Izumi had a bad feeling. The kids were going to the Forest of Death, and while usually that wouldn't really faze her, something wasn't right. That was why she was sitting in a tree, examining each and every genin.
Something wasn't right. Her skin was crawling.
"They call it the Forest of Death," Naruto imitated, shaking his ass. "And soon enough you'll find out why."
Sasuke and Sakura did not look amused.
Anko smiled sweetly. "So, we've got ourselves a tough guy, huh?" she cooed.
Instantly her kunai sliced across Naruto's cheek, but it was the genin from the Village in the Grass that caught Izumi's eyes. She had snuck up on Anko. A genin shouldn't be able to sneak up on and startle Anko.
Izumi had a sudden murderous urge and it startled her. That had felt like Itachi's Alpha- No, they didn't have a bond, despite being mates they never bonded. She shouldn't feel his rage, not unless it was that intense.
Izumi bit her lip. What the hell was going on? Was Itachi in the area-
A crow caught her eye.
It met hers and she bristled and leapt at it. It squawked and flew away, and instantly she turned herself invisible as the startled genin all looked in her direction. The fucking bastard was watching Sasuke? Seriously? She'd tear out his spine and beat him to death with it when she got her hands on him-
Itachi Uchiha.
She'd kill him.
Izumi startled out of her murderous fury. Anko had glanced in her direction, worry across her face once her backs were to the kids, but she was invisible and couldn't be seen. Her murderous intent was that bad. Sasuke was also searching about. Izumi trembled and grasped her shaking hand. No. She didn't want to be consumed by so much anger that she'd go insane from it. She stared at Sasuke. Stared at Sasuke until all the anger and frustration ebbed away, and even then, it didn't leave her entirely.
Itachi wouldn't have Sasuke. She would never let him have Sasuke. Sasuke was all she had left of the Uchiha Clan and he was her pup.
She dropped down next to Anko the moment the kids were through the gate and into the Forest of Death once she was composed and no longer invisible.
"Anko-"
"I felt your murderous intent from here," Anko said, turning to her. "Are you alright?"
"Something's not right." Izumi scowled, glancing back into the forest. "I'm staying close by. Let me know if you feel anything wrong."
Anko reached out. "Izumi-"
She rushed off to patrol around the forest's borders.
What felt like hours later she heard Sasuke's scream, and his Omega's scent suddenly choked her, reeking of distress and fear.
Her Omega screamed and Izumi saw nothing but red.
.::.
Orochimaru heard a roar and tasted hatred.
He had left the pups deep within the forest and smirked when he heard Sasuke scream. The pup would be perfect. The perfect new body. But now all he could taste was murderous fury. The forest felt bloody and smelled of Uchiha. One moment he was running, then he was tackled and thrown through a boulder. Orochimaru laughed as he climbed out the boulder.
"You're gotten vicious, Izumi Uchiha," he mocked. "You think a mere half blood Uchiha has what it takes to fight me?"
Pink chakra sparked to life, and a rib cage surrounded the Omega teen. Orochimaru didn't get enough time to dodge. The rib changed shifted into another shape, a man's figure, and a fist punched him. Orochimaru came to crushed into the ground, and Izumi long gone.
Well then. That was the Susanoo, wasn't it? How interesting.
But he could feel his Omega shying away in distress. Orochimaru ignored his counterpart, far too interested in this new development. He chuckled. It looked like she was rushing to gain as much strength as Itachi Uchiha then.
Sadly he lost his train of thought and grew distracted when dear Anko arrived. It was nice to see his sweet student again. Anko who asked what he had done to Izumi.
.::.
Sakura flinched. One moment she was alone, clutching Sasuke tight to her side, wondering what to do, the next Izumi was there. Her chakra violently swirled around her, and it made Sakura shake, but the energy flickered away and the fangs, teeth and pupils softened. The Omega's aggressive scent eased up, but Sakura could feel it. It was coiled, simmering within Izumi, ready to burst once more.
"Good," Izumi said icily. "You're all alive."
"I-Izumi-"
"No time." Izumi grabbed Sasuke, tossing him over her shoulder, then Naruto over the other. "Follow me."
Sakura shakily grabbed her kunai. "H-How do I know it's really you-"
"Do you think anyone would fucking come up to you disguised as me?" Izumi snapped. "Move you damn ass, Sakura, or I'll kick it."
