"Let's just get this over with." Hana sighed, already anticipating an ass-kicking as they broke the canopy. Izumi rolled her eyes at that. Even though they'd momentarily agreed to put their differences aside, the bluenette's voice grated on her.

As they broke into the clearing, Izumi found herself immediately leaping backward as a rainbow of colors flashed in her vision, yanking Hana with her as suddenly, a gash was torn into the ground in front of them.

"Ha ha ha! Evildoers, I knew you would be coming to get me here today!" A deeper, masculine voice rang out, high above the training posts, belonging to one Fuma Tomo, Shadow Clone (The Gamer), Lv.25. Izumi paused, however, upon witnessing her... other features.

"Izumi... why did your sister have to go and make herself hot." Hana bemoaned.

"Never speak those words in that order to me again, Tatsushima." Izumi sighed. "And that's not Tomo."

Or, well, not the real one. Standing upon the tree trunk that was planted into the ground was an adult, masculine version of her sister. Gone were the cute features like the very pincheable cheeks and the large black eyes, the figure in front of her had donned a generic-looking version of the Yondaime's cloak and hat and was grinning at them. There was still the prettiness that defined almost every Uchiha, but the abomination in front of her could be considered handsome if she wasn't your sister, she supposed.

"Stunned by my ability to see through your deception, I see!" The... thing in front of them laughed. "But it matters not, because I am the Kage of Training Ground 12, and if you step over that line, you shall meet your fate at the end of my blade!"

"Why." Hana groaned.

"Tomo knows the Shadow Clone technique, but for some reason, all of her clones come out a little touched in the head." Izumi pretended not to see the slight flash of hurt in the eyes of the figure atop the post. Ever since Tomo learned the technique, Izumi found herself with an intense dislike for it.

Itachi-kun, Shisui-kun, and Tomo-chan all made extensive use of the technique to speed up their training, but it always meant that there was a good chance you were talking to a fake, as though they couldn't spare the time to be there with you.

It only made Izumi feel even more left behind.

Scanning around as a haze of red fell over her vision, Izumi searched for another flash of gold, locating her on the other side of the clearing from where they were. Her sister, brat that she was, sat on the branch of a tree, Yugao-sensei next to her and... a chakra construct of a hat?

Turning to look at Kage-Tomo, she stared at her clothing. While her sister was extremely competent at the Henge just like she was at most things, you couldn't hide the minute details from a Uchiha.

And that was a very real hat on top of a very fake Tomo.

"What are you planning, imouto...?" Izumi murmured to herself.

"What's the plan?" Hana turned to ask. Izumi raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look- you know her far better than I possibly could. Being smart is also about knowing when to fold."

"Well... she mostly favors wind bullets and shuriken for mid-range fighting. So if it looks like she's about to spit at you, dodge. Still, if she used that clone, then her reserves should be at less than half. She can't keep up with us in stamina."

"So we ignore the clone and go straight after her?" Hana asked as confirmation.

But the clone was wearing the real hat... could it be that Tomo didn't account for her Sharingan?

"No, we should deal with the clone first," Izumi replied. "It'll just harass us otherwise."

"Well then, let me have it! I'm ready!" The clone shouted boisterously, staring at them with a grin.

Izumi bit her lip. They couldn't beat Tomo in a fight, she knew that much since she could beat them easily by just spending her points… but a clone couldn't, and with no physical changes, and her Sharingan, they probably could overpower it. And the real Tomo was so far away...

"No," Izumi replied after a moment's deliberation.

"...what?" the other two echoed.

"You cannot leave the clearing, right? And we haven't crossed yet. I believe we're going to go back a bit to get more planning done. Plenty of time to do that, after all."

"Uh- why- I mean- plan all you want, you're never taking away the hat of Training Ground 12-gakure!" Tomo replied lamely.

"Cool. We'll do just that." and with that, Izumi turned her back and began leaving.

"...what the hell, girls?" her ears barely pick up on Clone Tomo's last words as she sprints back into the forest that surrounds the clearing. Glaring back at her, Hana dashes ahead and takes the lead.

Oh, bother. Kaa-san isn't going to be happy about this.

Now Playing - "Gyatuken Kenji 2 - Confrontation"

"I must admit, the genin typically wait at least till the end of their test day before submitting complaints about their Jonin sensei." The man sat across from me drawled, a wry grin splitting his features. "Guess they don't go calling you a prodigy for nothing, kid."

Frowning, I looked down at the steaming mug of tea in front of me, willing it to cool down while not taking my eyes off of the man. The music suddenly blaring in my ears wasn't helping, and I resolved to turn it off at the nearest convenience.

As I dashed my way towards the Academy, I drew the bemused stare of the shinobi and civilian populace of Konoha alike. While the civilians cannot really tell the difference between someone casually hopping from rooftop to rooftop and someone on their way to business, the other shinobi do take notice.

