Fukamaru: So, is it true what some people say? That you've turned 20 yesterday, you old fart?
Shang: Well, yeah...
Fukamaru: Happy birthday then. Now, lets get on with the interview and get this over with.
Shang: Boy, that was quick... but thanks anyway... I guess.
Fukamaru: Well, not much questions this time around, though one of the reviewers wish to know could you show the fights of other teams in the first test. He seems to be especially interested in Shikamaru's team fight.
Shang: Well, to be honest I didn't planned to do that, so not to reveal some new abilities other leaf-nins learned, BUT since you asked, I'll tell you what: I'll try to dig out some time and place ShikaInoChou team fight with those waterfall-nins in the next chapter as an omake. Hope that will suit you. And thanks for offering help.
Fukamaru: so I think that covers it... hey, my birthday should be coming soon too!
Shang: Yeah, I know... I created you, remember? Anyways, lets get on with the show for the time being.
NOTE FOR 'Love, Demons and Bloodlines' READERS: sorry, but this time around I won't be able to submit new chapters of all my fics. But I've already began working on the 4th chapter of that fic, so you can expect it to appear during two or three weeks (exams starts for me, sorry).
IMPORTANT NOTE: with so many OC's appearing lately, I've decided to make it easier for you to remember them. At the end of the chapter you'll find a short note about ALL the teams that are participating in the tournamet and that will play a bigger part in the story. Please note that the teams mentioned there are just those that you already know, coz more teams will appear before the tournament ends (much more, actually).
Now, withour further delays:
Chapter #7: Those Who Survived
Naruto stood in front of his teammates. They were now in a huge hall, filled with other participants of the tournament. Those gathered here were all who were able to pass the first test.
To Naruto's right was the team lead by Kiba and a little more to the right he spotted Gai's team. And further to the right stood the team of the lazy chuunin. All Konoha shinobies pasted the first test.
To their left was the team of Shinkou, Renge and Hisen from the mist. Next to them stood the team Naruto's team had to face during the first exam. As the whisker-marks looked around a bit more, he noticed Gaara's team standing at the far end of the hall. Next to them stood the other, Sand team. The one the red head was telling them about. "Dakatsu, Kanpuu and Gokiburi…" recalled the blonde from the previous day when the one with long, black hair introduced him team to the examiners.
As he kept looking around, he also noticed Sasuke's team, as well as the grass-nins they met yesterday. A little they didn't know was that a certain, black-eyed boy glared at them as well. Right behind him stood his two teammates. The first one was a girl with medium-length, blue hair falling on her face. She was wearing a black shirt with short sleeves and wide pants in the same color. The other one was a boy with long, blonde hair, clipped in a ponytail. He had green eyes and was wearing a white shirt with a black kanji symbol for 'paper' in front. His pants had short trouser legs and were deep blue. He also carried a huge scroll on his back.
The only one who noticed, was Shino: "Why is that black-eyes staring at Naruto?"
"So many passed? Shikamaru thought to himself. "How troublesome…" then he just sort of started wondering: "…haven't I said that somewhere before?"
"I'm starving…" complained Chouji to himself. "And it's almost time for the second meal after breakfast… I knew I should leave at least one bag of potato chips for later…"
"Hey, look" Ayame whispered to Fugato, who was standing in front. "Fuka-kun and his team made it here as well…"
The grass-nin only glared in the direction she pointed and smiled slightly under his nose: "Seems that those brats are better then I thought…"
"So, those Konoha blondes pasted too…" Baita thought to herself. "Sasuke-kun should be pleased…"
"Naruto-kun made it as well…" Hinata smiled to herself. "That's great!"
"At first I'd like to congratulate all you… passing the first test!" announced Age as all eyes turned to him. "I wish you luck in the coming exams. Now I'll introduce the examiner for the second test…" and with that a cloud of white smoke appeared next to him and soon after a man with medium-length, black hair, clipped in a ponytail (A/N: kinda like Shikamaru) with sunglasses on his nose, dressed in yellow overcoat with a kanji symbol for 'sun' on it's back revealed his presence to the gennins.
"My name is Yamato Taiyou and I'll be the examiner of the second test of the Tiger Challenge…" he announced. "The rules of this exam will be different from the first and thus I can tell you what the second test will be all about. At first we'll randomly chose four teams out of those who pasted the first exam. Those teams will follow the other examiners to the starting locations. The area this exam takes place is a huge palace located in the center of the forest. The goal of this exam will be to check your information gathering skills…"
"So what are we supposed to do?" asked Neji, a little annoyed.
