Iruka Umino smiled cheerfully as he entered the classroom, a great stack of paperwork balanced within his hands. He truly did enjoy his roll within Konoha as a shinobi academy teacher. It was (to him at least ) an incredibly rewarding job. Seeing, years later, the wild and boisterous kids that you taught returning as highly competent Konoha Shinobi was an amazing experience. (He tried to avoid thinking of those, taught by him, who had later been killed on duty )

Placing the papers upon his desk the chunnin gave a gentle smile as observed his class.

Kiba Inuzuka ~ brash bold and more then a litte arrogant for sure. However within the boy's bragging and boasting lay a proud and strong alpha who would one day lead his clan.

Hinata Hyuuga ~ the black sheep of the Hyuuga clan. It was well known that her mother had died at the birth of her little sister, Hanabi, leaving her alone with a cruel perfectionist father and the uptight elders of her clan. She was shy, gentle and meek. Totally unlike her sister who took after their father. Although Iruka knew for sure that within the girl was a slumbering lion waiting for the Hyuuga to discover her true ninja way.

Shino Aburame ~ although Iruka was sure that he would never truly understand the kikachou user he was not one to base people from their outside features. He knew without doubt that many of the academy's students viewed Shino as a freak and often hated that jee could do nothing about it. But the cool, calm, analytical boy took it in stride and would soon grow into the perfect Aburame clan heir.

Choji Amakichi ~ choji was at the moment probably the least suited to ninja life, Iruka mused, however according to minami (an academy teacher from several genterarions back ) chouza, the boy's father had been exactly the same. Choji would soon grow. Soon.

Shikamaru Nara ~ the boy was a conundrum. Seriously. Everyone knew he was insanely smart, and yet his scores were only marginally higher then Kiba, the deadlast's. At first Iruka had though that the Nara had some kind of deception plan in mind, however that though was quickly scrapped when the teacher realised that the only reason for shikamaru's low scores were the boy's own damn laziness. The Nara was close friends with Choji and Iruka was certain that he would grow up to become a better strategist then even his father, Shikaku Nara.

Ino Yamaka and Sakura Haruno ~ both had brains that Iruka was beyond proud of. However, their fangirlish attitudes, that extended to the amount they ate as well as their scented shampoo ( which any Shinobi pressing chakra to their nose would be able to smell ) had halted their progress and sropped both from advancing any further in their chosen careers. Iruka had to admit that he was more then a little creeped out by their stalkerish behaviour towards the Uchiha twins. Iruka could only hope that they would clean up their act in the future before it was too late.

Sasuke Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha ~ the twins were as different as night and day Iruka knew. Itachi Uchiha was a polite prodigy. Known for being constantly courteous but fiercely protective of the few true friends he had. It was known throughout the village of his fathers bias nature towards him (Fugaku never missed a chance to lord his first born son's skills to any who would listen - much to Itachi's very apparent displeasure ) Sasuke on the other hand was a brooding second rate. Iruka still remembered the boy's face when he had seen the scoreboard for the class and realised that he was drawn in fourth place with Nawaki Namikaze of all people (it was not pleasant ) the boy was arrogant and childish constantly belittling those he believed lower then him. Frankly, even though Iruka had to admit that Sasuke could fight, the academy teacher didn't have much hope towards the younger twins shinobi career.

Nawaki U. Namikaze and Mito U. Namikaze ~ unlike the Uchiha brothers this pair of twins (but they weren't Twins were they, hokage-sama? ) were incredibly similar. The shared many commonalities; from their arrogance to their self centeredness they were brats. Truthfully Iruka could say that the twins (Nawaki especially ) were the only students he had ever despised. Nawaki was an arrogant (in a league above even Sasuke ) five year old whose favourite game was to bully other kids. He was totally and utterly messed up and Iruka's opinion of the yondaime decreased every time he looked at the boy. Mito meanwhile was not as much a bully as her brother and more a hyperactive troublemaker who though she never did any wrong. In a way this made her worse. The main feature that both shared was their deep rooted loathing of their estranged sister Naruto Ōtsutsuki ( a rather strange name to call herself and subsequently Gaara if you asked Iruka ) which most likely derived from their belief that they were obligated to follow their father's and mother's footsteps and share their hatred of the blonde haired girl.

Gaara Ōtsutsuki and Naruto Ōtsutsuki ~ if asked Iruka would obviously deny ever having favourites but even he knew this was a lie. The two jinchuuriki were and always would be something like kin to him. Originally like most he had been suspicious of both demon containers believing them to be what they held (which is ludicrous to Iruka as he looks back upon the past ) but Iruka himself had been one of the first to see them as what they really were misunderstood and abused children. Nothing more and nothing less. Sure Naruto and Gaara weren't the most normal of children to begin with but it didn't matter to the chuunin. He had decided then and there (on that dark and stormy night, even as they stood before him small and suspicious of him with their hands clasped together in union ) that he would aid them and nuture them into the shinobi he saw in their flickering shadows and now as they stood before him first and third in the class with cold green and blue eyes (respective to their owners ) alight with and underlying tone of warmth and undeniable trust he knew that he would never regret that one night. (Where he had seen under facades and masks and lies )

Iruka smiled widely at the by now silent class before him spreading his arms wide in self triumph,

"Class, I know this journey has been hard but here we are! You are the future of Konoha! You are shinobi!" The chuunin's smile only brightened at the cheers that met his announcement.

"Now then, your teams will be ...

Iruka Umino regretted nothing.