I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack! I'm REALLY sorry for the delay, but for those who don't know (I deleted the notice I'd put up), my notebook literally died on me and I thought I was going to lose all my fanfiction stuff - which I didn't btw... Although the screen was COMPLETELY smashed into little pieces (it's actually pretty cool how it smashes up and breaks like glass... and it looks like there's a black hole forming on your screen), I managed to be ninja-like and save all my files on a flash drive... Because I'm batman!

I'm not really batman btw... I'd probably need to be a man for that .-.

So anyway, this is a Special Chapter (yey) and you will finally know how Ami's chunnin exams went down \o. Well, at least this is like half of it, more or less :p

So to avoid anymore delays - Let's get down to business! (cue I'll make a man out of you - Mulan). Enjoy! ^^

Chapter Thirteen

Special Chapter – Chunnin Exams Part I

Their time in Suna had been reasonably eventful. The village was packed with students from all around the world, some not too pleased about being close to the people that attacked Konoha during the previous exam. Shiranui Genma had reluctantly agreed to lead the team to Suna; it was either that or babysit five cats for three months. Three months! He'd obviously accepted the first option without thinking much on it. Hokage Tsunade was punishing him for having a terrible hangover during an important meeting. He'd never admit it out loud, but he was enjoying this little road trip, it took his mind off Konoha problems. All he had to do was escort three genins, get them through the exam, and then escort them safely back home. It was easy. Simple.

But of course, at some point, something had to go wrong.

x.x

"Initially, Suna wanted to do an exact copy of Konoha's written exam. However, we've come to realise that most of you were present at the time. So we've decided to get straight to the point." Baki began, eyeing each and every student and Sensei present in the room. "If you wish to continue on from here, the only way out is death. You will go through an individual evaluation with Suna jounin, then, there will be a survival test. I'll leave the last part for your imagination for now."
Ami could see him smirking in amusement and she tensed slightly.

"Hey... Just so you both know, this is my first time going through an exam and-"
"You'll be fine." Kiba grinned.
"I agree. Why? Because you have enough strength and talent." Shino added.

"Uchiha, Ami." Baki called out, searching around the room.
When Ami froze on her spot slightly, Genma nudged her forward. She didn't realise they'd already started calling out names. She was given a number and a few directions. Once she was halfway across a deserted hallway, she realised she should've paid closer attention to what Baki had said. She wondered around for a good ten minutes, her heart beating so fast she was certain it would jump out her mouth.

"I'm guessing you're lost."
Ami jumped slightly and found Gaara standing by a door. A door which happened to have the number '601' written on it. That was her number.
"I'm guessing I'm supposed to be looking for you." She smiled nervously.
"Lesson one: focus your thoughts and don't let your nerves get the better of you." He said, his harsh expression never cracking, even though he had a hint of amusement in his voice. "Come in then. I've got to evaluate you."
Ami took a deep breath and sat on the chair, opposite Gaara. He studied her for a few good minutes before pulling out a sheet of paper.
"This is actually really simple. I give you a situation and you give me an answer. It's a really pointless part of the exam, but I'm trying to get on the village's good side." He smirked slightly. "Alright... It's late and you've exhausted your chakra. Your captain has a reasonably bad leg injury and your other two teammates have been captured by the enemy."
Ami stared at him for a while. She really would hate to be put in that situation, but she imagined it nonetheless. She imagined Kakashi limping, the enemy pulling Naruto and Sasuke away. She had no idea where Sakura was in her thought, but she wouldn't dwell on that now.
"I guess resting up would be essential... Also would have to check my captain's injuries. Perhaps light a fire or-"
"No fires. You're in hiding." Gaara stated.
"Okay... No fires." Ami sighed. "Once we were okay, we'd formulate a plan and rescue the others."
"Okay, good. Now tell me what you'd really do." Gaara smiled slightly.
She was slightly taken aback by that. She didn't realise he wasn't looking for a textbook answer. Of course her mind was usually filled with textbook and rational solutions to quite a few problems; however her adrenaline wouldn't really allow her to think it through much.
"Well... I guess I'd chase after my teammates, carrying my captain if I had to, and I'd stop at nothing to safely get them back." She answered, quietly.
"That's more like it." Gaara smirked. "Remember, I'm evaluating you... Not what they taught you at the academy."
"Right." She nodded.

