Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Naruto.
A lot of this chapter is close to cannon and is the actual start of the series. Enjoy...
Chapter 7 – The beginning
A little over a year later has us following Naruto as he is chased by a couple Chunin. "You can't catch me" Naruto yells while jumping from roof to roof. "Naruto!!" yell his pursuers.
Inside an elderly man is painting but stops as hears approaching footsteps. "Lord Hokage, lord Hokage!!"
Sarutobi looked annoyed at the disruption while he was painting. "What is it this time? And it had better be important." Grimacing "and don't tell me it's Naruto"
Both of the men who entered the room looked nervous "but it is Naruto." The Hokage rolled his eyes.
"What did he do this time?" he asked.
One of the men stated "he defaced the faces of the Hokages"
Back outside the boy is still being chased. He jumps down to the street and appears to jump back up to the roof tops. Both of his pursuers continue down the street. The fence seems to shimmer and a sheet is lowered revealing the boy. "Losers!" he said as he was sticking his tongue out. "Figures you'd fall for that"
"Naruto!!" Naruto is so startled he falls down. Iruka is breathing heavy says "I finally caught you!"
"What do you want Iruka sensei? What are you doing here?" exclaim Naruto as he is rubbing his butt.
Iruka looks really angry "No! What are you doing here, you should be in class." Iruka pulls out some rope as Naruto attempts to escape but is tied up and dragged back to class.
Back in the class room, most of the kids are snickering as Naruto is brought in all tied up. All but one who has a look of concern on her face, she has pale lavender eyes and short dark hair. 'Oh Naruto-kun… I hope you are alright… I hope Iruka Sensei did not hurt you…'
"Alright Naruto since you decided to skip the lesson we will review" exclaimed Iruka, a collective 'oh…' rang out from the other students. "Ok we will practice using the 'henge' or transformation jutsu. Ok first up Sakura Haruno." Sakura transforms into Iruka, as Iruka checks her off his list. Sasuke Uchiha is next as Sakura attempts to get his attention with her ability to transform. He ignores her and transforms himself into Iruka.
"Don't screw this up Naruto." Shikamaru exclaims.
"Yeah we always pay for your screw ups. Come on Naruto give us a break." Ino added in.
"Like I care." Naruto commented.
Down the line of children Hinata was watching Naruto and thinking 'Do your best Naruto' as she was pushing her fingertips together.
"Transform!" Naruto yells. A beautiful and naked girl with blonde pony tails appears, except for whiffs of smoke covering her most vital areas. "This is my sexy jutsu."
Iruka is flabbergasted, his jaw drops and he falls over backwards, nose bleeding. "What?" He gets back up putting some tissue in both of his nostrils. Naruto is on the floor laughing so hard his sides ache. "Naruto what type of jutsu is that? Wait, don't tell me and never do it again!!" Iruka finally gets the class back to some semblance of order. "Tomorrow will be your finals. So practice hard." Iruka happily exclaimed as the students left for the day.
The following day the class is assembled for the day. "Ok today the final will be on the clone jutsu." A universal round of "ah…." came from the class.
Naruto is called into the next room to take his test. He begins to build up chakra, and attempts to create a clone "Clone jutsu". A pathetic almost comical version of Naruto was laying face down next to him.
"You fail!" yelled Iruka. Naruto looked very sad and down trodden.
"Come on Iruka sensei. We should pass him." Naruto perked up at Mizuki's comments. "This is his third attempt at trying to pass, meaning he really does want to become a ninja. And he did replicate."
"I understand Mizuki sensei, but I we cannot pass him. All the other students made at least three replications. He was only able to make one. And look at it. It's pathetic. I am sorry but we cannot pass him." Iruka explained.
Outside of the academy children are celebrating with their families as they graduate ninja school. Off on a tree swing Naruto sits sidesaddle, looking very depressed. "Look at him, at least he didn't graduate." One woman exclaimed. "It would be disastrous if he had passed. Because of what…." Another woman says only to be interrupted "you know we are not supposed to talk about that"
Hinata while happy looks sadly upon Naruto as did her father, just as Mizuki approaches Naruto. Hinata looks at her father, who looks sad for an instant then turns to his daughter and smiles. Naruto and Mizuki disappear as Sarutobi talks to Iruka "we need to talk Iruka."
