Around the statue's face, waves of aura curled upward into something of a malicious grin. "I see... So you saw through my disguise. You are indeed the Priestess of Souls."

The blue energy swirled at the foot of the statue, concentrating itself into a pinpoint. The dot slowly grew into a circle, inflating slowly like a blown-up balloon. It was a tunnel leading directly to where Warashi was. The ghost was not bound in ropes of sapping aura anymore — it was more like the ghasty fog was melding around him.

"Come in, Priestess, if you want to save your little ghost," the voice laughed. "Do you dare put yourself in it?"

As Hinata peered into the entrance, she noticed how it dark and creepy it was. It was as long as a waterslide — but there was no water, and had a rocky surface. The end of it did not look too inhabitable. In fact, there were a few humanoid skulls littered about.

Warashi's voice echoed through the tunnel. "Don't do it, Hinata-neechan! This is a realm of spirits! I'll be fine; I can get out of it! But if you enter remain in here too long, you'll fade away!"

Hinata gulped. 'But if you're not with me, I won't be able to get your help, Warashi-chan,' she thought. She kneeled down, and carefully inserted her legs into the hole. 'And the gods know I can't abandon you.'

Her body slid through the dark tunnel.

The exit plugged itself off.


Naruto felt a sudden chill. His right hand nervously rubbed his left shoulder. Something terrible had happened; he just could feel it.

'You felt it, too, whelp?'

Okay, there was a good confirmation that something drastic had occurred.

Sasuke noticed the fidgeting of his teammate. "Nervous for the exams, too?" he asked.

"Which ones?" Naruto huffed. He and Sasuke were proctoring the Chuunin Exams, in which they were going to have to look over Sakura's performance — and after that, they themselves had to take entrance exams for ANBU classes. Of course, Sasuke was already getting some tutoring from Kakashi, but he needed to know how the official system worked. Naruto said that he was just doing it for 'fun'.

Naruto sighed. "I think I'm hyped up about both..." he said. "You know that Sakura is in one of the mixed teams?"

"She'll be okay. I just hope that her teammates will be competent enough."

Naruto's ears perked up. "You hope? You hope that she'll join the chuunin ranks?"

"Obviously," Sasuke said in a montone. "She's been a genin long enough."

"You want to work with her again, don'tcha?" Naruto asked teasingly. "I'll see you soon, Sasuke." He got up, and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked sharply. The first part of the Chuunin Exams would start in fifteen minutes.

Naruto waved it off. "I just need to check something out. I'll be there on time." He flung open a window, and jumped out.

Sasuke watched Naruto's black-and-orange form blur on the rooftops. 'Morino Ibiki is going to kill him if he's late.'


Sakura nervously tugged at the end of her dress. For the first part of the exams, she was wearing something rather unusual. It was a silk, Chinese-style green dress, with black embroidery at its ends. Long and beautiful, two slits on the sides gave any viewer a very slight taste of her creamy white legs.

Sakura's face lightly blushed in embarrassment as she made her way to her designated seat. Leering faces turned in her direction. 'I feel like a slut in this place!' her thoughts screamed.

At the back of the room, Minoru and Potamos observed their pink-haired teammate. "She looks wonderful, don't you think?" Minoru commented. The purple-haired girl nodded enthusiastically.

Sakura noticed that her desk was at the side of the classroom. So Minoru was right: she was going to sit near some of the examiners.

This was not going to work, Sakura decided. She had insisted, begged, even cried to Minoru not to make her wear the dress.

A shadow fell upon Sakura. Some ninja were passing her desk to get to their own seats.

Without warning, the pink-haired genin felt a light squeeze on her waist. There was a hand on her. By instinct, chakra filled up Sakura's arm muscles, and the kunoichi grabbed the insulting limb.


(( "There's no way in hell they'd fall for that!" Sakura said, disgusted.

Minoru held up the dress. "It's just for the, quote-on-quote, written exam."

"This won't work," Sakura intoned. Despite her skepticism, the kunoichi grabbed the wondrous clothing and held it to her frame. It looked like it would fit...

"Make sure you practice your seating," Minoru instructed. "Contrary to popular belief, males do have aesthetic sensibilities. Especially when it comes to female anatomy." Sakura gave him a revolted face. "Don't scorn it. Use it." The blond gave a reassuring smile to the pink-haired teenager. "If they do anything improper, I can strangle them for you." ))


A sickening crack was heard. A ninja from the Hidden Cloud fell down at Sakura's feet, shrieking in pain and clutching his shoulder.

Sakura's green eyes coldly looked down at the man. "Don't touch me."

The shinobi shot the kunoichi a glare. "You broke my arm, Bitch!"

"Actually, I only dislocated it," Sakura mused. The medic-nin roughly grabbed his shoulder and pushed the joint back in its socket, making him scream once more.

"Silence!"

Sakura let go, letting the genin drop onto the floor.

The front of the room burst into a cloud of smoke. Several chuunin and one jounin appeared from the mist. Sasuke and Naruto were there among the chuunin proctors, towering the others with their charisma.

Morino Ibiki glared at Sakura, who simply kicked away the genin with her foot. "If there is any killing before the exams, you will immediately be disqualified."

"No killing?" Potamos asked in a disappointed tone.

Minoru smirked. 'Not yet, Devil-child.'


Notes:

"Kannon" - Japanese name for "Kuan Yin" (also written as "Guan Yin", "Kwan Yin"), the bodhisattva of mercy and compassion. Kuan Yin is short of "Kuan Shih Yin", which means 'Observing the Sounds of the World'.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please tell me! If I suck, by all means tell me. In an intelligent manner.