Chapter 28: Exam Prep
Konoha Business District
It had been ten minutes since Kakashi had dismissed his genin team and went off without an explanation, and Team Seven had decided not to go their separate ways. Rather, Sakura was following Sasuke and Naruto happened to be headed in that direction hoping to grab some ramen at Ichiraku's.
"What do you two think is going on? Last time Kakashi-sensei gave us a half-day was… I don't think we've ever had a half-day," Naruto said.
"We're ninja, dobe, we don't have half-days," Sasuke commented.
"It's the middle of the day and Kakashi-sensei dismissed us. What do you call it?" Naruto asked.
"Naruto don't start. It's probably nothing anyway," Sakura said, feeling a headache coming on.
Before Naruto could respond he notices what looked like, if one was being generous, a rock. One would have to be very generous indeed for it looked like a white box with eyeholes. Deciding that it would be more painful to ignore the "rock" and not wanting to disappoint whoever was inside Naruto said, "If you three want me to spend time with you just ask, you don't have to disguise yourselves."
"Using the loosest definition of disguise of course."
Kurama don't be a dick.
"Just what I'd expect from my rival," the "rock" stated proudly before it exploded in colorful smoke. When that smoke cleared there were three small children in place of the "rock". One was Konohamaru and the two others were his friends Moegi and Udon. Moegi was a small girl with orange hair done up into two large pigtails and sported what appeared to be, to Naruto at least, a perpetual blush on her cheeks. Udon was a sleepy looking boy with short brown hair and glasses. He also always seemed to have snot dripping out of his nose. The most distinctive characteristic of these children was that in addition to their regular clothes they also had miniature versions of the coat that Ichiro gave Naruto many months ago. This group of children called themselves the Konohamaru Army Corps. After they performed an over-the-top introduction, Naruto addressed them again.
"Guys, I'm not going to forget who you are, the intro isn't always necessary."
"Aww, but it's awesome," Konohamaru pouted. Moegi and Udon just looked sheepish, they had realized a while back that sometimes it was just fun to humor their friend.
"Shouldn't you kids still be in class? It's the middle of the day," Naruto queried.
"We had a half-day for some reason," Moegi answered.
"'Ninja don't get half-days,' he says," Naruto said, remembering what Sasuke had said just a short while ago.
"Academy students don't count Naruto," Sakura said. When the children had appeared Sasuke and Sakura had gone on ahead, but after losing sight of Sasuke, Sakura decided to head home and her path took her right back to where Naruto was speaking with the young ninja in training.
"Nii-chan, play ninja with us," Konohamaru said, getting tired of waiting.
"Okay, okay," Naruto said, trying to pacify the small boy. If the Academy had a half-day it's not like I can go home for a while anyway, Naruto added mentally.
"Why not?" Kurama asked.
Anko-nee had today off and I don't want to get there after Iruka-nii gets home, Naruto explained, shuddering at the thought.
"Prude, you aren't even related to either of them."
Ugh, sick.
"What? I don't think of them as my brother and sister."
"Are you alright, Naruto-nii?" Udon asked noticing Naruto shaking his head for seemingly no reason.
"Yeah, just a headache," Naruto answered. A nine-tailed, talking headache, he added taking a shot at Kurama, who chuckled in response.
"A ninja playing ninja?" Sakura asked skeptically.
"What about it?" Naruto asked in response.
"Don't you find it a little embarrassing to be playing ninja when you are, in fact, a ninja?" Sakura asked.
"Not really, I happen to like these kids Sakura, and I would appreciate it if you would stop taking your bad mood out on me in front of them," Naruto told her as he turned to lead the kids to the park. Sakura may have been getting better but from time to time she still acted like a brat.
"She's not very nice," Moegi commented.
"I see why you wanted Hinata-nee on your team, Nii-chan," Udon said.
"Most of the time Sakura is okay, now come on let's go to the park so we can…" Naruto started.
"Okay? She's mean, has that massive forehead, and is flat-chested, what about her is okay?" Konohamaru asked, cutting Naruto off.
"…die. We are now all going to die unless we run like hell!" Naruto yelled as he tried to hurry the kids along.
Not aware of the danger he had put himself and his friends in Konohamaru started to ask, "Why, what's wro- oh man," as he turned and saw Sakura headed right at him with murder in her eyes. Konohamru then broke into a run and separated from the pack before rounding a corner. Unfortunately he was not paying attention to where he was going and bumped into someone. This someone was a boy, about a year older than Naruto. He didn't have many noticeable features due to his clothes, he was wearing a puppeteer's outfit. Really the only defining features he had were the purple war paint on his face and a hitai-ate on his forehead with a symbol of another village on it. With him was a girl, a little bit older than Naruto, probably about Haku's age. She wore the same hitai-ate as the boy, only around her neck similar to how Hinata always wore her's. She had sandy blonde hair in four pigtails, teal eyes, and wore a purple battle kimono with a scarlet sash tied around her waste. Perhaps the most interesting features about these two were that they carried things on their back: the boy, an object wrapped in bandages; and the girl carried a large steel fan.
