Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and I am making no profit from this story, it is only for entertainment.
Chapter Summary: In which Rio realises he doesn't know his brother as well as he thought he did and the genin take a maths test
I am announcing that story will have a sequel! Sunshine covers pre-canon and Naruto series and will finish just before the time skip. Grey Skies is the sequel and will cover Shippuden; it's also going to be more AU than Sunshine. I won't tell you in what way but I am super excited.
Please enjoy!
Chapter 31: Do or Do Not, There is No Try
Hiruzen looked over to the assembled jounin standing in a line in front of his desk. His son was speaking to Kurenai; he had not even glanced his way when he entered the room. He had not been able to fix his relationship with Asuma since he returned from the Capital. He was not even sure how he would go about it. Since he had lost Naruto over the Uchiha incident, Hiruzen did not want to drive anyone else away. It seemed it was a habit of his. Konohamaru was still young and other than his drive to take the Hokage seat, Hiruzen was pleased to be able to say he was close with his only grandson. Norio was also kind to him, but Hiruzen barely ever saw him since he became a genin.
He really was too old for this. What he wouldn't give for Minato to be alive or for Tsunade or Jiraiya to get themselves together enough to take over. He should have retired years ago.
"Are we just waiting on Kakashi?" one of the jounin asked.
"I'm sure my rival is making haste as we speak!" Gai pronounced, his white teeth sparkling as he threw the man a thumbs up.
"Yeah," Asuma snorted. "That sounds like Kakashi."
Hiruzen smiled gently as his jounin began to snicker among themselves. Iruka tutted beneath his breath beside Hiruzen as he shuffled and reshuffled the papers on the side of the desk. If it was anyone else, Hiruzen might do something about it but Kakashi had been through a lot. Hiruzen knew how much time the man spent at the Memorial Stone. He was on time for the important meetings and missions so Hiruzen would allow him this. It had been about an hour so he should be here soon.
"Mah, mah, I didn't you all cared so much."
Kakashi slipped through the window and threw a lazy salute his way.
"Kakashi!" Gai yelled. "My Eternal Rival!"
The silver-haired jounin continued to walk and stopped on the opposite side of the line than where Gai stood. He leaned forward to look around Asuma.
"Sorry, did you say something?"
Tears streamed down Gai's face as he clutched his head in his hands.
"You're so hip, Kakashi!"
"If we're all here…" Hiruzen strated slowly. The jounin received the message as they fell quiet, standing a little bit straighter. "We can start this meeting."
He clasped his hands together and placed them on his desk, surveying his shinobi from the shadow of the Hokage hat.
"The Chunin Exams will commence in a week's time. We have received all RSVPs except Kiri which should arrive any day now. This meeting is for you to present your team for the exams," he said firmly. "I do not need to stress the home advantage we have and if you do enter your teams, you must ensure that Konoha presents a united front. It has not been held in Konoha for some time so we need to have a good showing."
He let his words rest over the room for a moment before he settled back into his chair, indicating that they should proceed. Gai took a large step forward, proudly placing his fists on his hips and puffing his chest out.
"My team skipped last year in order to train and prepare!" He grinned. "They are now ready to exhibit their radiant Youth for all to see!"
Hiruzen nodded and made a note on his scroll for Team Nine.
"Anyone else?"
"I would like to nominate Team Seven for the Chunin Exams," Kakashi said cheerfully as he took a step out of the line.
The rest of the jounin ignored Gai's impassioned cries of 'My Youthful Rival' in favour of voicing their thoughts.
"You've had them for six months!"
"They're barely out of the academy!"
"They lost the Akari Triplets only two days ago!"
Kakashi held up a finger although his shoulders remained slouched. The room settled down around him.
"First of all, they didn't lose them, they were playing hide-and-seek," he drawled. "The children had a lovely day out in the forest and you can't prove otherwise. Secondly, it'll be good practice for them and there's a reduced risk of harm if they go to an exam on home soil."
Hiruzen nodded but Iruka spoke up before he had a chance to speak.
"Kakashi-san, you cannot enter them," he said sternly. "They are barely out of the academy! I know my students and I do not believe it is wise to endanger them unnecessarily."
Kakashi's posture straightened ever so slightly.
"They are no longer your students; they're my soldiers," he said, his tone sharper than usual. "I decide what they do and I am entering them for the Chunin Exams."
