New Connections

Several days after my first kill - something that had left me unsettled for a few days - Kakashi brought along two genin, rather they were there waiting for him.

From what he told me beforehand, surprising considering how lazy he is, they had lost both their instructor and third teammate in a small skirmish with a missing-nin outside our borders. They were from the class two years ahead of mine, so they were too young to know of my...ex-tenant. But they had probably heard about me, or at least to stay away…

So when I set sights on two boys where I was to meet Kakashi, two boys who had probably taken sensei's time arrangement seriously, two boys who had probably been waiting for over two hours already, I felt dread.

They spotted me walking up, obviously knowing I was now on their team. Our out-of-the-way location only solidifying that fact. They at least waited for me to stop next to them before saying anything though.

"...You're late." It was said quietly with a bit of venom by a tall brown-haired green eyed boy with normal shinobi attire. The other next to him, similar in appearance, hair a dark brown and blue eyes, turned his cold eyes on me.

They obviously didn't like me showing up late. I just shrugged, "Shishou shows up approximately three hours later than he specifies. I show up half an hour before that so as not to tip him off that I don't wait for the whole three hours. I suggest you do the same. If he had told me today was going to be when you were coming, I would have shown up earlier to get to know you better."

They both nodded, the first boy grumbling under his breath. He turned back to me though, "so, what are you supposed to be? A flower? A fox? What's with the weird parts on you?" Obvious hate rolling off of him, even if I hadn't sensed his emotions. The other is rather calm, for which I was grateful, though quiet.

I cocked my head to the side, "kinda both?" He blinked a couple at that, obviously not expecting an agreement on something. "My clothes are actual plants, and they survive mostly on my chakra. My ears and tail are real, part of a Kekkei-Genkai I awakened when I was attacked on my fourth birthday by some drunks."

They just looked at me as if I had two heads. They were obviously civilian born. Probably didn't have much in the way of techniques either.

Eventually he just shook his head as if to clear it. And stared at me strangely. "So what, you're an actual flower fox?"

I giggled at that. Actually, the name appealed to me. "Flower Fox. I like it! They called me the flaming fox in the academy cuz' my furry hair looked as if it was on fire as I chased people around when they made me angry, the orange and yellows making it almost look like real flames. But 'Flower Fox', I may keep that."

The boy just sighed. His slight insults had the opposite affect on me. The other one just chuckled a little, never having said a word.

"So, Kaka-baka isn't goi-"

"Kaka-Baka?! Ahahaha!" I blinked, the quiet one just randomly started laughing. And laughing…. and still laughing. Obviously he didn't think too highly of the new sensei, but this was just a bit much?

After he settled down, I continued, "anyways, he was probably going to have us spar together to understand each other's strengths and flaws. So I suggest we just get started without him. I'll lead the way to the training ground."

A while later, we had a decent grasp of each other's abilities. The green-eyed boy was strong, stronger than me in physical strength. But only low-chuunin level speeds. He was mostly taijutsu and kunai - preferring physical prowess.

The other, blue-eyed boy, had upper-chuunin level speeds - about where I am with my resistance seal, which I keep up until battle is a real possibility. He was more along the lines of genjutsu and support.

Add in my ninjutsu, and we make a full set. Bakashi had actually put up a decent combination. And he had apparently left us alone for the day… I hadn't felt him nearby at all the entire time. He probably assumed I would take care of it all. 'Lazy Baka! this was his plan all along! Dump teammates on me to train with so he could read his smut!'

The next few weeks were nothing but a single D-Rank and team trainings. My two new teammates weren't people I would pick on my team specifically, but we balanced mostly. During this time, I had actually realized I never got my senfa back from my mission - something that secretly embarrassed me, but my special inbuilt seals allowed me to summon them back to me.

I had actually enjoyed training with them. It gave me the opportunity to use my new senfa in actual combat scenarios. The greatest part of it was my black senfa, when using my normal chakra, would both cut and heal the damage soon after - so long as it wasn't a lethal shot.

