Location: ?
Subject Matter: ?
November 29th, 1963
Deep in the recesses of the hidden bunker, where nothing but ghosts and ramshackle dreams adorn, it is only the light of these flickering monitors which give grace to his eager eyes, the satisfied grin, and his expectant mind.
So many young, nubile test subjects, so many variables to consider.
He was practically in heaven.
The air is punctuated only the the rattling hum of the generator, its mechanical thrum the only beating heart keeping this place - and the lights - alive. The green aura of his computer screen casts an eerie glow across his intense gaze, the watcher's fingers dashing across the keyboard recounting all he sees. "Subject 81 takes lead; squadmates subjects 6 and 15 fall behind. Negligible. Subject 33's injury hasn't fully healed off her left calf; will slow her down, make her an easy target. Negligible..."
Down the list he goes, meticulously recounting each detail unfolding before him. Just he as he was instructed, just as he was expected; urgency being the drug which gets him high right now. He licks his lips with anticipation, hungry to see what the young ninja from Konoha do next as the rushed forth into the Forest of Death.
Subjects continue advance into the wood - careless, he writes. Energy appears to petter out with no outlet present. ROOT agents - as predicted - have covered there tracks well. The more experienced chunin appear to keep their heads, but others begin to falter. Early projections have clearly diminished, with prior estimates falling 32%. Reassessment is required. Procedural observation for candidate pool will revert focus back to previous 'blue chip' marks: subjects 13, 9, 27, and 40. Variables: minimal.
When at first he saw the initial charge, the young ninja proved an exciting bit of entertainment. Like the beginnings of a Western, as the feather draped Indians ride in all pell-mell into the fort, butchering all those sleeping troopers. However, problem was once the rush begins to dwindle, nerves began to take over. The ROOT proctors would not be so easily overtaken, slipping into the shadows of the trees, causing the teens to monetarily falter. Bravado is replaced with hesitation as they weigh their precarious situation.
What will they do now, his eyes narrow, evaluating the dynamics at play. A few teams, driven by youthful eagerness, continue the pursuit; he dismisses them with a flick of his pen. These were expendable, a factor he'd anticipated.
The chaff were expected to be cut down.
Yet, he's interested to see the majority exhibit a more strategic mindset, banding together either by instinct or camaraderie. The creak of his chair goes as he leans forward, a hint of satisfaction creeping into his expression: the natural order begins to form among the group. Interesting, but not unexpected; in the wild, animals tend to gravitate toward the strongest of their pack. "Survival of the fittest" sometimes simply means having the benefit of being close to the most powerful.
And among this group there are a few leaders who emerge.
He takes down their names, ranks, and traits. As stated before: four are prime, eligible examples to be monitored. However, he reserves the right to be surprised; there are certainly others who piqued their interest, considered strong to endure further testing. Best to remain cautiously hesitant about hedging all bets on only one. That's not what he was sent to do, knowing the in the unpredictable world of shinobi surprises are always lurking beneath the surface.
Especially, for one.
Truly an exquisite specimen, and unwise to the knowledge he was the star of his own personal show. Every one of his mannerisms were being recorded. From the way he carries himself, to how he talks, even to the way others react around him. Copious amounts of literature written about him, to which this faithful observer combed through it all religiously. Shameful would it be if he escaped their grasp a second time, which is why he was determined to capture every nuance of the unfolding drama.
Right down to the last detail.
North Side the Wall, Tokyo Urban; Hidden Village: "Leaf"
Training Course Delta; "Bell Test"; First foray into the forest.
8:00 hrs; November 29th, 1963
They were foolish to start the way they did.
He should've known better.
He was trained to be better.
Running in like a bunch of fools - who does that? A bunch of fresh genin who had paid no mind before leaping.
All they did was make the ROOT agents jobs a helluva lot easier, as they drew them in, bottling them in to potential "kill zones" they wouldn't even be aware of till it was too late. Sasuke blamed himself - he figured if they were lucky maybe - MAYBE - they could swarm one of the stragglers.
Yet, that was naive: If he were being chased, he'd do the same thing if it were him. Lag behind a little, make the enemy believe they have a semblance of a chance, then when they let their guard down about-face and cut them down. It was such a rudimentary tactic, Sasuke wants to kick himself for falling for it. So he slows down, relaxes his tense muscles, and urges Naruto and Sakura to do the same.
Naruto of course complained. "What, why?" He asks as they all come to a full stop one a large oak branch. "If we hurry we can still follow their trail. We can catch'em."
"I don't like it." Sasuke winces as he turns to Sakura; prepping for today, it was a terrible night's sleep which had him tossing and turning nonstop. Made for a helluva pain not even his early routine yoga cured. "Start signaling to the others. We need to find someone with a map."
"Right, on it." She says dutifully.
Pushing two fingers into her mouth, a loud, high-pitched whistle sounds. The call is long, and broken into two small hiccups; a distress signal all shinobi learned when they were little. Except for him. One, on account Sasuke seldom used it; and two, because he couldn't whistle.
The trees shook and leaves fell as a few of their classmates flew past. Sasuke couldn't make them out, nor did he care; if they wanted to be oblivious and careless, fine. They wouldn't be useful to him, if he wasn't going to be the one holding their hands. Being the highest ranked one here, it should've been obvious they all needed to stick together. Sasuke was ANBU, but ROOT were a wholly different animal all together from what Kakashi told him. Decisive, deadly, trained to the most intense degree. ROOT weren't built like normal shinobi. Hell, they weren't even built like normal people. If they were going to stand a chance, then all of them needed to be careful.
And more importantly follow his lead.
