*Note: Credit goes to the following authors for the following team(s)
-Tengaigakure: Ayane Shuura, Sono Ishikara, and Nikaari Shumma. Credit goes to Quzor.
-Konohagakure: Ansari Hotaru, Kaori Kasume, and Kyoshi Katsurou. Credit goes to TheWrongVine.
-Iwagakure: Hiroto Yamanouchi, Honoka Yamaguchi, Atsuko Yamaguchi, and Masaru Dazai. Credit goes to SpectacularInsanity.
It had been two whole hours since the written exam officially started, and the class size had been reduced greatly. Quite a many genin had been disqualified for cheating, and now the remaining number of students was at forty.
Kojiro looked around and called out, “You all have one hour left to complete this test!” He exclaimed. Hishegami was on the last chapter and had little or no difficulties getting through the first several chapters. Tanzou was only barely on the third chapter, (“This is really hard.”) He thought. (“There’s got to be some sort of catch to doing this!”) Tanzou added.
Mikko sat at her seat with a blank expression engraved on her face. Two hours passed and she hadn’t written a thing in her booklet. (“I’m doomed, I’m doomed!”) She chanted in her mind. Hishegami glanced at Mikko for a split second, (“That fathead, she’d better not shot our chances at becoming chunin!”) Hishegami thought with a scowl.
A red light flashed, three more genin were disqualified, leaving the total number of students to thirty-seven. Another red flash, three more were removed, dropping the total to thirty-four. (“These kids are dropping like flies.”) Fuuko thought. Ayane was in close competition with Hishegami, though not knowing that. She had finished all of the chapters save for the last one, the same chapter Hishegami was currently on. (“I wonder if Sono and Nikaari are having the same luck.”) Ayane thought.
Kojiro looked at his wristwatch and back at the class, “Thirty minutes left!” He cried out. Mikko’s heart raced, she was sobbing and had turned pale and was practically eating her exam booklet while the others around her had been secretly gathering information and or passing the exam on their own. (“This sucks! This sucks! This sucks! This SUCKS!!!”) Mikko chanted in her mind.
A final red light flashed, and three more genin were escorted out of the classroom. The final total number of remaining students was thirty-one. Tanzou was halfway through chapter three, albeit he guessed his way through. (“I don’t know half of this stuff but if my guesses are right then I’ve still got a shot at winning this thing!”) Tanzou thought. The blue-haired girl, Kaori looked somewhat perplexed. She was not sure what to study while in Konoha, and only knew a handful of advanced jutsu. (“I hope Ansari passes!”) She thought. Nearby, Kyoshi Katsurou a fellow Konoha teammate scowled as he flipped through the booklet. (“This test is brutal!”) He complained in his mind.
Kojiro called out again, “Fifteen minutes remaining!” he exclaimed. Mikko was in her own world, she was pale and a Mikko dressed as a nurse checked her temperature while a Mikko dressed as a doctor took her pulse. “It doesn’t look good doctor!” Said Nurse Mikko. “Nope, nope!” Replied Doctor Mikko. Sono Ishikara sat with a confident smile, taking his time through the exam, having reached the third chapter. (“While this exam maybe difficult, this may be my only chance to become a chunin!”) He thought.
Umikira glanced down at his puddle, receiving more answers to the exam questions. However, Umikira was only at the middle of the second chapter and his siblings weren’t doing much better. Umikira wrote down the answers he got and continued absorbing knowledge from the puddle.
Mikko’s head hit the desk just as Nurse Mikko announced that she had flat-linned. Hishegami was on the last question, and was in competition with Ayane of the Treetop Village, though not knowing it. (“The last question, I did it!”) Hishegami cheered in her mind. Kojiro looked at his wristwatch once more, “Ten minutes until the test is over!” He announced.
The Stone shinobi, Honoka Yamaguchi smirked, (“Good, the sooner this thing is over with then the sooner we can get to Tanzou!”) She thought. Tension filled the air as the test takers struggled to finish up the exam in what little time remained. The only ones who had actually finished the booklet were Hishegami and Ayane, who finished at the same time. (“Well that was easy!”) Hishegami thought. (“So, that Kumogakure girl also completed the exam.”) Ayane observed. Mikko was twiddling her thumbs and rocking back-and-forth while the imaginary Nurse and Doctor versions of herself were tending to her current condition. “Doctor she’s in shock!” Nurse Mikko declared. “She needs some sugar before she goes into a coma!” Doctor Mikko replied.
