It took team seven four days for their wounds to heal; Koyuki's ankle was still broken and the morning of the fourth day they decided it was time to start looking for the second scroll so they could get the medics to heal her ankle as soon as possibly. Sasuke and Naruto went to catch some fish at the river while Sakura and Koyuki set up the small campfire. As they arranged the wood and stones Sakura looked at Koyuki with a small glare.
"Why are you looking at me like that Sakura?" Sakura flinched, even though she had been glaring at Koyuki without the said kunoichi noticing she realized it was possible for Koyuki to have eyes in the back of her head. As if reading her thoughts Koyuki gave a dry laugh.
"I've been feeling your hateful glare for the past fifteen minutes, what is it?"
"Nothing." why did you kiss Sasuke...my Sasuke. Koyuki tilted her head and looked at Sakura with curiosity as the pink haired girl frowned in thought. Then Koyuki understood.
"You're wondering why I kissed Sasuke?" Sakura's eyes narrowed before glaring again. Koyuki didn't even sound apologetic about it, she knew Sakura had a crush on Sasuke and Koyuki just asked as if it was unimportant!
"Why did you do it? He's mine!"
"Realy now~" responded innocently. "I didn't know you two were together."
"We're not together-"
"Then I don't see what the problem is Sakura. Besides, kissing him was the only thing I could think of."
"Couldn't you have punched him instead since that's always your way of fixing things?" Sakura asked, remembering that whenever Koyuki and Sasuke fought Koyuki would always punched the Uchiha heir.
"That would've only made him angrier, violence wasn't the answer at the moment." she looked over the mound of sticks before making some handsigns and litting the wood. Then she called out to the boys by the river. "GUYS THE FIRE'S READY!"
Sasuke turned to them and nodded before calling Naruto who was on the water, the blond replied with a complaint before grabbing the fish and walking over to the campfire. Ten minutes later team seven was sitting and eating the fish quite satisfied. Once Koyuki had finished her fish she cleared her throat.
"I think it's time we start to head out, we only have today to get the last scroll since tomorrow we should be at the tower." Sasuke nodded in agreement.
"We've spent too much time recovering and the scroll count has gone down by one set after that grass ninja destroyed our set."
A while later Sasuke and Koyuki headed of to a creek to gather water; as Koyuki filled her and Naruto's canteen she felt Sasuke's gaze on her. She ignored it as long as she could, keeping her face hidden as her cheeks began to feel extremely warm. After what seemed like minutes but have only been seconds she sighed.
"Could you stop staring at me? It's starting to bother me."
"I don't see what the problem is." Koyuki inhaled sharply as she felt Sasuke's breath right by her ear. She stood up and moved away a few steps, but Sasuke only followed.
"Sasuke...what are you doing?" Her retreat was cut short as she backed up against a tree and Sasuke placed his hands against it, trapping her. She held her breath when Sasuke leaned into her until she felt his lips graze her ear. "If you think I forgot about that kiss...you're wrong."
"Wh-what kiss?" She prayed the kiss he remembered was the kiss from before the exam instead-
"The kiss when the sound nin attacked us." his lips passed her cheeks and down to her jaw; Koyuki fought hard to not gasp as Sasuke's lips pressed slightly against her neck. Her hands curled into fists and her eyes closed tightly until Sasuke stopped and leveled his eyes to her closed ones and chuckled. "I wonder why you kissed me..."
Sasuke watched with amusement as Koyuki's cheeks flushed and she looked away to hide it, only to press her head againts his left wrist. He could feel the warmth of her skin and her cool breath as she tried to keep herself in check.
"I...I didn't know what else to do...it was...just an impulse."
"An impulse huh?" His left hand moved under her chin and he turned her head towards him. Koyuki slowly opened her eyes and they instantly narrowed as she realize how close Sasuke was to her. A smirk was plastered smugly on his lips and his eyes shone in such intensity Koyuki couldn't help but to get even redder with annoyment and embarassement.
"Yes, impulse."
"Then forgive me but I have to get rid of my own impulse." with that said he closed what little space was left and kissed her fully in the mouth. Koyuki's eyes widened and her body stiffened for a moment, until warmth spread all over and her body began to relax. Sasuke felt as Koyuki brought her hands to his hair and her lips press against his.
Heh, about time...I thought she was going to hit me for a moment.
