Sakura-Eiko-Tenten. That was the order in which it went as Eiko stood in the third row, fourth one in. Sasuke stood in front of Sakura and Akako stood next to him, of course with Lee next to her. Midori stood in the very first row, left hand corner. Everyone listened carefully as Anko spoke. Well…mostly everyone. Eiko could see Ino eyeing Sasuke, and Shikamaru rolling his eyes at her. "Hokage-sama will now give an explanation of the Third Exam." Akako turned her attention to the Hokage and grinned at seeing the old man.
He coughed before speaking, "I will now tell you the true purpose of this exam." Midori zoned out at this. At one point in her life she would've cared, but now she knew this exam held little purpose for her. "Whose he?" By the small voice of her sister, Midori broke out of thought and looked forward. A new man had appeared, bowing low before the Hokage. When he turned around she noticed a few prominent features. For one thing, his face looked sickly, and he repeatedly coughed. "Everyone," He began, "before the Third Exam…" Continuously he coughed.
Eiko became worried that the young chuunin exam judge would keel over and possibly die. He hacked into his hand, "There's something I need you to do. Before you can advance to the Third Exam's main battle you'll need to do some preliminary matches according to regulation. Just to decrease the number of matches."
"No way!" Akako said. She turned around to face Eiko as if to say, 'is this for real?' "The battles will have to begin immediately so if those who choose to quit now after the explanation, you may do so."
When he finished explaining, Eiko heard the sound similar to a groan, and look over to see Sasuke clutching his shoulder. "Sasuke…please stop." Sakura said, her eyes were brimming with tears. "I'll quit." Eh?Midori turned to look at her left and saw the guy from the First Exam. I believe his name was Kabuto…he has an aura I don't like. Eiko will have already noticed it. "I suppose nobody else wishes to retire?" Hayate asked. Eiko watched as Sakura slowly moved her hand. "Sakura-san." She said, she took her own hand to cover Sakura's, and forced her to stay still. Sakura tried to remove her hand but was held back. Sasuke watched this in surprise as he was about to stop her himself.
"We should have more faith in Sasuke-kun. He is strong. Only cowards and traitors are weak."
"Then let's begin the preliminary matches." Hayate coughed into his hand and then, looked down at his clipboard. "They will be one-on-one battles. Meaning, this will be like real combat. Since there are only twenty-two people now, we will have eleven matches. These winners will advance to the Third Exam. Now to decide your fate…"
There was a screen up front on the wall. Eiko watched as the names flickered and finally settled.
Uchiha Sasuke
Akado Yoroi
"Well then," Eiko smiled at Sasuke, "good luck then Sasuke-kun. Let's go Sakura-san." Her face still looked stricken with worry, but she couldn't fight back as Eiko gently led her away. Akako came to her other side and took the other arm. "You'll see Sakura-chan. Sasuke will win." Sakura could only hope that Akako spoke the truth. Slowly the three ascended the stairs and watched as Sasuke began his match. After the Forest of Death everyone, well mostly everyone, would've been out of chakra. Eiko wondered if she was correct in thinking Sasuke would win. "If you're ready, begin." Hayate stated, moving back a little to stay safe. Yoroi attacked first, one hand glowing bright blue, and latched it onto Sasuke's head. "Then again…I might just be right about this." Eiko smiled again, I must be right.
Like she had said, Sasuke won. Akako still stood next to Sakura, and grinned when she saw Sasuke finish his final move. "Lion's barrage ne? Interesting." Sakura smiled too, seemingly glad that he was alright.
"Your match is next." The voice spooked Akako, "AH!" Surprised by the new visitor, she jumped into Eiko's arms, and finally stopped screaming when she realized it was her sensei. "Nozomi-sensei you scared me! And how do you know that it's Eiko-chan's match next. Your not psychic, you barely beat Midori at an-" Nozomi walked over to her student and covered her mouth. "Trust me on this." She said.
Eiko looked over to the screen, waiting for something to appear stating her match was next. Finally the names began flickering…flashing until they settled:
Aburame Shino
Banpaia Eiko
Sensei was right, for a change. Eiko waved to Sakura and Eiko before walking down the steps. "(Little) Sukoshi Eiko! If you don't win, forget coming back for training come Monday!" Eiko turned around and smiled at her sensei, understanding, and letting her know without words that she would win. "Begin." Hayate coughed, and just at that moment, Eiko did rapid flips backwards to make distance between them. "Shino-san right? One of the nine rookie ninja I believe?" She asked. Without wasting a moment, she pulled her staff off her back. The sound of wood hitting floor echoed.
