~
Shortly after the triforce of adolescents had become acquainted, the door to room six opened with a light creak, announcing the arrival of their new teacher. In entered a bored-looking, magenta-haired woman dressed in casual jeans, sandles, and a Black Sabbath shirt. The girl couldn't have been a day older than nineteen. A shy smile spreading across her face, she greeted her students cheerfully.
"Hey, how's it going?"
Ryuu wavered her hand to indicate she was just fine."'M okay."
"Umm...Fine, I guess." Yumi replied obligingly.
Tsuyo simply stared at the intruder, as if to ask her what she was doing there. While the child's voice lay dead within her throat, she could still interrogate and shout and demand with those eyes of hers. Cornflower-blue and soul-piercing, Tsuyo's glowing eyes were her most powerful attribute, aside from the mysterious powers that lay dormant inside of her...
The teenager cleared her throat.
"So, um...Yeah. I rather we start somewhere that isn't so cramped."
Teenagers...They sent her a freaking teenager who didn't know her own ass from a hole in the ground. Geez. Ryuu arched one of those heavy eyebrows that she inherited from her dad. She didn't know whether to cut this chick some slack or to completely defy her authority altogether. Either way, if the girl proved incompetant, the Academy could always dispatch another instructor to teach the team. Why not? Give her ten minutes...
::Music Studio of the Shinobi Academy::
Comfortably sitting Indian-style atop one of the sturdier desks, the lady adressed her new students.
"My name is Abunai Kuro. Pleasure to meet all of you...So, how 'bout you kids tell me about yourselves? Let's start with you in the headphones." She pointed to Ryuu, of whom, took off the said headphones.
"Amegawa Ryuu. I like writing and reading science fiction, and sparring with my friends Shikamaru and Kiba. My dislikes are antagonistic people, fried food and doing laundry." Yumi giggled, realizing the randomness of her teammate's speech. Ryuu continued: "My goal is to write a book about my experience as a Shinobi and to figure out the truth of my lineage."
Kuro-sensei nodded and transferred her attention to Yumi.
"And what about you, miss...?"
The brunette beamed proudly. "I'm Yamamoto Yumi. I like dancing, drawing, and pocky. Pocky's great...Umm...I don't like people who don't tolerate others and people who try to 'fix' me! My dream is...to become a dancer!"
The magenta-haired lady nodded patiently, then pointed to the child who looked as though her body had been carved from ivory.
"And you?"
Yumi promptly opened her mouth to announce her friend's disability, but Tsuyo laid a hand on her friend's shoulder, shaking her head. Taken aback by her reaction, the brunette nodded nervously, then stood up.
"...You'd...better...prepare yourselves...this will be very loud."
Ryuu arched another eyebrow; the female stood up, closing her eyes tightly as a piercing voice began to permeate the room:
//I am called Ikari Tsuyo. I like to cause and create. I hate...those who harm nature.// Tsuyo's voice was unforgetable: something powerful, like a torrental rainstorm, or earthquake. It was a force unto itself. //My dream? I hope that someday, I can make it come true...Someday.//
Yumi threw her companion a proud smile before sitting back down. The teacher and other Kunoichi sat speechless, yet impressed. Kuro-sensei stared at the pearly-haired female admiringly, the first true smile on her face.
"Tsuyo-kun! Your voice is beautiful...I would love to hear you sing sometime!"
At such an unexpected compliment, Tsuyo blushed, her pale features accentuated with a deep crimson. She smiled shyly at Kuro-sensei and nodded. The older woman clapped her hands together in finality.
"Well! I suppose it's my turn, then! All of you know who I am. I like to play the cello, violin, bass guitar, and so many more string instruments that ain't even funny." That caught Ryuu's attention.
"I play in a band, called 'Bara no Chi', with a few other Jounin. We're looking for someone who can actually sing.... But anyway, I don't like raisans or snobs. My dream is to...help someone I really care for achieve his goal."
"Who's in your band?" Ryuu and Yumi both asked eagerly.
"Ummm...Hatake Kakashi, Yuuhi Kurenai, and Sarutobi Asuma. Kurenai-chan thinks she can sing, but, in reality, she's just another Avril..." Kuro-sensei pouted, obviously still remembering the outcomes of her band's previous practices. "We're looking for someone who can ...well, I'll worry about that later."
"So, is there anything that we'll have to prepare ourselves for tomorrow?" Yumi asked the teacher, twitching in curiosity. Kuro-sensei smiled deviously.
