AN: Hi, and welcome to our newest project. This is what's been taking so long. So yeah, sorry 'bout that. Even we were surprised by just how much time setting up this project ate. Anyway, for the fans of the other project, do not worry. It is not over, we just wanted to write something different for a while, to avoid burning out you know. On that note, Fluttersniper13 has been promoted from beta-reader to co-author, so give him a big hand everybody.
As for those who are new, hi and welcome. And if the first question you ask yourself is if we're completely mad, then the answer is probably yes.
Now then, just a few general things all of you should know. First of all, instead of doing a Q&A video at the end of things, if you have any questions you don't mind other people seeing, you can now go to my Tumblr to ask (Link in my profile) and we'll give both spoiler free and spoilery answers. Also, as a nice bonus, all three of us will post reviews there of the episodes that were used in the respective chapter. That should sum it all up, so please, enjoy.
Naruto Rewrite 1: Road to Ninja
Chapter 1: Enter Naruto Uzumaki
Konohagakure. The village hidden in the leaves. A fair-sized settlement, far out in the woods, surrounded by lush greenery on most sides, separated from the city proper by a massive enclosing wall. On the final side of the village rose a great and broad mountain, its surface carved into the likeness of the four great men that had over the years lead the village, the high-ranking ninjas known as the Hokage. On most days, these towering edifices filled the citizens with a sense of civic pride. A reminder of the best and brightest of them. That even though three of them had passed on, they still watched over the village they had cared so much for in life. It was a sight that filled even the common folk with joy.
Today was not such a day. Mostly because somebody had decorated said impressive statues with graffiti. Long trails of paint marred the surface, making it look very much as if the great leaders had been subjected to the unhinged antics of a renegade tattoo artist.
And as the culprit made a giggling dash for safety, a bellowing cry rang across the village. "NARUTO!"
The boy named Naruto was a young teenager with an unruly, spiky mess of blond hair that looked like it would defy any comb trying to tame it. His orange and blue jacket had been tied around his waist like a belt, complimenting his orange pants rather nicely. His bright blue eyes were often the first thing people noticed upon seeing him, closely followed by the faint marks on his cheeks that somewhat resembled whiskers. The can of paint in his hand jangled as he ran, while the large paintbrush in the other dripped a colourful trail. He chanced a glance over his shoulders, noticing two ninja guards in pursuit. They were both clad in the standard uniform for on duty ninjas, green combat vests and blue clothes underneath. On their heads they wore bandannas with a metal plate featuring the village's insignia, a spiral with a small triangular point, making it resemble a leaf.
"GET BACK HERE, NARUTO!" one of them yelled. "YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!"
"YOU'LL HAVE TO CATCH ME FIRST!" the blond yelled back, before refocusing on the road ahead, and the fence of wooden planks that it turned by. He smiled, focused and jumped, clearing the obstacle and landing behind it.
His two pursuers gritted their teeth and followed, leaping over the fence, landing in a back alley behind it.
"Which way did he go?" one of them asked, looking back and forth.
"Doesn't matter. We'll split up," the other said, before the two of them dashed of in two different directions.
As the two guards disappeared in the distance, the fence seemed to ripple for a second, before Naruto lowered the cloth he had hid behind, painted so as to roughly resemble the fence. "Hah, suckers," he grinned, as he rolled his hideaway up into a tube. "They make it too easy." He then turned around and prepared to walk off, only to immediately bump into someone else. He fell on his behind with a startled yell, dropping the cloth and can of paint in the process.
The man Naruto had just barged into was a young adult with brown hair tied in a pony tail. A scar ran across the bridge of his nose, just below his dark eyes, which stared at the blond youth with a look of great annoyance. Like the two guards that had pursued the blond youth, he was dressed in the standard uniform. He crossed his arms, before asking: "Well?"
"Oh, hey there, Iruka," Naruto tried with an uneasy grin. "Funny running into you out here."
"That's Iruka-Sensei when I'm on duty," the man reminded him. "Speaking of which, WHY ARE YOU NOT AT SCHOOL!?"
The suddenly raised voice caused the blond youth to jump up in shock, only to step on the tipped paint can, sending him down on the ground again. "Geez, you don't have to yell," Naruto said annoyed, rubbing his behind. "I was just messing around."
"Messing around?" Iruka repeated incredulously, before gesturing to the Hokage monument with one hand. "You've vandalised every single one of them. Not to mention I had to leave the class without a teacher, just so I could come looking for you."
"I mean... It'll come off next time it rains," Naruto mumbled. "It's not waterproof or anything."
"Oh no it won't. Because you'll be cleaning up your mess yourself," Iruka strictly told him, before yanking him up. "After school of course." He observed the pouting youth for a moment, before sighing. "Naruto, the test is coming up in a few days. You've already failed it last year and the re-test. How are you ever going to be a ninja if you keep pulling stunts like this?"
"Hey, I've trained" the blond replied indignantly. "You'll see. I've got this."
"Yes, well, I'll believe it when I see it," Iruka commented. "Now come along. We've wasted enough time as it is."
...
Iruka pushed open the door to the classroom . "Alright, everyone, back to your seats. You too, Naruto," he noted to the blond youth who was following him. In response, he pouted and shuffled up to his seat.
