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Chapter Text

When Kakashi went to get his new genin team, he was floored. He had read their reports, had observed them from afar, had seen how they reacted to each other.

So he knew how they would act, Sakura was the happy go lucky, and loud, fangirl of Sasuke, who would follow him everywhere searching for scraps of approval, and affection, and she hated Naruto, she hit him whenever she could screeching at his 'stupidity', before she would ignore him for the rest of the day.

 So why was she leaning against him, laughing at some comment he mumbled under his breath, while her feet rested on top of Sasuke who was smiling at the situation.

Why did she quiet down when Naruto piped up, making sure she never cut him off when he joined in, and when she looked at him, it was never with annoyance or anger, it was always like she was looking at someone she loved deeply, but not romantically, a younger brother more like, yet when she looked at Sasuke, it wasn't that fangirl obsessive look she always had, but the look one would give when an old friend they hadn't seen in years had suddenly returned.

He knew Sasuke, the survivor of the Uchiha massacre bent on a downward spiral into hate and revenge, he'd seen the signs of revenge consuming the young Uchiha, so why was the stoic and silent Uchiha who never once tried to make friends, or ask for help, laughing with Sakura at something Naruto said, of all people, and reaching out with blank scraps of paper.

" Dobe, I need some paper tags, can you make flash, shock or freeze?" He asked Naruto, Naruto! And his eyes, the Uchiha's black eyes were cold and calculated, glazed with ice of a heart long broken, always looking for the next way to get stronger, but these onyx eyes were like burning ember, strong and warm, but instead of searching for strength to defeat they looked for Naruto, always Naruto first, then Sakura, almost as if he was afraid the bright blonde would disappear.

(And asking Naruto for custom tags? Did the Uchiha finally lose it? Naruto couldn't do anything like that, but he could. Kakashi's visible eye momentarily widen as he watched Naruto skillfully write words and designs down on the paper, and Kakashi nearly cried, as a realization hit him, Freeze Tags didn't exist, that must mean Naruto had to have created them.)

And finally, Naruto, his sensei's son, the bright blonde that could make him, a battle-hardened shinobi still mourning for the past, smile.

The blonde was loud, naive, oblivious, and not all that bright, or at least that's what his file had said, but this blonde boy?

No way was this the same Naruto Uzumaki from just a few days ago, the Naruto he had seen, had watched, would've never sensed him, turned to face him just out the window, smirked mischievously, and turn back to his teammates and think up a plan, he would've never created over 30 custom tags and distributed them evenly, wouldn't have playfully called Sasuke-Teme, without getting angry, he wouldn't have created a plan that not only allowed him to work with his teammates (He knew all their strengths and weaknesses by heart, just who was Naruto Uzumaki?) but one that didn't put him in front, though the Naruto he knew would suggest pulling a prank.

 (From the wince and horrified faces of Sasuke and Sakura, he didn't want to know what a level 7 prank did.) 

This kid far exceeded his expectations, though, even if the kid was oblivious and naive, or at least that's what he gathered from his team's conversation, other than that, the files he had didn't match his students at all.

He was so not looking forward to this, he decided as he entered the classroom, feeling the familiar pat of a chalkboard eraser fall onto his head, creating a small puff of dust.

" Hehe, you might want to take a shower sensei, that powder can be really bad if left on too long~" Kakashi couldn't tell is Naruto's remark was a playful threat or just a remark to make him worry, though judging from Sasuke's smirk, and Sakura's sweet smile ( It was so fake and sweet it made his teeth hurt.) he figured it wasn't the latter.

" I think I can manage... My opinion of you is... Interesting." He said, noting the small smiles that formed on their faces, though their eyes held something sinister, no that wasn't right, it was mischief he saw in their eyes," Meet me on the roof."

He stayed nearby to see their reactions and again they surprised him," Oh my, my sensei~ Leaving your genin all alone, and then watching them from a tree outside, how creepy~" Sakura said when Naruto lightly elbowed her and tilted his head towards the window.

" Sakura-Chan! We don't want to scare him off, also no Baa-Chan punches, or Baa-Chan's other abilities, we need to keep a few things about us secret." Naruto said, as if scolding the pink haired team member.

" Then no Toad, or Ras." Sasuke said shooting Naruto a look that practically screamed," Don't do anything stupid" Though it wasn't as hostile as the other looks of same nature he would throw at him just days prior.

" You to Teme." It seems that Naruto got the message, and when Sasuke smirked and turned to get up and leave, he knew that Sasuke's message was received.

" Come on you two! We need to torment our sensei!" Sakura said, Kakashi was hoping she would be yelling, but her voice was light and playful, as she grabbed Naruto's wrist and then Sasuke's bicep.

" We need to come up with a plan for training." Sasuke said suddenly, Kakashi's interest piqued.

(Did they think he wasn't going to train them? It was only the first day, being two hours late and letting his student pull a stupid prank didn't show he was that incompetent, right? Right?)

" Well Kurama," Naruto paused before grinning mischievously," Kurama-Nii," (Kakashi would have to ask who the hell was Kurama later on, if it was a potential threat, he'd or she'd needed to be taken care of.)," said that our chakra, stamina, and basically everything but our physical bodies are the same so all we need to do is just train a little, we can do it in the Uchiha compound, the guarding seals there can stop any chakra we throw around so no one will stop us."

Sasuke nodded, and Kakashi almost popped back in when he realized they weren't even half way down the hall, they were going slow on purpose.

" We need to get the others too," Naruto snickered, and Sasuke smirked, while Sakura gave them an embarrassed glare," We have to work with them in case we ever get split up! We're a good tag team but with the others, we can still fail." She hotly defended, glaring at her two teammates.

" You sure it isn't an excuse to see your favorite, what was it you called them? Daffodil?"," Lily?","Marigold~?" Sakura loudly huffed and bolted up the stairs, Naruto laughing loudly after her, calling out flower names as he did so, Sasuke just chuckled and followed at a slower pace.

(Kakashi suspected there was some inside joke he was missing, but again he couldn't find the time that his soon to be team would have come up with them. Just yesterday they utterly loathed each other, or had that been an act?)

Really they weren't like their files at all," I think we confused Sensei, whoops~." Came Naruto's happy and mischievous statement," We should torture him when we have the chance."

" Thinking what I'm thinking?" Sakura asked sweetly.

" Level 8 with orange?" Sasuke asked monotone.

"Yep." Naruto responded with a smile.

It was official these kids will be the death of me, Kakashi thought as the three finally reached the roof, sitting close to each other, so close they were practically on each other," Can we do introductions Sensei?" Sakura's voice was sweet and light, if anyone had heard it they'd think she was being sincere, but amusement was evident in her eyes, and judging from the conversation earlier, it was anything but innocent.

" Yes we-,"," Why don't you give us an example sensei?" It was Naruto that called out this time, he was leaning on Sasuke, while one leg was lazily draped over Sakura, they seem to want to keep him in the middle at all times, like an anchor. Kakashi mentally filed it away.

" My name is Kakashi Hatake, I have no desire to tell you my likes, and dislikes. My dreams...Hm... And I have lots of hobbies." He eye-smiled at the three genins, hoping that their amused looks were from what they're going to say," Pinky your first."

" My name is Sakura Haruno, my likes are training, my soon-to-be teammates," She said it like a joke, Kakashi noted," Medical Jutsu's, and breaking anyone who hurts my friends to bits."

 (Kakashi did not shudder, absolutely not. Maybe... Just a little.),

" My dislikes are anyone who thinks just because I'm a girl means I'm weak, people who plan to hurt Naruto, the goddamn eye-menace of you know who, and weeds."

 (It was official, Kakashi was scared of his little Kunoichi.)

