Serenity Angel: Hey guys and gals! Yeah, I know this is late. Not going to bother making up excuses cuz that would take time away from reading the chapter, so without further adieu…

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters except Kaiyamei Hatake and others that will be introduced as the story goes on. (Like the one in this chapter: hint hint)

Enjoy

Kai P.O.V

Naruto and I headed over to Ichiraku's Ramen Stand, the best ramen stand in all of the villages. Nothing could truly ever top that man's ramen. We talked about the old memories and pranks the whole way, which in turn I was glad for. Naruto, being Naruto, was bound to ask everything from what I did while I was away to the reason I ran, and I for one wanted to put that conversation off as long as Naruto-ly possible. I know it's going to come up someday, I'm just glad it's not today.

We walked up to the ramen stand laughing so hard our sides ached and our lungs were begging for air. We each took a seat as Ichiraku turned to see his newest (and nosiest customers) and tried to regain composure, though we failed miserably. I could see out of the corner of my eye from where he stood that he looked a little shocked to see who it was… I wonder why.

"Hey, do you remember how much trouble we got in for that?" Naruto asked once he calmed down some.

"How could I forget?" I ask giggling. "He only had to put the damn pipe in his mouth before it blew up in his face. Plus, old man Hokage's hair still had the stupid green stuff we put in the pipe for about a month!" I say still giggling.

"Oh man, he was so mad!" Naruto said laughing.

"I should know. He had me doing the worst of the worst low ranked missions ever! I thought he'd never get over it! I'm lucky it wasn't his face or I'd still be doing low ranked missions! How did we get the green stuff get into his pipe anyway?" I ask.

"I dunno, but I swear if looks could kill we wouldn't be here right now!" Naruto said.

I couldn't stop laughing so I nodded my head in agreement as Ichiraku cleared his throat to get our attention. We both turned to him and I let out a big grin.

"Hey old man! Long time no see!" I say, sobering up.

"Well I'll be, it is Kai! And here I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me." He said surprise evident in his voice.

"Hey, I wouldn't think you're that senile yet old man. You surely don't look it. This place probably wouldn't be up and running if you were." I said with a smirk. He only laughed and I smiled.

"So what can I get for you two?" He asked and Naruto's smile could have lit up the whole village.

"Barbequed pork ramen!" Naruto practically shouted.

"Miso!" I said.

"Coming right up." He said and went to make our orders. I smiled as he walked away and turned to Naruto who was grinning back at me.

"All right so tell me, are you excited?" I asked, turning to him once Ichiraku was starting to prepare the food.

"Oh yeah, but I have to admit… I'm a little nervous now thanks to Kakashi-sensei." He admitted and I smiled. He was always truthful about everything with me when we were younger. I'm glad that still stuck. I shrugged my shoulders at his comment and looked at him.

"He's a handful when he's ready, but he's a really good sensei." I say and not even five seconds later Naruto looked at me as if he just remembered something.

"Kai… What is he to you?" He asked as he looked like he was calculating something in his overactive mind. I was shocked he brought it up so early and actually not so much on the fact that he didn't remember.

"He's my former sensei … as well as my uncle." I say with a little shrug. He looked at me with his eyes opened wide, his mouth hanging.

"Seriously?" He asked and I nodded my head in conformation.

"Whoa, I can't believe I didn't remember."

"I don't blame you. He played more of the Sensei role than the Uncle when I became his Genin. And he didn't come around much." I say.

There was also the fact that he was weaning off his ANBU days so that he could become a full fledged teacher. If you asked me, he was one of the best they ever had, but he had his reasons to leave, and I don't question them.

"I probably never would've guessed it. Especially with that mask, so I guess it's reasonable… Man, it feel's like just yesterday right?" Naruto said as he smiled at me.

"Yeah it does. Nothing's changed. I'm kinda mad it didn't really… was expecting a fight or two walking around here, particularly when I was sneaking into the Hokage's office. Hell the only problem I had was with the gate guards, but I'm actually kind of glad it didn't change. To me, it means I didn't miss anything… Especially since I came home just in time to be here for your and the others turn to learn the shinobi ways. Now that's a big change." I say looking around before looking back at him grinning.

