Friends

By Alden Hawke

 

Chapter Two: Conversations

"Ino... How long are you gonna take?" Naruto whined, looking over at his friend. Even though her name came after Naruto's, she'd come with him and demanded she get her picture taken first. She's gotten especially dressed up, and wanted the least chance of her dress getting ripped. It was 'very delicate' and it was one of her mother's old dresses. Her mother had been

hesitant about lending it to Ino, but finally hugged her and told her she was proud of her, and that the dress looked to lovely on her to keep from her.

 

"Well, I have to be posed just right, Naruto..." she said as if he were stupid (even though both realized that the photo would be of her head, and only the collar of the dress would be visible anyways.

 

"But... Ino..." Naruto's stomach growled. "Why're you taking so long right before lunch! Why couldn't you have waited?"

 

"I couldn't EAT in it, Naruto!"

 

"You could have changed!"

 

"That could rip it!"

 

"What COULDN'T rip it, then, Ino? And-"

 

"Posing for a photo! And I came with you 'cause, well..." Ino looked away. She sort of felt guilty. It wasn't Naruto's fault if Uzumaki came after Uchiha in the dictionary, right?

 

"Because you thought we could catch Uchiha leaving, right?" Naruto said, groaning and crossing his arms. "I was right yesterday, you know. Sasuke IS an ass, and you know it!"

 

 

"Sasuke is..." Ino got that dreamy look on her face that she only had when she talked about Sasuke (or her cousin Yoshimaru... And since Naruto knew the reason for the look about Sasuke, he was wondering whether Ino was considering her cousin as a possibly love interest. Which Naruto hoped wasn't the case. Of course, Naruto had the same look when it came to ramen, so he wasn't sure if the look was completely romantic).

 

"Sasuke is the most beautiful guy in the world. And he's deep, always thinking... And he's strong..." Ino continued blithely, smiling into space.

 

FLASH!

 

"Hey, what was that for?" She demanded, looking at the photographer. "I wasn't ready!"

 

"I know a potential good picture when I see it, miss. Come over here..." The guy said, motioning her over and smiling. Ino wasn't sure about his idea of a good picture, seeing as he was pretty old - And she'd seen other pictures from the Academy ID's. They were pretty bad. So... Then, she looked over his shoulder at the picture.

 

"Good enough?" he asked.

 

"Hell yeah..." She murmured, looking at the picture oddly. Was that her? This pale beauty with flowers in her hair and a distant, beautiful smile?

Damn, she looked good.

 

"Uzumaki, Naruto?" the guy asked, looking up.

 

Ino smiled and watched as Naruto bounded up to the chair. 'He's so excited...' Then she excused herself to change out of that dress that was the cause of her current headache.

 

"Very good picture, Ino. Although, I wonder whether this gives the impression that you are, how can I say it... dreamy? Of course, anyone who knew you would know otherwise, but... Anyways, good job."

 

Ino bowed her head, murmuring, "Thank you, Hokage-sama..."

 

Sarutobi smiled a bit. Ino, no matter how excitedly her actions were most of the time, had always paused to give him the respect others sometimes forgot. His mind flashed to his grandson, and he smiled a little. 'That boy... I wonder what he and Naruto are doing...'

 

"Ahem, Ino... You may go..."

 

"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Ino's eyes widened as she bowed hurriedly and left the room.

 

"Very skittish young girl, ne, Hokage-sama?" One man remarked to his superior lightly

 

"Ino is just overawed sometimes, Kumo-san. It isn't that much of a worry. Now, I will retire for the day... Only a few more new genin tomorrow? I see..."

 

The men stood and headed home, talking pleasantly as they headed for the Hokage's office.

 

----

 

"Where were you all day? I've been looking all over!" Ino raged, whacking Naruto over the head, annoyed.

 

Later in the day, the two were laying on the grass outside of the city walls, looking up into the sky. They did this often, at least once a week.

 

"I was with a kid, Konohamaru..." Naruto grinned. "He's really good for his age! He can do henge already!"

 

"Wow... That's Hokage-sama's grandson, right?" Ino asked, and Naruto nodded.

 

"Oh! Ino!" Naruto sat up.

