I own nothing except the stuff I made up Characters and Idea by Freelancer

New chapter! The Chunin Exams begin!

It had been a couple of weeks. But soon when they could return to missions, Naruto had woken up feeling completely recharged taking on the new day with absolute vigor to where Riku had to stop him from pulling up herbs in a garden they were weeding by mistake. Tora had gotten out again much to Naruto's annoyance. Today went by fast despite the missions being nothing but chores. "Man I don't know how to feel. I hate this boring missions but I'm okay with not doing something crazy like Zabuza and Fugaku." Kiki sighed.

"It's like we want middle of the road, ya know." Naruto agreed.

"Yeah I know the feeling," Riku sighed. "Kakashi Sensei, when do you think we'll start getting C rank missions or something more our pace that's not, well, yard work?"

Kakashi had his nose in his book but heard the last thing Riku said and looked over the top at the young Uchiha. "What, stopping Naruto from getting over excited and ripping out herbs wasn't exciting enough for you?" He teased.

"Not, really no," Riku deadpanned.

There was a caw in the air they all looked up to see a Hawk slowly circling around. Kakashi looked up at is as well. "Okay guys let's call it a day you can ask me about Missions some other time." He said "I have to make a report of this mission."

"Alright see ya." Riku waved as he left. "I'll go train some more," as he went to leave he noticed Kiki watching the hawk carefully. Across the village other Jonin teachers were seeing it as well. Takuto watched it and glanced over at his students who were exhausted a bit of a wreck under the shade of a tree, Tiko watching and chattering at the bird.

"That's not for you!" Takuto said sharply making him stop and flatten his ears but he went back to watching it quietly.

X X X

Asuma was watching as his own students were having a drink with Choji happily eating a bag of chips. Looking upwards, both he and Kurenai saw the bird flying to the tower. "Hmm I wonder…" she said smirking to herself as her own squad practiced.

Itachi who was high on the power pole watching the Village from up high saw the Hawk fly towards the Leaf Police station where Isis was working at this time.

"So it's about to begin…." Itachi thought to himself.

X X X

"That Hawk…I wonder…" Kiki muttered to herself.

"Huh what's so special about it?" Naruto asked.

"My Dad told me that the Hokage would send out a messenger hawk to gather the Jonin for something important like the Chunin exams. So I wonder if something's come up," Kiki replied.

"That would explain why Kakashi cut the day short, and you might as well hand in the mission report while you're at it." Riku said agreeing when something tapped at his leg. He glanced over to see a square rock trying to blend in with the road around it and failing in response the box immediately backed up behind the corner of the fence. "You're too late I know you're there."

"Yeah and that's the worst disguise I've ever seen!" Naruto added as Kiki's attention had been turned to the box.

"You and your friends saw through my camouflage! You guys are slick boss just what I'd expect from my rival." said a high pitched voice in the box but deep enough to be boyish.

"Did that box just call you its rival?" Riku asked with an arched eyebrow. It exploded open to reveal three nine year olds. The colored smoke flew up all over yellow, blue and pink. They could feel it around them, making it hard to breathe as they coughed.

"I think we used too much gun powder you guys." The brunette coughed. He wore a yellow shirt and grey shorts with a large blue scarf around his neck hanging down around his feet. The girl had her orange hair tied up in large pig tails that stuck up diagonally at the top of her head. She wore a pink shirt with a red scarf and brown pants. The other boy looked like he was suffering from allergies with a runny nose, but he wore a simple blue sweater and black pants.

Riku recognized them as the freshman class in the academy. Having just entered a couple of years ago; but on top of that one of them Konohamaru was the third Hokage's grandson. The girl was from Kiki's clan on her mother's side. He hadn't really met the third however.

"I am Moegi, the sassiest Kunoichi in the academy!" she stated striking a pose where she stood on one leg the other folded, her left hand on her hip the other slightly bent on the wrist and out; With her own scarf flowing behind her.

"I'm the smartest and love math!" said the boy with glasses as he back flipped and crouched down before striking a post with his arms folded around him. "Udon!"

"And I'm the number one Ninja in the village, Konohamaru! And together we are the Konohamaru Ninja squad!" they shouted together.

"Yeah I knew it was you guys, Konohamaru." Naruto replied simply.

There was a silence as Riku and Kiki observed the four. He noticed suddenly what they were all wearing. "Hey what are those things? Those goggles you wear on your head."

