Not everyday in Konoha started warm and quite. In fact, ever since Naruto was born, each day was loud and rackety. "C'mon when I registered they said today was the day I get fight. I want to know who I'm fighting!" Naruto began to complain as he followed behind Kakashi to the arena. He seemed confident in himself but still thinking who was he against. "I bet he's strong or maybe he's cool and calm like Sasuke."
Kakashi was lost in reading his same orange book.
Naruto grunted when he couldn't catch his eyes then ranted. "Kakashi-sensei! Don't leave me clueless here!"
"Oh, Naruto, you're always clueless!" Came that sweet but somewhat stingy voice.
Naruto turned the pink hair and green eyes on his left side. "Sakura? Are you registering too?"
"No," She replied, joining the walk with their sensei. "I'm going to see Sasuke in his fight." That perky look, which was brought on her face by the thought of Sasuke, dejected Naruto. Sakura had become oblivious to the Uzumaki's feelings for quite some time. It was also tearing him inside bit by bit.
XXXX
A door departed from the frame, which had a direful creaking into a bedroom. The occupant, incognizant and abed, observed with scarred eyes. Light and careful footsteps ambulated to the green covers, a flawed hand extended on the young sleeping shoulder, then shook. "Wake up, it's time to go."
"Eh, no..." Shikamaru turned over in his bed, pulling the sheets over his head.
"You'll miss the skills tests." The older Nara added.
"I don't want to go to school." Groaning, Shikamaru held a pillow to his ear. "Five more minutes!"
"Shikamaru," The man named then heaved the sheets off, "You're signed up."
Drowsy and curling from the cold, Shikamaru cracked one eye open. He dazed, while sitting up to the man who woke him. "What a drag, Shikaomi-Shukufu..."
"Your opponent isn't coming over here," Shikaomi took the pillow and patted his nephew's head,"come on get up."
"I don't wanna..." Shikamaru twisted away, hearing his uncle's sigh. He went back to his sleeping position but a storm of frigid water showered on him. "Aah! Cold!"
As the younger Nara had the shakes, Shikaomi placed the bucket under his forearm and started. "My brother said to look after you while he's on his mission."
"I'm having a t-talk with my d-dad when he gets b-back." Clenching his fists, Shikamaru mumbled through his teeth.
"Not until you eat some breakfast." Shikaomi sagged on the door frame and tossed a towel on the other. "Now dry off."
He left again, but Shikamaru was willing to get up, wishfully, not to getting wet. Yoshino had cracked egg shells, yoke cooking on the pan when her son walked in, rubbing the towel on his brunette hair. He sat next to his uncle, who was eating pancakes. "How did you talk me into this?"
XXXX
Team 7 entered in the battle arena, Naruto eagerly ran up the stairs and found team sand on a balcony. He squinted his eyes, but they weren't playing ticks on him. Gaara, Kankuro and Temari were waiting like him, maybe for the same reason too. "I thought this test was for the leaf only."
"It could be they heard of these skills test and wanted to join in." Kakashi replied with his eyes looking down on them.
Sakura faced her sensei then at the other team. "Really?" She turned to Sasuke, who seemed to started at the wall, grinning. "I heard the test is ranked, maybe weakest to strongest." She stepped close to the Uchiha. "If so you'll go last, Sasuke."
Hearing her conversation, Naruto butted in. "When do you think I'll go?"
Sakura rolled her eyes to the Uzumaki and answered. "If it is weakest to strongest, you'll be first."
"Oh!"
XXXX
Running in the grassy field, Unari and Aoi were catching and enjoying the sun. The two Inuzukas were panting after their long dash, they laid down to rest. Unari started to rub his dog's belly when he heard his name. "...Leeandra."
He was right. Leeandra marching up to him with the same smile. "Unari are you to the arena?"
"No, why should I?" He bluntly asked.
"Well, I'm going to referee and I want you to see me."
The Inuzuka yawned and rudely added. "I have training to do with Aoi."
Shrugging, Leeandra sighed sadly. "In that case, I'll tell Kiba since he's registered then I'll be off." She began to head back to Inuzuka household.
"Bye." He looked then noticed a blue feather through her red hair. "Hey Leeandra!" Unari sat up then opened his arms. "Aren't you going to give me a hug before you leave?"
The Roteorn eye's shined as she turned. "Of course." When they embraced one another, Unari plucked the feather and quickly stuffed it in his sleeve. "Ow, did you just pinched me?" She pulled away and rubbed the back of her neck.
"No, why would I do a thing like that?" The Inuzuka gave a brief chuckle. "Now don't you have to referee or something?" Trying to get her to go, Unari reminded her.
"Yeah..." Leeandra turned back still rubbing that spot where her feather had been.
As soon as she was inside the home, Unari had a menacing look in his eyes. Smirking foully, he held up the blue feather and pet Aoi's head. "Just a few more of these and we'll be set, boy. She's so stupid."
XXXX
"I haven't eaten all my eggs yet!" Shikamaru whined as Shikaomi hoisted him to his feet.
"You'll be late." His uncle replied, opening their front door. "Now go."
