Becoming a genin
(I still don't own Naruto, sadly)

Naruto was to say his goodbye to Itachi. He liked his time with the stoic Uchiha.

They have meet 3 months after he left Konoha during a mediation session he had done at the valley of the end. Itachi simply sat beside him and reminded silent until he opened his clear blue eyes. Naruto sensed him miles ahead but he couldn't feel something wrong in Itachi's chakra so he let him do.

Naruto once again become more lively and happy. The nature helped him, Hashirama also with his quirks which Naruto started to copy. Itachi simply followed him until Naruto wished to speak to him. The boy watched him some days before he let him near.
"I remember you crow." He simply said. Itachi only smiled.
"Why do you follow me? Didn't I make it clear I need some alone time?"
"Well, we both got betrayed in some way, Naruto-kun. And I simply decided to follow you because you have some good way to live." Itachi explained. The blond nodded and a small smile showed itself on the boy's face.
"Well, welcome to the club, but why don't you go back to your brother. He looked lonely the last time I saw him at the gate."

Itachi explained why he couldn't and Naruto understood. Then they walked side by side trough the land of fire and later on the land of wave. Itachi helped young Naruto with his training and education and Naruto told him from his past as someone who lived in the red light district. Itachi wished to know because he only knew the live as a clan kid and later on as a Shinobi.
"You got some nasty tricks under your belt." Itachi once said and both laughed.

But know it was time to return home. After 6 years training in the wilderness with Itachi as his leader in the Shinobi arts and Hashirama's help to learn the Mokuton and Ashura's promise to talk with the overgrown furball he found himself as a fine young teenager at the age of 14.

The genin exams should be held in the next few weeks. And he promised Itachi to look after Sasuke. He should be rookie of the year by now. He saw his position as dead last after his absence for the last 6 years but he got no problem with that. Itachi said the dead last always got with the rookie of the year to balance the team. And he remembered Sasuke's promise to become his friend.
Hashirama made a victory dance at that day. He knew something was wrong back in his days.

And now he stood before the gates of Konoha. The village was the same. But he wasn't. All bright orange colours on himself left for navy blue ones like his father had and black trousers. He also wore a pair of black Shinobi combat boots, but the closed one. His hair had grown shoulder length and his eyes no longer only were blue. They became over the years green-blue thanks to his use to the Mokuton element. But his prime elements were wind and lightning thanks to his parents.
Itachi also taught him his signature move, the kage bunshin no jutsu.
The usage of a katana which is strapped to his back came from Ashura and Hashirama with a few hints from Itachi. The katana was not his preferred weapon, but he was rather good with it.

Ashura once told him that his brother got mind and the eyes of their father but he became body and strength. So his kin was known for brute strength and large chakra reservoirs.
And Naruto totally fulfill these aspects thanks to his Senju-Taijutsu style and his being as a Jinchuuriki and heir of the legendary Uzumaki clan. Hashirama declared him as a lucky one to have such a great family tree.

Now it was time to meet his fears and fight them. He would show them, that he wasn't the furball who denied his help until he proves himself. And he would carry on the will of fire.
He was happy that the villagers ignored him or didn't recognized him. He went his way to the hokage tower and greeted the ANBU who looked rather shocked after the boy had shown the sign language. Naruto made his way up to the office and knocked on the door.
"Come in." the elderly man behind the desk shouted. He jumped in surprise as he saw a young vision of the Yondaime hokage with whisker marks on the cheeks.

"Naruto?" the hokage asked in a low tone.
"I am still alive, old man, I am still alive. Greetings from a crow. He is going to help a toad, he said. I am back in action." Naruto said with a shit-eatin grin. The old kage smiled.
"I didn't know you were friends with Sasuke, Naruto-kun. He asked sometimes where you are."
"I think there is more than a crow who asked me to help his brother. But that doesn't matter. I am back and I am gonna kick some butts. I promised one day I'll take that hat!" The old hokage smiled.
"Well let's go and meet with Iruka. He should wait by Ichiraku by now." The hokage said and Naruto jumped. Hashirama and Ashura took away his ramen and told him, he would stay a midget when he didn't eat some other food. That was one black day.

