MINI RANT SO READERS CAN UNDERSTAND THE STORY:

I don't understand why Kakashi allowed for Sakura to keep hitting and demeaning Naruto. Isn't that physical abuse or something? And Sakura and Sasuke to demean Naruto through what I see as practically verbal abuse? I thought Kakashi would have stopped them because IT LITERALLY SAYS IN THE NARUTO WIKI: "An abuse of one's teammates is the only thing that can makes Kakashi cast aside his normally stoic demeanor, causing him to attack without mercy or his usual sense of sportsmanship." Which means he should have totally kicked their asses for that because they were somewhat of a team. I would have. I claim that as abuse and here is where it takes me.

This is AU, some OOC and I do not own Naruto.

Please review.

The walk to the Hokage's office was strange for Naruto. Many villagers attempted to glare or sneer at him like they did on a daily basis, but a glance from Kakashi-sensei and they either looked away or turned around. 'This day just keeps getting weirder. Kakashi-sensei stood up for me and electrocuted Sasuke-teme and he's glaring back at the villagers to defend me AND now I'm going to report to jiji like a real shinobi.'

So really, he was in a fair bit of shock. They reached the office and bypassed Iryu, the blond secretary that let him in jiji's office. He waved to her faintly and she blinked at him, giving a wave back. That's when he realized he was splattered with dirt, mud and leaves - his orange pants were still mud blotted and his shirt was torn and dirty. Giving a light groan, Naruto realized he was going to have a large amount of clean up to do later. When they got to the door of jiji's office, he saw Mink and Ox at door duty. He nodded to them slightly - they were either at door duty or always in the room when he was with jiji, so he grew on them.

They twitched their heads back before Ox told jiji they were there. Naruto entered just behind Kakashi-sensei, watching the rest of the room. There were two other people in there besides jiji and he studied them quickly. The guy was a little bit taller than Kakashi-sensei, with brown eyes that he saw when the man turned around, olive skin, short black spiky hair, and a beard.

His clothing consisted of the standard Konoha ninja uniform with the sleeves rolled up half way, a flak jacket, regular shinobi sandals and forehead protector. He also wore a sash that had the kanji for fire marked on it around his waist, a pair of black bangles on his wrists, and bandages wrapped around the arms of his sleeves. The woman was different. Her clothes weren't revealing or too hiding, but they were different from the normal jounin outfit that most shinobi wore.

She was a fair-skinned woman with a slender build. She had long black wild hair reaching her upper back, and very unique eyes that were red in colour, with an additional ring in them. To Naruto, her eyes were the color of blood. She wore make-up consisting of red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Her outfit was a red mesh armour blouse with only the right sleeve visible. Over the rest of her clothes, was very broad material which resembled bandages with a pattern on it similar to rose thorns. Her hands and upper thighs were also wrapped in bandages and she wore the Konoha forehead protector and shinobi sandals.

He stared at the two for another second before looking over at jiji. As the Third Hokage, many expected him to be big and strong and a man who was young and stern. He wasn't. He was an old man with white hair and white-and-red robes on, wrinkles and sunspots. But he wasn't known as The Professor for nothing. He was also the one who looked out for and cared for Naruto.

As Naruto and Kakashi made their way to the desk, the woman glanced over at him, seemingly surprised. Jiji stared at them for a second before speaking.

"Kakashi. What is the meaning of this?" His silver haired jounin sensei tilted his head and Naruto was reminded of the man's KI.

"May we speak to you privately after the team reports are done?" Jiji frowned slightly but nodded and turned back to the other two jounin who Naruto had been studying. 'Team reports...so that means they are the others' sensei? I hope they passed.' He thought quickly. Frankly, he didn't know exactly what was going to happen to him after the report.

"Kurenai, report."

"Team Eight has passed the exam. Their tracking and seeking skills were rough, but they used teamwork and managed very well."

"Asuma, report."

"Team Ten passed. They showed flexibility and teamwork after Shikamaru got them together to form a plan."

