Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Warning: language.

Genin Arc: We're so starving!

"I guess it's true what they say: if you wait long enough everything changes."

- Junot Diaz, This Is How You Lose Her

Months passed in a blur, bot letting us have a single chance at freedom. Sensei was running us into the ground, all the while writing in our reports that "his students did part of the job". As if! We were taking the missions on by ourselves, most of which were investigations and escorts. I understand that he wanted the sharingan fetishist of our trail and that was the only reason as to why I kept silent. Not like it wasn't the only reason for sensei to put his name on the list… Nah, whatever.

Nothing notable happened, we resumed our training and missions. By September I was seven, with Izumi at ten and Noboru at thirteen. The last Chunin Exams, the ones in July, passed in Konoha. There was, quite surprisingly, a Kumo team, a pretty strong one at that. I've gone to the third stage with Masu-chan and Komugi, only to see something spectacular and frightening at the same time:

Uchiha Itachi in action.

He was… fast. It was hard (almost impossible) to track his movement with an untrained (or trained) eye. And, above all, he was calculative. The Kumo nin didn't get a chance – he was knocked of his feet and pressed to the ground right before Itachi's kunai found its way to his throat, a tiny fickle of blood already drawn. He never even stood a chance.

Yes, Itachi was truly spectacular, but the look in his eyes… they were so blank. An enigma indeed. Not like I didn't like hard puzzles.

Izumi cheered for him. In fact, she often bragged about him and his accomplishments, but never introduced us properly. Not until September second, on a bright day in Konohagakure no Sato. The day the infamous Uchiha Itachi, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan, the fourth one to graduate so early (Kakashi, Gai and I doing so before him or at the same age) met us at a dango shop, not a moment to end up strangled by his crus-friend.

Pulling herself off the poor boy, Izumi waved Noboru and I over. "Guys, this is the one I told you 'bout, Itachi! Itachi, this is Noboru," she pointed at named, "and Isamu," this time the finger was in my face. So much for the notorious Uchiha etiquette. Both Noboru and I greeted Itachi with a "Konnichiwa" before his "Ohayō gozaimasu".

"Itachi-kun," called Izumi, "did you know that Isamu managed to graduate even earlier that you did? He managed at six! And he slept through most of the lessons too!" Oh no, I'm begging you… my miserable expression (and the glare) was evaded masterfully by the female Uchiha. Just great. I can feel my ears burning as I bring my gaze to the floor. I don't feel that, as an adult (mentally at least), it'd be correct to boast about my accomplishment, especially when it comes to my carrier as an assassin (I know, total badassery, but still).

It was silent for a moment, just before a cough left Itachi. I turned to look at him, met with sympathetic onyx orbs… Kami, that kid was adorable.

"Becoming a shinobi at such an age is an honor, Isamu-san," muttered Itachi the strained words. Need to change the topic. Now!

I smile anxiously because Kami this is awkward. "So, Itachi-san, I've seen your performance at the recent Chunin Exams. Quite astonishing. Even my guardian, an Elite Jōnin, had trouble keeping up with your movements. You've already unlocked your Sharingan, correct?"

He tenses briefly – maybe bringing up their dōjutsu was a bad idea – before answering. "Hai, I unlocked mine two years ago, only three years after Izumi-san." The pride in his voice was faked, the grief almost transparent.

… Well, that was awkward. Izumi tensed, not without a reason. To unlock her sharingan at five and keep it a secret from her team… shit!

Noboru and I were shell shocked by the statement while Itachi was… confused would be the best word to describe him. It took us a few minutes (I mean it) to regain our composure, only for Noboru to turn angry.

"What," he spat, "were you doing all this fucking time? Playing us? Lying to us?! I thought we were a team, we had trusted each other! How could you hide something like that from us?! How?! Don-"

Before this'd get worse, I interrupted him. "I think that Izumi wouldn't have done this without a reason. Right, Izumi?" The girl nodded, still avoiding eye contact. "You see? There is team stuff and clan stuff. It's a mess, trust me. The Inuzuka still treat me as an outsider, the fact that I've lived with them since I was three years old considered. It's a pain, you know, but we have no other choice."

Noboru still seemed rather perplexed, but that's better than fury. He grunted in acceptance, but didn't voice anything. Izumi was still blushing and avoiding eye contact. Meanwhile, Itachi was… backing away with grace. Smart move, man. Smart move. No wonder they considered him a prodigy.

