Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor any of the characters, beside the main OC. All credit for creating this amazing series goes to Mr. Kishimoto

EDITED: 26th January 2013

Author's note:

First of all, a very special thanks to kazers for reviewing. My first review... it's kind of really cool. Thank you all for reading, especially to those who added the story to favourites or decided to "follow" it. It really encourages me to keep posting.

Now, we finally begin with proper canon as the chapter covers... graduation. It's actually a big time skip – more than a year – but I didn't really had any relevant episode to describe, so I jumped forward to the juicer things.

Well, enough chitchat, here we go with the actual chapter:

GRADUATION

October, 9th 213

"Well, what did you do this time?" Akimi asked, with a small smirk.

Naruto stopped on his tracks. He was stealthily sneaking back home, after a successful little prank he had orchestrated. Shadow Clones were a blessing.

"Amiki-chan!" he exclaimed, ruffling his hairs. "I thought you were sleeping."

The girl was in her nightgown, sitting in her favorite armchair near the hearth, which was of course lit. She was reading a scroll. "Nay." she said, raising her head. "I was actually awake and I heard the perimeter seal going off. So, what did you do?"

"A little revenge on those fucker shopkeepers."

"Language." Akimi reflectively said, without really minding. "So?"

The boy shrugged. "I kind of mixed up all their stuff, storages too. You know... food with clothes, weapons with toys, all those sort of things. They will need ages to sort all out. And I may have painted pink and yellow neon some of the meanest."

Akimi giggled. "You gotta love Kage Bunshin."

Naruto smirked, peeping to see what she was reading. "Again with that seal?"

"It's bugging me." Akimi said, biting the pencil she had for notes purposes in frustration. "I mean, how many fucking layers has that thing got? And look, you even rubbed onto me your bad mouth."

"A curse now and then is a great outlet." Naruto said. "Come on, 'mi-chan, you can't lose the rest of your life on that thing."

"Try me." she replied, impassable. "It's not like you are not stubborn. I myself wasn't that stubborn before meeting you. Besides, you saw how useful my break downs on seal are."

The girl had managed to create a huge seal of protection, privacy and detection all around the perimeter of the house, which Naruto jokingly called the Lair. Of course the array required so much chakra that Naruto had to exhaust himself twice to overpower them.

"Indeed." Naruto smiled. "Got any news on that protection seal?"

"Yup. I think that modifying a chakra absorption seal, like the one we put on the house, with a storage one and connecting them to the protection seal will basically power it up without any problems. The tricky part is making the protection seal activate at will. Having it always on would be... stupid."

"Yeah, you get overconfident, the seal disappears and puff... your dead."

"What a happy prospective..." she stopped, her gaze unfocused. Naruto recognized the sign of the mental strain a clone dispelling caused. She probably was going over the info in her head. "'to-kun, show me the seal again."

The boy yawned, lifting his shirt and molding his chakra. The complex seal appeared. "Well? What did you discover?"

Akimi did a hand sign, activating the privacy seal on the room. "I was so desperate that I decided to look at the matter from a different point of view. Or better said, my clone did. So if you look at the seal without a sealing prospective what do you see?"

"You mean like the first time I saw it? I thought it felt familiar... and almost like a swirl, the swirl!"

"Indeed." Akimi nodded. "The clone went through your family's chest, I hope you don't mind..." He shook his head. "I think the seal is inspired by Uzushiokagure's Fūinjutsu."

"Did you discover something?"

"Not much. I've found a similar seal, with only four points, and without any space... it's a very powerful containment seal."

"For chakra?"

"Mainly, yes. The scroll speaks of "energy", actually... it's very old. But I suppose it means chakra."

"Mmm..." Naruto scratched his head. "Why would anyone make a seal to contain something inside of me? Do you suppose it's like a huge amount of chakra? Maybe it's the reason I've got so much stamina."

Akimi tilted her head. "Could be. But where did the one who make the seal find so much chakra? It seems to be an endless supply. Besides, we have to suppose that the seal was made when you were very young, if not it could have tampered with your chakra coils."

