Author's Notes: SO Sorry for the wait. I've been stuck on these fights for ages. I've also been really busy with real life and haven't had much time for writing. Still, I am not giving up on this story and I hope you all won't either. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It inspires me. Oh, and this is not betaed and barely proofread because I didn't want to make you all wait any longer, so please let me know if you find any mistakes. Thanks.
Sandstorms and Falling Leaves
Chapter 16: Pass or Fail
Gaara woke well before the sun hit Naruto's narrow window. She attempted to disentangle herself from her bedmate's arms but the blonde teen smoothly thwarted her every attempt to leave the small mattress. The redhead finally sighed and gave up, allowing the jinchuriki to draw her back into his embrace.
"I should go." She insisted, though it lacked conviction since she made no move to escape his grasp again. "The patrols have been doubled and there are many more people in the village now. It is harder to move undetected in daylight."
"I know." The grinning leaf ninja agreed. "I just wanted to wish you luck today."
"Why?" Dark-rimmed eyes narrowed in confusion. "You are the one taking the exam..."
"Yeah, but you're the one standing up to Suna's council...not to mention hanging out with Tsunade-baachan all day." He grinned again. "Trust me, you need all the luck you can get."
"I'll be sure to tell her you said so." The young Kazekage deadpanned.
"Er...I'd rather you...um...didn't do that..."
Mischief lingered in aqua colored eyes as Gaara leaned close to the blonde. "Then maybe you should let me go."
The jinchuriki sighed dramatically as he released his hold on her slim waist. "Alright, but I don't have to like it."
The sand ninja placed a chaste kiss on his lips before extricating herself from the bed and grabbing her coat and shoes. She paused before opening the window.
"Good luck, Naruto. I love you. Be careful." She blushed and darted out the window before he could respond.
"Love you too." He said with a small smile. Gaara didn't often use words to show her feelings; for that matter, she still had trouble showing feelings at all most of the time. Still, when they were alone she made the effort to reach out to him and he treasured every minute of it.
"Too bad it can't stay this way forever." He mused as he rose and hurried to dress for the day.
The day of the chunin exam finals dawned bright and clear. Dignitaries and high-ranking ninjas from all over the world packed the bleachers and boxes in the massive arena. Gaara peered through the curtains at the growing crowd for the fourth time in ten minutes. Tsunade kept count, amused at the small sign of nervousness from the otherwise stoic young woman. The two kages were waiting in a small room just off the dais from which they would watch the matches. It was safer to minimize the amount of time they would be exposed to possible attack.
Tsunade also insisted on making a grand entrance, dragging Gaara into the pomp and ceremony by default, since it would not do for the visiting Kage to be seated before her host had arrived.
"It's almost time." The older woman stood and brushed a hand half-heartedly at a wrinkle in her heavy robe. "You ready to do this?"
The redhead nodded solemnly, not needing to check her own robes for wrinkles because she had not actually sat down since she donned them hours before. She settled her hat on her head and nodded once more to the tall blonde. "Ready."
Tsunade heard the signal for her entrance and grabbed her own hat, waving it in one hand as she pushed through the hanging curtains onto the dais to meet the cheers of her village and guests.
"Welcome!" She grinned. "Konoha is honored by our many guests. Please allow me to introduce another, the esteemed Fifth Kazekage, Gaara of Sunagakure."
Gaara stepped out onto the dais, her face easily slipping into the calm mask she used in her professional life. She bowed slightly to the smiling Hokage and then moved to take her place on the ornate seat that had been provided for her. As she sat down, she removed her hat and hung it on the back of the chair. Not only did the move allow everyone in the arena to see her more clearly, thus proving her identity to any doubters, Tsunade had also pointed out that it would help to push away memories of the last time a Kazekage had sat in on the exams in Konoha. The redhead was uncertain that was the case, since she had played a large and unpleasant role in those ill-fated exams, but it did serve to show the ninja world that she wasn't hiding so she let the older blonde's logic stand.