" My dream is to become the best, and the strongest medic-nin, and aid Naruto in becoming Hokage. My hobbies are training, learning new Jutsus, hanging out with 'Marigold'," 

( Seriously, Kakashi thought, who was Marigold, and why did Sakura blush when she state this?) 

" And bench-pressing people." Kakashi nearly blanched, Sakura was 12, 12! She shouldn't be able to bench press anything with the marks Kakashi read," Blo-"

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, my likes are my precious people, Ramen, but I guess other food is okay too and protecting those I love. My dislikes are people who hurt others for no reason, the three minutes it takes to cook ramen, and paperwork. My dreams are to become Hokage and protect Konoha and any allies I'll make in the future and to protect my precious ones. My hobbies are training, learning new Jutsus, pranking people, causing mass confusion, and annoying a certain Kurama-Nii."

 (Again Naruto said Kurama-Nii, but he keeps saying it as if mocking the person, Kakashi thought, eyeing his sensei's son with confusion.)

 "Brood-"

" My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I don't have many likes, a cute Sunflower,"

( Naruto was blushing madly, and muttering things along the line of 'Stupid Bellflower', Kakashi noted with slight horror and amusement.) 

"And an annoying Peony are two of them, and my dislikes are many, though snakes and a certain orange masked menace are the top two. My dream is to kill a certain man," 

(Itach-)

" before he can get Naruto,"

 ( Kakashi was thoroughly confused now.) 

" And aid Naruto as an ANBU captain when he is Hokage."

 ('Naruto was similar to his files, while Sasuke and Sakura did an 180, seriously, what happened?' Kakashi thought.)

 "I don't have many hobbies." The three grinning, smirking in Sasuke's case, genin's stared at Kakashi, waiting, assessing.

" I see." He said after a moment, eye flickering from one student to another," Meet me here at training ground three at seven am." Three vicious grins were all he received, as the kids Shushin-ed away, and Kakashi quietly collapsed onto the bench below him, Shushin was not a technique that the academy taught, and if he knew his soon to be team, which he didn't apparently, those grins meant chaos.

Naruto was laughing, Sakura was grinning, and Sasuke had a smirk so sharp it cut into everyone's eyes, well at least into those who had never seen the three so close, but for the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, it was a welcome sight.

" SAKURA!" A shrill female yelled as a pale blonde haired girl collided into the embodiment of all that is pink and badass.

" INO!" Sakura returned in same, letting her slightly taller girlfriend wrap herself around her, after years of training, though they no longer happened, she easily steadied herself, standing strong like a pillar.

" I see you three are still the same as ever." Shikamaru drawled out, a smirk evident on his face.

" Wouldn't be the same if we weren't. How'd you know we were the same?" Naruto's not serious when he asks this, he knows how different they were when they were really twelve, and judging from the humor in Shikamaru's eyes, he realized Naruto was joking.

" So, sir, we need to come up with a plan, if we six have our memories, then it's safe to assume that your other six bodyguards have regained theirs as well." Shikamaru mumbled barely audible, though he knew Naruto had heard him, he did have enhanced senses after all.

" Yeah, well we can't do much, we're only twelve but I can get word out to the other Jinchuuriki and warn them if they don't already remember, Kurama said his siblings remember so they can tell their hosts, but other than us twelve and maybe the other eight, we're operating alone here." Naruto answered with a hum.

Shikamaru nodded at the information, absorbing it like a sponge before he quietly cursed," We'll find the others, the other eight not included, and we'll plan from there."

Naruto flung an arm onto Shikamaru, guiding the group to Ichiraku, even from a small distance they could all see six familiar  pairs of feet sitting at the stand.

" So, we gonna come up with a plan?" Kiba calls out, obviously having heard them.

" We'll discuss that at our place- Er, the Uchiha complex." Naruto quickly corrected himself, he didn't live with Sasuke yet.

" Naruto-Sama!" Neji started before Naruto shot him a look," Ah, sorry, clan formality." Neji lied, knowing Teuchi and Ayame were most likely listening in since they cared about anything with Naruto.

" It's fine, we rookie nine are training over at Sasuke's would you guys like to come?" Naruto offered, eyeing the kitchen were both adults were.

" You could probably help us with the test our jounin sensei are going to throw at us." Sakura added, since they had to be genin all over again, they were going to have to have alibis as well.

" Yeah, and I can teach you guys about new weapons and traps." Tenten said sweetly, eyeing the six in front of her with a wicked smile.

" And I will teach you the power of youth!" Lee exclaimed, quickly posing with his loud exclamation receiving half-hearted groans, though mostly everyone was relieved. 

It had been seven years into the war when Gai-sensei died, crushing Lee who had seen him as a father figure, it hurt Lee so much he went into a depression, and luckily after seeing Gai-sensei alive and well, he was broken out of it with a promise he wouldn't let his beloved sensei die this time.

" After we eat some Ichiraku ramen!" Naruto stated loudly, it had been about three years since Ichiraku shut down, couldn't really have a running ramen stand when both cooks were dead.

" Ah, there's my favorite customer." Teuchi called out, appearing from the  kitchen.

" Since you're all genin now, one bowl is on the house." Teuchi stated happily, receiving happy cheers, and mumbled thanks.

" So what should we work on first?" Chouji asked, a noodle haphazardly hanging out of his mouth.

" Stamina." Shikamaru answered, taking a bowl of ramen that was offered to him as he leaned onto the stands wall.

" Hope some of you don't mind standing, we only have six seats." Ayame said, embarrassment evident in her voice.

" It's fine, but.." Shino started standing, allowing Sakura to take his seat," Ladies first." Kiba followed in suit, allowing Ino to take his.

" What gentlemen." Ino teased, handing a bowl of ramen to Shino who happily took it.

" Miso?" Teuchi asked Naruto who eagerly nodded his head.

" Yep! Your ramen is the best!" He happily cheered, making a bright and happy aura fill the stand, Naruto had always been like that, and the others were glad, none of them would have been able to make it mentally without the brightness, and unyielding love he gave them.

" Dobe." Sasuke said fondly looking down into his bowl of ramen, staring at his reflection with mixed emotions. 

On one part he hated himself for abandoning his friends, his village, his Naruto, for not being able to see under the underneath, for letting anger and arrogance overpower him, but on the other hand, he was proud of himself, he grew strong, far more powerful than his brother, he perfected his Kekkei Genkai, redeemed himself, became a father to four beautiful children, and a husband to the kindest and most loving person Sasuke had ever known.

He still wondered why Naruto loved him, he did so many horrible things, but Naruto smiled and told him," But you're still good, you're trying so hard to help, to make up for what you did. That proves you're still good." 

Sasuke shook his head, a smile still on his face, watching Kiba's and Naruto's animated conversation," We should work on Stamina and our chakra reserves." Sasuke piped up, drawing the attention of the others who nodded.

" Yeah, we have a lot to work on, unless.." Shikamaru glanced at Naruto, asking a silent question," Kurama said that we still have all our skills, just a little exercise should bring them up to date." Naruto answered in between mouthfuls of ramen.

" So an all out brawl should bring us up to date." Sakura said sweetly, an evil grin on her face," You're gonna kill us all if we did that, but that would be the smartest idea to get our skills up." Shikamaru agreed, scowling at Sakura's grinning face.

" I won't kill Naruto but you guys..." Sakura faked a contemplating face," Yeah, yeah, we know." Kiba said, sticking his tongue out at Sakura, who mimicked his face.

 Shikamaru rolled his eyes is exasperation, they were in their 30's, though they were 12 now, that didn't give them the reason to act like children," Another bowl!" Naruto happily cheered, placing his empty one onto the stands counter, and Shikamaru shook his head with a smile, maybe acting like a kid would help with what they all went through.

"Really? 15 bowls?" Shikamaru asked half-heartedly glaring at his blonde Hokage.

