Disclaimer: I don't own this.

Ch. 9

As Naruto avoided the kunai, which he was positive had been aimed at his head; he idly wondered just how the hell he had found himself in this situation. As if the day hadn't started suckily enough, what with Sasuke being put with a group of nobodies. How the hell had that even happened? First off, Sasuke had, throughout their time at the academy, consistently been in the top nine. Sure he was an orphan, but he was on speaking terms with the Hokage. Besides that he was Naruto Namikaze's best friend. There was no way he shouldn't have made it into the elites. How the hell had it happened?

He'd been put with some no-name jounin and some no-name genin teammates. It wasn't fair! He was supposed to be with Naruto. They were supposed to be a team together! It wasn't right! Was this some sick punishment for daring to mess with the ninja system? Ami's family was powerful in the civilian district and Naruto was a Namikaze so they were pretty much untouchable. But Sasuke was a random orphan of no importance. He could definitely be used to set an example for those who dared to go against the system.

At the very least, what should have happened was he should have been put on a team with Sakura and the tenth place classmate. However, Sakura had mysteriously disappeared immediately after lunch. Even Ino hadn't seen heads or tails of her. And her name hadn't even been called for any of the teams. What was going on? Where was Sakura? And more importantly why wasn't Sasuke in an elite team? He clearly had the skills and even the Hokage knew it. Why was he being sent to the corps?

Ami had been extraordinarily pissed about it. After Sasuke stormed out during lunch she'd refused to even acknowledge Hibachi's presence. She kept insisting that Sasuke was meant to be the third member of their team and that there'd just been some sort of mistake made. Hibachi hadn't taken that too well.

When they returned from lunch he sat on the opposite side of the room as Ami. He glared at her the whole time, but she didn't even notice. Instead, she was too busy watching Sasuke with concern. That, of course, only served to make Hibachi angrier.

It was only when Sarutobi Asuma stepped forward to collect team 10 that Hibachi turned his attention to the front.

"Hey! Wait… what about team seven?" he questioned. The jounin merely shook their heads in amusement. A couple even dared to laugh.

Asuma glanced at Hibachi before shaking his head in dismay and saying, "Sorry, kid, but you'll probably be waiting a while." He then ushered a bored looking Shikamaru, nervous Chouji, and pumped up Ino out of the room.

XXX XXX XXX

Thirty minutes had passed since the last jounin sensei had taken their team out of the room and Naruto was beginning to feel antsy. The atmosphere in the room certainly didn't help. With Sasuke no longer in the room to distract Ami, she and Hibachi had begun a glaring contest of epic proportions. Just looking at the two of them, made Naruto flinch.

In an effort to ease up tensions he began talking, "Uhhhh Kakashi is always late, you know? Maybe we should play a game while we wait?" he questioned.

The look Ami gave him froze him in his tracks. Okay. That had been a bad suggestion. Now what? If Naruto spent any more time in this room with the two of them glaring daggers at each other he thought he might faint. It was beginning to get difficult to breathe. Naruto started taking deeper and deeper breaths. Black dots were beginning to enter his vision. He needed to get out of here!

Ami gave him a strange look before suggesting, "Why don't we just leave and come back? If he's always as late as you claim he is, then we'll be back before he even arrives."

Naruto stared at her for a moment. A way to leave the stifling classroom!

"Sure!" he eagerly told her.

"Are you two idiots? We can't just leave! What if he shows up while we're gone?" Hibachi questioned angrily.

Ami sniffed at him before telling him in a superior tone, "No one invited you. If you don't want to come, you don't have to."

Hibachi stared at her in astonishment and anger as she got up to leave. She beckoned a reluctant Naruto to come with before departing. Naruto looked at Hibachi and then at the departing Ami. He looked conflicted for a moment before giving a pleading look asking for forgiveness to Hibachi, and then following after the purple haired girl.

For awhile Hibachi sat in his chair in the classroom all alone. He didn't know what to do. Should he stay here by himself or go with his teammates? He sat in thought before angrily cursing. There was no way in hell he was going to sit here for hours by himself waiting for his stupid sensei to show up while they were off having fun.

