A voice penetrated the darkness. Suzu recognized it. "So how long are you going to lie there feeling sorry for yourself?" It was Naruto.

"Shut up!" Suzu snapped. She usually wasn't the type of girl to lash out, generally calm and not bothered by many things, but this situation was anything but usual. "You have no idea how I feel!"

"I can imagine," Naruto replied.

"It's not the same!" Suzu said, sitting up and turning to look at the dark nothingness where he was probably standing. "You're not blind, are you?"

"No, but I can think of worse things that could happen."

"So can I," said Suzu, "and they've already happened to me.
"My sight... being a kunoichi. After having lost everything, that was the one thing I had left. That was the only thing I ever had!"

"I want to be Hokage," Naruto said, the sentence coming as sudden and irrelevant to Suzu. "If I was blind, then I'd feel around. I'd work to improve everything else I could, but like hell I'd give up!"

"Just how alone?" Suzu said.

Naruto blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Just how alone have you been?" Suzu asked. "Do you really know? Do you really know what it's like to be alone? To grow up with no one there, and the only people who are there keep their distance?"

"What about your parents?" Naruto said in a monotone voice.

Suzu laughed bitterly. "Yes, of course. My parents." Her parents that had died long ago, her father before she was born and her mother in childbirth.

She heard the creak of old furniture, Naruto having sat down next to her, his eyes on the ceiling. "Crying doesn't get you anywhere."

"Then what does?" Suzu asked, not really caring one way or the other.

"Trying," Naruto said firmly. "Moving forward and getting where you want to be no matter how many times you fall, and no matter how many times you get pushed back!"

"Don't you ever just want to give up?" Suzu wondered. Akatsuki wouldn't find her now, that's for sure. They weren't looking for a blind girl, but blind as she was, what use would she be to her village? She was a tool, but a necessary one. She was needed, but of what use could she be now that she had no vision?

"Yeah," Naruto admitted, "sometimes I feel like giving up, but I'm not a quitter. I'll never give up, and I thought better of you. I thought you wouldn't give up, either."

"Maybe," she said, "maybe I won't. I've never had the option to give up, anyway. It's not as if I do now."

"Don't do it because you have to!" Naruto said. "Do it because you want to! You do want to, don't you?"

"Yes," Suzu said. "Yes, I do."

"Naruto, Suzu, we're heading back to the village now," said Kakashi-sensei, walking back into the small house. "Come on, let's get going; Naruto, help Suzu out."

"No, I can do it myself, Kakashi-sensei," said Suzu, standing up.

"Suzu, I don't know if you—"

"—I want to do it myself," Suzu assured him.

"Alright," her sensei said after a moment. "Alright, then."

Suzu stood up, and she thought. She thought of the little house she had seen when she first arrived. Of the table where they ate, of the bedrooms, the stairs and the doors. She thought about where she was, and before she knew it, she was maneuvering around furniture and walls, and she reached forward and felt the door.

"Very good, Suzu," her sensei said, trying to hide his surprise. "Let's head outside, then."

Kakashi opened the door, and Suzu stepped outside, stopping to groan and grip her aching head.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi said.

"Yeah, my head just hurts," she told him, "and it's really bright out. It's hurting my... Kakashi-sensei, it's bright out. It's bright out!"

"That's great, Suzu-chan!" came Sakura's voice, and the best part was that Suzu could see where it was coming from. She could see Sakura's bright green eyes brimming with joy.

"Yeah, it's bright out; what's the big deal?" said Naruto, unable to make the connection.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura shouted.

"What, what did I say?" Naruto asked, looking around as if he would find the answer.

"She can see," their sensei said, shaking his head at Naruto's ignorance. "She can see the light."

°l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l°

"The what?" Suzu exclaimed.

"The Chūnin Exam," her sensei repeated. "Do you not know what it is?"

"No, no, I know what it is," she assured him. "It's just... what?"

"Didn't you know that the Chūnin Exam was coming up, Suzu-chan?" said Naruto, folding his arms and shaking his head.

"Oh please, don't act so pretentious, Naruto," said Sakura. "You just found out yesterday! And that's only because we bumped into those Suna shinobi."

"Th-they're already here?" Suzu stuttered. "The other shinobi, I mean. From the other countries?"

"Yes, most of them are here," Kakashi confirmed. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine," Suzu lied. "I'm fine.
"But why are we going to take the Exam? Ku—I mean, the kids in Kusa usually had to wait a year or more before they could take the Exam."

