"Everything will become easier if you just gave up."

The man with sunset-hued hair stands with folded arms, eyes locked on the enemy before him, uncaring of the breeze fluttering the tree leaves.

"Give up?" the man echoes. "Give up?"

"We are shinobi," his enemy continues, arrogance lacing his words. "We are born to be the weapons of others until we die. We follow a code made to make us submit and die. Our single existence is to sacrifice our bodies to be yet another corpse holding up Shuku's foundations. I know all that because I've seen the darkness even light casts. So, give up. Do the most honorable thing and kill yourself."

The man shakes his head, a grimace ruining his handsome features. "Never. Renge, you are my brother, despite us sharing no blood. The life a shinobi is a cruel life, but I will not give up. I will not submit to this fate of death. I will create my own future, and I need Team Shuu's help. Renge, you must come back to Shuku and realize we, the Three Ninja of Shuku, have the power to change everyone's fate should we work together."

Renge hisses at the prospect. "Fool. You are nothing but a fool. We have no power. Nothing we ever do will ever be powerful, no matter how many lives have met their end both directly and indirectly to these hands."

"Enough! Stop your hatred, Renge!"

"Why? Why do you live in ignorance, you fool?"

"I am no fool. I am your comrade, your teammate, and your brother. My name is Musasabi Naruto."

SHINOBI OF THE HIDDEN LEAF

Beginning Arc Finale

Episode 3

The Academy Test - Crazy or Ingenious?!

Synopsis: Monaka prepares to take her test while training with Sakura. Things don't go as planned.

A/N: The Gutsy Ninja is actually a novel that exists in real life! (Squeal) But I have to rewrite it to fit SoHL's relationships. Also! 11,000 words of SOHL! Chakra Fact From SoHL 1: Hashirama Senju is considered the father of chakra from a scientific sense, however some people believe the Tanabata goddess is the actual mother.

April, 45 years NE

Monaka: 10 years, 6 months

Rewrote/Posted: 19, April 2016

The Gutsy Ninja ... ?

It's written by the Toad Sage, so it must be good, Sakura had thought, eying it in the book store. The book was the only one left on the shelf and was second edition. Though, Mom says I shouldn't read his books because they're "racy." This shouldn't be a problem - it sounds like an epic.

Sakura bought the book and took it to school. Now, she read the prologue during the minutes before class and she grimaces with a smile.

The actual narrative is pretty laughable, with its almost purple prose and its language trying too hard to make it seem as if the story takes place in an era before Konoha.

Despite that, the words it speaks are very powerful. That's why Sakura wants to keep reading.

But what does "sunset-hued hair" mean? A ginger? Monaka would like that, a ginger for a hero. Sakura doesn't think Monaka knows how to read. At least not well, just the bare minimum to survive. Now that I think about it ... that's kinda mean -

"Oi, Sakura! You ditched me yesterday!"

She snaps the book shut and sits it behind her back in her chair. Up comes Yamanaka Ino, Sakura's best friend ever. She wears her stylish purple outfit and has her blonde hair in a high ponytail.

Today, Thursday, Ino drops into her seat, pushing Sakura a little, and huffs with her fist resting on her pouting cheek.

"We had horticulture club yesterday and you ditched!" Ino whines. "All you did was train the dummy who pranked you, remember? What's so important about her?"

Sakura glowers at nothing in particular. I forgot she pranked me. ME! "Yeah, well, Iruka-sensei practically forced me to help her - they were both arguing."

"Hmph!" She pouts away from the pink-haired girl. "Still can't believe you bailed on me for the least grateful person in this class."

"Ino." She sighs as she twirls the red ribbon holding her ponytail. "But ... I think we shouldn't be that mean."

Ino seems reluctantly curious. "Explain?"

"Alright, well, Monaka has no family and she was kicked out orphanages, you know. She doesn't have anybody to go to."

Ino looks away, still trying to remain confident but her body language falters. "Yeah, so? It's never bothered you before ... "

"Because, her being an orphan didn't affect me; it was easy to ignore ... "

Her friend twirls her finger around a lock of hair. " ... yeah, get what you mean. But ... wouldn't it be crazy fun not having parents? Sanada-chan doesn't and she super strong and not like Monaka! She's just a bad apple."

Yeah, Sakura, why is that little red so bad if Sanada-chan isn't? "Why is Monaka so ... Monaka? Why didn't she become like Sanada-chan?"

Ino opens her mouth -

"There's a difference between having something and lost it versus never having anything at all."

Both girls recognize that lazy voice from anywhere.

Shikamaru and Chouji get into their seats behind the girls. The Nara would rather be late for Academy than wake up on time, but it's only two more days until Academy is over for good. 'Sides, he had cat nap yesterday afternoon. And by "cat nap," it's actually sleeping.

" ... but I'm not defending that idiot, or anything," Shikamaru says. "I'm only explaining their different minds."

"Then," Sakura says, "we should guide Monaka to becoming a good person."

"That's stupid and troublesome. Just let her fail and we'll never see her again. Someone like her shouldn't be a shinobi."

Ino jumps in. "Don't you remember when she first joined Academy? Remember her scary chakra? That's not right! Normal people don't feel like they're imagining your death! There's something wrong with her."

Urrrgh, these guys sound so confident I don't know what to do anymore. I wish solving Monaka could be like a simple math equation. "Underneath her vanishing, scary chakra and her being an orphan, don't you find her the least bit mysterious?"

" ... I find her mysterious," murmurs Chouji, uncomfortable with the whole conversation. "Doesn't mean I wanna find out why ... "

Sakura smiles. Chouji is easy to influence and Shikamaru follows Chouji and Ino joins when everyone else does.

"Think about it, Chouji! Who were her parents and why did they die? Why did she have that creepy chakra and is it gone? Why does she act so much like Kushina-sama? All that, and more!"

Ino scoffs. "Don't know, don't know, don't care."

Shikamaru yawns. "Yeah, it's a little weird, but if I can stand it for ten years, I can stand it for two more days."

"Shika's right," states the blonde.

You're losin' them, Haruno! "I am going to make it my goal within these two days to find her secret no - matter - what. Not even if my life is in danger or if she hurts me, I'm going all out!" She punches the air for emphasis.

Ino waves her palms frantically. "Uh, no, please don't hurt yourself!"

"Sakura-chan, maybe you need some Gal-B chips? They calm me down!" sweatdrops the Akimichi.

"How troublesome," groans the Nara.

Inner Sakura grins wickedly. Shannaro! When in doubt, play the danger card with these guys! They're so loyal, they're bound to help!

For some reason, Sakura looks over her shoulder to see Iruka's desk still empty. "Sensei's late today ... "

"It's the last two days," Shikamaru adds, but his words are not convincing.

"What could Iruka-sensei be doing? I swear I'm going to drag him out his house! If we go to school, so does he!" Ino punches her palm and smirks. Sakura giggles while Shikamaru and Chouji lean away from the blonde.

When in doubt, food. I'm sure I have chocolate somewhere ...

Women are so troublesome ... even if she isn't as scary as Mom.

