Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do own quite a lot of the Jutsu used. Ask if you want to use, don't steal without permission.

IMPORTANT NOTES: This is the first story in my Spy Trilogy. (It is being edited and posted again before the 3rd one comes out). Most of the editing is grammar mistakes, or making sure that things match up with later chapters/books. Also, I've realized that over the last few years Fanfiction writers have changed the way they spell stuff, like names/ranks, etc, so that's getting added too.

SUMMERY: Naruto Uzumaki is Kitsune, ANBU Captain. Her new mission: become a Genin for the upcoming Chūnin Exam and gather information on the attack that will be launched against Konoha. Watch the emotional struggle of a tool wanting to break free. Can she find her freedom and a love during this mission? Or will the fear of change stop her?

Pairings: Gaara-Naruto. One sided love: Sasuke-Naruto. One sided lust: Kakashi-Kitsune. Staring Shika-Temari.

Pages: 21

Words: 9,455

Edited: 29 March 2013 (with beta XLucy0117X)

Published: 7 June 2009 (has it really been this long?)

:::::NOTES:::::

Thinking of anybody

Kyūbi thinking

Naruto thinking

~Undercover Spy~

Chapter 1

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, sat at his desk reading a report on a mission written and given to him by his most powerful and favorite ANBU.

After a few seconds of skimming over the mission report, he sighed. "So Kitsune, an A Rank assignation mission turned into an S Rank. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," a light, husky feminine voice confirmed.

The ANBU was around five foot five, her blonde hair in a pony tail held high on her head. She looked to be in her late teens, early twenties. She was different from all the other ANBU in more ways than one. Her clothes were different from the standard uniform for starters. She had a long black trench coat on, but it wasn't all black. The bottom had dark orange flames around it. Under that she wore a black skort, but like her trench coat it wasn't all black, the shorts under it were orange, but unless the skirt moved you couldn't see it. Under the shorts she had fishnet stockings going all the way down to her boots. Her boots stopped at her knees. She didn't like those sandals that Shinobi wore. The shirt was a type of tight armor, almost like a corset.

She had long silky legs that many of her fellow ANBU (the perverts) had noticed. No one needs to name the one-eyed one. She had all the curves in the right places. Her hips were well proportional. Her breasts were a decent size, not like the overly big ones Tsunade had. Yes, Kitsune knew and had seen all the Sannin. But that didn't mean they knew of her. She was a spy after all.

She didn't have the vest the ANBU wore; she hated it, even if it offered protection. She wore a fishnet shirt underneath another one. The one on top was a tank top like corset that was black and cut off just below her breasts, something most of the men she killed were distracted by. She wore gloves, but you couldn't see them until she was hitting you with her fists—then you were dead—or if she raised her hand to do something with it. The gloves were black, like the rest of her, but in the palm she had a symbol. It was a spiral. It was the symbol from her mother's family. It was on the back of her shirt as well. However, you couldn't see it because of the coat she wore.

She had two swords strapped to her back, but no one could see them. They had a special seal on them that allowed only her to wield them, and concealed the swords until she needed them. She had the standard kunai pouch on her right leg. Inside of her coat, she had various pockets with scrolls in them.

Her clothing as well as her methods to do missions was different from the rest of the ANBU. But it was what made her unique. It was why the Sandaime Hokage cared for her so much. That and the fact he trained and raised her himself, with the help of a few others of course. She was the legacy of the Fourth Hokage, in more ways than one.

"Kitsune, I have another mission for you." The old man told her.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," the ANBU replied.

He sighed; he hated it when she was in ANBU mode. She didn't joke around with him, or make fun of him. She wasn't any fun.

"You can take off your mask, Naru-chan. This mission is different than all the ones you have done so far."

The girl nodded and checked around them to make sure no one was near or anything. Her identity was an SS Class secret. When the Uzumaki knew no one was around, she took it off.

Her eyes were startling blue. Every time the Hokage saw them, he immediately thought of Sapphires: twin Sapphires in her eyes.

When she took off the mask, her very advanced henge reversed itself. She went from a late teen/early twenty year old to a twelve year old. Her rightful age. Since her identity was a double S Class secret, she made a henge so powerful that with enough amount of chakra anyone could change their body structure. No one would know that they weren't who they looked like. It became a part of who she was when she was in ANBU mode.

The Hokage prided himself in being able to read her so well, unlike everyone else. He could see that this last mission had taken a toll on her and she was tired. This new mission would give her time to rest.

"This is an A Ranked Mission. I am warning you now that this may turn out to be an actual S Rank mission, depending, of course, on how things develop." Sarutobi warned her.

Naruto snorted. "Please, old man, I have done many A and S Ranked missions over the years. This won't be any different. Who am I killing?"

The Third Hokage had long grown over the guilt he felt when he heard her be so blasé about killing. He knew this was better than the life that she would have had. The life of being an orphan with no purpose, just waiting to get a break from a teacher or the Villagers, and then being a weak ninja with no one to teach her?

Yes, this was a better life.

"As far as I know of, you won't be killing anyone. But that may change: you will do as you see fit."

Naruto blinked. Did he just give her the okay to do whatever she wanted? That had never happened, especially since she could remember that he once said he would only do that over his dead body. She just hoped that he didn't die after this mission was over.

"So what is the mission?" her voice was serious now. "Or have you really gone senile in your old age? Giving me, me, the right away to do whatever the hell I want? Have you gone off your rocker old man?"

Sarutobi laughed at her words. If he did ever die, he would miss her.

