Dropping form a tree Konohamaru landed on his target easily piercing its skull with a kunai. The clone disappeared and fell the rest of the way to the ground. Making sure he still had his one kunai he sprinted towards the rendezvous point, hoping he had bought his team enough time.

Ebisu sensei had only allowed them one kunai; an exploding note and about fifty yards of wire each. It wasn't much but Ebisu sensei said they had to go through a worst-case scenario. So, they were low on weapons and were being pursued by a superior force. Ebisu had created thirty clones and Konohamaru had destroyed seven as he led them on a chase through the woods. That meant there were twenty-three left.

For a moment he felt a flash of anger towards his sensei. No one else had to take a test in order to go to the exam. Damm it his team had done two C-ranked and more D- ranked missions than he cared to think about. Besides, Naruto and his team had participated the first time they were eligible.

As the clearing came into view he was glad that the three of them had spent so much time exploring Konoha when they were younger. They probably knew the terrain better than most Chunin a fact that they had neglected to tell their sensei before he had chosen this area for the test.

His teammates came into view and he touched two fingers to his forehead protector. It was a signal to show he was really himself instead of the enemy using the transformation technique. Moegi flashed a victory sign in response. Channeling chakra to his hands and feet, he jumped from trunk to trunk. Staying out of the branches and off the ground was a safe zone. After all he didn't want to set off any traps prematurely.

"Catch," Moegi shouted throwing him a full weapon pouch.

Catching it he was surprised by the weight. Opening it he only saw rocks inside and glanced at Udon for an explanation.

Udon sniffed before answering his unasked question. "Sensei said we had to destroy all of his clones, but all it takes to destroy a clone is a good solid hit. The stones should work for that. How far is he behind you?"

"The main force should be arriving in two minutes. I took out his pickets disguised as you guys to lead him around the woods." He smiled pleased with his own cleverness, "What's the trap?"

Udon straightened his glasses to hide the pride he felt in his work. "Sensei will probably follow the standard tactic and surround us before attacking. We just have to look like we're not paying attention." He crouched as if they were about to discuss something.

Konohamaru followed suit knowing he could trust his teammates but not liking being out of the loop. He looked at Moegi from the corner of his eye. She was sweating and breathing heavily. Clearly they had used the forty five minutes he had bought them to good use. An inappropriate thought entered his mind as he thought how nice she looked right now.

"Now," Udon said quietly breaking into his thoughts. Turning Udon threw his kunai severing a wire.

This small action resulted in a wholly disproportional chain of events. The wire severing set off the three exploding notes, which decapitated a nearby tree. The top of the tree came crashing down to the ground tightening the wires wrapped around its trunk. The wires that had been concealed beneath the ground pulled upwards, cutting through both clones and weakened branches. The branches which had been weighted down with stones came crashing to the ground spilling their loads as they fell adding to the cascade of debris.

Silence fell and Konohamaru tried to figure out how many clones they had just taken out. He had heard many of the distinct pops that signified the end of a clone's existence but, they had come so close together he couldn't tell the difference between one and another, "How many?"

"Not enough," Moegi replied. She was about to say more when all three were forced to jump back as the ground exploded beneath them. Three clones reached out for them wanting to pull them under. Konohamaru jumped safely to a tree before pulling out a stone that fit easily in the palm of his hand. He threw it as if he was skipping it across a pond, hitting his target right in the eye. It disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Hearing a shout of surprise he glanced over to see Moegi tangled up in wire and being dragged to the edge of the clearing. Drawing his kunai he jumped to her rescue. He was about to cut the wire when he saw a shuriken coming at him. Dodging the shuriken he didn't notice the wire until wrapping around his wrist.

The wire pulled tight cutting into his skin and nearly jerking him off his feet. He dropped the kenai into his other hand and cut the wire. He threw it into the bushes and heard a satisfying pop as it hit a clone. He turned his attention back to Moegi she had halted her progress by stabbing her kenai into the ground.

He body flickered over to her, rock in hand. The wire was like an arrow pointing at his target. When he threw the rock that was a satisfying pop and the wire went slack. Turning he was about to say something to her when she shouted, "Help Udon!"

