From Square One
Summary:What if Naruto was accidentally given the Jounin exam and passed at the age of twelve?
Author'sNote:A few reviewers asked me about doing ideas involving traps and covert 'help'. This idea sounded like something fun to sneak in the Chuniin Exams too.
Chapter 4: When New Friends are Made
(In the Forest of Death)
The long story short between Sakura and Sasuke's explanation. One heaven scroll and one earth scroll had to be gathered and delivered before the five days were up. Inaho sighed, inside she doubted how good she'd be able to work with, this team. They already had a strong team dynamic even if a little . . . odd. Sakura loved Sasuke but got annoyed by Naruto and Naruto loved Sakura but hated Sasuke's guts. Likewise Sasuke didn't outwardly show he missed the Orange Runt. He was a bit of a control freak in terms of, this-is-how-I-like-it-and-to-heck-with-it.
'Great Team Dysfunction,' Inaho mentally sighed, 'How did Kakashi even drill Team basics into their HEADS!'
Sasuke stopped short. They all dropped to the Forest Floor. Inaho, without thinking grabbed the team and lunged for the waters. She'd worry about the Poisonous snakes later. Sasuke socked the woman in the gut. Sakura struggled for air. Inaho went through another set of Handsigns.
. . . Hare . . . Horse . . . Ram . . . Secret Art Sound Detector
She drew a circle of chakra enfused river mud around Sasuke's ear. Sasuke's eyes widened at the sudden increase in hearing. Sakura stopped struggling because Sasuke stopped. Inaho gambled but she knew she was going to have to trust the Chibi Avenger to hold his breath.
. . . Right now he was the only one able to make sure the coast was actually clear.
From above the watery depths a conversation shook the area.
"Gah-hah-hah!" Yoroi Akado's gruff voice warped with laughter, "I can't believe Team Dosu failed the first exam by cheating off of Naruto's test! Those guys are chumps!"
"Not to mention Orochimaru-sama has already taken the guys apart for spare parts," Misumi Surugi whispered. River water washed away the nervous sheen of sweat on Sasuke's brow, "Our new mission is to kill the kid and lay waste to that butch man and the bratty girl."
"Nah, nah, Misumi-kun, Yoroi-san, don't get too carried away." Kabuto crooned, "We can't bring back heaps to Orochimaru-sama could we?"
"Ha-ha! You just want a few more preserved specimens for your "collection"," Yoroi cackled. Their budding voices fading into the dark. Sasuke pounded Inaho hard in the back. He couldn't breath. Sakura's cheeks pinkened from lack of breath. Inaho scooted to the undergrowth of a rotting tree.
GASP
That breath of fresh air never felt so good.
"Of all the rude things to say!" Inaho grouched, "What part of me even looks like a boy!"
Sakura and Sasuke did not comment.
'Other than the fact she dresses as gender neutrally as possible,' Sasuke thought to himself.
'Even Naruto looks prettier than Inaho and that's a stretch,' Sakura mentally sighed.
"Sasuke-kun you're tense!" Sakura pointed out, stating the obvious, Sasuke clenched his fists again.
"Kabuto is a spy for another village, his whole team is. Boss's name is Orochimaru." Sasuke spat. "And I can't believe I trusted him!"
"You're kidding Kabuto Yakushi? Of the Sword-Armor-Helmet brigade? He's a creepy guy." Inaho laughed than her conscience kicked in, "Oh that Kabuto Yakushi. He's a medic-nin and is the one person I'd avoid at all costs if I were-" Inaho's lecture was interrupted by a shriek, "Oh dear . . . Sakura are you okay?"
"I'm not," she sniffled, "I got gunk in my hair!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. What was it with girls and hair? Of course he knew why the 22 year old Inaho kept her hair short and he didn't care! Problem is Sakura's sobs would probably attract trouble. He went to go tug at the gunk. Sakura whimpered, the great Uchiha pulled her hair.
