Docile

by The Magnificent It

Naruto's dream has always been to be a ninja, an unfortunatley futile dream, due to circumstances out of his control. That is, until now...Will have side yuri, in much abundance. Vote if you wish for it to continue

2. 4 Years later

Yes, I have actually chosen to update this story, as I'm having a bit of writer's block with Jashin, and I want to let the fans wait a little while with Cutting Strings. Yes, I know, cruel, but it ensures more reviews later.

The few that have bothered to review have been thankfully supportive of this story, so I have decided to continue with it, despite some skepticism on the side, which is to be expected. Honestly, does everything I write have to be considered odd and strange?

The answer: HELL YA!

Also, this chapter will have some more explanations for you all, so that may sate a few of the more skeptical.

HIKEN!

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To some, Naruto's introduction into the academy would have been the point in some fairy-tale where everything would be right in the world. He'd grow up strong, become everything he dreamed, find a girl, and live happily ever after.

Those were the fairy-tales.

Sitting in his desk, fidgeting with his tail, Naruto sat slumped low in his chair. His head barely stood over the table, his fox ears poking up and listening intently to Iruka as she began to explain the theory of chakra manipulation, a review for the final test the next day. The position Naruto was in was not one that was for comfort, far from it in fact, it was one born out of the need to hide.

His back was beginning to ache, although Naruto much preferred this over what would happen if he showed any signs of movement or sound that attracted attention. He had learned very quickly while attending the academy that if you attracted to much attention that trouble would ensue, something Naruto found difficult, considering he constantly wore a bright orange jumpsuit, and was also the only 12 year old boy in his class and school

Thinking back, he could still remember his first day there...

//A flash back? So early? Wow...//

The entire class leaned forwards, their eyes fixed on the small boy who stood directly in front of them, fidgeting slightly. Iruka's voice had died in her throat as they all stared in shock at the child who had so suddenly entered, Naruto beginning to wonder if they would ever stop. He got his wish.

A girl in the back, a rather plain girl with brown hair, raised her hand. "Iruka-sensei? Didn't you say boys couldn't be ninja?" She asked. A voice, gruff and intimidating from the back shouted "YA! WHATS THE DEAL, HUH?!" Inuzuka Kiba, a rather brash girl shouted. Iruka sighed while kneading her brow as she set the brush down.

"Well, apparently there's been a mistake or something. Uzumaki, I'm going to have to escort you out of the class you so rudely interrupted, as the Hokage has made a mistake in the student applications." Naruto's ears drooped as he picked up on the sense he had done something wrong.

Stepping out of the class that had now erupted in whispers, Naruto was led by the scruff of his shirt to the office, where the principle, an older woman was speaking with Sarutobi. "Excuse me, I found him in my class with a forged student application slip. Forgive me Hokage-sama, but I believe Uzumaki here may have switched the real one with a fake." Iruka said, transfixing Naruto with a look of disgust, a look that didn't go unnoticed by the aging woman.

"There is no mistake, Naruto is attending the academy." Sarutobi turned back to her conversation with the principle. Iruka however was unconvinced. "There must be a mistake, Uzumaki is a male, and thus cannot use Ninjutsu. Am I mistaken?" Iruka asked disbelievingly.

Sarutobi sighed before turning the chair completely around. "I assure you Iruka, Naruto is a one of a kind case, but there is no mistake. Naruto, due to a set of unique 'reasons'-" Iruka's eyebrows shot up "-He can now use Ninjutsu. I have spoken with a physician about it, and he has informed me because of this 'reason' that Naruto's coils have become active to the point where he can use Ninjutsu. That is why he is here." Sarutobi's long-winded explanation ended.

Iruka looked unconvinced, and went to speak, but the principle spoke up. "Don't you have class to teach Iruka?" She inquired, shutting her up. Iruka glanced down at the blonde, who perked up a little, before sighing and marching away in defeat, Naruto saying good-bye to the aging Hokage and following after.

By the time Iruka got back, the classroom was a war zone. Paper planes flying around, talk that could be heard down the hall, and even a few Bunshin running around of the more privileged and talented clan members. "Attention!" Iruka's voice rang out, as the entire class fell silent, taking there seats again, some of the more daring students pointing at the still form of Naruto.

"I have spoken with the Hokage, and as it has been made apparent, Uzumaki-sans coming to our class was no mistake. He will be attending this class with us for a long time, so please be nice." Iruka pointed to an empty seat beside what appeared to be a comatose brown pineapple with arms, which Naruto reluctantly sat in, almost every pair of eye there transfixed on his increasingly nervous body.

A few hours later, the first bell rang, signaling the lunch period. Naruto, not wasting time, took off to his locker, the other students doing the same. That is, until he remembered he didn't have a lunch, and that he had forgotten to pack one for school. His stomach grumbled at the sheer thought of it.

"Gomen..." Naruto mumbled as he reached into his pocket, before pulling out a miniature map of the school. About five minute's later; Naruto pulled the door leading to the eating area open, heading to a small bench that wasn't occupied.

His ear twitched suddenly as a noise, or lack there of, caught his attention. Slowly raising his head, he peered around warily as every single pair of eyes was transfixed on him. Anxiety blossomed in Naruto's chest as he failed to hear a single noise, as the sound had been stolen like some wraith.

The silence however, was broken abruptly.

Naruto flinched as a pair of arms smacked loudly against the table as Yamanaka Ino, a small blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl gave him a scrutinizing glare. "Just what are you?" She said, as the entire lunchroom crammed in to get a better look.

"Uh...Heh-heheh, I, uh, really don't know what yo-" Another bang as Kiba leered on Ino's left. "Don't give us that! You're a boy! Boys can't be ninja, so you're not normal! So if you're not normal, what are you?" Kiba snarled, Naruto's previous anxiety growing to overwhelming levels.

Naruto remained silent his ears drooped low. Kiba ground her teeth; she was not someone that liked being ignored. "FINE! I guess your so much of a little-girl that the adults just chucked you in here, you sissy weakling!" She growled. "T-thats not true!" Naruto squeaked, although one look from Kiba silenced him.

