Crimson Seal - 10
Ready? Set. Go!
"What's so important that we can't jump into training right away?" Kiba questioned, sitting directly on his haunches just like Akamaru right next to him. "I want to continue working on my new technique."
Hinata couldn't agree more. She would rather be training than sitting here in the grass, leaning against a tree, waiting for Kurenai to tell them what was up. As far as she could recall they hadn't taken up any missions for today, so she was unsure what else Kurenai could possibly have to talk to them about. Today was a designated training day after-all.
To her right Shino remained silent, his jacket pulled up to cover his mouth, the edge lying just below his nose.
Kurenai directed a frown at Kiba. "At the moment you have more important things than training. You have to make an important decision by tomorrow because," Kurenai paused briefly to grab something from her pockets. "I've nominated the three of you for the upcoming Chunin Exams."
Hinata blinked, sitting up straight rather than against the trunk of the tree.
The Chunin Exams? Itachi had mentioned them the last time she saw him; that he would be here during the exams. He had even asked if she would be participating, but she hadn't even thought of it until now.
Her fellow teammates and her hadn't even been genin for a full year and they were being nominated? She hadn't heard of that happening very often. It was a difficult exam from what she heard and the genin that entered periodically came out to have a long stay at the hospital before going back to their duties and training. Not to mention just how many entered the exam and how few were promoted to chunin. The chances of success were extremely low and there was plenty of other genin that were far more skilled than her.
What reason did she have for entering such a dangerous exam when she knew she wasn't ready for it? Her shoulders slumped as the excitement of being nominated left her as soon as it had come.
"What? Really?" Kiba evidently didn't have this problem. He had leaped to his feat seconds after hearing the news and was now rocking forward and back on his heels. If he had a tail it would likely be wagging at sixty kilometers an hour. "We get to participate in the Chunin Exams?" He practically yelled to the heavens. Akamaru barked in equal excitement, standing up on his back legs now much like a person.
"Yes." Kurenai said, opening her hands a moment later for three slips of paper to be visible. "These are your applications. To take part in the Chunin Exams you'll need to sign these papers and turn them in at room 301 by four tomorrow."
Kiba's eyes just seemed to widen as he jumped forward to take one of the applications, rooting through his pockets for a second and then looking back to their squad leader. "Sensei, do you have a pen on you?"
Kurenai let out a loud laugh at this behavior, grinning at Kiba. "There's no need to rush it. You should seriously think this over before signing that paper. Besides, I thought you wanted to practice that new technique of yours today?"
"No way! I got to sign this before I can even think of my new jutsu!" Kiba exclaimed, glancing around as if a pen would magically appear out of thin air so he could sign the paper. He let out a loud, "I'll be right back!" A second later before running off back to the village to retrieve a writing utensil.
"Well then: Shino, Hinata, you got the rest of today to decide if you're entering the exams or not." Kurenai extended her hand that held the remaining applications.
Shino was the first to get up and retrieve one, moving into the clearing to probably look over just what it exactly entailed.
Hinata got up slowly from the ground, approaching after a few seconds to take the last application. Even though it was just a sheet of paper she felt intimidated by it. "Hinata?" She glanced up quickly to look at Kurenai. "No matter if you decide to enter or not, you're doing great."
A flush crawled up her cheeks at the praise. "T-thanks," she muttered.
Kurenai's smile faltered for a second, probably because her voice had come out so soft just then. Her father and most everyone she met seemed to hate it. "Just think about it. There's no need to make a commitment right now," with those words Kurenai turned and left the clearing, heading back to the village.
Hinata just gave a small nod of her head as she glanced down at the application.
By signing this you are agreeing that we are not liable for any broken bones, disfigurements, loss of limbs, or fatal injuries that may or may not lead to death.
She gulped down a breath of air, fast and hard. Death? Had Kiba already signed this without looking at the words?
Who was she kidding? Of course he had. Even so he would have signed regardless if he had read the application or not because he wanted to advance quickly and Kurenai had nominated them for the exams. So she had to believe they were capable of advancing to chunin status this early on.
Hinata bit at her lip. Was she really that capable though? She knew she had made progress through out their training, but the lack of missions she had completed still kept coming back to her. Shino and Kiba were the capable ones, not her.
She glanced over to Shino who currently sat in the grass, a butterfly perched on either shoulder. There were probably more bugs crawling in the grass around him as well. She had to wonder if they were encouraging him to sign the application and take it to that room tomorrow. He certainly did have a good support group whenever he needed it. Her father hadn't even spoken to her for months.
After a second of clutching the application to her chest she walked over to sit in the grass a foot away from him. "S-say, Shino? Are you go-going to participate in the e-exams?"
"Yeah," he replied after a second. His gaze raised from the application to meet her own then. "How did you know that man?"
She blinked. Man? What man? There was no one else around and she couldn't recall anyone that had stood out on her way here this morning. "Uh... who are you specifically ask-asking about?
"The man from the cafe. How did you know him?"
The... cafe? Oh. "I-I didn't kn-know him," Hinata said quickly, letting the application fall into her lap as she raised her hands to try and wave off any suspicions he might have. "I just w-went into that c-cafe and s-sat with him because the t-table was a-availab-ble."
"It was the only table available when you entered?"
"Y-yes," she answered; wondering just what else she could say so he would drop the subject.
"But you asked when you could see him again, so you must have known him somehow." Shino paused for a second, eyebrows furrowing. "He mentioned seeing you at the Exams which is in a few days and he was using a genjutsu so he wouldn't be recognized. That's correct, isn't it?"
She could feel her fingers twitch, curling around the application in her lap. He had assured her no one would know that, that... Wait. Shino had asked her how she knew him. He wasn't accusing her of collaborating with an enemy or what-not. So he had noticed the genjutsu but not the man beneath? Her shoulders dropped before she could stop them; a soft sigh slipping from her lips. "Don't tell anyone. Please, Shino."
The seconds ticked by and she didn't dare look at him in case of what she might see. Contempt? The same sort of anger she always saw in her father's eyes? A misplace of trust? She really didn't want to know what was running through his head after that little interrogation; she just wanted to make sure he wouldn't mention it to anyone else. They wouldn't understand. Her father likely wouldn't even care.
"There's nothing to tell."
"Uh," Hinata blinked, looking up at Shino from beneath her eyelashes, a sniff escaping her. She threw herself forward a moment after, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you."
Shino had stiffened for a moment at the close contact, but then she felt a hand on her back, patting gently. "I'm your friend, Hinata. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, no matter how small."
Those words had resonated in her mind for the rest of the day as she trained relentlessly in that clearing, not really sure what she was doing it for. Herself? The Exams? She couldn't tell. Hinata had simply trained alongside Shino until Kiba came bounding back and jumping in alongside them with his new jutsu.
When all the training was done she had said her quick good-byes, walking back to the Hinata compound with the application once again clung to her chest. It had been sent to the back of her mind until now. She needed to make her decision tonight though.
