Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Glimpses of Fire ❯ Calm Before The Exam ( Chapter 9 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Glimpses of Fire

Author: shattered-words

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, it'd be called `Gaara'. So, isn't it a shame that I don't own it?

Summary: There were many things that shaped the plans of a certain Nukenin, and one was a shinobi that was as destructive as fire. AU/Mentions of Shounen-ai/Yaoi/Yuri

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Chapter Nine: Calm Before The Exam~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

His body heaved as he took in a labored breath and made a last ditch effort to throw the kunai he had been holding, but it missed the target and hit the tree it was hanging from. Then he gracelessly fell flat on his back, as a loud frustrated groan escaped his lips so the birds in the nearby branches took flight.

He remained where he had fallen for several seconds and watched the sky over head as it started to darken. Already he could make out the stars that had started to bleed in spots across the gathering blackness. There had been no mission with the upcoming Chunin exam and so the day had been long and solitary, which hadn't happened for a while.

Since the cells had been formed he had found that the company of his teammates had comforted him, and he had wondered since when he'd started to think that. Before he hadn't care too much, and had even considered their company a nuisance. Naruto had at first annoyed him with his boasting of how he was just as good as him, but he had matured a lot. Sakura's crush had been exasperating and unwanted love, but now she had completely backed off to no more than a teammate's concern. He could honestly admit that with them around he didn't feel so empty.

A laugh escaped him at the thought since that had been the way he had been for so long following his clan's slaughter. The time right after had been the hardest for him, especially as people spoke about it in whispers when they thought he couldn't hear, but he had heard it all.

He'd be started at as he passed by and some had given him sympathetic smiles and tried to treat him kindly, but he hated them because all of it was fake. They were all fakes. It was during that time he had sworn that he'd make someone pay for his pain. Obviously, his hateful thoughts had turned toward his brother who had been the cause of his suffering.

During one of those lonely days he had encountered the blonde that would one day become his teammate. He had been sitting on the dock where he had practiced so hard to do the Gokakyu no Jutsu when his parents had still been alive.

In those times the only problem he had was trying to make his father as proud of him just like he was of Itachi. To have him say, `You are indeed my son' as he had always said to his older brother. In those days, everything had been so much simpler and he thought that they would continue as such, but it had not been meant to be.

When he had been able to complete the jutsu his father had spoken those words that he had longed to hear, `You are my child, after all.' Sasuke had been so happy to hear him say that, but then had said something that had confused him.

`Don't follow the same path as Itachi.' He didn't understand then what his father had seen, and had realized that while he knew what Itachi was becoming, he hadn't wanted to admit it. Itachi had always been his pride and joy but the hate and treachery that he must have seen in his eyes had been as real as his skills as a genius of the Uchiha clan.

While contemplating that day he had felt eyes upon him. He had turned and had expected to find one of the villagers with their sympathetic stares, but he had caught sight of blonde hair and blue eyes. Uzumaki Naruto, the pariah of Konoha. It wasn't a secret that the boy was hated by the entirety of the village for reasons that even he didn't understand.

They locked gazes and then both of them turned away after contemptuous looks, but Sasuke hadn't been able to keep the smile from gracing his features. The Uzumaki understood the meaning of loneliness as well as he did and so he had smiled in relief since he wasn't the only one that was in pain.

Uchiha Sasuke sighed and sat up as he ruffled his hair with his hand to try and remove the grass and dirt that had latched onto the ebony strands. Then he stood and cleaned off his white shorts and dark blue shirt with the Uchiha fan proudly displayed on its back.

As he was gathering up his equipment, he let his mind wander to the Suna-nin that they had encountered the other day and wondered if he would have a chance to fight against them. The only ones that he was interested in were Sabaku no Gaara, the other Suna shinobi who had refused to give his name, and Haku. He would soon have his chance since the Exam started tomorrow.

He finished storing his equipment back into their place and started to leave the clearing he had been training in, but paused. Sasuke felt the flare of chakra signatures near by in what might have been a battle, or training. After a moment he started to move in that direction, since he was interested in finding out who was still out now that the sun had already set.

When he was within hearing range he stopped and tried to hear anything, but he only heard the sounds of fighting. He didn't want to get any closer or they would feel his presence. If that happened then they might leave or maybe attack him.

However, he suddenly heard an exclamation and it was followed by two thuds and recognized it as two people falling and hitting the ground. It stopped after that and then he could barely make out labored breathing, and he dared to approach a bit more.

He caught sight first of the boy that had refused to give him his name and then in front of him were the other two. The teammates were picking themselves up from where they had landed. Sasuke knew when they had realized he was there as he saw the leader glance up at him, and then the other two were in front of him a heartbeat later and glaring in his direction.

