Caught in the Darkness

CHAPTER FOUR: Kakashi's Test

Kakashi

"In this world, those who don't follow the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are even worse than scum." I told my students while I observed the Memorial Stone in the training grounds and ran my fingers across its surface. "The exercise is over, you three are the first team I've ever approved, congratulations."

"The first team?" Sakura asked, wide eyed.

"Yes," I replied as I looked at them from over my shoulder. "The other teams did exactly as I told them, even if it meant abandoning their teammates. You guys, are different." I smiled. "Team 7 will start their first mission tomorrow. You can go home now."

I started walking away from the training ground. Sasuke and Sakura also walked after me.

"HEY! AREN'T YOU FORGETTING ABOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT HERE?! I'M STILL TIED UP!" I heard Naruto yelling from the tree trunk and I laughed. However, the next sound made me wipe the smile from my face and I halted on my steps.

Naruto suddenly stopped yelling and shut up with a loud thud. The sound made the members of my team and me turn around to see what had happened. Naruto was now lying—face first—on the ground while a brunette was standing behind the trunk he had been tied up to with a kunai in her hand and a mischievous look on her face.

"It seems I have missed all the fun," she said as she looked up at me. "Am I too late?"

"'Too early' would be the right thing to say..." I said with a sigh.

"Well, the Hokage said that if I hurried, I would get to see your lovely students." She smirked. "And given they're still here, it means I got here just in time."

"You could have been more careful, 'ttebayo!" Naruto whined as he lifted his head and looked up at the girl with a flustered face. Hanako looked down at him and smiled.

"You should have been able to free yourself on your own, what kind of Genin are you, Naruto?"

Sasuke scoffed at that. "Does the loser type sound right to you?"

"Teme!" Naruto snapped at him with a glare. "Who do you think you're talking about, Sasuke?!"

"You, obviously." He smirked. "Dobe."

"Temeeee—"

"Stop it, Naruto." The blond tried to attack Sasuke but Hanako immediately took hold of the back of his neck. "You don't need to lower to his level."

Sasuke clicked his tongue while looking up at the brunette. "What are you doing here, anyway?" he asked.

"Well, for a first, I came to see if you had kept your word. Which you did, so I'm happy for you. Congratulations." She smiled at the raven haired boy after saying that.

"It means you owe me the truth, Hanako-nee." Sasuke replied. "You shouldn't be so happy."

"Why wouldn't I? I never said I didn't want to tell you anything." I looked over at Hanako and raised an eyebrow.

"So, you didn't talk yesterday?" I asked.

"No, we made the deal that if I passed your test she would tell me everything I wanted to know." Sasuke was the one who answered. "And now that I have, just tell me time and place. I'll meet you there."

"You kicked me out for no reason, then?" I inquired at the girl and she just shrugged.

"I let you in for no reason."

"What the hell is going on, 'ttebayo?" Naruto asked aloud as he pulled the hair from the upper part of his head. "I don't understand what's happening..."