School's beginning to heat up again, and I've done something to my keyboard, so I'm trying to get used to the on-screen keyboard. On the more important note, I've finished Trust, so I should be focusing on this a bit more. Also, we've made it past the 100 favourite mark :)
"Sensei, can I make another clone? I've been learning a new technique."
Sakura knows very well that it's no mistake that Touji-sensei isn't here today.
Naruto is exuberant as usual, but he probably doesn't realise why sensei isn't here.
Umino-sensei smiles, "Who taught it to you? As long as it's a functional clone, it'll be fine."
"Mizuki-sensei got me the scroll last Friday!"
It's not a conversation for all ears, and she picks up on Umino-sensei's faltering smile.
He invites Naruto in for his testing.
Regardless of their conversation, Naruto comes out triumph, with a shiny new headband on his forehead.
That's all that matters to Sakura, because she is still keeping secrets.
When her senpai agreed to teach Naruto-kun, he did so on the grounds of Naruto using it carefully.
When he arranged for a training spot, it was purposefully secluded, so that no one else would know.
But when Naruto isn't at the spot, at the correct time, Sakura knows that something has gone wrong.
She and senpai knocked off together, walked to the clearing together, and so, it can't be him.
Ah, the carefully hidden suspicion she's had of him still doesn't subside.
Using her Naruto chain, she can tell the general direction, and once they get close enough, Senpai navigates for them.
"The forests."
Seeing him traipse happily out of those forests, with an impossibly thick scroll in his grasp seems almost ridiculous.
"Ah, Sakura-chan, Kabuto-sensei, don't worry! Mizuki-sensei told me everything, and, he told me how to get the scroll too. I'll learn it, no problem!"
Naruto hurries along, grinning, and there's a sense of foreboding.
"Mizuki-sensei?"
Ah, to her senpai, and to her, that same name means different things.
Her blonde friend disappears into the city streets, and there's that pervasive sense of dread.
Her senpai's smile is strained.
"Kouhai, I can sense Mizuki-san coming this way. Why don't you go after Naruto-kun and make sure he doesn't do anything reckless?"
Something twinges in her heart, because his smile isn't fooling her, and he knows that.
Once more, he gestures vaguely towards Konoha proper.
Yuurei has long known that the truth is often best not known, but still, Sakura believes that in this world of lies and secrets and deceit, she will continue to lie to cover up her own lies despite asking that people be honest with her.
And if she hates liars, she must hate herself most of all.
She thinks for that moment too long, and as a result, Touji-sensei barrels through the forest, landing cleanly in front of them.
His eyes are almost panicked, his hair tied by his headband in a disarray.
They lock on her, then flit to her senpai.
"Kouhai, you should go."
She looks up at Kabuto-senpai, eyes vaguely questioning.
"Please."
And she's only made a half movement to leave, when sensei calls out.
"Haruno-chan, have you seen Uzumaki-kun? He's supposed to return me the scroll after he learns his technique."
She smiles, "I'll go after Naruto-kun. Do you want him to bring it back to the Academy office once he's done?"
His smile falters.
"I'm supposed to supervise him as he practises though."
Kabuto-senpai cuts in, "I will take over, Mizuki-san."
Her senpai pats her on the head, before gently shooing her away.
It's the look in his eyes that tells her not to resist.
Touji-sensei was gone, and senpai wasn't saying anything.
But Naruto-kun passed, seeming, if anything, happier.
So she doesn't press either for details, and nothing out of the ordinary happens.
That's fine by her.
"Sakura-chan, you'll be given your genin team tomorrow, won't you?"
She nods, even as her chains extend, barely glancing across the forehead of the next bed bound patient.
"By the end of tonight he should be awake and off the IV drip."
Sakura's eyes meet her senpai's, and his smile is warm.
"We probably won't see each other as often anymore, right, kouhai? Your team will be off running D-ranks and all sorts."
They tick off the rounds shift clipboard.
"Wouldn't I be given a new schedule for in-betweens? I thought our schedule would only be disrupted by out of village missions."
His tone is wry.
"I have little doubt that soon my kouhai will be out there as her team's medic. You're not the hospital's to keep."
The door slides open, they walk out.
"I'll come back often, we can still go out for lunch, Kabuto-senpai."
His hand ruffles her hair.
"I will hold you to that."
