Kakashi sits in his favourite tree with the profiles of the little genins he is going to terrorize tomorrow. Who did the Hokage give him this year? Kakashi looks at the first profile. Naruto Uzumaki.
Let it never be said the Third Hokage does not know what irony is. Kakashi feels certain that Naruto graduated with a specialist pass in fuuinjutsu - that is what he worked for for the last six years. Kakashi starts reading the information about Naruto's abilities, as described by Naruto's Academy sensei, Mizuki.
"Let's see," mumbles Kakashi. "Average at kenjutsu, that's not surprising, he does not have very good aim, but we can work on that if he passes my test. Poor ninjutsu, well he is better at fuuinjutsu. Taijutsu, sucks - wait, that doesn't seem right. Naruto isn't that bad at taijutsu. Besides, no one except crazy ex ANBU can get away with informal language on an official report. Where was I? Oh yeah, Naruto's profile. Fuinjutsu: so bad he can't even handle a basic storage seal." Kakashi closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, opens his eyes and reads that sentence again. Sure enough, he read it right the first time. "That little rotten fish basket!" Growls Kakashi angrily. "He's trying to make Naruto fail by not giving him a chance! These profiles are obviously bullshit." Kakashi tears them up and throws them in the nearest rubbish bin.
Kakashi will just have to learn about these kids when he actually meets them. He does not even regret not reading the other two genin's names. It just means the little team introduction this afternoon will be that much more sincere.
Naruto slides into a random seat, trying not to make eye contact with anyone he knows. He doesn't bother looking at the person he is sitting beside, just stares ahead blankly.
"Hey Naruto, why are you so down?" Shikamaru asks, bopping Naruto on the head. "You passed, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but Mizuki sensei set me up to fail the jounin's test before I even start," mumbles Naruto, despondently.
"Mizuki sensei must have underestimated the jounin," says the boy sitting beside Naruto. "The jounin will test us on our skills in an actual combat situation. Even if they go in with a low opinion of your skills, they will soon learn what you can do."
Naruto looks at the boy in surprise. It's Karin's pink haired friend. "That's what Iruka niisan said," Naruto says. "But I'm not getting my hopes up."
"Good luck, anyway," says Shikamaru, and goes off to find a seat. There aren't very many left now.
As the last graduates are sitting down, Mizuki sensei appears. "Congratulations to all you graduates," he says, then launches into a long speech about their responsibilities as genin. Finally, Mizuki starts listing off the teams. Naruto listens carefully for his name, but he is not in the first six teams. Then Mizuki sensei says, "Team Seven: Naruto Uzumaki-"
Who am I going to be with? Naruto wonders. None of my friends have been assigned yet.
"-Madoka Haruno," continues Mizuki sensei. "And Sasuke Uchiha."
"Damn," mutters Naruto. "I'm not with any of my friends. Ah well, I guess I can make new friends."
The boy sitting next to Naruto taps him on the shoulder and whispers, "We're on the same team."
"Cool," whispers Naruto.
Mizuki sensei is reading off the names of Team Eight: "Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuuga."
Are they all going to be on different teams? Naruto wonders what the Hokage is thinking. Naruto turns and tries to catch Hinata's eye. She sees him looking and shrugs nonchalantly. Naruto scribbles 'do you know those kids?' on a piece of paper gives it to Sparky, who is sitting in his usual spot on Naruto's shoulder, and tells Sparky to take it to Hinata. Sparky squarks and flies over to sit on Hinata's shoulder.
After preening himself for a bit, Sparky flies back with a note from Hinata. 'Kind of. Shino only ever hangs out with Sasuke, and Kiba is a pain in the butt. Do you realize Sasuke is sitting in the same row as you? Now that you are on her team, this is you chance to make friends with her (finally).'
Naruto grins and leans forward to see who is sitting on the other side of Madoka. Sure enough, there is Sasuke, her hands folded under her chin and a scowl on her face. Wow, what are the chances I'd accidently sit with my teammates? Naruto thinks. I finally have a chance to befriend Sasuke. Thanks Grandpa Hokage!
