5:00 am came, Katsumi was walking over to the meeting spot, and she could see that her other teammates were arriving as well. 

"Morning," Sakura yawned, rubbing her eyes. 

"Morning," Naruto yawned as he reached forward.

"Morning," Katsumi yawned walking with eyes closed. Hours later, Naruto and Katsumi were slumped against each other as Sakura and Sasuke stayed alert. Soon Sakura sat down with the other two. 

"Morning, everyone," Kakashi greeted suddenly. "Ready for your first day?"

"Hey, you're late!" Sakura, Naruto, and Katsumi shouted as they got to their feet angrily. 

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way," Kakashi answered. The three besides Sasuke growled at him. "Well..." He cleared his throat. "Let's get started." They watched him place a clock on a tree stump. "Here we go. It's set for noon." He pulled out bells. "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all that is to it. If you can't get 'em by noon, you go without lunch." Naruto screamed. "You'll be tied to these posts, and you'll watch while I eat my lunch in front of you." Naruto continued screaming.

"Wait a minute!" Sakura exclaimed. "There's four of us. How come there's only two bells?"

"Heh, that way at least two of you will end up tied to a post and ultimately disqualified for failing to complete the mission. Those two go back to the academy." Naruto growled. "Then again, all four of you could flunk out, too. You can use any weapons, including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me, you won't be able to take the bells."

"Those weapons are too dangerous, Sensei," Sakura protested. 

"It'll be alright Sakura, you survived being my classmate," Katsumi stated. 

"But this is against sensei, he wasn't your classmate or teacher back in the academy," Sakura reminded her. 

"Especially since you couldn't even dodge that eraser," Naruto laughed.

"Class clowns are usually the weakest links," Kakashi stated. "You can safely ignore them--lowest scores, losers." Naruto groaned at him. "When I say start, you can begin." Naruto took off running towards sensei with a kunai.

"Wait, Naruto!" Katsumi exclaimed, Sakura grabbed her arm pulling her back. Kakashi easily stopped Naruto; both of the girls gasped. Suddenly Kakashi was in the middle of the three, Kakashi grabbed Naruto's head and had the kunai pointed at Naruto's neck. 

"Don't be in such a hurrying," Kakashi warned. "I didn't say start yet.  The other three backed up as Kakashi let go of Naruto.

'Impressive,' Katsumi thought to herself.

"But you came at me with the full intention of destroying me, so--" began Kakashi, Sakura groaned. "How can I say this? I'm actually starting to like you guys. Get ready." They all crouched down. "And start." They all took off to hide, Katsumi hid in the water by the rocks. "Ninja must know how to conceal their movements and hide effectively." Through the reflection of the water, Katsumi could see Naruto in plain sight.

"You and me! Right now!" Naruto declared. "Fair and square! Let's go!"

"You know compared to the others, you're a little bit weird, "Kakashi stated. 

"Oh yeah? The only thing weird is your haircut," Naruto responded back. He charged toward their teacher, yelling. He jumped back when Kakashi reached into his pack. 

"Shinobi battle techniques, part one," Kakashi began. "Taijutsu--the physical art. Suddenly, he pulled out a very inappropriate book.

'My cousin loves that book, he's obsessed, Gran-Gran always yells at him for reading it,' Katsumi thought to herself. 

"What the--?" Naruto demanded.

"What are you waiting for?" Kakashi asked. "Make your move."

"But--I mean, why are you reading that book?" Naruto asked.

"Why? To find out what happens in the story, of course," Kakashi answered. "Don't let it bother you, with your weak attacks, it doesn't really matter if I'm reading or whatever," Naruto growled clenching his fist. 

"I'm going to crush you!" Naruto shouted angrily as he charged forward. Every attack Naruto was easily dodged by Kakashi. "Now you're mine!"

 "Don't let your enemy get behind you all the time," Kakashi advised. Kakashi had a hand sign ready. 

"Naruto! Get out of there quick!" Sakura shouted. "He's going to destroy you!"

"Too late," Kakashi said as Naruto looked over at Sakura. 

"Leaf Village, secret finger Jutsu!" Kakashi shouted. 

"No!" Naruto shouted as Kakashi lodged his fingers in between Naruto's butt. 

" A thousand years of death!" Kakashi shouted as Naruto flew with tears coming out of his eyes. Katsumi looked behind her to see Naruto falling into the water. 

