A/N: Another chapter has arrived!
I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does.
Chapter XXXI: Violent Exorcism
Naruto and Sasuke sent fireballs roaring towards Hidan, who nimbly dodged them, his crazed smile never leaving his face. It only faltered when electricity from Naruto's Rasengan jolted through him. He recovered just in time to block Sasuke's ninjato from taking his arm off.
As the two friends closed in on their foe, Hidan let out a roar as he held off their onslaught. The trio was locked in a deadly dance, sparks flying and clangs ringing out as steel met steel again and again. Even though he was holding them off, Hidan could feel fatigue creeping in.
The Jashinist swung low, aiming for Sasuke's unprotected legs. More sparks flew as his scythe was met with Sasuke's blade once more. Gritting his teeth, Hidan jabbed at the Uchiha, hoping to knock him back with the blunt top of his weapon. To his dismay, the boy barely budged. He may as well have flicked his forehead.
"Die already, you son of a bitch!" Hidan roared as he swung his scythe in a wide arc. Naruto jumped back, narrowly avoiding being bisected, while Sasuke merely blocked the wretched weapon with his arm. The glowing armor was strong enough that it didn't buckle at all from the force of Hidan's blow.
Sasuke shoved the scythe aside, aiming his own blade at Hidan's shoulder. With a fleshy splat, the ninjato dug itself into the madman, drawing out a pained cry. Hidan swung again, this time aiming for Sasuke's unprotected legs. He cursed as the Uchiha blocked with his glowing arm once more.
With a furious shout, Hidan freed himself from the sword, backpedaling as he avoided Naruto's sudden onslaught. The jinchūriki's knuckle blades were gnashing teeth, slicing through the air, the tips of them only just brushing against Hidan, leaving small scratches. As more and more scratches appeared, Hidan's rage boiled over.
Just as Naruto eased up, a searing pain erupted from the Jashinist's abdomen. He peered down to see a blood-stained blade protruding through his stomach, only just slipping between his lungs and diaphragm. Hidan grit his teeth before reaching into his cloak. With a flick of his wrist, he extended a telescopic spike—the same one used in his curse jutsu.
"Die, you little shit!" Hidan roared as he twisted, aiming for Sasuke's head.
Instead of meeting flesh and bone, the spike met the steel of Naruto's serrated, tail-like blade. Sasuke withdrew his blade just as Naruto raised a hand.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The crazed Akatsuki was sent hurtling towards a tree. With a sickening crunch, the madman slid down until he rested on the ground, thoroughly winded and fighting to refill his lungs. Just as he got to his feet and readied his weapons, he felt an unseen force snatch the spike from him. He watched his ritual weapon soar into the hands of someone all too familiar.
Hidan narrowed his bloodshot eyes. "You," he growled.
Shikamaru merely examined the weapon, his expression straddling the line between boredom and curiosity. He furrowed his brow before turning his coffee-colored gaze to the Akatsuki.
"So, this is what you used to kill Asuma? Never would have thought something so simple combined with something so…monstrous as that curse of yours could cause so much pain."
Shikamaru's voice was monotone, but his words dripped with venom. Despite his rage, he casually twirled the spike, tossing it into his left hand before drawing a kunai and throwing it at a distant tree. He quickly drew another as Hidan charged him with a roar.
The Jashinist swung, only for his blade to be blocked by his own spike. Shikamaru swiped, leaving a deep gash in Hidan's left arm. The Akatsuki cursed, but pressed on, swinging wildly.
In an instant, Sasuke and Naruto flickered in front of Hidan, joining Shikamaru on either side. The three shifted their stances, unleashing their combined fury in an all-out assault on the madman. Hidan wove a tapestry of obscenities as he was forced onto the defensive.
Shikamaru kept his distance, for the most part. He only jumped in to keep Hidan on his toes. Naruto and Sasuke spearheaded, mercilessly hammering away with their own blades. Despite now facing three opponents at once, Hidan held his own well enough. The blows that connected only left small cuts.
