Another path

Friend or foe ? Will you trust them ?

< I don't own Naruto, just the OC >

Sakura was gaping. What in Kami's name was going on ?

A fox was biting Orochimaru's throat, hard. Blood had started splattering. The Sannin was trying to throw the fox off him, obviously in pain. It only spurred his aggressor on. The sinking of the teeth in his flesh elected another raw scream from the Sannin.

Naru had grabbed her teammates and suddenly they all disappeared. They landed a hundred meters away from the tower.

Naru felt her connection with Kurama's material form snapping. Now that he was free, Orochimaru would catch up with them in no time. She lifted Sakura in the air and threw her as fast and strong as she could. She then spun on her heels and kicked Sasuke toward the tower as well.

Just as the snake arrived, she hiraishined inside the tower where her teammates had landed after colliding with the front door, effectively destroying it. The moment she set a foot on the floor, a seal activated and the rikudô fūin appeared around the tower.

Orochimaru slowly walked up to the panting genin and whispered :

" Good job by escaping me. But next time, I'll make sure to give both of you an interesting gift. You will join me."

And with that, he was gone. Not even three seconds after his departure, four Anbu showed up. Naru quickly explained the situation and they immediately started chasing the rogue nin.

Naru grabbed both scrolls hidden on her and opened them. Kakashi then appeared in a puff of smoke and eye-smiled at them.

" - I'm very proud of you three. Not only did you make it through the test, but also in record time ! Though... Are you related to the fact fireworks were ignited in the middle of the forest ?

- Unfortunately, yes. We've been attacked by Orochimaru - Kakashi visibly paled - and we had to escape.

- About that. What was all this, Naru ? You're not supposed to know half the skills you demonstrated, so how ?

- ... It's none of your business.

- Hey, Naru-baka, don't dismiss Sasuke-kun like this !

- Stop ! All of you, that's enough. Sasuke, Sakura, Naru is your teammate, not a tool so she thinks and does things you don't know of because she doesn't want you to, and you can't force her to tell you. Naru, I understand you value privacy and secrecy but they're your teammates, regardless of how you behave toward each other. You need to give them reasons to believe in you.

- ... Alright. But not here. And if I leave out details, don't pry. Is that clear ?

- Hn.

- Y-yes...

They moved out of the hall to one of the many rooms. Naru sat on the edge of a window, slightly pouting as she thought of all the traps she could have set up, Sakura sat on the bed and Sasuke and Kakashi remained standing near the door.

" - Ok. So, I am proficient with seals. Of any kind. What I did was just using a combination of seals.

- Seals ? How could you make such elaborate techniques with mere seals ?

Kakashi sweat dropped. Sasuke - the one who questioned Naru's story - had just dug his own grave. No one, absolutely no one badmouthes seals in the presence of an Uzumaki.

- ... "Mere seals" ?... What do you mean you fucker ? Do you even know what a seal is supposed to be, huh ? I bet you think it's only a drawing on a paper ! You uncultured swine !

- Naru. Please. He doesn't know but still... - the copy ninja eyed Sakura, instantly silencing her.

- Anyway, back to the topic. My first seal was the one I wrote on the paper tag I threw in the air. It was a combination of a firework seal, that's derived from explosion seals, and a location seal. Then there was the barrier seal under my sole. That's all.

- ... You really don't trust us, do you ?

- No."

Sakura looked dejected and Sasuke was almost fuming. Not only had he been saved by his teammate but he also didn't get any information from her. How was he supposed to get stronger ?

" - Alright. You three have earned a good rest. You have four more days until the end of the test but you can't leave the tower so make yourself at ease here and rest well, you'll need it.

- ... So I can't set a few traps up around the tower ?

- No, you can't. You stay put here."

Naru pouted and got up. She left the room for a stroll. Seconds later, Sasuke had also left the room to cool his head off. Or vent his anger on something, it was the same thing.

Sakura was left on her own in the room once Kakashi shunshined back to the Sensei's lounge. She started crying. She was horribly frustrated.

" What am I doing wrong ? All I wanted was to become a kunoichi and be different from my parents ! I wanted to be someone important, someone respected ! Someone people wouldn't dare to make fun of ! I... I just wanted to... to be respected...
But it never happened. Every time, it's only about Naru and Sasuke. Only them. I don't exist. I'm so irrelevant I might as well not be here. Even they don't respect me. They think I'm a hindrance. I hate it so much !
Why must it be like this ? I did nothing wrong ! That's not as if I were weak... No, I'm strong and clever ! I know it ! It must be something else... Someone else ... It's Naru... It's her fault ! It must be her ! If she wasn't there, I could demonstrate my skill to both Sensei and Sasuke ! They would acknowledge me ! And the village too ! She's just a cheater, she can't be that strong ! Anything she does, I can do it better ! She's manipulating everyone ! She must be some kind of monster ! Why would she be able to summon a fox otherwise ? Maybe she is the Kyūbi in human form... That would make sense ! But no one knows because she brainwashed them... I must protect everyone from her ! I'll expose her and kill her so we will finally be rid of this demon ! And everybody will finally acknowledge me !"

All three genin had plans swirling in their minds.

Naru about how she would make it through the exams and after.

Sasuke about how he could get strong enough to kill his brother.

Sakura about how she would expose the "demon of the village".

And they had no idea it would only get worse from here on.

________

< Yes, so, I could have had Sakura realise the wrong of her ways but she doesn't sound mature enough to do so. So she's being very delusional here and even I have no idea if it will get any better. Probably not. Anyway, have a nice day everyone ! >