How strange, to see the changes I'd wrought on the timeline so viscerally. This Naruto was leagues ahead of his canon counterpart. Fucking amazing what an early start will get you. Not to mention their attitudes causing Kakashi to sit up, take notice, and give a fuck.

I heard the generator begin again, turning to see the first name stop, 'Akimichi Choji'.

I let out a cheer, hearing it overlap with Ino and Sakura. The next name stopped, 'Rock Lee'.

"Ah, fuck."

I watched morosely as the two met in the center of the arena.

"This is a bad match-up. Two taijutsu specialists, one with way more experience than the other."

Sasuke elbowed me, "You know both of them, right?"

"Yeah, though I've only run missions with Lee."

Genma asked, "Yeah, how many missions did you run with Team Gai, anyway?"

"28 C-ranks."

Ichiyo and Sai both turned to look at me. Ichiyo's eyes were wide as he spluttered,

"You graduated six months ago!"

"So? Gotta make rent."

Genma frowned, "Isn't there a basic apprentice fund?"

Sasuke scowled at him, still angry over what he saw as Genma failing as a Sensei, "There is. For those apprenticed to organizations. T&I, Barrier Corp, the Hospital. Not for those apprenticed to individuals."

Genma looked like he'd been hit, turning to me, "Sonada Nonami."

He breathed the name out like a curse and I nodded, not taking my eyes off the two facing off in the arena below. "Yup. I initially agreed because the water bill was due. From there, well. She was a jounin and I wasn't allowed to say no."

"What?! Of course you are!"

Sai made a noise in his throat I'd never heard from him before, "Genin cannot disobey orders from Chuunin or even those who have been Genin significantly longer than they have. Had Sonada-san ordered her to go on a mission there would be no choice, not without intervention from Asuka's direct superior."

I elbowed Genma, watching as Choji swelled in size and Lee nimbly dodged the devastating punch, "No worries, Sensei, it's all fixed now."

Genma made a strangled sound, "Because I told you to hide behind Kakashi!"

"Well, in his defense he did a very good job. That one chuunin looked like his soul left his body."

Kakashi hummed, "I just put down my book."

"Very threateningly, ten out of ten for style."

He deadpanned, "I'm flattered."

There was a rumble from the arena floor and I sighed, not bothered by the smoke that had yet to clear. "Choji's out cold. I'm going to bring him a snack, he used a lot of calories on that last technique."

I slipped away from the group, hearing the proctor call for another short recess to get the floor fixed again. Earth jutsu really was a hack when it came to fixing the collateral damage from ninja battles. I silently passed by the other teams, arriving just as a newly revived Choji slumped down against the wall in the area his team had claimed.

"Hey there, how you feelin'?
Choji groaned, "Like I got the shit kicked out of me."

I knelt down beside him, reaching into my waist pouch and pulling out a scroll, "Well, I've got something that might help with that." I unfurled the scroll, unsealing several items. I handed him a plate of pork buns, still steaming from their initial sealing. His eyes opened wide as he accepted the plate,

"You are a goddess."

I huffed, "Not nearly." I watched him down a few buns before continuing, softly, "You did do well. It might not feel like it, but that was an awful matchup for you and you still gave a good showing."

He paused, "Really?"

"Really."

He beamed at me, "Thanks, Asuka!" He stuffed another pork bun into his mouth, chewing happily as Shikamaru settled in closer on Choji's other side where he had been hovering, eyes roving over his friend as he checked him for injuries. "She's right. The match was probably chosen to weed out some taijutsu users."

I unsealed a bowl of Udon before glancing up at him, "Ah, you guys also noticed that?"

He scoffed, "How could we not? If it wasn't obvious after the sand trio, then the Yamanaka face-off would have clued us in."

Asuma took a step closer and I resisted the urge to back away, though the look Shikamaru shot me confirmed I hadn't hidden it well enough.

"Coincidences do happen, kids, it's not always a conspiracy."

I just nodded, "Of course, Asuma-sensei."

I was comfortable arguing with Genma, and apparently Kakashi as well, but they were the old Anbu guard, in a way I'd known them a long time. Asuma was an unknown. The scar from the last unknown jounin I'd sassed throbbed slightly as I kept my eyes down and handed Choji the Udon. Shikamaru noticed, of course he did, but whatever he was about to say on the subject was interrupted by Ino squealing, "Look!"

We turned, seeing the first name had been decided. 'Haruno Sakura'. I jumped up, walking to Sakura's side where she stood at the railing, bumping shoulders as we waited for the second name to stop spinning. 'Tsurugi Misumi'.

I turned to Sakura and she was already looking at me, "Water-natured and not a nice man, okay? He's got some weird shit going on where his bones go liquid and stretchy? I have no idea how, but I don't recommend close combat."

