Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
"Talking"
Thoughts, sometimes emphasis on words.
-Flashback-
----------- Change of scene
(The Next Chapter description might have been a bit of an exaggeration...so sorry! OO; I guess I should have been more sure of what I was going to write before I wrote that.)
Demons Dawn Chapter Twelve: Area 23There was a stifled click as Sasuke closed the window. The room had become too cool for his liking. Seeing as it was still half an hour to six, he lay on the bed facedown, his face buried in the pillows. He turned his head to the side when he was forced to breath. His eyes fell on a still sleeping Naruto, who presented a comical figure arranged in a very uncomfortable position.
He closed his eyes and allowed the darkness to roll over him. He thought of Naruto and his all too sunny disposition. Yet Naruto had steel in his soul something Sasuke lacked but was close to achieving. Sasuke was quiet and reserved, but his mind worked a mile a minute. Most saw him as the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, the prodigy. But those people never forgot Itachi, ever.
His brothers name rung trough his mind threatening to shatter his sanity. But it was still there unbroken and untouched, held together by his oath. His oath to kill his brother. That's what makes me weak, I have yet to gain the power. But I have already gained the hate. But I will kill you, you let me live dear brother. One life for another. Eh, Itachi?
He opened his eyes a minute or two later to find a bleary eyed Naruto staring right past him with an unsteady gaze. Sasuke tossed a pillow at him but Naruto caught it and knocked it away from him. Mumbling something that sounded like good morning to Sasuke Naruto stumbled to the bathroom almost falling over on his face twice.
Sasuke sat up on the already made bed and took out one a kunai from his holster. He tested the sharp edge against his palm, it only made a shallow cut. The same blood flows thru him, Sasuke thought as he watched the blood swell up and flow.
"Why the heck did you do that for Uchiha!" Naruto said under his breath, he cursed softly as he looked around and finely found some bandages. "Hold out you hand." Sasuke obediently did, Naruto cleaned the wound like a pro and bandaged the wound.
"Thank you," Sasuke mumbled as he stood up. He could see the anger in the way that Naruto moved. "Why are you so angry?" Naruto whirled on Sasuke but refused to say anything. However Naruto's anger was evanescent as he saw how late he was, some things were simply more important then the Uchiha that inflicted pain on himself.
Sasuke was brought out of his darker musings when he heard Naruto's frustrated yell.
"What's wrong baka?" Sasuke said.
"I can't find my damn shuriken and kunai!" Naruto said as he tossed almost anything that could be tossed up in the air in search of his weapons. "Argh! I don't have anytime to look for them. Were already late!" And indeed they were. As Naruto rushed out of the room without a second look toward Sasuke, Sasuke took something out of a trunk and pocketed it with some difficulty.
Seconds later Naruto was back with only his head and a hand showing he hissed, "come on Sasuke." With a shake of his head Sasuke followed.
----------
"Are you sure that this is the place?" Naruto whispered.
"Yes," Sasuke said irritated. But he could see why Naruto would be apprehensive about entering the place. It was the stuff nightmares were or perhaps dreams were made out off, the trees were thick and twisted with equally twisted braches that seemed to reach to the heavens themselves, the leaves blocked a lot of the sunlight or rather it would for it was barely still the dawn, and it was simply that kind of place that made shills run down your back.
"Tenchi-san would feel at home here!" Naruto commented as he looked around wildly, he resembled an eager puppy.
"Who the hell is this Tenchi guy you keep on talking about like a broken record!?" Sasuke snapped at a surprised Naruto, "Tenchi-san this! Tenchi-san that! You make it sound as if he is the greatest Shinobi that has ever existed! He can't be that great since he trained someone like you!"
"Wow, Sasuke pace yourself," a voice said behind him. Sasuke turned around angrily at that ready to beat whoever spoke to the ground. His expression cleared however when he saw that it was Tsubasa.
"Oh. It's you," Sasuke said lamely. Naruto lifted his hand in greeting.
"Yes it's me," Tsubasa said imitating his tone. "Hey has the other girl come yet?"
