A/N – Been looking through my older stories and favorite list and Naruto once again caught my attention. It is obviously AU and there are changes both small and large, some of which are visible straight away in this chapter and some show up later. Naruto as a universe has a lot of plot holes and inconsistencies, in this story I'll try to patch some, if not most of them. I won't reveal what exactly changes as that would spoil most of the first arc and I dislike spoiling more than needed.

Last, but not least, written with help of darksider82 and he wrote some parts of the story. With those things aside, read, enjoy and review.

o-0-o

Naruto yawned loudly as he opened his eyes and stretched in his bed, today was a day when he would begin his education at the Academy, making his first steps on a way to become a shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato. He glanced to the side and noticed that his adopted brother, Shikamaru was also waking up, though a lot more slowly and still seemed half asleep. "Wake up, Shika," Naruto yelled.

The Nara groaned and looked at Naruto with some anger. "It is early, let me sleep," he said and winced when an alarm clock hit him in the head. "No need to be violent," he muttered, still barely awake.

Naruto just looked at Shikamaru and shrugged, even after twelve years of living with the Naras he was unable of grasping how it was possible that they were so lazy. Leaving his brother to get out of his bed. He instead gathered his clothes and groggily made his way to the bathroom to get showered and ready for the day.

When he walked out of the bathroom dressed and ready for whatever would be thrown at him, he looked like a ninja in training or soon to be. He was a tall person for a twelve years old, standing at hundred and sixty centimeters, he had bright blond, almost golden in color hair reaching to his shoulders with a pair of bangs framing his face, cerulean blue eyes and a bit of baby fat still visible, yet there were also visible signs of muscles developing from the physical training he did. He was dressed in traditional, black ninja sandals, black sweatpants wrapped around his ankles with bandages to keep them tight and comfortable, a black tank top and a dark blue hoodie with burnt orange stripes on the shoulder area. On his shoulders was the sign of the Nara clan and on his back one of the Uzumaki clan. First one was to show the clan that adopted him and second, his true clan.

He reached for his ninjato, a gift from Shikaku for the twelfth birthday and briefly looked at the weapon before strapping it to his back. It was a pratical weapon, the blade almost fifty centimeters long and he could tell that it was hellishly sharp as he managed to cut with it through way too many training posts, the handle was a simple, dark one wrapped in a silk cord. As his hand brushed against the familiar surface he could feel a bit of satisfaction and pride, it was a sign he was treated no longer like a child and instead as someone who could he trusted with real weapons. He then wrapped his hands in bandages and managed to strap kunai holsters to his hips even before Shikamaru managed to crawl out of his bed.

"We will be late," Naruto said with a sigh of exasperation as he looked at Shikamaru. "And we will be disqualified because you are lazy." He then smirked and added with a bit of mischief visible in his voice. "Or I can mention mom that you are being slow."

Shikamaru's face turned pale and then he looked in some fear at Naruto. "You... You wouldn't do it, right?"

"If you're fast enough, nope," Naruto said as he corrected the harness of his sword, the burnt orange leather standing out a bit on his dark hoodie. He then reached for two pouches he had and attached them to his belt before glancing at Shikamaru who just finished dressing and looked as if he was willing to murder someone. "Don't glare at me," Naruto said with an innocent smile. "I only helped you get ready."

Shikamaru just grumbled something and without a word walked out of their room, Naruto following him a couple of steps behind and smiling at the grumpy look on Shikamaru's face. The breakfast was a strangely silent affair as everybody seemed to glare at everybody and was in a sour mood, a rare thing that so far never happened. A quick glance sent by Naruto towards Shikamaru got him exactly nothing as his brother just shook his head and returned to eating. Finally after a long moment of a very uncomfortable silence and tensions one could have cut with a knife Shikaku decided to finally say something. "Today is a day when the two of you starts the Academy," he said and then added with a yawn. "And no matter how troublesome it is, I'll take you both there."

Naruto hid a chuckle as he saw mom's gaze focus on Shikaku and look as if she was about to reach for something heavy and bash it against his head. "It isn't troublesome and you'll do it," she said.

