2 chapter: High expectations, the Exam Island!
"Now, I'm gonna tell you the rules.. Im invented some of them myself" Tsunad said while a crazy look erupted on her face, everyone gulped loudly.
Even if all of them had graded to chuunin and were going to participate in the to-be ANBU survival exam they couldn't help but feeling more then uncomfortable under the gaze of a mad Tsunade.
Everyone flinched when Tsunade quickly raised her index finger. They didn't want to get near and Naruto had already experienced what Tsunade could do with just one finger.
"Rule number 1" she said with a serious look. Everyone was relieved that she had changed expression. "Always obey the Hokage!" Everyone sweatdropped.
"Rule number 2" She raised her middle finger. "No killing of teammates" now everyone was confused, why would they kill their teammates? They had trained with eachother for nearly three years... maybe they would get a reason later.
"Rule number 3" She raised yet another finger. "If anyone in your team get caught in one of the traps you'll lose one point" she was beginning to raise her forth finger when Kakashi interupted her.
"Points? You didn't tell us about any points" he said in his usual half asleep manner.
"Oh right, must've slipped my mind. You'll get points for your achievements and lose points when you do something wrong. This is because all of you shall learn the importence of not doing anything half heartedly because it can cost your team. For example, if you are in a hurry when you are after the ice orb you'll maybe end up picking a dud which will end up in your team losing points plus another trip to the mountain of ice. Right?" Tsunade said while still holding up three of her fingers. All the Chuunins nodded because it was a decent explenation.
"Good, lets move on" she said with her hands now placed on her hips.
"Rule number 4" She raised her forth finger this time without interruption. "The hole team will be disqualified if someone of it's members are missing" The chuunins began to whisper to eachother, this made rule number 2 even more confusing. If you were disqualified when you didn't have the hole team.. why would you kill your teammates.
Tsunade gazed over the crowd infront of her and let out a big cough, in the matter of milliseconds everyone was looking at her.
"Those are the rules, if you have any protests you can come over to me so I can punch you overboard. Is that clear?" Everyone nodded. Suprisingly no one protested, not even the Jounins.
"Ok, if there is no more question then we can continue. The sleeping cabins is located at the second deck and you'll sleep with your team." Ino sighed.. she had hoped that they would draw lots about who slept with who so she maybe could sleep with Sasuke, but as usual Sakura got the good part.
"Thats all from me, go ahead and enjoy yourself while your here! This cruiser is full of entertainment. That island is full of dangers, but thats for tomorrow.. today we shall have fun." She said with a happy voice. But if someone would have listened a little more to her words they would notice a hint of sadness.
'It's not even sure that you'll return' she whispered to herself.
Kiba were trying to have some luck at the slot machines but failed miserably, he had lost much money to the stupid machine and was getting very frustrated.
"This is our last coin Akamaru... wish it good luck" he said and gave the coin a wet sloppy kiss. The dog gave the coin a jealous stare but began wagging it's tail again when Kiba payed the machine. The dog had quickly learned that if Kiba put a coin in the machine it would never return. Now Kiba was broke and kicked the slot machine in frustration, but was immediately caught in the arm by a security guard..
"The soccer machine is over there" the man said and pointed towards the corner. "If you are planning on kicking something, try with a ball" The man turned and went back to his business.
Kiba who had lost all his money didn't afford the soccer game so he left.
"Those machines must be fake, you can't win on them" was Kibas last thought as he left the way he came.
He finally ended up beside the swimmingpool watching the others take a bath. Kiba didn't like water very much the only good thing with it was that you could train your chakra control on it... and that all the girls wore bikinis. Kiba who had been on his way too leave took a seat beside Kakashi on the sidelines.
"You don't enjoy bathing either Kakashi?" he asked the silver haired Jounin beside him who was doing the exact thing as Kiba... just watching.
"Nah, just with close friends or in peace and quiet in my own house... I'm not really a beach guy, actually I like the winter alot more. There is only one good thing with summer" Kiba looked questioning at the usually quiet shinobi beside him. He noticed the grin that had taken place on the senseis face and could easily guess what the only good thing was with summer.
Kiba agreed with Kakashi that winter was much better than summer because he was the only one in Konoha that used to wear a jacket in the middle of july.
Kakashi pulled forth a book from seemingly nowhere and in matter of seconds he was in deep book coma.
