I do not own Naruto.

Oh, and just to let you know, the start is only an introduction into their potential etc. I really, really do not like doing chapters on training or the build up into canon events. I'd much rather do a couple of chapters into the beginning or something, then do my own version of canon, which is how I intend to do all my stories.

Also, in this fic, the Rinnegan is only an Uzumaki bloodline, so fuck what the manga says.

Hinata is like this because she eventually broke under the strain of her clan and conformed to their wishes, as her beacon of hope, Naruto, was already widely respected for his skill and perseverance already.

Enjoy

1 year later, the Academy Prologue before ('canon' events')

Daisuke Kentai looked at three of his, now, ex-students with contemplation. The new team 7 sent to be under the Elite Jounin Kakashi Hatake who, although young, was asked, and asked, personally to train these three new genin. Usually a team of genin would involve: Rookie of the Year, Kunoichi of the Year and finally the Dead Last. However, there was a problem this year with there being two rookies of the year, which leads to this team being all male rather than the typical team of two males and a female. Daisuke pondered on the students as he awaited the arrival of Kakashi to take them off his hands.

First there was the Dead Last, an eleven year old boy called Iruka Umino. He personally thought that if he actually tried rather than messed around the whole time he could have been closer to the top rather than be at the bottom.

Then there was the 6 year old Itachi Uchiha. A genius if he ever did see one. Looking at him Daisuke could honestly say without a doubt that if he fought against this child one on one, no holes barred, even then he would probably only just win.

And of course there was the last one. Another 6 year old, who was the son of the late Hokage, Naruto Namikaze. Just being in his presence was enough to send off warning bells, and Daisuke didn't even want to think about fighting him head on, in fact, he didn't doubt that most Jounin would have trouble facing off against him. The amount of assassins that he had to fight off in the past year was insane, and they always ended up dead. Apparently he only defeated them due to being underestimated as well as his proficiency with seals, something that he had placed around his home. But still, it was common knowledge to all Shinobi in the elemental nations. You face off against a Fuuinjutsu user in battle; you better start praying then and there. But that wasn't all that he had, seeing as a few months back one assassin, before he died, sent out a quick message back to his village. And then it was no longer a secret. Naruto Namikaze was a wielder of the Rinnegan eyes.

Daisuke let out an involuntary shiver. These three could most likely become the next generation of Sannin, sure Iruka wasn't from a clan, but he was sneaky and took the idea of being a ninja to heart. Because that is what most shinobi forget. You can learn all the flashy jutsu you want, but all it takes is one stray kunai to the back of the skull and you're dead anyway.

To his left the classroom door opened. And his students walked out into their future.

Naruto age 18 – 'canon'

Naruto Namikaze stood six foot tall and with a head of golden spiked hair, his clothing was that of a standard Konoha Jounin except for the sash with the kanji for fire that both he and his partner were wearing. He stood by the side of his friend, Asuma Sarutobi, outside the huge gates of their village, Konoha.

"It's been what, 8 years since I seen this place" spoke Asuma,

"Only 5 for me smokestack, not all of us have trouble being in the leaf."

"I don't have trouble being here, I just wanted to get away for a while."

Naruto raised an eyebrow in amusement at his friend. "Hmm, well it doesn't matter anymore, because we could stay there." Asuma grunted in agreement as they started walking into the village. "Besides, I know why you really want to get back so quickly, eh, Asuma" Naruto did a not so sly wink towards him.

Asuma blushed a little, "Shut up Naruto, I keep telling you, me and Kurenai aren't and weren't like that."

As Naruto let out the foxy grin he was known for around the village Asuma knew that he shouldn't have given the 'prank-king' of Konoha more ammunition. "Why, Asuma, whoever said anything about her. I was just talking about the shinobi discount you can get for all your cigarettes. And besides, if we're going to be sharing an apartment for a while until I can get my house restored, you gotta promise me that you wont keep me awake all night" Asuma started to go more and more red. "But then again, you gotta remember the code, bro's before hoes, so all you gotta do is when you've finished just give her to me."

