As Squad 7 went back to D-ranked missions, Michiko was sent on a B-ranked mission to a small gambling city in Fire Country. After having Kakashi tell her at least a hundred times not to go gambling, she set off. It was a solo mission, but the Third believed she'd be fine. She just had to get an important scroll there, stay a week or so for a reply, and then head back unless she was held up with something at the city. When she finally got it delivered, she started walking around, wondering what she could do for a whole week by herself. She saw a group of thugs annoying a woman that looked around her twenties, with two low pig tails and gold eyes. She seemed slightly drunk, so it would be hard for her to fight back. Michiko's eyes hardened as she walked over, saying, "Leave her alone. It's not like you'll be given an award for beating a drunk person." "Stay out of this, brat!" The next instant, she punched him in the face, making him fly into a wall. "If you hadn't noticed by now, I have a short temper, so it would be wise to leave now." "We don't take orders from kids!" another man said, trying to act tough.
She smirked, cracking her knuckles. "Wrong answer." She kicked that man in the stomach, making him fly away. She whipped out a kunai, twirling it in between her fingers expertly. "I may be a kid, but I'm also an elite Konoha Jounin. You may have heard of me. The Lightning Cat Ninja." All of the men froze, letting this information sink in before one of them stuttered out, "Y-You're th-the Li-Lightning C-Cat N-Ninja?" She nodded, and fear rushed through the group. "Now go and stop harassing people, 'cause I won't be so merciful next time." They nodded, running off, and she put the kunai away, turning to the woman. "Are you okay?" that's when she noticed who it was. "Tsunade-sama…" she bowed slightly out of respect. "I didn't think I'd meet you like this…" "It's alright…I wasn't going to fight them anyway. But it's nice to see that some people still have the courage to stand up for people who need it the most."
Michiko smiled slightly, blushing from embarrassment, and said, "It's nothing…really…" "Why are you here, anyway? Didn't you say you were a Konoha Jounin?" "I'm here on a mission, actually. I need to wait for a reply…" Tsunade looked at her a moment, saying, "You know what, I think it would be wise if I trained you a bit…at least I'd know the knowledge will be used wisely…" Michiko's eyes lit up, and she nodded, saying, "Thank you, Tsunade-sama! Thank you!"
For a week, Tsunade trained her with Medical jutsu and even taught her how to increase her already abnormal strength. She stayed an extra couple weeks to train, and had soon mastered most of Tsunade's Medical jutsu and super strength, and left with a happy heart. When she got back, it was time for the Chuunin exams, and she went to the Hokage immediately. After giving the scroll to him, he said, "You did a good job, Michiko-chan. I have something else to ask of you, though." She perked, listening intently. "As you know, the Chuunin exams are tomorrow. Since all of your friends are entering, I thought you'd like to help all of the proctors with their sections." "I'd be…honored…" "I'll be considering this as a test…for when you take the ANBU exams afterward." Her eyes lit up. "I'm taking the ANBU exams?" he nodded, seeing the joy in her eyes. The Hokage was standing, looking out the window, and she hugged him tight.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!" With that, she ran out to find Kakashi. She found him in the book store, to her dismay, and she hurriedly told him about what the Hokage had told her. He was proud of her, and even took her out for dinner…mainly because he didn't want to cook…The next morning, she woke up early, changing into a black tank top and dark jean shorts, pulled on her black, open toed ninja boots that reached up to her knees, with a white stripe down the side, and pulled on her mothers gloves before brushing her waist length silver hair. After tying it into a low ponytail and flipping it over her shoulder, she went down to the kitchen, grabbing her cereal. As she ate, Kakashi came down, slightly ruffled with sleep, and he looked at her. "Why are you up so early?" "Chuunin exams…remember?" He nodded, grabbing his cereal before sitting down, pulling his mask down. They ate in silence, mainly because Kakashi was too tired to talk, and Michiko grabbed her blades, tying them onto her white belt, which was around her hips.
She headed out the door, and stopped at the monument stone, looking at a specific name engraved deep into the dark stone. 'Mom…' she touched the name with her pointer finger, her eyes sad as memories of her mother flashed before her eyes. 'I'll make you proud…and I'll avenge your death…I promise…' She stayed there another moment or two before heading to where the Chuunin exams were taking place, not really noticing her surroundings. She met up with Ibiki, the first exam proctor, and he said she'd help with catching kids that were cheating, since he'd heard about her sharp eyes, and she nodded. He went inside first, and she heard him shout at the kids to take a seat, and she hoped her friends, mainly the Rookie 9, had made it.
