Chapter 8: Teamwork (dammit)
Emiko's pov:
I woke up to the sunlight blinding me. From the looks of it, it was around 7, maybe 7:30. I closed my eyes for a minute think about where I was at the moment, then I remembered, oh yeah the hidden leaf. I was offically a ninja now, and my team...

My team was in the middle of a survival exercise about right now. My eyes shot open and I looked around. Ryo was still asleep on his branch. And Riki following his lead. I jumped up and threw a senbon at his hand. It impaled his left and and his eyes shot up.

"WHAT! Who's attacking!" She cried out and fell off the branch he was sitting on. I swear dropped. Ryo was a very powerful shinobi, but man he could me stupid sometimes. No time for that now.

"Ryo we're late! Come on we were supposed to be at the training grounds 2 hours ago!" I yelled at him and jumped down onto the branch we used as the "kitchen". Hey don't judge. We may be... Tree people... But we still had places we dedicated to do cetain things.

Ryo gave me a bored look and jumped onto the branch. He yawned. "Don't worry Emi, Kakashi's internal clock is more whacked up then mine, he wouldn't show up for about another hour."

I blinked. And sighed. Man I couldn't believe this. "We should get heading there anyway Ryo. We should at least wait with the team." I said and took a bite of an apple. I tossed him a random fruit from my scroll.

He caught it and ate it. I tossed Riki some meat. We ate breakfast and gathered our weapons. I never understood why he carried his second katana with him, he didn't ever use it, and he wouldn't tell me why.

I jumped with Ryo and Riki as we made our way to the training ground. We walked up, and I think they thought Kakashi-sensei was with us because Sakura and Naruto screamed

"YOUR LATE!"

I walked up and said "I overslept, but Kakashi-sensei isn't here yet." Sasuke glared at me and Sakura and Naruto just sighed. I sat down and just stared off into space.

"Well Ryo-sensei is here. So can't he just get us started!" Sakura complained.

"Nope, I may be a sensei, but this is Kakashi's exercise, I'm here cause I have to be." He explained and shrugged his shoulders. Naruto and Sakura sweat dropped.

-About 1 Hour Later-

I looked up to see Kakashi-sensei walking toward us. "Sup Kakashi." I muttered.

Sakura and Naruto jumped up yelling "KAKASHI-SENSEI YOUR LATE!" Wow, I guess one hour of waiting added to the flame of anger.

"Sorry, a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way around." He replied with a smile.

"What lier!" Sakura cried out. She was started to get a little annoying.

"Okay let's get going with the training exercise." He said, scratching the back of this head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out 3 bells. And started explaining the rules of the exercise. My eyes widened. Did every sensei use this technique, back when I was 6 and training with Master Izamu, there was 2 other students. We weren't ever going to become an official team. But he used this exercise to teach us the meaning of being a shinobi.

I spaced off, not caring to listen to them complain oboist being sent back to the academy. It didn't concern me cause if I failed, that just meant I got to travel with Ryo again. I smirked.

"What are you smirking at!" Sakura screamed

"Oh nothing..." I sighed.

She was about to keep arguing when Kakashi said "Begin!" I jumped back into the trees, along with everyone else. Besides Naruto. I watched as he charged Kakashi. They did some Taijutsu before I looked as Kakashi was about to bring out a kunai but instead, brought out porn.

I sweat dropped. Man Ryo... You have some strange friends.

Kakashi "finished" off Naruto and turned around, probably to start looking for more people. I watched him run off. I sighed and ran off to find one of my teammates.

I found Sakura first. I jumped down and scared her pretty bad.

"Sakura, why dont we work together. It would make it easier for us both to get a bell. Not only would we both pass, but we would lass without too mush of a hassle" I explained to her, trying to convince her to help me out, not that I need it.

"Yeah, teamwork would make it easier..." She mumbled. Yes now we would pass! "I should go fine Sasuke, he would be a really big help." She said and ran off.

I sweat dropped. Are you serious? I sighed and started to go to find Sasuke. I finally found him hiding under a bush near Kakashi. I jumped down and put my finger to my lips.

"Sasuke... We would be able to get the bells a lot easier if we worked together. We should team up so we both pass." I told him.

He sat and thought about it for a minute before shaking his head. "No, you would slow me down. Go find someone else if your so weak you need someone to help you!" He whispered and jumped at Kakashi.

I sighed and shock my head. I didn't know him well enough to be hurt by his words but the fact that he was so dense that he couldn't figure this out. It was kinda pathetic.

I raced toward my final chance, only to find him about to eat the lunches. I sweat dropped

"Hey Naruto... You know that's not going to work right." I muttered.

"Hey, what would you know Emiko. Kakashi-sensei will never know and I'll have more energy. It makes sense!" He explained. "Believe it!"

