Third Person
"Konohamaru!" Naruto calls out worriedly. The five of them finally catch up to the little boy being held up by this unknown person.
"Hey... I'm sorry the whole thing is my fault" Sakura says in an attempt to ease the situation and get the boy to release Konohamaru.
Could he be here for the chunin exams? Azumi thinks to herself. She was told earlier by her parents that there would be ninja from different villages coming to set the upcoming chunin exams. That was especially one of the main reasons her family didn't want her wandering around the village alone.
This is bad what's foreign ninja doing here? Sakura thinks to herself worriedly.
"You better take your hands off him right now!" Naruto yelled out getting fired up and ready to fight.
"We've got a few minutes before he gets here. Let's mess with these punks huh?" The guy says to the girl with him. Clad in a light lavender kimono-style top and a short dark skirt, wrapped snugly with a deep crimson sash, mesh armor peeked through the slits of her outfit. Her legs, wrapped partially in black netting, bore the posture of someone always ready to strike or defend.
"Let go of me you jerk!" Konohamaru yells out kicking and thrashing about as he tried to get free, only for his attempts to be in vain.
"You need to let go of him right now" Azumi says loudly taking a step forward, her eyes narrowed.
"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it? Just by looking at you I can tell you're not even a ninja" The boy taunts. Azumi flinches slightly at his retort, his words stinging a small part of insecurity that she thought she managed to keep locked deep within her. The part of her that hated being weak. Hated not being a ninja.
"Put him down!" Naruto adds, running forward only to get knocked back before he was even able to reach the boy.
How did he do that? He didn't even touch Naruto.
"You're a leaf genin too? Looks like your village is full of wimps" The sand ninja says, a smug look on his face.
"That's it! Drop him now or I take you apart! You got that fool!" Naruto yells getting up and pointing a finger at the boy in challenge. Sakura quickly comes up behind Naruto, pulling him in a headlock trying to get him to stop his threats that weren't helping.
"Sakura's right Naruto. Threatening him will only escalate the situation even further" Azumi adds, although she herself was trying to think of a way to get out of this.
"Look. We're sorry our friend bumped into you. We really aren't looking for any trouble here, please be understanding and let him go. We'll make sure he doesn't get in your way again" Azumi tries to say again, silently hoping that they'll be able to get out of this without anyone having to get physical.
"It's too late for that. You're all annoying. I don't like runts, or scrawny weaklings. So when a wimp like this starts shooting off his mouth I just want to break him in half" He replies, putting his hand in a fist at the end of his speech. Azumi holds onto Udon and Moegi's hands when she notices them beginning to cry for the safety of their friend.
Okay so talking won't get us out of this either
"Agh fine! I'm not involved in any of this okay" The boys female companion says. She takes a step back looking uninterested in the situation.
"First, I'll take care of this little squirt. Then, I'll waste the other" He continues beginning to pull his fist back to go in for a punch. Konohamaru closes his eyes to brace himself for the impact.
"NO! STOP!" Azumi yells rushing forward to try and stop him before he hurts Konohamaru. Naruto has also gotten up, running forward to try and stop him as well. However, before any of them could even make it to the boy something shoots past them and hits the boy on his arm. The impact causes him to drop Konohamaru as he wasn't expecting an attack.
Konohamaru gets up quickly creating distance between him and the boy rushing towards Azumi. She holds her arms out to him as he rushes into them. Patting his head in comfort she looks to the ground to see that it was a pebble that had saved them.
"You're a long way from home and you're way out of your league" Sasuke says from a branch throwing another pebble in his hand up and down. Moegi and Udon have made their way towards Azumi and Konohamaru. Azumi lets go of the little boy letting him stand with his friends who are happy he is now out of harm's way.
Azumi continues staring at Sasuke, although grateful he appeared to help them she couldn't help the small bitter feeling growing within her chest. The Sand ninjas comment from before replaying itself in her head beginning to make that small ball of insecurity and self loathing within her begin to grow.
Will it always be like this? Will he always have to step in to save the day? Just because I'm so weak and useless? Azumi thinks bitterly to herself, her hands balling up into fists.
"Oh great. Another wimp to tick me off" The sand ninja says glaring at Sasuke as he rubs his injured arm.
"Get lost" Sasuke says, crushing the small rock that was in his hand into dust. Sakura, Moegi and Udon begin to fawn over him. Konohamaru turning to question Naruto on why he isn't as cool as Sasuke.
"Hey punk! Get down here. You're the kind of pesky little snot I hate the most. All attitude and nothing to back it up" The sand ninja says beginning to grab the giant thing he had been carrying behind his back.
"What! Are you going to use the crow for this?" The girl says in shock. Azumi gestures to the three children to take a step back. If a fight breaks out they shouldn't get caught up in it.
"Kankuro... back off" A voice says from atop the branch on the other side of the one Sasuke was on, now identifying the other boy as Kankuro. Azumi and the others look up in surprise not having expected to see another person there.
He... He's different from these two Azumi thinks to herself. Even just by looking at him she can tell he is in a whole other league. He has short red hair clad in black with a massive gourd on his back.
"You're an embarrassment to our village he adds" He adds, his arms folded. Azumi doesn't miss the complete look of fear on the other two ninja, a complete one-eighty from the people they were before he showed up.