"Wait a minute," Inaho answered, "Sasuke what's that in her hair?"
Sasuke snorted, a second hand Earth Scroll. Thanks to Inaho arriving dead last they too had a second hand Earth scroll. Problem is this thing was wrapped up in something else.
HISSSSS
A motley green snake wriggled in Sasuke's grasp. The black stripes surrounding its emerald eyes glittered. Sasuke nearly dropped his scroll.
"Hmmm," Inaho observed, "Sakura, you don't mind getting your hair trimmed this early in the game do you?"
"Would Sasuke mind?" Sakura stated, "Ow!"
Inaho gave the little lady a light noggin-thump. Of all the bright ideas. Getting permission from someone else for what happens to one's own head? Not a bright idea.
"I'll cut your hair." Sasuke interjected, "We're a team of ninjas not hairstylists and sissies."
Inaho under normal circumstances would've strangled the blunt Uchiha. Sakura's pretty green eyes prickled with tears. Sure what Sasuke said was true. But he didn't have to be so heartbreaking.
"Honestly Sasuke," Inaho snipped she gently wrestled the giant demon wind shuriken out of Sasuke's outstreched hands and gently took out a kunai "you need to be more sensitive to your teammates. Anticipation involves 50% empathy 50% teamwork not harsh words. Sakura, Sasuke has a point. Hair is hair and hello . . ."
"What?" Sakura asked frightened, "Is there a bug? A poisonous snake?"
"Hmmm, poisonous but not lethal nor native," Inaho explained quickly, being in one place too long was liable to end up an ambush. Sasuke's thoughts were in agreement. He packed the Shuriken away quickly. Sakura motioned for the knife.
SKWIK
In one smooth motion the knot was now left hanging in Inaho's hands. The snake hissed angrily displeased at its discomfort.
"It's not a native species?" Sakura asked. "What makes you say that?"
"It's coloring and scale pattern is a snake more native to the Land of Sea." Sasuke exclaimed quickly as they ran tree ward for cover.
Inaho smiled wanly. Sadly snakes in the Forest of Death were anything but little. The littlest snake in the Forest of Death was five meters long and weighed three hundred pounds. The perfect size to gobble up house pets and small children. This Little Snake was, thankfully an adult, and tended to open its mouth like it was trying to say something. This Little Snake was one of the Jonin's summons.
"Inaho," Sasuke called out, breaking Inaho from her thoughts.
"Oh, yes?" Inaho answered, they finally landed in a clearing . . . for the moment.
"What was that Jutsu you used on me just now?" Sasuke asked.
"Detector Jutsu," Inaho commented, "It's not powerful but it is useful. Say Sasuke-kun, could you hold this for me."
Sasuke balked when the Snake started to slowly crawl up his sleeve. The Little Snake however purred like a spoiled cat. It curled loosely around Sasuke's neck. It wiggled into a comfortable position on the Chibi Avenger's shoulders. Sasuke scowled at the little thing.
"Hmm it must be part tree snake," Inaho pointed out. "Boas squeeze, tree snakes lounge. You'll be alright."
"But why did you hand the Snake to Sasuke?" Sakura asked, Inaho decided Sakura is always asking questions.
"Well that Snake actually belongs to someone from Konoha," Inaho pointed out, "These guys . . . well Orochimaru considers them expendable but they do good for scouting and security. I couldn't be trusted with snakes, I handle big dogs and terriers, stuff that eat snakes so this guy would eat me and Sasuke does not have a pet in the house nor smells of shampoo. He has the big job of carrying cart-able security."
"So basically we're using someone else's body guard?" Sasuke snorted.
"Be respectful," Inaho quipped, "The little guy understands humans."
Sasuke glanced and felt the Little Snake bristle.
"Well okay the big snake then, besides handling a Snake is better than handling Orochimaru, if you're nice who knows one day you might form a summoning contract with the big guy," Inaho declared happily. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Him . . . handling snakes . . . Yeah that would be the day.