Naruto grinned and nodded. His classmates had passed! But, now what?

"Kakashi, report."

"Team Seven failed. As in they crashed and burned before taking off." Naruto flinched faintly. "Sakura Haruno is not fit for any type of shinobi work. She has only a fangirl mentality, is obsessed with the Uchiha boy and is both physically and mentally weak. Sasuke Uchiha is arrogant, will not listen to superiors, is abusive to anyone he sees as weaker and is not fit for shinobi detail. With the mental damage and trauma he has sustained, it would be safer to Konoha to kill him immediately."

The entire room stared at him, including the Hokage and the ANBU. Naruto kept his eyes on the ground and studied his feet. He knew there was something familiar with his sensei, but he couldn't figure out what. Kakashi actually reminded him of the ANBU, which he thought was possible and more than likely.

"Kurenai, Asuma, please leave." There was steel in jiji's voice. "Merely say that Kakashi's team failed if anyone asks." The jounin stared, giving a chorused, "Hai." The two jounin turned and left, seemingly stunned. Naruto could see this wasn't jiji anymore. This was the Third Hokage, Kage of Konoha. "Explain. Now."

Kakashi shifted slightly and the blond knew the signal well enough to step forward farther into jiji's sight. "Hokage-sama. I started the bell test and set a kage bushin to watch each of the three students. I let them alone for ten minutes to see what they would do. Naruto hid and then created kage bushin to attack me while he sent two other kage bushin to watch his classmates.

The kage bushin attacked me with the intent to kill to stop me from getting close to the three. I defeated them quickly. Naruto sent more kage bushin after me while my kage bushin shadowed him and he went and collected Haruno-san. Then he found the Uchiha and created even more kage bushin and sent them after me.

I fought them. My kage bushin recorded everything during that period. The Uchiha wanted to know how Naruto had created the kage bushin, but he wouldn't tell him and directed to you. The Uchiha wouldn't believe him and attacked him both verbally and physically. Haruno-san also began belittling him and then physically attacking Naruto when he still wouldn't tell the Uchiha.

Naruto did not fight back and tried to convince them still to work with him. They refused and the Uchiha left with Haruno-san following him. Naruto hid and I got to the clearing and went after Haruno-san with a simple genjutsu. She screamed and Naruto came after her. I defeated him and went to get the Uchiha.

During that time, Haruno-san woke up and tried to see what had happened to the Uchiha. Naruto didn't know and Haruno-san tried to kick him in the head after striking him with a stone. As he was in my Headhunter jutsu, he couldn't get free in time. I heard the commotion and reacted in time to stop her. She was lucky I didn't break her leg.

I removed Naruto from my jutsu and released KI to scare her. Then I pulled Naruto from my jutsu and told them the test was over. When I went to tell the Uchiha that, he wouldn't listen so I herded him to the other two and re-informed him the test was over. I informed the Uchiha and Haruno-san that neither of them would be continuing the shinobi program due to the problems I reported earlier. The Uchiha grew upset and started ranting about the council.

Naruto told him that the council could do nothing for him because the Hokage's word is more than a word of the advisors." Naruto realized there was something that sounded like pride in Kakashi's voice. Jiji glanced at him approvingly. "The Uchiha attacked Naruto because of that and I defended him. I wrapped wires around the brat's body and used an electrocution jutsu on him. I probably would have killed him if it weren't for Naruto stopping me. I made Haruno-san carry the Uchiha back to the village and sent them to the hospital with a chunin."

Jiji's face was unreadable for a little while. Kakashi's face couldn't really be seen, but he bet it was also impassive. Then, jiji spoke.

"You acted in an excusable manner. I understand why you did and you will not be held accountable for your actions." Naruto felt a hint of relief. "But why did you bring Naruto here just to report to me?" And the blond was also curious. Why had Kakashi-sensei taken him to jiji if all they were going to do was report?

