"When are we going to start the awards ceremony?" someone in the audience demands about half an hour after the tournament ends.
"Just as soon as the Raikage and the Hokage have finished the armwrestling match they started during Rock Lee and Neji's match," says Rain. "If you want to watch, turn your attention to the Hokages' viewing booth."
"I can't see!" yells someone.
"Why can't they do it in the arena, where we can see!" yells someone else.
"GO RAIKAGE!" yells someone completely different.
"GO HOKAGE!" someone counter-yells.
The arena erupts in cheers for the hokage and the raikage. The two arm-wrestling kage up their efforts, letting out a blast of chakra each that creates a strong wind in the arena.
"All these cheers are getting me fired up!" says Fugaku, grinning.
"I'll beat you, Hokage!" says the Raikage, obviously just as fired up as the Hokage.
Raw chakra fills their air, making leaves swirl and lighting crack. Leaves swirl around the Hokage as he fires up his chakra even more. Lightning cracks around the Raikage and tiny pieces of gravel rise out of the ground. The table they are using cracks in two. The two Kage simply lower their arm wrestling match to the floor. Neither one has yielded even a millimeter to the other. The stadium begins to groan under the weight of the arm-wrestle, and cracks form around the two Kage's elbows.
"Stop, you'll destroy the stadium!" says Nagato, suddenly worried.
"I will not surrender!" says A.
"Nor will I!" says Fugaku.
An immobilizing barrier seal traps both Kage, switching off their chakra in an instant. "You have two choices," says Iruka calmly. "Either stop your battle right now and concede to a tie, or call this round one and continue somewhere where there is no one anywhere nearby to get caught in the crossfire."
"Who the hell is this guy?" demands A, glaring at Fugaku. He would probably be glaring at Iruka, if Iruka's barrier seal hadn't immobilized him.
"He's Iruka Umino," says Fugkau. "And we'd better do as he says. I know of an uninhabited stretch of land that we can continue this on. When would you like to continue our battle?"
"As soon as the exams are over I will find you, and we will go there," says A. "I will not leave this fight unfinished."
"It's a duel then," says Fugaku. "However, we cannot bring anyone with us lest they become collateral."
"Good," says Iruka, releasing his barrier seal. "I'm glad we sorted that out."
Kushina is whistling while she stirs the ramen she is making for dinner. Vaguely, Kushina wonders when everyone who went to the chunin exams will be back. The exams should have finished a couple of days ago.
"We're home!" yells Minato, opening the front door.
"Welcome home!" Kushina calls, and realizes she is going to need to cook more ramen.
"We left Iruka with Mei," says Kazama, coming into the kitchen. "He's going to stay in the Hidden Mist for a while until her baby is born."
"Who's getting promoted from Team Gai?" Kushina asks.
"We won't know until the Hokage gets back from his arm wrestle with the Raikage," says Arashi. "Who knows how long that will take."
Mei calls Namiko to her office after they get home from the Chunin Exam finals. Her stomach is huge, and Mei is seriously considering hiring litter bearers and a palanquin to get around. Lord Gengetsu stands by the window looking out at the Hidden Mist, an expression of pride on his face.
Namiko arrives, dressed in her shinobi gear. Little tufts of auburn hair stick out from the hat she attached her forehead protector to. Mei has to suppress the urge to cuddle her daughter.
"Yes, Mamma-Mizukage?" says Namiko. She always calls Mei that in official settings like this.
"Due to your performance in the chunin exams, I am promoting you to chunin," says Mei. "However, because of your age, I cannot put you in charge of a team. Instead, I shall make you your father's official bodyguard while he is in the Hidden Mist. It will be purely ceremonial, you understand? He doesn't need a bodyguard at all. I imagine you will only need to show him around and make sure no one questions his right to be here. Do you understand?"
Namiko frowns. Then, as she realises that Mei just ordered her to spend as much time as she can with her Dad, Namiko grins widely. "Yes, Mamma-Mizukage!" Namiko's open-eyed grin is a little creepy, Mei decides.
"I imagine, as his official bodyguard, she'll also have to see the man back to the Hidden Leaf?" says Gengetsu, raising an eyebrow - impressive, considering he has none.
