Disclaimer – Kishimoto owns Naruto and the characters therein.

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Memories Of Others

Chapter 24

Home Of A Genin

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"I still can't get over how cool your den is." Kiba stated as he glanced around. "I mean, my den's only about as big as your bedroom… balcony… level… thing…"

"Bedroom area?" Hinata supplied and Kiba nodded.

"Yep, that. Sure, my den's walls go straight up rather than in, but this place is like loads bigger."

"Thanks, Kiba." Naruto called from where he and a clone were finishing putting the meal together. "So, I heard that you're all entering the chunin exams?"

"That would be an accurate summation of our finalized decision." Shino droned. "Although we do not expect to attain the rank of chunin this time through, it will allow us to modify our skill-sets in order to ensure our next attempts are more successful."

"Speak for yourself." Kiba countered. "I think we're gonna blast through, especially with how good Hinata's got! I've had to get really good if I want to keep up with her."

Hinata blushed at Kiba's off-hand compliment.

"Naruto-kun… father agrees that if I keep expanding my reserves at the current rate, I'll probably be able to do the Kage Bunshin unassisted within the next two months." Hinata supplied.

"So you'll be able to clone him?" Kiba asked, only for both Naruto and Hinata to shake their heads.

"When I clone someone, I clone their chakra levels too." Naruto explained. "If the person has more than half my chakra level, I can't clone them. I just don't have enough chakra to make a stable clone. If I have less chakra than whoever I'm trying to clone… well, I don't even want to think about what might happen then."

Kiba winced and Shino raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"It occurs to me that Maito Gai is known to use the chakra-enhancement technique known as the Eight Gates…"

"Already studying it." Naruto confirmed. "Two gates already openable and the third… I should be able to finally open it by the time that the exams actually start. Oddly, if I try to clone someone who is using one of the Gates, the clone pops instantly. We think it's because using the Gates can damage the user. My healing factor really helps out with that. Serving up!"

Naruto and his clone busied themselves with the various dishes while the three guests rose from the various sofas and moved across to the table.

"Alright." Naruto said as he created two more clones who promptly started the washing up. "Here we are."

Kiba licked his lips as Naruto and his clone brought the food across.

"Red bean soup for Hinata." Naruto smiled, placing the steaming bowl in front of his fiancee. "For Kiba, grilled beef with a bacon side, a wild green salad for Shino and for myself, another bowl of red bean soup. For Akamaru, prime beef and pork cuts. Dig in."

"Itadakimasu!" The four chorused before they applied themselves to their dinners. For several long minutes, the only noises were those of eating.

"This is incredible." Kiba finally said after swallowing a large chunk of beef. "How did you get this? It's aged to perfection, the flavor's amazing…"

"I used the Hiraishin to pop over to Wave." Naruto shrugged. "The market there has loads of things that are hard to get here. Apparently several new farms and ranches have started up to supply the increasing demand for new foodstuffs. The beef is from a breed of bull shipped over from the Land of Mystical Stones. Tsunami was kind enough to recommend a couple of the merchants there."

"Damn, it's good." Kiba agreed fervently. "Naruto, you're the best friend ever!"

Shino shifted slightly and Kiba gave him a look. "What? Don't tell me you aren't enjoying that food."

"It is… filling." Shino admitted and Hinata giggled.

"That means he really likes it." She whispered to Naruto, who nodded in understanding.

"Watch out for those leaves on the left, they're peppery."

Shino nodded. "I have become aware of that particular feature. They go very well with the tomatoes."

"So, if you're not entering the exams, what are you doing?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Helping out." Naruto smiled. "And I'm sorry, but it's classified. Apropos of nothing, you may wish to confirm your camping scrolls are well-stocked, especially the medical kits."

"I shall pay close attention to the scrolls you mentioned, Naruto-san." Shino said with a slight nod of his head.

"You know," Kiba suddenly said, "If my mom finds out you can get meat like this, she'll be hiring you almost constantly to bring the bulls back for her."

"Feel free to tell her." Naruto laughed. "In fact, there's some spare meat left over. Once she tastes that, my future income'll be secured."

Kiba gave him a surprised look, then started to laugh.

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"Naruto!"

Naruto blinked, then turned round just in time to intercept a highly-excited projectile.

"Good afternoon, Inari, how're you finding Konoha?"

"It's great!" Inari grinned. "The Yamanaka clan put us up while mom does her business things for gramps. The Inuzuka clan are interested in getting gramps and his men over to rebuild several of their den blocks, they're not that good at woodworking."

"Good to hear." Naruto replied. "I know I'm taking your mother back to Wave soon, but are you staying all the way to the final stage?"

"Nah." Inari sighed. "We're staying just long enough to see Ino and her team start, then we're heading back until just before the final stage."

"Inari, why'd you run off like… oh. Okay. Hi, Naruto." Ino said as she walked up to them, her team trailing behind. "Inari's tagging along for the day, he's deciding if he wants to become a ninja."

"It's pretty hard." Inari agreed. "I mean, being able to leap from roof to roof and so on will be really cool, but I've only just unlocked my chakra coils and I'm still struggling with the leaf exercise."

"I still can't do that one very well." Naruto admitted. "It's weird, I can water-walk, tree-walk, perform jutsu that would leave anyone else so drained that they wouldn't be able to move, but the leaf exercise? Still struggling."

"Weird." Inari agreed, then he clapped his hand over his mouth as Ino started to laugh.

"Inari being troublesome?" Shikamaru asked with a smirk and the young boy glared at him. "Oh, don't worry. You're not the only brat hanging around with a team."

