BURN
"And she's still alive?" asked a bemused kakashi.
"yes." Was all he said not even turning his head to look at his friend.
"So let me get this strait, you not only let a potential enemy live but brought her back with you?" it wasn't accusatory just simple astonishment at the other Nin's actions.
"As I've already said she was no longer a threat to the mission, even less so with the death of Gato and Zabuza. As for bringing her back with us that was Kiba's decision and he was rather adamant about not leaving her there." He had been explaining his mission to wave for almost an hour now and the fact the Kakashi kept questioning him on the same point was starting to get on his nerves. "I thought you would be happy or something, this seems very much like something you would have done in my situation, but if you prefer I could always rectify the situation and kill the girl."
"No, no that's fine. It's just a little shocking is all. After all this is the first time I've ever heard of you leaving an enemy alive. Just worried that maybe you were losing your edge was all." He joked.
Naruto just shook his head and continued to look up at the night sky. "I think I've been spending too much time around you, I'm actually starting to understand your jokes, even if there not funny."
"Oh my, was that some kind of witty comeback? Than yes I would have to say you have been spending far too much time around me. Perhaps I should arrange for some different company, maybe Anko would be willing to offer her services." Kakashi laughed at the visible shiver that went down Naruto's spine.
"I believe I told you to never joke about that woman, I've seen a lot in my life but she scares even me." It was a long running joke for Kakashi. Almost a year ago she had seen him in a fight first hand and, well given her personality; she had developed what kakashi had gracefully called a schoolgirl crush on him. And well what Anko wants she has a habit of getting, usually in very unorthodox and painful ways. Suffice it to say Naruto had only just been able to escape her plan to trap him in her apartment and ever since he had adapted what most would call a healthy paranoia about anything to do with her.
"As I can see you're now properly thankful that you have such charming friends as myself I'll take my leave of you now, but remember everyone's getting together tomorrow, and with the chunin exams just around the corner I'm sure the conversation will be engaging." And with a wave of his hand and one of his little eye smiles he disappeared into the night.
XXXXXX
"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?" asked a slightly confused Kakashi.
"Ah, Kakashi and only half an hour late, I'm honoured." Greeted an amused Sarutobi.
"About that, you see there was this little old lady and well one thing lead to another and somehow I found myself locked in someone's basement, thankfully I was able to extricate myself but alas I was already so far behind schedule that this was the earliest I was able to get here." He explained with a straight face.
"right." Said the Hokage incredulously. "In any case I called you here just to ask a few questions, specifically about a mutual acquaintance of ours."
Now that kakashi knew what this meeting was about his back straightened a bit and he took up a more professional manner. "I assume that this mutual acquaintance would be Naruto correct?" he asked.
"Yes, and before you get all defensive I assure you he's not in any trouble. I just wanted to know your opinion of his mental state now that he's been working as a genin sensei. After all I may be his kage but you are still the closest thing he has to a friend, and I would imagine he's far more open with you than he is with me."Answered the Hokage in a reassuring voice.
Kakashi visibly relaxed. "Of course Hokage-sama. And in answer to your question I would have to say that this was the best idea you've had in some time. Er, what I mean is it was one of many excellent ideas you've come up with. He much more talkative now, he's even starting to understand some basic emotions, even if he doesn't really feel them himself."
The Hokage let out a visible sigh of relief. "That's good to hear Kakashi. To be honest I had my doubts that this would work but if what you say is true than it seems my fears were misplaced."
"I'm glad to hear that sir. But if there's nothing else." Said kakashi.
"Oh, yes, your dismissed kakashi." He dismissed the jounin with a wave of his hand all the while never losing the smile smile that had found itself on his face.
XXXXXX
Despite the unusual events of their latest mission the next day found things had not changed as much as they had though. Other than the fact that they now had an extra sparing partner, their training schedule had not changed.
"So this is how you train all the time?" asked an inquisitive and slightly winded Haku.