No one had mentioned the paper she held when she entered the compound, excusing herself from dinner before it had even begun. It's not like she was welcomed there anyway. They probably wouldn't have even noticed she was missing if she hadn't mentioned her intent. Somehow she was sure they never missed her presence.
Hinata sat on her mattress, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall once she was back in this place. Hell. It had to be. How else could one describe this feeling? Like the walls themselves resonated hate around her, shoving her out every morning and making her as slow as a snail when she tried to come back.
No one here cared about her. Whether she chose to participate in the exams or not they wouldn't take an interest. It was only Hanabi they were interested in. She almost wished she had a third sister or brother, younger than Hanabi that could take the heiress title from her so she would know what she was feeling right now. Almost. She couldn't actually wish such pain on anyone, much less her younger sister. It was her father and grandpa that ignored her the most afterall, glaring at her constantly. As if to say she wasn't good enough for anything. As if-
Hinata stifled a sob, bringing her hands up quickly to cover her mouth. She didn't want them to hear her, to know that she was crying because of them. They were probably happy about it. The only thing about her that brought a single fuzzy feeling to them was her pain. It had to be.
She wiped at the corners of her eyes to stop the tears. Itachi cared though. She wasn't sure why, but he must with the way he kept showing up. He had saved her from the ninja once because... well, he said it was because it had been his duty at the time when he was a member of the village. Though she doubted it. Why else would he appear again in her life years later? Why did he appear to have an interest in her? Telling her all those things...
"You're cute, Hinata."
"How is your father? Is he treating you well?"
"Be safe, okay?"
He had to care. The only one that did that wasn't in her squad. He said he would be there for the Exams, for her.
Hinata picked up a pen from her nightstand and signed the application, tucking it under the covers with her as she slept.
When she awoke the next morning she dressed swiftly, marching down the hallway and into the open courtyard where she could see her father already training with Hanabi. Her grandpa wasn't too far away, sitting on a bench, but she could care less about him or what he thought of her. There was only one person she wanted to speak to before she met with her squad.
Hinata stepped off the wood boards and onto the dark gravel. She could practically feel their eyes turn to her - all of them - as she walked forward, only stopping when she stood in front of her father and Hanabi. She forced herself to raise her chin and look past her younger sister until her eyes met with her father's.
"I'm entering the Chunin Exams."
With her message conveyed she stepped past them and to the gates. Of course he didn't say anything back. Why would he? Her father was busy with Hanabi; as always.
She made her way along the roads and to the school, only stopping when she saw Shino and Kiba already standing near the front doors, waiting for her.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. They believed in her. Then that's all she needed; them, Kurenai, and Itachi. She didn't need her family who could of cared less that she was entering into such a dangerous competition. Her father hadn't tried to stop her. No 'wait' was spoken, just silence.
With that in mind she hurried forward towards the two of them. "S-sorry I'm late."
"Late?" Kiba laughed. "We got till four. Come on."
With a smile she followed them inside. Hinata paused halfway down the hall as a sharp sting in her abdomen reminded her that she still hadn't eaten anything yet and she popped a few coins into a machine, digging out the two snack foods shortly after. Kiba got something from another machine after commenting that it would still be roughly an hour before the exams started and he didn't want to get hungry when they began.
The rest of the walk was relatively silent besides her own chewing of a bar. A commotion could be heard down the hall though after they ascended the first pair of stairs.
"Hey! You have to let us in!"
Laughter followed. "Do we? If you can't pass us maybe you shouldn't be taking the exams, did you ever think of that? You damn shrimps." Her gaze settled on two male ninjas standing in front of a room marked as 301.
"I'm not a shrimp!" The younger ninja shouted back, rushing at them only to hit the far wall a second later.
"No?" One of the ninja cracked his knuckles. "You wouldn't get very far in the exams, shrimp. Ninja have died trying to complete it and those that haven't? Most quit their pathetic attempt to be a shinobi after failing once."
"That's inaccurate," Shino spoke from her left, pushing up the bridge of his glasses. "They usually quit after their third loss. Out of curiosity, how many times have you failed?"
The other male ninja grinned at Shino. "This will be our forth."
"Persistent," Shino muttered, glancing to the room number above.
"Then that makes you more pathetic than a shrimp!" The young ninja snapped, already getting back to his feet. "Now let us in!"
There was movement to her right and then she could see Kiba in front of her and Shino, standing between the once again charging ninja and the two guarding the door. He sent the one stumbling back and tripping their own feet before turning to the two males and shoving them up against the door. "Stop wasting everyone's time and stay out of the way," Kiba snarled at them. "If you're going to guard a door make sure it's the right one so then next time I can kick your ass." Akamaru echoed the statement by growling at the two from atop Kiba's head.
They only raised their hands though, chuckling. "See through it did you?"
Kiba only let out a huff before letting them go and continuing down the hall. She could already see Shino begin walking as well, but after seeing those two taunt some of the other ninja she had to step toward them. "Umm, y-your genjutsu is fai-fairly noticeable e-even without the byakugan-n." She turned quickly from them and ran the few steps it took to be back with her squad. Kiba threw a grin over his shoulder at her before turning back to face the stairs that would take them to the third floor and - consequently - the actual exam room.
Which happened to be quite packed.
Hinata stared for a moment at the room after entering. There had to be at least a hundred ninja packed in here. Perhaps more. She would be competing against all of these ninja. How on earth-
A hand gripped her arm, leading her away from the entrance and to the corner of the room to her right. The moment it let go she fell back onto the wall and slipped down the cold stone. How could she have entered this exam? Would her father even blink if she happened to die during the exams?
"Hinata?" She glanced up to see Kiba looking down at her, Shino standing off to his side. "Is something wrong?" She looked to the wall quickly, which only seemed to strengthen his resolve. "Is it your father?"
She blinked, staring at the cracks in the stone, spreading across the wall like a spiderweb. Did he plan for her to get caught in one? Like the exam? So she wouldn't continue being a ninja, so... She shook her head quickly. No. It could never come to that, could it? He couldn't hate her that much. "I told him I was entering the Chunin Exams."
"What did he say?"
Her gaze lowered to the floor. "Nothing," she muttered.
She could hear Kiba let out a snort from above but said nothing of it. There wasn't anything to say. She just wanted the exams to start right now. Before she convinced herself not to go forward with it even after signing the application. The same one she had turned in moments ago to a chunin standing at the door. If she ran now her friends wouldn't be able to compete. She needed to stay so she wouldn't disappoint them like her father. So-
"It's okay."
Itachi. Why wasn't here now? Couldn't he disguise himself again and come to her? He said he would see her at the Exams, but maybe it was too early. Only a small part of the exams were open to the public. Perhaps he would be here then. Though she wished he was here now. Even if he ended up laughing once more when her cheeks became a dark red. To feel his lips on her brow once more, washing away all memories of her clan that she wished to forget.
