Summary:
Naruto meet the rest of Team Seven and their jounin-sensei and marvels at how Sasuke is different.
The caterpillar does all the work, but the butterfly gets all the publicity
Turns out pretending to be a 12-year-old is much easier than Naruto thought, when he finds himself in the familiar surroundings of Team Seven. Sakura is exactly the same as he remembers, and even Sasuke, though not as edgy as he used to, acts his usual arrogant Sasuke's self, which makes Naruto stare at him in confusion. Naruto feels as if he has been dragged back in time, and if technically the feeling is perfectly accurate, it still gives him a touch of unease - the Team Seven dynamics is way too close to how it was in his time, except that Sasuke is calling him a simple baka and other similar insults, that sound almost half-hearted, but never a dobe. It shouldn't be like that, should it? This morning Sasuke was almost Naruto's level of cheerfulness, showing him affection and concern so not typical for the Uchiha Naruto knows.
He is so lost in this musings, that he hardly pays attention to what is happening, and snaps out of it only because of Sasuke actually slapping the back of his head with, "Oi, moron, it's your turn."
Naruto blinks and looks at grumpy Sasuke first, and then at Rin, who is standing in front of them, smiling lightly.
"We are doing some introductions, and I asked you all to show me your favorite jutsu, Naruto-kun," she says.
"Ah, sorry, sensei," Naruto answers, automatically bringing his hands together in a familiar sign, not even giving it much thought, when he says, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" And only when four clones appear behind him he realises that he just made a horrible mistake.
He freezes, his eyes widen, and he opens his mouth in attempt to explain himself, but Rin just nods as if not surprised at all and turns to Sakura.
Naruto's mind goes blank, one of his clones disappears with a puff, leaving him with memories of a kunai in his side and Sasuke's whisper of, "Wait till my Sharingan awakens, and no amount of clones will save your ass," in his ear.
"Huh?" Naruto says, and receives another slap to the back of his head from the Uchiha, who is not even looking at him.
What is with this boy?! What's with the violent tendencies, really? As far as Naruto understands, no Uchiha Massacre happened in this world ― shouldn't Sasuke be a little less homicidal? Where is Itachi looking?! Naruto will need to talk to him later.
And what's with no reaction to the clones? Is he smart in this world, or what?
"Ano, Sasuke?" Naruto whispers, nudging the boy lightly. "Remind me where I placed in Genin exams?"
Sasuke turns to him and the look on his face is all too familiar but with a slightest bit of surprise.
"Did you hit your head, baka? You were right below me, and don't let it go to your head - this is how it's going to stay."
Well, that would explain the lack of "dobe" in Sasuke's insults...
The thought of years of his childhood spent actually studying, probably thanks to, as Naruto suspects, his parents and Kakashi-sensei's combined efforts, sends a shiver down his spine and he can't be more happy about being sent to his 12-year-old body when the most of the studying is probably already behind him.
He then turns his attention to their sensei. Rin is nice and friendly, and not in a way that Sakura pretends to be now, hiding her violent scary self behind fake smiles, but actually nice. And Naruto smiles, happy for Kakashi-sensei that he was able to prevent both unfortunate events with his teammates, that last time led to such destructive results.
He wonders why Kakashi is not their sensei now, and makes a mental note to ask him that. Along with million other questions, that are swarming in his mind now ― Itachi said the man avoids talking about that, but that just means Itachi hasn't asked him insistently enough to make him. Now that Naruto is here, he is going to make sure to drag all the answers from his former sensei ― after all Naruto needs this knowledge to be able to accommodate to this changed world as fast as possible.
He proceeds with the day and some training with his team, more thoughtful of what jutsus to use, but not restricting himself too much. He ignores the throbbing unfamiliar emptiness in the place where he used to fell Kurama and his chakra, focusing more on the little changes in his teammates that were not so visible in the beginning.
Sakura is obviously pining for Sasuke, and there is nothing new in this, except that she acknowledges Naruto's presence a bit more, and throwing at him murderous glances, that look almost like jealousy, when Sasuke "hmms" approvingly when Naruto does something right, teasing him with, "Is that all you can do?", all the way smiling.
Which is another change, that settles two images of Sasuke, from today's morning and the one Naruto sees now, in Naruto's head ― the Uchiha is definitely different, unbent and even friendly in his own way. But Naruto sees the presence of the Sasuke he knows in the boy ― ambitious, competitive, powerful even now, when he doesn't have his Sharingan yet - in fact stronger than Naruto remembers Sasuke to be - and well aware of this power, which makes him look arrogant, but it is nothing Naruto hasn't dealt with before.
And this Sasuke acknowledges Naruto. Just like that, or perhaps it took some effort that Naruto is not aware of, but the result is that they are friends and rivals, and all what Naruto wanted to see in Sasuke when they both were kids.
Naruto spends the whole lot of two seconds thinking, that it is not his Sasuke, as all the people here, in this too changed world, are not his, but other versions of themselves. The thought doesn't linger. He might be the one who is a stranger in this world and to these people, but they are the same ones who he knows and loves, albeit being slightly different. And though he will miss those he has seen die, and those he left when he died himself only to wake up here, he will love these ones all the same and will work towards making himself a rightful part of this new world.
And not having his nine-tailed friend with him now is certainly not the highest price to pay for this opportunity.
Next chapter: Kakashi changed the day Rin was kidnapped - Obito's POV (the whole chapter of ObiKaka rainbows!)