SL: WLB 4

What Lies Beneath


4

Birds erupted from the tree adjacent to the team's designated safe zone in the Forest of Death. Young Ami Inuzuka watched as they passed between the sun and herself, their wings glinting in the light. The branches and leaves settled again and she returned her attention to a few yards away where her only remaining teammate was setting an exploding scroll over the 'X' that their new team leader had etched into the bark. Satisfied with his job, Kai Miyamoto turned from the assignment. Something was odd about the stamp…

"It's wrong!" Ami realized with a gasp as Kai leapt from branch to branch headed her way. His over-sized tan shirt billowed up as he landed on a lower branch and before his two hair tails could land on his shoulder, the Inuzuka had pushed off from her branch.

"Ami, what are you doing?!" Kai cried out, nearly falling from the branch as he scrambled to grab her. Her sandals barely hit the trees as she raced to the scroll stamp. It was angled wrong. This way, the debris would land on their imagined camp that Tsunade-sensei had pointed out at the beginning of the exercise. They'd been out all day trying to get this right, Ami was tired of failing.

"I can do it," the redhead whispered as she reached out for the stamp. She had less than a minute to change it. Thankfully, any chakra could remove the paper but only Kai's chakra could stop it from exploding.

"Ami, it's going to blow!" Kai cried out a few branches away. She didn't listen to him; she had to keep counting the time in her head. Quickly, she pulled the stamp off the bark and reapplied it, making sure to angle it correctly. She leaned back to check it. Perfect. And with three seconds to spare. Ami jumped down, away from the spot. A shadow passed over her and she glanced up. Kai had jumped to grab her just as she had fallen. He was in the blast radius.

"KAI!" Ami screamed, eyes wide. He had time to cover his face before the scroll exploded, bits of tree and flame scattering through the air. Ami slipped from the branch she had aimed for and caught herself on the next one down. The target tree groaned behind her. She turned, frantic eyes searching for her best friend. "Kai?!" She cried out again.

"God dammit!" The curse came from below, echoing up through the tall trees to reach Ami's sensitive ears. The blast had left them ringing and even now, other sounds seemed far away. Ami clung to the branch as her attention zoomed in on the woman crouched on a branch maybe twenty feet from the ground and the small body she cradled. The red bandana that Kai wore around his neck had been shredded and bits of it covered his chest and arms. The girl slipped from the branch and using chakra to secure herself to the tree, ran vertically down until she reached her team leader. Closer now, Ami's breath left her and she nearly fainted. Though Kai's bandana had been burned slightly, the red that covered him wasn't cloth. It was blood. The most she had ever seen.

Tsunade had already set to healing him, her right hand softly glowing blue as it hovered over his mangled left arm. She turned angry eyes to the young Inuzuka whose body shivered. "Why would you go back in?" The blond yelled at Ami. Her mouth opened to reply but she couldn't find the words to explain. Her mind raced through a million thoughts. She dropped to her knees beside them and reached out to touch Kai's neck. He was still alive. Tsunade brushed her hand away, "We need to take him to the hospital. He'll be okay." It sounded like she was talking to herself more than telling Ami. Relieved that her teacher was optimistic, Ami shut her eyes and sighed.

The air was suddenly colder and Ami opened her eyes to find an older Kai in her lap, blood pouring from his mouth as he choked. Tsunade was nowhere to be found. They were alone in a black sea of swaying grass. Ami's heart raced and tears poured from her eyes. "Kai! Kai, please, please, Tsunade will heal you. She was just here!" Ami turned to the surrounding darkness and called for her sensei, "TSUNADE! TSUNADE!"

Ami sat up with a gasp, her hands shaking as they held the cool blanket to her naked chest. A mix of sweat and tears had left her skin damp. Catching her breath, she brought her knees to her chest and leaned over them, letting her loose hair fall around her and hide the shame on her face from the empty room. The nightmare was nothing new. It plagued her most after she'd spent a night laughing with her friends, like a reminder that she was the reason Kai would never laugh again.

The Inuzuka raised her face and took a deep breath. Daylight fought to shine through the blinds on her bedroom window. The remainders of her clothes were strewn on the floor and down the hall. The glint of the Konoha metal plate on her shirt flashed as if it were trying to remind her of something important. Ami tilted her head, one hand running through her thick hair.

Then it clicked. She was supposed to meet her Genin team for the first time today.  
Ami's eyes flicked to the alarm clock beside her bed. With a sigh of relief, she fell back on her bed, arms outstretched. She still had plenty of time before she had to go fetch them from the Memorial Stone. She'd instructed Iruka to have her team meet her there at noon. Or was it one? Ami groaned. No, it was definitely one. She had tried to pick a time that was well after lunch.

"Shit," she cursed softly. I didn't plan anything for today. I wonder what Kakashi does the first day? Other than fail them. With another groan, she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face into her pillow. "I suck at this."    

She lay there for a few more minutes before getting up and dragging her feet to the bathroom. There was no way she was going to meet her team smelling like last night's alcohol.




