Hello, everyone! Sorry that this one has come out after such a long time, but I'm a college student… That and (dating this quite a bit) Monster Hunter World just came out! I am days away from getting carpel tunnel for the third time in my life.

My game is the hardest. (A definite Caddicarus reference)

Anyway, today, teams are shown! And rigged!

To Fix a World

Chapter 5

Teams!

"All right, guys. Here's the plan." I bounded to the table with a pen and paper in hand. "What we need to do is infiltrate Mabui's desk this morning. Class starts at ten today. Thank the Lord for that. Team placement is a hell of a day! Anyway, we have four hours to make this work, so let's take our time." I continued.

"I say we take an hour to plan." Suzu stated, plopping into a chair to my right.

"Sounds good to me." Ken drawled, sitting to my left.

"Sure, I was only gunna give thirty minutes, but I guess we really shouldn't rush anything." I smiled a bit meekly.

"So, I want you, Suzu to get the logistics of this sorted out. Ken, I need you for materials and traps." The two nodded.

"Now, this is what we're gunna do. Pop in whenever you want to add or change something, all right?" They nodded again, smiles shining bright.

One Hour Later

"Ready?" I asked, grabbing my gear. I had a pouch of kunai and senbon, as well as some rope, and a surprisingly skinny senbon.

"Ready!" Suzu called.

"Ready." Ken drawled.

"All right, let's go!" I said. The three of us rushed out the door. The ninja run was simple. A few guards patrolled the town. Thankfully, none of them noticed us, with how dark it still was.

Over the last couple years, a few events were named "The Calamity." An assortment of pranks that, eventually, affected everyone. The perpetrator was never caught. I wonder what people would do if they found out that Ken was the perp?

We reached the school in record time. 'So, we can't wall walk, so… I guess we climb?' 'Yep.'

The window seals had small hand holds. We started scaling the wall to our class's window. The windows were all as wide as the classrooms.

I motioned towards Ken. He nodded sharply and pulled a kunai. He lightly pushed it into the closed window on its side. He slowly began to force it open, prying it by pushing the kunai to the side. It slid sideways until it was open enough to let a person through. Before we stepped in, Suzu stopped us.

Suzu was smart enough to recommend making some hand signs for the mission. She pointed to Ken, pointed to the outside of the window, and made the hand sign for 'trap.' He nodded and swung down, hanging on by a hand. He stuck a skinny kunai into the wall with a mass of ninja wire strewn about.

Suzu pointed to Ken again, then pointed to the classroom's door. He nodded again before doing the same thing to the door, with six kunai and enough ninja wire to tie anyone up the moment they step through.

Suzu pointed to me, pointed to the desk, and made the sign for 'unlock.' I nodded and stepped towards it. I pulled a normal, and skinny senbon from from my pouch and got to work on unlocking the top drawer.

The girl moved back to the window and crouched down. She began to look for any approaching shinobi. Once Ken finished, she pointed to him, then the door, and signed 'watch.'

In a minute, I was able to open the drawer.

After pulling some papers out, layering them out by where they were, I found the team roster. I searched it. 'Team Five-Aoi, Roku, and Suzume. Sensei- Gai Matsu, Genjutsu master, Jounin. Team Eight-Mizu, Ryu, and Kenichi. Sensei- Asa Namida. Weapons and taijutsu expert. High Jounin. Team Nine- Kaori, Muzu, and Hanaki. Sensei- Azumichi, No last name. New Jounin, being trained…' 'Let's look at the senseis a bit more.' 'Agreed.'

'Gai Matsu, Jounin, Genjutsu Master. Unmotivated man with no love for the younger generation. Team will most likely fail in the Genin test. Azumichi, No last name, New Jounin. A brand new jounin, promoted eight days ago. Team will most likely fail in a year. Asa Namida, Weapons and Taijutsu Expert, High Jounin. Kind and caring person with a heavy interest in teamwork. Trains like a sadist. Team will most likely succeed.' 'I guess the choice for sensei has been made for us.' 'Yep!'

