A/N: Yeah, I know this'll probably sound cliché and uninteresting and stuff, but please give this story a chance...it would make me happy :) Basically what I've done is insert OC's into the original plot of Naruto. I don't plan on changing any major plot elements, and won't do anything that would majorly change anything important in the original plot. I also try really hard not to make Mary-Sue's, and to still make the story interesting and at least a little original.
This will be a HUGE story eventually...I estimate that it'll take me several years (or maybe more) to complete if I actually carry out my goal and update every week. Keep that in mind if you feel that it's moving too slowly...sorry if that bugs you, but it's just my writing style. I tend to drag things out a little (I to try to still make it interesting and fun to read, though :)
So anyway, even if it seems really uninteresting at first, give it a few chapters before you give up. Thanks to all of you reading this, because it means a lot to me :)
"The Chuunin Exams, huh?"
"Yep. I'm recommending you this year. I think you're finally ready."
"'Finally'? C'mon sensei, we've been ready for ages! We totally could have aced them last year! Huh, Kuro?" She turned to him, waiting for him to agree. He always did.
Her brother simply grunted in reply.
Kana's gaze returned to Jin-sensei's, her golden eyes lighting up. "Yes! We so got this! But…" Her face fell, if only slightly, a foolish grin still plastered on her face. "This is embarrassing."
Two pairs of eyes looked at her questioningly. The last one just stared unblinking at a blade of grass in the distance, her eyes unseeing. Despite her apathetic and slightly dazed appearance, she was paying apt attention.
Kana met her brother's and sensei's eyes, answering their questioning gaze. "We're going to be, like, the oldest ones there!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air. "We're a whole year behind!"
Kuro let out a small, slightly exasperated sigh. Their sensei smiled, shaking her head. "Actually, Kana, it's rare that teams just out of the academy get accepted into the exams. I'd be surprised if there were many teams younger than you, if there are even any at all," Jin explained lightly.
"Oh," Kana said. Her face turned thoughtful. "Well, that makes sense, I guess. But I still think we could've passed last year."
Jin chuckled. "Dear, I don't think you'd have even been able to get in last year. Rookie teams like that just aren't good enough to make it. Even now, with an extra year's worth of experience, you're still going to have a rough time."
"There are three rookie teams from Konoha this time," a hollow voice said softly, her unblinking eyes still unmoving. "One of them recently took on Zabuza of the Hidden Mist."
"Oh, really?" her sensei laughed, an almost unnoticeable trace of bitterness and resentment in her voice. "And how would you know something like that? They only told me about the exams a couple days ago, and I'm one of the first to know. And Zabuza? I mean, really. Even I couldn't take on Zabuza."
The genin blinked, though her eyes remained fixed. She decided not to reply, knowing that no matter how right she or her evidence was her sensei would always disregard it. It was best not to push the matter.
Jin rolled her emerald eyes at her student. What a pain that one is, acting as if she knows everything. Why did I get assigned such a difficult student?
"Who's Zabuza?" Kana asked, clueless.
"It doesn't matter," Jin said. "It's not like a first-year team of mere genin could take on someone like Zabuza, anyway. I'm just glad I was able to get you two into the exams."
"Three."
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly as she turned again to look at her least favorite student. "What did you say?"
"Genin have to be entered in teams of three. And you have three applications in your pocket."
Jin sighed before proceeding to explain her statement as if speaking to a child, her voice sickly sweet. "I didn't say you weren't going, sweetie. But just because you're going doesn't mean I have to be glad about it."
The genin blinked again, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, but didn't reply. She simply continued staring into nothing, her hands resting casually in her pockets.
Jin scowled. Brat. Who does she think she is, ignoring me like that? Just because its normal behavior doesn't mean it's acceptable. She should be taught some manners.
As discreetly and quickly as she could, Jin launched several kunai faster than the eye could see. They sailed silently toward their target, who was facing in almost the opposite direction.
Suddenly, the genin disappeared.
"I'm not as oblivious as you'd like to think," she said, her voice dead and emotionless, from behind her sensei. The kunai made a hollow thunk as they hit a tree several meters past their intended target.
