Pass or Fail: Survival Test.

~Rei's POV~

With our lunch recess and Orientation finished, it was time for us to meet our Jounin sensei. Naruto and I were put into Squad 7 with the dark and brooding, not to mention incredibly rude, Sasuke Uchiha and the pink-haired fangirl Sakura Haruno.

The problem was that our Jounin sensei was running late. Everyone else was gone, except for us.

Naruto was losing his patience, scanning the hallways, "He's late!"

"Naruto, just sit down!" Sakura told him.

"I don't want to." He replied, "How come our teacher is the only one that's late? I'm ready to roll, believe it!" Then he pointed out, "The other groups have already met their new teachers, and took off on some adventure, or something. Even Iruka-Sensei is gone too."

"We know." I nodded, "You just need to be more patient."

Of course, my words were unheard by the sound of wood moving. I looked and saw Naruto puting an eraser in between the door and the doorway.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Sakura asked, as she looked.

"That's what he gets for coming late." Naruto answered, jumping down from a stool, "Surprise!"

Sakura put her hands on her hips, "You're asking for trouble. You know you shouldn't do that."

"Our teacher's a Jounin. An elite ninja. D'you think he'd fall for that?" Sasuke added.

Sakura nodded in agreement, "Yeah, Sasuke's right. You're so clueless, Naruto."

Then an unfamiliar gloved hand opened the door. The eraser fell on top of the head of a Jounin with spiky silver hair and his entire face was covered with a mask and his headbang covering his left eye. All you could see was his right eye.

He wore the same uniform that Iruka-Sensei wore. A dark blue outfit with an olive green vest. Matching gloves and dark blue traditional sandals.

Naruto laughed at the Jounin, "I got him! He totally fell for it!"

"I'm sorry, Sensei." Sakura apologised, then sucked up, "I told him not to do it, but he wouldn't listen. I'd never do anything like that."

Sasuke remained quiet. I bowed in greeting.

The Jounin picked up the eraser and decided to speak up, "How can I put this?" He rubbed his chin in thought, "My first impression on this group; You're all a bunch of idiots."

Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke sulked.

"Now, why don't we go to the roof, so we can get started?" He suggested.

Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto and I followed our new sensei to the roof of the Academy. We all sat on the steps, while he sat on the railing.

"Alright. Why don't you introduce yourselves? One at a time." Sensei told us.

"Introduce ourselves?" Sakura asked, "Well, what are we surpose to say?"

Sensei shrugged, "Things you like. Things you hate. Dreams for the future. Hobbies. Things like that."

"Why don't you tell us stuff first?" Naruto suggested, "I mean, before we talk, tell us about you, so we can see how it's surposed to work."

Sensei pointed to himself, "Me?" Then started, "I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate. I don't feel like telling you that."

Sakura and Naruto looked at Sensei in interest and confusion.

"My dreams for the future..." Sensei resumed, "Never really thought about it. As for my hobbies. I have lots of hobbies."

"Well that was totally useless. All he really told us was his name." Sakura whispered to us.

Naruto nodded in agreement.

Kakashi-Sensei turned to us, "Okay. Your turn." He looked at Naruto, "You on the right. You first."

Naruto smiled, fidgeting with his headband, "Believe it. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I like instant ramen in a cup. And I really like the ramen Iruka-Sensei got me at the Ichiraku noodle shop. But I hate the three minutes you have to wait after you pour the water into the ramen cup. My hobbies are eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them. And my future dream is... To be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole villiage will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody. Somebody important."

I smiled at my best friend. That's a good dream to have. If it becomes a reality, the villiage will have to look up to him for guidence.

"Alright. Next." Kakashi-Sensei spoke up, looking at Sakura.

Sakura smiled, "I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like... Uh... I mean the person I like is..." She glanced as Sasuke and giggled, "My hobby is..." She glanced at Sasuke again and couldn't finish, "My dream for the future is..." She burst into a giggling fit.

"And what do you hate?" Sensei asked.

"Naruto and Rei!" Sakura answered in a shout.

Naruto sulked in disbelief. I glanced at the pink-haired girl, "The feeling's mutual, Blossom."

"Alright. You're next." Sensei told me.

I nodded, "My name is Rei. I like dark and cool colors, stargazing and walking around the village during the night. I don't like liars, rainy weather and bright and loud colors. My hobbies are training to be my best, solving puzzles and listening to the wind." I adjusted my kimono, "I haven't really thought about a dream for the future. I guess helping my best friend fulfill his dream counts."

Naruto smiled at me. Sasuke glanced at me.

"Last one." Sensei turned to Sasuke.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke answered, "I hate a lot of things. And I don't particularly like anything." The atmosphere around him tensed up, "What I have is not a dream. Because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and destroy a certain someone."

