Chapter summary: The second part of the Chuunin exams is over, Naruto is making friends and enemies, and the clock is ticking announcing an oncoming storm.
Hello there guys!
Once again thank you all for reading, liking and overall commenting on the story. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so far.
Here is a new chapter, please remember that English is not my mother tongue so forgive the grammar, spelling and funny mistakes.
Onto the story! Don't forget to review!
Chapter 6:
Shadows in the light: Old friends, new enemies
The sun was right above their heads, the wind was refreshing but it wasn't enough for them to lower their temperatures.
Naruto shot the training grounds 44 a quick glance. The place didn't look hospitable, and while outside the warmth of the day was almost overwhelming, Naruto had a feeling inside that place it was anything but warm. Or even welcoming.
"I still can't believe you were feeling bad for cheating," Sakura shook her head rolling her eyes at a sheepish Naruto.
"Not my fault, I thought the first part was a knowledge test." Naruto scratched his whisker marks shrugging. "I couldn't answer half the things there, not that some of them were taught at the Academy."
And it was true, half of the things in that exam had to do with general knowledge about subjects that were usually taught at home. Mathematics, science, biology, things Naruto had not learnt the same way as Sasuke or Sakura; the ninja questions, the questions about weapons were easy but even if Yugao and Yoruichi had made sure he was knowledgeable in a variety of subjects, well it didn't mean he knew all of them.
"Really, those were easy to answer, Naruto." Sakura clicked her tongue exasperated; she was about to say something else but Sasuke beat him to it.
"I didn't expect you to answer them," Naruto glared at the Uchiha, Sakura was nodding in agreement but Sasuke merely shrugged, "you could have given up, but you did the next thing you thought was right. So, thank you."
Both Sakura and Naruto gasped at the same time, the black-haired teen rolled his eyes looking away.
"This exam is about teamwork, intelligence and skill. The fact that you didn't give up and decided to cheat means that we are ready for this." The Uchiha said the last part with a finality, his eyes turned to the group around them then back to a smiling Naruto and a bewildered Sakura. "What?"
"My, Teme, I love you too."
"Idiot." Both Sakura and Sasuke said just on time for a huge explosion to be heard right in front of the training grounds.
The white smoke dispersed to reveal a group of rough ninjas, all of them backing up a woman with a gleam of mischief in her eyes and a wide smirk. Mitarashi Anko glanced around the group, her eyes finally resting on Naruto.
"Okay, you brats, congratulations on passing the first part of the Chuunin exams." Excited whispers could be heard around the grounds, many of the Genin were smiling and bouncing excitedly.
Anko changed her expression all of a sudden, her smirked turn bloodthirsty while her eyes gleamed dangerously at the group in front of her.
"Unfortunately, after this second part, some of you will either quit, lose, or die." Anko chuckled knowing quite well that Baki was glaring at her from the other side. "I don't have hope for many of you to go through this but, anyway, welcome to the second part of the Chuunin Exams!"
All through the explanation of the second part of the test, Sasuke could not stop his staring of Anko. Naruto was trying to hide behind the Uchiha, his senses and Ryuujin already telling him the eyes of the other woman were completely glued to his persona. Soon, the groups dispersed ready to receive their respective scroll, Sakura turned to her teammates but as soon as she did she realised they weren't alone.
"My, Naruto-kun, what are you doing hiding behind the Uchiha boy," Anko spoke sweetly, Naruto broke into a nervous smile while Sasuke straightened up, hiding away the dust of red on his cheeks.
"I…well, you see…"
"Tsch, Naruto-kun, seriously?" In the blink of an eye the woman was right behind Naruto, the blond jumped startled turning around.
"Anko-chan!"
The woman laughed freely before ruffling his hair, what had been a moment of pure tension soon broke into a familiarity Naruto had cultivated over the years with Anko. The woman gave Naruto a once over, easing her arms behind her back. Anko could see the progress in the blond, how much he had grown and actually how smart he really was. Naruto was pretty much the most unexpected ninja around Konoha, and he was making Anko and Yugao rich while the rest of the Jounin overestimated the blond as always.
"I hope you don't disappoint me here, Naruto-kun." The woman whispered, leaning in, Naruto gulped, shaking his head.
"O-Of course not." He replied and for a moment, the maniac and overwhelming Anko was replaced by the woman Naruto had come to consider an older sister. The woman softened, winking at him. "Once this is over, we can split the winnings between the three of us."
Naruto chuckled, shaking his head, "you really have that much faith in me?"
Sakura observed as the woman threw her head back flashing Naruto a real smile.
"I have never doubted you, brat. Now, go and show them."
With another puff of white smoke, Anko disappeared.
Naruto stood there for a moment; his heart shrank at her words just as his lips broke into a genuine smile.
"Naruto," Sasuke commanded, placing his hand on the blond's shoulder.
Naruto furrowed his brows turning to Face Sasuke who had a strange expression on, Sakura leaned in just as confused and interested as Naruto.
"What is it?"
"That woman, you call her Anko, right?"
"Yeah, that's her." Naruto cocked his head; he narrowed his eyes when Sasuke suddenly seemed rather flustered.
"Listen carefully," Sasuke started locking his eyes to those of Naruto. "I want to meet her, and you are going to introduce me to her!"
"WHAT?!" Both Naruto and Sakura blurted in a loud scream that attracted the attention of all present.
"What is wrong with you?" asked Naruto.
"Nothing is wrong with me."
"It had to be some kind of genjutsu," said Sakura tearfully. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched with annoyance while Naruto nodded, agreeing with Sakura.
"Weren't you more concerned about killing whoever you want to kill?" asked Naruto with a frown and Sakura nodded her head vigorously. Sasuke's expression turned serious and he looked Naruto in the eyes.
"Yes, and I will do it," he said, "but that doesn't mean I won't think about my second goal."
"What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun?"
"You know, rebuilding my clan."
Once again Naruto and Sakura stared agape at Sasuke, not really believing what the Uchiha had just said.
"You know, so far I thought you were kind of…asexual," commented Naruto turning around and watching Anko, ignoring Sasuke who glared at him. "But now…I'm not so sure if you're asexual or just idiotic."