"Come on, let's go, he's not talking." Ino sighed, as the crowd slowly filed away, although the hairs on Naruto's neck refused to go down, as the sensation eyes were on him still remained.

//End Flashback//

Sadly that wasn't the end of it. Naruto, being the only boy in the school, was heavily excluded from activities in school and out. Iruka was a fair teacher, but with teamwork being one of the fundamental pieces of being a Shinobi, he was only ever placed in a group, never was he selected. And even then they usually chose to ignore him.

That wasn't all. Bullying occurred quite frequently towards him, usually at the hand of either Kiba or Ino, who was usually accompanied with Sakura, a pink haired girl that they both had a love-hate relationship with. Either outright ganging up on him, or choosing to instead give him the cold shoulder, either way, the experience's left Naruto feeling hurt.

Being the only guy also meant that the certain academic privileges were excluded from him. One such was the fact there were no boys restrooms in the entire school, as it didn't seem budget friendly to have a whole bathroom just for one kid. Naruto still shuddered, remembering the day Kiba had decided to slip him some ex-lax, and he had had to hold it the whole rest of the day.

That had been EXCRUSIATING.

Coming out of his thoughts, Naruto almost moaned at his current predicament, on a very long list. You see, being Shinobi, the students in the classes generally become fairly close over time, spending hours in class, or outside exercising, building up a close bond with each other. As such, generally when a certain time rolled around, a time every woman experiences at some point, usually for about a week, it would occur at the same moment.

'Oh no...' Naruto's eyes widened as his nose twitched. A tiny particle of dust, barely big enough to see flew up his nose, which due to certain reasons (Wink-wink) was extremely sensitive, began to itch. "Ooooooooooooh crap!!' As Naruto's head reared back, and a small 'Choo!' echoed almost ominously through the class.

Iruka's chalk snapped loudly against the chalkboard, before her head slowly swiveled around, her expression unreadable.

"QUIET!" She shouted, chalk violently rebounding off Naruto's head as the entire class gave him a sharp glare. "G-gomen..." He mumbled, sitting up. Iruka growled, as Naruto reprimanded himself for not being 'quiet'. "That's it! Since you deem it so fit as to ignore my lectures with your fake sneezes Uzumaki, I'll just have to give you a detention, and a pop quiz for the class! Everyone in a single file!" Iruka snarled as the class grumbled and sent him looks of silent fury. Naruto slouched heavily in his chair, dreading the quiz.

"I want you to perform the Henge technique, of the third." She informed the student in front of her, Shino, a girl with a large mass of brown hair, glasses that hid her eyes, and an oversized winter coat. "Hai." She emotionlessly replied, her hands moving into the appropriate seal, a billow of smoke erupting from seemingly nowhere, a perfect replica of the Sandaime appeared where Shino had been standing a moment later.

Slowly, student-by-student, the line shortened, all of them passing. Naruto's nervousness was starting to become exceedingly uncomfortable for him, the hairs on his tail bristling with excitement. 'Okay, just think of what the Sandaime looks like. Old, wrinkly, has a wart on her cheek...Or does she? Or was that liver spots? No, definitely a wart. Liver spots? WART! LIVER SPOTS! AAARRRRGGGH!' Naruto mentally screamed.

"Uzumaki." Iruka said impassively as he realized he was the only one left. Almost like he was on a stage of some sort, all there eyes were fixed expectantly on him. Naruto almost fainted right there.

"Okay, when you're ready." Naruto gulped. 'Alright, Here goes!' His hands forming the seal, a puff of smoke exploded around him.

"Naruto...You fail." Iruka sighed at his lame attempt at the Hokage, whom looked far to animated to be human. Guffaw's of laughter echoed through the class as some of the more excitable students shrieked with humor, the less surprised simply giggling and the impassive just ignoring it all together.

Naruto's eyes looked downcast, his ears almost straight down, as he slumped in disappointment. "You really have to practice these things Naruto." Iruka admonished. "But I have been! Really, I spent three hours practicing last night! I even did it a couple of times!" Naruto defended, but one look, and he could tell Iruka didn't believe him.

A loud ringing went off as the end of school rolled around. None of them waited for Iruka to assign any homework, several of the less patient broke out through the windows, though most just exited through the door. The only two that remained were Naruto and Iruka.

"Well, for your detention..." Iruka thought out loud as Naruto's tail wagged a little with the hope he'd be left off. Iruka however grew an idea as she gazed out her window.

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"Can I please go now Iruka-sensei? I have some studying I wanted to get started with." Naruto quipped as he scrubbed the rock face of the third Hokage. "No, I want you to really get a sense of what the Sandaime looks like, and I figured you'd memorized it if you were to clean the monument. If you want to go home, then clean it up!" Iruka shouted down at him.

"Ooooohhhh!" Naruto groaned. He'd been meaning to have a wicked cram session tonight, but with the monument so large; it would probably take a night and a day to finish this. Scrubbing a small grubby spot, Naruto's despair towards the situation was ever growing.

Atop the monument, Iruka felt a little guilty. Normally she would have given him just some extra homework, or kept him after class, but she was really agitated right then. Her cramps were pretty bad, and she was in no mood for tomfoolery. Although they were starting to let up, and rational thought was returning.

Naruto's voice caught her attention however.

"What?" She asked, as Naruto's voice was a little to quiet to be heard. "Um, I asked, if um...Well..." Naruto faded off, choosing instead to scrub another spot. Iruka, becoming curious, grabbed a harness and rope, scaling down beside him. "Okay Naruto, what did you want to ask me."

Naruto's ears drooped down, which caught Iruka's attention. "Well, theres something I've been meaning to ask for a while, but, um, I've never really had an opportunity to ask you." Naruto said in a small voice, his head low as he continued to scrub. Iruka's eyebrows arched. 'A small crush maybe? I know I'm good-looking, but really, I never would have figured Naruto of all people-'

"Do you hate me?"

The simple sentence sent Iruka back. "W-what?" Her voice hitched a little as Naruto fixed her with a stare that seemed to peer into her very soul. "I asked if you, well, if you hate me?" Iruka's eyes widened a little.

