Ermahgerd, I told you the sequel would follow the end of the first one immediately! Doubting my ability, I see... Tsk, Tsk. That is a very dangerous and fatal mistake! *Ahem* Anyway, *Italian Accent* here we go! (Psst! I don't own Naruto. I wish I did, but Masashi Kishimoto does, *Scowls* that wanker.) Enjoy!
"Wha-What?" Naruto blinked after Kakashi's line. I did too, but I kept quiet about my confusion. "You mean you already-"
"I knew the girls would do it, so I signed you all up." Kakashi said and we all stared at him in stunned silence. "What? I was right, wasn't I?"
"Hn. That damned Jonin and his assumptions always being right." Sasuke whispered and I giggled quietly. Sakura flushed and stood up.
"Cha, you can't just do that!" She said, waving her arms around, making wicked gestures to express her outrage. "What if you were wrong, huh, Kakashi-sensei!? What then!?" Kakashi stared blankly and shrugged.
"I guess we'll never know." He said. "Seeing as I was right. Unless you or Ayame want to bail out just to spite me, that is." He said and his face fell to meet mine. I quickly glanced over both of my shoulders before holding up my hands in mock-defense.
"I'm good, Kakashi-sensei."
"That's what I thought." He mused and Sakura groaned exasperatedly at his arrogance and narcissism. It was clear he thought himself above almost everyone else, but would it kill him to just keep that attitude locked away? Actually, it just might... "Right, well, the correct forms have been submitted, all you need to do is sign in. You can do that as you enter the Writing Portion of the Exams which is in two days. You have until then to prepare your mind and body. I can help with physical training, but you have to allow yourselves the patience of mental training. Particularly Naruto."
"Wait, WHAT!?" He asked, jumping up. "We're gonna have to write!? Like, what, an essay!? This is crazy!" He fumed and I chuckled.
"Naruto-kun, ninja have to be smart along with being strong." I said. "Street smarts are worthless without any book smarts." Sakura nodded, arms folded across her chest. I was able to hear her foot tap impatiently from where I was. Not that it really mattered where I was because my strong ears allowed me to be able to hear a pin drop.
"She's right, Naruto, I mean, come on." The pink hair member of my team said bitterly. "Kakashi-sensei, what do you recommend studying?" Kakashi shook his head.
"I have no idea what the test is going to be like." He sighed. "It's different with every proctor. Let's simply hope you get a good one. Any other questions?"
"Are you kidding me!?" Naruto asked, still upset and Kakashi looked over at him.
"No." He said bluntly. Naruto groaned and flopped on the ground, landing on his back. "Now, then. We can hold physical training tomorrow and leave the final day for some cramming and studying if you so prefer. I think that would be most beneficial because the knowledge you gain will be fresh in your minds." The three of us that weren't freaking out about the Writing Portion nodded in agreement.
"So, may we be dismissed for the evening, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked and Kakashi nodded.
"Yes, you all should get your rest and Naruto, if you have another tantrum, I will send you into the worst genjutsu I can imagine. One without ramen." Kakashi warned and I looked over at Naruto, whose jaw was hanging half-open. He closed his mouth shut with a snap and folded his arms to pout. "Right, then. See you all here tomorrow morning. Later." He waved once and he was gone. I yawned right after he vanished.
"Hm, I'm going to go straight to bed so I can be strong in the morning." Sakura said definitely. "Bye, guys. See you in the morning."
"Yeah, I'm out, too." Naruto said, rolling back on his hands and springing onto his feet with a jump. "You coming, Ayame-chan?" He asked and I yawned in return.
"I'll take her home, Dobe." Sasuke said and Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.
"Whatever, Teme." He said before storming off. I smiled in spite of their arguing. I always thought it was so adorable how they hid their close friendship with insults and teasing. (Especially because they were each others' first kisses [Viva la Yaoi!])
"Tired?" Sasuke asked, setting me down on the grass next to him. We were both lying down at this point.
"Yes." I whispered. "Very." Sasuke chuckled and, even in the low light, I saw the smile he'd been hiding from the rest of the team.
"Where were you, anyway?" He asked. "When you were late, I mean." I gasped and bolted upright, adrenaline finding its way into my system.
"Sweet Mother of Kami, Sasuke-kun." I breathed out. Sasuke was sitting up too and I grabbed the collar of his shirt. "I. Saw. My. Mother. In. A. Vision. It was so amazing! She was the person who told me to enter the Exams!" I had a broad grin on my face while Sasuke just looked confused.
"I thought your mother was-"
"Dead, yes, but I guess her spirit form crept into my mind and drew my in for a conversation and why are you looking at me like I've gone mad?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Sasuke had a worried expression on his face and I shook his shoulders. "I'm completely sane!"
