The next day I walked into class by myself. Naruto had been nowhere to be seen, and I was surprised to see him already sitting in his seat, grinning as if he were the hawk that ate the bunny. I gently pushed past Naruto and sat down next to Sasuke, who nodded over to me as I heard the sound of a herd of cows coming towards the classroom.
Sighing, I looked to the door as it was slammed open and Haruno-san and Yamanaka-san's daughter Yamanaka Ino-san stormed in. They argued over who got into the room first before trying to convince me to move so they could sit next to Sasuke. I just snorted and pulled out my medical textbook and read, making them sigh and walk off.
Of course, my semi-peace quickly went up into flames as Naruto jumped in front of Sasuke on the desk and glared at him. Sasuke glared back and I sighed, shooting both of them a glare as Haruno-san and Ino-san came back and started yelling at Naruto. Naruto looked at Haruno-san for a brief second before turning back to Sasuke, just as a boy sitting on the chair in front of the desk moved backwards and pushed Naruto forwards.
I gasped in shock as Naruto landed, lips locked on Sasuke's lips. I didn't know if I should laugh, cringe, or blush at the kiss as Naruto and Sasuke separated, gagging and spitting to try and get the other germs out of their mouth. Haruno-san and Ino-san – along with the army of Sasuke fangirls – started to beat Naruto to a bloody pulp.
I contemplated if I should help him, but decided he brought it on himself and went back to reading. A few minutes – and a beat-up Naruto – later, Iruka-sensei entered the room. He went through a speech on how we were now shinobi and we had more responsibilities than we did two days ago. He told us how we are now started on a long, hard, and sometimes painful journey and that not all of us will survive to adulthood. Gee, very comforting.
"And now, for the teams," Iruka-sensei announced and everyone sat up straighter in preparation for hearing their names and what team they would be placed on. After a few minutes of calling out names he got to Team Seven. "Team Seven, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Takara."
Naruto cheered at being placed with me, and Sasuke nodded in agreement as Iruka-sensei continued.
"Team Eight, Hyūga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Team Nine, Eto Akihiro, Goda Daichi, and Haruno Sakura. And lastly Team Ten Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino. After lunch you will meet your Jōnin instructors."
We were let out for lunch and Naruto and I sat together and ate. At least, we did until he ran off to the toilet, saying something about the need to poop. I just looked at him in disgust at I finished my lunch and returned to the classroom to find Sasuke already waiting. I sat next to him and read my textbook. After a half-hour, everyone returned to the class and Iruka-sensei started to bring the new Jōnin sensei's in.
Soon our team was the only team left, and Iruka-sensei mentioned something about work and left. This left Naruto, an annoyed Sasuke, and I alone in an empty room. I read my book whilst Sasuke glared at nothing and Naruto paced as if he were a trapped animal.
"That's it! I've had enough!" Naruto shouted and brought a chair over to the door to the classroom, followed by an eraser and I sighed, lowering my book as I watched Naruto prepare his prank on the teacher.
"Our teacher is a Jōnin. An elite ninja. I doubt he'll fall for a booby trap such as that," Sasuke scoffed out and as Naruto chuckled deviously, thinking about his prank working on the teacher.
"Our teacher may just let the trap spring. You know, if he's too lazy to dodge it," I replied and Sasuke grunted as Naruto finished setting his trap and sitting back down, eyeing the door with excitement.
I could sense a chakra coming closer to our classroom, so I put my book away and prepared to see what our new sensei would do about the prank. Seeing me stiffen, Sasuke looked towards the door with interest just as a hand slid between the gap of the door and the wall. The door was pushed open and a man with spiky, silver hair popped his head through, the eraser falling onto his head in a puff of chalk dust.
Everything was silent for a split second before Naruto started to laugh his arse off and Sasuke started to glare at our sensei. I just sighed and leant back against my seat, waiting for our new sensei to speak. He looked at each of us before speaking.
"My first impression of you lot... your idiots," he stated and Naruto stopped laughing, staring in shock at the man as Sasuke's glare intensified, and I huffed. "Meet me on the roof." With that he vanished in a puff of smoke and I sighed, standing up.
"Let's go, boys," I ordered and Sasuke grunted but stood up, following me as Naruto walked next to me.
Soon we arrived on the roof and sat down. Me in the middle, Naruto to my right and Sasuke to my left. The unknown Jōnin stood in front of us, leaning against the railing of the roof.
"Now then, before anything, lets introduce ourselves," the Jōnin stated and Naruto frowned.
"What are we supposed to say?" Naruto questioned.
"Your names, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams of the future. That sort of thing," the man replied.