Naruto just smiled at it and once the breakfast was finished he and Shikamaru followed Shikaku to the Academy, which was hidden in a sparsely populated part of Konohagakure. Out of the way and out of sight of most of the population, giving a lot of room for training and more importantly peace from disturbances and annoying people and parents that sometimes wanted to correct the instructors.

"Even if it is troublesome and bothersome," Shikaku said as they walked through the woods. "Be nice and actually try to perform well and don't slack off."

"Slacking off?" Naruto asked and then paused. "I know no such thing," he said and let his eyes slip to Shikamaru. "He? Perhaps. But speaking about it, mentioning it to mom tends to heal him."

Shikaku let out a sigh and Naruto chuckled under his breath. "Don't kill your brother, or me," Shikaku said and sent a quick glance around. "And it seems we have some company."

Naruto closed his eyes for a second and focused on his surroundings. "To the right and above, feels like Itachi and Sasuke."

"Indeed, Naruto-kun," Itachi said as he landed on the ground, to his side a visibly panting Sasuke. "You seem to develop some sensory abilities."

"What are they?" Naruto asked looking at the heir of Hokage-sama and the heir of Uchiha clan.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru and Shikaku muttered, making everybody chuckle merrily.

"You will learn the formal and boring definition when in the Academy, Naruto-kun," Itachi said and then smiled thinly. "But for your information, it is when a shinobi can detect chakra of people around them. A rare talent that not many have, yet a very useful one to have."

Naruto nodded with a bright smile and then looked at Sasuke, he and the younger brother of Itachi had an interesting friendship, if it could be called as such. While they didn't hate each other and could be seen training or hanging out together, they were also extremely competitive and didn't really want to work together. "So you also start the Academy today?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded and the three of them plus Itachi and Shikaku walked towards the complex of the Academy where a lot of older siblings and parents was visible with kids that were starting their first day of classes today and Naruto could see some of his friends from other shinobi clans. He looked over the crowd and smiled when he saw Chouji, Ino and Kiba walk towards them. They exchanged their greetings and after a quick goodbye to Shikaku and Itachi all went inside the building.

"Any idea what kind of a test it will be?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"For sure it will be troublesome and hard," Shikamaru said, getting eyebrows of Naruto and Ino to twitch in a mix of anger and annoyance.

"Itachi-nii said it is supposed to test us and see how good or bad we are," Sasuke said quietly and all of them looked in his direction. "He didn't say what exactly it is, but he said it will test us."

Naruto grumbled, but before he could say more all of them entered a large hall that was slowly becoming filled with all of the hopefuls that wanted to enlist into shinobi forces and the first step was being a cadet at the Academy. A quick look Naruto sent across the room let him easily spot few jonins familiar to him and then his eyebrows arched when he saw Sarutobi Asuma and dad standing in the corner and talking with each other. He nudged Shikamaru and indicated the two.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered and then looked at Naruto. "Dad is one of the most senior jounin and Asuma is a son of Hokage-sama. Did you expect them not to be here?"

"No," Naruto said and then nodded. "You are right, it is obvious that they need to be here."

Shikamaru nodded and returned to his nap, even if standing, he was somehow able to take a nap a trait that all Nara somehow had. Naruto's eyebrow twitched angrily, but then his gaze was drawn to the front of the room where some commotion was happening as Shikaku flanked by a chunin of some kind and Sarutobi Asuma walked onto a stage.

Naruto focused his eyes on the three shinobi and then narrowed them slightly as he tried to see more than they were hiding more than they were letting out. He couldn't tell what it was, but he knew there was something.

"Welcome to the Ninja Academy," the chunin said and all looked at him. "While all of you are eager to be shinobi of Konohagakure we only accept the best candidates and that's why now all of you will pass a set of challenges designed to test you and your capabilities."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered and moved aside when Naruto's fist shot towards his head. "Fine, fine, I'll pay attention. Just don't hurt me."

Naruto smiled and focused back on the chunin. "All of the children from the clans are to follow Sarutobi Asuma and he will take you to an arena where the tests wait for you. The rest, please stay here."

Naruto followed the stream of the clan children and all of them were led by Asuma through a maze of corridors and some passages that looked like tunnels before emerging on a large sandy circular arena surrounded by trees with several paths leading out of it and some stands for the audience. A quick look cast backwards confirmed that they were behind the Academy and in the forests around it.