"What you mean?"

"Well, I think the space in the seal means a constant amount of foreign chakra floods into your system. It would also explain why lately Kaera senses two different energies in you."

"You didn't tell me this before."

"It sounded strange. Kaera herself didn't tell me until now. She thought she was making a mistake." Akimi shrugged. "Well, as I was saying forcing foreign chakra in developed coils is very risky. It could cause them to break."

"I see." Naruto was pensive. "Well, I think it's best if we go to sleep."

Akimi giggled. "Yes, is quite late. Well, tomorrow we can skip morning training. It's your birthday after all."

"Yeah, how wonderful." Naruto hated his birthday. Everyone was sulking, remembering the Kyūbi attack, and they treated him worse than usual. Of course, last year it had been better, thanks to Akimi, but still... "We'll spend the morning listening to Iruka telling us about the attack of the Kyūbi and..."

The two look at each other. Naruto looked horrified.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Akimi. "Naruto-kun, don't do..." she looked at the boy bolting out of the room. "... anything stupid. Kaera, after him!" she ordered.

"It's ironic you know." Naruto was hugging his knees, a sad look on his usual beaming face. "To discover that you hero is the one who made you a monster."

Akimi sat near him. They were on the head of the Yondaime, on the Hokage's mountain. "You are not a monster!" she hissed.

"Yeah, sure. Now everything makes sense. Why they hated me, why they shunned me. Parents who told their children not to speak with me, everyone who ignored me like I've the plague... it's because I'm the fox and..."

"Enough!" Akimi slapped him, moving suddenly. Naruto looked at her with a confused gaze. "End of brooding time. You-are-not-the-bloody-fox! Those... those fuckers! How dare they...! Naruto, that seal is the single most powerful and complex thing I ever seen. There is no bloody way the fox is getting out from that, not anytime soon, anyway. If it were the case, you would have felt its interference before: something like voices, stronger negative emotions... did you ever?"

Naruto shook his head.

"See? And even if it could speak to you, influence you, it wouldn't matter." Akimi said. "Because it would fail. You have got the purest of souls. You are not the fox, you are the one who keeps the fox at bay. You are... a hero."

"Akimi-chan..."

"No, I'm totally serious. Don't listen to those... bakas! They don't even know the basic principles of Fūinjutsu and they act like they are all-knowing and almighty. Fools." Akimi hugged him. "I don't care you have a demon sealed inside of you, you are not one. I'll always be your friend. It's my promise of honor."

"Me too, Akimi-chan, it's the promise of a lifetime, dattebayo."

After that, Naruto had to physically restrain Akimi many times, lest she went on a rampage and burned all the bloody idiotic civilians to ashes. It was a very warm feeling to have someone care so much for you.

October, 13th 213

Graduation day. The whole class was on edge, some exited, some anxious, some bored... some sleeping (yeah, Shikamaru never backed down from a nap).

"Ehi, dobe." Kiba snorted. "What are you doing here? You know you are going to fail!"

"Akamaru-kun, try to restrain your human, please." Akimi said from her chair, without raising her eyes from her book. "I would hate to disrespect you by hurting him."

The dog barked.

"Thank you, Akamaru-kun."

"You can understand him?" Kiba asked in shock.

"Well, no." Akimi replied. "But your dog is intelligent. And he cares for you. Hence it's obvious his answer was positive." She turned a page. "Don't you think?"

Naruto smirked. "I love your sarcasm, Akimi-chan." he said, resting his head on the table.

"Me too."

Naruto yawned. "I'm bored."

"No pranking today. We discussed it."

"Geez, don't worry. I actually want to graduate." Naruto said. "Then we can be real ninja!"

Of course none of them was aware of the horrors of D-rank missions.

"Troublesome."

"You are awake, Shika?" exclaimed Naruto. "That's strange. I think you could have slept for like... thirty seconds more."

