15 years. Had it really been that long? Naruto huffed enthusiastically. OF course it been that long. His calendar said quite specifically that it was the year 1024 AS and it had been the year 1009 from which he was apparently measuring time. 1009, what a fateful year that was. Honestly, however, Naruto shook his head. He was prone to bouts of musing like this. Not unless someone else brought it up and then he only would do it to stubbornly defend his nin-do. And right now, he didn't have time for this. He had a Genin team he needed to take care of.

"Oooo," Naruto cooed, "Ichiruka is having a 10% discount sale today?"

Okay, first ramen, then genin.


He ran his fingers through the big brown cotton ball he called his hair, "Tsk."

The white haired girl next to him huffed in annoyance, "Isn't this guy supposed to be a hero? If he's such a big deal, why can't he show up on time?"

"Hero privileges, duh," Said the afro boy, "That, plus not everyone can go from zero to sixty like a Makusi."

"Oh, shut up, Yamar," The girl muttered.

"Ano, Piepie-san," The boy to the far left murmured, "We shouldn't fight like this."

"Aww, Enker-kun thinks we can hear him over his mumbling," Yamar chuckled. Enker leaned over to glower at him. Yamar gave no visible reaction from behind his mask.

The three of them were an odd bunch, almost colorful except not literally so. Piepie was the only girl, with long silvery white hair down to her waist and silvery blue eyes to match. She would be a very pretty girl if her fashion statement didn't include tights, ala the legendary Taijutsu master Rock Lee and the late Maito Gai. Yamar had the most relaxed posture in his all-white array and the white mask over his face. Enker, for his often shy posture, wore the least clothing, shorts and a vest with black spikey hair that was just as long as Piepie's and just as bushy as Yamar's.


"Hmmm," Naruto mumbled as he left Ichiraku's, rubbing his belly contently. Well, time to pick up his genin! Then he stopped, yet again; this time while passing a training ground. Lee spotted him from within and gave his signature smile and thumbs up, which Naruto half-heartedly returned while looking at Lee's genin team, a year older then his. The genins also turned to regard him. The Hyuuga boy, the spitting image of his mother except for his eyes, waved happily at him, "Hiya, Uncle Naruto!"

And the brown haired boy also gave a wave. Naruto wave to both of them, "Noji! Domino!" He regarded the pink-haired kunoichi of the team, "Sasura."

She regarded him with the eyes of her father, black through and so cold. Naruto grimaced but he promised he'd get through to her some day. He failed with her father but he would not fail with her. Now was not the time. He had genin to torment.


Was it irony? Maybe… Hinata would know. Out of all the ninjas he knew, she seemed the most likely to be literate about such things. For now, irony would do to describe having the exact same prank pulled on him as he did to Kakashi more then a dozen years ago. Unlike the sarcastic Kakashi, Naruto busted a gut laughing as he took the eraser off his head.

"Oi," Said one of them, the masked boy, "You Naruto-sensei?"

Naruto wiped away a nostalgic tear, "Yeah, that's me. My first impression, I like you guys already. Now meet me on the roof."

And the shadow clone disintegrated in a puff of smoke.


Naruto leaned against sat on the same stone seat Kakashi those dozen years ago. What a feeling of nostalgia. He smiled enthusiastically at his less then enthusiastic apprentices. While, She-Lee and bishi boy seemed reserved in their respective ways. Mushroom top seemed awfully intent but Naruto couldn't tell with that mask. Looked kinda like an ANBU mask without the animal motif or the markings, Naruto thought.

"Oi, alright," He began, "I guess we better tell a bit about ourselves. I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like a lot of things, like ramen and coming up with new jutsus! I don't like arrogant bastards. Oh, and my dream is to become Hokage!"

Piepie snorted at this but Yamar spoke up, "You're one of the Rokudaime's former students, right?"

Naruto frowned in thought, "Kakashi-sensei? Yeah, I was."

Piepie scowled, "Okay, that doesn't count as credentials."

