The third looks closely at his three Jounin 'rookie' trainers leading their own three man cells. Jounins who've only had their students under a year, or even two months to be put in literal terms. He sits silently, smoke billowing from his lips from the pipe resting at his finger tips. He listens intently to each of their reasons, why their students name should be put forth.
Each name passes, each name anticipated in the exams. Uchiha Sasuke. The one, many are still anxious for, names are continued to be forth. Hyuuga Hinata. Hyuuga Neji. Two different branches, he continues to write the names to put forth. Inuzuka Kiba. Prestigious clans, prodigies being placed into the fire. The scratch on the paper stops unexpectedly when Asuma stands forward awaiting his turn.
A man, who in many ways was like him and in so many more completely different. His cig rests at the side of his mouth, taking a long drag he lets the smoke fill up his lungs, feeling the sweet release. Kakashi and Gai watch, the Silver haired man all but trying to ignore his compatriot who is smiling so widely, teeth flashing to blind anyone who looked. He coughs once, to clear his throat, Kurenai watches from the side.
"I put forth my whole team for the exams." Asuma lets out, feeling the heavy burden from holding it in simply vanish.
Sarutobi tried not to...really. But he looks up from his hat, scrutinizing his son. He doesn't answer at first, trying to find the right words.
"You all say you're confident enough in your students to enter these exams." He begins. "But is it pride I wonder? Or simply that this group of individuals are good as I've been led to believe." He lets out a breath of smoke. he grabs a light to burn the dwindling flame. "They're not facing just fresh faced gennin like themselves, they're going up against veteran ninja in the field. Some who have too much experience to be there. I will ask you all one more time...Are they ready for this?"
All the jounin in the room didn't seemed fazed in the least when they answered, "Yes." With a thought, the Jounin are blind and deaf, placed under the thrall of his genjutsu as he singles out his son within the illusion.
The man remains rooted, hands in his pocket.
"You have already put your own position within the village at risk Asuma." He leaves his tone flat as his eyes bore into his son's. "Deciding to continue with a mission, putting three gennin and two chuunin at risk...I'll ask you one more time. Are you certain?
"You'll see in the exams. They're all primed to one another, they won't disappoint. Hokage-sama." His son assures.
He contemplates his son. Wondering for a moment if he should accept the nomination before he finally stamps down his approval and drops the illusion, all Jounin gathering their slips as he calls them. When Asuma reaches for his, he holds it a little tighter, bringing his son's eyes up to him.
The younger male nods and Sarutobi lets it go.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Its hours later when the older man finds himself sitting in his office.
Wisps of smoke waft up past his eyes, escaping the cage of his teeth as he breathed staring out to the village. His brush was in his hand, the canvas untouched as he stared without seeing out into the village proper.
The paperwork was stacked at his desk, piled up and all but forgotten.
He's tried not to let her words affect him. But one could only flee from the hounds of regret for so long before they inevitably caught up.
Few could aid them more than someone who knew the most grievous of one's sins.
'You don't care!' She'd howled, tears of rage pouring down her face as Jiraiya held her shoulder. Though even his eyes brimmed with barely restrained fury.
He didn't...not like they demanded. He cared about each of his Shinobi...each and every single one. And that was why he couldn't care about any one of them...
The greater good would always be more important than the needs be of an individual.
He'd done it before. His sensei, the Ni-daime had always taught him that. Never more so than when he leapt into certain death. The Hokage, sacrificing himself for a handful of Jounin. His life was inconsequential against the combined weight of theirs.
He'd always been a quick study.
He'd had to be. Pushing back the forces of Kumo and Iwa in the second war, and using this very same philosophy to keep Konoha standing in the third when they were beset on all fronts by Kumo, Iwa and Suna long enough for Minato to turn the tide with his Hiraishin when he took Iwa out of the war in a single day and then turned his attention to the third Raikage and his scion, A.
He'd done it when he'd called on Itachi, to kill his clan, one that had effectively gelded the once mighty clan to little more than a handful of small distant relatives, of which there were none above the rank of Chuunin.