"Iruka-sensei's yelling would have been too troublesome."

"Are you guys ready, munch?" Chōji asked. "The exam ought to be tricky."

"Nah, if you can do the three techniques you are golden." Naruto said. "Besides you are good at taijutsu as well, so..."

"What if they ask you do clones, dope?" Kiba asked. "You don't seem to do well in that aspect."

Akimi laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing." Akimi said. 'Bunshin Jutsu are actually Naruto's specialty. He was right. This act is funny from time to time...' "Inside joke."

Naruto was also smirking. "Well, good luck guys."

"Silence, class! Everyone, sit down at your places. We will begin immediately. First, there will be a written test. I don't want everyone cheating. If I discover one of you doing so I will kick them out personally." Iruka yelled, with is Big Head no Jutsu.

"About bloody time." Naruto whispered. "I can't wait for that Hitai-ate to be mine!"

Naruto had done the exact same performance of his previous exam. Barely passing the written test, average in throwing weapons, above average in Taijutsu, and pitiful in Genjutsu. He was certainly going to be the dope and with Akimi acing everything (to Sasuke's dismay) they would certainly finish on the same team.

The plan was successful.

"Good job with Henge, Naruto." Iruka said, sternly.

Besides him, Mizuki was fuming. 'The demon fox has managed to do well on this exam, damn it. I can't believe he saw through my genjutsu!'

"Now, please do three Bunshin." Iruka said, sighing. 'Damn, I'm so sorry I had to ask him that. It's his worse Jutsu... but luck wanted it so. I had hoped his friendship with Akimi would help him, but he is the always the same...' The scarred man had enjoyed many dinners with the two kids, amazed by their friendship. They were two orphans, alone, who took care of each other.

Naruto smiled. "Sure thing, dattebayo." He crossed his fingers in the tiger seal. "Bunshin no Jutsu!" Three clones appeared. Three normal, perfect and functional clones.

Mizuki and Iruka gaped.

"Eh, eh... I studied hard for weeks to master this, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed. Unknowingly from the two teachers, a small horde of Naruto's had appeared outside as well, in the courtyard, startling the families who were waiting for their kids. "How is it?"

"Excellent, Naruto!" Iruka beamed at his student. "Congratulations!" he said, giving him a forehead protector. Naruto immediately grabbed it. He tied it around his head, using it to stop his unruly hair from falling on his forehead.

"I've done it, dattebayo!" he squealed, exited. "I'm a ninja!"

"You may go, Naruto." Iruka said.

The boy immediately stormed out, jumping.

"Well done, 'to-kun." Akimi said to him, smiling. She was waiting for him with crossed arms.

"Finally!" he exclaimed. "No more Academy! I'm free...! We can do missions!"

"Naruto-kun, calm down." Akimi smiled. "How about we go celebrate? Teuchi-san and Ayame will be happy to see we passed."

"Sure thing, dattebayo!"

October, 20th 213

"So we are kind of unsure whether to appoint Sasuke or Akimi as rookie of the year. I mean, she did win more spars than him, but she is... well, a girl." Iruka said, tiredly. He had been deeply upset by the betrayal of Mizuki, who had tried to steal the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing.

Hiruzen breathed in with is pipe, releasing a small puff of smoke. "Ah, Iruka..." he said. "You should not repeat that again. I know some kunoichi who would beat you to a pulp, maybe even Akimi-chan herself. You said so yourself, she defeated Sasuke in spars, so she gets the title. Rightfully so."

"Yeah, but I hear Sasuke is very well versed in ninjutsu... he certainly knows some Katon ones. So..."

Hiruzen laughed.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Katora Akimi is far more dangerous that you give her credit. Besides, the title of rookie isn't that important in the real world. Jiraiya was the dobe of his year, you know." Hiruzen smirked. "Now, about the teams... I've looked over you recommendations. I think reforming the Ino-Shika-Cho team is a wonderful idea. It worked once, it shall work again. But for Team 7 and 8. I made a small change."

