Chapter Three – Here we Go!

I was right about when I got home. As one of the few of the Aino clan in Konoha, my parents have many expectations of me. The clan did not exist in the original manga or anime, I don't think. I didn't watch and read everything, but I certainly tried. My kekkei genkai is telekinesis; but I don't believe it is a very powerful kekkei genkai. My parents can move small objects and at most, push people back.

I found I am capable of holding people in place if need be and even forcing some movements with their bodies. I can push and pull things, but unlike how some telekinetic people may be, I cannot fly or hover or move large objects otherwise. It's a bit of a let down, but I know I could have been clanless and had to work overtime to get a speciality.

Coming home after the day was draining. As I walked through the door, I saw my mother in the kitchen. She wiped her hands upon seeing me, a small almost not-there smile on her face. I know that while I have many expectations on me, she does as well. I don't hold it against her – she tries her best and she can be ignorant like in the case of Naruto, but I try not to hold a grudge.

"Hi Yuna, tell me how it went!" She ushered me in as I mentally prepared myself.

"It went well. I'm with a good team and with a powerful sensei." I knew that the sensei part would get her; my parents were obsessed with power and being around strong people. It may give them a sense of worth, like they're worth something or that they matter in the grand scheme of things. There aren't many Aino left, just my immediate family and my uncle. Not much of a clan, but like the Senju, we used to be.

"That's great!" She exclaimed happily although a bit quietly. She gave a genuine smile this time. "Who are your teammates? Your sensei?"

"Well, we have a survival exam tomorrow to prove we're worthy of our sensei, but I have no doubt we will pass…"

She frowned at that. "Who is your sensei?" She repeated, this time sounding a little upset. I think she was a little upset at perceived unintended slight against our family being not worthy. Because we're small, I think my parents feel we have to prove ourselves; that we need to be known and powerful to make a place in this village.

"Kakashi Hatake."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, her mouth opening slightly in surprise. "I've heard of him. He is powerful. You be sure to pass that test tomorrow." She added sternly, pointing her finger accusingly at me. "No holding back and no giving up. That's not the Aino way. You know your father will be very upset with you if you should fail." I nodded along obediently while letting my mind wander. I kept my eyes focused on her, and to anyone else I would have looked like I was paying rapt attention, but my mother knew me better. "Yuna." She pursed her lips while narrowing her eyes at me. "I'm serious. Don't let us down."

I focused on her fully. "I understand."

"Good. I need to finish dinner. Please help me." Knowing that it was not a request and I didn't have anything else to do, I followed her silently and upon seeing what she was doing, jumped in immediately into cleaning the vegetables and cutting them.

In the middle of cutting them, she turned to me. "Perhaps we shouldn't tell your father that you haven't quite made it to genin. Our secret." I agreed easily. "You never said who your teammates were, Yuna."

Uneasy, I kept my eyes on the vegetables and my hands kept steady chopping as I answered as nonchalantly as possible: "Well, Sasuke Uchiha," My mother hmm'd in apparent agreement of powerful teammates. "And Naruto Uzumaki." With that, mother swiveled on me and I could see out of the corner of my eye that she was very unhappy.

"I don't want you around that boy." I thought that was a funny comment, considering that the Hokage chose the teams. She couldn't do anything about it.

"Well, I have to be." I replied just as tensely as her. "We can't switch teams. That's how they were chosen."

"Don't spend time with him outside training and missions, Yuna."

That I would not agree with. "No. We need to learn team work and we need to learn each other to better work together and keep each other safe on missions. I will spend as much time as necessary with my teammates to become as powerful and strong as I can to protect those I care about. Besides, he's not that bad, mother." Stop listening to rumors. I hissed quietly to myself.

"Yuna, I'm your mother, you will listen to me." I dropped the cut vegetables and the knife carefully on the counter.

"I'm sorry, but that just won't work. You know that, too. We're a team now. I'm going to bed."

I ignored my mother's calls for me and decided that I'd skip supper and eat a nice breakfast tomorrow. Perhaps even bring some for Naruto and Sasuke. With that in mind, I pulled out my book again and started on my last page. Deciding things were getting too technical to me, I pulled out a notebook and began to take notes.


I awoke at 0400 the next day, sleeping on my book and notebook. I grumbled in embarrassment, but got up and got ready for the test. Slipping on the black skirt with small slits on the sides and pulling up my fishnets on my right upper thigh and left lower leg, I put my under shirt fishnet and my black short sleeved shirt. I finished my look with black gloves and pulling my long hair into a tight bun.

I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment. I brushed my hand over my uncovered soul mark on my wrist, thinking and wondering where life will take me now. I start to reach for my ribbon, but hesitate. I'm with friends. Or possible friends. Teammates. I can trust them. Besides, I cannot wear a ribbon my whole life it's a liability in fights. With that in mind, I grabbed the ribbon and dropped it into the garbage. If needed, I could use a henge – not that it'll be that good or I could use make up to cover it up.

I headed to the training grounds with some protein bars in my hands. I didn't want to wake my parents after last night and we had to eat something. I reached the training ground before the others and took a seat on the base of the tree. I pulled out my book and notebook and began to read and take notes again.

I looked up a few minutes later, seeing both Naruto and Sasuke approaching. "Hello," I said politely with a small smile. I got a nod and a grunt in response. Unperturbed, I reached into my pack and pulled out the bars. "In case you haven't eaten."

"Kakashi-sensei told us not to eat." Sasuke said tightly. While Naruto immediately reached over and grabbed one.

I turned to Naruto. "Sorry it isn't anything better, but it's better than nothing." I switch over to Sasuke and say as gently as possible: "I know he said that, but we'll be weak without food. We need nourishment to stay as strong and healthy as possible. I reached over and pushed it into his hand and he curled his hands over it. "Trust me. It's for the best."

