Naruto eyes them all warily. They're his group of friends–but not. They're older, weirder, and more mature than he remembers them being.
For one, Kiba's grin is subdued and he doesn't run up to him to give him a friendly pat. To contrast that calmness, Neji, of all people, seems incredibly enthusiastic. Well, enthusiastic in the Hyuga sense of the word.
Rid of the cursed seal and over his obsession with destiny, this Neji gives Naruto an actual grin which reaches his eyes. The blond doesn't know how to interact with a happy Neji so he just gives a tiny wave to the jounin.
Next to Kiba, with his hand in hers, stands Ino. Her hair is significantly shorter than the long ponytail Naruto's Ino had sported. Her eyes zero in on the genin with scrutiny before deciding that he's not a threat and they return to their usual blankness.
Tenten–well, Tenten's hair is free of her twin buns and she carries a fan on her back much like Temari from Naruto's dimension and his head is already spinning with all these changes.
Sasuke has already informed Naruto that Shikamaru and Shino are out on a mission so the boy isn't surprised at their absence.
Under the trees sits Hinata, her jacket folded neatly beside her and she appears to be mediating. Her posture is self-assured and Naruto wonders if the Hinata he knew would ever grow up into this confident kunoichi.
Thankfully, he receives an abundance of normalcy in the form of an enthusiastic Lee who's first to approach him with an extended hand,
"Welcome, Naruto-kun! It's an honour of mine to meet an actual dimension-traveller! You're an inspiration to all experimenters, do you realise that?"
Naruto's smile comes out of its own volition and he shakes Lee's hand with a familiar fondness pooling inside him.
"It's nothing that great," he scratches at his cheek, "It was all luck and chance. I wasn't even the one to perform the jutsu. But yes, it's good to meet you too!"
Someone nudges Lee out of the way and it's Chouji–clad in metal armour and a mane like Jiraiya's going down his back–who smiles at Naruto.
"Hello, Naruto. Did you sleep well?"
"I did," Naruto returns the smile, always touched by Chouji's inherent kindness that seems to be a consistent trait in his counterpart. "How was your night?"
"It was–"
"Cut the idle chit-chat," it's Ino who interrupts their conversation. "The shorty's not the friend we lost, so don't act like it."
Naruto frowns at her but doesn't protest. It's the truth afterall... but he can still befriend them if they want him to. They don't seem all that bad.
"Fuck off, Ino," Sasuke says. It's easy for him to be hostile towards her anyway–they've never really gotten along much. The only reason he'd been civil to her before was because of Naruto. He had been close to Ino, even dated her for a year and half before they'd mutually decided to break it off.
Ino snorts and moves out of their little huddle to exit the grounds, "Suit yourself."
Kiba throws Sasuke a sheepish look before turning towards Naruto.
"Guess I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Naruto nods his head uncertainly and doesn't get offended when Kiba follows after Ino. He's got a question though,
"Those two are dating?"
His genuine confusion and bewilderment amuses Sakura who confirms that Kiba and Ino are infact, a couple.
"You people are wild," the blond mutters, shaking his head. "Anyway, where's the rest of our team? Surely, you won't be mentoring only a sole genin together?"
Sasuke had been shocked when Minato-san had assigned him and Sakura a genin team all of their own. But the shock had worn off into indignation and then anger. Unfortunately, none of his tantrums were taken seriously by the Kage and as retaliation for his insubordination, Minato had decided that one of the genin in their team would most definitely be Naruto.
This is the reason they're here in the training grounds in the first place. To meet the rest of their team. The jounins had just been summoned by Minato that morning and informed about the latest developments. The group had then decided that confirmation was an absolute must and proceeded to the grounds - aware of Sasuke and Sakura's appointment as jounin instructors.
"They'll be her–" Sakura cuts herself off. "Ah, there they are!"
A trio of genin enters the area, and they quickly make their way towards them.
"Good afternoon, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san!" the orange-haired girl greets politely.
The boy next to her is less reserved and he grins widely at the two jounin, "Finally! Some good teachers!"
Sakura chuckles, "Brat. Already disrespecting Ebisu like that?"
It's then that a realisation hits Naruto square in the face and he gasps, looking rapidly between the three faces of the trio. He takes a step towards the brown-haired boy and asks in a whisper,
"Konohamaru?"
The boy blinks at Naruto.
"Yes. Do I know you?"
Naruto shuts his eyes close. This is fucking insane. That pipsqueak is all grown up–no blue cape, no comical helmet, no cute broken front teeth. Konohamaru is Naruto's age and the blond's brain is going to burst out of his skull.
"No," he shakes his head rapidly. "You don't know me."
Konohamaru raises a confused brow at Sasuke who gives him a reassuring nod. The third's grandson and his teammates aren't informed about Naruto's true circumstances but it won't be long before they'll be filled in on the blond's actual identity.
"Okay then," Konohamaru is quick to recover. "This is Moegi, that's Udon and I'm, well, you already know me. What's your name?"
Naruto opens his eyes and glances at Sakura and Sasuke who aren't exactly sure how they're supposed to handle this situation. But they know one thing–that damn Minato-san did this purposefully. He planned this confrontation so Sasuke and Sakura would have to handle the aftermath of it and somehow improve their leadership skills. Complete bullshit, basically.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki."
All three frown at him, scrutiny in their eyes despite lacking experience as shinobi. The trio had also been close to this world's Naruto. Hell, they were practically his younger siblings. His death had shocked them, and Konohamaru hadn't come out of his room for an entire week.
"Oh," Konohamaru says, lost and put-off by the fact that his big bro's name was shared by this guy that looked disconcertingly similar to him.
The jounin gathered there watch the little show with poorly concealed curiosity but Sakura's withering glare sends them running away lest the kunoichi dare them to spar with her then and there.
"Uh," Sasuke says once they're the only occupants left in the space. "Let's start with introductions, maybe?"
Naruto consoles himself by thinking how this Sasuke is just as socially awkward as his best friend.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading!!