Gah! I'm really sorry this took so long to get up! I've really got to pick up the pace because, despite what you probably think, this story has an entire plot line, so I have to get it moving. Just a warning, though, POV changes in this story, switching between Third person Naruto, First person Kumari, this single chapter of third person Kumari, and an occasional third person Sakura. I'm really sorry because it will seem a little choppy later on, but I absolutely could not write well with Kumari's third person POV, so it switches to first. Anyway, I'll be posting more frequently, trying to get this story moving along. Feedback is appreciated, enjoy!

Naruto and Sasuke sat perched on their stumps, meditating. Sakura, her genin, and Kakashi had all retreated to their far away spectating area. Kumari discreetly looked at each of her fellow genin, all of who were staring at their feet, embarrassed and ashamed. She glanced at her lunch and her stomach churned. She felt sickly guilty.

Sasuke and Naruto had told the lot of them that they would receive a second chance to succeed after the lunch hour. Kumari was not looking forward to this. She was scared of what might happen if she was caught in combat again, as well as feeling immense guilt.

"Naruto-sensei?"

"Hm?" her sensei did not make any physical inclination towards her.

"Kakashi-sensei just asked for you and Sasuke-sensei to follow him, he went into the woods," she lied.

"I didn't hear him," he replied, though she swore her sensei and the raven-haired one shared a glance through the narrowest slits of their eyes.

Her stomach knotted. "He didn't speak, he just motioned to me to send for you." She was instantly grateful the silver-haired jonin had in fact disappeared into the woods, though he had not asked for his students to follow.

"Shall we go, then?" Naruto began to stir, standing up on his log with perfect balance.

"I guess so," Sasuke stood up as well, and the two senseis shot off into the woods.

"Here," Kumari offered her lunch to her fellow genin. "I'm not hungry, and judging by what Naruto-sensei and Sasuke-sensei said, it'd be better if all of you had a little lunch instead of me having a big one."

Somewhere in the forest, three jonin smiled to themselves.

"I think they got the hang of it," Sasuke smirked.

"We passed?" Ayami repeated after her sensei.

Sasuke nodded. "You all passed."

"And how is that exactly?" Katsu asked.

"Well, you disregarded our rules of who eats," Naruto stated simply. "Putting the team before the rules. Like we said, that's what this training is all about."

Naruto smiled to himself as the genin all glanced suspiciously at their teachers. Probably think we're insane, all the tricks we've pulled, he laughed to himself. "You're all dismissed. We'll see you tomorrow." Each of his genin reluctantly inclined their heads while Sasuke's gave him a full bow. Naruto considered holding Kumari back, but bit his tongue as she left, though his eyes followed her every move.

"What do you think it was?" Sasuke appeared by his side, joining his friend in watching the last of her silver-blond strands turn the corner after her.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "But before she appeared with Seiya, she pulled off a B-rank jutsu with absolutely flawless technique, one I know she never learned, too. She could have faired an A-rank, and in the latter attack, had we not calmed her down. It would have been shaky, but she could have done it."

"I saw," Sakura came up on his other side. "And I must agree with Naruto."

"We have to find out what this is all about," Naruto agreed.

"You'll speak with her?" Sakura turned her gaze to him.

He nodded, and gave a slightly melancholy smile. "Who better?"

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura said a word, however they did exchange a glance of something between worry and pity.

Naruto instantly brightened, as per usual. "Come on, dinner on me tonight, then I hear Tsunade-sama's going to be calling!" he started off waving back to his friends, indicating they should follow. One with an amused smirk and one with a broad smile, Sasuke and Sakura started after Naruto.