Everything went quiet. We all looked at Sasuke. Whoever this person is, he must've really hurt Sasuke to make him get serious payback. Kakashi-Sensei seemed to be glaring, but it softened.

"Good. You're each unique and you have your own ideas." He spoke up, "We'll have our first mission tomorrow."

Naruto smiled and saluted, "Yup. What kind of mission are we going to have?"

"It's a task that all five of us will do together." Sensei answered.

"What, what, what, what?" Naruto asked, eager to start.

"A survival exercise." Sensei answered.

"Huh? A survival exercise?" Naruto repeated.

"I thought we were surposed to have a real mission. Not more practice." Sakura argued, "We already did that stuff at the Academy. That's how we got here."

I narrowed my eyes at Sensei, "This isn't like our previous training, is it, Sensei?"

Sensei looked at me, looking like he was smiling under his mask, "You're a clever one, Rei."

"So... Uh... What kind of training is it, then?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi-Sensei just started chuckling. I raised a brow as I sensed a change in the atmosphere around him. He was either being serious, or Naruto pulled a trick question without knowing.

"Hey. Hold on. That's a normal question." Sakura spoke up, "What's so funny?"

Sensei continued to chuckle, then answered, "Well, if I tell you the answer, you're not going to like it."

Naruto raised a brow.

"Of the 27 graduates who just came here, only 9 will actually be accepted as Genin." Sensei answered, "The other 18 will be weeded out and sent back to the Academy. In other words, this is a 'make-it or break-it' pass-fail test. And the chance that you'll fail is at least 66 percent."

Naruto and Sakura were dumbfounded. Sasuke was unfazed. I looked down at my hands. 33 percent chance of passing is still better than 0.

"See? Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't like it?" Sensei asked us.

"That's crazy!" Naruto shouted, "We worked hard to get here! Believe it! What was that graduation test for anyway?"

"Oh, that. That was just select candidates who might become Genin. Or not." Sensei answered casually.

"What?!" Naruto gasped.

Sensei nodded, "That's how it is. I decide whether you pass or fail." Then he instructed, "Be at the designated training spot at 5 am. And bring your ninja gear."

Everyone tensed up. I looked at my hands. Like I said, 33 percent is better than 0. It's still a chance. But something about this test feels so obvious. It's like Sensei is trying to scare us, so we could learn a very important lesson.

I wonder...

"That's it. You're dismissed." Kakashi-Sensei waved, then added, "Oh, tomorrow you better skip breakfast. Or else, you'll puke."

Everyone tensed up.

*The Next Morning, at the Training Area...*

It was 5 am and we all met up with each other at the training area that Kakashi-Sensei told us. Naruto and Sakura were really tired. Naruto didn't get much sleep last night, mentally preparing for this test. I guess Sakura didn't either.

Now all we needed to do was wait for Kakashi-Sensei.

Naruto decided to catch up on some Zs. Then Sakura joined him. I reached into my bag and grabbed a riceball.

I reached it over to Sasuke, "Here. Eat up."

Sasuke looked at the riceball and looked at me, "Kakashi-Sensei said to skip breakfast."

"You can't take everything too seriously." I shrugged, "This is all part of the test. I've already eaten before Naruto and I left." I gave him the riceball again, "Now eat. You'll need it."

Sasuke just looked away from me. I shrugged, "Suite yourself." I wrapped the riceball in plastic-film and put it back in my bag.

A few hours of waiting and the sun was up. Kakashi-Sensei finally arrived, "Morning, everyone. Ready for your first day?"

"Hey, you're late!" Naruto and Sakura shouted at Sensei.

"Well a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way." He explained.

Sakura and Naruto growled in annoyance.

"Well..." Sensei cleared his throat, "Let's get started."

He drew out a clock from his backpack. It looked like a timer. He pressed on the button, "Here we go. It's set for noon." Then he showed us three bells on three seperate threads, "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it."

Then Sensei gestured to the four posts the our left, "If you can't get them by noon, you go without lunch."

Naruto gasped in disbelief.

"You'll be tied to those posts and you'll watch while I eat my lunch in front of you." Sensei explained.

Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke's stomachs growled, as they shared an exhausted expression. I glanced at Sasuke.

Starting to regret on my offer earlier this morning, Uchiha?

Then Sakura noticed, "Wait a minute, there's four of us. How come there's only three bells?"

Kakashi-Sensei smiled under his mask.

"It means that at least one of us will fail, get tied up, disqualified and be sent back to the Academy." I concluded, adjusting my kimono.

Sensei nodded, "Correct again, Rei." Then he added, "Then again, all four of you will flunk out too." He explained the rules, "You can use any weapons, including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."

"Those weapons are too dangerous, Sensei!" Sakura protested.