Iruka looked at the charts. "Hokage-sama, are you sure? I mean..."

"This is my last word. The only thing that may change are the jōnin sensei, if they refuse a team I'll find a substitute." Hiruzen said. "Oh, here they are."

In that moment three men entered. The one of middle was tall, dressed in the standard jōnin outfit, but with a small ban with kanji "guardian of fire" on his belt. He had a cigarette in his mouth and brown eyes and hair. To his right there was a tall woman, very beautiful, clad in a red and white long dress. She had piercing red eyes and long, wavy black hair. The last man was also dressed in a standard jōnin outfit. He was reading an orange book, much to the annoyance of the woman, and had spiky, gravity defying silver hair. His forehead protector covered his right eye and the lower half of his face was hidden by a black mask. Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai and Hatake Kakashi.

"Welcome. I've asked you here because I want you to take on the three most promising teams of this year. Asuma, you told me you wanted the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, is that right?"

"Yes, dad."

"Kurenai, Kakashi, do you agree or do you want to take on future team 10 as well?"

"It's fine, Hokage-sama."

"Asuma can have them."

"Good." The Hokage smirked. "Now, the original proposal for team 7 was Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura Haruno and Uzumaki Naruto. However I decided to change it. It will be... Katora Akimi, Aburame Shino and Uzumaki Naruto. That leaves Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Kiba Inuzuka on Team 8."

"I'm sorry Hokage-sama, are you sure the teams won't be unbalanced this way?" asked Kurenai. "Uzumaki did very poorly on his tests and..."

Hiruzen chuckled. "Iruka here said that Akimi and Sasuke are on the same level. In fact, Akimi beat the kid many times over, did she not?"

The scarred chūnin nodded.

"It should make you happy, Kurenai. A girl was the best of her year. Besides, she and Naruto will work very well together. They are good friends." 'They are also very reserved, really. Shino will be able to respect their privacy, giving them the necessary time to open up.'

"What if they isolate Shino?" asked Kakashi instead.

Hiruzen shrugged. "In that case they will fail your test, Kakashi."

"I suppose so." the masked man said. "I thought the council wanted me to teach the last Uchiha."

"Indeed." Hiruzen was impassable. "But if you consent to give the boy a couple of lessons if he awakes his Sharingan it will be fine. Both he and Sakura are very suited for genjutsu, Kurenai will be able to teach them lots. However, you can choose to take Team 8 instead, Kakashi"

"No, damn the council." Kakashi said. "I'll take Team 7. I have a tradition to carry forward." 'No way I'm not going to train your son, sensei.'

"Kurenai, are you all right with this predicament?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Then, Iruka, you can go." Hiruzen smiled. "You can stay and watch your new genins reactions." and he took out a small crystal ball.

"I was first!"

"No, I was first." a shirk voice yelled. "Sasuke-kun is going to be mine! I get to sit near him!"

"Shut up, forehead!"

"No, you shut up, Ino-pig!"

The object of the crazy fan girls desire, the last Uchiha, was sitting with an impassable face, brooding. And silently cursing them.

Akimi glared at them from her usual seat at the bottom of the room. "Fan girls..." she spat, turning at her book on Advanced Chakra Molding and Hand Seals. Naruto chuckled from her left. In front of them were Chōji and Shikamaru, as it was now normal for them. Kiba was nearby as well.

"The funny thing is that they don't get there are two seats near Sasuke." Naruto observed, smirking. "So much for being observant."

"Obsession blinds them." Akimi said. "They'll have a wakeup call sooner or later... and it will not be pretty."

"So a small part of you cares for them?" Naruto asked, brushing some dust from his orange suit. It was not the moment to reveal his true self yet. "I'm amazed."

"They are comrades of the Leaf now." Akimi replied. "Besides, they do have great potential. If only they weren't obsessed, that is."

"Suppose your right." Naruto yawned. "I'm bored."

