9: Trials & Temptations
BOOM! The explosion of chakra sent a shockwave of wind and pure evil intent around. Ice shattered from the wave causing it to rain down on the near-empty bridge. An inhuman roar announced her presence before she burst from the smoke and landed in an animal-like crouch. Red hot chakra formed around her with three tails swishing behind her as her blood-red eyes roved the landscape before landing on the small figure of Sakura who stood on guard with Tazuna, her body trembling and her fists twisting around the blade.
She turned and let out a shaky breath. "N...Naru?" She squeaked, Naru snarled and launched towards her running at full speed as Sakura screamed in horror. A body slammed into Naru's and sent them tumbling to the side before she landed above them and snarled in their face.
Kakashi coughed and winced in pain as he stared into her eyes. "Easy Naru, I'm not your enemy remember?" He coaxed, his hand moving slowly towards the seal in his pocket. "Let me help you," Naru growled before raising back and slashing her chakra-covered hand cutting the jounin's front and leaving him gasping for air.
"Naru!" She jolted and looked up at Kakashi who slowly walked up to her, the seal in his outstretched hand. She cocked her head and looked down to find Sasuke below her gasping for air covered in his blood. She blinked rapidly as the face began to distort and melt forming into Sakura, then Sasuke back to Kakashi before landing on Itachi. She let out a shaky breath as the boy gasped for air and smiled, his mouth leaking blood and the distinct scar on his forehead was pulsing red.
"N..no." She growled past her canines.
"It's okay," He rasped before he reached up and pushed his hand through the molten chakra and cupped her cheek. "It'll all be over soon," His voice warped, and quickly he faded into Akane, the sound of metal scraping metal caused Naru to jolt.
"NO!" Naru screamed as she jackknifed out of her bed. Red wisps of chakra swirled around her before vanishing. "Just a dream, just a dream." She gasped and rubbed her chest over her thundering heart.
She flung her blankets back stood on shaky legs and clenched her hands.
"Come on Naru, it was a dream!" She ordered and took slow steps to her bathroom and eyed the clock which read 4:40 AM. "So much for a night's sleep again." She grumbled and entered her bathroom and stared at her reflection.
Dark bags under her eyes stood out against her fair skin, her eyes were bloodshot and her lip was puffy and red.
For the past week since their return from the Land of Waves she was plagued with nightmares, the same every time, she lost control and killed someone, usually ending with Itachi but tonight featuring Akane was new and it scared her more than the others had.
She huffed and washed up deciding to train in the Naka river grounds since she wasn't going back to sleep.
As the sun rose and the village began to bustle Naru yawned widely as she munched on breakfast and headed back to her apartment.
"Naru-chan," She turned to find a brown pug wearing a blue vest and Konoha headband around his head. "I'm Pakkun, Kakashi's ninken, he sent me to find you and tell you there is a team meeting at noon today at the Red Bridge, don't be late."
"Tell him not to be late." She commented before she turned and disappeared into the crowd.
-o0o-
"Can't this man ever be on time?! Like seriously?!" Sakura snarled hours later as she stood on the bridge with her two teammates.
"It's Kakashi what do you expect?" Sasuke questioned and glanced at Naru who sat on the rail and stared into the river below. 'She looks exhausted, I wonder if Father was talking about her with the disturbance…' He mused. "Naru-"
"Hello!" They turned to the jounin leader who was perched above them and waved before jumping down.
"You're late again!" Sakura snarled.
"This time I have an actual reason to be late and you'll appreciate it." He rifled in his vest before producing three slips of paper and holding them out. "In a week Konoha will be hosting the chunin exams. Teams from all over will be participating in raising to the rank of chunin." He paused and passed out the forms. "I recommend you to be entered and the Hokage agreed with my choice. It's a feat, most genin have to wait for a year but you all seem to be a special batch." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled. "Of course, the exams are your choice, if you don't want to you don't have to, but if you choose come to the academy Friday at 9 with your form signed."
"Thank you sensei," Sakura smiled at the jounin and glanced between her silent teammates.
"That's it, no missions for the week so you can focus, dismissed." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
"Chunin exams, what do you think, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, he huffed and stuffed the paper in his pocket.
"Dunno, I'm gonna talk to Itachi when he gets done with his job tonight." He mumbled and shifted.