After a little revision, the team roster looked much better. 'Team Five-Aoi, Roku, and Muzu. Team Eight- Kenichi, Suzume, and Hanaki. Team Nine-Kaori, Mizu, and Ryu.' 'At least Team Nine has a chance of success. I always liked those guys.' 'I agree. I'm also glad that bastard Aoi is gunna fail!' Inner snickered at that.

I got Ken and Suzu's attention and gave the the sign 'success.' They both nodded. Suzu helped me get the papers back in the exact way that I pulled them out while Ken dismantled his traps. As we left through the window again, I lightly tied the rope around a bar connected to the window. I pulled it slowly, closing the window most of the way before pulling hard enough to undo the knot. We managed to close the window the rest of the way.

We ran back home. Unfortunately, we missed a long haired woman spying on us from around a corner. She smiled excitedly and left.

We made it to Suzu's place without making a noise. The moment we got inside, that silence broke like a rock through glass. We instantly began shouting excitedly.

"We did it!" I yelled.

"Yeeeeeees! Hahahahahahaha!" Suzu laughed manically.

"Woooooohooooo!" Ken shouted.

We plopped onto a tan couch Suzu had in her living room.

I sighed contentedly. "Well, we have about an hour and a half before class… Anyone want breakfast?"

Later

After a celebratory, far too sweet, breakfast, we prepared ourselves to return to class.

After each of us showered, we began ninja jumping our way back to class. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm excited." I said as we busted through the waterfall. I felt something.

'Do you feel that?' 'Yeah, I do.'

I could feel a pair of eyes on me. Watching me, judging me… Studying me.

"Naki?" Suzu asked in concern. She broke me from my thoughts. "Sorry, I'm fine." I said. "Do you feel like someone's watching us?" I questioned. Ken and Suzu gave me a glance and grinned.

"Feeling a bit paranoid?" The girl asked mischievously.

Ken chuckled a bit.

"Maybe I am…" I really couldn't convince myself that I was though. "Just in case, keep your eyes open. Please." I continued pleadingly. My friends looked shocked. I guess they weren't expecting a question like that. 'Probably thought they made us feel better.'

"Yeah, I will." Ken replied.

"No worries, Naki. Nothing will get past me!" Suzu called confidently.

I gave them both thankful smiles.

Around the school were excited, almost, genin. Many of them pushed their way into the building while the rest meandered in. We reached our class a few minutes early, and sat in our normal seats.

The class was a storm of noise as excited "genin" cheered and bragged. Mabui walked into the room at exactly ten, and stood directly in the center of the lecture's stand. We watched him for a minute to see if he knew what we did earlier. He barely gave us a look.

Just like always.

Whatever tense energy we had when we entered the classroom suddenly disappeared with a breath.

"Okay brats, shut up and sit down!" He yelled. The class instantly complied.

"Thank you." He said. He gave all of us a proud smile.

"Congratulations. I am proud to call you all my students. I'm excited to see what all of you will do… That said, I'll now be announcing your teams." He said, pulling out a very recognizable sheet of paper.

'It's funny. Fanfics always say "I drowned out what the teacher said until it reached my team.' 'That's just lazy writing.' … 'Still gunna do it though!' 'Lazy bastard!' I could feel Inner's mirth.

I drowned out the names until it reached mine. 'Lazy bastard.'

"Team Eight will consist of Suzume Mizutori, Hanaki Sora, and Kenichi Utataka. Your sensei will be Asa Nomida." Mabui drawled. Even he was getting bored.

My friends and I grinned manically.

We had ten teams this year. 'Thank you Lord this is all there is. I wanna get out of here.'

"All right. Your senseis should be here at about eleven. Just enough time for you brats to have a thirty minute lunch. Again, congratulations." Mabui congratulated. He smiled warmly at all of us before leaving the room.

"I can't believe that worked!" I whispered excitably.

"I can. I was in charge! Though, I wish we could've made your survival skills more useful in that mission."

"Well, we didn't exactly go into the wilderness." I said. "Anyway… Did you guys remember lunch?"

We looked at eachother.

"Nope!" Suzu cheered.

"Sorry." Ken drawled.

"Then… Wanna grab some noodles?"

"Yep!"

"Sure."

After agreeing, we promptly left the room and ninja ran to our favorite noodle shop. 'I love the name by the way. "Taki no Men Tengoku."' 'Waterfall's Noodle Heaven… Naruto would love this place.'

