Creak. . .
Sai peered into the room with his weapon ready. "No one's here with you?" a separate voice said. Sai's eyes looked to a silhouette sitting cross legged on a chair. "That's not very Will of Fire etiquette."
Sai saw Uchiha Sasuke sitting there before him. Sai entered and blocked the exit.
"Sorry, your friends are all here to see you." Sai said.
"Oh?"
"But," Sai said.
"But?"
"I must dispatch you." Sai said bracing his weapon.
"So that's what you're really here for." he said.
Sai hesitated, something wasn't right here. . .
! "Hah!" two ninjas struck. Their swift movements were sharp and strong. "You've grown accostomed to my Gentle Fist." one man said when they were in contact.
"Yeah, it's a good thing I can see which of my chakra points are at risk." a woman said back.
They kept fighting.
Soon they were all done and they winded down. The guy had a drinking gourd, "Here." he said and tossed it over.
"Oh." the girl caught it in her hand and said, "Thank you."
They walked back together side by side. "You weren't holding back we're you?" the guy asked.
"Where did you ever get that idea?" she replied.
"Don't play around, I know you beat me to the Jonin rank and you didn't even have to work for it. I have the suspicion that you're hiding your true power."
"I'm hurt! Of course I had to work for it!" she told him.
"Yeah well not like I did. . ." he said not even turning his head.
"You mean not like Konoha's young prodigy did."
He pinched her hard on the arm. "Ow! So cheeky!" she covered her arm.
. . .
Outside the village a Sage and a brightly colored young ninja entered the village. The two walked around the village for a little bit, taking in the sights. The young man ran up a tall pole and stood at the very top.
"It takes me back! This village hasn't changed at all!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Everyone! Uzumaki Naruto's back!"
He looked all around the village and all its familiar sights. After all it was home, "It all feels so nostalgic. . ."
"Oh, they added Tsunade obaa-chan's image to the plateau." he noticed seeing her sculpted face.
"Naruto? Is that you, Naruto?" he heard a familiar voice and looked down. "When did you get back, Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Just now!" he said and jumped down. "Long time no see, Sakura-chan!" he grinned.
? "You've grown taller than me haven't you?" Sakura noticed.
"Huh?" Naruto compared their heights real quick. "Oh you're right." he confirmed. He and Sakura reunited along with the Konohamaru gang. Even though it ended with Sakura punching him into the ground. In the end no one has really changed.
Later in the day he, Sakura, and Jiraiya met with Tsunade in her office where he was welcomed back and also met with Shikamaru and Temari. But most importantly Kakashi.
Kakashi was being himself reading his books on the roof in peace. Which reminded Naruto, "Hey, I've got a present for you, Sensei." he said reaching into his pouch.
"What?!" Kakashi exclaimed and trembled. "You got me. . Th-this is. ."
Naruto had a brand new book ready for him, "This is the first new title in the Make-Out series in three years!" he gave him the book and Kakashi opened the first crisp new pages.
". . So does that mean you're my opponent?" Naruto asked.
"Well not quite." Kakashi shut the book and walked over to Sakura. "Sakura, I haven't now seen you in a while too."
"Sakura, Naruto, no Squad 7, all of you will face me." he said and hit them as a surprise. Only to put it off asking to meet them in the 3rd training ground another time.
So Naruto and Sakura walked through the village together with Shikamaru and Temari. Where they told him that they were tasked with working on the preparations for the Chunin exams this year. And while they were on that topic, "So what're you gonna do Naruto?"
"About what?"
"About what? About the Chunin exams." Shikamaru told Naruto. "You're the only one from our class who hasn't become a Chunin." he broke it to him.
! "Ehhhhh!?" he exclaimed. Apparently Sakura is a Chunin as well. Kankuro, Temari, and Neji are Jonin level now much to Naruto's shock. And when he asked about Gaara, he found out that his old friend has now become Kazekage.
