Second Chance

Chapter 26

Chapter 26: A Storm's Path
___

The sun was shining and the birds were singing yet despite the time, the hidden leaf village was nothing but a hive of activity. Residents, tourists and guests alike were buzzing with anticipation as their patience was finally paying off. In just one short hour, the chunin exam finals were going to begin. Many people had been waiting for this day just to try and see if their predictions on the matches were right. Many of them were placing bets on the outcomes, while others were just trying to find good seats. However, among the positive buzz of the civilians, the shinobi were tense. Sometime during the month a Konoha jonin, Hayate, was murdered by an unknown assailant. With the last bit of his strength he was able to leave a message warning of a coming invasion.

The higher ranked shinobi weren't the only ones tense with a feeling of dread. The rookies that had not made the finals and were in the crowd were also very alert. They had known for far longer that the invasion was coming and had been preparing for it. However, there is nothing anyone can truly do to prepare for a war if they have never been in one. Even those that had couldn't properly prepare. What they did know was that if Naruto and Sasuke didn't show up soon they would be disqualified.

"Where are they already?!" Haku snapped, chakra beginning to leak out chilling the air around her. Choji chuckled nervously as the people around them watched the girl wearily.

"I'm sure that they will be here soon Haku. I think your chakra is beginning to make the atmosphere somewhat to cold for the land of fire natives though." Haku blinked at the boy and then laughed nervously.

"Sorry."

"Temper Haku. I promise if neither of those boys show up soon I'm gonna hunt them down myself." Zabuza said from next to her. Haku just nodded and began to glare at the arena floor where a similar conversation was taking place.

"Ino stop twitching. I'm sure that Sasuke and Naruto will be here soon." Shikamaru sighed. Ino just twitched a little more and growled. Sighing he looked to his side just in time to see Hinata and Neji give a respectful nod to each other. They seemed to have promised on an honest fight as shinobi and not Hyuga clan members, without talking. 'Troublesome.' Shikamaru thought just as Fu perked up.

"Sasuke and Naruto are coming. Although I have to question their mental maturity if they are doing what I think they are doing." She informed the others making them raise their eyes at the emphasis on the "mental" part. For the foreigners it was odd because they should be the same age physically and mentally, right? For the other genin they merely sighed. It meant that somehow the THIRTY-ONE year old hokage had managed to talk Sasuke into something reckless and childish.

"Hiruzen, It feels odd for us to be sitting here like this doesn't it?" A spoke to the elder kage as he took his seat.

"Odd it does. I had never thought that I would get to see Kumo and Konoha side by side and not starting war on each other in my lifetime." A laughed at the retort knowing that there was some veiled aggression in it.

"True enough. Is it always this windy here this time of year?" He questioned as the Kazekage claimed his seat silently.

"Now that you mention in no." Hiruzen said as the wind began to pick up speed. Before anyone could say anything, a twisting column of air descended from the sky and landed in the middle of the arena. Spinning out of existence just as quickly as it appeared it revealed a medium sized group at the center.

"Damn it Dobe! How many times have I told you not to do that?" Sasuke yelled as he regained his bearings.

"Did you want to be late?" Naruto asked in amusement as he watched one of the sannin attempt to hold in his breakfast and his jonin struggle in vain to regain his footing.