Naruto and The Legendary Ninja

A1 E1

Twelve years ago, a giant nine-tailed fox suddenly appeared, it's tails lashed out, smashing mountains and sending tidal waves crashing to the shore. The great beast was barely slowed by the dozens of ninja defending their homes. One ordered,"We have to keep the monster here until the Fourth Hokage can arrive!" Another screamed,"It's getting closer, don't let it near the village!"A giant frog, orange warts and skin matching the fox in size. One brave shinobi locked the Fox in mortal combat, though it cost him his life, he made sure the Fox was sealed into a human body. This man was known as the Fourth Hokage. His legacy lives on.

Naruto

Hayate barely avoided being smashed by a blonde who raced past him. Followed closely behind by two green vested ninja, the boy laughed as he ran. Naruto, again. Hayate had a crimson mane of hair on top of tanned skin. Bright blue eyes were dancing in the light beneath his bangs. Naruto was known around the Leaf Village for his stupidity and pranks, but Hayate was known for his criminal activities. Since this is my only option, might as well make the best of it. In the distance he could see four stone faces carved into the side of a mountain, each face smiling and proud, even though they had been vandalized by red and green paint.

Hayate was ready for his latest challenge, like he always was. He nervously pulled out a knife, tossing the blade into the air and catching it. Over and over again.

Naruto

A gray-haired bearded man with an orange shirt was focusing on his work. The great painting was all black and white, showing a great village in the wilderness. Two shinobi, not unlike the ninja that had unsuccessfully chased Naruto earlier, squeaked,"Sir!" The elder growled,"Can't you see that I'm busy? What is it - and don't tell me it's Naruto again!"

"It is Naruto again! He climbed the Great Wall and put graffiti all over the Hokage!"

The old man blew into a pipe that hand loosely from his mouth. A girl, the same age as Hayate stood with her arms crossed over a blue kimono-covered chest, raven hair flowing over her shoulders. A katanna was strapped into a sheath at her hip, indicating her high status, though she had a thin line of a scar from the right cheek to her jaw. The girl laughed,"That is very beautiful Grandfather-sensei" Lord Hokage answered,"Thank you Daiki."

After a few moments of silence, the Hokage asked,"Daiki, do you think that I am doing right by Naruto?" In her mind, the swordswoman thought to herself Naruto is a disrespectful clown slacker. How can Grandfather ask that? He should be punished for his disrespect. She said completely different words though,"I believe in and support whatever you decide Lord Hokage-sensei."

Naruto

Naruto laughed,"That was too easy!" A stern voice roared from behind the boy,"Oh really?! NARUTO!" Jumping, the boy turned to see a tanned face with a scar on the bridge of his nose. Naruto shot,"What are you doing here Iruka-sensei?" His Sensei returned,"No, what are you doing here? You are supposed to be in class!"

Soon Iruka had Naruto tied with twine, sitting him down in front of the rest of his classmates. Iruka cracked,"I'm at the end of my rope Naruto! You failed the graduation test last time, and the time before that. Now you're on the same road to defeat as you were then." The teacher looked up, smiling conivingly,"But since you missed it, everyone must review the Transformation Jutsu!" Hayate slouched in his chair, Why does Naruto always have to ruin it for everybody?

All the students had lined up, a girl with long pink hair and a red shirt stood in front of them. She cheered,"Sakura here! Transform!" One puff of smoke later and the girl had become an identical portrait of her teacher. Iruka clapped in approval,"Good." Sakura jumped and thought, I did it! I kicked butt! I wonder if Sasuke saw it... As if on cue, the Sensei called,"Next! Sasuke Uchiha." Stoically walking up to the teacher, a dark and stormy teen with black spiked hair and a blue jacket over white shorts transformed, though silently. Just like Sakura's a single puff of smoke hid the shinobi in training for a second before what looked like Iruka Sensei appeared in Sasuke's place.

"Next, Hayate Myimay!" Sensei called, and the Thief ninja walked up, slowly. He punched his open palm with his opposite fist, summoning a plume of smoke to hide his appearance. To everyone's surprise, Hayate had vanished. Where he had been was a picture of Iruka-sensei, having fallen on the floor. "Wait! How'd he get into my wallet?" Iruka cried, picking up the picture, only to see his twin sitting in his chair. "Okay good job Hayate, now sit down," Iruka ordered his clone.

