Chapter 13: What Are They Feeding The Bears In Here?
Zabuza Momochi let out a rough sigh as he looked at the clock for the eighth time in the last ten minutes. The exam had barely started an hour ago and he was already bored out of his mind. He was the Kami damned Demon of the Mist! He was supposed to be out there beheading bingo book targets, not babysitting brats. Knowing Mei though, she'd have him taking care of actual babies next if he pissed her off again.
A dull thud drew his attention to his immediate left where a beer can had been placed at arms reach.
"Alright there Jonin-san?"
A Konoha jonin was standing nearby, smiling down at where he sat. A very recognizable, one-eyed jonin.
"Copy Kakashi, what do you want?"
"Ma, ma, is it wrong to share a drink with a fellow jonin?" he said cheerily, taking the seat across from him much to his annoyance. "Besides, if you keep staring at the clock it might actually stop moving."
Zabuza just responded with a grunt, opening the beer and taking a swig. Passable. Not poisoned of course.
"You know we were pretty surprised to see you as the sensei coming with the Kiri squad. Not just because last I heard you were a missing nin."
Zabuza let out a sound that was closer to a growl than anything.
"What of it?"
"Just wondering what you must have done to piss off the Mizukage so much she made you a babysitter."
He couldn't help laughing at that. Trust the guy with one visible eye to see right through him. Ao was a bastard like that too.
"Hah, enough. After this nonsense is over it's back to business. Why are you stuck with brats?"
It was a genuine question. Hatake Kakashi was one of the strongest shinobi Konoha had. No matter how he looked at it, having him as a sensei was just a waste of resources.
"It's a Konoha mindset, you wouldn't understand," Kakashi said with a shrug.
This mother-
"Would you two give it a rest?" A red eyed, irritated genjutsu specialist joined them, her eyes lingering on Zabuza before resting on Kakashi. "Stop causing trouble, Kakashi."
"Peace, Kurenai!" The booming voice was none other than the passionate leader of Team Nine. "There's no harm with friendly banter. Especially if it leads to a youthful challenge!"
"Did someone say challenge?" said another one. The Hokage's son. "I've got some extra cash from my last mission and I'm in a betting mood today! We haven't even talked about bets for who makes it through the forest."
Zabuza had to force himself from reacting as he was surrounded and consequently included in this friend group's hang out. Somehow he couldn't help but feel like this was all part of Mei's plan to torture him.
If so it was working.
Suddenly, every person in the room stilled as a small tremor passed under their feet.
"Everyone felt that, right?" Asuna asked in confusion. Zabuza just frowned.
What the hell was going on in that forest?
Xxx
Back in the Forest of Death, the two boys of Team Seven extricated themselves from a large amount of upturned dirt, rock, and tree roots that used to be the fairly spacious clearing they'd been fighting the snake sannin.
Their third member stood amidst it all in a sizable crater, specks of dirt and rock still falling from the hand she used to destroy the area, her tail idly sweeping from side to side. As they approached, Naruto was the first to speak.
"Ah… Sakura… in your hand…"
The pinkette blinked before raising her still clenched fist to eye level, bringing with it what could only be described as an Orochimaru rubber mask, complete with hair, with an expression of abject horror on it. It sagged as she gave it a small shake, making a disturbing flapping sound as it moved around.
"Tsk, he got away," she tutted. Scowling at the shed head, she tossed it aside without a second glance.
"Oh man, that is not going to leave my mind for a while," Naruto said with a shudder.
"Sakura, are you feeling… okay?" Sasuke asked hesitantly. He knew better than anyone what it was like to have the curse seal messing with your mind, and Sakura was way, way too strong like this to not have him worried.
"Pretty good actually," she said, looking at her hands in interest. "Wait… maybe not so good."
Her body suddenly began to revert to its original form, natural colors returning, the tail receding, and the rocky spines actually dropping off altogether, becoming granular dust that dispersed in the air before even reaching the ground.
Sasuke caught her before she dropped more than an inch, grunting in spite of himself as he took on her dead weight.
Kami she's heavy. I didn't realize she was built so solidly, you'd never guess from how she looks.
"Naruto, scout the area for a place we can rest. Let's give this place some distance," he added, hoisting the girl up. The blonde nodded only to go wide eyed as the shifting fabric of Sakura's sleeveless dress revealed a troubling matter. Sasuke noticed the expression immediately. "What?"
