"Hi there! You're the new girl. Kirika, right?"
She eyes the group of children curiously. Girls. "Mm-hmm."
"I'm Ino. This is Sakura, Yumi, Ayaka, and Junko."
"Hi."
"How's your second day been?" She grinned. "We looked, but we didn't see you at lunch yesterday."
"Good. That boy Naruto showed me around yesterday."
Their expressions turned puzzled. "Naruto?" Ino repeated. "You shouldn't be talking him, he just gets into trouble all the time. He's so annoying. Didn't your parents tell you to say away from him?"
She shook her head. Of course their parents wouldn't want them around the jinchuriki.
"Hey, she didn't know," Sakura waved. "Sorry you had to spend the day with that weirdo, he could have gotten you in trouble. Don't worry we won't tell."
The others nodded
"Come on, you should eat with us today." Sakura continued
Kirika cocked her head. She ought to observe the behaviours of normal female students. She wanted to draw Naruto in, but when she thought about it, it was a good opportunity to do both. Her mind raced. If the jinchuriki was isolated he would be bound to latch onto any affection. Perhaps if she cut him off suddenly he would become more desperate. She smiled sweet. "Thank you. I'd love too."
"Man... He's four hours late. How much longer is he gonna take?" Naruto's mumble was the first thing Kirika heard as she approached the others. It broke the thick silence.
Sakura sighed "Oh. You're back. Get tired of staling around like a ghost yet, Kirika?" She and Naruto were sitting on the ground. Sasuke stood.
"Not yet." She crossed her arms, "This field won't haunt itself."
"Yeah, well, when you're done being creepy, just let me know."
"Find anything?" Naruto murmured.
"Many things." She nodded.
Naruto smiled sleepily. "What have you been up to?"
"Surveying." Kirika had arrived at the same time as the others, just before five. When it was apparent Kakashi was late she'd gone off wandering and returning systematically. Every fifteen minutes to see if Kakashi had come before promptly leaving again.
Sakura's face was blank with exhaustion. She laid her head on her knees without pressing further.
Kirika regarded her teammates with a frown. Naruto was sitting with his eyes closed like Sakura. Even Sasuke was slouching. The bags under his eyes were visible. "None of you have eaten."
"Obviously." Naruto said without raising her head.
"You should have taken the chance to sleep." Kirika continued.
"And you did?" Sasuke glared at her. "Do you take me for a weakling? Or just stupid?"
"You should have eaten. And you should have taken the opportunity to sleep for a few hours. You'd be stupid not to."
"What about what sensei said?" Sakura asked "And what if he showed up?"
"You all realise this is a standard demoralization tactic, right?" Kirika sat. "Keep your enemies waiting and they'll eventually crack themselves. I don't need my team mates tired and weak. If you vomit you vomit, but it's better to have the energy. Now you're all tired and hungry. That right there," She motioned to Sasuke. "Makes for a bad attitude. And poor decisions."
Sasuke glared harder. "You're one to talk."
"I'm used to it, I'm a poor sleeper as it is." Kirika stretched her arms. "You should all try to nap while you can. I'll keep an eye out."
Naruto flopped back, smiling and eager to accept. "Thanks Kira."
"You make it sound like Kakashi's the enemy..." Sakura mumbled
Kirika grinned. "He is."
As the girls walked through the hall, Yumi came running back from her locker with her lunch box. "Hey, come quick, Sasuke's doing target practice."
The other girls all gasped.
"What's the big deal?" Kirika asked
Sakura giggled. "Sasuke's the cutest boy in the whole school! He's so cool and strong and handsome! Come on!"
"Strong huh?" If he was the toughest kid in school Kirika wondered if she should punch him, like Anko told her too.
They call crowed around the edges of the door to watch a dark haired boy throwing kunai at a target.
"Oh, I know him. He lives next door to me."
"No way! Lucky!"
"You said he was strong." Kirika looked at the girls queerly. "He's just throwing kunai. That's not that impressive."
"What are you talking about? He's amazing!" Sakura insisted.
"I can do better then him. And I know a boy much stronger, he's way more handsome, too."
"Humph." Sakura puffed her cheeks. "Well... at least you're not competition. Just you wait. Some day I'll me Missus Uchiha."
"...Uchiha?"