Hiruzen broke the tension before it could escalate. Kakashi was correct and well within his rights. Iruka was just a bit overprotective of his students; it was an excellent quality for a teacher to possess. Unfortunately, it had no place here.
"Team Seven is being entered for the Chunin Exams," he stated with finality. "Are there any others?"
Asuma stepped forward abruptly.
"If Kakashi is entering his, then I believe my team is ready for them too."
His son looked back at Kurenai and Hiruzen could see her debating it in her head. Her step forward was much more hesitant and unsure than the other three jounin but her expression was resolute.
"So Team Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten are confirmed entries for the upcoming Chunin Exams," Hiruzen placed his brush down. "See Nemori after this meeting for the relevant forms that you must complete and the ones you must get your genin to sign."
The door opened behind them and the room turned to collectively stare at the Jounin Commander. Shikaku looked uncharacteristically grave as he parted the group of jounin and made his way straight for Hiruzen's desk. The Nara stopped beside him and handed him a note. Hiruzen took it with a raised eyebrow. What could be so serious that he could not say it in a room full of trusted jounin?
He opened the note and scanned the lines of text. He slammed it down as anger and worry shot through him.
"This meeting is over," he ordered abruptly. "Leave the room."
The group shared confused looks but did as ordered. Kakashi kept looking back with an unreadable expression but Hiruzen remained unmoved. Finally the door closed behind Iruka and Hiruzen activated the privacy seals around his office. Shikaku shuffled his feet; distress was all over his normally relaxed features.
"Report."
"We just received word from one of the border patrols in the east that Arai Kazuya has been found unconscious with minor injuries. He was surrounded by five of what are assumed to be mercenaries as there have been no headbands found. Kazuya is assumed to have killed them in self-defense but has yet to awaken for unknown reasons. He should arrive and be placed in the ICU by tomorrow evening. We sent out a medic to meet them halfway."
Shikaku's frame became rigid in what was obviously an attempt to control his emotions. Hiruzen could sympathize. While as shinobi they had to have self-discipline and hide their emotions, Shikaku had grown close to Naruto. The pit in Hiruzen's gut deepened; this was not going to be good news.
"A couple miles east of where Kazuya was found, the team found evidence of a large battle. They found another nineteen bodies with no headbands and a clearing with its surrounding forest was decimated by the battle. There is evidence of seals and fūton jutsu which suggests that Naruto was ambushed there. We haven't been able to find him yet."
"How did he not sense them coming?" Hiruzen interrupted.
"We found seals on the bodies. Without Naruto or Jiraiya-sama there is no way to be sure but from initial analysis we think it hides chakra."
The implication of Shikaku's words struck deep.
"So they were ambushed by shinobi who had a seal designed specifically to block Naruto?" Hiruzen frowned. "That means this was intentional; these men were after Naruto."
"That's the conclusion we have reached, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen took a deep breath.
"What did Kiri have to say?"
"We have sent a messenger hawk to the Mizukage to find out what happened," Shikaku replied promptly. "We do know that they reached the Land of Fire intact and they were able to make their way unobstructed for at least two to three hours. But Hokage-sama…"
"I know, Shikaku," Hiruzen sighed deeply, sinking into his chair. "Whoever ambushed them must have known their mission and route to be able to catch them like this. There is the possibility of a mole."
Shikaku shifted on his feet and Hiruzen recognized the signs.
"Shikaku, speak your mind."
"Hokage-sama, why was Naruto even on this mission?" Shikaku demanded. "He's a security risk; there was no need for him to be on this mission. We have more than enough capable jounin that we could have sent! We had a team already lined up!"
"The Mizukage asked for an Uzumaki…"
"But we didn't have to do it!" the Jounin Commander snapped. "Usually when another village asks for one of our shinobi specifically, we not only do not send them but we launch an investigation as to why they wanted them."
"It was out of my hands, Shikaku."
Hiruzen knew his explanation was weak but he had nothing else to offer the man. He would be admitting that he had been undermined, which was not something the regular forces could know. Perhaps he allowed Danzō, Homura and Koharu too much freedom. He had taken Danzō off the council over the Uchiha incident but it appears that his old friend was still going behind his back.
