Chapter 6 New Life as Shinobi

A year had passed since I started at the Ninja Academy, it was a very quick year indeed. I learned so much during this time and was able to truly master my chakra and jutsu's. Osamu Sensei was so impressed with my progress and potential that he discussed with Lord Hokage and they both agreed to have me evaluated. I was evaluated to graduate from the academy and move on to genin.

The testing process included a written exam and a physical showing exam. Both exams went over every element of chakra and jutsus as well as ninja weapons. There was a condition that you had to get at least four out of six questions right on the written exam and had to pass the physical exam no exceptions.

I was given the exam along with the other students in my class. I went through the written exam and finished it in a breeze. I was confident in all my answers and turned in the exam. Once that was completed, I was sent to the courtyard training ground to complete the physical portion of the exam. I preformed my Shadow Clone Jutsu, this time with way more clones then the first time I had done it. I now had about twelve fully animated clones and was able to have them do different small feats to show the control I had over them. With this I passed the physical exam with excellence.

The following day before class started, I walked through the main doors and saw a bunch of students crowded next to our classroom all staring at a billboard posted next to the door of the classroom.

I walked up and saw Kurenai and Asuma together looking at it. I called out their names and they turned to come towards me.

"Isamu! Did you see the postings of our exam results?! I have been too nervous to open mine just yet. But I wanted to see if you passed!" She grabbed my arm pulling me into the crowd and pushed all the students to the side that got in our way. She let go and pointed to a scroll in a small compartment. I bent down and grabbed the scroll she was pointing to. I saw my name written on the front portion of the scroll. I put it in my satchel and gestured Kurenai to follow me back outside of the crowd.

Once we both made it back to the group with our scrolls, we held them in our hands. Guy, Obito, and Rin had joined our group now. Obito saw me, smiled wide, and jumped Infront of me.

"Isamu! Did you pass the exams?"

Before I could even open my mouth to answer I heard a voice behind me,

"Well looks like I passed my exams with perfect scores. Looks like I will become genin now."

I turned my head to see who had made that comment, and of course it was Kakashi. We all knew Kakashi was a prodigy and that he was going to pass the exams no question. He was talented and very advanced for his age. Only 8 years old and already becoming a genin, that was a very admirable feat.

The rest of the group looked up at Kakashi and crowded around him.

"Great job Kakashi! Way to go!" Rin exclaimed

"I knew you could do it." Asuma mentioned

"Well, you'll be missed but good for you." Kurenai whispered

"Well, isn't that just nice! Don't think this means that our rivalry ends here Kakashi!" Guy yelled so everyone looked over at us.

"I guess I have a little more competition than I thought." Obito looked up at Kakashi with strong determination in his eyes.

"But that's okay Kakashi! I will still outshine you and become Hokage!"

Obito yelled puffing out his chest and grinned.

Kakashi was looking over at me and ignored what Obito just yelled out. Kakashi walked over to me looking down at the unopened scroll in my hand.

"Those are your exam results. Might as well just toss them now. No way a 6 year-old would ever pass the exams."

He turned to the side to face Guy and Obito discussing their scores for the exam. I looked at him with anger burning in my eyes. No, I was going to prove him wrong, when I do I want everyone to see the pathetic look on his face. Yes, that would be amazing. I looked down and giggled as I began to open the scroll to look through my results.

"I don't believe it…"

I whispered while reading everything over, but this whisper was not enough. Before I knew it, I had Obito hovering over one shoulder and Kurenai holding on to my other arm, all looking down at my scroll. Kurenai's face was the one I saw first as she read the results her mouth almost hit the floor with shock. She looked at me and then over at Kakashi smirking devilishly.

"Hey Kakashi!"

Kakashi turned around coming closer to Kurenai and me since she was still holding on to my arm for dear life.

"I think you might be wrong for the first time in your life."

Kakashi's eyes went a little wide in surprise as he looked down at my scroll and then back to Kurenai.

"What do you mean?

Kurenai pointed to my scroll gesturing Kakashi to read the results with them. He walked over and bent down a little to hover over my results as I had them laid out in Infront of me. I could see his eyes get wide as he shook his head very softly. He looked up at Kurenai and then right back at me.

"You passed the exams with not a single question missed? Or any points deducted from the physical exam? How can that be."

Kakashi stood up putting his hands behind his head with a deep sigh closing his eyes. Kurenai looked at me and back at Kakashi giggling super loud which made me turn red. Kakashi did not seem to be amused though. He seemed even angrier and more agitated than normal. I mean is it that surprising to pass these exams with perfect scores? I know I am 6, but that shouldn't be a surprise either should it? Most of my village were trained shinobi by the age 6 or 7 and were stationed to defend our village. It is different in this village?