"How are you going to rescue Sasuke? What if he doesn't want to be rescued?"
Gaara knew that question had been put there on purpose. He didn't feel too comfortable asking her this, but he really had no choice. He had to give Baki an answer at the end of this. He noticed she grew much more uncomfortable than she already was.
"He has to come back." She said eventually, her voice barely a whisper. "It's his home. I'm his home."
He let her words linger in his mind for a while. She was avoiding eye contact as much as possible, but once he did get a good look at her, he realised how hurt she was. She was broken.
"You can go now, Ami." Gaara sighed.
He wasn't about to put her through this. He wouldn't be prepared for an emotional reaction. He was still getting to terms with his personal problems.
"But I-"
"It's fine. You've passed the first round." He said, leading her out the door.

Gaara slumped back into his chair. She'd be capable of handling herself during the next phase. He was certain of that. No matter how hard he was supposed to make it.

x.x

"A toast, for passing the first part of the Chunnin Exams!" Genma said eagerly, thrusting his vodka shot into the air.
"You shouldn't be drinking. Why? Because we're not allowed to drink and you'd be setting a bad example." Shino muttered, taking a sip of his water.
"Oh lighten up and tell me everything." Genma grinned.
"Well I was interviewed by some guy called Yura. He was pretty interested in how Akamaru and I work. He gave me a few things to solve, even a few calculations. I had to open up a scroll too." Kiba said as he handed Akamaru a piece of meat.
"I had to answer to Temari." Shino said, not bothering to give anyone more details.
"You got Gaara, didn't you?" Genma asked, nudging Ami in the arm.
She nodded, not taking her eyes of her food, which she happened to be poking with her chopsticks. Genma didn't push it any further, he knew better than that.
"I believe we should head back to our hotel before you get drunk." Shino said, eyeing their adult supervision curiously.
"Live a little." Genma smirked.
"I agree with Shino. C'mon, we've got to wake up early tomorrow." Kiba said, pulling Genma by the arm.

x.x

First thing in the morning, all the genins were up and getting a grand tour of Suna. Baki led the way, explaining how Chunnin and Jounin worked and why they were so important for the village. Although they'd all heard this before at the academy, Baki wanted to make sure it was fresh in their minds and that they got a chance to see the shinobi in action. Ami took notice of a shinobi practicing water jutsus and only noticed she bumped into something when she found herself on the floor.
"You should look forward whilst walking." A boy, probably older than she was, smiled. He held out a hand, which she gladly accepted, and pulled her up. "I'm Katsumo. I'm from a village on the boarders. Who're you?"
"Ami... From Konoha." She said, quite nervously.
She took in the boy's appearance. He had light brown hair and bright green eyes. He was much taller than her and very well built. It was quite unbelievable that he was still a genin. She focused her thoughts to keep her from blushing. He was very good looking, and the smile that was still on his face wasn't helping.
"I've never been to Konoha, although, I've heard many stories. Your village is the home to very powerful shinobi. I'm terribly sorry for what Suna did your village not too long ago." His eyes darkened slightly.
"Oh... Yeah... I missed out on most of it." Ami said, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Come on... We don't want to get left behind." Katsumo smiled, taking hold of her hand and leading her towards the crowd of genins.

