We regrouped, and as I spotted, Sakura and Naruto tied to posts, I barely managed not to laugh.
Naruto was staring at Sakura like a love-sick puppy, and I could already tell by how annoyed she looked that he had been talking her ear off.
"I've decided I won't send any of you back to the academy," Kakashi sensei began.
We all looked at him, surprised, getting our hopes up when he continued saying, "Instead, all 4 of you are being dropped from the program permanently!"
Sasuke charged at him in anger, but sensei easily retrained him as he asked, "Why do you think you're doing this exercise in teams?"
Hesitantly, Sakura said, "That's... what I've wanted to ask about for a while now."
I paused before saying, "Because a genin can't possibly beat a Jonin, even I barely managed to graze the bell. But 4 genin working together may have a chance."
"Yes. That's right, the answer is teamwork."
"But how are there only two bells and there are 4 of us? If we worked together, two people still wouldn't have a bell!" Sakura replied.
As Kakashi continued explaining things, he finally paused before saying, "I'll give you three, one more chance. You can try again after you eat. But Sasuke, Hinoka, you can't let Sakura or Naruto eat, if you do, you'll be disqualified on the spot."
As Kakashi sensei left, both Sasuke and I sat down next to Sakura and Naruto, eating.
Naruto was practically drooling as he watched me eat. When I turned to him, he looked away, saying, "I'm okay with not eating lunch! I can go days without eating. It's no sweat at all!"
I sighed, glancing at Sasuke, and at the same time, Sasuke and I said "Here," as I offered food to Sakura while he offered to Naruto.
"But you heard what sensei said, if he finds out, he'll fail you two!" Naruto exclaimed, worried.
"It's okay. There's no sign of him now. The four of us are getting the bells together, and I can't have you holding me back." Sasuke said.
I continued saying, "And I guess you could say I kinda feel bad for getting you caught intentionally just to lower Kakashi sensei's guard and buy time to set up more seals."
"You did it on purpose?!" Sakura exclaimed, annoyed.
"Yeah, I did, so you want the food or not? My arm is getting tired."
Her stomach growled as she blushed before mumbling, "... I want it..."
"So do I!" Naruto exclaimed
As Sasuke fed Naruto, I fed Sakura. I glared at her as I said, "Just how much can you eat? Keep this up, and I won't get anything."
"Don't forget you used me as a distraction," Sakura replied.
I froze before handing her more to eat as I mumbled, "You better pass."
Suddenly, Kakashi sensei appeared in front of us. Making me drop my food as he said, "You! You broke the rules! I hope you're ready for the punishment."
He did hand signs, making the weather change as he asked, "Any last words?"
"Where all on this squad and were in this together," Sasuke said.
While I said the first thing that popped into my head. "It was about teamwork, wasn't it. I'd say we showed that right!"
Sakura continued, "That's right, the four of us are one where a team. That's why they gave us their food."
Naruto exclaimed, "Yeah, what they said!"
Kakashi sensei continued saying, "The four of you are one. That's your excuse."
We hesitantly nodded as he smiled, or at least I think he did, as he said, "You pass."
We all looked at him, shocked, confused.
"Why?"
"Up until now, it was always just idiots who would just listen to what I said. And fell into every trap, they did what I told them to, they couldn't think for themselves. A ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, and that's true. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum! From today, your team 7."
I had a grin on my face as Naruto started screaming as he celebrated, Sasuke had a small satisfied small and so did Sakura.
"Tomorrow we'll have our first mission."
I untied Naruto as we started leaving when I heard Sakura screaming my name.
I turned back, remembering she was tied up. I threw a kunai that almost hit her hand as it cut the ropes. She screamed at me about how it almost hit her while I regretted freeing her.
Naruto placed his hand around my shoulder and Sasuke's as he exclaimed, "Where Ninjas now! Were team 7!"
Sakura smiled.
I couldn't help chuckling while Sasuke pushed Naruto off, mumbling, "Idiot."
But I spotted a slight smile on his face.