Chapter 3: The Test Part 2

The small group of Genin were back where they started. Although Naruto was tied up to a stump grumbling to himself. Turns out Naruto tried to eat lunch without everyone and got caught in the process.

Sasuke and Sakura sat beside the stump. Sakura looked rather pale and kept glancing at Sasuke to make sure he was real. Sasuke was miffed that he was bested. Dirt still clung to his clothes and was stuck under his nails where he had to claw his way out. He desperately needed a shower now hating this feeling of dirt in places it really shouldn't be.

Kira sat leaning against Naruto waiting for her brother to speak. Team seven failed the assignment. She was just waiting for the lecture to come.

"Wow…" Kakashi looked over everyone in his team, he wasn't proud, but what was he to expect. No one has ever passed his test before. "You guys look really hungry." Kakashi mocked watching the teens reactions when it comes to food. "Well, there's no need for you guys to go back to the Academy…" That perked up three teens ears.

"Yep, all four of you should quit as ninja's!" the daughter of Konoha's White Fang would never quit as a ninja. Her father and Kakashi would expect more from her. Kakashi had to be baiting everyone because she knew she had what it takes to be a ninja.

"QUIT AS NINJAS?! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!" Naruto's shout rang through the gray-haired girl's ear. Shock and rage evident in his tone.

"Okay, okay, we couldn't get the bells, but why do we have to quit?" Sakura asked. They messed up one test and they should quit? That wasn't fair!

"Because all of you are just punks who don't deserve to be ninja's."

Sasuke sprang to his feet he would not stand being called a punk. Not by this man. Sasuke was quick to sprint toward Kakashi. "SASUKE!" Sakura's cry of shock rang through the clearing as she shielded her eyes in fear.

In less than a second Sasuke was pinned to the ground, Kakashi sitting on top of Sasuke with a foot on his head. If you blinked, you'd miss it. Kakashi was fast like that.

"That's why you're a punk." Kakashi stated. "Are you guys underestimating ninja's? Huh? Why do you think you were divided into teams and are doing this training?" Kakashi grew one of his mean faces to scare off anyone who came near them. He glared down at his students like they were pathetic. Kira felt a form of panic rise through her. She's seen that look a few times and hated the outcome.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Sakura asked dumbly. She never used her head. Naruto had this look of confusion.

"You guys aren't understanding the answer to this test." Kakashi sighed shaking his head. A headache was already spreading through his skull.

"Answer?" Naruto asked utterly confused. He didn't understand what Kakashi was talking about.

"Yes, the answer that helps you pass this test."

"So…are you going to tell us?" Sakura questions staring up at him expectantly.

"Geez…" He really wanted them to figure it out on their own. It was simple. They shouldn't be this stupid. Kakashi looked at Kira waiting for her to answer but she just stared at her feet. Refusing to look up at him.

"AGH! DAMN IT! WHATS THE ANSWER ALREADY?!" Naruto couldn't handle this anymore. How were they supposed to learn when he wouldn't tell them!

"Teamwork." Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto stared at the girl hugging her knee's. Her eyes trained on the ground. "It's teamwork." Her voice was sharp, she just wanted this to be over with.

Kakashi nodded. He hated watching his sister act this way, but she wasn't willing to help her team when she should have. He also knew she was holding back. He would know, after training her from the age of four he knows how far she can push herself right now. She could have been like him. Graduate the academy early on, join a team, work her way up to ANBU. But she chose to stay behind. To be with Naruto.

Naruto would never understand the sacrifices his sister went through in order to be with him.

"Huh?" two voices called out. Sasuke grumbled under Kakashi's foot. He couldn't move, and he was making him look like an idiot in front of Kira. He hated this! He hated looking like a fool in front of his crush. Now she'd think he was pathetic.

"The four of you working together may have gotten you the bells." Kakashi stated.

"Hey, wait a second, what do you mean by teamwork? There are only three bells! Even if we had worked together and got the bells, one of us would still fail. What teamwork? That just makes us fight each other!" Sakura shouted. How could anyone win that way?!

"Of course! This test was purposely set up to make you fight amongst yourselves!" Kakashi explained. "The purpose is to see whether you can forget about your own interests and successfully work together under these designed circumstances." Kakashi sighed slumped his shoulders. They still weren't getting it.

"Yet you guys…" Kakashi looked over at Sakura. "Sakura, instead of helping Naruto, who was right in front of you…you were only thinking about Sasuke, who was far away. Naruto! You were just running around by yourself…Sasuke! You just assumed the others would get in your way and tried to do everything yourself. Kira you didn't even call for your comrades. You let them get a head start. You can't do that out in battle without it costing you your life."

Of course, she knew that, if you didn't know the enemy and you underestimated him, you could lose the battle and life.

The kids glance at one another before looking back at Kakashi. "The team does the duties. Of course, superior individuality is important to a ninja, but what's even more important is 'teamwork'. Individual play that disrupts the team can put your comrades in danger, and get you killed. For example," Kakashi reaches into his pouch and pulled out a very sharp kunai.

"Sakura, kill Naruto! Or Sasuke dies!" Kakashi shouted while placing a kunai near Sasuke's neck.

