"There's been news from the Feudal lord of Rice Country." Tsukifuyu stood in a high ceiling room with his wife, Hihi and the second proctor of the exams. They stood, heads high but eyes humble, before four of the five kage. The Feudal Lord had departed soon after his welcoming speech, returing to the capital to handle his affairs in a safe place.
"It seems that war has been declared on the Rice Country, by a large milita run by some power house who refuses to give out a name, but word in the black market says it may be Orochimaru." Hihi examined her fingernails carefully. Tsukifuyu was one of the only Shinobi in the world with double loyalties. He served the Rice Country faithfully, but he served herself and his wife a bit better, after all the black market paid a lot more for the head of someone in the bingo book compared to the Feudal Lords.
Hihi's husband of two and a half years, Tsukifuyu, was one of her past targets. She resisted a small smile, it was the classic assassin falls in love with her target story. Very dramatic, only theirs involved toppeling a few drug lords on the way, and turning her bad boy into a humble village Shinobi. Some times she thought that was the reason for his grouchiness towards others, after all who wouldn't be happy to go from leader of one of the strongest rebel organizations in the world to the pathetic guard dog to a spoiled lord?
"The Feudal Lord has asked us to share our plans with you, so there isn't any confusion on who we're attacking, and hopefully some alliances will be made in the process." Hihi stared directly at the Hokage, he was their main priority.
The gathered shinobi, lords, and four Kage all stood sporadically around the room, eyes curiously eyeing each other. At the name of the snake Sannin, the room was filled with excited and fearful whispers, stories of the man spinning viciously through the room.
The Mizukage raised his hand, silence befalling the gathered men and women when he spoke. "And why does this call for the end of the Chunnin exams, Orochimaru has no chance against the gathered Shinobi forces. That's why he's not attacking, he's waiting for the end to launch his attack. By telling us all to leave will only speed this up."
"Yes, but the longer we wait the more control he gains over his followers, and the more people will follow him. The Feudal Lord wants to nip this in the butt before it get's out of hand," Tsukifuyu grunted, pulling a scroll from his belt, he spread it out over the table, many of the gathered leaning forward to see it. It was a map of the Rice Country, with little pieces of the surrounding nations peaking near the edges of the paper.
"The purple Xs mark the area's were Orochimaru has been said to have spotted, and the purple circles are the area's were we have tracked the rebel army." Hihi pointed out each area with her finger, hovering slightly over the circle on the border. "And the green Xs mark the area's where Shinobi towns are set up. For now, each town will be taken over by a high ranking Jonnin selected by the Feudal Lord,"
"Depending on who is in charge of the town along the border of the Fire and Rice country, the Leaf Village may send reenforcements to assist you, but the Rice Country will have to set up a ninja village eventually if they want to be able to make stable military relationships." The Third Hokage announced, the four Anbu behind him nodding in agreement.
"We realize that, and plans for the Village are being made now. And as for the town's leader, Tsukifuyu and I shall be sharing the burden." Hihi nodded, rerolling the scroll and handing it back to Tsukifuyu. "Now, since the Chunnin Exams must come to a close immidently, I suggest we judge who will graduate based on what we've seen. Every Gennin has had a chance to show their ability."
"That sounds fine to me, the sooner I get our Gennin up in the ranks and out of this third rate country the better." A mist Anbu mumbled, pale yellow hair falling slowly to the floor as a kunai buried into the wall behind him, a lock of his hair gone. Tsukifuyu twirled another kunai in his hand, glaring bitterly.
"Your right about one thing, the sooner you get your bratty kids out of here the better, but if you insult my country again I'll nail you to a tree and see how much you like it when your hanging upside down above a snake pit." Tsukifuyu spat, eyes flashing as he stared the Anbu down.
"Alright alright, that's enough, Mizukage control your Anbu." The Raikage laughed, the Anbu around him unmoving but their chakra was sharp as they felt the blood lust rolling off of Tsukifuyu.
"Well then," Hihi interrupted, placing her hand on Tsukifuyu's shoulder. "Here are the score cards. Only the Lords, Kage, and I will vote for our top eight. The votes will then be counted up and revealed tomorrow." She handed the small sheets out, eleven in total. Filling out her own one quickly she placed it in a box Tsukifuyu was holding, the others going in behind hers.
"On behalf of the Feudal Lord of the Rice Country we thank you for you flexablity and cooperation. We hope to see you all again in the future, as friends and allies." Hihi bowed at her waist, pulling Tsukifuyu to do the same.
"Are you almost done?" Hihi leaned against Tsukifuyu's back, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder on his head. He sat stiffly against leaning over the desk, the flicker of the electic lights playing against his stern face.
"Yeah, got to admit, I'm surprised at some of these, never thought some of them would be selected." He yawned, reaching behind him and pulling her into his lap. "But never thought I'd be a tamed Shinobi tied down with a village and a wife."