Carefree, she walks beside him, content to know that even if she has suspicions, she'll trust, and protect her senpai, anyway.
She knows that there was a 12 hour time lapse between the time that Naruto-kun gave her senpai that scroll, and Lord Hokage received it.
Surely, even 13 hours is still an appropriate time frame for the return of so sensitive an object, right?
"Orochimaru-sama, I have gotten you a copy of Konoha's Forbidden Techniques. Mizuki is now on the run for it though. May I know your orders?"
He keeps his voice placid, watching those snakelike eyes with a sense of caution.
"Well done Kabuto… You may turn Mizuki in. Solidify your position in Konoha."
That tongue flicks out, words a sibilant hiss.
He nods stiffly.
"As you wish."
But when he nears the exit, his master calls out.
"And Kabuto?"
He pauses.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama?"
"I heard from Mizuki that you got yourself a protégé."
He tilts his head, hoping the light reflects off his glasses, blocking his eyes from view.
"Nothing more than boredom and upon a whim. Does it displease you, my lord?"
The broad smile pulls back his lord's lips, revealing the tips of his fangs.
Kabuto hears the laughter, "Kukuku…"
"No… no… least I could do is reward you for your loyalty. I won't interfere with your protégé. But no one else."
He replies flippantly.
"There's no need for such concern, my lord. The student has barely graduated. She is of little interest, and that was why I picked her."
His lord eyes him curiously.
"My offer stands, Kabuto, now shoo, hurry back."
He dips his head stiffly, slipping out the door, heading back to the spot he and Mizuki set.
Kabuto knows dual loyalties are dangerous.
When the head of white hair comes into view, Kabuto has already let his kunai fly.
He smiles in satisfaction when it grazes his former partner's cheek.
Tch, partner. More like experimental subject.
It's not a clone, and he almost wonders of the stupidity of it all.
In fact, the scroll is out in the open, not even hidden by genjutsu.
"What the hell Kabuto?!"
He drops into view, apologising lightly.
"Orochimaru-sama has determined that you are ready for the next level of power."
Under testing conditions, he would never do this out in the open.
But just faintly brushing the edge of his chakra sense, he can feel muted chakra spots closing in.
Mizuki swallows the pill dry.
It induces hallucinations, causes mental slowness, and causes partial memory loss.
A three-fold increase in power, doubling in speed, a faster regeneration rate.
The surge of chakra induces chakra-high, and delirium sets in, above all the other afflictions.
Kabuto is very good at faking emotions across all ranges and spectrums.
ANBU are trained to be very sensitive to emotions.
He only needs to let his chakra spike in fear, as he watches the curse markings spread, starting from that particular seal.
Black inky arrows, jagged patterns, creeping across his skin, like a parasite feeding off its host.
Behind his mask of fear, he carefully notes the rapid changes.
The Animal Curse Seal.
What form will he manifest?
When stripes spread across his face, almost whisker like, he thinks of the irony.
My, he does resemble Naruto-kun now, doesn't he?
He bulks up, stretching his chunin vest till it tears.
His musculature is very well defined, and his height increases.
Due to the slight disproportion in weight, Mizuki is hunched forward.
He screams, giving off a chakra wave.
It's tainted, but it's a disappointing 35%.
Like I said, wrong, weak subject.
Predators works mainly by sensing fear, and as he predicted, Mizuki loses his human sense of recognition, simply turning his attention to what he perceives as fear.
Kabuto just slides back half a foot, slipping another kunai out from his pouch.
It's properly interpreted as fear, and the animal pounces, roaring.
He infuses his front with healing chakra, bracing for the impact.
That kunai is rudely shoved out of his grip, arching claws scoring gashes, ripping his medicinal pouch in the process.
Ah it's all an act.
A couple of herbs, specific to that particular area tumble out.
Kabuto likes to think himself as well prepared.
The sheer force bearing against his ribcage, and he's thrown back like a rag doll.
He holds his hand up, activating his Mystic Palm Healing, wincing at the phantom pain.
Carefully, he watches Mizuki for any signs of active thought processing.
The muscles in his thighs tense, preparing to jump.
He raises his free hand to block his face, playing his defenceless act for all it's worth.
Air is displaced as the deranged animal barrels towards him.
At that last possible moment, he's dragged out of the way.
He startles badly, writhing in the grip of the ninja who has him.
