"How'd you do?" Ami asks her head not lifting from the table as she does. Four months into the academy we had just gone through our first ever wave of tests. They had been holding off on tests, probably in hopes of evening the playing field a little first but now it had happened.

For me it wasn't very difficult. I am still far ahead academically and I have caught up to around the middle of of the class physically already. My speed helps a lot, and my dexterity is put to good use in the katas. The only area I am still lagging and only by a little is Shurikenjutsu, though I would have been much further if I hadn't started to train outside of class too. You're not suppose to practice ninja techniques in Senju park but if no one sees it did it really happen?

Kunai Proficiency Level 21

Ability to throw and use kunai. Kunai range approximately 40m. Speed and strength behind throw increases per level. Accuracy on stationary targets 1% per level. Current ability, throwing accuracy 21%.

That means I hit my target around 1 out of 5 times!

Shuriken Proficiency Level 26

Ability to throw and use shuriken. Shuriken range approximately 15 m. Speed and strength behind throw increases per level. Accuracy on stationary targets 1% per level. Current ability, throwing accuracy 26%.

This one I hit my target about once every 4 times I throw shuriken.

Shurikenjutsu Proficiency Level 20

Ability to use throwing weapons effectively. Speed in which you can throw weapons and the strength behind the throw increases per level by 0.2%. Increase in speed to level up shurikenjutsu related skills increases 1% per level. Current ability level up speed 120%, weapons speed and strength increase 4%.

Ami however doesn't feel as confident about her results as I do. She has been depressed since the academy let out and it's honestly painful to watch the usually headstrong girl just moping around.

"Good I think." I admit but it only makes her sink into a deeper depression. It's honestly suffocating how upset she is. "Alright that's it." I growl slamming my hands on the table startling her upright. "We're going out." I tell her and point at the door. She wordlessly follows as we try to find some restaurant to eat out. We can afford one SMALL treat.

We split up to cover more ground. Ami takes the left, I take the right. We'll meet back up in a bit with our ideas for what to eat. As I look from restaurant to restaurant one catches my eye in an instant. Ichiraku Ramen. What sane person doesn't want to try eating there at least once?

The smell coming form the stand is amazing drawing me in like a moth to a flame. I hear slurping and sense him before I see a farmiliar figure and smile. Of course Naruto would be here.

"Hello Naruto-san." I say I a friendly tone with a small smile. The boy with noodles still hanging from his mouth spins on the stool to face me. His blue eyes widen a fraction as he slurped the last of the noodles and wipes his face.

"Hey…" he said and I blinked confused. That was FAR to subdued a reaction from NARUTO UZUMAKI.

"Are you alright Naruto-san?" I ask only the slightest bit conscerned. He may be a favourite character of mine (a bit of a childhood hero too, I once dressed up as him for Halloween) but I don't actully KNOW him beyond our limited interactions.

"What do you want?" He asks and now I am just plain startled by the VENOM in his voice and tone.

"Have I don't something to offend you?" I ask because if I did I have no idea what.

"You're friends with Ami." Naruto says as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. I tilt my head, what does Ami have to do with this? "I don't like bullies ya know!" The blond declares boldly and the words hit me hard. Bullies? Forehead. Ami. Oh… oh… oh… that's where I knew Ami from. She's Sakura's childhood bully. Sakura who Naruto has a HUGE crush on. A part of me wants to scream I am not a bully, that I'm not like Ami, that she is just some girl I got stuck with. The words die in by throat though, how could I do that? Or even consider it? Ami… for everything else she may be… she's the closest thing I have to a family member in this life. If Kakashi says those who abandon their friends are worse scum, what does that make someone who abandons the closest thing they have to family?

I don't want to be whatever it is. Instead I become angry. What right does Naruto have to judge Ami anyway? He doesn't know her. He doesn't know me. Heck from what I remember Sakura wasn't the nicest as a kid to him, didn't she always punch him or something? Or is that in the future but not yet?

"You don't know a thing about Ami-chan." I sat with narrowed eyes and a cold voice, a harsh difference from the far warmer voice I usually address him with.

"Ya, whatever. Just stay away from me ya know!" Naruto declares and throws some coins on the counter storming off. I huff. Our interactions are always short and always seem to end with him walking away. I turn away looking at my feet. Ami is a bully… what am I supposed to do about that? Am I supposed to do something about it?

I don't really know…

"Hey googly-eyes… earth to googly-eyes." Ami says snapping her fingers and I hadn't even realized I was subconsciously closing in on her chakra signature. I look up up my blue eyes meeting her brown ones, there's almost concern in her eyes, or is that just wishful thinking? Naruto may not know anything about Ami but do I know anything either? "You didn't find us a spot googly-eyes?" Ami asks her voice softer than usual.

"Yes…" I say automatically. These are thoughts for later… not right now. "This ramen stand looks really good." I inform her and point down the road. She shrugs.

"Smells good." Ami declares as we sit down. A ten year old girl with brown hair… Ayame if I remember correctly… gives me a confused looks and the ramen stand owner… Teuchi? Keeps focused on us.

"One bowl shio ramen with extra chasu." I declare after looking at the menu for a while. I never really had ramen other than the instant kind in my past life. I had soups in this life often but not ramen per se. The curiosity is enough to shake away my question even if only for a little while.

"Shoyu ramen please." Ami asks with a smile that the ramen man does not return.

"Order up." He says after a bit of time of me and Ami talking about this and that. The bowl is huge, the broth thick, almost like a watered down gravy. There's so much meat, vegetables and eggs in the ramen it is enough to make my eyes water with joy. The ramen is perhaps one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. I can definitely see why Naruto eats here so often. I smile as I eat having a full stomach before we pay the tab and head home. I'll have to talk to Ami later though…