Inu: Hmm, I got called out on something that this person was completely right about, a small….

Heba: -glares-

Inu: -pouts- Okay BIG thing I over looked.

YGOfangirl4ever: If you remember during the show, Naruto used clones a lot of times, but they never lasted a lot, they didn't do everything on their own. Most any opponent was able to defeat the shadow clones, who actually had Naruto's ninjutsu knowledge.

Inu: My only defense to this is that Yami and Atem were still on the field and fighting along with the clones. You were completely right though and I will be more careful in the future. Thank you!

Now on with the story!

Enjoy!

Chapter 6- A Lesson in Teamwork.

(Yugi's POV)

It had been six weeks since we had joined team 5 and I have never felt so physically drained in my entire life. Yami had been assigned as my personal teacher like Atem was to Heba and when they weren't training us, we were training ourselves. We were constantly in the forest training and I almost wondered why we didn't sleep in there.

The boys never gave us a day off, telling us that if we wanted to catch up to everyone else, we would need to practice ten times more than everyone else. We still hadn't meant Joey's other friends because of how busy Atem and Yami kept us.

I will admit it is working; we are getting really far along in our training. It was now proven Heba was better than me at Taijutsu, and I was better than him at Ninjutsu and we were both pretty good at Genjutsu, especially at spotting when it was being used. This being the case when me and Heba were practicing alone we helped each other with the others weakness.

Through all of this Heba and I had also made a plan, we were going to get Yami and Atem to understand the importance of team work and so far, what we had been doing to get them to understand that teamwork was important, was working. They had their moments where they were there usual jerk selves but then they had their moments where they weren't and actually worked alongside us to get the mission done.

Currently Heba and I were once again in the training grounds, sparing with each other. Yami and I were on a team while Heba and Atem were on a team, Joey was off with Mahad, where we were not sure but I had a feeling we would find out later. Since our affinities were opposites of each other's the twins thought it would be a good idea to pair us against each other, and that having one of them on our side would boost our chances. Heba had called them conceded and thus started another argument which I quickly broke up before dragging Yami off to get ready for practice.

While in the bush I dragged Yami off to I had formed a plan; it was a simple plan really. We were going to make a water clone of each of us and then use the clones as a distraction. When Heba and Atem were distracted Yami and I were going to jump in and capture them.

Yami had agreed to this plan telling me it was good and he thought it would work. On my signal we jumped out of our hiding spots and stood back to back on the lake that was nearby. We preformed the hand seals to the water clone technique and a clone of each of us emerged from the water.

"Alright we can't be too far from the clones as you know so we will have to follow behind them but still remain hidden. Once there distracted what's the plan from there?" Yami asked looking over to me.

"We capture them. I will go for Heba you go for Atem." Yami nodded and we put the plan into action.

The clones moved through the forest back to where we had last sensed our brothers. As planned Heba and Atem were in the clearing and…. They appeared to be arguing. I blinked and leaned closer trying to hear what they could possibly be arguing about this time.

"If you weren't so damn hell bent on doing everything yourself and maybe listened to me we could have a decent planned formed!"

Atem scowled at that and I really wanted to smack my head on a tree. Now of all the times they were arguing! What if we were on a mission they would both have been killed by now! Did they even think about the safety of themselves and the others on their team?

"Nothing you can possible suggest will work! I am the prodigy here not you! My plan will obviously work!" Atem responded and Heba started yelling again about how damn conceded he was.

I rolled my eyes at that and looked over to Yami. We exchanged a look before signaling for our clones to move. As commanded the two moved and attacked Heba and Atem from behind, the two immediately responded, dodging there attacks. The clones moved and continued to fight with them but keeping them so that their backs were to us and they wouldn't see us coming.

I waited, watched and looked for the perfect chance. Once I saw it I grabbed a Kunai and motioned to Yami to move. We leaped out of the trees and I reached for Heba, wrapping my arm around his neck and placing the kunai at his throat. My brother stilled and looked over to me, casting a glare. "You lose Heba."

I released him and looked over to Yami who had Atem pinned on his back and a kunai placed to his neck. Once he noticed I was done and Heba gave up he released his brother and stood up. The clones disappeared into water and I smirked at my brother. "You guys really shouldn't let your guard down. You lost because you were arguing and were caught off guard when our clones attacked. You didn't take the time to see if they were real people or not and thus as a result, didn't see us come at you from behind."

