Naruto was currently facing a dilemma. A dilemma that took the shape of an energetic young girl who was currently eating ramen at his table. An energetic young girl that could most definitely be scary when she wanted to be.

See, today was the day that all the recently graduated Academy Students got sorted into teams. That in itself was fine. As long as he wasn't in a team with Kiba, he'd manage. No, the issue was what he was going to do with Assassin. He couldn't just leave her home, that'd feel wrong. Especially with the clear abandonment issues she had. The poor girl panicked when she couldn't find him earlier that morning, as he had gone out for some training. She practically tackled him when he came home.

He crossed his arms and thought about the situation at hand. He couldn't dismiss her. She wasn't like a normal summon in that regard. Servants were different. He didn't really learn much about them in the scroll, but apparently they were legendary figures from the distant past or whatever. Something about alternate timelines and worlds came into play as well, but he'd mostly focused on the whole 'summoning a powerful ally' part of the Jutsu. He really should have read more into it.

What he did know for sure was that the Jutsu took immense amounts of chakra. At least Jonin level and that was just to summon one. It made him feel proud, knowing that as a mere Academy Student, he was one step below Hokage when it came to his chakra levels.

Perhaps having that stupid fox in him was one of the reasons? Maybe there was a bright side to having him on board after all.

There was one downside. Unlike a normal summon, a servant would constantly siphon chakra. And the more chakra they siphoned, the stronger they'd get. It wasn't infinite, but it was definitely a wide margin. Fortunately for him, his chakra replenished just as fast as Assassin siphoned it, so the difference was negligible at best.

He groaned. All of this thinking was hurting his brain. He normally didn't think this much, dammit! But he had to. Because, back to the problem at hand, he had no idea what to do with Assassin! It's not like he could just ask her to go invisible or something!

. . . Could he?

"Hey, Assassin."

The girl paused in her eating and looked up at him. "Yes, Mommy?"

"I need to go to school soon. Is there, uh, a way you can follow me without being seen? Don't really know how to explain you to my classmates yet."

She smiled. "Yep. We can just go into our astral form!"

Okay, now she was just using terms that he was completely clueless about! Why the hell was someone who looked younger than him making him feel so stupid?! "Astral form?"

"Yeah! We go invisible and only you can see us. We can also speak to you telepathically. And if we recall, we stop siphoning energy from you in such a state as well."

Well. That sure was convenient. "Alright. That settles it, 'ttebayo! You can go into your astral form and follow me!"

"Okay! But can we finish eating first?"

"Absolutely! Remember, Assassin! Ramen is one of the most important things in the world!"

She raised her fist in agreement. "Ooh!"

Something was wrong with Naruto. That much Sasuke could tell. The first clue was that he actually had a forehead protector, despite failing the exam the other day. The second was the way he walked. There was no slouch, no wasted movement. He seemed sharper, more confident. And thirdly, he was actually on time. He didn't rush in at the last moment. He was one of the first people to arrive after him. That was practically unheard of. What changed?

As he analyzed the orange wearing knucklehead, he became vaguely aware that he was actually focusing on something that wasn't Itachi. His therapists would call that progress, but Sasuke would call it a waste of time. His desire to kill his brother wasn't unhealthy and he didn't need 'an intervention.' Still, he opted to deem this not a waste of time. Naruto had always interested him. In terms of interesting topics, he probably ranked second, after killing Itachi of course.

At the very least, he wasn't a fangirl. Speaking of which, they'd probably be arriving soon. And he really hated that whenever he heard their squeals, he would emphasize with Itachi for just a few moments. Because only then did he experience the desire to kill multiple people. Preferably with a sword. And fire. Lots of fire.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Three, two, one.

"Kyaaaa, Sasuke-kuuuun!"

Sweet merciful kami, grant me strength.

Sakura was confused. Naruto wasn't trying to flirt with her. In fact, he was just sitting at his desk, arms crossed with his eyes closed. He seemed focused. But he was never focused! And since when did he graduate?! And why did she care that he wasn't flirting with her? Was her ego really that fragile?

