Sorry for not updating for a while. I have this beautiful scene written where Cei shows off so goood~~~ but that just means I can't have her reveal anything until then!!! And I need my show-off moments! I have no idea how to write this so it's interesting yet without any showing off.... I'm sorry my dear readers. I've let you down TT^TT

Careful though, this chappie has some foul content (language)... jsut be mentally prepared.

Enjoy!

____

Deep in the forest, a group of two ninja were busy conversing. The two had some really weird sick yellow colored suits, coupled with a weird breathing-mask over their mouths and white cloths tied around their eyes like to completely hide their appearance. On their foreheads were headbands with the symbol of the rain village. The two were avidly discussing their next victims.

"Oboro hasn't come back since then. It was those brats, I just know it!"

"No way. Those were just some dumb kids. Oboro wouldn't lose to them..."

"But you know it too! He went to fight them alone, but never came back! They must have played some dirty tricks. Let's make those bastards pay!"

The two genin had scary and twisted appearances as they discussed just how they would "deal" with the colorful team consisting of a yellow/orange blop, a pink/red stick and a blue/black duck. Their laughter echoes through the trees and a light of sadistic pleasure slowly started forming in their eyes as they discussed how they'd deal with the kids.

"You know, it's not as if their bad looking... especially that little cold boy..."

The ninja that said it jeered with an excited voice. He was looking forward to when they finally get ahold of those kids...

"Yeah. I like the other one though... he's so tiny and seems easily overpowered..."

The other instantly started laughing at his friend, as their debate continued. But not at all long after those things were said one of the ninja gestured for the other to shut up.

"Do you hear that?"

The other ninja tilted his head, straining his ears. And once he concentrated enough, he could hear it too. Though the woods seemed to be completely silent, there was a slight rustling noise. It was like the wind rattling leaves, but for some reason the shinobi felt unable to dismiss the noise. The feeling of danger creeping up their backs told them it wasn't that simple.

Suddenly, the gentle sound of a bird was heard. The shinobi didn't think much of it, a bird in a forest wasn't anything weird, but they didn't want to take any chances. Whipping around, they gazed intently at the way the noise came from. Slowly, they watched a small, beautiful black bird jump out of the bushes. The shinobi relaxed.

The bird was tiny and pretty. Really pretty. And looked completely harmless. Such a creature could never hurt anyone. It was more like a decoration for some royal. A bird raised only for looks, unable to hunt or hurt. Bred only for its beauty.

But as the ninja's thoughts caught up with them, they felt a chill run up their backs.

What is a creature like that be doing in a forest?

It can only be somebody's pet. And in the second part of the chuunin exam... it must be a pet of an enemy!

The two immediately realized that the owner must be nearby and prepared to jump away, but they weren't fast enough.

The two had never expected what happened next.

As their feet were still pushing them from the ground, it was like they were watching in slow-motion. They saw the bird open its beak. Blackness poured out of its mouth like inked air, twisting and sliding over the bird like dancing shadows. They looked on in terror as the bird's beak grew longer, bigger. They saw teeth, many rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth growing out of the beak, covering the bird's throat as long as the eye could see. The two shinobi could only watch in shock and despair as, faster than they could jump, their world was covered in darkness.

There was nothing but pain.

And then the overwhelming smell of iron. Of blood.

They died quickly in the jaws of the beast.

-----

Team seven were standing on the branches of a tree right next to the tower. This early into the exams, most teams were still out scouring for opponents and scrolls. Therefore, not many had headed to the tower. The team's journey was therefore smooth with little obstacles. They had only run into one other team, who they had fought of rather easily. Sasuke had, though, activated his sharingan. The Uchiha was in pain but refused to show it.

The curse mark acted up whenever he used his sharingan. And it hurt. A lot.

But he couldn't ask about it. Ren wasn't here yet, afterall.

Sasuke was woken from his musings by the loud complaints of his blond teammate. Naruto was getting frustrated and bored.

"What are we even doing, just waiting here?! Come oooon. Let's do something! Enter the tower or go find some people to fight! I don't even care which!"

The blond kept tugging at his hair as he whined. But before Sasuke could even say anything, the blond got his head bashed by Sakura's almighty fist. The blond's whinings turned into whimpers of pain.

"SHUT IT NARUTO. We can't just go into the tower, we don't have both scrolls yet! And we're in no condition to fight yet."

