Chapter 4. Ready or Not, Here I Come!

The new Team 7 sat down, waiting to see what sensei wanted. He is sitting on a railway opposite from

us. His eyes swept over us quickly but I know that he is studying us from head to toe, trying to figure

us out. His eyes, no, wait, eye rested on me more time than the others and I think I faintly saw a

haunted look on his eye, but it was gone within moments. I can't help narrowing my eyes slightly.

I am extremely good at reading other people's emotions through their eyes, I've got tons of experience

seeing as how everyone loves to transmit their...er...desire via hate-glare.

Maybe the fox took someone precious from him? It is highly possible, I have seen that look on

Iruka-sensei and others before... I look directly at his eye. Nope. Not there anymore. He must be good

at hiding emotions, though it is kind of obvious since he isn't looking at me in the eye. My respect for

him slightly increases, he doesn't seem to hate me; that, I can tell.

After a moment of silence, sensei finally spoke up. -"All right, we will start by introducing yourselves."

-"What do you mean, sensei?"-Sakura spoke up.

-"You know, what you like and hate the most... dreams, ambitions, hobbies... things like that."-He said

with a boring look on his masked face. -"Why don't you go first, sensei? Show us how is done?"-

Sakura asked a tad nervous. She is right though, we know nothing about the guy. But I think I know

him from somewhere? No, wait, I know I saw him... On the... the...The Bingo Book! A light bulb went

off in my head, and my eyes widen a bit in disbelief. Of course! One of my father's students!

My father's students my fath- Oooooh, he lost his sensei to the Kyuubi... that makes sense. I force

myself to pay attention to sensei's introduction, he is Hatake Kakashi of the sharingan after all.

-"Me?"- He boringly said. -"Well, my name is Hatake Kakashi."- Bingo! I think triumphantly -"I don't

feel like telling you my likes and dislikes! My dreams for the future are non of your business... I

have lots of hobbies..."

-"All we know is his name..." -Sakura said whispering to us, she looked slightly annoyed and so did

Teme, even if he is hiding it. Wow, I hardly know the guy for ten minutes and I already respect him!

It is obvious that we have to earn the information from him or experience it. I like him already.

Keyword: respect.

I still don't trust him, but who can blame me after all I've went through? Same goes for my teammates,

but then again nobody wants to learn about me... If I don't shout to the world to hear, nobody would of

known of my dreams to be Hokage. To be Hokage -and probe that girls are as strong as boys if not

more awesome- and be strongest one in history is actually second on the list, my first and true dream is:

To be the greatest Seals Master! I mean, Seals are just AWESOME!

Oh, I missed Sakura's introduction... I bet it was all about Teme, so predictable! Hehehe...

-"-eam, no, ambition, because it is going to be true, is to resurrect my clan and kill a certain person..."

And I thought Sakura is predictable... but revenge... it is not the answer, and this comes from the

abused host of one of the most powerful bijuu. Pranks, sure! Death, never!

-Grrrr...- I hear said beast from the depths of my mind.

-Hu? Whats wrong, Kurama?

-I don't like Uchihas. They are manipulative, damn, bast-

-"to... -ruto...NARUTO!" - I jump up, startled. -"WHAT!" -I yell back, annoyed at having important

thoughts interrupted. Everyone stares at me like I'm growing a head. Shit. Ok, what to do...?

-"Hu, sorry, I was thinking about ramen and, ha ha, Sakura-chan, no need to get- THWACK!

-"Ooow! Sakura-chaaaan!" - No, seriously, she hits hard. -"Baka!"-She says -"Don't space out!

Sensei," -She instantly switched to `sweet Sakura,´ how she manages to do that is beyond me.

"Lets move on. So, what are we doing?" -She says sweetly. I can't believe it! I didn't do my

introduction yet! A flash of hurt pass my eyes, but I immediately hide it expertly. -"Hmmm"- Sensei

responded. "I believe blondie over there didn't introduce himself properly?"- I blink. Thats new.

Time to act. -"Who you calling blondie!" - I dramatically point an accusing finger at my new sensei.

He then smiled, eye forming an upsidedown 'U' and totally ignored me! He probably decided I wasn't worth it, a nuisance. Also, it is well known that I want to be Hokage and my favorite food is ramen.

It is sad, really. Since I was small, I decided to play a...game. The game consists in shouting to the

world my likes and dream. But, the thing is, they aren't entirely true. Hokage, as you already know, is

second on the list. And ramen really is the food of the Gods, but not that way. There is a reason in

which I will explain later. Ramen isn't my favorite food of all times. Hobbies I already explained, but

only pranking and annoying is known.

The game consists in telling the truth if asked. If the person asking is someone I trust -fat chance- or

there is no bad intention involved, I might consider answering truthfully. So far, no one asked.

More like don't care.

Sensei spoke -"Training begins tomorrow, our first project consists on survival excercises." - I perk up

at the word survival, and with it came not so friendly memories. But I couldn't help cheering with

excitement! Training! Ninja training and missions! At last! -"Oh yeah!" -I said happily.

Sensei then started chuckling, we three look at him curiously. What now? Don't tell me theres a catch...

He chuckled more and said -"Oh, but it isn't a normal survival excersise...you will go up agains me."