" I need all the energy I can get, I'm not going to let anyone die this time." Naruto said suddenly serious, as they passed the gates into the Uchiha compound," I want all of you in top shape, as well as none of you to request C-ranked missions until June 15th." He ordered, determination and reassurance evident in his eyes and voice, the others nodded, not even asking questions," Sakura, Ino, Hinata, you three get poison and antidote ingredients, get your medic skills back to where they were before." 

The girls nodded," Tenten, Sasuke, get your weapon proficiency back to where it was, and Sasuke re-master your Sharingan and the Rinnegan." 

Tenten nodded vigorously, while Sasuke nodded once," Chouji, Shino, re-master your Jutsu's you made." 

Chouji and Shino shared a look and quickly dispersed," Kiba, despite Akamaru being his younger self, get your fang over fang back to army destruction worthy, as well as your heightened senses to where they were as well." 

Kiba gave Naruto a smirk and Akamaru barked an affirmation," Neji, Lee, Hinata, your Taijutsu, and gentle fist, need to be as powerful as it was before."  

The three nodded, before Naruto turned to Shikamaru," You know what to do?"

" Yes, sir." Shikamaru answered, dispersing off as the others did too,  when Naruto was serious, you did as he said, even though he wouldn't hurt his comrades, a disappointed look from Naruto hurt more than an actual attack.

Chapter Text

When all of Konoha 11 finally made their way back to the Uchiha compound, they were aware they were being followed, it only took a few seconds to realize who were following them.

"Kakashi-Sensei has been following us since we left the apothecary." Sakura murmured, setting her overstuffed bag near a sitting Ino.

" I know, I already set up seals to silence our conversation." Naruto mumbled back as he sat cross-legged in between Sakura and Sasuke, the others quickly following in suit until all of them were neatly in a circle.

Kiba spared a glance towards a hidden Kurenai that sat a few meters away, trees and bushes obscuring her from view, before he glanced at Naruto," Kurenai-Sensei started following me after I caught up with Shino and Chouji, I think we should try to act like our past selves a little." The scruffy brown haired male said as Akamaru burrowed out of his jacket.

" It's an old technique but there's a Yamanaka Jutsu that allows you to remember old memories on command." Ino said, nodding towards Shikamaru who was deep in thought.

" We'll need to learn that Jutsu then, and we'll need to make up alibis and excuses for some of our techniques." The Nara told everyone, while Naruto smirked," Easy." He paused, glancing around the circle, a large grin on his face.

"Hinata already knows some medical Jutsu so her saying she wants to better what she already has is an easy stretch, for Ino and Sakura, Sakura could say she read about a woman named Tsunade and wanted to be like her, so she practiced what the books said privately since she didn't want people to know that she had that ace up her sleeve, at least until she used it an 'actual combat'-"

" Kakashi-sensei." Sakura said happily before an even larger smile made it's way onto her face," You mean I'm allowed to go all out?"," Not fully, but enough to make your private training lie realistic." Shikamaru answered her as Naruto nodded in her direction.

"As for Ino, say you read up on torture and interrogation information since you know you'll take over for your father, only this time it will be from your pops retiring."

Ino shot Naruto a grateful smile, though her eyes were hard as steel, years of being head of T&I flashing through her mind.

" And since medicinal treatment would be useful in interrogating, you decided to learn it privately since your father would never let you, if he ever found out. Maybe even say you noticed Sakura acting a little different and decided she'd be the first person you interrogated, and found out she's learning medical Jutsu's too, and you two secretly decided to work together. That would explain why you two would suddenly be close again."

Ino and Sakura met eyes, and quickly fell into a fit of giggles," And!" Sakura added," The supposed private training will allow us to say that after reconciling, we kinda lost interest in Sasuke since training was more fun, so we decided once we became full ninja's that we'd show Konoha what we had actually been doing." The pinkette grinned again wiggling her eyebrows at her blonde girlfriend, who burst out laughing at the action.

"You mean who you actually been doing." Kiba called out, causing Ino to make a noise that was a mix of a yell, an embarrassed squeak, and a shocked gasp," Kiba!" Sakura and Ino yelled at the same time, only with different emotions.

"For Hinata and Neji," Shikamaru started, eyeing the two Hyuuga's," Let's say Neji overheard a conversation Hinata was having with Kiba, about something Naruto said, something about family, and you had interjected." He motioned to Neji," Which started a long conversation on family with you two until Neji decided to go to the source and confront Naruto," Neji made a quick nod, and forced himself to stand," I'll pretend to explain something, since we are being watched." Neji offered, before glancing at Ino," We should do the Memory Jutsu before it gets too late."

Ino found a smirk on her face as she showed the signs, those near her saw it, while Neji mirrored her for the others, his body hiding the actions from the prying eyes of their sensei's," Now we will all need to look like we're meditating. Gai-Sensei will assume I am teaching you to clear your mind." Neji said, already returning to his spot in between Hinata and Tenten.

" When we finish 'meditating' what type of brawl should we do?" Kiba asked, one eye shut, the other eye watching Shikamaru, who hummed in thought," We'd need a motivation to make us go all out." Shikamaru said loudly, waiting for the others to throw ideas around, though none seemed to catch the tacticians attention.

" Who's Naruto's best bodyguard?" Sasuke suddenly interjected, causing everyone to freeze slightly, while a smug smirk found its way onto Naruto's face.

" You... Are so on."

The Sensei's watched in worry and surprise when the whole group stood, 30 minutes after they started to meditate, and before they knew it the whole dome they were in filled with sand, dust, and dirt, obscuring the 12 from view.

The adults were definitely not worried about what their students could do.

(Maybe just a little bit, Hinata had been wearing a face that made Kurenai shudder.)

When the next day rolled around, Kakashi really hoped he could just drop his team and allow someone else to pick them up, but that was foolish thinking. Despite being only a day since he got them, he was in too deep to abandon them now.

Something wasn't sitting right with him, and he couldn't quite place it, was it from the sudden change of personality? Actually, that wasn't as odd as it seemed, Kakashi knew many shinobi who completely changed after becoming a genin, so that wasn't it...

Blinking, a sudden thought hit Kakashi," It's like they know something but are trying to play it off as if they don't, they're obviously not very good at it." And suddenly a few puzzle pieces fell into place, they way the kids smiled when Kakashi met them, as if they had seen it all before, done it all before.

These kids would defiantly be the end of him, and if not for the chaos they will surely bring, then it was for the mystery that now seemed to surround them.

Kakashi knew that one day being late to everything would come with karma, it was inevitable, he just didn't think it would come in the form of three caffeine high genins. He was really starting to regret this, as the three hyper genins arrived an hour after he did, what made it worse was... He was stuck.

He hadn't seen it, the trap that Naruto had so obviously set up, hadn't sensed it, the chakra suppressing seals easily told him why, hadn't even been paying attention, so caught up in the new puzzle that seemed to land in his lap.

For once in Kakashi's life, he had been caught off guard... By children.

" Sorry Kakashi, I ran into a little old woman who needed help carrying her groceries." Naruto stated, a sweet smile plastered on his face, though no deceit or false emotions were easily detectable, Kakashi wasn't sure if he was being sincere.

" I got lost on the road of life." Sakura angrily huffed, dusting off unseen dust from her black shorts.

" A black cat crossed my path, and I had to take the long way here." Sasuke mumbled harshly, refusing to make contact with Kakashi or his teammates, what made Kakashi realize they were being serious was the black cat hair covering Sasuke, and the fact that Naruto had brought pie from said, old lady.

Kakashi really hated his luck.

"Ahem, Naruto." Kakashi said awkwardly, motioning with his head to mostly paralyzed body, hoping Naruto would get the hint," Yeah, but first pie. Who wants a slice?" The blonde asked his two comrades, the others nodding their heads.

