AN: hey, I am going to be gone for a couple of weeks so I will be unable to update my story. That is one reason that I am updating earlier than usual and if I get enough reviews before Saturday, the day I leave to visit my sister, I will update a chapter. Hell, if I get a lot of reviews I may update two chapters. It all depends. Sorry about not being able to update for a while. I will not be back until towards the middle to end of July. I promise to update as soon as I get back. I am currently working on chapter ten so you won't have to wait long. READ & REVIEW!

Chapter Six: Unforeseen Occurrences

"Uh-oh. Stomachs growling, huh? That's too bad. Oh, by the way, about this exercise? Well, I've decided I won't send you back to the academy when you obviously don't deserve to be there." Kakashi announced.

"What? I passed. All I did was faint and fall over. Do you get points for that?" Sakura asked more to herself than Kakashi.

/Something's wrong./ Fang told Hikari.

Sakura started jumping up and down cheering while Naruto moved his legs up and down since he was tied to one of the poles.

"Then- then that means all four of us- I mean all four of us- I mean me and, and Sakura, and Sasuke, an-" Naruto was cut off by Kakashi.

"Yes, the three of you . . . are being dropped from the program, PERMANENTLY!" Kakashi finished for Naruto.

/I called that one, didn't I? Sorry Hikari./ Fang said to a surprised Hikari.

"Drop us from the program! That means we can never become ninja! You said that if we couldn't take the bells we'd be sent back to the academy! You can't just change your mind and kick us out! Why would you do that!" Naruto rambled.

"Because you don't think like ninja, you think like little kids. Like brats." Kakashi said, making Sasuke charge him.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out.

Kakashi pinned Sasuke to the ground, sitting on him and putting his foot on Sasuke's head. Hikari subconsciously let her hand drop to her weapon pouch but stopped herself before she did anything stupid . . . to help Sasuke.

"You think it's all about you."

"Let go of Sasuke! You can't step on him like he's some bug!" Sakura screamed.

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

"I don't know what you mean." Sakura said softly.

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

"What it's about?" Naruto asked, perplexed.

"Yes. That's what determines whether you pass or fail."

"But that's- I mean I wanted to ask you about that from the beginning." Sakura explained herself.

"Use your head. Three to four people on a squad, why do you think we would do that?"

"AAH! How are we suppose to know why you picked three or four people! We didn't make the rules!" Naruto yelled.

"It's so basic, teamwork!" Kakashi told them.

'Wait, this sounds familiar. Where did I hear that before?' Hikari thought.

/Hey, Hikari. Isn't that what you said earlier? You know except with more words and sounding more boring./ Fang asked.

'Oh, yeah. That's where I heard it from.' Hikari thought, realizing her momentary lapse of stupidity.

"Just working together, is that what you mean?" Sakura asked.

"That's what I mean. It's too late now but if all four of you had come at me, you might have been able to take them. Well, anyway, it's over."

"Wait a minute! You set it up with four people but only three bells. If we worked together and got the bells only three of us could keep them and that would lead to group conflict and the squad would break up."

"Exactly. I purposely pitted you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. A genin should have a natural feel for teamwork but you, it never even crossed your mind. Hikari, you got the answer to this exercise right away and tried to get the others to work as a team but they all refused you. I commend your efforts and abilities to analyze a situation but you should have tried harder to get them to help you. You tried though so I won't drop you from the program, I'll just send you back to the academy so you can try again another time." Kakashi said.

"WHAT!" Naruto yelled in shock.

'I guess that's better than being dropped from the program permanently.' Hikari decided though she was still somewhat depressed by the fact that she did not pass.

"Yeah, alright Kakashi-sensei." Hikari replied quietly.

Kakashi turned to the pink haired kunoichi next. "Sakura, you obsessed about Sasuke, who was gone, while Naruto was right in front of you and you wouldn't lift a finger to help him. Naruto, you do everything on your own, everything. And you, Sasuke, thought the others were 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, when individuals put themselves above the squad, this can lead to failure and death. For example, Sakura, kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies." Kakashi said holding a kunai to Sasuke's neck.

Sakura gasped while Naruto started to panic. Hikari stiffened and moved her hand to rest above her kunai pouch once again.

"That's what happens on a mission." Kakashi said, taking the kunai away from Sasuke's neck and twirling it on his finger.

"Oh, boy, that was really scary!" Sakura sighed in relief, while Hikari relaxed a bit.

"The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice and someone ends up dead. On every mission your life is on the line." Kakashi said, getting off Sasuke and walking over to the memorial stone before continuing. "Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it? They are all ninja, who are honored as heroes in our village."

"That's it! That's it! That's it! Now I know! I've decide I'm going to have my name engraved on that stone. I am not going to live and die for nothing like a dog! I'm going to be a hero, a hero!" Naruto declared, making Hikari gasp.

"They are a special kind of hero." Kakashi spoke up, his back to them.

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

"They are all K.I.A." Hikari answered for Kakashi.

"Ooh! That sounds real cool!"