"I think I have been, as you put it 'off my rocker,' ever since I started teaching you. It gets worse every time are together."

Naruto only snorted. What could she say to that? It was true.

"Your mission will be one for a few months. You may end up going out of the Village, too. But that depends on the turn of events, or the missions I assign you."

That threw Naruto off course. She was receiving missions during a mission? That could only mean one thing.

"Yes, you have already figured it out haven't you? You will be put on a team, a Genin Team to be exact. Your real mission will not start till the Chūnin Exams come up, but since we want no one to think anything out of the ordinary, you will be placed on one of the upcoming Genin Squads."

Naruto nodded, it made sense. If the Hokage didn't say anything about joining early she would have.

"We, unfortunately, have a spy in our midst."

"My mission is to kill the spy?" Naruto said off handedly like it was nothing, and it was nothing. She had been killing people for years now. She had hardened herself against it. She was a well trained tool.

"No, if you get the chance, just spy on the spy. We have information, little I might add, that says we will be attacked during the Exams. So I want you to go undercover and check it out. It will be information gathering all the way. Listen to everything. Also, there is one more thing. You're not going to like it."

Naruto became quiet for a few moments. "There are a lot of things in my missions that I don't like, but I still carry them out Hokage-sama." Her voice was soft, yet so serious. Her eyes became sad, as if she had seen so many terrors and horrible things in her short life.

Another stab of guilt that cut through the old man at her words; he knew that this was still a better life for her. He had to keep telling himself that.

"You know of what happened with the Uchiha's, correct?"

Naruto nodded and recited. "Itachi Uchiha was sent in as a spy. When it was certain, one hundred percent certain, that there was no way to stop the rebellion, then he was sent in on an S Class mission to kill them all. He got the Mangekyou Sharingan before the massacre. But he left one Uchiha alive, his little brother. Itachi then returned here and threatened you, the Council and Danzo. The soon-to-be missing ninja said that if Sasuke knew or was hurt, he would return and tell everyone of what he was ordered to do. Then he went to spy on the organization Akatsuki that are out for the all the nine Bijuu. If my assumptions are correct, no doubt Itachi will be sent after me. But they won't be able to catch me. I will be the last one."

Naruto made sure to leave certain facts that were not really the Hokage's business. The information she kept to herself were for Itachi and his younger brother's ears only.

The Sandaime Hokage nodded to all the information she told him. Of course she knew about that incident and other secret things about it as well. Besides the fact that she knew everything he knew, for he trusted her more than anyone, she was Itachi's partner after all. He was the only one in the ANBU who knew who she really was: her age, everything. They ended up being close friends.

But she never did tell him what Itachi made her promise before he left. Her soon-to-be ex-partner made her promise to look after Sasuke. But what could she do? In short of telling him what Itachi forbade her to tell him, she could do nothing but watch him grow into a man who craved revenge with every ounce of his being. She would just watch. That was all she could really do at this point and time. She could help him here and there, for she knew deep inside, he was as lost as she was in that sea of loneliness.

Naruto could help her comrade of pain. But just a little. She would not interfere too much. The blonde ANBU didn't want all this on her hands if something bad happened. Naru wondered if this was going to be a good idea, her on the younger Uchiha's team—for why else would the Hokage have brought up that clan and its past, if she wasn't going to be assigned to his team?

"Good, I don't have to tell you to keep that to yourself." He chuckled. "I think Itachi would come back to kill you if you did."

"He could try." She gave him her fox grin. If you weren't her enemy, it was a nice grin. But it would turn wicked and scare you if she deemed you her enemy.

"Good, good. Now, tomorrow is when the Genin, who just passed their exams, will be put into squads. I am putting you onto a team that will have two girls and two guys."

"One guy will be the Jōnin, correct? Which one is it?" she asked.

"Yes, you are right; it is Kakashi Hatake." The old man said as he waited for her to blow up on him. Instead she just sighed.

"You realized of course—because you're oh-so-smart in your old age—that we will pass the bell test, and no one on that team will get stronger with his help? Uchiha will be the only if it does happen. The third member will be useless. How will I get through the Chūnin Exam with that one?"

Sandaime took in her words carefully. She did know Kakashi best, she did outrank him after all. She was his superior, his ANBU captain. Well…to be honest, she was in charge of all the ANBU. That reminded him.

"Who will replace you for this mission?"

Naruto thought, "Temporary…hmm…what about what's her face? Crap, let me think. I shouldn't be that mean to her. She is a good Shinobi." The blonde thought for a moment before the name returned to her.

She remembered those on her team. Raba the Rabbit was Yugao. Bunka the Ox was Tenzo. Kega the Dog was Kakashi. And Nagoyako the Weasel was Itachi, but he defected. She would have picked him, were he here.

When Itachi first became an ANBU, they were partners. After she trained him and deemed him ready for ANBU life, she put him on her team as her second in command. Kakashi didn't like that, but once Itachi was gone, he got his place back. Kakashi wasn't ANBU again until he failed the upcoming Genin Team so he was out. That only left Raba or Bunka.

"Raba or Bunka, but since I think girls are better than guys, I pick Raba. I trust you will inform her? I have to sort out for this mission."

The old Hokage approved of her choice. Well, he couldn't say anything about it, since she was solely in charge of ANBU. She would know her own team right? Those two plus Kakashi had been on her team for years before Kakashi became a Special Jōnin.

"Now about the personality you will take over. My dear, being sarcastic and cynical will going get you so far."