I would be lying if I said that I knew what was going on. I was heading towards the Academy in order to try and speak to the Hokage. However, while on the way, I was flagged down by a figure. And while I didn't know him personally, and by all means, I could've probably just ignored him, since he was just inviting me to join him inside of a tea house... but well, that would probably lead to some disciplinary action.

After all, even if I couldn't see his name tag, it was hard not to recognize our Commander, Nara Shikaku between the scars and the black pineapple-like hair. With a great sigh, he puts his mug down after taking a long sip. "Well, not gonna drink? It's best when it's warm."

It was hard not to develop a taste for tea after having lived an entire nine years in this place. Here, it's practically drunk in place of everything, including water half the time.

Unfortunately, the tea is hot. Scaldingly so. This isn't an issue, for normal people, but… I didn't need the HUD to know what my HP bar looked like.

Fuma Tomo: [1/1HP]

Slowly, I reached out and grabbed my tea cup, blowing at the tea inside… and blowing… and blowing. Shikaku keeps watching me with an amused look the entire time.

Dick. You know what the issue is. As I finally feel comfortable taking a small test sip that thankfully didn't hurt, he speaks.

"So, what brings a fresh-faced genin away from their instructor on the day of the tests?" He asks. For a moment, I wondered whether it was worth it to tell him… but then, I remembered that not only was he our Jonin commander and thus probably had a hand in picking the teams, but he was also Inoichi's teammate. If anyone knew the entirety of the situation aside from the Hokage, it was him. "You're being troublesome, you know. I have better things to do than intercept little kids who think they can complain about every little issue to the Hokage."

"I wish to inquire about the legitimacy of the test that my team will be undertaking today." Big words will carry the day, today. Hopefully.

He raises an eyebrow in reply. "The tests are made with testing the Genin's capabilities in mind and to see if they are worthy of attaining the sponsorship of a Jonin."

I press on. "Is that why the test for my team was made to be rigged towards getting me in a solo apprenticeship with one of the village's ANBU?"

He smiles placidly. "Those are some bold accusations, genin-san, without much in the way of proof." ...fucking shinobi. Could not one of these bastards have a straight conversation with me?

As he saw my face scrunch up in annoyance, he huffed. "Tell you what. If, hypothetically speaking, we were doing such a thing, why would it matter?" At my lost momentum, he continued. "Neither of your academy friends is worth the time to give specialized training to, nor do they have the will to pursue it. Did you believe that just because you were pals with someone at school you ought to be in the same team?"

"That's-"

"Untrue?" he challenged. "While I am not privy to the exact details, a standard practice for Jonin-sensei is to ask what it is that their prospective genin's desires. Remembering what I've read on their files, it might've been something to the effect of… what, becoming rich for your civilian teammate, and marrying the Uchiha Clan Head for the Uchiha girl?"

My teeth clack shut at the accusation with almost enough strength to pop me. The worst thing was that he'd nailed what I knew to be their actual dreams, instead of the things that they'd told Yugao.

"This doesn't mean that they'll be safe and sound in the Genin corps."

"Troublesome girl." He huffed. "No shinobi is ever safe from the moment they choose their profession. But the corps are the safest option during peacetime for someone such as them. I don't believe I need to tell you that due to your particular skill set, you will be sent on missions that will be hardly good for them to pursue."

I could feel my ears beginning to go red. Why couldn't Tomo come on his own instead of sending me to flounder like an idiot? I buried my embarrassment by sipping away at my tea as I gathered my thoughts.

"I don't like this," I murmured back, more to myself than to him. "Why not just leave me to Danzo's tender mercies, then?"

"Do you know why Uzuki-san was picked as your sensei?" he asks back instead of answering.

"...she's one of like, two actual swordmasters in Konoha?" I asked, feeling a little dumb at my own answer. "As well as being an ANBU member, which fits with my skillset."

"You're working backward from the problem to the solution. Do not assume that we have the resources to just devote to your growth whatever shinobi would be best suited to teach you, otherwise Sandaime-sama himself would step down to personally teach every prodigious child in Konoha," he replied, slightly condescending. "I suppose your doujutsu does not tell you everything, even if you seem to have inherited some of that troublesome Uchiha arrogance despite having different eyes."

...prick. I continued sipping at my tea, though, unable to refute.

"There is a reason that the seat of Hokage is appointed, instead of passed down hereditarily like the Daimyo's, and has a council built around himself- everyone being of the same opinion would be a pointless exercise." As he switched topics, I couldn't help but snort at the reminder. Democratic dictatorship. How ironic. Of course, it was more like an oligarchy, as I don't believe the civilians have any say… but then again, this is a military village. Also, while the seat was passed down around the strongest in the village, it was pretty easy to be the strongest if the previous Hokage made an effort to invest into you... "Councilman Danzo-sama believes in quick, direct action through reckless sabotage and assassination, as there are always more soldiers to be made. You are being used like a reusable tool that won't break after only a few uses."