"That's his name."
Kirika's eyes widened. He was the massacre survivor from the clan. He might possess the sharingan!
"Don't get ahead of yourself, he's obviously gonna marry me." Ayaka promised. She looked around. "Hey, where'd Kirika go?"
Ino's eyes widened. "What's she doing!?"
Sasuke tossed another kunai.
"Hi! I'm your neighbour!"
He whipped around, knife in hand.
The girl looked him up and down and quirked an eyebrow. "You're stance and aim need some work. Nice reflex, though."
"Go away."
"Are you really an Uchiha?"
His eyes narrowed. "Yes."
"Can you use your sharingan?"
"None of your business."
"What about fire ninjustu? Is it true your clan is adept to that style? Does it have any grounding on your sharingan? What about the famous three pronged triple attack?"
Sasuke tisked and stepped back, annoyed. "How do you know so much about my clan's justu?"
She shrugged. "Can you do any of those things or not?"
"Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Hmm." Kirika crossed her arms. So he couldn't. "Fine." She turned heel, and strode back to the gaping girls.
Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke and waved. "Morning everyone, ready for your first day?"
"HEY! YOUR LATE!" Naruto and Sakura shouted, jumping up.
"Well... a black cat crossed my path so I had to take the other way." he shrugged "Let's get started." he pressing the button of an alarm clock situated on a target practice log. "Here we go. It's set for noon."
Kakashi held up three bells. "Your assignment is very simple, you just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is too it. If you can't get them before noon you go without lunch. You'll be tied to that post and you'll watch while I eat my lunch in front of you."
Naruto and Sakura's mouths dropped open. Sasuke glared.
"Wait a minute, there are four of us, how come there are only three bells?" Sakura asked
Kakashi giggled "That way one of you will be disqualified for failing the mission. That one goes back to the academy. You didn't honestly think a four man squad would work, did you? Far to many people. Then again, all four of you could flunk out too. You can use any weapon, including shurikin. And if you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."
"Those weapons are too dangerous sensei!" Sakura objected
"Heh-heh! Especially since you couldn't even dodge that eraser." Naruto laughed
"Class clowns are usual the weakest link. You can safely ignore them. Lowest scores; looser."
Naruto growled.
"Don't worry about it." Kirika grinned "Whatever happens to him here can be written off. It should be fun."
"That's the spirit. When I say start, you may begin." said Kakashi
Naruto pulled a kunai and charged at Kakashi, Kakashi however intercepted the blow and grabbed Naruto's hand, directing Naruto's own weapon to the back of his neck. A deadlock. "Don't be in such a hurry. I didn't say 'start' yet." Kakashi said with annoyance, he pushed Naruto away.
"Well, you came at me with the full intention of destroying me, so... how can I say this...? I'm actually starting to like you guys. Get ready... aaand~... START!"
They all leaped off.
"Hey! hey! let me down! what the hell is this!?" Naruto screamed. He flopped helplessly upside down dangling from a tree by a rope around his feet.
"Think before you use a jutsu, or else your opponent might use it against you." Kakashi sighed, he picked up the bell. "Oh and also, if the bait is obvious, don't take it. A ninja must see through deception."
"I! Get! It!" Naruto shouted as he struggled to escape the trap.
"I'm telling you this, because you don't get it." said Kakashi "You think you get it, which is not the same as actually getting it. Get it?"
Kirika sighed from her perch in the trees. How could anyone be that foolish? She would have to remember to do something about Naruto's gullibility... perhaps mind games? No, he was a doer, not a thinker. He was lucky he was a jinchuuriki...
At that moment Sasuke launched a shurikin attack at Kakashi, who blocked them with the substitution jutsu. She tossed a kunai to free Naruto from the rope, and disappeared.
The girls opened their lunches.
"...so I just moved in with my mother." Kirika explained
"Where'd you used to live?"
"Outside the village."
"Where outside?"
"Lots of places."
"Like where?"
"I don't know."
"Well, how do you like it here?"
Kirika shrugged "Fine."
"You're mom must be awesome if she lets you wear real make up." Sakura sighed
"What?" Kirika asked
She pointed to her eyelid. "The eye shadow."
"Yeah, my mom doesn't let me wear real make up." Ino sighed "Only lip gloss and kids stuff."
