Hana Inuzuka knew that something was up with her blonde classmate. The village seemed to despise him for a reason she could not truely discern. At a surface level of thinking, it was because he was a homeless orphan urchin who was a decided pain in the ass for everyone that met him.
But Hana Inuzuka was not blind, and knew about the beatings. She knew the times that Naruto had come closer to death at the hands of her own village more times than most shinobi would in their entire career, barring another war. And this was the boy who would shoot off at the mouth about being Hokage.
He did know what he was saying, right? Right?
Hana really hoped he did.
"Mrr Yip!" Han, the oldest of her triplets said from her hoodie pocket. Hana took Han's words into consideration.
"Yeah, I suppose i could ask him, but then I'd... you know… Have to talk… to him… FUCK!" Hana's train of thought led her to one unfortunate terminal. She would have to talk to Naruto. Not that that was a bad thing, the boy had the best and worst puns and the shittiest jokes. It was just no one really… talked to Naruto. They yelled at him, laughed at him, tolerated him. But besides the strange friendship he and Itachi had, Hana didn't think that she had ever seen anyone hold a legitimate conversation with the boy. Ever.
Actually it was kind of freaky how everyone treated him. She had, of course, asked her Mother and her Father, while he was still around, about Naruto Uzumaki.
They had shut that conversation down quickly. Far too quickly to be something she should not be concerned about.
Shaking her head, she walked towards the blonde, who sat under a tree with Itachi. He seemed to be talking animatedly about… something. Hana thought she overheard the words "kaboom", "Tags", and "Hyuuga."
Oh god, he's going to destroy the Hyuuga estates. Hana thought as she cleared her throat. Naruto glanced up at the Inuzuka. "Yo, Hana-Chan! What brings you to our great kingdom of three meters?" Naruto asked theatrically with a bright smile and loud laugh. Hana blinked back the sudden sound. Right, Naruto's loud. You knew this.
"I just had a question for naruto." hana said. Naruto motioned for her to sit down. She complied, sitting on the grass as her three pups decided to wander around a little in the dirt.
"So, Hana-chan, you had a question?" Naruto said, drawing something in the dirt with a stick.
Hana nodded. "I was wondering why you wanted to be Hokage."
Naruto stopped his drawing of squiggles and looked me in the eye. "You know, you're the third person to ever ask that. Must make me lucky, eh?" Naruto smiled before growing serious. "At first, it was just something to gain respect, ya know? The village can't dislike me if I'm Hokage, Dattebayo! But eventually it became that I didn't want anyone to suffer. Not like I had, anyway. People will always suffer in the end, but if I can prevent even a miniscule amount of that suffering, it will be worth it. And being Hokage just seems the best way to do that." Naruto said as he stared off into space. Hana looked at him, wide eyed.
That was.. Surprisingly mature for Naruto. Are we sure this isn't some really well done clone or Henge? Hana thought to herself. "Well, that… answers my question i guess. Thanks for speaking with me, naruto. I'll see you in class." hana said before standing up and giving a sharp whistle. Her pups, Han, Lobi and Tanku scurried over to her, nipping at her heels. She headed off to the fields where her friends were waiting for her. Itachi raised an eyebrow after her, before turning his head to naruto.
"You were saying something about stolen Hyuuga seals?"
Naruto immediately brightened, regaling Itachi to a probably inflated version of how he snuck into the Hyuuga household, stole several copies of their clan sealing technique scrolls. And was promptly disgusted by what they held. The seals should have been Kinjutsu and were things that would have made Orochimaru happy. And anything that makes Orochimaru happy is downright evil.
But there was some good that came from the raid, and that was the exposure to fuinjutsu, even if it was evil. And Naruto took to the concept like a fish did to water. Or atleast, itachi thinks Naruto does. Even if he can't seem to really explain how the flow of chakra spreads and runs through the ink to the dark haired boy. Naruto had explained it as a mix between poetry and algebra that followed computer circuit logics. That just confused Itachi even more.
What was a computer circuit, anyway? It's not like Itachi knew, and Naruto's best explanation was "Wires that do things." for the Uchiha's question.
Naruto confused him sometimes.
"Do you want me to teach you the substitution Jutsu?" Itachi asked, partially to make himself feel less stupid. Seals Itachi would never understand in a million years, but Jutsu? Yeah, Itachi could do Jutsu.
Naruto perked up, looking at his friend. "Who do you take me for, Kagu? Of course I would!"
"So, what was that about?" Ame asked Hana, who was probably her best friend. Hana gave her a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Hana returned, a voice bordering on defensive suspicion lacing her words. Ame raised her hands in mock surrender.
