A.N. Thank you so much to everyone who reviews! I go back and read them like twenty times a day! You guys really don't understand how much it means to me. Anyway, there's another long author's note at the bottom, because you guys seemed to enjoy seeing where my thoughts were headed.
Now:
The Hokage's thunderous words had touched quite a few of the young genin, several of which were now grinning cockily, no doubt excited by the chance to prove themselves as the old man had said.
Naruto crossed his arms. "Well, he sure convinced me!"
"Any test is fine," a raspy voice announced. Tsukiko's eyes widened in mild surprise at the red-haired Sand genin.
'He sounds like he's not used to talking much...or maybe it's from breathing in too much sand.'
Chiyo jumped slightly, her surprised exclamation carrying to Tsukiko's sharp ears. "He speaks!"
Her mocking was ignored. "Just tell me what the details of the exam are already," the Sand genin ordered. "I can handle anything you throw at me."
The Hokage nodded firmly, clenching a fist as his own excitement began to show. "Very well then! Now listen closely, I'm going to tell you exactly what you will all be doing on the third exam."
At that same moment, however, a ninja dropped from above, kneeling in front of the old man. "Lord Hokage, before you do, please allow me, Hayate Gekko, appointed as proctor of the third exam, to speak first."
"So be it," the Hokage allowed, no sign of the rather sudden appearance startling him.
Hayate was a well-respected, if unassuming, jounin with a rather persistent cough. He wore the standard jounin outfit, his hair tied back with a bandana that let his bangs rest in the center of his face. His illness evidently affected his sleep, as there were large bags under his eyes.
"It's nice to meet you all," he said politely, standing up and turning to face the genin. "There's something I would like all of you to do before the third exam." His words were punctuated by loud coughs that racked his frame, despite his covering his mouth to muffle them.
"We have to have a preliminary exam before we can move on to the real one," he finally said, regaining speech.
It went over as well as could be expected. Several voices cried out angrily, and Hayate put up a hand to quiet the noise.
"Uh, well, you see," he said slowly, trying to appease the angry genin. "The first and second exams might have been too easy. The fact is, we never expected so many of you to still be here. According to the rules of the Chunin Exams, a preliminary round can be held at any stage in order to reduce the number of candidates remaining."
"B-But—" Sakura looked worriedly at the proctor. "Is that fair?"
"It's just that at this stage, we have to speed things up a bit," Hayate explained. "As Lord Hokage said, a lot of important guests will be watching. We can't afford to waste their time. They've come to see only the best." He paused, then sheepishly asked. "So if there are any of you who feel you're not in top physical condition, now's your chance to"—he broke off in a fit of coughing—"Sorry. But if any of you don't feel up to this, now's the time for you to bow out. The preliminaries will be starting immediately."
Tsukiko's eyes widened slightly. 'Harsh,' she grinned, seeing several faces go from cocky to nervous. Even Chiyo looked put-out. And she didn't blame them. They had just finished surviving for five days in the wilderness, and now they would be tested again.
"The winners will be determined by one-on-one combat," Hayate explained. "So like I said, anyone who doesn't want to fight, raise your hand." He turned away, giving them a few minutes to decide.
'This will be difficult with an odd number,' Tsukiko mused. 'Someone's going to have to fight twice for their spot.'
Sasuke's hand shot to the curse mark again, and his head bowed slightly as he fought the pain. Tsukiko watched him closely. Sakura said something to him, her eyes tearing up. She was clearly pleading with him, and from the stubborn look on his face, he wasn't giving in.
A subtle movement from the Hokage summoned Tsukiko to his side, along with Anko and Ibiki. "It's just as I feared," he said in a low voice, nodding to Sasuke. "The boy is suffering."
"What do we do with him?" Ibiki asked, a slight softening of his fierce face the only sign of sympathy.
"We take him out of the exam, hand him over to Black Ops, and let them keep him locked up," Anko said shortly.
Tsukiko's eyes instantly bled red, and she glared at Anko warningly. "Watch yourself, Anko. No one is locking Sasuke up anywhere."
"We have to keep that mark under control," she countered unflinchingly.
"Oh, and he's just going to quietly go along with all of this, huh?"
Tsukiko had never been so happy to see Kakashi. The older man stood next to her, smiling mockingly from under his mask. "You really think so? You're forgetting, he's of the Uchiha clan."
"I don't care what the heck he is!" Anko's harsh exclamation was just barely quiet enough that the whole village didn't hear it. "If he stays, he's a danger to everyone. Don't you see?! As he gets stronger, so does the curse mark! That thing is feeding off his chakra!" She clutched at her own mark, so disturbingly reminiscent of the Sharingan. "It's a forbidden jutsu that devours the one who bears it." She looked back at Sasuke, raw emotion in her voice. "It's incredible the kid's still standing. By now, he should be dead."
Tsukiko felt her own anger rise. "He's stronger than you think! Your mark is sealed, and we can do the same to him. If Sasuke doesn't want to quit, then he should be allowed to continue!"
"Lord Hokage!" Anko said beseechingly, obviously biased by her own experiences.
Anything he might have said was cut off by a hand being raised in the air.
Tsukiko's eyes widened in surprise. It was the silver-haired young man from earlier. The one who'd been attacked by the Sound ninja.
"Okay, you got me," he said, smiling with embarrassment. "I'm out."
Hayate stared at him for a long moment, then shuffled through papers on his clipboard. "Kabuto Yakushi of the Leaf Village, right? Okay, you can go on and step back."
'Kabuto?' That name sounded familiar. Yes, that was the owner of the fourth chakra that joined up with Sasuke's group in the forest before meeting his team at the tower. Misora had identified his signature, and now Tsukiko had a face. She cocked her head slightly. 'Now why would someone with that much chakra just drop out? That's outright suspicious.'
"Gotcha." With that, the young man turned and began to walk away.
"Kabuto! You can't quit!" Naruto looked hurt and surprised that the older ninja was leaving. "I don't get this, what's going on?"
The young man stopped, looking back at Naruto sadly. "Oh, Naruto," he sighed. "I'm sorry, but my body's just too beat up. I can't hack it. That fact is, ever since orientation and that dust-up with the Sound village team, I've had no hearing at all in my left ear." He shook his head. "And now to have to put my life on the line? To fight again right away without a break? I can't do it."
Naruto looked away sadly, unable to say anything.
"Smart if he knows his limits," Tsukiko observed. "But I don't think that's the story here."
"Seems to me I've seen that one before," the Third Hokage noted, nodding in agreement with Tsukiko's words. "If memory serves, this isn't the first time he's dropped out before a battle. What kind of game is he playing?"
After a beat of silence, Ibiki glanced at Anko, who was holding a similar clipboard to Hayate, with all the genins' information. "Anko?" He chided.