"No! What could possibly give you that idea?" Iruka asked, astonished at the intimacy of Naruto's question. "Well, I feel like you sometimes pick on only me. I'm always in detention, and get extra homework even though I try really hard to be good! And even if I do what you tells me to, I still fail at everything I try!" Naruto ended the last part with a small sob, Iruka's chest started growing a strained feeling.

"Naruto, I've never hated you, I'm just..." However, Iruka's train of thought stopped there. 'I'm just uncomfortable teaching the child that that thing is held inside.' Iruka admitted to herself. She wasn't going to lie to herself. Naruto was not someone she particularly liked, but he wasn't someone she hated necessarily.

A sob caught her attention. "It's alright, you can say it. I know you need to say no because of your job. You can say it though, everyone else does as well." Iruka sighed as Naruto's eyes almost over-flowed with tears. "Naruto, I don't hate you. Sometimes I can be irritable, and you remind me a little of...Someone I once knew. You're very similar to him."

'Although how he's similar to a 200 foot demon is still up for grabs.'

"R-really?" Naruto asked, wiping his eyes. "Yes, and I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. Come on, I think you've cleaned enough, I'll treat you to something." Naruto's ears perked up immediately, his once depressed face over-flowing with happiness. "RAMEN?!" He asked excitedly.

"Maybe, but first lets get off this cliff." Naruto scaled half of it by the time she was done.

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"Mmmmmmm!" Naruto sighed as the smell of simmering broth filled his nostrils, the noodles and other ingredients in his miso-ramen making his mouth water. "Domo-arigatou Iruka-sensei! I'll pay you back later!" Naruto cheered. Iruka just giggled a little, her previous stomach pains subsiding for a short period. "Its alright Naruto, seriously, this is on me."

"Thank you for choosing Ichiraku ramen." Ayame, the shops patron, and daughter of Teuchi, the cook and owner, laughed, setting a large bowl in front of Naruto. Not wasting a moment, he dug into his first meal in two days. 'I really need a job or something, I can't stand how short on cash I am!'

Iruka grinned at his enthusiasm, her own meal, a much smaller bowl, blowing steam upwards.

"Hey, um, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto quipped a little shyly. Swiveling her head, she gave a start as she realized his bowl was actually empty. "Can I ask you something else?" Iruka's eyebrow rose. "Oh, like what?"

"C-could I try on your forehead protector?" He asked, pointing towards it. Iruka grinned, holding the metal piece up with two fingers. "Oh? You mean this old thing?" Naruto nodded exuberantly, grinning brightly.

"No, sorry, can't do that." Iruka informed him, his face faulting. "Why not?" Naruto inquired, confused. Iruka grew a sage like look, adopting a speech as though she was explaining something. "Well, you have to earn yours. This hiate is proof that you've graduated and become a ninja. You want one, you have to earn it tomorrow." Naruto nodded. "Alright! Thanks for the bowls Iruka-sensei!" Naruto ran off.

"Well, he's in better spirits...But what did he mean by..?" Turning back to the table, Iruka's eye grew a twitch at the small pile of bowls set in front of her. "How...The hell..?" She could only ask herself as Teuchi and Ayame rubbed their hands together, anticipating the amount of money that would be have to be paid.

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Waking bright and early, Naruto rubbed his eyes sleepily as he grabbed his things. "This is it, this is the day I become a Ninja. After this, all my dreams will come true!" He pep-talked himself, using the mirror in the small bathroom. Grabbing his jumpsuit, throwing it on, Naruto trekked out into the streets, moving towards the academy doors.

The bustling class grew a little quieter as he came inside, sitting down at his usual desk, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Sniffing the air a little, Naruto's ears flattened. 'Oh crap...' Slowly, Naruto swiveled his head around to look at the shaggy gray coat of Inuzuka Kiba, who grew a feral smile at the attention Naruto was giving her.

"Oi, the Dope actually showed up! Thought you would have choked!" Kiba pointed out. "Leave him alone Kiba, just because your nervous about passing the exam doesn't mean you should take it out on Naruto." A lazy drawl rose up beside Naruto. Kiba's smirk twisted to a frown as she realized who had spoken up.

"Stay out of this you lazy bum." Kiba informed Shikamaru, the pre-identified comatose pineapple with limbs from several years ago. Despite first impressions, Naruto and her had actually become good acquaintances, and when Shikamaru had the energy, she would occasionally stick up for the passive boy. That was of course if she chose to, Shikamaru barely had the energy to get dressed daily, simply walking around in a small fishnet shirt, black ninja pants and a gray vest with her clans symbol on the back.

"Screw off mutt." Shikmaru sighed. Kiba grew an exasperated look. "I'll have you know that I am a prime example of a lady!" Shikamaru's head rose up a little, fixing Kiba with an inquisitive, but groggy look, before setting her head back down. "If you're a prime example of a lady, then I sincerely hope I'm straight."

A muffled laugh spoke up beside her as a girl that was as socially razed as Naruto chuckled. Flaming red-hair set in main of hair, long scarf and a strange set of clothes to match, Choji was probably the second least talked to girl in the school. Due to family reasons, Choji had the unfortunate need to be slightly above weight standards in the Shinobi world, leading many to label her "The over-weight chick". Despite this, Choji persevered, and had as of yet earned two friends, Naruto and Shikamaru.

"What the heck are you laughing at fatty?" Kiba shot at her. "Who you calling fatty, huh?!" Choji stood up, meeting Kiba's eyes with a flame twice as strong. "You!" Kiba shot back. "I'D RATHER BE A FATTY THEN SOME MANGY MUTT!" Choji shouted back, Kiba began to snarl.

"Enough!" A strict shout at the bottom of the classroom shouted. The entire class grew silent as Iruka snapped them all at attention, accompanied by two other teaching ninja. "The tests will be beginning soon, so please CALM DOWN!" the last part was mostly directed to Choji/Kiba, whom both reluctantly took there seats, leaving the now panicky Naruto to sit rigidly, trying to understand what just happened.

"I will call you all one at a time, where you will be evaluated for your skills. Would Akagi Aiko please come up?" A shout of "DAMMIT! Why do I always have to be first!" was heard before the very first person took the test.

