Disclaimer: This setting of Naruto does not belong to me.

Chapter 27: Teammates

"So today's the day huh?" Hiyori said with a smug look as she eyed the forehead protector tied to my head.

"Finally a genin you mean?" I replied coyly.

She responded with a light smack to my upper arm and shooting a half-hearted glare, "You're not a genin yet remember? You still have to past your Sensei's test with your team."

That got a small frown from me, "I feel slightly cheating knowing that." Inwardly, I knew being a ninja means making use of resources available so there's nothing wrong only mentally preparing of a test I know nothing of its material.

Hiyori just gave me that secretive look she always had when she knows something I didn't, and I'm more than aware it's either she's hiding something bad or for her own amusement. Clearly this is the latter, "Don't think you will get promoted yet just because you know that small tip bit, whether you became a ninja or not will rest on your own skill and judgement, and I have faith you'll get it but just remember though..."

"Look the underneath of the underneath, yeah I know," I repeated her words, feeling tired at then constant cryptic clue she gave me. As much as I'm used to it, I hated it when Hiyori does it.

I looked back at the mirror and give myself a once over. I was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and black khaki shorts too match. A kunai holster tied on my right thigh, blue open toed shoe, and done with a dark red clock vest with a hood and a belt with a few holster that hold few of my weapons. Hiyori had snickered something about 'Ninja Creed' when she help me pick my outfit but I brushed it off as Hiyori being her usual weird self.

I locked my eyes into toward the left side chest of my cloak that carry a symbol, making me smile. A four petal flower shaped knot, one gold embroidery line interlocking around a circle. Hiyori learned it from a book that said to be a foreign symbol that meant family.

A reminder for each of us, from the Shitsu Clan, that we are never alone...or so she said.

"Fine, wish me luck," with that farewell I rushed toward the academy where the Team Placing is taking place.

Once I was far enough from my home, I let the giddy excited smile showed on my face and I didn't feel embarassing that I skip through out my walk to the academy and even yelled out excitedly from time to time.

Not very ninja like, I know...but hey, I'm not an official genin yet so who cares.

It's my graduation day, I'm entitled to be excited.

The class was, as expected, loud and a lot of them were all excited for what's coming. Mostly toward who wish to get who for their teammates. Despite the anxious feeling about the Jonin Test, it did not deter the same wavelength of excitement as them of who I was going to end up as my teammates. I honestly don't mind being with anyone as long as we got along.

"Good Morning Rikuo-kun"

Well...almost with anyone.

My excitement plummeted the moment that soft noble-like voice came behind me. I forced out a smile and turned to greet the Blind Hyuuga back, "Morning Hikari-san"

I turned to meet the famous or infamous, depend on who you ask, Hyuuga. She wore a loose twin tail hair tied few inches above the end, her forehead protector on her...well, forehead where it once where she usually wear her white headband on. She was wearing a light cerulean blue kimono with long lose sleeves that could be mistaken as a dress, black long leggings, blue shinobi sandal, and white apron tied around her.

Hikari smiled as she walked past me, whispering under her breath, "I hope we'll be in the same team together Rikuo-kun."

I shuddered, I never knew why but every time she showed any interest, particularly at me, that girl would then creeps the hell out of me. The fact no one can really guess what she's think more than half the time gave her a more mysterious demeanor. I sighed and sat with few of my friends at the same time Mizuki-sensei came in to announce our team. Well, whoever I paired up with, hopefully it wouldn't be with Hikari. It's one thing being stared the whole class, it's another thing if it's throughout the whole mission.

"Team 9: Hikari Hyuuga, Raiga Inuzuka, Rikuo Kurogane!"

Ah...off course the universe would give me the exact opposite of what I want.

All of us moved to seat side by side with our future team mates, Hikari looked awfully gleeful while Raiga, who just didn't get the tension between us, kept on rambling what kind of Sensei we might have, the kind of mission we might take and the usual etc. I'm just glad Raiga is there to talk because I have no idea what I have to say to Hikari. I'm not even sure myself why I'm so nervous around her.

Speaking of Raiga, he was wearing a tortilla colored jacket with upturned collar and helped me notice he had a deeper tan skin, a gray trouser, his dark spiky brown hair was tied back, and his hitai-ate around his neck. His dog laying down, looking asleep on his desk yet his twitching ear showed me he was fully aware of his surrounding.

I'm half convinced, that sometimes Kagemaru would call the shots between the two of them.

Our attention then went back to the front of the class when the first Jonin came, there were three and each were Jonin for Team 1, 4, and 12. No one really took my attention much and that says a lot. Being a Jonin means being one of the few strong workforce in the village yet none of them looked like they amount to much, which is impressive in their own way.

One by one, teams were led outside by their respective Jonin sensei. As time went on I became unnerved by the minutes, "Say, what are the chances we have a strange Jonin for our sensei?"

Hikari looked bemused as she arched an eyebrow and leaned closer to me and got me to leaned back, "By strange...in what way do you mean Rikuo-kun?"

I recalled a funny conversation with Hiyori about the Jonins of Konoha and had to held back a snicker, "Well a friend of mine told me once that the strangeness of Konoha Ninjas is proportional to their strength"

"You mean the stronger they are, the stranger they get?" Raiga pointed out, Kagemaru seemed to be interested in the conversation as well, seeing he's wide awake right now.

