CHŪNIN EXAMS III - MEETINGS AND REUNIONS
Before the ship can even fully hit the docks and come to a stop, Kotori and Kashiwama jump off the side and safely land, much to the confusion of some dock workers.
One sailor peaks over the side of the ships and yells out, "Hey! That's dangerous!" but it's already too late; the deed is done.
Naruto gives the man a sympathetic smile. "Sorry about that."
Kotori and Kashiwama take in a deep breath and take in the heavy air of the Hidden Mist Village. To Kotori, it's a sensation that's still unusual to her but she has fond memories of it even if she was here only for 3 months. To Kashiwama, this is an entirely new feeling. He's been to a coast before and has breathed the very distinct air that comes from being close to the seas, but this is something else altogether. He can almost feel the air plugging his nose despite how little sense that makes.
"So, this is the Hidden Mist?" Kashiwama looks around.
In some ways it's vastly different from home, but in others it's fairly similar. Even though they're on the outskirts, he can still see further in through the ever-present mist that's given the village its name. Series of large cylindrical buildings, many of them decorated with plant life on the rooftops that makes him wonder if that's purely for decoration or if it serves some kind of purpose. Winding aqueducts run throughout the entirety of the village, intersecting with walkways that allow the residents to reach higher or lower levels of the village.
"Sure is!" Kotori grins. "You'll love it here, it's a lotta fun to explore."
"It's a lot greener than I thought." Kashiwama says.
"Yeah, I was expecting less trees and more water, too."
"We get that a lot." A third voice addresses them.
They turn around to find the source and are met by a middle-aged Mist shinobi approaching them- a man of slim build with gaunt and sunken-in features and long hair flowing down his back.
"Hello, Kotori." The shinobi smiles at them. "You've grown quite a bit."
Kotori squints her eyes and takes a moment to take in his features, when the realisation hits her. "Ganryū!" She runs over to him and raises her hand up high.
Ganryū chuckles and returns the high five. "Already trying for Chūnin, huh?"
"I plan to do more than just try." She grins.
"That's the spirit!"
Kashiwama walks toward them, looking between the two. "You know the geezer, Kotori?"
Kotori spins around and dramatically motions to the older shinobi. "This is Ganryū! He was like our guide when we stayed here."
"And I believe you're Kashiwama Senju, correct?" Ganryū smiles.
"You know about me?" Kashiwama cocks his head. "Hah, I guess I'm already becoming super famous!" He pumps his fist.
Ganryū chuckles. "I read the files. When I saw Naruto's team was in the Chūnin Exams, I volunteered to act as liaison for the Hidden Leaf. I had to familiarise myself with the teams."
"Aw, you missed us?" Kotori grins.
"Perhaps a little."
At this point, the ship they arrived in has docked and the four teams from the Hidden Leaf are disembarking. Naruto hops off, as well, with Yokumaru and Shoto, and immediately spots Ganryū, giving him a big wave.
Team Shino are right behind them, with Jiriki in particular taking extremely slow steps while clutching the railing for dear life. He takes deep, strained breaths as he walks, one hand always firmly on the railing.
"Never again." Jiriki feels a ball forming at the base of his throat. He leans over in case of needing to expel excess bodily fluids but manages to hold it in.
Shoto looks back with a smirk. "What's the matter, a little water got to you?"
"Shut it."
"We'll have to get on the boat again on the way back." Shino says nonchalantly.
Jiriki feels another ball forming in his throat at the mere thought.
"Ganryū, hey!" Naruto walks up to the old friend. "What brings you here?"
"I'm meeting you, actually." Ganryū gives a nod in greeting to the other 3 teams from the Hidden Leaf. "I'm to help you all to your accommodations and aid you in any way you need during your stay."
"Sounds like we'll be in your care again, then." Naruto grins. "Good to have ya, Ganryū."
Shino nods to the man as he approaches. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ganryū."
Tessen and Kokage's teams approach, as well, now all teams lined up and ready.
After a moment of hesitation, Kotori looks up at their guide. "Say, Ganryū, who else is here? For the Chūnin Exams, I mean."
Ganryū takes a moment to think it over. "I believe the Hidden Frost and Hidden Cloud arrived last night. The Hidden Moon docked about two hours ago. Why do you ask?"
Kotori's eyes light up at the mention of the Cloud. "Do you know which teams are from the Cloud?"
He shakes his head. "I don't know, but I could check if you'd like. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, um, I got friends from there. Don't actually know if they're in the Exams, though."
"I'll see what I can do." Ganryū smiles.
Naruto wordlessly hugs Kotori and pulls her to his side as they continue their walk.
-x-
With all of their baggage unpacked or semi-unpacked and the rest left for later, Kotori climbs up on the balcony and takes in a deep breath as she enjoys the view. It's the same view as last time, mostly hidden by fog, but it's still nice to be back here.
For the purpose of the Chūnin Exams, the teams are actually separated. There are a total of four buildings designated to house the guests and each village is to have one team in each building. Team Naruto are in Building 1, Team Shino are in Building 3. A way to promote different teams to interact in the common areas and either get them closer or get them more motivated on seeing their rivals. Whichever helps deepen the bonds.
Since the Hidden Cloud are already here, Kotori can't help but wonder if Takai and the rest were chosen for the Chūnin Exams, or if they even signed up for it. She meant to write, several times in fact, but it always ended up postponed.