The Akatsuki's focus on defending himself meant he didn't realize how much he was backpedaling, nor did he notice he'd been pushed deeper into the forest. He didn't notice Shikamaru flinging kunai at the trees, either. His only focus was on keeping the two Konoha shinobi from carving him into pieces. Kakuzu had already stitched him back together a few times, and after today's events, Hidan had a feeling he'd be reluctant to do so again.
Sasuke swung, aiming to take off Hidan's head. The Jashinist arched his back, the razor-sharp tip of the ninjato barely brushing his neck, leaving a thin red line. Shikamaru jabbed once more, piercing the man's right shoulder with the stolen weapon. Hidan recoiled, clutching his wound. With a roar, he heaved his scythe in a wide arc.
The trio jumped back to avoid being bisected. Suddenly, Sasuke screwed his eyes shut and doubled over with a wince. His glowing armor dissolved as he clutched his temple. Hidan seized the opportunity, charging the Uchiha, his scythe pulled back for a decapitating strike.
"Die!"
Naruto's body moved on instinct. In the blink of an eye, he put himself between Sasuke and Hidan. A resounding clang echoed through the forest, startling what few birds remained. Silence hung in the thickened air.
Hidan stared wide-eyed at the sight before him. Two of the blades of his scythe were caught in the holes of Naruto's tail-like, serrated blade. Despite this, his fists were raised, further blocking the handle of the scythe with the back of his knuckle blades. The madman furrowed his brow, a deep frown marring his face.
"Just what the fuck are you, kid?"
"Part of your reckoning."
Naruto shoved the Akatsuki back, giving Shikamaru the opening he needed. An explosive kunai planted itself in front of Hidan. The tag hissed before detonating, forcing him to jump back even further.
Shikamaru and Naruto charged, both hammering away with kunai and knuckle blades, respectively. Another deadlock ensued. The whole time, Shikamaru was waiting for the exact moment to give Naruto the signal.
Finally, an opportunity. Shikamaru glanced at Naruto, who simply nodded and brought his hand up.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Hidan was sent flying backwards, the force of the push knocking his precious scythe from his hand. Expecting to be smashed against a tree, he was mildly surprised to find himself entangled in a web of ninja wire, suspended a few feet above the ground between two trees.
He tried to move any of his limbs, but doing so only made the wire cut into him. Struggling would only serve to deepen his wounds, so he held still and waited for either Kakuzu or the other brats to show up. Given how his day was going so far, he wasn't banking on his partner arriving any time soon.
The trio emerged from the shadows; Shikamaru still holding the spike, Naruto carrying the crimson scythe on his shoulder, and Sasuke with his blade drawn. Their faces were set in stern expressions as they slowly made their way towards their captive. Hidan couldn't help but let a malicious smirk cross his face.
"Oh, bra-vo, you little fuckers. You managed to capture me. Big fuckin' whoop. What're you gonna do now? Interrogate me? Actually cut me into pieces?" A sarcastic laugh escaped the madman as the three friends approached him.
Naruto swung the scythe, planting its blades into the ground. Sasuke sheathed his ninjato while Shikamaru dug the accursed spike into the ground as well before lighting up a cigarette.
"Actually, I was thinking I would let you sit there for a bit. Maybe let you suffer before I kill you," Shikamaru deadpanned.
A maniacal cackle echoed through the forest.
"Kill me! He said kill me! As if that could ever happen! Lord Jashin has granted me everlasting life, so long as I satisfy his appetite for sacrifices! You can't kill me, kid. Nobody can!"
With a flick of his wrist, Naruto produced his knuckle scythes before stomping over to the crazed Akatsuki. The blond sank his blades into Hidan's abdomen as he stared him down with his spectacled gaze.
"You like pain, don't you? How about you experience some of it for yourself?" Naruto growled.
Rather than wince, Hidan only laughed even louder. "You stupid shit! You say that like pain actually bothers me! Causing pain is my reason for existing, you moron!" A menacing chuckle escaped the Jashinist. "Pain feels good. I love pain."
With cold efficiency, Naruto plunged his other set of knuckle scythes into the captive Akatsuki.
