"Team Nine. You're with me."

The newly arrived jounin standing at the classroom entrance had long brown hair and wore the standard flak jacket. A metal headband curved around his face in the style of the Second Hokage.

The jounin cleared his throat. "I am Yamato. Starting today, I am your jounin sensei."

Haru's eyes bulged once again.

Yamato?!

First Sai. Now Yamato?!

Why would they show up this early?! Was there some kind of shortage in genin and jounin without special powers or plot relevance?

Naruto groaned. "How come our sensei has to get here last? 9 comes after 7!"

This amused Haru.

Of course, Kakashi was going to arrive last. At least his bad habit of being late stayed the same.

Aw, bummer. She was going to miss the glory of a chalkboard eraser dropping down onto Kakashi's head.

"Good luck," Haru said to Naruto, Sakura, and Sai.

They were going to need it.

Yamato took Team Nine out to a peaceful glade. Then he took a map out of his pouch and unrolled it open on the ground. "Tomorrow, you three shall partake in a survival exercise so I can evaluate your skills."

Lee raised his hand. "Wait, Yamato-sensei! Shouldn't we introduce ourselves first?!"

Yamato's eyebrows furrowed. "...Introduce ourselves?"

Haru blinked. Shouldn't Kakashi have taught Yamato how to socialize by now?

"You know. Like our hobbies. Our likes and dislikes. And our dreams," Haru explained.

"Ah. I see." Yamato's expression turned thoughtful. "My name is Yamato. I suppose my hobby is training. I don't particularly like or dislike anything. My dream…is to fulfill all mission objectives given to me."

Haru was baffled. She didn't know that Yamato had been this obsessed with shinobi stuff. Then again, not much was shown about his free time in the original series. He had spoken so robotically too. He must still be learning how to socialize right now.

Yamato leaned back against a tree. "Now you three introduce yourselves as well, correct?"

Both Haru and Sasuke stayed quiet.

"You could go first, Lee," Haru said.

Lee grinned. "My name is Rock Lee! My hobby is training, same as you, Yamato-sensei! I dislike people who look down on others! I like Haru and improving my taijutsu! My goal…is to prove that even a person who can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu can still become a splendid ninja!"

Haru remained silent, not knowing what to say yet. So Sasuke went next.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. And I don't really like anything. What I have isn't a dream, but a goal that I'll make a reality. I plan to restore my clan. And there's someone I have sworn to kill…"

Of course, Sasuke's dialogue was the same as in canon. Haru was not surprised at all.

Haru noticed that everyone's eyes were on her now.

Well, shit. Everyone was paying attention to her and she was being put on the spot to reveal some very personal information. - So uncomfortable!

But…what exactly was her dream? What was there to even want in this new life?

To survive, obviously.

But her odds weren't looking too good.

Which dream was more impossible?

A. Wanting to survive and live long enough to have a peaceful life as a retired kunoichi?

B. Becoming Hokage after graduating dead last from the Ninja Academy?

If you chose A, ding ding ding! You're correct!

At least Naruto actually had a chance of fulfilling his dream. Hell, he became Hokage at the end of the series!

As for Haru, she barely had a chance, if any at all.

She needed to be careful about what she said. Otherwise, one wrong word could make her team think that she would become a dissenter and a missing-nin!

Missing-nin were tracked and hunted down. And no missing-nin ever met a pleasant fate in the canon story.

"I'm Kuzumaki Haruto. But I prefer 'Haru'. I dislike fighting to the death. I want…"

Konoha was bound to get attacked at any time. So her best bet was to find a peaceful and unimportant place somewhere to live out the rest of her days.

"…I want to be able to survive to retirement and live a peaceful life in the countryside."

"A most wonderful dream, Haru!" Lee shouted.

Sasuke and Yamato's expressions remained neutral.

There were plenty of retired ninjas in Konoha who took on different professions after quitting. Some became farmers. Some became carpenters. So Haru's dream was quite normal and dull compared to the others in Team Nine.

Done with team introductions, Yamato refocused the team's attention on his map, pointing at a specific spot. "You three will be reporting here."

That specific training field was a barren wasteland. Nothing but rocks and dirt. No forests at all.

"As I said earlier, this will be a survival exercise. So bring your ninja gear and be ready for combat."

All three graduates tensed.

Yamato loomed over them, an ominous light shining over his face. "Do not treat this exercise lightly. I won't tolerate any rule-breaking, got it?"

Haru shivered.

Yamato's ghoul eyesTM were so unnerving. No wonder Naruto was unsettled in the original series.

Lee looked just as creeped out.

Sasuke looked calm and cool as always. But he must've at least been the slightest bit perturbed, right?