The standard sized classroom was gradually filling up as eager graduates filed in. Eyes scanned their comrades, sizing them up. They were no longer simply class mates. They were potential teammates and potential rivals. Iruka Umino, their longtime teacher and role model, was nowhere to be seen.

Uru Kedamono took a deep breath and stepped into her classroom for what would probably be the last time. She was struck with an anxious buzz as she realized no one was sitting in their assigned seats. Friends were sitting together, probably with the hopes that it would influence their team assignments. For a second she wondered if it would. Should she sit next to who she wanted on her team? Who did she want on her team?

A familiar pink-haired girl bumped into her as she pushed passed and Uru stepped back out of the way.

"Geez," Uru rubbed her shoulder even though it hadn't really hurt. She used her new position to look for an empty seat among the sea of chattering mouths.

"It's overwhelming isn't it?" Haru Saito-Hyuga said after noticing the other girl's lost expression. She had been standing with her back against the wall for a few minutes now, wondering who wouldn't be upset to have her next to them. For a moment, she thought Uru wouldn't answer her.

"Yeah," Uru said after a deep breath. "Are we supposed to sit with who we want on our team?" She felt silly the second she asked. Haru shrugged.

"I hope not. I have no idea who I want on my team." The blue-haired girl managed a weak laugh. Uru smiled. She'd never talked much with the Hyuga outcast but it was comforting to know that Haru was as nervous as she was.

Just then, she caught sight of an open seat no one seemed eager to fill.

"Well, good luck!" Uru gave Haru a reassuring smile before making her way through the line of kids that had gathered in the aisle. Slightly disappointed, Haru muttered, "you too" and watched her disappear into the fray. Before she could see where the girl sat down, her attention was caught by a dozen gasps and shouts. She followed the blazing gazes of the class girls to a jaw-dropping sight.

"NARUTO YOU PIECE OF CRAP, YOU ARE DEAD!" Sasuke Uchiha tore from the lip-lock with none other than Naruto Uzumaki. Haru covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Had that been on purpose? Had Naruto kissed Sasuke intentionally? Girls around the room mourned the loss of the heart throb's first kiss as the two boys wiped their mouths repeatedly.

"Poison! My mouth is ruined!" Naruto wailed.

"Naruto…" Sakura, who was standing nearby, growled. Haru rolled her eyes. Of course she'd have something to say, she was the president of Sasuke's fan club. What came next was surprising but welcomed by most of the class with cheers and laughs. Sakura unleashed a flurry of fists on Naruto. Just as she finished, the door at the front of the classroom opened and Iruka stepped in. Finding a seat was suddenly priority number one as everyone scurried. Haru found one near the windows, seated next to a boy with black hair and dark blue eyes whose name wouldn't come to her.

Around her, smiles plastered the faces of her peers. It was only then that she realized she was smiling too. Iruka, on the other hand, came to stand in the center of their attention with a sad look about him.

"From this day forward, you are no longer mere students, but full-fledged shinobi." He began as his eyes travelled from face to face. "But, among the ranks of shinobi, you are mere novices, lowest of the low. Your greatest challenges all lie ahead."

His pause grew heavy as his words sunk in.

"The next step is the assignment of official duties to you all on behalf of our village. We will begin by dividing you into three-man cells. Each of which will be mentored by a Jounin, a more senior ninja who will guide and coach you as you become more familiar with your various assignments." He could almost hear them shouting at him to shut up and get on with it. They already knew all this, what they didn't know was who they'd be teamed up with for the next few years. "I made the selections so that each cell's abilities would be approximately equal."

"What?" His audience groaned.

"I can't tell you the teams if you don't quiet down," he had to raise his voice. In a matter of seconds the noise died down. He smiled as every single Genin leaned forward, on the edge of their seat. That's what he would miss the most about them: their enthusiasm. The first three cells went by quickly with little disappointment. After two friends had been assigned to the same cell, he had to ask the students to remain seated until their lunch break where they would have plenty of time to spend with their new teams.

"Cell Number Five: Tsukino Ichiro," Iruka began. Haru startled when the boy next to her suddenly gave a strangled squeak. "Kimura Mei, and Kimura Mai." Their teacher checked the team off on his clipboard. Ichiro groaned and fell back into his seat.

"I'm stuck with girls?" He covered his face with his hand. Haru's heart slowed down again until Iruka began the next cell.

"Cell Number Six: Saito-Hyuga Haru."

Haru's breath caught in her throat. She leaned over the desk in front of her, silently begging Iruka to pick any one but Sakura for her team.

"Kedamono Uru…"

An excited squeal slipped from Uru before she covered her mouth and stomped her feet. Finally! Finally her name had been called out! She looked over to Haru and waved. The Hyuga gave a shy wave back.

"…and Migame Kaito."

The two girls gave each other quizzical looks. Migame Kaito? Who was that? They searched the crowd for a face that matched the name. It came to Uru the moment her eyes landed on him, sinking into his chair with a face nearly as green as his eyes.