Hiruzen knew they had very different ideas about what was right for the village but he would have thought that they could agree that Naruto should be kept safe; the Uzumaki was a rare asset and without him their fūinjutsu would take a significant hit. By the time the mission scroll had landed on his desk, it had been through so many channels that Hiruzen could not try to prevent it without raising suspicions. Favoritism was not an accusation to be taken lightly in this system of government.
"I will speak to the ANBU Commander about getting teams out for the search," he continued. "If there has been no body found, then he was most likely captured alive. Who else knows?"
"The border patrol and I, Hokage-sama," Shikaku answered. "The medic who was sent out and a small team at the hospital. I was about to inform Naruto and Kazuya's family and team…"
"Don't," Hiruzen interrupted.
"But Hokage-sama-"
"No one else is to know," Hiruzen ordered. "When Kazuya-kun arrives, have him delivered to the hospital unseen and limit the number of medical staff who know of his condition. As far as anyone in Konoha will be aware, they are returning late from their mission."
Shikaku's face twisted in frustration but he did not argue.
"We cannot allow the fact that Naruto is missing to reach other villages," Hiruzen explained. "With his Bingo Book entry, there has been increased interest in him. If we were to advertise that he was out of the village, held against his will, other villages would search for him too and there would be no guarantee we could find him first."
"Hokage-sama, Naruto could be dead; Rio deserves to know."
"Until Naruto is found, dead or alive, no one must know."
Shikaku's face flashed through a myriad of emotions before it settled into a neutral expression. He nodded his head sharply and turned on his heel, stomping out of the office. Hiruzen sank deeply into his chair, rubbing his temples in hopes of preventing the incoming headache. He tried not to choke on the guilt and worry that swirled around his gut. He had let Naruto down a lot in his life; he had to be alive. Hiruzen was not sure he or Konoha could handle the alternative.
Rio lazily threw a kunai at Sasuke, plopping his head back onto the roof. He didn't have to look to know his teammate caught it. Their training and missions were cancelled for the day and they'd already done their physical conditioning, chakra control and ninjutsu. Nii-san and Kazu-nee were still out on their mission and Kiba and the rest of his friends were busy with their own teams. He hadn't realized how much time D-ranks took up.
"You know you're not supposed to be throwing kunai between rooftops, right?"
Rio hauled himself upright to pop his head over the edge, looking down at an annoyed Sakura. She had placed her hand on her hips and the breeze was brushing strands of her short, pink hair into her face.
"We picked low buildings," he said in his defense. "Nobody uses these roofs."
"I'm sure the ANBU will like that answer as much as the last one you gave them," Sakura rolled her eyes. "I suppose I should be grateful you aren't doing it over the main street this time."
"You talk like we would miss," Rio scoffed as he hopped down from his perch, Sasuke mirroring him on the building opposite. "We've been throwing kunai at each other for years. We don't miss."
"Other than the time you stabbed Naruto."
Rio scowled at a smug Sasuke.
"You act all quiet and broody until there's a chance to make me look bad, huh?"
"It's my job to keep you humble," Sasuke shrugged. "Someone's gotta do it."
"Konoha thanks you for your service," Rio bowed mockingly, pitching his voice into a nasal quality.
"Hey."
Rio snapped around to see a blonde girl around his height staring at him, her arms folded. A massive black object was strapped to her back, visible between the four, spiky pigtails. A slightly taller boy in a loose, black jumpsuit that covered everything but his purple, painted face; Rio raised an eyebrow at the cat ears shaped from the fabric on top of his head.
"You know Naruto-san?" She continued.
"How do you know Naruto?" Sakura asked in return.
The girl frowned a little before answering.
"We met him a few years ago. He was responsible for destroying parts of my village."
"Nii-san wouldn't do that!" Rio stepped forward hotly, pointing a finger at her face.
She looked over at the other boy as he shook his head.
"What my sister means to say is while yes, he technically destroyed a part of Suna he also helped us out a lot. We kinda owe him," he shrugged.
"Wait, I'm confused." Sakura shook her head. "So is it a good or a bad thing that you know Naruto?"
"It is the best thing that could have happened to Suna," a monotone voice interjected. "He is my friend."
A redhead a few inches shorter than Rio stepped forward from between the two Suna nin. In a simple black t-shirt and trousers, a thin white cloth was wrapped around him and a massive, beige gourd was attached to his back. Teal green eyes surrounded by a ring of black locked onto Rio's and he felt something stir in his gut. There was something about this boy.