"Tail ripped her shorts and uh…"
"Tie up her dress so it won't show anything while we move," he said with a sigh. "Relax, she won't kill you."
Probably.
Task done, Team Seven relocated deeper into the forest, moving quickly and quietly for nearly twenty minutes before Naruto signaled them to stop.
"There isn't much around here, we should be good."
The two set up a small camp contained in the gnarled roots of one of the massive trees. Sakura was still unconscious, but seemed to be sleeping more than anything. Sasuke and Naruto sat across from one another with a pack of dried meat between them. Silence stretched for some time.
"So…"
Sasuke looked up from the kunai he'd been fiddling with an apprehensive looking Naruto.
"You're probably wondering what all that red chakra from earlier was about," he said slowly.
"…It crossed my mind once or twice," Sasuke said with a small nod. "Did you want to talk about it?"
"I… yeah." Naruto drew a deep breath to steady himself before forging ahead. "You know how we were talking about Jinchuriki before? I, uh, I'm Konoha's."
Silence.
Sasuke just stared, unable to say anything.
He really told me.
Being a Jinchuriki had always weighed heavy on Naruto's shoulders. Though over time they'd all found out one way or another, it was never by his choosing. Being the host of the Kyuubi truly was Naruto's darkest secret in so many ways. And he just… told him.
A thick feeling of disgust boiled up from within his gut. When all was said and done, he'd barely made much effort to do things differently this time around. Mainly he just had a different state of mind. One where he simply enjoyed being with his team. With his family. He made peace with his past mistakes and did what he could to be better, but to see the world of difference such a small thing could accomplish in front of him…
How could I have been so blind? So foolish!
"Y-Yeah, I know it's probably pretty shocking-"
"Naruto."
The seriousness of his voice nearly caused the blonde to start. He watched with no small amount of nervousness as Sasuke cleared his throat and gave him a half smile.
"I am glad we are friends."
Slowly, Naruto's expression softened and matched him grin for grin.
"Besides, I've known for years."
"WHAT!?"
Xxx Elsewhere xxx
The sole team of genin from the Sound village moved slowly through the thick undergrowth of the forest. They'd been tree hopping recently, but it appeared the upper levels of this section of the forest were home to a vast number of giant spiders that didn't like being near the ground. You know, because of all the other horrible stuff that lived there and liked to eat spiders.
"This place fucking sucks," said Zaku, blasting away another bramble filled shrub with an outstretched hand.
"Still better than the base," Kin grumbled.
"Don't you ever get tired of complaining?" Dosu asked automatically, not even looking back at the two who afollowed him. "We have a mission to complete, it's as simple as that."
"Well then, great leader, could you point us in the direction of the Uchiha?" Zaku snarled sarcastically. "And not one of those monster bears?"
Because hadn't that sucked when they stumbled onto a sleeping one.
"He is presently in that direction, though they will likely move soon."
The three genin froze, guts sinking to the depths of the ocean as they instantly recognized the voice now speaking. Turning as one, they found themselves face to face with their leader, standing there as if he'd been walking with them all along. They stared. And stared.
"O-Orochimaru-sama," Kin stammered out. "Which way?"
Calmly the Sannin pointed, getting a hasty bow and thank you out of her and Dosu who jumped at the chance to avert their gaze naturally. Zaku on the other hand couldn't hold it any longer.
"Why are you bald?"
Xxx
"So you've been learning how to use a sword on your own this whole time?"
"Mostly on my own, yeah. It's pretty useful."
"I'll say, you should give me some tips sometime."
"Sure, you taught me the clone after all."
Naruto and Sasuke paused as Sakura shifted in her sleep, sparing her a glance each.
"We shouldn't just sit around," Naruto said with a sigh. "I've got clones all over, but we can't rely on them for everything."
"We actually could," Sasuke said, drawing a chuckle from the blonde, "but I agree. Can I leave you to keep Sakura safe?"
It was less of a question of his ability, and more asking about going out on his own.
"Of course. Let me update you before you go."
A few minutes was dedicated to creating and dismissing clones, one to get the message to all the scouting clones, then a series of updates as each did the same, before he briefly relayed general location and status of each team that had been found and was presently being tracked.
In other words, all of them.
Sasuke took a few seconds to make sure he was all together, before nodding and vanishing in a shunshin.
