Nebula's Echo (a Naruto Fanfic)

Chapter 12

Ceiren POV

After everyone had calmed down and taken their seats, Iruka entered the class. Coincidence? I think not.

He calmly walked to the front of the classroom before facing all of us, a stack of papers in his hand.

"As of today, you are all ninjas. To get here you have faced difficulties, trials and hardships. But that's nothing! What comes next will be far more difficult. Now you are only genin, first level ninjas. All the genin will be grouped into three-man squads. Each squad will be led by a jounin, an elite ninja."

I yawned, stretching my arms out on the desk and laying my head on them.

"We want each squad to have a balance of strength and abilities. That's how we set them up. And I will now announce the squads..."

I started absentmindedly twirling a lock of my hair, tuning Iruka out. The sun was shining through the window, and when the light met my hair it seemed to sparkle like newly fallen snow. So shiny...

The door suddenly slid open and somebody rushed in, gave Iruka a piece of paper, and ran right back out. I watched him read through the paper before his eyebrows rose in incredulity.

Is it what I think it is...

"... okay, so, from where we left off. Squad 7! Naruto Uzumaki"

I was watching Iruka intently, catching his every glance and every slight shift of his stance. I started tapping my foot in impatience, not knowing if it worked or not.

"Sakura Haruno"

I waved my finger and quickly restored the damage my black mist had done to Sakura's voice chords earlier. At that moment Naruto stood up, fists in the air, with a loud "YEEEEEEEEYYYY". Sakura just seemed in denial for a moment before she tragically lowered her head with a sorrowful "I'm doomed."

I just giggled at them.

"Sasuke Uchiha"

This time Sakura shot up like a damn rocket, loudly shouting the "YEEEEEEEEYYYY". Naruto just lowered his head in depression, listlessly saying "I'm doomed."

Heh this moment is worth gold. I wish I had a camera.

"And Ceiren Yami."

Naruto jumped up again with another "YEEEEEYYY", Sakura glared daggers at me, and Sasuke smirked. But wow, I got a reaction. Ohhhh thxxxx I'm so flattered~

When she was done glaring at me, Sakura quickly turned to Iruka.

"But sensei, didn't you say we were being put into three-man squads?! So what is Ceiren doing in our team as a useless fourth member?!"

Two slight growls followed her statement. I froze up a bit. I know one of them was me, but the other... I glanced to my side, but the raven was just looking straight forward.