Sunlight spilled down onto the busy village, the weekend sellers opening up their stalls while the restaurants began serving. A white haired girl walked down a cobbled street beside a pink haired Genin and a raven haired Genin.
The three were coming back from a meeting with their Sensei regarding team training and joint training with the other Rookie Teams, as well as a team of upperclassmen.
"Akihane-Nee-Chan!"
A shout echoed from ahead, drawing the three Genin's attention to a waving brunette child standing with two other children.
Sakura stiffened along with Sasuke, the two filling with dread. The brat before them was none other than Konohamaru, the Hokage's grandson, and Asuma's nephew.
The boy had tagged along to their team dinners often enough that they knew him and his two tag-a-longs, Udon and Moegi.
"Hey, Konohamaru-Kun. You haven't been giving Iruka-Sensei any trouble, have you?"
Akihane called to the Academy Student, walking over to gently ruffle the boy's hair. She did the same to the other two, looking quite fitting next to the three children.
Despite being cold no one could doubt Naru's apparent soft spot for kids, which was shown on the Wave mission when she made friends with Inari and managed to get the boy to apologize to Hinata.
Sasuke also knew that Naru like children based on the visits she'd make to the Orphanage in secret, giving candy or other goodies to the children there.
As long as the children didn't tug at her or demand things of her, Naru was quite alright with being near them. Her presence mostly prevented those situations from ever happening, however.
"No. We've been good for Iruka-Sensei. He's really nice and calls me by my name."
Konohamaru grinned up at Akihane, basking in the affection he gained. The little boy always enjoyed Akihane paying attention to him.
The little twerp glanced to the side, and upon spying Sasuke glaring at him he reached forward. Konohamaru jumped to hug Akihane around her waist. Akihane blinked down at him but simply sighed. Sasuke seethed behind her, clenching his fist.
'I so want to pound that damn boy into the ground…that boy touching my Akihane like she's his. As bad as the damned Inuzuka or Kakashi….'
Sasuke thought venomously, his gaze never leaving the boy that soon removed himself from Akihane to ask his death warrant.
"Neh Nee-Chan, will you go on a date with me? We can ditch these losers!"
Udon and Moegi both sighed, knowing what was coming after their idiot leader asked that from Akihane.
"What the hell are you asking her out for, she's nothing special!", "Stop asking out Akihane, Gaki!"
Sakura shouted, followed by Sasuke's low growl.
Konohamaru huffed and glared at Sakura and Sasuke. "What, come on. Nee-Chan is way hotter than you and I'm perfect for her!"
Sakura growled and her fist slammed into her palm as she cracked her knuckles. From beside her Sasuke's brow twitched, the little boy having enough insight to run the hell away.
The two friends shouted and ran after him, follow by Sasuke and then Sakura, Akihane left to stand alone.
The Ivory teen sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "Tsch…"
She muttered, fighting a headache over the encounter.
"Akihane-San?"
A voice called out in a lazy but surprised drawl, turning Akihane's attention to the Nara standing not too far away. Shikamaru stared at her for a moment, before he started walking over. For once he didn't have his teammates surrounding him and was alone.
Aki waved tiredly at the male, stepping beside him as she walked in the direction Sasuke and Sakura had taken off in.
"Hey, Shikamaru-San. Did you see that whole thing?"
The Uzumaki questioned the Nara Heir, drawing a snort from the male.
"Yeah, right down to Sasuke's murderous aura when Asuma's nephew asked you out. So I take it you've heard the news? That we'll be training with another team?"
Naru hummed an affirmative, the two rounding a corner as she added on. "Kakashi-Sensei had an evil look in his eye when he spoke about it. Maito Gai…The Green Beast of Konoha, and the Taijutsu master of Konoha. He apparently can't use chakra."
Shikamaru took in the information, as well as the sight before him. He felt Naru still and stopped himself as he took in Konohamaru on the ground, Sasuke holding a black-dressed Sand Nin (going from his headband) by his wrist. Sakura held back the other two kids, another girl reaching for a weapon on her back as she tried to get Sasuke to release the other sand Nin, who was a male brunette.
"Sasuke-San!"
Akihane shouted from beside Shikamaru, her voice drawing the attention to them as they started walking once more. Sasuke paused when he heard her, before he released Kankuro, allowing him to stumble backward.
