Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 007: Previous Generations
Although years had certainly taken their toll on the Leaf’s greatest taijutsu master, like most of Naruto’s peers, Rock Lee found himself more than capable of carrying out his shinobi duties well into his fifties. Had his old sensei managed to survive the decades since the end of the war, the two would’ve almost certainly mirrored each other in terms of appearance. The power of youth ideals that Guy had passed on to him remained strong long after his death, though, as Lee’s undying enthusiasm proved day in and day out. Pleased to see one another, he and Naruto quickly struck up a conversation immediately after the latter’s arrival.
Naruto: So, how’re Neji and Tenten doing?
Lee: They are doing fine. Tenten is preparing for the second exam as we speak. I went to see Neji this morning and he is alright, as well.
Naruto: (The image of his old friend fresh in his mind, he paused a moment before acknowledging Lee’s response.) Hm, good…good. Hinata said she would go see him this morning, so she’s probably there right now. How was Chan doing this morning?
Lee: Hm, he is just as eager to beat the competition as I am! I dropped him, Hitomi, and Miyuki off at the Academy early this morning. After all, tardiness is unacceptable for a shinobi!
????: Tardiness? Lee, you dropped your team off four hours ahead of time. They probably didn’t see another team arrive for forty-five minutes, at the least.
Lee: (Not dissuaded in the slightest, he turned around and pointed at the third war veteran amongst the patiently waiting sensei.) Ha! Better to be early than never, though! Is that not right, Sai?
Sai: (Chuckling in amusement as he wore the same smile that Naruto once deemed “fake”, the artist couldn’t help but question Lee’s choice of wording.) Hmhm, I think the saying is “better LATE than never”, Lee.
Lee: (A little dumbfounded by this apparently new information, he paused a moment before recovering his previous zeal.) Oh. …Well, the same thing applies!
As Naruto and Suzaku joined in Sai’s laughter, the other two sensei that were present walked over to greet them. The first was a woman of about thirty-eight years, a few years older than the only son of Konohamaru, …her cousin. Like her daughter, she bore a great resemblance to her mother, though her black, untamed hair was slightly longer and her skin slightly darker, though not quite as dark as that of her late father, Asuma Sarutobi. Having been trained diligently by her father’s favorite pupil, she now takes it upon herself to train his grandson Shikaru and his teammates, and while not a smoker, she keeps Asuma’s lighter hung around her neck, having fashioned it so that a string could be fed through its lid, to keep intact the memory of the father she never met.
????: Lord Hokage. It’s such a pleasure you could join us.
Naruto: Hmhm, it’s good to see you, Kogane. Can’t stay long, though, sorry. I’ve gotta go find Sakura and Sasuke.
Kogane: Hmm, that’s a shame.
????: Well, as the sixth Hokage, he surely has things he must attend to, so it’d be best for us not to get in his way, Kogane!
Kogane: Katame, he just said that he was going to rally with Lady Sakura and Sasuke Uchiha. What does a meeting with friends have to do with his duties as the previous Hokage?
Katame: (His admiration of Naruto not wavering in the slightest, he simply shrugged off Kogane’s remarks.) All the same, if the Hokage has appointments to get to, we shouldn’t try to delay him! I thought you’d have more respect, Kogane!
Naruto: Katame, you can calm down now, alright? …It’s fine. I don’t have to meet them right-a-way. I can stay here a little while.
Katame: (Seeming almost surprised that Naruto spoke to him, he immediately dropped to one knee and apologized, as if he had done something wrong.) Uh, yes-yes, sir. Forgive me, Lord Hokage. It’s an honor that you’d take time out of your schedule to converse with us.
Naruto: Uhhh, …it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. (Man, this guy’s a freak. I’m not even the Hokage anymore and he’s still kissing my ass.)
Katame Funare was significantly younger than any of the other sensei present, including Suzaku, not even in his thirtieth year of life. His thick, purple hair stood on end and he wore a long-sleeved, light-grey shirt beneath the village’s standard flak jacket. Aside from his hair, his other distinguishing feature was his bright-green, pupiless eyes. His right eye had slightly duller coloring than the left, signifying his inability to see through it, …a product of a rather unhappy childhood. Through his struggles, though, he had obtained a drive to become stronger, his proficiency in fire and wind-based techniques helping him to acquire his jōnin status at the meager age of sixteen. However, despite what duties his rank typically bestowed upon those who achieved it, his tendency to kneel to more experienced shinobi, often literally, led few to believe he was capable of leading his own squad, though that’s not to say he wasn’t a fine sensei to Raiden, Kūrogane, and Kemono.