Taking her seat, she easily spotted several discreet Anbu lurking around them, out of sight of the crowd below, and her own security team was scattered within easy reach of the dais as well. She felt suffocatingly secure as she turned her attention towards the arena floor where the proctor had just stepped into view. She noted without surprise that it was Nara's large friend and teammate, Choji. Charged with planning the exams, the brilliant young strategist had obviously opted to place only people he knew he could trust as proctors for the latter, more dangerous, stages of the exam. It made sense that he had chosen his own long time squad mates.
The large teen was speaking but Gaara was more concerned with the group of hopeful genins that had just entered the arena. Naruto was practically bouncing with suppressed energy, eager to get to his first match. Matsuri was outwardly calm, though one hand toyed with the hem of her skirt, a nervous habit Gaara had tried hard to train out of the younger sand ninja. Naruto spotted her just then and waved gleefully, elbowing the young Suna ninja until she sheepishly waved as well. The sight brought a slight smile to the redhead's harsh features and she raised her hand to acknowledge the greeting.
The first round of matches was announced: Naruto would fight third against a Grass ninja named Monjobu, Matsuri would fight fifth against a Stone ninja named Kaori, and their older teammate was to fight the last match against a heavyset ninja from the village in the waves who was known as Tsunami. No other squads from Suna or Konoha had passed the first two segments of the exams.
Gaara watched the first two fights clinically, gauging how well the winners would fare against her student or her...Naruto. The first winner was a young Stone ninja. He was deceptively small and unassuming, perfect for making an opponent underestimate one's strength. The second victor was a heavily muscled woman from the village hidden in the grass.
Naruto bounced from one side of the competitors waiting area he had been assigned, to the other. This year, Shikamaru had opted to keep the competitors separate, and a little further from the arena itself so those waiting had no view of the fights until it was their turn. Then the victors were shuffled back to their waiting room until the next round of fights. The official story was that it would make the later rounds more interesting if the genins didn't get to see each other's techniques or size each other up before the fights, but Manabu had told them he suspected it was also a security measure to keep the foreign ninjas from being able to easily coordinate an attack, as they had during Naruto's previous exam. It was probably a good idea for both reasons but it didn't make the long minutes of waiting any easier for the hyperactive jinchuriki.
Finally, it was Naruto's turn and he followed a wolf-masked anbu guide through the passageways leading to the packed arena with a steady stream of one-sided chatter the orange clad jinchuriki entered the stadium grinning and waving at the crowd confidently. He waved especially hard when he turned toward the Kages' lofty seats. Then his attention was drawn to his opponent, as the tall thin man entered the arena and bowed gracefully to the crowd.
Chobi stepped out and grinned, his mouth momentarily free of food. "Third Fight! Naruto Uzumaki and Monjobu Shirakawa! Begin!" The large teen swiftly left the arena.
Naruto took a minute to size up his opponent as the man seemed to be doing the same with him. Monjobu was about six and a half feet tall and didn't look like he weighed much more than Naruto himself. He carried several visible weapons, including multiple kunai, a large shuriken, and a wicked looking pair of sickle shaped swords. He wore a long coat that added a flowing effect to every move he made, intended no doubt to confuse his attacker into missing his slender figure and hitting the fabric instead.
Monjobu finished his assessment first and scoffed. "Well, this shouldn't take long." He said with displeased look on his sharp face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto frowned, unsure if he should be insulted or not.
"It means, you aren't going to be a very good opponent to demonstrate my skills against." He rolled his eyes.
Naruto's frown turned into a smirk. "Yeah? Well, let's see about that, ne?"
The reed thin grass ninja shrugged and pulled out his swords obligingly but when he swung the sharp blades at the blonde's throat, Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke. Ten more Narutos suddenly appeared from various points around the arena, where they had been disguised as various objects.
Monjobu had only a moment to register the shock before the first of the shadow clones was upon him. Naruto hurried to create more clones as those were dispelled, keeping the thin ninja distracted. There were a few seconds of frantic action as the many Narutos threw punches and kicks in rapid succession, before all but one of the clones vanished in a puff of smoke. That clone was next to the real Naruto and the pair had been swiftly working up a jutsu while their opponent was distracted.
"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted, letting the clone disperse as he charged the grass ninja.
