Naruto

Petal of a Rose

Chapter 01

Naruto Uzumaki was sitting in class taking notes for the upcoming graduation exam with high hopes of passing this time Naruto was far from the dead last but his inability to perform the bunshin no jutsu did hinder his grade. Naruto while not the best in his class was still pretty smart he could pass most written tests and his physical tests were where he showed the most skill with the exception of the bunshin. Naruto wasn't exactly the most popular kid thanks to how much the adults disliked him though he didn't know why he was disliked.

Naruto did have a few friends but his closest friend was Ino Yamanaka a fellow blonde and someone Naruto trusted with all his secrets. Hell Naruto often took a female form and went on a shopping spree with Ino from time to time, something Naruto enjoys very much. While Naruto wasn't a girl naturally he did spend a fair amount of time in a female form especially if the golden blonde had plans with Ino it just made things easier. Naruto was able to take a female form thanks to his ability with the Henge being able to make solid transformations.

Naruto learned alot about being a girl from Ino even learned some of the key things about being a kunoichi like the anti pregnancy jutsu when it was discovered that Naruto could make solid transformations with his henge. Naruto and Ino found that out the hard way during a sleepover one time when Naruto was in his female form and he woke up with blood between the legs which cause a scream and a long night with Ino's mother learning about periods. Truth be told Naruto still gets the monthly cycle of a period and avoid using his female form for about a week unless he and Ino have something serious planned.

Naruto also confessed that he was bi sexual and could get into a relationship with a guy if he chose and could indefinitely hold his female form. Ino also learned that Naruto has two crushes one male one female the male crush was much to Ino's surprise not Sasuke who every girl in their class was crushing on, no Naruto had a crush on Neji a boy from the previous year who Naruto actually went to school with before failing and getting put in Iruka's class. The female crush much to Ino's surprise was Ino herself.

Naruto had other friends such as Shikamaru, Hinata, and Choji but only Ino could say she was Naruto's best friend and only Ino got to see the girly side of Naruto not even Hinata could make that claim. Sure Naruto's friends all knew Naruto could gender swap but it was rarely seen and impractical in the academy though it did lead to a very interesting sex ed class. Naruto's main argument for his solid Henge was for gathering information most people wouldn't suspect a cute girl to be a spy and many often let their guard down around a cute girl especially when the cute girl shows interest in them.

Not even Iruka their academy teacher could fault Naruto's line of thinking when presented with those reasons though Iruka still got on Naruto's case whenever the blonde used what Naruto called the anti pervert jutsu dubbed the Oiroke no Jutsu. Naruto didn't quite get why Iruka got upset over it when Naruto often pointed out that the jutsu was good for distracting an opponent or even knocking them out cold from a nosebleed.

XxXxXxX

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his office looking over the graduating class of the academy and the requested teams and he held concerns about the teams. Sure they were all specialized one team for tracking another for capturing the enemy, but they also held problems. Neither the capture or tracking team had any heavy hitters that could hold the enemy at bay long enough to be captured.

Then there was the fact about one of the students was unknowingly hiding everything about themselves under a seal. The seal was originally a means to protect the teen from some of the more violent crimes against women, now the seal close to coming undone as it could only hid its target for a certain amount of time and the time was running out. Hiruzen needed to figure out a good solid team for everyone but more importantly his surrogate grandchild.

There were three teams that he could choose from, well to be honest there were nine but only three stood out. One one hand she could put Naruto on a team with the top ranking boy and girl of their year as he had be asked for in that team line up, but Hiruzen felt Naruto would actually be hindered do to the sensei focusing on the last Uchiha once he unlocked his sharingan. Next he could put Naruto on a team with the only female jounin in this years sensei line up with two other girls while i seemed impractical it would help Naruto in the future when his gender concealment seal was broke.

