Chapter 4: Graduation
"Kaa…..Kaa….Haaaa!"
"Very good Kohaku, but make sure to work on your stances," a young teacher with forest green hair and coal black eyes corrected his students mistakes before walking to the next students, "very good everyone, next we are going to practice our weaponry."
"Hai, sensei!" a chorus of voices rang out from the crowd of students, before, as one, they grabbed some kunai and shuriken and walked over to the practice logs and dummies that were scattered around the training area.
Thwack…..Thwack….Thwack
"Good work students, Mesi keep your arms straighter," the teacher walked toward the 12 year old girl straightening her arms before continuing his walk watching the students as he passed them, "Jiro, your arms need to be more relaxed!"
"Hai, Keiji-sensei!"
The teacher now known as Keiji, swiftly walked his course around all of his students a couple more times making sure to tweak their mistakes and comment on their accomplishments.
"Ok students, that is enough for today, good job!" Keiji-sensei clapped his hands signalling to his students that they are dismissed for the day. They all ran into the classroom trying to be the first one packed and out the door.
"Wait a minute class," he called out stopping the young boy as he was just taking his first step out of the door and into freedom. "Don't forget that your graduation test is tomorrow, study hard you guys!"
"Hai, sensei!" The students waited just a couple more seconds to make sure that their sensei was finished talking and with a wave of his hand they were off, trying to find out who was the first students that would make it out of the doors and into the light.
"Hey Kohaku, slow down," the young 12 year old girl named Kohaku swiftly slowed down her walk and turned her body around. Her sapphire blue eyes coming to a rest on a young male about her age with shaggy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that was running toward her.
"Hello Kiba-kun, where's Akamaru?" Just when Kohaku was asking the question a little white face popped out from under the young boy's jacket, the little dog gave a little bark as a greeting toward the young girl.
"Why hello there Akamaru," Kohaku petted the young dog in a greeting.
"Where's Yoshi?" Kiba turned his body to look behind Kohaku, "is she sleeping in your hood again?"
The girl nodded and put her finger to her lips, "yes she is so you have to be quiet!" she smiled behind her finger.
"Okay," agreed Kiba returning Kohaku's soft smile, "so are you excited for the graduation exams?"
Blue eyes suddenly looked down at the ground, "a little, I guess."
"Oh, don't be so bummed about it Kohaku-chan, you will do fine!" the young boy squatted down trying to make eye contact with the young girl.
"Ya… but I don't have all the training you have!"
"So what?" Kiba waved his hand almost like he was trying to diminish the subject, "you are still an awesome ninja and if they do not let you graduate than it is their loss!" Akamaru barked in response, "See even Akamaru agrees with me."
Kohaku let out a little giggle, "I guess your right Kiba, and I will just try my best and see what happens."
"Right," Kiba pumped his fist into the air, but the mood was interrupted when his stomach let out a low gurgling sound. Kiba's cheeks turned a light pink in embarrassment.
"I think you need some food Kiba-kun." Kohaku smiled up at him.
"You're right, I'm starving!" he put his arm on the back of his head trying to get rid of the embarrassment that was still eating him up alive.
"Then let's go home," Kohaku turned around breaking into a run, "race ya!" She called back from her shoulder wearing a grin about as big as her face, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
Kiba blinked... once... twice... three times, "hey wait a minute," he yelled, "no fair Kohaku, you got a head start!" Kohaku could only laugh, a joyous sound as Kiba continued to catch up to her yelling about how it was not fair to him at all.
Kiba continued to yell at Kohaku thinking that maybe if he yelled at her she would become so distracted that she would slow down just enough for him to catch up to her. They continued to run Kohaku always being just a couple of inches ahead of the now panting Kiba. As they got closer and closer to the gravel road that led them to their house, Kiba realized that no matter how much he tried to slow down the young girl he would never be able to beat her, just like those other times when they raced. Kohaku just seemed to have a gift for long distance running no matter how long or hard she ran she would never get tired, it annoyed and amazed the young boy. As Kiba turned the corner of their driveway he saw a sight that was very common to his eyes Kohaku sitting on the steps in front of their front door relaxing while petting the small black dog on her lap. When she saw him coming closer to the house she smiled, winked and held out the peace sign.
"It looks like I win again Kiba?"
He just smiled at her, "yes so how many wins is that now?" he approached her and stood in front of the young girl.
"Hmmm.." Kohaku faked thinking, "around 10 out of well..10," she shyly smiled at her friend.