The Uchiha stepped into view and the trees cast most of his features and body in shadow. They looked like they might attack him, but a word from whom he assumed was the leader, and they stepped back but continued to glare at him. He imagined that if looks could kill, he would have already been dead a thousand times over. Although, he dismissed them and turned his attention to the one that was behind them, since he was the only one he was interested in.

“Who are you?” Sasuke repeated. His eyes dared him to refuse him an answer again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eizan had been the first to sense the presence, since Amane had been too absorbed in the fight to hear him, and Iwane's back had been turned in his direction. They were in front of them in the next second as Sasuke showed himself after having been lurking in the shadows.

She had known it was him since she knew how stubborn he could be, and that he might find her in the days until the exam started. He had most likely been training near by and felt their chakra from the jutsu they'd been using, and came to investigate.

The girls looked ready to attack him, but she knew that it wouldn't be wise or they might get disqualified. “Tomare,” she said with a sigh. She stretched one arm over her head carefully followed by the other, and was able to keep the grimace off her face. It wouldn't be a good thing to let the Uchiha know that she was injured, and thus at a disadvantage in the days to follow.

Sasuke ignored the others and turned his focus toward her, once again asking for her to identify her. She couldn't keep the smirk off her face and knew that he wouldn't be able to remember her brother's name. Eizan doubted that he even remembered anything but her nickname at the time.

She started to gather her equipment instead of answering him and after a minute he seemed to grow impatient and he stepped toward her. The kunoichi made him stop short as they formed seals to indicate he was in danger if he came any closer.

“You are far too impatient, Uchiha-san,” she said as she shook her head, clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth in a disappointed manner. It was amusing to see the slight show of annoyance on his face.

Eizan finished gathering their things and opened the girl's holsters and slipped in their weapons, and they made no move to take their eyes off of him. She came to stand in between them and rested one arm against Amane's right shoulder and her other arm on Iwane's left shoulder, and leaned against them as she smiled at Sasuke. “Since you will find out sooner or later, I'll give you my name.”

Her gaze locked on his face and his features seemed frozen in contempt as he waited. She almost laughed as she pulled away from her comrades and turned as she walked away. “The name is Ashikaga Eizan,” she responded when it appeared she would leave without answering.

A hand was lifted over her head as she waved farewell to him without turning around. The two girls glared at him once more before they hurried after her. They soon disappeared from his sight and into the gathering darkness.

Eizan brought her arm back against her body as she grimaced and sighed. She could lift her arms but if she did it too fast then it sent a sharp pain through her. It would be a hindrance after the first part of the exam.

Since she had absorbed her brother's memory of the Chunin Exam taken at Konoha, she knew that the first part of the exam was a written test. She wondered if the examiner was the same or if it would be different. Just in case it was, she had informed her teammates of this and made sure to include this in tonight's report to Gaara.

Eizan stopped suddenly and looked up at the darkened sky and realized that she was late. “Don't wait up for me,” she told them and disappeared into the trees quickly. Amane and Iwane glanced at each other before they made their way back to the ryokan.

The Ashikaga was hoping over the rooftops a few minutes later and was trying to pinpoint the red head's exact location. She was shocked as the sand suddenly rose up in front of her, and caught her in mid air. The first thing that went through her mind was terror as she was being forced down onto a rooftop below.

Her eyes closed instinctively and after a moment when nothing happened, she opened them again. She found herself face to face with Gaara and gasped. “Sumimasen, Gaara-dono,” she hurried to tell him, closing her eyes in anticipation. “I just returned from training!”

For a few breath-taking moments there was only the shifting of the sand around her but it didn't move to crush her. She had never cared about death, and had already decided that she'd give her life to him if it pleased him. So, her fear had confused her at first.

Eizan realized then that she was scared to be left alone, and that he wouldn't kill her but send her from his side. That terrible loneliness was more terrified to her than anything. She'd have no meaning in life and become the empty shell that she'd been when she had met him. She preferred death than having to return to that type of life.

“I know,” he finally responded. Her eyes snapped open and locked on his face. The anger and hate she expected wasn't there that she'd seen more and more over the last year.

She tilted her head to the side to study him for a moment when he turned away. There was a strange expression on his face. The fire wielder had noticed something amiss with him lately, but she hadn't been able to identify yet what it was. It seemed to be eating away at him, and she only hoped it didn't deplete the control he had on his already fragile mind.

The kunoichi wished she could help, but he'd never tell her anything. He never told anyone anything and suffered the pain alone. Gaara thought that he couldn't trust anyone, and Eizan wished he could realize that she'd do anything to make him happy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gaara had watched the sun set in the western sky, and it had looked as if it'd been on fire. It was during this time that he was reminded of Eizan the most because she was the fire itself. Lately, however, he had seen her eyes turn more dull and sad every time she looked at him. It was almost like the fire inside her died.

