By : Kanae
Pairing : SasuKarin
Genre : General - Action - Humor
Rating : PG
Status : Ongoing
Credits : The beautiful art I used for the banner was made by the amazingly talented Alicia . Go and check out her DA page~!
Author’s Notes / Warnings : So I know that I said that since a lot of things would stay exactly the same way, I wouldn't focus on them. Alas, I just couldn't pass up the chance on defining a bit more Karin's characterization, so at the end I couldn't help but to include everything, even those things that stayed the same.
Which is what this chapter is there for. Originally, this chapter was supposed to contain Sasuke and Karin meeting again (where more changes to the canon storyline will occur) + Sasuke's fight, but since after I finished writing the whole thing it was a little too long, I divided it in three parts. This one is the weakest one because it's the introduction of what's coming next (and also because it's the one with less non!canon material), but the next part should have Sasuke and Karin meeting up and finally, the third one will have Sasuke's Preliminary match.
Also, most of the dialogues spoken in this chapter except for those of Karin and Ryuu, are word-for-word what was said in Chapter 65 of the manga, since I wanted to keep wild creatures wanting to devour them whole; and Karin was particularly thankful for the latter, as she highly doubted she would be so lucky if it were to happen again.
When they arrived to the tower, they had four hours to spare, so after one of Konoha’s chuunin told them a short speech about the meaning of Heaven and Earth on those parchments, they had been allowed to wander through the tower while they waited for the time to run out.
Kurotaro had busied himself with observing the other teams, seizing each participant and trying to decipher which ones were the strongest of the bunch, while Ryuu simply helped himself to some water and sat down to have some rest before the storm wiped away the calmness again. Karin joined him, sitting down on the floor and resting her back against the cold wall, trying to steel her nerves for whatever was to come; but every few minutes she would look around the room again, trying in vain to spot a familiar face with obsidian eyes. 
Time continued to pass, uneventful, and two more teams arrived to the tower but there were no traces of her savior anywhere, and Karin was beginning to drum her fingers anxiously on the palm of her hand, her brows furrowed with uneasiness. He’s going to make it , she told herself more times than she would have liked to.
He’s going to make it because he’s strong, he knocked that beast down as if it were nothing
Time continued to pass, uneventful, and two more teams arrived to the tower but there were no traces of her savior anywhere, and Karin was beginning to drum her fingers anxiously on the palm of her hand, her brows furrowed with uneasiness. He’s going to make it , she told herself more times than she would have liked to.
He’s going to make it because he’s strong, he knocked that beast down as if it were nothing
And it was, definitely, true. Since she could remember the strongest ninja around her village had always been her current teammate, Kurotaro, and Karin has seen the extent of what he could and couldn’t do. Alas, it had only taken her a minute with the black haired boy and she already knew that he was stronger than Kurotaro could ever hope to be.
He’s kind , a part of her head chimes in, and Karin finds herself smiling, her brows relaxing. Only someone kind can be strong.
And her teammate wasn’t kind. Not in the slightest. The redhead allows herself to sneak a glance at the brown haired boy who was still standing a few steps ahead of his two teammates, hands on his hips and watchful eyes set on a team standing on the left, where another redhead like Karin was standing. As shFully glance at an Arriving team, But Would always Afterwards her shoulders slouch with disappointment.
-
Given One minute after the hour, They Were Told to stand in line. Karin
Had Been walking to her position at the rear of her team, right behind Ryuu, When she caught a flash of blue from the corner of her eye and the pull of gravity Suddenly Manifested Itself on the pit of her stomach, as she Turned around so fast That she felt a pain somewhere curt in her neck. But Said
WAS Completely forgotten pain as her eyes landed on him. On the boy she Had Been waiting for, the boy she Had Been Hoping to see.
I made it. I Knew I Would make it ! She cheers inwardly, to haveBeginning to draw ppy Itself smile across her features and her heartbeat sending quick pleasing warmth-through currents of her petite body. She Took As in all Could she see of him, the Fell a little smile and her brows furrowed with slight worry. From the place she WAS standing at, to the left on the farthest corner of the rows, all she Could see historical WAS back and a mere glimpse of historical profile. But She Could still see the scratches on Numerous historical arms and legs, Not to mention the historical state of disheveled hair and how historical dirty clothes were.
I Had a rough time, Did he? Karin
wonders, thoughtfully, and Allows her eyes to travel away from him and two historical Towards Other teammates. In front of him WAS a blonde standing jumps with an orangesmile that she wasn’t able to hold back. ‘ Congratulations on passing! ’, the woman had said, and it was like she had indirectly acknowledged Karin herself. Now there was no stopping the hopeful and proud feeling that she had been trying to subdue, and it begins to swell inside of her to the point where her cheeks warm up.
“Hokage-sama will now explain the third test! Listen carefully!” The woman—
Mitarashi Anko, was it
? continues after a brief moment of silence, and afterwards she turns towards the old man who was standing upfront, at the head of the group of people working to arrange the exams. “Now, Hokage-sama. Please” She says in a much calmer and politer voice, and the old man nods andvoices out historical agreement "with a small ' Yes', And Then Begins to speak, His eyes passing over Each of the genin as I spoke. "For the third test ..." He halts all of a sudden, as if I Had a change of idea.
