Disclaimor: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: Sorry for late update (while i'm at it i'll apologize for the short update...only about three thousand words).

Ok...I've been hearing that i've been having issues with changing from past to present tense (and vice versa) throughout the whole story...I'd just like you all to know that I AM trying to fix that...but if you see the problems persist, please let me know, because i'm trying to fix it...until i fix it completely i'll have to use the excuse that i'm a college student.

Naruto's sister...I can't beleive how much everyone wants me to hurt her (I've planned to from the start)... Seriously...she didn't choose her life (Just like Naruto didn't choose his)...If your going to hate her...please wait untill i give you a reason to... FYI Not sure when she's going to show up. I have three different times in mind, all of them being AFTER the chunin exams. As for Rei...she'll show up at about the same time, but most likely earlier.

Ok...i got a comment saying that ONLY the Yondaime knew how to use Shunshin no Jutsu (I used to beleive the same thing). But that is not true...Shunshin no jutsu is the teleportation technique that ALL high level ninjas use, like Gaara dissapears in a swirl of sand...or Kakashi does in a puff of smoke. Yondaimes move is called Hiraishin no Jutsu. Somone has already addressed this (though i wished he/she would've been a little more tactful...thx btw) I felt the need to address this myself...

Ok...now the poll...(so i can finally stop hearing about pairings in the reviews.) Drum roll please...

bum

bum

bum

bum

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bum

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bum...HAKU

Haku: 59

Rei: 26

Hinata: 12

more or less...i think i may have miscounted a few times...but it wasn't close enough for me to recount...SO

So here's my view on pairings (I'm sorry if i insult anyone with my stupid ranting)

Somone asked for

Naruto/Tayuya (wouldn't work in this story...i'll explain why later)

Naruto/Anko (though she WOULD understand Naruto...i hate pairing young boys with older woman, and vice versa...i dislike seeing Naruto with pairings like Tsunade or Shizune or Kurenai...or others like that...although...i have read a really hilarious Naruto/Anko story...it's a pity the story was discontinued...

Naruto/Yaoi (I don't like Yaoi and i'm a pervert...so i like straight pairings and Yuri pairings...but as respect to Yaoi lovers I WILL NOT DO any Yuri pairings...SO...ALL MY STORIES...will consist of STRAIGHT pairings...

Naruto/Tsunami (...theres somehting just wrong about this pairing...I once read a Tsunami/Zabuza pairing though...DAMN...to late to think about that...enter RAISE THE DEAD NO JUTSU!...not)

HAKU (There are those of you that can't imagine Haku as a girl...you need to find a way into my mind, because i can't imagine him as a guy...only one thing will engrave the image as Haku being a guy into my mind...and i'm glad to say that i'll probably never see it, lets just leave it at that...)

REI (Some of you got interested in a OC pairing...sorry but it won't be happening in this story...IF you are intersted in OCs...i do have another story i've been writing that is a COMPLETE OC Naruto story... called "Chronicles of Tsukigakure", i hate to publicize my fic like this...but if your interested you can give that a read)

HINATA (Hinata fans can look towards the bottom A/N)

That's about everything i wanted to say...on with the story.

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Chapter 6: The Chunin Exams

Team 7, and Haku, were currently crossing the new bridge that connected Wave Country to Fire Country. It had been about two weeks since the battle on the Great Bridge. However, without Gatou or his men around, guarding the bridge and bridge builders had been a one-person job, team 7 each taking a turn.

Naruto had spent the remainder of the time training his Mokuton abilites… Recently he had been able to create five trees at a time. The problem was that this ability sapped to much of his chakra; for someone like Naruto, who had an abundance of chakra, it was quite a feat to sap him of nearly half of his chakra, not including Kyuubi's store of course…

Kakashi used most of his free time with Sasuke. He needed to teach the boy how to control his sharingan, having unlocked it during the fight with Haku.

Sakura trained every now and then, but mostly spent time with Haku.

