team 7 were waiting for their sensei like always. they had been told that tomorrow would be important.
it was then Kakashi showed up "yo."
team 7 stood there shocked that Kakashi arrived on time.
"heh, it's always fun seeing your faces when I'm on time or early. but that's not important right now."
"what is it, Kakashi-sensei?" the blonde jinchūriki asked.
Kakashi pulled out three papers "I've nominated you all for the chunin exams." he said while eye smiling.
the blonde was beaming with happiness "REALLY!? THANK YOU KAKASHI-SENSEI!"
Kakashi chuckled "yep. now remember, it's up to you if you want to participate."
while team 7 were walking, Naruto decided to ask "are you guys gonna join?"
they both nodded.
it was then Naruto bumped into someone.
"HEY, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"
Naruto looked up to see two people, one who was carrying something covered in bandages, and another carrying what appeared to be a fan.
the blonde with the fan looked at the the hooded person "Kankuro, calm down."
"no, you apologize!" the now identified Kankuro said.
"take her advice. it was just an accident." Sasuke said.
"stay out of this emo!"
Kankuro then laid a finger on Naruto "apologize, you little brat!"
the blonde glared at him "firstly, get your fingers off me, secondly if you're what Suna has to offer this chunin exam, then that is very sad."
"Why you little- I should kick your ass!"
"wow, if you're participating, then I'll have to remember how hot-headed you are, cause it'll be easy to exploit."
"THAT'S IT! PREPARE FOR-" before he could finish, a sand in the shape of a fist came out and punched Kankuro into the nearby wall.
team 7 was surprised, Naruto especially, they all look to see the source. a red haired boy that looked to be the same age as Naruto.
"GAARA, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"
"that, dear brother, was for embarrassing our village in first few minutes, we haven't even made it to our hotel yet." the now identified Gaara calmly explained.
"I tried to stop him." the blonde girl said.
"if you consider that 'trying', then I'm honestly worried about your safety, Temari. and as the youngest, that shouldn't be my job." Gaara said in dead panned tone.
sighing Gaara walked up to the blonde boy "I'm sorry for my brother. I'm Gaara." he then offered his hand towards the blonde.
Naruto smiled and shook Gaara's hand "I'm Naruto, these are my teammates Sasuke and Hinata. nice to meet you, I have to say I never expected to meet another person who could manipulate sand."
the sand siblings were all taken aback by what the blonde said.
"really?" Gaara asked, surprise to have met another person like him.
Naruto said nothing, instead he made a peace hand sign with his sand.
Gaara was utterly stunned.
"hey" Naruto said "if you don't mind me asking, how can you manipulate your sand?"
Gaara shrugged "I don't know, it's been an ability I've had ever since" the red head then looked down sadly "my mother died giving birth to me."
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Gaara cut him off "it's fine, I know that you didn't mean to."
Naruto sighed "well it's been nice meeting you, Gaara. but my teammates and I have to go. maybe in the chunin exams, we can see who is better at manipulating sand."
Gaara chuckled "firstly you're on, and secondly before you go" Gaara then turned to his brother "Kankuro, apologize."
"WHAT!? WHAT FOR!?"
"for acting like a child and causing a scene. now you could either apologize or I can unexpectedly put sand in your puppets again."
Kankuro glared "you wouldn't dare."
Gaara then grinned evilly "oh. care to wager on that."
Temari sighed, her younger brother would always pull various pranks on them with his sand, so putting sand in anywhere wasn't beneath him.
Sighing defeat Kankuro walked up to Naruto "I'm sorry."
the blonde smiled "apology accepted."
team 7 then walked off
'heh, bet you never expected to see another sand manipulator that wasn't your jinchūriki, eh Shukaku?'
said tanuki scoffed "whatever you say, gaki."
the blonde chuckled.
"what's so funny, Naruto-kun?"
"nothing, just talking to Shukaku."
"ah. I see."
in the months after their mission in wave country. Naruto was determined to befriend both Shukaku and Kurama.
the attempts, while unsuccessful, did make the two lighten up around the blonde. they were way less mean and even said nice things.
their stubbornness still kept them from befriending their jinchūriki, but the other bijū would always reassure him, that they would come around eventually.
and while the two would never admit it, they did grow a liking towards the blonde.