"This here is a start of your obstacle course," Asuma said as he approached a pair of trees that formed one of the gates. "It leads through the woods and will lead you to a similar formation on the other side of the arena. You are to follow a path marked with red rings on trees and there are cameras and shinobi scattered along the course to watch you."

Naruto smiled and after a nod from Asuma he charged towards the trees. He raced through the gate and immediately jumped onto the nearest branch before sending a quick look around. He noticed a couple of trees with the markings, at the same time he noticed several concealed kunai launchers.

"Interesting," he muttered as he draw his sword and jumped onto the next tree before pulling out a kunai and blocking a pair of similar knives that threatened him with getting skewered. He then hugged a branch and barely avoided another barrage that passed above him, it was so close that he felt the air move as the knives flew past him.

He got up and resumed his race when he noticed Sasuke jump past him. "That's not nice," Naruto shouted, yet Sasuke didn't even notice him. "Getting faster than your friend, it is all about the Will of Fire!"

Sasuke spared him a look and then stopped just for a bit to let Naruto catch up to him. "Teamwork, eh?"

"Yeah," Naruto said and used his blade to deflect a kunai that flew at him and missed the next one, one that would have bury in his chest if not for Sasuke who pulled him to a side. "Thank you."

"You're slow," Sasuke said as he hurled his kunai to disable a trap that was about to fire. "And sloppy."

Naruto grunted and shot an angry glare at Sasuke before throwing shuriken at a tripwire to activate it ahead of them. "And you seem careless."

"I left it for you," Sasuke said as the two of them touched down on the ground.

Naruto nodded and then looked around the clearing on which they landed, it felt like no time passed and yet they were already at the end of the course. "That was easy," he muttered and sent a quick look around. "I expected something harder."

Sasuke looked at him and shrugged before the two of them walked through the gate and entered onto the arena where they could see a couple of people rest and try to catch their breath after finishing the course.

"Fifth time the two of you have," Asuma said from the middle of the arena as he glanced at a timer he held and then wrote something in a notepad he was holding. "We still wait for few people, so you can rest before the next part."

Naruto did just it and plopped down on the sand in the shadows of one of the massive trees that were so common in the Land of Fire and even more close to Konoha. He rested his head against the trunk and almost immediately slipped into a nap, his body and mind resting, yet at the same time being rather aware of his surroundings.

Even if Shikaku was lazy for most of the time when he bothered to train them, he was a demanding teacher and taught them a lot of things they needed to survive and one of them was being constantly and acutely aware of their surroundings and any dangers coming towards them.

Naruto's ears picked up a sound of a kunai hurling itself through the air and his hand shot out to grasp it as his eyes opened. "That wasn't needed, Ino," he said with a yawn as he hurled the knife back to the heiress of the Yamanaka clan. "I'm not sleeping," he said, rubbing his eyes and getting up. "Shika is," he added with a smirk and lightly kicked his brother who was snoring soundly.

Shikamaru yelped and opened his eyes before looking at Naruto. "You'll pay for this, one day."

Naruto just smirked and looked towards Asuma who seemed to be finally done with the whole exercise and had all of their times and whatever the grades they got. "Okay," Asuma said and looked around the arena. "Gather up around me." They obediently did as they were asked and moved closer to Asuma. "All of you passed the test, however you won't know the grade you will have until the end of the next part. One on one spars."

At those words whole arena immediately became abuzz with excitement as they started to chat between each other and look at Asuma with a lot more interest than before. He only smiled and looked at the list he held. "Inuzuka Kiba and Uzumaki Naruto," he called out. "Step forward, rest of you onto the stands."

Naruto looked at Kiba and then he looked at Sasuke and threw at him his ninjato. "Keep it for me," Naruto said and then stretched a bit before walking to Asuma who seemed amused. "Any rules, Asuma-sensei?"

"Yeah, don't kill each other and don't damage each other too much," Asuma said and then stopped them before they were ready to pounce at each other. "No ninken, no weapons and no clan jutsu."

Kiba only pouted at this, but Naruto just smirked and jumped away, his eyes shining with excitement and desire to show off. He let it show and he stood completely relaxed, not even slipping into any proper stance of his style. He just stood there and waited for Kiba's attack to come. When it did happen his hand shot out and caught Kiba's foot long before it could cause any harm. "You get predictable, dog-boy," Naruto said and then used the position to send his own kick.