Naruto was very familiar with killing intent; he had felt it many times while growing up. That's why he didn't need to think twice. The moment he felt it, he left in the blink of an eye. Sasuke seethed, feeling that Naruto had a death wish. Beside Sasuke, Sakura thought along the same lines.
The moment she set her paws on Konoha she knew something was about to happen.
Yoruichi didn't miss the traces of familiar reiatsu in the village, nor did she miss those signatures so much like the one Naruto had and yet so different. It seemed as if in her absence a lot of things had happened, with determination she decided to follow the familiar presence of Naruto while concealing her own.
No one paid any mind to the black cat running around the streets of Konoha. She loved her ability to change herself because it allowed her to be invisible to the eyes of the people around her. It also gave her the chance to jump straight into a white-haired man's head and made him falter until he bounced forward falling inside the Onsen where a group of women were resting peacefully.
Yoruichi smirked, the white-haired perve would never guess that he was being beaten to a pulp thanks to the black cat that was now getting closer to the training grounds 44.
It took him some time, but Jiraiya finally got away from the group of crazy women. He cleaned himself up, his lips curling up into a mischievous grin at all the material he had gathered for his new book, never mind the fact he was discovered.
Jiraiya lifted his eyes until they found the Hokage Monument and the Hokage Tower. While he never stopped gathering information for his writing, his mission in Konoha was different. More than twelve years had passed since he last came into Konoha, and nothing much had changed in the village. People were still prejudiced, ignorant of the dangers in the wide world of the Shinobi.
The street he found himself in was empty, not a very good place to live but not as bad as it could be. Jiraiya lifted his eyes to a single window, according to his sources Naruto lived there. Minato's son. His godson.
A pang of guiltiness assaulted the Sannin, but as he had done before he quieted it down. His reasoning had always been the same and, while a voice very much like Minato's one poke to him telling him it was wrong, Jiraiya convinced himself it was the best for the boy. The Sannin could not offer stability or familiarity to the kid, Jiraiya needed it outside to make sure the village and his important people were protected. Even if that meant abandoning them.
With one last glance to the window, Jiraiya turned around and made his way to the Hokage's tower. It was time to announce his presence to Sarutobi sensei.
Just as Naruto thought, the forest inside the training grounds was inhospitable.
Ryuujin stirred restlessly inside his head while the rest of Team 7 continued their race to get as far away as they could from other teams. Soon, the three of them found a river, running fast down a group of trees and brushwood losing itself deeper into the forest.
"So, what do we do now?" Sakura sat down breathing hard, she lifted her eyes to Naruto and Sasuke that were pretty attentive of their surroundings.
"I think the best we can do is find other teams," stated Sasuke. "Weak teams which we can steal the scroll from."
"That may be a good idea," commented Naruto, looking around the forest. He didn't like the place, or the feeling he was getting from it. It was Dangerous.
I'm more worried about that redhead; did you see the way he was looking at you?
'Yeah, he seems bad news, eh?'
Really bad news! We need to be ready, said Ryuujin, lying down on the ground, resting his huge body on the outskirts of his inner forest. Wake me if something happens.
Naruto watched incredulously as his zanpakutou rolled over and took a nap, without anything much to do or say Naruto just shook his head. Sometimes he wondered just how serious Ryuujin really was.
For more than an hour, Team 7 rested right beside the river. The three of them had come to a plan to chase down those groups that looked remotely weak, Sasuke had pointed out how some of them probably were waiting near the centre of the forest, while Sakura had pointed out how some of them would just stay on the same spot for far too long.
"In that case, we have overstayed in this river." Naruto stood up stretching the muscles from his arms and legs, Sasuke nodded in agreement looking around.
"So, where to, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura sighed, glancing at her teammates.
Sasuke nodded towards a tunnel made of branches and undergrowth, Sakura nodded eagerly following Sasuke. Naruto merely rolled his eyes and smiled slightly. When Sasuke got all bossy it was better to follow without a question, or else he could be really cranky. Besides, this way Naruto could make good use of his new-found ability and help his team in time if something came their way.
There was not a single sound around them, the moment they stepped inside the training ground the sun had stopped lighting up their heads replaced by the dim light of the day. As they kept on advancing, it was hard not to notice the overwhelming heat and lack of air around them.
They walked in a single line, Sasuke at the head, Sakura in the middle and Naruto at the end.
Nothing was out of the ordinary, yet Sasuke could not help but feel something was off. The Uchiha tilted his head, turning to his right and his eyes soon found those of Sakura, the girl was frowning, her eyes narrowed looking around. Both of them glanced at each other. Sakura then concentrated, only to open her eyes for a few seconds.
"Genjutsu," she affirmed quietly.
The black-haired teenager stopped and waited for Sakura to catch up to him. "Tell Naruto. I'll see if I can dispel it."
Sakura nodded. Sasuke was ready to activate his Sharingan when the girl's gasp distracted him.
"Naruto," she whispered. Sasuke whirled around and saw what Sakura had discovered. Their blond teammate had disappeared. Sakura called out Naruto's name a little louder, but there was no answer.
Sasuke tried to hide his worry. They were caught in a genjutsu and the blond idiot was missing. He growled under his breath, concerned, and irritated, "When I find him I'm going to kill him."
"My, my, Sasuke-kun, I didn't know they teach those things to the Genin of the Leaf these days," said a voice around them. Sasuke and Sakura reached for their weapons and swivelled about slowly, back-to-back, looking for the source of the voice.
"Who is it? What do you want?" Sasuke all but growled, he grabbed his kunai and activated his Sharingan.
"My, such lovely eyes… Let's see if you know how to use them."
Naruto worked the muscles of his neck; he was tired of the same sight over and over. His whole body was tense, as if ready to jump or something; he was about to ask for a little break but by the time his eyes went ahead of him Sakura and Sasuke had disappeared.
The world around him stopped for a moment, and for the very first time Naruto noticed it.
Be careful.
'I thought you were asleep, Ryuu.'
The dragon merely smiled at him. I can't sleep when the air around you feel so stuffy.
