Chapter 2: Yuniti High School

"HEY! GET OUTTA MY WAY, BROWN NOSE!" I jerked up in my seat and groaned. Did I fall asleep? I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Falling asleep on a public bus doesn't feel too good. I can feel the cramps in my legs, and my neck feels really stiff. I looked over my seat and spotted two middle-aged men fighting. The bus had filled with just a couple more people. I spotted a guy sitting behind the driver and a little old lady sitting in the third row. These two guys were arguing over something stupid, and the bus driver wouldn't move until they stopped and sat down.

"YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOU NO-GOOD BABOON! I WANT AN APOLOGY FOR YOU SOILING MY SHIRT WITH YOUR DISGUSTING DRINK!" The other guy, the "baboon", snorted and poked the "brown nose" in the belly.

"OVER MY DEAD BODY! GO JUMP OFF A BRIDGE!" I gritted my teeth. I'll be late in getting to the high school at this rate! These guys gotta go. I stood up and approached the arguing idiots.

"Hey." They looked at me with annoyance.

"What do you want, kid?" The "baboon" said that. I glared and bared my teeth. I am not a kid!

"Look here, Mr. Baboon, right?" He glared at me while "brown nose" started laughing. "Shuddap, Mr. Brown Nose!" He stopped and glared at me too. "You guys need to stop. We all have places to go. Arguing over dirty shirts and apologies is what five year-olds do! I got places to be! We all do, so stop whining and pipe the heck down!" Mr. Brown Nose made a face at me.

"Like children have "places to go". Give me a break!" I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and growled. He's really testing me.

"I gotta go to school. You gotta get a get a new shirt. And, you," I inclined towards Mr. Baboon, "Gotta get a new drink. I think that's something we all can agree on. Oh, and stop calling me a "kid"." I let go of the clearly shaken Mr. Brown Nose. He jumped back and pointed to me.

"D-Delinquent!"

"I'm a natural blonde, dammit!" Mr. Baboon looked at me disgustingly. "What now? Something to say? Say it. Say it so we can leave already!"

"There are no schools this far out. What type of school are you going to?" I chuckled and rubbed under my nose with my index finger. A sign of confidence.

"Yuniti High School, duh! It's a ninja school!" There was a pause in the bus as everyone looked at me. "What?" In the next instant, the bus filled with laughter. They all laughed at me. The driver was banging his wheel and laughing hard. The guy behind him was cackling and rocking back and forth. I couldn't see the old woman laughing, but I saw the sneaky thing's shoulders shaking. The Mr. Baboon and Mr. Brown Nose laughed in my face and pointed at me.

"Ninja school!? That's the dumbest school I've ever heard of!"

"Yeah! What's after that? Are you going off to college to become a wizard!?" I grunted. Harry Potter jokes? Really? I turned around and headed back to my seat. I knew it wasn't going to easy, so it doesn't matter what they say. I've heard enough in my lifetime already. As I walked back, I noticed someone else was in the bus too. He was on the right side and two seats behind me. He wore a dark blue kimono with a traditional straw hat covering his face. I could only see his mouth. His skin looked very pale.

What made me happy was that he wasn't laughing. I smiled at him and sat down. Once everyone had calmed down and sat down, the bus started moving again. After a couple stops later, I reached my destination. Jumping from my seat, I grabbed my bags and headed out the bus. As I walked out, I heard snickers and laughs behind me. I simply walked off the bus. Like I said before, I've heard enough already.

There was huge wheat farm that probably went for miles to my left; a road went through it too. To my right was nothing but woods. The trees were big. They had thick trunks and large, curvy roots. One tree is probably thirty times my height! I stared at the woods in wonder. Is Yuniti High really located in there?

Yuniti High is not a regular school. Besides the fact that it trains teens to become super cool ninjas, it's supposed to be hidden in this forest. I don't know the name of the forest, actually, I don't know anything about the forest. I only know what everyone else knows. Trees can't be cut down. Too tall. No one goes in there either. There's said to be wild animals that are too dangerous. I hitched up my backpack and watched the bus drive away. They're probably still laughing at me. Whatever! I'm gonna show them! I'm gonna show everybody! Taking in a deep breath, I pick up my stuff and headed for the woods.

"You're not really going in there? Are you?" I jumped and yelped. A cool and even voice sounded behind me. W-Who said that!? I turned around and spotted the kimono boy behind me.

"Were you there the whole time?" I still couldn't see his face and noticed he had some weird stick attached to his back. Was it bamboo or something?