The classroom was arranged like an auditorium, with seats arranged in steps so that even those furthest back had an unobstructed view of the teacher, the desk and the blackboard. Iruka took his spot behind the table and addressed the class with a: "Now, I'm very sorry for the delay, but we can get started now." He noted with dismay that not many looked altogether sorry at the prospect of the class being shorter than normal. "Now then, as preparation for the upcoming test, let's focus on imitation today. You don't have to be able to hold the shape for long, we'll just focus on seeing if you can do it. So, everyone, fall into line and you'll be tested one at the time." He paused, as the sound of scraping chairs and shuffling feet filled the air, while the students arranged themselves in single file. "Excellent." He stepped forward and addressed the first in line: "Alright, Sakura, we'll start with you. Just try and imitate me."
The student in question wore a red dress that contrasted her dark green pants. Her bright green eyes would be an outstanding feature, were it not for her even more remarkable long pink hair. She smiled as she folded her hands in a gesture and concentrated. Instantly, her body and clothes shifted, until she was the spitting image of their teacher.
"Very well done," Iruka noted. "I can't see any obvious flaws at all. Good work, Sakura."
"Thank you, Sensei," Sakura noted after resuming her original form, a wide smile on her face blooming forth.
"Alright, and you're next, Sasuke," Iruka continued, as the boy that had been behind Sakura stepped forth. "Same for you."
Sasuke wore a blue shirt and white pants. On his head was a mess of dark hair, matching his dark eyes. His expression was completely neutral, as he did the same hand motions as Sakura, before also becoming a mirror copy of Iruka.
"Very good. Nothing wrong here either," Iruka noted, as Sasuke changed back.
The dark-haired boy nodded, expression unchanging, before he headed back to his seat.
"And now it's your turn, Naruto," Iruka said, as the blond stepped forth. "Let's see what you can do."
"What, do I also have to change into you?" Naruto asked surprised. "But I haven't trained for that."
The young teacher sighed, as snickering broke out in the classroom. "Naruto, if you were out on a mission, the enemy wouldn't be so kind as to give you time to practice. That's why it's important that you can quickly take a shape you need."
"Or, I could do this," Naruto said enthusiastically, before folding his fingers and focusing.
Upon seeing the result, Iruka's hand met his forehead with great force.
Naruto had changed into an adult, female version of himself, his spiky hair now two long twin tails. His form was rather well endowed and completely lacking in clothing. The class went quiet, many unable or unwilling to tear their eyes away from the transformed boy.
"Yes, well, thank you for subjecting the class to an impromptu study in female anatomy," Iruka groaned, as Naruto changed back, a wide grin on his face. "At least you can assume a different shape. But you gotta learn to adapt. Turning into a naked lady is not the answer to every situation."
"But I bet it helps in a lot," the blond insisted, still grinning.
"Just get back to your seat," Iruka replied exasperated, rubbing his temple. "Alright, next."
...
The sun had begun to set in the distance, painting the village with a blazing orange hue. Iruka took a deep breath, enjoying the sight and the fresh air, as he sat on one of the four great monuments. The sound of brush against stone and birdsong filled the air. The young teacher leaned forward to observe the source of the former. Naruto stood on a platform below, scrubbing away at the green paint trail by the statue's nose. "How's it going?"
"I'm working on it, I'm working on it," the blond youth replied annoyed. "You know, you could at least give me a hand."
"You made this mess. You get to clean it up," Iruka noted sternly. "I've got all day if that's what it takes."
"Bah," Naruto grumbled and returned to the scrubbing.
Silence reigned for a little while.
"So, why'd you do it?" Iruka finally asked.
"Huh?" the blond responded.
"Paint all over the monuments. You know how important they are to us."
"I know, I know," Naruto replied annoyed. "It's just..." He scrubbed for a bit, contemplation on his face. "You know how people talk about them? The Hokages? How inspiring they are? How they taught us the Will of Fire? How we're all one big family, yadda, yadda, yadda?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Iruka inquired.
"Well, they say that. And then I get thrown out of a store because I was looking at something for too long or something," Naruto replied in a frustrated tone. "How does that make sense? I've never shoplifted anything. And so many of them..." He paused, scrubbing harder. "They see me, and they get that look in their eye. Like I'm... Like I'm... Some sort of thing they don't even want to be around. What's family about that?"
"I see," Iruka sighed. "Well, you are right. That kind of behavior is hypocritical. And you're not wrong. Some people can be..." He paused, trying to find the right words. "Difficult. And I understand that's frustrating. But Naruto, these monuments are for everybody, not just those people. And you're hurting everybody by pulling stunts like these." He rested his head on his hand. "Most of all yourself. I mean, wouldn't you rather be home now?"
"I know. I'm sorry, okay," the blond youth replied, his expression a mixture of hurt and confusion. "I just... Every time I just... I just feel like I've done something wrong. Like... Like I am wrong... Somehow. Like, I did something to them and now they hate me. I just..." He sighed and paused. "I just don't get it."
"Look, Naruto, I understand why that frustrates you and even why it angers you. And I do agree with you that it isn't fair," Iruka said. "But some people are like that. Nothing we can do about it. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you."
