Chapter 5

"Do you wanna see something interesting?" asked Osaka as they group sat in a bored silence.

"What?" asked Sakaki, as Tomo adjusted the chair she sat in, deeply enthralled in making the wooden structure more comfortable to sit on. Or possibly just destroying it.

"One of the other students taught me a new technique. It's kinda interesting. The student calls it the harem technique" said Osaka.

"Harem technique?" asked Sakaki sounding flustered. I don't like the sound of that. Actually, I really don't like the sound of that.

Osaka slowly walked towards the centre of the room, and slowly raised her hands, index and middle finger of each hand joining together. She closed her eyes, and Tomo, suddenly realising what was happening turned to face the girl. Osaka paused, before muttering a word. Tomo and Sakaki watched, transfixed.

"Huh-wha!" yelled Tomo as the room was filled with nubile, toned blond haired eighteen year old women. Who had nothing but smoke for cover. Tomo felt back in surprise, landing hard on the floor. "Hey, warn someone before you do that" she said, rubbing her head. With a faint explosion the women disappeared, and Osaka suddenly reappeared looking slightly confused.

"How could that be useful?" asked Tomo aloud to herself. In any walk of life?

"O-Osaka?" said Sakaki.

"Yes Sakaki?" asked Osaka as though nothing unusual had happened.

"I don't suppose it was a boy who taught you that technique was it?" asked Sakaki.

"Yeah! How'd you guess?"

"No reason…"

Tomo paused as she heard something. Kicking the chair out of the way, she rushed across to the open window. Ignoring Sakaki's protests, she practically hung out of the window looking at the pathway below. She watched as Team eight left the building. Kagura carried a large pack, while Chiyo walked close to the Jonin- Kurosawa-sensei. Slowly they disappeared, stepping out through the gate and into the town. There they go, and we're still here.

"Where do you think our sensei is?" asked Osaka. The other teams had already left. Only Team eight and five had been left. Now even Chiyo had left.

"Maybe he's run into some sort of dangerous trouble" said Tomo, throwing mock punches. "Maybe he's an awesome Jonin who always puts his life on the line!"

"Perhaps he's just a bad timekeeper" suggested Sakaki quietly.

Tomo pointed disinterestedly towards the window. "Chiyo and the others left with Nyamo-sensei."

"We're the only ones left aren't we?" asked Osaka. "Well I think we are…"

"Yeah" said Tomo crossing her arms. "I guess we're too good for normal Jonin."

Looking worried, Sakaki suddenly leant forward in her chair. "Did you say they left with Kurosawa-sensei?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Sakaki sat back thinking. A shocked look crossed her face. "But the Jonin who left…that couldn't…we wouldn't be left with…"

A minute later Osaka suddenly came to the same conclusion. A look of horror deeply etched itself into her face.

"What are you talking about?" asked a frustrated Tomo, unwilling to sit down and think.

"We couldn't have…"

The door slowly slid open. Sandaled feet stepped onto the wooden floor. A man stepped inside and waved. Tomo backed away, as Osaka looked up in horror. Not…not

"Hello girls!" said Kimura. "I am the Jonin assigned to lead this cell."

Not Kimura sensei! thought Tomo.

Surely it must be unethical to assign him to a group like ours thought Sakaki in silence.

"What's with you?" asked Kimura, his mouth hanging wide. "You look like you're attending a funeral. I don't want my girls to be upset."

"Don't ever call us that again!" yelled Tomo.

"But you are my girls. And don't forget that I am your sensei. Feel free to come to me. I look forward to seeing all of you mature into fine young women."

I think he meant more then one thing with that statement thought Sakaki to herself. He certainly seemed to be keenly focused upon Sakaki.

Tomo looked across at the others. Osaka still looked petrified. "So when do we start training?" she asked, resigned to fate. She wasn't going to let him interrupt her plans.

"Tomorrow!" said Kimura, standing up in a triumphant manner. "Tomorrow I will set about training you all to be true ninja." As though he thought that was the correct moment he suddenly pulled the black mask resting around his neck up over his gaunt face, hiding his open mouth. It was an improvement.

"Where?" asked Sakaki, knowing the other two would probably overlook that important piece of information.

"By the small river. And eat no breakfast! I will provide you with a Kimura special."

"What's so special about a Kimura special?" asked Osaka.

Sakaki was certain beneath that mask Kimura was grinning as he thought of a possible answer.

"Why don't we go now?" asked Tomo.

"Do you really want to start training in the dark and cold?" asked Kimura. "No, no that wouldn't be any good." He suddenly raised a gloved hand. "Of course, basic Jonin cell leadership lesson! Introductions!"

"Introductions?" asked Osaka.

"Indeed. You may know each other. But I haven't gotten around to reading up on you, and if I do this I can skip that unpleasant work."

"What do you want to speak about?" asked Sakaki.

"I'll go first. You may call me Kimura-sensei, or Kimura. I enjoy recycling and reading. I do have my own personal dislikes, but they are personal. My dreams are best left unsaid. I also like teenage girls! Now your turn" he said, carrying on as though nothing had been said out of the ordinary.

