Chapter Sixteen: Look and See – Or Are You Too Afraid?
Disclaimer: I am afraid I still do not own Naruto – do you see?
"Well?" Kakashi asked, not even trying to hide his smile. "What do you guys think?"
Sasuke's heart clenched, but he kept his face and body language neutral.
"This is…" Sakura started, staring at the paper in awe.
Too soon.
"Awesome!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing himself at Kakashi across the table. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Kakashi startled at the attack, but awkwardly patted Naruto on the back rather than pushing him away. His eye crinkled with genuine laughter when Naruto pulled away.
Sasuke stared at the Chūnin Selection Exam application, not sharing the glee his teammates displayed.
"This is just a nomination, though. Whether to take the exam is up to each of you." Kakashi said. "Those of you who wish to take it, should sign those papers and turn them in at Room 301 by 4pm tomorrow."
One glance at his teammates, and Sasuke knew that there would be no hesitation from either of them this time. Sakura in particular looked at the paper like a new challenge – a stark contrast to her weird mood in the original timeline. Meanwhile, Naruto had a set sort of determination on his face; his blue eyes glinted fiercely in a way that wasn't quite reflected in his grin.
"Don't be too excited, you know." Naruto said, hitting Sasuke on the shoulder.
"Hn."
"Sasuke, I already checked with Kenji-sensei, and the doctor cleared you. You don't need to worry about the injuries you sustained from the Land of Waves." Kakashi said, mistaking Sasuke's hesitation.
Sasuke nodded, and tried to look a little more excited.
"You three are truly ready for it. You have shown exemplary teamwork, ability to assess situations quickly and accurately, and are at minimum mid to high chūnin level in terms of strength. I have no doubt all three of you will succeed." Kakashi smiled.
Sasuke looked at his sensei with surprise; Have I ever heard him gush this much before?
Looking back at the paper, his stomach churned. He knew it was coming; of course, he knew – Gaara's appearance yesterday had all but confirmed the chūnin exams were upon them.
Yet, for some reason seeing the nomination paper in front of him…
"Is that why you took us out to eat?" Naruto asked, hitting the table with his hands excitedly.
"Yup." Kakashi nodded.
"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei! Except, why couldn't we go to Ichiraku?"
Kakashi narrowed his eye, and Sakura leaned across the table to swat Naruto upside the head.
"Don't be ungrateful!" Sakura scolded before bowing her head towards Kakashi. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei, for not taking us to Ichiraku."
"You are welcome." Kakashi said with a nod.
"But ramen—"
"Isn't the end all be all you make it out to be." Sakura said, flipping the menu over. Her eyes brightened. "They have anko dumplings here? Sensei, can I—"
"You can get whatever you want, Sakura. But dessert comes last, so make sure to order properly." Kakashi informed her.
"Yes! I love sugar coated anko dumplings." Sakura grinned, looking back at the menu.
"Anko dumplings aren't the end all be all…" Naruto grumbled. "Ow!"
Sasuke looked over the menu, his appetite not quite what it was half an hour ago. Though he hid nomination paper under the menu, he could somehow feel it staring at him. Well, this is good news, Sasuke assured himself. Good news, because that means…
He looked up at his teammates; Naruto with his overexaggerated grin and Sakura with her bright eyes. His eyes drifted over to Kakashi, who had a look of genuine joy and pride in his eye.
Sasuke averted his eyes back down to the menu.
He needed his revenge, but… I've already waited this long. I can… Just a little bit longer, I can wait, right? Naruto laughed loudly at his own joke, and Sasuke nearly smiled with his team.
Dinner ended up being a rather quiet affair – well, quiet by Naruto standards, anyhow – and the trio walked each other home when they were finished. It had become a nightly habit since their Waves mission, and none of them questioned doing the same tonight.
Sakura and Naruto chatted happily about becoming chūnin, and Sasuke made noncommittal noises to indicate he was listening. He looked up at the moon, the light filtering down from the clouds in a beautiful fashion. He would never admit it out loud, but Sasuke almost enjoyed these evening walks home with his teammates. They were… peaceful.
Unfortunately, Sasuke's apartment was closest, so he separated from them first. They waved goodbye at him, smiling brightly as he turned towards the door. He opened the door, and looked back at his teammates. They had already started walking away to Sakura's house, speaking with excited gestures.
