Welcome back!
Not a lot to say this time other than I hope you are ready to move on into the next sort of phase of the story. I think everyone felt it coming, I'm excited to try my hand at this part and I hope you are all interested in where we're going from here! I hope you enjoy the chapter and I will see you at the bottom for our usual post-commentary.
Maybe her team was getting a little too strong…
Kurenai couldn't help but entertain the traitorous thought as she was forced to leap away from an oncoming wave of consuming flames, the grass beneath her feet shriveling rapidly from the intensity of the fires alone while superheated air washed over her face, scalding her cheek. The swath of crimson swelled before exploding outward with a mighty roar sending embers scattering across the now torched soil.
"Natsumi has been practicing."
There was little time to dwell on that, however. Her students hadn't played all their cards just yet.
The earth trembled mere seconds later with a violent rumble before erupting in a cloud of dirt and debris as two drilling bullets burst from below and homed in on her air-born position. Like the bared fangs of hunting wolves, the clawing whirlwinds came at her from both sides, intent on ripping her to pieces. A quick substitution spared her from their clutches, but the sound of wood being ground into fine sawdust was enough to make her wince nonetheless. The Inuzuka clan had rightfully earned their fearsome reputation.
The air shifted slightly...
"Tsk!" She threw herself to the right just in time to avoid the compressed, basketball-sized blast of water that shot through the dust and quickly broke out into a sprint as a second pierced the veil of dirt shortly after. Rapid-fire blasts rained down on her position in an unending deluge, each shot guided with a level of precision that shouldn't have been possible through the field of debris blocking their line of sight.
"Hinata is likely guiding her aim." She mused. "Impressive teamwork."
Running through her own set of seals, she brought a hand up to pursed lips. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
With a mighty breath, the already dissipating cloud of dirt was sent scattering into the wind both restoring her vision and depriving her team of their smokescreen. An eye for detail honed with years of experience made spotting them hidden amongst the trees a simple affair. The rustling leaves and shaking branches were dead giveaways of a hasty retreat.
"It's not like them to hide." She muttered. Normally they would have pressed their advantage, using the distraction to try and get in close. Taijutsu was easily her weakest discipline, even if she wasn't exactly a slouch in that regard. Why hadn't they pressed the advantage?
Warning bells went off like flares in the back of her mind
Her body moved on instinct alone, raven locks whipping in the wind as she spun on her heel just in time to deftly catch the punch aimed at her unguarded backside before lashing out with a kick that sent her feral student flying. She watched his body sail towards the opposite tree line before blinking in surprise as his frame was enveloped in smoke, the image of her feral student abruptly replaced with that of his growling ninken.
If that was just Akamaru…
Then where was the real Kiba?
As if in response to her confusion, the ground at her feet split open once more and a second clawed fist rose from the earth poised for a mighty uppercut.
She dodged it by mere inches before lashing out and taking hold of his wrist, swiftly plucking the shocked youth from the dirt and driving a fist into his stomach before tossing him away from her position.
"That was a clever little trick, he's learning not to be so direct."
Kiba's greatest weakness was his straightforward approach in combat. He favored raw power over tactical thinking which made him somewhat predictable, something that could get him killed in a real battle. She was glad to see their sessions had helped expand his mind towards new strategies.
At their current level, she felt confident that they could handle a seasoned chunin level opponent and come out on top. Any jonin worth their salt would tear them apart but for a team less than a year old that was still a feat worth acknowledging.
"I might need to step up my training soon." Proud as she might be, she didn't plan on letting them outgrow her so quickly. She hadn't reached her current level by resting on her laurels.
Affording them a moment to regroup, she made no effort to stop Kiba from rejoining his teammates as they emerged from the foliage. Frustration was visible across their faces, undoubtedly displeased by their failure even if that was the expected outcome. Even so, she could see they weren't ready to call it quits just yet.
Hinata's byakugan blazed brightly, likey serving as their first means of defense against any illusions she might have tried to weave against them. Guarding their flank, Kiba stood at the ready. His keen senses and quick reaction time would make any attempts at an ambush difficult, not to mention his high durability and physical strength.
