Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Home At Last ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Not mine

 

Chapter 5

 

 

“Congratulations Naruto-kun.” Kakashi removed his goggles and replaced them with a new hitai-ate as Sarutobi was speaking. Naruto reached up and touched the cool metal in shock.

 

“Wow.” He whispered. Iruka pulled him into a tight hug but Sandaime could see the slight fear in his eyes.

“So this means no more Academy, right?”

 

“You can go tomorrow if you want to finish the week and say goodbye to anyone.” Naruto thought about it and nodded.

“I'll have a note sent to your teacher.”

 

“Come on Naruto, let's get your things and let you settle in.” Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder and began to steer him from the room.

 

“Oh Naruto?” Iruka called and the boy turned to him.

“If you see any little orange books lying around, burn them.”

 

“NO! No need to do that, there won't be any left about.” Kakashi blurted and Iruka smiled as they left quickly.

 

“You know Kakashi won't hurt him.” Sarutobi said gently and Iruka looked down.

“Kakashi will die if necessary to protect a team-mate, especially someone not as able to defend themselves as he is. Yes, Naruto will be injured occasionally but no more than any other genin. Kakashi will look after him.

 

“I know that but…”

 

“But you're still afraid. It's natural Iruka. I wish I could go back and undo the decision to make Orochimaru your sensei but I can't.”

 

“I never blamed you for any of it.” Iruka looked at him solemnly.

 

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“This is your room.” Kakashi pushed him inside.

“I haven't lived here since I was a child so the place needs some work which we'll do together. We have three months until the genin teams are announced to focus solely on you and your training. We'll use this weekend to fix the place up and start formalised training on Monday.” Naruto listened as he explored the room. It was bigger than his old room with a comfortable looking bed and several indications that the room once belonged to a child.

 

“Was this your room?” He asked. Kakashi nodded.

 

“I'll leave you to unpack. Dinner will be in two hours.”

 

“Thank you Kakashi-sensei.” Naruto smiled at him and Kakashi found himself smiling back before he left the room.

 

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“Very amusing Naruto.” He stared at the silver haired sensei in confusion.

 

“Mizuki-sensei?” He asked, the whole class looking on.

 

“Forging a letter from the Hokage saying you're being removed from the Academy because you're being taken as an apprentice.”

 

“But it's true!” Naruto glared at the chuunin, he'd never liked the man and he knew the feeling was mutual.

 

“Take your seat. You'll be cleaning the entire Academy after class today.” Naruto sat angrily and glared at the teacher as he began to lecture.

 

“I think you went a bit too far Naruto.” Kiba whispered.

 

“I didn't do anything.” Naruto growled. By the time they broke for lunch everyone knew about the so-called `forged letter'. Naruto sat alone, picking at his lunch. He should have known this would happen, he shouldn't have agreed to attend for one last day. He looked up and glared as he saw Sasuke approaching.

“What do you want teme?”

 

“As if anyone would want you as an apprentice dobe.” Sasuke smirked and Naruto clenched his fists. He wanted to punch that stupid smirk right off his face but held himself back, he knew the truth even if no one else believed him. He wasn't an Academy student anymore, he was a genin and he had to set a good example.

 

“Whatever. Have fun in the rest of these boring classes.” Naruto stood and went back inside, lunch would be over soon anyway.

 

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Naruto glared at the clock as it approached the time for class to end. Could they really make him stay? He closed his eyes but opened them as the class suddenly went silent.

 

 

 

“Yo. Sorry to interrupt Sensei.”

 

“Not at all Hatake-san. What can we do for you?”

 

“Just came to collect my apprentice.” Naruto grinned at the dumbfounded look on Mizuki's face.

 

“Your what?”

 

“Didn't you get Sandaime's letter? Lets go Naruto.”

 

“Hai sensei.” He stood and gathered his things as the class broke into disbelieving whispers.

 

“But…but there are so many more deserving students, Sasuke-kun for example.”

 

“My decision is final. Naruto has great potential; potential you teachers have done your best to destroy. Perhaps the system needs a complete overhaul. Come on, we need to go.” He motioned for Naruto to precede him from the room.