"It's just you never seem to talk to Naruto or Itachi ever. And you going out of your way seems a little… unordinary, that's all."
Hana gave a snort, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it, Ame-chan. It's nothing. I just had a question that was answered, that's all." Hana responded as she picked up Lo and put him on her head.
"Yeah, but if you really had a question, you could have gone to Ao sensei about it. Unless it was a personal question. Oh, did you finally fall for Itachi-kun? I bet you went over to ask him out! Awe, were you rejected? I'm so sorry, my sister in arms, but Itachi-kun is going to be mine!"
Hana made a slightly disgusted face. "No, I did not go ask Itachi out!" Hana huffed indignantly. "I was actually asking Naruto something, that's all."
Ame gave her a confused look. "The dead last dobe? Why would you do that?" Ame asked. She immediately back pedaled at the glare Hana gave her. "I mean, he's funny and nice and all, but you have to admit he's kind of a loud idiot."
Hana tried to find a retort to that. She really did, but Naruto was very loud, and often not quite stupid, but… Spaztic? Yes, that was the word she wanted. Spaztic.
Ame just gave a shrug, tossing Hana a ball. "Come on! Shiki challenged us to a game of ball and I refuse to lose!"
Hana rolled her eyes, but gave a laugh anyway. "Alright, alright. Shiki's going to get his ass kicked then." She smiled, a sharp competitive glint in Inuzuka's eyes.
Naruto leaned over to his partner as Ao-sensei droned on. "You said you had a solution to my clone problem?" He asked Itachi.
Itachi nodded, knowing full well that Naruto had some extreme levels of chakra. While the Sharingan couldn't see the pathways of chakra that the Byakugan could, it did see the glowing flow of the stuff. Like wisps of vapor or smoke floating under the skin. It was often this ability that let the Sharingan through genjutsu and illusions, as the residual chakra shaping of the jutsu were left in the air.
And looking at Naruto was like looking at a blinding bonfire. Holy Kami above did Naruto have chakra.
When Naruto learned that Itachi could, theoretically, graduate from the academy right now, being capable of the three academy Jutsu, the eccentric boy demanded that Itachi show him how to do them.
It was one year from graduation, and Naruto had perfected the Henge and could do a reliable substitution.
But the day Naruto pulled off a successful bushin would be the marking of the apocalypse. That and the day Naruto said he didn't want Ramen. Itachi remembered with a wince Naruto's first clone.
But that wasn't important. What was important was the technique itachi had just discovered. Or, rather stolen from some grey haired ANBU. But it took a lot of chakra and it didn't seem to need a lot of focus, as the energy took it's form naturally it seemed.
Itachi nodded. "I do. Meet me at the normal place number 3 after school. About 4."
Naruto nodded before returning to his doodling. He never really paid attention to the lectures, much to Itachi's chagrin.
Four o'clock could not come soon enough for the spaztic blonde.
Naruto and Itachi met in the deeper parts of the forest. "So, what magical chakra exercise do you have that can help me out, tachi?" naruto asked, leaning against a tree.
"Not an exercise, a clone." Itachi shook his head. "This one needs a lot, and I mean a lot of Chakra, so i really wouldn't worry."
Naruto beamed, bouncing on his feet. "Come on, come on! Show me! I got to learn this!"
Itachi sighed, rolling his eyes. "I won't show you, because I don't think that I have enough chakra to successfully pull off. But I can show you how." Itachi said, saving himself from Naruto's sad puppy eye jutsu.
"So, I think that it works by focusing your chakra into a physical form. You remember the advice I gave you for the normal bushin?"
Naruto squinted, focusing for a moment. "The visualization trick?" Naruto asked, pretty sure he got that right.
Itachi nodded. "Yup. now, I'm pretty sure that all you have to do is use that visualization trick and make this hand sign." Itachi said, making the cross hand sign for the Shadow Clone Bushin. "And then it's a matter of just pushing your chakra out into a human shape. You think you can do that?"
Naruto squinted suspiciously, but nodded. Making the hand seal, he pushed his chakra out. A hazy looking clone, mostly dead, came into existence. Naruto grumbled at his lack of success.
"Not bad Naruto." Itachi said approvingly. "It's already at the level of your normal bushin, which has taken you literal months to get to such a level." itachi said, hoping to give his friend some hope.
Naruto took in a deep breath, and let it out. "Yeah, i guess you're right. I'll keep at it. Besides, if you don't move it, you're going to be late with your meeting with Sasuke, Dattebayo!" Naruto said, ending in a sharp laugh. Itachi's eyes widened at the time.
