There once appeared a nine-tailed fox. It's mighty tails could crumble mountains and cause tsunamis. To fight the demon, the people assembled all the shinobi from the village. One brave shinobi was able to seal the demon, but because of that, she lost her life. That shinobi was called the Fourth Hokage.
Laughter was heard throughout the village as a nameless shinobi raced through the Hokage Tower. Reaching the top, he frantically yelled, "Hokage-sama!"
The old woman who had been writing on a paper paused and turned to the man. "What's wrong? Is Narue causing trouble again?"
"Yes!" the nameless shinobi shouted. "She's vandalizing the Hokage Monument! And this time with paint!"
The old lady sighed and stood up. She knew today was going to be a long day…
"Hey! Stop causing trouble!"
"Stop doing that!"
"You'll pay for this!"
"Look at what she did!"
Narue paused from where she was dangling from the Hokage Monument. She stared down at the infuriated crowd beneath her, a wide grin on her face. "Shut up you morons!" she yelled. "None of you could do something like this! But I can! I'm awesome!"
Staring up from the crowd, the Hokage sighed. "Geez...what has that idiot done?"
Suddenly someone was standing next to her. "Hokage-sama, I apologize for this!"
The Hokage turned to stare at the woman. "Hm? Oh, Iru!"
Iru was already busy, taking in a huge breath of air. Then, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING DURING CLASS TIME?! GET DOWN HERE YOU MORON!"
Narue suddenly faltered when she heard that voice. Oh no! That's Iru-sensei! Needless to say, she was in for a world of pain.
Iru stared down at her disobedient student who she had tied up on the classroom floor, her eye twitching.
"Bleh," Narue muttered.
Iru finally lost it. "Tomorrow is the Shinobi Academy's graduation exam and you've failed the last TWO TIMES! This isn't the time to be causing trouble IDIOT!"
"Whatever," Narue mumbled. Iru's eye twitched again. Then she turned to the rest of her class, a determined look on her face.
"Time for a 'Henge no Jutsu' test! Everyone line up!"
There were gasps of disbelief, groans of annoyance, and more than one shout of "WHAT?". Iru continued on, unperturbed.
"Transform perfectly into me!"
A few minutes later, Iru smiled as she looked at another student who had transformed into her perfectly. "Okay, good! Next, Uzumaki Narue!"
"This is all your fault!" one of the kids hissed at Narue as she walked up to her teacher.
"Like I give a damn!" she shot back. Man, she thought, this sucks. She stood in front of her teacher, adjusting her goggles. Well, here we go!
She made the appropriate sign and, after gathering chakra, yelled, "Henge!"
There was a large puff of smoke. When it cleared, Iru found herself looking at...a chibi. A chibi version of Narue, actually. She stared before squealing at the pure adorableness, her eyes turning into hearts. Then, she fell backwards, which jolted her back into reality.
Narue poofed back into herself, laughing. "Ha! I call this one 'Kawaii no Jutsu'!"
Iru, who was immediately back on her feet, yelled, "YOU MORON! DON'T INVENT USELESS SKILLS!" Narue took the lecture, but smirked when she realized that her teacher still had hearts in her eyes.
Iru sat on top of one of the Hokage heads, glaring down on her student. "I won't let you go until everything is cleaned!"
Narue stopped scrubbing for a second and looked up, her face contorted in a snarl. "Like I care! It's not like I have anyone to go home to, anyway!" She went back to scrubbing, muttering "Bleh!" under her breath.
Iru stared, her eyes softening. "Narue," she said.
"What?" Narue snapped as she looked up.
"Well, uh…" Iru started, "if everything is all cleaned up...I'll buy you some ramen tonight." Iru blinked as Narue's emotions did a quick 180.
"Okay!" Narue beamed. "I'll work as hard as I can!"
That night, the student-teacher duo were in a ramen stand.
Iru paused and said, "Narue."
Narue looked up, still slurping the ramen, and said, "Huh?"
Iru sighed before continuing. "Why were you doing that to the Monument? Don't you know who the Hokage are?"
Narue expression showed that she took offence with that statement. "Of course I know! Basically, those who get the title of Hokage are the strongest shinobi of this village, right? And among them is the Fourth Hokage, the hero who saved the village from the fox demon!"
"Then, why did you do it?" Iru pressed.
"Well, one day, I'm going to get the title! And then, I will surpass all the previous Hokage! I'll make the village acknowledge my strength!" Iru stared, her mouth full of ramen.
"Oh, and, um, Iru-sensei?" Narue said. "I have a little request."
"What is it? You want a second bowl of ramen?"
"No...can I borrow your forehead protector?" She looked up at her teacher, eyes wide.
