Chapter 4: 004

004

The skies above the Hidden Leaf bled orange as rays of light peaked out from behind the horizon, announcing the arrival of dawn. Sapphire eyes cautiously fluttered open and a drowsy yawn filled the air. A pain groaned reverberated throughout the small room as Naruto returned to the land of the living.

'Ugh my head…what the hell happened last night. Last thing I remember w-'

A weight shifted on his torso, derailing the blond's train of thought. Sparing a glance down, his vision was obscured by the a feathery pink mass splayed across his chest. His attention was drawn to a pair of mangled, red growths jutting out from beneath the pink curtain. Almost as if a switched had been flipped inside his mind, a flood of memories came surging back to the young Jinchūriki. 'Zero Two…'

He remembered everything from the night before: Mizuki's betrayal, Zero Two's confession, and the fact that he was the reincarnation of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox that attacked the village fourteen years ago. He didn't want to believe it at first, but there was no denying it after that orange chakra surfaced. To think, all this time, he was the one responsible for the most calamitous tragedy to ever befall the village. It certainly explained his pariah status.

'If someone wiped out my family I would think too kindly of them either...' He mused as he stared up at the ceiling. 'Mizuki said the Old Man created a law, to keep people from bringing it up. But...why?'

For the life of him, Naruto just couldn't make sense of that. Why was he even still alive? And living in the village no less? Sure the most logical course of action would be to put an end to the one responsible for such a travesty. Or at the very least expel them. What was the point of even keeping him around? There were many occasions over the years where he tried to escape the village, but to no avail. No matter how far he made it, or how well he managed to hide himself, he was always found and dragged back to the village. Back to the unyielding scorn of the population, pelting him like a hail of rocks. Back to the alienation forced upon him by his peers. Back to everlasting loneliness he so desperately longed to escape...

"He is Uzumaki Naruto. And demon or not, he's the man I will love from now until the end of time."

Naruto craned his head downward and his eyes fell on Zero Two's slumbering form. She had one of his arms pinned to his side beneath her own, allowing her to snuggle up even closer to him. Using his free hand, he ran a finger against one of her horns. Unlike its cracked twin, this one had been completely broken off. 'She got hurt protecting me…' he thought solemnly as her words played over again in his mind. "Love…" he whispered softly, tasting the word. It was a foreign concept to him. Sure, he had a big crush on his classmate Sakura growing up, but it was nothing more than a childish infatuation that he quickly grew out of.

It was hard so say he knew what love was, or even understood it for that matter. He'd spent his entire life until now alone. No father to train him and that he could aspire to be like someday. No mother to shower him with praises and kiss his wounds to make him feel better. And worst of all, he had no one just to simply welcome him home. Love was a completely foreign concept to the socially inept teen. But this girl…she openly displayed affections for him, even going as far to put her life on the line for him. And he hadn't even known her a whole day!

'Just who are you...?'

The way Zero Two spoke to him with such familiarity would easily make one inclined to believe that they had a personal history with one another. Part of him really hoped that wasn't the case, because that would me he'd forgotten her. He would never be able to live with himself if he ever forgot someone precious to him, especially considering he'd never had such a thing before.

"Darling you pervert…"

Naruto froze at the subtle words. Zero Two's head shifted to look up at him, a playful expression decorating her features. "Fondling me like so while I'm asleep."

"N-N-No! Its not like that I swear!" Naruto quickly defended. "It's just yo-"

Zero Two shot forward and locked her lips with his own, silencing the stuttering blond. Naruto flinched at the sudden contact and his body went rigid. The way their lips meshed together was euphoric and it didn't take long for Naruto to ease into the kiss. Her lips were soft like silk, and she tasted like honey. Zero Two pulled away with a smirk, much to the boy's discontent.

"Good morning Darling~!" she chirped.

"G-Good morning…" Naruto managed to utter, still quite flustered.

"Nyaaaa~!" Zero Two purred, curling up to his side once more. "That was the best sleep I've ever had in my life!" Naruto could only stare disbelievingly at his cheerful companion. would be lying to himself if he didn't agree with her sentiment. He didn't know the last time he'd slept so soundly.

"Hey Zero Two..."

"Yes Darling?" She hummed.

"Last night...what you said...did you mean it?"

"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?" She giggled into his chest.

"Because...of what I am ya know..."

Furrowing a brow in confusion, Zero Two lifted her head to face her beloved. "My Darling?"

