Chunin Exams... take two... The Results.

Later that night, inside the main tower, in Gaara's office a sand Jonin stood, alongside Temari, Kankuro, Asuma, Gai, Shikamaru, and Kuranei, Gaara stood behind his desk as Temari turned to him in shock.

"You want to cancel the third exam?!" she said and Gaara nodded

"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't go into detail." Gaara said looking around the room, but it's due to a domestic

matter in the sand. The Hokage is already aware." Gaara said and Shikamaru looked forwards

"So how will we know who passed?" He asked looking at Gaara who looked over,

"We know, because we've prepared detailed reports on each team's performance on the second exam." Gaara replied and Shikamaru hummed

"I'd like the prospective villages to determine who passes." Gaara said and Shikamaru moved his hands up a moment

"But this isn't just about making a choice, these exams were to test their ability to carry out missions as chunin." Shikamaru said and Kankuro grinned

"Look, it can't be helped that things turned out this way," Kankuro said

"Will this satisfy the participants who put their lives on the line to survive the demon desert." Gai asked as he stood in front of Gaara's desk

"I'll address that." Gaara said simply, in the courtyard, the leaf genin were gathered in a small group, Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura standing near Hinata and tenten, with Yuki standing in front of Ino and Choji, next to Kiba and Lee, as Neji walked back up

"It looks as though the third exam might be cancelled." Neji said

"Are you serious?" Kiba said agreements rang out within the group,

"I had a bad feeling about this whole thing.." Tenten said softly a frown worn on her face

"Did we sign up for this, for nothing?" Yuki asked softly,

"We continued to the end, without giving up, so we should be okay." Shino said from behind her black jaket that covered his nose and mouth from view.

"Those who dropped out midway are the ones who should be worried." he concluded,

"I can't help but feel bad for them" Hinata said looking over

"Seems all we got out of this was hunger and exhaustion." Choji said

"All pain, and no gain." Ino said moving her hands as she sighed,

"All you losers are complaining? Shut up, we gained some confidence, and are more sure of our abilities or whatever. So what if the third exams cancelled…" Sasuke started before clapping was heard behind them, drawing the attention of all the genin gathered, Gaara walking out to the balcony in full ceremonial KazeKage garb with one sand jonin standing on the right and another standing on the left, near the entrance to the balcony

"Exam entrants, I commend you." Gaara started, his arms down by his side,

"Just as times change, this Shinobi world of ours, needs to develop a new system, with new laws,

Before, shinobi were required to sacrifice even the lives of their comrades, for our laws and rules. But I've come to realize there's something far more precious than rules and laws." Gaara said, Kankuro turning towards him, confused a moment as to where he was going,

"I'm speaking of friendship, with other villagers in shinobi and the bond with those who understand the same pain. I believe every one of you, standing before me, knows exactly what I speak of. Therefore, I deem the third exam unnecessary." Gaara said looking out at the crowd

"And I'm rescinding part of the second exams requirements." he said

"So what's that mean for us?" Yutakata asked, her black hair falling completely over her ninja headband secured to her forehead as her brown eyes looked towards Gaara

"The villages of every one of you who're standing here, will recieve a report of your performance in the second exam. Your kage will make the final decision." Gaara said

"Gahhh, we've gotta wait longer to find out?" Kiba said

"It also means we still have a chance at being Chunin. Correct?" Lee said grinning as he moved his arm out, Yuki looking over at the two.

Shira and his team were promoted to chunin, Shira taking a post at the satellite village on the outskirts of the sand village, Yome and Sen walking to the edge of the sand village to see him off as he wore a dark green jumpsuit paired with orange leg warmers, his gray backpack on his back,

"When you reach the northern border, be careful." Sen said leaning forwards, Yome stood next to her, wearing a

white backpack on her back,

"Thank you, I will." Shira said to the girl before she turned her attention to Yome who was standing next to her

"Yome, since you're going too, be nice to him." she said and Yome gasped out a dark blush covering her cheeks, as she pushed her pointer fingers together,

"We just got assigned to the same place by chance." Yome started flustered,

"Yeah, sure, of course you did." Sen said, looking at the girl, clearly enjoying the flustered look

"Go get em" Sen said slapping Yome on the back gently, moving her forwards a few steps, Yome gasping again as she was now a complete and total flustering mess. As she glanced between Shira who'd started to leave, and Sen who stood on the edge of the sand village,

"Yome, you coming?!" Shira asked from up ahead and Yome looked over, the blush gone from her face, as she ran forwards

"Hey! No fair! Wait up Shirrra!" Yome said with her arms outstretched, running forwards.

"I hope they'll be okay." Sen said softly, watching her teammates leave.

In the rain village, rain fell as it did everyday, inside one of the towers, Konan, or as she was known to the village, Lady Angel, was flying above the three genin sent to the examination, the group of three already kneeling.

"We've gone through the reports sent by the hidden sand, your promotion to Chunin's been approved." Konan said and Ajisai let out a breath of relief, her auburn hair framed her face, as she closed her eyes a moment, she had a tuft of hair on top of her head resembling more of a bone shape, as she nodded her head,

"Thank you, Lady Angel." She spoke softly,

"Moreover, I'm assigning you an S-rank mission right away." Konan said and Ajisai smiled, excited at the chance to prove herself to her village. This mission though… was one she wouldn't return from.

