Emiko's POV

I remained focused as our weapons blocked each other's attacks. Pushing off of Kakashi, I let my left hand reach for one of my katanas on my back. Slipping the katana out of it's sheathe, I placed my kunai in my weapons pouch to unsheathe the other katana. Standing defensively in front of Kakashi, I stood my ground with my katana Hi in my left and Yoru in my right. I smirked as I sent chakra running through the katanas, allowing them to be enveloped in flames.

"I see that you have been taught in the way's of a swordsman." Kakashi mused.

"Hai! One of papa's friends taught me since Papa thought that it would be better if I learned from him." I grinned at the thought of Fishy-oji.

Fishy-oji is known as Kisame Hoshigaki, one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Kisame was a feared S-rank missing Nin and my Papa's partner.

Kisame is a very tall and muscular shinobi, and was the tallest member in the Akatsuki. He has a distinctive shark-like appearance, complete with pale, blue-grey skin. He also has small, round, white eyes, gill-like facial markings under his eyes, and actual gills on his shoulders, and sharp triangular teeth, much like the other members of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. He also styled his blue hair in the form of a shark fin. As a member of Akatsuki, he also wore dark-purple nail polish.

After going rouge to his village, he donned the typical cloak members of Akatsuki wore, and underneath it he was bare-chested. He also wore a brown sash across the front and back of his cloak to hold Samehada in place. He wore his Akatsuki ring on his left ring finger, bearing the kanji for "south" (南, nan), which was yellow in colour.

Every since my 5th birthday, when Papa gave me my favourite Katana, which was kept in a trunk at the foot of my bed at Kakashi's, Kisame had taught me in the ways of a swordsman. The training was brutal. At the end of each day, I would come back with Kisame covered in cuts and blood. Kisame never held back, but that's what made me stronger. I learned his ways for 2 years, and then he took me to learn from the rest of seven swordsmen he stayed in contact with. I became a master in the ways of the sword that I was on par with the seven swordsmen.

"Is that so? Then I guess it's time to show me what you got, ne?" Kakashi questioned.

Smiling cheekily at him I nodded.

"Hai!"

Changing forward, I clashed my katana Hi with his kunai and held my ground using chakra. Holding my right arm slightly behind me, I let the flames around Yoru dissipate and move most of the flames into Hi. After practicing with these katanas for a while, I learned that Hi and Yoru could create different combination jutsus depending on the chakra nature that surrounds them. Hi dominates in fire and lightning chakra nature, while Yoru dominated in wind and water chakra nature. Both katanas worked well with the chakra nature of earth. Closing my eyes, I focused on balancing two chakra natures. Opening my eyes, I watched as Yoru was enveloped with a blue flame. Instead of covering itself in water the chakra nature showed itself in a blue flame. This was the same with all the other chakra natures; wind being white, lightning being a light blue flame with small cackles of lightning, earth being a deep green, sea blue being water, and a fiery red flame for fire.

I smirked at Kakashi as he stared in awe at the sudden colour change in my Katana Yoru. Changing my grip on Hi, I held it against Kakashi's kunai so the length of the blade was against my arm, as if I was holding a kunai instead of a katana. Pivoting my feet, I let the chakra holding my grounds disappear, allowing Kakashi to push forward. Using the momentum, I twisted around Kakashi and stopped when I was behind him. I slashed at Kakashi only for him to dodge and jump back. I narrowed my eyes as Kakashi smirked.

"You're skill is no doubt, not those of a genin." Kakashi mused.

"Of course Kashi-oji. I was trained by the Akatsuki after all." I smirked when I saw Kakashi's eyes widen at the newfound information.

Taking a new stance, I focused my chakra into my katanas. I stood completely still, eyes still focused on Kakashi. I stood in front of Kakashi at an angle, my right foot and arm slightly behind me, and my left in front, while I held Hi at a defended stance. Throwing the two katanas directly above me, I placed my hands on the ground and muttered a jutsu under my breath.

"Piasu Ryū no Jutsu"

Piercing Dragon Jutsu, one of the eight-justu combinations that I have created using these katanas. This technique works for any two-chakra natures, which one is Hi's dominated nature and the other being a nature Yoru dominates in.

I smirked when a sudden pulse of energy was released from my katanas. Not giving them a glanced, I stared at Kakashi's shocked face with my clan's infamous smirk.