Sasuke stood beside Akihane once she reached the small group, her eyes drifting over him as she searched for injuries.
"He threatened the Hokage's Grandson, Akihane." Sasuke supplied his teammate, glancing toward Konohamaru and his friends who were crowded behind Sakura.
Akihane sighed heavily, glancing at the Academy Students.
"Go home, guys. I'll handle this…"
Naru turned toward the two Sand Nin, the woman scolding her brother over being an idiot in a foreign country while he tried not to wince over nearly screwing things up.
"Why are foreign Ninja attacking civilians in a different village? Do you have any idea the political repercussions this could bring upon your village? Or are you just too dense to realize that wars have started for less."
Akihane's voice descended into disgust as her eyes hardened into maroon on the two before her. Her chakra boiled beneath the surface, kept under wraps by the seal on her stomach. Still, Naru's glare reminded the two Sand Nin of someone else they knew, and it struck them that the Leaf did have a Jinchuuriki, thought they didn't think the girl in front of them could actually be said Jinchuuriki. Still, the odd features reminded them of the picture of the Nidaime that they had seen among their father's things.
"Akihane…"
The raven haired male settled a hand on the girl's shoulder, reining in her oppressing aura while calming her down. The Ivory teen glanced toward him, looking him over once more.
"Unharmed?"
The girl questioned in a low tone, barely heard by those standing right beside her.
Sasuke nodded his head in an affirmative that he was okay, grasping for the girl's hand. Small hands clasped together, the closeness quite similar to siblings, despite their opposing features.
The male behind them muttered gently, tapping the girl's shoulder.
"Akihane-San, it's almost time for lunch."
Akihane blinked, glancing toward the brunette, her eyes sharpening as she sighed.
"Oh right…I promised Shikaku-San. I'll have to let you go Sasuke-San…just as soon as I take care of the intruders."
Akihane then turned toward Kankuro and Temari, shocking them as she stood tall, gently parting her hair from her headband.
"Please refrain from attacking citizens of our village, Sand Nin. I do not want to deal with the repercussions should Raza-Sama decide to fight Jiji-Sama on the matter. Also, to the boy hiding on that branch, please refrain from hiding in such ways on foreign land. Doing such can easily get you killed, especially with jumpy Nin like our Jonin. Kakashi-Sensei, in particular, enjoys burying people and Genma-San has been known to turn someone into a pin-cushion. Just a bit of friendly advice to Genin that are not Genin yet, alright?"
The blonde smiled a fake smile at the two, her skin glistening in the light of the sun while her tilted head causes the sun to reflect from her maroon orbs. The red cut into the eyes of those standing before her, remaining like that up until the boy who had hidden on a tree nearby appeared in a swirl of sand before the others.
"You…"
The boy's voice was quite deep and his hair was a dark shade of red while his eyes were seafoam green.
The boy, like the girl, wore tan colored clothing with a gray fishnet shirt. A large gourd rested on his back, held by a brown strap that was crossed over by a white cloth. The male had pale skin, and imprinted on the left side of his head was the kanji for love.
The boy dressed in a black catsuit had red markings on his face and his headband was stitched into the fabric of his suit, a wrapped bundle with brown hair hanging from his back. The girl with blonde hair had her headband wrapped around her neck, her hair pointed backward in four bushy tails. A black fan was held to her back by her red obi.
Naru tilted her head again, the sun trailing down her pale skin. She wore a blue fishnet shirt, along with her custom black coat and her black pants. The black coat was tied with the sleeves around her waist, and for once she didn't wear her boots. Instead, she opted for a pair of covered-heeled Ninja sandals. Her dog tags clicked together while her braided hair swept across her shoulder blades.
Sasuke glanced over to the three again, his black shirt with the Uchiha crest on the back blending against his teammate's attire. His black sandals scuffed the ground as he pivoted to face them, his hands stuffing into the pockets of his black shorts.
Behind them Shikamaru wore his normal attire, Sakura also standing next to the Nara in her red dress.
"Uzumaki Akihane Naru, Konoha Genin."
Naru held out a hand to the newcomer, not bothering to look at the others as the male before she smirked. The two were the same height, but of course, Naru was wearing heels so the red head was no doubt taller by a few inches.
