The Next Morning - Tsubaki's POV

"Hey guys, wake up." Sensei says somewhere around me.

I slowly open my eyes and I see Sensei standing in the middle of our tent.

I sit up and I rub my eyes as my hair falls around me.

"She's adorable." Hiroko whispers and I look at everyone, half asleep.

"You guys have to get ready for the exams." Sensei reminds us.

I lay back down and I bury myself under my blankets and the twins laugh.

"Come on, Tsubaki, get up." Hiroko says to me and I humf.

Both the twins get really persistent and it makes it hard to go back to sleep, so I sit up, and stare at them.

"Fine!" I say at last and the twins cheer while Sensei chuckles and disappears.

I get up and we get our stuff packed up and we head back to our homes.

I shower and get dressed in my normal outfit.

I dry my hair and then I loose braid it.

I then put on my pouches and I leave the house in a hurry.

"Where are you going?" Father asks as he intercepts me outside.

"Chunin Exams." I say to him and he looks genuinely surprised. "Oh right! My paper!" I say remembering that its not in my pouch and I head back inside.

I fill it out at my desk and I escape by window.

I just barely make it to the academy before the time and the twins look at me amused.

"What'd you do? Over sleep?" Hiroko asks me.

"Shut up, I forgot my paper and then had to escape my house by window." I say and the twins nod.

We head inside and up to the second floor and we see Tenten get kicked.

"Ah! Tenten!" Hiroto says shocked as Lee catches her.

Neji looks over and nods to me and I nod back.

Naruto gets mad but I just walk forward and stare at the disguised Chunin.

I just look at them so confused. "And you hit her because?" I ask them and Neji walks up and stands behind me.

"Uhm, well," the one on the left trails off, not liking our stares.

"She's our friend." I say and the two start to sweat. "How about you apologize by letting our teams through, we have to get upstairs." I say to them with a smile.

"H-How many teams?" The one on the right stutters.

"Ah, well, my team, his team, the blondes team, that should be fine, right?" I ask him and he nods.

The twins drag me upstairs as fast as possible and the twins fall into the room and drag me down with them.

"Hey! Don't run so fast!" I say to them annoyed as they get up and help me up.

Everybody glares at us and I just stare back.

"Hello." I say with a wave.

"Hey! Tsubaki!" Kiba calls.

I look over to see Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru and Shino, so the three of us walk over.

"Everybody is super tense." Hiroko comments as he rests his arm on my shoulder.

"Yeah, no kidding." Kiba replies.

"Hi Hina." I greet and she smiles.

"H-Hello Tsubaki." Hinata says to me. "Y-You weren't home t-this morning." Hinata says quietly.

"Ah, yeah, we camped out at our training grounds for good luck." I say and Hinata nods surprised.

Naruto and his team get here and they make a big scene and I only just roll my eyes.

"Ok then." I say and the twins nod in agreement.

We watch what goes down, basically just a guy talking to Naruto's team, I just ignore them.

"Tsubaki, are you excited?" Hiroto asks me.

I shake my head. "I could not be more serious." I say to Hiroto.

The twins shake their heads. "Come on Tsubaki, liven up!" The twin say to me and I look at the crowd.

"You see all those people here to potentially murder us?" I ask them and they nod. "No." I shake my head.

The sound ninja attempt to hurt the silver haired guy who was talking with Naruto's team, and then a guy appears along with a lot of chunin level ninja.

The guy has scars on his face, and his headband covers his head.

The twins stand behind me, terrified, I just look exasperated by them.

He orders us around and me and the twins grab card numbers and we're so far apart.

I sense Chunin disguised ninja in the crowd.

The guy introduces himself as Ibiki Morino.

I make my way to my seat, and I sit at the top back corner to the right.

I count the Chunin, as rules are said, just anti-cheating rules, but worse consequences.

98...99...100. 100 Chunin, that's a bit excessive.

The papers are handed out and then its time to start.

I turn the page over and I immediately see Hiroto move his hands, I glance to see he's a little frantic.

I look at Hiroko and I see he's a little freaked, but not because of the test, no its the look the red head in giving him, two seats away from him.

These questions don't look like something the boys can do, but we need all perfect answers to pass. But how do I get them help, without being caught? Cheating is against the rules, but why were there so many rules against cheating?  Wait, its against the rules, but that's what they want us to do.

I start on the questions I can do, and I use my Byakugan on Sakura for the rest.