"Damn this team is cool," Naruto mused, leaning back on his arms. He was feeling great, mainly because talking to Sasuke about his being a jinchuriki had gone so well. Now he'd see what Sakura thought as well, but a part of him just couldn't be worried anymore. Before it felt impossible that anyone could take the news well. No matter what the evidence, it just didn't seem real. That notion had been completely shattered by Sasuke, and he couldn't be more grateful.
"Now we wait."
If anyone were to be asked, they'd probably say that Naruto couldn't sit still or pay attention to one thing for very long. This actually couldn't be further from the truth. When you could multitask like he could, then you simply just paid attention to everything. He could comfortably relax because there were dozens of him still doing stuff at the same time.
Besides, he could always just hang out with his favorite furry friend if he really got bored.
Xxx
Sasuke moved through the forest at a speed no genin or chunin could follow. From what Naruto had just relayed to him, the team he was currently making a beeline to was not faring too well. Karin was a force to be reckoned with when she'd been a part of his team, but by her own admission years later the chunin exams had nearly been her death several times over, the time he'd saved her notwithstanding.
Naruto was tracking the team, but he wouldn't step in for anyone he didn't know if they were in danger. Heck, this Naruto was probably sooner to take out a team if he thought it was a good idea. He could make serious decisions if needed, and was surprisingly strategic when pressed.
He'll wonder why I went for this team but that's easy enough to explain away. Besides, the moment he realizes she's an Uzumaki, Kusa will probably have to bring an actual army to take her away.
When he'd known her, and years later, Karin hadn't ever really been interested in connecting with his blonde friend. Her heart had already closed to such a thing in her life taking root. After everything she experienced, there was no reason to try and be someone she once was. Now, Sasuke couldn't help but want to give her the chance she never had.
The chance that he somehow did get.
It was near dark when he finally caught up to Karin's team. They'd been cutting a zigzag path through the forest, pushed and pulled by random dangers. The three members were crowded around a small campfire that was fairly well concealed from the surrounding area. He could make out the raised voices of angry boys. Her teammates were arguing.
"Hey, Sasuke."
He didn't react as Naruto dropped onto the branch next to him.
"Hey."
"Didn't think you'd head out this way," the clone said, the question clear in his voice.
"Something I wanted to investigate, not mission related. I'll tell you about it later," Sasuke added, getting a shrug out of the blonde.
"Sure, need help?"
"Just info. What can you tell me about these three?" he asked.
"They're not that good," Naruto said with a weak half grin. "The guys keep arguing but both boss the girl around and the team leader is a dick. Asshole even bit her once and she didn't do a thing about it. I feel kinda bad about it but I doubt they'll make it another day. There's a big ass bear in the area that's already killed a team. Oh and they have the same scroll we started with, otherwise I would have taken it."
"Alright, I'll take over for this group then, they won't be around for much longer. Move closer to the tower?"
"That's fine, it's been a dull day here," he agreed. "See ya."
With that the blonde leaped from the branch and faded into the darkness. The Kusa team was still oblivious to his presence, and still arguing from the sound of it. Karin appeared to be trying to sleep but even at this distance his sharingan could make out the tense expression in her face as she stared into the night.
Letting out the smallest of breaths, the young Uchiha settled down for a rest, knowing his goal was now in sight. All he had to do was be patient.
Xxx
Naruto let out a contemplative hum as the memories of a clone rejoined his mind. Sasuke was watching the Kusa team? What was he looking into, he wondered. He was satisfied with the call the clone made though. It was him after all, why wouldn't he be?
Now he was presently getting water from a nearby source at the request of a finally conscious Sakura who also wanted some privacy to fix her wardrobe malfunction, much to her irritated embarrassment. Fortunately she hadn't taken a swing at him for getting an eyeful earlier but the way she glared at him when he returned with the water clearly said he was on thin ice in that regard.
I know this Sakura is a thousand times better than the other one but Kami she's that many times scarier too.
"Got the water," he said, unnecessarily announcing his arrival.
"Thanks, now come eat."
Rations from a storage seal. Definitely not his favorite but more than enough to meet their needs. It would only be a few days at most anyway.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, joining her at their light source, a small stick that glowed when bent and shaken. They didn't need much light to operate, so it was enough, even in such a dark place like the Forest of Death.
"Better. Really," she added, not even needing to look up to see his skeptical face. "The seal shouldn't be a problem. It's just chakra after all."
My whole clan just rolled over in their graves. Seals are just chakra, what a statement.
