A Mirror into the Future
Chapter Two: Test
"Man, I don't get it." Naruto muttered, wrapping his arms around his knees and shaking his head. "Why does everyone call me a monster? I'm not a monster."
"Who would call a kid a monster?" Fugaku growled out and causing everyone to look over at the usually stoic clan leader in surprise. The man was ignoring them, staring into the water with a blank face as if he'd never said anything.
The blonde rose to his feet and continued down the road until he bumped into a slightly larger figure. Naruto fell to the ground, grunting softly.
"Watch where you're going!" Naruto shouted, glaring up at the person indignantly. It took him a second to recognize the face looking down at him but the sneering face and dark hair gave it away.
"You should watch who you're talking to, moron." Sasuke drawled, glaring down at the blond with ice in his gaze.
'These two remind me of when Obito and Kakashi used to fight except...' Minato thought to himself 'They're both a lot colder toward each other than Obito and Kakashi were...'
"You're the one who bumped into me, teme!" Naruto yelled as he jumped to his feet, glaring at Sasuke.
"Hn, whatever." Sasuke grunted before walking off toward a bridge that crossed a small creek just down the road.
Naruto stared at Sasuke for a moment before he scrambled to his feet and followed after him.
Sasuke noticed this after a moment and turned to ask why the blonde was following him, giving him an icy glare at the same time.
"Because I want to ask you something." Naruto replied, seeming uncertain.
Sasuke sighed then proceedd to ask the blond what his question was.
"I know you call me mean names..but..why don't...you call me a monster like the others?" Naruto asked with slight hesitance and a grimace at the end.
"Why would anyoen call that poor boy a monster to begin with is beyond me!" Mikoto yelled in a shocked voice. They still did not know of the fox sealed inside the young boy, so the sitaution was that much more appalling to them.
Sasuke was surprised at this question but answered it anyway after studying him for a moment. Then his features twisted into a look of disgust. "You're just a worthless idiot." He started, his glare not losing its intensity. "You're nothing like a monster." His glaze dulled and turned faraway as if remembering something.
"Oh Sasuke." Mikoto choked out softly, holding Itachi tightly, as Fugaku let an arm circle around them both, through the Uchiha Clan Head's face was still blank and speculating.
Naruto looked outrage for a moment at being called an idiot but he fumbled when he heard the last part.
"I see..thank you for not calling me a monster." Naruto said, his face slipping into an uncertain, hopeful look as he turned away.
"Naruto," Sasuke called, using his name for the first time. Naruto turned around immediately to look at the other boy.
"Yeah?"
"Don't assume everyone thinks of you the same way." Sasuke grunted with a blank face.
Naruto looked at him in shock but smiled nonetheless. "I guess you're right..teme."
Sasuke returned the blond's smile with a superior half-smirk/smile of his sown. Naruto noticed this was the first time he ever saw the raven haired boy smile, even if it was closer to a smirk than Naruto's own blinding grin.
Kurama stopped the memory right there to look at everyone who had drifted closer the logner they sat and watched. "You may notice in the next couple of scenes something has caused your sons to drift apart." He told them finally, looking at Kushina and the Uchiha couple with an unforgiving gaze.
"Why? They seem like good friends to far," Obito pointed out, blinking at the scarlet-haired man and his teams in confusion.
"It's probably because they're going to be entering the Academy." Kakashi supplied dryly. This caused everyone to look at him since the teen hadn't said a single word since the beginning. His gaze was still on the water and his expression thoughtful though it was obvious he was still skeptical.
"Come on, it is time begin the next scene." Kurama interrupted as he let a hand drift over the water again. Everyone returned their attention back to the pond, where the next scene seemed to be in a classroom at the Academy.
"Everyone line up! It's time for the Final Exam!" A man called. He had his hair pulled back into a ponytail and a chuunin vest on.
