No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Chapter 7: Tutorial Mode Has Finished

A/N: Academy entrance age is 10/11 and graduation age is 14 instead of 12. Pretty much everything else stays the same. Enjoy.

Status Report of Ongoing Training for Academy Student Kuma

Top Secret / Four Flames Only

Submitted by: ANBU Operative Bear

Additional Content supplied by: Might Guy

: Tsunade of the Sannin

: Jiraiya of the Sannin

3rd Year Academy Student Kuma continues to show adequate loyalty to Konoha and his fellow Shinobi. Unofficial psych evaluation performed by Tsunade during last bonding session confirms this, as well as the boy having an unnatural knowledge of both clan and village politics for someone of a clanless orphan status. It is of note that Tsunade's opinion could be colored by possible conflicts of interest due to emotional bonds with Kuma. Possible second opinion may be required going forward.

During periods of extreme stress, Kuma has been observed either showing new techniques related to his bloodline (see appendix A) or new ways of applying already known moves in an almost instinctual level.

Might Guy: Yosh! Kuma has begun to exhibit similar techniques observed to have been performed by his father Bartholomew Kuma during his stay in Konoha thirteen years ago. I have put Kuma through increasing paces in physical training over the last two years to encourage the emergence of these traits as per order of the Hokage and the council. His youthful dedication and hard work have been an inspiration to myself and everyone around him.

Chakra drain still is a major issue for Kuma, once again confirmed by Tsunade with mandatory medical checkups after training with Might Guy. The boy's larger than average chakra reserves make up for the excessive drain that his blood line techniques cause, though through constant use of said techniques and further chakra control exercises the amount of wasted chakra has begun to significantly lessen. It is recommended that Kuma continue to train in his bloodline techniques rather than be taught excessive ninjutsu that many with his field would be encouraged to specialize in.

It has been confirmed that Kuma is able to 'push' inanimate objects with the use of his bloodline limit to locations out of his line of sight. Amount of chakra needed depends on the size and density of the objects, as well as if they are stationary or under momentum already. It is also less intensive if he has been to the location previously and can picture it mentally, though testing has been proven that he was able to send ninja equipment to locations around fire country with decent accuracy with simply a map and photo of the location for reference.

Tsunade: I have noticed traces of excess chakra in the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes of Kuma's brain after his training is completed for the day. It is almost as if his body instinctually overpowers the lobes needed for his bloodline ability to 'push' it's target. There is not much of an effect right now but it remains to be seen how overstimulation of these portions of the brain will affect the development of the rest of it. Long term monitoring is recommended for health and safety reasons.

Jiraiya: I don't want to sound callous but the strategic value this kid brings to the table cannot be overstated enough Sensei. The ability to push money, equipment, medical supplies, and basic goods to our ninja out in the field gives a strategic advantage unheard of in the past. We can't overwork Kuma lest we lose the goose that lays the golden eggs, but using him sparingly could potentially turn the tide of conflicts we find ourselves in down the line.

It is worth noting that Kuma has not been able to 'push' anything with an active chakra network during training. This is most likely a subconscious limit placed by the boy himself after the trauma taken during the night his bloodline was awoken. The only successful push of a human was Chunin Azato Hisasuke. Unfortunately the condition of the body due to impact with the ground at terminal velocity has not allowed for an autopsy to see the possible side effects of something living being 'pushed'.

Conclusion: Continued development of Kuma's talent in preparation for upcoming graduation remains top priority. Considerable thought needs to be given as for who he is placed with due to both political and social concerns already expressed in previous reports. Request from ANBU Bear still up for consideration.