Kiba looked around to see if anyone else from the Genin 9 was skipping the bath and not too surprisingly he spotted his teammate Shino who was hiding behind his collar and sunglasses.
To jis suprisement he didn't notice Naruto anywhere the pool.. he had been sure that he had seen him just a minute before. He suddenly got the answer when he felt to hands give him a hard push in the back and soon he was flying towards the pool just to be caught by the same hands who grabbed his jacket and pulled back so he hit the ground.
"Lucky I caught ya!" The blond prankster told him as he stumbeled to his feets.
"Naruto, Im going to beat you so hard that you can't walk on a week!" Kiba charged and hit the Kyuubi boy with his fist, smirking he landed behind Naruto and listened for a pleasant thud in the ground.
The only thing that was heard was the dissapointing sound of 'poof' as Naruto turned into smoke. Kiba cursed under his breath.
"You know, it isn't very nice to hit people just because they scared you" The now real Naruto said from behind.
Kiba whirled around and glared at the smirking Naruto. "I wasn't scared.. just surprised thats all! Geez.." Kiba continued to glare at the boy.
"Did you came up from the pool just to piss me off or do you have any other intentions?" He said now trying to control his anger.
Naruto lted his hand to his forehead and started pretending like he was thinking which Kiba knew he wasn't capable of. Naruto then stopped thinking and did his trademark smirk "No, I did it only to piss you off... and the expression on your face made it all worth it"
At this comment Kiba couldn't hold back anymore and threw another punch at Naruto who quickly dodged it. "Don't get so mad.. we're not animals you know, at least not one of us" he said after considering his first sentance. This earned him a punch on the forehead protector.
A distance away Hinata was watching the boys who know had begun spouting insults at eachother such as dogboy, idoit and the rest of them shouldn't even been allowed to say. Hinata sighed, Naruto would surely not get into the water again with everyone else which to her was a disappointment. She really didn't know why she had been persuaded to bath with the other chuunins, Sakura had asked her and first she had said no.. but then after a slight mention of Nrutos name she had quickly found the courage to go and bath with the other girls.
"Hinata! What are you doing? Come over here!" Sakuras voice was heared from the other side of the pool, she seemed to have a good time playing with a ball in company with Ino and Tenten.
"I'm coming!" Hinata shouted back to the pink haired konoichi.
She made her way through the other people that was in the pool, it was very crowded. It was lucky that the pool was so big that all of them could be in it.
Neji had been into the pool for a short while but that was only for the sake of cooling himself down because the air was so damn hot. That though didn't seem to be noticed by the arguing Kiba and Naruto.. they just shouted to eachother as usual.
Neji was wondering what to do next.. He didn't want to play at the slots or play billiard with Lee, there wasn't no challange in that. Neji could easily predict the balls movement and win in the matter of seconds.
He finally decided to meditate and to it on the upper deck because if you tried to do it in the cabins you would be grilled. It would be hell sleeping in them tonight.
He tried to find an empty spot but almost everywhere there was at least one person. Suddenly he caught sight of an empty spot, he almost ran to the spot hoping that no one would get there before him.
Just when he was about to reach the spot someone took it and not just anyone took it, it was Lee. Neji did a 180 and tried to get away without being noticed by Lee, even if he had opened up to Lee more he hadn't come to the point where he could socialize with him.
He pushed his way through a group of people as he made a desperate dash to get too his cabin without Lee taking notice of him.
He wasnt far from the door that lead into the corridor that held the sleeping cabins.. he would much rather be barbecued then spending time with Lee.
Neji was now just 5 meters from the door as he saw through the back of his head how Lee started to turn his head slowly as searching for something... This made Neji even more desperate and insted of running around the groups of people he madly charged through them.
4 metres away... 3 metres away... 2... 1...
He almost threw himself at the door handle and in relief he pushed it open and dashed in. Just to go head first in the chest of a very sturdy person.
He slowly looked up and got a kill-me look in his white eyes because infront of him was the person who almost was a clone of Lee.
"Ooooh Neji, your youthful spirit is admireble! I saw how you rushed through all these people just to get to me and because that good effort I'm gonna give you a reward!" A always as excited Gai shouted at him in his voice that matched a megaphone in decibel.
Lee that could distinguish his senseis voice from the radie of 5 miles was there in a second also praising Neji for his devotion for Gai. Neji who was in the middle of the two slapped his forehead in his mind. How could this be possible? Had he done something to anger god?