"I don't believe it..." I mumbled. "Hey Naruto do you want to work together? We could get the bells easier."

"No, I'm going to be Hokage Emiko. I have to do this alone, but thanks anyway." He yelled. And started to eat. But before he had a bite Kakashi poofed in and tied him to a pole. Then he looked at me.

"You going to attack?" He asked boredly.

I shook my head. "Don't feel like it, no point attacking when I already know the point of this test, and no one else agrees." I said and shrugged my shoulders.

He rose his eyebrow. He looked like he was about to attack himself, when the bell rang. Signifying the end of the exercise.

I sighed "Saved by the bell..." And walked over to the pole Naruto was tied up too and leaped on top of it. I sat down and waited for Sasuke and Sakura.

They finally showed up and sat around the pole. I sighed. I had to get stuck with a selfish team, even if this is Ryo's brother. They are complete opposites, well their fighting styles at least.

Kakashi was lecturing then on why they were going to be dropped from the program. I doubt he would drop them, at the most send them to the academy. I sighed as they were all freaking out.

"WHAT ARE YOU SO FREAKING CALM ABOUT ANYWAY!" Sakura cried out. Your being dropped too!"

I was tempted to tell her: 'you know if I'm dropped. I can always leave this village and head to another one. Become a genin there, and restart. You on the other hand... Well your screwed.'

But I didn't.

Instead I simply said. "Did you ever take the time to think about what this test was all about?"

They all gave me a confused face. The all started muttering things about, strength, stamina, endurance, stuff along those lines. And Kakashi was giving me a funny look, why I didn't know, but...

Oh well.

And irk Mark found its way onto my head. I suddenly screamed. "OH WILL YOU SHUT UP! The answer is TEAMWORK DAMMIT!"

The all started at me, then looked at Kakashi. He nodded his head.

"She's right. The point of this test was teamwork. Teamwork is an important part of being a shinobi. Sometimes you are put on a team when you don't exactly get along, but you need to put all those negative feelings aside and complete the mission at hand. Sakura you were too focused on finding Sasuke that you didn't help 2 people in front of you, one asking for help, they other not realizing he needed it. Naruto you were to focused on proving yourself you didn't take up the chance of getting help, when it would have proved efficient to completing your task. And Sasuke. You were worst of all. You thought you were so far above everyone, when someone asked for your help, you denied it thinking that they would be a burden, when really it would have made your job so much easier!" They all stared at the ground. And Kakashi finally gave them another chance.

On one condition. We couldn't feed Naruto. Once Kakashi poofed away I instantly gave Naruto my lunch. They started yelling at me but I cut them off.

"Guys Naruto needs energy, or he will only be a burden!" I yelled and force feed Naruto, eventually every one agreed and feed him as well.

"Why you!" Kakashi yelled. Everyone besides me cowered on what Kakashi was about to say, "I hope you are ready for punishment, what do you have to say for yourselves."

They started arguing that we were all as one, a team, friends... Then they looked at me, expecting me to say stuff like that, I sighed.

"Um, yeah..." They looked me. I blinked. "Uuummmm... Teamwork!" I said enthusiastically.

Everyone smiled as Kakashi said. "You all...

.

.

"Pass"

-Time Lapse-

"Sakura, point B."

"Sasuke point C."

"Oh, umm, Naruto point A believe it!"

"You're late!" Sakura muttered.

"Emiko. I'm standing in front of our target." I said. I could feel everyone sweat drop. I smiled and put my hand out for the cat to sniff, when Naruto came out of no where and grabbed it. He held it upside down, then sideways, the by the tail. I felt bad for the little guys, but he got his revenge. He used Naruto's face as a scratching pole. I smiled as Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Ryo jumped down from the trees.

We carried Tora to her owners house. And I kinda regret catching the poor thing. I would be surprised if he make it tomorrow. We started walking toward the Hokage's office and I stayed back to talk to Ryo of a sec.

"Hey Ryo, did you ever have to do these lame missions?" I asked.

"Nope." He said and smiled. I sweat dropped, then why were we doing them?

"But you see, Emiko. I was made a genin in the middle of a war so genin at that time, and this time would being doing complete opposite things. When I was a genin I always wished I would get a D-rank mission. But sadly that day never came. It was always C-rank and above." He sighed

"Well I wish we were getting C-rank now. I know you used to wish for D-rank. But I want more action. Maybe fight some rouges, made an escort, something to get me out of this village for a short period of time." I sighed.

"Well okay, I'll see what I can do, maybe me and you can do an A-rank later, and if we are lucky an S-rank!" He exclaimed happily.

I smiled. "Thanks Ryo. Come one let's go report to the Hokage."