Inheritance

The Chunin Exams III

And despite the fact the boy was fairly small in stature, Kin couldn't help the hope that blossomed at the fierce look in his eyes, the determination that practically radiated from his stance; nor could she help the second bout of tears at the idea that someone had come - had actually come - to help her.

But the boy didn't say a word to her as he leapt down just in front of her, landing between her and a scowling Zaku, his eyes never leaving his opponent.

"Gamasenso, you can sense me right?"

"My sensory abilities aren't as good as many of my kin, but yes, I can sense you. I understand the situation."

The exhausted black-haired Oto-nin couldn't help but jump in surprise as the blue blur that had freed her from Dosu's grip literally jumped to the side of the red-armored Konoha shinobi in front her. It was a toad - a vivid blue toad - wearing what looked like a karate gi; and Kin was momentarily embarrassed that she hadn't instantly realised it was a summon.

The blond in front of her sighed. "It's a shame, but I probably wont be able to fight alongside you for long before I run out of steam and have to get her out of here. I would have liked a better fight for our first together, Gamasenso."

"Do not fret, Naruto. There are a lifetime of battles ahead, and we shall share many of them. Today though, your duty must take priority. If you must aid the girl, than I will buy you the time you need to do so."

The boy - Naruto, apparently - raised his left arm and clapped what Kin supposed was the toads shoulder amiably. "I appreciate your help, I really do. I'll get the girl out of here, you deal with these guys." Naruto turned back to her, before pausing as though he had suddenly remembered something, and turned his head back. "Gamasenso, these are two of Orochimaru's goons that have infiltrated the exam, so don't feel the need to go easy."

The toad didn't reply, and only nodded tightly. Obviously the toad summons had some kind of grudge against her former master too - not that she wasn't certain he didn't deserve whatever punishment they intended to mete out, of course; but, given how Orochimaru's forces were made up almost entirely of people utterly loyal to the Sannin, and she had been mostly raised as part of those forces - away from the outside world - it still caught her slightly off guard when she was faced with a reminder of just how many people wanted the snake dead.

"Can you walk?"

Kin was shaken out of her thoughts at the kindly voice of Naruto, know kneeling just in front of her, a small, gentle smile upon his face. "I-I don't know... I-" Her voice came out an disorientated babble - too many things had happened, in too short a space of time. She was entirely out of chakra, utterly exhausted, and she had gone from desperation, to resignation to her fate, to sheer unbridled terror at the turn of events, before having hope given back to her from just about the least likely source on the planet all over again. It was too much.

But it was Naruto that stopped the oncoming panic attack before it even set in. He placed both hands on her shoulders, and looked directly into her eyes. "I need you to breathe deep breaths for me, and just listen. Can you do that?"

She nodded, wide-eyed and jerkily, before complying without even really thinking; breathing deeply, the combination of the blond's voice, his firm but painless grip on her shoulders, and being able to focus on a task rather than the events of the past ten minutes, strangely reassuring her.

Seeing that she had calmed, Naruto pressed on ever so slightly. "That's real good. Now, can you tell me your name?"

She took one last deep breathe, and gathered herself before replying, far more steadily than she thought she was capable of. "It's Kin, Tsuchi Kin." Her eyes never left Naruto's, and his hands never left her shoulders; and idly, Kin noticed the sounds of clashing fists, and the launching of wind attacks - Zaku's, and the vague realisation that Naruto's summon and Zaku had begun fighting. But Naruto she knew, was intentionally trying to monopolise her attention - keep her focused on him, and nothing else, in order to prevent the panic attack she had come so close to. It was an impressive feat, given everything that was going on.