"No," Naruto said as he continued to stare wide eyed at the thick dark forest.
"Good," she said. Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow at her. She waved away the look and set down her pack. After a couple of seconds she took a package wrapped in dark cloth out. "I have something for you Naruto." Sasuke raised his eyebrows higher at her. "Careful Sasuke of they'll disappear!" She shot at him, Sasuke's expressionless face immediately collapsed back into place.
"What! What is it?" Naruto said and was at Tsubasa's side in the blink of an eye, quite literally. People attention turned toward them with some interested. Even Sasuke was interested in what Tsubasa had to give, he glided in close to them unnoticed. Tsubasa blushed with pleasure at the adoring and grateful look Naruto gave her before he took the package from her.
"Thanks Tsubasa-chan," Naruto's voice was soft as he broke the white cord. Sasuke wanted to gag but at the last moment decided against it. Tsubasa blushed at that and was grateful for the dim light. The dark cloth fell away from the gift. Naruto's eyes sparkled as he held up the orange outfit.
"I noticed that your uniforms were starting to get worn out, so..." Tsubasa trailed off. She suddenly found the air knocked out of her as she found Naruto hugging her. She blushed a furious red before she pushed Naruto off lightly. Naruto got the hint and disengaged himself. His eyes however still sparkled, Sasuke only smirked at Tsubasa. She gave him an angry glare and that was that.
-----------
As Iruka arrived at the site his eyes were drawn to a bright orange spot among the otherwise somber colors. Naruto's new outfit fit him perfectly, he even had the sandals, but he still stood out with the loud color on him. Iruka however noticed that he had no holster with shuriken in them, he would have to mark him down for that.
Tsubasa held most of their supplies and Sasuke their medical ones, Naruto had not offered to carry anything and he had not been offered and that had been left at that.
Sakura was feeling self conscious as she stood some way off from her teammates. They were talking avidly, even Sasuke joining in once in a while. She was practically overjoyed when she finely spotted Iruka-sensei.
"This will be one of the last survival test before the Genin graduation exam," Iruka paused for the predictable groan that would came, when it was over he continued, "these are the basic rules. All the teams are composed of three members—." Iruka was rudely interrupted.
"Iruka-sensei they have four!" A boy said and pointed on accusing finger at Sasuke, Naruto, Tsubasa, and Sakura. Iruka gave him a look, quickly memorizing his face and continued.
"Numbers do not always guarantee victory. As I was saying. All teams have three members except one, and they serve a purpose—" Naruto groaned inwardly, this couldn't be good —,"for this. And for volunteering they automatically pass the survival test—" there were many a protesting sound and Naruto was beginning to think that maybe this wasn't going to be so bad—"but there is a catch to that, they can't fail in their objective. Since they are among the most varied in skills they have been placed together. As I was saying they serve a purpose. They will be given an hour head start—" more groans "—into the forest. For everyone else you have a very specific objective. To catch them."
I knew it! This is going to be bad! Naruto thought.
"Do what you must," Iruka hated to say that it allowed for great injuries and maybe even death, "You will be watched. You will be given special tags, one for each team, it will stick to the clothing or skin, and if placed on the body they will be considered caught. You have a week."
"Come on Iruka-sensei! We won't need that long to take out those losers!" someone said. Naruto jumped up to his feet ready to cause the person injury. Sasuke and Tsubasa held a screaming Naruto back with some difficulty. The particular someone stuck out his tongue and turned back to his teammates with a satisfied smile on his lips.
"Now you four," Iruka directed himself to Naruto's group, "your task is simple. Don't get caught. You don't get caught and you pass."
"But what if we get caught before the week is up?" Sakura spoke up. Sasuke, Tsubasa, and Naruto regarded her coldly.
"We won't," they all said in unison.
Iruka was beginning to doubt his choice of teammates. Sakura looked intimidated especially by Tsubasa and Sasuke, but not so much Naruto however. Iruka wished to see how well the three would protect Sakura, it at all. She was their week point, the one that could break them.
