Wow, I've certainly been getting a lot of hits, alerts, and a few reviews so far for this story. It is greatly appreciated, all of you. Not much else to say at the moment really, so I'll just get this show on the road.
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Konoha's Legendary Trickster Illusionist
A Naruto/Pokegirl crossover story that doesn't have sex as its main focus.
Chapter 2: Tested under pressure.
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2 days later:
Uzumaki Naruto was excited, and not just a little excited either. He was excited enough for the test that he was up several hours early and had enough time to play one last prank as an academy student.
He did want to end his academy career with a bang after all.
After preparing for his day at five in the morning he quickly reapplied his usual illusion that hid his tails and pointed ears, then became incorporeal as he phased through his wall and towards the academy.
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Two hours after Naruto had left his apartment Iruka was just arriving in his classroom to prepare for the test. Iruka has always been one to trust his instincts, and today they were telling him to be extremely wary. Too bad he didn't see the piece of paper that just appeared taped to the bottom of his desk.
With a smirk on his face, Naruto silently went back out of the academy and away from it before deciding to make himself visible again in an alley. He then approached the academy with a grin on his face.
He was the first member of his class to arrive in the room. With a smile and a nod to Iruka, who returned both, he sat down in his seat and pulled out a book and began reading.
Over the next hour the other twenty-six students and Mizuki arrived and began chatting amongst themselves, or in one's case, fall asleep.
Naruto continued to sit there the whole time just reading his book. This made several people nervous.
"Alright class," Iruka finally called the attention of the class to himself. "Today is the Gennin selection exams, that are held twice a year to see who is ready to become a gennin amongst the ranks of Konoha and who isn't."
Iruka looked over everybody in the room as he spoke. He was glad to see that everyone was attentive to his speech, even Naruto.
"Now even if many of you don't pass these exams, I want you all to know that I'm very proud of all of your progress." Iruka looked straight into Naruto's eyes at this last part. He was able to clearly remember the bumbling, clumsy boy who first joined his class seven years ago who once he turned ten suddenly seemed to become graceful and much more skilled in the ninja arts.
"First today we will be holding the weapons exam. We will be moving to the target range out in the yard where you will each be allowed three kunai, and three shuriken to use. If you're more skilled with another type of throwing weapon you will be allowed to replace one of the normal two weapons with three of your preferred weapon. You will be graded the same no matter which throwing weapon you use based on your accuracy. No jutsu that can aid your performance will be allowed." Iruka looked around the students to make sure that they heard his instructions. "Now please follow me to the range."
With instructions dispensed, Iruka turned and led the students out of the room. Mizuki hung back to follow behind.
As was his usual behavior, Naruto hung around to go last. This was exactly what Mizuki was hoping would happen. As he followed along behind Naruto he made a few discreet hand seals and waited as his jutsu took effect. Naruto didn't seem to react at all so Mizuki let a smirk slide on his face as he followed along.
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Iruka couldn't help but reflect to himself as the accuracy test was over half done that this batch of gennin hopefuls were particularly talented this year. So far nobody had failed the test, and he was just reaching the student who was tied for the rank of best in the class.
"Uchiha Sasuke." He called out. "Are you going to switch any weapons out?"
"I'm going to change out the kunai for fuma-shuriken." Sasuke answered back.
"Alright, proceed when ready." Iruka said and waited.
Sasuke proceeded to reach behind himself and pull out blades with rings at their bases. With a flick of each wrist he caused the two fuma-shuriken to unfurl and set them to spinning with a couple of running steps he proceeded to spin and throw each star so that they curved to each side and swept in to hit their targets. While the two fuma-shuriken were still in transit to the targets he quickly reached back into his pack with his right hand and threw his third fuma-shuriken without unfurling it. It flew straight as a dagger and hit the center target at the same time as the other two fuma-shuriken connected.
Sasuke's fan club quickly went up into cheers at the skilled display before they only grew louder as Sasuke casually reached into his hip pouch and threw three shuriken with all of them hitting their targets behind the ones that the fuma-shuriken were stuck in.
After Mizuki retrieved and returned the weapons to Sasuke, Naruto's name was finally called out.