 

"What, Naruto?" Ino looked over at her friend, smiling.

 

"Well, I was thinking..." Naruto's mischievous grin was back. "I think

Sasuke likes guys!"

 

Of course, Ino wouldn't let him get away with THAT remark. So she pelted him mercilessly with grass.

 

"Hey, Ino! That hurts- Ow, you hit me in the eye!"

 

Ninja wielding grass is a scary thing. ESPECIALLY an angry Ino wielding grass.

 

"What do you mean, my beloved Sasuke-kun's gay! He does NOT like men! He doesn't! That's just STUPID!"

 

"Well, I was talking to Tenten..."

 

"Eugh..." Ino rolled her eyes. "Of course you'd believe anything 'Tenten' says, ne, Naruto? I mean, she's the best one to talk about Sasuke-kun? An older girl who despises him and pretty much every girl who admires his gorgeous looks, then goes off to stare at that box of angst, Neji, who just happens to be the bishounen of her year? Not that I don't detest those

fangirls too, but at least I'm not a hypocrite about it. How can odango-girl call them fangirls when she spends her whole day making eyes at her teammate?" Ino grumbled undoing her hair and letting it fall down. "I mean, seriously..."

 

"Ino..." Naruto had a thoughtful expression on, looking at Ino confusedly.

 

"Yeah, Naruto?"

 

"Sakura-chan likes dango, not Tenten..." Naruto knew right away he'd misinterpreted her statement. Maybe the enormous sweatdrop clued him in.

 

"It's not that she likes dangos, it's... eugh. Naruto, have you seen the girl's hair? That's dango if I've ever seen it!" Ino yelled, waving her hands around.

 

"What's that, ramen-tail?" A kunai buried itself in the trunk of a tree inches from Ino's head. Ino froze, not turning her head.

 

"You heard me, ne?"

 

"Mhm. Every word." Tenten was standing behind Ino, tossing a kunai from hand to hand.

 

"Eheheh... I'll see you, Naruto! See you... odango-san!" Ino yelled, running off into the distance. Tenten sighed, sitting beside Naruto, wrapping her arms around her knees. She looked over at her friend's face.

 

"Naruto... Congratulations on the graduation. I mean it. You worked hard, and you got it.," she smiled, looking up into the trees. "The leaves fall to the ground and they grow back into the spring. That's why they decided to have the graduation ceremony in the spring and the mass memorial in the fall. Symbolism, you know?"

 

"Mhm..." Naruto nodded.

 

"Read that on my fortune cookie," Tenten took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "You know... I'm really proud of you. Seriously - Since I met you a year or so ago you've really grown. Forget Iruka-sensei, forget those other kids. I bet they couldn't come up with anything like you and Ino do... Like that Dual Spinning Rhythm Taijutsu you created for Third Class project. That was probably the best thing I'd seen in that class since... Well, since

Neji's Great Cloud Taijutsu the year before, but still...." Tenten shrugged. "Now you're a genin, you know."

 

Naruto nodded, grinning. "Yeah, a genin. I get to do all these awesome missions, and get money, and-"

 

"Not by a longshot. I've been a genin for a year, and my team still gets a lot of crappy weeding or pet retrieval missions," Tenten said, shaking her head. "You'll be getting small jobs for at least another half a year. After that, you might get a few C level. That's what we're doing still.... It's really boring, too..."

 

"I'm not gonna do crappy D levels! I'm gonna do some B level missions, right away! Then, when they see how awesome I am, they'll get me on A levels!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "Just watch me!"

 

Tenten just smiled and shook her head. "So when are your teams chosen?"

 

Naruto struggled with a paper in his pocket, yanking out and unfolding it.

 

"Tomorrow," he nodded. "At the academy..."

 

"Ahhh, I see. I wonder who you'll get teamed up with..." Tenten mused aloud, laying down.

 

"I met a kid today... Weird kid. Name's Konohamaru, he's the-"

 

"Third's grandson, yeah. What's the kid like? I mean, I've seen him a few times..." Tenten sat back up, looking interested. "Is he any good?"

 

"He's a good kid, I guess. He learned my Sexy no Jutsu pretty quick. He wants to beat me out for Hokage. Psh, like that's going to happen, right?" Naruto grinned.