I nodded, "Exactly, though how strange they are is anyone guess. For all we know, he or she could either be a gambling junkie, a pervert, or just plain crazy" according to Hiyori, out of the 9 rookies, the only one close to normal was Kiba-kun.

"You saying this makes me conflicted if I want a normal or strange Jounin for our sensei Rikuo," Kagemaru barked in sort of agreement with his partner.

"Really? I think having a more unique teacher would make things interesting don't you think?" Hikari commented, tilting her head with a wistful look. I looked at her incredulously, thinking she might just be on the path of 'plain crazy'. At last they were only us, Team 9 left on the class. The others had met up with their sensei while we're still waiting.

Then the event came like a storm.

A man came in with tied gray ponytail, a scar visible past the side lf his lips. Stern gaze from dark brown eyes and a sword hang on his back. What brought my attention the most was the few items on his hand, and one of them looks like my-

"Is that my Clan's Weapon Scroll?!" I stood up from my chair and my hand unknowingly banging the table.

"Ruff Ruff!"

"You're right, he has Kagemaru's First Bone Prey," Raiga growled, standing up alongside his dog.

That got me a bit curious, "Bone Prey?"

"It's one of the rites our clan that we needed to hunt our prey together, we usually keep one of the bone as a reminder or a chew toy," he quickly informed us.

I looked at the few things he brought and winced at one of the familiar item in the mix, "And I think he has your novel book Hikari-san" I pointed out.

"Ara, how nice for you to notice" she said it kindly but the glare she held with her blind eyes toward the mysterious man was far from kind.

"Team 9!" He cried out that straighten our spine in reflex, "I'm going to spread your 'precious' item around Training Ground 8, you have 4 hours for the three of you to collect them that I'll either pass or fail you as real genins, good luck" and he then puffed into smoke and dissapeared.

Silence reign around us until the three of us reacted to the most appropriate way we could managed.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

"RUFF, RUFF!"

A deafening roar alerted even the teachers from their lounge just few rooms away, and I think the room just a shook a bit.

"That son of a-he's going to pay for stealing from us!" Raiga snarled along with his dog.

"For once, I agree with you Raiga-kun" Hikari said coldly unlike any I've heard before.

I was just as angry as them but then Hiyori's advice had to surface exactly then, 'being a ninja doesn't mean you become emotionless, it means containing your emotion so you wouldn't be overwhelmed in battle or when looking at the big picture'

I recalled my used on training ground 8 and how the place was a giant obstacle course. They made and upgrade their obstacle daily so you can't get inside without being wary for every second you're there that even Jonin usually avoids it. "Come on we can't waste time so let's hurry go to the training ground" the two nodded and we rushed out in a blur.

Hikari might be weird but she's not the top kunoichi for show and Raiga as dumb as he is, is still reliable on battle. As long as we're together, what could possibly go wrong?

###

Apparently lots of things could go wrong.

I jumped toward another tree after dodging another blast of bomb that I triggered and sigh the nth times. "Darn it, why am I such an idiot sometimes?"

Recalling back 5 minutes ago.

"Like I said, we should go to the left! That's where I smell Kagemaru's Bone Prey is!"

"And I'm saying we should go right! Didn't you see that boar we passed by? It had my scroll tied to its tusk and the more we fight, the further it'll get away!"

"Are you two blinder than me? Obviously the best course of choice is to get the answrr from our sensei who's waiting straight ahead!"

"Ha! You just wanted to ask him where your book is since you're the only one who doesn't have a clue where it is!" Raiga growled at her.

Her glare to him hardened and she lean in close enough she might have bite off his nose, "Fine, is that what you think then I'll just go off on my own!"

That's when I realized our fight had gone from bad to worse and tried to stop her, only for her to be gone the next second. Damn, she was fast.

"Who needs her! I'm going off and get that bone by myself if I have to!"

"Raiga, no...wait!"

My words went deaf to him as she dashed with Kagemaru along, deeper into the forest. I groaned aloud and wiped my face with my hands.I would have followed either of them, but then I caught sight of said boar once more. I was in two mind at first before deciding to prioritize the only legacy my family has left and went after it.

Currently, I looked down at the half scorched boar and the blank slank scroll beside it. I also happened to noticed a scroll tied beside a nest of wasp and I began to realize what this is all about.

"Shit, how am I going to find it now?" I asked myself. ...

I knew I was an impatient guy, Hiyori always reminded me it was one of my noticeable flaw like hers. Only mine showed when I'm angry instead of hers when she's bored or couldn't stay still. Sometimes I think she has hyperactive tendency like Naruto as well only, she knows how to distract herself more easily.

I count back from five and try to sort the situation. Clearly this is a test, and tests always has answers so there should be an answer to this as well. I just need to think all this harder.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

On second thought, move now, think later.

###

Hikari Hyuuga is never helpless.

She's blind but not helpless.

And refuse to let anyone admit to that.

And proving those who did how wrong they are about her.

People might say that she'll amount to nothing, with only blackness the only thing she ever had known since she was five, the jeering whisper her sharp ear kept hearing, she could feel the pity looks they were giving her or the haughty tone they gave her.

She doesn't need to be reminded she can't be a ninja, how she's fated to be weak her entire life, or born as a disgrace to her clan. She knows that fact without every one of you people mentioning when they see her within sight.