"Uzumaki Naruto, are you going to switch any weapons out?"
"Yes sensei, I'm switching out Kunai for butterfly knives." Iruka couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his choice. He didn't know that Naruto practiced with those types of knives.
"Alright, proceed when ready." Iruka answered back.
Naruto reached into his hip pouch and began pulling out his three shuriken when his world suddenly started to spin as he began pulling out the weapons.
Mizuki smirked as Naruto stumbled a step but frowned as Naruto managed to stop himself from throwing the stars.
"What are you waiting for Naruto?" Mizuki was quick to question.
Naruto closed his eyes for a second and appeared to be concentrating.
"One mark off for not answering me Naruto." Iruka smirked again as he said this. Iruka gave the smirking Mizuki a look from the corner of his eye before returning his looks to Naruto.
"I'm isolating this damn genjutsu sensei." Naruto said making Iruka look surprised.
"What are you talking about Naruto?" Iruka asked.
Naruto seemed to twitch for a second as he continued concentrating. He then opened his eyes again and smirked in Iruka's direction.
"Sorry Sensei." He said. "But I'll have to ask you to pass along to whoever cast that intent based disorientation genjutsu not to mess with me in my chosen specialty."
Naruto then proceeded to with a snap of his left arm towards the targets launching three shuriken hitting them dead on before with a circular spin quickly drawing three wooden handles with his right hand, flicking the butterfly knives open and sending them down the range and into the farther targets dead on as well.
Though nobody cheered for him as they did Sasuke, Naruto still stood straight and confident as he stuck his hands into his pockets and waited as Mizuki collected the thrown weapons and brought them to Naruto. Naruto couldn't help but notice the glare Mizuki temporarily sent his way as he started approaching.
Naruto held back his urge to glare right back. It wouldn't do to let Mizuki know that Naruto suspected him as the culprit behind the genjutsu.
"Don't be a sore loser now dobe." Sasuke said from behind him causing Naruto to roll his eyes. Sasuke's statement was followed by laughs and jeers from his fan club.
Naruto was very tempted to cast a torture illusion on Sasuke, but decided that now wasn't the best time to do so.
"There's no need for taunting Sasuke. He did tie you after all for actual hits. Mizuki's decision to take away a point is the only reason he didn't get max scores for this portion of the exam."
"Besides," most of the people were surprised to hear Shikimaru of all people speak up "he did get a better score then most of you." That statement shut the fan club up. He received several glares as well for standing up for the class outcast. "Troublesome." He said upon noticing the glares.
Choji just patted his back earning an eye roll back from Shikimaru.
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It was another fifteen minutes before the remainder of the students were finished their accuracy portion of the exam. Now back in the classroom everyone was awaiting further instructions. Iruka waited for everyone to be seated before he started speaking.
"Congratulations to everyone in here for doing well in their accuracy portion of this exam. Now that we're back in here we will be moving onto the taijutsu portion of the exam. Either Mizuki or I will call one of you up at a time to for a short spar. The spar will last until a blow is landed that knocks the other onto their back." Iruka took a second here to make sure that everyone understood what he said so far. "You will be graded by your overall performance in the test. That includes form, endurance, strength, offense, and defense. If no knockdown blows are landed by either side within five minutes the sparring match will end then. Please remember that this is a Taijutsu exam, meaning that no nin or genjutsu are to be used. Everything else goes."
Iruka then stood up in front of the room as he called up the first student on his list.
"Aburame Shino, please come up for evaluation."
Upon the order being given, Shino was out of his seat and on his way to the front of the room. When he arrived to his starting point he moved into a basic fighting stance with the left side of his body facing Iruka.
At that point in time Naruto pulled his book back out of his bag and started to read. He only looked up occasionally when a match sounded particularly heated and he found some humor in watching Kiba fight. Naruto put away his book as he heard Iruka call out Sasuke's name and watched as Sasuke ended his match by knocking down Iruka within a minute and a half. Naruto didn't think Sasuke was so hot if it took him that long to end the match. Nothing against Iruka, but Naruto knew that Iruka was weaker in Taijutsu then most other chuunin in the village Mizuki included.
