Chapter thirteen has arrived, yay! I was reading your reviews for my latest chapter and a lot of you were something along the lines of, "Why didn't Naruto and team pass?"
I like how a lot of you all guessed, and I can tell you, only one of you got what I was going to do head on. And I would like to give that person a cookie.
Secondly, I finally got my first flame. I'm glad, I prefer you flame me than pull me into a false illusion that everyone loves what I write.
Don't read the next paragraph if you're not pass episode 110 in Naruto.
I would also like to state that, I seriously hate Sasuke in the anime and manga. He is an over confident prick. The only reason I said that is because I was just watching an episode in the early hundreds (Somewhere in 107- 110 I think) and he just tried to murder Naruto on the rooftop of the hospital! Why does he have to always be proven better? I really hate Sasuke. I also hate how the author likes Sasuke, why does he like Sasuke? I like Sasuke in my story though; he isn't a huge, mean, evil, god forsaken, and idiotic prick.
Ok, on with the DISCLAIMER!
DISCLAIMER – I don't own Naruto, do you?
With all that out of the way, please enjoy this chapter.
"Speaking"
Thinking
Koga speaking in fox mode
(Konoha, Park.)
Once the test was over and team seven failed, they decided to, or rather their feet led them to a park where they sat down on a bench to think over the test. By now the sun was well above the trees, and it was evident that the three children sitting there were in a gloomy mood.
Anyone who walked by would be able to feel the killing intent coming from Sasuke, and the sadness emitting from Sakura. Naruto was able to mask his emotions well…
"We can always do it at the next Genin exam. I'm sure we'll be placed in the same team." Naruto stated cheerfully.
"…" Both of his friends stayed silent.
"Besides, if we do what Kakashi-sens… I mean Kakashi says, and work as a team, we'll do an awesome job!" Naruto tried to make the scene less gloomy.
Both his friends still stayed silent.
"Hey so-.." Sasuke instantly cut him off.
"Naruto, we failed to become Genin's just an hour ago. I know you're trying to lighten the mood and all, but please. Shut up." He said the last part bitterly.
"Hey Sasuke-kun, you don't have to be so rude you know…" Sakura muttered, defending Naruto.
Sasuke glared at her and said, "Look, I just don't want to speak about it right now."
They all suddenly felt a presence; it didn't mean any harm so for the most part they ignored it until it came right in front of them. The man was wearing a black robe for some reason, and a hood. When he pulled it down, the children all noted who he was…
"Mizuki-sensei, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked.
Heh, now is perfect. Mizuki thought to himself before saying, "I see you guys didn't… do well… in your test."
Sakura looked up and muttered, "Yeah… we didn't pass…"
Mizuki put on a face of sadness and said, "You didn't?" When they all nodded their heads he said, "Well, only two other teams did pass, and we're supposed to have three pass…"
"So what does that have to do with us?" Sasuke asked coldly.
Mizuki smiled and said, "Well, there is a way you all can still pass."
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all noticeably tensed up as Naruto asked, "How's that?"
Hehe, I got them right where I want them… He then said, "I don't know, it's a difficult test…" He looked into their pleading eyes and gave in saying, "Ok, there is a scroll in the Hokage Tower you see, and it's meant for test purposely like this one."
"Go on." Sasuke muttered.
Even the Uchiha is desperate enough to believe this… Mizuki coughed and stood up straighter and began to say, "Tonight at nine, you all must work TOGETHER…" The children noticeably looked ashamed for a minute before listening again, "to get into the Hokage Tower and 'steal' this scroll."Everyone nodded. Suddenly Sakura asked, "Mizuki-sensei, where do we bring it once we get it?"
"Here." He pulled out a map. "Head to this location in the forest."
They all nodded again and Naruto muttered, "Thanks sensei."
Mizuki had a huge grin on his face. I will finally be able to get the forbidden scroll and leave this damn village for good! He looked back down at the children and said, "I'll be taking my leave now, remember at nine!"
Sasuke had a confident smirk on his face once again and he stood up and said, "You can count on us to get that scroll for you."
"I bet you can…" He whispered so only he could hear it.
Once Mizuki left, the three instantly began to plan out how they were going to achieve the scroll.
