Howdy folks, I'm here today to gift you with chapter two of honestly the third or second strangest story I have posted on this sight.

I think it says a lot about the kind of author I am that this one is considered third or second.

Anyway, the POV jumps around a lot this chapter so try not to go crazy and if you don't like this particular way of writing let me know and I'll try and fix it for the next chapter. With that said and done, I hope you enjoy!


General POV, Naruto's Apartment...

"Okay so during phase one I'll go to the academy, Inoruto and Arashi you'll get the paint supplies together and Hiruto can go to Ichiraku's, Menma you'll be shadowing me ready to switch with me for phase two." Naruto went over the details.

"Then during phase two I'll jump into the academy while no one is paying attention and you'll head over to the monument with Inoruto to start setting up the ropes while Arashi goes to Ichiraku's and Hiruto shadows me." Menma nodded.

"After that Menma will join you at the Monument and you two will start painting. I'll get my turn at Ichiraku's and Arashi will shadow Hiruto." Inoruto finished.

"Depending on how it goes we might all end up back at the academy." Hiruto pointed out.

"I'd love to see the expression on Iruka-sensei's face, especially when he realizes we learned a clone jutsu." Arashi snickered.

"Shame we're not supposed to use it anymore." Inoruto agreed.

"I think we have all the proof we need that we know it." Menma pointed out.

"I wonder what other types of clone jutsu there are?" Hiruto muttered.

"We can think about it later." Naruto shrugged it off before grinning. "Let's get this plan into action."


General POV, The Academy….

"Naruto why is your hair red?" Umino Iruka asked tentatively almost afraid to know the answer.

"What are you talking about Iruka-sensei? It's always been red!" Naruto grinned "innocently". Iruka almost snorted the words Naruto and innocent did not belong in a sentence together. He might not be the Kyuubi in human form, but he was still an annoying and devious little brat, albeit a somewhat endearing one.

A few of the students glanced back at Naruto's new appearance but no one really payed much attention. This was Naruto, he practically defined weird stuff. Iruka had to give him credit though, if it was a henge it was a good one because he couldn't see through it. And if it wasn't one he would have to ask the boy how he changed his eye color. It was an interesting little trick.

He never did notice the other whiskered boy hanging around outside the window occasionally glancing in. Actually no one else did either. except for Sakura and she was rather curious about it but felt like it would be unbefitting of a young lady to point it out and rudely interrupt class.

Shame that she didn't, she would have saved a lot of people from headaches if she had pointed out Menma early on.


Some time later…

Iruka had taken his students out to the Academy's training ground. While Naruto's hair may have been red and his eyes gray he still acted like he normally did so Iruka just shrugged it off as a fashion change. Maybe the kid was pranking him but he wouldn't let that interfere with his ability to teach.

However, it became quite clear he was being pranked when on arriving at the training field Naruto's hair was now black as were his eyes. He actually resembled Sasuke in coloring a bit.

"Naruto why is your hair black now?"

"What are you talking about Iruka-sensei? It's always been black." He smiled "innocently" once again.

Iruka twitched but refused to be taken in by the prankster. He could try all day if he wanted to there was no way he was going to give him the satisfaction.


Naruto POV, On Top of the Hokage Monument…

"You think Iruka-sensei is starting to break yet?" Inoruto asked his redheaded companion.

Naruto paused in tying the ropes to think for a minute. "I'll give him until Arashi shows up. But he'll definitely lose it when he finds out that we painted the Hokage monument too." Naruto decided.

"I can't believe we're actually pulling this off. I thought we weren't gonna do this for years!" Inoruto said happily as he tested the strength of the rope he just tied.

"Well, we have the time and manpower to do it now, so why not?" Naruto grinned.

"I wonder how Old Man Teuchi and Ayame are handling things?" Inoruto wonder aloud.

"You'll find out when you see them." Naruto commented.


Ayame POV, Ichiraku Ramen, some time later…

"Are you the real one this time?" Ayame glared at Inoruto who sweatdropped.

"What are you talking about Ayame-nii?" He asked trying to sound innocent.

"There have been three of you here now and you're the only one that's blonde." Ayame elaborated. "And I know you're not just leaving and dyeing your hair. So are you the real one or not?"

"I'm pretty sure we're all the real one now." Inoruto said thoughtfully.