Just a glimpse of that emotionless Neko mask silences him.
He's thankful.
Mizuki is subdued fairly easily.
The ANBU, Nezumi, has sustained a gash to his arm.
Kabuto hesitantly offers to heal him.
Despite not being able to see the other's eyes, he can fell the weight gaze.
"I-if you don't like me to use chakra, I can use herbs too, I-I just picked them a while ago, so they're really fresh!"
He plays up his gratitude, fear, and younger-age-factor.
Subtle things he blurts out on purpose, they take as unintentional, immediately absolving him of guilt, and clearing away suspicions of any relations to their case of rouge-nin.
The mask dips jerkily, hand extending out.
He scrambles over, running a diagnostic.
He lets his eyebrows furrow.
"There's… some kind of taint. Like the taint to the chakra that the crazy guy used just now. It's like a poison. I'll try to get rid of it."
Doing so, he hurts himself.
But he smiles up at the blank mask, "All done, ANBU-san!"
The voice is gruff.
"Thanks."
Monosyllabic answers.
It's the only word that he hears the ANBU.
They communicate silently, before gesturing for him to return to Konoha with them.
He obeys, and participates in the debrief of Mizuki's capture.
Lightly questioned, he's released after vaguely drawing the marks on Mizuki's forehead.
He's compliant, no one suspects any wiser.
It helps that he gives the Hokage the scroll, innocently saying that, "It seemed quite important. He ate something and went nuts after I asked him about it."
Kabuto writes his report in code, whisking the scroll out of sight just as his kouhai comes to visit.
"Sakura-chan."
She walks over, eyes curiously flitting over that particular scroll.
He smiles gently, "You got your grouping?"
She nods, "Is everyone privy to our genin groupings?"
He laughs at the vaguely accusatory tone in her voice.
Tying the scroll shut, locking it with a jutsu.
It now looks like any normal dispatch scroll.
"I don't think yours would be any surprise. Ino-Shika-Cho was expected, certainly, and a Sarutobi as their sensei."
"Team 10."
He moves on to more pressing issues, drawing out files of the patients he's to check today.
"So tracking team, Byakugan, insects and dogs. Their sensei is nothing much, but genjutsu to cover and dispel."
"Team 8."
Sakura follows as he leaves the room, sparing not a backward glance at the scroll on his table.
"Amongst a medley of civilian teams, there's your team. Care to guess, kouhai, why?"
She shrugs.
"Medic, Sharingan, Chakra battery. Former-ANBU leader. Frontline?"
They breeze through rooms, waving off thanks, smiling at patients, following up with medicines as needed.
"Frontline would be correct, Sakura-chan. You are the medic, Naruto-kun is the powerhouse, and Uchiha-kun will be your mid-ranged supporter. It could always change, depending on what Hatake-san decides to do. Chances are, he may not do anything at all. He has a reputation of being lazy, perpetually late, and even a tad perverted."
She wrinkles her nose.
"It's not good for me to have preconceptions of what my sensei will turn out to be, senpai."
It's Kabuto's turn to shrug, he does so unrepentantly.
"You may well find that he fits all the preconceptions you have formed. He may be strong and deadly, but even that can't disguise the fact that his attitude towards life is far from serious."
Last patient cleared, checking out of the ward.
Vitals steady, chakra back to 70%, fit to be discharged.
She follows quietly by his side, content to let him espouse on the various senseis and team combinations that could-have-been.
"Medics are not the most flexible of sorts when it comes to teams. Unless the medic himself can accommodate a role other than that of healing, every medic needs a shield. Tank, assaulter, supporter, then the medic. A Hyuga, and possibly Uchiha-kun, with you would have been good."
But they know that such a team would never happen.
"Of course, then your team would be a huge field risk. All enemies trying to gain Kekkei Genkai, the doujutsu at that would gun for you all. Add in Hatake-san, because the Councils would settle for no less, it would be in one swoop that the other Hidden Villages single-handedly devastate Konoha."
"Asuma, you'll be taking the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho as discussed."
There isn't room for discussion in this.
He nods, because it's his Hokage, not father, that's talking.
Lifting his cigarette, it hangs loosely between his lips, and he looks out the open window keeping half an ear on the following conversation.
"As usual, the civilians have been divided among the special jonin, so, leaders of those teams, you may take your leave."
