TO THE READERS THAT HAVE GIVEN MY STORY A CHANCE AND HAVE FOLLOWED IT: I AM TERRIBLY SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! I HAD TO TAKE SIX WEEK SUMMER SCHOOL COURSE SINCE I'M GOING TO BE IN HIGHSCHOOL THIS COMING FALL. THE CLASS I HAD TO TAKE WAS BIOLOGY HONORS (it was fairly easy) AND THE HOMEWORK WAS TORTURE! THEN I HAD A MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK AND THEN A MAJOR INSPIRATION, THEN I HATED THE WAY I WORDED THINGS SO I TORE APART THIS CHAPPIE AND REWROTE IT ABOUT 3 TIMES. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT I HAD SPELLED HIASHI WRONG THE WHOLE TIME (I was shocked that I got as careless as that, I mean, who spells the name of the head of the Hyuuga clan wrong O_O).

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.


Tenten looked at her reflection. Even through all the fog that covered the mirror, it was still obvious to the naked eye that she had been crying. Her eyes, usually alive, and mesmerizing, were now red, puffy, and hard, if not dull. She sighed, as she gave her reflection one more glance.

I wonder what mask I'll have to put on for the next few years…


One week later...

It was graduation day. As predicted, Neji was named Rookie of the Year. What wasn't predicted was that, throughout the week, Neji and Tenten were neck to neck for that title. She was his equal in academics, his superior in weaponry and strategics, but, due to being inferior to Neji in physical feats – and her instinct to act without thinking – the title slipped out of her grasp and into Neji's.

Three-fourths of the class failed.

All the new genin were assembled, according to birth. They chattered while they stood on the dirt ground that was once a place for them to learn and practice the most basic style of taijustu.

A short, broad, muscular, bald man with skin darker than the night sky, small beady eyes, and a neck so thick it was nearly nonexistent walked/swaggered/marched out of the academy and instantly commanded, "Pay attention and STOP TALKING! I am Youjinbukai-sensei and I will be announcing the teams. I will only say them ONCE! ONLY ONCE, YOU HEAR?" Silence swept across the ranks, genin, chunin, and jonin.

The Hokage chuckled silently.

Youjinbukai continued his monologue, "Genin, the way I read your names are the way you will be registered in the databook. Please notify me if I have it wrong. Changing even the slightest detail in the databook will result in a three-month process. OK, then I shall announce the teams. Team One: Miyabita Umi, Kishimu Eki, and Hyuuga Irihi. Team Two: Mizu Kanbashii, Matsudai Yangu, and Gi Iwaku. Team Three: Tenten, Rock Lee, and Hyuuga Neji. Unfortunately, due the more than average number of procrastinating students, we have only three teams this year. Any questions?"

Umi timidly raised her hand, "Ano…Youbinbukai-sensei – "

"It's YOU-JIN-BU-KAI-sensei!"

"OK, YOU-JIN-BU-KAI-sensei, I think you have one of the genin's name registered wrong. Tenten's full name is H Tenten."

As Youjinbukai-sensei was about to scratch his head and answer, Tenten interjected stiffly, "No. Umi, due to personal matters, my full name is now just Tenten."

Umi smiled sheepishly "Gomen, Tenten."

Tenten cheerfully replied, "It's alright, Umi. I should have told you, after all we are friends."

A tall, scrawny, boy with under-washed hair (otherwise known as Gi Iwaku) raised his hand, "Tenten-san and Hyuuga Neji are the top students in our class. If the teams are meant to balance out each of the team members' abilities, then won't Team Three be imbalanced?"

This time, the Hokage answered. "Rock Lee, as charismatic and hard-working as he is, had the lowest passing grade. To balance him where his abilities are lacking, the top two students are needed."

"Any other questions?" Youjinbukai-sensei asked. "If not, will the new genin please disperse and meet their assigned mentors?"


"HMMM …," Maito Gai looked at the three preteens before him, "YOU ARE MY STUDENTS." He then repeated with wonder, "YOU ARE MY STUDENTS." A enormous smile appeared on his face, "HAAAA! TAKE THAT KAKASHI, MY ETERNAL RIVAL! YOU CANNOT POSSIBLLY GET A TEAM AS GOOD AS MINE! NOOOOO, YOU WON'T, BECAUSE…," Gai paused dramatically, "NEXT YEAR'S GRADUATES ARE DIMWI – I MEAN – INFERIOR TO MY WONDERFUL STUDENTS!"

"Uhh –," Tenten started before she was interupted by Gai.