He'd done it when he authorized the sacrifice of Hyuuga Hizashi. A decision that had diverted another war, one that would have broken out too soon after the Kyuubi attack for Konoha to withstand.
He'd done it when...
Hiruzen closed his eyes, the edges percolating with tears that fell quietly down his cheeks.
The disgust his students had looked at him with that day...
The day they'd all but forbade him from Naruto's presence as much as was possible.
It'd almost been matched by the look of betrayal in Tsunade's eyes when she realized he'd sent her child out on a mission that was far beyond his rank.
But it was for the greater good. Even with Wave country now free of Gatou's monopoly, it would take time for the village as a whole to get back on its feet. Time for the now, A rank assignment to gather interest.
And A rank assignments gathered a lot of interest.
Opening connections into a whole new country, improving relations with its minor Governor for their Daimio, and thus, improving relations with the Daimio...A calculated risk, taken and paid off.
All for the betterment of the village.
"Have you truly let her words affect you so? If our enemies could see the God of Shinobi now...brought down by an irate faux-mother and a botched mission rank."
He doesn't look to Danzo. The old Warhawk stands behind him.
"We're more alike than you think, you know." He says
The man snorts. "Do not flatter yourself. You lack the stomach."
Hiruzen smiles, grateful for his sometimes friend's backhanded method of reassurance.
But Sarutobi knew he was right. The only difference between Danzo and him was the man's sense of initiative and Sarutobi's willingness to wait for a need to act.
One sought to act before problems arose, the other sought to solve problems when they arose.
When they did act...they were both equally ruthless.
He takes a breath through his nostrils setting down his brush on the canvas holster. "What do you want then?"
He turns to face the man and Danzo answers with little preamble. "Onoki is here."
Hiruzen tenses but before another word can be said the doors are flung open and Sarutobi finds himself staring at a very familiar pudgy nosed midget.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Absolutely not!"
Tsunade's shriek could shatter glass, and the chair she hurled through her office wall nearly gave a recovering elderly patient a second coronary.
The new, inexperienced nurse would be chastised adequately. Every other nurse already knew that the rooms adjacent to Tsunade's office above and below have been all but relegated to storage space since she took over. Since her rampages rarely limited themselves to her office.
A couple of rooms was a cheap price to pay for having the worlds finest med-nin on speed dial though, so the hospital managed.
Though, for now it was starting to look like they might have to evacuate the entire fifth floor, judging by how Jiraiya was cowering behind Sarutobi Asuma, who in turn was holding a child like a human shield. Poor thing had come down with a slight cold and was in the wrong place at the right time as far as the sensei of Team ten was concerned.
"Now Hime." The toad sannin bravely pleaded behind the child and Jounin. "The chuunin exams are important. And you and I both know he's chuunin level just with your teachings not to mention mine. He can't stay a gennin forever!"
"The hell he can't!" She howled, spitting fire at the younger Sarutobi. "Your judgment got him dragged into an A rank mission! An A rank mission with nothing but three green as grass gennin! You're lucky I didn't snap your spine when you got back! You think I'm gonna trust you when you say he's ready!?"
Sarutobi chose to stay very quiet, holding out the child infront of him like a sacrificial lamb. The toddler looked as if it was trying to decide who was acting funnier out of the three of them. "We called for backup!" He tried to defend as the woman advanced on him.
"Which got there a day after you'd already fought the A rank missing nin! You're just lucky Naruto wasn't injured!"
On instinct Sarutobi opened his mouth to point out infact that Naruto had been cut in the chest in that fight and had come out just fine. He hadn't flinched, he kept his focus, saved his teammate and even managed to provide a good opening against Zabusa. Clearly chuunin level. But before he could open his mouth to voice this fatal omission his brain caught up, and choked him by forcing his wind pipe to close somehow.
He choked on the words, and Tsunade saw his expression, her own face going slack for half a second before unholy fury was shining through her chocolate brown orbs. "He got injured!?" She screeched.
"The Kubikiri barely scratched him!"
"By that sword!?"
That was the final straw, Tsunade was going straight through that kid and choking the smoke right out of the younger Sarutobi!
Asuma only saw one way out.