"Hey! Wait up! I'm coming, too," he shouted down the hallway to Naruto and Ami.

XXX XXX XXX

Naruto, Ami, and Hibachi found themselves at the market district shopping in a slightly bored manner. Ami was still ignoring Hibachi. She directed all her questions and conversation at Naruto, who awkwardly attempted to talk to both of them. He was failing miserably, of course, and their shopping expedition was devolving into a cold terse silence. Naruto was beginning to regret the decision to leave the classroom. In fact, outside of the classroom, it seemed Ami and Hibachi were even nastier to each other.

"You know Naruto; don't you think that wearing head coverings is so cliché?" Ami asked in a bored tone. It was clearly a pointed attack at the grey handkerchief Hibachi always wore to cover his grayish brown hair. Naruto chose to say nothing as Hibachi's blue eyes narrowed angrily.

With a calm tone he turned to Naruto and said, "Girls with hair colors like purple are idiots. I mean everyone knows it's not natural. So why bother? What a fake, you know?"

Again Naruto chose to say nothing. He wasn't quite sure what the proper response to that was. Instead he chose to walk in between the two of them to make sure a fight wouldn't break out. It didn't stop them from glaring at each other over Naruto's head. They continued walking in an awkward silence. Naruto kind of wished the ground would just swallow him up.

"Yo. What cute little genin you guys are," a voice said behind them. All three genin froze before spinning around to stare at the intruder. He waved at them slightly with his right hand. In the other hand he held a little red book that he had open to a random page.

Naruto knew his mouth was hanging open in shock. All he could get out was a pathetic, "Ka… Kakashi-sensei."

Meanwhile Ami and Hibachi were looking just as horrified.

"Being late on the first day," Kakashi said shaking his head in mock disappointment before continuing, "I'll guess I'll just have to fail you cute little genin."

He smiled with his one visible eye as if he hadn't just threatened to destroy their very lives and futures. Naruto and Ami could only stare at him in a strange mix of horror and shock. They were screwed, so screwed. Hibachi, however, was already trying to dig himself out of this.

"This isn't what it looks like at all sensei!" he claimed, "I was trying to stop them from leaving! I really was! They wouldn't listen to me at all. They just kept insisting on going, but I told them we should wait for sensei. I really did! I was trying to get them to return to the classroom, just now. I promise!"

Ami visibly spun to stare at Hibachi in shock. The little fucker was throwing Naruto and her under the fucking bus. What the hell? She was going to kill him, mash his bones into dust, and tear his skin to shreds. Once she was done with him he'd wish he'd never been born. As she planned Hibachi's excruciating death, Naruto nervously rubbed the back of his hair before attempting to placate Kakashi-sensei.

"You can't really fail us, can you?" he begged, "You're late to everything yourself. Wouldn't it be hypocritical? We're just taking after our sensei, after all," Naruto attempted to reason.

Kakashi gave a perverted like giggle that disturbed all three genin a little before saying, "Well… I guess I'll give you one more chance before I fail you. Meet me at the third training ground in an hour."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief along with Ami and Hibachi. Before leaving Kakashi turned to the team and said, "Oh… and don't be late."

He then disappeared in a pile of leaves leaving the three genin behind. Immediately Hibachi angrily rounded on the other two.

"I told you we shouldn't have left the classroom! Look what happened! This is all your fault," he argued before leaving in a huff. Both Naruto and Ami watched him leave with Ami muttering good riddance. She then turned to Naruto to begin planning their strategy to ace the test.

XXX XXX XXX

After arriving fifteen minutes early to the assigned training area the poor genin were forced to wait an hour and a half for Kakashi sensei to deign to show up. Naruto thought rather moodily that if they'd dared to show up late Kakashi would have shown up on time. Evil asshole. Naruto and Ami used the time to further discuss their strategy while Hibachi sat away from them ignoring their existence.

"The test is easy. I have two bells. There are three of you. Whoever does not have a bell after three hours will fail and be sent back to the academy. They will also not be allowed any dinner and be tied to that stump" Kakashi informed the genin. At that point all three genins' stomach rumbled. They hadn't eaten since lunch, after all.