Katame: (Quickly standing back up, he eventually got over his fretfulness…to an extent.) Thank you, sir. So, how are your students this morning?
Though Naruto was still irritated that Katame continued to address him with this unnecessary level of respect, the thought of his grandchildren quickly brought a smile back to his face.
Naruto: They’re my grandkids, Katame, …and they’re doing fine today, thanks. How about Raiden?
Katame: He’s good, sir. He seemed pretty eager to start the exams this morning. All three of them did, actually, …except Kūrogane. She’s much more level-headed than him and Kemono.
Kogane: (Pleased by this news, she quickly rejoined the conversation upon hearing her daughter’s name.) Hmhmhmhm, that’s my girl. I must say, you’ve done well in training her, Ken. I should probably thank you for that.
Katame: (Rather flattered by her merit, his face slowly began to turn pink as he rubbed the back of his head.) Hehehehe, well thanks, Kogane. That means a great deal to me.
Kogane: Hmhmhm, of course. Oh, and Lord Hokage. You should be seeing Shikamaru-sensei shortly, right?
Naruto: Hm? …Uh, yeah. I’ve got to go see him and Konohamaru once I’m done meeting Sakura and Sasuke.
Kogane: (Having received the answer she was hoping for, she quickly pulled out a small scroll with her name on it.) Well, once you see him, can you let him know something for me?
Naruto: (Taking it in his hand, he looked at it in confusion a moment before responding.) Yeah, sure thing. …What’s wrong with telling him yourself, though?
Kogane: Well, I’d rather that he knew sometime soon…and I’m afraid I won’t have time before the third exam starts.
Naruto: Hmmm…ah, well. Yeah, I’ll be sure to give this to him when I see him.
He was about to turn to Sai and Lee and continue speaking to them, but Kogane’s mentioning of “time” quickly brought something else to his mind, …something rather urgent.
Naruto: Ah, crud! I think I’ve been here a little too long! Sorry, guys, I gotta jet!
Running over to the window, he quickly threw it open and was prepared to jump out before being stopped by Lee.
Lee: Hey, Naruto! Do not forget to come by the gate when the other Kage arrive! I am certain that they would like to see you!
Stopping for a moment upon hearing this, the images of the other four village leaders entered Naruto’s mind as he turned back to look at Lee. After standing there for a short while in thought, a smile emerged on his face.
Naruto: Sure thing. …Well, see you all later.
Leaping out onto the rooftop of the Standby Station, one never would have expected that Naruto was over fifty years old as he skipped across the rooftops and made it his way over to the village’s cemetery. Upon arriving at its gate, he found himself greeted by the smiling faces of his two oldest friends. The first had aged significantly since the war, though most of his facial features remained intact and he still bore the same charming persona that women adored to this day. His wife, on the other hand, had aged only a few years in that same amount of time, thanks to a technique passed down from her former master. While pleased to see that their old teammate had arrived, hints of displeasure could be seen in their expressions, most likely because he had appeared several minutes late.
Sasuke: You certainly took your time, Naruto.
Sakura: Yeah, I’ll say. I thought we had a time set for us to meet here each day.
Naruto: (Rubbing the back of his head as a drop of sweat ran down his left cheek, he chuckled in minor embarrassment at his own tardiness.) Hehe, yeah, I guess so. …Sorry, Sakura.
Sakura: (Giggling softly to herself, she gave him a reassuring reply before turning to her husband.) Hey, don’t worry about it. …So, shall we get going?
As Sasuke took ahold of his wife’s hand, Naruto looked behind him at the numerous graves that occupied the village’s cemetery, at the center of which, between the tombstones of his two former teammates, now stood a large monument dedicated to the unspoken hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War: …Obito Uchiha.
Team Minato continues to watch over the Leaf village!!!