"O-Oh, right." Quickly she flipped through the pages. "Kabuto Yakushi. Says here he's...failed six times in a row."
'Well now. If that's not a red flag…'
"What do you have on his background?" The old man asked.
"His time at the academy was not what you'd call impressive," Anko answered, her eyes scanning the page. "Average grades. Took him a full three tries to pass the graduation exam. As far as the missions he's carried out since then, there's been two C-ranks and fourteen D-ranks. It's not exactly a battle record to write home about." She paused, her eyes lingering on something. "However…"
"Go on," The Hokage urged.
"There's something before his time in the Academy." She paused. "Do you remember the child? The one who was found after the Battle of Kikyo Pass? The only survivor."
"I remember the story." He frowned. "It was said a small boy was found among the enemy dead on the battlefield. He was found barely alive and brought back by a jounin from the medical unit. You're saying this is that boy?"
Tsukiko watched Kabuto leave, suddenly struck by the feeling that she was looking at her own reflection. He was the same age as her, found in the same situation as her, and yet…
"No," she said calmly, red eyes watching the retreating boy like a hawk. "Children found in battlefields, surrounded by corpses, are not ordinary." She glanced at Sasuke. "They will themselves to be stronger than those around them, either out of self-preservation or a desire for revenge. Kabuto is hiding something. There's a reason he doesn't want us to see how he fights."
Silence followed her statement, each person lost in their own thoughts.
Tsukiko found herself watching Sasuke argue with his teammates, a fond smile appearing on her face. She could guess that they were trying to get him to quit. An excellent exercise in futility. If there was anything she knew for certain about Uchiha men, it's that they're stubborn to a fault.
"I'm still concerned about what Orochimaru said." Lord Hokage broke the silence, glancing between Anko and Tsukiko. "Allow the boy to continue with the exam for now, and we'll see what happens."
Anko immediately began protesting, but the old man wasn't done. "However," he continued, his gravelly voice stern. "At the first sign of the curse mark growing or his power getting out of control, we will step in and stop it."
"...As you wish," Anko agreed reluctantly.
Tsukiko smiled smugly, easily agreeing. If the mark did act up, she wanted Sasuke immediately out of danger. But for now, he could handle it.
"We will now begin the preliminary round," Hayate announced. "This round will consist of one-on-one individual combat at full battle intensity. This is not an exercise. There are twenty-four of you remaining, so that means we will need twelve matches. The surviving candidates from those twelve matches will advance to the third exam. As for the rules," he continued, his face grave. "There are none. You will fight until one dies, concedes defeat, or is rendered physically incapable of continuing the contest.
"Naturally, those who are losing are urged to concede defeat promptly to avoid a fatal outcome. Furthermore, as proctor, I'm given a certain amount of leeway in judging the matches." He coughed. "I might occasionally intervene if a match seems hopeless, to save as many lives as possible. Now, it's time to reveal what fate has been chosen for you."
Anko gave the order, and a section of wall opened to reveal a large monitor.
"The names of each pair of opponents are chosen completely at random," Hayate explained, gesturing to the monitor. Before each match, these names will appear on the display behind me." He paused, then shrugged. "As there's nothing more to say, let's begin. In a moment, the names of the first two opponents will appear."
Everyone cast their eyes to the screen, which began shuffling through the names of the genin. A few seconds later, it stopped.
"YOROI AKADO VS SASUKE UCHIHA"
"Damn," Tsukiko cursed under her breath. 'Of course he's first. Anything else would be too easy, wouldn't it?'
"Alright, the names that were chosen, come forward."
Both boys stepped out of line. Yoroi was from Kabuto's team, dressed in the same purple and white outfit. He had black lenses over his eyes with no indication as to how they stayed in place, and was several inches taller than the younger Sasuke.
"You have been chosen for the first match," Hayate announced, sounding bored. "Yoroi Akado and Sasuke Uchiha. Are there any objections?"
"None here," Sasuke answered confidently.
"No."
Tsukiko traded an amused glance with Kakashi. "That kid."
The Hokage turned to her. "Tsukiko, for the preliminary round, I want you to stay with the genin and other jounin watching. Keep an eye on the Sand genin in particular. We will worry about Orochimaru." To Kakashi, he said, "As soon as his match is done, take Sasuke and seal his curse mark. With any luck, he'll be able to live with it as Anko does."
Both jounin nodded, and walked toward the stairs leading to the catwalk several feet above the arena.
Tsukiko squeezed Sasuke's unhurt shoulder as she walked by. "Good luck," she smiled.
"But don't use your Sharingan," Kakashi added in a low voice, pausing behind the boy.
Sasuke looked surprised, then smiled in acceptance. "So you two know about it."
"If that mark on your neck gets out of control, your life could be in danger," Kakashi warned, not looking at Sasuke.
"I'm aware of that."
"Just so you know, if it gets to that point, I'll have to step in and stop the fight. Good luck."
Sasuke looked up at him incredulously.
Tsukiko smirked, pausing as if to adjust her kunai pack. "If he doesn't, I will. But that will blow my cover, so I need you to be smart about this." She met his gaze and nodded. "You can do it. But don't use your Sharingan at all."
Leaving him with that bit of advice, she followed Kakashi.
Her team was several feet away from Naruto and Sakura, nervously watching the two fighters below.
"Tsukiko-Sensei!" Midori spoke in a slightly panicked whisper. "What are you doing up here? Aren't you going to get in trouble?"
"All eyes will be on the fighting," Tsukiko answered, tugging her blond ponytail playfully. "So stop worrying. Besides, my orders are to proctor from up here." She grinned. "And I have to cheer my team on, don't I?"
"Hell yeah, she does!" Masuko gave her a thumbs up. "These girls are gonna kick butt, no matter who their opponent is!"
Tsukiko nodded, gesturing to the pair below. "Watch closely, and study their movements. There's a good chance you'll have to fight against one of them in the third exam. Treat every fight like a window into your opponent's weaknesses."
Chiyo nodded determinedly, her turquoise eyes shining. "Right! I've been wanting to see how Sasuke fights for a while! I mean, he lives with Tsukiko-Sensei, so he must be strong!"
The white-haired jounin gave a one-armed shrug in response.
Midori glanced sideways, further down the catwalk. "I just hope I don't have to fight him," she mumbled, her cheeks slightly darkening.
"Oh?" Masuko grinned wickedly, eyes gleaming. "Does Midori have a crush? A secret boyfriend? Tell Masuko-Sensei~"
The younger girl looked away quickly, clearly not realizing she'd spoken aloud. "It's not like that!" She protested. "I've just known him a long time, and I know how strong he is. There's no way I can beat him."
Tsukiko's eyes searched in the direction Midori had glanced. 'Let's see. If I were a betting girl, I'd say—'
"The Hyuga boy?"
