::People are actually reading this. 0.0 I'm flattered. Reviews speed up the chapter writing process like fuel for a rocket, so keep 'em coming. This chapter turned out rather long… Sorry for those who prefer shorter chappies and this isn't usual for those who like them long, don't get your hopes up. That aside, a word from our sponsor; Sasquatch. And we're back…::
Arigatou Emerald Blossom, EclipseAzNGTX, and RuByMoOn17. This is for you as the first reviewers!
The next morning Naruto had to be dragged awake. Kurai looked angry. "How can you be so tired! You got more sleep than any of us!"
Naruto squinted at her. "Whine, whine…" yawn, "mmm, breakfast?" Kurai scowled and stomped off. She returned a moment later with a pot of water. She dragged the groggy Naruto out of his blanket and dumped the icy water on him. He yelped and sat up. "WHAAA!"
She tossed the pot into her pack and shut the flap. "Wake up. We're moving." She picked up her pack and started to walk away. Sakura stuffed Naruto's blanket into his pack and tossed it to him as she walked past. He shook himself awake, then picked up his feet and ran after them to catch up.
He came up alongside Kurai and glared up at her. She walked on as if nothing was unusual, then she jumped up into the trees. The others followed, and she started jumping at full speed from limb to limb. Kakashi lagged behind to keep an eye on the other three. "I'm not going to lose anyone, Kakashi!" Kurai called back. He didn't change position. Annoying male. Not as bad as— Kurai stopped and held out an arm. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura stopped on various branches and looked around. Kakashi came alongside Kurai, trying to find whatever had surprised her.
He looked down the road they were shadowing with their upper-level path and saw a man walking along on his own. This wouldn't be cause for alarm, except he moved without making any sound yet wore no forehead protector.
Kurai slipped a kunai out of her holster and casually flicked it down into the road. The traveler stopped and looked up. "I know that weapon," he said. "Pale are the snows in winter's deepest night."
"But not as pale as the dead," Kurai answered. She nodded to the others and jumped down. Naruto moved to follow, but Sasuke held him back.
"Not yet," Sasuke whispered.
Kurai put her hands on her hips and scowled. "Ketsuki I was given this mission on my own! Why are you here!"
The young man had extremely short black hair and dancing black eyes. "Your father thought it would be better to give you some company on this kind of trip. Needless to say he's concerned with your delay. You've been gone for a month."
Kurai sighed. "It took me longer than I thought to acclimate myself, and I still have issues with all this sunshine." She squinted at the clear blue sky. Then she turned back towards the trees. "Did father say anything else?" she asked quietly, barely discernable to those in the treetops.
Ketsuki smiled and set a hand on her shoulder, leaning in close to whisper something in her ear. She swallowed, obviously not happy with the news, but not overly concerned. "Okay," she said, and she jumped back into the trees. Ketsuki followed and a round of introductions was made. He looked surprised when she pointed out Naruto.
"He's your brother? He's so…short." Naruto saw flames and Kurai sighed. In a kind of absent-minded gesture she knocked Ketsuki off the branch. He hung by his feet. "That wasn't very nice."
"It wasn't supposed to be. I finished sealing him yesterday, so keep your cool," she warned. Ketsuki chuckled.
"Right, Boss." He righted himself and turned back the way he'd come. "I take it we're to continue?" They now traveled on, Ketsuki and Kurai leading.
Around noon the strangely silent leaders stopped and jumped down to the road. Kurai looked back up into the trees and smiled. "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, it's time for us to start training!" Naruto jumped down and gaped at her.
"We've been running all day!" he protested. In a flash, Ketsuki was standing in front of the boy and smacked him across the mouth.
"Of all the things to complain about…" Ketsuki said with a sigh. He frowned down at Naruto. "If you're going to make it to Snow Village you need to be able to keep up without us slowing down for you." He grinned. "The village is surrounded by a blizzard that has only let up once in all the years of our village's existence! To get through it requires amazing strength. Toughen up." He walked into the bushes, Naruto scowled and stuck his tongue out. Kurai sighed and shook her head.
"Now that he's made himself feel important, there'll be no stopping him," she said. "Our first exercise will be chakra. You've all got a lot of work to do—especially you, Sakura." The girl looked up in surprise. Kurai was smiling warmly at her. "Your control is already at a chuunin level, so I will make you work twice as hard to make it that much better. Then she looked at Naruto out of the corner of her eye. "You too, Boyo."