The compressed ball of chakra connected squarely with Monjobu's abdomen and his face contorted in shock as he was spun and thrown back across the spacious arena. He plowed into the ground fifty feet from where he had been standing, his swords flying away as he lost them in the tumultuous tumble.
Monjobu stood shakily, clutching his midsection and wincing as he regained his feet. "Perhaps...I may have underestimated you." He admitted with a cough.
Naruto grinned. "Yeah, happens all the time. You ready to keep going?" He asked, stretching and bouncing in place.
Monjobu's reply was a kunai thrown at the cocky leaf ninja's head.
Naruto pulled off a substitution jutsu at the last second and the kunai sank harmlessly into a log. Then he went on the offensive, darting through a barrage of flying blades as he neared his target. Finally he ducked low and slid past his opponent, flinging out a kunai and forcing the man to duck down to avoid the projectile. He recovered in time to send a kick at the leaf ninja's head but, when it connected, the orange clad teen turned to smoke once more.
Naruto rose up behind the now vulnerable and off balance grass ninja, kunai in hand. He grabbed the man in a vice-like hold and pressed the kunai to his throat to prevent him from struggling.
"Give up?" He asked with a grin.
The grass ninja scowled but nodded, conceding defeat.
Choji emerged from the edge of the arena, a half finished bag of chips dangling from one hand. "Naruto Uzumaki is our winner!" The portly young man grinned broadly at his old classmate as the genin released his prisoner and sheathed the kunai with a flourish.
The crowd cheered and Naruto practically floated out of the arena behind the masked anbu guard sent to escort him to the winners' waiting room.
Tsunade couldn't help but notice the small smile on the young kazekage's face as she watched the blonde leaf ninja win his bout. The Suna girl had risen to her feet during the match and even moved a couple of steps towards the edge of the dais in order to see better. It was then that the Hokage saw a small flaw in their plan to make the redhead so noticeable during the exams.
'You'd have to be blind not to notice how much she cares about him.' The older woman thought grimly. 'Those two might be in trouble once word about this gets around.'
Gaara was oblivious to her host's thoughts as she retook her seat once Naruto had moved out of sight. She was only thinking that he only had two more fights to win to guarantee he'd make chunin rank. While some ninja might be promoted from their performances in the final exams, the winner was definitely going to achieve chunin rank.
She barely paid attention to the fourth fight, but as the loser from that battle was dragged away unconscious she forced her mind back to the action in the arena. Matsuri was next.
As the younger girl entered the battle area, Gaara could not help but feel a swell of pride. She had taught other young ninjas in the last couple years, but Matsuri was the first. The girl took a chance on the redhead when no one else trusted that the jinchuriki had changed. The orphan girl was the first person in Suna to accept her as something other than a weapon, and without Matsuri's confidence and trust in those early days, Gaara wasn't honestly sure she would have ever have tried to be Kage.
When Gaara had failed to find any way to prove to the people Sunagakure that she was still human, Matsuri had done it for her. Every time the brown haired girl returned safely from a training trip or spoke proudly of her sensei's wisdom and patience, it made people begin to wonder if they had misjudged the jinchuriki.
Gaara had no doubt that Matsuri would win her match, but it did not stop her from standing and moving forward as the first blows were exchanged.
"She was your first student, ne?" Tsunade asked suddenly.
The Sand ninja nodded, never taking her eyes from the action below.
"Yeah, I remember that feeling." The older woman mused softly, a wistful smile in her words. "No matter how many others you train, you never forget the moment that first one leaves the nest."
Gaara nodded once at the wisdom in the older woman's words.
Below, Matsuri seemed to be faring poorly against the much more physically imposing stone ninja. The woman had to be easily two hundred pounds of pure muscle and her primary fighting style was aggressive in the extreme. She had pressed the petite Sand ninja all the way back to the wall of the arena and appeared to have her neatly trapped.
Just as the woman started to head butt the sand genin, Matsuri slipped gracefully under her guard and rolled through her wide set feet. She had her rope dart out in an instant and it moved like an extension of her arm, entangling the Stone ninja's feet and turning her head butt into a headlong tumble into an unforgiving stone wall.
