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Three genin stood on a bridge waiting for their sensei. Repeated in each era, the sight was a familiar one, save for the children in question who were of the newest generation. It remained to be seen how they would strive beyond their predecessors legacies, for today was only the beginning of their shinobi journey.
“Ahh! I can’t take it anymore!”
It was not an auspicious start.
The second youngest of the group kicked the bridge’s railing. The bridge had withstood many kicks from many angry genin over the years and predictably survived this latest attack.
The oldest genin jolted from her relaxed lean and glared at her friend. “Yuai! Just be patient, would you? I’m sure Sakura-sensei will be here any minute.”
“Mirai’s right. Screaming won’t help anything, either,” quipped their smaller companion, seated with their legs hanging off the edge of the bridge. Their bored gaze did not turn from the gently waters beneath them. “Relax.”
“Oh, what do you know, Kai?” Yuai snapped. She crossed her arms defiantly, purple face markings distorted in a juvenile pout. “You think you can slack off just because you’re already a genin? How old are you, anyway - like, three years old?”
“Five,” Kai stated, and commenced picking their nose. They flicked a booger into the river. “And a half.”
“Five and half!” Yuai repeated. “That’s ridiculous. I’m twice your age! And quit picking your nose, you weirdo! It’s gross!”
Mirai groaned - she really didn’t want to act as peacemaker, but her teammates were insufferable without intervention. Even Kai wasn’t totally innocent; they knew just how to push Yuai’s buttons. “Don’t yell at Kai,” Mirai told Yuai. “And don’t antagonize her,” she then addressed Kai, “Or she’ll never stop.”
“You’re not my mom ,” Yuai huffed. She spun on her heel, back turned to her teammates. “I’m not talking to either of you anymore.”
Yuai was going to be a handful. At least she quieted down - for now.
Mirai plopped down beside Kai, who was generally quiet and unobnoxious. “Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” Kai said. Their finger was back in their nose. “Thanks for shutting her up.”
“You weren’t much of a help,” Mirai scoffed. “Why do you always have to egg her on?”
Kai shrugged. “It’s too easy.”
They wrenched another booger from their nostril and aimed it at Yuai’s back. Mirai intercepted, catching Kai’s hand just in time. The booger fell to the bridge harmlessly.
“Please don’t,” Mirai said. Kai blinked at her owlishly.
Kai kind of creeped Mirai out. They were too mysterious and cunning at five (and a half) years old, with their sleepy eyes, snow white mop of hair, and ever present scarf wrapped around the bottom of their face. Mirai was pretty sure Kai wasn’t actually hiding something behind the scarf, but anything was possible.
Kai tisked. Mirai thought she saw a smile in the way their scarf shifted. They pulled their hand out of her gasp and looked back at the river. “Okay,” they said.
“Okay,” Mirai echoed, surprised at Kai’s acquiescence. “Um, thanks.”
“Yup.”
Mirai stared at the river with Kai. It was boring. Kai was kind of boring too, when they weren’t being scary.
Mirai noticed Yuai fidgeting in her peripheral vision. Secretly thankful for the distraction, she glanced over her shoulder. “Come sit with us,” she invited.
Yuai let out a huge breath and dropped her stubborn stance to shove herself between Kai and Mirai. Kai, thankfully, only rolled their eyes and scooted to give her room.
“So this is it,” Yuai mumbled. She rested her weight on her arms slid through the railing slats. “The first day of our careers. And we’re stuck waiting on our sensei.”
“Shinobi are supposed to be patient,” Kai reminded her. “Maybe it’s a test.”
“Easy for you to say,” Yuai snapped back. “You could probably stay still for a thousand years.”
“Wanna bet?” Kai asked.
Yuai opened her mouth to retort, but Mirai interjected - “No. We’re not betting on each other’s abilities. We’re supposed to help each other get stronger, not turn everything into a competition. Besides,” she added, “Yuai would lose.”
“I would not!” Yuai protested. “Watch!” She froze in place.
Kai ignored Yuai’s theatrics and focused back on the river. “Competition is good,” they said. “Without it there’s nothing motivating you to get better.”