"In that case, you won't mind if I ask you some questions while we have you here. Am I right?"
Shikamaru stepped forward to stop his friend, but was held back by Sasuke grabbing his shoulder, shooting him a look that told him to wait. Shikamaru silently heeded the Uchiha's advice, holding still while Naruto withdrew his blades.
"I wanna know who sent you, and why the Akatsuki is still after the jinchūriki," Naruto said icily.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Hidan scoffed.
"You're right, I would like to know. Now tell me before I fucking end you." Naruto's warning was answered by more laughter.
"I already told you, you can't kill me! No one can! I'd love to see you try!"
"With pleasure," Naruto growled. He reached up to grab Hidan's forehead.
"Naruto, wait!" Shikamaru protested.
The jinchūriki ignored his friend as he dug his fingers into the madman's scalp. Naruto shut his eyes and concentrated. He remembered what Konan said: this could be used to extract information, but at the cost of the life of the target. Normally, he'd hesitate to use such a needlessly malevolent technique, but his target wasn't exactly deserving of mercy.
Naruto searched for some kind of connection to latch onto, but found nothing. It was as though someone or something had hidden it away under lock and key. He snapped his eyes open and stepped back, his face twisted in confusion.
"What the…" Naruto muttered.
Hidan blinked before letting out a chuckle. "I dunno what the fuck that was supposed to be, but whatever it was, it didn't work. Nice try, piss for brains, but you still didn't kill me."
The blond clenched his jaw before turning and rejoining his friends. "Do what you were gonna do, Shikamaru. This bastard's probably not gonna talk."
The Nara heir nodded before producing the lighter Asuma gave him and retrieving the spike from the ground. He took a long pull from his cigarette as he strolled towards his captive. Shikamaru stabbed the rod into Hidan's stomach with cold efficiency.
"You seem to be underestimating just how fucked you are. You're not getting out of this. Your partner is dead by now, which means you're here all by your lonesome with me and my friends. This is your reckoning." Shikamaru tugged on one particular wire. In an instant, Hidan was wrapped in a cocoon of ninja wire and explosive tags.
"What the fuck?" Hidan snarled.
"And this…" Shikamaru formed a one-handed seal, causing the ground beneath Hidan to open up, forming a pit. The Nara flicked open the lighter. "…is your grave."
Sasuke and Naruto stepped forward as Shikamaru flicked the lighter on. "You see this? Asuma gave it to me. I think it's only fitting that I use it to dole out your just reward."
Hidan's face merely contorted in rage. He ground his teeth and let out a guttural growl.
Without a word, Shikamaru tossed the lighter at the cocoon. In a spectacular pyrotechnic display, the explosive tags detonated, melting the ninja wire and consuming the captive Hidan. Once the blasts subsided, the trio stepped forward, peering down into the pit.
They beheld a dismembered Hidan. Parts of him were scorched from the blast, and his hands and feet jutted up from the rubble, motionless. His head was still intact, surprisingly, though his eyes were closed. He looked dead, but the three friends knew better than to assume that.
Hidan's eyes snapped open, his expression immediately matching his furor.
"You motherfucker! That hurt like a bitch! I swear to Jashin I'll get out of here and tear you to shreds with my bare hands!" the madman roared.
Shikamaru didn't respond. He took one last pull from his cigarette before flicking it down with Hidan and his charred body parts. "Game, set, match," the Nara deadpanned. He was about to turn and walk away when Sasuke stopped him again.
"Shikamaru, do you mind if I dispose of this guy? Leaving him in the forest like this could be bad for future Chūnin Exams, after all," the Uchiha reasoned.
The spiky-haired jōnin considered the proposition for a moment before shrugging nonchalantly. "Knock yourself out."
Sasuke once more walked to the edge of the pit, staring the dismembered Akatsuki down with his Mangekyō ablaze. "You've caused a lot of pain. I can only think of one thing a blight on this world such as yourself deserves." Sasuke channeled chakra into his left eye. "Burn." In an instant, the abyssal flames of Amaterasu quickly devoured Hidan, reducing what was left of him to ashes. He didn't even have time to scream.
