Chapter 3: I don't know what I'm doing, do you? And Test and Ticks!

Hello everyone! Jeez, it appears an entire 2 years has passed since my last update. As some of you may have noticed, I changed my pen name and deleted my Bleach story. Sorry to everyone who enjoyed it, but I felt it wasn't very good and couldn't be salvaged. Don't fret though, I plan to do some massive updating not only with this story, but with some other ideas I have in my brain. Simply because I enjoy it, and love the idea of creating something that would put a smile on the faces of others. I'd like to think my writing skills have improved significantly in the last two years and plan to do better with the grammar and spelling(going back and reading this story I'm not completely appalled, but there are some grammar errors which have me screaming bloody murder). Once again, thank, you all for following, reviewing, and marking this as your favorite. I love you all, and PLEASE leave more reviews, they make me happy and keep me going!

Our foxy blonde was a very happy girl.

Here was another girl (girl!) who loved weapons and planned on becoming a strong female ninja just like her!

Although Tenten was a year older than her, Naruko felt a connection with her. The connection felt as potent as the kunai she buried perfectly into the target dummies' heart. Naruko might have just fallen in love that day. Only second to the day she discovered the wonders of ramen worship.

Naruko's train of though was interrupted by a particularly violent shuriken lodging itself into the grey matter of a target.

Tenten's angry ranting has ceased. Looks like she had ran out of sharp projectiles to throw.

Panting with her hands on her knees, she let her legs weaken and fell on her backside.

"ahhhhhh that felt good!" the brown eyed girl exclaimed.

"Thanks for listening to me Naruko-chan!"

"No problem Tenten-chan!" the blonde girl grinned while scratching the back of her head. In truth she had only paid attention to maybe half of everything. She had only managed to pick up the names: Lee, Neji, and Guy. She assumed they were her teammates, and they were neglecting her somehow. Naruko was no master detective, but she assumed it something to do with Tenten being a girl. Although better than most villages, the conditioning of young boys into Konoha's military pillars were often considered the top priority over girls. Female ninjas mainly served as medial ninjas, seductress, spies, and other long range logistical support.

Chewing on a blade of grass Naruko contemplated where her shinobi career would take her. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Naruko wasn't stupid. A little dense, slow, clumsy, bullheaded, naïve, and impatient, but not stupid. She thought long and hard about things she cared about. The "stupid" impression came from the fact that she didn't care to show interest in things that didn't interest her in the first place. Unless it involved some technique that would suffocate her enemies using a wedding bouquet, she had no interest in things such as flower arrangements.

The faraway look on Naruko's face didn't go unnoticed by Tenten.

"What are thinking about Naruko-chan?" Tenten knew it was a bit personal, considering that she just met the girl. But she thought it was only fair considering the blonde girl had been acting as her person talk-therapist for the last hour. Plus, it would be a good way to get to know the girl some more.

Naruko gave a shy grin.

"I was only thinking what a strong ninja you are Tenten, and how I'm going to be a strong fighter like you Dattebayo!"

Tenten blinked her large brown eyes. After a second, a sweet smile stretched on her face. She and this Naruko girl were going to get along swimmingly.

"That's great you want to be strong Naru-chan, but I'm not even that strong yet." Naruko cobalt blue orbs widened in confusion. Picking up on this Tenten quickly responded, "But we can both get stronger together okay!"

Tenten never truly understood why people say "eyes are windows into the soul" until she saw how Naruko's eyes reacted to her words.

The clogs in Naruko's mind were turning. Tenten had just said "together." It meant she wanted Naruko around, someone wanted she around, someone wanted to be her friend! Naruko didn't have many friends. But here was someone her age who didn't look at her like she was the crap stuck at the bottom of their shoe. And she was a girl too! Naruko had always thought that if she were to make friends they would be with boys because girls her age couldn't stand the sight of her unruly hair, boyish clothing, and boisterous demeanor.

Although, she secretly liked some of the boys in her class, like Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Shino, they were classmates and recess playmates more than anything. And when push comes to solve she was generally excluded from their group. She also had Sarutobi-oyaji and Iruka sensei. But oyaji was that, grandfather. Plus Iruka-sensei was more like her adopted father/brother/mama figure. The closest she had to friends were the various stray dogs, cats, and squirrels she fed here and there. Ohhh, and there were her plants. She didn't care what anyone said, plants had feelings too!