Umino Iruka watches, hardly out of breath, as the redhead struggles to get back up from a kick without any true power. All he's been doing is either watching the redhead focus on sticking at least one coin on her forehead or teaching the redhead dodging and blocking. Monaka is out of practice so he obviously goes really easy, but she still fails.

"It's almost time for Academy," Iruka states, watching the sky. "Let's call it a day, hm?"

Monaka wobbles to her feet, slightly bruised, a little exhausted by chakra and stamina, clothes kinda dirty, but grumbles. "I need to pass! You ain't tired, ch'no! S-So why stop now?!"

"Because Academy starts soon," he mentions.

"That doesn't mean nothing! I've gotta pass, and I completely suck."

Iruka rubs his nose where his scar hits. "It's been less than a day, Monaka."

"Nuh-uh! I went home and practiced until five in the morning! Time means nothin', unless it's tomorrow, chunno."

Iruka's stomach twists."You CAN'T get that little SLEEP! You can seriously stunt your growth, Monaka!"

She shuts her eyes. " ... you callin' me short?"

"No! Academy starts at nine, so you've only got three to four hour's sleep. That's REALLY bad!"

"Yada, yada." She adjusts her goggles. "Quit talking and train me!"

I'm glad you're enthusiastic, but don't kill yourself! "What can I do to make you go to class? The bet?"

Her cheeks turn red. One of the rules, from training and no pranks, is going to all classes and actively participating. "Stupid bet."

If she's going to fume silently like that, the bet may not work. Then, Iruka remembers a paper she did once, talking about what she would save first if the world ended. She chose ramen. Even before her change, she was a handful.

"If ... you go to class now, I'll buy you ramen," he smiles, mostly at his cleverness.

Her mouth forms an O with her eyes twinkling. "You're ... you're not lying?"

"Why would I lie? I want to see you succeed, you know."

Monaka pounces Iruka with a huge hug. Iruka, completely puzzled, doesn't return it, but she doesn't recognize that. "You're amazing! Okay! Ramen when I pass, Iruka-sensei! Don't you forget, ch'no!"

Puzzlement gone, he chuckles. "I won't go back on my word. That's my ninja way."

The redhead looks up, still hugging her sensei. "What's a ninja way?"

"Oh, uh ... " We don't teach ninja ways in Academy ... "It's something you come up with when you're out in the field. It's like a motto, but stronger. Sort of ... like morals, but a little less ... It's complicated. Not every ninja has a ninja way, but those who do, never break it, no matter what."

("I'm not gonna forget my parents, Hokage-sama!" said a young, tearful Iruka from his residence in Konoha Orphanage. "Because ... because I'm not going back on my word! That's my ninja way!")

She absorbs the information. "Then ... I want one, too! I want yours!"

"Never going back on my word? Monaka, you can't claim something like that. You have to actually achieve it first. It's really complicated."

"I'm gonna pass this test with flyin' colors, ch'no!" she smirks. "Cuz that's gonna be my ninja way, never going back on my words!"

Iruka smiles, a little nervous because she might actually be better at his ninja way than him. "Okay, okay, now get to class. Seriously!"

Monaka says her goodbyes and runs (runs!) to class. An amused Iruka also heads to his classroom.

Iruka, Iruka, Iruka.

Mizuki shuts the curtain to his room. He doesn't want to see his old friend anymore.

Catering to the demon, as usual. How can anybody be okay being ten feet from a murderer?

Mizuki walks to his desk within his empty room. On his desk are tests packets for the plain, normal test, a test for the ninja who didn't make the cut. Then there's the a special scroll emblazoned with the Hokage seal made for those who actually are going to become ninja.

That scroll does not have the redhead's name in it.

There's no way she's going to pass. She acts like a messed up version of that fox and the seal mistress, but I will not -

Mizuki feels a Body Flicker just outside his door before the person knocks on his door and walks in.

"Mizuki, you're here. Hey!"

The Chuunin flashes a bright smile to Iruka. "What're you doing here, Iruka? Shouldn't you be teaching?"

"I am, I am, not late yet. I just wanted to ask you to add Monaka's name on the scroll. Please?" He holds his hands together in prayer.

Mizuki tilts his head. "Huh? Why?"

"I think she'll be an excellent ninja, she just needs a little time. Please, Mizuki? You can determine her test, but just give her the real one, okay?"

Iruka smiles as Mizuki opens the scrolls and adds the redhead's name. "Only because we're friends."

"Thank you, Mizuki! I totally owe you, haha! Have a good day!" Iruka bows just because it's become an impulse and leaves.

Mizuki glowers at the spot his friend was. Fine. I'll just give her ... and you ... a test you won't forget ... Iruka.

Konoha missions are considered atypical in the Shinobi World. Kiri from the Land of Water get primarily assassination or subdue missions, though Genin either preform real missions from the Mizukage (basically stalking prey) or the more common secret missions that involves assassinating competition for money.

Kumo from the Land of Lighting also receives missions just like Kiri, but instead of the stealth based missions, they receive assassination missions that encourages the sharpness and brightness of Lightning as well as Kumo's strength and influence.

Suna from Land of Wind and Iwa from Land of Earth are rather similar. They can handle variety of mission choices, but it's merely their upbringing that conditions them to assassination. Suna is a gigantic desert; death is very natural. Iwa obey their Tsuchikage no matter what, no matter if it involves murder. Tsuchikage are not chosen lightly.

But in Konoha ... absolutely no Genin is trained to assassinate. They're taught cooperation, gentleness, and see fights more as competitions. That's why, they're classified as nice. Their shinobi are extremely sensitive to death and killing. As a result, Konoha also gets almost 53 percent of total missions with Suna as the lowest (as it's surrounded by a hard to reach desert that has more corpses hidden under the sand then Suna does money).

However, Konoha is capable of not-so-nice things. It just prefers to assign any dirty and corrupt stuff to the already broken.

Hatake Kakashi realized that fact and quit ANBU because of it. Developing PTS and antisocial tendencies, he became a perfect fit for ANBU, but Obito pulled him back, Uchiha Obito. That is until the Uchiha Massacre happened.

Kakashi whistles to himself as he saunters up the Hokage's tower wall and slips into the window.

The Third Hokage, an old, old man, was sorting Academy tests, but welcomes the distraction. "Ah, Kakashi, you're back. It still seems you hate doors."

"Why use doors when there's windows?" he shrugs. "None of the wait. Plus, do you realize how many times that doorknob has been touched?"

The Hokage chuckles. He's known Kakashi ever since he was born, and was there during his father's funeral, then his teammate's funeral, his sensei's funeral, and, finally, his friend's funeral.

Chuckle over.

"What brings you here, Kakashi?"

"Just, uh, finished this mission." Kakashi pulls out his mission scroll out his back pocket. "Paid me while there. Remind me again why a big bad Jounin has to find a missing ostrich in Suna?"

The Hokage takes the scroll. "Suna has not gotten too many missions. 90 percent of the fund for this mission was gave back to Suna."

"Ew, politics, leave me out." He looks out the window, the soft pink cherry blossoms catching his eye. "Spring is here. Along with the Chuunin Exams and - "

" - your new team." With a smile because Kakashi glares using his one, visible eye, he slides Kakashi three papers on the desk. "The goal is to create a team with an Uchiha, a smart kunoichi, and an average shinobi."