"Oh, this?" Iru asked, pointing to said forehead protector. Narue nodded. "No no, this is what you get after you graduate. This is a symbol that you've come of age. Maybe you'll get one tomorrow."
"Bummer!" Narue yelled. Iru smirked.
"Haha. So that's why you took off your goggles!"
"...Give me seconds!"
"WHAT?!"
"To graduate," Iru explained to her class, "you'll have to do the 'Bunshin no Jutsu'. When you're called, come to the next room."
Oh no! Not that one! Narue thought. She had hoped that today's exam would be easier. Damnit! That's my worst skill!
Iru stared expectantly at Narue from behind her desk.
It's my worst skill, Narue thought as she gathered her chakra, but I'll do it! Just watch!
"Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A poof of smoke went up next to Narue. As she looked, she saw her clone. It was lying on it's stomach on the floor, all pale and sickly. It was pathetic, really.
Narue broke into a cold sweat. Iru's eye twitched.
Then, "FAIL!"
Naruto winced, falling to the ground in despair.
"Iru," someone said. It was Iru's teaching assistant. "This is her third time, and she did create a clone. We could let her pass…"
Narue looked up in hope.
"No way, Mikazuki!" Iru said. "All the others created two clones, and Narue only created one! It was a useless one, too! I can't let her pass!"
Narue glared at her teacher.
Narue sat on a swing as she watched all of her peers be congratulated by their parents.
"Great job! That's my son!"
"Now you're a man!"
"I'm so proud of you! I'm going to make your favorite dinner tonight!"
Also…
"Hey, that kid…"
"Yeah, that's 'the kid' and she's also the only one who failed."
"Well, that's a good thing. She shouldn't become a shinobi since she's-"
"Shh, we're not supposed to talk about that!"
Narue stood up abruptly, putting her goggles back on her head. She had taken them off to make way for her new forehead protector, but there was not point in it now. She didn't dare make eye contact with the two woman who had said those things about her.
In the crowd of ecstatic children and proud parents, stood the Hokage. She took in a breath from her pipe, then said, "I need to talk to you, Iru."
Iru, who was standing next to her, said, "Yes ma'am."
Narue was running through the streets when…
"Narue."
"Mikazuki-sensei?!"
Narue and Mikazuki sat on a rooftop overlooking one of the village's busiest streets.
"Iru-sensei's a serious person," Mikazuki said softly. "Her parents were killed when she was young and she had to take care of everything herself from then on."
"But why does she only pick on me?!" Narue yelled.
Mikazuki glanced at Narue from the corner of her eye, a small smile on her face. "She probably sees herself in you."
Narue froze.
"She's probably thinking that she wants to see you become strong in the real way. Try to understand Iru's feelings...
"...since you also have no parents."
Narue stared down at the street, then said, "But I wish I graduated."
Mikazuki's eyes narrowed. "In that case…"
Narue looked up. "Huh?"
Mikazuki grinned. "I'll tell you a little secret."
"What do you think you're doing in my house at this hour?"
Narue tensed and slowly turned. She was face-to-face with the Hokage. Narue panicked, then…
"Kawaii no Jutsu!"
"WAH?!"
The old lady was currently on the floor, eyes filled with hearts, mumbling about the sheer cuteness.
Meanwhile, Narue was going through a room filled with scrolls. Her eyes suddenly widened. I found it!
She jumped out the window, running off.
Mikazuki watched from behind a building, a smirk on her face.
Narue sat on the forest floor, a giant scroll open in her arms. "Let's see...the first jutsu is 'Kage Bunshin no Jutsu'? What the! Why does it start with the one thing I'm bad at!?"
"Iru…"
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I understand very well how you feel...but he is very similar to you…"
A giant, nine-tailed fox towered over a forest.
"We have to stand our ground until the Fourth gets here!" a shinobi yelled, wiping some blood off of his face.
"Let me go!" a small girl shouted as two shinobi carried her away. "My mom and dad are still fighting!"
"Iru, please…"
"I SAID LET ME GO!"
Iru was on her bed, staring at the ceiling, when she heard a frantic knocking on her door. "What is it?" she asked as she opened it. Mikazuki was standing on the other side.
"We must go to Hokage-sama's place," she said, her face covered in sweat. "Narue has taken the Scroll of Seals as a prank!"
Iru's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He won't get away with this one!" one shinobi yelled in the crowd outside of the Hokage's house.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Yes," the Hokage said, having already recovered from the "Kawaii no Jutsu', "that is a very dangerous scroll that he took, forbidden by the previous Hokage. If used in a certain way, it could cause incredible danger." She turned her burning gaze on her subordinates. "It's been half a day since the scroll was taken. We must hurry and find Narue!"
"YES MA'AM!" With that every single ninja disappeared in blurs, jumping off in every direction.
Iru was panting in one of the village streets when an idea struck her. I should check the woods!
