Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [1]

☾ 5 ☽

Out of the forest, Kakashi Sensei had apparently caught Naruto trying to steal the lunchboxes and had tied the blond to one of the tree posts. Tsukiko sulked over and dropped onto the floor, hungry and annoyed – and tired, too. She wanted to stuff herself with food, roll over and go to sleep.

Soon, Sasuke and Sakura joined them and Kakashi Sensei stood in front of the four of them, studying them. Tsukiko kept glancing at the unopened and uneaten lunchboxes, her stomach grumbling. It wouldn't be long before Usajii started complaining about the lack of food in her stomach too.

"Oh, oh, your stomachs are growling," Kakashi Sensei said, his arms crossed. "By the way, about this exercise... Well! There's no need for you guys to go back to the Academy," Tsukiko looked at him in surprise as Naruto's mood improved.

"What?" Sakura thought out loud. "I... All I did was lay unconscious. Is that okay?" But she cheered up as she started to jump up and down, yelling "Yahoooo!" Tsukiko continued to eye Kakashi Sensei. How could he do that when they had been so terrible?

"Then, then!" Naruto started, still tied to the tree post. "That means the four of us..." He and Sakura kept cheering. Tsukiko noticed that even Sasuke seemed pleased. But there was an unnatural smile growing on Kakashi Sensei's masked face.

"Yes, the four of you..." Kakashi Sensei said as he smiled a closed-eye smile. "Must quit being Ninja!" Naruto and Sakura froze midway into their cheers while Tsukiko and Sasuke stared at him in shock. Quit being Ninja? Never! Tsukiko couldn't do that!

"Quit being Ninja?!" Naruto shouted. "What do you mean?! Uh, well, it's true that we weren't able to take the bells but why do we have to be told to 'quit'?!" Tsukiko looked over at Kakashi Sensei again, who was watching them lazily.

"That's because you're all squirts who don't have the qualifications to become Ninja," Kakashi Sensei told them. Tsukiko didn't find that fair. She could've gotten a bell if the time hadn't been up. Sasuke went rushing at him but Kakashi easily subdued him against the ground, sitting atop him. "I'm saying you're squirts,"

"Don't step on Sasuke-Kun!" Sakura screamed but Kakashi Sensei ignored it all. Tsukiko frowned deeply as she crossed her arms. He should give them at least one more chance. It's unfair that he asked them to be done with being Ninja over this.

"Are you kids thinking being a Ninja is easy, huh?" Kakashi Sensei questioned. They stared. "Why do you think you're doing this exercise in teams?" Tsukiko stared at him. "To put it simply, it's as if you guys have no understanding of the answer to this test,"

"Answer?" Naruto muttered.

"Yes," Kakashi Sensei replied. "The answer that determines passing or failing of this test," Tsukiko continued to eye him. 'In teams'? Does he mean teamwork? Were they supposed to do it together? Realisation washed over her. She had herself thought of it when watching Sasuke fight the Jonin.

"You mean... Teamwork?" Tsukiko asked slowly. The other four turned to look at her as she slapped her forehead, making Usajii grumble within. "We were supposed to work together... Why didn't I realise it sooner? We could've gotten them..."

"Exactly," Kakashi Sensei replied. "But it's too late even if you realise that now. You might've been able to take the bells if the four of you had come at me together... Well, it's too bad," Tsukiko pulled at her twin tails, annoyed out of her wits. How could this be?!

"Why use teamwork if there were only three bells?" Sakura questioned suddenly. "If the four of us were to desperately go take the bells with one having to hold back, that wouldn't be teamwork. That'd create internal discord,"