Chapter 12

As the Academy came to view, I began to see crowds of people entering. "This is it," I said to my team. Everyone nodded, "We're suppose to go at 301" Tenten reminded us.

I nodded as my team and I enter and made our way to the third floor. I began observing all the people around us, a lot of people had turned up for the exam. Lee and Tenten

had explained to me that not only that the Hidden Leaf was taking part of the exam, but a lot more people from other nations as well. She had gone on in a lengthy

explanation how it helps our village coexist with the others but I had tuned out. We finally reached the floor and noticed a crowd of people. "What's going on?" wondered Lee,

trying to see the commotion. Two males, one with very spiky hair and the other wearing his headband as a bandana, I guessed both roughly around my age, blocked the

door that lead to 301. The crowd kept muttering about while the males kept smirking. "Umm, excuse me," I had managed to get a girl's attention, "What's happening?" She

had explained that the guys weren't letting anyone they see worthy enter the room. My face fell, "Thank you," I said as I rejoined my team and explained the situation. "Well

they're not stopping me" said Lee as he made his way up front to them. "Lee, don't be so rash!" called Tenten.

The two males averted their attention to Lee, "Please, let us through. I wish to take the exam" Lee stated.

"Well look at this, someone's got some guts here." said the spiky haired male staring down at Lee. I watch as Lee stood his ground, calmly looking back at them, "Please, let

us through." he repeated. The spiky haired male smirked, "Or what" he sent a quick punch to Lee's jaw, knocking him off his feet. Tenten went to his aide, I glared at the two

males, angered by their actions. Neji's arm suddenly came before me, "Calm yourself Kira" he said quietly to me, "This isn't your battle". I looked at Neji, my brow furrowed,

'How is it that he knows what I was going to do..' I thought as I glanced back to the males, when I noticed something.

'Something's not right here...' I noted, I couldn't explain it but something was out of the ordinary.

The spiky haired male chuckled, "You want to take on the Chunin exam with that skill" he mocked Lee. The other male smirked, "Maybe it's just best if you quit, you don't

know what you're getting yourselves into." The spiky haired male laughed, "Obviously, with no talent or skill"

"Please just let us through," reasoned Tenten as she approached them, but was sent back like Lee.

"That's mean" "How horrible" murmured the crowd

Neji still had his arm in front of me as a precaution, which I silently cursed at since I badly wanted to aide my teammates. "What was that? I couldn't hear you?" jeered the

spiky haired.

"Listen, we're just doing you a favor, it's our way of being nice," said the male in the bandana, "Many genin underestimate the harsh reality that the chunin exam has in

store, even to the extent of losing their lives." The spiky haired male nodded, "Yeah, we're just taking out the weak genin that are for sure failures. What's wrong with that?'

"Nothing's wrong with that" a voice call out.

I turned to see a boy stand out from the crowd, he had black hair and eyes and wore a high collared blue shirt, his teammates, a young blonde and a pink-haired girl,

followed behind him. The two males glanced at the new comer, "Another rookie," muttered the one in the bandana. "But you should remove this genjutsu and let me through,

I have business on the third floor." said the boy with a smirk. The males stood silent for a moment then grinned, "So you figured it out?" said the spiky haired one. He shook

his head, "No, Sakura was the first to notice this, she has a talent to recognizing them" I noticed the pink-haired girl looked up in surprise, then smiled, "Of course I was able

to see through this easy genjutsu. This isn't the third floor, we are on the second."

I looked at Neji, "Are we?" I said slightly confused. He activated his byakugan, and scanned around the area, "We are," he said as he deactivated.

The illusion then suddenly faded, revealing the second floor, 'wait..' I thought to myself, 'did I faintly recognize the jutsu? I did feel something odd about this floor...' I was

brought out of my thoughts when I saw spiky hair attacked the boy in the blue shirt, then saw Lee disappeared and blocked both oncoming attacks. Both looked really

surprised at Lee's sudden action and back off. Tenten, Neji and I were by his side now, "Lee, you were the one who said that didn't want to attract any unwanted attention."

Neji reminded him. "But..." said Lee as his eyes trailed off.

"Oh boy," said Tenten as she shook her head in disapproval

"Not again," muttered Neji as I saw his temple throbbed.

I observed, unsure of what they were talking about, I saw Lee, his face in a blush staring at the pink-haired girl, which I gathered her name was Sakura, he then walked up

to her.

"My name's Rock Lee," he introduced himself to the girl, "And you're name is Sakura right?"