He looks at the papers on the desk, turned to face him. "Shiranui Baku. Related to Genma?"

"Cousin. The two are nothing alike, however."

"A mysterious, civilian girl who no one knows the name of. Nice."

"Continue."

"And ... an Uchiha obsessed with revenge and holds little regard to teamwork."

"You understand why I gave these students to you, correct?"

Kakashi groans. Every year, old man. "You want me to give them a stern talking to about their weaknesses and send them back again. Why the Haruno? Why not the Hyuuga? Heard he was a disowned failure that acted like a huge princess."

The Hokage's expression becomes unreadable. "The Haruno doesn't understand her obsession with Sanada has led her to become, yes, intelligent, but severely lacking in any other jutsu. She only has her brain and nothing more. Hotaru being a failure to his clan is none of our business."

"Well, sure. But, putting a girl with a team of her role model is asking for trouble."

"However, the Hyuuga is excellent in taijutsu and has a basic grasp of ninjutsu. How would you fail a boy such as a him?"

"Hmm ... need more information. I'll stalk him and then give you my verdict." Kakashi slides back the papers. "Until then ... I'm going remove sand from places I didn't know sand could be."

"Oh. My. Kami. Monaka is in class today."

"Is ... is she sick?"

"No way! She's prolly under house arrest. But being an orphan means she's gotta come here."

"Somebody musta BRIBED her! There's coins her hair!"

"Yeah, why's she stickin' stuff to her head?!"

Inuzuka Kiba stares at his friend as she sits next to him, on time and not playing any pranks or interrupting class, unless attempting to stick coins on her forehead counts as one.

Monaka can feel her "friend's" uncertain negative energy, or nervousness. She ignores it, however her patience isn't infinite.

"What?!" she whisper-hisses, glaring.

Kiba remains unfazed. "Are you a ghost?"

"No! I'm tryna learn over here!" The lesson is about advanced history of Hoshigakure, so she's not really paying attention.

Kiba's puppy Akamaru (who's more on the white side than red) pops out his jacket and whimpers. Kiba nods. "Yeah, asked her that, too, but she still smells like her usual self. Maybe a little sweaty and grassy, but she's - " Akamaru whimpers again. "No, Akamaru! She does not like me! You're as bad as Mom!"

Uchiha Sanada wants to ignore the redhead who's in the room since forever, but can't. She keeps glancing at the girl. She's not doing anything. She's here. What happened yesterday? What? Is she ... poisoned?

Sakura's friends all can't focus on the lesson because that redhead is being good. Sakura smirks as she continues The Gutsy Ninja book.

The second to last day of Academy is very unusual.

Monaka is sent to the nurse seventeen times (there has to be SOMETHING wrong with her) and 98 percent of the class completely zoned on the lecture - including the teacher - in favor of solving the case of Monaka No-Last-Name.

When the bell hits to signify the day is over, people can finally think and operate properly.

Sakura grabs her backpack, book tucked in her hands. "I'm off to train Monaka. See you later guys."

Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji pale.

"Y-You're serious?!" Ino grabs her shoulders. "Hey, SAKURA, you in there?!"

"Yes, Ino."

She lets go. "I ... I don't know what's happening, but ... if you got Monaka to act like a normal human being, I'm both terrified and jealous."

Sakura snorts. "You three can always follow me, y'know." She sticks her tongue out and heads over to Monaka.

The next Ino-Shika-Chou trio share a glance.

What did Sakura do that crazy girl?

"That's Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji," says Sakura once they're out on the training field. "Monaka, introduce yourself."

"Hi! I'm Monaka! I remember you guys from when I used to go to Academy! You were that whiny girl, the sleepy guy, and the fa - "

Sakura slaps her hand over her mouth but the damage is done.

At first, Ino and Shikamaru were going to take offense, but she said the words that shall never be spoken before Akimichi Chouji.

Flames erupt from Chouji as he says, "Did you just call me fat?"

Monaka squeaks from his negative energy, voice muffled behind Sakura's hand. "Mnoph ... ?"

"'Cause I'm NOT fat. I'm just big boned."

"Fweah! To'ally fwue!"

Sakura removes her hand. "Uh ... okay! Let's get to training! How's your training going?"

"The coin sticks to my head!" Monaka demonstrates it to Sakura, who notices it lasts only about six seconds.

She claps. "Very good within twenty-four hours. Now, I want to see a jutsu!"

Ino's gonna see I'm an AMAZING sensei, shannaro! That'll show her I can be just as cool as she is!

"Any jutsu?" Monaka says.

"Yeah, any jutsu you can do!"

The Ino-Shika-Chou stand behind Sakura, kinda curious. The dead last is actually performing jutsu. Jutsu. Amazing.

Monaka smiles and makes one hand seal. "Well, here it goes!"

She disappears into a cloud of smoke. The four wait eagerly for it to disperse -

"How's this jutsu?"

A woman with floor length red hair stands, naked, sans from the puffs of smokes revealing anything too private.

"I call this my Sexy no Jutsu!" the woman says, with a totemo kawaii voice.

3, 2, 1.

"MONAKA, WHAT THE HECK?!"

"THAT GIRL IS HOPELESS!"

Both Ino and Sakura combine their rage into their fists. Shikamaru and Chouji watch in horror and shame as the two girls scold-tackle Monaka.

It's been three hours so far. Three hours since Academy ended. Hyuuga Hotaru sits beneath a tree and uses his Byakugan to see the field. Monaka-chan ... is trying her hardest. She could probably do this!

He smiles. She's ... Monaka-chan is the best role model ever! I wish I could be as strong as her!

"Ah, Hotaru! Thought I smelled ya!"

Hotaru almost has a heart attack. His fear shuts off his Byakugan not before he sees Kiba. "K-Kiba-kun?!"

Kiba sits beside him, in front of a bush, and peeks through the shrubbery to see the training. "Can ya believe this?! Lil red's actually trying her hardest to pass, and it's working!" Akamaru barks in agreement, tail wagging away at his side. "I remember three years ago, when I bet against her. She showed me wrong. She's totally crazy, but a good kind, ya know?"

Hotaru, too startled to restart his Byakugan, nods. But ... Kiba can't see that. "Y-Yes."

"Inuzuka? Hyuuga?"

The two look up the tree to find the owner of that quiet, dull voice. Sanada stares down, a tad suspicious, tad curious. "What are you doing out here?"

Uchiha Sanada wears her hair in a small bun with locks on the sides of her face. The bun is spiky and makes a sort of circle (that Monaka thinks resembles a bunny's butt). She has on a high collared kimono-like blouse with a white obi - or belt - and the now rare Uchiha crest on the back. She wears white shorts and mesh arm bands.

"We're checkin' out this girl's progress. Crazy, ain't it? Come down and watch - stop being so antisocial."

Sanada makes a small face and looks in the training field's direction.

This reminds me of our taijutsu fights. How even when I knocked you down, you always got back up again ...

Something painful stabs her heart.