I think about how to get the answers to the boys.

The bathroom trick could work, but that one kid is already using it, so, do I know any jutsu? Nothing that can help. The boys know a few, but to get their attention is difficult in here.

I watch Hiroko pick up his pencil, and I use my byakugan to watch as he figures out the answers.

Hiroto is only a few rows down directly in front of me.

I tossed my pencil at the back of his head, he looks around and sees me motioning with my eyes to his brother.

He gets the hint, and under the table, uses hand signs to connect the three of us in a telepathic jutsu.

I have the answers.

Your awesome Tsubaki. -Ko

Tell us. -To

I give them the answers and they write at the same time while I look like I'm proof reading my paper.

The Chunin watch my brothers closely to see their pencils moving at the same time and they look at me to see me put my paper down, as the boys stop.

I put my name on the paper, and I flip it over to the blank side.

I glance up at the time to see less than twenty minutes remain.

After a bit, Ibiki clears his throat.

"Time for the tenth question, but first, some more rules." He announces and I get handed my pencil back by one of the Chunin.

He gives me a look to not do that again.

I nod slightly.

Ibiki looks right at me. "If anyone from your team gets the answer wrong, you all lose and will never be able to take the exams again." Ibiki says to everyone and the twins look worried. "If you think you can't handle the pressure, raise your hand, and you and your team can leave and come back in six months to try again." Ibiki says to everyone.

I watch as teams leave, one by one, the twins look back up at me, to see a serious look in my eye.

They connect to me.

Tsubaki, what if we get the answer wrong?

You won't, I'm here.

But, Tsubaki, we aren't as smart as you, how can we all answer correctly? They'll see through this Justu for sure.

Just leave that to me, don't raise your hands.

Once Naruto gives his speech, people stop leaving.

Ibiki looks us over. "If that's everyone, then, you all pass. Your all going to the second round." Ibiki says to us.

I watch as the twins fall out of their chairs in relief and a slightly amused smirk dances on my lips.

He tells us the truth about the cheating rules, and takes off his headband to reveal more scars. He tells us he got those scars from intel and such missions and I'm just surprised.

A brick crashes through the window, and a woman with purple hair crashes through behind it.

"That was a bit extra." I murmur.

"My name is Anko Mitarashi, the proctor of the second exam." She says to us with a grin.

Both names are different types of Dango.

"You early again, Anko." Ibiki says to her as he comes out from behind her banner.

I kind of just stare at them, confused as Anko gets embarrassed by that.

"Your sensei's will tell you where to meet up at in the morning and when." Anko dismisses us.

The twins race up to me and hide behind me, as the red head watches them.

"You two are pathetic." I say to them as I turn to face them.

"He's creepy." Hiroko mutters.

I shake my head and head down the steps, passing the red head and we eye each other.

I get to the door and the twins join me.

We leave the academy.

"What should we do as we wait for Guy-Sensei to tell us where to go?" Hiroto asks us.

"I don't know, but I'm hungry." I say to them.

"Your a glutton, but you have a point, we didn't eat yet today." Hiroko says to me.

I nod.

"Tsu-Tsubaki!" Hinata says embarrassed as she runs after me.

I stop and wait for her and she hugs me. "Hey, Hina, what's up?" I ask her.

She looks down at me slightly. "W-We're both going to the second round." She says as she steps back and fidgets.

I smile. "Of course, I look forward to it." I say to her and she smiles at me and goes to catch up to her team.

Me and the twins continue walking.

"You look adorable when you smile, you should do that more." Hiroko says to me with a smirk.

I shrug. "Where should we eat?" I ask them.

"How about, Barbeque?" Hiroto asks us.

"That sounds good." Hiroko says to him and I just nod and follow them as we walk and they talk about nonsense.

We pass Neji and his team.

"Good job, Tsubaki." Neji says after a moment.

I turn to look back at him, a bit surprised. "Same to you, Neji." I say to him.

"Hey, you guys want to join us for Barbeque?" Hiroto asks them.

"Who is paying?" Tenten asks confused.

"Your sensei if he appears while we're eating." Hiroko says to her.

"Alright." Tenten says to us.

Lee nods and they just bring Neji.

Me and Neji walk towards the back while the four energetic people talk.

"Tsubaki." Father says as we pass him and everybody stops, as do I.

"Good evening Father." I say to him.

"Your coming home." Father says to me and I look at him to see he's forcing me too.

The twins look ready to object, but I give them a look that says no.

