Author's note: Took me long enough, and it's a short chapter too! Anyway, this is a continuation of the story Chunin Trials that Lunesoldier20 and I, wallpaperotaku, are writing. Lucidia Featherflame is me, and Luma is Lunesoldier ^_^
Enjoy!
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Fai was humming to himself when his team stepped from their boat and came toward him. "So you are Lucidia Featherflame, Syaoran, and Sakura, correct? Sakura, you are the only ninja?
Sakura nodded. "That's right!"
Fai smiled at her exuberance. "But, team, never forget that this is a mission of combined efforts. As silly as I make this sound, we will only succeed in our goal if we work together. This team will be great, as long as we pool together all of our strengths and conquer our weaknesses! I expect you to start training today!"
"Of course!" Syaoran said with determination.
Lucidia smiled, thinking of their chances of survival. " Unlike some other teams I've seen, I don't think it will be hard for us to get along. If we train together every day and master our technique as a single force.... I bet we'll win this."
"That's the spirit!" Fai said with a twinkle in his eye.
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Kurogane jumped down from the tree to meet his own group. Better to just get this over with, Kurogane thought.
"Well it's nice to see you are all on time. There's no need to introduce yourselves, Luma, Rock Lee and Misty. Just tell me your purpose for taking the chunin exam. "
He raised an eyebrow when Misty, the only pirate of the three, spoke first. " Why, to become Chunins of course."
"You will call me Sensei," Kurogane said harshly.
Misty and Luma frowned, suddenly losing enthusiasm.
Instead, Rock Lee piped up. " Sensei! We are here to combine the power of youth and ninja skill to claim the Blood Bounty!"
"Yeah something like that, kid." Kurogane said. He pulled out three black blindfolds from his pocket. "You're first task is to each take 100 steps in opposite directions wearing one of these. If you can make it to where I will be, then you have passed my first test."
Misty was incredulous as the already blindfolded Rock Lee began tying one over Luma's eyes. "And where will you be, Sensei?"
Kurogane wrapped the cloth over Misty's eyes. "You'll know when you find me, right?"
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Another team nearby was having a similar uncomfortable meeting.
Snape's lip curled. "Well well, isn't this an unbalanced team? I don't think Dumbledore could have possibly given me a lamer, lazier, more troublesome group."
Ash Ketchum was offended. " Hey! We're all pirates here for the same reason right? Catch that Overlord's Ransom!"
Snape glared at him. " You will speak if I ask you a question. Ten laps around Kanoha. Now."
Ash would have protested, but decided this wasn't an instructor that he was ready to upset further.
"Does any one else have anything to say?" Snape asked the two other boys.
Naruto Uzumaki and Harry Potter were smart enough to sense the trick question, and remain silent.
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Kurama was twirling a rose from his hair, waiting for the team that had been late for over 15 seconds.
His ninja students, Sasuke and Paul, arrived first, followed by the pirate Dawn who was laughing as she followed after them.
Kurama smiled at the show of excitement, but tapped his whip upon the ground to command their attention.
" Our mission is to win the Chunin exam-- using the power of our minds. Knowledge is power, so I will expect you to learn a lot from me, concerning strategy and calm. Never lose sight of the treasure, but remember that iit is a reward for short term goals. You must all fight each battle as if it were your last."
Sasuke shrugged. Knowledge? "Don't make me laugh. If all I'm learning will be math equations, the only one I'll be able to defeat will be that Naruto."
Dawn watched the intensity develop between sensei and student.
"Kurama?" Paul asked when he saw the pirate instructor taking steps toward Sasuke.
"Confidence, you have, " Kurama acknowledged as he approached an unwavering
Sasuke. "Arrogance too. Tell me, do you think that your current training can surpass my own level?"
Sasuke was smug. " The more you twirl that rose around, the more I'm convinced of it. Do you challenge me, PIRATE?"He spat the word.
Dawn was unsure what to say, and Paul was just as lost for words. She didn't care what clan he was from. This Sasuke Uchiha was rude and out of line.
Paul nudged Sasuke in the side. " Hey. Show some respect, huh?"
Sasuke punched Paul square in the jaw, sending him flying into Dawn. "This is my fight!" Sasuke said.
Kurama was not pleased. "Then let us fight. If you win, then you will be free to do as you like. Should I win, then you will learn as I teach without objection."
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"You are all late! Unbelievable. Neji, you're a noble ninja. You of all people should have arrived sooner. And Brock? Ron Weasley? Do you pirates even fathom the importance of this international treasure. The Overlord's Ransom. Never foget why I'm training you." Their instructor, Lupin, looked disappointed as he spoke.
Brock sighed. What luck he had. Not only had he been late, but his instructor wasn't even a beautiful shinobi. Not to mention that none of his teammates were girls either!
Ron Weasley was pretty bummed too. Harry, his best mate wasn't on his team. How bad really was his luck?
Neji looked at the spaced-out expressions of his comrades angrily. It hadn't seemed as though they had heard one word of Lupin's lecture.
Ah well, Brock thought to himself, at least I'll gain more muscles when this training is over.
Ron had a look of hope as something occured to him. At least he wasn't going to have to endure the instruction of Snape!
Neji frowned and shook his head. It was his destiny to obtain the Overlord's Ransom. He knew that. But it was hard to believe that fate to be possible when he was stuck with a bunch of... losers.
"Well, answer the question!" Lupin said in irritation, breaking all three of them from their distracted thoughts.
"To be the best sir!" Neji automatically replied, hoping he was answering the correct question.
"To bring honor to us all!" Ron said, with a smile.
"To protect the world from devestation and unite all people with in our nation!" Brock said quickly.
Lupin shook his head. "You know what is ours. Now, we must simply claim it."