Those days where she was happy, innocent, had a family that loved her, a clan who accepted her. Those days where she liked the fact Monaka was her rival, because she felt the urge to get stronger.

Now, her days are filled of apathy, regret, and fury.

I swear if you don't pass, I'll - I'll -

"Kiba-san, Hotaru-san, Sanada-san. You three are here to watch as well?"

"Shino-kun! U-Um, hello!" Hotaru bows to the bug boy as he watches the training session on his left. He turns around to watch, too.

"Did I miss anything? I had dinner."

"She's got the hang of Body Replacement no Jutsu, and now she's on Transformation no Jutsu. That's when ya change your appearance."

"I see."

Sanada furrows her brows. "Tch." She hops off the branch, attracting the attention of the hiding kids. She lands effortlessly and takes off to where Monaka is, all with Kiba whisper-shouting, "Sanada, waaaiiit! We're supposed to be hiding!"

Sakura and Ino both explain to a tired Monaka the mechanics of a Transformation. Shikamaru naps and Chouji continues eating. The peace is broken when Sanada appears.

"Sanada-chan!" Sakura and Ino say.

Monaka blinks. "Sanada?"

"Monaka," the Uchiha says. "You want to pass, right?"

She puffs her cheeks. "Duh!"

"Then fight me. If you can even land a hit on me, we'll all know you can pass, got it?"

Sakura and Ino startle at the ultimatum. Chouji slowly picks up his chip eating speed; the hiding kids startle as well. Monaka picks herself up.

"All I needa do is land a hit you?" she echoes. "Notta problem! You're going down, Sanada!"

Sanada gets into a ready stance, the stance being a trademark of Uchiha taijutsu. "We'll see."

Sakura pulls on her hair while Ino grins. "Oh man, Sakura, we get to see Sanada-chan fight!"

"Monaka can't fight! She's been training ALL DAY! She needs rest!" she complains, but no one listens.

Beat her up, Sanada-chan! Inner Sakura chants. Sorry, Monaka, this fight isn't in your favor!

Monaka-chan! Hotaru feels faint.

"Go, Monaka!" Kiba grins, sharp canines in full view. "Never bet against that crazy girl!"

Monaka adjusts her goggles. "Let's go!"

"Hn." Don't disappoint me, dead last.

Monaka makes the move, a predictable dash, a predictable fist pulled back for a punch, her right fist. Sanada sidesteps the punch - That's how all our taijutsu fights began - and sees Monaka throwing yet another predictable punch.

Sanada grabs this punch with a smack as bone hits skin. It hurts only for a moment. The Uchiha yanks the redhead forward and lands a pulled kick on her stomach - the redhead coughs - and a chop to her shoulder.

Monaka stumbles backwards, holding her slightly numb shoulder as Sanada dashes towards her.

Just as predictable as ever. This is the moment where I knock her down.

Monaka can't block the jump kick Sanada lands and falls back, skidding slightly.

Then she gets back up because her pride's hurt. Same old, same old.

Monaka gets to her feet with difficulty. Her goggles slide down her head from sweat; now it covers her eyes as if she's an airplane pilot. Those old, old goggles ... an orange band and lenses within a white frame. There used to be white parts on the sides, but those were broken long ago. The full moon above them shines off her goggles and hides her eyes, the glare creating a red-tinged halo effect.

She's ... smiling.

"I missed these days," she says. "The days when my adrenaline's pumping cuz I don't know if I can win."

What? You're still a big weirdo. "So you admit you can't defeat me."

"Prolly not," she admits. "But! My goal's only to land one hit on ya, and I know I can do that, chunno!" With that, she dashes again.

Monaka performs a jump kick that Sanada blocks. Still in the air, she kicks once more, twice, all blocked. Monaka's movements are wide, slow, and sloppy. Any technique she does have carries obvious gaps and openings. Though she isn't weak - her hits would hurt anybody. As an Uchiha, Sanada already knows how to block to avoid the least amount of damage. As a result, when the two jump apart, her arms aren't burning in pain.

Sanada decides to charge first, release a volley of kicks with recoils so quick, Monaka can't grab a leg and retaliate. The redhead ends up kicked and bruised and falls down after the last hit.

But ... she rolls backwards to her feet and launches herself off the ground and to Sanada who hasn't moved. The Uchiha realizes she's too close to the girl and barely sidesteps the headbutt. The redhead winces at her near miss and flops awkwardly onto her belly away from Sanada.

Close, Sanada thinks. But she's a dead last for a reason.

Chouji speed-chomps his chips, Sakura and Ino watch and occasionally jump, the three hiding kids' guts twist.

A'ight, Monaka! Remember your ninja way! She hops to her feet, unknowingly dodging a heel kick where her back was.

Sanada's kick cracks the ground; Monaka stumbles back with an idea in the making. The redhead then charges again, forming a hand seal.

What's that seal for? Sanada thinks, prepared to block any sort of ninjutsu.

"Take this, Sanada!" She disappears into a cloud of smoke.

What? A diversion? No, she wouldn't be that smart -

The smoke clears.

"MONAKA!" Sakura hollers. "ENOUGH of that stupid jutsu!"

Hotaru covers his eyes immediately. M-Monaka-chan!

Sanada pauses for a long while in battle time to process the fact this idiot would of course master such a stupid skill as turning into naked women. Why does this not surprise her?

In battle time, she pauses too long, for Monaka cancels the jutsu and a fists shoots out smoke, aiming for Sanada. Sanada knocks it off guard. The smoke is now gone.

The girls stay in their position, panting.

"Why ... ?" pants the Uchiha. "Why use a jutsu like that?"

"Why not!" she beams.

"Even so ... that technique didn't fool me."

"Yeah, well ... " She catches her breath. "This should!" She forms a tiger seal, a vague seal that could be used for forty jutsu with one seal. But because Monaka is a dead last, it's really between two jutsu, Academy jutsu.

She poofs into a log. Sanada has no time to be surprised. She can feel the displaced air behind her and swirls around, a left hand chop sliding along with her -

- ready to chop into herself?

She falters only for a millisecond. Sanada is looking at a mirror image of herself, complete with her usual smirk - no, there's faults. Her eyes are too close, her face isn't right, and Sanada can see her normal onyx eyes has hints of orange. She continues with her -

"Haaa!" Sanada-Monaka shouts with a punch aiming for the elbow of Sanada's chopping hand. And the hits connect. Sanada's chop knocks into Sanada-Monaka's shoulder; the latter's punch hits Sanada's elbow.

The now redhead grins. "I win!"

Sanada hides her emotions, but can't completely hide her awe. "In a real fight, you would no longer have the use of your arm."

"Yeah, but this ain't a real fight!" Sanada drops her hand and Monaka has her usual mischievous-looking smile as she holds onto her limp arm.

The two best friends trade a look of awe.

"Monaka just hit ... " mumbles Ino.

" ... Sanada-chan?" The pink-haired girl blinks, then a wicked smile appears. "Shannaro! Y'see THAT? THAT'S MY TEACHING! I'm the BEST sensei ever!"

Ino slumps. "I ... I feel like my life is a lie. That dummy actually has a shot at winning."

Kiba laughs victoriously and Akamaru howls. "I knew it! Told ya so!"

