Chapter Eleven

"Naruto, I don't understand why you don't seem more worried about the graduating Genin Exam tomorrow." Sakura's tone toward her friend was severe. "We did so well on the big spring project, but now we have to graduate out of the Academy altogether and suddenly it's like you don't even care."

The line of friends were all standing at the front of Iruka's usual classroom amid the rest of their classmates, near the teacher's desk: Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Sasuke, Hinata, Sakura, and Naruto were all watching Ami, Shino, and Kiba go up to the very front one at a time.

Iruka stood before them with a grading clipboard and pencil in hand. Behind him on the blackboard read the words: Review Session - Graduation Exam Tomorrow!

"Koroto Ami!" Iruka called.

Ami smirked and strutted forward, putting her hands in a hand seal and channeling her chakra energy around her body. "Henge!" Using a ninjutsu, she transformed into an exact copy of Iruka, who smiled and nodded, grading her on his clipboard.

"Very good, stand aside," he said, and Ami went to join the rest of the finished classmates at the other end of the front of the classroom, near the window. "Next: Inuzuka Kiba!"

Kiba walked forward from the crowd at the front to perform next.

"Ah, why should I be so worried, Sakura?" said Naruto, lazily. "It's a beautiful, sunny morning."

"I know that, you optimistic goof, but -!" Sakura began, irritated because she was worried.

"Sakura's right, Naruto," said Hinata softly, frowning in concern. "You've been much better behaved lately, not pranking like you used to do before we were all friends… but you've been failing a lot of tests, and you still can't do the Bunshin ninjutsu."

"The test is tomorrow," Sasuke emphasized with quiet sarcasm, frustrated that his thick friend did not seem to be hearing him. "Explain exactly how you're going to pass if they test on that?" He raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Hey, Shikamaru's not doing any work!" said Naruto indignantly, waving to their perpetually lazy comrade.

"Yeah," sighed Shikamaru, arms behind his head, "but I can do the Bunshin."

"He's also not exactly a work ethic to aspire to," said Ino.

"Thank you," said Shikamaru dryly as Chouji began snickering.

Ino smirked. "You're welcome."

Kiba was finished; Shino had just walked off having passed the review as well.

"Thank you, Shino." Next, Iruka called, "Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto swaggered forward, grinning.

"Oh, no…" Sakura put her head in her hand. "I know that look. I can't watch."

"Here we go," said Sasuke, deadpan, as Hinata sighed.

Naruto put his hands in a hand seal and channeled his chakra energy. "Henge!" And he transformed into… a busty naked woman who winked and made a pass at Iruka.

"Pass me, Sensei?" she cooed.

Iruka had just enough time to have a complete, annihilating, staring meltdown before Naruto transformed back into himself and began laughing so hard he bent over, clutching his stomach.

"I call that the Sexy Technique!" he gasped out through his laughter.

"Stop wasting your time inventing dumb techniques, and start studying!" Iruka yelled at Naruto, gasping out the words through his red-faced outrage, even as the rest of their class started laughing. Iruka turned to the other friends. "Please tell me you can make up for that performance by doing six perfect Transformations."

"Yes, Sensei," said Sasuke amid their embarrassed friends, eyeing Naruto ruefully.

Hinata smiled at him quietly, warmly, when he wasn't looking. Sasuke really was a better friend than he gave himself credit for.


The seven of them all went out to dinner at Ichiraku's that night.

"Have a big test tomorrow?" Ayame asked brightly from the counter, as Teuchi gave them a sly wink and began sliding bowls in front of them.

"Yes, ma'am. We're hoping to graduate into beginning Genin rank," said Sakura politely.

"Wow. Big step," said Ayame, impressed.

"It's time," said Sasuke frankly, shrugging.

"I suppose it's true that we've learned about all we can from the Academy…" Hinata mused, and Sasuke gave her a small smile. She always seemed to know what he was trying say.

"Well, I, for one, am not looking forward to this," said Shikamaru. "Think about how much work this is going to be."

"Come on, don't you like competition?! Adventure?! Challenge?!" Ino asked, fists raised, trying to get him excited, as Chouji wolfed down food beside them.

"No," said Shikamaru flatly, and Ino slumped, glaring at him. "What?!" he said defensively, annoyed.

"It's Shikamaru, Ino," said Chouji through a mouthful of food. "What did you expect?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full of food," said Ino with huffy delicacy, crossing her arms.

"Well I think this is yet another step on my road to becoming Hokage!" said Naruto proudly.

Ayame smiled and slipped silently away unnoticed as the friends began talking amongst themselves. She and her father Teuchi shared a fond look over their favorite customers.

"You still have that dream?" said Shikamaru curiously, not judging.

"Naruto is not one to give up on his dreams so easily," said Hinata fondly, looking over at Naruto warmly, and Sasuke felt a weird ping of jealousy he wasn't sure he liked.

"Well I'm with Naruto," he said, faux casual. "If I want to become a hunter nin, I have to ace this test."

"Exactly!" Naruto pointed his chopsticks fervently at Sasuke. "This is just a roadblock. I'm going to become Hokage and make the whole village acknowledge my existence! Just you watch," he said, turning to his food.

"The leader of the village is a noble goal," said Hinata, "but it's important not just to be the strongest ninja around. Hokage are voted in at Konoha village - so impressing and winning people over is important, too."

"Eh. I got this," said Naruto with typical ease, shrugging. "I'm going to beat out all the other Hokage in terms of popularity!" he added proudly.