Kakashi really, really, hated his luck.

After a good fifeteen minutes had passed before Kakashi was finally let out of the trap, and because he was some type of slaughtering monster that killed puppies and kittens in his sleep, and ate babies for breakfast in his past life, God decided to torture him even more.

As in, now he had a slightly tipsy Naruto giggling madly, running circles around him," Red wine makes him like this, says it's like a drug to the Fox." Sakura shrugged, and gave Kakashi a confused look," Don't know what he means by that though." 

She was lying through her teeth, she knew damn well what he meant, but Kakashi only nodded his head stiffly, unaware of the lying student before him.

She'd seen a 24-year-old Naruto down a bottle of extremely potent red wine, called Dragon's Fire, which apparently had cinnamon and clove in it, which affected the Fox even more, and then unleash Kurama on the battlefield to help him fight. 

She was still impressed. 

(And terrified, but no one needed to know that. Shhhh )

Kakashi paled at the thought even more," I'm going to explain the test now." Kakashi said as he watched Naruto run full speed into a tree, and leave a Naruto shape hole in said tree," SORRY TREE" He boomed before somehow finding his way to his two teammates, slamming into both of them hard. 

Kakashi sweat dropped as neither genin even twitched," Naru-Chan, I need you stay still and listen, can you do that for the nice medic." Sakura asked sweetly making Kakashi uncomfortable with how sincere she sounded," Yesh!" Naruto slurred.

Kakashi quickly went over the rules, showing them the bells and quickly shushin-ing away, he had a very strong feeling they would pass. Maybe even impress him.

Kakashi hurt as he trudged into the Hokage's office, he passed a few other jounin who looked they had already laughed themselves silly, and upon seeing Kakashi, laughed even more. 

When Kakashi entered the Hokage's office he was met with a sight he'd never thought he'd see. Kurenai, Asuma, and even Gai were lounged on the many chairs in the offices, mirroring similar cuts, and bruises like Kakashi, maybe even some broken bones from the way Kurenai held her arm.

" They pass?" Asuma asked, and Kakashi noticed that he had a bite mark on his arm, and he was missing a tooth.

" What happened to you?" The Hokage asked with mirth, amusement twinkling in his dark eyes.

" Sasuke broke a boulder with his bare fist, no chakra, no enhancer pills, Naruto teleported, teleported, or he moved too fast that the Sharingan couldn't even trace him, I couldn't even sense his chakra when he moved, and Sakura, Sakura ripped a full grown oak out of the ground and tried to hit me with it.. SHE DIDN'T EVEN USE CHAKRA!" Kakashi slumped into the nearest chair, the others watching him with wide eyes," Sakura healed the best she could, Tsunade is her role model apparently, I underestimated them so much if I didn't have Sharingan I would be dead." 

The other adults glanced around, team 7 was much more than they thought, they just didn't know if it was a bad thing or a blessing in disguise," He had exploding clones, so many exploding clones, so many." It almost sounded like he was crying, which was a disturbing thought for anyone who knew Kakashi.

Gai let out a loud laugh, only to start hacking," My students were acting extra Youthful today too." He loudly cheered, smiling at Kakashi who still hadn't looked away from the ceiling.

" Sasuke and Sakura nearly ripped my throat out with their bare hands when I cut Naruto with a kunai. I'll tell you the reason why later Sarutobi-Sama since it relates to an incident I need you to look into." Kakashi suddenly shivered, masking both pain and anger as though entered his head," Naruto and Sasuke worked well together, as if being partners in the battlefield for years... You might want to get some shinobi to repair training ground 7." 

Sarutobi sent Kakashi an eye-smile, before taking a long inhale from his pipe," I am sure it is not that bad-"

" No sir, you don't understand, training ground 7 is gone." Kakashi quickly countered while Kurenai and Asuma glanced at each other in worry, Kakashi was just exaggerating, right?

Before anyone could react a Genma burst into the room, slightly panicked as the senbon hung dangerously low in his mouth," Sarutobi sir, training ground 7 is completely gone, it's just a crater..." Genma glanced around the room, easily putting two and two together.

"Who was is it?" He asked with a smirk, only to receive pointed looks at Kakashi, said ninja let out a hoarse and weak groan. The Tokujou laughed heartily before quickly leaving, loudly proclaiming he was telling the others, he heard Kakashi groan again.

"I now see what you mean." The 3rd said quietly drawing the sensei's attentions back to him, the Hokage had his crystal ball in his hands, the crater that was training ground 7 showing brightly through the clear crystal.

Kurenai and Asuma blanched," 500 exploding clones, and he had more, they were standing there waiting." Kakashi wheezed, actually on the verge of tears. Gai winced from his spot next to him.

Sakura leaned into Naruto as she sat in a very un-ladylike manner, like she cared, in the current teahouse they were in," It's a literal crater?" A male said, catching their ears, Naruto recognized it as Iruka, and if not for the pale Uchiha hand covering his own he would have ran out and tackled said teacher.

" Yeah, should've seen it, your Uzumaki brat blew the whole place to smithereens." A proud female voice told Iruka, the three recognized it as Anko, having met her multiple times in the future.

Anko had once kicked a man so hard in the groin his testicles had literally exploded, apparently calling Naruto a monster in front of her after he had a long talk about how he trusted her with his life, and how her past didn't define her, was a really, really bad idea.

Sakura loved her.

Naruto and Sasuke would sometimes feel a shiver of fear when Sakura talked about it.

" I wanna meet that little blonde brat, how'd he come up with that?" The three 'genin' heard Anko yell, obviously excited.

" Please don't. He causes enough destruction with Sakura and Sasuke, please do not give him the advice to do more." Iruka practically begged, a loud laugh coming from the other adult.

" I won't do too much, might even get Genma in on it, he was so proud of the little blonde brat. Knew it was him before Kakashi even told him." Anko stated, as if proud that Genma was proud.

" I just hope he doesn't teach them how to spit senbon into other people's neck." Iruka sighed out.

The three 'genin' might just take Genma up on that offer, the more tricks they knew the better chance they had to make a better future. 

Also, they may or may not have wanted to torture Orochimaru.

Naruto shot Sasuke a look, pleading and pathetic, hoping Sasuke would let him chase after Iruka. Sasuke seemed to sigh and let go of Naruto's hand, smiling at the genuine excitement the blonde oozed out," Go bug Iruka for us." Sasuke said with a chuckle as the blonde pecked his cheek and ran off.

"You are so pussy-whiped."  Sakura mumbled out, sticking a stick of Dango into her mouth, as she eyed, the now grumbling, Uchiha, " Actually it'd be dick-whiped right? Wait, no. That's probably some kinky shit you two do-" 

" Sakura. Just stop."  The pinkette giggled sweetly, and shoved another dango in her mouth, basking the quiet atmosphere that had settled between them.

Iruka wanted to shout, to bang his head on the nearest hard object, something to show his irritation at the situation he found himself in, because of all the things to happen, Naruto running into him and Anko had to be the worst.

" How'd you come up with the idea for so many exploding clones?" Anko asked with a grin as Naruto hung off Iruka's back.

" Well whenever I would prank the other ninja's they'd always underestimate my abilities, I could hide from anyone after all so I just assumed he'd underestimate me too." The blonde bragged while Anko nodded with a devious grin.

" What all can you do?" She asked, actually giddy.

" Why would I tell you that? I need people to underestimate so I can overpower them." Naruto stated with a straight face.

Iruka really wanted to groan as he eyed the sadistic grin on Anko's face- Why was he friends with her again? Ah, right, because he had no choice.

" Wanna know some cool tricks? I could teach you how to better your aim~" Anko offered, holding a clean metal skewer in his direction.