Running through what he knew, Naruto prepared. 'Okay, there's a 1-3 chance I'll get Bunshin, so if your listening God, please, oh please, just let me pass this. This is the one thing I ask! I will never ask for anything else! Anything else I can handle!' A nudge to his side drew him out of his musings. "Naruto, your next." Shikamaru pointed out, before sitting back down to sleep.

A cold sensation like his stomach dropping out spread through Naruto's entire body. "Uzumaki Naruto." Was heard, although Naruto didn't respond, still stuck to his chair with the cold feeling.

"Would Uzumaki Naruto please come up?!" This time the proctor spoke louder. Twisting herself out of the daze, Naruto quickly trotted down the steps to meet the proctor, whom muttered an almost silent "Stupid little wretch." Under her breath.

The exam room was bigger then he had expected. And more open. Flat wooden floors, with a single desk where Iruka, another teacher, and Mizuki, who usually substituted with Iruka on some days, sat. Mizuki gave Naruto bad vibes, although she was very nice. She never even gave him detention once!

"Alright Naruto, this is it. You practiced right?" Naruto nodded, tensing a little. "Please not Bunshin, please not Bunshin...' Naruto's mantra became a torrent of hope, his tail wagging hopefully yet again.

"Naruto, please... the Bunshin technique." Naruto's tail flopped to the ground as his entire body sagged energy less.

"Please perform when you're ready." Iruka pointed. 'I could already tell that this is what the elder's would pick for him, they have his records, and they know how bad he is with Bunshin. Old codgers...'

"A-alright." 'Its okay, I've practiced this. Maybe God is setting me up for a real win here!' Setting into the stance, Naruto readied the correct hand seal.

The proctor's fell silent as Naruto drew upon his chakra, his one of a kind chakra. Like whisps of fire, it exploded around him, crimson in color. 'Okay, just like I practiced, just concentrate on what you look like...think about the details...Mold the chakra correctly, and apply it!' Naruto went through the memorized steps and, with a great pop beside him, the clone appeared.

"Naruto...You fail I'm afraid." Iruka sighed sadly, eyeing the three very dead looking clones on the ground, their appearance that of Naruto, only colorless and animated. Naruto's face screwed up in a look of pure sadness, tears threatening to overflow.

"Now hold on Iruka, he did create three Bunshin, if very poor ones." Mizuki spoke up. Naruto's hope grew to a small flame at the silver-haired woman's words, only to be dashed a moment later. "No Mizuki, this was a test, and he failed. It is sad, but it is final." Naruto's tears flowed unabashed as he tore out of the room, wanting to be anywhere other then there.

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The chirp of birds, and the laugh of children who had passed the test did nothing to improve his mood. He felt it, sitting on the swing under the tree, cold, chilling failure, like the icy grip of death. He'd failed, no if and or buts, just like all of them had said he would.

Lifting a tired, weepy eye towards the crowd of bustling, proud children coming out of the academy, he could only feel ever more sad. Kiba, marching proud as a queen, held her hiate up to her mother's watchful eye, who gave her a congratulate pat. If that didn't hurt the small orphan enough, Kiba pointed towards him, and from what he could make out of with lip-reading, informed his mother of his failure.

She grew an even wider smile, taking Kiba's hand and walking off.

"Must be nice huh?" The voice of Mizuki startled him, her ninja training allowing her to slip inside his area. "Ya." Naruto mumbled.

"Hey-hey! Don't like that! It's okay, I failed my first exam to!" She told him. Naruto's mood didn't increase. "You must have been pretty brave, I don't think I could stand another year in that class!" Naruto almost broke out crying again.

"I would have to, if I didn't know the secret method of passing..." Mizuki trailed off, although Naruto was already hanging on every word.

"Secret way to pass?!" He gained a new light, his spirit regaining itself. "Oh crap, can't believe I mentioned that! Not allowed to!" Mizuki smacked her forehead, making Naruto's curiosity grow. "Please Mizuki-sensei…Mizuki-hime! Please! I need to pass the exams, could you tell me how? I really want to be a Shinobi!" Mizuki grew a both conflicted and thoughtful pose.

"Well, alright, but only because I like you!" Poking Naruto's nose playfully, Mizuki inched down and explained things to him. "There's a special scroll hidden in the Hokage tower, a scroll that if you can take and learn one technique from, you automatically pass the exam. Originally that's how you passed the old exams, but it was viewed to hard, the fail rate was to high!" Naruto's eyes grew wide.

"I have to steal a scroll?" Mizuki nodded. "Ya, tonight. Take it to the woods and keep it there until I show up, otherwise you fail this too, and are thus doomed to retake the year!" Naruto grew a determined look. "Alright Mizuki-sensei! I'll do it, for you and Iruka-sensei!" Tearing off with his tail swishing behind him, Naruto never saw the wide smirk that now adorned Mizuki's feminine features.

'All to easy...'

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"Okay, this is it. This is how I I'm going to become a Shinobi!" About an hour later, and some formulating, Naruto had come up with the ultimate way to acquire the scroll. A plan even he had to admit was both devious and ingenious.

"Excuse me, but I need to borrow a scroll." His head just peeking over the reception desk of the village historian's, giving the bookish receptionist a pair of puppy-dog eyes that would melt a glacier with cuteness. Naruto knew her pretty well, she wasn't the nicest person, but she was definitely one thing, always busy. Because it was her job to file, and record almost every information file, and by extension scroll in the monument.

"Oh, Naruto! Hi! Sorry, but could you please come back, I'm pretty busy today, there have been several new scrolls that have to be put together, and I have to arrange some land-claims." The bifocal clerk said from the back of the spacious room. Drawers stockpiled with files, books and the various scroll ranging from the size of a fist to as large as a man lying here and there.

"Oh, please can I! I need it right away, and if I don't get it soon, Mizuki-sensei will be upset!" Clerk-san's head poked up a little as she shuffled a few files around. "I know, I know, but I just don't have time to find the scroll for you Naruto! There's just to much to do!" Naruto's ears perched down a little, before poking right back up as a smile adorned his face.