She doesn't even know if she felt liberated or not, to be the only one from the branch family that wasn't given the curse mark.

To be the only one, different.

Yet the only one person who has never look down on her was the Hyuuga head clan himself. He knew of her plight, and when they met for the first time. He had given her a book on the Top 10 Inspiring Kunoichi (It had ones from other villages as well). It was the first time someone genuinely encourage her on her dream.

For most, it might consider a single kind gesture.

To her, it was the first time, someone had encourage to go beyond what she thinks, what people thinks she's capable off. Making that day, the day she swore to serve and protect the Hyuuga Clan not because of her duty but because of Hiashi-sama.

To her, she was given a reason to live.

She needed twice the effort to re-learn read and write.

She needed twice the effort to learn all the require jutsu.

She was given luck, that the Hokage gave her a seal came from an old clan that helps overcome her blindness.

For some reason, people kept telling her she was one of the prodigies born in the Hyuuga Clan when it was far from that. She just needed that much effort to achieve her goal.

So when she was known not as the Blind Hyuuga but as the No. 1 kunoichi in class, she thought she made it. Now, she only needed the ideal team member for her to ensure her Genin days to go smoothly enough for her to reach chuunin then Jonin become a ninja the Hyuuga Clan could be proud of.

So why in the world did she have to suffer trying to get her book in her effort of trying to become a genin. It's already an effort to

She expected better from Rikuo, the Top Rank of the academy, but clearly she has to do this on her own. She would not let years of her own effort wasted because her teammates were fools.

She paused for a moment, sensing her Sensei's whereabouts and didn't need to think twice where she dashed forward when she could sensed all the traps surrounding her. For her, the training ground is no different to a play ground.

'I'm going to prove my worth, just you wait.'

She stopped short at one branch, looking up as she find her sensei. "Sensei, find~you~" Hikari sing-songed menacingly.

He didn't react as he looked down passively at her, "Indeed you have, what will you do now?" The Jonin sensei asked neutrally before he took out a book from his back pouch for her to sense.

Immediately a flurry of shurikens were flying fast toward him.

Instead of dodging or blocking it, the Jonin caught it effortlessly with his free hand, twirling it around his finger. "You know, I could have used your precious book to block all those shurikens."

"If you did that then there would have been no meaning on making it your hostage," Hikari shot back, the sightless eye did not hide the hostile glare she made.

'Smart' he thought, subconsciously smirking from her words before he threw her shurikens back at her.

All the shurikens hit its mark on her, and few seconds passed before her figure exploded in smoke to reveal a log. The Jonin did not need to see for him to put one step back and dodge her attempts on stealing her book back from above. Nor was he surprised to find a 6 foot bo staff appearing on her hand to strike his hand.

'She's keeping her eyes on the prize, either she's very level headed or the book is that precious to her'

Once Hikari realized she failed, she twirled her body midair and put her bo staff on the branch as a lever, for her to give a good kick.

'Scratch on being level-headed, she's beginning to be predictable'

Hikari clicked her tongue when her kick was caught by the Jonin-sensei and she was thrown aside like a rag doll. She gracefully turned upright for her to land, but not before she extend her bo staff further than what a regular staff could extend as a ditched effort to at least pushed him a bit further but even that was easily dodged. It pissed her more when all this time, he never even took a step further from his original spot.

'That man is making fun of me.'

Hikari growled at the thought, quickly thinking of a plan she threw a few smoke pellets to the ground, obscuring her from his sight. Two seconds later, the Jonin took out his kunai and blocked the bo staff coming from behind him without so much of turning around.

8...

7...

The book is already back at his back pouch so it leaves two of his hand free to block her staff with his kunais. Whenever she put her distance away, Hikari threw another batch of shurikens for him to block anew, at the same time she tried to lunging on an opening but the Jonin blocked that too with his legs, throwing her off balance.

6...

5...

Once she landed few branches away, she retracted her bo staff and made a few combination hand seal, much to the Jonin's interest. 'Because of her blindness, she couldn't use two of the three necessary basic jutsu the academy issued to master, meaning she must shelve some interesting skill inside her sleeve'

4...

3...

"Konoha ryu: Mai Shuriken-Leaf style: Leaf shurikens!" A swirling wind began to appear around her along with a bunch of leafs that was coated with chakra that's now is flying toward him. The Jonin was genuinely surprised and impressed.

2...

'She managed to learn one of Konoha's hiden jutsu, she must have a good mentor'

The best move would be to dodge away, but he wasn't going to give her any reason for her to be arrogant about so equipping his kunai, he made a downward slashing move and created a wind blade that pushed away all the other leaves.

"Looks like you can't pushed me back."

1...

Instead of a frustrating frown he had anticipated, Hikari let out a satisfying smile, "I'm glad you didn't."

0...

The four kunais beneath the branch he stood detonated the explosive seal beneath, big enough to turned it into smithereens. Hikari shielded her face fron the force of the blow and wind, noting the Jonin's presence was gone and no where near the vicinity.

"I'll admit, that took me by surprise," A deep familiar voice whispered behind her. As fast as lightning, she took out her bo staff once more and attacked him from his righ but her strength wasn't enough. The Jonin easily blocked it with his hand and didn't even flinched at the impact.

