Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

The boy readjusted the mask self-consciously. "It's only temporary," he said quietly, bowing his head. "There weren't any others."

"Temporary can be anywhere from a day to years," Kakashi said smugly. "Get used to it, Bunny-chan. Anyways, what are you doing here?" he added suddenly.

The bunny face tilted to the side. "Isn't this Squad 14?" he asked. "I was told to come here for training."

"A rookie?" Genma asked incredulously. "They gave us a rookie?"

"I was a rookie," Hayate mentioned.

"Yeah," Genma's tone was bitter, and Hayate flinched. Bunny-mask twitched slightly, following the exchange.

"Sorry."

"Oh, shut up Hayate. It's not your fault. Rookies are good; we can train him up to be just as cracked as the rest of us." Crisis averted.

"So, Bunny-chan," Kakashi interrupted. "When did you join?"

"Two days ago," Bunny-mask answered politely.

"And what are your specialties?"

"Ninjutsu," he answered promptly. "Taijutsu is fine, so is my genjutsu, but I mostly fight with ninjutsu."

"Elemental?"

"Mokuton."

The silence was tense. "Oh?" Kakashi finally murmured. "Wood. That's...interesting."

Bunny-mask flinched. I should have known they wouldn't accept me.

"Well, I'd like to see that," Kakashi added. "But we're still waiting on Falcon to arrive, so how about we have a demonstration when he gets here?"

Bunny-mask nodded. Inside, he wasn't sure whether that had been apology, acceptance, or rejection. Not that it mattered. Of course not.

"Hayate. How about you two spar a bit? Hand to hand, put away that katana."

Deer-mask let the katana slide back down into the sheath strapped behind his shoulders. "Yes, captain."

"Welcome to the Ninja Academy," the chuunin said brightly, standing at the front of the large classroom. Twenty or so children sat in threes behind the rows of desks, eyes trained on their new sensei. "In your time here, you will learn to be shinobi. We cover the basic arts of taijutsu—hand to hand fighting, genjutsu—illusions to fool the senses, and ninjutsu—shinobi techniques. When you graduate, you will be full-fledged Konoha shinobi. Your path starts now." He smiled widely at the assembled children. "Today, we will do a basic evaluation of your skills—don't worry, we don't expect you to know anything yet. We'll start with taijutsu. Follow me outside."

Unarmed combat wasn't exactly Hayate's strongest point. He felt vulnerable without a blade in his hand, but that didn't mean he was weak. They started slowly, hit, block, spin, kick, duck, hit, block. Gradually, the speed increased, until only a jounin could have followed the individual moves. Three minutes in, Rabbit had Hayate pinned to the ground, one arm twisted behind his back. He added a little pressure to the arm. "Do you yield?"

Hayate disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Hey, no jutsu, Haya," Genma called from his perch on the rock. Rabbit was disgruntled, if Deer could use bunshin jutsu, why couldn't he?

The resentment melted away when Hayate appeared from the line of trees edging the field. He was coughing hard, his face turning a nasty shade of grey. "Sorry...about that...ANBU-san...just need...a minute," he gasped out.

"Sit down," Kakashi ordered, snapping his book shut and slipping it away into his pouch. "You should have said something."

Hayate waved the hand not currently held in front of his mouth. "I'll be fine," he insisted, swallowing the next few coughs, even though his whole body shook. "I'm ready to go on."

"You're not going on. Bunny-face, spar with me." Genma slid off the rock and limped over. Kakashi rolled his single eye.

"Idiots. Genma, sit down. Hayate, sit down. This isn't a mission." They obeyed, reluctantly. Kakashi followed them down with his eyes, then slouched over to the rookie. "Come on, Bunny-chan."

The rookie was breathing almost as heavily as Hayate, but without the racking coughs. He brought his hands up into a guard position, and waited for Kakashi's attack.

He didn't start slow. Behind his opponent in the blink of an eye, Kakashi slammed a clenched fist towards his neck. The rookie barely had time to register the movement and dodge, and he was off balance now. Hatake followed up immediately, pushing the boy to his limits, always on the edge of falling.

Kakashi dragged the fight out, long after he could have pinned the rookie. Finally, with the rabbit mask pressed into the dirt, he sighed, not even winded. "You need to practice," he told the rookie coldly. "You're not good enough."

Walking to where Hayate sat on the rock next to Genma, still coughing occasionally, he tossed a bottle of pills into his lap. "Take these. And you need to practice, too."

