{Rant: This is the second of a series of prequels to Beginnings so it won't make much sense unless you've read Beginnings first (well, probably I think...)! Also I do not own Naruto; however, I do own my great big list of characters on my page. This story takes place two years before Beginnings (So it takes place two years before the point where the 'Naruto' series starts.) And as if you already knew I do not own Naruto just the characters on my page!}
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Permafrost
~ Chapter two: hearing bells ~
After an hour and forty-five minutes, the graduating class was finally quiet. It had taken eight other teachers, the head master, and an angry custodian with a large barrel of insecticide, but the nine new rookies where now completely silent.
"Now that we finally have your attention…crap, what were we going to say anyway?"
"We were going to have the new squads assemble and get to know one another Seiki", grumbled Hoshi irritably.
"Oh yeah…"
"You're hopeless."
"Hey-"
Ami interrupted the disputing Jounin, "Team one calls the rooftop!"
"No way, Cell three already called the rooftop!"
"It would appear squad two left ten minutes ago; they're probably already up there."
In no time at all, squad four was the only the team left in the deserted classroom. No one spoke as if afraid to break the quiet tension.
Amidst the awkward silence, Roku analytically scrutinized his three new students.
In the left front corner of the room, Kimiko Godo leaned against a plaster white wall seeming utterly apathetic. Her short jet-black hair was swept slightly to the right, a blue streak dangling in her field of vision. The eleven year old wore a plain grey short sleeved shirt over ninja mesh and black shorts. Her unscarred hidden mist [Kirigakure] headband was tied loosely around her neck. She had an overall shadowy aura about her.
Kaii was seated the last row of the row of desks repeatedly tapping a kunai against the scratched and battered wooden desk's surface thus chipping it to pieces. His ginger colored hair seemed to spring up in the back somewhat as if defying gravity. A Kirigakure headband was tied around his forehead in typical ninja fashion. On his bright red t-shirt was a simple white circle surrounding the Kirigakure insignia. Over the twelve year olds right shoulder a moderately large sword was tied in place, on the handle read the kanji for 'silence'. Khaki shorts and kunai holster completed his attire. Roku could help feel the fuming impression Kaii gave off.
Finally, sat Yumiko rocking back and forth gently with her legs crossed at the front of the room. The five year old had long pale azure hair held in a loose braid. Upon her forehead was a new Kirigakure headband partially covered by her blue hair. She had on a half-sleeved white kimono with her clan's insignia (a navy blue snowflake within a raindrop) on it over standard ninja shorts. The bluenette hummed a simple melody contentedly.
After a long sigh, Roku spoke in an uninterested tone.
"Since we're going to be on the same squad why don't each of you tell your teammates a little bit about yourself; what your name what you like, dislike, your hopes or dreams and your jutsu style."
"Could you tell us a bit about yourself first Roku-sensei?" chirped Yumiko happily.
The russet haired Jounin sighed a second time before answering.
"My name is Roku Otsu, but I am often known as 'the fog assassin of Kirigakure'. I like some things. I dislike many things including you three. I hope you will pass my training exercise, but doubt it. My jutsu style is the use of various weapons and poisons. Now it's your turn Yumiko."
"Umm…My name is Yumiko Kawaguchi. I love my nii-san Dai, to read, train, create new jutsu, and travel. I hate war. I hope to go to the chunin exams in two months in the hidden cloud village [Kumogakure]. Kenjii-kun says Kumogakure is really beautiful in the early summer. My jutsu techniques are mostly medical jutsu or water and lightning chakra based; Kimiko's turn!"
Kimiko shrugged as if to say 'why not?' as she answered monotonously.
"My name is Kimiko Godo of the Godo clan. I like, as you put it, to train and sketch pictures. I detest hypocrites. My aspiration is to join the Anbu black ops. The methods of my jutsu are usually genjutsu, my ninja art, and shuriken or kunai based techniques; your turn dobe."
"STOP CALLING ME DOBE KIKMIKO!" yelled Kaii from the back of the room. Yumiko sent her hyperactive teammate a bothered look.
"Kaii-kun, don't shout in school."
"TEACHERS' PET!"
"Kaii-kun!"
