Genin Takedown - 1

"You look a bit nervous Haku-kun. Are you gonna be okay?"

The dark haired boy turned to Naruto. He leaned against the wall of the gymnasium beside Gaara. Haku rubbed his neck in reflex, trying to relieve his obvious anxiety.

Haku sighed in response, "I'm fine...really."

Naruto nodded, believing him full-heartedly. He pulled a kunai from his holster and began to sharpen it on a whetting stone.

Gaara's glacier eyes opened a margin as he spoke, "Have you restocked on weapons like Jiraiya-sensei said?"

The blonde boy frowned at him, "Do you see me holding this kunai?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Oh."

A withered smile appeared on Haku's face, "I have. Relax."

Like it could be so easy.

The redhead settled his eyes shut again and attempted to calm himself, but his mind was buzzing like a hive of bees at the moment. At any time the next part of the Chunin Exam would commence, and Jiraiya had only left them with a goofy grin behind his pipe earlier that morning. He had not provided them with much information on what was to come.

'We've been waiting in this tower for a while now...what's gonna happen next?' Naruto stowed his kunai away after it was sharpened to his satisfaction, 'Things can only get rougher from here out, I bet.'

The other teams that had managed to arrive in one piece were also hovering in silent apprehension about the place. It was when a group of recognizable jounin appeared on the opposite side of the room did the genin snap out of their stupor and congregate in that general direction.

Haku and Naruto stood, stretched, and then followed after Gaara. They had been grateful for the day of rest they had once they had reached the tower. Jiraiya had even smuggled food and weapons in for them, then asking if they had spotted any cute kunoichi during their escapade in the Forest of Death.

Now they were ill at ease, knowing what horrific power some of the other ninja attending the exam possessed.

The Hokage stood in front of a huge statue of the ram seal on the opposite end of the gymnasium. He and the present jounin observed the curious number of trainees who had passed.

The genin teams lined up in adjacent formations, chattering amongst themselves with a new-found energy. Haku suspected that the sight of the Hokage himself may have reinstalled some vigor into the other ninja.

"This is it! This is it! This is it!" Naruto's excitement could only be contained in a small whisper to Haku, who stood with trembling shoulders in front of him, "We are gonna kick so much ass! I just know it!"

Gaara stared at the back of Naruto's head, trying to keep his emotions in check. It was surprisingly difficult.

Not far off was the team of the Sand Village. Miosuke, stubborn as ever, kept his cold eyes glued to his sensei up front while he mulled over their mission objectives. His anger at his teammates was not well hidden; for there was just no talking to them, not since they had realized that all the years of their father assuring them that their baby brother was dead were totally inaccurate.

Miosuke had insistently reminded them that it didn't matter, and that Gaara had been a vessel of a terrible demon, and that there was absolutely no point in stressing over it.

Their brother was dead. The ninja they had met in the forest was just another worthless Leaf genin.

Still, both Temari and Kankuro remained watchful over the red haired boy, unable to think of how he could have possibly survived so many years in another village without their father knowing.

Closer to Team 2 stood an exhausted-looking Team 10. Shikamaru, sporting dark circles beneath his eyes, accepted a potato chip Chouji had offered him. Ino, slightly more dapper, gazed in fangirlish awe at Sasuke, whose team they had assisted in the Forest of Death. Although, they hadn't provided so much assistance as they had a distraction.

Team 7 stood quietly, completely worn, with only Sakura muttering in concern to Sasuke, who disregarded her troubles.

Outwardly, Team 13 appeared as healthy as ever; Lee already congratulating Tenten on her historic, single-handed defeat of an ambush by Kabuto's team. She tried to quiet him, but to no avail.

Hinata's soft eyes were weary as they settled on Naruto, her beloved, grateful he and his teammates were well. She was utterly spent in spirit after enduring all of her teammates' animosity. Shino and Sato refused to speak unless it was to her, and even then she could feel their discontent towards each other.

Haku glanced back at her by chance and surprised her. He offered her an amiable smile, which she returned as best she could. Noting her fatigue, his eyes scanned briefly over the remainder of her team, in which he noticed a pair of kodachi adorning Sato's belt.