" Sure but my aim is pretty good." Naruto responded snatching the skewer and tossing it towards the nearby wooden fence in a nonchalant manner, before grinning madly as Sakura and Sasuke appeared almost out of nowhere.

"Seeya Iruka-Sensei, we gotta hunt down Kakashi-Sensei so we can torture- Er, Train with him." Naruto said to Iruka with a grin, sending a quick wave to Anko before hopping off of Iruka to catch up with his two teammates.

"Holy sh-"," What?" Iruka twisted to face Anko, who was hunched over the skewer embedded in the wood," Your blonde brat is amazing! Can't wait to see if his team try the chuunin exams in a year." Anko said with a large grin showing the school teacher what Naruto had done.

The metal skewer was almost completely embedded in the wood, with various cuts and chips showing that wind chakra had been used, though that hadn't been what impressed Anko, it had been the fact that it had pierced a lone fly.

One not native to Konoha.

One with faint foriegn chakra resonating off of it.

Chapter Text

Late into the Naruto found he couldn't sleep, even tangled in his husb-boyfriend's embrace, so being the stable, and sane human he was, Naruto decided to meditate and bug Kurama.

Imagine his surprise, upon entering his mind, to see Shukaku and Son Goku loudly bickering with each other, and a very, very exasperated Kurama.

"I miss anything?" Naruto asked with amusement.

His mindscape had changed completely, since before it was a literal sewer, but now it was a vast open area.

One spot was dense with forest and held a large pond near the edge, another spot was a broken desert town surrounded by sand, and Naruto quickly realized that there were nine spots, all were dedicated to one of the different tailed beasts.

" Finally, I feared they would never stop." Kurama groaned, bringing a smirk to Naruto's face.

(Kurama would never admit it but during the war, he had reopened the closed bonds with his siblings, even kept them open when they were consumed.)

" Isobu and Yagura are being controlled still, and judging from when they were caught last time... They have 6 months, at least." Son Goku said gravely, facing Naruto with a frown.

" Roshi and Han have decided to team up, as they have in the past, but they are unsure as to what their next moves are." Son Goku said after a minute, before staring into Naruto's eyes, asking a silent question.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, scrunching his face together in thought.

" Have Roshi and Han head for Kiri, if they can get there before that time is up, they can maybe break Yagura, and Isobu out of their trance. 

In a month, maybe a little more, I can convince Zabuza to join them, having someone who knows Kiri like the back of their hand would keep them out of Yagura's sights...

 And I'll send some chakra erasing seals with Zabuza for Roshi and Han too, the altered seals should hide you, and Kokuo's chakra, and presence, even when Han and Roshi throw your chakra around." Naruto said with finality after a silent moment.

Son Goku seemed pleased, but the silence lasted for a minute as Chomei pushed past him.

" Fuu!" She started but Naruto cut her off.

" Han and Roshi should collect her, they can help teach her, and she'd have the protection of three very powerful, very angry tailed beasts.

Utakata would be well under Yagura's protection, since he is a Kage and all, and they can help each other re-learn their skills.

Obviously, Killer B and Yugito would be paired up since they're closer and work well together. 

I'll pair up with Gaara since he'd feel most comfortable with me, and Konoha and Suna are closer." Naruto glanced around as if asking if his plan was okay when no one objected he nodded and smiled.

" I..." Kurama started with a twisted grin," Have a most devious idea." 

" Naruto is able to use chakra from all nine of us, despite eight having their own human."

( They had stopped calling them hosts, and Jinchuuriki's at some point, though none, were sure when.)

" I am almost certain that the Akatsuki would defecate themselves if my human started spewing lava, or controlling sand, but what would they do if all nine of our humans started to use abilities from all nine of us?" Kurama finished with a wicked grin, prompting his siblings to think.

There were resounding chuckles from his friends, his family, and Naruto laughed with them," Imagine shark boy going after Utakata expecting a water attack but getting hit with lava instead." 

There was another round of laughter, and Naruto found himself slowly falling asleep, curled into Kurama's side.

If they did go through with this idea, it would mean their mindscapes would be one in the same, but that didn't seem like a bad thing.

Before they knew it three weeks had already passed, luckily all of Konoha Twelve seemed not to mind as they fell into step with day to day routines.

Well, new day to day routines.

"Hey Dobe, wake up." Sasuke mumbled tiredly into Naruto's ear, rubbing his cheek into messy blonde hair," I don' wanna." Naruto instantly responded, burying his face into the crook of Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke chuckled dryly, tilting his head away so his blonde partner could bury himself more.

" If we don't get up, we'll be late and if we're late on the day of the first c-rank, that won't look good for us." The Uchiha said calmly, his hand subconsciously combing through blonde locks, eliciting a hum of content from Naruto.

Though on the other side of town, a young pinkette stood dazed as she waited for her sensei, and teammates to appear.

Her clothes and hair were disheveled, her cheeks flushed, and there were various light pink lipstick marks covering her face. 

A very startling sight for Kakashi when he arrived.

" Ah... Sakura? Are you okay?" The jounin asked slowly, taking in the sight with an arched brow, though he became worried when his young student didn't answer him," Sakura. Sa-Ku-Ra... Where's Naruto and Sasuke?"

At the mention of Naruto, or maybe Sasuke, Sakura's head snapped to Kakashi in bewilderment.

" Oh, Sensei when did you get here?" She asked innocently, before looking around," Oh Naruto and Sasuke aren't here." She made a face.

" They're probably both still in bed. I can go check Naruto's place if you want to check Sasuke's place." She offered, barely waiting for a response before running off in the direction of Naruto's apartment.

"What just.." Kakashi shook his head, his students already gave him headaches, he didn't need to add another reason why, so he just headed towards the Uchiha compound.

Getting in was surprisingly easy, despite the many wards and traps that were placed about the compound, he at least knew that Sasuke lived in his old house, the few years he worked with Itachi helped him find it.

The house was neat, kept clean daily was Kakashi's bet, and there were many plants littered about the yard, ranging from flowers to fruits to vegetables. 

Kakashi would have never guessed Sasuke like to garden, or liked animals as he quickly spotted half-filled milk bowls strewn about.

Kakashi shrugged it off, there was lot of things he didn't know about his students, and reached for the shut window-

" Sasuke you're too big." 

Kakashi froze, his mind racing at the odd moan he could've sworn he heard.

" I know, just bear with it Naruto." Came Sasuke's breathless reply, causing Kakashi to do a double take.

"But it hurts." Naruto moaned out again, and Kakashi prayed what he thought was happening was in fact not happening.

" You'll get used to it." It was confirmed, it was confirmed. 

Kakashi blanched when he remembered they were twelve, they were twelve and doing this? he shook his head, no, no, they had to be doing something else. They just had to be.

" Could you at least take it off?" Naruto pleaded loudly, his breaths short and ragged," What, it doesn't feel good?" Sasuke teased back, and Kakashi finally worked up courage through anger.

" What do you two think you're doing..." Kakashi trailed off staring at the almost fully clothed pre-teens staring wide-eyed at him, they were both huddled together in a jacket and Kakashi realized the 'take it off' was not from Naruto wanting Sasuke to take the...... Thing off but to take the sweater off.

" What... What did you think we were doing sensei?" Sasuke asked with a smirk, eyeing the silver-haired jounin with an almost well-hidden mischievousness, while Naruto only tilted his head in confusion.

" You're late." Kakashi told them, avoiding the question as well as averting his gaze not daring to give the Uchiha the satisfaction.

"See! I told you we shouldn't have tried it together!" Naruto loudly complained wiggling out of the tight garment, showing Kakashi that Naruto was unnaturally fit for a twelve-year-old and that the blond had, what the jounin assumed, was a hickey.

