Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ To Measure My Capacity ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8

Impossibly bright sunlight streamed through tattered curtains. Birds sang loudly in immaculate chorus. A light breeze ruffled lush green leaves; Naruto groaned.

Pulling the musty sheets over his head and shutting his eyes as tightly as he could, Naruto cursed. `Mornings suck.'

`Oh no! What's that noise?' Kyuubi's concerned voice rang through Naruto's head. `It sounds like a baby crying! Oh wait - it's just you.'

`Haha, you're so funny.' Naruto retorted sarcastically.

`I know.'

`…' Naruto responded. `Anyway, you try sleeping on a lumpy mattress like this one and not complain in the morning.'

`I would, Naruto-kun, but my cage is rather bare.'

`Sucks to be you, then.' Naruto thought back, rolling stiffly out of bed.

`Aww, that hurts. You could at least put a TV or something in here.' Kyuubi muttered.

`Uhh, how about I don't?'

`Why not?'

`Don't feel like it' Naruto stated.

`Could it be that the crybaby is worried about meeting his cute little friends?' Kyuubi jeered innocently.

`Not at all.' Naruto replied, making his way to the filthy bathroom. `I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed; or more to the point, tried sleeping on the wrong bed.'

`Suuuure.' Kyuubi chortled. `You're just apprehensive about meeting Itachi's little brother.'

`Not so much.' Naruto said, shrugging mentally. `I'd be more worried about how the villages will react when the find out I'm back'

`Bah! Who cares?' Said Kyuubi dismissively.

`Mmm' Naruto thought nonchalantly.

Exiting the bathroom Naruto glanced at the cloak.

`Crap. Gotta get ready fast' Naruto thought, forcefully blocking out Kyuubi's voice and rushing to make whatever he could for breakfast. Opening the cupboards he could find only one thing - cup ramen.

“Man,” Naruto muttered, “I wonder if these are even okay to eat. Oh well.”

15 minutes later, Naruto was fed, washed, dressed and on his way to the Ninja Academy.

============================================

“You can't let that monster back in the village!” Iruka yelled as he stormed in to the Hokage's office.

”Iruka, please!” The Hokage said placidly, raising a hand to quiet Iruka. “The matter has already been decided.”

“Decided? By who? No one wants that thing in our village!” Iruka cried, slamming his hands down on the Hokage's desk.

The Hokage sighed. “I understand how you fell, Iruka, but Naruto wasn't the one that killed your parents - he is merely the container. You, and everyone else, should be thankful that Naruto is keeping the Kyuubi secure.”

“Secure? For all you know, the Kyuubi's controlling him! And you put him on a team with the last Uchiha and the Hyuuga heir! You saw how he took down Mizuki - how can you possibly trust him?”

”Please, Iruka,” the Hokage continued patiently. “Naruto has been trained by Jiraiya, it is not surprising he acted the way he did. Jiraiya trusts him - that should be enough reassurance for anyone.”

”Jiraiya!” Iruka continued to rant. “He hasn't been seen in this village for over 10 years, and you trust his word? For all you know, he's joined with Orochimaru!”

”Iruka!” The Hokage said sternly. “The matter has been settled. Uzumaki Naruto will be a part of Team 7. You have been assigned a task - I suggest you go and do it. The graduates will no doubt be at the Academy by now. Or do I need to make that an order?”

Iruka glared at the Hokage before turning and marching out of the room without another word.

The Hokage sighed. “There will no doubt be many more reactions like that once news spreads.”

“Idiots,” Jiraiya muttered, appearing behind the Hokage and leaning against the windowsill. “Are they all still like that?”

“Most don't know yet, but for the most part, yes. Most of the Jounin and a few of the Chuunin understand the truth, but the rest…” The Hokage trailed off, and began to fill his pipe with his favorite tobacco.

“I had hoped, Sarutobi” Jiraiya started, turning his head to look out the window upon the village with a grim look, “that maybe, with time, they'd become more accepting of him, despite what I believed. But that was just an optimistic thought in the hopes of honoring Arathi's wishes.”