 

"Yeah... Eck! Damn, I promised Mum I'd help her with the laundry! See you, Naruto!" Tenten got up and ran, waving back at him and yelling. Naruto waved back, then turned back to look out at the lake. The sun made a nice effect on the water.

 

Bumph! Something soft hit him in the back of the head. He picked it up - It was swimming trunks. "Hey, Naruto! Let's go swimming!"

 

Ino was back.

 

---

 

"You know, Naruto..." Ino's hand rubbed through his hair. "You're pretty cute when you have wet hair..."

 

"Wha-?" Naruto started to turn around.

 

"Hya!" Ino dunked his head underwater with her hand and swam over him. "Gotcha, Uzumaki!"

 

"Ino! I'll get you!" Naruto swam after her, grinning.

 

"Just try it, Na-ru-to-kuuuuuuun," Ino flashed him an impudent grin.

 

After a few minutes of splashing around in the lake (and Naruto chasing Ino around it fourty-seven times) the two decided to get out of the water and get some ramen.

 

"Inoooooo!" Naruto grinned wider.

 

"Yes, Naruto?" Ino groaned.

 

"Do you have any money? I spent all mine already-" It was true. Groceries were expensive.

 

"No! I gave you my whole allowance last week in ramen!" It was true. Feeding Naruto was expensive, too.

 

"But I caught you!"

 

"..."

 

"I did!"

 

"Alright, Naruto, once we get there, I'll buy you two bowls, that's IT!"

 

And as they struggled through the sand (Naruto carrying Ino, because she didn't want to get dirty and he didn't want her complaining about it later), Naruto thought what a great day it had been. And how much he loved ramen.

 

-----

 

"Naruto, where were you all day? I mean, you mentioned the kid Konohamaru, but other than that, you really didn't volunteer any info..." Ino asked, looking over into her friend's face and slurping her ramen.

 

Nauto shrugged, then grinned. "I showed him my ultimate Sexy no Jutsu!"

 

Ino rolled her eyes. "Oh god, not that waste of chakra-"

 

"But Ino, I use it to get rid of perverts!" Naruto protested. "When that guy was looking at your butt  that one time, it worked perfectly!"

 

"You ever stop to think, Naruto, that a girl might LIKE it when I guy looks at her butt?" Ino glared. Naruto was taken aback.

 

"Why? I know I wouldn't like it if someone was staring at my butt...." Naruto said, and nodded. "My Sexy no Jutsu got rid of him!"

 

Ino rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless, Naruto..." Then she leaned over and hugged him. "And that's why you're my best guy!"

 

Turning back to her ramen, she said, "Even if you're clueless about Sasuke-kun."

 

Naruto grumbled into his ramen and he dipped his head closer to the bowl.

 

"Sasuke-kun is NOT a pale, ugly bastard, Naruto!" Ino punched his shoulder, causing him to sputter and cough. Once he stopped, he glared at her.

 

"What?" She grinned. "You had to learn your lesson somehow!"

 

He just frowned and ate ramen silently.

 

After a few moments, Ino asked, "Naruto... Who do you think will be on our team? Shikamaru?"

 

Naruto shook his head, and raised it up from the bowl. "I hope not. I mean, there's worse, like getting Sasuke, but... Shikamaru never does anything!"

 

Ino groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, I forgot that... The ability he has to do absolutely nothing in a crisis is astonishing. What do you think about Chouji?"

 

"I dunno... Hmmm... Guess we get who we get. As long as we're in the same team, I'll be fine, I guess," Naruto shrugged. "Who do you want, Ino?"

 

"Well... I was hoping for Sasuke-kun-"

 

"Should've expected that."

 

"But really..." Ino dipped her head to her ramen. "As long as I'm there to save your butt, we'll be fine, right?"

 

"Mhm!" Naruto nodded.

 

----

 

Iruka sighed, looking over the large group of students in front of him. Time to let go of yet another class... of course, most didn't pass, but still... He scanned the class, hoping the sensei's he'd picked would be good to them. He hadn't known many of them, and none very well save for one.

