I do not own Naruto! Or any of the music in this fanfic! I will do my best to cite my music sources in the end of the chapters in the A/N! I do, however, own the OC's.
I smiled as I got the Rasengan right at last, in front of Orochimaru, who always seemed to make me so nervous that I screwed up at almost anything and everything. Still, I decided to be like Naruto and just laugh it off. Orochimaru had accompanied me, and I smiled as I performed it a second, then third time. I'd managed to get it faster than Naruto! I'd mastered it in a little over a week, from the beginning of stage one, to the end of stage three. It had taken Naruto a couple weeks to do so!
Maybe I was a prodigy after all.
"How much longer?" I frowned as my stomach growled loudly in complaint.
"A few more hours and you'll reach the border of the Konoha ANBU areas. Be careful – if they send in Morino Ibiki, sing like a bird, with the exception of your meeting me. If they send in Inoichi Yamanaka, turn his jutsu on himself like I taught you. If they send in Anko…well, all you'll have to do is taunt her about being my student, and you'll be fine," he smirked. He knew Anko hated his name with a passion.
"Right. Anything else, sir?" I asked excited, and his smirk became a crooked smile that would have melted my legs if I hadn't gotten somewhat used to it.
"Don't die," he murmured, and pressed his lips against mine. They were extremely warm, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his silky hair. "Don't disappoint me. I'll meet you at Tanzaku in three weeks' time, pet."
"Hai, Orochimaru-sama," I said, and raced off towards Konoha. Right as I saw the gates, three ANBU appeared to take me prisoner. "Afternoon, gents. I came here on orders from Jiraiya-sama. Something about alerting Lord Third Hokage to Orochimaru's activities."
"He's dead," one said, and I flinched. I should have known that lie wasn't going to work. Oh well. "We have a new Hokage. State your message and get lost."
"I'm afraid that that's for the Hokage's ears only," I stated with a snort. One led me to the Hokage office, and I wasn't at all shocked to find Tsunade behind the desk – I just acted like it.
"Where have you been? Do you realize that I was about to send Jiraiya to hunt you down?" she glared.
"What's today's date?" I asked, and she looked at me skeptically. "Sasuke's going to try to join Orochimaru. We need to keep an eye on him."
"Thanks for the warning," Tsunade said, and nodded towards the ANBU to track Sasuke down. I knew he was probably already on the way, but I could still put a wrench in Orochimaru's plans, if only for his benefit.
"No problem. It's the least I can do. Speaking of which, did Naruto-san win that bet?" I asked, pointing at where her necklace had been before, already knowing everything up until Shippuden episode 117 – where I'd quit watching because of school life being too hectic. Among other things.
"Yes," she moaned. "and speaking of which, you never answered my question."
"I tried to find you guys, but you must have gone on ahead. I found Tanzaku a few days ago, and headed straight here as fast as I could while getting lost. Is everything okay?" I asked, and two Chunin burst in.
"Lady Hokage! Uchiha Sasuke is gone!" they blurted, and I flinched in fear. Gone – I was too late. That made everything ten times worse. At least I'd had the forewarning to alert Orochimaru to the Sound Five's untimely demise – if he'd heeded it.
"You're a little too late, Sarah. Sorry, but we'll have to send you off to the interrogation squad. Anko!" she called, and a jonin came in. One that held the same position as me as a student of Orochimaru, and I grinned in excitement. Ooh, this was going to be fun racking her brains.
"You called?" she asked, and I put my hand on her wrist to stop her from taking the dango on Tsunade's plate. "What the-?"
"The one you're supposed to be interrogating. Sarah, answer any questions Anko has, understand?" she said, and I nodded. I gathered I was supposed to do as was told. I'd infiltrated just fine – it was the jutsus that would be hard to get now. I knew Anko knew ones from Orochimaru, and also that Kakashi had been taught by the Fourth Hokage, so the latter was a better bet for new Jutsus.
"So, Anko-san, is Orochimaru-sama doing well?" I asked, making good conversation on our way down the main strip.