His hands moved down until they were wrapped around her hips and pulled her to him as he deepened the kiss.
"Sasuke..." she whispered and tilted her head to make the kiss even deeper.
"OI SASUKE, KOYUKI WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG!"
They jumped away from each other like they had just been physically burned just as Naruto walked through the trees. He looked from one to the other and at the now filled canteens on the floor.
"Were you two making out or something?"
Naruto instantly yelped as a fist wacked the top of his head. He crouched low as Koyuki retreated with her fist red and smoking. She picked up the canteens and started to walk back to camp.
"Please, as if I would trade spit with that annoying Uchiha! Where did you get that stupid idea!" Naruto stood up and rubbed his growing lump as he watched her walk away.
"I just realized this is the first time she smacks me."
"Idiot." said Sasuke with what Naruto thought to be disappointment. Not believing his ears he face the Uchiha and actually saw disappointment on his face. Knowing he would get beaten up if he so much as mentioned it Naruto just stuck his tongue out and ran back to camp with Sasuke walking after him.
Curse you Naruto...why did you have to interrupt! He thought sourly and composed his face into monotone when he got to camp only to find Kabuto being held down by Koyuki. When he was close enough he could hear the growl of her voice, and he love it.
"What are you doing here Kabuto? Where's your team?" She snapped as she looked around, hoping for an ambush.
"Relax kunoichi, I'm alone I got separated from my team."
"Yeah, right."
"I can help you get a scroll." His words made them pay close attention. But Koyuki was having none of it, she told Naruto to check Kabuto's pockets and sure enough he found a set of scrolls. Koyuki smirked and she tsk at Kabuto.
"Bad move Kabuto, you shouldn't take important objects with you if you get separated from your team." Kabuto sighed and looked up at Sasuke.
"Don't take my scrolls it almost cost us an arm and a leg...literaly." Sasuke looked at him for a few seconds before he placed a hand on Koyuki's shoulder.
"If you helps us get our second scroll we'll give you your scrolls back." Koyuki looked at him in disbelief.
"Are you crazy!"
"If we don't manage to find one by tomorrow morning we are going to fail this test and I am not taking any chances." she looked down at Kabuto glared."So, do we have an agreement or do I knock you out and take your scrolls?"
"We have an agreement Hatake Koyuki." She let him go and he stood up, then stretched out his hand but Koyuki shook her head.
"Not until we have our own scroll, until then we keep your set." Kabuto didn't like the idea at all but he was in no position to be making demands. A few minutes later they were running through the trees and heading to the center of the forest. "So how are you going to help us get the scroll we need Kabuto?"
"We are heading to the tower."
"But we don't have the scrolls yet we can't just go in there."
"True, but we can ambush anyone that happens to get there." Kabuto explained an Sakura raised her eyebrows in understanding.
"Only those who have a set of scrolls will be able to get inside, so if we ambush them before they reach the doors we'll have the opportunity to attack."
"Precisely,"nodded Koyuki. "but if we plan to ambush them then we have to do it quickly and efficiently...we're not going to be the only one's waiting in the shadows."
"Kakashi, what are you doing in here?" Kakashi turned to see Iruka standing by the door way with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed in curiosity. Kakashi shrugged and looked out the window again into the forest of death.
"Just wanted to make sure they arrived alright."
"Hatake Kakashi is worried...now that is something I'll never forget."
"Shut up." He chuckled. The sun had set a few minutes ago and it was the last night before the end of the chunning exams and his team had not arrived yet. Kakashi was sure they would make it in time but the worry was still priking his mind after finding out Sasuke and his little sister had gotten curse marks by Orochimaru.
"Don't worry Kakashi they'll make it back in time. I'm sure all of them will be right on time."
"Let's hope so." That's how they spent the entire night, both senseis stood by the window; waiting and silently praying for their students to come back safely. Only when the sun began to rise did they see team seven walk through the trees with Kabuto.
"Who's that?" said Iruka, watching as Kabuto's partners appear from their hidding place.
"Yakushi Kabuto...probably agreed to some sort of bargain." said Kakashi, and sure enough when Kabuto turned towards Koyuki he saw his little sister take out a set of scrolls and hand it to him. Koyuki spoke to him and Kabuto gave a small bow with his head before him and his teammates headed to their door. "You might want to get ready Iruka, they're about to summon you."