"Are you sure?" He asked and I groaned. I released my grip and stood up.
"Yeah, yeah." I said, walking away from the Uchiha. "Goodnight, Sasuke-kun." I heard Sasuke scramble to get on his feet. He caught up with me and grabbed my hand.
"I'm sorry, that was insensitive." He said and turned me around. "I believe you." I scoffed and continued walking.
"No you don't, you just want to get in my pants, you jerk." I said half serious and half playful. "It's fine if you don't believe me. I wouldn't believe me either, but it really did happen." Sasuke sighed and squeezed my hand.
"I do believe you." He said. "Honestly. It just sounds...I don't know. Weird." I sighed at his word choice.
"Well, everything about me is weird, remember?" I asked and dropped his hand as we walked into the streets. "Just forget it. It's hard to explain anyway. Not that'd I want to bother you any further with my weird outbursts." I scolded myself for being so harsh over a subject he knew was sensitive in the first place.
"Ayame-chan..." Sasuke allowed himself to sound hurt and I felt guilty all over again. I stopped and turned around to face him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."
"I certainly hope not. You should know that I like you and no amount of weird outbursts will change that anytime soon." He smiled and continued walking with me. He draped his arm around my shoulder and I glanced around. The streets were dotted with a few bystanders, but there were enough people to make me uncomfortable.
"S-Sasuke-kun? What are you-"
"I want you to know hat I don't care what anyone thinks about you and I because their opinions mean nothing to me."
"As sweet as that is," I said, slipping from his hold. "It's not a matter of embarrassment. It's a matter of my safety from your fan club, remember?" I said with an eye roll. "I never knew how hard it was to be with someone like you?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow as we approached my front door.
"Oh? Someone like me?" He asked. I shook my head as I opened the door. The first thing I saw was Kage napping on the rug. He lets himself in whenever he feels he isn't needed or if he just wants to go home. He's the coolest roommate ever.
"Yes, someone like you." I said. I stretched my arms above my head and suddenly found myself swept up by Sasuke. I squealed in joy and surprise.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked me innocently. I laughed as he crawled into my bed with me on top of him.
"A superstar with a million fans." I feigned exasperation and touched the back of my hand to my forehead. "With every girl wanting you and every guy wanting to be you. Your life is so hard." I looked at him and his expression looked indifferent.
"You don't know the half of it." He mumbled. I raised an eyebrow, but he spoke before I could say anything further. "We should go to bed. You're tired and we both need our rest." I yawned quietly and nodded.
"Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun. Goodnight."
"Night." He kissed my forehead and I quickly fell asleep on top of him.
Yuki's P.o.V.
I sat in the living room of the rented flat of Konoha that my team and I were staying in. I was sitting in a white chair that matched the shagged, circular area rug, couch and curtains. I was reading a book I had found while drinking a cup of chai tea. The scent of the spices were comforting to me and I sighed as I lazily drifted my eyes across the page. I gave up on the book and decided to close it before setting it on the coffee table in front of me.
Instead of reading, I decided to look back on my introduction to the seven ninja I had met earlier that day. Those three Suna-nin and four Konoha-nin were some very interesting characters. However, the red haired Suna child, Sabaku no Gaara, seemed...almost frightening. His voice was low and menacing, but also impressive for his age, which looked to be about twelve. And his eyes. They didn't have any pupils- they were just teal masses. I had found myself lost in them before I managed to catch myself. I was just glad that Ayame girl had kept him distracted.
Ayame. There was something about her, too. There was something inside of her that was...I don't even know. Maybe the chakra I sensed from her was just stronger than mine and that made me uneasy. Or, maybe, it was something else all together. Whatever it was, I don't know who would win out if we had to battle in the Exams. Then again, I'm probably just making this up or breathing too much into it.
"Yuki, Yuki, Yuki!" My only male teammate, Ryo, called to me from the balcony of the flat we were residing in. "Come check it out! The streetlights are coming on!" I sighed and set my cup of tea on the table before I walked outside on the small concrete landing.
"It's so pretty." Himeko, my other teammate and Ryo's younger sister, swooned. "Just look at it. We don't get these types of views in Ame." She was right. Lights from the windows of buildings and lamps on the streets shone brilliantly. Amegakure's constant rainfall would have made it impossible for the streetlamps to be seen this clearly. It was appealing to the eyes, overall, but I grew up practically underwater. I wouldn't be able to get used to the lack of precipitation.
"Sure is." I agreed, leaning against the railing. I breathed in the crisp, dry air and sighed.
