A/N: Buggah! Stupid Camera and stupid photoshop D: Fanart will be a little later than planned. I am such an insomniac, went to bed at 6am in the morning the other day :( OH! Watch Ju on: The Grudge 1 & 2 in japanese its so much better than the english version! I LOVE Toshio-Neko :)
Anyway, the first of the chapters you've been waiting for...
The Forest of Death
When that creature looked directly at her,
With a sadistic smirk across its face
Her heart froze inside her chest.
Kari's ears twitched as she picked up sounds from within the forest. The rustle of leaves, the flap of bird wings, slithering of something large... Kita could sense Kari's uneasiness and whined softly. She missed talking, but she only really talked to Kari, and they still had telepathy.
"This whole place just completely creeps me out" Sakura said (again). Kari was glad Sakura couldn't hear as well as she could, the sound of hissing was giving her the creeps. Anko chuckled.
"They should, they call it the forest of death remember? And soon enough you're gonna find out why" she said smirking. You know that feeling when you're being watched intently? Your every move observed? Kari had that feeling. It was as though she had been stripped naked. She felt cold and clammy, her stomach tying in knots. Naruto huffed and put his hands on his hips, then he started wiggling his backside.
"They call it the forest of death and soon enough you're gonna find out whyyy" Naruto mocked. "Do your worst you're not gonna scare me away! I CAN HANDLE ANYTHING!" Naruto cried smiling confidently. If Kari wasn't freaked out by unknown eyes watching her, she would have laughed.
"So looks like we got ourselves a tough guy" Anko said with a smirk. Naruto winced as a kunai sliced his cheek. Anko appeared behind him. "You tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" Anko said softly holding a kunai to his throat. "Tough guys like you usually leave their blood all over this forest…"
"Kari" Sasuke warned, hearing a low growl emit from her throat. Her eyes flashed a gleaming red, her pupils thinning to slits. Anko's eyes widened as her grip loosened slightly.
Those eyes… What is that kid?
Anko was distracted by a long tongue sliding over her shoulder with her discarded kunai. The thing had long dark hair, its face shadowed by a large straw hat.
I was just returning your kunai" it said the voice sending chills through the blonde kunoichi. Kari was confused over the sex; it had a masculine aura, but seemed to be female.
"Why thank you grass ninja" Anko said smiling. Kari flinched as she caught sight of wide, dark, eyes. They were filled with cruelty and greed. "Ya know, I only recommend you stand this close behind me... if you wish to meet a premature end" Anko said taking her kunai.
"My pardon, just the sight of blood and your knife slicing through my hair... I'm afraid that I just became a little excited... I meant you no harm" the grass-nin said, its tongue returning to its mouth as it smirked.
"Likewise" Anko said as the ninja began to walk away. Kari picked up Kita who had been hovering at her side, Kari felt terribly uneasy and wanted Kita as close as possible. Sasuke could sense the change in her behaviour and was watching her curiously. Naruto was sticking out his tongue to see if he could make it as long as the grass-nin's while Sakura complained about how freaky it was. The grass-nin came to a stop and turned until its eyes rested on Kari's.
"Okaasan!" Kita cried in a hushed whisper as Kari clutched her heart, her ribcage constricting on her lungs, crushing her, strangling her. An extreme feeling of nausea swept through her body, she slammed her hand over her mouth as she turned and rushed away from the group of genin.
"Kari, baka, where are you going?" Sasuke said surprised.
"Ne, what's wrong with Kari?" Sakura asked, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.
As Kari fell to her knees and retched, she was glad she didn't have too much breakfast. Her stomach emptied itself, and she coughed violently.
"Okaasan! Momma are you sick?" Kita cried worriedly, placing her paw on Kari's knee. Kari wasn't able to comfort her because she wretched again, her body trembling as she tried to steady her breathing. With a groan she clutched her head, splitting pain searing through her skull.
"Doushita baka?"
"Ne! Sasuke-kun! Something's wrong!" Kita cried anxiously. The Uchiha sighed and knelt beside her; he lightly nudged her shoulder but got no response. Annoyed, he shoved a little harder, but she didn't even look at him. "What's the matter with Momma Sasuke-kun?"