Thankfully "Mengoku" (Everyone shortens the name to Mengoku) does takeout. We returned to the school within fifteen minutes.

Ken and I had takoyaki again, while Suzu had more ramen.

"How much ramen have you had this week?" I asked.

She subbed her chin. 'She actually has to think about it…' 'Naruto's gunna have a new best friend!'

"Meh, about ten cups?" She replied easily.

Ken sighed. "Suzu… That's not healthy. At all."

She huffed. "So? It's delicious! Besides, I made up for the calorie intake." She claimed proudly.

Before anyone could comment, someone entered the room. "Team Ten, follow me." A tall man said, and left the room. A few of our classmates scrambled to follow.

"I guess we should eat before our sensei gets here." Ken drawled.

Suzu and I nodded while the three of us dug into our food.

A few more teams were grabbed until a very tall woman walked through the door. "Team Eight, would you meet me on the roof?" She asked kindly.

We grinned at each other while we pack up the remainder of our food. The woman walked out of the room and shunshined away. We ran out of the room and climbed a few stairs until we came to a door. We walked out onto the roof after Ken opened it for us.

Sitting on the edge of the roof, facing us, was our sensei. She was strikingly tall. She might be the same height as Kakashi or Jiraya. Her hair was incredibly long and wavy, reaching her hips in a light, almost blonde, brown. She had easily sun-stained skin that contrasted with her light outfit.

"Hello, I'm Asa. I'd like to start off with introductions." The woman said with a small smile as she motioned to a long outcropping on the roof. We sat down as she resumed talking.

"I'll start first. I'm Asa Nomida. My hobbies include black-smithing, forging, and reading. I like sushi and meats, while I dislike a few members of this village. My dream for the future is to give a good home to a good friend." She smiled kindly as she pointed to Suzu at my left.

"I'm Suzume Mizutori! I guess my hobby would be hanging out with my friends? I like ramen! I don't like pompous pricks." She called cheerily. She gained a meek look in her eye and peered at the ground. "My dream for the future is to start a family." She said. Asa gave her a big smile, and nodded gratefully. Suzu grinned happily. Ken and I tapped her shoulder with a fist. She pushed us teasingly.

Asa-sensei gave us a carefree smile. She gestured to me in the middle.

"I'm Hanaki Sora. My hobby would be reading, but I'm interested in forging and gardening. I like the color purple and cooking. I don't like certain quixotic bastards… I also don't like being alone. I have two dreams. The first is to get married and be father. My second is to change this world." I stated confidently.

Asa gave me a pleased look as she nodded. She motioned to the last of our group to my right.

"I'm Kenichi Utataka. My hobbies are pranking and relaxing with friends. I like my friends and family, I guess. I don't like my clan's elders. My dream is to change my clan for the better."

"I'm glad to meet you all! Now, I think we should talk about our first training session together. A survival training!" She said cheerfully. "Meet me at training ground twenty-three at seven tomorrow morning, all right?"

"Sure!" I replied gleefully. 'This'll be fun.' 'hee hee!' Inner snickered joyously.

"Yes, ma'am." Ken responded.

"Gotcha!" Suzu shouted.

She gave us a kind smile before she shunshined away.

"Welp… you guys wanna hang out?" I asked.

"Yep. Can we go to my place this time?" Ken replied.

"I'm fine with that. Suzu?"

"Hell yes! Let's go!" She shouted.

We left merrily. Though, Ken put a few unnoticeable wire traps at the school's entrance.

Halfway to Ken's house, we heard some creature's screaming roar. "DAMN YOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!"

"… Was that Mabui?" I asked.

"Yep." Ken replied. 'Is he smirking?'

"Was that your trap?"

"Yep." He looked far too satisfied.

"I shouldn't mention this to anyone."

"It would be appreciated."

Suzu cackled as Ken and I smirked.

Later That Night

As we entered the door to Ken's home, a sudden flash of color rushed for us. In a moment, Kenko had Ken in a death hug. "Hey, bro! Guess who's home!"

