Chapter 5: Of Teams, Jealousy, and a Question

"…many citizens are found, who, envying the reputation these men have justly earned, seek to be regarded not merely as their equals but as their superiors."~ Niccolò Machiavelli, The Discourses: III, 16

Nuriko was moody as she entered the classroom where they were told to stay in for team placement. Not twenty-four hours ago did she find out that her twin brother was not a drop out like she had thought and spoke but was actually a jounin! She was far too preoccupied with his thoughts that she didn't even notice that she was being called by her friends.

"Nuriko, you look like you didn't get any sleep at all. I know you're excited but looking like a zombie won't impress Sasuke-kun." Ino pointed out teasingly while Sakura giggled.

Nuriko turned to them for a few moments then sighed as she pushed open the door to the classroom and entered.

The first thing she saw was Sasuke, Shino, Shikamaru, and Neji sitting together (like always when the four were together in the school yard). Shikamaru was talking to Neji about something while Sasuke was watching Shino command his bugs to do something. Sasuke looked impressed and told Shino something and the boy nodded back. This made Nuriko wonder if they knew about Naruto and his jounin status or not.

Then for some odd reason, all four stopped talking and turned to look at her. She felt a shiver run down her spine and looked embarrassed when Sasuke and Neji smirked at her.

"Why are they looking at you like that?" asked Sakura who poke Nuriko.

"How should I know?" Nuriko replied and moved to sit down on the table in front of the boys with Sakura and Ino by her side.

The other two girls kept giggling while Nuriko was in deep thought, wondering if she would ask them or not. Eventually, curiousity got the best of her and she turned to see the four looking straight at her.

"You couldn't be any more obvious that you are now, Namikaze." Sasuke taunted her and smirked.

"And as for your unspoken question, the answer is yes. We are his best friends. Did you really think that we didn't know?" Neji told her with a condescending tone that made her blush due to embarrassment.

Sakura and Ino was confused but before either girl could ask, the classroom door opened and came the source of her current mood and frustration: her twin brother.

"Drop out? What are you doing here? And why do you have that jounin vest? Don't tell me you stole that?" Kiba taunted the moment Naruto walked in.

Naruto raised a brow at him and ignored him all together.

"Good morning. Iruka-sempai couldn't be here to read announce your team placements as he is currently aiding the Yondaime Hokage with a matter. And if any of you are wondering where your Mizuki-sensei is, his body is being examined by the medical nins and the T&I for information. He had attempted to steal the Forbidden Scroll last night but was captured and killed by ANBU." Naruto informed them which silenced the whole room.

"Now, for team placements, I will read the listed teams, its members and your jounin sensei. Starting with Team Eleven: Amemori Tenten, Hyuuga Neji, and Rock Lee. Your Jounin sensei will be Maito Gai." Naruto said with a smirk and Neji groaned, slamming his head on the table in front of him.

"Next, Team Ten: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Chouji, the newest Ino-Shika-Cho team. Your Jounin sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma." Naruto continued and Shikamaru groaned as well. He knew it was going to be them but still, a small hope had appeared before when he had topped the exams.

"Team Eight: Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino. Your Jounin sensei is Yuhi Kurenai." Naruto said as he saw Shino and his bugs come out from his coat. His friend was not pleased at all.

"Genin Aburame, control your bugs. If you wish to file a complaint, do so at the Tower." Naruto told him and Shino nodded.

Kiba raised a brow when Naruto addressed Shino as Genin.

"Hey Drop Out, why did you addressed Shino as 'Genin Aburame'? You sound like you have authority drop out." Kiba's huge mouth was going to get him into trouble.

"Besides, you can't possibly be any better than me or your sister. We graduated while you stopped." Kiba went on and didn't see the smirk that was on the faces of Naruto's face. But Nuriko saw it and she was worried that her brother would punish Kiba for running his mouth off.

"Kiba, shut up before your say too much." Nuriko said which made the room look at her, including an amused Naruto.

"What's drop out going to do? He can't harm me. I'm a Genin now." Kiba said confidently which made Nuriko groaned.

"Genin Inuzuka, you better do as you are being warned by Genin Namikaze. Or you might just find yourself inside the T&I interrogation and torture chamber." Naruto warned him coldly which made Akamaru run to Naruto and whined for his master's stupidity.

Naruto looked down at Akamaru and scooped him up.

"I have warned him already, Akamaru. If he mouths off once more, I have to pull rank and have him disciplined to make sure he learns." Naruto told Akamaru who barked and turned to growl at Kiba.

"Shut the fuck up before you get yourself killed! I won't even fight for you if you keep on mouthing off to him!" Akamaru barked at Kiba who looked confused and a but angry that his own companion was betraying him.

"What the hell Akamaru! Why are you worried? As if Drop Out can do anything to me." Kiba open his trap once more and missed the groan from Nuriko and the smirks from Naruto's friends.

