Chapter 2: Years of Academy Training Wasted

"Ok class let's start with attendance...Aburame Shino..."

Namida-sensei was substituting for Iruka-sensei today. She made her way down the list and eventually got to my name.

"...Namikaze Menma...huh? That can't be right. Namikaze Naruto?"

"Here."

There were whispers among the students.

"I thought there was only two children of the hokage? This must be adopted or something."

"No, he can't be adopted, he has those same blue eyes and hair."

"Pst...hey, Naruko? Do you have two brothers?"

She replied, "Unfortunately I do. He doesn't do all that much and is extremely lazy. I honestly forget about him most of the time."

Huh? I mean, huh? What the hell. Jesus I really am in a neglect fic. They all drank the kool-aid.

It wasn't even the first time this sort of thing had happened. I already had this when we first enrolled in the academy a couple of years ago.

(Flashback)

"Ok, lets begin. Everyone, stand up. Greet."

"Good morning Iruka-sensei. Let's begin a good year."

"Good morning class. Sit down." He paused for a moment before continuing. "My name is Umino Iruka, but call me Iruka-sensei. I will be your homeroom teacher. You all are here because you want to help protect your home and I will be there to help you along the way. I know a lot of you come from ninja clans and you also have extra training but please help out each other and help them improve. You can still be competitive, honestly. Competitiveness is what pushes people further but remember, everyone here is a comrade.

"Now lets start with our first attendance to make sure everyone is here. Stand up and give a quick introduction on why you want to be a ninja. Let's go by alphabetical order, so Aburame Shino."

"My name is Aburame Shino. I want to be a ninja because I want to grow my bugs."

It eventually made it all the way to my brother.

"My name is Namikaze Menma. I am the son of the Fourth Hokage. I want to be a ninja to be better than my dad and become an awesome hokage!"

Oh god. He stressed the. Pretentious.

Iruka continued, "Next is...huh...I thought Naruko had her name changed to Uzumaki last October when she was named clan heir. Oh wait, no Naruko is down there at Uzumaki. Anyways, that's not Naruko. That's Naruto. Is there a Namikaze Naruto in here?"

"I'm here."

Immediately whispers and accusations flurried about the classroom with Menma and Naruko.

"My name is Namikaze Naruto. I want to study sealing."

"Hah, good luck with that. Mom doesn't even think you're worth her time."

Oh you little shit Menma.

"Yeah, you're just too lazy to devote the time it needs. I doubt you're good at anything." Naruko added.

"All right settle down class," Iruka interrupted. "Let's continue with Nori Haruka,"

And just like that, my class reputation was ruined. Didn't matter what I did, the golden children of the Hokage had spoken.

"Yes, I'm here Namida-sensei."

Honestly. The class is going through this again. I've been here the whole time you dumbasses.

"Ah yes, anywho next is ..."

People did not really take to heart Iruka-sensei's discussion at the beginning of everyone being your comrades. It was inevitable. Little children around this age can all be extremely cruel. Then add the massive difference between children here and it's a mad house. Clan children having pride for their clan and putting down other clan children. Heaven forbid you all get a long, but when that happens, they gang up on the non-clan children with an aptitude for ninja abilities because their parents are chunin. Who then gang up on the civilian born children who are here because their parents want them to be.

We've already lost Haruka-chan. She was a good friend of mine as she sat next to me at the beginning.

(Flashback)

"Can I sit with you? For lunch I mean."

I was about to head outside to eat lunch, it was a beautiful sunny day and I wasn't about to let it go to waste. I looked behind me and it was Nori Haruka. She looked awfully shy and didn't meet my gaze.

"Sure, I don't mind. I was going to eat outside, you okay with that?"

"Yes! I don't mind at all!"

A little enthusiastic but I nod at her and motion her to follow along. I found a spot underneath the Cherry Blossom tree and opened my lunch box. I was feeling some comfort food on my first day and had a slice of pizza in it with an apple and a cookie. Ayame and I had perfected the pizza recipe. We had it on the Ichiraku secret menu. If this whole ninja thing wouldn't work out then I'd definitely open a restaurant with her. Specialize in food the ninja world had never seen before. Oh yes, make all the money!

