Deal of a Lifetime

Being friends with Itachi was surprisingly helpful in my goal of being overlooked. I mean, he's the best in everything, so the few times I slip up and do better than I ever had, everyone brushes it off as a fluke since I hang out with someone like him.

The downside of our friendship was the influence I had on him. At least that was what his Dad said. Over the years we were together, he continued to reject the opportunities to skip grades or graduate early since he said he had no reason to rush and miss the chance to practice more. His clan elders and his Dad got so pushy about it that Itachi even started to fail his tests. I mean, it kind of is my fault for suggesting it, but I didn't think he would do it.

I'm worried that this will mess with his future too much, but the selfish part of me likes having to not be alone anymore.

Thankfully, because of my horrible influence, they no longer wanted to meet me. I'm glad. This whole thing made me realize something about myself. I'm a greedy person, and in my old life, I couldn't be selfish, but here…. I'm not going to hold back even if that means I don't get to have an average life. I'm going to be as greedy as I want.

Of course, now that Itachi had Sasuke, it was a little more complicated. The little leach was now three and hated me. I didn't mind the kid, but I don't get why he thinks that if he goes with Itachi when he comes to hang out with me, he will get his brother for himself. It's not my fault that he picked the wrong time to try to get his brother's attention.

Of course, where Sasuke goes, Naruto follows. After the nine-tailed fox attack three years ago, everything was different. Minato survived. Obito came back, and Rin was alive as well. Not something I would have thought would happen. And since Minato survived, I guess his bond with Sasuke's family didn't burn out, so Naruto was a consistent guest of the Uchiha household, along with one of the three teens from Team Seven.

"Hey, Itachi." I didn't even look up from my book as my friend and his tag-along walked into our training spot.

"Nii-chan! Why do we have to meet with the dead weight!" Sasuke whined as he pulled on Itachi's arm.

"Sasuke, don't be disrespectful to Kaida. You knew I was coming to train with her. If you don't want to stay, I'm sure Hatake-san has no problem taking you and Naruto back to Kaa-san." Itachi's reminder made the kid pout, but he did apologize.

"Thank you for apologizing, Sasuke. I was thinking that for today's activity, we could play a game of Capture the Flag." The cheers I got from the two kids were adorable.

In a typical game, we would have more people playing, but I changed it up so it could be a way for Itachi and I to train while playing with the kids. Itachi and I use all of our non-lethal tricks to keep each other from our flags while also protecting the kids like we would a wounded comrade on the field. It's pretty intense and usually lasts all day. For this game, Naruto and I's team was ahead with 14 wins to Itachi and Sauske's 13 victories and four Draws.

Whoever was Naruto's caretaker for the day would referee the game and make sure no one got hurt.

"You ready to kick butt, Naruto?" My partner for the day was already bouncing on his toes.

"This is going to be so much fun, Ka-chan!" My smile twitches at the nickname.

The little ball of sunshine had taken to shortening my name, which made it seem like he was calling me a mother. I was tempted to correct him the first time, but Obito, his caretaker then, said it was fine and he would grow out of it. That was a year ago, and many failed attempts to change it by Kakashi and Rin have followed since.

Of course, this match ended in a draw as the sun went down, which didn't surprise me. My team rarely went on the offensive and mostly had many traps and layered Genjutsu. Speed-wise, Itachi and I were a match while he was physically stronger than me. But I was far more creative with my traps and sneakier than him. Because of the rules, he couldn't use most of his Jutsu arsenal. We were pretty much an even match if there were restrictions. In an all-out fight, he totally would have won. Of course, our day doesn't end there.

"Hokage-sama would like to meet with you two," Kakashi said once we cleaned the forest.

The request was nerve-racking. The last time I met with Minato was years ago. This time, it was a formal meeting with Itachi. This sucks.

I feel like an average child in my position would be crying now. Standing before the Hokage, Jounin Commander, Itachi's parents, and The Hokage's advisors. I'm definitely on edge, and they can see it. It makes me wish Naruto threw a bigger fit and demanded to be with me just so I could cuddle him. Being raised by his family has made Naruto big on physical affection, so he was an awesome cuddle buddy.

"Right, let's get started. Itachi Uchiha, your parents, clan elders, advisors, and teachers have expressed that you graduate early from the academy. The few attempts they have made to make that happen have been thwarted by failing the tests. You've even started to fail your exams and assignments to bring your average down to the middle of the pack. They want me to make you graduate. But first, I want to know why you refuse to do as they ask." Minato was all business during this meeting not a single speck of the man I met years ago was to be seen.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama. This shouldn't have become such an issue for you to have to be involved." Itachi bowed respectfully before looking Minato right in the eyes. "At your request, I will tell you my reason. Truthfully, Hokage-sama, I find no logical reason to graduate early. The only benefit from my early graduation would be the egos of the ones who have called this to your attention. If anything, my early graduation would be detrimental to my growth as a person and a shinobi."

His reply and backhanded insult were met with anger and humiliation by his parents and the Hokage's advisors, excluding the Third Hokage. I was both proud of his backbone and scared that they might take it out on me.

"If I had graduated earlier when they wanted me to, I would still be unable to do much since my body was too small and lacked the stamina to keep up with my mind. I would be more of a liability to any team you would have put me on than an asset. Waiting till graduation gave my body time to grow." At this point, I didn't know what I was doing here since not once did any of them look at me. "I haven't been wasting my time at the academy either. Kaida and I have been doing training with retired shinobi both in my clan and outside of it. I don't think I could have learned as much if I had graduated early. I understand I must take the exam now that it's been brought up to the Hokage, but I will only graduate if Kaida will. We will be put on the same team as well."