"These aren't make up." Kirika rubbed the purple streak above her eye and held up her clean finger to demonstrate. "I was just born with them."
The girls looked curiously at her.
It was Sakura's stare that turned into an enchanted smile. "That's amazing!"
"Oh..." Kirika cocked her head. "Thank you."
Sakura giggled and blushed. "And it was so brave of you to go up to Sasuke! I wish I was that brave."
"You think so?"
"Mm-hmm! Hey! Do you wanna come over to my place tonight? Maybe we can do make-overs! Even the score!" She giggled, pointing to her eye.
Kirika visibly recoiled. An alarm flashed in her mind. Dangerous. "No." She said firmly.
Sakura's expression was one of misunderstanding. "Huh, why not?"
Kirika's sharp eyes narrowed, Sakura squirmed uncomfortably. "...No."
"Uh... hey."
They all looked aside to see Naruto clutching his bento bag.
"Where are you doing here?" Ino glared.
"Yeah." Junko chimed in.
Slouched, he scratched the back of his head slowly. "I was just wondering if... you know... Kira, you want to hang out..."
"Leave her alone. You're just gonna get her in trouble." Sakura frowned. "She doesn't want to. Get out of here, Naruto"
Naruto looked at Kirika hopefully. She was unresponsive, her eyes were still cold. His lip quivered, and he turned reluctantly. "...S-see you later. I guess."
"The nerve of him!" Ayaka huffed.
Ino nodded.
Sakura flashed Kirika a smile. "You're welcome."
Kirika's hands were almost trembling. More from Sakura's friendly advances a moment ago than Naruto's treatment, in truth. But the exchange was annoying, and Kirika channeled that into anger. Slowly, she asked. "Why did you do that?"
"What do you mean? You don't want to go with him."
The fools. Driving away a jinchuriki. She ought to send a message. She ought to drive it home that those girls should stay away. "You... Idiots. You're all such bimbos! I hate you! I hate you all!"
The girls had all shrunk back.
K-Kirika!?" Sakura whimpred.
"Shut up!" Don't land an earnest blow, Kirika's rationality urged. But she wanted to drive it home. She kicked the sand.
Sakura cried out when it hit her face. She palmed fiercely at her burning eyes and started crying.
"Don't ever talk to me!" She shouted.
The girls ran.
Now then... the others should be done playing. Kirika had to move quickly or Kakashi would notice what was amiss... After all, she only ever played to win.
Sakura was screaming her pretty head off. Kirika watched her 'battle' with Kakashi. It was cringe worthy. One shot with a simple genjustu and Sakura was down for the count...
Kirika knelt over Sakura and looked to her left and right. Her eyes fell back to Sakura. She gazed at her with those calm, calculating eyes; already sharpening and already losing the childishness... they were curiously wide. Kirika drew a knife. This girl... she could end her now. Save Sakura some grief; she'd break in the real world... or perhaps, use her to get a rise.
Kirika put an arm under Sakura's upper back and lifted her up ever so slightly; so that her head lolled back. Kirika giggled. "Just kidding!" Of course killing Sakura would spell trouble for Kirika. She lay Sakura back down. "Well hello there." A knife was pointed at her nape.
Her eyes flickered back; Kakashi stood behind her. Her expression never changing; the laughter in her mind never pierced her calm exterior.
"Kirika." Kakashi gripped the kunai at her throat tightly. His voice was venomous. "Just what were you about to do?"
Kirika stood slowly. Kakashi's knife followed her, remaining at her throat. "Just seeing if she needed first aid." Kakashi saw her with the knife over Sakura. Kirika's smile never left her lips. She wondered what Kakashi would do.
His eyes narrowed. "Do you really hate Sakura so much...?"
"She's a bit annoying," Kirika admitted "but I couldn't call it hate."
"Then Why?"
"Why what?" Kirika examined the knife in her own hands. She pressed the tip of the blade to the pad of her index finger; enough to indent but not to draw blood. Her head turned ever so slightly; she gazed at Kakashi. "Did I do something wrong?"
He was glaring at her.
"If I did, however, it would be..."
His eyes widened. In her eyes: Intent to kill...
"...Mercy."
"You have a pretty warped idea of mercy."