Naruto returned the smile and stopped walking. 'Thank you, so, what should I do? I don't even know what is causing it…'
Naruto didn't have the opportunity to finish the sentence when a huge shadow shot out from behind a tree. He had just enough time to evade a huge snake. His eyes widened at the sight. This seemed to be one of Anko's snakes but much larger. The creature hissed and renewed its attack. Naruto dodged and sprinted ahead of the animal, outpacing it easily.
Stop running! Pull me out and end its life!
He didn't need to be told twice. With a hand on the hilt and gathering some of his reiatsu, Naruto whispered, "Make our enemies bleed, Ryuujin Raikaze!"
Hidden behind some trees, Kabuto's eyes never left the figure of Uzumaki Naruto. He followed every movement and was particularly interested in the katana that had just changed form. He was intrigued, mainly because Naruto's katana resembled to some extent the one Orochimaru had. Kabuto frowned, wondering not for the first time how Orochimaru, and now Naruto, had come into possession of these curious weapons.
Temari was terrified.
Everything for them had gone quite smoothly until a group of Rain-Nins decided to target them. Kankuro and Temari were ready to start the fight but a single gesture from Gaara stopped them, their little brother was anxious and the glint in his eyes demanded blood. Kankuro and Temari had stepped back and it was then when these Genin decided to taunt the redhead.
"Pussy, all of you!" The bigger one stated dragging his words while slashing the air with two daggers. "Now, be nice and give us the scroll, we're going to kill you though, so don't think of doing anything stupid."
Gaara didn't react, he stood there impassively without any expression on his face. The sand though started gathering around the other Genin, their feet completely engulfed by the pale cream material danced around until the bigger one of the Rain-Nins noticed it.
"H-hey, what's this?!" He exclaimed, surprised by the sand.
Gaara's eyes narrowed and suddenly the man was lifted in the air. His companions tried to help him but Gaara's sand tripped them over onto their faces and then caught them up as well.
"Y-you freak! Let me go!" screamed the first man, struggling against the sand that imprisoned him.
"No," said Gaara. "Mother wants your blood." He stretched out his left hand and a manic gleam appeared in his eyes. "Any last words?"
The men were sweating and tearing. They understood that they had messed with the wrong guy.
"P-please," the smallest one whimpered.
Gaara wore an unreadable expression. Then he frowned at a ripple in the air.
Kankuro and Temari felt some kind of disturbance as well. Gaara tilted his head to the left and narrowed his eyes at the sensation: a strength that exploded in a controlled way.
"Please…"
The voice of Gaara's victims brought him back to the situation. The memory of the grinning blond filled Gaara's mind. In a moment of rage, he glared at the three men trapped by his sand.
"I was about to let your souls rest, but mother is hungry." Gaara's fist twisted to the left.
The sand covering the three ninjas from rain compacted with such great force, blood splashed around the three Sand-Nin. Temari closed her eyes for a moment and then made herself stare at the remains. It didn't take too long for her eyes to fall upon the forms of three translucent figures with chains at the centre of their hearts.
Kankuro made a face, he wasn't about to watch his brother become more of a monster that he already was. But Temari could not leave the form of Gaara.
Gaara's eyes shone while he made his way towards them. He walked forward but a kunai thudded to the ground at his feet. Gaara stopped and looked up at the newcomer.
"So, you killed them and now you're going to eat them?" It was a familiar voice; the three siblings glanced up to see the girl from Mist scowling down at them.
"Yes," Gaara answered. "Don't tell me you haven't done this before."
Nii Yugito smiled at those words, ignoring the presence of her two teammates who had caught up with her. Temari and Kankuro glanced at each other, not really knowing how to respond.
Yugito jumped from the tree and landed in front of Gaara, looking at the redhead carefully while trying to determine how dangerous he was. The redhead's impassive eyes were locked on the girl in front of him.
"I don't follow animalistic needs, Sabaku no Gaara," said Yugito simply. "I'm past that, and so is Nibi."
Gaara growled and stepped forward. "You…you're just like him."
Yugito frowned and questioned, "Him? What are you talking about?"
Gaara was about to reply when a kunai shot towards his eyes. The weapon never found its target due to the sand that shielded the boy. Yugito swivelled around to see her two teammates ready to battle.
"Yugito-san, let's just take their scroll and leave. We can't lose any more time with these people," said the young man.
Yugito scowled openly at them, the other two shinobi gulped, stepping back realizing they had made a mistake. By the time Yugito returned her attention to Gaara the redhead had the sand around him dancing restlessly.
Shukaku hummed deep inside Gaara, the demon was hungry and Gaara needed to feed him. The itch in his head and soul would stop if he just gave in.
You should do it, Pet. These are just trash… the only thing of any worth in them are their souls!
They're ninjas, and strong ones. Gaara's gaze turned hungry. Very strong.
I see you're learning. Good. Besides, we can always play with Nibi; I want to see if she has taught her host the way I have taught you.
Naruto sat on a rock, staring at the bloody body of the snake. He was far from the spot where he had last seen Sasuke and Sakura, though he didn't know exactly how far away from his team he was.
When he first entered the forest he felt something or someone watching him, but every time he tried to seek or sense it, it would sneak away from his grasp. Naruto sighed and leaned against a tree. Inside he felt Ryuujin and the Kyuubi moving restlessly. A few seconds later, he understood why.
'This forest is just plain freaky!'
I know. It felt like a hollow; but it isn't one…
'No, I know this reiatsu…'
Naruto straightened with sudden fear. He recognized the presence of Gaara. What he couldn't comprehend was why it felt so familiar and different at the same time. 'This can't be good, not at all. Shall we go over there or…?'
It's your duty Naruto, whether you are alive or not, you're still a Shinigami by blood. Ryuujin sounded serious. Naruto hesitated before taking off.
Ichinose Maki watched as his young Master left, once again showing his skills in shunpo. This wasn't on the file that Kariya-sama had shown him about the boy. However, it was a relief to see that he was adept in so many things and that he wasn't as helpless as he looked. Ichinose frowned in the general direction Naruto had gone. That odd sensation… Ichinose shook his head, he was there to protect his young Master, not to go hunting hollows.
Kabuto had seen enough. He watched as Naruto ran in the wrong direction from where his team was, which gave Orochimaru more time with Sasuke. The young man evaluated his possibilities for a moment. Naruto was certainly interesting and maybe Orochimaru had something to look forward to. If not a use for the boy, then maybe he could find a use for the sword.