"Yeah, it's clear sailing from here. Just have to pass this test and I'll be doing missions and training in no time!" He said in his usually happy manner, but I could detect the hint of edginess in his voice. I sigh and put a hand on his shoulder encouragingly.

"Hey, don't worry too much. You'll do fine. You've made it this far and you can sure as hell go all the way. Just make sure you listen to his directions tomorrow carefully." I say. Just then Ichiraku came with our order and we thank him before he goes back to making more noodles.

"Heh, what's there to be worried about? We'll probably be finished with that test before you show up!" He said with a cocky grin before splitting his chopsticks and inhaling his ramen. I just smile at him, remembering the old memories with that brimming confidence he was showing now.

"Hmm, I'll have to hold you to it…" I say breaking my own chopsticks apart.

"I know one thing I can't wait for is to start sparring with you again." I say as I begin to pick up a bundle of noodles with my chopsticks. I smirk at a thought, looking at him as I blow on the hot food.

"I'm really looking forward to fighting someone my age that can also use the shadow clone jutsu." I say before slurping my chopstick full of ramen noodles and smirk as I watch him choke on his through the corner of my eye. I pat him on the back as I chew on my food, smirking an all knowing smirk. When he's finally able to breath he turns to me slowly and laughs nervously.

"So, uh… you know about that, huh?" He asked sheepishly and I nod my head, swallowing the food in my mouth and smile at him as he gulped the lump in his throat.

"Yeah, I can't believe how fast you mastered it though. It took me at least a good full twenty-eight hours to master completely. I wanted to learn the cooler stuff so I didn't focus on it because I didn't think it was useful when I was younger… Boy was I wrong." I say as I eat some more noodles and see him relax. I wonder if he thought I'm gonna scold him or something… He did steal the scroll… Nah, leave that as blackmail for another day.

"Believe me it wasn't easy. The substitution justu is my worst." He says as he ate some more ramen.

"Well, fourth time's the charm, neh?" I say with a laugh as he gives me another sheepish grin.

"Hey, we all have our flaws. What counts is when we push ourselves to make sure we're not handicapped by that flaw and overcome it to reach our goals, or else we're stuck off saying we tried our best, but we're quitters. We never give up, no matter what…"I say quietly as eat some more ramen. He paused in his slurping to look at me, narrowing his eyes into fox mode. Uh oh, maybe I said a little too much… Naruto always had this knack of knowing when I was holding something back some of the time, and unfortunately now was one of those times.

"How many times have you pushed yourself Kai?" He asked calmly, though his fox-face kind of contradicted it.

"Well, if I had to give an estimate… I'd have to say quite a few." I say, trying to side step the question as much as possible.

"Does that include the times I didn't know about?" he asked and I nearly choked on my ramen. Damn, he hit the nail on the head faster than I expected.

"Maybe…" I answer and I could tell he was angered by the reply.

"Kai, I thought you said you were gonna take it easier. I mean you were already Jonin by the age of seven!" Naruto exclaimed and I gave him a halfhearted shush.

I knew he was right, but then again I was always stubborn. Well, it's best to get the truth out now, I guess.

"I know what I said, but after I made ANBU, there was no stopping. I had to prove myself to the adults everyday, despite anything else that was happening to me…" I say with a shrug and when he looked like he was about to say something I cut him off.

"I went through fevers, and injures still training as hard as I could to get to where I am today rank-wise, if that's what you're about to ask. And you wanna know something? Having a friend like you back then made it all the more easier to get through. You helped me even when you didn't know it." I say looking at him smiling and he smiled back at me before a look another look of recognition crossed his face.

"Hey, that reminds me…" He said pausing and looking around before leaning in closer to me.

"Why did you tell them you were Jonin? ANBU would've been easier to prove." He whispered to me as his eyes flashed to the band on my right arm and back to my face. I sigh as I put down my chopsticks and rub the band that's covering my tattoo.