Sighing, he stepped through the door and found himself alone in his dark apartment. The moment the door closed behind him, Sasuke deactivated his traps and slid down to sit on the tile.
I want to find Itachi. I want to kill Danzo. I want to destroy Konoha. I want to…
Sasuke groaned into his hands. Why wasn't he excited? Orochimaru was coming! Sasuke scowled. Even if I don't join Orochimaru, and abandon my… Abandon Konoha, I'll get to see part of it come to ruin.
Even if it wasn't by his own hand, it should be cathartic to see it in ruins. Right?
But Sakura and Naruto…
Sasuke looked up, moonlight barely filtering through into his apartment, casting grotesque shadows around him.
Not to mention Kakashi and Kiyoko-san.
Sighing, Sasuke rose to his feet. He got ready for bed, and like always, set himself at his desk. Turning on the light, his father's scroll that Kiyoko-san gifted him gazed up at Sasuke. The Uchiha crest stood out against the pale paper, and Sasuke reached over to open it up.
Sharingan flickered to life, the world taking on a comforting, familiar red hue…
Sasuke's gaze flicked away from the scroll and over to his Team Seven picture. The word "teme" had been scribbled onto the glass, with an arrow pointing to Sasuke. A little note in Sakura's handwriting that said, "don't forget that rest is part of recovery!" was tucked in the upper left corner. Next to the picture sat the little succulent plant that Kakashi had given him when he got out of the hospital.
Sharingan still active, he set the scroll down in favor of picking up the picture. He traced the frame and photo with his finger – memorizing every detail, every line, every smile. Sighing, he put it back down and deactivated his Sharingan.
He sat still for a moment before opening up one of the desk drawers on impulse. The drawer was immaculate, his notes and pens perfectly organized – but these weren't the things Sasuke was looking for. Slowly, gently, he lifted up the book on strategy that once belonged to his father.
He flipped through the pages until he found what he sought: a photo.
Although it had been pressed in the book for nearly a month, the photo was still a little wrinkled from when he had bunched it in a ball as a child. He hadn't been able to tear it up back then, but had left it in its broken frame for years.
Sasuke smoothed out the wrinkles, looking upon faces he hadn't seen in years. He rubbed his thumb over the man with deep lines down his eyes, and the beautiful woman standing next to him.
They… they weren't loyal to Konoha. They were going to revolt because of the treatment we were getting. Don't they deserve justice?
Sasuke's eyes turned to the older boy in the photo, looking as grim as Sasuke remembered. Although he smiled and laughed with Sasuke, that solemn boy didn't often laugh elsewhere.
Why? Because the village he loved so much treated him like garbage.
Sasuke's eyes lifted back to the image of Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. Unlike in the original timeline, Sasuke and Naruto weren't arguing in the image. Sasuke stood with his arms crossed and had a slightly irritated frown.
Naruto had his hands on his hips, looking up at the camera with a big, goofy grin. Sakura, like in the original, was in between the boys and had her eyes closed with a big, excited smile stretched across her face. Kakashi stood behind all of them, his hands on top of Sasuke's and Naruto's heads, but otherwise had an easy smile on his face.
My family deserves justice, but does my team need to bear the price of that justice?
Sasuke sighed and rubbed his forehead. Placing the photo inside the book, he put it away and picked up his father's scroll again. Sharingan once again activated, he pricked his thumb and pressed the Uchiha seal. The scroll opened up, revealing the blood-red chakra ink under his Sharingan gaze.
Alright father; let's perfect this jutsu of yours.
OoOoO
The following morning, an unpleasant buzz of thoughts plagued him from the moment he opened his eyes.
With a slight growl, Sasuke did his morning ritual of meditation and kenjutsu training. Refusing to acknowledge the questions that needed answering, or the decisions that needed deciding, he packed and prepared for the chūnin exams. He didn't know when he would be coming home, after all. So, although his stomach twisted and churned, Sasuke watered his tomato plant, answered Kiyoko-san's letter, and ate his breakfast as though nothing was wrong.
As Sasuke brushed his teeth, he fixed his eyes in the mirror, ensuring he wore the perfect mask. They'll notice. They always notice, he reminded himself. Unless you want to deal with their concern… shut it down.
His eyes softened before him, exposing his weakness for a split second before he forcibly put his mask back on. Sasuke spat out the toothpaste and avoided the mirror for the rest of the morning.
