At this point in the day Obito wanted nothing more than to fall onto his couch and sleep, but the ANBU waiting for him had other plans. "The Hokage wishes to speak with you Lord Uchiha."

Obito took the scroll nodding at the ANBU he recognized, "Thank you Tenzo." He knew saying his name would garner him a response from the younger ninja.

If it bothered him the ANBU didn't show it before jumping away quickly.

Obito unrolled the scroll and was not the least bit excited for what he read inside.

XXXX

Naruto and Sasuke were walking through the village when without looking Naruto bumped into a man wearing a full black suit with face paint on and what appeared to be cat ears on his head.

The painted man turned around looking at Naruto, "And just who do you think you are brat?" The man said picking the blonde up from his collar.

Sasuke quickly got into position behind the painted man holding a kunai to his throat. "Drop him make up." Sasuke snarled at the ninja.

Sasuke did not notice though that another ninja was with him who put a kunai to Sasuke's throat. "I'd put that away little boy; you could poke in eye out with that thing."

She did not realize however that a kunai was put to her own throat, "Why don't we all let go." Sakura said with an intense glare that was met by the female blonde. "I've had a really shitty day so if you don't want to see the inside of your own throat I highly recommend you and your teammate stand down."

The mystery ninja grinded her teeth, angry at herself for being outsmarted by these brats. "Kankuro let him go."

The ninja now revealed to be Kankuro groaned dropping Naruto on his bottom. "I had it under control Temari." The hooded ninja said turning around and seeing a sneering Sasuke who was putting his kunai away.

"You're all pathetic." A voice said, and everyone's heads turned to a tree branch where a red headed boy was standing looking at them with a disinterested glare.

Naruto was looking at the boy curious as to why everyone else seemed to be scared of him. That is until the red headed ninja turned his attention solely onto Naruto.

"What is your name?" He asked with a crazy look forming in his eyes. Sasuke and Sakura were both falling into combat stances not sure who these people were, they had both noticed they all bore the Sand symbol on their clothes but why would Sand ninja be here?

Naruto stood up looking at the red haired boy, "It's rude to ask someone's name without telling them your own." Naruto was smirking being able to use the manners that Rin had pushed on him since he was little.

The final ninja just looked at the blonde haired ninja beneath him, he could feel mother being repulsed by him. Not in the same way mother hated and loathed everyone else, mother almost seemed fearful. "I am Gaara of the Sand. Now tell me your name."

Naruto pounded his fist onto his chest, he couldn't explain it but being near this Gaara made him feel in control. "I am Naruto Uzumaki!" He said with his overconfident grin plastered onto his face.

Gaara nodded at this, "Why is Mother repulsed by you Uzumaki?" The question was simple but it made everyone else confused, the Sand Siblings because the only things they thought Shukaku felt were hate and anger.

Without realizing it Naruto's eyes became slitted as red overtook the blue. Sasuke's eyes widened in fear, he knew what it meant when Naruto's eyes became red, he also was familiar with the Kyuubi chakra that would usually leak out of Naruto's body, but now it all seemed so collected. If Sasuke had to put this into words he would compare it to the way an alpha wolf behaved around the betas.

Sakura gasped for a moment worried that Naruto was in trouble, until sand seemed to surround Gaara when he quickly reappeared on the other side of the other Sand ninja, "Temari, Kankuro, we're leaving." He said as he walked away.

Once the Sand ninjas were out of sight Sakura turned to Naruto who seemed to hold himself differently, his eyes while no longer red were still slitted. "Naruto are you ok?" She asked worried about her teammate.

Once Naruto's gaze shifted to his teammates his pupils took on their normal rounded shape. "Of course Sakura why wouldn't I be?"

Naruto smiled closing his eyes until he felt a weight hit his chest, when he opened them he saw Sakura holding onto him crying. Naruto looked around for Sasuke to help but the Uchiha had made himself scarce.

Naruto was kind of confused for why Sakura was crying on his chest, "Are you ok Sakura, did you get hurt?"

Hearing that Naruto was more worried about her than himself her crying continued. "I'm so sorry Naruto." Was all she could force out between sobs and sniffles.

Naruto quickly became confused, what did she have to be sorry for? "Sorry for what Sakura?" Naruto asked putting his hand on her chin getting her to look up at him.

She didn't want to look at him right now she felt ashamed of everything, "For what my father said."

Naruto tensed up and it was not missed by Sakura. He racked his brain for what he should say next, he knew he had to be careful here but he was never someone that could be considered tactful.

So instead all he did was wrap his arms around her, "It's ok Sakura, thank you."

XXXX

Sasuke was watching the scene from a nearby rooftop with the white haired Sanin. Sasuke reached his arm out. "Pay up."

Jiraiya angrily reached for the amount he had bet Sasuke about whether or not the kid would panic or not.

Sasuke smugly pocketed the money before walking away.

XXXX

Obito stood in a room filled with jonin. Himself, Asuma, Kurenai and Gai were all standing right in front of the Hokage. Obito knew this was coming and he assumed the others shared his worry that perhaps their genin weren't quite ready. But when he decided to take the three best of their class he had promised results.

"You all know why I have called you here." The Hokage said eyeing each Jonin individually. "You may now state whether your team will be participating in this year's Chunin exams.

Gai stepped forward first, "My team of youthful genin would jump at the opportunity to prove their youth by attaining the rank of Chunin."

Obito stepped forward next, "Team 7 will participate." He took a step back before whispering to Gai, "That's all you had to say."

Asuma stepped forward next, "Team 10 will be participating." The eye contact made between father and son would have shown even those who weren't elite ninja that there was a strain in that relationship.

Kurenai stepped forward last, "Team 8 will participate." She took a step back she felt that her team would pass easily. With three future clan heads how could she not, she respected Asuma's team because they all had the same status but her team was clearly better suited for most mission types.

Hiruzen nodded at the jonin in front of him as each was handed three forms that the genin would have signed by their guardians.

XXXX

Obito walked back through the doors of his house and found the entire family plus Sakura all sitting at the table talking. Sasuke noticed the forms first and smiled excited.

But when Rin saw the forms her face got very serious, "You better be joking Obito." He had hoped he would be able to talk to Rin alone rather than what was currently happening.

Obito sighed, "They're ready Rin, hell they're more ready than we were."

Rin wanted to counter but as a retired ninja she could see the skill they all possessed was more than enough. But her big sister instincts knew how gruesome the test could be. She crossed her arms, the universal Rin sign that she had conceded.

Sasuke smiled glad he could prove himself. Naruto on the other hand was jumping up and down earning a disapproving look from Sakura who grabbed him by the back of his shirt pulling him into the chair directly next to hers. "Sit down baka!"

Naruto held his smile waiting for Obito to give him the papers. With a proud smile on his face Obito handed them all their papers to which Naruto and Sasuke immediately turned to Rin for her to sign.

Sakura just stared at her own paper, she knew it meant she would have to ask her father to do something for her and right now she didn't want to see him.

Obito saw the look in Sakura's eyes, "If you want Sakura you can spend the night here and we can all celebrate." He decided to play it off as a fun idea rather than one formed from pity. He was going to have a talk with Rin about that tonight.

Sakura's eyes lit up hearing that. "That would be awesome thankyou sensei!"

Rin not missing a beat shot Obito a look then turned to Naruto in a way that Sakura would not see, mouthing out "If anything happens with you two…" She then used her hands to gesture two things in one hand and then the other hands were a pair of scissors that cut the two things.

Naruto getting the point turned back to Obito paler than he was before. When Obito spoke up, "You can crash in the guest room." He said smiling because he saw Rin's little hand puppet show.