"Naruto Uzumaki, show us what you can do," Again Iruka Sensei called up the student. Like all the others, Naruto walked up and yelled,"Transform!" And like all the others a puff of smoke blocked everyone's vision and when it dissipated, a nude blonde girl with plentiful breast and bottucks shook everything she had in front of her teacher.

Naruto

"You're not going home until you scrub off all this paint!" Iruka-sensei ordered to Naruto, who was washing the defecated faces of his village's leaders. Naruto mumbled,"Loser. It's not like there's anyone at home waiting for me!" Taking that last part in, Iruka pondered, I bet I know how to make him get this done faster. "Oh Naruto! When you finish here how about I take you to eat ramen?" His student jumped and nearly fell off the nose of one of the faces in all his excitement,"Now that's some serious motivation!"

After several hours of scrubbing and cleaning, the moon had risen in place of the Sun. Iruka Sensei and Naruto were both sitting at a bar with bowls of soup and noodles in front of them. Iruka asked,"Why would you do that to the Hokage faces? You do know who they are right?" The blonde slurped his soup,"-Course I do. Everybody knows! They were the strongest shinobi of their time, the best of the best, undefeated ninja champs." Naruto could almost picture the face of the village hero,"And the Fourth Hokage saved the village from the Nine-Tailed Fox, he was the most amazing!"

"So why did you -"

"Because I'm going to be greater than any of them! Me, Naruto Uzumaki the next Hokage! The ninja legend! That way everyone will stop disrespecting me and look up to me. Believe it!

It was only the briefest of silences as Naruto stared at his empty bowl. "By the way Sensei, I kinda wanted to ask you a favor," Naruto was pointing with his chop sticks now. Iruka joked,"You want another bowl?" Naruto instantly grabbed at his desired object, taking hold of his teacher's head band, what looked like a leaf printed on the metal surface. Iruka adjusted said accessory nonchalantly, brushing off his student,"Oh this... No way! You can only wear the Leaf headband when you become a ninja and graduate from the Academy. You've gotta pass the test tomorrow Naruto." On another note, Iruka jabbed,"Is that why you took off your goggles?" Naruto whined,"I want another bowl!"

Naruto

It was the next day and Iruka-sensei explained,"Okay, today's test will be on the Clone Jutsu! When your name is called please go to the testing room." Naruto gasped inside his mind, Oh no! That's my worst technique. All the shinobi hopefuls gawked at the headbands, all but three of them. Sasuke Uchiha, a boy whose face wore a scowl darker than anyother's bore into the door of the class room. Another student, this one snoring loudly with his head down, hair in a bun. The last student that ignored the headbands, Hayate, thought to himself, Figures. Boy genius over there could sleep through the test. But for guys like me... I can't screw up. I won't. I won't go back...

Naruto

It may have been coincidence that Naruto was the last student to be called, he was also the only student who hadn't recieved their headbands. The blonde stood nervously in the room, though he was in his stance. Hands coming up to form the proper sign, he focused, You've got this Naruto! Believe it. Steam billowed from his body and he released howling,"CLONE JUTSU!" A shriveled, discolored and pale copy of Naruto was lying in the corner of the room, tongue out and eyes wide and irisless.

Iruka-sensei looked frustrated,"YOU FAILED!" Naruto face-palmed, but a silver haired shinobi with a young body advised Iruka,"Ya know his form was a little off but he did hang in there and replicate. This is his third try, so you know he wants to be a ninja. Maybe we could cut him a break..."

"Mizuki-sensei every other student could create at least three effective clones, Naruto could only create one. And it's pitiful!"

Naruto

Naruto sat alone on a swing set, brooding sadly. Closer to the school house a crowd of people had gathered to pick up their newly graduated relatives. One voice rang,"I'm proud of you son, we all are." Another parent, a mother whispered,"It's that boy, I hear he's the only one who failed," She pointed to Naruto, who heard the whole conversation. The mother's friend added,"Well it serves him right! Just think of what would happen if he became a ninja... He's the boy who -"

"Sssshhhhh! We're not allowed to talk about that remember!"

Naruto was soon joined by Mizuki-sensei, clad in a green vest and darker shirt and pants. Both Naruto, even with his goggles on, and Mizuki locked eyes for a moment, and few seconds later both of them had left.

Within the crowds, the Hokage said to Iruka-sensei,"I must tell you of something..."