"Ohh," she managed not to slap herself in the forehead for forgetting who he was. She caught Haru's attention and dragged three fingers across her own cheek. Haru understood her gesture and found the scarred boy. Now that she remembered who he was, it was hard to think that she had forgotten.

The next cell had been called while they'd found their third member. Naruto must have been a part of it. He was standing up, arguing with Iruka. Next to him, Sakura was glaring daggers. She must be on his team, Haru thought with a sense of satisfaction. That's what she gets.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Iruka announced. Sakura leapt from her seat with joy. Next to her, Naruto slumped with disappointment. He wasn't the only one. Girls around the room were suddenly less excited than they had been.

"Master Iruka!" Naruto had regained his vitality and now stood shouting at their former teacher. "What were you thinking of, saddling a most excellent shinobi like myself WITH THAT LOSER?!" He pointed at a smug Sasuke.

"The idea is to balance your different strengths. That's why you ended up together," Iruka handled the situation with a practiced patience. "Of the twenty-seven of you, Sasuke has the best grades, Naruto. You would be the bottom of the class."
Snickers filled the room.

"Try to keep up…" Haru heard Sasuke mumble before Naruto erupted again. The Hyuga had to look away when Sakura jumped in. Sasuke was the last person who needed someone to step in for him. Iruka continued with the teams. It was much less interesting than before she had been assigned. She couldn't help but sneak peeks at her teammates. Kaito looked like he wouldn't be too hard to get along with. Uru on the other hand… well, she seemed like handful. Haru wasn't looking forward to the team punishments the girl was likely to bring down on them from their sensei.

"Okay everyone," Iruka's voice rose above the muttering hum of the children. Haru turned her attention from her teammates to the Chuunin. "I'll be introducing your senior ninjutsu instructors this afternoon. Until then, you're dismissed!"

No sooner did he finish speaking did the room become a mob of ecstatic children rushing to unite with their new teams. Haru watched as the Ichiro boy who'd been sat next to her slowly got to his feet and went to meet the Kimura twins who looked much happier with their team than he did.

"HI!" Uru was suddenly crouching on the desk in front of Haru.

"AH!" Haru started and shoved the girl away. Uru tumbled backward with a squeal. Haru stood, leaning with her hands on the desk as she checked to make sure the girl was ok. A hand puppet of Uru appeared at the edge of the table.

"Puppet Uru is not amused." Uru's voice drifted to Haru as the puppet shook its head. Haru stifled a laugh.

"I'm sorry Uru, you surprised me. Are you okay?" She peered into the row of seats in front of her. The Kedamono girl picked herself up and adjusted her clothes.

"That's okay. I'll just have to remember you're jumpy." She put on a smile. Her eyes drifted from Haru's face to the boy who'd approached them without their notice. Kaito's lips spread in a quick smile before resuming their relaxed position in a nervous almost-frown. Before she could reply to Uru, Haru caught sight of their teammate as well and turned to him.

"Hi Kaito," she said softly, as if she thought speaking any louder would shatter the boy.

"Hi," he said after a big breath as if gathering his courage.

"Don't be so nervous silly, we don't bite!" Uru grinned, resting her arms on the desk. Kaito smiled again.

"I hope not!" He laughed. After momentary surprise, the girls laughed too.

"I'm glad to see you three getting along," Iruka said from the aisle. The three Genin turned to him.  "I hope you'll be as friendly with your new team leader." Images of the result of Ami's patience running out with the children flashed through his mind. He hoped he had chosen well for the quartet.

"Me too!" Haru sighed.

"When do we get to know who've we got?" Uru bounced impatiently. Iruka narrowed his eyes, checking around him as if he were about to reveal a secret.

"I'm not supposed to tell you yet…" he nearly whispered, leaning in slightly. All three children leaned closer to him, eyes wide. Iruka resisted a smile. "But as long as you promise not to tell anyone…"

Immediately, the three shook their heads. "No one! We won't say a thing!" They promised.

"All right then… I was told to have you meet your new sensei someplace." Iruka glanced over his shoulder at the clock.

"Where?" Kaito covered his mouth, surprised that he'd been so direct.

"They'll be at the Memorial Stone in about thirty minutes. If you get there fast enough, you'll be able to surprise them." He nodded his head gravely. Haru, Uru and Kaito nodded with him.

"Yeah," Uru liked the idea.

"We'll be able to see him before he sees us." Haru added.

"You're down to twenty-eight minutes," Iruka crossed his arms over his chest. The kids were suddenly scrambling passed him. Poor Kaito looked like he was being chased by bulls as the trio disappeared out the classroom door without even a farewell. The surprised Chuunin laughed. He turned away and headed back down the steps to the front of the room.

"Wait!" A voice called. Iruka looked back. Uru and Haru were panting and leaning on the door frame.

"Yes?"

"How… do we know…" Haru began.

"Who…" Uru continued. "We're looking for?"

Iruka put a finger to his chin trying to think of something that wouldn't immediately give away who their future sensei was. An idea struck him, "look for a red bandana."