Hayate picked up the pills. "Kakashi, these—"

"The only one of any of you with remotely good taijutsu right now is Raidou," Kakashi interrupted, cutting Hayate off.

Hayate's voice rose. "Kakashi, where did you get these?"

The copy-nin shot a glance at the rookie. "I'll talk with you later, Hayate."

"We've got time to practice," Genma responded to Kakashi's dig about taijutsu.

"We've got one week," Kakashi said shortly.

"One week?" Hayate stuck the pills in his weapons pouch. "Genma's not going to be mission-fit by then."

"Seven days," Kakashi repeated. "You better be, Genma. That's all they're giving us."

"Can someone explain what chakra is?" the teacher asked.

Naruto raised his hand. He was excited, because Nii-san had explained this.

"Anyone?"

Naruto waved his hand in the air.

"How about you, Inuzuka-kun. What is chakra?"

Kiba lifted his head from the desk. "Huh?"

"Explain chakra, Inuzuka-kun." The chuunin was getting impatient.

"Oh. Uhh, chakra. Um. It's fire stuff you do jutsu with. It makes you strong. My mom has lots."

"Not quite, Inuzuka-kun." Naruto's hand shot up again. "How about you, Uchiha-san?" The teacher's tone took on a simpering tone as he addressed the black-haired boy. Naruto glared. He knew the answer!

The Uchiha's discontented eyes rested on the chuunin teacher, looking down on him. "Chakra is spiritual energy, that a good shinobi can train for increased control and power. It is used in ninjutsu, such as Katon jutsus." He glared at the teacher.

"Perfect, Sasuke-san!" the teacher gushed. Naruto slid back in his chair, disgruntled. Sasuke-bastard got it wrong! It was spiritual and physical energy. Nii-san had said so.

"Hey, Raidou."

"Sorry I'm late," the falcon-masked ninja apologized. He had shed his flak jacket and shirt just outside the training ground, and hooked on his mask. "Hello," he greeted the new ninja. "I'm Raidou."

"Tenzou," the rabbit mask responded. The other ninja realized, belatedly, that they hadn't asked his name.

"Well, Tenzou, Raidou, how about you two do some genjutsu practice." Kakashi pulled out his book again. "Hayate, you're ref."

"Ref?" Hayate repeated incredulously. "What?" But Kakashi was too deep into his book, and ignored him. "Whatever," Hayate muttered. "Go, I guess."

Tenzou jumped backwards, away from Raidou, and began forming seals. Raidou, however, followed him, and shoved two fingers into his unprotected neck. The strike wasn't hard enough to do any damage, but in the instant of contact he had gauged Tenzou's chakra levels, and though Tenzou rolled away, Raidou was ready for the next time. "I thought this was genjutsu training," Tenzou gasped, crouching defensively.

"It is," Raidou affirmed. Couldn't let the rookie get confident, he decided. Two seals, and perception shifted.

Tenzou noticed, as anyone above the level of chuunin ought to, and brought his hands up. "Kai."

But Raidou had only needed one seal for that technique, and he was behind Tenzou with a hand to his neck before the kid had finished his counter. Not Shikaku's jutsu, that would just be cruel. Instead, Tenzou found his skin burning, melting, sloughing off under his grasping hands. He didn't scream, because his throat was collapsing, and he didn't have enough chakra to try for a counter, because his chakra had disappeared. That was something Raidou had added after talking with Naruto, where is my chakra?

Raidou let him go after a few seconds. Tenzou was on his knees, hands clutching his throat, gasping hoarsely.

They both looked up at the sound of porcelain hitting paper. Kakashi had slapped his masked forehead with his orange book. "We," he said despairingly, "are going to get slaughtered."

"What?" Raidou gave him a curious look, tilting his mask back to free his face. Just because he had accepted the scar didn't mean he enjoyed being reminded of how he got it. Cursing himself as ghosts of burning tickled his mind, he wondered why he had used that particular genjutsu on the rookie.

"One week," Hayate told him, also pushing back his mask. "We've got a mission." He expected Raidou to protest, say it wasn't enough time for the rookie.

"What about Naruto?" the man said instead.

"Hey, Kiba, want to eat lunch together?"

"Sure," the other boy said. "Let's find Shikamaru. He's nice."

They dashed out of the classroom, finding Shikamaru and Chouji meandering slowly towards the wall surrounding the school. "Hey, Shika!" Kiba yelled, waving wildly.

