"Demon talking"
"Normal talking"
'Demon thinking'
'Normal thinking'
"Flashback normal talk"
'Flashback norm thinking'
"Flashback demon talk"
'Flashback demon thinking'
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or anything related to Naruto, if I did, Naruto wouldn't be wearing orange or as 'dense'. Though OCs and any technique I come up with are mine!

Well it has been another few months since I last updated…I think…time for me currently is passing really slowly and I can't seem to tell when I last did things if it were more than 2 weeks ago. My excuse this time is that I have a lot of homework…yes homework…Year 11 for me right now is a pain and specialist math is causing most of that pain, also my English homework has been putting me off for writing anything, why? Because writing essays for the better part of the week is not very nice…Anyway I'm going to be updating 2 chapters to make up for the lack of activity for the last few months. Also if anyone has any advice for time management, please tell me and I'll be forever grateful.

Should the Sandaime Hokage live or die poll:
Alive: 6
Dead: 1
Special thanks to lady Candace and Desturion for telling me my mistakes, and to Desturion, I won't be changing the spelling of kitsune any time soon is previous chapters, but I'll keep it in mind.
Also an extra special thanks to Crtl+F for making my life a lot easier when finding stuff =D.

The BEST part of waking up? Hitting the snooze button and going back to sleep.
-Anonymous

Chapter 9: Testing, dinner and missions

As the ringing stops for everyone Kakashi then says "The test is to get these 2 bells of me. You have until noon to get the bells or you all fail."

"Kakashi-sensei but there are only two bells…"States Sakura.

"Exactly, the person who doesn't get one gets sent back to the academy, which in other words the person fails. By the way come with the intent to kill, or you won't be able to get the bells. Alright…Begin!" As Kakashi said this the 3 genin disappears into the woods.

'Those 3 are good at hiding…I can sense Sakura, but she is pretty good for a genin…Saki is easily on medium jonin level, which is quite an impressive feat…Naruto on the other hand is on an entirely different level…I can't even sense him…Probably all the beatings taught him to hide…'

Kakashi was caught out of his musing when several shurikens flew at him, he being jonin and an ex-ANBU captain, obviously dodged easily. Naruto then jumped out into the open.

"A little bit too confident don't you think, Naruto?"

Kakashi gave him an eye smile as Naruto charged yelling out some random stuff, and then engage the jonin in a really sloppy version of the academy tai-jutsu.

'Looks like he is not too good at tai-jutsu…'

As they fought the one sided battle, Kakashi got behind Naruto. "Never let an enemy shinobi get behind you. Sennen Goroshi (1)!"

Meanwhile Saki and Sakura who were watching the battle together, feared for Naruto's life, for the tiger seal was used to execute mainly Katon jutsu that can kill.

Unbeknown to anyone Naruto just smirked, which Kakashi failed to realize, "boom…" then the clone disappears when Kakashi was about to finish said 'jutsu', and what was left behind was an explosive tag which Kakashi barely escaped.

'What? Naruto can do kage bunshins? What else have you been hiding…ingenious planning with the explosive tag as well…just how much just are you holding back Naruto?'

Both of them breathe a sigh of relief; Sakura though hated the orange clad ninja, didn't want him dead and Saki though knew Naruto wouldn't be that 'bad' still worried.

"So girls, enjoyed the show?" asked Kakashi from behind them, scaring both girls and making one lose balance falling out of the tree while the other just jumped back onto a different branch. The fight was like the last fight, one sided, first he splits the two of them up, than buries Saki neck deep in the ground, and with a clone put Sakura in a pathetic gen-jutsu, showing Ino pierce by kunais and shurikens and dying. The result was Sakura fainting.

"Well that was easy." Kakashi said to no one in particular. As he walks off he failed to see Naruto watching him and analyzing him. After he left, Naruto sent two clones to wake Sakura and unbury Saki.

"Ok, Kakashi is strong…" He said to both girls, "But we need to work together to get the bells."

Sakura then states the obvious, "But there are only two bells, one of us is going to fail."

"But if we don't work together, we won't even have a chance. He easily decimated both of you and took out my clone without even trying."

"Wait what was that clone? In the academy you can't even do a simple bunshin jutsu."

"That was a kage bunshin, in requires more chakra, so there is no risk in over loading them. So anyway here is the plan…"

Thirty minutes later, Kakashi was leaning against a tree reading the same orange book and giggling. Than the giggling stopped when he sensed 6 shurikens coming for him. He easily side stepped them and saw Saki in front of him.

