Start-O!

"Now, onto the house of your last student", Minato proclaims.

"Guh", Shikaku pinches between his brows. "On a scale of one to ten, how glad would Tsunade-sama be to seeing us?"

"... eh, maybe a seven?"

"... high hopes, huh."

When the pair reached the door of the Senju's, Shizune was the one who answered the door.

"Hokage-sama, Shikaku-sama, we've been waiting. Please, come in, I will bring you some ... tea?" Shizune said as she led them in.

""Water please"", both men answered at the same time.

They looked at each other, eyes gleaming with understanding.

Too much tea for today.

"Oh, you're here!" Tsunade yelled from the couch in the living room.

Both of them sat down on the couch opposite her, and they all stared at one another till Shizune came back with glasses of water.

"So ...", Minato started. "I guess we have no need for introductions?"

*slam*

A bottle of sake made a resounding thud on the table.

"Huh? Why not?" Tsunade slurred, "I - the Slug Princess Tsunade, am the mother of the cutest and most beautiful Kanako. And you -!" She stabs her finger at Shikaku. "Better work your lazy Nara ass to teach her properly!" She redirects her stabbing finger at Minato. "And give her team better missions." Tsunade then took back the offending finger and crosses her arms, with a 'you-hear-me?' face.

*glup*

''Sake at noon?!''

They side-stared at Shizune, who is now wryly scratching her cheek and shrugging.

'Not my fault that Tsunade-sama's and our precious Kanako-hime will be going off for real missions and ninja duties this time', Shizune thought.

And the three of them sighed.

•

*snore*

*zzz*

"Ungyah!" I awoke with an unintelligible sound, and propped my face back up from the desk.

Geh. I feel asleep. How much time has passed ...?

I looked around, to see a few kids hanging about, plus a Nara or two exploring dreamland as well. I tilted my head up to see the classroom clock.

About an hour and a half has passed.

I guess the jonins will come collect us lost cubs soon.

After a while, the remaining new genins trickled in, and the waiting game started.

Sooner than we think, the door slid open.

"Team 3! Follow me."

"Team 5, over here!"

"Team 12, come."

After an influx of jonins, the door area calmed down. Leaving about eight ... nine? Nine of us left.

Two more teams, and mine, I guess.

Five minutes later, the other team, team 6, left. Followed by team 9.

Now, in this big classroom, is me, the Uchiha, and the Hyuga.

Urk. The silence!

*sluu-thuk*

I heard the door slide open again. Finally!

I turned to where the noise came from, only to see ... Nara Shikaku?

...?

I mean, to find someone to teach a Uchiha, Hyuga, and a Senju, Nara Shikaku fits the bill and is very qualified.

But wasn't he the jonin commander by now?

...

Eh?

Don't tell me ... since Hatake Sakumo is still very much alive, he still hold's the post and have yet to resign?

Makes sense, since he is on par with the sanin, if not better. He's probably about forty plus, nearing fifty though?

... meh.

"Team 7, follow me."

He walked off, and we all scrambled to catch up.

•

A few minutes later, we reached the peripheral of the Nara forest, somewhere near the famed memorial stone.

Shikaku then stopped and leaned against a tree, while motioning us to take a sit.

After we settled in front of him, he started speaking.

"My name is Nara Shikaku, and from today onwards, I'll be the jonin in charge of the team of you three. I find most things bothersome, and I prefer not to babysit you kids, if I have a choice. I want to retire earlier if I could. I honestly would choose to sleep or even play shogi. Yosh." He claps, "Now your turn to introduce yourself like I did. Hyuga, you first."

"Hai! My name is Hyuga Ko, from the main branch of the Hyuga clan. I aspire to study various forms of taijutsu, and successfully strengthen the gentle fist. I will further myself so as to best assist and protect the heir of my clan in the near future. And ... in my spare time, I would tend the tea gardens in my home."

"Okay, next." He points to Uchiha Naori.

"... My name is Uchiha Naori. I am proficient, but still perfecting my kenjutsu skills, and I aim save up from future missions to purchase a my own custom-made chakra conductive kodachi. I carry the name of my grandmother, so I will do my namesake proud. I have a fair liking for sweets, hence I enjoy learning new recipes."

"Alright, now you, hime." He then points to me.

Guh. Stop with the 'hime' already! They are now giving me weird looks.

"Um-hmm! My name is Senju Kanako. I am a fully trained medical-nin, though I have yet to get a certification from the hospital, which I will do so within the week. My current goal is to explore Konoha for new shops, as I've been away for six years. In the long term, I would like to train in the sword arts as well. I like cooking, and have a penchant for onsens."

"Great. Now ..." Shikaku paused.

'Do I really, really have to conduct a teamwork test? I mean, seriously? A Hyuga with a Uchiha ... Hime-chan is still okay, but six years may change her skills and ways that were taught to her before ... sigh. How troublesome', Shikaku thought.

"Before I am officially your sensei, you guys have to be able to complete a test. In the middle of the Nara forest, is a grove of apple trees. Now, I know the Nara forest is prohibited for outsiders, but as the clan head, I allow you in for today. Your mission is to each retrieve an apple, and meet me back here."

...

""An apple?"" Ko and Naori both sounded.

An apple? Jeesh.

"Right, an apple. There are of course a few rules to note of. Firstly, be discrete. As you're aware, there are Nara deer's keeping watch over the forest, and we Nara's keep watch over them. Try not to let the deer's notice you. That, however, isn't the ultimatum. If any deer were to spot you, you are by no means allowed to harm them. Physically, or mentally. Meaning, no genjutsu. You are allowed to attempt running away from them though. Secondly, once you pluck an apple, outrun them. They will chase you, and try to take that apple away. If you loose that apple, or it has a part bitten off by the deer, go retrieve another."

"Uh ..." I raised my hand. "Are bruises and bumps of the apple due to natural or accidental self-inflicted means acceptable?"

"Eh ... yeah, that's fine."

I nod.

"Oh, and just to add. The herd of deer's reside mainly in the center, where the apples are. And as a Nara, we have to keep inventory of how many deer's we have, yearly. Last I checked ... I think I lost count at about five to six hundred. Have fun!"

And then he waved us off.