Mirai frowned. Everyone knew about the lifelong rivalry shared between Kai’s parents. “Which one of your papas said that?”
“Both of them, more or less.”
“Well, it seems a little extreme. There’s lots of other stuff to motivate you.”
“Like what?”
“You know, like…” Mirai thought of her own parents - the Sandaime’s son and Konoha’s genjutsu expert. “Like honoring your family.”
Kai hummed. They leaned back on their hands and looked up at the sky as clouds lazily passed by. “That’s just more competition though, isn’t it? Between your family and somebody else’s.” Kai lowered their gaze to Mirai. She stiffened underneath their cool, calculated stare. “If that’s the case, I’d still win.”
Before Mirai could reply, Yuai broke free from their self-imposed paralysis to shout “No you wouldn’t!”
“Yes I would,” Kai said. “My papas are stronger than any of your parents combined. Plus, one of them had your papa’s Sharingan,” they told Yuai, “so you can’t pull the Uchiha card.”
Yuai stuck her tongue out. “I totally can! I’m still from a noble clan - and so is Mirai! The whole village knows about your grandpa. And Maito-san barely has a clan at all.”
“Yuai!” Mirai slapped the back of her friend’s head.
If Kai was offended by Yuai’s statement they didn’t show it. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter what clan you’re from if you can’t achieve its powers. My taijutsu is way better than both of yours, and my papa already told me I can make have a pack of my own ninken someday.” They haughtily lifted their chin at this. “But you can’t even activate your own Sharingan, Yuai. Face it - you’re jealous of me, so you have to keep making up dumb excuses.”
“Why you little twerp!”
Yuai vaulted from her seat and attempted to strangle Kai, but Kai easily evaded her grasp and hopped to their feet. Mirai scrambled after her teammates, ready to place herself between them, when a puff of smoke suddenly appeared at the foot of the bridge.
“Hey! Sorry I’m late!”
All three genin jerked back in surprise.
Sakura stood before them, grinning wolfishly with her hands on her hips.
“Now what are you all up to?” she asked. “Fighting already?”
Kai eased into their characteristic, relaxed posture as if they weren’t about to retaliate Yuai’s attack, but said nothing to confirm or deny Sakura’s question.
Mirai bowed respectfully. “Sakura-sensei!”
Of course, it was Yuai who fearlessly voiced what they were all thinking. “Where the hell have you been?! We’ve been waiting for hours!”
“Ah, about that…” Sakura shrugged. “I got lost on the path of life.”
The words sounded rehearsed, recited from memory. Mirai’s brow furrowed. She had to be kidding…
Yuai fumed, looking like steam was about to explode from her ears. “You’ve got to be kidding!”
Sakura winked. “I am! Great deduction, Yuai. I just wanted to listen to you guys philosophize a bit more. Speaking of…” She perched on the bridge railing and glared at them all, countenance dim. “Sit down.”
The genin obeyed her command, spooked at the abrupt shift in mood.
Sakura smiled once more. Mirai hoped she wouldn’t always be so bipolar. “Before we start our first day of training, I need to ask each of you three things: what are your likes, what are your dislikes, and what is your biggest goal?”
Mirai glanced at Yuai, who glanced at Kai, who stared ahead emotionlessly.
Mirai inhaled and raised her hand. “I’ll go first."
Sakura nodded. “Great! That’s very courageous of you.”
Yuai perked at Sakura’s praise. Her hand shot in the air. “Wait! Let me go first! I’m courageous!”
“Mirai already volunteered,” Sakura said. “You can go next, Yuai.”
“Ah,” Yuai grumbled. She propped her chin in her hand and glared at Mirai, while Kai looked bored as ever and Sakura watched expectantly.
Now the center of attention, Mirai looked down at her lap. “I don’t really know what I like,” she began, realizing it was true after being asked so directly, “I like studying, I guess. I’m good at it. I don’t like it when I can’t figure something out. It makes me mad. And…” She paused. “I want to make my parents proud.”