End of Report

Top Secret / Four Flames Only

The Third Hokage folded the report shut, placing it down onto his desk before glancing around at the conference room's other occupants. His advisors were still reading, taking their time to make sure they didn't miss anything. It used to vex him that he always had to wait for them to catch up, though the decades had tempered that outlook into resigned tolerance in the knowledge that not everyone processed at his speed. This attitude was not shared by Danzo, the crippled man glaring at his contemporaries in annoyance at his position across from the Hokage. Tsunade and Jiraiya occupied the last two seats of the table, with the Toad Sage watching the potential argument brewing between the elders with a hint of a smile. The Slug Princess was in a less jovial mood though, Hiruzen assumed it had more to do with her medical opinion being second guessed in the report than anything surprising in the content she might have found.

"Suggestions?" The old Hokage only needed to speak one word for the room's focus to return to the matter at hand.

Homura took the initiative, coughing lightly to signal his intent to the others as he neatly folded up the report and slid it towards the center of the table. "His father was never a citizen so we were unable to utilize his abilities like we wanted to. This isn't an issue for Kuma though since he belongs to Konoha. We should set him up in the Clan Restoration Act immediately once he is of age to ensure that his abilities are not lost for the future."

"I hardly think it's necessary to use the CRA in this case" Koharu observed with a light smile as she moved her own copy of the report away. "From what I hear, he has a group of girls practically demanding his attention as it is. The only issue is they all belong to preexisting clans already. Whoever lands him will end up adding his abilities to their own clan's gene pool. The CRA would ensure he makes his own clan instead of joining a pre existing one, but that would lead to its own political issues as the balances are redrawn to make room for it in clan politics."

Danzo snorted in contempt, threading his fingers together under his chin as he leaned forward. "The boy is just now beginning to discover what his abilities can do. Spreading the genetics to other clans without that knowledge is like handing explosive tags to academy students and hoping nothing will go wrong." Jiraya snorted in suppressed laughter at the conjured image, drawing a frown from his sensei and team mate. Danzo took it as a sign to press the point now that he had someone who shared his opinion. "You've all read Jiraya's theory on what he could do for the war effort. Now is the time to develop his gifts as well as take him around as much of the elemental nations as possible so he can have a better chance of pushing resources there if need be."

"He isn't some ROOT to be used and tossed away!" Tsunade slammed her hands on the table, causing a crack in the thick wood as she pushed herself to her feet. "That boy has already experienced enough loss and trauma for a lifetime. Let him develop naturally before he starts to close himself off from the world like Itachi did. You all know how that ended." Her eyes narrowed as the elders exchanged looks while Jiraiya looked anywhere in the room but her direction. "Spill it Jiraiya. You never could lie to me even if your life depended on it."

Jiraiya looked to his sensei in desperation, prompting a sigh from the old man as he pulled his hat down to hide his weary gaze as he leaned back in his chair. "This doesn't go beyond this room Tsunade. The harm it could do to the village means that you put your life on the line knowing the information. Are you really willing to take that bet knowing your track record?"

The old man sighed as he observed her face screw into the special kind of frown she had ever since she was a child when she chose to be stubborn, giving a firm nod as she sat back down. "Itachi didn't go nuke-nin. It was a coverup arranged between himself, Fukagu, and those of us in this room to prevent a possible coup that was beginning to develop within the ranks of the Uchiha." Tsunade's frown hadn't changed, though the shortness of her breath was all the signal the old man needed to show just how surprised she was by the news. 'Good' he thought as he took out his pipe to help his own nerves, 'at least that's one secret that hasn't seen the light of day yet.'

"An outside party had contacted the Uchiha elders, persuading them to start a rebellion with his backing in exchange for leadership of the village as Mandra had always intended. This siren's song didn't ring true with the younger generations of Uchiha that they tried to recruit though, one of them bringing the issue to Fugaku who immediately began an investigation. Once he built a case, he brought it to me and we began to make plans. Itachi who was one of my guards at the time, refused to allow bad blood to exist between his clan and the village if news got out over the coup tough, asking to be the one to handle the purge instead. To save him from execution, Jiraiya, Danzo, and I arranged for him to go nuke-nin afterwards to hopefully joining the organization of the man who laid the initial seed of rebellion in the elders."

