Chapter 2: A Test? The Hidden Secret!
The next day Nikku was wearing his usual clothes. He wore his Leaf Village headband to keep his hair from going everywhere like it usually did. He was also wearing a pair of tan pants with a place for shurikens and kunais on each side. He had on a long-sleeved dark blue hoodie with a large shuriken on the back.
Everyone wanting to sit next to Nikku eventually lead to a small fight that Nikku felt responsible to break up. After it was all said and done Nikku asked Hinata to sit with him.
"Really?" she asked. "Me?"
"You're the only Hinata in here," Nikku answered.
After she sat down Iruka Sensei came in. He had a clipboard in his hand and immediately told everyone to quiet down.
"Now," he said. "I have your teams here, so let's just get right to it."
Nikku didn't really listen until he heard his name called.
"Nikku," Iruka Sensei said. "Hinata Hyūga, Aivan Hanate."
"What?" Nikku jumped out of his seat. "Why do I have to be with Aivan?"
"We put teams together based on scores. He had the highest scores for team exercises you had the worst. Now sit down. Team twelve: Sutan Omainu, Maiku Uhina, Ino Yamanaka."
Oh no, thought Hinata. Maiku and Sutan aren't on my team. Oh, but if they were, I wouldn't be with Nikku.
After the rest of the teams were announced they all waited for their Jōnin to arrive.
"So," Ino asked Nikku. "You're the one who can use the Water Dragon Jutsu?"
"Yes," He answered.
"How'd you learn to do it?"
"Practice. I practiced day and night for years."
"Wow, that's crazy."
"Is it crazy to work hard to accomplish something?"
"Nikku," Hinata whispered in admiration.
"How right you are," said a voice from outside the room.
The door slid open and two people walked through. The first of which was a woman, fairly tall with long black hair. She had on a mesh blouse that Nikku first thought was bandages. It had a black line going through and almost wrapped around her. Her right red sleeve was visible and both arms were wrapped up to her elbow. Nikku didn't notice that she wore her headband on her forehead, her red eyes, or her red lipstick because he was staring at her large breasts.
The second was a younger man, average height with short black hair and light skin. He was wearing a flak jacket and a dark suit underneath. He had extra places to hold kunais on his wrists. His headband was larger, being across his chest. His eyes were light blue and he had a thin beard.
"Hello," said the woman. "I am Kurenai Yūhi. Sensei for Team Twelve."
"And I am Guranto," said the man. "Sensei for Team Eleven."
"You guys are late," Nikku said.
"Well we were busy thinking of how to decide if you should become Genin or not," he glanced at Kurenai. "And we found a perfect solution."
"And that is?" Maiku asked.
"The six of you battle each other. The last three standing become Genin, the other are sent back to the Academy."
"What?" Ino shrieked. "But we already passed!"
"How do you think we got here?" Asked Sutan.
"I know," said Guranto Sensei. "But we as Jōnin decide if you can move on. We give you a trial and if you pass we say you are ready and if you don't we send you back here."
"When do we start?" Asked Aivan. "I know I'll get in."
"Tomorrow at noon. Be in the woods by the KIA statue. You can use any weapon. If you aren't prepared to kill someone, don't even show up."
They all left to go practice for the battle tomorrow, except Nikku and Hinata.
"I don't know if I can do it, Nikku," Hinata said. "I can't kill a friend."
"I understand, but remember," Nikku told her. "All you have to do is be the last one standing, you don't have to fight."
"I know, but—."
"Look, just stay near me. I'll protect you and we can be on the team together. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you."
They stayed and talked for a while after that. When Hinata finally agreed to go Nikku went to go practice some more.
"I need to perfect this," Nikku panted. "If I'm going to stay on I need decoys."
The next day Nikku was the last one to get to the forest.
"Everyone ready?" Guranto Sensei asked when he saw Nikku.
"Let's get it over with," Sutan said.
"Go!"
Everyone dispersed immediately, except Nikku. He just stood there like a rock.
This is my chance. Avian thought. I'll kill him now! Avian grabbed a fūma shuriken from his back and threw it at Nikku. It hit him in the back and he turned into water.
A water clone! I have to move.
He started to run, but Nikku said, "Too late," and grabbed him by his left shoulder. He brought Aivan to a small stream where everyone else was.
"Why aren't you fighting?" Aivan asked.
"We have an idea," Sutan said.
"We don't think we are supposed to fight," Nikku said. "We are supposed to work as a team."
"To do what?" Aivan was getting angry.
"Attack the Senseis. We can beat them as a team."
"Why didn't you guys tell me about this?"
"We thought you'd ask Guranto Sensei," Maiku admitted.
"And he would have caught on," added Nikku.
"And what if you guys are wrong?" Aivan asked.
"We could be sent back, or worse."
"But we have to try," Hinata yelled, surprising everyone. She was usually so quiet. "If we fight each other only half of us get in! If Nikku is right we all become Ninja!"
"If you don't want to try that's fine," Nikku said. "But I would rather have a team to attack some Jōnin." He headed off into the trees.
"I know the real test," Nikku yelled as he threw a shuriken to break Guranto Sensei's cup of tea. "Now fight!"
"All of you?" Guranto asked.
Nikku looked around and saw that everyone had followed him.
"Yes!" He made the tiger hand sign. "Water Clone Jutsu!" A continuous stream of water came from the river until it made up a dozen other Nikkus.
Guranto looked at Kurenai. "Congratulations, looks like you're all Genin."
"What?" Aivan asked. "Nikku was right?"
"Yes," Kurenai said. "You are the first team to pass our test."
"Don't you mean teams?" Ino asked.
"No. Starting tomorrow you are one six-man squad."
"What's our first mission?" Nikku asked.
"Escort," Guranto said. "Usually you would start with something less, but you're the top of the class and a six-man, so you're qualified."
"Where we goin'?" Asked Sutan.
"The Land of Waves."
Nikku's eyes widened.
"I know you can't go there." Kurenai hugged Nikku. She knew what he had gone threw in his life and felt sorry for him. "We got permission."
They all left to go have a celebratory dinner.
After they sat down Maiku asked, "Why can't you go to the Land of Waves?"
"I did some stuff that made them hate me," Nikku admitted. "I learned the Water Dragon technique from a sacred scroll. It was kept behind the waterfall for safekeeping, but I went to get it. I used the scroll to learn a secret technique. I was nearly killed by the defenses. It was the first time I used the Water Dragon correctly. Unfortunately, I was caught by the ANBU and banished."
"Banished?" Ino asked. "Forever?"
"Until death," Kurenai explained. "He is allowed to be buried there, but that's all. As soon as our mission is done we must leave. If we don't there could be drastic changes in our relationship with the Land of Waves."
"How drastic?" Maiku asked.
"It could start a war. We would battle the, and the other nations would be forced to pick a side."
"If you guys want me to stay back, I'll understand." Nikku looked at his menu.
"You're our comrade." Hinata hugged him. "We're in this together."
He wiped a tear away and said, "Thanks."
"So what's everyone having?" Guranto asked. "This place has some great ramen."
They all laughed and when dinner was done they all parted ways.
"Thank you for walking me home," Hinata stepped in before Nikku could kiss her.
Nikku walked home. "No problem."