"They kind of look like the goggles you used to wear Naruto." Kiki pointed out.

"Yeah what she said! We're copying you." Konohamaru stated as Naruto looked at them closely.

"Oh yeah that's neat." Naruto replied uninterested.

"Hey come on boss!" Konohamaru whined, "Why are you being like that? You ought to be more excited!"

"So did you want something?" Naruto replied.

"He's just trying to be cool!" Konohamru stated.

"You know what we want, are you busy now?" Moegi asked.

"I have to train believe it!" Naruto replied pumping his arms.

"What! But you promised you'd play Ninja with us today!" Konohamru argued.

"Oh did I say that?" Naruto asked nervously chuckling. "Darn it if I say yes than these kids will keep bugging me and I won't get any training done!"

"A Ninja playing Ninja….there's an inception joke in there somewhere…" Riku thought to himself raising an eyebrow.

"I was feeling like pounding some fodder for the heck of it and here you all are!" jeered a voice. "How convenient for me!" it was Kala, he was by himself this time. But he still had a look of sadistic glee in his eyes ready to enjoy tormenting them.

"Hmph!" Kiki growled turning to him. "Don't you have some training to do?"

"I do, you're all my targets." Kala replied snidely.

The older kids gathered around the younger ones as they winced in fear and cowered. Kala smirked as the other three Genin kept an eye on him. He suddenly rushed up and went to strike Riku but Kiki knocked him away. He growled rushing at Kiki and hitting her arms she yelped as her arms went limp.

"Kiki!" Moegi shouted as she fell to her knees.

"Heh let's see how good you are without your precious wood style." Kala sneered as he rushed to attack them both however Naruto responded quickly.

"Wind Style gale palm Jutsu!" Naruto put as much Chakra into the attack as possible, hurling him away and into someone. As Riku helped Kiki, the group rushed to see who Naruto had accidentally sent Kala into.

"Sorry my bad but he started it ya know!" he called but saw two ninja he didn't recognize as Kala got up and stared at them his attention now on them.

"Who the hell are you?" Kala growled. One of the ninja, the one he bumped into, was one who wore all black including a pointed hood a circle half red and half yellow on the torso. With purple markings on his face and lips. On his back with something wrapped in bandages with a tuft of hair sticking out the top.

"Do you need something?" he asked.

The one standing beside him was a blond girl. With a purple long sleeved dress with a mesh of netting around her shoulders holding her shirt on her shoulders with her Ninja headband. Her waist had a red sash tied tightly around it with the knot and ribbons hanging out from the back. She also wore a navy short skirt with a slit in the side; brown sandals with one leg of ninja netting from under the skirt and the other around her calf. Both of their headbands had an hour glass shape with a rim on the top.

"They're from the Hidden Sand Village….but what are they doing here?" Kiki asked watching them closely.

"What are a bunch of punks like you doing in our village? No one asked you to be here! Now get out!" Kala growled. "Unless you want to be sent back in a match box." He added with a sneer.

X X X

"Thanks for the report Kakashi." Iruka replied as he placed it down. "By the way how's Naruto doing since a week ago?"

"He's been doing well. He's been getting along with his teammates alright and they've supported him through the incident. Something I've noted though is that Naruto wants to catch up to Riku and Kiki so it pushes him to excel. With that he's making amazing progress, one day his skills will be so great they might match the person he respects the most."

"Yeah, his father…" Iruka said looking at the ceiling with a thoughtful look. The hawk was flying around the window still calling out to Jonin. Kakashi saw it his eyes narrowing.

X X X

Kala was sent flying in the wall from a simple well timed punch. He laid there limp. The boy before them had infused Chakra to hit harder and faster. Kala hadn't been able to counter in time. He smirked looking at the on lookers. "So who's next?" the boy in black sneered.

"Kankuro enough, we'll get yelled at later." The girl said in an annoyed tone.

"Relax Temari he isn't here, what he doesn't know won't kill us."

"Wouldn't that be him?" Udon asked fearfully. Kankuro smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He smirked as he walked towards the group but Riku quickly moved between them.

"Look, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and believe you were given permission to be here. Seeing as how you're from the Hidden Sand and all; however we won't tolerate you antagonizing anyone here for no reason. So walk away or I will take action. Riku warned in a threatening tone.

