Tower
The next day the two teams woke up, with Naruto cuddling with Gaara, Kankuro using Temari like a teddy making her grunt as she pushed him away. Kyoko stretched like a cat feeling her joints crack and pop feeling satisfied while Sasuke was already in the bathroom. Naruto snuggled with Gaara a little longer before getting up and dragging Gaara to the bathroom. Kyoko held out the scroll holding the toiletries for him which he took while Gaara grabbed Kankuro.
Temari, "Is that the latest seal Konoha created?"
Kyoko, "Nope! It's the latest seal Naruto created. It's meant to hold shampoo, soap, face wash, conditioner, hair dye, face cream, make up, etc."
Temari, "I understand the hygiene products but the make up?"
Kyoko shrugged, "You never know when you need to go under cover. A lot of crazy stuff happens out there."
Temari had an understanding look, "Like your C - ranks turning into S - ranks? I guess so, it would be useful and helpful."
Kyoko, "Right? Looks like the boys are done. Hope you left some hot water for us boys."
Naruto, "Don't worry nee - chan. I made sure there is hot water in the geyser."
Temari smiled, "Appreciated, Naruto."
The two girls went off to get hot showers just noticing the grime on them. Kyoko made an annoyed face when she realized there was grass on her hair. They should have showered before sleeping, now she had to deal with tangled hair and dandruff. Gross! Temari was happy to have shampoo and soap to wash herself neat and clean. As much as she was awed by her brother's technique, she did not like being covered in sand. In the mean time, the boys were talking about what happened in the forest.
Gaara, "So this S - rank nin from your village joined a criminal organization?"
Naruto, "Yeah, luckily no one knew about the specialized seals I was working on and we were able to give him, well them the slip."
Sasuke, "It won't work twice obviously, so we will have to think up a plan to keep ourselves safe."
Kankuro, "Especially, if the group he joined is targeting the Jinchurikis."
Sasuke, "I will be talking to my father about more training and access to other scrolls on the bloodline techniques."
Naruto, "I am already thinking about new seals I could create. And I am thinking about teaching you some seals too. At least the attack based ones."
Gaara, "I appreciate it though I am not exactly good at it. Believe me I tried, I just don't have the right mindset for it."
Naruto, "It's okay, the seals I am teaching you is based on the tailed beast chakra. We can do the simple one at the moment as three days are not enough for the more detailed ones."
Kankuro, "What's the seal like?"
Temari returned with her hair in a towel bun, "What seal are you talking about?"
Kankuro, "We were planning on how to deal with the S - rank problem. Naruto here has an idea for Gaara."
Kyoko joined them, "Oh are you talking about the Biju claw seal?"
Naruto nodded beaming, "Yes, I can use it, so I bet Gaara can too."
Ichibi, "Show me."
Naruto, "Sure."
Naruto manipulated the Kyuubi chakra to form above his hands and it appeared in the shape of sharp claws inside a circle. Then sharp claws that were made from Kyuubi's chakra manifested on his hands. Gaara looked very interested on seeing it and agreed to learn about manipulating the Biju chakra into the seal. It looked simple enough in theory at least but practically, it was very difficult.
Sasuke, "Take it easy and don't rush into it. We don't want any of our Senseis running in."
Kankuro, "Okay, Naruto has a new idea for Gaara. What about the rest of us?"
Kyoko eyed him, "Kankuro, is it safe to say you have the strongest chakra control among you siblings?"
Kankuro blinked, "Yeah, I do."
Kyoko, "I am teaching you my chakra punch. Yes, yes, I know it is against the rule, but we can say it will help our two village's relationship. Come on, we are booking a training area."
Kankuro blinked following her, "Sounds interesting. What's this chakra punch?"
Kyoko, "Exactly as it sounds, a punch backed by tightly controlled chakra."
Sasuke looked at Temari, "I suppose we are left to strategize then."