The Hokage sighed once again, letting a long stream of smoke out. “They won't change, I've come to accept that. They need someone to change them. Only Naruto can do that. We must trust in him; providing his aspirations are as pure as you make them out to be.”

Jiraiya frowned. “I have no reason to believe otherwise. He wants to be strong, and he wants people's respect.” Jiraiya grinned slightly at that. “Reminds you of another blue-eyed ninja, eh Sarutobi?”

The Hokage smiled a melancholic smile. “Quite.”

“Well then, Sarutobi,” Jiraiya said, turning to climb out the window, “I had best get back to my research. Those books don't just write themselves!” Jiraiya added gleefully.

“Wait, Jiraiya.” The Hokage called out, turning slowly to face Jiraiya. “I'd like you to go to the Academy. Watch people's reactions when Naruto's name is called, and take note of anyone… suspicious.”

“What's this?” Jiraiya groaned. “I'm back in the village for a day and you're already handing me missions?”

“It's not a mission.” The Hokage said, turning back to his desk. “I just don't fully trust some of the people there to keep their mouths shut when things come out. This is merely a precaution.”

“Sure,” Jiraiya grunted. “I need to talk to that Genjutsu specialist of yours anyway.” He added with a sly grin as he exited through the window.

===========================================

As Naruto opened the door he was hit with a blast of noise. He had entered a large room with rows and rows of desks running from the front of the room all the way to the back, each row filled with people about his age all chatting and arguing at the tops of their voices. There were a few exceptions. In the front row, dead in the center of the room, was a girl staring at her feat that had blue hair and wore a cream colored jacket. Behind her was a quiet guy wearing shades and a trench coat that was doing his best to ignore the loud guy with a dog on his head. Furthest back and closest to the left wall was a pudgy dude feasting on a bag of potato chips with what looked to be someone sleeping next to him. On the opposite side of the room were two incessantly loud girls seemly fighting over one brooding boy.

“I'm going to sit next to Sasuke-kun!” The blonde one screamed, clawing at the face of the other.

“No way!” The pink-haired one screamed back, pulling at Blondey's long hair. “I'm going to sit next to him!”

”Me!” Blondey countered.

“Me!” Pinky challenged.

“Me!” Blondey continued.

“Me!” Pinky yelled.

`Oh man' Naruto thought `make them shut up'.

`I prefer to let you suffer' Kyuubi said. `If I was able, I'd improve your hearing just to annoy you more.'

`You could improve my hearing?' Naruto questioned.

`I could.' Kyuubi pondered. `Right now the seal won't let me, because you don't want me to.'

`And if I let you?' Asked Naruto.

`I wouldn't do it because I don't like you.' Kyuubi stated.

`Hey, you were willing to help me out with that tenketsu problem! Why not this?' Naruto moaned.

`Your hearing isn't a problem, why should I help you with it?'

'Because uhh, I'll give you a cookie if you do?' Naruto offered.

`No deal.'

`Stupid fox.' Naruto muttered in his mind. `Didn't you say your chakra in my body would increase my hearing and stuff?'

`I said `maybe'. Apparently nothing came of it.'

`I see.'

Naruto turned his attention back to the classroom.

`Wow,' Naruto thought, surprised `those two managed to figure out there was an open seat on either side of the Uchiha. It's easy to see why they graduated with observation skills like that.'

`How do you know he's Itachi's brother?' Kyuubi questioned.

`Oh, I took a wild guess. You know, the girls fawning over their `Sasuke-kun' and the clan symbol on his back didn't give it away or anything.'

`How observant of you, my dear Naruto-kun.' Kyuubi praised. `How did I miss such obvious facts?'

`I don't know' Naruto thought, casting an eye around for a place to sit. `You tell me'.

`It might have something to do with the tiny fact that I CANNOT SEE.'

`You can't see? Why the hell not?' Naruto thought back.

“Well, I can't see what you see, or hear what you hear. I don't have access to your senses, and therefore I can't really know what's happening in the physical world' Kyuubi stated.

`But you always seem to know what's going on,' Naruto said, slightly confused.