"One, I'm not in the mood to fend off the ANBU that will kick my ass for exposing my rank. It's basically on a need-to-know basis when it comes to the ANBU Corps. It would have been pointless anyway since only three teams are passing. Probably gonna discourage the others that actually do pass when they find out… And the only way that's gonna happen is when I trust them enough." I say in a 'matter of fact' tone and shrug again before picking up my chopsticks and digging back in to my food.

I ate my food and watched as Naruto thought about what I said.

"Hmm, your right." He said after a while, even though some part of me knew he wanted me to show off a bit. I smirk as I watch him finish off his bowl and ask for a second.

I could only laugh: Kakashi so wasn't going to like the bill when it came time to pay. If he thinks I'm going to pay for it he's got another thing coming. We talked more after that, delving back into the memories every now and then. Lucky for me we only skirted through the four years of absence in each other's lives. Yeah, I really am trying to avoid that for as long as possible.

Eight bowls and two filled bellies of ramen later, we head out to Naruto's apartment. Night had set in and practically all the shops were closed, the only light we had was the street lamps that littered the way. We didn't care much about the fact that we were disturbing the peace, I mean who needed sleep this early anyway? All too soon however, we found ourselves standing in front of his apartment building, both of us reluctant to say our good-byes.

"Hey, why don't you come upstairs for a bit? You did just get back and we got alotta stuff to catch up on." He says, and I hear the hint of pleading in his voice.

"Can't. For once, I'm actually gonna listen to Kakashi and be back by ten. Plus we both have busy days tomorrow." I say and he gets this nervous look in his eye when what I've said reminds him about tomorrow's test, then out of the blue his expression morphs into one that seems to have a plan.

"Hey Kai, Kakashi was your sensei too, right? Do you have any pointers, tips, or I don't know… info about what exactly he's going to do tomorrow?' he asked with a hopeful look.

"Are you asking me to be your cheat sheet?" I ask crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe…" He said with a charismatic grin.

"Well when you put it that way… No." I say lifting his hope only to crush it down. I chuckle as his shoulders sag in defeat, putting my hand on one of them.

"Naruto, you'll do fine, don't worry so much. Plus, doesn't the idea that he could have changed it from the time I took it cross your mind?" I say, asking the last part with the tilt of my head. He looked at me thoughtful of what I said.

"Naruto, I know you'll do well tomorrow. I believe in you and you're skills. You're gonna kick ass!" I say and he stands up straighter, giving me a cocky grin.

"You're right! We're gonna give it our best tomorrow. I know I will! Heck, we'll be done with him before you even show up." He says giving me a toothy smile.

"Now that's what I like to hear! I'ma hold you to that!" I say giving him a hug before letting go and walking backwards for a bit.

"Night Naru-Kun!" I call before turning and heading back to Kakashi's apartment.

I thought about many things on my way back, but the thought that always kept making its way back to the front of my brain was what Naruto had said about my test with Kakashi. Now it was a well known fact amongst Shinobi that Kakashi was the hardest one to pass for, my passing having been a fluke in itself. But then again, when it came to all the tests for genin that year, it had been very, very different…

Whoa, treading dangerous waters there, let's rein it back a bit. They're not going to go through something like that. Not even remotely possible. But they are gonna go through the mind set that is Kakashi.

As I climbed into bed that night, my mind couldn't get off the fact that Kakashi had to deal with Naruto's group. Sure it didn't matter that Naruto was my friend, but…

Nah, he won't be too hard on them. I kept that thought in mind as I shut off the lamp and tried to get some sleep.

Too bad it was for a lost cause. That little hope I had that Kakashi had actually made the test somewhat easier was dashed out the window and run over by an eighteen wheeler carrying an elephant and its baby when I saw the crime scene that was the training grounds. Well for one, I know he didn't change one bit of his test because what I saw looked exactly like what I was apart of eight years ago, though the people have changed, what with Kakashi twirling a kunai and using Uchiha as his own personal lazyboy, restraining him with the other hand and Naruto being tied off to one off the logs. Now I, thankfully wasn't in any predicament the two boys where, but one of my teammates was and believe me, you don't want to know which one.