"Even the Fourth? That would take some doing," said Sakura curiously. "We all know the Fourth's story. It happened the year we were born; it's become legend. A young and brilliant ninja, he died saving the village from the great nine-tailed demon fox, a monstrous being made of pure chakra that attacked Konoha, sealing it away in secret. That's why the Third had to take up the post again."

Thinking of Gaara, she knew that the story of a demon sealing was a little closer to her heart than she liked to admit.

"Child's play compared to what I will do!" Naruto crowed. "But first…" He grinned, his eyes narrowing mischievously. "To get that hitai-ate Konoha symbol band to start wearing around when I ace that Academy test tomorrow… and become a ninja..."

Secretly, whether they'd admit or not, all of Naruto's friends wished they had his confidence even in unwarranted situations.

They all waved and called goodbye, separating to go back to their homes after dinner. Each left nervous about the big Exam tomorrow -

The seemingly simple one that decided so much. The one they had been preparing for over at least the last four years.


Gaara in Suna was put through a strict set of rigorous, punishing tests far beyond Academy level with his tutor at the compound on that last day. He came back to his room dripping sweat.

Kankurou and Temari were waiting beside the door to his rooms, looking serious. Each already wore a Suna symbol hitai-ate.

"We need you to ace that test," said Temari neutrally, careful. "We all know Father wants us to become a ninja team."

"And you have doubt," Gaara sneered, "that I will fail an Academy test?" He slipped past his siblings and into his set of rooms, shutting the door coldly and rudely behind him as they scowled and went carefully silent.

Safely in his innermost room, the one where he usually talked to Sakura, Gaara at last relaxed against the closed door. He frowned, becoming more human and pained, clutching at his heart.

"I hate being mean to them…" he whispered. He'd been feeling that more lately.

They're your siblings, the family that doesn't try to hurt you, and they're afraid of you, he heard Sakura's soft voice say in his mind a couple of weeks ago. She'd sounded mutedly sad over the phone. It's… natural. To want to trust them even when you feel you can't.

Gaara sighed, the sound echoing loudly in the empty, silent, alone room.

Dinner waited for him on the wood chest at the end of his bed, steaming hot from a servant. He walked forward to eat his silent dinner alone, wondering what Sakura was doing, if she was out with her friends…


Hinata called Sasuke that evening from her bedroom.

"Hey," he said, answering, a bit sleepily as he'd been about to head for bed. "How do you feel about tomorrow?"

He was a little bit expectant; he was fairly sure it was something.

Hinata smiled, the fondness clear in her voice. "You always do know…"

"Something like that." He smirked. "We've been friends for a while, haven't we?"

"We have. I'm nervous…" Hinata admitted. "Every time I think about a big test, I… I start thinking about the past, and then I freeze up. Wondering if I'll do the same thing this time. Not give enough, become too gentle…"

Sasuke listened, frowning.

"Well worrying about it is the quickest way to actually freeze up," he pointed out, laying back on his low pallet bed. "You'll just have to do your best. For now, go… make something, take your mind off things.

"And your family isn't exactly a good litmus test for the rest of the forces, as far as I can tell. I sit and stand beside you in Academy classes. You do give enough. Every time, actually.

"Being a nice person doesn't make you a bad ninja."

Hinata let out a shaky, emotional breath, a trembling, genuine smile coming over her face. For a moment she sounded like her old shy, self conscious self again. "Thank you… Sasuke-kun…"

He hated hearing her sound so fragile and afraid.

"Try not to worry tomorrow. Watch Naruto screw up instead; it'll be funny," he said casually.

Hinata laughed; it worked. "You're so mean!" she scolded, smiling despite herself.

Sasuke leaned his head back and laughed, freely, the sound echoing oddly in the previously cold and empty house.


Gaara called Sakura from his own bedroom on the same evening.

"I… wanted to catch you before you went to bed…" he admitted uncertainly. "Sorry if I woke you…"

"It's okay. I'm just curling up with a pillow, reading," she said in a warm, smiling, sleepy sort of voice, and he felt the old sensation, butterflies again.

"You went out with friends tonight?"

"Yeah. One last hurrah before the big test tomorrow. You too, huh?"

"Yeah, I have the Exam tomorrow, too. I wish I were there… with you… I… I don't know, I just wanted to hear your voice," he admitted, embarrassed.

"Rough day?" she asked, now sounding concerned.

"Oh, no more than usual. I can handle it," he said scathingly.

"You know," said Sakura matter of factly, "considering some of the 'normal' days you've handled, that's not very helpful."

He laughed softly, surprising himself.

"No," he admitted, a smile still in his voice, a warm and quiet one. "No, I guess it's not." He sounded rueful. "Well… I was pushed really hard today, and… then my siblings stopped by…"

"Upped the ante?"

"They pointed out I'm supposed to be put on a team with them."

"How old are they?"

"Two and then three years older than me."

"Wow. So, no pressure or anything," said Sakura, her eyebrows rising.

"I can handle it. It's just… annoying. And… it doesn't help that I don't want to be here. I -"

"Wish we were together. Yeah," said Sakura sadly. "Me, too. I think about you sometimes - you know, during the day."

Gaara's head shot up, ridiculously hopeful. "You - you do?" he said, his throat suddenly dry. "I… think about you, too. A lot," he admitted. "More than I probably should."

"Be careful. Don't let yourself get attacked during one of those thoughts," said Sakura wryly, smirking.

"I'll… do my best," said Gaara, sarcastically amused at the idea of anything being able to hurt him. He heard Sakura chuckle on the other end of the line, her little breaths.

That was enough to tide him over.

"Thank you," he said quietly, already calmer, but a great longing was now inside him - half joy, half terrible sadness. "Goodnight, Sakura..."


