Review Time!

Uub: Okay I was planning on it as well and I already have the third member planned! Plus I hope that you like this chapter!

Okay enough reviews; here's the next chappie!

Chapter 2: Graduation from the Academy

Naruko and Arata chuckled mischievously as they painted on a slab of stone, "So do you think they'll notice?" Arata asked impressed at the prank that Naruko came up with.

Naruko gave a sly smile, "Oh I hope they do!"

No sooner did she say that there was a loud yell, "NARUKO! ARATA!" They turned to see Jounins heading for them.

Arata paled quickly, "Time to go!" Naruko didn't argue.

Luckily they were already done with the prank so they took off running with the Jounins giving chase, "You both crossed the line this time!"

What they painted over was the Hokage Monument which showed their village's leader on the side of a mountain and now they were running for their lives.

"Give it up!" Naruko cried out, "You're just mad because you didn't have the guts to do what we did!" While her mannerisms changed drastically so did her appearance.

She still wore her blonde hair in pigtails that reached to her shoulder and she fancied wearing an orange and blue jumpsuit that she found in a shop. It had a red swirl on the back. She also wore green goggles on her forehead like a Leaf Shinobi wear's their headband.

Despite the whole color thing Arata had to admit. You can't hide in kill me now orange and not be a good Ninja.

As the Jounins gained on them Arata threw a rock and activated a trap that dropped garbage on the two Jounins and the fell over one of them having a banana peel on his head.

Arata chuckled before he wiped the dirt off of his red shirt and red shorts. He wore red because it blended in the dark better than the color black.

Naruko laughed, "That was too easy." She said with a grin and Arata laughed with her when.

"OH YEAH NARUKO?!" They both jumped in the air in shock before landing on their butts and turned to see Iruka.

"What are you doing here Iruka Sensei?!" Asked Naruko in shock.

"No what are you two doing here?" Iruka countered, "You should be in class."

Arata sweat dropped, "We're in trouble aren't we?"

A few minutes later both Arata and Naruko were tied up in front of the class, "I'm at the end of my rope you two! You both failed the final exam the last two years and while yes you're doing much better this year you two are both screwing it up!"

Naruko turned her head away and Arata saw a dangerous gleam in Iruka's eyes.

Oh boy. He thought in fear.

"Fine, because you two missed it everyone will review the transformation Jutsu!" Everyone gave the two a glare with killer intent mixed in.

A little bit later a girl wearing a red dress with long pink hair got into position, "All right, Sakura here… Transform!" A cloud of smoke covered her and in a second she was an exact copy of Iruka Sensei.

"Transform into me?" Iruka smiled, "Good."

Sakura turned back to normal, "Yes I did it!" She celebrated before turning to a boy in front of Naruko who had jet black hair and he wore a blue shirt with a symbol on the back that stood for his clan, "Sasuke did you see that?

Sasuke didn't acknowledge her but when Iruka said next he walked forward and did the same thing before walking back.

"Next Naruko Uzimaki!"

Arata smirked, "Knock them dead!" He said

The others glared at her but she focused and in a cloud of smoke appeared the Fourth Hokage and the others were shocked because no one attempted to transform into him before.

"Nice one, looks just like him." Iruka said with a smile.

She turned back with a huge grin on her face, "All right!"

"Nice one!" Arata walked forward since he was next.

"Thanks!" Naruko said her eyes shining in triumph at passing the Transformation test, "You're turn to knock them dead!"

Arata laughed, "Of course!" He transformed this time into the Third Hokage.

"Nice one." Arata turned back and looked at Naruko who turned away in anger.

"You copied me!"

"… How did I copy you?" Arata asked in confusion.

"You did a Hokage after I did!"

Arata sweat dropped again wondering if maybe he changed her mannerisms too much over the years.

After class the two of them were cleaning up their artwork on the Hokage Monument, "This sucks." Naruko muttered.