A phantom set of lips brushed across her forehead then, fingers parting the hair around the area...
A gasp escaped her as her eyes snapped open. Had she... she had fallen asleep! There was a bark of laughter near her and she raised her head to see Kiba grinning at her. "Didn't get enough sleep last night, Hinata?"
Her face flushed near instantly. She would have spoken if not for the sudden loud explosion at the front of the room.
She turned quickly, pushing herself up along the wall to stand up and see a bunch of new occupants in the room dressed in standard chunin gear. Two of which had been guarding that door on the lower floor... Had that genjutsu been a test? "Quiet down!" A man, taller than the rest and dressed in darker attire shouted. "Thanks for waiting. I am Morino Ibiki, the examiner for the Chunin Selection Exam's first test. If you're not already aware there will be no fighting without the permission of the examiner." Ibiki glanced around the room, his eyes landing on a few ninja that she could only guess looked troublesome in this aspect. "Even if permission is granted, killing your opponent will not be tolerated. Those pigs that disobey me will be failed immediately. Do I make myself clear?"
The following total silence of the room was answer enough.
"We will now start the first test in the Chunin Exam. Instead of your current seating arrangements you will pick one of these tabs and sit in the seat assigned to you. We will then hand out the exams."
Somewhere she could hear Naruto's familiar shout, "What? A paper test?"
"Man," Kiba muttered to her right. "He hasn't shut up since he got here."
A small laugh escaped her before she waiting to receive one of these tabs, taking a seat toward the front and looking down at a test paper with the back facing up. It was just a paper test; how hard could it be? This was certainly better than jumping into a fight anyway. She would rather the next few tests be like this as well, but she knew that wouldn't be happening. They would need to show their ninja skills as well, not just their intellect.
"Do not turn your tests over. Listen closely to what I'm about to say." She raised her gaze from the paper to look at Ibiki. "There are many important rules to this first test. I'll write it on the board while I explain, but questions will not be allowed, so listen carefully." Ibiki began writing as he spoke, "The first rule, you guys will all start off with ten points. The test is made up of ten questions and each one is worth a point but... This test uses a subtraction system. Basically if you answer all the questions correctly, you keep your ten points. But say if you miss three questions; you will lose three points and will have seven.
"The second rule: this is a team test. Whether pass or not will be determined by the combined score of your teammates. So, each team will compete to see how many points they can hold on to from the initial team total of thirty-"
"Wait a second!" Hinata glanced over her shoulder to see Sakura sitting up with a hand in the air. "I don't understand this initial points system either, but why is it a team test?"
"Shut up," Ibiki snapped and her gaze moved back to him. "You don't have the right to question me. There is a reason for this, be quiet and listen. Okay, and now the most important rule. The third rule is that during the exam anyone caught by the testing officers doing sneaky activities, namely cheating will have two points subtracted for every offense." He grinned. "So there will be some who will lose all their points during the exam and be asked to leave."
"We'll have our eyes on you guys," she recognized the voice as one of those men from the second floor. He was now one of these examiners keeping an eye on everyone? Were all the examiners so mean?
"Realize that the pathetic ones that get caught cheating will be destroying themselves. As shinobis trying to achieve the level of chunin, be proud ninjas. And the final rule, those that lose all their initial points during the test and those that don't answer any questions correctly... Will be failed along with their two teammates."
Hinata blinked until the reason dawned on her. The chunin at the door had said they wouldn't be able proceed to the exams if even one member of their squad was absent. Plus he had mentioned this being a team test and it likely wasn't the only one if they were going to continue to weed out full teams for one member's mistake. The next test at the very least had to include the full squad as well.
"The exam will last for one hour. Begin!" At Ibiki's command she turned over the paper in front of her, taking the pencil in hand a moment later.
The first question... It was a cryptogram.
She smiled at seeing this. These really weren't that hard; all she need to do was recognize the pattern presented by the words on the paper and replace them with their actual words to find the message hidden within. Simple.
Her pencil scribbled quickly on the paper, taking the hint from the question to find the code she needed to use for this variation of the substitution cipher.
Okay, next question then. 'Line B, seen in the picture, is the greatest possible distance a shinobi can throw his shuriken from a tree of seven meters. For enemies who appear within the circumference of the shuriken's range, explain the attack options using this distance. Show your work.'
She already knew she didn't have the field experience for the question, but was it really necessary anyway? It was a mathematical question really when one got down to it. Technique on the field would help, but she just needed to focus on one option at a time and go through each of them to make sure she got them all.
Hinata continued looking over the questions, answering them as best she could even as she heard an occasional kunai sink into one of the desks.
"You messed up five times. You fail." It was that same man again. He certainly seemed to get a kick out of doing his job. "The two on his team, get out of here. Right now. Hurry up."
She shook her head quickly to get the words just spoken out of her mind and focused back on question six. More kunai were carving the wood as the hour dragged on, more pairs of footsteps following the sound moments later; followed by curses from the ninja that were being told to leave.
"Number twenty three, you fail."
"Number forty one, leave now."
"Fifty seven, get out."
It went on and on as her pencil scratched along the paper. Surely the hour was up by now, she wondered; gaze falling onto the last question. Number ten. She set her pencil down, waiting for it to come. Hinata was sure she could get this one right as well.
"Okay. We will now start the tenth question." She gripped her pencil once again, wondering what it could possibly be. "Now, before we get to it I would like to go over the added rules for this question." Her grip tightened on the pencil. Added rules? "Heh. Nice timing." She glanced over her shoulder at one of the ninja that had just come back through the door. "Was your doll playing beneficial?" Doll? Was that... She activated her byakugan for a second. Yes, the examiner that came in with the genin was a doll.
She turned quickly to face the front again as Ibiki began speaking once more, "I'll now explain. These are the rules of desperation; first for this tenth question you must decide whether you will take it or not."
"Choose?" A shout came from one of the middle right rows. "What happens if we choose not to?" From the headband around the girl's neck she was a part of the Sand Village.
"If you choose not to, your points will be reduced to zero. You fail! Along with your two teammates."
A barrage of exclamations came from all around the room,
"What does that mean?"
"Then of course we will decide to take the question!"
"And now," Ibiki said without skipping a beat, as if no one had ever spoken out against the rules. "The other rule. If you choose to take it and answer incorrectly; that person will lose the right to take the chunin selection exam again."
"What kind of stupid rule is that?" She could hear Kiba explode from somewhere within the room. "There are guys here who have taken the exam before!"
She glanced to the examiner. He was right, the exam had been taken before by numerous ninja here. How could a rule like that exist if they were here? It made no sense.
"You guys were unlucky. This year it's my rules." She blinked. Was this guy a sadist? "But I am giving you a way out. Those that aren't confident can choose not to take it and try again next year." Ibiki paused for a moment, grinning out at the ninja that remained. He had to be a sadist. "Now let's begin. The tenth question. Those that do not wish to take it, raise your hand. Once your number is confirmed, leave."
