A few weeks passed, and Asuma was back on duty, taking control of Team 10 again. Kakashi entered Team 7 into the Chunin exams.
When he did, Naruto felt the same chill pass through her as the day with Shikamaru. So she upped her training, working on her control, and bloodline. She needed to be as good as possible.
She told Shikamaru of her worries, and he agreed. He had also begun training harder, working with the shadows and Yoru. Yoru and Kurama seemed to get along and even built a link through the two genin's minds.
Hinari was beginning to try to stand, and often had to be watched over in case of injury. Like falling and hitting her head on the corner of a coffee table. The author totally didn't do that the first time she tried to stand.
Naruto was lucky enough to get a video of the first step Hinari took. She had felt prouder than proud and had run to Shikamaru immediately. He had laughed and hugged Hinari, cuddling her to his chest.
The day soon came when Naruto and Shikamaru handed Hinari to the Sandaime as they headed towards the exam room. Naruto dragged Sasuke past the genjutsu, and into the exam room. "We do not need more competition. If they cannot see through such a simple genjutsu, they do not deserve to be a chunin candidate." Naruto quickly slipped into her male form.
Shikamaru and his team came in soon after. Naruto was on edge. The scent in the air was... foul. She shot a look to Shikamaru. How to tell him... without telling him? She got an idea and closed her eyes briefly.
'Kurama?'
"Yes Kit?"
'Can you tell Yoru-san to tell Shikamaru something?'
"What?"
"I smell something foul. Don't you? Warn him to stay alert, ready to react at a hairs breath. I have a very bad feeling.'
"I can sense it too. I'll pass it along, though I have no doubt Yoru knows of it."
'Thank you, Kurama.'
She opened her eyes and met Shikamaru's. He paused, before nodding discreetly.
"The Nara says to be safe."
"I will." She mouthed to the Nara, who smiled slightly. A boy in glasses walked up to them. Naruto didn't like his scent. It was tainted. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head at Shikamaru.
The Nara paused again, taking in a discreet, but still kinda noticeable, breath in through his nose and slightly open mouth, and flinched slightly. He shook his head. A sliver of a shadow crept up behind the nin and whipped his feet from under him, sending him crashing to the floor. Naruto hid a smile behind her hand as Shikamaru stifled a snicker.
The grey-haired nin got up, wincing. "Who tripped me?" He asked confusedly. Naruto pointed at a random Kunoichi with a whip. "I saw her do it!" It had been a while since she had to rough up her voice like this.
The grey nin narrowed his eyes at the Kunoichi, before smiling. "I am Kabuto Yakushi. You are all rookies, right?"
"So what?" Naruto challenged.
"So, you shouldn't be so cocky. People do die in these exams you know."
"Yeah, so what? Why do you care?'
Kabuto scratched his head sheepishly, though everything he did was obviously false to Naruto and Shikamaru. "Is it wrong for me to look out for my comrades?"
Naruto narrowed her eyes. "So make yourself useful. Instead of scolding us, give us tips."
Kabuto smirked and adjusted his glasses, pulling out a deck of cards. "These are my special Ninja Info Cards. I can tell you information on any of the genin here. As well as upper shinobi."
Naruto narrowed her eyes. This guy was no genin. "Okay, do me. Uzumaki Naruto. Give my info out by all means."
Kabuto's glasses flashed, and he pulled a card out of the deck.
"Uzumaki Naruto, age 12. Rank genin. Bloodline, none. Clan, none. Family, none. A loud and rambunctious Male who disappeared for two weeks during his time at the Academy for reasons unknown. Seems close to one Nara Shikamaru."
Naruto held back a scoff. He had nothing. "That information is common and useless. Anything else on that card?"
"Also known as the container for the-"
"Finish that sentence. I dare you." Shikamaru's voice was dangerously calm as he held a kunai to Kabuto's throat. That information was an S-class secret.