They followed Ketsuki into the woods and found a small clearing. Kakashi settled down to watch and Ketsuki enjoyed a midday nap. Kurai faced her new students. She held out her hands, palm up. "You all are perfectly aware of how chakra works, what I want to teach you is how else to utilize it." Bending down to the ground, she placed her hand on a blade of grass. It immediately withered and died. Sakura gasped.
Kurai looked at her. "This is the result of taking too much chakra from a single source. Animals are best, birds especially, but usually this technique gathers drops of chakra from the surrounding plant life to accentuate what you already possess." She held up a finger. "Taking another person's chakra, or that of an animal bigger than a large dog is usually too difficult to be worthwhile, but some use it as an attack."
She set them in different areas of the clearing and had them meditate with their minds concentrated on the silent life around them. As she expected, Sakura was the first to tap into the outside source. She came over and explained the more technical aspects of gaining chakra from outside oneself, going into more detail about how to gather large quantities than she planned to do with Sasuke or Naruto. Both boys had amazing reserves of energy, but with this ability Sakura could do more complicated jitsu.
When she came to Naruto, she added a facet to his lesson. She set a hand on his stomach and he flinched, but didn't pull away. "Naruto, inside you there is another, stronger chakra. It has already partially merged with yours, but you need to train yourself to go further in fine increments. If you get greedy you might reawaken your demon and then it'll be over." Naruto nodded, completely serious. "So remember that while you may reach out for other chakra, the most reliable source lies within you."
After that, they had practiced calling up small bits of chakra from the surroundings. A few plants died, but nothing horrible. The result was a very satisfied group. Bed came early, and they woke up just before dawn. That day they did the same as before, traveling in the morning and training their chakra in the afternoon.
The next day started out rainy. Used to dry and cold instead of warm and wet, Kurai wasn't in the best of moods. Ketsuki thought it was wonderful. The result was quite a switch in their usual approach to dealing with everyone. Eventually Kurai gave up and had them stop in the mid-afternoon to put up some shelter until the rain passed. Kakashi cast a knowing eye to the sky and predicted that the rain would move on some time in the night. Ketsuki decided to go out and find some clean water for one of Kurai's quick soups, leaving the Brady Bunch with Ms. Joy.
She sat under the tarp with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, the very image of intense concentration. The air around her had a chill to it, so the others stayed on the other side of the small camp. Naruto, however, was infinitely curious about this practice. "Um, Onee-san, what are you doi—"
"I'm meditating to stay in control of my inner demon, of course," she said in a drone-like tone. Otherwise she didn't move. Naruto scratched his head, the sharper minds found this sudden weakness to inquisition welcoming and curious.
Kakashi tried it first. "You inner demon?"
"Zanz, a demon that attacked a village in Water Country." Silence.
Of all the possible answers, Kakashi hadn't thought of that one. He cast a look at Naruto to see if the boy comprehended. Judging by the sudden serious expression on the boy's face there was little doubt. Perhaps her people's curse wasn't their seclusion, but being sealed with vicious demons? Of course he now found himself looking at Sasuke and Sakura's questioning faces. "What is she talking about, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked.
Kakashi looked up and saw Ketsuki kneeling at the opening of their little shelter. Ketsuki was frowning at Kurai. "Perhaps you would care to explain?" Kakashi asked.
Ketsuki slowly came in and had a seat. He looked over at Kurai , then Naruto, then the other three, the outsiders. His hard eyes looked down as he said, "A curse of Snow Village is that we carry the demons that rise in the world. Usually when a person dies the demon dies with them, but if the person isn't careful the demon can overwhelm them and release itself." He traced a symbol in the sand, one that Naruto knew well. "This is a rough representation of the seal we bear. Depending on the strength of the person and the strength of the demon, no inner battles may occur. Sometimes the demon's chakra is too great, and then the person containing it must make conscious effort to hold it back and strengthen their own chakra."
He looked over his shoulder at the meditating Kurai. Her eyebrows twitched. "Kurai was sealed with a demon who surfaced when she was around five. Usually the birth of a child only occurs when there is a demon to seal, and then we go and seal it and return. However, because she was sealed with Zanz later in life, their chakra is always fighting. I was sealed only a few weeks after I was born." He looked at Naruto. "You were sealed with Kyubi almost immediately, but that was also the last time we ever saw you because the Hokage couldn't send you back." He sighed and looked at Kakashi with his cold, black eyes. "Be careful where you step, Jounin, with me and when we return to Snow Village. For while Kurai says you can come, I have no reason to believe her father will let you stay."