"Naturally," says Mei. "And she'll need to stay a few days to rest after her long period of active duty before returning to the Hidden Rain to continue her training with Nagato."
Namiko's grin widens, and she throws herself across Mei's desk to hug her.
"Careful, careful," says Mei, patting her excited daughter's back. "I'm still pregnant, you know."
"Ah," says Gengetsu. "It seems as if this is goodbye." Mei and Namiko look over to see Gengetsu shining as ash falls away from him. His spirit rises into the air. "It was good to see how far the Mist has come," he says. "I am glad to know there is another generation of strong young shinobi stepping up to take our places. Goodbye."
"Bye bye," says Namiko, waving.
And then Gengetsu is gone.
"Congratulations," says Nagato, leaning on his desk. "Haku, Suigetsu: you are both promoted to chunin."
"Thank you, Lord Nagato," says Haku, bowing.
"Awesome!" says Suigetsu, giving Nagato a cheerful thumbs up.
"Now I believe Yahiko wants a word with the two of you," says Nagato, looking questioningly over at Yahiko.
Yahiko steps away from Nagato's office window and says, "Now that the two of you are officially chunin, I am promoting you both from Apprentices in Akatsuki to Junior Members. You will each shadow a pair of full members until I say otherwise. Haku, you will shadow Deidara and Kakuzu on their next mission. Suigetsu, you will shadow Itachi and Kisame. Pay attention to what they have to teach you and remember: our goal is peace through negotiation."
"Yes leader!" both Junior Akatsuki Members say.
One week after the chunin exam finals, Fugaku Uchiha finally returns to the Hidden Leaf. The first official Hokage thing he does is call the local cartographers to his office. "I'm sorry," he tells them. "But you will need to redraw the maps for this area of land." He points it out to them on a map. That is where the Raikage and I had our arm wrestle."
"I see," says one cartographer. "So who won?"
"That is of no consequence," says Fugaku. "You are dismissed." Then he sends someone to fetch Team Gai.
"You wanted to see us, Lord Hokage?" says Neji, when they arrive.
"Yes," says Fugaku. "I am promoting all three of you to chunin. You did well enough in the finals to deserve promotion. Well done."
"Thank you, Lord Hokage," says Neji, bowing.
"Yes!" Tenten throws her arms in the air before remembering her manners and bowing. "I mean, thank you, Lord Hokage."
"THE SPRINGTIME OF MY YOUTH IS IN FULL BLOOM!" yells Lee.
"Go bloom somewhere else," says Fugaku. "You are dismissed."
The Raikage stomps into his office one week after the end of the chunin exams. "NO ONE'S GETTING PROMOTED!" he tells C. "MAYBE NEXT TIME THEY'LL TAKE THE EXAMS SERIOUSLY INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT BEE'S RAPPING!"
C tactfully does not mention that Bee spent the last week staying with Nagato. "Very good, Lord Raikage. I will make sure they train hard." Then, remembering why the Raikage was absent, he asks, "Who won the arm wrestle?"
The Raikage calms down and says, "That is of no consequence."
C isn't sure if that means A won or lost.
"GAI SENSEI!" Lee yells, running up to Might Gai and his undead father. Neji and Tenten follow close behind. "We all made chunin! Me and Neji and Tenten!"
"Nice job!" Gai leaps up from his seat so he can pose properly while he gives his students an EPIC thumbs up and a BLINDING smile of YOUTHFUL SUPPORT.
"I can't believe it!" says Gai's Dad, his eyes filling with tears. "You actually made it to chunin, despite having no ninjutsu or genjutsu? How?"
"Because I mastered the Eight Inner Gates technique that you taught to Gai Sensei," says Lee. "My dream is to become a fine ninja despite having no ninjutsu or genjutsu! Next I will become a jounin!"
"And we'll be there to support you," says Neji calmly.
"Do your best!" says Tenten.
"MY STUDENTS!" says Gai, hugging all three of his subordinates. "I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!"
His father begins to glow, and ash floats around his body. "What is happening?"
"The jutsu is broken," says Neji. "Goodbye, rest in peace."
"Goodbye!" says Might Dai. "Enjoy your Youth!"
And then, he is gone.