"Waiting a year isn't required," Kakashi said. "A team is recommended by their sensei to take the Exam whenever their sensei thinks they are ready. Usually, they're ready after about a year, but I think you four are ready now."

"Damn right, we are!" Naruto cheered.

°l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l°

Ever since she had learned that the Chūnin Selection Exam was approaching and that shinobi from many countries were now in Konoha, every day after practice Suzu would immediately return home, praying that she wouldn't bump into anyone from Iwagakure. She would arrive home and lay down in her bed, hugging a pillow against her chest until she drifted off to sleep. However, her dreams were no more comforting than the problematic reality she was currently facing.

The eyes. All those eyes staring at her, filled with hatred. One of the pairs of eyes in the crowd is different. These eyes staring at her are sad, as if they are frowning, almost apologetic. She was unsure whether or not to accept the apology. Another set of eyes didn't look at her at all, instead staring at the black nothingness that surrounded them, oblivious of the torment she was being put through.

Neither Kurotsuchi nor Deidara-nii had ever been cruel to her as the other children—and even the adults—were, but they hurt her nonetheless. Their silence and the fact that they never came to her aid hurt just as much as the cruelty the others openly showed her.

°l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l°

They didn't speak, but she could feel their eyes on her. Sure everyone in the room was looking at the group of young genin gathered up at the front of the room being loud and obnoxious, but the Iwa genin focused only on the familiar kunoichi who they had hoped never to see again. The kunoichi who was indirectly responsible for the deaths of many in Iwagakure, the one whom they had isolated and never approached since the day she was born. Their eyes distracted her to the point that she didn't even pay attention when a Konoha shinobi approached her and her friends to warn them about their volume.

She may not have been a jinchūriki when she was born, but Han had already been dying. Everyone knew the disease was eating away at him and would continue to do so until he eventually perished. They all knew that she was to be the next in line once that day came, so they avoided her. She had no demon in her at the time, but she was a demon child, destined to one day hand her soul over to a monster.

They recognized her small physique, much smaller than that of her cousin's. Her long, soot-black hair. Her pale skin and her dull pink eyes. It didn't matter that she looked completely different because she still had these same traits that they had observed and learned to avoid.

But she was a demon. And like any demon or monster from your nightmares, there was no escape. Those monsters would always come back to haunt you, and that's just what Haruka was doing. They saw no Konoha kunoichi named Suzu; only the demon child, Haruka, whom they had learned to despise.

"You have to calm down!" came a voice.

"No! No!"

Everyone's attention was now focused on a team from Iwagakure, a girl around fifteen and a boy about her age holding back their teammate. Their teammate had a look of rage in his eyes. A look so intense that no one there had ever seen anything like it before. Except for Sasuke, and it puzzled him. He wondered why that boy had this look in his eyes. That burning look in his eyes that hungered for vengeance. And who was that glare directed towards?

"Please, you can't do this!" the kunoichi said. "We were all told that if—"

"—I don't care, Ishiko!" screamed the shinobi. "That monster killed my father!"

"Those men killed your father," the other shinobi said.

"Because of—"

"—Shut up, now!" said an Iwa genin from a different team.

"You'll be putting us all in even more danger, you idiot!" added another.

"If you do this, then everything Tōsan fought for will have been in vain," said a woman around sixteen or so.

"Nēchan," said the shinobi.

"Don't do this, Ichiiro," she told her brother. "You're not alone. You still have me."

"I... I know, but I... Okay. Alright, I won't. I... I'll do it for Tousan."

His sister smiled kindly at him, glad to see his change of heart. "Good," she said, motioning for him to get back into his seat. "Good."

"What the hell was that about?" Naruto wondered.

"I was wondering the same thing," Suzu lied. What she had been wondering was "why."

"Quiet down, you little bastards!" a voice boomed. Smoke from a smoke bomb dissipated to reveal a large and intimidating man standing in front of a group of Konoha shinobi, an air of authority about him. "Thanks for waiting," he said. "I am Morino Ibiki, the examiner for the Chūnin Selection Exam's first test.
"Let me get something straight: there will be no fighting without the permission of the examiner. Even if permission is granted, killing your opponent will not be tolerated. Those pigs that disobey me will fail immediately. Do I make myself clear?"

"Heh, this exam sounds easy," an Oto shinobi said with a laugh.

Ibiki and the chūnin standing behind him chuckled in amusement upon hearing the young shinobi's arrogant statement.

"We will now start the first test in the Chūnin Exam," Ibiki announced. "Instead of your current seating arrangements, you will pick one of these tabs and sit in the seat assigned to you. We will then hand out exams."