Three hands seals and Kiba was bound instantly where he sat. His eyes widen in horror as he found himself unable to move.

"I told you to shut the fuck up, didn't I?!" Akamaru barked worriedly as he watched Kiba struggle to free himself.

Nuriko was now sure that Naruto would not let Kiba's insubordination pass by as he had already been warned to stop.

"Dog breath! Apologize to him before he takes you to the T&I!" Nuriko yelled as Kiba's head turned to look at her.

"Just do it!... Please!" Nuriko begged, knowing that if Naruto could have broken their parents, Kiba would not last five minutes under him.

"Why the fuck would I do that?!" Kiba yelled back angrily. He didn't why Nuriko and Akamaru were acting weird but he didn't like it at all.

"Goddammit Inuzuka! If you don't want to be permanently—" Nuriko's rant was cut off when the door opened to reveal Sarutobi Asuma.

"Oh Jounin Namikaze, your still here? Are the team placement done yet or was I a bit too early?" Asuma asked with an embarrassed look.

"Asuma-sempai, I was about to read the last team when Genin Inuzuka kept interrupting me which then escalated to him questioning and insulting my person. I had bound him and was about to proceed when Genin Namikaze and Akamaru begged for Genin Inuzuka's release. Then you came in." Naruto told him which made the older jounin turn to look narrow his eyes at the bound boy who's eyes widen in shock.

To Kiba, he was wondering if he had heard wrong. Did the man really addressed Naruto as 'Jounin'? Was that why Akamaru and Nuriko were worried? But before he could speak up, the man was pushed into the room by a female with black hair and red eyes.

"Good morning, Kurenai-sempai. Here to fetch your team?" Naruto inquired and the woman smiled at him, nodding her answering.

"Team placement is nearly over. I just have to read the last team and you may take your team then. However, I must stress it out that one of your genin will have to be punished for questioning and insulting my person. I had to pull rank as it would have smeared my reputation if I let it passed." Naruto told her.

"And who is this genin that had done such, Jounin Namikaze?" Kurenai asked coldly as she turned to look at the children before narrowing her eyes on the bound Inuzuka.

"It was that Inuzuka brat that we were told about, Kurenai. He mouthed off and got bound." Asuma pointed out the boy as he moved to stand behind Naruto whose eyes were dancing with amusement.

Kurenai sighed, they weren't officially a team yet and her genin was already going to be punished.

"Jounin Namikaze, will you allow me to punish him myself. I swear that he will not repeat his actions afterwards." She said which made Kiba's wide eyes widen just a bit more.

"See?! Now you're in trouble! Wait til we get home and your mom finds out." Akamaru said as he sat down and dropped his head.

"Very well then Kurenai-sempai. I trust that your genin will not commit the same mistake again… for I will not be as lenient as I am now." He told her which made Kiba shiver in fright.

"Thank your gods and deities, Genin Inuzuka. Had your jounin not stepped up for you, I would have dealt your punishment myself." Naruto said as he turned back to face the rest of the class.

"And lastly, Team Seven…" Naruto smirk which made the rest of his friends wonder.

"Haruno Sakura, Namikaze Nuriko… and Uchiha Sasuke. Your jounin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi." Naruto said and turned to look at his friend who looked like he was ready to fall over and kill someone.

"WHAT?!" Sasuke yelled while the pink haired girl cheered.

"Did you hear that Nuriko? We're on the same team as Sasuke-kun!" she said, shaking Nuriko.

"Goddammit! Why couldn't I have the better twin?! Jounin Namikaze, where do I file for a change of team?" Sasuke said, addressing his friend formally as they were in the presence of two other jounins and at the moment, Naruto was on duty.

"You may file for it at the Tower's Placement Office, Genin Uchiha." Naruto asked with amusement lacing his voice.

"Filing for Team Replacement will be seventy-two hours after your Jounins submit their team list at the Tower. For those whose jounins are not present yet, wait here until they arrive. Have a good day." Naruto said and walked to leave the room, closing the door and breaking the hold on Kiba who fell on the floor instantly.

"Goddammit dog breath! You really ought to thank Kami that your jounin sensei saved you! Had she not done that, my twin brother would have broken you under five minutes! His a goddamn jounin and a member of the Torture and Interrogation Department. Next time Akamaru warns you off, you ought to listen. Just pray that Naruto doesn't report this to the Hokage or legal actions will still be taken even if your jounin sensei punishes you." Nuriko told him and Kiba turned white as a ghost.

Sasuke was still annoyed, as well as Shikamaru and Neji.

Shino had stood up to walked over to his jounin sensei but turned to look at his friend once more.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. If Inuzuka doesn't live at the end of the week, you will probably be placed in our team to cover the lost." Shino said as he faced his sensei and bowed.

Hinata had stood up and stood next to Shino and bowed as well. Akamaru whined at Hinata's feet and she scooped the puppy into his arms as the little dog knew that Kiba will be punished by the lady for sure.

