DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, I still don't own Pocky, the rank of kunoichi, a sixth sense, the Three Musketeers (plus one), the discipline to study, a tree swing, or an escape plan. I'm too lazy to escape...I just sit there and take it. Or I'll sic Corey on whoever's bothering me.
Michiko and Deniizu walked down the street, with their dogs running around them freely.
"Final exam," Michiko whispered, "It really is today."
"You'll be fine," Deniizu said, rolling eyes and biting into a stick of banana Pocky, "We know what it's on. Everything is going exactly like the manga; Naruto graffitied the cliff yesterday."
"I know, but I'm still a little nervous," Michiko said, petting the black pup, Aramis, as she carried him, "...Where do you think Naruto is? Do you think he left early?"
"No, I think he'll be late," Deniizu answered with a grin, then pointed ahead, "There's Hinata. That's weird; she's alone."
"Ohayo, Hinata," Michiko greeted as she reached her friend, and Deniizu nodded.
"Ohayo Michi-chan, Deni-chan," Hinata said, with a shy wave, "Are you both ready for the final test?"
"I think so," Michiko said, with a nervous smile, "Are you?"
"I hope," Hinata answered, picking up D'Artagnan who had been pawing at her leg as they walked.
"Where's Kiba and Shino?" Deniizu asked, looking around the street.
"I don't know," Hinata answered, "Kiba was training extra hard yesterday, hoping that it would ensure that he passes today, so he might accidentally sleep in. I have no idea about Shino."
"I thought you hung around both of them all the time," Michiko said, "Shino lives right by you, and Kiba is Shino's best friend."
"I do, but lately I've been spending a lot of time with my cousin," Hinata answered, scratching the grey puppy behind the ears.
"Neji?" Deniizu exclaimed, and Michiko looked surprised as well.
"Oh, no! No," Hinata said, shaking her head, "I have a very distant cousin; my father doesn't usually mention him. But he's kind, if in his own way, so he tries to take care of me and my sister while he's in Konoha."
"He doesn't live in Konoha?" Deniizu asked.
"He does," Hinata said, "But his ninja team is usually on long-range missions. Well, they were, but then his other two teammates have already become jounins, so he's kind of left behind."
"What level is he?" Michiko asked curiously.
"...Genin," Hinata said softly.
"What? And his former teamates are jounin?" Deniizu exclaimed, almost choking on some Pocky, "How is that possible?"
"How old is he?" Michiko asked, awed.
"He's 16," Hinata answered, "This is why Father never mentions him; he's a bit of the family outcast because he doesn't apply himself. He has so much skill, but he doesn't use it if he can help it."
"Why doesn't he?" Michiko asked, shaking her head, "Why would he not apply himself?"
"I'm not sure," Hinata said, shrugging sadly, "Maybe he has a little bit of Neji's bitterness and uses his apathy as an excuse to not take care of the main house."
"But he takes care of you," Deniizu pointed out.
"I know. That's why I don't understand," Hinata said.
Porthos didn't like the sudden gloomy cloud that had settled over the three girls; the dog crouched in Michiko's way and tripped her. The black-haired girl fell with a yelp, dropping Aramis as she did so.
"Ow..." Michiko groaned, from the ground, "You think you're so cute, don't you, pup?"
The mottled dog merely barked and wagged his tail playfully before running towards the school, which was now in sight.
"Time for our exam," Deniizu sighed, finishing her Pocky.
"Good luck, both of you," Hinata whispered.
Michiko looked up at the future kunoichi; she looked terrified. Getting up, the taller girl put an arm around her friend's shoulders.
"Good luck to you too, Hinata-chan. But I know you don't need it."
Hinata looked up at her friend, surprised, then smiled.
"Thank you..."
Exams are evil! Evil I tell you! Evil!
The three girls left the dogs outside, and upon entering the classroom, they saw that though they were early, most of the class was already there. Only Kiba, Shikamaru and Chouji were not present yet. A tense silence filled the room. Naruto didn't look too good; he was sitting at a spare desk, apart from the rest of the class, with his head down on the desk.
"Ohayo, Shino," Hinata greeted, as she sat in her seat beside him.
"Good morning," Shino said, as Michiko smiled and waved, and Deniizu nodded.
"Do you know where Kiba is?" Michiko whispered, and Shino and Hinata turned so that they were facing her and Deniizu.
"I last saw him training yesterday," Shino answered quietly, "He may come late."
She's so lovely, Shino thought, looking at Michiko fondly, then lancing pains shot throughout his body, Ugh...how much longer?
Over the past month, both girls had figured out how to tell what Shino was feeling or thinking through subtle changes in his body language or face; Michiko had already gained a keener sense of it than Hinata and Kiba. All three of his friends saw the corners of his eyes tighten; Michiko saw him slightly incline his head forward for a second.
"What's hurting you?" Deniizu asked, "Did you train hard yesterday too?"
No...it's more pain than that...Michiko thought, but still she waited for the boy's answer.
"I'm fine," Shino said, shaking his head and turning forward again, "I'm...don't worry."
The three girls shared troubled looks, but before they could ask further, there was a slight commotion by the door. Looking, they saw the final three students entering the classroom.
