Naruto was still tied to a tree. He was still moving, and trying to break free. He even tried to bite the ropes, but sensei was looking at him, and even rolled his eyes.
– "It's useless, Naruto".
– "No fair! Just because I didn't take your stupid bell, sensei, doesn't mean you get to treat me like a loser, dattebayo!"
Kakashi glinted his eyes.
– "That is exactly what it means, Naruto. Later, try harder – then you wouldn't be tied to a tree".
Naruto bit his tongue on this one. No matter what he thinks and rants, sensei is right – Naruto could never dare to say, that either Ino or Neji didn't deserve their victory and have those smug grins on their faces.
Both poured all they had in this fight. Neji was stronger, Ino was smarter… Whose fault is that Naruto was the weakest of them all? Yeah right. His own.
Suddenly, he saw Ino and Neji, who approached the tree.
Neji's injury was seemingly taken care of – his arm was bandaged and he wore a clean white shirt instead of his vest.
Ino waved to Kakashi, while carrying a small box. They both stood near the tree, and Neji took a couple of steps towards tied Naruto.
– "How's your arm? Still hurts?" – He said with a smug grin.
– "Oh yeah. Don't worry, you get a beatdown like this from me very soon". – Said Naruto. Neji chuckled contemptuously and turned away.
Kakashi sat Ino and Neji on the ground, and immediately raised his eyebrow.
– "Neji, where is your lunch?"
– "I forgot to make it for today. Sorry".
– "Ugh… Okay, I think you can survive for this time. Listen carefully – see Naruto? Well, Ino: don't feed him"
Naruto's jaw fell on the floor – what the hell?!
First, he gets his ass whooped by Kakashi-sensei and Neji, was humiliated, his arm hurts like crazy and now he is left without lunch?!
– "Hey! Double not fair!" – Naruto screamed, but Kakashi ignored him. Ino looked at her lunch box and chuckled.
– "Fair-fair. Okay, I leave you three here, remember what I said. I forbit you to feed Naruto, Ino". – Said Kakashi, and left his students on the spot.
For some time, Ino was just staring into the void, blinking. Then, her eyes glittered.
"Funny, Kakashi-sensei left. Which means we can do anything! Ow, pity there are no girls around, I would have thrown an epic party somewhere else" …
Neji leaned onto the tree, and peeked at Ino's lunch. "Nope, nope" – he shook his head – it's his fault he didn't bring anything, it would be extremely rude to ask Ino to share.
She will eat the lunch fast regardless, and he will survive.
Like 20 minutes passed, and Ino was sitting on the ground, daydreaming. The lunch remained almost untouched – Ino only gave the salad a little nibble and put the bento aside.
Naruto was looking at Ino's lunch with his drool dripping. He hasn't eaten since early morning and his stomach was going off like crazy.
Neji's wasn't any better – with his fight against Kakashi, he got extremely tired and hungry. He took a blade of grass and started chewing on it to numb his hunger, while the peeks on Ino's lunch got stronger.
– "Huh? Where is Kakashi-sensei? We are stuck here, and I don't even know what for!" – Said annoyed Ino with her eyes closed, and began puffing her cheeks.
She opened her eyes, and suddenly, noticed how both Naruto and Neji looked in one direction, both having crazy eyes.
Ino got flustered, and covered up her chest. Then, she scoffed.
– "You three little perverts. How dare you check a woman out like this – don't you have any self-respect?!"
Naruto and Neji were taken aback. Naruto blinked – what this freaky woman is talking about?
– "Huh? What? Where?" – Naruto was confused. Ino immediately noticed the faces of her teammates, and shut up.
– "We weren't looking at you, Ino-san". – Said Neji. – "I wanted-"
– "I'm hungry as hell!" – Naruto screamed, and said everything Neji needed to say, without making him embarrass himself.
Ino looked around, and Neji nodded.
– "What the hell? That's my food, I would never share!" – Ino turned on her bratty voice very quick.
– "I'm also not allowed to feed you, Naruto, not that I really want to. Sensei banned me from doing this!"
Her words didn't work on both Neji and Naruto. Еhey just looked even more eagerly at Ino's bento.
– "Hey, condors! Stop with this looks, you are getting nothing!"
Ino said this, and looked over at her teammates. She suddenly noticed a lot of bruises and cuts that were slowly healing on both Naruto and Neji.
"They both were actually fighting Kakashi-sensei. I don't know the whole, but when I was in sensei's body, Naruto and Neji looked badly beaten. Must have been really energy and chakra consuming". – Ino began to think.
"But… Yeah, they are hungry, but it's not my problem. Naruto slightly deserved to get smacked, but he didn't even got time to heal his wounds. Neji also – he got stabbed, and now forced to sit and look how I eat. Ahhhh!"
"Sensei banned me from doing this – what if I feed Naruto? I wouldn't be a shinobi anymore? This is about my career now. I have to think about myself".
Despite these thoughts, Ino already made up her mind. Doesn't matter if sensei didn't allow – the man was nowhere to be seen, and will 100% not pop out from the nearest bushes.
Ino took a deep breath and opened the bento box. Then, she got up, went towards tied Naruto, and grabbed a huge piece of rice with her sticks.
