Chapter 8 – Daily Grind
School marched on endlessly. Little to no holidays since summer break. Not even a day off for the remembrance ceremony for victims of the attack on October 10th. It was on a weekend this year. Though, that did mean that Naruto didn't have to go to school on his birthday. His guardian took him to his favorite ramen shop. Bought him all the ramen he could stomach, took him to the stuffed animal shop to get Kurama a fresh wash, and dropped him back at the apartment.
But that was then. This is now. Winter break is still over a month away. The days are starting to go below freezing overnight, making getting out of bed that much harder. Leaving the warmth of a nice blanket with a fox friend next to you. Such a hard choice. But, someone would come and get him if he didn't leave.
Naruto is in a mental battle. Finally, he removes the blanket and sheet from its cozy position. He put two feet over the edge and sits up. "Boy, you're lucky you don't have to go do school like I do." He says while looking back at his friend, still snuggled in the warmth. With sleep still in his eyes, he finally puts both feet on the floor. Lethargically, he walks to his dresser. Finally feeling a bit more awake, he places one leg through his pants, followed by the other.
"You don't know what it's like to get up on these cold, dark mornings and have to go to someplace you hate." The sun is barely above the horizon. The blinds on his windows are slightly open.
With a grumble, Kurama replied, "Yes…..I do."
Naruto feeling indignant, "Oh yeah? How could you?"
Kurama just tugged on the blanket some more and shutting his eyes harder, "You tell me every morning."
Naruto, not liking that answer, got back onto the bed. With full temptation to get in it once more, but he got right next to Kurama's ear. "OH, am I keeping you awake? I'm sooooo sorry." Naruto rolls himself back off the bed, grabs his jacket from the floor, backpack from his chair and goes out the front door. Grumbling to himself about foxes and their lack of responsibilities.
While walking to school, Naruto's mind wanders. Nobody ever bothers him on his walk to school anyways. Buildings suddenly became very small. Naruto grew a large snout. He looked down at the small people below and noticed burnt orange fur. Looking behind was nine tails, whooshing about. Naruto turned into a giant Kurama! Looking down on people from above, Naruto needs to be extra careful not to step on anyone.
Gathering strength in his hind legs, he jumps as far as he can. His target? The Hokage mountain. He makes it and is looking out to the horizon beyond. A majority of the trees have lost their leaves, but there is an odd pine tree every now and there. But, that's not important right now. What is important is a small, two story building. It blends in with all the other buildings of the Leaf Village, but Naruto knows this one personally. His vendetta against the Konoha Ninja Academy is just. Now that he is a ginormous fox, he has no need for a ninja academy. He charges a huge Big Ball of ExplosionTM and fires it towards the 'prison.' It hurtles through the air and detonates as soon as it hits the walls.
"Mission accomplished! A smoldering crater is all that remains of school!"
Back in reality, Naruto sighs as a familiar sight of the school comes into view from the other side of the chain link fence.
Today is one of the days Naruto dreads the most. Written tests. Now, this didn't come out of nowhere. Yesterday at the end of regular class time, was self-study time. But Naruto took that time to sleep. Then promptly forgot about it in his rush home. Practical tests Naruto did well on. He was active enough to keep up on the laps and sport activities with energy to spare. Written tests, ehh. Naruto is woefully unprepared for such a test. The questions are all relatively straight forward, they still are seven years old. Can't ask them too complex of questions.
1. Describe the founding of the village in your own words.
All Naruto can think of at the moment was remembering being mad at Sasuke for some reason. His eyes are closed and his hands are now placed on his forehead trying to will the information from his brain.
'AH!' Naruto thinks. 'I can't remember anything about this!' All that comes to the forefront of his mind is something that his grandpa had mentioned when he was shone the contract of his apartment.
"Always pay attention to the words. It is very important that you do everything that is required."
'THAT'S IT!' A light bulb goes off in his head.
イルカ先生、この質問はばかげています。 この情報を知る必要はないような気がします。 -うずまきナルト、未来の火影。
Satisfied with his answer, Naruto leans back and put his hands behind his head. Marveling in his genius. I love loopholes. Naruto did write down the question on a piece of scrap paper so that if Iruka-sensei did trouble him over his awesomeness he can just say what it most certainly means.
Naruto went down to the next question. Hey, I actually know this one.
2. When was the Ninja Academy established?
After jotting down his answer, Naruto decides to add a note to it. 'As you can see, I've memorized this utterly useless fact long enough to pass a test question. I now intend to forget it forever. You've tought be nothing except how to cynically manipulate the system. Congratulations. You played yourself.'
Naruto scans down the test, answering when he can and skipping others he doesn't know. The test is on general Konoha knowledge and you'd think Naruto would be able to do well on it. He wants to be Hokage after all. But again, he slept through a lot of class. Monsters under the bed and all. With time winding down, he goes back through the test questions.