Then again he never thought he'd work with a Kunoichi from another team. He'd never thought he'd see Sakura of all people actually cut her own hair (without complaining). He'd never thought about being nice to not so cuddly reptiles. Sakura seemed to be giving her lost fond farewell to that pretty pink hair before using a paper note to burn it. Her mind was on another route.
(Meanwhile in the Hokage's Office)
Anko Mitarashi kicked the door open. She stormed in, bustling about for something she lost. She flung all the scrolls off the desk. She rolled the chair around in a haphazard waltz. Her milky brown eyes spied some decadent dumplings. She slowed five seconds to scarf something.
"Mmmm! Mmm! Mm!" Anko delightedly crooned. It was an old habit, scarf first, ask whose dango it was later. "Oh yeah! . . . What was I . . . Dang! Mr. Whompers where are you!"
Her favorite snake, at least for right now. She bred it to release a deadly nerve toxin that destroys muscle tissue and causes nosebleeds. Perfect for the Kunoichi who has a tan overcoat for a purse. What better way to guard a wallet and off a few pickpockets? She lifted one kid off the ground.
"Hey!" the Little Kid cried out. Anko set the kid down and adjusted his head to where she saw a pair of glaring blue eyes on a round whisker marked face.
"Oh it's the Little Orange Runt," Anko sighed, "Hey you haven't seen my pet snake Mr. Whompers have you?"
"Mr . . . Whompers . . . isn't that a name you give bunny rabbits?" Naruto blurted out and covered his mouth when Anko glared.
"Mr. Whompers is an adorable name for a snake. Disagree with me and I'll kick your sorry hide." Anko growled, she showed him a picture, of the snake spitting venom King Cobra style and suddenly her face brightened, "Now isn't he cute?"
In reality Mr. Whompers was scarier beyond explanation but to protect his hide our orange clad hero nodded quickly. His life depended on it or so he thought.
"Hey you're not so bad you Little Orange Runt," Anko praised him and tousled his hair. Naruto stood frozen stiff.
'Was this really the proctor for the Chunin exams?' Naruto thought to himself, 'How could she lose such a hideous snake?'
(Meanwhile in the Forest of Death)
BLECHSSS-CHOO!
"Did that snake just sneeze?" Inaho commented, "I thought Snakes don't sneeze?"
Sasuke's eye twitched during the time the team traveled. The snake sneezed all right. Anko's precious Mr. Whompers was hanging dangerously around the Chibi Avenger's neck wiping it's mouth on the better part of its coils, sniffling.
"Personally I think he's kind of cute," Sakura cheered Sasuke looked at her like she was joking, "Almost well . . . he's kind of cute . . . for a reptile."
(Back at the Hokage's Office)
Both had their own reasons to see the Hokage. Both were bored out of their skull. Anko fiddled with her skirt, her mind dead set on getting Mr. Whompers back where he belongs. She already adjusted her spiky purple ponytail twice out of girly habit. She picked at the netting of her mesh bodysuit. A valuable lesson was about to be learned and it didn't matter if the kid's ages were age 12 and age 22.
. . . Never leave bored Hyperactive Children to their own devices.
"So . . . You're the Kyuubi right?" Anko asked. It was what everyone else called the Little Orange Runt. People hated him so much they forgot his name, called him Demon, Kyuubi, Munster, and some four letter word her sensei washed out her mouth out with soap for saying.
"I'm not that stupid Fox Fairy I'm the future Hokage! Believe it!" Naruto griped, "Naruto Uzumaki the Next Hokage! Me! Not that stupid fox! But Me! Naruto! Uzumaki-dattebayo!"
"Okay, okay, don't get you panties in a wad, geez," Anko lamented, "Hyperactive Brat."
"But what about you?" Naruto asked, "You're Anko Mitarashi right? I see you at the Amaguriyama as many times as I go to Ichiraku Ramen."