I immediately found myself against a wall.
"If you so much as breathe that name again, I'll kill you," she growled, bloodlust radiating in her chakra.
"Anko!" a blonde approached us, Ino-pig by his side. "So, this is the newcomer, eh? Let's get her into interrogation, then." Apparently we were at the Yamanaka Flower shop.
"You won't have to go into my mind. I'll tell you anything you need to know," I told them, only halfway telling the truth.
"Alright, then. What's the color of my bra?" Anko asked as we got into the station, and I grinned.
"You're not wearing one, and you don't wear panties either. Oh, and you have a relationship with Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi, and Yakushi Kabuto," I retorted, and felt myself get thrown into the cell.
"Anko, knock it off!" Inoichi said roughly, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I'd like to see you make me," she snarled, and I curled up in a ball to hide. I was a ninja now, yes, but I was still terrified. The only temper tantrums I wasn't scared of as of late was Kabuto and Orochimaru-sama's. "This kid is one wrong word away from dying."
"Jiraiya-sama said to tell you hi," I piped up, hoping it would save me.
"Don't lie to me!" she said as she backhanded me. I lay still, then curled up in a ball facing the corner to hide my tears. Orochimaru had always told me to hide my weaknesses. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!"
"Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Sheep – Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Lucifer!" I said, and in a puff of smoke, a human-like, purple with spikes on its back, Pokémon appeared. "Now, Lucifer! Hex!" within seconds, Anko was down on the floor, her curse mark throbbing and glowing, its marks proceeding onto her face.
"H-how?" she growled, and Lucifer let out a low warning growl. Epic-ness of a Gengar, right in front of me.
GRRUUUUUAAAAAUUUUR!
Translation: Don't touch my owner or I'll kill you!
"Thanks for the save, Lu," I said petting him on the head. "For the record, I was around with Naruto when he asked Tsunade-sama to be the Hokage. We were running from some pale guy, and I sprained my ankle and tripped. I was found by Jiraiya-sama a few days later and was told to come to Konoha. I've had this summoning for as long as I can remember. He's the only friend I've got aside from Jiraiya-sama and Naruto-san."
"Prove it," Inoichi said, putting his hand on my mind. I could feel him invading, but I quickly performed the task that Orochimaru-sama had taught me, reversing the jutsu on the Yamanaka clan member, and causing him to collapse.
"Well, I'm screwed," I said once Anko helped Inoichi outside. "Thanks again, Lucifer. You can go now."
GGrrrrrgggggg…. He whined, frowning for once. He put a paw up on my forehead, and invaded my mind. I saw things from his point of view – Inoichi trying to pry, Anko being violent, and me being complient.
"Thank you for worrying, but I've got this now," I said gently, and he nodded in affirmation. "Yeah, that's mommy's big boy," I crooned as Ibiki walked in. Oh, I was in trouble now. "On second thought, Lucifer, stay with me. I don't want to be left alone with Scarhead here."
"Alright, you. Who do you think you are?" he asked, and I screwed up my face.
"Messenger for Jiraiya-sama? Why?" I asked, scared.
"Uh-huh. And yet you show up after your message is null and void," he growled.
"I got sick on the way. You don't believe me, ask Lucifer here – he took care of me the whole time, didn't you, buddy?" I asked him, and the ghost Pokémon nodded an affirmation.
"Why should I believe something that can't even talk?" Ibiki asked, and I grinned.
"Lucifer, can you give me a Dark Rift, please?" I asked sweetly, and he nodded as he performed his attack.
"How interesting. I'm impressed. What else can he do?" Ibiki asked, and I grinned.
"Nothing much except protect me when I need him to. I guess you could say he's my helper against stronger ninja," I shrugged.
"Yet you saw fit to knock out one of my Yamanaka, and my best kunoichi interrogator. Who. Are. You?" he growled, and I grinned.
"I told you – Sarah, messenger of Jiraiya-sama. Best friend of Lucifer the Gengar," I told him. "The one in front of you."
