Disclaimer – Kishimoto owns Naruto and the characters therein.

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Memories Of Others

Chapter 44

A Genin's Recognition

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"Ah, Naruto." Hiruzen smiled as his favorite orphan entered the office. "You remember Gaara?"

Naruto looked to the corner, where the red-haired boy was sat with a surprisingly calm expression on his face in between a boy and a girl who both looked slightly freaked out. In front of them stood an older man with a veil covering half of his face.

"Sort of… Hey, Gaara."

"Uzumaki." Gaara nodded back. "Thank you."

"For what?" Naruto asked, only for a new voice to answer.

"When I first examined your seal after the Kyuubi's attack, I noted several interesting parts that I hadn't encountered before." Jiraiya said. "When I examined Gaara's seal, I noticed that it was… sub-par is too generous. So I fixed it using some of your father's ideas. Gaara now has all his sand-techniques, but the Ichibi can't escape unless he lets it."

Naruto nodded. "Just like the Kyuubi. That reminds me, I'm going to have to visit the Toads again soon, the Kyuubi wants to experience the world and I think the Great Toad Sages may be able to help me adjust the Kage Bunshin so that the Kyuubi can create a small, temporary avatar for himself."

"As long as you keep enough control that you can dismiss his clone if he even thinks about trying anything, I don't see too many problems." Hiruzen mused, earning a nod of gratitude from Naruto and a shocked look from Jiraiya.

"Anyway." Hiruzen continued. "During the abortive invasion… and it was meant to be one, but Jonin Baki reached a logical, albeit totally wrong conclusion and had his forces pull out after striking at the Oto forces…"

The half-veiled man nodded, a look of embarrasment on the visible portion of his face.

"…your actions proved that you are ready for promotion to Chunin, especially since you managed to do your father's version of the Hiraishin."

Naruto opened his mouth, then froze as he replayed the previous day's fight.

"I… I did…"

"Can you still do it?" Jiraiya asked and Naruto frowned in thought.

"Well, I… I think that I…"

The world blinked around him and Naruto found himself standing in his house.

"Yes!" He shouted in celebration, startling the clone who was tidying up. "At last!"

Gathering his chakra, he returned to the Hokage's office with a grin.

"Yes!" He exulted. "That's how it's done, all three techniques at once and syncing them up correctly to avoid the chakra surges!"

"Interesting." Hiruzen mused. "Perhaps you could try to teach my Guard afterwards. I'm certain that you'll be teaching Hinata as well."

"I think it was learning the Rasengan that helped me make the final step." Naruto said thoughtfully. "Controlling a spiralling sphere of chakra takes quite a bit of concentration… I'll have to practice to make sure I've got it down first, though."

"I'll mark it as a Hijitsu of the Uzumaki clan, albeit one shared with the Senju clan." Hiruzen offered. "So, I called you here for several reasons. The first is that I'd like to have you take Baki and the Sand Siblings back to Suna. Now they know that we have a full Hiraishin user and others learning, I feel certain that they won't be tempted to try and break the alliance between us."

Baki nodded quickly.

"Next… here."

Naruto accepted the Chunin vest and grinned at it, then he paused.

"Aw crud, I'm going to have to adjust my wardrobe, aren't I?"

"You are starting to outgrow that Haori, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue." Hiruzen shrugged. "Finally, I have several messages that I want you to give out…"

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"Congratulations, Naruto." Hiashi said and Naruto blinked.

"You… you've already heard?"

"I am a Hyuuga." Hiashi said as if it explained everything, then his lips twitched in what may have been a brief smile. "I have my sources."

"Ah, right." Naruto managed. "Anyway, Hiruzen sent me to round up the genin for a meeting at half-two in the mission office… which he's repurposing for this. Parents can attend as well, if they wish…"

"I will escort my daughter and nephew personally." Hiashi nodded. "Thank you… chunin Naruto."

"Still getting used to that." Naruto said with a slight smile.

