Forest Bells - Odds and Chance

Hayama took me straight to the hospital.

Why?

Damage from the high acceleration caused by my chakra boosted run and from the acrobatics needed to traverse through the treeline.

I could assume he was given a copy of whatever medical checkup they did on me when I got here.

He didn't pressure me to explain why I was like this. Not to him, nor to doctor Kawasaki who checked me.

He's being nice and respecting my privacy.

He's being patient and manipulating me into a position to talk later.

Either way I didn't argue, and followed along like an obedient little prisoner.

"I'm not giving up, I'm waiting for another chance."

I didn't sound particularly convincing and my warden didn't answer me.

We were back at the training ground and I was back to my normal look. I was sitting up in one of the branches when Shita, Seno, and Ureha arrived.

Shita took the lead on the conversation as I'd noticed was usual.

"Argh, Sensei, we looked everywhere! She was nowhere to be found! She's gotta have escaped."

I noticed Ureha look my way.

"Does she have some sort of teleportation bloodline or something sensei? What the hell was that?! Hmpf, I guess we'll-"

"Um, Shita…"

Ureha interrupted, flushed red with secondhand embarrassment.

"What's up?"

She pointed over at me. To which Shita and Seno finally noticed me.

Before Shita could start shouting again, Hayama coughed into his fist.

"I found her at the main entrance to the village. Had I not intervened she would likely be halfway to the land of Rice Paddies by now."

No, you'd have chased me down and brought me back.

I hugged my knees to my chest, and buried my head. Glad that my position up in the tree left me mostly out of sight.

"From now on, it will be your duty to make sure she doesn't escape."

…and if I get past them, you'll be waiting there.

"...but sensei, aren't we going to be training and doing D-ranks this month?" Seno asked.

"You are correct. A shinobi must often balance and prioritise their duties. She has assured me that she is going to make several more attempts. I hope that my intervention will be unnecessary by the end of the month. Is that all understood?"

""Yes sensei!""

"Very well, Ureha and Seno, I'd like to see you spar…"

I tuned out the conversation as Shita started walking over.

My chances of escape are so trivial that he's turned it into a training exercise.

I heard a thunk and saw Shita crouching on my branch.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, you got that?"

I sighed, and steeled myself.

I'm okay. I'll make it home.

"Of course you won't. I'm the enemy."

He'd be watching for nothing.

I didn't have the spirit to fail again yet.

The rest of the day was uneventful.

Training continued, I returned with Hayama to his apartment, lounged a few hours, reheated some old takeout he had in the fridge, then went to sleep on the bedroom floor.

I was in the apartment living room.

When did I get here? When did I wake up?

"Breakfast?"

I considered Hayama's offer.

I haven't eaten yet, and it can't hurt to be a little friendly…

I smiled.

"Sure."

The world shifted.

I was in the training field watching Shita and Seno spar again.

I sighed.

"I shouldn't be here."

"Why's that?" asked the disembodied voice.

"I'm literally a foreign ninja. I could use what I see here against you, or reveal some weakness to one of your enemies."

"Pft, as if anything you notice could make a difference." Shita said.

Know what, fine, I'll show him.

"Hayama sir, would you let me spar with Shita?"

Hayama, who was suddenly there, nodded.

Then I was face to face with Shita.

"Begin."

He stepped forward, but I had picked up on his tells.

Dodge, dodge, step.

I held a kunai against his throat.

"See."

Suddenly, I was tackled and pinned by a large white blur. A dog.

"Ha, my win!"

The dog let me go, and I was seething.

"Are you actually daft?!"

"Don't be such a poor loser Yumika."

"A poor loser-?"
I massaged my forehead in absolute disbelief.

"I don't care about your little dick measuring contest!"

I shouted.

"I had you at knife point! Let me explain to you what that means. That means that if I had panicked at all, my kunai would be in your throat and you would be dead! Not just hurt, not just injured, dead!"

I turned and stormed off into the forest.

The world shifted.

I was pacing in the training ground forest.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Ureha asked, having followed me.

"No, I'm not!"

I was breathing heavily.

"I almost killed him!"

My knees gave out and I sat against a tree.

"I didn't think you cared."

"Of course I do, you're all good people. Much better than I am…"

For a second I was back in the arena, and Mitsutada half scorched rose up from the ground, a single hand stretched out towards me.

A hand on my shoulder brings me back to the forest.