Haku, however, went into a deep form of depression. For a whole week she stayed in her room, the one Tsunami had allowed her to use. She barely ate or drank a thing. Sakura went to her side often to try to cheer the girl up. Even Kakashi came and offered the girl a few kind words, he felt horrible, being the one who killed the Mist nin, or at least the one who gave him the fatal wound. Sasuke, knowing what its like to have the ones you care about killed before your eyes, wanted to offer the girl his condolences…but he really didn't know what to say to her…so he decided to just leave her be. Naruto, knowing what its like to be alone for most of his life, also felt like consoling her…but like Sasuke, he wasn't skilled in doing so…so he opted to leave her alone as well, though he did feel responsible for her heartache. After about a week, she finally decided to come back outside, though she spent the next four days outside in the forest. On the fourth day she finally had a long talk with Sakura…the two girls talked about multiple things, and for that one day…Sakura managed to get Haku's mind off of Zabuza. The remainder of the few days Haku spent at Tazuna's house, spending her time downstairs, mostly with either Tsunami or Sakura. On the day before the leaf nins were meant to go back to Konaha, Haku asked Kakashi if she could go with them…Kakashi agreed to the girl's request.

And so they left together

---A week Later (Konaha)---

Team 7 was currently standing on the bridge, where they usually wait for their sensei. Sakura, after having asked Sasuke on a date for the tenth time that week, was simply sitting on the railing, and looking out towards the village. Sasuke, after declining Sakura's request, opted to lean against the railing, brooding about how he would kill his brother. Naruto was also leaning against the railing, but unlike Sasuke, he wasn't brooding.

Naruto had woken up early to continue his testing on some plants. He had learned, on the trip back to Konaha, that he could manipulate SOME plants that were growing around him. He couldn't do too much work with them while the group was traveling. He woke up early though, to start experimenting on other plants. Most of them had interesting results, though he didn't care to much about the results of the rose; it turned into a long whip with multiple thorns…he dispelled the effects when he thought he heard someone yell something about S&M Loving Fox…or maybe it was just in his head…he thought he heard laughing as well…

At the moment Naruto was holding a bamboo flower, having grabbed it right before he left for the bridge. Naruto, holding the bamboo flower between his hands, started doing the necessary handseals. Unlike the Moon Leaves, on his wrist, other plants weren't so sensitive to chakra, and as such couldn't change as quickly. Last time Naruto attempted to change a plant, without using handseals, it had taken him close to half an hour, of constantly concentrating chakra, to do so. So Kyuubi had helped him develop handseals which would make the process take only a few seconds. The handseals were actually just a condensed version of the Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan hand seals. He finished the hand seals, muttering, "Mokuton Hijutsu: Shokubutsu Henkan no jutsu (Wood Release Secret Technique: Plant Transformation Technique)!" the bamboo flower started to grow. The stem grew very long and a point formed at the end of it. The leaves grew out and formed a cross guard.

To say Naruto was disappointed, though he didn't show it, would be an understatement, 'It looks like a damn sword…' He began to rub the dull edge… 'It doesn't even have a sharp edge…' He began rubbing the top of it and cut his finger on the point, 'The point is sharp…but what good is it without an edge?' All and all…it looked like a piece of bamboo…with the leaves acting like a USELESS cross guard. 'Hmmm…' He decided to flip the sword upside down, stabbing the point against the bridge, and started doing hand seals again, this time adding some of Kyuubi's chakra to it… "Mokuton Hijutsu: Shokubutsu Henkan no jutsu!"

This time the sword changed more drastically. Like all other plants that he changed with Kyuubi's chakra, this plant change purple. The round 'blade' started to flatten, growing a sharp edge on one side, and curving slightly. The 'hilt' was still round allowing one to hold it. The leaves of the 'cross guards' changed into long thorns. Naruto smirked, 'Now that's a sword…wait! Why am I even thinking about this…' He thought, fingering the wakizashi on his belt… 'I already have a sword…and I have no idea how to use it effectively…why am I worrying about this?' Naruto shrugged and dispelled the jutsu, the bamboo sword changing back into a bamboo plant. He sighed and glanced over at his two teammates. Sakura turned away, she was probably checking out the 'sword'. Sasuke, Sharingan blazing, was glaring daggers at him and growling. Naruto's smile widened, ever since he unlocked the sharingan, Sasuke had been trying to copy Naruto's mokuton techniques, only to fail each time.