They saw a blonde girl and a girl with vibrantly pink hair ogling Sasuke, a boy with a dog on his head was standing next to him and behind them a boy who looked like had just woke up from a nap, and a boy munching steadily on some ships. Naruto was next, and following after him was a boy wearing a long jacket with a pair of glasses and a girl who looked like a Hyūga, who was staring at Naruto with a blush on her cheeks.
"The blonde girl kind of reminds me of Inoichi." Minato murmured without taking his eyes from the scene.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.
The girl went up and performed the clone jutsu perfectly, as did the pink-haired girl. Next up was Sasuke, who sighed as the girls started to squeal when he perfomed the jutsu flawlessly. Dog boy went next, stretching his jaws in a wide grin that stretched the marks on his cheeks.
"Tsume Inuzuka." Rin realized out loud, remembering the older girl who looked a lot like this boy before them.
The next boy went up sluggishly but nailed the jutsu quite perfectly.
"Shikaku." They all muttered at once, some speaking fondly while others did so in irritation at the lazy behavior.
The boy eating chips went next.
"Chouza." Obito muttered tremulously, shivering and remembering the time when he had called the man fat and was chased all around the Leaf Village that day because of it.
"Oh man, Naruto's next." That blonde girl said, scoffing slightly.
"We always have to pay for his mistakes." The pink-haired girl grumbled as they both glared at the boy in question.
"Shut up." Naruto mumbled as he made his way over to the front.
"G-Good luck N-Naruto." The timid Hyūga managed to choke out, all without looking at him.
Naruto looked over at her and smiled. "Thanks, Hinata." He said, oblivious as he caused the girl to flush red.
"I smell young love in the air." Kushina sang as she looked over Hinata, nodding in approval.
Naruto stood in front of the class room and began performing the jutsu. When he was done, everyone looked down at the ground and began to laugh at the pathetic clone that looked like it had a deadly illness and was melting.
The teacher looked at the young blond in irritation. "Na-ru-to..you fail." He grunted. Naruto looked up at him in despair.
"Oh, Naruto, just stay strong. Then you'll be able to control some of your chakra." Kushina murmured, watching worriedly as her son slumped over. Her eyes glistened with grief.
Naruto walked back into line and fought back tears that threatened to fall. Al around him, students chatted loudly as they congratulated one another on becoming Genin. No one even looked at Naruto, except the Hyūga heiress, who was standing uncertainly by her desk.
The scene changed to when they were outside and everyone was wearing their new headbands except Naruto, who sat on the swing looking at the others sadly.
"Why does Iruka-sensei push me so hard?" Naruto asked himself quietly.
"That's because he wishes for you to be strong, Naruto." A voice said, making the boy turn around to look. It was a man with pale white hair and mysterious glow around him. He was also wearing a Chuunin's uniform.
"Mizuki-sensei." Naruto said, blinking.
"I think I can tell you a way to pass the exam, Naruto." Mizuki said.
"Really?!" Naruto half-shouted though he was trying to say quiet. Mizuki nodded his head and looked around before leaning down to whisper something in his ear.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Tsunade sighed, causing everyone to look over at her.
The scene once again changed to where they all saw Sarutobi seated and drinking some tea.
"Hokage-sama, there is a problem." An ANBU said quietly as he appeared at the old man's side.
"What happened?" He asked while glancing at the ANBU.
"Naruto seems to have stolen the Forbidden Scroll." The ANBU told him and Sarutobi looked at him in surprise.
"Tell all the Jounin to spread out and search for him." Sarutobi ordered urgently, shaking his had and rubbing at his forehead.
"Right away, Hokage-sama." The ANBU replied, turning away.
"And tell everyone to bring me Naruto back unharmed." Sarutobi said, his voice cold, and with the threat the ANBU disappeared. The Sandaime looked over at a picture hanging on the wall in the shadows, of whose face they couldn't see.
"What should I do with your son, Yondaime?" Sarutobi asked as he smiled sadly to himself. "The boy's a walking trouble magnet."
