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Nostalgia

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"Naruto!"

The Jinchuriki's ears picked up a familiar angelic voice. It was Misa. He looks down from the top to discover his dear friends are together. A blissful smile etched onto his face and he hops himself off of the pillar. Naruto's blue eyes set upon Sakura and Misa. 'They're so beautiful.' It amazes him to see them glow up. "It's been a long time, you two." He told the girls in a husky voice. Instantly, Misa leaps into his arms. She is still tiny as ever but is one of the strongest girls that he knows. She looks up at him "Welcome home, Naruto! We missed you!" The ebony beauty has never been so happy to see her favorite person again.

Naruto wraps his arms around his petite friend "I've missed you too, Misa-chan!" He buries his face into her dark locks. "Are you forgetting me as well?" They hear Sakura and pulled away from each other. "It's nice seeing you in so long, Sakura-chan." He gave her a bright smile. Sakura does the same but realizes something. "You've gotten taller than me, haven't you?" She questioned. He used to be shorter than her when they were new shinobis. Naruto measures with his hand and can notice he is indeed taller by a couple of inches. "Oh, you're right." He said.

Sakura and Misa are mesmerized by the grown blonde boy. He has gotten more handsome and is radiating a fresh breath of air. The pink-haired kunoichi blushes "So? You think I've become a bit womanly?" She asked him. "You're fine! You haven't changed a bit." Naruto made a blunt response. Sakura frowns and crossed her arms. Jiraya behind him is displeased with his straightforward behavior. He is blunt about not understanding the heart of a woman. Misa between the two laughs mirthfully.

"Naruto nii-chan!"

Konohamaru calls for Naruto. In a gust of smoke, it's shown a feminine transformation of the boy but is naked. "Oiroke no Jutsu." He performed the infamous jutsu that Naruto used to do for humor purposes. Jiraya looks all excited but Sakura was staggered by it.

Then a hearty chuckle can be heard. The boy looks at his older friend quizzically. "Konohamaru, I'm not a kid anymore. And you too, shouldn't be using jutsu like that." Naruto had a brief reflection of his previous self being a jokester and getting in caught by his mischievous acts. They were fun to look back on but things have changed. Or it hasn't though?

"That's such a boring jutsu! Check out my freshly developed New Pervy Ninjutsu!" Naruto scolds Konohamaru and was about to demonstrate something but suddenly, "You baka!" he receives a powerful punch from Sakura that sends him flying away. Konohamaru and his friends all became afraid and rushed to Misa. They hugged her for the sake of their dear lives. Jiraiya can detect that Sakura has turned into the "Second Tsunade" with her vicious and hot-headed behavior. He is terrified as well.

'That was a nice welcome home.' Misa says mentally. In conclusion, some things haven't changed.

Later on, the remaining members of Team 7 and Jiraya went to go visit Tsunade. When they first appeared right before her eyes, she was glad to see them together again. "It's been a long time." She has on a joyous smile at the sight of Jiraiya and Naruto. "I'm sure your training produced good results, right?" She asked them. "Do you think we came back without making progress?" Jiraiya questions but highly knows that Tsunade wouldn't have a low expectation. "It went perfectly!" Naruto raised his thumb as a genuine answer. Misa also wants to witness what type of training he did in the past two years.

The Senju put forth that he has an opponent waiting for him to return. A sudden knock came from the door. "Come in!" Tsunade allowed them to enter. Naruto, Sakura, and Misa whirl their backs slightly and recognizes the people. Temari and Shikamaru.

"Look Temari, Shikamaru! Naruto is here!" Sakura directs her finger at the Jinchuriki. Both of them got surprised. They were used to seeing him as the loud-mouth little twerp. But he undoubtedly has become a different person. "So you've changed. You're not that baka anymore." Shikamaru remarks with a smirk. "Yes, I have!" Naruto earnestly nodded his head.

But Sakura wasn't looking content. "No, he hasn't." She pressed and Naruto downcast. Misa smiles gleefully then grabs for his hand. "It's pleasant to have each other just like the old times." She tells the group and they have to agree. Her positive energy can make the gloomy rain disappear.

Shortly after, Naruto asked Shikamaru if he was his opponent. The shadow user was confused and replies that he was delivering some documents. Tsunade informed that his opponent is outside. Her index finger pointed to the windows that have the people turn their heads. Naruto strides over and opens it; he spotted no other than his sensei doing his usual hobby, reading a book.

