...You guys can kill me now. I just managed to work up something to spur my muse so I could continue writing. Painfully short and after a horrendously long hiatus, I am so sorry. I had momentarily lost my spark when it comes to the anime Naruto... e .e;

Need to go through and edit the page cuts again, stupid FF...x . x

..intermission...

It seemed surreal, in slow motion, almost: That Konoha's Number 1 Knuckle-headed Ninja rose his hand, the dawning of his internal defeat almost mocking all they stood for. Yet, it seems they had jumped to conclusions too soon, for as soon as he rose said hand, Naruto slammed it onto the table, a determination etched in deep stone on his face.

"Screw you! I'm not going to run away!" He said triumphantly, shifting to a stern, motivated stance. "I'll take this problem! Even if I become a genin forever, I'm gonna become a Hokage no matter what anyway!" He stood up now. "I'm not scared!" Hitsugaya snorted, and remember when he used to act like that.

Ninety years ago, little one. Hyorinmaru said. I miss that you in a way. You were always so adorable when you were defiant. And spitting those watermelon seeds at Hinamori...

Hyorinmaru! He snapped; he did not want to be reminded of a time where he had behaved so immature, lest his team-mates own zanpakuto heard and told their wielders, for he would NEVER hear the end of it. Shut up!

Ibiki's cold, slate eyes cast over the group and watched as shivers went up several an unfortunate genin's back. "I will ask one more time. This is the choice that will impact your life." Enter, dramatic pause; he then took a breath, and spoke again. "If you want to quit, now is the chance."

Naruto went unphased, merely radiating pure defiance yet a cool relaxation that showed that he was no longer affected by the hopelessness that was being imprinted into their very souls by the Interrogation expert. "I'm not going to take back my words. That's my "Way of the Ninja"." Ichigo smirked lazily at the gutso the boy was showing.

Thats the kind of stuff that people need to show in the real world... Ichigo thought smugly, mentally patting Naruto on the back.

You're praising me? Cool! Naruto grinned internally.

Yup...you remind me of myself. Now Hitsugaya interrupted him.

Yes, you're both identical...now if only I could tame the older of you two. Ichigo grew an agitated visage, turning to the side and giving evil eyes to Hitsugaya, who only stared back passively, unamused by the shinigami's antics.

Many ninja in the room were smiling, their confidence re-established. No longer did they feel the fear they had felt before.

Thats exactly how you do it, kid. Rukia thought, giving the blond praise.

Hey, thanks. Naruto replied back. I think I may get to like you guys.

"Nice determination." Ibiki spoke, his voice washing over them; they readied themselves for the final, most difficult question of the test, half of them wondering what the hell they had gotten themselves into. "Then...for the first Exam, everyone here...passes!"

"Wait, what's up with that? We pass already? What about the tenth question?" Sakura had shot up from her chair and was staring incredulously at their examiner. Several genin paused to give her looks, silently cursing her for saying anything and hoping he wouldn't change his mind about their fortunate circumstances.

"There was never such a question to begin with." Ibiki replied calmly.

"Or, you can call the two-choice question the tenth question." Sakura could feel the raven haired Kuchiki's eyes almost glow as they watched her, her face steadfast as she spoke.

"So, what were the last nine questions! They were all a waste!" Temari stood from her chair, angered.

"Not really." Ichigo commented dryly, sitting up slightly. "From a professional view, the entire point of this exam was to test your information gathering skills, and to weed out all of those who were incapable of acquiring the required information without arousing suspicion."

Hitsugaya then picked up where the strawberry left off. "This is part of the basic fundamentals that a ninja is required to have; should you not possess this skill...you're as worthless as trash to your cause."

How Ulquiorra-like of you. Ichigo mumbled, causing Hitsugaya to give him evil eyes.

Shut up. He snapped back.

Ulquiorra? Naruto asked. They remembered that Naruto could still hear.

Someone you don't know, and shouldn't need to know.

...intermission...

"Ne ne..." He looked over to see a girl, about his height - which was impeccably short - with the most gorgeous eyes he'd ever seen, and hair that reminded him of blood...yet, the surrealism surrounding the vision seemed to also impair his ability to register things in his mind, so even though his heart knew what he was seeing, nor his eyes nor his mind did. "We'll be together forever, right, Minato-kun...?"

"Sheesh...Ku...na, I just became...I still love..." She giggled and hugged his arm and warmth radiated in his heart.

"I love you, Minato-kun..."

"And I you, my beloved..."

He hated how parts of speech were blurred out and her lips seemed to move closer to his, and he found himself leaning forward and-

"Shihouin-taichou?" Minato's eyes shot open as he sat up, a smudge of ink on several parts of his face that resembled kanji; he, however, did not notice. Thus, confusion entered his eyes as he saw the passive visage his vice-captain typically held faltered slightly, unbridled amusement dancing among those inky depths and his mouth curling ever so slightly into a smile.

"Did I fall asleep? What's wrong?" He seemed confused.

"Taichou, you should go wash your face off..." Hearing the implication, he put a hand on his cheek. Removing it, he then saw the kanji of part of his name rub off on his hand. Looking down, he saw a slightly smudged document, with still fresh ink on it.

"Damn it..." He stood, infuriated and humiliated, but before his departure he looked back at Hisagi. "You still didn't answer my questions."

"I'll answer them when you return...after getting some sleep, taichou, you look tired." Minato shrugged; truthfully, he was, for he had been - prior to his advancement in rank - been on a full night watch duty.

"I'll hold you up to your word, Hisagi-fukutaichou. And thank you."

Hisagi nodded firmly and then the form of his captain disappeared.

...intermission...

"Ne, ne...Did you hear?" A dark-skinned man said lazily, his beady eyes looking down at the much smaller, much more feminine character next to him. Both were walking among the main fortress of the village Kuragari No Sato. The sky, as black as always, mocked any other forms of life other than hollows with its misery, and the crescent moon almost grinned at them, crookedly. "Someone's gonna try and replace you, Szayel."

The pink haired man looked upwards to him, and frowned. "Who would dare? In fact, who would have the gall enough to try?"

"I would," A voice said. It was distinctly feminine, but sounded harsh, and cold. They looked over to see a woman with long, blazing red hair and cold green eyes. Her hollow hole was in the center of her collar bone and she wore a jacket that clung to her figure, as her hakama lightly dusted along the floor.

"Who are you?"

"I am the Bloody Red Habanero...and I have found it time that you learned your true place."

Szayel's eyes narrowed as he regarded the woman whose reiatsu began to rise...and slowly felt the foreign coil of fear roll inside his stomach. Something was strange about this one...perhaps if -no, not if, when he defeated her, she would prove an interesting new subject to study.

"I am...Kushina."

...intermission...

Face the truth, as a family is torn apart by destiny. One, with no heart, and one with no life belonging of his own, and the third a tragic hero. Two dead, and one alive, the pages of Tragedy's storytale move onward...

Let the cogs of Fate move.

...intermission...