Ichiraku was a small stand in midtown and Naruto knew old man Teuchi and Ayame since he was three years old. They were the only one beside the hokage and the people who lived in the red light district who accepted him. Some times Teuchi made a free bowl for the always hungry youth.
Naruto smiled brightly as he saw his old friends. Teuchi needed a moment to recognized his favorite costumer.
"Naruto! You are back." The old cock laughed. "Ayame! Come here and look who is back. Took his time." Ayame swarmed over Naruto and pinched his cheeks. Teuchi and Sarutobi laughed about the young teenager's discomfort. Later on Iruka joined them. He didn't know what to say but he apologized for his doing.
"Thanks sensei. You aren't that bad." Naruto snickered and the adults sweat dropped.
"Well pack should help pack, shouldn't we, Naruto? I was an ass because of you being the demons jailor and I made your live in school very horrible. Sorry."
"We have 4 weeks left until I become a Shinobi. I wouldn't mind a bowl or two and someone I can talk to if the old man has his duties." Naruto said and held his fist to the teacher.
"Common Iruka-sensei fist bump!" The blond laughed and the young teacher smiled happily.

The hokage threw something to the blond which he caught.
"What's that?" he asked surprised.
"Key to your new home. There are the letters your parents left. But only a Namikaze can open the doors because your father sealed them with blood. And look out for Sasuke. He needs a true friend."
"He is an arrogant Uchiha, but I think I can do that." Naruto laughed and vanished. Iruka looked rather puzzled. "Namikaze?" the Chunin asked.
"Another day, Iruka." The hokage said and all nodded.

Naruto only fell on the couch. He was too tired to pay his new home attention. He also ignored the fact, that this house should have been his family's home. But 14 years ago someone forced the nine – tails to attack the village. He wouldn't blame the ol' fox.
He simply fell asleep that night.

The young Jinchuuriki left his new home early to wander around until the academy started. Some people looked surprised other shocked. He heard whispers.
"I thought he is dead…"
"How could that be?" Naruto wrinkled his forehead and shook his head.
'Let them talk.' Hashirama said and the blond agreed.
He slowly approached the academy. The young jinchuuriki went to the classroom and saw that someone was already there. He raised an eyebrow as he saw, who sat in the back of the classroom. A typical Uchiha.
'Madaras influence is great in that boy. Look at his hair. It is longer than the last time we saw him.' Hashirama yelled and Ashura, Kurama and Naruto sweat dropped at his antics.
'He is nuts.' The great kitsune said.

Sasuke looked up and his eyes widened.
"Can I sit here?" Naruto asked. The young Uchiha nodded.
"Beware the fangirls." the black eyed boy warned cryptically.
"Naruto Uzumaki."
"Sasuke Uchiha. The voice in my head asked if everything is ok."
"He is nuts and rants how your ancestor has a bad influence.'
'That fool. He taught the boy Mokuton and says I have a bad influence.' Madara grunted and both boys smiled in silent agreement.

That was the beginning of a great friendship.

Naruto and Sasuke sat on the academy's roof during the break. They both fled from Sasukes fangirls and ate in silence.
"You left for six years. What have you done until now?" Sasuke asked later.
"Wander around. Find myself. Meet a crow. He said he is sorry." Naruto answered truthfully.
"I needed my time to understand why crow did what he did but you know... Madara isn't that bad. Indora is more the brooder than the Uchiha." Sasuke grunted.
"I started to copy the Senju, can you believe that?"
'Yes/YES!' Ashura, Indora, Hashirama, Madara and Kurama grunted and chuckled.
He became depressed and a small rain cloud hang over his head.
Sasuke smirked and both went back to class.

The girls were irritated that some nobody became friends with their Uchiha-sama. They glared every time when they saw the blond talking to their crush. Sasuke didn't like anybody in this class but he talked to this boy.
The other boys in the class were puzzled. They knew the blond from somewhere. Was he a Hinata-like-shy one? Nah, he wouldn't dare to talk with Sasuke. Akamaru whined when they came to near to that boy. He yipped that the blond was strong, stronger than Kiba. The Inuzuka grunted. Some nobody was stronger than him? Like hell. Shikamaru mumbled something about troublesome blonds and followed Kiba who would challenge that new boy.