"Alright Uzumaki Naruto," Mizuki called "get down here for your match against me now."
Hearing this Naruto held back the glare he wanted to throw at Mizuki. He stood up and calmly walked to the front of the room. He had a good feeling that Mizuki wasn't going to hold back against him. Mizuki never did the few times he got stuck fighting Mizuki, and he took great pleasure in criticizing Naruto's fighting style. As Naruto was reaching the edge of the ring made at the front of the room Mizuki spoke up.
"That's another point off for taking too long when you should've been up here pronto." This time Naruto couldn't hold back the glare until just after he met Mizuki's eyes.
Naruto stopped himself and took a second to calm down. Then he turned to ask a question of Iruka.
"If I knock him down in less than thirty seconds, how will my score be Iruka-sensei?"
Iruka quirked his eyebrow for a second and referring to the score sheets did some quick mental math.
"That would place you in a tie for highest score with Sasuke-san. If you beat him in less than fifteen seconds, then you will be a point ahead."
"As if he could, Iruka." Mizuki suddenly spoke up while crossing his arms and leveling a stare at Naruto. "If he's so confident that he could win then maybe I won't hold back as much as I usually do on him."
Naruto smirked hearing the second part of Mizuki's statement.
"You probably weren't going to hold back on me anyways." Naruto argued back quickly. "I'd be surprised if this whole room didn't know of how much you 'dislike' me." The word 'dislike' was said with as much sarcasm as he could put behind it.
The whole of the room was able to sense the hostility between Mizuki and Naruto at this point and they tensed worriedly in their seats waiting for the two to attack each other.
Iruka gave a sigh. He knew that eventually hostilities between the both of them may rise up to this point eventually. He just wished that it didn't have to be now where Naruto's performance in the match could cost him his chance to become a ninja. Iruka couldn't help but speculate that it was exactly what Mizuki might've wanted but he had no proof to call on to head off the whole thing. Therefore, he was forced to let the match start.
"Alright then," he interrupted before the two could get any further "if you two are done now you can start the match."
As soon as the words left his mouth Mizuki was quick to charge at Naruto wanting to give Naruto a quick zero for not being able to defend at all. He was quite surprised as were most others when Naruto managed to jump over the sidekick, using his hands to press off in a flip that landed him behind Mizuki.
Quickly spinning around and shoving both hands forward in a dual-handed palm strike Naruto muttered, "You lose."
Unfortunately Mizuki was able to dodge his attack by lunging sideways and then springing towards Naruto and taking advantage of his size by launching a ranged attack with another kick.
Naruto ducked under the leg, then rolled to the side dodging as Mizuki's foot came down in a stomp. Naruto the sprang forward and landed a kick of his own to Mizuki's face causing the taller man to stagger as Naruto used his other foot to kick off of his opponent putting distance between the two of them.
Only five seconds had passed so far.
'So I was right.' Iruka mused to himself as Mizuki and Naruto went at each other again. 'Despite the fact that he is constantly competing with Sasuke for the 'rookie of the year' position, he has actually been holding back all of this time.'
By the time he had finished his thoughts, their second exchange was already finished and both fighters were now circling each other. Mizuki had a good bruise appearing on his cheek where Naruto's earlier kick landed, and Naruto himself had a split lip from a punch that Mizuki managed to land on him.
'They're both actually fairly equal in Taijutsu.'
As Iruka finished that thought, both of them quickly launched at each other again. Both of them tried for a roundhouse kick to the other's head and their legs met each other at their ankles before both legs pulled away from each other. That was followed up by a flurry of punches that both blocked and weaved around.
In a move that wasn't suspected by anybody in the room, Naruto suddenly took a punch to one of his shoulders and used the momentum from his forced spin to move within Mizuki's guard. Continuing with the previous momentum, Naruto suddenly jumped into Mizuki's face and kneed him right on his forehead protector.
That last attack made Mizuki lose his balance and he proceeded to fall onto his back as Naruto landed from his jump and quickly moved back to put some space between them.