And as always, Natsumi led from the front.
Her face was impassive, but she could tell the blond was already formulating new plans and running risk assessments behind that stone facade. It was unnerving, an example of her preference for psychological warfare and scare tactics. Combined with the fact that she kept her true skill tucked away, it made planning effective counters feel more like a game of chance than anything.
She would make for a remarkable illusionist if only she cared for the artform.
Sparing a moment to glance at the sun overhead, she noted that they'd been practicing for a little over three hours. There was still plenty of time left in the day, but other matters required their attention. A conversation she'd been putting off for some time.
"Alright, that's enough for today." She dropped her stance and called it. "There is something I have to talk with you three about, so take a moment to catch your breath and come sit."
The trio paused, surprised by the abrupt end to their exercise but obeyed nonetheless.
"What's up, Sensei?" Kiba questioned curiously, eager to know just what could cut their session short. "Are we headed out on another mission or something?"
"No, nothing like that." The ravenette folded her arms and softly shook her head. "In fact, we may not be taking any jobs in the coming weeks." She admitted, drawing surprised glances from the trio.
"Why not?" Natsumi inquired, displeasure apparent in her tone. "We've only just begun taking real missions in earnest. Have we done something wrong?"
As far as she knew, they'd done everything by the book. Their mission record was spotless, their cohesion as a team near flawless, and their individual growth had progressed noticeably in the past few months. If anything, they should be taking on more assignments, not less. Had she miscalculated?
Her fears were put to rest by the small chuckle their sensei let out.
"Nothing is wrong, and you three are certainly not in any trouble." She held up a hand to assuage their fears. "Quite the opposite, I don't believe any other squad in your year has earned a more sterling reputation."
"T-Then why won't we be t-taking missions?"
Kurenai let out a long sigh before speaking. "What do you three know about the chunin exams?"
"Not much, honestly…" Kiba sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I remember mom made a big deal out of it when my sister took them, but I didn't pay it much attention."
"The chunin exams are an opportunity for genin to be promoted to chūnin." Natsumi began. "A series of harsh tests that will determine if a genin is ready to advance in rank or not, each of the major villages hosts the exams once every two years."
"You're well informed." Kurenai nodded. "This year, Konoha will be the ones hosting the exams, so you should expect to see a fair amount of traffic in the coming weeks. It is also the reason we won't be taking any assignments."
The implication was less than subtle.
"S-Sensei are you saying..." Hinata's hushed whisper put a voice to their collective thoughts.
"That you three have been nominated to participate in this year's chunin exams? Yes." The ruby-eyed jonin confirmed their assumption. "Entry is voluntary, but should you decide this is something you wish to pursue, Lord Hokage has already given his approval."
She reached into her pouch and produced three neatly folded forms.
"The exams are slated to begin next week." She continued, handing each of them a sheet. "You have until then to decide if you want to enter or wait to try again in the future."
Natsumi stared at the sheet of paper in her hand with thinly veiled excitement. She couldn't be more pleased with this outcome if she tried, baring perhaps a sudden field promotion that would allow her to forgo all the formalities. The culmination of all her work over the last few months could finally bear fruit if all went as she envisioned it.
The chance for promotion. To move beyond being nothing more than a grunt.
She had already made her choice, not that it was a difficult one to make. If she had to choose between staying a genin for another two years, being little more than a glorified errand girl, or rising in the ranks and gaining access to better resources, jutsu, missions, and respect, then the choice was abundantly clear.
Entering the exams was the only logical path.
"W-Were any other t-teams nominated?" Hinata inquired softly, quietly reading over the form.
"Given that Konoha is hosting this year's exams, you should expect to see quite a few teams from here competing. Homefield advantage and all." Kurenai explained. "But I assume you are more interested in knowing if your fellow rookies will be entering?"
They nodded.
"Team Seven and Team Ten have been cleared to enter, though whether or not they will participate is solely up to them." She revealed, recalling that both Kakashi and Asuma had stepped forward to nominate their squads. Kakashi's nomination hadn't come as much of a surprise given his reputation, but she hadn't expected Asuma to throw his team in the ring.