"I'll give you a mission!" Gai continued and Neji looked at Gai with mild interest, this wan't usual... he would usually have to run a hundred laps around konoha if something like this ever happened.
Lee who stood beside Neji just watched Neji with a look of envy and clearly thought that Neji was too lucky, he had been searching for Gai all day and when he finally found him Neji had got too him first. That must be a proof that Nejis devotion for Gai was much bigger than his. But he wouldn't give up! He would show Neji that his devotion was by the far greatest.
"Can I help and follow him on this mission Gai-sensei?" Lee asked eagerly oblivious to the sight Neji uttered behind him.
"That would be terrific! Lee you are so perceptive!" Gai said while giving Lee a thumbs up and a smile that blinded Neji. Lee quickly responded with one of his own almost making Neji blind.
"The mission will be.." Gai toned down which was very rare "have the ultimate mission of youthfulness! To enjoy and have fun the rest of the day in eachother and the other chuunins company! Thats whats springtime of youth means!"
Neji almost fainted at his words.. there was one last chance to escape all this, he could fail the mission on purpose. He had done it before because Gai gave out such stupid missions like the recent Halloween mission when he demanded that they would go around in costumes and trick or treat the whole village. Surprisingly neither Neji or Tenten had showed up and Gai and Lee had been left alone with their lame excuses for ghosts with sheets thrown over themselves.
"Thats great Neji! Lets enjoy the boat trip the best way we can! Gai-sensei, what will the consequences be if we fail this mission? A hundred laps around the island? A challange to drink a bucket of milk under 30 minutes?" Lee said sounding like he doubted Neji a little. But he had the right to do it after halloween.. Neji hadn't helped them with eating all the candy they collected and both of them ended up in the hospital with stomach aches.
Neji on the other hand was now hoping that the consequences wouldn't be too harsh, he surely did prefer the running because that was considered training. He knew either way that he couldn't skip the penalty becuase Gai would refuse to talk with you like a stubborn kid if you didn't feel responsibility for your actions.
"If you not complete this mission... You'll not be taking the exam! This mission is our highest priority! If you can't handle a simple mission like this you don't deserve to take the exam" Gai said with his index finger pointing at the two chuunins.
"Thats so logical Gai-sensei!" Lee shouted crying while raising a fist towards the sky. "Neji, lets do our best to enjoy the rest of the day!"
Neji just stood there like he had been struck by lightning.. that didn't make any sense! What exactly made this mission the highest priority? God must hate him... it was also a very high possiblity that god also was a Gai wannabe like Lee.
"Ok Neji, as our first fun thing for today we will play billiard" Lee announced as Neji recultant followed with no other choice than spending the rest of his way with Lee.
The sun had begun to lose hight on the sky and was now halfway through the water sending out a large amount of red.It was a very beutiful twilight and was even mor ebeutiful when it was mirrored in the water.
It was still very hot in the cabins but on the upper deck it had begun too cool down, now the most of the Chuunins was enjoying the indoors of the boat with a simple card game, a good book, a nap or billiard. Kiba and Naruto was the only one standing at the one armed bandit at this hour... Tsunade had left a little while ago cursing under her breath as she once again lived up to her nickname, the legendary sucker.
Naruto had a little more luck when it came too this kind of things, he had just won for his second time... or was it the fifth he really didn't count. Kiba was just watching in awe as everytime Naruto touched the lever it poured down money from the machine.. this wasn't a one armed bandit to Naruto, it was a cash dispenser where he couldn't run out of money.
"You must be cheating somehow" Kiba said for the 11th time this minute. He had watched Naruto closely as he just won jackpot on jackpot, he couldn't see how he did it. He had finally concluded every thought about Naruto cheating and gone over to almost hitting the blonde kid for being so damn lucky.
Naruto patted his frogshaped wallet which didn't fit in his pocket for the moment, it seemed to have expanded in size because many of it's seams was coming lose. But before it threw up all of Narutos money Naruto opened it and emptied a bit of his money in his other pocket and after that he barely managed to fit the wallet in his biggest pocket.
"I've spended all my money in a quarter of an hour.. and you could stand here for hours without losing one time." Kiba whined as they started to leave, they now planned to go and sit with all the others in the big room where everyone else was.
Naruto who felt pretty rich for the moment decided to pity Kiba and threw him a coin, which only seemed to anger the dog boy but that didn't stop him from picking it up mumbeling... but he mumbeled cheapskate under his breath.
