Nominations
Setsuko stood with the other ninja in front of the Hokage. Her black gi didn't have the belt and she was using no henge. Her lack of energy could not even help her with the simple tasks. Tsunade had finally said that she would be able to get out of bed. However, she must have someone with her at all times.
"The chuunin exams will be starting in three weeks." Tsunade announced. "Some of the other villages wanted it to be taken here. A way to test our strength after so many attacks. I agreed." Setsuko glanced over at Tenshi as Tsunade started to call forth jounin. Setsuko looked ahead before anyone noticed that she wasn't paying attention. She let her mind drift temporarily. Tenshi had told them that she would be working with the interrogation unit of Konoha. Under a Morino Ibiki or something like that. Setsuko stepped forward when she was called. "Who do you nominate for this exam?"
"Cell number 28, led by Uzumaki Setsuko, consists of Sohn Janghoon, Sohn Seung, and Eikichi Riki. I vow upon the honor of my clan, the Uzumaki, that all three of them are ready for the chuunin selection exam." She announced quietly.
". . . this would be their first time, correct?" Tsunade asked.
"To my knowledge. As you know, I have only recently become their teacher after the death of their last jounin." Tsunade nodded before moving on.
"Do you want to know why their teacher never nominated them?" Setsuko turned to look at Kakashi, who, for once, looked completely serious.
". . . you'll tell me anyway." She bristled.
"They lack team work. They have no real bonds other than Seung and Janghoon. But those two never seem to be able to work with anyone else. And their parents simple forbid them from rising in rank, in hopes that it will cause the two to drop out of the ninja world." Setsuko began to walk away.
"You seem to know a lot about my team." Kakashi fell into step beside her.
". . . who do you think took care of them while you were gone?" Setsuko felt her jaw tighten for a moment before she spoke.
". . . I am grateful that you did that. But they are my team. I think that they will be able to pass this exam."
"Setsuko, after all 5 years they've been together, only once have they done any mission higher than D! They have even failed some of those D missions. The only time they did a C mission, their sensei was killed and you took over." Setsuko stopped and glared at Kakashi.
"Hatake-san, I understand that you are worried. However, when they are pushed to it, they are capable of many things. Seung was able to be a genin at the young age of 7 because of the skill she shows with her swords, stealth, and speed. Janghoon has remarkable control over his chakra. Perfect. Since a young age. Not only that, but because his parents pushed him to be a scholar, his knowledge is vast. And Riki has good reason to be arrogant. While his speed isn't wonderful, he is faster than plenty of chuunin. Now let's add the fact that his fire techniques are among the best. He has made several fire jutsu all on his own. And the teamwork," Setsuko paused for a moment. "though there is room to improve, I understand that you team did not have the best teamwork when they took the exam. Also, I have three weeks to perfect any flaws. Hatake-san, they will take that exam because they are ready. And if there is a problem, speak to Hokage-sama about it. I am the jounin in charge of them. I have taken in two of my team members because of family reasons. I know them. I've beaten it into them that I am not wrong when I decide for the team. I will not deny them the chance to become chuunin. After all this time, they deserve it." She snapped as she began to walk again.
"And the parents of Seung and Janghoon?" She glanced at the copy-nin.
"They live in my house. I decide for them as though they were Uzumaki. If their parents have a problem, they will have to talk to the Hokage. But I doubt they will care enough to realize that their children are taking this exam."
Robin stepped into the large room with the Hokage. The woman was talking to Asuma, Ino, Choji, and Shikimaru.
"You wished to see me, Hokage-sama?" She knelt on one knee with her head bowed.
"Hai. I have been talking with Asuma-san. His former student had become a chuunin so there is a spot on his team. I want you to fill that spot."
"I understand." Robin looked to Ino and Choji. Asuma sighed and shook his head for a moment before speaking.
"Alright Robin, we'll go to a training field and get to know each other better." Robin nodded.
"Janghoon, Seung, Riki, because of my recent . . . absence, I will step up our training." Setsuko ordered them. They were on the Uzumaki Estate grounds with Yoko close by to watch Setsuko.