Hotaru smiles with pink cheeks. Great job, Monaka-chan!

Shino observes his friend's admiring look. This Monaka ... I suppose it is alright for him to believe in her now. I will no longer underestimate her.

Chouji claps loudly, waking a a dazed Shikamaru. "What's with all this racket? Geez."

"You missed it!" cries Chouji. "Monaka and Sanada fought and Monaka won!"

"Say what?! You're lying, Chouji!"

"No, no, it's completely true! They're just over there!"

"Aw, man, how troublesome. Everybody's gonna be talking about this and I missed it."

"Missed it?!" Ino turns around. "You missed a fight of a LIFETIME just 'cause you're lazy?! I swear, Shika! You're such a dummy sometimes!"

The Nara shrugs.

Sakura observes Monaka's limp arm; Sanada watches, but doesn't pay much attention, rubbing her sore elbow.

A Body Replacement mixed in with Transformation. It's really simple yet effective. She smiles. This is the rival I knew.

The way the apartment is set up is that the Western-style bed is positioned underneath the window, allow fresh sunlight to drip in once a new day begins. There's a bedside table to the left with a penguin alarm clock and red lamp; to complement the small room, there's a closet, random pranks, traps, and cleaned ramen cups over the floor as a "collectible" in the pursuit of collecting all flavors.

Down the short hall is a bathroom to the left and a living room on one half, kitchen on the other. Nothing dangerous works, such as the stove and oven, plus there are only silver spoons and forks, chopsticks, and plastic knives. The living consists of one couch and a table, with decorations and messes living in harmony.

Around seven everyday, the sun's brightness wakes up Monaka. She gets up both yawning and stretching, and her shoulder-length hair is a disaster. She reaches into the drawer of her table and grabs her big brush, taking a glance at the calendar.

I think I only slept an hour last night ... or this morning. Today is ... the eleventh of April. Which means ...

She grins. Academy TEST day!

She blazes through her morning routine all while brushing her hair, pausing to put on her usual outfit, and drops the brush somewhere in her living room as she cooks breakfast: ramen and orange juice. She'd drink milk but ... she can never tell when it's spoiled or not, which led to her getting too familiar with toilets.

If toilets could have a mind they'd hate me! she thinks while taking her time eating. Actually ... if toilets had a mind, I think I'd hate them, too.

Around eight, she leaves her home and strolls to the Academy with a wide smile. Konoha is really empty, which is weird. There's always somebody awake and working or taking a stroll, but she ignores that.

When she sees the Academy, a building positioned right on the base of the Hokage Mountain, in which the four faces of Konoha's four kage watch over their home, she also notices the faces look funny.

Nah ... I'm going crazy. Prolly nerves cuz of the test is all!

She continues that thought until she passes the swing. Something cold - like a force or energy - overtakes her body from outside to in. She feels weightless as the world turns black before her eyes ...

... the stars are pretty.

Monaka blinks and sits up. Seems like she was lying on the training field at the Academy. She rubs her eyes.

"Ah, Monaka, there you are."

She shoots the newcomer a sleepy glare. It's Mizuki-sensei who used to be Iruka's assistant but now works on his own thing. " ... am I in trouble? No more nurse visits, right?"

"No, no, not at all. You know, I've been watching you train with your friends, and, sadly, you don't have any chance at passing."

The sleepiness vanishes; she leaps to her feet. "What?"

"Sanada-chan faked your win," he continues, still smiling pleasantly. "All your friends have been lying to you."

... what? No ... why? Monaka drops to her knees, rubbing her stinging eyes. Why would they lie ... ?

Eating ramen with Sakura, her fight with Sanada, everyone's smiles and congratulations - the first time she's ever been congratulated and that's fake?

"However, I won't lie to you. In fact, I'll teach you the way to pass the Academy test with a perfect score!"

Her eyes look hopeful. "Please tell me, Mizuki-sensei! I ... I want to become Hokage, no matter if my friends lie me!"

Mizuki easily produces a small scroll that he tosses to the redhead. "That's the map. Your goal is to sneak into Hokage-sama's office, take the kinjutsu scroll, and master as many abilities as you can! If you can learn at least ten abilities, you're more than worthy for promotion! After all, a Hokage must be strong!"

Her eyes twinkle. "Awesome, ch'no! But why is the scroll called forbidden techniques?"

"It's labelled as such to keep away the unworthy ninja," he explains. "Now, get a move on. The office is right around the block."

She grins and hops to her feet. "Okay, sensei!"

Miki is here. Mishigure is here. Monaka is ...

Iruka looks out the Academy doors and into the bright light of day. Where is she? She's really late ...

Footsteps increase in volume until the person stops right beside Umino Iruka. "You seem troubled."

"She's late. I can't believe she's late - it doesn't make sense, Mizuki."

"Hmm." He puts a finger on his chin. "Then ... maybe reality kicked in? Or ... nerves? Either way, it's not a big loss. She's a murderer. Come on, let's start the testing."

Iruka sighs. You said you keep your word and the ramen - why did you lie?

"Fine, let's start."

Mizuki closes the door after his friend, a wicked smirk visible.

The figure in the trees watches it all, mentally sighing.

Geez, this guy's a problem. Can't a guy have a day off without walking into conspiracies? He snaps his book shut with one hand. Let's get this over with.

After months of exotic pranks, Monaka has found all sorts of ways of getting around quickly - something pretty useful against the fast Chuunin.

Under the cover of night, Monaka slides through town using clotheslines. She does suffer rope burn, but she's a fast healer - it always goes away.

She can see the tower's window entrance from the final roof on her journey. That's the very window she used hop through to talk to the Hokage.

Oh ... haven't talked to the old man in forever. The redhead shakes away the sadness and holds the scroll in her mouth. With a running start, she hops onto the line and slides. The wind whips her hair and howls all around her just like when she would swing on the swingset.

By muscle memory, she times her let-go and sails through the window flawlessly.

Unfortunately, she forgot how to land properly, and slides on the Hokage's desk sending papers, ink, and other documents flying as she crashes into the wall upside down.

All Monaka sees are stars.

Hahah ... whoops ... that wasn't too loud was it?

It was too loud. Thankfully the tower is empty because even the Hokage must sleep. Still, she can feel the tiniest amount of negative energy. Monaka is positive no one could be around and ignores it.

She spits out the scroll and opens the map.

She blows a paper sagging on her head. "Just a left then a right and it's the third door. Easy!"

At night, the tower becomes all too tall, with the windows making all the shadows long and dark. The tower is made up of four, large floors that make the tower one of the tallest building. The doors are wooden, each with their own idiosyncrasies so as to stand out. The Hokage's office is the absolute largest and is connected to a waiting room just outside its double doors.

The next rooms surrounds the main tower (the Hokage's office) in a spiral just below the domed room. In an event of an intrusion, the rooms are designed to trick a shinobi into walking in circles until the word has no meaning.

That doesn't happen to Monaka. Everything is easy and quiet.

She makes it to the room. It's circular, as are most rooms, with scrolls lining the walls of the window-less area.

The maps says the scroll should be here ...