"You sure got tall, Naruto." The silver-haired man has spoken. He lifts his single gaze off of his reading "Yo!" He greeted. Naruto beams "Kakashi sensei!" The boy happily hops out of the window to join his longtime sensei. "You haven't changed at all!" Naruto restated from what Misa said the other day. It seems like everyone doesn't think he has gotten older which he is proud of. "Oh yeah, I have a present for you." The blonde-haired boy pulls out an item in his shinobi tool pouch.

"Nani?!"

Kakashi couldn't believe it, Naruto gives him the new book of the Icha Icha Paradise series. The man takes it and was staring at it all stunned. "I think it's boring, but you like this stuff don't you, sensei?" Naruto including everyone else on his team has seen him reading a book whenever they do missions. So he gave Kakashi a gift that'll make him spend his hours on. If only they knew what the book is about.

Moreover, the Copycat Ninja is delighted to reunite with his students. They have a significant bond that is unbreakable despite one person not being there. For sure the team will and always remember him. Kakashi starts speaking "Let's all meet up at the Third Training Ground later. I believe you three will foresee what this activity I am about to present. But for the time being, just have a little rest since Naruto is back. See ya." He descends off to elsewhere.

Latterly, the young shinobis began strolling around the village. While Sakura and Misa are talking about their upcoming training, Naruto scoots closer to Temari and Shikamaru. "So, are you guys dating?" He asked in a teasing way. Shikamaru sighs "It's not like that." He denied. "Cut the jokes! Why would I be on a date with this guy?" Temari wouldn't think in a million years she gets into a relationship with the Nara boy. Misa overheard their disapproval but in her mind, she finds it adorable if they do end up together.

Temari expounds to Naruto her reason why she is in Konoha. "It's almost time for the Chunin Exams. I've been going back and forth between Suna and Konoha for meetings concerning the Exams." She has the position of a messenger. Shikamaru adds that he is in charge of the exam. Then something came into the shadow user's head. "Naruto about that, you're the only one from our class who hasn't become a Chunin." Right after announcing it, Naruto felt like his world shut down. He is still a Genin.

"T-Then, you two are also Chunins?" The boy asked his teammates. Misa nodded with a bright grin on her face. "That's right," Sakura replied merrily. Shikamaru almost forgot one thing to say. "Kankuro, some other guy, and Neji who's one grade above us are already Jōnin." He finished telling Naruto. The Uzumaki wants to hide in a hole. His friends achieved at being a higher shinobi level.

Abruptly, Naruto thought about someone. "Then what about Gaara?!" He asked them in full interest. Temari and Shikamaru did a small glance at each other and smiles curved onto their lips. "He is the Kazekage of Suna," Temari stated about her youngest sibling. Misa can feel a warmth spread across her chest. Gaara was once loathed by the public and suffered from a tragic childhood. Now he is proving that he is not a sinister monster. He is a loyal human being.

Naruto has a smirk on his face "I see, I am very proud of him. However," his blue eyes showed determination, "I won't be outdone!" He proclaimed in a daring tone of voice. He directs his finger at the Hokage Rock. "I'll become Hokage no matter what!" The Uzumaki apprised his only motto. Hearing him saying that is fresh in their memory.

The Jinchuriki seeks to pursue his ultimate goal.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

Afterward, it becomes mid-afternoon. Naruto, Sakura, and Misa are at the training ground. Just like the good old days, they are waiting on Kakashi. Naruto is getting impatient by the minute when pacing back and forth. "Is Kakashi sensei going to make us wait forever?!" He asked all grumpy. Sakura lets out a deep sigh "Well, he's always been like this." She said it as a fact about their sensei. "Him being late is typically normal." Misa delivers a sunny smile to her friends. Naruto groans and slumps himself down on the dirt. "Geez, it'd be nice if he'd show a little improvement." He asserted. Both Sakura and Misa chuckled. However, in a split second, they sense a presence.

"Oh, sorry about that. As it happens, I ran into an old lady in trouble on my way here, and—" Kakashi gets cut off in the middle of his sentence. "Okay! That's a lie!" Naruto and Sakura angrily shouted at him. The silver-haired man makes a coy eye smile. Misa sees it and laughs softly. Same old Hatake Kakashi.