The next morning was the Genin Exam at the Konoha Ninja Academy - though it was pretty universal everywhere, including in Suna. It tested on all the basics: genjutsu illusions, taijutsu hand to hand, long distance throwing weapons, ninjutsu, and an academic test.

In Konoha that afternoon in their usual classroom, they had just gotten to the final portion - the ninjutsu portion. This test would be done privately in Iruka's adjoining side-office. Everyone sat expectantly in tiers before him, tense, the home stretch in sight. Mizuki as proctor stood beside Iruka at the front of the room.

Everyone, even Kiba, Shino, and Ami, had made it this far. Though they didn't know it, hundreds of miles away in Suna in another Academy classroom, all the seats around him emptied by terrified surrounding students, Gaara of course had done the same.

Back in Konoha:

"As you know," said Iruka matter of factly up at the front, all business and hard to read, "the standard Academy exam decides randomly to test on one of the three main ninjutsu. A different one is chosen every year. Today's chosen ninjutsu is the Bunshin - you must make realistic illusory clones of yourself. We will call you into the office one at a time."

All six friends looked over tentatively at Naruto - who had frozen, pale, wide-eyed and terrified.

Uh-oh.

Each of the other six - Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Sasuke - went into the office one at a time in front of Iruka and Mizuki sitting at Iruka's desk, and did the assignment with ease. They did the hand seals, channeled glowing blue chakra in a strong stance, and made at least three perfect illusory clones of themselves.

"You pass," Iruka told them, smiling, and as their clones dissipated each walked up in delight to receive a shining new hitai-ate in a huge pile at the front of his desk. They had worked hard in different subjects all day, and now their ordeal was over.

Ino tied her hitai-ate around her waist, slinging it like a belt. Shikamaru's was tied around his upper arm. Chouji's was tied around his forehead. So was Sasuke's. Hinata tied hers around her neck like a kerchief. Sakura threaded hers through her short pink hair like a hair ribbon.

Then Iruka told each of them individually, after they'd tied a hitai-ate on: "Please pass right through the classroom without looking and wait outside in the front courtyard until everyone is finished. Congratulations, new Genin of Konoha." He gave them one last sad, proud smile.

Each student took their phone from the bin by the door, slammed through the classroom door, and walked down the linoleum hallways and out into the Academy front courtyard for their last time as a student.

Sakura immediately texted Gaara a picture of the hitai-ate threaded through her short pink hair like a ribbon. New Konoha Genin! :D

Gaara saw the picture, having just passed out into the sandy desert Suna Academy courtyard himself. He smiled - it was a pretty picture. He imagined for a moment running his fingers softly through her hair.

He texted back a photo of a Suna symbol hitai-ate tied around his lithe, muscular upper arm. New Suna Genin. I did the same. We made it.

Of course she'd made it, he thought to himself. He couldn't imagine any differently.

Back in Konoha, Sakura saw his text and smiled. She admired for a moment the ripple of his warm-looking upper arm.

Hinata and Sasuke saw each other - hers around her like neck like a kerchief, his tied fiercely around his head - and they smiled shyly, approaching one another. Of course, Hinata thought in amusement, Sasuke would go for the aggressive, standard, and traditional wearing. Tall, lithe, poised, and muscular, he was just that kind of a person.

And Sasuke told himself that it was more important that Hinata had passed into ninja, and it was definitely not important that her hitai-ate positioning made her rack look more impressive.

Not at all. Totally a crude and inappropriate thought.

"See?" Sasuke smiled with quiet, teasing warmth. "I told you you'd pass."

Hinata blushed and smiled shyly. "Yes, you did," she said ruefully. "Thank you. And… you're on your way to becoming a hunter nin. Congratulations." She beamed, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet.

He smiled - she was cute - and said exasperatedly, "I still have a ways to go. But… thanks." Hinata giggled and his smile widened.

And so all six friends stood around, chattering excitedly in the courtyard, as more and more people began filing out around them… and then excited parents and families began showing up… but the six began looking around anxiously.

Naruto had never appeared to them.

Finally, when they were surrounded by crowds of chattering, excited, triumphant families and brand-new preteen ninja… Ami walked up to them, smirking. She was wearing a hitai-ate, as were Kiba and Shino standing seriously behind her.

"He's over there," said Ami, pointing, and she walked away dryly.

The friends looked around, stepping through the crowds to see better… and their faces were horrified. Naruto was sitting a ways away, defeated and depressed with dead, empty eyes, on a tree swing across the courtyard near their usual lunch spot.

He wasn't wearing a hitai-ate.

"Oh my God…" Sakura began.

"He didn't pass," Hinata finished.

"... He couldn't do the Bunshin," Sasuke realized grimly. "Damnit, Naruto!" he exploded suddenly in frustration. "I told you!"

And all six friends hurried over to Naruto's tree swing.

Naruto looked up - and attempted a tiny, sad, tired smile. "Mizuki tried to talk Iruka into letting me pass with a single pathetic clone," he said. "Iruka wouldn't. Said it was a battlefield hazard."

"Naruto… I'm so sorry," said Hinata meaningfully, concerned.

"Oh, it's… it's okay," he said with terrible defeated softness, looking down, though it clearly wasn't. "Congratulations… you guys. I hope you all become ninja teams together. Maybe… you can come back and visit me… here… sometimes."

"Naruto…" Sakura began, but realized she had no idea what to say. Sasuke's teeth were clenched in anger and frustration and solemn sadness.

Shikamaru looked almost as sad and angry. Ino looked furious and uncertain, like she wanted someone to yell at but there was no one she could. Chouji sat down sadly beside Naruto and offered him part of his snack.