His gray eyes widened and he nudged Naruto gently in the ribs in order for him to redirect his attention to the unexpected sight. Gaara, ever observant, stole a glance as well.

Naruto swallowed his gasp and then turned to Haku, hissing in confusion, "What does he think he's doing with a pair of swords? Is he crazy?"

"They're too small to be swords, Naruto-kun," Haku answered in a low voice, trying to explain, "Too small to even be short swords really. They are called kodachi, but how he obtained them is a mystery to me..."

Gaara snorted, "It's unlikely he's even able to fully wield them."

Naruto shrugged, the shock wearing off, "You never know. He's a weird kid."

They returned their attention to the front where a ninja had appeared, stifling a fit of coughs. Once he had regained his breath he turned his eyes to the genin, "Mn... Welcome. I am Gekko Hayate and I am your examiner for the next portion of the Chunin Exam."

He was interrupted by a sudden cough, after which he continued, "There will now be a word from Hokage-sama before the Third portion begins."

Hayate stepped to the side, allowing Hiruzen to speak.

The Sandaime's eyes were uncommonly rough once they settled on his audience, "I congratulate all of you for making it this far, for it is proof that you possess the minds and skills of true shinobi..."

Naruto folded his arms in a manner similar to his equally impatient red haired friend, buckling down for another boring speech from the leader of his village.

"By participating in the next part of the Chunin Selection Exam, you will be battling your peers to the death, representing the friendship that unites our villages together."

There was a soundless pause in which the genin took a moment to consider his words, shortly after they concluded that they had no understanding whatsoever what he was talking about.

Sakura, tired yet willful, spoke up with a few others, "Friendship? How can our fighting each other represent good will towards other villages?"

Kakashi gave her a measured look from afar and she fell quiet again, knowing better than to get too worked up.

"Decades ago, when the great ninja villages were still young, endless bloody wars persisted for years on end. As shinobi, it is one's will to do battle and to defend their respective homes. In times such as these, long after those battles, the Chunin Exam stands as a reminder of the true nature of a ninja even in times of peace," Sarutobi watched as comprehension crept up onto the faces of a few of the listening nin, "You are all part of an invaluable tradition that upholds the bond between the shinobi villages. As such, it is your duty to preserve the bond and honor the ninja before you who gave their lives for your homes."

The subject seemed to clear up after that.

Haku took the words to heart, approving of the goal of the exam, as brutal as it sounded. He was disappointed to see that his teammates didn't share his enthusiasm. Naruto watched his mentor from across the room, surprised that he didn't have any of his notes out.

Instead, the toad sage stood silently beside Kakashi with his eyes trained on the wall farthest from Orochimaru.

Had he chosen to neglect all self-control the entire exam could have gone to hell in a hand-basket right there. Jiraiya could barely stomach the snake traitor's return, let alone his attack on his pupils.

'When this is over, Orochimaru, I swear, there will be hell to pay,' He inhaled deeply as he tried to remain cool, 'Once Hokage-sama allows me, I will take your freshly severed head to him myself. The people you've killed and the harm you've done...you'll regret the day you went near my students!'

The snake sennin had chosen a new disguise as a jounin-sensei garbed in dark clothing. He kept a watchful eye over the two genin he had branded. He had no trouble at all being so near to his old teammate, contrary to how Jiraiya was feeling.

The Sandaime finished, allowing Hayate to continue.

"The upcoming matches will be one-on-one and randomized. Any ninja who feel that they will not be able to compete should withdraw now." Hayate glanced over to some of the more battered-looking shinobi.

Without hesitation, Kabuto and his teammates raised their hands, by an earlier order from Orochimaru. The other Leaf genin could understand their plight, for many of their wounds (inflicted by a certain weapons specialist) had gone untreated and could possibly prove fatal.

"We're out," Kabuto groaned, adjusting his glasses, "We won't be able to continue."

Hayate nodded to them and the other genin watched as they departed, looking very relieved. Although it looked tempting, the remaining ninja knew they had come too far to quit. No other shinobi asked to be dismissed.