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Tomorrow.

Chapter 5: Teamwork.

Reika woke a hour later than she usually would, which caused her to panic until she saw the hitai-ate on the dresser.

She grinned and showered before throwing her hair into a quick low ponytail (though usually she wore it down she thought for the test it would be best if it wasn't flying around wildly).

She dressed in her one-sleeved green dress, shorts, sandals and mesh armor undershirt before trying to figure out how to wear her headband. The first instinct was to wear it around her neck but it felt uncomfortable.

Wearing it on top of her head, like she'd noticed Sakura and a few other girls from their class doing was comfortable, but it made her look too much like Sakura for her liking.

In the end she wore it in the traditional way, around her forehead, keeping her bangs out of her eyes.

"Have a good test," Mebuki told Reika as the redhead finished her apple and ran out the front door.

"That girl," Mebuki mussed to herself, shaking her head. "It seems she's always running."

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By the time she got to the training ground Sasuke and Naruto were already there glaring at each other. She sighed, it didn't surprise her.

"How long have you two been here?" she asked.

"Three hours, since five," Sasuke said, not bothering to not answer.

"Hey Rei-chan!" Naruto said with excitement and a smile. "I haven't been here that long, only about two hours."

"Oh," she said, and then smiled. "Did you eat this morning?"

Sasuke and Naruto both made faces and looked down as their stomachs betrayed them and she chuckled. Reaching into the pouch at her side she pulled out a medium sized scroll. Putting some chakra into it after unrolling it on the ground a few apples and oranges appeared out of it.

"I thought you might, so just in case I brought along some fruit," she said. For several seconds there was silence, and she sighed her eye twitching as she placed one hand on her hip. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for!?"

Naruto grinned and dived into the small pile of apples, taking two to eat under the tree. Sasuke accepted one, if only to avoid Rei's temper.

Rei grinned happily, and took an apple for herself before joining Naruto under the tree, Sasuke leaned against the other side of the same tree. Either on purpose or by coincidence didn't matter.

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Sakura had been avoiding her sister since Sasuke's reaction to her words the day before. At dinner she avoided eye contact and never once spoke directly to the redhead. She wasn't sure what to say, there was just so many unresolved issues that she hadn't realized had been between them.

Reika seemed to be content not speaking to her as well though.

Sakura was pretty sure their parents (overbearing as they were) had noticed. For now they didn't say anything. She woke up early the next day in order to meet her sensei and teammates at training ground ten. Not only to make a good impression but so she could avoid Rei as well.

Sakura had met her sensei briefly yesterday, but only so he could explain who he was and when they'd have the real exam. She'd been horrified and shocked to see a man old enough to be her grandfather was her sensei.

Really, what could he possibly teach them without breaking something in his old age?

It was Rin who pointed out that Kosuke-sensei was younger than the Hokage himself. Even if he was called the Eternal Genin he was said to be as strong as any jōnin.

"I see you're all here on time, good," Kosuke said kindly, entering the training ground. "I hope you all ate a good breakfast. As ninja you'll need the energy."

As if on command, Sakura's stomach growled and she inwardly cursed at not eating breakfast. It had been a rash decision after all.

"Hm," Kosuke hummed before smiling. "No mater, there is time for that later. Before the test lets get to know each other better."

"What do you mean, sensei?" Sakura asked as they all sat down on logs.

"Well, when I was nearly your age on my first team my teacher told us of how the first had suggested to my sensei that a team should tell their likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams to each other. It had worked well on his first genin team years before so he used it for us as well. It's been a bit of a tradition among teams since."

"You mean the Shodaime Hokage... you knew him?" Sakura asked her eyes wide in surprise. Sai and Rin also appeared startled, though with Sai the emotion as fleeting as it was may have been fake.

Kosuke laughed. "I had heard stories, but he died before I graduated the Academy. By the time I graduated the Nidaime, his brother was Hokage. Tobirama-sensei was a rather strict man, but a good one." Kosuke smiled. "My name is Maruboshi Kosuke, I am known as the Eternal Genin of Konoha. My likes are many, my dislikes few. I enjoy cooking and training in some of my spare time. As for dreams... I suppose it's to train you three to be the best you can be now."

