The Red Maelstrom

[17] Assemble!

"Sasuke-kun, you're late!"

Kohana's eye twitched rapidly and she dared herself to turn around, which she did. And once she did so, she identified a desperate blond parasite clinging onto Sasuke's back. She smiled a little though, at the look on Sasuke's face. He looked so very uncomfortable that he was probably wondering what he ever did to deserve this.

"I haven't seen you for a while, so I've been waiting in excitement."

"Get away from Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried as Naruto innocently looked between the two, still unable to identify the incident in front of him.

"Why if it isn't Sakura... big ugly forehead as always. Kohana, you're still mad? When's your hair gonna turn back to its natural color?"

"Well if it isn't Ino," Kohana mocked and crossed her arms, "I knew the air smelled like rot. No wonder Sasuke doesn't like you."

Ino glowered, but instead of screaming at Kohana like she usually did, she stuck out her tongue at the two girls. "Jealous are we? Tomato, Billboard Brow? And for your information, Sasuke does like me. Isn't that right? Sa-su-ke-kun?" She syllabicated his name so flirtatiously that it almost made Kohana want to barf on her.

If Ino wasn't going to say anything valuable, Kohana wasn't going to waste her time with her. Sakura, however...

"What did you say?"

"You guys are taking this stupid test too? Don't die..." Nara Shikamaru sighed as he approached them. The boy with the pineapple-shaped head lazily walked towards them, hands in his pockets, with Akimichi Chōji following closely beside his best friend with his favorite bag of chips at hand, munching on them restlessly.

"Oh! The idiot trio!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Don't call us that!" Shikamaru hissed. Kohana grinned and slapped Shikamaru's back. "Yo! If it isn't my favorite genius. Been a while, eh?" Shikamaru just sighed yet again, nursing the place where Kohana hit him a little too hard. "Geez, you two are as annoying as ever."

Just then, the most dreadful voice found its way to Kohana's ears. Naruto turned to his sister, whose head seemed to emit a creaking sound as she slowly turned to the source of infuriating sound. "Naruto, I think my ears are bleeding," Kohana murmured.

Inuzuka Kiba, who had spotted the head of fiery red hair scowled while Akamaru barked merrily. To his left, Hyūga Hinata muttered a soft, timid hello. Aburame Shino acknowledged them all with a nod. Kohana waved at Hinata happily before turning back to scowling and glowering at Kiba.

"Well, well, everyone is assembled. All nine of this year's rookie genin are taking the exam. I wonder how far we'll get... eh, Sasuke-kun?"

"You guys too?" Shikamaru asked in a somewhat exasperated manner as he let out a very much lazy sigh.

"Pft... you seem confident, Kiba," Sasuke said almost mockingly while everyone ignored the aggravated looks Ino was giving Kiba for the patronizing tone in his voice.

"We trained a lot; we won't lose to you," Kiba said in return.

"Shut up! Sasuke might, but I won't lose to the likes of you!" Naruto cried, pointing a finger at Kiba, which Kohana blocked by stepping in front of him, her arms crossed.

"I recall you saying there are nine genin..."

Kiba smirked. "Oh, Kohana? Didn't see 'ya there. Thought you didn't graduate." Akamaru, on the other hand, barked and jumped into Kohana's open arms. The girl suddenly smiled softly and scratched under Akamaru's chin. Akamaru yipped and sniffed her. "Hey, boy!" He licked her nose happily.

His partner's eye twitched and his eyes narrowed at Kohana, a smirk somehow finding its way to his face. "Man, your chakra ain't anythin' special." Kohana flipped him off with her middle finger. "If Akamaru likes me and my chakra this much, it must be really good. Much better than yours, anyway; your chakra probably smells like cat feces and Akamaru's just loyal." She could even faintly hear Shikamaru say: "This is going to get troublesome..." in the background. She couldn't help but agree more, yet, also didn't seem to care.