"Yeah, but…"
She'd said as much earlier and he believed her just as little now as he did then. He'd seen what the thing did to Sasuke, though admittedly the other Sasuke was not really in control of… anything.
"Naruto, if I promise to let Kakashi-sensei take a look at it when we finish this will you let it go?"
"Yeah, I will," he said, relieved. Kakashi knew the danger from that seal. The more eyes on her for it the better. "I'm sorry Sakura, I'm just…"
"I know, I'm glad I have such a good teammate to look out for me," she said with a warm smile. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed in spite of himself. "Anyway, you said you wanted to tell me something?"
"Oh, yeah…" Naruto cleared his throat, pushing ahead and remembering what had happened earlier. "When you, uh, woke up," he made a face at the lack of a better phrase, "I was using some red chakra, I'm not sure if you noticed."
"I did."
Of course.
"I looked like that because I was using chakra from the Kyuubi. I'm his host. I'm Konoha's jinchuriki."
Sakura's expression wasn't easy to make out in the low light, but it seemed neutral.
"That's… Why are you telling me?"
It was odd, the tone her voice carried.
"Well, you're my friend and my teammate and I, uh, I just wanted you to know," he said honestly, still unsure how to read her reaction. She clearly wasn't scared, but what- Panic struck him as the girl drew her legs to her chest with a loud tearful sniff, immediately causing him to stammer out what he hoped was something consoling.
What he didn't know was that Sakura was going through something Sasuke had as well some hours earlier. A moment of happiness and also regret. He had been her teammate for more than a decade. He'd genuinely been her friend, and for years even tried convincing her to go on a date with him. Heck she'd even humored him once, years after the war ended. Yet, in all that time everything she knew about him was discovered. Happenstance. Accidental or intentional, outside of his control.
Here he was, just handing her his most personal secret because he wanted to.
It made her want to puke.
Instead she cried. For the friend she never deserved and she'd never get to apologize to. Instead she'd just be better. For the friend who was going through crisis just because he didn't know if he'd get mauled for trying to pat her to calm her down.
She reached up and pulled his hand atop her head, smiling at him through a watery gaze.
"Sorry, I'm fine now. Thank you."
Naruto's brain was doing gymnastics trying to understand all the underlying messages that had just passed but her smile and soft hold on his hand calmed the storm.
"As long as you're fine," he ended up settling with, withdrawing to his seat. "I was afraid I made you cry cuz of what I said."
"You did, actually," Sakura openly admitted, "but for a different reason. You being a jinchuriki doesn't bother me at all. If anything I'm reassured."
Naruto let out a massive sigh of relief that he hadn't been aware he was holding.
"Wow, thank Kami. You know, it's funny I had a random feeling you were going to say-"
"Besides, I've known for years."
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?"
Xxx
Karin Uzumaki suppressed a shudder as her team quickly moved through forest undergrowth. The heavy atmosphere that seemed to permeate the entire region was near suffocating, distant sounds of unpleasantness never too far away for her to dismiss them entirely. A flicker of something out of the corner of her eye drew her attention with wide eyes, but it was nothing, the same as the other five or six times it happened. Inadvertently her pace lagged and one of her teammates, Ryo, nearly crashed into her from behind.
"Watch it, dumbass!" he snapped, moving around her.
"Come on you two, stop dragging your feet and keep up!" her leader Nabutoshi called.
"I'm tired of needing to babysit her while she daydreams, I'm taking the middle. Karin can take the rear."
"And what happens when she loses us?" Nabutoshi shot, looking over his shoulder. "Besides, you want to explain to Shin-sensei why we didn't follow the formation he ordered us to use?"
"How about you use that leadership you keep bragging about and lead us to a damn scroll."
Their pace slowed considerably as Nabutoshi's attention fixed on her angry teammate. Karin felt her stomach lurch and she berated herself for starting yet another issue. They'd only just ended the last one.
Fortunately the argument ended in less than a minute, with her remaining as the rear guard.
"What the hell was my village thinking putting me with these two…"
Ryo's last word was ignored by their leader, but Karin actually wondered the same thing. She was near continuously working to heal injured shinobi, and she never thought after all this time that they'd even let her leave the village. Yet here she was, in a chunin exam of all things.
Was the village… trying to get rid of her? It seemed crazy but what if she'd outlived her usefulness? But it was such a strange way to get rid of someone in her position. She had no friends, certainly no family, and ultimately no attachment to the village. Kusa was a ball of tightly held misery that she hid away for fear of it overwhelming her one day. They must know all this, surely. If they didn't want her they'd have just killed her to prevent the security risk. Yes, they must clearly still want her there.