"Adults suck." Arata told her

"Too true."

Iruka's eye twitched as he heard that but he smirked, "You know if you two hurry up I'll take you both out for Ramen as my treat!"

Arata had a scared look in his eyes while Naruko looked excited.

Why did I introduce her to Ramen?! He thought in horror.

"You got it!" Naruko cried out as she moved with inhuman speed, "I'll get this cleaned up in no time!" While she was cleaning the monument there was a time that she knocked Arata off the scaffold and he fell towards the village before hitting tree branches to slow his fall.

"Oops heheh, sorry Arata." Naruko called down

Must… Refrain… From… Homicide! Arata thought in pain.

After a few more agonizing minutes since Arata had to go back up there to help clean up they were at Ichiraku's Ramen Stand getting ready to eat their first bowls of it.

Naruko took her goggles off as she started to slurp down a bowl and Arata started to eat when Iruka spoke up, "Why would you two do that to the Hokage Faces?" He asked, "I mean you both know who the Hokage are right?"

Arata snorted, "Who doesn't?"

"Of course we know!" Naruko said putting her now empty bowl down, "They were the greatest Shinobi of their time right?"

"Then why?" Iruka wanted to know.

Oh boy here we go. Arata thought in amusement as Naruko went on with her dream of being the greatest Hokage ending with a catchphrase she became fond of, "Believe it!"

Iruka had a stupefied look on his face as he slurped a noodle that was hanging out his mouth.

"Uh by the way, I kind of want to ask a little favor sensei." She said nervously

Iruka raised an eyebrow, "You want another bowl?"

"No I uh… Want to try on your headband!" She clasped her hands together, "Come on please!" To add more effect she put in the dreaded puppy dog eyes.

"Oh this? No way!" Naruko looked shock that her puppy dog eyes didn't work, "You can only wear this when you finally graduate from the Leaf Academy and become a Ninja you have to pass the test tomorrow!"

At the mention of the test Arata felt nervous, it's true that he purposely flunked the last two in order to help Naruko improve and mostly because it helped him get victims for his pranks, but he wasn't sure if he could really pass this time.

"That is so uncool!" Naruko pouted

"Is that why you took off your goggles?" Iruka asked with a chuckle

Naruko didn't answer so instead she said, "I want another bowl!"

The next day they were in the classroom, "When we call your name come into the room, the subject will be on the Clone Jutsu!"

Arata winced in nervousness because that was his worse technique, it used to be Naruko's but he made her practice by offering to take her to Ichiraku and that was why he was broke at the moment. So right about now he was wishing that he actually practiced with Naruko instead of throwing Kunai's

As the names were called Arata tapped his fingers together. They were calling names at random and Naruko just went in there and after a bit she came out with a Genin Headband on, "I DID IT ARATA I PASSED!" She said in hyped up excitement, "At this rate I'll be Hokage in no time, believe it!"

At how she was acting Arata laughed calming down when he was called so he walked in there and saw Iruka sitting there with Mizuki, "Okay Arata Daichi." Iruka said with a smile, "Do the Clone Jutsu!"

His throat like sandpaper Arata did the hand sign and focused with all of his energy.

I'm going to pass! I'm going to pass! He thought in determination because if he didn't then he wouldn't pass yet again.

Arata felt his chakra swirl around his body, "Clone Jutsu!" In a puff of smoke he looked to see… A very messed up clone with an arm for a head and where the left arm was supposed to be there was a butt cheek.

Arata looked at it in horror before looking at Iruka who just sighed, "You failed!" As those words left Iruka's lips Arata fell to his knees in shock, "Sorry but maybe next year Arata."

Knowing that his one chance was gone again he slowly walked out to see a grinning Naruko waiting, "So how did you do?" She asked but her smile dropped when she didn't see a headband on him and his face told her, "Oh man I'm sorry."

Arata forced a smile, "It's okay Naruko! I'm happy that you passed."