"The corpse today's light." one of the rain ninja said, as the two hauled a body bag to the central tower of the hidden rain, '

"Over the years, I've developed a knack for this. This one's likely to be a woman." the other responded, the two were standing in front of a fence

"Tallest tower in the entire village, where we deliver the bodies, you know what it's for?" the other

Jonin asked, and the guy looked over

"In a village like ours, those towers are usually for the ashes to be enshrined." he responded,

"Originally, they were built as memorials, to honor the fallen." He concluded,

"If that's the case, why aren't their relatives allowed inside there anymore?" The jonin asked, the red fence around the tower holding a warning sign, to stay away.

"I dunno." the other jonin responded,

"There's a rumor going around about the tower, you know, that it's lord Pain's place." the jonin said,

"Really? That's interesting." He said as they set the body bag down on the table in front of them,

"I'm gonna confirm my theory." the jonin said, unzipping the top of the body bag so the head of the body was revealed,

"You were right, a woman." the jonin said looking at the corpse's face.

"That's Ajisai, a newly promoted Chunin, she only passed the exams recently." The jonin from before spoke as he looked at the girls face

"Her first mission as chunin, this is how it ended…" The jonin said, saddened for the girl

"Thank you." Konan said as she stood behind the two, startling them

"Oh, Lady Angel." The jonin said looking over,

"Go bring the next one in here." Konan said,

Fu and her team jumped through the forest, Fu flying between the trees, when the jonin asked her to stop at the rocky area up ahead, since they were being followed, Fu being quick to agree

"We don't know who you are, but you bet we're onto you." One of them called, Hidan and Kakuzu jumping out of the trees a moment later, hidan holding his red scythe on his back as they both wore black robes with red clouds overtop, the three waterfall ninja geared up for a fight as Kakazu's green eyes looked over the group, his

waterfall headband bein worn around his forehead, as he wore a mask and tan hood over his hair, his red robe zipped up completely. Hidan stepping forwards his purple hair slicked back as he wore a hidden rain headband around his neck, the front of his robe opened just enough to reveal part of his chest, his necklace being a circle with a triangle held inside.

"I told him to stop, I mean after all, if we didn't get to kill you, it'd be a real pain." Hidan said smiling a smug smile as he looked at the three waterfall ninja before him, the three tensing even as Fu stood up straighter, looking at Kakuzu,

"Wait, say, mister, aren't you from the hidden waterfall?" She asked her orange eyes looking at Kakazu,

"Whats that?" one of the jonin with her asked,

"Yeah, I know you, after you failed to assinate the Hokage, you stole the hearts of the village elders and escaped. You're Kakuzu senpai." Fu said her hands held tightly under her chin

"Kakuzu?" One of the jonin said

"Impossible." the other replied, bewildered,

"He'd be too old." he continued,

"You know, I've always thought if I ever got to meet you, I'd like to be your friend." Fu said excited, Hidan blinking before

looking at his partner

"Kakuzu. Is she stupid?" he asked and Kakuzu shrugged, looking over

"I wouldn't know. I deserted the village long ago." He said Fu walking forwards, suggesting tea to get to know Kakuzu, reaching for his hand,

"I didn't come here toda to become your friend, you fool." Kakuzu said looking at her,

"Well, that really is too bad." Fu said her orange eyes looking towards the ground as her blue hair fell over her shoulders.

Back in the leaf Natsuko sat behind the hokage desk, with Shisui and Shikamaru on either side behind the desk as the genin sent to the chunin exams stood before her. Natsuko wore a light blue ninja outfit with matching pants, her shuriken holsters on both thighs as she wore the hokage cloak on her back, her light red hair in two french braids down her back with her ninja headband tied tightly to her forehead, with her jonin vest sitting over top her ninja outfit. With the cloak overtop that. Star and Milkway sitting on either shoulder,

"I've gone through the second exam reports, thoroughly and have come to a decision." She started, looking forwards

"Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Choji, Ino, Yuki, Sakura, Sasuke, Sai. you nine are hearby promoted to chunin, you've passed the exams with flying colors." She said, the nine cheering a moment, Natsuko turning to the previously unnamed genin

"Komugi, Gennari, Inaho, you're not being promoted this time around, but there'll be another chance. Use this time to focus on your training, and think about what it truly means to be a shinobi." Natsuko said looking at the three who looked down,

"Aw man." they said together

"Even though they weren't able to collect both scrolls, they performed admirably. Lee and Tenten, you two have been promoted to chunin." Natsuko started,

"But what of Neji??" Lee said gesturing to his teammate, and Natsuko grinned,

"Neji Hyuga, you are given a special double promotion. For your performance in the chunin exams and Gaara said himself that Neji's performance was most impressive. Neji, you receive the title of Jonin." Natsuko said moving her arms a moment, as the chunin standing in the room looked shocked

"You've already proven you've got more than what it takes to be a chunin after all" Natsuko said and Lee turned to Neji who smiled softly

"Yes! Way to go Neji!" Lee said

"Congrats!" Tenten said looking at him,

"Thank you all, very much." Neji said, Lee returning the sentiment, as Natsuko, Shikamaru, and Shisui watched on,

"I've caught up to Naruto." Kiba stated assured.

"I wonder how his training's going" Hinata said and Natsuko hummed

"Well, he's undergoing Pervy sage's 'ultimate ninja training until you drop' regime, so… I imagine, he's dropping." Natsuko said as she looked towards the windows. Not too far from the leaf, Jiraiya and Naruto sat in front of a campfire, cooking fish, Jiraiya grabbing his chest a moment,

"That chest wound still bothering you? Well, don't worry, I'll continue my training, on my own, you know." Naruto said grinning at Jiraiya who sighed back.