::It's interesting how I can never seem to find this fic when I visit the Naruto fiction site o.0 Is it just because I'm selectively blind…? Anyway, THANK-YOU to my reviewers for bringing up certain issues. ^_^ I will do my best to please.
This time I felt like I had to answer folks personally:
Ookami Kage: Why do we even have car alarms? It's not like your first assumption when you hear one is that it's being stolen… And thanks for the jutsu/jitsu clarification. ^_^
Anime Lass: If you mean at the end of the fight, he got k'oed by Sakura because she snuck up behind him before he summoned his shield. –OR— Naruto has sorta fallen from the fic, hasn't he? ^.^; He is an important character, but I had to set up Kurai and Kakashi first.
hattuteline: No, the lemons are pretty much over, me sorry. They're hard to write, and since this is my first attempt, I'm going to try and limit my shame. And Sakura was the only one still conscious at the end of the fight, which is why Naruto's father told her congrats. They all made chuunin, though, have no fear!
RuByMoOn: I thought it was time for Sakura's assets to be pointed out. In my opinion, just because she isn't as strong as most, doesn't mean she can't use her brain and more delicate skills…
Okay, back to fic::
Kurai nodded and her father sighed. Kurai's mission report of the attack troubled him. "So Orochimaru has become involved. I take it you brought this to my attention now because you want to convince me we need the Leaf-nin? Kakashi?" Kurai's face was carefully neutral. Suzaku got up from his chair and looked at the closed shutters. A storm had blown out the glass a decade or so ago, and it had never been replaced. Tape still covered the jagged edges with the exception of one larger shard that had refused to brake off from the top and resembled an icicle. He still had a habit of looking in that direction when he thought, though.
Suzaku pointed at the desk with his chin, telling Kurai to read what was on top as he went over to the one unbroken window. She walked around and looked down. He took a deep breath. "I signed the papers this morning, the children are officially Snow shinobi, but Hatake Kakashi must leave. He is too old to adjust to life here, and we know that Orochimaru will probably hunt him down once he leaves to find out the Uchiha's whereabouts…" There was another paper on the desktop. Kurai slid it out from underneath the scroll placed suspiciously on top. Her breath caught.
Hearing this, Suzaku knew what else she'd found. "That too. Ketsuki sent in a formal petition for marriage a week ago. As you can see, the elders all believe it's a done deal and signed the certificate. All that's missing is your signature and Ketsuki's." He removed the paper from her hands and kissed her forehead. "I hope you'll accept, you've been such a cute couple."
Kurai chuckled and wrapped her arms around her father in a hug. "We did run around together when we were genin, but—"
"You don't want an old man to die without seeing his grandchildren, do you?" her father interrupted. Kurai sighed and stepped back. Her father had wanted this from the moment Ketsuki had introduced himself as the future President of the Academy, who was also the head of the village, at age five. However, there were complications…
Looking into her father's eyes, Kurai said, "I don't think it's as easy as that, anymore. I will go and talk to Ketsuki, though." She placed her hands on her father's head, making him bend down so she could kiss his spiky, blond hair. Then she left and whispered as she closed the door, "I'm sorry…"
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Ketsuki was right where she'd expected him to be. His house had been thoughtfully selected by her father on the behalf of his parents, and it came with plenty of space in which to practice jutsus and train. His favorite, was of course the area she had claimed to like the best back when the property was empty. He was currently meditating while balancing on a wire strung between two pine trees. He looked up and smiled as she approached. "Kurai! You're back! And in one piece!"
She mumbled a greeting and sat on the ground. "Could you come down? I need to talk to you." Ketsuki was at her side in an instant. He looked at her with concern.
"Did your father just tell you about the petition?" he asked. She nodded. Ketsuki sighed and hung his head. "I had hoped to be able to ask you myself, I was rather pleased that all of the elders—including your father—had signed it." He smiled. "I hope this visit means what I hope it means."
Kurai gave him a half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I was kind of surprised, too, but—Ketsuki there's—"
He raised a finger to her lips and she looked over at him. His face was serious. "I know that you have already mated with Kakashi, and that you're pregnant. No one else knows yet, I don't think." Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open.
"H-how do you know?" she asked.
Ketsuki grinned. "I followed you around like a lost puppy for years, but I've never seen you glow like this. My inner demon also had a hunch once you returned, but seeing you close-up I'm sure of it." He turned to face her and picked up her hands, placing them in his. "But Kurai, I know that the child is a part of you, and that's all I need to love it."
Kurai couldn't really believe what she was hearing. Ketsuki had been sweet and considerate in the past, but this was too much! When had he become so generous? So caring…
So cold. His hands were freezing. She frowned and looked down. "Ketsuki, you're—" The hands dropped hers and one pulled her into a tight hold while the other covered her mouth.