"Dang it Sasuke-Teme, your elbow made a bruise! Why'd you move so much anyway?" The blonde hissed, rubbing the bruise as if it was in pain and not already healing.

" Want me to kiss it and make it better?" The ravenette asked with a not-so-hidden smirk before both genins found themselves separated by Kakashi, who was glaring down at Sasuke like he just committed the worst crime known to man and holding Naruto just a tad bit closer.

(Sakura and Sasuke found out in their 20's that Kakashi actually favored Naruto out of them, and would try to spend more time with them in order not to get too attached to Naruto.

 It didn't work, like, at all. 

Their, Sasuke's and Sakura's, goal this lifetime was to make Kakashi be more affectionate with Naruto.

Sasuke: 1, Sakura: 0)

" Get dressed." The jounin commanded, turning his head away to give them some sense privacy while still watching them like a hawk.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the three found themselves on the bridge near training ground three with Sakura sitting on the wall a little ways away filing her nails.

" You knew they'd be there, didn't you." Kakashi accused, eyeing the pinkette with poorly hidden annoyance.

She snapped her head to Kakashi and simply grinned with a smile spelling trouble," No, Sensei. I didn't know they'd be there together."

 Kakashi wasn't buying it.

Kakashi hated everything and everyone. 

It was official.

Turning to face his genins what felt like the fifth time, he spotted nothing wrong with them, besides the usual, and glared at the three twelve-year-olds with fervor.

" I assume you're here for your C-rank mission." Iruka snickered out, giggling at the elusive scene Kakashi seemingly couldn't catch.

"Is something funny?" Kakashi hissed, narrowing his eyes at the school teacher who quickly shook his head.

"No! No, it's just that your students respect you so much it's cute." The teacher hotly responded, turning his head away again to laugh at the annoyed aura Kakashi was giving off.

Kakashi quickly turned again coming to see his students in the same position, Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, brooding like normal, Naruto had his hands clasped behind his head, sporting a closed-eyed grin he always seemed to wear, and Sakura stood off to his side her hands clasp together in front of her politely.

The only difference was now all three students had their hitai-ate tilted over their left eye and a very smug look in their right.

"You little-"

" Are these the ninja's I hired to guard me? They're just bunch of snot-nosed brats." Came the slightly slurred voice of Tazuna, who had finally shown.

" Happy hour ended a few hours ago." Naruto said crinkling his nose, eliciting a snort from Sasuke.

" It's a matter of pride, Naruto, he has none, therefore, he drinks." Sasuke responded back cooly while Sakura let out a sweet giggle.

" No, no, guys, he simply lives by the saying 'Liver let die'." The pinkette said, their conversation ending by a short cough from Kakashi, who everyone could tell was holding in laughter.

"Kids, now, now, be nice to the client." Kakashi told them, finally calming down after the trio fixed their hitai-ate.

Iruka and Sarutobi seemed surprised by the sudden ferociousness of the three genins, but a laugh and a shake of his head from the Hokage calmed Iruka down.

( Poor Hiruzen was reminded of Kushina, luckily Naruto didn't launch himself at the client out of anger like she had one time.  )

"We meet at the village gates in two hours." 

Two hours later, all of team 7, save for Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke, were at Konoha's gates, so really it was just Kakashi and Tazuna standing awkwardly with each other.

" You know, I think those kids like teasing you." Kotetsu called out to Kakashi, flipping through the book before him, bored out of his mind.

" They were here before both of you, huddled together and made a plan I guess, then left quietly giggling." Izumo nonchalantly called out, an open magazine covering his face as he leaned back in his chair.

"Gave me a piece of pie." Kotetsu said with a smile before motioning to an empty pie tin between him and Izumo with a lazy wave," Apparently Naruto's a really good cook."

Kakashi let out a sigh, before he sharply turned his head towards the Konoha gates," Cute, but we have a job to do. Why don't you come out?" 

Naruto dropped down from the tree with a pout from the pointed glare he received, and gave a sheepish smile," I knew I shouldn't have gotten cocky. Sorry, Kaka-Sensei." 

Kakashi had only narrowed his eyes, he knew Naruto did it on purpose. Years of being one of his personal ANBU guards told him that.

"What are we waiting for?" Came Sakura's sweet melodic voice, seeming to appear out of thin air with a small bag strapped to her back.

Kakashi was only faintly aware that Sasuke had also joined their group, ignoring the fact his team could creep up on the poor paranoid man, Kakashi turned and headed out of the village gates.

It was a good solid hour before Kakashi finally took notice that his students seemed awfully on edge, Naruto was staring intensely at something in the forest, Sasuke was almost twitching next to the blonde, and Sakura's knuckles were pure white from the grip she had on her bag.

" Something wrong kids?" Kakashi asked with humor, though he could sense the presence of the two hidden shinobi as well. 

" Nothing you don't know about." Naruto said bitterly, and Kakashi inwardly laughed at the pout plastered over the blondes face. 

Within a minute a very obvious puddle came into view, forcing Kakashi to watch his students shift into a formation he hadn't taught them.

Sending a questioning, yet amused, look towards Naruto, Kakashi found the blonde quietly placing seals onto his feet, somehow he felt as if he knew what Naruto had planned.

(If the way the three torment- Er, pranked the village was anything to go by, he had a feeling the poor unsuspecting enemy shinobi were going to wish Kakashi had stepped in instead.)

Before Kakashi could even blink, Naruto broke into a sprint with a loud and happy yell of 'puddle!'.

The resulting girlish scream of pain had both Kakashi and Sasuke flinching, though Sakura was giggling madly.

" Aw, they passed out." 

The sound of Naruto's whine brought Kakashi to realize his team was full of sadists, and when he gazed down at the two unconscious demon brothers holding onto what was left of what had been in between their legs, he quietly wondered (again) what crime he committed in his past life to get sattled down with these three monsters.

" Aren't they the demon brothers or something stupid like that." Sakura innocently asked, her finger on her chin to show that she was deep in thought, and Kakashi winced again, talk about adding insult to injury. 

" Yes they are, they're B-Rank Missing-Nin from Kirigakure, and how do you know that?" Kakashi asked with a feigned smile, laughing inwardly at the uncomfortable look on his genins faces.

" Bingo book. Read some of the ninja listed before getting bored." Sakura told him, shrugging as she pulled out a slightly torn and ratty bingo book.

Kakashi raised a brow, before chuckling," Isn't that Asuma's?" He asked clearly amused.

"Asuma-Sensei still doesn't know it's missing." Naruto chimed in with a shake of his head, before letting out a long sigh," I  mourn for the state of Konoha's ninja's, I really do." 

Kakashi could feel his face twitching, ignoring the very confused Tazuna behind him," And why is that Naruto?" He asked with a strained voice.

" I was five and able to evade Jounin and ANBU." Naruto deadpanned without missing a beat.

Kakashi sweatdropped.

"Tazuna!" Kakashi finally said after a minute, with a false cheerfulness that oozed danger for the older man. 

And Tazuna began, launching into his story about Gato, the bridge, his people's need for the bridge, and his people slowly dying because of Gato.

" Well, my cute little genin?" Kakashi asked them, ignoring the steeled look in their eyes.

He knew the answer already.

" Sensei! We can't just leave them be!" Naruto said loudly, jumping in front Tazuna with, what Kakashi would never admit, was a cute glare.

(Those chubby cheeks were his weakness when he watched over a younger Naruto, and they appeared to be his weakness now. 

Kakashi wanted to pinch them.)

" He's right, we're shinobi. We help, right?" Sasuke said with a curt nod.

" I'll make Naruto use the 1000 years of pain on you again if you make us go back." Sakura said seriously, and Kakashi decided that threat was enough.

" Well, I guess we better get a move on then." Kakashi finally said, Tazuna sagging in relief.