"As if you were better," Kiba said, freeing himself and jumping away. "You are the same person I beat last time we spared."

"And you had Akamaru," Naruto said as he ran towards Kiba and slipped below his strike before delivering a powerful strike that sent the Inuzuka flying backwards. "One on one I seem to be better."

"Tch," Kiba said, spitting blood and getting up. "I'll beat you in no time." He let out a feral howl and jumped at Naruto. Only to be stopped by Asuma who snatched him out of the air.

"That will be enough, both of you," Asuma said as he placed Kiba on the ground. "And that was an attempt at clan jutsu, a thing you shouldn't have done," he then added more grimly in Kiba's direction. "Not that it was missed," Asuma said and indicated a thick shadow growing from Shikamaru. "Now, Shika, cut the jutsu and you're next with Ino."

Naruto walked to the stands, a bit angry that the spar was cut short and as he sat down by Sasuke he took his weapon before looking at his adopted brother who seemed not even pay any attention to Ino. "This will be interesting."

"Hn," Sasuke said and then after a moment said. "He is too lazy to fight unless annoyed or provoked and she is too big of a fangirl to be a serious threat?"

Naruto just smiled and leaned back, letting the sunlight bathe him and let him enjoy the warmth of the typical Land of Fire weather. He enjoyed the peace, knowing well that when once back in the village proper he would have some annoyances called fangirls. He was aware of his good looks and he felt good when Shikaku commented that in the appearance he looked a lot like his true father. Yet at the same time it annoyed Naruto as it caused a bane called fangirls to chase him around the village.

"You're as lazy as Nara," Sasuke said, breaking the silence as the combat still didn't start with Ino and Shikamaru watching each other.

"Not lazy," Naruto said with a sigh and then looked at Sasuke. "Just enjoying the silence of no fangirls chasing me around the village."

Sasuke nodded and then the fight finally started with Shikamaru going for a simple, even crude direct attack and sending a powerful kick aimed at Ino's gut. Who managed to move out of the way, but not quite and Naruto almost winced at this. He learned that when Shikamaru was forced to fight, it was hard and painful for one he spared with and Ino seemed to be hit by one of kicks, double ouch.

"That was fast," Sasuke said and Naruto nodded.

"I expected her to last longer, but then Shika when annoyed is nasty."

"He can be nasty or annoyed?" Sasuke asked, some mock surprise in his voice. "I always thought all Naras were sloths and didn't do shit."

"We can do stuff," Shikamaru said as he approached them with a bored expression on his face. "We just treat it as a bothersome stuff that is not worth much of our attention unless we get angered."

"Or suitably motivated and irritated," Naruto added with a smirk. "Or a threat of death, all three work well enough."

Sasuke gave them a long, cold look and then shrugged. "You are weird people," he finally said. "Both of you are weird and annoying, but I like you."

Naruto just chuckled and the three of them watched the fights as they quickly progressed, some amusing, some exciting and most just plain boring and putting them to sleep. The only one that caught Naruto's attention for more than a second was one when Sasuke faced Shino, a fight that would have been interesting with ninjutsu, but proved to be just boring without. They exchanged few blows and then Sasuke sent a powerful kick and forced Shino to surrender.

Naruto closed his eyes and leaning backwards he slipped into a weird, sleep-like state when he felt Sasuke's hand swat him across his head, getting his attention. He learned to take as many naps as possible from the Naras and while he hated their idea of laziness, the idea of regenerating whenever possible was a thing he adored.

"Fights are done," Sasuke said and Naruto yawned loudly before getting up and following them to the place where Asuma was.

Asuma gave them a look and then smiled. "All of you passed," he said with a smile that quickly became serious. "However as you all know there are three groups in which you can be placed, A, B and C. Briefly, for those that don't know or remember, A is a path that is the most elite and the most demanding path that often, but not always grants you a promotion to a chunin and can be approached by ANBU, Oinin or Iryonin. B is the path most of you is expected to follow and the end result are ninja that have a good chance of progressing into the best formations, but are nothing special, oh and they always graduate as genin. Last is C, the path where land all of those that didn't qualify for A or B."

