Chunin Exams Begin
Disclaimer: Don't Own Naruto
Hikari yawned and stretched as she headed downstairs to get something to eat before she headed to the academy for the first part of the chunin exams.
As she headed into the kitchen for breakfast she was greeted by her mother Haruka, father Kenji and her brother Akihiro.
"Morning sis you're up early again today. Do you have another mission today?" Akihiro asked as his sister sat down at the breakfast table with a plate of jelly smeared toast and scrambled eggs in her hand.
"No not a mission, but it's the first day for the chunin exams. My team decided to do it," Hikari explained as she recalled the explanation Kakashi sensei had given them about chunin exams a couple days earlier. As well their scary run in with the three sand ninjas and on top of that a run in and Sasuke's scuffle with Lee of team Might Guy.
Team 7 almost didn't make it as Sakura had almost given up on being a kunoichi. But after some convincing from her and Naruto she decided to go through and apply for the exam with her teammates.
"Hikari the chunin exams will test you and your teammates both mentally and psychically are you prepared for that?" Her father asked.
Hikari nodded as she took a bite of toast.
"Not only that but you'll be tested to see how well you and your squad can work as a team. You're the only squad of four so it'll be a bit more challenging for you all, in terms of battle strategy, but if you work together you four will overcome, " Akihiro explained as he took a bite of toast.
"Now that's enough you two don't scare her like that," Haruka scolded as she wagged her finger in front of both her husband and son.
"We're not mom, we're merely trying to prepare Hikari for what lies ahead of her and team 7," Akihiro stated as a matter of factly.
"Don't worry guys, we'll be fine," Hikari said as she stood up from the table and headed out the door to meet her teammates at the academy.
When she finally met her teammates they were all eager ready to head into the academy and to take the first part of the chunin exams. As they stepped inside they were greeted the other candidates that came to take the chunin exams. Each looking more intimidating than the next. It was enough to send chills down Team 7's spines.
"Gee what's this?" Naruto asked as he looked around.
"Looks like we're not alone, " Sakura commented as she too looked around the room at all the genin.
"They all look pretty scary," Hikari mumbled.
"Sasuke where have you been?" A voice called. And all of Team 7 turned to see Ino glomping Sasuke to death.
How embarrassing. Hikari thought as she sweat dropped and watched the scene unfold.
"Boy you have no idea how long I was hoping you'd show up. I missed those brooding good looks of yours," Ino continued as she continued to glomp and cling onto Sasuke. Much to the Uchiha's and Sakura's dislike.
"Hey! Back off you porker he's mine!" Sakura shouted at Ino.
Ino finally jumped off Sasuke and turned her attention to Sakura, "Miss forehead they let you in? Still got those frown lines on those billboard brows I see."
"Leave my forehead out of this!" Sakura shouted. As both Naruto and Hikari sighed.
Soon they were meet by none other than the other two members Team 10. Or Ino-Shika-Cho as they called themselves.
"Oh it's you guys. I knew this was gonna be a drag but I didn't know it was gonna be this lame," Shikamaru said as he and Choji stood observing Team 7 and their teammate's antics.
Lame huh? That was it Hikari was gonna demolish Shikamaru then and there.
"Lame! You take that back Shikamaru! Come here I'll demolish you! Dammit! Let me go Sasuke!" Hikari screamed as Sasuke held her around the waist as she kicked her legs and wailed her arms trying to break free of his grasp and as she tried to land a punch and kick toward the smirking Nara standing in front of them.
Meanwhile Choji munched on potato chips and sighed. As the scene between his two friends unfolded. That certainly didn't take long for Shikamaru to get a reaction out of Hikari.
"Relax you'll get your chance to demolish him," Sasuke whispered as he tried to calm the kicking and screaming kunoichi that he held onto to prevent her from punching and kicking Shikamaru. As much as he'd be amused to see that. He knew that they shouldn't be causing a scene. On top of that he knew she didn't stand a chance at beating Shikamaru especially with that shadow possession jutsu of his.
"So all three stooges are here," Naruto teased as he turned his attention to Shikamaru.
"Hey! You know what pipsqueak...awww forget it you're a waste of time," Shikamaru said as he turned his attention away from Naruto and back on Hikari who had stopped struggling to get out of Sasuke's grasp but was still being held by him much to Shikamaru's dislike, to prevent her from trying to punch and or kick him.