Jiraiya interrupted with a snort of disgust, unable to keep his feelings buried any longer. "It would have been a great plan if he had just stuck to the script." At her inquisitive look, he flinched as he realized his inadvertent slip. He chose to plow on, knowing she wouldn't stop hounding him until he spilled later on now that she knew there was more to it. "You remember how the princesses and their knight ended up in the hospital afterwards right?"

A small bit of killing intent began to leak in the air from the blonde woman, prompting him to speed up his explanation. "They were meant to be out training late like always. Itachi was supposed to fake fatigue from the killings before being confronted by his father and driven out of the compound. Instead, he met the four of them as they returned early to the Uchiha compound to drop off an injured Satsuki. Choosing to improvise, he shunshined into the middle of them, knocking Naruko and Hinata out within the first few seconds. Kuma had managed to leap away however, giving him enough room to 'push' an entire wall at Itachi while Satsuki kept him occupied and took a kunai to her hip. Itachi took a burn on his leg in return, slowing him down enough that when he tried to use the Mangekyou technique on his sister, Kuma was able to get in between them and take the damage himself. Itachi immediately used the technique again on Satsuki before making his escape."

"She won't confirm it, but I'm certain he told her the truth during the genjutsu" Danzo mumbled to himself, ignoring the rage pouring off of the Sanin. "She's already claimed to have forgiven him and considers it her life mission to 'save him from himself.'"

"And that's why I had to treat Kuma for mental damage even though Satsuki didn't show any signs of ill effect" Tsunade concluded as she visibly tried to calm herself down. "Resistance to clan techniques my ass" she muttered, throwing her leader a look that spoke volumes. This conversation would be continued later on whether he wanted it to or not.

Jiraiya made a valiant attempt to come to his sensei's aid. "On the plus side, that's all three of them that Kuma's saved now. Satsuki is even more dedicated to him now than she was before, almost to the same fanatical level that Naruko and Hinata already show. The Uchiha are all almost lockstep in the want to hook the two of them up, leading to an even deeper rivalry with the Hyuuga."

"That only benefits you since they'll be too busy fighting each other to stop Naruko from making her own moves" the Slug Princess pointed out, causing the super pervert to flinch at being seen through so easily.

"Be that as it may, I'll have to agree with Danzo and Jiraiya that Kuma needs to develop on his own before we even think of children. He needs to experience life his own way" the Hokage concluded, attempting to steer the conversation back to a safer zone before it was pointed out that he was part of 'Team Naruko' as well. "The three princesses have struck up an interesting friendship over the years and I'd be an idiot to break them up when they continually push either other to new levels of achievement. Kakashi will ensure that they keep growing and developing while ensuring that their teamwork isn't lacking."

"Then what about Kuma?" Tsunade voiced the million yen question, unwilling to stay silent on the boy she had begun to look at as unofficial family. It was never said out loud, but both her and the brat had grown on each other over the years.

"I'm asking you to trust me on this" the Hokage responded, his eyes sweeping the room even as he activated a fire seal at the center of the table to incinerate the reports. "It's unorthodox but I think it'll benefit everyone in the long run…"

XXXXXX

Kuma groaned to himself as he rolled his body off of his bed, landing on the floor with a dull thunk. The other boys had joined him for training yesterday afternoon, the upcoming graduation having frayed everyone's nerves. All of them had pent up energy to release, even the Nara. Things had been even at first, taijutsu being the agreed upon method of attack. This had lasted only as long as it took Shikamaru to grow sleepy, the lazyass finding a hiding spot in a nearby tree where he began to chuck rocks, training shuriken, and anything else with in arms reach. Kiba took this as an escalation, charging a passing fang attack at his rival, Kuma, while the tall boy was distracted by Shino expelling a cloud of insects into the battlefield. Kuma tanked the hit, his shirt arms shredding as he blocked the Inuzuka's attack before deflecting the boy into the bug cloud and grinning at the screech of surprise from his opponent.