Mikazuki ran through the village in a blur, a smirk on her face. I'll spread the word a little more. Then I'll get rid of Narue and make it look like she disappeared with the scroll!
Narue was panting on the forest floor when someone landed in front of her. She looked up and saw her teacher.
Iru, trembling and covered in sweat, looked down at Narue with a terrifying grin on her face. "I've finally found you~!"
"Hey," Narue yelled, a big grin on her face, "I found the heart-eyed nitwit!"
"Idiot!" Iru yelled. "I found you!"
That's when Iru noticed that Narue was covered in dirt and scratches.
"Hehe..." Narue said. "You found me. I've only learned one thing!"
"Hey! You look all beaten up, what were you doing?"
"Nevermind that," Narue yelled, "I'm going to try an incredible jutsu! If I do it...let me graduate!" She took a stance, gathering chakra.
Iru's stared. So...she was practicing here? Enough to damage her body?
"Narue!" Iru said, interrupting her student's concentration.
"Huh?"
"Where did you get that scroll?"
"Oh, this?" Narue said, pointing to the scroll on her back. "Mikazuki-sensei told me about it, and about this place, too! He said that if I showed you this skill...that I'd definitely graduate!"
Iru's eyes widened. Mikazuki?
Iru suddenly, shoved Narue out of the way. A barrage of kunai hurtled to where the girl had stood. Narue fell to the side, watching as the kunai impaled Iru.
"Nice job finding the moron!" Iru looked up and found the owner of the voice. Mikazuki grinned.
"I see…" Iru said, "So that's what's going on…"
"Narue!" Mikazuki yelled. "Give me the scroll!"
"What?" Narue yelled frantically. "What's going on?"
"Narue!" Iru yelled, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, "Whatever happens, don't give her the scroll!
"That's a dangerous scroll that had forbidden ninjutsu written inside it! Mikazuki used you to get it!"
"Huh?"
"Narue," Mikazuki said, "there's not point in you having it." She paused, before, "I'll tell you the truth."
Iru's eyes widened in alarm. "N-NO! DON'T!"
"Twelve years ago..." Mikazuki continued, ignoring Iru, "you know about the demon fox being sealed, right?"
Narue's nose twitched, which Mikazuki took as confirmation. "Well, since that day, a special rule has been in place."
"...a rule?" Narue asked.
"But," Mikazuki said, "this rule was never meant to be told to you."
"Not to me? What's the rule?! Tell me!"
Mikazuki chuckled.
"What kind of rule is it?" Narue asked.
"The rule," Mikazuki grinned, "is that nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that YOU ARE THE NINE TAILED DEMON FOX!"
"...what?" Narue said faintly. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!"
"SHUT UP!" Iru roared.
"It means," Mikazuki said, "that you are the nine tailed demon fox that killed Iru's parents and destroyed the village!
"YOU WERE SEALED UP THE HOKAGE YOU SO ADMIRE AND-"
"SHUT UP!" Iru yelled.
"-YOU HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY EVERYONE!
"Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you? Iru's the same! She also hates you!" Iru's eyes widened.
Narue's were watering and chakra swirled up around her.
Iru grabbed her torso as pain racked her body. Still, she looked at Narue. She's never known a parent's love and is hated by all the villagers.
"NOBODY WILL EVER LOVE YOU!"
So to get attention, she causes a lot of trouble. She wants people to acknowledge her existence...in any way possible.
"THAT SCROLL WAS USED TO SEAL YOU UP!"
She acts tough, but she is truly suffering…
Mikazuki hurled a giant shuriken at Narue. But before it hit her, Iru covered her.
Narue stared, eyes wide, as Iru coughed blood onto her face. "Why?"
Iru was silent, then, "My...My parents. After they died, there was nobody to compliment me or acknowledge me...I always acted like an idiot, just to get people's attention...since I wasn't good in things like learning and doing homework. It was better than being nothing, so I kept acting like an idiot. It was so painful…" Tears streamed down Iru's face.
"Narue, you also must have been in a lot of pain. I'm sorry, Narue! If only I did a better job...you wouldn't have to feel like this."
Mikazuki scoffed.
Narue stared before turning, going into a crouch, and bolting in the other direction.
"Narue!" Iru yelled.
"Hehe," Mikazuki chuckled. "Narue isn't the type of person to have a change of heart. And I think she's planning to use the scroll to get revenge! You saw those eyes earlier...the eyes of a real demon!"
Iru clenched her jaw and ripped the giant shuriken out of her back. She gasped in pain before standing up, her back to Mikazuki.
"Narue isn't like that!" she said.
"Well," Mikazuki said, jumping into action, "that doesn't really matter. I'll kill Narue and get the scroll! I'll take care of you later!"