Inside the Hokage's tower

Waiting inside the tower was the whole amount of Jounin's, the elder council, the shinobi council and the civilian council. These people were preparing for the academy students to be given out to all the potential teachers. This was always important. But seeing as how this graduating class had 7 clan heirs in it, including the last of the Uchiha clan, then of course everyone would be interesting.

However, the proceedings hadn't started yet because they were waiting for two more people to join them who were apparently meant to be arriving that day.

And they didn't have to wait long, as laughter was being heard from the corridor, as well as shouting. No one apart from the Hokage knew who it was going to be so everyone else was very curious.

The door slammed open and a grinning man with purple ringed eyes came in followed by a fuming man trying furiously to light his cigarette.

"Hey, sorry we're late, a black cat crossed our path and we had to take the long way round." At this everyone else in the room sweatdropped at the lame excuse. Except for Kakashi Hatake, he was smiling with pride thinking 'I may not have gotten him into Icha Icha as much as I have, or made him wear a face mask, but 1 out of 3 isn't too bad.'

The Sandaime just shook his head at Naruto's antics. "Now that you two have decided to join us we have come to discuss team placements. I am aware that you have just gotten back but if you had decided to return a week ago like you said you would then you would have been fully rested."

"What can I say jiji? We were having trouble getting here. I mean, we both ended up getting lost on the road of life. It's so full of twists and turns ya know?"

The right eye of the Hokage started to twitch before Asuma spoke up. "Actually from what I recall you saying it was something along the lines of 'You do whatever, I've just been propositioned by these Kumo tail' or was it something else entirely?" Asuma smirked towards him while the women looked disgusted and the men not so much.

"Actually I was just asking for directions and these 2 Kumo Kunoichi just came onto me. I think one of them was a Jinchuuriki because there was no way in hell she was a normal person."

The Sandaime perked up at this, "A Jinchuuriki you say. I never thought I would ever say this but your perverted actions may have just gotten us some intelligence into Kumo." Everyone looked at him in surprise before remembering that it was Naruto they were talking about here. Someone who probably didn't even know what impossible was and was best buddies with coincidence. "Tell us everything about her so that we could know what to look out for."

Naruto himself was flabbergasted at this. Not even back for 5 minutes and he was already doing a report. He sighed, "She had blond hair in a pony tail that went down to her lower back, a black form fitting body suit. I would have to say about 28 or 29. Name's Yugito Nii and what really got me was the large chakra stores and the slitted eyes as well as her fangs. Plus her stamina was freaking insane. All the traits of a Jinchuuriki."

The Sandaime nodded before saying, "Yes that is an extended account of our knowledge on one of the Jinchuuriki of Kumo. Now, onto team placements…"

3 hours later – outside the student's classroom

After the boring meeting that Naruto had to sit through, and by the end he as shocked that he had to take on a genin team. And that if he wasn't on time then he would be banning him from all ramen in the whole village indefinitely. So, with annoyance in his steps, he opens the door with a frown before he looks up and sees he old team-mate and friend, Iruka Umino. "Iruka?"

Iruka looked on in surprise as he saw his old friend. "Naruto, is that you? My God, I haven't seen you in, what, 5 years? So if you're back now, and you're in this room, then that must mean…"

"Yup, I'm going to be a Jounin sensei for one of this years graduating teams" spoke naruto with a sly grin.

"What!" screamed a feral looking boy in the back row. "But sensei, he only looks like he's a few years older than us."

Iruka and Naruto frowned. "Kiba" said Iruka, "This is…"

"It's alright Iruka, it doesn't matter don't worry. Anyway, better collect my cute little genin right?"

Iruka looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow, "Wait a minute Naruto. From what I can clearly recall, you inherited sensei's knack for tardiness. So what are you doing here?"

The class looked on with bewilderment. "Iruka sensei" called a pink haired genin. "What do you mean sensei?"

"He means my cute little genin," the girl grew a tick mark on her forehead at this, "That Iruka and I were genin teamates when we were younger just like you guys will be. But no matter, I want Team 7 to follow me to the roof." And with that he just walked out the door.

On the roof

"Right" said Naruto, "Here's how it works, my name is Naruto Namikaze," the genin opposite him grew bug-eyed at this, "And my likes are the village and the healthy female form." The sole Kunoichi wannabe scowled. "My dislikes are traitors, my hobbies are hanging out with my friends and my reading. My dream is to continue to protect the Leaf for as long as I can. Now, your turn." He points at the girl.