"Maybe we should wait…" Sakura muttered, "I mean until the next Genin exam. We can't possibly get out of the sight of ANBU and the Hokage if they find us."
Sasuke looked her dead in the eye and said, "I can't go home and tell Itachi that I wasn't promoted to Genin. He was able to attain this rank at a much lower age than us…"
Naruto added on saying, "And I don't think Dad will be too happy that I didn't pass when the concept of the whole thing was so easy to understand."
"…" Sakura didn't have anything to say. Once her friends were this determined to do something, there was no way to talk them out of it.
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all began to walk out of the park, no one noticed Mizuki watching them from a distance with a huge grin on his face.
(Ten hours later. Koga and Naruto's apartment.)
The clock was nearing nine and Naruto was beginning to get nervous. Koga and Ayumi weren't there to question his behavior, which was good for him, but in a way he wished they were there so he could talk out what he was about to do.
"Ok, ten minutes until it's time… I better leave." He quickly got on his shoes and left the place.
He ran down the road. The sun had gone down on the horizon quite a while ago, and the light was quickly retreating form the darkness that was setting in.
I really hope we can do this… He thought desperately to himself.
After a few moments in the distance he could see his two teammates waiting under a streetlight. He quickly ran up to them and said, "Uh, sorry if I'm a little late, but my clock said that it was still a little bit before I had to come out and see you so I waited a few extra minutes."
"It's ok Naruto, it's only a little pass the time you were supposed to be here." Sakura muttered as she and Sasuke quickly walked over to him.
"Do you both remember the plan?" Sasuke asked. The three of them had been trying to figure out what to do all day, and once they set on a plan they all left to their house to prepare for their 'test'.
Sakura and Naruto both nodded and Sasuke replaced his frown with a grin. "Alright, lets get in there."
For the first part of the test, the three children decided on Naruto to lead them all safely into the tower. He was surprisingly able to do this with relative ease. First they started at the base, but he simply jumped on top of a roof nearby, and used his feet like he and his friends did in Koga's training and climbed up the tower.
Once they all entered, they found themselves in a long hallway. Naruto used a hand gesture that meant for them to wait here while he quickly went ahead.
Sasuke nodded to Naruto, trusting his ability to do this without getting himself detected.
Naruto turned around the corner and they heard something…
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Sarutobi asked.
Naruto had shocked noises coming from him before putting his hands together and saying, "Henge no Jutsu!"
Sakura and Sasuke suddenly heard s shrill man scream and fall back. Naruto went around the corner and said in a whisper, "All clear."
"Do I even want to know what happened?" Sakura muttered as she followed behind Sasuke and Naruto.
"Not really…" Naruto muttered.
Once they turned the corner, they saw their Hokage on the ground with a huge bloody nose. Sakura grabbed a tissue out of seemingly nowhere and tore it in two. Afterwards she put one piece in each nostril.
Naruto and Sasuke nodded at her before they continued on their way. Finally they reached a door. Once they opened it, they saw the scroll.
"This is it? You'd think they would put in some defenses…" Naruto muttered, clearly unimpressed.
"Whatever, lets just take this scroll." They went in the middle of the room where they saw the scroll on a small stand that held it up.
Sasuke was about to grab it before Sakura grabbed his hand. "Wait, there might be some kind of Alarm set for this…" She quickly did a few hand seals and touched the stand. "There, silence Jutsu… it will ring only in this room, nowhere else."
Sasuke nodded at her and grabbed the scroll. Suddenly a huge alarm went off that could possibly wake the whole village. "Let's get the hell out of here." Sasuke managed to say once he got off of the ground.
Sakura and Naruto wordlessly followed him out of the Tower. They were happy that the Jutsu that Sakura put up held, and no ANBU were coming to get them. They exited the same way they came in, and ran. They began to hear screaming and yells coming form behind them, and knew that the ANBU finally figured it out.
They all stopped on top of a roof a safe distance away from the tower. Sasuke looked around and quickly grabbed an empty can of paint.
"What are you doing Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked out of curiosity.
He looked at both his teammates and tossed Naruto the scroll. "Naruto take this to where Mizuki wants it." He turned the paint can into an exact replica. "I'm going to be a decoy so you can make it. I doubt we can escape the ANBU that were probably deployed now."
"Sasuke!" Naruto said a little above a whisper, "A team is never supposed to leave each other behind!"