"I want him to be my apprentice." Naruto blinked and then tried to keep himself from resembling a fish. All he could think was - 'What the hell?!' Jiji, however, was seemingly not surprised. The Hokage tilted his head.

"Those of Konoha work as a team."

"There have been times where jounin have taken apprentices. And it has happened when teams are insufficient." Jiji sighed and rubbed his forehead a couple of times. Naruto licked his lips with a dry tongue and tried to figure out what was going to happen to him now.

"The council will be in a damned uproar about you failing them."

"I answer to you alone. And you alone answer to no one but the daimyo - not the council." Kakashi replied calmly. The Hokage sighed again and closed his eyes for a second. Then he looked at Naruto who stood straight.

"Would you be alright with being Kakashi's apprentice and not having a team?" The blond tilted his head and tapped his headband.

"Genin." Then he pointed at the old man. "Hokage-sama." There was a hint of a smile on his lips as well as confusion but it was ignored. "What are the orders?" He thought through the mask, Kakashi-sensei was smirking faintly. Jiji had some new emotion in his eyes. Naruto didn't know what it was, but it was something good.

"Naruto, you are Kakashi's apprentice. Learn from him and excel, overcome any weaknesses." There was a firmness that jiji had almost never had with him - but he had it with the shinobi that came into his office. But now he was a shinobi, and jiji was treating him like one. Naruto smiled sharply.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

The pair walked out of the Hokage's office, content and somewhat curious (for Naruto, at least). The blond paused to look at Kakashi. "What do we do now?" He asked quietly as they moved.

"We are going shopping. There's no way in hell I'm letting you run around Konoha anymore with that damned kill-me jumpsuit, and your weapons are inadequate." The silver haired jounin snorted. Naruto bit his lip and grimaced.

"Most of the shops don't like me."

"Well, then we'll just avoid those." The sarcasm in his sensei's voice did not escape him. Naruto's lips twitched. "Shinobi shops are not allowed to overcharge or refuse service to a shinobi, since we're the defense of the village." They walked a while longer into the shinobi district until reaching a dark green storefront. Naruto followed Kakashi inside and watched as his sensei spoke quickly to the man at the counter.

"How many do you need?" The black haired man asked quickly, glancing at Naruto but not glaring or sneering. It was more of a sympathetic glance. Naruto realized that Kakashi had found a store that did not hate him. Keeping an ear out for the conversation, he gave quick, scanning looks around the shop.

There were racks of both clothes and weapons everywhere. Most of the colors were darks; blacks, grays, dark purples, dark blues, dark greens, etc. Several types of armor and holsters were set out and practically every weapon imaginable was displayed and ready for use by anyone who would need them. All in all, it was a simple, but well prepared store that catered to shinobi.

There was movement and he blinked as Kakashi slid past him. "Come on." The jounin said. "You're getting three outfits and three sets of armor. Weapons are already settled. You have several dozen shuriken, kunai and a couple rolls of wire. I've got a couple of tanto and I will be teaching you how to use them." At Naruto's confused look, he continued. "Using kunai as fighting blades are well and all, but I want you to have experience with multiple bladed weapons."

Accepting the strangeness that was now his sensei, Naruto again followed his sensei to help do his shopping. Clothes were gathered along with armor and he tried each on, trying to feel which one would give him a wide range of motion but help him blend in with the environment.

In the end, a dark gray long sleeved shirt with matching pants and black sandals were chosen along with black fingerless gloves that had metal on the back, black metal bracers, greaves and a thick black vest with various pockets and a high collar to protect the neck. The outfits were brought up to the counter and Kakashi told him to go look at the weapons one last time, although Naruto already knew that the man was trying to keep him from learning the price of everything.

Sighing, Naruto did as was asked of him, but intent on finding out the price later. He hoped it wasn't on his tab - he probably wouldn't be able to pay it back in his lifetime considering he only got a certain amount of money and he needed it for rent and food. Glancing at the blades, the blond tried not to listen as Kakashi paid.

