(A/N) The Chuunin exams have arrived! It's probably a problem I keep forgetting which story this is and mixing it up with SHT7, huh?
"I've nominated you three for the chuunin exams!" Kakashi said, eye smiling.
"Under heavy protest from me, might I add," Tenzo said, looking somewhat salty.
"I've nominated you for the chuunin exams," Kakashi repeated, staring at Tenzo, who stared at him, clearly somewhat annoyed.
"Thanks!" Sakura chirped, taking the slips of paper from him. "What are we doing today?"
"Just practice what you already know," Kakashi said dismissively, disappearing soon after.
Tenzo sighed deeply. "Naruto, I'll spar with you. Just mokuton. Sakura, Sasuke, throw fire and water at each other I guess. Take turns with the fire."
"And who are you?" Sasuke asked skeptically.
At the lack of answer, Sakura took it upon herself to answer. "They're genin from Suna I would assume by their head protectors. Here for the upcoming Chuunin Exams. They're a bit early though," she eyed them, then the child they'd bumped into. "Perhaps they should have thought to remain in their hotel room instead of running around and bullying the Hokage's grandson." She did her best to appear aloof and somewhat all-knowing, figuring it couldn't hurt to make an intimidating first impression.
The female genin eyed her appreciatively. "Good to know Konoha has at least a few good female genin."
Sakura lifted her chin just a smidge, standing under the weight of the clearly older genin's gaze. "Sakura. Of Team 7."
"Temari," she returned. "The idiot's Kankuro."
Sakura inclined her head. "My teammates are Sasuke and Naruto. Do you not have a third teammate?"
"He's not here," Kankuro said, too quickly.
Sakura hummed doubtfully. "Alright. I would still advise going back to your hotel. Wouldn't want the ANBU to think you have...intentions against the village." Mildly threatening. Maybe it'd make them go away. Sakura, unlike some other people she knew (cough cough Kakashi cough cough), had things to do with her life.
Kankuro opened his mouth but was quickly shut up by a dry voice. "Kankuro stop. You're embarrassing us."
"G-Gaara!" Kankuro stuttered.
Gaara appeared on the ground from his tree with a sand shunshin. "Let's go. Before you embarrass yourself and us further."
"Amen," Temari muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
Sakura snorted quietly.
"You losers wouldn't make it in the chuunin exams," the henged person said triumphantly, arms folded.
"He says as he isn't actually a genin," Sakura whispered to the other two.
"I think they're Izumo and Kotetsu. Y'know, the gate guard people?" Naruto eyed the two apparent chuunin.
"I can see that," Sasuke agreed.
"Me too," Sakura said. "Now the question. Why is that Hyuuga and what looks like the student of Maito Gai, pretending to be completely incompetent."
"They'd pull off intimidation better," Sasuke muttered. "Although the girl could pull off incompetent then pull out whatever she can do. Probably something long-range. To go along with her close-combat teammates."
"Makes sense," Naruto decided. "Let's go! I wanna make it on time. Unlike Kakashi-sensei."
Sakura snorted. "Yeah, can't have anyone accusing us of picking up on his habits."
"A good thing that you three are here!" Kakashi said, meeting them right outside of the room. "Or else you wouldn't have been able to participate!"
"You say that like any of us had any doubt we'd be participating," Sasuke pointed out.
"Which we didn't," Naruto added quickly. "Not even after we ran into that creepy Suna team!"
Kakashi gave them skeptical looks, but stepped aside, quickly disappearing into the shadows.
They entered the room to a fair level of chaos. Two other teams from their year, Teams 8 and 10, were standing and looking around awkwardly.
"Hey," Sakura said, waving slightly.
Shino nodded to her. "Sakura. I trust you have been well?"
"We saw each other this morning," Sakura pointed out. "But yes. Been training hard?"
Shino inclined his head. "Indeed. I trust Kakashi has been as usual?" He looked almost amused, and Sakura sighed.
"Yeah, as usual indeed." She shook her head. "Almost made us late getting in here."
"Which would've been bad," Naruto volunteered.
"Very," Shino deadpanned.
"Listen up maggots!" Ibiki barked. Sakura remembered him from when Naruto went missing. A rather intimidating man. Especially when you were eight years old. "Sit down and no lollygagging!"
Sakura quickly located her seat, settling into it. A paper test. Not difficult, especially for her. Sasuke knew how to cheat, and Naruto would either cheat somehow, or puzzle through it on his own. Either would work.
"The tenth question will be released in the final ten minutes of the test, and any cheating means you will be deducted two points," Ibiki instructed. "Begin!"
Sakura flipped over her test. Oh, math problems. And there was a history problem one had to either be obsessed with the second and third wars or just know a lot about Uzushio to answer. Sakura barely knew the name, let alone what kind of defenses it used. Although from what she could remember, its name wasn't in most history books. You had to really look in the back corners of the library to find it. She could spot Sasuke casually cheating, although the chuunin lining the room either had seen it, or deemed it good enough to pass. Naruto was just struggling it seemed.
"Now, you can choose to receive the final question or not. If you answer it incorrectly, you will be removed from this chuunin exam, and all after it. If you leave now, you still have a chance at taking the exam next year."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. Her team was plenty stubborn to pass, and besides, Ibiki couldn't stop other villages from allowing them to take the chuunin exams. At best he could prevent the Konoha genin from ever doing it, but other villages genin? No.
And sure enough, it was all a logical ruse. Of course. Almost worse then Kakashi's in that this actually eliminated a lot of people, cutting the group by over half. Oh well, those people could try again next year. Now, the remaining teams had a second round to complete.
(A/N) Ah, troubles ensue when I can't remember which story this is or what I'm supposed to be doing. I remembered this time, don't worry.
