Eclipse

Team Seven is Born

I stifled a yawn as I walked to the academy, light circles evident under my eyes. I was going to sleep at an okay time, eleven pm, but then the village sirens started shrieking and woke me up. Apparently someone stole something from the Kage vault, but even that came from a sketchy source. I didn't go back to sleep until three in the morning. I hoped that whatever our sensei decided to do today wouldn't be all that hard. Ha, fat chance. Knowing my luck, they'd be some training freak and make us start conditioning the first day.

I rubbed my eyes before sliding open the classroom door. I still got stares, but nowhere near as much as that day two years ago. Mostly it was Ino staring at me until Shikamaru pulled her away, or some of the quieter boys and Naruto who obviously had a thing for Sakura. It would have been cute if I wasn't currently inhabiting the aforementioned girl's body. Instead it's just awkward and uncomfortable.

I went over to my desk, the edge seat towards the walkway at the left-most part of the class, and settled in for an early-morning nap. I woke up to rancorous laughter and lifted my head, scowling around to find the source of the disruption. My eyes landed on Sasuke and Naruto (of course, always the center of attention) who were in the middle of, what appeared to be, an unplanned kiss.

I scoffed and dropped my head onto an open palm. "Idiots." I muttered as they dramatically spat and choked in opposite directions of each other.

"Settle down everyone!" Iruka called as he slid the door to the class open. I raised a brow at the distinct lack of Mizuki and eyed Iruka's purple eyebags suspiciously. I had two theories and only one of them was pleasant. I didn't dare dwell on the other.

"Pay attention as I call out your team and jonin sensei's names! I won't be repeating myself."

For once, he actually looked like he meant it.

He called out the names of students I only knew in passing for a long time. Some sensei's appeared as their team was called while others showed up a few minutes later. I tapped my fingers against the desk, simply waiting for my name to be called.

"Team seven; Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, U-" Iruka was interrupted by Naruto furiously cheering. My eye twitched involuntarily. This would be... a very long career. Genin teams were often lifelong commitments in Konoha.

"Quiet down, Naruto!" Iruka scolded the boy. "Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked away, seemingly in disinterest but clearly displeased. Naruto got straight to complaining, of course. I felt a little bad for him as Iruka put him on blast and exposed just how close to failing the exam he'd been, but at least it got him to shut up. Not that it helped much against the displeasure of Sasuke's fangirls. Ino was definitely the loudest of them all, raging about how I got to be on his team when I didn't even like him. I rolled my eyes.

"Team eight; Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino!" He shouted against the noise, clearly about to burst a blood vessel. Too bad he couldn't pass out detentions like candy.

"Team ten!" The noise had mercifully been lulled again. "Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino."

Well, there goes the few seconds of peace the classroom had. Ino blew a fuse the second she heard her name, her face twisting into a scowl.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with you two!" At least she wasn't directing her rage at Iruka.

Her yelling lowered to match Shikamaru's lazy remarks back, easily becoming background noise for Iruka to finish reading the team assignments. Choji ate a bag of sriracha-lime chips while watching them bicker. I frowned in jealousy. I want that life.

"Okay! For those of you who haven't been called by your sensei, you're free to go to lunch. They'll be here after the hour long period. I'll see you all soon!" He dismissed about half a classroom full of children.