The End
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Chapter 007: Previous Generations
Although years had certainly taken their toll on the Leaf’s greatest taijutsu master, like most of Naruto’s peers, Rock Lee found himself more than capable of carrying out his shinobi duties well into his fifties. Had his old sensei managed to survive the decades since the end of the war, the two would’ve almost certainly mirrored each other in terms of appearance. The power of youth ideals that Guy had passed on to him remained strong long after his death, though, as Lee’s undying enthusiasm proved day in and day out. Pleased to see one another, he and Naruto quickly struck up a conversation immediately after the latter’s arrival.
Naruto: So, how’re Neji and Tenten doing?
Lee: They are doing fine. Tenten is preparing for the second exam as we speak. I went to see Neji this morning and he is alright, as well.
Naruto: (The image of his old friend fresh in his mind, he paused a moment before acknowledging Lee’s response.) Hm, good…good. Hinata said she would go see him this morning, so she’s probably there right now. How was Chan doing this morning?
Lee: Hm, he is just as eager to beat the competition as I am! I dropped him, Hitomi, and Miyuki off at the Academy early this morning. After all, tardiness is unacceptable for a shinobi!
????: Tardiness? Lee, you dropped your team off four hours ahead of time. They probably didn’t see another team arrive for forty-five minutes, at the least.
Lee: (Not dissuaded in the slightest, he turned around and pointed at the third war veteran amongst the patiently waiting sensei.) Ha! Better to be early than never, though! Is that not right, Sai?
Sai: (Chuckling in amusement as he wore the same smile that Naruto once deemed “fake”, the artist couldn’t help but question Lee’s choice of wording.) Hmhm, I think the saying is “better LATE than never”, Lee.
Lee: (A little dumbfounded by this apparently new information, he paused a moment before recovering his previous zeal.) Oh. …Well, the same thing applies!
As Naruto and Suzaku joined in Sai’s laughter, the other two sensei that were present walked over to greet them. The first was a woman of about thirty-eight years, a few years older than the only son of Konohamaru, …her cousin. Like her daughter, she bore a great resemblance to her mother, though her black, untamed hair was slightly longer and her skin slightly darker, though not quite as dark as that of her late father, Asuma Sarutobi. Having been trained diligently by her father’s favorite pupil, she now takes it upon herself to train his grandson Shikaru and his teammates, and while not a smoker, she keeps Asuma’s lighter hung around her neck, having fashioned it so that a string could be fed through its lid, to keep intact the memory of the father she never met.
????: Lord Hokage. It’s such a pleasure you could join us.
Naruto: Hmhm, it’s good to see you, Kogane. Can’t stay long, though, sorry. I’ve gotta go find Sakura and Sasuke.
Kogane: Hmm, that’s a shame.
????: Well, as the sixth Hokage, he surely has things he must attend to, so it’d be best for us not to get in his way, Kogane!
Kogane: Katame, he just said that he was going to rally with Lady Sakura and Sasuke Uchiha. What does a meeting with friends have to do with his duties as the previous Hokage?
Katame: (His admiration of Naruto not wavering in the slightest, he simply shrugged off Kogane’s remarks.) All the same, if the Hokage has appointments to get to, we shouldn’t try to delay him! I thought you’d have more respect, Kogane!
Naruto: Katame, you can calm down now, alright? …It’s fine. I don’t have to meet them right-a-way. I can stay here a little while.
Katame: (Seeming almost surprised that Naruto spoke to him, he immediately dropped to one knee and apologized, as if he had done something wrong.) Uh, yes-yes, sir. Forgive me, Lord Hokage. It’s an honor that you’d take time out of your schedule to converse with us.
Naruto: Uhhh, …it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. (Man, this guy’s a freak. I’m not even the Hokage anymore and he’s still kissing my ass.)
Katame Funare was significantly younger than any of the other sensei present, including Suzaku, not even in his thirtieth year of life. His thick, purple hair stood on end and he wore a long-sleeved, light-grey shirt beneath the village’s standard flak jacket. Aside from his hair, his other distinguishing feature was his bright-green, pupiless eyes. His right eye had slightly duller coloring than the left, signifying his inability to see through it, …a product of a rather unhappy childhood. Through his struggles, though, he had obtained a drive to become stronger, his proficiency in fire and wind-based techniques helping him to acquire his jōnin status at the meager age of sixteen. However, despite what duties his rank typically bestowed upon those who achieved it, his tendency to kneel to more experienced shinobi, often literally, led few to believe he was capable of leading his own squad, though that’s not to say he wasn’t a fine sensei to Raiden, Kūrogane, and Kemono.