– "Here. Open up, no question". – She said with nice notes in her voice. Naruto immediately swallowed the rice without chewing. Ino then repeated once again.
Neji looked at her and his mouth fell flat. Then Ino went to him, and also gave a huge chunk of the bento to him.
Both boys were shocked, and looked at Ino. Sparkles shined in Naruto's eyes.
– "Ino! You are a lifesaver! Thank you so muuuch!" – Naruto screamed. Ino was clearly embarrassed by what she did.
– "Yes Ino. Thanks. I thought I was going to starve until we give up". – Said Neji. Ino quickly looked around.
– "Don't you dare tell Kakashi-sensei about this. Who knows how he can punish me for this"…
– "Who can punish you again, Ino?" – They heard a voice from behind.
Ino turned her head, and her eyes vided – she saw Kakashi, who got from a bushes hideout. He took some steps towards Team 12, and stood in front, like a huge rock.
– "Uhm… I…" – Ino began stuttering. Kakashi looked at Naruto and began drilling him with his blank expression. Naruto gulped – oh crap, he got Ino into some serious trouble!
– "You fed Naruto, Ino?" – Kakashi asked. Ino stood in silence for a couple of seconds, with lowered head. Then, she sheepishly said:
– "Yes Kakashi-sensei. I did, and I apologize for this".
Kakashi looked at her, next at Neji, then Naruto. Both had a guilty face. Kakashi then lowered his head and looked at the lunchbox.
It was laying on the grass, and was almost empty – no sight of the rice or the meat. The only things that were left were a couple of salad leaves and a small tomato.
Kakashi chuckled. Then, to everyone's surprise, he smiled and patted Ino on the head.
– "Congratulations everyone! You just passed my exam".
WHAT?!
Neji, Naruto and Ino didn't know how to react on this. Just sat still and silent, flapping their mouths like a fish.
– "What do you mean "passed" your exam? Weren't the bells your test, sensei?" – Neji asked, confused.
Kakashi smiled again, but didn't answer the question. Instead, he went to Naruto, and cut the ropes with his kunai. The boy immediately fell on the ground, and looked up. Kakashi began talking.
– "The purpose of this test was for you to show that you are a team. I purposely tied Naruto up and banned to feed him - to see, will you, Ino, feed him despite my little threat".
On this, Ino huffed.
– "You know – actually, if you wouldn't share with Naruto (and also Neji), you three will be send back to the academy. But you passed – my congratulations to you three".
– "Well, I say this is it for today. You know – you are the first team, in a lot of years that actually passed both of my tests".
Everyone glowed. Neji and Ino got up from the grass and bowed to Kakashi.
– "Thank you so much sensei!"
Naruto was a bit slow, so he clumsily tried to repeat what they did, but only got his nose into the ground.
Kakashi chuckled on all of this, and smiled at his newfound team with closed eyes.
– "Meet me near the Ninja Academy tomorrow in early morning, like at 6:00".
Everyone nodded, and left the field. Kakashi was watching their backs, thinking.
"Now, looks like I'm stuck with those three. Well… They proved themselves. Time to actually do my job, after all those years with teams failing".
Neji, Ino and Naruto were walking on the road together. They were extremely tired, but all three smiled from happiness.
– "Hahaha, YES! Kakashi-sensei actually will teach us, we showed him!" – Naruto loudly said, and immediately got himself a hit on the head from Neji.
– "You can shut up on this one, hero. Me and Ino showed Kakashi-sensei. You got tied to a tree".
Naruto clutched his fist, and tried to attack Neji, but he only smiled and dodged. Ino seeing this, rolled her eyes.
– "Uuugh, stop waving your fists around like monkeys, two idiots. Remember who dragged our team to the final passing. Your one and only".
Naruto stopped, but showed his tongue to Neji. Ino grabbed her forehead. She looked at them, and began thinking: maybe a year more in the academy isn't that bad of an idea?
– "Okay, I'm going home". – Said Ino, and pointed at Naruto and Neji. – "And you two better bring me food tomorrow, gluttons!"
Then, she ran away, waving goodbye.
– "I also say goodbye. I can't stand being you any longer". – Calmly said Neji and walked away, with his crossed behind his head.
Naruto became enraged. He waved his fists both in the direction of Neji and Ino. Okay! Great! He doesn't need those two stuck ups near him anyway!
– "When I become Hokage, the first thing I do is to hit you in the face, Neji!" – Naruto muttered and walked to his little "flat".
All three members of team 12 walked to different directions – Ino on the left, Neji forward and Naruto to the right.
– "Mom! Dad! I'm home!"
– "My girl. How are you doing? Me and your mom would love to hear all about your day with your team today"
– "Inoichi, Ino 100% wouldn't have to tell us anything. I already know that my beautiful daughter passed. How about dinner first and talk second?"
– "Takoyaki!"
– "Yeah. Dad made your favorites".
– "Welcome, Neji".
– "Hiashi-sama. Akane-sama. Thank you for the concern".
– "No need to bow, kid. How was your day today?"
– "I passed and got myself a team. Goodnight".
"Those liars. Try to play off like they care".
…
– "Welcome home to yourself, Naruto".