Book Two: Nozomi's Purpose- Chunin Exams: Preliminary Rounds!
Other teams arrived over the two remaining days. Shikamaya was glad Shikamaru, Ino and Choji made it through. Those two were always wanting to have a go at each other. It was the few times they broke their lazy demeanors. Next to show up was Hinata, Kiba and Shino. As it turns out Rock Lee, to Xia's delight, and his squad made it through too. After that Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke finally showed up on the last day. Unfortunately that guy, Kabuto and his squad made it through too.
Then the proctors, Lord Hokage and our senseis called us all together. We lined up. Karin and Kin were on either side of me just in case my legs gave out. I could tell they were all surprised that this many people made it through.
"First off congratulations on passing the second test." Anko said, her voice magnified by a microphone headset.
I coughed. Karin and Kin moved a little closer to me. "You alright?" Karin asked.
"A little dizzy but I'll live." I whispered. Grandma Tsunade was watching me like a hawk from the balcony with Grandpa Jiraiya. It was easy to pick out Lee's Sensei, he had even bushier eyebrows and the same jumpsuit and hair cut. I can't believe I'm quitting this... These matches are going to be so much fun and I'm going to miss out on it. Deal with it! That's not like you. I just don't want to lose you over a stupid match!
"You shouldn't have been up on the roof these last two nights." Kin, Karin and I turned to see Gaara standing behind us. Kin and Karin were kinda freaked out about his demeanor and turn to face front quickly.
"I know but when you can't sleep, you can't sleep." I smiled at Gaara. I noticed his sister, Tamari was looking at the two of us oddly. I faced front and pulled out my compact. I plunged myself into Tamari's mind.
This is the first time Gaara's looked at someone without wanting to kill them... Who is this girl? Tamari thought.
I noticed Karin, Zaku, Dosu, and Sasuke were holding their shoulders. Where is he then? I looked around at the Genin and then at the adults. "Karin."
"Hm." Karin clutched her shoulder tighter.
"Where is he?" I coughed.
"There. The Sound Jonin." Karin whispered.
"Now, then Lord Hokage will explain the third test to you." Anko said.
Lord Hokage stepped forward. "Before I explain the third exam I have just one thing I want to tell everyone at the outset." Lord Hokage said around his pipe. "About the true purpose of this test..."
I coughed and put my hand on my head.
"Why do allied nations conduct these tests on a conjoined basis?" Lord Hokage asked his pipe in his mouth. "Raising the levels of the Shinobi and the friendship among the allied nations."
Karin, Kin and I looked at each other and smiled.
"It won't do to have the wrong idea of the true meaning of that statement. These tests are so to speak..." He paused as he took his pipe out of his mouth. "A microcosm of battle between allied nations."
"What does that mean?" Tenten asked.
"If we look back on history, the allied nations of today were once neighboring nations, that continued to vie with each other and battle for power. In order to avoid a futile crushing of each others' military strength, these nations mutually selected a place to battle. And that is how the Chunin Exams originally began."
"W-why do we have to do such a thing?" Naruto asked. "We're not doing this to select Chunin?"
"Naruto..." I said. "Do you honestly think-" I was cut off by a cough. "We'd gather all these nations just to select Chunin? We could do that within our home Villages." I coughed. "There are no questions that this test is to select Shinobi worthy of becoming Chunin... Also so that the Feudal Lords of the nations may see who would be the best Shinobi to select for certain missions." I paused. "
But..." I looked up, everyone's eyes were on me, glued. Ibiki had a 'here we go again' look. "But on the other hand-" I coughed. "Through these exams we learn to carry the true weight of our nations pride with our lives. Also some people may find reasons that weren't originally intended to find." I looked around. "Some people learn to see past the differences of the imaginary land and Village boundary lines."
"Imaginary?" Neji asked.
"Yes imaginary." I coughed. "If you look at a map you'll see them. But if you were to climb to the top of a tree on the 'border'" I rolled my eyes. "You wouldn't see that line. Why?" I coughed again, this time I grabbed my throat, it was starting to ache. "Because it isn't really there. When you take away the lines there are no differences between the towns and the people living there. The only differences are the ones we make." I coughed, I continued to hold my throat. "It is true we must carry our nations pride but..." I paused and looked down. I could feel their apprehension. "Focusing on our differences alone..." I paused. I looked up. "will only lead to our Villages' destruction!" I said quietly. There were whispers from around the room.
