I~~~~I
"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I was worried about Naruto, so I may have influenced your Medic Ninja. They'll snap out of the daze soon though. I just…needed to see her. Make sure she was okay." Hatori told Minato. He looked back down at the girl and traced over her form. His eyes lingered on the faded marks and the new ones that were healing over.
"Ah, so she found out." He muttered.
I t was supposed to be light, but Minato wasn't Hokage for nothing. He heard the boy's comment.
"Found out what?" Minato demanded from the boy.
Hatori glanced back to Minato and chuckled again.
"That she's your daughter of course."
I~~~~I
Naruto woke the next morning with a start. Her thoughts were clearer now, allowing her to think about the preliminary matches that she must have missed.
Naruto twisted around to grab her equipment, to rush and try to get to the matches in time.
"Someone's in a hurry." A familiar voice spoke, drawing Naruto's eyes to the soft gaze of her teammate.
Or at least, the one she was assigned for the moment.
Hatori offered her a kind smile as he grabbed her hands, settling her back into the hospital bed.
"Don't worry, the matches were postponed. The Hokage was gracious enough to move the date back. Apparently, it's also due to something other than you, so don't feel too indebted to him." Hatori told her gently.
Naruto flinched at the mention of the man, the days past rushing through her.
Hatori gently tugged her close, pulling her into a surprise hug. Naruto was too shocked to speak, her eyes wide as she was once again settled against someone like this. She could only think back to Minato, to the feeling of him circling her in his arms like Raida used to when she was young.
"I know Naruto. About the Bijuu, about Minato. I know." He told her softly, murmuring into her hair as he let out a heavy breath.
"I've known about the Kyuubi since we left Iwa, I followed your team and heard you explain it to them. I didn't…I didn't want you to bare all of that alone again." Hatori told her and sighed as he tucked her head under his chin. He gently carded his hands through her hair.
"Naruto, why didn't you come to me?" He asked her, holding her so gently. His voice was soft as he asked her, trying to let he know that she could have.
She could have come to him about anything, and he would have listened. With another sigh, Hatori tugged the girl closer to him. "I could care less about who your birth parents are. You've proved to me time and time again that you are someone I can trust. You are Naruto. That's all that matters to me." Hatori told the girl, pulling away enough to smile at her.
His warmth and his reassurance made Naru want to explode into tears again. After the last day though, she had no more to shed.
Instead, Naru pushed herself into Hatori's chest and held to him tightly. She held him close, let him know that she heard him.
She could have gone to him. It made the weight on her chest lift, rising up and fading away as she rested against him.
"Thank you." She spoke up, quietly and softly. She was almost afraid the boy didn't hear her until she heard him chuckle under his breath.
"Anytime Hime. Now, how about you get ready?" He told her softly.
Naruto nodded, slipping out of the boy's arms, and walking to the bathroom. She barely caught the bundle of clothes that was thrown her way before she entered.
Hatori watched her go, smiling. He felt something shift and chuckled again, glancing over to the corner of the room where Minato stood. Naruto hadn't even noticed the man.
She was truly out of it then.
"There, learn what you wanted to?" Hatori asked the man. He tilted his head back, catching the Hokage's gaze with his one silver eye. His hair slipped past the eye, framing it as it darkened on the man.
He didn't like the Hokage. The man was meddling with Naruto and it made Hatori furious. More so than with his mother, more so than with the clan elders or the heads of Iwa. At least those idiots kept it to the affairs they had a part in. They never butted into Naruto's life or the life of Hatori's team unless it was already their business.
Minato narrowed his eyes on Hatori. The two held each other like that. If it weren't for Naruto in the bathroom so close by, Hatori knew that the man's chakra would be pressing down on him.
Hatori may have taken advantage of that fact. He wouldn't have cared either way. The man could gut him alive, and he would never leave Naruto's side. He would die, lie, steal, or kill all for her sake. Even if the person he had to kill with Namikaze Minato, Hatori would find a way.
"You never explained how you knew we were related." Minato reminded the boy, his icy glare reaching into Hatori's soul.
Hatori looked away first, shaking his head as he chuckled.
"Well, that's really simple. That girl of yours, Sashiko was it? She sucks at recognizing who is spying on her. It wasn't that hard to get any answers, I just had to tail her. I knew she was up to something after she took a blood sample from Naruto." Hatori told the man. He glanced back to where Naruto was, knowing she was about to step out.
Minato turned as well, allowing them to drop the matter for the moment as Naruto stepped out. She was wearing another version of her usual uniform, though this time Hatori had offered her one of his cloaks to help hide the red marks on her arms.
After all, Deidara wasn't supposed to know what had happened. No one but the five of them were really, but well, Hatori liked to shift things in his favor. He had to learn a thing or two from his mother if he wanted to survive in that house after all.
Naruto looked up at the two of them, her blue eyes much duller than he was used to. They landed on him first before shifting over to Minato.
Minato looked at her, smiling softly and sadly.
"I believe Hatori-San told you already, but the preliminary matches were postponed. There was another incident that needed to be taken care of, so it helped with this whole situation. Thanks to that you will be able to attend your match at the end of the day." Minato told her.
Naru nodded, glancing out the window.
"I take it I'm free then?" She asked softly.
Minato sighed, glancing away as well.
"I tightened your seal, so for the next few days it should be fine. After the matches I would like it if you came to my office so we could settle the matter. I would also like it if your Sensei and his friend joined us. Whoever else you feel comfortable bringing is acceptable." Minato told her.
Naru clenched her teeth, gripping the cloth over her stomach tightly as she nodded. She had figured that the man wouldn't let everything just slip away.
"And Naruto…If you want to ask me anything, just come and see me. I'll answer you however I can." Minato told her gently.
Naru's head snapped up, her gaze meeting the Yondaime. She managed to nod, her head fogging for a moment before she shook it off.
"O-Okay. I…I need time to think, but I will." She told him.
She could still remember the other parts of yesterday, the memories that had surfaced and nearly made her lose it again. One look at Hatori told settled her though. He smiled reassuringly, reaching out to grip her shoulder as she took a deep breath. That was something that she would have for later. She wouldn't shove it down, not like before…she'd just prioritize. She would go back to it.
Naru took another deep breath and started to walk. She put one put in front of the other, pushing and urging herself to move on. She needed to see the boys, to tell them she was sorry-
Even if they hated her.
Naruto opened the door, completely unprepared for the pile of Genin that fell on her.
She tumbled and Hatori called out in worry and annoyance as three bodies slumped over her. Naru flinched when she came face to face with her teammates. Shisui was at the front, while Darui had tumbled to the side. Behind the two of them and meshed closest to Naru was a brown-haired boy. He looked up at her, and even though Naruto feared what look he would give her, she met his gaze.
The air rushed from her lungs as Yarui tugged her into a sharp hug, his arms encircling her as he laughed breezily.
"Oh Naru, I'm so glad you are okay. Please…don't do that again. I was so scared that you wouldn't come back-" He murmured, his grip tightening.
Shisui settled his hand on her shoulder and Darui reached out to grip her wrist. Her eyes felt heavy, the lack of tears only making them burn as she shuddered.
"I'm…I'm so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you and I was so afraid-"Naru whispered, looking at Yarui with guilt.
The boy shook his head, pulling back from her to grab her shoulders and meet her gaze head on.
"I'm just glad you are okay." He said firmly.
Naru shuddered and grabbed all three of the shinobi, tugging them against her as she felt the unwilling tears well up all over again. She hadn't wanted to cry, but these boys…These idiots still stuck with her. Even after she had hurt them, they trusted her. It made her chest ache.
"As nice, and well heartwarming as this is, you guys are making a scene." Hatori spoke from above them. He gently reached down, tugging Naru out of the mess of boys as they untangled themselves. Yarui furiously rubbed at his eyes, hiding away the evidence that he had also been crying.
Hatori glance at Naru, his gaze softening when he watched her smile return. It wasn't as bright as before, but that would come in due time.
"We need to get back to the others. Keep your stories straight." Hatori ordered, earning sharp gazes and nods.