She sighed, and her head banged into the wall that she was leaning against. Her long blonde hair pressed roughly into the wall with no care of how much these actions hurt her. Sometimes she liked to feel pain. Feeling pain meant that you were alive. And sometimes she wasn't sure she was alive.

"Loudmouth at times, will be okay? Outspoken as well? Not sure I can be loud, but I will not ever, act like some stupid, loudmouth baka. That would surely kill me worse than those Hunter Ninjas Mist sent after me once. They nearly got me."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "They what? Why didn't I hear about this?"

She laughed at him. "What would you have done? Killed the pervert that distracted me? One day I swear I will sneak in that butthole's house, steal all his books, and burn them while he watched tied up in a chakra-suppressant rope."

The old man sighed as he watched her eyes glow evilly. That evil smirk didn't do anything for the look either. Sometimes he wondered what he made. At times she is a sadist girl who sticks to realism like glue on a stick, one who has to be sarcastic and cynical when it suits her; this girl is something else. And he created her.

The old—boy did he feel it, and he was only getting older—man sometimes wondered if she ever tried that jutsu she found. The one that showed you what would have happened if you didn't take an important choice in your childhood. For her it would have been to grow up an outcast and wait till she was like seven or eight to start training as a ninja. Maybe that was why she hated certain kind of people. She hated what she would have become. That explained a lot for the old Hokage.

His young apprentice's voice took the Hokage out of his thoughts.

"So tomorrow I start my mission that will take a few months, just until the Chūnin Exams correct?" she asked one final time to make sure she knew what was happening.

"Correct. But we have no idea what will happen during the Chūnin Exams. Something could come up and we could be in need of your powers on that team."

She laughed at his words. "I don't think you need a Wind Mistress, or a Seals Mistress, or even my great skills at keeping someone with those Cursed Seals in check. Anko-chan taught me a lot, but I don't think Orochimaru will be in an invasion. He is still licking his wounds from being denied Itachi's body…." She said as she thought about it. "Holy cow!"

She balled her hand into a fist and slammed it into the wall. Her hand wasn't bleeding, but a few more smacks would break the skin. The wall did have a fist-like hole in it, though.

"What did you just figure out? Besides the fact that a cow cannot really be holy."

"All that intelligence we got from Itachi—that he got from Sasori, who got it from a spy—relayed the fact that Orochimaru has been continuing his forbidden techniques."

Sandaime Hokage sighed. "I know he has been doing forbidden techniques. But until you have proof that what you just thought about is what will happen, then I don't want to hear it. You know how I am when it comes to Orochimaru."

Naruto shut off then, and when Sarutobi figured it out a second later he knew it was too late. One thing she hated above all was being shot down. He had to remember that most of her suspicions saved his life as well as many in this Village. She was used to—before she became a ninja—no one paying attention to her, thinking she was nothing but the beast sealed inside of her, that she wasn't worth anything, nor her opinions.

And he just hurt her. Another stab of guilt consumed him.

"Thank you Hokage-sama for the mission. I will perform it to the best of my ability. If you excuse me, I need to get ready. I will inform Yugao of the new arrangement." She said with a voice too neutral, too devoid of emotion.

She disappeared, only the wind was left behind.

She left the Hokage wondering if she would be just like her father. Here one minute and gone like the wind the next.

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

She knew what time the Academy told its graduating Genin to be there. She was early. She sat in the back of the room in the disguise of a boy. No one noticed her; she had a couple of jutsu and Genjutsu in place so they wouldn't.

It didn't help that she was sitting on the wall. There was a reason why she never really sat on a wall like this; it did wonders for her back and neck.

Oh that's good; I'm sarcastic to myself as well as everyone else. Ha, at least no one gets special treatment.

She watched as the girls made a fool of themselves. Only one didn't. A Hyūga. Even though that Hyūga didn't fan over the Uchiha—who was doing his best to ignore the screaming fangirls—it didn't mean she was good. Naruto sighed, good Kunoichi were hard pressed to find. It would be sad if any of these girls were on her team. But she was going to have one. She couldn't tell what was worse, the shy, weak Hyūga or a screaming fangirl.

Her patience had almost expired, and she was about to kill those fangirls when the teacher came in. Once he came in everyone was quiet and took their seats. The blonde and pink haired girls—who looked like rivals—sat next to Sasuke, who she knew didn't like that.

She was on a team with Sasuke Uchiha. She wondered if he would remember her. In her adult form of course. But she looked just like it, just younger. He probably wouldn't remember. The emo kid probably blocked all memories involving Itachi from his mind.

So deep was she in her thoughts she had almost missed her team being called out.

"Team Seven will be: Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki."

Of course she had to have the biggest fangirl on her team. It was always her luck wasn't it? Her biggest challenge this mission wasn't finding the spy or stopping the attack, it was trying not to kill the fangirl.

"Excuse me Iruka-sensei, who is Naruto Uzumaki? We never had someone of that name in our class before." The pink haired fangirl asked—she was Sakura.

She had a red Chinese type dress on, with her head band holding her hair in place above her big forehead. Her shoes were dark blue. Oh, how could Naruto forget the dark blue shorts underneath the dress?

Well, her team's fashion sense wasn't really good. Looking at Sasuke he had light grey shorts that went past his knees while standing up, but was above them while he sat. He had a dark blue shirt on that had the Uchiha fan on the back. His shoes were the same as Sakura's. But his headband was on his forehead.

Eh, the hitai-ate does not belong on the forehead. So tacky. And the fan girl? How dare she use a symbol so important as something so stupid? She is a disgrace to the ninja name. A killing is in order.

