Chapter 1: "I'm the Future Hokage!"
As Naruto left the apartment, he saw that two young boys were waiting for him. Sasuke leaned against the fence with his arms crossed, looking frustrated while Shikamaru stood with his hands in his pockets, looking like he didn't have a single care in the world.
"Naruto!" Sasuke whined. "You gotta stop waiting for Kakashi every morning. It slows us down."
"Yeah. Waiting around for you and your slow brother is really a drag.." The other boy piped in as he put his hands behind his head.
"Come on, guys! I had to get Kashi's advice for exam day! After all, I need as much help as I can get since I'm the future Hokage!" Naruto grinned. Sasuke and Shikamaru both laughed as they started heading towards the school. "Wha-! Wait!" Naruto rushed after them. "Why are you guys laughing? I'm serious!"
"We know you're serious, Naruto. You're just always so enthusiastic about it; you need to relax! We're way too young for ambitions like that!" Shikamaru patted Naruto's shoulder.
"Besides, how will you become Hokage when you have to fight me for it? You know I'm stronger than you." Sasuke smirked as Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.
"Say whatever you want! I'm gonna become an even greater Hokage than my dad, and nothing or no one will get in my way! Not even you, Sasuke! Believe it!" Naruto started running towards the school before calling back behind him. "Anyway, if you're so good, why don't you race me?!" Not watching where he was going, Naruto ran over an elderly lady who was crossing the path. "Oh! 'Scuse me!" Naruto bowed in apology as Sasuke chuckled and took the opportunity to run ahead.
"What a drag.." Shikamaru shrugged before taking off after the other two. "You idiots are going to get us in trouble again!" He complained.
"Not like you have to join in!" Naruto teased. Moments like this were his favorite. He wished he could just joke around and hang out with his friends forever.
Along their path, the boys jumped over food stalls, darted around people, and even slid under a couple of counters. Frustrated exclamations of "Those darn kids!", "When will they ever learn?!", and "Here come the gremlins!" followed them as they dashed through the village. It was a close race as the three had been training together for so long that they were practically at the same level in every physical skill.
"Naruto! Sasuke! Shikamaru!" An angry voice called out, stopping their race before they reached the school. "What do you think you're doing?! That is no way for ninjas to behave! Don't make me have to punish you on your last day of school!"
The three boys skidded to a stop before they tried to sneak away, but it was too late! Iruka Sensei had already blocked their path. They all bowed their heads in defeat and mumbled, "Sorry, Sensei.."
Iruka sighed. "I'll be merciful this time because it's exam day, but don't let me catch you acting up again! Now, go join the rest of your class. We'll be calling everyone individually for their exam."
As they joined their classmates, the energy in the air was tense yet hopeful. "Hey guys!" A pink-haired girl walked up to them. "Are you ready for the exam?" She asked before blushing and quickly adding, "Not you, of course, Sasuke! You've had the highest grades all year! I know you'll pass!"
"How annoying.." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Why don't you obsess over someone else for a change, Sakura? Like maybe Naruto." Sasuke knew that Naruto had a crush on Sakura and wished that she would accept that and give him some space.
"Why would I obsess over Naruto?! He's so anno–" Sakura avoided the sad look in Naruto's eyes as she sat down next to Sasuke. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter cause you're the one that I like, Sasuke!"
"Yeah. Whatever!" Naruto scoffed. "Sasuke's good and all, but I'm gonna get the highest grade on this exam, believe it! I have a super secret weapon!"
"C'mon, Naruto! You can't even make a clone properly! How do you even plan on passing?" Sakura put her hands on her hips. It wasn't that she didn't like Naruto– he was one of her closest friends– she just worried that all of his goofing off would keep him from achieving his goals in life. So, she took it upon herself to be the friend that set him straight with a little tough love sometimes.
"That's where my secret weapon comes in!" Naruto smiled mischievously. "It's a jutsu that Kashi taught me forever ago. I just haven't used it in class because I wanted to at least try to learn how to make clones the normal way. Kashi told me why I can't make them like everyone else, but I wasn't really listening. Something about having too much chakra or whatever." He shrugged.
The other kids looked at him incredulously for a few moments before Sakura was called to do her exam. "Well, in any case, I hope it works out for you, Naruto. Good luck, guys! Let's all become ninjas together!" She smiled and walked away.
After what seemed like years of waiting, it was finally Naruto's turn to take the exam. He had to admit that he was nervous since he had only successfully made clones one way before, and he had no idea if his Senseis would accept it as a passing technique.
"Alright, Naruto. Almost done. Now we just need you to make one clone for us." Iruka looked up from his clipboard with a hopeful expression.
"Right. Before I do that, I need to let you know that I'm not going to do a normal clone technique. I never could figure that out, but my brother helped me learn another clone technique that I can actually do." Naruto rubbed the back of his head.
Skeptically, Iruka nodded his head and motioned for Naruto to proceed. He was curious to learn what Kakashi had come up with for the boy.
Naruto grinned and weaved a few signs before enthusiastically shouting, "Shadow clone jutsu!" There was a puff of smoke and suddenly the room was completely filled with Narutos. "Alright!" All of the Narutos chorused. Naruto had done this jutsu a few times at home, but was worried that it wouldn't work in the moment that he really needed it to.
Iruka sat speechless for a moment as he took in the sight before him. Shadow clones were a high level jutsu that even some Jonin level ninja couldn't master; yet, here Naruto was – a kid who couldn't even do regular clones – making hundreds of shadow clones. "Wow! That's very impressive, Naruto! Congratulations! You pass! Now go join your friends!"
