This is a Naruto Fan Fiction only.

The beginning of my fourth year was pretty much as the year before. I was pretty sad since mom pretty much told me to help Sayomi learn what she was teaching her. I finished my training and education faster and better than my peers could ever dream off.

The time in the shogi club made me truly love helping others get better. My training and help had made significant benefits to my fellow club members. Choji mastered the transformation technique to such an extent that he made himself look like an absolute chick magnet.

Shino had a much deeper connection with his hive, they truly considered him as close as family and the way they worked together showed this in every single of his fights.

Lee learned that he needed to also strength his bone density and not just his muscles. I guess telling him to take better care of his diet, and providing him with sound advice paid off. Now if I could get him to wear something other than spandex and stop yelling about the fires of youth.

I looked at mom as she finished teaching Sayomi today's lessons. It means that we had to go outside for our physical skills training. "Mom do you have any idea why Mizuki hates me? I ace every test, so the only thing that they could possibly doctor is my physical skills scores."

She smiled at me and reminded me never to take things at face value and to look underneath the underneath. I got to the class and we were throwing kunai at wooden dummies yet again. Sure we were told where to hit, but to me at least was no different than the time Neji wanted to play darts as a training exercise.

"This is beyond boring. I could do this with my eyes closed." Mizuki must have heard me say that because he dropped what he was doing and came to stand next to me.

"So this is too easy for you. I am sorry to hear that Naruto. I have an idea why don't you show us what you can do. For every target you miss you do a hundred push ups, pull ups, and squats." I just had to ask what did I get if I didn't miss any of them.

I knew that by the look in his eyes he was going to say something I wouldn't like. "If you don't miss any of them? Well lunch is on me. That's right Naruto I will have lunch with you and pay for our meals."

One the one hand I didn't want the humiliation of missing and ending up looking like a fool, and on the other hand if I didn't miss I have a plate of that salty, fatty, food that tasted good but was not that good for me. I could practically hear mom gagging.

In the end I closed my eyes and didn't miss a single one. I was sitting right next to him as we both ate our bowl of ramen. He ordered pork ramen and I had the fish ramen. "Nice throws Naruto. I guess I will just have to make your practice harder. You should have told me it was too easy for you."

I was certainly not expecting this at all. Mizuki was actually being considerate and gave me a complement. What was going happen next pig flying and that jackass of a godfather of mine would finally admit to being gay and decide to become a wandering Buddhist monk?

"Naruto I really mean it. Those were some nice throws. I guess I should expect this from my top student. It is always a surprise to me that you end up as dead last. I guess you really must have done horrible in your written exams. Iruka often complains about how you never pay attention in class and always take naps."

I ate my food quietly and decided to leave the stall before I ended up saying something I would regret. That was the plan until he said something that made me stop. "You know Naruto I guess you don't know this but I was actually an orphan like you."

"My parents died during a battle in the third shinobi world war. Their commanding officer and his wife adopted me. I know you don't know anything about your folk, and it's a pretty big secret. I can't tell you their names but I can tell you had they lived you would have grown up as my baby brother."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It took mother telling me it was true to get me over my shock. "If that is the case why were you always so demanding of me and would limit who I could spar with? It made me think that you didn't want me to pass the final exam at all."

Mizuki looked at me with a totally serious look on his face. "Naruto the life of a ninja is a constant struggle. You will have to complete missions that would more than likely kill an ordinary civilian villager. If I was tough on you it was because I believe you could handle it. If I was demanding it was because I want you to survive. I am doing my best for you little brother! Have a little more faith in your big brother!"

He finished saying that in the worst way possible. Held me in place with his arm around my neck and was messing up my hair with the knuckles on his free hand. For some reason this also made the owner of the ramen stall so happy they told us our ramen was on the house.

I got home to find Dog waiting for me by my bedroom window. "So Mizuki finally told you why he is extra demanding on you. It's about time he told you. If he waited another month I would tell you the reason myself. Mizuki was not the only one your parents adopted you know. I was also adopted but my parents died in different ways than his did."

"Mom died during my birth and Dad was driven to commit suicide after he failed a very important mission. I heard what he did from your dad and I still say he made the right choice. Success was only possible if he let one of his squad die. He chose to abort the mission rather than let a squad member die."

"People that abandon a mission are scum, but those that abandon their squad members are worse than scum. Remember that always Naruto. One day your life may come to depend in your squad."

I looked at him and began shaking my head. "Dog I train harder than any of them. I have killed and don't hesitant to do what I must. I will always train harder and harder so that I can stand for myself without depending on anyone. I might not even graduate if the teachers keep stacking my grades against me."

He looked at me with a dead serious look on his eye. "Even should that happen I believe my commander would welcome you into my division with open arms. The village might not think that highly of you Naruto, but we in ANBU have seen how you dealt with those bandits. You even rescued the hostages. We in ANBU respect your professionalism."