I sweat-dropped before trying to reason (cautiously), "Okay, let's take a day off today, I'm more than sure sensei would understand. So let's all have some rest, clear our minds and meet on a fresh head at tomorrow's practice. All right?"

I could feel the fire in Noboru as he turned on me. Fuck!

"All right? All right?! NOTHING IS FUCKING ALL RIGHT! SHE," he pointed at Izumi that was pushing herself into a corner, "LIED TO US! IT COULD HAVE COST US OUR LIVES, BUT DOES SHE CARE? DO YOU," he turned to Izumi, "FUCKING CARE?"

Shit, shit, shit! How do I work from here? I'm a short-tempered, introverted adult in a child's body and I have no fucking clue on how you calm down teens, I have never had any help with it in my previous childhood – I always calmed down myself, the fact that I wasn't that prone to anger considered. Hell, I am still having temper problems, and it is my fucking second lifetime!

They want to do it the hard way? Well, I'll give him the hard way.

I took a step forward, my eyes narrowing. My hand latched onto Noboru's, only for him to twist and meet my fist with his pretty little face. A pity.

"Listen here, sweetie. We're a team, but every single one of us has his own secrets. For starters, who are your parents? Are they civilian? Shinobi? Are you an orphan?" My voice was laced with poison… As they say, still waters run deep.

Smiling like a true bitch ('cause that smile can't be described otherwise) before he could even open his filthy mouth, I chimed, "You know why we didn't ask you before? You see, the reason was that we respected your choice and didn't push. Trust cannot be given just due to the "team status". It must be earned." With the last words I stormed off, leaving the duo alone.

It didn't take even two minutes for me to fall into a guilt-tripping circle.

'What I did was wrong. I mustn't have done so. I hurt him. What if he never forgives me? Was I right? What about Izumi? I left her all alone. What if Noboru hurt her? What if-"

I didn't even realize that there was someone trailing behind me till he tapped my shoulder – scared the shit outta me with that – and made me jump. After I turned around, the chibi face of one and only Uchiha Itachi, the ten-year-old Chūnin, greeted me, not an ounce of emotion displayed. Perfect little Uchiha, it seems to others. Poor little boy, it seems to me.

Gently, the boy tilted his head, "Isamu-san, I believe that what you said can be interpreted as both correct and false. I understand that, as a clan heir, there are clan affairs that'd rather be kept secret for the sake of your heritage. However, this doesn't countenance misguiding your squad member with incorrect information, which may cause further incident and even lead to fatal consequences. Though that is solely up to you, Isamu-san, it'd be in your own interest to inform your squad leader and teammates of any and all intelligence in order to protect them. Don't you think?"

…Did the I-who-shall-lie-to-everyone-I-love-and-torture-my-comrades give me that talk?

Wait… he did inform the council of his clan affairs, but didn't it have more to do with his "pacifistic" nature?

I was left there flabbergasted, mouth agape at the very strange Uchiha that, quite frankly, left me in the alley we talked. And was it amusement in his gaze?

That was how I met Uchiha Itachi, the biggest enigma even after his background was given a proper explanation.

Being a Genin was, in fact, dreadfully boring. It seems like the C-turned-A-rank missions are reserved for Team Seven. Average teams, like ours, were given C-ranks that actually remained that way. Sensei always took pleasure in Investigations and escorts. Some were entertaining, like the one escort mission of a group of Stand-Up comedians. Kami bless them, those were the Kevin Hurt's of this world.

But mostly being a Genin meant chores, desk job (yes, Genins are assigned lots of those, mostly just secretary or delivery jobs though) and tons of training. That was no wonder – the village needed competent shinobi ASAP.

The quarrel between the trio of Noboru, Izumi and I left a bitter taste in my mouth. The topic resurfaced only once, it has been a whole month after the argument itself.

/Flashback/

The day started with Izumi sending a dove, a letter saying that she wouldn't make it to the practice due to her illness. Sensei was late as well, leading to Noboru and I waiting patiently (or not so much).

A whole half an hour passed with no signs of sensei before I heard Noboru let out a sigh and walk up to me. I was resting on the grass, in the shadow of a tree. He flopped down near me. I could barely make out his expression, which seemed… grim?

He opened his mouth, but no words came. For a few moments it seemed like he wasn't even going to speak at all, but I was proven wrong.

