Kingdom Hearts and Naruto belong to their respective owners, neither of which are me.

Naruto spoke over the headset. "Icy Blades. Come in Icy Blades."

"This is Icy Blades, go ahead Key boy." A voice responded.

"Get ready to move in."

"Understood."

"White Beauty, this is Key boy, how does the situation look."

"I-It looks clear. You can move in at will."

"Roger that."

"Key boy, this is Sasuke."

"I'm sorry, I don't know anybody with that codename."

"Naruto."

"Use your codename." Naruto said.

"No."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Sasuke." Kakashi's voice scolded.

"Fine!" Sasuke said, then he added quietly "This is Secretary."

Someone chuckled.

"You laugh, I kill you."

"Yeah, yeah. How do things look from your side?"

"I have a target approaching a window."

"White Beauty, can you confirm?"

"Yes, he's just moving to the window for a smoke."

"Ok, Secretary, you can move, Icy blades, go ahead, take the third floor. I got second."

The man laughed. That Ramen stand was the easiest gig yet, that old man was so interested about his waitress's welfare that he had given him most, if not all, of the money he had.

Life was sweet. He sat his gargantuan body on a chair that creaked under his weight. He rested his feet on the bags of cash the man had given them and began to doze off.

Suddenly a thunderous explosion sent his flying to the other wall. He hit it with a smack! He pushed himself off the wall and turned. A boy, hooded and cloaked stood, a strange, key-shaped weapon in his hand.

"What the-?" was all he could say before the boy charged him. The boy quickly used the key-like weapon to uppercut the man. The man hit the ceiling, and heard something crack. He fell to the ground, followed by cement. The boy walked up to him.

"Nobody messes with Ichiraku." The boy said, before the man, who seconds ago was living on top of the world, fainted.

Konoha's diminished police force dragged away three unconscious bodies into a closed cart with bars on the windows. Naruto and his team oversaw the arrest, just in the improbable case that one of them regained consciousness. Haku was the first to notice the leader being carried away on a stretcher. His arms were jutting out at awkward angles.

Sasuke spoke up. "Geez, Naruto, you didn't have to nearly kill the man."

"Yes I did." Naruto said quietly.

"Why?"

Naruto looked up at him. "Have you ever been to Ichiraku's?"

"No."

"They were, are, and most probably will be, the only restaurant that welcomes me with open arms."

Sasuke was about to say something but thought better of it, Naruto's outburst against Inari still fresh in his mind.

An officer came up to them "The last part of your mission, according to this report, is to return the stolen contraband to the Ichiraku's ramen stand."

Naruto spoke up. "I can do that."

The officer shot him a glare.

Naruto recognized that look as a "Get away from me, demon" look, and backed up. This man wasn't on his side.

The officer handed the bags to Kakashi. "Here, I'll trust your judgment as to who is to go."

"Thank you." Then he turned around, "Naruto take the money back, then meet us at the training ground."

"Wait-What-?" The officer said.

"You got it Cyclopes!" Naruto said as he grabbed the bags out of his sensei's hands.

"Wait-." The officer said, still completely blown away in amazement at Kakashi's kind act.

"Come on kids, let's take a walk." The sensei said

"What-? Huh?"

Teuchi, Ichiraku's owner and head chef, was pressing his fingers against his temples to suppress an enormous headache.

Just this morning, four burglars barged into his stand and demanded all the money he had. At first he resisted them, until they had caught Ayame with a knife to her throat. He instantly gave in and handed them all the money he could give them.

Now he sat there, flat broke, with bills sitting on the table before him. This didn't look too promising.

Ayame walked in. "Naruto's here."

Teuchi sighed. Finally, some good news. Naruto normally bought enough Ramen to give them a week's worth of cash. He hoped it would be enough. He picked himself up and walked to the dining area.

Teuchi's moth dropped open.

There, standing amongst huge bags of cash, was Naruto, a smile on his face. "I heard you need some cash." He said smiling.

Teuchi nearly fainted. "Thank you!" he cried "Thank you Naruto!" He jumped the bar and caught the boy in a bear hug, nearly crushing him.

"Gah! You're Welcome. Now if you could allow me to walk away with my spine intact, it would be greatly appreciated."