Kakashi just had to be the last test of the day. I know my uncle well enough to know that he wasn't going to be there early. So while I waited for a good time to go and see how his test was going, I watched the other tests, watching as most failed humiliatingly. I didn't even stick around to see some of them. It was just too sad. I had a pretty good sense of who was passing though. Now it was just up to Kakashi, and let's just say that it wasn't exactly looking too good. In fact, it really looked like they needed a miracle, and fast.

I watched them as I made my way soundlessly to sit on the wooden log that Naruto was currently tied to, taking the spot where the alarm clock stood. They didn't notice my presence yet which was fine by me. Kakashi got off of Sasuke and waked over to the stone with the K.I.A. ninja's names carved into it. Once I looked at that stone I got a bitter taste in my mouth, something that always happened in two places: here, and the cemetery.

I knew some of the people carved into that stone so that though they themselves were gone, they would still be forever in mind and heart. Wouldn't having to know that those who once stood by you so solidly was now reduced to pictures, memories and a rock leave a bitter taste in your mouth too? One thing was for sure though, despite that bitter taste: those men and women were true heroes and would always stay that way. I'm honored I got the chance to work along side some of them and I'm sorry to see their lives ended so quickly.

"Cool!" I heard Naruto exclaim, breaking me out of my thoughts. I look down at him and I could tell he was excited about something.

"I like that! I want my name carved on that stone too! A hero! A hero of this village!" He said and my heart almost stopped. They were talking about the stone?

"NO!" I scream before I could even fully form the two letters in my own mind.

I watch as everyone, even Kakashi, jumps at my burst of noise. They all looked shock to see me there, well at least Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi did. Naruto had a hard time looking up to where I was.

"No. You don't want your name there unless…" I repeated looking but not seeing anything.

"Those names on that stone… Those people didn't become heroes under normal circumstances." I say quietly, but loud enough for them to hear me.

I could see Kakashi looking at me solemnly as I took to looking up at the sky, still unable to look at Naruto and his smiling gaze. Kakashi's gaze also held sympathy as he looked at me for we both shared losses alike. He may have seen more than me over the course of his lifetime, but mine just seemed all the more painful.

"What special circumstances? Huh? Tell me! Tell me!" he said waving his feet about in excitement.

"They were K.I.A." Kakashi said answering Naruto. I could tell though that Naruto still didn't get it.

"K.I.A.?" He questioned with the grin still in place on his face.

"They were killed in action Naruto." Sakura said, finally giving him the straight answer he needed.

Naruto's smile faded almost instantly and everyone else just went somber and quiet, letting the moment pass by with its sad peace.

"I'll give you one more chance, but know that it won't be any easier than before." Kakashi said breaking the silence and addressing the potential genin.

I watched as Naruto gave a skeptical look and I couldn't help but let mild curiosity pass through me. Was it really going that bad before I got here?

"You can eat lunch if you feel that you're up to the challenge, but don't let Naruto eat. That is his punishment for breaking my rules and trying to eat lunch early. The person that feeds him will immediately fail. Don't bother asking Kai for help, because she's not allowed. Got it?" Kakashi said and without even waiting for an answer he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

After a silent moment, probably to see if Kakashi was gonna come back out and do something, Sasuke and Sakura retrieved their lunchboxes and went to sit on either side of the tied up Naruto. I just sighed and dangled my legs off the edge of the log, being careful not to hit Naruto in the head. I looked down at the three only to see Sakura and Sasuke looking at me.

"It's not like he's trying to kill you before you even retake his freaking test. And he is actually giving you the chance to eat, so it's ok to do so." I say while giving them both a deadpanned look. They both look down, a light blush on Sakura's face and began to eat. It stayed mostly quiet between the three of us, Sasuke and Sakura trying to ignore the current situation. That became just a little hard when Naruto's stomach started growling. I would have had a sweat drop moment if I didn't know the reason why it was doing that.

"Kai! Do you have anything? Please! I'm dying here!" he wailed a few minutes after the initial growl. I sighed and looked down at the ground, intentionally avoiding his eyes.

"I can't help you. You heard Kakashi." I say and I could feel the angry disbelieving gaze Naruto was throwing at me.

