Chuunin Exams Part 4
The first exam.
(-)
"Minato is not your personal pillow, Kushina, now get up, both of you or you'll be late for your first exam."
"At least someone agrees with me. What is the exam?" Minato mumbled.
"Some sort of information gathering. It changes at every exam."
Kushina stubbornly held tight to her teammate. "Just five more minutes."
"What kind of information gathering?" Minato asked.
"I don't know," Orochimaru answered. "Kushina, get up, now before I send you to the exams in your underwear!"
Kushina squeaked and let go of Minato. Orochimaru offered a hand up to the boy and Minato took it. "I will help you when you start acting like a normal person," Orochimaru answered Kushina's indignant look.
"You're just trying to up being mean! You're playing favorites, I'm going to tell."
"Tell who? The exam proctors?" Orochimaru responding cheekily.
Minato reached down to help her up. "So what's the plan Orochimaru-sensei?"
"I'm already a Jōnin. The two of you want to become Chuunin, so figure it out yourself. You have five minutes before you need to leave. I will walk you to the first exam, but after that, you will be on your own until you finish the second exam. Any questions?"
The two shook their heads as they straightened their clothes and checked their equipment pouches. The two Genin walked in silence with their heads down, avoiding the mistrustful looks sent their way from the civilians.
They didn't look up until Orochimaru stopped in front of a tall, school-styled building.
Orochimaru bent down to their level. "Be confident in your skills and answers. Both of you are far cleverer and more talented than anyone gives you credit. You may not be geniuses in everything, but in what you do know, you're better than any Genin I've ever met. This won't be a cakewalk for you, so don't get cocky when something goes your way. There's always going to be someone better than you, so don't let your guard down." Orochimaru put a hand on each of their shoulders, turned them around and pushed them towards the doors without another word.
"Two-man teams on the fifth floor, three-man teams on the fourth," a bored Chuunin droned and gestured towards the stairs, not even bothering to look up from his paperwork.
On the second floor, they both stopped, staring at the sign telling the two-man teams to enter. "Signs can be changed much easier than people," Minato pointed out. "Besides, there is only one Chakra signature on this floor and quite a few on higher floors."
Kushina nodded in agreement and they continued to climb the stone steps to the fifth floor. "Cutting it close, you two. There were ten seconds left before we closed the doors," the Chuunin proctor commented good-naturedly.
"Shinobi arrive precisely on time, Chuunin-san."
"Correct. For soft Konoha Nin, you're rather smart. Now let's see if you're as tough as your brains are sharp." The Chuunin turned to include everyone, "Your partner is your lifeline. On a mission, they are the only people you can trust. At the same time, they are trusting you." He paused to let his words sink in. "If your team was not given a white strip of cloth since you've arrived here, stand with your backs the wall opposite the door. If your team received a white cloth, stand on that white line facing everyone else.
The Genin hurried to obey, only now noticing the white that stretched across the room a few feet from the door.
"Names have immense power. Knowing someone's name is the key to knowing someone's life. A few well-placed questions and you can deduce someone's entire life story. When you're on a mission, your name and your anonymity are your greatest defense. They're your partner's defense. If you received a white cloth, you've already sold out yourself or your teammate. Get out of this room." Once the noise died down, less than half the room remained. "Now for the real test. You will spend five minutes with a Chuunin proctor outside of this room. He or she will interrogate you and trick you into giving your name. If the proctor succeeds, you fail. If you outlast the time, you pass. If one of your teammates get the proctor's name, time is automatically over and you will receive an advantage on the next test. You must respond truthfully to all questions, with words not grunting or anything else, the same goes for the proctor. Those who arrived first will go last, those who arrived last will go first. Any questions?"
"What if both teammates get the proctor's name?" Minato asked curiously.
"You'll have set a record."
"I bet I can get a name faster than you!" Minato smirked at Kushina.
"I am not racing you in anything, ever again."
"Enough, blond boy, you're first, with me."
As soon as the door closed behind them, Minato turned to the proctor. "I'm Sato Haruki, what's your name?" he held out his hand politely.
