A/N: Okay, I lied. One last chapter since you guys reviewed. If you need a reason for the hiatus then... School started again. Hmmm... the chunnin exam is starting. - James

DISCLAIMER: yeah, don't expect any more chapters until about Christmas time. Oh, that's not what you expected here. Right uh... we don't own Naruto. Wouldn't want to either, he'd probably clean out our fridge.

+James and Stephen

Monday (07:42:45am)

Tsunade sighed and stared at the small slip of paper in her hands. It held much information for its size however.

Saiki (no last name) Alias: L

Agility, reaction time, strength, endurance and intelligence are superior. Ability with chakra is unknown. Anbu, spectators and Neji Hyuuga confirm strange abilities. Possibly an S-rank. Mentally stable, though appears to be quick-tempered. Loyalties do not lie with the Konoha village though the intentions of the subject do not appear to be malicious.

-Anko

She chewed her bottom lip. The girl was definitely strange. Just this morning, almost an hour ago in fact, she'd received a notice from the medic-nin. Three beds were currently filled with the girl's "sparring partners". Each one sported large area bruises but no critical damage of any kind. And no visible evidence of what caused them to pass out. The nurses had remarked at the strange sight of seeing the short girl (only 4'10"!) carrying the three boys easily. She'd been calm and polite and even given an estimate of how long it would take for them to wake. ("Just an hour, I didn't want them to be late for the Chunin exam.") A letter came. She sighed. The Chunin exams were starting too, this new notice reminded her.

Dear Tsunade-sama, Hokage of Konoha Village;

We of the Sound village would like to become officially recognized and therefore respectfully request to participate in this year's Chunin exam. We are sending three representatives, we come in peace. We should also like to formally establish good relations with Konoha village.

-Kabuto Yakushi (Sound village)

Shizune came in, saying that the three boys who had been admitted into the hospital earlier had just been released. Tsunade checked the time. Exactly one hour.

Oh, how she hated Mondays.

Monday (07:45:36am)

Saiki stretched. Ah, exam day. She'd warmed up decently and was actually feeling awake for once, which was amazing because it was before 11 o'clock in the afternoon. She dragged Sai and Naruto from their hospital beds and poked Shikamaru into consciousness, reminding him that he was helping with the examinations, before leaving the hospital. She dragged them cheerfully all the way to the examination hall.

Melo was having trouble seeing Saiki in the quay. So she did the only intelligent thing to do.

"SAIKIIIIII!!" she hollered. A small cough behind Tobi, Sauske and Melo made them swivel. Saiki could practically hear their necks crack. A small smile formed on her lips.

"Hey Melo. I see you've brought Tobi," she nodded her head toward him, "and Sasugay. I think your team is almost as crappy as mine," She said brightly. She tip toed and patted Tobi (inciting gleeful giggles) and Sasuke (inciting a surprised "hn?!") on the head (some how. She had to reach a good foot or so above her head.)

"Good luck. See you later." Saiki chose a seat close to the front and to the left. She waved at Kakashi and Shikamaru. They blinked and waved back. She snickered. Sai stared at his team mate. The girl was mentally unstable! First she was bratty and had a mean left hook (his cheek throbbed) then she acted like some sort of child and some how everyone but him, Jiraya and Tsunade forgot her insane strength and then she started talking to other examinees happily (happily!!) And somehow she had managed to incorporate herself into the Konoha society with no repercussions. He himself had been in the village for the better part of five months and still he was hardly accepted. Naruto was accepted more than him! The blond doofus (Saiki had rubbed off on him...) at least had his friends, even if the adults shunned him.

"Alright stooges, to your seats!" Kakashi's voice echoed through the hall and the milling crowd of examinees took their places with their team mates.

A random call of "Hey, Kaki-poo 'heart' " floated through the silenced hall. Kakashi coughed and continued on (but his ears were pink.)