Kirika frowned. "If you want to cut someone off the squad the choice is obvious. Realistically speaking, she's a liability. You can't deny it. All she thinks about is Sasuke. Which would be fine, but on a squad those distractions become hazardous. And not only to herself. I've seen her; we've been in the same class for two years."
"So you try to kill her? Did it ever consider to you that someday Sakura might become an asset?"
"How quickly you forget. I did not try to kill her."
Kakashi glared.
"What? Are you going to preach about the 'unjust' and 'inhumane'?" Kirika flashed a cynical grin. "You knocked her out. I was offering her first aid. I haven't done anything wrong, yet you still persecute me. Tell me how that's just."
"And now you remind me how it's just to let a little girl live and risk the safety an entire village. Yet lord Hokage let you live. Was that a mistake?"
"You disapprove? Tell it to the hokage. Then maybe he'll execute me and the rest of your students won't have to fight against each other for your bells... Do you take me for a homicidal maniac?" She chuckled, her eyes flickered back. "Now, what? Do you want me to defend an act I did not do? Eliminating liabilities is not how you operate. Fine. I abide. Save me your righteous pomposity."
"You don't get it, do you?"
"Kfufufufu, Oh, I understand better than you think."
Kakashi spasmed and drew back; swiping with the knife at her throat in one wild and ill coordinated miss; narrowly avoiding a sudden wall of purple flames where Kirika had just been. He scarcely had a moment to wonder what kind of jutsu she'd used or when she had made hand signs. A katana whizzed through the air; he jumped backwards to avoid it as it imbedded itself into the spot he had been. Sakura still lay in the middle of the field; thankfully unharmed by Kirika's fire jutsu.
Kirika was behind him. Kakashi spun to face her.
"There. As you can see, Sakura is unharmed. I expect extra credit." She waved. "But you're just itching to catch me slipping up. I assure you, that will never happen. Moving on, I'll be taking those bells."
Kakashi raised his headband and watched her through his sharingan.
Kirika threw three kunai at him. He leaped back once more, towards the trees. "What!?" He shouted in surprise; a wire trap whipped up to ensnaring him.
Kirika licked her lips, it made Kakashi shudder. "That eye of your is so pretty. Like a ruby. It just makes me want to curl my tongue around it~"
"Gross."
Kirika chuckled. "So many people just assume their opponents will wait patiently for them. Yes, you did plant traps around the training area. But before you got here this morning I disabled them and planted a few of my own. You really ought to work on your tardiness. I had hours."
Kakashi glared. The smart ass. She'd left some traps intact so he wouldn't notice... the rope trap with Naruto. "That fire style justu. What was it?"
Kirika cocked her head. "What justu? I'm only a genin, fresh out of the academy. I can't use fire style. All I know is a few summoning tricks and sword play." She wore a playful grin. "A shame you weren't watching with your sharingan."
Kakashi glared. Her taunting words wrung in his head. He got it now. He should be the one testing the students, but here Kirika was testing him. She was sending a message. Her little performance with Sakura was only meant to test the waters. I can kill her any time I want. I can kill any of them. I can kill you. But look, I didn't. I won't. And now I'll beat your silly test without even revealing my jutsu. I'm a good little girl, but you don't want to cross me. She was smarter than he'd given her credit for. Dangerous.
You're just itching to catch me slipping up. But I assure you, that will never happen.
No, it never would.
Kakashi used the escape justu, he appeared behind Kirika now. He crouched and drew a kunai. "You sure are a handful, Viper."
Kirika spun, he never saw her move, but with the flick of her body she was at her katana. Her fingers curled around the hilt and slid it out from the ground. "You're mistaken, sensei. I am an asset."
"What am I supposed to make of this?" Iruka put his hand on his hips. "Well?"
Kirika responded with a glare. From the classroom they could hear the other instructor trying to calm the whimpering girls out in the hall.
The door slid open.
Iruka looked over. "Lord hokage. Mister and Missus Haruno. Miss Tachibana."
"Alright," The hokage sighed. "We all have work to get back too, let's get this mess sorted out."
Hideko frowned. "Kirika, what did you do?"
Kirika pursed her lips and looked away. "Why am I in trouble and not her? She didn't even try to defend herself!"
