"So, exams in a few months"

"We really need to start upping our routines"

"When we get back in the village guys, we know secret training grounds that Hokage-sama doesn't and will let the rest of the group know to meet there when possible for training as well"

"Good point, everyone has been working towards war conditions but very slow going since we're public right now"

"Exactly, Neiji can't even do rotation because of restrictions"

"Bet Hinata is trying to get him with her team on occasion to try and get the rotation down again"

"Good point"

When they got back though, they received a surprise in the form of a summons to the Hokage's office immediately and when they got there they saw two people they weren't expecting to see yet

"Sarutobi-sensei could you activate privacy seals?"

The Hokage does exactly that and then the two groups simply stare at each other waiting for the next move which surprisingly isn't Naruto, Tsunade or Jiraiya, but Sasuke

"Mission 7785 success or fail?"

"Fail, five deaths, immediate message to related party no answer for two weeks"

"Reply to said message, fine but hiding, secure messaging needed for further contact required, needed for six months"

"Pervy-sage, old woman, good to see you, but you're early"

"Yeah and you know full why, how did it happen Naruto?"

"Why blame me?"

"Because you're unpredictable, by the way what happened after..."

"We lost big time, one final attack and I used a jutsu I was experimenting with, but this wasn't what I was going for by the way"

"What is going on here?"

"Sorry sensei, we can't explain for security reasons, by the way Sasuke, if you ever think of doing something like what you did on that mission again I will personally have you in the hospital for a month, even if you are fine after two weeks, the other two will be spent learning things about injuries no exceptions"

"Is Shizune here?"

"Nope, another village for supplies that will be needed soon"

"Supplies?"

"Healing herbs, already took care of my debts by the way"

"Okay, by the way as far as we know the other main teams remember as well, don't know about two people we meet in a few years though, might force them to remember if needed"

"The three coming for the exams?"

"Unknown as well, we'll ask when the time comes"

"Fine, for now we'll get as ready as possible, you guys?"

"Very slow going since we have to hide but we're working on it, won't be true strength for exams but we'll be closer at least, and you know full well that some of the things we need simply won't happen for a bit due to age restraints no matter how much training we get"

"You have a point in regards to that, meet the others?"

"We'll tell them the meeting spot, let you guys know then hash out plans"

"Works for me"

"By the way Zabuza?"

"Alive, as is Haku, gone back to Kiri to check things out, hope it works out for them all things considered"

"You have a point, by the way sensei are you looking for a successor?"

"Yes I am"

"Good now then..."

Team Kakashi leaves letting Tsunade argue her case for becoming the fifth Hokage and simply went to the Uchiha complex to relax and sleep after a stressful mission. The next day the big group went to the secret training grounds and the rest of the teams saw Jiraiya and Tsunade

"Where's Shizune and why are you guys here early? Tsunade more than Jiraiya"

"We remember everything, hopefully Orochimaru doesn't, as for Shizune she's most likely on her way back with medicinal herbs by now, hopefully she'll get here either later today or late tomorrow at the latest"

"So going to be Hokage before or after the old man's death and did you reveal anything?"

"Sadly I had to reveal his upcoming death and he's getting things set up now to have me as his immediate successor in the event of his death"

"Think we can save Hayate this time?"

"Probably, though Baki might still try and kill him if the Sand siblings remember they should be able to stop him, and for all we know Hayate could die another way this time too"

"Good point, we'll just have to take the wait and see stance with those guys"

"Full protection if they remember?"

"But of course, can't have their future Kazekage in danger because of an impostor"

"If Baki also remembers?"

"We protect him as well, but for now just assume no one from Sand remembers, now then let's get to training, oh and Naruto"

"I know, you might still die for your old students and that's fine, it's the way you should go out really"

"Let's see what needs worked on"

"Oh we already know what needs work, and we also know we won't be back up to war conditions by the time the exams come but we are working on it"

"We understand, and somethings just won't happen until two and a half years go by"

"By the way guys, are you going to take out Orochimaru or let Anko take care of him even though he gets away from her because of various factors?"

"Ultimately he gets away because he fought Anko first, besides while we're not going to kill him we do plan to give him injuries that might slow him down, might also take care of that traitor early on too"

"We'll see about Kabuto later, for now let's get training and preparing"

"Right"

So they get to training and working their way back to war time conditions which really was hard in some cases, mainly Sakura because she had to not only rebuild her chakra reserves but also her muscle mass that she gained from the intense training Tsunade gave her and muscle building can take a few months to up to a year depending on what was needed. Otherwise they mainly needed to build up their chakra reserves and control to be able to do the jutsu's they could do if they were their proper ages with their proper reserves and control

"Naruto, remember the headaches you got when you were learning Rasenshuriken?"

"Yeah what of it?"

"You're about to get those headaches again, though hopefully we won't have to bring in Yamato early"

"Chakra control exercises?"

"Oh yeah, as many as you can remember"

"Fine, the others are learning them as well though, and by the time we get to the exams I want everyone to be able to make at least one shadow clone themselves. I have the chakra to mass produce for a while before exhausting myself but if the others could manage even one for an hour while being active that will give them an advantage in the time to come"

"Good point"

"Naruto why are you limiting us to one?"

"Uh because it's impossible to get my chakra reserves in the first place and second of all despite the amount of training you'll go through you won't have the reserves or the control for more than one by the time exams come around, it's physically impossible, Tsunade should know"

"He's right, we worked it out once between us, the one person who got the closest was Sasuke and that was because of the training needed for Sharingan, Neiji almost had enough by the time of final rounds because of rotation but only those two"

"Fine, we know better than to argue Hokage-sama, even if you won't be Hokage until after the exams"

"This is so troublesome"

"Shikamaru, what's the plan if you have to fight Temari in the finals?"

"We'll figure it out once we know if they remember or not"

"Fine, Lee, if they don't remember and you have to fight Gaara in a preliminary forfeit as fast as you can"

"I know, but if he does remember I hope we have an interesting match"

"Agreed"

"For now all we can do is take the wait and see approach"

"Good point, intensive training until exam times?"

"One week before"

"Fine, by the way has everyone else been location hunting?"

"Yep, unfortunately we're not sure if we'll be allowed to leave the Hyuga compound after the invasion"

"No, but you could start mentioning the fact that you're Genin and want to try and live on your own for a bit, give your father a deadline Hinata and if you succeed in that time frame he should allow the two of you to live on your own, or at least the illusion of alone"

The group trains and finally it's time for the Chunin exams. The day that Konohamaru ran into Kankuro came early this time and Kankuro picked him up and then set him down just as Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke arrive

"Hey kid, you're okay, no harm done I know it was an accident, however I wouldn't run around without watching where you're going right now, this is the time of the Chunin exams and you might run into other shinobi from other villages who won't take too kindly to being run into by a kid"

All Naruto needed was to make eye contact with Gaara and he knew that the three of them remembered

"So I guess you're joining the exams, think you can meet up later first, after all while you've forgiven Konohamaru and aren't mad at him we still need to discuss what you're doing here seeing as how this is the first time we've ever heard of these exams"

"Sure, just meet us where we're staying and we'll follow you to the meeting place"

"Works for us"

Finally the group was together, truly together for the first time in almost a year seeing as how during the war they were rarely together even for battle