Rin smiled, and nodded as she said, "I'll go next. My name is Shirakumo Rin. My likes include training, especially in kenjutsu. I also enjoy swimming and rain storms. I dislike freezing or snowy weather, and azuki beans. My dream is to become a great kunoichi and live up to my Aunt Rin's legacy in my own way."

Sakura looked taken aback by Rin's words. Compared to what Sakura had to say... well, Sakura wasn't so sure about herself anymore.

"I'll speak next. My name is Sai. I do not have anything I dislike in particular and I suppose I like drawing. I have no dreams."

Sakura looked down as eyes turned to her. For once she felt shy.

"Oh, my name is Haruno Sakura. I like... my dislikes..." she trailed off, wondering why every answer came back to Sasuke. "My dream is..."

Kosuke smiled kindly again.

"It's okay not to know the answers right now, Sakura. Give it time, you'll figure it out." Kosuke stood. "Now your test is simple. You must defeat me in a fight."

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They waited another hour before Kakashi finally showed up.

"You're late!" Naruto shouted.

Reika crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the jōnin, while Sasuke said and did nothing more than stare coldly at the man. Clearly all three were unimpressed with being left waiting for over three hours.

"Sorry about that, I got lost on the road of life," Kakashi said, setting down an alarm clock and two boxed lunches. He sat the alarm on the clock before turning back to the three waiting genin.

"Okay now that that's out of the way, let's begin," he began, giving them one of his common eye-smiles and pulling two bells on red string from where they were hooked at his waist. "There are only two bells. Your test is simple; take the bells from me before noon and time runs out. The one without a bell doesn't get lunch and goes back to the Academy."

Reika's usually heavy lidded eyes, commonly with an almost bored gaze, widened. "But that makes no sense..." she stated, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow as if challenging her to argue.

Naruto narrowed his eyes and thought about it. Reika was right, it didn't make much sense. He'd never once heard of that happening. He'd been in the Academy longer than Sasuke or Reika and he'd seen graduates come back but always in three.

Either they all passed or they all failed, at the time he hadn't cared to wonder why certain graduates returned to the Academy. He just assumed they backed out or were sent back for being terrible shinobi. As a five or six year old he'd never cared to question it.

Other than Reika many didn't bother looking passed what he portrayed. He might be a bit dense in some situations, and he may not be as smart as others like Shikamaru or even Sasuke, but he wasn't stupid. He learned better by doing, and that was one of the reasons he'd failed so much in class.

Not only was Iruka the only one willing to truly help him instead of hinder him, but most of the students he was pit against in things such as shurikenjutsu or taijutsu were clan heirs or clan children in general and had training outside of class.

Something was definitely fishy about the test they were given, but he wasn't sure what.

"Maybe it doesn't, but that's the test I'm giving," Kakashi said, and he shook his hand making the bells clink together. "Now, you have... well looks to be about an hour... to take these bells from me. You might want to come at me with intent to kill, otherwise you'll fail."

Naruto suddenly laughed, his deep thoughts pushed back to the corner of his mind as he remembered the lack of skill the jōnin had shown the other day when he failed to dodge his prank.

"Hahaha... you can't even dodge a blackboard eraser, what chance do you have against the three of us?" Naruto questioned, causing Kakashi to unintentionally raise an eyebrow.

'He doesn't even realize he basically just gave everyone the answer to this test,' Kakashi thought with a sigh.

"You know Naruto, it is usually those who are the most arrogant or speak the loudest that have no talent," Kakashi said, before shrugging as if he had no care in the world. With how lazily he stared at everything it was no surprise. "For now we'll ignore Mr. Dead Last and start when I say..."

Reika sighed as she saw Naruto's temper snap, and all rational thought fly out the proverbial window.

"Dead last! Dead last!?" Naruto shouted, reaching down and snagging one of his kunai. "I'll show you dead last!" He rushed forward before Reika could even attempt to stop him, and she knew he wouldn't.

