There's no excuse for this late chapter. It's already beyond that. Lethargy at its finest as you may have already guessed. Which was why I had to ask a few specimens in concern to this story. There was the go-no-go and, well, this happened. So here you go.

Disclaimer: I can only claim Eiri and a few OC.

Chapter Four:

Eiri's POV:

Once again, I found myself hiding on a high branch. My right leg dangling off the edge, given that the space was too narrow, as for the other, it was tucked under my arm with my chin resting on my knee. Nevertheless, as long as I could move if ever Kakashi decided to come and attack me, that is, if he's the one coming for us.

"You and me right now! Fair and square! Let's go!" The shrimp shouted with his arms crossed.

"You know, compared to the others, you're a little bit weird." Kakashi stated.

"Oh yeah! The only thing weird here is your hair cut!" Uzumaki answered as he charged Kakashi in full speed.

"You all have strange hairstyles."

Before he could get any closer, he saw Kakashi reached into his pouch. "Shinobi battle techniques. First tactic: Taijutsu." Kakashi stated as he began to pull his hand out from his ninja pouch.

The shrimp let out a sound. Even for the blonde being a troublemaker, he seems to have had learned enough to know what Taijutsu meant.

"What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to attack me?" Kakashi asked.

"B-but, I mean, why are you reading a book?"

"Wait a minute," I leaned out a bit to get a better look. "That book."

"Why? To find out what happens in the story of course." He answered. "Don't let it bother you. You and your weak attacks, it doesn't matter whether I'm reading or not."

Uzumaki clenched his fist, growling. "That's it! I'm going to crush you!"

Third Person's POV:

"Don't let your enemy get behind you." Kakashi said as he formed a hand sign.

"A hand sign that focuses your chakra." Sakura gasped. "Is that the sign of a tiger? That's dangerous! He could destroy Naruto with that!"

"That hand sign is for a fire jutsu. He's not just toying with Naruto. He's going to demolish him." Our duckbutt thought.

"I have to do some-"

"Naruto get out of there! He's going to kill you!" Sakura screamed, revealing where she was.

"Too late, Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu!"

"A Thousand Years Of Death!" Kakashi bawled as he propelled his fingers on Naruto's butt that the genin was sent flying into the water.

Eiri almost fell from the branch but managed to catch herself as she regained her balance. Sakura got an irritated look plastered on her face. "That wasn't a hand sign at all. He just poked him."

"Those two, are a total idiot." Sasuke muttered, clearly disgusted.

"Okay, where was I?" Kakashi said as he went back to his business.

"That must be against the rules! He's a Jonin. We can't possibly match his strength!" Sakura thought in frustration when suddenly, two shurikens came slicing through the air at Kakashi. Unfortunately, the latter didn't even need to ripped his eyes away from the book as he caught the weapons with only two fingers. Kakashi turned towards Naruto who came out crawling from the water.

"What are you doing now? You won't get any lunch if you don't get a bell by noon."

"I know! I know! You told us already!" Naruto cried.

"You look kind of wobbly for someone to surpass the Hokage." Kakashi stated as Naruto's stomach made a sound.

"You told us not to eat breakfast! How can I fight when I'm starving to death!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke, and even Eiri's stomach seemed to growl from the word 'breakfast'. "I completely forgot about that rule and ate an apple and yet, it still didn't do anything. How useless."

"Breakfast? I didn't even have dinner. What a bad idea to go on a diet." Sakura mentally groaned.

After some small exchanges of words, the remaining genin kept a low profile on their spot as they continued to watch the whole scene unfold from their own hiding place. As of now, Naruto was hanging up side down on a tree on which he got himself caught from falling on a 'trap' when he tried to get a bell from the ground. Kakashi then appeared from where he was hiding before he started lecturing Naruto about how stupid he was and that a Shinobi shouldn't let himself fall into an easy trap. Out of nowhere, two kunai came whizzing out, together with a few pairs of kunai and shurikens before it hit Kakashi.