 

"Team One! Minara Keiko! Souma Kentaro! Hyuuga Ame!"

 

His eyes drifted to the groaning students. He hoped Keiko and Kentaro could work out their differences. Now, to Naruto and Ino... He was worried that-

 

"Team Two! Kuroma Takeshi! Kaneda Kaede! Chugi Ichiro!"

 

-they might not be happy with their teachers. Anything could go wrong, and he didn't really know them well.  No-one could predict what would happen, their reactions-

 

"Team Three! Utari Kagura! Yakara Misoharu! Chiboshi Utsumi!"

 

-to it all would be unpredictable. He knew they'd be angry at being on separate teams, but there was nothing he could do. And his other students, how would-

 

"Team Four! Yamano Akari! Mitsurumi Yoshi! Utari Hikaru!"

 

-they do? Would they pass the stringent post-graduation tests? It would be hard, and he worried about many of them. Especially the test teams, the ones that-

 

"Team 5! Kouboku Ami! Kouboku Miki! Umino Haruka!

 

-shifted the male-female ration from 2:1 to 1:2, teams 5 and 6. His own niece was on Team 5. He hoped she could pass. He had strong confidence in her-

 

"Team 6! Sukiwa Kasumi! Sawa Kuno! Kukurou Fuki!"

 

-skills as a ninja. Team 6, however, wasn't looking good, especially with the lack of stealth skills that made up most genin work. Oh... Now the team he-

 

"Team 7! Uchiha Sasuke! Haruno Sakura! Uzumaki Naruto!"

 

-Was worried about. He saw the shocked faces on not only Ino and Naruto's faces, but a whole lot more of them. It was too late now-

 

"Team-"

 

"Iruka-sensei?" That was Sakura's voice. "Is there a mistake? Isn't Naruto..."

 

"No, Sakura, this is the way the teams are going. Team-"

 

"Iruka-sensei! What do you mean?" Ino.

 

"What the hell, Iruka-sensei? But..." Naruto.

 

"Yeah, sensei? What does that mean?" Chouji.

 

Iruka froze. He took in a deep breath, then opened his mouth to explain...

 

"Team 8! Aburame Shino! Inuzuka Kiba! Hyuuga Hinata!"

 

---

 

Iruka tried to disappear as fast as he could. He slipped out the back window, took the side streets, even entered his house through a window-

 

Wait... That window shouldn't have been open...

 

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto appeared out of the darkness of the room and yanked him from the windowsill. Caught by surprise, Iruka was pulled to the ground as Naruto sat on him. He looks angry.

 

"Sensei, what the hell was that? I'm with Shikamaru and Chouji? Naruto with Sasuke-kun and Sakura? What were you smoking when you made THAT mistake? I demand you fix it RIGHT now."

 

Ino was standing in the doorway, from what Iruka could hear. She sounded angry.

 

"Naruto, I can't breath. Get off me and I'll explain everything."

 

Iruka sat up as Naruto tripped over a chair.

 

"Ino, the light's over there. Anyways... Okay, you two, I did put you in the same team originally, with Chouji..." Iruka blinked as the light came in. Naruto sat up.

 

"You mean, it isn't your fault? Just tell me who did it, I'll kill them!" Naruto cheered, grinning. Iruka hadn't betrayed him!

 

"Well... Then Ino's parents-" Iruka could hear something breaking, "Said that they'd prefer the old InoShikaCho team.... And I just couldn't say no..."

 

"Why not, Iruka-sensei?" Ino asked, irritated that her own family would stoop so low. "You could have told him the team would screw up, which it will, and that the three of us are horrible at the InoShikaCho maneuver, which we are, and that me and Naruto are the best fighting together, which we are..."

 

"Ino... They're parents. They could probably get me fired. if they wanted. Also, you two have to learn that you can't always be on the same team. When you get to Chuunin, then Jounin or ANBU or Hunter-nin, you don't choose your partners. I know that these teams are a disaster too, but I can't do anything about it. Now, here's the info on your teachers..."

 

After a few seconds, they took the pieces of paper and grinned.

 

"Thanks, 'Ruka-sensei!" They chanted. He waved them out the door.

 

'Now, for my dinner...'

 

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