"This is the written portion of the Chunin examinations. Your answers to each question may vary, and there is a verbal question at the end of the test. There are two ways of failing, getting caught cheating or if the examiner decides you should not pass. Your reasoning for your answer to the verbal question will be asked of you at a later time. You have an hour starting now. Begin!"

The examinees flipped the paper over. They did a double take. And a triple take. And a fourth take just for good measure.

1. Why? -

A. Why Not?

B. Because.

C. Because I said so.

D. Green.

Everyone in the hall looked at their papers dubiously. Many stared around at each other in disbelief (several were eliminated because of this.) Sai, Sasuke, Melo and Saiki had picked up on a little thing that Kakashi said and smirked. They were sure to pass. Saiki proceeded to circle random answers or write strange things (or what seemed to be random answers, nobody cheated off of her.) Sasuke and Sai circled A., Saiki circled C. and Melo circled D. Tobi and Naruto circled B.

2. I am smarter than you. -

A. True

B. False

Everyone but Saiki and Tobi circled false.

3. Name the 10000th number in Pi.

Naruto answered 2, Sai answered 69, Saiki wrote "how is this relevant" and Melo and Tobi

doodled. Sasuke considered the question beneath his effort.

5. Name the pattern: 1, 5, 380, 3, 589023, 0.

Everyone but Saiki left that question blank. She wrote "random algorithm generator"

6. If a proctor threw a kunai at you, what angle would it land at?

Melo wrote: "Lol, Whut?" and Saiki included a formula for trajectory, taking in account mass, wind speed, distance, density and acceleration. The others left the answer blank.

7. Did you notice that there was no number four?

This question will be the oral question. If you are done with the test, please check your answers and give your answer document to the Examiner.

Saiki was the first one done and immediately gave her answer sheet to Kakashi, then fell asleep until the end of the hour. Sasuke, Sai and Melo finished at the same time. Naruto used the whole hour trying to solve the problems but eventually gave up. Tobi never handed his in.

"The hour is up!" Kakashi bellowed.

"Go Shi-Shi-Baby!" Pierced the silence like a newly sharpened katana. Kakashi coughed.

"Now it is time for the oral Question."

"Heh, oral." said Sai quietly.

"The assistants will hand you each blind folds for the purpose of protecting everyone's privacy." Sai wolf whistled. "For this question you will express your answer with your body," Sai made a cat call but was promptly jabbed in the ribs by Melo's elbow. They placed the blindfolds on.

"Ahem. Your question is a scenario. 'Your spouse and your child have been taken hostage by a lunatic,'" What the hell kind of question is that?! "He has given you the choice of freeing your spouse or your child, however, he says that he will definitely kill the one you do not choose to free. Now, if you wish to free your spouse, move to the left of the room. If you choose to free your child move to the right." Tobi, Sasuke, Naruto, Sai, Melo and Saiki were jostled as everyone moved.

"If one of the assistants taps your shoulder, please give your reason for choice."

"I would save my child because my spouse can be replaced and is not related to me..." The other students droned on and on and on. Tobi and Saiki soon fell asleep standing up. Sasuke did something random with his chakra to entertain himself. Sai... entertained himself. Naruto was trying to count how many flies were in the room with his blindfold still on and Melo was practicing her gen-jutsu in her mind.

"Alright, if you moved to the left..."

"You fail. Please pull off your blindfolds, return them to the assistants and stand near the door." The examinees who chose to save their child held their breaths in anticipation...

"Those who moved to the right..." Their jaws gritted. Some began hyperventilating and a few passed out in anxiety.

"You also fail. Please pull off your blindfolds and return them to the assistants and stand aside, near the door."

"WHAT?!" the whole room burst into noise. The genin who did not move pulled off their blindfolds as well and blinked at the sudden light.

Twenty-two bemused genin gazed at the 358 that did not pass. Saiki and Tobi remained asleep, standing up.

Monday (9:00:00am)