She nodded seriously, "Got it. Thanks, Asuka."

With that, she turned towards the stairs, steps deliberate and determined. Naruto could be heard shouting encouragement from the other side of the room, though I couldn't tell what it was as Asuma chose that moment to speak.

"How do you know that?"
I didn't flinch, I was better trained than that (really, I was). "I'm a sensor type, Asuma-sensei."

He hummed, "Still, kind of mean to send her in there with those wild assumptions."

I ignored how Shikamaru twitched, "She's extremely intelligent, she knows to make her own decisions with all of the facts. She won't rely solely on what she learned from me."

He hummed, visibly doubtful, "If you say so."

Even Ino was eyeing him at that point, which he noticed, "What?"

Ino eyed him for a few seconds longer before shrugging and turning to watch Sakura face off against Misumi. He was taller than her, obviously fully grown where she was still a pre-teen, all long pink hair and bird bones. I didn't have to hear what he said to her to know it was some form of requesting surrender. Her shoulders tensed and she stood slightly straighter, shaking her head. The proctor's hand fell and Sakura dodged back, just as Misumi attempted to leap forward. She easily evaded the water bullet he sent, snapping a few kunai in his direction. He bent out of the way and she darted forward, more kunai following even as she spit fire.

He barely dodged the lot, brow furrowing behind his darkened glasses. She didn't let up with the distance attacks for a full minute, sending him dodging seemingly randomly around the arena. The trap snapped closed, shurikenjutsu and wire pinning Misumi even as his limbs turned to rubber and he attempted to slither away. Sakura just tightened the wires, expecting this, cutting into the rubbery skin and freezing him in place. After several seconds of struggle, the proctor called it,

"Winner, Haruno Sakura!"

Ino and I cheered, hands thrown in the air as a flushed Sakura made her way to the stairs closest to her team. Ino grabbed my hand, startling me slightly at the unexpected contact from an unexpected source, "Come on, let's go congratulate her!"

She dragged me away, slowing slightly only once we were out of hearing distance of her team, hugging close to the wall and out of hearing range of the other teams as we passed. "You don't trust Asuma-sensei."

I couldn't even argue it. "It's not him-"

She interrupted, shaking her head, "No, it's okay. If he'd acted like that with me I wouldn't trust him either. I noticed how he was about your sealing the other day. And then with the sensing, today…is it just him? Like this?"

She sounded so vulnerable, I practically tripped over myself to reassure her, "No, no! A lot of people are like this, he's better than most, actually!"

"...that's not as reassuring as you think it is."

Well, that's enough feelings for today. I gripped back on the hand she had grabbed, pulling forward. "This is Sakura's moment. And she earned it."

Ino got the message, keeping pace. "Shikamaru won't drop this."

I met her eyes for a second, the blue seeming to see into my soul. I wrenched away, pulling forwards and dragging her into the orbit of Team Seven, gathered around Sakura. I dropped Ino's hand to hug Sakura, startling slightly when she hugged back viciously enough to lift me off my feet. I laughed as she set me down,

"You did great!"

She beamed at me, "Thanks for the advice, it helped a lot with setup."

I waved her off, "You would have won anyway." I stepped back, out of the way, allowing Ino to swoop in next. Naruto was ranting at no one about how awesome Team Seven was and Sasuke was fondly rolling his eyes at the entire show. Kakashi messed up Sakura's long hair even as Ino hugged the life out of her. It was a beautiful picture, and I wished for a camera. Sai elbowed me, knocking me out of the moment.

"What?"

"I asked if you were alright. You seem tense."

"Oh, yeah, no, I'm fine. Just wishing I could afford a camera, this is a prime scrapbooking moment."

Ichiyo scoffed, "Scrapbooking is a civilian hobby."

I hummed, "Well, I wouldn't know."

The awkward silence that ensued was quickly broken by the next name being revealed. 'Sai'. I grabbed his arm, shaking him slightly, "It's your turn! Time to do us proud!"

The names stopped again, 'Uesaka Ryoma'. The last Ame-nin judging by the reactions in that direction.

"Water-nature only, as far as I can tell, but that umbrella looks weaponized. Maybe watch for genjutsu?"

Sai nodded, acknowledging my information. "I shall do us proud."

He blurred into place in the arena, waiting on the Ame-nin.

"I hope he didn't take me seriously."

Ichiyo made a skeptical noise, "I really doubt that, Asuka. He might put this guy in traction just in case."

I sighed, "Oh dear."

As it turns out, I was right to worry. The match had barely started before Sai had pulled his tanto and was going for the other nin's throat. Less than thirty seconds later the guy was near tears, forfeiting. Sai shunshined back to the balcony, expression as smug as he was capable of. He stiffened slightly, as I hugged him around the waist, laughing.

