AN: So in this fic, I'll be replacing Naruto's "dattebayo" with "y'know" along with other standerd verbal tics as well as using the English version of names. So it would be Naruto Uzumaki instead of Uzumaki Naruto.
Thank you guys for enjoying this. I had no idea it'd be received so well?
EDIT: as of 7/17 this chapter has been beta'd.
The first thing Kakashi noticed as he stepped into the classroom was the destroyed desk. That in itself was unusual. Then he spotted the locks of pink hair strewn across the floor, indicative of a rough, spur of the moment haircut. Then he spotted the pacing girl with matching pink hair and the two boys cowering from her in the back of the classroom. And then everything made sense.
She scared the shit out of them. Hm. This might be fun after all.
"Hm, my first impression of you," he started, watching as all their heads snapped in his direction. "You're interesting."
He wasn't really expecting much after he made that statement. And he definitely wasn't expecting the Uzumaki's mouth to drop open in shock. Hm. Whatever.
"Meet me on the roof." And with that, he disappeared in a shunshin.
Naruto looked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Naruto. They both looked at Sakura.
"What the fuck."
It doesn't matter who said it. They were in unanimous agreement anyway.
"Did he just-" Naruto started. "He- INTERESTING Y'KNOW!?"
"Do you think he could be…" Sakura trailed off, looking to her teammates. "Could he be our Kakashi-sensei?" She asked in a rough whisper. The only two could only shrug.
"He didn't say he hated us," Sasuke offered. "Not like last time."
"Yeah but Sakura didn't destroy the room last time," Naruto mumbled in response. The pinkette heard, much to his chagrin, and threw him a nasty look.
"Well the only way we'll know is if we go up and talk to him," she said, brushing off Naruto's comment quickly. "But if he was," she added hesitantly. "He would have picked up on, well," she gestured around herself. "This."
Yeah, last time half the classroom hadn't been destroyed, nor had Sakura had a psychotic break and chopped her hair off.
"Maybe he did notice and was downplaying it?" Naruto suggested half-heartedly, shrugging.
"Well there's only way one to find out," Sasuke replied, arms crossed in front of him. At the looks he received from his teammates, he continued. "Talk to him."
"Yeah but how?" The blond jinchuuriki demanded. "It's not like we can just ask 'hey, are you from the future, y'know, cuz we are'."
"We're ninja, dumbass, we can figure something out," Sasuke shot back drly. Naruto scowled, but didn't retort.
"How about this," Sakura interjected. "We could use words or phrases he would only pick up on if he was our Kakashi-sensei," Sakura offered. "For instance, if we made a comment about something that happened on a mission, or maybe some ninja we've faced before. But in a casual way."
It was a sound plan, and no one would get suspicious of it if they overheard.
"Hn, not a bad idea," Sasuke agreed, nodding his assent. A faint blush lit up Sakura's cheeks at the praise, but it was gone in an instant.
"So that's the plan?" Naruto asked. "Subtle hints and stuff?"
The other nodded.
"Alright then, let's go re-meet Kakashi-sensei!"
There plan was working perfectly, up until the point when they walked out onto the rooftop and Naruto shouted at almost the top of his lungs, "KAGUYA!"
Unfortunately, the only reaction that wrought from their teacher was a raised eyebrow and a half kissed eye. Well, shit. They were truly alone in this.
Before Naruto could begin to imagine what that really meant for them, something whacked him hard in the gut. "Oof." Naruto dibbles over as Sakura landed an elbow in his stomach.
"Idiot," she hissed. "You were supposed to be subtle."
What is with these kids? Kakashi thought to himself as he watched them make their way awkwardly over to him.
They sat down on the stairs like they had last time, Naruto on the edge, Sakura in the middle, and Sasuke on her right. After settling themselves, Kakashi spoke up.
"Aright, introductions. Go."
The three "genin" shared a look of uncertainty between them. Or at least two of them did, Sasuke was still being an obstinate little shit. After a shared look between the pinkette and the blonde, Sakura took the initiative and answered Kakashi first.
"Could you give us an example?" She asked, looking back over at the jonin.
"Maa, sure," he shrugged. "Just say your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future." He shrugged. "Stuff like that."
A smirk lit up Naruto's face at the response, and Sakura knew immediately he was planning something.
"Could you go first?" The Uzumaki asked. "So we know how it's done?"
Kakashi gave him an unimpressed look, but complied regardless. Sakura flashed her teammate a quick look, trying to ask without words what he was planning. He only gave her a wink back.