"Jiraiya told me to nominate them!"
The Sannin, both of them, froze for a split second.
"He did what!?"
"I did what!?"
The chain smoker nodded. "Yup! Even sent one of his toads one day and expressly stated that Naruto's first mission should not be a failure. Otherwise it would look bad on his reputation as the Galant awesome toad sage of Mount Myoboku, that his son failed his first serious mission.
"Oh that's bullshi-"
"No its not!" Asuma interrupted before pulling out the slip. "Look see. He even signed it without consulting you first! He wants Naruto to risk his life in the exams!"
Jiraiya could only stare in muted horror at the bearded Jounin. Swearing horrible...horrible revenge on the man.
If only he could survive Tsunade's now focused wrath!
As Asuma slipped past the, strangler/strangled he marched up to Tsunade's desk, getting her stamp as Konoha's lead medic, and punching down on the paper. "Good enough." He said before slipping out the window.
"I wanna stay and watch." The child still in his hands bemoaned.
"I'd let you kid. But you're too young for horror movies."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The Sandaime sniffed at the tea before taking a tentative sip. All of his previously lost composure now returned. The atmosphere in the room was so tense one could suffocate in it.
It wasn't very often old, hated enemies met face to face over tea.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo and Ryoutenbin no Onoki...sitting at a table drinking jasmine tea, each party thinking of the most effective ways to kill the other with the delicate china.
"We weren't expecting the honor of your visit." Sarutobi said placidly, staring at the Tsuchikage with a fierce glare.
"The Honor is exclusive to you I'm sure." Onoki replied scathingly, drinking some more tea.
"Not at all." Sarutobi said placidly. "Many people choose to visit civilized places in this world. I know its rare for you, but visitors aren't an exclusive honor of Konoha."
Danzo set down his empty teacup. "Now that the pleasantries are over." He drawled, to both of them, before turning his single eye to Onoki. "Why are you here?"
The Sandaime Tsuchikage smirked. "Why, forgive me, are the chuunin exams an exclusive event? I was unaware. Perhaps I should update that old treaty."
Sarutobi and Danzo frowned.
Since its inception at the end of the third great war nearly fifteen years ago, the chuunin exams were a bi-anual event, hosted by one of the big five, cycled through in order from Konoha, Kiri, Suna, Iwa and Kumo. Kiri had fallen out of contact after its civil war had all but ripped it to pieces and isolated it from the world almost ten years ago. Which had left Konoha to host these exams at least twelve times.
And not once. Not once had Iwa sent a single gennin team to Konoha's exams.
Fifteen years.
"Why now?" The Sandaime asked.
His counterpart grinned. "Why, the world's all abuzz about this little brat you've got on your hands Monkey. Son of Senjuu Tsunade and Jiraiya of the Sannin hmmm. You couldn't keep that under wraps you know?"
Sarutobi narrowed his eyes. "You stay away from him."
Onoki chuckled, taking a sip of his tea. "You know...I don't really think its me he needs to worry about hmmm?"
Sarutobi's features grew cold, like chiseled stone, the glare he was throwing the diminutive Tsuchikage could have killed the man on the spot had he a Doujutsu.
The grip on his teacup was so hard he trembled.
Danzo, seeing this, took over the conversation. "So you hope to pit your gennin against him then? Show off Iwa's strength."
"Got it in one Shimura. Maybe you should have been Hokage." He took another sip of his tea, gulping it down before getting off his chair with a hop. He grinned up at his two old enemies. "Heh My granddaughter will turn your little wannabe Senjuu into paste. And if he even thinks of using that Bijuu of his...well..." The old ninja trailed off, a knowing look entering his eye "We both know there are...countermeasures available to me now, eh Monkey?"
Sarutobi stood up from his chair, so fast, the seat was sent flying back into the wall, he nearly stepped forward, his hands rising to form seals before Danzo's one remaining arm gripped his wrist. "Hiruzen!" He barked, his remaining eye wide in stunned surprise. A surprise that was shared by Onoki, who'd fallen into a defensive stance.