So whenever I managed a cut along the side of their arm, they felt the pain, then my special life chakra would regenerate the touched flesh, stitching it back together without visible injury, similar to a med-nin. They didn't like feeling the pain, but couldn't complain since it was excellent training for us both, beside the fact that they left without true injuries.

Eventually the day for the Chuunin Exams was close, tomorrow or the next day. So I told my new teammates a secret - "If there is a written test revolving around cheating, just put in random answers. Most likely they won't even check your results. The examiner will just be trying to force you to leave the room any way possible." - It was a double layered tip; one, they didn't actually have to cheat, and two, they just had to make sure they didn't leave the room at the end.

If we hadn't spent the last few weeks together practicing, they probably would have ignored my advice. In the first few days, they had practically ignored anything I had to say other than mere facts. Mostly due to my being younger than them. My actually pointing out their flaws, and forcing them to accept their truths eventually forced acceptance into their minds that I might actually know what I'm talking about. Something I needed for this day if I wanted to pass.

I did want to pass, it would be better in the long run if I had the rank. There was just so much to worry about for the next month though. I still had to make sure Orochi didn't get to Sasuke while I was taking the exam. I still didn't know if he would approach him though, but since he was planning the invasion, he would have to.

The odd thing was that Sasuke wasn't going to the academy any more. I couldn't approach the guy directly without issues, so I had been using my senses to detect him, and where he goes. As well as search for any sannin level chakra. So far the highest was a few jounin, but that's expected if he's getting special training. I didn't know who two or three of them were, but so long as I didn't feel Orochi-level chakra it was fine.

Right after I left my teammates there was a complication though…

"Nee-Chan! Nee-Chaaaan!"

'I know that voice... It couldn't be for me though...right?'

I felt incoming, and twirled out of the way, letting the boy fly past...'it was...' The blur flew through where I used to be, and landed in the wall next to me with an "OOMPH".

I turned towards the flattened boy with a blank face. "Konohamaru…" Sighing, I continued, "What are you doing…? And why are you calling me 'Nee-Chan?'"

He peeled himself away, with a slightly reddened face, to turn to me. "Cauze you're supposed to be this great hero! Right?!" I blinked. Then again. And again.

"Just because I'm a so-called 'hero'? Why would you think that?" - 'I knew that's what my parents wanted for me, but it never happened."

"Cause you said so! And grampa told me so!"

'Ah Jiji, you're going to pay for this...'

A distance away, the Hokage, reading his little orange book while his clones did paperwork, felt a shiver of terror. Looking around quickly, he couldn't pinpoint the source, but knew it wasn't going to end well.

"So, why are you after me anyways?"

"I wanted you to teach me! I heard you took down grandpa with a single technique! Along with a room full of Jounin! You're amazing! Please~? I've been training really hard after what you said too! After I get away from Ebisu anyways..."

I couldn't help but feel down, displayed in my ears and tail drooping. I really didn't want to teach yet. It would be good for the kid, but I just wasn't expecting it so soon. I still had some things to do. 'I guess I could give him a start though...'

"Okay, first thing you've got to do is learn to climb a tree." I gave a mischievous smirk at him.

"Huh? But I already know how!" He replied cutely.

"Without your hands, hehe." Now he was just confused.

I walked over to the wall next to me and started a slow walk up the surface. Little surprise when I heard a small 'sugoi~' from behind me. I looked back down from my point on the wall with a cheeky smile.

"Learn to do this as your start. Not only will it help you get away from Ebisu-Baka, but it will help in pranks... "

There was an evil glint in the kid's eyes. 'I knew that last part would solidify the deal'

"Just use your chakra to stick to the surface. Now go! I want this learned by the time I'm done with the Chuunin Exams!"

"Hai!" And with that, he took off.

I watched him leave with a slight nervousness. "I feel like I'm forgetting something important… No, before that, this place looks slightly familiar. This situation though, how did he know to find me here? Jiji's crystal! The old man actually sent him my way! But that's not it…right?"