Midori's face could've put a tomato to shame. "Hinata and I grew up together," she explained quickly. "Our parents are friends, so I spent a lot of time at her house. Neji's her cousin, so I just happened to see him a lot. He's really strong, and he's a year older, so he has more experience and more training. I'm just being practical!"
Masuko was practically bouncing. "Chiyo, point him out! I haven't been here long enough to know everyone! As the dad of our group, I need to know exactly who this boy is!"
Smirking, Chiyo gestured to Guy's team. "The one with the purple eyes."
"Oh, a Byakugan user, eh? Well that's not a bad choice at—" She broke off, frowning playfully, her eyes narrowing. "Actually no. Bad choice. He's one of Bowlcut's kids."
"Bowlcut?" Tsukiko repeated, watching Hayate and the other proctors clear the area after making the final preparations for the preliminary round. "You mean Guy?"
"Oh, so I'm supposed to remember his name, but it's fine that I've had to remind him of mine three times today?" Masuko flipped her short hair back dramatically, muttering darkly. "Maybe a punch to the face will make him remember."
Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "Have we discovered a hidden nerve?"
"Anyway, Midori, he can't be that strong if Bowlcut is his sensei." Masuko continued as if she hadn't heard the younger jounin. "And even he is, take my advice." Her canine gleamed as she smiled cockily, winking at the younger girl. "The best way to make a guy notice you is to beat the crap out of him. A good fight can really bring two people together."
Tsukiko's eye twitched. "What do they teach you in the Mist?"
"How to remember someone's name," Masuko sniffed haughtily, making the two genin laugh.
"Let the first match begin!" Hayate's announcement brought all side conversations to a screeching halt.
The white-haired ninja gripped the railing tightly. "Come on, Sasuke," she whispered.
It was immediately apparent that Sasuke was at a severe disadvantage. From the very first shuriken thrown, it was obvious the curse mark was causing him no small amount of pain. That added to Yoroi's peculiar technique of draining his opponent's energy, physical and spiritual, and things didn't look good for him.
Tsukiko's eyes glowed yellow as she read the air patterns, monitoring Sasuke's chakra. Her experience with Misora had given her plenty of practice sensing out familiar energies, and it was already coming in handy. If Sasuke's chakra became tainted, she could signal Kakashi to intervene.
However, Naruto's somewhat abusively shouted encouragement must have given him an idea. He dodged Yoroi's deadly punches and swung underneath him, kicking upward into his jaw and flying underneath him in the same position as his opponent.
"Where on earth did Sasuke learn Dancing Leaf Shadow?" Tsukiko cocked her head, looking sideways at Kakashi. "Did you teach him such an advanced Taijutsu move?"
The older jounin shook his head, shrugging. "No, but he probably used his Sharingan to copy someone else." He glanced down the catwalk.
Before Tsukiko could look, she was distracted by Sasuke's chakra, which was being steadily consumed by the spreading curse mark.
Tsukiko readied herself to give the signal, waiting for the moment Sasuke seemed no longer in control. To her immense relief, however, he was able to reassert his will over the mark, and it receded back to its original spot.
After that, it was all over. Sasuke swiftly dispatched his opponent with a wicked heel slam to the stomach, naming the move "Lion's Barrage." Yoroi fell to the ground, unconscious, and Sasuke was declared the winner.
"Well done, Sasuke," Tsukiko murmured, trying to stop herself from beaming with pride.
The moment the fight was over, Kakashi appeared behind Sasuke, stopping him from falling over. He said something she couldn't hear, glancing back up at the catwalk.
This time, she had no difficulty following his gaze. Both Guy and Lee were looking perturbed, as if something during that fight had surprised them. The younger jounin walked over to them, curious.
"Guy, that wouldn't have been your Taijutsu I just saw Sasuke using, would it?" Tsukiko couldn't resist teasing the older ninja, knowing how prideful he was of his excellent physical skills.
Guy nodded, crossing his arms. "It would seem the boy copied it when he and Lee had a bit of a sparring match before the first exam."
Tsukiko smiled at the young ninja. "Is that so? I'm impressed, Lee. Taijutsu like that, without taking physical damage, is something to be proud of. From what I understand, Lotus techniques take massive physical endurance. Sasuke may have copied it, but he's come out worse for wear."
"Thank you," Lee smiled, but it faded as his gaze returned to Sasuke.
Guy frowned at her. "What I want to know is how that kid's Sharingan is so far along. You've been pushing him, haven't you, Tsukiko?"
She shrugged, smiling mysteriously. "He's a talented kid."
'Besides, if you think that's impressive, wait until it's fully developed. Sasuke's Sharingan is only in its second stage.' A fully awakened Sharingan had three tomoe marks, and while already powerful, Sasuke still only had two.
Naruto was practically shouted himself hoarse by this time, somehow managing to insult and congratulate the young Uchiha in the same moment.
After a slight (inaudible) argument between Kakashi and Sasuke, during which Tsukiko glared at the Uchiha from up at the catwalk, he and Kakashi left the arena to seal the curse mark. Her Gensogan was switched to lightning, knowing that the blank white of her eyes combined with her hair unnerved the boy, and therefore made her death glares far more effective.
Releasing the Gensogan, Tsukiko rubbed her eyes tiredly. The strain of using them constantly the last few days was starting to wear on her. Her chakra was nearing its limit, and she needed to preserve what she had in case of an emergency.
"Boy, you look exhausted," Masuko observed as the younger ninja walked back to her team. "What have you been up to these last few days?"
"I'll tell you later," Tsukiko replied, glancing meaningfully at the closely watching genin.
"Ok then," Hayate said, stepping to the center of the arena. "Let's move right on to the second match."
The monitor came to life, and revealed the second match-up to be Shino Aburame and Zaku Abumi.
Unfamiliar with the second name, Tsukiko's eyes immediately went to the Rain, Sand, and Sound groups on the opposite side of the catwalk. One of the Sound genin stepped forward, his arms in slings. Even so, he smiled cockily as he made his way to the arena.
Her gaze slid to the boy's sensei. He'd hung back in the shadow cast by an overhanging structure, and she couldn't say she'd noticed him in the lineup earlier.
Even now, it was hard for her to focus on him, like her eyes wanted to move somewhere else. The man just seemed to repel attention.
'Genjutsu?' Instantly suspicious, Tsukiko forced herself to stare at the man, really see him. Breaking a Genjutsu was nothing to her, after all her experience with the Sharingan. Muttering a quick release, she could finally make out the man's face.
Sharp features, dark hair in a high ponytail, and gold reptilian eyes that met her gaze unflinchingly, somehow knowing that she'd broken his Genjutsu.
The man smirked mockingly, his tongue flicking out momentarily as he lifted a hand and tapped his eyes knowingly.
'He's been here the whole time!'