"Uh..no, not that."

"Strikingly Handsome?"

"N-No..."

"The Jinchūriki of the Nine Tails?"

"No, not tha-" Naruto's eyes crinkled as they found their way to the rosette. "What did you just say?"

Unceremoniously mewling her way into a sitting position, Zero Two let out a huff. "Despite what that vermin said, you are not the Nine Tails itself," she told him reassuringly.

"I'm...not?" Naruto queried, head tilted in confusion.

"Of course not. The geezer said you're what's known as a 'Jinchūriki'. He wouldn't tell me much, only that the Nine-Tails couldn't be through conventional methods. The only option left was to seal it away inside of a child. And they chose you.." Gone was the sacchariferous inflection that laced her voice. Her words took on a more somber tone.

"Ah I see..." Naruto responded lamely. Life was just full of surprises lately. He wasn't sure who's version of events he preferred more. Part of him wanted to believe that he would've been better own just being the beast reincarnated. And now he was being told that said beast was so powerful that the only way to defeat it was to cram it inside of his infant self. He'd had his freedom stolen away from him at birth. And where we're his parent throughout all this? Didn't they care? Did they not want him...

Zero Two felt her heart clench as she watch his face contort in pain, struggling to handle the inner turmoil that was sinking into his heart. "Naruto." This was the second time ever that she used his first name, and it was enough to distract the apprehensive blonde from his funereal brooding. "I don't care what other people think. So what if we're demons? So what if they see us as monsters? As long as I have you at my side, none of that matters." Her tone was firm, yet also comforting. Taking his rough, calloused hand in her own delicate one, Zero Two intertwined their fingers brought them both to her chest, resting just over her heart.. "All we need is each other and I promise to never leave your side ever again. You're my everything...I love you..." The pink-haired oni was being uncharacteristically shy, and Naruto could've sworn he saw traces of pink dusting her cheeks.

Trying to process all of the life-changing influx of information that had been forced upon him in the last day had left his mind in shambles. But just like the night before, the pink-haired ANBU was somehow able to quell the tempest of emotions that overwhelmed his heart. Her words silenced the raging waters desperately trying to plummet hum into a sea of despair, while her words wear like a gentle breeze trying to set him back on course. But what enchanted him the most about Zero Two were the soft, viridian jewel he found himself lost in once more. They we're filled to the brim with so much passion and ardency, reflecting all of the love she held dearly for him without a trace of deception. Put simply, the blond was mesmerized and it made him feel qualmish, like a rabble of butterflies we're fluttering about in his chest. "Beautiful..." The Uzumaki breathed out, causing the girl's blush to intensify. It was the first word that came to mind when gazing at the rosette but he hadn't actually meant to say it out loud. It was only now that Naruto noticed their similar states of undress. Both teens were clad in only their undergarments, yet Zero Two was topless as well. The sight of her lithe figure, supple curves, and perky breasts was too much for the poor Jinchūriki and his mind short circuited.

"N-N-Naked!"

"Of course," Pink tresses bounced as Zero Two 's head tilted in confusion. "I have nothing to hide from you Darling." Taking notice of her lover's uneasiness, mischief took root in the demoness' eyes. "Or I take it you like what you see Darling? Because I certainly do," Zero Two purred and she leaned in closer to her beloved once more. Her breasts trailed across his toned chest, causing Naruto to turn even redder. Zero Two was enjoying herself a lot more than she should have been. She just reveled in watching him squirm under her touch. With a mirthful giggle, she stole a kiss from the stunned blonde and rested her forehead against his own. "Darling is just the cutest~!"

Naruto lie there, locking gazes with the alluring Oni. She had certainly managed to stir up a maelstrom of emotions within the Uzumaki once again. But unlike before, it didn't leave him feeling uneasy. The sheer amount of unwavering love and adoration radiated by those sparkling cyan orbs was enough to banish all apprehension taking sinking is claws into the boy's heart, brought on by a sudden influx of harrowing memories. She was the first person to truly acknowledge him.

"S-So..." Naruto began meekly, trying to find his voice. "What does that mean for us?"

"Hm~?" The older girl hummed in response.

"I'm not good at reading these kinds of situations," Naruto admittedly sheepishly. He didn't exactly have the most refined social skill. "Does this mean...we're together now? Like...dating?"