Three large scrolls stand above the fireplace, the only light source. Monaka doesn't know what the three of them mean only that she is to grab the green one on the left.

The scrolls are officially called the Three Scrolls of Konoha.

The first one, on the right, is yellow. It is the Scroll of Taijutsu. It lists all the taijutsu techniques normal or even above average shinobi could not perform without seriously damaging themself or causing death.

The one on the far left is the Scroll of Seals. From ninjutsu to sealing techniques, these are the abilities that, if a certain ninja does not meet the requirements, will potentially kill themself.

The middle is the Scroll of Genjutsu. Only some of the techniques could kill the user. The majority pertains to the result of the affected person. The genjutsu techniques listed will most likely kill the opponent. As such, the techniques will never, ever be taught to any shinobi unless under highly specific circumstances, and usually the Hokage is the only person who is permitted to learn one.

One of the genjutsu techniques is the Mind Absolution no Jutsu, a technique devised during the end of the Third Shinobi World War against the Lightning shinobi. The shinobi had a strong sense of nationalism; they wouldn't back down from fighting, not even if they were losing.

The Konoha shinobi who created this technique - Morino Ibiki - did, to say the least, polluted their minds. That sort of "pollution" had given the Konoha shinobi an easy win without any kunai or jutsu used. They didn't kill the shinobi, simply let them go back to their home country and by the end of the week, the Land of Lightning withdrew from the fight.

(Small wonder why the Kumo shinobi captured Hyuuga Hotaru.)

But the redhead does not know any of this. Instead, Monaka easily grabs the scroll and jumps out the hallway window, darting off to the designated meeting space.

"Okay! All I needa do is master these techniques, and I'll pass!" Monaka drops the huge scroll on the ground and rolls it open to the first technique under the moonlit sky.

The first skill is the Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Multi Shadow Clone no Jutsu.

The Multi Shadow Clone no Jutsu is derived from the regular jutsu "Shadow Clone no Jutsu." The regular jutsu divides the ninja into two, separate people using just chakra and chakra control. The Multi Shadow Clone technique takes it a step further by creating more than two clones.

It is a very dangerous technique because a ninja can only make four clones before feeling faint from chakra exhaustion; six clones leads to death. Because the idea team number is usually three or four, many deaths from the First War were contributed to Multi Shadow Clone technique, approximately in the thousands.

The jutsu works as if you are filling a glass halfway with water. Then you divide that water among several cups, watching as the total water grows thin. A person needs sufficient chakra to live.

To preform the technique, a person must first recognize their chakra as a collective whole, then imagine separating that chakra multiple times. More chakra control leads to the chakra being more equally divided. More chakra leads to more clones being produced, with the God of Shinobi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, creating ten clones in his prime, the absolute highest.

"Yoshi! This seems really, really cool!" Monaka follows the hand seal that's drawn on the paper and focuses on her chakra.

There's a large, large amount, she can tell. Feeling a little arrogant, she decides to "cut" her chakra multiple times, well beyond that measly ten clone limit the Third Hokage set. Maybe she slices it a hundred times. All she knows is that there's a huge puff of smoke and the distinct feeling that chakra has minimized.

"Yeah! First try! Wait, what?!"

Why's my voice so high pitched?! When the smoke clears, she sees the scroll as freakishly tall. What the - ?

She turns to see her clones and she (plus her copies) almost preforms multi heart attack no jutsu.

"Oh my kami - "

"We're ... we're ... !"

"Chibi Monaka!"

Almost a hundred clones squeak in horror to find themselves half a foot tall and chibi-fied.

"Gwaaah!" one chibi shouts. "How do we release the jutsu?!"

"The scroll! The scroll has all the answers!"

One Chibi Monaka is perched on the large roll of paper looking down at the instructions. "Uh ... to cancel, you just need to imagine all the chakra and smush it together again!"

"Great, let's do it!"

"Aw, I like looking kawaii!"

"Look how huge this tree is!" A Chibi Monaka points at a titanic tree.

"Imagine the pranks we could do! Fuhahaha!"

"No, we gotta pass the test first, retards!"

"Who you callin' a retard?!"

"You, stupid!"

"We're the same person!"

"Maybe, but you look stupider than me!"

"Guys, guys!" squeaks the Chibi Monaka still on the scroll. "We don't have all night, ch'no! Let's change back, okay?!"

"Okay!" The Chibi Monaka make the hand seal. "Cancel!"

Another puff of smoke and Monaka is back to her normal, human self. She chuckles while scratching her head.

"Man, my chakra control sucks ... Next time, I won't make so many, haha!"

"You sure she's here?" Iruka says for the umpteenth time.

Hatake Kakashi deadpans. "I'm positive, Iruka. I can track her scent and I know she went this way."

"Man, why would she do this? Why did she steal the scroll?"

"Who knows?" lies the man. "But I get the feeling our questions will get answers soon."

The Hokage surveyed the damage in his office and the missing scroll. "Well done, Kakashi. You and I both realize there is not possible way for Monaka to have known about this scroll."

"I've already got the culprit in mind. This plan is clever, though," Kakashi said, relaxing on the door frame. "The seal mistress Kushina programmed the scrolls to fry anyone she didn't certify, like you Hokage-sama. Since she's dead, she couldn't add any more names after the Kyuubi attack."

The Hokage stared grimly into the fireplace. "Keep this quiet. Find the culprit, bring him to me, and replace the scroll. Make sure Danzou won't find out. If he does, he and the council will become rather ... "

"Troublesome?" smirked the masked man. The Hokage heard the humor in his tone, though.

"Very."

"Iruka, there's a barrier right there." He points to a plain-looking, empty plot of forest. "You go in; I'll be the backup."

Iruka squints but sees nothing. "How can you tell?"

"Been around multiple people who were fuuinjutsu crazy. You get used to it. Now, go save your student."

Iruka smiles. "Thanks, Kakashi."

A bruised, exhausted Monaka unrolls the scroll to reveal a second jutsu, but finds a neatly folded paper with the Hokage seal. She opens it, not thinking about if she's reading something highly confidential or anything. It's a paper written with fast, yet extremely elegant and legible handwriting.

Being curious, she reads on.

3 May, 30 NE

Official name: The Hyuuga Clan's Secret Sealing Technique

My name because it's a little long: The Caged Bird Seal

"Hey ... don't I have a Hyuuga classmate?" she wonders out loud.

I talked to Hiashi-kun about the Caged Bird Seal. We've been teammates, but we haven't been in contact for a long time, with me and my new team and him being promoted to Head Leader.

I'm really proud of him!

I appealed to him as his teammate and not as the Fourth Hokage, and he explained the seal in great detail, also warning me not to do anything rash with the information. It seems the reason it's kept is to protect the main family's secret from Hyuuga traitors just like it's happened in the past. Even he won't explain what the secret is.

Without further ado, The Caged Bird Seal is a fuuinjutsu ability with an Uzumaki flare in its central workings. The entire seal is placed on the middle of the forehead where the "special organ" is located in. The special organ (equivalent to an appendix, a vestigial organ almost) is what gives the Hyuuga the pale white eyes. Without it, I don't know if the Hyuuga will still have their pale eyes, but I do know that organ can be shut down. The Hyuuga insist the seal only shuts down the eyes when a branch family dies.

