Chapter 31 Shadow clone jutsu.

Mizuki's plan was flawless. He would steal the scroll while blaming the village outcast. While Naruto wasn't starving for attention as he had been, he wasn't very mature. There was no way anyone would believe him when he said Mizuki told him about the scroll. Even if they did, he would be long gone by then. Mizuki had no plans of sparing Naruto's life when he took the scroll anyway.

The plan would have succeeded had Iruka not found Naruto first. Now with Iruka not caring for Naruto, nothing was standing in his way. Or so he thought. The unknown was a frightening thing.

Sasuke stood watch as I transferred the information in the scroll into one of my own. While I could rewrite the entire scroll, we had magic – or rather jutsus. The library invented a jutsu that would allow them to copy information quickly and transfer it to another scroll. It was used on intel gathering missions but rarely.

Running through the hand seals, I place one hand on the scroll and the other on an empty scroll and pushed chakra in them.

"Scribe transfer jutsu," I muttered. The ink on the forbidden scroll came alive and duplicated, the copy running up my arm. It ran across my chest and onto the empty scroll, quickly filling it. The jutsu required you to become the printing machine, and your chakra became the ink. The chakra control needed to do this was also ridiculous. The more there was to copy, the more chakra you wasted, making it impractical to use on missions.

"That idiot," Sasuke hissed. I remained focused on the flow of my chakra, but I could guess what made him so frustrated. Naruto seemed to have made his move. I gave Sasuke a knowing smile as he looked back at me. The last kanji ran down my arm and onto the scroll filling me with relief.

I felt sympathy for a machine that did this daily.

"Sakura…" Sasuke said, unsure. I bit my thumb, running the blood across my palm.

"Summoning jutsu!" I said, placing my palm on the ground. In a poof smoke, a cat the size of a wolf appeared.

"Meow," it greeted. It felt odd seeing a cat that big but I overlooked it and handed the copied scroll to the cat. It placed its paw in the large scroll and asked no questions.

"I'll call you when I need it," I told the cat before it disappeared, taking the scroll with it.

I stood frowning at my loss of chakra before addressing Sasuke. He would go along with any of my crazy plans so long as it didn't hurt anyone. In contrast to the original Sasuke, this one saw Naruto as a brother and would break my neck if I put him in danger. What he doesn't know won't kill me.

"Naruto ran off with the fake?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," Sasuke confirmed. "That idiot, what is he thinking."

"He's not," I told him, rolling up the scroll. "That's why we have to cover his ass." Sasuke looked at the scroll and then me, his eyes narrowing.

"You knew," he accused. I did, so I took no offense to it.

"I left a cat with Naruto and overheard." I lied.

"Then why did you steal the information?"

"Stealing is a strong word," I wined.

"It's what you did."

"It was a prime opportunity, and we were taught never to let those slip by." I walked by him, ending the conversation as I ran out of excuses. "Let's put this back before someone realizes it's missing."

Sasuke sighed. "I can't tell who the bad influence anymore," he said, walking after me.

I laughed as we leaped from the rooftop. The academy didn't teach us the wall climbing technique, but by strengthening our bodies with chakra, we could do something similar. Leaping from roof to roof like grasshoppers was child's play for shinobis, even those in training.

I sensed Naruto's chakra and took the same route he did. I was surprised at how stealthy it was and how it avoided the ANBUs perfectly. I could cry tears of joy; Naruto was embracing his inner ninja.

Walking through the corridor, we found a knocked-out Hokage with a dreadful nosebleed. Sasuke's eyes twitched as he shook with fury. We both know what caused this, Naruto's original jutsu, Sexy jutsu. It was basically transformation jutsu, but into a naked woman. Everyone thought it was stupid, and it didn't work on noblemen like Hiashi and Itachi, but it seemed everyone else was susceptible.

"It's still a stupid jutsu," Sasuke hissed, refusing to acknowledge the effectiveness of the technique. I had to wonder if he used this on the ANBUs as well. We navigated to the Second's room, returned the scroll to its spot on the shelve, and made our escape. On our way out, I found the Fourths office. It didn't have as much as the Second, suggesting he might have lived elsewhere. There was something on a table that would come in handy, however. Taking it, we resumed our escape.

The Hokage's body wasn't there when we returned, but Sasuke might have lost his mind if it was. We all looked up to the Hokage's to find one defeated by a stupid jutsu hurts our image of them.

