"Tsuki!" A voice yelled from outside the window in Tsuki's bedroom. Tsuki was cleaning her room as per her older sister Sora's request. Well, demand is more like it. Sora didn't do a whole lot of asking. Tsuki didn't even think her room was that dirty in the first place. So it was a little hard to see the floor in some places because of the piles of clothing. Tsuki kept her mess in an organized fashion. Clean clothes ended up in one pile while her dirty clothes sat near her hamper from when she tried to toss her clothes in the hamper but usually missed. Stopping what she was doing upon hearing her name, Tsuki walked over to her window and looked outside. Her teammates Taku and Daichi were standing outside. Taku waved once he saw Tsuki and motioned for her to open the window.
Tsuki opened her window and leaned outside. "Hey guys! What are you doing here so early?"
"Early? We're supposed to meet Sora-sensei in five minutes!" Taku called up.
"Seriously!" Tsuki started to panic. She wasn't even done cleaning the room. Not only was Sora her older sister who took care of her but she was also her sensei and just because Tsuki was her sister it didn't mean she would go easy on her. Sora had a strict rule against being late.
"No, we're lying. Of course we're serious. Get a move on! I'm not going to be late just because of you," Daichi yelled.
"I just have to make sure Kanami is up and ready to go to the academy," Tsuki yelled down. She smiled at Taku as she closed her window with a quick glare towards Daichi. Tsuki grabbed her shoes from under one of her jackets as she ran out of her room and towards Kanami's. "Are you getting ready in there?" Tsuki asked through her younger sister's door.
"I can't find my underwear!" Kanami called back through the door.
"How did you lose your underwear? What are you wearing right now?" Tsuki sighed at her sister's door.
"This is yesterday's underwear!" Kanami whined.
"I don't have time for this," Tsuki mumbled to herself as she opened the door. Kanami was lying on her floor searching under her bed with no pants on when Tsuki walked in. "What would your underwear be doing under your bed?"
"I don't know but I've searched everywhere and I can't find a clean pair!" Kanami got up from under her bed and crossed her arms, pouting.
"Pouting isn't going to help. Please, Kanami, I'm supposed to be training with Sora and you know how she doesn't like me being late. Just this once could you please just wear the same underwear and then we'll do your laundry together later?" pleaded Tsuki.
Kanami sat still for a few minutes thinking before she got up from the floor and put on her pants. "Okay. But just this once!"
Tsuki ran over and picked Kanami up in a hug. "Thank you thank you thank you. Now let's go!" She carried Kanami downstairs and out the door. Tsuki put Kanami down who instantly started running in the direction of the Academy.
"Bye!" She called out without turning around.
"Where'd Daichi go?" Tsuki asked Taku when she looked around and he was nowhere to be found.
"He, uh, left without you." Taku seemed nervous, like Tsuki was going to be mad at him instead of Daichi.
"Whatever, let's go. Hopefully Sora's not even there yet!" Tsuki tried to put a positive spin on their predicament but they both knew that Sora was never ever late for anything, let alone training. They both ran off towards the training grounds with a sense of dread rising in their stomachs.
Panting, they both arrived at the training grounds. Tsuki collapsed onto the ground and tried to catch her breath. Looking up, she saw her sister Sora staring down at her. "Hello Sora-sensei," Tsuki got out between breaths. "Did we make it on time?"
"No," Sora replied.
"Push-ups?" Taku asked defeated.
"Push-ups," Sora confirmed. After her command, Tsuki and Taku started doing push-ups as their punishment. Tsuki glanced over at Daichi and saw him smirking at her. Sora noticed his smirk, "Daichi. Do you find this funny?"
"Uh n-no," Daichi sputtered out, surprised.
"Why don't you join them," With the way she said it, Daichi knew it wasn't a question. He got on the ground near Taku and started doing his own push-ups.
"Today you will be learning how to walk on water. This is an important technique for every ninja to learn. Follow me," Sora walked over towards the small river that ran along one edge of the grounds. The three ninja got off the ground and followed Sora to the river. "The first thing you must do is to concentrate some of your chakra to your feet. Then you simply step out onto the water. You must make sure to maintain your balance and keep your chakra steady or else you will fall into the water and get soaked."
"It that all?" Tsuki asked. It seemed like that would be pretty easy. It was just like walking up trees only on water. Easy.
"If you're so confident, why don't you give it a try first?" Sora suggested.
"All right I will," Tsuki replied confidently. Focusing her chakra into her feet, Tsuki marched over to the water's edge and looked down. She stared at her reflection for a few moments before taking her first step onto the water. With one foot on the land and one foot on the water, Tsuki started to lose her balance. She quickly brought her other foot onto the water to regain her balance. "Ha! I did it!" Tsuki exclaimed happily.
"Very good. Now, try walking on the water," Sora instructed looking unimpressed.
"Sure, no problem!" Tsuki tried walking forward but the second she placed her foot down on a different spot, she fell into the river. Resurfacing, Tsuki heard Daichi's laughter. Taku reached his hand down to help Tsuki out of the river. "Thanks Taku." Tsuki turned to Daichi, "Thanks for the help."
"Oh come on! That was just too funny!" Daichi was still laughing and it was annoying Tsuki.