"Good job!"

His pale cheeks colored slightly as Ichiyo hugged him from the other side. "This is highly inappropriate."

"Hush and accept affection."

He acquiesced for a few seconds before shaking us off, cheeks still pink. I laughed even as I picked myself up off the floor. "Seriously though, you did very well, Sai, and we're proud of you."

I knew damn well what that phrase did to people who didn't hear it regularly, or at all. He flushed deeper, eyes wide, as he searched for a method of deflection.

"Look, the next match. A leaf-nin."

'Akadou Yoroi'.

I hummed under my breath as the next name whirled to a stop. 'Abumi Zaku'. I couldn't help but laugh slightly, "Well, that's interesting."

Genma nudged me slightly, "Interesting how?"

"One member of the extremely suspect leaf squad versus the remaining sound shinobi. 1000 yen says the leaf-nin surrenders because they're in cahoots."

I barely got the sentence out before Yoroi was surrendering, citing exhaustion from just reaching the tower. "Ha! Knew it."

Genma frowned, "That's…concerning. You truly think the entire squad is made of spies?"

Sakura answered for me, "Well, Yakushi-san was very suspicious!"

Sasuke grunted in agreement, "He addressed me directly, even though Shikamaru-san asked him a question first."

I looked at him sharply, the information new to me. He just smirked, "You admitted you were paying 'no attention at all'. I guess that was true."

There was no time to protest before the next name slid onto the screen.

'Aburame Shino'. Team Eight was directly beside us, but with a small buffer of space caused by our general enthusiasm. I shot him two thumbs up,

"Good luck, Shino-san!"

The next name settled, 'Mase Ietsuna'. The last unknown nin from Kusa.

Shino walked sedately down to the arena, "Luck is not necessary, Asuka-san…but, thank you."

As the two nin settled across from one another on the arena floor Genma elbowed me, "Why didn't you tell him his opponent's elemental nature? You did for everyone else."

"He wouldn't have appreciated it."

"And you know this…how?"

"We went to school together for a bit more than six years?"

Sakura shuddered, "Asuka, you're the only kunoichi in our year who knows more than his name."

"Huh. That explains why his family swarmed me after graduation."

"What?" Genma looked slightly concerned, but I shushed him, motioning toward the fight happening below us. It was fairly straightforward. The Kusa-nin was brash to start, but the moment the kikaichu exited Shino and moved toward him in a cloud of angry buzzing he let out a shrill scream, scrambling backward and yelling out his forfeit. I couldn't help but let out an amused snort, sidling to the side as Shikamaru elbowed his way into our space. Choji stayed near the back of the group, blocking Asuma from getting close, a blatantly false expression of oblivion on his face. I shot him a fond look before focusing on Shikamaru.

"Everything alright?"

"Just got bored over in exile by Team Gai."

The words were barely out of his mouth before the generator stopped, 'Nara Shikamaru'.

I whistled, "Damn does the devil work hard. Your time to shine."

He groaned, loudly, even as Ino laughed at him. "Fine, fine."

He slumped down, loping into the arena as the other name generated. 'Hyuuga Hinata'.

It was an interesting match-up. The Byakugan wasn't concerned with things such as light and shadow, making the kagemane jutsu a strange weak point. Despite that she put up a good fight, getting a few tenketsu closed before he managed to knock her out with a solid right hook that I hadn't known him to be capable of. The medics carried her off, even as he limped back to us, rubbing his shoulder. I jabbed the few tenketsu, easily opening them back up. He stopped dead, eyes wide. I flicked him on the forehead, "What, like tenketsu are hard?"

He wasn't able to respond before the last match was called, the last two individuals. 'Hyuuga Neji' vs 'Uchiha Sasuke'. I grabbed Sasuke by the back of his shirt before he could leave.

"This guy has ideas about worthiness. I'm going to need you to kick his shit in."

Sasuke nodded, a small smirk on his face. "Sure."

Genma snorted as the Uchiha walked away, "Is that your grand idea for straightening him out?"

"Oh, absolutely not. Sasuke is going to fail at it, which will make him irritated, which will bring it to Naruto's attention. Naruto will fix things through the 'power of friendship' or something, I don't care. He's got a way with this shit, he'll figure it out."

It went about as I expected from there. Hyuuga Neji pulled out some shit he shouldn't have as a branch member and Uchiha Sasuke used just as much fire as was expected of him and his bloodline. It was the longest match yet, almost half an hour of flames against rotating barriers before Sasuke managed to get his foot to Neji's face. I made a mental note to sic Naruto on the guy sometime soon, even as we all lined up for a last word from the Hokage.