"Aah! He just got blasted! Are you guys out of your mind?! Now you've gone way too far!" Naruto wailed.

Eiri let her hand dropped from her weapon pouch. "I didn't thought he would really let himself be bashed that easily. What was I thinking?"

"That other girl huh?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the tree that was on the other side of the field, before he turned back to see their weapons had gone into waste as Kakashi turned into a log.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. "Another Substitution Jutsu!" He thought as he began making his way out of field range. "And now he knows where I'm hiding. I gotta move fast! I thought-!" His thoughts were interrupted when something heavy collided with his left shoulder, causing him to lose his balance and fall with a loud thud.

"What-!" His words were once again cut off when Eiri swiftly took action. Resting her right palm on Sasuke's head, she jumped over the duckbutt before leaping away to her destination. Kakashi, who had been watching the whole scene behind a couple of leaves with a bit of amusement, couldn't help but sweat drop. Staring dumbfounded on where the kunoichi took off, Sasuke shook his head as he turned to glare on her back. "That brat." He growled. "I'm gonna kill her!"

Sakura was running at full throttle as she tried to find the brooding duckbutt(obviously). "Sasuke! Where did you go? Don't tell me Kakashi-sensei found you?!" She thought in a bit of frantic. "No! He can't capture my Sasuke! I won't let him!" Sakura stopped her self just in time before she could even let herself be caught as she took a peek on Kakashi who was standing near where she was.

"Phew, he didn't hear me. I'm safe!"

"Sakura, behind you."

When Eiri saw a clearing, she finally stopped on a branch and crouched down, placing a hand on the trunk as she began to think of a plan. An ear piercing scream erupted around the forest as she snapped her head at the sky to find several birds fleeting off from their trees. She didn't have to know who it was as a name already popped in her mind. "Cottonhead."

Eiri's POV:

I've been searching for Haruno for the past forty minutes, but it seems that luck is being deprived from me. Why I was even worried for the pinkette is beyond me. I could always find Kakashi-sensei and try to get a bell, but that would be suicide, even if I hate to admit it. At least, while running like this, I have all the time to let my brain perform a plan. Which is, going to be a huge pain in the a- I ceased my thoughts when a sound of bells tolling came somewhere from behind the trees. Turning my head aside, a silver haired figure came out from the shadows. "Ah, finally. The last one. That Uchiha kid gave me a bit of a hard time, guess he really took this seriously other than your first two companion." Kakashi-sensei said, still reading his book.

Twitching an eyebrow, my idea of creating a plan were torn down in just a single turn of events. Again, why in kami's world did I waste my time worrying over that cottonhead? And this damn forest is not even helping. Sighing, I didn't fight the urge of smacking my hand on my forehead as I shook my head. Kakashi-sensei turned his head at my direction before giving a closed eye smile. "Now now, you can't be afraid of taking me on, are you? No worries, I could always end it with how I did to the Uchiha kid."

I let my hand drop by my side before running towards the jonin. "Enough chit-chats." I vanished from his direction of sight and appeared behind him. Just as I was about to hit him on the nape, Kakashi-sensei disappeared into thin smokes and came to punch me from behind, but just as he had done earlier, I used the Substitution jutsu and tried another attempt to land a hit at the jonin. Quickly turning to block my kick, Kakashi-sensei threw a kunai at my face on which I tilted my head and leaped off from the jonin, sticking my feet on the ground as I slid on the dirt trying not to fall on my bum.

The sound of bell caused our attention to be drawn over the jonin's pouch, where only two silver bells was left hanging loosely. Kakashi-sensei bent down to retrieve the other bell as he stared at the red string that attached the bell before tilting his head over my right hand's direction. Gripping it tightly around the kunai's handle, I narrowed my eyes slightly at the silver masked jonin. "That's an impressive move you did there. Why didn't you take it?"