"...and you disagree," I added after a moment of him staring at me, waiting for a response. He made a hand gesture to go on, and a bored look. "Because your clan is among those responsible for the health of the citizens and deeply tied to the Yamanaka. Has Inoichi-sama been talking about me?" The idea of being spoken about by one of the clan heads was... unsettling.

"Shinobi are tools, but they are humans too. There is more than one way of breaking, and just because you're more resistant to the physical kind, doesn't mean that your mind will follow." He replied gravely. "Danzo intends to break you into a useful shape. I would rather you don't break at all."

"Why?"

He sipped at his tea, infuriatingly, before giving me a mysterious glance with only one eye open. "It is impolite of shinobi to so openly disrespect the judgment of their superiors." Left unsaid was that impolite would be better substituted with 'treasonous' in that sentence. "Besides, do you believe it wrong to not recommend a fate some would argue worse than death on a child?"

...a fate that you don't disagree, however, with happening to some people. I just stared, thoughts swirling. He sighed, finishing the last of his tea- as he put the mug down, I realized that his tea was spiked with some sort of alcohol. "Troublesome girl. Since you don't seem to be swayed by common reason, I'll tell you something more direct. You are a citizien of Konohagakure. The Will of Fire burns brightly in all of her people, most of all Hokage-sama. If you won't believe the idea that as a father of a child such as yourself and the head of my family, I would believe in such a thing, believe that I am being a good shinobi by supporting the will of our leader."

Girl, tool, child... Boy, person, adult… it was so hard just existing when people couldn't make up their damn minds about who I was supposed to be. While I'd advocate for thinking for oneself about their own identity, it was a bit hard when I got my memory wiped at the beginning of this life.

Damn it, I'm losing focus.

"...fine. So we agree for me to not join Danzo's shadow army. But what makes you think I'll do my best when I'm not even allowed a bit of choice over my life? What makes you think that I'm not going to go rogue on the first available occasion?"

Someone else might have flinched or even entertained the idea that I was serious, and even the actual Tomo, more concerned with long-term consequences than I was, would've been appalled at me saying this. The privacy seals thankfully kept him as the only listener, but it was one person too many. Shikaku, however, was a smart man.

He laughs. "People who are planning to defect do not inform their superiors of their treasonous intentions, little one."

"Entertain me." I huff, feeling heat pulling at my cheeks. I didn't even have blood.

He hums. "Maybe I would, if I weren't speaking to an eight-year-old. But there's nothing for you to gain by leaving. Simple as that. Your enemies inside the village will stay enemies outside the village, and I doubt your only mission outside left you charmed by Kiri's lovely weather." I shuddered at the implication. "More importantly, all of your friends and family are here."

"What if I don't want to be a blade?"

"Your past records claim otherwise. You've been putting a lot of unnecessary effort into something you're suddenly claiming to not want to do. As does your routine training slaughter of the animals in the Forest of Death."

"Tch," I grumble, realizing that they had me pegged much more than I thought. "Fine. But I want to ask for something." he stares at me in amusement, but once more makes the gesture for me to go on. "I don't wish for my teammates to be left out of a Jonin sensei just because I received special treatment."

He sighs. "They probably don't even want a sensei, even if they believe they do."

"Then that'll be their choice to make. Or, if they don't pass their test- a fair test that they can actually pass- their Jonin sensei's. But… I want them to be given the chance to become strong."

"Why?"

I give him a side glance. "Strength is the most important thing in the shinobi world. The strong get to choose to be merciful, the weak get to be at their mercy. Isn't that why the Shodaime gave away the tailed beasts?"

The look he gives me in return is odd. "That's good and all. But I was actually asking about why I should entertain the ideas of a troublesome genin regarding team placements."

I blink, pausing for a moment to think. Damn. I'd come into this meeting prepared to essentially hold myself hostage… but he'd maneuvered around me like a master to make me both realize and admit that I wasn't going to quit regardless of what happened today.

The ding of a relationship alert sounded after a moment, but it wasn't like I could tell what it was. Probably him deciding to kick my ass. Oh well, that was a problem for real Tomo.

"Brats these days…" He sighs. "All of you, more ridiculous than the previous. And so very troublesome."

…

…

"...that's not a no?" I winced, looking at him.

"I'll see what I can do." he drawled with a heavy put-upon sigh.

"Thank you! I- I'll repay you- just-"

"I suggest you learn to pick up on when you're supposed to be shutting up, Tomo-chan." I leaped up, startled, as a feminine voice spoke right next to my ear. "Or to not believe yourself above your superior officer's orders unless given probable cause."