Yes in truthe Naruto was a girl who for the past fourteen years had been disguised as a boy to protect her from some of the more violent crimes of the human race namely to prevent the young girl from being raped because some asshole thought it would make for a good way to get revenge on the demon fox that Naruto contained, yes Hiruzen regretted letting it be public knowledge of what Naruto contained but once he sw how much hate the young girl had a seal had been placed on the girl that would hide her gender until she turned fourteen which was rapidly approaching. Hiruzen also made a law that no one could talk about Naruto's status as a jinchuuriki in hopes that the younger generation might befriend Naruto.

Finally there was a third choice put Naruto on a team with her adoptive uncle with two other students and hope that she will turnout strong like her parents before her. Before Hiruzen could make the choice himself his secretary poked her head into his office and informed him the jounin instructors had arrived.

"Oh thank you Arisu let them in please." Hiruzen said with a smile on his face.

Once the instructors were all inside Hiruzen took a drag off his pipe. "Thank you all for coming. I called you all here to discuss the teams for the upcoming class I know you all put in your requests but I feel that we should talk about one student in particular however I really only need of three of you, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma you three stay the rest can all be dismissed as you will get the teams you requested."

Shortly all the other instructors left leaving only the three named jounin.

Kakashi was a tall man of athletic build with gravity denying silver hair and a half face mask that covered his lower face. Kurenai was an average woman with brunette hair and crimson eyes and only recently became a jounin. Asuma was Hiruzen's son tall and bearded like his father with short black hair and a cigarette in his mouth standing pretty close to Kurenai.

"No I have requested you three to stay behind as one of you will be teaching Naruto or more properly known as Nariko as you all know she is fourteen and will be graduating with the rest of her class in a few days time once she becomes a genin her seal will break revealing the truth about her as being a girl. Normally this kind of thing wouldn't be a problem except Nariko is also the container of the Kyuubi and while I know you three hold no ill will toward her there are those who do. I will be honest I have narrowed her team to the three of you for varying reasons. Kakashi you originally asked for her to be on your team to honor her father your sensei, while that would be a good idea you are also the only person who can train the last Uchiha and thus Nariko would actually suffer on your team while you focus on the Uchiha. Kurenai you are in the best position to train her how to act like a young lady when her seal breaks but you are a genjutsu specialist something Nariko can not use thanks to her being a jinchuuriki. Asuma you are also in a good position to train her as you see her as family." Hiruzen explained to the three instructors.

Asuma took a drag of his cigarette. "So you want us to what play jaken-po for her?"

"Hardly. I asked you three to stay to help me figure out a good team for her and who will train them Kakashi your team request was to have Nariko with the top two students of her class while normally this wouldn't be an issue Nariko doesn't actually get along with the other two members of her team. Both the Uchiha who currently rookie of the year and the kunoichi of the year look down on Nariko while Nariko does have friends they are few and I have to be careful on how i team them up so it doesn't hinder any one team."

"Who are her friends if I may ask?" Kakashi asked.

"She is friends with Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji. Now I could put her on an all girl team with Ino and Hinata under Kurenai and once the seal finally breaks she will have three females to help her. Or I can put on Asuma's team with Ino and either Shikamaru or Choji, keep in mind the teams are going to be reworked to accommodate the change. Kakashi you will be getting Uchiha Sasuke Haruno Sakura, and the current dead last Inuzuka Kiba." Hiruzen said firmly.

"Hai." Kakashi said nodding.

"Now as far as Nariko is concerned I feel it would benefit her greatly to be with Ino who is the closest friend Nariko has as well as Hinata however Asuma I feel you will be the best to teach the girls. I say this because you can get around most clan restrictions and you can actually be one of the best Shinobi i have when you put your mind to it and I know you can help all three girls reach their true potential."

XxXxXxX

A couple days after the meeting with the Hokage came the graduation exam and it was already on its final leg, the ninjutsu phase. The ninjutsu phase was simple enough you just had to perform the three basic ninjutsu taught in the Academy. The three jutsu were the Henge, the Kawarimi used to escape an incoming attack, and the Bunshin no Jutsu the bane of Naruto's academic career. Most of the class had already been called with only a few names still on the list as it was being done alphabetically Naruto was one of the last ones to be called.

