Chapter 3: Team 11

AN1- I hate this chapter. Despise it. I'm sure most of you will too, but just bear with me as it will pick up next chapter, I promise!

AN2 – In case you haven't picked up on the theme (and I have to go back and make a few changes after I made this decision) everything is 100% in English. I'm not versed enough in the nuances of Japanese culture to know which honorifics to use. Plus, I kinda find it weird to have random Japanese words thrown in here and there. The only things I might keep are the Ninja Arts (Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, etc) but who the heck knows? I sure don't.

Anyway, please enjoy Chapter 3 of "Reincarnation? How Absurd. The Story of Kenta Yamanaka"

For Thine Information – I do not, unfortunately, own Naruto. Just my sassy OC, his family, and any other weirdos I decide to add in for shits and giggles.

One point. A single, freaking point! I lost the title for Rookie of the Year by ONE. DAMN. POINT! It's OK, Kenta. Just breathe. At least you have a personality and amazing hair. Sasuke has neither.

'Would he still have that hoard of fangirls if Naruto and I managed to shave his head completely?' I mused to myself. My plotting of revenge against the title thief was abruptly cut off as Iruka had started to announce team assignments. I kept one ear open for my name and a few others, but I would have my revenge, dammit!

The first 6 teams weren't worth anything of note. A bunch of civilians and minor clan kids. Most probably wouldn't make it past genin unless they put in a lot more work. However, once Iruka got to team 7, all thoughts of revenge were swept out the door because someone agreed with me. The grin I had on my face would rival Naruto on his good days. I prided myself on my cool, calm and mature persona. But I'm not Sasuke, I can laugh and smile and act like a 12 year old when it suites me. Thank you God, Gods, The Earth, Whomever was on my side today.

"Team 7" Iruka began, "will be comprised of Arata Aya, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. Your Jonin instructor is Kakashi Hatake."

The look on Sasuke's face was absolute gold. As Sakura was ranting and cheering so loudly that the windows were SHAKING, his face was growing redder by the minute. I was actually praying that the vein in his forehead would actually burst. I could see it throbbing from across the room! Oh man, not getting Rookie of the Year was so worth it now. Not only would I have been stuck with the Dead Last, Arata... But the Pink Banshee was kunoichi of the year? I was gunning for Lady Hinata. If she had even a shred of self-confidence, she would wipe the floor with every girl in class. Probably most of the guys too! The Gentle Fist really isn't that Gentle, lemme tell you!

Speaking of Lady Hinata, she was just put on a team with Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame. That will be a strong team in a few years if their Jonin Instructor, Kurenai Yuhi, really pushes them. A tracking and ambush squad by the looks of them. Scary!

Iruka mentioned some horse crap about Team 9 still being in circulation from last year. They must really suck! Every other number was available but theirs? Weaklings most likely.

I looked over at Naruto and shared a grin. Judging by who all was left, there was a very good chance we were going to end up on the same squad! Our skills complemented each other really well. For Naruto's 10th birthday I bought him a beginner's scroll on trap making and sealing. I had heard from my parent's and from my own readings that the Uzumaki were once feared across the Elemental Nations for their sealing prowess. It's the reason that their homeland was destroyed and the Uzumaki were hunted to the brink of extinction. Their sealing was absolutely no joke. I asked my Grandfather about what happened to The Land of Whirlpools. He regaled me with an absolutely fascinating tale.

The Uzumaki, and by extension Hidden Eddy, were so feared and powerful, that during the 2nd shinobi war THREE of the "Big Five" nations banded together to form a coalition to take them down. Stone, Cloud and Mist launched a surprise attack on The Hidden Whirlpool. The fighting was quick and fierce. Konoha, Whirlpools strongest ally, wasn't able to get there in time. By the time our forces could mobilize, Whirlpool was no more, and any survivors were scattered throughout the elemental nations.

This tale had a bittersweet ending though. Whirlpool was gone, her people broken and scattered; however they didn't go down without a fight. You see, the Uzumaki earned their infamy. The coalition forces sent 10,000 troops. Their plan was to quickly and efficiently destroy Whirlpool and leave them to the crows. Whirlpool and their seals had different ideas. After only two days of fighting, yes, Whirlpool was gone. But of the 10,000 troops sent, only 1,800 returned home to their families. 800 versus 10,000. Yeah, I can kind of see why those three risked so many troops to take out the Uzumaki and smaller clans.