"Suge. . ." Naruto clenched his fists. "I won't be outdone!" he told himself. He pointed to the plateau. "I'll definitely become Hokage! Just you wait Gaara!"
"Oh come to think of it, Kenji hasn't taken the Chunin exams either. . ." Shikamaru mentioned.
? Naruto's mood flipped. "Oh that's right!" Sakura added. "Kenji's not a Chunin either isn't she?"
"R-Really?" Naruto said.
"Yeah, she decided not to take the exams again, Kenji. . ." Sakura said to him.
"I don't blame her, after what happened back then with Kurenai and Asuma Sensei and even Orochimaru. . I understand why she wouldn't want to do it again." Shikamaru said.
Naruto looked down and Sakura said, "Don't worry! She hasn't given up!" he looked up at her again. "I'm sure she's become very strong!" she said.
"Yeah!" Naruto agreed. "But, that makes me wonder, where is she?" he asked. "I haven't seen her at all. . ." he said.
Shikamaru cut his teeth, "That girl trains like crazy. Who knows where she is?" Shikamaru said in annoyance.
"Well, we'll see her eventually when we take on Kakashi Sensei. Right Naruto?" Sakura said.
"Right!" Naruto said.
Soon the two were waiting for their Sensei to arrive. Naruto was pacing and Sakura was leaning against the fence.
When he did arrive he had an excuse ready and Naruto and Sakura immediately debunked him.
They walked into the training grounds and the first thing Naruto saw made him stop. He saw a girl sitting atop one of the logs staring off into the distance. The wind blew her long black hair. She turned around and faced him.
He didn't recognize her from behind but he knew those eyes anywhere.
She was smiling, "Welcome back, Naruto-kun." Kenji said.
Naruto smiled back. Kenji jumped off and Naruto ran up to her. They embraced each other for the first time in a couple years. "Living those days without you here with me has been by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. . ." she said.
"I couldn't wait to see you ever since I got back. Kenji, you changed a lot. . ." he said.
"Have I?" Kenji asked stepping back to look at him. "I could tell you the same thing," she said eyeing him up and down. "But the important thing is, do you feel stronger?"
"Yeah! I'm ready, dattebayo!" he gave her a thumbs up and Kenji giggled. "I've never seen your hair this long."
"Yeah I know, I should cut it soon." Kenji said.
"No it's a new look. You should keep it, at least while I settle back in." he said. "Oh I still haven't outgrown you." he pointed out their heights.
"Really?" she placed her forehead protector against his. She was very close and her hitaite while touching his wasn't exactly aligned unless she's slouched. "You're right. I've gained weight over the years. I feel good!"
Kenji did change the most, same bangs and forehead protector but she was taller and much more full bodied as opposed to her thinner body as a tween. Her hair was almost at her waist now and she looked very strong.
"Now you really look like Squad 7." Kakashi said to his students.
And then everyone remembered, their missing member. Their missing friend, "Sasuke. . ."
Sakura remembered the last time she saw Sasuke, at the village exit. "Don't go! If you leave I'll scream!"
"Sakura, thank you. . ."
! "Sasuke-kun. . ."
Naruto remembered his fight with Sasuke in the Valley of the End, "Sasuke!"
"Yo, usuratonkachi."
And then there was Kenji, she remembered that time when Sasuke nearly killed her.
"You never give up. . ."
"I hate you so much! But I have a mission!"
? Kakashi saw that a heavy weight of sorrow hung over them. "Sasuke's name can't be mentioned in front of these guys. . ." he thought.
Then the team heard a familiar ringing, "The rules haven't changed," Kakashi said.
"If we're not prepared with the intent to kill you, you mean?" Sakura asked.
"Then we won't have a chance." Naruto added.
"And we can use any weapon we want including shuriken," she shut her eyes. "And jutsu." Kenji stared with her Rinnegan intently. "Right?"
Sakura got on her gloves and Kakashi lifted up his hitaiate. They would be fighting against his Sharingan which meant he was serious with them.
