Iruka guided them to rooms, where they could wash up and change. Karin got her own room, assuming her teammates did not show up later. Team Seven got a room to share. Two hours later Kakashi came to see them.

"What do you need to see Hokage-sama about?" he asked.

"We ran into Orochimaru in the forest," said Naruto, "and he tried to mark us."

"What!?" their sensei exclaimed. "Let me see."

"I said he tried to mark us, Sensei," said Naruto. "I escaped completely, mostly due to the Kyuubi, I think. I was able to remove the Snake's marks from Hinata-chan and Sasuke-kun, but had to patch a wound in their chakra networks with my chakra. It left a moon mark where Orochimaru's mark was trying to stabilize."

"Let me see," Kakashi repeated.

Kakashi examined Hinata and Sasuke. He motioned for Naruto to bare her neck as well. Naruto rolled her eyes, but did as he asked.

"What did the mark look like before you removed it?" asked Kakashi. "For that matter how did you remove it?"

"It looked like three tomoe in a circle," Naruto said, remembering what her clones had seen. "I removed it by absorbing the chakra out of it."

"You can do that?" asked Kakashi, surprised.

"It took me some time to figure out how to do it, but yes. I don't think I could do it in a fight, at least not at this point—maybe a Bijuu's chakra."

"You think you could absorb a Bijuu's chakra?" he asked, startled.

"I can instantly absorb any chakra I get from the Kyuubi, since it was split from what was essentially my predecessor. It could be because I'm used to it since it's been sealed in me since birth, but judging by what happened with that Zetsu creature, I think I could do it with any of them."

"Zetsu?" Kakashi said. "That creature you met after you'd been kidnapped?"

"Yes. It said it was Kaguya's offspring. The Kyuubi didn't recognize it, but I think it might have been made from Kaguya's chakra as a kind of servant or surrogate."

"Hmm," said Kakashi. "It's too bad we can't test this safely."

"You do know there are one or two other jinchuuriki in the exams, right?"

"You can't exactly go up to someone and ask if you can test out your immunity to their secret weapon, Dead Last," said Sasuke.

Naruto chuckled sheepishly.

"Very well," said Kakashi. "I'll pass along what you've told me. Hokage-sama will probably want to talk to you. I'd also expect a full medical examination to make sure that there aren't any hidden surprises."

Naruto groaned.

Several hours later, after a medical exam, Naruto and her teammates were brought into a room where the Hokage was waiting.

Naruto and her teammates explained about their encounter with Orochimaru. Naruto went on to explain how she had dealt with the cursed seals.

"Do you think you could remove one of Orochimaru's cursed seals that has been in place for a long time?" asked the Hokage.

"I think so," Naruto said. "The question is whether I could patch the chakra system after removing the seal. If the seal has integrated into the person's chakra system too much, it might leave a 'wound' too big for me to patch."

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you leaving a large amount of your chakra in someone, Naruto-kun," said the Hokage.

"I had to save Hinata-chan!" said Naruto. "She was really bad off—dying as far as I could tell. Plus, it's better than having Orochimaru's mark, isn't it? The chakra I left in them isn't 'programmed' to do anything."

"I'm not saying you did the wrong thing, Naruto-kun," said the Hokage. "But perhaps it would not be necessary with a skilled medic nin on hand.

"We do have a shinobi who has Orochimaru's cursed seal," the Hokage continued after a moment's thought. "She's never used it consciously, so perhaps you could remove it, if we had the proper backup on hand to heal any breach in her chakra system."

"I'd be happy to help, Jiichan," she said.

"You must have incredible chakra control to have manufactured a patch," said the Hokage. "I thought your chakra control was just getting decent."

"Well, as you know, it started off pretty bad," said Naruto. "But I've been getting lots better—especially since the Kyuubi stopped fighting me and I learned how to use Shadow Clones to practice chakra control. I think I can control my chakra as effectively as Hinata-chan now. Maybe a little better."

"You have Hyuuga-level chakra control with your size chakra reserves?" asked the Hokage incredulously. "At your age?"

"I've been practicing lots, Jiichan," she said. "Plus, my chakra just seems disposed to do what I want, since my kidnapping."