Fear, anger, and desperation all collided instantly in the young woman, and she fought the immediate instinct to shield her eyes. But before she could do anything, Orochimaru vanished with a puff of smoke.
Furious, Tsukiko swung her gaze to the Hokage who'd seen the brief encounter. He shook his head at her, denying her permission to chase after Orochimaru, knowing that she had no way to tell where he'd gone.
Concern for Sasuke rolled in her stomach, but she followed orders, trusting that Kakashi and the Anbu could keep him safe for the time being.
Forcing herself to focus on the match, Tsukiko viciously hoped that Shino would beat the hell out of the Sound genin.
And she got her wish. Shino won, with a scary exhibition of his insect control that had Masuko cringing with disgust, shaking her head and saying "Nope," over and over. Tsukiko wasn't surprised. The Aburame clan was said to allow countless bugs to live inside of them, living off their chakra and doing their bidding. Disgusting, but effective.
A few seconds later, Kakashi appeared, immediately bombarded with questions from his team about Sasuke's health. He quickly informed them that Sasuke was resting soundly in the infirmary, making a full recovery.
Tsukiko glanced at him sharply, gesturing with her head to an unoccupied section of the catwalk. Masuko watched her curiously, but said nothing as the two passed.
"Orochimaru was here." Tsukiko wasted no time on pleasantries. "He was using a Genjutsu to make us overlook him, but he was with the Sound genin."
Kakashi sighed, rubbing his neck. "I thought as much. He showed up when I was sealing Sasuke's mark. Don't worry, he's fine," the man was quick to inform her, reading the panic in her eyes. "He didn't even try to fight me. But he made it quite clear that he's after the Sharingan. He also revealed that he created the Sound village himself, and that he full expects Sasuke to join him."
Tsukiko growled low in her throat. "And why, pray tell, would he do that?"
Kakashi met her gaze evenly. "Orochimaru said that avengers will do anything for power."
Her breath caught, and she stared, stunned, unable to speak. Tsukiko's eyes fell to the ground, and her jaw tightened as she tried to convince herself that what Kakashi was implying wasn't true. Would Sasuke, in his quest for revenge, join Orochimaru?
Desperate as she tried, she couldn't think of any realistic reason why that wouldn't be the case. Sasuke was relentless in his drive to surpass Itachi, and Orochimaru was a master manipulator. If she didn't do something, it was possible that—
'No. No, no, no. I won't let Itachi destroy our family a second time!'
"What can we do?" She raised her head and met Kakashi's sympathetic but calculating gaze. "At this point, I know I don't have enough influence with him to stop him if he tries to go. We're a constant reminder to each other of what happened in the past. I'm afraid my presence only enhances his drive."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Maybe we can use that to our advantage. Show Sasuke that he can become powerful in the village. I don't think he's the type to be swayed by power he can't control, unless he feels there's no other option. I'll show him some advanced moves when he gets better, and you can be the goal in the meantime."
"What do you mean?" Tsukiko cocked her head slightly.
"What I mean is, there's no one who knows Itachi better than you. How he fights, how he thinks. Your fighting style was created with regards to his. So, Sasuke's initial goal should be to defeat you. If he becomes that strong, then he has a chance with Itachi."
Tsukiko nodded slowly. "That's a dangerous game to play," she cautioned. "If I go too easy on him, he'll run off half-cocked and get himself killed. But if I push him too far, and show him exactly how much distance there is between us, that in and of itself might send him straight into Orochimaru's hands. You've got to make him stronger than me."
Kakashi's visible eye sharpened with determination. "And you have to balance how you fight with him from now on."
The young woman met his gaze. "I never wanted him to see how strong I am. It's one of the reasons I didn't want to be his teacher. But if he wants a challenge, then he's going to get one. I can't afford to baby him anymore, tough as it is." She smiled ruefully. "He's my kid brother, after all."
Kakashi gripped her shoulder encouragingly. "Sasuke will be safe," he promised. "Between the two of us, we'll show him a different path from the one he's on." Leaving her with that, Kakashi walked past Tsukiko and rejoined his team, leaving her no choice but to do the same, troubled as she was. She stood a bit away from everyone, maintaining her proctor facade.
The next few matches passed quickly and without incident. The Sand genin with the purple face markings defeated the final member of Kabuto's team with impressive puppetry skills. Midori watched him closely, obviously impressed. And no surprise. Her family employed a similar healing technique called Chakra Stitching, which was ironically copied from the Sand village's top healers. The Hata clan had further developed it, however, able to heal on a molecular level in its highest form. As such, it was no surprise that Midori would want to watch such a skilled puppeteer, whose chakra thread control was really quite astounding, considering his age.
After that, Ino and Sakura fought. And, while it wasn't the most impressive battle, it also seemed like a necessary one. There was certainly a lot of animosity between the two girls. Unfortunately, there was no definitive winner, as both were simultaneously knocked out and therefore disqualified.
As for match number five…
"CHIYO MITSURU VS TENKA OWARI
"Finally!" Chiyo cracked her knuckles, grinning broadly. "My turn!"
Masuko smiled evilly. "Oooh, it's one of those Rain genin. Their sensei was extremely confident, considering he's got the wit and charm of a slug. Let's see if he was right."
Tsukiko, not being especially interested in crushing a fellow sensei, rolled her eyes. "Chiyo, do your best, but remember that everyone is watching and reading your moves. Try to finish this quickly." She spoke out of the corner of her mouth, needing to keep up the appearance of not being biased.
The dark-haired girl took a deep breath, losing the cocky attitude for a moment to smile up at her sensei. "Don't worry. Masuko-Sensei's been showing me a couple new moves."
Raising an eyebrow, Tsukiko watched Chiyo approach her opponent, a tall, scrawny guy with close-cropped black hair and purple eyes. He sneered at the young genin as she approached, obviously already considering himself victorious.
As soon as Hayate gave the signal to start, the skinny ninja shot off, his form a blur. Kunai and shuriken appeared seemingly from thin air, all heading towards the young girl.
'Hmm, so her opponent relies on using his chakra to boost his speed. That probably means hand-to-hand is not his strong point. If Chiyo can land a blow, then this should be over quickly.'
Chiyo, to her credit, was not off-put by the blur of motion. She accurately predicted where most of the kunai would land, and had only been grazed by one or two. She was starting to slow though, her time in the Forest of Death catching up.
"Gotcha!" She shouted, lunging forward. Her eyes had been steadily following the Rain ninja, getting a feel for his movements and trying to predict where he'd pause.
A blur of thin needles shot out from the Rain ninja, aiming directly for Chiyo's face.
With a startled cry, the girl jumped back, her body suddenly engulfed in blue chakra as she scowled, unharmed.
"Damn," Masuko cursed, glaring at the Rain genin. "I was hoping she could save that technique."