Hinata had made it towards her bed.
she had enter her application earlier in the day.
as she laid down on her bed, she stared at the picture of team 7.
more specifically, she stared at the blonde who had won over her heart.
ever since that day they met, she greatly admired the boy.
with happy tears and a smile, she only thought one thing.
'regardless of the outcome, the day that the chunin exams will end, will finally be the day that I finally confess my love towards you, Uzumaki Naruto.'
the day had finally arrived. team 7 were walking towards room 301 until they noticed something.
"Kai." they all yelled, dispelling the genjutsu.
they all used what made them special to break the genjutsu.
Sasuke with his now fully matured three tomoe sharingan, Hinata with her byakugan, and Naruto with his bijū friends.
they made their way towards the third floor, seeing their sensei there "ah good to see you all here."
"come on Kakashi-sensei. don't tell us, you actually thought that a small genjutsu would stop us." the blonde said while crossing his arms.
"no, I didn't. anyways you should probably head to the room. the exam will start soon."
as they walked towards the door, they suddenly heard "UZUMAKI NARUTO!"
said blonde sighed.
it was then the rest of team Gai appeared "dammit Lee, I told you not to bring attention towards us." Tenten said.
ignoring his teammate, Lee continued "I see you have entered the chunin exams, that is great as we are currently tied 49-49, I hope to face you, so that this tie may be broken, and what better opportunity is there, than here? a place that will get us one step closer towards being splendid ninjas."
Naruto said nothing for few seconds, before turning around "you say something, Lee?'
Lee feel on knees, with hands on his head "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
while Lee continued screaming, Guy turned around and clenched his fist 'curse you, Kakashi, like I have spread my youthful energy towards my students, you have spread your cool hip attitude towards yours.'
"I wouldn't bother if I were you, Naruto."
in an instant, Naruto turned his angry glare towards the person that said that "oh. hello Neji."
Naruto and Neji glared angrily at each other.
these two infamously never got along, Naruto hated how Neji treated Hinata and Neji hated that Naruto was trying to be anything than what he was, wasted strength.
"hello Naruto. so you are going to participate or are you going to stop defying fate and give up?"
"I'm participating thank you very much."
"tch, even with those bijūs within you are nothing but weak."
Naruto had told the rest of his friends of his jinchūriki status and they all accepted him, the reason that Neji knew, was because he was there.
Neji then continued "tch, in fact if the bijūs were able to be sealed within anyone, it means that they are weak and it was fated to happen."
meanwhile within Naruto, the Bijūs were all growling, enraged at what the Hyūga had said.
"who the hell, does this little bastard think he is?" Kurama said, wishing he could maul the Hyūga.
meanwhile, Shukaku was shaking his cage in anger 'It's bad enough that I am called weak by my siblings, now this good for nothing human is?'
"wow, Neji, you're impressive."
Neji smirked "so, you've fina-"
"you've managed to piss off, all the bijūs at once, even I haven't accomplished that."
after that whole debacle, they entered the room.
"SASUKE-KUN!"
and Sasuke was immediately regretting it.
"BACK OFF, INO-PIG, HE IS MINE!"
"IN YOUR DREAMS, BILLBOARD BROW!"
"urgh, troublesome."
"oh hey Shikamaru. I'm surprised that you entered."
"hey Naruto. and don't get the wrong idea. I'm only here cause my mother forced me to."
Naruto chuckled "figures."
"you too should keep it down."
everyone turned their attention towards a silver haired person wearing glasses.
"and why, exactly?" Kiba asked.
"because of those guys."
he pointed towards a bunch of people staring at them angerly.
while everyone was trembling in fear, team 7 wasn't.
the blonde jinchūriki stared at them, then suddenly burst out laughing "you think just because you are staring at me angerly, that I'm intimidated by you?" he then laughed harder.
the group then flooded killer intent in the room and directed towards the blonde.
said blonde wasn't intimidated, and continued laughing "oh no. look out, more angry glares, oh man. I should give up now. sorry, it's not that you're intimidating, it's just that I don't find you intimidating."