Naruto… smiled despite himself, and took a chip. They all knew Chouji usually never shared his food. Naruto's other friends stood symbolically in a little half-circle around his swing.

That was when they overheard what Naruto must have been hearing from the crowds across the courtyard, and they sobered, becoming irrationally upset and angry. All of a sudden it became up-close and personal - Naruto's lonely, ignoble and ignored experiences outside their little group.

Not even Sasuke put up with as much as Naruto did, he realized to himself in that moment, frowning in concern with his eyes wide - he, at least, had respect, wealth, status, and admiration.

Naruto, apparently… didn't.

"I'm a ninja now!"

"That's my son!"

"I'm so proud of you! You'll get your favorite dinner tonight."

Parents… with their kids. The friends looked hesitant. Not only did Naruto look depressed - but Sasuke looked down with his jaw clenched.

Neither of them had a family, the others realized. Sakura and Hinata shared a worried glance, but just as one of them was about to open their mouth to speak… they heard the other kind of talking nobody made any trouble about Naruto overhearing.

The kind that didn't involve Sasuke at all.

Sasuke looked up, eyes widening. Two mothers were gossiping on the edge of the crowd across the courtyard.

"Look at him. That's the kid. I heard he's the only one who didn't pass."

"Hmph! Serves him right! What are those others thinking, being around him like that? Isn't he the one that's not even really human…? What kind of a ninja would he make?! After all, he's a…"

"Shut up! You know it's forbidden to say anything more than that!"

Everyone looked around to Naruto - whose depressed expression hadn't changed. He looked unsurprised. "People say stuff like that… a lot," he admitted softly. "I never know what it means."

"I… didn't know people hated you so much, Naruto," Sakura admitted, frowning in worry.

"Yeah. But it filters down to the kids. The kids just don't understand why they're not supposed to trust me," Naruto admitted quietly, unusually low and open. "I don't know why it happens. Never have been able to figure it out.

"I'm not like Sasuke. I'm just some poor nobody that no ones likes. I guess that sounds whiny… but it's true."

"You… it doesn't make sense, because you're better at connecting with people. You might have it worse than me," Sasuke admitted seriously.

Suddenly, Mizuki walked up to them from the crowds. "Naruto?" he said, looking concerned. "Can I have a talk with you?"

Everyone stepped back and let Naruto leave with the Academy teacher. He was, after all, still a student. But as Mizuki walked away, Sakura frowned and asked, "What are you going to tell him?"

As Naruto walked off campus, Mizuki turned back to them. "I'm going to try to gentle him towards Iruka. You didn't know? Iruka grew up an orphan, too. Big class clown, just like Naruto."

He left them surprised and walked off with Naruto.

Slowly, they turned and frowned worriedly at Iruka. He was standing by the Academy front doors, watching Naruto leave with deadly seriousness, the tiny old Hokage in robes beside him. They were murmuring solemnly to each other.

"I… don't know what to do or say here. I feel like everything is out of our hands, above our heads," Hinata admitted to Sasuke, worried.

"I know. I… I always assumed we'd all make it into the forces together," said Sasuke, looking tired and frustrated. "I… have literally no idea what to do. I can't fight Naruto's way out here."

They shared a glance.

"I know… and I wish I could," said Hinata, simply and sadly.

Sakura took out her phone and texted Gaara. She didn't know what else to do. Somehow, she thought he'd be able to make her feel better.

One of my friends didn't pass. It's… upsetting.

Back in Suna, Gaara saw the text and blinked at it in surprise. Why? If he didn't deserve to pass, he didn't.

Imagine how you'd feel if I didn't pass. Wouldn't it be different?

He tried to picture it… and suddenly a lot of emotions came to mind. Disbelief. Confusion. Anger. And… yes, upset. Ah. I see, he texted back. He paused for a minute, frowning, trying to figure out what to say. I am not experienced at caring for people, especially not those weaker than myself. I suppose what I would have said to you is that it doesn't matter - you would still be my friend anyway.

I think he knows that… I hope he knows that. I just don't know what to say or do beyond that.

Maybe there's nothing you can do, Gaara texted back as gently as he could.

Maybe. That sucks.

I'm sorry.

They all stopped talking and messaging shortly afterward. They looked up… and ran forward, seeing that the crowd wanted them back and the families had arrived.

In Suna, Gaara was approached by his two siblings and swept off coldly. "Father wants you." Temari smirked sardonically. "Congratulations. You passed."

And they left behind the tentative, fearful Suna Academy students, heading off toward the Kazekage's quarters.

Back in Konoha, Naruto's lonely, empty tree swing swung faintly in the breeze.


But something strange happened. All six friends were gathered outside the doors of the Hokage's office with its vast gold-gilded desk that evening.

"Do you know what we're being called in for? It can't be a mission," said Shikamaru in bewilderment.

"Yeah, I mean… we just graduated, right?" said Ino worriedly. "We don't even have teams or assignments yet… I had finished celebrating my graduation with my family back at home and gone to bed. Then I got a summons from an ANBU Black Op and I was called here alone."

"Same here," said Chouji worriedly, and everyone nodded.

"You know what we all have in common?" said Sasuke, deadly serious. "... We're all friends with Naruto. And we all just graduated when he didn't."

"You think that has something to do with it?" said Hinata, frowning worriedly.

"I think we'd better hope Naruto hasn't done something stupid," said Sasuke darkly.

"Well…" Sakura took a deep, bracing breath. "No time like the present. Let's head on in."

And they went through the double doors together, into the office… which was empty and dark. They looked around, puzzled.