She thought about it and sighed. That was probably the case. Sasuke ignored her. Ino hated her. No one else in class talked to her. Naruto at least always acknowledged her. And all she did was . . . treat him like crap. Just like people used to treat her like crap.

She held her head with her hands.

Oh . . . god. I screwed up.

Kakashi's first impression of his team was that they were . . . interesting. Sasuke was staring out the window. Sakura was depressed for some reason and Naruto seemed oddly focused. In fact, the look in his eyes reminded him a lot of his old Sensei. Just what was going on in that head of his? Could it have something to do with the new summon he had accompanying him?

Mah, he'd find out soon enough. "Meet me on the roof in five," he said before vanishing with a shunshin.

By the time everyone arrived, Kakashi had long since gotten comfortable leaning against the wall. Life was always more fun when you took it slow and easy. Rushing would just lead you to an early death.

"Alright. Introduction time," he said as he snapped his book shut and stuffed it into his pouch. "Tell me a bit about yourself. Your name, likes, dislikes, dream for the future. That kind of thing."

Naruto finally spoke up. "Y'know, it's rude to ask someone to introduce themselves without doing it first."

"Ah, you're right. My mistake. My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like a lot of things. Dislikes, hm. My dream? Dunno. Now it's your turn" he said while giving them his patented eye smile.

In return, they all looked like they wanted to kill him. Messing with people was so much fun!

"Okay, Jumpsuit. You're on first."

Naruto stood up then and adjusted his forehead protector.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like practicing the shinobi arts, gardening, ramen, and hanging out with my younger sister! I dislike bullies and people who pick on the weak! My dream? To be the Future Hokage, dattebayo!"

Kakashi took note of how Naruto brought up a younger sister, something that was definitely not lost on Sasuke or Sakura either.

"Alright, you're up next, pinky."

Sakura stood up and composed herself.

"My name is Sakura Haruno. I like studying the art of Genjutsu, baking and going for walks. I dislike hypocrites and bullies. My dream? To be better than the me of yesterday!"

Kakashi's lone eye widened. That didn't match the files on her at all. In fact, she hadn't even glanced at Sasuke once! What the hell happened to her?!

Sasuke must have been wondering the same thing, because for a brief moment his stoic facade had cracked and he was openly gaping at her.

"Alright, that enlightening moment aside. It's your turn, spikes."

Sasuke glared at him but despite his irritation, stood up.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't really like a lot of things. I dislike many things. And my ambition is to kill a certain man."

Well, at least he was still the same as his files.

"Now, with introductions out of the way. Let me tell you about the after exam-exam!"

Their startled reactions brought him so much joy.

"Are you sure you don't want any, Mommy?" Assassin asked him as she ate a bowl of cereal.

"Nope. Kakashi-sensei said not to eat breakfast, so I won't!"

She paused in her eating, the spoon hanging out of her mouth as she gazed at him with her pale green eyes. "If not eating is important to being a Shinobi, then why does breakfast exist?"

Naruto was about to respond when he paused. And then he palmed his face. Once again, Assassin was making him feel stupid. "It was a ruse!"

"The rules are simple," Kakashi said as he dangled two bells in front of them. "Try and get these bells from me. If you fail to get them before noon, you'll have to go without lunch. So be sure not to hold back and come at me with the intent to kill."

Naruto's body tensed. But he did not rush forward. His Sensei was a Jonin. He wasn't some chump like Mizuki. If he ran in like an idiot, he'd get his butt beat.

"Oh? Here I was expecting you to run in like an idiot."

Naruto grinned. "Who says I'm not?"

Kakashi's visible eye shot open as he jumped out of the way as a second Naruto leapt at him from behind, nearly grabbing a bell in the process. He spun on his left leg and slammed his right foot into the clone, dispelling it. "I'm surprised. When did you make him?"

Naruto's grin widened. "I got here early and prepared some surprises ahead of time. Just as any Shinobi should! Don't underestimate the King of Pranksters, 'ttebayo!"