Behind the group Minato was watching with a gentle smile.
Even though he didn't like the boy, Hatori, he didn't mind the other three. He was glad that they didn't fear Naru, that they worried for her and that they could settle her worries. He was happy that his daughter had found such strong bonds in the people around her. The fact it was with Iwa Shinobi didn't bother him as much as he feared it would either.
He remembered how she had called herself a monster, staring into nothing as she was consumed by that loathing. If anyone at all, enemy or friend, from his village or another could take away that look and help her past those emotions, then he was fine with them.
She had taken a step past that now. Those three would keep her up, help her take more and more steps away from that loathing until she was no longer able to remember where it came from.
Minato turned away, vanishing in a blur of yellow as he thought of the day ahead. He had made sure that Hatori hadn't done anything, so now he could go back to his duties.
He left behind Naru as she started to walk out of the back wing of the hospital, circled by her three teammates and Hatori.
Naru glanced back at the spot he had vanished from, the ache in her chest growing before it settled again. She knew that her and Minato had a lot to discuss, but first she needed to decide with herself if she even wanted to try. The man was so far out of her comfort zone it wasn't funny. It would take a lot of effort to forge a bond with him, one that may cost her everything she had worked for already.
Naruto turned away, facing forward with her teammates. She had time to think, to decide what she wanted. Hatred still burned inside of her and begged her to release it, wanting nothing more than to consume her.
It was easier now to tell it no, to let the emotions fade away instead of burying them under her skin.
I~~~~I
Naruto settled herself between her two teammates at the ramen stand from before. Ikate was wildly explaining a previous mission to Team Overkill. Hatori sat on her right side and calmly settled his arm so that it brushed against her as they ate. It was calm, comforting even.
They had a few more hours until the preliminary matches and decided that grabbing food was wise after Naru had gone almost a full day without eating. She already had seven bowls stacked on the counter as she laughed and edged herself back into the flow of things. Her teammates made her feel light and airy even in enemy territory.
Glancing over at the four Genin to her left, Naru made one of her first decisions. Before she had been afraid to tell anyone about the Kyuubi, but now it was necessary. To protect those she cared for they needed to know what they were getting themselves into. Not only that but…Well she wasn't going to let the fact that she was Minato's daughter define her.
She was a kunoichi of Iwa first and foremost. She had been for as long as she could hold a weapon and no revelation of her blood would stop her from staying in that place.
"Hey, Ikate, would you be free to talk?" Naru asked the boy. She knew that the others knew about the two options, leaving only Ikate and her brother.
Deidara would take some time to tell. She didn't quite have the strength to face her brother after her memories of that night returned. She could feel bile and had to bite it back as she swallowed down her broth.
Ikate glanced to her and smiled. Unlike most of the time, he was being genuine. If anything, the boy was careful around her. He was softer than any other time she had been near him, a stark contrast to his usually flirty and uplifting personality. It was nice though, comforting.
Hatori gently took hold of her right hand and squeezed to show his support. He let go and resumed eating as Ikate told her he would be up for it.
Naruto stood from her seat and offered Ikate to follow her.
"I'll meet you guys at the Preliminary Matches." Naruto told the boys. They all nodded and watched her leave the stand with the last member of her team.
Naruto guided Ikate down the crowded Konoha streets. With the end of the Chunin Exams so close, only a month away, there were more and more foreigners in Konoha with each passing day. Naru had never seen so many different villages gathered together.
"It's a little odd, huh? Being around a bunch of people we were taught to hate from the moment we could understand." Ikate spoke up from beside her.
Naru whipped her head around to face the boy, surprised to see him smiling so sadly as he took in the many headbands and shinobi.
"I remember how my mother would hold me when I was young, telling me stories of the ruthlessness of the Leaf. She taught me from the moment I held a kunai in my hands that the target I was aiming for had a headband with a leaf on it. It's always been that way. The bitterness, the hatred. It runs in our veins and spreads like wildfire through us all. Passed down from generations of stored hatred that never ends." Ikate stopped as they reached the edge of the forest. The crowds had thinned out and only a few people passed by them on their way to someplace quiet.
Ikate met her eyes as his sad smile softened.
Naruto flushed, turning away and picking up her pace as his words echoed in her head. They were nearing the training ground they were given.
Ikate picked up his pace as well, falling in line behind her like he had done so many times before. The boy was older than her, more experienced and dare she say stronger than she was, but he had always deferred to her.
It was something that Akatsuchi absolutely despised.
Naru came to a stop in the middle of the training ground, glancing behind her to see Ikate observing her calmly. He looked laid back as he took her in. The leaves swirling and drifted past them as the wind picked up.
"What was it you needed to say?" He asked her, walking so that the distance between them was cut enough that she now stood a foot away.
Naru looked up and sucked in a sharp breath as he gazed at her so gently. He trusted her so much, and it almost hurt to finally realize what she may be giving up.
Naruto thought of Hatori though, thought of her teammates and how they had only vowed to protect her once they learned the truth. They wanted to help her regardless of her heritage or the beast she kept hidden inside. They saw her as Naruto of Iwa, not the lost daughter of the Yondaime or the Jinchuuriki she had never wanted to be.
"I-I…" Naruto opened her mouth, trying to figure out how to word it. She gripped her hands into fists and straightened, stepping close enough that when she pushed herself up on her toes, she was face to face with Ikate. She had to tell him.
"I found out…That I hold the Kyuubi. I didn't know, and then after the Wave Mission Roshi-Sensei suspected but it turns out I am. And then after the last part of the exam, when I thought that I could handle the truth I demanded answers and the stupid fox told me that I…That I-" Naruto choked, watching as Ikate's eyes went wide.
She looked down and shut her eyes tightly, willing away the burning sensation in her heart and in her eyes. She was so sick of crying.
"I'm the daughter of Yondaime…Somehow, someway I was born and he sealed that stupid fox inside of me and I- I ended up in Iwa and was raised there and I don't want anything to change all because that damn idiot did something so stupid and selfish-" Naruto began to rant, letting out the anger and fury she still held for Minato. Hating the man was easy. He had killed so many of her fellow shinobi, had done something unforgivable and changed how she looked at herself. It made it easier and harder to speak all at once.
Naruto shook and tried to gather herself again, to continue speaking when she felt a head rest on her shoulder.
Naruto froze, turning her head to meet the gaze of Ikate. He was nose to nose with her, his large form hunched over enough to lay his head on her shoulder. His smile, sad and yet so caring had returned.
"Oh Naruto, surely you should know by now that Iwa Shinobi aren't supposed to hide behind this many walls around their fellow shinobi. We are teammates, aren't we?" He murmured, his breath ghosting her face.
Naru jerked, and suddenly the boy was tugging her tightly into him. It was Hatori all over again. It was Minato, Shisui, Yarui, and Darui all at once and it nearly made her cave. It made her heart soar to hear the boy call her an Iwa Shinobi, to tell her in such a roundabout and Ikate-Like way that she was still accepted by him.
Naruto wrapped her arms around the boy as well, tugging him tightly to her as she breathed him in.
He shifted, bringing his head up from her shoulder to rest it on her head. He sighed and then nestled his face in her sunshine-yellow hair.
"You are such an idiot sometimes." He told her as his chuckles rumbled. Naruto withheld a blush at the words.
"Do you remember when we first met? You were so cute then. You denied me and for the first time in a long while I felt myself actually wanting. I wanted you to look at me the way you did Hatori, like I hung the moon and like I was someone important to you. I wouldn't do that for someone else. You…You are the person I trust most, more that Kurotsuchi or Deidara or even that idiot Hatori. If you have a beast inside of you then I will help you tame it. If you are the daughter of someone everyone hates, then I will stand by your side and let you know that it doesn't define who you are. Iwatoshi Naruto, that's who you are. You fought for Iwa, you've saved my hide and proven time and time again that you are one of us and if anyone dares to say anything different, I will end them." He said firmly.
It wasn't the first time someone had told her that today. It wasn't the first time that someone had told Naruto that she was just that to them. Naruto, Iwatoshi Naruto and nothing else.