"In here!" the Hokage's voice called. They walked into a little anteroom off of the office, and found him sitting before a tiny, purple cloth table with something that looked like a crystal ball sitting atop it. "This," he said, as they gathered around it, "is a scrying crystal. It is my own personal property. I can use it to see anything happening within my own village."

They looked through the crystal… and saw Naruto, who looked like he'd been training out in a forest. He was knelt, breathing hard, a massive scroll strapped to his back.

"... Why is Naruto like that?" said Sasuke in a tone of false calm.

"Because he stole a scroll of forbidden jutsu out of my office tonight and ran off with it." Their eyes widened. "Ninja have been sent out after him - including Mizuki and Iruka.

"Here is what interests me: that forest is on the edge of the village. He hasn't left. It's like he's not aware he's doing anything wrong, training with a jutsu from that scroll inside our boundaries."

"But even Naruto's not that stupid," said Sasuke, frowning.

"... Which means he was talked into it by somebody else. He's not alone," Sakura breathed in realization.

"I called you all in here, because you are his friends, and I want you to see this," said the Hokage with deadly seriousness. "Look through the scrying crystal with me. I believe something important is about to happen, amidst all the adult ninja who have been sent out after Naruto."

And so all six new Genin watched, eyes wide, as it all unfolded through the scrying crystal before them:

Suddenly, Iruka leaped into the clearing. "Hello, Naruto," he said, icy, smiling and infuriated.

But Naruto stood and chuckled sheepishly, seemingly oblivious, like it was all just some dumb prank. "Wow, you found me," he said. "And I only managed to learn one of the jutsu from this scroll.

"But! I'm going to show it to you, and it's amazing! And you'll pass me into Genin if I do it correctly, right?" he said brightly, beaming.

"Who… told you I'd do that…?" said Iruka slowly, paling, true alarm coming over his features.

"Mizuki-sensei!" said Naruto innocently. "When he led me away from the Academy! He told me about the secret second Genin test, this meeting place - everything!"

Horrified realization passed across Iruka's face.

Just then, weapons flew out from the nearby underbrush, trying to kill Naruto and Iruka before anything could happen.

Iruka pushed Naruto out of the way, but was caught in the process himself. Naruto fell to the ground unharmed, but Iruka was shoved up against a wall of the wood spy outpost inside the moonlit forest clearing, taking several kunai and shuriken including one to the knee so he couldn't move properly. He leaned back, pained, against the wooden wall.

And then Mizuki came up smirking onto a tree branch at the edge of the clearing, his voice smug.

"I'm surprised you found the place where I decided to meet the kid… Iruka. Nicely done. It'll get you as dead as he's about to be, but nicely done."

"I see," said Iruka grimly. "So that's how it is."

"Naruto," Mizuki commanded coldly, "give me the scroll."

"Wait… What's going on here?" Naruto was looking between the two men in confusion and wide-eyed alarm.

"Naruto, don't give it to him!" Iruka called, glaring upward at Mizuki. "There is no secret second Genin test! Mizuki lied to you! He wanted that scroll of forbidden powerful jutsu for himself, so he used you as a scapegoat to get it! He was planning on getting here and just making you and the scroll disappear!"

Naruto looked up slowly… and snarled silently, glaring daggers at Mizuki.

But Mizuki laughed harshly. "Naruto - Iruka's afraid of you having the power inside that scroll. You realize that, don't you?"

"Don't listen, Naruto, he's trying to fool you!" Iruka barked in alarm.

"Fool him? I'll do him a big favor. I'm the only one who's going to tell him the truth," said Mizuki with a wide, cruel grin.

"Mizuki, no!" Iruka screamed, but one of his knees was blown and he couldn't move forward.

"We all know the story of the Fourth Hokage, and how he sealed the fox demon away in secret that night twelve years ago, dying in the process," said Mizuki, continuing on ruthlessly, looking coldly amused. "You never found it curious? That they never tell you what he sealed the demon into?

"You were born that day, Naruto, weren't you? Orphaned at birth in the attack?"

Naruto still looked confused.

"Here, I'll give you some help," Mizuki sneered. "After the attack was over, the newly reinstated Third Hokage made a law. Part of the law was that you, Naruto, were never allowed to know it existed."

"... What was it? What was the law?!" Naruto demanded, suddenly angry and afraid.

"Don't, Mizuki!" Iruka called desperately.

But Mizuki steamrolled on. "The law stated that no one in Konoha was ever allowed to talk about one fact. People weren't allowed to talk about it to each other. People weren't allowed to tell their children. No one your age knows, because no one was ever allowed to say anything.

"And that fact is that you, Naruto, are a new incarnation of the demon fox. It's sealed inside of you."

Naruto's eyes slowly widened - horror and realization dawning over his expression.

"That's right. You killed Iruka's parents - he was ten. You destroyed half the village. Congratulations. It's all on your previous incarnation. People have been lying to your face about the truth ever since.

"You never found it weird? That everyone hated you so much? That so much prejudice was allowed to filter down to the other unknowing people your own age? That you were so avoided and alone?"

Tears had filled Naruto's eyes, furious tears, his face twisted. "No," he said quietly, and then repeated, "No, no, no!" He was losing his head. He was crouched in a hunched stance, furious blue chakra energy emanating out around his form.

Iruka was watching in horror, Mizuki in satisfaction.

"Nobody accepts you," said Mizuki vindictively, "and nobody ever will. You'll never become Hokage. Iruka hates you! You know that's why he failed you, you've known it all along! He never helped you more, because secretly he blames you for killing his family.

"Die, Naruto!"