Let the fun begin.

Kakashi's POV

I stared transfixed at the skill that Emiko has shown me.

She is without a doubt, the prodigy child of the Uchiha.

I tensed when Emiko threw her katanas up above her. Placing her hands on the ground she mumbled a jutsu that I couldn't hear. I stumbled back as a pulse of raw energy suddenly resonated from the two katanas. My eyes widened when I saw that the katanas had frozen in place above her head in an x formation. A blue and red flame emerged from the two katanas, reaching to the other turning the flame into a deep purple. I couldn't help but be in awe as a circle surrounded Emiko. I watched as Emiko stood in the middle of the circle smirking at me. I noticed, that in the centre of the circle was a dragon. My eyebrows furrowed slightly when I saw that Emiko's eyes were no longer their silver and gold flacked onyx eyes. Her eyes were now a bright gold.

I gasped slightly when two dragons formed from the purple flame of the dragon, one being a deep-sea blue, and the other being a fiery red. I placed my hands in a hand sign as the dragons came my way, no doubt going for the kill.

Before the dragons could reach me, I used the same technique to evade Emiko's attack that I used against Sasuke.

Let's see if she's the same as her uncle in this way.

Emiko's POV

I stood up from my crouched position as my dragons hit Kakashi. I caught my katanas as they fell and placed them both in it's sheathe. I narrowed my eyes when I felt that his chakra signature was no longer there. I closed my eyes and felt for his chakra. My eyes snapped open when I felt his chakra underground. I jumped up in the air before Kakashi could grab my ankle. Flipping in the air I landed in a crouch position before taking out a kunai and placing it in front of me defensively.

"Hmmm... It seems that you are different from your uncle Emiko. Your uncle was dumb enough to not think of looking below him when I evaded his fireball jutsu." Kakashi said.

"Kashi-oji, I may love you very much, but please do not say ill things of my uncle," I said in a sickly sweet voice, "You're insults could just end you."

Kakashi's face paled at my tone as he remembered something. He shook his head out of his daydream before staring at me and mumbling something under his breathe.

I tilted my head to the side and stared at him quizzically.

Huh?

Kakashi's POV

"Kashi-oji, I may love you very much, but please do not say ill things of my uncle," Emiko said in a sickly sweet voice, "You're insults could just end you."

I paled as I remembered being in the same situation with another bubbly Uchiha.

Flashback

I stared at the young Uchiha female who stood in front of me. I raised an eyebrow as she  continued to stare at me. Her eyes slowly narrowed before blinking. She rubbed her eyes before looking up at me and pouting.

"Kyoko... what are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, we were having a staring contest and I lost." She stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"We were?" I asked.

"Yeah! I was bored so we had a staring contest."

"Shouldn't you be with your team? If I remember correctly, all genin were to have a training session today."

"How would you even know that? You're not even a genin anymore."

"I may not be a genin but Rin and Obito are still training to become a Chūnin. The test is coming soon and they're training."

"Really? Oh that's why sensei said to train."

"Hmm?"

"Well sensei said that we should train because she's signing my group for a test coming up soon. She must have mean the exam."

"You really think that someone like you could pass the exams?" I asked.

"Kakashi-sempai, I may love you like a brother and all, but please don't speak ill of me," she said in a sickly sweet tone, "You're insults could just end you."

I paled as a dark aura surrounded the young Uchiha. I swallowed thickly before nodding my head rapidly.

"Good to know you understand." She smiled cheekily at me.

I sweatdropped at her sudden change of attitude.

Note to self, don't get on Kyoko's bad side.

Flashback End

I shook my head as I stared at my student in front of me.

She looks so much like her dad, yet she acts too much like her mother. I just hope she isn't as sadistic as her mother though.

"Oh Kami-sama please help us if she is." I mumbled under my breath.

"Kashi-oji, should we continue?" I heard Emiko ask.

Smirking under my mask I sent her my infamous closed eye smile. Taking a kunai out of my pouch I threw it in the air before catching it and getting into a defensive position.

"Only if you're ready." I said.

Emiko smirked at me, only giving me one reply before changing at me with her kunai.

"I'm always ready."