Naruto

On the rooftop of a building, Mizuki sat next to Naruto. The ninja explained,"I know Iruka is tough, but he doesn't hate you." Asking himself and his elder, Naruto wondered,"Than why? Why only me?" Mizuki-sensei smiled,"Because he wants you to be strong with all his heart. But that will never happen if he goes easy on you." He could tell that he was getting to Naruto, so he continued,"He's like you ya know. No parents, no family." Naruto whispered,"But, this time I really wanted to graduate."

"I guess I'm gonna have to tell you..."

"Huh?"

"It's a secret, but I'm gonna let you in on it."

"A secret?"

Naruto

Lord Hokage's voice rang in Iruka's head,"Iruka, I know how you feel. You grew up just like Naruto, without knowing the warmth of a father, or the love of a mother." Iruka was sleeping on a small white mattress, brown hair wild from twisting and turning. Remembering his moments as a child when he screamed for his mother when both his parents went to war against the Fox, Iruka fell out of his bed.

A thumping on the door woke him up. When he opened it, he saw the angry face of Mizuki who explained,"Iruka-sensei! It's the Sacred Scroll! It's been stolen!" Iruka was shocked,"Do you mean the Scroll of Sealing? NO!"

Naruto

Deep in the brush, Naruto sat under a tree and hummed to himself. He admired the inside of a green bordered scroll, reading,"Hmmm... The first one is Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu." He whined,"Not this again! Cloning is my worst jutsu!"

Naruto

Now when an important weapon or artifact is stolen, the first suspect is usually the one that everyone would suspect, the town thief, so of course when the Sacred Scroll went missing, the first person Mizuki and Iruka warned the Hokage about was Hayate. Mizuki reasoned,"Sir, the scroll contains the secrets of our culture, sealed away by the First Hokage! It could give the user ultimate power!" Lord Hokage stroked his beard,"Indeed. Keep this between us, hunt down Hayate in secret, we wouldn't want a panic on our hands!"

Naruto

Soon enough, Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei marched into Hayate's home, in the South district of the Leaf Village, near Naruto's own home. Hayate lived alone far away from the rest of his clan, though everyone knew why. Everyone knew why they didn't want Hayate becoming a ninja. But that was his choice, his path. He made his path his own way, paid for his own home and he planned on living that way until his dying day. He had bled, sweat, and cried for his ninja-hood and position, which wasn't impressive but it was all he had. Mizuki kicked down the door and shook the sleeping ninja awake, headband next to the mattress which rested on the floor.

Iruka-sensei asked,"Where is the scroll?" Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Hayate yawned,"What the Hell are you talking about?" Harshly tossing the former student into a wall, Mizuki roared,"The Sacred Scroll of the Leaf! You stole it tonight, now where is it?"

Hayate snorted,"You really think that if I had the Scroll I'd be sleeping in this dump? Or if I tried to steal it you'd even find out?" Mizuki darkly snarled,"You've been caught before haven't you?" The younger boy angrily screeched,"Why do you think I did it? Because I've stolen a few fruits and a couple gold pieces? I might have an idea of who stole it, but it's gonna be a cold day in Hell when I tell you!" Silver hair shaking in frustration Mizuki hurled the boy into the sink yelling,"Tell us who or you'll be tried for treason!" Iruka-sensei tried to calm his friend,"That seems a bit rough -"

"You think this is rough? Won't it be rough when one of the Leaf's enemies finds the Scroll? Or do you think that'll be smooth as silk? So maybe a few bruises are made to save the village? So what?"

Hayate coughed blood after a punch from Mizuki,"Okay! Naruto ran to the woods carrying a scroll, I didn't know why but that's all I know! I swear!" Iruka nodded,"I understand, thank you." Mizuki stopped Iruka-sensei from leaving,"Wait. You stay with him while I look for Naruto. Make sure the thief doesn't escape!" Mizuki vanished and Iruka applied a clean cloth to Hayate's bloody hair and face, apologizing,"I'm sorry Hayate, but it's for the good of the Village..."

Naruto

Mizuki leapt from building to building, sneering to himself as he went. Now that I have them fooled into thinking Naruto is going to use the Scroll, I can kill him. The rest of the Leaf will be glad he's gone, and of course I can keep the Scroll for myself when I'm a hero to them all!

Naruto

Angrily, the Thief Ninja sat in his bed with his arms crossed, waiting for Iruka-sensei to turn away to feel that his new wallet was missing from his pocket. Hayate's laugh filled the room but when Iruka turned around, he was nowhere to be seen. Dispelling his Jutsu and using another, the Thief waited for Sensei to leave his house, and Hayate followed behind before diverging onto the path he had seen Naruto run away on. It's payback time.