Leaving the mansion, we headed for the forest after Naruto.

Mizuki waited for the uproar that would come from Naruto stealing the scroll. He watched Naruto take it, yet there was no movement at the Hokage residence. Frustrated, he moved closer, staying hidden. He looked through the window of the Second's storage room and caught the tail end of a conversation.

"…another prank to get attention. Nothing is missing." Said one ANBU putting the scroll he was after back on the shelf.

"Figures, Tenzo wouldn't let him do something as stupid as stealing from the Hokage." Said another.

"How did he even get past the Hokage?"

A silence filled the room, either wondering how the prankster made it by the Hokage are refusing to acknowledge it.

"Let's report to Lord Hokage."

With that, the ANBU flickered away.

Mizuki stood confused, was Naruto tricked? It was unlikely since they were searching for something out of place. Did Naruto steal the scroll and replaced it with a fake? Mizuki almost dismissed the idea but remembered who Naruto's friends were.

Shikamaru Nara, the lazy genius, Sasuke Uchiha, the noble prodigy, and Sakura Haruno… It wasn't impossible that he picked up something from them. Especially the kunoichi bitch. Mizuki didn't know what he did to the brat, but she made it her mission to torment him.

Casting genjutsu around the academy to make him late for the class was the kindest thing she did. Poisoning his lunch, planting an explosion tag on his sandal, trapping in him a torturous genjutsu; she was out for his blood. What made matters worse is that he could never prove she did it. Then how did he know she did it? She taunted him!

When he returned from nearly had his foot blown off, she told him in a sinister tone to 'watch his step next time.' When he was suffering from food poison, she told him not to be too greedy. He told Iruka what was happening but was called paranoid and assured she only went after those that touch Naruto and Sasuke. Unlike Iruka that clearly dispised Naruto, Mizuki never showed hostility to the boy.

Clicking his tongue, he decided to chase Naruto to get the answers he wanted. There was no way he could steal the scroll and get away as Naruto did. Traveling along the roofs, he headed to the forest that he saw Naruto go.

Finding the demon was easier than Mizuki thought. The forest was vast, but there was weren't many places to train. He found the blond panting in the clearing near a cabin. The scroll was on his back, much to Mizuki's relief.

"Naruto!" he called as he jumped down from the trees. Naruto looked up in surprise.

"Mizuki sensei?" he asked, standing, clearly exhausted. "How'd you find me?"

"I'm a shinobi,' Mizuki answered. "I see you found the scroll."

"Yeah!" Naruto sounded excited. "I only managed to learn one jutsu from it, but once I show it to you ill pass, right?"

Mizuki smiled. If Naruto learned a jutsu from it that meant it was the real thing, he must have left a fake behind. Pleased with the turn of events, Mizuki stood back, allowing naruto to perform the jutsu.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto shouted before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Mizuki's eyes grow wide as numerous Naruto's stood before him. Ten in total.

"So sensei whatcha think!" the Narutos said at once. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"We pass, right?"

"We performed a jutsu from the scroll, just like you said, so we pass, right?"

They were all talking, trying to convince him to pass them. The reality they weren't normal clones sunk in. He knew Naruto was a monster but being reminded of it only made his fear waste; he needed to kill this kid.

"You pass," Mizuki said finally. The Naruto's cheered and hugged each other crying tears of joy. "Alright, undo the jutsu and give me the scroll."

"Right," one Naruto said, as the rest disappeared in a poof of smoke. "Gramps won't be too mad, will he?" Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"Of course no, Naruto," Mizuki lied, holding his hand out. When the Hokage realized his scroll was fake, he would hunt Naruto down. Luckily, depending on who you asked, Naruto would be dead by then, and Mizuki long gone.

Naruto walked over to him, carrying the scroll. Mizuki took it and opened it, finding the jutsu Naruto learn within, he closed it satisfied.

"Alright, Nauro, close your eyes," he said. Foolishly, the boy complied, squeezing his eyes shut. Too easy. Taking out his kunai, he swang at Naruto's neck. Blood sprayed from the open wound as the blond fell back with wide eyes. A satisfied grin spread across Mizuki's face as the demon fell to the ground.

Poof!

Mizuki flinched as the body disappeared in smoke. He looked around, panicked.

"Sen… sei?" a small voice came from above. Mizuki looked up to see a horrified Naruto looking back. Mizuki clicked his tongue. He didn't expect this outcome, nor did he plan for it. He looked down to see the scroll still by his side the Naruto in the trees didn't have one on him.