He wondered if he'd done that to her, and knew he had. If he had indeed made her very nature wither and die, then he asked himself why she was still with him. Again, he had no answer for this question.

When the sky had completely darkened he glanced up and realized that she still wasn't here for the report. Before, he had never cared whether she had shown up or not, but over the past year he'd started to note if she was late. He'd started to become angry if she ever spoke to someone he didn't like.

Just as he'd become angry when Uchiha Sasuke had asked her who she was, but she had refused to give him her name. Most likely it had been because she had noticed his expression since he'd seen her eyes shift toward him before she had answered.

Gaara had also noticed that his anger was only when she spoke or interacted with males and not females. He didn't care if she was with her teammates, but he was a bit uneasy about the Erizawa at times for some reason. He couldn't properly understand feelings well so he didn't know what to call it.

The night she arrived late after her training she had told him that it had run late, but he knew that she had finished it more than half an hour earlier. She had never lied to him before but that's not the reason he'd become angry. It was because he had imagined whom she could have been with. He didn't even like it when she stayed training more than usual with her Jonin instructor but he knew that she didn't have a choice there.

He'd even threatened Kankurou with death a few times when he had only glanced in her direction. Both his siblings knew that Eizan was off limits for them, and only he was allowed to speak to her. It worked well since the girl never so much as looked in their direction.

The sand wielding ninja knew her loyalty was unrivaled, and didn't need to threaten her with death for her to do something, but even so he'd never trusted her. Over the years he'd grown colder and had started to speak even less to her, and even if he tried to dismiss it, he had seen changes in her as well. Her eyes had lost her vitality they once had and every time she looked at him there was a strain on her features as if she was in pain.

Gaara felt her presence and his sand had automatically struck out at his desire to have her before him. It had grabbed her and brought her in front of him, and he'd seen that her ebony orbs had been closed. When she had opened them, she had gasped in shock.

The fear he saw in her wide eyes before they closed again caused a pain to grip his chest. Her panicked voice stilled his tongue for several seconds and he didn't know what to say. She'd never reacted in such a way, but he couldn't say he blamed her.

“I know,” he told her after several seconds. Her eyes opened in shock and he stopped the sigh that threatened to leave his lips. He wondered how he'd allowed the monster inside to control him. Although, he still refused to rethink his decision. If he didn't have his purpose in life then it was like being dead.

He felt alive when he took life, but this person suspended before him didn't seem to fit into that part of his life. She was useless to him and things that were not needed had to be disposed of.

After a few moments, he released her and turned away as he heard her fall. He waited and soon she started her report, telling him that training had been going good and also about what the first part of the exam might consist of. When she spoke of the chance meeting with Sasuke, the same dark anger came when she informed him that he had asked her for a name again. “And what did you say to him?” he asked her, still looking away from her.

Her moment of hesitation answered his question before she responded in a quiet voice. “I told him.” He was able to hear the slight tremor in her tone, most likely because his own voice had perhaps sounded angered.

She had always been able to read the very faint expression he happened to give off. He had never been able to understand her or the way she'd stuck to him all these years.

For him, the promise she'd made the night Yashamaru had betrayed him had been insignificant to him. That night after she'd departed to her empty house he had fully expected for her to never approach him again, and then he would enjoy killing her.

However, it'd been a complete surprise when she had been waiting for him outside his house with all her hair chopped off. He hardly slept and had spent the night on the roof. That would be the last time that he would ever return to that place, which only him and Yashamaru had occupied since before he could remember.

Shortly after their meeting, he celebrated his seventh birthday and she started in the Ninja Academy, which Gaara had already been attending since he had turned six years old. It was customary for her to join the class that had just started, but she had insisted that she be placed in his.

They refused her at first but she had pressed the issue and insisting that she was on the same level. Gaara had watched her and after getting tired of hearing her arguing with the instructor he had told the Chunin teacher to just let her join the class. After that, there had been no further argument. Apparently being the Kazekage's son had some quirks, but not that he cared.

Then there had been the incident with her carving the kanji for love on her chest. The wound had been bleeding, and she'd held the bloodied kunai in her hand. Gaara had recalled when Yashamaru had demonstrated to him about pain before he cut his finger to show him the blood.

That was blood that he'd never shed and something angered him at the time upon seeing hers and he had lashed out at her. While he hadn't realized it then, that was a time he realized something very important about his promise to kill the girl when she became useless to him.

