Chapter 7

The Written Test

When Hotaru, Isamu, and I went to go train, my sensei said something surprising.

"I have nominated one of you who I believed was ready to be in the chuunin exams," she claimed.

"I bet it was me," Hotaru exclaimed.

"And yet, it wasn't," Tenma sensei replied, "The person I nominated was Asami Mai Hisoka."

"Wha?! Why her?! Why not someone who's smart and brave and can actually see what's right in front of them?!" Hotaru yelled out in anger.

"Hey! And what exactly does that mean?" I asked in a frustrated tone.

"That means, you dim wad, that I should be the one to go, not you," Hotaru replied stubbornly.

"What ever," I replied stubbornly, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go to the first part of the chuunin exams. Come on, Nerugui!"

Nerugui followed me as I walked out of the training area. I felt the air moving as if Isamu was waving as I left.

"Good luck Asami!" Isamu called after me.

I turned and smiled at him.

"Thanks Isamu!" I called back.

Then, I turned and went to the first area where the first part of the chuunin exams were to be held…

When I got into the room, I saw Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto were there. So was Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. I gulped as I walked past them to get to Sasuke and the others. I could feel Gaara's eyes glaring at me in a neutral sort of way. I just walked right on past with Nerugui on my right shoulder and my new shadow pet, Kei, at my side. Kei means "wise" in Japanese. Kei is a rough collie with black fur where the brown would be on a normal rough collie. Shadow pets have the ability to mend with shadows, become a shadow, or get into another person's shadow and control their every move. Kei is a full grown shadow rough collie, but as long as I live, he shall as well.

But anyway as I approached them, some sound ninja started to head my way. I got to Sasuke and the other's before they reached me though, so I was safe, for now. And as soon as I reached them and said hi, the exam prompter came in and yelled out something weird to get everyone's attention.

"All right then, listen up. The first exam is a written test, so you better know …" he continued.

I zoned out after that. After about five minutes of me zoning out, he lead us to the testing room and told us that there would be a mysterious tenth question, but I could tell that this was just to test our mental strength and courage in a tough situation. On the back of my paper, I wrote, "There is no tenth question," and kept the paper on that side. As the prompter walked around, he looked down my isle and saw what I had written. By that time, more then half the people had left the room. He turned and walked back to the front of the room and told everyone that we passed. Everyone was confused except for me. Gaara, who was forced to sit next to me, saw what I had written on the back of my paper. Sakura raised her hand. He pointed to her and asked what she wanted.

"What about the tenth question?" she asked curiously.

"Why don't you ask Miss Asami Mai Hisoka. She knows the answer to your question," he replied.

"There was no tenth question," I answered, "It was meant to test your mental strength and courage, right?"

"You're absolutely right," the exam prompter replied, "the test wasn't about the writing part, it was about how you would handle being in tough situations."

"Oh, I see now," Naruto commented.

"Good, because it's now time for the second exam," and as that was said, the second exam prompter came in with an army sort of attitude and personality.

"I'd hate to be on her bad side," I thought to myself.

"Hey there, you maggots, time for you to follow me to the next part of the exams," the female exam prompter explained.

"Well, this should be interesting, right Kei?" I asked Kei.

"Right," he replied (shadow pets speak the same languages their master does).

"Let's go you two," I commanded as everyone started to head out for the second exam.