Strangely enough that was rather reassuring to hear after everything that had just happened. Normally she would be running for the hills, but Izumi was here and she could help them.
"This wasn't apart of the test so I see no reason why I can't butt in," Izumu said, stalking quickly through the forest. "Orochimaru shouldn't be here, and I knew something was wrong, but not what. I heard Sasuke scream and came running."
"H-He's going to be okay, right?" Sakuta asked weakly, staring at Sasuke's limp form. "Please... I-I didn't know what to do..."
"I don't expect you to in a situation this bad," Izumi admitted. "Two of your team mates are down, one cursed and the other who knows what?" she said, jostling Naruto. "Both are out cold and you're alone with a lot of enemy ninja. But you can't always rely on back up either."
"Then what do we do?" Sakura asked breathlessly. She could barely keep up with Izumi's pace.
"You hide." Izumi took her to a clearing with a tree that had a small gap to fit her, Sasuke and Naruto inside it. "Here." Izumi laid both of them down, and turned to her. "Basic enough, hide these two and camouflage the openings. If you had earth style you might have been able to seal up the entrance and make it look natural, but neither of us can do that."
"Is Kakashi coming here too?" Sakura asked shakily, following Izumi's heels, watching her camouflage the openings of the tree.
"I doubt he even knows what's going on," Izumi said. "Like I said, this was pure luck. I wouldn't have been here if I didn't have such a bad feeling. Besides, Kakashi's resting at the moment, he had his first scan yesterday and needed some time to relax afterwards."
Under Tenzo's care. Tenzo had refused to let Guy look after Kakashi after the trouble the pair had gotten themselves into.
"Now, get Sasuke's temperature down," Izumi ordered sharply. "I'll protect you if things go sour, but you have to pull your weight too. This is still a survival test after all."
Sakura had a bad feeling about this, but climbed into the make-shift cover and only trembled a little when Izumi sealed off the opening with more camouflage.
Her bad feeling was right. Sakura was prodded awake non-stop by stones. Every time she dozed off Izumi would kick a stone at her through the bushes. It felt like hours had gone by when she was startled awaken by a mocking sneer instead of a rock.
"Some look out. You're half asleep. Your breathing is getting so heavy." A voice laughed. "You might be hiding well, but we can still hear you. So come out and bring Sasuke with you."
"Yeah," the girl laughed. "Don't make us come find you."
Sakura peered through a gap in the bushes, gripping her kunai tightly. Izumi hadn't dealt with them. Had she wandered off? No, she wouldn't have left Sasuke behind in this condition. She would be close by, so then perhaps this was a test to prove Sakura's strength? What strength though? She was just a scared little girl who had no idea what to do! She should have trained more. She should have done what Izumi suggested and trained-
Suddenly three yelps startled her. The ground collapsed beneath the three and Izumi approached from the forest, smirking.
"Ambush!" she said cheerfully, dumping a bucket of something on them. It was something thick and slimy, like oil. Okay, yes, it was definitely oil, flammable oil. Because Izumi looked like the devil with that flame flickering over her finger.
"Now." Izumi grinned wickedly. "Before I burn you three alive you better tell me what you want with Sasuke. Or better yet, who put you three numbskulls up to it."
Sakura flinched. She wasn't really going to burn them alive, right? That was just horrible! There was no way Izumi would do something like that. Sakura almost voiced it, but then she felt the deadly intent. Sakura shakily curled up and whimpered. She felt the urge to submit, to cower beneath Izumi and show her that she was a good pup. That she wasn't causing trouble.
"You wouldn't dare-" Someone sounded offended that Izumi would even suggest that.
"Do you think I care about your pathetic, insignificant lives?" Izumi scoffed. "No. I don't. You're nothing to me. But the boy you're attacking is everything I cherish. And I would burn you all to keep him safe."
Izumi paused suddenly, then twisted round, blocking a green blur from behind. Sakura flinched back, startled, and realised it was Lee. Lee let out a surprised cry and jumped back.
"Izumi-san! I thought somebody was attacking Kakashi sensei's students-" Lee began.
"Nice kick," Izumu complimented. "Now, could you go back to your team? I'm in the middle of some business."
"Why are you in the Chunin exams?" Lee frowned. "I didn't think Kakashi sensei's team would be the type to cheat with outside interference-"
"No, they aren't." Izumi nodded. "But there's been a delicate issue that I have to deal with personally and they have invaded this test."