Naruto turned to Sasuke, who simply gave a nod before they both rejoined Shikamaru. They walked for a little while, searching for their comrades. After about fifteen minutes, they found Ino, Chōji, Sakura, and Kakashi sitting against a tree.
Ino and Chōji were the first to rise and greet their teammate. Shikamaru met their inquisitive gazes. "It's done," he stated.
"It's done," they echoed in unison.
Sakura hugged her teammates, while Kakashi regarded them with a nod. The group stood together for a moment before Shikamaru addressed Team 7.
"Thank you. Thank you for letting us come along. We really appreciate it," he announced. Ino and Chōji gave a small smile and nodded in agreement.
Team 7 returned their smiles before Kakashi spoke up. "We accomplished the mission, and we all made it out in one piece. Let's get to the central tower and report in."
With that, the combined squad made their way to the center of the forest, albeit at a slower pace.
The central tower was quiet enough to be a library. What few genin teams that made it had likely already retired to their designated rooms. Neji was waiting for the team in the lobby. They exchanged greetings before Team 10 and Kakashi split off, opting to take time to rest. Naruto, for his part, was surprisingly energetic. His teammates were tired, but they would stick by him regardless.
"The target is secure. She's being treated right now," Neji stated.
"Where is she?" Naruto probed.
"Second floor, room 214. The medics took care of her, and a couple of ANBU are posted outside her door for good measure."
"Thanks, Neji. See you soon."
With that, Naruto scurried down the hall and up the stairs, his team in tow. When they reached the room, they checked in with the ANBU guards to ensure that there was nothing amiss. A formality, but a necessary one.
The door opened to reveal the unconscious kunoichi surrounded by their comrades. Haku and Hinata were examining her, while Anko and a strangely familiar girl stood to the side. Team 7 followed behind Naruto, who made his way to the girl's bedside.
"Oh, Naruto. Good to see that you and everyone else are alright," Haku greeted as he glanced at a clipboard.
Hinata offered a shy but sincere greeting before she activated her Byakugan, looking over the unconscious Fū. "She seems alright. Her chakra network is normal, and it looks like the sedative in her system is wearing off."
Haku nodded and made note of it. "Thank you for your help, Hinata. I'll take it from here."
The Hyūga princess gave a small bow before excusing herself. Haku turned to his friends. "So, I assume the mission was a success?"
"It was. Both Akatsuki were eliminated. Naruto insisted on coming here to see how she was doing." Sasuke glanced at the girl laying on the bed. "I'm assuming she was the target."
"It would seem so. She's been unconscious since Neji brought her in. I've been keeping an eye on her to make sure she's alright. I brought Hinata in to see if there was any damage to her chakra network."
"I'm guessing there wasn't?" Sakura prompted.
Haku shook his head. "No damage, just enough sedative to knock her out for a decent amount of time. I managed to extract enough that she should wake up soon."
"So she's okay?" Naruto asked anxiously.
"She'll be fine when she wakes up," Haku reassured.
Anko stepped forward. "Fine enough to be able to tell us what happened?" Her attaché glanced between the unconscious kunoichi and Haku.
"Are you going to have to write a report on this, Anko-sensei?" Sasuke wondered.
"Bingo. Even though this whole 'situation' was technically out of my control, it still happened on my watch. So, as proctor, I've gotta report on the aftermath, at the very least."
Sasuke took a closer look at the kunoichi that accompanied his former sensei. The bandana-style headband made it clear that she was a Konoha shinobi, but what stuck out to him was her long, somewhat unruly hair. It was dark pink, bordering on red. Sasuke could swear he knew her from somewhere, and had half a mind to ask who she was. However, he decided to put that aside for now.
The unconscious Taki shinobi stirred with a soft groan. Haku immediately rushed to her side, going into his so-called "medic mode." He helped the girl sit up as her eyes fluttered open, revealing vibrantly orange irises. She rubbed her temple as her senses returned to her.
"What…happened? Where…where am I?" Her voice was hoarse.
