Fell From My World (A Naruto Story)

Chapter 4: Survival of the Fittest

"This is your test to become Genin. But...here's the catch. Half of you will fail. There are only two bells, and only two ninja here will get them."

We all looked at each other with shifty-eyes. Naruto had a sort-of crush on Sakura (he had told me last night), Sakura had a major crush if not infatuation with Sasuke, and Sasuke hated everyone. The odds were already skewed...and not in my favor. My best bet was to try and convince my new BFFLAD Naruto work with me, leaving his affinity for Sakura in the dust.

"Ready...Steady...and...GO!"

Immediately, Sasuke fled to the wooded area with Sakura right behind him. I dove the opposite way into the trees across the clearing and climbed the tallest one I could spot. I felt safe in a tree where I could see everything and didn't feel so exposed. There I could plan my next move. I picked a good tree – there were several branches wrapped around it, making for good climbing.

My hands reached and my feet stepped, and I pulled myself upwards until I was towards the top, barely breaking a sweat. The sun had come up, making the forest a lot brighter. I stepped onto a thick branch and stayed towards the inside of the tree so I was hidden in the shadows of leaves.

I had a bird's-eye view of the clearing, and I could even see Sakura running around trying to find Sasuke. What an idiot, I thought. Naruto however stood his ground in the field and faced Kakashi-sensei.

"LET'S DO THIS!" Is he serious? Definitely a loose cannon, but still, he was the one I wanted to work with.

Kakashi took out a pink book from his pocket and began to read. I rolled my eyes. A top-rated shinobi or not, Kakashi-sensei was very dramatic.

Naruto, right on cue, started throwing a tantrum at this nonchalant approach and zoomed towards Kakashi. Kakashi easily pinned him down.

"First Ninja Art: Taijutsu. Hand-to-hand combat. Looks like you have a lot of improving to do here, Naruto. Or should I say, Naru-slow?"

Suddenly, Naruto burst into a bunch of shadow clones that began fighting Kakashi-sensei. Faster than I could see it happening, Kakashi was no longer in the group. Where'd he go?

Naruto's shadow clones realized Kakashi was gone and began to fight each other, thinking Kakashi was one of the clones. I smacked my forehead. I needed Naruto and I to win this thing...he was going to be a tough piece of work in the long haul, I was starting to realize. I was about to go help break up the Naruto-on-Naruto fight so the two of us could stand together when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey."

I whipped around in astonishment, nearly falling off the branch I was perched on, to be face-to-face with Kakashi himself. I held back a scream, automatically removing a kunai from my waistband, my heart beginning to race. Was he going to attack me? How did he know where I was? How'd he get here that quick?!