"MY DEAR YOUTHFUL STUDENTS, I AM MAITO GAI AND I WILL BE YOUR MENTOR-SLASH-FRIEND-SLASH-TEAM LEADER!" He performed a pirouette and flashed his "youthful students" a blinding smile.

Tenten and Neji's eyes twitched from the loudness – not to mention the sparkly teeth – that was coming from their sensei. Meanwhile…Lee, with tears of happiness flowing out of his eyes, gazed admiringly at the prancing man before him. Gai was a tall, spandex-clad man with thick, large eyebrows and a spectacular shiny bowl-cut. He was well known for his loud, dynamic, and destructive style of taijustu. He was Lee's idol, so unfortunately…that led to…

Lee, emulating Gai, started prancing too – while yelling so loud and obnoxiouly that he couldn't be fully understood, but it sounded something like this: "I AM MOST OVERJOYED GAI-SENSEI! TO BE YOUR DISCIPLE IS OF THE UMOST HONOR!"

Gai suddenly stopped his prancing (it had actually looked more like he was trying to jump with two broken feet) and, with tears spilling out of his eyes, said, "SINCE I HAVE SUCH DEVOTED STUDENTS, I MUST HELP THEM BECOME STRONGER IMMEDIATELY!" He, then sped off with incredible speed towards a tower near the hospital. He looked back and commanded, "NEJI! TENTEN! SEE IF YOU CAN CATCH UP!" (Lee had followed Gai since the moment he opened his mouth to address the two persons who seemed to be suffering from minor-twitchy-eyes-itis.)

Neji looked at Tenten before he, too, followed the two loud, shiny people already halfway to the tower, and muttered, "You better be sane."

Tenten groaned, "Of all the people I could get teamed up with, I get stuck with the stuffiest Hyuuga known to man, a hyperactive boy, and a hyperactive adult with the shiniest mushroom cut ever?" She looked around and sighed, "Might as well deal with it, but Hiashi-sama, I wonder if you were on crack when you went to talk to Hokage-sama about the team I was to be placed in."


"Why cannot she have that letter? Of all people, Kaa-san, you should know that she has enough skills to have the second letter by now."

"Hiashi, my son, we elders must do this. Due to the options you have chosen for her, we have to."

"All the options are able men, yes, but can she not make a place for herself in the clan?"

"No. The options can protect her just fine. She won't need to further her skills actually."

"Please rethink this, not only is our clan is at stake, but Konoha, and her self-respect are too."

"Then let us watch her grow."


"MY BEAUTIFUL STUDENTS, WE ARE GOING TO START OFF BY INTRODUCING OURSELVES! HERE IS AN EXAMPLE: MY NAME IS MAITO GAI, I LIKE YOUTH, TRAINING AND BEATING MY ETERNAL RIVAL HAKATE KAKASHI, I DISLIKE UNYOUTHFUL THINGS, MY HOBBY IS CHALLENGING MY ETERNAL RIVAL HAKATE KAKASHI! OH! AND MY DREAM IS TO SEE MY BEAUTIFUL STUDENTS BECOME LEGENDARY NINJAS!" Gai gave his signature good guy pose, "LEE, YOU ARE UP FIRST!"

"HAI GAI-SENSEI!" Lee took a deep breath, "MY NAME IS ROCK LEE, I LIKE TRAINING, WORKING HARD AND GAI-SENSEI, I DISLIKE UNYOUTHFULNESS, MY HOBBIES ARE TRAINING AND LISTENING TO GAI-SENSEI'S WORDS OF WISDOM, MY DREAM IS TO PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT HARDWORKERS CAN SURPASS PRODIGIES AND THAT WITH JUST TAIJUSTU, I CAN BECOME A MARVELOUS, FIRST-RATE, YOUTHFUL NINJA!"

"Hn. A person like you will never achieve that. It is fate. You are the weakest out of all of us genin. And you always will be." Neji said aloofly, he was faced towards an indignant and hurt Lee, but he felt Tenten's glare driving two frozen icepicks into his back. He didn't care. A no-name like Tenten wouldn't get it. People like her and Lee were ignorant of the fate that was breathing right down their necks.

Neji looked at Lee, the poor guy was burning with fury, "THEN TO PROVE YOU WRONG, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A SPAR!"


THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR READING (I'M HIGH ON SUGAR RIGHT NOW) PLEASE REVIEW! I FEEL AS IF MY WRITING QUALITY HAS GONE DOWNHILL SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

- starisice