Naruto hated when people labeled him like that, and she couldn't blame him. She had a temper herself and when worked up tended to rush headlong into something before properly thinking it over. All three of them were left stunned silent when Naruto was grabbed in mid-run, the hand with the kunai in it twisted behind him and aimed at his own neck. Blinking they realized Kakashi was now behind Naruto, one hand on his head, and the other twisted Naruto's arm behind him.

"So..so fast," Rei muttered. She was quick on her feet, always being a fast runner even for a genin but she was nowhere near the speed of Kakashi and she realized right then just how much of a difference was between a jōnin and a genin.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. He was startled for a split second but he'd expected this from a jōnin. It was understandable Reika and Naruto were stunned, but Sasuke remembered somethings from growing up surrounded by other shinobi of his clan.

"Huh, it looks like you're ready to kill me... that's good, but I never said go, Naruto," Kakashi said. "You've begun to acknowledge me it seems as well... good. I may just start to like you three after all... now... begin!"

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Reika nearly had to drag Naruto into a hiding spot, Sasuke going in the opposite direction to find his own spot. She sighed as she yanked the complaining blond onto the ground beside her.

"Are you completely suicidal?" she said lowly, eyes narrowed at her best friend. "He's a jōnin, Naruto. We don't stand a chance."

"We've got to try!" he argued and she sighed.

"i know, but..." she groaned, shaking her head. "I don't know if it'll make a difference."

Naruto frowned, and after a few seconds he nodded. "I've got an idea. I'll distract him, you stay here and think of a strategy. If we have to we'll ask the bastard for help."

Reika looked up at the seriousness she heard in his voice, and nearly gasped at the determined look in his eyes. Though she'd seen it before she hadn't seen it like this. Used in a situation that... almost mirrored something that could happen on a real mission.

Genin had no hope of defeating a jōnin though... not alone.

'If we have to we'll ask the bastard for help...' Naruto's words echoed in her mind and she gasped.

That was it, that had to be the point of the test. Before she could utter a word to Naruto she realized he'd already gone charging in. looking through the green leaves she saw Naruto begin his attack on Kakashi. Kakashi had a book in hand she barely made out the title on and her eyes narrowed further.

"Kick his ass, Foxy-kun!" she yelled from her hiding place, before jumping into a tree to get a better look at the fight, and not give away her hiding place.

Logically she knew it wasn't going to do more than distract Kakashi. She watched as Kakashi easily ducked under a kick to the face, and then a follow up kick to sweep his legs out from under him he simply jumped over.

Naruto's eyes widened when his punch hit air, and he heard Kakashi's voice from behind him.

"As ninja you're not supposed to get caught from behind, idiot." Kakashi's hands formed into a seal and Reika and Sasuke both looked on in surprise. They both realized what that hand seal would lead to, since the tiger seal was common in fire jutsu.

"Would he..." Reika's eyes turned cold and she jumped from the tree. She ran towards Naruto, and to her surprise it was Sasuke who yelled a warning to the blond.

"Hehe, too late," Kakashi said, and thrust his hand forward. "Sennen Goroshi (One Thousand Years of Death)!"

Rei stopped in mid-run, staring with wide disbelieving eyes as Naruto was poked in the ass and shot into the air with a shout of pain. Her jaw had literally dropped. She'd never heard of such a technique... and how ridiculous it was.

"You...you've got to be kidding me!" she yelled, hands going to grip her hair. "That's not a ninjutsu, it's just a stupid ass poke..."

From his spot in the trees Sasuke sighed.

"They're both total morons."

Naruto splashed into the lake, Rei growled low in her throat in frustration, and fell into a stance before attacking Kakashi herself. Kakashi chuckled at the fiery redhead, and used his arm to block a forceful right-hook. He would admit, for such a slight girl she packed a punch.

"You're pretty temperamental, huh?" he questioned, and grabbing her forearm he threw her over his shoulder.