"I wass wondering when you'd notissss..." The voice was lower than Ketsuki's typically boyish tone, and the hiss definitely wasn't typical of her old friend. She only knew of one shinobi who could remind you of snakes so closely.
Orochimaru…
Ah, so he has returned, has he? Pity, I was having such a wonderful time watching you think the child in your womb was yours to keep… Zanz mocked.
Zanz! What are you talking about?! ZANZ! No response.
The missing-nin dragged her to her feet. Kurai relaxed and tried breaking his hold with a quick kick in the knees. He managed to procure a kunai and used the hand that had been over her mouth to hold the kunai against her stomach. "Don't try anything nasty, My Dear. I was going to just check up on how Ketsuki was doing in getting you pregnant, but it seems I didn't even need the boy. How disappointing."
Ketsuki had been Orochimaru? Impossible! Orochimaru steered Kurai towards the house and up the porch steps. The interior looked normal, except an unconscious Ketsuki lay on the living room floor. Orochimaru led her into the room up to the couch and said into her ear, "Good night." Then he pressed a couple fingers to her neck and Kurai dropped onto the cushions like a stone.
"All too easy…"
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Naruto looked around the apartment on the top floor of the academy and tried to feel relaxed. It wasn't working. He still felt nervous. His father stood behind him, silently urging the boy forward. "Don't worry, today has been one of her good days. She's in the sun room, over there," Suzaku said. Naruto swallowed and walked towards the closed door leading to the south-facing room. From outside it had looked like a single room whose entire south face was glass. He opened the door slowly and looked in. Well, the window was actually many tall and thin ones set up in a row, making the room extremely warm on a sunny day like today.
Sitting in a chair facing the windows was his mother. She had white-blond hair like Kurai, but it looked like it was dusty and lifeless as it hung down her shoulders. Her head was turned down, and her hands were playing with something in her lap. Uzu Sakura. It was kind of funny how he had a crush on a girl with the same name as his mother. Of course, Uzu Sakura had been a very strong ninja in her time, and would've continued to be so if her will had been stronger. As his father had explained, the demon in his mother's body had managed to break her spirit, leaving her somewhat vacant.
He stopped when he was a few feet away. "Mmother?" he said quietly, lingering on the 'm' sound. She didn't look up, intent on whatever she was playing with in her hands. Naruto took another step forward and knelt so he could see her face and what she was holding up to it.
Uzu Sakura was holding a necklace in her hands, stroking the pendent like a holy relic. Her eyes were half closed, as if she weren't quite awake. Her eyes were gray, pale, but not blind. Naruto felt his heart tear. This woman, his mother, had gone mad with the grief of losing her only son. How many times had he silently cursed his parents on those lonely nights after a day of ridicule and spite at the hands of the people of Konoha? How many times had he imagined a lively, loving woman taking him up in her arms when he returned from a mission? Even when he tried to create a picture like a photograph of his parents, they had always been smiling.
Naruto reached out slowly and pushed back the hair that had fallen forward and become a curtain to the world. Now he could see her face clearly. If his father's features were chiseled stone, his mother's face was soft cream. Despite her pale skin and lost expression, he could picture her smiling, her eyes partially hidden by rosy cheeks. The kind of mother you expected to greet you after school with cookies right out of the oven…
Her eyes looked up from her prize and Naruto found himself frozen in place. The half-asleep look left and her eyes became a light blue. "He said he would be back soon, that he would bring my baby home," she said, her voice quiet. She looked back down at the necklace and Naruto was freed from her gaze. He looked at the necklace as well. The chain was thick instead of delicate, and the pendent was a metal disk set with a pale stone on a hinge that made it clear the stone was a container of some kind. The hands stroked the edges of the well-worn metal. "My little boy…"
Naruto fell back as she abruptly got to her feet. She hadn't seemed likely to move, and the abruptness of the movement surprised the chuunin. Naruto watched his mother walk over to the windows and look out over the village to the clouds on the outskirts. "He was special, my little boy… HE wanted him, but I didn't want him to go, so I give him to him." Naruto frowned. What was she talking about?
She turned and her eyes focused on Naruto as he sat on the floor. She walked over, her pale blue housedress slowly losing the wrinkles pressed into it from hours of sitting. Naruto got to his feet as she stopped in front of him. She smiled and raised the necklace. Naruto stood stiffly as she fastened it around his neck. He watched her face as she lovingly looked at the necklace resting next to his heart. She was about as tall as he was, average height for a woman. Naruto wondered if he was going to end up like her or like his father, who was quite a bit taller. Kurai was tall for a girl, but there were a few years left before he'd be able to tell where he was to end up.