The free-for-all had continued on for another twenty minutes before Akamaru had taken it upon himself to steal Choji's bag of chips and wolf down the last treat directly in front of the Akimichi. One rage filled human bullet tank jutsu later and all that remained was a flattened field, one low-on-chakra Akimichi, and four flattened boys and a small dog. It was agreed to end the day on that note and they would see each other at the academy for the final exam the next day. Kuma had limped home afterwards, passing out in the hallway just after the front door had closed.

He had woken up in the middle of his bed the next morning, the rumpled sheets and pillows strewn everywhere signalling he had not been alone in his slumber. The empty instant ramen container along with a bra bearing the Uzumaki swirl on each cup thrown in the corner showed that at least Naruko had joined him last night. He stopped, staring at the handle to the bathroom door where a pair of bras proudly hung bearing the Uchiha and Hyuuga symbols respectively. 'One of them still can't make a move without the other two copying it' he thought with a sigh as he entered the washroom and proceed to do his morning rituals.

The face staring back at him hadn't changed all that much in his opinion except for maybe a little baby fat beginning to burn off leaving him looking a little leaner. His hair was a different story though. Kuma had let it grow out now that he was away from the orphanage, intent on seeing what it looked like reaching down to his shoulders like he had seen a few jounin wear. Unfortunately for the poor boy the longer his hair grew, the more curly it became. It now resembled something of a bird nest that he gave up trying to tame, simply burying it under his ever present hat that his father had left behind.

Sighing to himself as he looked out the window to see the position of the sun, the soon-to-be ninja left the bathroom. He grabbed an apple from a bowl of fruit in the kitchen before ducking to make it out the front door. It was annoying how fast he had shot up in height the last three years, now topping out at just under six feet tall. The poor boy had to repurchase his wardrobe multiple times due to out growing it, all while keeping the princesses from influencing his fashion choices with their own tastes. He had settled on a black coat with a white konoha symbol stitched across the front of it. The store owner's daughter thought it cute to stitch small, white paw prints on the bottom of the jacket as well. It having unintentionally become his symbol as his hands and feet had developed paw pads that came to prominence the more he practiced with his pushing abilities.

He slowly made his way down the street, pretending not to notice the way the crowd seemed to part for him as if a river flowing around a large stone. At least the looks had changed over time from the open fear and annoyance from his friendship with Naruko to something more akin to awe as he towered over the average population.

Kuma stopped dead in the street as his nostrils flared, an intoxicating aroma filling them as he quickly turned towards a familiar bakery. He once again ducked to enter the establishment as he moved aside to allow an elderly lady to leave. "Good morning Mina-san!" he greeted the now familiar woman who was currently stocking the glass cases with freshly baked rolls.

"Stop being so formal Kuma-kun" the woman playfully scolded him, standing up and stretching her head back to look up at his face with a rueful smile. "You've known me long enough to just call me by my name at least." She reached forward to pat his arm before grabbing a few bags and moving towards the counter. "Now what would you like this morning? A growing boy like yourself needs all the nutrition he can get."

Kuma rolled his eyes at her mothering before holding up six fingers "Just sticky buns this morning please. I know they probably haven't eaten yet so I need to get them something before class starts." The girls took their training a little too far, even by his standards, often forgetting to eat or even change after morning practice before arriving late to the academy. Iruka had been informed to just let it go, but the rest of the class wasn't a fan of the girls getting special treatment causing them to begin to get isolated. Not that the princesses cared, only having time to pay attention to each other's progress as well as their shared interest Kuma. This left the boy in the unenviable position of being the go between for the princesses and the rest of the students.

"You really need to stop spoiling them so much Kuma-kun" Mina scolded as she filled out the order, adding two extra rolls to the bag. She handed them over with a grin as she took his payment, ignoring the boys grumbling about being in debt to her. "They're young women who can take care of themselves."