"I don't know" Sasuke said, pulling her hair out her face. He was glad there was no vomit in it; he seriously didn't want to touch it. He pulled her left hand away from her head, trying to get through to her "Oi Kari, pull it together". She was awfully pale, her face blank. Sasuke scowled, trying to think of something to knock sense into her. "Baka, you're upsetting Kita."
Bingo. Motherly instincts.
"Gomen Kita, gomen, gomen" Kari apologised, pulling the wolf into her lap and holding her tightly.
"Okaasan is ok now, right?" Kita asked, looking up hopefully at Kari.
"Hai, hai, Okaasan is just tired…"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as his scowl deepened. Something really affected her, was it a thought, what someone said? He helped her to her feet and she quietly walked back to the rest of the genin. Sasuke made a mental note to keep an eye on her. She wasn't the type to be phased easily; she was strong-minded and stubborn, even if she was a little soft.
Whatever it was, it really got to her…
"Now before we begin this test first, I have something to hand out to you all. It's just a standard consent form. Before the test, all of you are going to have to read over this form and then sign it" Anko said, holding up a stack of papers.
"What for?" Naruto asked, he had obviously noticed Kari's temporary disappearance as he was standing extremely close to her. Their arms were pressed against one another, showing they were currently at the same height (as Kari's ears were hidden).
"Some of you may not come back from this test and I have to get your consent to that risk. Otherwise it would be my responsibility" Anko said laughing. "Now I'll explain what you'll be doing in this test, here pass these out" she said giving the papers to Naruto, he took one, gave another to Kari, and then passed it on. "The first thing you need to know is that this test will test every one of your survival skills. First, I'll give you a description of the terrain in the practice field. The 44th battle training zone has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside. In the centre is a locked tower located 10km from each gate. It's in this confined area that you'll undergo the survival test. The test consists of an anything goes battle, to get your hands on these scrolls" she said holding up two scrolls. One was navy, with the kanji for 'earth' written on it, while the other was white with the kanji for 'heaven'. "You'll be fighting to get both a heaven scroll and an earth scroll" Anko explained. "All together, 28 teams will be taking part in this test, so half the teams will be going after the heaven scroll, while the other half will be going after the earth scroll. I'll hand over one kind of scroll to each team and that's what you'll be fighting for."
"Ok so how do we pass the test?" Sasuke asked.
"Your entire team must bring both a heaven and an earth scroll to the tower" Anko said.
"That means at the very best half of us will fail, if every team is able to get both the scrolls" Sakura said.
"No one ever said it would be easy. Oh and one more thing. The test has a time limit, you must finish it within five days" Anko said.
"FIVE DAYS OUT THERE?!" Ino cried.
"WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR FOOD!?" Chouji cried in horror.
"Just look around, the forest is full of things to eat. Plenty to feed all of you" Anko said, gesturing to the forest behind her. Kari felt the nausea come back, she had a sensitive stomach, if she really didn't like it, she chucked it up. If it was slimy, she definitely chucked it up. Maybe she could try eating leaves…
"Yeah but that's not all. There are man eating beasts and poisonous plants in there" Kabuto said.
"That means in these circumstances... there are no way half the teams will pass the test" Neji said, while Kari gave him a depressed look. Maybe she could survive off the ramen smell of Naruto's jacket…
"With the days getting longer and the nights getting shorter, there will be less time to sleep and less time to recover. It is a challenge indeed!" Lee cried enthusiastically. Kari's depression became even worse… She was going to have such insomnia…
"Completely surrounded by enemies there'll be no time to rest we'll have to keep a constant watch" Sasuke said. Kari decided that they were doing this on purpose and decided to ignore them. As long as she didn't run into a spider, she should be ok. And if she did, there is no way in seven hells that she would put it in her mouth and swallow it, even if it was dead. She shuddered and her tail fur went on end.
"Right, this test also measures endurance behind enemy lines. This is designed to be a gruelling test and I'm sure some of you won't be up to the challenge" Anko said, glancing at Naruto.
"So... let's say in the exam... can we quit?" Shikamaru asked.
"Of course not! In the middle of a battle you can't just say 'sorry, I quit' well, I guess you could… But it's probably gonna get you killed" Anko said chuckling. "There are also some ways you can get disqualified. The first is simple, if all members cannot make it to the tower with both scrolls after five days. Number two, if a team loses a member or if a member becomes unable to continue. But most important none of you absolutely none of you may look at the contents of the scrolls until you reach the tower."
