Chapter I

"Zetsumei? Are you ok?" Naruto said as my blue eyes flickered open. "Na-Naruto?" I replied. "Whoa! You actually survived that? Kakashi-sensei's Kunai and Shrukien attack was actually directed toward me, you know that?" "Naruto! I know that! I took the hit for you, it's called teamwork!" I said as Naruto walked off, trying to find Kakashi-sensei again. I used the Substitution Jutsu, switching places with a squirrel in a high-up tree. From there, I saw Kakashi-sensei talking to Sasuke and Naruto wasn't far away from them. I couldn't find Sakura, then I heard a piercing scream.

I carefully jumped down from the tree, my black hair falling down onto my shoulders before I stood back up. I ran to the woods-like area of the Training Grounds and to where I first saw Sakura, she wasn't there. "Well, of course she wouldn't be here." I froze as someone behind me spoke those words. I cautiously turned around and saw that Kakashi-sensei was holding a bell out, making it sway back and forth. "Aren't you going to take it?" He asked. "Sensei? Have you forgotten your own rules? I have to get it 'fair and square', in Naruto's words…" "Alright, then, go!"

A few minutes later, I was laying flat on my back, Kakashi-sensei on top of me, holding me down. I looked up at him and then started to move, trying to get free. "Uh-uh!" He said. "Kakashi-sensei? What are you doin-" Then, his face was close to mine, he quickly moved his mask and kissed me. After that, he was gone. The timer went off and I was still in shock. I regained myself and headed to the tree stumps where we started.

Naruto was freaking out, tied to the tree stump. "What do you mean? Why should we quit after not getting one of your stupid bells?" "Because not ONE of you has what it takes." Kakashi-sensei said. Sasuke ran towards him and Sasuke ended up underneath Kakashi-sensei. Sakura yelled, "Don't step on Sasuke! Get off of him!" Kakashi responded, "Are you trying to make fun of the Shinobi with your behavior? Well, are you?" "Uh, excuse me?" Sakura said confused. "You missed the point of the exercise." "Tell us what it is!" Naruto said. "It's team work." The others had an epiphany.

"The situation was set to reveal which of you would put aside your individual interests and propose to the others that you work together for the good of all." Kakashi-sensei continued. Then, he told Sakura to kill Naruto or Sasuke would die. He rose off of Sasuke and walked over to a memorial listing the names of his friends, or the dead 'hero' ninja. He told if we were prepared to continue, we could eat one of the Bento boxes, but no sharing with Naruto or me. "What? Why?" Sasuke and I said. "Naruto tried to sneak lunch for himself and Zetsumei was being precocious. My word is law, and if either one of you feed them, you fail."

Later, Naruto was dealing with his hunger pains, and I nearly fainted from mine. Sasuke shoved his Bento box over to me, and Sakura protested. "But, Sasuke! Master Kakashi told us-!" "I'm not worried, he's probably miles away by now. We need all of our strength if we're going to work together." Sasuke stated. Sakura pushed hers over to Naruto and he grinned. "Thanks, Sasuke." I said quietly as I started to eat. There was a gigantic dust storm and we heard Kakashi-Sensei's voice, "You…" All of us freaked out. "Pass!" He said as the dust cleared. We were all puzzled. "We pass?! But, why?" Sakura asked. "Shinobi find the meanings within the meanings, and those who fail to follow orders and violate the rules, are lower than garbage. However, those who don't care for and support their fellows are even lower than that!" He gave us a thumbs-up and we started to walk off, leaving Naruto behind.