It was dead on five am when I arrived at the training grounds, along with the others.

"Good morning..." muttered Sakura, as she was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Naruto couldn't even form a sentence because he was so tired. Sasuke said nothing and seemed to be wide awake, but as I got closer, I noticed slight bags under his eyes.

"Morning guys!" I say in a merry tone. Naruto and Sakura looked at me as if I had three heads.

"You're certainly... chipper this morning..." Sakura stated slowly.

I just shrugged "well considering on what kakashi asked us to do, I had a massive dinner, since I knew I wouldn't be able to eat breakfast, an early night and I'm also good in the mornings.."

"Isn't that cheating?" Sakura asked crossly.

"No" I answered sharply "say anything and I'll beat you to a pulp".

Nothing more was said after that as we waited for our sensei to arrive.

'Okay this is ridiculous!' I thought angrily as now Kakashi was four hours late! The sun had fully risen, now Naruto and Sakura where sat down, whereas Sasuke and me remained standing. There goes my good mood.

"Good morning everyone!" we heard a voice say.

Recognising it straight away Naruto and Sakura jumped to their feet "YOU'RE LATE SENSEI!"

"Well a black cat crossed my path so..." But Kakashi never finished his sentence, because no matter what he said, he'd only be digging himself a deeper hole.

He cleared his throat and walked towards the three logs. He placed a timer on top of the middle log. "You have until noon today to complete the task."

He then pull proceeded to take out something out of his pocket, "the task is to get one of these bells from me" he explained holding them in the air, "Whoever can't will have no lunch, I'm going to tie you to the log and eat my lunch in front of you".

Everyone had misery snd hunger written all over their faces, I wasn't too bothered because as I stated before, I had a massive dinner last night.

"But wait" Sakura piped "why are there only three bells?"

This made Kakashi smile, well I was assuming he was smiling anyway. "Since there are only three, at least one will have to be tied to a log. That person will fail because he or she didn't complete the mission, that person, will go back to the academy. It might just be one... or all four of you. You can use shuriken; you won't be able to get these without the will to kill me".

"But that's too dangerous sensei!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Yeah..." Naruto agreed "you couldn't even dodge that eraser!"

"In society, those who don't have any abilities to complain more, just ignore the guy with the lowest scores... We're going to start after I say 'ready, start!'"

But Kakashi's comment about Naruto obviously struck a nerve, because he immediately started charging towards sensei with a kunai knife in his hand. Only to have Kakashi catch his arm and twist it so the kunai was aimed at the back of his head.

"Don't get so hasty... I didn't say start yet."

'Wow...' I thought 'I didn't even see him move he was so fast'.

Kakashi let go of Naruto, "Well it looks like you all have to will to kill me now" he mused "I think I can finally start to like you four!"

"Gee... thanks" I mumbled under my breath, that was the most back-handed compliment I'd received.

"We are going to begin... Ready... START!"

All four of us took off in different directions, I found a good hiding spot behind a thick tree. Once I knew I was safe, I began to strategize how to get the bells.

'Three bells... four ninjas' I told myself, 'it's like he's trying to get us all against each other'. My first assumption was that he wanted to see our skills individually, which is probably the case.

But that indecent with Naruto kept playing in my mind, there was no way we could remotely touch Kakashi at the level we were, let alone get the bell. After all he is, even though he's lazy, a Jounin. If I had any chance of getting the bells, I'd have to team up with someone.

I highly doubted I'd get anywhere with Sakura, she was as useful as a bird who forgets to sing. Sasuke, I'm not even gonna go there. So that left me with Naruto...

Even though Naruto wasn't as good as Sasuke, he'd probably be more likely to listen once I shut him up.

"LETS HAVE A MATCH FAIR AND SQUARE!"

I looked where Kakashi was and saw Naruto with his arms crossed grinning. 'Shit!' I cursed, that idiot he's never gonna get the bells by doing that. I shut their voices out of my mind to get focused, so I couldn't use Naruto, since he already made his appearance known to the enemy, which let me with the two options I didn't want to take.

If I asked Sakura, not only would she be unless in combat, but all she'd care about was Sasuke; however she'd probably be a good distraction leaving me to get the bells.

Sasuke, combat wise, would probably be more useful, since we both have the same chakra level. But with that Uchiha stubbornness in his blood, and that loner attitude made me think otherwise. I scanned the area and notice Naruto charging at our Sensei making him go into his pouch.

"Ninja tactic know-how number one, taijutsu. I'll teach you that first" Kakashi-sensei told the orange dressed ninja.

'Taijutsu? But he's reaching for a weapon?'

Well that theory got thrown out the window when he pulled out not a knife, but a book. And not just any book either...

"Flirting Paradise?" I read, not only is our sensei a moron, but he also reads erotic novels. I bet you're wondering why I know this? Well Haruo brought it home once, stating he borrowed it from colleague, I think I know who that was now.

"Why... why did you take out that book?" Naruto asked.

"Why?" Kakashi repeated "I got curious as to how the story is going to develop. Don't worry about it, It's the same whether I read this or not".

I drew my attention away from them for the moment and scanned the area again to notice something in a tree, north-east from me. I could recognise that raven hair anywhere.

'I can't see Sakura anywhere, so it looks like it's just Sasuke left'.

Knowing that Kakashi was fully distracted by my teammate, I jumped from tree to tree till I reached Sasuke. When I appeared next to him, he stared at me with a puzzled expression.

"Listen Sasuke... I have a plan" I whispered.

But my attention was adverted when me and him realised Naruto stopped yelling. Behind him was Kakashi doing a hand sign of the tiger, which was for fire elements. Was he really going to do that to Naruto.

"NARUTO RUN! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" Sakura yelled but it was too late.