"SHUT UP, brats!" Iruka yelled upon entering the room. "Right, I want to congratulate you for your successful graduation!" he then smiled, proudly at them. "However, you still have a long road in front of you. You are now real ninja, but even among the genins, you are mere rookies. You are the lowest of the lowest rank. Some of you may have found the trials of the Academy hard, well they are something that experienced ninjas can do in their sleep. Many challenges await you, before you become true shinobi. That said, I wish you all good luck. Now, I'll be reading the selected teams. You are to report here after lunch to meet with your jōnin sensei. So, Team 1 will be..."

Naruto dozed off, not really caring about the teams.

"Team 7 will be Katora Akimi, Aburame Shino..." Naruto raised his head, alerted, and even Akimi lowered her book. "... and Uzumaki Naruto."

"Yes!" Naruto rejoiced, albeit quietly. Akimi smiled and winked at him. "It worked."

"Of course it did. There was no way Sandaime-sama wouldn't put us together after he saw us sparring." Akimi said, in her no-nonsense tone.

"Team 8 will be Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba." There was a shirk scream of joy from the pink haired kunoichi, a thunder of protest from the other fan girls and a groan from Kiba.

"I feel sorry for you, really." Naruto loudly said to the feral looking boy.

The class was surprised. Sakura was a little offended. "Did he not have a crush on me? Of course, he kind of hangs out with Akimi now." "Cha! We are so much better than her, but at least he will leave us alone." She glared at the blonde, but stopped when she met Akimi's own glare. She gulped a little, before turning back and busied herself with fantasizing about Sasuke... they were in the same team!

"... Team 10 will be Shikamaru Nara, Akimichi Chōji and Yamanaka Ino."

"This is unfair! Why does forehead get do be on Sasuke-kun's team and I get struck with the lazy one and fatty over there?"

"Troublesome."

"Munch, munch."

"The teams were selected by Hokage-sama himself. They are final." Iruka said, continuing with his list.

"I think I will have a hard time with my team." Kurenai said. "I definitely need to beat that fan girl attitude out of Sakura."

"Bossy fan girls... why did you have to get the one decent kunoichi, Kakashi?" complained Asuma.

The masked man was reading his book. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" he asked.

The others sweat dropped. Kakashi, in the meantime, was going on the reports he read.

Katora Akimi. She arrived in the village two years before, she was granted citizenship and a place in the Academy by the Sandaime himself. Very good friend of Naruto Uzumaki, but cordial and open to almost everyone. She was graded well above average in the three arts, had an impressive amount stamina for a kunoichi her age and displayed a high intelligence and seriousness. She was tied with Sasuke Uchiha for rookie of the year, something unheard of before.

Aburame Shino. Best in the class after Sasuke, Akimi and Sakura (who scored kunoichi of the year). Very stoic and mysterious. True skill unknown, but he was probably proficient in his clan techniques.

Uzumaki Naruto. He was the dobe. He barely passed, but had a good grade in Taijutsu and a decent one in Ninjutsu. He sucked at Genjutsu. He had huge levels of stamina (no kidding, he contained the fox, after all) but poor control. He was childish and loved pranks. He was described as a hot-headed, impulsive kid, with no aptitude to strategy whatsoever. His stealth skills were graded as average, but the kid did wear orange. Surprisingly, though, his reaction had been controlled. He expected the kid to start jumping at the news he was in the same team as his best friend. 'Curious.'

Kakashi sighed. It was a strangely assorted team. For some verses it reminded him of his own genin team, but yet it was very different. He wondered. 'Will they work together? Should I let myself hope?' He didn't notice the Hokage's smirk.

"Aburame-san." Akimi bowed to the tall, reserved boy. Shino was the tallest of their class. He wore standard black shinobi sandals and pants. He had a long green jacket over it, whose collar covered part of his face. He had dark brown hair, which almost looked like a bush, and wore black sunglasses, which helped in creating his stoic figure.

"Katora-san, Uzumaki-san."

"We thought we could get together and eat something, dattebayo! Since we are a team and everything."