Gaara was amused; he always was when his victims tried to escape from certain death by his hands. It made him feel alive to see the terror and the horrifying realization that they were going to die by his hands.
Inside him Shukaku growled and Gaara knew it was getting impatient. There were three souls waiting to be consumed and in front of him were another three. But Nii Yugito knew how to fight and for a brief moment Gaara wondered if the girl was really a mere Genin or, like him, a more powerful warrior hidden under a false title.
"Yugito-san…" said a breathless voice behind her. Yugito could tell her teammates were tired and if she was to be honest they were only slowing her down.
"Stay back, I can deal with him alone." The other two looked at each other reluctantly. "Do it!"
"How brave, but it doesn't matter," jeered Gaara.
Yugito furrowed her eyebrows at him. "What do you mean?"
"They're already in my grasp."
Yugito's eyes widened with realization. She turned around and saw sand under their feet. She jumped just in time, but her teammates weren't as lucky as her.
"Let them go!" she demanded. Gaara merely chuckled, enjoying the struggle the ninjas were putting up, trying to escape his sand.
He gazed at Yugito and the young woman noticed the change in his eyes. He was freeing some of his power and the air around became stuffy and heavy, making it almost impossible to breathe. Yugito glared at the redhead and she also released her own power.
"I wonder if you would be fast enough to save them?" Gaara mused in a disinterested tone. He reached his fingers out and curled them in slowly. Yugito snarled; the young man was deliberately playing with her.
At that very moment, Gaara and Yugito stopped death on their tracks, Their battle of wits was soon joined by another force familiar to them. The blonde-haired teen turned to see her team was out of the sand's grasp and standing in their place with a frown was Uzumaki Naruto
"So, you did come." Gaara was satisfied with the dark gleam in the blond's eyes
"What the hell happened here?" Naruto demanded. He noticed Yugito, her team and Gaara's siblings. Then the souls… "You did this?"
Gaara's smile was condescendingly calm. "What if I did? Did you come here to stop me, Uzumaki Naruto?"
Naruto's hand closed around his katana's hilt. Standing up, he prepared himself for a fight.
Gaara let the familiar and hated sensations of alienation and isolation flood his heart and mind. The blonds in front of him, both of them, had happy smiles that should be forbidden to individuals like them. Gaara felt Shukaku snarl and stretch within. He had learnt a long time ago to sense the potential of people around him, to tell just how strong they were and if they were worth his time.
Uzumaki Naruto and Nii Yugito were just perfect, but there was a difference. While Yugito was merging with the demon inside her, Uzumaki contained something else besides the demon.
Shinigami…
The word was uttered with disgust and something akin to precaution. This in itself was surprising for Gaara and it was the first time he heard Shukaku say that.
Naruto and Gaara stared at each other, letting the pressure build. Temari and Kankuro were already prone on the ground, terrified and finding it difficult to breathe or even move. It wasn't only the invisible pressure that Gaara's and Naruto's reiatsu were causing the paralysis; killer intent and fear pinned them on the ground.
Temari looked at her brother and then at the newcomer, the blond Gaara had been interested in from the very beginning. She stirred slightly when her eyes fell on the sword the blond had in his hand and the kunai in the girl's. Gaara was strong and a menace, but something inside her told her that even Gaara would have trouble fighting both of them.
"T-Temari…" groaned Kankuro.
She ignored Kankuro and with difficulty pushed herself to her feet. Somehow she managed to stumble to Gaara's side, but her grimace and perspiring face showed how much difficulty she had in the few steps to her brother's side.
Naruto's eyes narrowed and his limbs tensed up, ready to act if necessary. Gaara's sand was ebbing and flowing wildly. Yugito gritted her teeth, thinking how wrong her mission had gone.
"Gaara… please, stop."
The redhead didn't even react when he heard his sister. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the expression of terror on her face. They always looked at him that way, always.
"Don't interfere or I will kill you," he informed Temari coldly, not bothering to hide the bloodthirsty edge in his voice.
Naruto didn't have any doubt about the redhead's words. It was lucky that he had been trained in shunpo, for in the next moment he had Temari in his hold, away from the two columns of sand that had just smashed together where Temari had been.
Temari felt two strong arms holding her against a hard and warm chest. When she opened her eyes she saw the blond boy, but his eyes were flashing with anger.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he exclaimed hotly and Temari was surprised at his protectiveness. "She is your sister, is she not?"
"Yes, she is," said Gaara.
"Then why did you do that? You could have killed her!"
"That was my intention," Gaara stated. Temari shut her eyes at the statement, knowing her brother only too well. "I don't have any use for weaklings like her who can only look at me with contempt and fear."
Temari disentangled herself from Naruto. "That's not true Gaara. I just want you to stop this; we already have the scroll. There's no need to battle needlessly and waste time."
Gaara ignored her and turned his attention to Naruto. "You seemed to like pulling the hero act. You saved her. You saved my sister. I wonder… if I keep putting people in danger, if I kill the right person… would you finally fight with me with your real powers?"
Naruto stalked forward. "What do you mean, kill the right person?"
Gaara tilted his head while the sand around him flowed into the gourd he carried. Around them the pressure returned to something resembling normality and the redhead started walking towards Naruto. Naruto gripped his zanpakutou tightly but restrained himself from rash actions. Gaara stopped just beside him, each of them facing opposite directions.
"You seem to be happy, to have a normal life." The bitterness of the tone startled Naruto. He regarded the contemplative Gaara, who went on. "You must have a loved one, a person precious to you. If I kill that precious person, would you fight with me?"
Naruto's glare met Gaara's impassive stare. Though the blond was raging at the threat, he could also see something else in pale blue eyes: a deep, buried sorrow that somehow seemed familiar.
"We are monsters. We are not meant to possess happiness or love," Gaara said flatly. "We're meant to be alone, to suffer and to feed ourselves with tortured souls. If I can make you into something like me, if I can make you use the demon inside you… maybe…"
He left the sentence hanging in mid-air; Gaara started walking away. "Let's go, Temari, Kankuro. We'll see each other again, Uzumaki. And next time I'm going to destroy you."