"Subaku no Gaara, Suna Genin."
The male introduced himself, grasping Naru's hand. The two stayed in their position for a moment, Sasuke's gaze flicking down to Naru's hand. He paused when he saw red on Naru's thumb for a moment, but once he blinked it was gone. The two finally pulled away, Naru wondering about the small cut Gaara had given her.
Shikamaru muttered softly from behind the Uzumaki, before offering, "Nara Shikamaru, same rank as the rest of you."
Sasuke followed with, "Uchiha Sasuke."
And finally, Sakura finished them off. "Haruno Sakura."
The other two Sand Nin shared glances but responded anyway. The black-suited male went first. "Kankuro. She's Temari. We're Gaara's older siblings."
Naru nodded at the two, her lips twitching into a familiar 'Scarecrow-Watering' grin.
"Good to know. Now then, goodbye."
Naur turned on her heal, barely pausing to incline her head to Gaara as she came to face Shikamaru.
"Shikamaru-San, if you will. I do want to get there in time to see Rikumaru, I haven't seen him in weeks."
Sasuke shivered, glancing away as Shikamaru muttered another 'troublesome' and lead the Uzumaki from the group.
"No way am I dealing with Naru when she's like that."
I~~~~I
A soft wind blew white bangs across a pale face as lavender eyes gazed into brown. A soft smile decorated the feminine features of one ivory Uzumaki as she leaned in. Her lips brushed across the brown cheek.
Naru pulled away and reached behind Rikumaru's ears, gently scratching as she laughed lightly.
Behind her she heard Shikaku chuckle and Shikamaru shuffle, the younger still a little at odds over her friendship with the Nara Deer.
"She really has taken a liking to him, I'd almost say he adopted her…"
Shikaku glanced down at Shikamaru meaningfully, causing the boy to turn sharply to his father, his cheeks darkening.
"We are friends Tou-San. Besides we have other things to focus on."
Shikaku smirked at his son, turning back to the ivory girl that had managed to get Rikumaru to lie down and was now being surrounded by other deer.
"I only meant that we could make her an honorary member…Though since you suggested it's not a bad idea."
Shikamaru sputtered in a way only his father could make him, quickly composing himself before Naru noticed him freaking out. The girl had pet a few deer, her eyes closed as the weight shifted from her shoulders. A soft sigh left the Heir's lips as he caught the way the sun reflected off the girl's hair just like the moon had, as well as the sparkle her eyes gained when opened as she pets the deer. He had hardly ever seen the young Kunoichi so carefree, instead of seeing her weighed down by the villagers' hate and the expectations of her superiors.
The girl was an enigma that Shikamaru couldn't figure out, and he had no doubts in his mind that she would always be that way.
"Shikamaru-San, can you tell me their names?"
The Nara heard the soft voice of his guest, and with another 'troublesome', he walked over to aid the Uzumaki.
He mines as well not bother with thinking the rest of Naru's time at his place because if he did he would be royally screwed in terms of figuring out the alluding Kunoichi.
I~~~~I
Naru departed from Shikamaru's with a thank you to his parents and a farewell to Rikumaru. Shikaku offered his place to her anytime, and even though Nara Yoshino was slightly wary of her, she seemed to have warmed up to her after the night.
The night breeze brushed Naru's hair across her forehead, causing her to pull at the bangs a bit to situate them under her headband. She walked toward the training ground Sasuke and Hinata frequently used with her, figuring that since no dinner was being held that night and Zabuza was stuck with Hiruzen and Haku was checking out the hospital, that she mine as well get some hours in.
A gentle hum danced over her lips into the open air as she removed a Kunai from her pouch. Gently she twirled the weapon around her finger, thinking about the brief lunch Genma wanted to have between them while Yugau had demanded she stop by to pick up some dinner and extra scrolls to help with training.
The two were no doubt the mother hens of their little group, and should one add-on Iruka, Naru feared she'd end up swaddled in cloth and hidden from any danger in sight. The brunette teacher had a soft spot for her, while the Tokujo had basically adopted her in all but law, and Yugau became her older sister.
"I seriously don't think that a Hotel would be on the outskirts. We should have just asked for directions."
The voice put Naru on alert, her eyes sharpening as her humming died completely. A chakra pulse was sent through the ground as she stepped once more, the pulse tracing along every object.