"Hey how'd you know my name!" Anko seethed "And furthermore you're a rookie Jounin. Intel gathering is a . . . a . . . well nice guess kid. That's my name don't where it out."
"I'm not~" Naruto whined, "This is like the first normal conversation I've had with any normal person in my life. I'm the most hated kid on the planet. So much so that they forget I don't exist unless I'm pulling a prank. I'm invisible, a wall flower, believe it! People say whatever they want in front of me insults included and they don't care even though I wear bright orange. It's like I was never born."
Anko blinked at the steady rant of words. Someone considered her, a blood thirsty tomboy, normal?
"So what about your squad. What makes them not so . . . normal?" Anko asked.
Naruto crossed his arms deep in thought. Now that question was hard.
"Um well Sasuke is planning to kill some guy but he's an ice prick anyway so he's cool. I just found out Kakashi-sensei is a major pervert. He showed me his book and Kurenai-sensei yelled at him because of that. Sakura-chan . . ." Naruto got all dreamy eyed and blushed for like two seconds before he scowled at the desk, "Well she hasn't discovered my manly charm, she's always Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun. I swear she'd find Sasuke sexy if he was acting like me and picking his nose."
Anko bit back a giggle. She guffawed and next thing you know she was rolling on the floor with laughter. Naruto bent over the wiggling Snake Lady to see if she was trying to breath. Anko decided the Orange-Chatterbox already had a couple of the jonin basics down. Intel gathering and when to remain inconspicuous. There were so many skills to test on in the Jonin Exam and nobody gave directions on how to get it done.
Naruto peeked into the file that said "Show off your best skill."
'Man what would Kakashi do at a time like this?' Naruto wondered, 'It's not like I don't know what my weaknesses are. Sasuke points them out every time I screw up. Even Inaho got the drop on me and she still doesn't remember that time I put Ex-lax in her coffee or the time I fed her dog laxative laced bran muffins.'
"Ne, Anko-san?" Naruto asked, "You passed the Jonin Exams too right?"
Anko perked up at the question. She nodded. What Jonin didn't pass the Jonin Exam?
"What do they mean by "Show off your best skill?"" Naruto piped up. Anko face faulted. Was this kid really cut out to be a Jounin.
"Oh good grief man, show the Hokage anything!" Anko snapped, "If you can do it! You can show it! You can do whatever you want and get extra credit for the test."
Naruto's eyes sparkled with anticipation, the sun couldn't compare to those eyes, "Anything?"
"Well duh! Gaki, of course do whatever the hell you want!" Anko announced.
"Hmmm would you like to help me out?" Naruto asked, he found that he and his new friend had a lot in common, "I could pay you in Dango."
Anko pretended to take her time considering her decision before blurting, "DEAL!"
(Meanwhile in the Forest of Death)
Sakura gulped when he heard a young man gurgle. A gust of wind, slicing screams, a blood bath with one red head maniacally cackling in the middle of it all. Sakura felt immediately sick to her stomach as that putrid rotting smell reached her nose. She gathered up her courage, she needed to remain strong. She was counting on Sasuke, but she needed to count on herself too.
"Sasuke how many are left on the battlefield." Sakura asked, the smell of rotting meat and sand made her woozy. Inaho handed Sakura a hankie.
"Wipe your face," Inaho spoke, Sakura was glad to wipe that Scent Detector Jutsu off her nose.
"There's three left, our targets," Sasuke began, he lurched forward to attack but Sakura held him back, "Sakura!"
"Hold it, Sakura has a point it's not safe to act hostile, use your self control and be the bigger person." Inaho instructed, trying to play mediator between the two made things a little awkward and to say the least, she thought Sakura's idea of reasoning with the Sand Siblings was insane.
"What gives you the right to judge?" Sasuke snapped angrily, the sand swirled beneath his feet Sasuke made room to jump, it was Inaho that held him still.
