(And I'm back. Hope you're all ready to see how Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke take their final test for Kakashi.)
Naruto was sleeping soundly until his clock went off. He hit the snooze button and sat up yawning, "Morning already?"
"Correct, Naruto." Oracle spoke up.
"Well, gotta get ready." Naruto stretched, as he got out of bed and went to prep himself up for the day.
After washing up, getting dressed, and eating, he headed for the exit, "Well, I'm off to do the last test."
"Naruto," Optimus spoke up, "We were all hoping to come with and watch."
"Yes," Megatron agreed, "We'd like to see how it goes, and just what Kakashi is truly capable of."
"If it's all right with you." Cheetor said.
Naruto smiled, "Well, sure. I mean you guys all deserve a chance to get out of the lair together."
"Yes!" the transformers cheered, as they shifted into robot mode.
"Let's go." Naruto instructed, as they followed him out of the lair.
They walked all the way to the training ground, before spotting Sasuke and Sakura up ahead waiting, "Hey, guys." Naruto greeted them.
"Hey." Sasuke replied.
Sakura noticed all the transformers, "You brought your whole motley crew?"
"They wanted to be here personally to watch what the final test is."
"Yeah, think of us as a supportive audience." Rattrap added.
Naruto looked around, "Sensei's not here yet?"
"Yeah," Sakura replied, "This was supposed to be the time he sent for us, right?" she turned to Sasuke hoping for an answer.
"Guess like yesterday he's running late." Sasuke replied.
"I'm finding it difficult to believe this Kakashi is sensei material if he cannot even show up at the right time." Dinobot expressed his opinion.
"Well, all we can do is wait." Naruto replied, as they took a seat and decided to wait it out.
A few hours had passed, and the three ninja and the transformers were bored out of their wits, "We've been out here forever!" Scorponok grumbled.
"Is this test really worth taking?" Terrosaur asked.
Before Naruto could answer, Kakashi dropped in, "Yo!"
"You're late!" Sakura chided him.
"Yeah, sorry. I misplaced my favorite mask." Kakashi answered, while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"That's his best excuse?" BlackArachnia asked Tarantulus and Rhinox who also weren't amused by his excuse.
"Well, Naruto, it's a surprise to see you bring the whole Transformers team out with you." Kakashi noted.
"They wanted to come along and see how it goes." the blonde answered.
"Don't worry, we won't interfere in the test in any way." Optimus promised.
"Even though technically, we are part of Naruto's arsenal, he told he he'd like to handle it without our support." Megatron spoke up.
Kakashi turned to Naruto, "Confident enough, Naruto?"
"Well, I need to also rely on my own techniques and not always them." Naruto said, as the Transformers walked off to the side to get a good view of the four humans.
"Ok, then," Kakashi began, "Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, in order to pass my test you will each need to get one of these from me." he held up two small silver bells.
"Bells?" Sasuke asked.
"Hold on, sensei," Sakura said, "There are only two bells."
"Very observant," Kakashi commended, "Yes, only two of you will be able to receive bells. The one who doesn't will be sent back to the academy."
This got the three young ninja and Transformers confused, "What?!" Rattrap voiced protest.
"What kind of rule is that?!" Cheetor growled.
Naruto held a hand out signaling Cheetor to be silent. Kakashi continued, "You will have thirty minutes to try and get the bells from me. But if none of you manage to get a bell then all three of you will be sent back to the academy."
This warning got Sasuke and Naruto tense, while Sakura started feeling sick to her stomach. Kakashi put a timer on the stump and set it, "Time is set. Go!"
The three young shinobi split up to hide, while Kakashi looked around, before pulling out his book to read.
"Is he really just reading?" Airazor asked in disbelief.
"Wonder what Naruto's going to do?" Rattrap wondered.
"Let's just wait and see." Optimus replied.
Suddenly Naruto came out in the open to attack Kakashi, but the adult dodged without even trying, 'He's fast.' Naruto thought recalling how fast he was before when dealing with violent mobs who tried to gang up on him when he was a kid.
