Looking page after page, I couldn't find any fics on the jounin (and some of the chunin) in their younger days. So I decided to right this one. Very few Ocs, if any, as I scrounged the internet for shinobi who were in the right age range. The story will eventually zoom in on Kurenai more so than the others, still haven't decided whether to do KurenaixAsuma or KurenaixKakashi. Anyways, enjoy and review!
"Squad two:, Ebisu, Mite Gai, and Suzume," the Academy master said, announcing the squads.
"What... But I wanted to be on Uchiha san''s team, or at least Sarutobi san's..." a girl with dark wavy her murmured and glasses murmured
"Don't worry, it'll be fun with just the three of us, right, Ebisu-san?" a boy in a green jumpsuit said, a smile across his face.
"I suppose so, and I guess it's nice that I'm on the same squad as Suzume-chan... Although Yugao-chan is so much more interesting, she's colder than a cube of ice. I guess it's better than Kurenai-chan, her eyes always freak me out."
The bandana-wearing genin cringed as the purple hair kunoichi glared at him, whereas the other merely looked down and fidgeted uncomfortably.
"Squad five: Kurenai Yuuhi, Inabi Uchiha, and Mizuki."
Kurenai glanced at the Uchiha beside her. Noticing this, he turned to her.
"Just remember who the real Uchiha is here, you faker," he said nonchalantly.
"It's not my fault..." Kurenai murmured.
"Yeah, whatever, girl, just don't slow us down," a gray-haired genin muttered.
"Squad eleven: Yugao Uzuki, Ko Hyuuga, and Asuma Sarutobi."
The tall, skilled # 1 rookie Yugao nodded in brisk acknowledgement.
Ko glanced around and found his teammates.
"Let's try our best," Asuma said, nervous at being paired with the fearsome Yugao.
"Dismissed, be at the academy in the morning tomorrow to meet your sensei," the master declared before leaving the room.
--
The door banged aside, splintering. Kurenai jumped, Inabi rolled his eyes, and Mizuki pulled a shuriken from his pack.
"You're late," Mizuki stated, hastily stowing his shuriken as if he had never drawn it.
"Um... Who are you?" Kurenai asked hesitantly.
"You don't know who that is? Wow," Inabi scoffed, "She is the First's granddaughter, Tsunade."
"Mhmm," the blonde woman strutted into the room. "Make no mistakes; I am not your sensei. Hizashi Hyuuga just happens to be on a mission at the moment, and I am to take over your training until he returns."
"A Hyuuga, huh? That should make things interesting," Inabi smirked.
Tsunade eyed the boy nervously. Yes, he was an Uchiha, but it couldn't possible that he had ...?
"Inabi Uchiha! Kurenai Yuuhi! Mizuki! Come!" Tsunade called, walking towards the door, "We're technically supposed to do this tomorrow," the woman tossed a sly look over her shoulder, "But I don't see the harm in doing it earlier. I know that Mizuki came prepared, are the rest of you?"
The members of Squad five nodded, and followed their temporary sensei out the door.
- -
"Okay, listen up!" Tsunade called. The genin were in middle of a wide field, three logs standing before them. "This is an old test that the Third instituted. You should be grateful." She withdrew two bells from her pack, clanging them together. "This is simple enough. Of those who graduated from the academy this year, only nine or twelve will be accepted as true genin. You will either pass or fail depending on whether or not you succeed in my test. Of course, if you fail, you are not among those who become genin."
Kurenai gasped, her crimson eyes widening. "But Tsunade-sensei!"
"How is that fair?!" cried Mizuki, a feral look in his eye. "We worked really hard to graduate, and now you're telling us that that's not even going to happened?!"
"Hmph. Stop complaining. She only said that was going to happen if we fail. And I don't know about you two, but I certaintly have no intention of failing," Inabi snorted. "And besides how hard -"
A palm connected with the back of the Uchiha's skull, the boy stumbled forward, turned, an apologetic look in his eye.
"Now then. This is non-negotiable and no getting out of it. Either you make it, or you don't. And you certaintly won't make it if you won't even listen to what the test is."
"R-Right..." Inabi murmured, getting to his feet and brushing himself off.
"Okay. This is simple," she held the bells before her, "Merely retrieve one of these bells and you -" Tsunade jerked the arm holding the bells up, and brought the other one horizontally across her, hitting a certain gray-haired genin's back.
"Try listening, Mizuki. What if I said fail?"
The boy coughed a little, and massaged his bruised back. "I-I am sorry, Tsunade-sensei."
"Anyways, before I was so politely interrupted," Tsunade glared at a cringing Mizuki, "I was going to say you'd pass. However, I have no intention of letting any mere academy kids get their hands on them. Show me what level you are truly at, and you might find yourself with one of these," the bells clanged together.
"Alright. Everyone understand? Good. Then, begin!" the to-be sannin cried, raising the bells high over her head before disappearing.