"You didn't have to come. I had everything under control," said Yugito once Gaara and his siblings left. Naruto glanced at her questioningly. She shrugged and smiled. "But thank you."
Naruto grinned widely. "No problem, though, you may want to stay away from that guy. I don't think he's good news."
Yugito was about to say something else when her gaze fell on the necklace around Naruto's neck. She started walking towards the blond. Naruto was suddenly nervous; he noticed she was looking at the pendant on his neck. Instinctively he grabbed it and tried to shove it under his shirt but she closed the gap between them and gripped his wrist tightly.
Her warm hand around his wrist and her nearness made him feel a little uncomfortable, but it was the sudden source of her reiatsu that made him blush. It felt different and was somehow intimate. It reminded him of what Yoruichi had done once when he felt really sick and needed comfort. He remembered the woman telling him how intimate the contact between reiatsu could be and it only should be done when one asked for permission or was involved in a close relationship with the other person.
Yugito didn't notice Naruto's nervousness or the fact that her team was increasingly surprised by her behaviour. She removed Naruto's hand from his necklace and examined the pendant. She recognized the dragon and the thunder symbols. She also recognized the number on it.
"It's beautiful. Where can I get one like this?" she asked, but her voice, Naruto noticed, held a different tone, one more serious and impersonal. Naruto gulped and smiled weakly while he tucked his necklace back under his shirt.
"It was a gift from my father," he mumbled. "Or so I was told. I'm an orphan; apparently this is the only link to my past."
Yugito's eyes narrowed for a moment, looking rather cat-like, and then her smile and twinkling eyes were back. "Well, this has been fun, Uzumaki Naruto. But I guess it's time for us to go back to the exams."
"Crap! My team!" exclaimed Naruto, snapping out of daydreaming mode. He beamed at Yugito. "It was nice seeing you again, Yugito-chan. Take care and see you at the tower!"
"Yugito-san, aren't you going to take the scroll from him?" asked one of her teammates. Yugito's eyes followed Naruto until he disappeared. Finally, she shook her head.
"No, he did help us. We could look for another team. Let's go."
'Nibi? Did you… did you notice?'
As if I couldn't. I see everything you see, Yugito.
'Then that necklace… the symbol… do you think…?' Yugito left the question incomplete.
Well, it seems to be too much of a coincidence, replied the demon, chuckling slightly. I mean, this would be easier if he was not only the Jinchuuriki you were ordered to approach but also that guy's son.
'Too much of a coincidence, eh? But he did say someone told him it was a gift from his dad. Though, he doesn't resemble the Uzukage at all!'
The walk to the tower was an uncomfortable one; no one was talking or looking at anyone else. Silence had settled between them and Naruto had to wonder what had really happened back at the clearing when he had found Shikamaru and the others helping Sakura-chan and Sasuke.
Naruto found his team a day after they split up, but not under the best circumstances. Something or someone had attacked them, leaving Sasuke unconscious and Sakura exhausted and hurt. Naruto arrived only to fight a possessed Sasuke who suddenly was stronger and faster than before. If it hadn't been for Shikamaru… Naruto shook his head.
He looked at Sasuke and then at Sakura. The tension within the team was evident and Naruto could not help his annoyance with whoever had come to disturb the growing friendship among them.
He had wanted to ask, but he didn't and they didn't elaborate, which only made things stranger because he thought they were going to yell at him for not being there when the genjutsu had started and later on when those Sound ninjas had attacked them.
"We needed to be careful," he said suddenly. The other two glanced at him. Naruto sniffed. "I've heard that some teams hid themselves around the tower to steal scrolls from other teams… i just thought we should be careful."
Sasuke raised a single eyebrow and his lips curled slightly upwards. "Wow, this forest seems to be doing a good job with you, dobe. That's one of the most intelligent things you have said so far. Or ever."
"Shut it, teme." That felt more like the usual Sasuke, thought Naruto. Snide, sarcastic and sharp-witted.
They decided to rest for the night. The tower was just a few kilometers away and they could finish their walk the next day. For security's sake, Sasuke proposed that they spend their night in a tree, resting in one of the many branches so they could have an advantage over other teams that might be passing by. Sakura didn't like the idea very much but didn't protest.
The night was falling fast. The forest was filled with unsettling sounds either from people screaming or wild cries of animals no one could see. The night was cold but there wasn't any wind. Sasuke sat on the same branch as Naruto. Both of them were pretty silent, just like they had been since the night before when Sasuke had been possessed by something strange and had attacked his blond teammate.
Sasuke looked sideways at Naruto. "I… it's cold."
Naruto looked over at Sasuke and nodded. "Yeah, it is."
The young Uchiha shifted uncomfortably on the branch, the scowl never leaving his face.
"This was a good idea. I know Sakura-chan whined a little but looked at her. She's fast asleep," said Naruto, indicating Sakura who was sleeping peacefully sitting against a branch.
"Look Naruto, I…" Sasuke trailed off and Naruto couldn't help but feel surprised at the attitude from Sasuke. It was out of character for him to be nervous and hesitant.
"What is it?" asked Naruto curiously.
Sasuke peered into the forest before turning his serious eyes to Naruto. "I want to apologise."
Naruto almost fell off the tree. It was the first time he heard Sasuke apologise for anything. "What?"
"Something attacked us that day. It identified itself as a man called Orochimaru." Sasuke hissed remembering how helpless he had been on that day. "He was strange, and strong. He bit me and something seemed to have happened… When I saw you I felt…? I felt a need to steal your… power."
There was a long silence after Sasuke's confession. The dark-haired boy watched Naruto who stared back seriously. It was an unusual moment for both of them.
"It's okay, I did hear you were bitten or something… I know you didn't mean it," said Naruto, but Sasuke shook his head.
"Whatever happened to me, it only removed my restraint. I have always wanted that power of yours. Or at least some kind of clue as to how you obtained them." The admission caught both of them by surprise.
"Why? Why are you so fixated on obtaining power?" asked Naruto. He placed Raikaze in his lap. "I don't understand. You are powerful as it is. I bet if you keep training the way you have so far, you will be incredibly strong in the near future. There is no need to speed up a natural process."
Sasuke chuckled and Naruto was confused as to what was so funny. Sasuke smirked. "This forest seems to bring out the brighter side of you. You seem more intelligent and perceptive."