Instead of answering, I looked away with a small huff. "You, couldn't have possibly forgot to take the bell, have you?" Hearing that being said, I glared at a tree and willed it to actually burn a hole and suck me in. Sighing, Kakashi-sensei shook his head as he began walking off and into the forest. Raising an eyebrow, I lowered my weapon. "Where are you going? We're not done yet." I called. He stopped on his track as before turning around. Suddenly, he reappeared in front of me with both his hands raised in a hand sign. Before I could even have a clue on what was happening, the last thing I saw was Kakashi-sensei giving me another closed eye smile.

What. The. F-

I was cut off by a loud scream coming somewhere from the other side of this. .new, forest. "An illusion." It dawned at me as I gritted my teeth. This isn't good. There's isn't enough time to find him and get a bell before the clock's up. Even if I do catch up, my energy would have been- arienai, that's asking for suicide. If only we could- wait, we? I could mentally picture a light bulb making a sound. "That's it." I snapped my head to the direction of the scream that had sounded earlier. "If my speculations are correct," I trailed off as I began heading to the same location. After a few minutes of running, I finally found the pinkette lying unconscious on the ground. Furrowing my eyebrows, I shook my head and walked closer on her lying form. "Questions later." I thought before crouching down beside her.

Debating on whether to poke or shake her awake, I mentally shrugged and whacked her on the head instead. Which, left me kind of disappointed when she didn't even give a slight budge. I was about to punch her this time when, "Does brutality runs in your family?" Blinking, I let my hand that was hanging on mid-air as a fist dropped beside me as I looked over to my left side, only to raise an eyebrow when I saw the closet homo's head sticking on the ground, or no wait, his body was stuck on the ground making him look bodiless. "Should I-,"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" He glared.

Unfazed, I just shrugged. "Just gonna ask if you wanted a hand. But I think you can handle it."

"Does this look like I have things under control?" He retorted, trying to wriggle under the dirt. Which just made him look like his trying to do a happy dance, with his head moving like that.

"Stop that. You're looking gayer every minute."

"Say that again!" He growled in a threatening tone.

I blinked. "Stop that. You're looking ga-,"

"That's not what I meant idiot!"

I decided not to say anything as I stared at my only conscious companion. "So, do you need some help?" He narrowed his eyes as he stayed silent and stared at my crouching form. After some time, he sighed and opened his mouth when suddenly, the pinkette woke up and released another ear splitting scream when she saw the closet homo still stuck on the ground. When she got him out of the ground, she started hugging the duckbutt and asked if he's alright. After he had managed to pull her off of him, the duckbutt then started walking away. But the pinkette stopped him, saying that they should just give up and try again next year. The closet homo then started explaining at how he almost got a bell and that he's the only one who can kill him.

Out of no where, we heard a clock ring, alerting us that the time is already over. The three of us didn't waste any time and went back to the training grounds. Three lunch boxes were set in front of us, cottonhead, duckbutt and I were standing on each side of Uzumaki who was already tied on the post by the time we got back.

Suddenly, the shrimp's stomach growled loudly. "Uh oh, stomach's growling." Kakashi-sensei teased. "That's too bad." The duckbutt made a sound as he shifted his eyes at my direction. "Save it for the brat. She just ate an apple before you even got here." Both Uzumaki and the pinkette made their own sounds of complaint as I turned to face him. "Ah, you saw that?" My question came out more of like a statement just as the duckbutt frowned from my lack of response. Just as he was about to say something, Kakashi-sensei decided to clear his throat. "By the way, about the training's result, well, I decided. I won't send any of you back to the academy." Kakashi-sensei said.

"What? I passed? All I did was faint and fall over. Do you get points for that?" The pinkette asked. Which didn't need an answer because later on she just joined Uzumaki on cheering.

"Wait! That means four of us, no, I mean all four of us," Uzumaki trailed on. Kakashi-sensei nodded. "Yeah, all four of you. ." His tone suddenly dropped. ". .should quit being ninjas."

