Disclaimer: You know I own nothing! Belongs to Masashi Kishimoto!
The Tests Of Talents!
"You passed!"
Naruko couldn't tell if her jaw was on the floor or if her eyes were bulging out. Either way she was speechless.
"But what about the tenth question?!" Sakura asked.
"There is no tenth question… aside from the accept or reject thing!" his grin… was a little disturbing, but happy!
"Than what was the purpose for the other nine questions?!" The sand sibling Temari demanded.
"Those question were to test you on your spying skills… in other words you had to cheat. So we had two journeyman ninja who knew all the answers to the test also write them all out." Naruko felt like banging her head against the top of her desk violently. "I'M SO STUPID! I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WITH HINATA BUT I DIDN'T TAKE IT!" Hoping to salvage whatever pride she had left, she nodding her head. "O-of course it was so obvious! Right Hinata?" questioned girl nodded her head as well. She didn't want Naruko to feel left out in anyway.
Sasuke rolled his eyes, it was quite obvious the blond herself didn't know anything until just now. "ditz…"
"But of course anyone who cheated in a clumsy way… failed…" he undid his headband. Everyone watched curiously before shooting back in their sits from the shock of seeing his head. "There may be circumstances where being caught in an act of espionage can cost you more than just your life." Scars riddled the top of his head, puncture holes where screws were drilled, a burn mark engulfed the back deforming the shape of the skull. The mere sight of the whole thing looked painful to Naruko, she felt bad for him.
Sasuke could tell the marks were signs of torture. "burn marks, holes…"
After a few moments of gawking he retied the black headband. "Ah, but the tenth question was the first real test on the exam… it was a choice between two options. Both difficult and dangerous… no matter how dangerous the risk, there will be missions you cannot decline… we look for ninja who can help dispel his or her fears as well as others. The kind of ninja who shows considerable amount of courage." He glanced at Naruko for a split second. "by choosing to accept; you answered the most unsolvable question ever, correctly… if you keep that spirit you could possibly conquer all your doubts and difficulties you face in the future….. you've passed part one of the Chunin selection exam… I'll pray you fight the good fight."
The arrogant blond jumped up out of her sit happy as can be. "YEAH! YOU GO DO THAT! GO PRAY!"
Ibiki smiled down at the small girl. "entertaining child" somehow he found it impossible for such a small thing to hold so much passion. But it just seemed right.
The window off to their left exploded once an unknown flying object tumbled through the glass. Two of the sides banner strung up to the opposite sides of the room by two kunai. Naruko was baffled by the new woman who made the incredible entrance.
"NONE OF YOU ARE IN ANY POSITION TO BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW! I AM THE SECOND CHIEF EXAMINATION OFFICER… MITARASHI ANKO! WELL, LET'S GO PEOPLE, TIMES A WASTIN'! FELLOW ME!"
Both team 7 teammates groaned at the same personality this person had to Naruko.
While the blond herself was wracking her own brain to figure out why this woman seemed so familiar.
~later on~
The giant terrain that stood just beyond that wired fence was enormous. Naruko had never seen anything quite like it. Moss hung here and there, a strange hissing sound was heard deeper inside, and the trees stood incredibly high twisting in different ways.
"well… it certainly does look like the forest of death" she chuckled nervously.
Anko's expression turned dark. "You're about to find out first hand why they call this place the forest of death…"
Naruko was getting pretty fed up with this old ladies superior act, she wasn't gonna scare her! Putting both hands on her hips she swished back and forth mockingly. "You're about to find out first hand why they call this place the forest of death! Blah! blah! blah!" she stood up straight and pointed at her accusingly. "Like that's gonna really scare us! You're just trying to psych us out! I'm not gonna fall for it!"
Anko grinned at her. "You're pretty cocky huh?"
Before anyone even knew what had happened Naruko was standing frozen, blood trailing down her whiskered cheek with Anko greedily licking at the red liquid. "your kind are always the first to die…" the blond in her hand's trembled in fear. Her teammates Sakura and Sasuke stared in shocked at the dark haired proctors speed.
Sensing a familiar power Anko reached into her weapons pouch and withdrew another kunai, and held it up to the limb that slithered past her shoulder. "You're kunai knife… I believe you dropped it." A grass ninja held her discarded weapon with his tongue.