"Setsuko-sama will not be training you directly." Yoko interjected. "If you need to have help other than her words, I will do what is needed." Setsuko sent a glare to Yoko. "She is, after all, recovering." Yoko responded sharply towards the meaning of the glare.
"Fine." Setsuko bit out. "Today, we will work on teamwork." Setsuko held out several blindfolds. "Riki, you can't see. Janghoon, you can't speak. Seung, you can't hear. I want you three to navigate through a . . . small obstacle course that has been set up. We will keep on repeating this course until all three of you are able to get through it unharmed. Also," She sent a glare towards her students. "the course will change after every run. So don't think that you can memorize the course." She made sure each blindfold was secure. She motioned for Yoko to finish. The meiko twitched her fingers slightly and the blindfolds were all sewing tightly so nothing would get through. She even added alittle bit of her chakra to help. "Now, let's begin."
Robin sat quietly as the other introduced themselves to her. Asuma turned to her.
". . . tell us about yourself." Robin nodded.
"Hai. I am Uzumaki Robin of the Branch Family. I specialize in summoning and hand to hand combat. I am 13 and often called the Emotionless Executioner."
"No, tell us something new. We're your teammates!" Ino demanded.
". . . very well. I am weak against fire based attacks and genjutsu." Robin replied.
"That's it?! Come on, there has to be other things you can tell us." Ino yelled with an annoyed look on her face. Robin thought for a moment before replying.
"My cousin Tenshi is an expert in genjutsu. She has mastered it along with speed. Yoko is a very powerful meiko-"
"That's not you! That's your family. Tell us . . . what do you like?" Robin blinked a few times before answering.
"I like . . . training . . . fighting . . . swimming . . . and snow." Ino sighed.
"Anything else?" Robin shrugged. ". . . what about guys? What guys do you like? Oh! What type of guys do you like?" Asuma sighed as a headache started to form.
". . . I have never thought of that. I am a warrior. As a ninja, I do not bother with petty things such as crushes. I cannot. It will interfere." Upon hearing this, the jounin looked up to the sky, thanking god for a reasonable student.
"Setsuko-sensei!!!" Seung cried out as she fell to the ground, exhausted. Bruises littered her body along with Janghoon's and Riki's. The three had no energy left as the sun dipped below the trees. Yoko had left after removing the blindfolds.
"IIE!!! We will continue to train!" Setsuko snapped as she towered over the three. "You are team!!! It is time you act like it."
"Setsuko-sensei, we're out of chakra. We can't do anything." Riki argued.
"That's no reason!" Setsuko hissed. "I fought without chakra many times." She paused to push back memories. "And guess what, my enemies didn't care." She stood up straight. "You three need to toughen up."
"We are tough!" Seung yelled.
"No," Setsuko responded quietly. "you're not. Believe me, I know. You think that the missions you've had were worth anything in my book?" She looked at the three with pity in her eyes. "Well they don't. I am standing here, in front of all three of you, without henge. You've seen Uzumaki Setsuko, the Bloodless Ninja. Now you get to train under her. I won't except anything you give me if it isn't perfect." She paused as she let it sink in, as they remembered her first comments when she met them. "Because it's worthless if you only perform some half-ass jutsu. You will be a team. You have to be. To get through life. If you think you know better than me, then you can fight me. And I won't hold back. There's been too many sacrifices for me to hold back any more."
". . . nani?" Seung asked, confusion written all over her face. Setsuko stared at the three before answering.