Instead of hitting the tree she twisted around in the air and landed gracefully on her feet. She threw her hands out and muttered something foreign, probably another language which vaguely seemed like English to his ears.

"Stupefy," Reika muttered, recalling what she'd read in her mother's old school books.

The red light sped towards Kakashi from her hand. Kakashi's eye widened at the unknown technique, which he assumed was something to do with her bloodline – and he was somewhat correct. The spell was somewhat part of her bloodline, but it wasn't something created by her so it didn't need hand seals of any kind.

The difference was this connected directly to her magical core, making the spell pure magic instead of chakra-magic that was part of her bloodline. It was more tiring, using just magic, then it was using her bloodline. She tended to try and avoid it.

She didn't wait for him to dodge, she knew he would. Instead she rushed back into a taijutsu match with him, using her natural flexibility to avoid Kakashi, along with her speed.

Still she knew he was playing games with her, he could end it at any time. Instead he humoured her, but it angered her to see him calmly evading every hit, while using one arm and reading a book for perverts.

Finally she had enough and formed a few quick hand seals.

"Mahōton: Kasai no Rensa (Magic Release: Chains of Fire)!"

It was something new she was working on. From reading about elemental magic she knew it was possible, and fire had been the easiest element for her to fuse with what she wanted the offensive/defensive technique to do.

She would admit her inspiration was found in what they'd learned about the Uzumaki clan. Some had the ability to manifest chakra chains, and it had been reading this that allowed her to complete the jutsu.

Around her glowing orange-yellow chains irrupted, flames along every inch of the chains, even the sharp serrated kunai tips. She had control of these chains, and they shot towards Kakashi. Some going to pierce his body, others to wrap around him and restrain.

She saw emotions welling in Kakashi's visible eye. Part as if he were seeing a ghost; surprise, realization, even some grief before the jutsu struck.

Charred wood chunks hit the ground, and she ended the jutsu, dropping her arms to her side and sinking to one knee. It may have been one of her most powerful and recent creations... but it came with its risks.

One of which was that it took a lot of chakra-magic to use. If she tried using it with pure chakra it would fail spectacularly. She may have large reserves but she was nowhere near a high-chūnin or jōnin. She gasped at the weight of a foot against her back when she went to stand.

"That's rather good, you surprised me with that last jutsu... but you should never let your guard down," Kakashi said, placing his foot back on the ground and grabbing her by the collar of her dress before throwing her towards the water Naruto had been dropped into nearly two minutes before.

"Dammit! I won't fail here!" Naruto said as he and a dozen clones burst out of the water, Reika coming up for air a second later to watch the doomed attack on Kakashi.

"Naruto, retreat! I've got a plan!" she yelled, having no choice but to shout so he'd hear her.

Reika groaned as she pulled herself out of the water, her stomach beginning to growl. With all the chakra she'd used and how active she was now running on fumes of what her breakfast had been. She was sure the boys had it worse, they hadn't ate quite as much as her.

As she stood she realized Naruto's attack had failed, and Kakashi was nowhere to be seen. This left Naruto and his group of clones yelling at each other as they beat themselves up. Stalking forward she grabbed the real Naruto, or who she thought was the real one by the ear.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she yelled, and the clone popped.

The rest of the clones did as well upon seeing the angered redhead, and Naruto winced.

"Ow, you can be so loud when you want to, Rei-chan," Naruto complained, rubbing his ear.

"Sorry about that," Reika said, a small smile on her face. "I had to get your attention somehow. Come on, we've got to find that duck-ass Uchiha so we can get those bells."

Naruto stood.

"You figured out the test?" he asked and the way he said it made her think he'd already had an idea himself.

"I think, what about you?"

Naruto nodded hesitantly. "I think so. I think the test is about teamwork, alone we wont stand a chance against someone his level but together... dattebayo."

"Yeah," Reika said, nodding. "I believe so to."

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Kakashi watched the two run off into the trees, and smirked.

He would admit the two had talent, he'd been concerned that the files he had on Naruto's skills may be true, but it seemed quite a bit was biased opinion. He may have been dead last, but he had the potential many before him had – like Jiraiya of the Sannin for example.