"When did you teach her Chakra Armor?" Tsukiko questioned, glancing at her friend. It was Masuko's signature defensive move, the same she'd used to break out of the ground during their first fight.
Masuko grinned. "We've been working on it for a bit during one-on-one sessions. She can only do the first stage, more of a chakra shell than armor, but it should be enough."
The Chakra Armor technique was a specialty of the Arashi family on Masuko's mother's side. The user must have a massive chakra that is built up and stored over time. When in battle, they could release the stored chakra in a blue protective barrier that surrounded their body and acted as armor.
Masuko, known as the Armored Shinobi in her former village, had mastered this technique and improved it to suit her own needs. And now, she'd seen fit to pass on her knowledge.
Chiyo's shell wouldn't hold up under a heavy Taijutsu attack, or even advanced nature chakra. But it sure as hell could hold up against a few kunai.
Once again spotting the pattern to his movement, Chiyo darted forward, her fist tightening in preparation.
Needles again shot out at her face, her opponent predicting her movements as well. This time however, Chiyo didn't retreat.
The needles stopped less than two inches from her face, deflecting off the chakra shell that protected her. Caught off-guard, the Rain genin was not expecting the punch to the face, breaking his nose and knocking him to the ground, unconscious.
"Chiyo Mitsuru is the winner," Hayate announced, coughing. "She will advance to the next round."
"Yes!" Chiyo jumped and threw her fist into the air. "I did it!"
"Atta girl," Masuko said approvingly, giving her a thumbs up. The former Mist ninja was practically bursting with pride, ruffling the younger girl's hair as she returned to their team.
"That was amazing!" Midori exclaimed, hugging her teammate. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about!"
Chiyo hugged her back, smiling gratefully. "You were right," she sighed.
Tsukiko caught her eye and winked. "Nicely done," she mouthed.
Chiyo beamed.
Then:
Countless crows assaulted his enemy. The large man cried out, surrounded by a crowd of beaks so dense, there was no opening for him to flee. Further trapping him was the spinning wind that prevented him from escaping above, courtesy of Tsukiko.
The enemy had been neatly caught by his Shadow Clone technique.
"Now!" Itachi shouted from the trees above, far from the flock of crows. Tsukiko sat beside him, her face screwed up in concentration as she skillfully manipulated Wind, her eyes a soft gold color. Looking down, he could see the enemy shrieking, and Tenma on the ground below him, too stunned to even get to his feet. Yuki and Shinko were also there, surrounding them.
"Here we go, Shinko!"
"All right!"
The pair sprang toward the enemy, and the crows flew up into the air and disappeared into the woods. Tsukiko also released her hold on the winds, making sure her teammates wouldn't get caught up in it.
"Aaaaah!" The man cried out in agony, and collapsed.
Itachi winced slightly at the death of the enemy. It was unavoidable, given the circumstances, and he by no means felt pity for the man, but a life had been lost due to his actions. He had killed someone.
He felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and turned to meet Tsukiko's eyes, now back to their usual black. Sorrow and understanding filled her black orbs.
"We're all to blame," she said quietly, frowning sadly at the body. "And until we become stronger, this will continue to happen. We just need to keep training."
'Tsukiko. How is it you always know what I'm feeling?'
Perhaps she saw the gratitude in his eyes, because she gave him a soft smile before removing her hand from his shoulder, turning her attention to their sensei.
Unbidden, Itachi's hand moved to touch his cheek, the place where she had kissed him only yesterday. He knew girls tended to do that when happy, but he'd only ever seen Tsukiko kiss Sasuke's cheeks or forehead. Never his.
It was one of the few times in his life where he'd been frozen, unable to think of anything to say or do. His heart had begun to beat erratically, and all he could do was stare dumbly at her retreating figure, a warm feeling spreading through him.
Today, Tsukiko was acting like nothing had happened, and Itachi was content to follow suit, for even he had no idea what had changed, only that something had changed. He felt more attuned to Tsukiko, knew exactly where she was even if she was out of sight, and his heart began to pound whenever she was near.
'Perhaps I'm sick…' The thought was worrying, especially since they'd only just completed their first mission. He couldn't fall ill now. 'I'll ask mother about it.'
Itachi quietly leaped down from his branch at the signal from Yuki.
"Nice call there, Itachi," the older man clapped. "And incredible chakra control, Tsukiko." Tenma stared, annoyed, as he pulled himself off the ground. Shinko didn't pay them any attention, but went to check on the dead enemy.
It had been discovered that one of the vegetable peddlers who came and went from Konohagakure was a spy for Iwagakure, the Hidden Stone Village. Itachi's Team Two had been given the order to dispose of him, and so they had left the village to find the spy. Normally, it was The Anbu's job to eliminate intelligence agents from enemy nations, but all the Anbu were currently busy with a certain urgent mission; not one member remained in the village.
'The attempted kidnapping of Hinata Hyuga…'
The head ninja of the village of Kumogakure, the Hidden Cloud Village, who had an antagonistic relationship with Konohagakure for many years, journeyed to the village to sign a peace treaty. The mood of the village was celebratory, but then Hinata, the daughter of the Hyuga clan chief, was very nearly kidnapped. The kidnapper was killed, and the girl returned home unscathed, but since the kidnapper was actually the head ninja of Kumogakure, the situation developed into a standoff between the villages. Their head ninja murdered, Kumogakure insisted on compensation, in the form of the body of the Hyuga family head. Konoha pretended that the man's twin brother was the actual family head and placated Kumogakure with that, somehow managing to avert a descent into war.
Given the urgency of the situation, the Anbu were all sent out, and the village's key ninja were all on standby in case fighting did break out, so they couldn't make any careless moves. That said, they couldn't exactly let a Stone Village spy slip out from under their noses.
And here, Team Two was selected. In truth, rather than Team Two, it was Tsukiko and Itachi who had been chosen. Despite being only seven, both of their practical abilities were already on par with the average chunin, and Tsukiko's Gensogan made her even stronger. Thus they had drawn the attention of the leaders of Konoha.
The job itself had gone smoothly enough. The spy was caught so easily by the trap Itachi set outside the village that it was almost comical; the man made his own position blindingly clear. With Itachi in the lead, Team Two spread out around the man and closed in on him.
But Tenma was in too much of a hurry.
The mission would've been nice and easy if they had simply taken the time to track the man, but, eager for recognition, Tenma had charged out ahead of the others. And just as a cornered mouse will lash out at the cat, the desperate spy launched an attack on Tenma's throat. Tsukiko had used Wind to deflect the blade, and Itachi used a Shadow Clone to distract the spy. They had saved Tenma in the nick of time.
The spy's kunai had dug into Itachi, but his clone used a substitution technique, transforming into an enormous murder of crows, and then counterattacked, Tsukiko providing backup.
