A/N- This is my second attempt at a Naruto fanfiction. I hope it impresses you guys and please let me know what you think in the comments.
Chapter 1- The Chunin Exams!
Sakuno stood with her fellow senseis in front of the Hokage. His hat perched over his head and a cigar in his in his mouth; he began briefing them about the upcoming chunin exams.
"The chunin exams will be conducted in the following week. The exam as normal will be divided into three rounds and each team will consist of three genins." He said.
Sakuno already knew this information. The only dilemma that played in her head was whether or not she would nominate her rookie genins to take the exam.
"First we will begin with the jounins who lead rookie genins." The Hokage said.
Kakashi stepped forward. Sakuno had always admired Kakashi Hatake and he was one of her closest friends and comrades. In the village, he was known as the copy ninja. With his Sharingan he could copy almost a thousand jutsus and he was a probable candidate for Hokage in the coming years.
"From my team I nominate Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto." He stated.
Asuma was next. Sakuno saw his characteristic cigarette dangling from his mouth.
"From my team I nominate Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akamichi Choji."
Sakuno found it rather surprising that he was nominating his team to take the exam so early. Asuma's genin team had been nicknamed the idiot trio for their complete lack of commendable abilities.
Kurenai stepped forward after Asuma. This was the first genin team she had commanded like Sakuno. Kurenai was an outstanding genjutsu user and one of the strongest kunoichis the village boasted of.
"From my team I nominate Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburama Shino."
It was finally Sakuno's turn. An image of an innocent girl with long red hair and sparkling blue eyes along with two plain boys flashed in her mind. She felt guilty pushing her children into near death situations. But she had no choice. One of the first things a shinobi learnt was how to tackle dangerous situations.
She stepped forward and while doing so she pushed back a strand of her grey hair which had fallen on her face. Brown eyes filled with grit and determination glanced at the Hokage's face.
"From my team I nominate Namikaze Haiku, Fukuyama Jun and Nara Shinzo."
"Hokage sam, may I interrupt?" Iruka immediately butted in once she had finished speaking. Iruka Umino had been responsible for teaching most of the rookie genin during their Academy days.
"Yes Iruka?" said the Hokage raising a grey eyebrow at this sudden interruption.
"Hokage sama, I have taught all of these children in the Academy and in my opinion they are in no position to appear for the chunin exams at such an early stage."
Kakashi suddenly glared at Iruka.
"Iruka sensei, I know your intentions are well but these children are our students now and we have a better understanding of their abilities than you." Kakashi bluntly said to him.
"Kakashi sensei is correct Iruka. Now for the other genin nominations." The Hokage said.
"Iruka sensei has a point Hokage sama. There is a reason why I kept my genin team a year and allowed them to develop their abilities fully before they appeared for the exam." Mighty Guy objected.
"We'll see Guy. Now who from your team would you like to nominate?" the Hokage asked Mighty Guy.
(*)
"I was surprised when you nominated your team." Kakashi said to Sakuno over a bowl of ramen.
"I can say the same to you I guess." She replied.
"Well I suppose so. We should consider ourselves lucky that we get to teach the Fourth Hokage's children." He said.
"Don't say it so loudly. Haiku might know of her parentage but Naruto is not to know until the time is ripe for it." Sakuno snarled at him.
"Yes, ma'am." Kakashi answered trying to cool her anger.
"So how are you taking the news?"
"What news?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
"Kakashi, sometimes I cannot understand your coded language. Please speak clearly."
"About a letter from a certain someone."
"I don't even know whether or not what that letter contains is true or not." She protested.
"You were the one who was always complaining about not having a clue about who your real parents are and now that you finally know, you aren't ready to accept it." He stated.
Kakashi could read her like a book and that's what Sakuno hated about him. Her close friend was not that easy to decipher but when it came to her, he could understand every feeling and emotion running through her mind in a quick second.
"I'm scared for Haiku." She said trying to change the subject.
Kakashi seeing that she was clearly uncomfortable talking about such a subject decided to go with the topic switch.
"Why?" he asked her.
"She has shown remarkable progress in medical ninjutsu but is severely lacking in other areas."
"Haruno Sakura is not different and her medical ninjutsu is nothing compared to Haiku."
"But the boys in your team are strong enough to protect her in case anything bad should happen. Jun and Shinzo barely managed to learn Shadow Clone jutsu."
"Listen, not all the teams in the exam are exceptional. Most of them are just like our teams."
"You're saying that to comfort me. But the ninjas from the other villages won't think twice before killing them or worse."
"You worry too much Sakuno chan."
Sakuno rubbed her forehead. She was regretting having put their names forward now.
"Listen you have a week. Give them some quick training in survival. I heard Anko is in charge of the second part of the exam. There is no knowing what that mad lady will make our students go through." Kakashi advised her.
"Thanks." She said.
"On the side note, do you mind paying? I forgot my wallet at home." He said scratching the back of his head.
"Idiot, I know you spent all of your cash on those books." She said pointing at the plastic bag resting on the table they were sharing.
"Ahahah, you caught me Sakuno chan." He said.
Sakuno sighed and removed her wallet.
"Ichiraku sama, thank you for the ramen." She shouted as they left.
"Sakuno sama, you are too kind!" Ichiraku replied when he saw the amount of tip she had left.
(*)
"Sensei has entered us for the chunin exam." Shinzo complained to Haiku.
"What are we to do?" Jun complained clinging to Haiku's arm.
"You two are big crybabies!" she said punching them both lightly on their heads.
"My dad told me the clan's head's son, Shikamaru is going to be there. He must be a master of the Shadow Imitation jutsu." Shinzo wailed. A drop of mucus fell from his nose as he cried.
"Wipe your nose, Shinzo!" Haiku shouted pointing at the stain the mucus had made on his shirt.
Shinzo did not resemble his distant cousin, Shikamaru in any way other than their hairstyle which was characteristic of the Nara clan. While Shikamaru's eyes were small and perceptive, Shinzo's were large and naïve. His body was also plump from a complete lack of exercise. He would have to improve his stamina if their squad had a shot at the exams next week.
Jun was the complete opposite of Shinzo is appearance. He was a scrawny boy who was shorter than most boys his age. His hair was a rusty brown and his eyes were covered with thick glasses from reading well into the night.
The arrival of Sakuno sensei interrupted their conversation. Sakuno sensei was considered one of the most beautiful kunoichis in the village. She had long silver hair which was braided to prevent disturbing her in battle and brown eyes which reminded Haiku of brown soil fresh after the rain. She was rather well endowed when it came to her bosom and Haiku had caught many jonins unsuccessfully trying to ask her out on a date.
Haiku locked her blue eyes with her sensei's brown eyes. Both of them were remarkable medical ninjutsu users but unlike sensei, Haiku lacked when it came to other jutsus.
It was going to be a grueling one week of training.