When Mizuki landed on his back, Iruka hit the button on his stopwatch and checked Naruto's time. He found himself impressed again with Naruto when he realized that the intense taijutsu match that just happened before him was completed in sixteen point three seconds. He couldn't help but think that it was too bad that Naruto wasn't just a little faster though.
"Congratulations Naruto. Sixteen point three seconds grants you a high enough score to put you in a draw for first place."
Just after Iruka announced the match result, he noticed a flash of steel in Mizuki's hand which revealed itself to be a shuriken that was quickly sent flying at Naruto's head.
Since Naruto hadn't have turned away from Mizuki he saw the attack coming. He quickly ducked under the attack and was about to retaliate when Mizuki suddenly slumped over unconscious due to the blow he received to the noggin.
Naruto stopped himself from attacking and looked up to that Iruka had caught the shuriken when it was only a few centimeters away from where his forehead would have been if he hadn't of moved. Naruto noticed that Iruka wasn't looking at him, but that he was instead glaring at where Mizuki's unconscious form laid.
"Kiba!" Said Inuzuka quickly jumped from his stupefied state when he was called on. "Since you are the closest to the door, please go to the front office and tell them to call an ANBU to this room. Don't answer anybodies questions until the ANBU arrives."
Everybody could tell that the teacher in front of them wasn't the same as his usual self at this point so they remained silent, even when a feminine voice spoke up from the window.
"That won't be needed Umino-san." Said a person wearing a white mask that looked like a cat. "I will take him straight into custody and report this incident to Hokage-sama for you."
Iruka bowed his head to her. "Thank you Neko-san."
Naruto continued to stand silently by Iruka's side as the class watched her silently pick up the assistant teacher before she made a hand sign and disappeared in a swirl of wind and leaves.
"Good afternoon Iruka-san." This time it was a masculine voice that announced itself from the window making many of the students jump. It was another ANBU who wore a bear mask. "Since you're short a teacher for the examination, I'd like to volunteer to assist you to complete the testing for this year's gennin."
"Thank you." Iruka said with a nod. "Now that I have aid again, let's finish this section of the exam." For the last statement Iruka seemed to be back to his normal self as he shooed Naruto back to his seat.
On the way, Naruto noticed the threatening glare that Sasuke was sending his way. He was obviously displeased with the fact that he was tied with another, particularly the class clown, for the position of 'Rookie of the Year'.
Naruto just took his seat again after walking past Sasuke.
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"Now it is time for the jutsu portion of the exam." The bear-masked ANBU spoke up from the front of the room while Iruka stood off to the side for this one.
"For this part of the exam you will be expected to show us your ability to perform two out of the three basic E-ranked techniques taught at this academy. For bonus marks you can perform the third one, and for even more marks you can show us a technique that is not taught at the academy if you know one."
"Aburame Shino." Iruka called the first student up. When Shino got there he continued. "Which jutsu are you going to perform?"
"I will perform the three E-ranked jutsu, sensei." Shino answered in his usual monotone.
"Very well Shino. Proceed when you are ready." The bear-masked ANBU said.
Over the next fifteen seconds he performed the Henge, made two copies of himself, and switched himself with Iruka's chair at the front of the room.
Iruka wasted no time in tallying up Shino's total grade and then once seeing that he met all requirements congratulated him on passing the exam and giving him a forehead protector.
Over the next twenty minutes, testing continued with similar results with everybody. The first person to come up that he was actually interested in watching, if for nothing but the comedic value, was the proclaimed 'lazy bum' of the class.
"Nara Shikamaru." Iruka called out. "Which jutsu will you be performing?"
"Henge, and Kawarimi." He answered with a lazy drawl.
"Very well." Iruka said as he withheld a sigh at Shikamaru's laziness.
Shikamaru made a Ram-seal and disappeared into a cloud of smoke. He reappeared as an older looking version of himself that had an X-shaped scar on his cheek. Naruto was able to recognize the new form as Shikamaru's father.
Shikamaru then went through three more seals before disappearing in a poof of smoke, switching with the empty chair right next to his own vacant spot and flopping down into his own seat again. Shikamaru then laid his head down on his desk and began snoring away.
