InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride ❯ Chapter 4

Chapter 1:

 

It was the day after everyone had graduated from Konoha's Ninja Academy and the students were waiting for their Academy Instructor, Hashigawa Michiko, to show up. Everyone was surprised to see that the entire class had passed, including a certain black haired boy with bushy eyebrows.

 

As one of the students was walking up to his usual seat he stopped by said boys table, a confused look plastering itself on his face. “What the…Lee…what are you doing here? Today's class is only for those that passed the final.”

 

“I passed the exam, don't you see my Hitai-ate?” Lee answered calmly.

 

“How can someone who can't do Genjutsu or Ninjutsu pass.” He demanded incredulously. “I can't believe they let you become a Shinobi, you're going to get somebody killed.” The boy continued to grumble as he made his way to a seat at the back of the classroom, next to the window.

 

The class buzzed with noise as the students talked amongst themselves - waiting for their Sensei to arrive - telling each other what they had done the previous day to celebrate their graduation. The occasional verbal debate broke out, and a few teased each other good-naturedly as teens are known to do.

 

Sunlight filtered in through the slowly dissipating grey clouds that were left over from yesterdays rain. A boy, with pupil-less eyes, was sitting at the back of the class with his head resting against the windows glass watching the birds flying around and bathing in the puddles of the grounds that surrounded Konoha's Ninja Academy.

 

On the other side of the classroom from the boy, near the front of the class two girls talked amongst themselves while they listened - with half their attention - to the conversations going on around them. The girl seated closest to the wall had waist length orange hair, with natural red streaks, pulled back into a bun, held in place at the back of her head by hair stick like daggers. Her sandaled feet rested on top of the table, while she drew finger-doodles on her khaki pants with one hand, and twirled a Kunai in the other. She stopped when the person behind her reprimanded her, and told her she was going to poke someone's eye out.

 

She huffed, and dropped her legs off the table, so she could reach behind her back, and slip the blade back into the pouch there. As she sat back up, she straightened her black-green vest that she wore over a beige fishnet tank top combo. “Wimp.” She glanced around the room; there was still no sign of their Sensei. She sighed and glanced at her friend, “Hey Tenten…When do you think Michiko-Sensei's gonna get here…? I'm getting bored.”

 

The girl sighed and tugged on one of her bangs impatiently, the rest of her chocolate brown hair was kept up in two buns at either side of her head. “No idea, but I wish she'd hurry up.” She wore a sleeveless pink, Chinese style shirt with three gold chain-like decorations across the front, and she drummed her fingers on one of her dark green Capri clad legs, attached to her right leg was her shuriken holster. “Anyway, who do you think you're going to be teamed up with Arika?” She flopped onto the desk in front of her and rested her head on her folded arms, closing her eyes.

 

Arika shrugged as she leaned back in her chair and lifted her feet back onto the table. “No clue. I asked Takora-nii-san last night about how this works. He said something about skills and balancing out the groups…or something along those lines. It was kind of long so I tuned him out halfway through his explanation.” She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

 

Tenten sighed at her friends short attention span, “You're hopeless Kimura. You know that?”

 

“I've been told that by many, many people.” She grinned then winced as she received a rather hard punch in the arm.

 

A cough was heard from the front of the classroom and the students turned to the front of the class and saw their teacher standing there waiting patiently. Once everyone was settled she grinned at the gathered newly made Genin. “Good morning everyone.”

 

“Good morning Michiko-Sensei.”

 

“It's good to see that all of you passed. Now, from this day forward, you are no longer students of Ninjutsu, but full-fledged Shinobi.” A few of the students cheered and she chuckled at their enthusiasm. “Though among the ranks of the Shinobi you are nothing but rookies, no experience, wet behind the ears brats. Your greatest trials all lie ahead.” She laughed again as - instead of cheering - her soon to be ex-students groaned.

 

“Come on it's not all bad. The next step is the assignment of official duties to you all on behalf of our village. We will be dividing you into three-man teams. A Jônin - a more senior ninja - will mentor each cell. He or she will guide you and coach you as you become familiar with your various assignments.”