When he at last strapped his chokutō to his back and left his apartment, he marched to the training grounds Team Seven always met at. As he walked, he envisioned the genjutsu that he'd been working on. There were many different jutsu in his father's scrolls, but this particular genjutsu was—
How would it affect Team Seven, if I helped Orochimaru?
Sasuke paused in his stride for just a second, all other thoughts immediately vanishing. He knew how they would react.
He could see their disappointed looks of hurt and betrayal already.
Sasuke shivered at the mental image. He frowned then, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. Why do I care so much? Sasuke thought for the umpteenth time that morning alone.
You know why. The response came, and Sasuke could only sigh. Are you still going to deny it?
Yes. Of course, he would deny it.
Coward.
Sasuke's heart jolted painfully, hearing Sakura's words as though she were right there with him. Although she apologized for it, and told him it wasn't true… Sasuke was beginning to wonder if perhaps she was correct.
He was a coward, and he knew it.
If he weren't, if he were a braver man, he would be able to admit it. He wouldn't hide from it.
Why was he denying something so obvious?
Because… if he admitted it, it could derail his plans. If he admitted that he…
He might hesitate. And he couldn't hesitate. Not if he was going to get his revenge.
The team photo he had memorized the night before flashed through his mind.
But what if they get hurt? What if they… They'll… How much will they hate me, once I betray them? Once I destroy their home, how will the way they look at me change?
Sasuke felt shame at the pathetic thoughts that flitted through his mind. How did this happen? He used to not care – or at least had convinced himself he didn't care – if they hated him. Nearly killing Naruto numerous times, killing Sakura, abandoning Team Seven were all accomplished because Sasuke detached himself.
He believed he could cut out his heart, light it on fire, and toss it away. No more love meant no more pain, right?
I'll just do it again. I'll abandon them and…
Sasuke stopped walking. Suddenly wanting to curl up right there in the dirt and never move again, he fought against the heavy wave washing over him. Engulfing him. Suffocating him. His heart felt physically tired, shutting down his desires, his motivation. His head whirled, and his chest felt hollow – slowly, slowly drying him up from the inside out.
His throat constricted, and his heart began to race. He felt his mask slipping and crumbling and shattering into a million little pieces and he—
He forced himself to breathe.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to take one step forward.
And then another.
He focused on the way the breeze brushed against his skin. The sound of dirt crunching beneath his feet. The heat of the sun.
One more step. One more step. To my destination. To Naruto. To Sakura. To my…
Sasuke took in a sharp breath.
And on it went. Sasuke continued to walk forward without thinking. Without feeling. He kept his face impassive and his limbs relaxed. Focusing on the things he could control… it was enough.
Once he arrived, Sasuke looked around. Seeing that there were no orange blurs or flashes of pink, he briefly wondered if he was alone. He could feel the familiar dull pang of disappointment filling his stomach when the sound of snickering caught his ears.
Smiling slightly, Sasuke rolled his eyes.
Counting to three, Sasuke drew his sword and blocked Naruto's "greeting" with little effort. Naruto jumped back, disappointed that his kunai didn't draw even a little bit of blood.
"Hey teme." Naruto said. "Ready to kick butt today?"
"Hn." Sasuke answered, leaning against a tree.
Sasuke briefly wondered if Naruto would run after him again, when he defected. Would Sakura join this time, too? How much did it hurt them last time? How much will it hurt them this time?
"You good there?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke chose not to respond in favor of greeting Sakura with a nod.
"Hey guys." Sakura said. "I think that we should come up with a plan. We don't know what is going to happen, and previous chūnin exams are frustratingly impossible to find out much about – except records, of course – so we should try to plan for any scenario."
"Good morning to you, too." Naruto said.
"Sorry, Naruto. It's just that, the chūnin exams were all I could think about last night!" Sakura said, already pacing. "I did some research, and from what little I found, it looks like there are usually three tests total during the exam. A test for intelligence, a test for survival, and a test of strength."
Sakura stopped pacing and smiled at the boys, and Sasuke's stomach constricted painfully. I suppose she'll stop smiling so easily, once I betray her. Is that what happened last time?
"Sounds simple enough." Naruto said with a nod.
Sakura looked at him, biting her lip. Naruto raised a questioning eyebrow at her in response.
"Naruto, you know that I know you're smart, right?" She asked.
"Um, sure?" Naruto said.
"So don't take this the wrong way, but… it's not exactly a secret that you're not good at taking tests."
