~*~
Bonds of Blood
By: Animeroxsmyworld
Chapter 26: Survival
~*~
All Kyoko could do was stare as Naruto wolfed down the humongous breakfast she had prepared. She had followed Anko's advice and made a huge meal, but it only took maybe a quarter of it to fill her up to the point where she felt like bursting. The table had still been littered with food.
Then Naruto stumbled into the room.
She wrinkled her nose as he set down his bowl, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. He was slowly bringing his clothes over from his apartment. Kyoko could tell because when she went past the room he occupied, there was a steadily growing pile of cloth. There were also pictures, posters, and other random trinkets he was slowly bringing over.
She had half heartedly asked one night if he was moving in, not expecting the enthusiastic confirmation he had given her.
He blinked, looking at her face.
"What?"
"Nothing." She replied, looking down at Fuji who was situated at Naruto's feet, waiting for the male to send some food his way. Fuji was really warming up to having Naruto around. The whole time he was home, Fuji hardly left his side.
She placed her chin in her hand, frowning as her thoughts began to deepen. This house was technically her fathers, but she had inherited it from him…or rather she would when she was of age. Seventeen or eighteen or so. But if Naruto and her were siblings, so they had the same parents, wouldn't that mean this technically was his house too?
She glanced back up at him as she saw him sneak food to Fuji, his hand suddenly cutting into her view of the dog.
"Naruto stop feeding him human food." She sighed, Naruto grinning sheepishly at being caught. Kyoko stood up from the table, collecting empty dishes as she went. "I have some training with Anko-sensei today, but I'm not sure when I'm going to be back so don't forget to feed Fuji." She started as she deposited the dishes in the sink, intending to put them in the dishwasher when she got back from training.
"Anko-sensei?"
"Mmm. I graduated from the Academy yesterday so she's my Jounin instructor." She explained, turning around to face him. Naruto blinked rapidly before his eyes traveled to her forehead, something metallic glinting from it's place there.
"AHH!" He cried out in shock, pointing a finger at her. He hadn't noticed at all.
She rolled her eyes.
~*~
Kyoko felt all the color drain from her face as she stared at the chain link fence in front of her. Humongous trees and vines filled her vision, looking as if they were going to touch the sky, the rustling of animals flitting to her ears. Any creatures that might inhabit the place were obstructed from her view by the thick trees.
A forbidden sign was plastered against the fence, the words written in big bold letters to grab everyone's attention.
She could easily see why it was there.
"I…uh…" She stammered. Anko grinned widely from where she stood perched on top of the fence. Ah training ground 44, the forest of death, the perfect place to bring brand new Genin.
"Why would you bring us here? Normal ninjas don't even train here! It's infested with poisonous bugs and huge snakes! You're trying to kill us aren't you?" Itsuya demanded loudly while Roku could only stare with his jaw dropped open.
Anko sighed theatrically, dropping down onto her haunches and resting her cheek in one hand. "Unfortunately I'm not allowed to kill any of you." Anko pointed out. "It's a real shame." She mumbled quietly to herself before brightening up. "But you are right about the snakes and the bugs. Though they're much bigger then I'm sure you're picturing."
"But…I…how…" Roku started before shaking his head, getting his thoughts together. "What kind of training could possibly require us to have to be in there?!"
Dark shadows fell over Anko's face as her grin broadened. She looked purely demonic.
"Survival training."
She leapt down, landing in front of them with a swish of her trench coat. She stood up proudly, hands placed on her hips. "To prove yourselves worthy, you're going to survive in this forest for four days…oh wait make that five." She amended as she reached a hand out and grabbed a fist full of Itsuya's hair…lightly. "This one pissed me off yesterday so you have an extra day added."
"That is totally--" Itsuya started.
"I can make it a week." She threatened coldly, enjoying watching his mouth snap shut, eyes burning with words he so desperately wanted to say.
"Um…Anko-sensei?" Kyoko interrupted. "What if we die? Like, from the bugs and the snakes and stuff?"
Anko merely shrugged, still holding onto Itsuya's hair. "Then you die."
"You just said you weren't allowed to kill us!" The two males of the team cried out together.
"Well I wouldn't be killing you in that situation now would I?" The purple haired kunoichi clarified before sighing upon their many complaints and objections that assaulted her ears. She held up her free hand to silence them. "Alright, alright! I'm going to be monitoring you guys with a summon…you happy?!"
"No…" Kyoko muttered to herself.
With that, their torture started.
~*~
Sniffles interrupted the afternoon air, disturbing the silence that had befallen the Hyuuga compound. Hyuuga Neji paused where he was, the back of his foot lifted to take another step as he turned his head to survey the area.