Naruto paused. "Do you think it has something to do with my parents?" he finally asked, looking up. "I mean, my real parents? Did they do something?"
Iruka shrugged. "I just don't know, Naruto. I'm sorry, but I don't even know who your parents were." He paused. "Though speaking of parents, you should probably see about getting this clean-up finished or the old man's going to worry."
"Right. Pops' probably waiting for me to come back," Naruto said, sullen thoughts forgotten as he began to clean with renewed vigour. "I can already smell his cooking. You coming along, Iruka? Or, wait..." He paused, brows furrowed in thought. "Is it still Iruka-Sensei?"
"It's still Sensei. And it's not like I wouldn't like to visit," Iruka replied with a smile and a shrug. "But I'd rather not impose."
"Oh come on, you know they never mind you coming by," Naruto replied with a wide grin. "You know you want to."
"Well, their cooking sure does beat mine," Iruka admitted. "And it's not like anyone is waiting at home. Alright, we'll go together." He paused. "You still have to clean all this up yourself first though."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it."
...
Close to the centre of the village lay a modest two-story building, the words Ichiraku Ramen painted on both a festive lantern hanging by the entrance, as well at the cloth flaps that separated the customers from the street outside. Despite its humble looks, it was considered one of the hidden gems of Konohagakure.
It was also where Naruto lived.
"Pops. Sis. I'm home," Naruto called, as he and Iruka entered through the back door, stepping into a modest room with a table, some chairs, a few pictures on wall and a bookshelf. The air was warm and filled with the spicy scent of ramen, drifting in from the adjacent kitchen.
A middle-aged man poked his head out of the doorway to said kitchen. His once dark hair was graying and wrinkles creased the skin around his mouth and eyes. As he noted the two, he smiled. "Welcome home, Naruto," he noted. "I see you've decided to join us today, Iruka."
"Hi, Teuchi. Well, Naruto offered," the young teacher said, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, I hope it isn't a bother or anything."
"Nonsense. You're always welcome here," the ramen cook said. "Though you're both kinda late. I take it, it was because of all that paint smeared over our monument."
"Eh, well, yeah," Naruto mumbled, looking a bit embarrassed. "Kinda had to, you know, clean up first." He fiddled with his fingers for a bit. "I hope dinner didn't go cold."
Teuchi laughed at the comment. "Me, serving cold ramen? That'll be the day I know I'm ready to retire. Nah, sit down and I'll make us all some food. I take it you must be tired after both vandalising and cleaning the great Hokage statues."
"Yeah, kinda," the blond admitted, as he took a seat.
"Well, then you can relax. Hey, Iruka, mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?" the ramen chef asked.
"Not at all," the young teacher replied, as he followed the man.
"Ayame? Could you handle the customers while I start making dinner?" Teuchi called, as he began preparing the broth.
"Sure thing, Dad," came the reply.
"So," he began, while preparing the ingredients. "I trust the situation has been handled."
"Yeah. Naruto cleaned the whole thing, so that's over," Iruka replied. "Though I suspect people will remember this one for a while."
"It was quite something, yes." The cook closed the lid on the broth to let it cook. "Did he tell you why?"
"Yeah," Iruka sighed and leaned against the wall. "It's people. Naruto isn't blind. He can feel how some of them look at him. Not to mention how they treat him. So he decided to lash out."
"It ain't the boy's fault," Teuchi insisted. "Never was. Never will be. It's just easy to blame him."
"I know that. But we can't have him vandalising monuments, even if people are treating him like that," the young teacher replied. "It will just make things worse in the end."
"Oh, I quite agree," the ramen cook replied. "But still, I don't blame him for getting angry." He paused, frowning for a moment. "I do worry at times, Iruka. He's lucky you're taking good care of him at school. But he won't be your student forever. I just worry people will try to stop him from making something of himself."
"Well, he could always take over the ramen shop someday," Iruka offered.
"Nah. Ayame has already called dibs on that," the cook replied. "Besides, Naruto likes ramen and he has never had a problem with helping out here. But I know him. He wants to be something more than just a ramen cook. And that's fine by me." He paused, tapping the table with his finger. "He really wants to be a ninja. But to do that he need s to complete the test. Your thoughts?"
"Well, biggest problem there is that Naruto seems allergic to studying," Iruka replied. "He likes working with his hands, being out and moving about. Not sitting cooped up with a book. And I think that's really going to hurt his chances this year."
"Boy has a lot of energy, I agree," Teuchi replied. "I hope he makes it. He was so devastated last year."
"Yeah. Well, he has improved. So maybe..." the young teacher sighed. "We'll just have to wait and see."
A young woman with long, brown hair walked into the kitchen from the front. "Hey, Dad, two orders of beef ramen. Oh, hi Iruka."
"Hey there, Ayame," he replied, as Teuchi began work on the orders. "How's today been?"
"Just fine. Though a fair number of costumers did come by to tell us to reign Naruto in," she replied. "So that's been kinda annoying."
"Eh, we'll live," Teuchi replied. "I'll handle this. Why don't you go get some bowls on the table and keep Naruto company? He looked kinda tired."
