I'm back and I'm sorry about not posting yesterday, I had family issues that needed my attention and for some reason itburns my inspiration and concentration tanks along with my time. Well here's a new chapter and I hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews!

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Kyuubi"

(Standard Disclaimer)

Chapter 24: The Exams

The day was today, the moment was now, the Chuunin exams had finally arrived. Needless to say Naruto was excited.

"Naruto...I don't care what day it is, SHUT UP!" growled a severely irritated Neji as he lie on his bed, his once pure white eyes bloodshot to a point that they resembled peppermints. For the past few hours Naruto had been rolling around on his bed, whispering to himself about what day it was. True it was the day of the Chuunin exams but Naruto had been up since...three AM. It was now currently six AM and Neji was pissed off.

"Sorry Neji, I'm just really excited and," Naruto began but he was swiftly cut off by a snarling Neji. "I know, I've heard you talk about it...FOR THE PAST THREE HOURS!" Neji growled as he jumped up into a sitting position on his bed. He'd had enough of Naruto's constant babbling, it was cutting into his sleeping cycle. "Naruto..." Neji growled dangerously causing Naruto to sit up in his bed to make eye contact with the furious Hyuga.

"You have three seconds to get out of this room before I close all of the tenketsu that allow you to move then toss you to Kiba's dogs." Naruto then vanished in a blur long before Neji began the countdown. "Thank god," Neji muttered as he tipped to the side then passed out before his head even hit the pillow.

Naruto yawned and scratched the back of his head as he walked barefoot from the Branch house to the Main House kitchen. He always found it enjoyable for some reason to be without his sandals in the early morning with the freshly dewed grass. He decided it probably had something to do with him being a Kitsune now but he didn't think about it much. Never the less his path strayed from the Main House kitchen to a longer route, a MUCH longer route.

Hinata had woken up early that morning, her eyes being wide open at around five. She knew the second she opened her eyes why too, today was that day of the Chuunin exams and her Naruto-kun was going to compete. Her face dove into a deep blush and a small smile spread across her lips as she thought of those words. Her Naruto-kun, it felt so wonderful to say let alone think those words now that she could.

Hinata smiled and leapt from her bed, an even bigger bounce in her step then the time when Naruto had told her she was someone he could like. 'Now I'm someone he can love!' she thought excitedly as she readied herself for the day. She went about the business of her bath and such, after which she sped for the kitchen knowing that Naruto was probably awake just as she was.

She was a bit disappointed to no see Naruto sitting at the table, his customary ramen noodles sticking out of his mouth. However she quickly cheered up and set about making a breakfast for champions, Naruto would need it for today. She was so wrapped up in her cooking that she didn't register the soft padding footsteps behind her. She completely missed the soft mischievous snicker and the swift gust of wind behind her.

Two arms wrapped themselves around her waist with a sudden, "boo!" Hinata nearly jumped out of her skin in surprise but instantly relaxed when she recognized who it was behind her. "Naruto-kun, you scared me," she said as she leaned into the embrace and lay her head on his shoulder. "Well you were just staring into space," he said with a playful smile. They just stood there, his arms wrapped around her waist as she leaned back into his warmth, what a wonderful way to begin your day. After a bit of silence Naruto said, "today's the day."

Hinata nodded, she knew what today was. After today Naruto wouldn't be home for a few days then he'd be training for the next month to get as strong as he possibly can. She thought of the forest of death then in the end the great tournament. It installed a small...ok not so small bit of worry into her mind.

What if something goes wrong, what if her Naruto-kun is hurt? What if her Naruto-kun dies...that was a question she wasn't prepared to face.

Sensing her discomfort at her thoughts Naruto pulled her closer into his warm embrace, making the feeling even more comforting by adding his tales in his sweet embrace. "Hinata-chan, I swore I wouldn't die. I'll always be right here with you, I love you," he said with a warm and caring tone. Although some stayed, most of Hinata's fears melted at those words. She fell deeper into his comforting embrace and said, "I believe you Naruto-kun, I love you too."

After the sweet conversation and the wonderful breakfast Naruto set out to train with Hiashi in the early morning light. As he arrived to the training area he found Hiashi standing with a somewhat impatient look on his face. "Naruto, you're late," Hiashi said with a semi-glare. Naruto gave Hiashi a sheepish grin and said, "Uh sorry...I was eating breakfast."