Naruto couldn't help chuckling at the lazy genius when Iruka woke him up by throwing Shikamaru's own forehead protector at the sleeping boy in a small fit of frustration.
"Uchiha Sasuke." Iruka called right before he gave an exasperated sigh at Shikamaru's antics. The bear-masked ANBU beside him couldn't help but chuckle himself at what just happened.
"Which jutsu will you be performing?" Iruka continued once Sasuke stood before him.
"I will be performing the three E-ranked jutsu, as well as the C-ranked Katon: Gokakyu-no-jutsu." After saying this he gave a quick smug look over his shoulder at Naruto, that just screamed 'beat this dobe'.
Naruto rolled his eyes as Sasuke began going through the three E-ranked techniques. He then turned to the target log brought in for targeting purposes, as Iruka quickly grabbed a fire-extinguisher.
After Sasuke was finished his technique Naruto couldn't help but be slightly impressed by the damage potential of the jutsu.
'I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that technique.' Naruto thought while repressing a shiver.
"Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka called out once he and the ANBU finished quickly putting out the fire made by the technique.
Naruto got up and walked up to the front of the room with his hands in his pocket and stood up straight and at attention in front of Iruka.
"What techniques are you performing Naruto?"
Naruto put on a show of thinking about it before he answered.
"I will be performing the three E-ranked jutsu as well as a self-invented supplementary illusion."
"Does this genjutsu have a name?" Iruka asked as the bear-masked ANBU raised an eyebrow in surprise behind his mask.
"Sorry Sensei, but I just finished putting the finishing touches on it last night, so I haven't had the chance to name it yet."
Iruka looked concerned for a second about whether he should allow Naruto to perform this new illusion if it was just created last night. His thought process was interrupted though when Naruto spoke up again.
"Excuse me ANBU-san; the technique isn't really harmful in a direct manner to the target. Since this is the case may I have your permission to perform it on you then demonstrate its purpose, before I explain to you and Iruka-sensei the illusion." Naruto gave a look towards the other students.
Both Iruka and the ANBU suddenly picked up on the fact that Naruto didn't want to have to explain the details of his illusion in front of a large audience. After another second of thought that he examined the boy, the bear-masked ANBU answered.
"Very well, I will allow it." Iruka glanced at the ANBU for a second before nodding his agreement.
"Great!" Naruto suddenly chirped in an excited manner.
He quickly stretched his left arm to his side while taking a side. He snapped the fingers on that side causing two bunshin to appear by his side.
Just to show up Sasuke he the gave a quick spin and snapped his fingers again causing the two clones to disappear in cloud's of smoke that quickly cleared to reveal copies of both Iruka and the bear-masked ANBU.
Then as Naruto turned back to face the front of the room there were suddenly four more clouds of smoke that surrounded Iruka, the bear-masked ANBU, and their copies. The clouds of smoke quickly cleared revealing that it seemed that nothing had happened.
"So do I pass that part?" Naruto asked what the others thought were his own clones, when suddenly the Iruka and ANBU who were standing at the front of the room disappeared showing that Naruto had switched his Henge'd clones with their originals.
Iruka was surprised to find himself replaced with a doppelganger like that and could only nod causing Naruto to grin widely.
"And now, to show off the result of my illusion!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed while flashing out with a kick to the ANBU's left-flank.
Iruka wasn't the only one surprised when the ANBU's attempt to defend came up to protect his right-flank. The result was that Naruto landed a light hit to the ANBU's exposed ribs on his left side.
"And that folks," Naruto suddenly exclaimed with a bow "was done without the use of any hand seals."
As Naruto stood back up, he suddenly felt a heavy hand fall onto his shoulder. He looked up at the bear-masked ANBU in surprise at the gesture.
"I'm taking the boy into the hall to hear for myself what his genjutsu did Iruka. Are you coming along?"
"We will be right back in a minute." Iruka said to the class as he followed Naruto and the ANBU out into the hall, closing the door behind them.
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"Okay," the bear-masked ANBU said as soon as the classroom door closed "Explain."
Naruto grinned sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head.
"The illusion was actually a dual-layered one." Naruto started off with both listeners looking at him intently. "The first part of the illusion tricks the opponent by flipping their sense of directional perception, making them think that things that are to their left are to their right and vice versa."