When I recounted this tale to Naruto when he asked why I thought he would take to sealing, the look on his face tore me apart. Apparently he didn't even know that he was actually from a once great and proud clan. He was crying tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of every emotion under the sun. Once the tears stopped, the most terrifyingly determined light shone in his eyes. He swore to me that day he would stop at nothing to make his ancestor's proud and to become a seal master.

So far, he was NOT disappointing. The kid took in sealing information; the most complex branch of the shinobi arts, and was eating through the material quicker than Choji downs his chips. I mean, I know sealing is in his blood, but this was absolutely ridiculous! Naruto Uzumaki, the kid that struggled to learn basic addition, was not only understanding, but thriving on the complexity that was the sealing arts. What a strange, strange child he was. But I loved him.

Snapping back to reality, Iruka had just announced the re-formation of the famous "Ino-Shika-Cho" combination. Our three families really did work well together, and I would have enjoyed working with Shikamaru and Choji. However, I'll let Ino destroy the legacy Uncle and his teammates built. It'll only prove even more true how she is NOT cut out to be the heiress of our proud clan.

Gritting my teeth, I quickly calmed myself down. No this is good. I won't ride on the coattails of our parents. I'll prove, through my own power, that a Yamanaka can work with anyone and take down any enemy. Not even a shadow of doubt that I couldn't find a way to make my techniques work with others. Like Naruto, for instance, and his sealing trap that shoots out a thick, sticky substance and captures anyone it hits. Those people would be mine. Especially once I'm strong enough to learn the "Mind Disturbance Dance Performance Technique." I shivered thinking how brutal a combination like that would be.

"Team 11 is our last team. Kenta Yamanaka, Ami Kogure, and Naruto Uzumaki under the instruction of Genma Shiranui." Iruka finally called out. Naruto let out of whoop of delight, and I couldn't help the grin splitting my own face. Naruto and I were going to be legendary.

Ami was… ordinary. The only way to describe her would be… average. Average looks. Average hand to hand. Average weapon throwing. Average test scores. Literally middle of the road, ordinary. The only thing that wasn't ordinary was her dark purple hair. But at least it was dark and not bubble gum pink! She was also a Sasuke fangirl. But at least she wasn't as bad as Sakura and Ino. I'll leave it up to sensei to whip her into at least some semblance of competence.

Iruka dismissed us for lunch after the annoucments and reminded us to be back in one hour for our Jonin instructors to collect us. I stood up and made my way over to Naruto.

"Usual spot?" I asked.

Naruto nodded. "Should we ask our new teammate to join us?"

"I'll ask. Who knows what she's going to be like, but better to try and get to know her now rather than later."

Naruto nodded again and stood up. We made our way over to where Ami was sitting talking quietly with a few other girls, shooting death glares at Sakura. I sighed heavily. This was going to be a really fun time.

"Hey, Ami!" Naruto began. "Would you like to join Kenta and I for lunch? We usually eat under the big tree in the courtyard."

Ami looked at us, looked back at her friends, looked back at us and replied "I'll eat with Kenta, but there's no way in hell I'm eating anywhere near you, demon."

She turned back to her friends and they all started cackling. Shooting Naruto nasty looks and whispering while pointedly looking at Naruto every few minutes.

Naruto looked absolutely crushed, and I couldn't blame him. This wasn't the first time he'd received this kind of treatment at the hands of the population. I didn't understand it, but I would figure it out. Naruto was a troublemaker and prankster, that was for certain. However, those actions don't coorelate to his treatment from the majority of the village. It was much too harsh for a few simple pranks.

I grabbed Naruto and led him out of the room, but not before glancing over my shoulder. "Hey Ami" I said, fake smile plastered all over my face.

She blushed slightly at my attitude. "Yes, Kenta? What is it?" She giggled along with her friends.

The smile vanished from my face only to be replaced by the iciest glare I could manage. "You're a Genin now, which means in the eyes of the village you're an adult. As an adult, your actions have consequences. Adult consequences. Remember that."