“And… pencils down!” Kojiro shouted, the test takers all stopped writing at once and looked up at Kojiro. “Would all of you be so kind as to pass your exam booklets to the front?” Kojiro asked. The genin all handed in their booklets to the person in front of them, until the booklets all reached Kojiro himself. Kojiro eyed the class suspiciously, “Well, let’s see how we did.” He said, thumbing through a random booklet. “Some of you did very well.” Kojiro announced. Hishegami sat up straight and grinned widely when Kojiro said that. “While some of did not do as well.” Kojiro added. Mikko slumped in her seat and tried hiding her face. “I’m sure you all noticed the red lights that flashed, throughout the exam.” Kojiro said. “Yeah, what’s up with that?” Jiro wondered. “It means that one of you has been caught cheating, therefore you and your team will be disqualified!” Kojiro replied. (“No wonder so many of us were removed, they were cheating and got caught!”) Fuuko thought. Kojiro smiled and stroked his watch. “I see that the rest of you who are still here, barely managed to get past the third chapter, or the first for that matter.” Mikko sunk even lower upon hearing this. “This exam is an important step for all of you shinobi to take in order to move up the ranks, without these exams, we will never truly know where you’re potential lies.” Kojiro said. “That’s ridiculous!” Fuuko scoffed. “The questions are all advanced, probably jonin-level!” Fuuko added. Kojiro closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. “I see, so you figured it out did you?” “Huh?” Fuuko replied. “What’s he talking about?” Sono asked. “Does this mean we pass?” Kaori wondered.
Kojiro walked up to the front row and patted the desk, “Clearly those of you who were CAUGHT cheating were promptly removed.” Kojiro said. “The rest of you either took the test normally or proceeded to cheat without being detected, right Satoru?” Kojiro added. Satoru’s eyes widened and he cleared his throat, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Satoru responded. “Either way, the TRUE meaning of this exam…” Kojiro said before returning his attention to the stack of exam booklets. “Was not to PASS the test itself; but to collect information using the resources available to you.” Kojiro said.
There was an uproar in the class, “WHAT!?” Hishegami and Ayane groaned both standing at the same time. “The entire purpose of this written exam was to prompt all of you into cheating to getting the answers, regardless if they were the right ones or not.” Kojiro said. “Well, maybe I still have a chance?” Mikko muttered. “However, I noticed that many of you did not catch on to the idea of this exam and either resumed taking the test normally, or did nothing at all.” Kojiro said. Mikko groaned and hit the table with her forehead. “And after looking through the booklets and observing all of your test taking skills,” Kojiro said, “All of you passed, mainly with the help of one teammate who cheated for you or actually ‘passed’ the exam.” Kojiro announced.
Hishegami jumped out of her seat with joy and cheered, “YES!” Mikko smiled and wiped the sweat from her forehead. “So, I made it!” She exclaimed. Tanzou smiled and exhaled a sigh. “Finally, it’s over!” He said. Kojiro returned to his desk and pressed a button; two chunin officers entered the classroom and approached him. They exchanged words amongst themselves, before the two chunin officers exited the class. “Students, since you have all passed the written portion of this exam, you are now ready for the next stage of the chunin exams.” Kojiro announced. “I must step out for an emergency. However your next proctor will be here shortly.” Kojiro announced.
Kojiro left the classroom, and all of the shinobi got up and stretched, and socialized with one-another. All of the shinobi rearranged their seating positions so that they were sitting beside their respective teams.
Mikko sat between Tanzou and Hishegami, Umikira sat between Satoru and Fuuko. The next row behind them, Kali sat between Yuu and Jiro, and beside them Sono sat between Ayane and Nikaari.
“I wonder what the next stage is going to be like.” Rikki wondered. “If it’s cold I’m going to be pissed!” Pai replied. “Why would it be could, we’re in Kumogakure?” Akira asked. “I don’t know, it’s just a feeling in my bones.” Pai answered. “I sure hope it doesn’t involve eating snakes or snails!” Lin-Lin of Kumogakure exclaimed. “Why on earth would we have to do that?” Hiruko asked. “I don’t know. These are the EXAMS after all.” Lin-Lin responded. “Whatever challenges lay ahead, I will not back down!” Li said confidently. “Someone had their caffeine fix today.” Pai observed.