The larger woman lay stunned on the ground and the brunette wasted no time in securing her more tightly with the rope of her favorite weapon.
Choji appeared when it became apparent the prone woman had no hope of getting loose any time soon. "The winner of this round is Matsuri of Sunagakure!"
Matsuri grinned and turned to the stands, seeking out the redhead with ease. She bowed to her old sensei with great respect.
Gaara bowed back slightly a smile now playing at one corner of her mouth and around her dark rimmed eyes.
The final match was of less interest to the redhead but Manabu gave a good showing and his probability genjutsu had his enemy guessing for several minutes but in the end he was thrown halfway across the arena by the rolling wave of flesh that was Tsunami. He lay still as the medical ninjas rushed out and carried him away.
Choji stepped out and announced the final winner. Then the six remaining chunin hopefuls filed back into the arena before the portly young man read off the matches for the next round. "Shimako versus Ryouga, Naruto versus Kairi, and Matsuri versus Tsunami. All competitors not involved in the first fight are to move to the waiting area now!"
Naruto roamed the waiting area like a caged monkey, unable to contain his nervous energy. He pondered possible jutsus to use in the upcoming fight. Despite his long hours of training with Kakashi and Yamato, he hadn't yet managed to master his wind chakra enough to make it a feasible weapon.
"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to beat them the old fashioned way." He told himself firmly. At least he had the skills Jiraiya had taught him as well as his own techniques.
The minutes crawled as he waited for the first fight to finish. He idly wondered what they were going to do for the next round since they'd have an uneven number of finalists but gave up on the thought quickly. First he needed to focus on the fight at hand. The rest would sort itself out soon enough.
After what seemed like hours, his wolf masked anbu came to lead him to the arena. Naruto took a steadying breath before he stepped out onto the battlefield. He was shocked by how much it had changed since the last round. Obviously the previous combatants had not held back in their battle. There were craters in the ground and several trees lay toppled or cut down that had been standing during his previous match.
"Ahem." A polite cough drew his mind back to the job he needed to do and he spun to face his petite opponent. The girl bowed cordially in greeting. "May this battle bring honor to us both, Uzumaki-san."
Naruto bowed back, careful never to take his eyes off her just in case she was trying to trick him somehow. "Yeah, good luck to you too, Kairi-san."
Without further conversation the pair burst into motion. Kairi became a mere blur of motion to the non-ninjas in the stands and Naruto seemed to simply vanish in a puff of smoke. By the time the young woman reached the place she thought he should be, the leaf ninja was nowhere in sight. Confused, the girl attempted to dispel the effect, thinking it might be genjutsu. However, that failed to make her opponent reappear. Cautiously, she moved across the arena. Searching for signs of a transformation jutsu or a hiding place.
Silently, Naruto slipped up behind the searching stone ninja but at the last moment, Kairi vaulted away from his grapple attempt.
Naruto grinned. "You're pretty good."
The girl nodded back. "You're not so bad yourself."
Naruto changed tactics, launching a straight forward series of melee attacks, all of which the other genin easily parried or blocked. She even got in a few blows of her own though nothing connected. The pair was pretty evenly matched at taijutsu. After a few heated moments of close combat, Naruto pulled back.
The stone ninja frowned in concentration and began a series of hand signs. Naruto tensed, unsure what kind of technique the girl could pull off. The earth beneath him began to tremble and he hurriedly took to the trees as cracks began to appear in the arena floor. Kairi then started launching large boulders at him in quick succession and the leaf ninja was forced to focus entirely on dodging for several minutes. By the time the stone ninja was out of ammunition, both of them were winded and sweating heavily.
'I can't let her do that again.' He thought tiredly. Sighing, he jumped down from the top of the last stone she had chucked at him. "I really didn't want to do this yet, but you've left me no choice."
The stone ninja was already making hand signs for another jutsu but Naruto bit his thumb and quickly summoned Gamatatsu.
"What now?" The toad demanded. "I was just about to have dinner."
"I'll get you four dozen juicy beetles if you can stop her from finishing that jutsu." The orange clad teen said quickly. "The crunchy ones you like."
