A Friend Is Made

The next couple weeks in class goes very smoothly...considering no one says anything so they don't end up like Daichi. After class is done, Namaru goes outside and sits down against a tree that has a very familiar swing hanging from it. A couple kids are walking and one of them sees him, and asks his buddy a few questions.

"Who is that over there against the tree?"

The othe begins speaking in a hished tone.

"That's Namaru Uchiha. Heard he caused a big stir in Shino's class a couple weeks ago; Nearly got a kid expelled. I'm surprised you haven't heard yet. I would watch what you say to him if you ever decide to approach him. He's only ever said one thing since the Academy began two weeks ago. Told Daichi if he ever insulted his family again, he'd kill him."

The student looks away for a brief second, and looks back to find his buddy gone, and approaching Namaru. Reluctantly, he chases after his friend. Once they arrive at Namaru, Namaru looks over at two shadows standing over him. The one who had approached Namaru first begins speaking.

"Hey I'm Arekkusu Tsurara, and this is Osawa Murio. We heard you stood up to Daichi a couple weeks ago. Did you mean it when you said you'd kill him?"

Namaru just nods.

"Oh, come on. I know you got a voice. Just talk to us. We don't bite."

Namaru just looks up at them before speaking coldly.

"I don't care who you two are. Go...away..."

Arekkusu, completely unfazed by Namaru, crouches and continues speaking.

"Someone woke up with an attitude. Why don't you join us for Ramen down at Ichiraku? I'll pay for all 3 of us. Got some money from my mom."

Namaru's stomach growls, so he reluctantly stands up, and follows the two to Ichiraku Ramen, but says nothing on the way there. When they all get there, they sit down."

"What do you want, Namaru?"

Namaru simply points at the menu toward what he wants, and other two order using their voices, like people.

They all sit and eat, Arekkusu and Osawa striking up conversation and trying to include Namaru, who finally decides to join in. They all have a nice talk, quite a few laughs, and a good meal. Overall, it was a well-balanced experience that Namaru even enjoyed. Once they noticed it was late they all decided to part ways and head home, and Namaru payed for their meal.

"You didn't have to do that, Namaru."

Namaru shrugs.

"I know, but I decided to. I help my friends. Keep the money for something else."

Arekkusu and Osawa look at each other before turning back to Namaru and speaking simultaneously.

"Thanks, Namaru."

Namaru nods toward the two.

"No problem. See ya Osawa, Arekkusu."

Arekkusu turns to Namaru with a smile.

"Also, Namaru, just call me Chino."

Namaru, still smiling, gives Chino a nod.

"Will do...Chino."

They all say their farewells and head home. Once Namaru arrives home he is greeted by Sarada.

"Where were you at, out so late?"

Namaru, looking happy as ever, turns to Sarada.

"I made some friends at school today, and we all went to Ichiraku and had a nice meal and a talk."

Sarada smiles with a kind of 'I told you so' attitude.

"See? I knew you could do it. Why didn't you invite them over? I would've loved to meet them."

Suddenly someone familiar walks down the stairs after being gone on a mission ever since Namaru started at the Academy.

"So would I."

Namaru looks up at the familiar voice to see Inaga standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Inaga! You're home! How was your mission?"

Namaru runs up to Inaga and gives him a hug. Inaga returns the hug as he responds to Namaru's inquiry.

"Nothing we couldn't handle. It was just a retrieval mission in the Land of Wind, that's why it took so long. We traveled without tree jumping, and just walked the whole way."

Namaru, excited to see his brother, continues speaking.

"I see you passed the Chunin exams. Sorry I couldn't come watch you since I was in school."

Inaga waves off Namaru's apology, since he completely understands.

"That's fine, Namaru. At least you get to see me before I leave."

Namaru hangs his head briefly before looking back up at Inaga.

"You're leaving again? But you just got back."

Inaga wears a somber look on his face.

"I know. I wish I could stay longer, but Lord 7th is sending me on a mission in the Land of Rice Paddies that's going to take 2 months to complete. But, I promise, when it all boils down to it, I won't miss your graduation from the Academy for the world, but that isn't for another four years."

Namaru kind of hangs his head a little, but accepts it. Sarada soon jumps in.

"Well, it's time for you to head to bed. You have school tomorrow."

Namaru looks disappointed and gets argumentative with Sarada.

"But I wanna stay up and talk to Inaga."

Inaga jumps in, backing up Sarada.

"You heard mom. Head to bed, Namaru."

Namaru hangs his head, defeated.

"Fiiiine."

Namaru slowly walks upstairs, but not before giving Inaga a long hug. After said hug, Namaru continues his way up the stairs, to his room, and off to bed for school the next day.

The next day at the Academy, Namaru is simply walking through the hall, but it just so happens to be the day that Daichi returns. Daichi briskly walks up to Namaru.

"You got me suspended, you prick."

Daichi swings a punch at Namaru, and it connects...only for the Genjutsu to be released, Namaru, the caster of said Genjutsu, standing 10 feet away, and Daichi's fist connected with Naruto's hand. Daichi looks up at Naruto with fear, who begins speaking.

"Expelled."

Daichi looks taken aback, as well as terrified.

"W-What?"

Naruto gets down into Daichi's face before repeating himself.

"I didn't stutter. I said you're expelled. You swung at your Hokage. That's an instant expulsion whether you knew who it was or not. Get out of this Academy and go home. At the rate you're going, you'll never become a Leaf Ninja."

