disclaimer: not mine

warnings: Genma/Naruto, unbeta-ed, AU

To prevent any confusion here are the ages for some of the characters:

Sasuke/Naruto/Sakura/..ect. : 20

Kakashi: 34

Genma: 35

I've tried to keep the correct age differences.


Chapter 4

Kakashi couldn't help but gape at his friend. First Genma took the week off, then he decided to join Kakashi on his way to the meeting for Jounin instructors and now he was even whistling.

Slowly the silver haired Jounin lowered his beloved orange book and put it back in his pouch. "Alright, Genma, spill." he prompted the bouncing brunette to his right.

The request earned him nothing but an innocent smile and a questioningly tilted head.

"You. Are. Bouncing." Kakashi took another glance at his friend and sighed resignedly, muttering a quiet: "Just don't get me in the line of fire."

Their entrance earned them quite a few raised eyebrows by the majority of the Jounin in the meeting room.

Not only was Kakashi well known for his lateness to any and all meetings that didn't involve life or death matters, but Genma was well known for skipping any meetings that might get him saddled with anything other than A-class missions and above.

Kakashi followed his still bouncing friend as he made his way through the room and to the rest of their merry group of friends who mingled around the right corner.

Kurenai glanced from the widely grinning Genma to the not-porn-reading-actually-on-time Kakashi and quickly formed a sign to dispel genjutsu: "Kai!"

While Genma guffawed promptly, Kakashi sighed heavily and asked her: "Now, was that really necessary, Kurenai?"

The dark haired genjutsu specialist merely nodded at the laughing Genma and replied sardonically: "You without porn and actually on time? Genma taking a week off and then suddenly appearing to a meeting he wouldn't usually be caught dead in? Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the exact same thing."

Kakashi looked sulkily away from her and greeted the rest of the group with his usual, if a little less cheerfully: "Yo!"

Anko's gaze swung back and forth between the two newcomers, mischief and curiosity sparkling in her wide eyes, till she finally blurted out: "What happened?"

A sigh that bore witness to Kakashi's suffering was heard, till the silver haired Jounin decided to take joy in the fact that his friends were even more clueless than he was and answered with an angelically crinkled eye and happy voice: "Saa."

"No way!" Anko yelled, actually stomping on the floor to better convey her frustration at the non-answer.

Ibiki smirked at Anko's antics, watching the newly entered Godaime's eyebrow twitch in irritation at the childish display.

"Mitarashi!" Tsunade finally snapped. Sending another glare at the slightly apologetic looking younger woman, she continued: "As you might or might not remember from past years, " at this point she sent a peeved look at Kakashi and the Jounin grouped around him, "we are here to appoint Jounin instructors for the newest batch of Genin who will graduate tomorrow."

Looking around, Kakashi noticed that the majority of the present Jounin looked distinctively like they were praying to be spared from a cruel fate.

From the decidedly not amused look on Tsunade's face she had come to the same conclusion.

"The class consists of 32 children, so we will need 11 Jounin instructors. The instructors' first responsibility will be to test if those children are actually ready and able to further follow in their chosen profession.

If the cell as a whole passes, the instructor will further be responsible for their training and well-being. He or she will set the standard for what a shinobi should be in those children's eyes, there will be no margin for errors."

Tsunade's smile was friendly and inviting as she asked: "Any volunteers?"

Kakashi chuckled as the Jounin started to murmur and outright bargain among each other about who would "take on for the team" so to speak, Tsunade added sweetly: "Actually I already have three instructors in mind, so that leaves only 29 free posts to fill."

Kakashi shuddered; the Hokage's voice had been sweet as any poison. He had a really bad feeling about this. Just as he thought about the merits of fleeing through the window, Genma raised his hand a called: "I'd like to get a team, if you please, Hokage-sama."

He wondered how it was that his friend managed to not prick himself with the senbon in his mouth when he grinned as widely as he did now.

Now he knew why the bastard had been so cheerful before. The looks of utter shock on the faces of the rest of the room were pretty funny.

"But give me one with the potential to actually pass. It'd be no fun if they were a punch of would-be's." Genma's request rang clearly through the silent room, waking its occupants from their shock induced rigidity.

"Of course." Tsunade replied. "I can only hope that the rest of your colleagues will show as much enthusiasm as you do. Perhaps you should more often take some time off."

After 28 more victims had been found, Tsunade ended the meeting, but held Kakashi back: "Kakashi, while it is tradition for Jounin to volunteer for this, I will make it an order in your case. You'd make a fine instructor, especially now that you have actual experience and mistakes to learn from. I don't care if they fail your test so long as you give them a fair chance."

