Miyo's Chunin Exams, part 2
Miyo
The next morning, I got to the Forest of Death with my team and the other genin. As permission slips were passed out among the ninja, Anko explained the rules. "Each team will get either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll. You must spend five days traveling to the building in the center of the Forest of Death. You must also have both scrolls before you get there, and not open either scroll until you arrive at the building. I have one more word of advice: just don't die!"
I shivered. If everything goes wrong, I'll still be in the Forest of Death when Naruto gets back…permanently. Best case scenario for catching Naruto home from his mission…we'll have to hurry through the forest. If they're giving us five days…then we'll make it in three. I straightened my back, feeling my determination surging up. I can't see us making it in less than three days, but I believe three is a good number to shoot for.
We received an Earth Scroll, chose our gate, and at two thirty went in.
Sai
Orochimaru led me to his current secret base, where I met Sasuke. "I thought you two might want to reminisce, swap stories of home."
I barely started speaking before Sasuke told me to get lost.
"It seems that I'm the type of guy people don't like right away, even if I wear a smile. Naruto took an instant disliking to me as well," I felt mentioning Miyo would be a good way for him to learn that I could transport his information, "and Miyo is still withholding her opinion. However, I have a funny feeling that I'll get along better with you than I did with him."
Then I found myself trapped in a genjutsu! I took a couple of steps backwards and fell down. When I was released, I found that I was sweating. I have no emotions, and yet somehow, just by meeting his eyes I find that I fear Sasuke from the bottom of a heart I didn't think I had.
I felt I had to try again. "I've…heard a lot about you…from Naruto. It seems he's been searching for you all this time. For three years now. You mean a great deal to Naruto. He thinks of you as a brother…at least, that's what Sakura told me."
"As far as brothers go, I have only one, the one that I must kill." Then he appeared in front of me. "Speaking of brothers, however, I do have information for Miyo concerning hers." He held out an envelope to me. "This is for Miyo's eyes only; whether she tells you what's in it or not is her business."
I took it, and he left. Orochimaru left us as well, and I studied the envelope. Koga Diatra. All of the ANBU Black Ops know of him and how his entire team was wiped out, with faces obliterated and a single missing body. …I wonder what is inside.
Miyo
We covered a lot of ground without running into anyone. Finally, I opened my stuffed pig-toy. "Let's stop for supper, you guys."
As the sun was low, they didn't argue. After I'd shared out some of my rations and they'd eaten some, though, Keitaro asked, "Just curious…who made you team leader?"
I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Would you really take orders from Katsuro? Or would he take orders from you, for that matter?"
The twins gave identical snorts, stared at each other in surprise, and then laughed.
I grinned and continued, "I'm the logical choice for a stand-in team leader where you boys are concerned."
"Okay…" Katsuro stuffed a bite of food in his mouth, chewed it probably about five times and swallowed. "...So what's the game plan? You do have a game plan, right?"
Every time he did that, it amused me how his first sentence was an octave higher than his voice was supposed to be. But I wasn't in the mood to be amused just now. "Just a time I want to get out of here by. I'd rather…" I sighed. "This will make no sense unless I give you some background. I asked Naruto to get some information on my brother while he was off on his mission."
That had both their attention. Since I'd joined their team, I'd finally told them how Koga had vanished, presumed dead.
"I want to try to intercept Naruto after he gets back. If they're giving us five days to get through and out, I want us to try to finish in three. I couldn't see any fewer than that. And besides, I don't want to spend more than two nights in here."
"I agree with you on that point," Keitaro nodded. "We'll have to mount a watch to make sure the forest doesn't ambush us."
Katsuro cocked his head. "So if everything goes right, we're planning on getting a Heaven scroll tomorrow and actually making it to the building the day after."
"Okay, let's bunk down." I pointed. "When we actually have both scrolls, we need to have a more alert watch. Keitaro, you have an easier time staying up late, so you get second night watch. Katsuro, you get tonight's shift, and I'll replace you at midnight."
He grumbled, but didn't argue. Probably because he realized that my replacing him required his waking me up.
That night went more peacefully than it had any right to, considering it was the Forest of Death.
The very next morning was more interesting.
I looked like I'd dozed off while meditating with my back to my team. I hadn't. I'd set Little Neji and Mini Hinata on either hand, and both were connected to my chakra…and using Byakugan. They were leaning against my wrists under my sleeves. See, I'd suspected that some team or other was spying on us, which is why I'd not tried to cut Katsuro off when he mentioned which scroll we needed. If a team was spying on us, and they needed an Earth scroll, they'd attack us as soon as they thought we were all asleep. It had taken a certain amount of slight-of-hand to make sure there were no obvious signs of those dolls. And it didn't matter if they couldn't "see" thanks to my sleeves, because these were the Hyuugas!
And sure enough, both dolls spotted the watchers at the same time. Smart that they tried to sneak up behind me just in case I wasn't truly asleep. Unfortunately for them, that was an overlap of Byakugan vision between the two dolls.
Now, what to do, what to do…
I decided what to do when I saw one standing over Keitaro pull out a kunai. Without opening my eyes or moving my head, I threw my voice. I hadn't decided on actual words, so I chose to make it simple.
Right next to Keitaro, a scream sounded out.
Keitaro and Katsuro both sprang into action, knocking headlong into the ninja standing over them, which resulted in their attackers' heads colliding, knocking them out. I flipped backwards over the guy who'd slipped up on me, covering his head in my tent-kimono and pulling the corners back so he couldn't just get loose. As I fell, I tugged him down with me. He tried to catch me, but I was too quick for him. Bringing both fists against his head, I knocked out my would-be assailant.
Now that we had breathing room, we searched the team. As suspected, Keitaro's victim had a Heaven scroll. He tossed it to me, and I stored it in the opposite sleeve from the Earth scroll. "Much better: now I'm properly balanced."
Katsuro kicked the ninja at his feet. "Should we kill them?"
"No. The forest can do that easily enough without us helping it. Gather our things, we're moving out."
We made sure to get some distance away from the sleeping ninja before we stopped to talk over our new plan. "Okay, boys," I kept my voice low. "We have both scrolls, so what do you want to do? I wasn't hurt in the scuffle. Do you want to take it easy, slowly recover from any injuries you might have taken, and make it to the end point tomorrow, or do you want to hurry on and clear the forest in two days?"
They looked at each other for a minute. Then they looked back at me.
"Two days."
"That's what I thought you'd say. Move out, but be careful – this is still the Forest of Death, and there could still be traps."
As it turned out, we didn't quite make it to the building before night fell. This was because Keitaro did stumble into one trap, and I'd had to pull him out. At least we didn't run into any other ninja teams. Still, it left me feeling confident. "We can go inside in the morning. The goal's in sight! Keitaro, do you feel up to the night watch?"
He was looking a little pale – falling into the trap had given him a pretty bad slash on his leg, and I'd had to stitch him up – but he nodded. "I won't fail you guys!"
That night was calm, and we weren't attacked this morning. I'd done a better job of hiding our campsite this time. …Okay, strike that: I actually bothered to hide our campsite last night, the first night I hadn't even tried to.
And then we went into the building, exhilarated. Stage 2 was completed, and we passed!
A/N: Yeah, yeah, they had to open the scrolls inside the building before the stage was completed. Who needs to mention that? It's a given!