Never once had the Sandaime ever ever lost his temper. Not even in the heat of battle. But here...now, Sarutobi shook with rage. Such a palpable fury emanating off the man it looked like he would initiate the fourth Shinobi war right in this room.
"Get out!" His voice was such a deadly hiss, such a fine whisper Onoki knew better than to taunt him further. Orochimaru hadn't learned all of his forbidden techniques through nefarious means, and this man was known as the God of Shinobi for a reason.
As soon as the man left, Sarutobi turned to Danzo. "Put Root on him."
Danzo's eye nearly widened. Root was officially disbanded, illegal. He'd done his very best to keep the clandestine branch from ever being known... "I don't know what you're-"
"Danzo." Sarutobi's voice stopped him flat. In nearly fifty years he'd never once heard his old rival like this. "Put Root on him...now."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Don't cry Haku...
No need for that...
She reaches for his shadow...he fazes through her fingertips.
Haku wakes from the dead man's dying words and looks around quickly, breathing heavily, her eyes are desperate trying to find something, anything familiar to still the thudding within her chest. She huddles within herself pulling the blanket closer to her frame. Her room is dark, a simple a light barely peeking from the cracks. Haku remains silent listening to the droplets hitting the sink in her make shift home in a cacophonic toll.
How long as it been since his passing? Days, weeks, a month? Has it been that long since it all happened. In an instant her life flashed past her eyes, seeing the man who raised her since she was just a child, die without a passing glance. Time too short, words...so many words left unsaid. Dreams laid to rest...
She lifts her head to the sword laying against the wall, never moving since the Konoha accepted her allegiance to them. She dared not touch the blade or even the hilt to bring back torrents of memories that would awaken. She breathed deeply knowing it wasn't something she could face now...or even with more time.
She moves, movements made by repetition, never really knowing if it's her doing or just a memory. She walks towards the curtains, hesitant for a moment before opening them slightly to view her surrounding area. The accommodations were far from uncomfortable, the Hokage accepted her into the village, knowing she didn't have a dime to her name or a price on her head in the bingo book or even a real name to be worth searching for. She was only Haku...a girl with a clan long dead.
Haku bites back a sob feeling the loneliness...Zabusa. His face flashes briefly in her mind before disappearing again.
Her hands are at her chest, she clutches at the fabric trying with no avail to have her heart from shattering the number of times it has happened since she arrived. Her limbs fail her and she lands softly, the blanket pooling around her frame. The mere memory of the man almost bringing her to tears once again.
Every action stops, the knock is unmistakable. She breathes a heavy shaken sigh, rising as if her body was pushed to its limits. Her movements are languid, slow and possibly deliberate as she sets the blanket on the bed. The knocking growing more insistent. She wipes at her eyes subconsciously, dabbing to rid herself of her ever present hurt.
She opens the door, expecting the number of shinobi from the third who requested her presence or to simply guard her. Her eyes widen, when all she finds is the blond boy from before. The large toothy grin is unmistakable, to go along with his blue eyes. "Mornin'!"
She's so shaken by his all encompassing presence she couldn't believe she was able to get a word out in her state. "Good morning."
"I was hoping you were home," Naruto said, her heart pangs in her heart, she doesn't really remember ever leaving, the empty gape in her soul widens.
"I've...been busy."
"Really? That's great! The old man has you running missions already?"
She could only nod, yet, never fully answer. "I wish I could be you right now. We've been put on temporary off duty for training and team skills. What it all really means I think is mom and ero-sennin beating me into the dirt and Maeda laughing at my pain."
She couldn't help it, the small perk in her lips watching the younger boy scowl at nothing in particular. She contributes to not make the interaction awkward, "I'm sure they have their reasons, Naruto-kun."
Naruto shrugs, pulling at the sleeve before continuing. "I guess. I don't see Ino and Chouji all that much nowadays even with the mandatory team skills by Asuma-sensei. I think something is up, there's been more people coming to the village."
With the statement she scans behind the boy seeing a large group of people continuously filling up the market place. She wouldn't know if something happened either way, it was all so foreign for her sake. Nothing she was ever ready for, being on the move constantly. Moving with his dreams to fulfill, nothing else mattered...it still...