Ami smirked. This test would be too easy. She and Naruto would work together to steal the bells from Kakashi. In the end, stupid Hibachi would be the only one without a bell. That might actually allow Sasuke to join their team after Hibachi failed.

"Come at me with the intent to kill," Kakashi claimed in a bored tone, "Begin!"

All three genin immediately disappeared. Both Ami and Naruto regrouped and began discussing a plan.

Hibachi revealed himself to Kakashi first. He started by throwing shuriken, but instead of looking alarmed Kakashi merely ignored him and pulled out his little red book from earlier. Hibachi's face narrowed into one of anger at being ignored so readily and he charged in recklessly. Kakashi seemed bored and readily defeated the young challenger without even looking up from his book.

Every kick and punch Hibachi threw was readily blocked without any effort it seemed. Smartly the brown haired boy decided to retreat. Kakashi merely yawned before asking, "Is that all you got?"

As Hibachi retreated back into the shrubbery Ami released a small genjutsu. It wouldn't do much, but it changed the enemies' perception slightly. It would cause Kakashi to believe she and Naruto were slightly farther to the left then they actually were thus leaving him full of openings in a taijutsu fight. Or at least in theory that was what it was supposed to do.

Yet, when Naruto jumped towards Kakashi with a drop kick it didn't land. Instead Kakashi blocked it before throwing Naruto back. He then went to follow with a punch to Naruto's face but Naruto wisely kawarmid with a log to escape. Clearly Kakashi had already canceled the low level genjutsu.

Ami didn't let it bother her. Instead she jumped forward and threw three kunai straight for Kakashi. However, they all missed. Kakashi looked at her with a slightly confused expression before Ami expertly pulled on the wire she had been hiding in her hand. The three kunai which had passed Kakashi shot backwards towards him cutting him into pieces.

For a moment, Ami stared at her sensei in horror thinking she had actually killed him before Naruto shouted, "Watch out! It's a trap! He just body flickered."

The warning came too late. Kakashi appeared behind Ami and whispered slightly, "You should never let your enemy get behind you."

He then punched her in the back sending her flying. With a burst of speed Naruto managed to catch her. They regained their footing and stared at Kakashi wondering exactly what the hell they should do. It was becoming increasingly obvious that they were way out of their league. Kakashi hadn't even glanced up from his book once.

With a nod of acknowledgement they both created bunshins before taking off to flank Kakashi who looked up with slight interest. As the illusions attempted to deceive Kakashi, Naruto clapped his hands together before yelling, "Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

Ami who had been standing behind him released multiple projectiles into the wind Naruto had created as planned. Due to the gale Naruto had created, the weapons were released at a rate difficult to follow much less dodge. For the first time during the fight Kakashi looked up from his book. Yet, he still dodged with no difficulty.

At this point, though, they'd expected that and Naruto had already created a bunshin which immediately henged into Ami. It was only an illusion, but hopefully Kakashi wouldn't notice.

The real Ami, using the wind as a cover, formed a seal before muttering, "Earth style: Headhunter Jutsu."

She then proceeded to disappear underground. Hoping Kakashi hadn't noticed, Naruto attacked him head on as a distraction while bunshin Ami hung back, so her status as an illusion wouldn't be revealed.

Kakashi fought off Naruto's attacks with bored indifference, before out of nowhere, Ami grabbed his legs from underground. Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise and in that moment Naruto lunged for the bells with all his might.

The area dissolved in a spray of smoke. Naruto began cursing viciously. He'd missed the bells! When the smoke cleared it revealed two Amis both who stared at each other in shock. Clearly one was fake, but as they began fighting, Naruto for the life of him could not figure out which one it was.

He couldn't help one side because he didn't know which side was his! What was he supposed to do? He didn't want to hurt Ami. Hibachi, however, didn't have that problem. Seeing that Kakashi sensei was clearly distracted by his fight with Ami and getting Naruto's wind hurled at him, he took the chance to enter the scene by fighting both Ami.