"Yha, Naruto-sensei is a real slave driver." Mumbled kiba from his position lying on the ground where he had all but passed out.
Haku just smiled at her new precious person. "Look at it this way. You can be sure none of the other genin teams are being pushed this hard so you're bound to be much stronger than your peers." She said encouragingly, though even as she said that her mind wondered back to her training under her late master and how he had pushed her just as hard during her own training.
"I guess you have a point there. And it would be nice to show the rest of them just how strong I've gotten." Said Kiba as he struggled to his feet.
"I'm sure they'll all be impressed, but it's getting late and you look like you might fall asleep on the walk home." Said Haku with a bit of concern in her voice.
"I guess, not to mention we have training again tomorrow." He agreed. "So I'll see you again tomorrow then?"
"Of course, it's ... fun training with you," both Kiba and Haku blushed at that, though Haku's was much less noticeable. "I mean it fun to be able to train with you and your team, and there aren't many other people who train at the same level I'm use to for that matter." She quickly said trying to cover up her earlier slip.
Kiba could only shake his head. Personally he thought their sensei was an insane workaholic but if the girl said she liked training at this level then so be it. "Well then I'll see you tomorrow." He said with a wave of his hand and started to walk down the road toward the part of the village that held the clan compounds.
Haku just stood there and waved back until he was out of sight. She then turned back toward the forest that encircled the training area. "I know your there." She called out.
"Of course you do, but the fact that I'm not even trying to hide my presence makes your accomplishment rather moot." Was the reply she got as the silver haired man walked out of the trees to stand only a few feet from her.
In all honesty after spending some time around the man she still wasn't sure what to think of him. On one hand he had spared her life and even brought her back to the village with him, on the other she knew she was scared of him. It wasn't even the power he controlled, though she would be lying if she said that that wasn't part of it. It was also the way he acted, he was cold and ruthless even when there was no need to be. It also become obvious just from talking to him he either had no emotions or had suppressed them to such an existent that they may as well not of existed in the first place. And all that together lead her to the conclusion that if for whatever reason he ever felt she had became a risk that he would not hesitate to kill her or anything else for that matter. "Well then obviously there was something you wanted to see me about then, or else you would not have shown yourself." She said a little more coolly then she had planned, but it seemed that the jounin in front of her paid it no mind.
"You're correct. I simply wanted to warn you, that while I understand why you have decided to ... attach yourself to my team that I will not hesitate to remove any ... threats that happen to reveal themselves. And I assure you I am more than confidant in my skills to handle said threats." He said all of this evenly without even a hint of a threat in his tone.
"I see, and I can assure you that I mean no harm to either you, your team or this village." Was he quick reply.
"I'm glad to hear that, and I suggest you keep this conversation in mind for the future, because this is your one and only warning." And with that he disappeared back into the woods and this time even as she strained all her senses she could not detect even a hint of his presence.
XXXXXX
It was almost becoming routine now and truthfully Naruto was almost starting to enjoy meeting with Kakashi and the other jounin sensei's. Almost, Kakashi still had to drag him along and he was sure that the others were still a little unnerved by him, but seeing as how he was still somewhat uncomfortable around them he wasn't going to hold it against them.
"So the chunin exams are coming up soon, right?" asked Kakashi, knowing full well that they were. "Any of you thinking about entering you team's?"
"Honestly Kakashi, they've only been genin for a few months now. You can't honestly think that any of them are ready for something like the exams." Scolded an annoyed Kurani.
"Now, now Kurani-chan don't go speaking for the rest, besides just because you don't think they'll win is no reason not to enter them." Said Kakashi in his I-know-everything voice. Kurani just huffed and looked away from the one-eyed man.
As usual Naruto just sat there for the most part sipping his sake. However he felt duty bound to help out one of the few people he felt he might be able to call a friend. "Well I can't speak for the rest of you; but I plan on nominating my genin for the exam. Even if they don't pass it will still provide them with more real life experience, something no amount of training can do." He stated simply before returning his attention back to his drink.