'That seemed painful,' Katsumi stated as she turned going down in the water to get Naruto. She tapped him, Naruto looked back at her. She signaled to him, Naruto shook his head, and he waved his hand signaling the bells. Katsumi signaled for him to trust her. Katsumi swam back over to the edge, her hand touched the wall; slowly ice crawled up it, she looked back at Naruto; he lit up. Katsumi put her head above the water; just as Shuriken flew over her head, Kakashi easily caught them, he didn't seem to notice the ice creeping through the grass yet. 

"What are you doing now?" Kakashi asked as Naruto crawled out of the water from a different angle. "You know, you won't get lunch unless you take a bell by noon."

"I know, I know!" Naruto shouted angrily. "You told us already!"

"You look pretty wobbly for someone who's going to surpass the Hokage," Kakashi stated. 

"You told us to not eat breakfast!" Naruto shouted as his stomach growled. "How can I fight when I'm starving to death?" Kakashi started to walk away, Katsumi frowned, her ice was almost to him. "So, you caught me off guard. That's all it was. Believe it. I'm so hungry, I don't have any strength. But I can't let that stop me, I've got to get one of those bells no matter what. I'll find the strength somehow. Believe it. I'm going to pass this test, and I'm not going back to the academy. I will become a ninja." Katsumi smiled, the ice was right under Kakashi's feet. Suddenly, six Naruto's popped out of the water. " Ha, ha! You're overconfident, Sensei! That's why you weren't ready for a shadow clone attack--my best Jutsu. They are charged toward Kakashi. 

"It looks like the stories are true, he can create shadow clones," Kakashi stated as the Naruto's jumped up. "Great technique, but I don't you can maintain it for very long. You talk like you're the best, Naruto, but you're still the worst student. You can't beat me this Jutsu." Kakashi took a step, suddenly he started to slip. "What!?" he looked down to see the ice. Then a Naruto lodged onto his back. "He got me from the back!" He looked up to see Katsumi getting out of the water, she was hardening the ice, he looked down to see his foot getting trapped.

"Go for it Naruto!" Katsumi encouraged.

"Didn't you say, don't let your enemies get behind you?" Naruto asked. "Good advice sensei, believe it. Ready Kat?" 

"Hold him down for a bit longer? I haven't hardened the ice around his feet completely yet!" Katsumi shouted. 

"Got it!" Naruto shouted as the clones grabbed onto Kakashi's legs. "As Kat froze the area around you, I had one of my clones come out of the river then sneak up behind you super quiet. I wasn't sure of Kat's plan at first, but I have to admit it turned out well. Now, this is for nailing me in the butt earlier!" One of Naruto's clones got far behind Kakashi, he held up a hand signal. "You're mine and so are those bells!" Kakashi looked forward to seeing Katsumi throwing an icicle right at him, right where it would grab the bells, he looked back to see one of Naruto's clones in the back to receive it.  Blood flew everywhere, they were surprised to Naruto punching his own clone.

"Ouch!" Naruto cried.

"It's you!" another Naruto stated as he watched his clones slide on the ice. Katsumi started to undo the ice. "You're Kakashi-sensei, aren't you! You transformed into me using a Jutsu!"

"No, no," Katsumi denied walking up to him as Naruto and his clones started to fight each other. 

"You smell like an old man, you must be him!"

"You're Kakashi-sensei!"

"You're him!

"Cold!"

"Kat!" they all exclaimed.

"Maybe you should undo the Jutsu first?" Katsumi suggested. "You are wasting your time fighting yourself!"

"Right, then there will just be only two of me, so we'll know who's who!" Naruto agreed. 

"Should've thought of that sooner, fool," a Naruto insulted.

"You're the jerk, why didn't you think of it?" another Naruto demanded. 

"Naruto!" Katsumi exclaimed. "Stop wasting time!"

"Sorry Kat," Naruto apologized as he undid the Jutsu, till only one Naruto remained. 

"What happened?" Naruto groaned in pain.

"A substitution Jutsu probably," Katsumi answered as she unfroze him. 

"Look at that," Naruto whispered, Katsumi looked over to see him pointing at a bell.

" Careful," Katsumi warned. 

"No need to worry Kat, we must've got to him with that combo attack," Naruto smiled looking at the bell. "Either your icicles got a bell or he dropped it!" He ran over to the bell. 

"Wait, Naruto!" Katsumi exclaimed. "It could be--" A rope grabbed Naruto, he was now swinging upside down. " A trap."

