I don't own Naruto or any of the characters or situations associated with it.

.

Graduation

.

Umino Iruka looked at the students arrayed in front of him, then glanced down at the note in his hand. A shadow at the door announced the new arrival and he coughed to get his class' attention.

"Today is the day of the test and we have a special guest to oversee it."

The door opened and Sarutobi Hiruzen walked in, causing the students to go completely silent.

"Good morning, students."

Amongst the responses of "Good Morning, Lord Hokage," Naruto's greeting of "Hi, Jiji!" stood out, garnering several shocked stares.

"Now." Iruka said, getting the class' attention as Mizuki began handing out the test papers, "When I tell you to, you will turn over the papers and begin."

.

.

"And that concludes the written portion of the exam." Iruka said, pausing as Naruto groaned "Thank the Kamis" loud enough for everyone to hear, thus causing a ripple of hastily-suppressed giggles. "Now, while I mark your tests, please join Mizuki and Hokage-Sama outside for the weapons, taijutsu and ninjutsu portions of the exam."

As the students filed out, Iruka glanced at Hiruzen, who was smiling.

"What is it, Lord Hokage?"

"Just a passing thought." Hiruzen said as he turned to follow the last of the students. Pausing at the door, he looked back. "I think that this will be interesting, you may wish to sit by the window as you mark the tests."

Iruka blinked, then smiled as he remembered that the outside testing area was visible from the classroom. Pausing only to drag his desk closer to the window, he turned over the first test and sighed.

"Shikamaru, why did you do just enough to pass, again? I know you're better than this."

.

"The first test is shuriken and kunai." Mizuki announced. "You will throw five of each at the targets, points will be given for accuracy of placement with lethal and permanently crippling shots getting top marks. First up, Aburame Shino."

The bug-user stepped into the throwing circle and, with incredibly-efficient movements, threw five shuriken and then five kunai, none of them missing the wooden dummies. Mizuki walked over and pulled them out.

"Seventy-nine out of one hundred. Akamichi Choji, you're next."

"You alright Hinata?" Naruto whispered, placing his hand reassuringly on Hinata's shoulder. Hinata blushed.

"I… I don't know if I'll do well, I…"

"Hey, you'll do brilliantly." Naruto murmured to her. "I believe in you, remember? You're strong, fast, smart, beautiful…"

Hinata almost keeled over with only Naruto's reactions stopping her from landing on the floor. Looking up into his eyes, she saw only honesty and truth.

"It's almost time for your test." Naruto said as he lifted her back to her feet. "I know you'll do brilliantly, Hinata. Believe me!"

Hinata nodded as her name was called. Moving forwards, she reached into her kunai pouch.

'Naruto believes in me, he taught me the Rasengan, he had his Hive make my jacket for me, he introduced me to his parents, I can't let him down. I won't let him down!'

Taking a deep breath, Hinata stood still for a heartbeat, then her hands seemed to blur. The shuriken and kunai thunked solidly into the targets, the shuriken embedded deeply into the throats while the kunai were all perfect heart shots.

"Perfect score." Mizuki announced and Hinata blushed at the spontaneous round of applause and cheers that greeted the announcement. Looking down, she almost scurried back to Naruto who gave her a congratulatory hug.

"I knew you could do it!"

Hinata didn't quite faint, but only Naruto's hug kept her from collapsing on the ground as her legs seemed to turn into wobbly columns of water while the world around them seemed to fade away.

A round of female cheering broke into her reverie and Hinata regained her footing, looking round to see Mizuki handing back shuriken and Kunai to Sasuke.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Giving Hinata a quick kiss on her cheek, Naruto strode forwards, taking up position. A moment later, his hands blurred and five shuriken buried themselves almost to their midpoint in the targets throats while five silvery kunai slammed deeply into the chests of the targets.

Yamanaka Ino gasped. "Those are Hiraishin Kunai! My dad has one on his wall at home!"

Naruto shrugged and reached out as Mizuki stood motionless. Glowing chains suddenly lashed out, pulling first the shuriken into his hands, then the kunai.

"Naruto-kun, what… was that?"

"That was an Uzumaki-clan technique, chakra chains." Naruto smiled. "According to a scroll I read, in honor of the friendship of the Uzumaki clan and Konoha, all Uzumaki were granted the right to use Hiraishin Kunai for so long as the clan was allied with Konoha. I just chose to exercise that right. Here's a copy of the scroll."