Of course she couldn't say anything. She had just grabbed something out of her closet. She had a purple shirt on, with black pants. Her hitai-ate was around her neck. It was either that or her arm.

Her mind had learned to think quickly. One had to in life and death situations. Especially if their squad's life were in their hands. So when she stopped criticizing her team about clothes, the Chūnin just started speaking once again, this time to answer the pinkette's question.

Iruka shrugged. "I was told by Hokage-sama that she was tutored by some ninja here in the village for a few years. And now she was going to be put on a Genin team. We were short one person for a full three man squad. Now, Team Eight—"

Naruto stopped listening then. The other teams didn't matter to her. She knew the truth about teams and the exams. Every team was going to fail, except three. And those three were already picked. There was the new Ino-Shika-Cho team for starters. Then the one the Hyūga girl was on with the dog boy and bug boy. Then there was her team. But…no one but the Hokage and Jōnin Instructors knew that. Well, Kakashi didn't, but the fact that she was on this team, meant that it was going to be passed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Chūnin teacher again. "Go have lunch and be back in an hour. Then you will meet your Jōnin teachers. Good luck," he said with slight tears in his eyes.

It made Naruto almost want to puke. She would have left before now (before that disgusting display), but she wanted to know what this Uchiha was about. She watched him disappear as soon as lunch was announced. So he was a little fast now was he? That little fangirl didn't have a chance in eating lunch with him.

She probably thought it was a good opportunity since I wasn't there to 'butt in,' as she would put it. Stupid idiot, I hate girls like her.

Then kill her, kit!

Let's not and say we will do it later…I will kill her in the near future. I just don't know when.

Maybe if we are lucky during one of those fights with Akatsuki they will kill her…

HA! Don't know why I didn't think of that sooner…

Naruto waited till the last one left the room—of course it was the lazy genius—before she jumped off the wall. But that lazy genius stopped in the doorway, he didn't leave completely. It seemed that she jumped down too soon. He looked back at her and tilted his head. He told his teammates to go on ahead; he would be with them shortly.

"I know you're there," he said calmly. She half expected the Nara to sigh after saying it and insert the trademark troublesome.

"Well, I know you're there, too, lazy."

With that Naruto dropped all of the jutsu she had concealing herself. It was sad, she was using Genin level power and even the Chūnin Teacher didn't sense her. Yet, it was the lazy one that did. Interesting.

The Nara took her in; his face showed that he was appraising her. "Are you Uzumaki?"

She gave him the fox grin. "Course, I'm surprised though. Genin level power and no one but the lazy genius senses me. How long, pony tail?"

"You were in here before everyone else. It didn't help you were sitting on the wall behind me...well, technically you were above me."

She gave him a tiny smile. "You're smart, too smart really for my tastes. I bet you will end up falling in love with an outgoing tomboyish girl who will hurt you all the time. My guess, you would say it was too troublesome to get out of the relationship."

Shikamaru sighed as he leaned against the doorway. "Probably."

Naru shook her head and then she paused as she listened for a minute. "I believe you need to go after that girl. She is about to molest the Uchiha. I don't think big boned boy can stop her for long."

Her new friend snorted. "Save Uchiha? Isn't he your teammate?"

"And she's yours. But if he can't save himself from a fangirl then he isn't worth my time."

"That's harsh. But it is too troublesome to go save them. Maybe I should just go sit down and wait for them to come back. Sleep time…"

Naruto gave a little laugh. "Aren't you hungry?"

The Nara shrugged. "Probably won't be anything left after Chōji gets done."

She shook her head. "Here," she dropped a lunch box on the desk he sat at. "I'll go save our teammates."

The Genin boy gave her an odd look. "You're not going to eat it?"

The female spy gave him one in return. "It won't take that long. I have my own to eat."

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

She disappeared and was sitting on the roof, which was directly over the Nara's team, in a few seconds. Chōji was losing grip on the blonde fangirl. Naruto noticed Sasuke was eating a rice ball in the window seal.

How the hell did that blonde stalker find where he was sitting? Naruto thought as she jumped onto the ledge next to the window.

Sasuke didn't look startled; she gave him some points. He had his emotions under control. Maybe this won't be so hard after all.

"What do you want?" Uchiha asked in a cold, yet devoid of emotion, voice. Probably another damn fangirl; I swear I will kill them all someday.

Naruto rolled her eyes. "I'm just warning you about a rabid fangirl is to your left that's about to molest you. You might want to pick a new place to eat. Or at least make sure no one comes near you."

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw Ino being held back by Chōji. It seemed in her single mindedness, she didn't see the girl next to him. So, the blonde girl was right.

When he focused back on her, she was gone. She left him wondering who she was. She left him wondering a hell of a lot more than just whom she was.

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

When she got back to the room, the Nara told her they had half an hour to eat. So they sat there eating, him in the seat on the end of where his team had sat before, and her on the desk. It was quiet. Naruto was used to the quiet, so she didn't say anything. It was the Nara that broke the silence.

"You're one of the first girls I have met that is quiet, but still cool. You're a little troublesome, but not as much as the fangirls."

"I hate fangirls. If I ever rule the world, I will kill them all."

Nara laughed at that. "I already know your name, mine's Shikamaru Nara."

Naruto gave him a nod and looked at him again. "You look like your father, without the scars, not to mention you're younger. You act just like him too."

Shika took that in. "You know my father?"