Sakura's call manages to bring those comprising of the former teams 5, 8, 10, 13 and 30. It put their total number at was more than expected, but less than he'd hoped; with any luck, they can pick up stragglers along the way. Numbers were going to be their greatest advantage here.
That, and everyone's ability here to shut up and do as they were told.
Because with his, Sakura's, and Shikamaru's minds combined, chirping from any one else would just be more troublesome.
"Figured you had a plan," Shikamaru says, voice steady, though the hint of urgency hanging about Team 10's shoulders. Was the same for the rest of them who looked expectantly over at Sasuke. "Told everyone to wait up and follow your moves. Just in case you needed some assistance."
"Hn, yeah...," Sasuke snorts, tone clipped yet confident. He turns to address the rest of them. "Anybody with a map, step up." He commands.
"Me! I do!", Ino calls out, her voice ringing with eagerness. Sasuke gestures for her to come forward, and she trusts over, a smug look directed at Sakura - the spoken of rivalry simmering hot as it always has.
When Ino walks over, Sasuke notes of all gathered only five more maps catch his eye. It's a grim realization: out of the thirty-six students, less than a quarter possessed viable means to navigate through this treacherous terrain. Sasuke figured this would've bene the case; Kakashi had droned on about it long enough, and the bell test originally had it sorigins centered around this concept. Took him a long while to care enough about it, and frankly he still had some misgivings - though more centered on himself, and not his team. But teamwork with people he'd had little to share with had little appeal, and less use for someone who only recently began to stand his own teammates.
Looking over the map, and trying his best to ignore Ino's insistence on invading his personal space, Sasuke looks it over. "There's a few depots set up close by we can easily hit," Sasuke acknowledges over towards Shikamaru; the closest being northwest of their position, where two red triangles marked a POI. They were a probably a click or so away. Not far, if they wanted to push. "Good spot to hunker down, however the clearing these are set in make it a prime spot for an ambush."
On hearing that word Choji looks to jump a little, but Nara does well enough to shit him down. "Think they'd work that fast setting up traps." Shikamaru asks.
A few of the others agree, thinking it a little far-fetched to believe ROOT could work so quick. That was amateur thinking, though; it's what genin would assume because they hadn't had the need - or worry - to consider all the options. ANBU taught Sasuke otherwise, to be prepped for any and all occasions. He'd impressed to Sakura before most points in this forest were most likely already pre-sighted. They would've told Naruto, but...
A quick glance at his teammate, and he already was goofing off; play flexing his muscles with Matsuri, attempting to get the equally dour Shira to laugh, doing impressions of all the types of monsters lurking within the forest. The levity he gave was nice, Sasuke supposed. Yet, he was ever of a mind that such things were best suited AFTER contact was made. Comedy did good to raise people's spirits, but it also could make them sloppy, uncaring, and too reactive.
All things Naruto was.
So far they were able to corral his worse tendencies, but Sakura was right in noticing Naruto's head wasn't screwed on as tight as it should.
"Our best bet would be to double around the valley and head into this dry riverbed," Sasuke points out over to the map. "About three clicks further and deeper from where we started, but it would give us cover and an opportunity to plan."
Shikamaru brings his hand under his chin. "Maybe," he goes, sounding unsure - Of course, he would be, Sasuke thought. "Probably would be a safer place, but that's also a harder trail to track. The ravine it's situated in offers a lot of cover; but for them, not us. We'll be walking in blind. There'll be some risk, for what I assume to be a smaller supply dump."
"We'll divvy up and ration accordingly." Sasuke tells him.
"We're too big a group, and we don't know how long we could be out here." Shikamaru responds.
"We're not separating to forage - that's exactly what they want us to do."
"I'm not saying we split up, but logistics will be a problem if we're not careful."
"You mean food?" It's not a mystery to know who Sasuke aims the remark for; Choji narrows his eyes, attempts to square up to him, until Shikamaru stops him.
The two boys stare at each other, already the abrasiveness coming into play; ever hard talking to geniuses. Too many opinions, and not enough direction. It wasn't that Shikamaru and he had a contentious relationship, more so it was along the lines of how Sasuke felt according to Naruto. All the potential to be something more, but instead would rather languish about and stare at clouds all day, bum cigarettes off his sensei, and complain. Always complain.
And worse, think he was justified about it, too.
"I know you and I don't see eye-to-eye a lot, but now's not the time: we need to move and move fast. Arguing here with no cover, and more importantly, nothing substantial to defend ourselves, only makes us bigger targets in the end. Can we at least agree on that?"
"C'mon, Shikamaru, quit arguing and let's get out of here. Weren't you literally just telling Choji and me our best chance of making it out of here was to follow Sasuke's lead? So what's the problem?" Ino says, giving Shikamaru a look.
Problem is Sasuke was most likely angling for some of their friends to be used as bait.
It made the most logical sense.
On the one hand, they could find nothing and be totally fine getting towards a somewhat fenced in, protected area; the rocks and the small hideaway located on the map could be a good rallying point if needed. Yet on the other, if ROOT had patrolled the area beforehand, it would make the most sense to set up eyes there. Pick the large group off piecemeal. Whittle them down.
Shikamaru rolls his eyes, cranes his neck, and scratches the back of his head. Typical for Ino to be taking Sasuke's side - in whatever. Also typical for their resident ANBU to be correct. As ever, Shikamaru had a lot of things to say; some good points, and others he knew were simply him being cautious. Asuma ever told him that was his problem - that he thought too much, and wasted his time.
But he'd like to believe the Hokage chose he, Choji, and Ino because they had more to put faith in than, well...
"Bleh bleh bleh! I'm a monster, and this is is the noise scary monsters make! Bleh bleh bleh!"