"YATTTAAA! That means we can be friends and train, and get ramen, and hangout together now neeehhh Tenten-chan!?" Naruko beamed, practically jumping with joy.

Tenten could only giggle. What a cute little fox she'd managed to catch.

"Of course! And I'll even ask Guy-sensei if it would be okay for you to join our team training sessions. It'll be great to have another friend around so I don't get fourth-wheeled!"

"Great! Sooo what else do you like toooo….ohhh nooo!"

"What's wrong Naruko-chan?" Tenten asked.

"Ahhhh…" Naruko whimpered.

"The sun is already setting and I still have started studying for my exam tomorrow."

"Ohhh." Tenten suddenly felt guilty for taking up so much of her time. It was getting late, perhaps she should head back home too. Her mother would have a fit if she were late to dinner again.

"Ok Naru-chan, I'll leave you to study then, I need to get home anyways."

Naruko's shoulder fell slightly. She didn't want her new friend to leave just yet.

Sensing this, Tenten patted Naruko on the head.

"Don't worry, focus on studying for your exam and we can meet up here next Tuesday okay?"

Naruko returned the gesture with sunny smile and launched herself at the older girl for a spine crushing hug.

"You promise Tenten-chan? Promise?!"

"Hahahahaha I promise Naruko-chan."

After Tenten made her departure, Naruko sat down in the dirt thinking about how exactly she was going to pass her exam. Due to her lack in practical planning skills, Naruko decided the best course of action would be to tackle everything head on, even if it meant training till she dropped from exhaustion.

"YOSH! Let's do this!"

And that's how a random ninja found her the next morning, weapons spread out around her like a war zone, face planted in the dirt.

"Hey kid, how long have you been out here?" said random ninja-san while gentling nudging her sleeping form.

"Gooo awayyy."

"Kid, you gotta wake up, this is private property."

"Miso ramen pleasseee," the blonde child continued to mumble in her sleep.

The man sweat dropped. It wasn't every day you find a child asleep out in a field, sleep talking about ramen.

"Kid I mean it, I have this field booked. I gotta give a demonstration to some academy kids or something like that today."

"Ahhhhhhh!"

At the sound of "academy" Naruko shot up faster than any air-bullet jutsu.

The blonde whipped her messy pigtails back and forth. What happened? Where was she? What time was it? What day was it?!"

Oh no, her exam!

"Kid! KID!"

Naruko turned to the source of the sound.

There was some strange guy next to her, what the hell?

"Mister, what day and time is it?"

Random ninja-san looked awkwardly at the child.

"Ummm, it's May 25, 7:50 am. Kid, I don't know who you are but you need to-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence because Naruko had already bolted off.

"Shimata!" Naruko cursed. 7:50! She had fallen asleep while training and now had ten minutes to get to class! This day was not starting off very well.

Naruko had managed to get to class. Somehow.

On her way to the academy, she flipped over two carts of fruit, tripped a couple of police ninjas, got a bucket of goo stuck in her golden locks, and dodged a few oxen. Who knew there were that many in the village? But she made it.

Literally, she had been sleeping in the dirt, after sweating through her clothing right before. Can you blame the girl for being such a mess?

She turned to the class clock. 8:05. Five minutes. That wasn't so bad!

Her instructor would beg to differ though.

"NARUKO YOU'RE LATE!"

"Only five minutes Iruka-sensei!"

"Five minutes could mean the difference between life and death for a shinobi young lady! Take a seat, everyone has started their written exams!"

Naruko grudgingly obeyed too tired to argue. As she moved to the front row she passed Ino, Sakura, and the groupies.

"Ehhhh Naruko you stink!" Ino wailed, pinching her nose while swatting the air around her.

"Yea you stink!" two of Ino's minions yapped like zombie parrots.

"Naruko stinks!" The entire class laughed.

Naruko's face flushed red with embarrassment. She wanted to choke someone right about now. But the last time she did that Iruka gave her detention for a month. Plus she was already in trouble.

"Laugh it up girly-girl this is how a real ninja smells like after some hardcore training!"

"The only thing you're training for is to be a swine farmer!"