Naruto laughed, pulling away enough to meet the gaze of her friend.
"Even Kurotsuchi?" She teased the boy.
Ikate scoffed and grinned down at her, the teasing light in his eyes returning as he leaned down. His forehead pressed into her own and her cheeks flushed red as he spoke in a low tone.
"Especially her." He confirmed, before pulling back and grinning at her.
"You need to hurry up and grow up Naruto. I can't wait much longer for you to become the woman I know you'll be." He murmured. His voice was quiet, but Naru heard him.
Her face flushed even darker, and she ducked her head as he began to laugh at her embarrassment.
She felt a rush of annoyance as he dissolved into laughter, shooting up and snapping at him as she swung at his face.
Ikate swiftly dodged the blow like he had a million times before, dancing around her as she threatened him. It was almost as if they hadn't just been discussing something so serious.
Naruto felt light again. She could do this. She could push forward and improve.
Ikate watched her, pride rising in him as he realized just how much she had grown in the past few weeks. It was almost sad to see the change from that little girl he had first met. Still, thinking about how she had been in Wave made him grateful that this was the turnout. Naruto was too much of a sacrificial idiot to not notice how far down she would drag herself in the darkness of their village.
I~~~~I
Naruto sighed gently as she walked next to Ikate to get to the preliminary matches. They had settled down enough for her to realize that the time had flown by. It was time to get serious again and prove herself to everyone. She needed to pass, and maybe then she'd have the strength to confront Deidara and tell him everything.
Her mind was set on passing the prelims. She needed to make it to the end, no matter what.
They stopped as they came across their teammates. They were waiting outside of the training ground they needed to go to for them.
Namikaze Minato was also there, though his attention wasn't on her but rather on the three other proctors surrounding him. He was laughing and joking around with them as they waited for the rest of the teams to show up.
Oddly enough, Minato also had bandages across his face. It was…concerning. The last time Naru had seen the man he had been in perfect health, and yet now he was slightly injured. Something had happened.
Naru felt like it had something to do with the postponing of the matches, making her feel uneasy. Something wasn't right about this whole thing.
Still, she couldn't change the circumstances and would just have to live with it. She took a deep breath and twisted around to face Hatori and Ikate as they ushered everyone forward. The ended up nestled between a Kusa team and one from a new village.
Naruto took a look at the ninja from the village, Tsuchikage if she was correct. There were only two teams of them left. One with three masked Ninja and the other with a group of ninjas that radiated deadly calm. None of them looked phased by their surroundings. It was…well it was creepy. Naruto eyed up the tallest one of the Tsuki group, noticing the vacant look on their face and in their eyes. Half of their face was obscured by a mask. When she tried to get a better look, she was caught in the dead gaze of the ninja.
It chilled Naru to her very core when she met his black eyes.
The last time she had seen someone like that had been looking in the mirror after her tattoo had spread. It was the vacant look that spoke of a loss of humanity.
She turned away, hiding her fear at the fact that someone who looked a year or two older than her also had that look. That was someone who was detached from the shinobi lifestyle.
There were several approaches that shinobi took in order to stabilize themselves after taking the lives they did. They could do what Naruto did and smile it away, focus on those you cared for and nothing else, or they could drop themselves into the pits of despair. They could create a façade or bask in the blood of those around them and lost themselves to the death. Or…Or they could become devoid. Detaching wasn't quite the same as simply losing all aspects of humanity, becoming a vacant killing machine.
Naruto glanced at her hands before she took a deep breath and looked up at her team. Hatori was quiet as he observed the other teams and Ikate was grinning from ear to ear.
Hatori looked down and met her gaze, offering her a smile as he settled a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
Naruto nodded and smiled at her teammate, shoving aside the earlier feelings.
"Yeah. I'm ready." She told him.
The back of her neck burned as she felt eyes on her. She didn't waver though, ignoring them as she took up a conversation with Ikate.
Hatori shifted his gaze once Naruto was distracted. He met the gaze of the person who Naruto had been observing seconds ago.
Hatori eyed up the headband and his lip twitched. He met the blank gaze of the shinobi, lifting his hand to his neck.
His eyes flashed and the shinobi flinched, turning away as his vacant eyes filled with a burst of foreign emotion. Hatori turned back to his teammates, satisfied to have put the interloper in his place.
Who would have thought that they would act up already? Hatori would have to inform his mother of the change of plans.
He looked back down as Naruto asked him a question. He calmly answered her, keeping the banter between his two teammates down to a minimum in the presence of so many enemies. The two were careful enough, but it helped to have someone to remind them. Deidara was normally the person that kept the two in tune, but with him gone the job fell to Hatori.
"Alright, listen up!" A shout rang over the grounds. Everyone's attention was drawn to Namikaze Minato as the man flared his chakra.
The ditsy Hokage grinned, playing the part of the fool well even when surrounded by foreigners. No one was fooled though, especially after the weight of his chakra settled over the teams present.
"Starting now we are going to host the Preliminary matches, but first, we need to get to the arena. For that I need all of you to fall in line." The Hokage ordered. There was shuffling as everyone moved to where they were directed. By the end of it Hatori had noticed that the other three people that the Hokage was talking withstood at the corners of the huddled genin.
He was confused until the Hokage's chakra flared again.
Ahh, so it was a power play. Interesting.
The chakra rose, and in a blinding yellow flash, the group of thirty-three genin appeared inside of a building.
Minato grinned past the astonished looks as the Genin were met with the sights of all of their Senseis standing tall next to one another, waiting for them. Some of them looked surprised when they appeared, while others were staring ahead and trying to ignore just how powerful Minato really was. Among them stood Deidara, and surprisingly, Akatsuchi. Hatori had almost forgotten that the kunoichi was standing in as the Sensei for Team Overkill, while Roshi was here as a political guest. Deidara didn't appear phased by the display, while Akatsuchi had narrowed her eyes on the Hokage, her gaze almost murderous.
Hatori couldn't blame Akatsuchi, especially since the Hokage's Jutsu reminded most of the older Iwa Nin of unpleasant times. The powerplay was more unwelcome from them than anyone else.
Still, the power of a Hokage was truly a sight to behold Hatori thought grimly. Even though he had been on the receiving end of a small dose of it, Hatori hadn't quite appreciated the strength of the man until this moment. It was a smart move after all, but also one that made Hatori wonder. Minato wasn't the type to posture, that much Hatori had gathered. There was a reason for this, possibly linked to the delay of the prelims. Interesting.
"As of now you are going to be fighting for the right to participate in the final matches. We will randomly be selecting Genin within your groups to face off in One-on-one matches against each other. The rules for the matches follow the generally sparring rules. No killing or ruthless conduct or you will be disqualified. Now, let's start!" Minato ordered.
The man standing to his left took the lead, his dark gaze drifting over all of them. He was a brunette, and he had a long scar over his nose. If Hatori remembered his bingo book entries correctly, this man was Iwashi Raidou. He was the leader of the Hokage Guard Platoon and one of the top Jonin in Konoha.
"We will now separate you into two groups. When I call out your Team Name you will go to your assigned proctor." Raidou ordered. He then lifted up a list and started to call out the names needed.
"Under Shiranui Genma-" Raidou began. Hatori listened in carefully, waiting for their team to be called.
"Teams Six, Seven, and Nine from Konoha. Team Overkill and Team Rewind from Iwa, and Team Four from Tsuki." Raidou finished the first part of his list. Hatori chuckled when their team was called and walked over to where he was directed with Naruto and Ikate. Naruto's other teammates followed them, filing in sedately behind them as the others that were mentioned settled next to the former proctor.
Raidou started to call out again, reading of the next set of team names.
"Under me, Teams Eight and Ten from Konoha, Team One from Tsuki, Team One from Suna and Team Five from Kusa." The man called out, never pausing until he had finished calling out the other five teams. When he was finished, he ordered them to follow their groups.
They filed out of the room and Hatori spotted Deidara beside Roshi as they made their way to the next room to do their matches.