"Quit it, loser." Shira threatened.
The master of the Seven Heavenly Breaths struggled to hold it together while Naruto traipsed around him, all bent backed and crooked armed, garnering laughs from his teammates Yome and Sen. Sakura was fuming, telling Naruto to "Pipe it down!", and get his head in the game; her consternations were drowned as Shira began laughing at the raunchy joke Naruto told.
It was about a chicken, a midget and hammer.
Honestly, it was quite good.
But it hemmed in the concerns Shikamaru ever had a hard time keeping to himself about the "vaunted" Team 7. Sakura was a straight-laced go-getter, but had the worst mix of hot-headedness and hesitation. She cared too much, and it had a bad habit of dragging her down. Sasuke was a natural talent, but instead of earning respect, the Uchiha demanded it. Or worse, expected it. And Naruto...
"Stop bugging me, asshole." Shira laughs, shoving Naruto off.
"Ah-ah, temper, temper; can't be too loud, Shira, or the yurei will get ya," Naruto chides, bouncing up and down feet like some sort of woodland sprite.
Shira could've stoved in his head, knock it off his shoulders, and not think twice about it if he wanted. But he doesn't. He wouldn't. Being an outsider, being something wholly different to what the norm is for Konoha; Naruto never got much leeway in the past. He was a class-clown, a delinquent, a constant annoyance.
And overall a good person
Which to Shikamaru was a massive liability.
Naruto yearned too much for other people's attention. He wanted them to like him, acknowledge him, see him not for what he was, but what he could be. It was selfish thinking which could prove to be a distraction in the field if Sasuke or Sakura never reeled him in.
At least, in that regard Sasuke had Shikamaru's confidence.
"Naruto, enough. Quit dicking around. We're moving." Sasuke tells him. He rises from his seat next to Ino, and calls out to the rest of those gathering close. "Four clicks southwest of here there's a supply dump at the old riverbed. We'll get provisions there, and move accordingly."
"What about everyone else who isn't here?" Asks Matsuri, but Sasuke shrugs her off.
Sasuke rises from his seat, gulping down another sharp pang of pain. "With any luck we get a radio, and hopefully they'll get one, too. We key the handset twice every twenty-five minutes to see if we get a response. If not, we proceed. No waiting." He says it like he's been made for this his entire life. Which, in truth, he was: becoming ANBU at an age younger than his famous sensei spoke to Sasuke's drive.
The black mesh of his thermal apparel hangs close to his body, taught with aggression and impulse, yet held together with all the modicum of a stone statute. He gives a look to suggest there would be no broaching, no strategizing, and no negotiating with him at this moment.
Sasuke doesn't need to say anything for everyone to fall in line behind him; Shikamaru could've protested, but he didn't possess the energy. They would go - full-press - into the forest, minding the usual hideaways: the yurei hunted about in the low light and foggy passes, the oni would be scavenging for food at this time of year, and the "demon gates" - the myriad caves and underground tunnels tucked in the wood, which hid hibernating creatures and ghouls - shouldn't be open this time of year.
And any which were, maybe, hopefully, could provide a buffer between them and any ROOT proctor in the area.
The Konoha ninja fanned out as they began to move, advancing in a wedge shape through the forest. Moving as quickly their chakra induced muscles could push, they all skimmed past the foggy mist of a shadowy canopy as quick as hiccups. Pine branches shook with each passing footfall, green moss was torn up, and dirt was kicked as they all ran as one. Sasuke made sure to keep his own people to his left and right, everyone else finding their places beside; easier for him to be the point of the spear, and allow the flanks to envelope should any contact be made. To cover four kilometers wouldn't take them long, but Sasuke knew every moment they were in the open would left them vulnerable.
Especially, considering they were being watched this entire time.
He was careful not to say anything. Sakura, though, ever vigilant could see how his mouth pressed into a tight line. His neck bulged - both in strain and worry. And his eyes were fixed straight ahead, waiting like a coiled viper ready to attack at the slightest hint of untoward movement. All he does is give her a look to stay her concern, keep quiet, and proceed as planned; causing undue confusion would only sew panic and slow them down.
But Sasuke felt the pin-prick of a million eyes analyzing them, causing an an itching feeling to roil up his skin. A cold sweat breaks over him, and his breathing gets a little heavier; for want of conserving his energy, he does not activate the Sharingan.
Not yet, he thinks.
Danger in these woods came in many guises, so better to save it when knows for sure what they were up against.
North Side the Wall, Tokyo Urban; Hidden Village: "Leaf"
Training Course Delta; "Bell Test"; Watchtower 12 Command Center
8:30 hrs; November 29th, 1963
"I've chosen only the most dependable and exceptional people best equipped for this type of examination." Yakushij Tenzen says, standing like an onyx pillar among a sea of flashing cameras and persistent microphones. His stature among the throng commands attention. To the frantic onlookers, he embodies strength and leadership, but for Kakashi this scene is a personal nightmare.
"The pride of our youth - the very finest Konoha has to offer - will be marching off to war soon. The future of our Democratic Republic, those who'll carry on the Will of Fire that will alight the world; I have nothing but the highest regard for them. As you all know, it is from these ranks our very own ROOT personnel are chosen."
A throng of voices cry out, bombarding the man with questions; they're all for show, though. There was only one newscast on site, the rest being proxy groups and paid-for actors orchestrated by the Politburo's Director of Public Media. Koharu Utatane's high-pitched, shrill voice cuts through the crowd. Her microphone waving about like it's a sword and she her very own Joan of Arc. "Comrade Director," she calls out. "We all know of your highly touted and well-publicized devotion to the State and the People's Revolution. It is good to see ROOT's hand at work here. Guiding our brave youth into the trials they may face."