"You have impressive sensory skill but rely it to much then once I suppressed my own chakra, you'll be as good as blind." With that last comment he threw a kunai with his free hand, triggering a wire trap that instantly coiled around her leg and pulled her up upside down and caused her to cry out. Hikari looked down-or looked up in this case-and saw the smug smirk her sensei had while showing her her book.

"You're a smart girl Hikari, and talented too. But you need to learn to reign in your emotion. If I had been the enemy instead of your teacher..." he flickered from below to next to her by standing on a nearby branch, his kunai on hand and held it against her neck, slightly drawing blood from her.

"You'd be at his mercy," he said, devoid from any emotion, causing shiver running down her spine.

Suddenly, a kunai passed through between her and the Jonnin, nicking his nose in result. They turned to find Rikuo that had just arrive to see his supposed-sensei is threatening the life of his classmate and reacted without thinking. The Jonin smirk at his arrival before pulling back "Better luck next time!" He said and her Sensei puffed into a smoke, making her struggle within her binds all the more wild as her temper began to rise.

Rikuo was about to call her out when she heard her shout out a string of curses vehemently that made him blushed hearing her. "Wow, that's..." he heard Raiga saying beside him after he came standing on his left, speechless and blushing from their female comrade's words. They trade glances before some sort of wordless plan exchange and Raiga proceed to throw a kunai that cut off the wire before Rikuo proceed to jumped and caught her midair.

Hikari was a bit taken back at the act but quickly cooled her expression to one Rikuo was familiar with while she wore her usual smile.

"Thank you Rikuo-kun."

"Don't mention it," he let her down and waited for Raiga to come up to them, "I'm guessing your plan didn't go quite as smoothly as you imagined."

Her milky eyes briefly glared at him for the comment before she caught herself and soften, "I was...unprepared dealing with him and he caught me by surprised, but don't worry about me and worry about yourself. Aren't you supposed to search your family scroll?"

"It was a fake scroll and Sensei had planted it probably everywhere, I even came across three other scrolls hidden as I got here."

"I see. What about you Raiga-kun?"

"Turns out it was a fake like you guys, that Jerk-Sensei somehow find a way to cloaked few random stuff with Kagemaru's smell so now I can't be sure where to look."

"Auu..." Kagemaru whined.

"Well good luck searching for it you two, because I have the more difficult task of tracking down Sensei so I'd like it very much for you not to get in my way."

It annoyed me how detached her voice was, believing we are noting but an obstacle of her when she was the one who wanted me to be part of her team in the first place and now when things didn't go her way she decided to same off like a burden. My rage that I had been quelling began to build up again and was about to snapped at her when her face made me froze.

It was the first time I saw her not smiling, not even a sarcastic smirk. Her unfocused eyes that never seemed to shed light of what she might be thinking was slightly glistened and I saw the angry and the frustration she was shooting. It was so surprising, I was stunned when I realize this was Hikari without her facade smile.

'Is that book that precious to her?'

Raiga doesn't seem to noticed it and snapped at her anyway, striding over to her side and pulling the collar of her kimono so she was now staring face to face to a snarling Raiga. "I've been listening to you talking us down as if you're better than us but don't think I'll stand and listen to you putting us down like a nuisance!"

"Hmph, hearing that from someone who barely pass the academy seems hilarious, knowing you're from a renown clan just makes it more embarassing, don't you think?"

"You little-you think grades makes you better?"

"Yes, which also includes my skill, and this is coming from a blind girl, how pathetic must you be?"

"Oh that's i-" Raiga pulled back his hand and was about to give a beating, Hikari in respond had pulled a kunai and struck in respond.

"ENOUGH!" I roared out loud enough to make them flinch and pushed them apart before things became much more complicated and migraine inducing, "You two have gone way too far on what you said." I chastised them, "Hikari, it's a fact that you're capable just like any other shinobi but does not make better than anyone and it's a fact that you need help, whether you're blind or not."

I turned from Hikari to Raiga next, "and you should control your hot temper for once and try to think before you act like a fool! We're in a test for Kami's sake and we're wasting time bickering when we could have work together in solving the problem instead of antagonizing each other here!" I burst out in what I'm sure, high blood pressure as I feel my face turning red at their antics, huffing out in the end and making them speechless. However, it was at that one illuminating moment when I shouted out those words without much thought that everything seem to make sense.

The rule of this test.

'you have four hours for the three of you to collect them'

Hiyori's cryptic clue.

'Look the underneath of the underneath.'

The placement of each of our precious items.

'I'll either pass or fail you as real genins'

The moment I realized it I started laughing out so hard, I almost fell from the tree if Hikari and Raiga hadn't pulled me back. The two looked in worried at me before Raiga twirled his finger beside his head in questioning look to Hikari, for her only to respond with a shrug.

"Hikari! Raiga!"

The sudden call of their name jolted them back a bit, and I gave them the biggest reassuring smile I can give. "We're going to become genin," I said as a matter of factly. They looked dubious at my words but I put as much as conviction in my words for them to get through, for them to place their trust on me.

"The three of us is getting our stuff back, and the three of us are going to become genin...together. Do you get what I'm saying?"

My words seemed to be too cryptic if the confused nodding they sent me was any telling, but I ignored that in place of sorting out our game plan to pass this crazy test of his.

"Good, now first Hikari. You say your chakra sense is sharp enough to identify even their shapes from miles away right?"

"Ye...yes."

"Then you can sense where a bone shaped item would be whether its underground or around the trees?"