His mother patted his chest and said, "I won't let him have you. You're my baby, my Naruto…" Her voice trailed off, and then she turned and walked back to her chair and sat down. She looked out the windows, a small smile on her face. "Naruto…"
He walked over and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back…Mother."
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The announcement was made that afternoon. Carefully chosen chuunin were going to be in a tournament, ::which I will not draw out for five chapters:: and the winner would get to fight any available nin of jounin or anbu rank. The board listing the participants was set up outside the stadium, and Sasuke and Sakura found themselves dragged along with the crowd of hopefuls from the academy and down the road.
Given the size of Hidden Snow Village, the number of participants was rather lengthy. Sasuke found his name quickly, he was number four. Sakura tried to find her name, but it wasn't up there. "Sasuke, do you see my name anywhere?" she asked.
He considered telling her off, but decided to let her down easy. "It's not up there."
Sakura blinked, and looked at the list one last time. How can that be? I won against Naruto and Sasuke, and they're both up there! Her inner-Sakura smugly added, They just know we could kick their asses any time! Booyah!
The crowd of students around them grew quiet rather suddenly and Sasuke and Sakura turned to find the crowd parting to let a blond youth with green eyes through. He wore a dark green gi with a black sash and a Snow forehead protector on his arm. "I guess you're the outsiders they brought in." Sakura felt her muscles tense. This guy looked serious.
Then he laughed and held out a hand to Sasuke. The stern green eyes now danced with good humor. "I'm Ichiro, number three and you're first opponent. Glad to meet yah!" Sasuke stared at the hand. After a moment of no response, Ichiro shrugged and lowered his hand. "Suit yourself. Train up, I don't want to win too easily!" He caught Sakura's gaze and winked. She found a blush creeping up her cheeks as he turned and waved good-bye, a majority of the other students following him.
Why am I blushing? Why is my heart fluttering like this? I love Sasuke-kun! Gah!
He looks as stupid as Naruto-baka. How long until I fight Naruto, anyway? Sasuke turned to look at the board. Naruto was number fourteen, all the way on the other side. Sasuke smirked and turned back towards the academy. I guess I'll have to make sure that baka doesn't lose before the finals…
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Kakashi glared at the clock. Kurai had promised to be back for dinner, and it was past ten. While he didn't think anything really bad could've happened, he still felt suspicious. Even a village as well protected as Hidden Snow wasn't completely safe. With a sigh he cleared the table and put the food away. Perhaps he'd go for a walk to the academy and her parents' place.
The moment he stepped out the door, Kakashi froze. "Hm, took you long enough," said a dangerous voice. Kakashi looked up on the roof of the porch and frowned. Ketsuki stood there with Kurai in his arms. Jumping down, he smiled at the gray-hared shinobi. "We were just talking about our future and she fell asleep…" Kakashi didn't move from in front of the door. Ketsuki arched an eyebrow. "Uh, I can't get her inside if you block the door, you know."
Kakashi moved aside and opened the door. Ketsuki walked through the living room into the bedroom and left Kurai on the bed. Kakashi watched from the doorway with a critical eye as Ketsuki kissed Kurai's forehead and tucked her in. As he left, Ketsuki gave Kakashi a friendly grin. "Keep an eye on her for me?" Then the Snow-nin left as suddenly as he'd appeared.
Kakashi shut the door and locked it, walking straight to Kurai's bedside. He set a hand on her forehead and concentrated. "Damn, memory jutsu…" he muttered. She stirred and rolled over onto her side. His revealed eye softened a moment before turning hot with anger.
Ketsuki had been unusually perky.
When Kakashi first sensed him he'd been shocked because he hadn't picked up his presence earlier.
The two had had a talk about their future, eh?
While Kakashi believed Kurai was fine, he was now extremely wary of Ketsuki—or at least of the person whom he was supposed to think was Ketsuki. Mulling over possible threats, one arose as the most likely that filled him with foreboding. He stripped as he went over the facts in his mind, and slid under the sheets next to Kurai, wrapping a protective arm around her. She turned and hugged his arm, sighing as she snuggled up to him.
Kakashi stared at the ceiling and silently swore to find a way to get Orochimaru out of Snow Village, and hopefully, out of this plane of existence altogether.
::Wellll??? Whaddya think? Ok intro for Orochimaru? While the chuunin exam never happened, Team 7 did run into Orochimaru on the borders of Konoha, just not much happened beyond Kakshi figuring out Orochimaru wanted Sasuke and the seal Orochichi put on Naruto. Please review!::