"I never begrudge my own people a challenge. So I shall not do so here, either."
"Yes, yes, of course." Utatane smiles wide, bowing deferentially. Nauseatingly, so. As if she hadn't been practicing this whole shtick for the better part of "too long"; once she was one of them, but Koharu had long ago shirked away her Konoha headband and jika-tabi. Now, Kakashi barely recognized the former jonin. "And for all our patriots back home seeing this unfold, any words of encouragement for our young, loyal heroes? Who knows how many countless millions are tuning in to watch and see the might of these shining beacons of tomorrow on display?"
"Words of encouragement? Well, I dare say, anything I can conjure now would pale in comparison to what Comrade Hatake uttered not so long ago." Tenzen responds with a smile, a mask he's perfected through the years of navigating the intricate dynamics of the State Chamber in Hokkaido's Presidium. To many he's a hardliner, but in this moment, he embodies charm and charisma.
Ugh, there he goes mentioning my name. His hands grip the guardrail a little tiger as Kakashi tries to pretend like he's not listening. From his position against overlooking the command center of the watchtower, a manner of hectic and crazed energy buzzing about like a beehive as jonin and radio contacts monitor security cameras and track the kids movements, Kakashi cringes in palpable discomfort.
Oh, how he would've preferred to be on the detail guarding Asuma than having to play babysitter to this circus. One he lamentably had to play a part in.
"All that I can say," Tenzen continues, his small, precise eyes sparkling as he locks onto the cameras pointed his way. "Is that success is predicated on survival. Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species predicated that evolution is derived off the singular notion only the fittest survive. I agree with him on this, as I can find no truer representation of today's world. Bear, dragon, eagle or Viet Minh - makes no difference. All pale to the right of the rising sun."
The sheen unfolds with the fervor of a well-rehearsed performance, an intricate dance between authority and admiration, leaving him to reflect on his own role in this world where heroes are forged amid the chaos of survival.
Releasing his tense grip over the iron, Kakashi walks away; a radioboard needed rewiring, a callsign went missing on the board, the gnome-poker wasn't poking the gnomes. Anything to find an excuse to steal away unseen. Heavy footfalls echo along the steel stairwell leading down into the communication pit, where before him a number of telecom agents and jonin hustle around a twelve by twelve map of Aokigahara and the residing area. Small little red flags dot the table, cross marks and black demerits scattered to and fro as well. All mark where supplies were scattered and potential risk zones were marked. From what Kakashi saw atop the monitors, luckily most of the group stuck together.
Stick together you three, Kakashi mulls, watching Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura off one of the screens. Do your best, I know you can do this.
Kakashi made no qualms about the caliber of enemies the teens would be facing; Tenzen made it clear these were no mere amateurs. Beyond what simple assignments Sapporo's Central Defense conducted, far more clandestine operations were ever handled by ROOT handlers. Looking over at the map, he notes six purple markers about it being moved and handled with each radio ping ringing off their bells. Four formed a perimeter circulating the north, east, south, and west edges of the Forest. Two floaters were free-flying about; mostly intended to track and pick of stragglers. One is angling up near the watchtower Asuma huddled in, making sure to keep clear of the Hokage defense team assigned for protection.
The other closely mirrors the movements of the company.
"The man has a way with words..."
Kakashi didn't hear him approach - perhaps, not with all that was going on around him. His mind was shuttered, closed off; not an ideal thing with a man like Danzo Shimura lurking about. He turns his head ever so lightly to acknowledge the figure clad in traditionally old-fashioned hakama and haori, heavy garments best suited to keep out the cold. At a glance, he looks like any other old jiji trying to stave off the cold. So unassuming the man could be, though Kakashi knew underneath all of that was a dangerously wily, and cynical mind
"I don't remember Tenzen being so talkative when I was around." Danzo says over to him sardonically.
Kakashi could feel a migraine coming along as he shrugs. "Well, you oughta know: he was your student long before he was my father's."
"Sakumo did much to undo whatever I instilled in the man," Danzo snorts. "A ROOT director's place is underground. Not above it. Tenzen's only making himself a target speaking as such."
"For who, Boei-sho-sama?" Kakashi's gaze turns sharp, voice tinged with only the subtle hint of a challenge. "You or us?"
Danzo waves a dismissive hand. "Spare me the Party acrimony, Kakashi. You're better than that." Danzo says, giving him a once-over with his lone good eye. "You look good in a uniform, though. Wonder what they did to convince you of doing that? Lord, knows you would've gutted me if I forced into anything but your military fatigues."
He would've gutted him now for far less.
"We're all above ground now, Mr. Defense Minister." Kakashi says, relieving himself of the heavy officer's coat around his shoulders. "Still not my style, but might as well try and look good for the cameras, right?"
"Wasn't your father's style, either; at least one thing Tenzen retained over from me." Danzo says, before waltzing over to the command table. The man hovers over it like he was meant for this, the chaotic mass of people around him, beating like a heart as blood pumped from command down through the ranks. To Kakashi, Danzo seemed like he was back on the Kanto Plain. Young, unscarred, with two fully functioning eyes.
Same with Kakashi, too.
"So what do you think?" Danzo asks, nodding over to the massed bunch of markers at the center of the map. Just then a jonin with a large stick then leans across the table as she pushes them all forward up the dry riverbed. Along with the black flag marking the ROOT operative alongside them. "I've been watching the monitors and haven't gotten any sight of Tenzen's man here. Any ideas who it could be?"