"Hey, sis… ow…" Ken's body was in a strange position. When the blur came for him, he attempted to halt it by holding out one arm, while grabbing a weapon with his other hand. That equated to his left arm being trapped by Kenko's hug, while his right was squished against his sister, elbow close to him, and his hand being bent back in a very… uncomfortable way. He did manage to move his arm to her back somehow.

'How is his hand not broken?' 'I don't know… nor do I want to know.'

"What's wrong?" She asked, looking at her brother. "Oh. That." She quickly ended her hug and grabbed Ken's wrist, massaging it.

"Thankfully for you, I'm staying here tonight! I believe a 'Thank you so much my dear, dear elder sister! Your presence humbles me!' Or something, right?" She asked haughtily. She began laughing.

"Thank you for your presence my oh-so-great elder sister." Ken drawled.

Kenko's eyes widened dramatically. "You actually said it!" She shouted joyously before crushing Ken in another hug.

The boy sighed and returned the hug. "Love you too, sis." 'I wish I had a sister… I can feel the affection from here…" Inner whined. I couldn't stop a small chuckle.

'Is that a sealing tag?' A small tag was stuck to Kenko's back. "Uh…"

Ken quickly shushed me. I obediently shut my mouth. As ken was returning the hug, he pushed a small amount of chakra into the tag. Suddenly, confetti flew from Kenko's back.

"What!?" She called. She released Ken and turned to see the confetti. She looked back to Ken as he raised his arms.

"Waaaaaayyyy!" He shouted in an excited drawl.

Suzu and I shrugged. We walked beside ken and raised our hands.

"Waaaaaaayyy!" We shouted excitedly.

"Congratulations on your promotion to a tokubetsu jounin!" Ken called.

Ai and Kenso walked into the entrance way. "Kenko! We finished dinner. Hanaki, Suzume. Please join us." Ai said. Kenko stood shocked. 'Has she breathed yet?' 'I hope so…'

Kenko grinned and grabbed the three of us in a hug. After our shock ended, we returned the hug. Ai and Kenso joined in soon enough. "Thank you. Everyone." The girl said lovingly.

The four of us left for the living room as Ai and Kenso returned to the kitchen. Soon after we sat, Ken's parents entered the room with three sets of food each. "I was going to ask Ken to grab the two of you, but thankfully, I don't have to." Ai said sweetly.

"I hope you all enjoy some beef teriyaki bowls." Kenso drawled genially.

We nodded. As soon as the food was set in front of us, we began eating. "At least say 'thank you for the food.' Right, Ai?" Kenso asked. Sitting beside an empty sitting pillow was Ai. Slamming food down like it was the only thing she'd eaten in years. The man sighed before sitting next to his wife with a loving smile. He clapped once quickly and began eating.

"That tasted amazing!" I called, happily stuffed.

"Right!? I could eat that til' I die!" Suzu agreed.

Ken and Kenko nodded sagely.

"Well, thank you. I'm quite proud of my beef." Ai said appreciatively.

"And I, my teriyaki." Kenso replied.

We laughed a little at that. "Here, Kenko." Ai gave her daughter a skinny, wrapped package about two feet long.

"Mom! Ya didn't have to." She called excitedly. Ai smiled delightedly.

Inside the wrapping was a sealed case, locked with a key-lock. She gave her mother a curious look before her father gave her a small key. She grinned to her parents as she unlocked the case. Inside the case was a pair of beautifully forged daggers. 'I think they're dual kodachi.' 'Weeb.' Inner said teasingly. 'What does that make you? The inner voice of a schizophrenic weeaboo? Which one do you think is worse?' I goaded good naturedly. '… Fair enough.'

The kodachi were small. The blades were only a foot long, without a curve. They carried no tsuba, and resembled small chokuto. Their hilt and scabbards were dark green, with a carrying bubble design throughout the outer set of the piece. The blades were darkened to a close black, and layered to reflect as little light as possible. Small, single string tassels hung from the back of the hilts. They were colored a dark grey with a single taki-teal bead at the end.

Kenko began tearing up. "Mom… Dad… Thank you!" She called. She set the case down and jumped over the table to hug her parents. They returned the embrace happily. Ken looked on with a blinding smile. Suzu leaned close to him. "Aren't you going to join them?" She whispered. He looked on for a few moments more before nodding and joining the family hug.