Naruto blanched. "Yeah, you're right about that. Tests are… kind of the worst thing to ever exist."
Sakura nodded. "And while we don't know what will happen, we should have some kind of failsafe to ensure you pass the intelligence test."
Naruto looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you have in mind?" Naruto asked.
"If it's not a written test, I'm not concerned. You can think well on your feet, and we can practically read each other's minds anyway. But, if it is a written test…" Sakura trailed off, and bit her lip again.
"If it's a written test?" Naruto probed.
"What if… and I know you hate it, but, what if I place you under a genjutsu and alter your perception so that you can see the answers? And once I release the jutsu, you'll just copy them down?"
Naruto made a face like he might get sick, and crossed his arms. "Well, I mean… That's a good idea. I guess if we absolutely have to, we can but… What if I just, you know, wing it? I don't think I'm going to need to cheat to pass."
Sakura rolled her eyes, and set her hands on her hips.
"Naruto, you cannot just wing it during the chūnin exams! We have to prove we can think ahead and assess the situations!"
Naruto furrowed his eyebrows in disagreement, and pressed his lips together in thought.
"What if you aren't able to catch his eyes? That kind of genjutsu only works if you are looking in your target's eyes." Sasuke pointed out.
"Yup, yup. Duck-butt has a point there, y'know." Naruto nodded.
Sakura looked at Naruto in surprise before shaking her head.
"Then we can go with plan B." Sakura said. "Now, Naruto, I know you have worked really hard on chakra control, but this is going to require a lot more chakra control than usual, since it's for an extended period of time."
"I'm the greatest ninja to ever live, so I bet I can manage." Naruto said, earning a suppressed laugh from Sakura.
"Of course, my mistake. Plan B is to have you create a clone, transform it into a bug or something, and copy either mine or Sasuke's answers. You'll get ten minutes to look over the answers before we kill the clone, and then you'll get all of the information."
Sasuke and Naruto both looked at her. That… could actually work.
"I like that plan a lot better." Naruto admitted. "Let's see if I can't transform myself into a fly."
Naruto created a clone, and the clone started performing the henge technique. In the clone's place, a small fly buzzed around.
"How long can you keep it up for, though?" Sakura asked.
"Long enough." Naruto assured her before releasing the clone. "I can probably have three of these bad boys ready to go before we get to our destination."
"We should have a signal, to make sure we know it's you, and not a random fly – or a ninja bug." Sasuke said.
"What if… I jump like a frog on your paper?" Naruto suggested.
Sasuke and Sakura both stared at Naruto.
"Can flies even jump?" Sakura asked after a moment.
"Well, I guess we'll find out! Otherwise, I can bite your pencil or something." Naruto shrugged. "Either way, let's go with that plan. I would rather use my clones than be put under a genjutsu – even if you are the one casting it."
"I figured you would want to." Sakura sighed. "I just know that I can control the situation better if we go with plan A."
Since when does she feel the need to control situations? Sasuke wondered. Has she always been like that?
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I get the feeling I'm going to be just fine." Naruto assured her.
Sasuke raised his eyebrow at the blonde; and where does he get his overconfidence from?
Sakura chuckled softly, and nodded. "We still have some time to get in light training; what do you guys think?"
"Before that, I wanted to discuss one more thing with you two." Sasuke interjected, earning him two curious looks. "Don't trust anyone not on Team Seven. No alliances, no fraternizing with other teams – even teams from Konohagakure. The moment the exams begin, everyone is an enemy."
"I agree with you…" Naruto nodded. "With the exception of the guys we graduated with."
Sasuke frowned; although Shikamaru's team had helped them in the original timeline, he didn't necessarily think that meant they were safe enough to trust. Is anyone safe enough to trust? Who knows how many other people were employed by Orochimaru that we never learned about.
Sakura frowned. "I guess that makes sense… we already know them, but what if they betray us?"
"I'm not saying we should purposefully join forces, just that we don't need to be overly cautious with them like we should with all the other teams." Naruto said.
Sasuke frowned, and images of the forest of death filled his mind – both from his original timeline, and his most previous one. Rather than trusting people, we should figure out how to avoid Orochimaru and his pathetic minion.
Sasuke looked over at Naruto, not registering what the blonde was saying.
If we can avoid Orochimaru. Although I didn't personally see him last round, the large snake that ate Naruto was undoubtedly one of his. Sasuke's eyes slid over to Sakura, who was sporting dark circles beneath her eyes. And a little bit after Naruto got eaten, Sakura died protecting me.