If you focused long enough, you could hear a small buzz from Shino's quiet and emotionless figure. "It seems logical."

"We have bentos." Akimi said, with a polite smile. "Would you prefer to sit in the sun or in shade?"

"Shade."

No kidding.

"Sun!" thundered Naruto.

Akimi glared at him. "Well, we could find a spot with both."

A few moments later they were all sitting near each other, the bentos in the middle of them. "So..." Akimi started, appalled by Shino's silence. "And I thought I was an anti-social type. He takes it to an unknown level." "... maybe we could speak a little about ourselves, since we have to work together from now own."

"It's logical, Katora-san."

"Oh come on, Shino, you don't have to address us with our surnames – we have known each other for years!"

Akimi sighed. "Naruto-kun doesn't really get politeness. I did try to beat it to him, but I failed." she said.

Shino secretively smirked, while the blonde pouted.

"However he is kind of right. We are teammates now, we ought to call each other by names."

"I agree. Naruto-san, Akimi-san."

"Damn, he is even worse than you, 'mi-chan!"

Team 7 was waiting. The other teams had been collected by their sensei long ago.

Shino was standing in a corner, examining (maybe talking to) a bug on his hand. Akimi was sat on the ground, reading her book, sometimes taking a couple of notes. Naruto was leaning against her, bored out of his mind.

"It's almost been two hours." he whined.

"Probably our sensei is trying to teach us patience." Akimi said, quietly.

"It's logical."

"Still. I don't have to like it."

Akimi shrugged dismissively, turning a page. "Then do what you do best."

"Why not!" Naruto rubbed his hands, moving a chair near the door. He then proceeded to place a brush full of chalk on the edge.

"I don't think that will fool a jōnin, Naruto-san."

"Well, trying won't hurt." Naruto smirked then, to the other's boy surprise, he produced a brush and started drawing on the ground with some precise and firm strokes. He chuckled evilly while doing so.

Shino almost gaped (but he didn't show it). "You know Fūinjutsu, Naruto-san?"

The blonde boy shrugged. "A little. But the real expert is Akimi-chan. By the way, come over here and tell me if I did this wrong. I don't want to blow things up."

"I never thought I would see the day when you would say that." Akimi smirked, jumping on her feet with ease. She glanced at the seal. "Yeah, yeah... you are golden. Hurry up and activate it. Someone is coming."

Aburame Shino wasn't particularly excited about the Team Placement. He figured any of his class mates would do. He was intrigued when he finished with Katora Akimi and Uzumaki Naruto, though. The class genius (well one of the class geniuses) and the dobe. But that was only the outer layer, wasn't it?

Akimi was the only girl in the class who really took all the lessons seriously. She didn't seem to despise taijutsu practice, even though she did look at it with less enthusiasm than academics or ninjutsu. Another surprise here, she had way more chakra reserves than the other girls in class. His Kikaichū were wary of her... and of the so called dead last as well. (The same dead last who did a seal like it was a child's game...)

If he had any doubts about Akimi's dangerousness, they were cleared that day. She had always come to the Academy in an almost casual wear. Comfy clothes, very good for training. She usual wore blue and black, with the occasional red as decoration. That day she had arrived in what looked like a very sturdy ninja gear.

She had on combat black boots, in which she actually hid two complex scrolls with immobility and chakra draining seals. She wore black fitting shorts, which stopped just over her knees, with two red lines going down the middle of her outer thighs. A weapon holster was on her right leg, with another two other equipment bags by her belt. She had on a crimson red mesh shirt, covered by a short floating coat that arrived barely mid-thigh. The coat was black and had thin golden embroidery all over it, which very difficult to notice though. On her right shoulder was strapped the insignia of a shining golden flame. On her left shoulder she carried a small white spiral instead. On the inside of the coat were several scrolls holding spaces, used mostly for storage. Her Hitai-ate was tied above her right elbow. She wore fingerless red gloves, with a protective metal plate for parrying blows.