"Annoying little punk," Kankuro growled. "I don't like punks who run off their mouths." Riku just glared at him. "And you're the kind of punk I hate the most. All attitude and no talk." He said pulling off the thing on his back.

"You're gonna use Krow?" Temari grabbed him by the shoulder, "Kakuro, stop it."

"This punk needs to be put in his place, only way to do that is beat him till he runs off like a dog with his tail between his legs." Kankuro replied.

"Ugh whatever, I'm not involved in this." Temari groaned.

"Kankuro, enough" came a younger raspy voice, making everyone turn to the tree. There was a boy with deep red hair and a scarred symbol on his head for 'love' of all things, with thick black bags around his eyes. The color of which were frozen pools of glacier ice. He also had a black jump suit with pockets and a white sash hanging around his waist and shoulder. Hanging from a thick belt slung diagonally across his chest was a large light brown colored gourd on his back.

Everyone gasped as his glare narrowed in on Kankuro who cowered under it. "Uhh hey Garaa.." he muttered fearfully.

Riku's eyes narrowed on the red head. "How'd he get there without making a sound….only Jonin at Mom and Kakashi's level are that smooth."

He glanced at them. As Kiki narrowed her eyes, trying to hide her injury, Naruto got into a fighting stance.

X X X

"I have summoned you for a very important purpose. Seeing your fellow Jonin here I'm sure you realize what this is about." Hiruzen told them sitting with the other two elders as they addressed those they had summoned. The Village Jonin, members of the Jonin Council with Tsume, Isis, Ryuto, Hiroshi and the Jonin teachers and others among them.

"So soon, I'd thought we'd have a bit more time," Kakashi muttered surprised.

"I take it the other villages have been notified as well. I even saw some of their Genin enter the village." Asuma added.

"And when do we start?" Kurenai asked.

"In one week," Hiruzen replied.

"That's really short notice," Isis muttered.

Hiruzen blew out smoke from his pipe as he made an official announcement. "Take heed exactly seven days from today on the first day of July the Genin will be gathered and tested. Only the very best will be selected as Chunin."

X X X

"You're an embarrassment to our village." The boy drawled in a low threatening tone. "Have you forgotten the reason we came all the way here?"

"I'm sorry Garaa," Kankuro stuttered, "I…I didn't forget it was that other boy he started the whole thing really! See here's what happened-"

"Shut up." Garaa growled glaring a death glare right at him, making him cower with visible fear on his face. "Or I'll kill you."

Kiki gasped. "He's not serious is he!?"

"Ri…right, I'm sorry I was totally out of line." he begged. Gaara turned to the others but didn't move down from the tree.

"I'm sorry for any trouble he caused." He said politely.

"This guy has an evil look in his eye…." Riku thought to himself watching him carefully.

"He moved between them within half a second and he's one of the famous Uchiha." He glanced over at Kiki "She's been injured and yet she's making it look like nothing's happening, definitely ones to keep an eye on." Garaa thought, his eyes not leaving Riku.

Gaara, in a burst of sand, moved down from the trees and landed by his team mates. "Let's go, we didn't come here to play games." He said glaring at them both.

"Ye…yeah I get it!" Kankuro said as they began to leave.

"Wait!" Kiki called.

"What?" Temari asked as they stopped.

"Why were you invited to the village?" She asked. "You're not intruders, are you?"

Temari smirked. "Far from it, but it sounds like you've all been living under a rock. You don't know what's going on do you?" she said the three turned and showed off their passes. "We have permission and we're here for the Chunin exams."

"That's already!?" Naruto piped excitedly "Finally, mom mentioned they should be starting soon. Time to become a chunin"

Garaa's cold eyes examined the blond. "He doesn't look worth killing, the other two though."

"Well now that that's settled, let's take care of you." Riku said to Kiki who nodded feeling her arms tingle with pain a bit as they left Naruto and the young trio went to follow but Garaa called out.

"Wait the two of you, identify yourselves." Garaa called. The two calmly turned and looked.

"I am Riku Uchiha."

"And I am Kiki Senju, what about you?" Kiki asked.

"I am Garaa of the desert." He replied.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki" Naruto introduced himself as well

"Hmph, I couldn't care less" Garaa said as he and his teammates disappeared.

"Hey get back here!" Naruto shouted as Garaa left, making him growl in annoyance

"Uh Naruto, shouldn't we get Kiki some help for her arms?" Riku asked a little bit impatiently.