"Sasuke-kun with that data we learned from Kabuto about Gaara. I cross-referenced everything by memory and Gaara is quite a bit like a certain someone we know," Sakura bragged, she didn't have to say Naruto the sand swirled beneath her feet and Sakura swallowed a lump of fear, "And when we met Gaara the other day before the Chunin exam. His teammates treated Gaara the same way Naruto was treated by the villagers."
Sasuke clenched his fists. Things weren't going his way but he had to admit. He liked this capable confident side of Sakura better than the squeamish sissy side.
"People hate him," Sakura pointed out, eyes pleading, begging, searching those onyx orbs for emotion, "And . . . he's mentally unstable right now. I remember some of the times Naruto acted like a total loser but that's because he didn't have us right Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Kankuro in the meantime screwed up his face while scouring the "wreakage" for clues. He poked at it with a stick. He kneeled down gently plugging his nose against the stink. Inaho counted three familiar faces.
"Sand Ninja,puppet user close combat, wind user she can use that fan as a bludgeoning device, Gaara . . . hmm Gaara, Gaara, Gaara," Inaho mumbled equations, she looked to her left and smiled sinisterly, "Sasuke you did tell me how much you love a challenge. Ever fried sand at 1200 degrees Celsius?"
"Hn," Sasuke grunted, but his interest was perked. Maybe he'd have a say in how he wants things done after all.
At the same time. Temari kept her sweet distance from her murderous youngest brother. Kankuro tossed away a femur. A skull missed Temari's head by two centimeters.
"Kankuro!" Temari commanded, "Watch where you're throwing. You could set off a trap."
"Every time," Kankuro grumbled, "Yeah, yeah, send the puppet master to do the icky part. Why do I have to poke around some poor thing's innards for a stupid scroll."
He picked up the scroll and showed it to Temari.
"It's just another heaven's scroll . . . useless." Kankuro tossed the scroll aside. Gaara picked it up and grinned maliciously. It was covered in blood.
"Hmm-mm-mm-mmm Mother would love it," Gaara sneered happily, placing the scroll Team 7 needed in the gourd, "Wouldn't you . . . Mother?"
Creepy it was yes. Far from what anyone would count as sane? Definitely so. He stroked a tendril of blood stained sand tenderly. He could the voice of his "mother" cackling maniacally in the back of his head. It whispered sweet nothings in his psychotic ears.
"Who goes there!" he barked. A sand dune slammed forth. The copse of trees in smithereens.
'Thanks to Gaara's . . . invisible friend . . . he has an innate sensitivity to hostility.' Sasuke remembered Inaho's explanation clearly, 'His . . . invisible friend . . . can break him out of a Genjutsu and even be an extra set of eyes to his ultimate defense. Only problem is it's a double edged sword. Much like your nightmares. Gaara's got a steady supply of sleep deprivation of his own.'
Gaara's hands went skyward. The conducter of this killing spree sent his hands up, down, left, right. Sasuke dodged, ducked, turned, dived. Pillar after pillar of sand ensued. Sasuke went through the motions. His hands wrapped through the seals.
Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu
Volleys of fireballs lit the sands aflame. Sculptures of glass, slick and dark, twirled forth frozen in time. Gaara took one fireball full in the face. Gaara screamed in anguish. How dare the Uchiha ruin his beautiful sand.
Temari had her own problems with one boy who disappeared into the trees. Inaho ran quartercircle, going through the seals ram, horse, snake, ram. She spread mugwart through the circle; ducked. Temari's fan filled wind sliced the grove of trees. Inaho ran quarter circle again pumping chakra into the seal; ack!Fireball! Inaho breathed easy, she'd yell at Sasuke later. Inaho had only three feet of the circle to finish a meer three feet and she . . . ran out of Mugwart.
'Darn of all times,' Inaho cursed herself.
Kankuro . . . had a boring problem. Sakura just stood still.
"Where are you," Kankuro chuckled.
Sakura dashed forward, flinging her shuriken. Kankuro deflected. She stood back and watched. Kankuro did not like this game at all.