"Not costumin' himself none," Shinko muttered, crouching down in front of the spy's corpse. Having mainly studied healing ninja arts at school, she was assigned to the team for such times as this. Assessing whether an enemy was in disguise, possessing knowledge about poisons, and treating the injuries of their comrades-a squad needed to have someone versed in the healing arts.
"He isn't? Well, that's good," Yuki remarked calmly.
"You." Shinko stood up, put both hands on her hips, and looked at Tenma, her green eyes flashing dangerously. "Don't s'pose you got a word or two to say to Itachi and Tsukiko?"
"Huh?" Raising a single blond eyebrow with force, Tenma looked off in a different direction.
"Weren't for Tsukiko's quick thinking, and Itachi's clone, you'd be dead right now. You can't at least thank them?"
"I'm telling you, I got no idea what you're talking about."
"Seriously, you. What kinda-" Shinko took an angry step toward him.
Itachi stepped in between then. "Enough." He stretched out his right hand in front of Shinko.
"Itachi's right," Tsukiko said, giving Tenma a warning glance as she turned to Shinko. "The mission was a success, and no one got hurt, so everything is fine."
"I-It's basically cos of you two takin' that attitude that this boy runs off all wild, yeah?" Shinko asked. "Tsukiko, you might be a little one, but you're a right genin too. Got to give him the what-for sometimes.
"It's fine, Shinko," Itachi answered, a smile playing on his face. He was, in spite of himself, beginning to like the loud brunette. She didn't fawn all over him like other girls, and seemed to actually like Tsukiko, going so far as to help her tie her hair back before the mission and help brush off dirt and leaves from her clothes and hair. She was also a healer, which Itachi respected immensely. In fact, had he not seen that battlefield all those years ago, he might very well have become a medical ninja himself. Healing was preferable to killing, after all. But it was his mission, not to fix wounds, but to prevent them from ever occurring in the first place.
Shinko sighed, turning away. "Don't let 'im do what all he wants, yeah?"
Yuki watched over them nervously, too incompetent to actually prevent a fight.
"Even if you hadn't helped me out," Tenma growled behind him. "I wouldn't have got taken down."
"Uh-huh." Shinko rolled her eyes.
Itachi stiffened at the feeling in the air. 'Bloodlust.' He coolly followed it to its source, feeling Tsukiko turn in the same direction.
Tenma. His fist, coming toward Itachi's face. With the minimal amount of movement, the younger boy grabbed it.
Beside him, Tsukiko's arm had erupted into flame, and she had turned to lash out at the enemy behind her. Seeing only Tenma, however, she immediately extinguished the fire, her red eyes glaring angrily at the former bully.
"I really can't stand that attitude of yours, like you just see through everything and anything," Tenma hissed, his clenched teeth squeaking.
"Will you get over it if I apologize?" Itachi asked, his expression unchanging.
"I'm telling you, that kind of answer drives me nuts!" Releasing his fist, this time Tenma sent a kick flying.
Itachi avoided this simply by throwing back his upper body.
With the force of his leg cutting vainly through the air, the older boy spun around twice. And then, with his back to Itachi, he dropped down to sit on the ground. "Not like my physical techniques would reach you or anything," Tenma muttered, his back still turned. "You can do anything. You got no idea how I feel."
Itachi didn't know what to say. He and Tsukiko glanced at each other helplessly.
"I'm sorry about what happened at school. And that thing before…" Tenma hung his head, motionless. "Thanks."
Tsukiko smiled, placing a hand on the older boy's shoulder. "Hey, we're a team. And that means we help each other out." Her bright smile turned to Itachi and Shinko before returning to Tenma, who lifted his head in response to her words.
His lips quirked slightly at Tsukiko's infectious expression, and he nodded. "Yeah, we're a team."
Itachi's hand touched his cheek again, that strange feeling returning. It might have been pride in his partner, but felt a lot stronger.
'I wonder what this is…'
Now:
The next match was a female Sand genin named Temari versus Tenten, a cute Leaf ninja in Guy's squad. She showed an excellent use of weapons, but it was clear Temari was the victor from the outset. The large weapon on her back proved to be a giant fan, and she released a massive whirlwind that tore into Tenten and rendered her unconscious. The poor girl landed heavily on Temari's folded fan, her body arching as her back slammed into the weapon. It was over quickly, and proved yet again that the Sand team was one that needed to be carefully watched.
Tsukiko studied them closely. 'I wonder what talents the red-headed one possesses?'
Lee jumped down into the arena to catch Tenten as the smug Sand girl threw her off her fan. "Hey, nice catch," she smirked, leaning on her weapon.
"What is wrong with you?!" Lee shouted, gently laying Tenten on the ground. "She may have lost the match, but that is no way to treat an opponent who has done her best."
"Beat it!" The blond girl snapped, slamming her fan down once. "And take that sack of garbage with you."
The instant Lee began to move, the cry, "Leaf Hurricane," leaving his mouth, Tsukiko and Guy moved.
Temari blocked the kick easily, still smirking at the furious boy. "Not even close. Pathetic."
"What did you say?!"
"Lee, stop!" Guy appeared behind Lee and Tsukiko appeared in front of him, separating the two fighters.
"That's enough," she ordered, speaking to both though she faced the Sand girl. "Any more unauthorized fighting will disqualify the both of you."
The Sand genin narrowed her eyes, while Tsukiko looked at her calmly. "You've already won your match. Don't make me repeat myself."
"Temari, forget them," a raspy voice ordered. "The match is over, so get up here." The Sand genin with the gourd glared down at his teammate. "You won. Why are you wasting your time with that pathetic loser and his ridiculous mentor?"
Tsukiko locked eyes with the red-haired boy, raising an eyebrow at his arrogance. 'My, my…'
The boy's gaze slid to Lee, and the young Leaf ninja shook with anger.
Guy put a hand on his shoulder. "Just calm down, Lee." The older ninja smiled knowingly. "A word of warning. You Sand villagers have no idea what Lee is capable of. Remember, he still hasn't fought yet. So I'd be careful if I were you."
Tsukiko grinned, as she, Guy, and Lee returned to the catwalk, allowing the medics to take Tenten. 'I'd like to see what Lee can do, myself.'
Match seven was a Leaf ninja named Shikamaru and a Sound ninja named Kin. Tsukiko recognized him as the boy who'd complained about going into the forest, and didn't really expect much, especially after he was hit so quickly with the Sound girl's needles.
So it was a pleasant surprise to see such an intelligent fighter. Shikamaru used the girl's jutsu against her, pretending his Shadow Possession Jutsu was just the shadow from the threads she used to control her bells. After that, he made the girl dodge his attack and slam her head against the back wall, knocking her unconscious. A brilliant use of surroundings and manipulation to defeat an opponent.
