Team Badass (A Naruto Fanfiction)

Chuunin Exams Stress People Out pt.1

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi not so elegantly burst into the meeting room. Under the dim light, several Jounin stared back at him with defeated wryness. "I have a legit excuse this time. My team and I were on a C-rank turned A-rank mission and we just returned. I'm serious."

Mumblings burst from the ninja at the sound of a Genin team taking on an A-rank. Sarutobi just puffed on his pipe, already knowing the truth from several of his ANBU squads. "I'll take your mission report later, Kakashi. Surely you know what this meeting is for?"

"Yes. Why do you think I rushed?"

"True, that is unlike you, my dear rival!" Gai boomed forth. "You look most becoming with your new team. I too, have pumped my own sweet darling students full of the power of youth!"

"...Hm? Did you say something?"

"Gyaah! Kakashi, why are you so hip?"

"Anyway, let's move on to the actual topic." Sarutobi coughed, and the Jounin snapped to attention. "Anyone from the rookie squads willing to nominate?"

Kakashi put his book down. This was what he was here for. "I nominate Team 7, consisting of Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke. Under the name of Hakate Kakashi, I swear that they are ready for the Chuunin exam. Oh, we're also called Team Badass, by the way."

Not to back down, the other two Genin leaders nominated their own teams.

Whispers broke out across the dim room. The Hokage's eyebrows shot up to his hat and disappeared there. Rookie squads entering the Chuunin exams? This was the first in six years!

On cue, Gai and Iruka stepped forth, not happy with how things were going. "Now wait a minute, Kakashi.."

"Sorry, no can do," Kakashi eye-smiled. He whisked his book into his pouch with a swish, and turned with a friendly grin to the smirking Hokage. "Mind if I...?"

"Yes, yes, go away." Sarutobi sucked on his pipe. "The little hellions are probably near drowning you with training requests anyway."

Iruka looked appalled. "But Hokage-sama! You can't possibly allow these.. kids! These kids to enter the Chuunin exam! It's too early!"

"Just leave them be, Iruka." Sarutobi chuckled. "I'm sure the squad leaders know what they're doing."

"Yup, now that's settled, I'll go now. Sorry 'bout that. Ja ne!"

Kakashi shunshined out of the meeting room, much to the chagrin of the other Jounin. "He comes late and leaves early! That's so not fair!"

"Just how long is he going to make us wait?" Naruto complained. "We've been waiting at this bridge for ages. Can someone please tell me why we agreed to an impromptu training session as soon as we're back from a freakin' two month long mission? I want a shower, and some ramen. And some steak. Can we just ditch Kakashi and go get some quality food?"

"I heard that," Kakashi popped out of nowhere. "I'm kind of sad, really. I just came straight from the meeting. I nominated you all for the Chuunin exams." He held out three slips of paper. "Though, not all of you have to sign up. The Chuunin exams will be hard. You can choose to wait. But-" He grinned an evil smile. "If you don't sign up, I'll stick you with d-ranks for the rest of the year. And per every paintball done on my person or on my house, that's another year, right there. Also, my dear friend, Gai seems to be a little willing to take you three for-"

"Yeah, yeah, spare us the theatricals." Sasuke rummaged around in his pouch. "I don't have a pen. I have my brush here with me though. Is that okay?"

"It better be okay. I already signed it." Naruto happily held up his own slip, already wet with ink.

Sakura tsked. "This is a legal document. Don't be so hasty Naruto!" She then took out her own brush and signed it. "It's the only thing we have though."