Monaka refolds the letter (sloppily) with shut eyes. He's just ramblin' about some weird seal. But, it's the Fourth Hokage! He risked his life to save me! Me! She opens her orange and blue jacket and puts the letter in her inner pocket.

"Alright! The next jutsu is ... "

"Monaka?!"

She looks up to see the tired, curious face of her sensei, Iruka. "Oh, hey there! You're just in time, Iruka-sensei - I learned something called the Multi Shadow Clone no Jutsu!"

But her sensei doesn't applaud her efforts, only wincing. "Monaka, that's impossible. What are you doing with this scroll? There's no way you could know this even existed ... "

... there's no way she knew this, right?

Monaka starts to sense tiny traces of negative energy coming from her sensei, turning her grin into a glare.

"What, ch'no?! Why aren't you happy?! And how'd you even find me, Iruka-sensei?"

"Kakashi told me he saw you somewhere here," he explains, remaining vague. "There's a weird barrier here that keeps your chakra hidden from other shinobi. As I said, where did you find this scroll?"

The little girl growls quietly. "My sensei told me about the scroll AND this place! He said that if I learn every one of these jutsu, you'd pass me with flying colors, so why aren't you happy, ch'no?! You here to lie to me, too?!"

"Lie?! I didn't lie to you. I would never lie to you!"

"But that's what Mizuki-sensei said! You guys can't BOTH be right!"

Iruka blanches. "Mizuki? What do you mean Mizuki?!"

"She means me."

As soon as Iruka entered the Mizuki, so did Mizuki. Now he stands on a tree branch overlooking his "friend."

He meets his "friend's" startled look with a smirk of his own. "Iruka, Iruka, Iruka, you just can't understand she's a murderer. You constantly treat her like she's an innocent and now you've got the rest of the class doing it, too. I don't care if you're corrupting yourself, but I draw the line at corrupting others!"

"C-Corrupting?!" Iruka blurts.

Monaka looks between the Chuunin. "Hey, I'm not ... I ... I ain't corruptin' anybody, ch'no!"

"And," he adds, "once she and you are arrested for stealing the Hokage-sama's Scroll of Seals, I'll go free because there's zero evidence leading back to me, but plenty for you, Iruka! Everyone knows she's your favorite student."

"Arrested?!" squeaks the redhead. There's no way a Hokage was arrested.

"Mizuki, this is insane!" Iruka isn't worried. He knows Kakashi and the Hokage know. "You're going to be the one being arrested!"

"Word to the future jail bird," Mizuki says to Monaka, ignoring him completely, "there's a secret that the village is keeping from you, ya know."

No way. He isn't, he totally isn't!

Monaka crosses her arms over her chest and grumbles. "No duhhh! I've NEVER wondered why people always hated me. Just how STUPID do ya think I am, chunno?! I swear, I'll beat you myself, JERKFACE!"

"Monaka, this is serious," Iruka says.

"Ten years ago on October fourteenth, the Fourth died. Do you know why? He died to the Nine Tailed Fox, the Kyuubi! That's the story everyone knows, everyone born after the year 35. But I know, and Iruka knows. We know where the Kyuubi is - the Fourth never killed the beast; that beast outclassed every shinobi in existence! He sealed the beast into a human, transforming them into a jinchuuriki!"

"Mizuki, this is forbidden! Keep talking and you're definitely getting arrested yourself!"

Monaka frowns, interested. "Jinchuuriki? That's the big secret? Why is that such a big deal?"

"The human he put it in was a newborn. An orphan who's parents were killed in the attack - that was probably his intention to place it into a nobody child, because I sure as heck wouldn't offer me or my family to a beast. And, newsflash, that baby was you, Monaka."

Monaka blanches. "Wh ... me?"

You're the reason so many people were murdered, the reason the Fourth died ...

No. Nonono! There's a murderous, violent, catastrophic beast locked within HER and NOBODY told her she's part human, part chakra monster, oh no!

The ten year old drops to her knees. No no no ... I don't want to be a beast ... not the Kyuubi jin ... whatever! Monaka's fear does a weird thing ... instead of freezing her to one spot where she can sink into despair, it burns. It bleeds into anger.

"Th ... That's not FAIR! I didn't ASK to be a jinchuuriki! Why ME?" She punches the ground as she speaks.

"Monaka," Iruka mumbles, grimacing at the broken look on her. " ... you're not the mon - "

"Finally someone's told her TRUTH, but Iruka you're still not giving up on her, huh?" He pulls out a kunai, spinning it on its ring. "That can be handled."

Iruka grabs his own kunai. "Monaka, get out of here!"

She blinks up from her anger. " ... what?"

Mizuki throws three kunai, all that Iruka dodges. While dodging the last kunai, he barely sees his friend crouching at the base of tree from the end of a jump and throws both fuuma shuriken at Iruka.

It's easier to dodge the heavy metal; it slices through the trees behind him. The trees tilt away from the fight as Iruka dashes towards his "friend," releasing shuriken from both hands. Mizuki deflects most with his kunai, the rest ripping a red line on his legs and arm.

Monaka watches the fight only in confusion. First she thought everyone lied to her, then Mizuki was lying about that so, everyone cares for her, right? That's the reason Iruka-sensei is fighting Mizuki, because he cares?

But..why did he hide such information about her? Why did he hide she was a demon? Why did everyone hide that?

Monaka is too young to understand the grays in morality, but she knows the worst one here is Mizuki-sensei.

The two engage in a taijutsu battle, with Iruka and Mizuki normal and average moves, only with Mizuki being less civilized and more likely to play dirty. Iruka's only goal between his pulled punches and only redirecting Mizuki's fatal hits is to subdue his once friend.

And Mizuki thinks that it might be working.

He dashes away, panting, and eyes briefly flicker to something behind Iruka. He looks and sees nothing. By the time he glances back, he sees the chakra strings glaring under the light of the moon. Then Mizuki yanks his hand back.

The first fuuma shuriken rips through the air where Iruka was. The second - he sees from his crouch - aims for -

Monaka barely registers something spiraling towards her when she hears a wet thunk. She blinks.

"I ... Iruka-sensei!" He teacher stands ... trembling ... and the shadow shows the shuriken embedded into his back. The redhead hears the blood dripping quickly.

Mizuki grins at his success. "Well then, I didn't plan for your death, but we can assume the jinchuuriki did it, right?"

Iruka falls to his knees, wincing at the blade that's just next to his spine; it scratches against his vertebrae, his bottom rib cage, and any internal organs in the middle.

"Iruka-sensei!" she repeats. Please tell me I didn't kill him, too! Too many people keep dying because of me!

"M-Monaka ... it's true you're the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi," he mumbles because these may be his last words. "The Kyuubi killed my parents, and I ... I hated you just like everyone else. I saw you ... as the beast and the sole reason the Fourth died, but ... by being your sensei, I saw I was wrong. You're not a monster ... you're a human just like the rest of us, a slightly unlucky human."