"Sure thing," Ayame said and began pulling bowls down from a shelf. "Iruka, could you grab some chopsticks?"
"On it," he replied, before the two of them returned to the living room.
Naruto perked up immediately upon seeing them. "Hey, Sis. How's the shop been today? Any regulars come by?"
"Nah. It's been kinda slow, to be honest," she replied, while putting the bowls on the table. "On the other hand, you've been busy today, haven't you?"
"Ah, well... A little bit," Naruto replied, looking away with a forlorn expression. "I guess you noticed, huh?"
"That you painted over the largest monument in town. Yeah, I kinda noticed," Ayame admitted. "Ah well, whatever. They looked quite festive for a while."
"Yes, well, I don't think they're there to be festive," Iruka noted, as he sat down. He noted the sullen look on Naruto's face. Deciding to try and change the subject, he said: "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you. Once you become a ninja, any idea what type of ninja you want to be?"
"I want..." Naruto paused, as if unsure if he should say it. "I want to... I want to become the next Hokage," he insisted, with rising determination in his voice.
Iruka blinked, staring. "You want to be Hokage?" he repeated, as if unsure.
"Yeah. He does," Ayame confirmed. "I should know. I get to hear about it at least once a day."
"Hah, hah," Naruto said, before sticking his tongue out. "Once I'm Hokage, I'll be the greatest ninja in town. Then everyone will have to respect me."
As Naruto folded his arms with an expression of self-satisfaction, Iruka couldn't help but wince.
"Well, you need to become a ninja first. The test is in what, three days? Four?" Ayame asked, looking at Iruka.
"Three days," he confirmed.
"Right. So you better be ready," she said, returning her attention to Naruto.
"Trust me. I'm going to become a ninja. Believe it," he insisted, a cocky smile on his face.
...
Days later, Iruka found himself thinking back to that evening, as he went over the test results he had been handed. He sighed deeply, letting his gaze wander across the empty classroom before glancing at his co-instructor, Mizuki, who was sitting beside him. The slightly older man had shoulder length white hair and green eyes, though the colour was only barely visible. Like Iruka, he was dressed in the standard uniform. He looked to the side, noting the glance. "Hey, you holding up?"
"Yes, yes. Just... Let's just get this over with," Iruka sighed. "Could you get Naruto in here?"
"Sure thing," he replied and headed for the door. Moments later, he returned with the eager looking student.
"So, Iruka-Sensei, how did I do?" he asked, wide smile on his face.
"Well... Uhm... Alright, let's start with the good," the young teacher said, shuffling the papers. "You've done well on the physical part of the test. You're in good shape, adroit and strong. You understand how to blend into the environment. There're some skills you could stand to develop, such as tracking, but you're doing fine. One area where you really need to train is with your skills with ranged weaponry. It is still severely lacking." He absentmindedly touched his chin were a stray projectile had grazed him. "Your aim was off by quite a wide margin. But that's really all that drags you down in that area."
Naruto's smile seemed to get even wider. The young teacher wouldn't have thought it possible.
"Then there's the academic part." He sighed. "I'm sorry, there's no nice way to say this. You performed abysmally."
The wide grin instantly deflated. "What? Come on, I didn't do that bad," he insisted. "I know some things."
"Well, yes," Iruka agreed. "Mostly local. But the further removed from you it is, the more, well, ignorant you are. When questioned about things in other countries, even the great nations, you didn't even know who's the daimyo and who's the kage. And you have almost no knowledge of our village's history, let alone of events happening before the formation of the ninja villages. You didn't have a single correct answer about the Warring States period. And then there's knowledge about herbs, culture, weaponry and so on. In each of these, you showed little understanding of things. That is just not acceptable, Naruto. Being a ninja is not all about running around punching things. This information is vital to staying alive in the wilds, while undercover and in many other situations."
The blond fiddled with his fingers, looking very much like he wanted to shrink and disappear.
"Then, there's your use of jutsus," Iruka said. "You're just too hit and miss. Illusionary clones, imitation, transplantation. It was a coin flip whether you could pull it off or not. Apparently, when you tried to create an illusionary double of yourself, you ended up with something that was described as, and I quote, 'a horrifying mangled husk of a body'." He looked Naruto straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you pass with these results."
The blond looked absolutely crestfallen.
"Come now, he was pretty close," Mizuki said conversationally. "We could cut him some slack. He almost crossed the minimum threshold."
"I know. But rules are rules," Iruka sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Look, it's not hopeless. You have another shot in a couple of weeks. Hit the books and work on being more consistent with your techniques and I'm sure you can make it."
"Oh come on, that's not fair," Naruto insisted. "Rock Lee passed last years and there's no way he managed to pull of any jutsus."
"No, but Rock Lee compensated by acing the physical part and demonstrated an excellent all-around knowledge of several subjects," Iruka said sternly. "Because he actually read up on things and didn't just dismiss it out of hand as being uninteresting." He sighed once more, as Naruto switched back from annoyed to sad. "Look, it's not unsalvageable. Go home, relax for the day and then start training. Now, could you send in Choji?"
"Sure, sure," the disappointed youth mumbled, as he shuffled out.