"My name is Hinata Hyuuga."

For about a minute no-one said anything.

"Great, now you, Uchiha."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I dislike many things and I like even less. My dream is more of a goal. To revive my clan and to kill a certain man."

'Itachi' thought Naruto with a sad smile.

"Okay, now you, the last one."

"Right, my name's Kiba Inuzuka and this is Akamaru. My likes are hanging out with Akamaru, pranks and looking after the clan dogs. My dislikes are cats," Naruto smirked, thinking of the perfect first mission for them. "And my hobbies are the same as my likes, my dream is to be an awesome clan head one day."

Naruto chuckled a bit at his enthusiasm. "Well from here on out we have become team 7. The other graduates would be doing some kind of final exam to prove you becoming genin, but I really can't be arsed to do something like that so Im just going to say you did it. Now I want you to meet me by the bridge by training ground 3 at about 10 tomorrow morning. However, I expect you to do your own warm-ups etc. before then. So, see ya tomorrow then." With that he just vanished into thin air.

At the Uchiha compound that night

When Itachi Uchiha slaughtered his clan in one night he left not just Sasuke alive, but also his mother, and it was Mikoto Uchiha who greeted her son that night.

And as Sasuke Uchiha walked into his house the first thing he saw was Mikoto cooking dinner for them both.

"Hello Sasuke-kun, how did your team placement go?"

Sasuke just scowled, "I've got a pampered princess, a flea ridden mutt and some weak sensei. I bet that the village is trying to deny me what I need, and I need strength to become strong enough to kill him!" he spoke harshly to Mikoto.

She just looked at her son with pity and sadness, not for what happened to him, but for the fact that he was starting to fall into pit of complete darkness. "Well I managed to get the first two I think. The Hyuuga girl and the Inuzuka right?" he nodded, "But I don't think that you can judge someone as being weak immediately Sasuke-kun. Who is it by the way; I may know who it is."

"Naruto Namikaze."

Mikoto looked shocked, "Naruto-kun?"

"What do you mean 'Naruto-kun?" he asked with slight anger.

"Sasuke" began Mikoto, "Naruto-kun is many things but weak is not one of them, in fact, from the rumours I've been hearing, Hokage-sama deems him to be one of the strongest shinobi, not just in the Leaf, but in the entire Elemental Nations."

"Hnngh, yeah right, he would still fall before the Sharingan, no matter how strong he is."

"Actually that's where you are wrong." Sasuke snorted in disbelief. "I mean did you know that he was Itachi's teamate?"

Sasuke looked at her in shock.

"Yes, in fact, if I recall correctly, whenever they sparred, Naruto usually came out on top. And that was all his own skill, and then you have his eyes…" Sasuke started to get interested in this. "He possess a bloodline that can only be accessed by unknown means within the Uzumaki clan, an incredibly powerful clan that is all but wiped out now, that was said to be, in their prime, stronger than the Senju and the Uchiha. Sasuke, he possesses the fabled Rinnegan, the legendary eyes of the first Shinobi. And I call him 'kun' because he is the son of my deceased best friend and I pretty much saw him every day when he was round here with Itachi."

With Hinata

Hiashi looked at his eldest daughter with a raised eyebrow. She had come into his office I annoyance and claimed to have a faulty team of some sorts. She understood the power of the Uchiha and the potential in fighters such as the Inuzuka; however she was not pleased with her 'lazy, worthless peasant of a sensei.' After a huge dressing down, where he explained that even though the Namikaze name may not relate in the same way as a clan was, Naruto's power was far greater than the Hyuuga's. even before he created the resonance seal in partnership with Jiraiya, and threatened to use it's ability to destroy the minds of all the Hyuuga's inflicted with the cursed seal if they did not remove it and take their 'Eye-corpse dead man's seal.' And also, as the son of the greatest of all Hokage's and with the fabled Rinnegan of legend he shut up her whiny little mouth. (Note to all, I hate Hinata so much, she is a freaking stalker, the fuck is going on and Sakura now that I think about it. Fuck, just give Naruto Mei Terumi, now that is what should be canon pairing.)