I went back to my book and notes and we sat quietly for hours waiting for our sensei.

When he finally arrived, Sasuke informed him that he was late. I huffed a laugh at his "Sorry, I got lost on the road of life."

"I do that, too." I told him seriously. "It's easy to do. We'll forgive you."

Kakashi didn't seem quite sure about that response, but gave an eye smile and replied with a fake thank you. I nodded as if both weren't fake, accepting it.

"Now," He said, pulling out two bells, "You need to take these two bells from me before the time runs out on this clock. You need a bell to pass the test and become a genin." He said pulling out a clock and setting the timer.

I glanced down at it. "There's only two bells, sensei, and the clock has been set for an hour."

"Exactly," he replied cheerily. "One of you will be sent back to the academy, as long as two of you get a bell."

I swiveled to look Naruto in the eye. He caught mine and I knew we reached an accord. We turned to Kakashi as he put his hand on the clock. "Start!" He pressed the button.

Sasuke immediately jumped away to hide. Naruto and I took after him immediately. I looked behind us to make sure Kakashi didn't follow us. He didn't from what I could tell.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke whisper yelled at us as we approached his hiding spot. "Find somewhere else to hide."

"We can't do this alone, Sasuke-kun," I told him. "We need your help."

"I can do this without you two." He snapped back.

I shook my head at Naruto who looked to be about to say something, probably antagonizing Sasuke. I took on the role of mediator and crouched down into his spot with him. "Sasuke-kun, don't you think it's kind of funny that our teams both genin, chunin and jounin are filled with four-man squads, not three? I think Kakashi-sensei is trying to get us to fight with each other. If he was going to take on an apprentice, he would have one person, not two. Be reasonable. He needs all three of us on the team, or none at all. And I think he would be fine without all of us on the team, so we need to impress him with our teamwork so he takes all of us."

"There are only two bells." He pointed out.

I nodded. "Yes, but what better way to prove to the Hokage and the rest of Konohagakure that we are unfit to be a team when we cannot get along? We need to impress him – together."

Sasuke stared at the both of us, contemplating our offer. Finally he sighed and beckoned Naruto closer.

Naruto crouched down next to us and we began to plan.


The plan was simple. Naruto and I both knew that we didn't have to get the bells. Hell, we didn't even have to fight together, but we were going to at least try. Naruto was going to send in his kage bunshin, staying back himself to monitor the training field and see where else he can apply himself when needed. Sasuke was going to work with the clones to distract Kakashi. With my kekkei genkai, I was going to try to bring the bells towards me without him knowing, hopefully they won't make a noise. If they do, I'll have to be fast and hope Naruto and Sasuke can distract him fully.

Naruto didn't know about my kekkei genkai and I played it off to Sasuke as if we weren't very populous and not many knew of us or our kekkei genkai. He seemed to accept it with an insult sent Naruto's way, but Naruto did not push back on that other than to call him a bastard. Normal Naruto behavior.

"Go," I urged Sasuke and Naruto from behind a bush. Naruto made his clones and they and Sasuke charged. I watched as the clones toned down their fighting skills, and Sasuke made quick work of pushing Kakashi as hard as he could. The clones helped put Kakashi on the defensive while he evaded the taijutsu of Sasuke. I knew Kakashi was going easy on them, but I was hoping all it took was one hit and he wouldn't notice the slight jingle of the bells – if they jingled.

Naruto's clones dispersed quickly and he sent more in as we watched.

"Not going to join in with your teammates, Yuna-chan?" Kakashi taunted. I stayed quiet behind the bush, despite knowing he knows where I am hidden.

Naruto got a good hit in and Sasuke furthered it up with a kick and I took my chance to pull on the bells. Deciding not to be quiet about it with his heightened senses, I pulled on them quickly. Kakashi quickly realized what was happening and reached for the bells. He was stopped by a clone who sacrificed himself to get in the way. The bells sped my way and as Kakashi managed to escape Sasuke and Naruto's clones, he sped after the bells. Realizing they weren't coming fast enough, Naruto jumped out from his place beside me and rushed towards them as well.

Just barely Naruto got to them before Kakashi. As Kakashi reached him, he quickly jumped away with chakra, putting space between them.

I grinned triumphantly. "Well done, Naruto-kun and Yuna-chan, I guess you get to pass. Since there's only two bells, Sasuke-kun's going to have to go back to the academy." I saw Sasuke's face fall into anger and I quickly spoke up before Kakashi could start something among us.

"No, we worked together."

Naruto stood next to me. "We all pass or we all fail. We worked as a team and we will pass and fail as a team."

Kakashi paused for a millisecond, then eye-smiled. "I guess so. Congrats, team 7. We'll be starting missions tomorrow. Get rested and meet me back here at 0700." Naruto handed him the bells and he poofed away.

Naruto and I shared a small smile with each other, then looking at Sasuke who looked at us thoughtfully.

"Thanks for your help, Sasuke-kun. See you tomorrow!" I cheered at him. As we walked off the field, Naruto led me back to his apartment. Back to planning and getting to know each other.

As we walked, he glanced down at my wrist. "You're not covering your soul mark." He questioned.

"No, the ribbon is more a liability in battle. Perhaps I could find gloves that come a little higher. I'd rather people didn't see the mark because of the negative implications, but I trust you three."

"Already?" He asked, surprised.

"Of course." I responded. "Just because you're not the Naruto-kun I knew before, you're still him. And Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei know enough not to say anything. They keep to themselves."

I smiled at him tentatively, showing him just how honest I wanted to be with him. His eyes lit up in understanding and he gave a quick quirk of the mouth before we continued down the path to his apartment.