"Hey! Hey!" Naruto screamed as he bounced around. "Let me down! What is this? Kat!" Katsumi froze the ground, she then walked over to the bell. She put her hand on top of it where the bell was located, she unfroze that area and grabbed it. 

"No fair!" Naruto shouted.

"Naruto, the bell was only attainable through our teamwork," Katsumi stated. "It is a win for the both of us!"

"But you heard sensei--" Naruto stated. 

"Nicely done, Kat," Kakashi stated as he took the bell from her hand. He was now standing next to her. "You managed to get better control of your Jutsu overnight."

"Thank you," Katsumi frowned as she looked at the bell. 

"Naruto, think before you use a Jutsu, or else your opponent might use it against you," Kakashi sighed. "Oh, and also if the bait is obvious, don't take it."

"You took the bell," Katsumi stated as Naruto grew angry. 

" Nice teamwork you two, even if it did fail," Kakashi said. "And for that two more can still grab a bell, so now only one will go back to the academy.

"Naruto, if the bait is obvious don't take it," Kakashi advised. " A ninja must see through deception!"

"I get it!" Naruto struggled. "Ah!"

"I'm telling you this because you don't get it," Kakashi said as Katsumi pulled out a kunai. "You think you get it, which is not the same as actually getting it. Get it?" Suddenly, a bunch of shurikens blasted into Kakashi.

"Ah!" Katsumi screamed as she jumped up latching onto a tree branch. 

"Ah! He just got blasted by Shuriken!" Naruto exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind, Sasuke? You went too far!"

"You could've hit me!" Katsumi shouted as she raised her fist. They watched Sensei turn into a log. 

"Can you believe that guy?" Naruto complained. "A ninja must see through deception. Yeah, yeah. How am I supposed to do that?" 

"Hold still," Katsumi said as readied a kunai. 

"Well, I'm sure, not falling for any more of his traps!" Naruto exclaimed as Katsumi cut him loose. He flipped landing on the ground. He smiled once he landed on the ground, just to be jolted up by another rope. "Aah! I fell for it again! Kat!"

"On it," Katsumi sighed as climbed up the tree.

"Look at that," Naruto stated once she reached him. She looked over to see lunch boxes sitting on a shrine. "What are those things down there?"

"Looks like chopsticks are on top of them," Katsumi stated.

"Those are boxed lunches!" Naruto exclaimed happily. He stopped smiling. "A ninja must see through deception."

"Maybe we should ignore them for now," Katsumi stated as she readied the kunai.

"Cut me loose and I'll scoop out the danger," Naruto stated. Katsumi cut him loose, she sat on the branch watching Naruto run over to the food. 

"Kat," Kakashi breathed from behind. 

"Kakashi-sensei," Katsumi breathed looking back at him.

"Why did you help out Naruto earlier?" Kakashi asked.

"We are a team," Katsumi answered as she looked back at Naruto. "We should be going at this together."

"Everyone is to be aiming for a bell," Kakashi reminded her.

"Yeah, but yesterday Gai-sensei promised his youth that with a little teamwork, we would pass," Katsumi stated. 

"Teamwork you say?" Kakashi asked. "What are your thoughts on it?"

"It's essential, you don't need to be a ninja to consider the importance of teamwork," Katsumi answered. "How else would Great-Gran have been able to run her restaurant for all these years?" She heard a rustle in the leaves, Katsumi looked back to see Kakashi gone, she looked forward to seeing him hovering over Naruto, moments later the bell went off. Soon two of team 7 sat on the ground as Naruto stood tied to a wooden post Katsumi sat on top of the post by Sakura. 

"Uh, oh. Stomach's growling, huh?" Kakashi asked. "That's too bad. Oh, by the way, about this exercise? Well, I've decided I won't send any of you back to the academy."

"Aah!" Naruto smiled as Katsumi kicked her legs happily. 

"What? I passed?" Sakura asked. "All I did was faint and fall over. Do I get points for that?" Sasuke smirked. "Yay! Yay!" Sakura jumped up and down. 

"Then--then that means all four of us--" Naruto began happily. "I mean, all four of us?"

"Yes. One of you passes while the rest of you are being dropped from the program," Kakashi confirmed, everyone's smile dropped. "Permanently!"

"Sensei?" Katsumi asked.

"Drop us from the program?" Naruto asked. "That means we can never become ninja. You said if we couldn't take the bells, we'd be sent back to the academy. You can't change your mind and kick us out! Why would you do that?"

