A/N: Hello! I'm going on a Christmas vacation to visit family. The bad news is that I won't have any Wi-Fi, so I can't update. The silver lining is that I am now releasing all the chapters I have stockpiled as an early Christmas gift. Or, holiday gift. That would be my lousy (and failing) attempt at being politically correct. Well, start reading and enjoy the gift!

Naruto was sitting on the swing attached to the tree outside the academy. He had been the only kid to not pass the genin exam. It didn't help that the villagers kept making snide remarks about how it was better he wasn't a ninja. With the fate ahead of him, he wished he wasn't a ninja. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he couldn't sense the evil presence behind the tree.

Mizuki smirked. This would be the perfect chance to get back at the demon brat for making him infertile. Mizuki quickly schooled his emotions and replaced it with a friendly smile before saying "You know, he's only trying to help. Iruka I mean. He was an orphan too."

"Oh, hey Mizuki. I didn't know that." Naruto said dejectedly before following up with "But I'm not an orphan. I have a mother. But my father, well, he's dead." the last part was him thinking about dog quitting ANBU.

Mizuki hid his shock well. He didn't know the demon had a family. He just hoped he didn't have to change his plan much because of this. He decided to go with the original plan with a slight variation. "You know, there is another way to pass. It's harder than the original, but you don't need clones."

Really!" Naruto asked his spirits instantly rising. Because of this he didn't listen to his ANBU training and leaned in closer to hear what to do.

Naruto didn't know what he did to deserve this. But currently he was getting berated for doing something extremely wrong. He decided to voice this. "Iruka, what I did wrong? I still pass don't I?"

"What do you mean pass! You just stole the secret ninjutsu scroll! That's enough to be executed!"

"But all I did was what Mizuki said I had to do to pass? He even told me about this place." It seemed to click at the same for both of them. Naruto then saw Mizuki and yelled "Iruka, run!"

But instead of running Iruka pushed Naruto out of the way, causing him to get hit by the barrage of kunai and shuriken thrown by Mizuki.

"So," Mizuki said while taking one of the two giant shurikens off his back and spinning it at an incredibly fast speed. "you somehow feel compassion for the demon that killed your parents. There is only one place for demon lovers like you. HELL!" At the last word he threw the shuriken.

Naruto was now in full ANBU mode, his face an emotionless mask and everything. He jumped in front of Iruka and was completely prepared to catch the shuriken and throw it back to its owner, as a goodbye present. What his ANBU training didn't prepare him for was for Iruka to push him down and take the shuriken in the back.

"Iruka! Why!" Naruto cried out.

"Because Naruto. I guess you reminded me of,well, me. I was an orphan too. I guess I wanted you to live so you could prove that us orphans can do something with our lives. I saw your skills, and I know you'll be a great ninja. Better then I ever could have. Now run, and take the scroll so Mizuki doesn't get it!"

Naruto nodded his emotionless mask now breaking with tears. He then took the scroll and ran into the forest as fast as the heavy, clunky scroll allowed him to.

"Well Iruka. Guess I'll have to finish you later. But now I have me some demon hunting to do!" Mizuki said with a sadistic grin on his face while wrenching the shuriken as painfully as he could from his back.

Once Mizuki was gone, Iruka slowly and painfully got up thinking "gottohelpNaruto!"

Naruto was running through the forest with the scroll on his back. Suddenly, Iruka poped out saying "Naruto, it's okay! I killed Mizuki! You can give me the scroll now."

In reply, Naruto gave him a vicious round-house kick sending Iruka to the ground. On impact 'Iruka' proofed into Mizuki.

Once Naruto landed Mizuki asked "How did you know?"

Naruto answered "Because I'm Iruka." before proofing into a panting and bleeding Iruka with a log attached to his back.

"Why!" Mizuki asked. "Why do you love the demon so much!"

Iruka calmly stated "I love no demon." seeing Mizuki's puzzlement on his face he elaborated. "I love a fellow orphan who happens to also be my student. Just because the Kyuubi is sealed in him does not make him a demon. I know he will never hear this, but I would've liked the chance to tell him that he would always be welcomed at my apartment, with open arms."

Naruto cried silently behind the tree he was using to hide. He wasn't crying because he now knew what was inside of him. No, Dog and Cat had told him about it years ago so if something like this did happen he wouldn't freeze. He cried because he could now add another person to the list of people whom acknowledged him which had previously been one. Cat.

Peeking around the tree Naruto saw Mizuki prepare another giant shuriken. Before he could launch it though, he ran right at him giving him a vicious flip-kick to the chin. This caused the shuriken to go flying into the trees.

"If you touch my teacher again, I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto said with his eyes now red with slits and listening to his 'better Instincts'.

Mizuki didn't seem to notice this and said smugly "Oh yeah, what's a person who's not even a genin going to do that will kill me?"

Naruto smirked. While he had been waiting for Mizuki to pas him, he got curious and looked at the scroll. Imagine his surprise when he learned that it was covered in techniques. He had immediately set to work on learning the first jutsu he saw so he could impress Cat.

Naruto smirked and put his fingers in-the-soon-to-be-infamous cross sign and said "Shadow-clone jutsu!" In a giant puff of smoke the forest was filled with hundreds of tangible Naruto clones.

All the Narutos smirked while pulling out a kunai. "This!" they all shouted before each taking a turn at stabbing Mizuki.

Mizuki let out a girlish screech while Iruka just closed his eyes afraid of the gruesome sight.

Once the deed was done and Mizuki was dead Iruka said "Naruto, come here and close your eyes." Naruto did as he was told. Naruto felt a weight being attached to his forehead. When he opened his eyes Iruka smiled at him without a headband while saying "You pass!"

Naruto hugged to Iruka furiously. Iruka let it go on for a while before ruining the moment and saying "Naruto! Stop! I'm injured!" Naruto simply nodded before picking up Iruka and placing him on his back. Iruka was shocked. He tried to voice it but was shocked when he nearly fell off due to how fast he was going. Before he passed out from blood loss his last thought was "there is no way a 12-year-old should be able to run this fast!"

A/N: long chapter, I know. I was originally going to split this chapter in to but decided that it was to important to split. I mean, who wants to be reading an important chapter and then learn that they have to click the 'next' button or wait for the next update. Totally ruins the moment. THN out!