"I'm going, I'm going!" Shikamaru shouted, fixing his jacket hung on his arm. He move his back then heard a rustle in a shrub on the path. He walked to the shrub, on the path, with three kunais ready. Something furry and black jump over his head, Shikamaru fell back, using his weapons as a shield. He heard a sizzling sound once the animal had vanish. He looked at his kunais as acid began to eat away at the metal. "Ahh!" He quickly threw them at a tree before the acid hit his skin.
"You? "
"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?"
Shikamaru heard a conversation from voices he knew of from the path. His teammates walked up to him, Ino unaware of the Nara.
"I'm just saying that you have to eat right." Ino then grabbed the bag of chips Choji was almost finished with. "All of this junk food will kill you."
"Give those back, that's uncalled for." Choji reached out for his pork chips as Ino pushed him back.
"Ya see?"
Shikamaru stood up by his teammates and added. "Stop barking about it."
Turning her head sharply at him, Ino gave him a look and yelled. "Barking!? I'm only barking him because I care!"
There it is, Shikamaru thought, the evil eye. "You're taking it the wrong way, Ino!" The Nara nervously justified, watching the steps he took backwards. "I care about Choji too that's why I asked you not to nag at him."
Ino's eyes went very fierce while she cracked her knuckles, approaching Shikamaru. "Now I'm nagging, you say?!"
Shikamaru blocked his face and quickly replied. "How about you save all your strength for the skills test!"
The anger disappeared from her blue eyes then faced at the path. "Oh, you're right, we're going to be late! Let's go boys!"
XXXX
"Leeandra, can I count on you to root for Akamaru and I when we fight in this test?" Kiba winked and placed his puppy on his head. Akamaru wagged his tail, catching flying insects.
"Maybe, maybe not." She giggled, walking by her friend's side to the arena.
"Maybe?"
"Well you don't know who your going against right? It could be me."
"You said you were going to referee." The Inuzuka questioned.
Grinning, Leeandra winked him back. "So you were listening."
Kiba started to sniff the air and turned to his right. Leeandra turned her head in the same direction as team ten appeared from the trees.
"You know them, Kiba?" The red haired Roteorn asked.
He shook his head, careful that Akamaru wouldn't fall. "Yeah, they're friends."
Hearing another voices Shikamaru looked and found Kiba and a girl he hadn't seen before. Ino laughed the second she saw them both walking together. She got up to him and asked. "Who's your girlfriend? She's not from around these parts, is she?"
"Huh? No, Leeadnra's n-not my girlfriend." At that moment, Kiba felt like how Hinata always did.
"There you go Ino, poking your nose in other people's business."
"I can't believe you Shikamaru. First I'm barking, then I'm nagging now I'm nosy? You can't quit it?"
XXXX
Margay and her sister headed to the area without a word exchanged until her sister asked. "Did you train yesterday, like I told you?"
The younger sister could never lie. She held her fan close to her face. "Umm... no."
Stopping the girl in black looked from under her black hood. "Why not?" Her voice had a slight anger tone.
"It was..." Margay hid her face and thought the best reason, "occupied."
The hooded girl was silent then asked."By who?"
Remembering from the Hyuga yesterday, Margay answered. "Someone named Naruto." She started to show her face from her fan then she heard a sigh.
Returning to their walk, she advised. "You should of trained regardless if someone was there or not. He could of helped you. How do you expect to become stronger?"
"I'm sorry..." Margay followed, "I promise I will next time."
XXXX
Naruto was leaning forward on the red bar with his leg swing through the other bar. "Aah! What is taking so long?" Grabbing his hair from his patience growing thin. "I'm going to go insane from all this waiting!"
"Waiting wasn't ever your best skill." Sasuke folded his arms and leaned on the wall.
"Do you know anything about him, our opponent?" Naruto pressed on, glaring at the Uchiha.
Smirking arrogantly, Sasuke began to explain. "Actually he really is a-"
"Ino!" Shikamaru interrupted and ran inside the arena with the Yamanaka close behind him. "I said I was just kidding about the nagging!"
Sakura watch Ino and Shikamaru from above. "Well look at that. The Ino-pig looks like she going to wrangle a deer." Choji appeared shortly after, holding on his chips, breathing heavily from his run.
"Guys, slow down, I can hardly keep up."
"You weren't kidding or else you wouldn't have said something!"
Kakashi's eye was drawn to Asume-sensei, who just watched Shikamaru being chase around by a raged Ino. "Aren't you going to stop them?" Always thinking of their safety.
"Nah, let her cool off or until the referee arrives."
Quickly, a howl filled the arena with echos, grabbing everyone's attention. Kiba pointed to Leeandra with both hands and yelled. "And she has arrived!"
"Thanks for the introduction, Kiba," She faced the competitors, "that means we can start."
"Really?! We can?!" Naruto called out, sprang up and nearly fell over the bar.
"He's becoming an annoyance." Kankuro whispered about the Uzumaki kid. The puppeteer hoped Naruto would fall on his head and into an coma.
"Of course we can, now that they are here." Leeandra added and waved her hand behind her to Margay and her sister.