Her temper overshadowed her nerves by my icy statement. "Oh really? Is that a threat?"

"No" I stated simply. "It's just a reminder. We're going to be on a team. Teams live and die by the trust and teamwork they develop together. They also train and spar daily. One day I might just accidentally grab one of my poisoned senbon and on that same mysterious day I might accidentally have forgotten the antidotes at home." I flashed her a wicked smile. "All hypothetical of course. See you in an hour!" I finished cheerfully.

Naruto and I made our way outside. I could see in his eyes that Ami's words still were upsetting him, but there was also a small smile on his face.

"Hey, Kenta? You know you didn't have to do that. Ami is dumb and her words didn't even hurt me." He finished with an obviously fake smile to try and hide his hurt. Something I realized he did more often than should be necessary for a kid of only 12 years old. For those that didn't know Naruto, his "sunshine" smile as I dubbed it wasn't his real smile. That was simply his mask he wore to hide his hurt from the world. I greatly admired Naruto for being able to push through the unwarranted hurt and hatred he received. I just wish he didn't have to deal with it at all. No, Naruto's true smile, if you were ever lucky enough to receive it was one that made you feel warm and protected. It was reserved for those that truly mattered to the ball of sunshine. It was similar to his "sunshine" smile, but this one actually reached his eyes and you could feel the joy radiating off him.

"You're right. I didn't have to. I wanted to" I told him, smirking. "The only person that has the right to make you sad or upset or mad is me. Your best friend."

Naruto chuckled at that. "Thanks, Kenta." He gave me a small, but grateful smile.

Lunch was the normal affair after that. Naruto regaled me with his latest sealing projects. A barrier seal and he was also working on chakra suppressant seals. He told me that he's hoping to start developing his own seals within the next year, he just really needed to find and talk with a true seal master to get a few questions answered before he blew himself up.

We returned to the classroom shortly after and sat and caught up with a few of the other newly minted genin. The topics were kept pretty light.

'Wonder what our instructor is like'

'Wonder what cool missions were going to be going on'

Things like that. Hopefully we didn't have to wait much longer. I was starting to get anxious. I had asked my mother and father what they knew about my new instructor, and both simply said he was a competent special jonin that was once part of the fourth hokage's elite bodyguard unit. That was promising.

Some of us didn't have to wait long. At exactly noon the door to the classroom slid open and someone popped their head in. She was very beautiful. Raven black hair, piercing crimson eyes. Overall, a bombshell.

"Team 8? Please follow me." She announced in a voice that equally matched her beauty.

Looking around a noticed a few of the other men (and even some of the girls) were blushing and trying but failing to not stare at the beautiful jonin.

Team 8 got up and quickly departed.

Not five minutes later, another person entered the classroom. The man walked in. Fairly tanned skin, a goatee, close cropped brown hair, and really damn tall! The first word that popped into my head when I saw the man was "sturdy." He was built like a solid wall!

"Team 10, with me" he spoke in gruff voice. My cousin and her two teammates quickly filed out.

Over the next 30 minutes more and more genin filed out with their new instructors. All that remained was team 7 and our team 11. Good thing we didn't have to wait much longer.

A man walked in. He had shoulder length brown hair, held back by a bandana with his Konoha plate on the back. He was above average height, slight of build. He held a senbon between his teeth and wore the standard Konoha Jonin outfit. He looked around with a bored expression. His eyes however, they spoke of mischief.

"Team 11, you're with me. You have 30 minutes to get to training ground 23. Good luck." He stated in a bored drawl, before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

The three of us eyed each other, before we bolted from our seats and out the door.

After a mad dash, a few arguments and some dumb luck, the three of us stumbled into training ground 23 with exactly 20 seconds to spare. Our new instructor, Genma my mind supplied from Iruka's assignments this morning, looked mildly surprised.

"Huh. I thought for sure you all would fail. Congratulations are in order I suppose. You all are now, officially, Konoha Genin." He informed us.

The three of us, laying on the ground covered in sweat, dirt, and (wait was that blood? How did that get there) looked at our new instructor.