That had been the deciding factor for her decision. If her peers felt their teams fit to try then, she would not deprive her students of the opportunity.
"There is no way they'll pass this up." Kiba mused. "Sasuke's has too much pride to duck out, and Ino would raise hell if her team missed something like this."
"Well, you'll know for certain when the exams begin." Kurenai then leveled them with a serious look. "Remember, these exams are not something to take lightly and It won't just be your peers that you'll have to contend with. Shinobi from all over the world are free to take part in these exams. The competition will be stiff... If you are going to enter, then you need to be prepared to give it everything you have. There will not be any handouts."
The humorous air quickly sobered at her warning. Their sensei was rarely this adamant about anything which spoke volumes about how serious this was.
"I want you to give you plenty of time to think on this, so you have the rest of the week off to decide what you each want to do. Obviously, I am forbidden from discussing anything about the test itself, but if you wish to speak with me regarding anything else I will be available every day at our usual lunch spot around noon."
"If there are no other questions, you are dismissed."
(...)
"A-Ano... how do you feel about this? About the e-exams I mean?"
Natsumi eyed Hinata with a curious glance as they made their way through the village. Her mousy teammate refused to meet her gaze, choosing instead to stare at her feet with a troubled expression while the air around her practically buzzed with doubt and barely concealed anxiety.
She supposed that shouldn't surprise her.
"I am pleased that sensei thinks we're capable enough to hold our own in such an event." She admitted, deciding to wait and see where Hinata stood on the matter. "I won't pretend that the prospect of becoming a chunin doesn't appeal to me, I'd welcome the increase in responsibility and authority."
The lavender-eyed girl seemed unsurprised by her response. "You're always so confident... I wish I could say I f-felt the same."
"I take it that you have reservations about our success?" Natsumi questioned, though it came out more like a statement. "Or do you not believe yourself ready to advance in rank?"
"I…" The heiress struggled to find her words. "I want to b-believe that we can do it, and I do want to become a c-chunin! But you heard what Kurenai-sensei said... t-teams from all over the world are going to be participating. Can we really c-compete?" She whispered, shaken by the prospect of facing such odds.
Natsumi paused, halting in her tracks. "You think we may be getting in over our heads then?"
"I-I didn't m-mean it like that-'' Hinata quickly tried to blunt her words but was swiftly brought to silence by a raised hand.
"How many times have I told you, do not be afraid to speak your mind." She regarded her flustered teammate with an understanding stare. "Your concerns are valid. Do not feel the need to spare my, or anyone else's feelings if you are unsure about something."
"S-Sorry…" Hinata's gaze returned to her feet, a sense of shameful disappointment in herself for doubting the blond, and by extension her team. They each worked so hard every day, and yet here she was, doubting their ability at such a critical moment. She was an awful teammate...
"Hinata." Bandaged fingers gently gripped her chin, lifting her gaze from her feet into a pair of cool sapphire orbs. Heat rushed suddenly to her cheeks, the intimate nature of the gesture practically made her head spin, but under the whiskered-girls gaze... she was powerless to resist.
"There is no need to apologize." Natsumi offered a reassuring smile. "You were given a voice for a reason; use it as you see fit. There is nothing wrong with being afraid, caution is the greatest tool of a shinobi after all."
Hinata nodded mutely, her voice failing her suddenly out of a strange mixture of overwhelming embarrassment and oddly enough, relief. To know that the blonde wasn't angry with her, or disappointed by her weakness was enough to ease the weight on her shoulders.
"Good." Natsumi released her hold and turned her gaze forward. "As I said before, your concern is justly warranted. We have been a team for less than a year and there will undoubtedly be individuals present with far greater experience, and skill than our own. Overconfidence will surely be our downfall if we are not mindful. However, there is nothing to be gained by giving into doubt. You can only discover your limits by facing the possibility of failure."
"Y-You make it sound so easy." She whispered, pressing the tips of her fingers together in frustration.
"Nothing in life worth doing is ever easy." She countered softly, shaking her head. "When we first became a team, you told us that you wanted to one day remove the divide within your clan, do you believe accomplishing such a feat will be simple?"