"U-uh... Hey Gaara" Kankuro says smiling nervous, a small bead of sweat running down his face.
"Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?" Gaara says, his attention now fully on Kankuro.
"U-uh I know... But they challenged us! They started the whole thing really" Kankuro says pointing an accusing finger at us.
Azumi raises her brow wondering to herself what makes this guy so terrifying that Kankuro would try so desperately not to make him mad.
"Shut up or I'll kill you" Gaara says.
Kankuro gives up on the excuses and decides it best to remain silent. Everyone else looking at the two in shock, surprised that his own comrad could say something like that.
"U-uh... right... I was totally out of line. I'm sorry Gaara" Kankuro says raising his hands in an apologetic gesture, the girl with them doing the same thing. As Azumi continues to watch the three of them she begins to feel a bit sorry for them.
"I'm sorry for any trouble that he caused" Gaara says although looking anything but apologetic. He disappears in a wind of sand before he reappears next to his teammates.
"Hold on! Hey! I can tell from your headband that you come from the village hidden in the Sand. Of course the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind are allies. But, no shinobi can enter anothers village without permission! So state your purpose and it better be good" Sakura calls having found new confidence now that Sasuke was here. The three Sand Ninja stop in their tracks turning towards us again.
Just when they were about to leave really Sakura! Does she not know about the Chunin exams? Azumi thinks to herself wondering why her friend would make this uncomfortable situation continue.
"Really? Have you guys all been living under a rock or what? You don't know what's going on do you? We have permission. Of course, you're correct we are Hidden Sand Genin. Our home is the land of the wind and we're here from the Chunin Exams. Get the picture?" The girl says, holding out a slip as proof.
"The chunin exams? What's that? Well I've never heard of any chunin exams, believe it" Naruto asks confused.
"Hah! I believe it alright that you're totally clueless" the girl scoffs with a smirk.
"Naruto those are the exams genin like yourself take in order to go a step higher and become a chunin" Azumi explains to Naruto, he nods his head finally understanding.
"Oh! Well why didn't you say so? I am so there!" Naruto exclaims, Azumi smiles at his excitement. The three Sand Ninja take it as the end to the conversation and turn to leave again.
"Hey you! Identify yourself" Sasuke calls out, jumping down from the tree and landing between the two groups.
"Hm? You mean me?" The girl says flirtatiously.
"No him. The guys with the gourd on his back" Sasuke says pointing towards Gaara completely disregarding the girls flirty attempt.
"My name is Gaara of the Desert. I am curious about you too. Who are you?" Gaara responds, turning around and facing Sasuke.
"I am Sasuke Uchiha" Sasuke replies with a smirk.
"Hi there! I bet you're dying to know my name right?" Naruto adds happily pointing at himself with a smile.
"I couldn't care less" Gaara says one final time before him and his team leave without another word. Azumi can't help the laugh that comes out, patting Naruto on the back to let him know it was okay.
"Hey Konohamaru... Do I seem uncool or something?" Naruto asks.
"Well compared to Sasuke yeah, you're pretty lame" Konohamaru stated truthfully causing Naruto to yell out.
"Haha, don't worry Naruto you're cool to me" Azumi says continuing to laugh.
"You're not gonna show me up Sasuke!" Naruto yelled out in determination, Azumi nodded her head in agreement.
"Back off loser" Sasuke retorts smugly, earning another round of laughter from the rest of them.
I'm glad the situation was able to sort itself out but... Azumi thinks, her laughter stopping as she processes everything that just happened.
"H-hey guys, I've got to head back home now it's getting late. I'll see you all later" Azumi says half heartedly listening to their farewells as she turns around to make her own way home.
Is all I'm good for standing on the sidelines and watching helplessly as people important to me are in danger? I don't like it. I've thought about it before but actually experiencing it like today is different. I just feel so useless... How does Kaminari have so much faith in me keeping Sasuke from going down the wrong path if I'm this weak... I can't protect Sasuke let alone myself...
The thoughts and questions continue to build up in Azumi's head eating her up from the inside as she continues her walk back home. She's momentarily pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps beside her that she hadn't noticed earlier. Her eyes widen at the sight of Sasuke besides her, walking silently, both hands in his pockets as he looks a head.
"W-why?" Azumi manages to say, stopping herself from walking. Sasuke takes on step forward before he turns around and looks at her.
"I know you more that anybody else. I can tell you're sulking inside like a big baby. And besides, you know you're not allowed to go around the village alone" He says, he has a small smirk on his face but his eyes are warm, comforting. That was something unique with Azumi and Sasuke's friendship. Whenever she was feeling down he would always be by her side. And although he may not be the type to give comforting advice, just his being there was always enough to lift her spirits. Sometimes they didn't need words to communicate what it was they were feeling.
Azumi blinks away tears that threaten to form, touched by how well her friend knew her. Feeling her face begin to warm up Azumi nods her head before she takes a step forward. The two of them beginning to walk in step towards the direction of the Kurokawa Compound.
My heart... it feels so warm... Azumi thinks to herself, raising her hand and placing it on her hand just to discover her heart was pounding rapidly against her chest.
She smiles, the negative thoughts that had begun to freeze over, slowly melting away because of the company of her friend.