"I can tell, kid. I'm no blowhard," he retorted.
"Really? I thought you were," I said nonchalantly. "Actually, I thought you were someone who gave blowjobs and was a pervert."
"Why you little-!" he growled, and grabbed the front of my shirt.
"!" Lucifer growled angrily. Translation: Let her go before I tear you limb from limb.
"Lucifer doesn't like it when I'm threatened," I told Ibiki. "I'm practically his mom. I raised him from level five to fifty-six. It gets hard to train them when they get to a certain level. It takes longer each time you level them up, you know."
"Why you little-! If you weren't under Lady Hokage's protection, I'd be beating you within an inch of your life. What did you do to Anko?" he growled.
"I didn't do anything. Lucifer sent out a genjutsu of sorts to scare her into stopping her tantrum," I told him truthfully. That was pretty much what the move Hex was, right?
"Don't leave this room," Ibiki growled. After about an hour's wait – which I slept during most of – he walked back in. I snapped awake, confused, and Lucifer glared daggers at them.
Still, it had been fun to play patty-cakes with Lucifer while I'd been awake.
"Fine, come with me," Ibiki said as he led me back to the Hokage's office. When I got there, I saw a team I didn't think I'd meet – Team Kurenai.
"Hey," Kiba said eagerly, and Akamaru whined miserably.
"N-n-nice t-to m-meet y-you," Hinata stammered, while Shino watched in silence.
"Sarah, you'll be staying with Kurenai until we can find you an apartment," Tsunade said, and I nodded eagerly. Oh boy – triple trouble was coming now! All I had to do was send Lucifer away so I could summon my Zorua, Phantasm.
"Yes, ma'am," I said with a bow. I looked over at the preteens, and stared at each one of them. Akamaru was still whining and hiding in Kiba's jacket, Kiba was trying to figure out what was wrong, Shino's bugs weren't too happy either, and Hinata looked around scared.
We headed out of the office and towards their favorite training grounds, so I followed them. Once there, though, the fidgeting of the trio got worse by the minute. Lucifer was having way too much fun scaring them invisibly.
"What on earth?" Shino piqued, and I realized what was going on.
"Huh? Oh! Lucifer, knock it off!" I laughed, and Gengar appeared out of nowhere beside me. "Gah! Lucifer!"
He let out a low growl that sounded eerily like laughter… oh well. If he wanted to have some fun, then I'd let him – after nightfall.
We were soon getting past all the introductions, and while on the way to the training grounds, we met up with Teams Asuma, Guy, and Kakashi, not all at once. Lee had been ecstatic, of course, and I couldn't help but humor him and egg him into doing something insane for training after a game of rock-paper-siccors. TenTen had sighed and shook her head, and I gave her a look that said "yeah, I know what you mean" before turning to find Neji glaring at me and trying to size me up. Team Asuma had just stood and gaped, but what worried me was how Ino would react now that Sasuke was gone. It was relaxing to find that the three were calm and morose, although Asuma's flirting with Kurenai wasn't too bad to watch. I vaguely thought about telling him that she became pregnant with his kid within three years' time, but I had to bang my head against a tree to resist. Thankfully the two Jonin had mistranslated my deed and instead seperated and led their teams off. Team Kurenai was looking at me gratefully, while Team Asuma was glaring at me with annoyance, except for Shikamaru who was yawning. Kakashi and Sakura weren't impressed by my showing up, but Naruto was literally beside himself with glee. I couldn't help but cringe at all his doppelgangers, trying to prove that I wasn't a threat. I'd worked hard to get to the point that Sakura was at now, but I was still far from Chunin material.
I shrieked as a large tarantula showing up nearby. I leapt atop Kurenai, petrified, the medicine bottle closed in my hand tightly.
"Arachnophobia, huh? Nice," Kiba grinned, and Gengar frowned and sighed.