As the three fought Hibachi went to punch one of the Ami. However, she jumped out of the way and Hibachi's off balance punch hit the other Ami instead, knocking her out. Naruto swore and even Hibachi looked a little surprised, his eyes widening in astonishment. He'd hit the actual Ami. And Kakashi sensei had disappeared.

Naruto took the real Ami and retreated back into the trees quickly. It didn't take too long for her to come back to her senses. She was pretty pissed.

"That asshole! I'm supposed to be his teammate!" she complained. Naruto nodded before going back to discussing tactics on how exactly to beat Kakashi sensei. Ami, however, ignored him.

"It's impossible! We can't beat him. Not at least at our level," she told him angrily before continuing, "I wonder what Sasuke would do?"

For a moment they sat in gloomy silence before Naruto's eyes widened and he asked Ami curiously, "Hey… what would we do if Sasuke was on our team? Only two of us would be able to pass…"

"Don't be stupid! We'd make Kakashi pass all three of us as a team. There's a reason they put you in groups of three, you know!" Ami interrupted. For a moment they stared at each other before both their eyes widened as an idea hit them both at the same time.

Naruto asked, "Hey you don't think...," before continuing, "Groups are done in threes. They wouldn't pass only two of us. It would be all or none."

Ami stared at him with dawning horror in her eyes before angrily muttering, "Yet there's only two bells. He's dividing us on purpose. So, what are we supposed to do?"

Naruto looked just as conflicted. What the hell where they supposed to do now? Luckily the answer practically fell right into their lap. A ragged Hibachi appeared in their little clearing.

"I finally found you! I need your help. I can't beat him by myself," Hibachi irritably admitted to the other two genin, "And you can't beat him without me. We need to work together."

Ami nodded reluctantly before admitting, "We're a team for a reason. We should work together."

She then snarkily added, "Even if I don't like you…"

"As a team we shouldn't have let one conflict get in the way. We should have worked together from the get go," Naruto claimed, "Don't you see? That's the point of this test! To prove that even when you face adversity and tough conditions you'll still work together. That's what Konoha is all about; teamwork!"

For a moment Ami and Hibachi stared at him before they both nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad my cute little genin could figure that out," Kakashi interrupted causing the three genin to jump up in surprise. "I suppose this means you…" he drew out the pause causing the genin to stare at him with wide eyes before he said, "pass."

Ami, Naruto, and even Hibachi shared a smirk before Naruto jumped up and shouted, "Yatta boy! We're official genin! Let's go eat!"

XXX XXX XXX

Ino sat on the roof of the flower shop her family owned with Ami discussing the difference tests they'd taken the day before. They were trying to determine which one had been harder. Of course, Ami was convinced hers had been more difficult while Ino was equally sure hers had been the harder one. Eventually reaching a stale mate Ami mentioned what had been bugging her since she'd officially passed her genin test the day before.

"I wonder how Sasuke did. I hope he passed," she muttered nervously.

Ino nodded before saying confidently, "I'm sure he did!"

But there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice as she said it and Ami merely nodded gloomily. Ino glanced miserably down at the street.

"I wonder where Sakura is… What happened to her?" she questioned unhappily. Ami shrugged before sighing.

"Her name wasn't even called for a team," Ino continued, "And then she just disappeared. It was so strange…"

Ami nodded before her eyes widened and she shook Ino before pointing down at the street, "Look! It's Sakura! Sakura! Sakura! Come here!" she called.

The pink haired girl had been walking down the street dejectedly hardly paying attention to where she'd been going. When she heard Ami's voice she looked up in surprise before stopping and blinking. Slowly she made her way up to the roof of the flower shop. When she finally arrived Ino peppered her with questions about where she'd been and what had happened, but Sakura just ignored her. It was a little disturbing.

Instead Sakura asked them, "Why are we ninja?"

Both Ami and Ino stared at her in surprise and confusion before Ami sputtered out a, "What?"

Sakura looked at the two of them in an annoyed fashion before saying, "I'm serious. Why are you guys ninja?"

They both stared at her in silence. It took awhile for either of them to answer. They sat in silence thinking about it. As young kunoichi they had never really even though about it. They just were ninja.

