Chapter 2: Without Handsigns

When Naruto came into class next day, he was surprised to see the girls staring not at Sasuke. No, all of them looked at Zuko, that dude from yesterday. What is he doing here, thought Naruto.

"Yo!"

Zuko turned around.

"Oh, it's you again…"

Sasuke smiled. But Naruto was not so game to give up. Naruto never gave up!

"Aren't you too old to be genin?"

The remark did not phase Zuko in the least, he just shrugged.

"What's genin?"

"You mean you don't know? What are you doing here then?"

"Ask him," said Zuko, pointing at Aang,

and Naruto noticed the weirdoes from last night were there too. He wanted to vomit. All this shit was going on and it was not fair. For once Naruto wasn't center of attention, and he hated it.

Iruka came in, and Naruto smiled – surely he would realize Naruto's great potential. But he didn't. Instead, Iruka announced there was a slight change of plans due to a bunch of new students joining them. Some of these students were currently detained for investigation, as they looked too suspicious to be warranted access to Konoha's military knowledge.

Sasuke huffed.

"Knowledge," he said between ground teeth, "all this school teaches is a couple of magic trics."

Iruka heard that, and went on with the lecture, regardless.

"So be nice. You will probably see these new students around some time, a few are already in our class."

Iruka called their names. Aang, Haru, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko…Naruto had heard all these names before. Wait, Haru. That was a new name. Some new kid stood up and bowed, dude had long hair…like a girl. Naruto snickered.

"What's so funny?"

Iruka had stopped the introductions, and came personally to Naruto, in the middle of class. Bending over, and putting on an exceedingly annoyed, tired face. Iruka must have been up the whole night, searching for Naruto…then fighting and getting that shuriken in his back… And still he was here to teach them.

Naruto burped. As a madman, he shot from his seat.

Iruka was too shocked to form words, his anger mutated into a growl of sorts.

"I have to go! I'll be back. Just have to take a piss now."

Naruto grabbed his stomach and ran. And in the back, Shino could hear Hinata whisper

"That's why I like him. He's never afraid to admit his true feelings…"

So class carried on without Naruto, and Naruto was assigned a team, and Sasuke looked pissed for the whole of that afternoon. Because Kakashi came late, and Naruto wasn't there, and Sakura was being horribly clingy…why didn't she like Zuko? thought Sasuke.

In the meantime, on his way back to school, Naruto met the one person he didn't want to meet. And for the first time in his life, it wasn't Sasuke.

Zuko crossed his arms in the shade, looking equally pissed off. Naruto almost scaled the fence, just to avoid that jerk. But then he saw Babe No. 2, and his jaw dropped to the ground. She wore the same outfit from yesterday, big red boots, matching pale red pants, and a blood red dress on top of it. Her hair was tied in a bun with matching red headpiece, while two sexy strands hung loose.

Naruto swaggered over, and, leaning his elbow on her shoulder, said

"Hello, beautiful."

Grabbed by his collar, twisted around, face shoved in the dirt. Naruto had never been rejected this fast. He blinked. Was it really happening?

He stumbled up, annoyed, rubbing his neck and bruised nose. That Zuko still had the balls to laugh. No, this was it, Naruto wouldn't take it anymore. He stood right up and glared that sonofabitch in the face.

"I saw her first!"

Zuko's smile fell, his eyes went wide.

"She's my sister, idiot."

Naruto pulled out his kunai and charged. When suddenly a wall of flames engulfed him. He came out all black, looking like a fried little chicken. No way. This wasn't possible! Zuko had used ninjutsu. Without handsigns!

Babe No. 2 came over, prodded Naruto with her foot.

"You know him?" she asked Zuko.

"I wish I didn't…"

"I saw him yesterday. But I thought he was crazy."

"He probably is."

Naruto jumped up, rubbing a sore spot on his head.

"Hey! You can't talk to me like that! I summoned you. You have to do what I say!"

"That's what he went on about yesterday, some 'summoning' business."

Zuko looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Maybe it has something to do with the Spirit World?" he said, rubbing his chin.

"Puh-lease, the Spirit World doesn't exist. It's one of Uncle Iroh's fibs."

And then the siblings went into a long argument that Naruto neither listened to nor understood. He crept out from under them and stalked back to class. This was supposed to be his day, and Zuko was ruining it.