Mizuki sensei has read out the names for team Nine, and Naruto didn't even hear because he was distracted. Now Mizuki sensei is reading the names of Team Ten; "Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara and Ino Yamanaka."
Naruto scribbles on another piece of paper, 'oh so you two get to be on the same team, but me and Hinata are with people we don't even know!' and sends Sparky off to take it to Shikamaru and Choji.
A few seconds later a reply come back that reads 'you are on the same team as Sasuke. Make friends with the damn girl! You do remember how long we've been trying to do that, right?!'
'Don't change the subject!' Naruto sends back.
'You're just jealous!' comes the reply.
'Of course I am!' Naruto replies, and draws an angry face on the note.
'Suck it up.'
'F##k you!'
"Shikamaru and Naruto!" snaps Mizuki sensei. "Stop passing notes!" He clears his throat and adds, "You are all dismissed for your lunch break. Afterwards, you will meet your jounin senseis."
I've got to make friends with my new teammates, Naruto thinks and turns to ask, "Hey, guys, since we're on the same team, do you wanna have lunch together?"
"Sure," agrees Madoka. "All the other teams will probably be doing the same."
The two boys both look over at Sasuke, who still sitting in exactly the same position. She glances at them, looking like she is about to accept, then snaps "No!" and turns away.
Naruto shrugs. "Suit yourself."
"You don't have to be rude about it," mutters Madoka.
Sasuke sits out of her two teammates' line of sight, watching them. She wishes she had the courage to go up to them and ask if she can join them. They probably won't like her now that she was rude when she refused to sit with them. She almost agreed to go with them, but her shyness won out.
What does she know about these two? Sasuke reflects on the two boys. Madoka, she remembers, is the pink haired boy that got bullied on their very first day of school, and on many other occasions by the other boys in their class, especially Kiba. Naruto, on the other hand, is that annoying kid who keeps trying to steal Sasuke's Dad. She frowns in annoyance. So what if Naruto and his little gang keep trying to get her to join them, most of the Uchiha clan seems to think Naruto and that Hyuuga girl are the coolest kids in the village. What did they do that is so special, anyway?
Deciding to ignore her teammates for now, Sasuke goes back to eating her rice balls.
Madoka, Naruto and Sasuke wait patiently while the other teams disappear with their jounin senseis. Soon there are no jounin left.
"It looks like your jounin sensei forgot to come," says Mizuki after waiting for about half an hour. "Feel free to keep waiting, but I doubt he'll come." Mizuki sensei leaves, giving Naruto a smug look on his way past.
As soon as Mizuki sensei is gone, Naruto jumps up and blurts out, "I hate him! He deliberately screwed up my chances, but he better not have screwed with you guys as well!" Naruto is angry. He has no idea why Mizuki is being so nasty all of a sudden, but the look he gave Naruto on the way out was worse than the cold glares many other people in the village give Naruto. Was he only pretending to be nice the whole time so he could bully Naruto like this?
The three new genins wait for another hour before Naruto, who has been pacing angrily and muttering under his breath the different methods of fuuinjutsu, decides to pull a prank, any prank, on the late jounin. He grabs the blackboard eraser and a chair, then climbs up on the chair and sticks the eraser in the gap between the door and its frame.
"What are you doing?" demands Madoka.
"If he's going to be late, he's going to get pranked," says Naruto firmly, and climbs down off the chair.
"You really think a jounin will fall for a prank like that?" asks Madoka skeptically.
As Naruto is putting the chair back in its place, he sneaks a glance at Sasuke. To his surprise, Sasuke is watching the door intently, like she really wants the prank to work.
After a few tense minutes of waiting, the door finally opens. Thwack! The erasor falls on the head of the unsuspecting jounin. Naruto lets out a whoop. Madoka hides his grin behind his hand. Sasuke makes a face like she is trying not to laugh.
The ditzy, tired looking jounin regards the three genins. Even though his mask and tilted headband cover all of his face except his right eye, they can tell he is annoyed. After a few seconds he says, "Hm, based on my first impression I'd say: I'd don't like you three."
All three genins are hurt by this statement.