A/N: Thanks to "Alli ate Sora-Sorry Roxas" for the review and Linda Ku. I'm proud to say that I've almost got the same amount of hits on this story as Mirror which is over twice as long. I also have a lot of reviews (for me anyway) so thanks everyone! Also, I've switched the poll to a blind poll because I don't want to ruin the surprise :P ;) Enjoy le chappy.
P.S Sorry it's short, they'll get longer and I know there was a long wait but hey, next chapter is important and awesome and funny!
Shinobu POV
Kiba quickly signaled for them to go. Iruka-sensei was holding a boring history lesson and the group of them, now named dead-lasts much thanks to Sasuke and his nickname for Naruto. Kiba didn't appreciate it very much, as in he'd fight anyone who called them that, but they all knew that they'd surpass most of the people in this class anyway.
Kiba quickly got up and darted towards the window, flinging it open and jumping out, soon followed by Shikamaru, then Choji, then Naruto and Shinobu. They ran, laughing at each other as Iruka screamed out the window. They knew he'd catch them but the moments of bliss were worth it. When they were finally out of breath they stopped under a large cherry blossom tree near the end of the park, farthest from the academy.
"Did you see Iruka-sensei's face? It was priceless!" Naruto laughed, clutching his sides. Shinobu couldn't help but laugh with him. It felt like it had been so long since she met him. Living in the ally, being quiet and sad, it felt like a distant dream. She loved her friends, even if only one of them knew her gender; but it's personality that counts the most, right?
She sighed before flopping down onto the grass beside Shikamaru. Her eyes drifting as she watched the clouds moved, they put her to sleep whenever she watched them. They were so beautiful, graceful, floating and free. Being a cloud would be fun, then again so would being a flying squirrel. It wasn't long before they were all there laying in silence, other than the odd crunch of a chip or the breeze through the trees. As they were laying a shadow started to loom over them before they were all ten feet in the air, jumping in fright.
"GUUUUUUUYS!" Iruka screamed over them. "You all have detention!" He shrieked, talk about banshee.
"Aw.. c'mon sensei! You know it was just for fun!" Kiba whined.
"What a drag.." Shikamaru sighed, propping his head up on his hands.
"Fudge monkeys.." Shinobu sighed before standing, they all followed Iruka back to the classroom, class was dismissed so they were the only ones there. Once the door was shut Iruka turned to face them, a scowl on his face and a tick mark on his forehead.
"What's the point of this sensei? I wanna go home." Naruto pouted.
"You guys don't have the patience, you'll never improve or become great ninja's if you don't focus on your studies and train!" He shouted.
"But we train all the time!" Choji complained.
"But you don't focus, there's a difference." He sighed before placing a leaf on all of their foreheads. "This is an old traditional training method to help with focus. I want you to remove the leaf without touching it." He explained while Kiba went cross-eyed trying to look at the leaf. Shikamaru just groaned. Naruto on the other hand smirked and blew upwards making it fly off.
"There! Did it, that was easy! See ya sensei!" He grinned before running out the door, soon followed by the other boys and girl. It wasn't until Iruka picked up the leaves later that he noticed there were only four. He chuckled to himself. They would be great ninja if they put their minds to it, maybe Shinobu could influence them if they didn't influence her first.
"Hey guys, wanna go swimming?" Shinobu finally asked after a while of running.
"Sure!" Kiba grinned. "But we don't have bathing suits." He questioned.
"We can just wear boxers or our clothes can't we?" Shinobu suggested, ignoring the spluttering of Naruto beside her.
"N-no! Why don't we go to the park instead?" Naruto suggested, staring at Shinobu wide eyed. He obviously under-estimated her genjutsu.
"Why? Afraid to show us your lack of muscles?" Kiba smirked.
"NO!" He shouted, immediately forgetting Shinobu and storming towards the nearby lake. "I have more muscle than you!" He bragged before stripping down and diving into the water. Shinobu, out of respect for her friends, didn't watch. She stripped down, keeping her eyes on the ground. The genjutsu Iruka had taught her was very useful, all of the details were spot on, her muscle mass was the same as she was as a girl but it showed better because she was male. She could see her abs instead of just tone lines she normally saw. It made her grin. The only thing that was awkward was that thing hanging between her legs. No matter how many times she used the genjutsu, it was odd and she couldn't get used to it.
She quickly jumped into the water trying to get the thought from her mind. Naruto looked at her in confusion for a minute before just going with it. The only thing they had to worry about was if she got too exhausted and the genjutsu dropped. She couldn't help but mentally giggle as she saw the toned bodies her her friends. They were young but she was smart and knew all too well that they'd be great catches one day. Choji, the bigger of them all, still had a lot of muscle and he was literally a gentle giant.
"Oi, I bet I could hold my breath longer than you!" Kiba shouted out, his ego bruised when he noticed that Naruto did indeed have just as much muscle as he did.
"Ya right! Your on!" Naruto grinned before diving under water with Kiba. Shikamaru just floated on his back spouting water from his back. Choji watching in fascination as his friends' faces turned red in an attempt to win before they bother broke the water at the same time. They immediately got into a fight about who won before Shinobu hit them both over the head.
"Shut up!" She yelled. Earning equally confused looks from both of them.
"But I won!" The replied in synch again.
"No, you tied, and I could beat you both anyway." She smirked, challenge glinting in her eyes. After another arguement they were all underwater again. Shinobu could hear the gurgled sound of Choji and Shikamaru talking above the water and the see the odd shimmering of the setting sun in the water's reflection. She had grabbed onto the dock to force her body to stay under. She remind calm to help keep her breath while Kiba and Naruto were convulsing as they tried to remain under. She felt her breath leaving her but refused to win just so they would shut up. It was only when she saw them both float to the surface that she allowed herself up for air.
"S-see?" She said shakily gulping much needed air. Kiba scowled while Naruto gave her a high five. They continued to swim for several hours before Mrs. Akamichi and Ms. Inuzuka came to get Choji and Kiba. Choji's mom got Shikamaru as well so it was soon just Naruto and Shinobu again. Ever since they moved in together they never left each others' sides. Most people thought it was weird. But if you spent your entire life alone, you'd spend every waking moment with company you could too.
"Thanks Naruto.." Shinobu mumbled as she got dressed.
"For what?" He asked, shaking the water out of his hair.
"For showing me what happyness is." She smiled as she hugged him.
A/N: This is the first Naruto ending "wind" by Akeboshi. Great song, makes me cry and brings back awesome and terrible memories all at the same time for me. Naruto is my life. So everything Naruto brings memories back. Unfortunately not all of them are good :/ Still love the song though, I hope you enjoyed the chappy.
Random note: the graduation exam is next chapter. After a close tie I took the poll down and I know the winner, you'll find out in the story next week XD O.o lot's of people voted for Sakura I was like "NYU!" lol