Turning as his mentor approached him, he caught a gray blur as it was launched at his face. Blinking, he found that the bundle was his new clothes and armor. He looked at Kakashi, slightly confused. "Well? Go change. You aren't wearing that monstrosity any longer." Huffing, Naruto took the clothes and went into the back. "Toss that thing in the trash when you're done." Kakashi called after him.

After pulling off his favorite jumpsuit and shirt and changing quickly, he inspected himself in the mirror of the changing room. Naruto had to admit he looked better; more mature than when he wore the jumpsuit. Sighing, he took one last glance at the thing that had helped him through his childhood and set it in the trash. The jumpsuit was his childhood - he was a shinobi now.

Once that was all over, Naruto put his weapons and holsters on and again, followed Kakashi outside, his extra clothes in a storage scroll. Blinking at the low light, he realized they must have stayed a couple of hours in the store and that it was closer to dinner time than he had thought. 'Bread and meat for tonight.' The blond knew that he didn't have enough for ramen and if Kakashi's fight earlier was any indication of training, he'd need more than sodium and noodles.

"Sensei, did you use your own money to pay for my stuff? How much do I have to pay you back?" He asked, looking carefully at the jounin. Kakashi turned to him, slipping past a couple of glaring civilians who Naruto ignored.

"You don't have to pay me back. That was your own money - and there is still some left." Naruto furrowed his brow. "When you inadvertently took that little night mission of yours with Mizuki?" Kakashi reminded him. Naruto twitched faintly at the reminder of that night and nodded. "The Hokage gave you about a high C-rank mission and asked me to pass it on to you because we thought that I was going to be your team leader. Here."

The jounin slipped him an envelope that Naruto quickly hid deep in the recesses of his clothes. Then, Naruto and Kakashi found themselves in front of a small restaurant-slash-bar. "This is where we part, unless, of course, you want to come in." Kakashi said with a raised eyebrow. "Although, I'm telling you now, I'm not letting you drink." Naruto grimaced - should he tell his sensei the truth or wait to get found out when he entered?

But the jounin didn't give him a chance to talk and nervously, the blond rubbed the back of his neck as he once again went after his teacher.

Inside the bar, it smelled of beer and sake, sweat and people. Dodging a group of leaving shinobi, he spotted his sensei among the crowds and tables and kept from sight as he got to Kakashi's side. They were at a booth with three others, who Naruto instantly recognized as jounin from when the teams were being called out.

There were two men and a kunoichi sitting at the booth; Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuh and Kakashi hissed at him that the other man was Maito Gai. Asuma and Kurenai were the pair had already seen earlier in the Hokage's office.

Gai had a shiny bowl style hair cut and remarkably thick eyebrows; He wore a bright green jumpsuit, orange striped leg warmers, and the standard Konoha flak jacket, which was left unzipped. His red forehead protector was worn around his waist like a belt. Naruto inwardly was blinded by the bright green suit and wondered if that was what others thought of him when he had his orange jumpsuit.

All of the jounin looked very surprised to see Naruto alongside Kakashi in the bar.

"Kakashi, why is the kid with you?" Kurenai asked swiftly, confusion and a hint of stern disapproval in her voice. He realized the disapproval was because she thought Kakashi had forced him to come to the bar. Kakashi sat next to Kurenai and motioned for him to sit next to Asuma. Naruto took a seat and greeted the jounin. "Kakashi." Kurenai said again, glaring at the silvered hair man. "Why did you bring a genin here?"

"Firstly, he's my apprentice, Naruto Uzumaki and secondly, he's not drinking." His sensei spoke cooly to the black haired kunoichi who pressed her lips together. Gai beamed and said,

"Very youthful, my rival! You have your first apprentice! Our apprentices may become rivals!" Blinking, Naruto glanced at his sensei and wondered if this was a common occurrence from the green suited man and then thought it was better not to ask. Asuma waved over a waitress and Naruto closed his eyes for a second in annoyance.