"It's alright, I know what it looks like, and I can find it!" He said with a beaming smile. Clerk stopped for a moment, before sighing. "Fine then, go and have a look, just don't take anything you shouldn't, alright?" Naruto flashed her a foxy grin, nodding quickly. "And don't interrupt my work, alright?" Naruto nodded again, moving behind the desk to study the shelves.

Now it only left the problem of what the scroll looked like. Despite telling Clerk-san that he knew what it looked like, Naruto could feel a tight feeling welling up in his stomach at the thought of lying to her, although he quelled it soon.

'This is for Iruka-sensei!' Nodding to himself, Naruto searched almost every shelf in the room, although none of them looked like a scroll that contained a massive store of crazy powerful Jutsu. Just records and of the like.

'Maybe its by her desk or something...' Trekking over, while still not drawing the clerk's attention, Naruto searched around it, but only found a small pile of books with a red cover and a large 'NOT FOR CHILDREN' printed on them, titled 'Icha Icha'. Putting this in the back of his mind, Naruto continued to search.

Half an hour of fruitless looking, and Naruto could barely stand it. Clerk-san just continued to file things in the corner, never stopping and barely paying attention to him, which he was thankful for. Then, something caught Naruto's attention.

Running over to beside a shelf, Naruto found a small pile of scrolls, a particularly large one with red sides on it catching Naruto's attention. Grabbing it and slowly unrolling it, Naruto gazed at what appeared to be a written formula for a technique. 'JACKPOT!' He giggled to himself; he'd actually found it!

"Okay, I found it Clerk-san! Domo-arigatou!" Naruto said, not wasting a moment. Clerk just raised her hand, giving a wave. 'Thought he would never leave! Now I can stop pretending to sort things and get back to reading!' A small stream of blood rolled down her nose at the thought, she was at a particularly 'interesting' part in the novel, and couldn't wait to get-

Her heart almost stopped as she realized it was gone. "Where is it?! It has to be here!" Pulling scrolls and books aside, Clerk-san had to sit down for a moment as she realized it was gone, the secret scroll.

'Who could have taken it?! The only person other then me that's stopped by today...Is...Naruto!' Her head spinning, Clerk-san took off in a spring, intent on informing the Hokage immediately.

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"YES!" Naruto cheered to himself as he stopped in a clearing, a small woodshed off to the side. About fifteen minutes of running, and he had stopped to engage in the second part of the secret test, learning a secret technique from the scroll. Once he achieved this, he'd be a full-fledged ninja!

"Okaaay, lets see, what should I learn..." Naruto talked to himself, opening the scroll and beginning to read its contents. "No, to icky... No, don't have the body parts for that one...No, I don't even want to think about how you'd apply that...WHOA! OKAY! AVOID THAT ONE!" Naruto had to physically look away from that one. It was disgusting! SO GROOOSSSSSS!

"There has to be at least one technique that isn't horrifying!" Naruto sighed mournfully to himself, giving the scroll a tap. This small movement, coupled with the slight curve of the field caused the scroll to unroll a little, and a single sentence caught Naruto's attention.

"Kage...Bunshin?" Eyeing the technique closely, Naruto both sighed and mourned simultaneously. Like it illustrated, the technique was a clone skill, although it created physical clones, not mere illusions. Naruto clicked his tongue, just trying to imagine how hard it would be to learn this move. "Well, I did need to pass the Bunshin exam, and this isn't gross like the others..." Kneeling over, Naruto began to study, before something else caught his eye.

"Whoa, what's this over here?" Moving the scroll over, Naruto gave the technique far more attention then Kage-Bunshin. What had caught his attention were the words "Kage, "Bunshin" and "Variants".

"Seisoku Chakra technique: Variants of the Kage Bunshin." Naruto read aloud, his eyes transfixed at the technique's explanation. "Seisoku Chakra, A-S rank technique, requires Kage level chakra reserves to perform, very dangerous. The user molds their own chakra into various shapes, the seal stabilizing them, and allowing continued manipulation and use of chakra." Naruto sort of understood it, but the small diagram explained it better.

The image was first of someone molding chakra with a seal Naruto had never seen before, followed by a second image of an ethereal hand of blue chakra extending off them. Looking back at the words, Naruto continued to read. "Can also be used to create variants Kage-Bunshins, in that instead of being small, flinsy clones, these clones are comprised of a thick outer shell of chakra that can be molded to look like the user. These clones can also be manipulated, and can take multiple hits before being dispelled, unless mortal wound is inflicted."

Sitting on his rump, Naruto's head span at taking that in.

A technique more powerful then the shadow-clone skill, that would be awesome! He'd pass the test for sure! Sure, some of the stuff they had mentioned, particularly "Kage level chakra required" Confused him, but he knew enough to figure out how to use the technique. Standing tall and placing his hands in the correct seal, Naruto drew upon his reserves, and attempted the technique...

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Iruka was worried. No, worried was half an hour ago, she was beyond that. Not an hour ago the call had gone up, Naruto was to be hunted down for high treason against the village. Sarutobi herself had given the order, though many had just asked for his outright execution on the spot. Iruka was still relieved that it hadn't come to that, although that was in the past.

An hour of searching the forests had come up fruitless; the village had already been scoured. Several teams had already given up, stating quite loudly "The damn demon was probably a hundred miles away with the scroll."

Iruka wasn't about to let that happen. Maybe she was driven by guilt at the thought of pushing Naruto to the point where he would resort to stealing, failing him in the exam, or maybe it was grim determination, at the thought of saving the scroll, but whatever it was, Iruka wouldn't, couldn't let Naruto escape.

Stopping on a tree branch, the night sky casting twisted shadows of the trunks, Iruka stopped for breath. He had to be here somewhere, but where? Naruto wasn't someone that did things like this, he was, well, docile! Never spoke up, caused trouble, or even got in the way! And yet he would steal a forbidden scroll?! Was the Naruto she knew the entire time just an illusion? Who was the real Naruto then?

Iruka turned to stay off, before a jolt went through her like a bolt of lightning. Stopping herself, she turned as a massive torrent of chakra overwhelmed her senses. From its feel, there was only one person that had chakra like this.

'Naruto...'

