Get Lost

Chapter 8

Kazue walked through the village. Jurai Sensei had given them all the rest of the week off, leading up to the Chunin exams. Kazue had still been training anyway. She was nowhere near good enough to just take a week off.

Her path took her to the top of the Hokage heads that looked over the Leaf Village. It was a nice view.

Kazue heard kunai slicing through the air. She spun to see three coming toward her. Kazue jumped to the side. 

What's going on?

Out of the woods stood a heavy-set man in darker clothes and a mask. He had a straw hat on. His headband was from a different village.

One of those genin causing trouble, Kazue realized. She pulled out kunai of her own. He probably wouldn't leave her alone unless she scared him off.

"What?" he taunted. "You're going to try to fight?"

Please don't make me a fool.

Kazue threw the kunai. The genin dodged and ran toward her.

"Not that easily!"

Kazue tried to not panic. The man attacked. Kazue was able to push his attacks away, just barely. She used his momentum to push him past her on one of his punches. Then she stabbed his back with a kunai. The man disappeared in a puff of smoke and Kazue found herself holding a log with her kunai. 

Substitution Jutsu. Is he going to come back?

Kazue didn't bother to wait around.

---

Kazue showed up at the Academy about half an hour before 3. Sonomi and Rokuro were already waiting. They waved her over.

"Are you both ready?" Kazue asked.

Sonomi laughed. "Oh, I am so ready!"

Inside, two goons were blocking the door and a crowd of people stood around. One of the goons punched a black-haired kid who was trying to get through. The kid fell back and was caught by his friend, a girl in a pink shirt with two buns. 

The good scoffed. "You're taking the Chunin exams but you can't even get past us?"

"Why don't you just give up now?" The other said. "Before you get hurt.

The first goon had bandages over his face and an abnormally red nose. The second had his headband turned into a scarf that he wrapped around his head like a hat.

"They're both Leaf shinobi," Rokuro pointed out. "That makes me sick."

"Yeah," the red-nosed one said, "I think I hear your mommy calling ya."

"Please let us through," the girl with the buns said. "We're supposed to go in there." She approached the two goons. The second one punched her.

"Ah," a bystander said, "that's harsh."

"Did you say harsh?" The first goon asked. "Don't kid yourself. We're being nice by comparison. The exams are gonna make this look like a picnic."

"Some of you won't survive the exams, others will be wrecked for life, and some of you may go crazy. For Chunin, it's always life and death."

Kazue paused. Maybe she didn't want to take this test.

The red-nosed goon scoffed. "You think it's a joke? Chunin are qualified to lead missions. The lives of your squad members are in your hands so you better be tough enough to take the heat." He looked down on the girl with the pink shirt. "Delicate little girls don't belong here."

Nevermind, Kazue was taking this test. And she was going to make it to the actual exams too.

"We're just thinning out the herd anyway so go home and play with your dolls."

There was a small commotion as Team 7 showed up. Sasuke led them up to the goons, his hands in his pockets. Kazue moved for a better view. Sasuke still looked as attractive as ever, but something was different. 

Kazue realized what it was. While he still glared at everyone around him, he didn't look disgusted by them all. He didn't think he was better than everyone anymore.

"Real nice speech," he said to the two goons. "Now reverse the genjutsu. We can see through your illusion anyway."

Kazue looked to Sonomi and Rokuro. They looked as confused as she did. 

"Right," Sakura said. "we're only on the second floor." Naruto nodded along with her.

The two goons smirked and the air around the 301 sign above the door shimmered. The sign now read 201. 

Kazue looked at Naruto. He seemed as confident as ever. Had he really seen through the genjutsu or was he just playing along? Kazue hadn't seen it. Had he passed her?

The crowd gasped as one of the goons attacked Sasuke. Sasuke slid into a fighting stance, but the boy with black hair stepped in, stopping both of their attacks.

Kazue was taken by surprise. He had looked weak, getting knocked around like that. He was fast though. His outfit was also interesting. It was a green jumpsuit with yellow leg warmers. His Leaf headband was wrapped in red around his waist. He let go of them both and stepped back.

After that, a few conversations began. The green jumpsuit boy's final teammate showed up and the three of them began talking to Team 7. 

"Let's go," Sonomi said. "It looks like the entertainment is over."

Rukoro and Kazue followed her up to the third floor, then to room 301. Jurai Sensei stood in front of the door.

"I'm glad you came Kazue."

Kazue frowned. "What about the other two?"

"I was sure they'd come. I didn't know about you and if you hadn't come, the other two wouldn't have been able to compete."

"What?"

"The Chunin exams must be taken in teams of three."

A cold feeling settled in Kazue's stomach. "You're saying that if I hadn't shown up, they couldn't have taken the exams?"

"That's right."

Kazue was silently grateful she had chosen to come. She didn't want to hold her team back.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Pass this test," she said. "And remember, don't hold anything back."

Sonomi chuckled. "No problem, Sensei."