Udon had been surrounded by three clones. A small log laid at his feet, a wire wrapped around it. He was holding his own if only barely. On the bright side, that meant that some of them had their backs turned to him and Ebisu's head was such a tempting target. The first clone was destroyed easily enough but the second one dodged the stone and charged towards him.

Konohamaru swept low trying to take out his sensei's legs. He missed and swung upwards. His wrist was caught and he was flipped onto its back the wind knocked out of him. As the Ebisu's clone hovered over him it popped out of existence. Moegi grinned down at him. He sat up in barest, just in time to see Udon dispatch the last clone with a small fireball.

Udon collapsed and Konohamaru ran over surprised to see his normally reserve friend grinning. "That was number thirty, we passed."

"Are you sure?" Moegi questioned as she ran up beside him.

"Yes, Udon is right, you passed the test." The real Ebisu emerged from the woods and he didn't seem particularly happy. "That doesn't mean you're going to the Chunin exams."

"What!" Konohamaru's shout echoed through the forests. "We passed your tests; we've done two C ranked missions, what more do you want?"

Ebisu straightened his strange pair of sunglasses giving off the impression that he was looking down on them before starting to talk in a condescending tone. "Yes, you have done two C ranked missions. The first was a convoy protection mission on which nothing happened. During your second mission, you burned down a building. You're not ready."

"Only part of it," Konohamaru objected. "You always do this. You said we were not ready for C ranked missions and we were. Okay there was a small fire but we were supposed to protect what was inside the building and we did. Besides you gave your word that if we pass your test you would let us take the Chunin exam. Are you not worth your word?" The one good thing about knowing Ebisu for so long was he knew that he held his word in high regard. If he promised something, he would keep it.

Ebisu looked down at them clearly conflicted. "I will suggest you but," he was cut off by a chorus of cheers. "But," he began again, "the final decision is with the Hokage. This exam is going to be slightly different, it's being held with our new ally Yukigakure and the Mist will even be there this year, so we want a good showing." He could have said anything. The Konohamaru core was already celebrating.

Moegi quietly slipped out of her family's apartment. She wanted to avoid any more advice from her family. Ever since she announced her team's nomination to the Chunin Exams she had been training with one or another member of her family. Even her normally aloof older brother had pitched in. The end result was she had one new jutsu in her repertoire and was exhausted both physically and mentally. If she heard one more thing about cold weather survival, she might have to resort to drastic actions.

She turned and ran enjoying the empty streets of Konoha. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and some stars could still be seen, even the most ambitious of merchants were not awake yet. She was a stranger to this time, the closed stores and abandoned streets made it seem like another world. She found the silence exhilarating in an odd way.

She was enjoying her run so much that she had at first missed her name being called out. Stopping she looked behind herself, "Sakura?" Moegi questioned surprised to run into anyone she knew at this early hour, let alone the kunoichi she idolized. "Why are you up so early?

"Oh, I just had some errands to run." She smiled at the younger girl who was giving her an expression that meant she wasn't buying it. "Okay, I need to work on my cover stories a little. Ebisu asked if I could talk with you before you left. I tried earlier but you are always so busy."

Moegi frowned it was one thing to have doubts about her own abilities but to have her sensei go behind her back like this. "So talk," the words came out harsher than she had intended and she regretted squandering this time she could spend with her idol. That was another thing she envied Konohamaru for, his idol actually spent time with him.

"He's concerned that you're just going along with this because of your teammates."

"And what do you think!"

Sakura blinked surprised by the normally docile Moegi's tone, "To be honest, I don't know. When I first took the Chunin Exams it was for my team, not myself."

"Do you regret it?" Sakura took a long time to answer and Moegi was beginning to regret her outbursts.

"That year," Sakura began slowly as if she was remembering something painful. "There were a lot of things going on. You remember, it was the year we were invaded and a lot of things were not normal." She paused gazing off at a point in the distance. She shook herself out of a trance, "of course, it was a good experience and I changed for the better because of it." She laughed without any humor, "I don't think that's what you're sensei wanted me that say to you."

