Naruto: Altered Trail
Chapter 1:
Konoha Team Assignments
Chapter 1:
Konoha Team Assignments
John sat outside the Konoha Music Store, his newest KJ-52 CD in and his headset volume maxed out. It was a cool day out, the smell of cherry blossoms was heavy in the air as the brown haired boy listened to his music. He bumped his head along to the beat and before long began rapping with the song, inserting words of his own.
" Just an average dude as a matter of fact. Grew up in Konoha with Roaches and Rats. I'm just jeans, head protector, and maybe a hat. I'd rather hit the clearance racks at TJ Maxx. I'm happy if my socks just ma-" John was cut off by someone kicking him in the side softly.
Turning his head he saw Jerry saying something about Money for Gas, or maybe that was just the song. John Took his headphones off then looked back to his black headed friend.
" What?" John asked wishing for Jerry to repeat his speech.
" I asked if your coming to the Team Assignments at the Academy. So are ya?" Jerry asked looking down at John.
" Yeah at Nine O'-CRAP! It's already Eight Forty-three?!" John exclaimed noticing the time on his watch.
" That's why I asked. We better get over there." Jerry said waiting for John to stand up and put away his CD Player. The two took off watching other Genins, who were also late, scurry out of their respective homes and down the streets. Thirty-nine Students had graduated and at least fifteen of them where late. John and Jerry included. When they arrived at the Academy, an all too familiar greeting was presented to them.
" Sch-John." Lee, the Lisp Nin as the Students had dubbed him, said smiling just beside the door. Lee was about four feet ten inches, had a lanky build and wore glasses, not how you'd expect to see a Ninja.
" B-b-b-b-b-But of coursch uuuumm John are you excited about Team Assignments?" The Lisp Ninja continued, following John and Jerry to their seats.
" Yeah it's okay. Nothing to worry about." John said trying not to be annoyed.
" I bet schyou don't want to wind up on the schame team asch me do you?" Lee schaid, I mean said.
" I doubt that'll happen. Even if it did, you're not all that bad." John said, causing Lee to go speechless then walk away.
" I guess they let EVERYBODY graduate. No matter your actual skills as a Shinobi." Jerry said chuckling.
" Yeah they even let that loser Uzumaki through." John said his usual calmness replaced by a more harsh tone as he narrowed his brown eyes at the orange jumpsuit a row over.
" You really don't like him huh? Wha'd he do to you?" Jerry asked tilting his head.
John didn't respond looking down the row at Naruto.
" Hey guys!" A familiar voice came from the other side of Jerry. John's anger subsided at the voice as he turned his head to see the relativly short redhead who had sat down with them.
" Hey, Lu." Jerry responded giving her a 'what's up' head gesture.
" Hey." John said giving a half wave.
" Ready for the team assignments?" Lu asked looking towards the guys.
" Yeah, who do you want on your team?" Jerry retorted.
" I dunno, maybe Naruto and Sasuke..." Lu said smiling slightly.
" Uzumaki trash..." John mumbled under his breath.
" What was that?" Lu asked lowering her eyebrows at John's mumbling.
Before he could answer out of the corner of his eye he saw Naruto fall into Sasuke, kissing him.
" AHAHAHAHAHAAA!" John exclaimed laughing. "Looks like those two are taken Lu! HA!" John said pointing now as the two wiped their mouths in disgust. Obviously an accident.
In the insueing moments Iruka-sensei walked in and began, " Beginning today you are real Ninjas. But you are merely rookie "genin." The hard part has just started. Now...You will soon be assigned duties by the village. So today we will be creating the 3 Man Teams... And each team will have a "Jounin" Sensei. You will follow that Sensei's instructions as you complete the assigned duties. We tried to balance each teams strength according to your abilities,"
After a few teams where named...
" Next, team 3... John, Lucretia, and Jerry." Iruka announced then continued naming teams. The three friends looked at each other. John shrugged and nodded his head.
After all of the teams where announced, Iruka rapped up the assignments, " Okay... This afternoon you'll meet your Jounin sensei's, until then, take a break." Iruka said then dismissed the Genins.
John, Lu, and Jerry got some lunch and went up to dine on a balcony a short way from the academy.
" Anybody else think its weird how Iruka said the teams were evenly matched, yet there's a definitive concentration of power in Team 5?" John said, slurping his ramen.
" Yeah, Billy, Latta, and Lee. Their pretty tough I guess. And why are they the only team with three guys." Jerry asked pointing his chopsticks at John.
" Well, I guess Lee could count for either..." Lu said causing the guys to laugh.
" Then you have Team 2. Tiff, Keith, and Hall. That's just about convenient, what are the odds of getting three of the academy's finest on one team." John said between bites of ramen.
" The only really balanced team is Team 7. The Best, the Worst, and dead Center." John mummbled, lapping up the rest of his ramen.
The others nodded then continued eating. John looked over the balcony to see Sasuke. The self proclaimed "avenger" was leaned up against the side of one of the buildings in front of a window. Suddenly John saw a rope fly around Sasuke's body, pulling him inside, the window shutting behind him.
" Hey guys, something's up with Uchiha..." John told the others causing them to look over the rail. Before long the window opened again and Sasuke stepped out and jumped off the building to the ground below.
" False alarm I guess," Jerry said continuing to eat.
" Yeah..." Lu contemplated then shook her head.
The three ate their fill then decided to head back to the academy and wait for their new Sensei.