The embrace ended a few moments later. "Well, congratulations to you as well, you're all genin now." Ai told us. "And, please. Do have fun tomorrow for your first 'mission.'" She continued. She, Kenko, and Kenso all giggled a little too maliciously for my liking.

Ken and suzu glanced at each other before giving the family confused looks. I couldn't help but grin. 'This will be sooooo much fun!'Both inner and I cackled.

Ai looked to Suzu and I suddenly with a light look. "Would you two like to stay the night?" The woman asked.

Suzu and I gave a thoughtful glance.

The woman sighed. "All right, I'll rephrase that. You two are staying the night. Okay?" She told us.

"Kaaaay'." Suzu called lazily.

"Sure." I replied.

Ai nodded, pleased. She stood and walked to a small closet and began pulling out a couple futons. Suzu and I jumped up to help her.

The six of us spent the rest of the night talking and chatting. A few stories were shared by Kenko, Kenso, and the most interesting from Ai. Soon, Ken's parents decided to leave for bed, leaving the four of us alone. Before they left, however, Kenko grabbed my shoulder.

"I never got an answer from you last time. Where did that scar come from?" She asked. "Do I have to beat a bitch down for ya?" She continued, proudly showing a sadistic smile.

'Why did she have to ask?' Inner and I thought.

"No… You're a little late. One is a missing nin… The other is dead." I replied solemnly.

She starred at me for a while before she embraced me. I could feel two other pair of arms wrap around me.

"I'm sorry." Kenko consoled me lightly. They hugged me tightly, as though they were the only things keeping me from breaking. I don't know how I feel about that. "I meant it as a joke, but if you give me a name, I'll hunt him down." The woman continued angrily.

From the arms holding me, I could hear Ken and suzu agreeing determinedly. A hand rested on my shoulder. I looked to see the loving, kind, and, normally, sweet face of Ai, mutated into a frozen, furious snarl. "No one attacks my kids." She seethed out her words from clenched teeth.

"I'll slaughter him." She continued slowly, dripping malice as the words left her anger thinned lips.

'I-I-I… How could they think this highly of us? We've only known them for a few months.' 'Am I worth this… Naki, you are worth this. I know you are. But me? Dan?' I've always had issues with myself. I felt loved by my impromtue family back home, but after my original parents died, I always blamed myself. 'If I had more money, mom wouldn't have died. If I had a job, dad wouldn't over work himself. If I told her how important she was, my sister might have stayed away from that crowd. She might not have left.' It seems that Inner dealt with these problems himself.

Kenso watched on. He seemed to see my turmoil. He stepped towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder. He leant down next to my ear and whispered as low as he could. "You are worth it. You are worth our love. You are worth life. You deserve a loving family. My family and your friends… We'll all give that to you." Not a single person heard him.

Except Hanaki and Dan. Except for Inner and Outer. Except for Me and me. Inner and I.

Slowly. Tears formed in my eyes. These small pools of liquid dropped in a single line. Those single drops turned to two. Two to four. Four to eight. I couldn't hold it in. I grabbed as many of these caring, amazing people.

And bawled.

I grieved for my old life.

I sobbed for my new one.

Inner's emotions flowed into me. Making them more intense.

By the end of the night, my eyes were red and painful. My face damp and flushed. My hair tousled strangely. And both Inner and I with light, relieved, and happy hearts and souls.

'I love these people.'

A/N

Hello, all. Thank you for reading.

Next chapter will be the true genin exam

Finally, there will be a fight scene!

I hope you all will enjoy it.

Omake

I woke up, late in the night, laying in my futon.

I looked to see another futon a small distance away, completely empty. 'Isn't that Suzu's?'

I stood to find a small door cracked open. Through it was Suzu sitting on a rail over a balcony.

"Couldn't sleep either?" I asked. She seemed surprised.

"Nope. Too excited for tomorrow. You?" She replied curiously.

I stepped next to her and vaulted over the rail, and stopped on top of it in a sitting position.

"Just got a lot on my mind."

'Right. He told us about all that scar stuff. He must be suffering. I should-.' The girl's thoughts were stopped cold by my words.

"Do you think the Akatsuki remember their old teams?" I asked.

"… What?"