"I have to win you know? You heard my sensei up there. So gomen if it was your plan to make it to the main battle..." Eiko examined him as she spoke, waiting for him to make the first move. A new noise filled the air. It reminded her of the locusts in summer, when their sharp chatter would fill the crisp morning air.
Bugs.
Creepy, inky, and yet tiny, bugs. Crawling in a large number, towards her. "…I'm afraid I just can't let you win." Clank.The sound of her staff hitting the floor. Sakura leaned in closer to see what was happening. The bugs had disappeared! "Akako-san, what happened to the bugs?" She asked. But Akako was too absorbed into the match to even bother answering.
As her staff reverberated of the floor, she felt a familiar sensation fill her as she focused. The entire number of bugs that had been crawling towards her a moment ago had disappeared with a clank of her staff. Naruto was in awe. "An army of these sized bugs are impossible to destroy without using an extensive amount of chakra." Eiko was a bit creeped out when Shino spoke, his voice was too…something she couldn't place.
"Want to know a secret?" Eiko asked, bending forward with her staff. "You're absolutely right."
What's this girl thinking? Kakashi asked himself. Nozomi looked content with the way the match was going so far. Her student had admitted to using extra chakra, but she wasn't showing any sign of displeasure! "Kakashi-senpai…I bet you're wondering what she did." The sound of senpai made him feel old. "You're right. Feel like telling me her secret?" Nozomi giggled. "The way Eiko works is unique, and I figure this is because of her bloodline. With her moves-"
"Shino, Shino, Shino." Eiko chuckled. "Haven't you noticed my little shadows yet? They've been here for quite some time, eating your little pets up, and you've done nothing." No, he'd notice. It took Shino some time, but he had come to realize what was happening. Every time a bug drew closer to her, it disappeared. And because nothing moved in the room, it was odd that her shadow seemed to recreate itself on multiple sides. Sides the bugs would go to…
"-although she uses an extensive amount of chakra, she uses it to full advantage. I was a bit worried about helping her train this way but she's come along brilliantly. This isn't a jutsu destroying those bugs. No the thing destroying the bugs is-"
"So you've summoned a creature. You still won't win with that." Eiko grinned to her full capacity, he had nailed it on the dot. Except, "Shino-san…my petsdon't like being called it or that. Rather what they are…" Batsappeared. Many leaving her shadow and more escaping from the shadows of other places. They fluttered near the ceiling. Now the sound of bugs came, and now on a larger scale than before.
Nearly a hundred bats had gathered together and created their own shadow as a group. Eiko could feel the exhaustion weighing down on her now, the cost of using so much chakra. The tiny creatures of the night faced the insects that Shino had called upon. Night seemed to descend with the combination of the two. She didn't wait for anybody as she grabbed her staff and leapt forward. While the animals fought above, Shino and Eiko fought below, Shino with only his kunai to defend against the rapid jabs from his opponent.
They fought neck to neck, only using brute strength to try and force the other back. Pooling all his strength together Shino lunged at her and sent her falling. Eiko disappeared into a poof of smoke as she landed. He looked around wary, others in the room looked around confused as to what had happened.
"Do you see what the point to this is now Kakashi?" Nozomi asked. She was proud to call Eiko her pupil. He nodded solemnly, only focusing on the match. In a mere second he barely caught onto what happened. The mass of bats and bugs had dwindled considerably and now a small chunk flew at Shino. They disappeared into another poof of smoke and out of that came Eiko, flying towards Shino quickly. In that moment he was unable to defend himself at the attack, as it came to fast to escape fast enough. Even with him moving out of the way slightly Shino had caught the most damage and slid across the ground.
Eiko had toppled onto him and rolled over during the trip down. Everybody held their breath, waiting for someone to move. Finally Eiko sat up, slowly but surely, and came to a standing point with the help of her staff. "Looks like the winner is Banpaia Eiko." Hayate said. He walked over to Shino and leaned down, looking at the boy who got tackled. Looking back at Eiko he saw that one of her teammates probably, had come to help her up. The girl in the gray kimono examined her and the scratches she had produced. "You shouldn't have done that Eiko." Midori said, one arm holding her friend up. Eiko grinned, "I won didn't I?"