"What if it just happens to flap open and you read it?" Naruto asked.
"Let me put it to you this way young man. You. Don't. Want. To. Know." Anko said grinning. "There are times when a ninja will be asked to carry secret documents. The scroll rule is to test your integrity. Ok we're done. Take your consent form and take it over in exchange for a scroll." She motioned to a shack where some Chunin were sitting. "After that, each team pick a gate and you'll be lead inside." Anko sighed. "Oh and I have one more word of advice... JUST DON'T DIE!"
Kari sighed to herself as she read over her form, noticing one of her team-mates she decided to bother him. "Hiding from your adoring public?" she teased, as the Uchiha glared at her.
"I see you're feeling better" he grumbled, leaning back against the rock. Kari shrugged and took his pen, signing her name. "Did you even look at that?" Sasuke said, as he looked over the form. He held his hand out for his pen which Kari reluctantly returned. "Why are your hands so damn cold?" Sasuke complained, signing his own name much neater than Kari's.
"They always are, look they're small too" she said as Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"How can you wield katana? Surely it's difficult" he said, as she pressed her palm against his and smirked at how much larger his hands were, as though her small hands were superior. It was a shame really, she knew her hands were elegant, with long slender fingers, and beautifully proportioned hands, but she knew they'd probably end up scarred and worn, rough from battle. She didn't mind though, Kari never really obsessed over vanity, it annoyed her, though she wouldn't go out in public looking scruffy.
"I have a tight grip; anyway I'm off to wish people luck." She rose to her feet "Good luck Sasuke!" she said ruffling his hair while he cursed viciously and tried to slap her arm away. She ran away as his glare became intense, figuring she didn't want more burns. Even if she had somehow healed overnight…
"Hinata-imouto!"
"Ah! Kari-neechan!" Hinata cried in surprise. She smiled warmly, though looked rather pale.
"Don't worry Imouto-chan! You've got Kiba-kun and Shino-kun—" Kari paused, whipping out her Shino sunglasses as put them on, the black glass gleaming. Hinata giggled and shook her head at her friend's antics. She should make sure to tell Kiba and Shino about it later. She was glad though, just Kari's presence had a way of encouraging her confidence and making her feel at ease.
"Hinata? Kari-chan? What you doing all the way out here?" Naruto asked, appearing out of absolutely nowhere.
"Oh! Naruto-kun I anou... I just… nothing" she said blushing.
"I am admiring the world in a darker shade" Kari said as on cue, the glasses gleamed.
"I... Oh your cut! I um..." Kari's brain (with the assistance of Shino glasses) plotted a plan. Leaving them alone under a tree… for a possible romantic moment?
"Eh Kari-chan wait up!" Naruto cried, causing her plan to crash and burn. Feeling defeated, she put her Shino glasses away for another time.
"I'll go find Kita, I'll be back" Kari said, walking off with a slight depression cloud. What she wouldn't give for Naruto to fall in love with Hinata… Kawaii!
"Be careful out there Kari, there will be plenty of hidden dangers." Neji advised, still stuck in the wolf girl's embrace. She'd been mumbling about 'five long days alone in a big bad forest' for the last five minutes. Neji had just stared at her as he was squished, TenTen making furious motions of 'hug her back!' until he did, which made Kari tighten her hold even more.
"Let the power of youth keep your strength up, remember all we have taught you Kari-hime!" Lee cried excitedly pulling her into a crushing embrace, Neji mentally rejoicing in his freedom.
"Don't let anyone touch you, or I'll beat them into a bloody pulp" Tenten cried, pulling Kari into a protective embrace.
"Tenten, that's hardly lady-like" Neji stated.
"We can't have our Kari-chan hurt now can we?" Tenten scolded. "Admit it Neji, if she was in hospital you'd beat the cause into the ground!"
"I know you've all got my back, I love you sensei's! Group hug!" Kari cried.
"No way am I—" Neji was cut off by Lee crushing them all together.
