Orochimaru-Sama

Chapter Two

“I’m recommending the three of you.” Fuuka-sensei called upon us for a meeting. Me and Aina fought hard to get on the same team, but we were separated at first. After a lot of pleading, we finally convinced the teacher to put us on the same team along with a boy called Hattori Yuji-san. He’s a quiet guy, a little shy I suppose too. Yuji-san has an issue with trusting people, he tends to stay away from them and watch from the side rather than interact with them and gather information directly. The sensible thing to do in hostile territories, of course, but it does seem a little strange in a village where people are friendly and kind. After being with him for such a long time, Aina and I grew on him and we get along well, I would say.

“Sensei, recommending us for what?” Aina spoke up, raising her hand before speaking. Sensei was very strict and did not allow us to speak unless spoken to and we had to raise our hand if any of us had a question.

“The chuunin exams, Akasaka.” His answer came prompt and without emotion. Like it was the most normal thing in the world that we, three genin, would be recommended for the chuunin exams. Most likely, we wouldn’t make it through to the end. Fuuka-sensei stroked his bushy white beard and took a few steps toward us.

“All three of you have proven worthy of taking the exam, after your long training. You have trained hard, all three of you. You are ready now. You may not pass the first time, but you will have the experience of a chuunin exam, which is important in your journey to become a true ninja.” Sensei stopped stroking his beard and put his arms behind his back, his expression changed to an even more serious one. The part to come would not be pretty. Sensei doesn’t lie, or at least none of us have ever heard him tell a lie. Avoid the truth, yes. And pretty wittingly so too. But we never heard him lie.

“Two years of training and insignificant missions have prepared you for being a genin, but the chuunin exams are of an entirely different level. Nothing I could have done, no training I could have given you, can prepare you for this exam. I will warn you now, during the exam, casualties have fallen. Of course, it does not happen every exam and there are teacher supervising, but it does not rule out the possibility of it happening the very exam I recommended you for.” He pauses. The three of us keep still, not a word was uttered and neither Aina nor Yuji-san looked surprised. Even I have to admit that I saw it coming. I’ve heard rumours about the exam, some genin are especially strong and only barely made it, others are ridiculously strong and finish in a breeze.

“The genin participating this year are very exceptional, I was told. Please, do try to make it out alive, instead of throwing yourself into battle with these individuals.” Silence fell again. I felt Aina’s eyes on me. She knows I wouldn’t just run off into battle, but I surely would not run away from one either. I raise my hand.

“How long do we have until the exams start?”

“A week exactly. The exams will be held in Konoha, the Hidden Village of the Leaf. It will be a long journey to Konoha, so we’d better start our travel.” Sensei plucked his beard again and looked at the three of us, Yuji san on the left of him, Aina in the middle and then there was me. His gaze stopped when his eyes met mine.

“We leave in an hour. Do not be late.” He emphasised the word ‘late’, still looking at me. Then he turned and left. Tsk, as if I would be late for something this important. Sure, I’m late sometimes. But not always. I fold my arms before my chest and take a step back, watching sensei disappear in the mist. It has gotten a little thicker since yesterday.

“Okay, see ya in an hour then! Let’s go too Mi-chan!” Yuji-san is already leaving to pack, Aina is waving frantically at him until he is nothing but a silhouette in the mist. She brushes a streak of blonde hair from her face and tucks it behind her ear. She is clearly enthusiastic about this.

“You’re really getting into this, aren’t you Aina?” I ask jokingly, half worried about what will happen when we arrive in Konoha. Or outside of this city in general. I have never been outside, and I feel more nervous than scared.

“Don’t be such a spoilsport Mi-chan, it’ll be fun! We’re finally getting a chance to show our abilities!”

“But don’t you think it’s a bit sudden? I would rather have trained a bit more before leaving.. Sensei always brings these things at the very last moment.” I remember when he first pulled that on us. Needless to say, we weren’t very grateful. Over the years we got used to it. “To prepare us for the real missions.” He claims, at least. Missions usually come sudden and urgent, this way he prepares us for that. I bet he just forgets to mention it until it’s time to leave though.

“I think you’re strong enough Miko, you can beat Yuji and me easily. In a fair fight that is, if it’s a sudden fight I would have the upper hand.” Aina boasts, more than proud of her sneaking abilities.

“Careful Aina, Yukji-san’s stealth might surpass yours if you gloat like that.” Her face scrunches up, she hates it when I tease her with her stealthy rival. Yuji-san is almost just as good as she is at sneaking up on someone. Even sensei himself admitted to be caught by surprise.

“Shut up, we need to pack.” She tugged my arm and dragged me along with her. I couldn’t help but smile, Aina gets so flustered about everything when I mention Yuji-san. Only Yuji-san himself doesn’t know about it, but it’s obvious to me. And she knows it. But I’ll let it rest, until she decides she can man up and face him about it. Or woman up, whatever she prefers.

Back at the lake we always meet, sensei and Yuji-san are already waiting for us.

“Sorry Fuuka-sensei!” Aina yells as she drags me by the arm once more. Fuuka-sensei was right to warn us.

“Miko insisted on bringing an extra pair of pyjamas, the idiot!” she added as we ran for the lake where the two men were waiting.

“Aina!” I call as I punch her shoulder. I can see sensei thinking ‘It’s always the girls, I warned her’ or at least something among those lines. I know this, because he usually says this instead of just thinking it. But his mind seems to be focussing on something else than telling us off about being late.

“Let’s get going.” He muttered and lead the way. Fuuka-sensei may be old, but he’s far from fragile. His stamina is far above ours. Aina and I follow directly, catching up to the man’s pace quickly, Yuji-san following us. This would be the first time I would set foot outside of this village. My heart raced in my chest, in 16 years I have never been further away from home than this. My parents demanded an explanation for my being away for so long, because frankly I don’t know when I would be back. Or when the exams are over. For all I know it may take a week, or maybe months. I can’t tell. It’s the same thing for Aina, but she doesn’t seem all that nervous. Excited, yes. But not nervous, like me.

For the first time in my life, I set foot outside the village I grew up in.

For the first time, I left my hometown for god knows how long.

For the first time, the mist completely cleared.