The two of them had their eyes widen and Hikari closed her eyes in concentration. "I found out it, it's not that far but there's a heap load of traps there."

"Good thing we have you as our eyes then, right Hikari?" Hikari tensed slightly from my words, but gave a small smile in return. Not the ominous kind, but the genuine kind I never thought I see on her face.

The three of us dashed toward the sight and took a little bit concentration to find signs of recent digging to locate the bone. Raiga would have made a dash toward it and turned into a porcupine if me and Hikari hadn't held him back. There were trip wires everywhere that made it almost impossible for the three of us to go past it without tripping one of them.

Take note of the word three, because unlike most Genin Squad, we have four member on our squad.

"Ruff, ruff!" Kagemaru, barely need instruction before he managed to maneuver over the many trip wires, and I had time to stare at awe how a small dog could be that flexible as he flip mid air multiple times until he reached the digging sight and dig up his bones.

"All right Kagemaru!" Raiga cheered, pumping his fist to the air.

I was gasping in awe at the display, "You're dog is awesome Raiga!" I commented.

Hikari nodded in agreement, "I have to admit, he was very impressive," she admitted.

At the collection of compliment he was getting, Kagemaru smiled and hopped happily.

Triggering a wire in respond.

We all froze at the sound of snapping wire, face pale, and the dreadfulness creeping inside my throat. "Hikari...tell me we didn't just trigger one of the traps?" I hoped in denial.

"Worse," she stated before a volley of kunais rain down from above us, "He just triggered the whole trap."

Well isn't that a lovely thought?

The three of us move as one, regrouping around Kagemaru, I pulled out the sword on my back, turning it into a scythe and twirl it quickly above us, following it up with Hadan-Rupture to repel all the kunai raining down. Once that cease, a giant log came swinging from two sides and would crushed us if Raiga and me didn't react fast enough. With my back on him I wasn't sure how Raiga did it but he crushed that log just as I cut apart it with my own scythe.

Oh but that wasn't the end. No. That would be too easy.

It was only then that the net beneath our feet was lifted, but it didn't even took us halfway up before Hikari had cut the rope with her shurikens. Landing us back to the ground. With our backs facing each other and our weapon poised up, we watched carefully for any signs of another traps.

"Is that all?" Raiga couldn't help but ask.

His answered came by the exploding ground and only from Hikari's warning did we noticed, but after we jumped up to avoid, the ground revealed to have spikes waiting for us underneath.

"You just had to say it..." I let out irritatingly before deciding to use Isshin-Flash in mid air, cutting down a tree for it to be our foothold. Once that over, me and Raiga turned to Hikari for any signs of traps and when she shook her head, we finally got ourselves to relax.

"All that for a freaking bone?!" I can't help but complaint.

"Indeed, that was... tax full," Hikari huffed out tiredly on her knee.

"And we've got to collect two of the other items, the worst what could happened if next we have to..." but Raiga wasn't able to finished that sentenced, thanks to me and Hikari swatting his mouth shut. Even Kagemaru had his paw raised around his mouth.

"No offense Rai, but please don't jinx us more than we need with that mouth of yours."

His only respond was to nod and we let go, Hikari turned to me with a tilt of her head, "So what's next do you have in mind?" She asked me.

"Raiga, you and Kagemaru have sharp nose I'm sure. Do you think you can track down the real scroll with my smell?"

Raiga's laid back grin turned more feral at the plan, "Easy Peasy." He took one whiffed at the air, before he and Kagemaru rushed deeper into the forest, followed by me and Hikari.

And stoped short to a deep hole of what we could only say, a snake den if the numerous hissing snake beneath was any indication and right at the middle was a scroll wait my smell on it. Giving barely a doubt that it's mine.

"So...do we have to jumped down and wrestled the snakes or..." Raiga tried to give suggestion, as stupid as it is.

I was about to rebut him but then without any warning, Hikari dropped down without hesitation, causing both of us to yelp. She didn't flinch as few of snakes began slithering toward her but Hikari didn't gave them any mind. Sidestepping the snakes with a glide, avoiding stepping and went past them like a grace dancer. One or two snakes even tried leaping toward her face, which she only need to catched it by its head and throw it away like swatting a fly. Once she reached the middle of the hole, she didn't avoid them all though. Three snakes began slithering up her legs, but that didn't deter her the slightest until she swiped the scroll then began jumping back up out the hole. Flinging away the snakes around her in the process.

"Well, I believe this is yours Rikuo-kun?" Hikari offered me my scroll with her usual smile.

"Uhm Hikari...there's still...you know..." I pointed to her left shoulder, where she turned to look at the snake hissing at her.

"What about it?" She asked nonchalantly, even going as far as petting the snake. Making the jaws of us two dropped to the floor.

"Hikari, I take back everything I said about you. You are the most badass girl I've ever met," Raiga stated, much to Hikari's delight before frowning slightly. I felt myself smiling amusingly at how easy for him to anger and forgive, just like Naruto. Unlike him, he's prone more to violence when he's angry. I better take note of that.

"Now that we have two of the three items, how are we going to get my book from Sensei?"

"Not to mention finding him."

If my grin wasn't obvious enough, it is now that the two turned to me with anticipation, "My dear friends, looks like it's my turn to amaze you, observe." I took the scroll with one of my first original seals I devise, I had already smeared the bit of Sensei's blood on my Tracking Seal and the it's now pointing to our goal.