"What's that? Some sort of bread?" Nori pointed to my lunch and more specifically the pizza in its container.

"Oh ho ho, this. This my dear is my most greatest invention. Behold, with a bread crust, tomato based sauce, and topped with 2 different kinds of cheeses. I give to you PIZZA! With this food, I shall change the world cuisine and become the richest chef in all the land!"

What started as a small giggle during my presentation of the awesomeness of pizza turned into a full laugh by the end.

"Nah, I'm just joking. You want to try some of it? It's not as good cold but its-"

"Yes please!"

Wow. I've cooked it at home once before in our toaster oven and I didn't get a single reaction out of anyone. "Sure, here's a small piece."

I handed her a piece and she took it excitedly. She ate it and I swear her eyes had some sparkles in them.

"MMMMMmmmm, that was delicious. Here's a little bit of my lunch. My mom made me an egg bento. Here you go."

We'd go off from the rest of the class and we'd share each other's lunches almost every day. It was nice having someone to talk to around my age. It was getting lonely. Constantly talking to older people than me with their response being like they were talking to a kid instead of an adult trapped in a kid's body is annoying. Unfortunately, the clique's had formed and both of us were on the outside.

Menma and Naruko had an entire legion of students at their beck and call. Sasuke, although still popular, wasn't at the center of every girl's attention. All three of them quickly rose through the class ranks and were all vying for the top place. Naruko was the best all around. She easily beat any of the other girls in the physical tests and she was excellent on tests. Sasuke was virtually the same as Naruko. Only he would be competing with Menma. As spars wouldn't happen until next year, Sasuke would come second in endurance exercises. Menma was the bests on the physical tests, but would occasionally answer test questions wrong. All three constantly competing with each other made for loads of gossip amongst their fan girls and boys.

As for other major clan children, Shikamaru and Choji are chill. They don't fuss around a lot. Kiba doesn't have a dog perched on his head yet but is still as loud as always. Hinata, she keeps to herself mostly. Ino is the opposite. She isn't the pseudo president of any fan club but she does like to be at the top of the gossip pecking order. Shino is a lot like Hinata, just even more unreadable. I'm not scared of him, heavens no. Just, hard to talk to someone who you know nothing about and it doesn't seem like you have common interests. Hence why Haruko and I have gotten along so far.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A fake wannabe and a no name uselessness. Of course, you two would get along just fine."

Oh great, the mean girls are here.

The ring leader being a girl with purple hair who I can't be bothered to remember her name. She was with her little posse of girls who branded together to make a fan club idolizing my siblings while not being skilled enough to actually be their friends. Quite tragic really.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What was your name again? You know what, nevermind. How about Bitch face leader, and you two are bitch face 1 and 2."

This has gone on long enough. You know, I was one who really just took this in stride because well, they honestly aren't worth my time. But you know, Haruka is actually a pretty decent at this whole ninja business and lasts longer than these fools.

"Naruto and Haruka, sitting by the tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Purple haired now described bitch face sang. "First comes love, then comes death, get out of here before you feel my wrath."

I was now standing up clenching my fists.

Oh wow, haven't heard that before. I'm done. "Feel my wrath? You sure pipsqueak? I doubt you could even throw a punch." Oh that got her riled up. Perfect.

"Oh why you good for nothing faker!"

Her arm starts cocking back ready for a punch but it is painfully slow. I countered by redirecting the punch wide and countered with a punch to her gut. She fell to the ground and coughed.

I didn't think I hit her that hard.

"Hey, what's the big idea?! You're not supposed to hit a girl!" Bitch face 1 yelled at me while number 2 attended to their leader.

"Hey, hey Ami are you okay?"

HaaAAaaa? Not supposed to hit a girl?

Unfortunately, the screaming of Bitch face 1 attracted the attention of Naruko from across the way.

"What have you done now you stupid brother?"

"He hit Ami for now reason! She was interested in trading lunches with him and he just went and punched her when it looked like he was going to give her some."

"That isn't remote—"

"Shut up. I can't believe you would do this. I won't have you dirtying our name."

Although I could probably stomp most of these people, Naruko on the other hand. Well she has been training with mom and dad for a few years now and judging by the spherical shaped holes in the training stumps I've come across in our training grounds in the backyard, I think she knows the Rasengan. I am so not ready to face them.