Yamato's face returned to his normal stony expression. "There are thirty graduates in your class. After these graduation tests are over, only nine will be left."

Sasuke frowned and Lee's jaw dropped.

Haru was the only one who was not shocked. Kakashi had said the same thing to Team Seven in the original story.

"What?! But we already took the graduation exam, didn't we?!" Lee shouted.

"That was just a preliminary test."

Yamato passed out forms with a description of the survival exercise. "Meet me tomorrow early morning at 7 AM. Be prepared. I won't hold back."

Sasuke silently crumpled the form in his hand.

Lee shook with anticipation where he sat, rereading the form again and again.

As for Haru, she trembled violently, tightly gripping the form. Tomorrow was going to be her first heavy combat situation and she was not looking forward to it.

Yamato rolled up the map and stood up.

"That is all for today. Team Nine! You're dismissed!"

Haru stared at the ceiling, a flurry of thoughts all jumbled up in her head.

Why did Sai and Yamato show up so early, changing the team assignments and utterly destroying canon?

Did Sai finish his training in Root early?

Did Haru's existence and Rock Lee's delayed graduation influence the Third Hokage's decision to put Sasuke on Team Nine instead of Team Seven?

What exactly was Yamato doing as a jounin sensei? Wasn't he supposed to still be in the Anbu around this time? Why was his hair still long?

The Yamato Haru met today was three years younger than when he showed up in Shippuden. Had he been socially awkward and kept his long hair at this time?

Did Haru's existence fuck everything up? Did she cause the Third Hokage to rearrange the teams?

Both Yamato and Sai had connections with Root…Could Danzo have had something to do with this?

But wasn't the Third Hokage supposed to intervene in Danzo's schemes?

Just what was going on in the shadows?

Even if Danzo was responsible for what happened, what could Haru even do?

She was just a newly graduated genin. Coming from a civilian family, she had no shinobi family for backup and no kekkai genkai.

And what of the new Team Seven and Team Nine?

Haru's knowledge of canon was probably useless at this point.

Was Team Seven even still going to the Land of Waves?

Sasuke wouldn't be there with his Sharingan to tire Haku out and shield Naruto from his senbon.

What if Team Guy went on a mission where Lee had been crucial to their survival in canon?

Had she doomed Team Kakashi and Team Guy to death?

Yamato had said that only nine graduates would be accepted as genin. So if Haru's team passed their test, one of the other teams was going to be held back. Knowing that this was going to jeopardize three canon characters' futures other than Lee's made Haru want to cry from the stress of it all.

And Sasuke…oh fuck! Sasuke was on Haru's damn team!

Haru's hands tightened on her blanket.

Orochimaru! He'll come for us!

Haru trembled, pulling the blanket over her head.

They didn't have Naruto's Kyuubi powers, Kakashi's Sharingan, or Sakura's super strength!

There was a chance Sasuke would still awaken his Sharingan. But how was Lee supposed to use his Forbidden Gates without Guy being his jounin sensei?

What did Haru have to offer to her team?

Naruto had made a good rival and friend to Sasuke when they were on the same team. Lee would be the same to Sasuke, no doubt.

What did Haru have to contribute? She was just some no-name genin.

Words of condemnation rang in Haru's mind.

You let Sasuke's family die.

You stole Lee's dream and Guy-sensei away from him.

Guilt and anxiety gnawed at Haru's stomach.

I have to pass no matter what. So Lee can become a ninja like he always wanted.

She already held him back from his dreams once. She wasn't going to do so again.

She had to be ready for whatever test Yamato threw at her team tomorrow.

Even if she was too weak. Too scared. Too-!

Haru downed a sleeping pill and all the bad thoughts faded away into nothingness.

Haru, Lee, and Sasuke all showed up earlier than the scheduled meeting time. None of them wanted to fail the test for tardiness.

Yamato showed up right on time, being quite punctual.

Haru made sure the chainmail underneath her purple shirt was secure. Every ninja was issued chainmail for protection in battle. Great for not becoming a human pincushion.

Yamato nodded in acknowledgment at the three. "Good. You all showed up on time."

He placed a timer on the ground. "You have until noon to finish this survival exercise. Your task is to defeat me in battle."

Yamato stood up and crossed his arms, making an imposing figure. "Attack me as if I'm an enemy you are to kill."

Haru gulped. Lee took a deep breath. Sasuke's fingers twitched in anticipation.

Without warning, Yamato's hands formed a series of hand signs, making tendrils of wood launch out of the ground.

Before the rookies could react, wooden spheres were enclosed around each of them.

Then the wooden spheres rapidly rolled across the ground in different directions.