"Dear Kami, I've got to get going! I'll see you tomorrow, naruto!" Itachi said as he ran off. Naruto opted to practice his new clone jutsu some more.
"Ok, now, how do I improve you?" Naruto squinted at the dead clone, who promptly dispersed into a cloud of smoke.
"Lots of help you were." The Jinjuriki grumbled. He summoned another clone, trying to focus a little more. The hazy half dead clone fell flat on its face, groaning.
"Damn it!"
Itachi looked at his partner and friend. It was not uncommon for Naruto to come to school late. Ao sensei scolded the boy constantly for his tardiness and airheadedness.
It was very uncommon for naruto to come to school tired, with bags under his eyes that would qualify as training weights.
"What happened to you?" Itachi asked quietly as Naruto slumped down.
Naruto glared at him with a tired, soul rendering stare that could sour lemons and curdle cheese. Itachi immediately leaned back, struck in fear.
Itachi was pretty sure Naruto just released a little Killing Intent with that glare.
"Stupid fucking shit ass clones." Naruto muttered under his breath, and promptly opted to go to sleep. Itachi raised an eyebrow, but returned his attention to the board.
"Ao sensei! Naruto fell asleep!" Said one of the annoying girls from behind the Uchiha heir.
Ao looked at the sleeping boy, and weighed his options.
A: wake the demon child up, and probably send him out of the class.
Pros: No demon child, and a show of strength
Cons: Endless pranking, and since the demon child is in a bad mood, nasty pranks as well.
B: Let him sleep.
Pros: No vindictive vengeance pranks (which are the worst kind of Pranks Naruto has to offer) and no loud disturbances while the demon boy sleeps
Cons: Show of weakness and validation to the three Naras that they can nap in class.
Ao squinted, his meticulous train of thought coming to it's stop.
"Itachi, please give naruto a wake up shake."
Itachi complied, giving the lightly snoring boy a light shove that was probably not enough to disturb a sleeping cat, much less naruto.
"He's not getting up, sir." itachi said calm and short. Ao shrugged.
"That's ok. Just be sure to wake him or shut him up if he starts snoring, ok?"
Itachi nodded. "Of Course Ao sensei, i will try."
Itachi only had to wake naruto thrice during that school day.
It had been two years since Itachi and Naruto met, and some change. The two boys had come a long way from their younger selves. Naruto had discovered a couple things about the Shadow Clone Jutsu
One: it took a lot of chakra to pull off
Two: He had more than a lot of chakra, much to itachi's pleasure and envy.
Three: He gained the memories of his shadow clones
Four: That gave him a headache if he made too many clones.
And five: Itachi was about 80% done with naruto's shadow clone shenanigans.
On a completely separate note, the two were making progress on improving the clone into an exploding clone. Although it was a slow process, progress was being made.
At least, naruto thought that progress was being made. It was hard to tell sometimes.
But let's not focus on that. Let's focus on more important things.
Like the ninja academy graduation exam.
Naruto sat at his desk, staring blankly at the extensive packet of questions. I really, really hate testing. The blonde thought as he began to go through the questions.
Who was the first Hokage?
What is the standard shinobi mission rank system?
Explain in detail the proper procedure for a find and capture mission.
You and your squad are caught in an ambush. Files on your squadmates are provided. Use the figure below and write your imminent actions.
Etc etc.
Naruto rolled his eyes at the questions. None of these things were fun! There were no fun questions at all! The best questions were the simulations, but those were boring and standard scenarios.
Eventually naruto made it through the pack of questions. Standing up, Naruto walked to the front of the room and gave it to the watchful Ao sensei.
"Thank you Naruto. Please return to your desk and be quiet until everyone's done, ok?"
Naruto nodded, opening his mouth to say something. Ao gave him a look, and the blonde promptly shut his mouth. "Right." Naruto said quietly, returning to his seat.
Itachi, who was the first to turn in his assignment, making sure to miss at least a few questions, turned to his friend.
"Did it suck?" The raven haired boy asked.
Naruto nodded. "Dear Ishval above, I hated that so much." Naruto groaned quietly to his partner. He knew he had bombed it, at least a little. Tests were never his strong suit. Besides, the blonde really didn't care that much about it.
He was almost guaranteed the lowest score in the class.
Just as he and Itachi had planned. The two, once they found a pattern the team assignments per year, had devised a plan. They found that the dead last of each year was paired with the rookie of that same year and either the second best student or the top konichi, whichever was more convenient.
And since it seemed that most everyone else in the class disliked or didn't care for Naruto, and Itachi feared working with not one, but two fangirls. Itachi considered seppuku as a viable alternative to such a fate, as it would drive him mad before he made chunin.