She can investigate that a bit later. For now…
"Let's go explore!" She calls out to Yokumaru and Shoto who're relaxing inside their apartment's common area.
"Already?" Shoto groans. "My feet are still getting used to solid ground."
"Haven't we also already explored most of the Mist, anyway?" Yokumaru chuckles.
"Yeah, but think about how much could've changed!" Kotori spins around to look inside the room and grins.
"Realistically, not a lot." Yokumaru scratches his chin in thought. "Cities don't really change all that much, especially this quick."
Naruto walks into the common area, carrying yet another bundle of clothes they'll need for the duration of their stay. "Some exploring might do you all good. Take in the atmosphere."
"Exactly!" Kotori cheers. "Dad gets it."
Shoto sighs and shares a defeated look with Yokumaru, who can only shrug in response. "Alright, let's go."
"Hooray!" With no warning, as soon as Yokumaru and Shoto get up from their seats, Kotori jumps off the balcony, with a wide grin on her face.
In utter shock they both run to the balcony and peer down, "KOTORI!"
"What?" They're met by their teammate's curious look as she stands on the wall, held firmly in place by her chakra. "Come, hurry!" She turns around and begins running down the building.
Yokumaru and Shoto sigh in exasperation- they already feel exhausted and they haven't even gone out yet. They hop off the balcony, as well, and run down the wall after her.
"How about we go to that tea place?" She offers. "They had really good sweets."
"That actually sounds nice." Yokumaru says. "I remember there was a yakisoba place, too. It was really delicious."
"So this is a food run?" Shoto chuckles. "You were just hungry."
"Basically, yeah." Kotori chuckles.
As the three run down, it doesn't actually take them very long to near the bottom. The buildings here are tall but shinobi are fast enough that it's no effort to run their entire length. Throughout the run, Kotori is focused on the Mist and going around it just like they did years before.
That's why she doesn't fully spot the person on the first floor balcony. A darker figure that goes by in a blur that she sees only from her peripheral vision.
"Kotori?" The figure says in surprise.
As Kotori hits the ground, she looks up to the first floor balcony. There, she sees a young girl, not much younger than her despite being much taller than average. Standing upright as opposed to the slightly hunched over form she remembers. Hair now parting to show her eyes where they used to be hidden before. Darker skin, auburn curly hair running down to her cheeks. Hidden Cloud Village protector on her forehead.
Kotori looks at her with a look of disbelief. "... Takai?"
Takai smiles from ear-to-ear, something she rarely did when she was younger, when Kotori spent time with her. She jumps down and runs to her old friend. "Kotori!"
"Takai!" Kotori runs up to her and the two embrace in a tight hug, Takai still being a towering figure. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Me, too." In excitement, Takai lifts Kotori slightly off her feet. "It's been so long."
"It has." Kotori sniffs in an attempt to fight back
The two break away and take a moment to look over each other. Arguably each other's first friends, Kotori helped Takai out of her shell and Takai helped Kotori get accustomed to the ninja world that was so alien to her.. Both of them now stand as true shinobi, no longer the young Academy kids they used to be.
Yokumaru and Shoto break the moment the girls have when they land on the ground not far from them.
"Someone you know?" Shoto asks.
"Guys!" Kotori whips around and motions to Takai, putting her on display. "This is Takai!"
"From the Hidden Cloud?" Yokumaru recognizes the name from the stories Kotori's told them.
"It's nice to meet you." Takai gives a light bow.
Shoto returns the gesture in kind. "I'm Shoto Teshin."
"Yokumaru Kigatsu."
"I've heard a lot about you both from Kotori's letters." Takai smiles. "It's so good to finally meet you."
"You, too." Yokumaru answers. "Kotori's talked a lot about you, too."
"Yo, Takai, where'd you go?" A voice comes from the first floor.
They all look up to see two boys peak over to see where their teammate went. One darker skinned boy with dreaded silver hair, and one lighter skinned with short blond hair.
Kotori's already ever-present smile only widens when she recognizes them both. "Hayai! Kitsui! Hey!" She waves to them.
Hayai leans on the balcony railing and smiles. "So you're here, too, huh?"
"I knew you'd be!" Kitsui hops over the railing and lands firmly on his feet on the ground below. He strides forward with his hands on his hips. "There isn't a better place for us to meet than the Chūnin Exams."
Kotori giggles. "I even missed you, Kitsui."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kitsui raises a bow.
"Oh, nothing."
"Um, hi, I'm Yokumaru, Kotori's teammate." He introduces himself once more.
As does Shoto. "Shoto Teshin."
Kitsui puffs out his chest. "Kitsui Yotsuki of the famed Yotsuki clan I'm sure you've heard of it."
"Not really." Yoku and Shoto say in unison.
Kitsui hangs his head in dejection.
"Hayai." He introduces himself briefly with a mock solute. "So you're Shoto, huh?"
Shoto looks with a quizzical look. "I am, yes. Why?"
"No reason." Hayai smirks. "Just heard you're good at taijutsu. Curious to see it, is all."
"Maybe you will."
"Oh, I know!" Kotori hops in place while holding Takai's hand. "Let's go eat together! We have soo much catching up to do!"
"That sounds good." Takai agres.
"I'll let Samui-sensei know." Hayai says and turns around to go back inside their apartment.