"Why do you have this burden, then? What did you do?" Sakura asked.
Ketsuki chuckled. "Another time." Kurai shook herself awake and immediately scowled.
"It's still raining."
Ketsuki turned to look at her. "When did you think it stopped?"
"…."
"I'll be going now."
The next day dawned gray, but dryer. The others took a while to rise, but Kurai was up in an instant and ready to go. They covered much more ground that day than the last, despite a few slips on wet limbs. The next day was spent in their current location practicing channeling their chakra to Kurai's satisfaction. She didn't want control and efficiency, she wanted perfection. Her constant attention to their progress irked the trying trio, but got some results. Kakashi was rather impressed with the skill Naruto and Sasuke were exhibiting with their chakra, and Sakura was doing better than most.
The next day they moved on until mid-afternoon when Kurai surprised even Ketsuki by leaving her tree for the road and across it to yet another small clearing. Kakashi concluded that she had scouted out these training areas on her way down to Hidden Leaf Village. As the students stretched he confronted her about the convenience and she just smiled.
Kurai did a couple quick stretches and stood in the middle of the clearing. Arms at her sides she told the team, "Attack." Naruto prepared to cast his favorite jitsu when Kurai held up a hand. "No genjitsu or ninjutsu, just attack." Sakura hung back, but Naruto saw this as an opportunity to get back at Kurai for all the criticism during chakra training. Sasuke just wanted a chance to fight Kurai by himself.
As the new instructor fought with the students, Kakashi and Ketsuki watched from the shade. Taking advantage of the situation, Kakashi said, "I don't understand why it took you so long to come and retrieve Naruto, there doesn't seem to be much of a rush to get back home."
Ketsuki cast a cautious look at Kakashi. "We had to wait. When Kurai came back from getting sealed Naruto had just left for Konoha. We had granted sufficient time for the Hokage to perform the ceremony, rest, and return, but we were too patient. When he hadn't come back after three months Kurai—" He stopped as if rethinking what he was going to say. "Kurai declared that she wouldn't be able to become a Jounin until she had seen her brother.
"You have to understand, we base the levels of genin, chuunin, jounin, and anbu with age. Over the years Kurai forgot her oath and she expected to be made a jounin with the rest of her peers this past winter, but her father passed over her. It shocked everyone and there was much disagreement among the clans until he explained the claim she'd made as a child." His mouth turned up in an ironic smile. "She was pissed. As a chuunin she's still considered a child instead of an adult, and therefore wasn't able to join her friends in building her own home and the like. It did take her a while to convince her father that she had to seek Naruto out." Ketsuki looked at Naruto, who was lying on his back panting in the spring sunshine. "We'd thought the Hokage had failed and Naruto was dead, and it was recorded as such, but she insisted he was alive. Funny thing is, her father agreed. He's not a very agreeable man…"
Then their heads both turned and Ketsuki shouted, "Get down!" Shuriken flew thru the clearing and embedded themselves in the trees near Kurai and the team. Sasuke brought out his own and threw them into the leaf cover. Sakura did some quick seals and vanished, surprising Kakashi to say the least. Naruto brought out his kunai and kept his back to Kurai and Sasuke as his eyes scanned the trees.
Ketsuki nodded to Kakashi and vanished, a single leaf falling to show he had passed. Kakashi examined the woods near him closely. They were empty, the threat was elsewhere.
Kurai started some hand seals then stopped to knock Sasuke over as a kunai flew thru the air. She raised her hands and did a quick seal, muttering under her breath. Sasuke watched her, and Kakashi could see the boy was using his sharingan. Ice needles fell into the trees where the kunai had come from. As they fell, three men jumped out. They wore Sound Village forehead protectors and looked about Kurai's age. One aimed for Naruto, the other two went after Kurai and Sasuke. Kurai got to her feet and tried to quickly dispose of the men and get to Naruto, but they persisted, getting around her attacks and making moves of their own. The one facing Naruto dove in and managed to cut the boy's arm.
Kurai faced the two men and shoved them roughly away, throwing a kunai at the head of Naruto's opponent. The man dodged and tossed one back. Kurai decided to ignore the incoming kunai and concentrated on fighting the other two men. Just as the Kunai would have lodged itself in her arm, another hand entered the fray and caught it by the blade.
