Naruto couldn't stop bouncing in his seat. He couldn't. After all the hard work he did studying past midnight everyday and practicing his upper class-men material, he was finally going to graduate! Two years ahead of his friends too! He glanced to his right at Sasuke, then to his left at Sakura before grinning.

This was going to be the start of it all. At last, they were going to be the shinobi they'd always dreamed of.

Sasuke felt a proud bubble swell in his chest. He might not be as advanced as his aniki was, but he was doing much better than many of his other clan members. His father and mother certainly had been proud when he ran home a few months ago saying that he'd graduate early with the two people he cared about the most (though he'd never readily admit it). There was nothing that could make him happier.

Though it couldn't be said that their optimism was shared. Sakura was detailing a poison's antidote as her boys eagerly awaited the arrived of their new sensei, her free hand holding her right bicep. A few months ago, she was careless. She was sure she could reveal the Yin seal and have her trump card just as she had before, but there were things she sorely misjudged like the fact that she was creating two seals instead of one, or that she was no longer in an adult's body thus unable to take the same amount of strain.

The seals had exhausted her body to the point of sending her into unconsciousness for two whole days. When she woke up, she was in an unfamiliar apartment with two faces glowering down at her.

Sakura blinked awake, squinting at the shadows glaring down at her in the candle-lit darkness. First she saw Anko with a scowl on her lips and a tired look in her eyes.

"You've got a shit ton of explaining to do, kid."

Did she?

"First, you're gonna tell us why in your right mind you'd attempt that freaking mother of all chakra control—"

Ah. That.

"—and second, you're gonna tell us how the hell you were able to do it," she finished. Sakura pushed herself into a sitting position and winced when she became aware of the burning sensation curling around her right arm. Her head tilted downwards and she saw a design encasing the entirety of her bicep. They were like... dark veins; tendrils winding down to the crook of her elbow. Not jagged or curved, rather a bit reminiscent of neurons.

"Did you... seal my Yin seal?" she questioned incredulously. Ibiki stepped into her line of sight with that same frown and tired look.

"Unfortunately, no. Something like that can't be sealed," he said. "The next best thing we could do was mask it. Now talk ."

Sakura sighed, then proceeded to feed them her lie.

Her entire right arm was wrapped to cover both her blade and the unaccounted for seal, but she had to admit that it was better than to try explaining why she suddenly decided to cover her forehead when she, on multiple occasions, said how much she liked it despite it being a smidge too large. So her new hitai-ate sat as a headband just like in her older days.

Just thinking about it made the grip on her arm grow tighter.

"Ne, ne, who do you think our sensei's gonna be?" Naruto asked. "I saw jiji yesterday and he said he knew but wouldn't tell me! You think they're super cool?"

Sasuke grunted. "They'll be good, whoever it is. Aren't they all?"

Sakura folded her paper and tucked it into her pocket. "We'll be the judges of that," she added. By now, it was common knowledge that she didn't care too much for status if she wanted to get her point across. Her very first Academy sensei had been a prime example and perfect display of it.

She moved her stare to the clock mounted above the door. Their sensei was supposed to meet them two o'clock sharp and there were sixteen minutes left until his expected arrival. But the exact moment the hand struck 1:45 pm, the door snapped open to reveal Kakashi in his standard jounin attire.

"You're early, 'ttebayo!" Naruto exclaimed before he could stop himself. The man didn't even spare him a look as he walked to the center of the room.

"When you're on time, you're late. When you're early, you're on time. Consider that my first lesson to you," he said. Sakura crossed her arms over her midsection and leaned back against the other desk. Oh, he was going to be one of those, was he?

With one swift motion, he turned to face them with feet positioned to be perfectly aligned to the tip of his shoulders and hands clasped behind his back. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. I will be the one to train you until your ascension to chuunin level and I expect you three to listen to what I say. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Naruto and Sasuke both chorused. Kakashi looked at the sole student who refused an answer.

" Am I clear ?" he repeated, piercing black eyes boring into her. Sakura smiled.

"Yes. You are."

His gaze lingered on her a bit longer before he looked to regard them collectively.

"You each will introduce yourself. I've refused to read over any of your records to eliminate any possible bias towards you three. I don't even know your names," he began. Sakura didn't even blink. This was very new. "So what I will rely on are your first impressions. Say your likes, dislikes, goals—things of the sort. Don't make a mistake of yourselves. You. Start us off."

Sasuke sat up, a determined light in his expression befitting of an Uchiha. He was a boy nearly ten years old who sought not only to make his parents proud, but to become a shinobi even Itachi would be more than proud of. This was going to be his first step into that reality.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I like training, tomatoes, and sitting by the lake in the morning. I don't like miso ramen—"

There was a betrayed gasp from Naruto.