"How is your brother?" She asks, not really paying attention to ever present clench in her heart.
Naruto puts his hand behind his head not missing a beat to the change in subject. He smiles widely, his aura more than she could bare watching. She doesn't realize a hand is back on her chest. "He's fine...i think he's just faki..."
The boy stops and watches her, she doesn't realize it. She's looking at a certain point on his body but not really seeing, seeing through it than at the object. Naruto's hand is hesitant before he reaches for her sleeve tugging at it to get her attention. Her eyes snap up, as if realizing he suddenly appeared there.
"You..." Naruto starts, before coming to an epiphany. " Come on." She watches the boy begin to walk away. After a few steps the blond boy stops realizes she wasn't following. He walks right in front of her. "Oh right, you need to change. I'll wait."
She watches with wide eyes as the boy sits himself in front of her doorstep beginning to play with a kunai in his pack. He twirls the blade a few times when it suddenly stops also and he looks up. "Is everything ok?"
She sputters not really believing, but not knowing how to express what literally happened in less than a minute. She moves, heading inside she changes to the clothes she'd grabbed at some point within her stay in the village not remembering. She's about to head out when the sword glints from the open curtain she left disclosed from her morning. She smiles a little...
They moved through the town, weaving through the ever growing crowd of people. She follows within a few steps never losing him. Naruto grows careless after a time, trying to evade someone running right into a younger woman. She pushes Naruto off of her in a flash. Her eyes blazing, "What the hell is you problem? Do you want to die, you tree hugging shit!?"
Naruto's eyes are wide, the insignia on their forehead different from their own. Iwa. Naruto is about to intervene, when the older man of the three man cell instantly grabs the girl. "How many times do I have to tell you?" The man's voice drowns out at his three man cell move beyond earshot. She's still arguing, but it also fades within time.
Naruto and Haku remain speechless for a moment. "Well...that was...bracing." Haku watches as the boy seems to figure something out before continuing. "Come on."
She's following closely, their destination still unclear. Finally they clear the crowd and move together through the streets. They move silently for a time, her mind beginning to wander, she feels gazes on her frame but they're neither hateful or judgmental. They wave at them, and Naruto smiles greeting them.
She's unsettled when Naruto turns a corner and finally stops in front of a large building. She didn't have to guess for long with posts on the building of medical purposes. He continues walking further inside, Haku all but keeping close by his person. His hands are back behind his head, his strides are wide, the ever present smile still in tact. He doesn't ask the lobbyist for room, completely by-passing the lady and heading to his direction.
They're only a few steps into the building, when they were met with a loud ruckus in one of the rooms. There's a crashing sound, yelling...a lot of yelling, Naruto simply shakes his head and continues on forth. They cross a corner when the room comes into sight, Maeda is standing up from the bed, all wires pulled, nurses hanging off his frame to hold him still. "I'm Fine."
He growls out, trying to maneuver his large frame through the frame but the doctors were all but adamant from letting that happen. "Maeda you're not due to leave for another few days. Tsunade-sama's orders."
"To hell with that, I'm not staying another fucking day." He passes the doctor, nurses still holding on to his frame moving as if they were simply pests. He maneuvers his bulk, his arms still in a sling he catches Naruto's eyes. He smirks and walks over to them. "So you're not just a shadow after all." His eyes are on Haku, before turning to Naruto. "Sup squirt, Ero-sennin still beating some sense into you."
Naruto simply smirks in return. "Obviously, seeing as you're too much of a bitch to come back on duty." Maeda smirks.
"Oh ho, the pipsqueak grows a back bone now that he thinks I'm injured." Maeda moves closer, but he spots Haku at corner realizing she was there. He's quiet for a time, still hesitant, but gauging. "I see you brought, girly over there."
"Haku? Yeah, You told me to bring her here remember? Or did you get punched one time too many?"
Maeda is quiet for a time, he's about to speak. When a large booming voice reaches them. "Maeda!"
All three of them look over at the doorway to his room, and see two intimidating women standing side by side. Their eyes blazing, Haku watches quietly as Naruto waves meekly at both woman, Maeda looking anywhere than at them. "Hey mom, Reina! Just visiting."
