Strategic team

Chapter 3: The last day

The last day came up so fast it wacked me in the face! I was merely reading a book in my backyard when two girls, Ino and Hinata jumped over my fence and ran at me. Excitement and nervousness pouring out of them. Ino grabbed my book from my hands and threw it to the side immediately. Hinata grasped my shoulders and started to shake me nervously.

"I- What- Hinata-! what- are you- doing-!?"

"S-Sakura san! Today is our last day at the Academy! We have our final tests today! we get our teams today! Sakura, Sakura, oh Sakura!" At this, I barely had time to think. Ino grabbed my shoulders from Hinata and shook them more violently. Causing my whole body to quickly sway.

"Oi! Sakura! This is our last day! The really last one! The big deal! Were becoming Genin!"

"Yes- I- Know-"

"I sure hope I get a good grade on this test! I mean, Its our last one...." Ino started to trail of as my body stopped swaying so violently. I glanced over at the anxious Hinata and gave her a encouraging smile. She returned it but with a bit of uncertainty.

"We should probably start heading to the Academy! We cant be late for our last day!" My words seemed to snap Ino out of it, because she grabbed my hand and pulled me up, grabbing Hinata's hand she started quickly towing us to the school. Soon, we were all in a quick run.

Out of breath and out of distance we finally beat the clock and got into the classroom on time. Ino and Hinata were still panting when I started over to my seat, and sat down. When the bell rang, Hinata and Ino were in there seats.

"Hello class... Welcome to your last day here! Are you all excited?" Iruka sensei watched as almost all of his students either nodded or yelled yes out of excitement. Pleased with his answer, he continued on. "But before I can give you guys your teams, you need to finish a written test, well quite a few actually. Don't worry there not too hard, if you have studied at least a little then you will all be fine, I know it."

I watched Naruto as he gave out a sigh. I agreed, the anticipation was killing me. Give us our tests already! This talk talk is pointless! "Now, there are five tests. There not all too long, but they have a fairly good length to them." I glanced worriedly at Naruto. Immediately spotting his now small panic. "So what's going to happen is I will hand out the first test to everyone. Then, when your done your going to hand in your test Into this bin here" Iruka Sensei pointed to a plain black box on his desk. "And pick up an empty test you haven't completed yet from one of the four piles of tests on my desk. Once you are done them all, you can wait outside for everyone else to finish. When the tests are all graded, the ranks will be shown on my chalk board. Everyone understand?" "Hai sensei!" Rang the whole class. "Good, now lets begin!"

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"Its been well over five hours. You think Naruto is gonna be okay in there?"

"Sakura, he will be fine. Everyone else but us four is still in there."

"But Sasuke Kun! The tests only took us almost an hour! what's taking them so long? Its making me anxious."

"Sakura, not everyone is as smart as you yknow." I Sighed. Then, the other two people who were out here approached us.

"The test was so easy. if you knew the stuff. Why is everyone taking so long? What a drag." Came the voice of a certain brown haired boy.

"Shikamaru, not everyone is as smart as us all. even Sasuke took another thirty minutes then Sakura san." Came the voice of Shino, who has his special insect based techniques that assist and give him an upper hand in battle.

"hn." Was all Sasuke Kun replied to the certain comment from the boy.

"I wonder when everyone is coming even if your right, it doesn't mean their dumb. And still, its been how many hours? Five? That an hour for each test! I'm hoping there done soon..." I trailed off as all four of us give our attention to the door, where an estimated six people came out from. Including Hinata. But no sign of Naruto.

At once she started to run towards me. She skidded to a hasty halt and the plopped down beside me, hugging tightly. "Sakura san! that was the longest I have ever taken to do a test! Ever! I think Naruto Kun is really feeling the pressure, and Ino to! Oh, I cant believe that I finally finished!"

"Good job Hinata! I'm sure you did great, dont underestimate yourself! I think your really smart!"

"Thank you Sakura! I cant wait to get the results!"

"Me to"

"At this rate of students coming out of that building, I bet were never going to get the results. What a drag." I rolled my eyes at Shikamaru. Hinata letting go of me, sat beside me. I pulled out my current book Secret arts of the ninjutsu's code as we continued to wait for more people.

There was only an hour left in school when the rest of the class finally came outside. Naruto being one, he ran over to us and hugged me, way tighter then Hinata did. "Thank you so much Sakura chan! Without your notes I would have been doomed! DOOMED. BELIEVE IT!"

"I do believe it Naruto, that is way I gave you the notes!" I laughed as he started to ramble on about how the test so difficult.

Only Ten minutes later were we all called into the school again. I sat hastily in my seat before my eyes scanned to chalk board. Naruto wasn't last, he was actually above three people! I looked over at the dumbfounded boy as he stared at the board. Suddenly he yelled, "BELIEVE IT! IM NOT LAST BELIEVE IT!" He cheered. Giggling at his words, I let my eyes graze over everyone's names before landing at the top. The very top. The highest score.

Sasuke walked up to me. A grin on his face. "Seems like I lose again."

"Second place was always the best anyway. It suits you Sasuke."

"I only second to you when it comes to this. I can beat you physically any day."

"You probably could." I watched him sit in his seat as our sensei started to calm everyone down.

"Okay! Okay! I know you are all excited! But there is still one thing left to do! Teams." Everyone was immediately silent. As Iruka sensei pulled out a list. Probably for our teams. "Alright, Alright. First group!" Name after name was called, when suddenly I heard my best friends names. My heart sank a little at the words: "Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga is team seven. Leaving team four to be Sakura Haruno, Shino Aburame, and Shikamaru Nara." He listed the teams in random order, so even though he said we were team four, it sounded from the way listed that we were the last team. I looked over at my teammates, almost confused. Shikamaru looked back at me with the same face. None of the three of us were brawn.. all brain. Why were we paired together? A team full of only smart ninjas? I didn't really understand that thought.

"Alright, Your Jonin should be coming to pick you all up soon. Today is your first day with them. I wish you all good luck in your years to come. You will all be incredible ninjas!" With that, he left the room. We all remained silent. You could probably hear a pin drop from a mile away. I looked over at Hinata as she met my gaze. Giving her a comforting smile, I looked over at Naruto. I followed his gaze to see him and Sasuke glaring at each other. Rivals. Am I right? I let my gaze go to Ino, who was fiddling with her pencil.

I certainly thought that they would want to spread out the smart people with the brawned ones that's for sure.