"Since when did you start listening to what an adult told you to do?" He asked and I fixed a raised eyebrow on him so fast he almost didn't finished his question.

"You wanna repeat that?" I threaten and he shrinks back as much as a tied up boy possibly could.

Yeah, Naruto's my best friend, but he should know better than to question me about stuff like that. Sure I really actually don't listen to what adult's tell me to do, Old Man Hokage being the only exception every now and then, but even I have to go back on my own rules now and again. Plus he knows my temper is very similar to his in a way.

"Um…" He said trying to think of a way to get out of his current predicament and I just sigh, still looking at him.

"I'll try and erase that comment from my memory, but I still can't help you." I say and look off to the side.

"Why the hell not?" he asked in a whiney tone. After I sigh for literally the two hundredth time I open my mouth to answer him, but my stomach does that for me.

The sound that comes from it was louder than Naruto's own stomach and I look down, willing away the urge to blush at the sound. I could see the sweat drops on the back of their heads.

Yeah, I never got to eat this morning. I kinda sorta worried myself to sleep about Kakashi's test, trying to guarantee to myself he had actually made his test easier. The time I feel asleep was a late one in itself, and next thing I know, I overslept and almost ran out the house in my pajamas. I had enough time to change but not enough to grab something and scarf it down whole. So now here I sit on the log, starving to death.

"Does that answer your question?" I ask Naruto, but still don't look at him.

"Fully." He says.

I look up to the sky and try to repress the sigh that really truly wants to come out of me. It will be over soon, and then I could probably grab something to eat with Naruto. I begin to space out, on no idea in particular, though I did avoid the food category in hopes that my stomach wouldn't growl again. After a moment of my mind wandering I begin to hear something. It was low at first, so low at first I thought I was imagining things, but then it got louder and seemed to occupy all the empty space I currently had in my head. I soon recognized it to be a person (well if you could still call her that) laughing: A female to be exact, sweet and happy. I narrowed my eyes before rolling them. I knew exactly who the hell this person was and I would kick her ass too if I could. Just to make sure I'm right I look down at the three, Sasuke and Sakura busy eating their lunch and Naruto busy being miserable. The laughter suddenly stopped and the owner of that laugh finally addressed me.

"Just like old times, neh?" She said, her voice echoing off like she was talking to me through a cave. I look down one more time to see that they hadn't heard what I just did, which of course they didn't. I look again to the horizon, wondering if I should really say something or just ignore her. Problem was I really doubt I could ever ignore her for long…

"Wow, you've decided to talk to me again after what, I dunno, a year?" I think in my own mind, because that's the only way I can really talk to her, without seeming crazy of course. Let's just say, I'm really, really different from you're normal kunoichi, hell your normal twelve year old girl. There was long pause after that and I wonder if she'd slip back into her vow of silence.

"Gomenasai… I know it's been a while… and you have every right to be mad at me… But this was one decision you need to make by yourself Kai. I didn't want to interfere, but I knew you would've made the right choice." She said and I blink, running my tongue along my top teeth. So she basically did her own version of abandoning me for my own good?

"You know, I began to think I was mentally unstable… Again. And, that you were just some imaginary friend… a bad one at that." I tell her.

"You know full bloody well I'm real… Or was… In any case I'm real damn it!" She said going on a mini tirade. I almost chuckle at her inability to curse at me and her anger, but that would have pissed her off more.

"Yeah, yeah Yukina. And so is the spirit world and that whole damn speech you've about to drum in my head again. I know…" I tell her.

Oh yeah, I guess I have to explain that… Well first, the dead do exist, and I have the lovely gift of seeing them, more than likely mistaking them for the living. I can also converse with them, but then again which ones want to actually speak? Well besides Yuki here… You see folks, Yukina Nakamura is dead. Has been for about… what 11 years now? I met her when I was four by mere circumstance. It also happens that she has… uh… How do I put this? I guess you can say she has 'shared' my body since that age. And when I say body I mean my actual flesh and blood and all the other stuff a human is made out of. Like I'm one soul and she just happens to be another that takes root in here. I guess I'm what you would call, "hosting her soul"… It's really a long story with too many details, but let's just say… I would be just like she is now if she didn't inhabit my body. I'd really rather not get into it, but I have a lot to thank her for. After all it's because of her that I'm still alive today, even though it's her own fault I'm not supposed to be that way in the first place…

"Were you pissing me off on purpose?" She asks and I roll my eyes.