At least something does.
With a start Karin realized she'd lagged once more, her teammates several meters ahead of where they should be to her, barely visible with the gloom of the forest so thick. She pushed her speed further and caught up enough to catch their words once again
"Did you hear that?"
"The hell are you talking about-"
Nabutoshi got no further as an impossibly fast and alarmingly large paw with four massive claws moved through the air from behind a tree trunk, colliding with the team leader mid hop and sending him into a nearby tree where his very dead body splattered messily.
For a fraction of a second panic filled her entire being before her instincts overrode the automatic response to freeze.
"Oh fuck!"
Karin and Ryo both diverted as the rest of the bear suddenly came into view, jaws easily catching the boy's left leg and removing it with a crunch. He went down screaming before another powerful paw silenced him.
Tears streaming down her face, Karin ran as fast as she could. She's seen plenty of people die, but not like that. Not so suddenly. Not when the person who would die next was to be her.
"Ahh!"
She tripped.
It was surreal. She actually tripped over the brush somehow. Was her life a joke to someone? Someone was watching right now, she was sure of it. Amused at her pathetic end. It was frustrating. So incredibly frustrating. She was angry, furious even, at so many people and herself all at once.
She closed her eyes tightly and waited for horrific, life ending pain.
"…"
Horrific, life ending pain.
"…"
Horrific, life ending pain.
"…"
HORRIFIC-
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Life ending pain!" Karin shot up to her feet, heart racing at a thousand beats a second. A boy her age with a blue shirt, dark hair, and a Konoha hitai-ate was watching her in what could only be considered amused curiosity.
"Guess so," he said, nodding. "Sorry I wasn't fast enough to save your teammates. My condolences."
"R-right…"
Reality rapidly caught up with her. Nabutoshi and Roy were dead. She was alone. Simultaneously a sense of apprehension and inexplicable relief overcame her.
"Wait!" A kunai came to her hand and her guard went up. "The bear!"
"He's there," the boy said, calmly pointing over his shoulder with a thumb. A few meters away the bear was unmoving, sprawled on the ground with uprooted bushes and greenery around it. "I knocked him out. We try not to kill them here if we can. Messes with the ecosystem. You know?"
"Yeah.. of course," she said dully, still taking in the full size of the thing. It was like a bear-shaped house. "Um, why?"
"You're wel- wait, that wasn't a thank you."
"Why did you save me?"
It was all she could think about. This, admittedly attractive now that she was paying more attention, genin had gone out of his way to save her life during an exam that freely allowed and encouraged them to kill one another. There had to be a motive, but what?
Why does he look so… regretful?
"Why indeed?" the boy said, almost to himself. "Well it'd be better if we regrouped with my team, but I'll explain on the way, is that alright?"
"Your team?"
"Did you think I'd leave you here alone?"
"Yes! Are you an idiot?" Karin clapped her hands over her mouth.
Stupid! He's clearly stronger than you are, you brain dead kunoichi! Why is he so easy to relax around?
To her surprise though he chuckled.
"Hah, it's been a long time since someone said that to me. You may be right. Come on."
With that he jumped away and after a second of hesitation she followed, never once sparing a glance for what lay behind her.
Silence settled between them as their pace evened out to something manageable, but it was quickly interrupted by her savior as he maneuvered himself so that they were fairly close but still able to lead the way.
"I haven't introduced myself. My name is Sasuke Uchiha."
Wait, isn't this the last Uchiha? He's super high profile!
"Ah good, you recognize me," he said absently. "Anyway, I noticed you during the first exam and have been wanting to ask you a question."
That was it? And here she thought it would be something bad-
"What do you know about the Uzumaki Clan?"
IT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO!
XXXXXXXXX
Delivery!
You know, I think one of the reasons I enjoy this story so much is simply because Sakura is very likable here. Yeah I wrote her that way, but it's refreshing ain't it? Ah heck, it's all refreshing tbh. Let me know what you like most about this story, I'll add it more if I can :)
Also doing as I do with kid Karin. I like to think that she has that intrinsic Uzumaki Uzumakiness, and a pre-Oro Karin has got to have a lot more kid personality in there than the one we mainly got in the series. Besides, we all know that Sasuke is great with kids. I mean look at Boruto, right? Guys?