"Heh heh you always seem to win Kohaku-chan it must be because you are so quick on your feet."
Kohaku ducked her head to hide her embarrassment, "thank you Kiba-kun," and before he could say anything else she ran inside letting the door bang shut behind her.
Kiba chuckled quietly before opening the door and following his sister inside the house the two puppies silently following behind him.
"How was school guys," a young women walked out from the doorway to the kitchen, her dark brown hair was up in a low ponytail while her apron and her face were covered in flour and sauces.
"It was good; we had a lot of training for our graduation exam tomorrow." Kohaku walked to the sofa and slowly sat down resting her muscles. Kiba walked in behind her and also sat down on the sofa beside her. Their two dogs jumped up onto their owner's laps snuggling down as they began to get petted.
"I cannot believe that you guys already have your graduation exams. I remember when I have mine, it seems like it was only yesterday."Hana tilted her head while her eyes began to mist over. Both of the children looked over at another shaking their heads immediately knowing that Hana was about to go over to the dream side.
"Nee-san," Kiba got up from the sofa slowly moving Akamaru off of his lap and onto a vacant spot on the sofa. He walked over to his sister and waved a hand over her eyes trying to snap his sister back into reality, "snap out of it nee-san you have to get back to the kitchen and the food."
Hana blinked her eyes a couple of times the mist slowly disappearing, she shook her head as reality finally snuck in. She swatted Kiba's hand away from her face, "okay okay I get it squat," Hana ruffled Kiba's hair making it even messier than it already was, "I wish you both luck on your exam tomorrow."
"Stop it nee-san," Kiba tried to move away from his sister's hand.
Hana just chuckled at her brother's antics before removing her hand from his head and walking back into the kitchen area.
SS
"Good luck today guys."
"You better graduate Kiba!"
'"I will mom!"
Hana and Tsume were standing on the porch watching the two young children walk towards their dreams.
They soon made it to the academy; walking up to the front doors and turning to each other. Sapphire eyes met chocolate.
"Good luck Kiba-kun."
"Good luck to you too Kohaku-chan."
After saying their good lucks, Kohaku turned toward the doors of the academy took a deep breath and starting to walk inside…. "Wait Kohaku-chan," Kiba's voice ran out before Kohaku felt something pull her back by the arm toward the place where Kiba was standing. Soon the something was replaced by two arms that were circling themselves around Kohaku as she found herself face first into something warm. She looked up and met warm brown eyes staring at her. Kohaku tried to jump up and away from Kiba but something kept her restrained, she looked behind her and saw Kiba's arms had encircled her waist. She met Kiba's face with her eyebrow raised.
"I-It's just a g-good luck hug," Kiba looked away from her face a small blush adorning his cheeks.
"Oh," Kohaku quietly brought her face down to hide the same blush that Kiba had growing on her face; her arms went around Kiba's side as she brought them to rest around his back. Kiba was the first one to slowly let go, Kohaku following soon after. They both just stood there awkwardly not daring to look in the other's eyes.
Brriinngg!
Both breathed a fresh breath of air, 'saved by the bell,' they both shyly looked up at each other, waved awkwardly and took their first steps into the academy each heading to different directions of the school.
SS
Kohaku was starting to breathe very heavy, her muscles screaming at her as a punishment to try and do more than she was capable of.
"Good job Kohaku-chan, nice movement," her teacher smiled at her before writing something down on the clipboard that he was holding very close to his body, away from the prying eyes of the students. "Ok, students that is the end of the weapon test, now on to the ninjutsu part of the exam."
The students lined up obediently waiting for their turn to show their sensei how much they deserve to be a ninja. Kohaku who was pushed to the front of the line was the first to go.
"Ok Kohaku, now transform into me."
"Hai…transform!"
A poof of smoke erupted in the classroom, after a couple of minutes the smoke slowly started to clear away revealing a duplicate of Keiji-sensei in the place where Kohaku was standing.
"Very good Kohaku," Keiji-sensei looked over the clone studying all the details put into the transformation, "Ok now make 2 clones of you please."
"Hai sensei," Kohaku dispelled the transformation leaving another cloud of smoke, but before the smoke could clear, another cloud of smoke was suddenly in its place, "Bunshin no jutsu." Out of the smoke stepped three identical Kohaku's each one looking just like the other one. Three pairs of shining blue eyes found the eyes of the sensei, watching as he looked over each of them slowly and carefully.