She looked at him confused, as did I. He then strike the thumbs up sigh, "Please go out with me! I'll protect you til the day I die!" My eyes shot wide open, "What...?" I said

in utter surprise. Tenten shook her head again, "This isn't the first time this happened," she said as she saw my reaction. I turned back to see Sakura in a more surprise state

then I was as Lee kept smiling at her, "Definitely not." she had managed to finally get out of her mouth, "You are too intense!" I covered my mouth, to stifled a laugh, "Poor

Lee, shot down so quick." I turned to Neji, but his eyes where on the dark haired boy, he walked up to him, Tenten and I followed. "Hey, you there." called Neji, the boy

turned to him, "Your name."

The boy's face scowled, "When you ask someone's name, it's proper to give yours first" he stated. "Aren't you a rookie? How old are you?" Neji continued. The boy just

stared, "I don't have to answer you." Neji glared at him, "What..." he growled. Tenten smiled, "How cute." I rolled my eyes on the comment, but my attention caught by the

blonde on that team, he was suddenly in a depressed state like Lee. I walked behind him, his head still on the wall, "Always Sasuke...why him...what's so interesting about

him?" he moaned. I giggled, "Why so depressed? I said. He turned to me, I smiled at him, "What's your name?" I asked. "Naruto Uzumaki." he said with a sudden blush, I

patted his shoulder, "No need to look down Naruto, I think you're interesting." I reassured him. He looked surprised, "You heard me?" he said sheepishly, but at least not so

depressed, I grinned at him, "A little, but good luck. Oh, my name is Kira." I said, suddenly remembered I didn't introduce myself, "Later." I then returned to my team. I was

by Neji's side when I turn to see Naruto and his team making their way to the third floor. "Having fun?" Neji said to me, when I watched them leave. I eyed him, "Someone's

in a foul mood." I said as he looked away. Tenten giggled, "He's mad that that cute rookie refused him" I glanced at Neji, he seemed to be fuming, "No worries," I smiled at

him as he eyed me, "The black haired one, his name is Sasuke." Neji's mood seemed to get better when I gave the news, "How did you find out?" said Tenten. "I was talking

to the blonde one, Naruto, he was mumbling his name before I talked to him." I said, glad that I was useful. "Thank you Kira," said Neji, a faint smile on his face before his

face returned neutral. I felt my face flushed up, secretly proud of myself, "You're welcome." Tenten smiled, "Did he interest you?" she teased, Neji simply just walked ahead,

she shrugged "Guess not." she said as she follow. I began to walk but turned to Lee, "Lee? Are you coming?" I asked. Lee, who seemed to have a serious face, shook his

head, "You guys go on without me, I want to check something out." he said and turned on his heel. "Wonder what's up" mused Tenten. Neji sighed, "Like I should know" with

that, they continued their way. I stared at Lee, wondering what was going on, but turned to follow my team.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, my mind wandering back to Lee, I trusted my teammate, but I knew something was bugging him. I stopped, "I'm going to check on

Lee." I said. Neji and Tenten turned to me, "Do you think something is wrong?" asked Tenten. I shook my head, "No, I believe he's fine, but I'm still going" I said to them,

"We'll meet you back here in the room" with that I left.

I sprinted down the back to the around the third floor, I had a faint idea where he could be, and I also had the faint idea why he was there. 'I'm just worried for no reason' I

told myself, 'Nothing's wrong, maybe I'm just being nosy..' I heard a faint scream, it sounded close, 'That sounded...sounded like Sakura?' I went to the sound and heard it a

second time, 'Yup, it is her.' I finally found the source of the noise and came to a hallway. I heard Lee's voice and then Sasuke's voice over the railing. I masked my presence

and observed what was happening.

"Hold on," I heard Naruto, everyone turned their attention to him, "I wanna take on Bushy Brow" I stifled a laugh, what is with that nickname they gave him? Lee had already

been in a fighting stance, "I don't wish to fight you, I want to fight Sasuke Uchiha." stated Lee. I watched Naruto, ready to explode, "How annoying, it's always Sasuke,

Sasuke." he started charging toward Lee, I looked at him surprised, 'He doesn't know what he's getting himself into..' Lee stood his guard and threw his punch off with a

quick hand notion. Naruto, surprised, sent counter kick, but Lee simply sent a low kick that sent him across the opposite wall. "Sadly, that was nothing." said Lee as he

readied himself in his stance position again, "Well considering I'm the strongest among the Hidden Leaf's Genin." I perked up at that, 'Where are you going with this Lee,' I

thought, I looked at Sasuke, he had a grin on his face, "Fine, I'll take you on." he said. I watched silently as I confirmed what was bugging me, since Neji was interested in

