The Black Leaf (Part 1)

Chapter 4: The Chunin Exams

Three years passed since Itachi, and I graduated the academy at seven years old. Shisui became a Jonin and was sent to long dangerous missions with his team. Itachi was a Genin like me, but he was working with his team and his sensei. I was working as a spy, with a reconnaissance team, under Ibiki. We infiltrated other villages in order to gathered information about their political and military moves. Aunt Hae had become really sick, and she couldn't work anymore. Shisui and I tried to rotate our schedules as much to try to take care of her.

One day as I was reporting to Ibiki after my mission and he told me to wait for him outside. So, I waited for him outside the Interrogation building. He walked out and asked me to go grab a bite with him. We walked to the ramen shop in the corner and order something to eat.

"How is Hae?" he asked me casually.

"She has been worse," I sighed. "She is in so much pain and the medicine is not helping."

"I see," he said looking at his food, "Izumi, I wanted to talk to you about something. You see, I been watching you and I believe you are ready to take the Chunin exams. If you would like I can submit your application and ask the Hokage to find you a team to compete with." My eyes widened as he said those words.

"You really think I'm ready, Ibiki sensei?" I asked him surprised.

"Absolutely, I have seen how hard you work and what a great kunoichi you are becoming." He said looking at me with a smile, "I know your father wouldn't have want his ten-year-old daughter going through those types of tests, but I believe you are ready."

"Yeah, my father always said I was too young to be a Genin," I sighed. "But I been doing good and I know I will pass those exams and become a Chunin. Then a jonin, like Shisui, you and my father," I said in excitement.

"Those Uchiha boys are helping you a lot, huh?" Ibiki looked at me.

"Yes, I was mastering all kinds of great jutsus with them, but now, we don't have time to train as much anymore," I said in sad voice.

"Well, I will submit your application tomorrow for the chunin exams. Now if you are done, head home before it's too late," I did as he said and headed to the Uchiha district. I was so excited to go tell Shisui and Itachi all about it. On my way there I saw a man seating on the floor leaning on a tree. I ignore him and walked past him, I froze when I felt his strong grip on my arm.

"You're that whore's daughter huh?" the man stared down at me with his Sharingan activated.

"Let me go," I said trying to yank my arm from his grip.

"You are not an Uchiha," he shouted, "you shouldn't be here, you are the daughter of whore and freeloader from another country." I immediately send all my chakra to my eyes and activated my Sharingan. He looked at me and laughed, "you don't deserve those either." He said and tried to gouge my eyes out with his fingers. I started fighting him off, but he was strong, and I couldn't get away. I saw his fist coming straight to my face and I instinctively closed my eyes. I waited for the blow, but it never came, I slowly opened my eyes and saw Fugaku grabbing the man's arm.

"I told you to never get near this girl, brother," he said looking at the man furiously.

"She doesn't deserve to be here, she i-" the man started ranting, but Fugaku pushed him off me.

"Enough, Tajima, you are not to come close to this child ever again, do you understand?" He told his brother who laid on the floor, drunk. "Itachi, take her to Hae's place, then go straight home after that."

"Yes, father," Itachi said from behind his father. I didn't even realize he was standing there this whole time. He took my hand and pulled me towards aunt Hae's home. "Are you okay?" he asked stopping and looking at my face, "you are bleeding from your cheek."

"It's just a scratch," I muttered wiping the blood with my sleeve.

"I'm sorry, Tajima is not in his right mind," he said as we walked. After a long silence he looked back at me, "so what is new? I haven't seen you in almost two weeks."

"I'm taking the chunin exams," I said with a smile.

"Me too," he shouted in excitement, "is your team taking the exam as well?"

"No, just me, Ibiki said he will talk to the Hokage to find me a team," I said as I walked towards the door.

"Maybe we can be a team, imagine all we can do together," he said letting my hand go, "Shisui will be proud of us."

"Yes, I wouldn't want to go against you," I laughed.

"Yeah, I don't want to go against you either. Let's hope that doesn't happen," he said standing on the porch, "alright good night, Izu"

"Good night Itachi," I waved and walked in the house.

Three weeks later I was summoned to the Hokage's office. I saw Itachi with his father walking towards the main building as well, he saw me and smiled wide. I responded with a smile as well, "hey kid, you ready?" Ibiki said from behind me.

"You were summoned too?" I asked and he nodded. We walked in the office and Itachi and his father were there waiting for us.

"I called you here because you two wanted theses children to take the chunin exams, but I couldn't find them a team." The Hokage said in a tired tone, "we have two options. They can form a two men team or they can wait until the next round."

I immediately looked at Itachi and smiled. His father however, was not very happy about the news. "Lord third, I am positive that Itachi can complete this tests and pass all by himself, he doesn't need a team," Fugaku said.

"I can say the same thing about Izumi," Ibiki said looking straight at Fugako.

"I won't allowed them to test all by themselves, they are still children. So it's either as a team or we wait until next round," the Hokage said in a firm tone.

"Fugaku," Ibiki started, "Izumi and Itachi know each other very well. They both trained with Shisui and went to the academy together. They will be great as a team, but it is your decision. I would feel better if she in the same team with your boy, but if that's not possible we can wait another six months."

Fugaku stared at Ibiki, then at me and down to Itachi. He thought about his answer and took a deep breath before looking at the Hokage. "Very well, put them both on the same team," he said.

"Very well, here are your invitation for the exams, the first exam is tomorrow. Meet at the academy and register early," the Hokage said handing us the invitations.

The next day Itachi waited for me outside the Uchiha district, "are you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah, I hope I do a good," I fidgeted with my fingers, I was nervous.

He held my hands and looked at me, "I know you will do just fine." I smiled at him and then we walked towards the academy.

The first exam had only three questions. The questions were about scenarios of different rank missions. I immediately realized that the point behind the exam was for the proctor to know exactly how much we could strategize and how well the group worked together. I was excited because I knew Itachi well and trained with him for years now. We complemented each other perfectly.  When I was done with the exam, I walked outside and I didn't realized Itachi was waiting there for me.

"So how was it?" he was eager to know.

"Piece of cake," I smile at him. "Should we wait in here for the results, If we go outside your dad might be there and we won't be able to talk."

"Yeah, I agree, you want to go to the training room?" He asked looking down the hall where the training room was, I nodded. We walked to the training room and sat there talking and throwing kunai at the target. Itachi told me how his father wanted him to become and elite shinobi as fast as he could. He was just ten years old, and his father was already putting a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. After almost two hours of talking and laughing, we decided to go check and the results and they were posted, we passed.

"Well, see you tomorrow for the second exam," I told him and he nodded before running to where his dad was waiting.