He almost didn't see anything and would've kept going if he couldn't hear the sniffling. Something was definitely there. He was seconds away from activating his Byakugan when he caught sight of a form huddled in the shadows of the gates of the compound.
He tensed until he saw the short navy blue hair. He looked around the area once more before the corner of his lip turned down. What the hell was she doing out here? He stepped down into the yard and crossed over to his distressed cousin, making his face impassive as he got closer. He needed to look after her, the main house member, like any branch member would do.
He grit his teeth behind closed lips at that thought.
"Hinata-sama, you should get up off the ground." He supplied calmly, stopping in front of her. Surprised, her head snapped up and smacked into the gates behind her. Her hands instantly went to the back of her head, eyes tearing up with fresh tears, these of pain as she looked at who had talked to her.
"N-Neji-niisan…" She whispered softly from her place on the ground. Her cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment at being caught crying.
"You should get off the ground." He repeated, watching as she continued to rub her head. She blinked once before nodding, biting her bottom lip as she stood up. Seeing her complying to his instructions, he nodded before turning around and going back to the house.
She watched his retreating form before staring at the ground, her right hand cradling her injured left hand gingerly. She had been out training with Kiba and Shino earlier this morning, Kurenai supervising every now and then. Mostly Kurenai went to the hospital to try and get the nerves in her arms working again with some jutsu Hinata didn't understand.
It was working, little by little.
She was practicing against a training post while Kiba and Shino worked on their own jutsus when she smacked the training post the wrong way, spraining her wrist. Shino advised her to go home, but that in itself wasn't what had reduced her to tears.
All that time, while she starred at her now swollen hand, she could hear her father's voice berating her. Scolding her in that sharp, cold voice he always bore. When he found out that her team had failed their first C rank mission, he had scolded her in such a livid way she thought he was actually going to use his fists for once.
She had never seen him so upset.
She was a disgrace to the Hyuuga name. Truly pathetic. No Hyuuga had ever failed a C rank mission before. She wasn't fit to be called the heiress to the Hyuuga's. Not when she was so weak. If she didn't fix herself soon, the title of heiress was going to be passed down to Hanabi, her little sister.
As if she had spoken her thoughts out loud, her father walked by, Hanabi trailing after him. He didn't so much as even look in her direction, Hanabi glancing at Hinata curiously before continuing to follow Hiashi obediently.
Hinata bit her lip harder as her eyes began to sting again. She needed to be strong…but could she?
~*~
"I hate this place." Roku grumbled under his breath, shaking his head from side to side as he pushed a branch aside. In the distance, a bird shrieked, Roku snapping his gaze to the barely visible sky. He hunched his shoulders up slightly as he let the branch go, slowly continuing his way up the hill they were climbing. Various trees and bushes surrounded them, a multitude of bugs Roku couldn't even try to name clinging to the trunks of the trees.
"The first days not even over yet. We still have four more to go." Kyoko added, looking around cautiously at the scenery around them. She was tense, rustling in the trees coming from all directions, putting her on edge.
"Thanks to Itsuya." Roku pointed out, frowning. Itsuya had somehow taken to the front of the group, his face turning to glare at the taller male.
"That woman is a devil woman!" He barked. "No normal Jounin instructor makes Genins do this. She's obviously trying to kill us."
Roku, grudgingly, nodded his head in agreement. And he didn't like having to agree with Itsuya.
"I don't know. I mean, she seems extreme but I think it's kind of neat."
Two pairs of eyes stared at Kyoko in horror. Was she insane? She had to be. This was Anko they were talking about right? Crazy Jounin Anko. The lady who was most likely going to murder Itsuya someday.
Itsuya opened his mouth to most likely explode when a hiss echoed through the air. Slowly, everyone turned and looked behind them.
A snake the size of a small train was coiled around a tree, it's head turning to face them. It's scales gleamed in the sunlight filtering through the various treetops, eyes locking on them.
"Gah!" Roku yelped as it's peeled it's jaw open and lunged at them. It's head crashed into the soil and rocks at their feet, sending them flying.
Kyoko couldn't even cry out as she was sent careening down a shallow ravine, toppling literally head over heels through the dirt and bushes. The scenery around her was blurring together, the threat of the snake forgotten momentarily as she floundered about, trying to grasp at the side to stop.
Suddenly she stopped, her head jerking up so painfully her eyes stung with tears. She stayed lying against the hillside, her head arched back slightly as she tried to regain her breath, dirt, twigs, and scrapes marring her. When the thudding of her heart left her head, she could hear silence.
Had the snake eaten the others?
"Roku! Itsuya!" She called, making to stand only to have her head jerk back painfully. She could only move her head an inch, any further and pain bristled across the side of her scalp.
She called out again as her hands found their way up to her head, trying to decipher the problem.