"N-Not exactly..." Hinata admitted with a frown. The Hyuga clan was fond of tradition and seemed almost universally opposed to the adoption of new ideas. She doubted even her father would support her dream if she told him of her goals, not that he had ever offered much support to begin with.
"Yet, even knowing that such a task will prove difficult, you've still chosen to aspire towards making that change." Natsumi noted matter of factly. "This is no different. Progress requires overcoming challenges, opposition, and self-doubt." She glared hard towards the horizon. "If you wish to carve your name into the pages of history and leave your mark, you can not afford to allow fear to constrain you. Always strive to move forward, never back."
In the face of such unyielding determination, Hinata found it difficult to offer any rebuttal that didn't stink of weakness. Again, she was reminded just what it was that prompted her to admire her teammate to the extent she did. That unwillingness to cower in the face of adversity. Natsumi wasn't one to second guess her decisions; every action she took was backed by unwavering commitment towards her goals.
"Y-You're right." Hinata clenched her fist, a spark of determination flickering to life in her eyes. "I-I shouldn't doubt myself so much, t-thank you, Natsumi!"
She nodded, pleased to see the Hyuga heiress back on course. It wouldn't do for her plans to have Hinata doubting herself and possibly backing out of the exams. There was little doubt in her mind that whatever trials awaited them in the near future would be made far less taxing with the heiress' aid.
"I expected nothing less of you. Do not forget that you won't be alone either, both Kiba and I will be beside you as well."
"Right… W-We're a team." Hinata smiled at the sensation of warmth that bubbled up within her at the reminder. She had never truly expected her team to bond in the way they had if she was being honest. They were all so different, yet somehow… she never felt more at ease than when she was with them.
They were almost like… a family.
"Oi! Get back here, you damn brats!"
Natsumi and Hinata found their little moment interrupted by a sudden, yet familiar shout and a passing streak of pink that left them both dazed for a second. Regaining their bearings, the two peered through the crowded streets and became witness to a rather surprising scene.
"I-Is that S-Sakura-chan?" Hinata squeaked, her tone laced with confusion as she watched her old classmate sprint through the crowded streets, an expression of righteous fury grafted onto her face. "W-Who is she c-chasing?"
"Seems like a group of children, though I can only wonder what they could have done to antagonize her." Natsumi stroked her chin in contemplation. Perhaps their old classmate was on babysitting duty, though if that was the case, she was doing a rather poor job of it.
Not that she was one to speak. She wasn't much better when it came to dealing with children.
"S-Should we intervene? They're just kids..." Hinata wondered, a nervous frown marring her face.
"I guess it wouldn't do any harm. If nothing else, this might prove amusing to witness." Natsumi shrugged, not caring either way.
The pair quietly made their way after the enraged pinkette, the trail of panicked screams and shouted curses left in their wake made the whole ordeal a rather mundane task. Oddly enough, no one around them seemed concerned by the strange amount of shouting, or the pleas for help… almost as if this was something of a common occurrence? Some stopped to stare, and others shook their heads in what appeared to be bemusement, but nothing beyond that.
Perhaps apathy was the greatest sin of Konoha? It wouldn't shock her if that was true.
Still, even she could commend the trio of terrified brats for lasting as long as they had. However, their lead was diminishing by the second and inevitably they would be caught.
Though to their surprise, it wouldn't be at Sakura's hand.
Neither Hinata nor Natsumi were expecting the sight that awaited them around the corner as they silently caught up with the traveling band. The chase had been brought to an end, but not in the manner that either had expected.
"H-Hey! Put me down, you big jerk!"
One of the children, a helmet-wearing boy with a comically long scarf struggled helplessly in the air as he was held aloft by a peculiar-looking figure. A male that looked about their age dressed in a black, baggy, full bodysuit topped off by a strange cat-like hood that concealed his hair from view. Purple tribal-ish markings adorned his scowling face and an oddly wrapped bundle was secured tightly behind his back.
There was another figure at his side, a female with sandy blond hair tied into four distinct pigtails and had a large, metal-slab-like object held in place at her back by a scarlet sash tied around her waist. She was dressed in a long lavender-colored battle dress and fishnet leggings.