Heba scowled and turned to Atem, pinning him with a glare. "If you weren't so damn self centered and maybe listened to your teammate this wouldn't have happened!"

"So this is my fault! I hate to tell you Moto but you are just as at fault as I am! You were arguing with me!" Atem yelled and Heba narrowed his eyes.

I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. I reached around my neck and took of the Hitai-Ate that was around there. I had chosen to wear mine around my neck like Yami and Hinata and Heba had chosen to wear his on his upper arm like Atem and Shikamaru.

Dangling the hitai-ate by one of the ends of the silk fabric in my hands I walked over to the arguing teens and held it in-between them. The fighting instantly stopped and they looked over to me in confusion. I ignored my brother and looked over to Atem, my amethyst eyes connecting with his crimson.

"What does this represent?" I asked him and now everyone was looking at me like I had lost my mind, but there was a reason behind this. I was going to give everyone a lesson in teamwork.

"It's a hitai-ate, it's meant to symbolize pride in one's village, as well as fidelity. We consider it an honorable, important part of our tradition, and make a point of wearing it at all times, especially when sparring with a comrade from the same village." Atem recited and I rolled my eyes at him.

"If I wanted a text book answer I would have gone and asked Iruka-Sensei. The hitai-ate is not just a symbol of pride and loyalty to our village, it's a sign of loyalty to our teammates! Our fellow ninja!" At this point I was yelling at Atem, not intentionally, I was just so irritated with him and Yami. We got along with Joey, he worked with us like we were brothers, I would trust him with my life. Atem and Yami? I would sooner trust Sasuke and he becomes evil! "If you wear the Konoha hitai-ate you are part of a village part of a team! We stand together ready to give our lives for each other! This constant fighting, bickering, thinking your better than others, IT'S GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED!"

I took a deep breath to get myself under control as I placed the hitai-ate once again around my neck. Once it was firmly in place I looked back up and saw Heba was staring at me in shock and Atem was glaring at the ground. I looked over to Yami and he had a thoughtful look on his face. I smiled at that, at least someone was taking me seriously. I looked back to Atem and decided to take Kakashi's word; everyone seemed to listen to him after all. "In the world of ninja... those who break the rules and codes are branded as garbage, but… those who don't cherish their friendship are garbage worse than that."

"So, someone does listen to me." I blinked at the sound of a voice behind me and spun on my heal to face the person who spoke, only to become face to face with the porn book. I let out a vary unmanly scream and fell backwards, landing on my bottom on the ground.

Kakashi moved his book out of the way and looked down at me, arching his one eye brow. "Yo, you should really pay closer attention to your surroundings." He sighed and closed his book, placing it inside his vest before looking over to Atem, Yami and Heba. "I was sent to fetch you; Hokage needs to talk to you. Before you go though, I want to say something."

I pulled myself up off the ground and brushed my clothes off, before looking to Kakashi. If he wanted to say something it must be important. The man smiled that weird crescent moon smile before he lost it and became completely serious. "A team is not seen as individual people. They are seen as one, you are all one cell. You count on each other and rely on each other. You put one person, even yourself, in danger and you in danger everyone. You have to work together or you risk everything! Do you get what I am saying?"

I nodded my head and looked over to Yami and Atem who also did. They seem to really have taken this all to heart and that made me smile. They really were good people and I enjoyed training and going on missions with them. But they were just so thick headed that they couldn't see past themselves to trust anyone else. I knew they trusted each other, and even trusted Joey a little, but if they didn't trust us all fully, it would end up back firing on them someday.

"Good! Now everyone, go and see the Hokage."

I watched my team turn and leave. I was about to join them but looked over to Kakashi and smiled to him. "Thank you Kakashi-Sensei."

He smiled at me and nodded his head before disappearing in a puff of smoke. I turned and ran after the others who had stopped to wait for me. Once I caught up we all headed over to the Hokage's tower. Once there we walked inside and up to the room where Sarutobi was. Atem knocked and once we had permission to enter we did.

Sarutobi was there with Mahad-Sensei, Iruka-Sensei and Joey. I smiled to them all and bowed like the others before he spoke.

"Welcome boys. We need to discuss something. As I am sure you all have heard the Chūnin exams are fast approaching. Normally every year Mahad-Sensei refuses to enter you boys, however this year we had come to an agreement after seeing how much improvement you have been making. If you can tell me why in the previous year's you had not been allowed to enter, and what you plan to do to change that, he has agreed to let you participate."