"You have all done exceptionally well! For the third part of the exam, all of your names have been entered into the pool. One month from now there shall be a tournament, with the numbers pulled today serving as the first round of matches. Good luck to you all!"

The tournament proctor went down the line of those who had won their matches, each pulling out a slip of paper. Once we all had paper the proctor, Gekko Hayate, went down the line, writing down the number as they announced it, the line-up appearing on the screen on the wall as well.

1. Uchiha Sasuke

2. Temari

3. Yamanaka Ichiyo

4. Rock Lee

5. Aburame Shino

6. Nara Shikamaru

7. Sai

8. Ito Taisho

9. Gaara

10. Asuka

11. Tenten

12. Haruno Sakura

13. Inuzuka Kiba

14. Abumi Zaku

15. Uzumaki Naruto

I frowned at the line-up, even as I heard Naruto complaining under his breath about not getting to fight in the first round. Sasuke could run some evasion drills against wind jutsu, and figure out how to use them to his advantage with his fire jutsu. Ichiyo needed to work on speed anyway, not that there was any catching up to Lee in the time we had, but we could probably bridge the gap with Yamanaka techniques and genjutsu. I wasn't concerned about Shikamaru, Shino was a good shinobi, but if Shikamaru put in the effort he'd run circles around any of the genin, myself and Sai included. Speaking of Sai, the problem would be in getting him to slow down a bit and show off against the poor Kusa-nin so that he could actually get promoted. There would be no promotion for him if the match ended in less than six seconds or something. I skipped over my name and my opponent, not thinking about that right now. Sakura would need to do some taijutsu training before her match, maybe some more practice with fire but it was up to her to put the work in on that one. Kiba had already won against a sound-nin, he'd likely learned some lessons there and could apply them in the tournament. Naruto was still complaining about getting the by as I tuned back into the crowd of genin around me.

I felt eyes on me, turning to see Shikamaru scowling.

"What?"

"You're going to fight him, aren't you?"

"Who?" It hit me, "Oh, right, him. I mean, probably. I'm going to give it a go, but if things start going sideways I give zero fucks about my pride, I'll just forfeit and flee the arena."

Genma appeared from seemingly nowhere, screwing up my beanie once again.

"Good little apprentice. That is the perfect attitude to have. That said, I owe you some lightning jutsu. I was going to get Kakashi to teach you some, but since you'll be up against his students later in the tournament, should you win-"

Kakashi turned from where he'd been blatantly ignoring his students arguing in front of him, "No, I'll teach her a few. My students would probably start a riot if I didn't, future opponent or not. I was going to steal her for some seal work with the boys, anyway."

Shikamaru still didn't look impressed but didn't comment further, getting pulled away by Ino. I rolled my eyes, turning to my team, and pointing to Ichiyo first. "Speed training, out the ass. You are not going to like the next month." I pointed to Sai, "You need to learn to showboat a little or you're not going to get promoted."

Sai frowned, "You forbade monologuing."

"Yeah, no monologuing, we aren't TV villains. But you need to show off chuunin qualities to get promoted, and you can't show off many chuunin qualities if you win in under ten seconds."

"Ah. But you also forbade…playing with our food?"

"I did, but we'll put a nix on that for the tournament."

He nodded, thinking it over. "Should we be training together if we may be opponents in the tournament?"
"I doubt that a month is going to be enough time for us to fight like completely different people. Even if we do fight one another in the tournament it's going to feel like a spar either way. If we train together it may be easier to show off one another's better features for a chance at promotion."

Naruto popped over to my side, "You guys are going to be training with us, right?"

I shrugged, turning to Genma, "Are we?"

"Oh, am I in charge now?"

I met his gaze blandly, waiting for him to give up. He did after a few seconds, deflating slightly, "I don't see why not, you made good points. Kakashi?"

"I'm game. I was going to head out of the village with my kiddos, yours might as well tag along."

Genma nodded before realizing something, scowling at Kakashi, "Wait, you said you were going to steal Asuka for seal work, were you ever going to bring her back? You know she's not yours, right?"

There was a beat of silence before Kakashi looked up from his book, "Hm? Did you say something?"

Before Genma could explode Kakashi turned to us, "We'll meet in front of the main village gates at 0600 tomorrow morning. I'd recommend grabbing as much rest as you can tonight."

He disappeared in a puff of smoke, Genma whirling on me, "When did he replace with a shadow clone?!"

I shrugged, "Right when the line-up was posted, why?"

"And you didn't warn me?!"

"I thought you knew!"

Sakura groaned from behind Sasuke, "Guys, I just realized. We're in the middle of Training Ground 44. We still have to go back through the forest to get home."

Oh, shit.

/./

The matches and the tournament line-up were randomly generated 100%, I'll just have to figure this shit out, I guess.

~TimeLordOfPie