❝If you don't like the hand that fate's dealt you with, fight for a new one.❞ ㅡ Naruto Uzumaki
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CHAPTER THREE:
TEAM FIVE
-Four years later-
"Team Five: Rei Koizumi, Maki Hashiri and Kazuo Nakahara."
Orange eyes averted from the window to glance around the classroom. Her gaze clashed with Maki's, and a huge grin broke upon the face of the tanned girl. After responding with a small smile of her own, Rei resumed her searching. A frown decorated her features as confusion spread across her face.
Kazuo Nakahara, she repeated in her mind.
Her lips pursed, and she placed her chin on the palm of her hand. Rei didn't recall having a classmate called Kazuo Nakahara. Truth be told, Rei was not a regular presence in class, and some would say she was like a lost puppy who didn't really know where she belonged. Yet even so, the girl could recognize every face and name of her classmates with no trouble, for they weren't that many. Hence the wonderment that filled her when an unknown boy was placed in the same team as hers.
A frustrated scream snapped Rei away from her thoughts, and her attention was claimed by her blond friend. Naruto had buried his face into his arms, and it didn't take her long to figure out what had happened. By the sneaking glares he was giving Sasuke, who was surprisingly sitting beside him, Rei could tell they had been placed together in the same team.
The girl tried to hide her amused smile, forgetting about her previous task for a moment.
When the class was dismissed, Rei made her way towards the freedom outside. She didn't even bother to wait for Naruto, for she knew he'd be eager to—try to—spend lunch with Sakura Haruno, especially now that they were teammates.
Whatever, she thought.
Rei hated nobody, for 'hate' is a strong word, but she did detest Sakura with her whole heart. That superiority complex the pinkette carried, Rei could not stand—that, and the way she treated Naruto. In some way, Sakura reminded her to the bullies she had been protecting Naruto from ever since they had become friends.
"I can't believe we've been placed in the same team," a cheerful voice startled her.
Blinking away her stupor, Rei glanced at Maki from the corner of her eye. Usually, it would be Rei who sneaked up on people; not because she liked giving them heart attacks, but because the art of stealth was something she had successfully mastered. This time though, Rei had been so lost in thought she hadn't noticed Maki approaching.
"Every team consists of two boys and a girl, so it's quite odd," Maki kept on babbling.
A lopsided smirk tugged on the brunette's lips.
"This only proves that you should have been born as a boy," she casually commented while waving a hand in the air.
She was punched on the head by an offended Maki.
"Anyway," Rei started, rubbing the aching spot as she winced. "I don't even know who this Kazuo guy is."
Maki rolled her eyes, not surprised by her words.
"He's just got transferred from some small village close to Suna," she explained.
A frown crossed her face.
So he comes from our same land as well, Rei thought and hummed, something that had become a habit whenever she found something interesting.
"I've talked to him a couple of times," Maki continued, before her face wrinkled considerably. "He is…"
Just when the tanned girl mentally began to ponder about the right adjective to describe their new comrade, a boy came rushing towards them. His raven hair covered one of his dark blue eyes, and the headband every ninja had was tightly tied around his head.
"…weak," finished Maki as the boy tripped over his own foot and crashed on the hard ground.
Kazuo Nakahara quickly stood up and dusted his clothes. An awkward smile broke across his face when he noticed the bewildered looks he was receiving from his teammates.
"I'm Kazuo Nakahara, pleasure to meet you!"
Oddly enough, he bowed.
For the love of god, he bowed; Rei was at a loss of words.
Coughing awkwardly, Maki managed to grin at the flustered boy.
"This is Rei, and you already know me. How about we go to have lunch and forget about this… little incident?"
Everyone agreed.
-#-
Another frustrated scream escaped Naruto's mouth; the third that morning.
And counting… Rei could only roll her eyes at the sight.
The boy was pacing up and down the classroom, earning himself annoyed stares and complaints from the rest of the students who were scattered around. Rei didn't even bother to drag Naruto away from them when they started to tell him off, for his constant whines were getting on her nerves as well. Thus, she opted to avert her eyes from the commotion and to the window. They got caught on the sky, which stared down at her with bright colours: the sun was still there, but she knew it wouldn't be more than two hours before the splendorous moon replaced it. An anticipated smile tugged on her lips at the thought, for she had always preferred being under its calm glow than suffering from the heated rays of the sun. Somehow, it always managed to relax every fibre of her bones. In addition, it always reminded her of home—her real home.
"Alright, then!"
Her orange eyes widened slightly when they landed on a crazy-looking woman. She was standing by the doorframe, her blond hair pulled into a high ponytail. Her brown eyes were glancing around as if looking for something, and surprisingly enough, they stopped on Rei. Then, the girl witnessed the change in the woman's expression; she smirked, seemingly pleased.
And that was enough for the girl to know.
Whoever gets this woman as their sensei will be definitely doomed, she thought.
Just then, the blonde woman crossed her arms over her busty chest and yelled,
"Team Five, follow me!"
She walked out before anyone could even blink.
Rei mentally cursed as she stood from her seat and followed the crazy woman out.
"We're so doomed."
-#-
Rei sat down next to Maki and leaned her back on the thick tree behind. The woman had leaded them to the training fields and was now staring down at them with a hard look in her eyes, as though she were trying to look into their souls.