"But people die in these exams all the time! Don't you think you might be pushing your team too hard, they only have a few months experience under their belts after all." Exclaimed Kurani levelling a glare she normally reserved for Kakashi at him.
"Ninja die all the time out in the field as well, far better for them to gain experience in a somewhat controlled environment then out there where the is no proctor to save them. Besides the simple fact is as ninja we need to understand that sooner or later were all going to die, if the only thing they learn from this exam is that then that's enough for me." Responded the short sliver haired jounin in his usual monotone.
Kurani looked shocked and the rest were not much better. Sure they all understood that this was something all ninja had to learn but to force the lesson on a bunch of green genin was still a bit much.
"Don't you think that putting the lives of your genin at risk is a bit too much just to teach them a lesson?" almost shouted Kurani
"I'm confident that they can survive whatever the exam might throw at them." Was his simple response.
Once again Kurani was at a loss for words and simply huffed and turned her attention over two the other two genin senseis. "Well?"
Both Asuma and Gui just shared a look before Asuma asked "Well what?" in confusion.
She stared at him in annoyance. "Well are you going to enter your genin or not?" she asked.
"Oh ah that ... well ... ah ... you see it's just that Naruto-san does have a point and well I might of already told them that I was going to enter them." He flinched at the end expecting a slap to the back of his head from his off again on again girlfriend. When no hit came he looked up to see the one thing he was hoping to avoid. There she was just sitting there giving him a heated glare and at the moment he knew that he was not getting laid again anytime in the near future.
Kakashi almost laughed when he saw the silent message pass between the incensed kononichi and the chain smoking jounin sitting across from him. Unfortunately that was not to last, as if sensing his 'eternal rival's' amusement Gui seemed to feel the need to ruin it by speaking.
"Yosh I see now that it is time to let my genin enjoy their spring time of youth by letting them participate in this most youthful of contests. Now you will all be able to see how brightly the flames of youth will shine in my most youthful students. In fact if they do not make chunin then I will do 500 push ups, and if I cannot do that I will run around the village ten times on my hands, and if I cannot." He was quickly silenced from when he noticed that none of the other were even paying attention to him.
"Well then Kurani-chan it seems that your team will be the only ones not participating this year." Said a smug Kakashi.
Kurani just slammed her head on the table, before getting up putting a wad of bills on the table and turned to leave all the while grumbling something about all men being morons, or something to that effect anyway.
Kakashi just watched her as she left before turning to the others. "Well it looks like all the rookie teams will be participating this year.
XXXXXX
Once again training had been brutal for all of them. Though recently it seemed that their sensei had been pushing them harder than normal, it had reminded all of them of their first week under him.
"Uhg, I can't feel my arms." Whined Kiba who had been swinging his sword in different kates for the past three hours.
"Stop complaining Kiba, I'm too tired to even walk over there and shut you up." Said Sakura who had all but passed out on the ground.
Sasuke too was felling the after affects of the days training, but unlike his two team mates he had no desire to vocalize his complaints.
"Well done all of you." came the emotionless voice from behind them. "In fact seeing as how you have all progressed so far from when you first started I've decided that you all deserve ..." he paused to consider his wording. "A reward."
Now that had caught all of their attentions. Just getting the man to praise them was almost imposable, but to actually get a reward? Now that had never happened before and to be honest it put all of them on edge. Especially seeing as how none of them knew just what the man would consider a reward, for all they knew it might be an increase in their training regime.
Seeing the looks of trepidation on the faces of his genin actual brought a small smile to his face. It was small and only lasted a split second but he found that in that split second he had felt something he had not felt very often, amusement. As such he made a note to mess with them more often, after all it was not every day he found something that amused him outside of a good fight. "As I was saying, due to the progress you have all made I have nominated you all to participate in the upcoming chunin exams." He watched as the looks of trepidation turned to ones of relief then curiosity then finally excitement. "They'll be held in three day's at the academy. I would suggest you rest up until then." And with that he handed them there entrance papers and walked back off toward the town.
