Getting to know the team

"Um, I guess you pass. Naruto, you don't really know about the last joke, right?" He asked.

"Oh, don't worry. I've never read that weird book. Hey Travis, thanks for the hint back there; if it weren't for you, the fight would have dragged out more than it had to be," Naruto said, hooking his arm around his neck.

"No problem. Well, I gotta go now. See you guys later."

"Wait! Kakashi sensei is going to treat us to some ramen now, so you wanna come?" He asked.

"Wait, when did I agree to that..."

"Sure, I've always wanted to try some of old man Ichiraku's ramen," he said. Naruto smiled, and they both began to walk towards the village together.

'Oh, that Naruto with his ramen. It's nice to see that he hasn't changed completely,' she thought.

"Guys, wait up!" She said as she ran towards them.

Kakashi stood there dumbfounded by what just happened, though this wasn't uncommon from the group; he didn't expect him to be in such a situation a day after they returned together.

'And I was looking forward to reading the book before I went to sleep tonight,' he thought.

Travis, Naruto, Sakura, with Kakashi following from behind, were now in the middle of the village. The lights were on, which illuminated the village since it was now nighttime.

"So Travis, are you a genin now?" Naruto asked as they walked towards Ichiraku ramen.

"I'm not sure really. Is it true that you're also a genin?" He asked.

"Yeah, I left the village two years ago to train with pervy sage. So I couldn't do much when it comes to ninja activities."

"That's why everyone who was in our class except you and Sasuke are still genin," Sakura said.

"Aww man. Don't worry I'll catch up to all of you in no time."

Sakura looked in front of them and saw Shikamaru walking with Temari.

"Hey Shikamaru! Temari!! Look who it is!" She said pointing at Naruto.

Shikamaru turned towards him.

"Wha! If it isn't Naruto Uzumaki! Did you just arrive in the leaf?" He said.

"Yeah, technically."

"Hehe, so has your idiocy left you? And have you changed well?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura was the one to answer. "Nope! He hasn't changed at all." She said with visible disappointment on her face.

"Come on Sakura give a guy a break!" He said as he dragged his shoulders.

Shikamaru then glanced at Travis, who he saw standing beside them.

"Who is this guy?"

"Oh, this is Travis; he's new to the village. Not sure if he's gonna join our team or not. Let me ask Kakashi sensei."

He turned back and saw that he had left.

"Umm, I'll ask him later. Oh, by the way, you on a date?" He asked while chuckling silently as he nudged at Shikamaru with his shoulder.

"Nahh, that's not it," he replied.

Temari stepped forward to clarify what Naruto assumed, telling him that there's a chuunin exam that's going to happen soon. So she simply came here to have some meetings.

"Oh, that brings back some memories," Naruto said, recalling the day Sasuke changed for the worse after meeting Orochimaru.

"Hey, what happened to Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"Gaara is now the Kazekage of the Sand village."

In a bar somewhere within the village, Jiraiya and Kakashi are sitting together as they discuss things.

"That Travis kid. He might be onto something," Jiraiya said.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Two years ago, Itachi, and that shark guy came into the leaf, with plans of taking Naruto. Remember?" He asked.

"Yes, we were wondering why they'd want to take him since though he is the host, we doubt that information has ever been released to the public."

"Now look at it in a different angle. As Travis said, they're looking for tailed beasts right. Who other than Naruto would they go for?"

'That does make a lot of sense now that I think about it. Yet just as Lady Tsunade said, we have to wait and see.'

"Yeah, I understand. Did Lady Tsunade send the message already?" Kakashi asked.

"She did; we just have to wait and see."

Back with Travis, they were now sitting in the famous Ramen restaurant.

"So Travis, where do you come from?" Sakura asked.

"I don't really come from any particular village or anything. You could say I was born and raised in the middle of nowhere," he said.

"Hmm, why did you come here?" Naruto asked, slurping on the miso soup like someone was gonna take his food away from him.

Sakura got annoyed, so she pinched his thigh, which almost made him spill everything but after pinching him even harder he simply swallowed everything.

"Umm not sure. I just found myself in the leaf, and I like the vibe here, so I think I'll stay," he said.

"Well, I guess this is your welcoming party. Hey Shikamaru could you buy me another bowl? I'm flat broke right now," Naruto asked.

"Aren't you supposed to pay for everything since you're back and all?"

"What! I can't pay for everyone; I spent my last buck on an ice pop which I shared with pervy sage," he said.

"Alright, I'll pay for everything; you owe me though."

"Thanks, man. You're a lifesaver. So, can I order another bowl?"

"No."

TO BE CONTINUED