Naruto laughed, "Especially since you couldn't even dodge that eraser."

"Class Clowns are usually the weakest links." Sensei retorted, "You can safely ignore them. Lowest scores. Losers."

This got Naruto's attention and triggered his temper. Uh-oh. I know that look too well, and I remember what happened last time that look was given to someone.

"When I say 'start', you can begin." Sensei finished.

Naruto drew a kunai and charged for Sensei. He aimed an attack, but Sensei was able to reverse it to Naruto's own neck with a swift move and before we could blink.

That was abnormally fast!

"Don't be in such as hurry. I didn't say 'start' yet." Sensei told Naruto.

Sasuke and Sakura stepped back in surprise. Sensei let go of Naruto. Naruto stumbled toward me and turned to Sensei.

"But you came at me with the full intention of destroying me." Sensei noticed, "So... How can I say this?" He smiled, "I'm actually starting to like you guys." Then he instructed, "Get ready. And... Start!"

Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and I leaped off to start the assignment. We all hid in separate areas of the training grounds. Sakura hid under a group of bushes. Sasuke and I hid well in the trees. Not sure where Naruto disappeared to.

The silence gave me time to actually think about this exercise. Three bells, four posts. We arrived early and Sensei told us to skip breakfast for a reason. Sensei's words to Naruto. He was hiding a hint.

"Class Clowns are usually the weakest links."

Realization hit me. Something I was thinking about during lunch recess yesterday. Kakashi-Sensei made it so obvious. That's why the fail rate of this test is at least 66 percent. Very few students picked it up.

Teamwork!

I sensed a change in the quiet atmosphere. I looked at the open field and saw Naruto standing in front of Kakashi-Sensei. Oh, boy.

"You and me! Right now! Fair and square! Let's go!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi-Sensei tilted his head in confusion. I silently face-palmed.

Naruto Uzumaki, you knuckle-head!

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

"Oh yeah? The only thing weird here is your haircut!" Naruto retorted.

He charged toward Sensei. Sensei reached into his shuriken pouch. Naruto stopped in his tracks and braced himself.

"Shinobi Battle Techniques Part 1: Taijutsu. The Physical Art." Sensei recited.

Naruto took a stance. Sensei grabbed something from his pouch and revealed to be a book.

Wait, what? A book?

"What are you waiting for? Make your move." Kakashi-Sensei told Naruto.

Naruto stuttered, then found his words, "Why are you reading that book?"

"Why? To find out what happens in the story, of course." Sensei answered casually, then teased Naruto, "Don't let it bother you. With your weak attacks, it doesn't really matter if I'm reading or whatever."

That did Naruto's temper. He charged toward Sensei, "I'm going to thrash you!"

Then he attacked Sensei. Sensei blocked and dodged without breaking a sweat. Naruto aimed for a punch, "Now you're mine!"

But as the punch hit, Sensei wasn't there. Whoa...

"Don't let your enemy get behind you all the time." Sensei told Naruto, crouching behind him with a Tiger hand symbol ready.

I narrowed my eyes at the symbol. It was a way to focus chakra and perform Ninjutsu. But I sensed no spike in his chakra. What was Sensei planning to do?

"Naruto! Get out of there, quick!" Sakura shouted, standing up from her hiding spot, "He's going to destroy you!"

Sakura, you idiot! Get down before Sensei sees you!

Naruto looked at Sakura in confusion.

"Too late." Sensei spoke up, then called, "Leaf Village Secret Finger Justu!" He rammed his fingers into Naruto's butt. Naruto shot into the air screaming. "Thousand Years of Death!"

I suppressed a laugh. You gotta admit that was funny.

"Those two are just... Idiots..." Sasuke muttered under his breath.

Naruto fell into the river nearby. Kakashi-Sensei returned to his book.

I calmed myself, glanced over to Sasuke and whispered, "Uchiha, I think we should work together to get the bells from Sensei."

Sasuke looked at me, "What?"

"Think about it. Three bells. Four posts. There's a reason why we were put into squads, instead of just individuals." I told him, still in whisper, "The only way for all of us to pass is by working together."

Sasuke looked away, "Why would I team up with a deadbeat like you? You're no different to Naruto. You'll just slow me down."

"Excuse me, but our graduating scores were nearly the same." I pointed out, "And I did help untie you yesterday. You owe me, Uchiha!"

Sasuke just ignored me and kept his eyes on Sensei, his hand ready to reach into his weapon pack on his right thigh. That basically meant he means 'no'. I silently growled as annoyance and frustration built up.

Stupid, stubborn, prideful... No wonder his clan was wiped out in one night. And they're supposed to be the most powerful clan in the entire Land of Fire!

Idiot!

Two shuriken flew out of the water and toward Sensei. Sasuke tensed up. Kakashi-Sensei caught the shuriken with his fingers, without even blinking or flinching.