'Well now,' Tsukiko thought, cocking her head slightly. 'I never would have suspected that. Out of all the genin so far, he's probably the most deserving of being a chunin.' Strength was only half the battle. A chunin was responsible for leading a team, after all. They needed to be able to make snap decisions based on tactical advantages and an understanding of their opponent. He was the only genin to have not simply overwhelmed his challenger with brute force, winning with brains rather than brawns.
"Oh!" Midori jumped slightly, her eyes widening as her name flashed on the monitor.
KIOKA NIKKAN VS MIDORI HATA
"Nice!" Masuko raised her fist. "My girls get to wipe out the Rain genin. That worked out pretty well!" She turned to the uneasy girl at her side. "Come on Midori! Let's see what Tsukiko's been teaching you!"
Midori caught Tsukiko's eye, and the older woman nodded slightly from her spot several feet away.
"Hey, relax," Chiyo placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You kicked butt in the forest! I know you don't like fighting, but you have to win! I want us to go to the third exam together, as a team!"
The blond genin looked at Chiyo with surprise, then straightened slightly. "Okay," she nodded. "I'll try to finish this quickly."
Tsukiko watched her student make her way to the arena, where her opponent was waiting. Kioka was a small, slender genin with long medium-length black hair, blue eyes, and a large container of some kind in her left hand. She had little presence, not even seeming to acknowledge her opponent. In a way, the two were very similar. Although, there was a certain calmness to the Rain girl that was not to be trusted.
Midori bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kioka. I hope we can be friends after this."
Kioka gave no response, her face expressionless.
"That's my girl!" Masuko wiped her eyes dramatically. "Such a sweetheart!"
Tsukiko couldn't help but agree. Midori had come a long way in the last few months, but had never lost her caring nature. She was a healer, and loathed having to hurt someone. The girl reminded Tsukiko of Itachi in that regard. But, Midori was talented, and despite her shy countenance, she had an impeccable knowledge of the human body, and where to target pressure points with her chakra threads. She wouldn't go down easily.
"Begin!"
Kioka silently leaped backwards, popping the lid off the container. A fountain of water exploded from the deceptively small jug to cover the arena floor.
Midori jumped up to avoid the water, but cocked her head in obvious confusion as the Rain genin made a series of complex hand signs, but performed no obvious jutsu.
That is, until the water started to move, separating from the one large puddle into a series of smaller puddles that turned the arena into a spotted minefield.
"What's going on?" Chiyo asked as Midori landed lightly, not touching the water.
Kioka's lips pulled up in a slow smile. "You're finished." She stepped into the closest puddle, and was sucked in.
"No way!" Masuko glared at the arena. "How can a brat like her know that technique?!"
"What are you talking about?" Chiyo looked worriedly down at her friend.
Midori turned her head from side to side, looking for movement. Something from behind startled her, and she leapt up to avoid three kunai.
The Rain girl had emerged from a different puddle, only visible from the waist up. "You sensed my presence. Impressive. But you can't dodge forever."
Masuko gripped the railing tightly. "I can't believe it!" She hissed. "That is a highly advanced mix of Water Transportation and the Hiding in Water technique. Way beyond genin level!" She glared at the Rain sensei, who crossed his arms and looked at her smugly. "That's it," she growled, pushing up the sleeves of her protective shirt. "I'm gonna beat the crap outta that guy!"
"You're missing the fight," Tsukiko admonished, watching Midori with some concern.
The Leaf girl was having a tough time dodging, barely having time to move before another set of projectiles was coming her way. She picked up the thrown kunai as she bounced around, her eyes constantly moving. In spite of her increased arsenal, she hadn't had time for a single counterattack.
Tsukiko's brow furrowed with worry. This was a tough opponent, there was no doubt about that. In order for Midori to win, she would have to limit her opponent's movements somehow.
"Come on, Midori," she whispered, thinking back to their training sessions.
"Tsukiko-Sensei, can you show me how to control these things?!" Midori glared at the chakra threads she'd created. "They're way too big! My father's are invisible to the naked eye, which is how he can heal so well. These things might as well be steel pipes!"
Laughing, Tsukiko placed a hand on Midori's shoulder, gesturing to the threads coming from the younger girl's fingertips. "Yeah, but look how many you made! The way they splinter off like that reminds me of tree branches. And, you can control each one individually. That's impressive." She nodded. "You have to keep practicing. It takes absolute chakra control to wield the smaller threads."
Midori sighed.
Now, however, she didn't have the luxury of doubt. There was simply no time.
Evidently, Midori reasoned that the best thing to do would be to remove the puddles. Ripping her outer jacket off, she used the garment like a towel, removing nearly five of the small puddles before Kioka caught on.
Midori cried out at a shuriken hit her shoulder, making her drop the jacket.
The Rain genin snatched the drenched clothing item and disappeared with it, popping up moments later to continue her assault, jacket flung over her shoulder.
Mouth moving as her eyes flickered from puddle to puddle, Midori suddenly grinned. "Gotcha!"
The jacket exploded, a paper bomb stuck in the pocket.
Kioka was blown backwards, hitting the wall before sliding to the ground.
"That's my girl!" Masuko jumped up and down, grinning like a maniac.
Midori bent down, fiddling with all her gathered kunai, watching Kioka out of the corner of her eye.
Amazingly, the Rain girl seemed to have avoided the worst of the explosion, her shoulder where the jacket had been resting taking the most damage. "Very clever!" She growled, sliding back into a puddle. "But I'm not playing around anymore."
The young Leaf genin looked up and smiled. "Me neither, Kioka. But like I said, I hope we can be friends!"
Stretching out her fingers, Midori raised her hands.
The pile of kunai, a mix of hers and Kioka's, all floated up, each one held by a chakra thread. And attached to each kunai, was a white paper bomb.
"What the hell?!" The puppet ninja from the Sand glared at the Leaf girl, obviously not expecting to find another chakra strand user.
Midori jumped straight into the air, her chakra threads floating around her like the branches of a deadly tree. "Between my jacket and the explosion, you lost seven puddles. That leaves you with twenty-one, by my count. Guess how many kunai I have?"
Tsukiko grinned at the look of horror on the Rain girl's face. With each kunai landing in a puddle, there would be nowhere to escape the explosion.
"I suggest you give up," Midori said mildly. "I doubt you can escape this time, and I really don't want to hurt you anymore. Plus, the damage to the arena will be...extensive, to say the least."
"I…" Kioka gritted her teeth, and slowly raised her hand. "I...give up."
"Very well," Hayate coughed. "The winner is Midori. Now, please disengage the paper bombs. I don't want the ring destroyed."
"Yes sir!" Midori landed and began removing the bombs.
Masuko crossed her arms, grinning at the Rain sensei. "And with that, Team Eleven knocks the Village Hidden in the Rain right out of the exams!"