"YO!" Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke.

"YOUR LATE!" yelled an enraged Sakura…

Kakashi shrugged, "Sorry I'm late…I'm afraid I got-" but he was cut off.

"-Lost on the path of life…" Naruto finished for him…

"Hn! You were probably also helping a little old lady cross the street." Sasuke added…

"Her cat was probably being attacked by an S-rank missing-nin as well." Muttered Sakura…

Kakashi blinked, "Uhhh…yea something like that…Anyway here!" He pulled out three slips of paper… "I've decided to enter the three of you in the chunin exams…"

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widened…Sakura was a little downheartened.

'Am…I ready for this?' questioned the scared Kunoichi.

'…This'll be a chance to fight ninja from other villages…as well as my own…' Sasuke thought with a smirk.

'Finally…all I have to do is get through this and impress the judges…then I can finally leave…' Naruto thought with a…smile!

"The choice to enter is your choice and yours alone…it won't hurt your teammates if you decide not to enter. The information is on the sheets." With that Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The three nins disappeared in a puff of smoke.

---Somewhere in the village---

Naruto was walking down the streets, smiling at the villagers as usual. He noticed something following him though…it was…a square rock…

"Come out Konahamaru…"

The square rock stopped moving and exploded, sending smoke everywhere…the smoke cleared to reveal goggle wearing kids, two boys and one girl…They were all coughing. When they stopped, they looked up at Naruto. All three blinked before going into a weird pose.

"I'm Moegi! The sassiest Kunoichi in pre-school!"

"I like Algebra! I am Udon!"

"And I am the toughest ninja in the village! My name is…Konahamaru!"

"And we are…The Konahamaru Ninja Corps!" The three ninja chorused.

Naruto sighed, "What do you three want…"

Moegi ran up to Naruto, "Boss…you said that you would play ninja with us…" She said with tears in her eyes…

Naruto sighed, "Fine…how about a game of hide and seek…you guys run away and hide…then I'll go find you." 'Maybe…After Ramen…'

"YAY!" the youngsters chorused and ran away…they ran around the corner.

Naruto shrugged and started walking the opposite direction until he heard something, "OW! LITTLE BRAT!"

"HEY LET ME GO!" He could hear Konahamaru scream.

Naruto turned towards the noise…he then shrugged and turn back around, 'He'll be fine-'

"I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON!"

Naruto froze at that… 'Damn it…' He turned and walked over to wear he heard the rukus… He saw a boy in black holding onto Konahamaru. Moege and Udon cowering a few feet away from them. And a Blonde girl with a large fan on her back. The teens were both wearing Sand hitai-ate

"Ok…I don't really want to deal with any of this so I'll only say this once…While I agree that the kid your holding is indeed a brat…he's also the Hokages grandson…" Naruto explained to the black clothed boy.

The boy and the girl's eyes widened, "Damn it Kankuro! I don't want any trouble so put him down!"

Kankuro dropped Konahamaru. The boy ran back and hid behind Naruto, as did Moegi and Udon.

"Good move…cause I'm pretty sure there are a few ANBU constantly watching the brat…probably waiting until you actually hit him…"

Kankuro sneered at the smiling blonde, "And who the hell are you?"

Naruto shrugged, "No one of any importance…" Naruto turned and started walking away, the three youngsters in front of him…

Kankuro growled, 'You…' Kankuro reached for a bandaged thing on his back. He froze when he felt a rock hit him on the head, Naruto and the kids paused at that point as well. They all turned to see Sasuke, sitting on a tree branch, bouncing a rock on his hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…he may dress like an idiot…but he's pretty tough…" Sasuke smirked.

Kankuro glared at Sasuke.

Temari stepped in, "Enough Kankuro!"

"Enough…" spoke a cold voice from out of nowhere. It seemed to freeze Kankuro and Temari.

Sasuke turned his head to see a red headed boy behind him. 'I didn't even feel him behind me…'

The boy disappeared in a swirl of sand and reappeared in front of Kankuro… "You're an embarrassment…lets go…now!"