Monaka can't help the tears that roll down her cheeks. "Th ... thank you. You're the best, Iruka-sensei. So ... don't you dare die right here, okay? Sensei can't die on their students, ch'no! That's ... " She trails off.

" ... that's totally uncool?" he smiles wearily.

Monaka smiles back. "Yeah."

This is stupid. Mizuki clears his throat loudly. "Please stop" he makes random gestures with his hand "whatever that was. Or I'll kill him."

The redhead rubs away her tears and places on her orange goggles. She turns, standing in front of Iruka, and states, "If you hurt Iruka-sensei anymore, you're gonna hafta deal with me, Mizuki-sensei."

He rolls his eyes. "So terrified of an Academy dead last."

"That's Monaka to you! Monaka No-Last-Name, Academy dead last and jinchuuriki who's gonna kick your ass."

"Watch it, kid. I'll kill the both of you."

"Hmph! Try it!" She makes one hand seal.

Good thing she's one of the more dumb jinchuuriki. He uses his chakra string to hook on the fuuma shuriken on the ground.

Monaka races towards him. "Multi Shadow Clone no Jutsu!"

Did ... did she say her technique out loud? What.

"No, that'll kill you!" Iruka shouts, but starts coughing soon after.

And a puff of smoke engulfs her. Out smoke are hundreds of - !

Hundreds of half a foot tall midgets? Mizuki completely drops his guard. "What the hell is this?!"

"Chibi Monaka Barrage!" squeaks hundreds of chibi who swarm Mizuki like locusts. He barely manages to preform Body Replacement to get away.

"What in the - ?! What?!" he sputters. The scroll made her make chibi versions of herself? What?!

Iruka looks just as dazed as he is. "Chibi art is ... forbidden now?"

The Chibi Monaka continue tackling the log -

"Wait! This is a log!"

"He did the Body Replacement no Jutsu!"

"We fell for it! Normally Sanada falls for it!"

One Chibi cackles. "Every time. Every time ... "

"He's over there! Get him!"

There's nothing threatening about an army of chibi brats. There's not.

Mizuki shakes his head. "You ... I ... just ... no. I'm - I'm bailing. Goodbye." He Body Flickers out the clearing.

The army stops. "He gone."

"What do we do now?"

"Look at this huge flower!"

"I'm hungry."

"Me too."

"Me three!"

Chibi tummy growling sound throughout the army.

"Can we go to Ichiraku's like this?"

"Probably."

"Let's go! I wanna fill my chibi face!"

"Y'know, Chibi Monaka doesn't have a ring to it ... "

"How! About! Mini! Monaka!" shouts the chibi climbing a flower.

"Wait! We have to help Iruka-sensei first!"

"Oh yeah ... he payin' for our ramen, guys!"

And that's how over a hundred Monaka tackle Iruka into a hug.

Mizuki just managed to clear the barrier. Looking back, he sees nothing out of the ordinary or feel any chakra. It's the perfect barrier the seal mistress created -

A fist comes from out the darkness and meets his face, sending him into darkness.

"Sh ... She turned into chibi clones?" the Third Hokage says.

"It's hard to believe myself, hehe." Iruka no longer wears his shirt, but bandages while a medic-nin continues to heal his wounds. Monaka lies, sleeping from chakra exhaustion. "So, um, about Monaka graduating ... ?"

The Hokage was also looking at the dozing girl. "She did not partake in the test this morning, but this could count as a test, hmm?"

"Honestly, I would give this test to my team if a had one," adds Hatake Kakashi lazily and from his slouch on a tree trunk next to Monaka.

"You don't count!" Iruka scolds. "You're sadistic!"

"Am not. I'm just a jolly old man."

"A jolly old pervert is more likely."

"Hey, you're confusing me with the other pervert. I may read pervy books, but I like to call it voyeurism."

"Shut up, Hatake."

The Hokage ignores their entire conversation while he was thinking. "I ... do think the only way I can safely permit her is by giving her to Kakashi."

"Haaaaah?" Iruka gapes.

"We all know Kakashi is a 'fail sensei,' however, it's the only way. I never expected her to graduate so soon, but since she did not take an official test, I cannot give her to an official sensei without irritating people."

Iruka slouches. "Well, close enough. If she can join a team, I'll take it! Even if he's supposed to fail all his students ... " He slouches again.

"Oh, speaking of me," says Kakashi, "I knew Mizuki did from the moment you closed doors to testing."

"You knew WHAT?!"

"I was stalking the Hyuuga kid and I walked into a conspiracy." He shrugs. "It tends to happen a lot."

Iruka's eyes bug out his head. "You can't just WALK into conspiracies!"

"But I did. It's hard to believe myself," he says, echoing Iruka's words. "Mizuki made her fall asleep via a genjutsu induced sleep until he woke her at around two in the morning. By the way, my stalking has gotten results as to why I should get the Hyuuga."

"Speak," the Hokage acknowledges, Iruka looking curious.

"The Haruno was a Sanada stalker, well the Hyuuga is a Monaka stalker. Ergo, the Hyuuga is mine to fail."

Iruka smacks his palm to his forehead. The Hokage only says, "Fine, Kakashi. Kurenai also asked me to have Sakura for her affinity to genjutsu."

"Ah, happy end for all."

"Yes. She also mentioned a certain Hatake told her to say that. Said something about Asuma, my son, as well."

Kakashi snaps his book shut. "Look at the time! It's half past time to go, see ya." He flickers away.

The Hokage sees dawn breaking the horizon. "It's about six. Academy starts at nine. Iruka, please tell Monaka what happened here is confidential. And that she has passed the test. Do not lie; it seems that lying is a sensitive topic."

He nods. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

"She can keep the technique as well, as it appears it isn't likely to kill her, but please remember to tell her some of the techniques in the scroll will. With that, I will leave - "

"Ah, Hokage-sama, one more thing! I ... promised her I'd give her ramen if she passed, you know ... "

The old man smiles. "You'd best not go back on your word, Iruka."

Monaka slowly wakes to yummy smells and bright lights. She rubs her eyes and reaches to pull down her goggles, but finds cold metal on her forehead.

She snaps awake.

Wait a minute ... is this ... ?

"Morning, Monaka!"

She turns right. "Iruka-sensei?! You're okay!" She looks at his bowl of ramen and her tummy rumbles. "Oooh, ramen!"

"Eat it up! We've only got an hour to Academy, graduate!"

"Graduate? Whatty?"

"Your forehead has a hitai-ate. Only graduates get that."

Monaka stares at her sensei as she blindly unties the object wrapped around her head and looks down.

My ... my very own ...

"HITAI-ATE! I PASSED!" She jumps on her stool. "The FUTURE HOKAGE WINS AGAIN! FUHAHAHAHA!"

"Monaka, shh! People are still sleeping!" Iruka sweatdrops, looking around in the empty Ichiraku shop.

She drops into her seat. "Hey, what happened last night?"

"Mizuki-sensei is gone and everything else is confidential. Meaning you speak about it, you get in trouble." She gulps. "But, Hokage-sama said you'll be promoted anyways. Congrats."

Monaka chuckles as she starts her bowl of ramen. "S'okay! Cuz ... this is probably the best day of my life ever!"