The fuzzy chakra around the nearby botany was discarded, as was the amounts of chakra hidden inside tiny creatures. Instead, the larger sources were scouted. Three sources were detected almost immediately, the chakra sharp and jagged with a very heavy feel to each one.
Akihane bit down on her lip as the sources rounded the corner ahead of her, her kunai still spinning. She gazed to the side, acting unaware even as the three Genin-Level shinobi quieted upon seeing her.
"Oh hey…"
The one who had spoken before called out, drawing Naru's attention directly to them once more. The moon was gone that night, due to it being a new moon. Still, there was a streetlight not too far ahead, allowing her headband to be lit up while her main features were mostly hidden.
The three were plain in features, or at least two were. The third had bright blonde hair and glassy blue eyes. The others had black hair, and one had brown eyes while the other had a dark hazel. Blondie was the tallest and the one dragging behind the group, while the hazel eyed one was the one to speak. The other boy happened to be the smallest, though he was still taller than Naru even with her boots.
"A Konoha Nin!"
The apparently outspoken boy of the group grinned, his headband shining. The blonde's eyes narrowed, while the other glanced away.
Their headbands became revealed as Naru stopped moving, her breath catching slightly.
Two stones, one overlapping the other imprinted onto red cloth that decorated each of the little Genin. Iwagakure, the Village Hidden in the Rocks.
Naru tensed noticeably, before forcing her body to relax as the middle Genin spoke up, scratching his cheek.
"Neh, you think you could help out some fellow Genin?"
Akihane bit down on her lip a bit more but eventually sighed when the other Genin started to look uncomfortable. She glanced toward the sky, calculating the time, before looking back at the lost Genin.
"Where do you need to get to?" Akihane asked of the Genin, her voice soft, even if her eyes had long since darkened to their red hue. Only the Blonde seemed to have noticed, but even though he gave her an odd glance he refrained from mentioning the trait.
The enthusiastic Genin reached forward, and on instinct Naru twisted on her heel, facing the village. A put-off look downed the boy's visage, even as the Blonde answered the light haired Kunoichi. "The Hidden Kunai…"
Akihane paused as she remembered the location, nodding at the three.
"I suppose I can help. Come on, I'll escort you…"
Akihane commented, suspicion hidden under her tone as she started walking. Those behind her quickly rushed to catch up with her fast strides, the open one glancing at her features as they passed the street light. "I'm Odoriko Yarui, by the way."
The Hazel-eyed raven supplied Akihane, causing her to cast him another sideways glance while she turned a corner, leading toward the town center. She really didn't want to give up her family name to Iwa-Nin, but she also hated being so informal.
"Uzu Akihane." Akihane finally decided on.
The blonde walked at her other side, speaking up next. "Ryutai Darui."
Following Darui was the other raven, who closed his eyes before offering his name.
"Shisui Kopi."
Akihane had to fight not to look startled, her heart beating sharply twice, before settling to a normal pulse. Painful twists entered her stomach as she tried not to react.
"It's nice to meet you…I assume you are here for the Exams?"
The three Genin glanced at each other, a little confused at the sparse silence earlier before Shisui answered.
"Yes. I'm guessing you'll be cheering on Konoha so I won't bother with a story."
Akihane's lips twitched as she slowed down, the three having entered the darkened streets of Konoha. Lavender orbs danced upward, gazing at the slightest movement in the shadows, signifying that ANBU were on guard.
Quite a lot were apparently out, and some even stopped to view her before one moved on and the other remained as a tail.
Akihane ignored the burning feeling of being watched, humming instead as she replied to the boy she absolutely refused to call by his name.
"Kopi-San, I'm actually a participant."
Silence descended on the group, Naru pulling to a stop in front of a large building with a small wooden sign at the front, declaring it as the establishment 'The Hidden Kunai'. The hotel was one of the better ones in Konoha, and the owner didn't mind her much since she had done several jobs for him when she was younger.
Akihane turned on her heel again, gazing at the Genin before her. The blonde looked rather put off, while the other two seemed shocked at her revelation.
"W-wait you're a Genin!? B-But you don't act like one…I-I mean we felt you cha-"
A sharp blow to Yarui's gut kept him from saying anything else, though Akihane already suspected what he meant. She was a little surprised when she read the chakra of the group, especially Darui's.