Ninja from Suna? What could they be doing here? Naruto thought.
"Maybe it has something to do with the Kakashi dismissing you early," Kurama suggested.
Well either, this is the worst invasion in the history of the Five Great Nations, and I'm guessing that it is not, or it's time for the Chunin Exams. That second one explains why the kids got out early too, Naruto thought.
"You realize what this means, right?" Kurama asked.
Yes. It means if I went home there is almost no danger of walking in on Iruka-nii and Anko-Nee, best news I've had all day, Naruto answered.
"Naruto," Kurama said in a warning tone.
I'm kidding, sort of. But Team Seven can't try for a promotion without Kakashi-sensei's recommendation. I would like the opportunity though, Naruto responded before he was pulled from his inner conversation by a voice.
"That hurt kid," the boy said as he stared down at Konohamaru before he picked him up by his shirt.
Sakura who had been right behind the group and stopped when she saw the two foreign shinobi said, "I'm sorry, this happened because of me," hoping that the puppeteer would put Konohamaru down.
"Kankuro, don't start anything," the girl begged.
"Temari, you know I hate cocky punks like this kid," the boy, Kankuro responded.
"Cocky? What the hell is he talking about?" Kurama asked.
Not sure but I'll bet it's worth remembering, Naruto answered.
"Nii-chan, help!" Konohamaru screamed, breaking Naruto from his thoughts.
"Konohamaru, do you trust me?" Naruto asked.
"What?" Sakura and the children asked incredulously. "Naruto now is not the time for-" Sakura started.
"Just trust me, that boy will not harm Konohamaru," Naruto stated.
"Okay, Nii-chan, I trust you," Konohamaru said calming down.
"You think I'm bluffing, I'll show you," Kankuro said angrily as he cocked back his fist and brought it towards Konohamaru. It was right at Konohamaru's nose when it just kept going. The force was enough to cause Kankuro to lose balance and fall.
"Good Lord, you were really going to do it," Sakura said, surprised.
"Thanks for saving me Nii-chan," Konohamaru said, relieved.
"You're welcome Konohamaru," Naruto said, smiling. Then turning to Kankuro, he said, "You're welcome too, by the way."
"For what, what reason could I possibly have to thank you," Kankuro seethed.
"Kankuro-san, you may be a big shot back in Suna but you won't get away with attacking children here. And I doubt you want to explain to the Kazekage why you ruined the peace between our two villages by attacking the Hokage's grandson," Naruto explained calmly, as though he were lecturing a four-year-old about not coloring on the walls.
"Why you…" Kankuro started as he removed the object on his back and set it down in front of him.
"You're using Crow? Here?" the girl, Temari asked in disbelief.
"No Temari-san, it is fine, let him. And then let everyone know that Suna has ninja in their ranks that are so insecure that they react like this when a small child bumps into them by accident," Naruto said, not once losing his cool.
"You little…"
"Kankuro!" a voice called out. When he heard that voice, Kankuro turned white as a sheet. Turning to where the voice's source the genin and students in the street saw a boy about Naruto's age, standing on the underside of a branch. This boy had red hair in a style similar to Naruto's; dark rings around green eyes; and strangest of all, what looked to be a red tattoo, it was a kanji that read "love" on the left side of his forehead. The boy was dressed in a black body suit with an open neck, t-shirt-like sleeves, and almost full length leggings. He wore a white cloth over his right shoulder to his left hip and wore a leather strap opposite the way he wore the cloth. Attached to the leather strap was a giant gourd. Naruto, however, was able to notice something about this boy that the others could not.
Such hatred, and this feeling of lonliness. I sense something else coming from him but I don't think he's the one feeling it. Is he a jinchūriki? Naruto asked himself. Kurama had the answer though.
"Shukaku, damn it!"
Know something I don't?
"I'm positive that this kid is carrying Shukaku, another biju, within him. Shukaku is kind of pissed off at me."
Why, what did you do?
After the Old Man died, I would say that our strength was determined by the number of tails we had. Shukaku, only having a single tail didn't exactly appreciate that.
That doesn't sound so bad.
"Around the time the Shodaime Hokage captured myself and the others Shukaku had already been captured by the ninja of Suna. I imagine being the only one the most powerful man in the world did not need to capture felt like a kick the the giant tanuki nut sack."
Great, Red and I may very well get caught between two biju and their dick measuring contest.
"Well when you say it like that it sounds dumb."
That's because it is dumb! After that, Naruto was shaken from his inner conversation by another conversation.
"Kankuro, you're a disgrace to our village," the red haired boy said.
"But Gaara this is just a mis-" Kankuro started.
"Quiet! Or would you rather I kill you?" the boy, Gaara, asked. When Kankuro backed down Gaara turned to the others and said, "I apologize for my teammate's actions."
"Huh, oh that, water under the bridge, right Konohamaru?" Naruto asked the small student.
"Yeah, sure," Konohamaru answered, not sure what to make of this boy who could frighten the other two Suna ninja.
"I'm sorry about what I said. I just thought that if your teammate wouldn't think of his own pride he'd at least consider how his actions would reflect on your village," Naruto said, extending his hand in greeting and apology.
