The First Test [Team Uchiha]

Soul was in the room with another boy who seemed to not give a single fuck about being where he was. Not only was his squad mate uncooperative he was totally unresponsive. How managed to get past the roll call was a complete mystery. That whole little spiel aside Soul was lead into a rather dimly lit room with other Uchiha who Soul had expected the entire time to be absolutely useless and not help in anyway whatsoever. Soul couldn't help but be a little irritated with his fellow Uchiha and a few other things to be honest. Ever since Soul was informed of the upcoming exam he had expected to enter with his brother and quite frankly to he only expected to participate with his brother and if he could choose that would be it, but nooooooooo. Instead Soul found himself with the boy he met the other day whose uptight attitude and general smug look already fueled a general disinterest within Soul. Now of course Soul didn't know the boy well enough to harbor an particular hate towards him but he knew him so little that he found it easier and easier to do so every minute that passed by in complete and total silence.

With the two boy now standing quietly in the dark room Soul began to observe his surroundings. Noticing two frames on opposite walls he walked to the nearest one to observe it. It was a solid plaque and next to it was a horizontal switch. Soul examined the plaque briefly before a wave of disappointment washed over him. It was what Soul could have possibly described as the worst possible scenario they could have thrown at him. Only managing to blink a few times he made his way across the room and examine the second plaque that was by itself on the wall and simply let out a long sigh. Both plaques were engraved with riddles simply stating that the correct answer would lead them out of the room and no doubt to the next stage of the exam. The last bit of the second plaque caught Soul's eye at first, causing him to stomp on the floor he stood on twice before leaning against the wall. Looking over to the boy who stood by the closed door doing nothing he figured he would at least explain the situation to him since he seemed perfectly content on his side of the room.

"Well both plaques have riddles on them, though only one needs answering. I am a button
That cannot be pushed or pulled
But when moved in the right way
I will show you your dream
But if moved wrongly
You will crash and burn"

And on the other one it reads

"I am a wall
Yet I am a Door
If you can find me
You can pass
But if you can't
You will fall"

Obviously the first thing I noticed is that failure to make the correct choice will make us "fall" No doubt implying that this a false floor we are standing on and it will open up and making us literally fall to who knows what. Now pertaining to the same plaque that line is on it says I am a wall yet I am door. This could literally refer to it being that the wall can open up in some way making an exit. Now using the logic that when dealing with riddles what is usually the simplest correlation is typically the correct one then we've already solved one. Moving on to the most important riddle now... Theres a lever next to the plaque and the first line states 'I am a button' In construction terms both levers and buttons are types of switches so there is a correlation there. Secondly switches aren't pushed or pulled they are opened or closed, on or off so to speak. The next bit is where I believe the answer lies. Riddles are riddles because they leave little hints or answers within themselves right? The next part says 'But when moved the right way' if we literally interpret the word right as in the right direction then we've found our answer... This is just what I've broken down anyway so feel free to throw whatever you think up in the air.."

Soul was fairly confident that he was correct in his answer and the other uchiha's troubling silence was to be expected he supposed. Letting out another sigh Soul pushed his body off the wall he leaned against and made his way back over to the first plaque he initially looked at. He placed his hand on the wall next to the plaque and closely inspected it once more. And it was quite fortunate that he did. Using his other free hand he brushed his hand over the words "Cannot be pushed or pulled" At first he didn't fully understand this phrase but then the mental image of a clock appeared in his mind, specifically the seconds hand, as it ticked around the clock. The center dial of the clock a pivot point for all the hands to turn about. Not as simple as he originally thought but he was certainly glad he took a second look a the plaque or else he may have ended up throwing it left or right and falling to his doom. Removing both hands from the wall and standing up straight, he firmly grasped the lever and let out one last anxious sigh.

"Here goes nothing..."

Soul slowly turned the switch to the right still maintaining a firm grasp on the handle.