Kakashi shakes his head. "Tenzen made it fully known he wanted all his operator's identities and skills highly classified for the examination. I haven't a clue as to who any of them are."
"Hmph, another lesson from Sakumo." Danzo turns his head back over towards the screens, obtuse to the tired look Kakashi lobs at him. "You're father was too trusting of people. That's what got him in the end. Tenzen's learned from that example, and is playing his hand close to the chest. One might wonder if he's actually hedging his bets on your people losing."
"This is a training exercise, Boei-sho. Not a competition." Kakashi reminds the man, tone a little stiffer than he'd liked. Twas, fine, though; Danzo's survived harsher stuff. Unlike the better men and women who went off to chase him down many a year ago. "We're all on the same side. If a student fails, they will learn. As we will learn. And with that knowledge in hand, we will be better armed to face whatever problems lay ahead."
"Together?" A laugh like spilled gun powder goes off. Danzo's expression is a mix of amusement and skepticism as he gives a knowing smile towards Kakashi. "Well said, comrade; Sakumo would be proud. When this is over, I will pay my respects. I never thanked him properly for assisting me before." He turns back toward the row of monitors hanging along the wall.
Kakashi would love nothing more than tp rush this man down a flight of stairs. Not to kill - not that. But to embarrass. For if there's anyone in this room next to Tenzen who needs a "come back to Earth" moment, it'd be Danzo. A man who's shadow most of the ninja in this room lived and died in. Still. And worse, Kakashi's own dad had a hand in him escaping.
Sakumo never divulged why he did what he did before taking his own life.
A mystery he kept to the grave, which made it all the more awkward for his son to live on spite of it.
Suddenly, a call is comes through one of the radios: "They're close to the first cache" A jonin says. All eyes move to the screen 7M, including Utatane's media wing at her coattails. They crowd about her, making sure the cameras have a perfect line of sight where they are. Kaneko is there, too. Flanked about by his guardsmen, they were the only thing keeping the daimyo's frail body from being crushed by the press. Well, that and Tenzen's imposing figure.
The man leans over like a hawk inspecting its prey, prying every noticeable moment, movement and detail before him.
He doesn't look at Kakashi - he hadn't actually since coming to Konoha. Their own past between them being a knife which only dug deep into the wound whenever they were in teh same room. Still, Kakashi knew the man noted his presence. Like two sharks accounting for one another in a tank, they swam circles around one another waiting for the chum. Only this time, a third joined them, and now Kakashi felt more like he was forced between. rock and a hard place.
Or, more precisely, a duplicitous ex-Konoha ninja who was now the Head of their enemy's military, and a man who's rubbed elbows with too many people in high positions to ever truly be considered honest.
Sigh, all Kakashi wants now is to read some smut.
Anything to turn his brain off, put it to ease, as the worrisome ping of a ROOT proctor tracks ever closer to the students as they finally reach the bunker.
North Side the Wall, Tokyo Urban; Hidden Village: "Leaf"
Training Course Delta; "Bell Test"; Supply Depot located at Bunker "X"
9:30 hrs; November 29th, 1963
Keeping pace with Sasuke was hard going at first.
Not a lot of the others were used to his style, leading from the front, with minimal communication, and barreling through the forest with nary any sort of plan. When they were kids, Naruto wondered if Sasuke really was as good as everyone says, or if he was lucky. Like him. That all this suave, "coolness" was simply a golden spoon tucked away in his mouth.
But becoming his friend and teammate for so long, Naruto knew that simply wasn't the case.
Sasuke was a planner. Every measured step was calculated and thought of ten times over before he even took it. The perfect angle to run across a rock, the perfect leverage to use and press off a branch, how to take in the perfect amount of chakra as to not tire his muscles, allowing him to run for days. Everything about him was perfect, because he intended it to be so.
Not like Naruto.
Naruto liked to live life as all fur-coat and no trousers.
Which is why he stumbles out of a tree, end over end, barely catching himself falling face first into a bush. Sakura gives a dejected sigh. "Ugh, you really need to concentrate with your breathing; you missed that last branch because you weren't focused on your footing." She tells him. Because of course she knew better.
As did Sasuke, too, naturally.
"Yome," Sasuke calls out, still crouching on an overhanging branch of a mottled oak. "Use your eyes. Can you make out the entrance to bunker?"
Tired and haggard from the tough run, Yome breathed heavy. On seeing her friend struggle, Sen offered to go and look for her instead. Sasuke forbid it: Yome is the only one who's eyes were just as good, if not better, than his at scoping out the area through the fog, he goes. "It's okay, Sen," Yome tells her friend. "I'm *huff* I'm okay, I just need a few *huff* seconds." Four clicks were tough on her; smaller than the rest of them - even smaller than Sakura, Yome needed to use double the chakra in order to keep pace. Sasuke didn't really pay attention to cohesion as he sped forward, as movement was their greatest means in protecting themselves in this forest. WIth teh fog cloistering in around them, limiting visibility to a few yards, if they faltered it meant they'd be easy pickings.
Sasuke wasn't the only one to notice the shadows and shapes - real or imagined - clocking them as they moved. Eyes being on them since they'd stopped a bit ago. Hell, they weren't even subtle anymore; Naruto felt them without even focusing his chakra. Making him break into a cold sweat as the enclosed canopy and entangling roots felt more and more like a prison. He rubs his hands together to fend off the cold, and resists the urge to look over his shoulder; man, could this place give anyone the creeps.
Well, except for one...
"Yome!" Sasuke barks, startling the petite girl beneath him.
"H-Hai! Right!" She stammers before activating her dojutsu abilities.