Naruko didn't look too convinced but Arata sighed.

"I just need to be by myself for a bit okay?" Without waiting for an answer he left.

In a little bit he was sitting on one of the tallest buildings in Konoha, a place where he goes to be alone.

I ruined it. He thought in sadness because he knew that Naruko would be going on missions now leaving him by himself in the village. Why couldn't I make a simple clone?

That was when Arata sensed that he wasn't alone so he turned expecting to see either Naruko or Iruka but instead he saw Mizuki.

"Mizuki Sensei?" He asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Mizuki had a look of sympathy, "I just wanted to see how you were doing. You were actually trying to pass this time weren't you?" He knew that Arata purposely failed the last two years.

Arata looked down, "Yeah, Naruko and I made a promise to pass this year because we both wanted to be great Ninja's… Looks like I broke my promise." Some tears escaped before he wiped them away.

Mizuki scratched the back of his head, "Iruka Sensei is tough but he really cares for both Naruko and you especially since you were her first friend."

"I know." Arata looked at him, "But now she's a Ninja and she'll be on missions while I'm stuck here."

That was when Mizuki smiled kindly, "I'm not supposed to do this but there is still a way to let you pass."

Arata's eyes widened at that, "Wait what?!" He stood up wiping away his tears, "What is it?!"

"There's a scroll on the Hokage's desk that is used to test students to see if they can sneak past the ninja to get it, once you get it bring it to me and you'll pass!" Mizuki told him, "But you need to do this yourself! You can't even tell Naruko."

Arata agreed without hesitation.

That night he stole the scroll.

(Scene Shift- One hour later)

Naruko was eating Ramen with Iruka but she wasn't getting as many bowls as she usually did, "You okay Naruko?"

She looked at Iruka, "I'm worried about Arata." She admitted, "He looked pretty down the last time I saw him."

Iruka knew what she meant, "I wanted to pass him as well as you Naruko but he's not ready." Then he smiled, "But you're a Genin, I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't want you to feel bad because of him."

Naruko smiled a bit because that was exactly how Arata was.

Before anymore could be said Mizuki Sensei ran in, "Iruka it's horrible!"

"What? What is it?" Iruka asked in confusion and Naruko stopped eating to find out.

"You need to come to Lord Hokage's right away!" Mizuki said frantically, "Bring Naruko as well, it's about Arata!"

"What happened?!" Naruko asked worried about her friend.

"He stole the sacred scroll!" Naruko didn't know what that was until Iruka gasped.

"He stole the Scroll of Sealing?!"

Naruko knew that the Scroll of Sealing was a very sacred scroll that should never be messed with. What is Arata thinking?! She thought in confusion knowing that he would know better than to mess with that.

(Scene Shift- the Shack in the woods)

Arata rolled the scroll open to see the first thing, "Chakra Molding?" He smirked, "Sounds like a challenge!"

(Scene Shift-Lord Hokage's)

As Iruka and Naruko got there a crowd of Jounins were around the Third Hokage, "Lord Hokage this is not just a prank!" One of them said, "This is a serious crime!"

Another Jounin with an eye patch spoke up, "That scroll contains secrets sealed by the First Hokage! Secrets known to only our village!"

A Jounin with a helmet walked up, "If it falls into the wrong hands it can destroy our very way of life!"

The Third Hokage nodded, "All right. Bring Arata here at once!"

"Sir!" Every Jounin took off and Naruko took off on her own to look for Arata.

That Baka! What in the name of Kage is he thinking?! Naruko thought as she raced through the village. Where would he go?!

Then she thought of one place. A shack that they found in the woods years ago where they always went to train various techniques for the Academy.

Mizuki meanwhile ran through the streets throwing the Jounins off by pretending to look. Now that I told everyone what Arata did I can eliminate him and take the scroll. They'll be glad that he's gone and maybe I can eliminate that Demon Girl while I'm at it. And of course I keep the scroll for myself! He smirked evilly as he continued on.