"Hey!" Kiba yelled but got no respond.
"I talk to ya prick! Who are you to ignore me?!" the brunet barked. The blond turned around and looked at him in surprise.
"I am hurt Kiba, you should know my scent! I thought Inuzuka had good senses." The blond mocked and the Uchiha snorted in agreement. Kiba glared at the boy but he took a small sniff. The scent of forest, kitsune and a thunderstorm on a hot day was in the air. He remembered only on boy with the scent of a kitsune and that boy vanished 6 years ago.
"Naruto?" he asked and got a couple of raised eyebrows.
The blond smirked and jumped on the table. "The one and only buddy! I am back!"
"Naruto, get down and the others, take your seats!" Iruka yelled.

4 weeks went on and Naruto became friends with Shikamaru, Choij, Kiba and Shino once again. The blond dragged Sasuke with him in the park to meet the others and told the Uchiha he was an antisocial ice cube. The Uchiha heir took it with a grunt and let himself dragged away by a crazy blond. Some other days they boys sparred lightly but kept their nasty tricks hidden.

Naruto also explored his parent's home and found the letters they had left. He didn't visit the academy the fellow day.
They loved him.
'It's a parent's duty to love their children, Naruto. But my fellow kage and Mito's clanswoman wished nothing more than to be a family with you. Sometimes fate is cruel but I am sure some day you'll have your own kids to cuddle with.' Hashirama said and remembered the time he had his own son and later on granddaughter.
'Where is Tsunade?' the Senju asked himself and let Naruto alone. The blond left the room which should belonged to him and closed the door behind him. Someday …

The exam took place 4 weeks after he had come back.
Sasuke and Naruto grinned like madmen because they knew for sure they would take this exam with easy. Naruto would stay the dead-last thanks to his missing 6 years in the academy. Sasuke would take the rookie-of-the-year position. They only hoped Sakura, fangirl number one, wouldn't become kunoichi of the year.

The written test was easy. Naruto knew, studying under a genius like Itachi had his affects.
The throwing test held its own good results from both boys. And last but not least the jutsu exam.
Hashirama and Madara both agreed that this part is total bullshit. To become a true shinobi you needed to be more rounded than knowing three E-Rank jutsus. And for someone with disadvantages like no-actual chakra (I don't get how Lee could pass that exam) or too much chakra like a jinchuuriki or someone born with a lot of chakra couldn't do something low as an bunshin.
Naruto grunted as Iruka said he should perform a bunshin.
"Any kind?" he asked and got an unsure expression from Iruka.
"How many kinds of bunshin do you know, Naruto?" the teacher asked.
"Actually? 5 types." He said and got a frown from Mizuki. Naruto frowned back at the frown from this man. Mizuki manipulated his exams and grades and held the smell of a snake.
"Then perform the bunshin that comes the easiest way for you." Iruka smiled and Naruto made a cross hand-seal. Three perfect kage-bunshins accompanied him and Iruka smiled brightly which Naruto returned.
"What kind of bunshin is that?" asked Mizuki angry. The demon shouldn't pass.
"Well that's the kage-bunshin."
"That's a kinjutsu brat. How do you know something like this?" barked the chunin and threw a kunai at the blond haired boy who dodged it.
"Mizuki! STOP right now! You attacked a follow leaf-nin!" Iruka shouted in surprise.
Naruto didn't care about Mizuki's actions but the feeling something bad was about to happen. He summoned unseen another pair of bunshins but this time they were moku-bunshins.
The perfect copies vanished in thin air and waited for the command from the original.

"Why do you care Iruka? That little runt killed your family!" the man shouted. Iruka looked shocked but gritted his teeth.
"He is…"
"I DON'T CARE! Brat do you know why everybody hates you within every fiber in their body?"
"Well yes." Naruto shrugged emotionless like he learned from a certain crow.
"Why you…! The Kyuubi is in you. You are the Kyuubi in person demon!"
'He is nuts. Why is everybody nuts' the nine-tails grunted.
"Hey Iruka, he broke the law, didn't he?" Naruto asked still emotionless but a glint in his eyes told Iruka something total different.
"Y-Yes" the teacher agreed.
"Boys get him!" Naruto ordered his clones and the punched the screaming chunin without warning. The only thing Iruka didn't knew that the clones punched the traitor with a Senju worth of force.