`Yes, well, your head isn't an amazingly entertaining place to be so I took to analysing your thoughts, sensations and emotions to decipher what was happening in the physical world.' Rambled Kyuubi. `It is a way to entertain myself and give myself a… breath of fresh air, I guess you could say.'

`Right…Couldn't you have just like, asked to use my eyes or something?' Naruto inquired.

Kyuubi snorted. `Like you'd allow me more freedom to do what I like in your body'

`You said you could improve my hearing if I let you.' Naruto said. `How about we make a compromise? I let you have access to my senses and you heighten them.'

`I accept those terms.'

`Good. We can sort that stuff out later. Possibly when where're not surrounded by people.'

Naruto scanned the room one more time, still trying to find a good place to sit. `What do you think - hang with the sleeping dude or lean against the back wall like a badass?'

`Lean on the back wall.' Kyuubi suggested.

`Sleeping dude it is, then.' Naruto said, making his way over to the eating machine and his sleeping comrade.

`Why'd you even bother asking for my opinion?' Kyuubi muttered.

`I had to know what not to do' Naruto stated, taking his seat next to Sleepy. The Eating Machine didn't even stop to acknowledge Naruto's presence.

`Yeah, this was a good choice.' Naruto thought smugly, leaning back and crossing his arms. `Back of the room, not looking too suspicious by being alone, but with no one talking to me. It's nice to know I can trust your opinion to be wrong every time, fox.'

Kyuubi's retort was ignored by Naruto as the door at the front of the room opened to let in a stream of ninja, the last of which being Jiraiya. `What the hell is Ero-sennin doing here?' Naruto thought privately.

A chuunin with a scar running horizontally across his face, taking a large chunk of his nose with it, stepped forward holding several pieces of paper. He cleared his throat, waited for the noise to quiet down, and began speaking.

“I am pleased to announce this year's new genin teams. Once your name is called, would you please step to the front of the room where you will be assigned a jounin sensei which you will leave with for more formal introductions. Team 1 - Taku Nan, Motoya Haruko, Yugeta Manami, sensei is Yamada Keirin. Please step forward.”

With that, three people slowly made their way to the front of the room, where they were ushered out quickly by a rough looking jounin.

“Team 2 -” the chuunin began again.

`Argh' Naruto muttered `this is going to take a while. I could have slept in and still made it here in time to meet my team'. `Still, I wonder why Ero-sennin is here. Surely he isn't taking a team?' Naruto pondered, until he heard a familiar name being called.

“Team 7 - Hyuuga Hinata-” Naruto saw the quiet girl in the front row jump slightly “-Uchiha Sasuke-” Naruto turned his attention to where Sasuke was sitting, noticing both Blondey and Pinky had their fingers crossed and their eyes shut tightly. “-and Uzumaki Naruto.-” Both girls let out a cry of `No!'. “-Sensei is Hatake Kakashi.”

A murmur ran through both graduates and jounin as soon as Naruto's name was announced. Whispers of “Who?” ran through the genin while a few of the jounin shouted “What!” before remembering their place.

“This cannot be!” One jounin shouted, stepping out of line to address Iruka. “The Hokage couldn't have commissioned this!” He stated in disbelief.

“Announcements will be made,” Jiraiya called out sternly when the murmurs didn't die down, “addressing various… issues that have been raised recently. We ask you withhold all questioning until then.”

“Surely you cannot approve of this, Jiraiya-sama!” Another jounin called out from the ranks.

Another murmur sounded through the room at Jiraiya's name.

”Huh?” Naruto heard Sleepy mutter. “What's going on?”

“I guess the jounin don't want a Hyuuga and an Uchiha on the same team.” Sleepy's friend replied, stilling eating.

“It would be troublesome,” Sleepy replied, yawning, and resting his head on his arms again.

”All questions will be addressed later!” Jiraiya repeated, leaning against the wall opposite the door. “Continue with the announcements for now.”

“Yes, well,” the chuunin continued. “As Kakashi seems to have been… held up, I ask Team 7 to please remain seated until he arrives.”