"What do you want to - Naruto?" The waitress blinked as she saw him and the blond sighed faintly. Kara was both waitress and fellow runner among the gangs and organized crime dealers and casinos in Konoha. "I didn't know you ran with the shinobi. Aoi wanted to know if..." Now all eyes were on him, including Kakashi's and Naruto hoped the man wasn't going to have a fit.

"Yeah. New occurrence, Kara. Tell him I'll still be running." He replied swiftly and stared at the dark wood booth table as the jounin gave quick orders to the waitress before she left with a faintly worried look. The jounin around him stared and Naruto knew he wouldn't be getting out of anything tonight.

"Mind telling me what that was?" Kakashi sounded both curious and stern, as if reprimanding a child.

"You all know what I am." Naruto started icily. The others nodded slowly. "I'm a runner - I'll take things back and forth, trade, sell, smuggle, spy, whatever as long as I get what's owed. I do it for the casinos and dealers, big crime organizations and the geisha houses. I've got connections to information routes and smuggling rings, weapons and safe houses, big things that pay more." The jounin stared at him with hard eyes.

"So you're a criminal rat?" Kurenai snorted with a sort of sneer. Naruto snorted himself and shook his head.

"Call me what you want. I did what I had to get by. I'm not saying I liked doing some of those things." Kakashi leaned forward a bit and rested his head on his palm.

"Who's Aoi?"

"That would be me." A sharp voice said. The shinobi turned with weapons in their hands. "As he is my runner, I'd like it if you didn't hurt him. He's my best and I'll need him to run in a few minutes." The voice was accompanied by a set of dark green eyes, brown hair and dark tan skin. Kakashi and Asuma narrowed their eyes and Naruto nodded to the man. "You running with them now?"

"Yeah. So when I'm with Kakashi-sensei on missions or training, I can't be running anything unless he says yeah." Naruto laid down the boundaries quickly. Aoi stared at him for a second before shifting his jaw.

"Fine. But if you have some sort of free time or need anything, I'll still be ready." Turning to Kakashi, Aoi studied his sensei. The blond thought it was awkward and noticed around the booth, people had either left or moved. The green eyed man gave a faint snort at Kakashi. "You've got a good kid. Naruto's got a good head on his shoulders. But I'm telling you something, shinobi." Kakashi-sensei narrowed his eyes at the stress on the word.

"Naruto was one of us first before he ran with you. You hurt him, I've contacts all over the Lands and different organizations. I'll give you god damned hell if he dies - shinobi or not." Naruto wanted to groan and hide his face but decided to stop the man before he went to far.

"Aoi! Kami - quit it! You get into a fight with him, I'm not paying for any damages." He rumbled out. Aoi shrugged and stepped back.

"I'm looking after you since you won't do it yourself. Running yourself ragged for a teacher - I'm keeping you from getting too hurt, kid. Just because you don't think we care doesn't mean we don't." The man tossed him two packages. "Mika sent the larger package. The smaller one goes to the Haruki ring." Nearly rolling his eyes, Naruto groaned softly.

"Again?! This is the third time this week! How much are they running through a damned day?!" Setting the larger package in a storage scroll, he set in firmly in his clothes and Aoi took one last glance at the other shinobi and stalked off with Kara coming past him with a tray of drinks. There was silence at the table as Kara set down everything and Naruto saw the hint of guilt in her eyes. She'd told Aoi that he was with the shinobi.

Asuma took a look at his drink before taking a quick sip. Slowly, the other jounin followed suit except Kakashi who left his drink untouched. Tired of the silence and the awkwardness from before, Naruto stood up. "Sorry for ruining your night, jounin-san. Have a pleasant evening." Grabbing the smaller package, he was gone in a chakra enhanced movement.

Outside of the bar, the night was cool and dark. Moving in the dark into the back alleys, a thin henge replaced his blue eyes and blond hair with brown hair and hazel eyes. With the package secure, he was off among the dregs of Konoha, the cursing, the bad beer and smokers, the trash, the orphans and wayward 'geisha'.