Chapter 129: Lion Meets Cat
As the atmosphere in the tournament prepared for the fight, Arthur took the time to recall Fū's story.
An overly enthusiastic girl from the Waterfall Village, Fū had always longed for companionship, desperate to escape the suffocating isolation that came from being a Jinchūriki.
With dreams of forging friendships, she decided to enter the joint Chūnin Exams by the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Sand—an opportunity that occurred in the original a couple years from now.
Shibuki, the village leader, was initially vehemently opposed to her participation. He feared that the revelation of her Jinchūriki status could attract unwanted attention and danger. However, after much deliberation, he relented, recognizing the Chūnin Exams as a chance to restore their village's former glory.
With permission granted, Fū's heart soared, but Shibuki took precautions, assigning two characters named Kegon and Yōrō to accompany her, posing as her Genin teammates.
Entering the exams, the first challenge set the stage for Fū's resourcefulness. Although separated from her team in different rooms, she relied on a special technique, the "Wave Transmission" technique, to communicate sneakily.
Her personality alone was enough to navigate the unique challenges, impressively passing the initial round. However, it was during the subsequent race to the Sound Village that her playful spirit truly emerged.
Despite her bodyguards locking her away to prevent her reckless behaviour, her determination to engage with fellow competitors led her into a brawl where she managed to resolve the conflict with her enthusiasm.
Moments later, she was taking on a giant scorpion to save captured Genin from Team 10, who was Team Asuma. That helped display her innate courage.
As the exams progressed, her heart remained set on making friends, even amidst fierce competitions in the harsh desert. A plot twist brought her face-to-face with Gaara, another Jinchūriki, which allowed them to share burdens.
That was how Margaret initially found it easy to befriend Fū. She, unlike all the other players, could not only relate to Fū, but she knew her story better than them, and their personalities meshed well.