Objectivity Chapter 31: The Exams, a naruto fanfic

Snap.

Haruhi's finger whirls around her lock of hair, pulling and tugging on the strands in her worry. She really doesn't like this.

A part of her always knew this would happen eventually, but being confronted with it was like being slapped in the face with a trout. The fact that this hell-world had glorified gladiatorial pits where people, often children fought each other and sometimes died was vulgar.

And now her kids were going to do just that.

When Orochimaru was after them.

She gave a particularly ferocious tug that made her wince in pain. She then scowled.

"What's wrong Haruhi-chan?" Kakashi asked.

She wanted to tell him it was the dystopia they were currently living in plus the fact he was sending the kids to Orochimaru but instead said something else.

"I've heard that the Chunin exams are dangerous. Are you sure they're ready? Won't it take a lot for them to pass, if they pass at all?" She blurted.

Kakashi hummed.

"Well, to be honest with you, none of them have a great chance of passing."

Haruhi was shocked, hand stilling.

"Then why did you sign them up?"

"Because it was the safest time to do so."

That rendered Haruhi speechless. Sensing her bafflement, Kakashi took it upon himself to answer.

"The next Chunin exam would be in Kumo. Kumo is notorious for its bloodline theft. Sasuke wouldn't be safe, and neither would Naruto. The two Hyuga's, Hinata and Neji definitely wouldn't be safe. The Chunin exam after that would be in the sound village, a village we don't have much information about except a multitude of disappearances-mainly of promising young individuals. I signed them up now so they could get the experience of the exam in a relatively controlled environment, where they have the home field advantage and other Konoha teams to rely on. It's not that I doubt their abilities, or that I don't believe they can do it, but If they learn now they won't have to suffer later."

That...actually made a lot of sense. Signing the three genin up for the exams when they clearly weren't ready for them was one of the only things she didn't like about Kakashi, but hearing about it from his POV changed that. But she was still worried about Orochimaru. How could she bring that up?

"But what about that man who tried to take me? The one who stalked the kids at the training grounds? Is it really safe for them?"

Kakashi considered her concerns, something she really appreciated.

"To be honest, being a ninja will never be safe. This is as safe as it gets. And we've known for a long time about security breaches in Konoha. Us Jounin were told to keep it on the down low, but…"

He leaned down.

"The teams from sound were expelled. "

"Why?"

"We've been detecting suspicious activity from sound for awhile now. Tsume Inuzuka-she's the clan head of the Inuzuka clan- captured a faint scent trail of them around Konoha-before admittance to the exam was allowed. And not only that, but we suspect multiple persons following team seven are around. During the bell test, Pakkun briefly picked up a scent before it disappeared. Haku detected something with his chakra sense when I was fighting with Zabuza for the first time. And the security breaches are being combated with more frequent patrols."

That explained so much.

Details she had once written off as trivial came to light. During the bell test, when Pakkun had suddenly paused to sniff at the bushes. She had thought he was smelling for a squirrel. And when they were protecting Tazuna on the way to his house, and Haku was late to save Zabuza. Had she detected a mysterious person then and went to see who it was? Was it the same one who had tried to kidnap her?

"Is it the same person who tried to kidnap me?"

"No, actually."

What.

"Pakkun compared the scent leftover at the bell test training grounds to the one in the living room. They were completely different."

"What you are trying to say is that multiple people are watching me."

"Uh, yes?"

She started twisting her hair again.

"Do we have any idea who they are?"

"Well, Pakkun did say both scents were familiar. One of them he had smelled faintly around Konoha before. We couldn't get a read on the other. Pakkun said the one in the bell test clearing smelled a lot like you, but that's because you were so close to his nose. We're not actually sure what the whole scent is."

Yikes.

Sensing her worry, again, Kakashi reassured her.

"Haku will be accompanying them into the exams."

That was actually reassuring. Haku was a mid-chunin last time they fought on the bridge. With Konoha's health care, plus the extra training she received here placed her at low jounin. Plus her bloodline and experiences outside the village made her formidable.

She would at the very least be able to stall Orochimaru.

The thought made Haruhi feel marginally better.

The three plus Haku should be making their way over to them now, and then to the first part of the exams.

Haruhi had faith that Sakura and to an extent, Haku would be able to answer all the questions. She wasn't so sure about Sasuke, and definitely not Naruto, but she figured the other two would be able to help.

The four had improved by leaps and bounds since wave, and were miles better than they were in the anime at this point. They were more prepared now than they ever were.

Naruto's ability to think critically and his chakra control was at a point now that he otherwise wouldn't have reached until Jiraiya came to town. Sasuke gained the ability to communicate and respect his teammates-something that didn't really come until the end of shippuden. Sakura gained self-respect, and physical strength. She had started training with Rock Lee, and wore leg weights. She was already putting a new spin on her water jutsus. And Haku was alive, so…

"Haruhi-sensei!"