Not wasting a moment, Iruka tore off; her legs carrying her suddenly exhausted body. 'Please, please be him!' Became a mantra in her head as she landed in a small grove, a wooden shed with several logs stacked beside it being the only real change in the usual forest scenery.

"NARUTO!" Iruka gave a cry as she caught the small fox boy, laying sprawled on the ground, his mouth open, his tongue lolling out. 'Please don't be..!' Iruka hesitantly tiptoed towards him, not daring to take a breath. A massive sigh of relief spewed from her lips as she realized he was in fact breathing, if shallowly.

"NARUTO! PAY ATTENTION!" Iruka's screech riled him immediately, taking a defensive stance on instinct. Looking around panicky, not really identifying where he was, Naruto slowly swiveled his head, looking at the questioning gaze of his elder teacher. Silence hung thick in the air, accompanied with its very good friend awkward.

In the back, a soft 'cricket-cricket' was heard.

"Well, did I pass?" Naruto asked, giving Iruka a look that crossed between apprehensive and ecstatic. Iruka however was in the dark. "What do you mean, did I pass? Forget that, why do you have that scroll?!" Iruka said, pointing towards the pre mentioned log worth of paper. "You mean the secret test scroll?" Naruto wagged his tail, his ears perked up.

"The what?" Iruka gave Naruto a look that oozed confusion, to the point where Naruto's ears flattened to his head, thinking he'd said something wrong. "The scroll for the test..." Naruto petered off. Iruka raised an eyebrow, still confused. It was almost like Naruto thought this was like an assignment or-

A movement to the left was the only sign that Iruka had before a barrage of pointed objects rammed into the ground where she had been standing moments before. Looking up shock, Iruka could make out easily in the darkness that silver hair anywhere.

Mizuki.

"NARUTO! The scroll, give it here! Iruka showing up is also part of the test, she's just trying to throw you off! Give me the scroll!" Mizuki called from the treetops, her shock of blue-silver hair contrasting slightly against the green flack vest that was standard to Chuunin. On her back, just barely able to make out against the inky blackness, were two massive shuriken pinned to her.

Naruto's head looked quickly between Iruka, his long standing, temperamental teacher, and Mizuki, the teacher that he truthfully didn't know that well, but had never shown an ounce of anger against him. "I...I don't know..." He mumbled confusedly to himself as Iruka looked widely at Mizuki.

"THIS! This is your doing! What do you think your doing Mizuki?!" Iruka howled at the woman, who just smirked. "Administering the test, remember?" Her voice was a cold purr, like the sound an animal makes as it plays with its next meal. "Test? What test?! What are you really up to Mizuki?"

Mizuki however was in no mood to talk, sending another kunai into the soft ground where Iruka had been standing, the woman leapt beside the wood shed just in the knick of time. "Hurry Naruto, the scroll! You want to pass the test, right?" Iruka's eyes widened in astonishment as she finally pieced it together.

"YOU! Naruto, don't give it to Mizuki! Bring it here!" Naruto looked between the two, clutching the scroll close, hiding partially behind it, trying to make sense of just what was going on around him. "It's a trick! Don't fall for it Naruto! Give me the scroll, and pass!" Mizuki sang, trying to will Naruto to do what she wished.

"NO! Don't do it Naruto! Its a trick, Mizuki's stealing the scroll, and if you give it to her, you'll be blamed for its theft and killed!" Naruto's eyes became wide saucer's, clutching the scroll closer. "That's a lie! Give it to me!" Mizuki shouted.

"To me Naruto!"

"She's a thief, don't believe her! Give it to me!"

"NO! To me!"

"TO ME!"

"NO, ME!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Naruto shouted in exasperation, still clutching the scroll tightly. Both Chuunin grew silent at his outburst, clenching his eyes shut, along with his ears, trying to shut them out. Mizuki however, was the first to recover.

"Che! Fine then, I wanted to do this nice and clean, but I guess there's no way around it!" Reaching behind herself, Mizuki wrenched one of the shuriken out, hurling at the small boy. Naruto, exhausted, scared and caught off guard, froze instinctively on the ground, the scroll still clutched in front of him.

'NARUTO!' Iruka's mind reeled as her body reacted on instinct, completely against her will.

There was a dull 'thunk', a flash of blood, and quiet. Cracking on eye open, Naruto's irises shrank to the size of a pin in realization.

Iruka had jumped in its path. In her back, wedged directly in the swirl in the middle of her vest, was the shuriken's point, narrowly missing Iruka's spine. Naruto's entire mind was at a blank, why her, of all people, why would she do this? And for him, why him?

"W-why?" Was the only thing Naruto could speak, Iruka's face turning into a grim smile. "Because you are precious to me Naruto. That is why." Naruto's eyes widened, a thin trickle of a tear escaping from his lower lid. "Run, before she attacks, run to the village and get help, before anything goes wrong."

"How touching." Iruka's once kind smile turned to a snarl as Mizuki's voice carried over the trees. "Lying to him to get what you want, I must say, that is a surprise. Never figured you had the guts to do something like that. 'Because your precious to me' HA!" Mizuki scoffed, her once fairly plain, but still striking features twisting into a mask of ugly hatred.

"Mizuki." Iruka simply whispered in response. Mizuki however responded indifferently. "You really shouldn't lie like that, especially considering the fact you hate him the most out of everyone in the entire village!" Naruto gave Iruka a disbelieving look, who returned a look that tried to dissuade him of this.

Hopping down from her high perch in the trees, Mizuki strutted over in a lazy swagger, as Iruka yanked the Fuuma-shuriken out of her back. "Yes, its true, despite Iruka denying it. She hates you Naruto, just like everyone else, including me!" Naruto shook his head, his tears threatening to spill over. "W-what are you talking about?" Mizuki's evil smirk turned into a snarl.

"You see Naruto, you may or may not know it, but your a murderer-" Naruto's eyes seemed to suck in all life as Mizuki stopped a few paces away. "-You in fact killed Iruka's parents, along with hundreds of thousands of other people, for no reason. Why you may ask? Because-"

"Don't you dare tell him Mizuki!" Iruka's strained voice spoke up. "You know the law! Don't you dare tell him or I'll-!" Mizuki flashed Iruka a grin.