"As for you troublesome woman just shut your mouth," Shikamaru said as he smirked watching her turn away from embarrassment.
"Well well looks like the gang's back together again," Kiba Inuzuka retorted as he and the others of Team 8 joined the other genin.
O-oh hi Naruto," Hinata said shyly as a blush crept up on her face. Leaving the clueless blonde wondering why she was blushing and acting shy.
"You guys too huh? Man everyone's here for this stupid thing," Shikamaru commented. This was such a drag.
"Yupp here we all are the rookies. This is gonna be fun at least for those of us who make the cut. Right Sasuke?" Kiba mocked.
"Kiba be careful you don't get over confident," Sasuke retorted as he smirked at Kiba.
"Just wait we're gonna blow you guys away. We've been training like crazy," Kiba said cockily.
"What do you think we've been doing? Sitting around picking daisies?! You don't know what training means!" Naruto shouted angrily as he pointed an angry finger at Kiba.
"Uhhh don't mind Kiba I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it," Hinata said as she pressed her index fingers together.
Choji took a look at Akamaru. Boy was he starting to look plumper and juicier. He was just a couple steps in front of Kiba when he was stopped by Shino Aburame preventing him from stepping on a bug.
"What do you want? What's wrong?"Choji asked as Shino stepped in front of him.
"Thought maybe you hadn't seen it," Shino commented as he looked down at the bug.
"Huh?" Choji questioned as he looked down at the bug.
"Why you saving it for lunch?" Choji mocked.
"Hey you guys, you might want to try keeping it down a little," said an older white haired, glasses wearing, clad in purple male that approached the group of rookies.
"I mean no offense you guys are the rookies. Fresh out of the academy I wouldn't be making a spectacle of yourselves. Just cool it, this isn't a class field trip, he said as he looked at the genin in front of him.
"Well who asked you?! Who are you?!" Ino shouted.
"I'm Kabuto Yakushi. But really look around you made quite the impression," Kabuto said as he and the other leaf genin looked at the other ninjas around them.
Kabuto then went on to explain how the exam makes everyone tense. But it can't be helped it always does. And how he had taken the exam before. The other genin were fascinated but none more than Naruto.
"Cool then you could give us all the inside tips," Naruto said excitedly.
"Yeah some expert he's never passed," Shikamaru pointed out.
"But he could still help us," Hikari pointed out as she waited for Kabuto to continue speaking.
"Well seventh time's the charm," Kabuto said nervously.
"So I guess all the rumors of the exam being tough are true. Oh man I knew this was gonna be a drag."
"Hold on don't give up hope just yet. Maybe I can help you kids out with my ninja info cards," Kabuto said as he pulled out orange cards.
Curiously Sakura asked what those cards were. Kabuto explained that his cards were special chakra infused cards with information that he gathered over the last four years and how he had over 200 cards. He then proceeded to show the kids around him what exactly the cards could do. He explained with a card about the villages all about the chunin exams and what exactly they were all about. Friendship between the nations. Brotherhood and all that. But most importantly maintaining the balance of power.
"Do those cards of yours contain any info on the other candidates individually?" Sasuke asked.
"They might, do you have any one special in mind?" Kabuto asked.
"I might," Sasuke said as he recalled his encounters with both Gaara of the desert and Rock Lee.
"Well I can't promise that my information is complete or perfect but I got something on just about everyone," Kabuto said as he shuffled his cards.
"Including you guys of course. Tell me everything you know about them. Give me a description and where they're from. Anything really," Kabuto continued as he pulled out a card.
"He's Gaara of the desert and Rock Lee of the leaf village while you're at it," Sasuke said as Kabuto pulled out two cards containing info on both Gaara and Lee.
He demanded that they be shown and Kabuto did just that. Explaining everything about both Gaara and Lee. From Lee's skills as ninja to both of their number missions they completed. Though weird part about Gaara was besides his missions completed not much was known. And after every mission he always came back unscratched. Leaving all of the other genin around him questioning just what Gaara was capable of.
After all the info was given Kabuto then explained that the competition this year was gonna be tough. For in all his years of coming he never saw such an elite group of candidates.
The hidden leaf village certainly had their work cut out for them but they all had the will of fire burning within them and no matter what they would succeed.