"Samui's your sensei?" Kotori says in surprise.
"Yep. She's a really good teacher." Takai says.
"Real strict, though." Kitsui mumbles.
After a moment, Hayai walks back out and also hops over the balcony to join them on the ground. "So where're we heading?"
-x-
Over the course of a couple of hours, Team Naruto and Team Samui go through several stalls while sharing their mission stories and adventures. Team Naruto share all the menial jobs they had to take on at first, to the more interesting ones such as clearing some invasive giant snakes to the incident at the Hidden Dream Village, information of which by now has spread throughout the nations.
Team Samui, in turn, share their own stories. They weren't a part of anything grand like a plot to unleash a horrible monster to be used for world domination, but hey, not everyone is.
Kitsui is by far the most animated in the retellings, with Takai not entirely dropping her more reserved personality and Hayai being laid back and honestly more enjoying listening to the conversations rather than being part of them.
"And then," Kitsui places his foot on the stool he stood up from a while ago, "I put an entire group of giant mountain goats under a genjutsu to stop them in their tracks!"
"Wasn't it just, like, two?" Hayai chimes.
"And they quickly broke out of it." Takai adds with a hint of confusion as to Kitsui's version of events.
Kitsui's face turns a light shade of red but he pushes through. "Be that as it may! It worked, didn't it? So it's fine. Goats, genjutsu- all there. But Takai!" He motions to her. "She actually held them back. Beat the leader in a show of strength."
"Woah!" Kotori gasps. "That's super cool."
"Right?" Kitsui grins. "She's gotten real strong, you know. Can break a wall down, easy."
A server comes and places their orders in front of them while looking over Takai. "There better be none of them here, you hear?"
"Oh, no, I would never!" Takai is quick to defend herself. She's only just gotten here, she doesn't want a bad reputation already.
"Aren't goats supposed to be calm and peaceful?" Shoto asks. "Why were these even aggro?"
Hayai shrugs. "They're also territorial. Didn't want us on their mountain."
"And they were giant goats." Kitsui clarifies. "Totally different. Super dangerous."
"Wasn't your sensei with you during it, though?" Yokumaru asks. "Didn't she help?"
"She was testing us how we'd do on our own." Hayai answers.
"Yeah, she just sat back while we did all the heavy lifting!" Kitsui says.
"Dad kinda did that, too, like with the giant snakes." Kotori says.
"Aw, man, you guys fought snakes?" Kitsui pouts. "That's way cooler than some dumb goats."
Shoto raises a brow. "I thought they were super dangerous giant goats."
"They're still just goats." Kitsui mumbles and stops trying to play up the giant goats.
The six of them continue to share stories of their missions and the things they've seen and done; they share in laughter and reminiscing, until Kotori's spots something from the corner of her eye. Something purple hits her peripheral that looks oddly familiar although it's difficult to tell from inside the restaurant. She gets up from their table and presses her face against the glass to get a better look.
"Kotori?" Shoto raises a brow.
"Is… something the matter?" Takai asks.
"Yeah." Kotori answers, her breath leaving a cloudy imprint on the window. "I'm just-" She gasps. "It is!" She exclaims as she recognizes the figure outside and makes a mad dash for the door, not even bothering to explain.
The five of them share a perplexed look and take a moment of awkward and silent questioning before they walk out after Kotori. After getting the bill straightened out, of course.
Outside, Kotori practically flies out the front door and looks around for what she saw before. Or rather, who. She takes note of the head of purple hair and all too familiar robes that she's seen in one village in particular. The heavier coats of the Hidden Rain Village.
"Mutsu!" She calls out to the person she's 95% certain is who she thinks it is.
He turns around and, sure enough, Mutsu easily finds the person who called out to him, frantically waving and running towards him.
"You're here, too!" Kotori skips right in front of him and gives him a tight hug.
"Kotori!" Mutsu smiles and awkwardly returns the hug, which is more like a light pat on her back. "It's so good to see you. You're here for the Chūnin Exams, too?"
Kotori pulls away and grins. "Sure am! I was hoping you'd be here, too."
"Oh, a fateful reunion, then?" Samidare chimes in from the side, slowly swaying from side to wise as she twirls her open umbrella. "Such a captivating moment- two youths who find each other after a long separation."
"Um, hello?" Kotori looks at her in confusion.
"Oh, Kotori, meet my teammates." Mutsu motions to the much more vibrant girl, "This is Samidare," and then to the more reserved girl standing farther back, "And that's Teru."
"A pleasure." Samidare says.
Teru simply nods in acknowledgement.
"It's real nice to meet you!" Kotori grins.
"And this is Kotori. Her dad saved my mom." Mutsu smiles.
"Ah!" Samidare exclaims. "A bond that transcends the generations! The parents' friendship unites the children with an inseparable bond. Truly a love story for the ages."
"L-l-love?!" Kotori stammers out. "That's not at all what's happening!"
Mutsu turns beet red. "Y-yeah, don't twist this, Samidare!"
"So we're at the part of the story where they still discover their feelings." Samidare wistfully places a hand on her cheeks. "I simply can't wait to see how this unfolds."
"Oi, are you even listening?!" Mutsu yells out.
"You know she's not." Teru says.
"Oh, hey, it's Mutsu." Yokumaru's voice thankfully breaks the weird atmosphere set by Samidare.