"NARUTO, YOU ARE THE KYUUBI!"

Naruto's entire world stopped. It was like nothing was moving; everything around him had stopped existing. The only thing that existed was this information, almost corporeal in its essence. "K-kyuubi...?" Naruto's voice came out strained as Mizuki sneered, Iruka cursing her to no end.

"Yes, you are the demon fox, Kyuubi-no-Yoko. On the day you were born, the Kyuubi attacked the village, leaving nothing but devastation. The Yondaime Hokage, in an act of desperation, sealed it into a child, in an attempt to save this pathetic village. That child was you." Naruto's eyes wept openly now, as he slowly backed away, this truth shattering his very core.

'This...This explains everything! All the hatred, the way everyone treats me! I...I'm a monster!' Naruto's body quaked, his head pitching forwards as he coughed up bile. Mizuki smirked evilly as Iruka gave a horrified stare at him.

"You know, I should feel sorry for you." Mizuki's voice caught Naruto's weeping attention, his ears perking a little at her tone. "You must have lived a life of many hardships, living in a village where everyone hates you, where you will never be loved, acknowledged or respected." Mizuki's face however twisted into the same sick grin.

"But no, I just find you pathetic!" Her words cut deep into the wounded Naruto's heart, the woman whom he though had liked him, scorning him like this, on top of learning such a truth, he felt like just dying there. Mizuki however wasn't in the mood for sparing him. "You have all this power, at your finger-tips, and yet, you never used it. Never got back at anyone, you can't even use it now to defend yourself, you just sit on the ground, sniveling like some wounded child, expecting someone to help you. HA! PATHETIC!" Naruto flinched, that one had hurt the most.

"That's enough Mizuki!" Iruka spoke up. Mizuki's snarl returning. "Not only have you attempted high treason in two counts today, but you have also hurt my student as well! For this, I cannot let you escape!" Iruka began to spin the shuriken around, threateningly twirling it over her head. Mizuki scoffed. "You could never beat me when we were kids, what makes you think you can beat me now?" Iruka turned to Naruto, who still looked upset, though a little better. "Naruto, take the scroll and run, run like nothing before. Get help where ever you can, and don't let Mizuki catch you!" Naruto just gave her a blank look, muttering "Sensei." Under his breath. "Oh just go die already!" Mizuki thrashed out, hurling a volley of shuriken at Iruka, whom blocked with the shuriken, standing in Mizuki's way.

"NARUTO! GO!" Snapping the still stunned boy out of his shock, Naruto instantly took off in a run, his bright orange tail flashing in the darkness. "Ne, you are going to be a problem for me, aren't you Iruka?" Mizuki scoffed, reaching behind and pulling away her second fuuma shuriken. Iruka responded with cold silence.

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'DAMMIT!' Cursing himself, Naruto careened through the treetops, doing as Iruka had instructed, poorly.

He was lost, lost in the dark forests, where the only light was from the moon. The scroll he carried was beginning to wane on his back; its heavy weight slowing him down, not that he cared at this point. His mind was a blur of thought, spinning from 'I have the Kyuubi inside of me?' to 'Where is the village, I can't find the village!'

Stopping on a branch and sighing, a sudden sadness weld up inside Naruto, he barely restrained himself from bursting into tears. 'S-she's right. Mizuki's right, I am a coward and a crybaby! I have to get a hold of myself. This is for Iruka-sensei! I have to go on, if I don't, Mizuki might..!' His thoughts reinforced, Naruto placed the scroll back on himself, turning to fly to the next tree, when a noise caught his attention.

A clang of metal on metal. Curiosity overcoming him, Naruto traversed the foliage, coming to a stop to a clearing.

A flash of orange caught his attention, and peering down, his eyes widened to obscene proportions as what appeared to be himself run accross the clearing on all fours, the forbidden scroll strapped to his back. Shaking his head to ensure he wasn't dreaming, Naruto confirmed that, yes, he was in fact awake.

"This night just gets worse and worse." He moaned to himself.

The 'him' below stopped for a moment, peering around, as though he were looking for something. Naruto caught a sudden tension in the other-him's muscles, before a kunai slammed into the other-him's shoulder, pinning him to a tree trunk. From across said clearing, a silvery-blue mass of hair, accompanied by a sickeningly familiar person made Naruto panic right there.

'MIZUKI!'

Her voice, a high cackle, rang over the treetops, sounding the forest. "Finally caught you, you stupid Yoko!" Naruto looked complexed at the other-him, who was trying vainly to wrench the kunai from the tree. "Man your stupid! Running around the forest like that! Didn't you learn anything that we taught you at the school?"

Other-him however just smirked, before the voice of someone whom Naruto hadn't expected filled the clearing. "Maybe you should have paid attention to Mizuki!" Other-him burst into smoke, revealing the brown skinned Chuunin underneath the Henge. Mizuki's face twisted back to a snarl, her features not affecting Iruka in the least.

"Why are you prolonging things Iruka. I know you, you hate the Kyuubi more then I ever could. And yet here you are, protecting it! Help me, and we can end this creatures life!" Mizuki grew a crazed look, her snarl twisting again into an insane smile.

Quiet was met with this, before Iruka spoke up. "Your right." Naruto's heart clenched horribly, this fact-sinking in. "I do hate the kyuubi, for all the horrible, evil things it's done." Mizuki laughed. 'What a fool, thinking I'd honestly ask for her he-'

"But Naruto isn't the Kyuubi." Mizuki faltered, Naruto's ears perking up at this. 'I'm...Not...?'

"Naruto was never the Kyuubi. Sure, I see a part of it in him, but there is so much more to Naruto then that! He's kind, almost to kind, plus he's loyal, and a hard-worker. Something you'd never understand Mizuki. I stand by it, I do hate the Kyuubi, but I don't hate Naruto. He is to precious to me to hate." This did not sate Mizuki at all. 'DAMMIT! WHAT ELSE COULD GO WRONG WITH TONIGHT?!' "FINE THEN! You want to die with that accursed brat so much?! Here, take this and DIE!" Whipping the shuriken around, Mizuki prepared to let it ripping into Iruka's gut.