"Come on, let's finished this treasure hunt!"

###

With Rikuo's tracking seal guiding them toward the edge of the forest, they stopped short when seeing the figure of man in Konoha standard uniform. He was sitting on a tree stump, next to him was an alarm clock, his poker face hiding the

"I see you got all the other item, which mean..." he took out a book from his back pouch and showed it to them, "Only Hikari-chan seemed to be the only on the verge of failing. You know, you could stop here and you'll already pass you know?"

Hikari flinched and began to feel wary at what Raiga and Rikuo would do now that they'll surely pass as genin. The fact she's only a blind kunoichi just screamed liability and the seed of doubt that had always been festering inside her. That she'll easily be cast away. It took every will inside for her not to hyperventilate from anxiousness, she hated being weak, it only proves other's point of her. Contrary to her thoughts, the two comrade at her side could not have proven her wrong better than they did that day.

"Fat chance, we only got our stuff back because of her so now we're getting her book back as well," Raiga ruffly and loudly stated.

Rikuo nodded in agreement with him, "It's one for all and all for one Sensei, either we get the book as a team or we fail together as one."

Hikari for a first time, felt sheer gratefulness other than to the Hokage and Hizashi-sama. She decided to save the tears for later and pay them back by making sure they passed together as genins.

The three did not noticed however, the slight upturned of the Jonin's lips before his poker face returned and glanced at his watch, "You have half an hour until the deadline. Let's see if you're as good as the academy says you are, shall we?"

That prompt Rikuo to give his teammates order, "Hikari go low, Raiga go high, and guys...go all out!" With only a slight nod in respond, the two began rushing to the Jonin, no indication of trying to move away from his spot. Hikari met head on with him first, her bo staff out and resolve not to embarassed herself this time.

Nor will she do it alone.

While securing her distance, she aimed for an uppercut with her staff that the Jonin only needed to lean back to dodge but then found two identical figure from above, spinning themselves rapidly toward him. He somersaulted back to dodge but Hikari didn't let him took any split second breather before she stepped on Raiga's back and jumped up as she gave a flip...while the two Raigas ready to pounce from slightly below his guard and moving from both sides.

A pack of shurikens was ready on his hand to which he threw to both his sides before grabbing the upcoming staff, pulling Hikari inside his guard and kicking her aside as he wrenched her weapon away.

...or so he would have done if he felt something shot his hand and got it stung, it gave Hikari a chance to roll away from her Sensei and think of a new approach. The Jonin on the other hand, looked back to where Rikuo should have been but was nowhere to be found. He didn't have time to ponder it for long before he's supposed-students were coming after him once more.

He took out a few shurikens at them, knowing they'll barely dodged all of them. Yet they showed no planed for it before the shurikens were all shot down by an invisible force. The Jonin blinked in surprise before understanding dawn on him when he glanced at the thick trees surrounding him.

'Interesting, despite his close range fighting style, he choose to hid within the trees and act as support as he used his own chakra to shoot chakra like shurikens, but faster, and make things difficult for me. The fact he doesn't do this too often is that he might compromise his position otherwise.'

Not letting them get close to him that easy, he made a quick series of hand seals for his next attack, "Wind Style: Cyclone Barrier-Fuuton: Ai Fuubou"

A whirlwind of air surrounded the two genins, halting them in place. He looked thoughtfully at the small makeshift tornado, waiting for their next move and the wind would surely obstruct Rikuo's shooting range. It was slightly a surprised to find himself avoiding a spiked chain coming at him through the whirlwind.

He dodged the spike but instead of flying past him, it found itself turning back toward him. The Jonin had to leaned back on instinct before he got himself skewered. The chain retracted back inside the whirlwind and while the weapon was no longer attacking, it made him unease instead and slightly amused. Mostly because out of the three of them, the Jonin has more interest on one peculiar child.

And it's not the Blind Kunoichi or the Son of Sannin.

He felt the slight tremble of the ground and looking down, he was too late to get away before five spiked chain jumped out, chaining the Jonin's leg, arms, torso, and neck. The spike turned to claws, sinking to his skin. The whirlwind began to diminished and the Jonin smiled seeing the Inuzuka Kid holding the transformed dog on his hand.

"Rensa Chikyuu Haretsu-Chained Earth Burst," Raiga murmured.

'So this is the skill of Inuzuka's black sheep...or black dog in this case'

The elder Shinobi could not think much before he had to face the staff wielding Hyuuga while being chained down. With a burst of strength he pulled the chains around him and had it wrapped around her staff, chaining her weapon along with him. Hikari tried pulling her staff away but he didn't make it that easy for her, but that didn't matter. Now that they're both immobilized, Rikuo knows when to take his chance when he saw one.

He jumped out from one of the trees, landing beside them and reaching for the back pouch. Rikuo could almost taste the victory almost at the tip of his hands but off course he doesn't make it that easy for them. While his arm and legs still immobilized, the Elder Shinobi pulled upon Hikari's staff, much to her surprise that she was thrown over him and used to smacked off Rikuo aside. He then focused on the chained in question that was holding him back and used it to pull Raiga to his side. Being a kid and less training, it's no wonder he was easily overpowered. The chains that were underground were pulled up alongside of him and the Jonin kicked him aside, forcing him to loosen his hold of the chain, giving Sensei the chance to break the restrain holding him down, ignoring the stinging pain from pulling the claws out of him.