We see Naruto and Mizuki are sitting on a balcony somewhere in town. "Iruka sensei is tough but he is not against you. He is just hard on you because he wants you to be strong with all his heart." Naruto perks up at Mizuki's comment, "but you know there is another way to graduate? I could tell you about it if you are interested in listening."
Naruto's eyes lit up with there being an alternative way to graduate.
Later that evening at his home Iruka is remembering the night of terror twelve years ago and is shaken from his memories by a hard knock on his door. He gets up and finds Mizuki waiting "it's Naruto, he's stolen the scroll."
"You don't mean the scroll of sealing? Do you?" Iruka questioned as Mizuki nodded.
In the woods in a training ground near a shack Naruto has a scroll and is opening it "Now let's see… Multi-Shadow-Clone jutsu… Ah, man. I would have to be a clone jutsu, my worst jutsu…"
Unknown to Naruto someone is watching him. 'What are you doing Naruto? I am sorry you did not pass. I wish I could have helped you study so that you could have passed. But I am not strong enough, even though I know you are strong.' Hinata continued to watch from a distance as he keeps on trying to do the jutsu.
She continues to watch as he nears exhaustion, and starts to move out to talk to Naruto but notices someone coming so she returns to her hiding spot. Iruka stands over the tired Naruto "found you."
"Wow, Iruka sensei you found me fast. I was only able to learn one jutsu." Naruto happily explains.
'Wow he has been training. I can tell' Iruka thinks, "what do you think you are up too?"
"Well, you're going to let me pass if I can show you this killer jutsu I learned…" Naruto happily exclaims.
"What do you mean? Let you pass?" Iruka questions while still breathing hard.
"Well, if someone learns a jutsu from this scroll they automatically pass, right?" Hinata thinks 'could it be possible to pass another way? No, I am sure they would not do that.'
Iruka looks confused, asking "who told you that?"
"Mizuki sensei. Why?" Naruto now is beginning to feel confused and worried.
Iruka feels strong killing intent and suddenly pushes Naruto to the side yelling "look out!" He is hit by a dozen kunai. Naruto looks on as his sensei is now bleeding from several wounds, the smell of blood and killing intent is thick in the air. "I should have known, Mizuki. I should have known you were after the scroll of sealing. Naruto run away don't let Mizuki have the scroll of sealing."
All Naruto could do is look on in horror as his two sensei fought. "Naruto give me the scroll, I …" Mizuki said calmly.
"It's a lie!!" yelled Iruka. Hinata was also struck with terror, not understanding what was going on and why her Sensei were arguing and what it had to do with Naruto.
"A lie! I'll tell you about lying. They have been lying to you all your life Naruto…" Mizuki explained only to be interrupted by Iruka.
"You can't!! It's forbidden!"
Mizuki ignoring Iruka, "twelve years ago the Kyubi was sealed inside you Naruto! You are the nine-tailed fox! You are the demon! Now die!!" Mizuki pulls a large shuriken off his back and throws it at Naruto.
Hinata at first is filled with fear, 'no, Naruto is too kind to be the Kyubi. I don't believe it, someone must stop it… I love you… please don't die' she collapse and starts to weep uncontrollably.
Naruto starts to scramble away only to falter. "Get down Naruto" Naruto attempts to cover his head waiting for the end. He hears the shuriken hit something but does not fell anything. He slowly turns to see Iruka kneeling over him, in obvious pain.
"Why?" all Naruto could say was.
"Because we both are alike you and I, I didn't we both know the pain of not having parents. When my parents died I tried to hide the pain by becoming the class clown, and my grades started to suffer. The loneliness was so unbearable. I know that feeling. And I could have been there more for you. I am sorry Naruto." The pain was welling up in Naruto so all he could do is run. "Naruto!!" Iruka reaches up calling to him, silently pleading with him to not run.
