Tears streamed down his face falling onto the dirt streets of Konoha. "Look the demons trying to get up! Awww it wants to go back home, well listen up you little beast you're not welcome here you don't deserve to live!" yelled one of the many villagers that crowed around the bloodied and beaten Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto begged for his body to move, to run but it never complied. He laid there broken and shattered hopping this nightmare of a life would end and he'd wake in a mothers arm, but was snapped out of his wishful thought as he was kicked harshly in the ribs by the roaring villagers. The villagers continued letting out their hate on the defenseless 12 year old, eventually each villager forced themselves to stop, at risk of being executed by killing the boy. He saw the villagers feet move past him and disappear in the darkness of night.
Naruto rose from the ground as the heavens rain coated the village hidden in the leaves. He was glad it was raining it hid his tears well; he let out a sob, cringing in pain and the metallic taste of blood that flooded his mouth. The young blonde spat blood onto the dirt road watching his blood fade away in the rain. He began limping to his rundown apartment that lay before him 'beaten in front of my home beaten by the village I call home…why?! Why do they hate me so much?!I'm not a monster!' Naruto thought painfully.
He slowly limped up each step until finally reaching his apartment door; slowly pushing it open. Naruto looked at the pathetic excuse of a home sadly, rough hardwood floors creaked under his weight, and the grayed walls were smashed into themselves or covered with threats by either the villagers or his classmates of the academy. The apartment itself was somewhat spacious it had a small kitchen with basic utilities but was all rusted, the dark grey walls always made Naruto feel as if he were in a cage. A loud yawn escaped his lips the events of the night had exhausted him completely, sliding under the blankets that were scattered on the floor Naruto finally felt safe. Warmth had surrounded his body the soft yet torn sheets clung to his body as if protecting him from all things, Naruto felt tears escape the ocean of his eyes again as he wondered if this is what it felt to be hugged.
Nartuo cried for what felt like hours he cried for the parents he never knew, and friends he'd never have "mom, dad! Please don't leave me alone just come back a-and t-t-take me home I want to be home with you!" Naruto choked out. Pain washed over him and seemed to rip his heart apart, tears poured from the young blondes eyes as he cried for someone to take him away from the pain to hold him and love him; no one came. Naruto cried until rays of light illuminated the poor apartment 'I must have stayed up all night again' Naruto thought bitterly.
Wiping his tears away and took a breath gaining control over himself he walked to his closet; the limp now gone along with any other wounds. Dressing down in his usual attire Naruto jumped from his widow somersaulting through the air, feeling his feet land on the hard ground he immediately took off to his favorite ramen bar for breakfast. After the short run Naruto's stomach roared begging the boy to be filled and Naruto couldn't agree more as Ramen Ichiraku came into view. Naruto couldn't help but drool at smell of his freshly cooked food, pushing a curtain aside and taking a seat at one of the stools Naruto beamed at the father-daughter team who smiled back already serving him his breakfast. Naruto loved it here these two really liked him or maybe it was just that he was the number one customer with enough thinking for the morning Naruto swallowed down his ramen effortlessly "aww man, that was just great you two are the best!" Naruto jumped from the stool ready for the academy's final test 'heheh maybe it'll be a transformation jutsu, I can just see Iruka-sensies face! Hahah' Naruto thought happilywhile leaving the ramen stand behind him.
Naruto walked into his classroom it looked like they were already starting the final test 'what is though?' He walked into the line next to his pink haired crush; Sakura Haruno who was trying to get a raven haired boy to notice her. Naruto glared at his rival, Saskue Uchia; prodigy of the leaf. Naruto always disliked Saskue for the boys' prowess in the ninja arts, and the way the villagers even Sakura stopped all they were doing to stare in awe at the young Uchia. Naruto glared at Saskue until finally grunting and forcing his eyes away 'this is the day I beat him, I won't lose I'll show everyone just how great I am! Even you Sakura' Naruto thought more determined than ever. His eyes turned back to the pink haired goddess, he wanted to say something 'c'mon compliment her, say something anything!' but words never left his lips. The blonde continued to stare he felt himself getting lost in her beauty; pain and sadness faded away from Narutos' heart. He started to daydream of the day she'd accept him, when they all would.
