Author's Warning: I use two pieces of common fanon in this chapter. The explanation for why can be found below. The explanation on my choice of the value of ryo in Naruto is also below. READ IT before telling me the value of Ryo. In fact, search the internet for the following: "basic economics naruto reddit". Probably the first link. Go read it (and bonus points if you manage to read the TV Tropes link in the comments and come back within the hour). Then, come back and read this, and you will understand why I have claimed the value I have. I realize that Kishimoto has given a defined value. I also realize that the given value is economically unfeasible.

Kakashi waited for his sensei's son to wake up.

The apartment manager had ignored the security for this floor, having also decided to leave this floor unused aside from his special, Hokage-mandated guest. Naruto, apparently, had taken the lack of security to heart, and had laid more than a few traps. The false paper wall that concealed his front door had been interesting. The sneezing powder balloon in the front door keyhole had been amusing. The kunai launched at groin level had been a genuine surprise. Nobody would expect it after such basic and childish defenses.

Nobody but Kakashi, anyhow. He caught the kunai before it could hit, reset the trap, and sat patiently in Naruto's living room as the sun came up, thumbing through his book with only the occasional giggle. He tucked the book away quickly when he heard Naruto started to stir, and silently made his way to the bedroom door. As an afterthought, he drew a kunai and posed with it menacingly. Paranoia is a good trait for shinobi, after all, he thought to himself.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully as soon as the door opened.

Once Naruto managed to calm himself and start his morning cup of ramen, he asked Kakashi what he was doing in his home. "Ahh," came the reply, "today is Sunday, and as you recall, I will be shopping for food for you."

"What's that got to do with me," grumbled Naruto, already mourning his blessed ramen.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't want to admit it, but he rather hoped Naruto would be more responsible if shown what sort of foods to buy. Not like he was being paid for the shopping trip. "Well," he said, crinkling his eye with a huge smile, "If you don't want the free meal at Ichiraku's..."

"Yatta!" shouted Naruto, jumping from the chair by the table. "Let's go!" He dashed for his bedroom, sleep clothes flying as he scrambled to get dressed.

"After the rest of the shopping," called out Kakashi, unheard.

It only took a few minutes of walking for Kakashi to notice the chilly reactions he and Naruto were getting from the crowds as they passed. Most of them outright ignored the boy as they passed, but more than a few civilians were giving the blond a hefty dose of stinkeye when they thought he was not looking. Those shinobi who passed by generally did not even notice the boy, but then, they barely paid attention to Kakashi either. "Oy, Naruto," Kakashi said quietly, "do they always act like this?"

Naruto frowned in apparent confusion. "Who?" he asked.

Kakashi nodded to one of the approaching civilians, an older woman who was already glaring at Naruto before he came near. When the boy got almost within reach, the woman stepped far to the side, never once letting Naruto out of her sight. She stood there glaring as the boy passed. Once she finally turned away, Kakashi stepped closer and whispered, "Them. I can understand why folks would not pay you any attention in specific, but do you always get this many glares?"

Naruto pouted. "Yeah. So?"

Kakashi said nothing. He had been told by the Hokage that Naruto knew about the Kyuubi locked inside of him, and had granted permission for Kakashi to discuss it in secret of need be, but it had never really crossed Kakashi's mind that even if the secret remained unsaid, most of the adults either knew the secret or had friends who knew it and allowed their friends to color their reactions. Everyone pretended he did not exist, except for those who took an active dislike in him.

Then Kakashi stiffened, as his mind finally turned up an answer to something he'd been curious about. Naruto's cupboards and refrigerator had been nearly bare each time he had been in there. He knew Naruto had been receiving a modest pension from the Hokage ever since he got the apartment, amounting to 5,000 ryo a week, and while that was not an extravagant sum by any measure, it should be enough to feed the boy with something better than cup ramen. Something did not add up, and Kakashi was starting to suspect he knew what.

They happened to be passing by a small corner shop, one that sold general civilian needs, so he paused and instruct Naruto to wait outside while he got something. When he walked in, he nodded his head. The shop carried civilian luxuries. Consumer electronics, children's toys, rare spices... and a rack of candy and junk food in front of the counter. He picked up a small package of pocky, priced at 10 ryo, just a cheap snack. He chatted with the owner for a few moments, making some banal conversation about the weather, then stepped back outside and led Naruto around the corner. "Naruto, I want you to walk into that store and buy one of these for me." He showed the blond the package he had, then sent him on his way.

Five minutes later, Naruto was back, pocky in hand and a sour look on his face.

"How much did it cost, Naruto," Kakashi asked.

Naruto humphed and held out the package and receipt. Kakashi looked at the slip of paper and frowned. "Naruto, I trust you to answer me truthfully, but I have to ask to be certain. Is the amount on this receipt correct?" Naruto nodded, looking down at the ground.