...
Naruto found himself sitting on a swing in the academy's yard, a simple plank of wood hanging from a big tree by two ropes. He morosely observed as his classmates streamed out of the building, to be proudly greeted by their families. Bragging about how they made it. He felt a pang of painful envy. His adopted dad and sister had offered to show up on the day, but he had said that running the store was more important.
He had lied. He had been terrified of having to come out, having nothing to show for it. He'd already had to redo the entire year once. And if he failed again, he would have to try a third time. The thought haunted him.
A couple of the waiting parents noticed him staring. And then came the look. He frowned and looked away, hands tightening around the ropes of the swing. Anger started smoldering in his mind. Wasn't it enough that he had failed? Couldn't they just leave him be?
"Hey, wassup Naruto?" came a voice, jolting him out of his thoughts. The youth who had addressed him was one of his classmates. He wore a grey fur-lined coat and slightly darker grey pants. His smile revealed his two prominent canines and his black eyes were two slits, giving him a feral look. Distinctive red fang markings on his cheeks revealed his clan association. And on top of his messy mop of brown hair rested a small, white-furred puppy.
"Oh, hi Kiba," Naruto said, before addressing the dog with a: "And hey to you too, Akamaru. Finished the test?"
"Yeah. It went really well. Aced tracking, of course," Kiba replied proudly. "Did well at jutsus, made full use of my clan's techniques. No mistakes made."
"Really?" yapped the small dog. "No mistakes? At all?"
"Oh, shut up," Kiba replied. "I managed to turn things around."
"You managed to get turned around, yes. That was the problem," Akamaru insisted.
"Anyway, if somebody would stop interrupting, then I could maybe continue," Kiba commented annoyed. "Now, I admit, book part didn't go that well. But it was passable. How about you?"
"I failed," Naruto sighed.
Kiba winced. "Sorry to hear that, dude. Had a feeling when I saw you moping like that. Was it really bad?"
"They said I might just be adequate if I train for the next test," the blond replied. "So I'll really have to improve, or I'll have to do the year over yet again. Or worse, quit trying to become a ninja." He grabbed his head is frustration. "But I hate having to read through tons of books. I'm no good at it. And I just can't seem to get my techniques to work half the time. It's frustrating."
"Yeah, I get ya. Books aren't my thing either," Kiba agreed, idly scratching his cheek. "I start reading and my eyelids just start getting heavy. My advice, focus on getting your jutsus under control. I think that's your best bet."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe if I also learn at least a few things and improve a bit, maybe it'll all add up," Naruto mumbled contemplatively.
"There you go," Kiba said with a gesture. "Just..." He paused, before sharply looking to the right. His face twisted into an angry snarl, while Akamaru began growling. "HEY, YOU THERE! IN THE GREEN DRESS!" he yelled. "DON'T THINK I DIDN'T HEAR YOU! WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT AGAIN TO OUR FACES!? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! JUST WALK AWAY, PRETEND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!" He snorted. "Dumbass broad."
"What did she say?" Naruto asked.
"Eh, how lucky it is that you didn't pass. That it would bring shame to the village and some other bullshit like that," the feral youth replied. "Don't let it get to you."
"I'll try. Just wish I knew why," the blond mumbled, as he got up from the swing. "Anyway, thanks you two. But I better start heading home."
"No problem. See ya around," Kiba said, as Naruto began walking off. "Do tell if you need a sparring partner."
"Just don't ask him to teach you tracking just yet," Akamaru added. "Still can't tell the difference between an instructor and a crow."
"I told you to shut up about that. He really smelt like a crow, okay," Kiba replied frustratedly.
...
Naruto walked the quiet street, the sun slowly setting. He hadn't been home yet. He wasn't sure how he'd tell them that he had failed. Again. He couldn't imagine them being angry about it. They'd probably just encourage him to do his best next time. But still... He felt like he was disappointing them.
"Hey! Naruto, wait up!" somebody called.
The blond turned around, seeing Mizuki running up towards him. "Oh, hi there Mizuki-Sensei," he greeted him.
"Just call me Mizuki," he replied. "Hey, sorry, I would have talked with you sooner, but we had to finish handing out test results to the others."
"Oh, it's okay," Naruto said, as the two of them began walking together. "What did you want?"
"Well, you really want to become a ninja. I can tell," the white-haired instructor said. "And you really only need to push yourself up by a little bit to make it."
"Yeah, I know," Naruto sighed. "Everyone keeps telling me that. Kiba suggested I should focus on my techniques."
"Well, he isn't wrong. In fact, that's why I wanted to talk with you," Mizuki continued. "You see, there's a little secret we instructors keep from you students."
"Really? What's that?" Naruto asked, now paying close attention.
"There's a certain category of jutsus that take a lot of skill and potential to learn," the instructor informed him. "If you could learn one of those, it would be so impressive that Iruka would have no choice but to let you pass. Maybe even right on the spot." He paused. "You do know that he only failed you because the rules said he had to?"
"I know, I know," Naruto sighed. "Can't bend the rules for me, I know. He's told me that himself over and over again." He paused, turning to face Mizuki with an excited grin on his face. "Enough about that. How do I learn the techniques?"