"So you managed to get out of the hole than huh?" Saki brows just twitched… Then she went through hand seals "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (2)" Kakashi jumps out of the way to find a trap set up there, which flung 6 kunais at him which he just dodged. Saki then engages him in tai-jutsu, leading him to the lake. Kakashi was about to fight back, when 20 Narutos flew out of the lake surrounding him and engaging him in tai-jutsu, he dispelled them one by one then he heard two jutsu shouts. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" "Futon: Daitoppa!" Kakashi eye went wide as he saw the super charged fire technique heading for him, seeing no way to escape he quickly went through hand seals of his own "Suiton: Suijinheki (3)." The two technique managed to cancel each other out, then out of the bushes Sakura dashed out of a bush trying to grab the bells, he grabbed Sakura's wrist and flung her to where Naruto and Saki were standing. 'Naruto…just how strong are you… Using a jonin and chunin leveled techniques and not even tired yet…Is that a gen-jutsu you are using?'

"Naruto never knew you knew Futon: Daitoppa and kage bunshin…"

"Kakashi-sensei, there is a lot you don't know about me."

"True, but why do I sense a gen-jutsu around you?"

"Ummm, Kakashi-sensei, what are you talking about? I suck at gen-jutsu."

"After reading your report saying you were dead last and you go and perform a C-rank wind technique…I don't trust the report to be too accurate, so as your sensei, I demand you to release your gen-jutsu."

"Technically, you are not our sensei yet, because we haven't passed the test yet. So I don't have to."

"Then as your superior."

'Kyuubi…any excuse will do…'

'Can't think of any…He got you there…'

"…Damn…Fine…Kai!"

Sakura and Kakashi was shocked, the midget of the three suddenly became the tallest of the three, and the most notable thing was he is not wearing orange, instead he is wearing a black cloak and a handle of some sort of blade sticking out of the top of his cloak.

"Happy now, Kakashi-sensei? I must congratulate you on seeing pass this gen-jutsu no one has seen through in the past 6 years."

Kakashi was shocked further, "How were you able to do a gen-jutsu, on chunin level at the age of 6?"

"I have many secrets, I'll tell you this though, most of them are considered S-ranked by the hokage, and even talking about it without my or his permission is enough to lose your head."

"So you have been playing the dobe for the pass what 4 years at the academy. Why?"

"Kakashi, seriously, what would the council think if I was rookie of the year?"

"You got a point, Naruto."

"Wait why would the council hate you?" Ask Sakura as she hated being left out.

"I'll tell you when I think I can trust you enough; anyway let's get on with the test." As Naruto said this he created 10 clones and charged again. Nodding to Saki, both of them went through hand seals for the same attack "Futon: Daitoppa!" "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" using another supercharged Katon at Kakashi. The white hair man managed to substitute himself with a log from god knows where, but was intercepted by Sakura as she engaged him in tai-jutsu, closely followed by Saki, then he saw a flash of yellow and black heading towards him faster than any genin could and successfully grabbed the bells.

'So, Naruto, you are stronger than you let on…'

"Naruto since you got the both bells; you have the rights to choose who passes."

"Fine…I give both bells to Saki and Sakura."

"Are you sure? You will have to go back to the academy?"

"I'm sure. Shinobis are usually put into 3-4 man cells for a reason you know. I don't know about other people but I don't abandon comrades if I can help it." Naruto smiles as he threw both bells to them which both of them caught.

Kakashi eye smiles at him, "In that case, I'll like to say all three of you pass. Welcome to team seven."

"Wait, I don't get it? How would Naruto pass as well if he gave both bells to us?" as an oblivious Sakura and Saki with a face of curiosity. Kakashi chuckles at her. "A friend told me once 'those who break the rules are considered the scum, but those who abandon their comrades and worse than scum'." As he said this the bell rang signaling it was already noon.

"Anyways the test was to see if you three could work together. Which you have shown, and you guys were the first team to realize the true meaning of the test. Meet me back here tomorrow at 7 AM for your first missions." With that Kakashi shunshin off.

Ask the three of them walked out to the gate of the training ground Saki noticed that Naruto still haven't put up his gen jutsu yet.

"Naruto, are you going to put the gen-jutsu back on?"

"Nah, besides I think it's time people see the real me…Or at least a bit. If you guys need me I'll be at Ichiraku Ramen." With that he headed in the direction of said Ramen stand with Saki following, they then heard a certain pink her shout, "Wait up! I didn't get to eat breakfast!" Naruto chuckled while Saki sighed at this, and waited for Sakura to catch up.

After 3 hours later and 30 bowls of Ramen for Naruto they decided to head off.

"See you guys tomorrow. My mum will probably be wondering where I am."

"Sakura, meet at the training ground at 9:30 tomorrow, if anything, he would be 3 hours late like yesterday and today." Sakura nodded and ran off in the opposite direction.

"So Saki you still coming for dinner today?"

"After what I have eaten this morning of I'm course!"