The boy shrugged before taking a bite of his roll, his stomach growling with urgency for the food to be passed down to it. "They're my friends" he said, as if that explained everything. To him, it did. He had certain groups of people that orbited around him at different levels, and the extent he would go for them depended on their level. The people of Konoha we're on the outer level, the will of fire ensuring that he would do whatever he could to protect them. His friends had the middle level, comfortable in the fact that he would bend over backwards to help them out any way he could. The top layer was reserved for those he considered family, his orphan status making it damn hard for someone to gain that status. Only Tsunade and the princesses currently occupied that layer and they meant the world to him as the aunt and sister figures he never had while growing up.

Mina simply waved him off as she returned to her chores. "Good luck on your exam Kuma-kun!" she called out as he left. "Come by and show me your forehead protector after you pass." She shook her head at his obliviousness, happy to chalk it up to his remaining innocence in a lifestyle that would almost ensure he was a trained killer before he finished his teen years.

Kuma walked back out on the road, pulling out a sticky bun and placing it in his hand before activated his 'push' on the pastry. He made sure to keep his arm still, stopping the food item from having any forward momentum.

XXXXXX

A lone ANBU wearing a bear mask twisted in mid air to avoid something that had appeared from out of nowhere in front of him. He caught the offending object before landing on the roof in a low crouch, his eyes scanning for potential threats before he allowed himself to relax and examine the object. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, he glanced down at his target, only to see the boy waving at him with a smile while eating a similar pastry. Bear waved back before popping the treat into his mouth under his mask. It was nice when the person you were supposed to protect was considerate for you.

XXXXXX

Kuma pulled out another pastry as he neared the academy, wrapping it in a plastic bag before giving it a push. He prayed that nothing bad would happen this time. Unfortunately he tripped over a stone in the road, sending his body flying forward just as his powers activated.

XXXXXX

Tsunade leaned heavily on her desk, one hand propping up her face as the other massaged her temple with a small bit of healing chakra in an attempt to cure the massive hangover she had woken up with. She only had a few minutes at best before the first staff meeting of the day and needed to stop her pulse from echoing in her ears.

She had no chance to dodge the sticky bun that appeared only a foot away before careening into her face at top speed. The head of the hospital flew backwards as her chair tipped over from the impact, leaving the blond ninja laid out on the floor with her feet in the air and her face lightly glazed from pastry as she wondered what in the world had just happened. Shizune and the charge nurses found her like this a minute later as they entered the office.

XXXXXX

Iruka finished copying the instructions for the genin test onto the board, choosing to take a seat behind his desk as he began to take roll. The class had shrunk as the final year came and went, the tougher curriculum and instructor suggestions convincing the students who weren't ready to voluntarily take an extra year to prepare. Over a third of the seats were now empty, letting the young teenagers begin to form cliques as the year rolled by.

The civilian children grouped on the right side of the room, the largest in size by far though least in talent. Only a few standouts among them like the Haruno girl showed enough potential to move on to active shinobi work, though they all had earned the right to at least try and prove themselves to the academy instructors and future jounin sensei. Resentment had been brewing over the years towards their classmates who they felt had an unfair advantage, resulting in a dangerous 'us vs them' mentality that would need to be stamped out.

The children with at least one ninja parent grouped together in the front left of the room. Their prior training and knowledge had allowed them an easier time through the academy years. Unfortunately this also hindered their drive to improve knowing that they already had most of the tools necessary to pass to the next phase of their careers. 'Future career chunin' Iruka thought to himself with disgust, unable to comprehend why anyone would settle for mediocre when they could excel. A certain Nara sneezed in the back row of the classroom drawing his teacher's wry look.