"Hai, hai."

"Don't be like that. This bunch will have some really interesting sensei." Tsunade laughed lightly. "If you want to know who the other two non-volunteers are, you'll just have to be on time for the team meetings tomorrow."

Two hours later in the Hokage's office, Tsunade gave Iruka last minute instructions regarding the special Genin team she had requested: "I want you to bring those three to me after the other teams have left tomorrow. Sending them off with Naruto without any explanations would be unacceptable and foolhardy. I don't think the brat will take well to my orders and they are the ones who will have to live with him."

Iruka nodded obediently and asked thoughtfully: "Do you wish to keep their instructor's identity a secret? It wouldn't be a problem to just tell them their team assignation and ask them to stay after."

Tsunade smiled warmly up at the younger Chuunin. "No. I want you to say their instructor's name loud and clearly. Why do you think I gave them that particular assignation? Some of the other involuntary instructors will become very, very motivated to actually have a Genin team when they hear it."

Iruka could only marvel at the Godaime's deviousness. If there was any way at all to hit more than one bird with one stone, one could count on her finding it.

"If that is all, Hokage-sama, I will take my leave." Iruka bowed.

"Hn. That's indeed all I had to discuss with you, but if you wait just a few minutes more I'll have an enjoyable surprise for you."

Iruka looked questioningly at the blonde woman in front of him. She smiled in answer and motioned for him to take a seat on the couch.

A short time later there were two precise knocks on the door.

"Enter."

Iruka surveyed the newcomer interestedly. He couldn't remember having seen the young man before. It was when he caught sight of the golden hair and blue, blue eyes that he recognized the man.

"N-Naruto?" his voice actually broke upon saying the name, his emotions choking him with their intensity.

The blond whirled around, clearly surprised. Iruka didn't care about the unfamiliar clothes or the strange mask on his favourite ex-student's face. He didn't even realize that he was moving till his arms crushed the younger shinobi in a desperate hug.

"Iruka-sensei?" Even the voice was unfamiliar, deeper than it had been, surely more quiet and dangerous.

"Welcome back." the brunette finally choked out, tears of happiness running down his face.

It took some time, but when Iruka finally loosened his embrace and held Naruto at arms length, he chuckled and said: "You've grown."

"Ah, a bit." Iruka couldn't really tell because of the mask, but Naruto's eyes seemed to indicate a smile.

"You are late, brat." Tsunade remarked teasingly. "I planned to have Iruka here while I explained the parameters of your mission, but now I think it'd be better if he went home and got some sleep, he's got a busy day tomorrow."

Iruka nodded at the hidden dismissal, blushing when a yawn escaped him.

"I'm so sorry, but it has been a long day. The graduates always get so excited around this time that they actually infect the rest of the children with their nervous energy. It's been hell this last week at the academy." The gentle smile belied his words, but there was real exhaustion in his warm brown eyes.

"Hokage-sama, Naruto." he bowed and left.

As soon as the door fell shut, Naruto raised a wary eyebrow.

"Mission parameters? I didn't know there were any regarding Genin teams that I would need to be specifically informed about."

Tsunade smiled. Naruto hadn't become infamous among their enemies because of his strength alone. The years of travel had matured the young man, forming the single promising abilities and qualities into a tempered, lethal and charismatic shinobi. If her plan worked she would be able to name her successor in the next couple of years. The brat deserved the paperwork for all the worry he put her through.

"You would be surprised. I have given Kakashi a variation of the order I will give you. Sadly, I will have to be even more insistent and restricting in your case." she sighed, but a single look into slowly hardening blue eyes convinced her that she was right.

"Is that so?" Naruto inquired icily.

"Well, I hope I won't have to bribe you to actually be on time for meetings. However, you will not be allowed to fail your team." Before the ex-ANBU in front of her could even start his protests, she raised a hand and continued: "You will meet them tomorrow at 1pm sharp here in my office. I said you weren't allowed to fail them, I never said anything about not testing them."

Briefly closing her eyes to escape the blue twin lasers currently shooting glares at her, she decided to simply tell him all the rules and then dismiss him. If she didn't give him any time to protest she wouldn't get a headache.

"You will train him to the best of your abilities. You will see to it that they come to no permanent or unnecessary harm, during either training or missions. You will keep that team for at least two years. This is non-negotiable, Naruto. Dismissed."

TBC

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