Shang: First off, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed… it means a lot… secondly…
Kai: TADAM! I'm back!
Shang: What the hell are you doing here? I told you I won't be making the interview for the time being! And more then that I have no intention to talk to you so get out of my sight!
Kai: You can't make me…
Shang: I created you, so I commend you, dammit!
Kai: Whatever… but anyways, is that true what you said? I mean, are you seriously thinking about slowing this fic down? You can't do that! All my fans will be crushed!
Shang: I'm pretty sure they'll both get over it… besides, with writing five fics at one time, helping few friends with other and being a part of two, big projects, I need to be selective and since lately this fic doesn't seem to be as popular as it used to, it seems not too many readers will care rather they'll read the next chapter sooner or later… and I can do a better job on more popular stories…
Kai: But I'll have to look for work! Who'd hire me as a character in their story?
Shang: Not my problem… anyways, I guess we should get started, coz this isn't leading anywhere… so here is another chapter of "Naruto: Next Generation":
Chapter #32: Second Exam
Chapter Cover: Kumiko is hiding her face behind a Chinese fan
"Oh, this is nice…" announce Kusari as all the gennins arrived at a large area. In the middle of it, on top of a small mountain, stood a huge dojo, surrounded by forest on both the mountain and below. "Of course the place is cool too…" he then added and Ibuki only sweat dropped.
"Does he realize that this blonde examiner is like over twice his age?" she whispered to Kumiko, who hardly keep back her anger.
"That dojo which you all probably noticed by now and the surrounding area will be the place of the second exam…" announced Ino, turning around to chuunin wannabes. "In the dojo there are guards, all are chuunin level. Your task will be to collect a scroll that's hidden somewhere inside the dojo without getting caught or even spotted…"
"There you go, Tokame, this is your department…" Hizoku whispered to his hooded teammate. "Should be a piece of cake for you…"
"Can't be spotted means no trouble…" complained Tarakudo. "Where's the fun in that?"
"Excuse me, but how are we suppose to find out where the scroll we seek is?" asked Mikka shyly.
"Well, this is for you to worry about" replied Ino. "This exam is to test your information gathering skills, so you'll have to look for it yourself. That's also the reason why just being noticed disqualifies you… keep in mind that the information usually becomes useless if the enemy is aware of the fact you collected it. To make your life harder, you'll be entering the place with three other teams, so you'll have to watch out for scroll rubbers as well… each time you enter there will be four scrolls, so it's possible to all four teams that'll enter the area to advance to the third test… but there's also a possibility none of those who entered will pass, coz you'll have only an hour to complete your task. When the time's up, you'll be taken outside the area… teams who collected the scrolls are given the information about the third exam then… those who have no scrolls can go home and wait for the next year…"
"Sounds fun…" announced Senkou. "And with Kokoro on our team, finding the scroll shouldn't take too long…" and with that he placed his hands on the blonde's shoulders. The blonde just looked at him, but said nothing. "What?"
"So, I guess finding the scroll will be up to you, Rei" said Kogane as she turned around to her teammate just to noticed she was asleep, again. "Why the hell she keeps doing that?" she thought with a sweat dropping.
"Hope you'll take your eyes of those sand-nins…" Horohoro whispered to Hitomi. "We'll need them for other things in a while…"
Teela glared as Tasuki for a moment. The instant he caught her gaze, he said: "I know…"
"Seems that you'll finally get a chance to show off a bit, Shita…" Tetsu said to his teammate who once more was sitting on his shoulder.
"I hope you all remember your team numbers from the previous test, coz teams that are to enter the area will be called by them!" announced Ino so that everyone would hear her.
"That's unfair!" yelled Futatsu. "No-one told us we have to memorize them! Why do you think we even bother to remember something like that? And what if we didn't?"
"Then you can consider yourself a failure already" replied Ino coldly. "That is also the first part of this test, which wasn't mentioned at the beginning. Since you never know what information may come in handy, you should remember as much as possible… you should also learn that…"
"Err… what was our number then?" asked Hanamaru, swallowing another potato chip.
"33…" replied Kitsune lazily. "It's easy to remember, so keep it in mind next time…"
"Give him a break…" Toku cut in. "We all knew you'd remember it anyway…"
"Dammit, another boring exam…" complained Kai as he put his hands behind his head. "So much for excitement I guess…"
"What's the matter?" asked Senkou with a smirk under his mask. "Acting quietly doesn't suit mister loud and noisy?" but just then he noticed Kokoro wanted to speak up so he instantly added: "I know, I know… sheesh, you can't even make a joke…"
"Uramaru's still acting weird?" Galu asked Tsume, who stood a little further from other rookies. The girl only nodded. "Why?"
"It seems it has something to do with those sand-nins and that guy with a scythe…" replied the dog ninja. "But Uramaru doesn't say exactly what's so special about them…"
"So that pup can sense that too?" they both heard a voice and as they turned around, they noticed a familiar grass-nin and his team. "I must say that they were worrying me for a while now… their chakra is… unnatural…"
"Oh, you made it too… Hizoku-kun, was it?" noticed Kumiko as she turned to the redhead.
"Great memory…" nodded the Grass shinobi. "I guess you guys didn't forget your numbers."
"Neither did you…" stated Kokoro simply. "But this test seems way more difficult then the previous one… of course it's also dependable on which teams we'll end up with…"
"Well, those two Sand teams seem to be the worst, possible scenario at this point…" with that Nezumi motioned her head towards Takai and Hari teams.