"A for effort, I guess. Anyways, training start!"

Naruto watched as both Sasuke and Sakura leapt away, but he held his ground. "Say, Sensei. We're allowed to use any means necessary to beat you, yeah?"

"That's correct."

He laughed. "Alright! Let's do this, Assassin!"

And out of nowhere, a blur shot toward Kakashi. "We'll make Mommy proud!"

Kakashi certainly wasn't expecting Naruto to pull his summon out during the test, but there weren't exactly any rules against it. So he supposed he couldn't fault the boy. He lifted his kunai and countered Assassin's knife blow, a breath of surprise escaping him as he felt the strength behind her blow. He definitely couldn't afford to underestimate her.

But of course, Naruto was here too. They were fighting him together. If these two were just a duo, he'd pass them already. He'd only summoned the girl a few days ago and yet they were acting like they'd been fighting alongside eachother for years. That was what happened when two fighters trusted eachother without reserve.

The belief that someone had your back. It would bring you far.

He kicked Assassin away and ducked under one of Naruto's kicks. As much as he'd love to have fun and use his signature butt poke attack, this wasn't a situation where he could goof around. Not with Assassin pressuring him like this.

His eye wandered toward the tree line. Had his clone dealt with the others yet?

Sakura punched the tree in front of her and it cracked. She had the satisfaction of seeing her Sensei's face pale a little.

"Since when could you do that?"

"I've always been a good puncher, Kakashi-sensei. I've just never had the motivation to put effort behind it. But that Genjutsu you showed me. The one with Sasuke hurt. It rubbed me the wrong way."

"Oh, and why would that be?"

She flicked a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Because Sasuke is prideful. He'd rather die than ask me for help. You were insulting my intelligence. I'm not the same fangirl I used to be! I'm going to show you how I earned the title Kunoichi of the Year!"

"I gotta ask, what spurred this change in you?"

She glanced away. "Realizing what a hypocrite I'd been. Realizing how blind I'd been. There's a whole laundry list of other reasons that I won't get into here. But what you need to know is. The old Sakura is gone. No. That's not true. More accurately. The fake Sakura is gone. I'm done faking it for a boy who won't even notice me. Done faking it for my own fragile ego. I'm just gonna be me. Just Sakura."

She took a combat stance with her kunai.

"I may not be a stamina freak like Naruto. Or as skilled as Sasuke. But I have something neither of them don't."

She smiled.

"The ability to become a shadow. Like a true Kunoichi. Those two, they're such bright lights with all that talent, that it makes it easy for someone like me to go unnoticed."

Kakashi stared at her. "Wow. I didn't think I'd be in for such a grandiose speech."

She shrugged. "Listen to Naruto enough and it rubs off on you."

He chuckled. "Anyways, you ready?"

"Absolutely not. But let's do this!"

"Try not to get ahead of yourself, Sasuke" Kakashi said to him as he gazed toward him from a nearby tree branch.

Sasuke, who was currently stuck in the ground, merely grumbled. "You got lucky."

"That's what they all say. Now, just stick around and wait for the bell, got it?"

The avenger grumbled to himself. He wouldn't let himself be caught off guard like this again! Even if it meant working alongside Sakura and Naruto. He'd rather shove aside his pride than lose!

In the end, it was Sasuke who ended up tied to the pole. Sakura was beaten and bruised. And Naruto looked like he'd definitely seen better days. Assassin was relatively fine and was fretting over her Master's state.

"I'll give you one more chance," Kakashi said. "But don't feed Sasuke any lunch or you'll fail. Got it?"

He watched them nod numbly before he sped away, parking himself in a nearby tree to watch. To his utter delight, they immediately decided to ignore his warning and give food to Sasuke. But even he had to admit, that seeing Assassin volunteer to feed him because Naruto and Sakura were too injured made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

He exploded onto the scene with all the grace and poise of an explosion.

"YOU-"

He let the tension build for a moment, allowing the fear of god to seep into them.

And then.

"-pass" he finished with an eye smile.