The next morning, Sylvi, Hikabo, and Tori waited for Kotaro.
"He's running late all the time." Tori complained.
"IT's the same song and dance," Sylvi spoke up. "Kotaro-sensei is late, and we genin gonon some dumb D-rank mission."
"Excuse me?" Tori questioned. "You call what we've been through weeks ago D-RANK?!"
"That was ages ago," Sylvi shot back. "Welcome to the life of a genin. Our sensei runs late and we go on some boring non dangerous mission. Heck, dangerous is my middle name. Literally."
"I wouldn't say this is going to be boring," Kotaro approached his team.
"Seriously Kotaro-sensei, you should look into getting a watch," Hikabo said
Kotaro looked at his student. "I'm a shinobi. Not a bulter."
"Well, it could help you keep track of the time!" Sylvi suggested.
"SO," Tori began. "What's the D-rank mission of today?"
"We aren't going on a D-ranked mission," Kotaro said. "We are going to Konohagakure for the Chunin Exams."
"Konohagakure? Chunin Exams?" Sylvi questioned.
"Confirmed by Lord Raikage himself," Kotaro confirmed. "Get your gear. We're going to have to leave now if we want to get to Konoha in time and find an apartment."
A few days later, Team Kotaro reached Konoha. Sylvi had her kun strapped to her back as usual, but she was also wearing arm guards under her elbow warmers. Hikabo was actually wearing a belt with a convient sized katana strapped to it. Tori had his bow and arrows, and he was also wearing a black hooded vest with a wide hood. Tori had said something about using it for hiding Iguru. Sylvi also was armed with Lightning scrolls. Tori had a few Earth scrolls and Hikabo a few Fire scrolls.
Kotaro went ahead while the squad walked around Konoha.
"The Leaf seems bigger than the Cloud," Tori observed.
"yeah, and more exposed." Sylvi half agreed. "Less hidden."
"Konoha's training grounds aren't so different from ours," Hikabo commented.
"Occupato," Sylvi retorted.
"What?"
"Look,"
Another team of genin was on the training grounds. A black haired girl who looked unconfident, a boy in a gray jacket who looked cocky, and a boy in a green jacket who looked secluded. The gray jacket boy appeared to have a white dog with him. As Sylvi looked closer, she noticed red fang marks on the boy's cheeks. "An Inuzuka," Sylvi realized. Her fists clenched and a low growl escaped her throat.
"What's going on?" Hikabo asked.
"Hmm, you Omaki's are still hardcore," commented the boy.
Sylvi chose to ignore him. "Come on," she told her teammates. "Kotaro-sensei is probably waiting."
"Finally," Tori said under his breath.
"Youre choosing to ignore, huh?" The boy asked. "Worst Omaki ever."
"Do Inuzukas ever teach their kids to PUT A SOCK IN IT?!" Sylvi raised her voice at the end of her statement.
"Why you," the boy growled and through a punch. Sylvi blocked it, then threw her own punch which actually went through, then shoved her knee into his stomach.
"Who's top dog now?" Sylvi asked half jokingly, which was unusual.
"I can see why we hate each other!" the boy growled.
"Same here!" Sylvi with fake celebration.
"Come on already!" Tori complained impatiently.
"We didn't come here to play games," Hikabo agreed.
"Lay off Kiba," said his male teammate.
"The Chunin Exams are starting tomorrow," said the girl. "The last thing you'd want is a bunch of injuries.
"She's right," Hikabo stated. At his remark, the girl blushed slightly.
"You realize if what every said here didn't make sense," Sylvi threatened. "You'd be so dead right now Dog Butt!"
"Right back at you Wolf Face!" Kiba shot back.
Sylvi chose to ignore Kiba's last comment. "Come on," Sylvi told her teammates. "We didn't come to play games with people who aren't even worth it." The three shot straight into the air.
In the air, Sylvi did something she would rarely do. Her hair turned brown, her bangs straightened and protruded from her hairline.
"Why are you going into human form?" Hikabo questioned.
"Because," Sylvi paused. "Why not?"