'Kankuro is a puppet master but where is his puppet. All that's there is . . . Ah-ha!' Sakura mentally cheered.
Kankuro pulled a come-here gesture yanking the thread of chakra. Projectile flew towards her. Sakura stepped aside. She grabbed that wood arm. Kunai in the other. She struck the puppet down.
"Ha! I got it!" Sakura cheered while her inner voice yelled WHO'S THE MAN! I'M THE MAN! CHA!
The victory was too soon a celebration.
"You didn't strike the puppet little girl." Kankuro scoffed. Sakura screamed. A wooden face cackled into view.
"You just struck the PUPPETEER!" Kankuro yelled, fury etched in his features as the bandages came off revealing the real string puller. Sakura accomplished a kunai stabbed square between the shoulder blades. The puppets several arms collapsed around Sakura, squeezing the life out of her in a sickening crunch.
"Good job Kankuro," Temari praised, "Butch Boy is mine."
"HEY I happen to be a GIRL!" Inaho bristled. She rose at that statement. Temari readied her fan. Sakura pulled her hands together for one last seal.
BOOM
The explosive note on Sakura's Kunai imploded. Kankuro's back along with it. Temari gasped, a pause. Puppet parts flying everywhere. Sasuke grabbed the wood arm. Temari crumpled, poison spike to the ribs.
The last of Gaara's sand strewn the circle. Inaho let loose one final seal.
Secret Art Sleeper's Circle
The group collapsed to sleep. Sakura bit her lip.
"So much for trying to reason," She sighed.
The ground stirred. Silt rose from the river bed. Mr. Whompers let loose a hiss. Several inches earth rose from the ground. Temari and Gaara were the only ones caught in the Sleeper's Circle fast asleep. Kankuro however, his face shifting from anguish to pain to fear whispered only one thing.
"What the heck did you do?"
The next few hours were spent running from a psychotic Gaara on foot. A tidal wave of sand, glass, whatever fine dirt and poor creature mangled up along with it. The bijuu's laughter assaulting every ear. Now this left two choices.
. . . run or die . . .
. . . Kankuro chose running.
. . . Sasuke chose the wrong time to extremely noble.
"Sasuke drop your load!" Inaho quipped.
"Shut up!" Sasuke snapped, Trying to carry Temari and her fan proved awkward for the Chibi Avenger. Face set in a determined scowl he hefted her up piggy back style. Temari fell the other way.
"Here I'll carry her." Inaho answered grabbing Temari, mindful of the poisoned puppet part sticking out the blonde's ribs.
Kankuro summoned crow with merely a gesture before the running commenced. Gaara was having the time of his twisted life. Kankuro wanted to kill the group.
Sasuke slowed . . . again.
"Sasuke dump the stupid fan!" Inaho snapped.
Sasuke tripped in earnest on a vine and tumbled straight to the tower. He didn't care. He was going to prove himself and that was that.
Inaho balked when Sasuke got pinned in a layer of junk.
"You are mine to kill," Gaara cackled, "You are mine~ to Gaah!"
Mr. Whompers dived. He beelined Gaara's nostrils(2). One bite to the screaming boy's nose. Blood gushed fiercely down his chin.
"This . . ." Gaara finally awoke just as Mr. Whompers retreated down Sasuke's shirt. Gaara touched his nose. His eyes widened at the sight of his hand. "MY BLOOOOD!"
"Kankuro-san could we trade your extra heaven scroll for our extra earth scroll please?" Sakura finally asked.
"Why didn't you say so before!" Kankuro snapped.
"You tried to kill us," Sakura murmured.
"Well you could've just asked for the stupid scroll!" Kankuro shouted.
"But you were going to kill us anyway." Sasuke scoffed, "Not that it made any difference. Your brother is a psycho and your sister is cruel."
". . .Point taken . . ." Kankuro agreed, "Oh well, my siblings will kill me and Crow's still . . ."
Kankuro's poor puppet was missing a few limbs.