And Mizuki took a giant fuuma shuriken from his back and threw it with precision aim right at Naruto's body, attempting to cleave him in half. Naruto scrambled away, but he wasn't going to make it in time -

"Naruto, get down!" Iruka screamed. Naruto ducked on instinct, Iruka threw himself forward -

And the fuuma shuriken pierced right through Iruka's back.

Naruto looked up slowly in horrified wonder from the ground… as Iruka knelt above him, shielding and protecting him, coughing up blood.

"... Why?" Naruto finally whispered. "Why would you save… me?"

"... Because you and I are the same," Iruka admitted quietly.

And then he explained:

"After my parents died… I was all alone. No one ever said they were proud of me, no one supported me or was there for me. I have to admit, I was never a great ninja. People made fun of me a lot. Some of them still do. I've… always been a rather untalented, emotional dork. Teaching is the only thing I'm good at, in the end.

"So I worked off of that - I played off of that, played the part of the class clown to get noticed. I was never good enough to be noticed through talent… so I was noticed through goofing off instead. Being laughed at was better than being forgotten - or ignored.

"My main social connection for many years was through people laughing at my stupid antics. And it was… really lonely.

"It's lonely, isn't it, Naruto? Being like that?"

Iruka was crying. Actual tears were streaming down his face, and his voice kept breaking off. Naruto just stared up at him, for once without words.

"You were lonely, too, weren't you? You were suffering inside. And I let my resentment of the Kyuubi demon that had killed my parents… keep me from helping you in the way that I should have.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. If I'd been a better teacher, a better person… maybe it would never have come to this. I was so happy… when I saw you making friends. But that wasn't enough, was it? You needed an adult.

"And I could have been that adult… and I wasn't. I'm sorry," Iruka sobbed.

It was probably the first time anyone had ever apologized to Naruto for treating him the way that they did.

But then Mizuki broke the moment. "Don't make me laugh! Do you really trust anyone, Iruka especially, to forgive you?! He probably just wants the scroll back!"

And that seed of doubt was all that needed to be planted in Naruto's alone, distrusting mind. His face closed up… and he ran off into the underbrush as Iruka called after him.

Mizuki ran after Naruto… and Iruka stood with effort, pulled the knife from his leg and the fuuma shuriken from his back, and ran as best as he could after Mizuki.

Still trying, through his limp and his injured back, to save his student.

From the office, the Hokage spoke solemnly. "Well… Mizuki has a big mouth," he said flatly, displeased. "You six should know what is on everyone's minds. If Naruto tries to take revenge on the village with that scroll… or, God forbid, tries to unseal what is inside him… we will have no choice but to take him out. With that scroll, he can do either one."

"Naruto wouldn't do that!" Sakura snapped testily.

"We have to go out after him," said Sasuke tonelessly, tense, pale, and wide-eyed.

"No!" the Hokage snapped. "You will wait right here! I do not know what your presence would do at this point, and there are too many unknown factors out there as it is!"

"... Come on, Naruto," Shikamaru whispered, staring into the scrying crystal.

"... He needs to hear Iruka say something positive," Hinata realized softly, wide-eyed. "He needs to hear Iruka say something good while Iruka thinks he isn't around! He needs to realize Iruka forgives him and accepts him, even though he holds the Kyuubi!"

And so they all looked desperately into the crystal as the scene continued…

Mizuki did a Henge into Iruka, but Iruka did a Henge into Naruto. They found each other, leaping parallel amongst the trees of the forest.

"Naruto!" the supposed Iruka called out. "Everything Mizuki said is a lie! Give me that scroll! Mizuki is after it!"

The supposed Naruto threw himself at the supposed Iruka, hit him in the abdomen, and they both went crashing to opposite sides of the underbrush in a clearing below.

When they'd landed, the supposed Iruka began, "... Why, Naruto…?" Then he turned and transformed back into Mizuki. "How did you know I wasn't Iruka?" he demanded viciously.

The supposed Naruto transformed back into Iruka, leaning weakly against a tree and smirking. "I'm Iruka," he panted.

But unbeknownst to either of them, the real Naruto had found them. Clutching the massive scroll, he crept up unnoticed behind a large tree at the edge of the clearing… and listened into what Iruka and Mizuki were saying beyond.

"What's in this for you?" Mizuki asked Iruka. "Why would you be protecting the one that killed your family?"

"I'm not going to let someone as evil as you get that scroll!" said Iruka fiercely. But he was prone weakly against the tree, unable to move, Mizuki stood tall above him -

And they both knew it. Iruka's time was running out.

"And you really don't think Naruto is any less evil than I am?" said Mizuki caustically. "The person who carries that scroll has the power to do whatever they truly desire. The demon fox - there is no way he wouldn't use that power for his own ends!"

"... Maybe you'd be right," Iruka began. Naruto's face contracted; his friends back in the office gasped softly… And then Iruka continued, "If Naruto were the demon fox.

"But he isn't.

"People aren't what they carry, Mizuki, or what they started out as. They are what they decide to be. And Naruto is… human. He is one of my most prized students.

"He works very hard - harder than anyone gives him credit for. And yes, he has a one-track mind, and no, he's not naturally all that brilliant and talented. But because he went so long with no one accepting him, with being looked down upon, he can understand and relate to the suffering of others - to human suffering. And Naruto's real power is that he can use it as a kind of empathy, to connect in a special way with other people. His childish earnestness… is something to be treasured, not looked down upon. The things other people insult are the exact things that will one day make him strong.

"He is not the demon fox. He is Uzumaki Naruto of the Hidden Village of Konoha!"

Naruto was crying.

None of his friends had ever seen that before. Hidden curled up with the scroll among the massive roots of the tree he had hidden behind, weeping tears of joy were streaming down his face. He was sniffling very softly, desperate with relief and emotion and acceptance.