Darui's chakra was a rolling type, one that ground down against itself while trying to escape, and a freely moving chakra that didn't like remaining contained. The same type of chakra that Naru herself had and the same type of all Natural Sensors.
Akihane hummed and raised a hand, forming a seal.
She waved at the three, while also giving the ANBU an 'all clear' signal.
"I'll see you in the Exams I hope…"
Akihane vanished with a swirl of leaves, her chakra wrapped tightly as she dropped down on the roof above. A seal was placed on her leg, keeping even the sensor down below from tracking her.
"Hmm…I guess training will have to wait."
Akihane's lips twitched while her fingers itched for a weapon as the Genin filed into the Inn she led them to.
Yugau would probably get an earful over teaching her ANBU signs after this, or Shisui, depending on who that one ANBU notified. Naru much preferred Shisui over Yugau, since the teen was already dead and his job wasn't exactly one he could be fired from. Yugau on the other hand wasn't quite expendable, but the woman loved the perks of her jobs and having the trust of her Kage. Aki would not take her freedom from her.
The Uzumaki also wouldn't hold back when the Exams came.
I~~~~I
Naru walked down to the meeting place in the morning, her hair bound once more while she stretched her arms out before her. Her thoughts were centered on the Iwa Genin she had seen yesterday, and whether the Hokage was going to tell her Sensei about that factor or if Kakashi knew.
The man had probably heard along the grapevine by now since ANBU were always more inclined to their past commander than others.
Naru glanced to the side, her eyes catching the details of the bright green leaves as she thought over Darui's skill.
The boy was a sensor like her and a very good one at that. It was a rather odd occurrence since Iwa was mostly known for brash and destructive bloodlines rather than aiding ones such as sensing. Out of all the villages, Uzushio was the one with the most sensors, and next to it was Kumo. Uzu was gone now, thanks to the combined efforts of Iwa and Kumo, leaving Kumo to be on top again. Konoha rarely ever got sensors after the Senju line died off and the Uzumaki's weren't around to marry into the clans inside Konoha. Ame was home to very few bloodlines, and the Mizu had killed off most of their bloodlines.
"You're thinking quite deeply during the morning."
Naru's head angled upward, her eyes pausing on the brown haired figure standing in front of her. A smile tilted over her lips and she waved at the male standing before her.
"Iruka-Sensei."
The young Kunoichi inclined her head to her Sensei, pushing her thoughts aside as she stepped beside the Chunin. Iruka chuckled and reached forward, tugging her into a sideways hug, a smile spreading over his lips.
"Good Morning Naru-Chan. How have you been?"
The Chunin released his former student, the two walking side by side along the dirt village roads. Akihane relaxed and answered the brunette. "I have been alright. Kakashi-Sensei has been keeping us out training mostly, but he makes sure we get enough sleep and such things."
Iruka glanced down at the girl, taking in the way her face morphed into something a lot more friendlily as she became accustomed to his presence.
"I would hope he'd be training you three. So, is this training the reason why you are thinking so much this early in the morning?"
Iruka asked of the blonde, garnering a soft sigh as the girl turned her right eye toward him.
"No, the reason I'm thinking so hard is the Chunin Exams. Kakashi-Sensei and the rest of the Rookie Nine are entering."
Iruka choked on his own air, turning sharply to face the girl as he sputtered.
"W-What?!"
I~~~~I
Akihane did not wait up for her teammates, working through her exercises at the meetup spot long before they were even supposed to arrive. She felt a little worked up after talking to Iruka, reassuring him that Kakashi wasn't going senile and that the Jonin knew what they were doing.
The Chunin still marched off toward the Hokage's office to politely ask for answers, muttering under his breath as he waved goodbye to her.
Akihane had continued walking until she reached the training grounds, and now she was trying to pass time.
The first team to join her was Team Eight.
Hinata spotted Naru and immediately shot toward the blonde, her brows furrowed in worry as she spotted the tail-tell signs of Naru's annoyance over something she couldn't control.
Awhile later Team Seven's other two members arrived on the scene, and much like Hinata, Sasuke shot toward his other two counterparts. Sakura stayed behind with Shino and Kiba, feeling a little put off as Sasuke and Hinata managed to get Naru to stop so that they could talk to the white-haired girl.
