Chapter 4

It had been six years since the events of the short lived battle between the Mist and Konoha. Haruko had been in the shinobi academy for five years now and was the top student in her class. Many of the students in her class where jealous of her. They hated her for not being truly full blooded mist and getting as far as she had in the academy.

Only one person in her class made any effort to be friends with her. A boy named Toushi. He had short silver hair, always brushed and styled just right, with deep black eyes. He wore a red t-shirt with elbow length fishnet under the sleeves, and black shorts with knee length fishnet under them. He was a good three years older than her. No one in her class was less than that.

She walked into the crowded classroom. As soon as she closed the door they all went silent. They stared at her with anger as she went to her seat at the back of the room and sat down.

Toushi was the next to walk in with another boy named Akira. He had long shining black hair that covered his girlish face. His eyes were deep, black, and full of hatred. He wore a white shirt with extremely long sleeves; they had fishnet patches on them, and black pants.

He left Toushi's side when the got into the room and went to sit as far away from Haruko as he could. Toushi walked up the stairs and sat in the seat next to Haruko, "How're the arms today?"

She looked down at her arms, they were bandaged from her hands to above her elbows, "They're fine…" She said coldly.

"What's with the attitude?"

"Sorry…" She looked around the room, "It's just that the thought of being put into a team with any of these people…well…sucks."

"Maybe you'll get a lucky break." He smiled.

The students all rushed to their seats as their instructor walked in. He was a tall stern man with slick black hair pulled into a ponytail. His face was covered in long jagged scars, "Today you'll be taking your final tests. If you pass, you'll graduate and go on to be a shinobi." He cleared his throat loudly, "I'll call you into the back room one at a time, I hope you're all prepared." He picked up a stack of papers and called the first student back.

Haruko waited her turn. The room slowly emptied, no one returned after their tests. She was one of the last to be called in.

She walked into the back room where several instructors sat at a long table. She stood there, shifting nervously back and forth,

"So Haruko, I see your grades are top notch."

"Y-yes sir."

"Then this test should be simple for you." He cleared his throat, "Your test will be…" He pointed to a dark area of the room, "…To kill them." A huge group of 30 or so shinobi swarmed into the light. Their eyes were blank and lifeless. The instructor leaned on his hands, "Go on."

She took out a kunai and ran into the crowd, the instructors watched intently. Before they knew it she had killed them all before the first one had even hit the ground. She wiped a bit of sweat off of her forehead as they fell to the floor and turned back to the instructors.

"Very good…" He said to her a bit awe struck, "It appears the Mizukage was right about you." He picked up a headband and etched a fifth symbol into it then held it out to her, "You've earned the true assassin's mark, and graduated." He tossed it to her and she caught it, "You'll be put into a team and go on your first mission this afternoon, please prepare." She nodded and walked out.

She went out into the rare sunlight, tying her headband around her neck. She quickly found Toushi, he was wearing his on his head, but just a little off center, "You graduated, nice job." He said smiling. She leaned back against a tree, "And now to find out which of these jerks is on my team."

- - - -

After they had all eaten lunch their instructor walked out and looked over the group, "We have decided upon the teams. After I name them off you are to meet with your sensei to discuss your first mission." He lifted his clip board and began to list off the teams.

She ignored him until she heard her name called, "Team six: Haruko, Toushi, and Akira…"

A chill went up her spine. Toushi glanced at her, "Sorry Haruko, I'll try to keep him under control." Akira walked over to them, his eyes piercing through Haruko, "I never wanted to be teamed up with you, but I'll deal with that later." He smiled, a frightening smile, his girlish features stuck out a lot more when he did this, "We have a mission."

They wandered around a little until they came across the man that was supposed to be their sensei. He stood leaning on a tree reading a small book. He wore a black sweater with black pants, there was wrapping around his left leg. He had short brown hair covered by a bandana headband. His blue eyes sped over the pages of the book; two long jagged scars traced his cheek.

He noticed them standing there and looked up over his book, "You're my team are you?" He put his book away, "I'm your sensei, Niku." He growled, "I won't go easy on the three of you, I hope you know that." He stopped when he saw Haruko's headband, "You're an assassin, hm?" He paused, "How old are you?"

"E-eight, sensei." He put his finger on the assassin mark and pushed her down, "You're no assassin." Akira laughed so hard he started choking and Toushi jabbed him in the ribs. Haruko struggled back to her feet. Niku cleared his throat, "Now, we have a mission, lets go."

- - - -

The next chapter is the last jump in time before the story really gets going. So yeah.