“I liked studying when I was your age, too,” Sakura said a bit wistfully. “It’s natural to dislike confusion, but you’ll encounter a lot of confusing situations as a shinobi. You can’t let it bother you. If you get too angry it might compromise the mission. As for making your parents proud, well - that’s a very worthwhile goal!” Mirai smiled bashfully.
Yuai basically vibrated during Sakura’s response. As soon as Sakura finished, she stood up. “Okay! It’s my turn! My name is Yuai Uchiha!” No one pointed out that everyone knew her name already. “I like beating bad guys up! I dislike know-it-alls,” she glared at Kai, then at Mirai,” and people who are uptight!” She brightened again and jabbed her thumb into her chest. “When I grow up, I’m going to become Hokage just like my papa!”
“Being a shinobi isn’t just about ‘beating bad guys up,’” Sakura said, using air quotes as she repeated Yuai’s phrase, “but I appreciate your gumption! You really shouldn’t pigeonhole your teammates though,” she reprimanded, “you’re going to have to trust them with your life. If you can’t manage that, there’s no way you’ll make it as a Hokage.”
“But!” Yuai spluttered, “But that’s ridiculous! I can become Hokage without these bozos!”
Sakura shook her head. “You need to learn discipline, too.”
Mirai hid a snicker behind her hand as Yuai plopped down, bravado drained.
“How about you, Kai?” Sakura asked their youngest teammate.
Kai shrugged. “I like dogs and turtles. I dislike weak people. I want to be the strongest shinobi in Konoha, just like my papas.”
Sakura blinked, surprised at their succinct answer. “Okay… Um.” She cocked her head. “What makes you dislike those who are weak? I thought Gai would’ve taught you differently, you know…”
“People aren’t weak because their unskilled,” Kai said with a wisdom beyond their five (and a half) years. “People are weak if they’re unmotivated,” they looked at Mirai, “or if they overestimate their own strength,” and they looked at Yuai, before turning back to Sakura. “You always have to work hard to get better, but you can never assume you’re done improving.”
“Oh,” Sakura said, “nevermind, then.”
Yuai huffed, annoyed at Kai’s natural disposition to - everything, really. Mirai was impressed in equal measure. She guessed that’s what made Kai a prodigy.
“What about you?” Mirai asked Sakura.
“Huh?” Sakura put a finger to her chin. “Let me think…” She climbed off the railing and smiled. “It doesn’t matter! I’ve known you guys since you were born, but from this day forward I’m not your friend anymore. I’m your sensei!” She raised a tight fist - and all three genin knew the power it held. “So do what I say!”
They nodded in unison. “Yes, Sakura-sensei!”
Sakura laughed. “Alright! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s go train!”
She lead them to the third training ground. The well used plot of land was pockmarked with signs of exhaustive practice. Yuai, and even Kai, looked nervous as they met their sensei in the middle of the field, but Mirai was oblivious to its importance.
“Okay!” Sakura measured each of them up before continuing. “The three of you are a team. You need to work together. Today, I will be testing you on how well you can accomplish that.”
She procured something from her pocket with a dramatic flourish - there was a flash of sunlit metal and a brief, melodic tinkling.
A pair of bells dangled from her fist.
“Oh, no,” Yuai groaned.
Kai silently readied in an offensive stance.
Out of the loop, Mirai looked between her two teammates. “What is it?”
“This is the bell test,” Sakura announced. “I’ve got two bells here, but there are three of you. Nonetheless, you need to work as a team to steal them from me.”
“What happens to the third person?” Mirai asked, though she already suspected the answer.
“The one who doesn’t get a bell will be sent home, demoted,” Sakura informed. Dread settled in Mirai’s stomach at the thought. “Even so, the other two won’t be able to succeed without help. Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for your comrades’ sake?”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Yuai said, “because I’ll have a bell no matter what!”
She looked at Mirai - understanding passed between them. It was obvious Kai would secure a bell, so the only real competition was between Yuai and Mirai.
Mirai turned back to Sakura, determined. “We’ll see about that!”
Sakura stepped back, faintly amused. “Yes, we’ll see.”
She tied the bells on her hip.
The genin braced themselves.
Their sensei smirked.
“Begin!”