"It means 'Killed in Action'. They all died." Sakura explained, making Naruto go quiet.

"This is a memorial stone. The names of my closest friends are engraved here." Kakashi announced.

' . . . And every member of my clan has their name on that stone. I am truly all alone . . . but this team . . .' Hikari let her thoughts wander for a few moments before she came to a decision.

" . . . Sensei, isn't there anyway you wouldn't drop the others from the program?" Hikari asked the quiet jounin.

Kakashi, who was still facing the memorial stone, turned to face the Himura girl, "I don't believe so. They should have known better. You did."

Hikari silently cursed herself for what she was about to do, "You said that this exercise was all about teamwork . . . well it would be hypocritical if I got off with just ending up back at the academy to try again later and they get kicked out of the program. If teamwork is really that important then it is only fair that we all either pass or fail. They are my team and if they fail then I guess I do too . . ."

"What! Hikari, are you insane!" Naruto yelled.

/Hikari, what are you doing? Are you insane? He'll fail you/ Fang snapped.

"So, you would risk not being able to ever become a ninja just to help your team get a chance to become ninja?" Kakashi asked.

Hikari sighed, "Yeah, I would."

"Alright then, I am going to give you one more chance but I am going to make it much harder on you and if you don't succeed then Hikari will be dropped from the program permanently. Do you accept Hikari?"

/Don't accept, Hikari! You can go back to the academy and get a new team when you graduate again./

"Yes, I accept your terms." Hikari said, without hesitating.

"Fine, you'll have three hours to get a bell. Eat lunch now to build up strength but Naruto doesn't get any. It's your punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself and if anyone tries to feed him that person will immediately fail. I make the rules, you follow them. Got it?" Kakashi said, disappearing in a puff of smoke before any of them could answer.

"Hey Hikari, why did you risk never becoming a ninja for us?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"This whole thing was about teamwork and you guys are my team. It would be wrong to have you guys fail when I passed. We have to stick together now. Plus even if I don't' pass that won't stop me. I will find a way to become stronger even if it kills me." Hikari declared laying down and drifting into thought.

'Why did I speak up like that? I could have just gone back to the academy and tried again another time . . . but I couldn't. It's almost as if I bonded with them. It's strange they are like. . .friends but I've only really hung out with them for about a day. Are they my friends? Can I trust them? I can't even trust myself how can I trust them?' Hikari's thoughts were interrupted by Sakura.

"Hikari, aren't you hungry?"

'That's a stupid question. Of course I am but there are only two lunches.' Hikari snapped in her mind.

"I'll be fine. I eat some toast this morning. I can eat after this is all over." Hikari said politely as Naruto's stomach growled.

"This is no big deal, I can go without eating for days, for weeks! Believe it! This is no big deal!" Naruto's stomach growled loudly again before he added weakly, "No problem."

Hikari sat up when she sensed Sasuke move over to her. "Here. Eat the rest of my lunch."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. We need you at full strength if we are going to get those bells. So eat or we will fail." Sasuke said shoving his lunch into her hands.

Both glared at one another for a few moments before Naruto's stomach growled again. Hikari glanced over to where Naruto was and heard him say that he was fine.

"Naruto needs to eat." Hikari stated bluntly.

"But Sensei said that. . ." Sakura started to protest but was interrupted by Sasuke.

"She's right. Kakashi's gone. We need to get those bells as a team. If Naruto's hungry, he'll be weak and ineffective. That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke. . .Here Naruto you can have my lunch." Sakura said, offering her lunch to him.

"Sakura. . . thanks" Naruto said as he looked at her with tears of happiness in his eyes.

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

"But, isn't that your lunch?" Naruto looked at Sakura sheepishly.

"I'm on a diet. . .I mean, Hikari needs to eat too so it would be pointless for you to eat Sasuke's lunch. I don't eat that much anyway. Just take it Naruto!" Sakura said.

"Yeah, hurry up and eat Naruto before Kakashi-sensei comes back." Hikari added.

"You have to eat too." Sasuke snapped at her and earning a glare from the white haired thirteen year old.

"I can't take it . . . because I can't move my hands, someone's got to feed me." Naruto moved his arms that were tied to the log.

Hikari and Sakura looked at one another before Hikari looked down and started to eat from Sasuke's lunch. Sakura growled in frustration.

"Hurry up, he could come back any minute." Sasuke hissed.

"This is one time only! That's it! I'll never do this again, is that clear!" Sakura said to Naruto as she grabbed the chopsticks.

Naruto said gleefully, "Clear as a bell, Sakura."

Sakura fed him and just as he swallowed a huge cloud of smoke appeared before them.

"You!" Kakashi yelled making Naruto and Sakura scream and Hikari edged herself a little behind Sasuke.

'I am so dead!' Hikari thought nervously.

"You four broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment!" Kakashi asked as he started forming seals.

Dark clouds begin to cover the sky. Thunder could be heard and lightening flashed through the sky.

"Any last words?" Kakashi asked.