Most of the people shuffle out now, none opt to shunshin.
"Yuhi-san, you've only recently been promoted, so I apologise for giving you so large a task so soon. Are you alright with taking on a full genin team?"
Red eyes glimmer with hope and courage, equally red lips smile.
He lets the conversation drift away, her voice winding like cigarette smoke whisked away by the wind.
"Asuma, what do you think?"
He snaps back to the conversation, his lips quirking bitterly.
Asuma, not Sarutobi-san.
Exhaling a steady stream of smoke, he attempts to gather his wits, trying not to appear like the unserious bastard he actually is.
Especially in front of a pretty lady.
He shrugs.
"Depends, really."
There's a faint creasing of his father's brow.
Say something ambiguous, find out what he was actually talking.
"Depends on..?"
He blinks, stubbing out his cigarette as he realises that he's the only other one in the room.
"Huh. Where did everyone go?"
It's a glimpse of fondness in the black eyes they both share.
"They left after being given their teams."
And there's a momentarily awkward pause there.
"I asked what you think of takeout."
He's caught off guard, before he replies, "It depends on what kind, pops."
So there's that tiny smile he catches beneath the rim of the hat, and his father stands.
"What other kind is there that we can eat together? Chinese, ramen or soup."
Eating in relative peace like that, it reminds him of the last disastrous dinner they had together.
Must be something about lunch time.
Comfortably, he slurps his yam soup.
Opposite him, his father gives him half-glances while drinking his own seaweed soup.
He sighs softly, because Asuma knows that those are awkward looks of someone who has something to say, but can't.
"Why are we eating together again, pops?"
In between mouthfuls of yam and ginger, purposefully casual.
As if he pays it little mind, just a simple conversation starter, but you know, it's never simple for them.
"Only something Kakashi said that nagged at me earlier."
He raises an eyebrow.
It's a silent urge, for his father to continue, to please don't just let this end here.
Asuma is still very much his father's child.
And as much as Lord Hokage is good at hardening his heart, his son is not quite up to par.
"You weren't listening, were you, Asuma?"
Sheepishly, he rubs the back of his head, forcing fake embarrassment to the surface.
Their interactions are like plastic, unnatural and completely see-through.
And his father only chuckles, the deep sound filling their empty house, returning the semblance of once-warmth.
ah.
The sound fades away, only the solemnity of the meal that they share lingering.
It clearly sets the tone for the next topic they're to discuss.
Somewhere along the way, in his youth, on the path to becoming one of the twelve Guardian Ninja, he got lost.
The loss of his mother, and perhaps, it being partially due to the ideological differences between he and his father, it drove him to cast off the village.
It was never about Konoha.
Always about his father.
Then he was recalled, the Daimiyo, and Chiriku relenting and hope filled in seeing him off.
Never about his loyalties, just his wish to stay away from his father lest they mangle their relationship beyond repair.
"What was it that he said, pops?"
"He said I gave him a team of orphans."
oh.
Whoosh, his breath escapes him, and it tapers off into a harsh laugh.
"You can't deny that we're right any more, pops. ANBU really fucked him up."
Really, it's not like him to be so crass, but they, Guy, Kurenai and him could tell very well that Kakashi was on the verge of losing his kindness.
"To be called a friend-killer. . . The weight of all those deaths must suffocate him. I've made mistakes, Asuma, but he must be among the ones I regret the most."
That's not the main point of the conversation.
Because it's what Kakashi said after.
"Hokage-sama, I believe Asuma would be able to empathise with them more if it's the orphan aspect you want us to bond on."
He's content to let his son take it as just that, because he's taking a step forward, to just try to mend their broken relationship.
Sakura twitches, chains extending towards the chakra source that she identifies as sharpsharpsharp, the door opens, and the piece of chalk falls down.
There's this split second moment of disorientation, because this male strikes her as eccentric and harmless, because Sasu-chan reels in shock, because Naruto-kun bursts into peals of laughter.
It sets her oddly at ease, and that's what puts her on an edge.
She associates him with that prior night of long knives, and, he's late.
"Yo."
Monosyllabic answers.
He must not like people very much.
"My first impression of you…"
His eyes crinkle.
Sakura finds she doesn't like that all that much.
Silver-grey hair-stress..? and a slanted hitai-ate, damaged eye..?