The proctor had them file up to the stands as a board above them cycled through their names. Hatori guided the others to stand next to Deidara and Akatsuchi. He smiled at his teammate.
Deidara looked to him and nodded, but something seemed off. Hatori noticed in in how tense the blonde was. When Naruto rushed to him, Deidara merely glanced at her before looking back at the board. The girl opened her mouth as she smiled, wanting to greet her brother after not seeing him for over a day. She stopped, however, when she noticed that Deidara was no longer looking at her. He had dismissed her almost as immediately as he saw her.
Naruto flinched and her eyes went wide before she shoved everything down. She looked almost lost at the way that Deidara ignored her. The light practically died from her eyes. Rage boiled in Hatori when he saw the way she sunk into herself.
What had he just witnessed? Since when did Deidara act like…like Akatsuchi? He never shot down Naruto, never just dismissed her like that. Especially after her disappearing, this whole thing wasn't normal. Hatori narrowed his eyes on Deidara, only half paying attention to the board when the names flitted across. Deidara almost seemed distracted, his eyes directed at the situation, but the look in them spoke of his mind being elsewhere. It unnerved Hatori greatly.
Next to Deidara stood the comparison herself, her eyes narrowed on Naruto as the girl found a spot away from the kunoichi. The three teammates of Naruto filed behind her, leaving Ikate and Hatori next to the stubborn Kunoichi. Immediately Akatsuchi lightened and grinned at Ikate. She greeted him as she always did, her demeanor softer and fonder. The display always made Hatori feel a little queasy, especially since Akatsuchi treated everyone but Ikate and her grandfather with such a high level of indifference. It was one of the main reasons most clan heads preferred to deal directly with the Tsuchikage rather than his granddaughter.
Hatori stepped around the two as Ikate conversed. Even Ikate looked a little strained in his talk with Kurotsuchi after seeing the way that Deidara had interacted with her. He was focused more on his former teammate and current Sensei than anything else.
Hatori nodded to him and took up a spot between Naruto and Deidara to help distract the girl, his eyes refocusing on the board of names as it finally came to a stop. The tension was mostly gone, but it still lingered over them as they waited.
"Will Oreshizoku Sashiko of Konoha and Kinuta Dosu of Tsuki come down?" Genma called out from where he stood in the large arena.
Hatori turned to watch as a familiar blue-haired girl dropped into the arena. Along with her was an unfamiliar male from the Tsuki Team. He frowned as he looked over the two. It was an odd grouping for sure, but it shouldn't disappoint him too much.
Hatori leaned on the railing as his teammates settled next to him. Naruto was still stiff, but with her attention now directed on the match in front of her, she was beginning to relax again. It was a good sign and it meant that Hatori could ease up a little too.
Hatori tuned out almost everything else as he watched the match begin. The girl, Sashiko, wasn't bad. Still, he remembered the nights before when he had tailed the girl and learned the truth about Naruto's father. She wasn't nearly as sharp as she could be. Her abilities needed to grow, but Hatori saw how she was squandering them. The Leaf village was limiting her if he was honest. He could see how other styles besides the ones she knew would greatly aid her growth as a kunoichi.
The match was turning out to be just as boring as he feared when Dosu struggled to get the upper hand on the girl. She was too fast for him to counter and managed to weave around him. She also had medical training, so after she learned what his technique was his trump card was deemed useless.
Hatori smirked when the girl's match came to an end with her blade at the shinobi's throat. She was ruthless at least. That was more than he could say for most of the teams that he and his team had fought in the earlier exams. Hatori glanced back to Naruto and found the girl watching the match with avid interest. Something shined under the surface as the girl watched it. Likely, Hatori thought, she was recalling the Wave Mission. It was…interesting. Maybe Naruto saw something Hatori didn't in the girl. It wouldn't be the first time after all. He hummed and smiled softly as he recalled the fond memories.
The next round was up and Hatori straightened as he watched the names flicker across the board in vague interest. There were only nine more matches left now. The board halted and the names present intrigued Hatori more than the last match did.
"Will Mayuri Ikate and Oduriko Yarui please come down to the arena?" The proctor called.
The two boys stilled and Hatori glanced over to see Ikate meeting Naruto's eyes. The girl looked a little torn, but after a moment nodded to them both. They launched over the railing to land below, taking their spots across from one another.
This was, interesting to say the least. It meant that there was a high chance that their group could be facing one another, which might be problematic the more that Hatori thought about it. If any of the Iwa Nin had to fight Naruto they would likely forfeit or only show a little bit of promise before giving her the win. None of them could fight the girl for real, and they figured she was much the same.
Naruto was leaning on the railing now, her eyes studying both of her comrades as they faced each other.
The proctor called for the match to begin, but neither moved.
Yarui sighed, taking a deep breath before he looked up and met his opponent's eyes. "I'm not gonna go easy on you. I respect you too much to do that." Yarui told the man firmly.
Ikate grinned back, reaching to his side. "I suppose the feeling is mutual. How about a friendly wager then?" Ikate asked. The two traded looks and then nodded. Somehow the two knew exactly what the other was talking about. Hatori was confused until they both glanced up and winked at Naruto at the same time. Hatori groaned and hid his head in his hands.
Seriously, both of them? It was going to be hell if Deidara-
Except the boy wasn't paying attention to them. Hatori glanced back to find his current 'Sensei' and former teammate staring at Naruto instead. His gaze was sharp, dissecting almost.
It unnerved Hatori. He could practically see the accusing eyes of Deidara, as well as the inner fight that the man was having as he gazed at his mostly oblivious little sister. Naruto's focus was primarily on the two in the arena at the moment. Hatori wanted to ask Deidara what he was thinking, giving that look to Naruto.
There was a swift movement out of the corner of his eye, drawing Hatori's gaze back to the battle below as both of the Genin clashed in the center. Hatori glanced back to Deidara to find his gaze had shifted back to the match, allowing Hatori to do the same. He couldn't shake his unease though, even as he watched his teammate fight.
The two Iwa Shinobi vanished and reappeared as their strikes met. They were using kunai now, but that would soon change. If Hatori remembered correctly, the boy was far more adept with Taijutsu and fighting Ikate in his element would do him no good. No, things would need to shift. If Ikate had his way too, then things would shift when they picked up the pace.
As predicted, the moment that Yarui sped toward the man with a fist aimed at his center of mass, Ikate shifted and danced around the blow. His speed increased, sharpened, and his chakra flared. It hardened around him as a second layer of skin. Even with the added weight though, Ikate pushed through faster than Yarui.
Honestly it was like watching a younger version of Ikate fight an older version of himself. The kid was good, Chunin good even, but he wasn't quite on Hatori and Ikate's level. The two of them were far above the level of most shinobi here anyways.
Hatori shook his head, feeling like this was a waste of both of their skills. If they had been pitted against anyone other than a fellow Iwa Shinobi, then they would have dominated. It showed in how Yarui adapted himself and managed to hold on longer than most did when faced with someone as surprisingly durable and quick as Hatori's teammate.
Briefly, Hatori wondered if Ikate had taken any lessons or pointers from Han while he wasn't paying attention. It would make sense with how similar their fighting styles were. If not, well then Hatori knew what the next step for his friend was.
"Yarui, come on, just do it!" Naruto called out from her spot, making her teammates turn in shock at her outburst. Hatori glanced to her again as he pondered what the girl was talking about.
Ikate paused and glanced up at her before retuning his attention to the boy in front of him. He narrowed his gaze and shifted his stance again.
Yarui flinched, but after he registered the words he sighed and shifted as well. His stance wasn't as stiff this time. He wasn't as on edge as before.
Hatori, for one, was intrigued. What exactly could the boy be hiding that would change the tide of this battle?
Naruto leaned forward as the two shinobi dove headfirst into the battle again. Though Yarui was much more fluid, Hatori didn't see much improvement. It would just end the same way-
A flicker, a spark of light.
In a burst the boy's fingers sparked and lit up, blue lightning arching across them as his jab to Ikate went through the green-haired boy's stone armor. Ikate's prior acts of just letting Yarui's strikes hit him came back to bite him as the armor cracked.