"OK, meet me at my apartment at around 6. Anyway, I'm off, gotta by some stuff for tonight."

Naruto henge into someone else and both parted way. Naruto usually henge into someone else because it was easier to buy stuff and he wasn't overcharged for items, also he didn't receive the hated glares and whispers that he usually got in his orange clad figure and was sure would of gotten too once he released the gen-jutsu.

3 Hours later, Naruto had just finished cooking when he heard a knock on the door.

"Come on in, it's open!"

"Guess I was right in coming over. So when dinner ready?"

"Just setting up the table, go take a seat on the couch, should be ready in about a minute."

As Saki enters the living room, it was the same as she last remembered it, tidy with a few scrolls on the table and couch.

"Dinners ready!" Naruto shouted in the kitchen. Although she could smell the food from out here, and it was making her hungry, when she entered the kitchen, she was drooling from the aroma that it was giving off.

"Well dig in!" As they both took their seats. They both ate in comftable silence, and after dinner Saki walked the couch and slouched down while Naruto slouched next to her.

"Enjoyed dinner, Saki?"

"Seriously…Where did you learn to cook? Even when you're six you could cook better than most chefs."

"You pick stuff up when you live like I do."

"Hmmm…"

Both just sat there in a silence enjoying each other's company, even though they are on the same team, it's rare to have moments like this. As they sat there, they both got drowsy; than before they knew it they were asleep in next to each other (Nothing happened).

-Next morning-

Naruto was woke up at the same time he usually woke 5 in the morning, as he tried to get up he felt a weight on top of him, opening his eye to see what it was, he saw Saki head on his chest and her arms around his waist, while his arms were around her neck. This shocked him greatly driving away all his drowsiness and immediately went to thinking of a plan to get out from under Saki before she could wake up. Unluckily for him, Saki just held him tighter when he began to move, so giving up and not finding a way to get out without waking her, waited for her to loosen her grip or to wake up.

"Looks like I was right about the sleeping together part kit, and it seems like you enjoy staring at her. What next? Both of you skipping the team meeting and making out like there is no tomorrow?"

'Shut it kyuu. She is so going to kill me when she wakes up…'

"I beg to differ; I guarantee she won't 'kill' you. Make out with you here when she wakes up maybe…but kill you never."

'Ero-kitsune…'

Kyuubi just laughs in his head while Naruto just stares at Saki's sleeping form, as Naruto waited for Saki to wake up, and during that time Saki's hold on Naruto grew tighter and her face kept getting closer and closer to Naruto's. With kyuubi making jabs at Naruto and how Saki would react didn't help the situation.

When two hours passed her eyes began to flutter open, she stretched a little before snuggling more tightly into the warmth, then realizing where she was, she bolted up right with a big blush that rivaled Hinata's, while Naruto just stares at her.

"So finally awake?"

"Wha? How long were you awake for?"

"For around two hours, it is 7:30 now you know. Technically we are late, but knowing Kakashi-sensei, he probably meant 10. So we still have time. By the way you got a pretty tight grip, one even I couldn't get out off without waking you."

Saki blushed deeper, "Sorry about falling on top of you, Naruto…"

"Don't worry about it…You coming back over for breakfast later?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I don't really care that if you fell asleep on top of me, and every time I moved a bit you increase your hold. Trust me when I have been in more…compromising situations…"

"Ummmmm… Sure why not…"

Another two hours later, the two were walking to said meeting area. When they arrived they saw Sakura sitting on the floor and leaning against a tree with her eyes closed, said eyes opened when she heard them opened. "YOUR LATE!" Sakura used her special banshee scream reserved for when she is really pissed. Naruto and Saki both went temporary deaf, and kyuubi was growling in Naruto's head. When the ringing stopped, "You should really stopped doing that, seriously, I coulda have lost my hearing."

When Sakura was about to respond they saw Kakashi walking towards them, forgetting about what Naruto said, she used another of those screams, with the same word, again made Naruto and Saki temporary deaf again, while Kakashi just pulled out some ear plugs out of his ears and eye smiles at this team.

Once his team regained their hearing, "Well team seven, let's get some missions."

With that said team seven headed to the hokage tower to get their missions. After Naruto team seven discovered the horrors of D-ranked missions.

By the end of the week, team seven has completed approximately 14 D-rank with 8 of those 'catching' Tora missions. After that Naruto made a mental note to ask the Hokage for an S-ranked mission to assassinate the 'demon' cat, with kyuubi saying he will help Naruto, for that cat was no normal cat. Anyway Naruto asked how many more D-ranks before they can get a better mission.

"Hokage-jiji, when can we move to C-rank missions?"

"NARUTO! Show some respect to hokage-sama!" Shouted Iruka, who somehow got from academy teacher to Hokage's assistance, the hokage just chuckled at this. "You need at least 6 more D-ranks before I can give you a C-rank, so in a few days you should be able to get one."