"I'm happy that you've improved so much, Naruto-kun."

"Me too, Jiichan," she said. "It feels good not to be the Dead Last anymore."

Sasuke snorted. "Just because you're skilled now, doesn't mean you're not still an idiot at times, Dead Last."

Naruto stuck out her tongue at him. "At least I know how to smile, Emo-chan."

Hinata rolled her eyes at them.

"Jiichan," Naruto said. "We met another Uzumaki. She's from Kusa, although I don't think she was born there. She doesn't want to go back. Can she stay here?"

The Hokage sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean, Naruto-chan, but if Kusa wants her back, we can't keep her without causing a major incident and likely losing our alliance."

"Her teammates are dead. Couldn't she just disappear?"

The Hokage sighed again. "I'll talk about it with you and her sometime after this stage of the exams is over, okay? I can't promise anything, but we'll see."

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Jiichan."

The next couple of days were relaxing, in a way. There weren't facilities to train, so there wasn't much to do other than read, talk, and rest. Kiba's team arrived shortly after they did, which meant that Sasuke hid in their rooms all day to avoid Sakura. This only intensified after Ino's team arrived the following day. Hinata's cousin's team arrived just before Team 10. Rather than deal with his glares, Hinata decide to keep Sasuke company. Karin also hid in her room, so that she would not be seen if anyone from Kusa showed up. Naruto took to wandering the tower when boredom drove her out of their room.

Naruto was surprised to see the green-haired Taki shinobi that she thought might be another jinchuuriki sitting by herself on a balcony overlooking the forest. She decided to approach her because she was curious about what being a Bijuu container was like in a different village.

"Hey," Naruto said. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. Do you mind if I sit with you?"

The Taki nin just shrugged. "I can't stop you."

This little one contains the Nanabi no Kabutomushi, Stepmother, said the Kyuubi.

"Are you excited for the next stage?" Naruto asked.

The Taki nin snorted. "I won't be advancing. My idiot teammates sent me ahead to get a scroll and one of them managed to get himself killed while I was gone. I'm going to get blamed for that, but I would have gotten in trouble too if I hadn't listened to them. Par for the course." She snorted again.

Naruto sighed. "I was hoping we were treated better elsewhere. It sounds like your life has been like mine was up until recently."

"What do you mean?" asked the other girl suspiciously.

Naruto smiled and bowed. "Number Seven, I'm Number Nine."

"Oh," she replied. "Chomei said there was something odd about you. It's weird that it didn't know that you were a jinchuuriki. It spotted the Ichibi container right away."

"Chomei?" Naruto asked.

"The Nanabi's name," the other replied. "Although it insists that I call it 'Lucky Number Seven.'"

"I'm told I have very potent chakra and a very good seal," Naruto explained. "That must be why Chomei didn't sense the Kyuubi."

"Chomei says you feel like its mother-grandmother, if you can believe it," said the Taki nin.

"The Kyuubi said something similar," Naruto smiled, "but I'm only twelve. It's not possible."

"Do you know what they mean?" she asked.

Naruto sighed. "The Kyuubi thinks that I'm the transmigration of someone called Outsutsuki Kaguya. Chomei can tell you about her. I'd rather not talk about her as I'm not going to end up like she did."

"Chomei says you look like her too."

"Are you going to be alright back in Taki?" asked Naruto to change the subject.

She sighed. "I'll manage. Our village leader, Shibuki, looks on me like a little sister. He's a bit of a coward, but he manages to shield me from most of the real trouble. It's just that the glares and mutterings get to me."

"I know what you mean," said Naruto. "The Hokage treats me like a granddaughter, but few others treated me well until my team did."

The other girl snorted. "At least your team is there for you. Mine treats me like an ill-favored tool."

Naruto heard her stomach growl and looked at the sun's position. "It's lunch time. Do you want to go with me?"

"I'd like that, Naruto" the other girl said. "My name's Fuu."

"Nice to meet you, Fuu."

As they walked toward the cafeteria, Naruto asked the Kyuubi, I assume you have a name, Kyuubi. Why haven't you told it to me?

My name is personal, Stepmother, the Kyuubi said softly. I may tell you later, but not now.