Naruto came back to the training ground, where Haku, Hinata, Sasuke, and Kakashi were all waiting for him. After Naruto had sat down, Kakashi told them some good news. "After judging your skills, and ability to work together, I have decided you are ready to take the Chunin exams."

His statement was met by cries of excitement, relief, and satisfaction. "Finally, I'll get to meet some people who will actually be a challenge!" Naruto roared.

"Thank heavens! No more D-rank missions!" Haku said, filled with hope for the future.

Sasuke remained silent, however, he was rejoicing as much as the others, "One step closer. I've nearly got him."

Hinata was also silently rejoicing, but not for herself. She looked over to the boy, hooded and cloaked, smiling at the sweet victory of being deemed ready to become a Chunin. "You're one step closer to your dream, Naruto."

Kakashi watched them, so happy, so filled with joy. He frowned; it was a shame that joy could be so easily crushed. "Alright, settle down." He waited for the kids to quiet. "I have the address here for each of you, Now, if you feel like you're ready, come to this address at ten o'clock sharp."

"Sure, Cyclopes, twelve noon."

Someone chuckled.

"Funny, Naruto funny. You're dismissed."

Hinata watched Naruto as he stood so filled with excitement. Suddenly, he frowned. It was so sudden, as if some had told him some bad news. Naruto's eyes floated to each one of his team members. Then they rested on her. His piercing blue eyes, they were so full of sadness. They seemed to take a blade of ice through her heart.

He needed her. He was depending on her.

Depending for her to do what? She didn't know, just that he was.

Naruto turned and left, probably back to his apartment.

Haku left with him. Sasuke went off to sulk, brood, and just be an overall pain, but Hinata stayed, frozen by that cold stare of sadness.

Kakashi watched her. He walked up to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "You want to help him don't you?"

Hinata didn't think she responded. That stare was keeping her from thinking straight.

"He carries a lot of pain Hinata, pain even I don't want to understand."

Hinata stood, watching the small form walking away.

"He doesn't have much to live for, Hinata. Can you give him something to live for?"

Suddenly, she was alone. Kakashi had left, leaving her with her thoughts.

Naruto closed the door to his apartment. Haku had just come by to say goodnight. Naruto returned the customary contact, and then went to bed. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Joey came by, asked what he wanted for dinner.

"I lost my appetite."

Joey was too shocked to reply to that. This kid didn't want to eat. Was that even possible? Joey went off to contemplate this, leaving Naruto with his thoughts.

Kyuubi had dropped the bomb. It was a test to see if the whole squad thought they were ready. If one person didn't show up, the whole squad would have to wait. Who would come?

Sasuke was a no brainer, that prick couldn't possibly let himself live with the fact that he had to wait a year.

Haku would probably come, that boy hated D-rank missions with a passion. He would do anything to get out of it.

He would come himself, that was for sure, the sooner he could get some better missions, the sooner he could get to his real mission.

Hinata.

He sighed.

She was anybody's guess. Her heart was stronger than any he had seen in both his life and that of his master's, but she saw physical strength as the only importance to being a ninja. And to be honest, she didn't have that much physical strength. She had no idea how strong she really was. He could only hope.

The morning came. Naruto stood in a white hallway, waiting for his ever-late sensei. He did not have to wait long before Sasuke came. "So you decided to show, dobe?"

"Very soon, you'll be glad I did, teme."

Sasuke didn't ask what he meant by that. Naruto had a habit of being mysterious.

After, roughly, ten minutes, Haku arrived. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for, the one, the only, Haku!"

"You're so full of yourself." Sasuke said.

"You're the one to talk, Uchiha."

Naruto let them bicker. They had grown and nourished their own miniature war between them. It was probably born from Sasuke's pride unable to take the crushing truth that he was beaten by a boy that looked like a girl. Haku, recognizing Sasuke's broken pride, met him head on, eagerly waiting to crush his ego yet again.

Naruto waited, silent as a mouse, until it finally caught the others' attention. "What is it Naruto?" Haku asked.

Naruto simply looked at the clock, eleven fifty-five, and then he turned back to the hallway, waiting and watching. The silence was deafening.

"Naruto?"

Silence.