"Nice job Kohaku," he noted something down on his clipboard, sharing his notes with the other sensei standing next to him, also examining the graduation exams of their classroom. He nodded at Keiji-sensei's notes and whispered into his ear.
"Dispel," a cloud of smoke once again reappeared as the two clones puffed away leaving only the real Kohaku standing in front of the classroom.
"Congratulations, Kohaku-chan, we have decided that you have more than enough skills to fully become a genin." Keiji-sensei smiled down at the young child while the other teacher reached his hand behind his back to grab something. He pulled it out and handed it to the female.
Kohaku's eyes light up in joy as she saw what the sensei was holding out to her, a ninja headband, she slowly reached out to it, her small hand shaking nervously. She grabbed it, loving the way that it felt against her skin. "Arigato," she bowed politely to each of the senseis before turning around….and meeting 13 pairs of eyes on her.
Kohaku shivered under the gazes of her fellow students, her cheeks staining with a pink blush that was very slowly turning into a nice red. "Uh…um…" she stammered nervously as she watched each pair of eye look her up and down, trying to find anything wrong with her. After a couple of seconds the pairs of eyes watching her became to nerve wracking and Kohaku almost ran up the steps trying to get away from the glares of her classmates. When she finally reached her seat, she sighed in relief slouching down into the chair. She began to stare out the window not really paying attention to the rest of the student's skills.
SS
"..And Kohaku Uzumaki."
Kohaku's head jerked away from the window upon hearing her name being called. "Y-yes sensei."
Keiji-sensei's head turned toward the girl, "nothing Kohaku-chan, I was just telling you what teams you were being assigned to."
"Oh," Kohaku's head bent down in shame, "um...so what team am I in Keiji-sensei?" she almost whispered trying not to bring attention to herself.
Keiji-sensei sighed before again looking down at his keyboard, "Your teammates are Akira." A young boy slightly raised his hand signalling Kohaku of his presence. She turned her head to look at him; he was a very handsome boy with copper coloured hair flopping into his onyx eyes. Kohaku never really remembered seeing him before. Her sensei's voice slowly brought her back to him, "and also Kiba Inuzuka." Kohaku's eyes widened slightly, "Kiba-kun? Um...why is he in my team?"Keiji-sensei sighed once more, "Because if you were listening beforehand the other teachers and I decided to join our classes together for the teams. Please listen next time Kohaku-chan."
Kohaku's face started to heat up as the other students snickered at her silently, she slowly brought her head down trying to hide her embarrassment.
Keiji-sensei put down his clipboard – all of the teams names have already been called – and cleared his throat once more. "Now for your information, these teams have been chosen by grades. In each team there will be one very smart student, one near average, and finally one near the bottom – that way the team evens itself out." He headed towards the door, "oh and one more thing...good luck to you all." And with that said their old sensei walked out of the classroom. Immediately the class paired off into its teams.
"HI! My name is Akira. What's yours?"
Kohaku squeaked and turned around...there before her was one of her teammates. "H-hi, um, my name is Kohaku Uzumaki."
Akira smiled down at her before plopping in the seat next to her and moving quite close. "Nice to meet you Kohaku! You know you are very pretty!"
She blushed and quickly ducked her head, "um, thank you, um, Akira."
Akira was about to say something back, when the door slid open. The classroom turned quiet as Kiba walked through the door.
"Hey Kei, your team is looking for you."
A boy stood up from his seat, Kohaku noticed that he was one of the people that preferred to stay in the back of the class in the shadows. He did not have many friends, in fact as Kohaku thought about it she realized that she never saw him communicate with anyone inside the class. A young shadow slowly brought Kohaku out of her thoughts and she travelled her eyes up the person and figured out that it was Kiba standing in front of her, caught in a staring contest with the smiling Akira.
"Who are you?" Kiba asked the still smiling Akira
"Hello! My name is Akira and I am your teammate!" Akira nearly shouted at Kiba, "I hope we can become friends!" and with these words he thrust his hand out.
Kiba grimaced at the loudness of Akira's voice before slowly extending his hand to grab the other guys. But Akira didn't just shake Kiba's hand, oh no! Instead he widely moved Kiba's arm up and down until soon Kiba's entire body was shaking with the rhythm.
"Why hello again Kiba-kun," Kohaku decided to interfere before Kiba got hurt, "how did your exam go?"
