.:Two Weeks Later:.
"Ah." Kimiko fell over on her back in the training ground, breathing hard.
"Kimiko, get up, we're not done training." Shizuka said, walking over to Kimiko.
"Sensei…" Kimiko huffed. "I can't…"
"Shizuka-sensei, Kimiko is dead tired, I'll take over for her." Zai said, walking towards Shizuka. She quickly turned around and flung weapons at him, which he easily dodged.
As they fought, Kaira rushed over to Kimiko and helped her up. "You did a great job out there, Kimiko." Kaira smiled, handing her water. Kimiko took it and drank it rapidly. Mei trotted over to them and licked Kimiko.
"We only have two days until the chuunin exam and I'm still slacking; I still can't get through sparring with Shizuka-sensei without running out of stamina." Kimiko complained.
"You've improved, Kimi. I have even less stamina than you, so you should be proud of yourself." Kaira said. Kimi studied her friend.
"Kaira!" Shizuka-sensei called right before throwing a kunai at her. Kaira turned away from it.
"That's my cue." Kaira sang, standing up and nodding at Mei. Zai stumbled back and fell back on the tree, breathing heavily.
.:30 minutes later:.
"It's exactly 8pm. Training is officially over." Shizuka-sensei said, standing in a circle of her almost fainted students. "I want you all to take the day off tomorrow. As you know, the chuunin exam is the day after tomorrow, so, relax and gather your strength."
Shizuka explained to her squad that the chuunin exam was held in different villages and many teams come from another village. The exam is made up of 3 parts and if you pass all three parts, you become a chuunin, which is the next higher rank to genin.
"Chuunin exam, already, huh?" Kimiko asked, taking some water and gulping it. Zai sat up, but Kaira stayed down.
"You all improved rapidly during these 3 weeks. You've increased stamina, speed, and most importantly, you've learned so many new jutsu," Shizuka looked at Kimiko who made a peace sign. "some of which shouldn't be known by genin," then she turned to Mei and Kaira, "some which are very unique and powerful," now it was Zai, "with such precision and accuracy." Shizuka made a fist and looked down at the ground. "I believe all of you can pass this, but, you'll have to give it your all."
"We will, Shizuka-sensei." They all said in unison.
"You may all go home now." She said. "I'll walk you to the building where it'll be held in the early morning, meet me at the Academy at 8am." She said, then waved, then disappeared.
"The chuunin exam." Zai stated.
"It must be hard." Kimiko muttered.
"Don't worry, we'll all pass." Kaira assured her team. Zai and Kimiko nodded and smiled at one another. They sat in silence for awhile, trying to catch their breath.
"We'd better get home, Kimi, you know how mom gets angry if we're out past 9." Zai said, standing up and walking over to his sister and helping her up.
"Ah, I finally get to sleep in tomorrow." Kimiko squealed. Kaira smiled at her teammates as she stood up too. "Are you leaving too, Kaira?"
"Oh, yeah, I better get home." Kaira replied, picking up Mei.
"What are you going to be doing tomorrow?" Zai asked, smiling at her. Which is rare for him, because he usually always has a monotonic and blank face about it.
"She's probably meeting up with Sasuke." Kimiko said that just to make Zai be quite and to make him sad.
"Oh." Zai said, looking down and inspecting his kunais and shurikans. Kaira half-smiled at them. "Let's get home, Kimiko."
"Just cuz she rejected you without actually talking?" Kimiko teased.
"Kimi!" Zai roared, running after her. Kimiko took off into the woods.
"See ya later, Kaira!" Kimiko giggled, before disappearing into the woods back to Konoha.
"Bye, Kaira." Zai said when he zoomed past her. Kaira held her hair down as they both zoomed past her. She her a loud giggle, then a scream, then another loud giggle. She knows for sure the giggle was Kimiko, but who was the scream? It could have been Zai, but it sounded like Kimiko. Unless Zai has a girly scream. Either way, Kaira started off towards home.
.:The Next Day:.
"Nnh." Kaira yawned, sitting up from bed and stretching like a cat. Mei joined her in the stretching.
"Morning, Kaira!" Kimiko greeted, popping her head into Kaira's room. Kaira jumped and fell back in bed.
"Kimi! Why are you here?" Kaira yelled from surprise. Kimiko skipped into Kaira's room and Kaira noticed she was holding a ladle.
"I came to make you some soup!" Kimiko replied like it was obvious.
"Well, I appreciate that, Kimi, but couldn't you have asked? How'd you get in anyways?" Kaira asked, getting up again.
"By the way, Kaira, you never told me Sasuke had a key to your house." Kimi said in a teasing voice. Kaira jumped as Sasuke came walking into her room as well. "I was simply walking by your house, but I past Sasuke, who was coming over so I came with him!" Kimiko explained, all smiles.
"I hope you don't mind me using the key." Sasuke said. Kaira sighed and got out of bed. She gave him the key at least 4 years ago, but he hardly ever uses it; he said he preferred to just come in with Kaira.
