This was it, the Hokage was standing in front of the remaining teams, and there were 7 teams left. The proctors and jounin that were the teams sensei's all stood behind the Hokage, Dante stood beside Kakashi and next to Gai, she was shifting her weight from one foot to the other and back. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were just there, she began chewing the inside of her cheek, she just wanted to jump on them and cuddle them. Kakashi held her arm in place.
"Just a little longer" he whispered in her ear. He smiled at her, he was glad she was so excited to see the kids again. A man with long hair in a ponytail and a music note on his headband kept catching her attention, she could feel his chakra and it felt disgusting. She kept giving him sidelong glances and when he finally noticed her looking she felt something, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Ah, fear, she thought, she looked at the man and narrowed her eyes, a wolf would gladly accept a challenge from a snake, and the man seemed to be taken by surprise that she wasn't a crumbling mess of a person. "Stop staring it's rude." Kakashi whispered in her ear making her jump and her attention was back on the Hokage.
"Your students made an impressive showing! I wonder how much of it was dumb luck... Not that it matters. My team is bound to knock them out in the next round." Gai boasted. "At the next level, it will be about their abilities... or lack thereof. Ah, well... sometimes being young is all about learning to deal with heartbreak, eh, Kakashi?"
"Huh? ... I'm sorry... did you say something?" Kakashi answered with the aloof attitude that got to Gai so much. Dante snickered behind her hand trying her hardest not to laugh out loud, she noticed that Gai's team were watching them, it was obvious Lee was all about Gai, but she could see the girl with buns appreciated Kakashis looks more, even though you couldn't see most of his face, she was failing terribly and Kakashis hand went to her mouth, she could see his smirk behind his mask, he leant down to her ear. "Shhh, the Hokage will tell us off." This only made her laugh more and she was now making choking noises. She stopped immediately when a boy with grey hair put his hand up to leave. She heard Naruto shout his name.
"Kabuto!" Dante immediately brought down her walls, she heard the Hokage and Anko talking about him, saying that he was mediocre in the academy. Nothing about this boy felt mediocre, she hadn't realised she had been growling until Kakashi whispered.
"What's wrong Pup?" he looked slightly worried. Dante saw then Kabuto had a quick moment of eye contact with the sound nin jounin with the long hair in a ponytail.
"I don't like him. He feels icky." She said in a childish tone. Making Kakashi chuckle, but he had known her long enough to trust her instinct. He too would keep an eye on him. Dante looked back at the kids to see Sakura crying and Sasuke moaning at her, although she didn't know what they were saying. The Hokage and proctors were talking about taking Sasuke out until Kakashi spoke.
"And you really think he'll just go quietly if you order that? Keep in mind... he's a member of the Uchiha clan." The Hokage sided with Kakashi, Sasuke would be allowed to continue. A match was called, Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi were called to stay for the first preliminary fight. As everyone made their way to the railings that overlooked the ring, Dante was so full of excitement she ran to the squad, pulling all three into a hug.
"You all made it, I'm so proud of you." They all smiled sheepishly, Dante grasped Sakura's and Naruto's hand pulling them up to the sides as Kakashi spoke to Sasuke. Dante could feel the tension coming from the two genin, they were worried about their comrade, the same could be said for Kakashi, she could feel the worry rolling off the group. She watched as Sasuke was being thrown around like a rag doll her hands were clenching the bars Kakashi had to pull her away as the metal creaked under the pressure, a mould of her fingers left on the bar. Naruto shouted something at Sasuke but she didn't hear him she just wanted to jump down there and protect the boy.
Sasuke then turned the battle around, the dynamic of the room changed and she felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as a disgusting chakra leaked from Sasuke's body, she broke out of Kakashis hold as he too seemed a little stunned, Dante's eyes sailed over the other jounin too, she saw the sound jounin lick his lips his eyes locked onto Sasuke shock on his features as Sasuke quelled the repulsive chakra. A small gasp left her mouth as Sasuke beat his opponent to the floor. The boy stood although worse for wear and Kakashi was down there with him and already walking the boy out of the hall, he motioned with his hand to Dante that he would be back momentarily. That was all well and good, she knew where he was. The next match had been called and she wasn't too worried until she saw that the sound nin jounin had disappeared. She felt for Kakashis chakra and pinpointed his location. She brought her hands to her face in the seal of the ram focusing her chakra for teleportation jutsu.
"Where are you going Dante?" Naruto belted.
"Stay here I'll be back." She smiled to ease the boys' tension. She arrived outside a dark hall, the sound of birds chirping immediately met her ears, it was a noise she knew well, Kakashis Raikiri. She rounded the corner and the noise of the chirping stopped, a look of pure horror on Kakashi's face as the man who had caused Kakashi to falter laughed and turned to leave, coming face to face with Dante.