More than a few minutes passed in silence as all three genin stared down at the slips of paper in their hands, however as always the silence was not to last.
"Hell yha Akamaru. Now we can show everyone just how awesome we really are!" yelled an excited Kiba.
The sudden noise of their teammate brought the other two genin out of their stupors, and although neither one voiced their opinion as loud as Kiba it was easy to tell that they were all excited by the prospect of participating in something like the chunin exams.
XXXXXX
The next three days went by quickly for the three hopeful chunin and soon they all found themselves standing outside of their old academy.
"So you guys ready to kick some ass?" asked an excited Kiba, Akamaru piping in with some loud yips.
Both Sasuke and Sakura just rolled their eyes at their friend's enthusiasm. Though, even if they didn't show it they were both silently agreeing with the obnoxious teammate.
"Eh you two are no fun, now let's go before were late." Said a dejected kiba as he hefted his massive sword onto his shoulder and started to walk toward the front doors to the academy.
"Whatever you say dog breathe, just be sure you don't accidently cut someone's head off on the way." Quipped Sasuke as he and his female teammate flowed a safe distance behind.
"Honestly it happened once, just one time and still you won't let me hear the end about it. Besides unless I'm mistaken you head is still firmly attached to your shoulders, so no harm no foul." Said a rather annoyed Kiba as he continued to march up the stairs that would lead them to the exam room.
However whatever retort Sasuke was going to say died in his through as he felt the subtle effect of a Genjutsu take hold in his chakra system. Looking to both his team mates who had stopped as well he saw that they too had noticed that they were now under some kind of illusion. "Just play it cool for now, It might be part of the exam or something. Just keep any eye out for anything odd and play along." He ordered.
Both just nodded and continued to climb the stairs to what seemed like the third floor. Instantly all three knew the situation, someone hap put up a Genjutsu over the signs so it seemed that they were on the third floor instead of the second.
"Look at all those morons, even I could make a better Genjutsu than that." scoffed kiba as he pointed to a large group of people standing outside a door marked 301.
"Shut up you moron, the more people down here the less competition in the rest exam." Whispered Sasuke, as he looked out over the crowd of genin. "Now let's keep going I don't want to attract their attention." And with that all three of them quietly slipped passed the assembled genin and up the stairs to the third floor.
XXXXXX
The first part of the exam had been almost too easy once they had figured out that they were suppose to cheat, well for Sasuke and Kiba anyway Sakura had been able to answer most of the questions on her own. In any case the three of them now found themselves standing outside of a large forest surrounded by a tall fence topped with razor-wire.
"All right gaki's listed up!" Yelled the proctor for this part of the exam. "Just encase some of you dimwits have forgotten I'm Anko Mitarashi proctor for this part of the exam! And this lovely patch of hell on earth behind me is training ground 44 also known as 'the forest of death'! Over the next five days you're all going to be calling it home. Anyways the next part of the exam is simple, each team will either be given a heaven or earth scroll, all you have to do to pass is show up at the tower in the center of the forest with one of each! How you get the other scroll is up to you." she finish with a shrug of her shoulder indicating she really didn't care how they got them. "As for rules, there really aren't any. Just don't open the scrolls until you're in the tower, there's a time limit of five days and you need every one on your team still in one piece to pass, other than that you little snots can do whatever the hell you feel like. Now any questions?" the killer intent she was giving off was enough to dissuade even the most hardened shinobi to think twice about raising their hands. "No questions? Good. Now I'll be handing out a waiver, don't bother reading them all they say is that if you end up a bunch of red smears on the forest floor I can't be held accountable. Anyway once you're done with that take them to that tent over there and exchange them for you scroll after that go pick a gate and wait for the signal. You get all that? Good, now hurry the hell up!" she yelled
"I'm not sure if I should be scared or turned on." Whispered Kiba to his teammates.
