AN: Note that I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, or any of the characters from either Anime. This work is a fanfiction written out of my love for the series and not in any attempt to make a profit.
Proofread by: Me!
So, the good news is, the heat has gotten better, and writing is going smoothly now. On that topic, I revisited the previous two chapters and took care of an error I had made while writing them. A line or two of dialogue was added, another line or two was changed, but the change boils down to two smaller ones I had to fix in order to adhere to canon. The first error I made, was to have team seven remain at the tower for one day to rest up. After reviewing the anime and deliberating on it myself, I came to the conclusion that as is heavily implied in the anime, they return home the same day as the preliminaries take place. As such, I had to change it so that was the case in my story as well. The second change was to the end of the last chapter, concerning theme seven's bet, as I changed Kakashi's dialogue slightly to factor in some canon events I had forgotten. So considering that, I am explaining it here to avoid confusing people. Now then, onto the story.
Chapter 29: Travel home, Secret revealed!
On her way home, Sakura considered what her teammates had shared with her about the third exam. Since Sakura had been away with Kakashi, they hadn't been there for the announcement. Fortunately, Kakashi's shadow clone and Sasuke had been, and so Sakura didn't really have to worry about not getting an accurate retelling of what they had been told.
Apparently, the third exam, in the form of one on one battles, would take place in one month from yesterday, giving them plenty of time to train and prepare, while everything was being set up for the tournament and the guests arrived. The thing was, unlike the preliminaries, they already knew who their first opponent would be. For Sakura, it had turned out to be Chōji Akimichi. Sakura felt rather regretful that her first opponent would be a fellow Konohagakure Genin, but she supposed that the odds were against her on that one, as staggering nine out of eleven finalists were from Konohagakure, the only ones from other villages being Karin from Kusagakure and Gaara from Sunagakure. Sakura felt relieved she didn't have to fight either Karin or Gaara in the first round. Karin, because she wasn't sure she'd be able to go all out against her, and Gaara, because he seriously creeped her out and had his impenetrable defense. Sakura wasn't even sure if she could pierce it with her Natural Energy or not, and she wasn't about to gamble on it in such a serious competition.
It was a little disheartening to know that there was no sure-fire way to secure a promotion. Everything would be decided by a set of judges, rather than how far you managed to advance in the tournament. If you got by just by being lucky, then you likely had no chance to actually be promoted. Considering her first opponent seemed to rely on size and speed to attack his opponents, she'd need to find a way around that to start with, and then plan for any further improvements Chōji might make to his abilities. "Would it be against the rules to attempt to spy on his training?" Sakura wondered in her mind.
"Most likely not. They've let us know who our opponent is and that their abilities might not match what we know once the showdown happens. I say that if we win because we know all of his tricks, then that's because we took the initiative and acted as a real Shinobi should during a mission." Inner reasoned, feeling satisfied with her own logic on the matter. After all, a Chūnin was supposed to lead a group of lower-ranked Shinobi after all, taking initiative and making sure they had up to date information was definitely part of the role.
"We'll have to spy on some of the others as well and keep people from spying on us." Sakura agreed, already planning ahead for it.
"We'll have to bring the boys in on our plan. Keeping an eye on everyone would be too hard on our own, and we can't exactly use Shadow clones for it. We need Naruto to agree to help us at the very least." Inner added, and Sakura considered the incredible benefit that Naruto's clones would bring. She really needed to get her own chakra reserves up to snuff so she could learn to use Shadow clones, they were far too useful to pass up, and it seemed like she was now the only one on team seven who couldn't use it.
"Perhaps we should set that as our goal? Learning the Shadow clone jutsu?" Inner suggested casually, surprising Sakura a bit.
"We already have a goal, don't we? Several in fact! Pass the Chūnin exam, increase our chakra reserves, figure out how to master the transformation technique properly to let us fly as a bird… What else?" Sakura asked, trying to prove her point.
"So? Then we just add it to the list. Shadow clones are too useful to ignore, and if we learn to use them, I feel like we might be able to use them a lot more efficiently than how Naruto does it. Imagine combining it with the transformation technique, like how he did back at the Naruto bridge against Zabuza? That trick has a lot of potential." Inner pointed out, and Sakura was inclined to agree.
"I suppose, but I'm not sure we can increase our chakra reserves to that degree in time for the third exam. We better put that on the shelf for now and focus on actually expanding our chakra reserves first. I don't think Kakashi would be all too pleased if he knew what we were aiming for, and if he catches us asking either of the boys about how to do it… I don't want to think about it." Sakura decided, going back to the previous topic. "So, what do you think, will Sasuke and Naruto agree to help us? If we all work together our odds should increase." Sakura reasoned.
"Well, it's a tough thing to figure out without asking them. Sasuke's opponent will be Gaara and considering what we've already seen, there's not much to go on besides the fact that he has a pretty solid defense. While spying on him would be incredibly favorable to Sasuke, it won't be easy or risk-free. As for Naruto, he will be fighting Karin, and I think he'll be spending time with her regardless... Besides, I don't think he'd be interested in spying on his own family, even if it is for the exam." Inner reasoned, before sighing with Sakura's mouth, taking control suddenly as she put their arms behind their head and looked up to the sky. "We will have to rely on Naruto's kindness for this and tempt Sasuke to join in with the possible benefit Naruto can provide us all." Inner decided while Sakura considered how they were somehow mentally communicating without even realizing it. As an example, Inner being able to tell when she could take control without Sakura minding it, while she herself wasn't even fully aware of it until it happened.
