Two years have passed since that fateful day. After Sarah discovered her mana trait she dedicated a large portion of her free-time into learning medical ninjutsu. She was pretty great at healing, although her reserves still aren't big enough to perform any major surguries. Her seals have improved drastically too, able to easily restrain Chuunin and even some Jonin level shinobis (don't ask how she tested them out).

Today was a big day; she was finally graduating from the ninja academy. If she passed the exams then she'll officially become a shinobi of Konoha and be assigned to a Genin team. The concept of going on super cool missions amused Sarah as she walked into the school and sat down beside Naruto.

She already knew that the blonde had failed the exams twice; hopefully third time would be the charm for him. Sarah never bothered to take the exams early. Becoming a ninja before her friend just didn't seem right (although that had more to do with the fact that she wanted to be there to protect him).

Normally she would rely on Nemuri for advice but the ancient deity had remained silent; they haven't exchanged words since she unlocked her mana trait. Nemuri was probably giving her time to adjust to this newfound power, or they could be planning something. Regardless, Sarah isn't going to worry about it.

Sarah watched as one after another her classmates got called out to get tested. Slowly the classroom emptied and she was eventually called down. The exam itself wasn't hard: make a henge, a simple clone, all the boring academy stuff. Sarah didn't have access to chakra like everyone else, but instead relied on a forbidden technique to trick the Hokage and other staff there to thinking she could do that.

"Sorry I used your mind-manipulating technique Nemuri. I promise I didn't use it for any malevolent purposes!" Sarah internally said as she accepted her hitai-ate, tyeing it around her head as a makeshift headband. She wasn't particularly proud of what she had done, but at least she was a Konoha ninja now.

Exiting the building, Sarah made her way over to a nearby tree and hopped up in it. She used the branch as a makeshift seat, dangling her feet over the edge as she watched families gather around their newly graduated children. Sarah never knew her parents; one died sealing Nemuri inside her and the other tried to murder her two years ago with fire. A shiver was sent down Sarah's spine; very unpleasant memories they were.

Eventually Naruto came out of the building, sulking as he went over and sat down on the swing.

     "He must've failed again," Sarah thought as she looked down at her friend, "Hm, perhaps I could comfort him."

     "So how did it go?" Sarah asked him.

      "I failed it again," Naruto said as he gripped onto the ropes of the swing tightly, "How am I suppose to become Hokage if I can't even become a Genin?"

     Sarah didn't know the answer to that.

     "How did you pass anyways? Last time I checked you couldn't even make a single clone much less use a henge?" Naruto asked her.

     Sarah smoothly lied, "Pure luck."

     "I call bullshit," Naruto responded.

     Sarah shrugged as she hopped down from the tree, "Cheer up Naruto, there's always next time."

     "There won't be a next time for me Sarah, you can only fail three times before you get kicked out of the ninja academy." Naruto responded, "My hopes and dreams of becoming a ninja are ruined!"

     "I don't think that'll be the case here."

     Both Naruto and Sarah looked over and saw Mizuki-sensei standing by the swing.

      "Naruto, do you mind if we have a chat?" Mizuki-sensei asked.

     Naruto nodded as he got up from his swing, "I'll be back soon, Sarah-chan!"

     Sarah nodded, watching the duo walk off into the distance. She had a bad feeling about this.

     It's not that she didn't trust Mizuki-sensei, it's just that he normally just doesn't pay much attention to Naruto. Why is he now suddenly giving the boy attention? What exactly is he planning?

     Sarah looked over and noticed both Iruka-sensei and the Hokage talking about something whilst looking over at where Naruto was at. Something was definitely up.

- Genin Days (1): Graduation Day -

"Naruto, you freaking idiot!" Sarah mentally screamed as she hopped from branch to branch, "Why did you break into the Hokages office?"

Sarah knew that something was definitely up when Mizuki-sensei approached her and Naruto, she could sense the bad vibes coming off the man from a mile away. Why did she let Naruto run off with him? Why didn't she just trust her instinct and followed the duo?

Once Sarah arrived home from graduation, she quickly looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. It was getting quite late out and Naruto wasn't back yet. Sarah originally assumed that Mizuki-sensei had taken pity on Naruto and decided to take him out somewhere to chat.

Clearly that wasn't the case here, as ninjas are out and about in the village searching for the blonde-headed boy. Sarah mentally cursed her friend as she rushed out her apartment door and down the streets of Konoha. He stole the fucking scroll of sealing from the Hokage's office! The fucking scroll of sealing!

Sarah suspected Mizuki-sensei had put him up to it but she had no way of proving it. Instead she did the best that she could and tracked her friends location using a technique she learnt from a book. Mana flaired up as Sarah tracked Naruto using the boys own sweat, following the trail into the forest and using it as an indicator to know where he was heading.

And now she was currently in the woods tracking her friend down, who quite literally just committed a fucking crime against the village. It's a shame her best friend was an airhead, otherwise he wouldn't have fallen for Mizuki-sensei's lie. Just another reason as to why she needed to protect him.