Part of me wanted to call him a liar. Mom on the other hand taught me to try and be as polite as the situation called for. "Dog trust me, they will never let me graduate. How could they risk losing their favorite scapegoat? I know full well what I am considered by this village. I'm a weapon to the hokage and the council nothing more and nothing less."

He came in and sat on my crummy sofa as I finished saying that. "That is the same as all the ninja in the village Naruto. They might treat us better, but deep down we are weapons that protect this nation. I know we think of ourselves are people on a job, some even think of themselves as sort of guardians."

I began to go to my closet and prepare for the next day as he said that. "I really don't care what they think of me truth be told. I know what I am, who I am and my own worth. I have no need for their approval or even appreciation. I have spent nothing in their markets and I get all the food I need from my forest home."

"Mention one thing this village has ever given me? Just one thing." Dog looked thoughtful for a second before I saw him get up from the sofa and looked at me. He walked near the window he entered into this place. "Life, home, and a chance for happiness. You asked for one I gave you three, aren't I generous? Sweet dreams little brother."

With that he left and I must admit not even I was expecting that answer.

The next morning I was once again going to school. I had no plans other than keep training and helping Sayomi as mother kept teaching her things she already taught me. If only mom would just call her by her name, and not daughter in law sometimes it would be less embarrassing for both of us.

The classes were as boring as ever, and the physical skills classes did get harder for me. Neji even complained that Mizuki was picking on me during one of our club meetings. I just had to set the record straight and tell him I asked for my practice during class to be tougher.

"Neji while I do appreciate you looking out for me. I have to tell you I had to ask that the class be more difficult. I can't let myself go soft. Our lives will be as if we are walking by the edge of our kunai. We need to be tough or we will not survive."

The others nodded their head and said that was why they had extra training with their respective clans. I saw that he understood that unlike the others in our club. I didn't have the benefits of having a clan to help me.

As the days went on and the final exam was coming closer I began to wonder why the hell do I try to do my best in the exams if they will always call me the dead last. That was when mom said something that I would never forget. 'Everything you do reflects on me. If you do bad it must mean I was a bad mother to you and didn't raise you correctly.'

I once again aced the written and passed with flying colors the practical exam. The next day I knew what was coming but I felt like might as well get it over with. Sure enough Sasuke was named top ninja of our year. Sakura was named top kunoichi of the year and I was dead last once again.

I went to where Ino was seating behind the counter of her family's flower shop. "Tell me something Ino, you are Sakura spend hours working out, dieting, taking care of your hair or taking care of your skin. How is it that Sakura has been kunoichi of the year four years in a row?"

Into didn't even bother looking away from her fashion magazine. "Don't know the answer to that Naruto and I am not crazy enough to go into that skull to find out. I am busy enough trying to get Sasuke to notice I exist. You buying something or your just here as a pest?"

I looked at her and at what flowers were left on the stands. "It's not like you will actually sell me anything. I tell you it just doesn't make any sense. I am beginning to think she is sleeping with Iruka, Mizuki or both. Enjoy the rest of the magazine Ino. There is a typo on page six by the way."

I made it home after a nice day at the club. I was having such a bad day until I got to spend some time with my friends. Helping them get better, and seeing them improve made my bad day into a good day. They even helped me train as well.

Some of the villagers may still call us a gang but we didn't care. Our friendship was tougher than those fools ever realized. As I got ready for dinner someone knocked at my door. No one expected the top ninja of our year to visit, and something told me she was not about to announce this.

She stepped in to my apartment and she was carrying a rather large bag. As soon as she was inside she closed all windows and even used her chakra to make sure no sound would escape. I guess she was using the privacy seal mom taught her.

"Naruto mind telling me what was that nonsense about Sakura getting top grades by sleeping with our teachers?" She decided to turn off her technique and I was seeing the real Sayomi looking rather angry.

"I guess Ino told you about that. I guess I was planning a bit of a revenge against Sakura. Don't think I didn't notice how she tried to offer you a tainted lunchbox. If the village can use rumors to make my life a living hell, why can't I use it to protect you?"

I saw her anger evaporate and a smile was on her face. "So you did it for me, well that is different. Mind if I use your kitchen I decided to put my cooking skills to the test and make you a wonderful dinner. You haven't eaten have you?"

This was a brand new experience for me, and some uncharted territory to boot. I guess I had a bit of an internal conflict since she started cooking. One the one hand I wanted to be honest with Sayomi, but on the other if her dish was not that tasty and I told her it would hurt her feelings.

'Naruto a relationship is based on trust. If her dish taste bad tell her. It might hurt a little but you lying to hurt would hurt her a lot more. Trust me I taught her how to cook. How bad could she be with me teaching her?'