He sighed once more before shaking his head. When he spoke, his voice was no louder than a whisper. "My mother… she came from a noble clan, the main branch, no less. She was taught the art of mind, the art of mentalism. She was nothing special, but still enough to be better, to exceed in her field. Her clan treated her with honor, anticipating the day of her marriage. It was believed that she'd marry a powerful shinobi, give him her name and raise the next generation.

"Their dreams were never fulfilled.

"At the tender age of sixteen mother left her clan, the history and the family. She vowed to never use the clan jutsu and married the man she loved since a mere child: my father, a civilian baker across the street, nothing significant about him. He was almost ten years her senior, but that never stopped them because they loved each other like no other.

"The clan was furious: a noble born left for some mere baker? Not possible! They argued for months, there were talks of my father –my father – seducing her, a naïve girl, and using her to his liking. How dare they say that?

"The contempt continued for quite a while, long enough for the rumors of a former clan member – one that abandoned her own clan – being with a child. The elders were enraged with that. Such an indecent girl, they said. They couldn't comprehend how one would step away from prize and glory for such a humble lifestyle. That's why those of the clan always despised the child, and it was only a matter of time before the same treatment followed from others.

"That child was I."

We sat in silence for a while, but no words were needed. It was comfortable silence, one that indicated total understanding. I may not have gone through the same, but someone close to me – Naru-chan – did.

That is how I got to learn the reason behind Noboru's disdain towards Izumi. Envy is like fire, the type that's hard to put out.

Since that day, there was a sort of a patch on the old wound. The thing about them is that they never fully disappear, but, with enough effort, the healed scars will serve as mere valuable lessons and windows to a new tomorrow.

/Flashback end/

Izumi and Noboru never talked about it, fine by me. It's their business, not mine. I already made my point clear, plus they won't mature otherwise. It's not like I hold a grudge against them. After more than a dozen attempts at getting them to reconcile, I gave up. They'd do it, eventually.

No disastrous missions happened. Hell, none of us have even killed yet, and that's a feat on its own. The mercenaries we encountered we all incapacitated without fatal force. Not that killing animals is enjoyable, on the contrary, but it's our world and, with time, you get used to it.

With time, you get used to everything.

(Wow, I sound like some emo kid. Fun!)

Izumi and Noboru turned eleven and fourteen respectably by the time of the next Chūnin Exams. Noboru was twice my age, but I was still almost thirty. Reincarnation is so troublesome.

The Chūnin Exams, while a fashionable affair, is very, very secretive. There's approximately nothing that ever leaks out. Only the best of the best can gather intelligence about it beforehand, and even they sometimes fail (I blame Jiraya for overlooking Oto-Suna Invasion in the canon).

It was a chill winter day; the clouds covered the sky. The last bits of snow lingered on the ground and the roofs. Half of the village was out with a cold, trying to warm up or simply drinking cocoa.

However, that didn't stop the training. As the trio of Genin waited for their sensei, all of them clad in very, very warm clothes (we resembled penguins, I swear) and danced on the spot because he was late. Hell, I even saw Izumi flash her sharingan in annoyance for a few moments.

I was incredibly thankful to Komugi for teaching me the warming seals. At least they saved us from frostbite.

A whole fucking hour passed before his highness allowed himself to appear in front of mere mortals. The smirk on his face was something I swore to wipe off. We all did. It was our dream – no, ambition – to get revenge and-

Oops, went into the "avenger" mode.

The day passed with penguin-like Genin stumbling over, well, air and falling. Repeatedly.

In the end we were almost sweaty – whom am I kidding, no one can sweat in this weather – and exhausted. That's when sensei's "Devil Smirk" widened and he pushed three forms in front of our faces.

"These," he exclaimed gleefully, "are you application, my team! I deem you all ready for the upcoming Chūnin Exams – yes, even the young Isamu-kun. I believe in your skill, you've all come a long way." His smile turned gentler, "I am proud to call you my team." Yes, the three of us were on verge of tears. Great * hic * job, sensei.

Sensei cleared his throat as he gazed upon us, eyes proud but serious. "Noboru, Izumi, Isamu," he glanced at each as he called, "I am not forcing you to take the exam. Even if one of you isn't sure, do not take it. Clear?" We nodded our heads. "Great. In case you agree to take the exam, please let me know. You'll need your parent's or legal guardian's signature in order to submit for the exams. Please note that some are wounded in these exams, both physically and mentally. And there are even cases of death. Take all of this into account – I don't want to lose you for some mere promotion. Only a few make it through the exam itself, so don't push yourselves too thin; there's always a chance to take it in a few months. Clear?" We nodded again. "Great. You have two weeks to make up your decision, so please think this through and ask for an advice - it'll help too. Now, off with you!" he screamed the last part, his cheery attitude back in place. We all attack-hugged him before marching off, each in the direction of his house.