He failed to kill Naruto, but he still got his hands on the scroll. Smiling, he faced Naruto.

Might as well leave the village a present.

"You ever wondered why it is that everyone hates you?" he asked. Naruto gasped, making him smile. "That's right, twelve years ago, the Hokage created a rule. A rule only you weren't allowed to know." Naruto looked down at him shaking. "The rule prohibited anyone from talking about the fact you were a demon fox! Everyone knows but you, and once I kill you here, no one will care! Not even those friends of yours. You'll never be acknowledged!"

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, shaking in not fear but anger. "What the hell do you know. My friends aren't like you! They would never abandon me!" his blue eyes bleed to crimson, his pupils becoming slits. "We already know what I am!" Mizuki stepped back in surprise as red chakra rose from Naruto like steam.

"You got a lot of nerve bad-mouthing someone to their face."

A chill ran down his spine as he looked over his shoulder. In the trees behind him, stood Sasuke and Sakura.

A chill ran down his spine as he looked over his shoulder. In the trees behind him stood Sasuke and Sakura. The former was scowling at him, the latter smirking viciously.

"I warned you sensei," Sakura tainted, "to watch your step." She formed the ram seal, and the sound of burning paper filled his ear. He looked down, his eyes widening.

The ground was fill with paper bombs.

"Shi-" his curse was cut off by the explosion that shook the forest. The smoke from the blast rose into the, serving as a beacon. The forest burned around the empty crater. The flames that licked at the trees and grass illuminated the clearing.

"You went overboard," Sasuke commented.

"Better red flames than black don't, you think," she looked at him. Sasuke's eyes were in their second form, the Mangekyou Sharingan. They transformed somewhere between arriving and Sakura alerting Mizuki of their presence.

"Besides, he's not dead yet."

True to her words, Mizuki leaped from the flames suffering minor burns considering. He ran from the clearing, putting distance between himself and them.

"I knew that bitch wanted to kill me!" he cursed as he leaped through the trees. With all Sakura put him through, he was lucky to be alive, now it seemed the gloves were off.

A barrage of kunais cut off his escape, burying in itself the tress in front of him. Mizuki backflipped away from the danger only to find its source waiting for him. A red flower surrounded by black greeted him as Sasuke charged in. clicking his tongue, Mizuki made the mistake of blocking instead of running.

Sasuke's powerful kick shock his body, and his arms cried with a crack. In a desperate attempt to save himself, Mizuki gripped Sasuke's foot, intending to throw him away. Sasuke, having other plans, grabbed the offending hand and brought the other foot down on Mizuki's head. Stunned, Mizuki fell backward of the tree branch releasing Sasuke in the process. He fell with a thud, his nose bleeding and his head spinning.

As the world right itself, he found green eyes, that looked to be glowing, looking down at him. Sakura smirked down at him, causing him to leap away from her by pure instinct. Her eyes sparkled like a cat ready to pounce. Despite being unsteady on his feet, he took a fighting stance. He still had the scroll; he merely needed to escape these children to leave Konoha.

Sasuke landed beside Sakura, a visible scowl on his face.

"I thought I knocked him out with that kick," he muttered, displeased. Sakura patted his back.

"It's about time we end this struggle, don't you think, " Sakura said, "Sensei."

"Why are you protecting that monster?" he demanded. "He's the one that nearly wiped out the village 12 years ago! He never understood why Sakura went so far for Naruto. the fact that she knew he was the nine-tail fox only add to his confusion. "He's no different than I am. He'll use the scroll for his own end and take revenge on the village. That's the kind of monster he is!"

A silence fell upon them. The howling winded past their still forms as it went its way.

"What's this idiot talking about?" Sasuke asked no one in particular.

"You'd think after teaching us for so long, he would have a grasp on our personality, but I expected too much," Sakura sighed. They were making fun of him. They thought he was no longer a threat because he was slightly injured. Gritting his teeth, Mizuki unhooked his large shuriken.

"I'm done play with you!" he yelled as he spun the blade before hurling it at them. In that instant, a knee connected with his face sending him flying back. Naruto skidded to a stop in front of his friends, his eyes red and his face deadly.

"Don't touch my friends," naruto warned, "Or I'll kill you."

"You took your sweet time," Sakura said. "I thought you died in the explosion."

"Sakura," Naruto's voice was still rough. "You went overboard," he stated. She pouted as Sasuke nodded in agreement. She crossed her arms and turned her face away with a hmph.

