Blood and Iron

4

The next morning, I find myself in bed, my weapons pouch and sand bag on the bedside table. I sit up and stretch.

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Pulling my hair up, I look in the mirror. I fix my hair in the usual style and grab my weapons pouch, putting it in the usual place under the fabric around my waist. I put my sand bag over my shoulder so it hangs by my hip, my head band hanging loosely from the strap.

I walk out to find Temari serving breakfast.

I sit at the table and she sets a plate in front of me.

"Itadakimasu." I say before digging in.

"So today, you'll be scoping the area. Get to know the terrain better. Understood?" Baki-sensei asks, coming into the room.

"Hai." We all say.

"I'll check out the training grounds again." I say, standing.

"Be careful." Temari warns.

"I will." I promise, walking out.

----

After wandering for the longest time, I finally find a place that looks like a training ground. The posts, though, have spots of blood on them and are chipped so it has a shape similar to an hour glass.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Someone says from behind me. I turn to see a boy that couldn't be much older than myself, yet taller than myself wearing a green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers. Bandages covered his arms from the elbow to his knuckles, his headband around his waist.

He has black hair in a bowl cut and large eyebrows over round eyes.

"Wow. Look at those eyebrows..." I say. I quickly go to cover my mouth. Oops.. I wasn't supposed to say that aloud..

"Hehe.. Sorry. I am Koishi of the desert. I was looking for a place to train for the upcoming chuunin exams." I introduce.

"I, too, am training for the chuunin exams. Would you care to join me?"

"Sure, why not?" I smile at him. "So what were you planning?"

"I was about to start with five hundred pushups," At this, I pale, "and then three hundred laps around the training grounds." Ohhhhhhkaaaaayyyyy.... yea-No.

"Oh... Well, I'll try to keep up..." I say, a bit nervous. "But don't be too shocked if I end up passing out.."

"And why do you say that?"

I sigh and mumble quietly, "I don't want to talk about it..."

"That is alright." He says, nodding. "Shall we begin?"

I gulp.

----

Somehow... I-I'm alive... Somehow...

I feel so accomplished!!

Score one for me!!

... but I am currently collapsed on the ground... out of breath and really sore.