"It's alright," Haku said gently as he checked over her. "You're in a medical room at the central tower in the middle of the forest. You've been unconscious for some time, so just take it easy for now. Does anything hurt?"
Mint locks danced as she shook her head. "No, I just feel kinda woozy." She rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the bright, sterile light of the room.
Anko and her attaché stepped forward. "That wooziness should subside quickly. Can you answer some questions for me?" Anko asked as her cohort took out a notepad and a pencil. The Taki kunoichi gave a small nod before Anko cleared her throat. "What's your name?"
"Fū."
"I'm Anko Mitarashi. I'm the proctor for the second part of the exams. Can you tell me what happened before you went unconscious?"
The mint haired girl looked down at her hands, which were now folded in her lap. She fiddled with her white athletic skirt that covered her mesh armor shorts, combing through her memories while letting herself wake up a little more. "I remember running through the forest, looking for a Heaven scroll. Then we ran into these weird guys in black cloaks with red clouds on them. One of them turned out to be a famous missing nin from my village: Kakuzu. I was about to ask him something, then next thing I knew, I heard Kegon make a noise like he'd been hurt. Before I could turn around, I felt something prick my neck. Then the world went dark."
"Could be an inside job," Sasuke muttered. He turned to Naruto, who gave his friend a knowing look. They would follow up with Konan later to see if she had any information. For now, they watched on as Anko continued her questioning.
"And do you know why those people in black cloaks showed up?"
The Taki kunoichi shook her head. "Like I said, the world went dark right after I heard Kegon." She paused, scratching her head with a slender finger. "I…I think I might've heard Yōrō talking to one of them…"
Everyone's eyebrows shot up, except for Sasuke's—his suspicions were confirmed. The bandana-clad kunoichi furiously jotted down notes as Anko exchanged a look with Naruto. With a nod, Naruto urged Anko to go on.
"Sounds to me like they must've been after you," she reasoned.
The kunoichi in question cocked her head, her face twisting in confusion. "How come? Did I do something wrong? Honestly, I just wanted to make some friends while I was here. Do…you know if my teammates are okay?"
This time, Sasuke spoke up. "They were dead when we found them. I'm sorry."
Fū's expression fell into a sad frown. "Oh…I see. But, why were those guys after me?"
"Because you're like me," Naruto declared as he stepped forward.
Confused orange eyes met sunglasses. "What do you mean?"
The blond inched closer, his eyes softening beneath his sunglasses. "You carry a heavy burden. One that makes you different from others."
Fū stiffened, her eyes widening before she stared down at her hands. "I…don't know what you mean."
She was clearly told not to reveal her status as a jinchūriki by her higher-ups to anyone. Naruto let a small smile grace his features. "I think you do. It's okay, y'know. We're not gonna do anything to hurt you. The people that were going to hurt you are taken care of. Plus, like I said: you're like me," he reassured.
The mint haired girl wrung her hands before taking a deep breath. She lifted her head to meet his spectacled gaze. "Do you mean you're…"
"A jinchūriki? Yeah, I am." He pointed at himself with his thumb. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. I'm the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox," he said jovially.
Her demeanor shifted immediately, as though a switch had been flipped. "I'm the jinchūriki of the Seven-Tailed Beetle."
Something clicked in Naruto's mind. An octopus, a cat, and a beetle. He had to chuckle inwardly at Gamamaru's vague but completely accurate prophecies and predictions.
"Do you really have the Nine-Tailed Fox?" Fū wondered aloud.
"Yup. Since I was a baby. How long have you had the Seven-Tails?"
"Since I was five. He and I are good friends, actually." She paused for a moment, gears turning in her head. "Do you want to be friends?"
Haku shot Naruto a look that told him he should go get some rest, and to let the kunoichi rest as well. The blond acknowledged the look with a nod before turning back to Fū. "Sure. I'll be your friend." He flashed her one of his signature smiles, which she returned with one bright enough to light the room up.
"Alright, we just need to keep you here until this portion of the exams are done. Plus, we want to keep an eye on you and make sure you recover properly. Naruto and his team will be around, but for now I think they'd better go get some rest," Haku stated as he stepped forward.