"I was just getting to that…" replied Taiyou. "When four teams enter the area, we hide four scrolls in it. Your mission will be to get a hold on at least one of those scrolls. The scrolls are something like a ticket to the third exam. One team needs only one scroll, however nothing stands in your way to collect all the scrolls and that way be sure to eliminate three teams that enter the area with your team from the tournament…"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure how this is suppose to prove we can gather information…" began Tenten, but she was quickly silenced by the examiner:
"Quite simple… the scrolls will be well hidden. However, throughout the whole area there will be hints as to where the scrolls are hidden. The team that will get to the hint first, may memorize it and then destroy it, thus making it harder for other teams to find the scrolls. However, the team that has good information gathering skills can still find out where the scroll is hidden in many ways. Also, just following the team that knows where the scroll is and then take the scroll by force is allowed… but in order for that to work you must figure out which teams know the location of scrolls, otherwise you'll be just wasting your time… your information gathering skills are tested in many ways during this exam…"
"So this is still a team on team test…" whispered Fukamaru to no-one in particular. "And with such rules, it seems that there may be deaths during this exam…"
"You're not scared, are you Fukamaru?" asked Shinkou with a smirk on his face.
The former mist-nin didn't answer.
"Now, let's pick the first participants…" and soon the screen shown the teams that were to take the test as first. There were one, Hidden Sand team, one team from the Yamagakure, three tree-nins and a team of Iwa shinobies.
The stone-nins were lead by the same, monk-looking guy that drew a number 986 for his team the previous day. His teammates were both males. The first one was a guy with long, black hair, falling all over him. He had his mouth covered with some black shawl with a strange symbol on it. He was walking on both his legs and hands and Naruto also spotted gloves with long claws on his hands.
The other stone-nin was a tall guy with his mouth covered with a mask in the way Kakashi covered his, only his mask was brown. He had short, spiky, black hair. He wore black shirt with short sleeves and a red waistcoat on that. He also carried the biggest sword the loud mouth has ever seen.
"The rest of you may rest for now…" announced Taiyou. "Soon your teams will be called as well…" and with that he was gone along with other examiners.
"How unlucky that we didn't manage to test ourselves in the previous test…" stated Hisen as he turned around to Fukamaru. "Maybe we'll get the chance this time?"
"Hisen, stop…" asked Shinkou. "No point in scaring the weaklings…"
"This is kinda funny that you're the one to say this, blue-hair…" announced the swordsman, looking at the mist-nin. "Especially since you're the weakest on your team and you're no match for me… Renge, Shinkou, I advice you hold that idiot back, before he gets himself killed and you'll find yourselves without a teammate…"
"Why you…" began Hisen, but was instantly stopped by Renge.
"Calm down, pinhead!" ordered the young Nadare. "My brother wants to make you angry and if you allow him to do that, then you'll be sorry. Wait for the proper time…"
"So, you guys made it here as well?" they all heard a familiar voice and as they turn around, they spotted three grass-nins. The one talking was Fugato. "I have to say that defeating that Grass team is quite an achievement. My congratulations…" and with that he reached his hand in front.
"Thanks…" replied Shinkou, grabbing the hand. "But we'll be going now… though I'm still awaiting our rematch, Fukamaru…" and with that the three mist-nins walked away.
"Good to see you made it here, lazy ass!" announced Temari as she rubbed her fist on Shikamaru's head. "Seems that the Leaves still have all their participants…"
"Yeah… even Endless Forehead made it" noticed Ino when her team joined them.
"Of course, what did you expect?" replied Sakura, acting tough.
"Well, the Sand lost one team already…" admitted Kankuro. "But it's not really that important. The worst one from Suna is still in the game…" and with that he looked in the direction of Dakatsu, Kanpuu and Gokiburi.
"After this test there won't be any, weak opponents anyway…" reminded Kosha. "Everyone that will advance to the next test is certainly strong and should be feared…"
"And that's a good thing!" yelled Lee. "Coz our young spirits have to face challenges so we could advance! Worthy opponents is something that we must face!"
"And there he goes again…" sighed Tenten.
"Fuzzy-brows is right!" nodded Naruto. "Only with strong opponents everyone will be able to see my awesomeness!"
"Only with those idiots can people see how dumb Konoha shinobies are…" sighed Fukamaru, while looking around. His sight froze for a moment on Sasuke, who caught his glare.
For few seconds they had a staring contest, which they both ended at the same time. Only then did the swordsman noticed a black-eyed boy looking at them.
As soon as he noticed Fukamaru's glare, the black-eyed turned around and began talking to his teammates. Kiba sensed that something's wrong and whispered to his fellow, leaf-nin:
"What's going on?"
"I'm not sure…" replied the former mist-nin. "But nothing you should worry about, I guess."
