Kankuro stepped onto the arena floor, eyeing his opponent warily. This leaf kunoichi seemed a bit unhinged, given how eagerly she was bouncing on her toes. He decided to play it cool.

  "So, how crazy are you leaf ninja anyway?" Kankuro drawled. "Sending a little girl to fight me?"

  Tenten's eyes narrowed. "Oh please. I'm not sure which of us is more feminine, given your love of makeup and playing with dolls." She smirked. "Why don't you treat this seriously?"

  Kankuro bristled at the insult. "Tsch." Part of his face peeled away, revealing it to be a mask. The bundle on his back unraveled, showing the real Kankuro inside. "Noticed that, did you?"

  "Of course," Tenten replied. "I've studied up on Sand's puppet techniques. Though I have to say, the makeup is a bit much. Going for the kabuki look?"

  "You leaf ninja have no appreciation for the classics," Kankuro grumbled. "This is traditional puppet master attire!"

  The proctor stepped forward. "If you two are done chatting, begin!"

  Tenten immediately leapt back, unfurling a scroll. In a puff of smoke, she was suddenly armed with an array of gleaming weapons. Kankuro's fingers twitched, chakra strings connecting to his puppet Crow.

  The weapons expert launched a barrage of shuriken and kunai. Crow's arms spun, deflecting the projectiles with ease. Kankuro grinned. "Is that all you've got?"

  "Not even close," Tenten shot back. She pulled out a kusarigama, the weighted chain whirling through the air. It wrapped around Crow's torso, but Kankuro simply disconnected the puppet's limbs. The arms and legs continued their assault while the body struggled against the chain.

  Tenten was forced to abandon her weapon, dodging a poison-tipped senbon from Crow's mouth. She countered with a volley of small throwing knives, aiming for Kankuro's chakra strings. The puppet master was impressed by her accuracy, having to constantly shift his fingers to avoid being cut off from his weapon.

  The battle continued, neither gaining a clear advantage. Tenten's arsenal seemed endless, always producing a new weapon to counter Crow's attacks. Kankuro's puppet mastery was on full display, the wooden construct moving with uncanny speed and precision.

  Finally, Kankuro decided to up the ante. Crow's head detached, rocketing towards Tenten with a hidden blade extended. The kunoichi's eyes widened in surprise, barely managing to deflect it with a tonfa.

  "Time out!" Tenten suddenly called, holding up her hands.

  Kankuro blinked in confusion, halting his attack. "Uh, what?"

  "That blade," Tenten said, eyes shining. "Is that a Kirigakure spider-fang? How did you get it to work in such a compact mechanism? Those things are notoriously finicky when compressed!"

  The puppet master couldn't help but preen a little. "Oh, you noticed? Yeah, it took some doing. I had to recalibrate the spring tension and reinforce the pivot joint with chakra-conductive wire..."

  As Kankuro explained the intricacies of his hidden blade, Tenten nodded along enthusiastically. "Brilliant! I never would have thought to use wire like that. Oh, speaking of wire, did you notice how I modified my weapon summoning seals?"

  "I did!" Kankuro replied, equally excited. "That was at least a 5% increase in storage capacity, right? How'd you manage it?"

  "Well, I tweaked the containment array by incorporating elements of space-time fuinjutsu..." Tenten launched into a detailed explanation of her sealing techniques.

  Up in the stands, the other genin looked on in bewilderment. Neji and Lee both had their faces in their hands.

  "Uh, what's going on?" Naruto asked. "Why'd they stop fighting?"

  Neji sighed heavily. "Tenten tends to... get carried away when discussing weapons and ninja tools."

  "She once spent three hours talking to our weapons supplier about the merits of different steel alloys," Lee added. "We nearly missed a mission briefing."

  Down in the arena, Tenten and Kankuro were still chatting animatedly, completely oblivious to their surroundings. The proctor looked utterly baffled, unsure how to proceed.

  "So then I thought, why not combine the principles of a kyoketsu-shoge with a kusarigama?" Tenten was saying, sketching out a design in the dirt with her foot.

  Kankuro nodded sagely. "Interesting. The weighted chain would certainly add some unpredictability to your attacks. Have you considered incorporating a poison delivery system?"

  "Ooh, I hadn't thought of that!" Tenten's eyes lit up. "What kind of mechanism would you suggest?"

  The conversation continued for several more minutes, ranging from blade compositions to the finer points of trap-setting. The other genin in the stands were growing restless.