 

“What do you need me for sensei?”

 

“At the moment? Nothing. Figured they'd give you trouble.” Kakashi shrugged and Naruto gave him a small but honest smile.

 

“Thanks.”

 

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“Sensei?”

 

“Mmm?” Kakashi glanced up from his painting.

 

“You said you haven't lived here since you were a kid. I was wondering why?”

 

“Too big for one person.”

 

“Oh.” Naruto continued painting but Kakashi had stopped to watch him.

 

“I'd say we've done enough for today. Why don't you get cleaned up and go visit?” Naruto grinned and nodded, putting his brush in the water and running inside. A few minutes later he was running through the front gate towards the Hokage tower.

 

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“Nii-san!” He yelled and Iruka smiled, accepting the welcoming hug.

 

“Hello Naruto-kun, have a good day?”

 

“Yep. We weeded the garden, fixed the fence and roof and almost finished painting the house. Kakashi-sensei even turned it all into training. We'll have the house finished tomorrow and then he said we'd start formalised training. What do you think he'll teach me?”

 

“More chakra control, taijutsu, it depends on what he thinks you need the most work on.” Iruka explained.

“So you like him?”

 

“He's weird. Who wears a mask all the time? But he showed up at the Academy yesterday and set them straight. Mizuki-sensei was saying I'd forged the Hokage's letter. You should have seen everyone's faces when Kakashi-sensei showed up and called for me.” Naruto grinned at the memory.

 

“I'm happy for you Naruto.” Iruka told him honestly.

 

“Cheer up nii-san. The old man said you get to leave here for the chuunin exams that's only seven months away.” Naruto said innocently, not knowing what they expected would happen during the exams. And then it hit him. Naruto would be on the Uchiha's team.

“Do you think maybe next year I can take the exam?” Naruto asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

 

“Huh…next year?” Iruka blinked.

 

“Well there's no way I'll be ready this year but what about next?” Iruka smiled and felt himself relax a bit.

 

“You should be, if you work hard.”

 

“Great!” Iruka couldn't help smiling at his enthusiasm, he had never gotten to participate in the formal exams, Orochimaru had just given him the rank one day after they'd fought.

“I better go, dinners soon.”

 

“BE good for Kakashi-san.”

 

“Does that mean no pranks?” Naruto asked innocently as he reached the door.

 

“Naruto!” The boy laughed as he fled.

 

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Iruka watched carefully over the next few months as Naruto flourished under Kakashi's tutelage. The masked man had burnt the horrid orange jumpsuits to demonstrate a katon jutsu in the second week of training, forcing Naruto to get a new wardrobe. It was then that the shopkeepers learnt the boy was now under the protection of one of their most famous ninja. Needless to say Naruto no longer had any trouble shopping. He now wore black pants and sandals with a dark red shirt and a black jacket trimmed in red. He also taped his lower legs and wore fingerless gloves. Iruka had been shocked by the sudden drastic change in wardrobe, shocked and scared until Kakashi had explained why Naruto had always worn the jumpsuit. Then he'd been plain mad and the shopkeepers never knew how lucky they were that he couldn't leave the tower.

 

Iruka had also noticed the slow disappearance of Naruto's foxy grin. Instead more and more real smiles were appearing, true, happy smiles. With Kakashi's protection he was finally able to be himself, no longer worried about how he was going to pay for everything or when his apartment would next be vandalised.

 

Naruto's skills improved until he was finally at normal Academy level in everything and above it in some areas like ninjutsu. Since he was no longer a student Kakashi had taught him kage bunshin and he used it very well since with his stamina he could keep up a large number of clones for a prolonged amount of time.

 

And as time passed Iruka slowly lost his misgivings and became actual friends with Kakashi. Yes, he had suggested the man as Naruto's sensei but he had always held the fear of him using Naruto as his own sensei had used him. But now that fear was gone. Plans for the chuunin exams were complete and the genin exams would take place the in a few days.

 

TBC…