Hinata bit on her lip, but otherwise didn't move. She could do this. How much more difficult could the question be than the first nine anyway? She had answered those. This one should be no problem.
"I won't take it!" She could hear a shout, but didn't turn to look at the ninja. Instead she kept her gaze on Ibiki, certain neither of her teammates would raise their hands. No, she knew they wouldn't. Kiba was to stubborn even if he thought he might get it wrong he would still proceed forward. Shino on the other hand, she couldn't imagine him giving in to this examiner that seemed to want all of them to fail.
More announcements like it followed quickly as more ninja filed out of the room with their heads down; either from raising their hand and asking to leave themselves or from their teammates doing so.
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME! I WILL NOT RUN!" Naruto's shout filled the room, nearly causing her ears to pop. "I'll take it! Even if I'm a genin forever! I'll will myself to becoming Hokage anyway, so I don't care! I am not afraid!"
"Christ," even with all the yelling she could clearly hear Kiba's mutter from just a few rows behind her. She giggled softly. It would seam none of the rookie ninjas were leaving the exam on the first test.
"I'll ask you again. Your life is riding on this decision. This is your last chance to quit." Ibiki persisted once more.
"I follow my unbending words. That's my ninja way." Naruto seemed to be just as stubborn as her teammate.
"Good decisions." Ibiki turned his gaze to all of the remaining ninja then. "Now to everyone still remaining... I congratulate you on passing the first test!"
Hinata froze, the pencil slipping from her fingers to clatter on the desk below. Pass? She passed?
"Wait. What do you mean?" Sakura was speaking up again. "We already pass? What about the tenth question?"
"There never was such a thing." Ibiki was now grinning, a friendly grin to... How unsettling could one person be? "Or you could say that those two choices were the tenth question."
"Hey!" It was that ninja from the Sand Village again. "Then what were the first nine questions for? They were pointless then!"
"They were not pointless. They had already served their intended purpose." Intended purpose? Was the goal not to just simply answer the questions on the sheet of paper? "To test your individual information gathering ability; that purpose."
"Information gathering?"
"First, as the rules explained success on this test is based on the whole team doing well. This put pressure on each member not to mess things up for their teammates. But the questions on this test were not the types a mere genin could answer. Because of that, I'm sure most you here came to the same conclusion. That to score points; 'I'll have to cheat.' Basically the premise of this test is to cheat. As cheating targets, we had two or so chunins who knew all the answers mixed into the crowd, to help you guys out."
"Man, it sure was tough finding that guy."
"Yeah, I know." The two ninja that she suspected were on the same team laughed at their observations.
"But those that cheat poorly... Fail, of course." Ibiki pulled his headband from his head then and she stared at what was underneath: burns, screw holes, scars... This man had been caught by enemies and tortured before. "Because at times, information is more important than life. And on missions and the battlefield, people risk their lives to get their hands on it." Ibiki pulled his head band back on, back to that disturbingly friendly grin. "If the enemy or third party notices you there is no guarantee the info will be accurate. I want you to remember this. Important information in your hands can be a powerful weapon for your comrades and for the village. So we had you gather information through cheating. This clearly separated those that did not have the right abilities."
"But... I don't understand the final question," the sand ninja said.
"Well, question ten is the true purpose of this test."
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.
"Let me explain. The tenth question. The 'take it' or 'not take it' decision. Obviously these were painful choices. Those who choose the latter fail along with their teammates. Those who choose to take it... could loose the chance to take the test again. A true leap of faith. Now about these two choices, say you guys become chunins. Your mission is to steal a secret document. The amount of ninjas, their abilities, etc. is unknown to you. And of course there could be traps set all around you. Now do you accept, or not accept? Because you don't want to die... Because you don't want your comrades hurt... Can you avoid this dangerous mission?
"The answer is no! No matter what the danger there are missions you can't avoid. The ability to be courageous and survive any hardship... This is the ability needed to become a Chunin Captain. Those who can't put their destinies on the line, who cling to the uncertain future of 'there's always next year' and then walk away from their chance... Those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices don't have the right to become Chunin! That's how I feel!
"Those who chose to take it answered the tough tenth question correctly. You will be able to survive any troubles you face in the future. You made it through the entrance. The first test of the Chunin Selection Exam is now finished. I wish you guys luck."
"Hell yeah! Wish us luck!" Naruto yelled.
Her lips were tugging up into a grin when the window was shattered to her left. A woman now stood in the room, not dressed like a genin or chunin. Was she another jounin?
"You guys! This is no time to be celebrating! I am the examiner for the second test! Mitarashi Anko! Now let's go! Follow me!" Were all the examiners this intense?
"Bad timing," Ibiki spoke from behind the large poster Anko had thrown up when she entered the room.
"Seventy eight? Ibiki! You left twenty six teams? The test was too easy this time!"
Ibiki had just stepped out from behind the poster. "This time there are a lot of outstanding ones."
"Bah," Anko turned from him, looking out at the genin. "That's fine. I'll at least cut them in half with the second test." In half? So only thirteen teams would be left? If that by the way Anko was looking over the genin like a wolf looked at a juicy rabbit. "Ahhh, I'm getting excited. I'll explain everything once we've changed places. Follow me."
Anko escorted them out of room 301, through the village, to a large gate with multiple metal signs plastered across the metal web very clearly stating,
Danger! Stay out!
Anko turned to them before she could really even think over all the danger signs. "Welcome to the stage for the second test, practice area forty four. Also known as, The Forest of Death! Which you'll soon find out for yourselves; the reason it is called the, Forest of Death." She could could only describe Anko's grin as evil. "Before we start the second test there's something I have to pass out." She brought out a pile of papers from a pocket in her jacket. "You must sign these agreement forms. There will be death in this one and if I don't have you sign these it will all be my responsibility, hehe."
So unlike the original applications fatal injuries were guaranteed here? That could very possibly lead to death. Hinata glanced to Shino and Kiba, but neither looked particularly worried over this announcement.
"I'm going to explain the second test, then you can sign it afterwards. And then each team will check in at that booth behind me." Anko walked around at the front of the group handing out a few stacks of the papers at a time for the genin to disperse among themselves. "Simply put, for this test you will attempt the ultimate survival. First I'll explain the area in which it will take place." Hinata took one of the forms as Anko brought out a map from her jacket next. "Around practice area number forty four are forty four locked gates. Inside is a forest, river, and a tower at the center. The distance from the gates to the tower is about ten kilometers.
"During the survival in here, you will be asked to complete a certain task. Using your many weapons and jutsu, you will compete in a no rules scroll battle."
"Scroll?" a genin asked.