"What? A paper test?" Naruto exclaimed.

The test wasn't all that difficult for Suzu. Having been an outcast in her own village, studying was one of few things she could do when Kurotsuchi and Deidara were out being shinobi. The only thing that made her struggle was knowing that she was surrounded by people from Iwagakure.

Then, when the tenth question came, neither she nor any other member of Team Seven quit, and they were all told that they passed the first portion of the Exam. Yet she and one other shinobi were the only ones who didn't seem to care, the two of them wearing emotionless veils; neither of them could find any joy here.

°l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l°

"I hope she dies."

"Shh, keep your voice down, Hibiki."

"Do you think she's going to make it, Tsuchiko-chan?"

"Her? Of course she is, Satoru. I mean, she has that—"

"—Yeah, but she's still a kid."

"Aiko-chan, what happens if she dies?"

"I don't know, Makoto-kun."

"Let's just focus on ourselves, guys."

"Hey, Hisako, do you think we should tell the Tsuchikage?"

"Nah, he knows she's out there somewhere. Besides, if we tell him, he might bring her back, and then we're all dead."

No one else seemed to be paying attention to the conversations various groups of Iwagakure genin were having, with the exception of Suzu, of course.

"Don't look at her, Kei! People might notice!"

She couldn't block out the voices. She couldn't distract herself. What else was there to think about anyway? The impending doom she and her team were facing as they waited to enter the Forest of Death? Then, a thought occurred to her. This was the second part of the Exam. The second part. She suddenly remembered the third: the battles. One-on-one battles that men and women from all different countries would come to witness. A place she wouldn't be surprised to find the two men in black robes searching the crowds for her.

Her first instinct was to run, or maybe make some excuse to leave her teammates and then never come back. There were three of them; they could handle themselves, right?

In the Forest... of Death... Suzu sighed. She couldn't just leave them to face this challenge by themselves. After this. After we finish this test, I'll leave.

The journey to Kumagakure would be slightly longer than the journey to Sunagakure, but it would also be farther from Iwagakure, and the farther from Iwagakure, the better.

She was brought back to reality by the sudden click of a key opening up a lock. She stared wide-eyed in front of her at the man who opened up the gate and followed her teammates as they took their first steps through what would be their last mission with Suzu. Or if they were unlucky, their last mission at all.

°l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l° °l||l°

"If we get separated next time," Sasuke began, "even if it's one of us, don't trust them. This could happen again."

"Then what do we do?" Sakura asked.

"We'll make a code word just in case. Listen, if they get the code word wrong, assume they are the enemy no matter what they look like.
"Listen carefully, I'll only say it once:
"The nin song, 'nin machine'. When this is asked, answer with, 'A large amount of loud enemies is the friend of the shinobi. Hide and remain silent. A shinobi must understand the proper time when the enemy is tired and ill-prepared.'"

"That's not a code word," said Suzu. "That's a code paragraph."

"That's impossible to remember," Naruto agreed.

"Are you two stupid?" said Sakura. "I already memorized it."

"Hey, is this code word really...?"

"I'll hold the scroll," said Sasuke as he picked it up.

Moments later, a gust of wind knocked over a tree next to Naruto. The breeze became larger and larger until trees began to rip out of the ground from their very roots. Spotting a small ditch where a tree had been ripped from its roots, Suzu jumped into it and got onto her stomach, covering her head as she prayed not to get blown away.

When the wind finally died down, Suzu climbed out of the hole and unsuccessfully tried to brush off the dirt covering her clothes. Entrapped by a maze of trees, she jumped onto a branch of one of the few standing trees surrounding her and searched her surroundings for her teammates.

Suzu could barely make out a blob of pink, recognizing it as Sakura. Suzu was about to jump down and run to her teammates when she noticed a naginata laying on the ground. Its blade was covered in blood, but there was no one there to wield it. The shinobi who owned it must have had to leave it behind. Or worse.

That wasn't any normal wind, Suzu thought to herself as she grabbed the naginata and ran. Whoever, or whatever, did that isn't going to be easy to beat.

"Suzu-chan!" exclaimed Sakura. "W-wait! What's the code word?"

"I didn't have time to study!" Suzu shouted, still managing to be sardonic in her moment of irritability.

"It's definitely her," Sasuke said.

"You want my Earth Scroll, right?" said the Kusa genin who had been confronting her teammates. "Since you guys have the Heaven Scroll." The genin opened his mouth and swallowed the scroll whole like some sort of animal.