Emiko's POV

Charging forward, I clashed my kunai with Kakashi's before taking out another and slashing it in his direction. Before the kunai could cause any damage, Kakashi jumped back while throwing his kunai at me. Jumping back, I dodged the kunai before it could lodge itself in my leg. I narrowed my eyes as strategies ran through my mind. I smirked as plan began to form. Throwing by two kunai at Kakashi as a distraction, I changed forward with a chakra infused fist ready. Being distracted my the two kunai, Kakashi managed to dodge them but realized my intentions too late. As my fist made contact with Kakashi's stomach, his eyes widened as he was suddenly thrown back and sent crashing through several trees.

I heard Kakashi groan as he sat up from his position against a broken tree.

"You okay, Kashi-oji?" I asked.

"Hai, just didn't expect you to punch like that." He said.

"Well if you're not okay, I'll just head back to the logs. It'll be lunch time in ten minutes" I said.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're not going to grab a bell?" Kakashi asked.

"Well I would but I grabbed this instead." I said as I lifted up Kakashi's precious book.

Kakashi gasped as he checked himself over for his book only to realize that the book in my hand was really his. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at me before standing up.

"Emiko. Give me back my book." Kakashi said darkly.

I placed a hand on my chin as I looked at the sky as if pondering what he said.

"Hmmm... Yea-no. If you want it, you're gonna have to come and catch me."

Before Kakashi could realize, I was already running away as if my life depended on it, which it kind of did. Especially with Kakashi chasing me like a madman.

I jumped into the branches, using chakra to push me faster.

Come on, almost there.

When I caught sight of a familiar clearing I smirked and jumped towards the ground. I used chakra to break my fall and turned to face Kakashi, only to find that he was no longer there. I gasped as arms encircled my waist and pulled me towards a hard chest.

"Now where do you think you're going, Emiko?" Kakashi muttered darkly.

"Haha, well I was thinking of taking a stroll through the grounds. You know it's a very pretty day today." I laughed nervously.

Seeing the evil glint in Kakashi's eyes I smacked his face with book causing him to let go of me and fall backwards. Before I hit the ground, I landed in a crouch and jumped away from the now happy jounin who was snuggling with his book. Before Kakashi would notice, I made two shadow clones and let one replace me, while I hid with the other.

Shrouding our chakra, my clone and I watched as my other clone and Kakashi fought using taijutsu. Taking out a kunai, I sliced one of the chakra strings that held one of the traps.

You see, the clearing we were in hid all the traps that Kou-kun created while Kakashi was explaining about the bell test. My plan from the beginning was to ask everyone if they wanted to team up, and if that didn't work, I was going to lead Kakashi here and use my clones to grab the bells.

I watched as Kakashi dodged the weapons that were thrown from the trap.

"Oh, so you set traps as well? You were certainly prepared Emiko." Kakashi complimented.

"Thank you Kashi-oji, but now is not the time for flattery. There's only 5 minutes left till the alarm rings and I haven't gotten a bell yet." My clone smirked as she snapped the string of another trap. Everything was silent until Kakashi jumped up avoiding the giant log that was coming his way. Glancing at my clone a nodded, and slowly my plan began taking action.

As my clone distracted Kakashi I made my way to the final trap. Standing up high in a tree, I took a kunai, and stood at the ready. I stared down at the fight below and looked off into the foliage as I got the signal from my clone. Nodding my head I left my other clone get hit by the kunai Kakashi had thrown at it. I giggled in my head as Kakashi panicked when the kunai hit my clone. When my clone disappeared in a poof of smoke Kakashi gasped.

"I was fighting a shadow clone the entire time? But when did she?" I heard Kakashi mutter.

Signaling my other clone, she nodded and took out one of the katanas on her back. Charging forward, she clashed weapons with Kakashi, pushing him back using chakra towards my direction. Getting ready for the perfect timing and placement I waited with my kunai ready. When Kakashi was right below me I snapped the string of the trap and let the final phase of my plan take place.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed when my clone disappeared only for them to widen when shuriken pinned him onto the tree behind him. Before Kakashi could unpin himself he noticed just how pinned he was against the tree. 8 shuriken were thrown at Kakashi, four of them pinning him down and the other four pinned against the tree. But the four pinned against the tree had a wire attached, which were now wrapped around Kakashi. Jumping down from my place in the tree, I smirked at Kakashi as he stared down at me with surprised eyes.

