"Aaaaaaaaaaaeeii…. It's so hot!" Kiba whined, checking on Akamaru, making sure he was ok. After all, this was his first time in such hot climate and he did have a lot of fur.
"Hn. Hinata, do you see anything?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Kiba. The three (four) of them were currently running, to keep moving to avoid enemies.
"Hai! There's a team a few kilometers ahead. We can avoid them by going south." Hinata answered, keeping her gaze ahead.
Sasuke thought back to when he was assigned to Team 8. He's first thought was that they would drag him down. He did take comfort in the fact that he was placed on the same team as a Hyuuga. The Uchiha and the Hyuuga may have not had the best relationship in the past, but that was his clan – they were dead. He, himself, was just grateful to be put on a team with the heir to such a powerful clan.
Kiba on the other hand…
Sasuke wondered if Naruto would have made a better teammate…
.
No.
Not in a million years.
.
Team 8 started a bit rocky. Sasuke had his own agenda, Hinata couldn't string three words together, and Kurenai was at a loss – this was her first genin team.
To everyone's surprise, it was Kiba that brought them together.
Looking back, Sasuke shouldn't have been surprised. The Inuzuka clan had a pack mentality. You fought for the pack, you ate with the pack, and you lived for the pack. So when Kiba was thrown into a team with a lost teacher, a by-choice-loner, and a not-by-choice-loner, he immediately took the position as team builder and motivator.
Sasuke spent more days eating with a pack of dogs at the Inuzuka's compound than he liked… But it worked. Hinata stopped stuttering around them, Kurenai gain confidence in her teaching, and Sasuke saw potential in his team.
Kurenai started focusing on their complementary skills first. The best team combination that came out of their progress was surprisingly Hinata and Sasuke. Hinata's Byakugan was the perfect complement to Sasuke's fighting style – giving him the insight and back support he required to go all out. When Sasuke earned his Sharingan – on a particularly bad mission – their combination got even better.
The best part was Kiba didn't feel left out – in fact, it was preferred. You see, since Kiba wasn't force to partner with one of his teammates, it left him more room to focus on his and Akamaru's fighting style.
Is there a better team combination out there for Sasuke? There are probably many reasons why another team would be better for him or maybe not, but he didn't care.
He sort of liked his teammates.
Sort of.
And he was never going to say it out loud.
Not even under the threat of death.
.
"Let's head south. That's the direction of the dobe's team anyway." Sasuke responded.
Hinata blushed thinking about Naruto. She was happy when he and Shikamaru contacted her about a temporary truce. Honestly, she wasn't going to attack Naruto either way, but it gave her the opportunity to make him happy. She blushed again, thinking about his large grin at her that day.
Sasuke just ignored his teammate's fangirling moment. He was forever grateful that she wasn't a fangirl of his, but… Why did it have to be the dobe?
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Kanoko was on one knee, touching the ground with her eyes closed. She was looking for Sasuke's team. The open space made searching easier, but she was still limited in reach.
Naruto crossed his arms and kicked the sand, "Uugg! Why are we standing around?! Let's go kick some butt already!"
Sakura smack Naruto on the back of the head, "Because we agreed to meet up with the rest of the rookie nine! Now QUIET WHILE KANOKO LOOKS FOR SASUKE!"
Kanoko rolled her eyes before standing, "If noise prevented me from searching for his chakra signature, I'd be here all day." She thought and then said, "They're heading our way from the North."
Kanoko indicated her team to follow her as they ran towards Sasuke's team, "There's also another team following them. Hopefully we can handle this quickly."
Kanoko started making hand signs in Leaf code, hoping Hinata was watching.
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Hinata's eyes narrowed, reading Kanoko's hand signs. Focusing her range farther back behind her, she saw them. "Sasuke, Naruto's team is heading out way, but another team is closing in from behind."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, looking around for a good place to ambush them. It was difficult as it was just sand for miles. "Let's stop at this sand hill and ambush them. Hopefully we can get this done quickly."
"Hai!" Hinata and Kiba responded, taking positions.
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Kanoko stared ahead before telling Naruto and Sakura, "An enemy team has spotted Team 8. Prepare for battle."
Naruto jumped while running, "YES! Some action!" He continued to chuckle while running ahead.