I felt out with my senses towards where he was running, and immediately I knew what it was. Something I literally thought would not happen, and part of the reason I avoided the little guy. "DAMN IT!"

I took off after the runt, speeding through the streets, jumping up to a wall to pass a hard to move in section, and by the time I caught up, it was too late… The scribble-faced cat-outfit clad weirdo had the tyke by the scruff of his shirt. Along with his sister, Temari.

I dropped down in front of the two, who turned my way at the sound. Taking a quick look to make sure Konohamaru wasn't hurt before sighing…

"You know, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it. A cat is picking on a kid." The funny part was I looked serious, while cat-boy's face started going red.

"Actually, now that I think about it, Tora terrorizes genin who try to catch him. I swear he's more demonic than a bijuu. Kinda like the one your brother holds… You do know he is watching us, right?"

Said cat-boy went from angry, or furious - hard to tell which - to confused, then to pale, and finally terror stricken white. It was kinda funny actually. His sister wasn't much better after I said the last part though…

Immediately sand-boy, Gaara, appeared in sand shunshin to stick to the tree.

"Kankuro stop, you're an embarrassment to the village."

Hmm, seems normal so far, if a bit creepy. But that's just his tanuki eyes, I think.

"Losing yourself like that over something petty, why do you think we came to the leaf? You're pathetic."

"L-listen Gaara, they started it!" Pfffft, I just said he was watching the entire time!

"Shut up… or I"ll kill you." He released a bit of bloodlust at this. But his words were enough to make his brother shiver.

Kankuro put the boy down, and he immediately ran behind me with a teary-eyed 'nee-chan!' - 'kinda cute, if the situation wasn't kinda scary'. I told the little guy to run off, and I'd take care of it, and luckily for me, or rather for him, he did. He didn't need to be around this type of stuff yet.

"Next time you might want to verify your target before bullying them too. I'm sure if one of the Kazekage's children bully the Third Hokage's grandchild would create some problems with village relations."

Kankuro paled once more, with an 'oh kami, I nearly screwed up BAD' type of face. I really wanted to laugh at him, but held my tongue. Gaara turned towards me with a strange look in his tanuki eyes, however. A look I didn't like…

"You… what's your name?"

"...Uzumaki Naruna, Genin of Konoha, and an opponent in the exams." I smiled toward him.

His face twisted in a sinister smile, then it went oddly blank, as if confused. This continued for a moment before he spoke up.

"What are you…? Mother, she says you're like her, yet denies the possibility. It's… odd. She almost sounds frightened of you."

I blinked at that. "Shukaku sounds.. frightened?" The other two genin widened their eyes at the realization that I actually knew the three of them, more so than I let on. And slightly scared of me from what Gaara said.

"I guess you could say I'm… a relative? I don't quite know how to put it myself. I have yet to confirm this with him myself, but the best way I could come up with to describe myself is that I am Kurama's daughter."

For some odd reason I felt like I heard roaring laughter. Though a grimace was placed on Gaara's face. A few moments passed before I shook my head and it disappeared. I cocked my head to the side when Gaara's face contorted in a strange smile.

"Mother says that you will make a good mate, since I will be unable to kill you."

My slitted eyes nearly left their sockets as they widened and I felt a shiver flow through my being. 'I knew i didn't like that face.' I couldn't help but think that I at least had confirmation on my immortality now, considering the words actually came from a Bijuu.

His siblings appeared just as surprised as myself, and they shuffled away from the unknown actions their brother would take.

Myself, I turned to run, but not soon enough. Immediately I felt the sand leaving his gourd, his hand raised to increase his abilities, and speed through the air towards me. I jumped up, spinning out of the way of a sand whip. Landing on a wall, I summoned two white senfa. 'I'll have to remove the roots if I want to escape!' As the next whip of sand came at me, I tossed the two fan-shaped weapons towards where his sand was gathered near him, coinciding in their target, cutting off the sand at the root.