"—but still, Naruto's one of my best friends. Even if he's a dobe most of the time. My other best friend is Sakura and she's cool because she's nice and invincible. And when I'm older, I want to be a shinobi just like my aniki."

Sakura swore Kakashi let a flicker of surprise show before he moved on to the next student. "Next."

Naruto sent Sasuke a scathing glare before grinning brilliantly.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I like all ramen 'cause I'm not a hater," he enunciated loudly, making sure Sasuke got an earful of it, "I also like Sakura-chan, Iruka-sensei, and sometimes Sasuke. My best friends are Sasuke and Sakura-chan too! There's also Chouji, Shika, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Ino... anyway, I don't like bullies! And when I'm older, I..."

The blond fell into a thoughtful silence. Ever since meeting Sakura and Sasuke, he never really considered the future anymore. It was never the 'when I'm stronger, they'll see' like back then. Now, all he cared about was Iruka and all the friends he never imagined having.

He wanted to be Hokage because he wanted to be accepted. To be loved.

But he already had all of that.

"... I want to be a am-bass-a-door. To make peace," he smiled. Kakashi noticed the way Sakura's eyes widened as she fought the urge to whip her head to her right. A reaction he didn't quite expect from her, seeing that he was starting to expect some trouble with the unconventional vibes she was sending out. He looked at her fully.

"And you."

Sakura relaxed in her seat after a few moments as the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Me? My name is Haruno Sakura. My likes are- well, I have many likes. I have lots of dislikes, too. So many dislikes that I just can't name them all."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Naruto giggled. Sasuke pursed his lips to keep from grinning.

"These two knuckleheads are my best friends too. And what do I want to be when I'm older? Huh," she drawled. She feigned musing for a couple of seconds before beaming uncaringly. "We'll get there when we get there. Why rush?"

::

That girl was definitely making fun of him. Not only were her answers completely and utterly useless for his future analysis, but she respected him in a way that was almost like a direct attack in undermining his authority. Not that it was hostile. Merely teasing and unorthodox for a young graduate like herself.

But that wasn't what particularly nagged him. Kakashi remembered her from a few years back at the Godaime's inauguration. She was the no name who sensed his presence that day, and she was the kid that might be the most problematic of the three. It was true that he refused to take even a peek at any of their files. He wanted to find their faults through trial and error. But with her on the team, he felt a twinge of regret at making the decision.

He'd stick with it, though, and not read their records unless absolutely necessary. Kakashi glanced out the window. It would still be light out for about four more hours—more than enough time to figure if he'd take them off or send them back to the Academy.

"We'll head out to Training Ground Six so I can determine whether or not you will continue as genin. No questions, no comments. Move out," he ordered. Sasuke and Naruto jumped out their seats and hurried to the grounds while bickering their way out the door in hushed tones. Sakura followed at a much leisurely pace.

"What about you? Anything you'd like us to know about you?"

He raised his chin. "There is nothing you need to know about me," he said. She shrugged, a cat-like grin appearing on her face before she disappeared into the hallway.

Kakashi unconsciously reached into his pocket and took hold of the two silver bells that made temporary residence there the past few days. He already failed his old team twice. He wasn't about to fail a third time by passing a team that possibly wasn't worth his salt.

But he'd have to see for himself if Dan's utter faith in them was worthwhile.

::

"You're shitting me. I'm-A-Lone-Wolf-So-I-Don't-Need-No-Goddamn-Friends is her sensei?" Anko snorted. "That's as bad as slotting me in a babysitting job. And that's saying something."

Genma held up his hands in defense.

"Godaime's call, not mine. But as the rumor goes, he was taken off duty just for the assignment. As bad as it looks, maybe it'll be alright."

"Alright? Kakashi's messed up. Sakura's messed up. You put those two together and you're gonna get fucked up. Even more so with her having that thing to deal with. How long until you think he notices?" she groaned. She plopped down on the couch in Ibiki's office. Things had been slow down at T&I and there wasn't much to do but fill out paperwork or laze around. She preferred the latter.

"Thing? You mean the..." Genma trailed off as he gestured vaguely to his forehead. Anko rolled her eyes then sneered.

"No, the fucking wings she grew!"

"Okay, damn. The thing. Got it," he sighed. Once he returned from his mission, he was plucked from the streets by Anko and Ibiki and was hastily informed about the new problem that arose. Sakura, of course, was smack in the center of it. Of course she was. He wasn't complaining, it was because of her that the sector started to get interesting. "But I dunno. Maybe it's good that they're together. It could... help both of them."

