Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Courage is a Dirty Word ❯ Red Team, Blue Team ( Chapter 2 )

As soon as Kiba made it through the second doors silence fell on the soldiers awaiting the arrival of an inspecting officer. He tried to look them all in the eye to show that he was not ashamed of being last pick and when he found that he couldn't quite manage it, sat in a corner by himself trying to look totally inconspicuous. He was still the centre of everyone's attention.

"Good of you to finally join us," said one of them.

"Yeah, it took you long enough," echoed another. "We though they'd found you unsuitable for service due to mental illness or something."

There ensued a general bout of ill-humoured snickering which died away as soon as it had come when a man in the far left corner stood up. He was hunched over, his right eye was tightly shut and he had a contraption with holes in it on his arm. He gave the impression that this was all just a farce and if he had wanted to, he could have opened that eye and stood tall, his name was Dosu. Instead, he got up and walked over to where Kiba was sitting.

"So tell us, boy, why you were so late," he said, picking up Akamaru, who had managed to slip out of Kiba's shirt. "Was it because of this mutt here?"

Kiba didn't answer.

"Hey Dog-boy, I'm talking to you!" shouted Dosu, absently swinging Akamaru round and round by his scruff.

Kiba stood up and looked down at Dosu, straight into that single eye, "Put down my dog."

"Oh ho," Dosu laughed. "Getting to be the tough man huh? What is this, the first time you've stood up to yourself in your life? Don't make me laugh, you're a loner with no one who is willing to fight for you, and you are going to stand up against me. Look around you and see my fighters."

Kiba looked around.

"You see?" continued Dosu. "So who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Hold it right there, Dosu," came a voice. "Who said anyone here is going to fight for you and that pathetic duo you call your gang?"

Dosu spun, trying to find the owner of the voice, and then his eyes narrowed. "Shikamaru! I know it's you! Come out where I can see you!"

"Two steps ahead, Dosu," said Shikamaru from right behind the hunched back. "My my, aren't we getting senile in our old age?"

Dosu turned to face the one who had wrecked his intimidation and threw Kiba's dog away from him. Akamaru softly whined as he hit the wall and rebounded off into Kiba's arms.

"I'm so sorry Akamaru, I promise I'll never let him throw you again," murmured Kiba into his pet as he tried to soothe him.

Meanwhile all the members of the room had stood up and had sided with either Shikamaru or Dosu. Dosu's was the larger mob but only by a hair. This didn't seem to quash Shikamaru's air of righteous superiority.

"What Dosu? Are you so pleased with yourself that you have managed to muster more people than me? Rather childish don't you think? You know I could kick your arse with triple that number."

"Don't kid yourself, they only call you the genius strategist, but you have to live up to that name, and I don't think you will be."

The air could have crackled and fried a few dozen bacon and egg breakfasts in the process.

"Kiba, joining us or not?" said Shikamaru.

Kiba nodded his agreement, it wasn't as if he was going to go off and jump onto Dosu's side. He, unlike lemmings, wasn't suicidal.

"Well then," continued Shikamaru, "let's get this little party going!"

The door opened, you could almost call it `saved by the bell' if you wanted to. Enter, Shino, Neji, Tenten and Lee, the long awaited for inspectors.

"Ok every," announced Lee, oblivious. "I present to you inspectors, Aburame, Hyuuga, , and my self. We will be giving you your bunking groups shortly. If you are wondering why you are not going to be sorted into your operation teams as yet, do not fear! I, Rock Lee, will provide the answer to all!"

Stunned silence from the soldiers, embarrassed silence and the feeling of not wanting to be there from the other inspectors.

"Yes," continued on Lee, with the sort of conviction that your mother has when she's trying to make you take a coat with you even though it happens to be the middle of summer (`Just in case sweetie, you never know with this sort of weather, Sarah was talking about that case of the flu she caught the other day, oh it was terrible! Sweetie? Where are you off to, let me finish telling you about Sarah! Honey?"). "We, the inspectors, have wisely decided to let you all settle in for a bit and see where your friendship groups lie and then we'll sort you out so that your teamwork will have not one crack in it and will stand strong against anything and everything!" Insert cheesy grin and a twinkle of pearly whites.

Tenten was whispering with Shino, who then tapped Neji on the shoulder, who then tapped Lee, who then turned around and whispered to. He nodded, not a beat out of place.

"I will now hand over to inspector Hyuuga who will recap everything I just said."

Neji coughed. "Eh, as you have figured from Lee, you will not be placed in operation teams until you have fully settled down here. The final sorting will be held two weeks from now in this room. Uh, inspector Shino will be naming the bunking groups after which you can head out through that door behind you where you can find your rooms. A full timetable will be available in those rooms. Thankyou."

Shino stepped up with the list.

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