Before Kakashi could speak, I walked up to him and took the bells away from Kakashi. I smiled as I threw them in the air and caught them again. Taking out a kunai, I sliced the wires that held Kakashi down and grabbed my weapons, placing them back into my weapons pouch.

"H-how-" Kakashi said still shocked.

Giggling, I faced Kakashi with a bright smile.

"It was my plan from the start." I said.

"Plan?"

"Hai. When you were explaining about the test, I had a clone preparing traps in this clearing-"

I can't have him knowing about Kou-kun... not yet.

"-When we started, I asked the team if they wanted to team up against you to grab the bells, but of course they declined. Knowing this, I took you on by myself. When I took your book, I ran here where I could set my next phase in motion. When you grabbed me from behind and I smacked you in the face, causing you to be momentarily distracted, I created two shadow clones. One was the one that you faced against first, the other hid with me in the foliage of the forest. We unset the traps when you were in the right position. Taking a step forward and starting the next phase, I let you hit my clone causing it to disappear. When this happened I was already set in the tree for the last phase. My other clone came out from the opposite side of the clearing from where I was and was pushing you in my direction. When you were in the right place, I let my other clone disappear and trapped you against the tree using shuriken and wires. I got the bells while you pinned and now we are here. It was all part of my plan." I explained.

"And you thought of all of this when?" Kakashi asked shocked.

"Hmmm... Right before you came to the meeting place."

Kakashi stared at me shocked. He shook his head and ruffled my hair.

"You never cease to surprise me, Emiko." Kakashi mumbled affectionately.

I smiled up at him.

"Well, I do love surprises, especially when I'm the one giving them. Oh and Kashi-oji, you should head back to the meeting place. Naruto's trying to eat our lunches that you bought."

Kakashi stared down at my before looking towards the meeting place. His eyes narrowed when he sensed that I was right. Muttering to himself he nodded towards me before transporting to where the others were.

I smiled to myself as I held the bells in my hand. Jumping up into one of the trees, I grabbed Kou-kun and made my way to the rest of the team. After a minute I heard the alarm ring, telling the rest of the team that it was the end of the test.

Humming a calm tune, I felt the wind change and the trees sway to the melody, just like my first day in Konoha.

Just like that day, I began to sing.

(Play video on the side --->)

Futari no heya no tobira wo shimete
Omoidetachi ni sayonara tsugeta
Arekara hantoshino toki ga nagarete
Yatto waraeru no yo
Mainichi jinsei wo watashi narini aruiteru
Atarashii jinsei wo watashi narini aruiteru

Anata ni aitakute nemureru yoru wa
Anata no nukumori wo sono nukumori wo omoidashi
Sotto hito mitojite miru

Anata no ushiro arukitakatta
Futari de mirai kizukitakatta
Donnani aishitemo kanau kotonai ai mo aru kotonado
Kizuki mo shinai hodo anata dake
Mitsumeteta aishiteta watashi no subete wo kakete

Ishoni sugoshi tahibi wo wasurenaide ne
Kookai shinai deshou... Futari aishiattakoto
Aishteru to tsubuyaite

(Anatani Aitakute - Seiko Masuda)

I felt tears flow down my face as I remembered that this was one of the songs that Papa sang for Mama after she passed. Though it's already been 8 years, he's still hurt that she's no longer with us. Although I have never met her, the sadness behind Papa's voice every time he sings this song to me is heartbreaking. I wiped away the tears and took a deep breath. Shaking my head, I made that I was no longer crying before walking through the bushes and into the clearing where I saw my team. My eyes met with identical ones that held worry and sadness.

"Are you okay, Hime-chan?"

Sasuke's POV

I scowled as I sat with the rest of the team.

Damn it. If only I didn't waste my time talking. I already touched the bell...

My head snapped up when I felt a sudden change in the air. Narrowing my eyes I felt that the wind was moving at a different pace.

What-

My thoughts were suddenly cut off when the sound of a soft voice rang through the clearing.

Yatto waraeru no yo
Mainichi jinsei wo watashi narini aruiteru
Atarashii jinsei wo watashi narini aruiteru

Emiko?