Had all that tumbling hurt her spine somehow?
She blinked as her hands met brambles, locks of her hair hopelessly ensnared within them.
"Hey! Roku! Itsuya!" She yelled again as she gently tugged on her hair. "Ow. Ow ow ow ow." She whimpered to herself. This time, rustling to the side made her still, only for Roku's face to pop into view, Itsuya's following only two seconds after.
"You sound like a moron just yelling like that. You're a ninja now you know. If we ever go on missions and get separated, you can't just call for us." Itsuya remarked while Roku looked her over and caught the problem, silently moving over to work on her hair.
Kyoko scowled at the brunette. "It's not like I could get up and find you!" She snapped. "Besides, we're not on a mission. We're the only ones here…besides the plants and animals."
"Wait, what happened to the snake?" She asked as an afterthought. Roku pointedly looked over at Itsuya who folded his arms over his chest. He purposefully looked over her head, avoiding her gaze, and for the first time she found herself curious about the child apart of their team.
Even more so since he seemed deeply ashamed, tugging the thick gloves on his hands on tighter.
"Itsuya? What happened? Ow!" Roku had pulled her hair by accident in his attempt to untangle it, the copper haired boy quickly amending his mistake. Despite this, even Roku was looking at Itsuya from the corner of his eye.
"It's nothing."
He voice was so small, almost a whisper, Kyoko actually did a double take. But then he returned to his normal self, scowling at her.
"Can't you guys just be thankful that I got rid of the thing? Is it so hard to say 'Oh Itsuya, thank you' and leave it at that? Seriously, that's ungrateful."
Roku inwardly groaned. If Anko didn't kill this kid one day, he just might. And he usually wasn't a violent person by nature.
Roku sighed. "Kyoko, I'm going to have to cut it."
"Hey! Don't change the topic!"
"What?!" Kyoko yelped, hands flying up the her hair. But it was so long and pretty! She loved her hair!
"If we don't you'll be stuck here for the rest of the four days." He pointed out, already pulling a kunai from his weapons pouch. She whined inarticulate words before groaning and flinging her arms against the ground.
"Fine. Do it." She moaned.
After several minutes of Roku hacking away at her hair and Itsuya informing her why it was better for girls to have shorter hair while being a ninja anyways, she could finally move her head. She sat up, thankful that the bramble bush stayed put.
"Besides, it was only one pigtail."
She flinched, taking in the way Itsuya was silently snickering.
'He didn't!'
She reached her hands up to her hair, feeling her eyes widen as she found that her pigtails were insanely uneven, more weight on one side of her head.
'HE DID!'
She was lopsided!
~*~
Haku didn't like this.
Something about Orochimaru put his teeth on edge and made his hands itch towards his weapons. Just that look he bore in those yellow eyes was enough to make the 15-year-old tense up.
But, it didn't matter what he thought. He would follow Zabuza wherever he went, and Zabuza decided to follow Orochimaru.
So Haku would too. He was only a tool for Zabuza to use and he wouldn't be much use if he wasn't around to be used.
Just the fact that the Sannin had yet to tell them why he had taken an interest to them of all people, and that he had yet to tell them any of his plans, was also what was driving Haku mad. Because then they had to rely on trust, and everything about him screamed untrustworthy.
Zabuza was being unusually quite as he stood in front of the door of the building. Usually when he went on a mission, Zabuza was eager for blood and was quite energized. Especially since a mission like this required the death of quite a number of people.
It had to be because he was watching them.
Orochimaru was at the other side of the road, leaning against another building with his arms crossed leisurely across his chest. He wanted them to do a simple mission for them, just so that he could gauge their skills before he brought them to Oto.
He simply watching them, but the feeling of his eyes boring into them was madness. It had to be more troubling for Zabuza since he was the center of the madman's fixation.
"Haku, get into position." Zabuza finally spoke, reaching back to grab his sword. Haku nodded in quick reply before disappearing, entering through a small hole in the roof and hiding among the rafters of the building.
He would only move if Zabuza commanded him to, or if Zabuza was in trouble. Looking down, Haku counted the group of thugs all gathered in the building. There were more of them then he had originally thought, but they were still easy prey. Even more so since Zabuza was the hunter.
Within seconds the door burst open and the air was filled with cries of mutilation and death. Blood splattered everywhere as Zabuza moved without any unnecessary movements, his sword slicing through flesh and bones.
Movement other than Zabuza caught Haku's attention. Two horribly blood soaked, horrified men were scrambling towards the still open door behind Zabuza. Haku's eyes flickered between Zabuza and the men briefly.
Zabuza was too busy, he wouldn't notice them. But Orochimaru would. And he had told them to not let a single one live, and at the moment that was what was important. Without rousing any attention, Haku disappeared, reappearing outside on top of the roof as the two men came barrelling outside.