They soon entered the room where the most of the tables and the billiard was located, everyone looked up at the two person when they closed the door behind them but only for a short while before returning to their occupations.
In one corner of the room sat Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Tenten, Chouji and Sasuke. They seemed to be very occupied with a cardgame, except for Sasuke who seemed to be occupied with kicking the legs that caressed his under the table.. which not suprisingly not belonged to Chouji, they belonged to Ino and Sakura.
In another corner of teh room where the bar was located sat the Hokage and on the other end of the bar sat Asuma and Kurenai. Tsunade seemed a little drunk but Naruto knew that even if she drank all the sake in the bar she wouldn't be drunk in any way. Just a little more aggresive. Asuma and Kurenai was having a nice somber conversation because none of them had touched their drinks as both of them seemed busy talking to eachother.
On the bench beside the circle formed window was Shikamau with his eyes closed and seemed to have decided to try with a nap even if there was much commotion in the room.
At his feets leaned towards the wall sat Kakashi reading a orange book while blushing and giggling at the moment.
And in the middle of the room was Neji and Lee playing billiard, they had been doing that for the whole day. A couple of feets away stood Gai cheering his students on.
"And thats my 10th win for today" Neji boasted as he knocked the black ball who was very similiar to Lees haircut if you just cut it in the middle.
"We'll play until I won just like I said the first time... but we have to end this soon so the one who wins this match is the total champion of billiard!" Lee said while pointing in challange at his rival and teammate.
"Thats right Lee! Thats the spirit! Never give up!" Gai shouted from the sidelines.
"That doesn't make any sense, but just to end this I'll agree" Neji said with a a face that said he rather eat mud.
Kiba glanced at Neji.. it was only acting he concluded, if he really wanted to quit he could just lose on purpose to Lee. Which he hadn't.
They went over to the card playing game where Sasuke seemed very frustrated and distracted. No one could blame him because the card that he was getting didn't seem to be enough, but that wasn't the sole reason why he looked distracted.. the legs under the table had increased in activity and he had a hard time fending them off.
Sasuke looked at his cards again, he looked up from his hand.
"Ino..." He was responded before he could finish the sentance... "yes, darling" Ino said as she batted her eyelids towards Sasuke.. this threw him off for a moment.
"Don't call me that" he spluttered "and give me your aces" he said returning to the card game.
"go fish" Ino said while giggling sweetly.
"I hate fishing" Sasuke mumbled so just Naruto and Kiba who was closest heard.
"Listen up!" a strong voice echoed through the room and everyone looked up, even Shikamaru opened an eye to see what caused the commotion.
Tsunade was the one who had called their attention.
"We will wake up and have some 'preparations' for the exam tomorrow... You'll need your well-earned sleep after this day of fun" a couple of 'hmpf' was heard but she ignored them.
"So now all of the teams will go to their sleeping cabin and sleep, thats by the way why we call them sleeping cabins" you couldn't do anything but notice that Tsunade had drunk some sake.
"I won!" exclaimed an delighted Lee from the billiard table. Neji stood sceptically at his left side looking at him disbelievingly.
"No, you've only scored one ball" He protested slightly.
"But you scored none" Lee responded while pointing at the balls on the table.
"But that's because you got to go first and I haven't had my shot yet" Neji answered while seeing the champion title of billiard slipping over to Lee.
Neji felt like shoving the pointy object in his hand through Lees stomach, but he was stopped by Gai who came over to them.
"It was a good match Neji.. You did your best but it wasn't enough.." Gai said going down on one knee before Neji.
"But.."
"No buts" Gai said while lifting his index finger infront of his mouth.
"I know you really wanted to win.. but you just have too try harder! If you don't beat him next time you'll run 1000 laps around Konoha! Right?" Gai said as he laid a hand on Nejis shoulder and pointed through the window against the sunset.
Neji who simply thought that he'd been ripped off just answered with two words.
"screw it" and then he stalked off..
Gai turned too the happy Lee.
"He's just a sore loser.. we two know who really won" He said and threw a smile at Lee who tearfully returned it.
Naruto silently jumped out of his bed, it was so damn hot in here. He had been laying on his bed without any cover and in only boxer but he still couldn't cool down. He finally decided to go and take a sip of water instead of being boiled alive in his own sweat.