`Sure isn't setting a good example for his students arriving late like that' Naruto thought, leaning forward and resting his chin on his arms, still observing the room.

“Team 8 - Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, sensei is Yuuhi Kurenai. Please come forward.”

`Oh no, poor Sasuke-kun has lost one of his precious followers' Naruto chided as Pinky slouched unhappily from the room.

`I have a feeling you're going to get on the Uchiha's bad side pretty quickly.' Kyuubi said in a bored voice.

`Hey, Itachi-sensei asked me to help his little brother. He didn't say I had to be nice when I was doing it.' Naruto said dismissively.

`You're actually going to help him?' Kyuubi asked.

`Eh,' Naruto shrugged mentally,' I'll see where he's at. He may not even need my help.'

`That's unlikely, judging by the way these children act.'

`True, but not all of them are acting like children. The Uchiha himself seems pretty pissed at the whole thing. Itachi-sensei once said “Never focus on the majority, only the minority. That is where the greatest threat lies. Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to change.”'

`Words of wisdom from the great Itachi-sensei!' Kyuubi mocked. `My immortal life is complete!'

Naruto sighed physically. `You're incredibly annoying sometimes, did you know that?'

Kyuubi's reply was cut off at the sound of Sleepy's voice.

“'cuse us,” Sleepy yawned, “gotta get past.”

“Err, right,” Naruto said as he stepped into the aisle to allow Sleepy and his friend safe passage past. As he returned to his seat Naruto observed Blondey slouch slowly from her seat beside Itachi's brother and out the door, along with some jounin smoking a cigarette.

Slowly the room emptied, until only the announcer, Naruto, Jiraiya, the Uchiha and the Hyuuga remained.

“I have to get going now,” the chuunin said after a few minutes of silence. “Please wait patiently for Kakashi to arrive I'm sure he's not fair off. Do your best, Hinata, Sasuke.” He added, smiling.

With that, the chuunin marched out of the room, but not before glaring at Naruto for a moment. Naruto sighed when he was gone.

“Here we go again,” Naruto muttered.

“Moron,” Jiraiya said at the retreating back of Iruka disappeared from view. Shaking his head, Jiraiya turned towards the room.

“Oi, Naruto,” Jiraiya called out, causing the Hyuuga in the front row to jump.

“What?” Naruto called back.

“I talked to that genjutsu trainer earlier, she said she'd help you out.”

”That's nice.” Naruto said.

“What!” Jiraiya exclaimed. “'That's nice'? You'll be alone for hours with that hot piece of a-“

Naruto coughed loudly.

Both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha stared wide eyed at Jiraiya when he said that. `Was he going to say what I thought he was going to say? How can he be one of the Sannin?'

“Yeah, and I'll be sure to send you postcards, Ero-sennin.” Naruto retorted mockingly.

“Ungrateful brat,” Jiraiya muttered, turning to make his way out of the exit.

“Oh,” Jiraiya said, stopping at the doorway and turning to face the room, “one thing you should know about Kakashi: he is never, ever on time. If he sets a time, turn up 3 hours late. If you want him to be somewhere at a certain time, set the time 3 hours earlier than you intend. Good luck with that.” With that, Jiraiya was gone.

`Seems like I still have a couple of hours before Kakashi gets here.' Naruto thought `May as well get some sleep.'

Leaning forward and resting his head on his arms, Naruto was soon asleep.

==============================================

 

Naruto raised his head just in time to see Kakashi walk into the room.

“You're late.” Naruto called out, once again causing the Hyuuga to jump. `Man she scares easy.' Naruto thought.

“Err, yeah,” Kakashi started, scratching the back of his head, “I tripped on a blade of grass and couldn't get back up.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…anyway,” Kakashi said, “let's go to the roof and introduce ourselves.” With that, he vanished.

Naruto slowly got up, straightened his overcoat, wiped the sleep out of his eyes, and followed slowly after the familiar Uchiha clan symbol to the roof.

“Well then,” Kakashi said when they were all seated. “Let's get started, shall we?”