Gamatatsu looked over at the girl and nodded. Kairi hurried to finish her hand signs, seeing the eager glint that had lit the large toad's eyes at the mention of food. However, it was no use. The creature launched his sticky tongue at her and caught her hands. She found herself jerked across the arena towards the massive toad and for a moment she thought he was going to eat her. She sighed in relief as the tongue stopped retracting while she was still a couple of feet from the beast and the grinning leaf ninja that commanded it.
She bowed her head. "I concede. Call off your creature."
Naruto let out whoop of victory and pumped his fist in the air. "All right Gamatatsu. You can go home now. I'll have those beetles for you tomorrow, okay?" The snack-loving toad nodded and disappeared with a poof of smoke. "Good fight, Kairi-san."
"You as well. Congratulations."
Choji appeared between them suddenly. "Winner: Naruto Uzumaki!"
The crowd cheered wildly and Gaara found herself standing at the edge of the dais once more. She calmly returned to her seat, avoiding Tsunade's eyes in the hopes that the woman wouldn't say anything about her vested interest in Naruto's success.
That hope was in vain. "So...just how serious are things between you and my self-proclaimed successor?" The older blond woman asked bluntly.
The redhead blushed slightly but otherwise remained outwardly calm, pondering how much to say.
Tsunade filled the silence after a few moments. "I mean...should I look forward to planning a wedding...or maybe a funeral if your brother has any say in the matter..."
Gaara blinked at the joke but decided to answer anyway. "Neither at the moment. I...I do not know if Naruto has considered marriage at this point."
"Ah...so you have considered it then?" The older woman prodded, reading between the lines of the redhead's statement.
"I...I don't think it is any of your concern, Tsunade-san." Gaara turned to face her host finally, her face smoothed of emotion. "You will certainly be one of the first to know if anything further develops from our relationship. I'm certain your network will keep you well informed."
Tsunade nodded amiably. "True, but this is more fun." She grinned and turned her attention back to the final match getting ready to begin.
Gaara was grateful the hokage had let the subject drop though she had the feeling it was a temporary reprieve. At least it allowed her to focus on Matsuri's upcoming match.
The young Suna genin and her much larger foe had entered the arena and were squaring off. Tsunami wasted no time in launching a half-hearted series of attacks, feeling out the smaller ninja's strength.
Matsuri dodged out of his reach easily, using her speed to overcome his longer reach and even landing a couple of blows to his stomach as she practically danced around him.
The pair broke apart to regroup and Tsunami grinned. "Excuse me if I make this quick. I've still got another fight to win today." With that he sat down and began to make a series of lightning fast hand signs.
Matsuri hurriedly tried to use her rope dart to entangle his hands and stop his ninjutsu but he used one leg to sweep the weapon away and kept signing. Finished, he leaning his head into his knees and began a chakra powered roll towards the brunette. Matsuri dodged quickly but a wash of water chakra still caught her and threw her to the ground, several yards from where she had been.
She struggled to her feet, coughing and looking around for her opponent.
"You know why they call me Tsunami?" She spun to face the huge man, kunai drawn. "Because if I don't smash you with the force of my attacks, you'll still drown." He was making more hand signs as he spoke.
Matsuri coughed again, her lungs struggling as the very water from the air condensed and poured itself down her throat and nose when she tried to breathe. She tried to hold her breath but it was too late. She couldn't stop the coughs that began to wrack her frame and every cough drew in more water than she managed to bring up. The young sand ninja could see black spots beginning to form at the edges of her vision and she fell to her hands and knees.
Still, the waves ninja did not relent.
Matsuri tried to concede the match but she had no breath to speak. She collapsed onto her stomach, and her only thought was that it was rather ironic for a desert dweller to die of drowning on dry land.
Suddenly, the onslaught of water stopped and the young sand ninja was able to finally cough up most of the liquid she'd been forced to inhale. She raised her head shakily, intending to thank Choji for stopping the match, only to find her opponent suspended several feet in the air...by a fist made of sand.
Gaara stood between the brunette and her now incapacitated opponent, hand upraised as the sand mirrored her movements.
