Something to Fight For (Naruto)

Examining

The next day, Haruka headed to the Chunin Exams to meet her new team. She wasn't religious, but still begged Jashin or whatever god there was to be on her Nii-san's team. Their 'answer' just reconfirmed her non-belief.

The team waiting for her out side the door was Team 10, not her Nii-san's. They smiled at her and greeted her, but she still drooped in sadness. Perhaps she could convince Ino to check on Sasuke in the exam, since she was obsessed with the Uchiha, simultaneously seeing her Nii-san.

Ino lead them into the building, dragging a half-asleep Shikamaru behind her. Haruka walked behind leisurely with Choji, going through as many ways to keep her Nii-san safe as possible. Her biggest worry was if they would have one-on-one fights. What if he were to get seriously injured in a fight and she couldn't heal him? It made her heart clench a bit, but she could hopefully jump in front of him at the last minute and take the hit herself. And if they were to be separated? She could bribe Ino to let her go check on them, seeing as Ino was obviously the dominant one in the group.

They went up two flights of stairs before they came to a small cluster of Genin. They were crowded around a door that had the sign 301 above it, the room they were supposed to go in to. Two other Genin were guarding it, not letting anyone in. Ino started to force herself through and create a path for the others when Shikamaru spoke up.

"Come on, Ino. We need to go up another flight of stairs. This is a genjutsu. What a drag." He moaned, hands behind his head.

Haruka tensed when he said genjutsu, gripping her knives until her knuckles were white. She took deep breaths as the three continued, skirting the crowd, to calm herself. To have a panic attack right then would make her and the whole group a target, something that would be good to avoid.

Within a minute, they were at the doors to the entrance of the exam. Ino had dragged Shikamaru the whole time, making him grumble under his breath at how 'troublesome' she was.

Haruka walked in last, letting the others go ahead. She felt no hurry to begin the exam, already thinking of the trouble it would cause. If she could, she would put off the exams for twenty years instead of twenty minutes.

Ino grouped them all together in a corner, claiming it. She started lecturing Shikamaru and Choji about how they needed to be 'braver' for the exam while Haruka examined all of the other Genin. The majority looked older, already giving her hints that the exams were hard. They all leered at the younger Genin, including their group. Whenever she caught one of their eyes she would stare back impassively until they looked away or blinked, growling. There was no doubt that all of the newer Konoha Genin would be targets from their bright clothes and childish appearances compared to the veterans.

Ino turned to Haruka after a minute, grinning. "Alright, Nee-san! Everything I just told these two applies to you, okay? So don't forget it!" She ordered, making Haruka look back over.

She hadn't heard a word of Ino's rant, but just nodded. Whatever she said couldn't have been anything to important, or else she wouldn't have been so public about it. Before Ino could continue, the door opened, revealing Team 7.

Squealing, Ino jumped onto Sasuke and latched her arms around his neck, feet hanging off the ground. "Sasuke! How have you been? It's been so long!" She purred, hugging him tighter. Sakura started growling at the blonde, resulting in a loud verbal argument between the two. Sasuke shifted himself away, not wanting to get caught in the middle.

Haruka dashed forward to her Nii-san with the two boys trailing behind her, seeing a dark purple splotch on her Nii-san's face.

"You're hurt." She stated, hands already getting ready to fix him. She put them on his cheek as he shoved her away, shaking his head.