"Of course. What? Didn't notice me? Some ninja in training you are." I felt my cheeks redden. Now that I think about it, he doesn't seem that much older than me but still! That doesn't give him the right to insult me!

"I was thinking about where to go! I needed to concentrate, so I wasn't paying attention!" I turned my head from him and heard something like "Yeah, sure.". I looked back at him. This guy pisses me off! "You live around here or something? If you do, you can leave now."

"My master owns a house across the field here. I'm staying there until he returns." I blinked. Master? Wait, he's a slave? Okay. That's just wrong. "I don't need you telling me what to do. I'm capable of handling myself unlike you." I gritted my teeth. That's it!

"Whatever! Stay here with your little "master" to worry about. By the way, that's just creepy. To think you're owned by someone in this day and age is sick! If you really are a capable person, you wouldn't need someone "own" you. You would have a free will! Plus, it sounds like he left you. That means you can leave. You can leave and do whatever you want! Don't wait around for this guy to return. If he owns you and makes you think your his property, than I'm sorry, but no matter what debt you own him, it's not worth your freedom!" I huffed and looked straight at the guy. I couldn't see his expression, but his lips were parted. Guess he didn't get it. I have a habit for saying things before I speak, so it's not like I could've helped it. "I'm leaving!" I turned and trudged to the woods.

"N-No! Wait!" Turning my head, I called back.

"What is it no-" Suddenly, I felt something cold and hard slide against my cheek. All words died in my throat as my eyes looked back and caught a dirty face. A bandit! No doubt. I can practically smell the greed coming of his skin. Word has it that bandits live freely around places like this. I knew it was dangerous to stay out around twilight, but I never thought I'd really meet one. I looked back at kimono guy and saw three others surround him. He tensed and clenched his teeth. Hot, disgusting breath hit my neck as he spoke.

"Well, well, well! Looks like we got ourselves some traveling fools today. Wonder what's in their pockets." He chuckled, and his friends did the same. I felt all my blood rush to my right hand. The only weapon I have on me is a small knife I bought. It's in my back right pocket. It's effective and easy to use, but he has a knife right to my face... I grunted. No time to think! Dropping my bags, I swung my left elbow out and caught him in the face.

"Ah!" Now's my chance! I whipped out my knife and slashed his chest quickly. Blood flew from the blade, and I knew I hit him. Crying in pain, he stumbled back and hit the ground. A cry sounded from behind me. I turned.

"Kimono boy!" I looked and stopped in my tracks. One bandit was crying out on the ground in pain. Blood was gushing from a severe cut in his upper leg. The other two were holding their hands up, surrendering to kimono boy. He had a medium-sized katana with a bamboo handle out, and he was holding it in the perfect fighting stance. No way! Surprised, I yelled in joy. Kimono guy turned and looked at me. He sighed and placed his sword back. We watched as the other two bandits grab their friends and head for the hills. I grinned. I won my first fight!

"Good job, kimono boy! I didn't know you were a samurai." I put my knife away and grinned at him. He looked at me and frowned.

"I'm not a samurai! I just like swords."

"Whatever suits your fancy!" I picked up my bags and looked at him anew. This guy's annoying and frustrating, but he did help me out. A sudden idea popped in my head. "Hey! You should come to Yuniti High with me!" He said nothing and continued to look at me. This would be a lot easier if I could see his face. "Come on, it'll be fun! We'll train to become ninja together. Also, it offers boarding! You won't have to live with that weird master of yours anymore. You'll be free!" I saw him flinch and bite his lip.

"You're wrong." Huh?

"What?" He sighed.

"You've misunderstood. I don't have any creepy or demoralizing relationship with that guy. He just promised me power, and I took it. But, you may be right. He hasn't returned for two years now, and I've grown restless. Hmph. If... If I go to that school, will I become the strongest?" I thought about what he said. He needs power but why? I should probably ask, but I really want him to come with me.

"No. You won't." I paused. "Unless you become stronger than me! I'm aiming to become the strongest ninja around! I'll prove that everyone there is. Even you." He said nothing for a moment, and then a smirk found its way onto his face.

"Alright then. Let's go." Kimono boy walked past me and headed into the forest. Wait? Really!? Now? Awesome! I jogged to catch up with him and looked around. It was getting dark, and the trees were looking scarier by the second. We continued walking in a general straight line. As we walked, I spotted something about his clothing and almost laughed. Hehehe!