Then a familiar 'BING' was heard and four, new teams headed towards the door. One of them was the Sand team lead by the one called Dakatsu.
"Seems that this one won't take long…" assumed Gaara, as well looked after the sand-nins.
Time went by and more teams entered the exam. Sakura counted the number of participants who already finished the second test, but she lost count around fifty. Gaara and his siblings, along with Fukamaru's old team, were already called, yet none of the Konoha teams was asked to enter the exam place.
"What if we'll have to fight against each other?" worried Hinata.
"You shouldn't be worrying about that…" replied the former mist-nin. "I heard few things about this tournament and the rules claim that two teams from the same village won't be forced to fight against one another unless they won't have opponents from other villages. It's likely possible that we'll get to enter the second exam in the same time…"
"But this is boring!" yawned Naruto. "Why doesn't anything interesting happens?" and just as he finished that line, a sound of thunder could be heard in the hall and the flash of light blinded them (A/N: well, most of them).
As they regained their sight, they noticed a team of cloud-nins standing above a team from Ame Gakure. All the rain-nins were lying on the ground motionless.
"Calm down, Saikou-chan…" a boy their age with spiky, silver hair and blue eyes asked his teammate. He was wearing a violet dress (A/N: little similar to Kakashi's, but with no mask) and carried a long stick on his back. "Fights outside the exams are forbidden… we can be disqualified and you know that Raikage-sama won't approve that…"
"Give her a break, Shunrai…" another boy, two or three years older then the first, cut in. He was bold, had blue eyes and a tattoo of a thunder on his forehead. He wore a black shirt with short sleeves and a red waistcoat on it. He also had long, black pants and a huge axe attached to his back. "Let the girl have some fun…"
"Ryuu, you remember what happened last time she went out of control?" asked the silver-hair. "So, instead of throwing dumb comments, help me calm her down…"
The third cloud-nin, a female with long, blonde hair, yellow eyes and was wearing a similar shirt to Tenten's, only hers was white. She also had knee-length, black pants.
The Cloud kunoichi was breathing heavily as she looked at her teammates. Finally, after a long while, she seemed to calm down a bit. The silver-hair left out a sigh of relieve whereas the bold guy didn't seem to care much.
"Did she alone defeated those rain-nins?" asked Ayame a bit frightened.
"That's what it looks like…" replied Fugato. "I wonder… what do you think, Kosha?"
"Perhaps…" answered the other grass-nin without opening his eyes. "But you're the one who should know better then I…"
From behind a boy with black eyes observed the whole scene. Fugato noticed that, but decided to ignore him… for now.
"An interesting show…" announced Sasuke, propping against the wall at far end of the hall. "That cloud kunoichi… facing her might be interesting… Looks like she scared most of the people gathered…"
"That only proves that they're impressed by simple tricks…" replied Genko.
"Wow, that girl is strong…" thought Ino, looking at the blonde kunoichi.
"She wiped the floor with those rain-nins…" noticed Shikamaru. "That's why I think women are troublesome…"
Kiba looked at his dog which began hiding behind his master. "She's that powerful?" the heir of the Inuzuka gave Akamaru a questioning glare and then turned to the cloud-nins once more.
"Sorry everyone…" began the silver-head as the kunoichi calmed down completely. "We didn't meant to scare anyone… right, Saikou-chan?"
"…" the blonde looked at her teammate and after a short moment she replied silently: "Sorry"
"Damn, what's her problem?" Naruto asked himself.
"You saw that?" asked a boy with medium-length, grey hair, clipped in a ponytail and grey eyes, wearing a grey overcoat with green top. He had grey pants and was carrying a sword on his back. He had the rain headband on his left arm. "That Cloud kunoichi just defeated Haizaru's team with that much ease…"
"Why are you so excited about that, Kosame?" asked another rain-nin with short, violet hair and white eyes (A/N: a little like Hyuuga have, but not the same!). He was wearing a simple, violet shirt and grey pants. His hitae-ate was on his forehead and you could spot three, wooden umbrellas located on his back. "It's not like Haizaru and his teammates were especially strong…"
"Still they made it here…" reminded a girl with medium-length, black hair, wearing a blue kimono with flowers on it. She had violet eyes and had her forehead protector located in the same place Sakura wore it. "Besides, you saw what she did… that was impressive…"
"You two are just easily impressed..." interrupted the violet-head. "You could take her out, if you wanted to, Iikao-chan…"
"Still we should keep an eye on them…" announced the one called Kosame. "She might be dangerous…"
"One weirder then the other…" concluded Naruto as they got back to their spot. "A bunch of weirdos, that's who the participants of this tournament are…"
"Like you're the one to talk…" responded Fukamaru and before the loud mouth could answer him, another 'BING' was heard. This time the scene showed:
TEAMS: 13, 76, 125, 887
"Finally our turn!" yelled Naruto with joy but he instantly shut up as he saw who their opponents will be. There was a team from the Hidden Rock, Hidden Lake and most of all a team of cloud-nins… the same they met just a moment ago.
