The Fox, The Badger and the Vampire
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto and company, Rox, Mirage and Elisa are mine, but that and a buck will get me a cup of coffee.
Chapter 10
Team Mystique arrived at the academy where the first exam would be taking place. Naruto in the middle with Rox and Elisa on either side. He pushed the door opened and they climbed the stairs, here he frowned.
"What room is the exam in again?" he asked.
"301." Elisa said as they looked at the mass of genin trying to enter a room, only to be rejected by a pair of Jonin.
"We only came up one flight of stairs." Rox said in a low voice. "There's a heavy genjutsu blocking the real stairs and the room those two are guarding." Naruto said back to the blind earth mover. "You get the impression where the stairs are?"
Rox nodded.
"Looks like it's to weed out the weak." Naruto said. "Come, this isn't our concern. Rox, lead." He said and the blind genin led them around the room, avoiding many of the Genin of various smaller villages that were here and Rox walked right through a wall which was really the genjutsu.
"The thing with being blind is genjutsu's don't work on me. That and I sent a pulse out…and followed the trail." Rox said with a grin as they climbed the stairs.
Elisa sniffed as she pointed at the runes etched onto the rail. "Silencing runes to keep those that find the stairs from giving away the position."
Naruto nodded and trusted his lover as she did have more knowledge than he. The only reason she was a ninja was to be with him.
They finally reached the third floor and passed several Jonin who were waiting for their students.
"What are you doing here?"
Naruto turned to see the one-eyed silver haired Jonin blocking their path. "Taking the Chunin exam." He said. "What are you doing here Hatake, and on time?" Naruto had met the man several times over the years.
"I'm waiting for my team. And how are you allowed? I thought the council banned you?"
Naruto chuckled. "Loophole. So you're the poor bastard that got stuck with the Uchiha. I almost pity you. So, did you ignore the rest of your team and stuff the bitch full of jutsu?"
Kakashi ignored him by pulling out and reading his book. Naruto wasn't bothered, they never got along since the day Naruto found out the man was supposed to protect him and just stood by watching as a mob beat him. Since that day Naruto kept a close eye whenever the Jonin was around, and Elisa had offered to kill him several times, but the Hokage had forbade them as he was a skilled Jonin and they had need of him. The Hokage usually kept Kakashi well away from them.
"Brats."
They turned to see Mirage step out from behind another Jonin.
"Hey boss lady." Rox said with a grin. "We're he to kick ass and take names."
"Sadly Rox is blind." Elisa said.
The man mountain shrugged. "So I'll just kick ass. You can do the secretary stuff."
Elisa narrowed her eyes. "Do I look like a office jockey to you?"
Mirage smirked as Rox waved a hand in front of his eyes. "I don't know, I'm blind overbite."
"Rock humper." Elisa shot back.
"Fiend."
"Walking advertisement for birth control."
"That would be the Uchiha." Naruto said.
They all turned hearing a shout and saw as the Uchiha was in the process of getting his ass kicked by a boy with a bowl cut and wearing green suit.
"So much for the prodigy." Naruto said loud enough for Kakashi to hear it. He looked at Mirage. "I know, keep our heads down and…"
"Remember your orders. Both sets." Naruto paused and then nodded.
(Flashback)
It was well after two in the morning when there was a presence in the room. Naruto opened his eye. "What do you want sensei?"
"Is Elisa here?"
Naruto looked around. "She's probably preparing blood pills for the exam." He said sitting up. "What do you need?"
Mirage stood there for a moment then sighed. "We received a report that Oto and Suna are going to use the exam as cover to invade."
Naruto blinked. "And your telling me this…why?"
"You have separate orders. If during the second or third part of the exam you encounter the Oto or Suna teams, you are to kill them."
Naruto nodded. "Anything else?"
"Yes. The children of the Kazekage are in this exam. The youngest son is the Jinchuriki of Shukaku. His mind is unstable and you are to take him out in the second exam. Search and destroy. These orders come from the Hokage."
Naruto sighed and bowed his head. "As the Hokage commands, I obey."
(End Flashback)
Naruto blinked as Elisa touched his arm. "Wool gathering?"
He gave her a grin. "Just thinking of what this test will mean for us all." He told her. He hadn't had a chance to tell her or Rox, he would do so once they entered the second exam.