"Oh, well, uh," Kaira started, not wanting to offend Kimiko and Sasuke. What could she say? "Yeah, it's fine." Was all she could actually see. Kimiko smiled and clapped her hands together.
"Great! I better go check on the soup." Kimiko said, leaving the room and waving. Sasuke shrugged and casually walked out of Kaira's room too.
Sasuke followed Kimiko into the kitchen and sat down at the table as she checked the soup. "Sasuke, are you sure about this soup?" Kimiko asked, stirring it. Sasuke nodded in his dark way. "It seems… how do I say it? Different." Sasuke told Kimiko to make a soup using milk, half a fish, with some pepper seasoning. "What do you call it?"
"Kaira's favorite." Sasuke muttered. Kimiko jumped and faced him.
"Kaira likes this stuff?" Kimiko shivered. Sasuke nodded. "How?" Sasuke looked around the room, but Mei just came in and jumped on the table and snuggled up to Sasuke.
"When we were younger, I always came over," Sasuke started.
Don't you still come over a lot! Kimiko thought, but still smiled.
"and one night I decided to make Kaira dinner, but I couldn't really cook because she always used to cook for me. So, I tried to make her favorite foods, grilled fish and a fruit bowl,"
Fruit doesn't seem to go in with grilled fish! Kimiko thought, still smiling.
"but she ran out of fruit because she ate all of them and-"
"He didn't know grilled fish was grilled." Kaira interrupted, walking into the kitchen. Sasuke put his head down to hide his very rare blush and Kimiko started laughing. "He wasn't the brightest kid, trust me."
"Anyways!" Sasuke said, trying to stop his embarrassment. "I put the fish in a pot and I thought I could make Kaira eat a two-in-one meal, so I poured some milk in there."
"That's how it was created, right?" Kimiko snapped her fingers, understanding. Sasuke nodded.
"When he served it to me, I was a bit skeptical at first, but I ate it because I didn't want to hurt his feelings." Kaira laughed. "It turned out to be the most delicious thing I ever tasted." Kaira smiled at Sasuke and he put his head down, hiding another very rare, light blush. "So now Sasuke makes it for me about once a month."
"Oh, I see." Kimiko said. "So, why am I making it for her instead of you, Sasuke?" She asked him. He looked back up with his usual blank face.
"You should learn it." He simply said.
"Saying that makes it sounds like you plan on leaving Konoha." Kimi smiled, returning to stirring it. Kaira looked at Sasuke who just stared forward.
"I'd never leave Kaira." Sasuke stated. Kimiko jumped and almost fell over the soup and Kaira blushed.
"Geez, Sasuke, when you say it like that, it makes it sounds like…" Kimiko started, but trailed off when she blushed her own.
"Sound like what?" Sasuke asked.
"N-Nothing…" Kimiko said, leaning back when the soup started stinking.
"Oh, and the soup really stinks." Sasuke said a little too late.
"Thanks for telling me earlier!" Kimiko sarcastically replied. She put a lid on it and sighed as she lean back on the table, but accidentally tipped it over.
"Hey, Sasuke, she's about as clumsy as you used to be!" Kaira laughed, going around the table and helping Kimiko up.
"I wasn't that clumsy." Sasuke grunted, lifting the table up and setting it all over it again. Kaira dusted Kimiko off and laughed more. Kaira recalled when Sasuke used to trip over his toys all the time at his old house. He doesn't think that's clumsy? It totally was. "At least I didn't run into a tree while playing tag." Kaira released Kimiko and it was her turn to blush from embarrassment. "Kaira had to get 2 stitches for that." Sasuke told Kimiko, who held back a laughter.
"You distracted me from running! I call foul!" Kaira said, leaning over the table and making eye contact with Sasuke.
"It's not a foul if you have bad concentration." Sasuke shrugged in his common coolness. Kaira made a fist, but released it. Using force is how she'd deal with fights with Kiba, not her childhood friend, Sasuke.
"Hey, Sasuke, you're entering the chuunin exam too, aren't you?" Kimiko asked. Sasuke nodded.
"No way, you are?" Kaira asked, really interested in the subject. "But you're only a rookie!"
"Uh, Kaira, what do you think you are?" Kimiko asked. Kaira forgot she was a rookie too. Her usual self seemed to look down on Sasuke, like back in their younger days when she always protected the weak and helpless little Sasuke. She keeps forgetting he's not the same boy as before.
"Right, well, I hope you do good, Sasuke." Kaira smiled and Sasuke smirked. "I'll be cheering for you, but if you cross paths with us…"
"She'll still cheer. I'll fight you." Kimiko smiled before turning off the soup. "Alright, breakfast is served!" She took out three bowls and scooped a lot into each bowl and served them.
"Yay!" Kaira said, taking a seat by Sasuke again as she licked her lips.