This brought Iruka's attention to the final clique of the class, his clan students. They were a cut above the rest of the class in every conceivable way. Considering every one of them was heir to a clan though, anything less than near perfect would bring shame to their families and was considered unacceptable. This had been made clear to the instructors as well when it came time to pass out grades. Hurting a clan would not do the academy and said instructors any favors politically for their careers. Luckily the decision had never come up for him, each of the heirs earned their grades fairly with no outside help needed.

Despite inter-clan rivalries, the heirs provided a united front against the rest of their classmates without exception. This was even more surprising considering the intense competition between the three princesses. They weren't above cheap shots if it would gain them a seat next to their crush, yet would viciously defend each other from any outside threats. Naruko and Satsuki had been suspended for a week each after sending a pair of genin to the hospital after they had made the mistake of thinking a little bit of 'forceful flirting' would ain them the attention of Hinata. Tsunade and the kunoichi alliance had ensured the details of the incident were leaked to the public, resulting in the three girls being back in class with only a day off for their trouble. Their status of being politically untouchable had been established that day, coincidently ending any lingering resentment shown to Naruko by the public as they saw the way the winds were shifting.

Iruka had made the three occupy the front center row of seats in a bid to minimize the disruption to the rest of the class for test day. He didn't foresee much of an issue anyways with how exhausted they looked after what was no doubt an intense morning training session. Satsuki was leaning back in her chair with her eyes shut as Hinata ran a hand covered in healing chakra over the Uchiha's shoulder. Naruko simply had her head face down on the desk, a light snore could be heard coming from the blonde. Iruka didn't even what to think of what had to be done for that ball of perpetual motion to run low on energy.

He was pulled from his thoughts as one of his favorite students entered the classroom a few minutes before the bell would ring. He and Kuma exchanged nods as the boy made his way up to sit a row behind the princesses and clan kids. He was offered welcomes by most of heirs as he took his spot, not quite as one of them but definitely on friendly terms.

Iruka raised an eyebrow in intrigue as three students broke from the civilians and sat around the tall boy, something that had been happening more and more often once he wasn't smothered by the girls. The teacher frowned internally as he recalled Kuma's explanation as to why they had joined him. They were the other orphans of the class. They had offered the large boy their help as long as he was willing to return the favor when it was needed. Iruka had a similar offer made when he was a student as well. The chunin was glad to see the orphan connection was alive and well, he had been worried Kuma hadn't been contacted before joining the academy.

He watched a sticky bun appear on his desk out of thin air, he most likely culprit offering him a smug smile before three more appeared in front of the princesses. Satsuki took hers without any change to her expression, eating it almost robotically. The slight shiver of pleasure was the only tell showing just how much she needed the sustenance. Hinata offered her crush a soft smile in gratitude before tearing off a small part of the roll between her fingers to nibble on it. She made it all of two seconds before wolfing the entire roll down as her manners were overridden by her stomach. Naruko made no such attempt at politeness. Her nose twitched as she picked up the scent of the roll by her head. Deep blue eyes shot open before falling on Akamaru, the dog having been sneaking towards the meal and caught in mid lunge. A deep growl from the girl had the dog running off with its tail between its legs while she enjoyed her prize immensely. She turned to her friend and sent him a winning smile, bits of glaze still stuck to parts of her face.

The bell signaling the beginning of the school day interrupted Iruka from his thoughts, bringing a scowl to his face as he realized just how much he would miss this current group of kids. Every great while, a teacher had a certain class that just wormed their way into their educator's heart more than normal even though there wasn't supposed to be favorites. This was definitely going to be one for him.

"Alright class" he shouted, clapping his hands to grab their attention. "This is it. Testing begins outside in twenty minutes followed by the written exam and ninjitsu test afterwards. Good luck to all of you and know that it's not the end of the world if you don't pass. Meet me outside at the sparing circle!" He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving the class sitting in silence. As the last leaf hit the floor, a mad scramble erupted as the class emptied out of their chairs.