"Just give me those 6 D-ranks now. I'll get it done in an hour, just thought up a brilliant plan."

Naruto held out his hand with a smirk while Hiruzen eyed Naruto curiously, as he handed out the 6 D-ranks Naruto made 6 kage-bunshins and handed one mission to each clone.

"I have given each clone enough chakra to create another 400, while each clone after that will have a one hour time limit."

Hiruzen nodded understanding, "Well Naruto…I'll give your team C-rank when your clones return."

Naruto nodded and looked at Kakashi, "Now what? We have a good hour before they return."

"I think we should go train a bit. We will come back in about an hour." Team seven nodded and walked out the door.

They returned fifty minutes later, as four of the six tasks had already been completed and mission report handed in. Another ten minutes, both clones came through the door with the reports of successfully completed missions.

Hiruzen nodded at this, "Well team seven, you have completed enough D-ranked missions for a C-rank, even though it was Naruto's clones that did all the work it will still be counted as team seven's missions. Do you want the C-rank now or tomorrow? Kakashi, you're the sensei."

"Well team? What do you think, now or tomorrow, although now it's still early at eleven in the morning thanks to Naruto here."

"Now please. No point in wasting time." Was Saki's answer.

"I agree with Saki, no point in wasting time." Was Naruto's, while Sakura nervously nods her head.

Kakashi eye smiles, "Well hokage-sama, we will take the mission now."

Hiruzen nods and pulls a C-rank mission out, "Your mission will be escorting a bridge builder back to wave country. Call in Tazuna, tell him we have his escorts."

Suddenly the door opened and a man with a 'beer belly', graying hair and smelling like Sake and holding a sake bottle came in, you can easily see that he is drunk. "I am the super bridge builder! I expect you to protect me with your lives!"

Looking at his 'escorts' when he finished his little 'speech'. Tazuna then decided to give the hokage his opinion. "I asked for ninjas not a bunch of kids! Pinky there looks like she would run for the hills on the first sign of danger, that girl wearing the blue robes looks like someone with a stick up her ass and lastly that blonde trying to look cool is probably just a spoilt coward!"

Both the girls' eyes twitched, while Naruto was glaring at Tazuna. "The three probably can't even stand up against bandits."

This was the last straw for Naruto, and for the fact this was the first 'real' mission he got, apart from those chores labeled as D-ranked missions, for the pass week didn't help. Naruto blinked out of existence appearing in front of Tazuna and pinning him to the wall with his arm and houougan active and spinning, meanwhile Tazuna just stared at Naruto in fear.

"Naruto release Tazuna, it won't be good for Konoha reputation if you kill the client. Tazuna I guarantee my team will be able to protect you from a few bandits, also I am a jonin, if things go downhill I can step in."

Tazuna nodded dumbly at this, while Naruto gave one more glare at Tazuna before deactivating the eyes and letting him go. Naruto then decided it was time to pass on some words of wisdom.

"Tazuna never insult people that are going to protect you, for you might never know, a little 'accident' might occur during the mission. But luckily for you I am not one those people that causes 'accidents' to other people that belittle me or my team."

Tazuna took Naruto's word to heart, Kakashi spoke again. "We will meet at the eastern gate in 20 minutes; pack the things you only need." With that the three headed to the door, Kakashi shunshin away, Sakura headed left, Tazuna entered the closest bar and Naruto and Saki headed right to their apartment complex.

Twenty minutes later Naruto arrived with the same set of clothing that he wore while doing the bell test also with the same ninja-to strap on his back. Saki who arrived with Naruto was in what she wore earlier this morning. The two were the first to arrive and they leant against the gate waiting for the rest of their team. Sakura was the next to arrive, she wore the same red battle dress that she wore this morning with a blue back pack, when she saw Naruto and Saki she walked up to them.

"Ano (4), Saki, Naruto but where are your supplies?"

"We have them sealed up in storage scroll; everything I need is in my cloak." Saki nodded to this and gestured to her leg strap holding a few scrolls and kunais.

Kakashi for the first time, since team seven knew, arrived on time with Tazuna. "Alright team, ready to head out? Naruto, Saki? Where are your things?"

"Storage scrolls." Was the answer he got from Saki, Kakashi eye smiles, "Alright time to head out."

With that they left Konoha, little did they know the challenge that awaited the newly form team of two genins, ex-ANBU turned genin and the ex-ANBU captain turned jonin sensei.

Glossary:

Sennen Goroshi (1): A thousand years of death/pain (English dubbed is translated into 'pain')

Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (2): Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

Suiton: Suijinheki (3): Water Release: Water Encampment Wall.

Ano (4): English equivalent of 'Ummm…'