"Enough." She spat harshly. "You've won."
"The brat..." The sand constricted around the large man alarmingly and he hastily rethought his next words. "They told me to kill her...I didn't know she was your girl."
"Who?"
"I don't know..." The trapped ninja gasped out as the sand ninja encouraged him to talk with a flex of her fingers. "I never saw them...in person...just messenger...birds."
Gaara felt a hand tap her on the shoulder and she turned her head to see not only Choji but also Shikamaru and several masked anbu arrayed around her prisoner.
"We can handle him from here, Kazekage-sama." Choji said with a small bow. It was his hand that rested companionably on her shoulder. "Maybe you should assist Matsuri-san back to the waiting room."
Gaara nodded and released her jutsu, dropping the hired killer ten feet onto the hard stony ground. He fell in a heap, all his limbs numb from the pressure of the imprisoning sand coffin.
The redhead turned away from him as the Konoha ninjas moved in to take the man in custody. The Kazekage knelt and helped Matsuri shakily to her feet.
"I'm so sorry, Gaara-sensei." The girl choked out.
"Hush." The redhead ordered mildly.
Together the pair made it back to the room Matsuri had been assigned for the finals and the brunette nearly fell onto the couch that had been provided. Her breathing was just beginning to even out and her coughing spells were growing further apart.
"Thank you." She said when she could trust her voice.
Gaara didn't reply, instead choosing to lean tiredly against the wall near the door. She was still stewing over Tsunami's words. He had been ordered to kill Matsuri specifically. The girl had little strategic importance on her own, capable though she might be, so that meant the genin's death was a means to an end. If they had been hoping to draw her out, it had worked but no one had attacked her directly which meant the goal was probably something more subtle.
'Perhaps they wanted to make me seem weak. If my own student was killed in front of me and I did nothing...I'd have to be either weak or heartless. Either opinion would help those who wish to see me removed from power in Suna.' Her mouth quirked upwards in a grim smile. 'If that is the case, I imagine they disappointed right now.'
"Gaara-sensei." Matsuri's weak voice cut through her thoughts and the redhead opened aqua colored eyes that she hadn't realized she had closed to regard her student curiously. The girl fidgeted with the hem of her skirt as she sat on the edge of the couch. "I'm sorry I didn't win. I guess I'm not really ready to become a chunin after all."
"I wouldn't say that." The redhead said slowly. "That waves ninja was at least jonin level and you handled your previous opponent with skill."
"You really think so?" The brunette asked hopefully.
The young Kazekage nodded. "I'll be sending in my recommendation for your immediate promotion to chunin at the end of the exams."
Matsuri's face lit up and she bounced to her feet. Gaara found herself caught up in an enthusiastic hug that she had to stop herself from fighting off. Matsuri seemed to realize what she was doing after a moment and hurried to let go, bowing in apology.
"Sorry, Kazekage-sama." She blushed. "I think I've been spending too much time with Naruto-kun."
Gaara couldn't help the small smile that crossed her face. "He has that effect on people." She admitted drily. "Come." She left the waiting area, the younger girl following in her wake.
She led the younger girl through the maze of tunnels in the arena's walls until the pair arrived back at the hokage's waiting chamber. A fox masked anbu guard bowed and gestured them into the room.
Tsunade was in conference with the Nara boy, Kakashi, and, Gaara noted with some surprise, her siblings. The group looked up as the pair of sand ninjas entered the room.
Tsunade smiled, though it looked a bit strained. "Matsuri, glad to see you up and about. You feeling okay?"
Matsuri nodded and the group pressed on to other matters.
"We should cancel the last match." Shikamaru was arguing tiredly. "The risk is not worth it."
"I'm not so sure." Kakashi said slowly. "We may not get a better opportunity to discover who targeted Matsuri."
"Yes, but what if she isn't the only target." The Nara heir glanced at the redhead meaningfully. "Konoha offered the Kazekage sanctuary and protection. If something were to happen to her on our watch..."
"The council would applaud because they wouldn't have to tell the people they took me out of office." Gaara told the group flatly.
