Sasuke scowled at Naruto, who was looking equally fierce. Sakura was standing off to the side looking put out. Anko was standing between the two boys, a hand over their fists pushed up together.

Anko smirked, completely ignoring the crowd of genin trickling into the clearing and staring at the group with bemusement. "Jan-ken pon!" cried Anko, jerking her hand up into the air.

"Tch!" Sasuke's frown deepened as Naruto whooped loudly and danced around in wild circles.

"Oh yeah! I'm awesome!" Naruto crowed.

Sakura groaned. "Why? Why did I get stuck on a team with an idiot?"

Anko laughed loudly. "Aww, come on pinky! At least it doesn't get boring!" She slung an arm around the young teen's shoulders.

Sakura glanced at Naruto doing a weird butt wiggle shimmy thing and gave Anko a bland look.

Anko simply snickered. "Still not boring."

"Yosh! I want to partake in this youthful challenge!" boomed a loud voice. Lee popped up out of nowhere with a swoosh, posing 'stylishly' with a fisht in the air and a wide gleaming grin. And then his eyes landed on Sakura and he gasped, snapping to a bow in front of her. "Beautiful maiden! I will protect you until I die! Will you go on a date with me?!"

Sakura facepalmed. 'It's your fault. I blame you,' was written all over her face as she shot Anko and Naruto dark looks.

"Psh! Bushy brows doesn't stand a chance!" Naruto waved a hand flippantly, drawing Lee's attention away from Sakura. Naruto sent Sakura a discrete look as he flashed a grin at Lee, and she gave him a coded hidden gesture of thanks.

"I protest! I shall win this challenge! If I can't win I'll-!"

"Carry me through the forest on your back!" commanded Naruto, pointing a finger dramatically.

The gathering of genin sweatdropped while Sasuke and Sakura shot the blond incredulous looks.

Lee hesitated, not used to someone actually giving him a challenge other than Gai-sensei. "Y-yosh! I shall endeavor to carry you through the forest on my back!"

Tenten spluttered. "What?! You can't promise something like that! This isn't a co-op mission!" She smacked him on the back of the head.

"Says who?" demanded the blond, crossing his arms defiantly. He shot Anko a look. "You said we just had to get two o' them scrolls, right?" He shrugged. "It ain't against the rules."

Anko blinked, tilted her head to the side...and laughed. "Well, the brat has a point! I didn't actually mention anything about that!" She sighed, looking put out. "However, if I let that go, the Hokage will have my head because you brats will start an all out war in there. So!" She clapped loudly. "Listen up! New rule! Ya' know, besides trying not to die!" She chuckled sinisterly. "No teaming up! This exam isn't about genin teams from the same village ganging up on other teams!"

Shikamaru shot the blond a faint dirty look. He hadn't exactly planned on teaming up with anyone, but being denied the useful opportunity didn't make him happy.

Naruto tsked. "Nah' it ain't like he's helping me get a scroll." He scowled at Anko. "He'd just be my ride. It should be fine, right?"

Anko sighed. "As much as I want to allow that to pass, I can't. Think of something else."

"Ugh, fine." Naruto squinted at the green clad genin. After a moment of staring, a slow devious smirk crawled across his face… "Got it!" He snapped his fingers. "If you fail, you have to go to Ino-chan for a complete makeover! And you have to keep it up for a full month!"

Lee blinked owlishly. "Makeover?"

Ino looked torn between being horrified and manically happy.

Naruto nodded sharply. "After the second exam, you have to talk to her about a complete makeover."

"Yosh! If I fail this challenge I shall do so!"

"What will you do?" remarked Ino, trying to get back at her fellow blond for throwing her to the wolves like that. "Does the same rule apply to you?" She gave him a daring look.

Naruto grimaced, clutching his orange jacket like it was a lifeline. "Y-yeah...s-sure, hehe." He gave her a weak grin.

She gave him a triumphant smirk. "Perfect!" She clapped her hands and strode over to the two boys. "Since I have to be part of this, that means I will referee." She held up her hand, palm down. "Ready?"

Both boys stepped forward looking ready for battle. "Ready!"

Their fists met under Ino's palm.

Ino's lips pursed into a thin line. "Jan-ken pon!" she shouted, throwing up her hand.

"Yosh!" Lee's whipped to Ino, tears streaming down his face. "It seems I am to be your student!" It was clear he was both determined to see his challenge through and was struggling with the idea that he could not mimic his idol for a month.

Naruto smugly grinned, hands behind his head.

Ino still looked like she wasn't sure whether she wanted to strangle Naruto or thank him for the fashion disaster before her. It had its pros and cons, and she still wasn't decided which one was tilted in her favor. Her eyebrow was twitching dangerously under Lee's continuous onslaught of heaping praises. She wasn't able to process how to handle his overbearing focus, as even Naruto's enthusiasm didn't reach such ridiculous heights.