"Wow. Eager to jump right in, aren't we?" Mizuki noted light-heartedly. "Alright, listen up. In the Hokage's office, you'll find the Scroll of Sealing. It's really big, so you can't miss it. Now, you have to sneak in and get it without anyone noticing."
"Really?" Naruto asked confused.
"Yeah. I mean, I'll tell them you'll be giving it a shot, so they're not surprised that it's gone. But if you can't even make off with the scroll, you're not ready," the white-haired instructor explained. "Now, afterwards, find some place where you can practice in peace, choose whatever technique suits your fancy and then master it. Do you have a place like that?"
"Yeah," the blond youth replied eagerly. "There's this shed out in the woods, a little east of the wall. Ninjas on patrol occasionally stop by, but most of the time it's really quiet."
"Say no more. I know the place," he replied. "Anyway, once that is done, I'll bring in Iruka and then you can show him. And just like that, you'll be a ninja."
"Awesome," Naruto said. "I'll get started right away. Thank you, Mizuki."
"No problem," the instructor replied as the blond ran off. "No problem at all."
...
Iruka opened the door to his apartment and stepped in. With a flick of his finger, the lights turned on. The apartment consisted of a single large room with a kitchen in the corner, plus a toilet in a smaller adjacent room.
"I'm home," he quietly called, as he pulled his headband off and stuffed it in his combat vest's pocket. "Lovely to see that everyone's still here. It's been a long day today." He chuckled, as he took off the combat vest and hung it on his coat rack. Then he took his shoes off and lay down on his futon, glancing at the dark night sky outside. He briefly considered putting over some instant noodles or something for dinner, but couldn't be bothered. The day had been exhausting. He let out a deep breath. And failing Naruto had been the worst part. But the guidelines were there for a reason. Letting Naruto pass wouldn't only be unfair to everyone who had worked so hard to pass, it would also be dangerous and irresponsible. Those skills were vital in the field. In the end, he'd rather have an angry Naruto than a dead ninja Naruto.
Even if it did hurt.
He was shaken out of his thoughts by a frantic knocking on his door. He jumped up and quickly opened. "Mizuki?" he asked confused, seeing the slightly exhausted ninja outside. "What's going on?"
"It's Naruto," he replied. "He's broken into the Hokage's office and stolen the Scroll of Sealing."
Iruka's eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of their sockets. "He what?"
"Yeah. Lord Third has ordered everyone to sweep the area," Mizuki continued. "No one has found him yet."
"Alright. I'll start searching immediately," Iruka replied, as he quickly pulled out his combat vest and put it on. "Dammit, Naruto," he mumbled under his breath. "Why'd you have to go and pull a stunt like this?" He stepped outside, quickly locking the door. "What about you?" he asked Mizuki. "You coming along?"
"No. The Hokage ordered me to round everybody up before I go searching," the white-haired instructor replied. "So it'll be a moment before I can join up. But he can't have gotten far. He's probably somewhere in the village."
"Right. I'm on it," Iruka said, as the two split up. The young teacher leapt over the handrail of his apartment's walkway, feeling himself soar through the air as he leapt far above the street below, before landing on the roof on the other side. "But where could he be?" he mumbled to himself, as he began running. "Why'd he take the scroll? He can't think that..." He frowned. "No. No I could see him think that. Dammit, if I had known he was getting this desperate I would have talked to him. I should have talked to him. But if that's the case..." He felt like a light went on in his head. "Then he isn't in the village. No, I think I know where he is."
...
Out in the woods, not far from the village walls, stood a small shed, usually for storing a few supplies for whomever was on patrol in the area. Iruka knew that Naruto liked to train out here when he wanted to be alone. And sure enough, the blond sat leaning up against the shed, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead. By his side stood the Scroll of Sealing, the ancient document almost as tall as he was.
"There you are," Iruka said sternly, as he stepped into the clearing.
Naruto immediately jerked up, before noticing the young teacher. His face lit up in a grin, as he jumped up on his legs. "Iruka-Sensei. Awesome timing. I did it."
The young teacher halted. His brows furrowed. "You did it?"
"Yeah. Now you'll have to let me be a ninja," Naruto replied, sounding both incredibly proud and exuberant.
Iruka's mouth began a thin line as the gears in his mind started grinding. "I'm... I'm a bit behind on things. Long day," he tried. "Why don't you fill me in?"
"Oh, you haven't heard?" Naruto replied, sounding a bit confused. "I thought Mizuki would tell everyone."
Iruka's eyes widened. "Tell me what?" he slowly asked.
The blond teen started looking less and less sure about things. "Ehm... Well... You know, that if I could take the scroll and learn something from it, I'd automatically be made a ninja. Right?" he asked nervously.
The young teacher dashed forward and pushed Naruto back, as several projectiles were launched from the dark. The small bladed kunai hammered into him, causing him to stumble into the shed's wall. Most bounced off his combat vest, leaving only a dull pain, but one struck his unprotected leg. A small trickle of blood started running from the wound.
"You know, I had hoped to get this over with before anyone else found him," Mizuki noted, as he stepped out on a branch. "But then Lord Third just had to send me out to round everyone up. I should have guessed you of all people would be able to track him."