"Follow me." Was all Kurenai said as she grabbed Kiba's jacket and opening the door to leave the classroom.

"Well, Team Ten, please follow me as well. And let this be a lesson to you three. Know who are higher in rank that yourselves and you'll live to see the next morning." Asuma told them.

Ino and Chouji nodded while Shikamaru yawned. Asuma turned to look at the Nara, assessing him with one look.

"Naruto has great expectations of you, Shikamaru-kun. That goes for the two of you as well, Uchiha-kun, Hyuuga-kun, as well as the Aburame heir." Asuma said as he trned to the other two who were there, and left the room with his genins following him out.

Sakura turned to Nuriko for confirmation which irritated Nuriko that very moment.

"Yes Sakura, Naruto is a jounin! For being said as the smartest kunoichi of our batch, you're awfully slow on the uptake. Yes, Naruto wasn't a drop out. He had been jounin since he was seven and had gone to do S-rank missions while we were stuck here learning History and how to throw kunai at trees! Anything else you want to know about?" Nuriko spoke angrily at her friend who shrunk in her seat.

"When did you find out that your twin was a jounin, Namikaze?" Neji asked the girl who turned to face him and Sasuke.

"Last night when he broke our parents and made them cry for hours! And I don't even need to ask when you guys knew. I'm sure you've known from the start and kept it a secret." Nuriko said as she narrowed her eyes on them.

"Of course we knew from the start. It was always amusing when you kept saying that Naruto was a drop out when he was already a jounin while you were the exact opposite… dead last." Sasuke sneered at her.

"Naruto shattered the Yondaime? I thought he would never do that… must have been triggered by something." Neji told Sasuke who nodded.

The passiveness angered Nuriko.

"And you think that what he did was alright?! Is that what you're saying?!" Nuriko yelled at them but they just glared her down.

"And you think being ignored and forgotten is alright as well? Even til now, we still don't get why you were favored when you barely managed to pass why Naruto obvious was the far better twin: smarter, talented, skilled, patient, and patient. His observant nature sometimes annoys me even but his just that good while you… well, you're you." Sasuke pointed out why Naruto was better than her and it was a verbal slap to her.

"Naruto ought to be ashamed of you instead. His older twin sister's a dead last and has zero talent and skills." Neji added salt to the proverbial wound that Nuriko was already nursing.

She sat quietly and ignored the rest of the room. Nuriko didn't notice when the Hyuuga had left with his team. She didn't even notice that two hours had passed before her jounin sensei came.

Hatake Kakashi entered the room and stared at them for a few moments before saying:

"My first impression of you is… you're boring. Meet me in the rooftop in five minutes."

The man vanished and was followed by Sasuke who had shushined away as well. When did he learn it? Did Naruto teach him?

Nuriko stood up and left the classroom with Sakura behind her. She had yet to speak with her friend after her outburst. And at the moment, Nuriko just didn't have the energy to do so.

Upon reaching the rooftop, both girls saw Sasuke and their jounin taking before turning to look at them.

"Alright, let's introduce ourselves shall we… State your name, age, likes, dislike, and dream." Kakashi said and turned to Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke, eleven, I like sparring and learning new things from Naruto. I dislike fangirls and stalkers. And my dream would be to make my brother proud and live up to and surpass Itachi-nii and Naruto's expectations." Sasuke said confidently and Kakashi nodded.

"You're turn Pinky."

"I uhm… I'm Haruno Sakura, eleven… I like my friends Nuriko and Ino, clothes, and…" she glanced at Sasuke before giggling.

"I dislike Kiba because he's a loud mouth. And my dream is uhm…" she glanced at Sasuke again and giggled, making Kakashi raise a brow while Sasuke had not paid attention to whatever the girl was saying.

"Last up, broody-chan."

"Namikaze Nuriko, ten, nearly eleven. I like my friends and my fam—parents. I dislike a certain someone and my dream is to beat that someone." Nuriko said and Sasuke sneered.

"You can never beat Naruto even if you lived a hundred lives, dead last." Sasuke told her which made her angry but was stopped by their one eyed jounin.

"Alright, be at training ground seven at six am sharp. I suggest you don't eat breakfast or you might throw up. Dismissed." Kakashi said and shushined.

Sasuke did the same almost instantly, leaving the girls alone.

"Do you really hate your brother that much, Nuriko?" Sakura asked carefully.

"Naruto made mommy and daddy cry for hours Sakura-chan. You should have seen mommy when Naruto tried to move out. Daddy had to pull rank to make him stay." Nuriko tried to justify her hatred.

Sakura thought for a few moments before standing up.

"I know you won't like what I'm about to say and I'm not siding with your brother… but what would you have turned out if you were in his shoes and you were the one ignored your whole life?" Sakura left the Namikaze female twin to ponder.

Indeed… what would Nuriko have become if she was Naruto?