It was almost like watching glass break. The stone armor cracked and Ikate let out a pained cry as the blow struck home. Yarui stepped up, lifting his right side up as he twisted around, his other leg propelling him while he kept his form fluid and built momentum. He dragged the butterfly kick across Ikate's head, sending him into the ground.
Hatori whistled in appreciation and shock, taking in how well the boy had performed. A lightning affinity was rare in Iwa, especially one strong enough to use as just a nature transformation.
Naruto grinned as she watched her teammate. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, pride radiating from her. The girl had likely given her teammate some pointers on how to use his lightning affinity in the time between Wave and the Chunin Exams.
That was something that Hatori hadn't been aware of, which was rare in of itself. He chuckled and observed Yarui as he went to strike Ikate again, not letting up. The boy was indeed giving it his all and Hatori knew that soon Ikate would have to not hold back.
Maybe Ikate had hoped not to hurt the younger Shinobi, taking it a little bit easier on him than he would Hatori or Deidara, but now he had to actually give it his all. Hatori tilted his head to side, watching as the figure that Yarui struck again melted into the dirt. Mud clone, neat. The next moment, Yarui was struck dodging a hand that sprang from the dirt. Ikate shot out of the earth, gripping his side as he chuckled. The boy launched back into the fight without mercy, tearing down Yarui as he became too fast for the boy to match.
Yarui buckled and hit the dirt on his knees after combined strikes hit his core and the back of his legs. A blow to his back sent his face into the dirt and with a surefire kick, Ikate pinned the boy into the dirt. He wasn't in the best state, but that just made things more interesting as Ikate murmured into the boy's ear, his hands drawing Yarui's arms back with the threat of doing more than tugging. Dislocating would hurt, and if Yarui tried to shock him then it would be sent right back through him. The boy was stuck.
"I-I forfeit." Yarui called from below Ikate.
Genma called the match, leaving Ikate to let go of Yarui and step to the side. He offered his hand good naturedly, helping the boy up before they both were guided away by a stern looking Medic-Nin.
Hatori hummed and shook his head. Surprising, but still holding the expected outcome. It was entertaining enough at least. His eyes flitted up to the match board as it started to cycle through matches again. The next match, oddly enough, was for him.
This time though it wasn't a match of an Iwa shinobi versus another, but rather Hatori vs-
"Sarumi Hatori vs Hyuuga Neji!" Genma called out.
Hatori walked past Naruto. He patted her head as she turned to face him, to wish him good luck. He watched as she pouted at him instead as he leisurely made his way into the arena from the stairs, unlike the previous contestants. She still called after him as he walked away. "You better win!" She spoke up. Hatori merely waved lazily at her without turning around. He had to play his part after all.
When he arrived, his opponent was just arriving too. He was young, probably a year or two older than Naruto. He was also dressed in the traditional garb of his clan. Hatori glanced at the boy once more before aptly dismissing him. He turned to the proctor to wait for the countdown. He wasn't sure how he wanted to go about this, especially since he had many options. He couldn't outright kill the boy, which was a bit of a shame because Hatori never really liked the stuck up Hyuuga, but he could definitely do some damage. Maybe play around if the kid ended up with an ego similar to the last Hyuuga he had fought.
They were always so high and mighty until Hatori faced them with his own Doujutsu. While his abilities hardly rivaled the Sharingan or Byuakugan, they definitely counteracted both of them with their unique skillset. Genjutsu was useless and viewing his chakra networks only led to more problems because of how, well twisted they could be.
The match began as Hatori shifted around Neji, his body shifting into a mimicked stance as he struck the boy.
Predictably, the boy blocked his attack and engaged him in Taijutsu. It would be fun to beat the kid at his own game.
Neji gritted his teeth, opening his mouth to no doubt let loose some snark at Hatori. He never got the chance as Hatori shifted his stance and dragged his blade out and across the boy's arm.
Blood rose up and the boy's eyes widened in shock as he realized just how fast his opponent was. Hatori pressed down on him, never letting up as his cold and ruthless attitude took over.
The Hyuuga backed up, grabbing a Kunai to block off some of his more adept strikes that weren't as easy dodged. The Hyuuga powered chakra into his limbs and activated his byuakugan. Hatori smirked before he vanished.
The Hyuuga turned and in a blur, blue chakra rose around him to block Hatori's next strike.
"Eight Triagrams, Rotation!" The boy called out, his ability blowing dust out of the way as he deflected Hatori's next round of attacks.
Hatori landed next to the boy, grinning at his success.
"Interesting, and here I thought only main members of the Hyuuga clan were taught those techniques." Hatori told the boy, shifting again as he changed the grip on his katana.
Neji's eyes narrowed on Hatori when he mentioned that fact, only to narrow further as he was forced on the defensive again. Hatori was precise, jabbing and stabbing with his blade instead of placing down well-timed strikes.
"I guess even you caged birds are allowed to fly freely every so often." Hatori told the boy, shifting himself below a strike that wasn't as well timed. Hatori held his blade to his side though, using a bit of experience from the previous match as he sent Neji flying with a well-placed kick.
Neji grunted and skidded across the ground, dragging himself up in time to use his rotation again to block another series of strikes from Hatori.
It almost…well it almost felt like he was being played with. It made the Hyuuga feel on edge. He couldn't help but remember the look that his Uncle had when he told him about the Iwa teams in the Exams.
Next to Kumo, Iwa was one of the more hostile villages to Konoha. Neji's father had also warned him before he left home, telling him that he should try to end his matches with the other villages as quickly as possible.
Neji eyed up his opponent, thinking about Hinata and how fast the girl had gotten. She wasn't this level, but seeing this man made Neji think of how far she'd be in a few years.
For now, Neji just needed to cross the gap with a well-made plan.
He slipped around Hatori and tried to gain more ground, going on the offensive even when Hatori struck back twice as hard. He was looping around in an effort to hit Hatori in his center of mass. One good hit would be all he needed to take the boy down. Neji pushed into Hatori's guard, watching as the older Genin gave him a surprised look before his palm slammed into Hatori's side. As Neji neared, Hatori reached out, tugging sharply on the bottom of his scarf. This tightened it, straightening it out from the point it was secured to on his shoulder. His chakra channeled into the fabric as it took the full force of Neji's blow.
Neji's eyes widened in shock as his palm slammed into the solid surface of the scarf, the fabric straightening as it withheld the blow from hitting Hatori's side. Hatori smirked at him and he unclasped the scarf from his shoulder in a swift move. He released the chakra inside of the fabric and whipped the fabric around Neji's outstretched hand. He pulled on the opposing ends and Neji watched the fabric tighten around his wrist.
Then, pulling on the fabric that was now stiffened with chakra again, Hatori dragged Neji forward. He reached out and grabbed ahold of the shocked Hyuuga by the back of his head. Using the previous momentum from dragged the boy down and the new aid of his hand, Hatori slammed Neji's face into his knee.
The Hyuuga cried out as his nose broke, blood gushing over Hatori's bare skin as he let go. The scarf whipped out, pulling away from Neji's wrist as Hatori slung it over his shoulder. He gripped the end of the fabric loosely while his eyes never strayed from his target.
"I suggest you forfeit now, Hyuuga. Impressive though you are, even for a Branch Member, you are out of your league. If I continue…well your recovery time will be much longer." Hatori warned the boy. His dual-colored eyes were filled with disinterest. They almost had a hollow look to them.
Neji grunted and rose, blood pooling at the bottom of his nose and over his lips.
Hatori sighed when he saw the look of defiance that the genin held. Shifting, he vanished and reappeared behind Neji. His eyes flashed as he drew his katana, raising it above Neji's head.
There was a pause, and then a burst of charka as Neji turned over to bring a kunai up. He blocked the strike from Hatori, though it shoved him further into the floor. His arms shook from the force that Hatori was placing on him with the strike.
Hatori's eyes gleamed, light filtering in as he struck again.
