SUMMARY: Into the Forest of Death they go.
Re shuffles anxiously.
They have yet to see Anko or any of the other teams and she's worried something's gone wrong...
They are a little early but still...
Where is everyone else?
She doesn't like this.
It makes her anxious.
She knows it seems a little stupid to get so worked up about such a little thing and -
Stop.
She cannot keep doing this.
Ru seems to notice her shift in mood and lays a calming hand on her.
She sends him a small smile.
Then, Anko pops up out of nowhere.
Re shrieks, Ru jumps away and Ra moves to hide.
Anko cackles.
They are even.
The three all flinch at the sound.
It isn't Anko's 'I got you' cackle.
It's Anko's 'I think you need remedial training' cackle.
It is pure torture.
They are most distinctly not looking forward to it.
Anko actually makes a good sensei - because if you want to survive, you have to learn.
That they absolutely loathe it?
It just makes it more enjoyable for her.
Anko enjoys the thrill of hunting but she would never irreversibly damage them.
It's a fine line but they manage to walk it.
Because they try.
Because they want to.
The world might not be out to get them.
They still need all the allies they can get.
If it was, they would never survive alone.
But it's hard.
Hard to trust other people to do anything other than backstab them.
Because that is what people do.
Whether they chose to or not.
But they are determined to enjoy these moments.
Moments where they are both pretending and not.
The perfect illusion.
Kurenai taught them that about Genjutsu.
True Masters will layer illusions.
Too many think that once you remove the obvious mask, the game is over.
The poor fools.
True liars know how to balance the truth and lies in such a way that they are nearly impossible to untangle.
Until they are intertwined.
They have told many lies and many truths.
Sometimes, even the liar forgets what the lie is and the truth is.
If this is a lie, they don't mind.
It hurts less than the truth.
They are fairly sure it is meant to be the other way around.
But they settle, allowing their hearts to run the show for once.
Of course, it doesn't last.
The world is not against them but it is not kind to them either.
The Sand Siblings are the next to arrive.
Anko, leagues above all six of them, has already leapt away by then.
They may like the Sand Siblings, may even be coming to trust them but they cannot risk it.
Not yet.
They are glad that they have met them, are friends but they are not ready.
And they can't say when they will be.
But it is okay.
They don't have to do anything.
They are strong enough to defend themselves now.
They don't have to do anything they don't want to.
Except -
That's wrong, isn't it?
Anko is being followed and although her watchers are not allowed here, she is still weary.
They have to deal with Duck and the other broody prodigy (he needs a better nickname than Hyuga but they aren't sure what).
Gaara and his siblings have to deal with the Bijuu in him.
It has caused them years of pain.
None of them are naive enough to believe it is just going to go away.
They almost wish they were.
It would be nice.
But they cannot be nice.
They can be merciful.
Kind even.
But they cannot be nice.
Not now.
Not ever.
Because being nice means letting people take advantage of you.
It means surrendering.
And they are done with that.
They can and will compromise but surrender is not possible.
They have spent their entire lives fighting.
They know nothing else.
So when the Sand Siblings - their friends - approach them trembling and tired, they know they will fight.
They don't usually have a choice.
This time they are choosing to do it.
They will discuss what needs to be discussed soon.
First, they need to survive the forest.
They almost laugh at the scroll they are being presented.
And the outrage it causes.
Even Re and Ru (the kindest) smile sadly.
Didn't these poor, foolish Genin know what they were getting into?
Didn't they realise that it was dangerous?
That they were expendable.
That they were well-groomed attack dogs?
But their compassion cannot change anything.
Ra looks at them in pity.
Ru and Re look at them with grave understanding.
It seems like this is their loss of innocence.
They are simultaneously thankful and mournful that it happened under these circumstances.
The others still have a chance to back out.
But it is a difficult way to learn the truth.
And for that, they feel sorry.
Perhaps their lessons were harder.
But you cannot compare one person's suffering to another's.
They know that.
Casually, they lean over to sign the documents.
It is not like their illustrious village cares.
Naruto who is a pariah and a ticking time-bomb to be used as the village pleases.
As for the rest of them?
They are expendable.
No one will remember the clever girl with pink hair whose name was Sakura.
No one will remember the kind girl with purple hair who called herself Simure.
Why should they?
They are not heroes.
They are not even soldiers.
They are weapons.
The task is straightforward.
An idiot might call it simple.
Ra is no idiot.
Because of Naruto's little scene back there, there are too many teams.
Already, the numbers are bound to decrease by a half.
Some of the other Genin are a little more bloodthirsty than them so there will be casualties.
Some won't make it by the deadline.
Ra doesn't care about those teams.
What about the Sand Siblings and Tenten and Lee?
She pushes those thoughts aside.
First, she needs to make sure they get there.
They are her priority.
Re and Ru (and her) can worry about the others later.
Right now, they need to get a scroll and get to the tower before it becomes too difficult.
They, the three of them, will always be her priority.
They are hers and she is theirs and even the Shinigami won't dare to separate her from them.
The Shinigami can try.
She will find a way back.
Ra observes the teams around them.
The Ame team looks like easy pickings but looks can be deceiving.
They are their best bet.
If they have the right scroll, they should be fine.
If not, Ra assesses the other teams critically...
If not, they will find another way.