Chapter 2
Iruka entered the classroom, a smile on his face. All of his class had passed, it was a great feeling. He was so proud of them! Although, he was particularly happy to see Naruto with his headband.
He frowned slightly as he noticed that there was one of his students missing, Haruno Sakura was nowhere to be seen.
Behind him the door opened violently, starling everyone in the room, including him. There was a panting boy with white hair and red eyes that seemed to be exuding evil intentions unconsciously in an echo of the anger in his face.
“I apologize for being late, sensei.” The boy said, taking a deep breath and pulling softly at his clothes to look more presentable.
“Uh,” Iruka blinked at him, slightly confused until an idea hit him. “Sakura-kun?” He asked carefully, changing the designation from ‘chan’ to ‘kun’ hesitantly. The boy nodded. Oh, well. That was a surprise but as the trained sensei he was, he took it in straight and smiled, gesturing the boy to take a seat.
Some of the students were frowning and whispering between themselves, Sakura ignored them all and took a seat near Naruto and Sasuke.
The blond was so shocked that kept himself silent for a change, while Sasuke barely looked at him. Which was a good thing, because Sakura looked ready to kill the first person who dared to say something to his face.
“From now on, you’re all shinobi.” Iruka started, “To be here you all passed many trials but that’s nothing compared to what is in your future. You’re gennin, the first level in the chain. All gennin are put on teams of three individuals, every team would be led by a Jonnin.”
There were more whispers and some nods.
“We want balanced teams,” Iruka continued, “Now I will announce the teams…”
Naruto was happy when Sakura and him ended on the same team, even if he was very confused as to why the lovely girl now looked like an angry boy. But was depressed when Sasuke’s name was added to the mix.
Sakura didn’t react beyond a single nod in Iruka’s direction.
Sasuke’s frown deepened, he didn’t say a word.
Of course Naruto couldn’t help himself and snapped, “Iruka-sensei! Why I, a top-student, am with someone like Sasuke?”
“Sasuke graduated top of the class,” Iruka sighs in exasperation, “You, Naruto, graduated with the worst scores of the year.” There are some laughs from the rest, “This happens because we want to evenly divide abilities within groups.”
“Don’t get in my way, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke said,
“What did you just say?!” Naruto yelled.
“That’s enough.” Sakura intervened, pouring his red eyes on his blue ones. “We’re a team now. There’s no room to argue for something so insignificant.”
Iruka cleared his throat, “After lunch, you will meet you Jonnin-sensei. Until you’re dismissed.”
“Hey, Sakura-cha...eh, Sakura-kun.” Naruto quickly backtraked when Sakura narrowed his eyes at him, gulping hard. “D-Do you want to have lunch together?”
Sakura’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, Naruto-kun. Right now I have to take care of something but we can meet to have ramen afterwards for the introduction, if you want?”
“Y-Yes!” Naruto said, beaming at him.
Sakura smiled, waved and walked away.
Once he was out of sight, Marco’s expression turned angry once again. Those civilian parents Sakura had were so fucking irritaiting, they were also very lucky that murdering them was too much hassle. Otherwise, what happened this morning would have been completely different.
How dared they?
It was bad enough having been trapped in a girl's body, no matter how cute said girl was. But to have two idiots trying to change him back when they noticed the henge, sprouting stupidity as they claimed he owned them to be the daughter they wanted was utterly upsetting.
Unstable families were a thing he didn’t wish to recreate. Though, it had come as a surprise. He didn't know how shitty they were in the cannon, poor Sakura, having parents that put your dreams and hopes into the mud like that.
Arrogant bastards, as if they could force him to do shit.
But the fact was that he was practically homeless now, which was a problem all in itself. Not the most worrying one, but still important. Although, he had a few ideas to remedy that and so his attention was focused on fixing his, ejem, equipment problem.
Thus, why he was in the library.
He was almost certain that it must be a way to make the change permanent. There must be.
Half an hour later, he was back at the Academy. Completely frustrated and unwilling to put with Naruto or Sasuke’s antics, there weren't any books that could help with his problem and he didn’t really have the chakra to back it up as he did other things.
Both boys proved to have survival instincts and left him alone by the most part.
When Naruto put the eraser on the door, Sakura chukled. Naruto beamed at him once again at the support even as Sasuke pointed that Kakashi wasn’t going to fall for that. Sakura shook his head, amused at the fact that he knew Kakashi totally would.
Their sensei was silly like that.
“I got him!” Naruto laughs, Sakura shakes his head fondly.
Kakashi took the eraser and said, “How do I put this? My first impression about you guys… I hate you.”
Auch, Sakura though with a smirk. Way to make it awkward, sensei.
They all move to the roof, the gennin sat on the floor and Kakashi lazely rested against the railing.
“Let’s see, why don’t you introduce yourselves?” Kakashi suggested.