"Nice try, Naruto. But you have to be faster than that." Kakashi said, as he dodged Naruto again.
"Or I need to be smarter." Naruto smirked, and suddenly six shadow clones emerged from the ground and grabbed onto Kakashi.
"What?" the Jonin gasped.
"A very important rule about being a ninja," Naruto lectured, "Never let your enemy get behind you. It just may cost you!" he was about to grab a bell, only for Kakashi to poof into a cloud of smoke and reveal a log in his place.
"Dammit." Naruto cursed.
"He almost had him." Cheetor told the others.
"One eyed ninja very tricky." Waspinator buzzed.
Kakashi was hiding among the trees, while thinking, 'I know Jiraiya-sama taught him better than that. Could he be faking it?' he didn't have too much longer to think as Sasuke popped in and tried to attack him.
Kakashi dodged and dropped out of the tree landing on the ground, "Not a bad sneak attack."
"I'm just getting warmed up." Sasuke began, as he formed hand signs.
"A fire jutsu!" Kakashi gasped, as Sasuke launched the fireball jutsu right at the Jonin.
Kakashi was caught up in the fiery burst, while Sasuke smirked knowing he could get a bell. Suddenly Kakashi appeared behind the Uchiha and spun kicked him to the ground.
"That was good. Normally fire jutsu would take a lot of chakra, but I shouldn't be surprised from you of all people." Kakashi said.
Sasuke got up, "I won't fail this test." he poofed away to regroup in the bushes.
As Sasuke caught his breath, Naruto appeared behind him, "Not so easy is it?"
"I admit, compared to yesterday he's really showing he's a Jonin for a reason." Sasuke admitted.
"He's not even putting up a fight. He's merely toying with us." Naruto replied.
"So why're you here? We are being tested, remember?"
"That's just it. This whole test is a front. It's not about the bells or anything."
"Then what?" Sasuke inquired.
"He's trying to divide and conquer us. Think about it, has there really been a less than one man squad among rookies?"
Sasuke hearing that crucial information recalled how it's always been a three man squad under the command of an experienced ninja, "Now it all makes sense."
"Exactly. He really wants to see if we can see past it and work together." Naruto explained.
"Did you just figure that out?"
"No. I was onto him when he laid down that rule."
"Then why did you attempt to go after him yourself?" Sasuke asked.
"To throw him off and lead him to think I didn't know. But now I think it's time we all knew. I'll go inform Sakura of this." Naruto said, before looking for their third teammate.
Sakura meanwhile was hiding in the bushes, 'It's been quiet out there. How can I get a bell from him?'
"Sakura." came Naruto's voice causing her to jump.
"Naruto!"
"Quiet down and listen up," Naruto began, "Sensei's trying to divide and conquer us. The only way for us to pass is if we all work together."
Sakura processed this and started to see the logic, until the fangirl side of her countered her logic with blind suspicion, "Hold it! I see what you're doing."
"What?"
"You're trying to trick me into working with you so you can grab the bells yourself so Sasuke won't pass and I'll never be with him again." she accused.
Naruto frowned, "Seriously? You think that's what this is all about? You know what, screw you!" Naruto vanished.
Sakura smirked, as she went back to planning only for Sasuke to appear, "Sakura."
"Yes, Sasuke?" she asked with a faint blush.
"I have my suspicions, sensei is leading us on with two bells only. If we all don't work together then all of us will fail." he explained.
"You think so?" Sakura asked.
"I do." he nodded.
"Well, we better hurry and tell Naruto this right away."
"That's not necessary." Sasuke answered, and poof he revealed himself to be Naruto.
"Huh?" she asked in confusion, as Naruto frowned.
"You're a real piece of work, Sakura," he began, making Sakura feel guilty, "I tell you what's going on, but you ignore me. But when Sasuke says it you believe him. It's distrust like that will get you killed. So either you shape up and listen or I'll send you back to the academy myself!" he said sternly making Sakura nod in fright.