"What? But that's not fair!" Uzumaki shouted. "What about us becoming ninja?! You said if we couldn't get a bell, you'll send us back to the academy! You can't just change your mind like that! Why would you do that?!"

"Because you don't think like a ninja. You think like little kids. Like brats." Kakashi-sensei insulted. Which caused the duckbutt to growl and put a hand beside his pouch. Before he began to rush at the jonin, I flicked two fingers. The weapon that was supposed to be on his hand was left lying on the ground where he was sitting earlier. "What. .just happened?" He thought as he stopped. Staring back and forth at his hand to his weapon. Kakashi-sensei, who caught on the duckbutt's plan, looked at him seriously. "You think it's all about you." The Jonin stated.

"You don't know what it means to be a ninja. You think it's a game huh?" Kakashi-sensei glared. "Why do you think we put you on squads? Did you even considered that question for one moment?"

"I- I don't know what you mean." The pinkette stuttered.

"I mean, you never realized what this exercise is all about. Not even close."

"What it's about?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, that determines wether you pass or fail."

"But that's, I mean, I wanted to ask you about that from the beginning." The pinkette stated.

"Tch, use your head. Four people in a squad. Why do you think we would do that?" Kakashi asked, obviously getting impatient by the minute. This left the duckbutt frowning. Clearly, trying to think about this puzzle the Jonin is giving us.

Just then, the shrimp yelled in frustration. "How are we supposed to know why you picked four people?! We didn't make the rules!"

"It's so basic."

"Ah!" Four heads turned towards my direction, seeing that I was slightly behind Uzumaki's post. My right hand was balled into a fist as it rested above my left palm. "You want us four to work together."

"Finally." Kakashi-sensei sighed. Nodding at my direction. "That took you guys long enough to figure it out."

I frowned. "Again, forgot about the purpose why I was searching for the cottonhead when I saw her sprawled on the ground."

"Working together? That's what you wanted us to do?" Sakura asked.

"That's right. But it's too late now. If all four of you tried to come at me, you might have been able to take them." He said, indicating to the bells. "Well, anyway, it's over."

"You set it up with four people, but there's only three bells! If we worked together and got the bells, then only three could keep them and that'll lead the group to conflict and the squad to break up!" Sakura protested.

"Exactly. I purposely pitied you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that situation and put teamwork ahead of you. A genin would have a natural feel for teamwork. But you, it never even crossed your mind."

"Sakura, you obsess more about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right in front of you and you wouldn't even lift a finger to help him! Naruto, you do everything on your own. Everything! Eiri, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours but you were to focused on something else and not paying attention to the bell!"

"I did had the intention to kill you."

"That. .really doesn't help you right now."

"Well, at least he didn't mention about forgetting the whole mission."

"At some point, I think you actually forgot about the real purpose of this exercise."

"Gaaaah."

"And you Sasuke, thought everyone was so far beneath you they were worthless. Arrogance. Ninja missions are carried out in squads! Of course you need individual skills, but teamwork is the most essential element. Every Shinobi understands this. Once individuals put themselves above the squads, this leads to failure. There a lot of dangerous missions than this, if you want the job done, you need teamwork." Kakashi-sensei appeared behind me with a kunai under my neck. "For example: Sakura! Kill Sasuke or Eiri dies!" My eyes widened as I watched the pinkette look over the duckbutt and Uzumaki.

"That's what I'm talking about." Kakashi-sensei pulled the kunai down.

"Oh boy, that was scary." The pinkette sighed in relief.

"A situation like this may come and you would have to make hard decisions." Kakashi-sensei finally let go of my shoulder and walked over to the stone where small writings were carved. "In every mission your life is on the line. Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it? They are all ninja, honored as heroes in our village."

"That's it! That's it! That's it! Now I know! I've decided to have my name engrave on that stone! I'm not gonna live and die for nothing like a job. I'm gonna be a hero!" Uzumaki rambled.