The rest of Team Naruto and Team Samui exit the restaurant and approach.
"Why didn't you just say you saw Mutsu?" Shoto sighs. "Running out like that…"
"Um, sorry." Kotori averts her gaze.
Mutsu also awkwardly remains silent.
Shoto raises a brow at their bashfulness. For Mutsu it's not that odd but Kotori usually isn't. "What's up with you two?"
"Nothing!" They both say in unison.
"A-anyway, it's good to see you two." Mutsu greets Yokumaru and Shoto before he looks at the three unfamiliar figures behind them. "And, um… I don't think we've met? I'm Mutsu and these are my teammates- Teru and Samidare."
Kitsui steps forward and puffs out his chest. "Kitsui Yotsuki, of the Hidden Cloud's famed Yotsuki clan."
Mutsu gives an apologetic and slightly embarrassed look. "Oh, I'm sorry, I… don't think I've heard of them."
Kitsui hangs his head in defeat.
"I'm Hayai."
"Takai. It's nice to meet you. You're from the Hidden Rain, right? Kotori wrote about you and what happened in your village."
"Ah, yeah, all that… kind of feels like a lifetime ago already."
Kotori continues to bear an ecstatic grin on her face. "Yeah, so much has changed since I met all of you. Mutsu, you guys should come with us and we can catch up on everything! We're taking a tour of the Mist. And then maybe we can train together, like we used to!"
Shoto crosses his arms and intervenes. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Huh, why not?" Kotori cocks her head as she looks at him.
Teru speaks up as she tinkers with her metal gauntlet. "We might soon fight against each other."
"Exactly." Shoto nods. "For this Exam, we're rivals. If we want to progress, we can't show off what we can do."
Kotori frowns. "Oh… I guess you're right."
"As pragmatic as always, Shoto." Mutsu laughs. "But you and Teru do have a point. We're all here because we want to win this."
"We were all personally selected, after all." Hayai says. "We need to put our best foot forward."
Kitsui slams his fist in his open palm and grins. "All the better, then!"
Samidare laughs. "To meet one another in the heat of combat, with all the passion that entails. A story for the ages, indeed." She only now retracts her umbrella and places its tip on the ground as she uses it for support. "I can't wait."
"Um, alright?" Shoto looks at her with confusion, as does everyone else.
"Be that as it may," Yokumaru speaks up, "We can still hang out, right?"
"Of course we can." Mutsu answers. "We're actually going to meet up Fuyō-sensei now, but we can talk later. Which building are you guys in?"
"We're all in Building 1." Kotori answers.
"We're in 4." Mutsu says. "So maybe we can meet somewhere outside."
"Deal!"
"Alright, until then." Mutsu waves to them as they turn around to continue their walk.
With that, Team Fuyō heads further into the village, waving their goodbyes to Team Naruto and Team Samui.
"I think we should be going, too." Hayai looks up to the increasingly darkening sky. "Check with Samui-sensei."
"We'll talk later, yeah?" Kotori goes to give Takai a big hug.
Takai readily returns it. "Definitely."
-x-
The four buildings designated to house the foreign teams are positioned in somewhat of a semicircle with a small park in-between them. With the day over, filled with excitement of seeing each other again, Kotori and Takai are sitting in the surprisingly well-lit park, given how dark and foggy the evening is. Whatever these lamp posts are powered by, it's strong.
Kotori had taken a moment to herself, to gather her thoughts, and to do some reading. Doing more research on birds that she's been able to summon, as having a deeper understanding on how they live and how they operate is directly tied to how strong her jutsu is. During her reading, Takai found her while on her own stroll and the two sat together.
"After these Exams are over, you're telling me everything." Kotori says.
Takai chuckles. "Definitely. I have a lot to show you during these Exams."
"I kinda hope we don't end up fighting each other, though."
After a moment, Takai answers. "I do." She turns to look Kotori directly in the eyes. "If there's anyone here I want to fight against, it's you, Kotori. To show you who I am as a ninja."
Kotori looks back, surprised at the answer, but realising the words to be true. "Takai…"
"So you better come at me with everything you have, too."
Kotori smiles. "You got it."
"Oi!" A voice interrupts the girls. "Kotori!"
She turns around to see four figures approaching under the lamplight. Slightly blurry from a distance, they eventually come into shape as Team Shino, alongside a girl she'd never seen before. As they get closer, she sees the headband on her head as belonging to the Hidden Moon Village.
"Hey!" Kotori greets them. "Where've you been this late?"
"Checking out the village." Kashiwama answers. "There's so much to see! And," He motions to the girl with them, "We found Hifumi!"
"Um, hello?" Hifumi shyly waves to Kotori and Takai. "I'm Hifumi Sugibashi from the Hidden Moon."
"Ah, so you're Hifumi." Kotori recognizes the name from Kashiwama's stories of everything that happened. "I'm Kotori Uzumaki. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Takai from the Hidden Cloud."
"Oh, so you're Kotori's friend from the Cloud!" Kashiwama grins. "I'm Kashiwama Senju, Kotori's future husband." He says with absolute certainty.
"You are?" Takai gasps in surprise.
"Oh dear." Hifumi hides her mouth with her hand and looks between the two. "I had no idea."
Genzai and Jiriki can only facepalm.