Team 7 bade goodbye to Fū before exiting the room with Anko and her protégé. As they walked through the hall, Naruto finally noticed the other kunoichi that was there with Anko. The gears in his head turned, swearing he recognized that hair. Particularly the reddish pink locks that hung between her eyes.
Naruto's face twisted into one of confusion before he stepped forward and stopped the group.
"Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" he asked the bandana-clad kunoichi.
The girl crossed her arms, her face set in a rather stern expression. "I dunno, do you?"
Sasuke and Sakura joined their teammate, standing just to the side. Even Sakura couldn't help but feel like she'd seen this kunoichi before.
"You just…seem kinda familiar. Can I ask for your name?"
"Tayuya. And you are?"
"Naruto Uzuma—"
It finally hit him and his teammates. They had seen her before.
"You! You're one of them! One of those Oto bastards! What the hell are you doing here!" The blond lunged forward, only to be stopped by Anko getting between him and the former agent of Orochimaru.
"Hey! Calm down, squirt!" she commanded.
"But sensei, she's one of Orochimaru's ninja!" Sasuke pointed out.
"I was one of that creep's ninja. I'm not associated with that…thing, anymore," Tayuya growled.
"Then, what's she doing here?" Sakura prompted tersely.
"Let's go sit down, I—we'll explain everything then," Anko offered placatingly.
The trio considered the proposition before reluctantly agreeing and heading for one of the lounges.
Team 7 sat across from Anko and her protégé. Their brows were furrowed, frowns were plastered onto their faces, and all three were glaring daggers at the former Oto nin. Tayuya matched their frowns, though Anko wore a more reproachful expression, resting her cheek in her right hand while her fingers drummed on the table. Their glasses of water were untouched.
"Look, I know you have questions," Anko stated, breaking the tense silence.
"Yeah, we do. Why is she here?" Naruto sternly prompted, echoing Sakura's earlier interrogation.
"Because we found her," Anko stated matter-of-factly.
The trio's expressions shifted from contemptuous to downright confused.
"What do you mean you 'found her'?" Sakura asked.
"I thought Temari killed her," Sasuke pointed out.
"She came close," Tayuya retorted. "I was barely alive and barely conscious when the ANBU found me. Apparently, they were looking for survivors. I was pinned underneath a log for who knows how many hours before they showed up."
"I thought you'd be a prisoner for life, on account of being involved in an invasion on Konoha. Not to mention aiding in the murder of the Third Hokage, trying to kidna—"
"I was still a prisoner, pretty boy. And before you ask, no, it wasn't exactly a walk in the fucking park. The main reason I'm even allowed to see the light of day is because I was cooperative. That fucking snake is dead, right?" Tayuya interrupted, her brown eyes flitting between the members of Team 7.
"The snake is dead. I personally made sure of that," Sasuke said plainly.
"I figured as much. Who do you think provided the intel that led you to him?" Tayuya prompted.
"You're saying you're the one who pointed us to Orochimaru?" Sakura asked in disbelief.
"I'm not the only one, but I did help out a bit. Anko-sensei scouted out the locations I gave. From there, it was just following the tracks that snake fucker left behind."
Sasuke fought the urge to physically wince at hearing the former Oto kunoichi refer to Anko as "sensei," but he knew that the intel that led to Orochimaru's demise was invaluable. The fact that this girl was the one who provided a decent portion of that intel only served to send his mind reeling.
"So, wait, you don't work for Orochimaru anymore?" Naruto wondered aloud.
The bandana-clad kunoichi snapped her attention to the blond. "Of fucking course not! Why would I give up valuable information if I still worked for him?"
"Hey, maybe you're playing both sides or something! How the hell should I know!"
"I'm not doing anything like that, you fucking moron!"
"Both of you shut it!" Anko cried. She let out an exasperated huff once the two snapped their mouths shut.