"Well-"

"Tomo-chan."

"Shutting up, Yugao-sensei." I sighed. A moment later, a hand plopped down on my head.

"Finally done enjoying the show, Uzuki-san?" Shikaku asked, confirming my worst suspicions. Ugh. What the hell is real Tomo doing, that I got no warning about her coming here?

"I believed your word to be more adequate than mine at explaining the situation, Shikaku-sama, considering my student was quite eager to second-guess it." she drawled.

I winced.

"Don't come back to bother me again and you'll already have half begun to make good on your promise." The sound of a quest alert- actually, two at the same time. "Damn it, where am I going to find a Jonin sensei for two brats..."

My breath caught. I did it.

I'll be honest, I didn't care about Hana becoming a strong kunoichi, though I'd like a familiar face in a friendly position. But Izumi getting strong, strong enough to survive…

I needed it. All of this farce, after all, was for her.

"I suppose we should stop disturbing the Jonin Commander. Besides, I believe that the rest of this conversation is best held face to face." The purple-haired girl quietly informed me, before dissipating into smoke.

...oooooh yeah dispelling now.

In that particular moment, Hana Tatsushima was cursing her luck a thousand times over.

Her teacher? Painfully biased towards Tomo compared to either of them.

The traps she'd spent all noon laying out in the training grounds? Useless, since they were meant to assault, not the other way around. Tomo could sit still for just about the entire time and she would win if they didn't manage to get her hat.

Her teammates? One absolutely despised her guts, a feeling that was... not mutual, but she also didn't like the Uchiha either, and the other was their opponent.

As they sped off into the forest, Hana made sure to take the lead, carefully moving around all the razor wire and kunai throwing traps. Recovering them would be a pain, but when the alternative was the possibility of being rejected entirely, she didn't have time to be stingy.

Shame that that worked against her now, because she'd blown fifty-thousand ryo on weapons that she'd most likely never get to use. Taking all the traps down was going to be such a fucking chore...

"Stop." Suddenly, the Uchiha ordered her, and she skidded to a halt. "There's no point making more distance. We're already out of hearing range. So, what did you want to talk about?"

"We're not just running away, we're circling so we can stealth towards the clearing," Hana informed her, only to receive a negative shake of the head, with the brunette looking at her as though she was lower than dirt.

"That won't work. Tomo and I are connected- at any given time, both her and I know where the other is."

"...you Uchiha are freaky." Hana huffed, and Izumi only gave her a raised eyebrow in return. "Anyways, I'm woman enough to admit that my comment yesterday, about... well, you know, was out of place. So, truce?" she shakily offered a hand. The Uchiha girl only looked at her hand for a moment before tilting her head in the barest of nods with a "hnn."

"So! How do we go about defeating her? We only need to get her hat, so I was thinking that despite her being able to defeat us individually, we can-"

"What are you talking about? I'm not planning to turn my back on Tomo. The moment sensei said that it was either us or Tomo getting an apprenticeship, I realized that it's better for her to get Yugao-san than for us to share her." Izumi shrugged.

"...you're joking." Hana's mouth flew open.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you, Tatsushima?" The Uchiha rolled her eyes at her. "I'm not betraying my sister. You can do this on your own."

Hana felt like the world was falling out from under her. This wasn't how the genin exam was supposed to go. "You…" after a moment of thought, the idea behind the Uchiha's surrender snapped into evident clarity. "You arrogant fucking bitch. You think you two can just sweep me under the rug like that, don't you?"

The Uchiha just raised her eyebrow again, quite literally looking down on her as she crossed her arms.

"Of course, you don't care about this. You're all recommended clan bastards anyway- even if you don't make it with this teacher, I bet there's a whole gaggle of other ninja just available to teach you, huh? Not like you Uchiha do a thing for the village anyways- you barely go on missions, and the police force is a joke that only exists to brutalize civilians." Hana spat to the side.

"..." Slowly, Izumi uncurled her arms. "I've changed my mind. Anything that comes out of your mouth is so vile I don't want you anywhere near my sister." With that, she slid in a relaxed pose, hands forward with her palms open. "I think I'll start by making good on my promise."

"Feh, I guess it's in your blood to be a traitor to your comrades." Hana began twirling a kunai around her finger. "I guess that even if I don't get to beat Tomo, at least all these traps I've been laying down in the forest haven't been for nothing. Let's see you keep up."

And with that, she leaped onto a tree branch, tossing kunai towards Izumi that she nimbly dodged as she took to pursuing her.

The clearing in the center of the training grounds, with the bored, LARPing Gamer clone left forgotten atop it.

...well, that's not going to make for a good showing to their Jonin-sensei

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