After taking a moment to register and for the flushness of her cheeks to settle, Kotori jumps up from her seat in protest. "NO, HE'S NOT! Don't go deciding things on your own, Kashiwama!"
"Huh, how come?" Kashiwama genuinely asks.
Genzai shakes his head. "Don't pay him too much attention."
Takai looks at them all in confusion. "So… he's not?"
"NO!" Kotori reiterates. "Honestly, you're so…" She looks at Kashiwama and mumbles.
"As we were saying.i." Genzai sighs. "I'm Genzai Sarutobi, this guy's teammate." He points to Kashiwama.
"Jiriki Hyūga." He nods in greeting.
"Wow." Takai looks between the three of them. "You're all from famous clans. You must be strong."
"Naturally." Kashiwama puffs out his chest. "That's why Kotori and I are meant to be."
Kotori hides her face in embarrassment.
"A name means nothing if you don't put in any work." Jiriki says. "Our strength is because of the effort we've put into attaining. If you're here, I'd hope you're the same and you won't be wasting our time."
"Oh, um…" Takai is caught a bit offguard by Jiriki's response.
"Don't mind him." Kotori waves her hand dismissively. "He's just like that."
Kashiwama lightly smacks him on the shoulder. "Yeah, man, there's no need to be rude to a new friend."
Jiriki shrugs. "It is how it is. I'm going to bed, I have to be rested for tomorrow's training. As should you two; the Exams are soon." He turns around and makes his way toward their building.
"Oh, good night." Hifumi waves to him, receiving a wave in return.
Genzai raises a brow and looks at Kashiwama. "Is he more intense than usual?"
Kashiwama shrugs. "Sounds the same to me. Either way, he's right; we gotta get ready for whatever Shino-sensei's got planned for us."
"You're already hard at work, huh?" Kotori says.
"Yeah. Are you gonna train with Naruto-sensei?" Kashiwama asks.
Kotori taps her chin as she thinks for a moment. "I don't know. He hasn't said anything."
"I'd take the time to if I were you." Genzai says. "We got a long road ahead of us. Let's go, Kashiwama."
"Yeah. Good night, you three. It was nice to meet you, Takai."
"Good night." Kotori, Takai, and Hifumi waves them off as they follow the same path as Jiriki back to their building.
Hifumi lingers for a moment by the bench, a slightly awkward moment as she's left with two girls she'd just met. She does eventually break the silence by addressing Takai while keeping her eyes in the direction of Team Shino's path. "I did see them fight, and they were amazing. I don't know if it's because they're from clans or what, but they're something else."
"Yeah, the boys sure are." Kotori says. "So you were with them at the Hidden Moon?"
Hifumi nods. "They were assigned to my uncle and we did a few missions together."
"Well, don't let that get to you. We all got our own thing that makes us strong. Kashiwama and the rest have their own strengths and I'm sure you do, too." Kotor grins.
"We just need to show where we shine," Takai adds, "And not focus on where we don't."
"Wow, that was really deep." Kotori genuinely says.
"Was it?" Takai rubs the back of her head, slightly embarrassed.
Hifumi chuckles. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry about being a downer. I hope we can meet each other again, before or during the Exams."
"Same!"
"Kotori and I made a promise not to hold back against each other."
"Then I promise not to, either. Good night." Hifumi waves them off and goes to her own building.
"Good night! We should probably go, too."
With the evening coming to a close, Kotori and Takai hop off the bench and go back to Building 1, to get ready for the following day and everything it'll bring.
Next day
Hidden Mist Village docks
Kotori had gotten up nice and early, from a combination of restlessness over the Exams and just that odd feeling when you're not in your own home so sleep feels awkward. New bed, new environment. Apparently Yokumaru and Shoto felt the exact same since they woke up not long after her, and the three decided to head out into the village since they had nothing better to do for now.
Kotori's main desired destination was the docks. High atop a tower to look at the docks and just have a nice picnic of sorts while they carefully watch the ships that to and fro.
Later in the morning, closer to noon, Naruto eventually approaches them as they sit and talk amongst themselves.
"So this is where you've been."
"Hey, dad!" Kotori greets him.
"What're you doing all the way up here?" Naruto asks.
Shoto points to the docks. "We wanted to keep a lookout."
Naruto raises a brow. "Fooor?"
"Sangen and Tayūri!" Kotori answers with a hint of excitement and anticipation.
"The Hidden Sand's teams haven't arrived yet and we're hoping Sangen and Tayūri are coming." Yokumaru clarifies.
"Waiting for your friends, huh?" Naruto chuckles. "But we don't know if they're coming, do we? Or when-"
"They are." Kotori says immediately once Naruto voices uncertainty. "They definitely are."
"Well, I guess I'll leave you to it. Don't stay for too long."
"Master." Shoto chimes in before Naruto leaves.
"Y'know, you can call me sensei."
"Are we going to train?" Shoto asks his question.
"Do you want to?" Naruto.
"I… feel like we should?" Shoto says with uncertainty, seeing that Naruto himself isn't pushing them to. "Team Five are."
"Ah-hah." Naruto nods. "So why do you want to train? Because you feel unprepared, or you still have some jutsu you're trying to figure out? To pass the time?" He asks before also adding with a knowing smile, "Or is it because Jiriki is doing it?"