Kakashi stared at the slip. It was for 10 ryo of pocky, and after taxes, tariffs, and one particular surcharge that said only "cost of living," it came out to nearly 100 ryo. He could eat a full meal on that if he didn't do anything extravagant. A lot of things suddenly made terrible sense. He looked at Naruto, who seemed to be desperately trying not to cry. "It... took me this long because... well... now I can't even afford the cheap ramen."

"How much does the cheap ramen cost, Naruto?"

"I can get it at the one store for 200 ryo per cup."

200 ryo, three times a day, for seven days, came out to almost his entire budget. For cup ramen, worth very little more than this junk snack.

Kakashi nodded and gave Naruto enough money to cover the overpriced pocky. "Naruto, I want you to try something. I want you to use the henge jutsu to imitate me, then walk back in and buy another. If they ask, tell them it was good and you just wanted some more. And don't take out your money until they give you the total." Naruto nodded and performed the transformation, turning into a remarkably good imitation of Kakashi. After a quick inspection to ensure it was good enough to at least fool a civilian shopkeeper, Kakashi waved him on, and Naruto walked off to buy some more.

Within a minute he was back, walking slowly and staring at the receipt in his hands. Kakashi took it from him gently and looked at it.

10 ryo.

"Naruto, wait here a moment while I have a word with the owner."

"Ahh, Kakashi-sama, welcome back," said the shopkeeper. "Want some more already, ehh? Can't say I sell a lot to adult shinobi, but what do I know?"

Kakashi glanced at the shopkeeper as he approached and noted that the man looked... normal. No frown lines or furrowed brow. No snarling low tone of voice. No cold glare. Just depressingly normal, another dumpy and slightly pudgy civilian... who just happened to be old enough to have been present during the Kyuubi attack. Kakashi shook his head as he glanced around. "Just looking for something.. ahh." He picked up a small electric clock and brought it to the register. "Actually, there is a small problem. I think you may have mischarged me slightly on one of my purchases. I wonder if you could check my receipt?" The shopkeeper nodded quite cheerfully, and remained cheerful right until he saw the 100 ryo receipt.

"Oh," he said quietly, his face falling, "I am quite sure this was an accident, Kakashi-sama."

Kakashi nodded gracefully. "Of course, of course, these things happen."

The shopkeeper perked up.

"After all, to cheat someone is a terrible crime, no matter how young they are... or who they are."

The shopkeeper lost his smile.

"That crime, of cheating a shinobi in the service of Konohagakure, is punishable by litigation, forfeiture of property, jail time, or my personal favorite, death."

By now, the shopkeeper had gone pale.

"All the more so, if the shinobi in question had the personal favor of the Hokage for his service in keeping us safe from a monster."

The shopkeeper winced at that last part, and Kakashi knew he'd pegged the issue right on the nose. This one knew the secret.

"So undoubtedly, this sort of accident is unlikely to happen again if, say, that student of mine was to come in and purchase something."

The shopkeeper nodded frantically.

"Because if not," Kakashi said, still in a friendly tone that belied the look on his face, "I am sure Hokage-sama would be willing to reinstate me into ANBU just long enough for a sentence to be passed on such a case."

He casually laid his hand on the alarm clock and put a little elemental chakra into the device. The ear-splitting squeal as the speakers within buzzed, sizzled, and eventually melted, combined with the bright flash of the LCD overcharging and bursting into flames, seemed to make quite an impression on the shopkeeper. So did the melting plastic case as Kakashi increased the amount of chakra he was using for his little display of power. The shopkeeper apologized profusely in a shaking voice, gave him a full refund, and assured him no more mistakes would be made. Kakashi waved cheerfully as he walked out the door, leaving the flat, melted alarm clock where the drooping plastic had fused it to the counter.

Admittedly, the death part was a slight exaggeration, and punishment was highly unlikely to be to the level of ruining the man, but what he didn't know could keep him safe from mysterious fires and chidori holes in their doors at best and a furious, broken jinchuriki swearing vengeance on all who wronged him at worst. He knew he'd probably catch some flack from the Hokage for scaring a civilian with a death threat, but all the same, Kakashi smiled at a job well and truly done.

He kept smiling right until he turned the corner and saw the alley was now empty.

He found Naruto on top of the Hokage Monument some time later. The young man was just sitting there, arms around his legs, quietly sniffing. Kakashi walked over and had a seat next to him. He didn't speak, or put his arm around the boy, or otherwise comfort him. Any such comfort would be hollow at best. He just sat there and waited.

After a few minutes of silence, Naruto finally spoke. "Why?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Kakashi sighed. "Naruto, I know about the law and all things involved in it, as are you. Unfortunately, so do the rest of the adults in the village. It simply could not be covered up at the time. The law is there because the Hokage knew that this might happen, and desired that at least you might get a clean slate with those of your generation.

They do not know you well, and blame you for something you had no control over, and treat you as something you are not. But with time, they will come to see you for who you are, just as Iruka did. Give them time, and they will come around. Meanwhile, once word gets out about my reaction to all of this, at the least they will give you a fair price."