  "Is... is this still part of the fight?" Ino asked hesitantly.

  Temari shook her head in disbelief. "I've never seen Kankuro this excited about anything that wasn't directly related to killing someone."

  Finally, the proctor seemed to remember his job. He coughed loudly. "Ahem! If you two wouldn't mind getting back to the match?"

  Tenten and Kankuro looked up, seeming surprised to find themselves still in the arena. "Oh, right!" Tenten said sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Shall we continue?"

  Kankuro grinned. "You bet. I've got a few more tricks I'd love to show you!"

  The battle resumed in earnest, but now there was a marked difference. Instead of trying to defeat each other, both combatants seemed more interested in showing off their techniques.

  "Check this out!" Kankuro called, as Crow's arms detached and spun like propellers. "I based it on old Wind Country helicopter designs!"

  Tenten countered by unfurling a massive scroll, summoning a veritable wall of weapons. "Neat! But can your puppet do this?" The weapons launched in a synchronized pattern, forming intricate shapes in the air before raining down on Kankuro.

  This back-and-forth continued for over thirty minutes. Neither fighter was gaining any real advantage, too busy admiring each other's skills to press for a win. The audience was growing restless, and even the usually stoic Gaara looked annoyed.

  Finally, Might Gai stood up. "Tenten!" he called down. "I'm releasing you from your restriction!"

  Tenten's head snapped up, a maniacal grin spreading across her face. Kankuro suddenly felt very, very worried.

  "Oh, now you've done it," Neji muttered.

  Tenten pulled out a scroll with the kanji for "banned" prominently displayed. "Sorry about this, Kankuro," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "Try to survive, okay? I want to talk more after the match!"

  She unfurled the scroll, revealing dozens of kunai, each wrapped with multiple explosive tags. Kankuro's eyes widened in horror.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  "Are you insane?!" Kankuro yelled, diving behind a chunk of debris. "This is supposed to be a friendly competition!"

  "I know!" Tenten called back cheerfully. "Isn't it great? I never get to go all out like this!"

  Chunks of the floor were blown away. The walls were scarred with blast marks. Smoke filled the air.

  "Is she insane?!" Ino shrieked, ducking behind Choji.

  "This is most unyouthful!" Lee cried.

  Kankuro was on the defensive, using Crow as a shield. But even his puppet was taking heavy damage. In desperation, he detached Crow's head, sending it flying at Tenten with a hidden blade extended.

  By sheer chance, the impact ruptured a gas capsule in Crow's mouth. A cloud of purple smoke engulfed Tenten, who coughed and inhaled reflexively. Her limbs suddenly went rigid, and she toppled over.

  "The winner is Kankuro!" Hayate announced quickly, before anything else could explode.

  Kankuro collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as he surveyed the devastation around him. Temari landed beside him, looking concerned.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  "Are you okay?" she asked.

  Kankuro's eyes were wide, a slightly manic grin on his face. "I think... I'm in love."

  WHACK! Temari smacked him upside the head.

  "Ow! What was that for?"

  "For being an idiot," she muttered.

  Hayate approached cautiously. "We'll need the antidote for whatever poison you used."

  Kankuro waved a hand dismissively. "It only lasts about four minutes. And the antidote's... somewhere in what's left of Crow." He gestured vaguely at the scattered puppet pieces.

  Might Guy leapt down to the arena floor, carefully lifting the paralyzed Tenten. "I'll take her to be checked out, just in case," he said, heading for the medical area.

  As Guy carried her past, Tenten managed a tiny wave at Kankuro. He returned it, then sulkily began gathering up the remains of his puppet.

  The proctor surveyed the devastated arena and sighed heavily. "We're going to take a short break to... make some repairs," he announced. "Please remain in your designated areas."

  Up in the stands, the other genin were still trying to process what they'd just witnessed.

  "That was..." Naruto began, then trailed off, unable to find the right words.

  "Excessive?" Shikamaru supplied.

  "Awesome!" Kiba whooped, earning him a disapproving look from Kurenai.

  "I can see why Gai-sensei limited her," Sakura said weakly.

  Neji nodded. "Indeed. The last time she went all out like that..." He shuddered. "Let's just say it took weeks to rebuild the training ground."

  The Hokage watched the clean-up efforts with a fond smile. "Ah, it reminds me of when Biwako would use explosive tags," he mused. "She always did have a flair for the dramatic."