Moegi smiled to ease the tension. "Would you like to walk with me to the gates?"

"Sure, it's been awhile since we talked hasn't it. So, what do you think about your team?"

She thought for a minute wanting to impress the other kunoichi. Back when she had been at the Academy she had peaked at the files so she used their comments about her friends. "Konohamaru," she began slowly trying to paraphrase what she was remembering, "is really strong and can think on his feet but he is trying to prove something and that can get him in trouble. Udon is good with traps and plans but he doesn't have any confidence in himself."

"And yourself," Sakura prompted after a moment of silence.

Moegi shrugged at the question. There wasn't a good way to say your average. At the Academy her academic grades had always hovered near the top of the class but when it had come to the practical stuff, her grades had been at best average.

Sakura saw her shrug from the corner of her eye because she smiled down at her. "I used to be the same way. You just have to find something you're good at. That reminds me there was something I wanted to give you." She took off a medical pack from her side that was far larger than what a Genin team would carry.

Moegi was hesitant to accept the gift. She had once snuck a look at a medical textbook and had not understood a thing in it. "Sakura, I'm not sure if I want to be a medic."

"Oh, it's not for that, although if you ever want to talk about it I'd answer your questions. It's just, the first time I took the exams. I wished I had more medical supplies. So, I just thought I'd give you a little advantage."

They continued on in silence until the gates came into view. To her slight surprise Udon was already there. She called a greeting to him and he came over. "You're here early."

"My mom didn't want me to be late, so she kicked me out early." He smiled as he said it but, Moegi didn't. She had met his mother once and she hadn't liked her.

The three of them talked for a while until Konohamaru drifted in with Naruto. He told them the story of his Chunin Exam and she faded into the background like normal. Other Genin slowly drifted in and she noticed that they were the youngest of the group. That made her a bit self-conscious because some of them were glaring at them.

Ebisu showed up a few minutes before they were supposed to leave and he made them check their equipment. A few of the other Genin seemed to find this pretty funny and she was pretty sure her face had turned completely red. They left in one large group as their home began to wake up. She turned for one last look at her home and noticed that Naruto and Sakura seemed to be standing closer together than what would seem proper for just friends.

Saburo quickly made his way through the almost empty streets of Kirigakure. He was running late and that was something his sensei would not tolerant lightly. Entering Kaguya Square, he looked around spotting his two teammates but not his sensei. Relieved he moved to sit with them not once thinking of the squares bloody history.

"You're late," Nami the kunoichi of his team called out as he approached. Her tone was friendly, but it lacked the warmth that it once held for him. He didn't understand or like the growing gap between the two of them but, he didn't know how to bridge it either.

"You're lucky, sensei is running late too. So, I guess that means you escape punishment this time." Yasuo, the shortest of the three said with a small mocking smile. "Sleeping in on the day of a mission, you will never be anything more than a Genin will you?"

Saburo didn't take the bait. He knew, Yasuo was just trying to start a fight and he would oblige just not when he was expecting it. Turning he addressed Nami keeping Yasuo in his peripheral vision. "You didn't get your hair cut?"

Nami grabbed one of her bangs that would soon be in the way of her vision. Normally she kept it short in the boyish fashion but they've been too busy lately with back to back C ranked missions. "I'll trim it on the boat."

"So you think were going on a boat?" Yasuo said jumping into the conversation.

"Have to be. If we were just going into the mountains we wouldn't need full cold-weather gear. There are only a couple of places that really require it."

Saburo had been watching Yasuo from the corner of his eye. Believing him distracted by the conversation he quickly drew his sword and brought the flat part down upon his teammates head. Unfortunately, he was not as distracted as he had hoped. The blow was blocked with his opponent's sword and with a sly grin the smaller ninja said, "Too slow."

Saburo retreated into the street as his opponent swept at his legs. Both of them dropped into a defensive stance but their difference in style was soon evident. They both had chisakatana which were given to all new Genin of the Mist upon their graduation. They were basically shortened katanas which made them more appropriate for their height.