However, to my utter dread, the sand kept coming. 'It doesn't have to be connected?! Severing the tendrils does nothing!' I couldn't help but berate myself at my mistake. I summoned my violet chakra cloak, claws on the ends of my fingers, and manipulated it into wind chakra, colour changing to white.

I sliced at the tendril, enlarging my chakra hand to be able to manage the whole tendril. Luckily I was able to swat it away from myself for the most part. Bits of sand were surrounding me, and covering my body, but he couldn't do much with so little.

My breathing speed had increased, I was scared. I didn't want to be a psychopath's mate, I might have thought about it later when he mellowed out, but not while he's crazy for blood - 'or me!' - I thought with another shiver. Looking down at the boy, it seemed he was doing something, but I couldn't see any of his sand moving from around him. Rather I was feeling a bit ticklish.

My neck started feeling like it had something crawling around it for a moment. I reached up to scratch the itch only to find something hard there. Blinking, I tried grasping it, but it was too thin and hard. It was nearly flat against my skin, but about as wide as my pinky.

"Wha….?" My eyes widened in realization. "Y-Y-You put a c-collar ON ME-TTEBANE?!" I trembled at the thought. 'H-He's claiming me! He's marking me as his! B-But I don't want to be! I don't want a mate yet! And I'll be damned if he could make me call him master or something!'

Despite my inner fury, I couldn't help but whimper in horror, in my quick breaths. He must have heard my quiet whines because he gave an evil smirk - it has to be an evil smirk. It turned into a feral grin after a moment.

I tried raising my chakra cloak around my neck immediately, trying to force it off, but my cloak just covered it as well, like it does normal clothing. Quickly, I attempted to cut it off with a quickly formed chakra claw formed with wind, only for it to dig into my neck slightly and slide over the band without causing damage. My neck regenerated fast, but the metal was still wrapped around me.

My whimpering increased in my voice, trying to think of a way to remove his mark. My ears and tail dipping in the shame of my circumstances. All of my attempts at removal were pointless, however. Even practically being a Bijuu myself, an original's chakra was still slightly denser than mine. Shukaku actually giving him chakra to form something was surprising, but not impossible. If it added to his enjoyment he would do it.

My frustration continued as I tried to pull it off any way I could, until I heard Gaara's insane laughter. Something I had hoped I wouldn't have to hear.

"You are mine now. It's no use attempting to remove something formed from mother's chakra."

I was still shaking slightly, whimpers dying down a bit, but my ears dropped low, and my fluffy tail flowed through my legs, possibly as protection, and swirled around one, tightening closely about it. My body was submitting without my even knowing it. The little water in my violet eyes showing my denial of his will.

"After these exams are over, I shall take completely subjugate you. I will completely make you mine. For now though, my mark will suffice as proof of being my mate.

I was trembling, his collar feeling oddly tight even though it was form fitted. My thoughts on how he could use it gave me shivers. He could pull me along with him using only his chakra to force the collar to follow his will. He could tighten it to produce pain, or even attempt to suffocate me. He could do so much - 'maybe he really did tighten it just then...'

My breath was heavy, my senses heightened, my voice soft, demure, in fox-like whines and whimpers. My body, betraying my will, was slightly heated, sweating. But my thoughts were slightly different - 'He can control me like this if he truly wanted to.'

Again I shivered, though this time there was a slightly new sensation added into my horror filled fear. Something I really didn't want to think about being an actual possibility - pleasure - though I hadn't understood the feeling yet.. 'Stupid, mutinous body! stupid, stupid, this is wrong!' - I started growling at myself; for getting into such a situation, and for my strange instincts.

Being so deep in my thoughts, I barely heard Gaara calling out to his siblings and telling them he was leaving. When their presences left, I finally took notice and immediately fell to my butt, legs spread in an 'w' shape to my sides. I could hardly believe this situation. My life, once again, has turned upside down.