Naru quickly explained to Sasuke and Hinata about Iruka and her run in with the Iwa Nin the night before, her eyes shutting as she clenched her fists upon mentioning the Nin. Sasuke gripped Naru's shoulder while Hinata started a conversation about herbs with her idol, quickly dragging the girl's attention away from the predicament they found themselves being forced into.
Sometime after Naru had been subdued and calmed down Team Ten arrived and joined the other members. Shikamaru's gaze wandered over to the three standing alone, while Ino's gaze rested on Sasuke. The blonde called out to the raven, only to be ignored as Sasuke started to tease an impassive Akihane about her overreacting.
Not long after Team Ten pulled into the area where Naru was dancing through her throng of clones, mostly ignoring the shocked looks of her classmates, another team arrived.
The three new Genin stopped to survey the situation, a long haired brunette gazing at Naru's fluent form as she twisted around Sasuke's grasp when the male tried to catch her. Hinata pulled away as well, her eyes lighting up while the Uchiha scoffed. "Tag, Akihane?"
Akihane landed on two feet, her lavender gaze resting on the male's form.
"Ninja Tag, Sasuke-San."
The Uchiha rolled his eyes, reaching into his Ninja pouch.
"Fine, but only because you still owe me a spar."
Akihane's lips twitched as kunai were tossed in her direction and shuriken were thrown in Hinata's. The Hyuuga Heiress dropped into a stance, easily deflecting the spinning weapons with her own Kunai. Akihane pulled her hands up to her face while she flashed through signs, building up chakra. A Jutsu was overkill, but she wanted the game to last a little longer than it normally would.
"Wind Style, Gale Force!"
The blast could be felt from the newcomers' positions, the chakra compressed enough to send the kunai clattering to the ground at Sasuke's feet.
Boot-clad feet hit the ground, white hair slapping against a covered back. The girl's hair was tugged into a tight tail that hung at the top of her hair, allowing her more freedom than her braid.
Naru's blue fishnet shirt shifted as she ducked under another weapon, her black cargo pants stretching from where they were tucked into her black combat boots.
Sasuke shot at her from his position across from her, his hands forming loose fists as he struck with her interceptor-mixed style.
Naru's arm rounded upon Sasuke, drawn in a fist, but as it flew forward the fingers straightened. A jab sent Sasuke reeling backward, further away from the shocked Rookies.
Sasuke struck out at Naru with his Interceptor fist, adding an Uzumaki-High Kick while bending his body to avoid a strike to his abdomen. The punch was blocked, but the kick sent Akihane to the ground, her feet sprawling out. Sasuke then dove, attempting to force Naru further back, only to be kicked aside when the girl dropped to her stomach, using her arms as leveraged to flip-kick the male away.
Naru twisted and landed on her feet, her right arm reaching for Kunai before Sasuke had even steadied himself. She flung the weapon toward her opponent, biting her lip as she rolled to the side to avoid a sudden strike from behind, her eyes gazing at the Hyuuga that offered her a tilt of her lips.
Hinata then struck at Sasuke, their limbs twining together in an elegant dance. From there Naru summoned several clones and jumped back into the fray.
Hinata separated herself from Sasuke long enough to jab a clone in the chest and slam her palm into another clone's side, before she was forced to duck under an axe-kick from Sasuke and shift around a lower-jab by Naru.
Sasuke blocked Naru's strikes and retaliated at her clones with his own while twisting his right leg toward Hinata. The Heiress dropped under the kick, causing it to hit another clone behind her and send it flying. The real Akihane struck at Hinata, prompting Sasuke to back out for just a moment before he was sending more projectiles at the two Kunoichi.
Naru backed off as well to get away from the flurry of blows Hinata had just delivered to the rest of her clones. Her fingers twitched while she grabbed the kunai sent at her mid-air and threw it back at Sasuke, her eyes darkening into maroon.
Her feet pushed her forward, her legs landing firmly on the ground as her right palm directed itself to Hinata, her left hand grasping another Kunai that was angled at Sasuke.
Sasuke pushed himself into the fray once more, his kunai-clad hands outstretched.