And then the younger of the Uchiha, without waiting for his older comrade's assistance, began twisting the lever. This did not work at all. All it did was strain the young genin and waste precious oxygen.

Yamabushi's scowl had become quite the common sight around Otogakure and it wasn't going away anytime soon. Not even when he found out they were participating in the Chunin exams did it disappear. He was meant to get stronger and he was going to get it. No matter what. Of course the narrow hallways that lead to the room was annoying to him. Obviously designed for kids not someone of his age. But he dealt with it with a scowl.

Of course the door would close behind them as soon as they entered. And then Yamabushi would go about trying to pry the door open. Or he would if he could find where the crease in the wall was. And then his team mate began speaking. The jealousy he had towards the kid and his sharingan was intense but he knew better than let that affect his judgement. Then he heard his comrade speak.

"Well both plaques have riddles on them, though only one needs answering. I am a button
That cannot be pushed or pulled
But when moved in the right way
I will show you your dream
But if moved wrongly
You will crash and burn"

And on the other one it reads

"I am a wall
Yet I am a Door
If you can find me
You can pass
But if you can't
You will fall"

Obviously the first thing I noticed is that failure to make the correct choice will make us "fall" No doubt implying that this a false floor we are standing on and it will open up and making us literally fall to who knows what. Now pertaining to the same plaque that line is on it says I am a wall yet I am door. This could literally refer to it being that the wall can open up in some way making an exit. Now using the logic that when dealing with riddles what is usually the simplest correlation is typically the correct one then we've already solved one. Moving on to the most important riddle now... Theres a lever next to the plaque and the first line states 'I am a button' In construction terms both levers and buttons are types of switches so there is a correlation there. Secondly switches aren't pushed or pulled they are opened or closed, on or off so to speak. The next bit is where I believe the answer lies. Riddles are riddles because they leave little hints or answers within themselves right? The next part says 'But when moved the right way' if we literally interpret the word right as in the right direction then we've found our answer... This is just what I've broken down anyway so feel free to throw whatever you think up in the air.."

Yamabushi thought for a moment as he listened. His mind was racing with possible outcomes. Or it would had he been as smart as that genius Senju clan head from Kumogakure Katsuro, who he had no knowledge of at all. His young Uchiha brain was bright though. As bright as everyone else was. Maybe a dumber in some aspects thanks to his upbringing but if living out in the wild did was teach someone to think outside of the box.

"Maybe we should take it as being literal. The lever looks to move either left or right. We can't twist it either. The riddle says when moved in the right way it will show us our dream. Which, for the theme of the Chunin Exam, could mean we pass the exam or advance into the next area. So why not pull the lever to the right? What's the worst that could happen?

The younger uchiha boy grew more and more frustrated as his attempts to solve the riddle cleverly failed. Taking a moment to examine each wall looking for wear marks or any indication of as to where the door was located. If he did manage to find it then he would try push the door open on the right, left, anything he could think of. Perhaps he would spot a handle he could open with it. Alas making a few more decisions it became more and more apparent that they were losing oxygen. His breaths became shorter and he started to feel the signs of oxygen deprivation which only fueled his urgency. Of course he needed to remain as calm as possible to conserve as much oxygen as he could for the time. Soul would then report whatever his findings were to the elder Uchiha and if he were to find nothing he simply take the older Uchihas advice and flip the switch to the right. I mean what is the worst that could happen. Oh yea falling to their deaths.... That was pretty bad. Soul had only one contingency for this and it was a earth jutsu known as spear which would be the only thing to help him survive a potential fall.

As soon as the lever locked into the the right position the entire room rumbled as the the floor suddenly cracked, split, and began falling down the dark passage that ended in faint splashing sounds. It seemed as if they were falling for ever when suddenly it hit them. Well they hit it. The crystal clear blue waters swallowed the genin whole and then spit them back out on the sandy beach. It seemed this would be their home for the next week.