"Hmph. I've always been perceptive," retorted Naruto, pretending to be offended.
Sasuke snorted and allowed a small smile. "So, you think I don't need your power?"
"You have your own that I can't have. You have your bloodline, don't you? You're a smart guy. Just wait patiently; it will come in no time. I don't have any special power, other than my katana and some luck," replied Naruto. "And if the time for your personal mission comes and you're not strong enough, never doubt that we're not leaving you to fight alone."
"We?" asked Sasuke.
Naruto nodded his head. "Yeah, Sakura-chan and I. What are friends for if not to stand by their friends?" asked Naruto as if it was the most natural and obvious thing in the world.
Sasuke locked eyes with Naruto and he couldn't help but smile back at the blond. For the first time since Itachi slaughtered the clan, Sasuke considered the possibility of letting go of vengeance.
"Hey, you better sleep, dobe. I'm going to take advantage of your sudden intelligence to get to the tower tomorrow." Sasuke grinned when Naruto tried to whack him with a small branch. The blond boy relaxed against the trunk and nodded off.
Sasuke then turned his eyes to the forest and tried to block the darker inner voice. There were no shortcuts to attaining his mission, it whispered sibilantly, and he had to fulfill the promise he had made on his father's grave.
Orochimaru looked down at Kabuto. He was wearing a pleasant smile but his eyes were cold and sharp. He tried to find a trace of deception or lie behind Kabuto's words, but he found none. Then he tried to identify some kind of misunderstanding on Kabuto's part but, again, he didn't find any.
"And you said, Kabuto, the Kyuubi brat had a special katana?" Orochimaru asked. Kabuto nodded. "Did you hear its name?"
"Excuse me? Its name?" asked Kabuto, frowning slightly.
Orochimaru straightened. "Yes, its name. Did Naruto-kun say something special? Think carefully Kabuto, this may be of some use to me."
The man thought for some time. He had been close enough to Naruto to watch the scene unfold, but not to hear him clearly. He glanced at Orochimaru and readied himself in case he needed to run.
"I'm not sure. He did say something but I wasn't close enough to hear him clearly." Kabuto's whole body tensed up when he felt Orochimaru behind him. A moment later a hand grabbed his shoulder and he could hear Orochimaru's mocking laugh.
"No need to fear, Kabuto. You're my most valuable minion and your information, though incomplete, has been of great use to me," said the man. Kabuto could feel a chill spread from where Orochimaru was holding his shoulder to the rest of his body. "For now, we stick to the plan. Now that Sasuke-kun has the cursed seal, all else is just a matter of time"
"What about Naruto?" asked Kabuto.
Orochimaru mused for a moment before turning his yellow eyes on Kabuto. The smile the man was wearing sent a shiver of disgust and fear down Kabuto's back.
"He has become interesting, really interesting," Orochimaru murmured, staring into space. He started walking away. "Watch him closely. When the time comes, we'll make him submit to us."
Team 7 arrived at the tower without any trouble; the group thought there would be a great welcoming but no one was there.
The three of them walked inside the building looking for a room to rest and refresh themselves when Naruto stopped suddenly, his face breaking into a huge grin.
"Naruto?" Sakura peered curiously at Naruto but the blond had already started running down the hall.
Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance before following their friend with the same urgency.
When they finally found him they couldn't help but roll their eyes at his antics. The boy was jumping up and down with a black cat in his arms; beside the jumping boy was a young woman with purple hair in Jounin attire smiling softly at the scene.
"Yoruichi-chan! Yoruichi-chan!" screamed Naruto at the top of his lungs, swinging the cat round and round in dizzying circles.
"Naruto! Stop it! You're going to make the cat sick or something," scolded Sakura exasperatedly and secretly impressed with the blond. They were dead tired and here he was all full of energy.
Sasuke was thinking along the same lines. He decided to just sit on the floor and waited for Naruto to behave his age.
"Oh, I missed you so much, Yoruichi!" Naruto stopped and hugged the cat even more tightly, his words sincere and full of emotion.
The cat nuzzled against him before letting her tiny little tongue lick the side of Naruto's neck, which made the blond blush.
"I see she gets more attention than me, and here I am about to congratulate you for passing the second part of the Chuunin exams," grumbled Yugao and Naruto smiled at her sheepishly. Soon though, Yugao was engulfed in a tight embrace, Naruto hiding away his face as he finally felt at ease, the young woman returning the hug with a tender smile. Naruto was finally home.
Sakura for her part decided to sit beside Sasuke and wait. The both of them observed quietly as their friend talked animatedly to the woman and sometimes to the cat. They had been around Naruto long enough (since the Academy and as a team) to know something about the cat. It was Naruto's pet of sorts. Sometimes it would go away but the animal would always come back and Naruto would always wear the same happy expression on his face for days until the cat was gone again.
Sasuke's eyes clouded for a moment when he remembered the day his family had been taken away from him. Naruto had been the only one who had expressed his condolences and the only one Sasuke had believed. They didn't like each other in the Academy, so when the blond showed at his door with instant ramen and some badly phrased words of condolence he had accepted it as an honest gesture.
He never told the blond but, that day Naruto had earned Sasuke's respect. If not as a ninja or as an equal, then at least as a person.
"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?"
Sasuke turned to Sakura and half-smiled at her. The girl was surprised but returned it shyly.
"I'm tired. I was thinking how Naruto can possibly contain so much energy."
Sakura chuckled and watched as the blond retold his adventures inside the forest, though evading the topic about Sasuke's attack and Gaara's assault.
"Yeah, he seems happy. It's strange. I mean, we see him smile every day and act kind of stupid and all… but... this is different," commented Sakura.
Sasuke stared at his blond teammate and nodded. "Yeah, let's go. He is going to take some time and I could use a shower and a good night's sleep. And you too."
Sakura agreed and followed Sasuke as he left.
"He hasn't changed his sleeping habits since he was a kid, eh?" asked Yoruichi, watching Naruto spread-eagled on a bed and with some drool trailing from one side of his mouth.
Yugao chuckled and shook her head. "He hasn't changed that much, but he is more mature. Even if he doesn't always show it."