Naru huffed and jumped from her spot and began to walk away. "Naru, do you want to get some lunch?" She glanced at her two teammates before a flash of her nightmare appeared again, she hunched and clenched her hands tight.
"No." She walked quickly and disappeared into the crowd.
"Something is bothering her, have you noticed?" Sasuke sighed then shrugged.
"Dunno and it's not like she'd tell us anyways. I'm gonna practice, see ya later Sakura." He turned and headed away from his teammate who slumped and headed off alone.
-o0o-
Caw! Caw! Caw!
"I swear to - leave me be!" Naru snarled swatting at the crow that circled her and dove down pulling some of her hair out of her neatly made half up half down style. Naru's eye twitched as it tugged and cawed, its beady black eye glimmering in almost amusement.
"Itachi come out!" She snarled whirling about before finding the boy leaning against the tree behind her, the crow gave one last caw before it disappeared.
"I gotta get your attention somehow, I needed to talk to you."
"A note can get the job done," She glared at him, he smiled pushed off the tree, and walked up to her.
"It's been a while, I wanted to talk with you for a bit but I've been busy." Naru shrugged and turned from him. "How have you been?" He tapped her shoulder.
"If that's it I gotta train for the exams- hey!" Itachi poked her forehead and smiled as she grumbled and rubbed her head.
"Naru," Itachi let the smile drop and grabbed her wrist. "My crow reports to me, I know you're not sleeping properly, coming to train constantly early in the morning, nightmares since returning from Waves."
Naru looked down and swallowed heavily.
"I'm fine." She responded quietly. "Just stupid nightmares."
"You're lying."
"You're lying!" She snarled yanking from him. "Always gone but always by Hiruzen, you step in with everything about me, you… you hide things!"
"Naru I swear I'm not lying to you, and if you think I'm hiding something talk to me." Naru's lip quivered before a tear slipped down her cheek, Itachi swiped it away and smiled gently at her before he pressed his forehead to hers. "I promise." He whispered.
"Itachi my nightmares-"
"Are getting worse?" She nodded and pulled away. "What are they about?"
"I'm attacking- never mind."
"Talk about it."
"No." She crossed her arms over her chest, Itachi sighed and rubbed his head, she glanced at him and landed at the tiny end of the scar on his head before turning away.
"Naru if you're scared of hurting someone, know I don't think you ever will, you're strong and kind."
"Not a monster?"
"No, never. A brat maybe though." Naru chuckled and shook her head, Itachi pushed her until she turned and began to chase him which he dodged and laughed.
Sasuke stood in the tree line and glared at the scene, he sneered as they continued to laugh.
'So stupid.' He punched the tree and left them.
-o0o-
"Okay, I get you both have training in your own way but why can't we have a team training?"
"Because we're on different levels," Naru stated staring at her pink-haired teammate.
"But what if we have a team spar or team test not focusing on individual skills? Then where will we be?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes before shrugging.
"Fine, a quick one." Naru sighed heavily but followed.
"Let me go!" A young voice called out from the alleyway, they peered down finding a boy dressed in all black with purple markings on his face holding a young boy who kicked and squirmed about.
"Who are you to tell me what to do? You little twerp!"
"I'm the grandson of the third Hokage!" He yelled.
"Ooh, I'm so scared." He laughed and looked back at a girl with sandy blond hair pulled into four pigtails and wearing a purple dress with a large folded fan on her back.
"Come Kankuro enough."
"I'll decide when it's enough."
"Let him go!" Sakura ordered, Naru groaned as she followed her teammate knowing full well she was in over her head already.
"Who do you think you are?" The boy sneered, Sakura squinted at him and raised her chin.
"I'm a Konoha ninja and you're not, why are you here?"
"We don't answer to some lowly little children." The blonde girl snipped
"Let him go now," Sasuke stepped up. "Or I'll put you down here and now."
"Ooh!" Kankuro threw his head back with a laugh. Sasuke pulled kunai out and twirled them before a wave of killer intent hit the group making them freeze and look around.
"G… Gaara…" Kankuro whimpered. A red-headed boy hung upside down on a nearby tree, he wore all black with a white wrap around his torso and a large gourd on his back.