Kanoko just sweat-dropped at his antics. "Only he would be so excited to get in a fight."
Sakura looked ahead worried, "I hope Sasuke-kun is ok…"
As they approached Team 8, Naruto made three shadow clones before jumping into the scene, "UZUMAKI NARUTO, future Hokage! Here to save the day!" Naruto opened his eyes and looked around, "Huh?"
"Idiot. As if we couldn't handle a few ninja." Sasuke said, picking up the scroll from the opposing team. "A heaven scroll… Useless." Sasuke said before throwing it to Kanoko.
Kanoko grabbed it, "We don't need one either, but I will hold onto it, in case Team 10 has an earth scroll." She placed it in her pouch.
"He-ello. Naruto-o-kun…" Hinata said, with hands in front of her face. Poor Hinata though, Naruto was busy glaring at Sasuke.
Before another fight could break out, Kanoko intervened, "Standing here too long will gather attention. Let's move south west. We need to meet up with Team 10 before continuing any further."
Sasuke nodding, motioning his team to follow Kanoko.
*WHIIIIIIIRL*
Before they could make is very far, a large wind ripped through the air, forcing the six genin to take cover.
Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan, and saw a large snake running just beneath the sand – heading straight for Naruto and Kiba. "Naruto! Kiba! From below."
Both of their gazes jerked below, moving away from the large mouth of the snake, but just barely.
"Well, well. An Uchiha and a Hyuuga? On the same team? It must be my lucky day…" A girl slithered out, standing in front of her team, in the direction that the wind jutsu came from.
Kanoko planted her feet, pushing out her chakra to get a read on their power level. The two males were powerful enough to be considered chunin, but the girl… she was shielding her chakra. That wasn't a good sign.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the girl, not liking her over enthusiasm for his and his teammate's clan name. Sasuke was well aware of the desire others had over dojutsus like his and Hinata's.
"Who the hell are you?!" Naruto yelled, his clones keeping an eye on the large snake behind them.
"Me? Oh, no one, just the person that's going to KILL YOU!" She told him before laughing, her tongue extending far out of her mouth.
"Sasuke, she's shielding her chakra. I have no idea how powerful she is, but the other two have enough chakra to be chunins." Kanoko stopped, shifting her eyes to look back at the snake, "And that's a summons… A ninja powerful enough to summon a snake that large is not something we can handle on our own."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, "You're telling us to run."
Naruto interrupted, "NO! No way are we running! We're NINJAS!"
Kanoko glared at her teammate, "Our lives are more important than any battle we face here. That being said…" Her gaze shifted back to the smirking girl, "I'm not sure if running away is even possible."
Naruto scratched his head, "Ok, now I'm confused. Are we running or not?"
"You want to buy time until Shikamaru's team approaches?" Hinata asked softly. Kanoko nodded, "We'll need someone to run to them, warn them of the threat and get them here as quickly as possible."
"Who do you suggest?" Sasuke asked. Kanoko thought carefully, "We can't send Sasuke or Hinata. That girl is clearly interested in them. She would simple follow. And whoever we send needs to be able to track Team 10 down." Kanoko reached into her pouch and grabbed a scroll, "Kiba, take this and give it to Shikamaru. He'll know it's from me." She finished, tossing the scroll to Kiba.
"What why me?! Can't you track them down with your chakra sensing super power or something?" Kiba complained.
"Kiba. Do what she says. We can't afford to waste time." Sasuke told Kiba and paused before deciding, "The success of this mission lies in your hands. Don't fail."
Kiba just stared before smirking, showing his fangs, "You got it! Come on Akamaru!"
"Naruto! Use your shadow clones to create an opening for Kiba to escape!" Kanoko yelled, running pulling out her sword.
"Got it! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, creating 30 clones to attack the three grass nin with.
Kanoko runs behind Naurto, "Wind Style: Vacuum Bomb!" Kanoko spits balls of air like needles towards the group as well.
All three scatter, avoiding the attacks, but giving Kiba enough time to run through. One of the grass nin jumps to Kiba, to stop him, but Sasuke throws two kunai with explosive tags at him – throwing him back.
Kanoko watches as Kiba's outline fades into the distance, "Phase one: Complete."
"Well, well. You lot aren't have bad." The girl said, stepping in front of the group again. Suddenly, a massive amount of negative energy is pushed out along with a mild genjutsu.