Reika's skills matched her files pretty well, though obviously not a lot was known of her bloodlimit. He'd not expected her to have such a defensive and offensive technique already in her arsenal. With her bloodline being a first generation as it was.

He also hadn't expected to freeze momentarily. Many people used chains as weapons, but only one person he knew could create chains from chakra.

The two techniques were vastly different, one was manifested from the body and was similar to a kekkei genkai itself, the other was a technique created for a bloodlimit. While Reika appeared to have control of the chains it also seemed to zap a lot of chakra from her, and they did not come from her body but the ground around her.

Both protecting her and attacking for her. The fire coating the chains Reika had created was also something else.

All in all, Kakashi thought if Kushina were still alive the two redheads would have gotten along like a forest on fire. That was a frightening thought.

Sasuke's skills were the ones he had yet to see, but he knew that would change. He would have to see about taking Reika or Naruto out of the game first though. Both had figured out the test, which was a little surprising.

He'd given the test many times in the past, not one genin had figured it out. Even more surprising was Naruto hadn't fallen for his 'lost bell' trap. He'd really been looking forward to catching one of the three in that trap.

Kakashi headed in the direction Reika and Naruto had disappeared in, and chuckled. He may begin to like these three after all.

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An hour after he began the test he stood before the group of genin. In the center of them Sasuke sat tied up, in the end it had been a hard decision on who to tie up.

Out of all the teams he'd failed these three showed potential, the only reason Sasuke had been tied up was his refusal to work with Naruto and Reika.

After he'd chased Reika and Naruto down he'd placed Reika into a genjutsu, which had startled her so badly she nearly blacked out. He wasn't positive what she'd seen, but being her worst nightmare the genjutsu drew out he had the idea that he may have gone too far.

He'd thought with her age she feared what most new genin did, the loss of family or a teammate. It was actually Naruto who disrupted the genjutsu, either on purpose or accident Kakashi wasn't sure, but after that he'd decided to confront Sasuke.

He'd been impressed with what the last Uchiha knew. His taijutsu was above his teammates, and his speed was matched only by Reika. The same may be said about ninjutsu, though all three seemed to know at least one impressive ninjutsu.

Reika had a impressive taijutsu style waiting to develop, and the same could be said for Naruto with the proper training.

"Well, I guess you three don't need to worry about failing," Kakashi said, arms crossed over his chest. At their hopeful eyes he smirked under his mask. "You should drop out of the program. None of you have what it takes to succeed as ninja."

Not true, but their reaction to his words was amusing.

"What!" Naruto shouted, gritting his teeth together as he glared at the silvery-gray haired man. "What do you mean by that, dattebayo!?"

"I wont quit," Reika snapped, eyes nearly thin slits with how fierce her glare was. Her hands fisted at her side. "I WONT QUIT DAMMIT! OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Sasuke didn't say anything but he did show more emotion than usual with his angry glare and grinding teeth.

Kakashi sighed, glancing up at the blue sky before he spoke.

"Only Naruto and Reika had any idea of the point of this test, and even they failed to use this knowledge properly," he began. " You should quit because you don't have what it takes. Are you guys underestimating ninjas? Huh?"

He looked at the now confused genin and continued.

"Why do you think you're placed into teams, why you are doing this training? The answer to this test, I know you and Reika somewhat have an understanding of the answer but even you two failed to use it to your advantage. I admit it was good for you two to try and convince Sasuke though."

"What is the answer then, Kakashi?" Sasuke demanded.

"Teamwork, the answer is teamwork," Kakashi said. "The three of you may have been able to take these bells if you'd worked together."

"But... I see we were set up to fight each other from the beginning. Thats why there is only two," Sasuke said, and Kakashi nodded.

"pretty much, but the end of the test if you had gotten the bells was actually to see if you would leave one of your teammates behind by keeping a bell for yourself."

Reika's eyes widened in realization and she said, "The true test is teamwork and sacrifice."

