Genin Exam

Misato, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan…

Two months have passed since Urenna traveled back to New York City for a weeks' worth of time off. Back training once more at the Shika clan compound, Crow felt it was finally time to allow Urenna to take the first genin ninja exam. So one night as Urenna was ordered to sleep, Crow went to Misato in order to speak with Omani on which setting was best for testing Urenna's skillset. Omani in her home, also put the young refugee baby boy to sleep. Because he was from Honduras, Omani decided to give him a Spanish name for right now. The boy would be called Santi.

Crow knocks on the door of Omani's home late at night…

Knock, knock, knock…

Omani (Inside): "I'm coming!" (Opens the door to see Crow.) "Oh Hide! Come in."

Crow (Does so.): "How is the baby?"

Omani (Closes the door): "Santi is doing fine. Such a bundle of joy. It's too bad to know that his parents are dead from the civil war."

Crow: "Right. You know why I am here. Like we discussed last week right?"

Omani: "Hai. So it's time for her now isn't it?"

Crow: "This will be important Omani. Are your skills sufficient enough to give Urenna a challenge?"

Omani: "I've been training hard for the past month by myself. The girl is probably wondering why I have been teaching her less since that time. I also have all of my disguises prepared."

Crow: "How many?"

Omani: "Up to 5. How many did you want me to use?"

Crow: "Use only 1. I know master used 4 after he examined me in my first test. But this time I want to make this simpler and more efficient."

Omani: "Soooo…will we use the compound as the setting of the test?"

Crow: "No. I was thinking of doing it at a major city in Kyushu."

Omani: "Oh. Like Fukuoka?"

Crow: "No…that would be too big. I'm thinking of using Beppu as a good spot. The place is popular for hot springs."

Omani: "Uuuuu…good taste Crow. I get to show off in my bikini."

Crow: "Very funny. In order to do this, I will contact some of the other agents from my job to participate. The starting setup will be in the local hot spring. You will work as the spa secretary who is getting robbed by my guys. From there Urenna will speak with you and start her investigation so she can find out where the robbers went. The end of the mission will take place near the harbor district of Beppu where Urenna will need to solve the investigation and identify the suspects there. We will give her 3 hours to figure out where to find the robbers."

Omani: "I see. You really believe she is ready at her age?"

Crow: "I believe so. I took mine at 8, you did yours at 11. We will see just how much she has learned in these short 2 years."

After meeting with Omani, Crow made the arrangements to prepare the Genin Exam over at Beppu. It was a hard task because he needed to travel in between the compound and the city, while attending to Urenna's training. He did not get much sleep out of it, but he never showed signs of fatigue. After another week passed, all preparations were complete. Crow took Urenna over to Beppu and gave her the necessary instructions to start the exam.

Crow: "Urenna, you will receive a call to this cell phone from the following establishment (Shiwano Spa). From there you will talk with the people who work there and begin your investigation. You have 3 hours to complete the exam. I will be waiting for you at the city park nearest to this city's harbor. I already showed you the city's layout, so it should be no trouble for you right?"

Urenna: "Hai master! I am ready."

Crow: "Very well. Good luck." (Jumps away and vanishes.)

Urenna: "Hmmm…I wonder how long I am supposed to wait on this phone call."

4 minutes later, the phone rings…

Urenna (Answers): "Moshi moshi!"

Shop Owner: "I hear you are a ninja for hire! Could you please come to the spa and find out who stole my equipment?"

Urenna: "I will be right there!"

Shop Owner: "Good! I will stay here and wait!"

Urenna: "On my way!" (Hangs up.) "I got the map under my pocket, let's see." (Locates the business). Wow! It's further than I thought, but I won't let that stop me!" (Runs off.)

Shiwano Spa outside Beppu, Japan…

The young apprentice arrived at the designated spa. An older lady was at the secretary's desk sitting there with a sad face. It must be the one who called Urenna to come visit the spa. Urenna politely asked the woman if this is the right place where the investigation will occur.

Urenna: "Hey! I'm the ninja that you called! There is trouble here right?"

Shop Owner: "Oh so young? I was expecting a younger person but not a child."

Urenna: "Doesn't matter! I'm a ninja so please allow me to help you find the bad guys!"

Shop Owner: "Well…if you insist. Come. This way."

Following the shop owner, Urenna could see the interior of the building was completely ransacked. Towels were rearranged, broken glasses scattered on the floor, chemicals of different products spewed all over the floor, making it tough to walk without slipping. Not only did the robber take away money, they even stole copper out of the air conditioners used for cool/heating the all-purpose spa rooms. Urenna logged all of these details into her notepad before speaking with the shop owner again.

Urenna: "Ok I have some questions? Like…what did the burglars look like?"

Shop Owner: "They were all dressed in black and had their faces covered. They even threatened to kill me and the other employees if we tried to intervene. Then I heard rumors about hiring ninja to help with cases even police would not do, that is when I called this number."

Urenna: "And I showed up."

Shop Owner: "Hai! Right."

Urenna: "Which direction did they run off to?"

Shop Owner: "They left out the back door, I think one of my employees said they left in large grey van from our driveway."