Naruko retorted with; "like you and your mom right Ino-pig?"

"Hey! Only Sakura and her big forehead can call me that!"

"WHAT WAS THAT INO-PIG!"

"ALL OF YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

"OOOWWW IRUKA-SENSI YOU SIAD THE F-WORD!"

"I SIAD SHUT UP YOU UNGRATFUL BRATS!"

They didn't pay him enough for this. They really didn't pay him enough for this.

"Naruko. Take. A. Seat." Steam practically hissing out his ears.

Naruko nervously swallowed the lump in her throat.

Iruka-sensei was doing that weird big head genjustsu again. The one where his head grew to the ceiling, and demonic flames flickered behind him. She slowly slipped into the nearest available seat and peered down at the test. She always behaved herself when he did this. Mainly because it freaked her out so much.

By the time she picked up the pen in front of her, the class has settled down with their snickers and laughter.

Iruka signed, head shrinking back to normal.

He could feel a migraine welding up. He was about to reach into his pocket for the bottle of painkillers, but then he remembered. Prescription drug abuse was not very "good-influence like."

At least Naruko had made it. Sort of. And at least she was quiet now.

Iruka looked over at the girl. He could see the poor girl's brain working on overdrive. As much as he loved the girl, he really wanted her out of his class so he wouldn't have to deal with this every morning.

Not so coincidentally, Naruko was thinking the exact same thing.

This test was breaking her brain! So. Much. Math.

She hated math, and math hated her.

Was this integral calculus or linear algebra?

What the hell?

No way.

This had to be some insanely advance material they threw in to mess with students. Maybe if the whole class failed she could get by on the curve. Yeah it had to be! Who was the genius that though 12 year olds should master this stuff?

Naruko's gaze wandered around the classroom and landed on Sakura. She was speeding through the 20 page, 8 point font exam at the speed of e=mc2! Wait, Sakura was the smartest one in the class, she didn't count!

Turning her head around to survey the rest of the room, she noticed the rest of the class weren't nearly as intense as Sakura, but they were moving through the test pretty smoothly.

"Heehee this is easy!" Kiba whispered behind her.

Oh God. If this test is easy for dog-brain Kiba there was no hope for her. Naruko signed in resignation. There was no way she would pass this thing. Flipping through the test booklet, there was nothing she could do but write "I don't know" and random formulas and figures.

She could only hope the other sections would go better.

5 hours later:

The next test was a transformation jutsu. "Everyone line up!" Iruka called over the students. After the students finished writing their names, identification numbers, fixed the proper negatives to positives signs, they handed their exams to Iruka, and marched into their usual grumpy demonstration line.

The infamous emo Uchiha strut to the front of the line like a pompous show pony. Next Ino and Sakura were doing their usual "Sasuke is mine!" dance. Somehow, this had to involve grinding each other's foreheads and rubbing up against each other.

"Geez, why don't you two just kiss and admit you're both using Sasuke to deflect from your lesbian feelings for each other already," Naruko thought with a small laugh to herself.

Behind them, stood some random people whose name she didn't recall. Then came Kiba who was busy feeding Akamaru his treats, Shino quiet and stoic as always, Choji munching on chips, Shikamaru sleeping while standing up(Naruko was quite impressed), and then a dark haired girl who's name she couldn't put her finger on.

Dark hair, light skin, meek body posture, and strange eyes…

Whitish, lavender, pupil-less eye.

Was she blind?

No. She would have remembered if someone was blind and trying become a ninja.

Hummm…

She's Hyuuga!

That stuck up clan with the freaky kekkei genkai!

Now what was her first name?

Hinawari? Hinako? Hinane?

Hinata!

Hinata Hyuuga!

"Ehhhh." Naruko unintelligently thought.

She didn't think of herself as a bigot. After all, she was the living example of what the traumas of discrimination can do. But she rarely encountered a pleasant Hyuuga. If they weren't outright hostile to her, they treated her with twice as much contempt. Once because it was her, twice because they were wealthy, and of aristocratic lineage.

But this girl didn't look arrogant or condescending. The only thing remotely Hyuuga about her, were her physical features.

With her eyes to the floor looking up here and there, and dainty hands clasped in front of her. She looked shy and quiet. Which made sense because she had never noticed the girl until now.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear Iruka call her name until-

"Naruko!"