"That's the last time I go out of my way to help, that's for sure." she declared.

"Riiight~," Naruto and Sasuke said in unison, not believing her words.

"Nice shot, you little punk," Mizuki said, getting his bearings. "But your all talk. I can kill you in one shot!"

"Try it then, trash," Naruto said, making a hand seal. "I'll return the pain a thousand times over."

"Multy Shadow clone jutsu!"

I can take a few clones, real or not.

In reality, there were not a few clones. The surrounding forest was filled with orange-wearing Narutos, more than a thousand of them. Mizuki looked around in horror, realizing he couldn't win. He stumbled back and landed on his ass, trembling in fear.

"What's wrong?" the Narutos asked. "Weren't you gonna kill me in one shot?" Seeing Mizuki frozen with fear, they decided to make the first move.

"Well then," Naruto rolled up his sleeve. "Shall we get started?"

"AHHHH!" Mizuki screamed.

Mizuki's body twitched. His face was unrecognizable, swollen, and covered in blood.

Pulp. He looked like pulp of red juice.

"You went overboard," I said, taking my revenge while it was still hot. Naruto laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Despite the smile, he looked uneasy. "What is it?" I asked.

"Are you sure you guys are okay with me?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"I'm carrying around a monster, and everyone hates me," he gripped his stomach and lowered his head. "No one would care if I died." I flinched at his words.

"What am I to you, stupid!" Sasuke said, slapping Naruto across the head. "Are you saying I'm so cold-hearted I wouldn't care if you die, or are you saying I'm nothing to you?"

Naruto gasped and quickly tried to assure Sasuke.

"Of course you're not cold-hearted, Sasuke," He said. "And you're my friend, I care about you."

Sasuke turned away with a hmph, he won't acknowledge that he considered Naruto to be anything but annoying. The fact that he said this much was amazing. I stepped forward and gave Naruto a tight hug, brushing his spiky hair while doing so.

"It will be a cloudy day without you, my sunshine," I said.

He relaxed in my arms, hiding his face in my neck.

"Thank you."

Iruka woke to a knock or rather pounding, on his door. He rushed to open it thinking it was an emergency. He was both disappointed and pissed to find his failure of a student, Naruto standing there looking smug.

"It's too early for this, Naruto," Iruka sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Dawn had yet to come making it at least four in the morning. While shinobis did wake early he was an academy teacher with a day off today, he planned to sleep.

"Yeah but I wanna pass right now," Naruto said excitedly. Iruka frowned down at him. Pass? Pass what.

"What are you talking about Naruto?" he asked.

"If I can do the clone jutsu I'll pass right!" Naruto was vibrating with anticipation.

You already failed though, the thought but didn't say. It was unlikely that Naruto learned the clone technique in a single day, but Iruka would indulge him.

"Alright, let's see it." He said, stepping back and waving for Naruto to proceed.

"Alright!" Naruto pumped his fist before formed a hand seal. "Shadow clone jutsu!"

In a poof of smoke, a dozen Narutos appeared surrounding Iruka.

"So what do ya think?" they said at once.

"We pass right?"

"Please say yes!"

They were speaking at once making Iruka dizzy. It wasn't the clone jutsu, Naruto said "Shadow clone jutsu." Iruka looked at the blond with wide eyes, there was no way he learned that overnight, furthermore, he didn't teach it at the academy. Where did Naruto learn it?

His eyes were drawn up to the rooftops, where Sakura and Sasuke sat observing. Could Naruto have learned it from them? Iruka knew about the three having "guardians" under the Hokage's order. They were all former ANBUs so it wasn't hard to believe they could learn from them. The thought was terrifying.

"Sensei?" Naruto called when he took too long to respond.

Iruka smiled down at him. "You pass."

The Narutos cheered and tackled Iruka.

Yamato body flickered into existence behind us.

"Mission accomplished," he started.

"I trust our involvement was kept a secret," I said keeping my eyes on the bodies of Narutos.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

I smiled. "Indeed"

"NARUTO!"

The shadow clones disappeared in a poof of smoke at the yell Iruka produced.

"That idiot," Sasuke muttered.

"He's our idiot," I said, standing up. "We should save him before Iruka change his mind about passing him."

"Hmph."

Hello Nightwalkers, luna here and it begins. I should be able to post every two weeks but we'll see.

Next chapter May 11.