"I am Subaku no Gaara," Gaara said. However he would not shake Naruto's hand.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. The girl with the pink hair is my teammate Haruno Sakura."
"Hi," Sakura said, a little unnerved by the new arrival.
"And that guy in the tree you were in who has been watching us this whole time is my other teammate, Uchiha Sasuke."
"Damn it, dobe," Sasuke said, annoyed that his cover had been blown.
"Sasuke, these three are guests, we should be making them feel welcome," Naruto responded.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, you both interest me," Gaara said before turning around and motioning for his teammates to follow.
"Good luck with the Chunin Exams," Naruto called after them.
Gaara turned back and simply said, "You're a strange one."
"Trust me, he's been called worse," a new but familiar voice called out.
"Haku!" Naruto called out, delighted to see his friend again. Haku was flanked by two others.
One had silver hair in a top-knot with a claymore strapped to his back. His clothes were all black, except for his cloak which was both black and silver. He was also weaing silver bracelets and earrings. The earrings were mismatched: one had a moon and the other a star.
The other was a girl with messy, long, dark blonde hair, very dark wrap around sunglasses, and large headphones. She was wearing a velvet jacket over a black shirt and black pants. Naruto noticed that Haku had to hold out an arm to stop her.
Was she not paying attention or can she not see? Naruto thought before turning to his friend and saying, "It's great to see you Haku, how have you been? Who are your friends?"
"My name is Higure Soliux," the boy with the claymore said before extending his hand, which Naruto shook. He spoke in an even tone, he reminded Naruto of Sasuke, but Naruto had no idea why.
"Uzumaki Naruto, and your other friend?" Naruto asked.
"Hold on," Haku said before he grabbed one of the headphones and said, "Aisu-chan, meet my friend Naruto."
"Bito Aisu, pleased to meet'cha," the girl said as she flashed a peace sign and a large smile. She then went on to say, "So you're Uzumaki Naruto, I hear your team is the reason there's an alliance between Kiri and Konoha."
"We just didn't want Haku-san or Zabuza-san to die, Mei-sama and Hokage-sama worked out the treaty," Naruto said humbly.
"We're here for the Chunin Exam, you guys entering?" Aisu asked.
"We don't know yet, our sensei hasn't mentioned it yet," Naruto told them. After giving the matter some thought Naruto turned to teammates and the children and asked, "Hey, how about we show our guests around? Focusing on the children he added, "Of course, this means we'll need to play some other time."
After checking with Moegi and Udon, Konohamaru said, "I guess that's okay."
"Gaara-san, you and your teammates are more than welcome to join us," Naruto said.
"Provided that Kankuro guy stays far away from me," Konohamaru piped up.
"Hey!" Kankuro yelled, before Gaara placed an arm in front of him. Gaara looked like he had no idea how to react to this invitation and it seemed to make Temari nervous. After a while Gaara just turned and walked away.
"Okay, some other time then," Naruto called out after him.
"Thank you for the invitation anyway, Uzumaki-san," Temari said as she and Kankuro followed Gaara.
Later that evening at the Hokage Mansion what seemed to be almost every jonin and chunin in Konoha was in a large room discussing matters of great importance.
"Is everyone clear on their roles in this exam?" Hiruzen asked.
"Hai, Hokage-sama!" rang out from almost all present.
"Now as for who is entering, we have a large number of genin but we also have three rookie teams. Let us now hear from their jonin-senseis and see if they are ready," Hiruzen said.
"I, Sarutobi Asuma, jonin-sensei of Team Ten, consisting of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akamichi Choji nominate all three of my genin to participate in the Chunin Exams," Asuma said.
"I, Yuhi Kurenai, jonin-sensei of Team Eight, consisting of Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba nominate all three of my genin to participate in the Chunin Exams," Kurenai said, echoing Asuma.
"I, Hatake Kakashi, jonin-sensei of Team Seven, consisting of Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto nominate all three of my genin to participate in the Chunin Exams," Kakashi finished.
This got most of the other present ninja going, such a was not unheard of but it was not often that all of the genin squads fresh out of the academy are nominated to participate in the Chunin Exams. There were only three present in that room that were not phased by this development: Anko, Iruka, and the Hokage himself and all three had the same thought.
Well, this will be a Chunin Exam to remember.
Hey, remember me? I'm the jackass who was supposed to be writing this story. I'm sorry I have been gone so long. I'd give you an excuse but I really don't have any, I got distracted and then had an extended bout of writer's block. For those of you who have stuck with me I want to say thank you, it just feels like with the Naruto manga over I have no inspiration. Maybe once Boruto starts in, is it May, I'll start feeling it again.
I would like to thank DanteShindo and ChaosFox60 for Soliux and Aisu respectively. I hope that I did you OCs justice. Soliux and Aisu will get more attention in coming chapters but I wanted to introduce them as Haku's teammates first.
I'm back for now and I'm going to try to make this story even better than it was in the coming chapters but I can't really promise regular updates.
Question for anyone who plays Destiny: Naruto using the supers, yes or no?
