Naruto and Sasuke stood outside of the Academy, looking around in silence with their backs turned to each other as they waited. Finally, Sakura ran up to them, and Naruto waved at her as she approached.
"Sakura! You're late!"
Her cheeks warmed slightly and she waved sheepishly yeah, averting her eyes. "Y-Yeah... sorry..." She looked at Sasuke, seeing flashes of the Genjutsu in her mind of his body laying motionless on the ground. "Morning, Sasuke."
He looked over at her from the corner of his eyes in acknowledgement. "Yeah..." He narrowed his eyes, watching her expression carefully. "There's something off about Sakura."
They entered the Academy and headed towards the room Kakashi had instructed them to. A pair of Genin boys stood smugly in front of the doorway with a large crowd around them, and they knocked back a boy in a green jumpsuit as he tried to enter the classroom.
"So, are you sure you're up to taking the Chunin Exam with that level of skill?" The boy with the headband sneered down at him. "Maybe it'd be best if you runts quit."
"You're nothing but green-assed brats, after all." The Genin with dark, spiked hair beside him laughed.
"Please let us through." A girl looked between them and approached, and was knocked back next to her teammate with a heavy punch to her face.
"That's mean..." One of the boys in the crowd watched the girl fall and they stared at the pair blocking the door.
"What did you say?" The spiky haired boy laughed. "Listen! We're being nice to you! The Chunin Exam is a high hurdle."
"Many times we've seen people quit, as well as people who were disabled for life just because they took this Exam." The boy in the headband crossed his arms.
"Also, a Chunin is at the level of a unit leader. Mission failures, death of subordinates... it's all on the shoulders of the leader!" The spiky-haired boy added, scowling down at the two Genin on the ground. "Brats like these as Chunin?"
"What's so bad about weeding out those who won't pass anyway?" The headband boy sniffed and narrowed his eyes a them.
"A just argument." Sasuke approached with his hands in his pockets, with Naruto and Sakura following behind. "However,you will be letting me through."
He stepped closer to them and smirked faintly. "And also... could you immediately undo this barrier created with Genjutsu? I have business on the third floor."
Several Genin in the group behind him looked at each other in confusion.
"What's this guy talking about?"
"I'm not sure..."
"Well, well..." The headband boy chuckled.
"So, you noticed, huh?" The spikey-haired boy looked Sasuke over.
"How about it, Sakura?" Sasuke smirked and looked over his shoulder at her. "You should have been the first one to realize it."
"Hm?" She blinked and looked at him.
"Your analytical strength and Genjutsu know-how has improved the most in our team, so..."
"Sasuke..." She blushed faintly at the compliment. "Thanks..." She smirked as well, meeting the boys' eyes directly. "Of course. I realized it ages ago. You see, this is actually the second floor."
Naruto nodded. "Yup!"
"Well... not bad. But all you've done is catch on... right?" The spike-headed Genin chuckled and smirked, suddenly spinning and aiming a kick at Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed as he moved quickly to aim his own kick at the rival, but was stopped by the boy from before.
He looked up intensely between them, gripping their legs tightly.
"H-He's fast!" Sakura stared at the boy, impressed. "This person... it's like he's a different person from when he was getting punched before!"
Lee released both boys and straightened, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes and looked him over.
"He stopped my kick... what's with that Chakra in his arm?"
"Hey, this isn't what you promised." Neji and Tenten approached Lee. "You were the one who said you didn't want to carelessly attract attention."
"But..." Lee looked down. He looked at Sakura and met her eyes, blushing and clutching his fist.
"This guy..." Sasuke kept his eyes on Lee. "The marks where he was hit are disappearing. Was he faking?"
Lee walked up to Sakura and smiled. "My name's Rock Lee. Your name's Sakura, right...?"
"Huh?"
Lee raised a thumbs-up at her, blushing as he grinned and winked. "Please go out with me! I'll protect you until I die!"
Sakura paled and blinked blankly. "Uh... abs... olutely... not."
"H-Huh?" Lee's face paled and his hand lowered as he stared at her.
"You're... too intense." Sakura muttered.
Lee hung his head, speechless and Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he witnessed the brutal rejection.
"Hey, you there." Neji approached them with Tenten following. "Identify yourself."
"Huh?" Naruto looked over at the newcomer, gritting his teeth as he clenched his fist. "Dang it! Again?! It's always about Sasuke!"
