Naruko let out a playful chuckle. "Sorry guys. Did I surprise you by my real self?"
"Thi--This is the real you?!" Kiba questioned with disbelieving tone.
"You're actually a girl?" Shikamaru questioned, standing in front of the blonde.
Naruko smiled prettily. "Yes, this is real me! I'm actually a girl, though I've been disguising as a boy for the whole time."
So the loud-mouthed, orange-wearing Naruto was actually a girl!
"Let me faint.. For few minutes." Then Shino sprawled over his desk.
"Kami-sama.. Come here. We need to talk." Shaking his head Shikamaru led Naruto to the seat. The other kids silently gathered around them, except for Sasuke and a few girls. Sasuke merely stared at Naruto from his seat.
"So you're really a girl, and was just pretending to be a hyperactive boy this whole time?"
"Yeah" Naruko nodded, her crystal blue eyes twinkling. "But you had recognized me, I'm actually glad, you know."
Shikamaru blinked, his cheeks beginning to turn into crimson
Watching Akamaru jumping onto Naruto's laps Kiba murmured. "Well... Naruto, I think I like this new you."
Naruko giggled. "Thank you, Kiba--and it's Naruko now" she smiled sweetly. "And no need to act any different... I'm still me"
"Yeah! Naruko-chan is still our friend!" Chouji cheered, only to earn a smack on the head from someone behind.
"That's for sure, baka!"
"AWW!"
"All right class settle down settle down." Iruka called as he entered the classroom. Soon the chuunin was welcomed by a flood of questions.
"Iruka-sensei! Is Naruto really a girl called Naruko? "
"Did you already know that, sensei?!"
"Why was she hiding herself?!"
Iruka looked over the kids, then let out a sigh. "Well yes our Naruto is actually a girl and will now be called Naruko, as she requested, and as you can see it clearly she had to be under disguise by Hokage-sama's order. You know, girls are exposed to more dangers than boys"
The girls nodded in agreement.
"But now," Grinning Iruka gazed down at the kids. "Since she became an official ninja, she doesn't have to put disguise anymore! Now back to your seats!"
When the class had settled down he started speaking again.
"First of all congratulations to all of you. Starting today you are all official ninjas. The results for genin exam are here: Top 1. Uzumaki Naruko, Top 2. Uchiha Sasuke. Top 3. Nara Shikamaru.."
"Wait, sensei, is Naruko the top 1?" The kids became wide-eyed once again.
"Yes, which took me by surprise"
Eyeing on Naruko Iruka nodded. He could not understand how Naruko managed to take the test so easily. Perhaps it's related with the blonde's gender-change..? He could not answer yet.
"Wow, Naruko-chan. The real you is just so amazing!" Kiba whispered. Naruko shrugged and smiled.
"Alright let's get to the team assignments. So here is how this is going to work. You will be assigned to a three man team headed by a jounin sensei to form a four man cell, now listen up I'll start by calling out the names."
Everyone became silent, eyes twinkling.
Naruko could feel some male kids glancing over at her. "Sorry kids, but we won't be on same team" she grinned.
"Team 10"
"Ino Yamanaka." Ino perked up but scowled when Sakura smirked at her.
"Chouji Akimichi." Chouji crammed his chips into his mouth.
"Shikimaru Nara." Shikamaru sighed lazily.
"Team 8."
"Shino Aburame" Shino merely blinked.
"Hinata Hyuuga." Hinata raised her head slightly
"Kiba Inuzuka." Kiba let out a sheepish groan.
"Team 7."
"Naruko Uzumaki" If possible Naruko showed even less of a reaction than Shino had.
"Sakura Haruno." Sakura scowled, glaring at the blonde. The pinkette could not completely comprehend the 'Naruto is actually a girl' fact, but still she was aware. The dumbass deadlast was prettier than her!
"Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura's expression shifted into a happy smile. Sasuke silently threw a glance at Naruto.
"All right class now you take your lunch and wait for your senseis"
*
Naruko was quietly sitting, reading some scrolls. Behind her Sasuke was seating motionlessly, his eyes fixed at the blonde in front. Sakura was watching Sasuke's every movements.
"..Hey Narut--ko" Sasuke finally broke the silence away. Sakura alerted at this.
Naruko put her scrolls down and turned back. "Hmm? What is it Sasuke?"
Sauske shifted uncomfortably. Naruko was always a boy who tried to pick a fight with him. But now he, as it turned out was a she, and what's this aura surrounding her?
If Sasuke hadn't known better, he would have said that Naruko was giving off the same vibe as the elder chuunins or jounins.
His eyes twitched. So everyone has been wrong about the blonde all these years..
"How.. Did you manage to be top 1 in the genin exam?" He could barely make a question.
Naruko shook her head. She'd forgotten how... Young Sasuke had once been. It was a shock to see the child in place of the......
But there was a still remaining inoccence in the boy's eyes. Though hatred was also there, it wasn't as deep as when she saw him last time in her former life..
Never.. Again..
She will not lose him again
"I'm not the person you thought to be" still smiling Naruko lowered her head.
Sasuke flinched when his forehead nearly touched Naruko's forehead.
She continued. "And how's that going for you? The whole I-need-to-bear-hatred-to-kill-my-brother mantra? Gotten any stronger lately? Huh?"
"Naruto! How dare you speak to Sasuke like that?!" Sakura sprang up, livid.
"Shut up Sakura" both Sasuke and Naruko snapped at the pink haired girl. Sakura flinched, and shrank down meekly.
Sasuke glared at Naruto. If it had been any other person who spoke out that words, then the person would surely have been crushed at the corner of this room already, nosebleeding. However with this girl...with Naruko speaking about it Sasuke found himself feeling strange...
Silence flew for a moment. Then Sasuke finally blurted out. "He said that I have to cling to hatred in order to beat him"
Naruko raised her golden eyebrow. "That man just killed your entire clan, are you really going to trust what he says?"
Sasuke blushed. "I didn't think of it like that.."
"Besides, You came at the very end of the massacre. Right?"
"..Yeah."
"So you don't really know why Itachi decided to kill your clan besides what he told you?"
A perplexed look rose upon Sasuke's face.
Smiling mildly Naruko gave a quick squeeze on Sasuke's hand. "Then before you go off trying to kill him, first try to find out what really had happened."
Sasuke thought it over for a moment. He blinked. "But what about.. my power levels?"
"You know" Naruko moved even closer. "I can teach you many things. Even without hatred, you can be powerful"
Sasuke blinked again, feeling a pleasant scent of aroma from the girl. Strangely, he felt relaxed.
"Agree?" Naruto whispered.
"Y-yes"
"Great!" She winked at him
And then at that exact moment the door opens revealing the final member of their team