"Naruto." Iruka called causing said blonde to rise from his seat and follow Iruka.

Once in the next room Iruka took his seat once again and looked at Naruto with a stern look. Iruka didn't hate the boy but he was harder on Naruto than any other student.

"Alright Naruto please perform the Henge." Iruka instructed.

"Henge!" Naruto yelled and instantly Naruto was replaced with a copy of the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.

In a puff of smoke the henge was canceled and Naruto was back in his normal appearance.

"Very good I was expecting you to copy my form but I didn't specify who to Henge into so bonus points for originality. Now please use the Kawarimi." Iruka said calmly.

Naruto looked around the room and say a kunai on a table on the back wall and traded places with the Kunai then back again.

"Very good and lastly please perform the Bunshin no Jutsu." Iruka instructed once again.

Naruto sighed and calmed his nerves and went through the hand seals and gathered as little chakra as he could. It had long been figured out by Inoichi Ino's father that Naruto was using way to much chakra for the clone jutsu on a day when Naruto and Ino were training at the Yamanaka compound and Inoichi passed the knowledge onto Naruto who despite trying to use the smallest amount of chakra still had the chances of the jutsu failing.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled loudly.

In a puff of smoke a single dead looking clone appeared beside Naruto.

"Damn overloaded the jutsu." Naruto muttered seeing the pathetic looking clone.

"I am Sorry Naruto but I have to fail you." Iruka said with a sigh Naruto was the only one to fail and honestly Iruka didn't know what would happen to Naruto now.

"We could let him pass he did make a clone." came Mizuki's voice from beside Iruka.

Mizuki was the teaching aid for Iruka and in all honestly he didn't care for Naruto.

"Sorry but Naruto only made one and he overloaded the jutsu all the others made at least three clones each." Iruka said firmly.

Naruto just walked out of the room into the courtyard and sat on a swing that dangled from one of the branches. A short while later Ino came out with a a blue fabric around her waist with a metal plate in the center with the symbol of Konoha in the center of the plate. Ino was going to talk to Naruto but was called over by her parents and when she went to talk to Naruto the boy was gone.

Mizuki had managed to get Naruto away from the crowd so they could talk. "Iruka doesn't hate you, he just wants to you be truly strong."

"Then why am I the only one who failed?" Naruto asked.

"I believe he failed you so that you could grow stronger and the next exam you will pass with flying colors." Mizuki said lying to the boy.

"But I really wanted to graduate this time and be with my friends." Naruto said sulking.

"Well there may be a way for you to still graduate it's risky though and you only get one shot to do it." Mizuki said thinking his plan was going to work.

"What do i have to do?" Naruto asked.

XxXxXxX

Naruto arrived at his apartment contemplating what to do about Mizuki's test everything about it felt wrong but was it really to only way he could become a ninja. Naruto decided to talk to the one person he trusted the most, the Hokage. It didn't take long for the young blonde to arrive at the Hokage's office and Naruto lucked out as the old man was free.

"Jiji can I ask you something?" Naruto asked the agin kage.

"Of course Naruto." replied Hiruzen.

"If someone wanted you to do something but every instinct in your body was telling you it's wrong do you still do it?" Naruto asked.

"And what exactly are you being asked to do Naruto?" asked the old kage.

"Mizuki wants me to steal the Scroll of Seals. I remember Iruka-sensei talking about it once saying it was made by the First Hokage and listed all the forbidden jutsu in our village." Naruto explained.

"I am glad you came to me about this Naruto and you were right it is wrong that scroll is also called the Forbidden Scroll for the very reason of it being used to list our forbidden jutsu. Why does Mizuki want you to steal the scroll?" Hirzen asked.

"He said it was a make up test so that i can still graduate with my friends." Naruto replied.

"He lied to you Naruto he most likely plans to have you steal it then betray you so he can take it for himself. He knows he can't get it himself as he isn't as good as you are when it comes to stealth, but he is counting on your inexperience so he can hurt if not kill you and flee with the scroll." Hiruzen explained to the young blonde.

"So what do i do?" Naruto asked.