Chapter 18: The Rules

*_* = Naruto

'_' (bolded)= Sakura

'_'( normal) = Kira

-_- (normal)= Sasuke

Dont get used to these things, I only used it once and I really don't know what I was thinking.

The Test Part 2: The Rules

Looking up at the large forest anyone could feel the creepy vibes coming off it. The feeling of dread wrapped its way around your body, trapping you in the uneasy feeling forever.

"It looks like a pretty creepy place." Sakura muttered holding her hands to her chest nervously. Naruto stared past the gated fence a look on his face that screamed 'eh it's not that scary' while Sasuke just glared at the back of Gaara's head.

Kira stared at the area trying to think of what horrors could be behind that locked gate. Anko chuckled to herself hearing the murmurs of uncertainty from the crowd.

"You're about to find out first hand why they call this the 'Forest of Death'!" Anko smirked gleefully an evil look in her milk chocolate eyes.

"Ooo, you're about to find out first hand why they call this the 'forest of death'!" Naruto mocked hitching his voice high to sound like a lady, bringing his legs together and bending down looking so silly in the process.

Sasuke and Sakura glared at Naruto annoyed. Now wasn't the time to offend the instructor. Kira sighed holding her head a small smile on her lips at how silly Naruto could act.

"Like that's really going to scare us. You're trying to psych us out, and I'm not gonna fall for it!" Naruto screamed pointing an accusing finger at the instructor. "Right Kira?!" A small laugh forced it's way out of her lips being in the center of attention now.

"Yeah, sure."

Though she knew Anko was deliberately scaring us all she knew that there was probably something bad about this forest. She could feel it in her gut. Something bad was going to happen in there.

'What a little brat…I better teach him a lesson hehehe.' That wasn't good. Kira's hand stayed on her pouch waiting patiently to see what she had in mind.

"Oh really? You're pretty cocky, huh?" Anko smirked looking innocent. Now. In lightning speed a kunai was flung in Naruto's direction. A clang of metal echoed around the vicinity knocking the kunai out of the way from harming Naruto. But that didn't stop the paper thin line appearing across Naruto's cheek on the left side.

The most she did was save him from a deeper cut.

Naruto stared at the kunai beside his face wide eyed. His large blue eyes on full alert, traveling up the kunai's form till his eyes rested on Kira's. 'You okay?'

'Yeah…'

Their instructor disappeared, reappearing right behind Naruto grabbing onto his shoulders pulling him close to her chest. "Heh. Your kind are always the first to go." She had a small pout on her lips when she licked his cheek. Licking up the small trickle of blood that spilled.

"Spilling all that rich, red, lovely luscious blood. You can't always rely on your teammate to save you punk." She giggled a light blush spread over her face. She looked like she was in pure bliss.

She was so weird. She make everyone uncomfortable. Quickly she pulled out yet another kunai holding it out against a student with an incredibly long tongue. Ready to fight if need be. "Your kunai knife, I believe you dropped it." He called.

The students tongue was wrapped around the kunai like a hand looking very intimidating if that was even possible. How someone could use a tongue as another form of battle was terrifying just thinking of it.

"Gee thanks," Anko called smiling sweetly though you could see her uncertainty. The student stood still waiting for Anko to grab the weapon. "Don't just stand behind me. Radiating bloodlust unless you're in a hurry to die."

Watching the guy put his tongue back in his mouth was like watching a tape measurer return to it's holder but it' was a lot more slimy and wet this time.

"I'll try to keep it under control but the sight of warm, fresh blood, really makes me crazy and I was already revved up from losing a strand of my precious hair." This guy…he really put everyone on edge. Kira clutched Naruto to her chest staring at the student like he was crazy like a majority of the people here.

'We've got a real nut case proctoring this exam! Not good. Not good at all.' Sakura thought staring at Anko and the strange student.

"Looks like we have a hot-blooded team on our hands this time! Heh, should be fun…"Naruto rubbed his cheek wiping the spit off as much as he could. Glaring up at the instructor. "Before we being the second exam there's something I have to hand out." Anko pulled a stack of consent forms out of her jacket pocket beaming to herself.

Consent forms? Why? How bad was the forest?

"They're consent forms. Everybody has to sign one." She called.

"Why?"

"We want all the details covered before the first deaths occur. Sign before you go in so we cant be held liable. You wouldn't want me to get in trouble would you?" Anko tried looking adorable and failed miserably.

"First I'll explain what the second exam entails. Then you can sign the forms. With the other two or three members of your team, bring the forms to the hut behind you and submit them. Got that?" she questioned everyone while handing the stack to Naruto to take one and pass along to another student.

"Now about the exam. To put it simply it's a no holds barred survival test." Kira glanced down at the consent form reading everything over as Anko spoke again. "Lets start with the Topography of the training ground. I'll explain the rest later."

She took a small breath looking everyone over. "Training ground forty four is bordered by a circular perimeter interrupted at regular intervals by forty four locked gates. There are forests and a river and in the center is a tower. About ten kilometers from those gates. Within the confines of this carefully delineated area, you're going to undergo a survival test. During the course of that test, you may use any ninja arts or weapons you have at your disposal."

Glancing up from her sheet Kira watched Anko's every move. She looked like she was hiding something. Something important.

"It's kind of fight to the death version of 'capture the flag' or in this case 'capture the scroll.'"

"Scroll?"