Tsunade leaned her head on her hand and considered the options. "Gaara-san, the risk is yours to take. Whoever targeted Matsuri had to have been trying to get to you. If we let the tournament continue, they may try to attack you directly."
Gaara nodded grimly.
Tsunade pressed on before the redhead could make her decision. "Or they may try to take out other people you care about instead."
Gaara blinked. Naruto's grinning face flashed across her mind. What if his opponent in the final match was an assassin in disguise, like Tsunami had been. The leaf ninja could take care of himself but she still found herself fearing for him. The chunin finals were basically just glorified sparring matches. Fighting off a trained assassin was another thing entirely.
"We will find another way to draw them out." She said slowly. "I will not risk anyone else for my own gain."
Tsunade nodded, a small, grim smile toying with the corner of her mouth. "Okay, you heard the lady." She waved a hand at the assembled ninjas. "Go let our guests know the exams are over...and bring Naruto to me."
Kakashi nodded once and was gone in a blur. Choji bowed politely and calmly made his way to the door. Shikamaru shrugged and followed his large friend out, his hands shoved in his pockets. Temari moved towards the door as well.
"I'll secure our way out." The pigtailed teen told her siblings simply.
Gaara gestured to Kankuro. "Go with her. No one goes out alone."
Kankuro hesitated for a moment but a glance at the anbu scattered around the room made him feel safe enough in leaving his younger sister with the Hokage. "Stay here until we get back okay?"
Gaara nodded once and her brother was off in a flash.
Tsunade gestured for the redhead to sit. "You know...this actually worked out better than we had hoped."
The redhead cocked her head at the older woman in confusion.
"Don't get me wrong, it's disturbing that someone tried to kill your protege." Tsunade waved that off. "However, it did allow you to show everyone out there that you are still a formidable ninja. That may make your enemies more hesitant to provoke you."
Gaara nodded slowly. "Perhaps."
Just then, Naruto burst into the room, Kakashi following more sedately in the hyperactive teen's wake and taking up a guard position outside the door. "Baachan! What's going on? Everyone's leaving and the exam's not over!"
"The rest of the exam has been canceled." The older woman informed him evenly.
"WHAT!?" The blonde genin shouted. "Not again!"
Tsunade nodded. "It seems like we have trouble every time you are involved in the chunin exams." She chided.
"But I didn't do anything...and the last time wasn't my fault either..."
"Still, in order to reduce the risk of further incidents, I think it's best that you don't take part in the exams anymore."
The blonde teen began to sputter out a protest but the older woman continued smoothly.
"So I am promoting you to chunin level, effective immediately." A grin broke through the Hokage's stern expression as Naruto froze mid word, processing what she had just said.
"I...I passed?" He finally asked slowly.
Tsunade nodded, chuckling at his dumbstruck expression.
"I passed! Gaara-chan, I passed!"
Gaara offered him a small smile, his enthusiasm was contagious. "Yes. Congratulations."
Without warning the blonde ball of energy launched himself at the much calmer teen and Gaara found herself scooped up and spun around in a bone-crushing hug. She grabbed hold of the leaf ninja's shoulders to steady herself as he placed her back on her feet.
"Oi, hands off my sister, Fox-boy." A dry voice cut through the celebratory scene.
"Kankuro." Gaara frowned at her brother sternly as Naruto backed a respectful distance away from her, blushing slightly.
The black clad teen shrugged unapologetically. "We've secured a route back to the village. We should go."
Gaara nodded.
"Naruto, stay. We have things to discuss." Tsunade ordered.
"Sure." The blonde grinned, practically vibrating with joy. "I'll catch up with you later, okay Gaara-chan?"
The redhead nodded and followed her brother out, pausing to press a chaste kiss to the new chunin's cheek as she passed.
"Eww...don't do stuff like that in front of me." Kankuro's teasing voice echoed back to the pair. "Now, I'll definitely have to kill him, just to get that image out of my head."
Gaara's reply was lost as Kakashi closed the door.
Author's Note: I hope it was worth the wait. I really suck at writing action. Please review so I know people are still reading this. Hopefully the next chapter will come easier now that I'm through with the exams.