Of course I was. I mean I need some payback in some form since she doesn't have a face I can punch.

"No, I wouldn't dream of it… But I was beginning to think that." I say to which she snorts to.

She doesn't answer me; instead I feel a tug on the back of my literal eyeballs which means she's using them just like I am at the moment. She takes in my view, which had settled on the team below me.

"So these are Kakashi's new bunch of misfits?" She asks, putting some barely noticeable affection on Kakashi's name.

Yeah… Apparently those two have a history, one I don't ever ask about because, I'm no fool. They were more than the "friends" she claimed them to be, and Yukina tends to get graphic when she describes her past to me, and I really, really don't need to see my uncle in that fashion. I have enough reasons to go to therapy for (though it'll be a cold day in Hell before you find me lying down on a therapist's couch), and I'm glad to say that sexual mental scarring is not one of them.

"They're not misfits; they're, hopefully, his new students… Wait, are you calling me a misfit?" I ask, beginning to feel slightly offended at the comment.

"No, I wouldn't dream of it…" She said repeating my earlier statement. I gave her a deadpanned look she couldn't see, although I wish she did.

"Think they'll make it?" She asked quietly and I blink at the question.

Before I could answer it though, Naruto broke into our conversation. Or well his stomach did. This time was louder than the first and I was praying it wouldn't send off a chain reaction with mine.

"I'll be ok even if I don't eat. Nothing can stop me!" He declared confidently and then his stomach growled again, contradicting his statement. I looked on sympathetically as he hung his head with hunger. Suddenly outta know where Sasuke holds out his lunch to Naruto.

"Here." He said and I looked at the boy curiously.

"But Sasuke! Kakashi-sensei would…" Sakura started looking around.

"He's not here. I don't sense him around." He said and I looked at him like he was stupid, which he was at the moment. I could feel Kakashi standing behind a tree in the forest right behind the logs. Sasuke didn't seem to feel my gaze though.

"We're a team and we will get the bells together. It would only be trouble if he's hungry. He won't be able to concentrate." Sasuke continued as he held his food aloft.

Sakura looked at her own food, thinking about what Sasuke just said and held it out to Naruto who immediately went teary-eyed at the action.

"Sakura…" He said with awe in his voice.

"Here, take it. I eat less than the two of you so eat it, quickly." She said and as I watched this turn of events I begin to count down from 20. That's all it's gonna take…

Naruto looked happy at the turn of events but his face suddenly let with realization.

"Um… well you see I have a problem…" Naruto said while trying to move his hands, which were still tied down. When Sakura saw that, her eyes bulged in annoyance and slight anger, especially after knowing what she would have to do.

"This is the only time I'm doing this for you!" She said through gritted teeth as she picked up a bit of food with her chopsticks. Naruto was beyond happy and just as Sakura was about to feed him that first bite I finished my countdown and there was a sudden blast of grey smoke in front of us, Kakashi suddenly appearing from it. He looked pissed off, well as pissed off as man could look with nearly all his face covered. Naruto and Sakura were freaking out, while Sasuke stayed ever the calm one, immediately going into a fighting position.

"You three! You broke my rule and now prepare for my punishment!" Kakashi shouted as he did some hand signs. The skies suddenly turned dark grey, thunder and lightning clashed and the ground shook with the force of an earthquake. To the others this was awe and fear inspiring, but I just stared at our surroundings with a deadpanned look.

"Huh… This is new. Corny, flashy, and over the top, but still new." I comment to Yukina as we watch the grounds become something akin to an apocalypse, though not nearly as catastrophic.

"Well think about it, you never made it to the theatrics. You started to argue with him once he'd offered the ultimatum." She says.

"Huh, you're right…" I say once I thought it over. I may have hated the dude that was in the situation much like Naruto's, but hell I grew up with a great sense of what was wrong and right, as well as being taught to stand up for what I believe in, and what Kakashi was pushing on my team wasn't fair, so I let it be known…

"Come on! Turn your head! I can't see what's gonna happen." She told me and with a sigh I turn my head to the group.