"You are Uzumaki Rio?"
Rio nodded even as he could feel Sasuke and Sakura tensing up beside him. The redhead stared at him impassively for another long moment before he smiled ever so slightly.
"You are fortunate to have Naruto as your brother. He cares for you very deeply. He speaks of you in his letters and there is nothing he loves more than being your brother."
"Wait, you write letters to him?" Rio blurted out. He had no idea. "When?"
Teal eyes scanned over his expression.
"We exchange a letter each month; I at the beginning and he at the end. We have done so since he was banned from returning to Suna three years ago."
Rio heard Sakura whisper behind him 'banned' even as the same word repeated itself in his brain.
"Nii-san told me there were other people like me out there," Rio began hesitantly, hoping he was guessing right. "You're one of them, aren't you?"
The redhead nodded and Rio wasn't sure what to do with that information. He never thought he would meet someone else with a tailed beast sealed within them.
"Who are you?" Sasuke finally spoke up, eyeing the three nin suspiciously.
"I'm Temari," the girl stepped forward. "These are my brothers, Kankuro and Gaara. We are here representing Suna in the Chunin Exams."
Rio knew the Chunin Exams were coming up, Nii-san had had so much paperwork for it before he left, but it wasn't his main concern.
"You said Nii-san was banned from Suna. How? And how did he destroy parts of your village? What happened? I just remember him going to Suna for a transport mission; he mentioned you, Gaara, but not by name. He said that he made a new friend and that we would meet someday."
The Suna nin exchanged looks and Rio didn't like it. Why did these strangers know stuff about Nii-san that he didn't? Sure he didn't always pay attention and he didn't find Nii-san's work interesting enough to ask about but he was his brother. He should know when his brother gets banned from another village.
"Naruto-san and Kazuya-san were framed for a series of bombings around Suna," Temari started to explain. "They spent almost ten hours evading ANBU patrols before they apprehended the actual bombers and handed them over to us. Then they…uh…accidently let loose a jutsu that began to destroy buildings. Naruto stopped it but then he pissed off our father, the Kazekage, and got blacklisted."
"People are still talking about them," Kankuro added with a huff of amusement.
Rio blinked. That didn't sound real, but it must have been. He remembered when Nii-san and Kazu-nee came back from that mission. They had been so dirty and beaten up but all they talked about was how much Kazu-nee hated sand and how much Nii-san hated the Kazekage. Nii-san had also mentioned meeting someone like Rio and that he would tell him more when the guy came to visit, but he had said nothing about any of this.
He always thought Nii-san was a boring paperwork shinobi that occasionally ventured out for an easy mission every now and then. He was always either at work or at home, doing chores or seals or helping someone with random stuff, but that was nothing exciting either. Was there more to Nii-san that he wasn't seeing?
"Where is Naruto?" Gaara asked. "I was hoping to see him."
"He's out on a mission," said Sasuke, throwing Rio an unreadable look. "We don't know when he'll be back."
Gaara's expression didn't change but Rio got the feeling that he was disappointed.
"Hey, what are you doing now?" Sakura smiled nervously. "We could maybe show you around, see the sights?"
Rio mentally shook himself out of whatever funk he had fallen into.
"Yeah," he forced a smile onto his face. "If you're Nii-san's friend, then that makes you my friend too."
Gaara was like him; probably went through the same shit he did when he was younger. No matter how he was feeling about this new information about Nii-san, this was an opportunity to get to know someone in the same position he was in. Someone who truly understood what it meant to have this burden.
"You sound like him," Gaara tilted his head, his eyes slightly warmer although his face remained blank.
Rio's smile melted into something more real. He set off, his teammates and the Suna nin trailing behind.
Katsumi had been a medic at Konoha Hospital for six months. She was a junior at the bottom of the ladder; she wasn't allowed to treat anyone yet and so far had only observed interactions with patients. She enjoyed the work though; making sure patients were comfortable, maintaining hygiene, assisting more senior medics. She knew at eighteen that she was on the right track but she couldn't help but feel at times that she was so far behind her peers. When the Hospital Director had pulled her into a meeting a few days ago, she hadn't been expecting much.
She opened the door to the secure wing and walked down the empty corridor, nervously looking around at the locked doors. She'd never been allowed near this place since it was for patients under the highest levels of security. Even now, the only ones who knew about this patient were two top level medics and herself. She didn't know why she was chosen but she knew not to ask.