"Our Kari-chan, our youthful student… She's growing up so fast…"
"Lee. If you dare start to cry I'll strike you with Jyuuken so hard Tenten will have to carry you for the first two days." Neji threatened, though it was in vain as Kari ran away and waved.
"Putting her life in danger… OUR BRAVE KARI-HIME!"
"Lee… Don't embarrass yourself" Tenten scolded.
"Only a true man let's his feelings show! Shine Kari-hime! Spread your wings and soar!"
"You promise" Kari pressed, her arms folded around her beloved Kita.
"I give you my word Kari. Hinata will be fine." Shino reassured, in his stoic way.
"Yeah, I wouldn't wanna face your wrath if we didn't!" Kiba agreed; a large grin across his face. Kari pulled his hood down, "I told you to stop doing that, it's not 'cute' no matter how many times you say it!" Kiba complained, pulling his hood back up. Kari had thought the fur on the hood was his hair and was amazed when it fell down and revealed Kiba's short scruffy hair. She decided he looked funny and is now constantly trying to reveal his hair. He threw an arm around her and grinned. "You watch your back kay? You got Uchiha on your team after all!"
"I can handle Sasuke, you just need to know how to tick him off" Kari said grinning. "You be a good boy Akamaru-kun" Kari said, rubbing the puppy's ear. "Ja ne guys, if you die I'll never forgive you!" and with that encouraging note, Kari went in search of her team.
"All right we're gonna start handing out scrolls!" a chunin cried, pulling a curtain in front of the shack so the other teams wouldn't know who had which scroll.
"You all signed?" Kari asked as her three team-mate's nodded. Naruto was grinning excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Kari giggled and shook her head. They went into the shack and Naruto handed the forms over, in return they received a heaven scroll, which Naruto gave to Kari to keep.
"LISTEN UP! NOW YOU ALL HAVE YOUR SCROLLS GO TO YOUR GATE AND WAIT THERE! WHEN THE GATES OPEN THE TEST IS ON!" Anko cried.
From outside gate twelve, team seven waited impatiently for the test to begin.
"DATTEBAYO! BRING IT ON NINJA I'LL JUST SEND IT RIGHT BACK TWICE AS HARD!" Naruto shouted throwing punches in the air. Sakura had a clenched fist and was mentally shouting the same.
"Alright guys, we're gonna pass this right?" Kari said smirking.
"YEAH!" Sakura and Naruto cheered. Sasuke smirked, but didn't tear his eyes from the forest. The chunin unlocked the gate and the chain fell to the ground in a heap.
"ALL RIGHT HEADS UP YOU MAGGOTS! THE SECOND PART OF THE TEST HAS BEGUN!" The gates flew open and the teams shot inside. Back at gate twelve, Kakashi's squad simply walked in.
"YOSH! HERE WE GO GUYS!" Naruto shouted excitedly. Kari sighed, she wanted to stay as quiet as possible, she was still on edge about that grass-nin and would much rather avoid another meeting. Kari jumped violently at the sound of screaming, tightening her hold on Kita as birds shot over head away from the sound.
"I do not like this place" Sakura said shakily. Kari was too busy scanning their surroundings to give comfort. Those screams were male, of both fear and pain, and a safe distance away. Kari pulled her hitai-ate down over her face until it hung around her neck. It was better if her hearing was used to it's full potential. The muffled sounds of other creatures and other teams filled her ears, but none seeming to be a threat.
'Kita, if we should fight I want you to hide and stay still and quiet alright? If Sakura's not taking part you can stay with her, but stay alert. Other than that, stay close to one of the team at all times. You'll be able to tell by smell if they're impostors.'
"Oh c'mon! It's nothing to be scared of it's gonna be a piece of cake!" Naruto said, uncomfortable in the tense atmosphere. Kita looked up at Kari and nodded as she was placed o the ground. "Oh! Excuse me a second, I really gotta... y'know" Naruto said running up to a tree. Kari turned away, feeling slightly embarrassed. Sasuke too adverted his gaze through manners.
"YEAH RIGHT!" Sakura screeched whacking him round the head. "WHAT IS THIS A KENNEL NOT INFRONT OF ME YOU DON'T! GO FIND A BUSH OR SOMETHING!"