GGrrrrrrggg. Grrrggh, Greeearrrgh. Rr. RRGGeeeeaaah. Grreaarg. I watched as Lucifer conversed with the spider – at least, that's what I think he was doing. He then floated over to me, and rehearsed what I was to do – sort of. It was in code, and nobody was getting it. Not even me.
Lucifer face palmed.
. Greeeeaaaarrrrr.He spun around a few times, and pointed down with one arm, to the right with the other. It suddenly made sense as though something had clicked in my brain.
"Oh! Oh. Okay. Thanks, Lucifer," I said while stepping down still slightly unnerved. The tarantula was nowhere to be seen now. Apparently just a messenger. "Sorry, Kurenai-san."
"It's alright. We'll need to get you over that fear, soon," she smiled softly.
"I'd much rather be scared of spiders than snakes," I retorted. "Ugh, they give me the heebie jeebies!" I shuddered. "I've had a few too many run-ins with spiders coming out of nowhere in my house as a kid. Namely, almost one a day up until I was eight. In my preteen house, there were three brown recluses in one day - all in bathrooms when I seriously had to go. Then there's the ones that fell on top of my chest when I was playing with my brothers downstairs. Eeeeegh," I shuddered again. "Need I continue?"
"No, we get it," Kiba growled, and Akamaru began scratching my leg. "What in the?"
"Huh? Oh, you probably smell Phantasm on me!" I smiled at him, recalling my level thirty-four Zorua that was about to evolve. "He's my Zorua! He's so cute – you'd hate him, though."
"Try me," Kiba growled.
"Okay," I said warily. "If you're sure. Lucifer, go over beside – um…" I stammered, not wanting to say his name when nobody had said it yet.
"Oh, sorry. I'm Kurenai Yuhi. This is Kiba and his ninken, Akamaru. Hinata is our Hyuga, and Shino is our Aburame clan member," Kurenai introduced, pointing at each student in turn.
"Right. Thanks. Lucifer, can you go beside Shino-san, please? Thanks, pal," I said as he obeyed orders. "Okay, Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Sheep – Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Phantasm!"
GGGRRRRRRR!
Phantasm was a small grey wolf with odd marking above his silver eyes. His fur around his neck was gathered, and was midnight black, with red highlights at the top of his gathered tuft on his head, his paws, and his tail. He was about the size of Akamaru, give or take a little bit. He was way cuter, though.
"That's a Zorua?" Kiba asked, and Akamaru began barking.
Grrr. I laughed at Phantasm and nodded gently at him. He grinned, and jumped in the air to transform into an Akamaru with a black tail.
Akamaru yipped and ran to Kiba with his tail between his legs.
"Nice one, Phantasm!" I laughed. "But, let's play nice, little buddy."
"So, Kakashi taught you to summon, eh?" Kurenai smiled.
"Actually, no. Phantasm has always come when I summoned him like that. I'm not quite sure why," I shrugged, not telling the full truth. I had a hunch, but it would sound like I was a total nut job to these ninja. Orochimaru and Kabuto had had a hard time swallowing it – they only believed me when I'd revealed a lot of information that I shouldn't have.
"Ah!" Hinata stammered as Phantasm padded up to her. He looked at her for a bit, and morphed into her – still having the tail.
"Still have the tail, Phantasm. You gotta work on that, pup," I told him. And he looked behind him. "Don't worry – you'll get it someday, I know it. Why don't you go show Reshi or Korosu your attempt, neh? I'm sure they'd love to see it!" I suggested, and he nodded before sunshining out.
"I never want to see that thing again," Kiba growled, and Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Fine – don't blame me when you don't get to see how bad-core he is later once he gets some more training in," I shrugged.
Name: Lucifer Species: Gengar Level: 56 Level 4, Apparently transferred from Johto (Sprout Tower) Moves: Hex, Shadow Claw, Poison Jab, and Dark Rift Ability: Levitate – gives immunity to ground attacks
Name: Phantasm Species: Zorua Level: 34 Route 3 – hatched Moves: Leer, Taunt, Foul Play, Night Slash Ability: Illusion – comes out disguised as the Pokémon in back