(Scene Shift- the Shack in the woods)

Arata was panting in exhaustion as Naruko ran towards him, "Oh hey Naruko what's going on?" No sooner did he ask that did she punch him in the head, "OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"

"YOU BAKA! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" Naruko shouted at him and she continued before he could answer, "SCRATCH THAT, YOU WEREN'T THINKING AT ALL WERE YOU?! PULLING PRANKS IS ONE THING BUT THIS?!"

Arata blinked in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Before she could answer Iruka came out, "Caught you! It's all over!"

"So did I pass?" Arata had a smirk on his face but it diminished at their confused expressions, "You know the test!"

"What test?" Iruka asked trying to get his side of the story.

"Mizuki Sensei told me about this test so I can graduate! All I had to do was take a scroll without being caught." As he said that understanding dawned in both Naruko's and Iruka's eyes, "… I was just tricked into stealing something for him wasn't I?"

"You think?" Naruko asked in relief that her friend didn't go rogue on the village but she was still angry at him for being stupid.

"Arata you need to see the Third Hokage immediately!" Iruka said but then his eyes widened as he pushed both Naruko and Arata out of the way, "LOOK OUT!" Kunai's came flying at him knocking him right up to the shack.

The scroll was knocked out of Arata's hands into Naruko's.

"I see you found out my plan!" Iruka glared at Mizuki who was sitting in the tree with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"So that's the way it is huh?" Iruka asked in pain as he pulled a Kunai out from his leg, "I should've known!"

Mizuki looked at Naruko who had the scroll, "Naruko give me the scroll now!"

"Like I would give it to you!" Naruko snarled angry at him for using her friend like that.

"Naruko get Arata and the scroll to the Third Hokage!" Iruka ordered, "It contains forbidden Jutsu that can put this village in grave danger!"

Naruko nodded and grabbed Arata's arm, "Come on!" She said

"What about Iruka?" Arata asked

Naruko hesitated but she shook her head, "He knows what he's doing!" She said but before she could leave Mizuki said something.

"Naruko do you want to know why the village hates you?" That stopped her cold, "Did you know that your whole life every Shinobi has been lying to you?"

"NO MIZUKI!" Iruka cried out as he realized what he was doing.

"They've been lying since the decree twelve years ago!" Now Mizuki had Naruko's undivided attention.

"What decree?" She asked in hesitation.

"Everyone knows except you, even Arata does," Arata did not have a clue on what he was talking about, "They're even hiding it from you right now, they would do anything to shut me up!"

"What is this decree?" Naruko asked forgetting what she was supposed to do, "Why does everyone else know about it?"

"DON'T TELL HER, IT'S FORBIDDEN!" Iruka cried out but his yelling only increased Naruko's curiosity.

"The decree is that no one can tell you that the Nine-Tailed Fox is inside you!" As he said that Arata's jaw fell open while Naruko's eyes widened.

The Nine-Tailed Fox that attacked the village is sealed inside of Naruko?! Arata thought in horror.

"The Fox Spirit that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body!" Mizuki told her, "You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!"

"STOP IT!" Iruka cried out in pain as he tried to move.

"They've been all sneaking around hiding things from you your whole life!" Mizuki chuckled, "Didn't you think it was strange how they were treating you? Like dirt! Like they hated you for just being alive!"

"… Arata did you really know?" Naruko asked as she looked at him with sad eyes.

"No! I never knew!" Arata told her and he sighed, "But I wouldn't believe what he's saying!"

Naruko gave him a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"He said that the Fox took over your body?" As she nodded Arata snorted, "Well that's not true!"

"What?!"

"Naruko, you're my best friend and fox or no fox I accept you as my friend!" Arata smiled, "After all you're not the Fox!"

Naruko looked surprised but she gave a small smile, "He's lying!" Mizuki shouted as he threw a giant Ninja Star right at Arata.