Hiruzen caught the small scroll and unrolled it, his breath catching as he saw a pair of familiar signatures at the bottom. "Naruto speaks the truth, this scroll confirms it and was signed by Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Naruto grinned and walked back to Hinata. "So, how'd I do?"

"Naruto-kun, where did you get that scroll?" Hinata whispered.

"My parents made it for me yesterday." Naruto replied just as quietly. "Word will spread that as an Uzumaki, I can use the Hiraishin Kunai, which means I don't have to try and use normal ones and also simplifies my weapons loadout since I only need one type, not the usual throwing-and-dagger of everyone else."

Hinata nodded and closed her eyes, resting her head on Naruto's shoulder and relaxing in the support of his arms. For a while, the world seemed to fade away once again, but then her relaxation was interrupted.

"Hyuuga Hinata." Mizuki said, catching their attention.

"Bunshin and Henge, then Kawarimi." Naruto whispered into her ear before releasing her. Hinata nodded in embarrassed gratitude, she had completely missed the instructions. Taking her place, she looked at Mizuki.

"Bunshin no Jutsu."

Four copies of Hinata appeared.

"Henge!"

As the bunshins vanished, Hinata turned into a perfect copy of Naruto, causing several laughs. Mizuki nodded, his face expressionless and picked up a ball. As he threw it, Hinata was engulfed in a cloud of smoke and the ball bounced off a log. A moment later, the log vanished in a puff of smoke, with Hinata taking its place once more.

"Excellent. You pass this portion."

Hinata blushed as she made her way back to Naruto's side. As she turned to face the examining grounds, Naruto gave her a one-armed hug.

"You did brilliantly."

Hinata's blush intensified and she tried to calm her breathing. After a few minutes, she heard Naruto's name being called again. Naruto stepped into the cirlce, then looked at the Hokage.

"Is it alright if I combine my Henge and Bunshin?"

Mizuki glanced across and Hiruzen nodded with a curious expression on his face. Nauto grinned.

"Special Uzumaki Technique – Hokages return!"

A large cloud of smoke enveloped him and when it cleared, everyone gasped at the sight before them. Hiruzen blinked at the sight of himself, flanked by his predecessors and successor, as well as two women that he recognised, but the final figure…

"Shodai Hokage Senju Hirashima, Shodai's wife Uzumaki Mito, Nidaime Hokage Senju Tobirama, Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato, Jonin Uzumaki Kushina." Mizuki recited as he walked along the line, then he paused, staring at the last figure, a very familiar-looking blond. "And you are…?"

"I am the future Godaime Hokage Uzumaki Naruto." The man stated with his almost-trademark grin. Hiruzen raised his hand quickly to hide his grin as several of the students started to laugh.

"That's my boy." Kushina said, reaching out and giving hima one-armed hug. "You'll be a great Hokage."

"Hey old man, I hope you're paying attention." Minato laughed. "He has my vote."

"Then I shall start the paperwork tomorrow." Said the clone Hiruzen and the real Hiruzen started to laugh.

"Only you, Naruto. Only you. I guess that this is a perfect pass."

Mizuki walked to the side, then turned and threw a ball at Naruto as hard as he could. An instant before the ball hit, Naruto was engulfed in smoke.

"Ow!"

The smoke cleared to reveal Mizuki holding onto his left shoulder, glowering at Naruto. "You… you Kawarimi'd using me?"

"A perfect pass." Hiruzen repeated as the clones walked over to Naruto and started shaking his hand and congratulating him. Hinata smirked as she briefly activated her Byakugan, confirming that two of the clones weren't actually simply Henged clones of Naruto.

"Then this just leaves Taijutsu." Hiruzen said, waving his hand. A moment later, two figures appeared. "These are Izumo and Kotetsu, they have volunteered to help test your skills. To pass, you need to hold your own against them for two minutes. Extra points will be awared if you force them out of the ring or manage to knock them out. Taijutsu only, no Jutsu that require hand-seals, no genjutsu and no use of nin-dogs or Kikkai."

Both chunin released sighs of relief at the last one.

"First up, Aburame Shino in ring one and Akamichi Choji in ring two."

Hinata closed her eyes. "Naruto…"

"You'll do brilliantly." Naruto reassured her. "Just stay calm and remember your Snake Jyuuken."