Konahamaru, who was still cowering behind Naruto, yelled, "And just who the hell are you!"

Gaara turned, ignoring Konahamaru and looking straight at the smiling blonde, 'Shukaku…why are you reacting to him…' "My name…is Gaara no Subaku (Gaara of the Desert)…I'm curious about you to…"

"Hmmm…something odd about this kid…wonder what it is…WAIT…isn't there something I should be remembering…something about demons in Wind country?"

'How the hell should I know…I'm not in charge of your memory…'

"Hmmm…Oh well…it probably isn't anything life threatening…"

Naruto's smile widened, "My name…is Naruto…no Hayashi (Naruto of the Forest)!"

Sasuke's eyes widened for a moment… 'Naruto of the forest…that's a new one…though I suppose it is fitting…'

Gaara stared at Naruto for a moment… 'That smile…I'll enjoy destroying it…'

With that…Gaara turned and walked away…Kankuro and Temari behind him…

"Hn…we sure are meeting a bunch of freaks lately…" Sasuke mused as he turned to his smiling teammate… 'But then again…you're not that ordinary yourself…'

---Naruto's apartment---

Naruto was walking to his door when he heard something, "Hello Naruto-san…"

Naruto turned to see Haku walk out the door next to his. Naruto nodded to her…

"Late for work…I'll see you later…"

Haku ran off in the direction of the hospital… When the group returned to Konaha…Kakashi asked the third if he could place Haku among their ranks…unfortunately there weren't any openings in the teams…so Haku took a job in the hospital nearby. The Third had promised to put her on a genin team after the chunin exam.

Naruto always becomes a little unnerved by Haku…He assisted in killing her master…hell he even stopped her from saving him…but she was always nice to him…He mused with the thoughts that she was just trying to get close enough to him to kill him…He shrugged it off though…

Naruto walked inside.

---The next day---

Naruto was standing in the middle of a forest. He was holding Moegi in his arms. Konahamaru and Udon were standing a few feet behind him. There was a giant root in front of him holding a man with a rain hitai-ate…

Naruto smiled widely… "I guess I'll take you the ANBU…"

The rain-nins eyes widened and in a puff of smoke, Iruka was in the place of the rain-nin…

"You were far to careless Iruka-sensei…"

Iruka smiled at the boy, "I suppose I did get careless…you were never suppose to catch me…but now that you have…you should know that this was all a test…and you can let me go now…"

Naruto seemed to think this over for a few seconds, "Hmmm…Nah…"

Iruka's eyes widened, "Na-ru-to?"

"You still attacked a citizen of leaf", He said indicating Moegi, "So…I think I'll take your to ANBU anyway…I hear they have a interesting interrogator…"

Iruka nearly choked, 'Is he talking about Ibiki?" Iruka started struggling like a wild animal. He finally managed to free both his hands to perform Kawarimi. Iruka was replaced with a log.

Naruto shrugged.

Moegi pouted, "Why did Iruka do this…"

Naruto shrugged, "Some kind of test…even after I graduate he's still testing me…sadist…"

---Examination Building---

Naruto walked up to the building where they would be taking the exam. When he walked in…he was surprised to see Sasuke on the ground, Sakura crouched over him… There was this kid wearing a green eyesore talking to a…a…turtle…

He walked over to his teammates. "Sorry I'm late…I think Kakashi is rubbing off on me…"

Sakura and Sasuke looked at him before turning back to the kid and the turtle.

Naruto nearly dropped his smile, 'Forget my earlier thoughts…this kid IS an eye sore…'

"I bet he goes commando…"

'Would you drop the underwear subject…'

The turtle yelled, "Get ready because…hear comes Gai-sensei…" The turtle disappeared in a puff of smoke, the smoke cleared to reveal the man that looks almost exactly like the boy.

"Lee…" the man said as he punched the boy. "Never show your best Jutsu unless it's an emergency…" He looked at the group in front of him… "So…your Kakashi's team…how's he been?"

Sakura spoke first, "You know Kakashi-sensei?"

"Yep…in fact…people say that we…ARE ETERNAL RIVALS!"