Zero Two retreated slowly to ponder the thought. "I suppose so in a human sense of things, we are." She had never and eyes for anyone other than the sun-kissed blonde. But when she thought about it, this was the first step towards making their childhood promise a reality. "That means Darling is all mines now~!"

Silence loomed over the couple before Naruto finally spoke, a goofy grin splitting his face. "I've never had a girlfriend before.."

"Well lucky for you Darling, because you're stuck with me forever and ever now," Zero Two beamed at him.

"F-Forever..?" Naruto parroted. The jubilant oni leaned in once more, gently poking the boy's forehead with her horns.

"And ever~!"

Naruto's lips slowly curled into a smile. He actually kind of like the sound of that. for the first time in his life, fate didn't seem to be set on using him as its whipping boy this time around. A light thumping sound filled the air and Zero Two felt something brush against her leg. Turning to investigate, an excited gasp escaped the bubbly rosette.

Naruto's eyes bulged when he felt a tingling sensation race up his spine. Jolting upwards, he spotted Zero Two burying her face into his tail. "A-Ah!"

"It's so fluffy!" He heard her squeal into the cream-tinted fur. "I'm gonna die~!"

"Z-Z-Zero Two p-please that-" a poorly suppressed moan slipped out of the blond Jinchūriki, to the surprise of both teens. A reddened Naruto quickly snatched away the auxiliary limb and shuffled to the corner of the bed, folding his legs to his chest to form a protective barrier.

"Aww! Don't be like that Darling. It's adorable!" Zero Two whined in protest. And just when she thought he couldn't get any cuter.

"N-No!" Naruto protested. "It just proves I'm a Demon like they all say I am..." he said forlornly. He'd had his tail for as long as he could remember, but it was the Old Man that taught him how to hide it with a transformation. Growing up, he always thought it was a birth defect of some sort or maybe a side effect from a bloodline one of his parents possessed. But after hearing the truth last night, it all made sense now. It was a perverted mutation, which he could only guess was thanks to the demon sealed within him.

Frowning at her beloved's reclusive actions, Zero Two carefully crawled over to the blonde. "I think it's cute," she cooed, gently running her fingers across the silvery fur that lined the tip of his tail. "You shouldn't feel ashamed Darling. If people can't accept you for who you truly are, then they have no place in your life. And no matter what happens, I'll always be on your side." Naruto felt the tension in his body slowly ebb away under the rosette's touch. It was like she knew exactly what to say to make him feel better. He wasn't completely convinced she wasn't an angel that had fallen from the heavens. A low mumble emanated from the hanyō which the oni didn't quite catch. "What was that Darling?"

"I said don't call it cute…" Naruto groused once more. "You only call girls 'cute'" he shot her a niggling glare. He was put off by his girlfriend's frolicsome smirk.

"Oh Daaarling~!" Zero Two cheeped as she pounced on the callow blonde.

"Z-Zero Two!"

"It's so fluffy~!"

"Ow! D-D-Don't pull on it!"

"I just want to snuggle it~!"

"Stooooooop!"

Naruto straggled forward uncomfortably, unsettled by the stares directed at them. While trying to escape Zero Two's perilous onslaught of his tail, a messenger bird had arrived at his apartment. It was from the Hokage, congratulating himself and Zero Two on stopping Mizuki and returning the Scroll of Seals. It also stated that they were both to report to the academy and then his office after being dismissed by Iruka.

And now they were leisurely strolling through the village towards the academy. He wouldn't feel so uneasy if it were for the sheer amount of attention they were drawing to themselves. Out of the two of them, Zero Two was by far the more captivating one. She was adorned in a lusterless, black body suit that had no sleeves and slits running down both sides, revealing much of her supple skin. The suit was only held together thanks to an ornate, crimson obi tied around her waist that resembled butterfly wings. She also donned a pair of white, low-heeled shin length sandals and black fingerless gloves that stretched up her forearms. Her guise was completed with a vermillion blazer that had the Uzumaki Clan symbol sewn onto the back, much like Naruto's own. With a file, a small hand mirror, and twenty minutes of rather deep concentration, she had managed to file her horns back to their proper shape. Only now they weren't quite as long as before, just barely penetrating her veil of silky pink tresses.

"The demon has a tail now. He's showing his true colors!"

"That girl has horns…to think he actually had a mistress."

"So there's two of them now?!"

