Graduation

It's been brought to my attention that I missed out on some character development between my characters. I don't want to rewrite the chapters as of now, so I'll try and make up for it going forward, but I'll give you a rundown on my personal thoughts and address a few concerns.

Shikamaru... probably would realize Naruto was something otherworldly. I didn't really take that into account, so we'll say that he and Naruto just haven't interacted on a personal level beyond the study group. That wasn't my intention but it insults his character otherwise.

Naruto was quickly brought into a position as group leader...which Kiba wouldn't accept(I'm writing these at a *very* early time in the morning, in my defense). There I'll use the cop out that Naruto started the group with Sakura and allowed others to come to him. Kiba couldn't challenge him then and fell into place. I can also retroactively write that fight if necessary.

Hiruzen sort of just accepts that Naruto knows too much too easily (Danzo does not, btw, that'll come later), mostly I'm using guilt, but I'll write from his perspective about it.

I was going to have team 7 hate the Sannin, but 1Primo gave a very compelling argument against that, which I agree with in retrospect.

Any other changes or plot holes I've dug can be posted whenever, I listen. I'm a learning writer and want to do this for a living eventually, so any input helps.

Sasuke shouldn't have enough Chakra for the Mangekyo...shit. I really don't have an excuse for that particular oversight, so Sasuke will have to have more chakra than he did in the original material, as too much of my plot hinges on it, I'm sorry for my lack of foresight there. I'll write about it now.

-----

Sasuke groaned in his bed, the oh so familiar feeling of Chakra deprivation settling into him. The Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't meant to be used by anyone under 18, really, but he didn't feel like he had that option.

For months after the... incident, he'd gone through constant Chakra sickness(not exhaustion, that's bad), as his implanted Sharingan would turn on after he woke up from the constant nightmares. It had the effect of conditioning his body, rapidly increasing his pool...but he had truly suffered for it. Izumi had suffered as well, even as a Genin she'd had less Chakra than a normal 10 year old, it had been so rough.

'I can't use it like yesterday...not for a while. God I feel awful.'

Eventually, he dragged himself to the kitchen.

"Ohayo, Izumi"

"Good morning, Sasuke. Do you want some tea? I don't imagine you feel great. Why'd you guys have to do that before your big day?"

'Kami, she sounds so much like mom…'

"I'll take some tea. I'll be fine Izumi, worry about the 30 other kids you manage every day, I'm about to be a Genin, they need you more than I do."

"I'm starting to think you need me the Most Sasuke...and I'll never stop worrying about you. You know that."

"I...I know. Any word on Kayumi?"

They both got a little bit sad, remembering that particular tragedy. Kayumi was a cute girl, just barely a year away from the Academy and the closest Uchiha in age to Sasuke still alive... hopefully.

"N-nothing yet. Kayumi is a survivor though... she'll turn up."

Izumi kept a sad smile, hope was what they tried to hold onto the most in recent years.

"How...how are you, Izumi."

"I'm holding up."

"I'll see you in the morning if one of us doesn't make it home tonight."

"See you when I see you, Sasuke."

He left for the Academy.

-----

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat within his paper towers for the day. While he mindlessly worked through grants and mission reports, he thought about what his mind kept wandering back to.

Minato had left something on his son. Some sort of gateway, key, *something*. At first, Hiruzen assumed it was to give him some necessary information for his growth, it would explain him knowing the Shadow Clone Jutsu, a crucial Jutsu for him as he had discovered, along with him knowing some general life skills. But there were discrepancies.

Like most geniuses he'd had the misfortune of sending to the pits of Shinobi life, Naruto saw the world in a very real way, optimistic maybe, but real. It wasn't unheard of for a child of Ninja to grasp certain realities, to be cautious around others, but Naruto's caution was very personal. He guarded himself around Hiruzen, around ANBU, always answered questions with only information asked for, which also wasn't uncommon, but this had been going on since he was 5.

Upon further investigation, Naruto knew things Minato very much did not. Neither Minato nor Kushina could keep as much as a rock alive. Neither Minato nor Kushina were particularly politically savvy either.

It was not a comforting prospect to Hiruzen...but Naruto knew a lot of things he shouldn't and likely knew more than he'd said so far.

'Why did I have to justify it so early instead of just actually looking underneath.'

He knew why though. He was guilty, he would always be guilty.

-----

Naruto walked through the academy doors about 20 minutes early, he and Sasuke were the only two in the classroom.

"Ohayo, Sasuke."

"Ohayo, Naruto."

"Ready for this?"

"We've all been ready for this for at least two years."

"That's not really what I meant."

"In that case... probably not, legal adulthood at 12 isn't something we're built for, but since when has life been fun without a challenge?"

"Ain't that the truth."

The next to enter was Ino.

"Well hello boys.", she spoke with her smirk that Naruto found very disturbing on a 12-year-old.

"Heya Ino. You study?"

"You bet your ass, Sakura's notes are like a mental version of going through something Guy would make…"

"You couldn't walk for 120 minutes after?", Kiba said as he entered, apparently catching what she had said.

"...maybe not that bad, actually."

The conversation stopped as the other children filtered in.

Finally, the Instructors walked in.

"Okay everyone, theory first, practicals second. The tests will be passed to your desks. You will have exactly two hours to finish. Once you finish, you may not move, if you need to go to the restroom, you will raise your hand and be escorted. Your time starts in 15 minutes."

-----

The children filtered into the training yard.

"You will throw 10 Kunai and 10 Shuriken. You will be graded on accuracy, power, and control. It does not matter which targets you hit, as long as at least one Kunai is landed on the moving target in the back."

-----

"In Taijutsu, you will be graded on form, precision, and efficiency, in tournament matches. Each student's grading will be based on their body, in a highly complex system made by people smarter than me, just fight your best and we'll handle it.

Hinata Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha, you may use your Dojutsu in this tournament if you so chose, but your grading will be much harsher if you choose to do so."

The rookie nine were not placed against each other, probably on purpose, until the rest of the class was out.

Shino and Choji were out first, then Sakura and Ino.

Kiba fought against Shikamaru, in which they tied when Kiba launched them both out of bounds with a body tackle strong enough to bruise bone.

Sasuke was placed against Hinata, but he couldn't use his Sharingan after the day before, leading to Hinata's victory.

Hinata against Naruto wasn't a close fight, Naruto wasn't a Taijutsu specialist, he could just take a lot of hits. He was still third in Taijutsu out of sheer technique, but the Byakugan was not a small advantage.

With Hinata as victor, they went back to the classroom, where the Ninjutsu test would take place.

-----

The rookie nine went through the Academy three signlessly and smokelessly, having all moved on to much more difficult clan Jutsu or Iryoninjutsu.

Being held to higher standards, each had to perform one C-rank or above Jutsu. Naruto went for the Shunshin, the other Jutsu above C-rank he knew would cause problems. Sasuke went for the grand fireball. Ino possessed Mizuki.

Sakura went through a Sunshine, like Naruto, which took enough of her chakra to nearly make her pass out.

Hinata made a water bullet. Shikamaru possessed Mizuki again, Iruka dodged. The rest followed suit with the Shunshin.

The Genin were then told whether or not they passed and released.

-----

"Hey Sasuke, why don't you walk with me?"