All of them nodded in understanding at the descriptions of groups, most knew about them and Naruto smiled internally as he knew that almost everybody wanted to land in A. He himself was no exception and he was pretty sure that he did well enough to either be close to jumping into A after the first round of combat practice or at the end of the year or just be placed inside of it right now.

"I will go from those that had the best results and move downwards," Asuma said and then looked at his notes. "First is Nara Shikamaru, thirty-five out of fifty points for the obstacle course due to several hits and being a bit slow, but you get twenty more points for working together with Akimichi Chouji and Yamanaka Ino. For the spar you get forty points, would have been fifty if not for your unneeded brutality," Asuma said and then pulling out of nowhere a scroll he hurled it at Shikamaru. "Congratulations," he said. "You are accepted to Path A."

Naruto smiled for his brother and patted him on the back. "You don't need to wait long before I'll be in the same path."

"Indeed, you won't need to," Asuma said and Naruto smiled. "Uzumaki Naruto. Forty for the course, ten for teamwork, thirty-five for combat, thirty for your performance and five due to the behavior of Kiba."

Naruto's smile grew even larger and he easily caught the scroll that went flying his way before unrolling and looking at its content. It more or less stated that he was hereby accepted as a cadet and was supposed to be at the Academy at ten on the next day for medical checkup and then the classes would start.

"Sasuke Uchiha, thirty-seven and a half for the course, ten for teamwork, thirty-five for combat," Asuma read and then threw at Sasuke the same kind of a scroll Naruto and Shikamaru had. "Those three are all that get A path from all of you, there are few close ones, but not quite. If you want, the three of you is free to do whatever you want."

"We'll stay," Shikamaru said and yawned. "Moving is bothersome and I want to wait with it for as long as I can."

Asuma nodded and read the rest of the names and Naruto perked up a bit at the name of Shino, who ended in B, Kiba who got zero for the spar as he broke the rules and landed in C path and looked as if he wanted to pounce at Asuma, but a single look from the jonin stopped it. Then Naruto once again became aware of Asuma reading when he mentioned Ino being placed in B with Chouji and Hinata.

"As you have on the scrolls, you are to be here tomorrow for the checkup and then the training will start," Asuma said and smiled. "I want to congratulate all of you for passing the exam and being officially recognized as ninja-in-training."

Naruto smiled and with Shikamaru, Sasuke, Ino and Chouji walked out of the Academy, happiness visible on their faces and in the way they walked. All five of them made their way to Akimichi BBQ to celebrate and eat at the expense of Choza's Chouji's dad.

Naruto leaned back against the wall and smiled as he looked at the table and his friends, as he let out a happy sigh he noticed two people walk towards the table, Itachi and of all people, Hatake Kakashi unless someone else had those silver gravity defying hairs.

"Naruto," Itachi said, getting his attention. "Can you come with us for a moment? There are things we need to tell you and it would be better done in a private setting."

Naruto looked at his friends and then at his brother who just let out a sigh and muttered. "Troublesome, golden hair and blue eyes, why I haven't seen it sooner." Before returning to munching on food.

Naruto gave his brother a look before walking out after Itachi and Kakashi, only to find two more people waiting for them, Sandaime Hokage and Nara Shikaku. "Hokage-sama, tou-san," Naruto said with a bit of respect, lightly bowing his head. "What do you want to talk with me about?"

"Your parents and the events that happened all of those years ago," Sandaime said and then added. "However we won't do it here, instead we will do it on the monument."

Naruto nodded and all of them made their way to the monument before landing on the head of Shodaime. "So the past," Naruto said looking at the shinobi gathered around him. "What are you going to tell me about it?"

"You remember what I told you three years ago when you unlocked your chakra?" Shikaku asked quietly as he looked into Naruto's eyes. "About you being a jinchuuriki and promising to explain more when you get accepted into the Academy?"

"Yes," Naruto said and then added after a moment. "I looked through whatever I could get and found not much, if any information about it."

"Because all of the information was hidden, on purpose," Sandaime Hokage said and Naruto looked at the aged leader. "I did it, mainly to protect you from any harm that could have happened to you because of it. Shikaku told you so much, or better would be so little because it is all you needed to know back then."