Mikko stood up and moved closer to Tanzou, “So that was pretty lucky that we passed huh!” She said. “It wasn’t LUCK it was because I passed the exam for US!” Hishegami growled, catching the attention of Ayane Shuura. Ayane approached Hishegami, “You also finished the written exam, at the same time as I in fact.” Ayane acknowledged. “Yes…” Hishegami replied. Ayane smiled, “Well congratulations for now, because I have a feeling that your team won’t have much LUCK on our next stage.” Ayane said before heading back to her group. Hishegami scoffed, “Can you believe that!?” She groaned. “Of all the nerve!” She added.
“So, what DO you think we will do next?” Tanzou asked. “I don’t know. I always heard that there was a field exam involved during the exams.” Mikko admitted. “A field exam?” Hishegami reiterated. “It’s usually where the whole class gets to go someplace exotic to have sort of like a battle royal or something.” Mikko explained. Honoka overheard this and grinned. She stood in between Masaru and Atsuko. “A battle royal, it’ll be the perfect place don’t you think?” She said. Her teammates grinned and chuckled.
“This is boring, I hope they hurry it up already!” Satoru complained as he lit a cigarette. “This field exam should be a piece of cake, eh Umikira?” Fuuko asked her sibling, who merely grinned, glancing over at Tanzou.
Tanzou slowly looked away and returned his attention to the front of the class. “What’s the matter Tanzou?” Hishegami asked. “Nothing.” Tanzou replied. (“It’s those Waterfall creeps again!”) Hishegami thought. (“That guy, he keeps giving me the evil eye!”) Tanzou thought. “ENOUGH!” Cried a woman’s voice.
Smoke filled the room, the students coughed and waved the smoke away from their faces to no avail. When the smoke finally cleared, a slender woman wearing a tight-fitting red outfit and long brown hair stood on the proctor’s desk. She wore long black boots and black fingerless gloves. “Starting today, I am your new exam proctor, Ai Asagiri!” the woman cried, pointing a kunai to the class. Everyone in the classroom was dead silent as she spoke. Ai looked everyone over and shook her head, “You guys really crack me up.” She said to herself. “What’s she talking about?” Hishegami whispered. “I dunno?” Mikko replied. “To think that the board ACTUALLY gave you guys this exam even though we’re going through a war?” Ai added. She laughed and tightened her high ponytail. “Well, it’s not like you’re all going to become chunin anytime soon, like they said this is just an evaluation!” Ai said.
“So what, are we actually going to go to the next phase or just sit here jabbering away all day?” Satoru asked. “You there!” Ai cried, throwing a senbon at Satoru; that just barely jabbed the lit end of his cigarette. “Don’t you know that smoking is bad for you?” Ai asked. Satoru scowled and tossed his ruined cigarette onto the floor. Ai grinned and walked around the class. “Well, well we certainly have a bright flock today don’t we?” Ai asked. “Well I think your luck has ran out!” She announced. “Because today; we’re heading someplace that you all have never even been to before!” Ai declared. “We’re going to…the ‘arctic continent’!” Ai added with a grin. The room was filled with mixed emotions and worried looks. “Damn it!” Pai cursed. “I hate the cold!” She added. “The arctic continent?” Mikko wondered. “Boy, this really WAS a curve ball.” Hishegami noted. (“I wonder what will be in store for us once we arrive.”) Tanzou thought. Umikira’s grin widened and his stared was fixated on Tanzou. (“And what about that guy, what will he try to do?”) Tanzou wondered.
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Chapter notes: Mikko Makato, Tanzou Murasaki, Hishegami Otokusa, Kojiro Yakato, Ai Asagiri, Satoru, Fuuko, Umikira, Honoka Yamaguchi, Atsuko Yamaguchi, Masaru Dazai, Ayane Shuura, Sono Ishikara, Nikaari Shuuma, Ansari Hotaru, Kaori Kasume, Kyoshi Katsurou, Kali Yujihana, Yuu, Jiro, Pai, Rikki, Hiruko, Lin-Lin, Li, Akira
Chapter end notes: Flashback Arc...