"Well he's here and my back hurts," Kankuro scoffed, "No wonder I hate kids."
The wilting look Inaho gave Kankuro as he carefully dumped Temari over his shoulder like a sack of flour would've killed the Puppeteer on the spot. Sand encircled Sasuke's throat. Sasuke froze. Gaara's gentle green eyes glazed with fury.
"You have what I want," Gaara seethed, his gravely voice dripping with disdain, "And for that you are MINE to KILL!"
The sand dispursed leaving the icky Heaven Scroll behind. Sasuke shivered, he didn't want to think about what it was covered with. It smelled like Naruto's dirty clothes. He backed away from the disgusting thing. Inaho took out her hanky to pick up the poor disgusting scroll.
"Gee Chibi I think Gaara likes you," Kankuro teased. Sasuke shrugged, he brushed the sand off his throat and sauntered away. A blood thirsty Gaara stomped after him. His steps wobbly from Mr. Whompers poisonous bite.
"Gaara," Kankuro tentatively called out afraid to meet his brother in the eye, "Our sister? Your nose?"
". . . Fine . . ." Gaara lamented, walking steadily in front of Kankuro he pointed at the Chibi Avenger one last time, "We shall get healed. Do not forget. You are MINE to KILL!"
"Psh like I care," Sasuke snorted, 'I care not to do that again any time in the future . . . gross!'
Both teams went their separate ways.
(Finally in the Hokage's Office)
Iruka was having a brisk all right day today. He was worried for young Naruto. It's kind of hard seeing someone you've practically raised yourself over the years suddenly grow up in one night. He knew being known as a ninja prodigy was hard on a child. They were expected to be born already blessed with skills that take years to accomplish.
"Hey! Iruka-sensei!" spoke a small peevish voice. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled at the sudden laugh. That laugh coupled with a blood thirsty giggle.
"Is something wrong?" asked a wizened Sarutobi. Iruka jumped nearly out of his skin.
"Oh no nothing is wrong at all Hokage-sama," Iruka lied, 'Other than this nagging feeling that is,'
"Ah that's good," Sarutobi stated, "May I come into my office please?"
"NO YOU MAY NOT!" Iruka yelled, than thought better of it, "Actually by all means go right-"
ZING
WHAMMO!
". . . Ahead . . ." Iruka flatlined, "Good Afternoon Asuma-sensei? . . What happened to you?"
Asuma was hanging upside down in a toilet paper cacoon. His smokes jettisoned across the floor. He struggled and dangled. The saran wrap beneath it tightened around his limbs.
"I'll be just fine if I could reach my cigarettes," Asuma stated, "Kurenai sent me here to get something."
"What am I going to do with you?" His father chuckled, Asuma was as red as a beet.
"Helping me down would be nice," Asuma declared.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down at his desk. He pushed in the drawer.
ZOOM
The desk ricocheted forward taking down the entire east wall with it. One thing stood perfectly clear. Iruka face palmed. The Hokage stared down at his brightly stained robes. He found Naruto's file and put a check mark next to skills in Intelligence gathering and setting of traps. Iruka however had his own thing to say.
"NARUTOOOOO!" Iruka screamed loud and clear. Right next to Naruto who, with a wince, stood behind the laughing snake lady. He, in running distance to the door.
. . . It seemed some things . . . never changed.
(1) Inaho is the name of one of the Genin that failed the first part of the exam. I tried to stay true to character but this Inaho sort of came into her own and veered away more. She looks like a guy but according to the databook she is a girl. So this one happens to have a responsibility streak and a bit of sensitivity about her looks.
(2)The nose seemed like a good idea. Gaara may be incased in that sand armor but he still needs to breath.
FurtherNote: Personally I was thinking the Sand Sibs could've reigned down much more chaos and destruction seeing as how many fans of the Sand Siblings will probably tell me they needed a cooler introduction. Team 7 dodged quite the bullet this round but what about the preliminaries? Who will go up against who?