Back at the cabin... Sakura isn't really my favorite character and I don't think Kakashi and she grew any closer during their time alone... but still... I think Kakashi would have gone to the final exam... if not on time...
I sadly, do NOT own Naruto, or else I would have renamed it Kakashi!
White Fang, Lightning's Howl: The Secret of the Hatake
The Chuunin Exam
Sakura walked out with the rest of the Genins into the big arena. How different it looked from the viewpoint of the middle!
Suddenly, she remembered that day when all their troubles began – when they had joined the Chuunin Exams with bright hopes not aware that Orochimaru was waiting for them in the shadows.
She remembered that day when Naruto was recognized by everyone as a great fighter when he soundly beat the Hyuuga genius, Neji. And Sasuke used the Chidori in public for the first time – a jutsu kept secret by her teacher – the one and only jutsu created by the Copy Ninja. But the duel between Gaara and Sasuke never came to completion, for it had been interrupted by a war based on deceit and misunderstanding.
No longer did she sit cheering (or criticizing) on the sidelines. Now she herself stood under the scrutiny of her fellow Konoha ninjas.
The instructor was, once again, Genma.
He looked at the group of awestruck Genin with a cynical eye.
More than half of them will be injured, some of them will die in their battles. There's no way in hell, I'm jumping into some crazy shit….. Raido's got something special planned for tonight. Hahhhhhh….
He sighed. Nothing was going to be exciting this year. That wild Naruto kid wasn't here. Rumor had it that he was off with the great Toad Sannin, Jiraiya.
"Heh," Genma chuckled, remembering his puzzlement when Naruto came skidding into the amphitheater screaming, "Watch out for the bulls! They've gone wild!"
Nope, this day would be a rather boring day.
He looked through his papers.
Sakura, Tenten, Chouji, Kiba, Kira, Jien and Sano.
He sighed. Again.
Let it be good, Raido.
Several hours later, the list had paired down to three combatants. Two were to fight for the next position against Sakura.
Kakashi came in, just as Sano of the Mist badly wounded Kiba.
Kiba, falling unconscious, wondered if he would ever wake up. Genma sighed. Stepping in front of Sano, he held up his hands.
"You've won the fight, Sano-san. Let it be," he said calmly, nodding to the two medics already standing on the sidelines.
As the medics rolled Kiba carefully onto the stretcher and picked up a whimpering Akamaru, Sano took a step forward to the boy.
Genma shifted.
"You heard me. Leave or be disqualified from the next round."
He paused.
"The LAST round."
Sano raised his hand as if to strike Genma back. Genma drew himself up, senbon suddenly at the ready. Sano looked at Genma's glare and turning without hesitation, walked away.
Kakashi and every collective jounin, sighed. The Kazekage, Hokage and the Mizukage sat back.
Sakura gulped.
That guy, Sano, is super strong and had no mercy. He had killed Kira and had nearly wiped out Chouji.
How would she survive? Especially with such a cynical examiner like Genma.
Fondly, she remembered Gekkou Hayate. She hadn't known him long, but her first impression was that he would die for a comrade.
Genma looked like a hardened bastard.
Sakura sweated and looked up to the Hokage, Tsunade-sama. Tsunade turned and winked. But she also looked serious.
Muse: Ummmm... what's with the name Sano-san?
Nanny-chan: Forgive me! I just couldn't get my hands on good names! My bad! It won't happen again!
Muse: Better not! You're a disgrace!
Nanny-chan: (depressed) ... (goes off and overdoses on carbs by eating a Joe Louis, a Mars Bar, a Rolo icecream bar and drinks some chocolate milk) FEEL BETTER NOW! I WILL CONQUER EVERYTHING! EVEN JAPANESE NAMES!
Muse: ... hopeless...