"Yes," Anko confirmed. "You will fight over these two scrolls," she said while pulling them out, once again from her pockets. "The Heaven and Earth scrolls. There are seventy eight people here, meaning twenty six teams. Half, thirteen, will get the Heaven other half will each get the Earth scroll. To pass this test your team must make it to the tower with both scrolls. But there's a time limit. This second test will last a hundred twenty hours. Exactly five days."
"Five days?" Ino shouted from within the crowd.
"What about dinner?" Choji asked.
This only received a sadistic looking grin from Anko. "You're on your own. The forest is full of food. Just watch out for man-eating beasts, poisonous insects," Well, that was one thing she wouldn't have to worry about herself. Not with Shino around. "Poisonous plants, and thirteen teams passing is not likely. As the days go on, the distance to the goal will became farther, and the time to rest will become shorter. And the area is crawling with enemies. You won't get much sleep. So not only will some fail by losing the scroll... but some will die from the harshness of the course.
"Now I'll talk about what will disqualify you. First," Anko held up a single finger at this word. "Those that don't make it to the tower, with both scrolls, within the time limit. Second," Another finger was put up. "Those who lose a teammate or those who have a teammate killed. As a rule, there is no quitting in the middle, you will be in the forest for five days. And one more rule, you must not look inside the scroll until you make it to the tower."
"What happens if you do?" Naruto asked.
"That will be a surprise for anyone who does. A chunin will be asked to handle classified information. This is to test your trustworthiness. That is it for the explanations. Exchange the three forms for your scroll. Then choose a gate to get ready for the start. A final word of advice; don't die."
"Yahoo! Survival is our specialty. Right, Hinata?"
"Y-yes," she murmured, not quite expecting the sudden exclamation from Kiba.
"Just try to keep a level head," Shino said, looking pointedly at Kiba.
"My head is level!" Kiba snapped, causing Hinata to giggle at her teammates antics.
She signed her own form with them before going to the booth to retrieve a scroll and obtain a gate number for their starting point. At first Kiba insisted on keeping the scroll but after a rather quick 'debate' Shino had grabbed the scroll and tucked it into his own coat, ending the issue.
Once all the teams had their scrolls Anko appeared in front of the genin. "Everyone, follow an instructor and go to your gates! We will start in thirty minutes!" So they made their way to their marked gate, taking up nearly all the time given to get there. "The second test of the Chunin Exam begins now!"
The moment the gates opened Hinata sprung forward with the rest of her team. Kiba came to a halt after only going a few minutes into the Forest of Death. "Hey, Shino aren't those..." he trailed off pointing in the direction that he saw the slug-like creatures.
"Yes," Shino confirmed for him.
Kiba grinned wickedly. "I got an idea."
They didn't have to wait for very long before Hinata could see a team drawing near with her byakugan. She deactivated the ability quickly. "They're coming from the east."
Kiba chuckled softly from his perch on a stone. "This is to easy." He got up though and headed over to Hinata. Shino joined them shortly after directing his friends to the appropriate location. "So basically everyone is headed to the tower, right?" Kiba asked, a bit louder than what an indoor voice would call for. Even so she went along with the act and gave a swift nod of her head. "Then setting traps near there would be best-" Kiba turned his head quickly, glancing around. "Hey, already," his voice lowered a tad; to something more dangerous. "Where are they?"
Hinata pushed her fingers together in her usual nervous habit, as if not being able to locate the ninja she sensed was troubling her. As if she couldn't sense them.
"AHHHHH!"
The sudden scream coming from the east didn't surprise her enough to even make her jump. Hinata turned in the direction, watching as the group of genin fell from the trees and down below into the sticky net.
"Damn it." One was trying to stand up as her team moved across the forest floor towards them.
"Huh?" Another had just pulled up with their wrist and they all were suddenly hanging in the air, encased in the net when the trap feature was activated by the small movement. "Uwaa!"
Kiba grinned up at them. "Leaf Village Jumping Leaches will sense life forms and attack in a group. Five minutes of sucking and you'll be in the next world." He stepped forward to grab their discarded scroll. The same exact one they needed before heading to the tower. "One down!"
"One?" Shino questioned, brow raised.
"K-kiba," Hinata took a step toward her teammate, wondering if Anko's blood-lust had rubbed off on him somehow. "We have the scroll we need. Can't we j-just head to the t-tower now?"
"Huh?" Kiba glanced from her and then Shino a few times before settling on the other male teammate. "Why?"
"Hinata's right. There's no reason to engage any other of the teams now that we have that scroll. We've completed the mission and should continue to the tower."
"But the more scrolls we take the less teams that will be there, right? Don't you want to knock out some more of the competition?" Kiba questioned, glancing between the two of them once more. "That's not a bad idea tactically, is it?"
She found herself pressing her fingers together again. "Going out and finding trouble is different," Hinata muttered, glancing to Shino to see if he would back her up or not. This was a dangerous test and the stakes were only raised higher with the other genin having permission to kill as well.
"If we were to find a team on our way to the tower and scoped them out so we would know if we could win or not; that would be fine." Shino turned and began walking in the direction of the tower then.
"Yeah!" Kiba yelled, while Akamaru let out a howl from within his jacket. He took off running a second later and Hinata quickly followed, activating her byakugan. It was going to be instrumental in finding those teams they could take on since Kiba wanted to fight so badly, and besides, this way no one could surprise them either. Not completely that is. They would have time to prepare for an attack.
She could sense Shino running after them now, sticking to the back of the group while Kiba had taken the lead, leaving Hinata in the middle of the pack.
They continued like that for awhile, Hinata being careful not to mention any powerful ninja. She didn't want Kiba getting the idea of starting a fight with them just to prove he could knock them down. Her focus was drawn to a group of genin just north west of their current position.
Two teams of genin fighting each other over the scrolls; it was unfortunate for them though that she could already see that they both had the same scroll. Their fight was a waste of time, but... "Kiba." She jumped forward to the branch he was on, sitting still.
"Huh?" Kiba stopped in his tracks, turning toward her. "What is it, Hinata?"
"Over there." She gave a nod in the direction she had seen them. "Two teams, the same scroll."
Kiba flashed a smile before he was off in the direction, Hinata following quickly behind as she explained the situation to Shino who had moved up next to her in the squad line. They all stopped in the trees, looking down at the six genin in a clearing below. "Let's go," Kiba said, fishing out a food pill to give Akamaru before launching himself down below.
Hinata followed after the initial surprised screams had passed and Kiba had come to a stop after unleashing his fang over fang jutsu on the genin. She activated her byakugan before her feet even touched the ground, spinning on her toe when she landed to face a genin that was now racing at her and struck them across the waist with her leg. The genin didn't go down though, moving in to strike at her.
She could hear Kiba laughing at that choice of attack when she caught the fist raised at her, snapping her fingers down to stop the flow of chakra to the hand an instant later. The genin's eyes widened just as her other hand hit him in the gut, switching off more chakra points as she did.