"I'm Ayumu, but everyone calls me Osaka. I like jokes, and those weird colours you can get when mixing paint. Also forests and windows and fog. I don't really dislike anything except for homework. My parents think learning ninja skills would help me. My dreams are often confusing."

Wrong type of dreams!

"I'm Tomo Takino! I'm training to become a better ninja then Sakaki so I can show this town I mean what I say. I like winning, food, using ninja techniques and reading mass produced horror! I dislike loosing and boring stuff. I dream of becoming great!"

"I see. Hmm, I do like my girls to be boisterous" mused Kimura to himself.

"What?!" yelled an enraged Tomo.

"And now we reach the tall long haired one of the group" said Kimura.

"I'm Sakaki. I don't really dislike anything, and I've never had many dreams. I'm training so I can help people. I like…well I like…" she fell silent and blushed as a parade of marching kitty cats passed through her mind.

"I see. Well, I feel like sleeping now. Don't forget- tomorrow by the small river. And no breakfast. We don't want you failing due to cramp. Cramp in your stomachs…toned by years of practical work and practice and exercise. Well anyway, see the three of you next morning."

With that he disappeared, closing the door behind him. A stunned silence lingered around the room as the group tried to comprehend what had just happened. Only one person could interrupt the silence.

"Well what the hell was that?!" asked Tomo.

"It would appear as though our sensei really likes his job" said Sakaki, unsure of something positive to say.

"Hey?" said Osaka.

"What?"

"Why would a room rarely used have so much attention paid to ensuring a matching colour scheme?"

"What?!"

---

The trio slowly assembled together at the river. Tomo arrived first, wearing a dark red shirt, red shorts and her hitai-ate resting around her forehead. Osaka soon appeared, drifting through the forest rather then taking the much easier pathway route. She wore a long pale skirt and long sleeved shirt. She wore a small hat, hitai-ate hidden. She took off the hat, revealing it too was around her forehead. Sakaki quickly appeared. She wore trousers and a matching shirt. Her hitai-ate was wrapped around her long black hair. Tomo looked at Sakaki.

"I know you're a ninja now, but you could at least make some sort of effort" she joked. She looked at Sakaki in horror as the girl glanced down at the ground, seemingly sad. "I didn't…"

"I think you look great!" said Osaka, sticking up a thumb. Sakaki blushed slightly.

"So where's Kimura?" asked Sakaki.

"He seems late" suggested Osaka.

"I'll look for him" said Tomo, climbing up a close by tree. Sakaki looked at the tree which stretched high up towards the heavens.

"Do you think she'll make it?" asked Osaka.

"Maybe. Or she might fall."

"Ah, good to see you all here. And eager too- you're all early."

"We're not early" said Tomo, picking herself off the floor having fallen. "We're half an hour late. Where were you?"

"Bowel problems" said Kimura patting his stomach. He stepped forwards. In the bright light of the sunny day, Sakaki could that Kimura had a faint, old scar running down the left side of his face. It started just above the eye, before disappearing behind seemingly opaque glasses. It then continued running down part of his cheek. "A very old war wound" said Kimura, noticing the attention. Sakaki quickly turned away embarrassed at staring at the man.

"So what are we doing he-"

"I suppose you are wondering why you are here? I am here to test you further."

"Test? More tests?" asked Tomo. Please no, I hate tests.

"Where are the desks?" observed Osaka.

Kimura rested a gloved hand against his face. He held up his other hand, holding up one finger. "You have one task. One very simple task to do. However it is made significantly more difficult by the circumstances. You will find yourself up against me. You may use weapons, or if you can, genjutsu or ninjutsu. That may be very useful for you Osaka."

"What?" asked Tomo, having never heard praise for Osaka. This didn't seem right. She thought over what had been said. Yes it definitely sounded as though Kimura had given the girl praise.

"I have heard of Osaka. The thick skulled girl with a deep level of retention. Teaching her a technique is very difficult. But when she comprehends it, she can make full use of it. Or so they say." Thick skulled girl...must be a Yukari-sensei saying.

So that's how she was able to pass. I always thought she never understood any of that stuff.

"You traitor!" exclaimed Tomo. "We were supposed to be poor at exams together!"

"I'm sorry" said Osaka bowing her head in shame.

"You don't need to apologize" whispered Sakaki.

"So what is this task?" demanded Tomo.

Kimura held up his hand. "That can wait. First I must tell you an important detail. You all have potential. Potential alone is not enough. You have been separated from the complete dross. However the Jonin, leaders of the teams have been tasked with finding the ready. All teams will soon be finding this out. Over half of you will return to the academy. If you fail to pass my exam then you are not ready to train properly. As such you will return to the academy, and study again. Those who are ready may begin training. Pass this test and you will become Genin."

"Go back?" asked Tomo. "No, not after all that effort."

Sakaki bowed her head. Another testing situation.

"I take it we won't be needing a pencil?" asked Osaka.

"No."

"Well that's a relief, I thought I could have been in trouble for a minu…oh wait."