 

Some excitement leaked back into the students. Arika leaned forwards in her chair grinning. `This is great! Think of how much a Jônin could teach us.' She thought to herself as she tried to keep from bouncing in her seat. A glance over at Tenten told her that her friend had a similar thought running through her mind. They both looked at each other and grinned excitedly.

 

Michiko started speaking again, snapping the class's attention out of their imaginings and back into reality. “Now I've arranged the groups so that each teams skills will be pretty much equal.”

 

“Aw man!”

 

She sweat dropped at their reactions but ignored it as best she could and started to read the first Cell from the list.

 

***Ten minutes later***

 

“Cell Nine: Mika Tatsukuro, Kimura Arika, and Sasuna Hirokazu.”

 

Ari and a boy - with shoulder length moss green hair and angry red-purple eyes - at the back of the class, yelled at the same time. “Ah man, this sucks, I'm stuck with that baka?” They then both groaned simultaneously, much to the amusement of the class.

 

“Look at it this way, Ari-chan…” Tenten said, covering a laugh.

 

“What?” She eyed her friend's impish grin with unease.

 

“You're only stuck working with him for as long as it takes you to become a Chûnin.”

 

“Was that supposed to make me feel better, Tenten?”

 

“Not in the least. Hehehe, sorry Ari.” She ducked as Arika dealt a few swift blows to her skull, trying to protect her head. Tenten thanked her lucky stars that Arika was her friend, she wasn't the greatest at Tai-Jutsu but the girl could still pack a punch.

Once they calmed down they returned their attention to Michiko as she called out the last team.

 

“Cell 13: Rock Lee, Asano Tenten, and Hyuuga Neji.”

 

After she located her two teammates, the boy at the back of the room with no pupils, Hyuuga Neji, and the Rock Lee, who was sitting in the middle if the classroom, Tenten sighed and let her head fall back onto her desk. “Great, I'm stuck with the Ice Prince and the kid with the caterpillar eyebrows.”

 

Ari laughed at her brown haired friends predicament. “Look at it this way Ten…you only have to put up with them till you become a Chûnin.”

 

“Oh shut-up, Arika.” She grumbled darkly at having her earlier words turned back on her and ignored her friend's laughter as best she could.

 

 

Michiko had dismissed them for lunch and was going to introduce them to their Jônin instructors after the break. As Ari and Tenten exited the school they saw that most of the students were grouping into their Cells so that they could get to know one another over lunch.

 

The two Kunoichi sighed. “I'd trade you teams if I could, Tenten. But even I wouldn't want to subject my worst enemies to that idiot, Hirokazu.”

 

“Hehehe no worries, Ari, I'll be fine. Good luck!” She said and turned to walk over to her team. She waved over her shoulder as she walked away.

 

Ari sighed and turned to face her own team. Kazu was scowling off into the distance and Tatsukuro stood there calmly. “Hey guys,” she said cheerfully as she stopped in front of her new teammates. Tatsukuro nodded politely and gave a small smile that she returned. In the four years that Ari had known him he never had been much for talking.

 

Hirokazu stood there with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He opened the eye that was closest to her revealing a red-purple eye that glared at her with distaste, “I can't believe I got stuck with you as a teammate, Kimura.”

 

“Trust me, Sasuna, the feelings mutual.” She said with a slight sneer and glared back.

 

They broke off their glaring contest when they heard Tatsukuro sigh. “You two aren't going to fight the whole time we're teammates are you?”

 

Ari couldn't help but grin at his restrained tone. “Don't worry Kuro I'll put all grievances aside in battle situations, my brother taught me how important teamwork is. I won't let a difference of opinion get in the way of my job, or at least I'll try not to.”

 

Kuro nodded and turned his attention to Hirokazu; dark blue, almost black, eyes showed the disapproval he was feeling even if his face didn't show it. “And what about you?”

 

He just sneered, “Don't worry about me. You two handle your ends, and I'll handle mine.”

 

“I think that's the best we're going to get.”

 

“Yeah, I think you're right. Okay fair enough I guess.”