"Yatta, Eiko won!" Akako cried out from her spot. She waved her hand in the air at her sister and friend, very happy. Whose next though? On the screen the next pair of names was appearing right away.
Kankuro
Tsurugu Misumi
"Huh. I don't remember seeing either of them!" Midori turned to her sister, "That's because we never met them. I'd like to see how they fight."
The fight didn't last long. They had discovered Kankuro was a puppet master, an interesting choice as a ninja, and that he was ruthless. The man had been a goner from the start. "Who's next then?" Eiko asked. She was sitting on the cold floor with her legs sticking out between the railings. Akako gasped when she looked at the screen. "It's me…against Sakura-chan!" Sakura looked at the screen worried and realized it was her against Akako. She knew Akako was strong…she had little chance of winning.
"Let's not hold back, ne Sakura-chan?" Akako asked when they stood on the ground. Hayate had yet to say begin. At that moment he coughed into his hand and said a hoarse, "You can begin when you're ready." Akako didn't bother getting ready. Without waiting for Sakura to go she jumped forward and threw long needles at her. Sakura managed to jump out of the way, avoiding the possibly deadly senbon. With a burst of speed Akako ran around her, and slowly became faster the more times she ran in circles. A minute later a few more needles were launched. This time Sakura took out a kunai to block them.
Eiko began to understand what Akako was doing. She had done it before in order to try and psyche people out. Running in circles made her faster, and the faster she went the harder it was to figure out where the next launch of needles would come from. Sakura found it harder to block the needles. At first it was only three at a time, but now it appeared to be six, then nine. "Gomen Sakura-chan!" She looked up surprised to see Akako jumping down on her, foot ready to kick her. It looked just like the move Eiko had used minus the staff. Hmm…She only had a moment to decide but Sakura jumped into the air with a kunai outstretched in her right hand.
And then Sakura passed right through Akako. She disappeared in a poof of smoke, and Sakura ended up landing back in the circle of the running Akako. Landing proved difficult from that move. Another trio of needles was launched. Without moving Sakura took the blow, only one piercing the skin. She ignored the little prick of pain and tried throwing a kunai at the circling Akako. The kunai hit something, but only to have that object disappear in a poof of smoke. A wavering drowsiness began to set into Sakura. She felt it come and go as she tried fighting it. The moving Akako stopped and stood in front of her, catching her when she fell into a deep slumber.
"Where am I?" Sakura asked when she woke up. After leaving that dreadful darkness it seemed more pleasant than the bright light she saw now. "In the hospital. Gomen Sakura-chan!" Akako wailed, clutching her friend's hand. "Akako made an extra strong dose despite me watching over her. Her poison just knocks people out for a few hours or so." Midori stood behind her younger sister. Just as she finished speaking, the last teammate entered the door, calling out to someone. "Bye!" She yelled. Eiko walked over to Sakura. "You missed a whole seven matches, including Naruto's! He went against Kiba and I thought he'd lose in the end because in the beginning-" Sakura listened to her talk in great deal about her friend's match. Interrupting the pink kunoichi asked, "What about Lee?"
Akako looked up at this with a sad smile. "Lee-kun had a bit of an accident while fighting the young sand genin." She recalled the youngest of the three sand genin from Sunagakure. The thought of him sent chills up her spine. "Who made it to the main battle?" She asked.
Midori answered her this time, "Naruto, Eiko, Akako, and of course I did. A few other ninja from our village made it too, Neji and Shikamaru."
A knock came from the door, breaking the momentary silence once Midori had finished speaking. "Visiting times are almost over." The nurse said, peeking inside. The four girls nodded. Eiko took out a small vase with a daffodil inside and placed it on the table next to Sakura. "We'll go now then. Bye Sakura-san."
When the girls left Sakura laid in the hospital bed only covered by a thin sheet. The sun was setting and sent splashes of light into the room. After today she could only think of a few things before she fell into another slumber…
What would come next?
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
p Gomen! With school (EVIL) starting back up after this lovely long weekend, updates will have to wait until at least Thursday because of a stupid social studies project... .
I'd like it if people review and stuff. I've gotten an idea that the story should be at least 24 chapters long. After that there is a sequel that isn't really something you have to read. The sequel is just the ending I imagine for the story but once the story is over feel free to imagine whatever you want. If I do end up doing the sequel I'll wait for a while before posting, at least a week.
- muffin