They entered the door and the first part of the Chunin exam was about to begin.
XX
Team Mystique looked on as the rookie teams entered. He saw the Ino-Shika-Cho remake in their children, his eyes went to Team 8 and shook his head as Hinata looked at him and blushed while Kiba was loud and boasting that they were going to kick ass.
Team 9 entered and Naruto nodded to TenTen and Neji, his eyes landing on Rock Lee and knew that despite his handicap, the Genin had taijutsu skills that made him high Chunin or low Jonin in ability.
His gaze went to the door once more as Team 7 entered.
Sakura and Sasuke were followed by Sai Ken. Ino grabbed onto Sasuke and Naruto shook his head at the display the Genin of Konoha were putting on. He took note of the Suna and Oto teams, but he was distracted by Elisa who buried her elbow in his gut.
"What?"
The vampire nodded and he took note of the silver haired Genin with glasses talking to the Uchiha.
"Rock Lee…Gaara of the Desert…" he heard the Uchiha say.
he watched the silver haired teen shuffle a deck of cards and pull up classified information and read it aloud for all to hear.
"Rox?" Naruto said.
"Got him." The blind earthmover said. "His heart flutters, he's lying about several things."
"Elisa, mark him." Naruto said and he watched as his lover move with the grace of a jungle cat and scrap Kabuto's neck helping him up after the Sound nin attacked him.
She returned and nodded licking her fingertip. "Done. You will tell us why later?"
Naruto nodded and would have spoken to her, but the front of the room exploded with smoke bombs and when it cleared the front of the room was filled with Chunin and one very special Jonin.
Ibiki? Naruto frowned as the head of the interrogation department ordered everyone to seats, they had a minute to find a place to sit.
Naruto found Rox a seat and got to his own assigned place. Ibiki gave the orders for the exam and Naruto groaned.
Paper test. No, wait. There's more to it than that.
XX
Ibiki looked around the room and took note of many of the people. The Chunin's were cutting them down quickly and Ibiki wished that they could fail the Uchiha, the little bastard blatantly used his sharingan. He'd gotten it on the failed C-rank upgraded to A-rank mission that they lost the client on. They just left the hospital yesterday. They do not belong here. Ibiki thought with distaste.
His eyes noted that Team Mystique was here. The blond was doodling on his paper, the girl he knew was cheating, but couldn't see how and the walking man mountain…
Ibiki blinked. I think we made a miscalculation. Forgot this one was blind.
He gestured to one of the Chunin who nodded and marked it down.
And the girl and the blond aren't intimidated. Of course if half the ninja were like them then we'd really have a solid group.
Ibiki hated how the council kept interfering in the blonds life. He's a ninja of Konoha and they still meddle.
Several more teams were eliminated. Ibiki noted that Gai's team did very well. The bun haired girl had placed mirrored blades in the ceiling during the seating arrangements allowing the Gai-clone to copy.
Ibiki noted several others and knew this was going to be a long exam. Anko's going to have a field day. He knew the orders the Hokage gave him ten minutes before the start of the exam.
(Flashback)
"Ibiki, a word."
Ibiki stopped at the door and waited until the Chunin were out and sealed the door.
"I know the council has ordered you to pass the Uchiha."
Ibiki nodded, his displeasure evident on his face.
"I have three operatives in place. I need them to advance as well."
Ibiki looked at the old man, betrayed.
"Naruto Uzumaki and his teammates must get to the next part of the exam. They are under special orders from me."
"May I inquire as to what?" Ibiki asked.
The Hokage puffed on his pipe. "They are according to the council to protect the Uchiha, but I've countermanded that order. Their real task is to eliminate the Oto and Suna teams in the second part of the exam."
"I could fail…"
The Hokage shook his head. "The Kazekage's youngest must be dealt with. Jiraiya has sent reports that they plan to use the third part of the exam to invade."
Ibiki snarled. "So we're using our weapons to wipe out theirs."
The Hokage knew what he meant. Team Mystique was seen as weapons by the council and many of the ninja. "I hate to see it that way, but Naruto and his team are the only ones who can do it. They are the only ones that can move about the forest and kill who we need."
(End Flashback)
Ibiki saw it was time and announced it was time for the final question. He made eye contact with Naruto Uzumaki and wished the kid luck with his mission.
AN: The Forest of Death leads up to its name.