"We need to figure out everything about how we're now sharing a body while practically being two different people." Sakura brought up, getting another sigh from Inner using her body, lowering her arms.
"I suppose. Kakashi is right, we need to become one despite being two. There shouldn't be any hesitation when we're interacting or changing who is controlling the body." Inner reasoned while Sakura agreed.
"It's not a priority I don't think, but it would be best to master it soon. That means practicing. Do you have any ideas?" Sakura inquired, feeling Inner begin to mull over several ideas and decided to try opening up their connection like Inner had before, this time, prepared for the rush of information, only to find it far less intense. What followed, was a rapid exchange of ideas and words in a mental conversation that only took moments while Sakura used her wall climbing to casually walk across a bridge on top of the railing while heading in the direction of her home.
As Sakura lessened the connection, she couldn't help but realize how they were already at the base of the stairs leading up to her family's apartment, yet that she had still been fully aware and conscious throughout it, although in a less direct manner as she focused on conversing with Inner. "Okay, that's… bizarre and maybe even dangerous." Sakura decided, only to feel Inner disagree.
"Not really, it wasn't any different than daydreaming. Besides, if we had actually been focusing on getting home, rather than exploring our possibilities for our self imposed training, we would not have ended up here like this. We should keep practicing this for combat situations." Inner suggested, and after mulling it over for a bit, Sakura agreed to give it another chance, trusting Inner's judgment on this, just like she had concerning the decision to heal Karin using Natural Energy.
Stepping onto the stairs, Sakura suddenly found the door to her apartment was practically blown open as her parents came out to greet her, welcoming her cheerfully, happy to see her alright and safe, back home.
"Oh Sakura, We were so worried! We heard a lot of participants died during the second exam. We're glad you're alright, how did it go?" Sakura's mother, Mebuki Haruno, told her, hugging Sakura close, together with her father, Kizashi Haruno, from the other side, trapping her in their embrace.
"Oh, don't you see she's fine? Besides, with how well she'd been doing until now, of course, she passed, right my little Sakura?" Her father asked her, laughing to himself.
"Geez, I'm fine! You don't have to squish me like this!" Sakura complained, pushing her parents away lightly to break out of their embrace, although she had a smile on her face, having missed them. "My team and I passed the second exam, and also the preliminaries for the third exam. We'll all be participating in it in one month." Sakura informed them glad to see their approval and genuine excitement at the news. They might have been against her career choice in the beginning, but they were definitely supporting her choice now ever since she had proven herself capable and dedicated to it in the Academy.
"Well then, what are we standing here for? We should be celebrating! Come now, let's bring this inside and break out the sake!" Her father suggested, stunning Sakura and Mebuki briefly before Mebuki scowled and gave him a disapproving glare.
"Kizashi! She's only thirteen!" Mebuki scolds him, while Kizashi looks so confused that Sakura can't help but laugh.
"But, dear, she's a fully-fledged Shinobi, almost Chunin now, she'd practically an adult!" He tries to argue, only for Mebuki to have none of it. Leaving her parents to settle their argument, Sakura sneaks up the stairs and into their apartment, deciding to go to her room as it had been far too long since she had last been there. Opening the door, she finds that her mother has been keeping it clean in her absence and that there isn't even a speck of dust anywhere to be found. Happy, she quickly grabs another set of clothes and heads for the bathroom, deciding that she'd rather get herself cleaned up now before dealing with her parents and the questions they'd undoubtedly have for her. She feels a bit of apprehension at the thought of telling them about her Kekkei Genkai but decides that she can put it off until after her hospital visit. No need to worry them in case the results let her get out from under the Council's thumb, even if it was rather unlikely by this point. Either way, she would be telling her parents only after she had showered and put on a fresh set of clothes. Gods knew her current ones reeked by this point. Blood and sweat was not a pretty combination.
The following celebration set up by her parents wasn't anything grand, by a long shot. However, that didn't matter to Sakura. She was having a good time with her parents, telling them about the first and the second exam, while avoiding telling them details about what could clue them in about her Kekkei Genkai just yet. However, parents being parents, she found it to be impossible in the end.
"Sakura, are you hiding something from us?" Her mother suddenly asked her, concerned, as she finished telling them about Tenten's fight against Misumi Tsurugi and the final matchups for the third exam.
Like a deer caught in a shadow possession jutsu, Sakura couldn't help but freeze up at the accusation, something her father immediately caught onto and immediately gave her a worried frown of his own.
Groaning, Sakura knew she had been caught and that her parents would be unlikely to drop it. At least she had been able to enjoy the moment while it lasted, the syrup-coated Anko dumplings and tea were long gone, consumed while she had told them about the exams.
"Sakura…" Her mother tried again, her tone worried and probing, and Sakura knew she couldn't postpone it any longer without needlessly worrying her parents.
"You're right, something rather big happened during the second exam. I awakened a Kekkei Genkai." Sakura told them, her parents exchanging surprised looks before looking to their daughter to explain everything further.
AN: I had intended for Sakura to reach the hospital in this chapter, giving people a bunch more insight into her Kekkei Genkai and Inner. Seems that some insight might be gained in this chapter either way, but not quite in the way I had planned… that applies twice as I had to rewrite this chapter once, after deciding I wasn't happy with the route I ended up going down. Trying to adhere to the rules I've set for Inner can get a bit tiresome and hard sometimes. If I slip up and things stop making much sense, you all have my permission to spam my PMs. With that, I say adios for now.