As she said it, Sakura glances at Sasuke. She was still hurting from their encounter with Orochimaru, and even if Naruto didn't show it, she knew he was tired too. Sasuke had been the one to fight of the ninja they bumped into on the way to the tower, and his face was looking particularly pale. Sakura's heartstrings tugged in pain as she looked at the cool, handsome and stoic face that showed no emotion even through its obvious paleness. But even as she was saddened looking at her poor, worn-out Sasuke, she couldn't help but internally gush about his handsomeness.

Sasuke calmly turned towards his team with an annoyed look in his eyes when he suddenly felt a slight shock. It was like the slightest prick. Or tug. The corner of the Uchiha's lips tugged up ever-so slightly.

"We can go to the tower now."

Naruto stopped whimpering at looked up at Sasuke with sparkling eyes while Sakura just looked sent Sasuke a confused and questioning look. But Sasuke just ignored the two and jumped of the treebranch, landing elegantly at the base of the tower. His whole "I'm a freakin Uchiha and way to cool for you" vibe was back full force. His teammates watched him with weird eyes but still followed, jumping down one after another. But as soon as they jumped down, Naruto's head whipped up as he stared fixedly at the same direction Sasuke was looking. Sakura just looked at her teammates weirdly before following their gazes, interested in what they were looking at. And after a while, she did indeed see something.

With a whoosh of wind and feathers, a gorgeous black bird had landed on Sasuke's outstretched arm. The bird had been so fast Sakura hadn't even seen it getting there. But even as the girl was confused, she really couldn't resist coming closer to the bird. The bird was beyond beautiful, and Sakura, as a girl and as a human being, was weak to beauty.

Especially this kind of overwhelming beauty.

The kunoichi stretched out her hand to touch the silky looking feather but just before her fingertips could make contact, the bird burst into black mist, but thicker, like wisps of shadow in the air. The moment that happened, a bunch of scrolls fell onto the ground.

Sakura was too busy looking dumbfoundedly at the pile of scrolls to notice how the black mist of the bird slowly gathered around Sasuke before slowly seeping into his skin.

Sasuke smirked and bent down to pick the heaven-scroll, the only white scroll in the pile, up. As he did, he amusedly conversed with the voice in his head.

You sure took your sweet time, stupid bird.

Sasuke almost couldn't keep his emotionless expression steady.

No Ren. You're just dumb. And with incredibly terrible luck to boot.

Sasuke just cut off his connection to the stupid bird. He didn't need to listen to her cursing. She was so foul mouthed. And so rude.

No point conversing with idiots. No matter how you explain, they just don't get it...

Turning to his teammates, the emo held up the heaven scroll as he gave the both of them an impatient look.

"We going or what?"

The others were startled and instantly set into motion. Walking around the tower they finally found the gate they were supposed to enter through. Giving each other a look, Naruto nodded resolutely before pushing the big doors open.

When the team entered the room, it was empty. The space was big and looked a bit old, the white paint on the walls slightly chipped. There was no furniture, and no people. Team seven looked around in confusion. But soon Sakura noticed something as she pointed at the far wall.

"Look!"

Naruto and Sasuke turned to look where Sakura was pointing. The room might be empty, but on the furthest wall was a sort of mural. Or more like, words painted into the wall. The genin came closer.

"If qualities of heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. If earthly qualities is what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack. When heaven and earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever. This... something... is the secret way that guides us from this place today."

Sakura read out the text on the wall in all seriousness, only faltering at the empty space in the last sentence. Naruto found it weird as well.

"This what? Or is that a secret too?"

The blond grumpily turned around.

"It's about the scrolls... I think, we're supposed to open and read the heaven and earth scrolls now."

Sakura answered Naruto, her voice slightly unsure. She brought out their earth scroll and turned to Sasuke. Sasuke prepared to lift up the heaven scroll but soon noticed a suspicious sound that kept growing louder with every passing moment.

Soon, full-blown maniacal laughter was booming through his head.

Sasuke mercilessly shut her out. He was getting slightly annoyed.

Ren's mentality is crazy powerful though... she keeps invading my mind seemingly without any problems even after I've blocked her out. It's my mind for god's sake!

The Uchiha snorted and handed the scroll to Naruto. He wasn't in the mood anymore.

Naruto took the scroll from the Uchiha and looked at Sakura with excited yet wary eyes. The two locked gazes and as if on a silent command, both loosened the seal on their respective scrolls at the same time. The moment the scrolls had been unravevöed though, thick grey smoke started coming out of them. The genin were confused, not knowing what was going on. Sasuke's eyes flashed as he quickly shouted to his teammates.