But Haku was already on them. Senbons punctured their jugulars, piercing the nerve that provided the near death state Haku required. A skill that Zabuza had taught him long ago, and Haku knew that not many his age could pull something like that off. Zabuza said so once before.
The hunter Nin impersonator jumped down next to the bodies. When Zabuza came back outside, Haku would let him finish them off.
That's when he felt it, freezing him in place.
Slowly, he turned his masked face to where Orochimaru still leaned against the other building. His yellow eyes fixated on Haku's form, but they burned with intense interest. Like someone who had just stumbled across a prize.
Haku's skin crawled.
~*~
"Only two days left." Kyoko sighed as she stared into the flames of the fire Itsuya had made that night. The days were passing and they were getting better at avoiding the giant snakes, poisonous, and sometimes man eating, plants and bugs, and they also spotted a few bears here and there.
Except for a tiny garter snake that was somehow always nearby. It didn't hurt anyone, it just always sat coiled somewhere nearby, eyes fixated on them. It was kind of eerie.
"It feels like it's been weeks." Roku complained as he roasted his fish over the fire. A river ran straight through the training ground and they stumbled across it on their second night, making it their main base.
They only had to survive, they didn't have to explore.
"When are you going to fix your hair. It's bothering the hell out of me." Itsuya spoke up, taking a bite out of his fish while eyeing Kyoko, her lopsided pigtails still in place.
She frowned. "When I get back to the village. Then I can get a professional to fix it. If I try right now, I'll end up making it crooked or something."
Roku listened to them talk for a few minutes, eating his now cooked fish before standing, throwing his stick into the fire. "I'm going to go get some more firewood." He said before disappearing into the surrounding foliage.
The garter snake raised his head as he passed before resuming it's position, watching Itsuya and Kyoko. Kyoko stared at her empty stick, having ate her fish before the others, before throwing hers into the fire as well.
"Well I'm still hungry. I'm going to go look for some berries or something." She said as she stood as well. "Stay here and look after camp."
"What?!" The squeak in Itsuya's voice made her pause in surprise before she turned and waved a hand at him in reassurance.
"I'm just going to get some berries. I'll be back in a few minutes." She reassured.
"But you just can't--," Itsuya started but she disappearing around a tree. She missed the frightened look that washed over Itsuya's face as he was left alone in the area., transforming his usually hostile demeanour.
Big wide eyes darted around the area as a hopeless feeling settled inside his stomach.
His shoulders hunched up as he curled in on himself as much as he could, knees drawing up to his chest as he continued chewing on his fish silently.
They left him.
He was alone.
Why would the leave him like this? Didn't they know better then to leave a kid? They were heartless.
A bird shrieked in the distance, Itsuya jumping and accidentally snapping his stick in half. He stared at the pieces before throwing them into the fire. He didn't want to eat anymore.
He didn't like this. Someone should come back. Come back now so he wasn't alone. His heart thudded like a heavy weight in his chest, his breathing becoming heavy. I
He buried his face into his knees, slowly rocking himself back and forth.
'Come back. I don't like this. I don't want to be alone. Please, someone come back. Please, please.'
~*~
Kyoko almost dropped the armful of berries she had found when she crept back to camp. Itsuya had curled up into a ball, the fire in front of him now dying to tiny flames. His shoulders were shaking and Kyoko wasn't sure whether to continue forward or to back away and pretend she hadn't seen him.
Was he crying?
Then Iruka's words came crashing back to her as she jostled the berries in her arms.
'Yeah. More so for the third members sake. His name is Samada Itsuya. He's a 10-year-old prodigy but he had dependency issues. He has trouble working alone.'
Was this what he meant?
She stepped forward, careful not to make much noise to startle him. "Itsuya?"
His head shot up quickly, eyes watery and for once, looking like the child he was. His shoulders relaxed at her appearance before he saw the concern in her face. He tensed and scowled.
"What? Do you always just sneak up like that? Don't you think that's rude?" He demanded as he uncurled himself, crossing his arms over his chest and thrusting his face in the other direction.
"Oh…um sorry." She apologized.
His moods were dizzying. They almost made her head hurt.
~*~
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Chapter notes: Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Authoress Note: Sorry, I've been on a final fantasy craze lately. I've been playing 13 and then when I couldn't because someone was on that TV I would play 7 or 10 up on a different TV. Man I love those games!
Oh, and I know Sakura obviously hasn't trained with Tsunade yet, so she hasn't gained her super strength, but even before that Sakura was kind of freakishly strong. You may not agree with me, but I think she had the potential…I mean look at all the times she hit Naruto.
Anyways, here you go!