The Chunin Exams (part 3)

I.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O. O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.I

Ryoko and Gaara had split up as to not attract attention to them selves, and Ryoko, Naruto and Sasuke were walking along the forest ground. Suddenly Sasuke looked up, and dove over Ryoko knocking her down, and yelled to Naruto,

'Move Dobe!" a tunnel of wind howled through where they once stood. Naruto was out cold against a rock. Sasuke dropped a startled Ryoko as a man walked out of the trees. He wore an obi with a purple rope tied around his waist.

"You are brave, Sasuke-kun. Now let me have Ryoko-chan." The man cooed.

"You're Orochimaru." She stated. It wasn't a question. Her eyes blazed with furry.

"Yess little dragon." He hissed.

"Ill kill you." She snarled and jumped forward, the wolf skull of her scythe swung towards the pale man called Orochimaru.

"No no Ryoko. Just because your mother was too weak for my mark doesn't mean you will be. Now, hold still little girl." He grabbed her shoulders and bit her neck. She screamed in agony as the venom like chakra flowed into her. He dropped her and she shook on the ground. Sasuke cried a war yell and lunged at the man only to be thrown back, hitting a tree hard.

"your eyes are magnificent little Uchiha. But eventually id have to give your body up. Little Ryoko here, her body would never expire. She has Jashin's immortality." He cooed to the semi conscious raven boy.

"Your wrong, bastard." Ryoko's snarl sounded from behind Orochimaru. Her skin was black and the red swirls stood out in contrast to the violet chakra that was expelling from the oddly shaped bruise on her neck. Her wigs were splayed out making her look like an avenging goddess, 'You cant take what belongs to someone else." She stabbed the snake with her scythe, and everything stopped for them. Darkness surrounded them, and when Orochimaru opened his eyes, he saw that they were in a dark cavern like area, Ryoko stood there with her scythe held defensively. She was still in her cursed form.

There was also a man standing there. Or, a fine male specimen, for he reeked with power, and his wings that mimicked Ryoko's were large, and spined. He was only wearing khaki pants, his black hair fell messily around his shoulders and his blood red eyes pierced Orochimaru to the core. This, was Jashin.

"Orochimaru, you displease me. Ryoko is my child, her soul belongs to me, and you can never own it. As your punishment, you will never be able to trade bodies with another. You know, you have a slim to none chance of being reborn. Repent, Orochimaru. Your goal has been stolen now, you can never be immortal, so stop being foolish and return to your village." Jashin spoke, and Orochimaru felt a burning pain in his core, and he screamed bloody murder. A shadow expelled from him, it was like a snake- but with Orochimaru's head.

"That would have been you, Orochimaru." Ryoko stated, she lifted her scythe as the shadow turned towards her, and slashed downward, cutting it in two. It let out a shriek, and Ryoko turned back to Orochimaru, "But no more."

Ryoko woke up to find Sasuke and Naruto still passed out and Orochimaru gone. She woke them and they asked what happened. She explained that she and Orochimaru had fought, but he left when Jashin cleansed the chakra from her system. All she had now was an odd shaped scar.

"That's good then, right Ryokko-hime?" Naruto asked.

"Id rather not have the scar, but I don't have the bastard's chakra in my system anymore." Ryoko smiled. The three gennin rested for the night and then continued on in the morning, not having far to go, they got to the tower fast, to find Gaara standing in the entrance waiting.

"What took you so long?" his voice was laced with worry, "I felt how upset you got… what happened? What's that?" he pointed to her neck.

"It's a scar. Don't know if you've ever heard of Orochimaru…" she explained what had happened and that she was OK. Gaara shook his head then lead them to where they were supposed to open their scrolls, and when they did, Iruka appeared there.

"hey, I'm glad you guys made it." Iruka explained about the preliminaries, because too many had passed. But they wouldn't begin for three more days. 'there's a cafeteria, swimming pool and training room for your guy's luxury. Don't get into trouble now." Then he vanished. Naruto immediately ran to the cafeteria, and Sasuke to the training room.

"Why don't we go swimming?" Ryoko asked. "I haven't been swimming in a while, but my dad used to take me to swim in the lake."

'Alright." Gaara complied while he followed Ryoko to the pool. When they got there she took off her jacket and shirt, and pants leaving her in nin shorts and bindings. Gaara turned slightly red and took off his gourd and shirt. He only now noticed the black brand across her back.

"What is that?' he asked. Ryoko looked at her back, and smiled,

"Jashin's mark."

"hat is it though?" Gaara wished for her to explain more.

"It is a mark that the Lord Jashin places on his children when they make their first sacrifice. He claims their soul as his, and no one can take it." She grinned as she slid into the pool, "Hence, Orochimaru couldn't take me. Sadly, when he tried to take my mother; she was sick and his chakra killed her before Jashin could save her."

"How do you become a Jashinist?" Gaara asked, intrigued.

"Well, I was born one, but to become one, your converter has to carve a Jashin symbol on a part of your body, and you have to lay bare under the moon before your Lord, then when your blood is mixed with your Converter's then Jashin will grant your partial immortality until you complete your sacrifice. Your life is completely dependent on your converter's until your sacrifice." Ryoko explained. Gaara followed her into the pool, nodding.

"Ryoko, I believe, I might like to convert. Because I love you." Gaara stated. Ryoko's eyes widened,

"Huh?"

"I love you Ryoko." Gaara came up against her and trapped her against the wall of the pool. His heady scent wreathed around her, a mixture of blood, sand, and heat. Her breath hitched as he leaned in, and his lips met hers softly, at first. She let out a whimper and his arms circled her waist an he crushed her against his chest, his teeth nipped her lips and she opened her mouth inviting him in.

"DUDE! No tonsil hockey in the pool man!" Came Kankuro's raucous yell. Gaara looked up detaching from Ryoko's mouth and glowering at his older brother. The kid was standing there in black swim trunks... and... his cat hat...

"Do you ever take that off?" Gaara growled Ryoko was so weak with rushing emotions that she just glared leaning against Gaara. Kankuro laughed and jumped in,

"Nope."