I closed my eyes and listened to Emiko's voice and the lyrics of the song. Sadness was clearly evident in her voice. I opened my eyes when Emiko's voice stopped ringing through the clearing and turned my head to where I felt her presence. Not even a few minutes later, Emiko came out of the pushes with a smile on her face, but tear stains on her cheeks. I stared at her in worry.

"Are you okay, Hime-chan?" I asked.

Emiko nodded sadly at me before walking up me. She placed a small peck on my cheek before walking to the others and doing the same. Naruto and Sakura blushed at her sudden act, while I stared at her quizzically. I raised an eyebrow at her only to receive a smile in return. Walking back to me, she sat in front of my with her legs folded under her as she played with her teddy bear. Soon Kakashi stood in front of us with a closed eyed smile, as if mocking us. Taking out two lunch boxes he placed them in front of us. As if on cue, all of our stomachs growled.

"Oh, your stomachs are growling, eh? You guys did waste all your energy and it is lunch time after all," Kakashi stated, "by the way, about the results of this training... Well, none of you need to return to the Ninja Academy."

I stared at him confused.

But wasn't the point of this test was to get a bell? Or were we supposed to show our skill as a genin?

"What? But all I did was faint. Was that okay?" Sakura asked.

I smirked as Naruto and Sakura danced around for joy, well as much as the baka could, being tied up to one of the stumps.

"Does that mean we four?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Yeah, you three," Kakashi smiled, "should quit being ninja!"

That statement alone caused us to freeze, but one thing in that statement caught my attention.

You three?

"Quit being ninja, what do you mean?!" Naruto complained, "We couldn't get a bell, but why do you have to say we should quit?"

"It's because you three are just kids who don't even deserve to be ninja.' Kakashi stated.

I scowled, got up and charged forward. When I was just a foot away from Kakashi I suddenly found myself on my stomach, on the ground with Kakashi on my back and his foot on the back of my head. My left arm was held behind my back as a struggled to be released.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled.

"See? You three are just kids."

That again, with three. There are four of us. Who is not included?

"Don't step on Sasuke-kun!" Sakura yelled at Kakashi.

"Do you guys think being a ninja is easy?" Kakashi questioned us, "Why do you think we're training by breaking up into groups?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"In other words, you three don't understand the answer of this test."

"The answer?" Naruto repeated.

"That's right. The answer to determine whether you pass or fail."

"We've been asking what that was..." Sakura said.

"Geez, are your brains empty? You don't understand why you're all in a group?"

"So what about three people being in a group?" Naruto said frustrated.

"Emiko." Kakashi said.

We all turned our head to the young Uchiha who sat calmly with her head down as she played with her teddy bear. She glanced up at us with a neutral expression, which shocked us from the sudden change from her usual bubbly attitude.

"The answer is teamwork." Emiko stated bluntly.

The answer was obvious yet we couldn't get it.

"You mean cooperate with each other?" Sakura asked.

"That's right. But it's too late even if you notice now. If all four of you came at me at once, maybe you could have gotten a bell. But that's too bad." Kakashi stated.

"Why do we need to use teamwork when there's only three bells? If four people work hard to get it, one person will have to bite the bullet. A group conflict would occur instead of teamwork." Sakura explained.

"Of course. This test tries to put you three against each other. In this situation, we select those who can prioritize teamwork before themselves. That was the purpose, but three of you were pathetic. Sakura! You cared more about Sasuke than Naruto, even though Naruto was right in front of you and you didn't know where Sasuke was. Naruto! All you did was work on your own."

I felt Kakashi place pressure on my head as he spoke to me.

"And you assumed that those three were only going to burden you and did everything yourself. Emiko was the only one who understood the concept of this test."

At this, we all stared at Emiko shocked. Her face remained impassive at our stares.

"She asked all of you to team up with her, but you all ignored her. She is not only 4 years younger than you three but she is also the only one worthy of becoming a ninja. Missions are done in groups. It's true that ninjas need well-developed individual abilities, but it's teamwork that is much more important. An individual action that disrupts the teamwork will result in danger or even death for the teammates. For example..."

My eyes widened slightly when I felt the cool metal of kunai being pressed against my neck.

"Sakura! Kill Naruto, or Sasuke's going to die!"

"Kashi-oji I suggest you let go of Sasu-oji." We all froze at the change of tone in Emiko's voice.