Akira let Kiba go and both of the boys turned to look down at the only girl of the group, "I think I did really well Kohaku," he said slowly massaging his damaged wrist with his other hand, "I did though mess up on the shadow clones they looked healthy enough but I felt that they did not have the right amount of chakra to keep them for more than 5 seconds," Kiba dropped his head and raised his non-injured hand to rub the back of his head clearly showing his embarrassment.
"That's okay Kiba-kun, you still have lots of time to work on them, and soon I bet you will be able to do tons of shadow clones completely perfect," Kohaku smiled at Kiba trying to reassure her best friend.
"Hey! That's no fair Koha-chan, I also want to be talked nicely by you," Akira pouted and folded his arms.
Kohaku smiled at the childish actions of her new companion, "well Akira I really do not know enough about you to as you say "talk nicely to you."
"Oh…well I guess that is true," Akira's face changed as he realized the truth of the situation.
Kohaku just smiled at Akira before her eyes slightly widened and she gasped lightly, "Oh! That's right Kiba-kun can you pin on my headband for me?"
Kiba looked at his friend in confusion, "...sure I can Kohaku-chan...," he took the headband and pins from the young girl's fingertips, "were do you want me to pin it?"
"Hmmmm...oh I know...can you pin it onto my hood, but make sure that you pin it on so that when I wear my hood it is facing right-side up."
"Sure, just turn around so that I can reach your hood."
"Okay," Kohaku turned on her seat showing Kiba her white hood with black fur covering the brim. As Kiba bent down to pin on the headband Kohaku seemed to remember something, "Don't forget to not pin Yoshi she is still sleeping in there."
Kiba smiled as he bent to look into Kohaku's hood and saw two beady little green eyes staring up at him, the little animal yawned and moved her body into a more comfortable position, "Yoshi seems to love to sleep," Kiba stated as he went to work pinning Kohaku's headband onto her hood making sure not to pin the resting animal. As he worked Akamaru popped his head up from under Kiba's jacket and looked down on his sister giving a small bark of hello. Yoshi tilted her black head up to look at her brother slightly narrowing her eyes and giving him a small growl of warning before bringing her head down to once again drift away. Kiba slightly chuckled at this, "Yoshi sure likes to sleep a lot," he said as he finished his pinning and drawing himself back to his full height, "I'm done."
Kohaku turned back around, "thank you Kiba-kun," she smiled at him, "and yes it seems that I picked the laziest dog of the litter," she giggled as reached one of her hands into her hood to tenderly pet her companion.
"Wait!" said Akira, "you both have dogs?"
"Yeah...so?" Kiba asked confused by Akira's statement.
"So why do you both have ninja dogs, I thought that ninja dogs were only common to the Inuzuka family?"
"Um yes that is true Akira, you see um, well we are both from the Inuzuka family," confirmed Kohaku.
"Yes we are actually brother and sister."
Akira still looked confused, he brought his hand to scratch the top of his head, "so then why do you have the last name of Uzumaki Kohaku?"
"Oh…well about that," Kohaku struggled trying to find the right explanation, "um…you see…I...was actually adopted by the Inuzuka family when I was ten years old." Kohaku's hand subconsciously went to play with the pendant that she always wears.
'Seriously she always plays with that pendent whenever she talks about the orphanage; in fact she had it on when we adopted her. I wonder if it has some sort of special meaning. I have to ask her about that later at home?' Kiba was so lost in thought that he missed his new sensei walk into the classroom.
"Yo," was the first thing that he said as he walked into the classroom, "I am looking for my team. Is Akira Endo, Kohaku Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka here?"
Kiba felt someone lightly tap his shoulder, he shook his head to clear his thoughts before titling his head down to see Kohaku at his arm. "Our sensei is here now Kiba-kun, we have to go now." He nodded his head signing that he heard her and mouthed his thanks before following her and Akira out of the classroom. The new team followed their sensei walking straight into the woods; Kohaku looked around at their surroundings confused as to why he was leading them into the woods. She turned to her left and right sides and noticed that both of her teammates also have a confused look covering their faces. Soon they arrived in the middle of a clearing where their sensei stopped before he leant against one of the trees. He pointed toward the log in the middle, "Why don't you all sit down." The three children glanced nervously at each other before taking their seats on the fallen log. Kiba on the right side of Kohaku while Akira on the left.
Now that they finally stopped the children were able to get a good look at their new sensei. He had shoulder length brown hair and calculating matching brown eyes. He was wearing the typical Jonin outfit complete with a dark blue bandana matching the blue outfit underneath the forest green vest he was wearing. The only weird thing about him that they could figure out was the senbon he was holding in his mouth. They all stared at it confused about what it was doing in their sensei's mouth.
