Wil felt he was on top of the world when he was declared the winner. The crowd was ecstatic that a leaf ninja had won for the third consecutive time. He was showered in roses as well. It was the first time that so many people were cheering for him before. He was always an outcast in his year. He never really had any friends, except for his brother and sister of course. Now he felt that he was finally accepted by his peers and liked for a change. Shikamaru came closer to Wil and raised his hand showing that he was the victor as the medical ninjas silently took Arenae away in a stretcher. Shikamaru leaned in closer and whispered something in Wil's ear.
"Now comes the hardest part," He whispered loud in Wil's ear. His tone didn't sound too inviting either.
"What do you mean?" Wil didn't understand the reference. Wasn't the hardest part already over? He had already beaten everyone in the tournament, and he was being told there was more?
"You have to be evaluated by the Hokage," Shikamaru grimly stated. He couldn't have been more right. Wil swallowed hard; the Hokage would not give him a free pass to becoming a Chunin. He would have to be as sharp as his own kunai in order to even have a chance in a battle of wits against Naruto.
Then suddenly, Shikamaru pulled away and put his finger on his ear. Wil could see that he was listening to his earpiece. From how he was listening intently, he was probably receiving important news from someone. He nodded and said, "Understood."
He turned back to Wil with a relieved expression. "It looks like you won't be going in there alone."
"What do you mean?" Wil asked confused.
"You and your team are instructed to meet with the Hokage at once," Shikamaru explained.
"Okay, cool!" Was all Wil could say. His spirits were once again lifted and now he could celebrate again. He waved at the fans and caught glimpses of his former classmates and finally his siblings. His sister was jumping up and down hysterically, chatting with the people around her; while Jake was standing there with his arms crossed and a big smile on his face. Wil locked eyes with his brother and gave him a thumbs up. Jake replied with his own and then Ashley saw Wil and started waving to him joyfully. Wil chuckled a little and waved back.
"Come on, super star," Shikamaru said. "We have to get you to the Hokage before the spectators get to you first. We also need to get that shoulder patched up."
Wil looked at his shoulder. When he was grazed by one of the sand spikes, it tore into it. It wasn't too serious, but his arm was starting to go numb the more he thought of it. What was fascinating was that the blood had stopped already. He reluctantly followed Shikamaru into the tunnel away from the crowd. Inside the tunnel waiting for him was his sensei, Kakashi Hatake.
"Hey, kiddo," He said as he matched Shikamaru and Wil's stride. He looked happy and proud of Wil, even if you could only see a small portion of his face. He wore a mask that covered the bottom of his face all the way over his nose. His forehead protector was also slanted down to cover his left eye where he kept his Sharingan hidden from the world until he was ready to use it. "How's the shoulder?"
"I'll live," Wil said and tried to move it, but flinched in pain. "Though, some medicine wouldn't hurt."
"We'll get you to a medical ninja soon enough," Shikamaru reassured him. He then turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, long time no see."
"Likewise, what are you doing nowadays, Shikamaru?" He asked starting a casual conversation. This must have been a recurring thing, because now, with the win prior, all of his students have won the Chunin Exams.
"You know, running errands for Naruto, managing this. It's such a drag," He never sounded too thrilled about anything whenever Wil was around Shikamaru. "I see you have been busy the last couple of years though. Is Wil your last student to pass the Chunin exams?"
"Yup, Jake, Ashley, and now Wil. They do not disappoint," He said and smiled (or that's what Wil thought) at him. They finally turned a corner that entered a locker room where a medical team was waiting for Wil.
They immediately set to work on his shoulder, cleaning off the dried up blood and patching it up. One medical ninja, the captain by the looks, looked surprised about the injury. "Fascinating, from what I saw this injury would definitely need stitches. But it has practically sealed itself up already."
Wil shrugged. It was no surprise to him that it was almost fully healed. He and his siblings have remarkable healing abilities that have puzzled the doctors here ever since Wil had learned how to throw a shuriken.
"I have to leave you now," Shikamaru said. "There is some other business I have to tend to."