WIth a deep breath, Yome focuses. Her bright orange irises begin to glow with an ethereal light as she concentrates. Suddenly, her pupils dilate, expanding to twice their normal size, allowing her to pierce through the fog with enhanced clarity. "Nothing!" she exclaims, making everyone breath a sigh of relief. "I see nothing!"
Naruto looks up to see Sasuke furrow his brow, hesitating for a moment. "Are you sure?" He asks, concern palpable; Yome's abilities were finely tuned to catching light reflected off the moisture in the air. Like built in binoculars, it allowed for her to see things up to ten kilometers away, which is why Sasuke kept pushing her and her teammates to be up front. But this fog...it was unnatural. Like most things in this forest were. Wrapping around them like a damp cloak. Very easily could it distort her vision, and with that, take away another asset for them.
"It's fine," Yome reassured, however. Her voice was steady despite the trepidation easily heard within. "I see the entrance to the bunker and it's all clear. The door is still closed, so no animals could've gotten inside. No sign of booby traps from what I can gather, too."
"Then we move."
Sasuke signals for the group to advance, senses heightened as the pressed deeper, atmosphere thick with anticipation as the fog swirled around them like a living entity. Naruto pushed chakra into his feet, careful to keep his balance as they bounce off each stone, careful not to put too much weight lest a flashbang mine be hidden underneath. Sakura is slightly behind him, minding her own steps, keeping her hands close to her sides where her kunai and shuriken were kept.
The bunker loomed ahead, a relic from the war, partially concealed by the gnarled roots of the ancient trees shrouded in shadow. It was one of many structures scattered throughout the forest, remnants of a time long past, now overrun by nature and whispers. Naruto's mind wandered down to the vast network of tunnels laying dormant beneath their feet. Endless passageways stretching for hundreds of thousands of yards into darkness always filled their heads with curiosity and dread. Each tunnel harboring forgotten supplies, weapons, even ghosts of the shinobi who had once fought in this very place.
He recalled stories that he and his friends circulated, of blue-faced spirits haunting the depths of those corridors. They spoke of series voices echoing up from below, chilling the hearts of even teh bravest of jonin. Memories of their first Chunin Exams flood back, of how many classmates faltered at the mere thought of staying in Aokigahara at night, trembling at the entrance, too paralyzed to step forward. Makes him go back to Team 7's first foray into the "Forest of Death."
He could still feel the goosebumps prickling his skin at the memory.
Now standing at the entrance of moss-covered steel doors, rust hanging upon hinges after countless days of rain and snow, he feels a familiar sense of excitement and anxiety. Lessened by the sheer number of people around him now - at over thirty, they consisted of at least over a platoon. Little difference it would do, though, to a slumbering troupe of Onbaa whose hibernation you've just interrupted.
Something Naruto and personal experience with, and would rather not relive; he'd taken six rabies shots in his left butt cheek and he'd rather not have to go through that again.
Which is why he balked when Sasuke told him go ahead and have a look.
"Whaaa?! Why me?" He complains, balling his fists. "Half of everyone can do a shadow clone. It doesn't always have to be me."
"Because," Sasuke replies impatiently. "Oddly enough, it's the one thing you're exceptionally better at than everyone else. And I trust you enough to go in there and come out in one piece.
Naruto crossed his arms, and pouts. "The last time you said that to me a whole gang of cat, sloth, bear-like things chewed me up, and I was stuck getting rabies shots in my left butt-cheek for seven days straight."
"Oooo, really?" Ino chimes in.
Naruto didn't know why the rest of the girls were blushing. Even Sakura as tells her best frenemy to shove it.
"You know I feel everything if something were to happen to the clone, right? It's not just this puff of air." He shoots back over to Sasuke, who cranes his neck over to him and winces in agitation.
"You don't have to regale me about the intricacies, Naruto. I know what the hell it does." Sasuke tells him; most everyone knew about the pros and cons of the technique, which in of itself is why it's seldom used. Every cut, scrape, bruise, stab, and boo-boo the user felt. Anything more serious, and it would feel like their nerve endings were lit on fire. In worst cases it could send a person into cardiac arrest due to sensory overload.
Only reason Naruto got good at it was because it got him to play hooky from class every now and then.
"Out of everybody here, you've got the highest pain tolerance. And the flashlight."
"Flashlight?"
Out of the corner of his ears, a click is heard. Turning to Sakura, in her hands is a small flashlight fished from her battle-skirt. Annoyed, he snatches it from her grasp. "Fine. But first dibs on whatever food I find down there. Deal?" Naruto added, negotiating as he leans into his usual bravado.
"Deal," Sasuke replied, hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. Choji interjects, complaining it wasn't fair Naruto got first crack at the food while everyone else starved; Ino cuffs him in the back of his head for good measure.
Taking in a deep breath, Naruto tells Sakura to stand back. He performs the hand signs: Rat, Boar, Dog, and Snake. A large puff of smoke erupted around him, momentarily obscuring his form. When the haze cleared, a second Naruto stood confidently in their midst, mischievous grin plastered across his face.
"Just when you thought you couldn't get enough of me?" The clone winked at Sakura, causing her too roll her eyes; she brandishes a sharp kunai, and holds it before her. "Easy, easy; I'm going! Jeez!"
Now, if Naruto could describe the feeling of controlling his clone; he couldn't. Truthfully, it was already hard enough to do, let alone explain. To put it simply, it was like having an out of body experience, while being in full control of the experience. He was aware of his clone's senses, while also being aware of the "host" body, too. Which was a weird concept to wrap around.