They had graduated from the Academy when he had been eleven years old and she was ten. It would have been easy for them to graduate earlier but neither had ever revealed their abilities to any of the instructors. So they had sat through the classes that showed them practical things needed to be a ninja. Eizan had paid attention to the history of the other villages and of any information the teacher had of Kekkei Genkai.

A few days after becoming Genin, their Chunin instructor had been found dead. Or they assume it was him because his body had been burned to a crisp, and from the looks of it, he had still been alive.

No one tried to investigate the murder and when Gaara had asked her if she had killed him she had only given him a strained smile and nodded. He hadn't asked her why she'd killed him but after he found out about the assassins she'd told him that the Chunin teacher had tried to kill her. The Oinin hadn't shown up and she'd been forced to kill him herself.

Gaara realized then that she couldn't be useful to him since killing seemed to bother her. That was also when he learned that she absorbed the memories of objects and people she killed with her fire.

Over the years she had improved it since when her abilities had first started to manifest, the exchange of information had been too much and she could not filter out any of it. So it bombarded her and she became paralyzed for several seconds. After her first kill she had learned that it was a bit more difficult to filter them out as easily since they had a lifetime of memories.

After he'd figured out that the assassins were after her, he started to realize that they didn't come as often as before. The year after they graduated he had only counted two that attempted on his life but from Eizan's report she had been visited by at least five assassins. This had puzzled him since he had thought that the Kazekage would try harder to kill him.

He came to the conclusion that his dear father had thought that with the girl under his command he would be even more dangerous, and harder to control. So, if he could not kill Gaara, then killing Eizan would be the next best thing. The only thing the Kazekage hadn't realized was that most of them had been stopped by that mysterious Anbu, who had become Oinin.

Gaara was brought back to the present, and to the fact that he hadn't responded to her answer for a while. He could tell that her body was tensed within the sand, and he actually sighed softly before relaxing his arms so they fell at his side. “Go get some rest. The Chunin Exam is tomorrow.”

He sensed her hesitation before she rose to her feet but didn't leave. “I shouldn't have given him my name,” she said, almost like she was talking to herself. Her voice was quiet but didn't shake and he was almost relieved.

Lately, her voice would shake so break with fear when she thought he was angry. It seemed that he had started to read her better, but he regarded that as a bad thing. He wasn't suppose to find it easy to read her because that meant that he understood what she was thinking, and he didn't want that.

He turned to look at her, and his turquoise eyes narrowed as she stepped back. “I told you to go,” he hissed. She lowered her face with an expression of sadness, which he had not seen in a long time. With a word of apology, she was gone but he could tell that she wasn't heading toward the Inn.

The direction she was heading in was the forest. He frowned angrily before he moved to follow her, but made sure to keep his presence hidden since she seemed to know his chakra. The anger that he felt when she spoke to another male manifested inside of him again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She left Gaara's side reluctantly, but she'd seen the look in his eyes. He wanted her to leave. So, she had left but hadn't headed to the ryokan as he'd instructed. She felt like letting off some steam.

It had been foolish of her to tell Sasuke her name. She'd allowed her past with him to cloud her judgment, but she wanted to see if she could get any information out of him as to what had happened during the Uchiha Massacre.

Eizan had never believed Itachi to be capable of such a thing, and wanted to know what Sasuke believed. She wanted to know if he saw his Aniki as a murderer as he'd been labeled by his village. The thought filled her with sorrow.

She entered the cover of the trees and her figure was consumed by the darkness as a sigh left her body. It was obvious that Amane and Iwane had as she'd instructed and had returned to the Inn. For a moment, she wondered if they'd go to bed without her since she'd told them not to wait up on her.

Moving deeper inside, she began to train. Normally, she always made sure to cover all the areas when training, but right now she needed to release some tension so she concentrated on taijutsu.

The Exam was tomorrow and she could do nothing but move her body at the moment, pushing it to the limits of her abilities. As she trained, the night grew darker and cooler around her, and soon she couldn't see anything. She still continued on and somehow managed to avoid the trees that surrounded her.

The kunoichi hadn't stretched before she started but she didn't need to since she had just finished training not even twenty minutes ago. Now her muscles felt like they were on fire, but still she continued to push her self until a fine layer of perspiration covered her entire body and she was brought down to her knees.

She was resting on her hands and knees and took in ragged breaths as she could do nothing but remain where she was. Her eyes lifted as she heard someone step out of the shadows. Gaara's figure loomed over her as his expressionless face peered down at her.

`Don't look at me with such cold eyes,' she silently pleaded. Her limbs buckled and gave way so she met the cool ground below her. “I guess...I wasn't ready to go to bed just yet,” she gasped instead, coughing before resting her face against the ground. She closed her dark orbs as he moved closer and she sighed. “Sumimasen, Gaara-dono.”

