Where the Wind Blows

Chunin Exam: Part Two

There was no hiding my excitement. 

Under Itachi's mask of cool, I saw that he was eager for the second part of the exam too.

A jonin came and explained to us that we would be alone in the forest, fending for our lives. This part of the exam will be complete once we got a heaven and earth scroll, and arrived at the rendezvous point. 

Itachi and I were given the earth scroll, and were off into the Forest of Death.

We both activated our Sharingan and looked around, but didn't see anyone.

This went on for what felt like forever. 

"We should take a break while we can," I suggested. 

He nodded, and I sat down and rewrapped the bandages around my ankle. So far the pain was manageable, only really hurting when we did abrupt turns, but I was fine. 

Itachi was looking at me incredulously. 

"So...the necklace was for you," he said quietly.

"Shisui told you about it?"

"He mentioned he was getting someone a necklace...I just didn't know whom."

I looked down at it. It was still emerald. 

"Do you know why he gave me the necklace?" 

I turned to him, but his eyes gave nothing away. I didn't want him to notice the necklace right away. I didn't want anyone to know that Shisui had been acting weird before the exam. But this was Itachi, and I couldn't hide anything from him.

He didn't say a word, and just looked at me with a blank stare. I sighed.

"He gave it to me so I would be the first to know if he died. Weird, right?" I laughed, but it was just out of disbelief. Saying it out loud made it sound surreal. 

"Are you and him-"

The sound was faint, but there was no mistaking it. We weren't alone anymore.

We both activated our Sharingan and scanned the surrounding area. 

"There!" I said, and charged right at the bush where the rustling came from. 

It took Itachi a moment to realize what I was doing, but instead of telling me to stop, he stayed quiet.

I lifted up the cat that was hiding under the bush as gently as I could. It was a black, and not quite a kitten, but still small. It had enormous green eyes, a shade paler than the emerald on my necklace. 

"I'm keeping her," I said. "Nekobaa won't be happy I didn't adopt any of her cats last time we visited, but I can't leave her here."

I scooped her up in my arms. She was clearly exhausted, and didn't put up a fight when I put her in my jacket. Her head and paws hung out so that she could see and move if need be, but what was important is that she was safe.

"You shouldn't have rushed in. It could have been a ninja using a transformation Jutsu."

"I knew the risks," I rolled my eyes. "It wouldn't have changed anything, since we still need a heaven scroll. Some fighting might be good for us."

Itachi seemed indifferent towards the cat, and after we packed our bags, we were off again.

"What were you going to ask me before?" 

"It was nothing," he said. 

"Just say it. I already told you about my necklace, It's not like you're going to make me uncomfortable or something."

It was times like this where I annoyed myself. I usually said everything I felt and thought, and him being naturally reserved annoyed me to no end.

"Are you and Shisui together?" he asked. It almost seemed to pain him saying it.

How many times were people going to ask me this?

"Of course not, he's my best friend" I said in a voice that sounded unfamiliar to me.

I had trouble believing myself. It seemed like everything was changing suddenly.

Around our third hour into the forest, we saw another team.

Itachi and I ambushed them, with the idea that Itachi would fight the girl with the heaven scroll, while I fended off her teammates.

I put my cat on the ground, and was half expecting it to sprint away, but it just sat and watched us.

The plan couldn't have gone smoother, and we left with nothing more than a couple scratches. 

The cat seemed thrilled too. It walked over and began nuzzling my leg with its nose.

"I can't believe it was that easy! The rendezvous point can't be much farther. We're gonna be Chunin, Itachi!" 

Someone with Itachi's reflexes should have been prepared to deal with a hug, but someone with his reflexes isn't the same as the actual Itachi.

So when I jumped and hugged him, we fell.

Hard.

I landed on top of him, and when I opened my eyes, was shocked to find our mouths pressed together. 

I gasped, and my face felt like fire as I pulled back.

"That was an accident," I said, and he nodded, though his eyes were widened.

"Shinko likes you, you know."

"Yeah," Itachi said quietly.

An awkward pause.

"Shisui likes you," he said after a moment.

"Does not," I hissed. "We're just friends. People need to stop saying that."

"But it's the truth."

"Yeah well, it doesn't matter to me! We're just best friends. You me and Shisui are all best friends. That's it!" I exclaimed.

"So he's giving me a necklace after the exam then," he said.

"Maybe," I said. "I think he's changing because of his Sharingan.

"You mean growing up?"

"You can't be grown up at nine years old," I said.

Itachi inclined his head.

"Right?" I asked.

He nodded, and we heard the chime of the exam room nearby, meaning we were lose to ending the second phase of the Chunin exam.

I glanced down at my necklace, like I had done dozens of times today. 

It was still emerald.