"By the way, where is your vest? Or have you decided to simply not wear it?"

"It's at Silken Leaf Fashions for adjustment." Naruto explained, rubbng the back of his head. "I'm also getting a new Haori to go with it, it'll attach with small pop-studs by the collar."

"I am certain that it will look good." Hiashi replied.

"It'll be ready by the meeting." Naruto shrugged.

"Will you be there?"

"Yup." Naruto grinned. "Once I've done all the missions. I've got a dozen message-relays to the border-outposts to do first, though."

"Then I shall not keep you." Hiashi said. "Thank you for delivering the message."

Naruto bowed and vanished in a flash of golden light.

"He truly does know his father's Hiraishin." Hiashi mused. "Fascinating…"

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"Gotcha!" Shikamaru growled as his shadow lashed out to freeze the demon in its tracks. Choji carefully deployed the carry-basket in front of it and Shikamaru moved carefully in order to force the screeching monster from the darkest pits of hell into the wickerwork container.

"Tora, captured." Ino confirmed, peering through the metal-grill flap at the hissing furball inside.

"I hate that thing." Shikamaru sighed.

"Hey, it's good practise for tracking and capture." Naruto pointed out and Shikamaru jolted in shock.

"DAMMIT NARUTO! Stop doing that to me!" Shikamaru panted as he recovered.

"Sorry." Naruto grinned unrepentantly. "There's a meeting for the Rookies at half past two regarding what happened during the finals, mission office. I've been sent to round everyone up for it."

Shikamaru squinted at him suspiciously. "Is this you or a clone?"

"You got me, I'm a clone." The Kage Bunshin shrugged. "Boss went to…"

"Hinata." Shikamaru interrupted. "Okay. We'll pass word to Asuma-sensei and we'll be there."

The clone dispelled and Shikamaru sighed.

"Should we get going?" Choji asked.

"Yep. Let's go. I wonder how troublesome it'll be…"

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"A meeting?" Gai mused. "Yosh! Perhaps we shall see one of my precious students being promoted, as you have been!"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tenten interjected, looking at Naruto. "You've been promoted?"

"Chunin Uzumaki, at your service." Naruto grinned. "That reminds me, can your dad produce more of these?"

Tenten took the oddly-shaped kunai and looked at it.

"It's got good balance… the extra points'll help in blocking swords and other bladed weapons… it'll fly well once thrown, but the way the blade is weighted, it'll fly point-first rather than be able to be thrown so it spins… no hilt-wrapping, but it looks like there was something there and why the heck does it look so famiiar?"

"That is one of the Yondaime's tri-blade kunai." Gai mused. "It lacks the tag that wrapped around the handle, but…"

"Oh my word!" Tenten gasped. "You've got the one-person version of the Hiraishin working?"

Naruto nodded. "I kinda stumbled across how to do it during the battle, it let me get to the Old Man and give him the boost he needed to destroy Orochimaru. I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to continue our training sessions, I may be a chunin now, but I still have a lot to learn regarding weapons."

"Very true." Gai agreed. "Those who think they have nothing left to learn are those who die from their arrogance."

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Hiruzen looked at the crowd before him. At the back stood the four Jonin-Senseis as well as Hyuuga Hiashi while twelve genin (and one chunin who was resplendent in his new Haori-enhanced chunin vest) stood in front of them. To one side, Jiraiya lounged on the window-sill.

"Welcome." Hiruzen said, effortlessly grabbing everyone's attention. "The last few days have been quite challenging and we are only just beginning to get to grips with what we have learned and what has happened. Jiraiya is particularly irritated in that his intelligence network failed to warn us that the attack was going to happen."

"Some of my agents are less reliable than I had thought." Jiraiya admitted. "I'll get onto it after I've done that retreival mission you want me to do."

"Good." Hiruzen said, then he turned his attention back to his audience. "You are here because some of you proved yourselves worthy of promotion during the attack. The more observant amongst you will have noted that Uzumaki Naruto is already a chunin."