Back in the clearing, Mizuki reacted.

"You're so gullible, Iruka," he scoffed. "You always were, ever since we were kids. I've changed my mind.

"You die first!"

And then, irrationally infuriated by something indefinable, Mizuki's face twisted as he threw the other giant fuuma shuriken from behind his back straight at Iruka.

Iruka knew he wouldn't get away in time, so he didn't try. A tired, peaceful, accepting little smile came over his face as he watched the fuuma shuriken spin itself at him…

But Naruto wasn't about to let that happen.

He threw himself into the clearing and blocked the fuuma shuriken, tossing it away spinning into the trees harmlessly. Then he landed in front of Iruka, snarling, in a stance. Iruka stared at him in honest surprise.

"You so much as touch my Sensei," Naruto snarled in a deadly voice, "and I'll kill you!"

He put the scroll back behind him - within Iruka's reach.

In the office, the Hokage relaxed.

"I'll finish a kid like you in one attack!" Mizuki promised.

"Try it, and I'll return it tenfold!" This sounded like a big, dramatic, empty threat - until Naruto put his hands in an unfamiliar hand seal. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"No way," said Sasuke in disbelief back in the office.

"What is it?" Ino asked.

"The Kage Bunshin… takes incredible chakra. It makes real, physical copies of the fighter, not illusory ones. The Tajuu Kage Bunshin… is the mass shadow clone technique. Kage Bunshin on a wide scale. He's trying to do something forbidden from the scroll," Sasuke breathed, his eyes wide. "The one technique he says he learned. But if he failed the exam because of the regular Bunshin..."

But back in the clearing, it worked.

An orange blur appeared around Mizuki… followed by hundreds of perfect physical copies of Naruto. Surrounding Mizuki from all sides. Everywhere.

Mizuki looked around in silent horror… as all the Naruto clones as one gave a slow, evil, shit-eating grin.

"What was that you said," they all said as one, "about finishing me off in one attack?"

Mizuki's face was white. His mouth opened and closed silently like a fish's. He had finally been rendered speechless.

Mizuki hadn't been expecting for Naruto to actually have succeeded in learning something from the scroll.

"Well, if you're not coming, we're going!" the clones all echoed cheerfully, vicious.

And then Naruto, back behind them with Iruka, said it, his face deadly: "Charge."

And in a thunderous herd, all the Shadow Clones threw themselves at a screaming Mizuki and began ripping him limb from limb.


Afterward, when all the clones had dissipated, Naruto walked up to a bloody, unconscious, limb-torn Mizuki on the ground… and grinned.

"Guess I lost my temper," he said cheerfully, totally unrepentant.

"Note to self: remind me never to piss off Naruto," Shikamaru muttered back in the office, and Sasuke smirked.

Back in the clearing, Naruto looked up. "With some medical help, are you going to be okay, Iruka-sensei?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Iruka confirmed, smiling with exasperated fondness, "I'll be okay.

"Hey, Naruto. Come on over here. Sit right there and close your eyes for a minute. I want to give you something."

Confused, Naruto slowly went over and knelt down before Iruka… and everyone back at the office gasped in delight as Iruka slowly took off his battered old hitai-ate, and wrapped it around Naruto's forehead.

"Iruka-sensei? Can I look yet?" Naruto asked impatiently, his little nose wrinkled in frustration and confusion.

"Okay." Iruka smiled and sat back. "Open them."

Naruto's eyes opened. He saw Iruka's empty forehead… and slowly reached up, awed, to touch the band wrapped around his own.

"Congratulations, graduate," said Iruka cheerfully. "You officially pass into Genin."

Naruto just stared, wordless, floored.

"What? It only makes sense. Kage Bunshin is even more useful than regular Bunshin. You passed everything else. I literally have no reason to fail you.

"Now, what do you say we celebrate with your favorite?" Iruka smiled secretively. "After we get all this back to the Hokage and I get medical help… ramen at Ichiraku's. On me. How does that sound?"

Naruto's lip trembled… and he threw his arms around a surprised Iruka's waist and began sobbing, shoulders shaking, silently into his flak vest. He would get what the other children had gotten, after all.

Iruka shouted out in surprise… then smiled, and hugged Naruto back.

"I was going to lecture you on how it's only going to get harder from here, now that you're an official ninja," he said gently. "But maybe that can wait till the ramen shop."

Back in the office, everyone relaxed in relief, smiling warmly.

"Naruto's pardoned, right?" Hinata asked the Hokage in concern.

"Oh, yes," said the Hokage, smiling fondly down at the crystal. "He was fooled by a teacher, a ninja his senior. Pardoned and passed, I think.

"It all worked out, after all."


Iruka passed with ANBU Black Ops into the big, whitish, rectangular hospital out the window below, through the doors. Naruto came back into the main desk part of the office with the Hokage, the scroll clutched safely in the Hokage's grasp…

And Sakura ran forward and threw her arms around Naruto. Naruto paused in surprise.

"We saw," said Hinata gently, "through Hokage-sama's scrying crystal. And it's fine. We still care about you."

"And… you guys don't see me any differently?" Naruto blinked uncertainly, surprised.

"No, Naruto," said Sakura in exasperated fondness, standing back, her eyes a bit damp. "You're still the same goofball to us."

"Congratulations on passing," said Sasuke with quiet warmth. "One more step on the road to becoming Hokage, right?"

Naruto slowly brightened… and beamed. "Yeah! That's right!" he cheered enthusiastically.

"Man, I can't believe not even I figured it out," said Shikamaru, frowning. "Treating you badly all those years… I'm genuinely disappointed in my intellect." He sounded amusingly offended.