For the first time ever in his life, Naruto was walking around in public with his tail on full display. At the rosette's encouragement, he elected to not hide his furry extension. As a result of that and having the horned girl at his side, the whispers floating around them seemed to increase tenfold. It made the young Jinchūriki tremble with every step. It felt as if all the animosity of the village was gravitating towards him, like a vile effluvium trying to snuff out his life. And then there was Zero Two, his newly, self-appointed, highly animated girlfriend. True to her word, she was latched to his side, intertwining her fingers with his own as she carelessly nibbled away on a stick of honey-flavored pocky. Her lustrous smile and sprightly personality was like a lantern that warded off the encroaching darkness. Glancing at the older girl, he couldn't help but smile as she munched away on the honey-coated wafers while joyfully swinging their conjoined hands. It honestly felt like he could do anything with her at his side.

"Neh, Darling."

"Hm?"

"Say 'Ahh'~!"

The blonde blinked, and he noticed that she was offering him one of her snacks. The way her face lit up and her body vibrated with excitement, he couldn't possibly turn her down. Accepting the treat, Naruto chomped down on the sugary morsel.

"Like it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty good."

"I don't mind sharing then~!"

Before he could protest, Zero Two took the stick of pocky she'd been nibbling on and popped it in his mouth. With a satisfactory nod, she flashed him a cheeky grin before resting her head on his shoulder. Naruto felt his face heat up as he watch her retrieve another treat seemingly from nowhere. He wasn't used to her constant displays of affection, and it was even more flustering out in public. Especially when nearly every pair of eyes in the vicinity were fixed on them. A comfortable silence descended upon the couple and they continued their way to the academy.

Upon arriving at the administrative building, the duo discreetly slipped inside, ignoring more glares and whispers from the faculty. They made their way down the long, winding corridors of the schoolhouse and before coming to a stop in front of a door labeled 5-A.

Naruto reached for the handle only to hesitantly stop short. How would his classmates act? Some of them didn't exactly have the most...exemplary characteristics. Hell, how would Zero Two act? And why was he even coming back to class in the first place if he wasn't a ninja? What's that Old Man got up his sleeve? The disquiet blonde was beginning to murmur aloud, much to his companion's amusement. He found himself drawn back to reality by a gentle poke on his forehead.

Naruto blinked and stared widely as Zero Two retreated with a soft, reassuring smile and held out her hand. Bringing up a finger to rub the spot where she's poked him with her horn, he couldn't help but chuckle. Taking her delicate hand in his own, he gave a firm nod and slid open the door to his classroom.

The whole place was in an uproar, which was to be expected on the day after graduation. Everyone had finally seen their years of hard work and training come to fruition and became ninja. Well, almost everyone. Naruto felt out of place amongst his peers but the Old Man had instructed him to be there as well. He was hoping to just slip in unnoticed and quietly shuffle over to his seat. But the sudden and eerie silence that befell the entire room said otherwise.

A small glance was all it took to confirm his suspicions that all of his peer had third gazed firmly fixed on himself and Zero Two. Or more specifically, their interlocked fingers. The rosette was too busy glancing around the room in curiosity to notice the stares directed at her.

"N-Naruto...always late to the party," a brown-haired boy awkwardly stepped forward. He was clad in black pants and a matching leather jacket with a fur lined collar. Bit of his cheeks were tattooed with red fanglike markings. "And what's with the tail? Don't tell me it's part of your next prank or something?" The boy grinned as he gestured to the bushy extremity protruding from the blonde's backside.

"Now, now Kiba, don't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, I beat Iruka-sensei here and that's saying something," Naruto rebutted. He sighed internally for the scapegoat provided to him by the brunet. He could easily sell the idea that his tail was part of an upcoming gimmick, at least for the time being.

"Ha! You got that right!" Kiba snorted with with laughter. "Soo...who's the girl?" He asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

"O-Oh well you see..." Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he tried to find his words. He quickly began to regret his needy desire to be the center of attention.

"Neh Darling, where's your seat?" Zero Two suddenly spoke up. For the first time since they had entered, the class broke their silence and hushed whispers began snaking around the room.

"Er...second row, first seat on the far righ-eyie!"

Zero Two snatched him forward suddenly, ignoring her beloved's yelp as she glided up the short staircase leading to the desks, dragging the hapless blond behind her. Upon reaching her destination, Zero Two noticed there was another boy occupying the seat closest to the window. He had a spiky head full of raven hair and an indifferent, yet almost annoyed expression marring his features. Ignoring the angsty teen, Zero Two quickly ushered a confused Naruto into his chair.