With the genin still stunned from the loss of chakra control she moved her hands back before exploding forward, jabbing continuously at the chakra points along the arms, sides, and stomach; staying away from anything too vital. She ended the strikes by laying both palms on his chest, sending him flying backward and into a tree.
She was gasping for air as she turned to see Kiba and Shino had dealt with the other five ninja. Kiba was standing triumphantly in the middle of the battlefield with the scrolls from each team, laughing with a big grin on his face. "Two more down! Let's move!"
They took off once again, not masking their path as they continued to the tower. Hinata didn't bother to look for other teams of genin though, she just kept her byakugan activated so they wouldn't be jumped like those other two teams.
When they reached the tower Hinata took a quick look around before entering the building with her squad. No one else seemed to be around, but she could sense one other team in the building. But if they were here and inside they probably already had the scrolls as well. Which would mean they had finished this mission second. When she told Kiba this he had practically begun bouncing from wall to ceiling.
"Yeah! Now... are we suppose to just leave this room?"
Hinata glanced around: the walls were moderately thick, the ceiling going to a second story, a door on the further end of the stairways above. She deactivated her byakugan though to look at the framed words on the wall.
"It's a message asking us to open the two scrolls," Shino said; he must have noticed the words before her.
"Really?" Kiba looked back to glance at Shino, grinning once again. "Open them!"
Shino sighed before retrieving the scrolls, laying them out on the ground before rolling them open at the same time. Smoke began to disperse into the air when they opened, swirling around the two scrolls. She took a step back as a form appeared in the smoke before the last tendrils of gray disappeared, leaving a ninja standing besides the two open scrolls.
Her eyes widened after a second. He was the same ninja that had been guarding the door, the first to send a genin from the first test. The man glanced over the three before looking at a clock on the opposite wall and then he grinned, "Congratulations, you pass the second test!"
"Yes!" Akamaru barked enthusiastically after Kiba's yell.
Hinata glanced at Kiba for a moment before turning to the chunin ninja. "Y-you're one of the e-examiners, aren't you-u?"
"Yeah. You three did a good job looking through that earlier genjutsu. I am here to explain the writing on the wall as well, apart from congratulating the second team to pass the second exam."
"Hmm? What does the writing on the wall say?" Kiba had stopped his little celebration to look at the framed words.
"It's the motto of the Chunin written by Hokage-sama. 'If you lack heaven, seek wisdom, be prepared.' Heaven refers to the mind while earth refers to the body. Basically it means if you're lacking one of those train hard to obtain both a sharp mind and body. If you have both you'll succeed in even the most dangerous of missions. As for the missing word, it represents a chunin. 'These rules will guide a person's extremes.' Anyway, even though you didn't take all of the first day... This five day test of survival was made to test the exam taker's basic abilities needed to become a chunin. Chunins are at the rank of military captain, you have the responsibility of guiding a team. Which knowledge, stamina, and inner wisdom are all needed to perform your duties. Now, since you finished early there are rooms further up the tower that you can use while you wait for the five days to end. Just because you finished the second test does not allow for you to leave the grounds at this time." Promptly afterwards he burst into smoke, leaving the room.
They spent the new few days in a room upstairs, training and getting ready for the next part of the exams. It went by quite slowly and a few times Kiba mentioned wishing they had stayed out in the field longer, but Shino would combat him with the fact they could have lost their own scrolls in that time-frame. That and he had made it impossible for two other teams to even complete the test as the two extra scrolls they obtained weren't put back out into the field, but were in the tower.
Hinata could only imagine that Anko had been thrilled at that news for it just being the first day. She only hoped the next test examiner wasn't like the last two. Though admittedly Anko was creepier than Ibiki.
She was quite happy with pretty much staying in the room they all shared for those days, though. It was much better than going home. A place she wasn't even sure deserved that name. She almost wished there was a way she wouldn't have to go back after the exam but that would never happen.
Of course she would go back. Of course none of her blood-relatives would say a word to her about the Chunin Exams whether she passed or failed. It would be amazing if she passed though. Then her father would have to acknowledge her existence. Like he used to.
Hinata was on the verge of sighing when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Shino. "The time is up for the second test. They want everyone on the bottom floor of the tower."
She gave a small nod of her head as she got up. "Okay."
The trip down was uneventful and silent. Kiba had gotten the message a bit earlier than them it would seem since he had been in the designated training room and had run down there instantly.
When Shino and her got there though Kiba quickly waved them over, looking more excited than ever about these exams. "Only fifteen people passed. That's just five teams. Plus all the rookies are here."
"It looks like everyone is assembled here now, sir." She heard Anko speaking before she saw her and the Hokage, along with the rest of the examiners.
"First off, for the second test, congratulations on passing!"
"Hokage-sama will now explain the third test. Listen carefully," Anko told the genin.
"For the coming third test... but before I explain that. There is something I would like you to know. It concerns the true reason for this exam." The Hokage paused for a moment, looking over all of them. "Why did we have all the allianced countries taking the exam together? 'To promote friendship among the countries. To raise the level of shinobi.' I don't want you to be confused about the true meaning. The exam is a replacement for war among the allied countries."
"What does that mean?" a girl, who she knew as Tenten asked.
"If you go back in time, the current allies were enemies who fought each other over who would rule. In order to prevent wasteful fighting, the stage that these countries chose for battle... That is the origins of this chunin selection exam."
"Isn't this thing for deciding who's a chunin?" Naruto asked, rather loudly.
"It is a fact that this exam decides which shinobis have what it takes to become a chunin. But on the other hand, this exam has another side to it. Where each country's shinobis risks their own life to protect their land's prestige."
"Prestige?" Sakura muttered.
"Watching this third exam will be leaders and influential individuals from many countries who make up the clients of the shinobi. And the leaders of the countries will also be there to watch each of your battles. If the strength of a country is clear, that country will receive more clients. And conversely, if seen as weak, they will lose clients. This will signal to potential enemy countries that 'our village has this much power.' So it will send a political message to the outsiders."
"Yeah, but why?" She glanced back to Kiba when he shouted up at the Hokage. "Why did we have to risk our lives in battle?"
For being just yelled at the Hokage was rather calm. "The strength of the country is the strength of the village. The strength of the village is the strength of the shinobi. And a true shinobi's strength is born only through life-risking battle. This exam is a place to see each country's strength and to show off your own strength. It only has meaning because lives are at risk. And that's why those that have come before you have fought in the Chunin Exam for this dream that is meaningful."
"But then why do you say stuff about it being for 'friendship?'" Tenten asked, taking a step forward.
"I said it in the beginning, I don't want you to confuse the purpose of this. By losing life and establishing balance. This is the shape of friendship in the world of shinobi. Before we begin the third test I will tell you one more thing. This is not just a test. This is a life-risking battle. With your dreams and your country's prestige on the line."
"I get it," she could hear Naruto say.