Naruto was silent for a while, and they sat together, listening to the wind shake the leaves and branches of the forest that surrounded their village. Finally, Naruto seemed to come to a decision, and looked at Kakashi. "Should I tell them?"

Kakashi shrugged, and took it as a question on his entire generation, not just his team. "I cannot promise they will accept it without question. Some, undoubtedly, will not. But for the most part, I think it is better for them to know now, rather than find out later, should they figure it out for themselves. However, only you may tell them. I have permission to discuss this with you as needed, but nobody has permission to break that law fully except for you. It's up to you if, and when, you should."

Naruto lapsed into silence again, and remained that way until Kakashi handed him a small pad of paper. "This is a general list of prices for common goods. If you get charged anything more than this, I want you to come to me. I also want you to keep receipts for everything you buy, in case I need to refund you. And if at any time you are worried about being cheated, I give you permission to leave the shop and secretly Henge into me to make a purchase. But not for any other reason, got it?"

Naruto managed to smile a little at the harmless accusation of what he probably would have planned to do when he felt better, and tucked the list into his belt pouch. "I got it, Kakashi-sensei. No using your appearance for pranks."

"Good." Kakashi stood and stretched, then offered a hand to his young student. "I believe I still owe you a trip to Ichiraku's..."

Naruto smiled and took his hand to get up, and for just a moment, all was right with the world.

Kakashi happened to notice the tail they had picked up on the way to the stand, and when they turned a convenient corner, he created a shadow clone and sent it on its way. Naruto looked at him oddly, but he waved it off as nothing important. When the clone dispelled, informing him of their stalker, Kakashi almost giggled. It was sort of cute, knowing the little Hyuga heiress was following Naruto around like a lost puppy. Then the pieces fell into place in his mind, and over a bowl of remarkably tasty ramen, to the sound of Naruto's frantic slurping and Teuchi and his daughter's laughter, Kakashi began to plan for the growth of his students.

All of them.

EDIT: Thanks to Pom Rania, who has now gone over this chapter in an effort to finally stamp out the early installment weirdness *GLUG*

Author's Note: It is here that we begin to depart meaningfully from canon. Kakashi in this story intends to train his students, and there is a very specific way for him to do so that should prove beneficial to all. I have a few chapters of training/background changes to cover, I think, before we hit the traditional Land of Waves arc.

On Ryo, or "But Ryo is 10 yen!": The value of 1 Ryo in Naruto, as I have been told many times, has been pegged at 10 Yen. The problem with that is that turns the value of a D-rank mission (5,000 Ryo) into $402.00 USD. For those of you who are about to comment on how prices are not defined in Naruto, I point out that they are. When Kishimoto says 1 Ryo is worth 10 Yen, that sets and actual real world value to goods as well. 1 Ryo will buy the equivalent to 10 Yen in goods. 1 USD is worth 124 Yen in those same goods. It's the reason you can take 402 USD and convert it into Yen, than buy 402 USD worth of goods in Yen (I'm glossing over tariffs and so on, they are not relevant to this particular discussion).

This is ludicrous. $402 dollars for pulling weeds or capturing a cat? Why get promoted then? Do 20 years of D-ranks and retire, having never risked your life.

If you are still reading, seriously, check the search I posted at the top of the page. Faced between impossible nonsense from the creator and making my own system, I went with the one that works for the story. Just like Madara will NOT be summoning multiple meteorites from space with an attitude of casual ease, my genin are not making CEO money for house chores.

Some have also pointed out that the money could be very high, and then reabsorbed through high prices on weapons, materials, and training for shinobi. This is a fallacy, because it ignores that someone, somewhere, is getting that money. In the end, someone gets rich under that system, and that richness would be what wrecks the economy, because whoever ends up with the money indirectly sets prices for the rest of them. Alternatively, the government charges high taxes on their own military... in which case it would be more efficient to just pay less and avoid the inflation problem.

On Fanon: There are two parts of this story that are fanon (that is, not canon compliant). At no point does Naruto canon provide evidence of price gouging, nor does it directly state that he gets unpleasant stares from adults. I have allowed these two bits of fanon because canon gives the implication it may be true, or at least feasible.

In the one time Naruto interacts with someone who does not like him or is not required to interact with him (outside of the Shippuden back-filler episodes, which I have not seen yet), the point where he sits outside on graduation day, and adults keep sneaking glances at him, he gets some unpleasant looks. Between that and his trend for pranks, I am willing to accept that piece of fanon for this work.

As for the price gouging, Naruto in canon appears to eat little but cup ramen and ramen at Ichiraku's. Note I said cup ramen. I am aware that there is plenty of good, wholesome ramen in Japan. I suspect that most of that good ramen does not come in a microwaveable container. I feel that his diet started as necessity before it became his thing, because the alternative is that the Hokage likes him, but not enough to keep him properly fed, which is quite dissonant from how he is portrayed.