I took this opportunity to sneak over to Sakura. If Sasuke won't listen to my proposal and thinks I'm nothing more than a deadbeat, maybe Sakura might. It's worth a try, right?

Naruto climbed out of the water. He looked exhausted. He really should've taken my advise earlier this morning, and eaten something.

Yeah, Sasuke was not the first person I offered food to. Naruto was the first. He saw me making my signature riceballs with strawberry jam. I offered him one, but he declined. Said he'll pass better if he followed the rules. And he wasn't rude about it.

Fair enough, right?

"What are you doing now?" Sensei asked Naruto, "You know you won't get lunch unless you take a bell by noon."

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

"You look very wobbly for someone who's going to surpass the Hokage." Sensei teased.

"You told us not to eat breakfast!" Naruto reminded, "How can I fight when I'm starving to death?" Then he muttered under his breath, "Maybe I should've taken Rei's offer this morning."

I sensed a change in Kakashi-Sensei's demeanor. He must've heard Naruto's words. He regained his calm composure and walked away from Naruto.

"So you caught me off guard! That's all it was! Believe it!" Naruto shouted, then lowered his volume, "I'm so hungry, I don't have any strength." Then he told Sensei, "But I can't let that stop me. I gotta get one of those bells, no matter what. I'll find the strength somehow." I smiled, "Believe it, I'm gonna pass this test and I'm not going back to the Academy! I will become a ninja!"

I felt a spike and the water moved. Multiple clones of Naruto jumped out of the water, ready to attack.

"You're overconfident, Sensei!" A clone laughed, "That's why you weren't ready for a Shadow Clone attack! My best Jutsu."

I gasped in awe. Iruka-Sensei told me Naruto passed the Academy, but I couldn't understand why. Now I know. Naruto was able to perform a very advanced Jutsu. The Kage Bushin no Jutsu. Shadow Clones.

The Jutsu seperates your own chakra to create exact replicas of yourself. And they're not mere illusions. They're just as real as the real ninja who created them. Completely able to fight on their own and control chakra.

The only problem with the Jutsu is that the clones can feel whatever you feel. But that can be easily overlooked.

The Narutos charged toward Sensei. Another appeared out of nowhere and caught Kakashi-Sensei in a full-nelson hold. Now that's teamwork!

The real Naruto leaped into the air and aimed a punch across Sensei's face, but he ended up punching one of his own clones.

That was a fast Replacement Jutsu, Sensei. You're no ordinary Jounin, are you?

Then the clones started to fight amongst themselves, thinking one of them is Sensei in disguise.

"Hey, Sakura?" I whispered from beside her.

Sakura tensed up, then looked at me. She sighed, "Oh, it's just you." Then she asked in an annoyed tone, "What do you want, Rei?"

"Look, I know you don't like me. But you have to hear me out." I told her, "We need to work together if we're going to pass this test."

Sakura looked at me, "Me? Work together? With you?" She scoffed, "Don't make me laugh. The only one I'll work together with is Sasuke." Then she glared at me, "If you think you can make me like you, you've got another thing coming. Now get lost!"

My hands balled into fists of frustration. Even a fangirl wouldn't swallow her pride to help another member of her team.

Naruto released the Jutsu and found he was all alone. Where did Sensei disappeared off to? A glint of sunlight caught my best friend's attention. A bell near a tree. Something didn't feel right.

Naruto smiled and reached for the bell. Realization hit me.

"Naruto, don't! It's a trap!" I warned him.

But it was too late. Naruto reached closer for the bell, a rope grabbed his ankles and sprung him hanging up-side down from the tree. I quietly sighed.

Kakashi-Sensei appeared from his hiding spot and grabbed the bell, "Think before you use a Jutsu. Or else your opponent will use it against you." He picked up the bell, then looked at Naruto, "Oh, and if the bait is obvious, don't take it."

That did Naruto's temper. I narrowed my eyes at Sensei. He's teasing Naruto for a reason. It's like he's been through this before. And I mean way before Naruto and I were born.

"A ninja must see through deception." Sensei told Naruto.

"I... Get... It!" Naruto shouted.

Sensei shook his head, "I'm telling you this because you don't get it. You think you get it, which is not the same as actually getting it. Get it?"

I felt another spike and kunai and shuriken flew out of the trees toward Kakashi-Sensei. They struck him, throwing him off his feet.

Sasuke Uchiha! What the hell was that about! We're trying to pass this test! Not kill our own teacher!

"He just got blasted by shuriken!" Naruto screamed, then shouted at Sasuke, "Are you outta your mind, Sasuke?! You went too far!"

Jeez!

Did I fall asleep and woke up into a world of people who care about nothing but themselves?

'Cause it feels like it!