He opened the door slowly trying not to wake up the others who was sleeping peacefully in their beds. He swiftly made his way through the corridor and opened the door that held the fresh air and coolness behind it.
He stepped out on the upper deck only wearing his boxer, he had seen a drinking fountain somewhere on the upper deck when he tried to find the toilet.. problem was he didn't remember exactly where he saw it. But there was no hurry because the ocean wind was cooling him down efficiently.
He still felt a little worried though, not because he couldn't find the water. It was because he felt a little unsecure about the exam, he had almost forgot about it during the day on the boat but when all the other thoughts left him because there was nothing to distract them with he couldn't help but feel a little worried. Would he be strong enough? Would they acknowledge him as a quality ninja who deserved the title of ANBU student? Would he be able to live up to everyones expectations? To his own expectation?
Suddenly he felt very deserted and cold standing in the wind with only boxers... maybe he should try to forget his questions and try to go back to sleep? But he clearly knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep if he didn't answered these questions.. he remembered having them once before but he didn't remember how he did to dispell them the last time.
He became quiet as he tried to listen to his inner voice... which he of course didn't have, maybe he had but it was very quiet. He could hear how the cruiser cut through the waves with big splashing sounds, he could hear some birds make noises from the air, he could hear a water fountain and someone as drinking from it with light breathing. He suddenly recovered from his dreamy mode and started to look around.
The sound was coming from just round the corner outside the door that led to the one armed bandit... thats where he saw it before.
He went into a light jog as he tried to reach the water, as if it was going to be nothing left for him if he didn't hurry. He felt that there was someone there who could answer his questions drinking from it, because that person already led him to the water.
He was almost there, the waters noice was growing and he could almost feel the person standing around the corner. He rounded the corner only to just avoiding to run into the person who was standing there, he fell onto the floor because he had been forced to twist his body when he didged the person and he had lost his balance.
He looked up from the floor and soon his eyes was filled with understanding and realization... of course.. that person could help him.
Shikamaru wriggled in his bed... he was having a nightmare, a very troublesome nightmare.
He was standing in a clearing of a forest, that it was an clearing didn't help much because almost everything was hidden in darkness and shadows. The moon was covered by a big black cloud that seemed out of this world.
He causiously looked around as if he was expecting something but he couldn't see anything, but he kind of could feel something lurking out in the dark.
He heard a rustle in the bushes behind him and turned around quickly with his heart beginning to increase it's pace. He could hear his heartbeats loudly, they were like drums in the dark.
He didn't see anything when he looked in the bushes but something told him that he shouldn't investigate it by taking a closer look... that is what unintelligent horror movie actors do. He would wait it out and then make his move.
Another rustle was heard but now from his right, he quickly looked over to the tree that had made the noice.. but he didn't notice anything weird with it. Only that it seemed like it had moved a little bit closer.
"Heh, you're just scaring yourself with that line of thought... don't get paranoid." He tried to calm himself down.
He also knew that in dreams anything could happen and that didn't excluded moving trees... but this dream felt awfully weird. He could hear the wind grabbing the leafs in the tree and make it's way through the forest around him. He could clearly see anything he directed his eyes at and all the dizziness from dreaming didn't affect him in any way.
He silently crouched and touched the grass... it was wet because it seeme like rain had recently fallen and he rubbed a grass straw between his middle finger and thumb. He could feel it unpleasantly well... this was the kind of dreams he hoped to experience, but he didn't want to have that experience in a nightmare.
He caught sight of a glistening object in the corner of his eyes... reflexes taking the best of him and in a falling movement he dodge to the side. The object reflected on his forehead protector that was tightly tied to his arm and then penetrated the ground.
Shikamaru looked down at the steel object that was meant for killing. It was a kunai, the sharp edges told him that it wasn't dull and he would have gone down for good if he'd been hit by it. Or he would wake up.. but he didn't want to take that risk.
The creepiest thing so far was that the kunai hadn't made a sound.. as if it didn't belong here.. the usual whistling sound when a object flew through the air was completly gone.. which made it very hard to notice it before it actually hit you.
He stood up again now aware of the dangers lurking in the bushes and behind the trees... he couldn't hear the kunais.. but he could hear how the enemy was moving in circles around him and if you listened closly for their location you would soon notice that they moved clockwise around him.
As he turned to look at the bushes who delivered a rustling sound again another kunai scratched his cheek. He had avoided it by luck and he thought that it was something that only happened one time, he had to be more alert.