Temari snorted, "Someone has to be the smartest one in the two groups."
Sasuke, "True, so from the looks of things both our Kages will work together but I feel it prudent to have safety plans set for both our teams."
Temari sobered, "The fact my baby brother is being targeted really makes my blood boil. I have heard about the Uchiha clan's affinity for fire. Want to team up? Your fire, my wind, we could come up with interesting and powerful combinations."
Sasuke grinned, "Like a fire tornado?"
Temari smirked, "Yes, we will burn and blow our enemies away."
Sasuke, "Sounds good, let's go find a training area for ourselves then. I am sure we will find one easily in this large tower."
Temari, "Gaara, Sasuke - kun and I are going to train and come up with a few combo moves. Stay alert while I am gone, all of us have keys to this room. Do not open it for anyone, no matter what."
Gaara, "That's fine nee - chan. We will be safe. Go and train. Your combos sound powerful."
Kyuubi, "Do not worry about them. Ichibi and I will keep them out of trouble."
Sasuke nodded and left searching for a room to use for training. They spent the next few days under the watchful eyes of their Senseis and ANBU. Hokage Sandaime was very pleased to see Naruto's team get along with Gaara's team. Baki was a bit skeptical about the Team though, seeing them as seductresses stealing his kids with promise of powerful jutsus. He kept that opinion to himself obviously but could not help feel protective. He finally confronted Team Seven on the third day much to the two team's bewilderment.
Baki, "What are your intentions towards my team?"
Kyoko, "Huh? Intentions? We are friends."
Bali raised his eyebrow, "You share training grounds with every foreign shinobi?"
Sasuke raised his hand, "We just came up with ideas for new combat techniques."
Kankuro, "Yeah Sensei, we are not doing anything else."
Kakashi joined, "Kids, Baki - sensei is just worried about his pups. You did report some S - rank shinobi are after the Jinchuriki."
Naruto, "I guess that's understandable. Hey, Gaara - nii, why not show your Sensei the new seal I showed you."
Kakashi, "Wait.. You did what?"
Gaara, "This is Demon claw seal technique. Look Sensei."
Baki stepped back as he felt Ichibi's chakra, "Oh Kami! That's... "
Kakashi looked at Naruto, "Do you trust him that much?"
Naruto nodded, "Yes Sensei and honestly I would rather Gaara have a chance to fight against the S - rank nin, rather than be captured by them."
ANBU Bull looked at the group and felt a headache, "You lot again??? You are not even in ANBU or hunter nin - corps. How do you manage to create more paperwork for us?"
Temari, "Um... In their defense, if the S - ranked nin, kinda had not attacked first, this would not be happening."
Kyoko, "Yeah Bull, you are blaming the wrong person here. We just want to keep our friends safe and alive."
Sandaime chuckled from behind them, "We understand child but next time how about a heads up. Especially if you are teaching them some powerful techniques. Hmm?"
Naruto nodded a little cowed but grinning, "Sorry Jiji, guess we got carried away. But Gaara understood and mastered the move so quickly, I could not help but jump to the practical part."
Anko, "You brats actually managed to break one of the walls. That too a fortified wall with seals created by the Shodaime."
Kyoko looked guilty at that, "We are sorry about that. We will fix it up. Kankuro already mastered the chakra punch anyway."
Sandaime, "See that you do. Get going."
The two teams bowed to the elders and walked off, Naruto's team to fix the mess while Gaara's team went to get some rest. It was almost the last day, the other participants would be there soon. Ino - Shika - Cho had already entered the tower, Kyoko and Temari had run into Ino a day ago. The blond asked them if Sakura's team had reached only to get a negative answer, Kyoko had told Ino not to worry.
Sakura and her teammates were one of the smartest in the group and trained in the forest after all. The last day was finally here and Hinata, Kiba and Shino entered the tower early in the morning. They were followed by Kabuto and his team, his two teammates were unrecognizable to Kyoko and the others. Team Seven looked at each other before deciding to talk to Kabuto - sempai later on. Sakura, Naomi and Torune turned up close to the end of the last day looking like they went through the ringer.