"Gee thanks… but don't just stand behind me radiating bloodlust.…. unless you're in a hurry to die."
The tall long haired man backed off slowly and turned away from the both of them. "I'll try to keep it under control… but the sight of warm, fresh blood drives me crazy."
Forgetting her initial fear, Naruko stuck her tongue out and wagged it around trying to make it grow just like that mans. "How does that guy do that?! It's so creepy, but cool!"
Once things were settled Anko handed out consent forms that were to be signed by every member of each twenty-six cells. "Remember these forms are documents stating that you hold us in no way responsible for any… accidents… got that? Now for the exam explanation! You will be handed a scroll once you submit you're form at the hut over there." She pointed in its direction lazily.
"Seeing as there are twenty-six teams. Thirteen of you shall be handed a heaven scroll… while the other half an earth scroll. Your objectives will be to obtain both scrolls for your own team and head for the giant tower that is the center of the entire forest, only thirteen teams will be able to move onto the next round after that! ALSO! Once you are inside the confines of the fence you are permitted to use any type of fighting style you wish, even jutsu's!"
It seemed everyone's faces darkened with sinister expressions, Sasuke being one of them.
"And there's a time limit people! You have exactly 120 hours to complete this exam… which is 5 days!" Choji panicked "Five days?! What are we suppose-to do for food?!" She only shrugged. "That's you're problem… the forest is full with nature's bounty, as well as man-eating creatures, deadly insects, and poisonous plants." He hung his head in silent defeat, muttering quiet words under his breath "I won't last a day…"
"NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RULES!... what you can be disqualified for." she held up four fingers. "One! Obviously if you fail to reach the tower within the time limit, with or without the scrolls…! Two! Any team that losses a member, to death or severe injury will be disqualified! Three! You can in no way leave the forest while the test is taking place!... and the most important rule of them all… you are not permitted to gaze, peek, or even blink at the inside of the scroll, until you are inside of the tower with both heaven and earth!"
Naruko was confused by the last rule. "Why not?"
Anko looked like she was expecting someone to question it and smirked. "Something bad will happen… That's all the explanation you'll get…" she was ready to turn and walk away when she remembered something. "Oh! And one final piece of advise… Stay alive!"
Sasuke sat watching the ninja enter and leave the blinded hut. "Of course they would cover who held their scrolls… this is where our information gathering skills kick in. and stealing intelligence is a matter of life or death… Everyone is an enemy! Near the third or four day everyone will be cutting each-other's throats just to move onto the next exam… Everything will be a war-"
"HEY SASUKE! What you doing sitting all by yourself!?" his thoughts were interrupted by the only person who was able to get a reaction out of him. Right now irritation was beckoning him. "What do you want, ditz?" he growled. "Just wanted to bug you!" she answered dimwittedly. Before running away laughing like an idiotic child who wanted to play tag.
How he wanted to knock some sense into her right now for making their team look weak in front of the others but he restrained himself. Showing that he was actually affected by her childish behavior might give his enemies a glimpse of his weakness.
He looked up at both his teammates, he was the only male of the group and felt it was his duty to protect the both of them. His imagination sub-consciously played out a scene in his head.
Naruko's bright radiant smile disappearing in a dark crimson splash of blood. He hadn't a clue what brought it on but his determination was stronger than ever now.
"I'll have to protect the both of them… so annoying…"
After what felt like hours, they finally got their scroll and were now standing at the foot of the open gate. Sakura held both of her hands balled into fist's in front of her nervously. Sasuke looked up at the gate without any expression at all. While their little ball of sunshine bounced up and down trying to push them to go faster.
"NARUKO CUT IT OUT!"
"I WOULD STOP IF YOU TWO WOULD STOP BEING SUCH SLOW POKES!"
"hn… idiot, stop being such a spaz and calm down."
"WELL! YOU STOP BEING SUCH A JERK-FACE!"
"clever…"
"SHUT UP!"
Looks like the second part of the Chunin exams have begun! Will team 7 be prepared for what is ahead? Or will they be struck with more problems than they can handle? (AN: WILL CHOJI BE ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING TO EAT?!")