There was himself of course. That Naruto cheating and displacing him as 'Rookie of the Year' was inconsequential, Sasuke knew he was the most skilled.
He focussed on the loudest first. Usagi. One of those 'Viera' rabbit-girls. Clumsy, loud, crybaby, and seemingly without any combat value. Most likely to quit and give up being a ninja. The only thing she seems to do well is that her senses seem to be more acute than is usual even amongst her species.
From the long-eared girl, Sasuke's eyes tracked to the second loudest of his 'team' who was complaining about their sensei being late. Nabiki. Mercenary girl who sees the world in terms of cold hard cash - by her own admission. One of the few of those 'rescued' by Naruto's jutsu who is not part of that odd fanclub of his. No special skills other than a talent for math and slightly above average stealth skills.
That done, Sasuke looked to the third of their team. Iku. One of the 'dark elves' rescued by Naruto's jutsu. Stealth specialist, best in class. Decent taijutsu, fourth best in class in kenjutsu and kyudo. Second best in bojutsu. Talented but prone to odd behavior. Currently has replaced herself with a clone technique and is off doing something.
Sasuke frowned at the apparently sleeping Iku, wondering what the girl was doing at such an important time.
Kakashi avoided the trap, ducked under the poisoned senbon needle, and grabbed the next one that had been aimed where he had dodged to.
Kakashi held up one hand in a "stop" gesture, then brought the needle closer to his mask where he sniffed delicately at it. "Knockout venom."
"Well, yeah," said a bush.
"You've been trying to catch me for over a year now," noted Kakashi aloud. "Why?"
"Well, for one thing, it's good practice," said another bush in the same voice.
"Yes, I have noticed your improvement in trap-making, stealth, aim, and ventriloquism," admitted Kakashi. "Shouldn't you be meeting your sensei though?"
"Ah," said a bird on a tree branch. "This will probably be my last chance to snag your mask."
"My mask?" asked Kakashi, scratching his head.
"Masks are cool," solemnly said a rock near his foot.
Kakashi eyed the rock uncertainly. "Well..."
"Got it!" said someone, rushing past him and fading into view as she did so.
Kakashi sighed.
"You wore a mask underneath your mask?" asked the dark elf, pointing at him. "You are truly a worthy rival!"
"No."
"No?"
Kakashi shook his head for emphasis. "No. You're not even a genin yet. I'm a jonin. You haven't even made your first team. I'm on my way to fail a team."
"Hmmm, so there's a test or something?" mused Iku briefly, then pointed at Kakashi to return to the argument. "Which does not preclude a lowly genin-candidate from having a rivalry with the admittedly more skilled jonin!"
"Besides, I already have a rival," said Kakashi.
"Oh," said Iku, deflating slightly. "Position's already filled, eh?"
"That's right," said Kakashi, never having been more glad for Maito Gai's declarations of rivalry. "No openings."
"Well, fine then," said Iku, tucking the mask away. "I'll keep this as a souveneir and someday challenge your rival for the position of rival!"
"That will be a long way coming," admitted Kakashi as the dark elf leapt away. "And I need to make a note to never come near whatever team she ends up on. I..."
A hand had just checked his pouch and found a little orange book missing.
"Huh. So that's who keeps swiping them. I'll have to steal it back later."
He was watching for it, otherwise he might have missed the substitution.
Iku seemed to wake up, stretching out, then take out a little orange book and start reading it.
Sasuke came closer, sat nearby, and spoke in such a low volume that only someone with exceptional hearing would pick it up. "What was so important?"
"Unfinished business," responded Iku, also in a low voice. "Be ready for a test."
"Test?" asked Sasuke, thinking that the dark elf had been gathering intel. How devious.
"We're not considered genin yet, there's another test but I don't have details," said Iku, continuing at the same low volume. "I suspect something sneaky."
"Hidden objectives?" asked Sasuke.
"Yeah," said Iku while apparently giving all her attention to the book in front of her. "So, cooperate with me and I'll do the same. My objective is completely different from yours, but the stronger we both get - the more likely we are to reach those goals."
"And what exactly is your goal?" asked Sasuke.
"To protect Naruto and see him achieve his goal of becoming Hokage," said Iku as she turned a page. "Any objections?"
Sasuke considered that, considered the kunoichi, and that they might have different goals but apparently the same path. "None actually."
Kakashi Hatake knew that the trap had gone off the moment he crossed the threshold.