Both Iruka and the bear-masked ANBU quietly nod to that.
"I knew that most people would normally pick up on the switch immediately though, so I added the second layer that tricks the mind into thinking that the switch is how things always were. That enables the first layer to go unnoticed until something happens that makes them realize the truth. I believe that is an illusion best used directly before an attack, since their reflexes will make them defend in the wrong direction. I also know that if I cast the illusion and leave it on the person the more observant ones can tell that something is wrong as soon as they take a step."
The bear-masked ANBU found himself quite impressed with the run-down of the illusion he had just heard and how Naruto had even analyzed situational uses and weaknesses of it.
"Thank you Naruto," Iruka suddenly said "please step back into the room and wait with the others. I'd like to discuss what your mark should be with ANBU-san."
They both waited until Naruto had closed the door upon entering before they started talking.
"I believe the boy should be getting a lot of bonus marks for perfectly performing the three E-rank jutsu without seals flawlessly." Iruka was the first to comment.
"I agree, especially since he went so far as to make a show out of them. That shows that he is talented at creating distractions since he could've been doing something with his right hand each time he snapped the fingers on his left hand." Iruka nodded his agreement to the statement.
"Then I believe full marks should be given for his dual-layered genjutsu as well." Iruka then said getting a nod from the ANBU.
"I believe we have our rookie of the year." The ANBU said. Iruka could only chuckle in agreement before stepping back into the classroom.
The ANBU knew that he'd be bragging about the boy's talents to his coworkers back at the ANBU offices later that day. As far as he cared, the boy was already well on his way to joining the ANBU ranks one day. Maybe he'd wait a year or two before sending out the invitation to allow Naruto's talents to grow more.
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The rest of the exam went by peacefully with Naruto receiving his forehead protector as soon as Iruka returned to the class with the ANBU.
Naruto didn't waste any time in tying it around his waist in place of his belt. In the back of the room Hinata blushed as she noticed Naruto taking off his belt to replace it.
Once Ino was finished with her testing, and receiving her forehead protector Iruka looked over the new batch of gennin with a proud expression on his face.
"Congratulations to every single one of you." He spoke up immediately quieting down the new gennin. "This is the first class in the last fifteen years, ever since the Kyubi attack, to have a one hundred percent pass rate. It makes me proud to have been your instructor." Iruka then chuckled.
"Now then, all of you need to come back to this room one final time tomorrow morning. At that time you will all receive your team assignments, and along with them will be the announcement of this year's 'Rookie of the Year'. I'll tell you now that it was a close one between two of you."
Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other, Sasuke glaring, when Iruka said this. Other murmurs rose around the classroom that quickly silenced when he started talking again.
"It was a pleasure." Iruka said while giving a salute that was returned by the majority of the teens in front of him. "You're dismissed."
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End Chapter
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AN: I know that Iruka seemed to be sentimental at the end there, but you need to give the guy a break here. Iruka had been teaching these teens since they were eight years old. That's seven years. Of course he may become attached to at least a few of them, and then when they are graduating especially in such a special circumstance where the whole class was graduating at once he would be extremely proud and sentimental over the whole thing.
Moving along now, this chapter took me six long hours of constant work to come out the way I wanted it to. My original plan for this chapter was that it was going to go into one more scene where I would've had to come up with a reason for Naruto to come across Mizuki in the forest when he was fleeing with the forbidden scroll, which would've led to a fight between the two there. Instead, I decided to have Mizuki dealt with in the classroom in a way that as far as I know is original (I've never read a fanfic where Mizuki attempted to kill/maim Naruto during a taijutsu portion of the exam).
As I said at the top, I really appreciate all the views and notifications that this story is getting. Sorry if I'm sounding greedy to any of you, but I'd like to see more reviews if possible. How else am I supposed to know what I'm doing wrong, and more importantly, what I'm doing right.
Well, I'll end it here by saying thank you again for reading this. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out, but hopefully that'll be within the next few days with a week being the latest.
Adios for now,
Cloud1239999
P.S., I'm much happier with the length of this one. LOL.