Baki eventually left them all to explore and shop. Ami found it very strange to be acting like a tourist when she should be focusing on her training. Everyone knew the next phase would be a survival test. She should've been analysing everyone's abilities and figuring out ways to defeat them all. She wouldn't go home without her title as Chunnin.
"We should get some training done tonight, shouldn't we?" Kiba eventually asked.
"Yeah." Ami nodded, paying more attention to the weapons Suna had.
"Perhaps we can drag Genma before he decides to go out for drinks." Kiba grinned.
"That man drinks too much." Shino mumbled.
"He's still mourning, I suppose." Ami said.
"Oh yeah, he was good friends with-"
"They're not a very promising bunch." Katsumo appeared, behind a few shelves and startling the three Konoha genin. "The other genin, I mean. They're being careless and not bothering to train. It's nice to know that you three are planning to focus on that."
"Who're you?" Kiba asked, Akamaru growling by his side.
"Katsumo." He smiled. Ami was almost certain her stomach was doing summersaults. "I met your friend earlier when she bumped into me."
"Yeah... Sorry about that." Ami laughed nervously.
"No need to worry. I'm actually quite glad it happened." He winked before heading out the door.
"Well... It seems you've got yourself and admirer." Kiba smirked.

Genma went all out on the three genin during their training session. Ami was surprised at just how great he was. He was fast, agile and calm. He calculated every move with precision and never missed when he shot his senbon. He could've easily killed them if he'd wanted to. Of course, he'd only aimed his small weapons towards their forearms and legs, planning on simply scratching them. Kiba and Akamaru attempted to attack him with their double act. Genma avoided their impact by jumping to a higher level. He was met with Ami and a swarm of fireballs. He grinned and sent a giant fireball her way also. She frowned and jumped back to the ground. Shino made his bugs surround Genma once he hit the ground and Ami pulled out her daggers.
"Alright, alright. You guys are good." He smirked, holding his hands up.
"You can still take us. Why? Because you're not even the slightest bit exhausted." Shino stated, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses.
"True... I can still take on the three of you, but it's pointless. You guys are good and we've still got time before the actual exam." Genma grinned as he proceeded to collect his scattered senbons. "Let's get something to eat!"

x.x

Ami had opted for a shower and a nap instead of following the others to the barbeque shop. She was actually growing concerned about how much money they'd be spending on their trip here. There was a cafeteria for all the genins, so why Genma insisted on going out for meals was beyond her imagination. After feeling satisfied with her state, and after cleaning her room, she decided to head out for a walk. The city lights made Suna seem extraordinary. She realised it was much cooler during the night, something she hadn't quite prepared for. Frowning slightly, she pulled out her wallet and started counting up her money. Surely a cardigan wouldn't be too expensive. She was halfway through her counting when someone ran past her, snatching her wallet from her hands. With eyes wide, she yelled out angrily and ran after the person.

She'd ran across half the village and grinned evilly when she realised she was finally close enough to attack. In one swift movement, she launched herself onto the tall boy, knocking him face first on the ground.
"What gives lady?" He yelled out.
"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You either hand back what belongs to me and I'll let you go with a dislocated shoulder, or I can finish you off and leave you in the care of the jounin." She whispered, viciously, smirking when she felt the boy shiver.
"Ami? What are you doing?" Katsumo asked, kneeling to her level.
"This asshole stole my wallet and I'd like it back." She spat, pulling on his arm even harder.
"Okay! Okay! You can have it back! Please don't hurt me!" The boy whimpered.
"Ami... This is Ryu, my teammate. I'm sorry he took your wallet." Katsumo sighed.
Ami snickered and allowed the boy to stand up. She stuck her hand out and impatiently waited for Ryu to retrieve her wallet from his pocket. Katsumo rubbed the back of his neck and smiled nervously.
"So... Do you and your friends normally go round taking what belongs to others?" Ami asked, still in a very bad mood.
"N-no... Well... No." Katsumo sighed. "I specifically told him to target a Suna shinobi, but-"
"You shouldn't be targeting anyone. Stealing is wrong." Ami spat.
"We know that!" Ryu said, still rubbing his arm.
"It's complicated, Ami... We have a pretty bad history with Suna. You can relate... You're aware of what they did to Konoha. You're just lucky they didn't kill everyone and burn everything down. You have no idea what it's like to watch your entire family vanish right before your eyes and not be able to do anything about it." Katsumo said, his voice cracking slightly and pain clearly visible in his bright green orbs.
"Actually... I do." Ami said, eyes widening slightly. "My name is Uchiha Ami. My entire family was taken from me by one of my older brothers. My other brother left me to seek power. I know how you feel and..."
She let her voice trail off. Katsumo and Ryu stared at her; they were initially shocked but soon grew sympathetic. The whole world knew of the Uchiha massacre, just like they knew how dangerous Uchiha Itachi was.
"Well... Now I know why you were so quick to catch me." Ryu laughed nervously.

