Announcement: I just wanted to let everyone know, I won't be updating for a week or so because I have to go to camp, I'm very sorry but I promise to update both my stories as soon as I get back!

The following is a dedication to a bestie of mine, XxPoloGirlxX.

(ShadowGirl and PoloGirl are both watching Ghost Rider with Naruto)

Naruto: so...Why is he a skeleton?

ShadowGirl: Because

Naruto: And why is he on fire?

PoloGirl: Shhhhhhhh!

(About a minute of silence)

Naruto: ...What's with that chain thing of-

ShadowGirl/PoloGirl: Naruto, shut up!

Naruto: You can't tell me what to do, you don't own me!

(ShadowGirl looks at PoloGirl questionably)

ShadowGirl: You think that's good enough for the disclaimer?

PoloGirl: Should be, now quiet, this is my favourite part!

•°o.O `·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.· O.o°•

When in trouble, blame it on someone else.

The punch seemed to come from nowhere. One second the Iruka copy was flying through the air and the next second the copy was hit with a punch so hard it sent him across the clearing, forcing him out of his Henge no Jutsu. The real identity of the copy was revealed.

Naruto landed in the middle of the clearing and watched as the copy Iruka slammed into a nearby tree, there was a puff of smoke and Naruto knew the copy had now been forced out of his Jutsu. The scroll of seals was strapped safely to Naruto' back.

The real Iruka turned back around, very disappointed at not seeing any ghost and a little confused as he noticed Naruto.

"Naruto? Why did you come back?" Iruka asked.

Naruto smiled at his Sensei, his fatherly figure, and Iruka began to smile back. Iruka thought a strange sense of understanding passed through the two of them.

Naruto bent down and picked something up from the ground as he stood up he showed Iruka the object and answered his question, "I...forgot my kunai."

Hopeless, I'm going to forget anything I ever thought about Naruto being even slightly intelligent.

Iruka shook his head in aspiration and turned toward where the copy was flung, "SASUKE?"

(Ha, bet you never saw that one coming!)

Naruto turned and sure enough found Sasuke leaning against the tree he had been tossed at.

"But...why?" muttered Iruka who was rather taken aback.

Sasuke looked up, "I...err...That is to say-"

"It was all him!" Cried Naruto suddenly, "Sasuke made me steal the scroll of seals; I never wanted to do it, never!"

"But just for a joke, you know, to test Konoha's defence." Sasuke added quickly.

Naruto gave Sasuke a strange look, I stole the scroll and Sasuke had nothing to do with it, so why is he agreeing with me?

Iruka sighed, "I'm so disappointed in you Sasuke, and you too Naruto-"

"But it was Sasuke's idea, not mine!" Naruto said in defence.

"Yes but you still listened to what he said and did what he told you to do"

Naruto looked down upsettingly and Iruka felt a pang of sympathy for the young boy.

"Alright Naruto, You pass the ninja exam."

Naruto looked up at his Sensei in surprise as Iruka took off his own head band and tied it to Naruto's head.

Iruka took both boys back to the Hokage and because the scroll of seals was retrieved safely, Tsunade didn't punish Naruto or Sasuke, although mainly because she couldn't be bothered.

Tsunade quickly complimented Naruto on finally passing the exam and Naruto lapped up the praise.

Sasuke kept an emotionless face on, said nothing and began to walk away; Naruto noticed this and ran after him.

"Hey Sasuke, wait up!" said Naruto as he caught up with Sasuke.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, "What?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Take all the blame like that!"

"Take the blame for what?"

Naruto half growled and sighed heavily, he stepped in front of Sasuke blocking his path.

Sasuke looked Naruto dead in the eyes, "because I knew any punishment I would receive for the story we made up would be much more merciful than the punishment I would receive if anyone found out what I was really doing."

Naruto stared at the ground in confusion, "then what were you really doing?"

When Naruto got no answer he looked up at Sasuke only to find he had disappeared.

A few minutes later...

Sasuke stood by the clearing in the forest talking to a figure in the dark.

"You failed me Sasuke." The voice said impassively with only a hint of anger.

Sasuke cringed under the sound of the voice, "I'm sorry, but Iruka showed up, I'm not strong enough to take him down."

The dark figure laughed dryly, "Not strong enough yet Sasuke, but you wait."

With that the figure turned and began to walk into the denseness of the forest.

Even Sasuke didn't know the identity of this mysterious man that ordered him to do things and in truth this man had only ever shown up to Sasuke a couple of times, however, the faint sounds of a monkey laugh could be heard as the man walked away.

•°o.O `·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.· O.o°•

ShadowGirl: Yay! Now that's done, it's camping time!

PoloGirl: Heh heh, I'm not going.