"Oh? Is my daughters cooking that superb that you would miss training?" Hiashi asked with a 'father' tone to it. Naruto instantly paled, Hiashi probably knew, oh crap. Before he could say anything Hiashi smirked and said, "in light of the Chuunin exam your training is cancelled today and for the next few days until you are finished with the second exam."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, "thank you Hiashi-sama, I promise to beat this test with the best of my skill." Hiashi nearly laughed, so formal for the boy who once painted the Hokage's faces. "You have an exam to get too," Hiashi said which made Naruto jump, yeah he could probably get there early and eyeball all the other teams. Check their skills and such.

Let's just say what is easy in thought normally doesn't go over to well in action. Getting to the point, after Naruto had left with a brief...ok somewhat long...OK really long goodbye to his dear Hinata-chan he went to go find his team mates. He searched only to find that they had yet to show up at the meeting area. After checking nearly half of Konoha he found Zaiaku dragging the obviously smash drunk Itami through the streets of Konoha to the Chuunin exams.

Naruto aided by helping carry her and spurring Zaiaku on with how late they were going to be. With their luck they made it JUST under the wire. They stood outside the room, Itami regaining consciousness just as they got to the door. "Ugh...where the hell am I? I need a drink..." Itami muttered as the boys set her down on her feet with a roll of their eyes. This allowed Itami to stumble in first as they made their way to their first exam.

As usual the first exam was the written test and a per the rules of mental torture, Morino Ibiki was the instructor. He was just about to begin the test when the door to the room swung open and revealed a girl, obviously drunk, who stumbled to the seat with her name on it. He remembered this girl from a while back last time the test was in Konoha.

He smirked, half of the exam she was hiccuping or snoring. She still filled out her test which was what confused Ibiki but he left that for another day. In a matter of seconds his paradox would walk in.

In walked Zaiaku, his eyes shifting to where his seat was, just a little down from Itami in the same row. He took his seat as Ibiki smirked and remembered the boys mental back ground, it wasn't pretty but he wasn't a bloodthirsty killer which confused Ibiki. With everything that happened he should want to kill the world. He then turned to the entrance with an expectant look on his face, any moment now would his favorite toy should walk in. Oh how wrong he was.

The second Naruto stepped into the classroom one single phrase rung in Ibiki's head, 'Oh shit...'

Naruto walked into the room, a smirk on his face as the first thing he saw was Ibiki's eyes. Wide open in shock while he mouthed a curse. Apparently Kitsune or not Ibiki recognized him and remembered what he had done. He then turned to the entire Genin audience that watched him enter. A smug grin was plastered on his face seeing many surprised looks, angry glares, and even creepily enough a few lecherous stares.

He shook it off just in time to see the same impassive and dark face of one Uchiha Sasuke, seated just to the left of his own seat. Sasuke smirked at Naruto as he climbed the stairs and took his seat right next to the Uchiha clan member. "Bastard," Naruto said with a cheerful grin. "Dobe," Sasuke replied as Naruto sat down, his tails making it just a TAD bit uncomfortable but he'd manage.

"As I was saying," Ibiki continued, instantly quieting the nervous and angry whispers of the Genin. Naruto yawned and decided to ignore it, he'd heard it all before. He took this chance and looked around the room, checking out the Genin and what threat they might bring him. His eyes landed on a peculiar Genin, on his back was a monstrous metal...thing that gave him an incredibly odd feeling of nostalgia.

He shook it off and looked around the room finding the Suna team, all of them looking really tense and excited. Zaiaku sat in his seat, his large black object leaning on his chair behind him while Itami looked like she was going to be sick just down the row from him. Naruto turned in his chair and saw someone from, what their forehead protector indicated, the Snow. Odd, he'd never seen them in the exams. At least never dressed so oddly.

Their clothes looked different for people from the Snow. Naruto kept this in mind as he turned back in his seat just in time to hear Ibiki say, "you have one hour, begin!" Naruto yawned and put his head on the table, he had some sleep to catch up on and he'll be damned if he filled out a test that wasn't going to be graded.

Meanwhile Zaiaku was rolling his neck in a stretch, secretly directing his coins to the far corners and ceiling of the room. When they were all arranged in perfect areas he tilted them and looked at the reflection in their bright shining surfaces. He turned them at just the right angle to give him a perfectly clear picture of Itami's paper.

Itami slowly rose her head from her desk, her head a pounding blur of pain. She knew she had to do this but man did it suck. She turned her hazy eyes to the paper in front of her with a slight groan. Her eyes stared at the paper, her conscious mind barely registering any of the words but her hand instantly writing down answers.