However, none of this caught their attention as much as the two foreign headbands sported by the duo. A symbol that was familiar to them.
The hourglass of Sunagakure
(…)
"Kankuro, just put the kid down already." Temari sighed, regarding her brother with annoyance as he shook the leaf brat around. "It was an accident, let it go already."
"Tsk, as if!" Kankuro growled. "This little shit should have been paying attention to where he was running."
"We're so sorry about that." Sakura apologized sincerely, hands held up placatingly to avoid starting a fight. Tucked away behind her, two more children cowered in fear of the aggressive foreigner currently holding their friend hostage. "We should have been paying more attention, could you please forgive us and let him down?" She pleaded.
"Damn right you should have!" He sneered, before turning his attention towards the squirming brat clutched within his grasp. "You tree-huggers don't have any manners at all, do you?"
A cruel smile blossomed across his painted-face. "Maybe I oughta teach you some then?"
"You're going to get us in trouble." The blond at his side groaned. Why couldn't he just chill out? Didn't he understand that they weren't supposed to be drawing attention to themselves?
"Relax Temari, I won't rough him up too bad. Just enough that he gets it." Kankuro chuckled, holding the boy up and balling his free hand into a fist. "After all, what's a proper apology if you don't learn anything? Pain is a good teacher."
From the sidelines, Natsumi frowned.
This was getting out of hand and it didn't seem as though Sakura would be of any help in diffusing the situation. If anything, she seemed almost as frightened as the children were which only served to further amuse the Suna-nin. To be bullied by outsiders like this, in your own village no less… she might as well have just prostrated herself and let them wipe their feet all over her. It was that pathetic.
"Natsumi…" She didn't need a translator to interpret Hinata's silent plea. The Hyuga did have a soft spot for children.
Ugh, must she do everything?
Stepping out from the shadows, she made her presence known.
"I would reconsider that course of action, Shinobi-san."
All parties turned their eyes towards her, though only Sakura's gaze shined with the light of recognition. Sparkling emerald eyes widening in a mixture of surprise and abundant relief at her appearance. A sense of safety bubbling up from within as glacial cerulean orbs surveyed the situation.
"Natsumi!?" She called out.
"Tsk, more of you?" The painted-youth frowned.
"Sakura-san." She acknowledged the pinkette curtly, then turned her attention back towards the pair of wary Suna shinobi and spoke again. "As I was saying, I would suggest you drop the child and be on your way. It would be in your best interest."
Kankuro frowned at the condescension in her voice, it reminded him all too much of his father. The bored droll of someone who didn't even perceive him as worth notice, more of an annoyance to be swatted away and forgotten.
"And just what are you going to do if I don't?" He growled, muscles twitching beneath his suit.
"Me?" She gestured lazily towards herself then shook her head. "Nothing at all."
"Then maybe you should mind your own damn business!" He barked back. A smug, bullish smile stretched across his face. "Unless you want to take his place, keep your mouth shut and stay out of my way!"
Unimpressed by the display, she merely clicked her tongue with a frown and sighed, almost as if she was bored of the whole affair. "I am genuinely stunned that Suna could produce a shinobi as incompetent as you. Have the years spent kicking sand around in the desert sun fried your brain? Or are you nothing more than a rabid dog incapable of comprehending anything beyond what is explicitly laid out for him?"
The dismissive disdain in her voice was almost palpable. Kankuro certainly felt it.
"By all means, go ahead with your so-called "lesson". It is of no real consequence to me what you do." She shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.
Her gaze then narrowed and a subtle, yet noticeable pressure fell over the entire clearing causing those present to tense. "However, I am certain thatthe village authorities will take a keen interest in a foreign shinobi assaulting one of their citizens unprovoked. A child no less. Don't you think?"
Indignation melted into anxiety, and color rapidly drained from his face.
She walked- no, prowled forward. Stepping daringly into his face. "Surely you can imagine how poorly it would reflect on your village if that happened? The embarrassment your Kage might feel having to publicly apologize because one of his soldiers decided to pick a fight over something so trivial."