Tsunade grits her teeth keeping her voice even as she glares at Naruto. "You, I'll deal with later." And the blond wonders what the hell he did now. Luckilly his mother rounds on his brother figure. "Maeda how many damn times do I have to tell you already?"
The boy almost de-inflates, but remains strong, "I'm fine damn it. Hate being cooped up in this place."
"Yeah? Well stop making it your life's mission to keep putting yourself in here." Tsunade finishes, crossing her arms under her chest. Maeda looks crossly between the woma. At the sight of his cross mother though, he relents. His mom's face when he first caught sight of her...
Well...lets just say he'd rather not put her through that again.
He shakes himself from the memory, he turns to them. "Give me a damn minute."
Maeda walks back into the room, for a few minutes they remain where they are before the Inuzuka comes back out. He's holding something in his grip a small blanket, the same sheet that covered his weapon, is wrapped around an object. He shoves the thing in Haku's hand. "Here. I figured you'd want this back."
Haku stops for a second, looks into the taller boy's eyes. He's doing everything but look at her, he smirks as he shares a joke with Naruto, pushing his smaller brother, Naruto returning it in full. Tsunade and Reina watching curiously as Haku uncovers the small thing. She doesn't move quickly, slowly moving the sheet that was hastily tied.
She doesn't pay attention to small specks, drops that were mostly blood from that whole scene. Her heart is beating in her ears remembering the bloody mess, moving the last piece of cloth, it's as if the wind has been knocked out of her. Maeda and Naruto both turn back to the girl, her quick intake of breath catching their attention, she's holding the mask tightly in her finger tips. Memories...precious memories of the day he got her this mask.
She couldn't help it, doesn't seem to realize it when one tear fell, another followed close behind. She wasn't sobbing, it's as though someone turned on a faucet and they just fell. She wasn't trying to hold it back either. Naruto turns to Maeda, punching him hard on the arm. "Dick."
He shrugs the punch off, and places a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "Hey girly." She seems to awaken from her dream-like state, noticing the two brothers watching her. She gasps, and turns away from the brothers wiping self consciously at her face.
"Thank you..." She begins softly, still looking at the curvature of her mask. Beautifully made, craftmanship and work ethic, a mask that brought more memories of him. Her life saver, the man who gave her a chance to find her own dreams, gave her a purpose, a sense of being twice in one life time. "How did...
"I hid it in my pack," Maeda finishes for her. She's having trouble trying to finish sentence when her heart is stuck somewhere in her mind. "It's...a nice mask."
"He...gave it to me." Haku begins, trying to find the words. She loses herself in the memory, her only words are the repeated mantra stuck in her head, lest her voice all but failed her once again. "Thank you."
Maeda moves his one good shoulder, he scratches absentmindedly behind his head. "No need, it's yours." He's quiet for a time trying to figure a way to open with his next sentence. "He's the toughest sonnuva bitch I ever faced." Haku looks up into the boy-man's face, catching his unique eyes. "The only man who put me into the dirt without so much a sweat. "
She could only nod her head. Naruto is watching the exchange silently, before he even attempts to break the silence. "So...being a bitch in front of my mom doesn't count either, huh?"
She couldn't help it, the smile that hits her is almost breath taking. Maeda's one good arm grabs Naruto in a choke hold, "If I had my other arm, you'd be crying like a little girl." Naruto is all but trying to breath and not laugh at the same time. Haku simply watches the exchange, her heart is less tightened by the memories this time. Somewhere were she could bear the pain, as she continues watching them. The smile still present.
Maeda looks up at her before letting his younger brother go, "I'll see you around girly." He turns pushing Naruto to the side, the young blond doing the same. "I better not catch you slacking off, squirt. I'll be outta here soon, ya hear?"
"You got it, bro!"
The hulking mass of the Inuzuka marches away from them heading towards the two woman. Haku can't help the smile from staying when Maeda stands in front of Tsunade and Reina. It was amusing to see a man almost twice their size hang his head, while Tsunade pointed at his chest and the boy simply took it. Maeda turns around, feeling a finger at his back pushing him inside. "Oi, that hurts, Baa-chan?!"