"Lord Hokage, I apologize for interrupting." I coughed.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya." Lord Hokage said.
"Yes?" They both asked from the balcony.
"Did you fail to teach your granddaughter manners?" Lord Hokage asked.
"Hiruzen Sensei, I-"
"But she is right never the less." Lord Hokage cut Grandma Tsunade off. "I can see why you were able to see through Ibiki's exam, Nozomi." I blushed from both embarrassment and fever. "Now this is the part where I'd like to explain the rules of the third exam. But actually..."
A Leaf Shinobi appeared in front of Lord Hokage. "Lord Hokage, please allow me, Hayate Gekko, who was given the task of judge, to speak first."
"Poor Lord Hokage." Kin whispered. "He can't get much of word in."
"Well, how was I to know that another person was going to ask to speak." I coughed.
"I leave it to you." Lord Hokage said.
"Nice to meat you everyone." Hayate coughed.
"Must be a bug going around." Kin muttered.
"Hm." Karin and I said. "Hush." Sumi said from my arms.
"Umm... There's something I'd like you all to do..." Hayate coughed. "Before the third test." He coughed again. Man do I know how this guy feels. "And that is a preliminary to the test."
"A preliminary?" "Really?" "There hasn't been one of those in five years."
"It makes sense." I said. Everyone's attention was back to me. "Twenty-seven people passed the second exam. They knew the numbers would be cut down to at least half with the second exam but... They were expecting numbers in the single digits, not twenty-seven."
There were whispers from around the room.
"Anyone who wishes to quit now... may." He coughed.
I raised my hand. "I'm out." I coughed.
"What?" "She's quitting?" "I'd thought she'd be the last to quit."
"I cannot continue with these exams due to my ailment. I wish the rest of you good luck." I coughed as I walked over to the balcony. I jumped up onto it landing in between Grandma Tsunade and Grandpa Jiraiya. I put Sumi down in front of me and leaned against the railing. "And don't forget to tell them that these are one-on-one battles from here on out." I called as I put my hand on head.
"You don't let these proctors have any fun do you?" Grandma Tsunade said loud enough for only me and Grandpa Jiraiya to hear.
"They thought they'd be the ones toying with us..." I smirked. "But I just like turning the tables on them." I remembered something. "You see that Sound Jonin?" I whispered.
"Yeah, I see him." Grandpa Jiraiya said.
"Watch him..." I coughed. Grandma Tsunade and Grandpa Jiraiya looked at me with curiosity. At that moment Sasuke, Dosu, Zaku, and Karin all grabbed their shoulders.
"How do you know to watch him?" Grandma Tsunade asked.
"Don't ask just do." I looked at her. "Trust me... You don't want to know... Yet..." I coughed. I watched Anko and some of the other adults talk urgently. Also Sakura was pleading with Sasuke. "But I think you already know..." I looked down at my friends. What's going to happen... Things don't look to good. I don't... I don't...! Nozomi, I'm here for you no matter what, dear. Thank you Sumi.
Kabuto raised his hand to quit.
"Watch him as well." I said. Grandma Tsunade nodded. Kabuto walked out of the room. "I don't trust him anymore. There's just something... Wrong..."
I looked intensely at the remaining examinees. Karin, Dosu, Zaku and Sasuke... Just going on to the next round is... Dangerous... With those curse marks... I'll be there to watch them, just in case...
"I'm going to watch the fights." I said.
"Nozomi, I took you out of the exams for a reason and now you-"
"Grandma Tsunade." I cut her off. "Trust me, there are some weird things going on and I don't like it. It's in the best interest of a few of my friends if I'm there."
"Nozomi, what are you-?"
"Master Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade..." Sumi cut him off. "If you won't trust her on this, trust me... Things aren't what they seem." Sumi looked up at Grandma Tsunade. "You, Lady Tsunade should understand this better than anyone else."
Grandma Tsunade's eyes looked haunted.
"Hime..." Grandpa Jiraiya said quietly.
"Fine, you can watch. Just don't-"
"Whatever you say." I cut her off. "I won't do anything stupid." NOT! Nozomi! Yeah, yeah I know.
Hayate coughed. "Then there are no other who wish to quit." No one else quit and Hayate explained that from here on out there are no rules. Just fight.
Everyone moved to the upper levels. The first two up were Sasuke and Yoroi Akado, a boy on Kabuto's team. Everyone in the alliance and Misfit Dozen, and Gaara's team were on my balcony. Everyone else was on the other.
"This is going to be fun..." I said.