The skinny boy looked over, his large companion breaking into a smile and waving back. Kiba introduced their classmates to Naruto. "My mom's friends with their moms," he told Naruto. "Hey, how come I never saw you around before?"

Naruto shrugged. "Guess I was in a different places," he theorized. "But we can be friends, now."

Shikamaru lay back on the ground, tipping his head towards the sky. Chouji pulled out a bag of chips. "Want some?" he asked, munching on the first one. Kiba grabbed a large handful, then Chouji offered them to Naruto. He took three. Shikamaru took one as well, and they snacked companionably.

Raidou did not like the look that came over the visible patch of Kakashi's face. His eye curved up innocently, and he lowered his book. "I don't want to leave him alone," Raidou hurried on, ignoring his suspicion of Kakashi. "Especially not on his first week of school."

"He could stay with Quartermaster," Hayate suggested. "His kid goes to Academy."

"But he doesn't live at HQ," Raidou protested. "Naruto would be alone." And that's dangerous.

"How about Gai?" Kakashi suggested, still maintaining the innocent act. "He would protect Naruto."

Raidou paled. Not Gai. Please, not Gai.

"That could work," Genma mused. "Gai's going to be around HQ until his ribs heal. But how long are we going to be gone for, Kakashi?"

"Only a week or so. Ten days at the most."

"If everything goes right," Raidou inserted acidly. "And he'll have Naruto spouting off about Youth and Springtime by that time," he said despairingly.

"Naruto?" Tenzou asked curiously.

The emotional temperature dropped to below freezing. Four pairs of eyes fixed on Tenzou's masked face, where he still sat on the grass. "Yes?" Raidou said quietly.

"As in the Kyuubi-container?" Tenzou hazarded, acutely aware that he was stepping into dangerous territory.

"Is that a problem?" Kakashi asked, his face still smiling.

"No, no of course not," Tenzou hurriedly assured them. "I just didn't know you knew him."

"Do you?" Hayate inquired politely.

"Not really." Tenzou shifted uncomfortably. There were sharp blades under the courteous voices.

"He's important to us," Kakashi said blandly. Tenzou didn't miss the threat. "Let's call it quits for now," Kakashi suggested. "Hayate, I need to talk to you. Bunny-face, you need to train more, but make sure you're healthy for the mission. Why don't you go set things up with Gai, Raidou?" With his orders given, he latched onto Hayate's arm. "We're meeting here again at six tomorrow for real training." He dragged the shorter man away.

In the trees, away from their teammates, Hayate fingered the pill bottle in his pouch. "Kakashi-taichou..."

"They're from Mist," he said abruptly. "My last mission took me by there." Actually, he had made a three-day detour to get the medicine.

"Doesn't this violate the treaty with Grass?" Hayate asked softly. Kakashi's eyebrow drew down. Screw the treaty. Grass wasn't going to find out, and Hayate needed the medicine. He wasn't going to let his teammate die because of some illogical terms in a fake peace agreement.

"They worked last time you took them, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then I don't care about the treaty. No one needs to know."

"Thank you, Taichou."

In the training field, Raidou offered a hand to the rookie. He pulled the boy to his feet. Tenzou was still shaking a little as he pulled his mask off. "Thanks."

"No problem. You want to get lunch?" he offered.

"Sure," Tenzou replied, surprised at the kindness.

"Yo, Genma, you coming?"

Genma shook his head. "I've got an appointment with the medics. And with the mission so soon, I better not miss it." He stood up cautiously, picking up his crutches. "Have fun," he added with a leer, just for fun. Tenzou flushed. Satisfied, Genma limped off towards the hospital.

Tenzou and Raidou began walking back towards HQ. "So what did you do to deserve us?" Raidou asked companionably. "I mean, they don't stick just anyone on Squad 14."

Tenzou blushed again. "You think I'm good enough?" he asked, startled. "After that, I feel completely incompetent."

Raidou shot him a skeptical look. "You are."

"What?"

"Totally incompetent. But don't worry. Hayate was too, when we got him." And that had led to a nasty situation, and quite a long track of recriminations and cold shoulders in HQ. "But I know why we got Hayate. So who wants you dead?"

All Tenzou could do was repeat, "What?"

"Oh, come on. You've heard the gossips."

"No. I, I haven't. What? I've only been here two days," Tenzou babbled.