That, and staying too long while linked, passing chakra between one body and another, was dangerous; it wasn't;t wise keeping a clone out for too long. It could... confuse you. Naruto never liked to dwell on it, but there were times when - after a particularly long jaunt - once he dissipated the jutsu, it took him a minute or two to collect himself. Figure if he were the real Naruto or not.
There was a reason, Kakashi told him, why the technique was borderline forbidden. And why it was limited to one clone per user. Beyond his own personal use, it was said Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, never trusted it. "Pulling yourself apart in so many ways, takes a toll on the mind, Naruto. Why so many people think he went insane."
"Insane?" His thirteen year old self asked.
"Yes," goes the boy's comrade-sensei. Kakashi reaches out to ruffle Naruto's hair playfully. "Which is the last last thing we want for you, right? You're mind's too precious to go to waste."
"Pfft, yeah right," quips a brown haired girl with a scrunched up face. "His brain belongs in the trash."
The clone goes deeper into the ravine where the bunker doors are situated; carved into the sunken rock, it dips into an angle four feet below where the banks are. Tall enough to provide him cover, but also for any onlooker wanting to spring a surprise. Sasuke orders four students to post up by the entrance and provide Naruto a look-out. "Just don't jump me when I come out." Naruto tells them. His hand grabs the rusted handle, the feeling of cold metal biting against his palm. At first when he tugs there's resistance; the door's hinges are crusted with age and neglect. With another sharp heave, he pulls again, and with a groan the door comes free.
For a brief moment, he hesitates; just because Yome assured there were no traps, didn't mean even the most skilled eyes couldn't miss something. But as held his breath and waited, nothing happens. A stillness settles around, and lets out a sigh. Ducking his head, he goes inside.
The flashlight doesn't reveal much. As Naruto descends, he notices the bunker's walls - though stable - is beginning to crack; makes the tiny passageway even more claustrophobic. Angling his body so it'd be easier to move, he moves deeper in the structure. His chest scrapes along the walls, the could, rough surface dirtying his t-shirt as it gets covered in dirt and moss. The impulses sent to the "original" waiting above; it causes w ave of tingling, and a small ounce of apprehension as he assumes the message is relayed to the group .
Further in, suddenly he's hit earthy aroma. It mingles with the scent of decaying paper, rusted metal, and damp wood. The scent gets stronger when he finally passes through the entrance to the bunker's antechamber. Shining his light around, Naruto sighs. "Terrific", he mutters under his breath: off to one corner is a broken desk leaning precariously on its side. Faded maps are crumpled on the floor, details obscured and turning to mush. Old propaganda pamphlets disintegrate at the slightest touch.
Not what he was here for, Naruto thinks.
What he was here for were the haphazard stack of small wooden crates piled unevenly by the jonin hustling to get in, and get out of here quickly.
Putting the flashlight down, Naruto grabs a tanto-machete leaning against the crates. He uses it to open the first box: within is a radio pack with four power cells. Bashing open the lid of another is a small supply dried fruit, nuts and rice rations. Going through the rest, Naruto finds a first aid kit with rubbing alcohol, box of spot flares, a roll of metal wire and a bevy of bomb tags.
It wouldn't be enough to supply all of them, and this he relays back to the group. He can almost hear the groans coming from above.
Bashing open the largest of the crates, finally he breathes a small relief to calm his thrumming heart. Inside were two Soviet made PPSh-41's, a Nambu pistol, a scoped Arisaka rifle, five flashbangs, and a multitude of non-lethal rubber ammunition. "Now we're talking," Naruto smiles, until a scratching sound causes his head to turn. Shining the light before him, he's greeted by a sheer black veil gaping up at him.
The entrance looms ominously like the mouth of a sleeping monster. A wave of cool air brushes across his face, sending shivers down his spine. No sound comes from within, save for the pitter-patter of *drip* *drip* *drip* from inside. Naruto slowly moves closer, though the flashlight cannot penetrate the darkness.
"Whoa..."he says, curiosity overcoming whatever prickling fear building within.
I mean, water is important, too, he thinks.
The message is conveyed to the rest above, and in response Naruto feels a mix of emotions and responses. Not clear, but figured the excitement was simply the relief they not only had food, but weapons and water as well. Plus, this redoubt could be useful for however long it took them to retrieve the bells. Maybe it would be beneficial, then, to scope out these bunkers.
For recon purposes.
As he walks, Naruto already notes the entryway three times bigger than the one leading from the river. Also was better maintained; his boots feel the well-formed and sturdy cement underneath them, and there are little cracks in the foundation. The flashlight shines over few tags of graffiti splayed here and there. Nothing which could compare to the crazy grotesqueries found on Tokyo Metropolitans alleys. These were rougher, made in haste seemingly; most likely these were constructions markers left by the builders.
Only until Naruto went a little further down the stairwell, did he come into a much larger room. Looking about, he was struck by the sight. Jeez, it's like a time capsule in here...
A large, worn out Persian rug with blue and red motifs sprawls along a floor covered in animal droppings, water, and dirt. Two lavish, but beaten up and gnawed upon, couches sit opposite one another, before a large oil furnace. An odd helmet lays discarded on the ground, surrounded by scattered bullet casings and empty food packets. Remnants of radio equipment -outlets where their jacks were once connected - were pulled out, leaving behind a few copper strands glimmering faintly in the light. And lining all along the walls were shelves. Standing resolutely despite the passage of time, cluttered with books and maps and papers. Moving over to one, Naruto picks it up and notices it's an entire map of the Northern half of Japan. On it were marked red underlinings and faded pen strokes detailing strategies and tactics long forgotten.
"Aomori, Fukuoka, Kagawa, Sapporo..." Naruto reads off the number of cities circled. Each designated by a number, and a series of etch marks.
