First fanfic. I am just trying out this writing thing. Naruto will be slightly OOC. He will reflect my personality which is being sarcastic asshole who makes snide comments. This fic will be based off of Kakashi's Apprentice by Jiraiya's Lost Student. I thoroughly enjoy it and you should give it a read. I do not own Naruto or anything that came from it.


'This is bullshit.' thought Naruto as he sat tied to a post in the middle of training ground 3. He glared at his two "teammates" as they started to persuade Kakashi to drop Naruto from the shinobi corps.

"He's just a dobe. He'll get in my way." said Sauske with a stoic visage although one could make out the faint hint of a smirk on his face.

"Sauske's right. Naruto will just hold us back from reaching our potential." stated Sakura as she glanced over to Sasuke to see if he would finally notice her. Sasuke, as per his usual impassive self showed no reaction to her comment.

'This team was never going to work.' Kakashi thought. He didn't want to pass this "team" or whatever it could be considered. Then he remembered his time with Minato and he suddenly had a wonderful idea. He was about to let them know his decision when something happened to Naruto.

"Screw this. If this is how a team is supposed to be then count me out. I'll be seeing you guys back at the academy." Naruto said and then begun to walk away towards the village. "Oh yeah. Kakashi-sensei, here. You might want these back." called out Naruto as he threw two silver bells back to Kakashi. He caught them deftly and he had to wonder when Naruto had grabbed them.

'I'll be damned. This just confirms my decision.' Kakashi reflected inwardly. He knew what he was going to do now. Like his sensei did for him, Kakashi was going to take Naruto under his wing.

"What the hell?" screeched out Sasuke and Sakura. "How did you do that dobe?" asked Sasuke towards the retreating form of Naruto. Naruto simply stopped and without turning around said to figure it out yourself. Sakura was not much better as she accused Naruto of cheating and trying to show up her Sasuke-kun as Naruto walked away from his would-be teammates.

"Enough you two. You'll meet back at the academy at the start of next to be placed in the reserve corps. Any questions?" Kakashi stated smoothly.

"Why?" asked Sakura. "Nobody got the bells and we weren't tied up so why should we go back to the academy?"

"Hnn. And why not the dobe?" Sasuke said with a touch of ice in his voice.

"Simple. He tried to work with both of you and you both rebuffed him. Plus, he left a little note for the two of you. I'm sure you'll find the answer to the exercise on it." Kakashi said in his usually tone of boredom and apathy.

Sasuke and Sakura walked over to read the note left over and it simply said one thing, 'Teamwork'. They both just looked dumbly at the word. Neither was willing to believe that the dobe that they had known for years could have figured it out.

"Well this has been fun but I have to inform the Hokage about this and let him know my decision for this team." Kakashi said. He turned to walk away and reached for his little orange book in his kunai pouch.

Sasuke couldn't believe that Kakashi was just walking away. Enraged the young teen charged at the older man. Unfortunately, Sasuke soon found his face in the dirt with a kunai placed on his throat.

"I am not someone to mess with, little boy. If you do something like this to me or to Naruto, you will be removed from the shinobi corps and your chakra sealed. Blink once if you understand." Kakashi stated coldly with a hint of malice in his voice. Sasuke could only blink in agreement. Kakashi turn left via shunshin leaving only a pile of leaves.


Hokage Tower

"Hello Kakashi. Nice of you to join us." said Hiruzen. He noticed Kakashi entered the room at the appropriate only because the Hokage told him to be there earlier than the actual meeting was supposed to take place.

"Hokage-sama." said Kakashi without looking up from his book, much to the dismay of some of the female jonin. "Sorry I'm late. I had take care of a delusional nutjob. He tried attacking me and I defended myself." The other jonin had thought that it was one of his weaker excuses from the ones they had heard over the years.

The Hokage nodded in understanding as he witnessed the bell test and the events following it. "Do you wish to bring charges upon this 'nutjob'?" Hiruzen said with a slight smirk. Much to the confusion of the people standing in the room.

