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  "Ghaa… That written exam was so tough. I didn't even uand some of the questions." Naruto sat uhe shade of a tree he Academy and lightly wailed. Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Kiba and Sakura were sitting nearby. They sighed hearing him pin.

  "Well that's what happens when you don't study and goof off." Sakura replied.

  "But Sakura I did try to study. I spent all day yesterday trying to learn the chapters." Naruto said in an almost whiny tone.

  The pink haired academy student just sighed and shook her head as she listeo him. Even though her mother warned her to stay away from him she didn't. One of the few times she has disobeyed her parents. After he helped rescue Yota, she decided to give him a d soon became friends with him.

  "Calm down Naruto. You'll be fine. You'll pass." Shikamaru said in a nont tone.

  "Why do you say that Shikamaru?" Naruto was curious as to how he would know.

  "Because I've looked over all the questions. And some were easy enough that I'm sure even you got them right. That along with your Taijutsu results will definitely get you a passing grade. You'll be in the lower half of the rankings though." Shikamaru said while looking at the clouds. He found them rexing and it would always help sleep quicker.

  "But I don't just ass… I wanhe best. I want to take the number spot." Naruto smiled and boldly said.

  "HA!! Keep dreaming. That's not ever going to happen." Ino immediately replied in a haughty tone when she heard him. She was fixing Sakura's hair and was in the middle of adding some colorful flower to match the pink hair when she heard Naruto.

  "Oh yeah?" Naruto stood up and challenged her.

  "Yeah." Ino stood up as well and gred at him.

  Both of them gred at each other. Metaphorical sparks could be seen flyiween them. But before it escated Choji spoke up.

  "I'm sorry Naruto but I'm gonna have to agree with Ino on this. You could bee strong and climb up the rankings but I don't think you'll be able to take the number one spot." Choji was eating his favorite brand of chips as he said those words.

  Naruto looked incredulous as he heard those words.

  "Choji's right you know. Besides you do realize who you have to beat to take that spot, don't you?" Kiba fed Akamaru some dog treats as he asked Naruto that question.

  Naruto khe ao that question. He sighed and sat down. "I'm gonna train hard and one day I'm gon Sasuke and then Daichi too." He decred to the group. After a few seds of silence he asked the question that was on his mind. "How is he s anyway...? Well it doesn't matter. Soon I'm gon him."

  Ino smirked hearing him. "Well it's not a crime to have wishful thinking."

  "Hrr…Now you're just asking to be pranked."

  "Oh yeah. Just try it." Ino narrowed her eyes and looked at Naruto. After a few seds Naruto averted his gaze and mumbled something about girls and wisely decided to keep quiet.

  Shikamaru listeo his friends and shook his head. "What a drag."

  "Speaking of who, Where is Daichi anyway?" Kiba asked the group.

  "I think I know." Sakura had a thoughtful look on her face as she tried to recall where she saw Daichi. "I saw him go to the library to take out a few books. He's probably there reading."

  "He's always reading. You'd think after the exams he'd loosen up a bit… He hasn't even joined me in pying pranks on a." Naruto crossed his arms and said.

  "And you wonder why he's at the top." Ino remarked from the side lines.

  It was at that moment, Choji who was eating his snacks saw Daichi heading towards them. "Speak of the devil, look who's ing."

  The group looked ahead and saw Daichi ing.

  Ino slightly panicked. "Oh my god!!! Daichi's ing here.!! Sakura, how's my hair?"

  "Calm down Ino. You're fine." Sakura smiled at her friend and her rea to Daichi. It was obvious to everyone in the group she had a crush on Daichi.

  Naruto decided to get some paybad started teasing her. "Looks like somebody has a crush on Daichi…"

  Ino looked at Naruto's smirking face. "You better keep quiet or I'll beat you up."

  Naruto was about to retort when Shikamaru pced a hand on his mouth, stopping him. "Do you wao be annoying for the rest of the day?" Shikamaru whispered to Naruto.

  Naruto thought for a few seds and answered. "You have a point." He decided to stay quiet and quit while he was ahead.

  By that time Daichi reached them. "Hey guys. What are you all up to?"

  "Nothing much. Just sitting around. You wanna join us?" Ino smiled and asked him.

  "Sure." Daichi sat near Kiba and Choji. "So what are you guys talking about?"

  "Oh you know. Nothing iing. Tell us about your day. What were you up to?" Ino asked as she scooted closer to him. She had a small blush on her fabsp;

  Everyone except Daichi looked at her and thought the same thing. 'Wow. She’s got it bad for him.!"

  "It was b Ino. Nothing iing happened. Just took out a few books from the library." Daichi replied while taking some chips from Choji's bag.

  "What kinda books?" Kiba was curious. He wao know what Daichi took now that the exams are over.

  "Just a few on chakra nature." Daichi replied nontly.

  Everyone except Shikamaru didn't know the implications of that statement due to their ck of knowledge on the subject. They thought it was something that would be taught year in the academy and didn’t think much about it.

  But Shikamaru knew. He was keeping a calm face but inwardly he was startled. He preteo look at the clouds but discreetly looked at Daichi from the er of his eyes.

  'Chakra Nature? When dad taught me the shadow imitation jutsu, he talked about this stuff. I remember him saying that I would only start learning about it after I became a Genin or in. He said most people only start on it after they bee in. Was he wrong?... No. That's not it… The fact that Daichi is already taking out books on that topic means he's intending to train in it. And soon… This guy. Just how far ahead of us is he?' He looked at the books in Daichi's hand and quickly memorized their titles.