"Exactly!" Anko held out two scrolls a tan scroll and a dark scroll. "There's a 'scroll of heaven' and a 'scroll of earth' and your objective is to acquire both scrolls. "There are seventy nine of you here. Thirteen teams will start out with a heaven scroll…" she shoved off the tan scroll. "And the other thirteen will start with an earth scroll. But you'll need both scrolls to pass."

Both scrolls to pass. Fight to the death. Capture the scroll.

"Your objective is to hold on to your own scroll, get your hands on one of the other kind and then bring them both to the tower at the center." Anko smirked.

"In other words, at least half of us, the thirteen teams whose scrolls are stolen will fail." Sakura confirmed staring at the instructor not showing her fear.

"You bet! And theres a time limit! You have 120 hours in which to complete this exam. Exactly five days!"

"Five days?!" Ino screamed surprised.

"What are we supposed to do for food?!" Choji screamed looking terrified.

"That's your problem. The forests are full of natures bounty. Of course they're also full of man eating animals, deadly insects, and poisonous plants. There's no way as many as thirteen teams will pass this. AS the time shortens the trials will come harder and faster with less recovery time for any mistakes, accidents, or injuries. You'll be surrounded by enemies at all times, so you'll have to sleep with one eye open."

Man, this would be tough. We'd have to sleep in shifts if we were even capable of resting for more than an hour.

"So in addition to those who die in attempts to defend or capture a scroll some of you are bound to succumb to exhaustion, exposure, and dehydration." Sasuke, Kira, Sakura, and Naruto glance at one another before facing the instructor again.

"Now lets talk about the rules and what offenses you can be disqualified for!" Anko squealed giggling to herself holding up one finger. "Obviously, the teams that fail to reach the tower in time, as a three or four-member team, carrying both a heaven or earth scroll are out." Okay so even if we have both scrolls we can still fail if we don't make it to the tower in time.

She put up a second finger before speaking again. "So is any team that loses a member, whether to death or to severe injury." Anko held up a third finger "And under no circumstances can you leave the forest before the time is up. No recess. No time outs. Also you're forbidden to look at the contents of the scrolls until you're inside the tower!"

"What happens if we sneak a peek?" Naruto asked confused.

"That's for those who look to know!" Anko giggled smiling mischievously. 'Note to self. Don't open or let anyone open the scroll.'

"If any of you make it to the chunin level, there will be times when you'll be entrusted with top secret documents, so consider this a test of your trustworthiness. Thats all the explanation you get. We'll trade one scroll for every three or four forms. When you've got yours, choose the gate you want to start from. Everyone will begin at the same time."

Anko let her words sink in, watching everyone's faces. "One final piece of advice. Stay alive!" That was the last thing Anko called. Instructions were over. This was a life or death test. We needed to pass, we needed to be on our toes, make sure we have each other's backs in there. Everyone would be our enemy. Friends no longer were friends.

Group by group walked over to the small shack covered in a black tarp to get their scrolls.

'Who should keep hold of the scroll?' Kira asked her friends watching them jump in surprise. Sakura stared at her wide eyed for a few moments.

'You weren't joking…'

'Nope, it's how I passed answers to Naruto through the first test.'

*Yeah it was awesome!*

'So we can all hear each other through our thoughts? How is this possible?' Sakura questioned staring at Kira confused.

Kira shrugged her shoulders confused, she herself wasn't sure how to even explain it. 'I can't hold it for long. Lets set up a game plan so no one can hear. Again who should hold the scroll?' Kira forced the question back. Pain started to form at the front of her skull. A dull ache. It was just annoying.

-Sakura you hold the scroll.- Sasuke called still impressed with his girl. She was just full of surprises.

'Me? Really Sasuke-kun?' Sasuke nodded looking away from his friends.

-Everyone will believe it would be Naruto, Kira, or myself. You are the best person to protect the scroll in our team. You were capable of protecting Tazuna back when everyone was fighting. It'll be the same thing. Everyone okay with that?-

Sakura had hearts in her eyes. Sasuke just complimented her again! He thought she was useful! She felt so happy as she stared at Sasuke with a longing look in her emerald eyes. Hope filling her stomach at the ideas popping in her head.

He compliments her now then they'll start dating, she'll shove it in Ino's stupid face that Sasuke liked Sakura and not Ino. Then they'd get married one day oh it would be perfect.

-Then it's agreed. Kira cut the connection only use it in case of an emergency. Got it?-

'Got it.'

As soon as she cut the connection between the four of them the throbbing headache started to ease away very slowly, till there was only a dull throb.

Team seven walked toward the small shack handing in their consent forms. Naruto gave Sakura the scroll where she easily hid it in her pouch.

"Alright, everyone, follow your proctors to your respective gates! When the signal sounds in half an hour, the exam will begin!" Anko yelled as each team walked with the assigned proctor to their respective stations. Ours was gate twelve.

The next half hour was ticking by slowly. Naruto was so giddy, practically bouncing with energy constantly asking our proctor how much longer every five minutes. Our proctor was started to get agitated after the fifth time.

"Naruto." Kira called gaining the blondes attention. "Five more minutes and we'll be in there for at least five days at the most." Naruto giggled with anticipation.

"We only need two!" he announced.

"Part two of the journeyman ninja selection exam begins…NOW!" Anko's voice echoed around the arena. Time to go!

"Alright! Lets go!" Naruto yelled walking inside confident as ever.