"Because only of you, thought like a ninja," Kakashi answered. "You think like little kids, like brats." Sasuke angrily took off towards Kakashi, in an instant, Kakashi sat on Sasuke, having him pinned to the ground.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed. 

"You think it's all about you," Kakashi said looking at Sasuke. 

"Let go of Sasuke!" Sakura demanded angrily. "You can't step on him like he's some bug!" Sasuke grunted angrily. 

"You don't know what it means to be a ninja," Kakashi stated as he looked up at the rest of them. "You think it's a game, huh?" They all grunted. "Why do you think we put you on squads? Did you consider that question for one moment?" Katsumi raised her hand. 

 "Uh, I don't know what you mean," Sakura admitted. 

"I mean, only one of you realized what this exercise is all about," Kakashi stated. "The rest of you were not even close."

"What it's about?" Naruto asked. 

"Yes, that's what determines whether you pass or fail," Kakashi answered. 

"But that's--I mean, I wanted to ask you about that from the beginning," Sakura brought up. 

"Tsk, use your head," Kakashi advised. "Three or four people on a squad. Why do you think we would do that?" Katsumi raised her hand higher. 

"Aah! How are we supposed to know you picked three or four people?" Naruto exclaimed. "We didn't make the words?"

"Kat," Sasuke breathed. "You've had your hand raised for a while, what do you think this is about?"

"Teamwork," Katsumi answered.

"It's so basic," Kakashi stated darkly.  The other three went into surprise.

"Just working together is that what you mean?" Sakura asked. 

"That's what I mean," Kakashi confirmed. "It's too late now. But if all four of you had come at me, you might have been able to take them again. Well, anyway, it's over."

"You set it up with four people but only two bells," Sakura pointed out. "If we worked together and got the bells, only two of us could keep them. And that would lead to group conflict. And the squad would break up."

"Exactly," Kakashi stated. "I purposely pitted you against each other. I wanted to see if you could overcome that and put the squad ahead of yourselves. A Genin should have a natural feel for teamwork." He looked at Sasuke. "But you, it never even crossed your mind." He looked up. "Sakura, you obsessed about Sasuke who was gone, while Naruto was right in front of you, and you wouldn't lift a finger to help him." She sighed. "Naruto, you do everything on your own. Everything. And you, Sasuke thought the others were so far beneath you, they were worthless. Arrogance. Kat was the only one able to grab a bell. You considered teaming up with Naruto from the instant he splashed in the water, even after grabbing the bell you offered it to Naruto since it was done through teamwork. Congrat--"

"No," Katsumi stated. "If I am going to pass as a ninja I am doing it with this team."

"But Kat!" Naruto stated. "What about your clan?"

"I'll figure it out," Kat assured.

 Kakashi looked at the others. "Ninja missions are carried out in squads. Of course, you need individual skills. But teamwork is the most essential element. Every shinobi understands this. When individuals put themselves above the squad, this can lead to failure and death. For example, Sakura kill Naruto now or Sasuke dies." He put a kunai to Sasuke's neck. Naruto started screaming as he looked back and forth between Sakura and Kakashi. "That's what happens on a mission."

"Oh boy that was really scary," Sakura sighed in relief. Sasuke grunted as Kakashi took away the knife. 

"The enemy takes a hostage and you've got an impossible choice and someone ends up dead," Kakashi explained. He put the kunai back in his pack. He got off of Sasuke. "On every mission, your life is on the line." He walked over to the shrine. "Did you look at this stone the names engraved on it? They are all ninja who are honored as heroes in our village."

"That's it, that's it, that's it!" Naruto exclaimed.  "Now I know! I've decided I'm going to have my name engraved on that stone. I'm not going to live and die nothing like a dog. I'm going to be a hero! A hero!"

"Uh, Naruto?" Katsumi breathed, he looked over at her. "You should aim to not have your name on there." Gran-Gran took her here a couple of times. 

"They are a special kind of hero," Kakashi added. 

"What kind of heroes are there?" Naruto asked as Sasuke walked back over to his team. "Come on, tell us." Kakashi remained silent. "Well? Well?"

"They are all KIA," Kakashi answered.

"Oooo, that sounds really cool," Naruto said.

"It means killed in action," Sakura informed sadly. "They all died." Naruto grew sad within seconds. 