"Harada Ryuto," he responded and shook Minato's hand. A second later, he stiffened. "You've got some nerve, kid, I'm guessing that wasn't your real name. Maybe you do have a chance at becoming Chuunin. It took you six seconds. Wait in the room right there for the next exam."
Minato entered a room with rows of chairs facing the door. He sat down in the chair closest to the door to wait.
(-.-)
"Blondie's teammate, the redhead with the tomato face, you're with me," a second proctor called out exactly a minute after Minato left.
"I do not have a tomato face!" She replied hotly and stalked out the door. As soon as the door closed, she began berating the proctor over the offense. He rolled his eyes and motioned the direction for her to go. "You know what, I'm going to report you for being rude to the competitors! What's your name and registration number?" Kushina swung around and glared at him.
The Chuunin's back straightened under her glare. "Miura Haruma, number four-four-eight-six-three-five-two-seven."
Kushina smirked as the Chuunin blanched. "Forty-one seconds since you closed the door. Did I beat my teammate's time?"
"No," Minato's examiner emerged from the room where he told Minato to wait. "I can see that the both of you can talk the talk, but we have yet to see if you can walk the walk. Wait in here for the other Genin to finish. The three-man teams will be joining you."
As soon as the Chuunin left, Kushina rounded on her teammate. "What was your time?" She demanded.
"Six seconds," he answered smugly. "Yours?"
"Forty-one. I'm glad I didn't take that bet."
"You never take my bets."
"Is there anyone else here for me to bother?"
"Why can't you look for yourself?"
"Because you've already done it."
"Fine, there's two camera and a microphone. They can hear and see us."
"Nobody in the room?"
"Besides us?"
"Of course!"
"No one's here."
"Bummer." Kushina sat down on the floor in front of Minato and leaned against his knees.
"There are plenty of seats for you here."
"I could sit on top of you, but I don't think you'd appreciate it."
"I don't appreciate you sitting in front of my feet either."
"Since when have I cared?"
The door opening interrupted Minato's answer. A three-man team entered cautiously. "What was your test about?" Minato asked instead of answering Kushina.
"Wouldn't you want to know?" One of them responded defensively.
"We do know, just trying to make conversation," Kushina shrugged and started to play with the straps on Minato's sandals.
"Cut that out!" He snapped and pushed her away
"I'm bored!"
"It's been less than five minutes since we got here."
"I'm still bored. Hey do you want to try that thing the civilians like to do?"
"Why don't you teach it to one of them?"
"Because they're being grumpy."
"I'm being grumpy."
"You don't count."
"Fine, you mess up first and you have to sit quiet and still until the next exam."
"If you mess up, you have to entertain me."
"Fine."
"Fine."
The three-man team fell into chairs in the back of the room. Minato and Kushina stood up and pushed some of the chairs back to make room.
"Ready?" Kushina asked as they faced off. The other team watched them with interest.
"Go."
They tapped the inside of their right feet together, tapped their left, and then stepped forward, past each other to tap the outside of their right feet. Another step forward and they tapped their left heels together before reversing until they were back to where they started and mirroring their first motion so they ended up tapping their right heels, reversing and starting it over. At the sixth time through, they mimicked the motion with their hands, clapping whenever they touched heels. Six more repetitions, and the rhythm of their hands grew more intricate and their feet quickened. An elaborate beat grew as more Chuunin hopefuls filed into the room in twos and threes, fascinated by the fast dance. The proctors entered and were mesmerized in turn. Their bodies turned into blurs of motion as they continued to increase the pace. Their motion could have put a Genjutsu to shame. Abruptly, they ended with a loud beat, startling their audience.
Kushina grinned and tossed her hair out of her eyes. "Again?"
"Think you can do it any faster?"
"Of course, you?"
"Ready?"
"Go."
They began to repeat the entire thing.
"What is going on here?" The original proctor demanded, pushing his way through the crowd, a second Chuunin on his heels, annoyed. Minato and Kushina stopped immediately as the rest tried to rouse themselves from the trance.
"We were bored," Kushina answered innocently.
"What were you doing?"
"A game you ruined," she scowled. "You better have the next test ready."
"Sit down."
While her back was to him, Kushina rolled her eyes. Minato slapped her arm lightly in admonishment as some of the Genin snickered. They fell into their chairs and looked up expectantly.