It wasn't it's usual happy tone. No, it was slightly venomous. I glanced behind me and my eyes widened when I saw Emiko standing behind Kakashi with a katana at his throat. Her head was bowed, her eyes being shadowed by her fringes. Kakashi's eyes were wide as well when he saw Emiko standing behind him.

Nani? When did she get there?

Slowly, Kakashi placed the kunai back into his weapons pouch while Emiko did the same with her katanas and placing it in her sheathe.

"E-Emiko-chan." Sakura stuttered out.

"After getting someone taken hostage, you will be faced with a difficult decision, and someone will die. You must make your decisions fast, and come up with strategies quickly. You could save the lives of all your teammates with fast movements, or risk the death or your whole team. Like what Emiko did. She didn't wait for me to state my claim for Sasuke's life. Instead, she got up with her weapon drawn the second I took out my kunai. In every mission, you put your life on the line." Kakashi said as he got off of me.

I stayed where I was and scowled at my own foolish actions.

If only I said yes to Emiko for teaming up.

I stared at my niece as she watched Kakashi walk towards the memorial stone. Her face remained blank but her eyes held a deep sadness as she stared at the stone. My lips pursed as I remembered that many names of people of our clan were written down on that stone. I sat up facing the stone and Emiko, and bowed my head in respect for those who died in battle. I felt someone take my hand and glanced up at Emiko who held my hand in to of hers as she smiled at me. I returned it with a small smiled and wrapped my arms around her waist. She placed her hands in my hair as she stroked my head.

"Look at this... the numerous names carved into this stone. All these names are those praised as heroes in this village." Kakashi said.

"I like that! I like that!" Naruto yelled gleefully, "I've decided that I'm going to have my name carved into that! A hero! A hero! I'm not going to die a useless death!"

I tightened my arms around Emiko's waist, before getting up and heading back to the stumps with Emiko in my arms. Her head lay on my shoulder as she hid her face in the crook of my neck.

The baka doesn't understand what he's saying.

"But they're not normal heroes." Kakashi informed Naruto.

"So what kind of heroes were they?" Naruto asked.

No one said anything as Naruto stared at us for an answer.

"Come on, tell me."

"Those who were K.I.A" Kakashi answered.

"K.I.A?" Naruto asked.

"Those who were killed in action." Sakura answered Naruto.

The grin that was on Naruto's face slowly disappeared as it was replaced by a shameful frown. I felt Emiko's arms tighten around my neck as she snuggled deeper into the crook of my neck. My eyes narrowed at the stone as I read off some of the names of my clan.

"This is a cenotaph. The names of my friends are carved in here as well."

We were all silent before Kakashi turned to us.

"I'll give you one more chance. However, the battle for the bells will be much harsher after lunch. Eat lunch only if you are up to the challenge. But! Don't let Naruto eat. This is punishment for breaking the rules and trying to eat lunch early. If anyone feeds him, the person will immediately fail. I'm the rule here. Got? Emiko, give the bells to me." Kakashi said.

We all turned to Emiko who has now lifted her head off of my shoulder to stare at Kakashi with a smile on her face.

She got the bells?

"Gomen Kashi-oji, but I don't have you're bells." Emiko stated.

"Hmm? Then where are they?" Kakashi asked.

"Why don't you ask the others? They might know."

I stared at Emiko in confusion.

I don't have a bell, and Sakura and Naruto definitely don't. Why is she telling Kakashi-sensei to ask us? Unless...

My thoughts flashed to the moment when Emiko kissed my cheek when she returned back after the alarm rang. She did the same to Sakura and Naruto.

She couldn't have?

Holding Emiko up with one arm, I placed my other hand in my pocket only to feel the cool metal and hear the distinct sound of a bell. My eyes widened as I took it out and stared at the bell in the palm of my hands.

What?

"Eh, how did one of the bells get in my pocket?" Sakura asked.

"Matte! Someone check if I have one!" Naruto yelled.

Walking up to him, I placed my hand into one of the pockets of his jumpsuit and took out another bell. I stared at Emiko who was staring at Kakashi with a wide smile.

Did she really?

"Look Kashi-oji. They all got a bell. That means you can't fail them!" Emiko said excitedly, but I could hear the sad tone hidden behind her words.

