Kakashi's Teammate, the Lightning Goddess

The Chunin Exams: P.6

*edited*

Chapter 19: The Chunin Exams: P.6

                I stood quietly, my back to the wall, and closed my eyes. So much had already happened, and to be frank, I was sick of it all. Just because I had been a shinobi for many years didn’t mean that I was even remotely prepared to watch my teammates suffer.

                Sasuke was in the hospital with ANBU guarding him around the clock, and it was starting to worry me that he hadn’t even flinched yet. My gut told me that whoever hadn’t yet been injured or threatened was bound to be within a few weeks.

                Yeah, my return to Konoha was definitely benefitting the society.

                “You okay?”

                I tried not to look surprised as Kakashi appeared next to me, seemingly out of nowhere. “Fine,” I said, shrugging. “One moment, it’s like things will be okay – the next, Sasuke’s in the hospital because Orochimaru decided to claim him.”

                He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “What do you propose we do?” he asked, and it was times like these that I fully appreciated him still being here, whole and alive.

                “Why ask me? I only returned to Konoha a couple of months ago.”

                “And since then, you’ve gained the trust of the entire village, co-led a Genin team, and you’ve more or less become the spokesperson of the Chunin Exams.” Despite the serious atmosphere, Kakashi raised his one visible eyebrow at me, a bit teasingly (or so I thought). “Somehow, I think you’re a credible source. Not to mention your slightly-above-average intelligence that scares me on a daily basis.”

                I couldn’t help myself and smiled. “You must be easily scared.”

                “Mhmm. Go over the facts with me?”

                “Over coffee, sure. You’re paying.”

                We found ourselves in a cozy little coffee shop not long afterward. I hadn’t been here before, but Kakashi seemed to know the manager well, and they greeted each other as we walked in. We found ourselves a table in the corner and sat down across from each other.

                “Well?” Kakashi prompted after a moment of silence. “Go on.”

                “Easy stuff first, then, I suppose.” I tried to remember where it had all begun. “During the first exam, a team of Sound shinobi attacked a Genin before we got there. Upon further research, the victim was Kabuto Yakushi, who has been noted as having taken the Exam more than a couple of times before. Suspicious? Anko agrees. What’s worse is that I’ve taken the liberty of looking into his records, and I got to talk to Sakura briefly, just before this. Kabuto helped them out in the Forest, near the very end, and his skill set is way above that of a normal Genin.

                “Then, Orochimaru pops up in the Forest and marks Sasuke. Anko’s mark flared – we both saw that. It’s pretty obvious that he’s after Sasuke’s power in some way, or at least wants him to seek power by coming to him. Kabuto drops out of the third exam – why? That’s the question I’ve pondered over for quite some time.”

                “Good thing that I took the liberty of inviting Sakura to this little coffee break.” Kakashi smirked at me, and my eyes widened. As if on cue, the pink-haired kunoichi walked in, looking around briefly before spotting us and heading over. “Sakura. Have a seat.”