A Little More Than This (Discontinued)

Chapter 19

Mei was puzzled by Kakashi's sudden presence in her room. He hadn't entered her room in the past 12 months and she could think of no reason for him to be there, she was sure he had not seen her take Zabuza's sword after the team left.

"Mei, I have entered the entire team for the Chūnin exams. But that means you need a new team. Hokage-Sama, Mizukage-sama and Kazekage-Sama are combining a team of the three villages and you will represent the Leaf third" Kakashi explained. Mei looked up with interest. She had heard all about the Chūnin Exams but had not expected to be apart of it so soon after graduating from the academe.

She had to tell Shikamaru about this.

Kakashi, she noticed, seemed slightly distracted, looking around the room and then shifting his searching gaze to her, as though he was trying to convince himself something.

"D-did I really rescue you from the Akatsuki?" He asked. Mei looked up at him with next to no emotion painted on her calm face. She had expected this. She had seen him shifting through the library books the day before and had seen his reaction to her name in the book.

"Yes! Of course you did silly!! Those people were so mean and scary!!" Mei lied smoothly.

Kakashi breathed in relief like perfume. Ignoring the nagging feeling in the back of his head, he patted Mei's own head happily and left the room, leaving Mei to sigh in relief.

'Lying SUCKS'

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Shikamaru was sitting in his usual spot, on the top of a building underneath the shade of a sun-shade, watching clouds. He had been sitting there calmly for over an hour and was calmly thinking about dozing off.

"Yo Shika-Kun!" Mei's voice called out, appearing on the roof, a good few paces away. "Yo Mei-Chan, how are you?" He asked, straightening himself out and trying to look like he hadn't been sitting there all day. "Pretty good actually... your Sensei tell you anything about the Chūnin Exams?" She asked, sitting next to him with a smile on her face.

"Yeah all the Genin Sensei's have volunteered their students... it's gonna be massive" Shikamaru yawned. "Well there goes our chance at becoming Chūnin" Mei replied, tilting her head towards the sky.

"Nah~ you'll make it. I think Sasuke and Shino have a decent chance as well" he replied, sighing contently. "You gotta chance too, if you tried" Mei replied, raising an eyebrow. "It's too much work" Shikamaru replied.

Mei burst into giggles, causing Shikamaru to both blush and ask loudly, "what!?". "So typical of you!! I don't know why I'm even laughing!!" Mei cried in between giggles.

Shikamaru turned his body to face the other way, crossing his arms and letting out a small 'humph!'. This only made Mei giggle louder and Shikamaru to blush further.

"What a drag"

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Orochimaru paced back and forth in his study. His plans for The Leaf were going very well, but he couldn't help but feel as though something unexpected would happen. He pace quickened as he remembered the little tangerine.

'She's dead Orochimaru. There is nothing you can do about it. She's dead!'

But still his uneasiness grew as his mind wondered further to the Tangerine. He even started considering withdrawing from the attack, or maybe withdrawing Kabuto from the attack.

Said boy suddenly entered the room, supporting a clipboard and fixing his glasses. "Orochimaru-Sama we're ready to move out, the Chūnin Exams are starting within the week" Kabuto said, whilst entering the room.

"Hmm~" Orochimaru acknowledged. "Orochimaru-Sama?" The younger asked. "Yess Kabuto?" The elder asked. "A-are you ok?" Kabuto asked. "Jusst fine... very well, we'll move out the day after you leave" Orochimaru replied, gesturing for the other to leave.

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Mei was acting shy, these two people seemed friendly but she had no idea who the hell they were. And Kakashi found it adorable. He stood there watching the three interact and get to know one another as the three Kage discussed and finalised their plans.

"So what's it like living here?" Junsuke asked, he was slightly taller then Mei with bright blue hair and green eyes. "Pretty chill really. Nothing much happens" Mei replied. "That's weird... We've got a lot going on this time of year, our annual Sand Festival is coming up" Dorai asked, puffing his dirty blond hair out of his mud brown eyes.

"Ooo~ that sounds cool!! I'm sure it's fun!" Mei gushed. Both boys blushed slightly and rubbed the back of their brightly coloured heads. They both smiled at her happily and requested that she show them around the town. After sending a quick glance at Kakashi she nodded and pulled them out after her. Leaving the three Kage chuckling at their sudden absence.

But Kakashi, who had smiled happily when Mei looked at him, fell into a depressed mood. He watched the three young ninja leave the room with a longing imbedded into his onyx eyes. Sarutobi watched him deflate and and felt, only slightly, puzzled.

'What has happened to the duo? Surely nothing too major'