“What do you mean?” Naruto asked.
“Like… what you like, hate, your dreams and hobbies… Something like that.”
“Why don’t you introduce yourself first, sensei.” Naruto suggested with a tiny frown.
“Me? Well, I’m Hatake Kakashi. I have no intentions of telling you my likes or dislikes. As for my dreams… I have few hobbies…”
Sakura’s brow twitched; as much as it was still hilarious, it was also very annoying. Kakashi was lucky he was cute or else this bullshit wouldn’t be as endearing.
“Now is your turn,” Kakashi instructed.
“I’m Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen, but I like ramen at Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei bought for me even more. I hate the three minutes I have to wait to boil up the ramen. My hobby is to eat and compare ramen. And my dream is to become greater than all of the Hokage. I’m going to make all the villagers recognize my existence, believe it!”
Kakashi nodded his head, he signaled Sakura with his chin.
“I’m Haruno Tobirama.” Tobirama said with a sweet smile, having decided that going big or going home would be his strategy to win. “Anyone who calls me a girl or by another name, gets castrated. Understood?”
Naruto gulped and nodded hastily while Sasuke nodded more slowly.
Satisfied, Tobirama continued. “I like training, meditating in the forest and the smell of wet soil. I dislike creepy bastards, unruly kids and warmongers. My hobbies are learning new things and...experimenting. While my goal is to put this village straight.”
Everyone was looking at him like he was crazy, it was hilarious. “I was planning to be Hokage but I think I will be content with being Naruto’s advisor if that’s what it takes.”
Now, Naruto is beaming. So fucking cute.
Sasuke looks like he ate a lemon.
And Kakashi, well, let’s just say that Tobirama is well aware that he will be having those dark eyes watching him very closely. He sends their sensei his biggest smile.
“Your turn,” Kakashi tells Sasuke.
“My name is Uchiha Sasuke, There are many things I hate and not a lot I like. Also, I have an ambition that I have no intention to leave as a dream. The revival of my clan and to… kill a certain man.”
As dark as ever, Tobirama noticed with a twist of sorrow. Sasuke was too young to have such an obscure mindset but then, the boy had gone by much pain that it was completely understandable.
“Alright,” Kakashi began, “You three all have unique personalities, at least. We’re going to begin with a mission starting tomorrow. First, we’re going to do something that we four can do.”
“What is it?” Naruto asked eagerly, leaning forward.
“Survival training.” Kakashi said evilly, “Out of twenty seven graduates, only nine pass. Eighteen will be sent back to the academy. So, in turn roughly sixty-six percent drop out.”
Well, that was fun.
“Ready for that ramen, Naruto-kun?” Tobirama said, once Kakashi had dismissed them.
“Absolutely, Sa— Eh, Tobirama-kun.” Naruto laughed nervously, Tobirama pet his head while thinking, good boy.
“Uh, Tobirama-kun. Please stay a moment,” Kakashi said.
Tobirama turned, a frown on his face. “Right. What if we see at Ichiraku in two hours? You can come too if you want, Uchiha-san.”
Naruto pouted but nodded, Sasuke ignored the invitation.
Tobirama was left with their sensei, “What do you need, Hatake-san?”
“Not sensei?” Kakashi raises his visible eyebrow.
“Well.” Tobirama starts seriously, “Until we pass tomorrow's test, you are not really our sensei, are you?”
“Indeed.” Kakashi chuckles, “But sensei or not, I feel the need to offer a helping hand. You were looking to keep the henge in place, right?”
Tobirama flinches, “What about it?”
“I know a seal that will make the change permanent.” Oh, that was— It was rather progressive for a world like this one. Tobirama was impressed, and utterly curious as well.
“Can you teach it to me?”
“No,” Auch. “But I can take you to a person who specializes in them so it won't be a problem anymore.”
“That would be too kind,” Tobirama bows, “Thank you, Hatake-san.”
“You sure are a polite one.”
Kakashi puts a hand on the younger male’s shoulder, gently guiding him through the village to the place he talked about. The one who does the seal is an ANBU, which made sense, the one who could do this high level sealing must be very strong.
The seal curls around his right wrist, delicate enough that it didn’t look out of place. It was tattooed on his skin so the only way of getting rid of it was to cut his hand or skin his arm; it also didn’t change his appearance, allowing him to conserve the Ninidaime’s gorgeous looks.
Tobirama tanked both of them profusely.
He was happy as a clam when he reunited with Naruto in Ichiraku’s, so happy in fact that after they finished their meal he shared with the blond the advice of having breakfast and ignore Kakashi’s words.
They parted ways with a quick hug.
Tobirama returned home, sleeping on the roof so Sakura’s parents didn’t scream at him. Stealing some food in the morning and packing some things that could be useful in his new life as a Konoha shinobi.