"Wh… what do you mean, Captain Genma?" I breathlessly asked.

"Well, you see…" and he launched into his explanation how each Jonin was to set a test to weed out the truly hopeless from those with potential.

"I really didn't want a genin team, so I thought I made my test pretty impossible. Ground 23 is one of the most unknown and isolated training grounds there is. But you all passed my test so I can't really send you back. How troublesome. No choice then, meet back here at 7am to begin your real training and missions. The sooner I get you brats strong enough to make Chunin, the sooner I can go back to not looking after a bunch of brats." After finishing his rather rude rant, he simply body flickered away, leaving the three of us to sit there gaping.

"I don't like him. What a jerk!" Naruto declared quite loudly.

I nodded my head in agreement. "He does seem kind of…lackadaisical? Completely apathetic. I see a lot of self-training and growth in our futures."

"Whatever. I just need to get strong enough to take down forehead girl so I can claim Sasuke as mine. Don't get in my way demon and girly boy." With that Ami stalked off.

"Yup. Definitely poisoning that bitch. Should I use Widow's Kiss? No, can't kill her. That might be pushing my luck. Oh! How about Ghoul's Breath? Yeah… Hallucinating her worst nightmares for a half a day would be perfect!" I cackled as a walked off the training ground. I then noticed Naruto wasn't following me. I turned around and noticed he was rooted to the spot I left him, white as a ghost. I immediately went on high alert and pulled out some senbon.

"Naruto. Naruto! What's wrong? You're pale, is something dangerous nearby?" I scanned my surroundings and stretched my senses out, only sensing Ami's slowly retreating form.

Naruto then shook himself out of his stupor and pointed an accusatory finger at me. "Yeah! You! You're the scary one! Muttering over there about your creepy poisons and cackling like a mad scientist. You're a weirdo, Kenta, y'know!"

I relaxed and put my weapons away, shooting Naruto a predatory smirk. "Well, Naruto… Ami is about to find out really quick the number one rule in the shinobi world."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" He asked genuinely curious.

My smile grew even darker. "You do NOT fuck with the poison specialist"

The next month of training was… Well it was a damn shit show to be honest. Naruto and I got along great of course. We had been friends for years. Captain Genma was warming up to us as well. We quickly found out he had a wicked sense of humor and a sharp tongue. Perfect for trading jabs at one another all day.

D Ranks were boring, but I had heard the horror stories from my older clansmen so I wasn't too put off by it. I knew coming in we wouldn't be taking the "cool" missions any time soon. My older cousin, Shin, said his team took 9 months before their sensei deemed them competent enough to take a basic C-Rank. I had hope we wouldn't take that long. But the way things were moving, we might break his record.

No it wasn't Naruto, or Genma that was causing issues. It was our female teammate. The purple haired terror that was doing everything possible to get herself killed the second we left the safety of the gates.

Ami was stubborn, and obsessed with Broody Uchiha. It was a nightmare. Captain Genma had done everything he could think of to try and get her motivated to train and take the shinobi lifestyle serious. Threatened her, made her doing extra D-Ranks, ignored her completely. Nothing he did could break her of her mindset that she had to be a pencil thin and sickly looking kunoichi to win his interests.

("No, Captain, I can't do anymore pushups. If do anymore then I'll get all muscular and Lord Sasuke would never have a muscular wife")

("No, Captain, I can't eat that. If I do I'll get fat and Lord Sasuke won't even look at me if I get fat")

I tried explaining basic biology to her. Explaining that without the male hormone testoerone in her body in excess amount she would never get muscular like her male counterparts. Captain Genma showed her the book with scientific evidence that just by activating and using her chakra in day to day life, she was already burning an extra 1000 calories more than a normal civilian would.

Nothing. Nothing we said would make a difference. All three of us were at our wit's end. I had one more thing to try. When in doubt, ask your parents for advice. So that's what I did at dinner after our last training session of the fourth week.

"Mom? Dad? I need advice about my female teammate."

"Ohhhh?! Does my baby have a little crush on his female teammate?!" Mom practically cooed.

I gagged.