Ibiki watched the hung over Itami with amusement in his eyes. He had heard the complaints on Itami and how she would show up reeking of alcohol and disturbing the class with all manner of rude noises such as hiccups and burps. Unknown to Ibiki, for some reason her mind always retained whatever she learned while drunk out of her skull but it only came out from her subconscious at the worst time, when she had a massive hangover.

Zaiaku's pencil flew over his paper and in an instant he had all he needed for this part of the test, the rest would be in about 40 minutes. He retracted his coins and rested his chin on the back of his hands, he was ready to rest after the little Itami hangover escapade anyway. Itami in the meantime promptly laid her head down and passed out not to wake up until her team shook her out of her slumber.

Naruto yawned and lifted his head up just in time to see Sasuke finish his exam with a smirk and a whisper, "simple." Naruto nearly laughed but held it in and faced the front of the room so as to not draw attention. "Who'd you copy off of?" Naruto whispered, his curiosity getting the better of him. "The guy you came in with," Sasuke said with a smug grin.

"You ass," Naruto growled knowing Sasuke did that just to piss him off. Oh well, lets see who pisses off who during the tournament. Naruto smirked as he watched the first Genin team get kicked out, it was just WAY to easy to catch them. As time passed more and more teams were caught and more were thrown out.

When it came down to the final question Naruto stayed silent, he knew the trick Ibiki played and how him staying silent would help his own teams chance to pass. When they stopped refusing the question Ibiki announced their success and it was time for the next test. Naruto turned his eyes to the window, any second that crazy Jounin Anko would fly in with her even more insane entrance.

His eyes were trained on the window until he heard a loud crash but the window remained unbroken. He turned to look in the center of the room to find Anko standing there, banner and all, under a large hole in the ceiling. '...She came in through the ceiling? What the hell is wrong with her?' Naruto thought in confusion. "I'm the instructor for your next test so follow me!" Anko said eerily energetically then beckoned the Genin to follow her. All Ibiki did was stand to the side, staring open mouthed at the hole in the ceiling.

"Have fun in the forest bastard," Naruto said as he stood up and stretched his tails since they had been cramped up in the seat. "Whatever Dobe," Sasuke said as he went with his own team. Naruto joined Zaiaku in waking up Itami who was more then happy to rid herself of the hangover with a deep swig of her Tokkuri. "You know that won't help," Zaiaku said as Itami got up from her seat. "Shut up money boy," she growled as she held her head and walked off after the insane Anko.

"Ok before you take this portion of the exam you have to sign these liability wavers saying that just incase you get seriously hurt or killed you cannot hold Konoha in liability of the damages!" Anko yelled as she passed out the forms. There were a few murmurs from the crowd but in time all the forms were signed and handed back.

"Alright then! One person from each team line up and grab your scroll from the booth then a Chuunin examiner will take your team to your separate doors!" Anko yelled as the Genin began to line up for the scrolls. Naruto volunteered and got in line just behind that odd Genin that he had seen in the exam room. He secretly inspected the large metal creation on the boys back, the object in question on the very tip of his tongue.

"Keh, what a waste of time. Just let me kill them all and get it over with," the Genin groaned which sparked Naruto's memory. He remembered what this was, it was the humongous sword of ZABUZA! Naruto angrily grabbed the Genin's shoulder and spun him around, the only way he could have gotten this was to defile Zabuza's grave! "Who the hell are you?" growled the Genin who was answered with a swift punch to the face.

The Genin flew through the air and landed some ways away on his feet. "How DARE you rob from the dead!" Naruto snarled as suddenly the whole crowd of Genin gathered around to watch the Zabuza sword wielder face the Kitsune. Naruto the noticed the village marker the Genin wore, it was like a belt around his waist and it was from the mist. It was Zabuza's forehead protector turned into a belt! "You even stole his forehead protector! You're sick!" Naruto snarled, this was going to far for his taste.

The Genin merely smirked and lifted the sword known only as Zabuza from it's sheath. "Keh, why should I care what you think? I got this sword and forehead protector fair and square just try and take it from me," the Genin said his pure black eyes staring at Naruto as his lips turned up into a sick smirk. The Genin wore a torn shirt with bandages underneath and along his right arm he had bandaged his elbow. He wore black pants like the infamous Zabuza but unlike the famous ninja he wore black sandals. His dark hair was lain back into a spiky tail while a few large clumps fell over his black eyes.