They waved him good-bye and when he left, Kakashi sat down on one of the benches and pulled out his book to start reading. It was silent for a few minutes as the medical team patched up Wil's shoulder. They were there for about five minutes, which was shorter than they expected because he didn't need stitches. They left without a fuss, leaving Wil alone with his sensei.
An awkward silence fell and Wil looked in his locker for a new shirt. His navy blue shirt was shredded up and he couldn't be in the presence of the Hokage looking like that. He found another, identical shirt and slipped it on, careful of his shoulder. He didn't want to reopen the wound.
"So you mastered the Rasengan," Kakashi said without lifting his head from the book.
"Yup! What did you think?" Wil asked with a smile on his face.
"It certainly lives up to its reputation," Kakashi sensei stated. "But like everything else, there is always room for improvement. It took the fourth Hokage three years trying to perfect it. It wasn't until his son the Sixth Hokage finally perfected it."
He was right; the Rasengan was the signature technique to the fourth and sixth Hokage. There were stories of how they could make mammoth balls of swirling and spinning chakra. The sixth Hokage could also throw his sometimes. He certainly had a lot to learn.
"Speaking of the Hokage, why do we have to meet with him?" Wil asked as he decided to change his whole outfit and moved to the other side of the lockers to change.
"He has asked for our whole team's audience," Kakashi said, but his voice faded away, probably because he was too busy reading his book, Wil thought.
"For what?" Wil asked impatiently as he slipped on a new pair of pants.
"What?" Kakashi asked startled.
"Why did the Hokage ask for our audience?" Wil asked again. He stepped out from behind the lockers just as he was tying his headband. His sensei was sitting up, but he knew before that, he was laying down dozing off.
"Oh, you'll see," He simply stated and slowly lied back down to his original position. To an outsider, Kakashi sensei really doesn't look like much of a shinobi. He's lazy, always late to training, and is always reading his pervy little books. Wil never doubted his elite status for a minute though. He knew that he had trained the Hokage and played a major role in two of the last Shinobi World Wars. He was one of the best ninja alive.
"Fine…" Wil could only comply with Kakashi. "Where are my brother and sister?"
"They should be waiting outside the locker room if I'm not mistaken," Kakashi said as he slowly sat back up. They both walked to the doors and out into the tunnel. On the other side, leaning against the wall were Wil's siblings, Jake and Ashley. They were talking quietly over all the commotion that could be heard funneling from above the tunnel. Ashley was certainly excited about something as she was using excessive hand gestures and even in the faint light of the tunnel, you could still see her eyes glow a brilliant green out of the darkness. She wore her signature orange, sleeveless button up shirt that was always buttoned down a little too much for Wil's comfort. Under that as well as on her arms was a mesh, fishnet piece of clothing. She had tight, black pants on with a belt that had an orange spiral design on the buckle. Her headband was on her neck like a necklace and her scarlet red hair was tied back in a ponytail, reaching down to about her waist.
Wil had always thought highly of his sister. She was insanely popular throughout the village and she was super nice and friendly to everyone…That is if you didn't face her on the battlefield. Some girls in their year were always jealous of how pretty his sister was. She never ceased to amaze Wil and Jake with her fashion and it kept all the other guys staring with their eyes and mouths wide. With so many suitors, it surprised Wil that she doesn't have a boyfriend. Her personality goes hand in hand with the color of her hair. She was always so energetic and joyful that whenever Wil was around her, he couldn't help but smile.
Next to her, with his arms folded and back against the wall was Wil's cool brother Jake. He was bigger than Wil, taller and broader. He had jet black hair with piercing silver eyes. Jake sported a Jounin Flak Jacket and traditional shinobi apparel. His headband was tied on his left arm like a brace. He was the cooler one of the group, but deeply motivated. Compared to his sister, he was like a mime. He was presumably the oldest out of the three and played the role perfectly. He was exactly what he should be, the protective, wise, older brother. He was insanely talented as well, reaching Jounin status at the age of 14, only two years ago. Wil was never once jealous of his accomplishments, he and his sister only thought of it as an opportunity to hone their skills. And she had done a better job than Wil; she reached the Jounin status only a year after Jake and Wil just became a Chunin. He was lagging behind and had to pick up the slack.