"You don't need anything?" He turned and looked at me as we walked. "You know, like clothes or anything."

"No. My mas-that man never gave me any. I only have the clothes on my back and my kimonos at home. I don't need them. Why?" I hummed to myself a little. This might be awkward. And funny.

"Well...it's just. You have bloodstains on your kimono." He stopped walking and inspected his sleeves.

"Where?" I bite my lip and felt my face growing red. Too weak to hold it in anymore, I bursted out laughing and pointing at him.

"Your b-butt! You have blood dotting the seat of your pants!" There was blood on the seat of his kimono. It must of found its way there when he put away his bamboo sword. It looked like he had his, well, you know. I started to gain control of myself and tried to apologize but got cut off.

"Clothes. Now." Hehehe! Grinning, I pulled out a pair of black pants and a white shirt. Since it's cold, I also threw in a blue jacket. He grabbed the clothes and placed them on the ground. Then, he looked at me. "You're just gonna stare at me?"

"What? We're both guys."

"I know, but you should keep look out, moron. If someone comes at us, I'll be defenseless. Now, go." I huffed and walked a little ways away. The forest was definitely getting darker. How long until we reach the school? I went into my backpack and pulled out two flashlights. One was a spare I kept. "Hey, you got any room for my clothes?" I turned around. Kimono boy finally took his hat off! He was pale, just like I thought. He had raven black hair that was chopped off sharply and stuck up in the back. His black bangs framed his pale face and his black eyes. He looked like a normal teen.

"Wow. Kimono boy, you really do have a face!" He narrowed his eyes at me and stuffed his clothes in my bag himself.

"You can't keep calling me that when I'm not wearing it anymore."

"Okay. What's your name then?"

"Sasuke Uchiha. You?"

"Naruto Uzumaki!" I gave him a bag to carry and offered him a flashlight. "Getting kind of dark. Want one?"

"Sure." He took the bag and flashlight. After flicking them one, we began walking again. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen. You?"

"Same."

"Then we'll be in the same grade at the school! I'll definitely beat you!" He scoffed.

"Yeah, right, moron." Grrrrrr! "But, I will admit something: you were pretty good." I looked at him.

"Really!? Haha! Alright!" I jumped in joy. Now I have someone who thinks I'm strong. That's one step closer to my goal.

"Shut up, idiot! Don't make too much noise!"

"Huh? But, there's no one out here."

"Well, there could..." Sasuke paused and his mouth flew open. "Whoa." I looked in the same direction and saw it. A tall, wooden gate that stood not too far from us. It shone imperiously in the light of our flashlights. We exchanged looks and headed closer. There was a sign attached to the gate; it read "Yuniti High School"! My jaw dropped. We did it!

"Sasuke! Do you see that!? We made it!" Sasuke remained silent and looked at the gate. I ran up to the opening of the gate and tried to knock it.

"Naruto! Wait!" I stopped just short and looked back at Sasuke.

"What!?"

"Look at the ground." I stared at the ground and saw nothing at first. When I got closer, I saw what looked like a thin, metal line shining in my flashlight's glow. Geh!? A boobytrap!? But, why!? "This is a "ninja school" after all. No way would they let some random idiot knock on their front door." Ignoring the "idiot comment", I looked around the gate and saw nothing else. I came this far to be stopped by a piece of string!? Not happening!

"Hey! Anybody in there!?" I yelled up at the gate and turned back to Sasuke. He shrugged, so I tried again. "HEY! Let us in! We want to enroll here!" Still no response. I growled and screamed at the stop of my lungs. "LET ME IN, DAMMIT! I WANNA BECOME THE WORLD'S STRONGEST NINJAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Shut up already! I heard you!" I jumped back and hit Sasuke. He pushed me aside and looked around. Who said that!? Then, we heard a creak. Our heads snapped towards the gate as it slowly opened. A snapping sound went off, and the boobytrap string disappeared. A figure appeared from behind the gate. "You two want to become ninja?" I glanced at Sasuke, who didn't look so hot either. He nodded, and I did too. "Answer me with your mouths!"

"W-We want to become ninja!" The figure stepped closer to us. He was dressed in gray robe and had sandals with socks on. His hair was a whitish-gray and whipped up in a choppy style. His entire face was covered in some sort of mask, and his right eye had a patch on it. His left was a sharp black. He went in some pocket and pulled out a book.

"Well, that's good, I guess. I'm Kakashi, the principal."