Iruka nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakahsi looked back out the window and noticed how Sakura supporting Sasuke by the waist with one arm around her shoulder.
What could have happened to Sasuke to have Sakura help him stay on his feet?
"Iruka-sensei what are you doing popping out of a summoning scroll?" asked Naruto a little confused. The scrolls they had won turned out to be a summoning scroll. Iruka explained the significance of the message the lord hokage had placed on a wall when they arrived.
"This is the symbol of what a chunning should be, if you combine strength with knowledge you gain the power to overcome any mission and triumph in you goals. You passed the second part of the exam congratulations, now I wish I could take you out to ramen but-"
"YEEEEES! YES YES YES YES!" Iruka was knocked on to the floor by Naruto who had gotten overly exited over the mention of ramen. Sakura and Sauke flopped to the ground in exhaustion looking at Naruto incredulously, obviously impressed on how he was still able to run around and yell at the top of his lungs after fighting all night. Koyuki on the other hand walked to a wall and slid down with her injured leg stretched out. Iruka noticed this and after Naruto got off him he knelt down and examined her leg.
"You sprained it?"
"No, a grass nin named Orochimaru broke it." Iruka paled and his eyes narrowed.
I guess it really is true they got attacked by the sannin.
"Don't worry we'll just have the medics look it over and see it they can heel it."
"Thank you sensei." He let them rest for five minutes before telling them it was time to take them to the arena where all the other pasing teams were gathering. Koyuki had a hard time getting up and Naruto suddenly grabbed her and placed her on his back.
"Naruto what are you doing?"
"You can barely walk Koyuki-chan, I'll carry you until we get the medics to heal you." He gave her his trade mark goofy smile and she couldn't help but grin back. She didn't notice how Sasuke glared at Naruto for a moment before flinching as the mark on his shoulder burned. When they arrived at the arena they looked in amazement as so many of leaf gennin had passed the test, with only one team from sand and sound passing as well. Naruto walked over to the medics who stood by the door and placed Koyuki on the bench by the wall.
"A nin broke her left ankle." he said and one of the medics instantly began working on Koyuki's leg. She saw in with curiosity as the nin's hands turned green before placing them on her ankle. Warmth flooded her leg and could actually feel her bones moving as they tried to mend themselves. But the medic nin only did it for a few seconds before removing his hands and wrapping in in bandages.
"I've healed it to the point of it being only a small sprain, just try not to over do it."
Before Koyuki could ask what he meant by that she was called over by her team mates to stand in line along with the other teams. Lord Hokage gave them a speech on the importance of this exam until a chunnin of the name Gekko Hayate interrupted.
"If you'll allow me to inform them as I am the proctor of the third exam, Lord Hokage."
"Of course."
"Hello everyone, I'm Hayate and I will be the proctor of the third exam."
He looks really sick, I hope he doesn't just pass out on us. thought Koyuki in amusement at the dark circles under his eyes and the way his breathing wheezed a little.
"Now, at this point we are going to be starting preliminaries rounds."
"What?" Everyone shouted.
"Hayate-sensei I don't understand why can't we all just head straight to the third exam?" asked Sakura.
"Because at the moment there are still too many applicants. We need to dwindle down the numbers as those who will be evaluating whether or not you can become chunnin need a swift battle. With too many applicants that won't be possible. If anyone doesn't feel up to the task mentally or physically you may say so now beause the preliminaries start, right now."
No wonder the medic nin didn't fix my injury completely.
Owwwww Koyuki looked behind her and found Sasuke clutching his sholder. She raised her eyebrow at him and his expression showed brief pain before masking it quickly with his monotone look.
"Are you alright?" she whispered.
"I'm fine." she frowned at him before turning back to Hayate.
Did I imagine it? I could of sworn he had groaned in pain.
"Anyone want to back out now?"
Kabuto looked ahead at the only sound nin and began to raise his hand before someone caught his wrist about halfway up. He looked to the side and found Koyuki holding his wrist and giving him a glowering glare.
"What the fuck Kabuto?" she snapped. "You and I made a deal you are not backing out on me now!"
They were standing outside the doors of the towers as Koyuki handed him back the scroll.
"I upheld our end of the deal just like you did yours. Thanks."