"Well," Kakashi started, distracting her from her thoughts. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. I likes some things, dislike others. As for my hobbies, well, I have some. And dreams for the future, I have no intention of telling you those."
Sakura huffed, nonplussed. It was just like last time. Honestly, why had she expected any different?
"Now, blondie," their sensei said. "Your turn."
The devilish smirk on Naruto's face almost made her weary.
"My name's Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto started proudly. "I like some things," he continued, grin slowly spreading on his face. "Dislike others. I have hobbies, but I don't want to share them. And I do have a dream for the future." He smiled contentedly to himself before crossing his arms and sitting back. Finished.
Seeing Kakashi-sensei's eye twitch in annoyance was far more pleasurable than it had any right to be.
Ah, Sakura thought. So that's what he was planning. Payback.
"Alright," the scarecrow said, a feint edge to his voice. "Pinkies turn."
Sakura couldn't help the mischievous smirk that graced her face before she spoke. "My name is Sakura Haruno," she proclaimed. "But you already knew that since you read our files. I won't tell you what I like or dislike, and my hobbies are my own business, not yours. As for dreams for the future; personal."
This time a spasm went through their sensei. Well hidden, yes, but they could tell. And they were pleased.
"Fine," he bit out, just barely holding on to his aloof persona. "You're last, broody."
"Hn."
And that was all they got out of Sasuke.
If Kakashi-sensei hadn't been ex-ANBU and an elite jōnin, Naruto was sure he would have lost his shit right then and there. The man's eye was visibly spasming, fingers twitching like he wanted to reach for a kunai. Heh. Messing with Kakashi-sensei was fun.
"Alright, fine," he finally said, glaring at the three of them. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like dogs. I dislike sweets. I enjoy reading, and my dream for the future is to never have to deal with you brats again."
"Great!" Naruto cried. "Cuz I like ramen, y'know. I hate people who use others to get what they want, and my dream is to be Hokage, y'know!"
Kakashi shot him a death glare, but remained quite, realizing what was happening.
"And I like picking and arranging flowers," Sakura started, continuing Naruto's line of thought. "Dislike when my parents make me do stupid chores, and hope to one day surpass Lady Tsunade."
They all looked to Sasuke.
"Hn, fine," the Uchiha grumbled. "I don't like much, I hate sweets, and my dream is to restore my clan." He looked over towards his teammates, annoyed. "Happy?"
"Yup!" Naruto exclaimed, beaming like the sun.
"Well don't get so excited just yet," Kakashi cut in, dry tone dissipating the semi-playful mood. "You're still not genin yet." That damned glint was back in his eye again. The one that said he knew something that you didn't, and that that something was most undoubtedly not going to be fun.
Naruto decided that he would be the one to play the part of ignorant genin as he said, "What do you mean? We passed the genin exam. We're genin."
This earned a humorless chuckle from their soon-to-be sensei. "Not quite," he said, mirth in his tone. All three "genin" squinted at him in confusion, egging him to go on. "Out of the thirty or so who pass the preliminary exam, only 33% actually go on to become genin. The remaining 67% go back to the academy. Whether they pass or not is decided in a test given to them by their jōnin sensei." A pause. "Which is me. So tomorrow, at training ground seven, we'll meet at five for a survival exercise that will determine if you three are even cut out to be shinobi."
It was meant to be an intimidating speech. They knew that. But both Naruto and Sakura were trying desperately to keep at bay the laughter that came with the memories of their last "survival exercise", which had ended in their sensei eventually losing to them all in the hopes of his favorite book not being spoiled. Unfortunately they didn't have such an edge on him this time, but they would surely think of something.
"Sounds easy enough," Naruto smiled, not in the least bit phased. After all, the only thing Kakashi-sensei was looking for to pass them was teamwork, and they had that down pat. They had proven just hours ago in the war. Wow, had it really only been hours? It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Well maybe this will change your mind," Kakashi-sensei said, leaning forward as if to tell them a secret. "In all six years that I have been assigned genin teams, I have never passed one."
They'd known that. Known that for a while. When Naruto had seen Iruka after having passed the bell test the chunin had told him about the six previous teams that hadn't made it. It had been in that moment that Naruto realized how lucky they were to have passed. It was flattering to know that something, the three of them had lived up to the standers the man had and were accepted as his students. And it wasn't an honor Naruto was going to soon forgot, or abandon. Naruto's smile slipped then, hardening into a look of determination. "Then I guess we'll just have to be the first, y'know."