XXXXX

"Are we all in agreement for the teams?" the Hokage looked around the room at his jounin slated to be sensei for the graduating genin. The group of men and women stood in a semicircle around the hokage's viewing orb, it's sights set on the teen's exam fights out in the yard. Skill levels became readily apparent as the competition quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. Remedial lessons would be an early requirement for many a jounin who felt their team was otherwise worthy to pass after the individual tests.

Asuma side eyed his Kakashi, his friend spending more time reading out of his orange book to most of the kunoichis' growing ire than observing his team. "You know" the chain smoking Sarutobi remarked with a wicked smile, "It's just like you to win the luck of the draw like that. You're being handed a ready made team who already could all become chunin if they were tested. You'll have enough free time to write one of those books if Jiraiya likes your work enough."

"That would be a dream I could cross off my bucket list" the masked man said with a sigh, snapping the book shut and stowing it in his vest while conveniently ignoring Kurenai's missed swipe for the porn that almost sent her stumbling. "Unfortunately I think I might have the worst luck out of all of you," he said with a sigh as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and slouched in perceived defeat.

The Hokage was the only occupant of the room not staring at the masked shinobi in confusion, wondering what drug he could have possibly been on to make him that far off the mark. "He's quite right" the old man agreed, causing all of the others to turn towards him again. "At this point they're almost too developed on their paths. Kakashi will have the unenviable position of turning three individuals who concentrated only on their own skills into a unit with superb team work whose synergy will make them stronger together than apart."

"So basically you're fucked!" Anko observed with a grin, elbowing the masked ninja in the side while trying to cop a quick feel only for him to maneuver out of her grasp in what could only be a well rehearsed dance between the two.

"I don't even know if I'll pass them with what I can see so far" the masked ninja revealed to the others. "They compete over every damn little thing between the three of them. Even Obito and I were never that bad." He turned back towards the village leader, his features showing nothing but seriousness. "I know you wanted Kuma to participate with all of the teams, but I'm going to need you to keep him away from the princesses until I feel they're ready or it'll ruin anything I'm able to accomplish with them."

"Noted" came a voice from the back of the room. A large individual came up to view the globe just as it focused on Kuma sending Kiba flying out of the ring with a simple shoulder push that directed the feral boy's own strike off of its original target.. "He'll be too busy for the coming months to bother with the other teams anyways."

"Doing what?" came a voice from one of the room's occupants, the random jounin curious to know what could possibly be more important to a genin than training.

"Classified" came the reply from both the man and the Hokage at the same time, effectively shutting own the conversation.

XXXXX

"Team Seven will be Uzumaki Naruko, Uchiha Satsuki, and Hyuuga Hinata." Kuma stopped his latest attempt at meditation as Iruka's voice carried over the room past the crowd of excited teens who were already discussing their team assignments as they began to leave with their instructors. It was obvious that the clan children had mostly been left for last, though the purpose why eluded the young man. He was glad that his three friends would be together though, knowing he would feel bad if one of them had been excluded like he had feared.

If he had looked, he would have realized his feelings weren't shared by the princesses in the slightest. The three ladies stared at each other in silence, anger that they had missed out on their objective and horror at the thought of being stuck together in a team overriding all rational thought as the air in the room began to grow heavier. Kuma wisely choose to vacate the area, silently making his way down to sit on Iruka's desk as he waited to be called.

The classroom door opened, allowing in a man with a thick beard and a red eyed woman. "Team 10!" he called out, pointing quickly at Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru. "You're with me. Let's get moving" he ordered with a wave before slowly ambling towards the door followed by a grumbling Yamanaka and her two bmused teammates.

The Kunoichi watched the procession with amusement before turning back to the remaining students and frowning at the Inuzuka boy that was practically drooling over her looks from his seat. "Haruno, Aburame. Grab him and meet me on the roof" she said with irritation as she gestured to Kiba before walking out. She would be speaking with the boys mother later tonight to let her know how her son was acting in public.