'He's kidding…right…' thought Sasuke…

"LEE!-"

At this point Naruto decided to tune out there random babbling and started replaying plant effects in his head…

---Examination Room---

Naruto was sitting in a desk taking a test… There were sentrys all around them to prevent cheating. He glanced to his right to see that weird girl… 'I think her name is Hinata…'

He started glancing around the room, careful to avoid eyeing the test papers…Many of the students were glaring at their test papers…obviously they didn't know how to answer the questions…

He looked at one student, a seat in front of him and one seat to the left, who was rushing through the exams. 'Wait…haven't I seen that guy before…last time I saw him though…he was wearing a chunin vest though…did he get demoted…'

He looked around… 'Wait! If we get caught cheating…we'll lose 2 points…why? Normally when you get caught cheating…we get thrown out right away…unless…the point of this exam is to cheat…but not get caught!' He looked at the boy he was staring at before, 'I need to cheat off of that guy and not get caught…but how…'

Naruto's thinking was unfortunately being distracted by an idiot in front of him. He was balancing a pencil on his nose… Finally it happened a kunai came from one of the sentries, splitting the pencil in half…

"HEY!"

"Your not here to screw around…either get to work or leave…" growled the one and only Ibiki Morino…

Naruto's eyes widened…as he looked around the room. Everyone had their eyes glued on Ibiki and the kid… He turned back to the kid who had just finished his exam. 'That's what I'll do…'

He pulled two coins out of his pocket. Putting one in each hand. He started flipping them into the air, waiting. Finally two kunai flew out of nowhere catching each of the coins, sending each to a side of the room. It had the exact effect he wanted. Everyone, including the sentries, turned to see the kunais on there side of the room, luckily Naruto was at about the center of the room.

'NOW! HAYASHI SHUUSHUKU!' Vines extended from his bracelet grabbing the corner of the boys paper, the one who finished his exam. Naruto quickly retracted the vines and brought the boy's paper to his desk, crumpling his own paper and sticking it in his jacket. He quickly erased the boys name, and wrote his own. He then started looking around…no one noticed what he did. He looked to the front of the room to see the examiner glaring at him. 'SHIT! HE SAW ME!' Naruto grimaced inwardly. Ibiki however, merely smirked at Naruto and looked away.

Naruto sighed and started looking around again. He saw one pair of Sharingan eyes looking at him and a pair of Byakkugan eyes. The Sharingan eyes belonged to Sasuke, who was smirking at Naruto. The Byakkugan eyes belonged to a boy with long brown hair.

"HEY!" screamed the boy who had only just noticed that his paper was missing.

"SHUT UP MAGGOT! NEXT TIME YOU DON'T GET AN EXAM PAPER, MENTION IT BEFORE HAND! OTHERWISE I'LL THROW YOU OUT!" yelled Ibiki as he slammed a paper on the kids desk. The sentrys were looking at Ibiki with confusion etched on their faces.

Naruto shrugged and waited until the final question showed up…he didn't have to wait long…

---Thirty minutes later---

They had to choose whether or not to take the final question…

If they didn't take the question they failed the exam…

If they did take the question and missed it…they would never be allowed to take the exams again.

Naruto shrugged the question off. 'I've gotten this far already…in the end it doesn't matter…if I'm never allowed to become a chunin then I'll become a missing-nin once I become strong enough…'

Ibiki looked around the moment he saw that no one else was quitting… "You all pass!"

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A/N: Hope you like this update...because i have no idea when the next one will come (school is starting soon...plus i NEED to update my other fic)...

I got a review saying that i should do an overly happy Gaara...its funny because i WAS planning to do a Gaara fic (with Gaara acting like Naruto...but i kind of thought that that would be kind of retarded...Gaara running around screaming he'll be the next Kazekage (though hell...he does)

My other idea was a Hinata fic...with Hinate and Neji's positions in reverse. Hinata (and probably Hanabi) being in the Branch house...and Neji being in the Main house...I'm going to attempt this fic at one point (In the distant future)...see how it works out...though at the moment i'm just wasting my time ranting...

Until next time...

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