"Kankuro put him down before I put you down." He announced and fixed a death glare on the boy who paled and swallowed heavily.
"S…sure anything you say Gaara." He stuttered and released the boy who scrambled back and hid behind Sakura.
'I didn't even sense him appear..' Sasuke glared at Gaara who turned his head and looked at the team before he disappeared in a swirl of sand and then appeared by Kankuro.
"Kankuro, Temari don't make us look like fools again." He stated, both nodded and shifted back from the boy. "I apologize for the actions of my idiotic siblings."
"Who are you?" Sasuke questioned.
"Gaara of Sunagakure, you?"
"Uchiha Sasuke." Naru rolled her eyes and eyed Gaara who continued to stare at them. 'He's skilled no doubt but to strike the fear he is giving… and this feeling from him is something different, almost feels like what Kyuubi's chakra feels like…' Naru thought and shifted.
"Why are you here?"
"For the chunin exams duh!" Temari sneered.
Naru flared her dark chakra and watched Gaara twitch before glaring at her before turning away from them and leaving.
"If people like them are in the exams this will be interesting…" Sakura muttered.
"Whatever, I'm going home," Naru muttered.
"But our practice-"
"Not interested, see you Friday." She turned and walked away from her teammates.
-o0o-
Naru opened her eyes summoned into her mind before Kyuubi who growled at her, she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed.
"What?"
"My little host thinks she's brave, I can smell your fear."
"That it?"
"Unlock the gates, you know that you can't do this alone, you're weak."
Naru turned her back to the beast and huffed. "No thanks,"
"Naru." She jolted at the familiar voice, and a tremor raced down her spine, she turned slowly, and the water bubbled and rose revealing Akane. She was covered in her blood, her body contorted and broken, snaps and pops echoed as her body straightened out, and her orange eyes blazed as she smiled at Naru.
"N…no… this isn't real! Stop it!"
"I'm not doing a thing, this is your mind, you control it. She lives in your head and haunts you." Kyuubi growled.
"My little monster." Akane cooed and stepped closer, Naru stepped back and glanced left and right. "You've tapped into your potential, a killer. Killed that poor boy, and attacked Kakashi. Only a killer beast would do that."
"It was an accident!"
"There are no accidents, you were fully conscious." She shifted before moving faster than Naru could react slammed her down into the water and pinned her by her neck.
"NO!" Naru yelped pushing at her to no avail.
"Time to be put down, an animal that bit the hand." Her hands wrapped around her neck, Naru whimpered at the tight grip as she pushed her down, the water splashed around her face going up her nose and down her throat.
"AHHHHH" Naru screamed shooting out of bed and hitting the ground, red chakra whipped around her body as she gasped for air. A loud bang sounded a moment later and footfalls sounded down the hall.
"NARU!" Fugaku's voice called before he grabbed her arms yanking her up. His sharingan spun, Naru looked at him before closing her eyes tight. "Naru, control yourself."
"It was a nightmare!" She sobbed pushing at his chest. "I'm fine!" She yelped.
"Your chakra reacted, calm yourself."
"I said it was a nightmare!" She snarled, shoved out of his grip, fell to the ground, and huffed.
"Your chakra-"
"Whatever you're clearly not listening, just report me." She stood on shaky legs stumbling to the bathroom and locked the door. She sniffled and covered her mouth as she slid down the door listening to their muffled talking in her room. 'Nothing but a monster.'
-o0o-
Naru rubbed her face as she walked to the academy Friday morning, dark bags stuck out of her face since she refused to sleep much.
"Naru!" Sakura yelled waving her arm, next to her stood Sasuke waiting patiently and nodding to her.
"You look exhausted, are you okay?"
Naru looked at Sasuke who waited for her to answer Sakura. "Fine, let's get inside okay?"
They walked through the halls after they turned in their paperwork and were directed to room 303.
"You." They turned finding a boy with large eyebrows and a bowl cut wearing a full green leotard with orange leg warmers.
"What do you want?" Sasuke questioned.
"I want to fight you Uchiha Sasuke."
"You know me, I don't know you."
"Rock Lee, the best taijutsu user." Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned away.
"Not interested."
"We will fight, especially for this beauty's hand." He winked at Sakura who jolted in revolt and shook her head.
