Senju Kiyoshi

|58| Falling Apart

When we got back, I was immediately summoned to the Hokages office by Baa-chan. On my way there, I met the Naras.

"Oh, hey!" I waved like a damn toddler, "What brings the two of you here, Shikaku-san?"

He smiled at me, "Hello, Kiyoshi. I was here to help with some of the work in the Hokage's department. Shikamaru here has been summoned by her, for what, I don't know."

I blinked, "Huh, me too." I glance at the younger Nara with a smirk, "Well, let's go then, Shika-chan~!" He flinched.

Guess he still remembers what I told him during the chunin exams after his fight with Temari. I grabbed his hand and started dragging him toward the Hokage's office. Shikaku-san chuckled from a distance.

"Oi! Slow down, troublesome woman!" He grumbled.

"Uh, no."

When we reached the Hokage's office, many chunins were surrounding Baa-Chan. She had two papers in her hands and a proud look in her eyes. We both stood near the door. Shikamaru bowed. I waved. "You called?"

"Yes, I did. To be honest, I don't know what to do." She said, folding her hands.

I and Shika exchanged a glance. A second later, three dark lines came onto my forehead. "O-Oi! It's not about the traitor I killed, is it?"

"You WHAT?!" Shikamaru reeled back.

I walked towards the desk where Baa-Chan sat. "I was- I just wanted to use the Raijin no ken you know! I know I should have brought him back for further interrogation and torture but-!"

She waved her hands around. "Okay! Hold on, It's not about that, now go back."

I went back, sulking a bit.

Shikamaru still looked quite afraid of me. I usually liked that, but this time. . . It felt as though he didn't trust me enough to not hurt him. . .And that hurt.

Baa-Chan cleared her throat. "With the final exam being suspended it was the opinion of many that none of the students should pass this time around. Including you two."

Oh, so this is about the exams... 

Wait- No one should pass? Am I- am I getting a demotion?!

"However, I hear that the third had nothing but the highest praise for both of your matches. In fact, I heard that a little birdie in red went above and beyond to help him fight Orochimaru and the previous two Hokages." Her forehead filled with tic marks as she clenched a paper.

I sweatdropped and nervously laughed. "Eh? Must have been a strong birdie eh?"

She closed her eyes, smiling sweetly as her hands shook with anger. "Yeah. That birdie has a name you know. I would know. My otouto named her." 

I blinked twice. "Yeah, okay. I'm running-" But before I could, she grabbed me by the collar. When'd she get so fast?!

Her fist collided with my head. "This is for keeping things from me." She went back to her seat leaving me sitting on the floor, whining of the pain while rubbing the spot where I got hit.

"Anyway," The spectators sweatdropped at the change in moods. "From this day forth, I hope you two will strive to achieve a level of excellence worthy of that headband. Congratulations, As of this moment the two of you are Chunins. Formal, proper Chunins."

Shikamaru seemed hella surprised by this. We got our vests and left. "Well, this was unexpected. . . I forfeited."

"Yeah, well your strategic skills are higher than chunins and some Jonin. Not to mention you are a genius, be it a lazy one. So, It's not surprising."