Spotting a familiar tuff of blonde hair ahead, Sarah ran over and saw her friend panting behind a tree with a large scroll in his hands.

"S-Sarah-chan?" Naruto looked at her in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to beat some fucking sense into you!" Sarah exclaimed as she wacked him on the head with her fist, "What were you thinking? Stealing the fucking scroll of sealing? Didn't it occur to you that you've just committed a crime against the village?"

"But Mizuki-sensei-" Naruto stammered on before Sarah interjected.

"He tricked you, Naruto."

Naruto looked at Sarah in shock, "What?!?"

Sarah mentally groaned. How dense was her friend?

"Yeah, you got tricked," Sarah said.

"Well..er.." Naruto fidgeted with the scroll in his hands, opening it, "Lets see what's inside this scroll then! Might as well learn some new jutsu before I get caught. Hm..multi shadow clone jutsu..Oh great, a jutsu that I'm already bad at!"

Sarah just looked at the blonde in shock, "You're seriously more concerned about learning new jutsu over literally committing a fucking crime?"

"Eheheh..." Naruto scratched the back of his head.

Sarah heavily sighed, "Well..looks like we're both royally fucked. Hm, maybe if we just hand the seal back over to the Hokage and explain everything he might give you a pardon?"

"I'm afraid it won't be as simple as that," a familiar voice said from behind Sarah.

The duo looked over and noticed it was their former sensei, Iruka, "You two are in big trouble."

"CHA?!?" Sarah looked at the older man in shock. She didn't even do anything wrong! Well she did track Naruto down and was there with him when he opened the scroll, but still-

Naruto nervously scratched the back of his head as he sat up off the ground, "You found us Iruka-sensei. I was only able to learn one jutsu from it though.. Hey, let me show you and Sarah-chan what I learned! Maybe then you'll let me graduate!"

"Wait, who told you that?" Iruka-sensei asked.

"Mizuki-sensei! He told me all about this scroll and this weird place, although Sarah-chan did tell me that he might've set me up..." Naruto responded sheepishly.

Before Iruka could properly react a rain of kunai came down from the air hurdling towards the group. Iruka pushed the two children out of the way before shielding his face from the oncoming attack.

Naruto and Sarah looked up and noticed Mizuki-sensei standing on top of a tree branch with two large shuriken strapped to his back.

"Oh no, it's a fucking trap!" Sarah internally panicked.

"I'm impressed that you've managed to find this spot, Iruka. Hm, and it seems we got an additional person here..Sarah, was it?" Mizuki said before looking over towards Naruto, "Naruto, give me that scroll."

"Holy crap..Sarah you were right!" Naruto said as he looked up in horror.

Sarah didn't have time to respond. She was stuck between fight or flight mode. She had been in a situation like this once and she was too weak to do anything. But was she even strong enough to take on a Chuunin as skilled as Mizuki?

"Naruto, do not give him that scroll even if it kills you!" Iruka said as he gritted his teeth, pulling out a kunai from his thigh, "That scroll contains forbidden ninjutsu that's been sealed! Mizuki tricked you into getting it for him!"

Naruto looked at Mizuki in anger. Sarah took a step back and placed a hand on her kunai pouch. Things were about to get really bad.

"Naruto, Iruka is afraid of you having that scroll," Mizuki said as he held his hand out.

"What are you even saying Mizuki? Naruto, don't let that man fool you!" Iruka shouted.

"He's just trying to manipulate you into handing that scroll over," Sarah said, "And he's not afraid to kill just to get his hands on it."

Mizuki laughed, "Let me tell you a secret, Naruto. A secret that everyone's been hiding from you your whole life."

"Mizuki, don't!" Iruka shouted.

"You see, twelve years ago a rule was put in place. A rule that everyone else knows except you, Naruto. This rule forbids anyone from telling you that you are the container of the nine-tailed fox," Mizuki smirked.

Naruto's eyes widened as he took a few steps back. Sarah was just as surprised, looking over at her friend in shock. Nemuri never told her about this. Why did they keep this a secret from her?

"Everyone's been deceiving you for your entire life. Didn't you find it strange as to why everyone hated you so much?" Mizuki continued.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Naruto cried out as huge bursts of chakra leaked from his body.

"Nobody here accepts you, not even your little friend and Iruka! Everyone here hates you!"

"Naruto.." Sarah looked over at her friend, "I swear I didn't know about this..."

"Die, Naruto!" Mizuki exclaimed as he threw a giant shuriken at the boy.

Before Sarah and Naruto could react, Iruka shielded them with his body. The duo looked up at him in shock, Iruka's blood dripping down onto their faces.

"W-why?" Naruto hesitantly asked.

"Because we're the same. After my parents died, I grew up just like you did. I wasn't a good student, I was the class clown because I wanted people to notice me. Since I couldn't get noticed through excelling in school, I did stupid things to get their attention. It was so painful being alone.. Isn't that right, Naruto?" Tears dropped down from Irukas face as he stared down at the boy, "You felt so alone and suffered for all these years..It must've been horrible."

