The Girl Who Appeared

Final Exams

Updated 8/19/23

Sonia, roused from her slumber, embarked on the familiar routine of readiness. She selected her attire with care, each piece chosen with intent, a manifestation of her preparedness to face the day's challenges. The entrance unveiled a tableau of occupied seats, the tapestry of classmates converging upon their appointed places. Yet, a lone vacancy adjacent to Sasuke marked itself in Sonia's gaze—a seat that carried an aura of quiet solitude. A soft groan brushed past her lips, a momentary lamentation before she navigated the sea of seats, settling beside him. The proximity between them bore the undertones of fate's hand, intertwining their narratives in a manner that defied anticipation.

Naruto's arrival painted the scene with vibrant hues of exuberance, his choice of proximity placing him by Sonia's side—a testament to the bonds that had begun to weave themselves amidst their shared journey. A while later, the whirlwind of energy that was Sakura and Ino swept through the room, a tempest that culminated in their glare-ridden approach to Sonia's side.

Seriously?

"Why are you sitting next to my Sasuke-Kun, Sonia?!" Ino and Sakura asked.

The synchrony of their inquiry, adorned with accusatory glares and crossed arms, was a testament to their proprietary claims. Sonia's response was not an answer, but rather a measured glare—a reflection of her disregard for their territorial assertions. Their surrender, a sweat-drenched retreat, bore the weight of a battle waged and lost, the realization that their questions had met a wall of her indifference.

The entrance of Iruka, a figure of authority, heralded the beginning of the final exam—a juncture of evaluation that would soon unravel. His voice, an embodiment of authority softened by familiarity, delineated the nature of the challenge that awaited them—the Clone Jutsu, an examination of mastery over one of the foundational arts

"We will start the final exam. When your name is called proceed to the testing room. The test will be on the clone Jutsu."

As Sonia's attention began to drift, a rift in the ordinary rippled through her awareness—the intangible whispers of thoughts that were not her own. The sudden awareness of Naruto's mental landscape, his innermost musings brought to the fore, startled her—his sentiments a testament to his anxiety over the impending trial.

'Ugh that's my worse technique! Great, I'm gonna fail!'

What the hell?!

'Who's there?'

Sonia shook slightly in her seat, feeling the ominous presence of Kurama, trying to get ahold of herself before speaking.

Not someone you need to know about.

'Ah, wait a moment. You're that Moonlight girl aren't you? Your clan is the only one who has the capability to enter someone's mind. To think you're already strong enough to enter mine, despite the fact that I wasn't prepared.'

You knew about my clan? Do you know what happened to them?

'Hmm. Of course. They were ambushed a few years after I was trapped in this human. No one has heard from them since. No bodies were even found.'

Kurama started chuckling softly. 'Now get out of my head brat, before I get angry.'

Sonia's withdrawal, a measured retreat from his mental realm, marked the culmination of their exchange—an encounter that bore more questions than answers, a mere thread in the intricate tapestry of mysteries that defined her existence. 

"Sonia.." Iruka's voice, a bridge between the realms of thought and reality, began to utter her last name, only to halt as his gaze met the note appended beside her name—a subtle directive urging his silence. He sighed softly, a gesture that held an air of understanding, his gaze lifting to meet her eyes. "Sonia. It's your turn."