Maybe I should just forfeit–
No. Sasuke crossed his arms and looked down at his feet. Don't be stupid. I've come this far and I am not going to let either of them die this time, so it's fine. I am at least smart enough to get away from Orochimaru, even if not strong enough. I know how he thinks. I know what he wants. I can do this.
I can get what I want and still keep them alive.
"That's a great idea, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling Sasuke out of his thoughts. "It'll be better for us in the long run if everyone underestimates us until bam! We beat their sorry butts when they least expect it."
The academy came into view, and Sasuke went over his plan. In the last timeline, Sasuke actually didn't see most of Orochimaru's servants participating in the exams. Though he never learned what happened, it obviously didn't stop Orochimaru from sending his little lackey after Sasuke.
Sasuke glanced at his teammates from the corner of his eye; They'll be okay. I trained them well enough that no regular ninja should be able to kill them so easily.
They approached the doors where a couple of chūnin stood guard. Team Seven presented their signed nomination papers. The woman narrowed her eyes at Naruto as he handed in his paper, and he responded with a cocky grin. Seemingly satisfied, she snatched the document and allowed the trio to enter the building.
"Remember guys," Naruto said, putting his hands behind his head. "Keep a low profile and don't trust anyone we didn't graduate with."
"As if you have to tell us that." Sasuke scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Let's do our best." Sakura said, marching ahead of the boys.
They followed after her in relative silence, but it didn't take Naruto long to start murmuring to himself.
"Miso ramen, beef ramen… Oh, but the eel is pretty good too…" Naruto was mumbling.
"Naruto," Sakura said as they made their way up the stairs. "What are you talking about?"
"What ramen I should celebrate with when I pass!" Naruto said once they reached the top.
The trio quieted upon hearing loud arguing – Assess the situation, Sasuke told them with his eyes. Naruto looked vaguely annoyed at being told what to do, but nodded. They hung back to observe before making any moves.
Twelve genin were gathered around a room with a sign that said 301, and two chūnin disguised as genin prevented them from entering. A young Konoha kunoichi stepped forward, and one of the chūnin kicked her in the face. She looked familiar, though Sasuke couldn't remember her name. Lee's teammate, if I recall correctly.
Sakura bristled at the sight, but Naruto put his hand on her shoulder, and she responded with a frown. She observed the situation, and with a huff, Sakura started walking forward again. Satisfied the situation was safe enough to venture forward, Naruto and Sasuke fell in step with her. Sasuke side-eyed the other genin who were more focused on the disguised chūnin threats than they were Team Seven.
"Anyway, when we succeed I want to make sure I celebrate with the best possible ramen." Naruto informed Sakura.
"Do you only think about ramen? Kai." Sakura made the hand-seal, and the genjutsu immediately dispelled, the sign transforming from 301 back to 201. "There are other kinds of foods! There's tempura, unagi, sashimi, umeboshi*... You literally cannot beat umeboshi."
The dynamic in the hallway changed immediately.
Confusion settled on the group of genin, and fourteen pairs of eyes suddenly fixated on Team Seven as they passed by. Several looked like they wanted to protest, and others looked downright upset. Sasuke casually rested his hand on his sword, lest an impromptu fight broke out.
"Sure, but they are all inferior!" Naruto said, not gracing anyone a single glance.
Sasuke briefly wondered if they could really just get away with casually dispelling the genjutsu as they walked by the glaring group.
"Hey, you!" someone called. "The girl with pink hair!"
There it is. The trio stopped, and Sakura looked at her teammates with a blatant look of confusion before turning around. "Yes?"
"How'd you notice?" Lee's female teammate demanded, crossing her arms.
Both Neji and Lee were sizing the trio up, and Sasuke saw a blush creep up on Lee's face. Meanwhile, the chūnin with a cloth that only covered his neck and chin smirked, and Sasuke wondered if they had passed some kind of unofficial test.
"You mean the genjutsu?" Sakura asked. "It wasn't exactly a sophisticated one; anyone could have noticed if they were paying attention."
This apparently had been the wrong thing to say, because the other genin in the hallway all bristled. Dirty looks were shot their way – Neji in particular looked offended with his eyes narrowed at Sakura, a slight sneer appearing on his face.
A genin with a Takigakure hitai-ate stepped forward with a scowl on his face, but the disguised chūnin with dual swords on his back started laughing. Sasuke briefly shared a look with his team.