Soon after, the sensei and his students gathered around the training field. Memories have recollected when gravitating toward their moments in this specific place. It's the same training ground from the very first task they've done years before. "We had Sasuke with us back then, didn't we?" Kakashi mentions the name of the Uchiha. His visible gaze focused on them but he can regard that Misa is more somber.

A while ago, she once told him that night when he left Konoha. It was degrading to hear about his student who was the closest to him made the appalling decision to walk out on the ones that trusted him as a comrade. It was a definite reason that Sasuke desires to take his revenge on his brother with more constructive power. Although, it'll remain unclear whether there is hope or a chance to see him again.

So to lighten up the atmosphere, Kakashi pulls out two ringing bells. He caught the trio's attention; it is a deja-vu. "Well, let's see how much you've grown. You haven't given up on Sasuke, have you?" Kakashi knows that they don't and has boosted their confidence. "Of course not!" The girls both apprised daringly. Naruto plays a Cheshire smirk "That's why I continued my training!" He tries to prove that he is tough enough and accepts the challenge.

The silver-haired Jonin feels delighted; he is ready to tackle down his students. "The rules are the same as when we first met. Just take a bell away from me." He places the item on his waist. "If you don't—" Kakashi was about to finish but they did it for him.

"You can use shuriken if you want," Misa says in the first line.

"Come at me with the intent to kill," Naruto spoke the second part.

"We won't be able to get the bells, right?" Sakura completed the whole sentence.

His team truly understands him. "Exactly." Kakashi nods his head. "You have until sunrise tomorrow." The Jonin informs one last thing. Naruto starts tightening his headband, Sakura puts on her gloves, and Misa stretches her muscles.

"Shall we begin?"

They all nodded their heads as an official response. The Copycat Ninja moves his hand to his headband. "I have a feeling," he reveals the Sharingan, "it'll get a bit serious this time around." This is their original task and the tension has risen. Kakashi doesn't expect anything from them but it is going to be full of excitement.

"Let's go!" Naruto does the first attack of hurling out shurikens. His sensei effortlessly dodges them by crouching down and repeated the exact move. Just before shurikens could hit him, Naruto goes for his signature technique. He creates a clone in midair and moves it out of the way from the flying weapons. 'Not bad.' Kakashi was quite impressed.

The man makes a run for it when Naruto transforms himself into a huge shuriken but gets caught from behind. Kakashi locks his arm and rested his hand on his blonde head. It's replaying all over again. Just like how he did it when he was younger, Naruto makes a charge at his sensei. Except the boy is not that little anymore. Kakashi then senses a presence; the real Naruto appears behind him with a kunai knife out. His timing in Shadow Clones has drastically improved.

Kakashi's mismatched eyes have softened. It's interesting to see Naruto's growth but he also is looking forward to know the girls' capabilities as well. Over by the trees, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune are watching the show. They have a satisfied look on their faces.

"Okay, let's begin." The silver-haired man announced. For a brief moment, the trio gets ready for the next move. "Ready...start!" Kakashi disappears like the wind. All of them have their jaw dropped to the ground. "Damn it! He got us!" Naruto says in frustration. Sakura chided at him and Misa sighs deeply.

This is going to be a long task to complete.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

Late afternoon has arrived and close to being nighttime, there are still no signs of Kakashi whatsoever.

Misa uses her sensory abilities to detect the area. He is not in the wilderness or perhaps not even on top of the surface of the land. She figured it out and has an idea. "Sakura," Misa calls for her friend. "Hm, what is it?" She asked. The ebony beauty grins and points her thumb behind them. "It's your time to shine." Misa hopes Sakura knows what she meant. Good thing the kunoichi did know right away.

They whirl themselves around to face the empty area. Sakura clenches her fist with a tremendous amount of chakra. "Below!" She slams it directly onto the ground and cracks it open. Naruto on the other hand was staggered and clueless. Misa has a triumph smile, she was correct that Kakashi was under the surface this entire time. He couldn't believe it himself that Sakura possesses such monstrous strength. Tsunade didn't just teach her medical Ninjutsu.

"Kakashi sensei, I found you," Sakura smirks at him.

He frowns intensely and hops on top of the broken surface. So far in his analysis, Naruto's clone technique has perfect timing and Sakura can effortlessly demolish an enemy or nature with a single punch. Kakashi's mismatched gaze land upon Misa. He wonders what she'll give out in this task because she is the only person left. Her signature floral jutsus, her bloodline's ice jutsus, and strong sensory. Including her Taijutsu. Kakashi can only predict that Misa's performance is going to be unexpected.