Chiyo laughed, shaking her head. "Midori's really scary with those chakra threads! She can get them down to the width of a wire, and you can't even feel them when they touch you!" She shuddered. "You shoulda' seen what she did to one of the Sand teams in the forest!"
"And yet, she worries that they aren't small enough," Tsukiko sighed. "That girl." She watched Midori pass the Hyuga boy, who nodded to her. The young kunoichi bowed back, her cheeks darkening. A sudden thought occurred to the older woman, and her amused smile was replaced with contemplation. "Hmm, I wonder…"
"Wonder what?" Midori rejoined her team, watching with concern as Kioka was examined by a medical team. "I hope I didn't hurt her too much…"
"I was just wondering if you used those threads of yours on the first round."
Midori's cheeks reddened, and she rubbed her head. "Uh, yeah. I answered the first three questions on my own, but then I had to cheat. There was a chunin plant in front of me, so I wrapped my threads around his fingers and pencil. After that, I just followed the movements."
Masuko hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud of you! Everyone was so impressed." She grabbed Chiyo with her other arm and held her tight. "You two have gotten so strong!"
"Don't get all sappy on us now, Masuko," Tsukiko teased.
The former Mist ninja glared. "Don't listen to her, girls! She's just jealous because she can't join our group hug!"
Tsukiko shrugged goodnaturedly. "Sure, that's it." She winked at the girls. "Good job, both of you. I'm extremely proud."
Chiyo grinned, and Midori ducked her head.
"Um, Tsukiko?"
The young woman looked down into the arena to see Hayate gesturing for her. "I'd appreciate it if you helped me out here."
"What do you need?" She asked, appearing next to him.
He waved at the water all over the floor. "We need to clear this up before the next match can start."
She nodded. "Say no more."
Tsukiko widened her stance, letting out a deep breath as she activated her Gensogan. Her eyes turned blue, and she slowly pulled her arms up over her head.
The water followed suit, rising off the area floor. Swirling her left hand, she molded the liquid into a ball. "Do you have a bucket or do you want me to evaporate it?" She asked Hayate over her shoulder, knowing that several pairs of wide eyes were focused on her.
"Just evaporate it," he coughed, shrugging. "Might as well give them a show." He nodded to the visiting genin.
Tsukiko looked up, and met the sneering eyes of the only remaining Sound ninja. Orochimaru's pet genin that had been destroyed by the Leaf. And further down, the unimpressed Sand team, not even bothering to glance her way.
Perhaps it was the stress of the last five days, the worry over Sasuke, or the fear of a recurring nightmare's return. Or maybe it was the Hokage's speech, rousing something in the young woman that she hadn't felt in a long time: the thrill of a challenge. Of excelling and knocking everyone who doubted her down a peg. She turned back to Hatake with fire in her blue eyes. "Alright then. The steam might help that cough of yours."
With far more effort than normal, as her chakra was not very recovered, her right eye slowly turned red, the left staying blue so she could keep the water in the air with her left hand. It was a massive effort to control two elements at once, and not something she had fully mastered. But she had a sudden confidence in herself, and the desire to show off just what she could do.
"This might be a little hot," she warned, raising her voice so the people on the catwalk could hear.
Thrusting her right hand forward, a huge stream of fire erupted from her palm, hitting the water with a loud hiss. A cloud of steam covered the arena like a sauna.
"Open the doors please!" Tsukiko called, both eyes gold now. Using Wind, she shoved one hand toward the open door, using the pressure of hot air hitting cold to essentially create a vacuum that sucked the hot steam out of the room. With the other, she pulled cold air from outside back into the room, creating a situation where, for perhaps two seconds, the people in the arena found it difficult to breathe.
Releasing her breath, Tsukiko dropped her heavy arms limply to her sides, her Gensogan definitely feeling overused. "That good enough, Hayate?" She asked sardonically, trying not to breathe too hard.
The proctor nodded. "Didn't do a thing for my cough, but I think you impressed the visiting villages."
Tsukiko returned to her spot on the catwalk, catching the Hokage's amused smile as he shook his head at her showing off.
'It may have been a little immature, but it was effective. These Sand ninja need to know exactly what they're dealing with.' Still it came at a cost. She was completely spent, with no chance of using her eyes again until she recovered some chakra.
The Sand sensei certainly looked freaked out. But Tsukiko couldn't help but think that wasn't exactly her doing.
The red-headed ninja was staring at her with pure bloodlust, his face dark with it as his hand clenched over his head, right over a curious tattoo that read "love." His teammates were speaking to him urgently, clearly trying to calm him so he didn't leap at her.
'You're welcome to try your luck, kid, but you might not like the results.' Gensogan or no, a genin wouldn't beat her.
Masuko's hand on Tsukiko's shoulder distracted her. "Way to show off!" She said loudly, earning a laugh from the nearby genin. "Geez, madam proctor! Are you trying to make the rest of us look bad?" While she spoke, her hand glowed slightly, her loud words hiding the fact that she was transferring a substantial amount of chakra to the worn out jounin.
Tsukiko looked at her in confusion, grateful for the revitalizing boost in stamina.
The former Mist ninja grinned, her lips barely moving. "You might be fooling everyone else, but not me. You're dead on your feet, and you've used that eye magic of yours way too much." With one last pat to her shoulder, she turned away. "Besides, it's not like I was using any chakra, standing around all day."
Real affection for the purple-haired ninja rose up in Tsukiko's chest. 'How ironic that my first real friend in three years would be a Mist ninja of all things.' Watching Masuko bend over to tease Midori, she amended her statement. 'No. Not a Mist ninja. Masuko is truly a member of the Leaf now, and we're damn lucky to have her.'
Masuko's Leaf headband, proudly displayed on her upper right arm, glinted in agreement.
A.N. This chapter was SO fun to write! As you can see, I gave Midori a lot more attention, and her pairing should be fairly obvious now. Also, a small flashback with Team Two. Now, I've seen the "Itachi Episodes" as I call them, and they show Tenma and Shinko as a lot more friendly than the book. I like the book better, as a team that just can't get along is more interesting to me.
How did you like the fights? Like I said, certain ones will get more attention, but I don't want this to drag more than necessary. I just want her to meet Itachi again! And another moment with Orochimaru, addressing what I thought was a plot hole. He literally looks exactly like himself, and no one noticed, except literally every audience member. At least Genjutsu hides this. Also, he knows he's creepy, and fully uses it to his advantage. My thought while I was writing that bit was that he probably thought "Maybe I should have taken her eyes when I had the chance." I mean, they have definite weaknesses that he wouldn't like (split chakra) but still...
I also liked having Tsukiko show off. You can tell she's a lot more withdrawn than she is in the flashbacks (I wonder why) so it was fun having her go all out!
Please tell me what you think, as we're going to be getting into some pretty emotional stuff soon with the flashbacks, and of course, the best of the Chunin fights!