Hinata nodded slowly.

"Haruna Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata!"

"You're up." Naruto grinned. "Prove you're the best as I know you are!"

Hinata smiled as she stepped forwards, her confidence restored. Taking position opposite Izumo, she bowed slightly and dropped into a modified Jyuuken stance.

"Begin!"

Moving with a speed that Anko had (quite literally) beaten into her, Hinata launched her attack, using her Rasengan training to launch a spike of Chakra up Izumo's arm, numbing it. As Izumo staggered back, Hinata kicked out, catching his hip and launching another chakra pulse that curved from his right hip to his left knee, sending him tumbling to the ground, unable to escape.

"Winner, Hinata." Hiruzen said. Hinata knelt and began unblocking the tenketsu that she had sealed, only vaguely aware of the applause she was getting and the approving grins from Minato and Kushina.

.

.

"We have the results." Iruka said, standing in front of the class. "You all pass."

The entire class erupted in cheers and Iruka waited a moment, then held up his hand for silence.

"The battle for Kunoichi of the year and Rookie of the year were both very close-fought, and in the end, it came down to less than three points difference. The rank of Kunoichi of the year by two points goes to Hyuuga Hinata!"

Hinata blushed as another round of cheers rose, and she glanced across at Sakura, who had been her main rival for that position. To her relief, Sakura wasn't glaring at her, but instead bowed slightly.

"And the position of Rookie of the year, by a single point, is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto grinned at Hinata, who blushed furiously. She and Naruto were going to be on the same team!

"Now, that ends the Academy term for you. Please return in two weeks for your team assignments."

"I already know them." Shikamaru yawned and everyone looked at him. "What? It's obvious. Ino, Choji and I will be on one team since our fathers worked so well together and they can train us in their preferred techniques and tactics. Naruto and Hinata will be on the same team, as one team is always composed of the Rookie and Kunoichi of the year, as well as the Dead Last. Sorry, Kiba, but that means that you're with them. That only leaves Sakura due to her ranking, Sasuke and Shino, so they'll be on a team. So unless the Hokage decides to mix up the civilian-born with the clan-children, those will be the teams."

"Very good, Shikamaru." Iruka said with a smile. "Unless there is a valid reason otherwise, those will probably be the teams."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru yawned as he lowered his head onto his folded arms and fell asleep.

Iruka looked at him, then shook his head. "Dismissed."

Naruto rose and darted across to Kiba. "Since we're probably going to be on the same team, how about a meal together, my treat. We can go to that barbeque place Choji keeps raving about, loads of meat there."

Kiba nodded. "Sure, but I need to tell my mum where I'm… how did you do that without handseals?"

"Practice." Naruto replied as his summoned clone ran off. "My clone will tell your mother where you are. Hinata, you coming as well?"

"I… I'd like that." Hinata managed and Naruto closed his eyes for a moment.

"Oky, your dad just gave his approval, but warned me I needed to see you safely back afterwards. Let's go!"

"Wait a moment," Kiba said, totally confused, "How did you get her dad's permission so fast when you had to send a clone to my mom?"

"I'll tell you over the meal." Naruto grinned as he offered his arm to Hinata.

.

.

"Did you enjoy your dinner?"

Kiba nodded absently as he ambled in through the main gate of the Inuzuka compound, absently stroking the new metal bracer he wore on his left arm while Akamaru perched on his head. "Yeah, mom, it was good. I learned a lot about Naruto, did you know he can use his Kikkai to real-time communications?"

"I did." Tsume said with a slight smile. "I helped Maito Gai with some exercises for his students recently, they were using odd armlets to send messages to each other. Gai was kind enough to explain how they worked. So, you're probably teaming up with Naruto and Hinata, yes?"

Kiba nodded. "Yep. Naruto's got his super-deadly Kikkai, Hinata's got her Byakugan and I've got Akamaru, we'll be a perfect tracking team."

Tsume tilted her head slightly to one side. "Are you meeting up with them again before the teams are announced?"

"Tomorrow afternoon." Kiba said with a grin. "Naruto said something about showing me a new chakra-control exercise."

"Probably tree-climbing or water-walking." Tsume mused. "If it's tree-climbing, then when you get it down, I'll let you learn two more of the clan jutsu."

"I'll have it mastered in no time!" Kiba stated proudly, ignoring his mother's eye-roll.