  Beside him, Asuma winced. "I remember. She used to set them off as punishment when I misbehaved as a kid."

  After about fifteen minutes, a team of chunin with earth-style jutsu had patched up the worst of the damage to the arena floor. Tenten returned with Guy, looking none the worse for wear.

  She immediately made a beeline for Kankuro. "That gas attack was brilliant! How did you manage to keep it stable in such a small capsule?"

  Kankuro's eyes lit up. "Oh, that? Well, I used a specially treated membrane to..."

  The two huddled together, rapidly exchanging ideas and techniques as the others looked on in bemusement.

  The proctor cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "If we're all ready to continue," he said, "I'll announce the next match."

  The screen flickered to life, cycling through names before settling on two:

  NARA SHIKAMARU vs TSURUGI MISUMI

  Shikamaru sighed heavily as he made his way down to the arena floor. This whole exam was such a drag. He'd much rather be watching clouds or playing shogi. But no, here he was, about to fight some guy he'd never even met before. Troublesome.

  Across from him, Tsurugi Misumi didn't look any happier about the situation. The older genin's face was mostly obscured by a mask and sunglasses, but his body language radiated annoyance.

  "Begin when ready," Hayate instructed, then stepped back to give them space.

  Neither of them moved.

  After a long moment, Misumi spoke up. "This is bullshit," he grumbled. "I'm a close-range fighter. My whole style is based on grappling. And I get matched up against a Nara? Might as well forfeit now."

  Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome to," he drawled. "I certainly wouldn't mind. To be honest, I'd rather forfeit myself, but my mom would never let me hear the end of it."

  Misumi's posture shifted slightly. "You too, huh?" he said, sounding almost sympathetic. "Man, my mother's been on my case about making chunin for months now. 'When are you going to advance, Misumi?' 'Your cousin made chunin years ago, Misumi!' It's driving me crazy."

  "Tell me about it," Shikamaru groaned. "Mine's always going on about how I need to 'live up to my potential' or whatever. As if being a ninja isn't troublesome enough already."

  "Right?" Misumi agreed. "And don't even get me started on the nagging about finding a nice girl to settle down with. I'm barely eighteen! I'm not ready for that kind of commitment."

  Shikamaru shuddered. "Ugh, my mom's already dropping hints about potential matches. It's such a pain."

  Up in the stands, the other genin watched the exchange with varying degrees of confusion and amusement.

  "Are they... bonding?" Ino asked incredulously.

  Choji munched on some chips. "Looks like it," he said. "I've never seen Shikamaru open up to a stranger like that before."

  "Perhaps they have found common ground in their shared maternal struggles," Shino observed.

  Naruto scratched his head. "I don't get it. Aren't they supposed to be fighting?"

  Sakura sighed. "Yes, Naruto. That's kind of the point of this whole exam."

  Back on the arena floor, Misumi and Shikamaru were still commiserating.

  "...and then she has the nerve to tell me I need to eat more vegetables!" Misumi ranted. "As if I'm not a grown man capable of making my own dietary choices!"

  Shikamaru nodded sagely. "Mothers, man. They're such a drag."

  "You said it," Misumi agreed.

  Hayate cleared his throat pointedly. "If you two are quite finished..." he said, giving them a meaningful look.

  The two genin glanced at each other, then back at the proctor.

  "Right, sorry," Shikamaru said, not sounding particularly apologetic. "I guess we should probably start fighting or something."

  Shikamaru let out another heavy sigh as he faced his opponent. He really didn't want to fight, but it seemed there was no getting out of it now. Troublesome.

  "I guess we should get this over with," he said, slouching into a loose fighting stance.

  Misumi nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, might as well," he agreed. "No hard feelings, right?"

  "Nah," Shikamaru drawled. "It's just business."

  With that, Misumi suddenly sprang into action. His body seemed to twist and elongate in unnatural ways as he lunged at Shikamaru, arms stretching out like rubber.

  Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly. "Well, that's different," he muttered, quickly leaping back to avoid the attack.

  Misumi's arms snaked through the air, trying to grab onto Shikamaru. "Nothing personal," he called out. "But I really need this promotion."

  Shikamaru ducked and weaved, staying just out of reach. "Yeah, yeah," he said. "I get it. Moms, right?"

  As he moved, Shikamaru's eyes darted around the arena, taking in every detail. The shadows cast by the walls, the subtle variations in the floor, the position of the sun streaming through the windows. His mind whirred, calculating angles and trajectories.