"Um...excuse me?"

The rosette's head swiveled around where she found another girl standing on the step just above them. Like herself, this girl had rosy pink hair and green eyes, only her hair wasn't quite as long and her eyes were a much deeper shade. Her hair was held in place by a red-clothed forehead protector which acted as a hairband. She wore a sleeveless red top with white circle pattern on the back, accompanied by black gloves, low-heel, knee-high boots, and black shorts underneath a short grey apron skirt with matching elbow protectors. Naruto sighed internally. Haruno Sakura, the elected representative of Class 5-A and self-proclaimed president of the unofficial Sasuke Uchiha Fan Club, patent pending.

The girl's track record spoke for itself. Top grades of the class, impeccable chakra-control, and a likable personality that everyone seemed to gravitate towards. But Naruto has seen first hand what lay dormant behind that cute demeanor; a ruthless bully willing to do whatever it took to get her way. "I don't think we've met before," the younger pinkette offered her hand. "My name is Sakura Haruno, Representative of Class 5-A. And you are?"

The older rosette stared at the manicured appendage with scrutiny, before shooting a pointed stare at the younger girl. "Not interested."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched slightly but she kept her composure. "Ok then...what brings you here? You're not apart of our class and I haven't gotten word of any new students joining us. Especially considering we've already graduated. Her tone was inquisitive but everyone could easily pick up on her snooty undertone.

"Who knows," Zero Two gave a shrug before gracefully situating herself in Naruto's lap, much to the Uzumaki's embarrassment. An addible gulp could be heard from the boy when he saw a mischief flash through his girlfriend's eye. "I'm only here for my Darling."

Second wave of whispers washed over the class, only now it would barely even qualify as hushed talking at this point. Sakura for her part blanched at the thought. "Darling...Naruto?" She stifled a laugh.

"Yes, my Darling," Zero Two reaffirmed with a grin. To drive the point home, her arms slithered around Naruto's neck and she tugged him close, pinning the bright red blonde to her bosom.

"Zhm Tm!" Naruto's muffled screech filled the air.

A loud thump rang emanated from the other side of the room, like something heavy had crashed against the floor. "Hinata!" A distressed Kiba hurriedly rushed to the pale girl's aid.

"Surely you're kidding right?" Ino spoke up from her seat. "You didn't hit your head or anything did you? I mean this is Naruto we're talking about," she snorted.

"Yes, what about him?" The oni's eyes narrowed at the platinum blonde. It wasn't until now that both girls realized just how serious she was.

"Wait...you actually mean it. But...it's Naruto!" Sakura gestured to the aforementioned blonde, who was doing his best to nullify is own existence behind Zero Two and failing miserably. He had hoped to avoid a confrontation if possible, especially with those two of all people.

"Precisely why he's my Darling," Zero Two responded. "What's it matter to you anyway?" She leveled a glare at the younger girl, who was beginning to work on her last nerve.

Sakura, with her ego suddenly deflated, found herself stumbling over her words. "W-Well...I-I-I-"

"Need to mind your own business. What I do with my Darling is ours." Zero Two stood up, rising to her full height. She only had a good five centimeters over the younger girl, but to Sakura it felt like she was standing before a colossus. Zero Two leaned in close, invading the pinkette's personal space and locked gazes with the now trembling girl.

"Hmm.." Zero Two hummed to herself as she inspected her prey. In one quick, fluid motion, her tongue slithered across Sakura's cheek, making the girl recoil in antipathy.

"EH?!" A horrified Sakura swiftly retreated and a hand shot up to her face, shielding the patch of skin where she'd been licked as she stared at the older girl incredulously.

"EEEHH?!" The entire class echoed, matching their representative's expression. Even Naruto himself was no exception.

A smirk crossed the rosette's features as she pulled away and returned to her makeshift seat that was Naruto's lap. "You know, for someone so bitter you have a sweet taste."

The door to the classroom slid open and their teacher emerged from the hallway. "Alright everyone settl-" Iruka's words were cut short when he noticed his class was quiet. A little too quiet actually. Even Naruto, the usual culprit, was silent. "Er...never mind. Everyone please return to your seats..." He observed his students carefully, ignoring their groans as they slowly muddled about towards their assigned seats. Sakura eyed Zero Two warily as she shuffled past the couple and took her seat between Naruto and Sasuke.