Kakashi tossed the kunai with his blood on it back at the lone attacker just as Sakura revealed herself once more and stabbed the ninja in the shoulder. His cry caught the attention of his companions, but didn't make them stop. Ketsuki then made his entrance and caught one of Kurai's attackers by surprise, killing him quickly. Kurai slashed at her foe, but he leapt back into the trees. She made to follow him, but Ketsuki held her back. "Wait, we can't follow with Naruto and the others. I'll go after him." Then he took off.
Kurai turned to see if Naruto was all right to see Kakashi still battling the last ninja. Somehow Kurai had missed the mask earlier. This ninja was Anbu, and Kakashi was struggling. Sasuke threw a couple of shuriken, that would have hit the Anbu's back if the ninja hadn't seen them and maneuvered Kakashi into the receiving position.
She didn't hesitate. Kurai's body moved almost of its own accord and she only became aware of it when the shuriken embedded themselves in her arm. The Anbu knew how best to take advantage of the situation and brought out his own shuriken and kunai, tossing the stars from close range at Kakashi as a couple of kunai traveled in the shuriken's shadow to take a lower course and imbed themselves in Kurai's left leg. Kakashi managed to catch the shuriken and slit the ninja's throat with them, ending the fight.
"Kurai!" Naruto cried. He ran to his sister as she pulled the shuriken and kunai out. Blood gushed forth and she swayed. Sasuke was closest, but still too stunned at having hit an ally to move. Kakashi caught Kurai as she began to lose her balance. Naruto grabbed the bandage cloths from Kurai's hip holster and Sakura started to quickly wrap up the deeper leg wounds. Kakashi was trying to comprehend what had happened.
"You said you wouldn't protect me," he said.
Kurai snorted. "I was going to let that kunai hit me, but you stopped it. I was just paying back the favor." She winced and looked down at Sakura. "Tighter, wrap it tighter." Sakura nodded and pulled.
Kakashi didn't like the look of the kunai wounds and picked up one of the kunai. He sniffed it and carefully tasted it, spitting it back out. Along with the blood there was poison. It wasn't a particularly lethal one, and it wasn't nearly fresh enough for maximum potency, but Kurai would still be uncomfortable for a few days. He bent over near her head and whispered, "There's a weak poison in the wounds. I don't think you should move too much for the next few days."
When he leaned back her eyes held understanding. She gave a nearly imperceptible nod and swallowed. Kakashi noticed a drop of sweat form on her brow. The poison was already at work, maybe he'd been wrong. His hand brushed against hers and he paused, then laid a hand on her arm. Her skin felt too warm for it to be just the poison. Looking at her face again he could see fear in her eyes and her skin grew hotter.
"Sasuke, Naruto!" Kakashi called. The boys came at an instant. "Find some water, as cold as you can get it." They looked at the sweating Kurai and jumped away. Sakura nervously cleaned the arm cuts and wrapped them up. Kakashi looked at the leg's wrapping and then at Sakura. "You have more bandages in your pack?" she nodded. "Get them and I'll treat her leg."
Kakashi hastily unwrapped the leg wounds and found the bleeding had mostly stopped. Looking at Kurai's face he could see she was already unconscious. Naruto and Sasuke had better return soon. Kakashi used his drinking water to superficially clean the cuts and then a hand came into view with a jar. Looking up he saw Ketsuki, who had obviously returned from pursuing the other ninja.
"Use this, it'll heal up in no time," Ketsuki said grimly. A look into his eyes was all Kakashi needed. Ketsuki blamed Kakashi for Kurai's condition, regardless of what might have happened. How was it that everyone became his responsibility? He lathered on the balm and used the fresh bandages. Ketsuki knelt by Kurai's head and whispered into her ear as if she could hear. Perhaps she could.
Sasuke came back first with a pale of ice-cold water. Ketsuki backed away and let Sakura take charge of wetting cloths and placing them on Kurai's forehead. Naruto returned some time later with a more banged-up pale and some dirt on his clothes. He grinned and held up the pale. "Got it!" When he noticed no one was impressed he quieted down and set his prize next to Sasuke's.
They set up a quick camp down the road and transported Kurai there, not willing to tempt a second attack in the same clearing. Ketsuki took off with the explanation that he needed to get to a pickup location to send a message home, and just as dark set in Sakura staked the fish Naruto and Sasuke had caught near a small fire. As they ate Sakura noticed that the cloths on Kurai's forehead no longer came off nearly dry and were only warm. Kakashi checked and nodded. They could stop administering the soaked cloths and let Kurai fight on her own.