When Wil caught Ashley's eye, even his incredible speed wouldn't save him. "WIL!" She shouted with so much joy and flew at him. The force she emitted knocked both of them to the ground with her sitting on top of him. Ashley had pinned his arms and started kissing him so many times around his face.
"Ashley… Stop it!" He whined while trying to squirm free. But there was no escaping Ashley's grip once she has caught you and Wil was the smallest of the triune so he was easier to grab a hold of.
"I'm so proud of you!" She said in between smooches. She then squeezed him, making his back crack a little. He could barely reach into his back pocket and toss out a kunai off to the side of him far enough away from Ashley. He then teleported to it and escaped her grasp. Wil scrambled to get up, but Ashley was on him in no time. She grabbed him in a very embracive hug. Wil's head was squished between her arms and her soft, warm chest. Wil tried to say something, but the sound was muffled by her breasts.
"I can't believe you won the whole Chunin Exams! I mean I never doubted you for a second, but that Arenae fellow was pretty tough. Though I knew you could take him because you are the fastest shinobi alive…." She continued to ramble on when Jake finally stepped in.
"Okay, Ashley. I think Wil's had enough love for one day," He said and pried him away from her grasp. Wil's face was full of lipstick marks and he was breathing hard from the asphyxiation from his sister's breasts.
"Or the whole week," Wil commented out of breath. "A simple hug would have sufficed."
"Sorry, I was just so excited for you!" she said while jumping up and down. "It was so cool watching you hand it to those other ninjas like it was nothing! You really have come far, Wil."
She continued to jump around in celebration when Jake whispered in Wil's ear. "She's right, we are all proud of your achievement."
"Thanks, bro," He smiled up at him and they fist bumped.
"Okay, I take it you are done celebrating?" Kakashi asked finally making an appearance in the conversation.
"I hope so," Wil said. "I don't think I could withstand another boob strangling from Ashley." Jake chuckled a little.
"Hey!" Ashley shouted. She was blushing and covering her chest. "Don't make fun of a girl's chest."
"Sorry, Ashley," Wil said stifling a laugh while high-fiving his brother. Her face was flushed with red from embarrassment and frustration and she walked over to the both of them and squarely slapped them both on the cheek.
"What was that for?" they both said in unison.
"There, now that we have that all figured out," Kakashi sensei interjected again. "The Hokage is expecting us, we best be on our way."
"Why does he want to meet with us anyways?" Jake asked curiously.
"All will be revealed when we get up to the Kage's quarters," Kakashi stated.
Yes, sir," They all said solemnly. They started walking out of the tunnel. Wil was in the middle of his two, taller siblings. They both put their arms around his shoulders. Wil looked up at the two; their faces held large, beaming smiles directed toward him. He smiled up at them, and that smile would soon increase the closer they got to the exit. The muffled sounds of the crowd outside the exit grew louder with every step. They were no doubt cheering in anticipation for Wil's appearance. He had never felt this feeling before. All his life, he was the one who was underappreciated by his sibling's accomplishments. Ashley had become one of the Leaf's top Medical Ninjas and Jake had become one of the chief field analysts and was offered to join the Anbu Black Ops at the age of 14. These incredible feats have always undermined Wil and had people looking over him and at his siblings, literally. Now, it seems that the spotlight was finally on him.
A door was outlined in light marking the beginning of the frenzy that Wil was sure to take place once he was outside. His heart rate increased, as if he was about to enter another battle. He started to sweat a little more, but having his brother and sister by his side calmed him down a little more. They finally reached the door that was practically vibrating from all the commotion that was outside. Wil took a deep breath and pulled away from his siblings. He put his hands on the shivering door and pushed it open.
