Chapter 02

Of course those bouts of depression never seemed to last more then three seconds or so.

After awhile Iruka, the Chunin academy instructor for the academy, came in with Mizuki, his assistant, following close behind him.

"Alright class, it's time for the test to see who among you are ready to receive their head band and become ninja of Konoha," Iruka said.

Naruto grinned. I can do this. He thought with confidence. Naruto had been up late last night training. He was positive that he could complete any test set before him.

"Now when I call your name I want you to come into the next room and perform the Bunshin No Jutsu (Transform)." Iruka continued, looking down at his roster as he began to call the names of the genin hopefuls.

With those words Naruto began to feel despair. Out of all the things he could have asked us to do, why that one? The Bunshin had always been Naruto's worst jutsu. For some reason, no matter how hard he worked at it, he just could not get it down.

Naruto watched as the other kids came out, their head bands proudly displayed on their heads. It was nearly enough to make him loose confidence. However the blond quickly shored up his determination. He was not going to fail again! He was Uzumaki Naruto damn it!

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Iruka called out.

Naruto grinned, masking his nervousness behind a confident smile as he walked into the other room. Iruka took a seat behind his desk next to Mizuki.

"Alright Naruto, show us what you can do," Iruka said. He was not quite sure what to think about the blond boy. He had only recently (Yesterday) started to try and understand Naruto, after having had a talk with the Hokage after Naruto had done a prank of painting the Hokage Monument. The kid in some ways reminded Iruka of himself when he had been an academy student, the pranks, the constantly being loud in order to get attention.

In the end he just decided to silently wish the boy luck.

Naruto went through the hand seals required for the jutsu as he began to channel his chakra. "Bunshin No Jutus!" he shouted. A large puff of smoke was created and when it cleared everyone's attention was on the clone next to Naruto. The completely dead looking clone that was laying on the ground and twitching spastically.

Several tic marks appeared on Iruka's head as he looked at the clone. "You fail!"

Naruto's eyes widened. He couldn't understand it. He failed? But he had tried so hard, and he really wanted to pass this time.

"Come on Iruka, I think we can make an exception this time," Mizuke said, surprising Iruka and Naruto. "While he did not manage to create a clone he did try really hard."

Iruka sighed, "I can't do that. Every one else in the class was able to create at least three clones. And Naruto only managed to create one, and look at it, it's pathetic." The chunin instructor looked at Naruto, "I'm sorry Naruto, but I can't pass you."

Naruto felt his world shatter with those words, he dejectedly walked out of the room and took his seat.

As the class ended and the kids ran up to their parents, showing off their new head bands. Listening with joy as their parents heaped praises on them.

One person however, was not partaking in the joyous atmosphere.

Naruto sat over on a small swing set, staring at all of the students and their parents with a look of longing. Having never known his parents the blond had often wondered about them. The people at the orphanage had told him they had left, not wanting to be with a monster like him. The old man had told him that his parents had died during the Kyuubi attack and no one knew who they were.

Seeing all these kids with their parents hurt, he would never show it and would deny it if anyone mentioned it, but he could not deny to himself how much it hurt.

"I'm so glad that boy didn't end up graduating."

Naruto turned his head slightly as he heard the voice. He had always been blessed with enhanced senses, his hearing, vision and smell were far more formidable then most people.

Some times that was more of a curse then a blessing.

"Yeah I know, could you imagine what would happen if he became a ninja. I mean he's-"

"Shh! You know we're not allowed to talk about that."

Naruto frowned as he turned his attention away from the discussion taking place. He had heard many talks of a similar nature with other people when ever they spoke of him and thought he couldn't hear. They would always stop however, as if they had been about to say something taboo. He wished he knew what they were going to say. Maybe then he would understand why he was so hated.

"Hey Naruto."

Naruto turned around to see Mizuki looking at him, "come with me, I wanted to talk to you."

"You know, Iruka didn't fail you to mean," Mizuke said as he and Naruto sat on the roof of the academy. "He's just worried that your not going to be ready to face the responsibilities of being a ninja."

"I know," Naruto sighed dejectedly. "But I really wanted to pass this time…"

An evil of glint came to Mizuki's eyes but Naruto did not see it. "Then I guess I have to tell you."

Naruto grinned as he entered the Hokage's office, having sneaked past all of the guards downstairs. It had been notoriously easy for him to do so. In fact a part of Naruto was surprised by how easy it was, but he just chalked it up to his amazing skills.

"Now let's see, where is that scroll," Naruto muttered as he looked around. Naruto had been in this office many times in the past, often coming in after a prank or sometimes just to visit the old Hokage.