Sakura was now in a fighting stance much like Sasuke's and Naruto was looking towards his teammates as if waiting for one of them to say something. Just so happened it was Sakura to be the one to open her mouth.

"Yeah! We three are one! And we fight as one!" She stated to Kakashi, standing her ground in a confident manner, although the girl was probably shaking like a leaf on the inside.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! That's right! We're one!" Naruto yelled out, failing is arms and legs. Whoa, total déjà vu right there…

"You three are one, eh?" Kakashi said as he leaned in inches closer to them, his visible eye unreadable as he contemplates what they said with hands on hips. Then the skies suddenly turned back to normal and he smiled at them.

"You pass." He said with his smile and I could only smirk.

They went from ready-to-fight to dumbfounded in a matter of seconds and I couldn't help but start to laugh my ass off. The looks on their faces was priceless. They didn't seem to notice it though, or that I was even there for that matter. Kakashi had to actually repeat what he said because they didn't seem to get it. Afterwards Sakura asked why.

"Before I had idiots who'd just listened to what I said. Ninjas must think beyond the norm. Even though society considers those who break the rules scum, you can't help but break it once in a while, especially if you care for your friends. Those who don't are truly scum and don't deserve to become a shinobi by my standards." He says answering Sakura's question while looking over to the new genin, who were each happy in their own way.

"Heh, nice speech." Yukina tells me and I only smirk.

"No kidding." I tell her as I watch, looking at them thoughtfully.

"Well, well, you're the first to past my test since-" Kakashi starts but I finish for him.

"Yours truly!" I say and they look up at me each in their own different ways. Sakura looks completely shocked by the fact, Sasuke only raises an eyebrow and Naruto just gives me his infamous toothy grin with tears in his eyes.

"Congrats guys." I tell them with a smile and a tilt of my head.

"The seventh squad starts doing missions tomorrow! Training ends here!" Kakashi says with a thumbs-up sign.

"Not so fast Kakashi." I say and he looked up at me.

Don't get their hopes up just yet; I still have a job to do!" I say pointing a thumb towards myself and getting their attention back to me.

"Welcome to my training regimen! You'll be starting once you get used to doing missions." I say and they almost look slightly dejected about the little fact.

"Hey, don't worry, it'll be worth you're while, If you make it out alive." I say, thinking the last part in my mind. Yukina laughs at the last part, mumbling something about them not knowing what's gonna hit them. Hey, I'm not gonna go that bad on them, well in the beginning. These first three teams are my first students…

"Heh, that's right. Come on, let's go home." Kakashi said turning in the direction of the village.

He walked toward it, Sakura and Sasuke following behind him, trying to look all cool and what not like satisfied warriors walking into the horizon. It didn't take long for Naruto to start yelling after them, telling them to cut the rope. I sigh as I get off the log, cutting the rope on my way down. He looked for me toward the left side of the log but I glomped him from the right.

"Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!" I squeal. Yes, I can squeal on occasion, this being one of them. He blushed from my approval. I pull back and look at him.

"Come on. This calls for celebration. To Ichiraku's!" I say nodding my head in the direction Kakashi and the others went. His eyes light up and he gives me a million mega-watt toothy grin.

"Don't have to tell me twice!" He said and we break out into a run.

We catch up with others easily and once I'm close enough, I leap frog Kakashi and taunt him to chase after me and Naruto. He actually obliged, along with Sakura. Sasuke decided to keep at his own pace, mumbling something about babies, even though there was a big smirk one his face. I could care less anyway. The village had a new age in store for it with the new generation of ninja. I think the rookie nine are gonna be a very promising group, especially with the teachers they have along side them. Plus, I couldn't help but smile at the fact that this was also gonna be a new beginning for me as well, and these new beginnings are just the tip of the iceberg. I can just feel it…

To Be Continued

Serenity Angel: Okay, I hope that this is much more informative the other chapter. This one wasn't all that bad to write either. Hope you guys like!