"Don't be a jerk to Yumiko dobe."
"Shut up all three of you!" boomed Roku. Kaii sent death glares at Yumiko and Kimiko then spoke.
"Kaii is my name. I like to train, but I detest school. My jutsu are water techniques and I use my sword Chinmoku. My dream is to be the next Mizukage so I can protect everyone…"
The second Kaii was done speaking, Yumiko burst out quickly, "So what's the training exercise sensei!?!"
Roku groaned; this was going to be a long day.
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The squad now stood in a semi circle at the center of a grassy training ground.
"So all we have to do is get those bells before lunch or we get tied to a stump and starve?!?"
"Exactly, any questions before we start?"
But before anyone could interrupt, Roku said "Time starts now!"
Roku glanced about; Kimiko and Kaii were well hidden the dense under brush, with the exception of Yumiko. The five year old bluenette stood happily a few feet away from the dumbfounded Jounin.
"Aren't you going to hide?"
An evil smirk crossed Yumiko's face as she whispered a soft 'Katsu!' and exploded into a storm of icy shuriken.
Roku was slammed into a tree from the force of the gigantic detonation.
It must have been some sort of bomb clone! thought the fog assassin as he struggled to free himself from the icy kunai now tacking him tightly to a tree. But as the shinobi resisted, the ice blades only grew until he was completely incased in thick permafrost.
The real Yumiko now stood at the center of the clearing grinning cheerfully as she held up the two silvery bells.
She called out across the clearing, "Rule number seven Sensei, 'expect the unexpected'!"
The young girl's squad mates stared at her for a few moments trying to comprehend what they had just seen. What the…
Moments later, Kimiko and Kaii were standing near their younger teammate. Kimiko gave the five year old a rare smile as the bluenette tossed a bell to her. Kaii glared at the small child, who was now trying to saw the remaining bell in half with a kunai.
For her it's so easy…
A second later the ginger haired twelve year old had his sword drawn and pointed at his youngest teammate with killing intent.
"What are you doing dobe, we already have the bells", said Kimiko coldly.
Kaii continued staring at Yumiko then spoke in an angry tone, "She should never have made Genin status in the first place…"
The dark haired girl drew a handful of shuriken. "Calm down dobe."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" shouted the swordsman as he lunged at Kimiko hostilely.
To Yumiko it was as if the following events played out in slow motion. She watched wide-eyed as her enraged teammate lunge at the raven haired ninja. Without thinking she gathered chakra to her hands effortlessly. Roku-sensei was still tangled in her jutsu, but if she didn't do something soon someone could die.
In a few seconds the pale azure haired child was standing behind Kaii.
The elder teammate turned catching a glance of her out of the corner of his eye.
In a swift motion Yumiko twisted the swordsman's right arm out of its socket and severed several veins near his left knee using her knife-like chakra.
"Subside Kaii-kun, squad members aren't supposed to hurt each other."
Kaii couldn't reply for he had unconsciously fallen to the hard ground.
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When the ginger haired twelve year old woke up he found himself fastened tightly to a log. I lost!
He angrily glimpsed his surroundings. A few meters away from him the two girl squad members were eating what appeared to be rice balls whilst chatting contentedly, Roku-sensei was no where to be seen. Kaii's stomach growled. He had forgotten, whoever didn't steal a bell by noon didn't get any lunch. His stomach produced another loud growl.
Even my stomach is against me today.
"Yay! Kaii-kun is awake!"
"The dobe hath returned."
The ginger haired boy had made up his mind, he officially hated those two!
"Kaii-kun!"
"What?!" snapped the ravenous swordsman at his squad mate now seated closely to him.
"Do you want some onigiri?" inquired the young child helpfully.
"Hell yeah, I'm starving!"
Yumiko scrunched up her face for a moment. "Kaii-kun, you are being too loud sensei will hear us."
"Fine I'll be quiet. Now can I please have some lunch?" he asked in the nicest voice he could muster.
With a bright grin the five year old handed what remained of her rice ball to Kaii.
"Of coarse Kaii-kun!"
Roku grinned softly as he observed his three pupils from a nearby tree. They had passed the bell test after all; but how would they do on their first mission?
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