"Why don't you try it if you're so great?" Tsuki mocked. She was still soaking wet and little pieces of dirt and grass were sticking to her legs. While Daichi concentrated his chakra, Tsuki started to pick off the sediment on her legs.
Daichi took his first few steps onto the water. Smirking over at Tsuki, he was almost knocked over by a strong gust of wind. "Ha! I didn't fall." He was even smugger than before. While sticking his tongue out at Tsuki, Daichi forgot to keep the chakra in his feet steady and fell into the river feet first. When his head popped up out of the river, he was met with laughter from Tsuki.
"Not so easy, is it?"
Daichi pulled himself out of the river and shook himself off near Tsuki, sending water drops flying at her.
"Hey! Not nice!" Tsuki fake pouted.
Daichi stuck his tongue out at her playfully as Sora sighed. She turned her gaze to Taku, "Aren't you going to give it a try?"
"Y-yes, Sora-sensei!" Taku focused his chakra and stepped out onto the water with his eyes closed, expecting to fall in at any time. When he realized he hadn't fallen in, he opened his eyes. "I did it?"
"Go Taku! Whoo!" Tsuki cheered from the her spot on the ground.
"Now try walking," Sora instructed.
Taku placed his foot onto another spot of water and stepped forward. When he didn't fall in, he slowly made his way to the other side of the river and back. He stepped back onto the ground with a look of amazement on his face.
"Taku you did it!" Tsuki ran over and hugged Taku while he remained in a state of shock.
"I guess I did," He managed to get out.
"Good job," Sora praised Taku which he met with some embarrassment at being complimented. "Now, Tsuki, Daichi, keep practicing. You too, Taku."
"Yes ma'am!" Tsuki saluted.
Tsuki collapsed on the ground soaking wet once more. "I'm exhausted." Even after all her hard work, Tsuki could only manage to take a few steps without falling in the water. Daichi could manage a few steps but his concentration was easily broken forcing him into the water as well. Taku had increased his skill quickly and could walk much faster, close to running.
"We made good progress today. Training is over. You may now go home," Sora dismissed the team. She started to head home but paused to look back at Tsuki. "Are you coming?"
Tsuki stayed on the ground, "I think I'm going to train some more. I'll see you at home later."
"Be back before it gets too dark," Sora instructed before turning and walking home once more.
"Ugh, I'm starved," Daichi whined while holding his stomach. "I'm heading home. Bye guys."
"Bye Daichi!" Tsuki waved from her place on the ground. "Hey Taku, do you have to go home too?"
"I don't have to. Do you want me to help you train?" Taku asked, guessing at what Tsuki wanted.
"Yes please!" Tsuki stood up and walked over to the water. "I will walk on you if it's the last thing I do!"
Taku laughed at Tsuki's antics, "Let's get started."
"Thanks again Taku."
"No problem, anything for a friend."
The next morning Tsuki walked into the kitchen to see Kanami by the toaster, chanting. Tsuki listened trying to catch what she was saying. She heard the word 'toast' chanted over and over. "What are you doing?"
"I'm chanting to make the toast come out faster," Kanami replied without taking her gaze off of the toaster.
"Ok…" Tsuki walked over to one of the cabinets and inspected the contents inside for something to eat. "Yes!" Tsuki exclaimed while grabbing a packet of ramen. She opened another cabinet and brought a pan out.
"You know, Sora said not to eat ramen for breakfast," Kanami informed.
"Well Sora's not here is she?" Tsuki stuck her tongue out playfully.
"I'm not where?" Sora asked from behind Tsuki.
"Ah!" Tsuki screamed and dropped the pan. She twirled around to see Sora looking at her sternly.
"Didn't I tell you not to eat ramen for breakfast?"
"Yes Sora-sensei." Tsuki put her head down in shame.
"I'll let you eat it just this once, but only because I have something important to tell you and the team. Meet me at the training grounds in half an hour."
"Got it!" Tsuki saluted her as Sora shook her head and left. Tsuki let out a sigh of relief and picked the pot up off the floor. "Sora's so much stricter since mom and dad died."
"What do you suppose the message is?" Kanami asked as her toast popped up in front of her face, surprising her.
"Maybe there's some kid in a well or a burning building," Tsuki teased playfully.
"So what's the message Sora-sensei?" Taku asked curiously.
"I have spoken with both of your parents," Sora said to Taku and Daichi, "and they have agreed to let me take you to another village for training."
"Training for what?" Daichi questioned.
"The Chunin exams. The exam will be held in Konohagakure in about a month or so. We will head there early for our training."
"What about Kanami?" Tsuki piped up after thinking about it for a while.
"Kanami will come with us so that I can personally train her and look after her instead of leaving her with someone here," Sora explained.
"When are we leaving?"
"I will give you one week to pack necessary items. Don't pack too lightly. It will be good strength and endurance training to have to carry heavy bags."
"Yes Sora-sensei." Daichi and Tsuki groaned.
"We will meet at the front gate next week before dawn. Now, time for training. Today we will be having target practice."
"Can I practice on Daichi?" Tsuki asked excitedly.
"No." Sora replied in a strict tone.
"Darn."