"Excuse me, sensei, but can you introduce yourself first? It's only the polite thing to do," I requested and he eyed me off with his onyx eye before nodding.
"I'm Hatake Kakashi," he started and I flinched.
So that's why Sasuke and I are placed together on this team.
If Hatake-sensei noticed my flinch he didn't say anything as he continued. "My likes, I have lots of likes. My hobbies? I have many hobbies. I don't particularly hate anything, as for my dreams. Well, they're my own business now, aren't they?"
"You only told us your name!" Naruto shouted as he stood up, pointing rudely at Hatake-sensei.
I sighed and forced him to sit back down by pulling on his orange jumpsuit. "Naruto. Sit."
"B-but...!"
"How about you go first?" I cut him off and he nodded, grinning and starting to fiddle with his forehead protector.
"Names Uzumaki Naruto, I like ramen and Takara. My hobbies are pranks and comparing different ramen flavours, I hate Sasuke and the three minutes you have to wait for ramen to cook. My dream is to become the Hokage, that way I will be acknowledged by the village and will finally be a somebody!"
"You next," Hatake-sensei ordered, gesturing to Sasuke.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like many things, and I hate many more. My hobbies are training and taking walks, and I don't have a dream as it will become a reality. It's to restore my clan and to kill a certain someone," Sasuke introduced himself and I saw Hatake-sensei stiffen for a split second before he forced himself to relax.
"And lastly, the girl," Hatake-sensei gestured to me and I nodded, pausing as I contemplated what to say before speaking.
"My name is Takara. I am originally from Amegakure. I like both Naruto and Sasuke, reading, and training. I hate liars and manipulators, and my dream..." I trailed off, trying to think of my dream, realising that I didn't actually have one. I remained silent and after a minute Hatake-sensei cleared his throat.
"Good, you all have your own unique personalities and dreams. Tomorrow we are going to do a training mission together. A survival course that if you fail, you will be returned to the Academy," Hatake-sensei stated and I frowned, having heard of such tests given by Jōnin instructors to their genin teams.
Naruto shouted in outrage as Sasuke stiffened.
"You will meet me tomorrow at six o'clock at Training Ground Seven. Don't eat as you may end up vomiting," Hatake-sensei stated before vanishing after giving us a piece of paper with our instructions on it.
Sasuke stood up and went to walk off, but I grabbed his arm, stopping him in his track. "Sasuke, Naruto. Let's go and check out Training Ground Seven together now so we can get a lay of the land before the test. It will give us an advantage we wouldn't have had otherwise," I suggested and Naruto looked confused but nodded.
Sasuke contemplated my words for a minute before he too nodded. I released his arm and we made our way to the training ground. We scouted the area, learning the different areas and what we had to work with before we discussed strategies that would be best for the layout of the land.
It took a better part of two hours, and I offered to make dinner for the boys after. They happily agreed and we returned back to my apartment where I made dinner for all three of us. We ate in silence before the boys left and I cleaned up my mess, doing my nightly routine and then heading off to bed by nine after spending a few hours reading the medical textbooks.
The next day I had an apple before making my way to the training grounds at five thirty. I know Hatake-sensei had told us not eat, but I didn't like fighting without at least something in my stomach, no matter how small that something was. I arrived and found Sasuke leaning against a tree, a frown on his face, his eyes closed. He was tired.
I walked up next to Sasuke and he opened his onyx eyes, looking at me for a second before closing them again. I sat down on the ground at the base of the tree, leaning against it and also closing my eyes, letting the cool wind run across my skin. It made the warm air more bearable.
"'Morning," Naruto yawned as he walked up to us, also leaning against the tree with a big yawn.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted and I let out a yawn.
"Good morning, Naruto," I replied and we settled in, waiting for our teacher to arrive.
We didn't say anything, all three of us too tired to really talk, and it wasn't until around ten in the morning that Hatake-sensei finally arrived.
"Sorry I'm a late. A black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way around," he explained and Sasuke and I scoffed.
"Liar!" Naruto shouted and Hatake-sensei sweat-dropped as he placed an alarm clock on one of the three sparring logs in the training grounds.
"Your mission is this. You have to take these two bells from me before the timer runs out. You have to come at me with the intent to kill if you want a chance of grabbing them. Whoever doesn't get bell will be tied to the log and not be allowed to have lunch. They will also be failed and sent back to the Academy," Hatake-sensei stated and Naruto and Sasuke tensed whilst I frowned.
He's pitting us against each other. Why? What's the reason for such a test? After all, the teams are made up of four-man cells, three genin and one Jōnin instructor. A three-man team wouldn't be allowed unless under special circumstances. So, why?
As I was contemplating the mission, Naruto attacked Hatake-sensei and, as I suspected, the man defended himself and let out a chuckle.