Naruto

Naruto sat panting, and reread the scroll. The blonde focused on a certain part and got into the proper stance, focusing. His concentration was only halted by a kunai stabbing him in the foot. Looking for the source while he wailed in pain, Naruto saw a flash of red hair and white clothes before nothing.

Hayate was near, Naruto howled,"OOOOWWW!" Quickly, Iruka-sensei poked Naruto from behind, Naruto chuckled,"Caught me already Sensei... You're quick I'll give ya that. Maybe next time you could get me without the knife to the foot!" Iruka wondered what he meant, Huh. That's strange. But Naruto has been practicing, his sweat and blood is covering his arms and legs. Naruto interrupted,"Now you're gonna let me graduate than everything'll be okay! That's the way it works right? Anyone who learns a technique from this scroll passes!"

Jumping with excitement, Naruto went on,"Mizuki-sensei told me it was a secret, and only the best ninja were allowed to do it! He told me where to find the scroll and where to practice..." A familiar whoosh flew towards Iruka and Naruto, and the teacher shoved his student away. A half dozen kunai pierced Iruka's arms and legs, one hit him in the chest. Mizuki crouched in a tree mock frightened,"You found our hideaway! Oh no!"

Iruka panted, holding his wounds,"I should've known. Naruto! Give me the scroll!" Confused, Naruto looked from Sensei to Sensei asking,"Wait a minute! What's going on here?" Out of nowhere Hayate tackled Mizuki, knocking the shinobi off of the tree. Unfortunately Hayate landed on his back.

The Thief warned,"Naruto! Don't let Mizuki get the scroll! It's dangerous!" Mizuki angrily pulled a huge shuriken out from a holder on his back, the weapon was as big as him and it had four points each as long as Hayate's neck was wide. Iruka spurred,"Naruto! Mizuki used you to get to the scroll, so that he could gain power for himself!"

Mizuki punched Hayate with his weapon-free hand, making his nose bleed, the dark Sensei reasoned,"Naruto Iruka-sensei is trying to scare you because he doesn't want you to become a ninja!" Iruka pressed,"Mizuki is lying Naruto, we have to get out of here!" When Hayate wrestled Mizuki to the ground, Iruka and Naruto ran away, Iruka more limping than speeding.

In the trees again, Mizuki held his shuriken angrily and chased after the pair,"I'll tell you whose lying! Iruka's been lying to you your whole life Naruto! It's the decree." Mizuki kept up with them until Naruto turned to his teacher,"Whata is this decree?" Darkly, Mizuki smiled,"It's a decree that everyone but you knows about. It was made twelve years ago... Iruka would do anything to shut me up right now!"

Doing as such, Iruka screamed in horror,"Don't tell him! It's forbidden!" Mizuki cackled when Naruto stopped dead hard in his tracks,"The decree is that no one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Fox is inside you!" Falling to his knees, Naruto gaped in horror, tears welling in his eyes. Mizuki pushed,"The Fox, the beast that destroyed your parents, Iruka's parents, and the Fourth Hokage is inside you! Controlling you your whole life! That's why everyone rejected you! Why everyone hated you! Everyone but me! I'm the only trustworthy friend you have Naruto! You are the Nine-Tailed Fox, that's why everyone, even your beloved Sensei hates your guts!"

Iruka-sensei leaned against a tree, grumbling from pain and fury. Naruto knelt on the ground, nearly vomitting. Lord Hokage's discussion with Iruka replayed in his mind, You must care for him. He is shut out of everything and doesn't know why. Most people don't even look at him. How would you feel if wherever you went people turned their backs on you? That's why he gets in trouble, so people will notice him. It may not show but he is always thinking about the family he doesn't have. He is hurting inside.

Mizuki roared berserkly,"DIE NARUTO!" Throwing the fuma shuriken with all his strength, the mighty weapon sliced through the air like a deadly frisbee. Iruka knocked his student to the ground with one jump, and made sure he was safe. The huge star had stabbed into the back of Iruka-sensei, and he grunted before falling next to Naruto.

