Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Zeni and the rest of the OC characters

Chapter 2: Welcome to Team 7

Next morning, I lazily got out of my bed and headed back to the Ninja Academy. Iruka-sensei was to assign me to a team in his afternoon class. When I asked why, he told me it was because when my students from my class, the evening class, heard about what happened to my teammates, they'd freak. Imagine if I was to be assigned to a team that hated my guts because my team died.

I shivered in the early morning hours of Konoha. I hugged my jacket tighter for extra warmth, as I stumbled out of my apartment complex and onto the deserted streets of early morning. I held back a yawn as I looked at a clock, hanging on a nearby building. 6:00 A.M. I let out a sigh. Iruka-sensei wanted me to train with my new team members as soon as possible.

I didn't know what his rush was. I suppose he didn't want the news of my team to spread.

I continued to walk. I admit, I was nervous. Would my new team accept me? Would they allow me to participate and share my decisions? Would they find me inferior, since I would be an extra member? Would I be able to have a friend?

I know, it sounds corny. But, the truth is, all I want is somebody to make my shinobi training bearable. I don't want to pass by as a shell. Maybe, if I did have a friend, becoming a shinobi would be more exciting. But, in the back of my head, I doubted it. The people that were going to be on my team had their own free will and took the chance to become one. It was their own decision. Mine, however, was not.

Finally, a huge shadow loomed over me. I ignored it and went between the two doors to the Academy.

I checked inside Iruka's classroom first. He wasn't there. I sat at the nearest desk, grumbling on about when I see him, I was sure to complain. I could've slept in.

I sat there, drumming my fingers against the wood of my desk. "Bored? I thought you'd be anticipating something like this," I heard a voice behind me.

I whipped around in my seat to face Iruka-sensei. "Iruka-sensei! I didn't realize you were there!" I gasped.

Iruka smiled as the smoke around him disappeared. "You have quite an imagination for thinking up things to say to me when you are angry."

I blushed. "Forgive me."

Iruka shook it off. "No worries. I was late and you were early. Sorry to keep you waiting." He dusted his shoulders off with his hands. "Now, about your new team," he mused. "Come with me."

He walked quickly down the steps of the classroom and out the door. Curious, I followed him out.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I caught up to him.

"Into my office," he replied simply. He looked down at my face. Seeing the confusion, he went on. "My computer will randomly pick a team for you."

"Oh," I said understandably.

"Yes, here we are!" he exclaimed as we stopped at a door labeled: Umino Iruka. Iruka grabbed a key from his pocket and put it into the key hole. A tiny click was heard as it unlocked. He pushed open the door and stepped back, allowing me to go in first. I nodded a thanks and went in.

His office was tiny but sufficient. In the center of his office stood a table groaning under the many weight of papers and a computer. That was mainly it, though; there was a filing cabinet near the back which was probably the school records and two chairs.

Iruka filed in after me. "Take a seat."

I walked cautiously over to a seat and sat down.

Iruka followed suit as he sat on the chair next to his desk. "Now, Zeni. Are you sure you still want to go through with this? Your former teammates have just been killed and yet you still want to be a ninja. Am I right?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do." It was a lie, though. Just a lie. I wish that I could tell him about how I'm being forced to be a shinobi. But, I knew that if I blabbed, my mom and I would be punished by death.

Of course, my father was well known in Konohagakure. When he died, my mom told everyone he had been ambushed and killed on his way to a mission for the ANBU. And everyone believed her.

"It's your choice," he said gently.

I gulped. "I-I know. I want to go through with it."

"Then let's get started." He leaned forward as he grabbed the mouse of the computer and began clicking and pushing random buttons on the keyboard.

I sat back, minding my own business. After five minutes of nothing but the constant noises coming from the computer, I couldn't stand it anymore. "What team will I be on?" I blurted.

Iruka sat back in his chair. "Wait. Be patient. It is loading."

I bit my lower lip as the same thoughts came to me as before. Would my team like me? Would they find it unacceptable that I was going to be an extra member? Would anyone even care?

There was a small buzz that disturbed my thoughts. I looked up at Iruka-sensei. "What is it? Whose team will I be on?"

Iruka smiled. "Congratulations. You are now the fourth member of Team 7."

I blinked. "And they are?"

"Haruno Sakura. A brainy girl. One of the brightest you'll ever meet," he listed. "There's also Uchiha Sasuke. He is known as the best ninja in the Academy this year. He's quiet, though. And last, but not least, is Uzumaki Naruto. Loud, obnoxious, but a good kid at heart. And his favorite thing in the world is ramen, so never get him to start talking about that."

"I like ramen!" I said happily.

Iruka nodded. "Then I'm sure you two will make the best of friends."

"What about my sensei? Who's he? Or is it a she?" I asked excitedly.

"His name is Hatake Kakashi," Iruka stood up from his chair. "I would like you to wait in the classroom for me for a few minutes."

"Why?"

"I'm going to get your teacher and I'll discuss the situation. Go on now."

I slide out of my seat and jogged excitedly out of the office, towards Iruka-sensei's classroom. Hatake Kakashi. Haruno Sakura. Uchiha Sasuke. Uzumaki Naruto. These people seemed nice. Maybe they would help me make my becoming a shinobi bearable.

A/N: Sorry for this chapter. This was even more boring then the last one. Next one will be funnier, have more mystery, and action.

Reviewer Responses:

Neonn: Yeah, this is a lot more serious than I'm used to. I'm glad that you liked it though. Sorry about this chappie. And I'm sorry about Zeni's mom. I didn't intend for her to become freaky. But, now, I'm glad I did. Thanks for the nice comments!

BeBeBlu009: Thanks for the compliments! I am very glad you told me about the Mary Sue thing. I had no idea what a real mary sue was until I looked it up on Yahoo!. I'm don't want Zeni to become a mary sue either. She struggles in life, it isn't easy for her and she isn't the best kunochi. Thanks again!

sUmbOdi: Yeah, she was wasn't she? Thanks for feeling sorry for Zeni too. She appreciates it. Thanks for the compliments.

Kutsu: Thanks! I hope you'll like the next chappie! It's a whole lot better!

sangokirara5: Thanks for taking the time to review and for the nice compliment!

Demoneyes14: Thank you for taking up my request and reading this fic! Thanks again! And if you didn't get the review before yet, Zeni is not a character.

Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Everyone that reviews, I will thank you all at the Reviewer Responses. Thanks everyone! I hope to update soon!