He quickly turned around to block another staff attack from Hikari then dodging a swipe of Rikuo's his back to Raiga who abandon landing safely to throwing another spiked chain toward, not to his Sensei, but to the back pouch which carry their target.

Hitting the bulls eye, the inside of his pouch scatter and the book was exposed to everyone. The Jonin's eye twitched and was beginning to feel cornered at holding back if the fight keep dragging on like this. With a sunken breath, the Jonin used his leg to hook the book to his corner leg and kicked upward, unreachable to all. He held Hikari's staff and twirled inside her target and kicking her off, then used it to block a swipe of Rikuo's sword. Sensei kicked his leg and turned to used the now wield staff to pushed Hikari away, and twirl back into place where the book will land on his hand.

From there, it became the opposite of the game hot potato between the four of them.

Said hand was immediately chained once more, pulled, and thrown off from his hand. Hikari was close enough to caught it but the Jonin kneed the book away from her for Rikuo to be at the receiving end, but the Jonin was still free enough to deflect Rikuo's hand and back flipped to kicked the book along the way, out of reach from Rikuo but toward Raiga, he then used the chain still on his hands to give it a big wave and force Raiga to be unbalanced and miss on catching it.

And so on and so forth...

The exchange went on until there was only less than three minutes left before they ran out of time. The Jonin might only want to test their skill but he certainly doesn't intend to for them to get that book at least until the very last minute. Hikari with her staff in her hands once more was currently distracting her Sensei alongside Rikuo but it feels pointless since every time, he would find a way to use their own moves against each other to make sure we're only inches away from the book and he doesn't look like he's out of breath while the three was looking exhausted.

"This...huff...isn't going anywhere, we need to a new game plan," Hikari breathed out heavily to her teammates.

"I...huff..am with her," Raiga agreed, "Any plans Rikuo?"

"Huff...should have..huff...known normal tactics doesn't work on him but I do have a plan...actually, more like a cheap trick than a plan," Rikuo informed them.

"I'm happy with anything by now so spit it out Rikuo!" Raiga insisted, his stance still not broken like the rest as they kept wary eyes at the Jonin.

"Okay, here's the plan..."

The Elder Shinobi would have put the book on one of the pouched of his flack jacket, but one wrong move and the little genins would pounce on him mercilessly. They were whispering on most likely a strategy as they kept their eye on him while he waited for them to move, their bait being openly flaunted on his hand. Once there was a slight nod from each of them, Hikari retracted her staff and Kagemaru undo his transformation before Rikuo began a series of hand seals with one...hand?!

To say he was shock was an understatement because the file definitely did not mention that.

"Doton: Retsudo Tensho-Earth Style: Earthquake Slam." The earth began to shook heavily before falling apart and disoriented when he slapped the ground. The Jonin easily avoided it with a jumped to the air followed by a curious tilt of his head. That jutsu usually only helps when dealing a mass of people attacking. So what is he planning?

Rikuo then gave a boost to Hikari who jumped to meet her sensei in the air. He was a bit disappointed they were still sticking to the same tactic, until he saw Kagemaru appeared on her shoulder and he was late to make the connection before the dog transformed once more into a spiked chain on her hand and aimed it at him. He was still caught in his surprised until the spiked chain branched into five and succeed in binding him. Unlike before instead of just coiling around his limbs, he was fully coiled around it.

'Damn, they caught me by a cheap trick...well played.' The Jonin begrudgingly thought.

Seeing their prize now fall from his hands, Raiga with Hikari's staff helped using it as boost to throw Rikuo toward it. Arm reaching out toward the book, seconds from ending this horrible test, and it had been at the tip of his fingers...

'RRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNGG'

The four shinobi froze at shrilling ring that resounded throughout the forest. The bell had only gone off for one second yet that one second felt like a long standing...at the reality their head was refusing to believe.

Rikuo's out stretched hand stopped itself from reaching and the book Hikari so cared for fell down to the ground and everyone was too shocked to move or to care. Well...everyone except the Jonin himself who arranged all this who was now unbound from the reverted black dog who's now trying to cheer his owner.

"Aaaaaah," he sigh out aloud, "Looks like you three couldn't grasp the book on time, with only a second difference to boot, such a shame."

His words seemed to snapped them out of their shock. Rikuo stood up, trembling and clenched his fist tight, his eyes burning in frustration while bitting his lips. Raiga punched the ground and cried out a curse word, grinding his teeth with Kagemaru whining beside him in comfort. And Hikari was left looking up on her knees, her blind eyes made it impossible for one to know how she feels but the tears that was about to break was not mistaken by anyone.

"I guess it's time to break it to you," he sighed, "from your performance you were only able to get two of the three items and almost achieve the third." Hope blossomed within their chest but soon extinguished when they heard his next word, "Regardless, I still stand by what I said at the start of the test so I hereby announce that all three of you..."

"WAIIIIITT!" His words were cut off by, surprisingly, Hikari Hyuuga. Now, standing straight, her head held high, her clenched tightly be her side and her face showed sign of resolute as she faced the Jonin. "Please...please let Rikuo-kun and Raiga-kun become genins!"

The two boys whipped their head toward her, their jaw dropped from her shocking request.