"Not bad, rookie!" He grinned, causing Sakura to frown. "But all you did was see through it!"
The chūnin leaped from his spot, aiming his fist at Sakura.
Without so much as a blink, she easily dodged, and tapped the boy on the forehead with the palm of her hand. If Sasuke's Sharingan was active, then he would have seen the boy's chakra tangled together in a chaotic mess from her genjutsu.
So much for laying low, Sasuke smirked despite himself. Naruto howled with laughter as the chūnin slumped onto the floor, drool escaping from his mouth. Keeping her face impassive, Sakura stepped back and rested her hands on her hips.
I guess playing poker has actually helped her in controlling her facial expressions, Sasuke thought smugly. It makes her look more intimidating.
Several of the genin in the hallway looked like they wanted to give up right there, whereas others looked impressed – or in Neji's case, more irritated. He parted his lips as though he wanted to say something, but Sakura was already speaking
"We are kind of in a hurry." Sakura said to the other disguised chunin. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't get in our way."
The chūnin raised his hands in surrender, looking strangely happy considering his friend was experiencing who knows what kinds of horrors.
Sakura turned around, and Lee immediately got in her way. What? Is he going to ask Sakura to a fight? Sasuke scoffed. How is that fair?
Most of the other genin took a collective step back away from Sakura in anticipation of what she might do next. For a tense moment, they stared at each other, the onlookers holding their breath.
"Fairest lady," Lee began, causing his teammates to groan in embarrassment.
The tension instantly broke, the others around them relaxing.
"Fairest… lady?" Sakura repeated in bewilderment.
"My name is Rock Lee! What is your name?" Lee smiled.
"Um, Sakura." She replied, sounding just as confused as before.
"Let's go out together!" Lee declared with a wink and a grin. "I'll protect you 'til I die."
Sasuke suppressed a snort. Naruto mumbled something that sounded like, "Oh brother."
"No… way…" Sakura said after an awkward moment. "I can protect myself, thank you very much."
Suppressed chuckling and laughter filled the hallway as Lee hung his head, and Sakura bit her lip in guilt. The guilt quickly passed, and she grabbed her teammates' wrists before pulling them forward. Sasuke glanced at the strange boy, a little disappointed. No fights for me today, it looks like. His eyes shifted to the Hyūga, who was still glaring at Sakura.
Sasuke snorted as he turned his head away, earning a scowl from Neji.
When they got far enough away, Sakura looked at her teammates with a blush. "What just happened? Why was I the one to be singled out?"
"Because you are an awesome ninja, Sakura-chan. Those guys could see it!"
"That was weird, though, right? That guy, Lee? He was weird." Sakura shook her head.
"Agreed." Naruto said, nodding. "But he's a cool weirdo!"
Sasuke glanced over at Naruto; the blonde needed to reevaluate what he believed to be cool.
"I don't think those two words should be used in the same sentence like that." Sakura said.
Naruto shrugged, and the trio continued in silence. They passed the area where Sasuke once experienced his defeat against Lee, and he looked up. Unfortunately, the green-clad shinobi was nowhere to be seen. Maybe I'll get another chance at a rematch, Sasuke hoped as they approached the real 301.
The room they entered was just as Sasuke remembered it; full of ninja from several different villages. He immediately picked out one pathetic snake, one psychopath, and three tone-deaf losers. However, the fact he didn't see The Psychotic Snake himself was extremely disconcerting. Where is he? Sasuke thought as he scanned the room. I don't see that creepy female body he used anywhere. Maybe he—
"Sasuke-kun!" a shrill voice exclaimed, interrupting his thoughts. "You're late."
Hands folded from behind for less than a second before Sasuke freed himself and moved slightly behind Naruto. Sasuke glared at the blonde girl – Why does she always have to touch me?
Ino frowned, but didn't otherwise appear affected by Sasuke's glare. Sakura stepped up next to Naruto, so that Sasuke was mostly out of Ino's vision.
"Oh, forehead girl. I didn't even see you, which is pretty impressive considering…" Ino pointed at her forehead with a smirk.
I'm going to sit down, Sasuke decided with an eye roll. However, before he could move, Naruto had already slung his arm around Sasuke's shoulder, dragging him forward.
"How's your training coming along, Ino?" Naruto grinned. "Ego still bruised?"
Ino shot him a glare, and put one hand on her hip.