"This is a memorial stone," Kakashi revealed. "The names of my closest friends are engraved here."

"Oh," Sakura breathed sadly.

"All right, I'm going to give you one more chance," Kakashi revealed. "But I'm going to make it much harder on you. You'll have three hours to get a bell. Eat lunch now to build up strength. But Naruto doesn't get any." Naruto grunted angrily. "It's your punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat by yourself. And if anyone tries to feed him, that person will immediately fail. I make the rules. You follow them. Got it?" Kakashi left, the others slowly ate their food, and Naruto's stomach kept grumbling.

"Here Naruto," Katsumi stated as she held up her chopsticks, there was rice on the end. 

"No way! This is no big deal! I can go without eating for days, for weeks," Naruto exclaimed. "Believe it this is no big deal!"

"But if we want to grab the bells we need to fill you up wither energy," Katsumi argued. 

"It's no problem," Naruto said as he looked away sheepishly. 

 "Here," Sasuke offered, holding up his boxed lunch. 

"What? Not you too Sasuke," Sakura protested. "You can't do that. You heard what the sensei said."

"Kakashi's gone," Sasuke reminded her. "We need to get those bells as a team. If Naruto's hungry, he'll be weak and ineffective. That hurts the team and jeopardizes the mission." Sakura gulped, she closed her eyes holding up her boxed lunch for Naruto. 

"Okay, thanks," Naruto finally gave in. 

"Don't thank me, just hurry up and eat," Sakura ordered. 

"But isn't that your lunch?" Naruto asked. 

"Uh, I'm on a diet," Sakura answered. "I mean, I don't eat as much as Sasuke. So, uhh, just take it, Naruto!"

"I can't take it," Naruto informed. "Because I can't move my hands. You've got to feed me."

"Huh?" Sakura demanded angrily.  

"Hurry up," Sasuke ordered. "He could come back any minute."

"Unh, this is one time only," Sakura growled angrily as she held up rice. "That's it! I'll never do this again. Is that clear?"

"Clear as a bell, Sakura," Naruto smiled. He then took the food from Katsumi's chopsticks. Sakura looked at him angrily. "Katsumi offered first, it would be rude of me to keep denying her." He smiled. Suddenly smoke came out of nowhere.

"You!" Kakashi shouted as he got in front of them. Naruto started yelling wildly. "You broke the rules. I hope you're ready for the punishment." He did a few hand signs, clouds rolled in, and lightning struck. "Any last words?" Without realizing it, Katsumi's hellfire formed on her buns; Sasuke started to try to blow it out.

"But you said--" Naruto began. 

"Yes?" Kakashi asked.

"You said that there were four of us. That's what you said! And that's why Sakura and--" He looked at Sasuke.

"We're all on this squad," Sasuke added. "And we're all in it together."

"Yeah, that's right," Sakura agreed as Katsumi nodded her head. "We gave our lunch to him because the four of us are one!"

"Uh, yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Believe it!" Naruto shouted. "That's right!"

"The four of you are one, that's your excuse?" Kakashi asked as he walked forward. His face lightened up. "Hm. You pass."

"Huh?" Everyone asked but Sasuke. 

"You pass."

"What do you mean? How did we pass?" Sakura asked. 

"You're the first squad that ever succeeded," Kakashi revealed as the clouds parted. "The others did exactly what I said and fell into every trap. They couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum. That's true. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. " He looked up at the sky. All the students smiled, Sasuke's eyes were still glued to Katsumi's hair, mainly the buns. Sakura's eyes widened once she saw what Sasuke was staring at. 

"He's a--You know, he's kind of cool," Naruto teared up. 

"Not as lame as we thought," Katsumi smiled.

"The exercise is over," Kakashi declared. "Everyone passes. Squad 7 starts its first mission tomorrow!"

"Yes!" Sakura and Katsumi cheered happily. 

" I did it! I did it! Believe it!" Naruto cried. "I'm a ninja! Ninja! Ninja!"

"Let's go home," Kakashi instructed as he turned around. Katsumi happily followed the rest of her squad.

" I knew they'd do this," Naruto growled as he kicked his feet. "It happens every time. Believe it! You guys forgot to untie me!"

"Kat," Kakashi breathed.

"Hm?" She asked.

"Your hair is on fire," Kakashi informed her.

"On fire?" Katsumi repeated as Sakura pulled out a mirror. Katsumi looked at it. "Oh." The fire went away in an instant.