Her words dripped with poisoned sweetness. Bait laid out for foolish flies.
"I can't say I envision that reflecting well on your career." Her voice flitted like a whisper in the wind, but it carried the strength of a swirling hurricane. "So why not do the smart thing, and let him go?"
The sound of his teeth grinding behind that scowl was like music to her ears. Frustration, rage, and embarrassment coming together to form a splendid symphony to his helplessness. He wanted to swing at her, to silence her mockery and assert some fragile dominance over them, over her… She'd exposed him as nothing more than an unchained beast with more bark than bite.
As expected, his grip loosened and the young boy hit the ground with a small thud before scampering back to safety amongst his friends. Carefully eying the encounter from behind Sakura's legs.
"Good to see you have some sense at least." She offered a plastic smile and stepped back two steps. "I assume you two are here to participate in the upcoming exams? If so, I'd recommend you mind yourselves more carefully from here on out, not everyone will be so lenient and you may not get a second chance to… reflect on your actions."
The threat was clear. If they couldn't fall into line, they would be dealt with.
Kankuro nearly cracked a molar, such was his anger. How dare this tree-hugging bitch look down on him like this!? Like she was better than him!
"You little!-" He made a move towards the mysterious bundle wrapped behind his back-
"That's enough, Kankuro." A dry voice halted his movement.
All parties present tensed as a new figure seemingly materialized out of thin air, appearing directly behind the two Suna shinobi who stiffened like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Emotionless teal-colored eyes surveyed them in silence, before settling on the instigator of this whole mess.
"You've already embarrassed us enough. Act out again and I will deal with you myself."
"G-Gaara!? I-I didn't mean-" Kankuro tried to stammer out an excuse but a spike of killing intent silenced him.
"I did not ask you to speak."
Kankuro choked on his breath but nodded wordlessly. Falling into line without further protest.
While this exchange occurred, Natsumi took a moment to inspect the new arrival more closely.
Like them, this one bore the symbol of Sunagakure as well... which likely meant that he was the third and final member of their team. He was a short boy, shorter than both of his teammates by a fair bit, yet his presence outweighed their own by leagues. The ease at which he subdued them with only words spoke volumes of his authority, she could see genuine fear in their eyes.
How curious?
Physically, she could admit he was a striking individual. Vibrant crimson hair, dark raccoon-esque rings around his eyes, and the kanji for "love" tattooed above his left brow all made for a rather memorable sight. One that seemed almost familiar to her for some reason? Almost as though-
"His hair is the color of fresh blood, and his eyes colder than the most frigid desert night… He's a monster wearing the skin of a boy..."
Recognition burned to life behind her eyes and tumultuous disbelief settled heavily within her chest. Surely it couldn't be! She put little stock in notions such as fate, but this couldn't be mere coincidence… could it?
"I apologize on his behalf." Lifeless eyes turned to face her, teal orbs meeting sapphire. "We will cause no further trouble, and I will be sure he reflects on his actions appropriately."
To her credit, recovered from her shock rather quickly. It wouldn't do for her to make a fool of herself by standing around lost in thought, even if she was still reeling from the unanticipated reveal.
"These things happen, no harm was done so I'm certain we can all put this incident behind us…" She fitted her words with a cordial air, as not to sour the moment. "Gaara-san, was it?" She asked, searching for confirmation of her theory. His companion had briskly stammered out the name before being silenced, but she needed to hear it from him.
"Correct," He affirmed her suspicions with a short nod. "You are?"
"Natsumi, Uzumaki Natsumi." She introduced herself politely, a chuffed smirk present across her face as her thoughts swirled with countless questions and possible scenarios. If only they weren't surrounded by riff-raff, she would forgo these pointless formalities. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Her introduction was met with a terse silence. She could see that he was sizing her up behind that mask of indifference, gauging her worth under some unknowable criteria. Were she anyone else, she may have recoiled under the unnerving emptiness of his gaze. However, If she would not flinch before the strongest Biju, she would certainly not be cowed by a single boy.
He took in a breath and broke the silence. "You spoke of the chunin exams before. Is it reasonable to assume you will be participating as well?"