Naruto stepped out of the testing room smiling with the forehead protector proud on its place. Followed by Iruka the blond boy went back to the class room. Said jinchuuriki took his place beside a certain raven-haired boy and both smirked at each other.
Let the games begin.

The academy gave them a week to roam free as a newly named shinobi or kunoichi in the village to buy supplies and train a bit. They had get access to the library's jutsu section for genins and the boys spent most of their evenings in this section to copy the scrolls to learn the jutsus later on.
Also Naruto showed the 'last' Uchiha his home and they spent some time on the private training grounds of the Namikaze compound. Naruto told him the truth about his parents and Sasuke saw how similar they were.
Sasuke 'moved' in to the weeks end because he couldn't stand any longer the loneliness of the Uchiha compound. The raven haired boy said he would move back once he had a family of his own but the blond only agreed. It was better to have someone around even when they sometimes bicker around like old housewives.

Hashirama had an idea how he and Madara could talk to each other when the boys were near.
'It's like you can talk to me, the Kyuubi and Ashura. You could ask Sasuke if you can drag him here and Madara should come with him.' The first hokage explained in joy.
'How?' Naruto asked unconvinced.
'You know the Yamanaka-Clan? There is a technic similar to their Shintenshin no jutsu. A bit lesser and you must touch him and well it costs a bit of chakra. A lot of chakra. It's one of Tobirama's kinjutsu. Heh.' Hashirama chuckled nervously.
'The kage-bunshin is one of the Nidaime's, isn't it?' Naruto asked out of the blue and Hashirama nodded.
'Let's do it!' Naruto said and talked to Sasuke. At first the Uchiha grunted in disbelief but then nodded.

At first it was like a heartwarming reunion between the old Senju and Uchiha, but there were also Indora and Ashura who glared at each other. The old hatred between the brothers didn't vanished completely and Naruto shuddered. He knew something bad was going to happen in the near future and he hoped it wouldn't take place too early.

Naruto shuddered again when he remembered Madaras Sharingan. Hashirama told him the story behind Madaras eternal mangekyo sharingan and Itachi explained the curse of the Uchiha to him but he really hoped he wouldn't end up as Sasukes best friend to kill.
He had faith in his best friend.

The new week started with the new generation of shinobis.
Screaming and shouting were heard in classroom 101 and Naruto joined them with joy. Sasuke only glared at his friend and shook his head. The blond wrestled with Kiba and the boys, without Shino, Shikamaru and Sasuke cheered for their favorite.
"Silence!" Iruka shouted but got no reaction from his old class.
"SILENCE!" he shouted with his chakra enhanced voice and the boys got back to their old seats. Sasuke slapped Naruto on the back of his head and got an angry shout which brought the blond a glare from Iruka. Sasuke smirked at his foolish friend.
"Stupid Uchiha." Naruto muttered under his breath and Hashirama barked a fit of laugher.

"…Team 7 is Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke…" both boys grinned wide.
"…and Haruno Sakura. Your jonin leader is Hatake Kakashi." Sakura yelled in joy and bickered with Ino how she got Sasuke on her team. The boys sighed. That could be a problem. Sakura never trained in any shinobi arts.
"We should talk with her brother. Someone has to stop her before she dies on a mission." Sasuke grunted.
"You know Uchiha, you can tell her. She would follow your order." Naruto mocked and got a hard look from his friend.
"Shees stop glaring at me. It was a joke! A joke! I got it. No jokes about fangirls." Naruto grunted afraid. Sasuke slowly nodded and laid his head down on the table.

After some time jonin came and took their teams with them. The only team which still waited in the classroom was team 7. Naruto sighed and couldn't sit still after one hour. Sakura read a book and Sasuke snored in the back rows. Naruto grinned like mad. A little joke wouldn't hurt the jonin. He was freaking 2 hours late. A bit ninja wire here two calk eraser there and a paint bomb hidden. Sakura looked disgusted but didn't say anything. Naruto sat down and took a nap.

