I don't own Naruto…. Perhaps that's a good thing…..

Basically, burning more time trying to forget how fricked up my academic future may be.

Don't take this seriously - so no extreme flames- but I encourage encouragement!

Prologue

For a month, Konoha's Ramen shop was in the dumps. Iruka had disappeared off the face of the earth, seemingly, resulting in a large decline in ramen sales.

Although Naruto remained a faithful customer, Iruka was pointedly missing – no longer did he stop there everyday for lunch (where else did Naruto get his habit?) – no longer did he treat anybody else out.

Why?

Was he dead?

Was he burnt out in his apartment?

Was he dead in his apartment due to burn out and being eaten by wild dogs?

Was he broke?

Simply put, Iruka had been chosen as the top teacher to go to the Far East, to the land of the Westerners, for an international teacher's conference. It was two weeks of educational goodness – just the thing Iruka dreamed of.

And so, the journey itself taking a week, two weeks conference and then another week spent coming back, Iruka was gone for a month.

Every Jounin who had to fill in for Iruka, breathed a sigh of relief as he crossed the threshold of their village. The brown-haired Chuunin was surprised when he saw so many people waiting for him with welcoming faces.

Even Kakashi had smiled and said more than hello.

Iruka smiled dumbfounded at Kakashi's enthusiastic, "I'm glad to see you back safely!"

Looking at the Academy teacher, the Rookie Nine shook their heads.

"He's got that LOOK," Sakura sighed.

"It's the same look he had when he found that manual on camouflage," Kiba sighed.

"And worse, the shinobi don't realize it…" Shino shrugged.

"Really?" asked Naruto. "I don't see anything different about him…. Tell me? What's different?"

"It's too troublesome to explain to you," Shikamaru turned away dismissively.

"What an idiot," Chouji said. "I wonder what is up Iruka-sensei's sleeve?"

"Well, whatever it is, doesn't affect us." Ino smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, we're Genin now!" Naruto grinned. "So no fear, right?"

Sasuke snorted.

Inwardly he heaved a sigh of relief at the reminder. Whenever Iruka had that flaming teacher look, it meant that he was going to get serious. Which is scary in somebody like Kakashi or the Hokage, but shitting scary in somebody like Iruka or Gai.

Famous last thoughts…..