After a moment, she felt arms lift up her slender body. She opened her eyes as the stars overhead spun out of control. He didn't speak as he carried her through the forest and then as they emerged to enter the village. She could only stare up at the crescent moon and glance at his features once in a while, but averted her eyes as her face flushed in embarrassment and glad for the darkness.

The times that he'd lifted her and held her in his arms like this, she had been unconscious, and she thought that he used his sand. Now, she could almost remember the feel of his arms around her, and their warmth seeping into her flesh so she shivered.

His eyes shifted to her face and she glanced away as she bit her lip but said nothing since saying anything would only have ruined the moment. It was rare when he showed her tenderness while she was awake.

Eizan chanced a look at his face and saw that his eyes hadn't strayed from her face. She suddenly saw that kindness there once more. Her mouth parted in slight surprise because it had been too long since she'd seen it. For a while, she had wondered if perhaps it had finally died.

The Ashikaga knew that the look was one of the things she had grown to love about him. That even after everything he had gone through there was still that last shred of humanity there, and that was what she wanted to save about him so that he wouldn't become an empty shell. It didn't matter if he ever loved her back, as long as he was better than he was now. As long as he was happy.

They arrived at the Inn too soon and she was being set on her feet at the door to her room, but she had to lift her hand to support her exhausted body, wincing only slightly now at the ache of her ribs. They had a week to heal, but it wasn't enough, and even if he'd been the cause of it she didn't blame him. She knew it had been her fault for speaking with Uzumaki Naruto. The blonde was also responsible since he hadn't taken a hint and left her alone.

She fumbled with the door a moment and as she did, she suddenly felt hands grab her and spin her around. Before Eizan realized what was happening she was being pinned roughly against the wall as she groaned slightly in pain. Her wide eyes flicked to her assailant as his turquoise orbs narrowed.

The kunoichi could do nothing as he leaned toward her and her mind went blank. `Nani?' Her breath hitched in her throat as her heart beat accelerated. At the last possible moment he shifted and she felt his face against her neck as he inhaled deeply to take in her scent.

She knew she reeked of sweat, but didn't dare speak a word at the moment. His mouth was pressed against her ear when he spoke. “What are you doing to me?” he growled quietly as she shuddered, and felt her eyes slide closed. His hands held her against the wall as his fingers bit harshly into her flesh.

Then he released her so quickly it was as if she had burned him, and turned his back to her. “Get some rest,” he muttered after a few moments. Then he flickered and was gone in his sand.

Her body slid to the floor as she wondered what had happened. Gaara had never done anything like that before, and when he grabbed her she had expected him to strike her. What he'd done had been even more shocking, and even now she couldn't forget the sight of him leaning into her so she had felt his body against her own.

Eizan's whole body was shaking and she ran a trembling hand through her short hair as she fell back against the wall. After several long moments she finally rose to her feet and slumped against the door before fumbling with the knob once again.

She paused before opening it and rested her forehead against its cool, uncomfortable surface. A blush worked its way over her features as she smiled before she cracked the door open and slipped into the darkened room. She didn't know what had happened, but she felt a bit of hope paint over the despair in her heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

1 July

The day was bright and pleasant as the Genin teams made their way to the school where the first part of the Chunin Exam would take place. All the teams were mingled ranging from Amegakure, Kusagakure, Takigakure and many from Konohagakure. There were also a few from Sunagakure and a single team from the newly erected Otogakure.

The building that the teams were supposed to head to was starting to get crowded. Everyone was eyeing each other up as they entered the school and also taking in their surroundings. It wasn't even three o'clock but a lot of the Genin were anxious to start, or perhaps just nervous.

A figure was moving over the rooftops, two others following after with the same speed. The came to stop on the edge of a roof as they gazed over the many shinobi from the other villages that were steadily but surely making their way to the building and then entering.

There was no need to rush since there was still more than an hour before the exam started and so the figure that had been leading moved to crouch on the roof top they had come to stop on. A grin spread over his features as he motioned toward some teams, followed by a cruel laugh from one of the other two. It seemed that this exam was going to be quite exciting. “Let's have some fun with this.” The others nodded with a smirk and the grin on the one in the front grew exponentially.

The shinobi in front stiffened and then was up in an instant when three figures came to land on the roof behind them. A red haired shinobi accompanied by two others, and identified them as being Sabaku no Gaara and his team. Neither moved to address the other and that was a good thing since speaking while within Konoha lands was dangerous. Any that saw them would assume that they had just met on the rooftop by chance. After all they were looking at one another with open hostility, but it was no act.