"You almost broke a law there Kabu-chan~" Naruto sang. Her eyes were sharp though and held a roiling killing intent that was barely restrained.
Kabuto cleared his throat nervously. "I apologize." He retreated back to sulk in the crowd.
Naruto walked over to Shikamaru who was barely stopping his shadow from dancing angrily. She touched his shoulder, and he relaxed. "Sorry." He murmured.
Naruto just smiled. "Thank you... He isn't one of us."
Shikamaru nodded in agreement. Then there was a poof of smoke and the exam started.
This was gonna be fun.
Not fun.
Naruto was bored.
Really really bored.
Like, reaaaaally really reeeeaaally bored.
So she started drumming her fingers on the desk lightly. She stopped and decided to unseal some paper that she used to practice handwriting for sealwork. She balled it up and lobbed it at random people.
She saw a redhead with a tattoo on his forehead. He was glaring bloody murder at her. She shrugged and yeeted the ball at him.
He stared at her incredulously. Naruto could sense the raging Biju in him. 'Kurama? '
"On it."
Naruto felt the chakra flood her system. She directed the massive killer intent solely at the redhead. He visibly flinched and stared at her, shocked. Naruto stopped the intent and smiled softly at him, giving him a small wave.
The rest of the exam pass quickly, and soon it was time for the 10th question. Naruto tried to listen to what the bandana dude was saying but quickly zoned out.
When she zoned back in, there were only a few teams left. A huge ball of cloth crashed through the window, and a scantily clad purple-haired familiar-looking woman struck a pose in the middle of the room.
"Listen up maggots! My name is Anko Mitarashi and I am the proctor for the second exam. Follow me!"
She left out the window, and Naruto quickly grabbed her teammates, and the thought to grab Team Ten flitted through her head, so she made a clone and used her bloodline to teleport them away. She noticed the receding wall of shadows as they flashed away.
She looked questioningly at Shikamaru when they landed. He shrugged, and whispered, "I didn't want the silver-haired guy to see your bloodline. Plus one of those grass genin looked sketchy."
Naruto nodded in understanding. The two watched their teammates heave in amusement. Naruto looked up at Anko.
"Brat. Who said you could teleport?" Anko asked, jokingly.
"A n k o. Who said I couldn't?"
Anko laughed. Shikamaru just shook his head. Team by team, the rest of the genin appeared. When they had all arrived, Anko started shouting instructions.
They were given a scroll and needed to find the opposing scroll. Meaning at max, only half of the teams could pass.
Naruto smirked, and went to grab their scroll. She came out, the smirk still on her face. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.
"Naru..." He drawled. Naruto blinked innocently.
"Yes, Shika?"
"What did you do?"
"Do? Nothing. I found a loophole, and used it."
A spark hit Shikamaru and he chuckled. "Ahhh. I see. Well, let's meet up."
Naruto laughed and nodded. She made her way to her team, who looked a bit intimidated by the competition.
The genin lined up at a gate, and tensed, ready to run.
A loud "STAAART!" Sounded, and Team Seven shot off. Naruto stopped a little ways in. Sasuke and Sakura looked at her confused.
"Naruto?"
Naruto smirked and pulled out both scrolls. "Anko never said we had to be in the forest to obtain both scrolls. Shika an I saw this and took advantage of it. Let's go."
She took off, and Sasuke and Sakura flanked her. She listened to Kurama's directions, as he and Yoru helped the two teams find each other.
Naruto could sense Shikamaru and his team just through the trees when a large gust of wind blew through the area, and The two teams were scrambled.
She slammed into a branch and groaned at the pain in her head and back. She heard a similar thud and groan and opened her eyes. She spotted Ino, and couldn't help but wish it was Shikamaru.
She heard a rustle, and cursed as a giant snake burst through the greenery and swallowed her.
The last thing she heard before the reptile's jaws snapped closed was Ino's shrill scream.
AN/ sorry for the wait, but here ya go!