Shikamaru didn't like the situation, he was alone against at lest five other enemies which he couldn't spot.
This just couldn't be a dream.. it was too real. He brushed the blood of his cheek amd looked at his hand.. 100 real blood. Shikamaru wasn't an expert on medecin but he could clearly tell what the red liquid on his hand was.
He dodged two other kunais as they came to him from his right.. he swiftly bended backwards so they just passed over his chest.
Then suddenly something hit him.. and it wasn't a kunai, he had realized something..
"This is too real to be a dream..." he whispered to himself as he was forced to dodge another kunai plus two shurikens this time. "But it's too absurd too be reality.." he continued.. unais he couldn't hear and darkness that hid the enemy from any kind of vision.
"It must be a Genjutsu" He declared with a smirk on his face.
Suddenly out of nowhere five kunais pinned him to a tree.. which also seemed to have moved while he hadn't looked at it. He was stuck... he couldn't move anything than his arms.
He tried to struggle free but the kunai just seemed to penetrate the trunk of the tree even deeper when he struggled which made him totally paralyzed.
He moved up his hand to one of the kunais who had pinned him through his clothes liek the others and began to pull it out.
While doing this he looked into the darkness infront of him... it seemed to get more excited when more blood was pouring from him... the kunais hadn't inflicted any wounds... just deep cuts.
Then he saw a shadow in the bushes.. it was completly dressed in black and the only thing he could really see was the cold eyes that was seen through a space between his forehead protector and his high collar. Dark eyes.
The figure threw a kunai at him, it wasn't very fast but he had aimed it at a critical spot.. his head. He first thought of deflecting it with his hand but noticed quickly that they couldn't be lifted up to his face because two other kunais had penetrated his short sleeves which proved to be a very efficient way to minimize his arms movements. But he still had one chance.
He connected his hands in a seal hoping that this last effort would be enough...
"Kai!"(dispel) He shouted in a very desperate tone...
The kunai didn't stop.. he could see how it closed in on his face.
"Kai!" He shouted again as he focused his chakra on the seal.. "Kai!"
But the kunai didn't seem to disappear... it came into the clearing.
He watched in horror as the kunai flew at him at him and in one last desperate try he screamed...
"KAI!"
Of course this person could help him... Naruto looked at the person who glowed in the moonlight.
"Shino" Naruto exclaimed... he scratched the back of his head.
"No... um, Naruto... I'm Hinata" Hinata said as she regained her composure after dodging Narutos assualt.
"Oh.. right.. my mistake, just said the wrong name" He said dumbfondedly. "have that happened to you anytime?" He started to feel embaressed.. but it wasn't nothing major. It took something big to make Uzumaki Naruto very embaressed.
"um...Naruto.. You're only weraing boxers.." Hinata said while looking into the ground... she couldn't stop herself from havig a glance at the young ninjas body for a short amount of time though.
Now that was something very embaressing, for a normal human.. but not for Naruto.
Naruto was going to answer her question, until he saw the water fountain. It felt like his throat was made out of sand, so he almost dived onto the fountain. He pushed the putton beside the tap and a beam of water shot out from it.. allowing him to drink it, which he did.
Hinata just stood there watching. She didn't know if she should try to start a conversation or if she would just go back to bed, she had secretly been hoping that she would meet someone out here.. but only in her wildest dreams she would be standing alone with Naruto in the shine of the moonlight... and that he was only wearing boxers sure was a bonus.
She had been fantasizing about this moment but when it all happened she didn't dare to say a word. She took a glance at Naruto who was attacking the poor and helpless water with his mouth. She then turned and began to go away from her dream.
She had promised that she would not be such a coward, that she would change herself to a more confident person who did what she thought was right... and what she wanted. But already she was throwing in the towel and ready to give up. She almost wanted to cry at her own behavior, she was such an idiot. This would always just remain as a dream.
"Hey, where are you going?" Naruto asked her with his eyes resembeling slits because of confusion.
Hinatas heartbeat almost stopped... was he calling for her and no one else? She looked around but didn't notice any of the other chuunins or Jounins.
"I... was on my way to bed" she answered timidly.
"Not yet.. You must give me something first!" He said and pointed at her accuseingly...
Now there was no doubt about it.. he was talking to her, but now she felt unsecure because she didn't kno what he wanted of her. What was so important that he would stop her for it.