Daichi runs out of the building in tears. Just as Naruto is turning to walk away, he turns back to Namaru.

"And, Namaru…Nice Genjutsu."

He gives Namaru a wink and walks away just in time for Chino and Osawa to walk up to Namaru. Chino opens up with conversation.

"Namaru, man, that was awesome."

Namaru just shows a smirk.

"Even better, that wasn't Hokage Naruto. That was Shino-Sensei. He was in on the whole thing. Daichi was never expelled. He just thinks he was."

After Namaru makes this statement, Shino walks back around the corner that he walked around as Naruto. Osawa is the first to ask a question.

"Is that true Sensei?"

Shino nods at the inquiring child as he responds

"It sure is. Namaru knew he was going to try something, and asked me for help. Since I promised the Hokage I'd help protect Namaru by any means, I went along with it. He used his Sharingan to help strengthen the Genjutsu."

Hearing that last statement piqued Chino's interest.

"Sharingan? You already have the Sharingan?"

Namaru smirks, and although for a brief second, he flashes his Sharingan at the two. Chino is the first to say something, as Osawa was still in shock.

"Woah! All 3 tomoe, too. How did you manage to accomplish that?"

Namaru shakes his finger at the two.

"That one, my friends, is an Uchiha Clan secret."

Chino and Osawa look bummed. Osawa looks at his watch, noticing the time, and bids farewell to Namaru.

"Well, we gotta head to class, Namaru."

Shino interjects.

"You sure do. Let's go."

Both Chino and Osawa look confused.

"Huh?"

Shino speaks up.

"I spoke with the Hokage, and he had the two of you transferred over to my class. Also, Namaru, I told him about your plan. He actually did expel Daichi, but only temporarily, just long enough for him to learn his lesson. Anyway, let's all head to the room before it gets too late."

They all follow Shino back to the classroom, where he makes some seating arrangements, and places Namaru, Chino, and Osawa directly next to each other. The rest of the day went by very well, and once again Namaru, Chino, and Osawa all met up back at Ichiraku, and decided it was going to become a regular thing to meet up there everyday after school, and chat for a while, whether they bought ramen or not. After they had their meet-up, Namaru went home, did his homework, ate dinner, and went to bed for school the next day.

When Namaru woke up for school, however, Naruto was there to greet him, as was Sasuke. Naruto had been invited in by Sarada, and was sitting, waiting for Namaru. Sasuke was simply standing there...but they weren't the only two...Daichi was there, too. Naruto started the conversation.

"Daichi took the liberty of coming to my office early this morning and said he has something to tell you."

Namaru gives Daichi a rotten stare.

"I'll allow him to speak."

This response kinda makes Sasuke chuckle a little, since it sounds like something Sasuke would say. Daichi walks up to Namaru, and bows.

"I am sorry for any trouble I may have caused you. I didn't even take into account what you could've gone through up until that point, nor did I think that was a Dojutsu that you had."

Namaru, not buying any of it, simply shakes his head and interjects, argumentatively.

"No you're not. You're just saying all this so Hokage Naruto will let you back into the Academy. Oh, and uh...I'll give you this, you have a thing with words, but I think I can speak for every Uchiha in this room when I say I'm not falling for your Genjutsu. I released that a long time ago. You've been standing here in front of me trying to explain yourself as if you're Daichi, when I see that you're Daichi's mom, and not Daichi. You may have thought you could have fooled me, ma'am, but my Sharingan saw right through your Genjutsu, so you can give up now, and go home to your still-expelled son. I thought about playing along for a bit, but you made it too awkward too quick. I would appreciate it if you left my house right now, and went about your way so I can go to the Academy for another day of being told things I already know. If the academy wasn't required, I would've skipped it and went straight into the graduation exam to become Genin. You can get out of my house, now."

A very ashamed mother slowly leaves the house and returns home. Naruto and Sasuke both immediately start clapping, which confuses Namaru.

"What's going on? Why are you clapping?"

Sasuke is the first to respond.

"I wanted to see how toned your Sharingan is. Naruto, on the other hand, actually fell for the Genjutsu. Just like you, I released it immediately. He's just clapping because I am and I told him to, to throw you off."

Naruto looks at Sasuke, displeased.

"Way to rat me out, Sasuke. That always was your specialty, even when we were Genin."

Namaru can only laugh. Naruto speaks to Namaru again, which causes Namaru to stop laughing at him and Sasuke.

"Seeing that display, right there, is enough for me to know it wouldn't be a mistake to offer for you to take the Graduation exam today, cause I know you'd pass it. I'm just going to leave that decision to you."

Namaru thinks for a second before answering.

"I have friends at the Academy, friends you just pulled strings for. It would be wrong of me to leave them in the dust. Skill-wise, I already have, but I'll finish out at the Academy, and go from there."

Naruto, pleased with Namaru's response, nods and responds.

"Very well, but when you turn 10, I want you and your friends to meet me at the training grounds right outside the village everyday after class. There's a technique I want to teach you."

Namaru looks up at Naruto in confusion.

"What's that?"

Naruto smirks as Sasuke teleports off to God knows where.

"I'm gonna teach you the Rasengan."

Namaru's eyes light up.

"REALLY? THE RASENGAN? COOL!"

Naruto laughs before stopping Namaru.

"Hold your horses, we still got a couple years before we're at that point. Until then, you go to class."

Namaru nods and takes off toward the Academy, and Naruto excuses himself and leaves, getting pumped about what is coming up next...the teaching of the Rasengan.