Kiba was the first one to break the silence, "why have you taken us here?" he asked staring at the man before them his body tensing up.
The man put a hand up to ease the younger boys' tension, "relax, I came here so that we could introduce ourselves to each other to get to know each other better."
Kiba slowly relaxed while Kohaku looked at their sensei, "um…sensei…" the man turned to the only female in the clearing, "um…so how do you want us to well…introduce ourselves."
"Well…that's start with your likes and dislikes, dreams for the future, hobbies anything around that general area." His mouth turned upward in a small smile, "so who wants to go first?"
The three children looked at each other before they turned toward their sensei this time Akira spoke up, "why don't you start sensei?"
The man in question looked toward his new students all looking at his expectantly, "oh well," he said throwing his hands into the air, "I guess that I should show you what I mean." He found a more comfortable position against the tree before clearing his throat, "my name is Shiranui Genma. I don't really know if I should tell you anything personal about myself."
"Hey! That's not fair, if we are going to tell you stuff personal to us then so should you." Akira shouted. His two teammates nodded their heads in agreement.
Genma's eyes twinkled in amusement, "Okay okay, you don't have to yell at me about it. So….I like pumpkin broth and dislike spinach," at this Genma slightly cringed, "don't know what my dreams for the future are and my hobby is traveling around the world." Genma finished and gestured toward Kiba, "why don't you take it from there."
"Oh…okay," Kiba stood up a little straighter, "my name is Kiba Inuzuka. My likes are my dog Akamaru, my mother and my two sisters," at these words he stole a glance at the girl sitting beside him and saw that she was tenderly smiling at him his cheeks became lightly stained with pink, "my dislikes are anyone who treats animals and my family cruelty, my dream for the future are to become a great ninja like my father and my hobbies are walking, training and playing with Akamaru and playing with Kohaku."
Genma nodded his head in acceptance and looked toward Kohaku signalling that it was her turn to talk, "um…well…my name is Kohaku Uzumaki, and my likes are my real and adopted family, Yoshi…and all kinds of food!" at this she smiled widely showing her teeth, "my dislikes are rude and obnoxious people, people who think they are all that and um…humans who are mean to animals and other people who different. My dream for the future well…that's my secret," Kohaku once again reached up to finger her necklace, "and my hobbies are eating, playing with my dog Yoshi and Kiba-kun."
Akira spoke up before Genma had a chance to signal his turn, "My name is Akira Endo and my likes are the academy, eating sushi and my new teammate Kohaku," the girl in question blushed a deep pink trying to hide her face with her bangs while the boy on her right side looked over her bowed head and glared at Akira, Akira was too busy continuing to notice, "my dislikes are evil people that are setting out to change the world we live in. My dream for the future is to live through the week and my hobbies are cooking and training to become a better person.
Genma smiled at his odd little team before slowly easing off of the tree and now standing in front of his new students, "well now that we have got introductions made, meet me back here early tomorrow morning," he slowly walked away, "and don't be late." And at these words their new sensei slowly walked out of the forest one hand in his pocket and the other fingering the senbon in his mouth.
"So…what do we do now?" Akira asked his new teammates looking at their faces. Suddenly a low grumbling echoed throughout the forest and the female suddenly grabbed her stomach her face becoming a cherry red in her embarrassment. Akira and Kiba both looked at the girl before looking at each other before bursting into laughter.
"Hey!" Kohaku looked at her two teammates, "don't laugh at me…it's…it's not my fault that I'm hunger."
"But you're always hunger Kohaku," Kiba stated his laughter slowly calming down.
"It's…it's still not my fault, I'm a growing child I need my food."
Akira and Kiba still just chuckled at the female before they both stood up. Kohaku looked at them with her head slightly cocked to one side wordlessly showing her confusion. Both the 12 year old boys turned to their only female teammate and wordlessly, simultaneously held out their hands to her. Kohaku looked at the boys standing in front of her, "Wha?" she asked them. They looked at each other then back at her, Kiba spoke for them, "well since you are so hungry…why don't we get something to eat?" Kohaku looked at Akira who just nodded in agreement. "Okay…but only if we go and get some ramen at Ichiraku's." Both of the boys just nodded in agreement and held their hands even further out to her. The young girl smiled at the two boys before taking each of the hands in one of her own and allowing herself to be pulled up from the log.