Hinata's fingers came to stop at Naru's neck and Sasuke's left rib, the three staring at one another as they breathed out.
The three's limbs were intertwined, each one stopped where they were by a lethal or damaging strike nearly coming to fruition.
Hinata leveled the other two with a look, her cheeks warming as Sasuke smirked and Akihane let out a gentle 'Tsch'.
"Well, that was inspiring."
The three pulled away, Team Seven putting their weapons away while Hinata lowered her chakra.
The three gazed toward the voice from before, Akihane's left eye twitching as she spotted the slumped for of her and Sasuke's Sensei, tailed by the other sensei's and the still shocked team of new Genin.
"Sensei, please don't patronize us."
Akihane warned the silver ANBU, reaching down to pick up another one of her Kunai while Sasuke tugged at some wire in his hand, the metal tugging his weapons back to him.
Kakashi waved at her over his book, chuckling as he gave them all a closed eye smile.
"Ma, Ma Aki-Hime. No need for such hostilities. I would have thought you'd work off your steam with that light spar-"
Akihane pulsed her chakra, a seal appearing above Kakashi's head. Water rained down upon the Jonin, soaking him, but surprisingly not his book.
The male froze mid-sentence, his one eye twitching as it opened to view the smiling Akihane.
"Yes, Sensei?"
Kakashi bit his tongue, trying not to curse his Sensei's child even as droplets slid down the side of his face.
From behind him, he heard Asuma withholding chuckles while Kurenai sputtered.
Lastly, he heard the dreaded voice of his rival.
"KAKASHI, MY RIVAL! WHAT AN UNYOUTHFUL ATTACK DONE BY YOUR STUDENT!"
Naru froze, her gaze turning in time to see the Green-spandex clad raven-haired monstrosity that was Maito Gai, Konoha's Green Beast.
Sasuke reached out and tugged the girl behind him, Hinata stepping in front of Naru as the man smiled and gave them the thumbs up, his white teeth shining brightly.
His hair was cut into a horrendous bowl cut, one that somehow suited him.
From the sidelines, another cheer was heard.
"WE MUST FIX THIS GAI-SENSEI!"
Another spandex-clad raven jumped beside the other one, the two basically twins when side by side, if not for the height difference.
All of the Rookie Nine shivered as they spotted the two, Kakashi smart enough to block the next few moments from the three Genin's sights.
Screams echoed throughout the forest.
I~~~~I
Akihane sat beside a shivering Sakura and Ino, chatting with the soft-spoken Hinata and a less-traumatized Kunoichi that was part of Team Nine, Gai's team.
Tenten had already known Naru from the blonde's frequent visits to her shop with Hayate or the others for supplies.
Sasuke was off on the field, sparring with the green Genin going by the name of Rock Lee, trying not to shiver each time the male mentioned 'youth'.
Shino, Choji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and a male by the name of Neji all sat off to the side as they tried to get over what all but Shikamaru saw.
The Nara had been close enough to Asuma for the male to save him from the horror that was Gai and Lee's combined power, even if the others were far from lucky. The Sensei stood off to the side, watching the battle and the recovering Genin as they chatted. Gai was cheering on Lee despite the whole thing being a simple spar between fellow Nin used to gauge their skill. Sasuke hadn't even used a single Jutsu.
Akihane turned her attention to the battle when she felt Sasuke's chakra shift, her eyes directed to the wind Jutsu he sent toward Lee. The Jutsu was uncontrolled, dispersing into wisps before it even reached Lee, but it served the purpose of distracting the Taijutsu prodigy.
Fire sprouted from Sasuke's lips, his black eyes lit as the raging inferno burned dark red.
The sheer heat was felt from the sidelines, but the brunt of the Jutsu was directed further from Lee than it would have been for an Enemy, assuring that the boy could get out of it alive.
Kakashi raised a hand, calling the match to an end. The two Genin stilled, Sasuke panting lightly whilst Lee stared wide-eyed at the scorched marks on the ground from the Jutsu.
Kakashi turned toward the other Genin as the two on the field went to rest, calling up two more to spar.
"Kiba, Sakura."
The two begrudgingly trudged onto the field, Sakura glancing back to see if Sasuke was watching, only to see him sitting beside Akihane as he pitched into the conversation, Lee dropping beside his female Teammate to join as well.