Sasuke just rolled his eyes at his horndog of a teammate. Sakura however decided to display her disgust in a more physical manner; as such Kiba soon found himself laying face down on the ground with a large lump on his head.
XXXXXX
It had only taken a few hours for them to come across their first opponent. Luckily not only was he alone but he was also horrible at the henge. Unfortunately he didn't have a scroll on him.
"gezz what a moron. I mean what kind of loser can't even do a prober henge" Commented Kiba as they ran through the trees at a brisk pace.
"This coming from the guy who got suckered by a simple Genjutsu." Said Sasuke, commenting on the fact that said Nin had cast a Genjutsu on Kiba when he went off to use the bathroom.
"Hay that could of happen to anyone!" yelled an indigent Kiba.
Sasuke just responded with a "Hn" before increasing his pace slightly to take point.
However they were soon interrupted by a powerful blast of wind that had the unfortunate side effect of blowing Kiba off their branch and off into the forest underbrush.
"What was that?" asked a confused Sakura.
"I don't know but be on guard." Said Sasuke as he activated his sharingan and started to search their surrounding for any enemy Nin.
"gezze what the hell hit me?!" yelled a confused Kiba as he stumbled out from the underbrush by his two team mates. However he was soon cut off by a number of shrunken thrown at him by Sasuke. "Hay what the hell?!"
"At least you can do a proper henge but you forgot about Akamaru." Said a calm Sasuke.
"Kukuku, I see I can't get anything past your eyes can I Sasuke-kun?" chuckled the fake Kiba.
Sasuke just snorted at the other shinobi. "Whatever, I can tell your alone so surrender your scroll now and we won't kill you."
"Oh this?" he questioned as he pulled out an earth scroll. "Well why don't you come and get it." and with that he leaned his head back and swallowed the scroll whole.
Both Sasuke and sakura where stuck on the spot just from watching the weird shnobi literally eat his scroll.
"Oh what's this, are you shy Sasuke-kun? Well in that case..." he blurred out of sight before reappearing in front of Sasuke. "I'll introduce myself first." And with that he landed a devastating blow to Sasuke's gut that sent him flying back into one of the many trees that made up the forest of death. "tut tut Sasuke-kun I was expected much better from the deposed Uchiha genius
Sasuke just grunted before regaining his composure. "Sakura stay back and act as support, I'll handle this guy." And with that he activated his sharingan he started throwing punches and kick at the fake kiba.
"Kukuku. Yes that's more like it Sasuke-kun. Unfortunately as you are no you are no threat to me." He said as he effortlessly dodged all of Sasuke's punches. "However if that's all you have to show mw I'm afraid that I simply have no use for you." and with that he once again landed a palm thrust into the young Uchiha's sternum knocking him to the ground.
Glaring up with increasing anger in his eyes Sasuke quickly jumped back and ran through a number of handseals before shouting out "Fire style: Immortal phoenix fir" and out of his mouth six medium sized fire balls shot toward the surprised nin.
However in the blink of an eye the other nin flew through a number of handseals and a large wall of water shot up from the ground and extinguished all the fiery balls that were headed his way.
However just as the fake kiba was about to gloat once again a number of impossibly thin wires started to dig into his skin and in the matter of a few seconds he had been pinned to one of the trees directly behind him.
"Not so smug now are you." said a winded Sasuke, and with his opponent helplessly tied to a tree Sasuke ran through the handseals for his favourite jutsu "Fire style: Grand fireball." And with that a large ball of fire impacted the tied up Nin and burned hard enough to all but melt the wires holding up the other Nin.
With a tiered but satisfied smile he cancelled the jutsu when the screaming of the other nin had ceased. However as he approached the body of the dead Nin but to his horror it quickly dissolved to mud.
"oh yes very impressive, in fact you have surpassed all my expectations and for that I think you deserve a present." As Sasuke looked to the owner of the voice his blood ran cold. Early in their training their sensei had given each of them their own bingo book and he had taken to memorizing the information on all the S-rank missing Nin (especially on his brother). As such he now knew that he was absolutely fucked.