"You guys are here!"

The kids had arrived.

They formed a semicircle around Kakashi and her. Sakura babbled about how she used Kakashi's training to see through a genjutsu on the second floor. Naruto spoke about something she couldn't make out-a weird guy who knew too much? And Sasuke and Haku were silent, observing their surroundings.

"Alright, you four be careful. Sick together, help each other out okay? If you see anyone suspicious let each other know. Don't be afraid to talk to Ino's, Hinata's, and Tenten's teams."

"Okay." Sasuke said. He seemed to take her words to heart, if his considering glances at the other teams was anything to go by.

"You worry too much!" Naruto laughed.

"Worrying is a good trait to have, especially when you're a ninja." Kakashi defended her.

Haruhi smiled, ignoring the tight coil in her chest, and wished them good luck. She watched as the walked through the doors and out of sight. It was all up to them now.

Snap.

Sakura breezed through the ten questions. Seriously, were they even trying? Sakura had done problems like this when helping her mother with her job as an electrician. She did problems like this when helping her parents with taxes.

She wished she could say it was as easy for Naruto. She and Sasuke exchanged worried glances and looked back at Naruto, who was currently ripping out his hair, like Haruhi-sensei did when she was worried, except more extreme.

Sasuke's sharingan was hidden. Sakura had taught him how to use a combination of genjutsu and the transformation jutsu to hide his eyes, as to not attract attention. He then copied her hand movements to get the right answers.

But at this angle, neither Sasuke nor Sakura would be able to let Naruto copy off of them. And while he had improved greatly, it wasn't enough to answer all these questions by himself.

Ino pig had tried to get into her mind, but Inner had kicked Ino out. Ha.

Shikamaru had eventually trapped his team in the shadow-possession jutsu and wrote the answers down for them.

If only Naruto would turn around, then she could capture him in a genjutsu and tell him the answers.

But then again that wouldn't have worked anyway. Sakura had tried a genjutsu on him during training, but something was off with his chakra. It was harder to twist and mould, and it felt...disturbing. It was heavy and sluggish- especially around his stomach. Even If he turned to face her, she wasn't sure she'd be able to catch him in a genjutsu.

That left Hinata.

Haruhi-sensei said something about helping each other out, and while she may have pushed away Ino, because no way was Sakura letting her win-even if they were friends again, Hinata could help.

Sakura gathered her chakra, and flicked a rolled up piece of paper at her head. When Hinata turned, Sakura struck.

"Sakura!?"

"Hinata, sorry about this, but could you help Naruto? Could you let him know the point of this test is to cheat. We'll owe you one."

"Oh, o-of course!"

Sakura let go of the genjutsu.

Haku watched the three genin with sharp eyes from her seat in the front. As a proctor and bodyguard for the three genin of team seven, she was keeping her eyes peeled. She was to watch and not intervene unless there was a serious threat.

However, Haku was seriously considering murdering Naruto right now. She could not believe this kid was the one who had defeated her.

She had figured out seconds after the test started what it was really about. Cheating. When Hinata finally started to speak to Naruto and help him Haku unclenched her jaws.

It was clever of Sakura to use Hinata to help. But if Hinata's previous sideways glances were anything to go by she would have helped anyway.

That was good.

Such a trouble-prone team needed allies.

Her eyes scanned the genin again, pausing on Ino.

Ino.

Haku was glad she was wearing a mask, because blushing would have been embarrassing.

Ino, was just, so…

It was hard to put into words. In the corner store, Haku had been speechless for a second, before quickly fixing her hair and hiding her face again. Haruhi-sensei and Sakura-chan hadn't been a surprise, but this beautiful kunoichi had caught her off guard.

Her eyes were sharp as she scanned prices and got the best deal, her hair was in a beautiful fishtail of golden hair that Haku just wanted to run her fingers through. Haku looked at her own damaged hair and winced. She would never be beautiful like Sakura and Ino.

Especially Ino.

When Sakura had said this was a 'girls trip only' it felt like a punch to the gut. She had rapidly excused herself after that.

It was silly of her to think she could have sat down with Ino, Sakura, and Haruhi-sensei.

Or, at least she thought.

It had taken every ounce of courage in her, but when Haruhi-sensei had said the girls clothes looked good on her, and when she called her Haku-chan, it had all been worth it. She felt pretty, in those clothes. Haruhi-sensei said so, and she was honest.

For the first time since Zabuza died, she felt like herself.

Haku relaxed, only to tense up again.