Eyes are the windows to one's soul, people whose eyes she can't see, she can't help but be wary of.
"I don't like you all that much. Team 7, meet me on the roof."
He disappears in a poof of smoke, leading Sasuke to stew a bit.
"Chances are, Naruto, he really doesn't like us. He probably doesn't like people in general."
Naruto scratches the back of his head.
"Did I go too far with the chalk? Ahh, can't be, that fella needs to learn how to take a joke!"
She only smiles.
"Our sensei is strong. We… shouldn't keep him waiting."
Vaguely, from somewhere she recognises him.
Library?
Or from sensei himself.
The three of them, hurrying up the steps.
It's Sakura who tires first.
"The stairs are somehow longer than they usually are…"
Sasuke's eyes narrow.
"Genjutsu?"
Naruto nods, before pulsing his chakra out coarsely.
It remains that they're all puzzled when nothing falls apart in front of them.
She catches the faint shifting of chakra, and lashes out with her chains.
They all stumble, even visibly recoiling when the illusion shatters and the afternoon sun bears down on them.
His hands are in the general area where her chains are, and she realises that unlike Nara-sama, he can't quite tell what they are.
She hastily retracts them.
"Let's do introductions shall we? Tell me your likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams for the future. You go first."
They blink, and he visibly sighs.
"Have a seat Team 7."
Naruto opens his mouth in indignation, but Sakura presses a chain to his hand.
They calm, taking a seat on the parapet.
It's warm to the touch, and the light causes spots in her vision.
Almost hesitantly, she tries to establish some kind of base.
"Sensei, could you go first?"
"Me..?"
He treats it with a blasé kind of irony.
How he would smile and say, "I hate you."
Or maybe kill and say, "I love you."
Maybe it's too far that she reads onto things, not knowing how close to home she hits.
"Well, I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you my likes and dislikes, as for my dreams…"
He tapers off, before looking up at the sky.
"I have a few hobbies."
Hatake-san's eye creases again.
"Now that I've introduced myself, why don't you go first, boy on my right?"
Naruto bounces right back up with vigour, all smiles, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I like Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka-sensei, Sakura-chan and Sasuke and all my friends! I dislike the 3 minutes it takes for instant ramen to cook, and mean people. My hobby is to garden, and someday I'm going to be the best Hokage!"
Sensei hums inaudibly, "Next."
She almost stumbles over her words, the thought of public speaking taking her by surprise when it shouldn't.
"I'm Haruno Sakura. I like... Shika-chan, Naruto-kun, Sasu-chan, Kabuto-senpai and all the people I consider precious. I don't like people who hurt my precious people and vegetables. My hobby is to spend time with my friends. I would like to live a meaningful life…maybe die meaningfully too."
famous last words.
They come out sounding so off tone, she hasn't any idea what to say, to make them sound better.
Sasuke picks up where she leaves off, on a decidedly lighter tone.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I have few likes, like my friends, and tomatoes. I dislike the colour orange if it's not Naruto-related. My hobby is to train. My dream is to find the man who killed my clan."
Their sensei cocks his head.
"And then?"
They're quiet for a while, mulling over the gentle wording that Sasuke uses.
He breaks the silence.
"I'd like to ask him why he did it. Maybe I'd kill him afterwards, depending on his answer."
Somewhere on the inside, Yuurei must know that it's not normal for pre-teens to be talking about killing someone, or for them to be treated seriously.
But sensei only hums.
"Now that we're properly acquainted, let me tell you a little titbit of information. Of your class' 27 graduates, only 9 go on to become genin. That's a 66.6% failure rate. The reason is that most jonin sensei give their own tests. I am one of them."
"Hey, I passed the Academy test, Iruka-sensei said I was a genin!"
His eye only crinkles, "Well, if you fail my test, then you'll be going back to the Academy, Naruto."
He lets it sink in.
"So, be ready for a survival exercise. Meet me at 5 a.m., at the 7th Training Ground. Don't eat breakfast, if not you'll puke."
I know it's been a long while, and believe me, I'm really really sorry about that. I came back so many times I've had to rewrite scenes over and over because they didn't flow anymore… But other than that, I fixed my keyboard.
I'll be re-watching the anime to give you all more chapters, so, I hope this was acceptable.
P.S. Is anyone watching Doctors now?
Other than that, if not a review, do PM me to tell me how this chapter was for you!