"Akimi-san is correct." Shino said. "Someone is coming."

Naruto swiftly charged the seal then moved away the chair. He then returned to his place near Akimi, who was still reading, but had sealed away her notebook and writing tools. Shino also got nearer to them, and busied himself with staring out of the windows. "Act casually." suggested Naruto.

Akimi smirked. Shino didn't answer, but he usually didn't show any emotions anyway, while Naruto started playing with his thumbs. The door opened.

Kakashi Hatake was two hours late. Some would think it was a smart way to test his hopeful genins to be, but in reality he was simply chronically late. Seeing the people who waited for him frustrated was just a bonus.

So here he was. He opened the door, preparing one of his cheeky excuses. He had no problems sensing the object dropping towards him. He was a jōnin after all. "So Naruto decided to play a prank on me?" he thought, with an inner smile. He was about to dodge the projectile... when he felt a strong jolt through his nervous system, not enough to hurt him, but sufficient to disrupt his reaction time. "A seal?" His visible eye widened and the brush full of chalk dropped right on his head, covering him in white dust.

Naruto laughed at him, pointing a finger on him. Akimi simply smirked, her eyes leaving her book only for a couple of second. Shino didn't move at all, staring blankly at him – he supposed – through his sunglasses.

Kakashi wanted to gape. He really did. Thankfully he had many years in ANBU on his shoulders and he did wear a mask... so he simply glared at the three kids, conveying a very little amount of KI. They didn't look bothered in the slightest.

'What hell is up with these three genins?' "My first impression of you is... you are weird. But I still don't like you. Meet me in the roof in 5 minutes." and he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What a... particular guy." said Akimi.

"My Kikaichū say he is very strong..."

"You think? He didn't look like anything much." Naruto said. "Though he did disappear nicely. Do you figure it was a Kage Bunshin, 'mi-chan? Or a modified Sunshin?"

"The latter. Not everyone has your amount of stamina, so they would tend to be careful with their chakra usage."

Shino eyes widened a little. "There is much more to these two than what appears at the eye." "It would be wise to go." he said.

"Of course, dattebayo!"

Kakashi was sprawled on the couches in the roof, happily reading his porn. He felt his students arrive. He smiled a little.

"Ah, you are here. Come on, sit down." he said, waving dismissively. "First thing, how about we introduce each other? Likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future... stuff like that."

Akimi tilted her head. "How about you go first, sensei-san? After all, we already know each other."

"I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you that. My dreams for the future... never really thought about it. As for my hobbies... I have lots of hobbies."

Akimi raised any eyebrow, while Naruto muttered in protest: "He only told us his name!"

"Now, why don't you go up, girlie? Your turn."

Akimi crossed her arms. "My name is Katora Akimi. My likes are my friends and family, my familiar Kaera, the village and fire. My dislikes includes blatant perverts, as I find it a form of disrespect. Yeah, I really hate disrespect. Also, I absolutely detest those who judge without understand and those who use their power to abuse, exploit and generally hurt others. My hobbies are reading, cooking with Naruto-kun and experimenting. My dream is to surpass my grandfather in the Art and to always be there to support my friends."

"What art?" asked Kakashi, mildly interested.

She shrugged. "My clan's Art."

Kakashi scratched his head. "I suppose that will do, thanks. Your next, blondie."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo. My likes are Akimi-chan, Kaera-chan, ramen and orange. I hate the three minutes that take for instant ramen to heat up and all the fuckers who threaten my friends. Ouch, what was that for, 'mi-chan? Oh, right, sorry I cursed."

Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Where was I? Ah, yes. I also dislike those who hate someone for something that is out of their control. My hobbies are pranking and training. My dream is to become Hokage. Yeah, I'll become the greatest of them, dattebayo!"

"Your next, sunglasses."

Shino didn't even flinch. "My name is Aburame Shino. I like silence and rational thinking. My primary dislikes are very strong noises. I despise those who look down on insects and kill them without reasons as well. My hobbies is studying and collecting new species of insects. My dream is to become a strong shinobi and a good clan leader."