Kiba was jolted from his fantasy by a swift smack to the back of his head from his new pink haired teammate. "What the hell!" he shouted in pain, rubbing the tender spot while he glared up at her while his dog whined in sympathy.

"If you ruined our first impression bad enough that we don't pass, I'll neuter you myself!" Sakura threatened with a fist held up to emphasize her point before stomping out of the classroom.

"Bitch" Kiba muttered under his breath before glancing up a Shino as the bug boy stood silently at his side. "What the hell do you suppose her problem is?" he asked as he climbed to his feet.

"I think she might be allergic to stupidity" was the Aburame's reply as he walked out the classroom door, intent on catching up with his new female team.

"Oh... " was Kiba's reply as he followed behind, the boy scratching his head as he tried to understand how that applied to himself. "HEY!" an indignant shout could be heard from the hall before the door swung shut again, leaving the four remaining students and their instructor behind.

Iruka gathered up his notes before walking back to his desk and removing the few nicknacks he had stored there from the year. The room would belong to a new instructor starting next school semester. "Iruka Sensei!" he heard called out by the blonde princess. Naruko, having already grown bored, had moved to stand next to Kuma. She had just finished what would most likely be her last growth spurt having topped out at sixty three inches height, leaving her at Kuma' shoulder. Not that she was all that disappointed with the development considering she had beaten Satsuki by an entire inch and Hinata by two, making it a point to look down at them when speaking whenever possible. Her blonde hair now grew down to her mid back, it's tips turning almost a reddish tint that highlighted her tresses perfectly.

"Where is our team leader?" the girl asked as she was joined by her new teammates. Their academy instructor was glad to see the girls already putting up a united front without even realizing it.

"Go get comfortable" he told them with a smirk. "You're going to be here for a while."

"What about Kuma sensei?" Satsuki spoke up, her eyes sweeping up and down her intended beau as she threw her black ponytail over her shoulder. The Uchiha was the second tallest of the trio of girls, her body still keeping an athletic build that hadn't really started to develop more feminine curves like yet her competitors. Her mother called it late blooming, Satsuki simply referred to it as hell.

"Indeed" Hinata commented as she slid up to the boy's unoccupied side. "He has yet to be assigned to a team. What is his status?" The Hyuuga was clearly the shortest of the trio, and probably would forever remain that way. Nature had chosen to bless her in a different way, her development having started well ahead of the other two and leaving them in the proverbial dust. It had also give the blue haired girl a shot of confidence that she used with devastating effect while attempting to flirt with Kuma, the boy definitely beginning to react to her changes.

Kuma looked on the questioning with interest. He trusted Iruka enough to know his big brother figure wouldn't leave him high and dry, though the tall boy would be the first to admit that he was growing annoyed with the whole air of mystery that was being put up around his future. At that moment, a shunshin could be heard behind him, revealing the familiar bear masked ANBU that had become his shadow over the years. "Oh, that explains it" the boy commented out loud before a hand was placed on his shoulder and he vanished with his guardian in a swirl of leaves.

Iruka took the moment of distraction to sneak out of the room, the three girls finding themselves alone with nothing but each other's company to pass the time as they waited for their new sensei. "Spar?" the Uchiha offered up after a moment's silence, the sight of her teammates sinking into fighting stances answer enough.

A/N: Sorry, not much action going on here. Time passes by and children become teenagers with all the hormones and awkwardness that come along with it. It's time to move past the academy and begin to see what the world has in store for our hero. Hope you enjoyed and Thank You for taking the time to read it.

This chapter has been delayed thanks to the author discovering all the different mods available for both Fallout 4 and Skyrim that can be found out on the Nexus website. New questing content and patches to make the dragons look like the Macho Man snapping into a Slim Jim have kept me way busier than I expected. Let me know if you have any suggestions for mods you think are worth checking out.