Iruka shifted his gaze over towards Sarah, "Until you came along and decided to become his friend. I wish I had somebody like you in my life when I was younger. Treasure your friendship for as long as you can.."

"H-hai," Sarah nodded. She had never seen her teacher cry like that before. Maybe he and Naruto did share something in common like they did. Perhaps this was going to be the start of a bond between the two?

Sarah never really felt the need to develop relationships outside of her friendship with Naruto. She never really felt a need to; the blonde kept her company through her worser moments since Nemuri went radio silent. He even helped her out with her taijustsu despite he himself being terrible at it.

But why did she feel a connection towards Iruka?

"I'm sorry, Naruto. If I had been more responsible maybe then you wouldn't have suffered so much.." Iruka continued.

Mizuki chuckled, "Don't make me laugh! Irukas always hated you since you killed his parents! And your friendship with that girl is completely fake too! She's only with you out of pity! All they want from you is to give Iruka the scroll back!"

"That's not true, Naruto!" Sarah shouted. Before she or Iruka could say anything else, Naruto shot up and started running away. Sarah quickly followed behind, muttering an apology to Iruka and promising to tend to his wounds later.

"Naruto, don't listen to him!" Sarah shouted as she tailed closely behind the blonde, "He's just trying to manipulate you!"

"Sarah's right!" Iruka shouted from nearby, "Everything Mizuki said was a lie! Give me the scroll quickly before Mizuki gets his hands on it!"

Before Naruto could respond both him and Iruka were knocked out of the trees.

"Naruto, Iruka-sensei!" Sarah shouted as she hopped down and landed on the ground below.

Naruto leaned up against a tree and panted. He didn't know what else there was to do. He most certainly was going to die here if he didn't do anything.

Sarah looked behind her and threw a shuriken at Iruka, dispersing Mizuki's henge. She already knew that he was a fake. His whole aura was just completely off from Irukas.

"How did you know that I wasn't the real Iruka?" The Chuunin said as he looked over at Sarah.

"Because I'm Iruka," Iruka said as he dispelled his henge, revealing himself as the real Iruka.

Sarah smirked as she punched the ground with her fist, "Eat shit sucker!"

The ground started cracking underneath Mizuki's feet as the force from Sarah's fist caused a crater to form beneath him. Mizuki jumped away from the impact as shurikens were thrown at him, cutting his body in different places. Mizuki stepped back and panted; if only he knew where that blonde boy was.

Iruka reached back for the giant shuriken he kept on him, ready to hurl it at Mizuki. Before he could, a barrage of shadow clones came from the sky and piled on top of Mizuki. Naruto came running in and stood directly in front of Sarah and Iruka, grinning.

"Sarah-chan, I've thought some things over within the past few minutes; I'm sorry for ever doubting our friendship and I'm sorry that I dragged you both into this mess."

Sarah smirked as she cracked her knuckles, walking over beside her friend, "Hey it's alright. I'm sorry for punching you in the head earlier, although that was pretty much well deserved."

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sarah chuckled, "What? Someone has to humble you every once in a while. Say, let's take down that loser together."

"Sounds like a great idea!" Naruto said as he made his clones beat up Mizuki. Sarah pulled a seal out of her bag and attacked it to a kunai, sending it over towards Mizuki's direction and encasing his battered body in a solid block of ice.

Naruto dispersed his clones as he looked over at both Sarah and Iruka. He was forever greatful to have two people standing by his side. Sarah, his first ever friend and Iruka, his mentor and sensei. He felt like he could accomplish anything right now with these two by his side.

Sarah quickly rushed over and began healing Irukas wounds. Iruka motioned for Naruto to come over and handed him his headband, declaring Naruto as an official ninja of Konoha. Tears fell down Naruto's face as he engulfed Iruka in a hug.

Iruka smiled as he hugged the blonde back, "To celebrate, I'm treating you both to some ramen."

"Heck yeah!" Naruto exclaimed as he raised his fist up in the air.

Sarah sighed in relief, grateful that Naruto finally accomplished his dreams of becoming a ninja.

"Er...so what do we do about Mizuki-sensei over there?" Sarah asked as she gestured to the solid block of ice behind her.

"Let the Hokage decide his punishment," Iruka said as he looked over at Mizuki's direction, "Although I can already tell he's going to be spending quite a bit of time behind bars for what he's done."

"That's fair," Sarah noted. He did just try to murder three people, committed an act of treason against the village, and basically revealed a huge state secret to a bunch of kids; he is definitely going to be in some major trouble. At least Naruto got to become a Genin in the end, so that's really all that mattered to Sarah.

"Let's go eat some ramen!" Naruto shouted as he dragged both Sarah and Iruka to Ichirakus.

Sarah chuckled. What a very climatic way to start off her Genin career.