Kami above, Itachi could barely handle this class as it was, being over 80% "Ass lickers" as Naruto called them.
One can guess exactly what naruto meant by that.
Eventually, Ao sensei had collected everyone's tests. "Alright everyone, outside! We have Taijutsu and Ninja weapons tests to take!" Ao declared, ushering his students outside. Naruto grinned excitedly. Now this is what he was looking forward to. Physical action, with no stupid brain work. Ao lined his students up in front of the targets. Going through the lists of students, he handed each of them a set of ten shuriken and ten kuni. Eventually itachi came up, lining up his shots carefully. The shuriken flew without impediment or flaw, all ten of his landing dead center.
His kuni followed the same pattern. Ao smiled as he marked the score. "Very good, Itachi. Just as expected from our Rookie of the Year." He smiled, missing Itachi's subtle eye twitch and frown. Naruto decided to go next, aiming his shots in a much choppier manner. It was not a constant and beautiful motion between each throw, but a smile throw, recenter and aim thing.
Naruto's shuriken found seven successful targets, four of them being on the bullseye.
His Kuni were better though. All ten found their target, even if only four made the bullseye.
Ao gave Naruto a suspicious look, but marked the scores. He could see that naruto was aiming, and more often than not it wasn't at the dead center. While those three missed shuriken were not intentional, if the boy had aimed dead center, they would have hit the target easily. That's… interesting. Ao thought, troubled.
The teacher led his students to the flattened dirt ring. He had several other Chunin there, who had volunteered to be sparring partners for the exams. Itachi, of course, did spectacularly. He was a prodigy, after all. Naruto was interesting. His sparring partner clearly hated the boy, and went above the recommended levels of violence. Ao would have to have harsh words with the man. But naruto did admirably in the face of such overwhelming force, dodging and ducking at the correct moments, even if Naruto took one too many hits. The returning blows made even Ao wince, as he was pretty sure that naruto had given the Chunin a nasty shiner. Full marks.
The class was led back into the room. "Alright everyone, now from the ninjutsu test." Ao said, shuffling a deck of index cards. Pulling out a name, Ao smiled. It's the brat. He thought. "Naruto Uzumaki!" Ao barked out. Naruto raised his head, rubbing away as a bit of broken skin on his jaw. "Yeh?" He asked.
Ao was going to have very harsh words with that chunin.
"Please show me the three jutsu." Ao said, sitting down. Naruto walked, well, closer to limped, to the front of the room. "Substitution, Henge, and a clone right?" the boy asked, seeking confirmation.
"Two clones, but yes. You may proceed when ready." Ao nodded. Naruto nodded in return, taking in a deep calming breath. Throwing up a single ram sign, the boy transformed in a puff of smoke into Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Hokage. Ao inspected it very closely.
"Very good Naruto. A nearly flawless henge." Ao nodded. Naruto frowned, dropping the illusion.
"What was wrong with it?" He asked, confused.
Ao smiled, simply stating that the blonde had forgotten the Hokage's signature pipe. Naruto slapped his forehead comically.
Returning his focus, Naruto ran through three hand signs, ending on the snake sign. He vanished in a puff of smoke, having replaced himself with Itachi, who stumbled to the ground. He was sitting down when the mischievous blonde shifted his position, after all.
Ao nodded again, marking the clipboard. "And now the clones."
Naruto nodded, substituting again with itachi. "Stop that!" Itachi said to his friend in a hiss. Naruto just smiled.
With a single cross hand sign, and the words "Shadow Clone Jutsu!", two identical clones appeared next to him. Ao was impressed, thoroughly. "Very good naruto. You made a strong showing, and I am very proud of your progress in my class."
"Wait, but he didn't do the clone Jutsu!" Came a whiny voice from the back. "Naruto Baka did something else!"
Ao gripped the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up. "Any form of clone Jutsu is acceptable for the final exam, Hatumatso-san. Now, shut your trap and forget it." Ao sighed as he raffled through his cards again. "Alright! Ame Tsuba, please come to the front of the room!"
Hello! So, it seems that Trap/ Fuinjutsu is a rather popular choice. however, as unfortinate as it is, I already have story with a trap master/ Uzumaki fuinjutsu-ist naruto called Konoha's Red Fox that you should check out. so, if you did vote for that, please recast if you desire.
anyway our votes are:
Rinnigan Naruto (2)
Chakra Chain naruto (2)
Full Metal Alchemist(3)
Shit load of chakra(1)
i will decide once the next chapter shows up in the semi near future, and the polls will be closed. But untill then, please continue to vote