"You know exactly what you did! This unruly little troublemaker was picking on the other children."
Hideko pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ooh..."
"What on earth happened here?" Sakura's mother asked; her daughter was clinging to her skirts.
"Go on. Tell them what you did." Iruka ordered.
"This is stupid! I didn't hurt her. She's the crybaby."
Iruka glared. "I don't want to hear it from you."
The other instructor knelt down next to Sakura. "Go on," She urged. "Tell them what you told me."
"W-we were eating and-and she ye-yelled at me and called-called me names an-an-and ki-kicked sand in my eyes!" Sakura whimpered between sobs. "I just-I just asked her to eat with us..."
"What's wrong with you! Stop crying! You're such a little baby!"
"Kirika!" Iruka shouted.
"What's wrong with you!?" Kirika motioned at Sakura. "Look at her! And she's gonna be a ninja!? Why don't you just kill yourself now, baby!?"
Hideko's face went changed distraught to mortification. "Kirika..." She moaned.
Sakura's mother glared. "Well what did you think was going to happen? Letting that girl into the academy! Honestly!" She looked at the hokage. "It's not even a week's past and she's already showing her true colours!"
The Hokage took a breath. "Yamada sensei, would you take young Sakura into the hall, please? Thank you."
The instructor nodded, took Sakura's reluctant hand, and lead her out with a reassuring smile.
When the Sakura was gone he turned to the her angry parents. "I understand you're anger. But please, the other children mustn't learn of any odd relations surrounding Kirika."
Sakura's father placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. She sucked in a breath and gritted out. "Yes my lord."
"I'm only glad she didn't hurt my daughter any more than that." Sakura's father said gravely. "Lord hokage, my wife is right. This girl is a menace and a danger to the other children."
"I believe I voiced similar concerns when you decided to put her here." Iruka nodded.
"Kirika will remain in the academy." Sarutobi asserted. His voice was stern and left no room for argument. "But rest assured, she will be dealt with accordingly."
"I'm right here you know!" Kirika shot
"You're still in trouble. Not one word!" Iruka scolded.
A few times, Hideko had raised a meek finger to interject, but backed down each time. An unintentional coughing bout in the end was what drew attention to herself. "I..." She regained herself as attention fell on her. "I'm so sorry for my daughter's action. She doesn't know. She's never been able to be around other children. I know that doesn't excuse her actions, but please," She bowed low; until she was on her knees and her forehead touched the floor. "Please find in in your hearts to forgive her just this once."
Sakura's parents exchanged glances, her mother looked unconvinced.
Kirika's fists clenched. She was seething; even more so than earlier at Sakura. How dare they.
She felt the hokage's hand on her shoulder. He shook his head, eyes firm. He looked up to the other adults. "Peace, people! Hideko, stand up." He looked back down to Kirika. "You will apologise to Sakura immediately. And you will not bother her again."
Kirika looked like she might object, but in the end turned her head. "Fine."
"After that, you will be suspended for two days, you can spend them in counselling, reflecting on your actions. And you will serve detention for one month. Look at me, girl."
She faced him.
"I am being generous. This is your first and only warning. I will not tolerate anything like this in the future. Is that clear?"
"Yes..." She huffed.
He turned to Sakura's parents. "I trust this will be satisfactory?"
Her father answered before her mother could interject. "Yes, Lord Hokage. I believe that will be fine."
"Iruka, please have Sakura sent back to class. I'd like a word alone with our young offender."
The bell rang.
Three lunch boxes sat in front of them. Sasuke sat on one side of Naruto, Sakura and Kirika sat on the other. Naruto was tied to the post.
Naruto's stomach growled.
"Uh-oh, stomach's growling, that's to bad." Kakashi said "Oh, and by the way, about this exercise; Well, I've decided I won't send any of you back to the academy."
Naruto sighed in relief
"What? I passed? all I did was faint and fall over. Do you get points for that?" asked Sakura
Sasuke smirked, and Naruto and Sakura cheered. Kirika smiled and winked at Kakashi.
"That means all four of us? All four of us!?" Naruto said happily
"Yes." said Kakashi "Naruto, Kirika, Sasuke, and Sakura, the four of you will be dropped from the program. Pertinently."
"What!?"
