Naruto is tied up against a log, with Sasuke and Reika to his right and Sakura to his left. Apparently Kakashi caught Naruto trying to steal their lunches, and that's why he's the only one tied up. Reika can clearly hear Naruto and Sakura's stomachs start to growl again.

"Oh, your stomachs are growling… by the way, about this exercise… well! There's no need for you guys to go back to the Academy," Kakashi says.

Naruto brightens up.

Sakura looks bewildered, "Eh? But I… all I did was pass out," she says. Took the words right out of my mouth, Reika thinks as she rolls her eyes, "Is that okay?" Sakura asks. But then she jumps up and down in joy. Even Sasuke is smirking. But Reika frowns.

No, no, that's not how it works. It couldn't have been that easy. None of us could get the bells, together or otherwise. There must be some kind of catch here.

"So, so, that means the four of us…" Naruto says as he moves his legs up and down happily in his tied up state.

"Yes. The four of you… must quit being a ninja!"

Everyone stops at that.

"Quit being a ninja?! What are you talking about?! It's true we weren't able to take the bells, but why do we have to be told to quit?!" Naruto protests.

"That's because you're all brats who don't have the qualifications to become a ninja," Kakashi says.

"Uh-oh…" Reika whispers. She knows just how much Sasuke likes being called a brat: not at all. And of course, her predictions come true as Sasuke dashes forward to attack Kakashi.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screams. Kakashi then dodges Sasuke and in turn, sits on top of him with a foot on top of his head while holding his hand to his back. Reika's hand twitches in annoyance. She does not like it when her brother is being used as a cushion. She runs a hand through her hair to calm herself down.

"This is why I said you're all brats."

"Don't step on Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screams. I agree. Please refrain from making my beloved twin brother into a chair, Reika thinks as she glares at Kakashi.

"Do you kids think that being a ninja is easy? Huh?"

They all grimace.

"Why do you think you're doing this exercise in teams?"

Reika sighs. Her theory was right.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Sakura asks.

"From what I see here… only one of you understands the answer to this test. The answer that determines passing or failing of this test."

"That's… what I've wanted to ask about for a while now," Sakura says.

"Geez, are you guys brainless? Reika? What do you think is the meaning of a four-nin squad?"

Reika's eyes widen from being singled out. She can feel everyone's eyes on her, and she composes herself. She squeezes her hand in a fist, then she sighs, "…teamwork."

"Exactly." Kakashi says.

"You mean, working together?" Sakura asks.

"Yes. But it's too late even if you realize that now. You might've been able to take the bells if the four of you had come at me… Well, it's too bad."

Too bad, indeed. If only I was forceful enough, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation right now, Reika thinks, berating herself.

"Why use teamwork if there were only three bells? If the four of us were to desperately go take the bells with one having to hold back, that wouldn't be teamwork. That would create an internal discord!" Sakura says. Reika bites her lip.

"You look like you have something to say, Reika," Reika sees Kakashi looking straight at her. Reika sighs.

"He did that on purpose. He was trying to find out which one of us can put our personal interest aside and help each other."

"She's absolutely right. I noticed that Reika put her head down and asked each and every one of you guys for help, but… Reika! While you understand the meaning of this test, you took your sweet time thinking up strategies and none of it came to fruition; you're all talk but no action. And when you ask your teammates for help and they refuse, you gave up so easily. Sakura! You were only concerned with Sasuke and you didn't even know where he was, you didn't care for Naruto who was right in front of your eyes, and you never thanked Reika for helping you. Naruto! All you do is run solo! While you…" Kakashi says as he steps on Sasuke's head. Reika's right hand twitches again, "…labeled your teammates as hindrances and acted on your own!

"Missions are carried out in squads," Kakashi continues, "There's no mistaking that ninjas need unsurpassed individual skills, but teamwork is more important than that. Individual actions that disrupt teamwork throw the team into crisis and lead to death! For example…"

Kakashi reaches for a kunai and holds it against Sasuke's neck. Reika flinches.

"Sakura! Kill Naruto and Reika, or Sasuke dies!"

She sees Sakura and Naruto panicking. Reika sighs in annoyance as she squeezes her hand in a fist. She knows this is just an example, but that doesn't mean she has to like it.

"…that is what will happen," Kakashi says as he pulls the kunai away and spins it with his finger.

"Oh, I was so surprised…" Sakura says in relief. Naruto also sags in relief.

"On top of having a hostage taken, you're faced with two impossible choices and end up being killed," Kakashi puts his kunai away, and steps away from Sasuke, "Every mission is a life-risking assignment," Kakashi then walks towards the Memorial Stone, "Look at this. The many names engraved on this stone are ninjas who are called heroes in the village."

"That! I like that! I've decided now to get my name engraved there too! Hero! Hero! I'm not gonna die like a dog!" Naruto exclaims. Reika winces.

"But… they're not just ordinary heroes," Kakashi said.

"No kidding! Then, what kind of heroes are they?" Naruto asks. Kakashi is silent. Reika doesn't want to burst Naruto's bubble, but if Kakashi isn't going to tell him, Reika will.

"They're K.I.A.s, Naruto."

"Huh? What's that?"

"They are heroes who were killed in action," Kakashi says.

"Huh?"

"It means they died performing a mission," Sakura elaborates. Naruto looks shocked, and then he lowers his eyes in regret. Sasuke frowns.

"This is a memorial. The names of my friends are also engraved here…" Kakashi says. Reika looks down sadly, so does Sakura.

