Aequitas Arbitratus

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Spoilers here and there, don't blame me if I spoil something for you.

Summary: An unexpected decision from Kakashi sends Team 7 on a troubling B-class mission, which leads to an adventure undreamed of by Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura.

Chapter 1: Non-nomination, new mission

"Those who can't put their destinies on the line... who cling to the uncertain future of "There's always next year" and then walk away from their chance... Those pieces of trash who can only make such cowardly choices don't have the right to become chunnin... that's how I feel!"

Morino Ibiki; Volume 5, Chapter 44

Volume 16, Chapter 142

The Third Hokage, leader of the Hidden Leaf village, gazed over the gathered Jounin teachers. "In one week, will begin the Chunnin Exam. As you all know, the Chunnin Exam will be hosted in our very own Leaf village this year. But first, those watching over the new genin step forward,"

The Third Hokage paused for a moment as the new Genin instructors; Kakashi, Kurenai, and, Asuma stepped forward. Hokage puffed a ring of smoke from his pipe before he spoke.

"Well? Are there any genin you would like to nominate for this exam? As you three already know, but after a genin has properly completed at least eight missions, the team may take the exam if nominated by you. Of course... you are very well aware, completing more missions than that is the norm...he Third nodded to the Jounin teacher on his right. "Asuma, you first."

With an unlit cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth, Sarutobi Asuma stepped forward. "The Asuma-led Team 10: Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji. Under the name Sarutobi Asuma, I nominate these three to take the Chunnin Exam."

Incredulous whispers spread through the gathered Jounin-Chunnin teachers. Rookies in the Chunnin Exam?

The Third ignored the hushed voices and shifted his gaze to the woman in the middle. "Kurenai?"

Yuuhi Kurenai, the most recent woman to pass the Hidden Leaf Jounin trials, broke rank and stepped forward. "The Kurenai-lead Team 8: Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba. Under the name Yuuhi Kurenai; the same decision to my right."

The whispers became even louder murmurs. Six rookies? Six rookies haven't tested in the Chunnin Exam since-

The Third audibly cleared his throat calling for silence: the murmurs receded and the Hokage called, "Kakashi?"

"The Kakashi-lead Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura. Under the name Hatake Kakashi-- I do not recommend these three to take the Chunnin Exam."

Kakashi's face was etched in stoic stone as he stepped back into line. The Third saw a brief flash of emotion, a sense of defeated disappointment, then nothing.

"Very well," Hokage said as he glanced all the instructors. "On the fifth day of next week, all genin teams will report to Tsunade Meeting Hall," he paused and turned his gaze to Ibiki, Captain of Leaf assassination, torture, and interrogation squad #3, and said, "Ibiki, you will be the first instructor and in charge of the written exam,"

Ibiki bowed his head forward, the faint lines of an eager smirk on his lips. "My pleasure, Hokage-sama"

"And the second examiner will be," The Third's gaze glossed over all the instructors, skipping over every single nin until he reached- "Anko, you will be the 2nd examiner. Restrictions and Rules will be set and decided by you."

Anko bowed her head much in the same way as Ibiki, however she did not share his mirth. Her expression looked very much against proctoring the 2nd exam, but she held her tongue. "As you wish, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi inched a step forward; his hand reaching inside his pocket to grab something, but he stopped short and instead, withdrew an empty hand. He held his place in line.

"Now, everyone with graduated genin three years and before, step forward. Gai, you first..."

**

Sakura was very irritated.

Kakashi was late, again.

Every morning it was the same. Kakashi would send them an urgent message to meet at the bridge; a life or death emergency, a special mission, or something else equally as dire to get them to drop whatever they were doing and come as soon as possible. Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto would promptly appear at the bridge, only to find Kakashi markedly absent. Then an hour or two later, he would appear.

Sakura finally exploded. "WHY, WHY, WHY does Kakshi-sensei call us out and then always make us wait?"

Naruto nodded frantically along, heartily agreeing. "I don't know, but damn him!" He said, egging Sakura on.

"And just look at my hair!" Sakura whined: baring the split ends half an inch from Naruto's face. "I overslept and couldn't finish blow drying it!"

"What about me, huh? I overslept too! I wasn't able to change my underwear and brush my teeth!"