"I don't care what it is. Just hurry up and tell us what the life-risking battle entails." It was another of those Sand shinobi.
"Yes. I'd like to now explain the third test, but... actually-"
"I apologize, Hokage-sama." A shinobi had just appeared in front of him, bowing with his head down. "From here on, as the referee. Will you please allow me, Gekkou Hayate."
"By all means," the Hokage gave him permission to go ahead.
The man stood up then and turned to face them, letting out a cough as he did. "Hello everyone, I'm Hayate. Umm," He coughed again, masking it with a hand even though he looked sick. "Before the third test there's something I'd like you to do. Umm, it's a preliminary for the third test," he coughed again. There was no doubt about it this man was sick. Why was he here then, shouldn't he be getting better? Surely that was more important than being a test examiner. "To decide who gets to participate in the main event."
A few one the genin asked about the preliminary. In Shikamaru's case demanding to know what Hayate meant by saying such a thing. Sakura went a bit further, ""Why aren't all the people here allowed to participate in the next test?"
"Umm, because the first and second test may have been too easy this year. We have a bit too many people remaining. According to Chunin Exam rules, we must have a preliminary and reduce the number of participants for the third test. As Hokage-sama indicated earlier, there will be guests at the third test. So, the fights could take too long; we are limited in time. Umm... so anyway... those who are not feeling well; those who feel like quitting after these explanations, please come forward now. Since we will be starting the preliminary immediately."
"Right now?" Kiba yelled.
Hinata glanced at him. Even though it was sudden, such a choice would be more difficult for those that had just finished the second test, not them. They had had time to rest and train further without worry of survival. She didn't see what he was so upset about. That chunin examiner had probably asked them to stay in the tower exactly for this reason after all. In case there was too many genin that passed the second test.
"Oh, umm... I forgot to tell you that from now on it will be individual battling. You may raise your hand based on your own judgement."
She caught Kiba looking at her from the corner of her eye at this statement. One on one she could manage, she knew that. It's when those numbers escalated that worried her, but she knew he was more worried with who she might get paired against.
There was only fifteen people. Which meant there was a twelve percent chance that her match-up could be one of her teammates and she couldn't possibly fight them. If that happened she would need to forfeit herself before they did, because they wouldn't be able to fight her either and she wouldn't want to take this chance to become a chunin away from them.
Hinata forced a smile on her lips. "I'll be fine," she murmured, so low that only Kiba and Shino could hear her.
"If there's no one that wishes to quit then let us begin the preliminary," Hayate spoke with another cough. "This preliminary will consist of one on one fighting. You will basically fight as if in a real life confrontation. Since we have fifteen entrants one of the chunin examiners will step in to be one of your opponents. We will conduct eight matches and, umm... the winners will advance to the third test. There are basically no rules. The fight continues until one of you dies or is knocked out or admits defeat. Umm, if you don't want to die then quickly acknowledge your defeat. But when I decide that the winner has clearly been established. Umm, since we don't want to pointlessly increase the amount of corpses, I'll jump in and stop things. And the object that controls your destiny is..."
"Open it," she could hear Anko speaking into a microphone headset.
A panel on the far left slid open, revealing an electric scoreboard. "Is this... this electric scoreboard will show the match-ups for each battle. Now, this is sudden but let's announce the two names of the first fight."
The screen flared to life, letters rolling across it like one of those casino machines before they finally settled into place.
Temari vs Tenten
"Now, these two entrants come to the front." The sand ninja from before stepped forward, breaking off from her squad to go and stand in the middle of the room, a wide grin on her face. Tenten had a similar smirk as she walked up to stand opposite of Temari. "The two participants in the first fight are Tenten and Temari. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Tenten confirmed quickly, her fingers twitching in the absence of a weapon to hold.
"Hell yeah," Temari spoke with that permanent grin of hers. She seemed quite confident of herself.
"If the rest of you could please move to the floor above we will start the match shortly." Everyone moved off the floor designated for the battles, going left or right up the stairs and to the floor above to look down on the two that would be fighting. Hinata settled in next to Kurenai and her teammates, looking over the railing.
"Good luck, Tenten!" Rock Lee, one of her teammates shouted.
"Begin!" Hayate shouted before moving off the fighting grounds and to the viewing floor.
Tenten was already moving along the field, checking distance from the looks of things. Temari on the other hand just stood there, watching her opponent bounce around like a cat might look at a mouse. "Judging distance, are we? Take all the time you need."
Tenten stopped moving a moment after, looking at her from her new chosen position. "I'm gonna wipe that grin off your face." The words only made Temari's grin widen before Tenten started throwing her kunai and other various ninja equipment at her.
The implements quickly fell to the ground though just after Tenten threw them, Temari opening the fan she held and sending a blast of wind to blow them off course. "Is that it?"
"Not even close," Tenten replied with a grin, raising her fingers for the weapons to raise back up in the air with her movements, a string attached each of them to one of her fingers. It was almost like puppetry jutsu with the way she moved the weapons into striking range, but then Temari swung her fan again, causing them to nearly fall back onto the floor.
Tenten launched herself into the air then, moving her equipment up with her, arranging them to come at all sides before flinging them down towards Temari. Even from where she was Hinata could hear the sand ninja chuckle just before drawing her fan up once again and blasting all the weapons from the air with her wind jutsu; even knocking Tenten from the air.
Temari snapped her fan shut, slamming it onto the ground right below Tenten's falling body so her back hit the top of the fan with a loud slam. The floor beneath Tenten and the fan cracked from the force. "How boring," Temari gloated over Tenten's unconscious body.
"The first match... winner, Temari!"
Temari snickered just before flinding her fan forward, throwing Tenten off and into the air once more, heading towards the wall. Hinata blinked to see Rock Lee down below now, catching his teammate before she hit the wall.
"Nice catch," Temari sneered.
"What are you doing? Is that how you treat someone who gave her all in battle?" Rock Lee demanded to know.
"Shut up," Temari snapped. "Take that loser and get out of here." Lee was moving before anyone could stop him, rushing forward at Temari to have his kick blocked by her fan. "Just as I thought. You're also as pathetic as your appear to be."
"What did you just say?" Lee ground out.
"Lee, stop!" One of the squad leaders were now on the battle field, moving toward his pupil.
"Gai sensei..."
"Damn," Temari cursed with the interruption in what she probably though was a fun game. How could another ninja treat a fellow shinobi like that?
"Temari, get up here!" One of the other sand genin shouted down. "You've been declared the winner. Stop wasting time with that pathetic guy."
"What?" Lee was now looking to the shortest of the sand ninja.
"That's enough, Lee." Gai placed a hand on his pupil's shoulder before looking up at the sand ninja. "Sand Team, there's something I'd like to warn you about, if you don't mind. this kid is strong. You better prepare yourself."
"Picking a fight with the sand guys, I wouldn't want any part of them," Kiba commented beside her.