"Well…" Ino finally said after lots of thought, "I'm a ninja because my family is all ninja. I've been expected to be a ninja my whole life. I guess I'm a ninja because it's my birth right, my job to protect Konoha and everything it stands for," Ino concluded. Sakura nodded after a moment.

She waited for Ami to answer, but Ami remained dead silent so Sakura said, "I don't know why I'm a ninja," she glanced at Ino before continuing, "I just followed you into it because you were my best friend. I didn't have a real reason."

They were quiet for awhile before Ami finally said, "I think everyone becomes a ninja for different reasons. I guess you have to come up with your own reason to become a ninja. Ino's is to protect Konoha, and I guess my reason is to protect my family. I want to be able to defend them from an attack. I think you have to figure out your own reason, Sakura."

Sakura nodded seriously before saying, "I have really good chakra control, so I'm being trained to be a medical ninja… or I was supposed to be. That's why I wasn't given a team. I was supposed to be trained under Lady Tsunade. But she asked me why I was a ninja and I couldn't tell her."

For a while they fell silent again. Ino and Ami said nothing waiting for Sakura to continue.

After faltering for a moment Sakura finally said, "She said if I didn't know why I was a ninja, then I shouldn't be one. She said I didn't have the conviction to be a ninja if I couldn't even tell her why I was a ninja. She told me not to bother coming back until I could figure out why exactly I want to be a ninja especially a medical ninja."

For a moment none of the girls said anything. Then Ino grabbed Sakura's arm and claimed, "Don't worry, Sakura! I'm sure you'll figure out why you want to be a ninja eventually! In the mean time why don't we hunt down the people in our grade and figure out what their reasons are! No problem!"

Ami nodded as well before saying, "We can start by asking my team! C'mon! Let's go!"

XXX XXX XXX

"This wasn't part of the deal! I was supposed to get three elites… not one wishy washy brat who doesn't have the guts to be a real ninja!" Tsunade complained to the third. The Sandaime massaged his temples. Dealing with any of his former students always led to some form of a headache.

"I've already told you that none of the other students were suited to be medical ninja. They either didn't have the chakra control needed or they came from a clan. Sakura has practically perfect chakra control and is a motivated bright student. I don't understand what you can complain about," Sarutobi told her.

Tsunade grunted in annoyance before crossing her hands over her chest and saying in annoyance, "She doesn't even know why she's a ninja for kami's sake. I don't want to teach her!"

The third glanced at her, "You were the one who was begging for elites to train, Tsunade. She's young. Give her time. Guide her in the right direction. I'm sure under your tutelage she can become something great. I'm sure one day she will come to understand and embrace the will of fire."

Tsunade grumbled slightly and glanced around the third's office in annoyance.

"I don't know why I let that brat drag me back to this god forsaken place," she complained bitterly. The Sandaime laughed lightly. Tsunade wasn't, after all, being serious.

After Kushina's forced leave or as she liked to think of it, vacation time, he had decided it was high time Tsunade returned from her retirement. They finally had the peace that had seemed impossible back during the Second Shinobi War and Tsunade's idea of a medical corps had become a realistic possibility. However, getting Tsunade to return had seemed like an impossibility in itself. That is until Kushina had volunteered.

It had been Kushina's die hard insistence and belief in the Hokage's position that had finally convinced Tsunade to return, that, and the offer to pay off all her gambling debts. She had, of course, used Jiraiya to find the otherwise impossible to locate Tsunade. But it had taken more than that to get Tsunade to return. Luckily Kushina had always been one of those people whose refusal to give up could out last even Tsunade's stubborn streak. There was also the fact that Tsunade's dream of a medical corps was a real possibility. However, Kushina made Tsunade excruciatingly aware that such a project could not come to fruition unless Tsunade herself ran it.

In the end Tsunade had decided despite her misgivings to officially return to Konoha. Upon her return the Sandaime had begun picking out ninja suited for medical jutsu and sending them to be trained by Tsunade to become part of the medical corps. However, most if not all of these ninja came from the ninja corps. So, Tsunade had insisted on a group of three elite genin to train. Instead, she had gotten Sakura. She was pissed to say the least.