"Um.. Naruto.. I don't have anything to give you" She said afraid of making a fool out of herself if she tried to guess what he meant.
"Sure you have, you gave it to me once and now I need it again..." Naruto said now crossing his arms over his bare chest.
He needed her for something? someone needed her for something? She tried to remember their earlier meetings but could only manage to remember the time where she had offered him Medical cream at the chuunin exam prelimineries.
She sighed. He didn't need her for something.. he needed her medical cream.
She reached down into her pocket and picked up a small tin of medical cream that she always equiped herself with. She handed it to him with a careful motion.. anyone could clearly see a hint off sadness in her face.. everyone except poor and dense Naruto.
Naruto looked down at the cream and smiled..
"I don't need any medical treatment, I'm fit as a... um, anyway I'm doing fine..'" He said and smiled a toothy smile again.
"I need you for a much more serious matter... I really need a good pep-talk" Naruto said as he smiled again.
Hinata now blossomed in a wide smile.. Now she remembered, he had reffered to the talk they had before he fought against Neji.. She felt the warmness spread in her hole body as she remembered that day, she seemed to have helped him.
"I'm not really good at pep-talk Naruto..." She said and while her smile faded a little, Naruto who thought that he wouldn't get any pep-talk looked devastated.
"But for you..." Naruto looked up again "I'll try" Hinata finished blushing slightly.
"You're the best Hinata!" Naruto shouted happily.
"KAI" Shikamaru shouted as a last resort... he saw the kunai and when nothing happened he closed his eyes and then everything went black.
He felt like he was floating, flying somehow. He was placed on something very soft and he tried to move his body but to no avail.
"SHIKAMARU!"
Shikamarus eyes snapped open as he heard the voice hissing in despair..
He seemed to be in his bed at the boat.. he felt the soft pillow under his head and the warm air in the cabin. He opened his eyes a little more just to see a big face closing in on him.
"Ah!" he shouted in suprisement.. but soon he noticed that it was only Chouji.
"Troublesome dream" He thought as he watched his friends face.
He noticed that it was still dark but he could easily see that his friend seemed a little concerned.. he had been with Chouji for a long time and could easily determinate was he was feeling at the moment.
"You ok?" Chouji asked..
"I saw you wriggeling in you sleep.. didn't seem to be a pleasant dream you were having so I decided to wake you up" Chouji said in a still concerned voice.
"Thank you Chouji.. you really are a lifesaver" Shikamaru sighed at his friends behavior..
"I'm ok.. it's only a dream after all" Shikamaru said as he glanced towards the other two beds.. Asuma and Ino was still sleeping, good.. then he hadn't made much commotion.
"If you say so" Chouji said as he lumbered back to his bed..
The rest of the night Shikamaru could sense how his teammates was watching him.. which made him feel very secure and soon he was fast asleep again and he didn't dream anything for the rest of the night.
"Good morning everyone!" Tsunade said to the all the Chuunins and Jounins who looked like they didn't experience this as a good morning.
Tsunade had forced everyone to do the early to bed, early to rise method which left some of the students to look like zombies. At least three of them looked like they had pulled an all-nighter.
"We have now a clear vision of the Exam Island and we shal do some things before we starts to pack.." She said with a bright smile which none could respond to.
Naruto looked through sleepy eyes at the Island.. they seemed to be at the beacy part of the Island but in the horizon Naruto could clearly distinguish a big mountain made of ice.
He had thought that the Jounins wer only pulling their leg when they told about the Ice mountain but now it all seemed very accurate.
He looked over to Tsunade who just seemed to have announced something to the rest of the crowd which he hadn't heard.
"You will what?" exclaimed a raging Kiba with Akamaru joining him with his barking.
"I don't like to repeat myself Inuzuka Kiba.. But if you have your ears filled with dog hair there's nothing I can do about it.." she said and Kiba seemed ready to jump her.
"We will now.. as I said earlier.. rearrange the teams!"
Naruto: What? She will rearrange the team? Then I'll not be with Sakura!
Sakura: We can only hope...
Nest episode: Thruth revealed, this is your team!
Sakura: I hope I'll get in the same team as Sasuke!
Ino: I hope I'll get in the same team as Sasuke!
Hinata: I hope I'll get in the same team as Naruto...
Shikamaru: I'll hope that I can rest the rest of my life... get a grip, I knew this was coming.
Naruto: Well I dont have a brain with 200IQ , you were supposed to know!