While he held his sword with both hands the tip at his eye level like they had taught him at the Academy, Yasuo couldn't be more different. His sword was held in his left hand tilted at a slight angle and in his right his scabbard was loosely held by a strap that would ordinarily be used to secure it to his back. His scabbard had been strengthened with senbon making it an effective shield.

Yasuo's family was traditional which meant large. That was a tradition that went back to a time before the reforms where the graduation test claimed half of the students. The end result was he had six older siblings to spar with and his family had developed a unique fighting style. Saburo was almost completely the opposite. His father had died when he was an infant and his sister the only other ninja in the family had almost completely ignored him until recently.

This was why he was waiting for Yasuo to make the first move. "Guys, do you have to do this today?" Nami called out from where she still sat at the table.

"Yes," they both called out simultaneously.

Yasuo had turned his head slightly to answer and that was all of an opening he required. Quickly closing the distance between the two of them he slashed downwards paralleling the angle of his opponent's sword. Yasuo deflected the blow spun away from the blow and drove his scabbard into Saburo's side who grunted in pain.

He tried to grab his shoulder to thrown him to the ground but the smaller one of the two slipped away. Yasuo came at him again alternating his blows with the sword and scabbard until he fell to one knee. Yasuo pushed forward, grinding the two swords against each other in a test of strength.

Saburo let him push forward letting him commit his strength and moment while he prepared to move. The sudden lack of resistance made the smaller boy lurch forward and Saburo stepped into his defense spinning around his opponent. Bringing his sword down upon the back of the neck stopping only an inch way.

If this had been a real battle he would've decapitated him but, then again if this was a real battle neither of them would have reversed their blades beforehand so that only the dull edge of their shorts had been making contact with anything. "I win."

"So what, I'm still up by two."

"You're all idiots," both of them sheathed their swords as they spun to face their sensei. She held her gaze on them for a minute before letting it slide to Nami. "You for just sitting there watching these two fight and you two because you know just enough to be dangerous to each other. I could see it now. I would be the first Jonin to lose two thirds of my team while not even on a mission." She snorted in an unfeminine manner and gestured to the table, "sit."

They sheepishly went over to the table and took seats. Their sensei towered over them. "I've had it with the three of you," she began. "And besides there wasn't much I could teach you to begin with anyways. I've put you in for a Chunin test."

That last part peaked all three attentions. The test to become a Chunin in the Mist was simple in comparison to other villages but at the same time more difficult. A Genin team would be given a target to eliminate and if they succeeded those who came back would be promoted to Chunin status.

"Of course the Mizukage in his infinite wisdom has decided to give you a difficult test." She pulled out a small photo put on the table. The picture was of a kid probably no older than they were. He was wearing glasses and his nose was running. The big surprise was he had a Hitai-ate. Normally, the targets of these tests were mid-level gangsters.

"Who's his father?" Yasuo asked his tone cool and professional.

"His father was a member of the Tsujita clan."

The Tsujita clan was one of the few clans that still had a Kekkei Genkai in Kirigakure. Apparently, they had a natural immunity to all diseases, instead their body stored them. No outsider knew all the details, but apparently they could pass on diseases to a target at a mere touch. It was ideal for quiet assassinations. After all there would be no poison to test for, no accident to investigate. Truly ideal if you didn't want questions asked. The side effect was a constant cold which marked every potential user in the clan.

"Why is he in Konohagakure? Saburo asked hesitantly.

"That's where it gets interesting. It seems during the purification conflict a young woman married in to the Tsujita clan. Apparently, she was less than happy there and fled. Whether she knows or not that she was pregnant is unknown and not relevant. By the time we hunted her down she had taken refuge in one of the few places we couldn't touch her, Konoha."

"And her son became a ninja. So, we can now get to him while he is outside of the village." Nami snapped.

"You're almost right. You see we are in negotiations for a possible switch in alliances and if they found out that we had deliberately targeted one of their Genin it could be troublesome. Fortunately, we caught a break. He is taking the Chunin Exams this year and now, so are you.