The sound of her name snapped her mind out of its day dream.

"Naruko! It's your turn!" Sakura snapped angrily at her.

"Relax pinkette I'm coming!" Naruko shot back.

As she strolled to the front she could hear Ino say; "Geez Naruko you never pay attention!"

"I said back off Ino!"

Those two were really starting to tick her off.

"Errr, what are we doing again?"

The entire class sweat-dropped.

"The transformation jutsu Naruko!" Iruka replied obviously irritated with her.

"Ohh right!" Naruko beamed her sour mood suddenly lifting. Something she could do! In fact…

"Transformation jutsu!"

The four foot nine girl vanished behind a cloud of smoke.

"Iruka-senseiiiii," a sultry voice called from behind the puff of smoke.

With a flick of her thick blonde hair, a curvaceous, older, naked, version of Naruko arose from the clouds.

"How do you like my henge? I call it my Sexy no Jutsu!" Sexy no Jutsu Naruko purred while blowing a kiss Iruka's direction.

Before he could fully comprehend the scene, Iruka felt all the blood rush out of his head in violent nose bleed. The gush of blood shot him back resulting in an Iruka shaped hole in the black board.

When he regained consciousness, and with a giant blush on his face, Iruka roared;

"NARUKO YOU IDIOT!"

"Hahahaha!" The blonde girl cackled.

With a popping sound, she dispelled her illusion and skipped over to Iruka's desk as he begrudgingly handed her a sheet of paper, with the words "PASS" stamped on it.

"Things are going to get better!" The lively blonde thought.

Unfortunately, they didn't.

1 hour later:

Naruko you fail!

Naruko look down at her shadow clone. It was nasty looking. Like always. Once her classmates finished laughing at her, she followed the crowd out of the classroom. Trying to hold back a sob. Iruka watched her go with a sad look on his face. He had to fail her again. This means she no longer qualified to retake the exam, unless she received special permission from the Hokage.

"You know we could just pass her."

Iruka exhaled heavily. As much as he would like to do that, he just couldn't.

"You know we can't do that Mizuki."

"Why is that Iruka? This is her fourth try." Iruka gave him his hardest look. "I won't put her in harm's way when she doesn't have the skills to handle it."

Mizuki eyed his partner wearily.

"Whatever you say Iruka."

It took all Naruko had to keep from crying. She sat on her favorite swing watching villagers after villagers pass by. Proud parents came by to pick up their children from school.

"Kaa-chann I passed the exam!"

"That's great honey!"

"Can I have ice-cream for dinner?"

"Hahahaha how about just one cone as a treat?"

"Okay!"

"Your dad will be so proud, our little Akira the first ninja in our family!"

No one would be there to buy her ice-cream even if she did pass the exam. Except for maybe Iruka sensei, but he was the last person she wanted to see right now.

She hated showing weakness. She wasn't a one note mass of sunshine like she pretended to be, she had her storm clouds as well. But allowing them to overcome her rays of sunshine meant defeat, and Uzumaki Naruko would not be defeated!

But how was she to move on from here?

Her dream was to become the strongest ninja in the village. But now that she had failed the exam four time, she was no longer eligible to become a ninja. She always told herself that she would never give up on her dream, and would never give up no matter what obstacles stood in the way of her path.

But at this point, the path had completely been blown up in front of her.

What was she supposed to do now? Who was she supposed to ask for direction?

WOOF!

"Ahhhhh!" Naruko screamed.

A giant, white, furry creature had knocked her off the swings from behind. And as she fell forward, she twisted her body around to face her attacker, only to meet the giant creature's insanely large teeth barring down at her face.

"Mochi! DOWN BOY!" A powerful voice behind her bellowed.

At the sound, the giant creature removed its polar bear like head from her own, and trotted back to the owner like a loyal puppy.

"Itttttaaa," Naruko whimpered.

After a long day of absolutely nothing, Kaigara thought some popsicles were appropriate. Plus she needed to walk Mochi anyways.

She had bought her furry white dog from her long-time friend Hana. Most people knew the Inuzuka clan as breeders and trainers of Konoha's finest ninken. Yet most people didn't know the Inuzuka clan also bread companion dogs.