"If all goes according to plan, yes." She admitted. No reason to hide her intentions.
"I see." He muttered quietly. A flicker of something primal sparked to life in those listless eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it came. Without another word, the redhead turned on his heel and began to walk in the opposite direction, his teammates following suit like trained dogs as he departed.
"Uzumaki-san…" That monotone call caught her attention. He'd stopped halfway. "I look forward to seeing you in the exams. I pray you do not disappoint me."
She raised a brow. Competitive was he?
"I can say the same to you, Sabaku-san." She called back, not bothering to conceal the eagerness in her voice as he stilled, turning halfway to glance at her again with surprise. "Perhaps we can speak further another time? Should the opportunity present itself."
He did not respond verbally to her invitation, but she got the feeling that his lack of reaction was not an outright refusal. Rather, she felt confident that she'd gone and piqued his interest. What that entailed, however, would remain to be seen.
"To think that rat would make his way here." The low growl of her tenant rumbled deeply in her ear as she watched the trio disappear around a corner."The stench of that fool's madness practically rolls off that boy. I would not be surprised if he is equally as unhinged behind that facade."
"I take it you aren't pleased by this development?" She questioned rhetorically. A hint of mirth clear in her tone as she sensed her tenant's discomfort within her seal. "Not keen on a family reunion, are you?"
"You joke now, but once that imbecile realizes that I am here, you will become a target." The fox let out a resigned breath and settled back down within his cage. "Whatever illusions you have of a peaceful outcome or some misguided sense of kinship, discard them now. That lunatic will settle for nothing less than burying you alive. If not due to his instability, then purely out of spite for me."
"Well, that simply won't do... I don't particularly fancy the idea of being a casualty of your sibling rivalry. Sabaku-san seems reasonable enough, at the very least I should try and speak with him while I have the chance. It would be a waste to let this opportunity pass."
"And when he inevitably tries to kill you?"
"I'll handle it, I am not helpless." She had little interest in fighting the redhead, she'd much rather ask him about his life and the nature of the Ichibi, but she would make preparations on the off chance her tenants' pessimistic outlook proved founded.
"Hmph. Do as you wish, just don't get us killed trying to sate your endless curiosity." It growled before abruptly severing their connection.
"No appreciation for the pursuit of knowledge." She sighed. We're all the Biju so difficult?
"T-Thank you for the help, Natsumi." Her musings were interrupted as Sakura made her way over. A grateful yet apologetic smile stretched across the pinkette's face as she dipped into a low bow and spoke again. "We're really sorry for dragging you into our mess." She apologized, the trio of kids at her hip nodding along as well.
"We didn't mean to cause trouble." One of them frowned, thick snot dripping down from his nose as he bowed apologetically towards her. "Don't be mad at us."
"Yeah! We'll be more careful next time!" The second, a young girl with bright orange hair done up in two jutting pig-tails and a prominent blush marks across her cheeks promised. "Even though this was kinda all Konohamaru's fault." She admitted, shooting an annoyed glare towards her friend and leader.
"Eh, my fault!?" The third child, the one with the ridiculous scarf and outlandish helmet balked at the accusation, eyes open wide in disbelief. "I didn't see him okay!? Besides, he was just a big bully anyway... I bet I could have taken him if I had known he was there! Right, Udon?" He turned towards his best friend for support.
"Eh?" Udon scratched the back of his sheepishly. "The math doesn't add up…"
Neither of his companions seemed all that convinced by his boasting.
"W-Whatever!" Konohamaru flushed and looked away. "Anyway, thanks a bunch lady… ya know, you were pretty cool back there. You seem really strong, for a girl anyway." He praised excitedly, missing the almost synchronous twitch that shot through each of the assembled female's brows at the roundabout "compliment".
"It was nothing..." She muttered and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Now a part of her wished that she had let him get hit, smug little brat.
"Hehe, ya know that gives me a really good idea!" A bright grin stretched across his face and he pointed at her with an enlightened expression. As if the universe had just revealed to him some great truth. "Starting today, you're gonna be our new Onee-chan! You seem reliable and strong, so you'd better not let us down!" He declared confidently, eyes closed tight with a megawatt smile.