"So, about those kids we met earlier today..." Ryo prompted, hopping up and sitting on the railing, draping his legs over the front so they were dangling. "What did you pick up from them, Yuki?" I cocked an eyebrow, but kept my face forward and the rest of my face emotionless.
"What's it to you?"
"Gah, I'm just curious is all, no need to be all snippy about it." He said, throwing a hand in the air to enunciate his frustration. I blew some hair out of my face with a long breath.
"Alright, alright. Which group were you talking about? Suna or Konoha?" I asked to clarify and I saw Ryo smirk out of the corner of my eye.
"The latter."
"Ryo, just what is your angle, here?" Himeko asked, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her foot. "If I didn't know any better-"
"Himeko, calm down." I said with disinterest, a facade I was required to learn for my own survival. Most of the time it was fake, but other times... "It's no big deal. Anyway, that team had some very strong chakra. Like inhumanly strong. I picked that up from the blonde kid, Naruto, and Ayame. The other guy, Sasuke, he's an Uchiha. The lone survivor of the clan, if memory serves. He bears the Sharingan dojutsu. It's pretty powerful, if you recall. The pink haired girl, what was her name? I don't remember."
"Sakura." Himeko reminded me. Her memory was better than mine, so I didn't argue.
"Right, her. She seems to have plenty of chakra and good control over it based on her posture." I said and nodded at Ryo. "Your posture is poor, as is your chakra control, but that's just another example." I saw his face turn bright red, even in the dim light.
"Hey, if you wanna hear my idea, you better zip it!" He pouted and I turned to him.
"Ryo, the last idea you had almost got us killed!" Himeko reminded him. Ryo waved his hand in dismissal.
"How was I supposed to know that volcano was active?" He said and I rolled my eyes. I don't even want to try to explain that story. "Anyway, I have a plan for the Exams in case anyone wants to hear it." After exactly one second of silence he went on. "Oh, I thought you'd never ask. So, my plan is called, wait for it, The Buddy System."
"Oh, brother." I muttered and rubbed my forehead. "Did you break into Momo-sensei's liquor cabinet again?"
"Shh!" He whispered harshly. "She still doesn't know about the first time! Anyway, it's simple. Himeko, you can get all buddy-buddy with that Sakura girl, I'll befriend Naruto and at least try to be friends with the Uchiha and Yuki can get all friendly with Ayame!"
"And he still hasn't told us why." Himeko said, annoyance ringing out in her tone. Ryo rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.
"So that when we're in the Exams, we'll have an alliance! So it won't be us against the world and we'll have a bigger team!" He said proudly, as if he had the whole world figured out. "Plus, Team Ayame would know the jutsu of the other Konoha-nin, wouldn't they? That'd be a valuable asset." I sighed.
"Cute idea, Ryo." I said, about to burst his bubble. "But a bigger team gives a bigger opportunity of deception and treachery." I watched as he ran a hand through his spiky black hair.
"Then...let's just not trust them fully." He said slowly. "Make them believe that we do, but don't. In case they actually do try something." I shook my head.
"It's too risky. These aren't your average shinobi. It's like they have a silent code and I don't want to risk you or your sister getting hurt." I said and turned around to head inside. "It was a good idea, but it won't-"
"Yuki." Ryo said in a serious tone as he grabbed my wrist. I turned around and peered into his blue eyes. "I know my ideas haven't been so great in the past, but I know this will work if we just give it a chance." He tightened his grip on me and whispered a final word. "Please." He and his sister have the incredibly horrid talent of having puppy-dog eyes that even I can't refuse. I sighed with closed eyes.
"Fine." I gave in and before I reopened my eyes, I was captured in a tight hug.
"Thank you, thank you thank you!" He chanted. Whenever he's really excited, he say things in three. It's like a compulsion. I awkwardly patted his back.
"Uh, sure. Now get off." I said and he did as told. "Just go to bed, alright? Let's get a fresh, early start tomorrow."
"Hai." Himeko and Ryo both nodded and dashed off to their own rooms.
I sighed as I walked around, locking doors and turning off lights. Ryo's plan was a bit twisted, considering that we would be using four people for a selfish act. I don't like toying with the emotions of others and anyone who does is scum. But, I feel as if Ryo wanted to prove himself. Crazy as it seems. He's was the laughing stock of the Ame academy and I guess he wants a new label for himself. I didn't want to take it away from him, but I didn't want anyone to get hurt in the end. I mean, what happens if I actually start to like Ayame and form some sort of bond?
I groaned at my thoughts as I entered my bedroom. I realized that she had no reason to like me, anyway, so I shouldn't worry too much. I reached over, flicked off the lamp of my bedside table and laid on my back. I kept my eyes open, waiting for drowsiness to take over. It did eventually, but it was never soon enough.