"Oh is that recognition I see in your eye's Sasuke-kun?" asked a cheerful Orochimaru. "I'm glad to see that even among the new generation my name still instils such fear. But as I was saying you have impressed me enough to give you a very special present." However before he was able to do anything a large sword cam hurtling out of the trees and imbedded itself in the tree when the snake sanin had previously been standing.
"Hell yha I finally got that to work!" yelled an excited Kiba from his position from on top of the blade.
"Kiba what the hell are you doing? Don't you know who that is? We need to get out of here!" yelled Sasuke.
"And they called me an idiot. You really thing this guys just going to let us go?" asked Kiba incredulously.
As much as he hated to say it Kiba was right, it was obvious that the sanin was here for something and it was unlikely that if that something involved them then the man wasn't just going to let them runaway. "Fine, but if were even going to survive this then we're all going to have to work together."
"Oh and do you really think that I'm going to let you do that in the first place?" asked orochimaru who in a burst of speed had appeared behind their pink haired teammate.
"Sakura!" both boys yelled out but it was too late, with a quick hit to the back of her head she was out like a light.
Jumping down Kiba quickly wrenched his sword from the tree and made a mad dash to their down teammate. However it was only his training with Naruto-sensei that he was able to sense the sword strike that had been aimed at his abdomen.
There standing in front of him was a slightly surprised Orochimaru, a long double sided sword in his hand. "My, a mere genin being able to block my blade, how unusual." Was all he said before lazily swinging his sword at Kiba's head forcing the younger Nin onto the defensive. "But do you really think that you stand any chance against me?" he asked slowly increasing the speed he swung his sword at until finally it was all Kiba could do to keep all his limbs.
"You know it's so rare that I come across someone who can give me a proper challenge in a sword fight it's almost a shame to have to end this so quickly, but alas I do have a prior engagement to see to so I'm afraid I'm going to have to end this now." And with a burst of speed and power Orochimaru broke through Kiba's guard and deliver a devastating slash from his right shoulder to his left hip, not deep enough to kill but more than enough to but the dog Nin out of action.
The snake-sanin once again turned his attention to the sharingan user. "Now that there are no other distractions to worry about we can finally get down to business?" said Orochimaru with a grin on his face.
He was screwed, and he knew it. He may have been confident in his skills but he wasn't stupid. There was no way he was going to win. Hell the only reason he and his teammates had even lasted this long was because the bastered had been playing with them. Well if he was going to die then he was going to do it like a true shinobi. After all he de dammed if he was going to run from a fight like he had when he had run from Itachi all those years ago. So sliding in to his fighting stance once more he waited for the other Nin to make his move.
"Ah still up for more are we Sasuke? Unfortunately I am pressed for time so I'm afraid I won't be able to play with you anymore." As he said this Sasuke's eyes widened as the Nin in front of him crumbled into a pile of mud. However he did not have long to be surprised as almost as soon as he mud clone in front of him disappeared a sharp pain was felt in his neck and soon his entire world became pain.
But just as the blackness of unconsciousness was about to take him he could faintly hear the voice of the man who had just bitten him.
"This is but a taste of the power I can offer you Sasuke-kun. And if you survive then fell free to seek me out and I will unlock all of your potential." And with that the darkness overcame him fully and he knew no more.
XXXXXX
A/N
Just a few things, firstly I'm sorry it took so long to get this out but what are you going to do sometimes inspiration is hard to come by. Also tell me what you think of this chapter, personally I'm not that happy with the fight between orochimaru and team 7 but i needed to get this thing out.
Lastly next chapter will hopefully be the rest of the chunin exams as well as the invasion. After that all I have to do is get Tsunade back and then it's on to the original stuff. So just be patient I do my best work when I get to stuff I don't have to worry about trying to follow canon about.
Anyways that's it for now so till next time.