"Listen to me Hinata. As long as you have him as a sensei then nothing shall come to harm for you whatsoever, he is far stronger than he looks, and I would much rather have him as my ally rather than my enemy."

At the Inuzuka compound

"Hey kaa-san, you'll never guess who I got on my team" said Kiba.

Tsume and Kiba's sister, Hana, looked at him with a raised eyebrow from their meals. "Well then Kiba, I'm all ears" said Tsume with a hint of mirth, seeing as how, even though she was his mother, she still found it hilarious that Kiba was dead last.

"Well first off I got that pampered Hyuuga." Tsume snorted, it was no secret that she disliked the stuck up Hyuuga clan. "I also got that arrogant Uchiha prick."

Tsume and Hana winced; it was also no secret that nearly every single shinobi disliked the Uchiha with a passion. They were thieves, plain and simple, and their arrogance made people want to just tear them apart limb from limb.

"But my sensei makes up for it" he started to yell.

"Well then pup, who ya got?" asked Tsume with interest, his sensei could be anyone, but if Kiba finds him good enough then…

"Naruto Namikaze."

Now that threw the other two Inuzuka's off. Whoever they were thinking of then it almost certainly wasn't him. Tsume, after regaining herself from her shock said to Kiba, "You got a good sensei there, in fact, I don't think you could have gotten much better." Now Hana and Kiba were both intrigued by the Namikaze family head, Hana more so, because during her academy days she remembered hearing about one of the two prodigious shinobi. "I just know that he's an incredibly powerful shinobi, and if he's back then it must be for some kind of a good reason."

"Back?" asked Hana.

"Yeah, about five or six years ago he got an invitation from the Fire Daimyo yo join his personal guard, the 'Guardian Shinobi 12' along with another Jounin, Asuma Sarutobi. From what I heard it usually lasts about ten years, so I don't know what he's doing back right now." She paused for breath before taking a morose look at her children, "But whatever you do, don't try to pry into his past, he may have all that strength, as well as those eyes, but he lost his parents at 5 years of age. He may have been called a prodigy, but he's still human, and what happened to make him leave was justified, seeing as how his best friend, almost like a brother I think, was Itachi Uchiha…"

2 months later

Teamwork, that was what Naruto forced his team to learn. Along with other things, such as minor genjutsu with Hinata, strategy with Sasuke and some minor Ninjutsu with Kiba, among other things with them, such as tree walking and water walking. But his greatest achievements were with them personally. First off he forcibly broke Hinata away from her stoicism by showing her high level genjutsu after genjutsu of what happens when she doesn't take things seriously, as well as a 2 hour sit down where he just shouted at her constantly, as well as threaten her. It was safe to say that she left everyone alone from that day forward. Kiba he just had may spars with him, in order to try and get him to calm down during battle, as well as trying to drive him out of a more 'feral' stage. And with Sasuke, he just had a little talk with him about everything, and ended with a threat of what would happen when he unlocked his Sharingan and attempted to copy a Leaf nin's jutsu. Namely, he would seal up his Sharingan permanently.

However, this day...

"Sun in position."

"Dog in position."

"Midnight in position."

"Good, now, take it down."

Things were good for Naruto. He had a genin team of three students that would be going places real quick, he had good friends, and it was always fun to mess with Asuma and Kurenai. And now, he watched with humour, as his completely scratched up genin team glared evilly at Tora the cat. And as the cat's owner turned around she spotted Naruto, and came over to greet him, much to the surprise of his genin team.

"Hello there Naruto-kun" exclaimed the woman.

"Hello to you too Shijimi-sama."

As the two were talking, his genin team were looking on in surprise as to how their sensei knew the wife of the Fire Daimyo personally.

Something that Hinata brought up after she Shijimi had left, "How do you know the Shijimi-sama sensei?"

Naruto pointed at his sash at his waist, "For the past 5 years I was a part of the Guardian Shinobi 12, along with Asuma Sarutobi, team 10's sensei. And the job entailed us all protecting the Fire Daimyo and his family personally, and because of this, the Fire Daimyo and his family knew us all on a personal level. In fact, about a year ago, Shijimi-sama and Daimyo-sama attempted to arrange a marriage between myself and their eldest daughter. I declined but it was still nice to be appreciated."