"I know this is hard for you, but we can still be friends. Come on, let's get back to the rest."

It's not like you can escape, might as well make the best of this right?

The year passed in a blur. They were nice, and I could call them friends.

"Yumika you have to come help." Ureha again.

The world shifted.

I was standing in a concrete room, underground. Hayama's team were in a cage, and standing across from me was Mizuki. The chunin instructor who tried to use Naruto to betray the leaf.

"Ah, Yumika, good that you're here. I have orders from Orochimaru, kill your new friends and come back."

"Never!"

We fought. I was losing. Then Hayama arrived.

"Good job Yumika, let me take it from here."

"Ah!"

Mizuki was cut through and banished to the shadowrealm.

Hayama crouched in front of me.

"You did well, and I think you deserve this much more than he did."

He handed me Mizuki's leaf headband.

The world shifted.

I was standing next to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third hokage, on the room of the chunin exam arena. Across from us was Orochimaru and his reanimated servants. Copies of the first and second hokage.

"Ah, the traitor. It won't be enough to save the hidden leaf!"

We fought.

Orochimaru and his servants were slain.

The third hokage put a hand on my shoulder.

"Good job."

I smiled, but then noticed the bodies of the reanimations fade away to reveal the sacrifices used.

It was Kanshi and Isae.

The world shifted.

I was in the hidden leaf prison. In the cell was Shikyou Shiin.

"Please, stop fighting-"

"Like you did?"

I flinched back a step.

"You got everything you wanted. A shinobi of the leaf. My son is dead because of you! Orochimaru used Kanshi and Isae for his vile jutsu because you chose to be friendly with the hidden leaf. Their blood is on your hands!"

I looked down and my hands were soaked.

No, I just wanted to rest, I just wanted-

The world shifted.

I was standing in a muddied field in the land of rice paddies.

I was looking up at the crucified body of Isoaki. Behind him were the bodies of all the others I recruited into the rebellion.

Suddenly, Isoaki animated to life and spoke.

"You left us."

He couldn't remove himself from his grave.

"We put our faith in you."

Another corpse said.

"Why didn't you come back?"

I tried! I took every chance, I-

"You gave up."

I was in the throne room. It wasn't my father who sat there, it was Yorihiro.

"Father's heart gave out when he heard you'd become a traitor. Now I…"

I saw his hand lift up unnaturally, and the rising moon shone through to reveal the puppet strings that had been woven into his body.

I collapsed.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry-"

…

The world shifted.

I was back in the training ground, back in my hidden sound outfit. Once again wearing my hidden sound headband.

"Yumika, why?"

I looked back at Hayama's team apathetically.

"I was never on your side, I was using you to escape, that was all."

"..but our friendship, did it mean-"

"Merely a tool for my escape."

The look of betrayal etched itself into my memory.

I woke up in a cold sweat.

Hayama's apartment. No hostiles.

I put a hand on my chest to try to calm my frantic heart.

It's not too late. I haven't betrayed my home, and I can't betray the leaf if they never think I'm one of them.

No matter what Hayama and his team tried, it was best for everyone that I remained their enemy.

I'm okay, I'll make it home.

No one needed to die, no one needed to be manipulated, and no one needed to be betrayed.

There's no going back to sleep now.

I popped out a piece of paper and did some chakra control exercises until Hayama woke up.

"Breakfast?"

"I already ate."

"You were up early."

I grunted in response.

…

We did our katas as we waited for the three genin to arrive.

Better than yesterday…

I frowned.

…still garbage.

…

"Good morning. Start with your warmup."

They started running, and I noticed that Hayama wasn't looking at me.

He's really going to let me just walk away.

By the time they finished their first lap I was gone.

…

I used the same process as the day before, but instead of the teahouse, I went shopping.

Specifically, I was looking for a pet store.

"Hi, how can I help you?"

I put on a smile, ignoring the sense of wrongness the politeness garnered.

"You have a lot of animals here sir."

"Haha, well this is a pet store."

I nodded sagely.

"Hmm, yes, indeed."

I shook my head as if to get my thoughts in order.

"Right, bugs and insects really scare me, but I heard lizards eat them! Do you have lizards?"

I started jumping with excitement.

"Ooh, ooh. Could I train one to live on my jacket and eat all the scary bugs that tried to get on me?"

I finished the question off with the brightest star eyed look I could pull off.

The store keeper laughed with amusement.