If possible, we look even more confused than before. Gha! I can't hold it anymore! I'm gonna ask and

to hell if they think its un-Naruto! But Sakura beat me to it. -"What are you laughing about, sensei?"

His eyes turn into an upsidedown 'U' and said that we would 'chiken out' or something. Oh boy, theres a

catch. My eyebrow twitched. He then turns ultra serious -"Out of 27 graduated members only 9 pass to

be Gennin. This final test has a 66% failure rate." - I have a WTF! Face -It really took me by surprise-,

Sakura gulps loudly, and Sasuke-teme tenses up. Then Kaka-sensei -spanish for poop! Muahahaha-

then laughed at us!-"This sucks!" - I say, though it does make sense- "Then why take graduation

exam!" - Idiot, I say to myself. Again, sometimes I really hate acting like a fool. Oh well.

-"Oh! It is to weed out the hopeless from your ranks!" - He says too happily. And yes, I did notice what

he meant. I will show Kaka-sensei what I am capable of! I just can't use seals, water-walking,

tree-climbing, my full-speed (I am really stealthy and train my speed every day) and better not use my new jutsu: Fuuton Kamaitachi (Wind jutsu Sickling Winds).

That leaves me with Kage Bunshin, Henge, Kawarimi, and academy basics.

Sigh. It will be a loooong day tomorrow.

-"Oh, and before I forget, better not eat any breakfast tomorrow unless you enjoy puking!" -Hu!

"Meet ya at 6:00am at Training grounds 7! Ja ne!" - He poofed-no-Jutsu away.

Wait, he only suggested it... but even if it was an order I still wouldn't eat. More like can't.

The day before yeasterday I got a letter stating that now that I am a ninja, I wouldn't be able to get the

monthly money that the gov. gives orphans. Well, I only got ¼ of an ordinary pay, and always end up

having to only eat one or two meals a day. I bet you my gama-chan wallet that if-when I become a

fully-fledged Gennin that I would get less than half my earnings! Thats my life. Skipping meals and

gathering every spare ryo that I can find in my apartment to pay all the f-word bills! Electricity, water,

and etc. etc. It is totally unfair, because my landlady makes me pay five times the actual mortgage!

And I've got the worst run-down apartment in that run-down building!

I look around me, my teammates are walking towards the stairs. I sigh for the umth time today and

went after them. Yup. Tomorrow will be a pretty darn messed up day...

I opened the door to my crappy run-down apartment and quickly inspected a paper that I pinned to the

back of said door. It is blank. Good, the seal didn't appear which means no unwanted company. I turn

around, and went to my room. Once inside, my eyes inspected the small room until I found what I am

looking for; the window. On the sides of the window next to my bed there are slips of paper, the same

kind like the one on the front door. My body froze. On the right corner of my window one of the seals

got activated. Shit! Someone was here! Gotta get out! I took a step back, then another one, slowly and

quietly I make my way to the front door. My hand was nearly touching the door knob, when my eyes

caught sight of a package on top of the small kitchen table.

I blink. Could that package be from whoever broke in? Its possible...

I slowly approach the package. I am in the kitchen, by the table, package in front of me. It is wrapped

in orange wrapping and has a puffy red bow. I pick it up and curiously examine it. Then I saw a letter

dangling from it, I blink a few more times. I never got a present in my entire life. Well, except from the

Old man for my birthday. I frown. A bomb? No... orange and red is a code used between me and the

Old man. My eyes instantly light up, and I read the note:

Dear Naru-chan, -I sweat dropped. Yup! Definitely from the Old man.

Congratulations on passing the graduation test!

I know you still have to pass the final test, but I believe you and your team

will make the cut. You are a very hardworking young man -I roll my eyes at 'young man'

and I have to say that I am proud. -I blush. But why now?

Also, this is also to say that I am sorry for missing your past birthdays -Ah. Thats why.

And for the orphanage incident, and that incident. -My eyes softened. I don't fully trust the

Sandaime anymore. He must of noticed. But I never was mad. And for my birthdays...well, you can't

miss what you never had. Having nearly nothing all my life made me appreciate even the smallest of

good gestures.

I am sorry, and good luck in your test tomorrow.

Sarutobi Hiruzen

The Sandaime Hokage

Your 'Old man'

I take my eyes off the note and proceeded at staring at the package. I tilt my head in wonder and after a

few seconds decided in opening it. I rip the orange paper gently and took its contents out. My eyes

buldged out. There, on my kitchen table were the things I wanted most but couldn't afford.

A necklace that has a small, shiny, Uzumaki swirl. A pair of black ninja fingerless gloves with a metal

plate. And the best of all! Five books!

'Basic Poison Remedies'

'Beginner Seals: 1st lev.'

'Beginner Seals: Intermidiate'

'Beginner Seals: Last Level' and

'Intermidiate Seals: 1st lev.'

I can't believe it! The Old man sure knows me! I've been trying to get my hands on those books for

ages! I always have to sneak in the library to "borrow" books! I have to, or they kick me out. Oh! And

because people would have heart attacks. 'Naruto' and 'books' usually don't go in the same sentence.

I grab my new precious belongings and skip to my room. I haven't been so happy in a very long time!

Books do that to me.

Graduating and Iruka-sensei do too.

Well, now I know what to do until bed time! My books are calling me! -and my diary- So I slip in an

old white T-shirt, and off to read!