"Wha... What?" Naruto asked confused, looking from one instructor to the other. "What's going on?"
"Mizuki tricked you," Iruka hissed, holding his wounded leg. "There is no secret extra test or whatever he said. The whole village thinks you ran off with one of our most secret documents."
"And most of them are only surprised to hear that it took this long for him to pull a stunt like that," Mizuki noted. "Really now, everyone was expecting it. It was going to happen sooner or later. I'm just expediting the process." He turned, glaring at Naruto.
The blond instinctively stepped back and cringed. There was that look again. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Why does everyone think I'll do something like that?"
"Oh, it's quite an interesting story," Mizuki noted. "I bet even Iruka really hates your guts for what you've done, if he had to be honest."
"SHUT UP!" Iruka yelled. "That's not true."
"Isn't it? You've been keeping it secret, just like everybody else. You know what he is, just as I do," the white-haired instructor said.
"A s-secret?" Naruto asked, sounding utterly lost. "Iruka... Is it true...?"
The young teacher looked pained. "We were just waiting for you to be ready," he said, sounding pained. "Lord Third wanted you to know in due time. But not now. Not like this."
"Well, I'll just spoil the surprise then," Mizuki stated.
"Why are you doing this?" Iruka angrily called. "Naruto hasn't done anything to deserve this."
"Oh, but we both know that isn't true. And when I kill him, the whole village will thank me," the white-haired instructor said, a cruel smirk on his face. "Naruto, thirteen years ago, the village was ravaged by the nine-tailed fox, one of the legendary tailed beasts. A monster of great and devastating power. Hundreds of villagers lost their lives, including Iruka's parents and your dear adopted father's wife."
"I... I heard of that... Yes," Naruto said quietly, a hint of fearful anticipation creeping into his voice.
"STOP IT!" Iruka yelled as he took a step forward, flinging a trio of kunai as he did.
Mizuki easily leapt out of the way, landing on a different branch, before continuing with: "Ever wondered what happened to the fox? The fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to seal it. And that's how we ended up with you. You are the nine-tailed fox, Naruto."
The blond froze. Realisation hit his mind like a sack of bricks. He felt his body go numb as he stared, trying to comprehend the white-haired instructor's words.
"And I'll do what we should have done years ago," Mizuki continued, pulling from his back a dai-shuriken, a bladed metal star the size of a mill-wheel. He held it out as it began spinning in his hand. "NOW, DIE!" And then he flung it, the weapon flying towards the blond.
Naruto stumbled back, tripping over his feet as the bladed instrument sliced through the air. With a scream of panic, he raised his arm in a desperate attempt to protect himself.
The sharpened edge of the projectile struck flesh and drew blood.
Naruto stared wide-eyed at Iruka, who at the last moment had blocked the attack with his own body. The dai-shuriken's blade had managed to cut through his combat vest into his back, before the weight of the weapon ripped it out again, leaving a gaping, bloody wound. He was leaned over the boy's prone form, forcing his arms to support him so as not to collapse on top of him.
"I-Iruka," Naruto stuttered is shock.
"Just... Run..." the young teacher groaned, his body shaking from the pain. "Take the scroll... And run. Don't let him get you."
Naruto hesitated for a moment.
"RUN!" Iruka yelled, shaking the blond student out of his stunned state. Immediately, he grabbed the scroll and dashed off, running for safety in the forest.
Mizuki scowled and drew his second dai-shuriken, but by then Naruto had already disappeared into the dark woods. "Now why did you have to go and do that?" he asked.
"You leave him... Alone... You hear me... Mizuki?" Iruka warned him, as he turned around with some effort.
"You're kidding. You actually care for that one? You surprise me," Mizuki noted. "Word of advice. Don't get in my way." Then he jumped off the branch and leapt through the trees, pursuing the escaping teenager.
Iruka paused, as the white-haired instructor vanished into the night. Then he stood up. The wound was bad, but not nearly as crippling as he had pretended. The vest had absorbed most of the blow. He scowled and ran off in pursuit.
...
Mizuki leapt from branch to branch, sailing through the woods, eyes glued to the ground below as he kept tracking Naruto. The trail was meandering and more than once it crossed itself. It was obvious to him that the kid was panicking, not thinking about where he was going, just trying to put as much distance between him and his pursuer as possible. He smirked. That would make things much easier. He paused, a flash of orange moving at the edge of his vision. He stopped moving, as he saw Naruto running through the area. He briefly considered attacking immediately, but it probably wouldn't look good to bring back a bisected scroll. He needed to liberate it from him first. He concentrated, his features changing to imitate those of Iruka's. "Naruto!" he called, jumping down from the tree, making sure to sound at least a little bit hurt. "Wait!"
The blond stopped and turned. "Iruka?" he asked. "You... You got away?"
"Yeah. I got lucky," Mizuki said as he slowly approached. "I see you're okay too. That's good." He moved closer in. "Now, give me the scroll. We need to get it back to the village."
"Oh, okay," Naruto noted and began fiddling with the large roll of paper.
Mizuki paused.