"Hardly." Ino scoffed, flipping her ponytail. "One little… mishap won't change anything, loser."
Mishap? Sasuke glanced at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't call Naruto a loser, pig." Sakura glared.
"What's this? Did you change targets?" Ino asked, giving Sasuke a hopeful smile. "Give up on Sasuke-kun?"
"Sasuke-kun was never mine to begin with, Ino-pig." Sakura replied with an exasperated tone. "And I didn't change 'targets.' Naruto is my friend and I don't like people insulting my friends."
Ino frowned and opened her mouth, but Sasuke heard a heavy sigh that interrupted whatever Ino wanted to say. Shikamaru and Choji stepped up in front of Ino. Her eyes widened in outrage, and glared at her teammates from behind.
"You guys are taking this stupid test, too?" Shikamaru asked before yawning. "Don't die."
"Hey." Naruto said, fist bumping Choji. "Been awhile since I saw you guys."
Ino shoved her way up so that she stood in between Shikamaru and Choji. She opened her mouth, but Choji already started speaking.
"Asuma-sensei is keeping us busy." Choji said before stuffing more chips in his mouth – and even offered Naruto one.
Was Naruto always this friendly with them? Sasuke wondered as Naruto accepted the chip.
"Alright! Found you!" a voice almost as annoying as Ino's declared from somewhere behind.
Ino sneered and Shikamaru sighed tiredly. Choji blanched and pressed his chips to his chest protectively. Naruto's face, however, brightened further and looked behind.
"Kiba!" Naruto exclaimed.
Naruto released Sasuke and walked over to Kiba and gave him a fist-bump. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the interaction; Naruto definitely had never been this friendly with Kiba in any of Sasuke's memories.
"Been wondering where you guys were." Naruto said.
Sasuke backed up a little so he could see the newcomers. Akamaru perched on top of Kiba's head with sharp eyes, while Hinata and their Aburame teammate whose name Sasuke momentarily blanked on followed behind.
"Geez… you guys too?" Shikamaru said upon seeing Team Eight.
"Of course!" Kiba replied with a feral grin. "The best rookies of our graduating class wouldn't miss it."
"Best rookies?" Naruto scoffed. "I seem to remember our last sparring session going very differently, you know."
Sparring session? Sasuke crossed his arms.
"Bah, that was just a fluke." Kiba dismissed, waving his hand.
Naruto grinned and without warning put Kiba in a chokehold, who in turn punched Naruto in the gut – Akamaru barked and half-heartedly bit at Naruto's hair.
Seriously. When did they get so close? He watched as they wrestled to the ground; Sakura and Ino shared a similar look of disapproval at the scene while Shikamaru sighed. The whole scene looked… Natural. Too natural.
Not that Sasuke ever paid close attention to classroom dynamics, but he did remember that Kiba always regarded Naruto as a nuisance. Naruto in return showed little to no respect for the Inuzuka.
What changed?
"H… Hi, Naruto-kun." Hinata whispered suddenly.
"Hello, Hinata!" Naruto let go of Kiba, who was hitting Naruto's arm, and gave her a warm smile.
Rising to his feet, Naruto brushed off dust while Kiba shot Naruto a glare and rubbed his neck before jumping up himself.
"Sorry again I had to miss our training session the other day; I got caught up with some Hokage business." Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.
Training… session? Since when does Naruto train with others? Sasuke glanced over at Kiba, and then at Ino. Has he been training with everyone since graduation?
"That's okay, N-Naruto-kun. I understand." Hinata smiled.
Sakura looked over at Naruto, her hands on her hips. "Naruto, are you cheating on us?"
Naruto opened his mouth, but Kiba spoke up already. "Funny coming from you, who's been stealing our sensei's Saturday afternoons!"
Ino perked up at the sound of that, a look of surprise and… pride? washing over her expressions.
"It's not my fault I'm a better pupil than you." Sakura teased, earning a snicker from Ino.
"Why you-"
"Hey, you guys. You should be quieter." Someone interrupted from behind.
The voice was soft and kind; soothing, even. It immediately set Sasuke's teeth on edge.
Kabuto.
A soft growl escaped from Sasuke's throat, and his hands twitched to the hilt of his sword – patience is the virtue of a ninja. He forced himself to relax, and when he opened his eyes, he caught Naruto's facial expression. The idiotic grin Naruto trademarked had been replaced with a frown and a distrustful glint in his eye. Sasuke watched as Naruto instinctively took a protective stance in front of Sakura.