'What a strange bunch of genins.' He noted that Akimi had taken out her book again. It had a blank cover, so you couldn't say what it was about. 'A calculative nerd, a hyperactive prankster and a concise bug lover.' "Fine. Now that we gotten past ourselves... I would like to meet you tomorrow morning at Training Ground 7 for Survival Training." He got no immediate answer. "Be there at 7.00 AM. Sharp." Again no reaction. Wait, Akimi did turn a page on her book. And was that a yawn from Naruto? 'These kids...' "And I advise you not to have any breakfast. You may throw it up. See ye." and he disappeared with a puff of smoke.

"What do you think?" Naruto asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm not sure if I like him or not." Akimi said. "But I suppose I'll have to work with him. He is trying to unsettle us, though."

"Yeah, I think he expected us to protest when he mentioned the survival training." Naruto robbed his chin. "He did wait before continuing."

"It's logical." Shino said. "My insects are tracking him."

"Oh, that's great, Shino-san. Kaera is also doing some recon for us. 'to-kun, add some clones to it, would you?"

"Already on it." the blonde said. He crossed his fingers and a dozen of clones appeared from nothingness, before leaping away.

"Good, good." Akimi nodded. "Shino-san, would you like to have dinner with us? We can discuss our sensei further... and maybe have a friendly spar to gauge each other's ability."

"Fine by me."

"You aren't one of many words, are you?" Akimi smiled. "It's good, actually, at least you will balance out with Naruto-kun. He is way too talkative."

"I'm not. Besides you are talking. When you start ranting about your books you don't stop. Ever."

The two continued to bicker, to Shino's dismay. 'I suppose I will have to get used to it. They are my teammates, now.'

JUTSU NOTES:

Jolting Seal: a very basic perimeter seal, once activated it releases an average spark of electricity that effects anything that moves above the very perimeter of the seal itself (ie. The actual drawings and lines that from the seal.) Developed by Katora Akimi to help Uzumaki Naruto with meditation.

Kikaichū [Parasitic Destruction Insects]: they are the special insects, that live by drawing foreign chakra, used by the Aburame clan as a basic for all their unique secret techniques (hiden jutsu) that are restricted only to their clan. Each member of the Aburame Clan's is given a special hive of Kikai at birth and grow up in symbiosis, learning how to use them for recon, fighting and much more.

Sunshin no jutsu [Body Flicker Technique]: D rank, supplementary, this technique allows the user to move at an incredible speed, vitalising all the cells of the body with a burst of chakra. The movement is masked with some kind of effect. (smoke, leaves, water etc.)

CHAPTER'S NOTE:

So I chose Team 7 for Naruto and Akimi. I like the number "7" very much. That and Kakashi is just so full of potential, furthermore is the jōnin I'm more familiar with. I don't think I would be able to write Kurenai or Asuma well and I didn't feel like create an OC as jōnin sensei.

The last member of Team 7 is Shino.

I was really debating whether put Sasuke instead, but I felt it would create an a) overpowered team b) endless conflict that would isolate Akimi and Naruto too much... and I don't really like Sasuke anymore. Well, he is actually passable in the original Naruto, but the way he got in Shippūden? I mean he is evil and illogical, not to mention a spoiled brat. Shikamaru was out of the question as well, because of the fabled Ino-Shika-Cho. Kiba is a brawler like Naruto, therefore his presence in the team would not really necessary - and he uses dogs (and it would clash horribly with Akimi's tiger). Shino works well as a support member and he gives the team some solid reconnaissance skills.

This way each rookie teams is balanced with a recon expert: Ino, Kiba and Shino; a supporting member from mid-long combat: Shikamaru, Sakura, Akimi; and finally a powerful melee fighter: Chōji, Sasuke, Naruto.

Finally, personality-wise, Shino is best suited for Naruto and Akimi because he greatly respects privacy.