"When are we starting the exam?" grumbled a Sound genin. Kin was scowling next to her teammates, arms crossed and unimpressed with the Leaf shinobis' antics.

Anko's hand whipped out and struck true. In her hand was a piece of paper that she'd used to nick the genin's cheek and draw blood. "Now, now, lil' cannon fodder, don't be in such a rush to die." Her grin was sadistic as she licked the blood from the frozen genin's cheek. "After all, you still haven't signed my little waiver. I can't have anyone blaming me for your deaths after all." She waved the paper tauntingly.

Kin shivered, she stared blankly at the piece of paper that cut her that Anko thrust into her hand.

"Everybody get your waivers! I want them signed before anyone can even think about entering the Forest!" Anko gestured to a chunin with a stack of said papers in hand. "And hurry it up! You're taking too long!"

There were some dirty looks shot at her, but no one dare say a word after what happened to Kin.


Iruka breathed in a deep sigh of relief. He'd been gone for several weeks on an important B-rank mission, and he was finally home. He had a nice easy mission now, one right at home. All he had to do was be ready for a summons for the second exam.

Better yet, no one had pranked him since his return either.

He was headed towards the lounge the Leaf jounin sensei were relaxing. Most of them had come to spend the first day there bragging about their students, even if most of them expected their genin to take a day or more to pass the second round. Iruka had missed the first exam, and was anxious to see who had been entered and who had passed the first round.

He glanced at a clock. If he was right, it had already been about an hour or so since the task had begun. The scarred chunin was pretty sure that meant most of the jounin were still loitering around BSing. There would probably be some betting pools started as well.

He knocked and poked his head into the room. "Hey, um, can anyone update me on who's still in the exams?"

Iruka was a little startled to find most of the jounin shifted as one to stare at one corner of the room. Three fresh genin jounin and a few veteran teams were huddled there. It seemed to be the 'special spot' for bragging rights. Iruka was baffled to find his rookie twelve, all of whom he taught within the last year, had been entered.

The poor academy teacher spluttered, hands gesticulating wildly. It was a ten second spectacle before he inhaled sharply and his special 'Big Head jutsu' roared inside the crowded room. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! They JUST graduated!"

"Bet you a whole stack of explosive notes that my Team gets to the Tower before yours," Kakashi said stoically. "I mean, I did hear some interesting rumors about a bet one of your students lost to Naruto." He eyed Gai meaningfully.

Gai cried 'manly' tears. "Your student is quite youthful! I had not prepared Lee for such a crushing defeat! I shall have to promise him he is not dishonoring the Green by following through on his challenge!"

Asuma's cigarette almost fell out of his mouth. Kurenai's eye twitched.

Kakashi hummed. "Dishonoring the Green?"

Gai nodded solemnly. "It is a proud and honored tradition! The Green has been strong, true, and loyal! I will prepare the shrine! I will ensure that Lee is safe from retribution by honoring the Green before he begins his trial!"

Most of the room leaned away a bit, not entirely sure if Gai was being serious.

Kakashi barely suppressed a snicker.

"HEY!" shouted Iruka, having stomped across the room after being so obviously ignored. "I was talking to you! Why did you enter fresh graduates?!" He was, honestly, reasonably concerned. He had taught all of twelve of those genin, and they were his (secretly favorite) students. He couldn't quite believe any of them had grown into competent genin in such a short timeframe. They were, for all intents and purposes, prepubescent kids. He knew it took time for them to break old habits, and this batch had plenty to break.

"Hmm?" Kakashi peeked over his shoulder at the irate teacher. "You say something?"

"Curse you and your hip and cool attitude!" boomed Gai, fist clenched, despite the fact it wasn't being directed at him.

Iruka's jaw dropped. Kurenai and Asuma watched in amusement as the poor chunin's face started to glow a deep angry red.

"I-!" began Iruka.

*POOF!*

A-nd... suddenly the chunin was gone, leaving the jounin staring at the pending storm in the corner that was now sunny and warm.

Gai turned to Kakashi with a horrified gaze. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" He pointed an accusing finger that almost took Asuma's eye out. "What despicable corners of the earth did you send that poor soul?!"

Kakashi swirled his sake, staring into the small saucer with his other arm slung casually over the back of the couch he was sitting on. He relaxed further into the seat with a hum, left leg comfortably crossed over his right knee. He paused.

Out came the patented Eye Smile, beaming out with vicious intensity that made Kurenai and Asuma blink a few times to ensure their vision was clear. Gai jerked back clutching at his chest, as if Kakashi had somehow magically thrown a kunai with just a look.

There was a beat of absolute silence, Kakashi's invisible but beaming smile lighting up the whole room with it's brilliance.