"You said there was a period of one month, right? After this test?" asked Yoruichi, curling up near Naruto's head.
"Yes, when Naruto passes the second test to the finals, he would have a month to prepare himself to face someone to obtain the title of chuunin," said Yugao, not bothering to explain to Yoruichi the complexity of the Chuunin exams.
"When?" Yoruichi asked with an amused tone.
Yugao frowned slightly and inclined her head. "Yes, when. You don't think Naruto is going to pass?"
"Of course, he will. I have never doubted him," said Yoruichi. The cat's yellow eyes drifted to the katana resting on a table and she laughed softly to herself. "I believe in Naruto now more than ever."
"Then why did you…"
"Why did I sound unconvinced?"
Yugao nodded.
"I wasn't sure you believed it. I'm happy to find out I was wrong."
"I've always believed in Naruto," said Yugao.
There was a long moment of silence in which Yoruichi studied the other woman critically. She had never doubted Yugao, but Yoruichi knew some things were about to change. More than some, she amended privately, if the spiritual energies she sensed in the village belonged to the only people who could take Naruto away from Konoha.
For a second Yoruichi wondered if she would allow it, if she would permit some shinigami (even if it was Kyouraku and the only living family member Naruto had) to take the blond away from her. She looked at Naruto and felt a pang of concern. Naruto had become more to her than she cared to admit.
"Can you take care of Naruto's training?" asked Yoruichi suddenly. Yugao blinked a few times before nodding a little hesitantly.
"Maybe. Only a family member or the current sensei can train a student, unless I obtain permission to train him," said Yugao. "Why?"
"This coming month seems to be the perfect time to tell you both my part of the story and to answer some of your questions." This seemed to be the right thing to say to Yugao who became more alert. "Also, it's a good moment to continue the training where we left off. Something tells me Naruto has something he is dying to show but he needs to learn how to control."
It was almost impossible for him to stop the rush of excitement running through his body. The room was filled with familiar faces and Naruto couldn't help but smile at seeing his friends there.
Sasuke fidgeted beside him. When Naruto turned to observe him, he was bothered by the pain shown in Sasuke's face. Sakura was also aware of it. The pink-haired girl opened her mouth to say something but a glare from Sasuke silenced her immediately.
"What is it?" asked Naruto in a whisper while the first fight took place down in the arena.
"It's nothing, just a little annoyance," said Sasuke. Kakashi, who had arrived that same morning, frowned slightly but said nothing.
"Are you sure? It seems really… painful."
Sasuke merely nodded. Naruto shrugged and turned his attention to the fight. He lifted a hand and scratched Yoruichi behind her ear while the cat purred in pleasure at the treatment. Naruto had to admit it wasn't only the fights but also the return of Yoruichi which made him so excited. After all this was over he would go away with her and maybe, just maybe some questions would be answered. He was dying to ask Yoruichi about the Captain he had met on his mission in Wave Country. The fox-faced one…what was his name?
"Winner - Kankuro!" Naruto blinked and saw a teen with a cat's costume smirk while his opponent lay unconscious on the floor.
The blond frowned and directed his gaze at Gaara. The redhead was expressionless but his eyes were fixed on Naruto. Yoruichi felt the tension and she nuzzled against Naruto's neck.
"There, the redhead. He is… there is something about him that makes me uneasy."
"You mean the one from Sand?"
Naruto was startled by the interruption. When he turned, he saw Kakashi looking at him and then at Gaara.
"Eh, yeah, him," said Naruto. He could feel Yoruichi staring at the boy he had just mentioned.
"He seems quite normal to me," Kakashi mumbled, though the frown on his face told a different story. "However, I have to agree with you, Naruto. If any of you have to fight him I would advise you to first try and discover what he does before going all out."
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." Sakura agreed, shooting Gaara a nervous look.
Sasuke seemed lost in his own thoughts. Kakashi didn't need to tell them that they had already discovered on their first encounter Gaara wasn't as normal or as powerless as he seemed to be.
Another bolt of pain went through Sasuke from the bite he had near his neck on his left side. He bit his lower lip to prevent any groan from escaping his mouth, he heard Sakura's gasp and Naruto's excited scream, then Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder and Sasuke turned to him.
"Go on teme! Show them what we're made of!" said Naruto.
Sasuke was about to jump into the arena when Kakashi stopped him. He whispered something in Sasuke's ear. The young Uchiha looked really annoyed but nodded his head before landing in the sandy arena.
"What did you tell him?" asked Naruto.
Kakashi smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "I told him to be careful of his left. That wound on his shoulder is affecting him too much. When he wins this fight I'm going to take him to the infirmary."
"Oh. Oh look! It's starting!"
Naruto gripped the rail of the balcony clenched his teeth and couldn't help the anger raging inside. It was just like when Hyuuga Neji almost killed Hinata…and now, now Gaara was doing the same. Only he was more malicious about it.
While Neji showed some hesitation, Gaara was ready to kill Lee, but he hadn't done it yet. Once in a while the redhead would look at Naruto and the blond understood the taunting. Beside him he could feel Yoruichi trying to soothe him.
"You are at your limit. Yet, you keep fighting," Gaara stated, tilting his head. "I can destroy you. I can rip each limb off, one by one, make you bleed and suffer like never before. Yet, you keep fighting. Why?"
Lee's eyes were opened in shock and fear. This pleased Gaara. Again, he looked sideways to Naruto and smirked. Maybe, if he kept taunting this ninja, the only one who had come so close to make him feel physical pain… maybe, Uzumaki would fight.
"I…I can't give up! I…" Lee got into his fighting stance once again. The gates he had opened were finally charging him. His vision blurred and his whole body screamed in pain. But he couldn't give up; he had come so far! He just couldn't. One more time.
Lee lashed a side kick to Gaara's midsection and sent the redhead backwards. Lee wasn't done he launched himself into another whirl and kicked Gaara in his face and the redhead crashed into the floor in an undignified heap.
Gaara could taste the metal tang of blood. He stood up and sniggered softly, which grew into hysterical menacing laughter. Soon the sand around him started moving wildly and some of the sand formed a half mask on his face.