Tsunade's twitched at the name making it a point to press her finger harder on to his back, "Stop being a baby and take it like a man!" She continues on before stopping at the door to look at the two in the hallway. "Naruto!" She calls. Then hesitates before sighing...agravated. "Get to training."
"Oh crap..."
"I'll see you home tonight," She finishes, before stopping again and turning to the boy. "Please come back without any blood, dirt, and whatever else you roll into today. You're stinking up the place."
"Hey, I take offense to that!"
Tsunade heads inside, Reina about to pass through, "Don't worry bout Maeda. We'll take care of him. Train hard Naru-chan!"
The hallway is silent, the door closing with the muffled protests of Maeda in the room. Naruto seems to focus on the day, hitting his chest to gain his bearings. "Right. Meeting Ino and Chouji at the training grounds for team skills. You want to come?"
Haku looks up at the boy, her heart feeling a little lightened, the mask still being tightly in her finger tips. She was far from okay, she knew that, his memory taking precedence over everything else. But, she realized, walking beside Naruto towards the training grounds, this pain of loneliness of loss would always be there. Yet, it took time for wounds to heal, scars to be left for a constant reminder to never forget. But new memories could be formed, new bonds of friendship can be made...
"You're late!"
"I'm sorry! I fell asleep in the bathhouse gathering intel for Ero-sennin." Naruto says, putting his hands up in defense.
"What?!"
Haku slowly covers the mask with the sheet Maeda left with her. A lone tear slowly falls, as she tightens the corners to protect the mask inside.
Thank you...
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Naruto walks towards the door, Ino and Chouji walking alongside him. He's nervous, he pulls at his sleeve tuning out Ino who's talking, all the training they were put through would show through for the exams they were, unknowingly, working for so hard this past month.
Naruto's eyes widened and look up at the man waiting against the wall where the double doors led to a room where they'd be tested. "Hello my demons." He pushes himself off the wall, flicking the cig away from his person making sure to snuff out the cherry. "You guys look nervous."
All three of them don't actually answer only shrug in response. "Well it would've helped to know what we were training for all that time. "We...would've been better prepared." Ino finishes, hands at her hip before just crossing them and looking away.
Naruto and Chouji nod their heads in acknowledgment. "Fair enough." Asuma only smiles standing before them, "But I think you're ready for this."
"Yeah, well tell that to my stomach," Chouji cuts in, trying to settle the fluttering in his belly.
Asuma simply shakes his head, putting a hand on Chouji's shoulder, "You guys are ready for this." He reassures down the line patting each one on the shoulder to show his support.
"Hai Asuma-sensei," The troupe announce.
"Just keep this in mind. Working separately will only hinder you. You have to move together. Stay together. Trust in eachother like you did in wave and no one can bring you down."
His cell all nodded at once, Asuma stands aside as his team move forward. Chouji and Naruto place their palms on the door before pushing them open. The cell stand idly, when the entire class that awaited them turned in their directions. Eyes widen as a multitude of them are scrutinized by the foreign ninjas waiting. Naruto moves forward, he could hear the whispers. Son of Tsunade. Son of Jiraiya.
Others are listening too. The team from Iwa do not hide their glares. They had a target now.
Naruto grew irritated at the repeated statements he steps forward. "You're all going down!" Many of them stood up ready to pick a fight, some only scoffing at his proclamation and turned away, but always weary. Naruto stands at the forefront, pointing at each and everyone of the individuals. Ino facepalmed at the action, before walking over and smacking Naruto upside the head. "Baka."
Chouji laughs at both their antics, already having a bag of chips open.
"And the delicate princess makes an entrance!" Naruto's eyes twitch turning to the only person who'd call him that and would get away with it. Kiba is grinning a toothy grin, Akamaru sitting comfortably in the pouch in front of his zipped up chest. "Sup Naruto"
Naruto quickly smacks his hand in a friendly greeting, honestly, very glad he was there. "Your team got nominated too?"