"No! It's nothing like that. She's a fangirl of epic proportions!" I lamented and told them everything that had been happening the last month. After I finished my rant, both my parents sat there contemplating everything I said. While my parents thought about my predicament, I turned to my baby sister.

"Kono, if I ever hear that you've become a fangirl like cousin Ino and my teammate Ami, you big brother will be super-duper sad and will cry for weeks. Don't become a fangirl. Become a kickass kunoichi like Princess Tsunade and Momma. Please!"

Kono just giggled at my antics. "Of course big bro! There's this Hyuga that all the girls in class think is sooooo cool. But I think he's kind of a jerk. I'll make you proud, brother! I'll surpass Princess Tsunade, Momma and ALL the kunoichi to ever exist!"

I couldn't help the burst of pride swelling in my chest, or from ruffling her hair, despite the indignant squawk. "I know you will, kiddo. I'll be cheering you on."

"I'VE GOT IT!" Both my parents yelled simultaneously.

"Ladies first" Dad said gesturing to mom.

Mom nodded and said "Well, I'm a jonin, and a female. Instead of a bunch of boys telling her the facts, maybe she needs to see for herself first hand! If the information is coming from another woman. A woman who not only reached the top of the shinobi ranks, but one who snagged her dream man, she'll be more receptive!" She finished excitedly and with a little love-struck grin shot my dad's way. I couldn't even be grossed out by the quick looks my parents gave each other, it was honestly kind of cute they were still so in love after 16 years of marriage.

"That's… a really good idea mom!" I said thinking more on it.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Oh! And maybe I'll even bring along a few other successful jonin kunoichi to really drive the point home."

"An excellent idea, babe." Dad said with a smile on his face for my mom.

"Thank you, dear. Now what was your idea?"

"Well, there's an… acquaintance of mine that I think wouldn't mind beati- I mean breaking the fangirl habit out of Kenta's teammate."

I didn't miss the slip up of my dad's but I just let it go. However, the look my parent's shared piqued my interest.

"Who's this person, father? That look you and mother just passed was hard to read."

"Well, dear" mom began, "If it's who I think it is, she's a special jonin who works in T&I and absolutely despises fangirls. She can be a bit… eccentric. Some might even say dangerous. I have no doubt she would get results, but…"

"I will run it by Kenta's captain first and foremost and if he thinks it's a good idea I will talk to her." Father stated.

Mom bit her lip but nodded in agreement. "As much as I would fear for that poor girl, I'd hate to see her killed, or worse, on her first mission. Anything to get her on track to becoming strong enough to protect herself."

I knew what mom meant when she said worse. Not many people think that there can be anything worse than dying, but for a female shinobi (Much more so than man at least), there are things worse than death. With that solemn thought I looked at both of my parents. "Thank you, both. I know there's potential there with Ami, but dragging it out is worse than trying to get Tora to come back to her owner!"

Both my parents laughed at my analogy. They both knew about the dreaded "Rescue Tora" missions that appeared more frequently than they should.

Wednesday the following week mom came through. We were halfway through with team training when mom appeared in a body flicker along with 2 other females. One was a raven haired beauty I recognized as Team 8's Captain. The other was equally beautiful. Her hair was a darker shade of purple than Ami's and she had captivating warm, brown eyes. I was in love.

"Hello, Kenta hun! Naruto!" My mother called out walking over to us. I noticed that all three were wearing loose fitting kimono tops and didn't seem to be wearing anything else. Suspicious, I was.

"Little Genma, my how you've grown into such a handsome young man. I remember when you were Kenta's height, spouting off about being stronger than all 3 Sannin combined" Mom stated, pinching Captains cheek.

Captain sputtered while the three of us did everything in our power to not laugh at him. We knew that laughing right now would be punishment for us later.

"Lady Tori, it's good to see you again." A red-faced Genma said in a tight voice.

"Oh, please, Genma, just Tori is fine. I know you know Kurenai and Yugao" mom said pointing to each lady as she introduced them.

He nodded to each. "Not that I don't enjoy seeing you all, but what the hell are you doing interrupting my training session?"

Genma may have not wanted us when we first became a team, but I liked to think we were growing on him. He could be oddly protective of us at the most random times.