Mizuki jumps down and dodges the large shuriken that Iruka pulled out of his back and threw at Mizuki. "You know what is going to happen. Once he gets his mind made up nothing can change it. He is going to pour all his rage into the scroll and then he is going to destroy the village. After I kill him I am going to come back and finish you off, you weakling Iruka." Mizuki says laughingly.
Hinata finally gets control of her feelings, 'I must help Naruto. He is hurting. There must be something I can do. But I am too weak to fight Mizuki sensei. What can I do?' She looks back the area where fighting had occurred and only a blood stain remained.
Naruto is jumping thru the trees and suddenly Iruka appears near him. "Mizuki was lying, give me the scrolls Naruto." Naruto changes direction and rams into Iruka. On the ground Iruka asks "how did you know I was not" changes to Mizuki, "Iruka".
Naruto sits down and pulls the scroll off his back. He then transforms into Iruka, "because I am Iruka."
"Why are you protecting him, he is a beast." Mizuki accused.
"How's that?" questioned Iruka.
"He'll pour all his rage into the scroll and destroy everything." Hinata quietly gasped wanting to go comfort Naruto. Hiashi further back was just shaking his head as he listened to Mizuki 'you have not a clue about the boy. I hope he proves you wrong and I do not have to interfere.'
"You're right" Iruka agrees. Naruto thinking 'so it's true, Iruka sensei never believed in me. He thinks I am some kind of beast, some kind of freak' while he continues to cry. "That is how beasts are, but that is not how Naruto is." Naruto suddenly realizes that Iruka does care about him. "He's nothing like that. Naruto is one of a kind. He works hard puts his whole heart into it, sure he messes up sometimes. And everyone jumps on him. But his suffering only makes him stronger. That is what separates him from being a beast. So you're wrong he's nothing like the Nine-tailed fox. He is Naruto Uzumaki of the village hidden in the leaves!"
"Huh, you really think I believe that drivel? Iruka I was going to save you for later, but I changed my mind. You're finished" Pulling the second large shuriken off his back and spinning to get ready to throw it. He is suddenly hit in the gut by Naruto.
"Naruto!?" Iruka says surprised. And two other sets of eyes are surprised to see Naruto, Hiashi and Hinata both are in different locations looking on.
"Not bad for a little punk" Mizuki exclaims as he stands up. Hinata yells in her mind 'be careful Naruto.' As Hiashi thinks 'we shall now see if I was right or the council was right. Please Naruto prove me right.'
"If you ever lay a finger on my Sensei, I'll kill you." Naruto says angrily.
"Such big words, I can completely destroy you with just one move." Mizuki retorted.
"Take your best shot fool. I will give it back to you a thousand fold." Naruto boldly declares.
"Let's see you try, show me what you can do nine-tailed fox!"
Naruto crosses his fingers into a hand sign while gathering chakra. "Shadow Clone jutsu…" declares as hundreds of Naruto fill the clearing surrounding Mizuki. "Come on, if you are not going to come to me I am going to come after you." All onlooker s are stunned.
'Those aren't illusions, those are actual clones. He's mastered an extremely advanced jutsu.' Iruka smiled with admiration. Hiashi turns with a smile 'good job Naruto, I expect to see good things from you in the future. And Hinata for now you can hide in the shadows, but please come out and talk to him. He could use your companionship.'
Hinata leaves in awe, but still disappointed that he did not pass graduation. 'Good bye Naruto I hope to see you soon.'
Naruto proceeds to charge with his clone army and pummels the confused Mizuki. Naruto laughs as he looks at the beaten and bruised Mizuki. "Guess I went a little overboard." Naruto chuckles and scratches his head as he turns to Iruka.
Iruka teasingly says, "Close your eyes." Naruto complies, as Iruka takes off his headband and puts it on Naruto. "Ok you can open your eyes." Naruto sees a smiling Iruka, minus his headband, "you graduate."
"Yeah! Thank you Iruka sensei!" tackling his teacher.
"Naruto let have some ramen tonight. Tonight I will take you out for ramen to celebrate." 'From here on out it will only get harder, but if I tell you that now it will only ruin the moment. Maybe I will tell you later.' Iruka thought.
Dawn came to the forest shining a new day on Naruto and his future.