"Ah!" Iruka spoke up once more as his eyes fell on their desk. "You must be Zero Two. I was just briefed by Hokage-sama. It's a pleasure to have you with us today." The rosette was too busy tangling her fingers in her darling's unkempt locks and only gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.

"As for you Naruto, I believe you're going to be needing this." The scarred Chūnin reached into his pocket and withdrew a long black cloth was was folded many times over. With practice precision, he tossed it across the room where it fell into the boy's hand with a metallic clink. Naruto's eyes widened when he realized what it was.

"I-Iruka-sensei...does this mean...?"

His answer came in the form of a bright smile. "You can't very well call yourself a ninja without a headband can you?"

A goofy grin split the blond's face as his eyes lit up with glee. "ALRIGHT!" Naruto exclaimed with a fist pump. He had finally done it; he was officially a ninja now. And one step closer to realizing his dream.

"I'm so proud of you Darling~!" Zero Two's saccharine voice filled the air. She hugged him tightly once more and affectionately rubbed her cheek against Naruto's own, much to his embarrassment.

"Z-Zero Two! Everyone is staring!"

"All the more reason to let me love you~!"

Snickers began to fill the room as everyone observed the display of affection in amusement. Even Iruka himself had to stifle a laugh. After watching the duo, he now understood what the Hokage meant.

"Alright, Alright everyone settle down," he waved his hands, bringing order to the class once more. "As of today, you have all become full-fledged ninjas. However, you're still genin. The tough part has yet to come." Iruka pulled out a sheet of paper from his pouch and held out before him. "From here on, you will all be placed in squads of three and carry out mission under your appointed Jōnin teachers." His words elicited various responses from his students.

"Hmm...I wonder who will be teamed up with Sasuke-kun?" Ino thought aloud from her seat behind Sakura.

The class rep only gave a small shrug in response. "Your guess is as good as mine." But despite her lackadaisical tone, an inferno swelled to life within the pinkette. 'Cha! Naturally, I'll be the one on Sasuke-kun's team!'

Sasuke's eyes narrowed marginally. 'Teams of three huh? Tch...that'll just slow me down...'

'Teams huh?' Naruto pondered to himself. He never really considered the possibility that they would be placed in teams. If he were to be honest with himself, he didn't know what to expect after becoming a ninja. All he had ever cared about was becoming Hokage. Sparing a chance at Zero Two, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. 'Would be pretty cool if we got put on the same team. But she's an ANBU after all. Though I have a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't matter to her either way.' In the end, he decided he would be fine with what ever team he was placed on, just as long as he wasn't paired with Sasuke or Sakura. Naruto was so lost in thought that he completely missed the first half of the team assignment.

"And now for the special exception, Team 7." Iruka announced, garnering the blonde's attention once more. Hokage-sama wanted to experiment with how a 5 man cell would work out so there will be 4 of you under one Jōnin. This team will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Zero Two." An annoyed huff escaped the forlorn Uchiha, Zero Two was grinning widely, while both Naruto and Sakura had dumbfounded expressions.

"What's he meaning of this Iruka-sensei?" Sakura stood up suddenly. "She's not even in our class!"

"Hokage-sama's orders. Your Jōnin teacher, Kakashi Hatake, will explain further," the scared Chūnin said dismissively. "Speaking of which, Naruto and Zero Two, Hokage-sama would like to speak with the both of you."

Naruto just stared ahead with a blank expression. He was still in shock. He had actually been assigned to a team with Zero Two. 'So this is what the Old Man was planning...' he thought to himself. He didn't know what the elderly Hokage was up to, but there had to be a method to his madness.

Zero Two bounced to her feet and stretched out her body. She noticed Sakura leveling an abhorrent glare in her direction and offered an exultant smirk in response. "Come Darling~! Let's see what the old geezer wants." A collective gasp reverberated throughout the room at the blatant disrespect towards their village leader.

"R-Right..." Naruto answered lamely. He rose from his seat and his hand was immediately seized by his exuberant girlfriend. Before he could protest, Zero Two made a beeline out of the room with Naruto flailing helplessly in the wind behind her. The mass of eyes crowding the room could only stare in bewilderment at the couple.

"Moving on..." Iruka began again as he shook his head amusedly. "Team Eight will consist of..."