"Oh yeah, let's do that." he said as the group ran off being watched.

"What do you think Dosu?" one ninja with a tanned shirt with red markings and grey and black spotted pants and scarf asked his mummified comrade with long sleeves over his arms that hung around him with a large fur collar. Their third Team mate was a girl wearing a grey and black spotted jump suit with black boots and a green vest.

"The blonde doesn't look like he's much trouble, but the boy and girl from the Uchiha and Senju clans and the desert rat we should watch them carefully." He said his cold thin eye watching them carefully.

"There you go Miss Senju." the healer said after the chakra points were reopened in her arm she flexed them and smiled. "Good as new thank you so much!"

"Hey Naruto, why don't you go play with them? You can try to use some of the games for training," Riku suggested.

"Maybe you can teach them some real tricks about being a ninja while you're at it." Kiki added

"That's a great idea!" Konohamaru said ecstatically as Naruto grinned nodding. "Let's go!" he shouted as the four ran off. Riku and Kiki watched them go.

X X X

"Alright it is time we chose our candidates for the Chunin examinations." Hiruzen said. "To begin will those in charge of the rookie Genin step forward." The four did so, Kakashi, Kurenai, Takuto Yuzaki and Asuma; what do you say? Are there any in your squads you'd recommend; that are ready for the exams despite their inexperience? As you know any Genin, that completes eight or more missions are technically eligible for the Examinations. Beyond that only you can decide when they are ready. Of course most Genin require a much longer period at least twice that many missions."

"There's no need to say all this it's way too soon for their squads," Iruka thought.

"So Kakashi you begin." Hiruzen said letting Kakashi step forward making a hand sign.

"I lead Squad Seven, Riku Uchiha, Kiki Senju, Naruto Uzumaki, I, Kakashi Hakate, recommend all three of these Genin for the Chunin selection exams."

"And my squad is number Eight," Kurenai began. "Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka; and now I, Kurenai Yuhi, recommend all three!"

"I lead Squad Eleven, Sakura Haruno, Yoshi Sarutobi, Nika Arkura, and now I, Takuto Hyuga, recommend all three for the Examinations."

"And my Squad is team Ten, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi and now I, Asuma Sarutobi, recommend all three." The other jonin started chattering amongst themselves all three rookie squads had been nominated this was unheard of.

"Wait Lord third!" a fourth voice rang out, revealing itself to be Iruka.

"With all due respect Lord Hokage, the twelve names that were just given were all my students. I know their skills and abilities and every one of them has great promise. But it's too soon!"

"When I was a Chunin, I was only six years younger than Naruto is now." Kakashi argued.

"Naruto is nothing like you!" Iruka snapped. "Are you trying to destroy him!?" he accused.

Kakashi shrugged. "Well they're always complaining about not being challenged enough. Maybe wiping out on the Exams will teach them a lesson. A little pain is good."

"What'd you say?!" Iruka snapped glaring at Kakashi.

"Oh nothing fatal of course," Kakashi replied. "But seriously Iruka, relax." Iruka growled at him. "I understand how you feel and it's very personal for you and it upsets you but-"

"Alright Kakashi back off, you've said enough." Kurenai said sternly turning to them.

"On the contrary Kurenai, Iruka needs to hear this. He needs to realize that they're not his students anymore, they're my soldiers." he said with finality.

"Kakashi has a point; all twelve have been out of his jurisdiction for some time now." Takuto added. Iruka let out another growl at both of them.

"Enough already!" Asuma groaned inwardly.

"These exams could destroy them, you know that!" Iruka called out again. Kakashi stood his ground and wasn't backing down; Takuto crossed his arms as well.

"This isn't your decision to make Iruka, it's theirs if they wish to participate. They can either rise to the challenge or fall behind and try to pick themselves back up, if they can." Takuto said

X X X

The three students sighed as they waited for Kakashi. "GAAAAH, why can't Kakashi ever show up on time for anything?!" Naruto shouted.

"Kakashi why do you do this to us?" Riku sighed in his thoughts as Kakashi appeared.

"Hey guys sorry I'm late I-"Kakashi replied only for Kiki and Riku to cut him off.

"Got lost on the path to life," They said together making him sweat drop and clear his throat, he then leapt down to meet them face to face.

"I know this is sudden but I recommended you for the Chunin exams." Kakashi said showing up three slips of paper with writing. "These are the application forms." He said, handing them to the trio. "It's all voluntary; if you don't feel up to it you can wait till next year."