 

After that Hirokazu more or less ignored whatever Ari and Kuro were talking about, unless he felt the need to add his own input. A few times Ari and Kazu downgraded into verbal battles, but Tatsukuro usually put a stop to it, or let it go until one or the other lost.

 

Once they saw the other students making their way back into the school they got up as well and followed them in.

 

 

Each student now sat with the members of his or her Cell. Cell Nine took up residence at one of the tables near the middle of the class, and waited for their new Sensei to show up. Arika saw Tenten and her Cell near the back of the class. Neji wasn't even looking at his teammates. Lee and Tenten seemed to be having a conversation about something but it looked a little forced on Tenten's end.

 

About five minutes after everyone was seated, people that they had never seen before started to show up in class. Michiko would talk with them for a few minutes before calling out a Cell number.

 

Ari and her teammates didn't have long to wait. Michiko turned from talking to a female Jônin with long braided purple hair and called up to them. “Cell Nine, your Sensei's here.”

 

As he stood up Kazu mumbled, “About time,” and made his way to the front of the class, with Ari and Kuro following.

 

Arika and Tatsukuro sighed; they'd only been waiting ten minutes. `He sure is impatient.'

 

“They seem to have a problem with one member, Iko. Are you sure it was wise to put them together?” Asked the Kunoichi, skepticism written all over her face, as she watched her new underlings walk down the stairs.

 

“Don't worry. It may seem odd, yes, but I'm confident they'll work well together. Their individual strengths balance out their teammates' weaknesses. When you perform your test you'll see what I mean.”

 

“Okay, I'll take your word for it.” She grinned as the students approached, “Hello… So you guys are Cell Nine, ne?”

 

Kazu rolled his eyes and mumbled, “Gee, how observant of you.” Ari heard and stomped down hard on his foot. “Ow!”

 

“Don't be rude, Kazu.”

 

Nariko waved a hand in dismissal. “It's okay. He can be rude if he wants, I don't really care, and I'll be rude right back. And having much more experience at being insulting than he is, I predict that if he keeps this up, he'll be running home crying by the end of the day. Now if you'll follow me, your training starts now.” With that said she turned and walked out of the room, her waist long purple braid fluttering behind her as she went.

 

The three Genin's stared after her speechlessly, practically the same thoughts running through each if their minds, `She's our Jônin instructor? She's almost as immature as some kids our age.'

 

Nariko stuck her head back in the door and gave the three Genin a flat look, silver eyes flashing with amusement as she said, “Are you three coming or are you just going to stand there and stare off into space? Lets go.” She disappeared into the hall again. The three Ninja's looked at each other in astonishment then ran to catch up with their odd, new Sensei.

 

 

 

Cell Nine sat on the ground in front of their Sensei. They were out near one of the practice grounds that were available for the Shinobi of Konoha to use during their downtime between missions, and for the Genin and Academy Students training. Nariko sat on a log that seemed to have been place there for seemingly no reason other than to sit on. She eyed the three quietly sitting Genin's with interest. They were looking at her like she had two heads or something. She kept the amused grin off her face with some difficulty as she asked, “Is there a problem?”

 

It was Arika who answered, “No Sensei, it's just that um…”

 

“Yes…?”

 

The boy with moss green hair snorted and tossed his teammate a dry look, “What Arika's trying to say is that you seem way too immature to be Jônin.”

 

Ari tossed the boy an astounded look before glaring at him, “That wasn't what I meant Kazu.”

 

“Yes it was, you were just to afraid to say it!”

 

As the two new Shinobi downgraded into yet another argument, the fourth member of their cell ran a hand through his ice blue tipped black hair and sighed in frustration. Nariko looked over at him and ask while pointing at the pair, “Aren't you going to stop them?”

 

“They've been arguing ever since they met a week ago. I've tried to stop them a couple of times today, but it's just better if they just work it out this way. It'll stop in a few minutes.”

 

“In a battle you may not have a few minutes,” she said calmly but with disapproval clear in her voice. Kazu and Ari stopped arguing and looked towards their Sensei, then back at each other. Their argument stopped and they looked at the ground in embarrassment, both mumbling apologies. Actually only Ari looked apologetic, Kazu looked more mutinous than anything.