Naruto shrugged, "Not really. The ones who trained me did. And we just to talk about all the ninja in the village, the strong points, weakness, etc. It was a good way to train me to gather information. Also, it allowed me to become familiar with the older Shinobi, in case something happened and I needed to speak with one."

Shika nodded at her words; it did make sense.

"Do you know anything about the Jōnin leaders?" he asked.

Naruto thought for a moment. Should she tell him? It wouldn't hurt. "I don't think I'm supposed to tell anyone this, but not everyone will become Genin. Only three teams will."

Shika took that in too. "So which teams? Are they already picked?"

Naruto gave him a grin. "Of course they are; the Ino-Shika-Cho team shall live on."

"Troublesome," was all he said in reply. Then, as an afterthought, he asked: "Do you know my sensei too?"

"Do you have to ask? It's Asuma Sarutobi. He smokes a lot, I got to warn you. Don't let me catch you picking up that habit Shika. He's lazy, but not as much as you. I would advise that if you want to retire early from your ninja career, you should train more than he does you. The Chūnin Exams will be a bitch this year."

Before they could say anything else, the bell rang and many of the Genin's rushed in. Shika expected her to disappear, but she didn't. She just kept on eating her lunch. Ino and Chōji gave her weird looks but didn't say anything. They sat down on Shika's other side.

After five minutes she was done. "Are you done eating, Shika?"

He nodded. She grabbed his box and hers and walked to the front of the room. She threw it away. As she came back up to sit next to him—on the desk like she did before—she locked eyes with the Uchiha. She gave him a quick wink and walked on.

Sakura was about to tell her off, but the Jōnin started popping in. After ten minutes, there were five teams left: the Uchiha's, Shika's, and three others that were going to fail. Finally, a man with a beard came in, and Naru gave Shika nod. He got up and walked toward the Jōnin before he called out what team he was picking up. Chōji and Ino soon followed him.

Once the other three teams were taken, it was only Team Seven left. Sakura started complaining about their sensei being late when Naruto told her to shut the hell up.

"Is that all you can do? Talk? You will die in your first real mission. I can't believe I am stuck on a team with a stupid weak fangirl! For your information, you can complain all you want about your Jōnin being late, but it won't change anything. He won't be here for another three hours. So sleep, do something; just don't, for my sanity's sake, talk."

Okay, the Hokage told her not to be sarcastic or cynical, but she couldn't help it. That girl just demanded to be killed and struck down as hard as Naruto could do it.

The Uchiha ignored his obviously shocked pink haired teammate. He was getting tired of her too. Finally, some peace and quiet! Sasuke thought, but then he remembered the other girl in the room. The one who saved him from Ino—though he knew she didn't save him, Uchiha's didn't need saving—and shut Sakura up. He wondered if she talked as much as Sakura. But given that she just told Sakura off for talking, he didn't think so.

Plus, she got along with Nara, and he was lazy and was known to not talk much. So maybe she was quiet.

The girl sighed and walked to the end of the classroom. She went to the teacher's desk, grabbed some paper and a writing utensil and wrote a note. She then rolled it up and sealed it with one of the Academy seals.

She then proceeded to walk over to Sasuke. "Uchiha, give this to the late Jōnin."

She was at the door before he spoke. "Where are you going?"

Oh that's hilarious. He didn't say 'Uchiha's aren't messengers, do it yourself'; no, he asked me where I was going. Oh, Itachi would die if he heard this…maybe I should tell him. It would be fun to see that stoic Uchiha expression crack.

She didn't turn around. "The roof. I don't want to be stuck in here for a few hours."

The spy did go to the roof because she needed some place to think. Kakashi was always late for things that didn't matter. But when he was in her ANBU squad, he sure as hell wasn't late. After being late once, he got a beating so bad it put him in the hospital for a few weeks, and he was never late again. Just for her squad though. But if anyone mentioned her, then he would get pale. Of course, after beating him up, he just had to get some kind of fascination with her. She wondered what he would do if he found out she was a twelve year old girl.

Naruto knew what she would do: laugh her ass off. Oh that news would travel fast. The pervert of the village is in fact a pedophile! Too good…she would have to use that to tease him with later.

Don't Genin squads introduce themselves when they first meet? Perfect.

She sat on the railing and looked up at the sky. Sometimes she liked the calm before the storm. But sometimes she just wanted the storm. But now? She finally had rest. She finally had her calm. But she knew her calm would soon bring the storm. And she craved it.

One of the things she loved about nature was the rain. It explained everything about her life. All the different ways to describe it, could describe her. Of course there were the nights of the full moon too. She loved those too. The moon and the rain. They went so perfectly together to her.

Before she could go on about the similarities and how they go together, she felt someone coming. When Naruto thought of Kakashi in her mind she always called him Doggy—for his mask was a dog—even though they had codenames.

Doggy's back and he has brought me a raven and a cherry. Tsk, tsk doggy. I know I taught you better than that.

"Yo."

Naruto refrained from rolling her eyes. She didn't turn around to look at them. "You're late, Kakashi."

Something about her struck the Jōnin. It was like he knew her. But he told himself, it had to be from before: from when she was little. The Hokage had ANBU track and protect her from the villagers when she was little. Kakashi had to do it for a few months and then he switched with Tenzo, and Yugao. Then after she was six, his superior—the sexy, luscious, not to mention curvy, Kitsune did it for them. It must have been that.

"Nice Kitty. Can you come down here and sit next to your teammates?" he asked her.

She got off of the railing and sat down as she was told. But when she looked at him, if only looks—or glares, for it was a toned-down death glare she gave him—could kill.