x.x

"You tell me you're going to shower and nap. I come back to find the place completely empty, no note, nothing! Do you realise that I'm responsible for you whilst we're here? You don't even know this place! You can't go out alone, especially without asking me first. You're still a genin and the place is packed... And we all remember that everything went to hell in Konoha right? What if-"
"Genma... I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realise you'd make such a big deal out of this." Ami sighed, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.

She'd spent a few hours with Katsumo and Ryu. Ryu had promised he wouldn't steal from anyone, not even Suna shinobi. Katsumo had told her more about their old village and his family. He explained how they spent their lives travelling and after their encounter with a few thieves, they decided to become high ranked shinobi. They were initially hoping to take part in the exams in Konoha, but Ryu had broken an arm at the time. Their third teammate, and practically brother, was Akio. He was fifteen years old, making him the youngest out of the three, and he was a baby when he lost his family. Like Ryu, Akio had dark brown hair and big blue eyes. Ryu and Akio were brothers and Katsumo's cousins. Ami had told them little about her family, not really wanting to enter that subject, but she talked a lot about her friends and Konoha. She even told them about Naruto and how she missed him. She eventually only decided to head back to her room when Akio had stated he was tired. But no matter how late it was, she didn't expect Genma, of all people, to really care.

"What were you doing anyway?" He asked, curiously, not really that angry or worried anymore.
"Well I decided to go out for a walk, then I realised it was rather cold at night. So I was going to buy a cardigan... Then Ryu stole my wallet, so I chased after him and threatened to dislocate his shoulder... Or worse." She grinned. "But then Katsumo apologised on Ryu's behalf, and I managed to convince them that stealing from Suna shinobi wasn't going to bring their families back. We just talked... But I decided to head back because Akio said he was feeling tired. I completely lost track of time."
Genma stared at her for a few good seconds, he couldn't really comprehend what on earth had happened, and walked off. He mentally concluded that she was perfectly fine and in no need of medical attention, therefore, he could simply go to sleep and hope the three genins would do the same.

x.x

Ami felt as though time was flying by too quickly. The second phase would commence within two minutes. She wasn't entirely sure if she was prepared for this, but like Baki had told them at the very beginning, their only way out was death. Ami wasn't prepared to die. Not yet.

Her past month in Suna had been great. She'd trained with Kiba and Shino every single day, Genma only entered their battles once a week or when he felt the need to let off some steam. The three eventually learnt that Genma avoided the special cafeteria because Baki was usually there, talking to everyone and being sociable. Although Genma was well aware that Suna were only following orders, he couldn't forgive the man for killing his best friend. He wouldn't forgive him. He only hadn't killed Baki himself because he was quite afraid of what Tsunade would do to him if he caused a war. Katsumo, Akio and Ryu had sometimes joined in their training sessions, getting some pretty decent tips from Genma.

"This will be a survival test. The time limit is six hours and it's reasonably simple. You are not to kill your fellow genins, however, you must take them down in order to win. Those still standing once time is up will pass on towards the next phase." Baki announced. "There will be a shield of sand around you, controlled by Gaara. There will also be obstacles and jutsus for you to avoid, so keep an eye out. Genins... Please take your place."
Genma didn't want to be like all the other Sensei's and captains: paranoid and worried. But it was getting pretty hard not to. He found himself clenching and unclenching his fists, sweating slightly, as the three entered the big giant ball of sand. He hoped Suna would be softer than Konoha was.

So... What do think will happen during the second phase of the chunnin exams? What do you all think about Katsumo, Ryu and Akio? Will Genma ever admit that he has serious alcohol issues? (He really looks like he drinks loads and is a typical player... Still love ya Shiranui, no need to take it personal ^^)

You'll all find out next time! Xoxo! :p