"Begin," Iruka said. The gates opened and Tsubasa, Naruto, and Sasuke along with a hesitant Sakura made their way in. As Naruto looked back he saw many a person playfully pointing kunai and shuriken at them, even a couple of needles which he was sure were poisoned.
"Not good at all," Naruto muttered as he was swallowed in the darkness of the forest.
"Hokage-sama, do you truly believe this is wise?" Iruka said as he saw the Third approaching him.
"We will see what Naruto and Tsubasa have in them. Naruto's abilities seem to only come out when there is need or when he is relaxed and carefree. Tsubasa has potential, her mother trained her, and her mother might only officially have been a Chûnin but she had the skill and abilities of a Jônin, and she more then likely knows techniques particular to Kiri (Village Hidden in the Mist)," the Hokage finished.
"You might have a point Hokage-sama, but still..."
"Do you doubt me that much Iruka?"
"Not at all Hokage!" Iruka said slightly flustered. The Hokage only smiled as he saw the cadets laughing and joking thinking their prey easy. But there was another rule that he would add to keep the youngsters on their toes, after all who ever said becoming a Shinobi was easy?
----------
After about ten minutes of silence Tsubasa spoke up.
"We need to find a place for shelter, someplace were we have excellent defense. They will be eager to catch us in the beginning, but will grow weary as time passes."
"No way! Let those bastards come! I can kick all of their butts!" Naruto said energetically. Sasuke looked over at him.
"We are so damn lucky that we got this lead. With your loud mouth they would have caught us already!
"Oh really?" Naruto got a sickeningly smug look on his face. "come and get me you re—." Both Tsubasa and Sasuke bonked him on the head, he gave them a glare and settled for an offended silence. Sakura looked in on the whole thing quite confused. She was only an observer, not a part of their lives. The hour was up very quickly.
"This sucks," Naruto said suddenly unfolding his arms.
"What?" Tsubasa said more for Sakura's benefit then her own, she knew perfectly well what Naruto spoke off.
"Somebody is already trailing us," he spoke.
"Your right! We probably didn't cover our tracks as well as we should have," Sasuke spoke up. Sakura could sense nothing, and was envious of them.
"But it's odd how they caught up so fast!" Tsubasa said.
"Maybe it's not a student at all?" Sakura spoke up.
All three looked at her a bit surprised.
"She's got a point. We've been walking a long time and covered a lot of ground. No matter what kind of speed you have, specially a student couldn't have caught up with us, not yet at least..." Tsubasa trailed off.
Sasuke and Naruto tensed up, all this felt wrong.
"Get ready Sakura," Sasuke spoke to her. She only nodded as she took out her kunai. Sasuke took something out of his pocket and tossed it to Naruto. "For you." He gave no further explanation and took out a kunai as well, Tsubasa quietly followed suit.
It was holster full of kunai and shuriken, Naruto nodded acknowledgement at the gift but said nothing. Just like Tenchi-san! Giving me the stuff only when he thinks I need it and not when I want them! Naruto thought fondly as memories of Tenchi-san arouse.He put the holster about his leg were it would be in easy reach of his hand and took out a kunai it's fine edge gleaming with the little light the forest allowed.
"It's coming," Tsubasa said, her voice never betraying the dread she felt inside.
End Chapter TwelveNext Chapter: A battle, or something that leads to it (or is it? I'm not sure anymore especially what I wrote in chapter eleven. Again, so sorry. --)!!!!!
So chapter twelve is done. Any suggestions for Sakura would be extremely helpful, I am begging to wonder at the relevance of her in this story. Should I even continue with her? Any other suggestions for this fic are also welcome, as I am always looking to improve it. And can anyone tell me what Akatsuki is? Thanks in advanced!!!!!
Thank you so much for the reviews everyone!! I'm always surprised that people actually read it. :-)
Oh! I almost forgot! Thank you for the complement Third Degree Run! Thanks for reviewing Rurikat, yea I think it's sad too, poor Naruto there's more to it, and hopefully not all of it will be sad. And I am so sorry to KungPaoChicken for misspelling his/her screen name back on chapter eleven! I forgot the one of the c's. --