Mom laughed, recognizing his irritation and protectiveness of his students. "Well, last week Kenta told us you had a little problem with one of your students and getting them motivated. I thought me and my two friends here could help drive the points you've been trying to make home."

What transpired next both excited and mortified me beyond belief. All three ladies dropped the Kimono tops they were wearing to reveal the skimpiest bathing suits I've ever seen. The part that excited me were seeing Team 8's sensei and the goddess next to her in those outfits. My mother was also wearing one and that was something I NEVER WANTED TO SEE AGAIN.

If I hadn't started puberty yet, I most certainly just dove headfirst into at this moment. I quickly turned around "MOM! Are you trying to kill me via embarrassment?! What the hell?!"

"Oh relax, Kenta. It's just a swimsuit" mom said, not at all hiding the amusement in her voice.

I simply groaned and started digging a hole with my bare hands.

"Kenta, what are you doing?" A VERY red faced Naruto asked me.

"Digging my grave." I responded simply. All three of the ladies laughed uproariously at that.

"Now, Ami" Mom said "I hear that you've been dieting and only doing the bare minimum when it comes to your physical training. Is that so?"

"Uh, um, yes?" Ami responded with a squeak.

"And why, may I ask, are you doing something so stupid?"

"W-well you see. There's this boy I like. A-and all the other g-girls say that boys only like skinny and pretty girls."

"Hmmm. I see." Mom then walked behind Kurenai. "What do you see when you look at this woman?"

Ami finally raised her head and looked at Kurenai. "Umm… A very, very beautiful woman."

"She is, isn't she." Mom said with a smile. "Kurenai? How many hours do you train for each day?"

"With my new team, only about two hours before I go and meet with them. Before I got them, while trying to make Jonin, anywhere from 6 to 10 hours a day." Kurenai responded in her melodic voice.

"I see." Was all mom said. She then walked over to Yugao and asked the same question.

"If I'm not on a mission, then usually about four to six hours a day." Yugao responded in a rather husky voice. A voice that clouded my mind and made my body react like no one else had at this point.

'Get your shit together, Kenta. Your mother is standing right THERE!'

"Thank you, both." Mom said with a smile. "Now, next question. How many calories, on average, do you think you eat in a day?"

"On training days, about 5,000. Non training days, about 3,500." Kurenai promptly responded. Yugao agreed that was about where she was at.

Mom walked back in-between the two deadly and sexy kunoichi elites. "Now, Ami, do any of the three of us look 'muscular' or 'fat' to you?" Mom asked.

Ami could only shake her head furiously, words seemed to escape her at the minute.

Mom turned to the two and said "Thank you, ladies, for your assistance today. You can both return to your men" mom said with a wink. "I know Hayate will be especially happy to spend more time with you, Yugao."

'Whoever this Hayate person is, I'm going to murder him. I'm going to poison him, and then give him an antidote when he's on death's door. THEN I'm going to fry his brain, and THEN-'

Both women left at that, blushing furiously. Mom, to my great relief then put her Kimono back on before turning back to Ami. "I know it's hard hearing from your male captain and male teammates, but everything they've been trying to tell you has been 100% True. Women don't have the hormones to make us big and bulky. When we workout, our muscles get compact and lean. Dieting, especially at your age is so incredibly debilitating to not only your shinobi career, but your own personal health. Unless you want to remain a flat-chested little girl, your body needs those nutrients to develop. Myself and those two other women, all three of us are elite jonin of this village. We are living proof that you can not only be sexy, but strong and deadly."

Ami was hanging on every single word mom was saying, and then confusingly enough she broke down into tears. Mom, seeing a pre-teen girl break down, of course went straight into mom mode. She rushed forward and wrapped Ami in a hug, rocking her back and forth and whispering consolingly into her ears. After a few minutes Ami seemed to calm down.

"Thank you, so much Lady Tori. I… I really needed that. I know I've been slacking in my training, and I'm so hungry ALL the time. But… I was just so, so worried I'd become a muscular freak or fat slob." Ami said between sniffles.

"I know dear. A lot of young kunoichi have that same fear. But just remember today and know for a fact that those are just nasty rumors started by failed kunoichi who couldn't make it."