Neji seemed to learn from his last mistake and rolled out of the way, shooting up from the ground as Hatori's strike whipped past his previous post. He brought his kunai up and blocked the next strike that came faster than the last. Soon, that was all he could do. Neji's eyes widened, the byuakugan taking in every move and the chakra that flooded the area. Precise pools of wind chakra were gathered around Hatori's feet, aiding in his inhumane speed. Neji could hardly keep up, using all of his muscle memory just to block or deflect the blows. Several nicked his arms and legs and Hatori shoved him back to the wall.
Neji's back hit the surface and his eyes widened as he realized that he was backed into a corner. He rose his gaze to Hatori and flinched when he noticed that the previously hollow expression that the older shinobi wore had changed. This time it was much more chilling. It felt…It felt bitter and dark. Like a person looking at a bug, ready to squash it.
"I think that's enough." Hatori murmured and brought his blade up, holding it with both hands as he shifted one of his legs back a step.
Neji read the move and prepared to block when he felt pain explode in his side, then his arm, and finally, near the back of his head.
Hatori no longer stood in front of him and was instead inside of his guard. One of the shinobi's elbows was shoved into his side, the sword pressing into the shoulder of Neji's sleeve, and Neji's head had been shoved into the wall. Neji saw the blade raise again. The pain increased tenfold as he was struck. Then, everything went black.
Hatori stepped away as he removed the butt of his sword from the back of Neji's skull. He watched the genin slump over on the floor, sliding down the wall. Hatori turned to the proctor, waiting for him to call the match.
The proctor rushed over to check Neji's pulse, and upon finding him alive, announced that Hatori was the winner. Hatori nodded to him and sheathed his katana, walking back to the stairs so he could join his team again. Naruto was waiting for him. Behind her, Ikate had returned and was grinning at him.
"Aye, good job there Hatori. Maybe next time we will get to fight each other, huh?" Ikate mentioned, his arm resting on Naruto's head. The girl glared up at him before turning back to Hatori. She smiled at him brightly, pushing away the earlier hurt she had over Deidara's indifference.
"Congratulations Hatori, I knew you would do well." She spoke up, rocking back on her heels as she tried to get rid of her excess energy. Hatori hummed and leaned down, tugging Naruto closer as he kissed her forehead. Next to him Ikate and the other three genin had stilled, while Naruto flushed a dark red.
"It helped to know you'd be up here when I finished." He told the girl and stepped around her, ignoring the way that Ikate sputtered at him. Naruto smiled gently and turned to follow him back to their spots on the railing. Hatori shifted his gaze past her to catch Deidara's eye. The boy had stiffened up and his eyes were narrowed on Hatori now.
Alright, so Deidara wasn't indifferent to Naruto right now. Interesting. Though this wasn't the right sort of attention that Hatori would have preferred, he couldn't deny that it was nice to see Deidara reacting.
"Will Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee please come down?" The proctor's voice rang out again, drawing the attention of everyone to the arena where he stood. Neji must have been removed by the medic Nin while the new match was arranged. On the board were the names that had previously been stated.
Hatori gazed at the names and then shifted his gaze to watch as a young pink-haired girl and a young black-haired boy entered. The black-haired boy had a horrendous bowl cut and thick eyebrows, though that wasn't the worst part about his image.
"Is he…Is he wearing a green wetsuit?" Naruto asked, her voice breaking as she took in the scene below her. Hatori nodded, grimacing as he looked back to the kunoichi. She at least looked more presentable in her red shirt and black skirt. She also looked a little nervous as her excited opponent proclaimed that they would make their match the best one of the day.
"Konoha Ninja and their eccentricities." Naruto muttered under her breath, wondering how one village could have so many odd people in it. She didn't think all shinobi had that talent, right? I mean Iwa was normal enough, though most people were strong enough to crush a rock with their skull. That wasn't as bad as this though, right?
Hatori had to agree, wanting groan. Something had to be wrong with the water here for all of the ninja to just be so, well, extra.
The match started the moment that the proctor called it, a burst of dust rising up. Hatori shifted, his eyes wide as he noticed what had happened. Well, this wasn't expected.
Naruto also looked to be taking note of the match with a renewed interest. The pink haired girl, Sakura, had struck the moment she could. Her opponent had blocked, but the force that the girl let out was enough to create a crater.
"Go Sakura-Chan!" A voice called out across the arena. Naruto glanced up to see the red-haired boy from before cheering loudly and energetically as his teammate struck again. This time Lee backed away quickly and the girl struck the ground instead. Naruto half expected the girl to break something with how hard she hit the ground, though she didn't expect for the ground to be what broke. Fractures formed across the surface under the girl's fist. She shot forward again with a cry, her fists rising up again. Lee wisely dodged the next set of blows, weaving around them as the two engaged in Taijutsu.
Naruto sputtered and leaned far enough over the railing that Hatori had to grab her collar to keep her from falling over. She then whipped her head back around to face her teammate as her eyes lit up.
"She has so much strength…that, that's Senju Tsunade's technique!" Naruto called out in awe. She had never seen someone with this unique skill. Iwa Shinobi were strong, sure, but this girl was on another level. She could decimate a battlefield without the use of Jutsu and it was amazing.
Hatori chuckled at her, looking wary as Naruto grinned.
"Naruto-" He started, but was cut off as the boy, Lee, decided to up the ante. Naruto's head whipped right back around as he told Sakura he wouldn't old back. He flipped back to give himself enough time to unclasp the weights on his ankles, dropping them.
Another cloud of dust rose up as he blitzed past the kunoichi and struck at her back with a kick. The Kunoichi whipped around and blocked the blow, before the two engaged in another intensified match of Taijutsu. The arena was being destroyed by the force that the two were generating below them. All without the use of a single Jutsu. It made Naruto's heart sore.
"Those had to be several hundred kilos to make that big of a dent, dang. I think he would be about as fast as you, Hatori." Naruto whistled, her eyes never straying far from the fight. The two shinobi landed blows on one another and sent their opponent sprawling across the destroyed arena.
"Lee, come on, don't lose! You can't!" Another kunoichi called from the stands as Menma's own cheering turned incredibly loud. His Sensei had to wrap his arm around the frantic boy's mouth as he shouted for his teammate.
Naruto twisted to look at the kunoichi as she got up, rubbing blood from her mouth. She then lifted her hand to the side where Lee had struck her, her hand lighting up with green chakra. It was incredibly, Naruto thought, how strong this kunoichi was. Especially as a healer since medic nin were never frontline fighters. A frontline medic, just like Tsunade of the Sannin. It was, well Naruto had to take back the negatives she said about the girl earlier because it was awesome.
It reminded the girl of Lady Rida, of how she had stubbornly stayed on the front lines dealing out just as much damage as was dealt. She had also fought with such strength, though in other aspects.
Lee looked sheepish when he realized Sakura could heal herself.
"Right, guess that means I have to go all out to beat you Sakura-Chan. You've gotten really strong!" He called out. Sakura managed to grin back at him, her cheeks flushing red at the praise.
"As long as I get to do the same Lee!" She answered the boy and ran at him. Lee rushed at her. He began to run around her in a circle, dragging up dust as he moved fast enough to begin to blur. Naruto sucked in a breath as she heard the boy's sensei call out a warning to Lee, though it was ignored.
Sakura took a deep breath, her gaze focused on the swirling cloud. When Lee finally rushed out she was prepared, blocking his first kick. She wasn't able to block the second though and gasped as she was struck in her ribs. She was sent up in the air as Lee pushed her up with another kick. Her arms blocked this one, but she was still barreled into as the onslaught failed to stop.
Naruto watched closely, her eyes never leaving the fight as the final kick came. There seemed to be another step, one that would have continued if Lee was aiming to actually hurt the girl. Instead, the technique felt incomplete as Lee backed off and let the girl fall.
Sakura grunted, falling through the air quickly before she twisted around.
Her hands flashed through hand signs, most of them incredibly familiar to Naruto. Ah, clever.
The girl reached out as she finished, her arm merely a foot off the ground when it opened up, liquifying and cushioning her fall. "Earth Style, Mud Pit!" The kunoichi called out.