Once the two met up with Sasuke they started to plan a strategy, while the Transformers looked around seeing no sign of any of them.
"Not much of a test if nothing's happening." BlackAranchnia said sounding bored.
"What could they be planning?" Tarantulus wondered.
Kakashi himself was in a tree still reading his book, while thinking, 'Wonder which of them will try their luck at me again?'
As if answering him, Naruto and Sasuke appeared and fought him together. The Jonin was dodging both their attacks, but was amazed at how well they were working together.
'Yes, they're finally catching on. But where's Sakura?' he wondered, before realizing the two were backing him into a trap.
Sakura activated the paper bombs surrounding the trees the boys backed Kakashi in between, and they exploded causing the trees to collapse.
"Yes!" Sakura cheered, only for Kakashi to appear behind her.
"Clever use of paper bombs, but I'm not going down so easily."
Sakura gasped, as Naruto and Sasuke stood at her side looking ready, "We're not giving up." Naruto told Kakashi, as both he and Sasuke went to fight another round, only for the timer to ring.
"Time's up!" Kakashi announced.
"No!" Rattrap cried.
"Not one of them got a bell." Cheetor said in shock.
"So that's it?" Scorponok asked.
Kakashi stood before the three kids, "So you three all failed to obtain a bell, even when you worked together," Sakura hung her head down knowing she didn't contribute as much as her teammates, "Well, all I have to say to that is... You passed." he eye smiled.
Naruto smirked, "I knew it."
"So you did purposely tried to turn us against each other?" Sakura asked Kakashi.
"Correct. My use of only two bells was meant to turn you against each other. Luckily Naruto managed to realize it was all about teamwork I knew you would pass. I really never expected you to beat me. Trust me, I'm a lot stronger than you know."
"No kidding." Naruto admitted.
"Now then, starting tomorrow we are officially Squad Seven." Kakashi declared.
"Yes!" Sakura cheered, as Sasuke smirked.
"Alright!" the Transformers cheered, as they raced over and started tossing the three up in the air. Naruto and Sasuke were enjoying it, while Sakura was getting nervous and covered her mouth fearing she would throw up from being tossed so much.
When they were brought back to the ground, Megatron spoke, "Well, congratulations, you three."
"Waspinator so happy!" Waspinator buzzed happily.
"Way to go, kids." Rattrap congratulated them.
"Yes, well done," Optimus began, "But I hope you three realize this is only just the beginning."
Tigatron nodded, "Yes. The challenges you will be facing from here on out will be the true test of your ninja skills."
"But as long as you have each others back and work together then there's nothing you three can't accomplish." Rhinox added.
Kakashi spoke up, "And while it's said that those who break the rules are trash. Those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."
Kakashi's three students nodded in understanding, until Naruto spoke up, "Well, I'm glad that parts over with. I'm going to Ichiraku to celebrate. Anyone wanna join me?" he offered.
"Sure." Sasuke answered.
"Ok." Sakura volunteered.
As the three left, the Transformers followed them, while Kakashi watched them, "This is gonna be quite the experience for me. But I know I'll do all I can to make sure they all come back from any mission alive."
That night at the Transformers HQ, Naruto was speaking to Jiraiya via hologram comm, "And that's what happened." Naruto explained to the hologram of Jiraiya."
"Well, that was sure something. Makes me wish I was there to see it myself." Jiraiya chuckled.
"Yeah. By the way how much longer until you report back?" Naruto asked.
"Could be another few weeks I'm afraid." Jiraiya answered, while sounding guilty.
Naruto sighed, but expected this from Jiraiya given his spy network, "Well, just stay safe and give me any good stuff when you get back."
"You know it, Naruto." Jiraiya smirked, as they ended transmission.
Naruto yawned before laying down in bed while looking at this ninja headband on his bedside table, "Tomorrow I finally get to start living life as a shinobi. Look out world, because Naruto's coming at ya."
(And there ya go. Naruto and his partners have officially become shinobi under Kakashi's guidance. Don't miss next time where they venture forth beyond the village for their first real important mission.)