Sakura felt Naruto's eyes on her; with the constant stare she began to feel self-conscious and blushed when her jade eyes locked onto the clear oceans that were his. "What are you looking at Naruto!?" she growled angrily. Sakura glared into his eyes smirking inside at the sight of Naruto blushing and sweating at the aggressive question. Naruto looked away whistling innocently trying to ignore her raging chakra and the deadly glare as they felt like they were digging into him. Her eye twitched in frustration "Naruto what were you looking at!?" she shouted barely above a whisper. Naruto was about to answer until Sakura was called forth by their teacher. "I'll be right back after I pass Naruto and you better have an answer!" with that said Sakura turned and began to walk in front of Iruka until a hand gripped her own ' Alright who has the balls!' Sakura thought angrily. She spun back around to see Naruto blushing but looking away from her gaze "good luck Sakura-chan, I know you'll do great!" he said giving her a wide confident smile. Sakura's blush darkened she didn't know what to say at the sudden praise the blonde was giving her so she just nodded dumbly at Naruto 'I'll kill him later' she thought and turned back to Iruka-sensei.
"Alright Sakura are you ready for your final test? The final test will be on a clone jutsu."
Sakura nodded and let out a sigh relief at such an easy test, considering her chakra control. Forming a hand sign Sakura summoned her chakra and created three clones all beaming at Iruka who simply nodded "you passed Sakura well done now whose next hmm alright….Naruto you're up!" Sakura walked back to her seat and glanced at the shaking blonde 'I know you can do it too, you dunce.' Sakura thought, confident in his ability she took her seat next to Saskue who also passed.
Naruto walked slowly towards his sensei with his head down allowing his blonde locks to remove his eyes from view. "Naruto you ready?" No answer was given and Iruka began to worry 'This isn't like him c'mon Naruto I know you can do it!' Iruka was about to ask once more until a student shouted cruelly "Hey freak just get out of here! You clearly don't have what it takes! Besides there's no way a freak like you could ever become a ninja!" other class mates laughed agreeing with him.
Naruto smirked and started to laugh, raising his head up to show a confident and determined look. "Hey bastard, listen up I'm twice the ninja you'll ever be loser! I'll ace this thing no problem and show you what it means to be a true ninja of the leaf! Believe it!" Naruto shouted with no hint of doubt. Sakura smiled at the idiotic blonde feeling herself become victim to Narutos determined attitude 'Go for it dunce!' she thought happily. Iruka had the similar thought and smiled at his young student and signaled Naruto to begin.
With a smirk Naruto formed the hitsuji hand seal, channeling his chakra before shouting "Clone jutsu!" The class room filled with a cloud of white smoke each person present strained to see the outcome of his jutsu, as the smoke cleared everyone gasped even Naruto.
"I…."
"No way he…." Sakura couldn't believe it.
Iruka looked on in shock "Naruto you…..FAIL!"
Naruto looked down in shame at the pathetic clone he produced before it vanished away "I failed?" Naruto whispered. He began to walk back to his seat before the sympathetic and calm voice of Mizuki-sensie caught Narutos ear.
"Iruka, he's off and his moves weren't bad, he did hang in there and replicate. This is his third try so you know he really wants to become a ninja. We could cut him a break and pass him." Naruto felt a smile spread at the beanie wearing chunins words, but it quicky fell after hearing Irukas response.
"Mizuki-sensei, the other students created at least three effective replications. But Naruto only created one and did you look at it? It's pitiful. I can't pass him." Naruto felt his heart shatter painfully his own sensei's words hurt him more than he could imagine, and he started to walk out of the class leaving his mocking and laughing classmates behind; Sakura and the others simply watched him go with sympathetic looks in silence. Naruto was out of the academy walking past the glaring families that were waiting to pick up their children and went to the tree in front, a place where he always spent his childhood alone and watched; wishing for the families other had. He sat down on the old swing swaying him back and forth softly, minutes later Naruto heard the academy bell ring and looked on as the families congratulated their children on becoming ninja, the cheers made Naruto cringe in pain, but he still looked on wishing.
Sakura walked out of the academy with smile on her lips she could hardly believe she was a shinobi now, and the first among her civilian family. The young girl soon felt her body being crushed by her proud crying mom Mebuki Haruno "My daughters a ninja! Oh, your father would be so proud Sakura, I'm so proud of you!" her mother cried. Sakura laughed and fought against her mother's deadly hug. Sakura's father had died of an illness but in the time after, mother and daughter just grew closer. Sakura knew she always reminded her mom with the looks of her father but when she thought it to bring her mother sadness Mebuki just grew happier knowing that some part of Kizashi lived on.
