Me: Gee, haven't updated in so long... :) Sorry about all that. I hope you enjoy this story, though. I'll update when I come back from vacation (Sunday) then I shall wait until my laptop is fixed before making regulare updates.
I hope you enjoy this chapter, the next ones will be more fun, this is just for Intro... :) A prequel, if you will.
Thanks for reading! --Bonita
"Team, I've decided to withhold you from this year's Chunin exams," Ginta Kohiko, leader of team 17 said, all in one breath, so as to get it over with.
"What? Why? Sensei, this isn't fair," Poi Laan said to her sensei, exasperated and in total disbelief. Her murky brown eyes were narrowed in annoyance.
"We've trained so hard for this Sensei," Koi Laan added, frowning with his twin.
"I know, but- it's just that- you see-" Kohiko-Sensei stuttered, reminding himself for what seemed like the millionth time that he should have listened to his mother's advice and never signed up to be a teacher, "I've been looking at the competition for this year, and I just don't think it would be very smart to put you up against these guys,"
"I understand," Noelle Yokobue said, finally looking up from the manga she had been reading, "I don't really want to die, so I understand."
"Noelle! How could you?" Poi shouted, looking half out of her mind. Her short brown hair was sticking out at mysterious angles, just like her brothers, and her eyes were wide in shock.
"I've already stated how; I. Don't. Want. To. Die. Could it really get much simpler, Poi?" Noelle replied, turning the page in her manga.
"Poi, don't take it out on Noelle." Koi said, smiling a little. "It's not her fault,"
"That's right, it's Sensei's fault!" Poi replied, her frown growing.
"Alright, alright." Kohiko-Sensei interrupted, "Enough. The decision is made, and I am not going to retract it. I do not think that you guys are ready for this and there is nothing you can do about it. Okay? Okay."
"Okay," Noelle said, flipping another page.
"Traitor," Poi muttered.
Noelle's green eyes flashed in mirth and a smile flashed across her face. Koi grinned a little and hit his sister playfully in the head. The four of them stood up and their sensei scratched the back of his head in annoyance. Kohiko-Sensei stood at nearly six feet, towering above Poi and Noelle, but merely a few inches taller than the steadily growing Koi. Their sensei's eyes were grey and piercing, and his winsome face had myriad scars wrapping around his head and ending where his long black hair grew.
Noelle was only five foot five inches, with pale blonde hair that fell lightly upon her shoulders. She had a small face with a light sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose, and could only be described as average. Sure, she was pretty, but not the kind of pretty construction workers whistle at. She was more like the girl-next-door, except that she was a ninja- unlike most girls-next-door. Noelle could be found wearing a large green shirt that hung down off of her left shoulder, revealing a chain male undershirt. Her shirt had a great white stripe across the chest with the Konoha Village symbol blazoned across it. The sleeves hung down to her elbows, with white racing stripes down the sides. She wore khaki shorts and no shoes, as was her tradition. By her waist was her infamous flute, and around her neck was a small ocarina, both of which she had been taught to play by her grandfather. Her ninja headband was tied tightly around her arm.
Poi and Koi had short, round faces and mahogany coloured hair. Their noses were thin, and Poi's was a little up-turned, and their features were rather exaggerated. The twins could be found wearing kimono-esque tops (Poi's magenta with a pink obi and Koi's sapphire with a sky-blue obi) and martial artist's pants. Koi's headband was across his forehead while Poi's was hung around her neck.
"Yep," Noelle said, closing her book, "That's me."
Noelle's spindly fingers held onto her book tightly as she thought about skipping practice lessons again. There wasn't any point to the repetitive training, as they had to wait another year or so for the Chunin exams to come again. What was she gonna learn today that she couldn't learn tomorrow?
"Right, so," Noelle said, flipping her hair off her shoulder, "I have so much crap to do- I promised my mom I'd help Sana with her homework, and I told that lady with the flower shop I'd help keep shop and stuff while her daughter was training and all that-"
"You're not leaving during practice, Noelle," Kohiko-Sensei said angrily.
"But I've got so much to do," Noelle said, hardly even trying anymore, "My ant farm has been left unattended for the past thirty minutes- what if they all die?"
"Noelle, the reason that we are not going to the exams is you," Poi said pointedly, "You're so lame and lazy!"
"Oh, well, I do so would like to stay, but as I said, my ant farm awaits." Noelle said, grinning, albeit a tad forcibly.
"Noelle, I'd very much like it if you stayed today," Kohiko-Sensei said, knowing that no matter how much he tried to make her stay, she'd just leave anyways.
"Well, what are we learning today? If we're doing drills there is so much more I could be doing with my life. I could be learning how to play chess, or make illegal drug deals in the back alleys, or learn how to professionally play poker- you know, worthwhile things."
Koi laughed and Poi elbowed him in the side- hard. Koi stopped laughing then.
"Drills are the foundations for everything, Noelle, and I wish you could appreciate that," Kohiko-Sensei replied.
"Drills? Ooh, so sorry. Be back when we get a mission," Noelle said, smiling, "Gonna go do some stuff."
"Noelle! Wait! Come back, please!" Kohiko-Sensei shouted after her as she jumped through the trees and back towards the village.
"I will, when we get a mission. No, I recall that statement- when we get a good mission, sensei. Not another 'missing cat' or 'do the laundry' mission," Noelle called back, stopping, then continuing on her way.
Poor Noelle! She is always so bored! She is my character on Gaia for most of my Naruto guilds... Well, thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!
If you do decide to review, I'm curious to know how you feel about pairings? I have an idea in my head, which shall be revealed later, but who would you like her paired with and who would you HATE her paired with? Also, side pairings.
Thanks again! Bonita