"Exactly. As I said, you and Naruto got the idea but you failed to properly work together to fight me. Reika, you let your temper get the better of you. You allowed your guard to drop, more than once, and were recklessly dependent on Naruto to get you out of a genjutsu."

He turned his gaze to the blonde on the other side of Sasuke.

"Naruto, like Reika you allowed your temper to run away from you, as well as your pride. You hardly thought before attacking recklessly. You and Reika did discover the point of the test though and tried to get Sasuke to work with you, for that alone I applaud you."

Finally he turned his attention to the one tied to the stump.

"Sasuke... you just assumed the others would get in your way and tried to do everything by yourself. You only allowed Reika and Naruto to help you out of the hole I buried you in. You didn't even ask you demanded they help you, not even caring that if this were a real life battle situation you'd probably be the bait to trap all three of you and your demand would have killed you all. Assuming the enemy-nin hadn't finished you off while you were stuck in the ground."

"Individual ability is very important, that's true, but what is even more important is the ability to work with a team." He took a step forward. "Individual play that disrupts the team can put you and your comrades in danger. Even get you killed... for example..."

Kakashi disappeared, reappearing behind Reika. His arm wrapped around her neck before she could blink, and she gasped as she was yanked up and suddenly stood in front of the two boys. She was forced onto the ground with her head yanked back and a sharp blade at her throat.

"Naruto, kill Sasuke or Reika dies!"

"What!?" Naruto yelled, both of the boys were shocked and exchanged looks.

"Mm, you see?" Kakashi said, removing his kunai from Reika's neck and hand from her hair. "If a hostage is taken, you'll need to make a tough choice... and then probably die. You will risk your lives and those of you teammates in these duties to the village. This is no longer the Academy, child's play ends today."

Kakashi turned and walked over to a large stone slab with names carved onto it.

"Look at this. Carved here on this stone are the numerous names of heroes of the village," he said.

Naruto looked at the stone and would have usually said something about being placed on that stone one day, finally seen as a hero... but then he recognized it. When the Hokage had told him of his mother and he'd asked where she was buried he had pointed him to the right places.

One was where her tombstone was, but there was another place he said he could find her name. On the village memorial of village heroes.

He realized just after opening his mouth to exclaim his words that the stone Kakashi stood before was the stone he'd seen his mothers name written. The village memorial stone. All those heroes were the dead kind...

"They're not like others heroes though," Kakashi stated, turning to glance back at the three of them. "They are all heroes who died while on duty. This is a memorial... my best friend's names are also carved on here."

There was a silence among them all, and then Kakashi turned and spoke once more.

"You'll have one last chance. After lunch, but I'll make it even tougher to get the bells this time. Those who still wish to challenge me can eat lunch, but don't give any to Sasuke. If anyone does they fail immediately. Got it?"

The three genin nodded and he disappeared. Opening the bento Reika and Naruto began to eat, Rei more slowly than Naruto. Glancing at Sasuke she noticed how stoic he appeared, but he twitched with every bite that Naruto or she took.

Shaking her head she placed a bit of the food between her chop sticks and offered it to the raven haired boy. He looked at her startled, and Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out.

"Rei-chan what are you doing?" Naruto asked. "Sensei said..."

"Screw what he said. I don't buy a damn bit of it," Reika said, lips pursed into a thin line as she stuck her nose slightly into the air. "He said this was about teamwork and sacrifice... well Sasuke can't help us get those bells if he's weakened because he hadn't eaten enough. Think about it Naruto-kun."

Naruto frowned and did as she asked, thinking about it. She was right, he realized quickly. He'd been so stuck on finally being able to eat a meal, other than the apples from a few hours ago, that he hadn't even thought about it.

"You're right," Naruto said, pulling a kunai from his side. "I'll cut him free... his pride probably wouldn't survive being fed by us."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but did little more than grunt. Just as Naruto's kunai cut the ropes around him, a chilly air appeared along with Kakashi. They all became alert but soon it faded when he gave them his signature eye-smile.

"You three... pass!"