Naruto felt like mentioning that he was also taught by the legendary sanin, Jiraiya the Toad Sage and son of Yondaime and possibly descended of the Shodaime as well, but he felt it would be better just to prove himself to the tsundere acting girl instead.

"And you are the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi," Yamar added. The other two perked up at this. Piepie flinched but Naruto was more worried by the look the bishie boy gave him. He'd noted that for later.

"Well, I see you're the Shikamaru of the group," Naruto said, giving a look of reluctant approval.

Yamar continued on, "And you killed the missing-nin, Sasuke, too."

That wiped the grin off his. After a pause, he said, "Yes."

Yamar inclined his head. For the masked boy, it was an acknowledgement and an apology for bringing up what was an apparently a bad memory, even if he didn't quite understand why.

"Right, you guys know who I am," Naruto said, "Now who are you?"

He started with mushroom top.

"Hn, alright. My name is Youso Yamar. I like… a few things. I don't like a lot of other things. My dreams… don't have any."

And Naruto busted a gut laughing again, "Man, and you sound like Kakashi too!" Then he stopped laughing, leaning over with a wide grin and wider eyes, "Speaking of which." He poked Yamar's mask, "What's under there?"

Naruto was curious but this was his little revenge too. After Yamar put him on the spot, now his teammates were looking at him like a glass specimen. Much to his disappointment, the masked boy reached behind to the strap of his mask. It was a wide strap that pushed the back of his hair down and the fluffy top up like a mushroom. As he peeled it off, the pressed down hair springed back up and his head was surrounded by a halo of nappy brown. But his eyes were what stood out, completely black things except for big white pupils, like the reverse of Sasuke's eyes. The boy was otherwise average looking though.

Piepie arched a brow, "Wassup with them eyes?"

Yamar didn't answer till he put his mask back on. Naruto noticed what he thought were just darkened eyeholes were the black of his eyes and the white pupils almost glowed.

"The bloodline trait of the Youso Clan," He stated, "The Awesomegan."

"Really?" Naruto missed the obvious word play. His genin gave him a look that said, 'You're going to teach us, you barely functional retard?'

"Sensei," Yamar said.

"Yeah?"

"You are such a blonde."

"Doh!"

Yamar continued, "Every Youso has these eyes but they don't do anything really. Our blood line is a simple boost to our chakra manipulation and conversion abilities."

Naruto fisted his palm, "Oooo! Neato! I better use one of those elemental cards on you soon."

Yamar shrugged and Naruto pointed to Piepie to go next.

Piepie straightened and smiled primly, "My name is Masuki Piepie. I like going fast and strong men. I dislike waiting for slow people and weak men." Then she gave an all to familiar smiling thumbs up, "And my dream is to marry Rock Lee!"

Naruto almost did a spit take but he didn't have anything his mouth. So he opted for the third gut busting laugh that day. Between laughs, he asked, "Is that - why - you wear - tights?"

Piepie looked very offended at his laughing She crossed her arms and said, "I'll have you know my entire clan dresses like this."

Naruto only needed to imagine this for a moment before he simply rolled to the ground in uproarious laughter. Piepie tried to glare dagger into her sensei back but it was a while before he stopped. He got back up unto the stone bench, rubbing his eyes, still chuckling.

"Okay-okay…" He pointed to the very quiet bishi boy, "Now you."

"Ano-" Enker began.

And Naruto busted up laughing again, "You sound - just like - a male - Hinata!"

Enker blushed. Naruto laughed harder.

"Um…"

Naruto gestured for the poor boy to continue while grinning like a moron.

"My n-name is Inuzuka Enker," Enker said. Naruto leaned to the side to get a good look at the boy's bowed face, "Holy crap! You are an Inuzuka! You know Kiba?"

Enker nodded, "H-he is my uncle."

"Cool! Me and him are buddies!" Not noticing Enker hadn't actually said anything about himself, Naruto dismissed them, "Okay, you guys can go for now. Tommorow, meet me at the 1st gate of the Forest of Death. 6 O'clock sharp!"

And he left them on the roof.