The blonde sat up in shock,"Wah-why?" Iruka explained,"Because we are the same! When I lost my parents no one seemed to care, no one had time for me! My grades dropped, I became the class clown. I just wanted them to see me, so I did crazy things. Then I had to pay for it. It was hard. I know that's how you feel, you feel lonely and it hurts inside and I could've been there. I let you down. I'm sorry. No one should be left alone. No one should have to hurt that much."

Interrupting their moment, Mizuki sprang into action,"Don't make me laugh! Iruka always hated you! He was orphaned by the Nine-Tailed Fox! Now you are the Fox! He'd say anything to get the scroll from you!" Mizuki had pulled two kunai knives from his belt, and one in each hand he jumped from the tree and dove at the blonde.

Naruto scurried away, barely escaping, so Mizuki stopped. The silver haired thug put away the shuriken, opting to yank the larger one from his enemy's back. Iruka screamed in pain, leading Mizuki to chuckle darkly,"You know what he's going to do right? He's going to use the scroll to take revenge on the Village!" Iruka pulled two of the Kunai out of his arms, brandishing them with renewed anger. The Fox's sensei realized, Naruto is feeling worse than he has ever felt. The emotions from it could release the Fox's energy. If he keeps using the scroll the Seal that binds the Fox within him could be broken! Iruka-sensei challenged,"I won't let you!" "You're a joke! After I kill him I'm coming back for you!" Mizuki declared, and shoved the teacher down with a kick and followed his prey.

Naruto

Iruka soon caught up with the blonde, reasoning,"Naruto quick! Mizuki is after you, if you don't hurry he'll take the scroll from you!" The Fox grabbed Iruka's arm, throwing him into a tree. Iruka coughed on the ground,"How did you know I wasn't Iruka Naruto?" Smoke puffed out, and vanished to reveal Mizuki's form on the ground. Naruto smiled grimly,"Because I'm not Naruto!" Shifting back to his true form, Iruka wore the same smile that 'Naruto' had but was visibly weaker.

"You are a fool! Why do you protect that freak?"

"I don't care what you think, you aren't getting your hands on that scroll! You won't get past me!"

"Naruto killed your family Iruka!"

"The Fox did that and you know it! You will never defeat my student!"

"You don't get it. I changed him. I made him realize he's just like me. He wants the scroll for his own power. He'll pour all his rage into that scroll and destroy everything!"

Iruka fell to his knees, and in the distance Naruto looked at his Sensei, seeing fear in the man's eyes. Iruka never believed in me. He thinks I'm some kind of beast! As if to answer Naruto's unspoken plea, Iruka agreed,"That is how beasts are Mizuki. But that's not how Naruto is. He's one of a kind, works hard and puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes, but that suffering just makes him stronger. So you're wrong. He's nothing like the Nine-Tailed Fox! He's Naruto Uzumaki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves!"

Naruto was now crying fully and emotionally, sobbing like a baby. Mizuki retorted,"You really believe that? I was going to save you for last but now I guess I'll just put you out of your misery!" Spinning the fuhma shuriken, Mizuki jumped at the downed teacher. In midair Naruto arrived, kicking away the weapon and knocking away the thug.

Waiting for Mizuki to get up, Naruto swore,"If you ever lay a hand on my Sensei, I'll kill you." He said it as calm as ever, but the tone of his voice chilled Mizuki to the bone. Falling to the ground, the silver haired Sensei snorted,"I highly doubt it! Come at me Nine-Tailed Fox! Show me what you can do!" Naruto made a great handsign and yelled,"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A cloud of white energy flew into the forest and left just as quickly, a legion of identical Narutos, each wearing his trade-mark orange stared down Mizuki. The blondes rained holy retribution down onto the villain's head. Iruka realized, Those aren't just illusions... They're solid clones! He's mastered an extremely advanced jutsu!

Naruto

Both Iruka and Hayate were in hospital beds, Hayate's head was wrapped in bandages. Hayate moaned,"Last time I stick my neck out for you Uzumaki... If this is where it gets me." Iruka laughed, but thought, Naruto is amazing, he says he wants to surpass the Hokage and I'm starting to believe he could. Iruka struggled to sit up, and handed him a green cloth headband with a metal surface on it, a leaf printed on it.

Naruto

The Hokage sat while drinking tea with Daiki, thinking about Naruto. I can't tell him this but the road will just get harder for Naruto now that he's become a ninja, it will for all of the Leaf's children. Even Daiki and the Thief. But I know for certain they can handle it. What I don't know is if the world can handle them...

End of Episode 1