"He said WHAT?" Exclaimed Masuyo, slapping her hand into the table surface. Yup, she was furious. Help.

Sinking into the ground – my failed attempt at disappearing into it – I mutter, "He said we're ready for the promotion or, at least, the exams." Bad choice of words, it seems.

"READY? He is an imbecile! Sending a seven year old for the Chūnin Exams?! Has he lost his head?! The Hatake brat is drowning himself in ANBU, the Uchiha is doing Kami knows what and now you?" She started pacing with a glass of... something. Suddenly, she turned to me, her eyes glistening. "I was against your graduation, but they persuaded me, you did. This world is a very dark place I wanted to protect you from, but I failed. I'm sorry…" Shit, she's crying. What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?

I understood where her worry comes from, but I have my own reasons. Like helping in saving the world or, at least, my friend's clan. Helping protect the innocents that are foully blamed for crimes they didn't commit.

This world needs protection, but nobody was ready to give it. That's why I decided to take up the task. Well, as soon as I hit Chūnin because, you know, Genin.

Carefully, I took a step in Masuyo's direction. When she didn't react, I took another one, and another, enough to come near her. That's when I started hugging her waist – at least her sitting allowed me to do so – and whispered, "Masu-chan, you never failed me. In fact, if it weren't for you I might've been as good as dead. You always protected me, were always there for me. For that I'm grateful. Thank you, sincerely.

"But that doesn't mean that you'd always need to protect me. I understand that you worry, I really do, but in order to grow one must let go of this protection. I need to learn on my own mistakes, otherwise I wouldn't last a second out there. I've trained all this time to help those in need and I want to succeed, Masu-chan. Please give me permission to." I closed my eyes because I was afraid to be met with disappointment. I was afraid to let her down.

It seemed like hours passed, the tic-tock of the clock moving in slow motion. I kept my gaze on the floor as I clung onto Masuyo's back. That when I felt her pick me up and place me onto her lap. She took my chin and started to gently turn it till I was facing her. Forced to look into her eyes, I hesitantly did so, only to be met with…

Admiration?

Her voice was laced with honey as she spoke, "Isamu-chan, I'd have never doubted you. I'm proud to call you my pup." She hugged me and we cried, silent tears flowing free.

That night she signed the application.

In two weeks due I was met by Noboru and Izumi on my track to sensei's house, both of them looking as adamant as I did. We nodded at each other and, with wide grins, knocked the hell out of sensei's entrance door.

Did I mention that it was five am?

Slowly, the door opened and a very, very sleepy Hamaki-sensei met us, his pajamas still on.

A grunt escaped him before he snapped, "Whatcha want, brat- I mean my team. Have ya seen 'he clock?"

We forced our way inside without answering, a loud sigh sounding from behind. Where did we go? To the only room in sensei's apartment that had any value, of course. Or, in other words, the kitchen.

While Noboru shuffled through sensei's fridge, Izumi and I gathered ourselves at the table. We watched as sensei put the coffee pot on the stove and followed our example with Noboru in tow.

Sensei cleared his throat before getting down to business, "What the hell are you doing here at this ungodly hour?"

Somebody doesn't like to beat around the bush, I suppose.

We hand him the application forms as we say in unison, "We're ready, Hamaki-sensei!"

The grin on his face was nothing to sneeze at. Cheerfully, he beamed at us. "Great! Get ready, team, because for the next two months we're off to Kumogakure no Sato's Chūnin Exams!"

A/N: And done! This chapter was a pain, and I'm so done with the Genin Arc. Really, there was nothing to write. Missions will come in future arcs, plus in the canon many didn't make their first kills till Chūnin, so yes.

On the other note, I'd like to say that I'm taking two weeks off to comb out the past chapters. I'll be combining some of the chapters into one so, when the next update comes, it'll chow "chapter 12" or something instead of "chapter 19". And nope, no need for those who already read this much to read again – I'll just correct the typos, rewrite some scenes for the beauty of it and stuff like that.

The next arc is going to be very fun with a few canon characters coming in. Stay tuned!

Thank you all and love!