"Really?" Naruto asked curiously and Choji laughed.

"The Hokage's grandson seems to have taken to trying to keep up with a certain Jonin's apprentice…"

"I have to see this." Naruto smiled. "Where is he?"

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"YOSH!"

"Yo... hosh…"

Naruto stared in near-disbelief at the sight before him. Team 9 were doing their standard cool-downs, but in addition to the three genin, a trio of academy students were doing their utmost to follow the teens examples.

"Naruto!" Gai shouted as he stopped doing vertical one-handed push-ups, flipping into a somersault that let him land lightly on his feet. "It is good to see you again! My students have been preparing for the exams by practicing training others, a vital skill for any shinobi to learn!"

Naruto nodded as he looked at the exhausted students.

"I recognize Konohamaru, but who are the other two?"

"They are Udon, a budding genius of tactics, and Moegi who is eager to learn the ways of speed and agility, turning even the most taxing of battles into the poetry of motion! I have already reported to the Hokage that I believe that they should be marked as a potential team!"

Naruto nodded. "It's almost a shame that I probably won't be a Jonin by the time they graduate, it'd certainly be interesting to guide their progress."

"You understand one of the most rewarding paths available." Gai agreed. "The greatest of triumphs a teacher may attain is to be surpassed by their students. Excuse me, please."

Naruto watched with a bemused expression as Gai walked over to the young trio and crouched down, talking to them quietly, then he waved for Lee to join him before walking back to Naruto.

"May I ask for a small favor?"

"Of course." Naruto shrugged and Gai motioned to the trio of prone children.

"My team wishes to do one more mission to earn some extra money, but my other students need to return home. If you could loan Lee one of your father's kunai…"

"Then he can visit the three in order and I can use clones to send them to him before he rejoins you at the mission desk." Naruto said, pulling one of the Hiraishin kunai out of his pouch.

"You follow my plan perfectly." Gai grinned, the light seeming to sparkle off his teeth.

"Gai-sensei, what do you have planned for me to do?" Lee asked as he jogged up.

"I have a task for you, Lee." Gai declaimed. "You are to run first to Udon's house, then to Moegi's and finally to Konohamaru's. At each house, you are to drop this kunai on the ground, then when the student in question appears before you, you are to hand him or her to their guardians before collecting the kunai and going to the next location. Afterwards, return the Kunai to Naruto and then meet us at the tower."

"Yes, Gai-Sensei!" Lee exulted, accepting the Kunai. "I shall do it now!"

As the green-clad teen seemed to blur away, Naruto created nine clones who moved to take positions around the children.

"Let's see how long he… wow! That was fast!" Naruto gasped as the first group of clones activated the technique that transported Udon back to his house.

Gai's smile widened as his other two students joined him.

"I shall leave them in your capable hands, Naruto-san." Gai stated with a slight bow. "Come, my students, let us fan our flames of youth with another mission!"

As if he had planned it, his declaration was punctuated by the bright flash of Moegi being sent to her house.

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"Hey, ramen-brat."

"Crazy snake-lady." Naruto nodded back and Anko unleashed a bark of laughter.

"We're getting close to seeing the brats beating the snot out of each other." Anko said as a looming figure appeared behind her, seeming to simply materialize out of the shadows. "My boss wants to talk to you about that."

"Thank you, Anko." The tall man rumbled as he stepped into the light, his scarred face not showing a single emotion. "Uzumaki."

Naruto managed to swallow despite his suddenly-dry throat as he recognized the head of the Torture and Interrogation division. "Morino-san."

"Excellent." Ibiki said with a slight nod. "Walk with me."

Naruto moved to walk beside the taller man, glancing up to try and see if there were any clues about what he wanted.

"Do not worry, Uzumaki, you are not in trouble." Ibiki said, the corner of his mouth briefly quirking upwards. "As head of T&I, reports of your actions on the Wave mission came to my attention, especially your usage of the Hiraishin. It is that skill which I wish to hire you for."

"Sir?"

Ibiki glanced down at him, then looked ahead once more. "The first stage of the exams is meant to test the participants in many ways. Their ability to acquire information at a level that a civilian wouldn't notice, the determination to continue a mission to the end, trust in their team-mates abilities to see the mission through. But underpinning all of that is personal courage.
"I am well-known amongst the other villages. I know that many shinobi outside the Land of Fire have nightmares about facing me. The rumors of my sadism and ability to destroy resistance without laying a hand on them are widespread… part of which is because I helped to spread them.
"Should I appear at the front of the room, apparently using the Hiraishin, the technique previously believed by many to have died with the Yondaime…"

"You'll need to call in cleaners to mop up the evidence they leave behind." Naruto supplied and Ibiki's lips quirked into a brief smile again.

"Correct. Will you do it?"

Naruto frowned slightly. "Pay?"

"High D-rank."

"I want to be there to see their faces."

"The Invigilators are all chunin… but I believe I can make an exception. You will need to wear the same uniform as them, though."

"Then we have a deal." Naruto agreed. "When do you need me… and where?"

Ibiki smirked. "Two hours before the test begins, meet me at the Hokage Tower in meeting room three. And Naruto…"

Naruto looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Be aware, I shall be watching your actions... with interest."

As he finished, Ibiki stepped into a shadow and seemed to melt away, leaving Naruto to wipe away the sudden cold sweat.

"Damn, he's creepy when he wants to be."

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From where he was standing in a cloaking genjutsu, Ibiki smirked at Naruto's shaking whisper.

'I've still got it.'