Iroko POV

"Sigh. Alright, class," Shikamaru-sensei announced, "today we have a new student from the Anbu division who'll also be entering the Ninja Course with you."

The person beside Shikamaru-sensei was a girl that looked about the same age as all the kids here. She had long, white spiky hair that parted in the middle as bangs, framing her face and was worn in a high ponytail. She had bright yellow eyes and a neutral expression on her face.

"This is Asami Senju," Shikamaru-sensei continued, "and today I am going to be announcing which team those of you that graduated will be placed on, including her, so listen up."

This girl... I thought.

All around me I could hear not-so loud whispers from the class, stuff like:

"Hey, she's cute!"

or

"From the Anbu, huh? Wouldn't wanna be on a team with her."

and

"Senju? Could she be related to the Fifth Hokage?"

"Alright, settle down!" Shikamaru-sensei barked. "Here are the teams: Yohei Namaki, Daito Odachi and Fumino Warai. You guys are Team 9."

This girl... I thought again while staring at her. There's something about her that's awfully familiar...

At that very moment, her eyes had suddenly gone and turned on me.

Oh, crap, she's looking at me! I quickly turned away, sweating, and pretended to be paying attention to Shikamaru-sensei.

"Team 9, your sensei is Issun-boshi Kobito you will meet him in the Eleventh Training Ground District. Once your name has been called and you have been assigned to a team and a sensei you may leave the class."

The students, or ninja now, who had just been called then proceeded to leave the classroom. Meanwhile, I was still trying to figure out where I had seen Asami before while trying to make as little eye-contact with her as possible, but nothing came up.

I guess I might've just seen her face in the village a few times.

"Next up," Shikamaru-sensei went on, "Sayo Atsuhiro, Baku Hatake and Ken Inuzuka. You guys will be Team 16. Team 16, your sensei is Mei Sarutobi and you are to meet her in the Fourth Training Ground District."

A bunch of girls who hadn't graduated started swooning over the boy Baku Hatake as he walked out of the classroom. Not only was he related to the Lord Sixth but he was deemed incredibly handsome by said girls (it was probably the silver hair) and a shinobi-prodigy in the making who stood on the same level as Kaz. In fact, the two of them made the highest grades of graduates this semester.

I made a gagging noise in my mouth as they continued to swoon over him.

"Hey, Baku, I'm so glad we're on the same team! We should definitely fight some time!!" the girl Sayo shouted.

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks," Baku deadpanned.

"Aw, come ooooon!!" Sayo whined

Behind them, Ken was sweating nervously. "Is this team gonna be alright?"

"Next up we have Tensho Hyuga, Kazue Katsumi and Jin Mitarashi. You are Team 4. Your sensei will be Kosetsu Heiwa and you are to meet her in the Second Training Ground District."

And then...

"Yo, Nara," Kaz called out. "Why are all my teammate's girls, huh? What's up with that?" He was wearing his forehead protector across his neck and had his legs on the table.

"Hey, you've got some nerve, pal!" the girl Tensho said to Kaz. She had long red hair that parted on the right and turquoise eyes. In short, she didn't look anything like a Hyuga. "You think I wanna be partnered up with your dumbass?"

"You keep talking, extra," boomed Kaz, "as if anyone gives two ryō about anything you say!"

Tensho growled. "Why you piece of sh--"

"Hey, that's enough!" Shikamaru-sensei twitched an eyebrow. "Kazue if you've got a problem with your team you can take it up with Lord Sixth, otherwise you and Tensho need to restrain yourselves and learn to work together. Now, take your leave of the class."

Kaz took his legs off the table and walked out of the classroom with his hands in his pocket, his shoulders slouched, and grumbled, followed by Jin Mitarashi and a furious Tensho in the back.

"Gosh, what a drag this day has been," Shikamaru-sensei said under his breath. "Okay, the final team for those that have graduated this semester is Team 12. Here we have Yuura Kairi, Iroko Nakata and Asami Senju."

My eyes widened. Huh? I got paired up Yuura and mystery girl? I looked across my table to see Yuura smiling and waving at me. I awkwardly waved back.

"Team 12 your sensei is Hisao and you are to see him in the Sixth Training Ground District. That's all for this semester. Those of you who haven't passed or taken the exam remain in General Studies for the second semester but, if you so choose, you can try again come September. In any case, have a good vacation and class dismissed (finally)."

When the three of us met outside I took the chance to study their expressions. Yuura looked like he was generally a reserved and weird kid that found it hard to get along with others and let them in due to his sorta shy nature, but I was determined to get to know him better after he had helped me out yesterday. Asami, on the other hand, was a blank sheet. I couldn't read anything on her whatsoever, as she continued to maintain a neutral expression.

"Um, well, it's nice to meet you both," Yuura stuttered, "let's do our best together."

"Yeah, totally!" I said shaking his hand.

Asami only just nodded, turning her face away from us.

The Anbu must've done a number on her. I thought. But these are my teammates now so I have to learn to get along with them. No one said the path to the top was an easy one!

When we had arrived at the Sixth Training Ground District there was a man there waiting for us. He stood vigilantly with his arms crossed. He had spiky auburn hair that was cut on both sides, wore very rectangular-shaped shades, and the traditional shinobi flak jacket.

"You three are two minutes late," he said. "Quickly, take your seats on the grass."

Jeez, what's his deal? It's just two minutes.

We did as he said and sat down on the grass.

"Good day to the three of you, my name is Hisao," he began, "although as your sensei you shall refer to me as Hisao-sensei. Now the three of you will take turns to say your names, your interests and your ambitions. You on my left, begin." He pointed to Yuura.

Yuura was caught off guard. "Oh, um, well, my name's Yuura Kairi. The things I like are ramen and reading books and my ambition is kind of personal so I don't feel comfortable saying it out loud, if that's alright with you."

Hisao-sensei nodded. Then it was my turn.

"Hey, my name's Iroko, Iroko Nakata! The things I like are sushi, specifically the uramaki, and training to get stronger and my ambition..." I came to a slow down when I remembered my dream. Flashbacks of my mother and father, all the kids laughing at me and Kazue were unearthed. "Well, my dream is to become the ultimate ninja!"

Hisao-sensei had raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean the Hokage?"

"No, beyond that!"

Now both of Hisao-sensei's eyebrows were raised.

"I've always said to myself that if the Hokage is seen as the greatest shinobi of all time then I want to be greater than that! I want to reach the pinnacle of all ninja, and even though I'm not sure what that is right now, I'll find it and attain it no matter what!"

"Hm, interesting," Hisao-sensei mumbled. "And finally-" He pointed at Asami.

Both Yuura and I leaned in to hear what she had to say.

She had a cool voice that was more mature than most of the kids I knew in my class.

"My name is Asami Senju of the Root division in the Anbu Black Ops, though I suppose that's the Ninja Course now. I don't particularly have any interests and it goes without saying that I have no particular disinterest in anything either. Furthermore, I have no ambition whatsoever."

The last part had really chilled me. No ambition? How can she say that? Everyone at least has a dream of some sort. (I think.)

"Very well then," Hisao concluded. "I am last. Hello, my name is Hisao. My interests are the game shoji and enjoying the bathhouse services, and my ambition is to be the best sensei I can to the three of you, lest you fall down the wrong path and are forever lost."

Man, what is with this guy? He's so weird! I thought.

However, Hisao wasn't done. "Oh, and it should come without surprise that I am an android."

.

.

.

It took Yuura and me three good seconds before the information had sunk in and processed in our brains, and when it finally did:

"WHAAAAAAAAA?!"