I looked over to Yami and Atem. Atem had a thoughtful look on his face and Yami seemed almost, knowing. With a long sigh from the pale teen he took a step forward and looked to Sarutobi seriously. "We failed each year in our Sensei's eyes because; we didn't know how valuable teamwork was to a team. We had constantly degraded Joey and as a result, we had failed not as Shinobi, but as a team."

Atem walked forward then and smiled to Sarutobi. "Yugi had opened our eyes to that. He had told us that if we did not work together, as one, then we would end up not only hurting ourselves on a mission, but everyone else as well."

I looked to Joey who was grinning like a mad man on the sofa. My eyes traveled then to Mahad who looked pleasantly surprised, Iruka seemed proud and Sarutobi had a small smile on his face. They had definitely heard the answer they wanted and I mentally cheered, we were going to enter the Chūnin exams!

"Now, how does a ninja fix this?" Sarutobi asked and Heba stepped forward to stand next to the twins this time.

"The only way to fix teamwork is by working as a team. Listening to your teammates, standing by their sides and risking your life for them."

Sarutobi nodded and looked over to Mahad for the final say. Mahad smiled and nodded his head. "I would say this year, there ready. Never before had I seen them admit that they were a team, one man not separate people. I think they really finally get it." The pride in his voice at saying that was so clear I couldn't help but smile even more. Mahad then looked at us seriously and I instantly went on alert. "The Chūnin exams take place in a week's time, people from all over are going to be coming to the village to partake. Make sure you guys are ready, Ishizu-Sensei told me that she is entering Malik, Ryou and Mana this year and Dartz-Sensei told me he is entering Bakura, Marik and Seto."

I blinked at the unfamiliar characters again. This is happening too much, especially since there all entering the Chūnin exams. Wouldn't I have noticed these guys before? Then again… there were a lot of unimportant characters maybe there just so insignificant I didn't notice them. As cruel as a thought that was it was plausible.

"He got Bakura, Marik and Seto to work as a team? What did he do, drug them!? I couldn't picture those people working together if their lives depended on it! Especially Seto! And I am related to him, I should know!" Yami yelled in disbelief and Mahad simply shrugged.

"I do know how he did it but apparently he did."

"Maybe he sicked Ibiki-Sensei on them, that man could frighten anyone into doing anything." Atem commented and I shivered at the thought. I would never want to meet that man even though I will have to put up with him in the first exam…. Wait…. The Chūnin exams that's when….

My head snapped over to Sarutobi as my eyes widened in disbelief. 'No, I completely forget, that's when Orochimaru attacks and Sarutobi, he… he…' My eyes filled with tears as I remembered his final moments. I had grown close to the old man over the times I was here; I didn't want him to die!

"-gi! YUGI!" I blinked causing the tears to fall down my cheeks. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes with my hand before looking back to Heba who was staring at me in worry. "Hey what happened are you alright? Why are you crying?"

I shook my head and looked down to the ground. "It's nothing."

Heba pressed his lips together in a frown. He clearly saw through my lie and looked over to Sarutobi. "I am going to take him home; I'll see you guys later." With that he grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the building. We headed down a few blocks and back to our apartment where he unlocked the door and lead me to his bedroom. He sat me on the bed and knelt in front of me.

"Yugi, what happened back there?"

"He dies." I answered in a whisper and Heba's brows furrowed in confusion, clearly wanted me to elaborate. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest and I felt tears once again fill my eyes. "Sarutobi, O-Orochimaru k-kills him d-during the Ch-Chūnin E-Exams." As I finished elaborating I saw Heba's eyes widen in realization and tears once again poured down my cheeks as I started to sob. He had done so much for us and he was going to lose his life. It just didn't seem fair to me. "I-I w-wish we c-could s-save h-him."

"But we can't." Heba answered softly and I looked to him in confusion. If we told him, told other people what was going to happen they could save his life! Heba sighed and shook his head as if sensing what I was thinking.

"Yugi, we are in a different world we can't risk changing the future more then we already have. Who knows maybe saving his life could result in the death of another! Besides you know just as much as I do, Sarutobi wouldn't want that. He would tell us that if it was his time, then he would willingly accept that. Especially if it was for his village."

I broke into tears again knowing Heba was right. But no matter how much I tried to tell myself that was the case, it still didn't feel right. Heba simply pulled me to him and rubbed my back, trying to help me calm down even though it didn't help much. Eventually though I stopped crying and fell asleep in Heba's lap.