Changed

Chapter Twenty-Six

Today was Menma's graduation. Today, Naruto was sitting in the classroom to make sure no one messed around like he did.

"Menma Uzumaki-Uchiha." Menma stepped up. He gulped. He looked over to Naruto. He gave him a smile of reassurance.

"Okay, Menma. All you have to do, is perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu Technique."

Menma nodded. "There's no way he's gonna do it." He tried to shut out the voices. He gathered his Chakra. He formed the necessary hand sign.

A poof of smoke appeared. A fully functional clone appeared. "Yes!" "Congratulations, Menma. You are officially a hidden leaf Ninja."

His sensei handed him his headband. He ran up to Naruto and hugged him. "I'm one step closer to beating you, Dad!"

Naruto hugged his son back. After Naruto sat and watched all of the other students graduate and fail, he left with his son.

"Congratulations, Menma." "Can we get ramen to celebrate?!" "Yeah. Of course we can."

Menma ran off to Ichiraku. Naruto smiled and ran off after him, his cloak blowing behind him.

"Two pork miso please." "Naruto. How are you?" "I'm doing fine. Menma here just graduated from the academy." He rubbed his son's head.

"Too bad Sasuke's not here. She'd be really proud." "Yeah. She would. I miss the old man, you know. We had so many memories here."

"Yeah..." "I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring it up." Naruto wiped a tear from his face. "It's just.. he was the first person, besides Iruka Sensei, that wasn't scared of me."

"Why were people scared of you?" Menma asked as he ate his ramen. "It's a long story, Menma."

Naruto and Menma finished their food and left. "Ready to tell mom?" "Yeah. She's gonna be so proud! And I did it on the first try." "Just like your mother." "Didn't you do it on the first try?" "Actually I did it on my second. On my first try, I added too much chakra."

Menma ran home to tell his mom, and Naruto ran after him. Just like they did going to Ichiraku.

"Mom!" Menma burst open the front door. "What is it?" "I graduated. On my first try!"

"That's great! I did it on my first try too." "Yeah, dad told me. He said he did it on his second try because he added too much chakra the first time."

"Oh really?" She looked up. Naruto put a finger on his lips. "Menma I want to tell you a story."

He turned and crouched down. "When me and your mom were in the academy, uh,one of our friends, stole a secret scroll that apparently had all types of awesome Jutsu in it. It was the only way he passed."

"That guy sounds like a loser. And he cheated." "Yeah.. he was a loser. There's no use cheating. Heh..."

Sasuke snickered. "But. That loser, became a hero. And he saved the village multiple times."

"Wow. I guess I'm gonna be a loser!" "That's not what I meant." "What did you mean then?" "I meant that even people with the lowest capabilities can become great things. And you should never give up."

Naruto rubbed his son's head. "Okay. I get it. I'll never give up until I beat you and earn the title of Eighth Hokage!"

Naruto smiled. "You're destined for great things, Menma. Just don't give up and you will achieve your goals."

Menma smiled. "You have to promise. If I beat you, you'll make me the Eighth Hokage!" "I promise."

"You can't break a promise Naruto." "Yeah, I know." "Make sure you beat your father for me. Okay?" "Whose side are you on?"

Sasuke crouched down and tapped Menma's forehead with two fingers. "I promise. But why do you want me to?"

"Because I couldn't beat him. But you can." "My own family's plotting against me."

"Oh, hush. We're not plotting against you." Sasuke said abruptly. "Whatever you say. But don't be surprised if I fight back." Sasuke rolled her eyes.