"Now, now, that's certainly possible…"

He raised a finger and adopted what was probably meant to be a serious look.

"...but it would take time and effort. You have to remember to give it training, care, and attention. Can you do that?"

I left the pet store with a small cage containing a light blue lizard the size of my palm with green stripes, a plastic bag filled with pet supplies, and an instructional book on the little creature.

While I was in the market district, I also bought more perfume, 5 different temporary hair dyes, and a few more local clothes to blend in with.

…

Most of the stuff could be stored in my seals, but my new friend could not… or more specifically I didn't want to find out what happened if I tried.

So I needed to keep him somewhere. Somewhere safe where I could train him while I still needed the cage.

Hayama never locked the balcony door…

Which was how I ended up storing my new friend under Hayama's bed.

I looked out over the city.

I could still attempt to escape today…

…

I was found by Hayama an hour later.

…

"They're going to figure out the bath trick soon. They already know that you're dropping your scent and dealing with Seno's bugs somehow."

They're not the problem.

They were practically a speed bump compared to Hayama.

I grunted and kept following him.

I'm okay, I'll make it home.

…

Hayama handed me off to his team who spent the rest of the day doing D-ranks.

"We'd be done now if it weren't for you!"

I scoffed back at Shita.

"Yes, it's all my fault."

It's not like you're the ones who couldn't find me.

"Shita, stop provoking Yumika and help."

Seno ordered, ending the discussion.

…

I followed Hayama to his apartment.

He cooked, we ate, and I retreated to his bedroom.

No sleep yet.

I pulled out the book and started reading.

How to take care of your slightly magical lizard…

I was glad I didn't have any experience caring for reptiles on earth, it looked like chakra changed it up entirely.

…

I woke up the next morning from the same nightmare that woke me the day before.

Where am I?

Hayama's apartment. No hostiles.

It's not too late. I'll get home.

I relaxed a bit.

I pulled out the book again to check on something.

"Okay, Hanzo, let's feed you again…"

The week that followed was a blur.

No matter what the trio tried, I still managed to escape them, and they had yet to actually catch me. On top of that, my negative attitude was starting to bear fruit. Shita's attempts at provoking me got more aggressive and Ureha gave up on trying to start conversations with me.

…but the attitude was taking its toll on me as well. Being an ass wasn't in my nature, no matter my feelings, even if it was getting easier as the genin grew tired of me.

Other than them, the friendly population had me on edge for most of the days and I was plagued by the recurring nightmare.

One and a half weeks until my brother's birthday.

I really wanted to be home by then.

Like Hayama warned, they figured out the bath trick. So I deployed Hanzo.

I liked Hanzo. I didn't have to be mean to Hanzo. Hanzo ate all the pesky little Aburame insects that Seno tried to plant on me. Hanzo was a good boy.

It was a bit weird getting used to having him crawl all over me and my clothes, but the results were worth it.

Creative use of strong perfumes was enough to throw off Shita.

Two weeks failing.

My brother's birthday is in 4 days. If I escape tomorrow and run, I can still make it.

My last chance.

This trick will only work once.

The shadow clone jutsu. There was no way he could expect it to be in my repertoire.

I didn't leave the apartment with Hayama that day, my clone did.

Half an hour later, I made my way to the gate.

It was possibly the simplest plan I could come up with, but consequently the one most likely to succeed.

I rounded the last corner.

He's not there!

I could do it. I'd run through if I had to.

I checked the straps of my backpack, which I wore to sell my traveller guise.

Any other time, at any other place, and that would have been fine. Then and there? I shouldn't have been distracted.

Splash. Clank.

I felt wet, I felt disgustingly sticky, and I felt cold.

I was standing as the centre of attention covered in orange paint. The bucket that had been strung up in a nearby tree coming to rest at my feet.

"Ah, those brats at it again."

"Naruto, get back here!"

A prank…

I caught a look of recognition from a few of the shinobi in the area. One's who'd either seen me in the prison or with Hayama.

…my one chance to get past Hayama, thwarted by one of Naruto's pranks.

I wasn't making it home in time for my brother's birthday.

I wasn't making it home at all.

My legs gave out, and I sobbed as the little speck of hope in my chest died.

Someone eventually pulled me off the main road and sat me down by the tree the bucket had come from. They also tried to hand me a towel, but the paint had already dried.