"WHAT?!" Sakura and Naruto yelled. Naruto's eyes almost popped out of his head while Sakura was staring at the weapon, trying to think of a way to get out of this situation and save Sasuke. Though she was looking at the Kunai longer than one should before refusing. She was actually considering it. Kira let out a growl glaring at the pink haired girl gripping her kunai at her side. If she even tried anything then she'd pay.

"You see? If a hostage is taken, you will have tough choices and then die. You will be risking your lives in these duties." Kakashi finally released Sasuke before walking away towards a black stone carved with names.

"Look at this. The numerous names carved on this stone. These are ninja's who are recognized as heros of the village." Kakashi said softly.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey! I've decided to get my name carved on that stone too! Hero! Hero! That's what I'll become." Naruto shouted before he got hit in the head by Sasuke.

"You wouldn't want that Naru," Kira whispered softly. He stared at her confused. Kira's eyes were glued to the stone. She knew what it was. Kakashi had taken her to it many times, hearing Naruto say those words about wanting to be on the stone, it broke her heart. She never wanted to see his name on it.

"But these aren't just any normal heroes…" Kakashi continued.

"Oh yeah? Then what kind are they?" Naruto asked almost questioning his intelligence.

"They're the heroes who died while on duty…"

The kids faces fell as they look back at the stone. So many names carved on that stone. So many lives lost. They were heroes. They did what they could to protect the village and they died doing so.

"This is a memorial. My best friend's name is also carved here…"

The four glance at one another not sure what to say. This was a possibility they all had to face. There was no denying it. Death could and would be their best friends if they weren't careful.

"Okay." Everyone brought their full attention back to Kakashi. "I have to turn in a mission report now. You guys can start eating and wait till I get back. But, you're not aloud to feed Naruto. Understand?" He left before he could be questioned.

"He, he, guys don't worry about me. I'll be fine, just continue eating your lunch." Naruto said trying to be convincing. His stomach roared loudly saying the complete opposite. "Don't mind me, I'll be fine."

Sakura ignored Naruto's hunger and grabbed the boxes of food. Kira sliced her kunai through the ropes watching as Naruto rubbed his arms now that they were finally free.

"What are you doing?! Kakashi put him there for a reason!" Sakura scolded.

"I don't care why he was put there." Kira grabbed her lunch from Sakura before she could pull it away and placed it in Naruto's hands.

"But Kakashi just said…"

"I know what he said!" Kira barked clenching her fists. Naruto stared at his friend surprised. She could get in some serious trouble just doing this. "You have to eat Naruto, I'm guessing you didn't eat last night because you were really excited for today."

Naruto laughed nervously confirming her suspicions. "Take half of mine. It'll get your strength up." Naruto felt lucky to have her as a friend, she cared about him more than anyone else in the village and welcomed him into her home with open arms. She knew him so well that he wasn't even able to hide that he forgot to eat last night.

"You would. If it was one of us tied to that post you wouldn't even lift a finger." Sakura muttered under her breath. She hated Kira more than anything. She didn't expect anyone to hear her though.

"Believe what you want Sakura but if you were starving and trying to fake it that you were fine I'd have cut you down too." Sakura let out a scoff not believing her in the slightest. "We might be able to change Kakashi's mind. We have to work together as a team though." She hated the idea of working with Sakura. Sakura was loud, whiny, and annoying but if there was any other way to beat this test they had to work together.

"For the sake of missions do you think we can put aside our differences?"

Naruto nodded "As much as I hate Sasuke-teme I'm willing to put it aside for the sake of the team." he said sounding very mature something Sakura wasn't used to seeing.

"Tch, fine." That was as good as anyone could get. Sasuke found listening to Kira take charge of their flimsy team quite enjoyable. He liked this side of her.

Sakura was the only one left to agree. The entire group was watching and waiting for her to make her decision. "Fine. I won't like it but I'm in." Both girls shook hands on it. "Just don't expect me to suddenly start liking you or anything."

"The feelings mutual."

"We'll trust each other and help one another out when we need it." Sasuke called making sure everyone in the group was one hundred percent ready.

"Right." Everyone agreed so it was time to eat.

A rumbling of the ground, leaves swirling around and an angry looking Kakashi appeared in front of the quartet. "YOU…" Naruto and Sakura let out a scream of fear. They disobeyed Kakashi's orders and knew he was going to punish them!"...passed."

Everyone and I mean everyone stared at Kakashi confused.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Pass? But why?"

"You guys are the first to pass my test. Everyone else that was before you just listened to what I told them. They were all just morons." Kakashi explained. He was happy. You could tell by the tone of calmness and not killing them.

"A ninja must see underneath the underneath..." he started. "Those who break the rules and codes of the ninja world are called trash...but you know what? Those who don't take care of their comrades are lower than trash." Kakashi finished.

"He's so cool!"

"We passed! We passed! I can stay with Sasuke!"

"You all did good today. Putting aside your differences for the team. This is the beginning of a great team." Kakashi said making Sakura and Naruto laugh.

"You sound so cheesy! Why can't you be a normal brother and be cool for once?" Kira whined.

Kakashi wrapped his arm around his sister. Hopefully everyone will be friends and not be at each others throats. It really was a start to a great team.