"I…" Shoto looks down. "I don't know. It just feels like we should be."
"Do you two think we should train, too?" Naruto looks to Kotori and Yokumaru.
Yokumaru thinks for a moment. "Maybe we should?"
"It's not like we'll get stronger in a single day." Kotori says as she continues to look on at the docks.
"You're right." Naruto sits down with them. "For the past month, you trained your butts off and you got stronger than ever; I couldn't be more proud of you. As far as I'm concerned, you're more than ready. But if you wanna train some more, that's your choice."
The kids listen intently as Naruto clearly prepares himself for a speech. He sits beside them and look at the horizon.
"You're at the Chūnin Exams and if you do well, you're gonna be promoted to Chūnin. You won't be my students any more. You'll be your own ninja and will have more responsibility; you'll have to make your own choices. So, start now. Look inside and decide what's the best course of action for you- use this time to gather your energy or keep at it."
"You're… right." Shoto says. "We have to make our own choices."
"Are we really gonna stop being a team?" Yokumaru asks apprehensively. "I… I don't want that."
Naruto pats him on the head. "We can still be a team. It just won't be as teacher and students."
Kotori turns around and grins. "You'd be too sad without us around."
Naruto chuckles. "Yeah, I would be. So, whatever you wanna do before the Exams, it's entirely up to you. If you do wanna train, I'll leave a [Shadow Clone] back at the apartment just in case. Okay?"
"Yes, Master." Shoto bows. "Thank you for your wisdom."
"Seriously, just call me sensei." Naruto sighs. "Alright, I'll be off, then." He gives them a mock salute before leaving.
Rather than getting up and just walking away as one would normally expect, Naruto disappears into thin air with a puff of smoke.
"Huh, a [Shadow Clone]…"
"That really is useful." Kotori says.
-x-
It doesn't take that long for them to see some hurried movement, the welcome committee clearly in a rush. This next ship is one of the Shinobi Union members. As a ship approaches, the three of them try to get a closer look of what flag they carry and once it gets closer, they recognize the Hidden Dreams Village's symbols.
Kotori sends out her [Sparrows] to get a better view of who precisely is arriving.
As with all villages, four teams comprised of one sensei and three students make their way off the ship and are greeted by the people of the Mist. One person in particular instantly stands out to Kotori who has a better view through her [Sparrows].
A young boy dressed in particular armour-covered robes with a crescent decoration on his helmet. Taisa Amagiri.
"It's Taisa!" Kotori informs the others.
"That was the Amagiri kid you fought, right?" Shoto asks.
"He's the same age as us." Yokumaru raises a brow at Shoto's use of the word 'kid'.
"Yeah, let's go say 'hi'." Kotori immediately hops off and makes her way closer to the docks.
Shoto sighs. "Guess we're going to say 'hi'." He and Yokumaru follow suit.
It doesn't take long for them to get there but moving past the crowd is another thing. This is essentially meeting a foreign delegation, after all, people don't take kindly to someone trying to push their way through. Still, they manage to inch their way past one person at a time until they're near the front. As soon as they make it to the front, Taisa spots them among the sea of people present.
"You guys?" Taisa raises a brow.
"Hey!" Kotori waves. "Been a while."
"Not that long." Taisa chuckles. "So, you're in the Exams, too?"
"We sure are! We got here yesterday."
Shoto looks behind Taisa, searching for someone else. "Isn't the other one with you? The Hirasaka guy?
"Yomito? No." Taisa shakes his head. "When Lord Enzo adopted your ranking system, Yomito and Ryuka were promoted directly to Chūnin. I still have to fight my way up the ranks, though."
"That means you defeated a Chūnin?" Yokumaru says. "So you're already on your way to becoming one, too."
"I wouldn't say that. He and Taisa had just lost their parents. They were emotional. If we fought again with clear heads, there's no telling if I'd win."
Taisa lowers, cheeks flushed red. "Um, yeah, sorry about that."
"It's fine." Kotori pats him on the shoulder. "You didn't know what was happening. But now we can fight for a good cause! Not as enemies."
Taisa looks up with a smile. "I won't lose this time, though."
"I can't wait." She grins. "Hey, I'm gonna call a whole bunch of people to hang out, from all different villages, if you wanna come with."
"I'll think about it. I oughta go now." Taisa points over to further away from their spot. "My team's waiting for me."
"See you soon!" Kotori says as Taisa takes his leave.
One more friend's arrived, a more unexpected one, but still welcome.
-x-
For the next couple of hours, the gang keep a watchful eye on the horizon from atop their perch. The Hidden Dreams Village is much farther west than the Hidden Sand, so surely they shouldn't be far behind. Supposedly the Hidden Dreams had an early start to be here on time.
They keep on eating sweets and drinking tea from a nearby stall until finally they see a ship approach with a familiar flag on it. Two flags, actually.
"I see it!" Kotori exclaims. "The Hidden Sand's ship."
Shoto leans forward and narrows his eyes. "And… the Hidden Stone, too? Did they come together."
"I guess there's no reason not to, right?" Yokumaru says. "Since we're all allies."
"Let's go and see if they're here." Kotori jumps off the building and runs down its walls to head back to the docks themselves.
It takes a few minutes for the ship to properly come to a stop and get ready for the passengers to unboard. All the while, the three of them wait in anticipation, Kotori and Yokumaru more so, to see who the Hidden Sand teams are.
