JOURNEY. || haruno sakura

06

****

The three students all arrived right on time, only missing quite the most essential person there; their teacher.

"Good morning.." Sakura yawned out groggily, despite not being partially sleepy. It was a result of momentary fatigue from training right after she woke up.

Naruto's words were slurred as his hand waved around. It seems he was barely awake all the way to the field.

Sasuke had the same expression as he always had, and walked up to the two without a word.

After sitting around for around an hour in pure silence, Sakura snatched a book from her bag about Water Style jutsu and read it. She had read it multiple times and has memorized each and every jutsu in the book but she couldn't put it into much practice. After all, she rarely goes to the forest's river to calm her mind ever since the academy kept her busy.

She resolved to visit later, after some years. It'd be nice to finally hone a new technique unique to her for the team, knowing that she's far inferior. Even to Naruto.

She shut the book after what felt like another hour, and the three was going increasingly restless. Come on, this is way too tardy, especially after insisting they came at specifically 5AM. The sun is already shining brightly.

Naruto scratched his head irritatedly, not even drowsy anymore. Sasuke was livid, but losing his cool would have more unwanted side effects. Sakura regretted not having used the time she waited to at least train it out. At least, they all preserved their energy, but not quite their currently paper thin patience.

"Morning, everyone. Ready for your first day?"

"You're late!" Naruto shouted exasperatedly, while Sakura had a discontented expression and Sasuke an intense glare.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way," He attempted to justify his unpunctuality, but it wasn't enough to convince Naruto who was grumbling indignantly. "Well then, let's get started," He placed an alarm clock on a rock, immediately stealing the three ninjas' attention.

"Here we go. It's set for afternoon," Kakashi clicked the alarm button and averted his gaze back to his confused students. Two bells dangled merrily by his fingers, and he demonstrated the activity. "Your assignment is very simple. All you have to do is take these bells from me. That's all there is to it,"

The trio stared at the bells, processing the new "assignment" Kakashi had just tasked them. "If you can't get them by noon, you'll go without lunch," He paused shortly again.

"You'll be tied to those three posts and you'll watch as I eat my lunch in front of you," Naruto wailed in agony at the thought of not getting to eat lunch, even more so that he didn't get an ounce of breakfast in.

"Wait, Kakashi-sensei. There's three of us, so how come there's only two bells?" Sakura questioned, receiving a pretentious grin from Kakashi.

"It's that way so at least one of you will be tied to a post, and be ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. That one will be sent back to the academy," He explained in full detail while Naruto disgruntled unhappily.

"Then again, all three of you could flunk out too," Kakashi warned nonchalantly, while it freaked Naruto and Sakura out. Sasuke grew more frustrated listening to the ridiculous terms.