"STOP!"

Time faltered in that instant as Mizuki stared incredulously at the canopy. "So the brats dumber then even I pegged him for!" She laughed as Naruto stepped around the trunk of the tree. "I said stop!" Iruka stared dumbly at him, trying to figure out just what he was thinking. "NARUTO! I told you, run from here, get help!"

"I'm not going to leave you Iruka-sensei! Your precious to me as well!" Iruka's was taken aback. Had she heard him?

"Come on down gaki! You're just prolonging your inevitable death!" Mizuki cackled, Naruto fixing her with an almost murderous look. "If you hurt Iruka-sensei, if you even lay one hair on her head, I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!" Naruto's ears flattened to his head, his tail becoming large and bushy. Iruka, for the second time, was shocked; she'd never seen him like this.

"Big words from a mongrel like you! Come on, give it your best shot, I'll just kill you, kill Iruka, then take the scroll!" Hefting the shuriken, Mizuki waited for him to move. "Take this!" Mizuki howled, the fuuma shuriken cut the air around it as it sped towards Naruto's vitals. Her attempt on his life was halted however, when his tail wrapped the large loop in its center, halting its spin.

Naruto's hands flew into the dragon seal, a massive amount of chakra blasted around him, like an ethereal mist, blood red, surrounding the canopy. Iruka physically paled at the sheer amount, while Mizuki almost stopped breathing.

"SEISOKU: BUNSHIN!" The mist of chakra bent and twisted, before one by one, clones appeared from its mass, each a perfect duplicate of Naruto, all of them carrying a scroll and shuriken. The now surrounded traitor gulped painfully, mortified at Naruto's increased numbers.

"This is for causing me so much trouble!" His voice echoed through the hollow, as the thousand Naruto's leapt high into the air, all-converging on Mizuki's location, who gave a terrified shriek.

"BELIEVE IT!"

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"..."

"..."

"..."

"...I think you overdid it." Iruka sighed, as the heavily battered and bruised Chuunin, Mizuki, lay on the ground, a crumpled mess. Standing nervously behind her, tapping his fingers together, Naruto blushed. "Y-ya..."

Silence.

"Sooo...What was that weird move you did on Mizuki anyways? The one, you know..?" Naruto's blushed increased. "That was a little something else I-uh, picked up from the scroll. Was I not allowed to use it?" Iruka shook her head, Naruto's embarrassed posture relaxed a little.

Picking Mizuki up and carrying her like a sack of potatoes, before beginning to trek towards the village, Naruto straggling beside her. The quiet didn't last however, as Naruto spoke up.

"Neh, Iruka-sensei?" Turning, Iruka fixed him with a quizzical look. "Yes Naruto, what is it?" Naruto blushed again, Iruka giggling a little. "We-well, I was wondering, is all that stuff you said, about me being a-a precious person to you, was that true?" Iruka gave him a blank look, before smiling. "Yes Naruto, it was all true, I love you." Naruto's reaction to her words however took her aback. He cried. "I-I-I-IRUKA-SENSEI!!!" Tackling her to the ground, Mizuki was thrown to the side as Iruka tried vainly to pry off the weeping boy. 'God damn this kid is emotional!' Iruka sighed, exasperated. 'But, he is cute in another way.' Iruka smiled, patting his head softly as he continued to sob.

A few moments later, Naruto sat back, rubbing his eyes. "You going to be okay now?" Iruka asked, Naruto nodding while whipping the last of a tear. "Y-ya, I just...That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me." Naruto mumbled, though Iruka managed to catch it.

"I...See..." There was quiet, before Iruka gave a large sigh. "Naruto, there's something I want to give you." Naruto's ears perked, twitching slightly as he gave Iruka a wide, almost pleading look. "W-what?" Iruka gave him a sly look. "Close your eyes, and I'll show you." Naruto gave her a suspicious eye, but obeyed.

Moments later, his eyes shot wide open as something wet and soft met the middle of his forhead. Cracking an eye open, he looked up to see Iruka stand back, her lips in a puckered shape. "That's for good luck. And this-" She reached the top of her head, untying her head-band. "-Is for being an excellent ninja, and Genin."

Naruto stared, fascinated as Iruka gently wrapped the hiate around his head. Tapping the metal playfully, Naruto couldn't help but beam. HE WAS A NINJA!

"YAATTTAAA!" He cried, tackling Iruka the second time that day to the ground. "Hey-hey, don't start this again!" Iruka playfully nudged him as he again was overcome with tears.

'Yep, one emotional kid.'

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There. Thats it, the story is now truly rolling.

I can understand some may find my portrayal of Naruto as being 'cry-baby'-ish, but I felt that I wanted to deviate from traditional foxy-fied Naruto fics. Its funnier instead of him reacting cool and calculating in uncomfortable situations to panic, blush, and become fairly embarrassed.

Naruto's abilities will be explained next chapter, although here I will answer a few questions:

1.Naruto truthfully has no chakra. He instead completely relies on the Kyuubi's, and always has at least a third of a tail in his unused chakra circulatory system. Normal men in this story do have C.C.S.'s as well, but there's don't produce any more chakra then enough to live.

2. Seisoku chakra, is a move that will primarily Naruto's trademark, but clones will be how he uses them the most. Curious as to what other abilities it grants? Well, you'll just have to wait.

Finally, I'm sorry if towards the end it felt a little off. Kinda had writer's block when I was doing that part, but I knew I wanted the second chapter out soon. So there.

So to my fans...

Please, be charitable, review. Or else I will dismantle your answering machine (If you own one) AND WAIT FOR TELE-MARKETING TO DESTROY YOU! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Wow. I am one evil dude. Seriously, I could go into, like, world domination and shit! I'm already crazy, all I need is a gimmick, like 'BECAUSE NO ONE REVIEWED MY FANFICS, I SLOWLY PROGRESSED INTO INSANITY, LEADING TO THE INVENTION OF MY ULTIMATE DOOMSDAY WEAPON: THE FANFICTIONATOR! IT CAUSES ONLY THE LAMEST OF FANFICS TO COME TO LIFE, TO WREAK HAVOC! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!' Awe ya, I gots me a career!