"How's it going over here?" I asked as I dropped down next to Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya.

"Well, it's looking like this might take awhile," Jiraiya huffed.

I leaned up against a tree to watch as Naruto and Sakura continued to fight against Kakashi. I was surprised to see he was using his sharingan against them, and even more surprised to see how well Naruto and Sakura were doing.

I smirked, "I think I'll go check in."

"Don't interfere," Tsunade called out as I took off.

I moved through the trees until I spotted my white-haired friend sitting up against a tree.

"Looks like someone is getting a workout," I teased as I approached him.

"Jiraiya and Tsunade trained little monsters," he sighed.

"Mm, you helped," I smiled at him.

Suddently, Naruto and Sakura leapt out and launched towards us. I didn't want to get in the way, so I jumped up to a tree branch above them.

"Kakashi-sensei!! Listen to this!" Naruto yelled. "I know the final plot twist to Icha Icha! The hero is none other than..."

I watched as Kakashi's eyes widened, and he quickly covered his ears, "No!!!" I laughed as he slammed his eyes shut and tried to hide away. Poor guy, they found his one weakness.

I hopped back down after Naruto and Sakura grabbed the bells, and Kakashi realized what had happened.

"Kakashi," I smiled. "Naruto played you."

"Huh?" he looked at me.

"That book sucked so much, I didn't even get past page 10!" Naruto yelled. "I couldn't have spoiled it for you!"

He sighed, "I deserved that." I laughed as I patted his back.

Tsunade and Shizuen walked up, "Aright you two! Good job! I think I know what your status will be."

"Our status?" Naruto asked.

"You two will be back on a team with Kakashi and Y/n. You'll be known as Team Kakashi."

"Team Y/n would've sounded better," I huffed.

"That's so cool!!!" Naruto yelled. "So now what!? What does that mean?!"

"It means we'll be doing all of our missions together," Kakashi explained. "We're all peers now. No longer sensei and students, but Leaf shinobi."

I smiled at the young students who looked so surprised, "Good job you two."

We walked off towards the village. Kakashi had his head back in his book, Naruto and Sakura were chatting away, and I looked up happily at the night sky.

"Kakashi-sensei! Do you think I'm better than you now!?" Naruto called out.

"Not even close," Sakura huffed.

"I'm not quite sure about that. I've actually been just working on a new jujutsu technique."

I quickly looked over to him, "Hm? You didn't tell me about that."

"You didn't ask."

"Oh no!" Naruto yelled. "I haven't had Ichiraku ramen since I've gotten back home!!"

"Yea, I'm starving," Sakura added.

And with that, Naruto and Sakura took off.

"Looks like they don't care much about your new skills," I smiled at him.

"I miss those cute little kids who looked up to me," he sighed.

"Join the club... I feel the same way about Shikamaru."

Suddenly, Jiraiya appeared beside us, "Well, I leave him in your care now, Kakashi and Y/n."

"Hmm? My care? This is all Kakashi..."

Jiraiya sighed loudly, "The Akatsuki are on the move again. I don't think you'll be getting out of this one, Y/n. We need to be prepared. I'll be headed out to gather more intel."

"I should come with you," I spoke up, leaving Kakashi and Jiraiya looking shocked. "We all know I would be better suited doing that than looking after them."

"You want to leave already?" Kakashi asked, looking a little sad.

I didn't mean to make him disappointed. I had loved every second I spent with him today, but that scared me more than anything.... Plus I was still shinobi first, and I wanted to go where I would actually be of help.

"No, I don't want to," I quickly added despite my best intentions. I planned to fully commit to leaving again with Jiraiya but looks like my heart and not my brain was taking the lead on this conversation.

"It's just—I have a target on my back already from
the Akatsuki because of, well, because of Itachi."

Jiraiya interjected, "True, but I think Naruto is better off with you than without you."

"Did they come after you while you were gone?" Kakashi asked me.

"Sensei! Y/n!" Naruto yelled. "You two paying?— Oh, I mean coming!?"

"Look, you both should take some time to talk," Jiraiya explained. "We can't afford to be caught off guard. So long." And with that, he disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Kakashi's eye bore into mine, and I couldn't handle it anymore so I quickly looked away.

"W-we should go," I said softly as I headed towards Naruto and Sakura.

"Y/n," he caught my arm, stopping me. I looked at him and something immediately changed in him. He sighed loudly, "You go along. I'll go file our new team paperwork."

Just like that, Kakashi disappeared too.

"Y/n!!" Naruto yelled.

"Yea, yea. I'm coming little cheeto," I huffed as I walked lazily to Ichiraku ramen.

I had offered to pay, but Naruto ended up getting it free for all of us.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called out as a jonin walked in. "Come join us!"

Whoa, who is that?

"Naruto, you've grown so much," he smiled before looking at me. "Oh! Y/n Nara!"

My eyes widened, "Y-yea... Have we met before? I'm sorry, I don't remember."

"Oh no, we haven't," he blushed slightly. "I was just told that you would be apart of Naruto's new team."

I smiled, "How do you two know each other?"

"Iruka was our sensei at the academy!"

"Yea! He was the best!" Sakura added.

"Iruka! I've trained really hard! I'm on my way to becoming Hokage, don't you worry!!" Naruto yelled.

"Alright kiddos," I smiled. "You guys should get home and rest up. It's been a long couple days!"

"Right!" they both called as they took off out of Ichiraku ramen.

"Please let me pay for our meals," I smiled at Teuchi. "I would feel much better knowing we hadn't eaten all of that for free."

"P-please, allow me," Iruka spoke up and handed over the money.

"Oh, Iruka! You don't have to do that!"

"It's my pleasure. Now, can I walk you home?" he smiled at me.

My eyes widened, and I tried to fight off a little blush, "S-sure. Thank you."

"So, Y/n," he started as we walked towards my apartment. "How were the past couple years with Naruto and Jiraiya?"

I laughed as I started telling him some crazy stories about Naruto's adventures. Seeing as he helped raise the kid, I knew he would get a kick out of it.

Iruka was so kind and warm. He was easy to talk to and laugh with. We were pretty close in age, and I was surprised we had never met before. Then again, my path had been extremely different than anyone else.

I think by the time Iruka made jonin, I had already run away from the village... Rankings didn't matter to me, but hearing that kinda of put it into perspective just had abnormal my life had been.

"Thanks for walking me home, Iruka. I'm glad I finally got to meet the man who tamed that little trouble maker," I smiled.

"Yea, it's great to finally meet you too. You're amazing. Naruto is in good hands."