The next morning Sylvi, Hikabo, and Tori headed toward the building. Iguru was perched on Tori's shoulder. They were at the door when they came across Kotaro. Kotaro eyed his students and smiled when he noticed Sylvi. "Glad you didn't stay back. Sylvi."
Sylvi crossed her arms and glared. "Meaning what?"
Kotaro didn't seem offended by Sylvi's action. "Only teams of three are allowed to take the exams. It's the way it always was. And it will always be that way."
"Hold up," Tori spoke. "If not all of us showed up-"
"The others couldn't have been able to take the exams," Kotaro finished.
"Why not tell us sooner?" Sylvi questioned.
"I didn't want any pressure on you," Kotaro explained. "I also didn't want any of you participating just because of any feelings any of you might have for each other."
All three made a disgusted face.
"But you're all here of your own free will, and that's all that matters." Kotaro stated. "Sylvi."
Sylvi smiled a wolfish smile. It wasn't real, it was more of a smirk, but that was probably the closest Sylvi would ever get to a smile.
"Hikabo,"
Hikabo smiled a small, determined smile.
"Tori."
Tori smiled brightly.
"Iguru."
Iguru cawed at the mention of his name.
Kotaro smiled brightly. "There couldn't be a better team out there."
"We won't let you down sensei!" Tori smiled.
"We'll do our best," Hikabo promised.
"We will survive," Sylvi retorted.
Kotaro stepped away from the door, and his team stepped inside.
"What is this?" Hikabo asked. He wasn't afraid, just shocked.
"Guess we're not alone," Sylvi said flatly.
"Nope," Tori denied.
Sylvi scanned the room. Shinobi of all ages and villages were gathered in the room. Everyone glared. Sylvi glared right back.
"Hikabo!" a school girl giggle broke Sylvi's concentration.
"Whaaaaaa?!" Tori exclaimed.
Sylvi whirled around toward Hikabo and raised her eyebrows slightly.
A girl with black hair in a bun fashioned into a ball on top of her head threw herself on Hikabo and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her chest was relatively flat. Izumi Shibata no doubt, the sassiest girl in the Academy.
"You have non idea how much I hoped to see you!" Izumi snugged against Hikabo. "I've missed your handsome features."
Tori pretended to throw up. "I think I'm going to be sick."
Sylvi turned away, ponytail flying.
Izumi glared at Sylvi. "Listen here, Hikabo's mine!"
"And you can have him!" Sylvi said without looking at Izumi.
"Oh it's you guys," said a male voice. "I knew this was going to be a pain, but I didn't expect this much boredom."
"So all Three Little Pigs are here?" Tori half joked.
"You know what?" challenged the boy. "Oh, never mind!" he growled. "Your waste of valuable time and strength."
Arashi Shishido. He's the laziest kid who graduated. Regarded as the kid who never uses his talents.
Next to him is Kenshin Takano. He's the biggest braggart in store, thinking he's so cool.
"Well this is really a surprise." came a male voice.
The one who spoke is Tairo Akiyama. He looks like autumn in person, always wearing red, orange, and brown.
His male teammate is Sotan Machida. He's a personification of winter. Cool as a cucumber, never notices anything.
Their female teammate is Kuina Nakazawa. SHe's one of the shyest girls you'll ever meet.
"You too?" Arashi questioned. "Geez, everyone's here for this gig."
"Yep," Kenshin answered. "The Nine Rookies." he fake smiled. "This is going to be good! At least for those of good enough to pass. Right Sylvi? Hikabo?"
Izumi glared at Kenshin. Hikabo was going to say something, but Sylvi spoke first. "Kenshin careful you don't get too braggy."
"Just wait, you guys will be blown away at my awesomeness!" KEnshin gloated.
"Careful you don't get overconfident," Sylvi warned. "From what I've seen, you haven't trained at all."
"Why you!" Kenshin growled. He would have taken action if a puff of smoke in the back of the room hadn't stopped him. A tall man with two scars and a handful of chunin appeared.
"Attention!" He shouted. "I am Ibiki Morino, your first proctor." he smirked. "And from now on, your worst enemy."