"Orochimaru?" she inquired a growl to her voice.
"Yes, and who might you be? Such a dear little flower." His voice had a singsong tone to it. She felt him exert his chakra in the same manner he had at Kakashi, trying to instil fear in her heart showing her images of her death. She remained unaffected which brought a surprised smile to his face. "Hohoho, what are you?" he purred. Dante flexed her chakra back in the same manner that she would use in a serious fight, the man before her froze his body shaking with fear as his eyes scanned the area.
He couldn't believe that this child had openly challenged him, his eyes scanned the area, he felt for sure he was being watched and felt seconds away from being torn apart by a pack of wolves. His eyes settled back on her, a smirk on her lips. She knew what he was feeling, she made him feel it. He didn't have the effect on her as he did with Kakashi, because you have to fear death, why would she when even Itachi couldn't kill her, her chakra would take on a mind of its own if she was near death, ripping the lifeforce out of any living creature be it plant, animal or human, so she couldn't be killed so easily.
"Who are you?" he managed to stumble a few steps forward.
"A pack leader doesn't turn down a challenge even one against a poisonous snake." She laughed. He watched as she bent down her hand glowing, chakra was swirling in her hand taking the form of a kunai.
"Now that is extraordinary. How did you slip under my radar?" He chortled as he continued to pace toward her with shaky steps. She lowered herself to almost all fours, ready to pounce.
"You have to leave survivors to be heard of." She smirked. Kakashi struggled to watch her, this right now wasn't the Dante he knew, she was slipping back to what she used to be, to what she hated to be and wanted to change. Orochimaru laughed at her answer.
"Aren't you just precious?" he smiled, he had ceased shaking, his curiosity overriding his fear as he stood before her. "Would you like to come with me? I could give everything you ever wanted." He held his palm out to her. Dante's face changed from a smirk to one of confusion, what was this guy up to? She looked over his shoulder to see Sasuke unconscious on the floor and Kakashi signalling her to let him leave, fear screamed from his body. Her eyes flickered from Orochimaru's outstretched hand to his face. From his glare she could tell he was so sure of himself, he actually believed that right now she was debating whether she should go with him, and from Kakashis stance he thought she was considering it too. He made to run to her but with a flicker of her hand he stayed put, Orochimaru had missed her signal, his eyes focused on hers.
"How about you remove that mark from little Uchiha's neck." She growled. He laughed back at her.
"I wouldn't do that. Nothing is that special to warrant that. And from the way you say 'little' I assume you know the elder one, very strong that one, very strong indeed." He licked his lips, Dante's blood boiled in distaste.
"You know Itachi?" her voice faltered a little and she mentally slapped herself for showing it, rule number 25, never show your emotions. "Ugh, I don't need anything from you, I have all I need." Her eyes flickered ever so slightly to Kakashi, he could see her muscles coil, she was about to pounce.
"Dante don't." She stopped on Kakashis command and Orochimaru took note of this walking out passing the girl with a sickening smile.
"What a good dog you are." He laughed. Then he was gone. Dante ran to Kakashi, feeling him over checking he was okay. Her hands searched him feverishly and when she saw that he wasn't hurt she sighed in relief turning to the small raven-haired boy on the floor she pulled the boy to her chest stroking his hair rocking him backwards and forwards humming a lullaby as her hand took a green glow and she lowered it to the boys chest.
"What did you think you were doing challenging him?" Kakashi's voice was harsh as he picked Sasuke up. He really wanted to shout at her for reverting to what she didn't want to be.
"I don't want to lose you Kakashi, I'd do anything, become anyone if it kept you safe." She whimpered, she seemed to have understood his unspoken question, he sighed shaking his head.
"Come on we better get him to hospital and then get back to the kids, we don't want to miss their fights now do we?" he tried to lighten his tone, but she felt awful and followed him like a scolded child. She wanted to know who this Orochimaru guy was, how he knew Itachi. And why Kakashi was so scared. Was he really that strong that they would risk Sasuke just not to go to war with him? The man looked and smelt like a snake, he moved like one too. This just made her hate him more. Her hands were shaking with rage, was he after Itachi too? Would she protect Itachi like she had tried to Kakashi just now? She was so unsure of herself, she didn't know who she was anymore, all she knew what she used to be and who she wanted to become.