"I'll give you guys one more chance!" Kakashi suddenly says, "However, after noon, it'll be a harsher battle to take the bell. Those who want to take on the challenge can eat lunch. But! Don't let Naruto have any. It's punishment for breaking the rules and attempting to eat lunch on your own. If someone lets him eat, that person will be disqualified on the spot."

Everyone glares at Kakashi.

"I make the rules here. Got it?" Kakashi says menacingly.

xXx

Sasuke and Sakura eat their lunches, but Reika only looks at it. She's not exactly very hungry. It feels wrong to eat when you're in the presence of someone whose stomach is growling like crazy. She turns towards Naruto, as do her teammates.

"I-I'm fine with not eating lunch! I'm good-ttebayo!" Naruto says as his stomach continues to beg for food, "I-I'm fine…" Naruto says weakly while his stomach begs to differ. Reika sighs. She moves towards Naruto and holds up her chopsticks, holding up some rice to his mouth.

"Eat," Reika says.

"B-But Reika… Sensei just said…"

"It's okay, Sakura. He's not around. We're going to go get those bells together, right? We'll need the energy. Besides, I've eaten breakfast. I'm not so hungry. Now eat, Naruto. My hand's getting sore," Reika says.

Sasuke looks down to his food, and offers his box to Naruto too.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaims in shock.

"It'll be a pain if he becomes a hindrance to me, so…"

Sakura then looks down to her own lunch box, and then she squeezes her eyes shut while offering her lunchbox with both of her hands to Naruto. Naruto actually has tears in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan… Rei-chan… thanks…" Naruto says.

"Stop thanking us. Hurry up and eat. Like I said, my hand's getting sore," Reika says. She offers her rice to Naruto again, and this time, he eats it. Sakura also has some rice on her chopsticks, and she reluctantly feeds Naruto.

Suddenly smoke blows up from behind her and the wind picks up violently, and Reika turns around to find Kakashi glaring at them.

"You four!"

Reika gulps. She is actually a little bit scared of her sensei now.

"You defied the rules, so that means you know what's coming…" Kakashi makes hand seals and suddenly the sky grows dark and menacing, with thunder booming here and there, "Do you have anything to say?"

Reika looks around. Sasuke is glaring at Kakashi, Sakura is cowering in fear, and Naruto looks frightened.

"B-But…"

"What?"

"B-B-But! You said so, sensei! These guys…" Naruto starts.

"We're a four-nin squad, right?" Sasuke cuts him off.

"That's right! The four of us are one, so…!" Sakura continues.

"We'd be nothing without each other," Reika says with a glare, though still quite intimidated by Kakashi.

"That's right!" Naruto finishes.

"The four of you are one, eh…?" Kakashi says as he approaches them. He leans down and scrutinizes them. And then his eye closes in a smile, "You pass!"

Reika raises an eyebrow. Sakura's eyes widen, "Eh?!"

"Huuh?" Naruto says. From what Reika sees, Sasuke still doesn't look convinced as he's still glaring at Kakashi.

"You pass!" Kakashi repeats.

"We… passed? Why?" Sakura asks as the dark clouds begin rolling out, giving way to a bright blue sky.

"You guys are the first. Up until now, it was always just idiots who would meekly listen to what I said…" Kakashi says, "A ninja must see through deception. In the world of ninja, those who break the rules are scums… but… those who abandon their friends are worse than scums."

Sakura smiles at Kakashi, and even Reika gives a small smile. Naruto looks like he's going to cry. Sasuke smiles in satisfaction.

"He… he's kinda… cool," Naruto says.

"That's it for the exercise… everyone passes! Team 7 starts their mission tomorrow!" Kakashi says.

"Yes, sir!" Sakura says as she jumps in glee.

"I did it! I'm a ninja! Ninja! Ninja!" Naruto exclaims.

"Let's go home," Kakashi says as he walks away. Sasuke, Reika, and Sakura follow him.

"I knew this is how it'd turn out! Untie me!" Naruto screams from behind them. Reika pulls out a kunai and throws it to the ropes holding Naruto, effectively freeing him.

"Naruto! Return my kunai, will you?!" Reika calls out.

"Okay, Rei-chan! Thanks!" Naruto says as he catches up to them. Naruto gives her the kunai she threw and Reika puts it back in her pouch.

"Um… Reika…" Reika turns to Sakura after she calls her, "Um… thank you. For helping me earlier."

Reika's eyebrows shoot up. She never expects Sakura to thank her. She gives her a small smile, to which Sakura's eyes widen in surprise. This must be really hard for her to do, thanking me, Reika thinks. She decides not to give her a hard time.

"Don't mention it, Sakura; we're teammates. I expect you to do the same for me," Reika says with a smirk. Sakura smiles at her. Naruto then loudly exclaims that they need to celebrate their passing with some ramen from Ichiraku, but only Sakura accepts. Sasuke only walks away, which angers Naruto.

"Well, he doesn't know what he's missing out on! To Ichiraku Ramen, go!" Naruto says.

xXx

"I'm home," Reika calls out as she takes her shinobi sandals off.

"Welcome home," Sasuke's voice comes from the living room.

"Have you eaten yet?" Reika asks. Sasuke grunts, "Is that a yes or a no? I know we're twins, nii-san, but I can't read your mind."

"Yes."

Reika shrugs as she browses their bookcase, picking some random book to read before she goes to sleep.

"Reika-hime," Reika turns when Sasuke calls her. He has his back to her, "…good job on the exercise today."

Even though it's just a simple praise, Reika is infinitely happy. This is coming from her brother who has a hard time communicating his feelings, so for him to praise her is a great achievement in her book.

"Thank you, nii-san… you did great too."

"Hn," is all Sasuke says as he walks to his own room.