The ground swallowed her as she sunk into the liquified earth. Lee landed on the ground as his eyes widened in shock. He stepped back but was met with a hand grabbing at his ankle.
Abruptly the boy was dragged under as Sakura sprang up in front of him.
She looked worn; her arm clutched around her side as she was trying not to breath too hard. Lee was only waist deep in the earth because of Sakura's haste, though it seemed to be enough to make him waste his energy as he broke his leg out.
Sakura brought her hand to her chest, healing it a bit more as she shifted her other hand to her kunai pouch. She selected one with an odd sheen on it. Lee looked up at her as he grinned brightly.
"As expected of Sakura-Chan. Let's end this with one last attack, alright?" He asked her. She nodded sharply and sprang at the boy. He launched at her as well, raising his fist. In a blur Lee's hand drove into Sakura's gut, making her gasp in pain as her eyes went wide. Her kunai drew blood from Lee's cheek before it clattered to the ground.
Sakura slumped against Lee; her energy spent as she shuddered in pain. Lee caught her, stumbling.
The proctor rushed to them. Naruto hummed in sadness, wanting the match to continue. Either of the Genin would have been fun to go against if she was being honest.
Problem was, she wouldn't get to fight either. She had smelt it the moment that the girl had drew her Kunai.
Genma went to pat Lee's shoulder, to help him up after he won the match. Instead, the boy fell over, hitting the floor with his arms caged Sakura and kept her from also hitting the ground.
There was a loud string of surprise and Naruto chuckled. Smart, really. It was ingenious. Sakura had pre-poisoned her kunai and one nick was all it took for Lee to be out cold, not even seconds after he had taken the dose.
"Uhm…Well, due to both contestants being incapacitated…this match ends in a Draw!" Genma called out as the medic nin scrambled to the heap of genin in the center of the arena.
"No, Sakura-Chan!" Menma called out from his end, finally being released by his sensei after the man had seen the outcome of the match.
Naruto turned to the board, feeling her blood pump through her veins as she awaited the next match. She wanted to fight someone already, it was killing her just standing around like this when all of the good opponents were flying by.
Hatori ruffled her hair, surprising her. Naruto looked up at the boy, her eyes wide. Hatori hardly ever showed this much physical affection to her, especially around so many others. It made her feel embarrassed and happy. It must have something to do with the Kyuubi and Minato mess, she thought. It was nice, even though she felt like her cheeks were constantly burning.
Naruto redirected her gaze to the match board, waiting for the next series of names to show themselves. When she did, she felt a sense of elation run through her when the first name showed up.
It was her time. Iwatoshi Hosha Naruto showed on the board, making her heartbeat faster as she waited for the name of her opponent.
"Naruto." She heard her name called and whipped around. Deidara had spoken to her. Er heart ached, remembering how he had just brushed past her earlier. She had figured he was annoyed with Akatsuchi, but at least now he was-
"Forfeit the match." He spoke, his eyes dark as he met her gaze. Naruto's smile faded, her eyes going wide as she flinched.
"Naruto, you need to forfeit the match." He told her again.
It felt like she was drowning. All the insecurities, the moments from before rushing back. What was going on? Deidara never let her back down from a fight, not one that she could handle. He would never just order her to give up, not when she had fought so hard to get here. She had so much on the line, so much she needed to get done with this exam.
"Hosha, I'm ordering you to Forfeit." Deidara spoke again, his tone much sharper.
Next to Deidara even Akatsuchi looked shocked.
Naruto opened her mouth to demand an answer, only to hear someone else call out her name.
"Will Iwatoshi Hosha and Doten-Shi Ken come down to the arena?" Genma called out.
Naruto turned, her chest tightening as she looked down at the arena. Her opponent was already walking down there. If she didn't soon the she'd be-
"I told you to forfeit." Deidara said again, stepping forward. He grabbed onto Naruto's shoulder. She turned to face him and stilled when she saw the look in his eyes. There was anger, a burning tide that she only ever saw directed at others, never at her. Deidara had never once looked at her like this. Like he was displeased, like she had wronged him.
Her chest tightened again, and she tried to speak, but it stilled when she heard her name called again.
She couldn't forfeit, but at the same time, she couldn't go against her brother. What was going on, why…why was he doing this?
Deidara grit his teeth and opened his mouth to repeat himself when someone shoved him aside.
Abruptly, the tension snapped and standing next to Naruto was Akatsuchi.
"Hurry up and get in that arena kid, before you make a fool out of Iwa." She ordered sharply. Naruto tensed up, but she dragged her anger down. She nodded sharply, her hair hiding her face as she turned. Deidara reached out, her name beginning to creep on his lips. Hatori grabbed his wrist before he could stop Naruto from dropping into the arena.
Naruto landed in the arena, making her way over to the center where the confused proctor and her opponent stood.
"You want to fight, right?" The proctor asked her.
Naruto flinched, but she nodded sharply. Her eyes were still shaded over by her hair and she felt a tremor work through her veins. She…She didn't actually know anymore.
She dared a glance back at the stands and horror swept through her when she saw Deidara was gone. She darted her gaze across the way, to the opposite end of the arena where her brother's chakra was. Behind him was Hatori, stalking past confused guards with a look of righteous fury.
"Ah, so I guess your brother doesn't want to see you make a fool of yourself. That's fine, I can pay you back for Sashi enough to embarrass you in front of your teammates." Ken spoke up from in front of her.
Naruto turned to gaze at him, her limbs trembling as she heard the taunt.
Genma narrowed his gaze on her, then shifted his eyes to Ken. He then sighed and started the countdown.
Naruto bit her lip, feeling like her world was crumbling. Why…Why was Deidara mad with her? Did he…did he know?
She winced when a blow hit her side, sending her across the arena. She hissed and snapped back into her situation, her eyes meeting the sharp ones of her opponent as she tried to focus. It was difficult to with her mind running through hundreds of reasons for Deidara to suddenly be so cold to her and even demand for her to forfeit her match. Deidara never ran from a fight and it was something that he taught her too.
Naruto was struck again, and she tried to hold back a cry of pain. This time she stayed standing. Ken was relentless as he struck her over and over. She could hardly think enough to do more than block. She heard the shouts of her teammates above her, and it made her heart begin to pound in her chest.
Now wasn't the time for her to lose it. She needed to win. She couldn't be what Akatsuchi thought, she needed this.
She shot at Ken, weaving through hand signs as she pulled at the ground below her.
"Earth style, Earthquake!" She called out, slamming her hands into the ground to cause it to crack apart more forcefully than the previous combatants. Ken had to move back to avoid being swallowed in the crevices while Naruto grabbed some of her kunai and shot at him. She wasn't at her best, but she wouldn't just give up.
"What, finally snapped out of your haze?" The boy snapped and drew his blade. Sparks flew as their strikes met one another. Naruto bit back a curse as the boy snapped forward. He continued his strikes amidst his words, cutting with both while he fought Naruto.
"You aren't even taking this seriously, where was that kunoichi I fought before? Or are you too scared to actually fight?!" Ken snapped at her, his anger and hatred coming to the surface as he addressed her current state. Naruto stumbled, her head throbbing as she took a step back. Ken slammed into her and she winced as she didn't prepare properly. He stuck again and she felt like she was going to break something if she didn't start focusing on the fight and preparing herself. What was wrong with her? She knew what she needed to do. She had been fighting against Kenjutsu users ever since she met Hatori, she couldn't lose to this second-rate genin.
The problem was obvious though. She couldn't focus. Her mind was on her brother, on Deidara. She couldn't think past his words or the way he had looked at her. He had told her to forfeit. She couldn't help the hurt that rose up as she remembered the anger in his eyes. It rang throughout her as she felt such a deep sense of betrayal. He had left her too, left her match after telling her to give up.
She managed to dodge another blow, but she was sloppy and couldn't get in a return strike that should have come easily to her. Her breathing quickened and she let loose a sharp cry as Ken slammed his elbow into her ribcage. She hit the ground and rolled to avoid a kick to her head. She was being stupid about this.