He rose the great sword to strike at the Kitsune but in a flash he was knocked to the side in a torrent of rock and dirt. Naruto turned his head to see the Suna team, all in full ninja gear. Even the royally robed ninja now wore traditional Suna armor but he still kept his cloth veil covering his face. The veiled ninja sheathed a large scimitar onto his back and with a scoff he turned and left with his team to gather their scroll.

The Zabuza sword holder slowly got up and glared at Naruto as he sheathed his Zabuza sword. He finally realized what could happen if that crazy Jounin would get involved and besides, he could kill this fox later. "I'll get you later," he threatened as he quickly got back in line to get his scroll. Naruto took his time in getting his teams scroll, he didn't want to be near that grave robber lest he kill him.

After gaining the scroll of Heaven, Naruto returned to his team a smile on his face. They followed the Chuunin to the exam entrance all of them ready and rearing to go. "Well the written exam was a joke," Itami thought out loud as she stretched and took a drink of her 'scroll'. "Agreed, this should be more interesting," Zaiaku said with his hands deep in his pockets. "I can't WAIT!" Naruto said, his adrenaline already pumping, he was ready!

Somewhere on the farther side of the forest of death a team of three stood. Their forehead protectors proclaimed them from the village of Snow. However, if one were to take a second look they would see the odd devices the three wore.

The first was a girl obviously and she wore a simple tank top shirt with a large scarf like belt that had faded snow camouflage. Along her arms were fishnet gloves with black bands at each elbow. She wore grey ninja pants with fishnet stockings and dark sandals. Attached to her hip were two tonfa but they had a hole on each end. She had short dark hair with haunting dark green eyes. Around her neck was a leather choker with a silver ring clasp and in her ears were large silver rings.

The second was a boy, his hair wild and somewhat greasy while his black eyes glinted with confidence. Around his neck he wore the same faded snow camouflage that the girl had only as an actual scarf. He wore a light colored sleeveless shirt and a darker undershirt. On his hands up to his elbows were a pair of pitch black steel arm guards, complete with three six inch claws extending from the knuckles. On the back hand of this metal concoction was a large blood red jewel with a black center ring. The boy wore normal black ninja pants with faded camouflage flaps over it along with his black sandals.

The third boy was a mystery, he wore his large scarf so high that it covered his entire face except his sunglasses covered eyes. His hair was black as the night sky and spiked backward in a careless fashion due to his headband. He wore a long sleeved shirt, the sleeves made out of the same faded camouflage material as his scarf. He wore faded grey pants with high topped sandals.

"Remember our target," the girl said as she crossed her arms. "Yeah I know, the fox idiot," the wild haired boy said with a scoff. The mysterious boy pulled back his right sleeve to reveal he wore an odd pair black gloves with several red beads in the palms and fingers. He took one of these newly revealed hands then reached down to pick up a small pebble from the ground.

Holding up the pebble he clenched his hand with brutal strength. "Crush him..." he said with a dark and gravelly tone. He turned his hand with his palm to the ground and opened his hand letting the dust fall from his palm then disappearing with the wind. The mysterious boy produced a gravelly chuckle along with his teammates and muttered, "Until there is nothing left..."

End Chapter

Well that was...mediocre, sorry. Well it's time for Q and A.

Q: Ideas for tortureing Hitokoe

A: I LOVE THEM!

Q: Taishou meeting Gai?

A: ...possibly...

Q: Other couples?

A: Well...no other ones are set in stone so send in requests! I'll gladly use them if I find them to be good!

Q: Ibiki upset?

A: Take into acount Naruto's history and what he did in the last Chuunin Exams. Enough said.

Well I guess that's it, time for preview and then I'm gone, later all.

Naruto hopped off the rock with a sigh, "might as well. Any preferences on food?" Itami twitched but didn't say anything while Zaiaku said, "nothing poisonous Naruto." Naruto put his hands behind his head and said, "well duh, I mean anything you want in specific?" After receiving two very dangerous glares he quickly made his way to gather some food. This shouldn't be hard. After all he WAS a Kitsune with excellent senses.

"Finally!" Itami said as she took a deep drink from her Tokkuri. "Indeed," Zaiaku said as he crossed his arms and sat against a tree, his mind in his thoughts. Both of them were completely unaware of the impending doom that was slowly making it's way through their traps into their camp.