"Not in this life, let's go," Sasuke ordered, Lee shot forward and cut him off, Sasuke glared at him and stepped back. "Fine, I can beat a taijutsu user before we start." His eyes flickered to life, and he smiled. "Still wanna fight?"
"I am not scared of your sharingan or family name, I have proved myself through sheer hard work and raw talent, while you use both former mentioned crutches." Sasuke snarled and shot forward throwing a kick to his head.
"Leaf Hurricane!" He called dodging his throw and spinning, his foot connected with Sasuke's cheek throwing him back.
'I'm not fast enough.' Sasuke thought standing up, Lee ran towards him and kicked which Sasuke dodged, Lee kicked his chin throwing him in the air. Lee appeared just underneath Sasuke touched his back and focused.
"It's over."
"LEE." The boy jolted and dropped back letting Sasuke crash to the ground He looked up as the boy knelt as a man who looked like him just older glared at him.
"What did I warn you about?"
"I'm sorry Gai-sensei, I just-"
"You're an idiot!" He barked and hit Lee in the head. "Forgive my student for his actions." He bowed and then looked at them. 'So this is Kakashi's team, interesting bunch.'
"You three get where you're going." He ordered, Sakura helped Sasuke up who wiped the blood from his lip and stomped up the stairs, Naru glanced back at Lee and noticed the scars on his hands as Gai chewed him out. 'He really does rely on raw talent.'
The team walked to the door and found Kakashi leaning against the wall. "Good to see you made it together."
"Is it a surprise?"
"A bit, had one of you not shown I couldn't let you come in, this is a team test." Sakura turned to her teammates before nodding.
"You should have-"
"This is a choice you have to make on your own. You're ready I believe in you. Good luck." He smiled and opened the door, they nodded to their jounin and entered finding a room full of genin from various countries.
"Pay attention!" A voice boomed, and they turned to find a man covered in scars and dressed in black, and a bandana-like hitai-ate on his bald head. "I am Ibiki Morino, I will be your first proctor and you'll pay attention or else." He growled. He waved his hand as multiple Konoha ninjas entered and began to break up the teams to various seats ordering them to sit down and lay a paper in front of them with a pencil and eraser.
"You will take a written exam, and each question is worth five points, if you are caught cheating you and your team will be eliminated. You have one hour, begin!"
Naru read over the questions and huffed not understanding a single question. 'Fuck!' She focused and appeared in front of Kyuubi once again, he glared at her. "Back for more?"
"Help me answer these, then we'll discuss you getting to play."
"Tsk a child game."
"Do it, now." She ordered red chakra bubbled up covering her hand, Naru flinched feeling Kyuubi's chakra take over her eyes.
An hour ticked by as the genin answered the questions by pure knowledge or by various forms of cheating, as time ticked by chunin around the room busted the poor cheaters, and escorted the teams out.
"Alright, there is one last question," Ibiki called drawing their attention. "Before I administer it, you have to answer a question if you want to continue or not. Know if you answer the last question wrong you will forever be banned from taking the chunin exams again."
"So we'll be genin forever!?" A boy questioned, Ibiki smirked and nodded.
"Exactly." The air grew heavy as they took in Ibiki's words.
"I can't!" A boy called jumping up and began to cry apologizing to his teammates as they were escorted out the doors.
Naru shivered as she stared at Ibiki and then glanced at her teammates. 'I'm not giving up and I'm not staying as a genin forever.'
"You should do something about your teammate, she's about to quit," Kyuubi growled, Naru looked to Sakura who flexed her hands and swallowed heavily before making eye contact. Before Naru could react red chakra shot towards her teammate slamming into the girl who froze at the feeling of pure malice and anger.
'This chakra…. It's Naru's… is she threatening me?'
'Stop that!' Naru appeared in front of him and glared at the fox.
"You ordered my help, I'm helping. She's a weak branch and will get in your way. She's useless."
"Sakura isn't in my way-"
"A weak genin who cares more about love and friendship, she got to grow up happy while you didn't. She got to grow up happy, you grew up in a jail cell. You two are different and will forever be different. You're not the same. Once you accept that the better off you'll be."
Naru looked down and glanced at Sakura whose lip quivered, she lowered her head and slumped down, and Naru bit her lip. 'We're not the same.'