"Her hair flows so charmingly…" Hanamaru drifted off a bit. Kogane however noticed that and gave him an elbow, thus returning him to the real world.
"Alright, there's the first, four teams that will enter the area: 4, 17, 35 and 48!" announced Ino. "Move forward and then follow the chuunins to the entrances! The rest may rest for a while…" and with that she was gone.
"No, don't leave us!" yelled Kusari, ready to jump right after her, but he was stopped by a sudden punch in the face from Kumiko: "Have some self respect, dammit!"
Ibuki didn't paid much attention to her teammates. She was now more interested in one of the teams that was entering the area: the team of her brother. Her eyes stopped at the older Tanken and after a while Funbo noticed her staring as well. He turned to face his sister and then, with a smirk appearing on his face, the caught up to his teammates, who were about to enter the area.
"He seems quite confident… could he have…?" she began, but never finished that thought. A little she did not know was the fact that a certain, black-haired Sand shinobi observed the same team as well.
"What are you staring at?" asked Takaru as he walked closer to her.
"Nothing…" she replied, turning away.
----------
"Are you positive?" asked Kakashi as he put away the report he was just going through.
"Without a doubt…" replied Sasuke as he and Neji stood before the Rokudaime in their ANBU uniforms. "We didn't see him with our own eyes, but I know his way… he was near and most likely he's still somewhere in the forests outside the village…"
"Is he alone?"
"Hard to say, Hokage-sama…" responded the Hyuuga genius. "There was only a trance that allowed to identify him, but shinobies don't tend to leave any trails…"
"Yes, that was a stupid question indeed…" nodded Kakashi as he walked away from his desk and looked out the window.
"Should we interrupt the exams?" asked Neji.
"No…" replied the Rokudaime shortly. "We're still not sure if he is planning anything nor if his plans got anything to do with us… do however send four, ANBU patrols to the forest in search for him or any trance that he might have left… also, Naruto must be informed of the situation…"
"Understood, Hokage-sama…" Sasuke bowed and both him and Neji disappeared.
"So, he returned after all…" Kakashi thought to himself when the two were gone.
----------
"They could at least pick us first, dammit!" yelled Kai, quite pissed by waiting. "How long is it gonna take? I wanna get this over with as soon as possible!"
"Will you just chill?" Kumiko threatened him with her fist. "We'll get chosen eventually…"
"Okay, next four teams: 5, 8, 19 and 59, step forward and follow the chuunin to your entrance!" announced Ino as she got back to her spot.
"Finally!" yelled Kai, jumping back on his feet.
His teammates only sighed and followed the enthusiastic blonde to their entrance. But unknown to them, they were observed by another team. A team consisting of four, hooded figures and one with a headgear.
"We landed in the same group as them" said the first one. "How lucky, isn't it, Saiken-san?"
"Indeed, Fuma…" replied the one wearing headgear. "This makes it way easier…" and with that he looked at the five, rookie gennins and walked with his team towards one of the chuunins.
As they walked through the participants, a certain rain-nin looked after them the moment they passed the place his team was standing.
"Is something wrong, Tsuino?" asked the one with glasses, wearing a bow, noticing his teammate turned around to look after the passers by.
"Nothing, Ryo…" replied the scar-face as he turned to face his teammate. "That guy with a headgear… what was with his chakra?"
Unaware of it all, Kai and his team entered the area. The second exam has just began for them.
And that's it. Hope you enjoyed.
Now, before I go, here's the last bonus info I've planned:
BONUS INFO: okay, done with all the rookie gennins, I guess the only one left is Shino's team. First I should explain why I choose the head of Aburame to be this cell's leader. Well at first I was thinking of putting one of Gai students in that role, but since Hitomi is the child of Neji and Tenten I figure it'd be weird for a parent to led a team with his kid. Lee was the only option and as much as I liked that idea, I figure it'd be too much of a deja-vu with him (he's practically a smaller version of Gai)… so why from all the people I choose Shino? I had some ideas for his fighting style, which was the main factor… and from all the other rookies left, he was the best fitting (Ino was supposed to be an examiner from the start and others had their parts planned too then).
The first, two characters created for this team were Akira and Horohoro… both were one of the first charas created for the whole story… I can't remember what inspired me to make Akira, but I have to say I'm glad I did, coz he turned out to be one of my favorites so far… as for Horohoro, well I'm not gonna say much, but most of you are probably aware of it anyways… but the reason I really wanted him to stay in the story is his background, which you'll learn later on.
Before it turned out that teams will be five-manned, Taki was added to the team… at first she was kinda like Tenten for Lee and Neji – a filler-up… however I've developed her abilities since the time she was created (at first she was only a boomerang user, now her skills are much bigger then that) and in the end she may not be crucial to the story, but I find her a good character that can do good for the story.
After it turned out that teams will be five-manned, Hitomi got added… at first it was because I didn't had too much of the 'old crew' kids in the story… besides, I always liked the Hyuugas. In the end she's somewhat half-Neji, half-Hinata… but you'll see what I mean by that a bit later.
Last one was Funbo… he got added as one of the last Leaf shinobies (only Senkou got created later). I decided to place him in the team for two reasons: first one was the fact that he plays a quite important part in Ibuki's development, second is that I had some idea for him.
And that's that for the time being. Don't know when I'll update, but for the time being I'm not dropping for putting on hold this fic… if it's popularity will fall even more, then I'll consider that.
Best wishes and see ya around.