 

“Okay, but you two are going to need to learn how to put stuff like this aside, unless it will effect how you perform in missions then you have to get it out in the open. Otherwise keep it to yourselves until a more appropriate time, understood?”

 

“Yes Sensei.”

 

“Good…but just call me Nariko, or Nari…Sensei makes me sound old, and I am not that old.” She said grinning at their bewildered faces.

 

Tatsukuro looked at her strangely be fore saying, “Most Jônin, or any older Shinobi for that matter, would take offense if a Genin addressed them without some form that we acknowledge them as our betters.”

 

“Yes well I'm not most Ninja. I don't care if you do or not, and unless I specifically request that you do, I don't expect it. So that's some stuff about me, why don't you tell me a little about yourselves?”

 

“Like what?” all three asked.

 

“Well names, age, likes/dislikes, stuff like that. You with the green hair, why don't you start off.”

 

“Whatever. My name's Sasuna Hirokazu, but I prefer Kazu or Roka, and I'm 12. Likes: um…candy, all kinds; learning new Ninjutsu's -- they're what I'm best at; arguing, pranking, and scaring the crap out of people for no reason other than to amuse myself. My Dislikes: I hate cheese, Ramen, Clans -- I think they're pointless, and just one huge problem. Rain, getting up early, dogs, and this village.” He said the last with a dark smirk.

 

Nariko nodded, `Hm, interesting…' “Okay next…”

 

Arika decided to go, “My names Kimura Arika,” Nariko raised a purple eyebrow at the family name but she didn't say anything. Arika didn't notice but her teammates did, though they didn't say anything either. “But most people just call me Ari, and I'm 11, going on 12. I like to hang out with my friends, spar with my older brother Takora, watch the sunrise and set, make up all kinds of Jutsu, but mostly Genjutsu's, I'm best at those; some kinds of candy, and practicing with my Glaive. My dislikes include traditions, formalities, my family except for a select few, tea, and not being able to defend myself.”

 

“All right and the last one.”

 

“I'm Mika Tatsukuro, and I'm 12 also. I like peace and quiet, rain, reading, learning new Taijutsu moves, Sweet Buns, meditating, stargazing, facts, and thinking things through. My dislikes are overly loud noises, extreme hot or cold weather; I prefer warm. Snow, deserts, deserters, immature people, pointless arguments, and thunderstorms.”

 

Nariko nodded, “Hm, Iko was right their individual skills and personalities should balance each other out nicely,” she mumbled.

 

“What was that Nariko-san?”

 

“Hm? Oh nothing just mumbling to myself. And what did I tell you about the honorifics, Arika?”

 

“Sorry Nariko-s…um?”

 

“Hehehe, it's okay Ari don't worry about it…so onto our first mission. This mission will only include the members of our little group here.”

 

“What's our first assignment Nariko?”

 

“Good question Tatsukuro…meet me here at quarter to eight tonight, and I'll explain then. Bring all your Ninja gear.” After that was said she disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving the three Genin sitting confused in the grass.

 

“Well,” Ari said to no one in particular. “That was interesting. She has to be the single most strangest person I have ever met…and I know of people that talk to dogs and bugs on a regular basis.”

 

“Yeah, and I thought you were weird…hag.”

 

“Shut up, idiot.” She reached over and cuffed him up side the head as she got to her feet. “I'm heading home, I need food and sleep, and I gotta find my weapon bag. See you guys tonight, later.” She took a few steps back towards the direction of the village and then jumped up into the trees, disappearing into the foliage.

 

Tatsukuro stood up and stretched, arching his back till the sound of his spine popping back into place and realigning itself was heard. “Ah, I'm heading out too. See you, Roka.”

 

“Sure whatever. Later.” Kazu hopped up onto his feet and started walking towards the forest, this way he'd avoid the crowds of the village. Tatsukuro shook his head and headed off in the same direction Arika had, but he decided to walk instead of going through the trees, and enjoy the peace and quiet.