"They are all incredible," she had to agree. If a bit blood thirsty. If that's how the girl treated her opponents she didn't want to know what the guys did to theirs. She had to hope the odds would be in her favor then.
"Okay," Hayate let out a cough. "The next match-up, please."
Hyuuga . Hinata vs Hyuuga . Neji
She could feel her heart stop beating for a second, dropping down into a stomach. Maybe she should have been more specific on one other person she didn't want to face in the preliminaries.
"Hinata?" She glanced to Kiba. "You can always forfeit."
Forfeit? After coming this far? No. She wanted to show her father just how far she could get in the exams, especially in something that wasn't a team effort. He surely would put the fact that she had passed the first two to her teammates efforts rather than hers. That's just how he was, and she couldn't let him do that. She wouldn't be ignored or looked down on anymore. Not from a single person in her clan and Neji certainly never bothered to acknowledge her presence at the compound either. "I told you before, I'll be fine."
Hinata turned from her teammates and walked to the stairs, descending down them to the battlefield to stand opposite of Neji who had taken the fast way down; jumping off from the railing. "I thought I would be facing someone more worthy."
She felt her jaw clench at his words. "So did I." She could hear the teams from above chattering away, about the main and branch houses, the rivalry between those houses, but that's not what this was about. That had never bothered her because no one even seemed to recognize her as being a part of the main house. Neji was still refusing to even say her name.
Her fingers curled into fists and she blocked out the noise from above, centering her attention on her opponent, her cousin, Neji Hyuuga.
"Begin the match!" Hayate shouted the traditional words before retreating to the raised platform of the field.
"Before we begin the fight, I would like to say something. You don't make a good shinobi." Her gut twisted hard."You are too kind. You wish for harmony and avoid conflict. You agree with others, never resisting. And you have no confidence in your-self. I always feel your sense of inferiority; that's why I though it would be best for you to remain a genin. But the Chunin Exam can only be taken as a team of three. You couldn't turn down your teammate's request and unwillingly entered, this is reality. Am I wrong?"
She could feel her fingers twitch at her side. How dare he. To think she entered because her teammates forced her into it? They would never do that. To think she only entered so they could be in the Chunin Exams? He didn't even know her. They had hardly ever spoken before. And so what if she was too kind to be a shinobi? It was better than being bloodthirsty like all those others; wishing to hurt and maim, and kill. How dare he.
"You're wrong," she snapped, meeting his gaze. "I entered for myself." For him as well. Itachi. Whether she won this match or not was irrelevant. She just needed to do her best. Prove to everyone in her clan, everyone that didn't care that she wasn't a mat to be walked on. She would use this day to change their views of her; whatever they happened to be. That she was weak.
Neji let out a snort. "Right. The thought never even crossed your mind that you had to keep going for your teammates? You never even considered that you were doing this for someone else? Trying to prove yourself?" Hinata kept her jaw shut. She had thought about it and she hated him for seeing through her so easily. He didn't know her. These were all just lucky guesses. "Is silence your answer?"
She forced her jaw open. "Fine. I thought about it. I am going to prove myself. And I'm doing this for him, just as much as I'm doing it for myself."
Neji blinked, once. "Him?"
"That's none of your business."
His own eyes narrowed back at her. "I guess not." Then Neji was moving quickly toward her, byakugan activated.
She activated her own just before they clashed, feet moving beneath her to take up that familiar stance that he was now using, placing her palms outward. Hinata was quick to block an upward strike, moving down to block another and then bending back to dodge a blow to the chest. She would not lose to him.
Hinata turned swiftly to get her body to his side and began striking out as his arm, scowling as he blocked each of her attacks. Damn him. She sped up her attacks, adjusting her body as he faced her fully once again. Hinata twisted her upper body, palm skimming his shoulder. I can do this. She twisted her body again, maneuvering behind him and hitting toward his back to get her hand caught in his arm; but she only grinned as her other hand came around and hit him in the chest.
She felt an impact on her own chest in the same instant and coughed a moment later, a warm liquid dribbling from her mouth. "That's it? This all you have to prove?" Hinata pulled back with her other hand, intending to hit him in the chest again when grabbed the arm of her coat and tugged it down her arm.
Her eyes widened upon seeing the bruises along her flesh, right where her chakra points were for her arms. Damn it. "No..."
"Yes. I've been cutting off your chakra flow from the very beginning. Even if you can hit me you can't do any damage, and you didn't even notice."
Her eyes narrowed, teeth grinding together. No, this couldn't be happening. She promised she wouldn't go down without a fight. To not have even scratched him. She couldn't... she couldn't lose like this to him!
Hinata wrenched her arm from his grip as she tightened her other hand into a fist. Him? Cut off her chakra points? Yeah, right. She swung her fist forward to land on his jaw, concentrating on moving the rest of her chakra down. Hinata wasted no time to turn and bring her knee up into his gut, her leg glowing with the chakra she used to cut off his own opening points in the area.
He doubled over on the ground and she felt a second of pride when a spatter of red followed onto the tile when he coughed. Then she could feel his hand connect with her chest again and took a step back as she coughed violently, more blood dribbling up and over her own chin.
She could see him standing up again from the corner of her eye, his own narrowed at her. But when he took a step toward her a form appeared between him and her. "This match is over!" It was Hayate. Three other ninja had appeared, leaders of the squads from the Leaf village: Kakashi, Gai, and Kurenai were restraining Neji now. They were stopping him from dealing another strike to her heart.
Hinata let go of the breath she had been holding. Her fingers were poised over the open pocket on her hip, the tips grazing the edge of a kunai.
Her hand dropped from her side to hang by her thigh. She reached across with her other hand to grab at her arm, eyes still wide as she stood still.
"Neji, give it a rest. You gave me a warm promise not to lose your head over this main family stuff," Gai was saying, but even from here she could see Neji's scowl.
The way his eyes flickered to where her hand had just been. "Why do all the jounin have to jump in?"
She didn't have much time to think over such a selfish question when she felt her heart clench painfully in her chest and fell forward onto her hands and knees to cough up more blood onto the floor.
"Hinata!" she could hear various voices shout her name as her vision blurred. A hand on her arm, prompting her to lie back on the floor. Her eyes flickered open for a moment to see Kurenai kneeling beside her, Kiba and Shino standing on the other side of her body.
"Are you alright, Hinata?" Kiba asked, leaning over to look down at her.
She tried to answer but only managed another cough. Her chest hurt... She could feel a hand on it and her gaze flickered over to Kurenai before her eyes shut once more.
The voices seemed to float above her. "Medical team! What are you doing? Hurry!"
"At this rate she won't last ten minutes! Take her to the emergency medical room! Hurry! Move!"
"You two, focus on the preliminaries. I'll be going with Hinata."
"But..."
"Come on."
"Hang in there, Hinata."
...I'm wrapping my fingers in bandages. Hope you enjoyed the first two tests and the preliminaries.