"It's a summoning jutsu! Let go of the scrolls immediately!"

Sakura and Naruto's response was immediate. Both genin immediately threw the scrolls violently as hard as they could at the all furthest away. And just as they hurled it, the smoke turned into a smoke puff.

And a very loud thud followed by a pained moan followed as the scrolls his the wall with momentum. '

The gening had entered a defensive formation, staring at the person still obscured by the smoke. They were expecting an enemy. The last part of the second challenge. The genin exchanged glances and as if on command all charged at the poor person lying on the ground. But right before they could strike a pitiful shout was heard.

"Stop! It's me!!!!"

The genin froze, but didn't leave their combat-stances. The voice sounded familiar but they couldn't pinpoint where they'd heard it before....

The one to recognize it first was Naruto.

"....Iruka-sensei?"

Sasuke and Sakura both started sweatdropping.

Is it really Iruka-sensei?

....so.....

.....................Undignified!!!!

What kind of sensei is that clumsy?!?! He just lost to a bunch of genin! Who is ever going to take him seriously again?!?!?!

The two kept looking on with black lines on their foreheads as Iruka groaned in confirmation. Naruto came forward to help their former sensei up.

"Are you okay Iruka-sensei? Sorry for throwing you."

The blond was genuinely distressed. He cared about Iruka. He was the only one that treated him nicely and fairly.... and Naruto had just hurled him into a wall.

The blond was feeling guilty.

Iruka accepted the blond's support to stand up. Coughing slightly as the smoke cleared, Iruka looked up at his former students with veins popping on the side of forehead.

"Well my dear students, looks like you've went through a lot in this test."

While he was talking nicely, the protruding veins on his forehead were not disappearing anytime soon.

"What are you doing here Iruka-sensei?"

Naruto looked at his favorite sensei with confusion.

"Well you see Naruto, at the end of the test, we chuunin are tasked with welcoming you participants back. And I just happened to have the good luck to be assigned as the messenger for your guys."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Ren, just shut your trap for a moment.

For the n;th time this afternoon, Sasuke had to shut Ren out. The Uchiha let out a tired sigh.

Does the stupid bird absolutely have to?! Child friendly material, CHILD FRIENDLY, YOU HEAR?!

"-a part of the test was to see of you could complete a difficult mission until the end."

Iruka sensei was explaining the test for them.

"So if you had opened a scroll before reaching the tower, she would have come and knocked you out."

Naruto and Sakura paled. Sasuke just looked at the two suspiciously.

Had they had thought about opening the scroll or something?

Sakura tried to derail the conversation though and cleared her throat. Her eyes quickly scanned the room and as soon as they rested on the text on the wall her eyes flashed with relief and she quickly turned to Iruka with a desperate question.

"What about what's written there on the wall?"

Iruka looked up and smiled slightly.

"Ah, that. That's actually instructions that Lord Hokage recorded as principles chuunin should follow. Heaven stands for you mind and earth for you body. 'If qualities of heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher'. So, if your weakness lies in you intellect-"

Iruka turned to give Naruto a pointed look.

"-NARUTO, then you have to work doubly hard to make sure you learn all the information and skills that you need to prepare for your missions."

Naruto pounted at Iruka's comments while Sakura was giggling at the boy. Sasuke just looked at them all with bored, indifferent eyes.

Such useless people.

Sasuke didn't even have the energy to do anything about Ren's increasing weirdness.

"And 'if earthly qualities is what you lack, train you body, prepare to attack'. SO if your weakness lies in you physical strength, SAKURA, you have to make sure to work out every single day!"

Sasuke wished there was such a thing as ear plugs for the mind.

"When heaven and earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever'- Meaning only when your mind and body is working together, can you become stronger."

Iruka lectured with a proper straight expression on his face. On the other hand, Sasuke was struggling holding in a frown.

Sasuke's head really hurt. Coupled with the pain of the curse-mark, the Uchiha was really in pain.

Sakura asked Iruka another question, only this time out of pure quriosity.

"Hey Iruka-sensei, what about that blank space?"

Iruka smiled, like he hoped that question was coming.

"That part is meant for all of you to fill in. Chuunin are supposed to be leaders, and they're supposed to know the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates and know how to make the team work even with all that. During this exam, you all showed you have this ability! So congratulations on passing the second exam!"

Iruka beamed proudly at the genin. Naruto and Sakura jumped up in joy at the news of passing, while Sasuke just grumpily stayed at the back, arguing with Ren in his mind.