( Kakashi would never admit, though his team knew, but the fact that during training Naruto was fast enough to use that attack on him... Kakashi would never live it down.) 

With matching fierce grins the three genins continued forward, well two did, Sakura fell back to guard Tazuna.

(Really they weren't like genin's at all, Kakashi already had to train them like ANBU, and even advanced ANBU exercises seemed dull to their normal everyday ones.

Seriously, who juggled kunai's for fun?)

It wasn't until the group had taken a boat ride that led to more walking when Kakashi took note of serious looks the three genins were giving each other, a silent conversation between just the three of them.

Naruto was scanning the area around them, Sasuke was very alert with his hand casually in his Kunai pouch, and Sakura was pulling fingerless gloves onto her hands.

But nothing happened.

They were almost near Tazuna's village and no one had popped out of any bushes, or thrown any giant swords at them.

Kakashi watched as Sakura and Sasuke gave Naruto a confused look, which the blonde merely shrugged at, and sending them an equally confused look. He kinda wanted to know what his genin were expecting.

A few minutes later a small white rabbit hopped from the bushes and Naruto smiled, which confused Kakashi as the blonde simply scooped up the animal and whispered something to it that even he couldn't hear.

A split second later Kakashi felt a surge of chakra, and flung himself down while pulling his client and students down as a large sword flew over them.

" Cool!" Naruto cheered.

" Not cool." Kakashi hissed.

" Aw." 

The fight was over, and Kakashi didn't know if he was relieved or terrified his cute (scary) genin had wrapped it up so quickly.

" Are... Are they even human?" Tazuna asked with horror-ridden wonder, and for once Kakashi didn't have an answer.

" Bye mister hunter-nin!" Naruto cheerfully called out, waving wildly at the masked Kiri hunter-nin standing over Zabuza's unconscious form.

Haku just nodded mutely, unsure what to say since he and Zabuza had prepared themselves for a vastly different scenario.

Though the second Haku landed, at least a mile away from the Konoha ninja, he knew he and Zabuza weren't alone.

" I come in peace, and bearing a better paying job." 

Haku whirled around, the now awake Zabuza groaning as he did so.

Standing in the shade of a large tree, a Kitsune masked ninja approached, and when Haku probed around for the man's chakra, he was surprised by the hot fury he met.

" Who are you?" Zabuza hissed out, feeling Haku flinch and take a step back from the masked ninja by just feeling his chakra.

" I am the fox, that is all you will get from me. Now would like a job that pays twice what Gato is paying you, and will have an important role in freeing Yagura from the control of a man who wishes to enslave the world?" He asked, and both Haku and Zabuza froze.

" What?" Zabuza asked breathlessly, while Haku shifted him.

" A man claiming to be Madara, despite Madara being dead and that man being too short to actually be him, was able to put Yagura under a genjutsu in which he is able to control everything Yagura does. He wishes to destroy Kiri since Madara controlled a few Kiri nin to kill his sorta girlfriend, and to enslave the world in a realistic genjutsu so he can be with her and let the real puppeteer leach out everyone and everything's chakra until they're dead."

Zabuza felt as if his head was spinning, " You will need these." The fox masked man said tossing a pack to them.

" I didn't say we'd take the job." Zabuza snapped, even though he and Haku were already checking the contents of the pack.

" The mission is... Unique. It requires you to escort three companions of mine into the heart of Kiri to Yagura so they can break him out of the jutsu. Dolphin Horse-San, Monkey-San, and Beetle-Chan." 

Zabuza snapped his head up to glance at the masked man," You're mental, Yagura would kill them before they can even make it in." He snapped.

" That is where you come in, you know Kiri better than them, you can guide them to where they need to go, and Yagura will never be able to sense them unless they wish to be sensed. Take a look at those seals, they're advanced chakra suppressing seals made by an Uzumaki seal master, and, as much as I know I will regret saying this, I have full faith in my companions abilities." 

Zabuza blanched and quickly looked at the seals he had glossed over, one look confirmed they were in fact extremely advanced seals," And the pay?" He asked uncertainly.

The masked man tilted his head, but tossed a thick envelope to him, ripping it open Zabuza gapped at the amount," Shit... This is almost 3 times the amount Gato was paying." 

" There is also an envelope in that pack meant for my companions as well, see to it that they receive it. Now, do we have a deal?" The masked man tilted his head again and Zabuza finally took note that the man's hair was a startling red.

Zabuza nodded, finding his voice was far away.

" Good, there are chakra pills in the pack as well, they will accelerate your healing rate. I advise that you take them." The man turned from them, and Zabuza found his voice.

" Are you a Uzumaki? That red hair..." 

"... No, but I do know one. A blonde with bright blue eyes, maybe you've met him." And then the masked man left them in a puff of smoke with a laugh.

" Zabuza, may I ask what just happened?" 

" I don't know, kid, I don't know."

As Kakashi settled into a seat in Tazuna and his daughter's home, he took a quick peek at his genin, who huddled together in a quiet but animated conversation.

" The Hokage knows? What do you mean the Hokage knows? Of course, you know!" Sakura whispered to Naruto who gave her a sheepish smile.

" I meant Jiji know, he knew me like the back of his hand. He knew something was off." Naruto clarified, and Sakura and Sasuke paled.

" And how did it go?" Sasuke quietly but quickly asked, fingers twitching in worry.

" Well..." 

" What happened Naruto? You're not acting like yourself."

Shikaku watched with narrowed eyes as Naruto refused to meet the Hokage's gaze, something Naruto had never done unless he pulled a prank or felt like he was about to get yelled at.

The Hokage watched him, eyes narrowing with worry before he turned his head ever so slightly, a motion for the ANBU to leave and seal the room.

" Naruto... What happened." Sarutobi said after a minute, watching as Naruto cautiously glanced back at Shikaku, Ibiki, and Inoichi.

After a tense moment of silence, Naruto deflated, finally lifting his head to meet Sarutobi's, who was jolted with shock upon see tears fall down Naruto's face.

" My name is Naruto Uzumaki-Uchiha, I'm the Nanadiame Hokage, and I'm 33-years-old."

The three adults blinked, Sarutobi blinked, Naruto just laughed sadly.

" After the 4th shinobi, I became the 7th Hokage, but about 10 years later the enemy we thought we killed returned... She... She was stronger, deadlier, she took so many more lives."

" We were constantly on the run, it didn't really matter what village you came from, since she wiped them all out."

  Meeting Sarutobi's eyes, Naruto smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes," It'll take a minute, but let me explain.." 

It was two hours of Naruto explaining the war, explaining how it happened, why it happened. It was two hours of T&I specialists and Sarutobi listening in horror.

" So I died during the 4th shinobi war?" Sarutobi asked while Shikaku tried to wrap his mind around the information dropped onto him.

Naruto took a sharp breath, and averted his eyes from Sarutobi's again," It was during the Chuunin exams that you died, and it was hard... Baa-Chan, er, Tsunade-Sama died during the 5th war, she was a front-line fighter and medic, but even she can only fight and heal for so long."

Inoichi stumbled his way to a chair, hands shaking as he combed through his hair," You, Ibiki, died protecting my son... When Kaguya reanimated you..."

Ibiki closed his eyes, of all the things, this conversation was never anything the three of them could think of.

(Especially when Naruto had proof he wasn't pulling their legs, I mean you don't watch someone use the two-tails chakra without hesitation and easily switch to the four-tails and then question their authenticity.)

" Your son? " Sarutobi asked with a sad smile.

" Yousuke, he's the oldest." Naruto quickly created a clone, henge-ing it into the form of his son.

Sarutobi sadly smiled at the form, a young boy with pale skin, black hair far too close to Itachi's hairstyle, bright blue eyes, Fugako's sharp, square jawline, and two thin whisker marks on both cheeks.