She reached the door and unlocked it, letting herself into the almost silent room. The steady beeping of the heart monitor bounced off the sterile, white walls and the overhead light cast a pale light. She walked up to the bed and looked down at the occupant, scanning for any signs that he might be waking up. She sighed softly as the man continued to breathe steadily, aided by the oxygen tank next to his bed. She pulled on a pair of gloves and began to proceed with her checks and procedures, testing his temperature, IV, catheter and other assorted medical equipment that was keeping him alive.
As far as Katsumi knew, the senior medics hadn't been able to figure out why he hadn't woken up. He had come in with light injuries indicating a fight, but his vitals were much weaker than they should have been. They had managed to narrow it down to some type of poison but the expert they would normally consult on this type of case was lying in the bed.
Katsumi had only interacted with Arai-sensei a couple of times since she'd started working at the hospital. He was a few months younger than her, but she would never have been able to tell if someone hadn't told her. While he did look young, his mannerisms and expertise were that of someone at least a decade older. The way he commanded the Emergency Department was amazing and Katsumi hadn't heard of anyone better with poisons and antidotes. She had even heard his rants in the break room while passing in the hallways about improving medical education in the academy curriculum. Apparently, it was a subject he felt very strongly about, according to the colleagues she'd mentioned it to.
The thing about Arai-sensei that Katsumi really admired though was his kindness. Each time they had spoken, he had been so patient and understanding, taking the time to explain concepts and definitions that she'd been unfamiliar with. He was especially good with kids and Katsumi had heard about how he'd helped raise his youngest brother.
He's the pride of Konoha Hospital. His room should be full of flowers and fruit and cards and whatever else everyone could come up with, but it was bare. She couldn't even tell his close friends in the Emergency Department that he was here. Despite the level of secrecy they were being held to, Katsumi was still surprised that some mention of Arai-sensei hadn't cropped up in the gossip mill. The hospital was the worst for it among their colleagues, even as they upheld their confidentiality policies. Everyone thought he was still out on a mission.
She didn't know why it had to be kept such a secret. She had been informed that he had been ambushed but not by who or where. His family hadn't even been told judging by the absence of Uzumaki-sama and his brother.
She finished up and dropped her gloves into the waste bin. She took a moment to adjust his pillows and blankets, making sure he was as comfortable as she could. He knew he probably couldn't feel it, but she felt like it was the least she could do.
"I'll see you for your dinner, Arai-sensei," she said softly. "I'll try and get the good stuff today."
Her eyes lingered over him for a second longer, searching for any indication that he had heard but there was nothing. There would probably be no improvement until the senior medics could figure out what the poison was, and subsequently, the appropriate antidote. She patted his shoulder gently and left the room, locking the door behind her.
Rio bounced on his toes as he looked up at the familiar building. Groups of kids his age and older passed by, wearing different hitai-ate and uniforms. His hand kept creeping towards his kunai pouch to check if he had his registration form for the exam, despite the fact he'd checked it every five minutes since he'd arrived.
He felt a nudge on his arm and looked up to see Sakura running towards them. She stopped in front of them, her short pink hair falling back to just above her shoulders.
"Where were you?" Rio crossed his arms. "You weren't in your room this morning."
"I remembered I was out of bandages, so I went to get some," she shrugged. "Kazuya would have our heads if he found out we went into the Chunin Exams without medical supplies."
Rio thought that over a moment.
"Damn, you're right."
"If you're done…" Sasuke said dryly.
Rio grinned and finally walked into the building, his teammates following in his footsteps. He navigated the halls and the stairs until he came to the back of a large crowd that was blocking the corridor. He stopped, frowning as he peered over the crowd to try and find the cause.
"You brats really think you're ready for something like the Chunin Exams?" An older looking boy with bandages wrapped across parts of his face snarled. "Don't make me laugh."
"If you can't even get past us, then you're not worthy," a boy beside him mocked, spiky brown hair hanging from beneath a navy bandana.
Rio frowned. He was sure they had to go up another floor, but the right room number was on the door behind the two boys. His eyes widened as he watched Tenten get thrown back.
"Hey!"
He was held back from moving forward by Sasuke.
"It's a genjutsu," Sasuke whispered in his ear. "We need to go up another floor. More people that fall for this, the less competition we have. Let's go."