The Cloud kunoichi threw them a death glare, which send shivers down Sakura's spine.
"I have a really bad feeling about this…" she announced as her two teammates just looked after the blonde kunoichi.
"This is going to be harder then the first test…" Fukamaru thought to himself as his team finally headed towards the door.
For them the second exam has just began.
And this concludes this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a review with your opinion once you're done.
Now for the special note I promised:
Team #13 (Konoha): Haruno Sakura, Nadare Fukamaru, Uzumaki Naruto
Team #31 (Konoha): Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten
Team #55 (Suna): Gaara, Kankuro, Temari
Team #74 (Oto): Akado Baita, Kinniku Genko, Uchiha Sasuke
Team #125 (Kumo): Ikebano Shunrai, Ono Ryuu, Saikou
Team #128 (Ame): Asagi Iikao, Doshaburi Gouu, Kaihaku Kosame
Team #193 (Konoha): Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba
Team #258 (Konoha): Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino
Team #343 (Kiri): Arashi Shinkou, Nadare Renge, Oomizu Hisen
Team #552 (Suna): Dakatsu, Gokiburi, Kanpuu
Team #619 (?)? (that's the one lead by Banrai)
Team #674 (Kusa): Hasaki Ayame, Juutai Fugato, Tokage Kosha
Team #719 (Kiri): Jigen Kado, Kumaro, Zaira
Team #986 (Iwa): Gosai Kendo, Jishi Burado, Shita Tsume
And, since I'm after my real birthday party, I just couldn't help but make fun of that even. Once more a omake. Hope you'll find it funny:
OMAKE: Shang's Birthday Party
"Why am I blind-folded?" I asked as Fukamaru guided me somewhere. As we came to a stop and the leaf-nin allowed me to open my eyes, my eye twitched. "You mean to tell me that I came all this way blind-folded just to land in my own apartment? And why the hell it's so freakin dark here?"
The lights suddenly were turned on, blinding me at the same time, and the whole, Konoha gang yelled, along with the sand siblings (except Shikamaru and Gaara… guess they couldn't care less) 'surprise' at the same time.
As I regained my sight, I noticed Naruto handling me a huge bowl of ramen with candles on it. As I sweat dropped, Naruto asked:
"Make a wish…"
I thought for a minute and then blew air out of my lungs. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to blow the candles, so I tried again… and again… and again… and then sand simply covered the flaming candles.
I looked over to Gaara, who didn't show any expression, saying: "Thanks…"
"That's not all, Shang-san!" announced Lee, as he dragged a huge box into the room. "We got you a present…"
"Oh… you shouldn't have…" I began, just to be interrupted by Fukamaru, who addressed his line to all the young ninjas:
"Told you so…"
Sweat dropping once more, I opened the box and took out something big and hair. "Thanks, I always wanted… whatever it is…"
"Well, we all know how you like pen and paper RPG, so we decided to give you something that'll help you in it…" replied Sakura. "It's a werewolf costume! That's for your character in the game…"
"Umm… thanks… I think…"
"Okay, let's party!" yelled Naruto as the music started playing.
Surprisingly, the party was pretty good… that is until Lee got to drink some sake…
NOW ANOTHER, CHARACTER PROFILE (btw, I just saw how Shino looks in the original after that three-year training... he looks way better then I've imagined him, but too late now ' ):
Name: Aburame, Shino
Name Origins: 'aburame' means 'oil woman' and is similar to 'aburamishi', which stands for 'cockroaches'
Also known as: dunno, bug-boy maybe (never heard it in the manga though)
Age: currently 14
Birth Date: 23rd of January
Blood type: AB
Height: 156,2 cm
Weight: 45,8 kg
Village: Konoha (Hidden Leaf)
Current rank: gennin
Sensei's: Umino Iruka, Yuuhi Kurenai
Teammates: Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba
Clan abilities: Aburame clans ability to control bugs (Kikaichuu no Jutsu) (decided to change that category, coz Aburame clan's ability to control bugs isn't really a bloodline limit... because there's no info that bug-controlling is in Aburame's genes)
Used techniques (know so far): Kikaichuu no Jutsu (of course), Mushi Bushin no Jutsu (Bug Clone Skill), Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique)
First appearance in the manga: chapter #34
AND WITH THAT THIS CHAPTER REALLY ENDS.
Take care and till the next update (hopefully).