"And for Shikamaru, to be disappointed in any performance of his is a big deal," said Ino dryly, amused. "Nah, don't worry, kid. You're still a nerd." She shrugged to Naruto philosophically.

"We gotta have an eating contest," said Chouji frankly. "I want to see how I measure up against a jinchuuriki demon container."

Naruto paused… and smiled. "Sounds good," he admitted. "So… we're all ninja?"

"Yeah." Sasuke smiled. "We're all ninja."


As Sasuke and Hinata were walking back toward their separate homes that night, down the dark, quiet, lamp-lit streets, they discussed what had happened.

"A lot of things make more sense now," Sasuke admitted. "I guess I've been underestimating Naruto for a long time. You never did, though." He looked over sideways at Hinata curiously. "What did you see that no one else did?"

"A good person," said Hinata, giving a little smile down at the ground, "who tried really hard even when nobody thought he could do it. Someone with the power to make other people feel better, and believe in themselves.

"That's what I saw."

"And… does this change your feelings about him?" Sasuke asked slowly in dread.

"... No," Hinata admitted, gazing thoughtfully and cheerfully up at the stars. "I'm glad I got to know him… before all the stressful stuff happened. Gives me a clearer picture of him on an interpersonal level.

"I bet Sakura can say the same thing about you," said Hinata, smiling gently over at Sasuke. "I think we both realized where we were better off."

Sasuke relaxed and smiled back, feeling a gentle, tender kind of fondness - a love, he knew, that he shouldn't be feeling - as they walked the streets together back toward where they separated to their different compounds.


Sakura called Gaara back in her bedroom that night.

He picked up after a few rings. "... Hello?" He sounded surprised. "I thought you'd be asleep."

"Late night with the Hokage. I just found out something about someone… one of my friends." Sakura's frown was obvious in her voice. "I… I can't give you much information, and you'll understand why in a minute.

"We have someone here, that not many people are aware of. Someone like you."

Gaara stilled entirely. "... Someone like me? You mean… a jinchuuriki?" he said softly, morbidly fascinated.

"... Yeah," Sakura admitted, wincing over the phone. "A secret one. One of my friends, and I never knew."

"Are you in danger?" Gaara straightened, his tone dark.

"No," said Sakura. "He's not going to hurt me."

"Is it… the same kid who supposedly failed?"

"Yeah. I just got the full story. It's been… a weird day and a weird night.

"Anyway, I can't say much more, but let's just say he passed specially. And me and some other close friends just found out the truth about him. What… is there anything I can say…?" Sakura struggled to find the words. "What do I say to make him feel better?"

Gaara relaxed. "You… are an amazingly good person," he said wearily. "That is not what most people would be asking."

"Don't say anything to anyone," said Sakura worriedly.

"Don't worry, I won't, I'm far more loyal to you than I am to anyone here," said Gaara scathingly.

"Thanks. But… what do I say? Do?" Sakura wondered.

"Okay. Umm." Gaara sat back, his voice hoarse from late at night, trying to think there in his compound bedroom on his bed. "... Honestly, I'd never considered that there were others like me out there before.

"But there must be. There are nine of us - nine demons. There's me, and your friend, and seven others out there in the world. Just… factually.

"Sorry, I'm rambling, I'm trying to think.

"Look. I guess the most I can say is that you should always accept him. Be there for him. Jinchuuriki suffer… mostly from the kind of prejudice that means hatred and loneliness. The natural antidote to that…

"Is what you offered me," he finished softly.

"Connection and love," Sakura realized to herself, not fully thinking in that moment about what she was saying.

Gaara felt himself gentle, impossibly tender. Never before had he wanted to treat someone so well, such the opposite of violently. Never before had he wanted to protect someone, touch them, hold them and cradle them.

"Yeah," he said softly. "Exactly. Just… don't go replacing me, okay?" He smiled worriedly.

To his relief, Sakura laughed. "Oh, don't worry, he's nothing like you. Total dork," she said cheerfully. "He doesn't act… like what you'd expect. Hides behind smiles. It's why it surprised me so much."

"Well… be careful," Gaara warned. "When it gets down to it…

"Those are the trigger tempers you want to watch out for."

"... Okay," said Sakura softly. "Thanks.

"Next, I guess, come ninja team assignments. You know who you'll be with?"

"Yeah, my siblings," said Gaara dismissively, "and Baki, my father's advisor. I'm more interested… in who you'll be with."

"Look at us," said Sakura, smiling. "We're on our way.

"I wonder when our time will come, for our future, for the big moment for each of us."


Author's Notes: Aaaand... scene.

That's it, the end of book one of this little series. My head canon is that book two will be the Wave mission and focus on SasuHina (but have GaaSaku) while book three will be the Chuunin Exams and focus on GaaSaku (but have SasuHina). I will let you know when book two is up.

Thank you for being with me on this incredible, emotional, taxing journey. The reviews ranged from absolutely wonderful - most of you guys were so freaking awesome! - to downright horrible.

The anonymous guest who wrote "Kill yourself virgin" was my personal favorite on the bad scale. They reviewed right after reading the awkward teenage wet dreams in chapter nine, which I think says more about them than it does about me. I would just like to let that guy know that I'm 24 with a job and a degree, I know what kinks I like, I know how to pleasure myself, and I've had boyfriends, but I'm pretty sure he's a virgin. I would also like him to know that I laughed for a good two minutes after reading his review.

But for the most part? Totally freaking awesome reviews. You guys are so good to me.

I hope you stay with me for the rest of the books. It's going to be a fun, wild ride. I will start posting book two after I've finished writing it.