Sakura finally free of her mom's death hug stood proudly listening to her mom's praise until the shine of yellow was caught at the corner of her jade eyes. She turned her head and the smile that was spread on her face faltered at the sight of Naruto; who looked at all of them with pain and sadness in his eyes. She turned to walk towards him until feeling her mother's hand rest on her shoulder "c'mon Sakura lets head home for your celebration dinner!" Mebuki cried excitedly. The pink haired ninja nodded her head hesitantly before turning her gaze back to Naruto who seemed to be talking with Mizuki 'I'm sure you'll be fine knuckle head, you always are' Sakura thought still feeling the urge to go to him but reluctantly walked beside her mother back home.
Konoha forest: Night
Naruto felt exhausted he'd been training nonstop with the scroll of sealing for hours, now he was just waiting to catch his breath. Although Naruto felt tired he had a proud smile stretched across his whiskered face "I did it hehe YAH I DID IT!" he shouted happily. He grinned, exited to finally be able to pass the academy test with the secret Mizuki told him earlier that day. Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by the sudden appearance of his sensei Iruka; he did not look happy. Naruto smiled at his sensei none the less, spreading his arms wide Naruto started to speak excitedly "Listen Iruka-sensei! I'm gonna show you this amazing new jutsu and you're gonna let me graduate then everything will be okay! That's how it works right? Anyone who learns a jutsu from this scroll passes."
"Hunh?! Where'd you get that idea?!"
"Mizuki-sensei told me about it. Believe it! He told me where to find the scroll and this place…" Naruto stopped speaking watching his sensei's face turn into one of surprise and confusion. Naruto was about to ask his sensei what was troubling him until Iruka pushed him away, the blonde watched in horror at the sight of his sensei being stabbed with thrown kunai and shurikens. "I see you found our little hide away Iruka" Mezuki growled annoyingly from a tree. "So that's how it is hunh? I should have known!"
Mizuki ignored Iruka's revelation and turned his attention towards the boy "Naruto give me the scroll now!" Iruka grunted in pain pulling out a kunai from his leg "Don't listen to him Naruto he'll lie to you so he could have that scroll, it contains forbidden jutsu that could harm the village!" Naruto let out a gasp filled with shock he turned to Mizuki who was growing angrier until he found a way to turn the situation around and use Naruto as his own weapon against Konoha. "Ha ha ha ha! Oh I'll tell you who's really lying Naruto, they've been lying to you your whole life, since the decree 12 years ago." Mezuki purred out still ignoring Irukas shouts "Don't tell him it's forbidden!" Naruto watched his sensei scream at the traitorous Chunin but his mind was only focused on the lie never told to him "What decree?" he asked his voice shaken with fear at any explanation on why the villagers hated him. "Everyone knows except you Naruto, Iruka even now is trying to keep it away from you he'd do anything to shut me up!" Naruto's anger was growing "tell me already, what is the decree!" Silence fell for a brief moment before Mizuki spoke up "The decree was no one could to tell you the powerful demon known as the nine-tailed fox is inside you! The fox spirit that killed your sensei's parents and destroyed our village has taken over your body! You are the nine-tailed fox!"
Naruto couldn't breathe; everything was now clicking into place everything was now making sense his eyes widened at the revelation. Mizuki looked on at Naruto's shocked face but continued with his rant. "They've all been sneaking around hiding things from you your whole life. Didn't you think it was strange how they treated you? Like dirt, like they just hated you for being alive!" Naruto closed his fists tight drawing blood, images of every beating and every rejection he received from his own home kept replaying in his head, Naruto felt something within him roar out in hate and pain. He was right, deep within the seal cage that was in Naruot a pair of blood red lights illuminated the darkness.
Naruto was shouting out at Muziki trying to defy the truth as a balzing red chkra swirled around him violently, ripping trees away and shaking the ground shattering the very earth they were on. "Naruto…." Iruka called out to the pain in sadness as for Mizuki, he had seen enough of the power that threatened him "That's why you won't be accepted in this village, you won't be loved or acknowledged even your own sensei hates your guts!" Mizuki grinned maliciously at the tormented boy while taking out his large shuriken spinning it effortlessly in his hand.