Anger thrummed through Sakura's veins, Kakashi's 'Tajima' vanishing into the depths of her mind as she felt her chakra pulse outward.
"Oi, fangirl, you really gonna stand there all day? I don't want to hurt you just because you're being all crybaby and weak."
Kiba hollered at Sakura, drawing the Pinkett's attention to the smug dog boy that never failed to piss her off. "Shut up Shit-for-Brains."
Sakura seethed, shooting forward as she thought of Naru's gentle laugh as Sasuke smiled at her. It annoyed her enough that she didn't calculate the chakra in her arms as she slammed her fist into Kiba's thick and unsuspecting skull.
The boy flew across the field with a cry and tumbled across the grass as Sakura panted, her eyes narrowed at him in distaste.
"Way to go, Haruno."
The voice caused Sakura to stiffen, her gaze swiveling around to Akihane as she smiled and to an exasperated Sasuke who casted her a nod before he had focused on Naru once again.
Sakura's cheeks flushed pink as Kakashi sweat dropped on the sidelines, calling up the next two while Kurenai grabbed the knocked out Kiba.
"Akihane-Hime and Shikamaru…"
Akihane's cheeks reddened while Sakura rushed back to her spot, the blonde muttering under her breath over the Jonin before she steeled her composer and walked onto the field.
Shikamaru met her at the middle, yawning as their eyes gazed into the others.
"Tajima!"
The call echoed, Akihane's hand reaching for her blade while Shikamaru straightened.
The two shot forward, Akihane's blade arched while Shikamaru's chakra stretched outward.
They met, Shikamaru drawing up a kunai to block Akihane, grunting as a clang sounded, the metal pushing down on the boy.
Red met brown, the sun shining down while clouds drifted past.
Eyes drew upon the two figures, assessing them as the spar began.
I~~~~I
And there we go. I barely cut this off after 6k words. I was going to detail Akihane and Shikamaru's fight but I chose to end it instead, otherwise, this would have ended up around 9k words or something around that insane number. A filler/intro chapter to a New Arc does no need to be that long unless it's like a montage or whatever.
Thanks for reading, review your suggestions for battles during the Chunin Exams, or what you want them to entail. The first exam will be different, and the second and third will not be the exact same either. The Forest of Death may or may not be included, I'm not exactly sure right now. Also apologies to nocloudypooh. I had thought I had fixed Shikaku's , but posting at ten after a busy day messed me up. Thank you and everyone else for reviewing!
Omake- Iruka, Mother Hen
Hiruzen knew he had eccentric Ninja.
Not even the Genin were spared from the ridiculous tendencies of those in his forces.
Still, nothing met the 'mother hen' trait his Ninja seemed to gain, one force particularly strong inside a group of Nin that all cared for one girl.
Umino Iruka was the second coming of Shiranui Genma in the field of worried Nin.
Both elders were at his desk the day after the Genin Rookies had decided to enter the Chunin Exams.
Of course, Iruka started off his argument with how the Rookies weren't ready, and Genma was quick to back up the Chunin Brunette with the mention of the Iwagakure Nin entering.
The facts were unknown to the other Nin, spurring on even more yelling and rage from amongst them.
Hiruzen closed his eyes and blew into his pipe as he tried to ward off a headache that he currently had.
Naru never failed to bring a bucket load of problems right into his lap, whether it be through her brothers or through her antics, the girl was sure to be his undoing.
Opening his eyes, Hiruzen gazed at the arguing and coinciding Nin before him, pausing when he noticed a wrapped parcel sitting on his paperwork. He looked at the neatly scrawled note and knew that the handwriting was Naru's.
'I figured they might be too much. Sorry, Hokage-Jiji.'
The aged Hokage smiled softly, gently tugging the ribbon. In an instant the box collapsed, the seals keeping it together dissolving into smoke.
They left behind a small bowl of Naru's Hikiji Salad, his favorite dish of hers.
The two Nin froze as their Hokage merely dug into his small snack, ignoring them in favor of handing them both slips of the Genin's information, including those provided by their foreign visitors.
"There, now shoo."
The Hokage made a motion with his hand, ignoring the odd glances the two shared as he continued eating.
Some things could simply not compare to the young girl's cooking, and that included the trouble that was addicted to her presence.