  Misumi pressed his attack, his limbs twisting and stretching in increasingly bizarre ways. "Hold still, would you?" he grumbled. "You're making this way more difficult than it needs to be."

  "Sorry," Shikamaru replied, not sounding sorry at all. "But that wouldn't be very smart of me, now would it?"

  He continued to dodge, leading Misumi in a winding path around the arena. To the casual observer, it might have looked like Shikamaru was simply running away. But there was purpose in every step, every seemingly random change of direction.

  Up in the stands, Ino rolled her eyes. "Come on, Shikamaru!" she shouted. "Stop being lazy and fight back already!"

  Choji just smiled and kept munching on his chips. "He knows what he's doing," he said confidently.

  Asuma watched his student with a proud gleam in his eye. "Just wait," he told the others. "Shikamaru's got this all figured out."

  Back in the arena, Misumi was starting to get frustrated. "Would you quit running away?" he snapped. "This is supposed to be a fight!"

  Shikamaru smirked. "Who says I'm running?" he asked.

  Suddenly, he stopped moving. Misumi, caught off guard by the abrupt halt, stumbled slightly.

  "Shadow Possession Jutsu," Shikamaru said calmly.

  Misumi's eyes widened as he realized he could no longer move. "What? But how...?"

  Shikamaru's shadow had stretched out, connecting with Misumi's. But it wasn't a straight line - instead, it formed an intricate web across the arena floor.

  "You were so focused on chasing me," Shikamaru explained, "that you didn't notice I was leading you exactly where I wanted you to go. I used the shadows from the walls and the uneven floor to create a network. Once you stepped into it, you were caught."

  Misumi struggled against the jutsu, but it was no use. "Damn," he muttered. "I should have seen that coming."

  Shikamaru shrugged. "Don't feel too bad," he said. "Most people don't."

  With careful movements, Shikamaru walked forward, forcing Misumi to do the same. He reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. Misumi, mirroring his actions, did the same.

  "So," Shikamaru said conversationally, "you want to keep going? Or should we call it here?"

  Misumi sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I'm beat," he said. "If this was a real fight, you'd have me dead to rights."

  Shikamaru nodded. "Smart choice," he said. Then, raising his voice, he called out to the proctor: "My opponent forfeits. I win."

  Hayate coughed, then nodded. "Winner: Nara Shikamaru," he announced.

  As the jutsu released, Misumi slumped slightly. "Man, my mom is going to be so disappointed," he groaned.

  Shikamaru patted him on the shoulder. "If it helps, you can tell her you lost to a tactical genius," he said with a smirk.

  Misumi chuckled. "Yeah, that might soften the blow a bit," he agreed. "Thanks for not dragging it out, at least. That would have been a real pain."

  "No problem," Shikamaru said. "Anything to avoid extra work, you know?"

  As the two made their way back to the stands, chatting amicably, the other genin looked on in bewilderment.

  "Did... did Shikamaru just make a friend?" Ino asked, sounding shocked.

  Choji grinned. "Looks like it," he said. "Who would have thought?"

  Naruto scratched his head. "I still don't really get what happened," he admitted. "How did Shikamaru win so easily?"

  Sakura sighed and began explaining the intricacies of Shikamaru's strategy, while Sasuke just "Hn'd" in grudging approval.

  Orochimaru watched as his spy trudged back up to the observation area, still chatting with the Nara boy. He had to suppress an eye roll - had Misumi really thrown the match just to avoid his mother's disappointment? It wouldn't be the first time someone had joined him simply to escape an overbearing parent. He remembered quite clearly how that one Sound kunoichi had practically begged to join his forces after her mother tried to arrange her fifth marriage meeting in a month.

  His musings were interrupted by the electronic board displaying the next match. A predatory smile spread across his borrowed face as he read the names.

  Perfect. This was exactly the match-up he'd been hoping to see. His latest experiment against his newest interest. He was eager to see how his project would do. The information his spy in the academy had been sending him had been of great interest. He was sure his completed experiment would serve as an excellent test of the rabbit girl's capabilities. He was particularly curious to see how Sakura's enhanced senses and reflexes would fare.

  He glanced between the two girls - one with pink rabbit ears twitching nervously, the other wrapped head to toe in bandages. Both were products of biological manipulation, though achieved through very different means. This would prove most enlightening indeed.

  Haruno Sakura vs Isaribi of the Sea