"About time, Kiba," Deniizu said, not unkindly, "Where were you?"
"I slept in," Kiba answered, grinning sheepishly as he slipped into his seat, "I did some last minute training and I think I overdid it."
"That what you get for spending most of your time with a certain someone, instead of training," Michiko teased, poking the boy as he sat beside her, "Is Akamaru outside?" she asked before he could retort.
"Yeah, he's taking care of your four mutts," Kiba teased back, poking his friend, "And I do not spend most of my time with Pooriin."
"Aw, it's ok!" Michiko said, "We understand your feelings! No need to be embarrassed!"
"Yeah, it doesn't matter if everyone knows that you love Pooriin so much," Deniizu added, raising her voice for that last phrase.
Kiba let his head rest on his desk to avoid the class' stares as Hinata giggled and Shino shook his head.
"Please just let the test start," Kiba groaned, and Michiko laughed.
"Oh, you know we mean well," Michiko smiled, patting Kiba's shoulder.
Kiba turned his head and grinned wolfishly at the two tormentors.
"I'll get you back for that, somehow," Kiba warned, "Both of you."
"Yeah, I'd like to see you try," Deniizu chuckled.
"We've been training our four Musketeers; you and Akamaru can't get past them now," Michiko added, crossing her arms.
"Whatever," Kiba rolled his eyes.
As part of extra training, Deniizu and Michiko had been taught basic fighting and defence techniques from Kiba to use with their own dogs. Michiko and Deniizu had trained the dogs very quickly; something which they claimed was due to being around their village's strays for all (or most) of their lives. Kiba had been shocked at the speed they had trained them; Michiko even spoke basic dog speech (eg. I'm mad, I'm tired, pass me that stick, etc.). Hinata and Shino secretly thought that Michiko truly had some of the Inuzuka clan's blood in her, and was trying to trace Michiko and Kiba's family lines to see if there was a link. However, the search had proved fruitless, thus far. They didn't even know Michiko's parents' names.
All five of the friends looked up as Iruka entered the room. Their sensei had a companion with him; the class guessed (or in the portal-users' case, knew) that he was the examiner that would help Iruka judge the students' performances. As Iruka outlined the procedure for the exam, Deniizu and Michiko took deep breaths; though they knew what the test was on, that still didn't help their nerves.
You'd think studying would make you feel confident in an exam, but nooo...
Inel stood apart from the other jounin, observing the students who had passed the exam. After watching the congratulating parents and excited siblings for a moment, his eyes drifted to a boy that sat alone on a tree swing.
"That's the only one who didn't pass," Inel overheard.
"Damn fox demon..."
"Sh! It's forbidden to speak of that!"
So...that is Naruto, the demon carrier, Inel thought, Hm...he doesn't look dangerous. Only...very, very sad and lonely. Poor guy.
Inel turned back to the crowd that was in front of the school, and blinked.
No...no, it can't be...the man thought, shocked, but looking closely, he saw that it was true.
Michelle and Denise? They're here? ...But of course! Corey was going to meet friends at the greenhouse...now I understand! ...Hey...Hey, where did they go?
'Where'd they go'? I'll tell you where they went...
Michiko, Deniizu, Kiba and Shino, as well as Akamaru and the four pups, had created a conspiracy plan ahead of time. And it had been executed perfectly.
"Did they see us?" Deniizu asked, glancing over her shoulder to her friends.
"I don't think so," Michiko shook her head breathlessly.
Shino stood protectively in front of the two girls as Kiba peeked around the alleyway wall furtively.
"No, we're good," Kiba said, slumping down on the ground beside Akamaru.
"We got away," Michiko said, relieved, and leaned on the wall behind her.
Deniizu, who had led the way, walked by Kiba and checked around the corner herself, before nodding that Kiba had been right; no-one had seen them leave the crowd.
"We escaped the congrats party!" Kiba cheered quietly, pumping a fist in the air.
All four friends looked at each other, then spontaneously laughed. It was good to be out of that tense, formal scene, in Shino's case, or the smothering scene that Kiba would have had to face.
"Too bad Hinata couldn't come," Michiko said moodily.
"Hey, if she had, her dad would've killed her," Deniizu pointed out.
Michiko nodded, then looked over at Shino. The boy was kneeling on the ground, his head between his hands. Concerned, Michiko and Kiba helped him up as Deniizu and the dogs stood as lookout.
"Hey, Shino, what's wrong?" Kiba asked.
"Shino? Are you ok?" Michiko asked, trying to catch his eye.
The kikaichu were buzzing now, confused at how the host was acting, sending many stinging pains throughout Shino's body. The new genin was trying not to cry out, but the effort was taxing.
She has to let go...I don't want her to...She has to let go of me...Shino was thinking, as the bugs writhed within him, reacting to the foreign changes that he was going through.
"Please...I'm fine...let go of me..." Shino managed to say.
When they did, Shino avoided looking at Michiko.
This is ridiculous...what must you think of me...ugh!
Shino forced himself to not visualize Michiko, and stood up shakily. Deliberately placing one foot before the other, he led the way through the alley.
"Come on," he said over his shoulder, "Let's find Pooriin."
A/N: Another short chapter...ih. You still have to post a review. (points) REVIEW!