"S-Suzu-chan, who is this?" Sakura asked.

"I-I don't know," said Suzu. "I didn't keep track of every single person in my village!"

The Kusa genin merely grinned in response. "Now let's begin the battle for each other's scrolls," he said, pulling down the skin beneath his eyes, "with our lives."

Then they were dead. Suzu, Sakura, and Sasuke; they were all dead. Blades slashed their hands, arms, and legs. One, two, three kunai were thrown, one striking each shinobi in the head. And then they came back to reality.

Genjutsu? Sasuke wondered. His stomach retched, and he threw up what little food was left in his stomach. No, this is just fear. This killing intent in his eyes is causing us to see an image of death.

"Sakura?" he said. "Suzu?"

The two girls were on their knees, trembling in fear and unable to speak.

This is bad, Sasuke thought. We must run. Otherwise, there is only death!

"You can no longer move," the Kusa shinobi laughed.

Sasuke threw a kunai, the Kusa shinobi throwing several back in response. Sasuke managed to get out of the way, but one kunai lodged into his leg. The pain shooting up his leg canceled out the overwhelming sensation of fear he had felt moments before, and so now he could move.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alri—"

Sasuke covered Sakura's mouth before she could say another word, frantically thinking of what he should do next.

I'm dead, Suzu thought. I should have gone while I had the chance. Sure, she would have felt terrible for leaving, but at least she would be alive.

Suzu's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar voice.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." Her eyes darted to the person who had spoken the words, surprised that she was so glad to see the short, goofy shinobi. "I forgot the code word."

"Great job, Naruto!" Sakura crowed.

"Naruto!" said Sasuke. "I know you think you're cool and here to save us, but forget it! Run away! This one is on a whole other level!"

"Hehe, looks like you successfully defeated that giant snake, Naruto-kun," said the Kusa shinobi.

"Hey, hey!" said Naruto. "It looks like you were picking on the weak!"

"Don't poke the bear," Suzu warned Naruto.

"Bear?" said Naruto. "What bear?"

Suzu groaned, mortified by Naruto's stupidity.

There is no other way, Sasuke thought as he deactivated his Sharingan. "I will give you the scroll. Please take it and leave us!"

"What?" Suzu exclaimed.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you talking about?" Naruto yelled. "Why would you give the scroll to the enemy?"

"I see," said the Kusa shinobi. "The only way for prey to escape a predator is to give it a different meal."

"Take it!" said Sasuke, tossing the Scroll of Heaven to the Kusa shinobi.

As it flew in mid-air, Naruto intercepted, jumping to catch the scroll and landing next to Sasuke.

"You bastard!" shouted Sasuke. "What are you doing? Do you understand the situation?"

Before Sasuke could say another word, Naruto punched him square in the face.

"What was that all of a sudden?" Sasuke snapped at Naruto.

"Naruto, what are...?" Sakura trailed off.

"I forgot the code word, so I can't test it," Naruto began, "but you're Sasuke's fake, aren't you?"

"What?" said Sakura.

"Are you crazy?" Suzu exclaimed.

"You total moron!" Sasuke said. "I'm the real Sasuke!"

"Liar," Naruto said. "There's no way such a stupid coward like you is the Sasuke I know! I don't know how strong this guy is, but what guarantee is there that he'll let us go if we give him the scroll? You're the one too freaked out to understand the situation."

"He has a point," Suzu admitted.

The Kusa shinobi chuckled. "Naruto-kun, you are correct!" he said as he bit his finger and smeared his blood across his arm. "Since I can just kill you and take the scroll."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled as he charged towards the enemy shinobi.

"No, run away, Naruto!" Sasuke said.

Thoughtlessly charging is a stupid tactic, Suzu thought worriedly. Veeeeeery stupid tactic.

"Summoning Technique!" the Kusa shinobi said. He was surrounded by a spiral of wind, and when it died down, he was standing on top of an enormous snake. The snake rammed its head into Naruto, throwing the young shinobi back.

"Naruto!" his teammates cried in horror as they watched him fly back, coughing up blood.

"Hehe, go ahead and eat him," the enemy shinobi ordered his snake.

"Eat this!" Naruto yelled as he rammed down onto the snake's nose.

This kid... no way, thought the Kusa shinobi, or rather, Orochimaru.

Naruto has snapped, Sakura thought, but why is he so strong?

His strength was unnatural, and his teammates stared on in shock, all but Suzu wondering where that strength had come from.

Suzu knew that strength. It has to be. She recognized that massive amount of chakra. He's one, too. He's a jinchūriki.