No way! Iru thought, but fell to the ground again, her injury demanding her attention. "UGH!"
"We should have killed her!"
"Now we have to find her before she releases the demon's power!"
"She is very dangerous! If you find her, kill her!"
The Hokage stared intently at her crystal ball. "I finally found her!
"Mikazuki told her...now she's afraid like never before."
The power that is sealed may be released...plus she is holding the Scroll of Seals. The odds of her being able to break the seal and change into the nine tailed demon fox are one in a million...but it is possible. If that happens…
Narue was jumping through the forest when she heard someone next to her. It was Iru.
"Narue! Hurry, give me the scroll! Mikazuki is after you!"
Narue stopped on a branch before, jumping at Iru, punching her in the gut. Iru fell to the ground while Narue skidded to a halt.
"Huh," Iru mumbled as she shakily lifted her head. "Narue?"
She went up in a puff of smoke. "How did I you know I wasn't Iru?" Mikazuki was where Iru was previously.
"Hehe," Narue smirked. She went up in smoke. "Because...I'm Iru!"
Mikazuki's eyes narrowed. "I see."
Narue was behind a tree, watching the whole scene.
"Hehe, you'd even transform into what killed your parents to protect her," Mikazuki said.
"I won't hand the scroll over to someone like you!"
"You idiot!" Mikazuki yelled, "Narue and I are the same!"
Narue and Iru froze.
"If you use the skills in that scroll," Mikazuki said, "you can do whatever you want! There's no way that the demon fox wouldn't try to use the power of the scroll, unlike what you're assuming!"
"Yeah…"
Narue's eyes widened, then narrowed. I knew it...see...even Iru-sensei deep down...doesn't acknowledge me.
"The demon fox would do that, but Narue is different. She is!
"I've acknowledged her as one of my excellent students!"
Narue was speechless, her grip on the scroll tight.
"She may not be the hardest worker," Iru continued, "and she is clumsy and no one accepts her...she already knows what is is to feel pain inside your heart. She isn't the demon fox. She is a member of the Hidden Leaf Village."
Tears streamed down Narue's face.
"She's Uzumaki Narue!"
Mikazuki scoffed. "Well, whatever!" She grabbed her last giant shuriken just as another round of pain coursed through Iru's body.
"Iru, I said I would take care of you later...but I changed my mind." She readied the shuriken. "HURRY UP AND DIE!"
Before she could throw the shuriken, Narue suddenly appeared and kneed her chin. Mikazuki flew backwards, the shuriken hitting a random tree.
Narue! Iru thought.
"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT!" Mikazuki roared.
"Don't touch Iru-sensei!" Narue yelled. "OR I'LL KILL YOU!"
"You idiot!" Iru yelled. "Why'd you come out? RUN AWAY!"
"HAHA! I'LL KILL YOU IN ONE SHOT!" Mikazuki laughed.
"Try it, trash," Narue hissed, "I'll return the pain a thousand times over!"
"THEN DO IT, DEMON FOX!"
Narue put her hands into a seal, and then something clicked in Iru's mind.
That hand seal…
"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"
Suddenly, there were hundreds of Narue's in the clearing.
"Wh-What's going on?" Mikazuki yelled, her eyes full of fear.
"What's wrong?" all the Narues chorused. "Weren't you going to kill me with one shot?"
Iru stared. All the Narues grinned. "Well then, I'll start okay?"
Mikazuki's eyes widened.
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Hehe. She really did divide into more than a thousand. Each was a real body, not an illusion. Maybe she'll really surpass all the previous Hokage…
Mikazuki lay, battered and bruised, at Narue's feet.
"Hehe," Narue said sheepishly, "I went a little too far…"
"Narue, come over here, there's something I want to give you," Iru said, grinning.
"Did anyone find him?!"
"No!"
"Damnit! This is bad!"
"He could be far away by now!"
"There's no need to worry," a calm voice said.
The shinobi turned, startled. "Hokage-sama?"
The Hokage only smiled. "She'll be back soon."
"Now, sensei?"
"Okay, you can open your eyes."
Narue opened her eyes and saw a head protector-less Iru.
"Congratulations on graduating!" Narue's eyes widened as she noticed the forehead protector on her head.
"Let's celebrate!" Iru said. "I'll buy you a bowl of ramen!"
Narue's mouth trembled before she tackled Iru, sobbing and laughing at the same time.
Iru smiled. I was going to tell Narue that the hard part has just begun...well, I'll save that for the ramen stand…
For now, this is just going to be a one-shot. If it gets enough attention, I might keep going. Be warned, though, anything else I add will basically just be "Naruto", but there will be changes to fit the gender swaps. For example, no self-respecting woman would do a Sexy Jutsu, so I changed it to something more acceptable, the Kawaii no Jutsu.
Anyway...yeah.