Assignment

Naruto was angry.

No one knew he's angry. His expression was completely cut off, with the only indication of his mood was the twitching on his eye.

Once Umino-sensei dismissed the class, Naruto marched up to him and tugged the blue sleeves, hard.

"Ouch! Uh, yes Naruto?"

"Why I got two?"

Today, his class got an assignment. To water and grow love towards Konoha and its people, every kid was given an assignment of searching information regarding a certain shinobi. All but Naruto who got two instead of other's one.

Iruka looked at the name and smiled. "Well, because the are Pair."

"...pair?"

"Yup." The scarred Chuunin nodded. "Most ninja start-up in a team of four. A Jounin and three genins, or rarely, a Jounin, a Chuunin, and two genins. And then the team breaks. Either because promotions into higher rank or someone died, or transferred to another team. The thing is, the team we ended up as Genin, would break apart as we go in our own path. Genin doing missions in team. Chuunin and above are allowed, or sometimes requested, to take missions with another team or solo. We would climb in rank at our own pace."

"Then my assignment..."

"...and, here we come to the sole exceptions in the system. The Uchiha-Hatake pair." Smiled Iruka. "Tokujo Uchiha Obito and Tokujo Hatake Kakashi, those two ended up in Team Seven of their generation, in Jounin-Chuunin-Two-Genin team initial formation. Due... certain circumstances, which include Shinobi World War Three among other things, they also are the sole survivor of their team and thus, become very close. Close enough they requested to put in as Duo team, which means, if one took or assigned a mission, the other will come as well. That's why you have two people to research. You can't talk about one without mentioning the other."

Naruto nodded. It... made sense. He thought Umino-sensei dislikes him and deliberately give him a harder assignment... he was wrong. Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi are a part of the parcel. But...

"...it doesn't consider cheating if I write it, right?" Naruto asks with a foxy grin.

Iruka snorted. "Please, I mention you can get information from any sources, just write where or from who did you get it." He answered. "But I'd like it better if you write more about them. You have one week, after all."

Naruto grinned and gave two-finger salute. "You got it, sensei!" He said. "I'll definitely make a good report!"

~X~

"I definitely am going to make a terrible report." Naruto groaned with shoulders slumped.

He had been meaning to ask Izuku if he can help him with this. He means, Izuku goes around and meet many people, so he bounds to know famous names, right? Or he can show him who can help him. After all, Izuku is smart he knows people from Suna, Kiri, and Iwa!

...except Minami-san apologetically said Izuku can't play with him. The ravenette was "coming down with flu" and thus is "not allowed to go out from his room" much less playing with Naruto, in fear of "his condition will worsen".

So Naruto was forced to use the old way: Library.

Well, there are stalking people, but people hate him, and what the chance he'll meet someone who knows Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi? Plus people talk about all kinds of things all the time. Naruto knew. He does that in the shrine and to Izuku.

So the Library that is.

Konoha Grand Central Library located right next to Hokage Tower. Naruto used to visit Hokage-Jiji so he knew. He also knew that the Librarians hates him and would throw him out the first chance she got, even if Naruto just stepped in. Old hag, she is.

...but...

But if it was not Naruto who walked in... perhaps he can get the damn book.

Chuckling lightly, Naruto went to get his makeup kits and a wig Izuku gave him as a gag joke to completed his "chakra-less transformation".

Within thirty minutes, the sunny blond-haired, blue eyes, whisker-cheeked boy was gone. In his place was a boy with blue eyes and puffy brown hair covering one eye. To that end, Naruto even changed clothes. He was not a big fan of Kimono. Finding it too swishy and prude for his liking. Shirt and pants to the win! But... but right now he was not Naruto. He was... he was...

Crap! He needs a name right?! What is it... what is it... what is it... umm... Menma?

...

...

...

Who is he kidding? WHO THE HELL GONNA NAME THEIR KID MENMA OF ALL THINGS?! Yeah! His name can be read as fishcake, but it also can be read as Maelstorm, like really biiiiiiiigggg storm. Menma? No way!

No. Not Menma. Something cooler. Naruko? Blergh. Girl's name and one character off of his name. Anyone who falls to that lie is AN IDIOT! Bigger idiot than people claims him to be! Arashi? It's cool and not as weird as Menma.

Arashi, that is.

Arashi entered the Konoha Grand Central Library that evening, with the librarian give him a smile and directed him to book about Konoha's great Ninja.

Only to found Iruka-sensei already cover most of them. And the one he didn't? Blacked out.

It was as if someone deliberately erases the information.

Arashi leaves the library with a very strained smile, the Librarian apologizes over the lack of information and heading straight to the River Shrine.

He wipes off the makeup, takes off the wig, and start using less than pleasant lesson, taught by almost entire civilization of Konoha.

"MOTHERFUCKING SON OF A BITCH!"

The way he tripped over a rock and fell to the river feels like someone takes offense of him swearing.

~X~

THUD!

"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto's eyes widened. His annoyance being thrown into so very much unfair, rigged match goes up in smoke. He ignores how other students jeered at him in favor of actually looking at his classmate for the first time in... well, since his first week in the academy.

The first thing in his mind was, The show-off Teme is an Uchiha? Like Obito Uchiha?

Next is, he's like Izuku, except with shorter hair and two eyes

And, WHY IS HE LIKE IZUKU?! HE'S TARNISHING IZUKU'S GOOD LOOKS!

"Naruto? Are you okay?"

"Uh uh." Naruto stood up and clapped dust off his clothes. Even as he walked out of the ring ("OI! Form the seal first!"), his eyes never leave the Uchiha. It continues in their next class. And lunch. And their afternoon class.

Uchiha-teme was like Izuku... in looks only. But he doesn't have Izuku's dry wit or teasing barbs or his openness to cuss people and call them out if he finds them wrong. No. Teme is closed off and doesn't talk much. And he only listens to sensei. If it was anyone else? One ear in one ear out... if it even went in, that's it! Izuku listens to Naruto and he even has comeback comment!

Teme was nothing like him! Ugh! He made Izuku look bad! Naruto doesn't like him!

Still...

"Uchiha!"

Uchiha stopped and turned around. "Oh, you." He said. "What do you want?"

Naruto resists the urge to punch him. Be the bigger person, be a bigger person... He took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know Uchiha Obito?"

Uchiha look startled. "Oh. Him. Yeah... maybe."

"Maybe? Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?!"

"I don't know him much, okay?" Teme snapped back. "I just heard his name been mentioned several times. He's... he is not liked much among the clan."

Huh. Apparently, Teme can look frustrated. Good to know Teme isn't smug super all the time.

"Why do you ask?"

"My Famous Konoha Ninja Assignment was him and Hatake Kakashi." Replied Naruto. "You two had the same last name so I think you know more about him." And Naruto was Disappointed. Capital letter and all.

"Oh." Teme slumped. "Well... I know someone who knows a lot about him. Maybe I can arrange a meeting?"

Naruto was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. But no promise. He's a good ninja. Like, really good. So he's often out in missions."

"I don't have anything to do." Except playing with Izuku and visiting the shrine. "Just tell me when and where."

"Okay. I'll tell you then."

Naruto nodded.

"...hey."

"Hm?"

"For a show off Teme... you aren't that bad."

Uchiha teme nearly tripped. Ho? He can be clumsy too?

"WHICH PART OF ME THAT'S SHOW OFF?!"

"Your performance~"