Then Naruto's fist collided with his chin. He stumbled backwards and fell, slightly dazed, as his features shifted back to normal. He growled, as he got back up. "How did you know?"
"Because I'm not Naruto," the not-blond replied, as his features shifted back to Iruka. "You didn't do as good a job as you thought." He suppressed a wince. He was still wounded and had lost blood. But he couldn't show weakness.
"Why do you insist on protecting the brat?" Mizuki asked frustratedly. "We get rid of him, half the village will be hailing us as heroes. No one wants him around. He's a beast, a monster. It's really just a question of time before we end up with another incident."
"No," Iruka replied. "Even if the Demon Fox is sealed in him, Naruto himself is not at fault. He's just a young boy. He doesn't deserve all the hate and scorn people like you heap on him, let alone to be killed. I won't let you harm him."
"Fine. Have it your way," the white-haired instructor said, drawing his second dai-shuriken. "I'll just tell them that I found you like this, torn in half by Naruto." He smirked cruelly. "I'm sure everyone will agree that it was inevitable, with the way you were getting friendly with him."
As he pulled his arm back, Iruka tensed up, getting ready to try and dodge.
An orange blur shot out of the dark undergrowth, crashing into Mizuki's side. The white-haired instructor stumbled, the great metal star flying from his hand and crashing aimlessly into a nearby tree. He regained his balance and glared at his ambusher.
"If you hurt Iruka," Naruto growled. "I'll kill you!"
"Naruto? What are you doing here?" Iruka asked, flabbergasted.
"I... I decided to hide," the blond replied. "In the bushes. I heard him. I..." Determination marked his face. "I'm not going to run. I'm not going to abandon you."
"How adorable," Mizuki said. "A show of loyalty. But you don't stand a chance."
"Oh yeah?" Naruto asked, folding his hands. "We'll see about that." He concentrated.
In a puff of smoke, another Naruto appeared besides him. Then another one. And another. And another.
Mizuki stared dumbfounded as he was suddenly surrounded by Narutos on all side. "What... What is this?" he asked, stumbling backwards. "What's going on here?"
"Those aren't illusions," Iruka noted, staring in awe. "They are legitimate clones. They have actual mass."
"Remember when you told me to learn one of the techniques?" one of the Narutos asked. "Well, I did," another replied proudly.
"What? You're one of our worst students. How did you learn a forbidden technique?" Mizuki asked, panic setting in. "That's not possible."
"Oh, but it is," one Naruto said. "Now, you wanted to fight?" another asked. "Well, let's fight," a third added.
Mizuki stumbled back and fell to the ground, as the horde of Naruto's jumped him. He screamed in panic and feebly held up his arms in a desperate attempt to ward off the hundreds of blows about to fall on him.
Minutes later, he lay on the ground, barely conscious. Nearly every inch of his skin was discolored from bruising and blood dripped from his mouth, which was now lacking several teeth.
Naruto took several exhausted breaths, as his clones faded into thin air again.
"Naruto. That was... Amazing," Iruka said earnestly, as he managed to get back up. In the distance, the first rays of dawn crept over the horizon, slowly spreading its orange glow through the woods.
"Aw, thanks," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head. He paused. "Am I in trouble?"
"For stealing the scroll?" the young teacher asked. "Nah. Once I give my testimony and we get a confession out of Mizuki, I'm sure you'll be cleared. You were misled by a superior. That's not your fault." He paused. "But next time anyone tells you about secret tests and so on, come run it by me first, okay?"
"I'll make sure to do that," the blond replied, grinning again.
"Now, that was quite an impressive piece of work," Iruka noted. "How did you manage to steal the scroll?"
"Oh, that," Naruto replied. "Well, it was being moved to the library. So I jumped out as a naked woman, threw a smoke bomb while the guards were confused and then grabbed it." He smirked as Iruka face-palmed. "Told you it would come in handy."
"Yes," the young teacher groaned. "You did." He sighed. "You got me there. Then you made it out here, learned the technique, escaped from and then beat up Mizuki." He chewed on the inside of his cheek, deep in thought for a moment. "Well, no reason to drag things out."
"Drag what out?" Naruto asked, as Iruka walked over to him. "What is it?"
The young teacher smiled, then undid his headband and handed it over.
"Your... Headband?" the blond student questioned. "Ehm... What?"
"You've earned it," Iruka insisted, as Naruto took it into his hands. "You've completed the test. You're now a ninja."
Naruto paused, as his eyes darted back and forth between the headband and his instructor, as if unsure he wasn't just imagining things. "REALLY!?" he yelled, before wrapping his arms around Iruka in a tight hug. "THANK YOU, IRUKA-SENSEI!"
"Aw, hey now, easy there," Iruka winced. "I'm still wounded."
"Oh, sorry," Naruto apologised, as he backed off. His broad smile still lit up his face. "Thanks."
"Hey, you deserve it," the young teacher insisted.
"Heh. Well, maybe we should go home," the blond suggested. "I bet Pops and Sis are really worried."
"Yeah. Plus, everyone is probably still searching for you. I wouldn't be surprised if ANBU has been called in," Iruka agreed. "Come on, let's go." They paused, as Mizuki groaned in pain again. "Right, we should probably haul him in while we're at it."