8. What is the kekkai-genkai of the Hyuga clan?
An easy question for everyone in the class. There is a Hyuga member in the room. Those that forgot, conveniently sat next to Hinata. Naruto, is not seated close to her. Unable to think of an answer and time running down to the last twenty seconds, he writes, 'I cannot answer this question, as it is against my religious principles.'
The timer buzzes. "Worth a shot." Naruto says to himself. His number is eventually called and Naruto walks up to Iruka-sensei and hands him his work. The rest of the day is a blur to Naruto. His brain is already kaput from the strain of critical thinking.
'What in the heck? How did you get that answer!?'
Times like these are when Iruka Umino really wonders if its all worth it.
'Be a teacher they said. It will be rewarding they said.'
For the most part, it really is. Iruka enjoyed seeing his students excited faces when he showed them a new ninja trick. Well, at least some of the students. Others, like those from clans, were only mildly impressed. The days that are the most painful are definitely those that are stuck in the classroom. Especially with that darned kid. Iruka doesn't hate Naruto. He likes to think of himself as being unbiased. Go out of his way to help the kid? Nah. Especially since he decided to bring that stuffed toy. Flawless logic of, if Kiba can bring his pet why can't I? Never mind the fact that it was a fox. Never mind the fact that it was orange. Never mind the fact that it was a FOX!
'Speak of the devil and it will come.'
Next test to be graded, Naruto Uzumaki.
'First question was easy enough, I taught it a few days ago and said that this was very likely to be on the test. So far everyone had got at least some points for it.'
All of a sudden, Iruka bangs his head against the desk. Drawing the surprise of his colleagues in the staff room. "Well, creative answer at least." Iruka heard a voice over his shoulder. Glancing over his shoulder, it is Suzume-sensei. She is a new teacher just like Iruka and teaches some of the female oriented classes.
"What would I give to have a student like that in one of my classes." She continues.
"Huuhhh? What the heck do you mean by that?" Iruka is baffled. Someone wants the kid?!
"Why not.? If his answers are like that, I bet he is like that most of the time. Teaching those classes would never be boring. Always need someone to liven things up. These kids are too young to know the importance of what we're teaching most of the time."
'Hmm. Maybe I should stop giving them lectures and worksheets all the time.
Iruka is lost in thought that he doesn't realize Suzume had reached over and turned to the next page to see Naruto's answer for the second question.
She snorts as she reads the next answer to herself. Iruka also cracks a smile.
The second reason why Naruto loved fall? All of the leaf piles. There is a huge oak tree next to the apartment complex. It is an excellent place for shade in the summer, pretty to look at in the fall, and when the leaves finally come down, a truly gigantic leaf pile arises. The landlord typically hires a D-rank mission to rake all the leaves together. He did it one time when he had just bought the property. He wanted to do everything himself, save money. It took him three days. A day to rake it all together. Normally, he would have put it in bags, but he was exhausted. The next day was a wind storm and promptly blew the leaves all over the place. Got it back together in a pile and was fatigued once again. Finally, on the third day he had to make multiple runs to the home center store for burnable bags. He had severely underestimated the number required for the job.
All of this headache could have been solved if he just put up the little amount of money for a ninja. Heck, for a bit more, he could even have the ninja use a fire jutsu to burn it right there. And if they have a genin with a fire nature, he wouldn't even have to pay. Training for the kid instead of a chore for the adult.
The rakes are in a storage locker inside the apartment complex. Naruto knows this. Naruto also knows that it does not have a lock. He saw some of the other kids in the park getting together leaves and then jumping into it. It looked like fun.
With a pile sufficiently big enough, and Kurama nearby, Naruto walks back to a proper distance away. He charges forward running as fast as his little legs takes him. Right before the pile, he jumps into it.
Crunch
The leaves crumble underneath him and Naruto pops his head out of the pile with a big grin on his face.
"That was soooo much fun. Kurama, you gotta try this!"
Kurama, leaning forward, inspects the pile of leaves before making a decision. Recoiling a bit, he replies, "I don't know. Sometimes slugs hide under the leaves."
"What?! No they don't." Naruto looks around the pile of leaves. Turning some of them over. "Do they? Slugs?"
Kurama hunches his shoulders and sticks his tongue out slightly. "Ugh, just imagine one of those slimy mucus balls sliding up your pants leg! There might be dozens in there."
Naruto is getting paler by the second. "There might be?" He jumps out of the leaves and does a quick little dance. Hopefully getting the nonexistent slugs off of him.
"That's the problem with nature. Something is always stinging you or getting something gross on you. Let's go get some ramen."