"It seems the kitty has claws." Kakashi mused to himself, unaware that he had spoken aloud. Sakura rolled her eyes, and Sasuke didn't respond at all.

"Okay let's start. Tell me about yourselves. Your likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, all that good stuff."

Sakura looked uncomfortable. "Can you give us an example, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi one visible eye turned into an upside down crescent. "Course, Sakura! My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like things as well as dislike stuff. My hobbies are my own business, as well as my dreams. Your turn, Pinkie."

Sakura sweat dropped. All we learned was his name.

Naruto chuckled inside. Good job doggy. Don't give information that could lead to your destruction to people you don't know.

Sakura took a breath, Naruto tuned her out. She wasn't worth listening to. But she knew when Sakura was done; that Sasuke really ignored her and Kakashi deemed her a basket case. Or something close to it.

"Now you, emo kid."

Sasuke chose to roll his eyes at his new sensei. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't have very many likes or dislikes. My hobby is to get stronger. I have a dream, no an ambition; I will kill that one man and then restore my clan. Nothing will stop me."

Both Naruto and Kakashi thought the same thing; someone grew up on the wrong side of life.

"Your turn, Kitty."

"I have many names, so guess if you want. My likes do not matter in the real world. My dislikes don't either, even though fangirls, emo-moody-revenge-driven boys, and perverts make me want to kill someone." Her teammates twitched. "Hobbies, eh? Kakashi you aren't some sick pervert who wants to stalk or do bad things to his students are you?" she gave him a curious look.

He almost fell off the rail he had occupied when the kitty got off of it. Sasuke was so shocked that he showed it. Sakura actually face faulted from her shock.

It fulfilled its purpose. She had said too many things about herself. She revealed too much. How was she supposed to explain how she was that mature at age twelve? She couldn't tell them that she was the best ANBU ninja Konoha had, and had been for years. So she played on this distraction. It worked. A true Shinobi would see underneath the underneath.

"Ne, ne Kakashi, is it true?" the kitty with big claws pressed.

Kakashi shook his head, a sweat drop on his head. "Why would I be a pervert, Kitty? Plus, you guys are a little too young for me."

Naruto shrugged her shoulders at him. "You're the pervert, you tell me. Anyway are we done? This has gotten boring."

Kakashi sweat dropped again. She said that this was boring? He was going to have to keep an eye on her. Great I have a loud fangirl, a revenge moody emo kid, and a mature little Kitty who has too many claws. Nothing will be boring though, but a pain, yes.

"Just that I want to inform you all that tomorrow you will be doing a survival test."

Before Sakura could question the man, Naruto covered her mouth with one hand and used the other to tell the Jōnin to go on. Kakashi sighed in relief.

"I know you did this type of stuff in the Academy, but this is different. Anyway, come at six am sharp, and don't eat breakfast or you'll puke."

And he was gone.

Naruto took her hand off Saruka's mouth and stood up. "I would advise you two things for tomorrow. One, eat breakfast, because you're really going to need it." She didn't, but that was because she had undergone training about not eating before.

"Why? Sensei told us not to." Sakura said hotly, she wasn't going to disobey her sensei like that. What if he kicked her off the team with Sasuke because of it?

Naruto raised her eyebrows. "There will be times when you are a ninja that you have to disobey your superiors. Sometimes it will save lives; sometimes it will get the job done. Other times it will get people killed. Plus, do you really want to do a test with a Jōnin that could cost us our status as Genin, just because you don't want to eat?" Naruto questioned her.

Sakura didn't saying anything, so Naruto went onto the second from of advice.

"You might want to sleep in and arrive at least two hours late. Kakashi probably won't get there till ten or eleven. You will need all the sleep you can get. Until tomorrow, guys," she said.

Naruto walked over to the rail and jumped onto it. Then she jumped off of it to the building in front of them. And she was gone. She had things to do before tomorrow. And hanging out with little kids was not what she wanted to do. Especially since one of them would probably get the killed in the field.

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

During the night, she couldn't sleep. The moon wasn't out, nor was it raining. There was no chance of getting to sleep. She was also a little afraid. Sometimes she couldn't stop the nightmares.

For a few hours she talked to Kyūbi. He understood her nightmares, he was there, and he had seen the things she had done.

She would never tell anyone else her secrets. Only Kyūbi understood her. For he had killed many, and done things he regretted.

She knew the truth about what happened twelve years ago. Madara Uchiha had summoned him. She knew lots of things, but most of those things she never told the Hokage. Like the rumor going around that that snake-teme could change bodies? She never told him, and she almost slipped yesterday. That old man was in denial. And he was going to die because of it. She and everyone on her team could see it, but being the good Shinobi they were, they said nothing.

There were only two places that could calm her restless soul. The Hokage Faces on the mountain and the memorial stone. She chose the latter.

She understood why Kakashi was late to everything. She had sat in front of it for hours on end thinking about the names, the people, that were carved on it. She had carved many on the slab herself. But she was never late, she knew her duty. She didn't let the past grab hold of her. She took the past in as experience and learned from it. She didn't let it consume her. She didn't let it define her like Kakashi did.

Of course, she respected him, but he knew his place. Most of the time he just refused to see it. She let herself skim down the list of names. She found her father's: Minato Namikaze. She found her mother's: Kushina Uzumaki. They died saving people. Her father: the village, and her mother: the hospital. Even though her mother was weak after childbirth, she still got up and healed the people coming in from the battle lives. She saved over thirty lives at the cost of her own.