However, Tsunade's visit was interrupted by the timely arrival of Uchiha Shisui reporting back from his latest mission. For a moment Shisui seemed uncertain if he should come into the room but the Sandaime waved him in anyways. It was a clear indication to Tsunade that their conversation was over. She huffed in annoyance before leaving angrily muttering about perverted old men who didn't understand the importance of medical jutsu. The Sandaime dutifully ignored her.

XXX XXX XXX

It had taken Naruto a full two days to locate and find the elusive Sasuke. He had found out from his mom that Sasuke had passed his test and come to see Naruto after passing, which Naruto thought was a little suspicious. Sasuke never voluntarily went to see him. In fact, it was Naruto who always hunted down Sasuke.

Due to that Naruto was well aware of Sasuke's normal haunts. Yet, he couldn't find Sasuke in any of them. It was beginning to creep him out a little truth be told. Ami was worried, as well. So today, they'd left their respective houses bright and early to drop by Sasuke's place hoping he'd be in.

He was. And surprisingly when he answered the door he was already actually dressed and ready. Ami and Naruto could only stare at him in shock.

Finally Ami said, "You're actually dressed… and up. You know what time it is, right Sasuke? You're not sick are you?"

She sounded really concerned and everything. Sasuke wasn't a morning person. And it was really early. Ami could stop by four hours later than now and normally Sasuke would complain about her waking him. She actually used to do it just for kicks.

But this Sasuke looked awful. He looked tired. His pale face looked paler, if that were possible, and dark bags were visible below his black eyes. He was slouching, too, which made him look even more exhausted.

"My sensei is evil," is all he said as he ushered them into his apartment, "I have to meet my team in a half hour at training ground five."

"Wow! That's really early. Our sensei is nothing like that!" Naruto told him in surprise.

Ami gloomily nodded in agreement before saying, "Our sensei doesn't show up until like noon. I don't think we've done anything at all this week. Just one or two D-rank. He's such a lazy ass."

Sasuke merely shrugged moodily. He didn't seem too interested in conversation. Instead, he wandered around his kitchen sluggishly making himself scrambled eggs. He then poured himself a glass of milk before plopping down to eat. He didn't offer anything to his two house guests. As he ate Naruto and Ami continued to complain about their evil perverted lazy sensei.

Eventually Sasuke tiredly interrupted, "That doesn't sound that bad. Tekumi sensei's evil. We embarrassed him and made him look bad during the test, so now he's making us pay. We work from dawn to midnight doing D-ranks and when he thinks we're not trying hard enough he makes us run all over Konoha. Sometimes he sicks other jounin or chunin ninja on us just to show he can. Other times he makes us do pushup, situps, punches, blocks, and kicks until we can't even move. He claims it's to improve our endurance. Really he's just trying to kill us."

Sasuke said it all extremely matter of factly as if he were discussing the weather. Naruto and Ami stared at him in shock.

Ami looked horrified before she muttered, "That sounds awful…"

Naruto, on the other hand, just shrugged before asking, "Are you getting faster or better? It could be a great way to get you stronger. Maybe your sensei is trying to make you into the best ninja as fast as possible!"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment as did Ami. Was Naruto serious?

"Trust me, Naruto. He's not doing it for my benefit. He's evil… evil… evil," Sasuke said before continuing, "He's not my real sensei, though. We're going to get our official one in like a week or so."

For a moment awkward silence reigned as neither Ami or Naruto knew quite what to say to that. However, it was broken by Sasuke muttering, "Thank god."

He glared at his clock for a moment before groaning and saying, "I have to go… I'll see you guys later, I guess. Bye."

It was clearly the cue for Ami and Naruto to leave, but they just sat there in shock staring at him. Sasuke looked at them, looked at the clock, and shrugged.

"I'm leaving. Don't eat my food and close and lock the door after you. Bye," Sasuke told them. With that said he then left.

After five minutes had passed Ami turned to Naruto and said, "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but thank god for Kakashi sensei. It could be worse."

Naruto just nodded in agreement. Sasuke's sensei sounded scary.