"Kai!" Kanoko quickly removes the genjutsu, and is about to go in for an attack when she looks over to the rest of the genin.
There paralyzed with fear.
.
"SAKURA-CHAN?!" Naruto yells, confused at Sakura's fear. Kanoko raises an eyebrow, "Only Naruto…"
Kanoko pulls out a scroll and activates it. Kanoko exhales as she feels the chakra run over her. She jumps in between the girl and her comrades and pushing out a large amount of chakra, "Sasuke! Hinata! Sakura! I understand your fear. This in no child before us, and it's possible that we won't win this fight, but I promise you, I WILL NOT LET YOU DIE HERE!" Kanoko finished with a roar.
The girl laughed, sticking her long tongue out again, "Oh? Are you going to protect them? I must say, you're quite skilled, but I'm afraid that is a promise you won't be able to keep!"
The snake from behind went straight for Kanoko, she jumped out of the way and saw the kunoichi throw explosive kunai at her comrades, "NARUTO! Get them out of there!" Kanoko yelled to him.
Naruto was able to gather enough clones to grab them, while Kanoko fought off the snake. Jumping up she yelled, "Water Style: Heavenly Weeping!" Strong water senbon struck the snake's open mouth, making it turn its head away.
Kanoko's feet hit the ground. She poured chakra into her feet, propelling her up with her sword pointed out, as she stabbed the snake in the bottom of its throat.
The snake wailed, slithering back to its master.
Kanoko dashed over to Naruto, "How are they?" Naruto turn to answer Kanoko when Sakura interrupted, "That… Was horrible. It was like I saw my death right before my eyes…" She looked at her hands, lost.
"Sasuke, Hinata, are you with us?" Kanoko turned and asked them.
Sasuke was shifting into a straighter sitting position, "That killing aura… How are we supposed to beat something like that?!"
Kanoko felt like banging her head, "What happened to that determined mindset from earlier?!"
Naruto beat her to anything she was going to say by grabbing Sasuke's collar roughly, "Is that it?! You get scared and you run away?!"
Sasuke yelled back at him, "You don't understand!"
Kanoko shifted her eyes back at the grass nin, keeping a close eye on them while Naruto tried to "reason" with Sasuke.
Sasuke shook his head, "We need to give her the scroll!"
Kanoko sighed, rubbing her head aggressively, trying to think of a way to get him to move. She shook her head, giving up, "Naruto! Sakura! We need to face this enemy, follow me!" Kanoko yelled, getting up and running towards the grass nin.
"It's not surprising that he acts this way. The prey is always terrified when the predator is nearby!" She laughed, stretching her body like a snake towards Sasuke.
Sakura threw out several shuriken at the grass nin while jumping in front of Sasuke. Sasuke looked up shocked, "You..?!" Sakura took a protective stance in front of Sasuke, "I won't let you harm Sasuke! You'll have to go through me to get him!"
Around this time, Hinata finally woke up and took a fighting position next to Naruto, in a typical Hyuuga stance.
Kanoko looked around and sweat-dropped, "Why do I suddenly feel like the odd man out?" Kanoko didn't have time to dwell on it when one of the other grass nin flew at her to strike her with a kunai. She was able to evade a hit last second, "That's what I get for losing focus."
Kanoko jumped towards him, making a clone - which ran off in another direction from her. She went in for a front attack, but veered to the left at the last second. As he went to protect his left side, her clone came from the right and stabbed him through the rib cage. He jumped back holding his abdomen.
Kanoko looked back to her comrades and saw Naruto and Hinata fighting the summoned snake and the other male genin.
"Shit! Where did she go?" Kanoko quickly place her hand on the ground, stretching out her senses.
Kanoko kicked off from the ground, barely missing the fireball from behind.
"Wow! A sensor too? You're full of surprises!" She laughed. Kanoko saw her eyes shift to Sakura and Sasuke, "But I don't think you're quick enough to help them!" The grass nin summoned another snake, sending it towards them.
Kanoko was just about to teleport to Sakura's location when she saw a movement from the corner of her eye, "That chakra signature! It's-"
"Leaf Wind Hurricane!"
The snake's head was roughly knocked away from Sakura by Lee's kick.
"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!" Followed, knocking the snake even further back.