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto cheered, "Kakashi sensei you rock!"

"Whoever wants to take the Chunin exams fill out the application and come to room '301' at the academy it's at three PM five days from now that's it." Kakashi explained

The trio said goodbye to Kakashi, Naruto was excited burning up at the thought of proving himself to the world, but more importantly, his father Minato. As he said, becoming Chunin would be the next step into becoming Hokage. He had his eyes on the application. "Chunin exams, I'll be going up against a bunch of wicked Ninja," He then thought to himself. "Like that guy with the mummy on his back. Or even Kiki and Riku."

"We might have to fight each other in the Chunin exams, so let's all do our best and not hold back!" Kiki said happily.

"Yeah what she said!" Naruto declared feeling exhilarated as he began to dream.

"Way to go Naruto, I'm proud of you" Minato stood over Naruto, putting his hand on his head and smiling at him as the crowd cheered.

Riku looked down at his own application as Naruto seemed lost in his thoughts and dreams. "This'll be exciting… That Garaa kid was something else; I hope at least one of us gets to fight him."He said to himself, thinking about the red head whose look he had burned into his mind. He definitely seemed like a serious ninja if he could command attention like that… but there was something about him that worried Riku a bit.

And soon after even he and Kiki noticed Genin arriving in the village in droves.

X X X

Hiruzen was going over paper work when the door opened he looked up to see Hiroshi and Isis. "I take it you two have questions." He replied simply.

"I do," Hiroshi replied simply. "I know that the Chunin Exams were made by my Uncle for two reasons. One to prevent needless casualties by ensuring young Shinobi would be ready to take on more difficult missions. The other is deterring other Nations from invading us by showing our potential Next Generation of Chunin and even the skills of our Genin."

"That is correct, but what does that have to do with what you are, waiting to ask me?" Hiruzen asked.

"Which village is acting up?" Hiroshi asked bluntly.

"What makes you think any of them would be?" Isis asked.

"The Chunin Exams usually wouldn't be for another month. But here we are." Hiroshi replied seriously not taking his eyes off Hiruzen.

"I know you're worried about Kiki, but you need to believe in her just as your Uncle believed in me. But I will say this much. There is a new village that has been added to the map, the Hidden Sound Village in the Land of Rice Fields.

"So that's it," Hiroshi muttered.

"I had heard rumors of a new village that was seeking notary, but I didn't know the name." Isis mused.

Hiruzen nodded. "They were recently inaugurated into the village system, but we don't know if they're friend or foe so be on your guard."

"Sir!" both replied in a solider like manner.

X X X

Iruka sighed in defeat as he left Kushina's home. He'd spoken with the parents of the several of those recommended, but none had wished their children to withdraw from the Chunin exams, on the contrary, they seemed all too proud of the genin for being good enough that their squad leaders recommended them. Kushina especially seemed to radiate confidence in Naruto's ability to see this to the end.

"Naruto's been working hard with me in his spare time for just this event" Kushina has given a proud smile, "I know he'll survive whatever the exams throw at him, ya know. Have a little faith in the kids Iruka."

He wanted to believe in his former students, but these exams were dangerous for a reason. He didn't want to see them get hurt or killed. Kakashi's and Takuto's words returned to him, this wasn't his choice to make… they needed to succeed or fail on their own…

X X X

Tenten had expertly hit the center of the bulls-eye before her Teammate Lee arrived and spoke. "Did you hear, we're going to have first year rookies at the exam, that hasn't happened in five years!"

Tenten hummed in skepticism. "I bet it's just some Jonin trying to boost their egos." She replied.

"No there's more to the story than that, three of them are from Kakashi's squad." Lee stated. He was a tall young man with a bowl cut bushy eye brows and a green jumpsuit with his forehead protector around his waist. Tenten, who was about Sakura's age and Kiki's height with a pink sleeveless shirt and black ninja slacks.

"Really interesting," Said their third teammate Neji replied as he meditated wearing a cream white colored shirt with a headband with straps hanging from the side with his hair tied at the bottom in the back. He also wore black shorts. "Either way it's too bad for them." He smirked, assured in their victory, having trained longer and their own sensei having recommended them for the Chunin exams as well.

But if twelve Rookies had been recommended already they had to be good. So things would definitely be interesting.

This was late because I was playing KH3 sorry!

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