The scene faded into black and then opened onto a new scene, darker and in a secluded forest.
The first thing to be seen was Naruto loooking through the Forbidden Scroll.
"Naruto." A voice growled behind him and the boy turned, blinking. "What were you thinking when you stole the Forbidden Scroll?" Iruka asked, coming from behind his student and startling Naruto slightly. The boy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
Everyone looked in surprise at the appearance of the Chuunin Academy teacher. "How did he manage to find the kid so quickly?" Jiraiya asked.
Everyone shrugged their shoulders.
"It looks like you caught me, Iruka-sensei." Naruto said tiredly and that was when Iruka looked at the child's worn out and chakra drained face.
"Naruto, what are you doing out here anyway?" Iruka asked.
Naruto looked up at his ponytail-wearing sensei. "Mizuki-sensei said if I master at least one jutsu in the scroll, I could pass the exam."
"Mizuki." Iruka spat coldly, looking at Naruto shocked.
Naruto nodded his head in confusion.
"Yes, he indeed said my name, Iruka." Mizuki chuckled as he emerged from the shadows of the trees.
"Mizuki, what were you thinking?" Iruka shouted incredulously.
"It's simple, really. You just got to think about it." Mizuki said as he jumped down from the tree and started walking over to them.
"Naruto, do you wish to know why everyone hates you?" Mizuki asked, gaze poisonous and his smirk cold.
"We all would like to know!" Jiraiya shouted at the water, though the man wouldn't reply back to him. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement but were all to intent on watching to really shout an opinion like the Sannin did.
"Why?" Naruto asked, scooting back a little and his face hesitant.
"Mizuki, you must not tell him!" Iruka yelled, his face full of panic, "The Hokage has forbid it!"
Mizuki ignored the other Chuunin. "It is because on the day you were born the Nine-tailed Fox was released and went on a rampage, destroying the village and that very same monster now lives inside you." Mizuki spat out.
Naruto looked devastated, scrambling to his feet and shaking his head, wavering for a moment before he took the scroll and sprinted into the forest.
"No!" Kushina yelled in surprise, gasping slightly as she spun to stare at the red-haired man looking at her stoically. "Does this mean...?"
"...That you died and released the Nine-tails? Then, yes, you did die and Naruto was next in line, the only one able to contain it." Kurama finished.
The group around him blinked in shock, mouths wide as they blinked slightly.
"Naruto, wait!" Iruka called while trying to run after his student. A giant kunai flew toward him, hititng him in the leg, and causing him to fall to the ground.
"I have to get rid of you now, Iruka." Mizuki purred with a smirk, pulling another kunai from the the holster on his leg and swinging it down at a Iruka in a vicious arch. That's when an orange blur came and knocked Mizuki away from Iruka, causing both men to blink in shock.
"That's it! Come on Naruto! Show him who's boss!" Obito cheered as he thrust a fist into the air.
"You're not going to lay a finger on my sensei." Naruto growled out, giving the man a deadly glare."I will kill you!"
"You and what army?" Mizuki snorted, sneering at the boy as he spun a kunai around a finger.
"I'm glad you asked." Naruto grinned, throwing his hands together in a simple seal. "Multi shadow clone jutsu!" He shouted and smoke began to pour into the forest around them. "All of us!" The Naruto army shouted.
They all ran up to Mizuki simultaneously and began to beat him up, and the sound of the man screaming echoed through the forest.
Once this was done, the sun began to rise, slowly illuminating the forest.
"Naruto, come here." Iruka called.
Naruto walked over to him and Iruka pulled off his head bad and tied it around the boy's forehead.
"Congratulations, Naruto. You passed." Iruka congratulated, closing his eyes as he gave the boy a giant, genuine smile.
"Yay!" Kushina and Obito cheered.
A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please continue to review. Thank you for those who have already reviewed. Please Check out my other stories. Thank you my lovely beta!
