Kakashi's Teammate, the Lightning Goddess

The Chunin Exams: P.3

   Chapter 16: The Chunin Exams: P.3

                Needless to say, I did not heed Kakashi’s suggestion of taking a rest after three days straight in the forest, and instead went right back out into it. Closing my eyes, I managed to conjure up a pretty accurate map of everyone’s locations based on their chakra signatures, and located my team’s immediately. To my slight surprise, they had joined up with some of the other Rookie Nine. That made me glad and allowed me to relax a little more.

                I headed off in their direction anyway, just in case, and also to reassure myself. Those three Genin had become my own children. I loved them in a different way than I loved my sister, but at the same time, just as much.

                I perched myself on a tree branch above the trap that Sakura had set, but she froze in her tracks and glanced upward toward me. I waved, and she smiled, despite looking exhausted. She motioned for me to come down, and I scanned for any other chakra signatures before doing so.

                “You guys all okay?” I asked her in a low voice, as to not disturb anybody else or draw attention to the little camp they’d set up.

                “Yeah, I think,” she said, her voice a little shaky. “Sasuke’s got a pretty high fever, and Naruto’s still out. The others – “ She gestured around her. “ – seem to be fine, but I can’t help but worry that if we stay here, we’ll be attacked.”

                I focused once more. “There’s nobody around you,” I said. “That is, unless they have the skill to hide their chakra signatures well enough to trick a Jonin. In which case, of course, they probably shouldn’t be taking the Chunin Exam.”

                She visibly relaxed. “That’s good,” she said, as a boy with a spiky ponytail walked up to us. Shikamaru Nara, I thought.

                “Hey, you’re Team Seven’s sensei, aren’t you?” he asked, yawning shortly afterward. “Are you supposed to be here? I thought this was a test just for us.”

                “And we thought that you would be relatively safe and wouldn’t get attacked and marked,” I said, gesturing to the unconscious Sasuke. Shikamaru seemed to consider my words before nodding. “Clearly, things aren’t going the way they’re supposed to. If it comes to battle, I’m not allowed to help you, unless it’s like the situation before… in which case, I think I’m allowed to bend the rules.”

                Shikamaru sighed. “You have any idea how to wake up the two idiots over there? I was hoping they would be of some use.”

                I smiled tauntingly at him. “I’m not allowed to help you, remember?”

                They both gave me flat looks.

                I rummaged around in my hip pouch, before pulling out a chakra-restoring pill. “This won’t wake them up, but it might help later on,” I said, pressing the pill into Sakura’s palm. “Chakra pill. Don’t take it unless you’re actually running low, or else… the consequences won’t be pleasant.”

                “Thanks,” Sakura said, breaking into a small smile. Shikamaru yawned again.

                The air felt strange, and I tensed, causing the two others to tense as well. “I don’t sense anyone, but you’d better be on the lookout,” I all but whispered to them, and Sakura immediately set off to wake the others. I looked at Shikamaru, who, for once, didn’t look tired or bored. “Listen, genius. There are going to be some strange people with strange abilities. If you’re really at your wits’ end, and if you really need it, fire this.”