As everything keeps moving forward, the squad is hidden in the trees. Kakashi can't sense their traces anywhere. Astonishingly, his students are doing it perfectly compared to last time. It caught him off guard when kunai knives started coming at him. Good thing he dodges Naruto's attack fast enough. Their weapons collided with each other and separated. The kunoichis come together with the others.

"Guess I'll have to teach you something new." Kakashi began to instruct. "Shinobi Tactic #1: Taijutsu." He sprints his feet as they swing punches. Naruto and Sakura did it all at once until Kakashi is distracted. They both jump away from him. "Misa-chan! It's now your turn!" The Jinchuriki directed his friend.

She flings herself in midair and lets out a battle cry. Kakashi looks above before he catches her fist with both hands. Misa smirked, her next move stunned her sensei. She uppercuts him with the other hand and kicks his chest that sends him flying backward. "Sugoi, Misa-chan!" Sakura praises her. It's surprising how petite the girl is but has miraculous strength. "Man, you two are so strong." Naruto can't believe how much of a change they have become. They must've trained hard with Tsunade.

They both laugh out loud at his flabbergasted expression. "But it's not over yet. Sensei is still on the run." Misa gestures her head from afar that he is no longer with them. "We can do it you two! Sensei doesn't stand a chance on us." The Uzumaki's thrill is kicking in. "Hai!" Sakura and Misa agreed proudly.

The trio scatters around the wilderness to look for their mentor. It's currently nighttime; everyone is exhausted but they must keep going to snatch those bells and accomplish it. "I'm sure I heard the bells from around here," Naruto said. "He's probably done that on purpose. Keep your eyes open." Sakura reminds her friends.

Then suddenly, Misa can spot a distorted person as it comes closer to them. They stopped dead in their tracks, it was Sasuke. He was badly injured with kunai knives impaled into his body. "Naruto, Sakura, Misa...help me. I got away from Orochimaru." He pleaded in a weak voice.

Misa was about to hurry and help Sasuke but something was off. She doesn't sense any chakra as if he was a ghost. Plus he wouldn't look like his younger self at the moment. As a level-head shinobi, she figured it out. "It's a Genjutsu. Sensei did it to make us fall for it." Misa does the release hand seal and stops the illusion. "He is right behind the tree." She tells them.

Naruto has a Shadow Clone to create a Rasengan. The boy aims it at the tree where Kakashi is hiding and splits in half. "You're not getting creative, sensei! Shinobi Tactic #2: Genjutsu." Sakura can see in his eyes that he is at the limit where he'll be underestimated. But Naruto sees an item on the ground, the bells!

"Hey look! The bells!" Naruto runs to grab it.

"Naruto, stop!" Sakura yelled.

Unfortunately, his leg gets tied to a rope. Kakashi has a snarky smile underneath the mask. "I guess Naruto falls for..." He abruptly heard a poof and turns out it was a Substitution Jutsu. "Not a chance!" The real Uzumaki Naruto jumps from the back to attack Kakashi. It was vise versa because he wouldn't be titled as the Copycat Ninja when he does the same technique. "Damn it!" Naruto cursed. They don't know where the man is at now.

✧: *.☽ .* ✧

The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky.

Naruto, Sakura, and Misa gathered around a tree to develop a strategy. They've done everything that they can in this whole task but it wasn't leading them to their goal. After thinking about it temporarily, a light bulb lit up. Misa grabs their attention and begins speaking. "How about we find out his weak points? I mean we all know sensei has a big love for his book." She suggested.

"You're so smart, Misa-chan!" Naruto couldn't help but snort. "What's your plan then?" Sakura looks at him puzzled. He has on a mischievous smile "I know something that he doesn't know from the book." Naruto kept his voice quiet and tells the girls. Soon they all are on their feet. Hopefully, this strategy doesn't fail.

While on the search for Kakashi, he is prepared for what's coming. Abruptly, Misa discovers his trace of chakra. He doesn't notice them up until floral petals float around him. 'Misa's jutsus.' The silver-haired Jōnin tries to escape from it but then overhears a voice. "This is the end for you, sensei." He felt a punch to the gut. Kakashi groans and hits the ground. The petals disappeared to reveal Misa standing right in front of them. Instantly, Naruto and