Sasuke put a grin on his face and said, "Don't worry, I'll be there shortly."
Naruto and Sasuke looked each other in the eye before Naruto muttered, "Fine… but if you're hurt, I'll beat you until you wished that you were being interrogated by Ibiki."
Sasuke and Sakura both visibly shuddered at the name of that huge man. They all once met him before when Koga asked him…'kindly' to show them how to use some… particularly 'weak' Genjutsu to get your enemy to talk. Needless to say, it was one lesson they wouldn't forget soon.
"I'll make sure to get back then…" Sasuke said.
Sakura and Naruto both nodded at Sasuke and quickly jumped away.
Time to do decoy work… what fun… Sasuke sighed and heaved the not so heavy scroll onto his shoulder, and knelt down. He took off his weights and hid them on the roof. Have to remember where these are… Koga always get so mad when we accidentally lose our weights…
Once he got the weights off he ran towards the Hokage tower once again. He began to see multiple ninja's speeding away from the tower right then. Heh, I wonder how many of them will try to kill me…
"Sasuke!" Someone yelled.
Sasuke turned his head to see Itachi and several other ANBU members right behind him. "Hey Itachi. I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a test to pass, See you around!" Sasuke then sped up to his maximum speed away from his brother.
(Meanwhile, to Naruto and Sakura.)
Naruto and Sakura were nearly in the meeting area where they would pass the test to finally become Genin's. The area was hidden in trees well, and there was a small cabin that both of them were leaning again. They both knew it was probably a little over ten by now.
Suddenly Sakura and Naruto both noticed some bushes moving on their left. They both turned to see Iruka emerging from them.
"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked slightly confused but then he said, "Ah, you're here with Mizuki to pass us on our Genin test aren't you!"
"Naruto!" Iruka yelled! "Why did you and your friends steal the forbidden scroll!"
The pure confusion on Naruto and Sakura's face was evident to Iruka. Before he could ask them if they knew what they got themselves into he heard laughter behind him.
"Good job Naruto, Sakura." He looked for the third member and asked, "Where is the Uchiha?"
Naruto muttered, "He volunteered to be a decoy so we could get here without having to try to force our way through some ANBU."
Iruka face showed one of shock. What the hell is going on here? "Naruto, who told you to get that scroll?"
"I did." Mizuki said. He began laughing when he noticed his partner's confused look. "You didn't really think that I was loyal to this village did you?"
Iruka grew shocked and turned to Naruto and said, "Don't give that scroll to Mizuki he'll just--!"
Before Iruka could finish Mizuki threw handfuls of Kunai at Naruto who was too busy holding the scroll and looking on confused as to what was going on. "Naruto!" Sakura shouted as she grabbed a kunai and quickly ran in-between him and the dangerous projectiles. She quickly struck them all down and said, "Those were sloppily thrown… sensei."
"Stupid little girl!" Mizuki shouted as he grabbed on of the large Shuriken off of his back and threw it at her. Right before it hit her, Iruka took the blow, and it stabbed him in the back. With Sakura and Iruka both occupied Mizuki turned to Naruto and yelled, "Naruto! Give me the scroll and you'll pass!"
"NO! Naruto don't do it!" Iruka shouted.
Mizuki grew angry and yelled, "Do it! Iruka doesn't care for you! Only the scroll's safety!"
Iruka looked shocked and screamed, "That's not true!" He pulled the shuriken out of his back and muttered, "Naruto is a son to me… Nothing can change that."
"Oh come on Iruka! You and I both know that you hate Naruto because of what happened twelve years ago!"
Iruka looked frantic, but Sakura and Naruto both began to realize where this was heading. "Don't tell him Mizuki! It's an S-class secret!"
"Yes Naruto! Do you know why the villagers all hate you? It's because of what is sealed within you!" Mizuki looked at him like a mad man, ignoring Iruka's screams he said, "Naruto, Kyuubi is sealed inside of you! You're the demon that attacked this village so long ago!"
"That's not true!" Someone yelled from above. Suddenly Sasuke jumped down, panting slightly, but nonetheless he was all right. "Naruto is only the carrier of the demon, nothing more." He quickly took a stance by Naruto, "And if you plan on attacking him, then you're also going to be attacking me."