Haru screamed at the top of her lungs. Yamato couldn't have bothered to give them seatbelts?!

As her body bumped against the walls of the wooden sphere, Haru raised her arms to shield her vital parts, the neck and head.

After a couple more seconds of torture, the wooden sphere finally lurched to a stop.

Haru breathed a sigh of relief.

Only for her heart to jump when the ground rumbled.

An earthquake? Just what was happening outside?

Cracking sounds came from outside the sphere as if there were things breaking out of the ground outside.

Haru kept her arms spread out on the sphere's wall behind her, keeping herself steady as the ground shook.

Then the cracking stopped and so did the rumbling.

Haru waited for a bit to make sure that everything was calm for real this time. Once everything seemed clear, she repeatedly punched through the wood, breaking a large hole in the sphere. She climbed out.

To Haru's surprise, all around her was a forest.

Haru felt that the sphere had not traveled too fast or too far. So she and her teammates could not have been taken out of the training grounds the survival exercise was held in.

This must be a man-made forest created by Yamato's Wood Style!

So that was why he took Haru's team out to some barren training grounds.

Haru got on her feet and jumped on top of large tree branches, moving swiftly.

No time to waste. She needed to regroup with Lee and Sasuke.

She only hoped that they would not be eliminated by Yamato too soon.

Haru kept close to the shadows of the trees, staying out of open areas in the light.

She rested her back against a tree, taking a breather.

This forest felt like it went on forever. Just when was she going to be able to find Sasuke and Lee before the timer went off? They couldn't just call out to each other without giving away their positions to Yamato.

Haru's eyes flitted around.

No signs of movement anywhere. Great.

A creaking sound came from beside Haru's ear.

She leaped and rolled away from the tree just in time to avoid being skewered by a kunai knife held by a wooden arm.

Yamato emerged from the tree Haru had been resting against, his body transforming from tree wood to human flesh.

Haru pulled out her kunai.

Just her luck. Yamato had to find her first. Alone without her teammates.

She ran off to the side instead of turning around. Turning her back to the opponent would be a huge mistake.

Wood launched out of the ground, blocking Haru's escape route.

Yamato walked towards Haru leisurely. "Well, Haru. You're the only one in your team who chose to run away from me. How disappointing."

A lump grew in Haru's throat.

Yamato had already taken out Lee and Sasuke? Shit!

Haru turned to face Yamato. She couldn't stop shaking in fear.

Yamato stood unimpressed. "Can't say I'm surprised though. Your mother was a mere carpenter and your father an ordinary tailor. With such good-for-nothing parents, I don't expect much from you."

Haru gritted her teeth and trembled with anger. She took a step forward. Then she quickly stopped herself.

No! Don't take the bait, Haru. Yamato's just trying to get a rise out of you!

Without Lee and Sasuke, she was as good as beaten.

Haru threw down a smoke bomb and fled.

She silently apologized to her parents. - Sorry, Mom and Dad. I'll honor you both better by being smart rather than getting my ass kicked.

Once Haru found Sasuke and Lee though, she was going to make sure they all hit Yamato hard enough to bruise and ache for days.

Haru had been traversing through the forest when a voice called out to her from above.

"Haru! Up here!"

Lee hung upside down from a tree, wooden tendrils wrapped around his body.

Haru looked up and became filled with anger.

How could Yamato leave Lee in such a state? All that blood flowing to his head and hanging upside down was not good for his health!

"Hang on!"

Haru carefully freed Lee with her kunai, making sure that he landed on the ground safely.

Lee hugged Haru. "Haru! You are all right!"

"I'm glad you're ok too. Now let's go find Sasuke."

"Right!"

Lee and Haru surveyed the forest together, keeping their eyes and ears alert for Sasuke and Yamato.

"Haru! Lee! Over here!"

Haru and Lee paused.

That was Sasuke's voice.

Haru and Lee cautiously approached where his voice came from.

Sasuke stood with his back against a tree, ensnared by wooden tendrils wrapped around his arms and legs.

Before Lee could step forward, Haru held her arm out to stop him. "Wait."

Haru pulled out a kunai. "Hold still, Sasuke!"

Haru threw her kunai. It slashed through Sasuke's sleeve, making a small cut in his arm. His arm started to bleed a little.

"What the hell! What was that for?" Sasuke hissed.

Haru relaxed. Sasuke's arm didn't regenerate with wood. It was the real Sasuke.

"I'm sorry. I had to make sure you weren't Yamato-sensei trying to lure us into a trap."

Sasuke nodded in understanding.

Haru and Lee cut Sasuke free with their kunai.

