Deadly Determination [Naruto High School]

The First Day

"School hasn't even started yet, and you've already burned someone on the way here?" the redhead scolded her companion. The pale girl shrugged in reply, looking up at the brick building before her.

"It's just as nice as last year," she said in a vague accent. The redhead tugged at her glasses.

"You were here last year?"

"Yes, Karin-chan. I came to shadow for the last few months after I showed up with Yahiko-senpai."
Karin nodded sagely and shot a look at a raven-haired boy who stood nearby with a pink-haired girl. He smiled smugly at the jealous student as he planted a kiss on the pink girl's cheek.

"Damn Billboard Brow," Karin muttered. "I know I make fun of you, Katrina-san, but sometimes I can relate."

"Yeah, I know," Katrina growled, watching an athletic boy with silver hair hug a blue-haired girl. "She's not even from our school!"

"Sakura or Juvia?" Karin asked.

Katrina spat on the sidewalk. "Both of them."

"We should get going, and get our schedules," Karin suggested, smoothing her skirt. Katrina grunted an affirmative and the two entered the huge facility.

"Sophomores over here!" a deep voice called. Momochi Zabuza stood in the lobby at a messy desk.

Several feet away was a small and effeminate man, Haku, who called softly for the freshmen. Across the room was the principal, Uchiha Madara, yelling for the seniors, and the telekinetic voice of Vaan shattered the juniors' minds.

"Let's compare schedules after we get them," Katrina suggested, then jogged off towards Haku.

First Period

Kakuzu sat down at his desk and unfolded the slip of paper Uchiha-sensei had handed him.

1st-History with Momochi-sensei

2nd-Chemistry II with Vaan-sensei

3rd-English with Haku-sensei

4th-Study Hall with Orochimaru-sensei

5th-Personal Finance with Kimimaro-sensei

6th-I.E. with Sakon-sensei

7th-Geometry II with Jirobo-sensei

8th-Health with Yakushi-sensei

"You didn't tell me you were taking History this year!" a sharp voice cut into Kakuzu's thoughts.

"I didn't think I had to!" shot back another voice- this one quite familiar to Kakuzu. Brushing a strand of dark hair back into his ponytail and looked up to see two underclassmen, both girls. The first speaker was Uzumaki Karin. The second Snape Katrina, and they glared at each other as they made their way to a pair of desks. For some reason, despite their animosity towards each other, they chose to sit beside one another.

"Why?" Kakuzu growled before someone- and he knew exactly who- slammed into his back and hugged him tightly.

"Senpai~!" Katrina's muffled voice squealed.

"Get off of me."

She giggled and nuzzled him happily. "Nope!"

He grabbed her arms and forced her to release him. "I said to let go."

She pouted at him. "Why you gotta be that way, Kakuzu-senpai?"

Before he could answer she slid back into her own seat and engaged Karin in tensely casual conversation.

"What? Sasori, my man, look what we have here!"

Kakuzu slowly raised his head from his schedule and stared at the door. A blonde boy with long bangs over his face and an AC/DC sweatshirt over his uniform had opened the door to the classroom.

"Master! Master-!" the monotonous karaoke drifted in through the frame, then came a halt. "Deidara, what do you need?"

"Look who's in our class, un!"

Sasori, a short redhead who wore a Metallica cap, stepped into view and pulled his headphones down. "Kakuzu, Katrina, and Karin."

"Yeah," Deidara nodded.

"Oh, you're kidding me. I don't have Yahiko, but I have all of you guys?"

Now it was Konan.

"Konan-san, yeah," Deidara greeted her.

"Hi, Deidara. Good to see our little arsonist back. Anyway, Uchiha-sensei told me to come get all of..." she lowered her voice so other students wouldn't hear her murmur her gang's name. "Akatsuki."