Epilogue

"Sensei!" The tall lanky man that had a strange semblance to a scarecrow looked up from his book in time to be tackled by a Pink haired girl. "You're back!"

"Yes, Sakura . . . What happened while I was out?"

"Naruto-kun beat Sasuke-kun again." Sakura smiled up at him, moving to walk beside him. "And Gai-sensei got me some weights for my legs, so I can get stronger."

"That explains the red legwarmers . . ." He studied the outfit she was wearing. Red three quarter length sleeved shirt, black pants with a red design on her left leg, and the red legwarmers. She also had added black and red elbow guards to her ensemble, her hair staying in a French braid. "What else has happened, and has your mother forgiven me for messing up her sheets?"

"Nothing else- Oh, Naruto met some pervert at the baths who claimed to be a sannin, and apparently Gai's nominating his team for chunin." Sakura then noticed the book in her sensei's hand. "Sensei, I thought you forgot which book you were on?"

"Well, it's well written-"

"Pervert!!" Two boys voices yelled and a man with long white hair was sent flying into their path. Kakashi's eyes briefly widened, before two boys appeared together, one who's hair was starting to grow long, wearing a black turtleneck shirt, a white bandana around his neck and blue legwarmers, and black and blue elbow guards, while the other was wearing a black shirt with an orange spiral and black pants with two thin orange stripes down the sides leading to orange leg warmers (he had black and orange elbow guards, as well as fingerless gloves). His height was just a head shorter than the other, and he had a pair of black and orange goggles around his neck. "Say that again and you're going down!"

"Is that how you treat your elder's and betters?"

"Hello, Jiraiya-sama, I see you've met two of my students, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke." Kakashi interrupted what was sure to be a bad fight. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Eh . . . I heard rumors that something of my former student's was coming undone, I just wanted to check in on everything before I continued on." The older man stood up. "It's good to see you, Kakashi."

"Likewise. Anything you need me for?"

"Not right now, can we talk later though?" Kakashi nodded and the sage quickly left.

" . . . He was talking about Naruto, wasn't he?" Sakura looked at her sensei.

"Yes. Naruto must've let loose plenty of Chakra to have made him notice." Kakashi put away his book. "Alright you three, the reason I asked for you to be here is because I have an announcement. I've nominated you three for the chunin exams." He held out three pieces of paper. "Which means training will start getting tougher, starting today if you decide to do it."

" . . ." The three looked at each other, Naruto nodding his head and giving a thumbs up. Sakura hesitated a bit, before nodding as well.

"We're up for it, sensei!"

"Good. Then I'll start working on your individual training . . . Sakura, I have one question for you, since I think you might benefit from learning this more than the boys."

"Yes Sensei?"

"How would you feel about learning how to summon nin dogs?" Sakura's eyes got big.

"Really?" She couldn't stop the excited squeal that accompanied the one word.

"Yes." He eye smiled. "I'm sure there will be some point they will learn to summon, but I see no reason to hold back on your training."

"You won't mind, right?" She glanced at them.

"Hn, you do what you have to, to get stronger. I'll stick to improving my speed." Sasuke scowled as he remembered his defeat by Lee a few days ago. Rather than leave his students to their own devices, Kakashi was making sure another jounin instructor could cover if he had missions.

"I can wait my turn for cool jutsu." Naruto grinned.

"How about you work on your Taijutsu?" Kakashi looked at Naruto. "Brawling is all very good, but you should work on your form." Naruto shrugged. "But you're all getting a lesson on how summons work." The boys groaned, but paid attention.

The Third glanced at Jiraiya as the man entered.

"They'll be alright, doesn't look like the seal damaged Kakashi too much. And the kids' are benefitting from knowing Naruto's secret. They know what to help him with now." Jiraiya shrugged. "They've been on a hell of a learning curve, they'll be fine, once Chunin exams come around. I probably should train Naruto to use the Kyuubi's Chakra, if he can access it."

"I would like to keep them together as much as possible. Sasuke would also have to learn to summon, preferably on Naruto's level."

" . . . What about that snake dame . . . wears fishnets, good legs?"

"Miturashi Anko."

"That's a good summon."

"I'll bring it up with her . . ."

There, Team 7 as a slightly dysfunctional family, and a set up for the sequel. If I ever get to it. It'll probably take place slightly before, during and after the chunin exams. I suppose this makes it an AU by now.

I have another AU story that I've found on my computer, called 'Runaways.' I have the first few chapters on my computer, but it's really going to be an alternate universe. As in, a few canon nazi's will hate it. But I'll post it anyway. It was written right after Asuma died in the manga (so a couple of years ago, now).

Read and Review, and I'll see you around!