Sometimes Naruto wondered if it was worth it. Her mother died to save those people and most of those people hated her daughter with a passion. But her mother knew, knew that she was going to die. She did train a little as a medic for awhile. So, Naruto guessed, that she wanted to do something good before she died. Her mother never even thought about her daughter after Minato took her. All she thought about was saving those people. Naruto knew this because her mother confessed it before she died to a medic who asked her.

The young girl had always had her suspicions about the truth of what happened (as that was one thing that Kyūbi really didn't want to talk about—her mother). Naru knew that one day she would find out if that was the true way her mother died.

Naruto let a light small smile grace her face. None of that matters. She had grown past that long ago.

She felt many approach, but they all just stayed away. Some knew her because of those that trained her, others just walked away. The only one who stayed was her new sensei: Kakashi.

They both just stared at it for hours, just thinking, breathing in the silence. Until he broke it.

"Who?" he asked.

Just one word, and yet it was more than enough.

"My mother, my father," she said, sensing him still even more. "Friends, teachers, but no lovers as of yet, I'm afraid." Comrades, fellow ninjas I knew but didn't know, and of course there were some I hated.

Kakashi laughed lightly at the last one. He looked up after a few minutes. It was after ten thirty. "We need to get over at the training ground if you're going to pass your test."

"Hai."

They walked—it wasn't that far—in complete silence.

It seemed Kakashi understood just a little more about his new student, yet was thrown in to the dark even more at the same time. The way her voice spoke, not only did she know who her parents were, but she had people she cared for die. The older man had a feeling that she knew the pain of being the only one left behind. It explained why she was like she was.

No words were spoken before they arrived. Sasuke said nothing as he watched them walk toward the field together. He knew where they were coming from. The young Uchiha felt the air around them filled with sorrow, but now it changed, no longer sad.

Sakura wisely said nothing, even though she knew she could have said something that would have made the girl (who made fun of her) laugh. An add-on to the joke she said yesterday about Kakashi-sensei, but there was a chance that Sakura's sensei wouldn't like it so she didn't say it.

Naruto looked like she as playing attention to Kakashi's explanation of what was going to happen. Thankfully, Sakura had learned to keep stupid questions to herself.

Naruto knew how this would play out. They were going to fail because Sasuke felt like he had to do everything alone, and Sakura was just plain weak. So it was up to her to put this together. This was such a drag.

First, she made a Katai Bunshin and switched with it using Kawarimi before Kakashi finished talking. Being an ANBU you had to learn to make sure when you used chakra that no one can sense it, if they can it's your life.

So Kakashi had no clue. He wouldn't expect this from a Genin, so why have his guard fully up? Naruto knew that if Kakashi were in ANBU mode he would have sensed her, because he was familiar with her chakra and jutsus.

Her real self was in the bushes waiting for Sakura. First, she would use her Katai Bunshin to distract Kakashi and Sasuke while she stole away Sakura. Then she would knock some sense into the girl, grab Sasuke, and take out the bells.

It didn't take long before the test started. Quickly and quietly she put Sakura under a Genjutsu and took her away. She left a Kage Bunshin disguised as Sakura, so as not to arise suspensions.

Once they were away, Naruto released the Genjutsu and told Sakura to shut up in a quiet voice.

"I will explain everything if you're quiet, okay?" Naruto whispered.

Sakura nodded.

"This is a Kage Bunshin; it's different because it's solid. My real self is distracting Kakashi. You realize what this test is about right?" Naruto lied through her teeth about the first part.

Sakura thought for a moment putting the bells together with the fact that he was a Jōnin. "There is no way we can win."

Naruto shook her head. "That isn't the true test. One of the rules of the Shinobi, look underneath the underneath," she paused as she got some information from the countless Bunshin the Katai Bunshin made. Kakashi hadn't figured it out. Naruto had only a few minutes before the Katai Bunshin got caught in a trap and Sasuke would be next.

"So, it's a test of teamwork, isn't it?" Sakura asked, knowing she was right.

"Sakura listen to me, I am being really serious here. Your future is on the line. Are you listening?"

Sakura nodded again.

"You have to be serious. You can't keep on chasing Sasuke. Sasuke hasn't paid attention to his fangirls before and he won't start now. He hates them as much as I do. You're smart, not as smart as Shika, but pretty good. You're not that strong, but that's Sasuke and my job. You will be strong though, no doubt about it. Are you ready to be serious?" Naruto asked. They didn't have much time. Kakashi just threw the Katai Bunshin in the lake.

Sakura understood, though it hurt. If Sasuke liked strong Kunoichi, she was going to be one. She nodded to Naruto.

"What do we do?" she asked.

Naruto smiled. "Traps of course, I have a Bunshin already setting them up. It will take him a few minutes to get out of them. Then Sasuke and I will fight him, while you get the bells."

That made her pause. "Will Sasuke help?"

Naruto smiled. Sakura almost fell backwards, that wasn't a nice smile. "He will."

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

The Katai Bunshin got the message once the Bunshin with the traps was finished. It made a few last Bunshin's and lured Kakashi to them. Then, once Kakashi was a step away the many Bunshin, except one, disappeared. Kakashi assumed that the one left was the real one. But it was a Kage Bunshin. The Katai Bunshin dispelled itself, and Kakashi never knew. Later on, he figured that the real one got away, but since there was so many he didn't see it.

The real Naruto had just got Sakura into place. The only thing left was Sasuke.