Getting into a fighting stance she was beginning to come at me. I quickly got into a defensive posture.

"That's enough, Naruko." Iruka-sensei said while approaching from the school side entrance. "We're not going to have a brawl during lunch time. Naoki, take Ami to the nurse's office. Naruko, go back inside. Naruto, stay here."

Everyone else goes to other places. Haruka went over to near the entrance to wait for me.

"What am I going to do with you Naruto? Why can't you just get along with everyone else? These people are going to be the ones watching your back in the future."

Oh, what a load of bullshit Iruka. Not even letting me explain my side, just going off of what they had all been doing. And what's this about watching my back? I'd rather quit than be on a team with any of those three.

"But Iruka-sensei. They were -"

"Don't Iruka-sensei me. I saw the whole thing. They came up to you and you immediately stood up and encouraged violence. I saw you clenching your fists before Ami even attempted to punch you."

So out of the 10 or so times they have come to harass us the one time you actually see it is the one time I try to fight back.

"I am going to do this for your own good. No more lunch outside for you. Stay inside and eat lunch with your classmates. Get to know them more and I want a report on their hobbies by the end of the week."

I just gawk at him. Well, at least I can have some of it on Haruka and she talks to other's sometimes so I can get—

Iruka interrupted my thoughts, "No, Haruka does not count."

Shit nuggets.

"Now, get back inside Naruto, class is going to start again."

I walked back to the side entrance. Haruka was waiting for me. I had a bit of a sad smile when I saw her. She looked to the ground and had her right leg digging a small hole with her shoe tips. She looked like she wanted to tell me something, but she looked back and just smiled back and followed me inside.

I didn't see her again at school the next day.

I was in search of some frozen shaved ice. It was a hot, humid day in Konoha and I wanted something to cool me down. I completed the report just fine, Iruka was disappointed that I hadn't actually talked to anyone, just listened to them. But the main goal was completed and people just forgot about me again. Was all for the best. I did miss my friend though.

I've walked through this village enough to know that it wasn't a permanent restaurant that sold shaved ice. It had to be some temporary stand. I checked most of the parks so far as those would be the best places for a mobile stand. Its about mid afternoon now and I've been walking around for foreeeevvver. Where could it be?

"AH! There it is!" Opps, I said that out loud.

Oh my gosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh. Watermelon flavor. I MUST HAVE IT.

I get it because of course I need it. Ahh, this is amazing. Really cools me off.

"Naruto, that you?"

I turn around, don't see anyone. Look to my left. Nope, no one there.

"Right here."

"Haruka, oh I missed you. Where did you go, why? How have you been?" Watermelon shaved ice now almost completely forgotten about. Almost.

I was going off at a thousand questions a second. Poor girl, looked so flustered.

"I wanted to talk to you about it. But..."

"Hey, hey." I said in a calming manner. "It's okay, just was curious."

"I...um...my parents decided it was best for me to just go to regular school."

It is what happened to most completely civilian students. They go to the Ninja Academy for a year or two, especially useful because the first year does not cost anything to the parents for the first year, and then get in over their heads. It's easy for the first year as it is not that different from regular classes, but then the more shinobi arts are introduced and then weighted higher, it becomes harder for the civilian students. Math, History, and Science are all still taught, but only in regards to shinobi arts. Then you learn to throw practice kunai until your wrists hurt, and lots of cardio. Lots, and lots, and lots of cardio.

Fuck running in circles. Woops, I made a face that looked like pure hatred.

"I see. Well it's not for everyone. If I wasn't a Namikaze I would have been a chef. Making food is so much fun."

"I am sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. I just didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Eh, it's okay."

"Would you like to..."

"mm?"

"...come here next weekend and we'll have lunch together?"

Am I being asked out on a date? Nah, she probably just wants some more pizza.

"Sure, I'll bring some of my home cooked food."

"Yes! Thank you, I'll see you then, bye!"

As she walked away, I could only think of one thing.

"I really shouldn't have mentioned western food. Now I don't know if she is excited because she likes me or if she just wants my food. Stupid me." I slap my own forehead.