Art of Genjutsu

Of the Raiu Clan

 "I've had enough, Naruto. You've failed the last two graduation exams. You've gone another shot tomorrow, and you're screwing that up too." I hear from my seat at the back of the classroom. I shift my weight in my chair. This is what always happens: Naruto does something, Naruto gets caught, Naruto gets scolded, and Naruto will probably get some kind of punishment. It's kind of fun to watch this happen over and over again. He always does the one thing that will make some noisy old lady complain to the Hokage. Then he has to wash the ink off some noblewoman's cat, or rebuild a cabbage stand that he blew up. That's basically what happened today. Apparently, he decided to take paint and smear it all over the images of the Hokage, the ones carved into the cliff that overlook the entire village. Now Naruto is being scolded by Iruka-sensei, tied up at the front of the classroom. In front of all the other students.

"Fine Naruto!" Iruka-sensei yells. "Because you missed class today, everyone will review the transformation jutsu!"

Everyone moans, including me. I was so looking forward to going home early, but Naruto had to drag class out longer. I reluctantly pulled myself out of my seat. As everyone walks to the front of the class, I can hear mumbles from my classmates: "Way to go, Naruto," "This is so stupid," "Why can't he sit still for one day?" "What a drag."

I turned my head. I knew that last one. "Hey, Shikamaru," I called down the stairs.

He lazily turns his head up towards me. "Hey (Y/N)." He waits for me to catch up. "I thought you wanted to go with Naruto on his next screw-up."

"He didn't invite me. I didn't even know he was going to run out today." We get into line and wait our turn to do the transformation jutsu. "I don't think I would have done it if he did ask me. Painting up the Hokage is not what I consider fun."

Shikamaru snorts. "What do you consider fun, anyway? You're never consistent about anything you do, except sneaking around all the time."

"I enjoy sneaking, that's something consistent!" I answer back. "Besides, I have to be careful with what I do around people. I could always be watched by someone somewhere, and I'm not getting into trouble."

"Since when do you care about getting into trouble?" A feminine voice asks behind me. Ino had gotten into line after us, her arms crossed and her eyes burning holes into my skin. "You skip class anytime you get the chance! You and Kiba are always running around with that dog, and you miss lessons at least once a week." Ahead of me, Sakura transforms into a perfect duplicate of Iruka-Sensei.

"See Shikamaru, I can be consistent!" I tell him with a smirk on my face.

"Consistently absent and consistently delinquent," Shikamaru shoots back.

I give him an ugly face, then turn back to Ino. "I already know most of the stuff taught in class already. And the stuff I don't know is so easy that I don't need to be here to learn it. My Grandfather can teach it to me later." Sasuke steps up in front of the sensei, and begins the transformation jutsu. "And he's Akamaru, not 'that dog.' "

"Still, you need to put some effort into school," she tells me in her bossy tone.

"Would you just leave me alone?" I turn back toward the the Sensei to end the conversation.

"Good!" Iruka-sensei paises his own face again. He writes notes down on his clipboard. "Next, (Y/N) Raiu, show us what you've got."

"You got it." I step forward and make my hands into the seal. I don't want to transform into Iruka-sensei like the others did. Someone else, someone from memory. Uhm. . . Ah! Let's do him! I brought my hands up confidently. "Transform!"

As the smoke clears, I can see a look of astonishment on Iruka-sensei's face. "Very well done, (Y/N)! Transforming into a perfect replica of the Hokage strictly from memory is no easy feat!"