What if…

Heh, these two words will ever be the bane of my existence and now yours as well. So with that in mind…I wrote this bit of fun, cause...well there is no reason other than I felt like writing a filler episode.

SO in this chapter - What if - Naruto met Kakashi as much younger child…say around age 5 or 6…what? I'm easily distracted and a bit bored…so yeah…expect some Ooc-ness

Episode 1:

Ambition

Sitting on a bench outside the Hokage's office, Naruto waited and listened as the teachers argued over who would get to have him in their class. From the sound of it, there were, of course, no volunteers. Bored, the six year old boy flopped over and blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling as voices filtered out the open door. Whether they realized he could hear them didn't deter the conversation at all. He heard words thrown around like: Disruptive, incorrigible, disrespectful…none of which he knew the meaning of. Not that it mattered, this place he was told, was his only chance before they sent him to 'the other place'. He didn't know what that meant either, so…

Footsteps nearby made the boy look up to find a very tall, gray haired man sternly looking down at him. At first Naruto thought he was as old, like Sarutobi, but realized he wasn't. He didn't have any wrinkles. He wasn't dressed like any of the other teachers and the man had an eye patch over his left eye and a mask covering the lower half of his face.

What a strange guy, Naruto thought.

Still, he hated when people stared at him like that and from this man it was a little unnerving. What the hell was this guy's problem anyway? Naruto was about to ask when he noticed a scar running down into, then out of the patch. Naruto didn't get up, but he was curious now, so he asked, "What happened to your eye?"

"Mishap," the man responded. Naruto was not familiar with that word, but maybe the man meant it happened by accident. He was familiar with such things, being a bit clumsy and was a little surprised that he'd gotten an answer at all so he decided he'd ask another.

"What kind Missap?"

"Kind of what?"

"Missap."

"Mis-hap."

"Whatever, what kind was it?"

"A messy one."

"Yeah? Can I see?"

"No."

Well that sucks, Naruto thought but the man was at least the man still talking and it was almost getting interesting so Naruto went ahead and asked about something else, "Anyone die?"

There was a pause and Naruto thought, Oops, bad question, when noticed the coldness that crept into the other's visible eye when he replied saying, "Yes."

Still it wasn't the answer Naruto was expecting so he decided to change the subject again.

"What about the mask then?"

"This?" the man asked pointing to his face. When Naruto nodded, the man's countenance shifted again and appeared to smile beneath it as he bent slightly forward asking in response, "Why do you have whiskers?"

Naruto blinked and looked at the hand was using to absently scratch the thin whiskers on his cheeks. Why do I have whiskers?

"Dunno," Naruto responded but decided the mask was probably there to cover some other horrific scar. He continued to look up at the man, trying to figure out why he was still there. When the man dropped down to eye level with him. He regarded Naruto with a look of curiosity and asked, "So what is it you want to do when you grow up, eh?"

"Oh that's easy. I'm gonna work in a ramen shop."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it'll have all kinds too, especially tonkotsu, because it's the best."

"That doesn't sound very ambitious."

"Am-what-sis?"

"Ambitious. It means challenging, difficult...hard."

"Okay, whatever, you ever even make ramen?"

"No."

"Then how would you know if it was am..am – what you said before."

"Ambitious."

"Yeah that."

The man shrugged and Naruto's eyes narrowed. He'd decided some time ago that the best way to test people was to say things he really wasn't supposed to. He also was starting to get the feeling this guy was just here to remind him, like everyone else did, that he was an idiot.

"So you a teacher or sumthin?"

"I'll go with the or sumthin."

"Great, that means I don't have to give a shit about what you say," Naruto said and turned his body so his head was hanging off the edge of the bench. Screwing his eyes shut, he steeled himself for the slap he was sure was coming. When it didn't happen Naruto opened his eyes and was further surprised when the man nodded saying, "True enough."

Now it was Naruto's turn to stare. Most people in the village never hesitated to smack him when they got the chance so why not this guy?

At that moment the conversation in the office got rather heated. The man straightened and glanced in but made no move to enter. When everything went quiet, Naruto glanced at the doorway himself and felt strangely nervous. He went to ask the man another question, but when Naruto looked back the man was gone.

"He ran away," the boy said with a sigh. He'd have runaway too if he thought he be able to get away with it. Since there was no hope of that happening, Naruto sat up just as several teachers filed out of the office. While most ignored his presence, there were a few that did look at him, they of course wore the usual frowns. Naruto glared back at them in turn until the last of them disappeared down the hall.