One did NOT normally expect a not-yet-genin team to manage something like this though, so his visible eye went down to the fuuinjutsu written in chalk and wondered exactly what this was supposed to do.
He wondered that for exactly zero point three seconds before every eraser in the room launched themselves at him.
One eraser he would have ignored. Twenty caused him to throw off lethargy for the moment and duck back out of the room at high speed.
He noticed the erasers following him, still coming at roughly the speed of a thrown ball, with only half impacting the walls and beginning to tumble groundwards as a result of not making the turn.
The rest he simply blocked or slapped away, as he had had ample time now to determine the threat level.
"Whoa, he's fast!" indicated Naruto's voice.
"He IS a jonin," said an unfamiliar girl's voice.
Kakashi blinked as he considered the possibility that the setup hadn't just been a prank, but an attempt to get him to reveal something of his capabilities. No. Couldn't be.
Entering the classroom, he spotted one girl in the corner who looked somewhat hostile. One normal-looking girl in front. One of those cat-eared girls next to the normal one. Naruto Uzumaki. Oh yeah, they were doing four-man teams this year. Well, it wouldn't last.
"For first impressions," began Kakashi.
"I didn't do it!"
Three kids turned and regarded the one in the corner.
"Anyway, as I was saying," said Kakashi. "My first impression was, that I don't like any of you."
"IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT! THEY'RE FREAKS AND THAT'S THE WORST OF THE LOT!"
"Uhm, right," said Kakashi. "In any case, meet me on the roof and we'll discuss this a little further."
The way they had responded to his little request told him one thing about the assembled genin. That was simply that if he treated them like NORMAL genin, the bell test was going to go completely off the path.
Naruto had somehow or other summoned a horse and ridden it up the stairs and onto the roof before dismissing it.
The blonde human girl had managed to get to the roof before Kakashi himself could.
The catgirl had managed to navigate the stairs and find a seat without opening her eyes at any given point.
The final member of their number had taken a seat at a slight distance from the others and was looking terribly stressed out for some reason.
The prepared script worked, for the most part. Most genin were predictable enough at this point, their little skulls knowing only of the crap taught at the Academy. Those belonging to active ninja clans would know a little more, but those family techniques required years of preparation before they could be used - and this also served to limit the potential responses.
"Me? Well, I'm Kakashi Hatake. My interests are my own, my dreams are not the sort to be spoken of to those of such tender years, and my hobbies are pretty much in line with those dreams."
"That was spectacularly unhelpful," said the catgirl.
"Thank you. I try. Why don't you go next?" said Kakashi, putting forth a palpable air of boredom.
"Trehawn Ghostflower. I'm what some people call a Psion. There are other basic names for it: Mesmer, Psionicist, Esper, Mind Mage, or so on. I'm a miqo'te, Seeker of The Sun faction. My dream is to eventually form a clan allied with the Yamanaka clan or to be adopted within that clan. My hobbies are jewelcrafting and psionic artifacts."
Naruto bounced to his feet, obviously eager. "Naruto Uzumaki! My goal is to become Hokage!"
The short-haired brunette snorted.
"My hobbies are ramen, working with new fuuinjutsu, and summons!" Naruto didn't even glance at the brunette.
"Kara Zor-El," said the blonde girl. "My goal is to make chunin and then transfer over to the police force. My hobbies are reading and technology development."
"Ami Vanu Pelta. My goal is to marry Sasuke Uchiha. My hobbies are finance, fashion, and fun. I dislike monsters and freaks."
Kakashi nodded. Pretty much what he'd come to expect. Now he could go ahead and get to the business of dashing their hopes of becoming genin, sending them back to the Academy where they could be kids for another year.
The news that they had special training that would make them throw up and not to eat breakfast was about as well received as he had come to expect.
Except for the catgirl. Her ears went flat and her eyes narrowed just a second before he'd started the speech.
He left them there, going to a nearby building and hiding to watch. Would they follow the set pattern and each go off on their own?
No, apparently not. There was an attempt by Naruto to get that girl Ami to participate in what looked like a strategy session. It didn't work, at least initially, though apparently she got curious and started listening in.
Maybe he shouldn't go with the standard Bell Test after all. No. No, it was tradition. That and it had worked really well for him in the past. The Bell Test it was.
Though the temporary four-man team meant he'd have to change the script a bit.
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(Posted Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:12)
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