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Summary:
To save everyone, Marco used his current existence. Never did he imagine that he will be reborn to a new world different from his own. It is a world filled with ninjas and creatures as large as Sea Kings that are made of pure living chakra. What can a pirate like him do to survive especially if he is a freaking bird? Thatch is right; he does look like a chicken. And a certain blue-eyed blonde is thinking of him as her new pet.

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Of Flaming Feathers and Bloodstained Furs
By: Zelga Lim Li

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Part 17

The ANBU that appeared out of nowhere brought him to a very secluded place.

There he noticed several others hiding in plain sight.

Marco's lips thinned into a line when he saw another familiar face.

The newcomer does have the same presence as the gentle village leader. Albeit darker.

The other boy from Hiruzen's former squad. Just like the kind Hokage, he is older. Half of his face (and possibly his entire body) are covered in bandages - not that he can see those.

"Hmm. I am assuming that Hiruzen doesn't know about this. Correct, yoi?"

Shimura Danzō scoffs derisively in response and tapped his cane twice, "The said fool may be kind enough to allow your stay. But the council says otherwise…"

"Oh?" Marco places both hands inside his pocket and walks toward the once-a-boy he met before. "Whose council?"

Another masked shinobi came forward and blocks his way. Others have shown themselves (from their hiding places) and raises their hands in preparation of a jutsu while the rest took out various weapons in their person.

Unbothered, the Phoenix decided to gave them a scare as he flares his very own 'killing intent'. Danzō grunts unaffectedly and raised a hand to prevent everyone from attacking one another as Marco raises one brow questioningly.

Oh, right.

Thatch probably felt it. And Haku as well since she grew accustomed to his 'chakra signature'.

And let us not forget about his blonde kunoichi.

So he temporarily closed off their bond after giving her a calming nudge.

"What are you going to do about it, yoi?"

With a huff, the man walks past him. But not before Marco heard a warning. One by one, they disappear until all his spectators are gone.

What was left are leaves and clouds of smoke.

"…" Rolling his eyes internally, the Phoenix sighed tiredly. Suddenly feeling the weight of his continued existence.

And then he felt his friend rushing towards him with Haku in toll.

"What the hell happened?" The taller pirate blurted out dramatically as Haku glances at their surroundings with a suspicious look.

Rubbing his jaw speculatively, Marco shakes his head and gave them a comforting nod. He started walking towards the direction of the village despite Thatch's indignant reaction (he's being a drama queen as usual).

And the location these other ninjas led him into is farther away from where he had liked.

Far from Naruto.

So very irritating.

"Just some nuisances. Nothing to worry about, yoi."

"Are you sure?" Haku asks anxiously. Knowing that her question pertains to something prompted Marco to pat her head gently.

"Yeah. I'm sure. Let's go back? The first stage must be over by now."

He did notice the two look worryingly with one another. He did felt dread especially when he notice Naruto's panic thru their bond after reopening it.

Blue flames started to surround his arms as he transforms halfway. But Thatch was faster (ah, his reaction time is slower if the man was able to stop him during transformation) and held him in a tight grip reinforcing his hands with haki.

"Hold it right there, young man…" Is he fucking serious?

"Get your hands off me, Thatch!" With a growl, Marco is about to kick the other man away (to hell with friends, Naruto is in danger).

Thankfully, Haku's job in the hospital allowed her to treat Thatch's prior injuries. So the man was able to recover physically and can now be beaten up again (ah he means sparring or something like close to it, yoi).

"Kakashi-san did advise us to watch over you and make sure that you won't interfere."

"But what we don't want to disappoint more is Naruto-chan so…" Haku added in a soft voice as she awaited Thatch's signal.

Marco glares murderously at them. Already preparing a string of curses with a dash of Haoshoku (knowing that he had the will of a conqueror did surprise him greatly especially when his friend mentioned it after his 'little' exhibition on the bridge) to direct towards the two but then-

He did saw Haku's apologetic look as she did something before he lost consciousness.

God damn it!

.

.

After the crazy snake lady scared the bejeezus out of her, Naruto tried to calm her nerves. Knowing that Marco might have felt it because of their bond (she's still in the process of closing off their connection like how he did it that other time).

Hopefully, Thatch-san and Haku can stop the Phoenix from his mother-henning tendencies.

She appreciates it though. Marco's concern about her well-being.

Because for the first time, someone cared for her openly without regard for anyone's opinion. Like he cares about her more than anything else's.

That she matters.

Oh she knew Iruka-sensei, the Ichirakus, or even the old man does care for her. But then the village thinks differently and oftentimes made things harder for those people so she kept her distance.

Team 7 may be another matter but yeah. She can sort them later. She called it compartmentalization.

After she rejoined the others (she did glare at that Anko woman and the weird kunoichi from Kusagakure), she opened her senses to familiarize herself with everyone in the surrounding area especially after that gut feeling she felt earlier.

She's… they are being watched.

"Are you alright?"

The pinkette asks worriedly while Sasuke hovers closely beside them.

