Team 13 Assembles

"Where is our new teammate?"

"..."

"I'm definitely gonna teach this new teammate a lesson when they show up."

"..."

"By the way, Sensei's late too."

"..."

"No seriously, Miyuki, do you know something?" Nozomi Yamanaka finally asked, eyeing his quiet teammate.

"No."

Miyuki snorted coldly, her white eyes staring straight at him like he just stepped on her mood.

That stare alone shut him up real quick.

"I just wanted to know..." Nozomi muttered, but the moment her gaze didn't shift, he shut up again.

Then—

"Hello! Sorry for disturbing you... Are you Team 13?"

Both of them turned instantly. They'd already felt someone behind them.

And what they saw? A tiny, cute kid just standing there like it was the most normal thing ever.

They blinked. Confused. Staring.

Before Miyuki could say anything, Nozomi stepped up. Of course, being the chatty one.

"Yep, that's us. But why're you looking for Team 13? You need something?" He crouched a little, grinning. "Tell big bro here, I'll totally help you out!"

"No, I don't need anything," the kid said, shaking his head with a small sigh, like he was the one being bothered.

Then he added, super casually, "My name is Aizen Uchiha. I'm the new member of Team 13."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Nozomi blinked once. Then twice.

"Naniii?"

Even Miyuki's usual cold expression twitched just a little.

This... tiny thing? This soft-spoken mini-Uchiha... was their new teammate?

Nozomi glanced at Miyuki, then back at Aizen.

"You're kidding, right? Is this, like, a prank?" Nozomi asked, brows raised.

Aizen didn't flinch. He'd expected something like that.

Instead of reacting, he kept his tone polite and calm.

"I'll be in your care," he said simply, giving a small respectful bow.

Not too humble. Not too proud. Just enough to leave an impression.

Nozomi looked confused, glancing at Miyuki like he was hoping she'd explain what was going on. But she just stood there, quiet, eyes locked on Aizen.

She hadn't said a word yet, but truthfully—even she wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Judging by his size alone, Aizen looked like a kid who had just stepped into the Academy, not someone who'd already graduated.

Is he a dwarf? she wondered, but the thought was cut off by the sound of a voice behind them.

"So, you're all already here," someone said, making Miyuki turn on instinct.

Nozomi was quicker to speak. "Sensei, you're late today!"

Aizen, meanwhile, studied the man carefully. He ran through his mental list of known shinobi from the village, trying to match the face, but came up empty.

Not in the archives, he thought.

Of course, he knew he didn't know every shinobi in the village... but still, he knew a lot. Enough to recognise most Chūnin and Jōnin-level shinobi who were active.

"Yeah, sorry about that," the man replied, scratching the back of his head. "Had something come up at home."

Then his gaze shifted to Aizen, eyes narrowing slightly. He didn't speak—just observed.

When the Third Hokage called him in yesterday, Aizen figured it was either about a new mission or a replacement for the open spot on their team.

Turned out, it was the latter. The Hokage said a new member had been chosen.

But then he saw the name... and the age.

He blinked. Once. Twice.

Was the old man finally losing it?

That was his first thought when he saw the file.

Then came the discussion. It turned out the boy, Aizen Uchiha, was a prodigy. Graduated within half a year of entering the Academy. At the age of five.

A feat like that wasn't just rare. It was unprecedented.

But that was exactly the problem.

He was five.

The sensei let out a quiet sigh, remembering the words the Hokage had left him with: "He's not just another genin. He's the bridge, the future link between the village and the Uchiha."

It wasn't just a training job anymore. It was politics. Responsibility. A balancing act that could go sideways if he wasn't careful.

And somehow, all of that was now his to handle.

"What's wrong, Sensei?" Nozomi asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Kaito gave a small shake of his head. "It's nothing. Just thinking."

He took a breath, straightening up. "Anyway, since our team's complete now, let's do a quick round of introductions for Aizen's sake. Same format as last time."

He gave a relaxed smile and started first.

"I'm Kaito Sarutobi. I like spicy food, not a fan of things that are too sweet. And I want to become a shinobi the village can be proud of, like the Sannin."

Nozomi was quick to jump in. "I'm Nozomi Yamanaka. I like hanging out with my little brother. I really hate feeling useless. My dream is to one day lead my brother's team when he becomes a ninja."

Then all eyes shifted to Miyuki.

"I'm Miyuki Hyuga," she said plainly. "I like getting stronger. I don't like failure. And my goal is simple: to make my mother proud "

Finally, they turned to Aizen.

He gave a small nod. "I'm Aizen Uchiha. I like learning new things. I don't like the idea of staying weak. And my dream is to become strong enough to protect this village."

There was a pause after that—brief but noticeable.

Nozomi gave a low whistle. "Pretty serious for someone so small."

Miyuki didn't say anything, but her eyes lingered on Aizen a little longer than before.

Kaito, meanwhile, simply nodded. "Well said."

*************

Suggestions for Aizen