Their wait is eventually answered when through the crowd, they spot two figures. Obviously older than they remember but still recognizable, they see the familiar faces of Sangen and Tayūri, accompanied by what's most likely their teammate with a large fan strapped to her back, and their sensei Matsuri.
Kotori can hardly hold her excitement, her first instinct to run over and greet them but knowing that right now that's the Hidden Mist's job. So she anxiously wait for them to move away from the welcoming party and head off.
When they finally do, Kotori jumps up and down while waving to grab their attention. "Sangen! Tayūri!"
Sangen is the first to notice, narrowing his uncertain eyes to see if that really is who he thinks it is. "Kotori?" He walks over to her.
Tayūri looks back in time to see Sangen draw closer to the crowd. "Where're you going?" She then looks ahead and sees precisely where he's going.
Kotori bursts out of the crowd and gives Sangen a big hug. "I knew you two would be here!"
Sangane stumbles back a bit from the sudden attack and gives a lighter hug in return. "It's good to see you again, Kotori."
"Hey, hey, what're you doing?" Tayūri runs in and pries Kotori off. "Get off him!"
Kotori, not even registering the other girl's tone, hugs Tayūri in turn. "I missed you guys so much."
"We missed you, too." Sangen says.
"Speak for yourself." Tayūri mutters.
"I'm really glad you're also in the Exams." Sangen smiles. "All of you." He looks back to the approaching Yokumaru and Shoto.
"Gotta say I wasn't sure you'd be here." Shoto chuckles and takes a light bow in greeting.
Yokumaru waves. "I was hoping."
"We couldn't really miss it, could we?" Sangen says and takes a passing look over the three of them. "It didn't feel like a lot of time's passed until now."
"Right?" Kotori grins and does a little twirl. "We've become super awesome ninja now."
"Oh, yeah?" Tayūri takes a step forward and crosses her arms. "Don't think we've been slacking off. We're gonna show you how strong we've gotten."
Kotori nods. "I can't wait!"
Once again, Kotori's energy throws Tayūri off. She's trying to assert some kind of dominance but Kotori doesn't even seem to notice!
Yokumaru speaks up. "Say, we have others here at the Exams we met on missions; we're planning a big get-together."
"Oh, right, I almost forgot!" Kotori says. "You have to come. Please?"
"Catching up sounds nice, right, Tayūri?" Sangen looks to his teammate.
"I guess."
"Then it's a deal. I'll track you down later."
"No, we'll track you down when we're ready." Tayūri says before grabbing Sangen's arm and pulling him away. "Come on, let's go."
"See you later." Sangen waves with his body half-turned while being dragged.
As they get further into the crowd, Tayūri says, "You can't just let people hug you like that."
"But she's our friend, isn't she?" Sangen replies, confused.
"... Dummy." Tayūri mumbles and lets go of his arm, the two walking to Matsuri-sensei and Taiko side by side.
Back at the docks themselves, Kotori places her hands on her hips and smiles ear-to-ear. "Everyone's here. I almost can't believe it."
"It's nice to see everyone again." Yokumaru says. "Everyone seems to have gotten a lot stronger."
"Then we can't let Master Naruto's training go to waste. I'm going back to the apartment to talk to his [Shadow Clone]. I can't just sit by and idle, after all."
"Then let's train together then."
As the three of them move together through the crowd, they have to manoeuvre a bit to get back out from the crowd that's also beginning to scatter a bit. During the commotion, Shoto inadvertently bumps into people or people bump into him, with one collision being particularly rough when he bumps into a girl seemingly his age
"My apologies." She's quick to say sorry.
The girl whips her head back, putting her Hidden Stone Village forehead protector and spiky hair on better display. "Watch where you're-" She then looks down at Shoto's clothes and his clan's emblem emblazoned on his chest. The girl narrows her eyes. "Teshin."
Shoto cocks his head. "Do I know you?"
"Of course you don't. That would require you to stay in your own village." She turns around and walks away without saying anything.
Shoto narrows his eyes. "... What's her problem…"
He keeps an eye on her as much as he can through the crowd while he goes back to Kotori and Yokumaru. The Stone girl does look back once and their eyes meet before she heads farther in the village with her team.
The Next Day
Mizukage's Tower
Now that the full cast of participants have arrived, the Fifth Mizukage has summoned all of the sensei for a formal meeting before everything goes underway.
12 members of the Shinobi Union. 48 teams, a total of 144 Genin, set to take part in these historic Chūnin Exams.
Most of the sensei have gathered already, with a few on their way. Naruto and Shino are mingling with the others, many interested in speaking with Naruto in particular; his reputation not at all dwindled despite the years it's been since the war.
While Naruto has a small crowd around him, one person rather approaches Shino instead. A middle-aged man wearing the uniform of the Hidden Moon Village.
"Tambo Sugibashi." Shino bows his head to the man. "I'm glad we could meet again."
Tambo returns the bow. "I am, too. I was hoping to meet again, I just never thought it'd be this soon."
"I heard from Kashiwama and the rest that they met Hifumi. Have you taken on a three-man cell for the Exams?"
"Indeed." Tambo nods. "If we wanted to participate, we had to adopt the standard used by the other villages, so we put together teams of three."
"I can't imagine it'd have been easy to form a team this close to the Chūnin Exams." Shino says.