"Yes, actually...meet me at training zone number thirty-six at ten p.m. ...Okay?"
"Okay!" Declared the two girls. The team leader clapped her hands together.
"Marvelous."
Forming the seal of the rabbit, Kuro-sensei disappeared in a cloud of leaves and violet smoke.
::Skip ahead Two Weeks::
Because Kuro's students already proficient in most areas of combat, she focused her attentions on expanding their intellectual and dexterical skills. For example, they spent an entire afternoon in one of the Academy classrooms, writing on the chalkboards using only thei left (or right, depending on which one they sucked at using...) hands. Her justification behind this was that if they lost the dominant arm as a result of torture at the hands of enemy ninja, they would still be capable of using a weapon and/or fighting. Before then, Tsuyo honestly had no idea of the benefits that her natural ambidexterity would hold for her.
::Two weeks Later, Third Hokage's Office::
An old man licked his finger and skimmed through one of the many documents that cluttered his table. His tired, bloodshot eyes then transferred their gaze to the motley crew in front of him. He cleared his throat:
"Very well, Kuro-san. We have for your team: digging graves, cleaning up an area down by the beach or babysitting the child of a local Fire Lord..."
"Oh, for crying out loud..."
Ryuu sighed indignantly. She'd overheard from Kiba that Naruto and his team were given a C-ranked mission. Considering his and Sakura's skills as shinobi, the very concept was almost ridiculous to her. He was almost as big a loser than she was. But it was Yumi who decided to take the initiative. Taking a step forward, the hot-blooded kunoichi presented her case to the old man. However, before remembering the firey tongue of her student, Kuro spoke first.
"Hokage-sama...We have completed such trivial pursuits already. Do we not deserve a mission suitable to our caliber as shinobi?"
Sarutobi sighed once more.
"As much as I would like to, Kuro-san, I can't. Your team is still very inexperienced, and I fear that if they do take on a mission of higher rank, you may regret it."
The magenta-haired teen persisted, her brows knitted in determination.
"But you don't see everything that I do. Tsuyo's beginning to come out of her shell and have confidence in himself! A-and Ryuu's language skills are freakin'--" The Hokage held up his hand.
"Kuro-san, that is quite enough. You are expecting too much from them--"
"Oi! Don't we have a say in this?" All eyes were on Yumi, whose eyes were alive with spunk and fury, eyebrow twitching. The ginger-haired kunoichi at her aside nodded in agreement.
"I'm...not much taken to the idea that a weaker team than our own is being treated like they're superior to us."
Yumi folded her arms across her chest and continued.
"We've been patient. We've worked hard every day of our lives."
//And now, you're choosing to deny us recognition?// Tsuyo agreed, finally taking part in the argument. Kuro-sensei felt a smile tug at the edges of her face. She then turned to an abashed-looking Sarutobi.
"...You see my point?"
The old man nodded his agreement and cleared his throat. "Very well, young Kuro-san. Wish granted--send her in!" Given their orders, the detainers at his side opened the door to the lobby. An unpleasant-sounding creak annouced an arrival.
"Zein? Kuneg auten xaa..." In sauntered young Dragon Youkai with long, messy cerulean hair, dressed in peasant garb: all hair, limbs, and large eyes-and what, maybe thirteen? The girl approached the Third's desk tentatively, staring at Team Six in terror as though they were man-eating beasts. Her eyes were large and faceted. They made Ryuu think of insects and diamonds as she stared at the client.
"Maiten Hokage...hale Qaa liekre fre Nau Hilge."
Raising an eyebrow, the old man ignored the girl and inhaled. "Any of you speak Yune? I don't know what to do with her."
Kuro-sensei gripped Ryuu's shoulder tightly. "Ryuu-kun and I both speak it fluently. I'm willing to place my trust in her as a representative of my team. As leader."
A wave of pride flowed through the bushy-haired kunoichi's body like a sudden rush of blood to the head. Her face was soon illuminated with the pinkness of a blush. "Kuro-sensei..."
Sarutobi nodded his complacency. "Very well then. Young lady, I am turning responsibilty of keeping..." He paused to glance at his paper. "'Rautep Barano Sairensu' safe. Alright, go over to her now..." He insisted, pushing her gently. "That's the ticket! Kuro-san, I'll need you to sign these statements, if you would..."
"O-of course!" And the energetic teen complied, leaving her students to greet the client.
///