His genin just looked at him in shock, while the Sandaime and Iruka gazed on with a mild amount of humour. Sarutobi just cleared his throat, "So, team 7, I believe that you could be ready for another mission I believe. So, we have a fence that needs painting, some maintenance within the library," a meow could be heard and screams of 'Tora come back!' from outside the room. "Capturing Tora the cat."

"Oi, jiji," called out Naruto to the shock of his team, "Care to tell how in the hell that cat is still alive anyway? I remember having to catch that damn furball as a genin, and Kakashi-sensei did the same. And he told me of stories of Tou-san and Kaa-san doing the same as genin. And Ero-sennin was Tou-san's sensei and he told me of that damn cat." He looked thoughtful, "Well, he told me of how he remembers the cat ripping off Tsunade-sama's shirt and how 'amazing the sight was' but that's just how he is."

The Sandaime looked thoughtful for a bit. "Actually I remember that day that Jiraiya talked about, in fact, as I recall, I had to do the same thing in my genin days. And that was with a different Fire Daimyo and his wife over 40 years ago. Now that I think about it, I remember in the last few weeks of the Shodaime's life, as he told us that even though he faced down Madara and the Kyuubi, he did it without fear, but, in his words, 'if I have to go after that damn hell-cat ever again I swear I'm going to eviscerate it.' So your guess is as good as mine."

Naruto just had an interested face on him for a moment before asking about the mission, then telling him his idea. "Uhh, actually jiji, could my team have a C rank now, I think they're ready for it." His team all had shocked looks on their faces, he had told them before that only when he deems them all at the standard of a high level genin would he even think bout asking for a C rank. They began to have looks of pride before Naruto said, "I'm just as bored as hell doing D ranks, plus they're really annoying brats when I have to be around them nearly all day. They can handle themselves a bit but any real problems and I'll do something." His team did the only thing that seemed appropriate at the time. They facefaulted.

"Alright then Naruto-kun." He called to his secretary, "Send in the bridge builder." He turned to team 7, "Your mission is to escort Tazuna the bridge builder to Wave country and protect him as he builds a bridge.

The old drunk seemed less than happy with this, and he vocalised it worryingly, "What, I want super awesome ninja, and you give me four runts?"

Naruto's three genin bristled at the insult, and it took the Sandaime to say his piece to calm them down. "I assure you mister Tazuna, these three genin are some of the best of their generation, and their sensei is one of our top Jounin, never mind the age, so you will be in perfectly safe hands, I assure you."

Tazuna snorted, "Yeah, I'll believe that when I see it. But no matter, you are to escort me until we reach wave, and then protect me until we can build our bridge." And with that he left.

"Okay team. I want you to run after Tazuna and tell him to meet us at the eastern gate, then go get prepared for a 3 week mission. It probably wont last that long, but it's better to be prepared." His team nodded and ran off.

As it was a beautiful day, Naruto decided to enjoy his stroll through Konoha to meet his team. And, as luck would have it for Naruto, he met someone hadn't seen in ages, his friend Genma, who was appointed as his father's bodyguard back when he was alive. Talking to him, they both decided that a quick catch up was necessary at a local bar. At this bar he ran into one Anko Mitarashi, who he got talking to and the next thing he knew he was pounding her into oblivion back at her apartment. 2 hours later they said goodbye as Anko told him to come round again sometime. So, having done all of this, he actually had some kind of reason for being slightly late to meet his team and their client. Well, as good a reason as he would probably have anyway.

"You're late!" was the screams from his more vocal genin, with the other two brooding off in the corner with twitching eyes.

"Ah, well you see, I kind of got caught up with doing an old friend."

"Don't you mean meeting an old friend sensei?" asked his naïve Kunoichi student.

"No, I'm quite sure I meant what I said" he grinned. To which Tazuna blushed and his three genin stared slack jawed at his prideful look on his face. "But still, let's be off now, if that's alright with you lot?"

His team nodded as they moved out of Konoha for their first C rank mission. Nevertheless, it would be a tough mission, even if they didn't know it yet.

Hope you enjoyed.

Til next time.