Her two teammates' eyes widened in surprise, not having noticed their sensei's sneak attack. Kana's mouth opened slightly, while Kuro simply put on his stoic mask again to hide his surprise. Jin just sighed, disappointed her student was still as sharp and quick as ever. If only she had gotten a different one.
Their sensei forced a laugh. "I guess you won't be a complete failure after all."
After a moment of unmoving silence, her least favorite student returned to her original position, moving faster than the eye could see, and continued gazing unseeingly.
Kuro crossed his arms, glaring at her. She was definitely trouble. Not that he hadn't already known that.
"So anyway sensei, when are the Chuunin Exams?" Kana asked as if nothing had happened.
"They begin on the first of July," her sensei replied.
"That's only three days away," Kuro noted, careful to keep his voice flat.
Jin rubbed the back of her neck, a sheepish grin on her face. "Sorry guys. I know it's not much notice, but it's all we've got."
"Yes!" Kana exclaimed suddenly. "Let's train really hard for the exams! I know we can do it! Who's with me?" She did a fist pump.
Jin laughed. Kuro tried hard to hide his smile.
"Hold on, not so fast," Jin said lightly.
Kana blinked. "Huh? What is it, sensei?"
Jin reached into her pocket, pulling out three slips of paper. Smiling, she handed them to her two students, the last one still resting between her fingers. "These are the application forms you need in order to get in. Make sure you sign them and take them to room 301 at the Academy three days from now at three o'clock."
"Yeah, okay," Kuro said.
Kana grinned. "Yes! I am so there!"
The last slip of paper suddenly disappeared from their sensei's hand. She scowled, her eyes turning to look at her least favorite student.
The pale girl held the application, looking at it absently. It appeared as if she hadn't moved an inch.
Jin smirked before addressing her rather harshly. "Are you sure you can handle it? These exams are really tough. You might not be good enough to make it through," she said tauntingly. The tone in her voice made it obvious to whom she was speaking to.
A moment of silence passed. "I'll never really know until I pass or fail," the raven-haired genin replied absently, not taking her eyes off her application form. Jin huffed in annoyance. The girl turned her head slightly in her sensei's direction, looking at some point to the left of her head, her white eyes still glazed over. "I'm going to train. I'll be at the Academy at three on the first," she said hollowly, addressing her two teammates as well as her sensei. Then suddenly she was gone.
Kana gasped, startling Kuro, though he tried to hide it. Jin looked at her student questioningly.
"Training!" Kana exclaimed. "We need to get started!"
Kuro nodded in agreement, trying to mask his eagerness. "Let's do it."
Jin smiled, putting her least favorite student out of her mind. Like she cared what the other did. It wasn't her problem. "All right. You'll need all the training you can get."
"Yeah!" Kana said happily, letting loose another of her famous fist pumps. "Let's do this!"
A/N: Okay, a little bit about this story before we move on:
First of all, since I didn't really mention it in the chapter (^^'), I'm just going to throw out there that the four OC's you met in this chapter are all Leaf ninja. ...Just an FYI. And yes, I know I didn't give that one myterious girl a name...don't worry, you'll learn more about her in the next chapter :)
And just so you know, I think of the way she talks (I described it as hollow, soft, emotionless, dead, etc.) as kind of a mix between Gaara and Shino and L and Near (from Death Note). Not the way her voice sounds, just the way she talks. Just so you know what's going on in my head :) And she will always talk like that unless my story says she does otherwise.
A bajillion thanks to SaigeDarklyn, who gave me the idea for the name of this story. She's also helped me a bunch with the character development and stuff. So go check out her story, too! Because it's awesome :D
This chapter was pretty short – I'm fairly sure that every chapter after this will be much longer. I'm going to try to break them up more, though, so that it'll be a bit easier to read (I know, for me, it's harder to read stories with a bazillion pages for each chapter than if they're broken up into smaller increments, but that's just me). So anyway, please review so my heart doesn't crumble into a million pieces.