An hour later something happened. Sakura looked up from her book and the door opened. The eraser landed with a thumb on the head of a silver haired jonin. Sakura deadpanned. That should be a jonin? The paint bomb splashed over the man and both Sasuke and Naruto snickered.
"My first impression? I hate you." The jonin said and looked at the orange paint on his clothes. "Meet me on the roof"
The silver haired Cyclops vanished via Shunshin.
"Asshole." Naruto muttered and his comrades nodded in agreement.

Sakura followed the boys up to the roof. The jonin was impressed that the team came as a team.
"Sit." He ordered the three and you could see the annoyance in Sasukes and Narutos face. They didn't like to be ordered around. Hashirama and Madara were responsible for that. The old legend had no one above them. Both were clan leaders in their time and later on hokage and a missing nin.
But they sat down and grumbled.

"We should introduce ourselves. Please pinkie, start." The masked man said with an eye-smile.
"Shouldn't you start? It's only polite to give ones name first when you introduce yourself." She said.
"Name is Kakashi Hatake. I like… that doesn't matter. My dislikes are… I don't really dislike anything.
My dream is something you don't need to know." He said and every being near the jonin sweat dropped.
'Another one totally nuts.' Kurama said and the 'mind-guests' snickered.
"All we got was his name." Sakura grunted and the boys snickered.
"Way to introduce yourself Kaka-sensei!" Naruto cheered and clapped loudly. He got an eye-smile from their new jonin-sensei.
"Now pinkie."

Sakura's presentation gave as much information as Kakashi's. Nearly nothing. Naruto muttered 'fangirl' under his breath and the other males agreed.
"Well the brooder. What about you?"
"What do you mean with brooder? My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like training with the stupid Uzumaki and tomatoes. I dislike what happened with my clan. My hobby is training with the dope. My dream… no my ambition is to find the truth about the massacre and rebuilt my clan. You are the last one stupid." Sasuke mocked.
"Stop calling me dope teme. I am NOT an idiot. My name is still Naruto Uzumaki. I like training with the bastard and gardening."
"It's true! He loves his flowers. Nobody touches Uzumakis flowers." The raven haired boy joked and got a death glare.
"I said I like gardening and ramen. I dislike arrogant bastards and people how judge others on rumors. My hobbies are training and gardening maybe learning new jutsu.
My dream. When I was 7 I always yelled I would become hokage. My dream is to become the leader of this village and defend its people and help my friends to achieve their dreams." Naruto said proudly and got another eye-smile from their sensei.

"We meet tomorrow at training ground 24 at 7 o'clock." Kakashi said and everybody nodded.
"For what?" the pink-haired girl asked.
"Surviving exam. Well I'll be honest. 66, 6% fails the actual genin exam. You really shouldn't eat breakfast. You'll throw up." Kakashi explained and Sakura looked really shocked
"Race ya 'Uke, last there has to cook." Naruto shouted suddenly and vanished in the tin air.
"Cheater!" Sasuke shouted back and vanished too.
"What the hell?" Sakura asked irritated. Kakashi chuckled and shunshin'ed away and left Sakura on the roof.

A bucket full of cold water greeted at the very morning. Naruto shouted in surprise and glared at the black haired boy.
"Wakey wakey dope. We have to go."
"Without breakfast? Like hell." Naruto grunted and dragged Sasuke out of his room to change his clothes.
"It is 6 o'clock in the morning." The blond moaned. He wasn't a morning person.
"We have to be at the training ground at 7'"
"After the stunt sensei did yesterday?" Naruto rumbled. "We are going to eat breakfast. Without it I'll be a pain in the neck."
"You always are a pain in the neck Uzumaki." Sasuke grunted in the typical way of Uchiha.
"Love you too, asshole." The jinchuuriki grunted back and both snickered.
They ate a healthy breakfast and the genins went to the trainings field.