"We should be staying together…" Kari mumbled as Naruto trotted off into the greenery. Kari's ears twitched and her eyes blazed as she heard the sound of footsteps coming from where Naruto had disappeared.
"Woo that was a lot I wrote my whole name—OOF!" Kari turned and kicked 'Naruto in the gut, sending him tumbling into a tree.
"Hey! Kari it wasn't that bad! Don't you think that was going a lil overboard?!" Sakura cried in surprise.
"YEAH! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!" 'Naruto' cried.
"That's not Naruto" Kari said, her voice harshly cold. Sakura was taken back. Sure, everyone was on edge, but not to this extent!
"Wheres the real Naruto!" Sasuke demanded, pulling out a kunai. Kita's hackles rose and she growled. His scent was completely different, his posture was far better than Naruto's, his stance was narrower, his aura was almost the complete opposite and his chakra capacity was far smaller than Naruto's. As well as that, there was a faint extra aura from the Kyuubi that Naruto always had. It was an obvious impostor.
"Better watch out Sakura I think they've gone crazy. Especially her" 'Naruto said angrily, glaring back at Kari.
"Yeah right, then what happened to that scratch you got from the examiner! I guess you didn't know the real Naruto had a cut on his cheek before the exam. And I noticed you've got your shuriken holster on your left side, Naruto's right handed. But more than anything Naruto would NEVER speak to Kari like that" Sasuke said scathingly. "Your transformation skills are worse than Naruto's! Tell me who you are!"
"So what? You got me. I'm still gonna take your scroll!" 'Naruto' cried poofing into smoke and revealing himself as a rain-nin. "So which one of you has it?" he asked, his eyes darting between the three of us as Sakura drew a kunai. "Or do I take the three of you out!" he cried charging at them. Instinct left no time for hesitation as kari shot forward to meet him, her fist colliding with his jaw sending him flying backwards. Sasuke shot up off the ground and performed hand-signs in quick succession. "Katon! Housenka no jutsu!" The rain-nin shot to his feet and managed to dodge the balls of fire aimed at him. Kari shot out of firing range, her eyes locked on the enemy.
'Kita! Stay with Sakura!' Kari shot off the ground and her kunai rammed against the rain-nin's. He managed to push her away from him with her being so light and she landed on a thin branch.
"ARGH! HEY! SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF THIS!" Looking down, Kari saw the true Naruto all tied up, wriggling and shouting as only Naruto could.
"Naruto!" Kari cried, cutting him free with her kunai. "Are you ok?"
"Hai! I am now!" he said grinning stretching his arms. "Honestly, attacked while taking a pee, what next?" Kari smiled and shook her head, but then the sound of small explosions alerted her to the fact the the rain-nin was still there. She shot to her feet and ran in the direction of the battle in time to catch Sasuke as he fell.
"Here's where you fail, give me the scroll or you die!" the rain-nin cried, shoving Kari to the side and putting a kunai to Sasuke's neck.
"SASUKE-KUN!"
"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Naruto shouted throwing a kunai at the rain-nin. Kari back flipped out the way as Sasuke activated his Sharingan. He used his chakra to bring the kunai to his foot and kicked it at the rain-nin. Kari mentally shouted that she HAD to try that.
"ARE YOU OK?" Sakura cried.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE SAKURA! CHANCES ARE THIS GUY'S NOT ALONE! WATCH OUT! THE OTHERS COULD STRIKE ANY SECOND NOW!" Sasuke shouted as he kicked the guy in the chest pushing him away.
"I wish! I came alone so not to arouse suspicion, my mistake" he said weakly. He jumped away as Sasuke landed beside Kari.
"Do you hear anything?" Sasuke asked, his Sharingan eyes darting around the area.
"I can hear a pretty far distance, but his team-mates aren't around" Kari answered with a sigh. Naruto ran over with Sakura and Kita following close behind. Kita jumped into her lap as Sakura's eyes scanned her precious Sasuke for injuries.
"Geez, I guess this is serious dattebayo" Naruto said as he took a seat next to Kari.
Kari nodded, a little stirred at the sight of the rain-nin being stabbed like that. She had such a strange feeling in the pit of the stomach and came over all dizzy. She wasn't phobic over blood and it didn't really bother her, but… She shuddered as the scene replayed in her mind. It made her feel… excited.