"you should."
"well, I don't."
sighing, the silver haired boy continued "well, then hi. I'm Kabuto."
"I have never seen you before." Shino said.
"I didn't go to your academy, I received my teaching somewhere else. either way, hope you're ready, cause these exams are no joke."
"you've participated before?" Sakura asked.
"this is my 7th time actually, embarrassing, but on the bright side. it has given me some experience and information" he then pulled out some cards "information I have stored in these cards. ask and I shall give."
"Naruto."
'yes Gyūki?'
"tread carefully around this guy, he smells of snake."
Kiba then walked up "Uzumaki Naruto."
"oh, you know their name. that makes it less fun." he then poured his chakra into the cards "let's see. great ninjutsu, great taijutsu, and overall great skills except for genjutsu. huh, that's odd. it says here he has completed 1 A-rank mission and that a few months before he graduated he fought and successfully defeated 4 Iwa jonins."
everyone turned at the blonde.
"Naruto explained." Kiba said.
"I was in the forest working on my chakra control. some Iwa nins attempted to kidnap me and I defended myself."
"and why didn't you tell us, your teammates?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto shrugged "I didn't think it was worth mentioning."
"Naruto, those were jonins, and you weren't even a genin." Shino said.
Naruto shrugged "I didn't even know their ranks until now. besides, they were trying to kidnap me and like you said, I wasn't even a genin yet, they obviously held back and underestimated me." 'besides, Hiruzen told me, not to tell anyone. as it could cause a diplomatic incident. how does this guy know about that?'
before anyone could continue on this, a scarred man walked in "alright brats. prepare yourselves."
Naruto had finished the ninth question, with the bijū's vast knowledge, tests weren't hard.
"okay, brats. times up."
everyone looked at the proctor, Ibiki.
"now time for the tenth question. now, if you fail this question. you will NEVER be allowed to take the chunin exams again."
"WHAT!?" everyone yelled.
"he's lying Gaki, that's just a intimidation tactic. just take it."
'thanks Isobu.'
"I'll take it." Naruto said with determination.
"oh, what makes you sure you'll pass?" Ibiki said glaring at the blonde.
"let me, worry about that." Naruto said back.
"I warn you that-" before he could finish, Naruto interrupted.
"let me tell you, that there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, that could come out of your mouth, that will make me change my mind."
"fine, if anyone else wants to throw away their chance of a promotion and remain as worthless genin. leave now."
after some people had opted out and left, Ibiki looked at who remained "to all those who remained, YOU... all pass."
silence.
"huh?"
Ibiki then proceeded to tell them about the true meaning behind this part of the exam "so by not falling for my intimidating bullcrap, you've proven that you can handle and not break under pressure. thus you pass."
everyone celebrated their victory.
"the next proctor, will take you to the next part of the exam."
silence filled the room.
"I said, the next proctor, will take you to the next part of the exam."
no one had came.
"what the hell is taking her? in my experience, she usually ea-"
it was then a woman had bursted through the window "alright brats. prepare yourselves, cause I, the sexy Mitarashi Anko, am your next proctor."
everyone had sweat dropped at the woman.
omake: Gaara's sand pranks
as Kankuro finished putting on his war paint, he walked towards the door.
as he exited the room, a bucket of water fell on his head.
Kankuro looked up to see a bunch of floating sand.
"GAARA!"
As Temari walking towards the fridge, one thing was on her mind.
'finally, I get to enjoy my sandwich.'
as she got said sandwich out of the fridge. she couldn't help but drool.
she took it out of the bag, and took a huge bite.
then she realized something, and spat out her sandwich that had sand.
"GAARA!"
as the kazekage took off his sandals, he yawned.
he went to put on his slippers.
only, instead of the nice warm feeling he was expecting, it was a hot burning and irrating feeling.
the kazekage took his slippers off and noticed that they were filled with sand.
"GAARA!"
there. after so many chapters, you now have Gaara.
I hope you're all happy with this version of Gaara.
anyways, join us next as snake pe- I mean Orochimaru joins us.