"A thousand years of pain!"

Now I know that sounds incredibly impressive, but it wasn't. If anything it was the most stupid thing I'd ever seen. Kakashi didn't perform a jutsu, he basically poked Naruto's butt and sent him flying.

"Two idiots" Sasuke mumbled which switched me back to him.

"Sasuke I have a..."

"I thought you said to not talk to you" he stated cooly.

I felt my eye twitch, "yes but I made missions an exception you jerk! Do you think I wanna be here talking to you if I felt I didn't need to?" I snapped making him glare at me. "Now listen, from watching Naruto I've come to realise that none of us can face Kakashi on our own at our level, we all need to team up or something..."

Sasuke scoffed "you're comparing me with Naruto?" he said snobbishly. "I'm nothing like him or any of you, I don't need your help."

"Oh will you get off your high horse! Or you're never gonna graduate!" I hissed "you are a Genin! Like the rest of us and Kakashi is a Jounin... we need to come up with a plan!"

"You'll only get in my way with your results..."

"What? I was tied with you, you moron!"

"not in your written exam!"

Now that stung, although Sasuke kept his emotionless face I could see something that flashed in his eyes... regret?

"You know what..." I mused sarcastically "forget it, as if I want to be teamed with you anyway... good luck failing!" and with that I disappeared back to my hiding spot.

'I will not cry over him, I will not cry over him!' I kept telling myself. But his words kept ringing in my head.

"Got ya!"

I looked to the training area to see about ten Naruto's holding Kakashi in place whilst one of them went to deliver the punch.

"what the? Ten Narutos?" I asked myself "no way! When did he learn to do shadow clones!"

As the Naruto went to punch his sensei, it turns out he only punched another clone. Naruto was clearly confused until he exclaimed...

"You must be Kakashi-sensei! You transformed didn't you?"

All the Naruto's then proceeded to beat each other to a pulp till only the real one was left.

'No my friend... he pulled the replacement jutsu on you' I thought to myself. Naruto then noticed a bell on the floor and went to pick it up.

"No Naruto! It's a..."

"AHH WHAT'S THIS!?"

"trap..." I mumbled the last part as I watched him dangle upside down.

"Use your techniques after thinking carefully" spoke Kakashi, as he picked up the bell. "That's why it was used to your disadvantage, and... don't fall for such an obvious trap, stupid".

This pushed Naruto over the edge, but Kakashi ignored him and began to pep talk him on how ninja's need to think beyond normal.

"I already know!"

"I'm telling you this because you don't! Got it?"

But as he continued talking, shuriken was thrown and knocked him down only to be another replacement jutsu. I heard the rustle of brushes from where Sasuke was, it must have been him that threw it.

'You completely fell for that one' I thought. Then I saw a flash of pink, which was obviously heading in the same direction as her precious Sasuke. Since Kakashi was nowhere in sight, I decided to help Naruto.

"Need a hand?" I called as I finally reached him.

"Nah I got it" he mumbled as he cut himself down and landed on his feet.

"Wait Naruto..." but once again I was too late, as he fell for yet another trap.

I shook my head "hold on let me find my skuriken" I told him, searching through my pouch. When I did find one, I didn't realise that Naruto was distracted by something, so when I threw my star to cut the rope, he wasn't ready and landed on his head.

"Oh god Naruto I'm so sorry!" I said rushing over to him.

"Nah it's okay..." Naruto reassured me whilst rubbing his head. Actually, now that me and him were alone I could tell him my plan.

"So Naruto I think I know how..."

"Sorry Tomoko! Gotta go!" and sped off leaving me stunned. Something must have caught his attention which seemed to be more important.

Suddenly, a fear-struck shriek echoed through the forest, and it sounded a lot like Sakura. Although I didn't particularly like her, it was against my morals to not check if she was hurt.

I tried to track her footsteps, by following the broken twigs and footprints but it isn't as easy as it sounds, especially when tracking someone, who isn't your target and that target is testing you.

"You're not gonna find any bells on the floor you know?"

I froze as the voice of my sensei rang through my ears, I slowly stood up straight and faced him, he was just casually standing there reading that book.

"I wasn't looking for the bells... not yet anyway".

Kakashi looked up from his book "Oh? Don't you want to be a ninja then?"

I started laughing "yes of course" was all I replied. I needed to get away from him fast if I were to ever reach Sakura and if I were ever to get the bells.

"Then why won't you attack me? Now is a good opportunity as ever" he mused at me.

But as soon as he finished talking, I jumped in the air and span into a kick, aiming for his head, well, at least that's what he thought. I landed back on my feet, with the book that he was reading in front of me.

He looked at me surprised, "I'm not self-centred, I'm not stupid and I'm certainly not infatuated with some guy" I told him picking up the book. "You want this back? you let me go".

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at me "so you're trying to bargain with me? Then why not bargain to get the bells?"

"Because..." I answered "at my level, there is no way I'd get a bell myself. Now, do you want the book or not?" I asked. When he didn't answer, I opened it up to random page "so then you don't want this book back" and as I said that, I started to rip the top of the page.

This sent Kakashi into a frenzy "NO! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

I smirked, "then see you around Kakashi-sensei" and with that I threw a smoke pellet to the ground, dropped the book and legged it.

Kakashi waited for the smoke the clear till he saw the book on the floor. Walking over to pick it up, he couldn't help but think about how much Tomoko had changed since the first time he'd met her.

She probably wouldn't remember as she was so young back then, but he remembered everything.

'you've certainly grown up since then Tomoko...'

But one thing he was questionable about was the vanbraces she wore, he knew for a fact that they weren't from this region. But how did they end up here? And how did they end up with Tomoko?

Kakashi was going to have to ask the Hokage.