Now, he did it. This little schemer got me roped into this. There isn't any way that these power-hungry old people would let me stay in the academy. But that's if they decide to take orders from a nine-year-old.

"What makes you think you're in the position to make a deal?" The wrapped-up old man was scary, even though he did exactly what I thought.

"I'm not making a deal. If I don't take the test with Kaida and get on a team with her, I won't be a ninja." Itachi glared at the adults.

I felt my jaw drop in horror. Of all the things to be so stubborn about. An ultimatum to the strongest people in the village and his parents. For me. A civilian nobody! This idiot! Does he not care what will happen to me and my family now that he put us in their line of sight? Not to mention the fact now they think I have a ton of influence over him. Ahhhhhhh. Itachi! You've undone everything I've been doing for the past nine years!

"I will agree to your terms after I add some of my own." Minato grabbed a scroll from his drawer and wrote on it.

When he finished, he tossed it over, and Itachi grabbed it, holding it open so we could read it. Written on the scroll was a contract draft. Per the contract terms, Itachi and I will make the highest marks on the exam and be placed in a four-man cell team with a Jounin teacher and a third genin. We will participate in the next Chunin exam, and at least one of us needs to be promoted. After promotion, we will have to immediately be accepted by one of the departments. If we don't complete the terms, we will be stripped of our rank and made a civilian.

Glancing at the scroll, then our audience, I sigh before pulling out a red pen and making corrections using Itachi's back to write. Once I'm done, I let Itachi make his changes with the pen then we both look over it again before tossing it back to Minato. When he read it, his face twitched before he drafted another contract. This time, when he was done, he signed it before turning it in so we could do the same. Instead of having someone lift us or stand on a chair, we both stuck to the side of his desk to see without help. With the edits, the new contract was far more specific and with a few more additions.

Itachi and I will have to take the exam today and pass with the highest marks in the previous graduation class. A third male teammate will be chosen from the genin corps between the age of 13-15. Our Teacher will be one of Minato's students. When we participate in the Chunin exams, our team has to make it to the third round. The entire team has to make Chunin, and if a department hasn't been chosen, Minato is to put us into one of his choosing. Any mission we take has to come straight from Minato as well. If none of the requirements are met, we will be stripped of our status as a ninja.

We both signed after verification. It seemed to make the others in the room either irritated or pleased. The bandaged guy gives me the creeps, though.

"Here, you can start the academic test here while we get a teacher to prepare the physical test." Minato hands us the fifty-question test while Itachi's parents and the advisors leave.

"You do know what you just did, right?" Itachi blinked at me instead of answering, making a scowl pull at my lips. "You little shit."

My random curse at my friend catches the Jounin Commander and the Hokage off guard, cracking their stoic masks. Itachi isn't even fazed as he starts his tests on the other side of the office. Grabbing my test, I sit on the other side of the room and start going through the test as quickly as I can. I finished in half an hour, making sure that everything was right. Of course, Itachi finished in half the time. He is a real genius while I was a woman in a child's body.

Minato seemed to have predicted this since the proctor for the other test came in and had us do the required three jutsu we were supposed to learn next year. Once again, Itachi was faster, but my jutsu used the bare minimum, making mine more efficient chakra-wise.

"Congratulations, you two. You have passed the academy exam with scores on par with our two last early graduates." The proctor announced once he finished grading the tests.

"Right. When will we get our teammate and Sensei?" Nodding at the proctor, I looked towards Minato, who was looking at our results.

"Tomorrow morning. They have to be chosen first. You will meet them at noon on the roof, where you will take your team and registration photos. You're dismissed." Out of politeness, we bow before leaving the room.

I was worried about who we would get. I mean, Minato has three students to choose from. Rin is automatically out since he wouldn't take her from her job at the hospital just to train Genin for six months. That leaves Kakashi and Obito. I think I heard rumors that they joined the ANBU, so either would be fine teachers power-wise. It's a toss-up as to who he will set us up with.

We won't have any issue with making a team. Because of Itachi's bet, we must win and make it to Chunin. That means our third will be forcibly glued to our side so we can get each other on a level high enough to make Chunin.

Itachi and I were going to the roof of the building through the stairs like good Genin. Of course, that got us a couple of looks, but I don't like showing off. Unlike others, I like being underestimated.

The long walk seemed to pay off since we arrived just in time. Our third teammate looked to be fourteen, so he hopefully wasn't going to be opposed to being teammates out of pride. Unfortunately, Mr. Plot decided to take the reins, and our teacher was the lonely wolf called Kakashi. I couldn't decide if I was happy or apprehensive. He was a shit teacher in the original, but he was trying to make a team when he had no idea how emotions and bonds worked. That was a Kakashi without his teacher and team, though. It's a toss-up on who exactly he is now.

"No fake smiles and stuff. Smirk, smile, or do nothing but fake expressions are just something I will not look at for the rest of my life." I probably should have introduced myself first, but I kinda wanted to get this over with so we could talk about the training schedule for the next six months.

"I am Itachi Uchiha and this is Kaida Akiyama. We are in your care." Itachi bowed before following me to where the photo stand was.

Our teammates said nothing as we got into position for our team picture. Unfortunately, that meant I was in the middle, making me slightly uncomfortable. Before the picture was taken, Itachi linked our pinkies, comforting me and helping me relax just in time to smile at the camera. It took another ten minutes for Itachi and I to get our identification pictures.

"This team aims to make chunin in the next six months. That means doing the required mission quotas of twenty-five D-ranks and one C-rank. We also have to get all of you to Chunin level skill-wise. It's going to be hard, and I'm not going to go easy on you. If you want to quit, well, you shouldn't have accepted in the first place." Kakashi said as we walked down the side of the tower to get to the ground.

The one-eyed eye smile was more unsettling than it should have been.