"Die you demon fox!" he yelled before releasing his shuriken at the vulnerable blonde. "NARUTO GET DOWN!" Iruka moved with speed that would have impressed Gai-sensei, using his body to shield demon fox container.
Naruto shut his eyes tight hearing the sound of steel making contact with flesh until the sound of his sensei grunting caused him to open them, just in time to see Iruka cough out blood against Natrutos' cheek. "Why…?" he whispered at the injured sensei, the orange cladded student could only stare in shock at the story of his sensei's life; they were the same. Iruka had no family and felt the same pain until Mizuki called out to Naruto explaining it was because of the fox, it was because of him Iruka had nothing, and with that building guilt the nine-tailed fox's chakra steamed away as Naruto took off away from his sensei. He hopped into the trees never looking back 'I can't really be the fox can i? No! I'm not the fox, I'm Naruto Uzumaki!' he suddenly felt guilt burn inside him forcing him to stop and rest against a tree 'the fox….it took everything away and now I know…..it's inside of me so, it is me were one and i…i….' Naruto gripped the scroll crying quietly until a groan of pain and a thud against a tree caused him to stop.
"Why are you protecting that freak? He's the one that wiped out your family! He's a beast he'll use the scroll and wipe out the village he'll crave power that's how beast are Iruka!"
"You're right….." Naruto felt tears burn his eyes and pour down his cheeks 'He really does hate me…I'm just a monster to them!' he thought painfully until Iruka continued speaking. "…That is how beasts are, but that's not how Naruto is. He's nothing like that Naruto is one of a kind and works hard, puts his whole heart into it. Sure he messes up sometimes and everyone jumps on him, but his suffering only makes him stronger. That's what separates' him from being a beast so you're wrong he's nothing like the nine-tailed fox, he's Naruto Uzumaki of the village hidden in the leaves!" Naruto felt more tears pour out from the never-ending ocean that were his eyes, but they were tears of happiness despite everything about him he truly had someone who cared for him, who acknowledged him and considered him a friend. "You're finished!" Naruto heard Mizuki closing in on Iruka , time slowed and Naruto only had one thought 'Sensei….i will protect you!' with the urge to protect someone close to him Naruto moved with unmatched speed, dashing toward Mizuki delivering a devastating knee strike to his head. Naruto slammed his fingers into the ground bringing him to a stop; he glared at Mizuki who was slowly regaining his footing.
"Not bad for a little punk" Mizuki taunted. The blonde fox stared Mizuki down feeling only the desire to protect the person who cared for him, Naruto growled at Mizuki who flinched at the sound; and the threat that came with it. "If you ever lay a hand on my sensei….I'll kill you!" Mizuki growled in rage "Such big words, I could completely destroy you with a single move!" Naruto put up a hand sign before calling back "Take your best shot fool! I'll give it back it back to you a thousand fold!"
Mizuki roared in anger fed up with the talking fox prison "I'd like to see you try, show me what you got nine-tailed fox!" Naruto focused his chakra before shouting a jutsu that left Iruka in awe. "Shadow clone jutsu!" hundreds of solid cloned Narutos' surrounded Mizuki who looked on in fear, each Naruto daring him to make a move before some clones spoke up " If you're not coming to us, I guess we'll be coming to you." Mizuki looked on in horror at the army of Narutos' closing in before screaming out towards the night sky which echoed the sounds of a true ninja beating.
The light of day was shining on the forest of Konoha especially on a blonde rubbing the back of his head grinning like a fox "sorry sensei i uhh may have gotten carried away" Naruto said revealing a unconscious and bloodied Mizuki. Naruto saw a smile on his sensei's face befored he could ask anything Iruka called him over. Naruto walked towards his teacher who had asked him to keep his eyes closed till the surprise was done. "Sensei how much longer?" said an eager Naruto "hehe okay you could open your eyes now" Narto stared his sensei who didn't have his leaf head band but instead Naruto felt it was on….him. "Congratulations Naruto you graduate, and to celebrate I have a surprise were going out for ramen tonight!" Iruka said proudly. The sun seemed to shine brighter for Naruto and a smile shined brightly on his whiskered face, before he tackled his teacher with a hug, happier then he'd ever been. Naruto laughed with his sensei feeling like as if everything would be better now and maybe, just like a light illuminates the darkness, Narutos future will too, be illuminated by a brighter tomorrow.