Lee gasped. "Is it the man with Kakashi sensei-"
"No." Izumi shook her head. "Another powerful guy, and a traitor to Konoha. Warn your team to be extra cautious, Lee, and get out of this forest as quickly as you can."
"Seriously?" Lee grimaced. "I trust in your words, but how could someone so powerful make it into Konoha without being spotted?"
Izumi grinned. "Well, not exactly without being spotted since I'm here, remember?" she teased.
Lee smiled. "True!"
Some needles flew past Izumi, but she caught them, not even bothering to dodge. Izumi instead threw a nasty smile down at the pit below. "Oh, the girly wants to be set on fire then? Alright, I'll oblige-"
Lee squawked.
"Wait!" A man yelled from the pit. "Please. Stop. We'll give you our scroll-"
"I don't give two shits about a fucking scroll!" Izumi spat. "I'll-"
"We were told to target Sasuke by Lord Orochimaru, so we did." The rage faded from Izumi's face, and she tilted her head, even as Lee tensed. "I don't know why he sent us to assassinate Sasuke, especially after he was given the curse mark which should have already killed him. There are many things I don't know-"
"Don't give into this bitch, Dozu-"
Izumi threw the needles in her hand, and from the cry of pain she must have hit her target.
"Quiet, dumbass," Izumi ordered coldly. "Your smart friend is saving you from being burned alive. I suggest you let him talk and only him."
The 'dumbass' cried. "Dammit!"
"So." Izumi knelt down at the edge of the pit. "You don't know anything. That is all you have to offer me?"
"And your genin the scroll-"
"They ain't my genin," Izumi scoffed. "I was here to hunt Orochimaru."
"Y-You're hunting Lord Orochimaru?" the guy asked shakily.
"Orochimaru?" Lee frowned. "I feel like I know that name..."
"I didn't realise it was him, but now he's messing with my family," Izumi said sharply. "So, the boy who knows nothing offers me a scroll? For his life?"
"To let us go."
"You and your team?" Izumi mused. "Well maybe-"
"WAIT A MINUTE!"
Sakura startled. That sounded like Ino-
Ino jumped out the bushes. "What is Izumi Uchiha doing here?" Ino squeaked, instantly bright red. "One of the best kunoichi in Konoha!"
Izumi blinked. "Eh?"
"Probably doing some work for my old man." Shikamaru followed her out the bushes. "Hey, Izumi-san."
"Why are all you kids just appearing out of nowhere?" Izumi complained. She was not traumatising a bunch of twelve-year-olds. Not more than they already were at any rate. "Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter. Fine, Sound kids, leave the scroll and piss off. Go near my kid again and I'll come back to kick your asses. Got it?"
"Understood," Dozu grunted.
Izumi allowed them to climb out and watched them as they warily disappeared back into the forest. Izumi didn't relax for a moment, her eyes hard for some time, before she suddenly rubbed the back of her head.
"Fancy meeting all of you here?"
"Save it," Shikamaru huffed. "You've been helping Team Seven, haven't you?"
Izumi scoffed. "Don't give me that bullshit, Shikamaru. I'm hunting someone, and that someone happened to attack my pup's squad."
"What?" Ino gasped. "Sasuke's injured?! I'll nurse him back to health-"
Izumi scooped up the scroll, but Sakura chose that moment to shove aside the bushes and snarl. "Like hell, Ino-pig!"
Izumi tutted and threw the scroll. It bounced off Sakura's head, earning a yelp. "Seriously? You came out of hiding because of a girl spat? For fuck's sake."
"Um, so you said Orochimaru?" Lee began tentatively.
"The traitorous Sanin?" Shikamaru raised a brow. "Why are we talking about him?"
Izumi groaned. "I don't get paid enough to deal with all this. And this isn't even a mission so I'm not getting paid at all. Okay, listen, Orochimaru is in this forest, and I believe he might have already murdered people, and has attacked Team Seven. So I highly suggest all of you finish your exam and quickly."
"Uh, shouldn't we stop the exam?" Choji asked hesitantly.
"That would be a good idea. But Orochimaru is probably causing a fuss about it or something. I don't know. Whatever the reasons the exams haven't been cancelled yet. So, you have to press on."
"This is such a drag!" Shikamaru groaned.
"Yes, it is," Izumi agreed.