She sensed something. She knew team seven was being watched, by multiple people as she and Kakashi had talked about it. This time, is was one person outside in the trees. Their chakra was repressed, weirdly. Normally when a signature is dampened, all of it is dampened equally. But the little ripples that came with emotional reactions and personalities just wasn't there. It was like whoever was watching them were emotionally repressed.

They were different from regular ANBU.

The Hokage had said she would be watched, as was standard for incoming citizens, but it was Kakashi who was supposed to be doing that. Who authorized this?

Were they watching her? Team seven? Something else? That man with the gray hair and glasses who knew more than he should? That kid with the red hair and the repulsive chakra emitting from his stomach?

There were too many variables to tell.

She announced in a voice that was barely above a whisper that she needed to use the facilities, and left the room.

She quickly made a ice clone in the corner of the hallway, shrinking down her own signature. She had hid from Kakashi Hatake, these agents were nothing in comparison.

She sped through the hallways, finding a window, opening it, and jumping out, keeping the chakra signatures in her field the entire time.

She landed in a tree, mask still firmly in place. She flared out her senses and tracked the signature. They had moved away from the academy window, and into the more heavily forested area.

She peeked into the classroom in time to see her clone sit down on her chair. It was indistinguishable from the real her, due to the fact that is wasn't a illusion.

Her eyes narrowed behind the mask as she zeroed in on the signature. She whipped out a senbon and pressed it to the jugular.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Her voice was ice.

A Pale hand twitched towards a tanto, but Haku pressed her senbon in just a bit harder, and blood pearled on the incredibly pale skin.

"We have been watching you, Haku."

"Really."

"Yes. Accomplice to Zabuza Momochi, Bloody Demon of the Mist. Last known survivor of the Yuki clan-"

Haku squeezed his throat.

"You didn't answer my question."

"..."

"We are interested in you, Haku. You have many things you can offer the village. Where your talents can be used to their fullest potential. Lord Third is holding you back."

Haku opened her mouth to speak, to demand answers, but with a hand sign and a swirl of leaves, the boy with the milky white skin was gone.

Ibiki was terrifying.

Sasuke would never admit that out loud, but it was true. His chakra flared in a way that reminded him of his first fight with Zabuza. The stifling atmosphere that choked him and crushed his lungs.

But Ibiki's speech was really something to think about. What was Sasuke willing to give for Konoha?

The history classes Sasuke was taking were run by civilians. At first Sasuke had scoffed, believing he wouldn't have anything to learn from them. But after a few lessons, he could see how it was changing the way he thought of the world. Konoha suddenly wasn't this shining beacon of justice. Terrible things that Konoha nin had done in the name of the village weren't being washed over with propaganda like it was in the academy.

Since civilians weren't ninja, they had different, less biased perspectives on the Shinobi way.

He learned that Konoha wasn't perfect, and that underneath the surface, there was a plethora of things it could be hiding.

What could he, or rather, would he give for a village like that?

When Naruto started shouting and when that purple haired woman bursted through the glass, he almost signed in relief.

When they got to the clearing outside the forest of death, Sakura had already talked to the other members of team 8, 10, and team Gai. They made a nonaggression pact and a call for aid if needed and if they were in the area.

Sasuke was impressed with Sakura's diplomacy skills. Haku stood silently to the side, and Sasuke noticed right away the tenseness in his shoulders. It made him tense and he followed Haku's gaze to land on a strange woman with the grass symbol on her headband.

He didn't like that.

He didn't like how she was looking at him like a piece of meat.

Sasuke was suddenly immensely grateful that Sakura had make that pact with the other Konoha teams. With his covered sharingan, he noticed Shino dispatching one of his bugs in order to land on that creepy woman.

One of them landed on Sasuke. He shot Shino a look before Sakura gave him a pointed glance and whispered into his ear.

"We're all being bugged. It means we have a system of communicating and keeping track of each other."

Sasuke nodded and accepted the bug.

Ibiki's speech had been a wake up call. The Chunin exams wouldn't be easy, and they need all the help they could get.

Guess who's back!

So its spring break and to celebrate, I wrote chapter 31. Things are getting more intense in the story now, with multiple parties sticking their noses in Haruhi's business, and the stress she is going through. Oh Haruhi, it only gets worse.

And Many of you are probably wondering about Haku. Yes she is a girl. Since only Haruhi really knows this as Haku is only comfortable with telling her, the other characters are using the wrong pronouns. This will be rectified.

The update schedule for this story will still be pretty slow, but rest assured, there will be updates. I plan to finish this before the end of summer break.

Many thanks to my beta reader, reebajee.

And thank you guys, and I'm glad you've enjoyed it! Question for the chapter: What do you think of Sasuke's and Sakura's growth as characters? And a virtual high five for whoever can guess the boy with milky white skin is!