A/N: Sorry this is kind of a filler chapter but a totally cool arc is coming up! Plus Hinata's prgnant again and I'll take ideas for names of new kids (maybe even some personalities) You will like who their new sensei is tho. =P Thx for reading this far!

-SleepyFox

Chapter 16: Graduation

-Kiku

The classroom was buzzing with conversation. I sat, tensed as I waited for Ayame to return. Why is she taking so long? I thought frantically. A loud "Yes!" sounded from the other room and I knew she'd passed. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kiku Uzumaki," Iruka-sensei called out. "Good luck."

As I passed Ayame in the doorway a soft "Transformation" sounded in my ear. Not the Transformation Jutsu! It's my worst Jutsu! My knees started shaking as I stood in front of the Hokages. Calm down, Kiki, it's only the Transformation Jutsu, I tried to reassure myself.

"When you're ready, go ahead," Tsunade said in a monotone voice, the side of her face resting in her palm.

Sora? I asked timidly. Are you there? No response.

I haven't been able to feel his chakra for weeks. Where was he? I quickly formed the seals, not wanting to embarrass myself, and prayed my own chakra would be able to cut it. "Transform." The cloud of white smoke appeared around me and I did an once-over of my body. It wasn't the best transformation I've ever done but it would hopefully pass.

-----LATER

"Who do you think our sensei is going to be, Ayame-san?"

"I don't know. But I can tell you he's later than he should be, Kiki."

A loud groan sounded from next to us. "Why has everyone else met their teachers yet ours hasn't even shown up?"

"Shut up and stop complaining Yoshiro, or is that all you're good at?"

"Look who's talking, Ayame-chan." Before I knew it, she was holding his collar in her clenched fist.

"Drop it, Yoshiro."

He stuck his tongue out at her. Was he trying to get himself killed? I frantically looked around for something to distract them. "Hey, let's play a prank on whoever it is." They turned around to look at me.

"What do you have in mind, Kiki?" she asked, releasing her clenched fist.

"How about putting the eraser on top of the door so when he opens it, it will fall on his head?"

"No, that's too obvious," I told him, pondering another thought. "What if we got a bucket of water and put it on a plank above the door. If we put it at the right angle, it would drench him."

"We would have to hide it then."

"I can do that," I told them. "Yoshiro, you go find a bucket." He darted outside and came back a few seconds later.

"Here."

"Alright." I grabbed the bucket and ran to the window. I turned the tap on and filled the bucket to the brim, bringing it back inside. "Can you place this right, Yoshiro?"

"Sure," he told me, placing on top of the plank. "Do you think it will hit him?"

Ayame used her Byakugan. "Yeah, perfectly."

"Now all we have to do is wait," I said aloud to no one in particular. Was this guy really going to fall for such a cheap trick? After all, he is supposed to be a Jounin. As if to contradict me, our new sensei walked through the doorway, the bucket tipping over, and drenching him in water. The entire room burst out laughing, except for him of course. He stood there, his eyes partly closed in annoyance.

"Okay, whose cheap trick was that?" he asked.

Still giggling, Yoshiro pointed towards me. Genius.

"Kiku…" he started, taking his shoes off and dumping the water out of them.

"They were in on it too," I mumbled, crossing my arms.

He sighed. "I guess I kind of deserved that. I was late after all." What a suck-up. "Let's get out of here; follow me."

-----LATER

"I want each of you to introduce yourselves. Start with your name and go on to things you like, things you hate; dreams for the future. We'll start with you on the right."

"I don't really get it, maybe you could start by showing us an example," Yoshiro told him, obviously confused.

"Okay then. My name is Kakashi Hatake. There are a lot of things I like. As for dreams and hobbies, well, I don't really have any." A lot of help that was. All he really told us was his name.

"Okay. I'm Yoshiro Shirosaki. I don't particularly like anything and I hate a lot of things. My dream is…TO BECOME HOKAGE SOMEDAY!" He burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Yoshiro asked him.

"Nothing. You just remind me of someone. How about you in the middle?"

"Me? I'm Kiku Uzumaki. I love chrysanthemums and not just because I'm named after them. I also love sunsets and fields of wildflowers. I hate people like Yoshiro and the color periwinkle. My dream is to become a great shinobi and die heroically in battle someday. My hobbies…I like to draw and dance. I also love to figure skate."

"Nicely done, Kiku. And what about you?"

"I'm Ayame Uzumaki. I like to watch sunsets and practice Jutsus. I don't really hate anything, except Yoshiro." A groan came from next to me. I sighed. "My hobbies are to visit new places and teach others."

He smiled. "You look like someone fun to have on the team. Alright, I want you all to go home and get some rest. Tomorrow we will have our first mission."

"But everyone else has already gone on some fun adventure somewhere," Yoshiro complained. "Why do we have to wait 'til tomorrow?"

"Just shut it, Yoshiro," Ayame warned, her hand curled into a fist.

We all got ready to leave. "By the way, be sure to skip breakfast tomorrow. You'll regret it if you don't. Ta," he said before disappearing in a cloud of white smoke.

"What did he mean 'skip breakfast or you'll regret it'?" I asked, mirroring everyone's astonished looks.

"I don't know. But, judging by the fact that he's a Jounin, I'm skipping breakfast tomorrow."

"You bet," we remarked in unison.