She heard Ibiki's voice, muffled by the closed door. "We have a Jounin helping out for the exam…sort of her test to see if she's ready for ANBU." She came in, and everyone looked at her, disbelieving, and she smiled softly, saying, "Hey, guys. Surprised?" That's when she saw three friends that she hadn't seen for six years, and her eyes widened. 'Gaara-kun…Temari-chan…Kankurou-kun…'
She shook the thought out of her head as Ibiki said, "She'll be helping the sentinels around the room." She nodded, sitting on the desk, a relaxed aura around her, but when a kid from Sound almost said something she could tell was scornful, she stopped masking her chakra, and most of the Genin marveled at the sheer amount of it. The Sound Genin shut his mouth, and she smiled sweetly, masking her chakra again. After Ibiki said the rules, he walked up to her, saying, "I see you like the scare tactic." She shrugged, saying, "It works for me all the time." As the Genin took the test, she watched them intensely, though disguised it by twirling a kunai in between her fingers. When she counted that one boy had cheated five times, she threw the kunai, hitting his paper. "Sorry, but you fail." He seemed surprised that she'd caught him, but remembered the strength of her chakra and left with his squad.
She caught a few more people, until 45 minutes had gone by, and it was time for the tenth question. As Ibiki tried to scare the kids, she watched the Rookie 9, hoping they'd catch the meaning of Ibiki's words. 'Don't fall for it, guys…' A few squads left, but when Naruto raised his hand, it almost made Michiko's heart stop. 'I never thought…he'd give up…' He slammed his hand on the desk, saying, "You can't scare me away! I don't run and I don't back down! I don't care if I stay a Genin the rest of my life! I'll STILL be Hokage some day!" Michiko nodded, seeing determination in the others eyes, and smiled softly, looking at Ibiki. He nodded, and said, "If no one else is leaving…you pass." Everyone looked surprised, and the Rookie 9 looked at Michiko to see if Ibiki was being serious.
She smiled sincerely, nodding, and Naruto cheered. After Ibiki explained WHY they passed, a black tarp flew through the window, along with another shinobi Michiko already knew, Anko. Michiko's heart almost stopped when the window shattered, and she went in front of the tarp, giving Anko an annoyed and pissed off look. "Oops…did I scare you?" You could see fire in Michiko's eyes as she cracked her knuckles loudly, giving Anko the chance to hurriedly apologize.
"So you're going to help me this year?" Michiko nodded, hands in her pockets in the familiar lazy posture her father had, and said, "I was thinking that I'd scout for the next part…I hope you understand why…" Anko looked at the kids, nodding. "That's fine…" They led the Genin out to the Forest of Death, and Michiko looked at all of the Genin as Anko exaggerated about how deadly the forest was. 'It wasn't THAT horrible…she just sounds crazy…' That's when Naruto started mocking her, and Michiko smacked her forehead, hiding her smile. Anko threw a kunai, cutting Naruto's cheek, and Michiko tensed. Anko appeared behind our favorite blonde (), and Michiko walked up, giving Anko an angry glare before saying, "Stop acting crazy, Anko-chan, and apologize." "Why should I?" everyone could feel their chakra thicken the air, but Michiko's was much more powerful. "He's my friend…" she put a hand on the handle of her katana. "And you know what I do when someone hurts my friends." There was silence when a Genin appeared behind Anko, a kunai in his long tongue.
It sent a shiver down Michiko's spine, and she eyed him warily as Anko took the kunai back, muttering an apology before saying the rules for this part of the exam. "Michiko will be out there scouting. She'll make sure you don't go sadistic and start killing people. Oh, and don't piss her off. She's got a short fuse and one heck of a punch!" "You got that right…" Michiko muttered under her breath, when she noticed the Genin with the long tongue watching her every move. She felt uncomfortable, and crossed her arms, trying to block it. Anko handed out the forms, and Michiko was about to go sit in a tree to wait when she heard a familiar voice. "Michiko-chan?" she turned to see Temari, surprise in her eyes. "Temari-chan!" Michiko hugged the older girl, and pulled back, asking, "What about Kankurou-kun and Gaara-kun?" "Kankurou went to the bathroom, and Gaara…"
Temari's eyes softened. "Look, Michiko…he's not like you remember him…" Michiko gave her a confused look, but the Rookie 9 called her over, to break up Sakura and Ino. "I'm sorry…I've gotta go…I'll see you…" Temari nodded as the other girl went over to the bickering ones, and smacked them both upside the head, scolding them.
'She's an amazing girl…one moment, she can be the nicest person in the world, and the next she can be merciless and tough…I missed her…' with that last thought, Temari went to find her brothers, worried about what Gaara would do when him and Michiko met again…