"Summoning: Projectile Weapons!" Various weapons were stabbed into the snake's body, causing it to poof away.
Standing before Sakura was Rock Lee, and off to the side was the Hyuuga and the kunoichi from earlier.
"Lee? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked, confused. Lee spoke to her, not moving his eyes from the enemy, "Your comrade passed us while looking for the other rookie nine. He told me that you were in danger. I promised I would protect you with my life! I will not allow you to be injured because of my weakness!" Lee told her with flames in his eyes.
Kanoko smiled slightly, looking at Lee and his teammates, "Even if Lee felt he needed to help his "love", they certainly didn't have to help him, but I guess that's why we call it the Will of Fire."
Kanoko jumped back to Sakura and Sasuke. She took another look at Sasuke. He looked shocked at the change in events as well.
"Sasuke. You going to join us or are you going to let your girlfriend's stalker protect you?" Kanoko asked plainly.
Sakura went red at the assumption – that she was Sasuke's girlfriend.
Sasuke gave Kanoko a shocked look before laughing – like he had gone crazy, "Why not? Everyone else has gone crazy, why not join in on the madness?"
Kanoko smirked at him, "Spoken like a true Uchiha."
Sasuke just raised an eyebrow before taking an aggressive stance at the grass nin.
The grass nin looked around as her teammates jumped to her side. Naruto and Hinata also joined the rest of their comrades, having killed the snake.
"Eight against three? The odds are still not in your favor…" She started to say, before she froze.
"How about twelve against three? Are the odds in our favor now?" Kanoko followed the shadow that extended behind the grass nin and up a sand hill: Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Kiba.
Kiba smirked with a fang sticking out, "Sorry were late!"
Hinata and Sasuke smiled slightly, seeing their teammate safe. He jumped over to join them.
Shikamaru started shaking, "A little help here sis!" Kanoko ran through some hand signs and extended her shadow out to connect with the three grass nin, in addition to her brother's hold.
"We can only hold them for so long. This is your only opportunity: ATTACK!" Kanoko roared to her fellow leaf nin.
"Gladly." Sasuke said, cracking his knuckles.
"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"
"Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
"Fang over Fang!"
"Human Bolder!"
"Summoning: Projectile Weapons!"
"Leaf Wind Hurricane!"
Sakura and Ino threw kunai and shuriken with explosive tags.
.
Everyone stood and waited. Shikamaru released his jutsu with a pant and Kanoko jumped back, releasing it as well. When the smoke cleared, they could see two of the ninjas on the ground – dead or knocked out.
Kanoko quickly searched that area for the grass kunoichi chakra, but it was too late, "SASUKE! MOVE!"
.
The kunoichi moved in and grabbed Sasuke, bringing him in closer and biting his neck. She let him go by throwing him across the field. Naruto grabbed him before he hit the ground, watching Sasuke wither in pain.
Kanoko looked back at the grass nin and saw that her face was peeling off, "You're no grass nin are you?"
"Clever girl… No, I'm not" Her voice changing into that of a man's.
"Who are you?!" Shikamaru asked in Kanoko's place.
"Me? No one. Hehe. Though I do go by as Orochimaru." He chuckled out. Kanoko's eyes widened, "This is Hiruzen's student!"
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Naruto roared, his chakra flowing out of control and his eyes sharping to that of a demon's.
Kanoko jumped up, "NARUTO! NO!" She tackled Naruto to the ground, "Naruto! Stop! You're going to get us killed!" He continued to struggle against her and she could feel the chakra burning her.
"Well, it worked last time…" Kanoko thought, activating her Chakra Draining Seal and placing her hand over his back.
"Ack!" Kanoko winced in pain at the burning chakra flooding her body. She gritted her teeth, growling out, "Naruto… If you don't stop… You'll scare Sakura…"
Naruto looked over to Sakura and saw her eyes wide, tears in them, staring at Naruto. Kanoko knew the tears were for Sasuke, but knew Naruto would think she was crying for him.
Thankfully, that got Naruto's attention and he started calming down – eyes turning blue again.
Orochimaru watched Naruto, "Well, I certainly didn't expect that." Kanoko knew he was referring to the Nine-Tails, but was grateful he didn't say it out loud. That wasn't something she wanted to explain to her comrades.