It was a short time later that the familiar voice of the old Sandaime called to him and Naruto grudgingly got up from the bench. Entering the office, Naruto was sure, just for a split second, there was someone else in the room. He looked all around a little confused when he didn't see anyone and decided it was his imagination. Shrugging, he went over to where old man Sarutobi was staring out the window at the faces carved into the mountainside. From his frown, Naruto guessed he wouldn't be going to school like other kids his age but to 'the other place'.

While truthfully he wasn't really expecting it to happen, it sure would have been nice to be like everyone else for a change.

Something stung the corner of his eye, making him blink and Naruto was surprised to find the wetness there. He told himself a while ago he wasn't cry over stupid things like this anymore. When a sniffle accidentally escaped, Naruto sat on the floor between the old man and the wall, waiting for the 'good' news.

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat, though Naruto didn't bother to look up. The old man, however, turned from the window and Naruto couldn't resist taking a quick peek at the man standing in the shadow of the door.

Naruto didn't remember ever meeting this person, but then he was terrible with faces and names sometimes. What stood out to him was the scar that ran all the way across the man's face, right over the bridge of his nose. Naruto did note he was dressed the same way as the guy he'd met in the hallway earlier though.

"Iruka, I've already told you I was giving you a special student. He will be starting at the academy at the start of the new term next month. I'm told he has lots of potential, but has a few problems with his academics."

"Of course, Sandaime-sama. I'm looking forward to it."

"That's good, because I've brought you here to meet him."

When the old man stepped away from the window leaving Naruto exposed, the boy stood up. He ventured a smile that faded as soon he noted that the man's own smile was now gone, replaced by the same frown that the teachers that left earlier wore and wasn't a bit impressed with him.

"Yes sir, I will do my best, even with that one," Iruka said.

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto, not 'that one'. Please make use of it in the future." There was a note of irritation in the old man's voice that Naruto didn't hear very often and he was even more surprised that the man nodded and apologized, of course not to him, but whatever. "Now, Naruto come here please."

He did and the old man put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. It was a small gesture, but it helped calm the boy's already growing irritation for this person. Naruto sighed and looked up at the old man, who smiled before he pointed to the other.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I want you to meet your new sensei, Umuino Iruka. Once you start at the Ninja Academy, he will in charge of you, so I want you to do your best for him."

That didn't sound good. Naruto could already tell this guy hated him just like everybody else in town. Crossing his arms, the boy now glared at the other until a sharp pain on the back of his head made Naruto look back up at the old man as he rubbed the spot.

Apparently the old man was serious this time and it was only the sudden poke that prompted Naruto to say, "Nice to meet you, Iruka-sensei. Please take good care of me."

It was a standard greeting, but for once Naruto managed it without it coming out as a shout. The minutes stretched and there was no reply from the other. Naruto definitely was tired of this guy and asked the old man, "Can I go now?"

"No, not quite yet, Naruto," the Hokage replied quietly and gave Naruto's shoulder a squeeze. Sarutobi returned his gaze to Iruka as the man remained still and silent near the door. His arms were crossed and his face was set in a frown Naruto was all too familiar with. When Iruka's head suddenly pushed back, Naruto held back a snicker, it almost looked like someone had poked his head too and the Hokage said, "I'm sorry Iruka, I didn't quite hear you."

The man sighed before he said; "I welcome you to my class, Uzumaki Naruto. Please work hard and do your best."

Even though Iruka's voice was flat and completely uncaring, unexpected warmth somewhere deep in his heart caused Naruto to smile. It broadened further when the Hokage said while giving Naruto's hair a tussle, "You can go now, Naruto."

Nodding once, Naruto immediately bolted for the door but stopped in front of his new sensei to bow and say 'thank you' even though he was very sure Iruka-sensei didn't mean a word of his greeting. None of that mattered as Naruto stored that warmth away in the small space in his head. This was where he kept those rare happy feelings that helped him stave off the cold looks of the villagers.

As he made his way through town, Naruto wondered briefly about the strange guy he'd met in the hallway and decided that maybe the guy was right. Maybe he wasn't being very ambitious. Since the other place was the ninja academy, maybe he should try to be a really good ninja. Of course, if he wanted to be recognized for the person he was, then he'd have to become something so big that everyone in the village would have to recognize him for sure.

Naruto was halfway home when it hit him. An idea so grand he stopped and looked up at the monument carved in the mountainside.

No doubt about it. It's the only thing big enough. I'll have to become the Hokage.

Yesh - there was no real point to that other than I felt like writing it, though I do hope you enjoyed my little bit o drabble. Nite! 8/8/08!