Book 1: Dancing With Lightning [Naruto]

The Second Test

At five o'clock Haku and Hoshino were already up. They had a short training session and sparred until around seven in the morning.

Aoi had remarked that both of them had looked 'totally awesome', causing Hoshino to laugh and hug his brother as he left the compound with Haku beside him.

As soon as they were out of sight, Hoshino's bright smile slowly turned into a small concerned frown.

Haku, ever watchful, noticed this and nudged him with his elbow gently. "Hoshino? What's wrong?"

"Honestly," Hoshino furrowed his eyebrows with a sigh, "I just really have a bad feeling about these exams." He them gave a shudder. "And that Kabuto guy just gave me the creeps."

Haku peered at him and forced him to stop walking, gripping the slightly smaller boy by his shoulders. "I won't let him hurt you."

Hoshino shook his head, biting his lip. "Thank you, Haku. But it's not me I'm worried about... he was flashing looks at Sasuke the whole exam. Also, I don't think he was telling the truth."

Haku raised his eyebrow in response. "Care to let me in on the secret?"

"Every person has an aura around them. These auras consist of the air particles around them that are affected by their chakra; and everyone's chakra reacts according to different actions of the user. After years and years of experimentation and molding her chakra, my okaa-san managed to figure out how to sense how these auras move and how to see them." Hoshino paused for a moment before continuing. "And she taught me how to do it. I saw Kabuto's aura. The air around his head was vibrating; a sign that he wasn't telling the truth."

Haku's eyes widened in shock. "So then-"

"I mean- I don't want to jump to conclusions." Hoshino added hurriedly. "My perception and reading isn't nearly as good as Akira-San's or my okaa-san's."

"But if you are right, our teammate could be in some sort of danger." Haku said gently. "But to be prepared for the trouble to find none is better than not being prepared and having no idea what we're up against. How many people know that your clan can do this?"

"No one outside the clan." Hoshino replied. "If people were to find out what we're really capable of, it wouldn't mean anything good for us. You've seen the libraries. So many secrets locked away..."

Haku took his hand and squeezed it. "We can talk later." He murmured as they started walking again. "Also..."

"Yeah?"

"You have got to teach me how to do that."

Once everyone had gathered at the gates of the Forest of Death, they all started chattering.

"There's something kind of creepy about this place..." Sakura commented, shuddering.

"You'll soon realize why this place is called the Forest of Death." Anko promised them.

"That kind of threat won't work on me one bit! I'm not scared!" Naruto yelled back.

"Really? You've got a lot of energy." She took out a kunai and threw it at the blond. Hoshino's eyes widened, and his body instantly reacted. He darted forward into the kunai's path and caught it between his two fingers just as it was about to impale his face.

Gasps were heard all around them and Anko's eyes widened in surprise as Hoshino inhaled and exhaled slowly in shock. ... I actually caught that?

Yeah, no doubt about it now... definitely Iro's kid... heh. Anko mused before immediately pulling herself together and letting out a laugh. "Ha! Looks like we got some kids with backbone here this time... that's good." She surveyed Hoshino closely. "Maybe it'll help you last longer in the forest, kid." She then walked to the front again, where she started yelling. "Well, before we start the second test, I have to pass this out to you! It's a consent form. Before you can take part in the test, you have to sign this."