Right up until Anko started cackling. "Kami-sama! You guys are suckers! Someone reached the tower!" She started cackling again.

Only to choke on her spit after realizing what she'd just said. She coughed roughly before recovering, head snapping up with disbelief as every eye on the room trained on her.

"You can't be serious," remarked Asuma. His cigarette was laying forgotten on the floor, having finally succumbed to gravity after toying with the idea of freedom the past ten minutes. "The tower is a full hour from the gates! They would have to run full bore as soon as the gates were opened!" He pointed to a clock on the wall for emphasis. "It's barely been an hour and a half! They wouldn't have had time to get a second scroll, let alone navigate unknown dangerous territory!"

Anko just stared at him a breath before she huffed irritably, leaning back and crossing her arms with something that could (but wouldn't, for fear of one's safety) be called a pout. "Don't ask me. 'Brats should have taken a full day to accomplish the task!" She started wondering if she'd made the test too easy. She grimaced. It was made worse by the fact she'd given Ibiki a bunch of crap about how lax his test was if she had to deal with that many genin.

Ibiki's payback was gonna be hell.


"-can't believe that-!" Iruka continued mid rant.

"Iruka-sensei!" cheered a very familiar voice.

Iruka froze, the brewing Clouds of Doom behind him fading instantly. A blond missile launched itself into his gut, nearly sending him sprawling. "N-Naruto?"

A very comforting whiskered smile greeted him, blue eyes squeezed shut as Naruto chuckled. "We totally rock!" boasted the blond.

Iruka's gaze darted up to find the blond's two teammates. Sakura looked exasperated while Sasuke gazed moodily at the door they'd entered moments ago.

Iruka felt faint. "You...passed?"

Naruto backed away, hands automatically going behind his head as he cheerfully grinned at his bemused sensei. "We're awesome like that!"

"H-how?" stammered Iruka, still floored that his worst arranged genin team had already reached the Tower. It had to be a new damned record!

Naruto's face morphed into cautious suspicion. "We pass? No take backs?"

Iruka could only nod dazedly. "You pass. No take backs." His gaze focused on familiar blue eyes. "How?"

Naruto's easy going smirk returned. "Well, duh! We got the sneakiest pair of eyes on our team!" He sent Sasuke a glare on reflex. "Bastard stole the other scroll while Sakura was dealing with the guy handing out ours." He snickered. "The guy had no idea!"

Sasuke grunted, but there was a faint twitch of his lips in pride at his handiwork.

Iruka stared. "How did you…" He waved distractedly at the Tower. "So fast?"

Naruto sent Sakura a winning smile. "Sakura-chan is awesome! She totally read this scroll or something back in the academy and remembered where it was! She even knew the fastest way to get here!" Naruto did not mention that the fastest way had been a tunnel they'd used the Head Hunter jutsu to reach. After all, only chunin and up were supposed to know that the tunnel even existed. It was once used as an evacuation precaution, but now only was used (very rarely) as a medic evacuation when a jounin went a little overboard training in the Forest of Death.

Naruto also (intentionally) failed to mention that the forest was still littered with hundreds of his kage-bunshin. A good number of them looked exactly like his team, while others were henged and wandering around. The henged clones were either causing mischief with other teams or mapping out the Forest out of pure curiosity. Iruka didn't noticed the subtle shiver of disgust run through Naruto when a squad of said henged clones got murdered by huge acidic slugs during their conversation. That had been unpleasant. Harder still to keep the horror off his face.

Iruka shifted, trying to come to terms with the fact the team he had (unhappily) expected to fail the hardest and the most until they grew up, was, miraculously, doing the best? Yes, he had faith in them. But...they were so much like oil being introduced to fire...he honestly had no idea how they hadn't combusted yet. He waved down the hall. "Um, let's uh, go get you set up with a room. This exam is supposed to take several days, so rooms have been prepared." (He had no idea the rooms were only prepared on time due to the fubar that happened with Kabuto's unexpected capture).

Naruto followed, eagerly making excited noises or comments at the right time as Iruka lead them further into the Tower.

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged worried looks. They'd been crazy lucky with that tunnel. Snake Face probably knew about it too. Luckily, if he was around, he would be too focused above ground to think any genin knew about the tunnel below. All three genin knew that they were playing a dangerous game, and they really hoped that Naruto's clones kept the creep busy so he didn't realize that they were already at the Tower and still stupid easy pickings. None of them wanted to deal with that debacle.

They already planned to become scarce once Iruka was gone. If none of the other genin realized they were the team that made it first, the safer they would be. That meant the room that Iruka just took them to was going to be home to three henged clones once they were alone.