"But Before I Explain That, There's Something I'd like you to know. It Concerns the true reason for this exam ... "He trails off Briefly, and Before He pulled down His hat and Covered His Eyes, Karin Had Been Able to see the seriousness That Made the feeling of elation She Had Previously Been experiencing begin to fade away . "
Why do We Have all the allied country clubs Taking the exam together?"
Huh? Do We Know That Already
? Karin wonders, Somewhat perplexed, and it's as if the Hokonishment, her mouth hanging agape due to the surprise and the many connotations that were already surfacing in her brain.
T-That means…
!
“What does
that
mean…?” Inquires a girl to Karin’s left but the redhead doesn’t bother to turn towards her, her eyes set on the Hokage instead, willing him to give an explanation different from the one she was thinking about.
Alas, the old man does anything but that, and his words are exactly what Karin’s confused brain had been expecting.
“If you go back in time, the current allies were enemies who fought each other over who would rule. In order to prevent wasteful fighting, the stage that these countries chose for battle…” He let esitant acceptance. Logically, she Understood What the Hokage WAS Saying, and What He Had yet to explain. But Emotionally, She Was drawn to the loudmouthed blonde What Had yelle out, This Was Supposed To Be about testing out and Becoming Their Own Abilities someone worthy in the eyes of the shinobi world events-but while Doing That, They Were in a mere Pawns bigger picture. It sort of
Took the charm away from it all, Karin Thought, Somewhat dejectedly.
"But on the Other Hand, this exam has Another Side," The Hokage continues, and Karin resists an urge to sigh, Being Able to guess What Was Already coming next. "Each country's shinobi Where Their Own Risk Life to Protect Their Land's prestige"
"
Prestige?Which Side One look at it, she just wasn't
. Why
They did send me here? She wonders, not for the first time, sideways and her eyes focus on the ground, clenching her fists weakly.
What good impression of her country she Could Give possible? She Who Could not face a wild animal events, Who Was not half as The Most Dangerous as mediocre of shinobi Could Be? All she Would Be Able to do is make a fool of herself and her team in front of the Kage of Many countries.
"It's not as if the Grass That Many clients have to lose ..." murmurs Ryuu Quietly, But Karin can not find in herself the will to reply.
So caught up is she in her THOUGHTS, That She Completely misses the Hokage's next words and what brings her back to earth is the loud and angry yell of another boy, who was casually standing by the side of the loudmouthed blonde. “Yeah, but why ?! Why
do we have to risk our lives in battle?!”
As the Hokage looks for the right words to reply, Karin’s eyes travel from the boy towards the old man, her brow furrowed lightly as she awaited his next words.
“The strength of the country is the strength of the village” He says finally, and aside from his voice the room is eerily silent. “The strength of the village is the strength of the shinobi. And a shinobi’s true strength is… born only through life-risking battle”
His powerful words and the meaning they carryorld of shinobi”
By losing life and establishing balance
… Karin echoes in her mind, her eyebrows curved upwards in an expression of pained understanding,
That’s… such a cold way of looking at something that’s supposed to be anything but that .
“Before we begin this test I will tell you one more thing. This is
not just a test… This is a life-risking battle. With your dreams and your country’s prestige on the line”
“Hehe… I get it” Karin turns towards the blonde boy at hearing the smile in his voice. He was having a reaction that she wouldn’t have expected coming from him, who seemed to be someone who didn’t have such a cold way of looking at human feelings and bonds. Perhaps Though She Was The One Who Was in the wrong, due to Not Being Used To Things Were in how the 'world of shinobi
' as the Hokage Had put it. Perhaps She Was The Only One Who Had Been Thrown headfirst Into Something Completely She Did not understand.
But a brief look at the profiles of Those near her Eichmann More Than One surprised face, and Their Presence at least helper to Karin to keep under control the feeling of isolation That Was coming back to haunt her.
"I Do not Care What it is ..." Mutters the two team's hoarse voice by the blonde's right, and with slight surprise That It Was Karin perform none Other Than the cold eyed redhead from before. Then it's only That she notices That She Had not Heard His Voicebefore. And it was cold and menacing, Just Like His eyes. "Just hurry up and tells us What life-Risking this battle entails" "Yes, I'd like to now Explain the third test, But -"
"-
Actually ..." to say a voice Begins But out of nowhere His Words Are interrupted by loud Coughing, And Then The Man Who Had spoken lands crouched at the Hokage's feet. "I apologize, Hokage-sama. From here on, as the referee ... Would you please allow me, Gekkou Hayate ... "He trails off
Then, and the Hokage nods, staring intently at the Man Who Had Introduced Himself as the referee. "... By all means" The recently Arrived
man turns Towards Karin and the rest, Who stare with surprise atng under Orochimaru were events that shaped who Karin is today, so without them, there's bound to be big differences in her character.
Up next: -Chapter 3-
Uchiha Sasuke .
[Chapter 1: Heaven&Earth]
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