Urenna (Writes on the notepad): "A large grey van. Got it! How long ago was it when they left out of here?"

Shop Owner: "It's been over an hour."

Urenna: "An hour? That's not good."

Shop Owner: "Is it really okay for you to come after them? They may have weapons young lady."

Urenna: "That will not stop me from doing my task. I will find them and have them punished before the authorities show up. You should get out of here in case more of their allies come and do more bad things here."

Shop Owner: "I will do as you say and go back home. Be careful young one."

Urenna nodded as she left the spa. Soon as she was out of sight from the street level, the young ninja apprentice looked at the map. Urenna remembered seeing copper, which is a metal, being stripped out of the air conditioning units. What places would sell off such a material? Urenna first went to a nearby fabrication shop, but was turned down by employees there. Then she went to a home improvement store and a lady was kind enough to speak with her about the copper. They say it was often shipped at the city's harbor coming from other parts of Japan and other countries.

Now with that tip in mind, Urenna hurried for the harbor of Beppu. Two hours have already passed since the test started. Only one hour remained. Little Urenna with her own two feet managed to make it at the harbor. Now to find a grey van. Problem was there were several vans parked along the streets. It took a while, but Urenna finally found a grey van left behind a rotten iron built warehouse.

Putting on the black mask over her nose and mouth, Urenna carefully infiltrated the warehouse by way of the ceiling. From below, the apprentice ninja could see a group of people below talking about something. It was about five individuals and they were all surrounded by scrapes of metal and copper! Urenna did not understand it fully, but the group was performing a fake auction selling the materials. Having heard enough, Urenna finally made the move to stop the robbers from selling the copper. She jumps off the girders and gracefully lands on the concrete, surprising the men who were also armed with handguns.

Urenna: "That's enough! Stop right there!"

Guy 1: "What in the? How did you get in here?"

Guy 2: "Is this a joke?"

Guy 3: "Someone grab her!"

Before one of the men could pull his gun out, Urenna quickly threw a shuriken into the guy's right shoulder. This surprised all but one of the men who was a huge brute. Urenna then used a small tonfa to hit the solar flexus of another man making him pass out in intense pain. Finally the brute made his move and confronted Urenna on his own. The girl tries to throw a cross attack over the face of the brute, but the man catches the tonfa bare handed! The man throws Urenna over his head, taking the tonfa off her own hand in the process. To keep from falling on her back, Urenna somersaults again landing back on her feet. The brute smiled and bent the metal tonfa, rendering it useless.

Guy 4 (The Brute): "Now there's nowhere to run brat!"

Urenna: "I know what you men did at the spa! You robbed the place of the copper and you're giving it away!"

Guy 4: "Are you sure that's what we did?"

Urenna: "Yes I'm sure! You are in a lot trouble! Just wait until I call my master about this!"

Guy 4: "Oh yea! Well guess what?"

Urenna: "What?"

Guy 4: "Congratulations little girl! You passed your first Ninja Exam at the Genin level."

Urenna: "Huh? I did?"

Guy 5: "Hai…you managed to make it here in time and locate the stolen copper."

Urenna was dumbfounded…

Crow (Coming from the side door of the entrance): "Why do you look surprised Urenna?"

Urenna viewed her teacher and the old lady from the spa walking in between her and the auction men. She was curious as to why the old lady came inside with Crow. She was supposed to be at home. The dire situation of the exam made the experience all too real for the young girl, but the part to hear that Urenna passed still didn't fully register until Crow spoke to all of the people inside.

Crow: "First off I want to thank you gentlemen for volunteering in the final leg of this test. You did not have to come and participate did you anyway. For that I thank you."

Guy 1 (Still bleeding): "Well you better! That damn shuriken still hurt my shoulder…Agh!"

Guy 3: "You didn't tell us she was this strong Crow. My guy is still knocked out here."

Crow: "Yes I should have known this would happen given the design of this part of the test. As promised, we will pay you 1,130,000 Yen each. I have an ambulance of the way my friends. Do not worry. Urenna. Congratulations on passing the Genin exam!"

Old Lady (That's off her mask): "Yes Urenna you did a great job. I knew you could do it."

Urenna: "Omani!"

Omani: "I was there the entire time! And I secretly followed you here to make sure you were okay."

Urenna: "So if you were in disguise and you followed me, then did you also tell those other people about the copper being taken here as a tip or something?"

Omani (Kneels to Urenna while smiling): "No, not at all. Copper theft is something that happens quite often in this area so the locals here know that the thieves take it to the harbor for trading. It was up to you to find the exact place as to where the copper was stored. So…any other questions?"

Urenna: "No, but I'm tired and hungry."

Omani: "Don't worry. I know a very great spot to eat Soba. Let's go there. I'm getting hungry myself."

Urenna: "Yes! Woohoo!"

The girls laugh as Crows could just smirk from a distance, trying not to get overly excited himself over Urenna's progress. Then on his handheld device provided by the UN, Crow briefly viewed the inside of his hovercraft to the baby, Santi, peacefully still asleep inside. In satisfaction, he bid farewell to his paid coworker volunteers and joined with Urenna and Omani to go out into the town and eat in celebration.