She scoffed. "By what? Having them at each other's throats? Sakura won't take shit from no one and Kakashi's got a pole up his ass. I think you know exactly where that road's headed."

Genma took a granola bar from his pouch and slipped the senbon from his mouth to take a bite. With Sakura's track record, it was stupid to think no other incidents would make themselves known. So for now he'd hope and see just how bad it would blow up in their faces.

::

Could you could get me a double kodachi? The finest made one you can find, preferably. I'm thinking of giving it to Iwa and teaching him a few lessons in swordsmanship for a change. He has been interested no matter how much he tries to deny it.

Also, the poison. I hope you have it decoded by now.

Oh, and congrats on graduating. Finally a big kid now?

~Marionette

Sakura quickly shoved the note in her packet as Yori took refuge in her kunai pouch and Kakashi entered the clearing. Deidara and swords? She supposed it wasn't a bad idea. He had always been a long to mid-range fighter and dabbling in swordsmanship could only benefit him in the long run.

The three recent graduates stood in a line, two of them waiting nervously for the next set of instructions. Kakashi was silent as he paced back and forth before them. It didn't seem like he was thinking of any particular thing, perhaps testing their patience. Not that he needed to, though. Her boys were more than intimidated out of their wits to speak out of turn.

"There will only be one assessment to resolve the question of whether or not you will study under my jurisdiction," he finally announced, stopping his movement. He held up a pair of shimmering silver bells. "You all will fight to take these from me and will have until sundown to do so. Whoever gets a bell passes."

"Uh... Kakashi-sensei?"

He looked at Naruto.

"There's two bells, but there's three of us," the boy mentioned with a wrinkled brow. Sakura watched for a few seconds as realization dawned on their faces. Sasuke was the first. His pale expression went from confusion, fear, then subsequently: anger.

"I won't do it," he said. He didn't flinch when the man's gaze intensified. Kakashi leaned forward, soulless eyes crackling with lightning.

"Excuse me?"

The tone was soft, held up by a promise of a threat. Sasuke swallowed and stepped up. "Naruto and Sakura are my best friends. Today, we became a team. I would never take a test where only two of us pass. It's not right."

Kakashi twirled the bells around his finger, a mocking light taking form at the edges of his calculating stare. Itachi's younger brother wasn't what he normally saw in a typical Uchiha brat. It was hard to find a member who actively cared for those outside the clan.

"Do you really think the world is nice enough to actually be concerned? They'll pick off your teammates one by one until no one's left. You should get used to leaving them behind," he drawled. An inhuman growl escaped Naruto's lungs as his whiskered cheeks reddened in rage, all trails of fear left to crumble to dust.

"What?! Bullshit! They're my team and I won't let you take them away from me, dattebayo! So you can go shove it up your ass if you think we're gonna—"

Sakura covered his mouth with her hand and reduced him to muffled cries of indignation. She smiled up at the older man. There wasn't a hint of apology to be shown. "What he's trying to say is that we're not taking your test. It's either we pass together or we fail together, and we're sticking by it if that's alright with you," she chirped. She looked so happy at their blatant stance against his course of action that for a moment...

Kakashi silently sucked in a sharp breath.

For a moment, he saw Rin. He saw her brown eyes in Sakura's green ones, brimming with untold knowledge and determination. He saw her smile in Sakura's teasing one, making him witness that insurmountable spirit.

He saw Rin's soul—the one he forcibly ripped from her, just as jagged and broken as the one whose arms were now wrapped protectively around Naruto and Sasuke's shoulders.

Kakashi blinked.

Just then... what had...?

He mentally shook away the memory. It probably was just a spur of the moment kind of deal; he'd been having instances like that ever since he was removed from his ANBU duty a little over a week ago. He was positive that it was just the withdrawal from his normally tedious workings of his old job catching up to him.

He coolly regarded the mismatched bunch of children, quite tiny children who were far from reaching the tops of his shoulders, who cast the most tenacious looks they could muster. A whisper of hope wrapped around his heart as he observed them.

"Are you sure this is the path you want to take? There will be times when your teammates will drag you back or let you down. Are you prepared for something like that? What if your commander orders you otherwise?"

Naruto hissed at him. "People who abandon their friends are worse than scum!"

People who...

Kakashi turned his head to examine the distant horizon and not at all to hide the ghost of a smile that tried to push past his well-constructed mask of stoicism.

"Odd," he commented. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"What is?"

"It seems like you passed the test. I'm thinking of rewriting it since there's obviously too many holes if three early graduates managed."

Five seconds passed without any movement. The next fifteen seconds were filled with Naruto's babbling about if this was some other trick Bastard-sensei was trying to pull on them. The following thirty seconds after were taken by his cheers and Sasuke's giddiness about telling the rest of his family about what they did today.