"But Tenten…"
"She'll be fine."
Rio allowed himself to be led around the edge of the crowd by his teammates, constantly looking to check on his childhood friend. She'd picked herself back up and was now occupied by helping a boy in green spandex up off the floor. She finally looked back at him and winked. Rio threw her a puzzled look, but he was shoved through the doorway and up the next set of stairs before she could respond. Tenten was strong; she was brilliant with weapons and taijutsu. There was no way she would let herself be pushed around like that normally. They could see the correct door just down the hall when a voice called out.
"Rio!"
He turned abruptly, narrowing his eyes at the older girl.
"What was that about, Tenten?" He asked suspiciously. "We both know you could beat that guy."
She smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. Tenten hadn't changed much over the years. Her long brown hair was still tied up into twin buns and she favoured the sleeveless pink shirt he remembered her getting for her last birthday. Numerous scrolls were stuffed into the two pouches attached to the waistband of her loose navy trousers. She was about his height, taller than Rio's own teammates but shorter than the two boys trailing after her.
"Should have known I couldn't fool you, Rio," she laughed sheepishly. "Just trying to start the exam off right."
"All that work trying to get people to underestimate you is going to go to waste the minute you have to fight someone; you know that right?" Rio raised an eyebrow.
"Can't hurt," she shrugged in response. "I've waited this long to take this exam; I want every advantage I can get."
She peeked around him to smile widely at Sasuke.
"Keep him out of trouble, yeah?" she said cheekily. "I can't be there to watch him all the time."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, but Rio could see the amused twitch at the edge of his mouth. He shot a dirty look towards the Uchiha but before he could speak, Sakura chimed in.
"How do you know each other?" She looked between Tenten and Sasuke, her green eyes narrowed.
"Tenten and I go way back; she's like my sister," Rio grinned. "Nii-san used to leave me with her and her dad when he ran errands and stuff. Tenten and I learned how to throw kunai together. Nii-san and Kazu-nee still help her dad out with stuff so I would go round and practice with Tenten before she got put on her genin team last year. I brought Sasuke with me a few times since Tenten has the good practice weapons."
"I knew you only wanted me for my kunai," Tenten held a hand to her heart, feigning an affronted look.
"Fuck off, you know I'm stuck with your dumb ass regardless," Rio laughed. "So, are these your teammates then?"
He surveyed the two boys that had stopped just behind Tenten. The tallest boy had long, light brown hair that hung to his lower back, with two strands hanging over the front of his shoulders. A hitai-ate covered his forehead with two buckles framing his face, and he wore a beige shirt with a high collar coupled with black shorts down to his knees. Rio blinked as he met eyes almost identical to Hinata's; must be a Hyūga. Before he could speak, the other boy sprang forward into Rio's face.
"I am Rock Lee!" He yelled, striking a strange pose. "I am the most Youthful genin in Konoha!"
Rio stared, before switching his confused gaze back to Tenten.
"He's always like this," she sighed.
"A side effect of being Gai's student?"
Lee interjected before she could answer.
"You know Gai-sensei?!"
Rio shrugged.
"He's friends with our sensei," he said casually. "I'm pretty sure he was also on a genin team with Genma, my brother's jounin-sensei."
"Your brother?"
"This is Uzumaki Rio," Tenten introduced. "The grumpy one is Uchiha Sasuke and…I'm sorry I don't think we've met?"
She smiled sheepishly at Sakura.
"Haruno Sakura," his teammate smiled back, although there was still something hesitant in her eyes.
"Naruto-sensei always spoke about his little brother!" Lee grinned. "It's an honour to finally meet someone he holds to such a high regard! If ever you need assistance, please call upon me! I will do my best to repay my debt!"
"Why are you calling him sensei?" Rio frowned.
"He is the reason I was able to become to Youthful shinobi I am today! He saved me; I could not have graduated from the academy without him!"
"Wait, so he taught you?" he demanded.
Another thing that Nii-san had kept from him. He had always thought they had such an open relationship; Nii-san had never lied to him and any question Rio could think to ask was always answered. Between what he learned about the Suna mission and now that Nii-san apparently had a student he never thought to mention, Rio had to wonder if he really knew his brother as well as he thought he did.
"We are wasting time here."