The one in the front was Zaku Abumi and he was wearing a long sleeved white shirt with black bands wrapped around his wrists. Around the neck, the collar of his shirt was loose and spotted black, and three kanji signs for death were printed down the front. His pants matched his colors and his Oto hitai-ate was holding back his spiky black hair, with sides coming to frame his face.

The other male at his right was Dosu Kinuta, and he was wearing almost the same thing but his sleeves were a tad too long and he had two black stripes forming a cross and intercepting at his waist. He had the same pants and almost his entire head was wrapped in bandages with the exception of his left eye being uncovered, and his Sound headband was at his forehead. Draped over his slouched back was a straw raincoat.

There was also a kunoichi and the name on her application would identify her as Kin Tsuchi. She had on a sleeveless white shirt, with black bands and matching collar and pants as her companions. Her hair was so long it reached her ankles and the hitai-ate kept it out of her face.

The three Oto ninja saw another Suna team appear besides Gaara's team, and knew who they were by what their leader had informed them about. The boy with the spiky hair locked his eyes on the fire user in the front and a frown twisted his features.

`So, this is the one that Orochimaru-sama wants from Sunagakure', he silently commented, and his hands clenched at his sides. Zaku didn't know what his plans were but he knew they revolved around this one and the other.

He openly glared at the shorter shinobi then turned and jumped off the roof as his two teammates followed. There would be ample time later to see just how good the Suna-nin were and he'd make sure to have the necessary fun with it. Of course, if that little Suna Genin that Orochimaru was after accidentally died then it couldn't be helped.

A chuckle left his lips as he turned his attention to the front and their destination. It was time to start heading inside even if there was still an hour till the Exam. He was anxious to get started.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eizan came to land besides Gaara's team and she glanced at the three man cell that was standing before them. He saw the musical note on their hitai-ate and knew they belonged from the newly formed Otogakure.

She frowned when she saw the boy in the middle turn his hardened gaze on her. Her teeth clenched at the open hostility on his face. `Why is he looking at me with such hate?' she mused.

The fire wielder felt no fear toward him, but she was just curious as to what she could have possibly done to incur such a reaction from him. She dismissed it as nothing as they left, but her eyes fastened on his retreating back. It was obvious that she'd have to be cautious during the exam while around that one.

“Eizan,” she heard Gaara's voice and was beside him in an instant as she locked her gaze on the ground. He rarely called her by her name, and this had been the second time since they had been together. “Seek them out.”

He didn't need to say anything else, since she knew what he desired. The other day, they had found Uchiha Sasuke by chance. There was bound to be others in this and other villages that would actually be of some competition.

She risked a glance at him and his gaze shifted to meet her own at that moment, but she didn't turn away. A flicker of emotion flashed behind his turquoise pools before she glimpsed that kindness again, but then he was turning away. “Go.”

A grin spread over her face before she nodded her head. “Hai, Gaara-dono!” she exclaimed and then she was moving away from the roof with her teammates beside her.

She approached the school building when she spotted the Uchiha's team as they approached. Eizan stopped before reaching the entrance and blended in with the crowd and out of their sight as Iwane and Amane did the same. When the other team entered they broke away and followed, but made sure to stay unseen.

They arrived at the crowd of Genin gathered outside of the room that read, `301'. There was a boy on the floor whose black hair was cut into a short, bowl like style and he had thick eyebrows framing small black eyes.

He was wearing a green bodysuit with orange leg warmers, and his Konoha hitai-ate wrapped around his waist. There were bandages wrapped around his arms from his elbows all the way to his fingers. It appeared that he had been knocked down since his face was bruised and he was pressing a fist against his bloodied lips.

Iwane frowned as she looked over the scene and then leaned close to whisper something in her ear. A smirk crossed Eizan's face as she gave a nod to indicate that she heard her. “Let's watch, shall we?”

There was a kunoichi besides the bowl haired boy and her dark brown hair was tied into two buns and her Konoha headband was around her forehead. She donned a sleeveless white shirt and black pants that barely reached her feet, which were encased in the ninja issue blue sandals.

There was another boy beside them that was from Konoha judging by the leaf headband around his head. He was wearing a short sleeved beige shirt with a loose collar around the neck. His right arm was bandaged all the way under the shirt and down to his fingers. He had blue shorts that went to his knees, and his right leg was also bandaged starting from under his shorts down to his ankle and disappearing under his blue ninja sandals.

The long black strands of his hair were tied in a loose pony tail that hung down his back. However, his most interesting feature was his lavender orbs that lacked pupils and gave the impression that he was blind.

The two Konoha shinobi that were refusing to let anyone pass appeared to be no older than them. “Chunin are at the level of military captains, and lead their unit. The responsibilities for failed missions and dead shinobi rest firmly on their shoulders.”