Tayuya heaved a sigh through her nose. "Look, I don't work for that freak anymore. I haven't since I was taken prisoner. Sure, maybe I thought about busting out and finding him again. But then I realized that if I went back empty-handed, I was as good as dead. Then Anko-sensei found out about my Curse Mark." She met the eyes and sunglasses of Team 7 as she continued. "She's the reason I stayed. She told me about her own experiences with Orochimaru; how he wronged her and how she overcame the damage he'd done." She focused her chocolate eyes on Sasuke. "She even told me about you and your training. That, and all the bullshit you went through because of your Curse Mark."
Tayuya combed her fingers through her reddish-pink hair. "Anyways, after a while, I decided I didn't want to be cooped up in a cell anymore, so I decided to appeal my sentence and request to become a shinobi in exchange for some info on Orochimaru. Some time passed, and boom, I was a free woman. Well, as free as I could be, at least. I was put on ANBU surveillance and probation. Anko-sensei took me under her wing at T&I, and pretty much oversaw my training.
"Once I gave the information I had, I was officially instated as a Konoha shinobi." She tapped the metal plate that adorned her bandana. A sigh escaped Tayuya as she spoke sincerely. "Look, I know I don't have the best track record. And for the record, I'm glad that son of a bitch is dead—it's what he deserved. Anko-sensei can vouch for me: there's no way in hell I'd ever go back to being that sick fuck's pawn."
Naruto let out his own sigh. "Well, if you were planning on doing something to begin with, you probably would've done it by now. So, I don't see any reason not to believe you." He flashed her a grin, which went largely unreciprocated, save for a nod.
Sakura and Sasuke were a bit apprehensive, shooting their friend a look that clearly expressed how they felt. Naruto merely shrugged placatingly. "C'mon, you know I have a point. If she was trying to get to anyone, Sasuke especially, she would've done it by now. I mean, she did train with Anko."
Sakura opened her mouth to retort but found herself at a loss for words. She and Sasuke processed what Naruto pointed out. Even they had to admit that he was right. The fact she didn't immediately make a move the second Sasuke returned to the village from his training trip was another good indicator that she wasn't up to anything clandestine. Especially considering she had time to plan things, if she was up to anything.
"Seriously, whiskers, I have no idea how you manage to see people's character. But I would be lying if I said it didn't astound me," Sasuke muttered.
Sakura let out a sigh. "You're right, Naruto." She turned to the kunoichi sitting across from her. "My name's Sakura Haruno. I hope we can work well together."
"Yeah, likewise," Tayuya replied.
An awkward silence passed before Sasuke decided to address the small elephant in the room. "So, Tayuya." The kunoichi hummed in acknowledgment. "Have you used your Curse Mark since you came here?"
"Not once. I haven't needed to, nor do I plan to unless I absolutely need to. Believe it or not, but that shit fucking hurts after you use it. The power boost is a good benefit to have, but it's easy to get drunk off that power and push yourself to a point that's hard to come back from."
Sasuke nodded. "I remember that sensation. Granted, I don't think I ever got any further than the first stage, but that feeling of losing yourself to the sheer power of it…"
"Good to see I'm not the only one who's overcome it. I'm curious about something though. How did it feel to finally end that son of a bitch's life?"
A sigh escaped the Uchiha heir. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't…somewhat satisfying. But I also felt more apathy than anything. I just wanted to rid myself, my friends, and the world of that scourge."
Tayuya let a smirk tug at her lips. "My thoughts exactly."
"So will you all be able to play nice now that it's clear that Tayuya is on our side?" Anko prompted.
"Yes," Team 7 responded in unison.
"Good. Now go get some rest. The exams aren't over yet, and neither is this whole snafu," the older proctor ordered.
Team 7 nodded before making their way out.
"We'll be seeing you around, Tayuya!" Naruto called back as they left.
Neither Tayuya nor Anko could help but let a smile cross their faces.
A/N: Shikamaru has his revenge! Fū is alive, and so is Tayuya! This was another fun chapter to write, mostly because of the fight scene and getting to have Naruto and Fū talk to each other. If they'd met in canon, I personally think they'd end up being really great friends. Cookie to anyone who knows what Naruto was trying to do when he grabbed Hidan's head. Bonus cookie if you know where I got the chapter title from. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 32 is in the works!