Sakura shuddered and stumbled back. Looking at him, her face soured. "That's just disgusting, Naruto. Is that why you always smell?"

Naruto looked at Sakura with a puzzled expression. "Huh?" He said as he lifted his arm and sniffed his armpit. "I don't smell--"

Naruto was interrupted as a soft pop and hiss of smoke from the top of the bridge's archway signaled the arrival of their habitually late teacher. Squatting on the third arc of the bridge, Kakashi grinned impishly at them. "Good Morning everyone," he said amiably. Kakashi's eyes (or eye) blinked up at the high rise of the sun. He looked back down with an even wider smile. "Or should I say, good afternoon?"

"You're late!" Sakura and Naruto both yelled.

"And I'm hungry!" Naruto's stomach grumbled in agreement.

"You'll buy some ramen later, but now--" Kakashi disappeared from the archway with a pop: appearing on the bridge a moment later. He withdrew three slips of paper and handed one to each. "I have a special, extra dangerous, extra difficult C-rank mission for you."

As soon as Naruto heard C-rank, he began to jump around enthusiastically, ignoring the slip of paper completely.

"What are we doing, what are we doing?" Naruto asked enthusiastically while throwing a flurry of kick-punch combos into the air; close fisting the mission paper in the process. "Beat up a group of mountain bandits? Put a few uppity Samurai back in their place?"

Naruto stopped hitting air when he saw the color drain from Sakura's face: even Sasuke's expression was screwed up in concentration. "The mission can't be that bad-- can it?" Naruto uncrumpled the paper in his fist and looked over it very carefully, his eyes widening to the size of saucers when he reached the end.

"Wha-- wha-- what the hell is this!" Naruto exclaimed incredulously. He crumpled the paper and tossed the paper wad toward Sasuke's forehead. Naruto looked up at Kakashi. "Teachers? For our newest mission, we have to become teachers?"

Before Kakashi could respond-- "But, Kakashi-sensei..." Sakura said hesitantly, "Are we even qualified to be teachers? I thought only Chunnins like Iruka-sensei, or even Jounins-- like you, could teach at the academy."

"No, no, no." Kakashi said slowly, shaking his head. "As a matter of fact, the Third Hokage never said, nor has there been any written rule that expressively forbids genins-- even rookie level genins like yourselves, from teaching at the academy. It's just very much frowned upon-- that's all. But if the prospect of teaching is too difficult, I could always get you an easier; second rate D-mission… I remember seeing a search and recovery mission: old lady Mina lost her dog in Akagahara..."

"Perhaps that would be for the best--" started Sakura, before Naruto clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Haha-- Don't listen to her, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, trying to keep Sakura reservations about the mission gagged. Naruto smiled smugly at Kakashi. "Team 7 will be happy to take the mission. Konoha's number one ninja, Uzumaki Naruto, is on board!"

"Good to know." Kakashi looked slightly amused. "We'll meet at the Academy in two hours. Bye everyone, and remember-- don't be late!"

Naruto blinked and a second later, Kakashi was gone: vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto wasn't paying much attention to Kakashi's departure; Sakura's fidgeting doubled, determined to wriggle herself out of Naruto's grip. As Naruto tried to keep a firm grip over Sakura's mouth and waist, the hand grasping Sakura's waist slipped and accidentally touched over Sakura's chest...

Both froze for a second: Naruto, horrified at what he was touching and the fact that his hand seemed frozen in place... Sakura, because Naruto of all people was touching her there.

Naruto's hand was still gagging Sakura's mouth, but he could swear he heard her grumble-- Naruto, I'm going to kill you.

**

Note: How'd you like it? Whelps, this fic isn't as comedic as my other one, but I try my best to give comedic parts. Note to my other fic, An Admirer's Gifts, I will finish it! I currently have the third chapter quite a ways along, just need to get it to the end. Anyhow, please read and review, constructive criticisms is always welcome.

Huge thanks to my human sounding board Noisetank13, who listen to me patiently as I rant and raved about writers block and other non-sensical issues. By the way his fic, Black Emperor Butterfiles, is pretty awesome. Please be kind, understanding, and wonderful readers I know you are and read his fic, then review it.