"We're done for the day," Kakashi continued. "Report back to this training ground at six o'clock. Anyone late will receive punishment. Dismissed."

"Yes, sir!"

Naruto and Sasuke scrambled to hurry and tell the good news to their respective homes. Sakura called out to them, saying that she'd catch up in a minute, and lagged behind to meet the stone cold attention of her "new" teacher. He crossed his arms.

"Something you needed, Sakura?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Nothing. Just wanted to wish you good luck on your new genin team. It's your first year, isn't it? That's always the hardest," she said. Kakashi can't help but silently grit his teeth. What was that supposed to mean? "No pressure or anything. It's okay to feel embarrassed if you mess up every now and then. It's natural."

"What are you implying?"

"Me? Imply something? I wouldn't dream of it, Kakashi. Like I said, I'm just wishing you good luck for your new time. Kami knows you'll be needing it," she grinned. He doesn't know what to be annoyed about first: the fact that she openly making fun of him or using his first name like she'd known him for years. And like hell he'd let some smart-ass brat use his name so familiarly like that.

"You will address me as Kakashi-sensei, Sakura."

Her grin grew wider as she turned and raised a hand in goodbye. "I'll see you at training tomorrow, Kakashi!"

...

Now he honestly regretted swearing to not look at her file.

::

"I take it that the test took a different turn than your expectations."

"We were on the brink of failure last time," Sakura murmured, nodding at the scorpion perched on her shoulder. "Plus, Kakashi was way happier back then and nowhere near the level of asshole he's at now. Here, let me write Sasori-san's reply and you can take it to him."

She fished a pen and a slip of notepad paper from her pouch. She then sat on a bench lined on one of the busier streets, waiting for Sai to meet up with her like they always did on Tuesdays.

You're hilarious. Ha.

It'll take some time to find the kodachi you want. I'll have to go to lots of shops to see what they have, or maybe I'll have my regular place and order for it to be specially made. Your poison's also been deciphered, no problem. I'll attach my analysis to the note.

The best sword makers were undoubtedly in Mizu no Kuni, as the Kirigakure lay there and held the Seven Legendary Swordsman. It would be at least three weeks for everything to be in order.

Today, we had our test to assure our genin status. My sensei is the same, but he's strikingly different from before. Both his eyes are accounted for and the death of the Yondaime and his other teammate still runs deep, which reminds me of something important.

We had introductions with likes, dislikes, and all things of the sort. Naruto no longer wants to become Hokage. He wants to be an ambassador instead.

If he doesn't want to take up the position, I fear someone else needs to unless we want a rampant dictator on our hands. The Godaime won't be leading twenty years from now so we need to pick and cultivate a candidate as soon as possible.

"I don't suppose you have any ideas, do you?" she mumbled. Yori gave a thoughtful hum.

"I'm not too current with Konoha's politics, but I am aware that there's a strong clan system. Whoever you and Sasori choose needs to appease them all," he said. Sakura rubbed her neck and sighed. Of course her preferred choice of Rokudaime had to pass the structure of clans and council members. In the old timeline, Naruto was more than capable of taking the spot of Hokage once the war was over and Tsunade decided to retire.

He... would've been a great Hokage. Granted, she hadn't exactly lived to see it come to fruition, though it was something she was sure had happened. He and Sasuke would've both been happy in a world no longer ravaged by war.

But that was all behind her. She wanted a bloodless future for this timeline. The only problem was to pick the perfect person to continue Kato Dan's peaceful reign.

A politically suitable one too. Dan was able to get by with his good reputation and tranquil demeanor along with lots of other personality points that has him on the good side of the general public. We need someone like him, but with a stronger intimidation factor. Dan's not exactly putting pressure on any other Hidden Village.

Sakura looked up and saw Sasuke across the way. His mother stood to his left and his brother was at his right, him probably talking about how he passed the test just half an hour ago. She muted her chakra to make it less obvious that she was there as she bit the end of her pen. Successor to the Godaime, successor to the Godaime...

Would a quiet, insightful person fit well with something like that?

I don't , she began to write, then stopped herself. The idea was crazy and there was hardly a backing she could gather to make the notion work, at least not now. It's not like she presently had anything against the man in this particular timeline. If he was as hardworking and honest as she heard, there was nothing stopping him from earning a future nomination.

Scratch that. I think we have our guy.

Itachi turned his head to meet her inquisitive gaze, tilting his head in greeting. She smiled in return and went back to writing.

Uchiha Itachi: Rokudaime Hokage. Has a nice ring, doesn't it?

~H.S.

::

Ah, and here are two wonderful covers from two wonderful people!

Ninja_Duck

And  !