All eyes turned to the Hyūga. His expression was cold and Rio got the feeling he was looking down at them. The older boy began to walk away. Tenten shot an apologetic look at him before she started to follow, grabbing Lee's collar and dragging him along. She shouted 'good luck' behind her as they disappeared around the corner.
"He's right," Sasuke spoke up, beginning to follow them down the corridor.
Rio fell into step beside his friend, the interaction still swirling around his thoughts. Before he knew it, they had come to a door with the correct number. He entered after Sasuke and immediately spotted Kiba among the horde of applicants milling about the classroom. The place reminded him of many boring hours back at the academy and Rio prayed the exam wouldn't have any theory; he was practical at heart.
"Hey, you got in too?" He bounced over to his friend.
Kiba flashed a grin at him, his sharp canines peeking out over his lips. Akamaru was slumped comfortably on top of his head, almost hidden behind the fur trim of the Inuzuka's hood.
"Of course we did!" He laughed. "Did you expect anything less?"
Rio reached him and held out his hand for a fist bump. He managed to coax one out of Shino, which was always an achievement, before he finally turned to Hinata. He fought down a blush as his heart skipped a beat.
"Hi Hinata," he smiled, gently bumping her fist.
"H-hi Rio-san," she replied quietly.
Rio kept his gaze on her before his shoulder was jostled, bringing him out of his stupor.
"This is such a drag."
"Shika! Chou! We're all here!" Rio grinned, hooking an arm around the Nara's neck.
"Unfortunately," he heard Shikamaru mutter beneath his breath.
He vaguely heard the exclamations of 'Forehead' and 'Ino-pig' behind them somewhere, but he decided that he wasn't going to get into that. He almost jumped out of his skin as a booming voice echoed over the classroom.
"SILENCE DEGENERATES!"
A massive puff of smoke appeared at the front of the classroom and a group of shinobi appeared. They all wore Konoha hitai-ate and baggy grey jumpsuits up to their chins, secured with a thin black belt. The largest of them, an intimidating man that wore a full-length black coat over his jumpsuit, glared down at them. Two thick scars ran across his face; Rio had never seen him before. Hijiri stood at the man's left; he was Nii-san's friend from work, but they hadn't really spoken much.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," the large man continued, his volume much lower but his voice still as deep. "I am Morino Ibiki, the proctor for the first test of the Chunin Exams. Anyone who screws with me will be disqualified immediately; during this test, my word is law."
The room had become deathly silent during his speech and Rio swallowed, keeping his own mouth firmly closed. The chunins behind Morino suddenly brandished papers and Rio's heart fell. He stepped forward to grab one and hurriedly took a seat, trying to dampen the panic rising in his throat. He was not good at paper tests; he barely scraped by in half the subjects at the academy and somehow he doubted that history was going to be on this piece of paper. His eyes found Kiba three rows back and he could see the same dread in his friend's eyes. Kiba was even worse at maths than he was. His attention was drawn back to the front as Morino continued his speech.
"There are ten questions. Nine of them are on the paper in front of you and you have forty-five minutes in which to answer them. The last and tenth question will only be released after forty-five minutes and you will have a further fifteen to answer it. In the case of even one person on the team getting zero points…everyone on that team will fail!"
Rio tightened his grip around the pencil.
"Anyone caught cheating five times will be disqualified with their entire team. There will be no questions or assistance; the chunin lining the walls of this room are there to monitor you."
Morino cast one last stern look across the room.
"BEGIN!"
Rio flipped over the paper and read the first question…absolutely not. The next question…even worse. He skipped his eyes over each of the questions, the pit of dread in his stomach only growing as he realized he didn't even know where to begin. None of this had been in the academy curriculum. He lifted his head to frantically find any sort of clue but everyone's head was down. Sakura looked up briefly and caught his eyes. He smiled reflexively at the worried look in her eyes, trying to give the reassurance he didn't feel he had.
He looked back down at the questions, pressing pencil to paper, and started on the first question. The page began to fill up but Rio knew that none of it was right; he had hoped if he just started writing something that he would find the answer on the way but that wasn't happening. His legs thumped repeatedly against the underside of the desk as he fidgeted nervously, his mind racing to find some way around this test.
He could cheat; Morino said they had to be caught five times which meant he had a chance. Rio eyed the chunin closest to him and the woman stared passively back at him. He swung his head back down, his leg still bouncing. How could he do this? What could he do?