Sasuke, "Nee - chan, what happened to you?"
Naomi, "Hey there Sasu - tan, we survived."
Sasuke froze, "No, nee - chan, we warned you how dangerous the Sharingan is."
Naomi, "I had to to protect my team."
Sasuke saw her clutching her neck, "Let me see."
Shino, "Torune, your hand."
Kyoko, "Here, I'll have a look.... It's a clean break, I can heal it. Shino, grab my med kit. Come with me."
Anko barked, "Sakura report!"
Sakura straightened moving from a fussing Ino, "We entered forest five days ago and then encountered Iwa shinobi on third day. We managed to get away with their scroll which was the right one. On the fourth day, we ran into an S - rank nin we identified as Orochimaru. He... He did something to Naomi, I don't know what and his partner broke Torune - kun's hand and my ankle."
Anko's eyes burned with fury but kept it under control, "Good job, coming out of it alive. Go seat with your friends. They can heal you."
Sakura nodded and limped back to where Ino was waiting, "I am fine Ino - chan, promise."
Naruto answered strictly, "We will be the judge of that."
Sasuke hissed, "That bastard gave my nee - chan a hickey! A Kami damned HICKEY! I am going to castrate him. That disgusting pedophile."
Naruto snarled, "He did what?"
Kyoko finished healing Torune's hand, "Okay, things just got really personal."
Naruto hissed, "That's not a hickey, that's a seal."
Anko, "Let me look.... That bastard. I can't believe this."
Naomi, "Don't worry Sensei, I will be fine."
Naruto, "I can deal this seal away. It's siphoning off your chakra slowly but surely."
Naomi, "Huh, no wonder I feel weaker than normal. Can you stop it?"
Naruto, "I can but it will take time, which we don't have at the moment."
Hiruzen, "Naruto - kun, is right. At the moment, he can't do much about this but soon."
Hayato nodded, "Can you endure it till the preliminary rounds?"
Sakura protested, "But that thing is taking her chakra and Orochimaru hinted he could mind control her if he wanted."
Sasuke shook his head, "Mind control is not as simple as that. Even if you have a seal to do it."
Naruto agreed, "It's harder through a seal than through Genjutsu, trust me. I have tried it on my clones, and learned anything with even a hint of will of their own will fight back."
Kyoko, "Which can also be dangerous for the caster, so don't worry. We don't think Orochimaru will try that anytime soon."
Sakura relaxed a little, "Really? That's a relief to hear."
Torune, "It's a little disturbing what that seal can do. Almost pedophilic."
Hiruzen, "Everyone to the conference room."
They all got up and headed to the conference room where the others were. Neji and his team nodded at them relieved to see them all safe, though a little ruffled up. Ino was trying to fix Sakura's hair only for the pinkette to promise to let her do what she wanted after they leave the forest. The blond took the compromise and walked off to join her team in the line up behind a team from wave.
Naruto, 'That's a lot of shinobi. Oh that's Karin - chan. I am glad she made it.'
Hayato, "Listen up brats, since there are too many of you we will be having an impromptu preliminary rounds."
Sakura gasped, "What?"
Hayato, "It will be a one on one battle. Look at the screen your names will appear next to your opponent. But before we move on to the preliminaries is there anyone who wishes to quit? Now, is the right time."
Sakura looked at Naomi and almost raised her hand up only for Naomi to clamp down on her shoulder. The Uchiha shook her head while gritting her teeth, she planned to see this competition through. She had a feeling that bastard from the forest was watching them. She would prove to him, she was not some weakling for him to push around. Much to Naruto's dismay though, Kabuto - sempai quit the exam which raised many eyebrows.
Kyoko, 'He really is hiding something.'
Sasuke, 'Confront him later.'