" You had more than one?" Shikaku asked quietly, staring at the boy his friend apparently gave his life to save.

" Yousuke, he's 12, Utahime, she's 8, Setsuka, She's 4, Setsuno, he's 4."  Naruto gushed, creating three more clones and henge-ing them into his kids.

Sarutobi watched as Naruto stared at them with love, and adoration, his heart aching as Naruto seemed to remember something horrible.

" Were. They were those ages, they're not anymore." He caressed Yousuke's cheek sadly," They don't even exist now."

Sarutobi cleared his throat, motioning towards the three new children.

Utahime was the perfect mixture of Mikoto and Minato, long blonde hair, Minato's sharp assessing eyes with Mikoto's soft but bright ember eye color, Mikoto's sharp jawline but Minato's young complexion.

Setsuno and Setsuka were twins but their appearance was definitely the most startling, both had bright fiery red hair, Setsuno had Sasuke's sharp and calculating eyes, while Setsuka had Naruto's wide and bright eyes, both adorning Naruto's and Kushina's mischievous grins, but their eye color made Sarutobi tear up.

Deep purple eyes like Kushina stared up at him.

Shikaku let out a strained cry, Inoichi couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from the children, and Ibiki watched the four children with resigned calmness.

" Uncle Bear!" Utahime shrieked happily, launching herself at a very surprised Ibiki, eliciting a laugh from Sarutobi.

" Uta he appears overwhelmed, remember what pops and dad said about yelling?" Yousuke scolded, trying to snatch the blonde that was climbing all over Ibiki like a spider monkey.

Setsuno and Setsuka were eyeing a particularly large stack of papers on Sarutobi's desk, but before either could do something, Naruto placed a hand on their shoulders.

Shikaku was brought out of his thoughts as a small redhead, Setsuno he realized, climbed into his lap," Uncle Shika?" He asked, and Shikaku laughed a strangled laugh.

" No, No I'm his father, I'm grandpa Shikaku." He whispered, Inoichi leaning closer to him to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, and just to get caught up in what he momentarily missed, he quickly glanced around the room.

Naruto and Yousuke were trying to dislodge a hyper Utahime from a very, albeit well concealed, confused Ibiki, and Setsuka was sitting in Sarutobi's lap, blabbing away about her new coloring book.

Setsuno scrunched his face up," But Shukaku-Nii is big and raccoon-y." He stated as if a fact. Shikaku laughed sadly as the young head mirrored a look Kushina always wore.

It was the look she wore when she had no clue what was going on but rolled with it anyway.

" Naruto... Are you the only one who came back?" Shikaku asked in a small voice, his mind suddenly pulling up his son and how differently he was acting, how differently Shikamaru's friends were acting.

He saw Naruto freeze slightly before shifting the dislodged Utahime on his hip," No, every one of the Konoha twelve came back, that's  Team 7, Team 8, Team 10, and Team Gai. I also know that all nine of us Jinchuuriki came back as well, I already have a plan in the works on how to save Yagura, but you have to give Team 7 the C-Ranked mission to Wave for it to work."

The adults blinked, Yousuke smirked, and Naruto leveled Sarutobi with a look that triggered memories of Tsunade's 'Cut the bullshit' attitude. Shikaku and Inoichi watched with slight amusement and slight surprise as Sarutobi only nodded.

" There were a few others that came back with us but I'm not sure who yet, it was mostly based on who the Bijuu thought would help the most as they knew that their hosts would recover their memories since they were tied to the Bijuu's soul and memories as well."

" The amount of Chakra we poured into the technique allowed 16 people to come back, excluding the Jinchuuriki, and including the rest of Konoha Twelve. So that's five unknowns that the Bijuu knew would throw their life on the line to ensure the safety of the future if they had the chance."

" The others and I, other 'genin' and not Jinchuuriki, have checked almost everyone in Konoha and no one has reacted to the codewords we've been using so it's safe to assume that the five unknowns aren't here, the other Jinchuuriki are slowly checking their villages for them too but I haven't received word if they found them yet."

Naruto sent Sarutobi a grin," And you said I never thought ahead."

Sarutobi chuckled and shook his head.

" Did Ino have children?" Inoichi asked after a moment, Setsuno having somehow migrated from Shikaku to him.

" Momiji, he's 8 like my Utahime and Airin, she's 12 like Yousuke." Naruto said, quickly creating them via clones and Henge, and watching Inoichi smile widely at his grandchildren.

" Yousuke!" Momoji said cheerfully, and Yousuke groaned but allowed the younger pinkette to slam into him.

Airin snickered and snatched Setsuno off Inoichi's lap, the small redhead laughed loudly," Oh! Another Yamanaka?"

" Inoichi Yamanaka." Airin who had been tossing Setsuno up into the air, froze before setting Setsuno on the ground to join his twin and turning to her grandfather in surprise.

Inoichi took in the sight, Airin's eyes were bright green but shaped like Ino's, her light blonde hair was in a short bob, her face was shaped like Ino's but her nose and mouth were shaped like Sakura's. He wasn't surprised that Ino and Sakura had gotten together, even before the future version took over Ino she was pining after Sakura.

A quick glance at Momoji made him want to laugh and cry, Momoji was short, even for an 8-year-old, he had Sakura's bright pink hair, combed neatly into a short ponytail with messy but wavey bangs framing his face, his eyes were the same clouded blue like his and Ino's but their shape were shaped like Sakura's, and like Airin his face shape was Ino's and so were his nose but his mouth was shaped like Sakura's.

His two grandkids he never got meet, and maybe never will, though judging from how hard the 'Konoha Twelve' were training, he just might.

Momoji was also holding tightly to Yousuke's hand with hearts in his eyes.

"So instead of Ino and Sakura liking Sasuke, their son likes your and Sasuke's son?" Inoichi asked amused, especially when Yousuke sent him an embarrassed glare. Naruto laughed and nodded eagerly, before grinning madly.

" When Yousuke was eight, he would watch the others' kids, Momoji asked if they could marry each other when they were older and-" 

"Pops please." Yousuke did absolutely not whine. ( He did. )

" He promised Momoji he would marry him."

Yousuke groaned, a blush dusting his cheeks, and Momoji glued to his side, though he didn't yell at the younger boy to leave him alone, and Inoichi chuckled.

Airin was somehow perched on top of Inoichi's chair, her hands braiding his hair," Yeah it's cute, Momo gets picked on a lot because he's a boy with pink hair and people are jerks, but Yoyo doesn't really care about his hair color, even said it looked nice on him."

Naruto smiled at the scene, and as the night went on he even 'created' Shikadai for Shikaku, but at the end of the night he had to dispell the clones, which hurt, and Sarutobi classified the information Naruto gave them as an S-Ranked secret, and that if Naruto or one of the other 'Genins', or even one of the other Jinchuuriki's, needed to leave or enter the village they needed contact the Hokage secretly. 

"Like that." Naruto told Sakura and Sasuke with a grin.

" I miss Momoji, I miss Airin... I miss my babies." Sakura said quietly, tears forming in her eyes, leaning into Naruto who had opened his arms for her.

" Yeah, I miss my babies too." Naruto said and he leaned into Sasuke with Sakura in his arms.

Kakashi watched the odd scene, his breath caught in his throat as he stopped forming chakra into his ears to eavesdrop their conversation.

His mind was racing with thoughts, with questions, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to interrupt the depressed cloud that had settled onto the three.

Maybe later, maybe later when Kakashi didn't feel like throwing up, when he didn't feel like he somehow messed up.

( And god, Naruto knew who his parents were, knew Kakashi should've had more to do with his life, and didn't even mind. 

Kakashi wanted to go back in time himself and apologize to Minato-Sensei, and Kushina, but that wouldn't be able to rid the sharp ache in his chest.)