She always talked about how much she wanted to become a true kunoichi of a village. Emiko said it was her dream to become one like Kyoko-nee. I can't take away her dream from her.

"Then I guess you'll be the one to head back to the academy, huh, Emiko?" Kakashi muttered, "I guess it's set, I'm sorry Emiko but-"

"Matte," I said.

Everyone stared at me at my sudden interruption. I held out my hand and gave my bell to Emiko.

"Here Emiko. You always said that it was your dream to become a kunoichi like your mom. Now it can come true." Emiko stared up at me with wide eyes as she looked fro the bell and back to me.

"Sasuke-kun," I heard Sakura whisper. I turned to her direction and saw her bowing and holding a bell towards me, "Please take my bell. You're the top graduate and I don't mind going back to the academy. I still have much to learn anyway."

We all turned to Naruto who had his head bowed. Looking up he stared at Sakura with sad eyes.

"Sakura-chan, t-take my bell, ne? I still have a lot of practice to do anyway. The academy will help me with that so I don't mind going back."

"No," Emiko said, "You all take the bells. I'm four years younger than you guys. I don't mind going back to the academy. It's just another year anyway. I've only been at the academy for a few days when I first got here, so you guys take the bells."

"No! You know what! If one of us leaves we'll all go, ne?! We're a team, believe it!" Naruto yelled.

Emiko and Sakura smiled at Naruto's statement while I just smirked.

Maybe this team isn't that bad.

We all stared at Kakashi as he stared at us.

"So who's going to the academy?" He asked.

We all narrowed our eyes at him.

"If one of us goes we all go." Sakura said.

"Yeah! You said that we have to work as a team, believe it!"

"Hn, we're a four man team, aren't we?"

"After all, we are one, Kashi-oji."

"You guys are one, eh?" Kakashi said as he stared at us menacingly.

"You pass!" Kakashi said as he clapped his hands.

"Eh?" Sakura muttered, "Pass? Why?"

"You guys are the first, although you changed my mind in a different way then I expected. You guys were all willing to go back to the academy if it meant one of you were to go back. That's what a team is about. To never leave anyone behind no matter what they say. 'Ninjas need to think above the normal.' In the world of ninja, those who break the rules are called scum. But those who don't care about their friends are worse than scum." Kakashi said.

"He's... he's kinda cool.." Naruto teared up a bit.

"The training ends here. Everyone passes! Team 7 will start doing missions starting tomorrow!" Kakashi said.

"Yes sir!" Sakura said.

"Yeah! I'm a ninja! I'm a ninja!" Naruto cheered.

I smirked as a hugged Emiko. She smiled at me.

"Congratulations Sasu-oji." Emiko whispered as she hugged me.

"Congratulations Hime-chan."

"Let's go home." Kakashi said as he walked down the path back to the village's main shopping district.

Letting Emiko down I held her hand. Slipping her hand out of mine, I stared at her quizzically.

"Go on ahead. I'll meet you at the dango shop in a few." She muttered to me.

Nodding my head I ruffled her hair and jogged up to Kakashi and Sakura. Together we walked our way back to grab lunch.

Emiko's POV

I watched as Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke made their way back into the main part of the village. I giggled as I heard the complaints of Naruto being tied up to the stump still. Taking out a kunai I walked up to Naruto and untied him. Smiling at me Naruto grinned and thanked me before catching up to the others. I smiled gently at the scene of my team walking together with smiles on their faces as the sunset behind them.

I stared down at the teddy bear in my arms before squeezing it gently. Taking a deep breath I sighed and looked at the sky.

Ko-chan... Are you going to tell them?

Glancing down at the teddy bear, a small, sad smile crept its way onto my face.

I don't know. Maybe.... maybe I will, but not now. When the time is right, I'll tell them... Kou-kun.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Hai - yes
Kirigakure - hidden village by mist
Piasu Ryūno Jutsu - piercing dragons jutsu
Nani - What
Matte - wait

I updated! So now you know how her twin katanas Hi and Yoru work somewhat. The jutsus that will be used with the katanas are originally mine. Please don't steal them. So what do you think? It's pretty long. Please comment below, follow, and add to your library or whatever. I think I forgot one, oh right, vote as well. Next chapter will be posted by next weekend. Till the next update,

Dream on,
🌠Yume/Yoru-san🌠