"All?" Ayame asked.

"Long story there are five of us now. Including me." Inoruto explained.

Ayame stared for a moment before uttering, "How?"

"Well I fell down a hole, found a clone jutsu that was different from the academy one, I would show you but I'm not allowed to use it anymore, it made four clones that were real. Then one of us activated this weird thing on the floor and the next thing we know we all look different." Inoruto summarized rather poorly for someone who hadn't been able to read the last chapter.

Ayame just blinked and stared at him. "So what happened to the original you? Or is that you?"

"Hokage-jiji thinks the original is the one with red hair. Not sure why though." Inoruto shrugged.

"Huh." She just stood stumped for a moment before shrugging. "I take it you all still like ramen?'

"Oh yeah!" Inoruto cheered.

And all was right with the world. Ayame thought pleasantly. If Naruto had not wanted ramen then she would have cause to be concerned, the boy seemed to live and breath the stuff.


Iruka POV, Acadamy, Same time…

When the class had arrived back at the classroom, Naruto's hair was now slightly brown. At first Iruka had hoped it was just the lighting. Iruka almost hoped that he had given up whatever he was doing but from his own time as a prankster knew better. Naruto was just trying to lull him into a false sense of security. So during class he would occasionally steal glances at him to see if anything had changed. He wasn't able to get a good look so it took him a little while to notice.

He blinked a few times when he finally did. "Naruto… what happened to your eyes?" He asked.

"What are you talking about Iruka-sensei? My eyes have always looked like this." The innocent look returned again. Naruto's eyes now resembled HInata's. They had the pale pupiless appearance of any Hyuuga clan member. Problem being Naruto was not a member of the Hyuuga clan.

Iruka just stared, and stared. Finally he made a hand seal and shouted "Kai!" hoping to Naruto's henge and make him cut out whatever he was doing. True he wasn't exactly doing anything wrong but he was being a distraction.

Unfortunately that didn't work. Naruto still looked the same.

Naruto just tilted his head, "Is something wrong Iruka-sensei?" He asked with mock curiosity. Well, at least Iruka knew it was mock curiosity, it sounded real enough though. He briefly entertained the possibility that Naruto actually had no idea what was happening but shrugged off the idea. This was planned and he knew it. But how the heck was the kid doing it?

He heard a few kids snicker at the situation and Iruka bit back a growl before going back to his lesson. The day was halfway over. And at least Naruto was bothering him instead of the whole village.


General POV, The Hokage Monument…

"HOW HAS NOBODY NOTICED US YET!?" Menma shouted to Naruto from where he was painting the Nidaime's face.

"BECAUSE THEY DON'T REALLY PAY MUCH ATTENTION UNTIL THEY WANT TO!" Naruto called back happily painting an orange swirl on the Shodaime's forehead.

"THIS IS GOING TO ANNOY A LOT OF PEOPLE!" Menma noted.

"MAYBE WE SHOULD STOP SHOUTING! YA KNOW BEFORE SOMEONE DOES NOTICE." Naruto warned him.

"Oh, that's good idea." Menma nodded putting the finishing touches on the ramen bowl he was doodling.

"WHAT?" Naruto called unable to hear him.


Iruka POV, Academy...

After lunch Iruka felt like punching something. Why? Because now Naruto how lighter brown hair, brown eyes and blockier, more noticeable whiskers.

"HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?" He finally roared at Naruto.

"It's complicated." Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"How complicated could it be?" Iruka asked exasperatedly.

"Pretty complicated." Naruto admitted after thinking for a moment.

"Okay then, what makes it complicated." Iruka rephrased his question with narrowed eyes promising retribution.

"Well, that depends." The accused boy shrugged.

"On what?" Iruka asked almost afraid of the answer.

"Take a look at the Hokage Monument then get back to me." Naruto told him.

Of course, the entire class including Iruka went and did just this and were greeted with the sight of a very colorful monument, with various pictures and rude drawings coating the solemn stone faces.

Everyone slowly turned back to the brown haired Naruto who shrugged again nonchalantly.

"Like I said, it's pretty complicated."


Naruto POV, Konoha…

Naruto really should have been better prepared for this part of the prank. Actually in hindsight he probably should have taken a few days to prepare for this.

While he had long since had the plan for painting the monument planned out and prepared, he had all but forgone plans for what came after.