"Hm, well yeah, I've got that life changing effect on people." She chuckled, kissing on him on the forehead. Standing up she wrote down the names on the official list, and placed it in a wheat colored envelope.
Tomorrow would be the day, Hihi sighed, the sooner the Chunnin exams were over the sooner she went to war. How she hated her life, but looking over at Tsukifuyu she chuckled, he would be much more miserable than she was.
"They'll get the shock of their lives that 's for sure." She mumbled remembering the names of the Gennin, oh yeah, it was defiantly a surprise.
"I don't belive this! They're seriously going to cancel the next rounds, after we've came this far!" Junki whined, letting her head fall into a overly soft pillow. The hotel they were staying at wasn't fancy, but it was rather comfortable. Itachi and Hibiki shared a connecting room with Junki, each room stocked with plush futons, a medium sized television, bathroom and had a balcony looking down at the busy street.
"Not like you would have made it much further." Hibiki yawned, grunting when one of the pillows was thrown at his stomach. Itachi rolled his eyes at them, catching one in mid air, he smiled lightly, throwing it back at Junki. Hibiki let out a laugh as it hit her square in the face, making her fall back.
A sharp knock was heard on the door and they were all silence. Hibiki stayed still, Junki looked directly at Itachi, her brown pixie cut slightly tangled from the mini pillow war. Itachi sighed again, using his knees to push himself upwards. Quickly shuffling to the door, he was tackled by a blue and black mass. Sasuke threw himself into Itachi's arm, feeling Itachi's arms wrap around him instantly. Shisui laughed, teleporting himself into the middle of the room, his black eyes surveying the carnage of the battle with high amusement.
"Nii-san! That was awesome; I can't wait until I get to fight in the Chunnin exams." Sasuke grinned broadly, hugging his brother tightly in his small arms. Itachi smiled lightly, detaching himself from Sasuke and closing the door quickly.
"You know Sasuke, I don't understand how you're so adorable, cute, and sweet and your brother is so stiff, cold, and has premature wrinkles." Junki ran over and swung Sasuke off his feet, patting him on the head.
"Hellow, Junki." He said quietly, slightly hiding behind his brother as the slightly insane girl cooed at him, while Itachi, left eye twitching slightly, sat down near Hibiki, who was involved in a heated discussion with Shisui.
"There is no way that you've never had sweet anko dango before! It's just not possible you're from the Leaf village!" Shisui looked slightly disgusted, legs crossed under him and arms crossed over his chest. Hibiki scoffed, sitting up slightly.
"What's your point?" Hibiki frowned, he really didn't understand the big problem. He didn't eat anko simply because he didn't buy any, and almost all of the money he earned from missions went into his mother's hospital bill. Anything left over was for weapon supplies.
"My point is that the Leaf is basicly know for our awesome Dango shops! Plus Itachi is overly obsessed with dango, there is no way you've been on his team and not gone to one!" Shisui turned to glare at his young cousin, as this poor kids deprivation was entirely his fault.
"This conversation is completely unnecessary, Shisui if it pleases you I will take Hibiki to get some dango the moment we return." Itachi rubbed his temples in irritation, honestly which one of them was older?
"Yeah, for celebration!" Junki cheered, pulling Sasuke towards the group, resisting her girly urge to squeal at the too cute to be legal child.
"Junki, I don't understand why you're cheering, I highly doubt you will become a Chunnin after your less than satisfactiory battle." Hibiki ducked when another pillow rocketed over his head, and turned his face to Sasuke. "This Sasuke, is a good example of a ninja who has failed in every aspect of life. She can't even throw a pillow straight."
"Hibiki, don't be so mean, or I'll leave you for Itachi. He may be emotionally constipated, old looking, stern, and scare little children but at least he treats me right!" Junki latched onto Itachi's arm, copying the look she had seen many females give him back in the leaf village, her tone mocking. Hibiki and Shisui fell over laughing, while Sasuke, slightly confused simply smiled. All the while Itachi just sat there, eyebrow twitching.
Dude I swear this heat is intense. It's so hot down here that the place that controls all the internet crap overheated and all the cabels and stuff shut down so I'm writing this on Tuesday night, I wonder how long until they fix the internet and I can post this. Well until then I'm going to keep writing so I can get a bit ahead.
Fun Fact: All of the people who voted represented you guys. Only eleven people voted in the real world so only eleven people voted in the story, so whoever is chosen was chosen by you guys! So if whoever you wanted to graduate didn't, don't blame me, blame your fellow readers! The order they are placed in is also dictated by your votes.
It's been a while since I've wrote a chapter that didn't have any fighting in it, so it was a bit weird and may take me a second to get back into it. It's Thursday now, so it took them two days to get my internet back, that's pretty fast. Next two chapters have already been written so one should be up Friday and the next one not until. Can't start spoiling you guys to much can i?