"They are, a special kind of heroes."

"Huh? What kind of heroes are they? Come on, tell us!" Uzumaki urged. "Well? Well?"

"They are the KIA."

"That sounds real cool!"

"It means Killed In Action." Cottonhead explained. "They all died." After she said those words, no one dared utter another single phrase.

"This is a Memorial Stone." Kakashi-sensei began. "The names of my closest friends are engraved here."

He then turned his head back at our direction. "Alright, I'm going to give you all another chance. I'm going to make it much harder on you. I'm gonna give you three hours to get a bell. Eat lunch now to build up your strength. But. ."

". .Naruto doesn't get any. It's your punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself." Kakashi-sensei then leaned in closer. "And if anyone tries to feed him, that person will immediately fail. I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?"

For the sixteenth time, Uzumaki's stomach made a sound. "This is no big deal! I could go without eating for days! Or weeks! Believe it! This is no big deal!" He shouted while his stomach didn't seem to listen and growled loudly. Duckbutt handed his lunch box in front of Naruto. "Here."

"What?!" The pinkette gasped. "No Sasuke-kun! You can't do that! You heard what the sensei said!"

"Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bell as a team. If Naruto's weak, he'll be weak and ineffective. That will hurt the team and jeopardizes the mission."

"Uhm," Uzumaki was clearly speechless.

It was then when the pinkette held her bento box in front of the shrimp's face. I scratched my elbow as I watched Uzumaki almost cried of happiness. "Okay, thank you."

"Don't thank me, just hurry up and eat."

"But, isn't that your lunch?"

"I'm on a diet. I- I mean I don't eat as much as Sasuke-kun and Eiri. Now hurry up Naruto!"

"I- I can't take it. My hands are bounded so you'll have to-!" I cut him off by shoving an egg on his mouth. "You talk too much." I muttered, shoving another pile of rice.

Suddenly, a big smoke appeared in front of us as Kakashi-sensei's head popped out of the smoke.

"YOU!" He yelled. "You broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment." He said making hand signs. "Any last words?"

"B-but you said. ." Naruto said nervously.

"Yes?"

"You said that there were four of us! And that's why, Sakura, and. ."

"We're all on this squad and we're all in it together." Duckbutt continued.

"Yeah! That's right! We gave him our lunch because the three of us are one!" Cottonhead said with confidence.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! That's right!" Naruto yelled.

Nodding, I decided to say something. "What they said."

Then suddenly, Kakashi-sensei's face turned into a huge grin. "You pass."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, dumbfounded.

"You pass."

"What do you mean? How'd we passed?" Sakura asked.

"You're the first squad that ever succeeded. Others did exactly like I said, and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum. That is true. But, those who abandon their friends, are worse than scum." Kakashi-sensei explained.

"H-he's, you know. .kind of cool." Naruto said, his tears threatening to pour out.

"The exercise is over. Everyone passes. Team Seven starts it's first mission tomorrow!" He announced while holding a thumbs up.

"Yes!" Cottonhead jumped.

"I did it! I did it! Believe it!" Naruto cheered. "I'm a ninja! Ninja!" The duckbutt's still the same who had the signature smirk written on his face.

"Let's go home." Kakashi stated as he began walking ahead. Cottonhead, duckbutt and I followed behind him as we all left the feild. So we all passed. And tomorrow we do our first mission. I can play with Karupin when I get back. It's my turn to do the dishes today and tomorrow's Katsuo's day to clean the house. But why do I feel like forgetting something.

"Aah! I knew this was going to happen. It happens everytime! Someone help and untie this freakin rope around me!" Naruto yelled.

"Ah. I need to buy some cat food on the way home." I thought.

There you have it, finally done with this. Oh yeah, before I forget, Eiri's ability will be explained on later chapters so hakuna matata minna-san. So. .

Concerns? Opinions? I'm all ears. .