"Yea, Kurenai-sensei allowed us to go. I'm still stumped why Sensei let Sakura in though. Ack!" The smack across the head was unseen to the naked eye, but the rosette girl was seething her fist over the boy's head.
"You want to run that by me again, dog breath?" Sakura announces loudly. Naruto laughs nervously, waving at the girl and Shino who walked right beside her. Kiba is left clutching at the growing lump forming where she whacked him. Her focus momentarily taken by the blond girl behind him.
"Ino..."
"Sakura..."
Naruto moves away as if burned when both girls stared intensely at each other. Electricity seemingly clashing between their eyes, Naruto moves ahead bumping unexpectedly into another student. She's too small, Naruto almost knocks her over. The pale eyes doesn't go unnoticed by anyone. "o..o..oh N-n-naruto-kun!?"
"Hey Hinata!" He's smiling widely, he touches her shoulder in greeting and at the same time keeping her steady, the girl all but fainted at the contact.
"Oi! you killed Hinata with that ugly mug of yours!"
"Shut up Kiba!"
"Let me help," a boy with silver hair moved between them. Naruto looks down at the guy, guessing the man didn't know he also knew some medical knowledge or know what to use to wake her. They wait a moment when Hinata slowly wakes again, her eyes fluttering, Naruto's right at the forefront giving her a large smile. She fainted once again.
"Good one Dobe."
Naruto closes one eye in irritation. Glaring at the Uchiha scion.
Sasuke was an unlikely contender for rookie of the year considering half the time the boy admitted to not even wanting to be a ninja. Something about his brother or his mother or what have you that Naruto had never gotten the full details of. Sleeping dogs and all that.
He had talent though no one could deny that and he was definitely more book-smart than the blond. Though, ultimately Shino was the one that had the most qualities for rookie of the year considering he actually wanted to excel and had the book smarts to back it up.
"Waitin to break that tie Teme."
The Uchiha smirked. "Name the time and place dobe."
Kabuto rises, dumbfounded at first, "Well I'm sure she's going to be ok..." He looks at Naruto who could only shrug in response. He extends a hand to him. "My name is Kabuto."
Naruto nods, shaking the gennin's hand before someone has lumbered past the crowd, getting right in his face.
All Naruto and the rest of the teams could think of when they looked at him was Big.
"So you're Senju Naruto?" The large gennin asked, sniffing disdainfully in his direction.
Naruto was about to answer when his whole body seizes, every movement coming to a dead halt as his pupils dilate to fine pinpricks.
The world vanishes into dark, a bloodcurdling scream tearing through his mind, blood in his eyes, razors over his flesh. He stares at the Iwagakure symbol. Branded across the boy's forehead and he wants nothing more than to kill.
The instinct is broken only by a cloud of smoke that bathes the entire room, breaking his line of sight before everyone has their eyes forward.
"Alright Maggots, I'm Morino Ibiki," the man writes his name on the chalk board including other instructions to go with it. "You're here to become chuunin, well I got news for you. You've got as much chance of dying as you do of failing here and only the slimmest chance to actually prove you're worth something."
Everyone in the group gulped subconsciously, "But before getting to that part of this exam, you're going to take a written test." Ibiki slams a large stack of paperwork on the table, as other examiners began to appear around the room corralling the students. "We will be watching your every move. There's fives students among you who have the correct answers what you do with that knowledge is up to you. If you're caught cheating you fail. If I hear you talk you fail."
The examiners move across the room passing out the exam in the room, after everything is passed out. They seat themselves at the chairs on either side of the room. Pen and paper in their hands looking intently at each person. "You have 30 minutes. Start!"
Naruto looks down at his paper, unseeing, he hears Ino in his thoughts, but he can't focus. The scratch of the pen continues, students taking their abilities and kenkkai genkai to their advantage. Students being called out, before being escorted off, brutally. He's moving methodically...
He could hear that scream again, a blood curdling scream that chills him to the bone. The blood rushing to his ears, hearing the rhythmic beating of his heart. His heart clenches within his chest...eyes of golden hue staring from the darkness...a curtain blood red draped around of him...and in an instant it was all gone.
His nightmares have never come while he was awake...
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