Kakashi glanced at Kirika, she raised an eyebrow. Though it wasn't his full intention, the message sent to her was an added bonus. That's right. I can play the game, too.
"Drop us from the program!? That means we can never become ninja!" Naruto wailed "You said if we couldn't take thee bells, we'd be sent back to the academy, you can't just change your mind and do that!"
Kirika said nothing. She held up the three bells by the stings and shook her hand a bit to jingle them. her face was calm and laced with interest at the challenge Kakashi posed, mixed with some amusement at what he might do next. Oh?
The heads of her teammates all turned to Kirika.
Naruto's jaw had dropped. "Kira!? But...! when did you...!"
"I waited until after you were all out of the way."
"Kirika, you think too highly of yourself. None of you four think like ninja. You think like little kids, like brats." Kakashi's voice was bitter.
Sasuke suddenly lunged at Kakashi, but was immediately just pinned down.
"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed.
"You think it's all about you." Kakashi was glaring.
"Let go of Sasuke! you can't step on him like he's some bug!" Sakura was livid.
"You don't know what it means to be a ninja. You think it's a game, huh?" Kakashi was getting angry. "Why do you think we put you on squads? Did you ever consider that question for a moment?"
"I-I don't know what you mean!" Sakura looked down.
"I mean, you never realised what this exercise is all about?" said Kakashi
"What it's about...?" Naruto mimicked
"But that's- I mean I wanted to ask you that from the beginning." Sakura began to babble.
"Use your head. four people on a squad. Why do you think we would do that?" kakashi asked
They all exchanged blank stairs.
"Teamwork!"
"Just working together, is that what you mean?" Sakura asked
"That's what I mean!"
"But you set it up with four people and only three bells, that would mean that if we'd gotten them, it would lead to group conflict and the squad would break up." Sakura argued
"Exactly," said Kakashi "I purposely pitted you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. New genin should have a natural feel for teamwork, but it never even crossed your minds. Sakura, you obsessed about Sasuke even after he was gone, and when Naruto was in trouble you wouldn't lift a finger to help him. Naruto, you do everything on your own. everything. Sasuke, you thought the others were so far beneath you, they were worthless: arrogant. And Kirika! Kirika... you have an utter disregard for the well being of your squad. Would you leave everyone for dead on a mission!? Every shinobi understands teamwork. When individuals put themselves above the squad, this can lead to failure and death." he pulled a knife and put it to Sasuke's neck. "For example, Sakura kill Naruto or Sasuke dies..."
Sakura turned white.
"That's what happens on a mission." he put the knife away.
Sakura sighed "Oh boy, that was really scary."
"The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice, and someone ends up dead." Kakashi said "On every mission your life is on the line." Kakashi walked to the memorial stone. "Did you look at this stone? The names engraved on it? They are all ninja, who are honored as heroes in our village."
"That's it,! That's it! That's it!" shouted Naruto. "Now I know! I've decided I'm gonna have my name engraved on that stone! I'm not gonna live for nothing and die like a dog! I'm gonna be a hero! a hero!"
Kakashi glared "Those are the name of people who are KIA."
"KIA?"
"Killed in action." He explained "They all lost there lives for the sake if the leaf village."
"What?" Naruto said, his face fell.
"This is a memorial stone." Kakashi said "The names of my closest friends are written on here... Alright, I'm going to give you one more chance, but I'm going to make it much harder on you. You'll each have three hours to get a bell. Kirika!" She tossed the bells to him. "Eat lunch to build up strength. But Naruto doesn't get any, it's your punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself. And if anyone feeds Naruto, they will immediately fail. I make the rules, you follow them. Got it?" he disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
a few minutes into lunch Naruto's stomach growled.
Sasuke sighed "Here." he said holding out his food.
"No Sasuke! We can't! you heard what Kakashi sensei said." Sakura objected
"Kakashi's gone, and we need to get those bells as a team, if he's hungry he'll be weak and ineffective." Sasuke said "That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission."
Sakura held out her food too. "here."
Kirika laughed "Why not? Have some of mine. I eat breakfast, so I'm not as fatigued as you three."