"Dobe?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto remained silent. Again he looked at the clock. Eleven fifty-nine. Naruto sighed. "Give her one more minute kit,"

The minute slowly ticked by, Sasuke and Haku both waiting for a reply felt it agonizingly pass.

Noon.

"We're not going to make it." Naruto whispered.

Before anyone could ask what he meant, Kakashi appeared behind them in a puff of smoke. There was silence for a few minutes, then Kakashi spoke, "It seems Hinata didn't think she was ready."

"So?" Sasuke asked.

"It means we don't go forward, teme." Naruto said, still staring down the hallway.

"What?"

"He's right, Sasuke." Kakashi said

"What? Why?"

"Because, it's not right to force someone to choose to advance when they don't think they're ready."

"But we're ready."

"The tests demand three man teams."

"But we are a three man team!"

"Only because the Hokage made an exception, and with that exception he told me not to let any of you go unless the whole team was here."

"But, but that's not fair!"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but-."

"Waaaaiiiiiittttttt!" a voice came screeching down the hallway. Everyone turned, and they Hinata running toward them. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her jacket looked slightly twisted, as if she had pulled it over her head before her arms found the sleeves. "I'm here! I'm here!" she said between gasps of air. She stood in front of them for a few seconds, and then began to explain herself. "F-forgot," gasp, "to set," heave, "alarm clock." She gulped down another mouthful of air, "Woke up," pant, "th-thirty minutes ago."

Kakashi looked at her, "So you want to participate in the Chunin exams?"

Hinata nodded her head, breathing deeply.

"Alright, here is the address to the Chunin exams building." He said, handing Naruto a slip of paper. "It's being held on the third floor, room three-o-one. Good luck." Then he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Naruto was walking down the street to the building they were to meet at, it was a fairly normal day. That is it was a normal day until he noticed a large rectangular rock with eye holes following him. Naruto kept walking, "Konohamaru, rocks are never perfectly rectangular, nor do they have eye holes."

The rock froze. Then after a few seconds, admitted it defeat and showed that under neath it were three children, two boys and a girl.

One of the boys was familiar to Naruto, he was the grandson of the Hokage and his "Eternal rival" according to the boy. This was Kkonohamaru. The other two Naruto didn't know. But knowing Konohamaru, that would change quickly.

"Hey boss!" Konohamaru said, "I'd like to introduce you to my team members, Udon and Moegi."

"Hello." The boy said, he wore glasses and a black shirt with khaki pants.

"Hey." Said the girl, she was wearing her hair in a fashion the defied gravity.

"And together, we are the Konohamaru corps!"

Naruto watched the presentation silently before speaking. "So now that you have a team, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I was hoping we could play." Konohamaru said.

"Sure, we can play one quick game of Ninja tag, and then I have to go."

"Konohamaru's it!"

Konohamaru quickly jumped away, running away from those who would catch him. Suddenly he ran around the corner into a black object.

"Ugh. Stupid kid," Konohamaru felt like he was picked up and he suddenly saw a face, painted with purple Kabuki paint. "Watch where you're going."

Suddenly Konohamaru disappeared.

"You're not going to hurt a kid are you?" A voice said, a little further down the road stood a boy in a black robe, Naruto. Konohamaru was standing next to him, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Hey he rammed into me!"

"So you're saying a nine-year-old kid hurt you?"

"What's going on here?" a voice said, it's owner proved to be a young kunoichi with a large fan across her back.

"That kid ran into me." The boy with kabuki face paint said, pointing to Konohamaru.

"Kankurou, you mean to tell me that a nine-year-old hurt you?"

"That's what I asked." Naruto said.

"You shut up!" Kankurou yelled.

"I wish I could."

"Then I'll make you wish come true." Kankurou said as he pulled the huge bandage-bound package of his back.

"If you open that," A voice said, "I will kill you." It sounded like the devil.

"Ga-Gaara, I-I wasn't going to, it-it was a joke."

Then Naruto saw the owner of the voice. Red hair, sleep-deprived eyes surrounded by black paint. He had the Kanji for love tattooed on his forehead. He carried a huge gourd on his back. He stood upside down on a tree branch, held there by chakra. He looked like a psychopath.

"You'd lose to him anyway," Garaa said, "He froze you in time with a jutsu."