Sasuke, though he didn't want to admit it, Lee wanted to take Sasuke on because of it. Lee had sent a kick around Sasuke's defense, which caught him off guard and onto

the floor. After a moment, he got back up, with a grin on his face. I also saw Sakura grin for some reason, I looked closer and saw Sasuke's once dark eyes, turned red with

some sort of black pattern. I then remembered, 'Sharingan...' Neji had once explained this to me briefly, only because Lee mentioned something about Gai-sensei's rival had

this or something. If from what Neji told me was true, then Sasuke is in for a surprise. He ran in for another attack, but was sent off flying. I shook my head, his sharingan

didn't work this time, while Lee explained to Sasuke the result in mid-attack, I heard Naruto had came to. I jumped down to him quietly, he looked at me, "K-" I covered his

mouth, "Shh, Lee doesn't know I'm here," I said, he nodded as I took my hand away and watched the battle. Lee then began an attack I wasn't aware of, 'What's this' as his

bandages came undone. But all came to a stop a small pinwheel nailed his bandaged on the wall next to me. I swallowed hard, I haven't sense that or anything strange. I

paled slightly at the next sight I saw, 'that...that tortoise..' I spied the red tortoise that wore the leaf headband around it's neck, Lee had kneed in front of it. "Y-You were

watching.." Lee stammered. "Lee! You know that move just now isn't something to use lightly."

The tortoise shot a look at me, "Kira! And you just stand by and watch. Why didn't you interfere?"

Lee turned and looked at me, "Kira?"

I smiled weakly, "Hi Lee..."

Lee turned back to the tortoise, "I'm sorry." Lee apologized, bowing his head. When he looked up, the tortoise's glare intensified. 'Poor Lee,' I thought as I saw him

stammered in fear, 'I would have stop him if I knew what move he was using' "Oi! Kira." I turned to Naruto, "That's a turtle right?" I frowned slightly, "What else would it

be?" Then he pointed to it, "So even a turtle can become a ninja teacher?" My head fell, "Are you an idiot?" I said.

The tortoise glared at us, "If you will, Gai-sensei" he said finally.

And with a cloud of smoke, Gai made his grand entry, "Hey Lee," he greeted, "Oh, Kira too?"

I heard the three behind me utter in shock, "An even more intense guy then this one?" said Sakura. I turned to her, "You have no idea." I sighed.

Naruto started yelling about something, which angered Lee, which they argued back for a moment. "Hey Lee, drop it." said Gai as Lee stopped and turned back to sensei.

Then what caught me off guard, but something I would expect from these two, he straight on punched Lee in the face. I heard everyone's reaction, I sighed again, 'Not

another youthful moment...'. "Sensei, before you and Lee get carried away, we do have the Chunin exam to do" I said before they wanted to start some running laps for

some reason. "Oh, you are right Kira." said Gai as he turned to Lee, "Well after the exam we shall continue this." he said. "Hai sensei." responded Lee. Gai looked up to the

other three, "You three, how's Kakashi?" he said. "You know Kakashi?" said Sasuke. Gai silently grinned, "I know him very well. People call us eternal rivals." he chuckled.

"LIES!" yelled Naruto and Sakura. "What are you saying?!" yelled Lee, I sighed again, as much as I respect Gai-sensei, I will admit he can go over the top at times. "It's fine

Lee, as the saying goes, 'Actions speak louder then words'" with that Gai-sensei had disappeared and reappeared behind the rookies. "Forty-nine-Fifty is our score. I'm ahead

by one for being stronger than him." The three seemed surprised by that answer, apparently finding it hard to believe. Gai pulled out a kunai and hit the pinwheel the held

Lee's bandage, "You guy's should be going if you want to make it on time. Lee, Kira, do your best. Farewell." and with that he and the tortoise disappeared with a puff a

smoke.

"Come on Lee." I said, noticing he was ready. He nodded, "Sasuke, I have to tell you something. I came here to prove myself. And when I said I was the strongest genin, I

lied, but the strongest genin, he might be on my team." he said, "But I entered this so I can defeat him, and now you just became one of my targets. Please prepare

yourself." with that he jumped to the railing, "Come on Kira." he called. I gave a slight bow, "Sorry for the inconvenience" and I followed Lee. We walked down the hall

together and Lee stopped, "Kira, are you not mad at me?" I turned to him, "For what?" Lee looked down, "I know that we are teammates, and you are closer to Neji to than

any of us, but if I were to face Neji in the exam, I want to defeat him." I touched his shoulder, "I know that you have a rivalry toward him Lee, but I'm not going to choose

sides just because of it. If you were to face Neji, I'll root for the both of you. Besides, if I were to face Neji, I would want to defeat him too. We all know each others goals

and dreams, so we should completely understand our intentions when we come face to face in the field." Lee slowly smiled, "You're right, then we shouldn't hold back."

I nodded, "Right. Let's go, the exam should be soon."

Sorry for the long wait, had school and all. But I will continue writing when I have free time. Till next time, and thank you for the favorites and following. Reviews would be

nice :)

~KiraSan