Arata didn't have time to dodge but he was pushed out of the way and to his horror as he looked back he saw that Naruko was now impaled through her shoulder against the shed.

"NARUKO!" He cried out running forward but Mizuki came in kicking him back.

"Oh no you don't dropout!" Mizuki sneered, "Just think, this is all your fault."

Arata got up glaring at Mizuki who was walking towards Naruko to get the scroll, "Hey I'm still alive!"

Mizuki just glanced at him, "So what?" He asked, "What can a weakling like you do to me?"

Snarling Arata did a hand sign, "CHAKRA MOLD JUTSU!" Immediately blue chakra coiled around his body.

This in turn surprised both Mizuki and Iruka while Naruko was trying to get the Shuriken out of her shoulder.

How does he have that much Chakra?! Mizuki thought in curiosity.

Iruka on the other hand gaped. That was a Technique developed by the First Hokage!

With that Arata charged at Mizuki throwing a punch and when Mizuki moved he saw the punch take down a tree.

W-what is this kid?

Arata kept throwing punches but he only landed on which knocked Mizuki back before a Kunai came flying past him, "HA! You missed!" Arata gloated.

"Did I?" Confused at Mizuki's response Arata turned to see an exploding tag go off; if it wasn't for his Chakra Mold he would've died in the blast but it cancelled out from the blast knocking him onto the ground.

"Okay now I believe that you're important to kill." Mizuki snarled as he pulled out a Kunai to slit Arata's throat when Naruko came flying forward head-butting him, "Not bad for a brat." He said getting up.

Naruko glared at Mizuki, "If you ever harm my friends again I'll kill you!" She threatened.

"Such big words for a Demon Brat!" Mizuki snarled, "I can defeat you with a single move!"

Not threatened by him Naruko did a certain hand sign, "I'll defeat you with a move I learned from Iruka Sensei a long time ago."

At hearing that Mizuki laughed, "Show me what you got Nine-Tailed Fox!"

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Immediately the clearing was covered by thousands upon thousands of Naruko's.

No freaking way! Arata thought in shock. THE Shadow Clone Jutsu?! How does she know this?!

Mizuki fell on his butt in shock trying to back away but Naruko ran full speed at him and let's just say that if Mizuki didn't trick him into stealing the Sacred Scroll Arata would've felt really sorry for him.

In a second Mizuki was twitching on the floor with blood coming out of his mouth and his face all bruised up while Naruko scratched the back of her head, "Sorry, I think that I may have went a little overboard."

Arata rolled his eyes, "You think? He's lucky he isn't dead with the beating you gave him!"

Then he remembered the scroll so he walked over and picked it up before taking it to Iruka, "I'm sorry for being an idiot and letting him trick me." Arata said softly, "I just wanted to be a Ninja so bad and well when I heard him say that there was a chance then I took it without thinking of the consequences."

Iruka looked thoughtful before he smirked, "Close your eyes."

Confused by the request Arata did as he was asked and after a while he grew impatient, "How much longer?" He asked in annoyance.

"Okay you can open your eyes now." Arata opened his eyes to see that nothing has changed with Iruka smiling at him, "Congratulations, you graduated."

Eyes widening Arata reached up and felt a Genin Headband on his forehead. How the hell did he get this on me without me noticing?! He thought in shock and he looked back to Naruko who had a big grin then at Mizuki who was now missing his headband. At least I know where it came from.

"And to celebrate I'm treating you both to dinner tonight!" That was when Arata noticed that the sun was coming up and he yawned before falling backwards from a combination of Chakra Depletion, Staying up all night and overall fatigue falling asleep.

Naruko sighed, "I'll get him back to his apartment." She said in annoyance.

Iruka chuckled, "I'll get the scroll back to the Third Hokage." He looked as Naruko dragged Arata none too gently back to the village.

Good luck you two.

To Be Continued…