"Yes Father." I say with a nod. "I'll see you guys tomorrow for the second Exam." I say to the five and they nod.

I follow Father home, and we stand in the training room.

"You made it through the first exam." Father says to me as I sit on my knees in front of him.

I nod. "That I have Father." I say to him as I look at the floor.

"And your going into the second exam in the morning, I just hope you won't be a burden, and give a shameful presentation when its over." Father says to me.

I frown and I look up at him. "I can assure you father. That no matter what I do, you'll find some fault in it. Just like always." I say as I get up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm a rather bit hungry, and so I'm going to go make myself something to eat." I say to him and Father looks a little confused.

I go to the kitchen and I make myself something to eat.

I sit at the table and I eat, silently.

Father and Hanabi join me, but I don't even look up at them.

"Tsubaki." Father says to me.

But I just stay silent as I poke my food.

Hanabi looks between us worried and Hinata gets home, and sees us.

I just finish eating and I go and wash my dishes.

I then head to my room and put on a white t-shirt and black leggings, and my ninja sandals.

I got outside and I train for a long while, until somebody joins me, and I look up to see Neji as he blocks my attacks.

I look at him confused and he stops me.

"We've been trying to get your attention." Neji says to me and I step back, and I look over to see his team and his Sensei.

"Oh." Is all I say and put my hands behind my back.

"You meet up for the second exam at Training Ground 44." Guy says to us.

"Ok." I say and Neji nods.

Guy walks everybody else home, and Neji watches me as I walk over to the porch and I sit down.

"I'm not gonna show you or your sister too much mercy tomorrow if we meet in the exam." Neji says to me.

I look at him with a calm gaze. "I didn't expect you too." I say to him and I look up at the stars. "You should go home and rest, I have a feeling that we won't be getting much rest for a while." I say to him.

"You should as well." Neji says as he leaves.

I lay on my back on the porch, just quietly watching the stars, and how they slowly move.

I get up after a bit, and I go back to training.

After an hour, I stop, noticing my Father watching me.

I pull my hair back and into a pony tail, and I ignore him.

"Tsubaki, come inside, its late." Father says to me.

My eyes hurt from being used too much today, and I stop for the night as I deactivate my byakugan.

I see tea next to Father, I just look at it for a moment.

"Hinata made it." Father says to me.

I walk over and I sit down on the porch, my legs folded underneath me, and I take the cup of tea, gently one hand under it, and the other hand on the side of it.

I drink the tea and after a moment, I finish it.

"Chamomile." I say after I put the cup down gently.

I get up and exhaustion hits me like a brick.

I take the tray inside and to the kitchen, I wash the dishes on it and then I go to my room.

I showed and change into my pajamas and I walk to Hinata's room and I slowly open the door to see her asleep on her bed.

I walk over quietly and I kiss her forehead goodnight, and I cover her with her blanket.

I leave her room and I go to Hanabi's and I do the same thing.

I got back to my room and I sit at my vanity.

I brush out my hair and I braid it onto my shoulder.

I put the back of my hand over my mouth as I yawn, and I get up.

I put my dirty clothes into my hamper, and I get my clothes out for tomorrow.

I leave them on my desk and then I walk over to my blinds.

I close them for the night and I walk over to my door and I close it quietly.

I then say a prayer to Mom and I get under my covers.

I curl up and hold my pillow.

A knock sounds on my door, but by the time the door opens, I'm half asleep.

"Tsubaki, I know your awake." Father says at my door.

I sigh quietly, and I attempt to sit up, but my body is to exhausted.

"Please leave me alone, I need to rest before tomorrow." I mumble quietly.

Father just walks into my room and closes the door behind him.

I close my eyes, too tired to keep them open.

I hold my pillow closer to my face, and I drift in and out of consciousness.

"Your technique is getting better, Tsubaki." Father says in front of me.

My consciousness fades out as he talks to me, and his voice buzzes out.

Hiashi's POV

I watch Tsubaki take care of her sisters, in the stead of her mother, like every night.

Once she's winding down and closes her door, I wait a couple minutes befire knocking, I don't get an answer, so I open the door to see her about to sleep.

"Tsubaki, I know your awake." I say to her.

"Please go away, I need my rest for the second exam." Tsubaki mumbles.

I just close the door and walk towards her bed.

I talk to her for a while and I watch her fall asleep.

I move her bangs out of her face, and I pull the blanket over her better and I leave.
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