Running away from trained professionals who wanted nothing more than to bring him to justice for his horrible crimes against Konoha. Even if his only crime was technically vandalism, and maybe cutting class but that was debatable since he was there. Or at least Arashi was there, and was him, kind of.

He was actually having a hard time thinking of his clones as other people, and to that extent they were probably having similar issues with thinking of him

But that was besides the point, right now he and Menma had to focus on keeping away from the Anbu guys who were currently trying to capture them.

Naruto's only advantage was that he had experience travelling over rooftops, this was mainly to do with the fact that while he was running over rooftops people couldn't glare at him. But while he knew where he was going, the fact was that the masked ninja chasing him right now were much faster and far more athletic than he was.

That didn't mean he wasn't going to try to beat them and escape, he was Uzumaki Naruto and he refused to give up!

Speaking of his escape, where was he running to anyway?

See, this is why he should have planned this part out before doing this.

Well, his best bet was probably the Academy, assuming Iruka-sensei was back today that is. Considering the guy who was filling in yesterday seemed to hate him significantly, just like most of his teachers previous to Iruka-sensei.

While Iruka-sensei would punish him, at least he knew he would survive whatever it was, which would probably be something dumb, like detention. Detention was pretty boring but it was probably better than prison, That was what he assumed anyway.

With that he pushed his legs as hard as he could and with Menma right behind him the pair of them began making their way towards the academy.

Of course the Anbu were quickly catching up with them and it did not look like they stood any chance of making it to the academy. Well, that was until a paint filled water balloon or as it was affectionately nicknamed by Naruto in prior uses, a Paint-Balloon, hit the lead Anbu.

"Need help?" Hiruto called joining up with the other two and tossing them a Paint-Balloon of their own each.

"Good timing!" Menma grinned as the orange colored shinobi re-joined the chase with his fellows.

"Talk later! Run faster now!" Naruto exclaimed tossing another paint filled projectile behind him, not aiming for the pursuers but rather for the rooftop behind them so the balloon exploded in an arc of orange that splattered the would be chasers.

With the two remaining balloons they managed to hold off the Anbu long enough to reach the academy.


Iruka POV, Academy…

Iruka was debating leaving his class to go investigate the Hokage Monument. True, it was probably unnecessary because the Anbu would handle it, but considering the fact that Naruto had basically confessed to the crime he felt obligated because it was his student.

Before he could come to a final decision the sound of someone banging on the window took his attention.

He felt like sighing in relief when he saw blonde hair, blue eyes, and whiskers. Finally, Naruto had quit his charade. But before the relief could properly set in he realized there was still a brown haired Naruto sitting in his classroom, so who the heck was banging on the window right now?

The brown haired boy had taken advantage of his teacher's distracted state of mind to get up and open the window, almost as soon as he did so three other figures joined the boy who had been knocking on the window, barrelling him over and tumbling into the classroom and on top of the brown haired Naruto.

Iruka stared blankly at the pile up of children.

Specifically one child. Sort of.

He recognized the various renditions of Naruto that he had seen throughout the day today.

There were apparently five of him now.

The other academy students had faces that displayed varying degrees of confusion, shock and in someone who shall remain nameless's case, boredom and disinterest.

The redhead who had shown up to class that day first and was current resting at the top of the pile grinned at him and waved cheerfully. "Hi Iruka-sensei!"

"Naruto… how?!" He asked exasperated. What else was there to say at this point?

"I finally learned how to make Bunshin!" Naruto grinned more and made a victory sign.


So I'm going to end it there. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Before I say anything else I want to mention that do to school being back in session I may be posting at a slower rate than I did over the past six months. Mainly because I have more classes this year and due to budget cuts and other issues I no longer have the same amount of access to a computer at school as I used to.

I felt I should forewarn the people who follow me as an author and I guess this applies to those of you who just read this story too.

Anyway, time for reviews!

Guest(1): Glad to you thought so!

Guest(2): Soon enough for you?

MrTicklesMM: That was one of the ideas I had when first writing this.

TheOlympus: I will keep writing and here is more!

Guest(3): I'm happy to hear!

That's all for this time folks.

The next three updates will be to Lightman Legacy, Gone Ghost, and Village Idiots respectively but not necessarily in that order. Until next we meet!

~FriTik

R&R