Raidou smiled sourly. "So I guess I get the honors, huh? You really are a rookie. We're Squad 14. It's where they send the rejects." Tenzou stared. "No one cares if we don't make it back."

"But what about Kakashi-sempai? He's a legend!"

"Of course he is. He's an amazing, elite, emotionally screwed-up genius with personal problems bigger than the Hokage monument. It makes him unpredictable, and thus dangerous. Not to mention the whole stolen-bloodline issue."

Tenzou gaped. "What about Hayate?" he tried tentatively.

"Hayate. He's one of the most promising Gekkou swordsmen in the past couple of generations. Physically screwed-up. He can't take solo missions, and half the time he's a liability to whatever team he's on." Raidou glanced at Tenzou. "Still want to be on our squad?"

"What about Genma?" he asked, morbidly fascinated by this view into his new teammates.

"Genma is a remarkable shinobi, and a great person. But he's been considered mentally unstable since he was a genin. And no one wants to spend the effort to deal with his problems. Easier to stick him here."

"Are you serious?" Tenzou choked out. Genma didn't seem insane, but then again he'd idolized Hatake since he was a kid, and never once thought he could possibly be 'emotionally screwed-up,' as Raidou had so bluntly put it. Tenzou didn't quite have the courage to ask Raidou to his face why he was on Squad 14. "And people actually want you guys to—to die?"

Raidou shrugged. "Not actively, I suppose, but it's not big loss to other people if we kick the bucket." Just as no one had cared outside six or seven ANBU when Masaru bought it, Raidou thought bitterly. And now he was safely dust, no longer a threat to normal people. Masaru with his big smiles and penchant for blue flowers. A threat, hah.

Inside Tenzou, several organs did a somersault. He'd been so happy when he'd finally been accepted into ANBU, and put on Hatake Kakashi's team as well. Now, apparently the council was just trying to get rid of him again. "Hell," he muttered.

"Don't worry, though," Raidou reassured him. "We take care of our own."

"Yeah," he said absently. The council really wanted him out of the way. His heart twisted a little. He'd thought that maybe...but no. Of course not. He was a freak, and always would be.

"So..." Raidou prodded gently. "What about you?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm an embarrassing experiment," he said bitterly. "I guess I fit."

Raidou slung an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Welcome to the club, Tenzou. Don't let it get you down." He grinned. "We're the best."

"Genma-san."

"What do you want?" Genma had been aware of the man in the trees following him back towards the village for the past minute or so.

"How's the leg?" he asked, too friendly.

"Fine." Genma didn't like Matsuda. The man always stood too close, always took spars too far. And he hated Raidou, which was enough reason to get on Genma's enemy list for eternity.

"Can you believe this business with the Kyuubi, Genma?" Matsuda shook his head disparagingly. "Letting the monster into ANBU headquarters. I don't know what the Head was thinking."

If Genma hadn't still been recovering from chakra depletion, a broken ankle, and ten days in a hospital bed, he would have smashed Matsuda's face in. As it was, the man barely dodged the kunai. "Keep you hands off Naruto," he snarled. "Or I'll kill you."

"Genma, you're talking about the Kyuubi. It killed your family, Genma. Your brother."

"I'm talking about Naruto, bastard." And he squashed the tiny thread of doubt sprouting from somewhere in his gut.

"You of all people, Genma." But when Genma's head snapped around towards him, he held up his hands in surrender. "Fine. But I warn you, Genma. You're making a mistake. That thing is the Kyuubi, and always will be." Matsuda turned and flickered off into the trees.

Genma swore, and slammed a fist into the nearest tree. Muttering vicious epithets, he stalked on towards the hospital.

"Bye Shikamaru!" Naruto waved furiously. "See you tomorrow! Bye Chouji!" Kiba and he stood at the gate to the school, waiting to be picked up. "You guys are great," Naruto grinned, plopping down on the ground.

Kiba grinned back, his fang-like teeth poking out. "Yeah. Hey, that's my mom. I got to go. Bye, Naruto!" He dashed off towards the woman who had dropped him off, with the same red fangs tattooed on her cheeks as Kiba. He pointed back at Naruto as they left, chattering to her. She glanced back, and her eyes narrowed. But Naruto didn't see, because Raidou had dropped down from the roofs and landed in front of the gate.

"Ready to go home, Naruto?"

A/N: Backstory for Genma is published as a separate story, titled "Chopsticks."