"No, he failed the test in the Academy," pointed out the Hokage, sitting on the edge of the table and filling his pipe. "Then he came to me with a plan to out a traitor in our midst, executed it, and arranged for said traitor to be sufficiently distracted that he didn't notice when he was surrounded."
"Well..." said Homura.
"The 'deal' Mizuki gave him was that if he learned one technique from the kinjutsu scroll, he'd be allowed to graduate," said the Hokage, now using a thumb to tamp down the contents of the pipe. He used a simple katon jutsu to light it, and then just looked at the Councillors. "Really. He already knew ONE from when he was cleaning my office last year and he didn't think I knew he'd studied it."
Homura turned pale. "What..."
"Meisaigakure no Jutsu," said the Hokage. "The Iwa 'Hiding With Camouflage Technique' that their Hunter-Nin use. It's an 'A-Rank' technique that he has trouble with. He's a lot better with chakra control than he used to be, but that's still a long way from being precise."
"He's got an 'A-Rank' technique?!" asked Homura.
"Really, Homura, where have you been lately?" asked Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage, and thoroughly amused individual who wasn't bothering to conceal that last. "He turns playing cards into projectile weapons. He has techniques like 'foxhole' and 'foxfire' - he's also got a version of 'henge' that allows him to slip through little holes in fences he couldn't possibly fit through."
"What?" asked Homura, weakly sitting down.
"Now he's learned Kage Bunshin and Bunshin Daibakuha, so..." began the Hokage.
"WHAT?!" squeaked Homura.
"Hmmm," said the Hokage. Usually Homura wasn't this emotionally volatile. Perhaps it was because his frequent partner had fainted or gone into shock already? "Yes. Naruto knows the 'Shadow Clone' and 'Explosive Shadow Clone' technique."
Homura stared.
"Koharu apparently realized that already, she's in the insurance field nowadays isn't she?" asked the Hokage, sitting back and blowing a few smoke rings. If the female councillor wasn't already in shock, the idea of Naruto forming explosive shadow clones would likely have sent her there.
"Tell me at least," said Homura eventually, "that you're putting him on a genin team where his 'ninja of justice' nonsense will be curtailed."
"Ah," said the Hokage. "Well, as to that..."
two days later:
"-which will be the team you're assigned to," said Iruka. "Teams One thru Six are still currently active, as is Team Twelve. So don't ask me why those numbers aren't active. Team Seven will be composed of Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha-"
"YES! THIS IS FATE!"
"Any further outbursts will be met with the eraser-throw no jutsu," warned Iruka.
Sakura sat back down abruptly.
"-and Tobio."
"Uhm," said Tobio, holding a hand up. "Am I being punished for something?"
"Yes, poor grades," said Iruka without looking up but flipping an eraser with one hand. "Team 7's jonin-sensei will be Kakashi Hatake."
"Is it too late to take a makeup test?" asked Tobio.
"Just stay out of my way," grumbled Sasuke.
"Team 8," continued Iruka. "Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, Midori Tatsumaki."
"Who?" asked Kiba.
"One of the faceless students in the background," muttered Shino.
"Ouch," said Midori, wincing at that comment. Okay, she had no really outstanding qualities, but did everyone have to comment on such?
"Team Nine," began Iruka, then read off three more names.
"Who?" asked Kiba.
"Team Ten. Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara."
"Figures," grumbled Shikamaru.
"Yup," said Choji.
"Why couldn't I be with Sasuke?!" complained Ino.
"I'll trade you," offered Tobio.
"We'll take it," said Shikamaru.
"You can't do that," pointed out Iruka. "Trading off teams is not allowed."
"Well, it should be," said Midori.
"Now, the White Fox of Konoha," said Iruka.
"Ready! Dattebayo!" declared Naruto.
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(Posted Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:18)
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