"One for Sasuke," Kimiko put one bowl in front of him, "one for Kaira," She gave the biggest bowl to Kaira, "and the last for me." Kimiko sat the last bowl by Kaira, but didn't sit down. She got out some milk and poured it into Mei's bowl. "And milk for Mei." Kimiko smiled as Mei meowed and attacked the milk.
"Thank you, Kimiko." Kaira said, then took a spoon and started eating. "Mmm, it's so good." Kimiko sat down and took a spoon. She was excited to eat it and see what made Kaira's taste buds soar. She put it to her mouth, slips, and swallowed.
"What the-?" Kimiko whispered, looking at the smelly soup. She took another slip and Sasuke covered his ears. "How can you like this, Kaira!" Kimiko yelled. Kaira put it down and looked at Kimiko and cocked her head to the side. Kimiko looked at Kaira's bowl and saw it was all gone. W-What a piggy kitty! How can she eat it! It's disgusting!
"She reacted like you first did, Sasuke." Kaira smiled like it was so amusing. Sasuke shrugged and took a slip.
"You like it, Sasuke?" Kimiko asked.
"No, but I just eat it because it's Kaira's favorite." Sasuke said, eating more. Kimiko looked down. Kimiko is picking up something about Sasuke and Kaira.
"You don't have to eat it, Kimiko, I'll eat yours." Kaira said, taking her bowl and eating. "I'm glad you made it."
"Meow."
"Are you already done, Mei?" Kimiko asked, leaning down and petting Mei. Mei looked at the scratch she had given Kimiko yesterday. It was just a slight cut and will heal soon.
"Thank you, Kimiko." Sasuke said, getting up from the table and putting his things in the sink. "I'd better get going, I have business to do today since tomorrow is the chuunin exams." He walked towards the door and waved at Kaira. "See you tomorrow, Kaira." He said, walking out the door.
He still only addresses Kaira! Kimi thought, returning to focus on Mei.
"Meow."
I agree, Mei, I agree. Kimi thought, nodding her head.
"I want some more." Kaira said, filling up her bowl more. She could never get enough of that soup.
.:The Next Day:.
Zai and Kimiko were already at the Academy bright and early. They were only waiting for Shizuka-sensei and Kaira and Mei. After awhile, Shizuka showed up, but still no Kaira.
"Geez, where is she?" Shizuka said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. "We have no time to wait for her, but I can't enter a two-man squad." Shizuka complained. "Oh, Kimiko, here's the application you need to enter. It has my signature on it, saying I agreed to let you participate and all that stuff."
"Oh, okay, thanks, sensei." Kimiko said, distracted by the wind. She took the paper and put it in her fully stocked ninja bag.
"Heyy, sorry I'm late." Kaira called, running towards them from a distance. Shizuka relaxed when she saw Kaira running towards them. With Kaira's running speed, she'll be caught up in seconds. "Geez, I kind of overslept, but it's all good because Mei pushed me out of the bed and it woke me!" Kaira laughed. Shizuka, Zai, and Kimiko looked at Mei, who seemed to smile back at them
How could Mei push Kaira out of bed? They all thought in unison, seeing Mei's small cat body and Kaira's human body.
"Well, we'd better get going to the building." Shizuka said, shaking her head of all distractments. Shizuka and her squad started walking to the building not far off. "I take it you all had a nice day yesterday?" Kimiko thought back to disgusting soup and stuck out her tongue. Kaira thought back to yummy soup and licked her lips. Zai thought back to Kimiko kicking him out of the house and made a fist.
"Eh." The twins said.
"It was great." Kaira exclaimed. Shizuka smiled at them, thinking they all said 'it was great.'
"Well, all of you are all very strong, and I have faith in you." Shizuka said, already arriving at the building.
"Shizuka-sensei…" Kimiko huffed. Kaira pouted and Zai just stared.
"I believe you all can pass this chuunin exam if you give it your all; don't forget the fierce training you all went through." Shizuka went on. Kaira shivered remembering how many times she had fainted during training. Kimiko looked at her many scars she earned and Zai, he remembered having to take care of them when the going got rough.
"Do you think you're ready for the Chuunin exam?" Shizuka-sensei asked, taking the time to look and each and every one of them. "It'll be difficult, so I trust you all will look out for one another." Kaira looked at Kimiko, then at Zai. She hugged Mei close to her.
"We won't let you down, Shizuka-sensei." Zai said, making a fist.
"You taught us well." Kimiko smirked, putting her hand on her hip. Kaira looked at the two siblings, on either side of her. She grinned at Shizuka-sensei. These people were her trustworthy team.
"We'll return to you in one, alive piece." Kaira assured, completing their squad look. Shizuka sighed and put her hands on Zai and Kimiko's heads.
"I wish you all the best of luck. I'll meet you after the second part of the exam." Shizuka-sensei said, smiling down at all of them. "Now, go."
Kaira exchanged glances with her teammates before they walked into the building where the 1st part of the exam will be held.