Naruto shouldn't be struggling this much, she should be fighting and giving it her all. She was strong enough to fight Ken, strong enough to fight most of the genin here. This…this wasn't right.
How could she fight her best though, when every time she thought about the match, she was dragged back to that dark place with all the voices, the ones that whispered how worthless she was. She could hear Deidara in their mix now when she never had before. She could see his eyes from before and it made her heart ache.
She shuddered and backed away, trying to get away from Ken as he pressed her. He snarled at her. It reminded her of when they met again in Konoha.
"I guess you really were all talk then." He said, disgust rising in his tone as he flashed through hand signs. She recognized them and narrowed her eyes as she backed away. Lightning flared out, but she dodged in time. Naruto shifted under the next blow as the lightning spread over Ken's blade.
Naruto knew that she needed to focus. If she didn't then it wouldn't matter that she chose not to forfeit the match like she was told. She would lose. She would lose to this match and make a fool out of Iwa. Her eyes closed tightly, and she had to breathe through the trembling that overtook her. She opened her eyes and drew some kunai to aide in her bout with Ken.
"Naruto, come on, you can do this!" Naruto heard Yarui above her, her heart pounding in her chest as she shoved Ken back. She took another deep breath and rushed forward, slamming her foot into Ken's chest. He was sent sprawling as she shifted into her next stance. She held both of her hands in front of her face, the kunai held in a reverse grip. She needed to win.
"Naruto, don't you dare give up!" She heard Shisui next, his voice nearly breaking as he shouted at her. She felt her heard still and she braced as Ken snapped back on her. He was barring down on her with quick and sure strikes. It must be the Uzumaki style showing through. It was fierce, enough for Naruto to see how it had overpowered so many of her fellow Iwa nin back before Uzushio was destroyed.
Ken slipped into her guard, his chakra pulsing again. Naruto felt it but she was distracted when Ken scoffed at her. "No wonder your brother left. You aren't even worth the time to watch you fail." He told her, his words making her chest clench as she felt the unease begin again.
"Hosha!" Darui's call was next, but it was too late. Naruto tried to dodge, her feet scrambling as she tripped. The lightning coating the blade hit her full force as the voices of her teammates were drowned out. Naruto clenched her teeth, her eyes shutting in pain.
It felt like she was on fire, her thoughts turning to nothing but white-hot pain as lightning stretched out over her limbs. She slumped when it finished. She should have been able to handle that, to channel it with her affinity but she wasn't prepared and anytime she thought about it-
It struck again, several voices shouting around her and she sluggishly pulled herself up. Sparks danced over her as Ken pushed again. He was relentless and it left her exhausted as she barely managed to block him again. Her thoughts had melted away and she was left with only the emotions burning in her chest. There was sadness, guilt, an ache that wouldn't go away, and finally…Naruto felt angry. She was angry at herself for being so weak, angry at her brother for abandoning her without explaining anything. She was angry about the last few days and how some idiotic blonde who happened to be her birth father had screwed her life over from the beginning.
Ken sent her kunai flying. His eyes were dark as he met her own. His blade was coming for her throat.
Genma could be seen behind the boy and his eyes were much sharper. He was reaching out as he shouted for the boy to stop, but nothing rang out louder than the call from above Naruto.
"Damn it Naruto, move! You promised you would win this; you can't let that fucking idiot Deidara decide how you are going to end this!" Naruto heard Ikate's shout, and something shifted. She had felt the sadness disappearing with each call from her teammates, and now Ikate had chased away the rest. She could feel their support and they knew exactly who they were aiding. They had seen who she was, and they came back to her, welcoming her. Even if Deidara was going to be stupid and not talk to her about why he would order her to forfeit, Hosha could at least not be a disappointment to the people who were trying so hard to support her.
Her emotions were heightened but she was focused on more than her sadness and guilt now. The clenched feeling in her chest lightened and was replaced with burning anger. It was like before when she had given into the Kyuubi, but this time it was something much more natural for her. She closed her eyes on last time, taking a deep breath. She felt the lightning tremor run through her and she drew on the voices of her friends, on the warmth that she felt when Hatori embraced her. She drew on her father back when he was alive and how he had told her he was proud of her and Deidara. She pulled on it and she used it.
Then, she released her chakra in a burst beneath her.
Red and blue danced together as the explosion sent Ken flying back. Naruto rolled and sprang up. Her lungs hurt and she could feel the lightning coursing through her still. She ignored it. The burning from the explosion hardly registered as her chakra flowed through her limbs. She was used to brushing this off. It was nothing like in Wave when Kakashi had gotten the drop on her. Now she was prepared, now she was ready to stop focusing on the negatives and the bitterness inside of her. She had a new target for her ire. She wouldn't fail anyone else ever again.
The haze was there, threatening her, but there was also something else. A deathly calm that settled over her as she realized something.
She wanted this. She wanted to pass, to succeed. If Deidara didn't…then she'd deal with that after. She promised herself that she would do this, swore to Ikate and Hatori to give it her all. Ken was right, she wasn't putting everything she had into this. Her sadness and horror over Deidara simply shifted, taking a back pedal. Her hands worked down, taking a hold of the pouch she had next to her weapon's pouch and grabbing a kunai from her pouch.
Her eyes met those of her opponent and the color shifted to red, burning brightly. She tugged at the chakra below the surface, controlling it as it melded into her own. Ken grit his teeth as he met her gaze. His lips shifted into a bitter smile as he laughed at her. "Finally decided to act like a kunoichi? Weren't you the one that told us we weren't real shinobi back at Wave? Aren't you the one acting like a stupid kid all because of your brother-" Ken called out across the arena. He didn't get to continue as a kunai sailed past his face. Wind chakra dissipated from Naruto's unoccupied hand, the kunai she had grabbed now impaling itself on the wall behind Ken. She shifted and clenched her hand, drawing it out of the pouch before she grabbed another kunai. She launched this one at Ken as well, her eyes gleaming as they failed to leave his own.
"Shut up." She snapped at him. Her anger poured out of her as she rushed at the boy. She dragged wind chakra on the new kunai in her hands, slamming it down on the blade that the boy brandished. He grunted, his eyes widening as she displayed her use of wind chakra.
Naruto then leaned forward, over the blades, and slammed her head into Ken's own. A crack was heard around the arena as Naruto shoved herself beneath the boy. She braced herself and then pushed up on one of her feet to kick Ken with the other, sending him further into the air. "Wind Style, Gale Bullet!" She shouted, breathing out as her gathered wind chakra slammed into the chest of the boy above her and sent him flying above the arena. Naruto vanished from her spot on the ground, appearing above the boy as he started to fall back down.
Naruto appeared next to him midair, her face right next to his own. Her occupied hand was to the other side of her. She had prepared the next step and was ready to release it. Before she did though, she had to set the record straight with the idiotic ninja who had dared to mock her in front of her treasured teammates.
"How about next time, you focus more on your own fight and stay the hell out of my problems you piece of shit." Naruto whispered into his ear; her eyes glowing red as she opened the palm of her other hand. Ken's eyes widened as behind the girl she let go of an odd white blob.
She held her hand up, her eyes never meeting Ken's as she channeled her chakra. "Kai." She said sharply, and soon the arena was basked in a brilliant light. Heat rushed over everyone present.
Hosha's rock clone crumbled from the force as the original dropped down on the arena, her eyes closed. She could still feel the heat of the explosion as it danced over the arena, sending her hair spiraling around her.
T here was a thump not long after the heat died down and she opened her eyes to see Doten-Shi lying on the ground. He was bloody and bruised beyond belief, but he was still breathing. Naruto hissed as she rose, her lungs protesting as a spasm worked its way through her. She glared at the body of the boy, turning around sharply. She heard the medic nin rushing over to him as she made her way past the proctor. He eyed her carefully, assessing her as she glared at him.
"Winner…Iwatoshi Hosha."
I~~~~I
And here we go! This one was stupid long, but I enjoyed writing it. There were a lot of parts I had to rewrite and add on to in the process, so hopefully it turned out nicely. Thank you so much for reading, stay tuned for the next chapter!