"But you said. . ." Naruto started to say something but seemed to lose his voice quickly after.

"Yes?" Kakashi urged Naruto to go on.

"You said there were four of us! That's what you said and that's why Sakura and . . ." Naruto stumbled over his words.

"We are all on this squad and we're all in it together." Sasuke said since Naruto seemed to be having trouble getting his words out.

"Yeah, that's right! We gave our lunch to him because the four of us are one!" Sakura added bravely.

"We are a team and we stick together even when it looks bad! Naruto needed the food so we gave it to him because we look out for one another. That's what you do on a team!" Hikari spoke up as well.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Believe it! That's right!" Naruto declared.

"The four of you are one? That's your excuse?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Hikari replied more bravely.

Kakashi looked at each of them before chuckling. "You pass!"

'Huh?"

"You pass."

"What do you mean? How'd we pass?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"Sakura, Please don't question it." Hikari said wearily as the clouds disappeared.

"You are the first squad that ever succeeded. The others did exactly what 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's true. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."

"He's, uh . . . you know- he's kinda cool." Naruto sniffled happily.

"The exercise is over. Everyone passes. Squad seven starts it's first mission tomorrow. Let's go home." Kakashi announced.

"I did it! I did it! Believe it! I'm a ninja, ninja, ninja. . . I knew they'd do this! It happens every time! You guys forgot to untie me!" Naruto yelled at the retreating figures.

Hikari sat on the bed in a sterile hospital room, waiting for someone to come and check her eyes. Needing to go alone, she made Silver Fang head back to the branch house to wait for her after they had spent a good portion of the afternoon with Naruto celebrating. A medic entered the room, giving a cheerful hello before starting to examine Hikari's eyes.

"So Hikari, how are you feeling? Are your eyes bothering you in anyway? Irritation? Dryness? Tearing?"

"Sometimes my eyes get a bit irritated but that pretty much it."

"Has you bloodline limit occurred yet?"

"No, not yet." Hikari sighed dejectedly.

"Alright, I am going to pour some of my chakra into your eyes to see if there is any physical change. Hold still and keep your eyes open as long as possible."

"Yeah, okay." Hikari mumbled.

Hikari felt the warmth of the medic's chakra enter her eyes but knew already that there would be no change. The medic had been doing this for the past couple years since she had first arrived in Konoha. After thirty minutes, the medic had finished, written everything down on her chart, and left her to get another medic. When the second medic entered the room she immediately started doing a physical of Hikari.

"Everything fine? No problems lately, Hikari?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Your stomach is cut up. What happened?"

"Oh, that's a long story. Can you bandage it up for me?"

"Alright, dear."

After a lot of what she felt were unnecessary tests, Hikari flopped onto the couch in the Hyuuga branch house. Rye had gone off to flirt with some girls in the village, Neji was training somewhere, and Hinata was at the ramen stand watching Naruto from a safe distance. Hikari had left the ramen stand after spending most of the day there with Naruto, gone to the hospital to listen to medics talk about things they didn't know about, and now after all that and the survival test she had earlier that morning she couldn't sleep.

"I can't believe this! I was tired ten minutes ago but now that I am laying down I can't sleep. . . Fang! I'm bored." Hikari whined.

/We could train./

"Death first." Hikari mumbled.

/If you don't train death will come sooner than you think./

"Bite me."

/You know one of these days I will actually bite you when you say that./

"Hey, why don't we go find Rye and bother him and whatever girl he is trying to charm today?" Hikari said sitting up and stretching.

/Well that's mature. As much as I would like to watch Rye make a fool of himself I would prefer to sleep in the sun for a while./ Fang said as he stretched himself out on the floor where the sun streamed through the window.

Fang never made up nicknames for the Hokage or the Hyuuga clan for the simple reason that he trusted them to take care of Hikari and not hurt her in anyway.

"Fine. I think I will just go on a walk and think for a while. I am going to be back late so don't wait up, okay?"

/Sure./

Hikari walked slowly out the door after telling a few Hyuuga that she was going out for the night and headed towards the river where she could think. Her mother had always told her that teamwork was one of the most important basics of being a ninja. She knew she could work with her team but was it a platonic relationship or was she starting to become friends with them?

Hikari scowled, 'What the hell am I thinking? I don't need more friends! I am already going to be hurting too many people that I call friends. When the day comes, I will hurt them all. I don't want to hurt my team too. AH! What the hell is wrong with me? What do I care? It shouldn't bother me . . . but it does. I wish I could just tell someone th-'

Hikari's silent confession was cut short when she ran into someone and nearly fell down but the person grabbed hold of her arms to stop her falling.

"Oops. Sorry. I wasn't paying attention." Hikari apologized.

"Not a problem . . . Hikari." the stranger replied.

Hikari frowned, "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"Not yet." the stranger answered before stabbing her in the neck with a senbon.

Hikari didn't have a chance to respond as she lost all feeling in her body and fell into a dead-like state.

"But you will know me as well as all of Konoha." the stranger added before picking up Hikari and disappearing with the wind.