"I intend to but since I'm the last one here. I, Kakashi Hatake, jonin sensei of Team 7 consisting of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki have failed the Genin test. However, I shall be taking on a pupil as my sensei did with me." stated Kakashi as he addressed the Hokage. The other occupants started to mutter amongst themselves until one person spoke to Kakashi.

"I figured the Uchiha would be picked up as your student. The other two probably slowed him down, especially that boy." One jonin said with a bit of venom on the word boy.

"Maa, maa. I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about my pupil like that." Kakashi said with his iconic eyesmile but one could feel the killing intent rolling off the man as well as some coming off the Hokage. The random jonin, for his part, shut his mouth and the retreated behind several others.

"What do mean? Surely, you didn't take the Uzumaki boy as a student. He was dead last at the academy." another stated.

"The Uchiha is good but he was the reason that they failed the test. He refused to work with either of the other two. He also nearly killed Haruno with a stray fireball. If it hadn't had been for Naruto, she would have been killed. As for Haruno, she was useless throughout the test and had rebuffed Naruto in favor of fawning over the Uchiha. Naruto got both of the bells from me and he also understood the point of the test. From now on, Naruto Uzumaki is my student. He will be treated as such and he has more than earned that after everything in his life." expressed Kakashi towards the room.

"Indeed. That concludes the meeting. You are dismissed. Neko, bring me Naruto." the Hokage stated. "Also, the jonin that had something to say about Naruto, you are now a genin and enjoy the next 6 months of D-rank missions."


Naruto's Apartment

As Naruto walked into his apartment, he slammed the door close while muttering about pink banshees and emo duckbutts. Ever since he could remember, he always got shafted whether by shops or at the academy. It was something he grew accustomed to during his life. As he walked through the kitchen to reach his bedroom, he noticed a scroll on the counter. He picked it up and begun to read.

'Naruto
You showed great potential today. I will be taking you on as a student. An ANBU is retrieving you for a meeting with us and the Hokage.

Kakashi.'

"Seriously?" Naruto muttered to himself. "No way. Why would he want me?". Then he heard someone knock on his door. He walked to it and he opened to reveal an ANBU with distinctive purple hair. "Neko-chan? Why are you here? I haven't pranked anyone lately. I think."Naruto stated trying to convey his innocence.

"No Naru-kun. You aren't in trouble because of your pranks. I'm here to take you to the Hokage so you can meet your new sensei." replied Neko. She has known the boy for many years, being part of the team that would rotate to watch over young Naruto.

"You mean this letter is real?" asked Naruto, not truly believing her words while showing the scroll to the woman.

"Yes it is so lets go." Neko said while grabbing Naruto's shoulder. For his part, Naruto just nodded dumbly while closing and locking his apartment door. Both left via shunshin, courtesy of Neko.


Outside of Hokage Tower

Neko and Naruto arrived just outside of the Hokage tower and were about to walk inside when someone shouted at Naruto to get his attention. Naruto turned to see Sasuke and Sakura walking up to him and glaring.

"Hey dobe. What are you doing here? You don't deserve to be a shinobi. Go home or I'll make you regret ever thinking about becoming a ninja." Sasuke said with cold rage in his voice. Not waiting for a response, Sasuke retrieved a kunai and then tried to stab Naruto in the chest. Naruto simply dodged and then Neko grabbed Sasuke's wrist.

"You just tried to stab a fellow shinobi. I'm going to have to take you in to I & T." stated Neko and then turning towards Naruto, she asked "Naru-kun, can you make to the Hokage's office?"

"Of course, Neko-chan. Thank you. I got it." Naruto said as he begun to walk towards the old man's office. Sakura didn't realize that Naruto left because of fretting over Sasuke and asking Neko to release him.


Hokage's Office

The door suddenly flew open to reveal Naruto exclaiming, "Hey jiji, what can you tell me about my new sensei?" The Hokage could only chuckle at easy going attitude of his surrogate grandson.