Warm, desert light rushed to fill the darkness of the tunnel. It was also accompanied by the roars and shouts of all the Leaf's supporters. The door opened up to a sky-walk above the main area where all the fans gathered underneath. They were all looking up and cheering for Wil, and all he could do was wave back and smile. He could see all the students from his year in one cluster waving up at him and clapping. For once he had finally felt accepted by them. He continued to walk along the bridge toward the second part of the arena where the more esteemed guests were seated. There were Daimyos and wealthy land owners who obtained these seats to watch their new shinobi protectors evolve. It was practically empty now, mostly likely because they were evacuated before the huge wave of people smothered them. This place was right under the Hokage and the Kazekage's box seats where they always sat side by side to portray the friendship the two nations share. He had hoped they were not too late.
Wil finally pulled away from the crowd and walked through the much quieter wing of the arena. They took many flights of stairs to the top of the section. Wil was starting to push the thoughts of his adoring fans in the back of his mind as new thoughts started to set in. He wondered what the Hokage thought of his performance on the battlefield. Was he worthy to become Chunin? What would happen if he did become one? What if he didn't? He immediately erased all doubt in his head. Of course he would become a Chunin, he had to. Arenae had as much skill and knowledge as Wil had so there was no doubt that he would become a Chunin as well. With every step of the way up, his emotions clashed inside of him, but he hid them behind a stone face.
He finally reached the top of the stairs and down a corridor. He occasionally glanced back to see if the rest of his team was still following. Sure enough, all three of them were walking side by side behind him for support. Wil had finally reached the door to the Hokage's box. Out of respect, he knocked on the door three times.
"Come in!" He heard a voice shout from the other side. It was the Hokage's voice. Wil gulped and turned to his siblings.
You'll do great, Ashley reassured him telepathically.
Show the Hokage what you can do, Jake added.
Wil put on a happier smile after that brief pep-talk and opened the door. The Kage's box wasn't all that impressive considering what it could be. The room was large and very spacious, with a personal bar dominating the lower-left side of the room. An attendant was cleaning glasses and doing inventory. The rest of the room was empty except for a chair by the balcony. It wasn't even a throne like chair either, just a simple one carved out of a large slab of stone. It was engraved and painted with the leaf's emblems and colors. From the back, it was hard to see if anyone was sitting in it, but there was as Wil could see hands resting on the armrests. Wil slowly walked to the center of the room and waited.
"It seems like only yesterday I had watched your brother and sister battle their way through the Chunin Exams," The Hokage finally said.
Wil said nothing; his throat was too dry to speak. The Hokage slowly stood up from his stone seat. His abundance of spiky, blonde hair glistened in the desert sun that made it glow a warm yellow. His blue eyes were energetic and caring, but also serious when the time came. He had his six signature whisker scars on his cheeks to make him look like a fox. Wil looked almost identical to the Hokage, except for the whisker scars and the age factor. Wil stood at stiff attention while the Hokage was talking.
"They sliced through the competition unlike any shinobi I've ever seen come out of your year," Naruto continued. "They both possessed unique powers that have opened my aging eyes. Truly gifted ninja they were."
"Yes, sir," Wil agreed. It was true, his brother and sister were top of the class, elite ninja. Yet, he wondered if the only reason that Naruto had called him up here was to brag about his siblings' achievements.
"But that era has passed. Now it's your turn to prove yourself to not only me, but to your peers and Kakashi sensei," He walked passed Wil and to the bar where the bartender poured him a concoction. He took a sip and continued, "And you never cease to amaze."
This brought that smile back to Wil's face as well as the Hokage's. "And by the way that demonstration of your mastery over Flying Thunder God Technique shows that you have immense prowess in space-time ninjutsu. And the way you finally nailed the Rasengan. You made me proud."
Surprisingly, he held out his fist and Wil fist bumped it. When he and his brother and sister were growing up, they were under the guidance of Kakashi sensei and the Hokage Naruto himself. He was the one who started Wil on the Rasengan. They have a really good relationship, almost father and son like.
"Thank you," Was all Wil could muster, his face had turned a bright red. He always felt embarrassed whenever he was complimented. "So, what now? Do I become a Chunin now or what?"
The Hokage laughed. "Yes, but before we make the final decision, we need the rest of your team present."