"Koyuki-san, I must say that after the battle to get your scrolls has left me very impressed."
"Hn," she smirked. "Thanks."
"Therefore I will make a promise to you, if we fight in the third battle then I promise to give it my all."
"Deal."
Kabuto sighed and his eyes briefly met the sound nin's sensei's eyes. The nin nodded and Kabuto looked back at Koyuki with fire with determinaton.
"Alright Koyuki, I wont back down." Koyuki smelled smugly before letting go of his wrist and looking ahead. Sasuke looked back at them strangely before his eyes widened and unberable pain surged through his left shoulder.
"NGH!" Damn it! They keep coming more and more frequently!
"Well, I guess no one is backing out, so we'll have to proceede."
"Huh?" Sakura looked at the proctor before looking at Sasuke to notice he wasn't raising his hand. "Sasuke...maybe, you should quit."
"What?" He snapped.
"I can see it's taking you all your strength to bare the mark, it's causing you pain and I can't stand it!"
"Sakura I told you before, I am an avenger; I'm not going to give it all up now just because of this thing."
"Sasuke..." Sakura's three teammates looked in surprise as trears began to fill Sakura's eyes. "I'm scared...what happened in the forest...you have to quit!"
"Shut up." Sasuke growled.
"I'm not going to just stand here and watch how you loose yourself again!"
"I said-"
"If you won't tell the teachers about the mark then I will! And then-" she began to raise her hand but was suddenly stop as another clasped down on her wrist and brought it down. Sakura's eyes filled with anger when she realized it was Koyuki.
"That's enough Sakura, shut up and don't tell anyone about the mark." she said with a leveled tone.
"What gives you the right-"
"I have every right because he is not just your teammate he's mine and Naruto's as well. Our job is not just to protect him but also to guide him, whether or not he listens to us is his problem. It's not in our place to make decisions for him, so back off."
"I don't need your help Hatake." Sasuke scoffed before another wave of pain hit him. Sakura jerked her arm off Koyuki's grip and Naruto just about had enough of his teammates fighting.
"Why are you trying to act so cool you teme! Sakura's just worried about you and-"
"Naruto." Sasuke cut him off midsentence. "All of the strongest gennin are here in this room, I am not going to stop until I've proven myself against them...and..." His onyx eyes met Naruto's blue eyes with a painful smirk. "Your are one of the one's I wanna fight."
Back with the group of jonnin's Anko argued with the Hokage about taking Sasuke out of the fights as well as Koyuki even though the mark Orochimaru had given her didn't seem to cause her any pain yet. Kakashi interrupted, telling them both his studenst were stuborn and wouldn't leave the arena without a fight. The hokage pondered for a moment before reaching a conclusion.
"We need to consider Orochimaru's threat, we'll let them both compete but we'll keep a close eyes on them."
"Lord Hokage!" Anko snapped in outrage. The Hokage wouldn't be presuaded so she gave up just as Hayate announced the contestants would be chosen through a score board that was hanging on the wall above. The screen turned on and the names scrambled until they stop with a beep.
Kabuto Yakushi
vs.
Koyuki Hatake
"Heh, what do you know Kabuto we got paired up." Koyuki smirked. Kabuto could only give a smirk of his own as Hayate instructed anyone who would not fight to move up to the upper gallery. Sasuke took her arm as Kabuto walked to the center.
"What is it Sasuke?"
"Just, don't loose." She guessed he wanted to tell her more but she didn't get a chance to respond before Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Kakashi nii-san?"
"I want you to be very careful with that curse mark Koyuki."
"How did you-"
"We don't know how it will react to your chakra since it's very different from Sasuke's so please be very careful. I don't want the hokage to step in and suspend the match."
Both Koyuki and Sasuke's eyes narrowed, knowing perfectly well that stopping the match would mean Koyuki would loose. Koyuki nodded as Sasuke and Kakashi joined the other members of team seven upstairs. Koyuki and Kabuto faced each other with steeled determination as Hayate stood between them.
"Anyone feels like stepping off?"
"Nope."
"No."
"Then let the match begin."
Ima leave it there on that cliffhanger. This one's pretty long yay. . Hope you enjoyed it. please message and review i'll accept flames who cares. XP Kabuto vs Koyuki. who will win and what kind of dark secret will be revealed during the fight? you'll have to find out next chapter. =3