"Hey, are you okay?! Did any of it get in your eyes?! I'm so-"

My hand snapped up around their wrist, their hand just short of my hair.

"Sorry… that's dangerous." I said, my voice monotonous and hoarse.

I didn't even look up from the ground, my blindfighting training having been enough to pinpoint what was going on.

"Uh I know girls like their hair, but it's already covered in paint."

"I hide poisoned blades in there. If you cut yourself you'd need to go to the hospital."

I let go as the stranger pulled his hand back.

"What the hell, isn't that dangerous?!"

"That's the point."

"Hey! Stop staring down and look at me!"

I acquiesced, raising my head to witness the stranger clad in orange.

A boy, maybe two years younger than me. He wore resolute blue eyes and had a head of messy, almost spiky, golden-blonde hair. The frustrated frown on his face emphasised the whisker-like marks signature to the character.

My voice was faster than my mind.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

He took half a step back, his frustration fading to a panicked look.

Probably because I still sounded like death… my expression probably didn't help.

"Why are you here?"

He seemed to have steeled himself again.

"Hey, I came back to apologise ya know!"

"Why?"

"You were crying!"

"Oh…"

I tried to force a smile.

"It's okay, I'm fine. Thank you."

Please, I can't risk changing canon.

"Bullshit!"

"Language."

It came out on instinct.

When was the last time someone cursed near me?

He was befuddled for half a second before regaining his footing.

"You're way too creepy looking to be okay!"

Creepy looking-?

"Well what's it matter to you that I'm not okay?! You're not supposed to care. None of you are!"

I hadn't noticed that I'd risen to my feet, or that I was shouting.

"You probably can't tell, but I'm a foreign ninja. I'm your enemy! By the time you become hokage you'll have beaten hundreds of me, if not thousands! You're not supposed to be sorry, you're supposed to pat yourself on the back for stopping the 'evil ninja' from running away!"

"That's dumb! Even if you're stupid, having a bad brain doesn't make you a bad person. You aren't some 'evil ninja'."

"There's no way you can know that!"

"It's obvious, bad people don't cry."

"So I just need to prove I'm bad then?"

Call him a monster. Do it. It'd be easy. It's his tragic backstory right? Everyone hates Naruto. Everyone treats him as the nine tailed fox.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

I couldn't do it.

I couldn't keep doing any of this.

He looked way too smug.

Footsteps.

"Aha! Found you!"

Shita announced as team Hayama hopped down from the rooftops to encircle me…

"Ah crap!"

…and scaring Naruto off.

Idiot… they're after me.

I sighed.

"I guess you still need to finish your D-ranks?"

The team started weeding a garden, and I was sitting on the doorstep.

"I'm… sorry." I mumbled.

"What was that?" Ureha asked.

I warded off a grimace and spoke up.

"I'm sorry, for being an ass."

I noticed that Seno and Shita started listening as well.

"You guys have been so friendly and welcoming. It sucks that I'm stuck here, but that's no excuse for my behaviour. I-"

"-were doing it on purpose." Seno interrupted. "It was fairly obvious when compared to your demeanour when we first met."

My act can't have been that bad…

Ureha and Shita nodded in agreement, while Hayama watched on from the side neither affirming nor denying anything.

My shoulder's fell.

"...yeah."

"Why?" Hayama asked.

I looked down.

"Did you know that up until four years ago I dreamed of living in the hidden leaf?"

I explained my troubles with Mitsutada, how I lived my first two years in the village in fear for my life, how powerless I felt seeing men and women caged en masse.

"Being friendly, being nice? It would have been easy… but I can't. The people I care about are still back there with a shinobi village run by madmen. I'm going to keep trying to escape, for their sake. I thought it would be easier if you all hated me."

"Wow… that sounds like it sucks and all, but you're pretty damn stupid."

It was the first thing any of them had said since I started talking.

"Shita… I'm going to mur-"

I held my tongue.

Breathe in… and out.

My posture relaxed.

"Yeah… it's pretty stupid."

The team finished their mission, and I was back at Hayama's apartment eating dinner with said man.

"So… how did you know Naruto Uzumaki?"

I chewed and swallowed the mouthful of ramen preventing me from answering.

"I mean… it would be pretty stupid of me not to keep track of who the nine tailed Jinchuriki is."

…

I was back in T&I before I could finish the bowl.

Oh.

…

That wasn't public information yet.

…

…

…

Fuck.