(Ninja Academy Classroom...)

"Well class... We have a new student joining us today... Naruto Senju..." Iruka said referring to Naruto who was standing right next to him with a wide grin on his face and Eevee was beside him sitting on its hind legs and was observing all the students with curiosity.

Did he just say 'Senju'? were the thoughts of a certain duckbutt haired kid.

Look at that... He already has a Ninken companion with him...! Its about damn time I get my own companion too... was the idea floating around the mind of a certain Inuzuka boy.

Hmm... Interesting... His chakra is so dense and large that its making my kikaichu uneasy... However... There is no ill intent radiating from him as far I can sense... thought a kid with round sunglasses who was wearing a high collar jacket.

Hmmm... He's not that bad looking... thought a female blonde girl with a slight blush on her cheeks.

That Idiot can't match the good looks of my Sasuke-kun...! thought a certain bubblegum haired girl with hearts in her eyes as she kept on looking at the duckbutt haired kid.

What a drag... no more explanation is needed to understand who said that. The kid then went to sleep on his table.

I think I should eat barbeque for lunch... was the thought running through the mind of another kid who is munching potato chips at a very relaxed pace without a care in the world and he was sitting right next to the kid who just fell asleep.

Unknown to all the kids in the classroom, Naruto was actually checking each and every one out with a keen eye behind the mask of his foxy grin. Only 6 children stood out among the entire class room.

A kid with an Uchiha emblem, the next one with the markings of an Inuzuka clan, another kid who seems to be calm and collective possibly an Aburame. Apart from my father, me and my mom the only other people who have blonde hair in Leaf Village are the Yamanakas. So the blonde girl might be an Yamanaka. Another kid who lacks motivation, possibly a Nara and a kid who eats continuously and depending on his friendship with the Nara, he might be an Akimichi. Was the conclusion Naruto came to in his mind.

Your Great grand-uncle Tobirama Senju always used to tell me to 'look underneath the underneath'. Naruto remembered his mother's very first lesson about being a ninja.

Bell rang all of a sudden interrupting Naruto's thoughts. Iruka just sighed and turned to Naruto and said, "Well Naruto, I am sure you will make good friends with the rest of the class..." he took his things from the bench, "I will continue the class after lunch." He said to the class and left.

Naruto and Eevee walked towards the bench where Shino, Shikamaru, Choji and Kiba were sitting at. But before he can say anything to introduce himself, Ino suddenly appeared right next to the bench the four boys were sitting at and stood facing Naruto, "Heyo, I am Ino..." She said with the slight blush still on her face. "This lazy guy is Shikamaru, the Chubby one is Choji, the weird looking one is Shino and the dumb looking one is Kiba..." She introduced the other kids.

"Hey....! I'm not dumb..." protested Kiba.

"Nice to meet ya all..." Naruto answered with a foxy grin that seemed to make him look even more cute in the eyes of Ino.

What am I thinking...? I love only Sasuke-kun...! Ino scolded herself.

Eevee being a lady herself watched the blonde girl and understood what's running through her mind and yipped to stop the girl's day dreams and to let the others know that she was there too.

"Oh and this is Eevee..." Naruto said patting Eevee on her head.

"Eevee...! Kawaiiii....!" Ino started hugging the poor fox to death with hearts in her eyes.

"Dude... Wanna have lunch with us..?" Kiba offered.

"Ye..." Naruto was interrupted before he can finish his sentence.

"Hey Senju... Wanna join with me for lunch...?" the duckbutt haired kid said.

"Hmm..?"

"You are a Senju and I'm an Uchiha... We are the elite clan heirs, so we both should become friends..." Sasuke said too proud of his clan heritage. The other kids just shook their heads at the emo boy.

"Hey... I'm Naruto... What's your name..?" Naruto greeted trying to ignore the cocky attitude the Uchiha kid just displayed.

"As I said... I'm an Uchiha..." Sasuke replied pointing a thumb to himself. But he was confused when Naruto shook his head in negative and said, "I didn't ask your clan name... I asked your name..."

Naruto then pointed the other kids there, "These are Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Shino... They didn't introduce themselves with their clan names, did they? Or do you think your clan is above all else that any one will recognize you with just your clan name?"

Pin drop silence had settled all over the classroom. Sasuke looked taken back at what was said by the blonde boy.

The pink haired girl screeched all of a sudden breaking the silence, "HEY...! STOP ACTING COOL AND TRYING TO MAKE SASUKE-KUN LOOK B..."

"I'm Sasuke..."

The girl's rant was cut short when she heard her precious Sasuke-kun saying that. And this time it was pink haired girl's turn to get shocked as Sasuke extended a hand for Naruto.

Naruto then shook Sasuke's hand and said, "Now that we got through this whole thing... Can we all go and have lunch together... as friends...?" He finished his sentence by looking around the still shell shocked Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Shino. Though it can't be said if Shino was shocked or not, as half of his face covered by the collar of his jacket and his eyes were covered with sunglasses.

Eevee yipped from her place in Ino's lap, breaking the blonde girl out of her shock and others. "Yeah... Lets go..." she said excited.

"Hmmm..." Was the duckbutt haired kid's answer.

"Alright..." Came the shout of Kiba.

"Fine..." Came the stoic reply of Shino.

"What a drag... (sigh) Count me in.." Guess who said it.

"So are we gonna go for barbeque...?" came the suggestion from Choji.

"Yeah... barbeque sounds good... Since I'm new to the village... Lead the way..." Naruto replied scratching his head with a grin.

"Uh... Hello..?"

All 7 kids who have Lunch plan in mind, collectively as one turned towards the source of the nervous sounding voice and found the pink haired girl fidgeting with her hands and feet.

"I'm... I'm Sakura..." Sakura said nervously and took a small pause and continued again, "Can I become the member of this group too for the lunch..?"

"No..." Naruto replied which made Sakura's head to fall down. "Not just the lunch, but you can become our friend too..." Naruto finished giving a thumbs up, which brightened up Sakura's face with a genuine smile.

Thus, the foundation of a good friendship was formed between these 8 kids. But none of these kids knew that their friendship will become a crucial factor in shaping the future ahead of them.