Forest of Death

"One question!" spoke up a small boy, from the land of lightning.

"Here we go again," muttered one of his teammates, rolling his eyes at the sky. The only distinguishing characteristic about him was that both he and his group were wearing all black, even their headbands had been smeared with charcoal.

"What?" Anko asked brusquely.

"What are the rules, to the forest, I mean."

With a gesture similar to that of the dark-clad Genin, she replied, "It's quite simple. There are no rules. Just don't die!"

Déjà Vu, thought Naruto. I'm bored already.

Konohamaru looked at him with huge eyes. "We aren't going to die, right, Naruto?"

With a smirk, He replied "Of course not Konohamaru! We're going to win!" I hope we don't… I made it through last time okay…

Hanabi scoffed and looked at them as if they were no better than academy dropouts. WHY did I get stuck with these losers? Neji, well, Neji had himself, Hinata had Kiba and Shino, and I get stuck with the number-one voted to fail and his cheerleader. This is just great. I just hope they won't expect me to carry their weight through this…

Naruto sweatdropped, and gave a quick look back to her. Sure enough, she was glaring at him again. Great, she's mad at me and the exams haven't even started yet!

"Alright! Listen up!" Anko hollered to the teams as a whole. "Make a line by team, and come forward to get your scroll. You will be told which gate you start at, and the time for starting is at twelve o'clock exactly!"

Naruto's team came forward, and stepped behind the curtain to receive a Heaven scroll. Just like last time, he thought. They were stationed at gate eleven, and told to wait there until given further instruction. Once they were left to their own devices, Naruto turned to his team. "Okay guys, I have a plan."

"No one wants to hear your stupid plan, Naruto!" Hanabi exploded at him. "You were the worst in your class, even my sister did better than you! You weren't even supposed to graduate, but Iruka-sensei pulled some strings for you. We as a group can manage without your useless help, so go, go do something else!"

When she looked at them again, they had frozen in place from where they were when she had started yelling at them, and looked like she had just come back from the dead. "What?" she demanded angrily at the two of them.

Konohamaru had the sense to snap out of it, and replied (with a vein pulsing at his temple) "You had no right to do that! Naruto is a great Ninja, never forget it! He is the best there is, even better than your genius cousin, Neji!"

At this, Hanabi really blew up at him. "WHAT?! You take that back or I'll make you! Neji is the best Ninja this village has ever seen! He is the prodigy of the huuga clan, the most powerful clan in the village! He can beat anyone and everyone!"

For a moment, Naruto could almost see flames in her eyes as she vented at Konohamaru.

With a smirk that Naruto knew only meant more trouble, Konohamaru retorted, "Okay, then how did Naruto kick his butt at the last Chuunin exams?"

"THAT WAS A FLUKE!" Hanabi's head seemed to swell with fury. "Besides, that wasn't even the last exams, you pint-sized follower!"

"Well, at least I'm not a spoiled little brat!"

"Aaah! If you live through this, I'm gonna..." As he tuned out their bickering, Naruto thought in a stunned silence, I didn't even know she could talk, she never even made a sound. Now, she won't shut up. It's like he's trying to push her buttons or something.

"Okay, go!" The gate guard had to yell to be heard over the two of them. "I said, GO!" the gates opened, and Naruto dragged his two teammates through to start the exam.

"Konohamaru, shut up!" Naruto chided, stemming an further arguing for the time being. "Hanabi, just drop it, we need to get inside, and start the exam!"

As the team sped off into the trees, the guard sweatdropped as he thought, I'd hate to be on her team...

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"Don't touch me, and don't tell me what to do, Naruto" Hanabi pouted as she rested against a tree. They had been leaping from branch to branch for over an hour, and the two younger nin's were exhausted. Their group was resting near a pong, one that Naruto was busy trying to catch fish in (unsuccessfully, as his fishing skills had not increased in the two and a half years of his absence).

"Do us all a favor, Hanabi, and shut up" Konohamaru panted between gasps of breath. "Naruto, how are you not tired after all that?"

"Konohamaru, that's nothing. You two need to work on your stamina. Remember, we need to get the other scroll from some other team."

With yet another icy glare, Hanabi replied "Don't expect me to do all the work, you two have to pull your own weight, you know."

"Well, duh!" Konohamaru crossed his eyes at her. "What kind of idiots do you think we are?"

"How about the kind that do something?" She retorted with a slight smirk.

"How about one of you give fishing a try?" Naruto interjected before another bitching fight started.

"Oh, let me," said Hanabi as she activated her Byakugan. "Tell me, what kind of idiot are you? there's no fish in here!"

A very confused look crossed over Naruto's face. "That doesn't make any sense, we all saw a fish jump!"

Scanning the water, Hanabi soon found what she was looking for. "It's a trap, like a wire to secure an area. someone knows we're here."

Instantly on guard, the team looked up as one when a shadow suddenly blocked out the sun.

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