Orochimaru took one step forward before stopping suddenly, "It seems play time's up. It was fun. Maybe you'll have better luck next time." He said, his laughing fading as he ran out of sight.
Kanoko watched as shadows chased after him, still holding onto Naruto.
"Sasuke-kun!" Kanoko heard Ino scream as they watched Sasuke bash around in the sand.
Ino and Sakura were on their knees next to Sasuke, trying to figure a way to help him. All the other genin were standing around him as well, watching. Lee and his team were off to the side, not really sure how they play into this.
Sakura's hand turned green, using the healing jutsu Kanoko taught her when Kanoko grabbed her hand. "I don't think this is an injury you can heal, Sakura." Kanoko said, gesturing Choji to move Ino. After Ino was out of the way, Kanoko moved Sasuke onto his side. She moved his hair, looking at the forming seal.
"Damn…" She muttered. Kanoko flipped his onto his stomach and reached into her pouch and grabbed a scroll. Opening it, she sealed the excess chakra from Naruto into the seal before rolling it up and putting it away.
Kanoko took out another scroll and opened it up. Re-activing the seal on her arm, she thought, "It's entirely possible I'll kill Sasuke, attempting this, but leaving him like this is going to kill him too." She put her hand over the curse mark and starting pulling out the chakra. "There's definably more than chakra in here. The snake left a piece of his soul… What he was planning to do with this boy, I can only guess…" Kanoko removed left hand and went back to the scroll,"but the only one with bad luck is Orochimaru!" Kanoko activated the seal, "Sealing Technique: Spirit Sealing!"
Dark purple and red chakra started flowing out of Sasuke's neck and into the scroll in front of Kanoko.
"ARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sasuke wailed in pain. He was starting to bash around, so Sakura made a motion to hold onto him.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Kanoko barked, "Your soul will get pulled in here too if you do that!"
"You're pulling his soul out?!" Ino screamed at Kanoko, moving to stop her. Shikamaru came behind and grabbed Ino from interfering, "Don't Ino! Kanoko knows what she's doing!" Shikamaru told Ino before thinking, "Or so I hope…"
All the energy finally left Sasuke and was sealed into the scroll.
"Sasuke! SASUKE! WAKE UP!" Ino screamed, still pulling at Shikamaru. Sakura had tears streaming down her face as she watch his chest stop rising.
"Sasuke…" Hinata mumble, tears forming in her eyes too. Kiba was standing next to her with his head down and fists shaking.
Shikamaru was still holding onto Ino, but he had his eyes closed shut and face turned. Choji looked lost – it never occurred to him that any of them could die.
Naruto was screaming, cursing really, and slamming his fists to the ground.
Even Lee's team looked unnerved by the whole incident.
.
Kanoko was the only one with a completely unemotional expression.
After all.
She wasn't done.
Kanoko focus her energy back into the scroll, separating the two souls in the seal, and releasing one. Crimson chakra flowed out of the scroll and into Sasuke's body.
Kanoko panted, tired from the fighting and the sealing effort.
She stared at Sasuke's body.
"Come on."
"Come on, Sasuke."
Kanoko gritted her teeth.
.
.
.
.
.
Eyes sprung open before a bout of coughing was heard coming from Sasuke.
Tears sprang freely from the genins' eyes.
Tears of joy.
"Sasuke!"
Hearing his name, he focused his eyes and looked around him.
Gathered over him was all of his classmates, smothering him with smiles and their tears still flowing freely.
He sat up slowly with the help of Sakura and Ino before coughing out, "What happened?"
Naruto chuckled, answering for Kanoko, "Oh you know, just the usual!"
Sasuke gave Naruto an annoying for not answering his question. He looked around for an answer from someone else, when everyone just started chuckling – infected by Naruto's laughter.
And soon they were all laughing.
.
Even Sasuke.
.
.
.
Expect for Kanoko – she has a no laughing policy.
.
She smirked lightly though.
.
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Authors Note: I 've rewritten chapter 19 three times now and am going in for a fourth time, so please bare with me while I try to get it perfect - or at least readable.
Thank you all for the reviews! As always, I appericate the input! It gets new ideas running through my brain - making it easier to write. And the easier it is to write, the quicker I can get chapters out! :)
And the compliments make me very happy too! XD