Tambo sighs. "No, it wasn't. I did what I could to get their teamwork up to par. I hope the results show."
"I'm certain they will."
Over to the side, Naruto finally manages to wrangle himself free of the people seeking a conversation with himself. Kurotsuchi approaches from behind and pats him on the shoulder.
"You sure are popular." She laughs.
Naruto spins around to see the unseen presence. "Oh, Kurotsuchi! You're here, too?"
"Sure am. With a Genin team, too, if you can believe that."
"I've seen stranger things." Naruto chuckles.
"I don't doubt you have. I sure hope you've trained the kids well, 'cause mine are in this to win." Kurotsuchi bumps him on the chest.
"All eyes will be on Naruto Uzumaki's team." A third voice chimes in from behind; they turn around to see Samui walking to them. "I assume there's quite a bit of pressure."
Naruto chuckles. "Heh, maybe. But those three are probably too focused on their own goals right now to care about any of that."
"It's good to see you again, Naruto, this time both as Jōnin sensei." Samui gives a light smile.
Kurotsuchi gives Samui an appraising look. "You were at the last joint Chūnin Exams, weren't you? The one held in the Leaf."
Samui nods. "I was, yes."
"And now you're here with another team. Impressive. Most Jōnin don't pick up a new team this soon."
"My old team are already all Chūnin so I was technically free of obligation. Normally I'd have taken a break, as well, but… these three are special. You could say they played a vital role in my wanting to become a sensei in the first place."
Naruto and Samui share a knowing smile, both recognizing Kotori's infectious energy as prompting Samui to consider taking up the mantle, and in particular for the three students who were closest to Kotori.
Kurotsuchi quizzically cocks her head. "I see…"
The murmuring and conversing comes to a stop when the now full rooftop all turn their attention to the stairway that leads up to here. The scattered Jōnin sensei take their places- all four Jōnin from each village standing side by side, the 12 groups ordered in a 3x4 formation.
The Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumī walks up and stands in front of everyone. Behind her are an Elder of the Hidden Mist flanked by two of his associates, and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, Chōjūrō. Typically, the only other member of the group would be there, as well, but Saizo Kyōrin currently stands with the other Jōnin sensei.
Mei looks over each and everyone of the 48 men and women gathered here and smiles. "It's a great pleasure and honour to welcome you all here for this special occasion. I know these words are uttered many times, and they always are true, but this is a milestone for not just the Shinobi Union but the entire world. This is the first time such a varied assembly has gathered and the first time it's for a good cause, not driven by strife or fear. I look forward to this event with great curiosity."
The two aids then step forward and begin distributing folders to the gathered sensei.
"In the folders,' Mei continues speaking, "You'll find the outline for the Exams to come. It will be done in three stages as is customary. The First Exam will be a mock mission for them to complete and will be marked based on how they overcome the obstacles set before them. The Second Exam will be team battles. And the Final Exam will be a tournament. If too many Genin reach the finals, an elimination round will be held prior."
Naruto takes a look at the briefing and stops when he sees what's in store for the kids. "Hey, Shino, this is…"
"Yes." Shino nods. "The Second Exam may prove… interesting. "
"Man, this could be heartbreaking for them if they get unlucky."
"Or it would deepen their bonds. We'll simply have to wait and see."
Mei ensures that everyone has had the opportunity to at least gloss over their folders. "Naturally, none of this information is to reach your students. Any team suspected of cheating will be immediately disqualified from the Exams. If you've any further questions or concerns, I'm available in my office; if I'm not, Gonbee and Heki are more than qualified to answer in my stead." She motions to the two aids.
Gonbee and Heki both take a bow.
"If you've any questions now, you may ask. If not, you're free to prepare for tomorrow however you see fit."
-x-
While the sensei are busy with their meeting and their briefing, the kids have taken a more relaxed approach to the final day before the Exam. Team Naruto, Team Shino, Team Samui, Team Fuyō, Team Matsuri, along with Hifumi and Taisa are all gathered in one place.
Mostly through Kotori's persistence and stubbornness to gather all of the friends she'd made and hang out together.
For many of them it's their first time meeting but they quickly find each other's speed and enjoy each other's company, driven by Kotori's endless enthusiasm.
What the kids don't know, too busy being wrapped up in conversation, is that their sensei are on a nearby rooftop and observing.
"I kind of don't want to break it up." Matsuri says.
"Then perhaps we shouldn't." Shino says. "Allow them to have a day for themselves."
"I suppose some rest is welcome after the month of preparation." Samui chimes in.
"It'll do them good to share more memories." Matsuri says. "It's been a while since they met."
"It's odd to think all of them are connected through Kotori." Fuyō smiles. "She'd had quite the effect on a lot of people."
"Like father, like daughter." Shino adds in jest.
Naruto chuckles. "Nah, she was like this before I came into her life. I do agree it might be best to leave them be for now."
"They're having fun now, but do you think they'll be fine after the Exams?" Tambo Sugibashi asks. "They'll be competing against each other, after all."
Naruto shrugs. "Gaara and I tried to kill each other in our Chūnin Exams and we're still friends.
The others give Naruto a very confused look.
"Then how about we follow our Genin's example?" Fuyō offers. "Grab a drink."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Naruto stretches his arms and turns around to look to the others with a grin.