Katame: (Quickly standing back up, he eventually got over his fretfulness…to an extent.) Thank you, sir. So, how are your students this morning?
Though Naruto was still irritated that Katame continued to address him with this unnecessary level of respect, the thought of his grandchildren quickly brought a smile back to his face.
Naruto: They’re my grandkids, Katame, …and they’re doing fine today, thanks. How about Raiden?
Katame: He’s good, sir. He seemed pretty eager to start the exams this morning. All three of them did, actually, …except Kūrogane. She’s much more level-headed than him and Kemono.
Kogane: (Pleased by this news, she quickly rejoined the conversation upon hearing her daughter’s name.) Hmhmhmhm, that’s my girl. I must say, you’ve done well in training her, Ken. I should probably thank you for that.
Katame: (Rather flattered by her merit, his face slowly began to turn pink as he rubbed the back of his head.) Hehehehe, well thanks, Kogane. That means a great deal to me.
Kogane: Hmhmhm, of course. Oh, and Lord Hokage. You should be seeing Shikamaru-sensei shortly, right?
Naruto: Hm? …Uh, yeah. I’ve got to go see him and Konohamaru once I’m done meeting Sakura and Sasuke.
Kogane: (Having received the answer she was hoping for, she quickly pulled out a small scroll with her name on it.) Well, once you see him, can you let him know something for me?
Naruto: (Taking it in his hand, he looked at it in confusion a moment before responding.) Yeah, sure thing. …What’s wrong with telling him yourself, though?
Kogane: Well, I’d rather that he knew sometime soon…and I’m afraid I won’t have time before the third exam starts.
Naruto: Hmmm…ah, well. Yeah, I’ll be sure to give this to him when I see him.
He was about to turn to Sai and Lee and continue speaking to them, but Kogane’s mentioning of “time” quickly brought something else to his mind, …something rather urgent.
Naruto: Ah, crud! I think I’ve been here a little too long! Sorry, guys, I gotta jet!
Running over to the window, he quickly threw it open and was prepared to jump out before being stopped by Lee.
Lee: Hey, Naruto! Do not forget to come by the gate when the other Kage arrive! I am certain that they would like to see you!
Stopping for a moment upon hearing this, the images of the other four village leaders entered Naruto’s mind as he turned back to look at Lee. After standing there for a short while in thought, a smile emerged on his face.
Naruto: Sure thing. …Well, see you all later.
Leaping out onto the rooftop of the Standby Station, one never would have expected that Naruto was over fifty years old as he skipped across the rooftops and made it his way over to the village’s cemetery. Upon arriving at its gate, he found himself greeted by the smiling faces of his two oldest friends. The first had aged significantly since the war, though most of his facial features remained intact and he still bore the same charming persona that women adored to this day. His wife, on the other hand, had aged only a few years in that same amount of time, thanks to a technique passed down from her former master. While pleased to see that their old teammate had arrived, hints of displeasure could be seen in their expressions, most likely because he had appeared several minutes late.
Sasuke: You certainly took your time, Naruto.
Sakura: Yeah, I’ll say. I thought we had a time set for us to meet here each day.
Naruto: (Rubbing the back of his head as a drop of sweat ran down his left cheek, he chuckled in minor embarrassment at his own tardiness.) Hehe, yeah, I guess so. …Sorry, Sakura.
Sakura: (Giggling softly to herself, she gave him a reassuring reply before turning to her husband.) Hey, don’t worry about it. …So, shall we get going?
As Sasuke took ahold of his wife’s hand, Naruto looked behind him at the numerous graves that occupied the village’s cemetery, at the center of which, between the tombstones of his two former teammates, now stood a large monument dedicated to the unspoken hero of the Fourth Shinobi World War: …Obito Uchiha.
Team Minato continues to watch over the Leaf village!!!
The End