I saw Kakashi walking away, I turned to Kurenai who was still giggling and holding onto my arm.

"That is so cool Isamu! You get to be a genin now! I am so jealous!"

So, I am guessing she did not pass the exams? I scanned the other students faces and saw their embarrassment. Did none of them pass the exams?

Kurenai gave me a big hug and ran over to Guy, Obito, and Rin.

"Alright guys! Looks like we need to start practicing and studying more so we can pass the exams and not fall behind those two."

They all chuckled nervously as Kurenai, Guy, Rin, and Asamu all started heading back towards the classroom.

I saw Obito come up to me with red in his cheeks. I looked at him smiling and he averted his gaze rubbing the back of his neck.

"So…you passed the exams just like Kakashi?" He looked down at my open scroll with a half-smile.

"I can't believe it! Then again it just gives me more reason to study and train even harder!"

He held his hand into a fist giving me that same overly confident smile he always had. I just giggled and smiled as I nodded. Of course that is what Obito would say, he was again going to be the greatest Hokage. As I was putting the scroll into my satchel, I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Hey, want to come have lunch with me under the Sakura tree?"

I looked at Obito who was grinning and red in the face more then he was just a few moments ago.

"Of course."

We headed off to under the tree and thankfully no one was around so we wouldn't be interrupted this time. I brought my lunch out laid the bento box on the table and Obito did the same. I started to eat when I noticed Obito was staring directly at me.

"Can I…help you?"

Obito looked away nervously and started playing with his food.

"You know…we have been friends for a year now and I still don't know much about you…. we have always talked about me. My dream of becoming the greatest Hokage, me being a part of the Uchiha clan, my sharingan, how I am going to master it and become the greatest Uchiha!"

I tilted my head as I finally realized; he was right. We always talked about him, but I never answered any of the questions he had about me. I just did not want to explain a past that was no longer there. Why tell him about my clan if it was wiped out? Why tell him about my past when it was nothing but pain and sadness? I did not think he would want to hear about any of that so, I never talked about it. I also never in my life imagined someone saying that I was their friend. I never had friends before, was this something that friends did? Did they share their lives, goals, and dreams? I have never done that before…not even with my mother. Based on Obito's look, it was what friends do. I know he would continually ask me questions about myself, and I would always avert it or change the subject. That was not fair to him. I shook my head and felt bad, so I stopped eating and placed my full attention to him.

"What do you want to know?"

He was taken back and surprised about my willingness to answer him. I could see he was trying to think of the best question to ask first, because I knew he had many. He put his chin on his knuckles resting on the table.

"Okay! So first…what is wrong with your eyes? They just are unlike any I have ever seen. They almost look like..."

Before he could finish his sentence, I smirked a little,

"Like dragon's eyes?"

He nodded surprised, I knew what he was going to say. But he stopped talking waiting for my answer to his question.

"Well…Obito…to be honest there is nothing wrong with my eyes. They work fine I can see normally. It is just when I was born my parents said that my eyes and my hair were birth mutations. My village thought it was a curse because I was the first-born girl. I do not know if that is the truth or not, but that is what they all thought and that is what I was always told."

He sat back in thought and just stared at me examining my eyes. I could see him going from one to the other.

"I see…I mean it makes sense it's just… interesting."

I rolled my eyes as I began to eat and put my eyes down on my food so he would stop looking at them.

"Don't you mean weird? Like I am a freak?"

He slammed his fist on the table making me put my focus back on him. I could see he was angry with what I said.

"No! I would never think you are a freak! You are…you are amazing! You are kind, you listen to me, you are always there for me! You are…"

He sat back down and got red in the face hesitating to finish his sentence.

"I'm what?"

He gulped and looked at me with very sincere eyes.

"You're my best friend…"

It was my turn to become red now. My cheeks burst into flames! At least that is how it felt. And with that feeling I knew they were as red as my hair. I smiled and after a few moments, I looked at Obito. I gave him a bigger smile than I have ever given anyone else.

"Obito…you are my best friend too."

Obito laughed as he adjusted his goggles on his face and gave me a thumbs up.

"Great! So, then that means we will always be together? We can work towards our dreams together and make each other stronger!"

I smiled and nodded, this was the first time in my life I felt happy. I had a friend, someone who liked me, wanted to talk, and spend time with me. Someone who did not care about how off I looked, it did not matter. This made my heart feel warm. That night going home laying on my bed, I could not stop smiling and I do not think I slept. I could not sleep because I did not want the day to end. I wanted to keep that memory fresh of Obito in my mind forever.