Hiruzen paused as Kiba whooped and high-fived Naruto before realizing just what he'd interrupted and slinking to hide behind an obviously amused Shino.

"As I was saying, Naruto has been awarded the rank of chunin, but he is not the only one." Hiruzen continued. "I have received reports from your Jonin-Senseis, as well as eyewitness reports from various shinobi who were present during the attack and now, I shall inform you of the decisions that I have reached.
"Team seven, Uchiha Sasuke. You proved your tactical skills during the finals, planning ahead but being able to change your plans on the fly when appropriate. During the attack, you followed orders and defended the innocent until they could get into the shelters. Once that was done, you told a senior ninja what you had seen, giving them the information they needed to head off an assault that would have caused massive casualties.
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion and your request to be considered for ANBU training has been granted. Congratulations, chunin."

Sasuke accepted the vest almost reverantly, then stepped back as Tobio clapped him on his shoulder in congratulations.

"Team eight, Aburame Shino. Like Sasuke, you proved that you could plan ahead, setting up storage scrolls full of water and fuuinjutsu arrays for doton techniques to use during your match against an adversary who, under any other circumstance, you would have been unable to hold your own against. In a very real sense, it was your actions which prevented Gaara from unleashing his Biju through his sand as the attackers had planned. During the attack, you joined with your clan to swarm several of the attackers, proving your teamwork credentials.
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion. Congratulations, chunin."

Shino accepted the vest stoically.

"Team nine, Higurashi Tenten. Although you lost your fight, you demonstrated that you could counter most of the attacks used against you. During the invasion, you found high ground and provided long-range covering fire which has been credited with saving the lives of at least five of the shinobi of Konoha.
"You have proven yourself worthy of promotion. Congratulations, chunin."

Tenten slowly took the vest, a disbelieving grin on her face. As she returned to her team, Gai and Lee both caught her in a hug that lifted her off the ground before she was able to lever them off her.

"Team ten, although none of you made it to the finals, your choice of ensuring the well-being of one your own over the mission has been noted and will go into your files. Although none of you are to be promoted this time, rest assured that in future tests, you will be at an advantage in the eyes of the judges."
"However, having three of you promoted out of your teams and one of you transferring to my ANBU will require some rearrangement. I leave it to you to decide."

Sakura gave Sasuke a pleading look.

"I have to do this. I have always planned on doing it." Sasuke said quietly. "We can… still be friends…"

"I would suggest that you decide amongst yourselves what you wish to do." Hiruzen continued. "All except Naruto, dismissed. Naruto, please stay, I have a mission for you."

Naruto paused just long enough to give Hinata a quick kiss on her cheek, eliciting a surprised eep, before moving out of the way of the departing group.

"Okay, so what's the mission, sir?"

"So formal?" Hiruzen chuckled, then he nodded to Jiraiya. "I'm sending Jiraiya to retrieve my third student, Senju Tsunade, and bring her back here. With your recent grasping of your father's signature jutsu, I feel you would be perfect for this mission as you would be able to return with her, quite literally, in a flash."

Naruto nodded slowly, then he grinned.

"Hey, pervy-sage, what do you plan on doing during the journey if I do go with you?"

"Well, mainly checking your general knowledge and enhancing it, teaching you the art of reconnaisance, spycraft, diplomacy… I've talked to Kosuke-san about what he taught you and you've had a pretty firm base for me to build on."

"And I can save us some money as well." Naruto grinned, pulling out a tri-blade kunai and holding it for Jiraiya to take. The Toad Sage did so, looking at it curiously.

"I still need to get back to the Toads." Naruto explained. "You set off and I can use that to join you once I'm done. In fact, when I do, we won't need to worry about hotels, I can just jump us back and forth once you find a good place to temporarily hide that as a beacon."

"Deyaaaammn." Jiraiya breathed. "Why the heck didn't I think of that…"