Sakura took this as her cue to jump in and say, "Yeah! Naruto is my friend, and if you try to hurt him, you'll have to get through me too!" She took a stance on Naruto's other side. "Besides, it would be a little quiet here if he was gone." She added.
Iruka looked on at his students, all willing to stand up against a Chunin like a real squad of Genin's. He got up and said, "You'll also have to get through me…" He stood behind Naruto and his two friends, "There is no way you can beat us all Mizuki!"
Mizuki looked down and laughed. "You all still side with the demon after everything you've heard?" When no one said anything or move, his face faltered and he screamed, "No matter what, you'll all die!"
Before Mizuki could even attack, a hand burst right through his chest from behind. "Think again, traitor." Koga muttered as he pulled his now bloody hand out of the person.
"Dad!" Naruto called out. "How did you find us?"
"Naruto, someday you should take a REAL shower so I cannot pick up your scent so easily!" He then noticed the others and said, "Hi Iruka, Sasuke, and Sakura!"
He jumped down to them and Iruka muttered, "Thank you… Is he going to live?"
"From having my arm go through his chest? Not likely." Koga muttered.
Iruka nodded but slowly said, "But he didn't deserve this punishment. Maybe a life imprisonment in a high security prison, but defiantly not death."
Koga's eyes grew a darker shade of red as he said, "Anyone who threatens my child and his friends deserves death in my book."
"I… I see your point…" Iruka sighed.
"So… then the test was a fake?" Sasuke asked, a little angry at himself for not detecting this, and a little hopeless that he'll have to face his brother.
"Apparently so…" Sakura muttered.
Finally Some ANBU began to appear in the area, and find out what happened. Afterwards they took the body of Mizuki to the hospital and Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were all taken to the Hokage tower.
(Hokage Tower.)
Sarutobi sat behind his desk. It was almost pass eleven, and he had just finished watching Naruto and his friend's stick together when Mizuki told off his biggest secret on his crystal ball. Inside Sarutobi knew that Naruto's two friends knew about his seal already, and have accepted him for who he was.
I'm glad Naruto has so many people he can rely on… He sighed. He then noticed the door opened to reveal Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura walking in. "I'm so glad you all could make it." He said.
"Thanks…" Naruto muttered.
The Hokage then began to speak saying, "I saw your performance, and I have to say I am quite impressed. Sakura, you managed to use quite a high level Jutsu in the scroll room. Naruto, you were able to lead your team with little to no trouble, and Sasuke, you willingly became a decoy."
The three swelled up with pride when he described what they had done, but then he said, "It surprises me how you managed to fail the Genin exam. The way you all stood up against Mizuki…" He stopped mid sentence as another presence, entered the room.
"Sorry Hokage-sama that I'm a little late." Hatake Kakashi muttered.
The Hokage smiled and said, "Don't worry about it Kakashi."
Kakashi suddenly noticed the failed students and asked, "What are they doing here? They failed the test. You're not going to make me pass them are you?"
"Kakashi. Maybe it's better that I explain things to you…" Sarutobi muttered.
He began from the beginning from where Naruto lead them in and defeat himself. He continued on to tell of the Jutsu Sakura placed, then of Sasuke willing to be a decoy. He finished it off by telling him that they didn't leave his side even after being told Naruto's darkest secret.
"I… see…" Kakashi muttered. He was surprised to be blunt. He didn't think this team would be good, but maybe… just maybe he was proven wrong. "Hokage-sama… If all you say is true, then maybe I can allow them to pass."
The three children looked up in surprise, and they all noticed the Hokage smiling as he nodded in agreement.
"Ok then. Allow me to put this in the records… you can begin doing missions tomorrow, so you all better get some sleep with the time you have." The Hokage said happily.
"Wait a minute." Naruto yelled. "We passed even though the test was just a fake?"
"Yes, that is basically what is going on." Kakashi said.
Needless to say, that there were three new ninja's that slept pretty well that night, knowing that they all achieved the first steps in their dreams…
CHAPER thirteen – END
Yay, finally got them all passed! Only took three chapters to do it as well! Next chapter we'll start the mission to the wave arc! Now, what I want to know is, should I make Haku and Zabuza live or die? I'll have to find out as I'm writing those sections out…
See you all in chapter fourteen!