During the war, this valley was made into a labyrinth of underground tunnels. Thousands of yards of earthworks and bunkers like this were designed to give the Allies fits as they crept past the Kanto Plain. But once the war finished, these hideaways and depots were used by bandits, smugglers and runaways hoping to escape the Sapporo regime. Hokkaido dubbed them traitors to the people, and tasked the ninja from Konoha to clear Aokigahara of such elements. The campaign was very thorough. And what once was a sound system of defense against American, British and Australian forces, soon became a tomb for many anti-communist Japanese partisans.
This site very much looked like one of them.
"Awesome..." Naruto utters with awe.
Soon, again, goes the *drip* *drip* *drip* of water in the background. It draws his attention to a metal railing opposite where he stands. Pocketing the map in his kunai pouch, Naruto goes and investigates. Beyond the railing, the flashlight reveals a drop of about five feet. Where a down-and-out water turbine sits quietly. And next to it, more impressively, tracks to a railway cart. A console controlling it is left to disrepair, but amazingly, seems also untouched.
"Holy shit."
No one is going to believe this when he gets back to the surface; if they can find a map of the rail network here, coordinate it with their own, they could essentially zip around Aokigahara with no problems. And all right underneath ROOT's noses. He conveys the excitement he feels, trying to make the message as clear as possible, but there is a small problem.
For some reason, suddenly he feels...anxious?
Worry..?
Fear.
His palms begin to sweat and gooseflesh rises along his arms. Suddenly, he's struggling to cache his breath, and a dissonance between his mind and body unsettles the connection. He tries taking a deep breath, attempting to make sense of what his "other" was feeling above, but nothing was coming back concrete. It was all mess of noise, and sounds...And screams?
In a flash Naruto scurries from where he was, hustling up the stairs back into the antechamber room. At first he absently runs past the crates holding the weapons, but soon thinks again on it, and hustles back to grab a few flash bangs, exploding tags, and throws the wound up wire around around his chest. The tanto is still in hand, and he clutches hard when a pulsing thought runs into his mind. It's a familiar feeling, like a voice calling out his name. "Naruto..." it goes. "Naruto..." Again. And then, laced with fear and worry. "NARUTO GET OUT OF THERE!"
He drops the flashlight as he edges his way back up through the stairs. Going as fast as he can, the dim light of the sun fighting past the fog is his only sense of direction. Up and up he goes, feeling the chakra connection stumble, flicker, and almost break-off. He tries to understand what happened, what was going on, but as he slams into the metal door of the bunker's entrance, he's met with nothing.
No one.
He was alone.
Save for the sound of a thousand, tiny vicious wings buzzing frantically in the air. The swarm was so massive, so loud, that he couldn't even hear himself think, let alone see what was in front of him. He swipes away at his face, trying his damndest to keep the wasps away. As he does, he notices a few figures laying on the stones before him. Their faces were obscured, covered in a black, swirling mass.
And one other standing above them.
From what Naruto could see, the man's long, black coat obstructs his perfectly trimmed officer's uniform beneath. The hood encapsulates his face like a cocoon, as large, bug like eyes stare out at him curiously; his goggles cover nearly half his face, while the other is masked by a large collar. With his hands in his pockets, he takes a step forward. "This fog...", he begins, the roiling wave of wasps undulating and clasping about him. "I told her she overdid it; makes it harder for my insects to track their targets. I didn't know there was another one of you inside the bunker because of it. I would've waited, if I did. No matter; not like anyone ever listens to me anyway."
"What the hell did you do to them?" Naruto says pointing to the people laying before him. "Did you fucking kill them?"
"Kill?" The man goes, coming ever closer. "No, they're not dead. In pain, sure. But not dead. For now, at least. These wasps were bred specifically to be non-lethal. Their poison sacs are smaller than most. Fatal if you're allergic, but that's not my problem."
Naruto waves off more of the wasps as they try getting at him; he feels them prodding his skin, circling about. They try to get in to his eyes, mouth, and ears. A few stings cut into him, but he grits his teeth and never takes his eyes off the ROOT agent before him.
"My name is Aburame Shino, in case you're wondering. ROOT Operative: #88912. In case you forget - most everyone does." He introduces.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto spits back, trying to take in his avenues; pretty much everywhere he looked was covered by a wall of insects.
"There's no point," the man states flatly, voice devoid of emotion. "You won't make it far, even if you manage to escape. I have this area covered for at least a thousand yards."
Naruto grits his teeth, frustration boiling over, but Shino is unfazed.
"You can try, but your friends ran all the same," he replies. Then he reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a small, silver bell. It silver surface catches the light as it dangles from a thin string, hanging from his pale finer. The sound of it ringing seemed to taunt Naruto. "I at least thought the Uchiha would stick around. But he ran off, after burning a few of my friends to a crisp. I don't appreciate that."
"Sasuke isn't exactly one for first impressions."
With each passing second, the pressure mounts., The walls felt like they were closing in - literally and figuratively, as the buzzing intensified, drowning out his thoughts. But Naruto's resolve hardens, not willing to let fear dictate his actions. He'd faced worse odds before and always found a way through. Besides, they were people he needed to get out of here, too.
And this bastard had a bell.
So for Naruto, that was worth sticking around for.
"And for the record, neither am I, Aburame Shino." Naruto says, summoning his chakra and beginning to focus.
Clone or not, Naruto still had a mind to think and a body he could - in theory - put to work. And with his friends' safety at stake, he wasn't going to back down from the odds, nor against this ROOT's chilling calmness. Even if he fails here, it was okay: as long as he could buy enough time for his friends, and his "other body", then hopefully they can figure out a plan to bring this freak down.