"They find their items, they passes your test, they shouldn't let someone..." she bit her lips in hesitant before bowing down in desperate plea, "...someone like me to held them back, so please let them became genin!"

"Oi Hikari! Who said anything about you holding us back!" Raiga shouted out, "You're the most useful out of all us and you were the top Kunoichi in class for a reason! No one deserve to tell you are anything less but the best, not even yourself," Raiga insistent was followed by his partner's bark of encouragement. Hikari needed every strand of her will not to break down crying but clearly it's proven to be useless.

He then turned to face the Jonin and marched right up to him with a determine scowl before bowing down to mimic Hikari, "Please...one more chance, give us one more chance for us to become genin!"

The Jonin blinked at how far the young shinobi has gone for their own, he then turned to the last silent member who was looking troubled for a different reason and he smirked when he understood why.

"That's not really necessary since I was going to pass you all anyway."

"But still, we want you to reconsider...wait, what?!" The two genins snapped their heads up toward their Sensei who is now rubbing his chin. They stood there confused and bewildered, not sure of what they had heard.

Sensei made a heavy sigh, followed by a slight rueful smile at their antics, "It would seem only one of you caught on to what my test was actulaly meant."

Immediately, they turned toward a sheepish looking Rikuo, scratching the back of his neck, "I thought you guys had figured it by now."

They stared at him for awhile before their surprised turned into a deep frown as they glared at him, ""Explain!""

Rikuo gulped at their cold tone they were giving him, "Sensei did ordered us to collect the items for our test, but he never said that he'll based on who passed from those that got their items back in the end. Then I realized about how each items were hidden. Raiga couldn't use his nose so we had to rely on Hikari to searched for it, then my scroll was found using Raiga's nose and to get the book back from a Jonin rank sensei means that we need to work together if we ever want to stand a chance against you."

"In other words this test never really try to test our skill, it had been testing our teamwork," he concluded.

The unaware genins turned from their teammate to their Sensei, in search for a confirmation. Who nodded in respond, "He's right, though my test wasn't the easiest I also thought you would all have noticed it by now."

There was another long stretched silence between them.

Until...

"BASTARD!" Raiga tackled down Rikuo down and drag him into a brawl. They began pulling hair and streching cheek, bending limbs and jus plain hitting within the smoke of their brawl.

Well so much for teamwork.

"What the hell Raiga?! Get off me you crazy hound!"

"Not until you apologize!"

"For what?!"

"For wasting my feelings you damn sonnova-!"

"Ruff Ruff!"

The brawl went on for a while, kicking and punching until they were entangled with each other until Hikari decided enough was enough and pulled us apart, much to Rikuo's relief.

"Thanks Hika-" he was cut off by the sharp pain his gut was suffering from a swift hit of her palm strike to the gut. It left Rikuo twitching on a horrid mess. Hikari didn't say anything more before facing toward her Sensei with a serene smile, ignoring the Elder Shinobi's sweat dropping at the scene.

He coughed to get their attention and rubbed his hand expectantly, "Now then, how about we start introducing ourselves? You can all start by saying things like names, hobbies, dreams and your impression of this team."

The three-two actually, one is still twitching in pain-looked at one another and shrug, "Okay, my name is Raiga Inuzuka. My hobbies are playing or training with Kagemaru and shogi-What?! It's true, don't look at me like that!" The look of disbelief did not left the face of those three but conceded to his claim at the end, "Anyway, my dream is to defend my village with Kagemaru and bring honor to my clan with our own ways of doing things and my impression of this team well...I guess you guys are fine but a bit weird."

"Hikari Hyuuga, my hobbies are reading and..., my dream is for everyone to acknowledge as an asset for my village and my impression of this team is rowdy and immature...but they aren't bad."

The last member of the team got up, still rubbing at his gut in pain while clearing his throat, "Ow...that was a mean punch...Rikuo Kurogane. My hobbies are reading coming up new moves with my sister and a friend of mine. My dream is to be the greatest weapon user in all of the land, and despite the fact my teammates are prone to violence and ill-tempered," said teammates twitched in annoyance at him, "...but I can't think of a better team than with them."

All of them, including the Jonin, were surprised at his admission and couldn't help but smile contently.

"Well then, it's time for you all to know who I am. My name is Hayama Shirakumo, call me Hayama-sensei, my hobbies is carving wood and my dream had always been to serve my village at my utmost best and my impression of you all is that this will be one heck of team, that I guarantee." The team grin brightly from his words and Hayama couldn't help but smile back, "Let's get along Team 9!"

AN: Yes! Finally Rikuo got his team. Hope you had enjoyed it.

And yes, I had put Shin as a spy for Hiyori, SURPRISE! Anyway, I read many fics had Sai appear years earlier than cannon so I thought this will make things different, plus Shin seems more appropriate as a spy than Sai. He can't act normal sadly, so obviously I put Shin instead. And this way he get the love he deserved for the lack of screen time in cannon

Also, for those who got excited what kind of seal Rikuo and Hiyori has been working on. I'm sorry that I didn't show it off but I was too busy show casing Raiga's and Hikari's skill set so you have to be patient until they get at least C or B Rank mission, most likely in a Chuunin Test. Not A Rank though, I mean...what's the probability of him getting an A Rank before his time am I right? I doubt they're just as unlucky as Team 7.

Anyway, please R&R!