After Kaigara began making enough money, she thought moving out would be the best choice. Although she had Hiroyuki and Yukina, her fellow squad members from their genin days, as a roommates. She wanted someone to cuddle with. So she bought home Mochi. He grew from a fluffy, marsh mellow, of a pup- to a 200 pound, fluffy, marsh mellow, of a pup.

Hana said Mochi's particular breed was used to protect and guard sheep and other livestock from wolves, bears, and other animals. And although he had the bite pressure to severe the spine of an animal, he was nothing but a doughy ball of affection to all around him.

She's train him quite well. He knew when to ask her to take him to use the bathroom, he came when she called, and heeled when she told him to. Overall he was a very well behaved dog. She rarely had to leash him for walks, so imagine her surprise when Mochi decided to bolt off and practically assault a random girl with his licks of love.

"Mochi! DOWN BOY!"

At her command, the canine galloped his long legs back to her side.

She in turn rushed over to the little girl.

"I am so sorry! He usually doesn't do that, he wasn't trying to be aggressive he was just playing really!" Kaigara said.

But, "please don't sue me, please don't sue me!" was what she was really thinking.

"Itttaaa," the little girl whimpered.

She grabbed ahold of her shoulders, desperately inspecting for injuries.

"It's okay, I'm not hurt or anything," the little girl responded.

She looked up at Kaigara with brilliant cobalt blue eyes, and realization suddenly washed over her. She had felt this child's chakra before.

It was the little girl by the temple! "Maybe she isn't some random girl after all," Kaigara secretly thought. Realizing she had yet to release the child, Kaigara let go and offered her a hand as she straighten her spine and stood back up.

"My name's Tachibana Kaigara, what's yours?" Kaigara smiled.

Naruko looked up at the woman in front of her. With her short, thick physique, not as thick as Choji, but still pretty thick, and intense violet eyes, the woman didn't look like anyone she had seen from the village, nor did she look like a ninja. Until she saw the headband and green chuunin vest hiding under her coat.

"Uzumaki Naruko!" the blonde girl replied, flashing her signature foxy smile.

"That's right, the girl who wants to be Hokage," Kaigara thought to herself. "Maaa maaa…again, I'm so sorry about Mochi, he must have gotten a really good vibe from you. Ohhh Mochi here is my dog, but you two have already met ahahaha," she laughed light heartedly.

As if on cue, Mochi started circling the two of them, weaving in between her legs in order to get to Naruko.

"Mochi! Stop it!"

As she tried to pull Mochi by the collar back. Naruko laughed. She bent down so she was faced level with Mochi.

"Teehee…Kaigara-san he's so cute!"

Naruko loved dogs. She loved all animals, but dogs were special. Not as special as frogs! But still pretty special.

Kaigara sensed the same thing.

"Your pretty good with animals huh Naruko-chan?"

The blonde child looked up at her. "You could say that. They like to follow me around; animals are awesome because they don't judge you the way humans do. You just give them food, and show them you aren't gonna hurt them and that's all they need."

Kaigara was rather taken back. That way too intense for a child.

Deciding things were getting a little too awkward for her taste, she thought it was probably best to bounce. "Come on Mochi, Naruko probably has things to do. We should be heading home." But when she tried pulling on Mochi's collar, he just wouldn't budge. In fact he turned to face her, and the look on his furry white face…

He really didn't want to leave this girl!

"No no Kaigara-san. Its fine I don't have anything else to do."

Kaigara blinked.

"Well, won't your parents be wondering where you are?"

In truth Kaigara knew ninja children took care of themselves. After all, she was running around doing missions for the village at Naruko's age. But parents will be parents, and protective parents were especially a pain in the ass. So it wouldn't hurt to make sure.

Naruko fixed her blue eyes onto her violet ones and replied;

"I'm an orphan."

Ohhh.

"This is awkward…" Kaigara thought to herself.

But upon further consideration, she really didn't have anything to do either. Laundry could wait.

"Ummm, let's see here," she pondered while scratching her head.

Her eyes fell onto the abandoned grocery bag a few feet away.

"Say Naruko-chan, do you like popsicles?"

Whaooo. That was a really long chapter. After taking with a friend, I've been inspired and have some great material coming for you all. Once again thank you all! Rate and review!