"I am different looking because of Aka Yuki. I'm sure you were told. You had to of been told." She continued after they nodded. "That demon killed half of the village I was born in. The ones that were killed, they were true shinobi. They continued to attack even after she slaughtered others who were stronger. Even the weakest genin worked together with each other to try and stop it. Aka Yuki ripped open my mother and pulled me out of her stomach. Do you think that my mother would knowingly let that happen? She did. She knew from Toshiko what would happen to her. But she decided to stay and face death for my clan, for me, and for herself. She wasn't a ninja but she did what she had to. She knew that better than you three." Setsuko snapped. "You think you've had it hard? Try walking around for years killing almost everyone you met because they want to kill you. That was my life. Hell, some of it is still my life. I've never known love until a few months ago. I've lived through hell every day. You got hurt. You're tired. You were hit. So what? Get up and do it again, this time better. That's how my life has been. I got knocked down in a fight, I got up and fought harder. I never lost a fight that way. I couldn't lose a fight because I would die. Being a ninja doesn't mean you always win. It means you don't lose. Nothing is in vain." Setsuko yelled. "Nothing! Or else nothing will be worth living. Now get up and get back to training." She snarled. "I want you to do better. We won't leave until you are perfect. We won't rest unless one of you is on the ground, bleeding to death and still getting back up to do it again better." The genin slowly got off the ground and began to move through the obstacle course. Because the blindfolds were gone, they had to fight in between obstacles. When they reached the next obstacle they would have to make sure all three got through that obstacle without messing up. If they did, Setsuko sent them back. So far, they had never gotten to the end. Barely half way. She watched as four more times her team was forced to the beginning of the starting line. "Do you think that this will help you get anywhere in life?!!" She yelled. "Again!" The three began to obstacle course again. Once more they were thrown back. "I have never seen something so pathetic in life! Again!" She glared at them as they only made it a fourth of the way through before being thrown back. "Again." They complied as every bone in their body ached. Once more they were forced back. "You've been genin for 5 years for god's sake! Not once have you taken the chuunin exam! You want to call yourselves shinobi?! Prove it. Again." The genin bit back groans of pain as they fought each other while moving through the course. A log came out from the dark and hit Seung, knocking her down along with Riki. Team 28 made its way back to the beginning.
"Setsuko-sama!!!" Setsuko looked over her shoulder to see Yoko, Tenshi, Kakashi, and team 7. "What are you doing?" Yoko asked. "These children-"
"Again!" Setsuko cut her off as team 28 started to try and get through the course. She turned to Yoko. "They are not children. They are shinobi. They will be treated as such." Janghoon dodged a branch before getting hit with a log. He rolled off his back and vomited before going back to the beginning.
"Setsuko, this is ridiculous!" Tenshi tried to reason with her.
"Again!" The genin started to go through the course again.
"Setsuko-neesan!" Naruto cried out in shock at her actions.
"They are my team. I decide what they will do." She scowled as they were thrown back. "Again!!!" She yelled.
"Setsuko, I insist you stop." Kakashi yelled at her. She didn't look at them. "Team 28, go inside with Tenshi." Tenshi moved forward after Kakashi spoke but Setsuko held her arm up to stop her.
"Again!!!" The team had been forced back and began once more. They only made it a few feet before being thrown back.
"Setsuko!" Kakashi yelled once more. "You have lost touch with reality. They can't keep this up! It will kill them."
"Again!" Setsuko didn't respond the people there as she watched her team get beaten back again.
"Setsuko, I am ending this." Kakashi moved to the team but was stopped.
"Iie. Please Kakashi-san," Riki coughed as he stood up and spat out blood. "we will finish this. Setsuko-sensei is our teacher. She decides for us." Janghoon nodded as Riki and Seung helped him up.
"Hai. We are Cell 28, led by Uzumaki Setsuko. She decides for our team." Seung held onto her brother's arm as she smiled grimly.
"I am willing to walking into hell bare foot if it will help my team pass this test."
"To follow Setsuko's orders blindly?" Kakashi demanded. Seung smiled at him while shaking her head.
"Iie. Our sensei has done so much. Now it is our turn. We will complete this course as a team and all other missions. We are proud shinobi of the leaf. We will work together with pride in all missions. We take pride in Setsuko-sensei teaching us. She decides for us. We are her team. She will always try and make us better. That is why we will follow her. Because she will help us. What she does is for the best of the team." Seung stumbled forward towards the starting line. "Setsuko-sensei, we are ready!" Riki and Janghoon stood next to her. Setsuko smirked at them before turning to Tenshi.
"Tenshi-chan, please take Seung, Janghoon, and Riki into the house and help care and heal them. It has been a long workout today." Setsuko turned and started to walk towards the Estate.
"Setsuko-sensei, what do you mean? I don't understand." Janghoon called after her. Setsuko stopped and turned to face him.
"This was never about finishing the course. It was about the three of you." She walked off, leaving them alone with their thoughts.