He smirked as he stared them down. “And you little brats actually think you can pass?” His smirk turned into a grin as his companion merely watched on for the moment, measuring those that were up front.

“We're saving a step by weeding out the obvious trash beforehand,” he continued to speak as he gave a snort. He had wild black hair sticking out around his head, and a single patch on both cheeks and one on his chin. His Konoha headband was displayed proudly at his head, and the handles of two large kunai were seen over his shoulder.

At that moment, the Uchiha and his team arrived on the scene and the prodigy spoke up. “That sounds good in theory, but I can't waste time here,” he said. He came to stop just besides the other team of Genin that had been delayed there, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his white shorts. “And you may as well drop the Genjutsu while you're at it. I have business on the third floor.”

Eizan smirked as she glanced at Iwane and the other girl just gave a shrug, but grinned since the girl's sharp eye sight had already seen past the illusion. There were many other shinobi that were confused by his words and she was able to hear as they wondered what he was talking about.

“So, you figured that out, huh?” the other one spoke up. He was wearing the same thing as his companion, but he wore a black shirt underneath that came up to his chin and the sides of his face. His Konoha hitai-ate was also around his head and he had the same blue ninja sandals as the one beside him.

This time it was Sakura that spoke up with a slight smirk of her own. “It was fairly easy to see through such a flimsy Genjutsu.” Naruto nodded but said nothing. Any other time his teammates might have believed that he was faking having known, but things had changed. He had seen past the illusion.

Eizan continued to watch the events with growing interest. It seemed that the girls had been right about the pink haired kunoichi having a sharp mind. More than likely she was the most analytical of her team, and thus understood the art of illusion.

“We're obviously still on the second floor,” Naruto did speak up now. Just then, the illusion wore off to reveal that they were indeed on the second floor.

“Not bad, but just seeing through it isn't enough!” The one that had spoken first said with a snort and he moved his upper body down and lifted his leg to kick, using his hands against the ground to brace himself. At the same moment the Uchiha lifted his left leg to meet his attack.

“Should have used his arm to block and kicked from below,” Amane muttered besides her. Eizan chuckled but continued to watch, and she raised her eyebrows a moment before the green clad leaf-nin appeared in between the two shinobi and stopped their attacks. She was fairly impressed since he would have been able to read their movements and then place himself right at the nexus of their attacks.

He released both their legs and it seemed enough for them to calm down. Everyone around them seemed amazed by the show of skill from the Genin from Konoha.

Eizan was also paying rapt attention to them, and noticed that her two teammates were doing the same thing. Iwane was busying eyeing the boy with the lavender eyes and Eizan hoped it wasn't just interest for his anatomy.

The Erizawa was actually remembering a certain kunoichi that had possessed the same type of eyes as the boy in front of them. She briefly wondered if they were related.

The boy being observed approached the male with the bowl cut. “Hey, that's not what we agreed,” he chastised him. Eizan felt as Amane stiffened before she turned her gaze toward him. “You're the one who insisted we should avoid drawing attention to ourselves.”

The girl with the two buns on the sides of her head, and which had been on the ground as well, had already stood and also approached him. “But-but,” he started and then turned toward Sasuke's team and blushed slightly.

Again Eizan saw as Amane turned toward him as the other spoke. She'd ask her about it later since now wasn't the time, and she knew that her teammate had realized that she'd noticed her attention on him.

“Here we go again,” the girl, Tenten, said with a sigh as she shook her head. The other boy, known as Hyuuga Neji, narrowed his eyes and seemed to be exasperated as if this had happened before.

The green clad boy seemed determined as he walked over to Sakura and now one was able to tell that the bruises weren't on his face anymore. The blonde was looking on in confusion and it seemed that Sakura also didn't understand. “Hi. My name is Rock Lee,” he started and Eizan filed away his name for later. “You're Sakura, aren't you? Would you like to go out with me? I'll protect you with my life.”

Lee grinned as he held out his thumb as if proclaiming a victory. He winked his left eye as his teeth seem to glint, and the last survivor of the Ashikaga Clan swore she heard a `ping'.

Sakura smiled a bit uneasily and shook her head. “Sorry, not interested,” she told him, not wanting to be too hard on him. Obviously, he had practiced the words and had gathered his courage to tell her. She knew how it felt since she had at one point felt the same way about Sasuke. Right now, she wasn't sure what she felt about him besides a comrade's concern.

Neji meanwhile walked over to Sasuke. There was a smirk on his face and it seemed that the Uchiha had also caught his interest. “Hey, you,” he called out as the short haired boy turned to look at him, lifting an eyebrow in question. “What's your name?”