Hidden behind the fence, Hinata choked on her breath at the sudden declaration, thumping her chest rapidly in a volatile mixture of disbelief and worry. Sakura meanwhile froze on the spot, color draining from her face while sweat poured visibly down her brow. The unspoken rules of their Academy days returned with a vengeance as she watched the blond's face shift from mildly disinterested to outright frigid.
"K-Konohamaru, you can't just make someone-" She hurriedly tried to intervene, but was cut off by the other two children darting towards the blond as well, childish glee sparkling in their eyes as they quickly surrounded the whiskered girl.
"Ano, calling you Onee-chan is a bit embarrassing, can I just call you Big Sis?" Udon asked shyly, tentatively tugging at her sleeve. "Also, do you like math?"
"Ooo! You have really pretty hair Onee-chan, can you show me how to do mine like that?" Moegi questioned excitedly, fascinated by the blond's ornate hair buns. "Pretty please!?" She pouted jumping in place.
Natsumi just stared blankly at the trio of urchins now nipping at her heels. Their shouting fading into little more than white noise as her mind attempted to process the title levied upon her so abruptly.
Her, a big sister? To a bunch of brats no less?
The very idea was outlandish. Foolish beyond compare. Outright laughable even!
...
So why didn't she hate it as much as she should?
"Tsk, you should not refer to someone you just met so casually." She admonished them after a moment of tense silence, raising her hand to flick their foreheads as punishment drawing childish yelps of pain from the trio. "If you are going to insist upon this, then you will address me properly as Onee-sama. Uzumaki or Natsumi-sama are also acceptable."
"Eh? But Onee-chan-" Konohamaru tried to protest but was abruptly silenced by another wave of suffocating pressure washing over the clearing.
"Onee-sama." She repeated, a glacial smile grafted across her face. Behind her, a terrifying image of a snarling fox glared down upon him with eyes like brimstone.
"R-Right! O-Onee-sama!" He nodded frantically all while his knees trembled.
"Super cool!" Mogei gushed with excitement. Their new big sister was so awesome!
"Too scary!" Udon whispered, his body locked in a stiff military salute for reasons he couldn't quite understand.
Sakura and Hinata could only watch with sheer disbelief.
What the hell just happened!?
AN. Chapter Complete
So we've arrived at the beginning of the Chunin arc, judging by the reviews many of you were hoping this is where we would be going next so I'm happy that my plans seemed to line up with your general thoughts. This chapter is just the generic setup to bridge the events of the last chapter to the coming plot. I plan to jump right into the first part of the exams starting in the next chapter.
In this chapter, we saw little snippets of some character relations I want to touch on or at least present. Natsumi is still working with Hinata and their relationship will ramp up from Chunin exams onwards given events. I will say I do want to do more with Kiba as well since he's sort of been neglected and I already have plans for how that might be set up, so if you've been hoping for more interactions with them there is hope. The Suna siblings are obviously a big part of this setup. Gaara is of course the centerpiece of this interaction and you can be sure he and Natsumi will interact during these exams as well. What sort of relationship they build of course you'll have to wait and see.
We also got a little moment with the Konohamaru trio. I actually like Konohamru and his friends so I did at least want him to appear in this story, and I think his oblivious bull-headed behavior makes it fairly believable that he would miss all the danger signs and sort of force his way into her life. I doubt we'll see them too often but maybe they might be fun additions to future stories or something.
Also as a note, I see people asking why Natsumi didn't mention that Konohamaru is the Third's Grandson in this encounter and I thought it was fairly obvious but I'll address it anyway. Natsumi has no reason to know who Konohamru is, they've never met and it isn't as though Konohamru has done anything to garner her interest. As far as she knows he and his friends are just a rag-tag group of kids who were in trouble. Overall it doesn't change much about the encounter, but people seem to think I forgot about this point when that is very much not the case.
Anyway, that's all for this chapter. I did want to talk about events following the exams but I'd rather not bloat this AN any further. As always thank you for reading! Do feel free to PM with questions or concerns, and kindly review since feedback is always appreciated!