"You eat breakfast!" Naruto yelled
"I told you all to eat, didn't I?" She picked up some chicken and rice with her chopsticks and held it out to Naruto. "Go ahead." I said smiling
"But Kira, you don't need to risk failing for me." Naruto said
"If it bothers you than eat some of Sasuke's. Being barred from the program is not the end of the world for me. Besides, I'll call it a bluff."
"Just eat." Sasuke shoved the food into Naruto's mouth, and just like that Kakashi appeared.
"YOU!" he yelled. "You broke the rules! I hope you're ready for the punishment." He preformed hand signed and summoned a storm. "Any last words?"
Kirika chuckled. "Round two? I won't go easy on you a second time."
"But you said!" yelled Naruto, who was far more weary.
"Yes?"
"You said there are four of us...! And that's why... three of them..." Naruto's voice faltered
"There are four people on this squad, and were all in this together!" Sasuke finished for Naruto.
"Were comrades." Kirika agreed
"Yeah the four of us are one!" yelled sakura
"the four of you are one!? that's your excuse! Well then...! You pass!"
"What?"
"You pass."
Sakura cocked her head "How'd we pass?"
"You are the first students who have passed my exam. all my other students did everything I said and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but, those who abandon there friends are worse then scum...The exercise is over, you all pass. And squad seven starts it's first mission tomorrow."
Everyone else filed out of the room, the Harunos nodding goodbye. He threw Hideko a glance. She nodded and sauntered out. They heard her muffled coughing in the hall.
He sighed "Think before you act if you don't want to see your mother humiliated again."
Kirika crossed her arms. "You shouldn't have called her."
The hokage sat down across from her. "Who do you think picked up the call? Easier said than done when she's my receptionist."
Kirika didn't respond.
"I hardly believe a simple squabble between children was worth pulling me away from my office." He confessed. "But why on earth would you think it appropriate to tell Sakura to kill herself? What could she have possibly done to make you say that."
Kirika had a mixture of bewilderment and hurt on her face. "Is that a joke?"
"No." He took a drag, intrigued. "Why would that be a joke? Did you feel cornered? Were you angry?"
Kirika's mouth opened but didn't speak.
The hokage wagged his pipe at her. "Don't want to tell me? Fine. But I trust you'll learn from this."
Kirika looked away and cursed herself for losing her composure.
"So why did you kick sand in Sakura's face?"
"Who cares?"
He let out a laughing breath. "I know, I know. All of us must seem like bad guys right now. If it's any consolation, that detention will be as much a punishment for Iruka is it will be for you."
She tisked.
"What did she do?" He asked gently.
The hokage went to great lengths to make himself her ally. Kirika was still debating whether he was sincere or not. She supposed it would help her standing with him, and, having regained her composure, conceded with a sigh. "They were saying mean things to Naruto."
"Naruto Uzumaki?"
"They're just so stupid! All they do is fawn over that boys. They don't know! They don't even know why they're doing all this training! I like Naruto better than them... so I got angry."
"I know it's all very strange for you... that's just how most children are."
Kirika looked up. "Most children are stupid."
"That's why they're children." He gave her a small smile, before turning serious. "...Did Orochimaru... get angry with you often?"
He was trying to form an emotional bond. Kirika refused to bite, she looked away. "Most grown ups get angry with me... they didn't used to show it to my face before, but I still knew. They all show it in Konoha."
The hokage sighed. "I know... I'm sorry."
"It's the nice people that are the worst." She looked him in the eye. "I can't tell what they're thinking."
The hokage held her gaze.
"She... she wanted me to go to her house." Kirika's eyes fell. "Sakura did. Before Naruto came up to us."
His eyebrow quirked.
"If I said yes she'd- I'd of-" She found herself confessing. "I..."
He leaned in closer. "What, Kirika?"
She closed her eyes a moment, and stopped herself from telling. "Her... her parents wouldn't have let me. Pretty soon none of them will be allowed to talk to me. No one's gonna tell Naruto not to talk to me, he told me he doesn't have parents."
"...Thank you for telling me, Kirika."
She nodded.
"Well, get yourself back to class." He stood "And the next time you feel like lashing out, just remember what it does to you mother."
"Are you mad?"
He laughed a little. "I can hardly fault you for your motives. And this will certainly not be the last time one child kicks sand at another. You've made your point, and I expect you to learn from this."
She gave him a little smile. "Yes sir."