Sasuke turned to the Hyuga, unimpressed. "When asking someone his name, give your own name first."
"You're one of the rookies, right? How old are you?" Neji stuck his own hands into his pockets as he met the Uchiha's eyes.
"I'm not obliged to answer."
"What...?" Neji furrowed his brows and his gaze hardened.
Tenten smiled to herself and looked at Sasuke, holding her hand close to her face. "He's cute."
"Hey, hey!" Naruto pointed at himself. "Don't you wanna know who I am?"
"Not interested." Neji glanced at him, then turned his attention back to the Uchiha.
Lee rested his hand against the wall, slouching in disappointment, and Naruto followed suit, being ignored entirely. Sasuke turned away from the Hyuga and glanced over at the moping Genin.
"Too intense, huh...?" Lee muttered under his breath.
"Uninterested, huh...?" Naruto pouted and grumbled, letting out a deep sigh.
Sakura smiled at Sasuke, her cheeks warming faintly. "Now then! Sasuke, Naruto, let's go!" She grabbed each of their hands, pulling them down the hall as Sasuke grimaced slightly and Naruto beamed and blushed.
As they reached the stairs to the third floor, Sasuke tugged his hand away and Sakura's face fell. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Naruto grinning as he looked down at their hands, and she screwed up her face glared.
"What are you looking at?!" She released his hand, smacking his head as he pouted.
"S-Sakura-chan..."
She huffed and quickly ascended the stairs, catching up to Sasuke as he ignored their bickering. Naruto rubbed his head, then pouted and slouched as he trudged up after them.
"Good grief." Sasuke smirked to himself in thought. "This Chunin Exam... is full of monsters."
"So, those are Kakashi and Guy's treasured brats." The boy with the headband smirked slightly with his friend as they peered at the Genin from the partially open door.
"Well, for the time being, their applications will pass." The boy with spiked hair added.
They turned and each held up a hand sign, undoing their transformation Jutsu to return to their natural appearance.
"It appears this year's test will be amusing." Kotetsu chuckled.
"And for us proctors too, eh." Izumo smirked slightly.
"Ahem."
They turned to see Kiri frowning at them with her arms crossed, drumming her fingers against her arm.
"K-Kiri?!" They both leaned back in surprise, nearly jumping. "What are you doing here?"
Kiri looked between them both. "The Hokage asked me to linger around to make sure none of the applicants started any trouble before the Exam starts."
"I-Is that so?" Kotetsu rubbed the back of his head, relaxing slightly.
"Except, what do I see instead?" Kiri paused, then pointed between them. "You two in horrible disguises, making a scene. You guys are completely childish."
"H-Hey..." Izumo held up his hands, waving them. "I wouldn't go that far..."
"Give us a break." Kotetsu chuckled. "We just wanted to mess with them a little as a test. The proctors did the same back when we took the Exam." He closed his eyes, smirking faintly. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't remember because you never took the Chunin Exams, did you?"
Kiri's eyes twitched and her furrowed her brows, then laughed loudly and held her hands up to shrug. "What was that, pipsqueak? You're so short that I didn't hear you from all the way down there."
Kotetsu blushed faintly and balled his fists. "I'm not that short!"
"Eh?" Kiri smirked smugly and held her hand up to her ear, leaning down slightly. "What's that, tiny? I didn't catch that."
Kotetsu gritted his teeth, blushing as he leaned closer. "I'm not short! I'm the average height for a man! It's you who's unnatural! You can't seriously expect to find a man taller than you." He tilted his head mockingly and shrugged as he closed his eyes. "Well, you could always go on a Safari and find a nice giraffe to settle down with, since you're such a giant. I hear they have big—"
Kiri balled her hand into a fist and slammed it into his gut, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying through the doors, rolling down the hall through the crowd of examinees until he smacked into the end of the hallway.
"Rude... irritating... ass." Kiri muttered to herself as the Genin looked over at her, paling at her expression and quickly scurrying away.
"H-Heh..." Izumo laughed awkwardly. "I-I guess he deserved that."
"You guess?" She turned to him and he swallowed, laughing nervously.
"I... uh..." He pointed down the hall. "I'd better go check on him."
Izumo rushed to Kotetsu, who still looked paled and dazed, and Kiri let out a sigh, shaking her head as she put her hands on her hips and blushed faintly.
"Yeesh... what an idiot." She turned and walked away, strolling through the building to continue monitoring for any trouble.