Chapter 2: The Tasks Begin
9:00am

All ten shinobi disperse from the Hokage's office and head off in different directions across Kanohagakure. With their maps and task-lists on hand, each ninja immediately got to work on their personalized to-do lists.


Naruto

The orange-haired youth was busy drawing water from a well on the edge of the village. His area was pretty uneventful, and he didn't notice any of the others in his vicinity.

Gaara and Temari

The sand-siblings decided to team up and perform their first task together by helping a local shop-keeper unload goods from a shipment container. While they rotated collecting and passing-off packages from one another, Temari noticed someone from the corner of her eye.

It was Shikamaru.

Rock Lee

Lee was on the job undertaking the most important task he has been ever issued as a shinobi…

…teaching little children how to jump-rope.

Showing off his amazing acrobatic and athletic skills, which delighted the kids greatly, he catches a glimpse of a familiar face in the distance.

Sakura

Sakura's task was to stand-in as a receptionist at the local infirmary while the regular nurse on duty went to run an emergency errand.

Unless any of the shinobi were injured during their tasks, she wouldn't be able to see anyone else for the while.

Neji and Hinata

The brother and sister duo had completely different tasks from one another, but Hinata insisted she stay with Neji, at least for a little while. When he asked why, Hinata feigned innocence, saying she wouldn't be able to do any of her tasks until around noon.

Kiba and Akamaru

Kiba and his partner Akamaru were collecting trash at the park, which was not too far from Rock Lee teaching the kids how to jump rope.

Both the master and the pup wished they had Lee's task, it looked way more fun than what they were assigned.

Choji

Choji was using all of his strength and energy to remove a giant bolder that had broken off of a small cliff and blocked a walk-path on the edge of town. He enlarged his body to build enough force to smash the boulder and complete his task.

When he was finished, Choji decided to go to the local store to get himself a snack.

Before he reached the store's entrance, he turned and noticed an unexpected person napping on a nearby bench.

This set off immediate concerns as Choji cancels his plans and hauls-ass toward the alarm in the middle of the village.


EMERGENCY MEETING
9:30am


Sounding the emergency alarm, the other nine shinobi halt their tasks and immediately convene at the meeting spot.

"What is the matter, Choji, did you see something suspicious?" Neji asks.

"I sure did!" Choji proclaims, turning to point an accusing finger at Shikamaru.

"…Why are you pointing at me?" Shikamaru responds in a monotone voice before letting off a yawn.

"You know why I'm sussing (suspecting) you! I saw you napping on a bench in town. Why weren't you doing your tasks?" Choji demands.

"…I was finished with them all, that's why," Shikamaru responds with a deadpan expression.

Many of the ninjas started whispering to one another at the revelation, while others didn't seemed fazed at the response.

"Hey how can that be? It's only been 30 minutes! There's enough tasks for all of us to be busy until sundown!" Naruto questions, siding with Choji's statement.

"Yeah, that does sound a bit odd. Were you given really easy tasks or something?" Kiba asks.

"Not at all. All the tasks were doable with some clever planning. Let us just say I killed several birds with a single stone," Shikamaru explains.

"Impossible! No one can do all of this work in 30 minutes!" Choji pretested. "I bet you were instead plotting on taking somebody out when they least suspected!"

"Hmm, you know I kind of believe Shikamaru on this…" Rock Lee steps in, defending the suspect.

"What?!" Choji responds in shock.

"Hear me out. We all know Shikamaru is really smart, so I really do believe him when he says he streamlined his tasks to completion," Rock Lee suggests.

"Can't argue with that logic, honestly," Sakura responds. "I was at the infirmary at the time so I didn't see anything, but his story is actually believable."

Choji then darts a glare at Rock Lee.

"You seem all too confident jumping in to defend Shikamaru. I bet you are in on his scheme," Choji speculates. "Where were you, exactly, huh?"

"I was playing with little children," Rock Lee responds.

Everyone did a double-take at Lee's rather awfully-worded response, in which Lee immediately realized his mistake.

"I meant I was teaching them how to jump-rope!" Rock Lee immediately cleaned-up his response.

"I can vouch for Lee, Akamaru and I were at the park nearby cleaning up trash," Kiba states, with Akamaru barking in response as well.

"I was fetching water from a well. You can tell I've gotten wet from my task, so I'm in the clear of suspicion," Naruto says, pointing to his soaked hands and sleeves.

"Hinata has been with me the whole time, so we can vouch for one another," Neji says to everyone, with Hinata quietly nodding.

"And that just leaves us," Gaara states as he and Temari steps forward. "Shikamaru was nearby as my sister and I were unloading goods for the local general store."

"That's the same area where I found Shikamaru napping!" Choji pipes in, not willing to let the suspicion wane.

"Yes, but I personally approached Shikamaru before he took his nap to ask him what he had done, and he explained in detail his plan to complete his tasks in a timely manner, so Gaara and I believe him," Temari recounts.

"See? I have alibis. What about you, Choji? What were you doing the whole time?" Shikamaru asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I was removing a giant boulder from a pathway before walking into town," Choji explains.

"Is that so? Your hands look pretty cut-up. You should have gone to the infirmary," Shikamaru counters, pointing to Choji's brushed and slightly bleeding hands. "With hands like that, you could have easily whacked someone good with them."

"Okay, enough of this, you two!" Sakura says, stepping in between both guys. "We all proved ourselves already, so there should be no need for suspicion right now. I say we don't vote anyone out right now, it's too early to do that anyways."

"Sakura is right. We've only just begun. And if Shikamaru needs to more tasks, I'm sure Lady Tsunade and Kakashi can give him something else more…stimulating to say the least," Temari adds.

"So, are we all done here? I want to be victorious in this challenge, so I'm gonna get back to work," an impatient Naruto says.

Choji grunts in a defeated, but still determined tone. "Yeah fine, no votes for now."

With that said, everyone turns to leave and resume their tasks.

Choji gives one more look of unease at Shikamaru, who responded with a sharp gaze of indifference to the threat.


No One Was Ejected From The Village.


Looks like everyone is safe for now. What's the deal with Choji right now? Do you think his concerns are valid? Leave a review of your thoughts and stay tuned for the next chapter! Don't forget to fave and follow!