"Coming at me with killing intent. I might actually be starting to like you guys," Hatake-sensei stated. "But I didn't say go just yet. So then... begin!" with that, he vanished and Sasuke and I found hiding places, hiding our chakras as best as we could as Naruto stood in front of Hatake-sensei.
"That's it! Just you and me! Fair and square!" Naruto announced and Hatake-sensei sweat dropped.
"You... you're different from the others."
"The only thing different around here is your hair!"
I sighed, meeting Sasuke gaze and nodding. We watched as Naruto attacked Hatake-sensei and got his arse handed to him. Using Naruto as a distraction, I aimed some kunai at Hatake-sensei and threw them. His one eyed widened as he swiftly dodged the kunai and I jumped forward, rushing towards him at the same time as Naruto.
I was among Naruto's clones and I aimed a kick to Hatake-sensei's groin. He blocked the kick and had to let go almost as quickly as Sasuke had thrown some shuriken towards him. Together, we all attacked Hatake-sensei, trying our best to get the bells.
"Naruto, Takara!" Sasuke shouted and we jumped back as he weaved the signs for the fireball jutsu.
I started to weave signs as well as Sasuke let out a fireball. Hatake-sensei dodged the attack but didn't realise I had I also sent a fireball towards him, and he had no choice but to use a substitution jutsu to get away unscathed.
He appeared in front of us, looking mildly impressed. "I see you three are working as a team. But tell me, what will you do when you get the bells? Only two of you will pass."
"I was in the Academy less than both Sasuke and Naruto, I am willing to stay behind another year," I stated and Naruto frowned.
"Nah ah! You're stronger than me, Takara! I should stay behind," Naruto stated and Sasuke snorted.
"Another year of extra training won't kill me," Sasuke stated and I looked at both of them in surprise, having not expected them to offer to return to the Academy. I knew they were genuine, as was I, and Hatake-sensei seemed to realise this as well.
"I see. You three have already shown me Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, tell me, can you handle Genjutsu as well?" Hatake-sensei questioned and weaved some signs.
Before I could react, I found myself surrounded by leaves before everything cleared and I looked around, seeing both Sasuke and Naruto gone. I frowned. Freezing as both Sasuke and Naruto appeared, collapsed on the ground with weapons sticking out of them every which way.
I took a deep breath, bringing my fingers up in a seal before pushing the chakra out of me, breaking the Genjutsu. I looked to my left and saw both Naruto and Sasuke staring in space, Hatake-sensei nowhere to be seen. I also saw the bells on the ground. I was tempted to go grabbed them, but suspected it was a trap and turned to the boys, rushing to Sasuke first and forcing my chakra into his system.
He gasped and snapped out of his gaze, his eyes meeting mine in surprise and relief. Then they turned to confusion, tilting his head in an unasked question.
"It was a Genjutsu, as Hatake-sensei had stated. Let me wake Naruto up and then we'll plan our next move," I stated and Sasuke nodded as I walked over to Naruto, waking him up as well.
Just as Naruto woke up, the alarm went off and I frowned. We were out of time. The three of us made our way back to the logs, where Hatake-sensei was waiting for us. He gestured for us to sit and we did as instructed.
"Before I tell you my final verdict, tell me, what was the meaning behind this test?" Hatake-sensei questioned and I frowned.
The meaning behind this test? Wasn't it to get the bells? Was there something I was missing? Something I was supposed to do besides get the bells? Did I do it? Did we do it?
"Let me rephrase me question. Why are you put into teams?" Hatake-sensei questioned and Sasuke snorted.
"To make our missions easier. By working together and having different skill sets our mission are not only easier but also safer," I answered and my eyes widened as I realised what he wanted.
As if reading my thoughts Naruto spoke. "Teamwork? Is that the answer?"
Sasuke eyed Hatake-sensei with interest and the man gave us a closed eye smile.
"I have had been asked to teach many teams in the past. None of them have passed because they never knew the answer to the test. And yet you three, you three unconsciously knew the answer without prompt. I have decided to take you on as my students," Hatake-sensei stated and Naruto cheered as Sasuke smirked and I grinned in happiness.
"We will start our missions tomorrow. Meet at the Hokage tower at eight-thirty," Hatake-sensei ordered and I nodded.
"Yes, Hatake-sensei," I stated for all three of us, making the man freeze and stare at me in surprise. I frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Just call me Kakashi," he replied and I nodded.
"If that's what you wish, Kakashi-sensei," I replied and he nodded before disappearing. I turned to my boys and grinned. "How about we get some ramen for lunch? My shout?" I offered and Naruto cheered and Sasuke hesitated before agreeing.