"So what it is?" Naruto asked, some curiosity and at the same time caution visible in his voice.

"It all started with Shodai Hokage, my sensei," Sandaime Hokage said. "When he created the villages he also tamed all nine bijuu, great and terrible creatures of chakra. Each of them more than capable of laying waste to whole villages and countries. To seal peace and try to make it last he shared them with all other villages and they were sealed in humans." Sandaime paused and Naruto could feel something really, really wrong creeping towards him. "Jinchuuriki is a human chosen to be a host of the bijuu," Sandaime quietly said and then placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder before he could do anything. "Don't think of yourself as a weapon or as a demon," he said quietly. "You're not the first one and the previous two were known and famous, first one was Uzumaki Mito, better known to you as...?"

"As a wife of the Shodaime Hokage," Naruto said as the realization dawned upon him. "One of the most powerful kunoichi of her time."

Sandaime only smiled and nodded. "Indeed, she was that and much more. Your mother was her successor and would have been a jinchuuriki for many more years if not for one fatal accident. On the day when you were born, someone, I don't know who, all I know that he was killed, for good, managed to find the place where your mother was giving birth and once you were born he sneaked inside and broke the seal. Yondaime was there as I was, Jiraiya and several of the best ANBU, but they didn't manage to stop him and he managed to release Kyubi and what was even worse, take control over him." Sandaime then paused and looked at Naruto. "As much as it hurts me to say it, Yondaime didn't have any choice, but to seal the demon inside of you and he did it for some good reason. Minato never did something without a plan and I want you to treat it as a honor. You are not some demon or beast."

Sandaime then paused and looked at Kakashi. "Did you find it?"

Kakashi nodded and pulled out a long ninjato with the scabbard covered in wave patterns and the same sign as one of the Uzumaki clan. "A sword of your ancestors, last wielded by Uzumaki Kushina, your mother," he quietly said. "There is much more I wish I could tell you, but there is a reason we keep your parents as a secret from you. They had enemies, many, powerful and extremely dangerous enemies."

"Indeed," Shikaku said as he approached Naruto and looked at him. "I knew them well and I can tell you many things, but not before you make chunin or at least turn sixteen, whichever one comes sooner." He then gently embraced him. "I know that it hurts you, but you need to understand that we care about you and want to see you survive, grow up and become a person that will make us proud and your true parents too."

Naruto smiled at this and somehow managed to nod in understanding, he was still shocked and confused, but the familiar presence and comfort managed to calm him a bit. "I understand," he said swallowing and then said more firmly. "But once you tell me about them, I want to hear everything."

"I think that it can be done," Kakashi said and then laughed. "I know a lot about them you'll want to hear, but I feel like Shikaku will make it less scary and overwhelming."

Shikaku nodded and gently releasing Naruto glanced at other ninja. "If you would allow it, I think his friends are worried and besides, as much celebrations are boring, this time I want to celebrate that both of my sons were accepted, with flying colors."

Sandaime inclined his head in agreement and Shikaku grasped Naruto before disappearing from the monument and appearing back at the BBQ. "Was faster and less troublesome than running here," he said, ruffling Naruto's hair.

Naruto groaned and looked at his adopted father. "Can you teach me how to do it?"

"Easy, easy, son," Shikaku said and Naruto glared at him. "You'll learn it within first few months of the Academy."

Naruto huffed at it and the two of them joined his friends at the table that quickly became a lot smaller when Choza, Inoichi and Asuma joined them.

o-0-o

Later that night Shikamaru sat up on his bed and looked at the form of Naruto bathed by the moonlight and then got up with a small yawn and looked out of the window and then at the Hokage monument. "He really looks like the Yondaime," Shikamaru muttered and then got back into his bed. "I'll need to talk with tou-san about it," he yawned and then draped a blanket over his body. "Preferably when Naruto is somewhere else, what a drag."

o-0-o

Before someone starts to yell about things, brief reminder Konoha is a military dictatorship, oligarchy or monarchy, pick which one you choose, but it is it. And that means that if leader wants history changed to suit their needs they will do it, same with shinobi, ruler is a shinobi and that means that all of the village would be geared towards training, equipping and providing with whatever they need.