*so sorry about the wait, these last two weeks were so hectic oml. anyway here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!*
A Few Weeks Later
You whistled and smoked a cigarette as you patrolled the streets of Konoha. You looked relaxed and carefree to any observers, but you were on high alert. Your eyes scanned everywhere, not missing a thing. Your ears picked up every sound. You thoroughly scanned the chakra of everyone you passed, looking for any malice or bad intentions. Nothing would go undetected by you. If anyone was going to harm the village while you were around, they wouldn't get very far.
While you were scanning chakras, you detected three very familiar ones. You jumped onto a roof and went their direction to say hi. You ran over to them and faltered slightly as you recognized the other chakras around them. Three were some kids from the village. As for the last three...
Why are they with Team 7? You sped up, slightly worried.
You masked your chakra and silenced your movements as you crouched on the roof. A boy with purple markings and a black jumpsuit was threating a kid from the village, the Third Hokage's grandson, actually. I think his name's Konohamaru. A girl with a giant fan on her back stood behind him with crossed arms. Naruto and Sakura were yelling at the boy. Konohamaru's friends crouched behind them in fear. Over in a tree, you could sense Sasuke and...
So, he's here too. This could be problematic. You silently jumped down from the building and walked to them. Meanwhile, Sasuke threw a rock at Kankuro, making him drop Konohamaru. Kankuro turned to attack Sasuke, but you body flickered behind him and grabbed his arms.
"Quit it, Kankuro. The exams haven't even started yet. You can fight all you want during them." Kankuro's head whipped around and he stared at you in shock. You smirked slightly. The body flicker really is a neat trick, Shisui. He had taught you the body flicker before he- before everything happened.
The girl with the fan, Temari, stepped back and started to get her fan out. You looked at her at controlled her chakra, stopping her movement. She froze in place and looked at you with slight fear in her eyes. You sighed. "You too, Temari? I said quit it." Kankuro struggled against you but you held his arms in a tight grip.
"Y/N-san!" Sakura said happily.
"Y/N nee-san!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Kankuro. "He tired to kill Konohamaru! He's an enemy!"
You sighed. "They're not enemies. I know them, actually. And he didn't try to kill Konohamaru."
Kankuro kept struggling, so you finally let go of his arms. He stumbled forward and almost fell. He whipped around and got in a defensive stance. "Who they hell are you?? How do you know our names?!" Kankuro demanded. "How do you know us?!"
You also released Temari's chakra and held your hands up defensively. "No need to be so rude."
"Y/N, I'd like to know as well." Sasuke said to you. "How do you these two?"
"Actually, I know all three of them." You turned to the spot where the third was concealed. "Are you going to hide there the entire time, Gaara?" His siblings flinched and whipped around to face the tree. You felt Gaara's chakra move closer to you. He finally revealed himself and tried to attack you with his sand. Before it could reach you, you controlled his chakra and stopped him. He froze and struggled against your control. You walked around him until you were behind him. *(stop because being able to control people like this is actually so disrespectful lmao)*
"I said," you said in a low voice, "save it for the exams." He gritted his teeth. "I'm going to let you go. If you attack me again, I'll have you kicked out of the exams and sent back to the Hidden Sand," you said so that only he could hear. You released him and he slowly turned to face you.
"Who are you," he demanded.
You chuckled. "Yeah, I supposed you wouldn't recognize me like this." You put your hair up and grabbed the mask you had used in the sand and put it on. Before you spoke, you changed your voice to a different pitch. "How about now?"
Gaara stepped back and his eyes slightly widened. His siblings gasped.
"You... what are you?" Kankuro yelled. "Are you a traitor to the sand?! What are you doing in the Hidden Leaf?! You were a spy, weren't you?! How did-" You placed a finger over his mouth and clicked your tongue.
"How about you let me explain, instead of just screaming like a lunatic. First of all, I never had any intentions of being loyal to the sand, so there's no way I could betray them. Second, I live in the Hidden Leaf. And no, I didn't go to the sand to spy. If I wanted to spy, you wouldn't have known I was there, and I wouldn't have stayed there for a year. I went there to learn about things like the Puppet Master jutsu and different poisons and their antidotes. Why was I allowed to stay there? Because I'm also from the Hidden Sand, like you." You crossed your arms. "And, because I could very easily blackmail the Fourth Kazekage, if i wanted to. I didn't take much to get his permission to stay there."
"Blackmail?" Gaara asked.
"Don't worry about it, kid. It takes a lot for me to stoop that low, even though your dad's a piece of shit."
Gaara's eyes narrowed. "Don't insult the Kazekage."
You bent down slightly so your eyes were level. "I didn't insult him as the Kazekage. I insulted him as your dad. He's reasonable enough as a politician, but he's a shit father. I don't think I need to tell you that."
Gaara flinched slightly and looked away.
You stood back up. "Well, I have better things to do, so I'll see you later!" You waved and started to walk away. "Be nice, kids, and no fighting!" You looked at Sasuke and Gaara. "Especially you problem children. I'll beat both your asses." You blew a kiss at Sasuke. He deadpanned.
"Screw you." He said in an annoyed tone.
You chuckled to yourself. When you were a little away from the group, you began your patrol again. As you walked, a familiar crow cawed and landed on your shoulder.
"Well, hello, little one." You stroked its head and it squawked happily. "Haven't seen you in a while." You held your arm out, and it hopped onto it. On it's leg, there was a letter. Your eyes widened and you quickly went back your house. Once inside, you unwrapped the letter and quickly unrolled it. The words were hastily scrawled on and Itachi's usually neat handwritting was all over the place.
Pain has started plans. Two members will go to Konoha soon. Be on your gaurd. Protect Naruto and the Nine-Tails. Won't be able to write for a while. Stay safe.
-I
An uneasy feeling washed over you. You took out your lighter to burn the letter, but you hesitated. You glanced at the crow Itachi had sent. You held out your arm and it flew over to land on it.
"Let's go, little one. You need to come with me." You climbed out of your window onto the roof, gripping the letter in your hand, and ran.
You tired not to fidget as the Third Hokage thoroughly read over the letter.
He sighed. "I'm amazed he managed to get this letter out. He's always surprising me. Its not much, but it will be very helpful."
You sighed. "First the threat of Orochimaru, and now the Akatsuki. Is it really wise to hold the Chunin Exams?"
"We have to. Canceling them will only cause suspicion in the village that something's wrong. We don't want to cause a panic."
"I guess so."
"Thank you for bringing this to me, Y/N. I'll increase the security with anbu, and I need your on your gaurd, as always." He handed you back the letter. You took it and burned it with your lighter.
"Of course, sir." You bowed slightly. "I'll take my leave now."
You walked up the top the Hokage's tower and lit a cigarette. A breeze rusted your h/c hair, slightly calming you. You sighed. Just as I think things are looking up, it all goes to shit again. You breathed out the smoke and watched the wind carry it away.
"...Y/N? Are you smoking?"
You whirled around to see Kakashi looking at you expectantly. You chuckled nervously. "Hey, Kakashi, how are you today?"
"Have you been hanging around Asuma or something?" His eye narrowed.
"Hey, I asked you a question first."
Kakashi sighed and started to walk over to you. You took that as your cue to run.
"Hey! Y/N, get back here! How did you even get those?! You can't even smoke legally yet!"
"Says the pervert who reads smut in front of twelve years olds!" You yelled back at him.
"Y/N, seriously?? Don't say that! And you know smoking isn't good for you!"
"Ok, mom!" You yelled.
"What did you call me?!"