Interesting.
"Don't worry about it." Naruto told him, before turning back to the group of rookies. "Let's go sit down, guys."
"What a drag." Shikamaru yawned, heading to an open spot.
"Who died and made you Hokage?" Kiba grumbled, but allowed Naruto to usher him to the seats.
Sasuke chanced a glance at Kabuto, and caught the frown on his face. Obviously, the situation went differently than he had expected; good. If only I can pay him back for what he did...
Soon, he told himself. Soon I will get my revenge on him.
Sasuke followed his team, ignoring the eyes that sized them up, looking to devour, and he almost laughed. Everyone here needed to work on their intimidation tactics.
Before long, Ibiki appeared in the room, glowering at everyone. A little amount of killing-intent emitted from the older man, and Sasuke couldn't find it in him to even pretend to be concerned. He did, however, listen intently as Ibiki rattled off the rules of the first exam.
In the last timeline, the test ended up being completely different than the original – playing strongly on loyalty and strategic skills rather than on intellect and cheating.
"Instead of your current seating arrangements… You will pick one of these tabs and go to the room you're assigned to." Ibiki said. "Once you've done that, the first exam will begin."
We'll be separated? Sasuke wondered as he looked at his teammates, both of whom had similar looks of confusion and panic.
Unease settled across the room, but Ibiki wasn't finished. "There are many important rules to this first test; they will be written down on the board in each classroom, but questions are not allowed so listen carefully.
"Each team will receive a mission, but each individual will only have only one third of their mission. And no, you may not see what your teammate got; once they receive their part, they will immediately go to their new classroom. Any teammate who speaks to one another from this point forward will fail."
Ibiki allowed a moment of protest, and a nasty grin appeared on his face. He threw a kunai and, faster than Sasuke's eyes could follow, it landed right in front of a young Kusa ninja.
"You! The boy with that unfortunate scar on your face; you and your team are disqualified!" Ibiki declared.
"That's bull!" The ninja in question exclaimed, hitting the table as he rose to his feet.
"Anyone who can't follow simple instructions is not ready to become a chūnin." Ibiki told him. "Leave now."
With colorful curses, he and his teammates left the room, and an anxious silence replaced any words of protest. Sasuke chuckled quietly; things are getting… interesting.
"Anyone have anything else to say? No? Good. Now, once your team receives their mission, you are each to quickly learn its contents perfectly." Ibiki said, allowing his words to be digested.
Sasuke could feel the pressure in the room lift, and people breathed a bit easier. Although difficult, Ibiki's request wasn't impossible. The torture expert grinned, and Sasuke frowned; that can't be good.
"20 minutes after you enter your individual rooms you will be caught by an enemy ninja – one of our proctors. They will ask you questions about your mission and have the power to immediately disqualify you if they don't like the information you give them! You will also be immediately disqualified if you reveal any important information about your mission."
Ibiki paused, and Sasuke looked around the room. Faces were noticibly paler and several had wide, panicked eyes. In other words, lie well enough that you won't get caught. Sasuke glanced at his teammates; they both were terrible liars.
"One more thing: if you and your teammates don't share the same information to the assigned proctor, you will be disqualified. That is all."
So, we must communicate without communicating, and lie without getting caught? Sasuke looked at his worried teammates. Piece of cake.
Author's Note:
Honestly, if I had titled this The Lies Sasuke Tells Himself, it would have worked almost as well as my beautifully corny Road to Redemption. Maybe I'll name Part One "The Lies That Sasuke Tells Himself" but still keep the overall story title what it is.
SPEAKING of corny: I sincerely hope I have made at least one person roll their eyes at the disclaimers. If you haven't noticed... you should look and see what is so corny.
Anyway.
Umeboshi – pickled ume fruits common in Japan; often translated as salted Japanese plums. ALSO, one of Sakura's favorite snacks! Was not intentional, but I ended up throwing in both of her favorite foods in one chapter!
Side note:
I also want to make it clear that of course I remember Tenten and Shino, and I do actually really like both Ino and Kiba. They are all absolutely wonderful characters, and wish I could have seen more of all of them in canon.
That said, there is no way Sasuke is going to remember Shino or Tenten, and I highly doubt he likes Ino very much, or someone as arrogant as Kiba. His opinions may change; we'll see if these characters get more screen time or not.