  The young Nara watched Daichi make versations with everyone around him. He remembered the Taijutsu fight between Daichi and Sasuke. 'He's gotten a lot strohan before. He was able to easily beat Sasuke. Even more easily tha time they fought. I'm sure Daikoku sensei saw it too. So there is a ce Daichi would be allowed to skip a grade or two. How is he getting s so quickly?'

  Shikamaru sighed and looked back at the clouds. 'Its too much of a drag to think about it. And it's none of my business anyway.'

  "Hey Daichi! Sihere are no csses for the wo weeks, you wanna hangout and py? We built a kick-ass tree fort he one we made for Yota. You wanna join us?" Kiba was excited at the prospect of pying around with his friends.

  "Arf.." Akamaru walked up to Daichi and licked his palm.

  "Hahaha… That tickles Akamaru." Daichi rubbed Akamaru before looking at Kiba. He had a sheepish smile on his face as he answered Kiba. "Sorry Kiba. But I won't be able to make it. Got some training to do."

  "You always say that. We hardly ever get the ce to hangout with you." Naruto said to Daichi.

  "Yeah. e on Daichi. It'll be fun." Ino joined Naruto in trying to vince him.

  Daichi politely smiled at them and deed. "ime guys. I promise."

  Hearing his words dimmed Naruto and Ino's smiles. Seeing this, Daichi quickly added. "I'm here now. Why don't we py some games."

  They smiled again upon hearing him. The group stayed there for over 3 hours pying around and goofing off before most of their parents showed up.

  Naruto waved his friends goodbye with a smile on his faow it was only Daichi and Naruto left in the grounds. Ohey left, Naruto turo Daichi. "It's getting te. I better head home." Naruto had a wide smile as he said those words.

  Daichi had an impassive face as he looked at his friend. He sighed as he saw right through Naruto's facade. "It's okay you know." He slowly spoke.

  Naruto looked at him with a fused expression. "What are you talking about?"

  "To feel sad. Lonely. You don't have to keep pretending." Daichi's words erased the smile from Naruto's fabsp; He kept quiet and looked downcast.

  "It hurts sometimes." Naruto spoke in a low voibsp;

  "I know… But I want you to remember something…" Daichi pced both hands on Naruto's shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

  "I want you to always keep these words in your heart." Naruto looked at Daichi and waited for him to speak.

  "No one in this world is born to be alone. No matter who tells you what, remember these words. Everyone has someone. You may not have a family… But you have great friends. Loyal friends. Shikamaru, Sakura, Ino, Choji, Kiba and me. And you'll make a lot more iure. Friends that have your baatter what. So turn that frown upside down and cheer up blondie." Daichi smiled as he said the st part.

  Naruto looked at him with wide eyes. He quickly rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and smiled. Daichi could tell that it was a genuine happy smile. "Thanks Daichi."

  "e on. I'll walk you home." Daichi and a happy Naruto left the grounds. Naruto was eted and so happy that not even the gres of the vilgers bothered him. Once he reached home, he parted ways with Daichi in a cheerful mood.

  —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Meanwhile Shikamaru was walking alongside his father as they headed for their home. Shikaku turo his son and noticed the pensive look on his fabsp;

  "You look like you have something serious on your mind. What is it?" The Jonin ander asked.

  Shikamaru looked at his father and sighed. "Yeah… you tell me about 'ge in chakra form' and 'ge in chakra nature' ?"

  Shikamaru's question startled Shikaku. He never expected such a question to e from his son's mouth at this moment. "Where did you learn those terms?"

  "I saw someoake a few books out with those bels. I was just curious." Shikamaru gave a vague reply.

  Shikaku looked at his son for a few seds and then answered. "ge in chakra form and ge in chakra nature are an advanced form of chakra trol. They're somethiart to learn when we bee in. Those who are talented learn about them when they’re genin and start training in them earlier. Those are two important aspects that deal with creating or modifying a jutsu."

  Shikamaru nodded as he listeo his father's words. Shikaku tinued, seeing that he had his son's undivided attention.

  "Now ge in chakra form or shape transformation as some call it, trols the form, movement and potency of a person's chakra. It determihe size, range and purpose of a jutsu… Now, ge in chakra nature or nature transformations deals with molding and defining the nature of a person's chakra… Do you remember what I told you about chakra natures?"

  Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. You said there were 5. Wind, fire, water, earth and lightning. And each person has one of the 5 chakra natures."

  "Yes. But there's a lot more to it than that. I'm not going to get into all the details so I'll be brief. Everyone has a certain chakra nature predisposed to them when they are born. It's their primary chakra affinity. Jutsu that uses this nature would be easier for them to learn and uses much less chakra. But with enough training a person acquire a sedary affinity and maybe even a third. But people who achieve this are usually Jonins."

  "What? It's that difficult?" Shikamaru was surprised.

  "Yes. Training these chakra trol teiques takes years and years to master. Most people only acquire a sedary nature by the time they bee a Jonin. It's extremely difficult training. That's all you o know about that for now."

  "I see." Shikamaru looked ahead as he heard his father. He only now uood the true distaween himself and Daichi.

  "Why the sudden i in this topic Shikamaru?"

  "It's nothing dad. I was just curious about something."

  Seeing his son not intending to eborate, Shikaku let it go. Shikamaru was once again deep in his thoughts. He remembered Daichi's words during the first day in the academy.

  "My goal is to be the stro."

  He also remembered the se of Daichi fronting the Anbu. 'When we couldn't evehose people move, Daichi was able to not only see them but he was fast enough to read block their strike. And their killing i didn't even faze him… Now he's taking out books on advanced chakra trol stuff. He's getting ready to take his training to the stage.'

  Shikamaru sighed thinking about the goals and ambition of his other friend. 'Looks like yoal of taking the first spot just got a lot harder. I wish you goodluaruto.'

  Author’s Note:

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