In the background, Naruto was watching as he clenched his hand in anger and it was almost like his eyes were two balls of fire. Obviously something had upset him, and Eizan couldn't help the smirk that spread over her features. He was an amusing guy.

There was a superior look on Sasuke's features before he smirked. “Its common courtesy to give your own name first,” was his response. Eizan snorted because she remembered that the other day he had asked Gaara his name before giving his own. She ran a hand through her bangs as she named him a hypocrite in her mind. It'd be interesting to see what he'd say if he heard her thoughts.

This answer didn't deter Neji and he didn't give his name either. “You're a rookie, aren't you?” he asked next. By the question, it would be assumed that he was older, and had most likely been a Genin longer than the Uchiha team. “How old?”

Sasuke still had his hands stuffed into his pockets and Sakura was standing just behind him, as Tenten stood beside Neji. “I don't have to tell you a thing,” Sasuke responded and then he turned away without another word as the other did the same. It seemed that they had come to an understanding that they would find out later anyway because they were both going to take the exam.

The pink haired ninja smirked and turned down the hall. “Let's get going Sasuke and Naruto,” she told them. The other two followed as the Uchiha shrugged with indifference.

Eizan turned to follow them and then saw as Lee's teammates called that they should proceed to where they needed to go. “You guys go on ahead,” he told them, having been staring after the other Sasuke's team as they departed. “There's something I want to check first.” He then hurried down the hall.

Her eyes narrowed and Eizan turned toward her own teammates. “I'm going on alone,” she informed them as they nodded. “Gather any information and be ready to report about that boy.” She'd motion toward Neji and the two kunoichi smirked.

They nodded as she winked at them and disappeared in a puff of smoke after forming hand seals. She hadn't disappeared in her fire as she normally did and the girls assumed that it was to keep her abilities hidden for the moment.

Amane glanced back at Lee's comrades as they went in another direction, and they followed them. “So?” she asked her, not needing to say more to the shorter girl. It seemed that they were taking another route to reach room 301.

Iwane folded her arms behind her head as she walked besides Amane who stuffed her hands into her pockets. “It's his eyes,” she responded with a slight shrug. “The day Eizan-sama sent us to scout on the day we first arrived I encountered a girl with the same kind of eyes. She looked about our age and so I figure she's a Genin.”

They were going down a hall, and the girl and boy were walking in front of them. There were others that were also taking this route and so the two girls didn't worry that they'd figure out they were being followed. “What about you?”

Amane fiddled with something in her pocket before clutching it tightly within her palm. “I've heard his voice before. He's part of the team that was talking about rookies joining the exam in the woods.” Her eyes narrowed on the boy's back. “That same day we were sent to scout, I entered into the forest.” The other gave her a slanted look as she lifted an eyebrow.

Amane rolled her eyes. “I wouldn't forget his voice when one of them attacked me,” she countered Iwane's unvoiced teasing. The earth user shrugged but she frowned slightly as she turned away. Her sharp eyes locked on the boy walking in front of her.

She didn't doubt the other girl's words since her hearing was the best out of all three of them. “Did they see you?” Iwane asked and when the other shrugged she sighed. “Well, if the person I saw leaving the forest followed by three figures was you, then there might be a good chance that they didn't.”

The Itagaki frowned and looked at her. “How far?” she asked her. “Did you use the increasing jutsu?”

The emerald eyed ninja smirked and shrugged again. “Hokage Monument and I didn't,” she simply replied and took great pleasure in seeing the shock on the others' face. Amane was hardly ever surprised.

It was no wonder since she had never really told them how far she could actually see. “The sun had already gone down, so there's a chance that they didn't get a good look at you.”

Amane nodded and let her face slip back into the blank expression that she always wore. She had caught the leaf-nin's names in the bit of conversation they had been having with one another, but now they weren't even speaking.

They turned the corner and saw the door and the sign overhead that read `301'. The two in front of them paused and turned to look at them as the Neji narrowed his pale eyes toward them. “And I'm thinking the odds weren't in your favor.” The slight sing-song note in Iwane's voice made Amane give her a glare.

They continued to walk and ignored the other two as Amane glanced at her teammate as Iwane smirked. When they passed by her eyes shifted to meet Neji's disturbing gaze, but she neither flinched or said anything.

When they had walked a few steps in front of them his voice stopped them. “I recognize you.”-

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Translations:

1. Tomare: Stop.

2. Taijutsu: Physical arts: hand-to-hand combat.

3. Amegakure: lit. “hidden within the rain”
4. Kusagakure: lit. “hidden within the grass”
5. Takigakure: lit. “hidden within the waterfall”
6. Otogakure: lit. “hidden within the sound”
7. Genjutsu: Illusionary skills.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

End Chapter Nine