Sasuke rubbed his sore limbs and pressed a small cotton gauze pad against the cut on his arm. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Haru, Lee, and Sasuke sat down to rest.

"So…How were your fights with Yamato-sensei?" Haru asked.

"I used the Leaf Whirlwind on him!" Lee said.

Over the past year, Guy had put some time aside from his jounin duties to teach Lee new taijutsu techniques.

Lee frowned. "But then Yamato-sensei transformed his arm into wood to trap me. Then he hung me from a tree."

"When did you fight Yamato-sensei, Lee?" Haru asked.

Lee put a hand to his chin in thought. "Hmmm…I'd say it might've been around…ten minutes ago? It wasn't that long from now."

Haru blinked. "Wait. I was also fighting Yamato-sensei around that time."

"Hm. Me too. You're saying Yamato-sensei took us all on in a couple of minutes?" Sasuke said.

Lee put a hand to his chin in thought again. "So were we all fighting Yamato-sensei at the same time?"

Sasuke frowned. "That shouldn't be possible! Unless…"

"...We've actually been fighting Yamato-sensei's clones this whole time," Haru finished.

"But how?" Lee exclaimed. "Yamato-sensei's hits actually landed on me! Clones aren't supposed to be able to hurt you! They're not solid!"

Haru knew exactly why. "Remember those wooden spheres that Yamato-sensei trapped us in earlier? Yamato-sensei must be able to use wood style. He made wood clones to fight us."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in irritation. No wonder when he used the Fire Ball Jutsu on Yamato earlier, he noticed the distinct smell of wood burning rather than flesh. Finding out that he hadn't even been fighting the real Yamato felt like Yamato was being dismissive, not even taking Sasuke seriously as a threat. An offense to the Uchiha clan's pride.

Lee's jaw dropped. "But that's impossible! Only the First Hokage was able to do that, right?!"

"It's possible that Yamato-sensei's a distant relative of the First Hokage," Sasuke suggested.

"Ooooh. That could be it! Yamato-sensei does have long hair like the First Hokage did!" Lee said.

Haru knew the truth. Yamato had been experimented on by Orochimaru with Hashirama's DNA when he was a baby. But she couldn't explain to her teammates how she knew one of Konoha's darkest secrets. That was a one-way ticket to T&I. And Haru wasn't looking forward to meeting Ibiki anytime soon.

Sasuke stood up. "The real Yamato-sensei's still out there somewhere. I can't waste my time here with you two."

Before Sasuke could leave, Haru grabbed his arm. "No, Sasuke! Yamato-sensei wants to keep us separated! You can't fight him alone!"

Sasuke scoffed, wrenching his arm out of her grasp. "No way. You two will just slow me down."

Haru wished Sasuke would quit it with the lone wolf act already.

"Sasuke, your father…"

Sasuke sent Haru a warning glare. She better watch what she said.

"...Uchiha Fugaku. He was the head of the Uchiha clan and the Military Police Force, right?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Yes. And…?"

"Your father had to work with other people to lead the Uchiha clan, didn't he? As the heir of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke, you too will have to learn to work with others to be an effective leader."

Sasuke scowled and took a heavy breath.

"You said your goal was to restore your clan, right?" Haru said softly. "Sasuke, someday you will have to be a good leader to guide your newly restored clan. If you want to be a competent leader, it would be best if you honed your teamwork and cooperation skills as early as possible. Like right now."

Sasuke was silent. But he didn't move to leave.

Haru turned her body to face both Sasuke and Lee. "Think about it, guys. Why would the Academy put us into three-man squads? Yamato-sensei is a jounin. An elite ninja. Alone, none of us have a chance against him."

Lee's eyes lit up. "But together…"

Sasuke sighed wearily. "Together…our chances are slightly better."

Lee grinned at Sasuke. "Better than impossible!"

Haru, Lee, and Sasuke sat down and huddled close to each other in a circle.

Sasuke looked intently at Haru and Lee with determination. "All right. Let's come up with a plan to make our joint attack on Yamato-sensei."

A/N: Those of you who guessed that Team 9's sensei would be Yamato, congratulations!

I'm sorry to everyone who guessed Kakashi would be Team 9's sensei. You all had such clever reasoning that I think could make for a cool AU/alternate timeline of this fanfic. Love your brainstorming! But as much as I love Kakashi, he's also been written to be the self insert oc's sensei across many other fanfics and I want to try something new.

In the manga ch. 4, Kakashi says that there are 27 graduates. In this fanfic, with the addition of Haru, Lee, and Sai, there are 30 graduates.

In the Rise of a Ninja Xbox game, there was a side quest where Naruto helped a farmer who mentioned that he used to be a ninja in Konoha before quitting/retiring.