Naruto, Genma and I all shared smiles. Finally, SOMEONE got through to her. Even if it was at my immense embarrassment, I'd do it all again if it pays off.

The moment was interrupted once again by a giant plume of smoke and slightly crazed laughter. When the smoke cleared a woman with purple hair pulled into a spiky ponytail, light brown eyes, and a very provocative outfit was standing on top of a 20 foot tall snake. She leered down at the five of us.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this touching?" She said with a crazy glint in her eyes. "I thank you, Lady Tori, for setting the foundation for me. But from here on out, the little fangirl is mine" she almost seemed to hiss at the end.

"EEP! Wh-who are you?!" Ami shouted, the blood draining from her face.

"The name is Anko. Anko Mitarashi. And I will be your personal tutor for the next few months. Get ready for hell, little girl!"

Over the next few months, Ami did a complete 360. She was training like the devil himself (herself, in this case) was on her heels. Her time spent with Anko was really seeming to pay off, as well as the new eating plan my mother drew up for her. She grew a couple inches and seemed to just be filling out in a healthy way. No longer could you see her ribs. No longer were you afraid that you would snap her twig arms during spars.

No, now you had to worry about her going for the sensitive bits and other areas during spars. Anko was teaching her, her own personal hand to hand style, and it was dirty. But I couldn't complain, Ami was now keeping me on my toes in spars. It was a breath of fresh air compared to before. Even if a few of those times I was on the ground trying to catch my breath after a particularly cheap shot.

Over the next few weeks our teamwork drills became more fluid. We were functioning like a well-oiled machine. The three of us were becoming closer each and every day. This. This is what I was expecting when I was placed on a three man cell. It was invigorating.

Captain Genma noticed our remarkable improvement because the next time we went for a mission, we were all treated to a surprise.

"Team Genma reporting for a mission, Lord Hokage." He turned to us and smirked. "I believe my team is ready for their first C-Rank mission."

The three of us exchanged excited glances.

"Oh-ho! You do, do you young Genma?" The aged Hokage asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

Captain nodded.

"Very well then, team 11 you wil-"

Lord Hokage was interrupted by the door bursting open and a small pug with a blue Konoha forehead protector.

"Sorry to interrupt, Lord Hokage, but I bear an urgent message"

Lord Hokage motioned for the pug to continue.

"Team 7 has encountered the missing ninja, The Demon Brothers, and is requesting urgent back-up immediately.

Lord Hokage nodded at the pug. "Very good, Pakkun, Thank you for telling me. I'll send back-up within the hour."

The pug nodded and disappeared in a plume of smoke.

"Change of plans, team 11… I hate to do this, but on such short notice I can't assemble a team quick enough. Your mission is to leave within the hour and provide reinforcement to team 7. Any questions?"

We all shook our heads. "Very good, dismissed!"

Captain Genma turned to us, "Meet at the North Gate in 30 minutes. Grab your 1 month bags. Go!"

We all left the Hokage's tower as fast as possible.

Within 30 minutes we were all at the North Gate as instructed. Captain Genma came and did a quick check of our equipment. After giving us all the go-ahead we were checking out with the gate guards.

10 minutes later, we were taking to the trees, the mission to rescue team 7 had officially begun!

And that's that. Next chapter is the wave chapter, with a twist most people don't do. Because this is my story and I do what I want.

NazgulBelserion – Glad you seemed to enjoy the chapter. I plan on making Kenta an incredibly strong and competent shinobi. However, he won't be ninja jesus, that's Naruto and Sasuke's job. He'll definitely reach a solid A-Rank, borderline S-Rank, but his role is less of a frontline monster and more of that of a true ninja. Stealth, poison, fucking with your mind, etc.

Lunacyvonklaus – In case you didn't pick it up after this chapter, no. Kenta is most certainly not gay. Naruto is his best friend and he recognizes his potential right away with being a sensor. As for Ino, that relationship will be explained down the road. Yes, he DOES hate her. But not like Neji's hatred for Hinata. Kenta's hatred actually makes sense, unlike Neji's.

Edited 3/31/2020 - Added MUCH needed line breaks. Damn Word 365 removed the initial ones!