"You realize that you can't pass this test without us, right?" Naruto whispered from right beside Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't move. He had heard her coming after all. It wasn't like she had tried to be completely noiseless. She had wanted him to know she was coming. Sasuke had moved locations once he saw Naruto thrown into the water.

"So another Kage Bunshin?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Kakashi is fighting those. I snuck out." She lied about the last part, but who was to know? There was no way a Genin could do a Katai Bunshin (let alone know what the hell that was in the first place). The only one who knew how was Kitsune, the leader of the ANBU. And she kept that secret close to her.

"Smart," he smirked. "And yes, I realized that about the test once you pulled Sakura away."

Naruto gave him a fox grin. "This will be easier than I thought. I got a plan. Sakura is in place now. Are you ready to fight beside me against Kakashi?"

He frowned at her. "So that's your plan? Distract him with us, while Sakura gets the bells? It's not going to work."

Naruto chuckled evilly. Sasuke almost took a step back, but Uchiha's don't do that.

"She will, just wait. Come on, Teme. We have a Jōnin to distract."

"Dobe."

~~~Undercover Spy~~~

As if on cue, after Kakashi finished with the traps, Naruto and Sasuke jumped him. He didn't have time to read his perverted book as he took on the two Genin.

He had to admit that they were a good team. But the test was for all three of them, not just these two.

It seemed that Naruto and Sasuke adapted to each other's fighting style easy. For Naruto, it was just getting used to a little Itachi again. If one was thrown back, the one would quickly jump back and mirror the other.

Both sides were attacked at the same time. They were in step with each other. Kakashi knew that if they trained together for a few years, they would probably be unstoppable pair.

Of course, he underestimated his cute little Genin.

When he wasn't looking—for he thought he had thrown Naruto in the tree—Naruto did a jutsu. Sasuke saw her and immediately started his fire jutsu.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu," Sasuke took a deep breath and released his jutsu.

Kakashi didn't expect Naruto to hold on to him, not letting him go. He tried to do another Kawarimi, but that jutsu Naruto did on him wouldn't let him.

So the only thing he could do was jump, with Naruto attached to him. But he grabbed her and dropped her off in a tree, while he sat in the next one. That was close. Sasuke would have barbequed him. He turned to look at Naruto, and she just disappeared.

Kage Bunshin, Kakashi thought.

He turned his attention to Sasuke, and was amazed to see him swinging one of the bells around his finger. Sakura, next to him, just held her bell up and smiled.

So he was wrong, they did all work together.

He looked around for Naruto, but couldn't find her. Yet, after he finished looking around, his eyes went back to the other Genin, and there she was.

"What did you three do?" he asked. They knew what he wanted; he wanted to know how they got the bells.

"You were busy trying to get away from the fire that you didn't notice my Bunshin." Naruto said.

Sakura giggled. "You didn't notice me either. I was a few trees over, hiding. Once you jumped and landed on the tree, I used chakra strings and grabbed the bells. Naruto and Sasuke did a good job distracting you until I could master it."

Kakashi blinked. "You used Chakra Strings? And I didn't sense them?"

Naruto nodded and jerked her thumb toward Sasuke. "He put too much chakra in his fire jutsu, and I did use one on you, myself."

Kakashi put it all together now. "That was why Sasuke's eyes lit up. You placed the Gyaku: Kawarimi no Jutsu on me didn't you?"

Naruto nodded. "Found it in a book a few years ago. I'm just glad that Sakura had read about the Chakra Strings. I told her a little about them, but I was afraid it wasn't enough."

Kakashi laughed. "I was outsmarted by Genin's. I wonder what Fox-sama would think of me. I shudder to think."

When they were not in ANBU form, they change their names a little. She called him Doggy and he called her Fox. Naruto just smirked and played along.

"I don't think this Fox—whether a guy or girl—would think so kindly of you when they find out you were beaten by three Genin. You're a Special Jōnin Kakashi, we expected more." Naruto smirked.

Kakashi shook his head. Trust a kid who gets trained by fellow ninjas to know how things were done. He knew that Naruto was behind all of it. But something was off at the beginning. He had a feeling he lost before he even said go.

Oh well, they had a few months left. He wondered if he would put them up for the Chūnin Exams. He knew Naruto was ready…but the other two. He guessed with Naruto on their team, they both would improve. Look at Sakura; hadn't she already done so in the course of this test? And Sasuke willing worked with them.

Yes, Naruto would be the glue that held this team together. But he didn't know that the glue would disappear.

To be continued...

Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Jutsu. User transforms into something or someone else. Naruto uses this to transform into her older self.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shadow Clone. It unlike the regular clone, it can fight and take hits, but once it gets hit once, it disappears.

Kawarimi no Jutsu: Substitution. It switches the user with something else, a log is mostly used.

Katai Bunshin no Jutsu: Solid Clone. This Clone is like the Kage Bunshin in the effect that it is solid, but this clone can actually take hits depending on how much chakra is put into it.

Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu: Fire Release: Great Fireball's where the user exhales air that charka turns into flame.

Gyaku: Kawarimi no Jutsu: Reverse: Substitution Jutsu. The target cannot use Kawarimi until the jutsu is removed.

Mangekyou Sharingan: Advance form of the Sharingan, you acquire this advance form when someone close to you must die and you sense the unbearable loss. With continuous use, the user will become blind. Only way to prevent blindness is taking the Sharingan of a sibling. Itachi and Madara are the only owners of the Mangekyou Sharingan. Madara is the only one who has the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

Bunshin: clone