The White Flash

Graduation

Ayumi dragged herself into the classroom, her limbs weights restricting every movement. Since today was the Graduation Test-and as punishment for throwing a ceiling tile at Iruka-Kakashi woke her up early so she could make it to the academy on time. Walking to the third row Ayumi collapsed onto the bench, her head hitting Choji's leg. "I'm tired," she complained.

"We're all tired," Shikamaru stated moving her feet from his place and sitting beside her.

"I'm surprised you're actually on time, Yu," Choji commented.

"Yeah well mark this day because it won't be happening again any time soon," she swore raising a finger in the air. Since she was little the Hatake Clan has had a running tradition of arriving to almost everything late. Although, she only arrives minutes late whereas Kakashi will arrive anywhere from half an hour to four hours late. It's almost become expected of her. However, when she gets in trouble she is normally forced to go to school at the same time as everyone else. Hence her current situation.

Once the class was seated at their desks, Iruka brought their attention to him with a wave of his hand. "We will now start the final exam," he announced. He jabbed his thumb to the door near the right corner of the room, "when your name is called proceed to the testing room. If you successfully perform the jutsu then you graduate. Anyone else will be able to try again next year. The final exam will be on the cloning jutsu-"

"Yes!" Ayumi cheered, pumping her fist in the air. A specialty of her father's and one she was very adamant on learning.

"Be quiet, Hatake," Iruka ordered. "I'll tell your father you're misbehaving."

"Blackmail," she gasped placing her hand over her chest. She raised her right hand in the air, "I solemnly swear to be on my best behavior." She crossed her fingers underneath the table, fighting to keep the smirk from crossing her lips.

"Remember that." Iruka turned his gaze to the chubster beside her, "Akimichi Choji, you're first."

"Go get 'em," Ayumi encouraged slugging Choji's arm as he stood up. She fell against Shikamaru's slumped form, the Nara already napping on the desk. Her eyelids felt heavy, Shikamaru's even breathing lulling her to sleep, and before long she gave in.

"Hatake!" Ayumi jumped awake, a solid object bouncing off her head. Her vision was filled with the dark slit pupils of her classmate, Kiba Inuzuka.

"Inuzuka," she growled grabbing ahold of his jacket's hood. "You don't wake up girls by throwing something at them!"

"You weren't listening!" He shouted back, not backing down from her challenge and instead putting his hand on her head. She shook his head from one side to the other, wrestling his own hand from her head. "Iruka-sensei called you into the room!"

"Oh." Like a switch had been flipped she released the dog lover and jumped down from the desk. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"I was trying to!"

Facing the Inuzuka, Ayumi pulled one eyelid down and stuck her tongue out with a 'blegh'. Blatantly ignoring his angered expression, she skipped stairs making her way towards the back room. Stepping inside Ayumi raised her finger pointedly in the air, "for the record I deserve a headband just for being here this damn early."

"What was that yelling outside?"

"That..." She pointed her extended finger to Iruka and closed one eye, "is beyond my scope of understanding." Iruka sighed, heavy and seeming overall done with life's challenges. A Chunin with shoulder length white and blue tinted hair smiled at Ayumi with kind green eyes. Her hand fell to her side. There was something off about this Chunin. She couldn't quite explain it. Like behind that smile was an arrow drawn back and ready to fire.