Sakura slapped Naruto for being late and then she asked Sasuke for a date. The boys only sighed.
The blond jumped on a tree branch and relaxed there. Sasuke leaned on the same tree and dozed off and Sakura was really irritated. What was up with the loudmouth and the Uchiha?
She realized that she was tired because she got up on 5 am to dress and style herself and she was so hungry!
"Damm that sensei." She yelled angry but her teammates ignored her.

Two hours later Kakashi materialized himself next to his new genin team and eye-smiled at the boys. Good way to start in a day. "You are late!" Sakura yelled and got sighs from all males around.
"Sorry. You know I saw a black cat on my way here and had to go the long way around and got lost on the path of life." He explained and got several sweatdrops.
"How did it threat ya, Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked with a yawn.
"Well at first the path was a really bitch but it turned out to be really amusing." The scarecrow said and Naruto snickered. Meanwhile Sasuke and Sakura facepalmed at their teammates antics.
"Well let's start." Kakashi said. He pulled two small silver bells out of his pouch and held them up.
"To complete this test you have to get these bells from me." The jonin explained.
"But there are only two bells!" Sakura complained.
'Now we come to the funny part.' Hashirama giggled in Narutos mindscape.
"Yeah. Only two are going to become my team." Kakashi said.
'He truly is a copy-cat. That was my exam for ol' Saru and his team before Tobi trained them. When I remember correctly Madara should know this test too.' Hashirama told Naruto.
"You have until 1 pm to get the bells. Cya!" And with that Kakashi shunshin'ed to the middle of the field and started to read some porn which get him annoyed looks from the genins.

"That's the greatest bullshit I've ever heard after Itachi telling me that he had to prove himself against the clan." Sasuke grunted and got a shocked look from Sakura.
"True story bro. I fell lazy today Sasuke. How about you?"
"Shouldn't we hide somewhere?!" Sakura asked irritated.
"Me too, dope. Let's pull a Nara." Sasuke yawned and looked to Sakura.
"All you have to do, Sakura, is to sit down next to us and do nothing. It's easier than to fight an elite-jonin." Sasuke explained and signalized her to follow them. Naruto went to Kakashi who gave him an eye-smile.
"You are an odd one, aren't you?" the man asked and got a shrug. Soon Sasuke and Sakura followed the blond and they sat down before him.
"What's up kiddies? Shouldn't you…hmm attack me?"
"We give you our best teamwork man. We do a Nara together! Just watch!" Naruto explained and closed his eyes to doze off again. Soon Sasuke followed his lead and Sakura looked rather irritated but laid down.

Meanwhile the whole Nara-clan sneezed. Someone was talking about them. Troublesome.

Well Kakashi was beyond shocked. Then he snickered. These kids have some faith in their skills.
"Well that was unexpected. You got it really fast." Kakashi praised. The boys grinned like mad and Kakashi gave them another eye-smile.
"You pass. Come with me please." The jonin said and his team jumped on their feet.
They followed the scarecrow to some sort of stone. Memorial stone was engraved in the middle. Several names were also engraved in the stone.
"Every shinobi who died protecting the village or got MIA [(missing in action) after 6 months missing they declared one KIA)] or KIA (killed in action) is engraved here. My old teammates for example." Kakashi explained. Naturally Naruto went searching for his parent's names and found them. He sighed.
"And my parents." The blond muttered and Kakashi's eye widened at that statement. He would ask the boy later.
"The reason is to honor them. They died to protect the next generation. You."

Sasuke nodded. Some Uchihas were engraved in that stone too. All active shinobi from the Uchiha clan leaded by Shisui Uchiha, as the massacre's first victim, were engraved in a long row.
"I showed this to you because one of my old teammate once told me 'While those who break who break the rules of the ninja world are trash, those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'. I wasn't there to rescue him or my other teammate but as your sensei I will hopefully not let you down." Kakashi said in a grief tone and got nods from his genin.
'That's some line. And it holds everything necessary to feed the will of fire.' Hashirama agreed with the jonin.
"That's all for today. Tomorrow 9'am at field 24." The silver haired jonin said and vanished.
"Sasuke…?"
"Not today Sakura. Not today." The young Uchiha said emotionless and vanished like their sensei, followed by Naruto.