Iruka smiled, having (somewhat) recovered from the unexpected shock to his system. "Right, here you go. You three are rooming here until the second exam ends. You're free to wander the Tower, but be warned, mischief and fighting are not permitted." He gave them all the obligatory 'look'. "Try to stay out of trouble." His stern expression dropped and he smiled gently at them. "Congratulations. I'm proud of you." He turned to exit the room, waving farewell. "I'll be sure to root for you in the third exams."

The door clicked shut behind the chunin, his footsteps fading away down the hall.

Team 7 stared blankly at the door several tense minutes. Finally certain the man was gone, they exhaled sharply, wobbly knees finally giving out as the three collapsed into a messy pile in the middle of the room. The henge they had been wearing collapsed, showing three dirt covered and disheveled preteens.

Sakura groaned softly, even knowing they were alone they wouldn't risk being overheard. "My arms are killing me. I didn't realize the tunnel was so far underground." She winced as her arms shifted and the muscles spasmed.

Sasuke grunted. "Or that it would be that far to the Tower." He hissed when Naruto pressed his weight into his thigh, the muscles screaming in agony.

"Sorry," murmured the blond, having been trying to shift so he wasn't sprawled across his teammates' laps. He grimaced. "We can't stay here too long. It's not safe."

Sasuke and Sakura both nodded but didn't move.

"Twenty minutes," mumbled the pinkette. She shifted so she and Sasuke were back to back, using each other as support.

Naruto grunted and moved so his head was resting on their shoulders. "Twenty," he agreed. He barely had the energy to lift his arms and summon another kage-bunshin. "Stand watch. Wake us in twenty."

And then all three promptly passed out.

The clone glared at them enviously, looking just as haggard as Naruto. "Bastards." It moodily shifted so it could watch the door, a kunai in hand.


Iruka swallowed thickly, head bowed and hands minutely trembling. He walked through the halls like a man headed to the gallows. His eyes were wide and unfocused, staring blankly at the floor as his feet lead him down the hall.

He reached his destination, the door looming before him. He slowly looked up at it, pale and shaking, as if a demon lay in wait on the other side to devour him.

His hand twitched, clenched, and then slowly rose to reach for the knob. He inhaled sharply, pausing. He grimaced, squeezing his eyes tightly closed. He grit his teeth and threw the door open with a bang. He stomped forward with all the resolution he could muster, head high, chest puffed out.

Iruka thrust a bottle of sake into Kakashi's hands. Iruka stayed in a semi bow, his pride screaming at him for his actions.

The rest of the room had become dead silent the moment the door had been thrown open. Everyone was watching with bated breath.

"I apologize for my earlier behavior," began Iruka, his voice tight with tension. "I was in error." Iruka snapped upright so sharply he almost nicked Kakashi's nose with his ponytail. Iruka didn't meet the taller jounin's gaze, simply turning about sharply and stomping back out of the room.

Dead silence followed in his wake.

Gai looked honestly mortified at this point (he had been admittedly taking the mickey out on everyone earlier about sending the poor chunin to some sort of hellish place). Now, Gai was eyeing is rival with budding distrust. Had his longtime rival gone too far? Had he broken the poor chunin? Had Anko been incorrect in her assessment? It made a shiver run down the green clad jounin's spine.

Kakashi stared at the door, bottle held lightly in his grasp.

Asuma blinked, dark gaze turning to his friend. "What the hell did you do?"

Kakashi had absolutely no idea.

The silver haired man cleared his throat and raised the bottle. "A toast?" He eye smiled. "For our genin still in the exams?"

Which only opened a floodgate for Gai's 'honorable ways of treating fellow shinobi' speech.

Kakashi moved around the impassioned Green Beast, calmly opening the sake bottle and generously pouring sake into the saucers of the jounin with genin still in the exams. Asuma decided he really didn't want to know, and Kurenai was still too flustered with her last encounter with Team 7 to question its jounin instructor (even if she really wanted to pick his brains. The man was a genius! But his behavior was so ridiculous, she had no idea what to take seriously and what to dismiss. It was a frustrating quandary that Asuma had already told her to leave alone...repeatedly).

"Cheers," Kakashi said with an off upbeat tone, his own filled saucer raised.

Yup, mentally concluded both Kurenai and Asuma as they also silently raised their saucers, not worth the effort.


A/N: FYI, so no one has to go look it up; Janken Pon is basically Rock Paper Scissors. I didn't go into much detail about it because if you know what it is, you already know exactly what is going on once you read what I have. If you didn't know, I liked the element of surprise. Also, I didn't want to interrupt the story for an author's note, so forgive me for waiting until the end to explain what it was. Hope you enjoyed the read! And sorry for any mistakes! I am posting this a wee bit faster and with less of a comb through to look for errors. I was on a roll, and I'm a wee bit tired. I'm just happy my hands aren't dying today so I can actually type this up, hehe. (New job is rough!)

Thanks for reading!

-Salute!-