"Thanks, Iruka Senesei!" Naruto dispelled the clones and hastily grabbed the headband that Iruka was holding out to him before darting out of the room. He couldn't wait to tell Kashi and all of his friends that he was finally a ninja! He only hoped that he'd end up on a decent team.
When he left the school, Naruto ran up to all of his friends, waving his headband in the air. "I did it, you guys! I really did it!" Cheers erupted from the whole group as they all also held up their headbands.
"We should celebrate!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Naruto responded. "Everyone come over to my place, and I'll get Kashi to order us some take out ramen! I'll also reach out to the rest of the crew! It'll be fun to all get together and guess who's teams we'll be on!"
Everyone agreed to that before discussing who each of them would bring to the party and parting ways.
On the way home, Naruto decided to stop by the store and grab the newest book in his brother's favorite series. He knew that he'd have to make it up to him for inviting everyone over with no warning beforehand, and this was one of the best ways to win Kakashi's heart. As he entered the store, Naruto saw a few of his friends in the manga aisle.
"Hinata, Yume, Kira! Hey! Did you guys pass your exams too?" Naruto called out as he approached them.
Hinata jumped a little and blushed. "Yes, N-Naruto.. We all did." She whispered as she put her pointer fingers together. Hinata had short black hair and purple eyes; and, for reasons unknown to Naruto, she always looked like she was close to passing out. "What brings you here?"
Naruto smiled as he picked up a book off the shelf. "Oh, I just came to pick up this book for Kakashi to make up for springing a last minute party on him. Oh! You guys should all come to my party! It's to celebrate becoming ninjas!"
Yume beamed. He was a short boy who looked way younger than he was. He had vibrant pink hair and grey eyes and somehow seemed to leave a little sparkle everywhere he went. "A party?! Oh! I love parties! Kira, we should totally go!"
Kirakira, Yume's best friend, had shaggy brown hair and green eyes that hid behind glasses. She always had a camera with her and recorded just about everything. "Of course we'll go to the party!" She linked her arm in Yume's. "It'll be fun to hang out before we all get busy with missions!"
"Great! See you in a couple of hours then!" Naruto waved before paying for his book and leaving the store. He was really starting to get excited for this party.
Naruto entered his apartment in a great mood that unfortunately was soured as he noticed Kakashi standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. "Naruto. What's this I keep hearing about a party?" Kakashi's cold glare felt like it pierced Naruto's soul.
"Well.." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Before we get into all that… Good news! I passed my exam!" He pointed to his headband with a smile on his face, but Kakashi's glare didn't waver. "Fine! I invited pretty much the whole class over and said you'd get takeout from Ichiraku for us so that we can celebrate becoming ninja and also try to guess who will be on teams together…"
Kakashi sighed. "Since you already told everyone, I guess it would be rude to cancel now.."
"Really?!" Naruto jumped excitedly.
"Yes, but next time I need you to plan stuff like that with me ahead of time.. Now, about your exam… Oh my gosh! I'm so proud of you, little brother! I told you that you'd do just fine!" Kakashi wrapped his arms around Naruto and ruffled his hair. He couldn't help but imagine how proud Minato and Kushina would be at this moment.
Kakashi and a few other Jonin sat on the couch together as they watched as Naruto excitedly zipped around the dining room and put up decorations for his party. When Kakashi was out grabbing the ramen, he figured he might as well invite some of the others who would be team leaders so that they could maybe get some ideas as to who they want on their teams. So, the four of them sat there, waiting to hear who the kids thought they'd be paired with. Sasuke and Yume were also already there. Sasuke sat watching Naruto with a look of amusement as he said things like "It's a last minute party, no one expects you to go all out." While Yume, sparkling as ever, gave advice on where stuff should go and said things like "Don't listen to Sasuke! You need a whole lot more glitter!" The liveliness of the boys made all of the Jonin leaders just as excited about the party and the potential that the young ninja all had.
After a while, the doorbell rang; and Naruto rushed over as quickly as possible to get the door. When he opened it, Shikamaru stood there with a girl who had long blonde hair and blue eyes as well as a boy who had spiky hair and was munching on a bag of chips.
"I see you went all out with the decorations.. What a drag.." Shikamaru said, but the look on his face said that he actually appreciated the work Naruto had put into it.
"Hey, Naruto! Thanks for having us!" The girl said before closely following Shikamaru into the house.
"When do we eat?" The other boy asked in between shoving handfuls of chips in his mouth.
"Thanks for coming, Ino! Choji, we'll eat after everyone has gotten here!" Naruto closed the door behind them and offered them drinks when they got situated in the dining room. After a few minutes, Sakura, Hinata, and Kirakira all arrived together and huddled around Ino. From the sound of the giggles that came from their group, Kakashi could only assume that they were talking about boys. Boys who were all in the room and were also all (except maybe Sasuke) super oblivious to the fact that they were being talked about at that moment. Not long after them, a few other kids arrived. One with a long cloak and dark glasses, one with a fuzzy jacket that had a puppy peeking out of it, and one who was pale as a ghost and wore an expression that was difficult to read.
"Shino, Kiba, Sai! Looks like you guys are the last to arrive!" Naruto excitedly ushered them into the dining room and handed them drinks before picking up his own. "Now, before we eat. I'd like to propose a toast. To all of our hard work; and to me, the future Hokage!"
Everyone chuckled a little before Shikamaru piped in. "Oh, why not? To Naruto, the future Hokage!" He raised his glass and smiled.
"The future Hokage!" Everyone else echoed before clinking their glasses together and taking a sip. None of them were sure why, but everyone in his class knew that Naruto was right about the fact that he would one day become Hokage.