Nodding, she gave them a small smile and tugs them farther away from the closest group of other Konoha-nins.

"Got a weird feeling about this forest…" The female jinchūriki proceeds to tell the two her suspicions and who to watch out for.

"Then we'll be careful," Sasuke interjected as he scrutinizes everyone. Even their peers.

Hinata-chan and the others are watching them closely. Like they are about to go and defend her if needed after the fiasco from earlier.

And then there's the weirdo in green spandex. He's still looking at her even after Sakura gave him a glare that he returned with a thumbs up accompanied by a flashy genjutsu. The girl from his team sighed in exasperation in response to his actions while shooting them an apologetic look.

That unknown feeling came back especially when Shino gave her an acknowledging nod. Are they-

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Naruto returned Team 8's gesture with a shy smile and stuck her tongue out towards the other genin who chuckled amusedly in response.

After a few minutes, the remaining participants gathered at the front to take their designated scrolls and went to the gate where they are assigned to enter the dreaded forest.

It was the very same forest where Naruto experienced the cruelty of her childhood before meeting her precious person.

With a firm set of her jaw, Naruto held Sasuke and Sakura's hands. Both look surprised at her actions but returns it with a reassuring squeeze of their own. Without looking at their reactions, the blonde is certain that they looked at her questioningly wondering her need for physical contact.

The chūnin who's manning their gate watches silently in the background.

Naruto kind of knew that he is familiar (ever since she started learning this sensing stuff more thoroughly, she was able to identify which chakra is owned or used by whom).

He is possibly one of her hidden guards. Not that she knew why she is being protected from the shadows.

Was it because she is housing the nine tailed demon fox inside her gut?

"We did promise Marco to do our best. So…" Sakura smiled and gave her a light pat on her head (she is not small, damn it). "…lets."

As the gate opens signaling the start of second stage of the Chūnin Selection Exams, Team 7 gave each other a bright grin (mostly the girls) while Sasuke gave an exasperated one of his own albeit his Uchiha-ish kind of smile (he really is a bastard).

"Right." Mirth crosses his features as he stated challengingly towards the other two, "Last one to set their foot at our destination will treat the rest for a celebratory meal."

"Hah! Prepare your wallet, losers. I'm going to win this!"

"Seriously you two. Now's not the time…" Sakura gulps nervously when the other two looks at her assessingly.

"She may have improved but…" Sasuke noted as Naruto finishes the thought. "…speed is something she still lacks."

An imaginary vein ticked and the pinkette gave the two a bop in the head accompanied by a deadly glare as each nurse their bumps. Their watcher chuckled at their interaction but covered his mouth with a cough.

"Time is running, you three. Better hurry up."

"Watch me, Rat-san. I've gotten better… they're no match for me, dattebayo!"

The unknown shinobi have this startled look on his face as he watches Kakashi's brats enter the forest wondering how the said girl knew his ANBU codename.

Ah.

He really needed to talk with the others.

Seems like they need to reassess the 'pet' and his influence to their favorite prankster.

A possible threat?

Or something more?

.

.

Interlude: Rock Lee

He knew of Gai-sensei's friendly competition with one Hatake Kakashi.

Following his example, he wishes to do the same with the other jōnin's prized student. And possibly Neji's if he decided to take note of everyone else aside from his own 'self-imposed' mission.

Staging a brief entertainment for the other participants (and possibly to weed out unnecessary competition), he's having a youthful time of his life much to Tenten's resigned exasperation and the Hyūga's amusement.

But then they came.

As interesting as it is to finally meet the last Uchiha, he was drawn to the other female member of their squad.

The pink haired kunoichi is very pretty. But…

The other girl, whose eyes spoke of self-doubt and wears a mask of indifference with a brave front (a mask) - is the one he's automatically drawn into.

As if sensing his undivided attention (oh he is curious alright), the blonde turned towards him, gave her own assessing look (it felt a bit weird though as if she is seeing something only she can especially when he thought she nudged at him mentally) and then after a few minutes, returned his look with a polite smile and a small wave.

Afterwards, she dragged the Uchiha and the other girl upstairs ignoring everyone else.

"Oh, did they notice the genjutsu already? That was fast." Tenten commented while picking up some stray dirt under her fingernails with the sharp tip of her kunai.

"No, they didn't…" With a frown, Neji noted as they watch the three left to join the other examinees on the correct room.

"Looks like this day is going to be full of surprises and excitement, hmm." Unperturbed, Lee smiled widely. He's most delighted that Gai-sensei decided to nominate them for this year's Chūnin exams. The springtime of youth sure looks promising now that they're here.

Ah. He cannot wait to fight her (ignoring the 'chill' he suddenly felt upon the said thought - an eagle sized chill).

And the Uchiha of course. Let us not forgot the boy who was assumed to be the strongest in their generation

If he failed to do so, he'll make sure to run around the village by his hands in 500 laps. Or double it in the event that he fails.

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Author's note:
Oops… uhm. I'm sorry for being late.

And forgot to do some checks. So mistakes are a plenty. I think. I promise to fix them later. So enjoy.

Cheers!

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