"You are halfway through!"
Rio flinched and snapped his wide eyes to the clock. Where had the time gone? He hadn't done anything yet; he still had to answer at least one question!
"Rio-san…" a tiny voice spoke up next to him.
He turned to stare at Hinata. In his panic he hadn't even noticed she had sat next to him. Normally, he was always aware of his crush; it just made him more aware of how thrown off by the exam he was.
"You can copy mine…if you want," she said quietly.
A small burst of hope exploded in his chest. As he leaned over, a kunai suddenly cut in front of him and he lurched back. It landed with a loud thunk into the paper of a Konoha genin sitting behind Hinata.
"Examinee fifty-seven, you're out."
Rio watched the kid be dragged out of the classroom, his two teammates arguing loudly behind him. The door shut with a loud bang and the room seemed even quieter than before.
"Rio-san?"
Rio smiled awkwardly at Hinata and shook his head slightly. They couldn't risk it; the female chunin was already looking at them and he didn't want to get Hinata disqualified for trying to help him. She seemed to get the message and resumed her own test, throwing him small glances every so often. Rio did the best he could but in his heart he knew he hadn't got a single one right; he could only hope the tenth question would be something he could answer.
"Time is up for the nine questions; here is the tenth!"
Rio sighed heavily before looking up at Morino, his resolve hardening into steel. He would get this question right. He didn't care what it took.
"First, you must choose if you want to answer this tenth question," Morino continued. "If you choose to take it and answer incorrectly, then you will have to relinquish your right of taking the Chunin Exams forever!"
Rio gulped. Banned from taking the Chunin Exams; being a genin forever. His goal to overtake Nii-san would never be realized. He would never be able to become Hokage.
"But I will give you a chance to go back." There was something off about Morino's sadistic grin. "For those of you who aren't confident, you can choose not to take it and take the exam next year or the year after that."
His deep chuckles echoed over the silent room.
"Those who will not be taking it, raise your hands! Once I confirm your number, I'll ask you to leave!"
Rio was startled as the guy next to him raised his hand. Arms started rising around the room and people began to file out the door. He noticed Hinata moved her hand and he reached out to grasp it firmly in his own. She turned stunned eyes towards him and he smiled.
"You can do this, Hinata," he nodded firmly, giving her hand a tight squeeze.
He looked up and met the eyes of his teammates; Sasuke wasn't going anywhere and after a moment of hesitation, Sakura nodded back at him determinedly. Maybe he would never be able to take the Chunin Exams ever again but that didn't matter. He was going to pass this Chunin Exam and he couldn't do that if he failed at the first hurdle. His teammates would be fine; he would not be the one to let them down. He would never be able to face Nii-san if he gave up now.
Morino swept his gaze over the room and as the last genin left the room, he folded his arms. No one else moved and he nodded.
"You have all passed the first exam!"
Rio blinked.
"Huh?"
"Hey, what does that mean?" Sakura called out from behind them. "What's the tenth question?"
"That was the tenth question," Morino replied amusedly. "Will you stay or will you go? You all answered correctly by staying. We have been mounting pressure on you all from the beginning, with the looming threat of dragging down your teammates, and when you made that choice to stay, regardless of what you could lose, you proved yourselves worthy of being a chunin. A shinobi cannot back down when things get hard, no matter the circumstances."
Rio slumped back into his seat, the tension leaving him in one breath and turning his limbs to jelly. He did it; he passed. He finally realized he was still holding Hinata's hand and abruptly let go, his face burning with a bright blush he was sure was visible from even the next room. Hinata was looking away from him but Rio could swear her own cheeks glowed. He was about to say something when one of the windows shattered, scattering glass all over the floor of the classroom. A woman landed lightly and Rio couldn't help but stare. In a fishnet jumpsuit, her modesty was only covered by a tan leather skirt and a beige overcoat. Her spiky purple hair was tied up and her Konoha hitai-ate was partially hidden by her bangs.
"Well done brats for passing the first stage but the fun is just beginning," the scantily clad woman grinned, her purple eyes wild and gleeful. "I'm Mitarashi Anko and I'm the proctor for the second stage of the exam. Follow me, brats!"
She proceeded to march out of the room. After a moment, Rio scrambled to his feet, meeting up with Sasuke and Sakura and following the strange woman out the door.
Thanks for reading!