As if on cue, the door opened and in popped the rest of his team. Ashley still had that giant smile on her face but when Jake entered, his face turned expressionless when confronted by the Hokage. Kakashi walked in leisurely behind them and casually saluted Naruto. They all joined Wil behind him. The Hokage faced all of them.
"Now that we are all here," The Hokage began. "Team Seven, I would like to formally introduce you to your new Chunin, Wilhelm."
Wil felt like a giant weight was lifted from his shoulders, only to be replaced by Ashley who jumped on them out of sheer joy. Jake smiled at the two who were laughing together and Kakashi watched over them with care.
"Now off with you, get some rest," The Hokage said with bright smile. "I expect you three to be ready for your next mission in 48 hours."
They all snapped to attention and shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!" And they all flickered away. All but Kakashi.
The Hokage went back to his chair to overlook the stadium. He looked deep in thought. Kakashi was standing right behind his chair, also deep in thought.
"They grow up so fast," The Hokage said while gazing over the arena and to the sandy horizon beyond.
"Yes they do," Kakashi agreed. "Do you remember your Chunin Exams?"
"All too well," Naruto said grimly. During his Exams, the Leaf Village was attacked by joint Sand and Sound Village Ninja all under the influence of the infamous Sannin Orochimaru. Many things, mostly disastrous, happened that day. Two things above all stuck in his head. He remembered the Third Hokage, Gramps as he referred him, was killed while trying to seal Orochimaru's soul away. He had succeeded in rendering his arms useless, but died in the process. The whole village mourned for such a powerful and wise shinobi's passing. The second thing that stuck was the memory of Gaara. When he first encountered him, he was an estranged and bloodthirsty kid with a crazy tailed beast trapped inside him. Gaara finally went crazy when he faced off with Sasuke who was the second person in history to hit him. He was moved away from the village before he went berserk, but he was run down by Sasuke and Naruto. In a glorious battle that involved the One-Tailed Shukaku and Gamabunta, Chief Toad, he finally defeated Gaara and they became friends.
"I'm so glad they didn't have to go through any of that," He added.
"Yeah, that was no picnic," Kakashi agreed. Then Kakashi asked the question that has been pondering both their minds for some time. "Do you think they are ready?"
"For what?" Naruto asked, but he knew what Kakashi was talking about.
"The truth," Kakashi's words came out laced in silver. It reminded Naruto of that night so many years ago meeting the Goddess Hera again. He had met her before, but that had been in times of darkness. Now she was back with a graver message this time. She had spoken of invoking an ancient evil that Naruto had been convinced had only existed in legend; but over the past years, the triplets and Kakashi have taught him that at the beginning of every legend is a grain of truth. He had thought d
"They must be told of their destiny," Kakashi pressed. "Before it's too late; I have been watching the stars, they have been growing closer and closer together with the passage of the days. It's only a matter of time until they completely align."
"How long do we have?" Naruto asked.
"A week tops," Kakashi confirmed. "When they do, they must be ready."
"And they will be," Naruto told him. He never tore his gaze away from the horizon for a second. "Give them a couple days of recuperation and celebration. Wil deserves a few days with his friends."
Kakashi remembered the face of young Wilhelm and how ecstatic he looked when he dealt the finishing blow to the Kazekage's own son. His brother and sister were equally as happy (though Ashley showed it a little more than either of them) and it in turn made Kakashi feels proud of his students to come so far. He recalled memories of his days when he was training Naruto. He surely had his hands full with him and his teammates Sasuke and Sakura. He now revels at how far each of them had gone, exceeding everyone before them. When he looked at his three new students, he saw only the reincarnation of them in the present day. He wondered what surprises were to come with Jake, Ashley, and Wil.
It took a little bit to realize that Kakashi was staring blankly into the arena. He snapped back to reality and looked at the Hokage.
"Right, I should make sure that they don't go overboard with their 'celebrations'," Kakashi said while dismissing himself.
"Don't be too hard on them, Kakashi Sensei," Naruto cautioned as he stood up. He had a smile on his face, remembering the times when Kakashi was the "buzz-kill" during training back in the day. "They are, after all, kids."
"I won't try," Kakashi said and started walking out of the room.