But how was she meant to be that person? Whenever her old self shone through she could feel the disgust roll off Kakashi as he looked at her, his look would return to that of love and cherish once she had returned to the weak blushing girl he had come to know, but to protect him she needed to become what he hated, what she hated. Could she live with that? Could he live with that? Or would he close her out? She now stood outside a private hospital room whilst Kakashi sorted out the ANBU patrols for the boy. She shook her head trying to get rid of the look on Kakashis face the harshness in his voice when she faced Orochimaru.
Before she knew it her nose was filled with the smell of Kakashi as he stood right in front of her, the tip of her nose grazing his flak. She looked up at him timidly expecting to see hate or at least anger in his steel coloured eye. She found nothing, only worry and concern. She hadn't realised it but he had been watching her for a few minutes, balling her fists and shaking her head, angered mumbles passing her lips. Kakashi knew that she hated herself now for what she had done, but it wasn't her hating herself for it, it was her hating herself because she felt he had disapproved of her actions. It was now he realised being put in the same predicament on her side, he would have very much done the same thing.
He draped his arm over her shoulders pulling her close once again. His lips against her hair as he inhaled her scent, she smelt of him, his shampoo, his conditioner, even his bodywash, she surrounded herself with all the things that made him.
"He'll be okay, and we'll be okay Pup," a small smile tugged at her lips when he used a pet name he had given to her, he was the only person to give her one that wasn't an insult.
"Uh-huh" she agreed. "Let's go." She took his hand and they were soon back in the arena.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI! DANTE!" Naruto and Sakura shouted.
"Yo" Kakashi and Dante said in unison, Dante mimicked his tone and salute perfectly making herself chuckle and Kakashi huff at her childishness, although he really wanted to smile.
"What do you mean 'YO'?! What about Sasuke is he okay?" Sakura belted. Dante hugged her hushing her.
"He's gonna be just fine, he's sleeping in the infirmary as we speak." Kakashi smiled and the two genin relaxed. Dante was watching the match on the floor, it was another genin she had never met from the leaf village against the Kankurō boy from the sand village, Kankurō was currently in a bind, literally, a sickening crack was heard as the hall fell silent and Dante had tilted her head in confusion at first, everyone had thought he was dead but she could still feel his chakra.
"The mummy" she whispered from beside Kakashi, he looked to her perplexed. Until the boy appeared unravelling himself from the bandages and his puppet broke out of its cast of his body. The boy was better at puppetry than she first assumed, she may have struggled if she did start a fight with them in the street after all. Sakura was the next to go, against a girl called Ino Yamanaka she immediately felt Sakura's chakra tense up as the girl she assumed to be Ino looked at her. "Sakura?" the small pink-haired girl turned toward Dante, pulling her into a hug that Dante always seemed to give. Dante surprised even herself, before these kids she had never hugged anyone to comfort them, if anything she would have left them to their own inner turmoil.
"You can do this Sakura, have faith." Dante pulled her away from her, her hands on her shoulders she was pulsing her chakra into Sakura in relaxing waves, Sakura could feel her body relax and her confidence grew. And she took to her stage. Kakashi was glad to have Dante here to sort out all the girl problems.
"COME ON SAKURA BEAT THAT GIRL TO A PULP!" Dante belted pumping her fist in the air, Kakashi sweat dropped. Maybe not, she was too easily riled up and had as much experience as him when it came to girl problems. Sakura smirked at Dante's behaviour and she was drawing a lot of attention, he had to pull her away from the bar.
"Calm down." He chuckled in her ear as he pulled her back to his side. "You're drawing attention." She looked around to see Kurenai stifling a laugh as Asuma just shook his head a smile on his lips. Dante smiled up at him, his attention was soon back on the fight, as they traded blow for blow. Suddenly she was overcome by a stomach cramp, she dropped to her knees, Kakashi hadn't noticed yet his eyes on the fight. The feeling became more intense, she had had a few stomach cramps and had some days of feeling sick in the morning and even days where she fancied something in particular or nothing at all, she hadn't thought much of it, it was Kurenai to notice her first. Dante had her head against the wall as she hugged her knees to her chest her face screwed as though she were in pain. Dante felt eyes on her meeting Kurenai's worried gaze with her own, she took a deep breath and steadied herself against the pain before standing up, smiling and waving to Kurenai to disarm any apprehension the elder kunoichi felt, it didn't work but it stopped her walking over and alerting Kakashi to the problem.
The next thing she knew Kakashi wasn't at her side but picking Sakura up and bringing her up to the sidelines. She caught herself thinking, how long was she in pain, had Kakashi seen her? And what was this pain? Kakashi smiled at her, and she smiled timidly back, so he hadn't seen but she could still feel Kurenai's worried gaze on her, she decided ignoring all Kurenai's attempts to make eye-contact was the way to go.