Temari and Baki were petrified at the slow transformation taking place down in the arena, and Kankuro was trembling slightly when he recognized the mask. He had seen it just once but it was enough for him to know Gaara was ready to free Shukaku.
Yoruichi's eyes narrowed and Naruto fidgeted with anxiousness. Mighty Guy was undecided. On one hand he could help Lee and stop the fight; on the other hand, he knew Lee would never forgive him for it. But the redhead was something he had never seen before, and his power, the raw power he was showing…
"Now, let me feed mother with your soul!" shrieked Gaara. Lee could only watch. His body wasn't answering to his silent plea to move.
The sand imbued with killer intent made Gaara's goal obvious. The sand was seconds away from Lee who had closed his eyes, as if accepting his fate as bravely as he could, and Gaara had a manic smirk only visible in the half of his face that wasn't covered by the mask of sand.
Death was seconds away.
A sudden huge explosion distracted everyone and a wild draft of air invaded the place. Sand and rubble filled the air and for a moment no one could see anything at all.
"Lee!" Tenten screamed in the middle of the confusion. Neji frowned as he located his teammate in the arena.
Guy had long ago left his students to go for Lee and when Sakura wanted to talk with Naruto the blond had disappeared.
"Naruto?"
Once the sand settled a collective gasp of shock could be heard around the arena. Gaara's sand never made it to Lee, who was now unconscious and in Guy's arms. In between Guy and Gaara was Naruto. He had pulled out his katana and knelt on the floor, the point of the katana stabbed into the ground and a big crater had formed around him.
Naruto glowered at Gaara and Sakura had to blink several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. But even after she blinked she still saw Naruto's eyes shining with a bright blue and silver.
Gaara growled in frustration. He had meant to kill Lee. He had also meant for Naruto to interfere… but the other guy? Who was he? Why had he intervened?
"You almost killed him," spat out Naruto and his tone surprised those who knew him. Never before had they heard so much anger and hatred in it. It wasn't normal for the blond.
"He was just a means to an end," replied Gaara. He felt the insistent presence of his mother pushing forward, trying to make him attack the blond.
"A means to an end? What kind of horror is that?" This time it was Mighty Guy who spoke. Gaara gave him a half smile.
"I want Uzumaki to fight me… you weren't in my plans," said Gaara. "Why? Why did you help him?"
"He is my beloved student, my beloved comrade. I couldn't let him get hurt," Guy answered.
"Why? He failed. Even after all he did, he still failed."
"It doesn't matter. That doesn't change the fact that he is a precious person to me."
Gaara frowned. He looked from Guy to Lee and then to Naruto. The blond had stood up, katana still in hand, and was now facing Gaara.
"You did all of this to Lee only because you want to fight me?" asked Naruto, taking a step forward. Gaara smirked. Naruto felt a rush of blinding fury and was about to attack Gaara when Kakashi appeared.
"Stop it. There would be plenty of opportunities for you to fight him," Kakashi commanded. The blond was trembling with anger while Gaara merely turned around and looked at the proctor.
"Winner, Sabaku no Gaara."
"That was despicable!" exclaimed Naruto, trying to push forward but Kakashi stopped him again.
"I know, but like I said, there would be plenty of opportunities for you to fight him."
"A doctor, please," said Guy.
"How is Lee?" Naruto asked anxiously.
"We'll see. I want to thank you, Naruto-kun," said Guy, looking at the blond. Naruto scratched the side of his cheek.
"I didn't do anything."
"Yes, you did. Thank you. I never expected you to show yourself and save Lee," said Guy. "That was impressive."
"I couldn't let him get hurt, he promised me a fight," said Naruto. Guy returned the grin.
"Excuse me, Guy-sensei."
Guy went to the doctor who was attending to Lee. The man appeared grave. Lee was carried out of the arena.
"How is he?"
"His wounds are really serious. He suffered serious damage on his muscles and sinews, some broken bones and blood lost," said the man. "We'll head into surgery now, but there's something you should know."
"What?"
"Well, I can't be sure, at least not after the surgery..."
"Sure, about what?"
"That he can return to being a ninja."
Ichimaru Gin was walking down the hall humming a tune he had heard in the shinobi world. His always-present smile was relaxed and for someone who knew him well would see that it was a rare, honest smile.
He had just returned from the shinobi world, his mission was a success, he had a date later that day with Rangiku, he had annoyed Hitsugaya-taichou and now he was going to talk with Aizen. Yep, Gin was a happy man.
He turned left and entered the office without announcing himself.
Sousuke Aizen was sitting on his chair by the desk, a book in hand and a hot cup of tea to his side. He didn't lift his eyes from the book, but he did motion for Gin to sit and wait. Which the Captain of the Third division did; he knew Aizen would not talk to him until he had finished the paragraph, the chapter or the line that had his full attention.
Ten minutes passed and Gin was getting restless. He picked up a sheet of paper and started drawing small foxes and cats. Then he decided to add a big moon and some dragons. His drawings weren't good, but they weren't bad either. 'At least they're better than the ones Kuchiki-taichou draws. '
He chuckled at his own thoughts. This caught Aizen's attention who lifted a single eyebrow, closed his book and leaned forward with a kind smile on his face.
"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting, Gin," he said politely. "This book is pretty interesting."
"Nah, no problem at all, Aizen-taichou."
"You should give it a try. It's called 'the Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja'. " said Aizen. "The main character, a ninja called Naruto, has pretty interesting, though laughable ideas."
"It's the book Hinamori-chan brought to you?"
"Yes, it is. She has good taste."
Gin chuckled. "Yeah, though I prefer the other ones from the same author."
Aizen laughed softly and nodded his head. "I bet you do. Anyway, to what do I owe the honour of this visit?"
Gin grinned at his former Captain's formality. "Naruto, eh? What a curious thing. I came here to talk to you about Naruto."
Aizen's smile grew and he leaned back in his chair. He took a sip of his tea. "Really?"
"Yes, though mine ain't part of a story… mine seems to be Kazama Minato's son."
For the first time since he had been under the command of Hirako Shinji, Aizen felt uneasy. His expression transformed completely, and Gin felt a shiver at the sudden cold rage coming from Aizen.
"Minato-kun, you said? A son?"
Gin nodded his head.
"Very well Gin, tell me everything about Naruto."