"The name's Tora Erizawa, and I will be your sensei from now on," she proclaimed, her hands placed firmly on her hips. "I want you to introduce ourselves. State your name, dislikes, and aspirations for the future."
Three pair of eyes stared at her as if she had grown two heads, which was causing Tora to arch an eyebrow to the point it disappeared behind her bangs.
"Isn't 'Tora' a guy's name?" Maki whispered to Kazuo, who nodded fervently.
"And why the dislikes; wouldn't it be useful to know our likes as well then?"
Rei couldn't help but roll her eyes exasperatedly—her teammates were clueless about the displeased look their sensei was giving them.
"I won't tolerate disrespectful comments, and to make sure you understand I'm not someone you can make fun of, you'll do three laps around the village every time you do so."
Tora's words were enough to make the two stop gossiping and turn their heads to stare in utterly shock at the angry woman. Her brown eyes narrowed ever so slightly. To say she wasn't intimidating would be a lie, for even Rei was having a hard time remaining indifferent.
"Also, I do not like to be questioned about my methods, so if you're bold enough as to dare to ask about them, I hope you're prepared to confront the consequences."
Her grave tone left no room for retorting, and three heads nodded hastily.
"Good. Moving on, introductions are in order."
Maki was the first to speak, fearing if she took any longer she'd have to face her wrath.
"I'm Maki Hashiri. I dislike many things, like rain or ramen—I specially detest ramen." That made Rei smile amused as the sudden image of Naruto yelling at her for hating ramen crossed her mind. "As for my aspirations, I want to become the greatest user of Lightening Jutsus of the moment."
That's interesting; Tora couldn't help but think, before her gaze fell upon the boy, "Next."
"My name is Kazuo Nakahara, and I don't really dislike anything in particular. However, I can say I hate losing, even though I'm used to it." He earned himself glances from the both girls. "Unfortunately, I'm not strong enough to put my expectations as high as everyone else, so I want to use my abilities as a medical ninja to support them from behind."
The corners of Rei turned up ever so slightly, as she felt her insides melt by the sincerity of his words. However, the woman who stood before them didn't seem pleased in the least, for a frown had worked its way to her face and she looked at the boy disapprovingly. That didn't go unnoticed though.
Truth be told, Rei didn't see weakness with good eyes either. Nevertheless, if there was something that had always earned her respect, it was effort itself. There were many people who lacked talent, but she believed in improvement, believed everyone needed to strive oneself in order to reach magnificence. But that level was too high for someone to reach; that's why she had never stopped training. Improvement is something that doesn't attains limits. Naruto had proved her so through the years they had been friends, and even though he always got frustrated for failing all the time, Rei was amazed by his obstinacy. Never to give up, that was what she had learned from the noisy boy.
By the look in Kazuo's eyes, the girl could feel that he was really having a bad time admitting his weakness. However, she could also see that he was determined to help the best way he could, and she gave him credit for that.
Hard, brown eyes fell upon her figure. Tora had her arms crossed over her chest and an analysing look in her gaze as she watched her, expectant.
"Rei Koizumi," she stated, giving the woman a piece of her own hard look. "My aspiration for the future is simple: becoming the greatest Kunoichi in the five lands, overstepping my limits and creating new ones."
Something that could be seen as approval shone in Tora's gaze.
"That surely is a big dream." If it hadn't been for the interest her voice gave away, Rei would have thought that she was mocking her. "Are you telling me that you're actually planning on becoming Hokage?"
"I don't want to be Hokage."
An eyebrow arched.
"Oh? Why not?"
Tora was looking at the girl with a mixture of interest and vague curiosity. To her surprise, and everyone else's, Rei replied with a casual,
"Because Naruto is going to occupy that position."
Utter shock crossed her face when the words left the brunette's mouth, for that was the last thing she was expecting to hear. Within the seconds that followed her statement, silence fell between them. However, Tora recovered from the shock and amusement danced in her eyes.
"The Uzumaki boy." She smiled a smile Rei didn't like in the least; it was a gesture she had seen so many times in her life, it was the same look Naruto received whenever he insisted in becoming Hokage.
It was an expression of mocking disbelief. Something inside her churned with rage, and the girl glared at her sensei.
"What about your dislikes?"
Rei didn't even hesitate.
"I dislike you."
Gasps followed her bold words, and her teammates looked at her as if she had gone mental—which was probably true. However, the corners of Tora's mouth curled up.
"Five laps around the village, Koizumi. You've got twenty minutes to finish, if you're not done by them, you'll be running till I decided it's enough. Starting now!"
Maki shot up to her feet and pointed an accusative finger at the smirking woman.
"Wait, you said three laps!"
"Hashiri, join her."
Without much of a glance, Rei decided to grab her friend by the arm and drag her away. Startling the girls a bit, Kazuo followed them.
"Kazuo, what do you think you are doing?" Maki blurted out, a frown slowly forming on her lips.
The boy scratched nervously his neck. A blush had crept to his cheeks, as though he were embarrassed of something, and he didn't look at them when he said,
"I'm already weaker than you two, and if you start to improve I don't want to be left behind."
A genuine smile tugged on Rei's lips before she took his hand to give him a reassuring squeeze. Feeling the sudden touch,
Kazuo turned his head to look at her in surprise.
"You've already wasted five precious minutes! You'll be running for the rest of the day at this rate!"
Three pair of legs began racing away, leaving a satisfied-looking Tora behind.
"What an interesting group of idiots."