"It's actually a spell, but for now you could call it that."

Garaa eyed him.

"As for your teammate," Naruto said, motioning Kankurou, "I wish to apologize, but I had to save the child for your sake," The looked at him questioningly, "That was Konohamaru, the Hokage's grandson." Kankurou's face paled, "If anything were to happen to him, the guilty party would be punished with the worst kind of torture imaginable."

"Hey, dobe." Sauske's voice said. "Who are these morons?"

Naruto looked back at the tree, he copied Garaa's entrance. "These are some sand nins, here for the Chunin exams no doubt."

Garaa jumped off the tree, "Come on," he said, "Let's go."

"Wait." Naruto said. He walked up to the red head and held out his hand. "I was good to meet you."

Garaa stared at him for a few seconds then grabbed the hand. The effect was instantaneous; his sleep depraved eyes grew wide. The power in the robed boy's hand was breath taking.

"Just as I thought." Naruto said. He turned and left with Sasuke to the Chunin exam building.

Garaa watched them go, his eyes still wide, and his mouth hanging slightly open. He only once experienced a power like that. Garaa remained silent for the rest of the day.

Team seven, after meeting in a nearby park, approached a large building with four floors, ready to meet any challenge that came before them. They were not, however, expecting a boy in a green, spandex, bodysuit.

"Yosh! Sasuke Uchiha! I wish to challenge you! For I am Rock Lee, the youthful blue beast of Konoha!"

Sasuke looked at the green clad boy,"Why should I waste my time?" The arrogant Uchiha asked.

"I cannot believe my ears." Naruto said, "Sasuke Uchiha, refusing to show off his natural-born ability of crushing the hopes of other people? This is absolutely unheard of."

Haku picked up where Naruto left, "Perhaps, his highness is tired, having been robbed of sleep while concocting plans for crushing any who are inferior to him."

The sarcasm filled the air, flinging hidden insults at the navy-clad boy between them.

"Or maybe, perhaps, the great Uchiha is, -no. No, It cannot be."

"What?"

"No, no. It was a blasphemy against him, for surely, he cannot be…"

"Be what?"

"I cannot bring myself to say it."

"Fear not, surely the great Uchiha will forgive you,"

"Perhaps he is…chicken! Bawk-bawk!"

Haku and Naruto broke out in squawks that were half laughter, and half chicken call.

Finally, Sasuke could take no more. "I am not chicken!"

The boys continued their incessant squawking.

"Fine you want me to fight him? I'll fight him, I'll beat him, and when I do I'm going to kill the both of you!"

Sasuke approached the spandex-clad ninja, and Lee approached the Uchiha. Lee suddenly unleashed several incredibly fast hits on the Uchiha. Sasuke was able to block each one, with the help of his Sharingan. Lee smiled and began to hit faster. Sasuke picked up the pace on his side. Lee went faster. Sasuke kept blocking. Lee went faster. Sasuke blocked the first two punches, and then was suddenly hit in the side by what felt like an anvil. Lee went faster. Sasuke desperately began to try to block the punches that rained on him. Lee went faster. Every time Sasuke moved to block, Lee's hand would evade and hit hard. Lee went faster. Sasuke could no longer block, Lee went faster. Sasuke was taking punishment.

Lee went faster.

Suddenly Lee threw an uppercut to send the Uchiha flying. "Konoha Kage Buyou!"

Sasuke found himself flying over the heads of his teammates, when suddenly he realized Lee was shadowing his flight. Suddenly there was a black blur that flew underneath him and Sasuke fell on his back.

"Look Lee," Naruto said, holding the ninja in a tackle hold. "I love the fact that you beat this Sasuke to the ground, but we need him in one piece for the Chunin exams, I hope you can appreciate that." He released the ninja, then turned to Sasuke who was trying to pick himself up.

Suddenly a turtle appeared at one end of the room, and on top of it appeared a man in the same green spandex suit. "Lee my youthful student!"

"Hey," Naruto whispered to Haku and Hinata, "let's get out of here, this is getting to creepy." They nodded and headed out, dragging Sasuke behind them, who wanted to seriously hurt Lee.

There you go, next chapter, Chunin Exams, Have a good 2009!